#great energy from her but it's not my type of program

[figureskatingpenguin]

Lara Naki Gutmann (ITA): Squid Game | 2024 Finlandia Trophy, SP

ft. mugunghwa kkochi pieot seumnida (club remix)

[cleolinda]

Weekend links, April 7, 2024

My posts

This week feels like it has been a hundred years long (not in a bad way). 

Somehow we joined together to balance the seesaw just right so Ava Gardner and Jean Seberg could both go through in the Hot Vintage Lady polls (percentages rounded). Like, I’m wearing the Ava jersey and even I encouraged people to vote Jean when necessary. Honestly, I just wanted to see if it could be done. And it COULD. 

Round three has begun. It is already horrific. This is the first round that’s really going to hurt because we spent the last one really getting down in the dirt and championing our ladies, or learning about actresses we’d never heard of before and getting attached to them. And now? We are reminded: memento mori. Everyone loses but one. 

(I personally pitched in for Sara Montiel. “BUT JUST LOOK AT--” Yeah, I did, thanks.)

Reblogs of interest

April Fool’s Day: You were here for the Boopening, yes? The whole thing was that you only got badges for giving boops, not receiving them, which is a great way to not reward popularity contests, but also means that every last one of us was out here trying to figure out who to bap with a cat’s paw 1000 times. I said, listen, my notifications are already trash garbage today. I’ll take the bullet. Boop at will.

The Activity graph isn’t too clear on this point, but it looks like I had something like 65,000--hits? engagements? boops?--that day. Listen, I got the black paw badge too. We all did what we had to do in the Boopening. 

A Shakespearean boop of goodly length: “And, Meowntague, come you this afternoon, to know our further pleasure in this case, to old Food-bowl, our common judgment-place.” 

I had to go lie down awhile after a pun like “The Purrge.”

--

I had just gotten up from that pun and then I had to go lie down again.

Account security gothic

The Canada griffin

Dinotopia nostalgia

Two pairs of spectacles, one made from slices of emerald, and the other from slices of diamond

An old favorite: Cerberus as a puppy, guarding the gates to heck

I feel like these two posts have the same energy: Time cops will not let you travel back to the Titanic and bloodthirsty gazebos are currently in a dormancy period.

The birds are still troubled

PSA: The best sunscreens for your face

Video

A collection of various American Indian/indigenous American languages, including Navajo, Tlingit, Lakota, Colville Okanagan Salish, Cherokee, Yucatec Maya, Greenlandic, Mohawk, Yup'ik, and Mi'kmawi'simk. 

A trans health-and-wellness fundraiser (Mercury Stardust, Point of Pride, and friends) kept getting banned off Tiktok due to assholes. Here’s how to donate; I saw a few “here’s how they helped me” notes, so it seems like these programs are both legit and effective. 

You think you’re going to sit staring at this video because Chocolate Guy is weaving chocolate. Then you get into it, and it just keeps going.

“Too Sweet” is doing hilariously well on the charts for a song that didn’t even make the album proper. Hozier’s bees would like to thank you for your support.

I know I said that Stevie Nicks would make you sing backup on your own haunting, but late in this 1997 live performance of “Silver Springs,” she makes Lindsey Buckingham, the man she wrote this song about, look her in the eye while she belts it at him. This specific performance was released as a single (I was there, Gandalf) and nominated for a Grammy. Watch the video and you will see why.

The Women Those ‘Evolution Of Beauty’ Videos Leave Out

I don’t really know how to describe this rubberhose-style cartoon of Cab Calloway as a singing nightmare clown. Betty Boop is also there. “You just described it!” No, I really didn’t. 

How movable type worked 1000 years ago, from scratch.

Unrestrained seasonal yak fun

A snowy raven photoshoot

The sacred texts

I don’t know how to explain this double Sacred Text about ominous dreams that comes with its own comic, except to say that they’re so iconic that I first saw both posts in lo-res Pinterest screencaps.

April Fool’s: The ultimate sacred text.

Personal tag of the week

Wet beast Wednesday, which had both a headshake stickflip and bears on a swan boat.

[bluginkgo]

Quick announcement (before the diarrhea of information):

I'm gonna go on a semi-hiatus for a week or so. I'll still be around, just not posting any drawings. Need to replenish my energy and drawing reserves cause I'm dead >_<

Sleep behind scenes!

So... Ginkgo why the hell did this take you so long? Sorry, sorry 😅 Here's what happened. I got burned out after like 10 pages (specifically the manor backgrounds killed me, plus having the full gang in the story) and then got sick and was not feeling all that great. Working through the burn out, sick, AND college work on top was quite hard not gonna lie though, but I wanted to finish it ^^

Alright, now as for little unnecessary Easter eggs, I added as nods to the show and my other interests. ^_^

1. Undertale save point. Undertale had me sucked in for a good long while, and for some odd reason decided to re-emerge in a form of the star save. Made it purple for Uzi's effect over N. She made him more rebellious, so he started to question why is it his memories and dreams are strange/corrupted/missing instead of just going with the flow.

2. Ep3 nod. V and N have history, history that I wish we get to see. V was nicer, kinder, in my opinion, prior to the absolute solver going rampage. So it makes sense for them to have some sort of friendship at the VERY least. So I decides to give it a small spin to it too. A direct quote from ep3 ^_^

3. Ep 2 + 5 nod. I kinda pulled the moment when James dismissed N from ep2 together with events that follow after N leaves library in ep5. Chronologically, these events don't fit together, seeing as ep2 is when N first meets Cyn and ep5 is when she's already set up the massacre. But this is exactly what I was going for. N's memories are jumbled at best, so I took liberty in mixing, matching, and editing his memories just as the admin program would probably.

4. Absolute Solver symbols nod. My chats with @absolute-solver (sorry for annoying you with tag 😅) made me realize that the absolute solver ought to have more presence now. It's activated and running systems in the background for Uzi. Whiiiiich means that drawing absolute solver should start now. BUT, it's rudimentary at best. Symbols don't really make sense and are not completed for most of the time. Not until Uzi at least sees the error message in ep2, when she truly starts questioning what that weird symbol on her visor is. I headcanon that N does know or at least feel that the absolute solver symbol is familiar, hence the little comment.

5. Absolute Solver Nori. Why is there so many absolute solver Nori around? I'm certain she went back to normal, just like in pictures Khan showed us in ep4 post core collapse. But I connected the solvers together here. Uzi's absolute solver string is up and running, and because the solver is a hivemind, it'd connect the memories and warp them a little. So that's why Uzi's doodle of her and Nori at the end (and during memory recall) was so full of absolute solver. It's slowly taking root, whether she wants it to or not.

Personal touches/added/cut ideas:

N's tail wrapping around Uzi like a hug. Originally, Uzi was supposed to look more nervous, but not for the reasons you might think. I cut the nervous look to a more upset look so it wouldn't be confused for fear. Uzi's never scared of N (yes, I don't count ep2 either, that was a lot of events at once and very little time to process them). The nervous look was more of a "Why are you butting in?" type, you know? Being a loner makes you cautious, so when N prods at feelings, I figured Uzi would be a bit defensive.

Cyn is fully rendered and yet I glitched her so much I felt bad. So here's full absolute solver Cyn eldrich monster thingy. ^_^

I pulled a Hazbin hotel moment. Did you see it? Abracadabra GONE! All the scraps from first couple pages with NUzi chatting POOFED out of the existence. Did I get lazy and tired? Yes, that was the tell tale sign of burn out, when I stopped keeping track of background details and just kept the pod.

