#global experience
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reasonsforhope · 6 months ago
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If you're feeling anxious or depressed about the climate and want to do something to help right now, from your bed, for free...
Start helping with citizen science projects
What's a citizen science project? Basically, it's crowdsourced science. In this case, crowdsourced climate science, that you can help with!
You don't need qualifications or any training besides the slideshow at the start of a project. There are a lot of things that humans can do way better than machines can, even with only minimal training, that are vital to science - especially digitizing records and building searchable databases
Like labeling trees in aerial photos so that scientists have better datasets to use for restoration.
Or counting cells in fossilized plants to track the impacts of climate change.
Or digitizing old atmospheric data to help scientists track the warming effects of El Niño.
Or counting penguins to help scientists better protect them.
Those are all on one of the most prominent citizen science platforms, called Zooniverse, but there are a ton of others, too.
Oh, and btw, you don't have to worry about messing up, because several people see each image. Studies show that if you pool the opinions of however many regular people (different by field), it matches the accuracy rate of a trained scientist in the field.
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I spent a lot of time doing this when I was really badly injured and housebound, and it was so good for me to be able to HELP and DO SOMETHING, even when I was in too much pain to leave my bed. So if you are chronically ill/disabled/for whatever reason can't participate or volunteer for things in person, I highly highly recommend.
Next time you wish you could do something - anything - to help
Remember that actually, you can. And help with some science.
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productiveandfree · 2 months ago
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Unlock Growth Opportunities with Online English Tutors
Continuous professional development is very important for success in today’s changing work world. Online English tutoring provides a valuable learning experience. It helps professionals improve their language skills. By choosing online English tutoring, professionals can stand out in global workplaces. This makes it a wise choice for growing their careers.
Employing Online English Tutors for Professional Growth
In today's connected world, good English communication is very important for career growth. Online English tutors offer personal help that makes learning easier. Whether you want to write strong reports, give great presentations, or work well with others around the world, targeted language training is important.
So, where should you start? It's crucial to plan your language learning. First, set clear goals and know your current skill level.
Identifying Your Development Goals
Before you start online English tutoring, you need to set clear goals for your development. Think about the work situations where better English skills will help you the most. Is it for giving a big presentation to international partners, writing strong research papers, or managing a global team better?
Knowing these learning goals will help your private tutor support you every step of the way in making a custom teaching plan with a perfect English tutor today. If you want to improve your essay writing skills with private tutoring and write more convincingly, your lessons will focus on grammar, vocabulary, and telling good stories. If you're looking to get better at speaking, the lessons might include practice for everyday job conversations.
By sharing your goals, you help your online English tutor create lesson plans that meet your special work needs.
Assessing Current English Proficiency Levels
An honest look at your current English language skills is very important for your English studies and language studies, especially as you prepare for your journey into secondary school. It helps to set clear goals for your progress and determine the right fit for your learning needs. You need to know your strengths and weaknesses in different areas of English, like reading, writing, listening, and critical thinking skills. Many online platforms offer tools to assess your skills or have tutors who can evaluate you at first.
Maybe your writing is good, but you find conversations hard. Or perhaps you listen well, but you get nervous about giving presentations. Knowing these differences helps you go into online English tutoring with a clear plan.
When you spot the areas that need work, you help your tutor adjust their teaching. This way, they can focus on improving specific skills, which leads to a better and more effective learning experience.
The Benefits of Online English Tutors for Professionals
Online English tutoring with engaging tutors gives many benefits that go beyond regular classroom learning. You get personalized attention and flexibility. It is very convenient and fits well with a busy work schedule.
This way of learning helps you improve faster. It lets you use your new language skills directly at work. So, online English tutoring is a great investment for professionals.
Customized Learning Paths for Each Professional
Online English tutors are great at creating personalized learning paths that fit each person's needs. Instead of using the same courses for everyone, tutoring sessions focus on your strengths, weaknesses, and career goals. This allows you to spend less time on things that don't matter and helps you learn faster.
