#but my social skills are Not great and it shouldn't matter but it Does

[aliennooboo]

I've been dealing quite okay with all the changes coming to my workplace this spring, but now I learned there's gonna be yet more changes, and it's just too much for my autistic ass to handle adgsdfdfddfgf 😒

[seriousbrat]

it’s so interesting to see how the interpretation of teen (boy) behavior in books has changed since they were written. it’s mostly for the better, but i think it does cause some people to refuse to engage in good faith with the source material, or on its own terms. i’ve loved hp since i was a kid, but i had never interacted at all with the fan side of things until maybe a year ago, and it was very odd (on the whole — which is why i’ve mostly just stuck to a handful of blogs with great fics and meta, like yours) to see how a lot of the text is taken now, compared to how my friends and i understood it at the time. i think its totally fair — and good, on a cultural level — to point out that the boy who pulls your pigtails isn’t being cute, and your male friend being in love with you doesn’t mean you owe him anything. but it’s also like … kind of intentionally closing the eyes to how these parts of the story are meant to come across? and i am not coming in here as some kind of “boys will be boys” person, but teenagers are messy in their relationships and their friendships, and more relevantly, it’s very clear what types of dynamics are being presented by the text. and it can be fun to pick apart what kinds of narratives are meant to be taken as romantic in different stories written in different times/places and why, but to look at the story on a story level you’ve got to also work with what it gives you.

Yes I think you make a very good point! I agree and personally I think both Snape and James would be written slightly differently if they were written today. Also, imo there's an element of wishful thinking coupled with naivety (and this has always existed tbf) when people who haven't ever been cis teenage boys try to write cis teenage boys haha. Like the 'closing of eyes' isn't always intentional. I know I keep going on about the Inbetweeners but I literally think watching that as a teen myself gave me an insight that I can never take back about what teenage boys are like haha.

Like this isn't to say that teenage boys are all exactly alike, or that there's some inherent, natural difference between boys and girls in terms of mentality or personality, but there is a social difference, generally speaking, a constructed one that happens because boys and girls are raised and socialised in a patriarchy. It's obviously not universal at all, and that's not even accounting for trans kids and the complexities they face, because even among cis boys and girls or men and women there's endless variety, and gender absolutely does not determine personality, interests, etc. Unfortunately it does influence them, though, that's our reality.

In terms of fiction, especially fanfic, obv one is free to do as they please. But there is such a thing as narrative voice, which can be an important thing to consider. Again when it comes to fanfiction it Does Not Matter that much, it's for fun, but in published fiction (or if you care about quality ig) it just is something you should consider. This is where the 'Men Writing Women' thing comes in, where you read something so obviously written by a man who doesn't understand how women (generally) think or speak or act at all. And in our patriarchal society such usually ends up being offensive and has often been overlooked and accepted when it shouldn't be. I don't think it's helpful to pretend men can't write women either, since plenty of male authors write female characters beautifully and the rest shouldn't be let off the hook. If you can't write women, skill issue and you shouldn't be published.

Anyway it's vastly more forgivable and understandable, and it pains me to say it but I think you can sometimes tell when it's a woman writing a man or a boy too. I will say on the whole I think women are better at writing men than the reverse haha, probably because we've been socialised to empathise with men whereas boys are not taught (by society) to empathise with women. Maybe women even empathise a little too much tbh. Maybe that's the problem, like we subconsciously over-project our ideals onto male characters, making them too nice, too woke, too cuddly, too sweet, because that's what we want to see, and leaving out the nastier elements that are so common. Again, that's not necessarily a problem!! Only if you're trying to create a realistic, effective portrayal of a certain (average) type of teenage boy-- which you don't have to do. I'd raise my eyebrows at an unrealistic portrayal much more in published fiction than fanfiction personally.

And ofc you can always choose to write a character who diverges from the accepted norm, but to do so effectively has to be a deliberate choice and done thoughtfully. For a boy like James, who is very average, the norm, he's decent enough but no Woke Feminist King haha. He's not meant to be.

Anyway, I think that's why the Marauders et al (including Death Eaters lol) are nowadays often portrayed like sweet little babies who all cuddle and take care of each other and respect women LOL. Like whatever, it's escapism haha, it's understandable. But sometimes I do think a lot of these people have never really interacted with many gay men or know what their culture is like. lmao. straight men maybe, but in a limited way. if you've ever had the misfortune to be with a group of cishet men who are talking freely with each other you'll know what I mean. again this is GENERAL. and socially constructed, not inherent. but very common nevertheless.

[malcolmschmitz]

Review: THE BEANSTALK MURDER by P.G. Bell

TLDR: Incredibly charming, voice-y middle grade murder mystery. If you liked the giant arc in The Silver Chair and wanted an entire book in that setting, or if you like MG murder mysteries/magic/music/mice, this one's for you. You know I liked this book if I'm putting the Amazon link front and center.

I've been making an effort to read more middle grade published within the past few years, because, well, I want to be a professional MG author, and I need to know what conversation I'm joining. And my comfort reads are mostly murder mysteries these days-- so grabbing this one was a no-brainer.

Here's the Amazon blurb:

Anwen Sedge, a young Meadow Witch apprentice, lives in a rural village that hasn't seen giants since the Great Beanstalk War. So it's quite a surprise when one drops from the sky and squishes the village flat. It's an even bigger surprise when Anwen discovers that he was dead BEFORE he hit the ground. This is a murder! The only solution is for Anwen and her arch nemesis, Cerys (who's the best at High Magic and won't let anyone forget it) to send a plea for help to the giants' kingdom, using a magic beanstalk. But the beanstalk backfires, shooting the two rivals into the giants’ kingdom before crumbling to dust! There, they make a terrible discovery – the murdered giant was none other than the king. And the giants have no magic of their own to get the girls home. Trapped in the royal palace and surrounded by intrigue, Anwen decides to use her Meadow Witch skills to unmask the killer, despite Cerys's doubts in her. With the help of a few new friends and her reluctant rival, can Anwen figure out who murdered the king before the killer strikes again?

I don't want to spoil too much of the story-- it is a mystery, after all-- so I'm just going to go ahead and make a bullet points list of the things I really liked:

The murder mystery itself was really well done. I underestimated the mystery because a lot of it was Baby's First Murder Mystery, so I got lulled into a false sense of security. Every part of it that matters is foreshadowed-- though I do wish the author had revealed the main speculative element sooner-- and the red herrings are carefully placed.

The whimsy and menace of the giants! If you read The Silver Chair and wanted a whole book that was JUST set in the land of the giants, with less child-eating (spoilers?) and more murder, well, The Beanstalk Murder has got you covered. The main characters get to live in a well-appointed dollhouse for a while! They get to eat grapes the size of their torso and ride pigeons!

The conflict between the two major girl characters was really well done. Right now in kidlit, there's a bit of a taboo around showing Mean Girls style social violence-- the industry veered way too far into "persecuted nerdy bluestocking vs. Mean Girls" to the point of femmephobia, and they're trying to counterbalance that. It's a good impulse, but I think it can go too far. I dislike this trope when it's done poorly, and I especially hate when the author's solution to this kind of conflict is "Oh, We Must Realize That We're Both Girls, and thus Part Of The Sisterhood Of Womyn, So We Shouldn't Fight". I was scared The Beanstalk Murder was going to go in this direction. Thankfully, it does not. The main characters are both sympathetic, but not "likeable"- they're both emotionally messy, in a way that's very true to life for how middle school girls are emotionally messy. The rivalry between the two of them is founded in reasons that make perfect sense, the main character gives just as good as she gets, and the resolution to their subplot is about them coming to understand each other as people.

There's a pigeon who is more than a little autistic (complimentary) about modern art.

There's very good middle grade mice. I'm a sucker for MG mice - I love Reepicheep, Despereaux, Hercules Mulligan, Ralph and his motorcycle- and while these guys weren't the main characters, they were a delight. (Did you know a group of mice is called a mischief?)

The portal fantasy vibes in a secondary world setting were also a delight.

A lot of the little worldbuilding details and quirks were really great, but I don't want to spoil the whole book.

Suffice it to say, I really had a great time with this book, and if you still like middle grade (or if you have an 8-12-year-old in your life who isn't quite ready for Holmes or Marple) you will probably like it too.

[clancabur]

Janus

BASICS

Name; Janus be'Cabur Species; Human (Punjabi) Age; 200+ Gender; Trans male, he/they Sexuality; Demisexual Callsign/Alias; Janus, "Orrery", "Young Wolf" (etc) Class; Hunter Subclass; Prismatic (All), Nightstalker (Void), Threadrunner (Strand) Clan; Cabur Ghost; Midas, she/her

-

APPEARANCE

Physical Basics; Tanned skin, sulfur-yellow eyes, and dark brown hair in messy curls. Short and very lean, almost worryingly so, though this does not impact his strength. Tattoos/Scars; Due to my headcanons about Guardians being self-actualizing, his body doesn't keep tattoos very well. If he has something he wants to remember, he uses scarification. Notable scars include; the scars from a top surgery he didn't need after being Risen but felt weird without the evidence of, a bullet scar in the exact center of his chest, winding knife scars around his right bicep, a handprint burn scar around his left bicep, as well as several more generic scars from his more traumatic deaths. Posture; He has a tendency to slouch, sinking into the background and draping himself over various furniture and surfaces, except when he feels he needs to make an impression, where he will instead keep his shoulders back and head high.

ATTITUDE

Personality; Janus is so, so sad and so, so angry. He doesn't talk much due to a severe injury to his throat shortly after first being Risen, instead preferring to sign or let Midas speak for him, which makes his personality somewhat difficult to discern sometimes since he almost never removes his helmet and tends to stay very still. He doesn't like interacting with people, preferring to get the job done and move on to the next, but if forced into extended interaction, he'll be blunt, short, and borderline rude. He's capable of politeness, and will use it if he feels it necessary, but he finds most social niceties to be tiresome. Despite his prickly, weary exterior, he's incredibly compassionate, which is why it hurts so much to keep losing people and why he's essentially a walking mess of grief. He has a deep-rooted urge to keep moving, and has a lot of trouble sitting still without a specific mission to complete. He also sees himself more as a weapon than a person. Likes; He adores his family, above all else. He also loves his friends, especially Cayde and Eris, and his complicated partner, Crow (and, previously, Uldren). More simply, he likes crafting weapons, exploring, and warm cloaks. Dislikes; Loathes Savathun, and isn't too happy with the Traveler, either. Despises Ahamkara (and most other dragons), and has a general distaste for royalty, though that's been fading of late. Strengths; Janus is essentially a powerhouse of Light. Due to circumstances elaborated on in the 'Backstory' section, he is, himself, a source of Light, and cannot be incapacitated by cutting off his connection to the Traveler. He's seamlessly skilled in numerous fighting styles, able to adapt himself to any combat situation with ease. He has a Knowing, a knack for seeing and learning things he shouldn't have any way to know. He's resourceful, able to live off the land no matter what terrain he finds himself in. Weaknesses; He's fucking awful at communication. He can't ask for help to save his life, and he has a nasty habit of wallowing in guilt. He's also essentially a walking mess of fault lines, so if you can hit one of those, it would completely and utterly shatter him, with mixed results (breakdown, or breaking something else, occasionally reality). He's also completely incapable of just stopping, of letting himself rest, and has to completely wear himself down to get any sleep at all that isn't full of nightmares. Motivations; His love is nearly as great as his grief, and these two things drive him to his limits and well past in his striving to keep Humanity, it's allies, and Earth safe from harm. As long as he has something to love, he'll keep doing everything he can to protect it.