These progress shots show pretty well how the story boarding goes and how I change my mind too easily. 😅 storyboard is still as much of a mess as ever, sketch shows you I was gonna keep Uzi's hat, but decided against it in final product. I figured this. Nori gave Uzi the jacket whenever Uzi got a bigger body + hair. These are the same jacket and hair Uzi has in canon. Uzi's body is just upgraded again and her hair gets shorter in that regard. The jacket would be big on her, and cover her hands, but what's up with the fluff if I draw canon jacket more spiky? And where's the death battery drawing? I headcanon Uzi drew those on once she got into the angsty teenager stage. The jacket is more spiky from wear and tear.

Fun fact! You can sorta tell who's gonna show up in the comic by what memes I post prior. Here's some examples ^_^ Cyn showed up, and that was first practice with maid outfits and Cyn's eldrich form. Closely followed by manor gang, the second/final form of maid and butler outfits and prime practice for those scenes. This example is a bit spoiler for a meme I'm working on right now! I've never drawn Nori before, so I quickly sketched out the idea and continued on with the comic (otherwise, I'd lose my steam and procrastinate on it again). Memes are filler for you guys while I work on the actual projects (comics), and along the way, they give me practice and change in drawing style ^_^

Is it a coincidence that this comic is called Sleep with the release of a certain horror game? Actually, yeah pure coincidence 😅 I had this drafted allll the way back in November, and didn't take particular interest in poppy playtime until I saw lanky boi, which was actually during a stream I watched on release day of the chapter.

(I didn't know tumblr, or at least the phone app, had a tag limit of 30, BOY was I surprised @brookiedaaroacecookie that must have been THE tag city, sorry 😅)

Next comic is Loneliness 1 and 2

This one is split into 2 POVs from both Uzi and N side, thus its 2 separate comics. That one will be more NUzi centered, too, a slight angst and comfort spin to it. That will come... sometime. I have a few more projects I wanna finish up with prior to starting on these guys ^_^

Why are you still reading this? Omg, have a cookie ���� you made it. Have a nice day now ^_^

[jerzwriter]

Thank you so much to @stars-are-within-me for sending this prompt from this list for Jessica and Casey. I'm sorry it took me a while, but it sounds like the timing may have been good for you. I hope you enjoy it. Sending big hugs. 🩷🩷🩷

Book: Open Heart (Pre-Series) Pairing: Casey MacTavish (F!MC) x Jessica Phillips (F!OC) Words: 934 Rating: Teen Summary: When the couple step out to celebrate Jessica's achievement, Casey gives her a gift that money could never buy. A/N: @choicesfebruary2024 Eros/Philia

My Masterlist | Casey & Jess Masterlist | Open Heart Masterlist

The second floor laboratory of the Johson Pavillion rarely saw this type of energy. Sure, med school students were enthusiastic, but their energy could never rival that of the second graders in Jessica’s after-school program. The enrichment program began three months before; she built it from the ground up despite the naysayers who swore she never make it work. Now, not only was it working, but Thursday had become her favorite day of the week; more importantly, it was her student’s favorite day, too.

The very students who were currently creating utter chaos as they wrapped up their projects and gathered their belongings for dismissal. But Jess had it under control, standing in the center of it all with a goofy grin she couldn’t hide if she tried. She wasn’t sure if the lingering scent of chemicals, the buzz of the fluorescent lighting, or the excited chatter providing this natural high, but it felt too good to question. Perhaps this is what fulfillment felt like.

Across the room, Casey beamed with pride as she put away the last microscope, offering a little wink when she caught her girlfriend’s eye. With the last of the students headed out the door, she thought they’d finally get a moment alone when a tsunami of curls bedazzled with colorful barrettes bounced past her, and two arms wrapped her arms around Jessica’s waist in a tight embrace.

“Goodbye, Ms. Phillips!” the young girl grinned as her mother shuffled back into the lab, quickly taking her daughter by the hand.

“Now, Cassandra! You already said goodbye to Ms. Phillips! Don’t you think she might want to go home now?”  

“It’s fine,” Jess grinned. “She did a great job today. I think you may have a future doctor here!”

“I’ve never seen her this excited about science,” the mom nodded. “Cassondra says the way you teach makes it fun.”

“It is,” Casey agreed. “I sure wish I had a teacher like Ms. Phillips when I was in school.”

“Well, your enthusiasm makes it easy.” After giving Cassandra a side hug and a high five, Jess returned to mindlessly wiping the tables, utterly oblivious to Casey’s adoring stare. Her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink when their eyes finally met.

“What are you smiling at,” Jess blushed.

“Oh, that’s easy...” Casey said, crossing the room. “I’m smiling at you. Because I’m so proud of you!”

“Oh, stop,” Jess dismissed, but Casey wasn’t having it.

“I most certainly will not! This whole program was your idea; I know how hard you fought to see it through. Now, look at those kids! They look forward to coming here to learn more after a full day in school. Look, I was a nerd, but I’m not sure I would have even signed on for that... but you have them loving it and running back in to hug you before they leave.” She brushed a loose tendril away from Jess’s face, her eyes filled with adoration. “You are perfect.”

If Jess’s cheeks had turned pink before, they were nothing short of crimson now.

“Stop it,” she sputtered. “It’s... it’s nothing.”

With a scolding expression, Casey pulled her close. “I most certainly will not stop! You deserve all the accolades for pulling this off. Seriously, Jess...you earned this! Just pretend you have a penis for a moment.”

“Wait...What?” Jess laughed.

“I mean it... can you just imagine if you were one of the guys. Imagine Manny or Josh, or... god forbid Dirk... if any of them were in your shoes, they’d be running to the Dean’s to tell them how magnificent they are... how lucky the program is to have them... you need to start doing that. You have every right to be proud of your achievements. Don’t ever diminish them.”

Jess looked down between them, slowly raising her eyes to Casey’s again. “I... I think you’re right.”

“I know I’m right. Now, let me treat you to dinner to celebrate.”  

“Casey... you don’t have to...”

“Uh-uh-uh.... PENIS! Pretend you have a penis!”

“All right,” Jess laughed heartily. “All right, you can take me out to celebrate, hon. What did you have in mind?”

“If we’re celebrating you, it’s your pick.”

“All right...sushi? I’ve been dying to go to Hayashi.”

“Sushi?” Casey teased. “I offer you a free meal of your choice... and you want raw fish and seaweed?”

“It’s delicious, you heathen!” Jess insisted. She playfully pushed Casey away to retrieve their coats from the closet. “I’ll get you to like it yet.”

“No, you won’t.”

Jess helped Casey into her coat, spinning her around to place a peck on her lips when she was done. “Oh, yes. I will!”

“Fine! Sushi it is.”

“Yey,” Jessica clapped. “And by the time we go home, you’ll like it, too!”  

“I probably will,” Casey surrendered. “How do you always manage to persuade me with your charms?”

“I can’t tell you that!” Jess winked. “A girl’s gotta have some secrets. Besides, if I told you my secret was the scent of the lemon cleaning fluid and the buzz of the fluorescent lights getting you under my control, it wouldn’t sound terribly romantic, would it?”

Casey rolled her eyes with a grin. “No. And it doesn’t sound like that would work, either.”

She extended her hand, and their finger intertwined. They were about to step outside when Jess came to stop.  

“Case... thank you... I.. I am proud of myself, and it means a lot to me that you’re proud of me, too.”

“Jess, I was proud of you before this... but now? I think you’re a rock star.”