For example, a marketing executive working on international campaigns might need to improve their persuasive writing and create strong marketing text. A software engineer who works with teams around the world may need to learn technical terms and how to communicate clearly in online meetings.
Skilled tutors can spot these different needs. They make unique lesson plans that fit your exact work situation. This tailored way of learning helps you achieve quicker and more useful results.
Flexibility and Convenience of Scheduling
Balancing work duties and personal tasks usually gives you little time for regular classes. Online English tutors provide great flexibility and convenience in setting up lessons. This is very helpful for busy people.
There’s no need to rush in traffic or change your plans. With online tutoring, you can learn from any place that has the internet. You can have lessons during your lunch break, early in the morning, or late at night. This lets you comfortably fit learning into your daily routines.
This kind of flexibility helps you focus on your professional growth without changing your life too much. It allows you to keep to a regular lesson schedule, which helps you make steady progress.
Access to a Global Pool of Tutors
Online platforms have changed how we access education, including English tutoring. Now, you can connect with many qualified English tutors from all over the world.
This broader access has clear benefits. You can learn from native English speakers who have different accents and cultural backgrounds. You can also select a tutor based on your specific job needs.
Having a variety of tutors helps create a rich learning experience. You will get to know different teaching methods and the subtle differences in English communication from around the world.
How to Find the Right Online English Tutor
Finding the right online English tutor can seem hard with so many options out there. But, if you focus on getting recommendations, checking qualifications, and thinking about how well you fit together, it can make the selection easier.
Take your time to choose a tutor who suits your learning style and career goals. This will help you a lot in improving your language skills.
Utilizing Professional Networks for Recommendations
Finding the right online English tutor often begins with using your professional network. Friends, colleagues, or mentors who have used English tutoring can give you helpful recommendations.
You can contact your connections on LinkedIn, or ask groups and organizations you are part of about their experiences with online tutors. Hearing first-hand feedback about teaching styles, how well the tutors work, and their platforms can be really useful.
Recommendations give you insights that are better than online profiles and reviews. They provide a personal view, making it much more likely that you will find a tutor that fits your specific needs.
Evaluating Tutor Qualifications and Experience
While personal recommendations can help you start, it's important to study a tutor's qualifications and experience. Check for certifications like TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA to see if they know how to teach English as a foreign language.
Think about their years of experience, especially if they teach professionals, and learn about their teaching style. Some tutors are great at structured lessons focused on grammar, while others focus more on conversation and how to use English in real life.
Understanding these details helps you pick a tutor whose style fits your learning needs. This can boost your progress.
Conducting Interviews and Trial Sessions
Most reputable online tutoring platforms offer trial sessions, allowing you to interact with potential tutors before committing. Utilize this opportunity to gauge their communication style, personality, and teaching approach. Prepare a few questions beforehand to understand their experience working with professionals in your field.
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Key Questions to Ask Potential Tutors What is your experience teaching English for professional purposes? How do you tailor your lessons to meet individual learning goals? What interactive tools and resources do you incorporate? What is your approach to providing feedback and tracking progress?
These initial interactions are crucial. They help you determine if you feel comfortable with the tutor and confident in their ability to support your professional development.
Setting Up a Structured Learning Plan
Once you pick your online English tutor, it is important to create a clear learning plan together. A good plan acts like a guide for your journey to learn the language. This will help you make steady progress and use your time well.
You should regularly check and change this plan with your tutor. This way, it will always fit your changing work needs and learning goals.
Establishing Clear, Achievable Objectives
A clear learning plan is very important for good online English tutoring. Start by setting clear goals that you can achieve on your journey to learn the language. Break your big goals into smaller steps that you can track.
For example, instead of saying you want to "improve English fluency" in general, set specific goals. You could aim to "learn 200 new professional words in three months" or "give a 10-minute English presentation with confidence in six weeks."
These goals, which are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound), will keep you motivated. They will show you how far you have come and give you a sense of success as you move through your lessons.