KIT

Armor; Iron Companion Mask, Errant Knight 1.0/Meridian Constellation Gloves, Shadow Specter, Orpheus Rig (Calliope's Lullaby ornament), Dynamo Current Cloak. The metal is a sort of ivory white, almost pearl-like, with the leather and cloth being various shades of black and grey, except his cloak, which is a dark purple. Everything but the cloak has gold accents. Weapons; Ace of Spades (no ornament), a hand cannon. Point of the Stag, a compound bow. Quickfang, a sword. He treasures Ace of Spades, but is better with Point of the Stag. Ghost Shell; Midas' shell is the Aggressive Shell, though her colors are black and a mottled grey instead of dull golden-bronze. Sparrow; Argent Turbo Jumpship; N33-DL Skills; Aside from resourcefulness, tenacity, and combat skills, he's also a talented weaponsmith. He's got no interpersonal skills at all, but practical skills are something he picks up quickly, though he can't swim (or fish) to save his life.

BACKSTORY

Janus was first Rezzed in a broken escape pod somewhere between Earth and Europa. Given he had no protection from the vacuum of space, he died again immediately. This was the extent of his experience with existence until he finally crashed on Earth during the Dark Ages, whereupon he proceeded to scream until he literally couldn't anymore. (This is why his throat is permanently injured).

Largely gone mad from... all that, he scrounged out a shit living from the wilderness until a Warlord named Argon found him. She took him in and shaped him into a weapon, and when he eventually got sick of her cruelty and bit the hand that fed, Argon met her final death at his hand, leaving him as the Warlord in the area. Knowing nothing but cruelty and a feral urge to kill, this did not end well for the few civilians there, though Midas did her best to keep his attention focused outwards, on his borders, and away from them.

Eventually he met his family, his brother Odyssey and his buir (father) Arkades, who essentially rehabilitated him like a feral kitten- extremely thick gloves and being burrito'd and all. Janus learned nearly everything he knows from them, including compassion, tactics, and language.

He stayed with Arkades (an Iron Lord) up until about ten years before the first game takes place. Janus had tracked down some sort of enemy (I'm still not sure on this, torn between Vex for their time fuckery and Ahamkara for the vibes) which resulted in him being sort of... forcibly re-deaded? Unrisen? Regardless, Midas found him again in Old Russia and Raised him for the first time again, kicking off the events of the first game.

From there, events proceeded according to the games.

This is where it diverges into AU territory; the first time around, Janus experienced the 'bad ending', where he and everyone he loves lost to the Witness. The struggle between the Witness/Black Fleet and the Traveler literally tore apart reality, fracturing it like a pane of glass, and Janus- the last living thing in the area, at that point- sort of got... caught up in all the paracausal energy, gaining his unique abilities, before falling through the cracks and ending up back in Old Russia, at the beginning again.

He has so many aus, but the ones that are easily adapted for this blog are the Everybody Lives AU (exactly what it sounds like) and the Wings AU (not quite exactly what it sounds like- its complicated).

[voparwave69]

Extremely long gamzee opinion because as I have had pointed out to me, I am indeed cooked, putting under "read more" thing to not take up half yalls screen

I think most people in this fandom would find Gamzee unpleasant irl, because while yeah part of him is that he is a silly, friendly, happy go lucky stoner clown, he's also generally creepy as well and his psychological problems would still peek through the drugs here and there, even if not on full display. I want to note that I am not putting him down for any of the things I'm about to list, I'm more noting things that I see people be very put off by in real people.

He's a bit unhygienic, he usually doesn't "get the hint" when someone is upset with him or dislikes him (or he possibly does and just internalizes it to severely react to later, or it might simply all hit him later that someone he was fine with is now completely intolerable), his boundaries aren't great, his religiosity is something innate to him even if his beliefs are momentarily shaken (I say this because I know a lot of people really dislike religious discussions, and he talks about religion a great deal, I am very religious myself so i am not at all saying he shouldn't be religious), he can be overly sexual and flirtatious in inappropriate situations, he's loud, he's definitely neurodivergent in a way that I see get put down harshly in the real world, he has poor social skills and is often less affected by things than others around him, leading him to look apathetic or like he can't take anything seriously. He likes clowns BECAUSE he is religious, so there is mostly no separating his clowning from his religious beliefs, and he is an addictive person who likely could never (and probably should never) deal with life completely sober. He eats nothing but garbage and lives off of edibles and soda (some people get annoyed by shit like this as if it fucking matters what someone else is eating). If he *does* freak out, it *will* be extremely severe in nature, and I think that would likely loom in people's minds, especially if they had seen it before, even if only from the sidelines. In most scenarios, Gamzee essentially does what he wants regardless of what others say about it, whether that's getting high 24/7 or pursuing a goal against the wishes of those around him, and not only is he from a society with typically turbulent relationships, but he is turbulent even within his own society. He also says and believes bizarre things at times.

However, that's not to say that most people would just strictly despise him. At his best, he's friendly, optimistic, funny, willing to try to get along with most everyone he knows, affectionate, playful, very social (this might be a downside to some), enamored by the smallest things, generous (as most good stoners are), and can be surprisingly tolerant/patient. At the end of the day, Gamzee simply wants to feel that life has meaning, that he's serving a purpose, and when in a better state of mind he wants and tries to not be alone. Gamzee is also enduring as hell and always keeps going, for better or worse. In some ways he is tenacious and persistent like Vriska, he's just a bit quieter and maybe even secretive about it. Gamzee when in his better state of mind will befriend anyone who wants to befriend him, and if you're willing to just let him have his faith and his substances he'll probably be just fine, *especially* if you share them with him, or at the very least don't try to take either from him.

Long story short, I think his reception would be "omg its Gamzee irl!" and then "oh my god it's Gamzee irl 😰" and probably keep cycling between the two, and you either get used to it or you get burnt out on it. Related but unrelated, even as much as I personally like him and very heavily relate to him, I KNOW one thing that would drive me crazy would be the way he talks about tragedy, and I know this because my boyfriend can be like that, I one time was venting to him about having BPD and he looked at me and said "imagine haggins" (imagine dragons but with hag instead of drag) and nothing else. I lost it at him. But it was also extremely funny 5 minutes later.

But anyways, I love Gamzee to death regardless, and I love him because he is so seriously flawed and also so simultaneously endearing and understandable. And not at all am I saying you shouldn't split him apart and cherry pick what to enjoy about him -- he's a fictional character and is meant to be enjoyed, even if you just take his likeness and slap it onto someone with a completely different personality, that's what fiction is for baby. Its to enjoy in your own way. Hussie himself is a "think what you want" kind of author. I guess I am just saying its an interesting thing in a way that many people can love such flawed fictional people while finding people like them in the real world so unappealing.

Reblog this with your unpopular, most controversial opinion about your Blorbo

[escape-rock-bottom]

Journal #22 - Dropping the Mask (Discomfort Challenge Journal)

I heard of this concept a while ago called "masking." While it's mainly associated with the autistic community (autistic masking), it does seem to exist in people with mental illnesses. Take me for example, a guy with a nice little combination of diagnoses that culminates into one big ol' weird mess. The main contributor? My dissociative disorder. 

The disorder came about as a direct result of trauma. While it's a great protective barrier when faced with seriously horrific and terrifying situations, it's pretty useless and annoying when it comes to everyday things. One major thing I noticed an effect on is my social interactions (or lack thereof). You see, the disorder seems to have an automatic trigger when faced with people I am unfamiliar or not too close to: It causes me to clam up, basically. This is a similarly observed response in people with a wide variety of conditions. It's why there's a ton of people out there with mental illnesses - some of which you have met - but barely any show truly overt symptoms. Masking with mental illness, much like with autism, is a protective response.

There's nothing more frustrating than being a relatively social person who's afraid of socializing. It's extremely counterintuitive, and deprives me of my needs. Worst of all, it puts me in a position of fear when I think about attempting to do it. 

It took me a while to fully understand what was the deal. I will admit, it's more complex than a simple "knock it off and grow a pair." It's a long list of factors. After a while of digging deep, I found quickly that one of the more unconscious, automatic responses is one I can actually work through and resolve. So, I set one of my discomfort challenges to get me to learn how to be aware of my reactions and practice my social skills: "Drop the mask" with 10 people. 

The idea was to tackle all the issues I have regarding the dissociative masking:

Understand when I'm doing it

Acknowledge the feelings that are present

Face my fear of rejection and opening up

Practice social skills and get comfortable with it

Reframe my negative thoughts

Sounds like a lot because it is a lot. However, that's skills for ya. Anyways, as I began, I honestly had trouble. I didn't make much progress at the start. It wasn't until the first few attempts that I began noticing something interesting: It just got easier. I noticed it was much easier to open up once I just reminded myself it was okay, and that I shouldn't be so judge-y about others' intentions and perceptions. 

It seems that doing this unlocked something in me and changed the way I think. I can't really say if it was a result of this challenge or if it was a matter of me just proving to myself the world didn't suck THAT much. Regardless, I'm glad I could do so. I have a long way to go honestly, but I can feel I'm taking steps in the right direction.

While it took a while to break through, it was a step-by-step effort. Like many things regarding self improvement, it was a matter of mindset and work. Your mileage may vary. I just know where I lie in the social needs scale and my personal dispositions and shortcomings. Take a moment to answer to yourself:

Am I an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between? Do I feel the need to hide myself from fear of judgment or rejection or harm?

Am I intimidated by the thought of approaching someone? How much so? Why is that?

Am I anxious about being approached by people? How much so? Why is that?

What do you fear most about other people's intentions and why? 

If you could change, what ideal type of social disposition would you desire? What fears would you like to let go of?