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[y2klostandfound]

Space Channel 5 Part 2 on Dorimaga Magazine Vol.1 (2002-01) (Video game Magazine) (11-25/01/2002)

Translation in English:

(Page 66)

Dorimaga Special Report - DC PS2:

Video Game Consoles : Dreamcast / Playstation 2

Scheduled to be released: February 14th

Completely: 100%

Price:

Dreamcast: 6,120 Yen Dreamcast(Special Edition Pack): 9,900 Yen Playstation 2: 6,800 Yen

Genre - ETC (Musical Action Adventure) Manufacturer:Sega/United Game Artists Players: 1-2 Number of discs: 1 URL: http://www.u-ga.com/ Controllers/Memory Cards PS2: DualShock 2, trance vibrator compatible, memory card 161KB. DC: 5 blocks of memory used (VMU), Purupuru pack support

Online Shop:The DC version is exclusive to D-DIRECT.

Is there something wrong in the galactic universe!?

After seeing this screen, "Mexican Flyer" came to my head! Are you ready to dance? "Space Channel 5 Part 2" scheduled to air on two platforms has finally started! Let's all enjoy the full polygon SHOW together!

Greetings to the 30 million "Channel 5" viewers nationwide, it's finally here! "Space Channel 5 Part 2" from UGA, which has been silent since the Tokyo Game Show in autumn, is finally on air!The memorable day is February 14, 2002, Valentine's Day.and it will be broadcast simultaneously on DC and PS2 as planned! I can't wait to see how Ulala, who has crossed the century, will come back!

Popular characters from the previous show, as well as new characters, will appear one after another! They will make the program even more exciting!

The basic rules seem to be the same, but new elements have been added, such as singing and playing! I have a hunch that it will be fun!

The next enemy is the "Dancing Troupe(Rhythm Rouges)"! ?

The next enemy is the "Dancing Troupe(Rhythm Rouges)" who appeared out of nowhere. Innocent people are made to dance one after another, just like the Morolians last time! Their purpose is completely unknown. Ulala will report on their true identity!

The mysterious dance group "Dancing Troupe (Rhythm Rouges)" has arrived! A person who looks like a captain and robots attack people one after another!

(Page 67)

What happened to the Jaguar! ?

An evil hand approaches Jaguar who has discovered something somewhere in the universe...! ! Meanwhile, the "Space Symphony," a ship cruising around Neo-Pluto, is attacked by a mysterious group! "Space Channel 5" quickly caught the information and sent Ulala to the scene to report the incident. The spirit of Director Fuse enters. "Come on, let's start!!"

I'll charm you, Ulala Seven Changes

This time Ulala will be reporting in even cuter and cooler outfit! There will be a "Ulala's Costume Room," so stay tuned!

ULALA

A reporter for Space Channel 5, she was born on May 30 and her blood type is B. The other day, she tried to save the galaxy  with great energy, but she's still a newcomer and spends her days being yelled at by her boss Fuse. Her goal is to become a galactic reporter.She is the only person who can fight back against the "mysterious dancing group" that has appeared.

Prologue

The time is the 25th century.

The "Morolian" suddenly invaded, causing people to dance one after another with their "Dancing Beam"! The space broadcasting station "Space Channel 5", which caught this catastrophe, dispatched a new reporter "Ulala" who is good at dancing, selected by the director "Fuse", and report the incident. She fully opens her mysterious dancing puff, sometimes fights and cooperates with Channel 42's "Pudding" and the Space Pirate Broadcasting Station's "Jaguar" to uncover the true nature of the evil that hides behind the Morolians' intentions. Thus, this ascension case was resolved.........

In this galaxy where the memory is fresh in our minds, a new evil is rising.......

Although "Ulala" had solved the "Morolians Attack Case" by dancing with her miraculous performance, there was no change in her role as a reporter, and she is cheered on by a director "Fuse" every day.

Such a daily life suddenly changes with a report from "Chief Space Michael ". A "mysterious dancing group" has appeared, making people dance and taking them away one after another!

Now, Ulala's dancing report begins again.

Come on, Let's start!

SPACE CHANNEL 5 Part 2 - First Implession!

A little impression of the sample unveiled at the recent PS Party! The game is very busy with more things to do such as singing and playing, not to mention the increased power of the graphics and presentation. Compared to the previous game, which was a bit monotonous, this one is even more fun. The storyline is also very exciting!

[dailydemonspotlight]

Barong - Day 25

Race: Avatar

Alignment: Light-Neutral

April 24th, 2024

I'd like to start this daily demon spotlight with an admittance of bias. Barong is my favorite demon in the series, bar none. In celebration of making it to 25 (!!) days of this series, I've decided to let the holy cat out of the bag. Barong is the demon that introduced me to Balinese mythology, has saved my hide several times throughout the series, and has an adorable and unique design to boot. He stands right next to, if not above Black Frost and Chernobog in my book. Past that, though, I would also like to say- thank you all for sticking with me for 25 days! It's been so damn fun, and I plan on continuing this series for months, if not years to come. I know it's a little early for the ivories, but the small community that has been built up over time has given me so much life and energy!

With that sappy stuff out of the way...

Today's demon of the day lies in the form of the great panther, protector of mankind, and host of all things good, Barong. Bali mythology is surprisingly easy to look through, having solid roots and foundations, as well as its origin being in a somewhat small subset of Indonesia, though this isn't to say it's not complex. Balinese mythology takes a unique form, one similar to the worship of Ame-no-Uzume, wherein several of its stories aren't plays nor grand tales, but rather, fascinatingly hypnotic dances. Barong's appearance in these dances is that of a glamorously decorated (and very ambiguous) animal that I would personally say looks somewhat, vaguely similar to a lion?

However, the type of animal it is isn't that important, and admittedly just makes me confused. What is important is Barong's role in Balinese mythology, that being of a protector of humanity itself- in the mythos surrounding Barong and its eternal rival Rangda, Barong represents good health, good fortune, and has reign over all the spirits that inhabit the small province. The most prominent myth featuring the great avatar is recanted in the famous Kris dance, a dance representing Barong battling with Rangda. During the hypnotic trawl, dancers bring swords dangerously close to hurting themselves, though they emerge unscathed, watched over by two dancers in an ornate harness holding up the avatar of Barong who dances furiously behind them.

The dance begins with two monkeys and Barong engaging in dance, though quickly escalates as witches sent by Rangda attack the frolicking group. The dance-drama escalates from there as Barong tries to reign back control over the kingdom, which had found itself under siege by Rangda, eventually leading to the most iconic scene of the play, wherein two palace guards stab themselves with kali daggers in a desperate trance under Rangda's control- though they emerge unscathed as Barong comes to the rescue and engages in battle with the witch, protecting the guards with his holy magic. After a long and fraught dance between Barong and its rival, eventually, the holy avatar emerges victorious, and the kingdom is returned to peace and prosperity.

Barong is not just an artefact of the dance, though- he's an important figure in Balinese tradition, one held in reverence and good spirits, and the dance is simply held to represent the eternal struggle between good and evil, as well as celebrate the triumph of the love and goodness that Barong represents. People equipped in Barong costumes even, on occasion, parade around Balinese towns in order to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. Barong is locked in a never-ending battle against Rangda and the forces of darkness, yet never gives up hope; As a Bali volunteer in the Bali Volunteer Program puts it, "Once the trance is over, Barong and his supporters finally overthrow Rangda. But she does not die. Instead, she reincarnates and Barong must defeat her again. The fight never stops. It is symbolic of light’s eternal strife against darkness."