Integrating Professional Scenarios into Lessons
To make your online English tutoring more helpful and relevant, add real-life work scenarios to your lessons. Talk to your tutor about how you can include situations from your job, like mock presentations, negotiations, or conference calls.
For example, if you are in marketing, focus on writing catchy marketing content, giving pitches, or joining online talks about trends in your field. By practicing with real-life examples, you will build confidence and get useful skills to use your improved English at work.
This hands-on approach helps you learn better, connecting theory with real use.
Regular Monitoring and Feedback Mechanisms
Consistent checking and feedback are very important for improving over time. You should work with your tutor to set up a way to track your progress and find areas that need more focus.
This could include regular tests, practice presentations, or looking over written work. Helpful feedback from your tutor is very useful. It helps you improve your pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and communication style as a whole.
By seeing feedback as a chance to grow, you create a way of thinking that supports ongoing improvement. This will help you get the most out of your online English tutoring.
Maximizing the Benefits of Online English Learning
Using interactive tools and finding real-world chances will boost your online English learning. Online platforms give you the chance to use many extra resources.
By including English in your daily life and looking for ways to practice, you will learn faster and make better progress.
Embracing Interactive Technologies and Resources
Modern online English tutoring uses more than just textbooks and worksheets. It includes fun technology that makes learning engaging and effective. Many platforms have tools like virtual whiteboards for teamwork, voice recorders for practicing pronunciation, and large libraries of articles, videos, and podcasts.
You can also explore apps and websites for language learning that work well with your lessons. Try to engage with English media, like movies, TV shows, or music, to help you naturally learn the language.
By using these lively resources, you change your learning experience into an enjoyable journey.
Encouraging Real-world Application
While structured lessons give you a good base, using English in the real world is very important for strengthening your English skills. Take every chance you get to speak English outside of your tutoring sessions.
You can volunteer to give presentations or lead meetings at work. You can join international online forums related to your field. You can also start conversations with English speakers. Trying these things, even if they feel scary, will help you become more fluent and confident.
The more you use English in everyday situations, the easier it will feel. This real-world practice is essential for turning your English skills into something useful in your job.
Leveraging Feedback for Continuous Improvement
Feedback is very important for getting better at learning. Look at feedback from your tutor, classmates, and yourself as a chance to grow in your online English learning. Don't avoid helpful criticism. Instead, use it to improve your skills.
Keep a journal to watch your progress. Write down where you have improved and where you need to focus more. Review your work often and ask your tutor for help with challenges. This cycle of asking, thinking, and improving is key to getting better.
When you include feedback in your learning, you turn each lesson and meeting into a step forward for your growth. This effort to keep improving leads to great benefits in your English skills.
Addressing Challenges in Online English Learning
Online English learning can work well, but it comes with some challenges. You might face technical issues, distractions, or problems staying motivated. To keep moving forward, it is important to tackle these issues head-on.
You can use simple strategies and keep good communication with your tutor. This way, you can deal with the problems easily and have a rewarding learning experience.
Overcoming Technological Barriers
While technology helps with online English learning, it can also cause problems. Make sure you have a strong internet connection. You will need a device that has a microphone and camera. It's important to know how to use the features of the tutoring platform.
You might face some technical issues, so get ready to fix minor problems. If you have ongoing tech issues, talk openly with your tutor. It’s smart to have a backup plan too, like making a phone call or changing the session time if needed.
Solving these tech challenges will help you learn without avoidable disruptions. This way, you can focus on what matters: improving your English skills.
Ensuring Consistent Motivation and Engagement
Maintaining motivation is very important when learning anything, including English online. The convenience of online learning can sometimes make people puts things off or feel less involved.
You can handle this by setting realistic goals. Break your learning into smaller steps and celebrate your wins along the way. Mix up your study materials. Use interactive tools, real English content, and chances to apply what you learn to keep lessons fresh and exciting.
