#children are and they deal with more issues with recovery

[broteinshake69]

Medical discussion and analysis on Ruben

@seradyn​ Since Shinji Mikami and the team at Tango did such a piss poor job on covering the plight of burn survivors in a game that dehumanizes one - Ruben - based on his (untreatable, let’s be honest) mental illness and actions as a serial killer, I’m going to attempt to shed some light on some details that they tried and failed to explain through vague ass flashbacks and Ruben’s character design/appearance/disfigured posture. We’re not here to pat Ruben on the back and say he’s a good person, he isn’t, but what we are doing is acknowledging that Ruben never had a fair chance at a normal, productive life, and stability, and that his disfigurement was the symptom and reason - aside from Laura’s death - for why he spiraled. It was the reason his father rejected him and locked him up, it was the reason he hid himself from the rest of society once free after almost a full decade of abuse and neglect, and it was the reason his mental health deteriorated when he was isolated. I apologize if my tone is patronizing and rude in this discussion, I’ve had to swallow so much hateful, opinionated idiocy and bullshit from the people I’ve roleplayed with (and even just new and old fans in general) over the years, and yeah. It’s made me a bit bitter and I now realize how ableist people are about Ruben. People are horrible and shallow - surprise! Medical analysis and explanation starts below.

I may also cover the damaging psychological effects that long-term solitary confinement cause in adults in another post. I doubt I’ll be able to find much literature on children, since Ruben was 10 years old when he was forced to live alone, so we can just assume that in children, it’s even more devastating. There are so many things that go wrong internally from massive burn injuries like Ruben’s, and there’s too many to cover, but I’ll try my best... We already know that Ruben has chronic migraines, seizures, thermoregulation issues, and nerve loss, which are all the caused by burn injuries, but things like muscle growth, bone density, and hair growth, are all effected, as well as the development of nervous system disorders (seizures, headaches), impaired digestion (metabolic issues), recurrent infections, and loss of mobility to name a few, and the list goes on. Ruben has them all and the fact that it doesn’t get discussed anymore tells me that people don’t know or care. But I guess it’s easier (and more appealing) for some people to dumb him down and look at him as just a homicidal ghost...but anyway. Before I really get into it, it’s also important to consider that in the 1980′s, the time when Ruben would’ve been “treated”, that medical technologies and therapies for burn wounds would’ve been lacking compared to now. Ruben also lived rurally, and in the middle of nowhere, which would’ve created even more complications. So, one of the most notable things about Ruben’s appearance next to the massive patches of burn scarring will no doubt be his hair loss. His eyebrow hair, which was sparse to begin with if you note his child model, is completely gone. His scalp hair is gone, also. Since Ruben was a child when he was burned, the changes to his hormones were drastic, and though it would appear he did develop, physically, as well as his voice getting deeper as he aged, in my understanding his situation is different from adults who are burned. Children who are still developing will obviously have a different physiological response to severe burn scars. I did some reading on burn alopecia and it does seem to affect hair regrowth. 

There’s a lot of literature available on this topic, including alopecia in children, not just related to burn injuries. According to some articles I read, PTSD and trauma can cause alopecia. I would say that such is the case for Ruben, and that he suffers alopecia as a result of extensive burn injuries, and that due to being a child, his system was effected and the stress placed on his body and system from massive injuries, Laura’s death, and the psychological trauma of disfigurement are the reasons for his baldness/inability to grow hair. The other notable thing about Ruben is his poor posture—WHICH IS NOT HIS FAULT, don’t get mad at me, guys. But your neck is not supposed to slope down and forward like that, there’s a medical reason for this. He always has his head bowed, his neck is usually lowered in an unhealthy position. In burn survivors, this is caused by burn contractures (a medical term used in diagnosing burn injuries) which is when the burned area tightens up, loses elasticity and becomes hardened, thusly putting strain on the surrounding healthy skin, and making natural movement difficult and sometimes impossible depending on where the scar contracture occurred and how the burned flesh fused. For example, if Ruben’s chin was against his collarbone during the burn injury, he would’ve fused to his collarbone, creating a fused burn contracture. I’m sorry for that description, but it’s either that or I post a picture, which I’m not going to be doing on here for obvious reasons. In general, Ruben’s posture is called “forward head posture”:

You can see where the skin under Ruben’s chin has become warped and has fused with his neck, and how the skin appears thicker and swollen, which is what happens with burn injuries unfortunately. Luckily, his skin isn’t fused in a problematic position for him, but he still suffers from burn contractures and this position causes strain, too, but perhaps not as much as fighting it would. Continuing on the topic of burn contractures, they’re a problem around the major joint areas (ankles, knees, pelvis, wrists, fingers, elbows, neck) and a reason why Ruben needed the aid of a wheelchair. Contractures also impede fine motor skills such as writing and something as simple as holding a fork to eat. If you look at his hands, you can see that writing and using his hands would’ve been difficult for him. Keratin loss (responsible for toe/fingernail growth) is also a side effect of burn injury and in Ruben’s appearance, you can see that he lacks toe nails and doesn’t have much left of his fingernails as a result of his burns.

Alright...I think that concludes the discussion, but if guys can think of anything else or just feel like chiming in with your own thoughts, please, feel free to do so! I might even repost this and make it shorter, or go more in depth. The physiological ramifications of burn injuries are huge and varied, especially considering childhood development, and I think that should say enough, too, but I know it really doesn’t. That’s why I thought I would go over some of the physical evidence of Ruben’s issues. Thanks for reading, guys, and take care!

[trans-axolotl]

Bo Laurent created the Intersex Society of North America in 1993, starting the intersex rights movement in the United States. Describing the founding of ISNA, they wrote:

"Over the course of a year, simply by speaking openly within my own social circles, I learned of six other intersexuals--including two who had been fortunate enough to escape medical attention. I realized that intersexuality, rather than being extremely rare, must be relatively common. I decided to create a support network. In the summer of 993, I produced some pamphlets, obtained a post office box, and began to publicize the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) through small notices in the media. Before long, I was receiving several letters per week from intersexuals throughout the United States and Canada and occasionally some from Europe. While the details varied, the letters gave a remarkably coherent picture of the emotional consequences of medical intervention. Morgan Holmes: "All the things my body might have grown to do, all the possibilities, went down the hall with my amputated clitoris to the pathology department. The rest of me went to the recovery room--I'm still recovering." Angela Moreno: "I am horrified by what has been done to me and by the conspiracy of silence and lies. I am filled with grief and rage, but also relief finally to believe that maybe I am not the only one." Thomas: "I pray that I will have the means to repay, in some measure, the American Urological Association for all that it has done for my benefit. I am having some trouble, though, in connecting the timing mechanism to the fuse."

ISNA's most immediate goal has been to create a community of intersex people who could provide peer support to deal with shame, stigma, grief, and rage, as well as with practical issues such as how to obtain old medical records or locate a sympathetic psychotherapist or endocrinologist. To that end, I cooperated with journalizes whom I judged capable of reporting widely and responsibly on our efforts, listed ISNA with self-help and referral clearinghouses, and established a presence on the internet. ISNA now connects hundreds of intersexuals across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. It has also begun sponsoring an annual intersex retreat, the first of which took place in 1996 and which moved participants every bit as profoundly as the New Woman conference had moved me in 1993.