In the SMT series, Barong is depicted faithfully, though far more blue than red. Decorated in jewels and studded in silver, the Balinese lion dances in combat, easily connecting to the dance-dramas the beast is so frequently depicted in. Interestingly, a common series staple is that of Rangda and Barong's fusion leading to Shiva, and while unconfirmed, I have an idea as to why this may be the case. While Barong and Rangda are from completely different mythologies, they both represent opposing forces of light and dark, something that Shiva, a god of destruction who is not evil, is an inherent blend of- Shiva is both light and dark, good and evil, while Barong is good, light, and Rangda is evil, dark.

All in all, Balinese myth's hypnotic dances and beautiful performances lend to an amazingly designed demon that truly fulfills all it sets out to do, represents an underrepresented mythology, and stands out as my personal favorite demon in the series. Next to Chernobog and Black Frost, of course. And also Parvati. And Mother Harlot. Am I just edgy?

[theautisticdoctor]

Entry #016

Autism Service Dog Journey – Week 1

This burnout hit me hard, like smacked me right in the face and stomach and I feel like recovering is going so slow, too slow. I have been trying to get my energy and confidence back to where it was, but it’s just not happening. I have been researching ways to get myself back on my feet and one of the things I came across was the Autism Service Dog. In my country there’s a huge waiting list for these type of dogs, it’s not covered by health insurance yet and it costs about €25K to train one (and a €400 extra every two years to renew the license). There are other ways to get funding but there are massive waiting list, I’m not applicable due to age, or so much paperwork, so I would’ve had to rely on crowdfunding. Which sucks because I don’t like being in the spotlight unanonymously. Also getting a dog through one of those organisations will mean that I would lend a dog, but I also suffer massively from fear of abandonment. Like my cat is three years old, but thinking about the day she’ll be gone gives me already massive anxiety although I know it won’t happen for another 17 years – and nobody dare tell me otherwise because she’s going to be at least 20 years old. I talked to some friends of mine who have a lot of experience with training dogs, and I made the decision to train an autism service dog for myself. To help me manage the challenges I face daily, because I know a (service) dog could make a significant difference in my life. She will offer me support that I wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere. I will deal with how to get the appropriate official certifications later.

So after months, if not years of extensive research (thank you recurrent hyperfixation) I decided to finally give it a go and I bought a puppy last week. I created a more than extensive training plan / program for us and talked a lot with the breeder about the health and characteristics of her parents. I’m not sure how I am going to combine it with my work yet, but up until now they are very supportive.

Breed

Generally I found that the best breeds are the Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Border Collies, German Shepherds, Belgian Shepherds, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Great Danes, and the Australian Shepherds. But most importantly, when selecting a breed you should consider the temperament and trainability. If you are suffering from dog allergies I’d suggest to go with a hypoallergenic breed, although it is not a certainty you won’t have a reaction. The temperament should be calm and stable and the dog should be responsive to training, intelligent, and eager to learn and work. Also you should be able to match the energy level of the dog, for example the working dogs, like shepherds require a lot of activity throughout the day. Furthermore, depending on the tasks or goals you have for your service dog the size of the dog might be an important factor. For example, I really want my service dog to be able to apply deep pressure, so I need a larger breed in order to achieve this goal. However, while breed traits are important and overall true and applicable, each dog is an individual. You should assess the temperament and compatibility of each specific dog with your goals and needs. Talk to the breeder, ask them how their parents are like, how previous nests grew up to be, observe the puppies or dog and talk to professional trainers. Also nurture and therefore training is a big complement part to nature. After a ton of research, talking to breeders, talking to a befriended trainer and the making of a dozen pros-cons lists, I finally decided that the Belgian Shepherd was the perfect fit for me. So, I am now a proud owner of a Belgian Malinois Shepherd puppy, named Pallas.

Belgian Malinois Shepherds are known for their intelligence, trainability, and loyalty. While they are often seen in roles like police or military work, they can also make exceptional service dogs with the right training. Their high energy and strong work ethic make them well-suited for tasks that require a lot of focus and precision. They are very sensitive and reactive which makes them a good fit with me, because I need her to sense my emotions, my hunger and thirst, but also my flashbacks. They are very big so she will be able to give me deep pressure but also needs a lot of leadership, which is a quality I want to train and develop. I spent quite some time observing her parents, who are for malinois very gentle, calm and soft. So I expect to see those qualities back in her, and I already do. Although she is a puppy she is not hyperactive, listens very well, behaves very well and is already really socialised to people, other animals small and big, and just the outdoor buzzing life.

Goals

My goals for a service dog are to provide deep pressure therapy in certain situations, to assist me with sensory overload, to notice and notify me of certain emotions, bodily feelings, negative / distressing stimming and flashbacks, and to help me in social interactions. She’s not really there to give me practical support or assistance, but rather to give me emotional support and to be a trusted companionship.

Training

Training a service dog is no piece of cake. It requires patience, consistency, and a deep understanding of both the dog's needs and my specific needs. Together with a dog trainer I created a training program that fits my needs and also covers the challenges of training a puppy into a service dog. The first phase I called the “Puppy Preschool Program”, which covers building a strong relationship with my dog, socialisation and basic obedience. Since she’s really just a baby, it’s about learning to trust me and follow my commands. She’ll learn how a clicker works and how she is eligible for treats. She’s going to learn commands like sit, follow, stay, lay down and leave. She also needs to be socialised, that means plenty of exposure to other dogs, cats, livestock, people and motorised vehicles. When she’s graduated from this she’ll enrol into “Puppy High School”, which covers advanced obedience and public access training. Exposing her to different environments will help build her confidence and adaptability. Because, I need her to stay calm in public access places and I need her to behave and listen to me. This means no barking, no tugging, no begging, and not reacting to distractions. She’ll also learn more commands, like fetch, apport, catch, hug, kiss, nudge, guide and paw. It’s going to lay down the foundation for the third phase where she’ll have to do tasks without any commands but by her own notice of signs and signals. Because, after this she’ll do “Puppy College” which are the advanced specific tasks like notifying me of emotions, negative / distressing stimming, flashbacks and bodily feelings, providing assistance with sensory overload and during social interactions and applying deep pressure. After this I am able to call her my autism service dog. Although even after this initial training is complete, it is important to keep continuity in reinforcing commands and keep adapting her to any new needs that arise.

Progress

I have my pup of 10 weeks for a small week now and the transformation I’ve already witnessed is nothing short of miraculous. She’s already such a source of emotional support, for example I fell down in the dark after 4 days because I tripped over something and she came running towards me and started licking my dislocated wrist and hugging me. In the first days she did a lot of puppy nipping, but I managed to get her to almost completely stop doing that in just a week. She walks with me on a leash without tugging and she already listens to the commands sit and follow. She is very gentle in meeting other people, other dogs and she is so amazingly sweet with my cat, it’s like I’m living a dream. Our bond is really building strong and it’s amazing to see the progress in such a short time already. It’s also amazing to see the effect on me, I have been outside walking, I’ve been talking to people on the street and if I don’t want to talk I simply tell her “no, you’re not getting cuddles from this person” loud enough for the others to hear so they don’t interact with us.

If you're considering training an autism service dog for yourself, I think patience is essential because training takes time and each dog learns at their own pace. Also, consistency matters with all animals and dogs in particular. They need consequent, regular, consistent training sessions to have success in progressing. I can definitely recommend working with (experienced) trainers who can provide valuable insights and support, although I am aware that they are very pricey. But most and foremost building a strong, trusting relationship with your dog is essential and could already benefit you in your symptoms.