Always remember that putting in consistent effort leads to the best results when learning a language. Keep in touch with your tutor and share any problems you have. Look at this learning journey as a way to grow in your career.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using online English tutors is a smart choice for your career growth. It helps you reach your language goals step by step. You can create personalized learning plans that fit your needs. You also have access to many tutors from all over the world. Learning online has many benefits because you can learn flexibly and conveniently. Real-life examples and getting feedback are important for improving your skills. Although there might be problems like tech issues and staying motivated, having regular check-ins can help you keep track of your progress. By choosing online English tutoring, you can boost your language skills and enhance your career. Begin your journey to learning today.
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michaelclementswindward · 2 years ago
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Michael Clements Windward - A Leader At Windward
Michael Clements graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology, where he graduated with his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
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inkskinned · 11 months ago
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you have to go to work so you can pay for your doctor, who is not taking your insurance right now, and if you say i can't afford the doctor's you are told - get a better job. it is very sad that you are unwell, yes, but maybe you should have thought about that before not having a better job.
(where is the better job? who is giving out these better jobs? you are sick, you are hurting - how the hell are you supposed to be well enough for this better job?)
but you go to the doctor because you had the nerve to be hurt or sick or whatever else. and they tell you that it is because you have anxiety. you try your best. you are a self-advocate. you've done the reading (which sometimes pisses them off worse, honestly). you say it is actually adding to my anxiety, it is effecting my quality of life. so they say that you are fat. they say that all young people have this happen to them, isn't it a medical marvel! they say that you should eat more vegetables. they say that you probably just need to lose a little more weight, and that you are faking it for attention.
(what attention could this doctor possibly give? what validation? that's their fucking job, isn't it?)
there is always a hypochondriac, right. someone always tells you about a hypochondriac. or someone who is unnecessarily aggressive during the worst days of their life. or someone looking "for a quick fix". or some idiot who wasn't educated about how to properly care for themselves who just abandons their treatment. and again, the hypochondriac, the overly-cautious hysteric. these people don't deserve to be treated like humans (right), and since you might be one of these people, you also don't get treated like a human. because those people can really fuck with the system, you now have to pay for it. and besides. you're actually probably faking it.
(more often than not, you find a 2:1 ratio of these stories. for every "hypochondriac", there are 2 people who knew something was wrong, and yet nobody could fucking find it. the story often ends with pointless suffering. the story often ends with and now it's too late, and it's going to kill me.)
you are actually just making excuses. someone else got that procedure or that diagnosis and he's fine, you should be fine too. someone else said they watched a documentary about other inspirational people with your exact same condition, maybe you should be inspirational, too. you're just too morbid. your pain and your experience is probably just not statistically concerning. it is all self-reported anyway, and you're just being a baby.
(once, while sitting down in the middle of making coffee, you had the sudden, horrible thought - i could kill myself to make the pain stop. you had to call your best friend after that. had to pet your dog. had to cry about it in the shower. you won't, but that moment - god, fuck. the pain just goes on and on.)
you know someone who went in for routine surgery and said i still feel everything. they told her to just relax. it took her kicking and screaming before they figured out she wasn't lying - the anesthetic drip hadn't been working. you know someone who went in for severe migraines who was told drink water and lose weight. you know someone who was actively bleeding out and throwing up in the ER and was told you're just having a bad period.
in the ER there are always these little posters saying things like "don't wait! get checked today!" and you think about how often you do wait. how often the days spool out. you once waited a full week before seeing the doctor for what you thought was a sprained wrist. it had actually been broken - they had to rebreak it to set it.
but you go into the doctor. the problem you're having is immediate. the person behind the counter frowns and says we're not taking your insurance. you will be paying for this out-of-pocket.
they send you home with tylenol and a little health packet about weight loss or anxiety or attention deficit. on the front it has your birthday and diagnosis. you think about crying, and the words swim. it might as well say go fuck yourself. it might as well say you're a fucking idiot. it might as well say light your money on fire and lie down in it. and the entire fucking time - the problem persists.
it's okay. it's okay, it's just another thing, you think. it's just another thing i have to learn to live with.