ISNA's longer-term and more fundamental goal, however, is to change the way intersex infants are treated. We advocated that surgery not be performed on ambiguous genitals unless there is a medical reason (such as blocked or painful urination), and that parents be given the conceptual tools and emotional support to accept their children's physical differences...To provide a counterpoint to the mountains of medical literature that neglect intersex experience and to begin compiling an ethnographic account of that experience, ISNA's Hermaphrodites with Attitude newsletter has developed into a forum for intersexuals to tell their own stories.

...When I established ISNA in 1993, no such politicized groups existed. I was less willing to think of intersexuality as a pathology or disability, more interested in challenging its medicalization entirely, and more interested still in politicizing a pan-intersexual identity across the divisions of particular etiologies in order to destabilize more effectively the heteronormative assumptions underlying the violence directed at our bodies."

-Cheryl Chase, Mapping the Emergence of Intersex Political Activism, Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 1998, 189-211.

[angelapleasant]

fyi if you have a uterus and are looking to get sterilized because you either know you don’t want kids or just don’t want to take the chance i had a bilateral salpingectomy in 2022 and it was an extremely easy surgery.

i woke up with mild period-like cramps (much lighter than the ones i get on my actual period) which were gone in like 45 minutes and didn’t have any other pain. i didn’t have to take the pain meds prescribed and i don’t even think i took ibuprofen. the worst part was when i got home and my cat stepped her little 1000lb foot on one of my incisions and that was only bad because my whole body tensed up to protect it bc it scared me lol. maybe the gas pain in my shoulder from it but even that wasn’t as bad as it was when i had my gallbladder removed and it doesn’t last!

i was in and out of the hospital within a few hours. recovery was super easy. my insurance covered it “100%” as a birth control method (but the hospital itself charged me $1500 out of pocket for their facilities thanks american healthcare system!!! this was still cheaper than an ER visit i had for severe food poisoning 🙄🙄).

with a bisalp the tubes are fully removed. it can’t heal or reverse itself. you cannot get pregnant unless you pay $$$$$ to do it artificially. it also helps reduce the risk of ovarian cancer according to my surgeon bc it likes to form in the tubes.

the process was easy too! i found my surgeon from the list on r/childfree. he had actually tweeted that he will do them for women who want them without all the bs when roe got revoked. i went in prepared to argue and have my husband come in to “give permission” (how disgusting that i even have to say that) and he was like as long as you understand that insurance won’t pay for it if you ever want to get ivf it’s all good. it took like 2 months max. i think the only requirement is that you’re 21. i was 29, no kids, and had no issues!

i switched to him as my gyno even tho it’s a drive for me and that really says something about him bc i would never have considered a male gyno before. i don’t want to be too public w my location but if you are in FL DM me and i’ll give you his info. he does telehealth appts afaik so you might be able to do your consult online and just travel for the surgery and post op if you aren’t in a reasonable distance to avoid staying overnight. or just if you have more questions about the surgery. if you aren’t within traveling distance check the list on r/childfree for other doctors, they should list it by state!

i know this is a very permanent solution to only one of many issues we are all worried about right now and costs are going to be different with different levels of attainability for everyone, but it was so worth it for me. i don’t hate children but i have NEVER wanted them (my mom blamed the crying baby toys she got me as a kid haha) and i would never want to deal with pregnancy or its aftereffects. especially if it wasn’t a pregnancy i CHOSE. even without contraceptives at risk it was a good choice for me because the hormones made me nauseous ALL the time.

[glitterguts13]

Out of all the male Genshin characters to use for Mpreg….which do you think will choose natural birth or C-section?

Here we are!

Mondstadt

Albedo Natural, mostly because he's well aware of the medical complexities of having a c-section, and the thought of being sliced open that deeply is...unsettling.

Bennett Natural. Doesn't give having a c-section any thought, though, with his bad luck, it might be a good thing he doesn't consider it.

Diluc C-section. He doesn't want to deal with hours and hours of labor and delivery. He's more than content to allow the medics to perform the operation and avoid the agony of labor. Doesn't take into account just how long the recovery would be, and is irritated he can't get back to work as fast as he'd like.

Kaeya Natural, he can't stand the idea of placing that much faith in anyone. He'd rather deal with a long labor.

Mika C-section. The doctors advise it seeing as he's carrying a very large baby and is rather small in size. He is a little sad at not doing it the natural way, but places his and his child's health first.

Razor Natural, he doesn't even know what a c-section is, and would most likely balk at the very idea of someone cutting into his womb.

Venti Natural, don't even think about getting near him with a scalpel, he's going to panic.

Liyue

Baizhu C-section. He's well aware his health is poor, and having the baby delivered via c-section is overall the safest option. Has a very difficult recovery, but he's happy his child was born safely.

Chongyun Natural, it never even crosses his mind.

Gaming Natural, but he doesn't heavily consider it after seeing one of his cousins give birth.

Xiao C-Section. His body recovers quickly from it, and within a few days, he's returned back to his pre-baby body. Everyone is pretty jealous.

Xingqiu Want's a c-section, but ended up giving birth naturally.

Zhongli Natural, he's witnessed a few people having their children cut from their wombs during the war. While it was done as a last attempt to save the child, the memory haunts him and he refuses to consider it.

Inazuma Arataki Itto Natural. A healer brings up the idea of a c-section since complications can arise for Oni during birth due to their horns, but Itto refuses, horrified at the very idea.

Ayato He wants a c-section, but traditionally, the Kamisato family has their children naturally, so he's out of luck.

Gorou Would be fine with either. Having a litter of pups is taxing, but the recovery of the operation is longer, weighs the pros and cons with Kokomi, and decides with her.

Kazuha Naturally, it's not even an option in his mind.

Heizou C-section, he has no desire to try and give birth naturally. Put him under and wake him up when it's all over.

Thoma Natural, but would be fine with a c-section if there was any reason to have one.

Sumeru

AlHaitham C-section all the way. Forget screaming and crying in labor, just cut it out. He'll deal with the lengthy recovery, just spare him the horrors of natural birth.

Cyno Natural, won't even consider another way.

Kaveh Natural, thinks he can handle it and will be just fine. By the time he decides he's fucked up and would in fact like a c-section, it's too late.

Sethos Natural, the thought of a c-section doesn't even occur to him.

Tighnari Natural for his first litter, gets a c-section for the next.

Fontain

Freminet Naturally, all he wants is a peaceful water birth.

Lyney C-section, it scares him terribly, but natural childbirth scares him even more.

Neuvillette Natural, he doesn't trust anyone enough to perform such an intense operation him.

Wrio Natural, but wouldn't have any issue with a C-section if the doctors recommended it.

Fatui

Dottore C-section, does the operation on himself.

Capitano Natural, no one is sure....how it works, but it does.

Pantalone C-section, he's not about to endure the torment of childbirth, just slice it out and patch him up.

Pierro Natural, he doesn't have the luxury of a long recovery period.

Tartaglia Naturally, just like how his mother did for all his siblings.

Wanderer Want's a c-section, but because of the unusual anatomy of his puppet body, he has no choice but to delivery naturally.

[snowdropluck204]

How You Two Sleep - BNHA (pt 2)

PART 2

Keigo Takami

As the number two hero, he would probably have very little free time and would probably cherish his time with you, his wings would make cuddling positions pretty limited, but you can bet that wouldn't get in his way!