If you have the ability to get an autism service dog through an organisation I think you will save yourself a lot of time and have more reassurance the process will work out okay, which I can therefore definitely recommend. But maybe we should advocate as a community to make the autism service dogs more accessible for everyone with a diagnosis. Instead of making them only available to people who have the means to get their dogs training for such ridiculous prices. Because according to the Assistance Dogs International all programs must be nonprofit, but then also, how can they ask for €260 per 45 minutes of training excluding driving reimbursement and if you write or app the trainer it will cost another €100. I really fail to see how that is a nonprofit organisation and not just a lucrative business model. It is something that should be able to be done for way cheaper.

Feel free to reach out if you have any tips, thoughts, suggestions, or advice for me, I’d really appreciate them all. I’d absolutely love to hear your stories. And if you have any questions or need advice on training your own autism service dog from me just ask, nevertheless I will definitely share more of my journey with Pallas in the near future.

[copperphysics106]

Which hunter do u think is the best choice to be the dad that stepped up for jack

Omg I'm so sorry it's been a few days I didn't check my inbox-- however I HAVE ANSWERS. So sorry, I wasn't ignoring this, just haven't had much time to respond.

I have a few selections that make sense (erm to me anyway):

Cabot: I think in a scenario where the hunters survive, or at least some do, Cabot would have taken Jack under his wing! He's already got Dad-energy, although Jack is..... very disrespectful regarding his daughter. in that one convo at least. I think that during hunts Cabot would be very hands off regarding Jack, he knows he can handle himself, BUT if things go to shit and he gets hurt he would be going Full Dad Mode. This is probably the better choices for the dad that stepped up . Plus Bucket can be an annoyed mother, serving Jack terrible food that he hates, creating a wonderful and diverse environment in which Bucket threatens to poison his food and Jack tells him he's going to, idk, do something insane, like rip out his rank rajat core and put it in an actual bucket every morning at breakfast! 😁

Slim: Dad that stepped up? MORE LIKE DADS THAT STEPPED UP! Slim and Crow taking Jack and Emet under their wing is like one of my biggest, most thought about headcanons! So Slim is a lot like a brother to Jack, BUT I feel like there's some Dad energy too? Like his dragonfly joke is great but also so dad-jokey. I actually have an AU-half canon type fic that has been sitting in my drafts for like. Two years. Never finished it but I've thought about these Four A Lot. I think Crow and Slim would only begrudgingly look after Jack at first, but once things on Shear go to shit and everyone is dying, I think they'd pull out of there and bring Jack with them, or maybe it can happen at the end if they all happen to survive, they'll live on Shear and slowly recover from the shared trauma together. Yay! I feel like Slim would've felt a lot for Jack once Ida died, like... he'd probably feel responsible too bc he wasn't on the planet while it happened and is also already kind of looking after Jack and has listened to Jack vent/joke about how absent Ida has been from his life,and when Ida dies, Jack is still devastated, I mean she is still his mother and his feelings about her are complicated*. Anyway, that's that one.

Emet: So this one is a bit more situational and AU-ey. I have a AU where, it's still set on Shear, Jack is abandoned as a baby/young kid, Emet breaks out of his programming somewhat while on a rescue mission a-la Wall-E style and stumbles across him while he is trying to escape from being shut down. He adopts Jack, raises him best he can, when Jack is old enough he starts experimenting on Emet mostly for fun, Emet doesn't mind so much. In this AU a lot of the Hunters live on Shear (though, obviously, they're not Hunters) and Emet runs into Cabot and Bucket a lot, they dislike Emet looking after a child by himself. Emet avoids them a lot. Then, when the Monsters come to Shear, Jack starts equipping Emet with the same weapons and the DC (btw, DC hates that RC is so Dadbot coded, but does actually care for Jack in his own way that is kinda weirdly sweet). Then the game happens as semi-normally as it does.

Sooo... best choice? I think the best choice is probably Cabot and Bucket, I feel like Cabot knows what he's doing x'D But my favourite is probably still Slim and Crow bc I think their brotherly dynamic with Jack and Emet is fun. One thing is for sure: Ida definitely isn't the Dad that stepped up, she isn't even the mum that stepped up. All of the choices I mentioned would do a better job than she did probably.

*Jack's feelings regarding Ida as a parent. Mathew Colville referenced this conversation from Indiana Jones concerning it:

Indiana Jones : It was just the two of us, Dad. That was a lonely way to grow up, lonely for both of us. I can remember the last time we had a drink together; I had a milkshake. But we didn't talk; we've never talked. If you'd been an average and regular father, like all of my friends' dads, you would've understood. Professor Henry Jones : I was a wonderful father. Indiana Jones : Yeah, how? Professor Henry Jones : Did I ever tell you to eat up, go to bed, wash your ears, or do your homework? No. I respected your privacy, and I taught you self-reliance. Indiana Jones : What you taught me is that I was less important to you than people who've been dead for 500 years in another country. And I learned it so well, that we've hardly spoken for 20 years. Professor Henry Jones : You left just as you were becoming interesting. [He closes his diary] Professor Henry Jones : Okay, I'm here now. So what do you want to talk about? [Indy finds himself at a loss for words] Indiana Jones : I… I can't think of… anything. [Henry looks baffled] Professor Henry Jones : Then what are you complaining about? We have work to do.

[themmeverse]

[redacted]

it's late for me rn so i am spitballing while high off incense and a tarot reading from a friend, but going through my followers list on here predictably imbued me with my trademark manic energy so fuck it.

i am in the middle of a big digital scrub / divest from social media hero's journey so idk if i really want to invest in tumblr to the point of it feeling like the digital journal/catchall it used to be for me back in the 2010s, but i also have this barely containable, compulsive urge to unload everything here that's happened since whatever year it was that i last posted.

for the sake of scratching the itch, and for the possibility of whomever theoretically still being invested: everything is very different and everything is also very the same. same job, but now i am a union rep & on a committee & also a program coordinator for a mentorship initiative we're starting this year for education support professionals. same gender, but now i am almost 4 (FOUR!!!) years on hrt. my libido is my ball and chain and every day i say yes dear and exact her desires upon my own flesh and blood in solitude because i am more or less disinterested in fucking around and finding out wrt relationships. i tried family therapy this year and it fucked sucked!! haha! upside is its strengthening effect on the insular family i've created for myself that contains me, my sister, and my BIL who are currently planning on building an ADU in the backyard of their cape cod home for me to live in. my best friend from high school wants me to move back north to become a drawing instructor for the elderly at the nonprofit she works for and i'm not not considering it. my 1 extant grandmother is dying from brain cancer that has branched into her CNS but i followed my gut and spent a week in MA visiting family so i could see her and timed it right before she starting refusing food and sleeping constantly while tethered to a morphine drip. my grandfather has dementia and thinks we still live in massachusetts and that my dad stops by his facility every day to say hello, and also that my father built the facility he currently resides in. this facility has a red cat named ginger whom i had the pleasure of meeting while i was up there, which was a great comfort after the fucking love of my life died (cat soulmate with whom i was very fortunate to spend 4 long, perfect years before he passed and gave me enough of an emotional impetus to experience full-body, inconsolable sobs for the first time in years; thanks testosterone).

i'm less than a hair's breadth away from deep-diving into a furry artist / trans/horror erotica author / DnD DM arc, meanwhile my aunt is telling me to write a collection of stories about my family after i spent 5 minutes revisiting an old memory of the Season of the Tarts, wherein my very autistic mother decided to enter the Pilsbury Bake-Off desserts contest and settled on tarts as her point of entry and every single week there was a tart with a unique but harmless amalgamation of flavors (strawberry chocolate chip) in the fridge for us to subsist off.

my car is cow-themed. i am still masking bc COVID never went away. celebrity worship is dead and every online personality is a disappointment i fear. the wheel turns and crushes new bodies underneath it every day. turns out mood stabilizers and a modest dose of antihistamines are right for me after all. i am sober and apparently also entirely allergic to the outside world according to my allergist (every type of grass in addition to birch and oak).

what's fucking new!!!