Build your own challenge using your specific fears and shortcomings! It can be something like "Say hello to 5 strangers today" or "Have a conversation with 5 people" or even something nuts and scary like "Contact or approach people who you would like to talk to." They have to be goals that you find scary, are attainable, and will help you work on improving yourself and your mindset.

[the-hydroxian-artblog]

I understand of course that there's no artistic shortcuts, and that the only way to learn to do a thing is to practice it a bunch.

But man, every time I see your art on my dash, some part of my wishes I could flip a switch and just mimic that style in one go. How long does it generally take you to do any of your random sketches? And do you have any advice for nailing the sort of. Casual dynamic style you do so well.

Most sketches of just a pose and a half take me anywhere from 25 minutes to an hour, mostly depending on both how detailed the character is, and how ambitious/inspired I'm feeling to draw them.

It's as you said, hard to recommend anything other than "practice", but I detailed my study regimen here. Something I hear is useful but don't do myself is straight up tracing sketches of other artists (for your eyes only, don't go posting them and making claims), mainly to learn and improve your own muscle memory and "get in their head". I've only done that very sporadically as inking practice. That's not me saying it isn't a good idea, I just haven't built up the habit. Feel free to do that with my own work, by the way!

Either way, my "casual dynamic style" comes from honing my eye and muscle memory to the point where I can draw poses more efficiently and visualize them, which my daily study regimen helped me hone. When you "get" to where I am, you'll find that there's only more to learn, though. Think of speedrunners; someone being better than even 90% of players looks impressive, but once you hone your skill to that point, you'll realize there's 10 times as much distance between you and the guy that's better than 93% of players. People who shoot for world records, being the best of the best, wind up making thousands more attempts than others lower on the ladder ever will.

The biggest takeaway is that you shouldn't be expecting yourself to be all that satisfied at any point, IF you aren't drawing something you enjoy. DALL-E 2 images look impressive and even incredible, but after a while the novelty begins to wear off. Training your neural pathways to make better and better art works the same way; you actually dampen your ability to get a dopamine hit off of good art alone, so you try to make it better, and eventually you grow only somewhat satisfied with your new normal. You need to draw stuff that actually makes you happy. That's the sort of thing that will fuel your journey for real. It's why art quality seems to not really matter all that much on social media, as it's work that the viewer and artist relates with that often winds up getting any traction. It's not a great analogy as all art has inherent value, but some kinds of art is definitely more motivating to draw and engage with than other kinds.

It's also why I draw stupid shit all the time. I get more of a dopamine hit drawing stupid shit that scratches an itch. Maybe your thing is cats. Shipping characters. Trains. Buildings. Find something you can't easily get tired of drawing, and study it as often as you can. Not too much to burn you out, but enough that you don't mind taking the challenge again and again. Don't rush it, just study a small amount at regular intervals. It's as David Karp once said: It doesn't matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.

[my-mt-heart]

I saw your list for the ask to your top 10 favorites. We are practically sisters. I won't touch on all of them because I know I suffer from "lengthy post-ism". I just want to say I definitely feel Shane was the best human antogonist with a compelling descent into madness. At times I thought he would be okay, but nope. So to me he was the most human antogonist. Most others who got around 2 seasons of an arc like he did just felt comic-y to me.

Merle, yes! He was such a strong character. If he lived and learned through his redemption arc, he would be nothing short of awesome. I think part of what made Shane and Merle great antagonists was because you could feel their conflict and fighting against their better angels. Other villians usually just felt like villians. I didn't feel their heart at all.

Girl, I am with you all day on Ezekiel and Beth too. Ezekiel has so much heart, like a king and he's got great social skills (except for when it comes to Daryl haha) but he's got an inner strength that goes deeper than the facade he was putting on when he had The Kingdom. And Beth, gosh. She was another great example of younger siblings really stepping up when the older sibling is absent (think Daryl with Merle, Mika with Lizzie (though Lizzie was present) Beth with Maggie, Kelly with Connie). There are dualities of strength that TWD has repeatedly chosen to have seen in the younger sibling that hits just right for me.

Yes, Kelly is amazing. And the fact that we know she looks up to Carol just melts me. Because who shouldn't look up to Carol? She's the best role model. Lydia is a whole topic in itself. But she is truly a favorite of mine as well.

Definitely not trying to stir the pot here. I am really just curious. I notice Rick is not on your list. And I was wondering if you were comfortable sharing your reasons? I am just interested in seeing if they align with my own. Because I will always love Rick but he ceased from being a favorite character of mine after he killed Shane. Not because I didn't agree with his choice. Shane had to go. But Rick literally turned into Shane. It reminds me of how the Roman Empire didn't "conquer" the Grecian empire? They just absorbed it. That's where they get the term Greco-Roman Empire from? I feel like that's what happened with Rick. That he just "absorbed" Shane. And from there he makes a myraid of judgments that are inconsistent and costly to the group. But that is just my opinion on him. I know he is fighting for the greater good. But still. Just curious on what you thought?

Well, great minds think alike as they say. Reading all your brilliant blurbs on the characters, I'm realizing I should have included those on my list as well, so here's me remedying that. I'll skip Carol and Daryl for now because that's probably a whole post on it's own. The first five I'm copying and pasting from a similar ask post about which other characters I liked on the show and why:

Michonne - Carol understandably gets labeled "the most transformed," but Michonne's growth as a character is pretty phenomenal too. She's always been a badass warrior, but I love that over time she allowed herself to show a more nurturing side and a great sense of humor. I think her relationships with Rick and Carl were integral to that.

Glenn - In early seasons, he was the adorable dork of the group, but his resilience made him the biggest asset. I think he might also be one of the only long-term characters whose morality never wavered no matter what they had to deal with.

Lydia - There is a strong possibility my investment in her character has everything to do with her having so much in common with both Daryl and Carol.  Despite a long history of abuse, she's stronger than ever with a heart of gold.

Kelly - I'm not saying I'm glad Connie went missing, but her absence has really given Kelly some much needed time to shine and shine she does. I love her rationality and youthful resilience. For being so young, she's one of the most mature characters on the show. I also love how loyal she is and how determined she is to make sure the people she cares about are safe (i.e. Luke, Connie).

Jerry - He may not be the most developed, but he always makes me laugh. I mean, how do you not love this guy? His relationship with Ezekiel is everything and I really hope they get to reunite. I also really loved his interactions with Carol in Diverged, and how perceptive he was of her relationship with Daryl. What he said about "a friend thinking you're perfect when everyone else thinks you're broken" was spot on and now I need to hear the words come out of Daryl's mouth. Ugh.

Ezekiel - He comes into the series a little too comic-y for me, though I think the CGI tiger has a lot to do with that. At the risk of sounding like a sadist, I want to say watching him slowly lose everything he holds dear helps me feel more drawn to his character. Underneath the facade, there's clearly a human being with noble intentions and a strong desire to view the world optimistically, which is beautifully challenged by the LOADS of shit the world throws back at him. Seriously, the man lost his people, his home, his son, his wife, his horse, and on top of all that finds out he has cancer. I mean, jfc, can he catch a break already?? This is why I love his relationship with Jerry so much. So. much. He's the one consistency in his life, the only person who has and will always be there for him emotionally. I don't think you can really say that about Carol. And look. We can't blame Zeke for falling for her. She's Carol. She's amazing. Why aren't more characters tripping over themselves trying to be with her? We can hold it against him for acting insecure about Daryl, but also why? It serves a purpose. It establishes the two of them as foils and even better, it validates the possibility of a romance between Carol and Daryl.

Beth - To me, she embodies the coming of age narrative that we missed out on with Sophia and are currently being deprived of with Judith. We get to see her change from naive and innocent to capable and determined in real time, and because of that, we get to see Daryl navigate mentorship for the first time. So yes, I enjoy their scenes together. Again, not sorry.

Shane - What makes him my favorite villain is the fact that he doesn't have the word villain tattooed across his forehead like literally every other showy and borderline cartoonish bad guy on the whole damn series. He's a human being with human feelings mixed with a defective moral compass. He's trouble, but still relatable. He's strong, but grounded. I really hope there are more villains like him on the Caryl show.

Merle - Characters do not have to be good, likeable people in order to be good characters. Merle is proof of that. In real life, I wouldn't want someone like Merle anywhere near me. He's racist, sexist, and as Daryl put it so eloquently, a simple-minded piece of shit. But I like that he has such a distinct voice and I also appreciate that unlike a stereotypical big oaf, he is rounded. He has a soft spot for his brother, and though it might be buried deep, DEEP down, he has a sense of right and wrong. Which of course Daryl helps bring out of him.

As for why I didn't include Rick on my list, I'm not sure I have a clear reason. I like him. I root for him. He's just not my favorite. Could it be because the white male protagonist who comes from an honest background and wants to build a future for his male heir just feels a little stale to me compared to some of the other really complex character narratives? Maybe. I don't know. Personally, the choices he makes don't really bother me because I can see why they're necessary for his personal growth and the plot. I will agree that he does stoop to Shane-level if not below it, and it could totally be argued that it takes away some of Rick's justification for killing Shane in the first place. But while Shane is written off as a lone wolf who has no one to pull him back, Rick thankfully has Michonne and a lot of others to keep him balanced because they want him to succeed. I know not everyone ships Richonne, but I think they make a great team.

[viperwhispered]

I sure did not expect anyone to want to hear more about the boring and depressing real-world considerations about this but since @fishisahappydog asked. I doubt I'm the first to talk about these things, and I know someone else did the whole indentured servitude and modern day slavery comparison before, but unfortunately I don't remember who it was and couldn't find the post (if you do, lmk!).

Also I've not been playing the game that long yet and lack a lot of the cards & extra info from events, so if anyone's got additions & corrections, feel free to let me know!

But, just like, where do I even start? (below a cut because long and rambly)

Looking at the current situation:

Kalim, what do you think is a reasonable amount of hours for someone to spend working in one day? What about a week? What about while that person is also a full-time student?

Alright if it's up to Kalim at all then presumably pay at least is decent (please, at least give Jamil that if nothing else)

What about holidays? Time off? How great is it for a person and their well-being to basically be on call 24/7? Do you think that might mayhaps be kinda much to expect from someone?

I mean alright housewarden and vice housewarden duties would be taking a fair bit of time anyway, and students are choosing to do those. Quite a different deal when you voluntarily take such a position, though, versus basically having to do so because your boss just bought was handed the houcewarden position.

But Jamil's not just a vice housewarden - he's basically running the dorm, with the same workload some of the dorm leaders have (I'm not saying Kalim's a total useless idiot, but organized he is not) and being someone's fulltime attendant / servant and trying to do his studies as well.

Also yes positions of similar nature and commitment level do exist in the real world. But how often are they done by teenagers who didn't have a say in the matter?