~ Takami stumbled into the apartment, trying desperately to be quiet to avoid waking you, his day had been long, he wanted nothing more than to go home and be in your arms, but The Commission decided he would be best on night patrol as well. ~ So here he was, struggling to stay awake as he finally gets home at three in the morning. ~ As he made his way to your shared room, he was stripping out of his heavy hero costume, thinking he would take care of the clothes strewn through the apartment when he wakes up. ~ Getting into your room, he sees you, sleeping peacefully, hoping he had avoided waking you. ~ Gently laying himself down on his side, he wrapped his strong arms around your waist, pulling you against him, your back to his chest. He curls his wings around the both of you, leaving a sweet kiss on your shoulder as he settles against your body, quickly losing consciousness.

Aizawa Shouta

We know this man loves sleep, probably because he doesn't get much of it. He's up most nights on patrol and then has to teach in the morning and then will come home and grade papers until late. Any chance he has to sleep, he'll take it and bring you with him!

~ Finally, summer vacation, Shouta wouldn't have to deal with children for another two months. Hallelujah. ~ He would still have patrol but he got the week off like he did at the end of every school year. He would spend this week the same way he'd spent it last year. Sleeping. ~ The only difference from last year, to this one, was that now you were in the picture. You were the newest member of staff, helping Recovery Girl in the infirmary. ~ Walking into your shared apartment, you had moved in recently, so there were still boxes everywhere that you were currently unpacking. ~ "Shouta! Welcome home!" You cheered, Shouta swore he felt his heart melt, he smiled, said hello and the two of you sat down with the cats for dinner. ~ As soon as that was over, Shouta gently took you by the wrist and pulled you towards the bedroom, tucking you in before getting comfortable himself. ~ His preferred position for sleep was on your chest, it was just so comfortable there! ~ So with his head on your chest, his arms around your waist and your legs tangled, he fell into restful sleep.

Toyomitsu Taishiro

I can picture Fatgum losing a lot of energy after he comes home from patrol, either a quiet one or a fight, he would want nothing more than to get comfy with you, in any way!

~ Taishiro came home exhausted, most of the heroes did, but he was still so pumped to see you! ~ He'd brought home a bunch of different take outs and snacks (cause the baby can eat a lot!) and he settled down with you on the couch, the two of you barely talking, preferring to be quiet when you both come home. ~ After eating and talking softly about your days, you had both settled down into bed. ~ Taishiro would prefer your head on his chest, even when he isn't using his quirk, he's still pretty tall and broad, and he likes the idea of being able to protect you even in your sleep. ~ I feel like Taishiro would wake up in the middle of the night often, either from nightmares from his job, worrying about his kids (Tamaki and Kirishima, yay Dadgum) or because he was hungry. ~ You didn't mind him waking up in the night for food, as long as he didn't eat in bed, whilst there wasn't any food left, crumbs attract ants! There had been issues…

Usagiyama Rumi

Rumi loves to be cuddled, as much as she wants to prove that she's strong, and she is, she loves being taken care of! So I can imagine her being similar when it comes to home life and sleeping!

~ When Rumi comes home to the smell of dinner already on the table, she can't help but swoon, she'd loved it since you moved in! ~ Dinner was lovely, but she wanted to get to the good bit! ~ Cuddles! (What were you guys thinking?) ~ I feel like the majority of your time with Rumi would be cuddling, in every position, but she would prefer being the little spoon, you behind her, cuddling around her waist. ~ But when you're sleeping, it's a bit different, the two of you cuddled up in bed, but even when sleeping, Mirko is still Mirko, filled with energy! ~ She would move around, probably bringing you with her, as she slept, physically lifting you and rotating the positions when she wanted, hope you're a heavy sleeper!

Kayama Nemuri

I honestly feel like Nemuri would be completely the opposite at home, than she would be in public. I feel like it would be very rare for her to be cuddly, even in the comfort of her own home.

~ When Nemuri came home from working long days at the school, or long nights on patrol, she would usually want to be left alone. ~ She loved you with all her being, but sometimes, she did just want to be on her own. ~ So she would eat what had been left over from the lovely dinner you'd cook (or order in) and then have a bubble bath, which she tended to do most days. ~ After a little pampering and treatment to keep herself looking young (though you assured her she looked gorgeous, you told her almost everyday), she would sneak into bed, smiling when she saw you sleeping, soft breath leaving your lips. ~ She would lay beside you, admiring you for a while, before beginning to drift off herself. ~ Getting herself comfortable, she would slide a little closer to you, not completely touching, but close enough. ~ She would leave a kiss on your forehead, seeing you stir ever so slightly, choosing to rest her own head against yours. ~ She fell into a contented sleep. ~ Though she would wake up with you a lot closer, usually cuddling into her chest.

Yamada Hizashi

Okay! Loud Boy! I feel like Hizashi would be SUPER cuddly, like, being on top of you, wouldn't be close enough, but he would damn well try!

~ It hadn't taken Hizashi long to get home, he was far too excited, he would run the whole way if he could, be he knew you wouldn't cuddle him if he was all hot and sweaty, so he casually jogged home. ~ Once he got there, you were sat on the couch, reading a book you had borrowed from Shouta, running over to you, he would be completely ready to glomp you, when you lifted a hand to stop him. ~ He stood, almost like he had been paused on a screen. ~ You finished the page you were on and marked it, placing it down and settling back in the cushions comfortably, giving your excitable love the all clear. ~ Letting out an excited shout (that had you covering your ears), he jumped into your awaiting arms, getting himself just as comfortable. ~ There would probably be small breaks between cuddling, for food and showers, then he'd be back in your arms, soft and sweet. ~ If we're being honest, that's probably where the two of you would drift off most of the time, Hizashi laying on top of you, head in your chest, arms around you and your fingers running through his hair (now not so pointy).

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

For Matthew

One of our dear crewmates, Stephanie, lost her son back in 2022. They both watched S1 together, and tragically he passed away not long after. Stephanie has been an active member of our crew for years now, and she reached out to Rhys and he made a lovely Cameo for her.

Some of you may have already seen it as she's been kind enough to share it with us previously, but after talking with Stephanie and hearing about who Matthew was, I wanted to put together a small dedication to him, and share Stephanie's words with you with her permission. 

-- Dedication --

Matthew was 39 years old when he passed away, one of the original OFMD crewmates. He was a quirky, deaf, funny, and talented man who gave the world kindness despite the struggles he went through. He loved theatre, movies, video games, local art, and independent restaurants, and made a positive impact on everyone he met.

Matthew made his debut as a professional backyard wrestler in 2002 in the Phoenix New Times, and he worked on many well known video games in the industry doing development and quality assurance. He was truly a child a learning, and a true pilar of support in the community, and spent a great deal of time laughing and bringing light and joy to the world.

With his last wish, he donated his body to science, continuing on his loving and supportive legacy. Matthew was a wonderful man that was lost far too soon and his mother Stephanie, as well as anyone who knew him miss him so very much. Below is his obituary if you'd like to learn more about this wonderful crewmate of ours. 

We salute you Matthew. You are the embodiment of all the kindness, acceptance, support, and loving things that embody Our Flag Means Death as well, and we're honored to have you amongst us in spirit. You are greatly missed, but never forgotten. 

--- Stephanie ---

"...I wanted to share something with the fandom about my journey with OFMD and wondered if any of you have experienced some personal growth right along with Ed and Stede (and of course many others in the crew).

My 39-year old son told me there was a show we had to watch that just dropped. He says "you'll love it because Taika's in it and we love pirates.” I laughed and said, “I’m in.”

I had no idea what it was about, but he and I had watched Black Sails together and he’s right—we love pirates. Within minutes of the pilot, I was completely won over and enjoying every moment of piracy on the Revenge. “What we’re about to do will be perilous . . . . “. From that moment on, I was in deep. We binged the first 3 episodes, rewinding to replay scenes and went mental when we realized that we had to wait a full week for 2 more episodes. My son and I would text about it non-stop and we both started quoting lines and getting even more invested. He was sending me meme's and screenshots and we started living our best pirate life.