[melissamasakari]

Confessions you didn't notice

Chapter four. Personal fest.

I woke up from my own incomprehensible muttering (I really do hope that no great discoveries were made by those who could hear me). I somehow opened one eye and searched the space around me. Found a stuffed pig nearby. Sam, that's not funny! Wait, why is it so dark in here? How long did I actually sleep? There seemed to be no pillow when I fell asleep either. I’ve got a surge of energy and untangled myself from the blanket. I jerked up and sat up on the bed. Stop. Bed? Looking around the room, I finally realized where I was. This is HIS room. Captain's bedroom. There was a bookshelf overhead. On the left a figurine of an airplane on the closet could be sees. I wished I could take a closer look, but I couldn't reach there. Maybe I should ask him later? He seems always happy to show off such things. With these thoughts I buried myself into the pillows. Oh. It turns out that the captain prefers herbal soap. Not surprising – the floral smell seems way too strong so it will surely attract some kind of monster. Or girls... however, the herbal one worked just great for me – the scent was so good. Okay, lets stop lying around, otherwise I won’t be able to force myself to leave. I can't say it's my first time here, but for some reason it didn't feel right now. Just like snooping. Although, just to think about it, it's pretty cute. Looks like that they got together and went to sort things out. As they decided not to wake me up then the most obvious thing to do was to move me here, right? Just in case someone enters headquarters while they are gone. But now I should definitely get out, but it’s so cozy and calm here. I could just suffer from hits of embarrassment a little bit longer – but I decided to get up after all. I carefully made bed and, yawning, stretched towards the exit. On the dresser I found a group photo from Bright Sun Day. It's great, it was my first fest here, and of course my expression was quite terrible. An arm stretcher was casually thrown over the foot board of the bed. Look, my signature! Does he train even before bed? Arm stretcher was already completely worn out, while I’ve made it just recently. I'll have to get him a new one. Also I found a note on the desk: “Melissa, have fun for us at the festival. I'll contact you as soon as I can." Then it was written by the other hand: “Kid, your clothes are well dried and are lying on the sofa. I hid the shoes under the order board. The kitchen and shower are at your service.” A rather tattered T-shirt hung on the back of the chair. Pajamas maybe? I really wanted to bury my nose in it, but this is too much. Or maybe he won’t notice? STOP! I slapped my cheeks. Time to get to work, pull yourself together, Melissa! I went and washed, collected my things, and changed clothes.

“Ack, when did they left?”

“At dawn.”

“What kind of station was this anyway?”

“Secret information.”

“It's a pity. Can you tell me how dangerous is it in there?”

“Medium level biological hazard. No other data available. There were no security droids. Beam and disintegrating weapons, too.”

“Thank you. Do you want some milk?”

“If it is possible.”

“Do you know how to read data disks?”

“No, but I can use programs from silicon chips.”

“I’ll keep it in mind for the future. Here's your milk. See you.”

On my way home Sonya intercepted me. There wasn't much to do anyway, so I went with her to the event after I left my bag at home. Naturally, the curious waitress immediately bombarded me with questions.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you spend a lot of time with Arlo nowadays. Do you go out with him, or something, hm?”

“Yeah, we go out to do a whole bunch of assignments. And also we share a wonderful friendship that I value very much. Why are you asking?”

“Nothing special. But keep in mind that’s he's just very popular. A bunch of girls fell for him already. I would try to hook up with him myself, but he’s not my type at all.”

“What, they’re just running after him in flocks?”

“Not exactly, but not very far from the truth.”

“Noted. Now please explain me the rules for the event. Yesterday I was stuck in the Wasteland, and in my homeland there is no snow.”

It turned out that everything was quite simple. Opponents hide behind rocks, moving between shelters. Each has twenty snowballs. As soon as they are all used up, points are counted. Predictably, I didn’t take any prizes. But I got some good practice in knocking down other people’s hats. It seems that Nora has been looking at me unkindly all day. But it’s not my fault that she’s one of the easiest targets! Take that, you wimpy crybaby! Hands off MY redhead! What did he even see in you?

When it began to get dark the townspeople started to disperse. I returned home and checked my supplies of materials. Before it was too late, I went to the guild for an inspection. I just hope my guys are doing well. I went to bed early and tossed and turned anxiously for half the night until at last fell asleep in the morning.

On Sunday I checked my mail first thing in morning and visited the guild shortly after, but there was no news. I walked around the Central Plaza, and didn’t notice how my feet brought me to the headquarters. Well, since I was there, I should just came in if just to return Sam’s clothes that I have worn.

“Hey, is anyone there?”

“Ack.”

“Only you?”

“Arlo came by. He said that the guesses were confirmed. My teammates didn't survive. I was left completely alone.”

“My condolences.”

“He also said that since there were no remains, the city decided to erect a small memorial with the names of the victims at the old cemetery. The list from the flight recorder was restored.”

“When has Arlo left?”

“About an hour ago. Can you do something for me?”

“For example?”

“They won’t let me out of here. I would like to lay flowers at the memorial. Do this for me please.”

“No problem. I can even take a photo if you want.”

“I will be grateful.”

Some time later Ack's request was done. I met Petra, discussed the news and the prospect of communicating with real AI, and promised to bring her a pile of disks this week. I decided to go in again and tell the robot that his wish had been fulfilled.

“Thank you! Now they can rest in peace.”

“Can you convey a message when the guys are back?”

“Certainly. I’m recording.”

“Tell them that I’m worried and waiting for the news, at least for a note by mail that everything is fine if there isn’t much time.”

“Okay, Melissa. I recorded everything.”

“See you.”

Having nothing else to do, I decided to continue testing the training dummy. I beat it diligently for about a couple of hours, hoping to drive away my anxiety. It did not go well, but it was still better than hysteria. Closer to sunset (and it gets dark here early in winter) I heard a familiar voice from behind the fence.

“Actually, this is MY toy.” Arlo noted, leaning on my fence.

“You’re wrong. Since you didn’t fulfill the second condition I won’t give it to you. Now you have to wait a whole year to take another chance.”

“Here's another option. I'll order the same from Higgins.”

“He won’t be able to get the blueprint. Neither he nor any other workshop in the city.”

“Then I’ll steal it.”

“And there will be only one suspect, right? This will be a conflict of interests and a serious scandal. You'll lose your job.”

“So what should I do? Can you make another wish?” He asked with concern and climbed over the fence clearly not wanting to sidetrack to the gates.

And why do I want to demand a kiss so badly, huh? Although, why did I even think that he would do this? He doesn't notice me at all. He already has a “little sister” to date with. I'm a third wheel here, right?

“You know, I have an idea. Come with me?”He gracefully gave me his hand while I was chasing sad thoughts from my head.

“The holiday is already over.”

“Yes. But the decorations and shelters are still there. You. Me. A competition.”