#spilled ink#warm up#can you tell what i'm mad about today specifically#i will say that there are a LOT of things that go into this. like a lot. this is ungendered and unspecific for a reason#it isn't just sexism. it's also racism. and ableism. and honestly classism.#and before a healthcare professional reads this as a personal attack: i understand ur burnt out#we are ALSO burnt out. your situation is also dire. this is not an attack on you.#this is a commentary on the incredible amounts of bigotry that lie at the heart of capitalism#where people have to pay money out of pocket to be told to fuck off.#your job is important. so is our humanity. and if you cannot accept that people are fucking mad as hell#at the industry - you are probably not listening .#anyway at some point im gonna write a piece about sexism specifically in medical shit#but i don't want terfs clowning in it bc they can't understand nuance#> it is true that ppl w/a uterus are more likely to experience medical malpractice & dismissal globally#> it is also true that trans people experience an equally fucked up and bad time in the medical field#> great news! the medical industrial complex is an equal opportunity life ruiner :)#(if you find it necessary to go into a debate about biology while discussing medical malpractice#i want to warn you that you're misunderstanding the issue. because guess what.#cis MEN might experience this. particularly black men. particularly disabled men.#so YES having a uterus can lead to more trouble for you. but this happens a LOT.#instead of fighting those ALSO experiencing your pain.... try working WITH them.#which btw. is like. actual feminism.)
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ladyofspoons · 1 month ago
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of course you have a blue kanohi and pronouns
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skippingthroughfields · 1 month ago
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one thing that's missing from these convos about amc not submitting assad zaman for a golden globes nom that makes it 10x more malicious on amc's part is that a nomination isn't just like oh... ~simple appreciation for an actor's performance. even if there's no win, it results in a profile boost for these actors & them being able to command a higher salary when it comes to future projects. it's something that gets notice on their CV. these studios and networks love being able to market their shit with things like "starring golden globe nominee john doe" or "emmy winner jane doe." the emmys are more prestigious than the golden globes which are more prestigious than the critics choice awards (the one they submitted him for with two other actors lol). actors get nominated and have the opportunity to get attention from social media posts, article mentions, attending the red carpet, having their name announced and a little clip of their acting shown. that's not nothing! attention from possible new fans, publications, execs, peers, producers, directors, fashion houses & other industries which could lead to $$$ and sponsorships. I won't make any presumptions about the cast's finances but I do know amc is probably not paying them their worth, least of all the bangladeshi muslim who barely had any major roles in tv/film prior to the show.
there are fees and costs associated with submitting for awards consideration and FYC ads. the network basically took a look at assad's brown skin and name and said they don't think he's worth the money over the white actor who had less screentime and narrative importance (to the season ig) which is absolutely crazy lmao. it shouldn't be controversial to say that and you can't not discuss this without bringing up sam's name. this has nothing to do with whether he "deserved" to be submitted (and even if I said he doesn't deserve it over assad who's gonna beat my ass?). this white man isn't being persecuted by conversations about blatant racism. but I'd expect nothing less from this fanbase x.