I mean, presumably before NRC and while Kalim was living at the Al-Asim house fulltime, Jamil was far from the only attendant looking after Kalim. I don't really know how his duties evolved over time, but he's been Kalim's poison tester, his attendant, whatever for quite some time. I mean, middle school afforded Jamil more freedom than he had before that, according to him. So he has been very much involved with Kalim and having to put his needs first for a long time.

But now he's the only person looking after Kalim who's probably used to a gaggle of attendants.

I mean one could also argue Jamil can be quite overprotective and overbearing about Kalim, doing more than is strictly necessary - but considering how "failure" or problems would reflect on Jamil & his family (see below), one can't really blame him.

About their history:

I'm sure we all can agree child labor is bad, right?

Also don't get me started on just how badly the adults in Jamil's life failed him, placing him into such a position of responsibility from such a young age while neglecting his own freedom and wants. I've ranted about it before here on my main.

Now, again. There are places where children (and teens) do or have to contribute to the earnings of their family. Should they have to? They sure shouldn't.

One could also potentially liken Jamil's situation to Riddle's and others with parents who have decided the child's path and want to teach them the skills / get them the career they think would be financially viable. I mean, in his ceremonial robes Jamil for example talks about how his parents have immersed him in social situations. Again, if you're in a precarious economic situation, it certainly is a survival tactic. Should a child have to deal with that, instead of having their own freedom to choose? Nope.

Jamil's just so been robbed of his ability to choose his own path in life.

Not to even mention just how badly Jamil's missed out on the chance to just be a damn child & teenager. I mean, would Kalim want that for his siblings? Does he realize just how much Jamil has lost and missed out on?

And the whole worker exploitation and modern day slavery aspects. I've kinda touched on them already, but just

Jamil feels like he has no choice but to keep on doing what he's doing

He's been doing this since he was a child. He's still a teenager

He feels threatened to stay in his position - en and jp make different points about the severity of this threat, but still.

Totally makes for a situation where one could like, choose a job, get a sensible contract with reasonable terms and have reasonable means of getting out of said job contract for whatever reason. Totally.

Now of course this all doesn't fully take into consideration how Jamil himself feels about his situation. I mean if I were to just turn up and sprout this stuff to Kalim, I sure can see Jamil get quite offended that someone's sticking their head in business that's not theirs at all.

But damn if it doesn't frustrate me to no end that this is apparently okay and fine and nothing to worry about, according to most of the people around 🙃 Like, I sure don't remember most people in NRC being bothered at all with the situation - but then again, I'm not sure most of them really know the full extent of it, and we do have our royals (well, Malleus at least) with their own attendant situations as well.

First thing I'd do if I ended up at NRC?

Get my hands on Kalim and give him a long talk about worker's rights, children's rights, and indentured servitude, worker exploitation and modern day slavery.

[bobbyshaddoe80]

Liberated Audio Reviews

Introduction:

The cult Sci-Fi series Blake's 7 has seen great admiration and appreciation in the 40 plus years since its initial broadcast in the UK., continuing to enthrall audience old and new alike. Despite its rather low budget, it possessed some pretty impressive writing and acting from its rotating cast of characters. Despite it being yet another Terry Nation brainchild, the series would evolve beyond the initial proposal/concept of 'Robin Hood in Space' under the direction of Chris Boucher to become something more than just a Star Wars clone.

Over the years, the show's devoted fanbase have poured over the show's 52 episodes and have long clamored, demanded, begged and pleaded with the Powers That Be for some sort of continuation or revival... In spite of the show's rather unorthodox and controversial ending.

After numerous rumors and false starts, which even included a full on audio reboot/reimagining by B7 Media back in late 2007/early 2008, it would be Big Finish Productions that would take up the daunting task of reviving and expanding the Blake's 7 universe starting in February 2012 with the Liberator Chronicles and the Classic Audio Adventures in January 2014.

The Liberator Chronicles are essentially enhanced audiobooks often told in the first person by whichever character is chosen to be the focus of the story. Often they are supported by one or two other cast members in order to help keep things from falling completely into standard audiobook monotony. Before tackling the full cast audios, I shall endeavor to present my thoughts and views on all twelve volumes of the Liberator Chronicles.

Please bear in mind that these reviews are based on my own opinions and no one else's. While I shall endeavor to be as fair as possible, I am not claiming that my opinion is the only one that matters and you are free to agree or disagree with me as you see fit. Just try to keep it civil. So, without further ado, let's get started by examining volume one.

Blake's 7 - The Liberator Chronicles Vol. 1

RELEASED FEBRUARY 2012

Recorded on: 23 September, 11 and 14 October 2011

Recorded at: Moat Studios

Review By Robert L. Torres

The Turing Test by Simon Guerrier

'After evading an attack by Cassini Pirates, the Liberator heads to the rogue moon of Quentil, where Avon and Vila infiltrate a top secret Federation science facility. 

Vila assumes the guise of Dr. Yarding Gill, an expert in digital memory. And Avon is his "creation" - a super-advanced android that could pass for human. In fact, he does...

Can they maintain the ruse long enough to complete their mission? And will the Cassini Pirates catch up with them?'

Chronological Placement:

Series A - set after the events of LC Vol. 7's Disorder, between episodes Mission To Destiny and Duel.

This is a very well written story starring the late Paul Darrow as Kerr Avon, ably supported by Michael Keating as Vila Restal.

I love how the story is structured with Avon recounting these events AFTER the fact, like he was recording then for posterity into a dictaphone. I loved that Guerrier's writing didn't fall into the trap of having Avon try to do other voices or say 'said Blake', 'said Jenna' and so on. Nothing felt disruptive to the narrative and having Vila around never felt intrusive.

Kudos to Michael Keating for slipping back into the role of Vila Restal with relative ease. He will be quite reliable in a support capacity during many of these audios, and even get a chance at the spotlight... Which we will examine in due course. Right now, he lends his exceptional charm in this undercover mission posing as the scientist responsible for "creating" Avon.

Still, this story belongs to Paul Darrow, and he does a great job. It was a great story about what it means to be alive, what it means to be human and even serving as an examination of Avon himself. It was a nice inverse of the usual sort of questions regarding machine life wishing to be more human. Here we have a human considering himself to be more machine than man.

That is the interesting thing about Avon. Most scifi programs that deal with space travel tend to have an archetypical character known as the 'royal smart person'. For Star Trek TOS it was Spock, for Star Trek TNG it was Data, for DS9 it was Dax (and to a certain extent Bashir), for Voyager it was Seven of Nine, for Enterprise it was... Who the hell knows since everyone on that show was an idiot. As for Discovery... I honestly don't know cuz I haven't watched Discovery yet, but that's beside the point.

Avon is exceptional in his characterization only in that his desire to focus on pure logic and suppress his emotions does not come without its own drawbacks. Despite his intellect and skill with computers, he is someone that is also socially and emotionally cut off from others due to an inability to trust. He is also someone that sees the futility in giving over to emotional and irrational hysterics in order to showcase that he cares. Avon's intelligence also comes with a certain amount of ego, as he knows that he is smarter than many of his contemporaries, and much of the logic he embraces stems from a certain degree of self-serving self-interest.

His desire to assist in the situation with the AI android 14 stems from having an affinity with another creature of pure logic, and not wanting such a creature to be exploited and corrupted to further the aims and agendas of the Federation. This story is a great reminder of why Avon is a great antihero, as he is still willing to do the right thing in spite of himself.

Final Score: 8 out of 10 Plasma Bolts

Solitary by Nigel Fairs

‘Vila is in solitary confinement. His friends have abandoned him, his only contact with the world outside is Nyrron, a scientist from the planet Auron.

Amnesiac and confused, Vila attempts to piece together recent events... A mission to Dulcimer 4. An important meeting. And a visit to the jungle world of Terrulis Major.

In the depths of the foliage, the truth is waiting. And it's more terrifying than Vila could possible have imagined...’

Chronological Placement:

Series B - between episodes Redemption and Shadow.

I really do not have much to say about this story as it is profoundly unremarkable and is a major clunker in terms of execution of its concept, as well as the first person narration.

It has some interesting ideas, there is a central mystery that is interesting, with Vila finding himself in solitary confinement and abandoned by his friends, and we are introduced to a semi recurring guest character in the form of Auron scientist Gustav Nyrron, played by Anthony Howell ('Dr. David Keel' of the The Avengers: Lost Episodes range). 

Nyrron himself is an interesting character as an ally for Blake and the Resistance, which begs the question why Cally wasn’t involved in this story as well.  Because for an Auron scientist, he actually spends most of the time acting like either a reasonable interrogator or a benevolent psychiatrist for the imprisoned Vila. 

The whole story itself is not executed terribly well.  The Vila character spends a good chunk of the first few moments talking to himself, and then when Nyrron comes into the narrative, Vila spends the rest of the runtime being asked if he remembers certain events, and then goes on to basically recount events that lead up to meeting Nyrron and then goes on to tell Nyrron things that he already knows about. 

As a Vila centric story, its also not terribly good, not even with certain unexpected revelations made. This story does Vila no favors and we don't learn much about Nyrron either.  Fortunately, those are issues that would end up being rectified in later stories.  Definitely give this one a miss.

Final Score: 4 out of 10 Plasma Bolts

Counterfeit by Peter Anghelides

‘The Bovee Mining Facility: A Federation slave camp worked by disgraced scientists.

The planet shouldn't be of interest but it is: Avon's investigations reveal that it's rich in Illusium, a mineral that can change from one substance to another. With it, the Federation could be invulnerable...

Blake teleports down to Bovee, but gets more than he bargained for. There's another visitor to the facility - and his presence changes the whole game...’

Chronological Placement:

Series A - set after the events of LC Vol. 1's The Turing Test, between episodes Mission To Destiny and Duel.

This is not a bad Blake focus story, with added support from Avon. However, what we get is a pretty standard adventure with Blake hoping to obtain certain materials and destroy the means of that material being reproduced in another effort to cripple the Federation's power. We even get in an appearance by Travis, Blake's personal nemesis, to lure him into a trap.

There isn't a whole lot to say about the story because of how standard and basic it all is. The fact that the story is done on audio does play in well into certain revelations and surprise twists made within the narrative. Many of which I will not speak on as it goes into spoiler territory. Other than that, the story itself is not bad, it is definitely worth a once-over. Its just unfortunate that it is also pretty average and fairly unremarkable.

Final Score: 5 out of 10 Plasma Bolts

Final score for Volume One of The Liberator Chronicles in its entirety is 6 out of 10 Plasma Bolts.

It isn't the best start to the Blake's 7 audio range as it really only has one story out of three to recommend it. Its great to hear the original actors back again, and thankfully they will be served better stories in the volumes to follow.