“Persuaded. By general rules?” Holding hands, we cheerfully galloped onto the field, jumping over my fence along the way.

“Yeah.”

“Did you find anything valuable?”

“A bunch of disks, a flight recorder, a number of interesting spare parts and microcircuits. Tons of dust and meager remains of clothing. Then we had to organize a funeral. It's a pity we weren't allowed to release Ack during this time. Who needs this memorial if only he knew them personally and he was not able to attend?”

“It's okay. At his request I brought the flowers there. And I took a photo for him.”

“Well done! And thanks for your help.”

“You really shouldn't thank me. We are friends after all,” and perhaps it will remain so. Forever. Well, not the worst outcome. At least we can be together, and I will try to enjoy it as much as possible!

“Right. Well, are you ready?”

“Hide properly!”

For about an hour we rushed between shelters, effectively covering each other with crossfire. For the first time I heard Arlo laugh carefree, poking his head from here and there. A couple of times I was so enchanted by his smile that I missed the very sensitive snowball hits on the top of my head and shoulders. It seemed like something even flew up the collar. Taking careful aim, I launched the last snowball. Success!

“Hey, you knocked my cap off!” Climbing out and shaking himself off, he told indignantly.

“And my sweater is all wet now. Who won? I lost count.”

“Friendship!”

“Come on, you probably gave in again. And by the way, I hit all Hulu brothers yesterday! I didn’t expect such agility from them. That was the most difficult target.”

“Yep. Especially Liuwa. He is also incredibly cunning.”

We heard the clatter of hooves as Sam rode up to us. She dismounted and whispered something to Arlo. Have I heard something about...smashing? And, wait, was it just me, or did he blush? So handsome. It’s a pity that I can’t muster up the courage to tell him everything. Or maybe it's already too late. Well, okay, being friends with him is also cool. Even if now it seems that this is just not enough.

“Sam, come to us,” Arlo took a few steps back, rolled up a particularly dense snowball and threw it at her, almost without aiming. Easily dodging, Sam made such a brutal face that it was scary. And then, without thinking twice, she knocked the cap off the his red head with a snowball. I was not surprised. She and I have been gathering all the prizes in the shooting range for the umpteenth time.

Following that the three of us ran around a little, and it was a draw again.

After some time, Remington approached us. Noticing him, my tomboy friend launched a powerful projectile. Quite suddenly Remy knocked the snowball back at Sam with a well-aimed kick, without her even having time to do anything. She just spat and uttered some strange curses.

“This is all wonderful, but they are waiting for us at Peach Plaza. The fireside is about to begin.”

“Is the subject known?”

“They will announce what they have decided to do with the robot, as far as I know.”

“Then let's hurry.”

Absolutely all the adult residents of the city gathered in the square. Gale summarized the week and moved on to the most important things.

“As many of you already know, on Friday the space station Altair-01 landed in the Wasteland, the only surviving inhabitant of which turned out to be a living AI. After long discussions, we decided to give him Portian citizenship. The Civil Corps should keep an eye on him and help him integrate into our community in every possible way. That's all for today. Thanks for your attention.”

“We will do our best!” Arlo reported.

“That's good I guess? If they offend him, I will invite him to my place.”

“Yes, that’s the best outcome for everyone.”

“Sam, I promised you a dinner. Are you busy?”

“Oh, I could always make time for that.”

“Then take Teddy, you can place him at my stable for now. Guys, are you coming with us?”

“With pleasure.” Remy nodded and followed Sam.

“Are you kidding? Such offers cannot be refused! I have long wanted to check those rumors about the autumn competition.”

“That’s nice. Let's go. I just recently finished adding new chairs.”

Having made sure that the horse was feeling fine in my newly completed stable, the whole friendly company of ours entered my house.

“So, hang your things to dry – that way. Make yourself comfortable. Sam, show the guys the bathroom, if you please. I'll go and start cooking now.”

After some time, a red head appeared in the kitchen arch.

“Need any assistance? I could cut vegetables or something else.”

“Come in, why not?”

Wow, he handled it deftly – the work was in full swing.

“What are we cooking exactly? I don't know such a dish.”

“Carbonara. It's like pasta with meat sauce, only topped with cream and eggs. With bacon and smoked meat. Almost like cream noodles, but the texture is different.”

“Sounds delicious!”

“Also fried rice with shrimps and vegetables for Sam. And a hot pot for everyone.”

“And you thought of everything.”

“I have invited Sam on Tuesday for this weekend. Glad you and Remy were able to stop by too. Okay, that’s almost ready.”

We set the table and had a nice time. Time passed very quickly and it was soon very late.

“I’ll help you to do the dishes.”

“Seriously? Just like the man of my dreams! Helps in the kitchen, offering to do the dishes himself. What other hidden talents do you have?”

“I scare away hooligans. I protect the weak. I do good things with a heavy hand. I bulldoze goodness for usefulness!”

“Don’t over-praise him or he’ll inflate and burst!” Sam scoffed.

“Okay, guys. Thanks for dropping in. It was a pleasure! Oh, Arlo, before I forget: I'm waiting for transport for the training dummy tomorrow. It takes up too much space in my backyard. You take it.”

“Agreed. I'll drop by right after training.”

Everyone left. I sketched out a plan for the next week and went to bed feeling happy.

[restforthe-burdenedsoul]

Today sucked.

I am in training still with work and they do have a good training program it seems. My first two days on the job was virtual orientation, then 3 days just shadowing. Then I did 1 week of training (the system we document in and what our role is), and today was my first day training on the floor.

The first unit I shadowed the first week was great. The job itself is a bit overwhelming, but I felt very hopefully about learning it. The workers from the nurses down to the janitors were cheery, chatty, and helpful. My mom has always talked about her “hospital family” and it made me feel hopeful that I would at least like and build bonds with my coworkers.

Today was the polar opposite. I’m very sensitive to energies/vibes and my brain often associates them with different colors. If unit 1 was bright and yellow, todays unit was dark and grey. Zero color. Now, the units look the same, that’s just how my brain is explaining the difference.

From the very beginning of the day, the atmosphere/energy felt heavy. From the nurses station to my office. There’s a new worker there who’s been on the job maybe 2 months and she was pretty miserable. I asked “how are you feeling about the job so far?” She said “….it’s okay…” then my trainer came in and the lead shortly behind her and from the get go, negativity. Complaints about the size of the office, the way the manager ran the department, complaints about the patients etc. They also didn’t like how the new girl did things…but gave zero feedback to her. Just talked shit. And my thing is like…she’s new, she’s still learning, if she’s doing something wrong or inefficiently, TELL HER because you don’t know what you dont know!

I felt very afraid to make mistakes today and ask questions, tho I did both multiple times. I had a “laugh at myself” type of moment and I wish I had kept my mouth shut. I told her and the lead i was feeling nervous about doing an assessment on my own and that I was laughing at myself because my background is mental health social work with really difficult clients. It was met with neither support or laughter. Just rigidness and coldness.

The entire day was pretty much that. The trainer made zero effort to get to know me and she shut down my efforts to get to know her (asking how long she’s worked there, her background, her kids when she brought them up). Her vibe was a little different with the people she knew, but then they just essentially talked down about patients.

I’m in this unit for the next 6 weeks. I cried my entire hour and a half drive home and crying as I write this now.

The job is not the hardest job I’ve ever done (despite feeling like no one is acknowledging the last 10 years of experience I have working with populations people hate working with), but for already not being thrilled about the content, adding crappy coworkers on top of that for the next 6 weeks is making me dread tomorrow with every fiber of my being.