By the end of the season, we had laughed, cried, and thoroughly discussed every aspect of Ed and Stede's growing relationship. We felt the pain of the cliffhanger and became “mentally devastated by what [we’ve] witnessed” and we certainly didn’t bottle it up.

We talked non-stop about the show. It became a daily thing. Articles, interviews, pictures and joining in the quest for renewal. Once it got renewed (PRIDE month), we were on the lookout for any posts or information about signs of filming, etc. We couldn't wait for the second season and were counting down the months after we knew filming wrapped.

Then the unthinkable happened. My son went into the hospital after having a slow recovery to multiple surgeries. Cliff Notes version: He was admitted and within 24 hours, he was in ICU on life support. My son had an extensive medical history beginning when he was an infant. 42+ surgeries and many air-evacs to Children’s Hospital so it was kind of the norm to go in and be out within a few days or week and be on the road to recovery again.

If you met him, you wouldn’t even know he had all the medical issues he had because he worked full time and carried himself like a stand-up comedian--always laughing and telling stories. He was a video gamer who had worked in the industry for 7 years until he had to take a leave to handle his medical issues and have a job that didn’t exceed 40 hours.. He was really a character and had a lot of funny mannerisms. 

This time was different. He didn’t rally and 10 days later he tragically died from a fungal infection that they couldn’t identify until it was too late to treat.

He died in June, 2022, and the grief has been unrelenting and unbearable. I have literally shut down and spent the months grieving and in so much pain that I can barely leave the house and see anyone. It has broken me. When I saw the actual date that S2 would drop, my emotions were so intense because I didn't know how I could possibly watch it without him. I finally went on and rewatched Season 1 to prepare for Season 2 and found myself crying through the entire 10 episodes every time I thought of his witty banter during the season.

I wasn’t sure I could handle Season 2 without him. I talked about it a lot in Grief therapy and decided I would watch it with him and for him. I would try the first episode and see if I could do it. I would imagine all the conversations we would have had.

Matthew understood being different. He was Deaf and spent so much time in and out of hospitals and was bullied and teased his whole childhood. Even with all of that, he grew up to be loving, kind, accepting of all, and a VERY FUNNY guy.

On the day I started S2, I remembered that Matthew enjoyed being on the groups on Reddit for OFMD. Having never done Reddit, I was nervous, but decided I would see if the online community would be something that would give me the thing I missed so much . . . his commentary.

I couldn't believe how it opened my world up. Everyone was so nice and open to discussion about OFMD. The banter, information and excitement has been so restorative for me. It has given me a lot of healing to say the least. 

I binged the first 3 episodes for S2 and went through it with all of you watching Blackbeard fall into the worst version of the Kraken that he had been and felt every emotion during the s2e3 Merman scene. Laughing and crying, laughing and crying, I waited for each week craving their reunion would finally happen and celebrated on-line with the entire fandom as we shared our analysis and thoughts.

Having a show that means so much to me has truly made me so happy. I loved that Ed and Stede are a middle aged couple and that they both had to grow so much to get to the point where they could be together in life as a beautiful and loving couple. I appreciated the writing so much because DJ and crew did really give us what he said he would, but in a far better way than I could have ever imagined.

I still need a s3 because I want to see Ed and Stede mature even more as a couple--no more leaving each other! I also want to see them meet up with their found family.

I want to see the new Revenge adventures, Spanish Jackie and Swede, Izzy legacy moments, Zheng, Oluwande, Wee John, Jim, Archie, Fang, Frenchie, Black Pete, Lucius, Buttons the sea gull, the perfect music and emotional parallels to past episodes and, of course, revenge for Minor Prince Ricky, Is that asking too much? I'm sure I left out so much else I want to see, but you all get it because you are stuck in this vortex right along side of me.

I dream of HBO/Max renewing this sooner rather than later so I can start thinking of when they will be filming and following all the hints that unfold. This show means so much to me and I am grateful that it exists. 

I feel like I can be a better version of an ally to the community I love so much by immersing myself within all the representation in this treasure trove of storytelling. I learn so much by seeing these relationships develop into deep and committed love and have such respect for all of us who just want to see these relationships normalized everywhere in society. We all benefit from inclusion and I am very very grateful for this show. It means more to me than I could ever explain.

I'm sorry I rambled, but I am just so appreciative of all the people in this group who just share and talk and roll around in all our in-depth chatter.

I celebrate this series and everyone that worked so hard to provide this beautiful story. I feel my son's presence every moment I watch it (on repeat) and discuss it every single day.

Izzy's (Con's) death scene touched me deeply . . . thinking about losing my son and how that felt and how I held onto him for as long as I could so I wouldn’t forget how it felt to hold him. Taika's commitment to the pain of losing Izzy felt like it paralleled all my feelings since the loss. Izzy's deathbed voice and words have lived in my heart ever since.

Con and Taika were top tier and seeing all the crew's emotions as they watched what was happening felt so raw and touching. I also felt so much from s2e3 when Ed is dead and Stede is begging him to live . . . I lived that as well, convinced that my son would somehow prove them all wrong and open his eyes. I said it over and over and when Ed opened his eyes, I just felt every single emotional hurdle.

Yes, I was a bucket of tears through it all, but I also felt a lot of healing. I’d love to hear from any of you who have had some kind of evolution or growth from this gift of a show."

----

You can reach out to Stephanie here on twitter if you'd like to discuss some of your experiences as well.  SRC: Stephanie's words per her permission. If someone doesn't have access to tumblr, they can read about Matthew on the Repo:

Cameo: Rhys Darby - For Matthew

[enby-wrights]

(warning i do not understand how tumblr works i have been on here for like two months and gathered absolutely nothing so i apologize if i did something wrong with like tags and the like? also i think i kind of sound like a youth pastor towards the end of this but it’s okay i do what i want. anyways)

greetings marble hornets fanbase i just have some (long) thoughts to share on tim and alex :) i have some Mental Health Hot Takes that are not worded well because i wrote this at one in the morning but feel free to read anyways. also i know that the marble hornets mental illness allegory conversation has been done to death but please let me throw in my two cents i am just a little guy and i even said please

in all my six long years traversing the Deep Dark Depths of the marble hornets fanbase, i’ve never been all that interested in exploring any kind of close relationship between alex and tim within the story-- i think 2006 alex comes off as a bit desperate and overbearing, and i think that would have made 2006 tim a little too anxious to attempt to get close to him. it’s just interesting to think that they wouldn’t quite fit together at the only point in their lives where they would have had the chance.