Special thanks to Craig Brawley of the Big Finish Listeners Facebook Group for his tireless efforts in mapping out the chronology of the audios and determining how they fit in with the established TV continuity.

[queen-of-songs]

The Accidental Crush of Sansa Stark and the recurring annoyance that followed- Chapter 2 pt.1

"Sansa? If you could date any boy counselors here, who would you date?" Shireen, an adorable little camper asked as she walked all of them to canoeing. Sansa paused. Was her developing attraction that obvious? One of the golden staff rules was that there were to be no summer romances or if there was one, to be discreet to the point leadership didn't have any suspicions.

"She'd date Harry of course! Have you seen the way he looks at her?!" Beth giggled. "They would be like Ariel and...Philip!"

"Philip is Aurora's prince, Beth. Ariel's prince is Eric remember?" Alys shook her head at Beth. "I think Sansa would be happiest with Sam!"

"Sam likes Gilly, he blushes every time he's around her," Osha spoke up and the girls around her nodded in agreement.

"Sansa should go out with Dickon, he's so handsome!" Minisa sighed dreamily while Lyanna rolled her eyes.

"Can't you all see Sansa likes...." Lyanna began before Sansa interrupted her. "Girls, I appreciate you all comparing me to a Disney princess and wishing for my happiness. But I assure you, I don't feel that way toward anyone here."

Most of the girls seemed convinced by her little white lie and forgot about their question within seconds. All except for Lyanna. Lyanna stood behind while the other girls went down to the canoeing river. She tilted her head at Sansa in curiosity and Sansa took a deep breath.

"What is it Lyanna?"

"I saw you look at Jon at the pool yesterday."

"Lyanna, I had sunglasses on. I was looking at everyone in the pool." Sansa scoffed, hoping the defiant little camper would drop it. But Lyanna raised her chin with a sly smile on her face.

"Maybe that's true. But I saw you look at him a couple of times today at breakfast and you didn't have sunglasses then. You get a big smile on your face when he's around like the Disney princesses do."

Perhaps I should tone it down a bit.

Sansa took a moment to collect herself and sighed. "Lyanna, Jon is my coworker and friend. I smile when I see all my coworkers..."

"It's different with Jon. That's the way my mom looked at my dad before he died." Lyanna sadly smiled and quickly ran off to join her fellow campers, while Sansa stood in silence.

——————————-

"Girls, can I ask you something?" Sansa asked as she turned up the volume to skype her friends during break time. Margaery was in the process of making an anniversary gift for Theon, Dany was painting her nails so they could be ready for her date night with Daario, Missandei was painting a portrait for Grey, and Brienne was ordering a knife for Jaime's birthday.

"Sure, Sansa!" They all sang in unison.

"Am I being too obvious if one of my campers can tell who I am attracted to?" Sansa spoke quickly, hoping they missed it. But judging by how they were all looking at each other as if they were in the Brady Bunch credits, they did.

"OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Missandei shouted.

"I bet it's Harry! Margaery surmised.

"I think it's Dickon. Did you see the pics Sansa posted that tagged him in? They'd be absolutely perfect together!" Dany sighed happily.

"Well, are you going to tell us who it is?" Brienne rose an eyebrow.

"It's the guy I told you all about that pissed me off a few weeks ago. We've patched things up and he's really...cool." Sansa blushed and saw their collective smiles.

"You never told us Mr. Broody's name, what is it?" Margaery inquired.

"His name is Jon, Jon Snow," Sansa responded, and immediately Dany spat out her drink. "Jon Snow?! You like him?!"

"Yeah. Do you know him Dany?" Sansa asked, confused out of her mind.

"He's my nephew," Dany responded and Margaery's eyes widened. "Dany, how on earth do you have a nephew the same age as you?"

"Remember my older brother Rhaegar? Jon is his whoops kid after he had an affair while Elia was in a coma." Dany shrugged.

"Oh yeah! But you've never mentioned him before, why is that?" Missandei asked in curiosity.

"I didn't know he existed until he came to live with Rhaegar and Elia four years ago. He's hasn't been around much because he was either going to school or working at camp." Dany answered and Brienne leaned forward. "Dany, what were you going to add about Jon earlier when Sansa mentioned that she liked him?"

"He's a great guy...but Sansa, he has a girlfriend. Her name is Lysa Tully. He's been dating her for years. I am truly sorry, Sansa." Dany's face was full of sadness.

"Dany, don't be sorry! I'm glad you told me before I made a fool of myself. Now I can be more cognizant of my actions." Sansa put her hands in a heart shape and Dany laughed as she responded with heart hands back.

"But damn, I wish it were different. It would be so cool to have you as my sis...niece in law. Seven hells, that's so weird...."Dany began before all the girls cackled in unison.

Before long, Margaery narrowed her eyes. That typically meant she was vying for information. "Dany, give us the deets on Lysa."

"My brother and Elia think she's a character," Dany grimaced.

"That sounds like how my grandmother would describe Mr. Baelish and Mr.Varys," Margaery hummed.

"Rhaenys tolerates her and Aegon can't stand to be in the same room as her. My experience made me want to slap her, honestly."

"What happened?" Brienne inquired and Dany sighed. "She made Daario feel uncomfortable because he's not from "here," whatever "here" is supposed to mean."

"Oh. She's one of those types of people... ew does that mean Jon is as well???" Missandei rose an eyebrow.

"No, not by a long shot. Jon is super passionate about social issues and has always been involved in some way or another. He and Lysa got into an argument after she made Daario feel uncomfortable. She ended up apologizing, though I didn't think it was truly genuine. I think it was only to show Jon that she was "improving." Dany shrugged, while Brienne, Margaery, and Missandei collectively sighed. Sansa bit the inside of her cheek.

Of course, he has a girlfriend. He's good looking and has a kind soul. Who was I kidding? Well, maybe I can try to be his friend at least. Yes. That's what I'll do and my feelings will go away. They have before and they will now.

After making her decision, Sansa spoke up.

"Well ladies, enough about me and my sad crush life. Tell me about all your individual plans with your guys!!!!!!"

———————————-

"Sansa, you should go! I'm sure it'll be loads of fun!" Her co-counselor Mya exclaimed.

The leadership team decided last minute to have counselor late-night swim and Sansa internally debated if she really wanted to go.

If I am trying to friendzone my crush, shouldn't I try to limit the times I see him wet and shirtless?

"I'm really tired, Mya. I just want to take a hot shower, it's been a really long day."

It wasn't necessarily a bad excuse. It had been a long day. It hadn't even been five minutes after Sansa ended her skype call with her friends when she heard Dickon radio for her help. Two of the girls got into a fight during canoeing and poor Beth cried the entire time after she fell backward in the river. The next skill area didn't fare well either after Minisa got bit by a brown recluse and had to go to the hospital. Then later in the day, the porch swing broke off at the merchandise store and Lyanna sprained her ankle. Sansa had gotten well acquainted with nurse Thoros. Because she worked so well with the little ones, she typically made calls throughout the week but never this many in one week.

"That's true but Sansa, you've been such a trooper today. You deserve a break." Mya reasoned.

"You were there too, Mya. I wouldn't have survived today without you, honestly. In fact, why don't you go tonight and I'll go tomorrow?" Sansa responded.

"Are you sure, Sansa?"

"Absolutely."

"Aww thanks, Sansa." Mya smiled and hugged Sansa tight for a few seconds before going to her room in the cabin to get a bathing suit.

"Oh by the way Mya, I'd wear the blue one. Harry blushes a little when you wear it." Sansa looked at her nails while Mya's mouth slightly dropped.

"How did you know?! I thought I was hiding it well."

"You are! I'm the only one who can really tell because I'm a big sucker for enemies to lovers so I can tell by the little things."

"...Harry blushed a little when I wore it last?"

"Yeah and I'm pretty sure he was going to say something before one of his campers jumped in the pool with his stuffed kittens." Sansa and Mya began chuckling as they remembered the sweet little boy who wanted to prove cats weren't afraid of water.

"Well thank you for the heads up, Sansa." Mya began to leave before leaning back in the doorway. "Should I wear my braids up or down?"

"Do whatever makes you feel confident."

"I'm going to wear them down. Harry Hardyng, here I come." Mya sang as she left the cabin into the hall to go change.

"Sansa?" a soft whisper woke her up and she could see Mya's outline by the bed. Sansa rose up on her elbow and she could tell Mya wanted to talk out in the hall. She followed her out quietly and then sat against the wall.

"Mya, how was it?" Sansa rose an eyebrow and a deep blush appeared on Mya's brown skin.

"It was wonderful. We... we kissed under the water. It was magical." Mya sighed happily and Sansa's heart leaped with joy.

"Did anyone see you two?"

"Surprisingly and thankfully, no. Everyone was distracted by Sam and Gilly. He finally asked her out!"

"Sounds like a good night for everyone it seems." Sansa smiled and closed her eyes for just a moment before Mya spoke up.

"Do you like anyone Sansa?" Sansa opened her eyes to see Mya have an eyebrow raised.

"Erm... not really." Sansa lied and Mya scoffed as she began redoing her braids.

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure I saw you staring at your former pool duty partner a bit the other day. Is that why you switched?"

"For one, for some reason, I thought Jon was going tonight before I remembered he and Harry are co's this week. Two, it doesn't matter how I feel."

"Why doesn't it matter, Sansa?"

"Because he has a girlfriend." Sansa's voice cracked a little and Mya's face filled with sorrow.

"I'm sorry I brought it up, Sansa."

"It's okay."

"What's your game plan?"

"My game plan? I want to become his friend and try to friendzone him."

"Friendzone your crush, hmm. I've never heard of that before. How are you going to do it?"

"Ask him about his girlfriend, what he likes, try to steer from anything super personal, keep a healthy distance, and....I'll talk about guys I find attractive."

"Besides Jon, who else would you want to go on a date with at camp?"

"Not really." Sansa shrugged.

"Any guys back home?"

"Um sort of I guess? If you count teammates/friends Robb brings home during breaks. His is name is Pyp. He's really cool and kind." Sansa smiled.

"Ooh tell me more!" Mya rested her face on her hands as the girls did during storytime before bed.

"He's majoring in Civil Engineering. He plays left wing on the hockey team at White Harbor, he's pretty good. I wouldn't be surprised if he was drafted in the WHL. He's pretty funny and a movie buff."

"Why didn't you go on a date with him then?"

"I was scared after everything that went down with Waymar, that I was a little hesitant to date."

"What did happen with Waymar?" Mya questioned.