#assad zaman#i don't go here much bc this show's fandom sucks ass lmao#like yeah the show/actors probably aren't getting nominated but on the off chance they do??#amc count your days#them submitting assad for less-known-and-less-expensive-to-campaign-for CCA alongside two white actors means nothing#what it really boils down to is a global flareup of islamophobia like another reblog stated#the worst thing is watching this fandom woobify sam#& twist the words of anyone discussing it to act like shots are being taken at jacob/delainey by every single person#who says assad is experiencing a different kind of racism or any racism at all.#not to say those ppl don't exist and shouldn't be called out#but you can just tell these crusaders are painting everyone with a broad brush to stymie any criticism of amc & sam's submission.#assad experiences a different kind of racism bc he isn't black & doesn't experience the antiblack racism that jacob/delainey do#that's not an opinion or playing oppression olympics it's just a fact.#I have to read the most racist antiblack shit imaginable about jacob and delainey constantly as a bw#only for these people to throw their names around for cover & act like amc is the most moral anti-racist network for submitting them.#meanwhile a random person wouldn't even know how prominent the issue of race is within the show#with the way amc promotes it and actively prevents any discussion of race in interviews and panels.#every day fanart and posts of that decrepit white man plowing armand's delicate ass will do numbers#every day they'll bring up sam gifting assad some cheap suspenders#but crickets about any discussion of racism from those people.#can't even say shit about a white man not being deserving of something the network decided can only go to one person.#white ppl & their feelings have to be centered every fucking time even when unfair treatment is happening to their marginalized coworkers.#and now the prevailing narrative is ppl being mean to their poor meow meow sam :(#which ofc it is lmao
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pencilnewt · 3 months ago
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New Jersey Devils v Buffalo Sabres - NHL Global Series, 4 & 5 Oct 2024.
& so the regular season begins! or it did, two days ago
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corpsentry · 9 months ago
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breaking the law and outing myself on the internet because i'm showcasing my senior dance thesis on april 28 at 6:30 and 8:30 pm Eastern Standard Time and i want You to see it
we don't have a livestream link yet but we will. in the meantime look at these cool posters and this cool blurb. ok now save the date SEE YOU SOON
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thedisablednaturalist · 1 year ago
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Guys we need to fight climate change so more dogs get to have their first snow day
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probably-not-a-rutabaga · 7 months ago
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when i was a kid i used to have warriors cats naming ceremonies for me and my friends cats.
like i have a distinct memory of sitting alone in my room on facetime with my friend at 3 am and doing the whole speech and then giving our cats (who already had normal names) warriors names
idk why i just suddenly remembered that but i thought y’all should know
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hussyknee · 11 months ago
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Seeing characters in romance stories just jetting between countries at a moment's notice with no thought for visa; seeing airports as sites of triumphant climaxes and romantic denouements instead of places of fear and danger where a sword hangs above your head— it all breaks off little pieces of my heart. They're constant reminders that my people will never be human enough in the colonial world order to be allowed to move freely around it. No matter what your race, those non-refugees living in the Global North will never understand what it's like to be part of a global ghetto where your passport is nothing but a trembling supplication and humiliation.
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mist-the-wannabe-linguist · 15 days ago
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Girl help why is a fantasy setting using modern American gender terminology
They could've already bounced off of the existing term aqun-athlok and show the gender culture of the North largely adopting Qunari concepts as part of cultural exchange resulting from the literal hundreds of years of war with the Qun. The only openly transgender characters we know of are from Tevinter anyway! They already wanted to show the Qun in a more positive light in Veilguard, having Thedosian queer culture be primarily influenced by the Qun would be a great way to do exactly that
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saulwexler · 5 months ago
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every video I see from vienna has made me cry 🤧 my theorem that swiftism will destroy fascism gets more true every day
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alwaysbewoke · 8 months ago
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When I was in college, I let German tourists take pictures with me in my graduation gown. Even at the time I thought it was weird. But since my college years, I haven’t allowed strangers to take pics of me “just because” here or abroad. “Curiosity” means very little to me. People on the clock app were saying in China they actually have been known to post pics of Black people on WeChat to make fun of them. So, maybe not the best idea to let strangers take pics of/with you. Anyway, I wish you all safe, joyous, and comfortable travels. You deserve to see the world in peace just like anyone else.
x
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hauntingofhouses · 1 year ago
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Seeing fan discussions about Blue Eye Samurai and especially Mizu's identity is so annoying sometimes. So let me just talk about it real quick.
First off, I have to emphasise that different interpretations of the text are always important when discussing fiction. That's how the whole branch of literary studies came to be, and what literary criticism and analysis is all about: people would each have their own interpretation of what the text is saying, each person applying a different lens or theory through which to approach the text (ie. queer theory, feminist theory, reader response theory, postcolonial theory, etc) when analysing it. And while yes, you can just take everything the authors say as gospel, strictly doing so would leave little room for further analysis and subjective interpretation, and both of these are absolutely necessary when having any meaningful discussion about a piece of media.