their position in the overall story as narrative foils to one another, however........... now that’s a tasty character dynamic if i do say so myself :) although essentially all of season three revolves around the conflicts between people as they react to the mental illness metaphor operator in their own Fun And Unique ways, alex and tim are undoubtedly the poster children of this concept. both of them begin dealing with almost identical issues, and their reactions to these issues shape their individual narratives in completely opposite directions. i was thinking about it while listening to the podcast great, more tapes today (which if you haven’t listened to it i totally recommend it even though it has been dead for a year) and it’s kind of a really great allegory for the ways in which people’s reactions to experiences with mental illness can either make or break our recovery. as someone who has intentionally made my own recovery worse on multiple occasions out of general manic faux edginess, the parallels kind of hit me really hard

i’m gonna highlight the differences between alex and tim’s reactions to the mental illness metaphor operator using a bullet point list because i’m autistic and all of my thoughts occur in bullet point lists actually

during the filming of alex kralie’s marble hornets, as their symptoms are both beginning to set in, we see alex alone incredibly often. tim, on the other hand, is always seen surrounded by other people (this also comes down to the contexts in which they were filming but whatever it’s artistic framing or something idk)

tim seeks medical attention. duh. i think it’s probably pretty safe to assume that alex did not seek any sort of medical attention for his mental health issues leading up to all that murder, otherwise there maybe wouldn’t have been murder

aside from seeking medical help, we also see tim seeking help (or at least visibility) from his peers. entry #66 is just tim yelling at jay about how scared he is. and even if jay isn’t really much help, he can at least see where tim is coming from in the future and has the opportunity to act accordingly (he does not take this opportunity but hey at least it’s there. as alex’s condition worsens, all we see is him lying to his loved ones about what’s going on. which is bad.

alex constantly walks in anger and fear. tim doesn’t stifle his emotions (i.e. him beating the shit out of jay), but he also acts logically and doesn’t dwell on them for too long

by season three alex is just fucking living all alone in the woods (which if you didn’t know is the opposite of seeking help)!! not only is he running around in an echo chamber but he chose to bring a gun into the echo chamber with him which is a really great way to become more mentally ill. tim on the other hand has a job, and a life, and people in his life who at least care enough about him to call him and see if he’ll be at work on time. he keeps busy and he interacts with the world around him and even when he’s having to constantly check in with his doctor to make sure he stays okay he is out and about and being a person

and it’s a weird thing to think about because when i’m at my worst psychologically i tend to bring a (METAPHORICAL) gun into my own echo chamber and sulk around in there until i start to believe some pretty shitty things about the world around me

but on the few occasions where i do manage to reach for help and respect my feelings while still existing outside myself it’s a miraculous feeling. i get better. and then i get worse again, because mental illness is a bitch, but it gets easier and easier to reach out every time.

and i think that’s part of the reason why alex gets eaten up by the idea of the operator while tim doesn’t. tim has experience with getting help, and he’s clearly developed a skill for taking care of himself. he just got lucky that his first time dealing with a mental health crisis wasn’t as fucked up as alex’s.

anways tldr alex kralie is my new example for what not to do in my mental health recovery journey also he’s a bitch 

(ps i don’t understand how i got to the end of this rant without mentioning masky a single time but i promise he fits into the mental illness allegory somewhere probably maybe)

[desultory-suggestions]

hi, do you have anything for arfid? i dont struggle with my self image but i do struggle with eating enough or even eating on harder days and its so disheartening when i have no energy and feel bad and exhausted and i know i just have to eat to feel better but i CANT

Hello dear one! I can absolutely offer some resources for ARFID. Compared to how we understand many other eating and feeding disorders, ARFID is often left out do discussions because it isn’t body image centered. This can make finding support really difficult! I am so proud of you for working towards a happier and healthier self and finding ways to eat, especially with such strong mental barriers trying to stop you.

Understanding whether you’re dealing with ARFID oriented more around avoidance, aversion, restriction, or a combination may be a good place to start. This can help you define what actually happens in your mind, and what you feel prevents you from eating. Did this disorder stem from a specific experience, genetics, social factors, or a mix? Answering these questions will likely be a big factor in what treatment your pursue.

As I recommend for every eating disorder, a multidisciplinary approach of therapy, nutritional support, and medical assessment is very important for recovering. This isn’t something you are making up, nor is it something you can magically stop. It’s okay to need more help, and because it’s a mental health issue you may need someone to help you work through a professional level plan.

I know many people struggling with ARFID receive support in eating and trying new foods as a form of exposure therapy. This is a very scary and mentally intense task, so it should be planned. Planning to work with a professional or loved one on a specific schedule and slowly work up to trying and eating new and more foods is a good way to press your limits. You will struggle, it will suck a lot sometimes! But you will also make progress. Don’t push yourself into a panic, it’s okay to work up to a single crumb over a period. Whatever works works. Also prepare to rest and recover from the experience. If you work up to taking a bite of a food you previously couldn’t, you are allowed to feel exhausted and need to practice self care after. This isn’t meant to be a punishing experience.

I’ve attached two articles below that offer information that could be helpful for seeking treatment. I also recommend support groups and recovery groups, which may help be a healthy motivator and reassurance that you are not alone in this.

You’ve got this!

-Evan

[princess-of-the-corner]

I think it's a chat fic?

So, I just remembered a fic where Aizawa finds out about Izuku’s Quirk (just the manifesting on Exam day part). Like, he finds out during a staff room chat, when Toshinori sort of casually mentions it, and Aizawa’s like “WaitwaitwaitHold the FUCK-!” And All Might says, “wait, you didn’t KNOW!?” Because apparently, All Might was actually NOT going to send the kid in blind, and helped him with his paperwork. He wanted Izuku to succeed, and that means accurate (or mostly accurate) records - including being one of the very rare people who manifested their Quirk late because their body couldn’t handle it yet, ya know, like All Might. So by all accounts, Izuku’s Quirk Status manifesting the day of the exam SHOULD be in his file. Aizawa yanks out Izuku’s file, goes over it, and indeed, finds the appropriate passage. It’s ONE SENTENCE, on page 3 of his medical record, which Aizawa NEVER reads entirely, only skims, because besides general allergies, he’s of the opinion that other people’s medical records are only his business in an emergency. If there’s anything TRULY concerning, Recovery Girl usually brings it to his attention, so he goes to her. Recovery Girl calmly apologizes to Aizawa, saying she should have alerted him and not just trusted Izuku to bring it up on his own. 

We then have two different conversations. 

First is Aizawa and Izuku. Aizawa confronts him on manifesting the day of the exam (Izuku: “YOU DIDN’T KNOW!?”) and … I’m not sure apologizes is the right word, but tells Izuku if he’d known, he would have tried to help him more. He thought he was dealing with a kid who was reckless with his own Quirk and didn’t understand the consequences, not one who’d only had it for a week and was still adjusting. Izuku is all, “no, it’s fine, really, you’re actually the nicest teacher I’ve ever had!” (which does not actually make Aizawa feel better).

Second conversation is All Might and Recovery Girl yelling at Nezu for Izuku’s medical file, because you’ll NEVER GUESS who All Might went to for help when he needed to assist Izuku.

-

Honestly this is pretty close to how it’s gonna go down in Chaos Children lmao.

Like like like. Izuku’s file was updated of ‘suddenly has a Quirk’(that’s actually canon lmao) and assumed his teachers all knew about it because it’s in his file wouldn’t they read the entire section on a kids’ Quirk? 

But yeah Aizawa tends to skim the file for the basics because he wants to get a feel of the kid’s personality and their Quirk with a mostly-fresh viewpoint instead of possibly outdated information(kids rarely update their registry after first manifestation) or the kid’s own hangups/biases, and expects the kid to bring up any issues because he’s a teacher here to help them why wouldn’t they do that?

Usually there’s no reason for him to look into it further unless something happens. Like what happened with the Tokoyami situation: Aizawa noticed ‘Dark Shadow’ wasn’t behaving right when he used his own Quirk on ‘it’, and looked a little deeper into the files and found out about Eimi.