"I made a fool out myself for him. I wore different clothes, dyed my hair black, and I even started going by my middle name to seem "cooler" to him. I..." Sansa shuddered. "I gave him special favors in the hopes, he just so he'd finally see me. One day, he texted me to meet up with him at his house and I went over thinking that he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend. I got there and the door was wide open. I thought it was a bit strange and I went in, worried if Waymar was okay when I heard noises coming from his bedroom. I opened the door and caught him having sex with my former best friend Myranda. I closed the door and ran down the stairs. Waymar and Myranda came down right before I left. Waymar forgot he texted me and tried to apologize while Myranda just smirked at me. I asked her 'How could you?' and she said 'You're the biggest fool to ever think you had a shot with Waymar and I only became friends with you to get to him along with your money. Who would anyone ever want to date someone like you? You're a stupid and ugly little girl. Oh, you're crying now. How sad? No one's ever had the guts to tell you that? You're sasquatch with no curves or boobs."

Sansa looked down at the crown, while hot tears streamed down her face. Mya gathered her in her arms as Sansa sobbed.

"You know what Myranda said about you isn't true right? You're beautiful on the inside and out. Hell, I wish I was as tall and skinny as you." Mya whispered while Sansa shook her head.

"Mya, you're beautiful."

"So are you! Being tall sounds great, I don't like always having to crane my neck to look at Harry when we're bantering. The pool is probably one of the few kisses where he won't have to practically bend down to kiss me. Don't get me started on being curvy and having to find jeans that don't feel like they're not suffocating my thighs and butt while having a huge awkward gap in the back." Mya ranted. "Don't be hard on yourself, Sansa. You're amazing, you need to believe that. The girls love you, I love you, your other friends and family love you, and everyone at camp does. You need to love yourself."

"Thank you, Mya. You're right, I do need to work on loving myself." Sansa smiled.

"That's the spirit!" Mya high fived her and then they heard the door open from Mya's room to see Beth's face full of tears.

"What's wrong Beth? Did you have a nightmare?" Mya asked, her voice full of concern.

"No, I..." Beth's lip wobbled. "Miss Mya, I woke up and I realized I don't have any more underwear for the rest of the week."

"How many did you bring Beth?" Sansa asked as Beth sat down in between her and Mya.

"My brother packed me six."

Only six for Sunday through Friday? I'd pack at least twelve or fourteen... Wait! It's only Tuesday?!

"But it's only Tuesday Beth, how did you go through six?" Mya's eyes widened.

"I... I peed myself a bit on Sunday when I was waiting for the bathroom after I took my shower, so I had to change. Monday, I got my unicorn undies wet from the shower after I dropped them. I asked Lyanna to get some out of my bag. Today, after I fell in the water I got scared I was going to get leeches so I changed into my last pair. I just keep getting bad luck!" Beth started to tear up and an idea popped up in Sansa's mind.

"Beth, are all your dirty clothes in a bag?" Sansa asked.

Beth nodded and Sansa sighed in relief.

"Okay, I'm going to wash all of your dirty clothes in the washer and you'll have your five pairs clean again."

"Won't people judge me for re-wearing the same undies again?"

"No, it's none of their business and besides sometimes I wear the same undies when I don't take a shower for a day if I didn't sweat." Sansa shrugged.

"Same." Mya agreed and Beth looked at the both of them in amazement.

"Thank you so much, Miss Sansa and Miss Mya!" Beth hugged them both and went back into Mya's room.

"What. A. Night," Mya exclaimed and Sansa couldn't help but agree.

"Drinking coffee right before lunch?" Jon asked as Sansa filled her coffee mug.

"Yep. I'm exhausted, I had to wash one of my girls' clothes because she didn't pack enough underwear. She was upset and it broke my heart. Yesterday just wasn't her day."

"Beth right? She's a sweetheart." Jon smiled before he took a sip of his tea.

"She definitely is." Sansa nodded in agreement.

"Is she your favorite this week?"

"We as counselors aren't supposed to have favorites." Sansa attempted to be stern as Jon rose an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes. Sansa began laughing so hard that her nose snorted and coffee spilled down her nose.

She grabbed a napkin and dabbed at her nose, refusing to make eye contact with him.

Seven hells, why must I embarrass myself in front of hot guys??? Why can't my laugh be sweet and adorable???

"I like your laugh, it's cute. You should do it more often." Jon's deep voice broke into her reverie and she lifted her eyes to see a small grin on his face.

"You should make more dramatic faces and jokes then," Sansa smiled back and Jon laughed a little.

"Noted." Jon nodded and then his eyebrows knitted together. "I just realized you didn't go to last night's late-night."

"Nope, besides doing Beth's laundry, I took a hot shower and talked to Mya out in the hall for a bit."

"Oh, Mya? Harry had heart eyes when he came back to the cabin last night. About damn time something happened."

"Mr. Jon? Did you just curse on campgrounds?" Sansa dramatically exclaimed and Jon chuckled as he shook his head.

"I sure did, Miss Sansa. Am I going to lose points now?"

[muellercorn]

Happy International Women's Day! These are women involved in theatre that I believe have paved the future for female artists. I think it would be apt for you to read their names and stories and then let me know women who inspire you in the theatre world and how you think they're shaping the future. Reblog if you see your inspirations and share their stories.

1. Jennifer Kirby. We may only be 3 months into 2019, but I'm ready to call Jennifer Kirby woman of the year. At age 30, I'd already consider her a veteran of the RSC, a company where she has portrayed so many Shakespearean females with a new found voice and personality. She first appeared on our screens in Call The Midwife in 2016 as Nurse Valerie Dyer. From the start Val has faced some of the most brutal storylines, most involving the rights of women and the working class, and been an absolute inspiration due to her brave and loving personality. However over the last 8 weeks she has been the pioneer character of the most powerful women's rights stories I've seen in entertainment ever. If it hadn't been for Kirby's authentic, sensitive performance and her deep understanding of the human condition from women who've walked different lives from her own, this storyline would not have had the impact that it has. She never complains about a hard storyline either, when interviewers ask how difficult scenes were, her response is always one of gratitude enthusiasm and excitement for the changes it could bring about in society. I believe this will be the start of more powerful storylines for women in the media and moreover I know her performance has had a real life effect on society, changing and developing people's opinions and giving them fresh eyes to see other people's experiences through with sympathy and care.

2. Jessie Mueller. During her Broadway career this far, Mueller has portrayed some of the most complex women with such heart and integrity. She has proven endlessly that vulnerability and strength can coexist. In 2016 Jessie won the Lilly Award (awards for females making a difference in society) for best actress following her run as Jenna in Waitress. A not was left in the theatre's lobby saying that Jessie's heartfelt performance helped a woman decide to leave the abusive relationship she was in. Additionally Jessie has done countless benefits for charities benefiting women, is an activist for equal rights and a dedicated educator. Jessie has defied type casting and shown us all that we are not defined by anything but our hearts and work ethic.

3. Ruthie Ann Miles. Strength, power, inspiration - Ruthie is the true embodiment of all these things. Moreover she spreads happiness and joy, ever since I watched her win her Tony I just felt this overwhelming sense of happiness. This woman spreads light everywhere she goes and never fails to make me brim with happiness and smiles. In today's world we need a light and Ruthie truly is that light.

4. Marianne Elliott. To me, Marianne Elliott is the best theatre director of our times. Directing is a profession that is predominantly male dominated and I believe that Elliott will be one of the key figures in changing that. Her love for her work is evident in the current revival of Company a true highlight of the theatre scene in recent years. Her integrity, leadership skills and incredible visions have led to a groundbreaking piece of theatre for women.

5. Rosalie Craig. Her incredible portrayal of the 'new' Bobbie in the 2018 Company Revival has given an in depth, layered portrayal of a woman who is unapologetic for her decisions and personal internal debates. Craig brings so much to this role that you don't see Bobbie as promiscuous like expected but rather as someone simply living life making her own calls and it's absolutely refreshing and unique to see. Furthermore her talent is so stellar that it is guaranteed to inspire a generation of young performers.

6. Katrina Lenk. Resilience strikes me when I think of Katrina Lenk. Her break came in her 40s, prior to this she was relatively unknown in the mainstream theatre world however she never stopped working. Women are ingrained to believe their value decreases as they age, especially in the arts, however Katrina has proven that this is not true. We gain experience, life lessons, emotional qualities, skills and ethics that helps us grow as people and performers. When I think of Katrina Lenk I think of someone so driven by love rather than fame. Additionally, through the characters she portrayed, Katrina has given a voice to so many women who's stories would typically go untold.

7. Jessie Nelson. A valued part of the first all female Broadway creative team for Waitress, Nelson wrote the book for the musical and in doing so helped create a masterpiece and a true gift for all women who feel their story doesn't matter. She comprehensively understands what it means to be female, the importance of female friendship and the responsibility that came with writing a script like this. Thanks to Nelson we have a musical that honours our stories and inspires us to go out and speak of our own experiences. She helped create the living proof that female stories sell and I'm sure we will see many more following in its footsteps.

8. Paula Vogel. Scriptwriter, Vogel, first came to my intention when I first watched Indecent on Broadway HD. The main two things that hit me regarding women's rights upon watching the play, was the portrayal of sexuality between Dina and Ruth outside of the internal play 'God of Vengeance', this relationship is powerful and much more emotionally based than trying to portray lesbian relationships as sexual items for men's pleasure as many arts still find acceptable. Additionally at the start of the play when describing the casting type of each troupe member, Vogel avoids attaching gender to the description starting the tone with the message they desire to continue with, equality for all.

9. Eva Noblezada. I will never forget Noblezada's performance as Kim, I remember being truly in awe and inspired. Then when learning how young she was I was admired at her dedication to travel thousands of miles from home at such a young age in true dedication to telling a story she believes in. Miss Saigon has a story line so beautifully reflective of the maternal side of women and Noblezada's performance portrayed this beautifully showing the true fierce strength that women posses.

10. Hailey Kilgore. A Tony award nomination at age 19! That is more than enough to inspire. Additionally the profound and positive outlook Kilgore has about the world is beyond beautiful and heartwarming.

11. Patti Murin. I admire anyone who speaks out about mental illness and Murin does so so candidly that it is unbelievably inspirational. It's a daunting thing to do because mental illness can be mistaken for being 'overly emotional' or 'unreliable' and I commend Murin for speaking out anyway knowing what she is risking because it will remind an entire generation who struggle with their mental health not to give up because of it. Despite her struggles Murin's work is incredibly joyful and can brighten up any day.

12. Sara Bareilles. Always dedicated to writing her truth, Bareilles has never cabed into the pressure of writing a traditional love song at times when it didn't feel authentic to her. Being motivated to make art rather than money, Sara Bareilles has written so many anthems for women reminding them to feel and fight. Furthermore she's proved that you don't have to write songs about men to sell music, authenticity leads to success.