With that being said, when discussing Blue Eye Samurai, and Mizu's character in particular, I always see people only ever interpret her through a queer lens. Because when discussing themes of identity, yes, a queer reading can definitely apply, and in Mizu's story, queer themes are definitely present. Mizu has to hide her body and do her best to pass in a cisheteronormative society; she presents as a man 99% of the time and is shown to be more comfortable in men's spaces (sword-fighting) than in female spaces (homemaking). Thus, there's nothing wrong with a queer reading at all. Hell, some queer theorists interpret Jo March from Little Women as transmasc and that's totally valid, because like all analyses, they are subjective and argumentative; you have the choice to agree with an interpretation or you can oppose it and form your own.
To that end, I know many are equally adamant that Mizu is strictly a woman, and that's also also a completely valid reading of the text, and aligns with the canon "Word of God", as the creators' intention was to make her a woman. And certainly, feminist themes in the show are undeniably present and greatly colour the narrative, and Episode 4 & 5 are the clearest demonstrations of this: Mizu's protectiveness of Madame Kaji and her girls, Mizu's trauma after killing Kinuyo, her line to Akemi about how little options women have in life, and the way her husband had scorned her for being more capable than him in battle.
I myself personally fall into the camp of Mizu leaning towards womanhood, so i tend to prefer to use she/her pronouns for her, though I don't think she's strictly a cis woman, so I do still interpret her under the non-binary umbrella. But that's besides my point.
My gripe here, and the thing that spurred me to write this post, is that rarely does this fandom even touch upon the more predominant themes of colonialism and postcolonial identities within the story. So it definitely irks me when people say that the show presenting Mizu being cishet is "boring." While it's completely fine to have your opinion and to want queer rep, a statement like that just feels dismissive of the rest of the representation that the show has to offer. And it's frustrating because I know why this is a prevalent sentiment; because fandom culture is usually very white, so of course a majority of the fandom places greater value on a queer narrative (that aligns only with Western ideas of queerness) over a postcolonial, non-Western narrative.
And that relates to how, I feel, people tend to forget, or perhaps just downplay, that the crux of Mizu's internal conflict and her struggle to survive is due to her being mixed-race.
Because while she can blend in rather seamlessly into male society by binding and dressing in men's clothing and lowering her voice and being the best goddamn swordsman there is, she cannot hide her blue eyes. Even with her glasses, you can still see the colour of her eyes from her side profile, and her glasses are constantly thrown off her face in battle. Her blue eyes are the central point to her marginalisation and Otherness within a hegemonic society. It's why everyone calls her ugly or a monster or a demon or deformed; just because she looks different. She is both white and Japanese but accepted in neither societies. Her deepest hatred of herself stems primarily from this hybridised and alienated identity. It's the whole reason why she's so intent on revenge and started learning the way of the sword in the first place; not to fit in better as a man, but to kill the white men who made her this way. These things are intrinsic to her character and to her arc.
Thus, to refuse to engage with these themes and dismiss the importance of how the representation of her racial Otherness speaks to themes of colonialism and racial oppression just feels tone-deaf to the show's message. Because even if Mizu is a cishet woman in canon, that doesn't make her story any less important, because while you as a white queer person living in the West may feel unrepresented, it is still giving a voice to the stories of people of colour, mixed-race folks, and the myriad of marginalised racial/ethnic/cultural groups in non-Western societies.
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akuma-tenshi · 6 months ago
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i made this last night but my computer was having issues so bad that i had to turn it off immediately after or risk permanently damaging it. so here it is after i wake up instead. i sadly wasn't here for this event since i was taking a break from the game during it, and i'm kinda sad about that because it honestly seems really interesting. it probably has one of my favourite aesthetics of any anniv event tbh
song is freaks of nature by stardustlegend and arcarine w/ lucy
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