Izuku is /starting/ to have this situation, but not quite. Because Aizawa kinda assumed at first that Izuku was just an idiot thinking he could rely on pure power while letting everyone else pick up the pieces. Izuku doesn’t challenge this, but seems to improve once he’s ‘called out on this behavior’. Then Izuku starts improving really quickly, but even so Aizawa can just now kinda write it off as ‘okay the kid had a powerful Quirk that can hurt him, and just didn’t have much practice because it being so volatile meant either property damage or injury to himself, which UA can now deal with for him freeing him to actually use it. Ofc he’s going to improve’. But yeah he doesn’t know the Quirk ‘just manifested during the exam’.

Which yeah Izuku, when confronted, is like “I thought you knew? Also I’m not really the type of kid who trusts teachers, even when they’re Heroes who have saved my ass before.”

[anaswaraseo]

Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics: Science for Better Health

Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics is a specialized field that uses nutrition to manage and prevent disease, improve health outcomes, and promote overall well-being. Here’s a deep dive into the essential aspects of this field:

What is Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics?

Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics involves assessing, diagnosing, and treating nutrition-related health issues. Dietitians and clinical nutritionists work closely with patients to develop dietary plans tailored to their medical conditions, lifestyle, and specific health goals.

Key Areas of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics

Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT): MNT is the cornerstone of clinical dietetics, involving specialized dietary interventions based on scientific evidence. It’s used to treat chronic illnesses like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and kidney disease.

Nutritional Assessment: This includes evaluating a patient’s diet, medical history, physical health, and lab results to create personalized nutrition plans. Tools include BMI, body composition analysis, dietary history, and blood tests to assess nutrient levels.

Therapeutic Diets: Dietitians often develop therapeutic diets to manage health conditions, which can include:

Low-sodium diets for hypertension and heart health.

Low-glycemic diets for managing diabetes.

High-protein diets for malnutrition and muscle recovery.

Renal Diets for kidney disease patients to reduce the intake of specific nutrients.

Pediatric and Geriatric Nutrition: Clinical dietitians specialize in creating age-appropriate nutritional plans for children and elderly patients, addressing issues like growth, development, bone health, and cognitive function.

Mental Health and Nutrition: Dietitians are increasingly focusing on the connection between nutrition and mental health, as certain nutrients (e.g., omega-3s, and B vitamins) can impact mood and cognitive function.

Emerging Areas in Clinical Nutrition

Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: Functional foods (like probiotics) and nutraceuticals (such as dietary supplements) are increasingly used in clinical nutrition to support specific health outcomes, such as immune function or gut health.

Personalized Nutrition and Genomics: Nutrigenomics studies how genes influence individual responses to nutrients, leading to personalized nutrition plans based on a patient’s genetic makeup. This method works especially well for treating chronic illnesses.

Integrative and Holistic Nutrition: Integrative nutrition considers lifestyle factors, stress, and mental health along with diet, promoting a more holistic approach to patient care.

Plant-Based Diets: The use of plant-based diets in clinical settings is becoming popular for their benefits in reducing inflammation, improving heart health, and supporting weight management.

Role of Clinical Dietitians in Healthcare Settings

Hospitals: Clinical dietitians are essential in hospitals, where they design dietary plans for patients recovering from surgeries, dealing with chronic illnesses, or undergoing treatment that affects their nutritional status.

Outpatient Clinics: Many dietitians work in clinics, providing ongoing support for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol.

Rehabilitation Centers: Nutritionists here help patients with recovery, focusing on high-calorie or high-protein diets to promote healing.

Skills for Clinical Dietitians

Analytical Skills: Strong understanding of biochemistry and physiology to interpret lab data and develop dietary plans. Counseling and Communication: The ability to communicate effectively with patients to promote adherence to dietary plans.

Evidence-Based Practice: Staying updated with the latest research to provide science-backed advice. Career Opportunities

Clinical dietitian: employed by long-term care homes, clinics, or hospitals.

Nutrition Researcher: Contributing to research on disease prevention and dietary interventions.

Consultant Dietitian: Providing freelance or consultancy services for healthcare facilities, wellness centers, or private clients.

Corporate Wellness Programs: Supporting employees’ health and well-being through nutritional guidance in corporate settings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics is a transformative field that bridges the gap between nutrition science and patient care, offering personalized approaches to health and wellness. By understanding the intricate relationship between diet, disease, and overall health, clinical dietitians play a crucial role in improving health outcomes and enhancing quality of life. As new research and innovations in nutrition continue to emerge, this field remains essential in advancing preventive care, supporting disease management, and promoting holistic well-being.

[beardedmrbean]

A former Maryland mayor and well known LGBTQ activist, convicted earlier this year in a heinous child pornography case, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday. 

Patrick Wojahn, who resigned as mayor of College Park, Maryland, on March 2 before his arrest, pleaded guilty to 140 charges related to child pornography as part of a deal struck with prosecutors. He was sentenced to 150 years total, with all but 30 years suspended, but still will be eligible for parole in 7.5 years under state law, The Washington Post reported. The conviction came after investigators linked an account sharing illicit images to his government email address.

"I do sense the remorsefulness," Prince George's County Circuit Court Judge Karen Mason said of Wojahn on Monday during an emotional hearing when prosecutors read hours of victim impact statements. "And I do know you take responsibility."

Authorities say the 48-year-old uploaded and shared dozens of photos and videos depicting explicit child sex abuse, including the rape of prepubescent boys by adults, to social media apps in January, The Post reported. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified Prince George’s County Police Department of the social media activity in mid-February.

Through their investigation, police determined a social media account with the screen name "skippy_md" belonged to Wojahn, FOX 5 DC reported. 

By means of a subpoena, investigators found that Wojahn's College Park government email address was listed as the recovery email for the Kik account. Wojahn's phone number and home IP address were linked to the account, according to authorities, who say the ex-mayor used a virtual private network to mask his location when accessing the account. 

More explicit images were also found on the social media app Telegram.

OKLAHOMA HUMAN TRAFFICKING SUSPECT ARRESTED, ALLEGEDLY USED FAKE ID TO AVOID DEPORTATION FOR 2 DECADES

Court records show Wojahn was indicted in March by a grand jury on 80 counts of possessing and intent to distribute child pornography, which were amplified to 140 counts in May through a superseding indictment. He pleaded guilty in August to all 60 counts of distribution of child pornography, 40 of possession of child pornography and 40 of possessing child pornography with the intent to distribute. Of those kids depicted in the hundreds of photos and videos Wojahn possessed and shared, law enforcement identified 52 child victims, some of whom are now adults, in collaboration with the Justice Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Their victim impact statements read in court detailed struggles with extreme anxiety, paranoia, poor sleep, trust issues and a sense of safety, and some said they have been stalked and forced to move their current families and children of their own after being exposed as victims of online child exploitation. 

The judge cited Wojahn's own past as a victim of sexual abuse and also heard declarations of support from 16 people in the courtroom who spoke about Wojahn’s history of public service before deciding to refer the former mayor to the Patuxent Institution, a treatment-oriented maximum-security prison in Maryland.

Wojahn himself addressed the courtroom Monday to apologize. 

"I know I contributed to that, and I’m deeply, deeply sorry … I recognize the damage I have caused," he said, according to the Post. 

"I want to be the person they know me to be," he said to the community, before addressing his husband, "I love you, too, very much."

Wojahn, a staunch LGBTQ advocate and graduate of Georgetown University Law School who joined a lawsuit with his now-husband against the state of Maryland in 2006 to make marriage a right for same-sex couples in the state, had served on the College Park City Council for eight years until he was elected mayor in November 2015. He served in that role for seven years until his resignation earlier this year. 