13. Adrienne Warren. This woman is a force. She is currently giving everything she's got to bring the empowering story of Tina Turner to life 8 times a week in the west end. She is the driving force of a vital story for women in society and she treats it with the importance and passion it deserves. Furthermore her social media is dedicated to educating people about equality for all in society.

14. Marin Mazzie. In September 2018 Marin lost her battle to Ovarain cancer but her legacy will pass from generation to the next. Her dedication to what she loved during her battle is the epitome of female strength, additionally she committed time to activism and raising awareness of ovarian cancer. To me 'Back to Before' - Ragtime is the ultimate theatre anthem for women's rights and Marin's recording and perspective is so moving and empowering that it has the ability to motivate anyone who listens to change the world.

15. Bernadette Peters. A true theatre icon Peters has wrestled with all the names in the book, the classic term 'Diva' that was constantly thrown around when a woman was so powerful and successful in their field that people didn't know how to react. I don't think anything will stop this woman..... I mean did you see the press ups on The View, in high heels and a dress! Icon! Furthermore this was the week before her 70th birthday. I don't think Peters will ever age in spirit or appearance but she embraces her age regardless, the host with held her name but Peters made it clear that she feels age shouldn't be hidden from as our value does not decrease in anyway. Her work in theatre and charity should be inspirational to all.

16. Lindsay Mendez. Firstly I admire any women dedicated to educating and teaching, like Lindsay is. I could say a lot about Lindsay, but I feel she says it best herself. She is true to her identity, body positive and wants to represent everyday people through her art, as we all should if we consider art as a mirror to society.

“When I moved to New York, I was told to change my last name from Mendez to Matthews, or I wouldn’t work. I’m so proud to be part of a community that celebrates diversity and individuality … Be your true self and the world will take note.”

"When you hear you’re going to audition for “Dogfight,” the show about bringing ugly women to parties, you’re like, ‘Oh, great, thank you.’ But that’s also our dream as actors, to play someone else and give someone else a voice. I love this character so much."

17. Cobie Smulders. Whilst filming HIMYM Cobie was privately battling Ovarian Cancer, she beat it and later went on to defy odds by having her own children. Her dedication to her art during this time is a testimony to her strength and will. Furthermore during her time on the show Cobie brought to life incredibly moving stories specific to women in society giving them a voice. She has since gone on to have a successful career in film and theatre and has a large voice in social activism. Her accounts about her battle with ovarian cancer will help to give so much support to women going through similar difficult times and hopefully raise awareness in others so they're able to detect this illness in early stages.

18. Ella Fitzgerald. To me Ella is the American song book, she is the voice of all the Gershwin, Porter, Berlin musicals that came to follow. She gave a voice to a minority and inspired so many people. She continues to inspire people when ever you listen to recordings of her and feel the raw emotion. The modern musical stands on Ella's shoulders.

19. Audra McDonald. SIX TONY AWARDS. She's defied every odd and stereotype by purely working hard and being a truly good person. She's inspired many people and shown us all that anything is possible when you're prepared to prove people wrong. Furthermore she always takes time to thank and honour those who came before her, the people who's shoulders she stands on and that to me is what female empowerment is more than anything else.

20. Judy Garland. My personal inspiration and to be honest I struggle to articulate how she inspires me as it's more of an emotion than a string of thoughts. I just believe Garland strove for love, kindness and friendship over anything. I also believe her work is a sign of hope, no matter how she was treated she never gave in, she didn't stop doing what she loved because of the way she was treated she kept going. It's debatable if that's the right decision, but it doesn't matter as it was a strong decision and it was Judy's. I respect her an unbelievable amount for her voice, her heart and her perspective on the world. Imagine what would be if that sweet girl hadn't sang 'Over The Rainbow' all those years ago, and imagine even more what could have been if we saw Garland for the layered, complex human being she was rather than sweet and cheery Dorothy Gale. Personally whenever I get the chance to perform I always think of Garland before I step on stage, I thank her for her sacrifices to the art because it wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for her, I don't think there will ever be a star as bright again. It's also to remember that whilst addiction and mental illness don't descriminate, Judy wouldn't have faced many of the issues she did if she wasn't a woman.

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."

The perspective we all should have had:

"I've always taken 'The Wizard of Oz' very seriously, you know. I believe in the idea of the rainbow. And I've spent my entire life trying to get over it."

I hope to hear of those who inspire you and I hope we all continue to inspire and empower each other. Alicia x

[davidwindsor97]

For a while, I've been an asset to the U.S. Government. Since then they have continually asked what it is I want for my service. Since I am apart of a group of Missionaries that doesn't believe in payment due to service it has become complex to perceive what it is I do want. It comes the time to put into detail what it is I desire:

I want to reclaim my real full name, David Windsor. Of course, I want my blood to accept me. But at the moment it is irrelevant. I have an obligation to a people I can seriously relate to. People who if I was in the same position would gladly do the same. Maybe some of them wouldn't but why should that make the difference?

My circumstances have really been unnecessarily shameful. All I've wanted is to explore my identity and yet people offer secrecy. What I've noticed is in every branch of this United States Government there are those of advocacy and heresy. No sector of the organization feels solely the same for me. To consider such a thing would put everyone in the same bubble of thought. Such a form of segregation is something the Enemy holds in high regard. Which is why I shall remain intentionally ignorant of such practices.

I had the money and the means to get to Israel. But some fools froze my accounts impulsively and just plain extemporaneously as if I am some sort of terror threat. When I risk my life for there sakes they decide to paint me as an enemy. The kind of enemy destined for execution by there spiteful hands. What is logic? Simply put I am a Christian who is not swayed by their sinful indulgences.

I don't want a new identity or a new life. I want to accept the identity I've always had and enjoyed the life of which so many fools attempted to control. If my enemies face me like men instead of hiding like children and grow courage in the midst of numbers then I'll be ready. Why fear the wrath of man when I know the wrath of God is exact? Nothing could be swifter. So when I see these Barbie spies hiding every time I call them out I laugh. Because it reminds me of Adam and Eve. Didn't they try and hide from there mistakes? I too have tried to hide from my sins. The sin of deception, of arrogance, of selfishness, of lust, and there's probably more that I'm just not ready to accept. But that is the point, isn't it? We are all sinful people trying to make amends for our mistakes. But the only true way to do such a thing is to accept Christ as your savior. No government could give you a better chance than the Holy Trinity.

Another aspect that just bothers me is there constant attempt to find a code in everything I do. I was looking out this pleasant window expressing part of the Houston downtown area and people act as if I'm scouting out a sniper. My survival is based on a number of factors. But when God tells you you are safe their's no reason to doubt it. Relaxation is something I'm fond of. You just add anxiety when you anticipate something that isn't there.

They've made silent offers to go to school in the states. But frankly, this school system sucks. Elementary, Middle, High, and a bit of college. What did I learn? Absolutely nothing. Every useful skill I learned when I left the states or experienced extremities in the states. A school setting makes me want to regurgitate. Ergo, I would rather throw up than set foot in a ridiculous system. The education I required no money but all commitment. Sure some skills I acquired through favors and some coin. But the most important lessons were learned through earned respect. There's no way a school teacher respects every student. But when you first earn that mentor's respect thereby gaining the important lessons that are when you gain more than any college could give you.

That's not to say you can't gain a wealth of knowledge from any known education system. I've just learned more from the unknown ones.

I'll most likely come back to the U.S. to eventually pursue the arts. But that is not my main objective. I don't have scores to settle but relationships to build. No matter the high or the low that is all that matters. Perhaps the U.S will offer some resources for my journey other than the mud some of them (not all of them) have thrown on my face. But I really am fine either way. Here I can anticipate being treated like I have leprosy. So if I get nothing it would be by no means surprising. Plus they have the audacity to act as if they saved me. When really they're like a dad who decided to stop by after 22 years of abandonment while the mother (the Missionaries and other great heroes) has been protecting and guiding me from day one. And this mama bear hasn't taken any breaks. Even when a lot of them have. I have no doubt some of them relished the thought of my enemies killing me. But I am untouchable by God's grace not by any pitiful physical "mercy".

I am just so sick of feeling like I'm in a prison of misunderstanding. Despite my continual transparency. I'm transparent, not translucent.

There have been times where if they would have told me we're protecting you I would have to ask: how can you protect me from yourself?

Because if I didn't have my license and social a lot of them would have killed me by now. Does that mean they represent the entirety of the U.S. Government? Hell no! People like that are just examples of a load of cowards who can't accept how wrong they are because they're too busy bolstering up their egos. Honestly, I'm surprised they still have a job. How can you rely on someone who's more interested in saving their own asses then the guy next to them?

Oh, and do these pricks get pissed when I call them out on their bullocks. Then they try to act as they care about me. If I was a corpse on the street you would take a selfie, you sick demented morons! But have I, throughout this entire process, had a reason to anticipate death? By Gods Grace: no.

Their mistake is a heavy reliance on fear. I am referring to the cowards of course. Such people are a form of the slaver. They wish to keep their informants in fear so they can do anything they can to take advantage of them. To make the person bend over as they relish in their sadistic pleasures. Such people are the inevitable viruses of any system. Just because a car is dirty doesn't mean it can't be cleaned. Yes, I've given a wealth of information and exposed a wealth of criminals. But that doesn't mean I'm for free. Money has never been an object of concern for me. I've thrived with or without it. Its freedom I will continually seek. No amount of money, no occupation could be worth more than that to me.

Why should anyone fear my expression? Has it ever been a crime to express oneself honestly? Since I don't fear who I am I've officially accepted that cameras will follow me in some way. It seems my reputation has finally landed in the states. But at this point I quite like it. Just as long as personal space is constant. After all, I don't want to be treated like a slave again. A lot of people have called me a weirdo or just been confused by my actions as if I have to fit a certain mold. But I realized when I read the biographies of celebrities they were treated the same way. So I guess I could look at it as a good sign. I do think the photos and videos of me would be fun to watch in certain cases and just a plain invasion of privacy in others.

Despite these neanderthal's, I know a lot of them to care about me. But sympathy or apathy doesn't change that I need to go to Israel. Do I give a damn if my enemies know my destination or not? Of course not and I shouldn't have to mention why. There fear their of overt caution is just evidence of the fact that they have very little understanding of what they're dealing with. But the Missionaries do. And whether they help us or not makes no difference. We will still pursue the mission objective. As we always have and always will.

Yes, the Missionaries could get me there in a matter of days. But the relationship between the U.S and the Creed of Christians (Missionaries) needs to have a solid structure. Its clear to me now the whole purpose of coming back to the US to spill the beans was so I could be free to go where I please. Which thanks to my training is exactly where I'm supposed to go. I definitely can't dispute if it wasn't for the scrutiny of law enforcement and the constant surveillance (for a time) I wouldn't have had the chance to tear away from the fake family. So yeah that tearing away from that toxic mold couldn't have happened without them. It has been freaking cool working with them. Especially when I drove to LA. It was so composed. Every maneuver was a different thrill. And watching my enemies flee in fear wouldn't have been so satisfactory if it wasn't for my exposure induced by there surveillance. Recently the cowards tried to drug me which I can't help but laugh at. If my calculations are correct this is the second time they've attempted this. Even the Russians stopped drugging me because I learned how to fight through it. When it comes to any drugs as long as you physically exert yourself it is plausible to shatter that barrier between you and your capability.

One of the big mistakes some of them have made is thinking I am in some way going to be some sort of Edward Snowden ergo a boy who thinks he could run the country better by pointing out the flaws but totally ignoring his own hypocrisy by sleeping with a Judas of a Government. Look everyone can agree mistakes were made on both sides. As long as we remain transparent and not look for ways to annoy each other we really shouldn't have any problems. Yeah, I've been pissed off at the stupidity that has come my way, but that doesn't change the warm hearts I've come across as well.

Wither they be military, investigative, or a mixture of the two it's not hard to see that the people advocating for me within the U.S. Government and abroad are by no means few in number. This is why it is of the utmost importance for us to work together to put a stop to these extremists by any means necessary.

[paisatoolmakemoneyonline]

Rich Dad Poor Dad Book PDF | English & Hindi Rich Dad Poor Dad Book PDF-Novel: By Robert T. Kiyosaki Print | Audiobook | Introduction To Author Of  Rich Dad Poor Dad Book PDF  Rich Dad Poor Dad Book PDF is about Robert Kiyosaki and his two dads—his birth father a poor dad, the father of his best friend a rich dad—and how both men shaped his thoughts about investing and money. You don't need to make and earn a high income to become rich. Rich people make money work for them. The very famous book Rich Dad Poor Dad, written by Robert Kiyosaki, was first published in 1997, and very soon became a must-read for people interested in investing money. And the global economy. The book has been translated into famous dozens of languages, sold worldwide, and has become #1, personal finance book of all time.  The plot theme of Rich Dad Poor Dad is how to use money as a tool for wealth development.  It has been destroyed the myth the rich are born rich, explain why your residence may not be an asset, stated the real difference between an asset and a liability.  As per Wikipedia: Rich Dad Poor Dad advocates the importance of financial literacy (financial education), financial independence and building wealth through investing in assets, real estate investing, starting and owning businesses, as well as increasing one's financial intelligence (financial IQ) to improve one's business and financial aptitude. Let's dive into this and explore but wait... Why Reading Is The Best Workout For Your Brain Why you should read a book and how it is important: As per Markham Heid, The decline of book reading may have costly implications for cognition and social skills “Reading helps us to take the perspective of characters we normally wouldn’t interact with, and to give us a sense of their psychological experiences.” Reading not only improves your brain's connectivity, but it also increases the attention spans, focus, and concentration. If you are struggling to focus, reading can improve your attention span. ... Books with good structures encourage us to think in sequence — the more we read the book, the more our brains can link cause and effect  Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. We earn a referral fee for some of the services we recommend on this page when you purchase using one of my affiliate links. It will not take any additional charges to you. The company compensates, which helps keep the site running!  Below is the link from where you can buy this great book, Rich Dad Poor Dad: Click Here If you're from other Countries ⇒  Buy Rich Dad Poor Dad  Click Here If you're from India  ⇒ Buy Rich Dad Poor Dad English & Hindi Tab here to download the PDF Book  ⇒ https://www.pdfdrive.com/ Rich Dad Poor Dad Book PDF In Four Sentences Robert Kiyosaki and his two dads—his birth father (poor dad) and the father of his best friend (rich dad)—and how both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing.  You don't need to make or earn a high income to be rich.  Rich people make money work for them.  Work to learn-don't work for money. The Six Lessons Of Rich Dad Poor Dad The Rich Don't Work For Money Why Teach Financial Literacy Mind Your Own Business The History Of Texas And The Power Of Corporations The Rich Invent Money Work To Learn-Don't Work For Money Top Ideas To Learn From Rich Dad Poor Dad That Changed My Financial Life Working entire life for someone else can lead to financial struggle:  It's not about how much money you make that matters-it's how much money you save In Society people work for money-rich people have money work for them Rich people carried assets-not liabilities they think are assets The poor and the middle-class work for money. The rich have money work for them The single more powerful asset we all have is our mind Short Summary Of Rich Dad Poor Dad Book PDF This book was named Rich Dad Poor Dad because author Robert Kiyosaki believes he has two dads. Robert's father who was poor, at the same time his friend's father was rich. This bok focused that most of us do not learn financial knowledge from schools or colleges. We learn such knowledge from people who have no money. According to Kiyosaki, a person advises others according to his financial status. For example, let's suppose we take advice from someone whose annual income is $50,000, then he will advise you at the same level. In comparison, if you take financial advice from someone whose monthly income $1 million, then their financial advice will be worth $1 million. Robert Kiyosaki says that I'm to have had the opportunity to consult both people. In this book Rich Dad Poor Dad, he has advised about both the person and what a rich think about money while a poor person thinks about money. What Does A Rich Person Have That A Poor Person Doesn't Have? When you read this book after purchasing the PDF or Book, you'll get a valuable lesson that what the rich have that the poor don't have? According to Robert Kiyosaki, rich people have assets, which means they have resources that draw money. Whereas the poor people have responsibilities i.e. sources that take money away from them. A poor and middle-class man who is dependent on a fixed income i.e., limited income has more expenses. Many people don't know the difference between assets and liabilities. For example: When a job or salary person buys a car on a loan, he feels that it is his property. While he does not get the money after purchasing the car, his money is spent upside-down such as EMI, Fuel, Parking insurance and Maintainance, etc. Further, the author says that this doesn't mean we should spend money only on the property of assets. We should also fulfill our liabilities. But our effort should be that do not spend money on liability until it is needed. Try yo increase your assets as much as possible. For example, if you do a job, and wants to get a bike or car on EMI from the money earned, it is better to invest in someplace you can earn. After the job, if you have time, you can start blogging or create Youtube videos and make some additional money. How Does Money Work? The other thing that impressed me the most in this book is that money works for rich people, while poor and middle-class people work for money. For this, people pay more attention to jobs. You must have also seen that the rich one is getting richer and the one who is poor is poorer. What is the reason you have already read the above? Rich people make money from money while poor people save money. Few More Observations: "Money comes and goes, but if you've the right education about how money works, you gain power and begin building wealth." "Thinking that job makes you secure is the biggest lying to yourself." "An asset puts money in your pocket, And a liability takes money out of your pocket" "Financially intelligence is simply having more options." "Simple math and common sense are all you need to do well financially." "It is not gambling if you aware and knows what you are doing. It is gambling if you are only throwing money into a deal and praying." "Undoubtedly, Education is more valuable than money, in the long run." "The most important and specialized skills are sales and marketing." "Giving money is the top-secret to most great wealthy families." "There are mainly five reasons why financially literate people may still not develop abundant asset columns that could produce large cash flow, and the reason is: Arrogance Laziness Fear Bad Habits Cynicism "Failure inspires winners. Failure defeats losers." "A great property manager or leader is a key to success in real estate business." "Richard has found that so many people use arrogance to try to hide their ignorance." 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This is actually a really interesting topic, so I'm reblogging to talk about it not just in your case Lixi, but in a general sense. (And because Twitter doesn't give me enough characters to say it effectively.)

So a long time ago I recall hearing a story about an author who killed her fandom. I don't recall what it was, but she was running rampant trying to sue artists and fanfiction writers over their fan work, no matter the quality of the content. This pissed people off so badly that they stopped supporting her work, and it hurt her a lot.

And I always wondered, why would anyone do such a thing? Fan work is a love letter to the original creators, a deeper look into how their audience sees their work, and a harmonious blend of multiple artists coming together to create something magnificent. Not to mention for some cases, it's free advertising. All these people who love your work, promoting it with their own takes on it? What a great thing! Of course there are exceptions, but usually it's positive. And it creates a sense of community where people can share their interests in a piece of fiction together.

That being said, a community is a place that should be welcoming. Having to constantly ask permission every time you want to so much as share a doodle of a character, no matter who they belong to, is stifling. It's not welcoming, and there will be several people who won't have the courage to ask and therefore will never share their work. Sometimes they're shy, sometimes it's anxiety, or a lack of social skills, or lack of knowledge on knowing where to go to ask, or any number of things. And with some creators, the bigger they get, it's difficult to get their attention and have an answer in a prompt or timely manner, as so many get flooded with asks and art and other things happening in their life. They don't have time to answer every question. And as the creator, whether you like it or not, there will always be fans who put you on a pedestal because they love your work, and that makes you intimidating to talk to, they're afraid of not meeting your approval and may not have the courage to overcome it for years. On top of that, specific to Tumblr, asks get eaten all the time, so questions about content may never reach creators because of a faulty system.

At the same time, I can understand concerns about theft and mature content when it comes to fan work. Fun fact, I want to write a book one day, and one of the books I'd like to write has a main character that is very quietly asexual. Now on the off chance I ever make it big and get published, I am terrified of people drawing mature content of this character, but if the work gets enough attention, it's guaranteed that it'll happen. It goes against my wishes, and furthermore proves that whoever's reading didn't understand my work or just would rather do their own thing, but who am I to say they can't? I would hope they'd choose to respect my wishes, but I can't stop people from interpreting things differently than how they're intended, they have a right to that and it should be exercised. Who knows? Maybe they'll find something in that character that I missed, potential for them to have something good in ways I hadn't thought of.

Theft is a bit more tricky. People who claim your work as their own rarely get away with it, especially when there's countless ways of using metadata to protect yourself (which I should really do a post on at some point). Not to mention, in many fan communities, we're good about having each other's backs and pointing out art thieves when they're found. I hate cancel culture, but I'm all for cancelling art theft and educating whoever does it as to why it's harmful and they shouldn't do it.

The bottom line is that being exclusive in what your rules are about content has its pros and cons. I'm of the opinion that there should be freedom to express our love of people's work, but I also believe in respecting a content Creator's wishes, a common ground that let's everyone enjoy a community. So remember to consider all sides of the story, who they benefit and harm, and come to your own informed conclusions! There's a lot of factors to consider!

I made a poll on my Twitter regarding the last post about my restrictions on drawing any of my characters! I'd appreciate your feedback!~👏💜