[mariacallous]

In the spring of 2022, reports showed that only 67 percent of third graders were reading at grade level in the aftermath of the pandemic. Following on the heels of the recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, the U.S. now witnesses the largest decline in reading outcomes since 1980. Children from underserved communities have lost as much as half a year of traditional normal reading progress. Learning loss has become a well-worn term for an international crisis prompting governments to seek ways to accelerate learning.

This context has ignited a major reckoning with educational policy and methods. As it turns out, reading scores were not impressive even before the pandemic. According to the 2019 NAEP scores, just 34 percent of students were proficient at reading. By “proficient,” these scores suggest that students can only not just sound out a word, but also gain meaning from text. This low starting point pre-pandemic is the real problem. Someone, something, must be to blame.  According to a recent New York Times article and a widely heard podcast, “Sold a Story,” Professor Lucy Calkins of Columbia University seems to be descending to that mantle.

Professor Calkin’s balance reading curriculum was used in more than a quarter of U.S. schools. It focused on three cues that students needed to follow to become readers: semantics (is the word meaningful?), syntax (does the word fit grammatically?), and grapho-phonic (can you guess the sound from its first letter?). The bottom line is that this curriculum falls short. As “Sold a Story” reveals, balanced reading was an offspring of Marie Clay’s Reading Recovery program developed in New Zealand and used around the world. A report issued in April of 2022 noted that third and fourth graders who used reading recovery methods were behind those who did not use the program. Culprit revealed.

The science of reading has progressed a great deal in the 50 years since Reading Recovery and the balanced curriculum were introduced. Indeed, this period of scientific discovery can be seen as the end of the so-called reading wars between whole word instruction and phonics—or mastering the letter-to-sound correspondence that enables readers in an alphabetic system to translate print into language (i.e., that “b” translates into “buh”). Brain research helps to adjudicate that the winner of the reading wars was phonics. Professor Bruce McCandless of Stanford University found that children learning phonics activated the brain circuitry used in reading. Those who learned in whole-word methods did not.

Today, the brain circuitry underlying reading is well understood. Professor Stanislas DeHaene of the University of Paris is one of the leaders in this science. Reading, unlike speech, is a cultural phenomenon that must be learned. Professor Steven Pinker once said, “Children learn language in the way that spiders spin webs.” Reading does not work this way. Children need to visually recognize letters, combine the letters, and relate the sounds to the language and meaning systems in the brain. In fact, DeHaene argues that humans co-opted an area of the brain—the visual word form area—that matures as we get more experience in reading. That is, if children can sound out the words, they can tap into the vast resources of their language to glean meaning from print.

The bottom line is that children need to learn phonics and letters to sound out correspondence. Methods like Clay’s and Calkins, based on prior theories of whole-language reading, will not solve the problem. Calkin’s methods, as the podcast “Sold a Story” suggest, can generate readers who pretend to read rather than those who can actually read new words when encountered in print.

On the other hand, phonics alone, while necessary, will also not generate strong readers. A superbly written overview by Anne Castles and colleagues notes that children need to do more than translate letters into sounds: They need to make contact with a rich knowledge base and with a growing language system. In fact, educational methods that focused only on phonics had many children who sat in rows, barking out words for extended periods of time. Many of these children experienced the fourth-grade slump when their phonics knowledge did not translate into meaningful information. Jeanne Chall’s classic 2003 study suggested that the fourth grade slump results from the fact that students who have learned how to decode might not have the rich language base that they need to make meaning from the words that they sound out. Children need to learn in active and engaging ways that are meaningful and joyful.

The reading wars, it turns out, created a false dichotomy between meaning versus phonics as primary drivers of beginning—and later proficient—reading. The scientific answer is more nuanced. It takes both phonics and meaning to create strong readers. Phonics is the tool that allows children to break into the alphabetic system–to understand that the squiggles on the page relate to the words in their vocabularies. Meaning making is the key to finding richness in the narratives and the motivation for wanting to read.

U.S. student reading levels are low and have been low for decades. The pandemic exacerbated this serious educational problem. And this has prompted much reflection in education and in the public square. This is, however, an area in which the science is well developed.

We tend to oversimplify science when and if it moves from the laboratory to policy and classroom practice. Simplification comes at a cost. Even today, policymakers are pressed to understand that language and literacy are intertwined in all reading curricula moving forward. Let’s end the great disconnect between science, policy, and practice. Let’s teach reading in ways that supports a foundation in phonics while making the experience enjoyable, motivating, and meaningful by connecting to children’s lived experiences. Let’s not confuse pedagogy with content. Phonics instruction need not be drilled into children but can be learned at the same time children are learning meaning and are actively involved.

[wixhing0nastar]

About the Yang Xiao Long Abuse post.

Something occurred to me; Qrow may have also contributed to the abuse.

Back in Volume 3, when Yang was framed by Emerald?

Qrow accused her of either lying or being crazy.

Yang sought one of her family figures for validation, and Qrow called her crazy.

Then Qrow told her that Raven didn't care for her.

Would what Qrow did be considered abusive as well?

There's a lot in Volume 4 I dislike, which is why its my least favorite volume, and the Patch Scenes were among them.

But I feel that the way Qrow treated Yang was also a factor in Yang's mental/emotional state.

Also, regarding Yang's prosthetic. It appears Tai had planned to "call in some favors, pull a few strings" in order to get Yang her new arm, which shows that while Tai is emotionally insensitive to a degree, he is still caring about others and willing to help.

Ruby did say that Taiyang does love them both and is overprotective.

But a person can be loving and yet at the same time emotionally harmful to a degree.

Its strange, given the character we see of Qrow and Tai in RWBY Chibi, both being loving family members.

How would you, if you could make suggestions to the writing team, made ideas on how to improve things in V4?

Beyond just Yang, it feels there was too much in need of a revision here or there.

So to start with the question about Qrow, those instances wouldn’t count as abuse. For something to be abuse there has to be a pattern of this stuff happening, so the single comment about the Vytal Festival isn’t abuse, just a really messed up thing to say to her.

As for the comment about Raven, while it’s a little too blunt, it’s not something she shouldn’t hear. Especially since Qrow gave her the information to find her and knows Yang’ll be meeting her in the near future and he wants to prepare her for that.

Like as much as she was saying she was just looking for answers, you know deep down she’d been hoping for years if she found her, Raven would care enough about her to take care of her and Ruby.

That being said, in V6 when Yang and Ruby find him passed out drunk, their reaction does indicate he was doing this regularly at some point in their lives and they know how to handle it… and taking care of a passed out drunk adult isn’t the job of a kid(s) and is also a form of parentification. So likely he contributed in some regard when Yang was younger.

However, Qrow acknowledges that he has an issue and does try (successfully!) to work on himself to be a better uncle/mentor both to Yang and Ruby but also their friends as well, which is important to acknowledge.

And yes, I never meant to imply Tai doesn’t love them both. He clearly does, it’s just that love alone isn’t enough when you’ve got a couple of very young grieving children at home, and then a traumatized teenager with fairly severe PTSD. (And tbh I wouldn’t ever put much weight into the characterization in RWBY “cake butler” Chibi, lol).

As for V4, I think that the biggest issue the volume had overall was that they were trying to follow too many different storylines in too many different locations. Like they had to balance:

RNJR + Qrow’s trip across Mistral

Weiss escaping from her father

Blake and the Faunus Civil War

Yang and her PTSD/Recovery

Introducing Oscar and all the world stuff that comes with the reincarnation story

Introducing Salem and Team WTCH

I’d suggest combining at least a couple of these earlier on to give themselves more breathing room. Tbh Yang’s entire recovery arc barely happened (it was like three, 5ish minute scenes across the whole volume, which was also almost every scene she had) and Weiss’s arc was also fairly short and a bit underwhelming for how much it was built up, so I’d try to fold them into other storylines.

Honestly, I’d specifically suggest combining Yang and Oscar’s stories (they both are dealing with huge, unexpected changes in their lives they don’t know how to navigate) and Blake and Weiss’s (Weiss could go through a very similar emotional journey as she did in canon but from the opposite side by witnessing how Ghira and Kali treat her and Blake compared to her father), with Yang and Oscar catching up to RNJR at some point in the later part of the volume.

If they specifically wanted to write Tai as a good parent now (while also not retconning anything from V1-V3), one of the first things he’d need to do is admit that he was in the wrong in the past (like Qrow did in V7) and was not there for her. And then make it clear he is now and then ask after and follow her lead in terms of what she needs to heal instead of assuming he knows best.

[n4stasia]

Spirited Away

Spirited Away (2001) by the mastermind of anime Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most visually & emotionally enchanting piece of cinematography. It's a simple yet an infinitely deep story that remains relevant to this day and never fails to fascinate me. I had so much pleasure rewatching this piece of art and looking for the hidden meanings behind the details. Below are some of the plot-forming motives behind the Spirited Away that I think are worth noting.

Growing up, Initiation, and Entering the Adult World

Chihiro undergoes a transformative initiation process amidst her adventure in the spirit world. She starts off as a dependent, naive child and ends as a brave, responsible individual. Her journey symbolizes the transition from childhood to adulthood, facing a number of challenges on her way, such as working in the bathhouse and dealing with No-Face. Haku, on the other hand serves as a mentor figure, guiding her through the spirit world. This mirrors how mentors or guardians help guide children into adulthood. The loss and recovery of Chihiro's name is a touching story-line that symbolizes the importance of self-identity. In growing up, many of us often struggle with maintaining self-identity among external pressures and Chihiro wins her battle. We encounter a similar initiation process of the baby Boh. He is angry, spoiled, and demanding. Only after transforming into a mouse and traveling to Zeniba does his character evolve into more mature, empathetic, and independent figure.

Greed, Avarice, and the Lust for Profit

One of the more obvious examples is Chihiro's parents' transformation into pigs that directly illustrates the corrupting nature of greed. It serves as a metaphor for how greed can dehumanize individuals. No-Face's consumption of others and his offer of gold reflect the destructive nature of unchecked desire. His transformation after leaving bathhouse and following Chihiro shows how environment influences behavior. Greed blinds both humans and spirits, causing them to forget more important matters. One prominent example is the scene where Haku informs Yubaba about the substitution of her "most precious treasure", she initially thinks of the gold brought by No-Face before realizing it refers to her child. The film critiques consumerism and materialism, common issues in modern society. By showcasing the negative outcomes of greed, it emphasizes the value of moderation and mindfulness.

Miyazaki's mastery of visual storytelling in Spirited Away allows the audience to experience the narrative on multiple levels, making it a truly immersive and unforgettable cinematic journey.

[dandylovesturtles]

I deeply appreciate you saying that Leo still has knee issues after the krang in imbi. There's no way he came out fine after all that happened. I can only imagine his knee will probably be worse now though. But hey! A brace for Leon?

Thanks anon!

I started writing the fic very quickly after I finished watching the series and movie, so I hadn't really formed all my headcanons for what kinds of lasting damage Leo has after the movie (and the rest of them, too). So when I first started working on it, I kind of ran with the presentation at the end of the movie that seems to show them without any lasting effects at all (of course, it's a children's cartoon, and also we only see one evening of their life, so it doesn't mean anything concrete).

Since then my headcanons on this have really evolved, and I hc that Leo has some chronic pain, especially in his leg and shell, and probably some other lasting issues besides the mental as a result. And I think it's good to deal with these kinds of lasting injuries! I know it helps people feel seen to see injuries or medical conditions they have represented in fiction. I do think Leo still healed really well thanks to being both young and a mutant, but it was a lot of damage to take to come out fully recovered, especially in such a short time.

If I could go back and rewrite chapter 1 (and I've actually considered going back and rewriting it haha), I would call this out more and make it more a focus of the chapter, to lead into Leo's mental state in chapter 13. But as it is right now you just get to see how I've evolved in thinking about the movie aftermath as I write and think about these characters more, so it's nice in its own way.

I do think it's highly possible that he would need a leg brace after all this, if not all the time then at least through his recovery and on bad days after.

Thanks for the ask and sorry I took so long to respond!

[useless-prophet]

Progression

Healer Anaxis wrings out the fraying, sweat-soaked rag into the bucket and wipes it once again across the man’s brow. He flinches at her touch, face contorted in pain, but able to do little more than cry out in a low, incomprehensible murmur, and sink further into tangled grasp of his sheets. 

Reed fever is a slow, nasty sickness, and even more so when outbreaks chain like lightning through entire villages. At least half of the homes here are infected, and of those who contract it, half will die. The mothers are too sick to feed their babies, the farmers are too sick to tend to their crops, and everywhere you look, the weak and young and elderly are falling like flies to their deathbeds. The black smoke of funerals lingers in the air, refusing to dissipate for the constant pyres on the streets. Healer Anaxis hears that they keep one going in the main square all day now - there are simply too many bodies to burn. 

This man will not last much longer. The jaundiced skin, stiffness in the joints, and thin, rattling breath that give the sickness its name have all set in too deeply. Without her help, he won’t make it another day. And he will suffer through every second of his death.

But there are children outside, carrying their hungry siblings. The line started a week ago and only grew in size, with the begging and crying and screaming of those seeking help never letting silence fully take root. There are not enough beds. There are never enough beds. Healer Anaxis holds the man hand, wipes his brow again, and begins to hum.

It’s a low, warbling lullaby, and perhaps it pierces through the man’s agony to bring back a moment of his childhood, where his mother still held him in his arms and murmured sweet nothings to help him sleep. He squeezes her hand, just a little bit. It burns warmer and warmer, almost painful to the coolness of her skin, numbed with its perpetual soaking and wringing. Healer Anaxis squeezes back and continues humming.

 His breathing shallows. His limbs quiver, and settle. The lines on his face relax, and his eyes, washed with yellow, stare towards nothing.

Progression is spoken of as the purest tone, the tone of growth and healing. But energy must come from somewhere. To an otherwise healthy man, progression can turn weeks of recovery into a minute. But to someone already so weak that they can barely lift their head?

Progression, at its purest, is the acceleration of time.

He wouldn’t have made it much longer, even without her help.

And they need the beds so, very, very much.

Progression

Progression. The first of the temporal tones, and arguably, the most useful among them. Progression deals with growth and healing, as well as decay and ruin, all caused by the passage - more specifically, the acceleration - of time. Though its area of effect is highly localized, and the chant needs to be played continuously through the period of effect, chants utilizing Progression can speed up weeks of healing into hours, multiply harvests tenfold, and quicken the natural processes of erosion and weathering.

Because of its association with healing, it is commonly thought of as a "good" tone, but that would be like saying that the sun is entirely "good". Sure, it keeps you (and everything else) alive, but it has no issue either with giving you cancer or frying your planet. It's an entity completely separate from your perception of it - there is no good or bad, only useful vs inefficient applications.

Master Post