[xaviernottheprofessor]

Phone Call w/ Clayton Mitchell 3.12.2024

Xavier: [laughing as he continues typing. His phone is propped beside him so that Clayton can watch him] Those nieces of mine are going to be trouble! I'm telling you. Got it from you, mate.

Clayton: [snorts] Please. We all know they got your genes. Athena is about ready to quit and just homeschool them! [grins] Have twins they said, it'll be fun they said.

Xavier: [chuckles] oh come on, man. It's kinder. Wait until they become teenagers then you'll be crying on the phone. Tell Athena that the kids need the social interactions and they'll be fine. They're just happy lil ones.

Clayton: [smirks] you say that because they aren't yours. You can give them back at the end of the day. Which reminds me, they keep asking for you. When is uncle X coming back? He promised me a tea party, we miss Henry. Winter needs to come back to my tea party. Mate, how many tea parties did you lot promise?

Xavier: [laughs again and stops his writing momentarily to face the camera] Not quite sure. Possibly an unlimited amount. I'm thinking of doing another trip in the summer when the kids are out school but not in summer camp yet. They're dying to go back too and see the kids. They also miss Athena. You too, I guess.

Clayton: [smiles] please. they adore me.

Xavier: that they do. How's mum doing with all this extra time she has now?

Clayton: Well, I know she won't tell ya but she's started another hobby. She's driving dad crazy pulling out everything from the upstairs closet. Wants to make it a fancy walk-in with a jewelry corner and all. She thinks she's the Queen.

Xavier: She is though! I'm so glad to hear her energy is restored and that's why I ask you even though I just spoke with her earlier. I know you won't keep anything from me.

Clayton: I won't. You know, dad keeps talking about you to his students. They had all tuned in on Sunday. We're so proud of you, X.

Xavier: [smiles warmly] Well, thanks. It was a great award show.

Clayton: yeah, well you made it great. No offense to everyone else. You're the best thing to happen to them and to SNL but i think you know that.

Xavier: Marcello is also a great addition. He pulls in a lot of younger folks and it's nice to see a lot of latino skits.

Clayton: aye. He's a funny guy. Athena and I are thinking of coming over there but if you come here first, we'll come in the fall. That way it seems like less of gap for when we see one another.

Xavier: I like the sound of that. I miss you all terribly.

Clayton: Mmm and maybe we can meet your beau?

Xavier: [rolls his eyes] maybe, yes. if you behave.

Clayton: It's mum, dad, and Athena you have to worry about. They're gonna vet him.

Xavier: Uh they better not. I'm a grown-ass man.

Clayton: [laughs] you sound so American. But I'm happy for you. I saw the photos. Everyone's convinced it's some famous chap. Bill, Ben something or other.

Xavier: Yeah, well, it's all new and all but I'm also happy and I think you'd like him a lot. I'd rather it be kept that way. He doesn't need any limelight on him right now. It'll die down in a few weeks. Good thing I'm not super famous.

Clayton: Yeah but with Jeremy's program coming, they're gonna want to keep prying. It's stupid, I know. But I'm glad you respect his privacy and are demanding people to respect yours. Like I said, I'm just glad you're happy.

Xavier: Thanks, mate. Me too. I've never quite felt this way about anyone so privacy is rather important to me.

Clayton: Good. Don't fuck it up, Mitchell!

Xavier: shut up! [smiles] You know I won't.

Clayton: [chuckles] listen, I have to get going. It's almost bedtime around here and if I'm not getting those kids in the tub, Athena is screaming at the top of her lungs. Love you. My love to the kids and say hi to Celeste, Juniper, Khamani all of em for us! Tell Thomas we need to talk hockey when we go back to the states!

Xavier: I'll tell them! go, go. love you! i'll call mum in the morning as always. [he blew a kiss and hung up]

[lilac-udon]

I got bored and I haven’t had time or energy to do my au so I’m typing some lore of sunny and Mari

Spoiler and repeats

So sunny mari father was a human mutated on his own into a vampire , which he is very different from turned vampire. Their mother was a human, thats why Mari and sunny were siblings and born from their mother. The setting in my au was there will never have children or elderly vampire due to only young healthy adults can successfully transformative into on. So Mari and sunny had experience childhood and very different because they probably are more human than regular vampire.

The part is the age gap, sunny never question and never want to accept the truth that very likely mari was coupled hundreds older than him. Their mother nearly die from having a child, their father turned their mother into a vampire before her body collapsed. After years , when their father died, any vampires that was turned by him also died along with him. Due to mari being an inbetween of human and vampire, she adopted magic which is capable to adopt by some creature and human. But generally vampires aren’t able to. Mari perform black magic to attamp reviving their mother but instead revived a fetus of sunny (which means a dead fetus was in Sunny’s mother womb for years). Creating the unnatural age gap between sunny and mari

When I writing this I really want sunny to represent death and basil parallels , representing life. Sunny was death from brith, and the cause of Mari death, which mari death also cause the entire race of vampire vanished. The aftermath with no mari leading the mythical creature made the world into chaos and war. However, sunny own body and mind deep down was programmed to never get hurt again. Even though his thoughts may not want the ability to instantly heal or the long lifespan. he almost lost the chance to live before birth creating this super aggressive self protective reaction to avoid any possible harm to the host.(and that will is Omori, so they are like spiritual twins idk)

On the other hand, basil is repeatedly being alive again, even though his features will never deteriorate, his mental will get worse if outlived hundreds years. It might also cause him not cherishing any life of himself or others.

Currently I put is kel is the only person with the most morality and human one. Sunny and hero is close but due to being different from human a lot of ideology might be weird. Aubrey is rude and cold sometimes, and basil is just really fuck up , mari is very weird, ambiguity of any side she is on, unless the sunny deaths endings

Oh add note

I really do want to make it as unflattering as possible sometimes, restrained,but I’m ok with any other interpretation , or you can ignore

So sunny is more of a coward in this, also he is asexual coded , vampires don’t have any great desire besides hunger, power . The romantic desire is more on a spiritual level. I meant he probably don’t enjoy any physical affection, including kissing etc(but with blood that another thing) besides his pretty face, he looks sick and skins and bone.

[lilweaselmuses]

human au gems hcs no one asked for

WOOO this one's a doozy so its under a read more.

enjoy

Topaz:

Age: 16

Grade: Sophomore

Born in South Korea

Became something of a musical sensation back home, and is famous for her music mixing.

Became independent at 15, moved to the states a year later with the desire to see what America was like, hollywood in particular.

Lives in an apartment with Saphir, her senior classmate and good friend.

Pastel vibes

Sassy vibes (Much more sassy than gem topaz :o)

MomTM friend. She mediates and keeps the peace. Also will give great life advice.

Judges silently, but says nothing if she has nothing nice to say. (But she’ll think it.)

Currently has a job as a DJ at a local skating rink where her friends hang out. Gets them free food and games..

Hoping to make it big in the US so she can stay after she graduates.

Parents living overseas and helping pay for her life and schooling in the states.

She spends summers in Korea where she visits her family and tours, records music.

Part of the art club and spends a lot of time in the music rooms. She isn’t in Choir, Band or Orchestra, but is in music theory and guitar. Has a LOT of friends in all those programs

Swiss

Age: 16-17

Grade: Sophomore.

Swiss was born in Switzerland, but has also lived in South Korea for 5 years (where she met Topaz), London for 2, and now the US where she started high school.

Lives with her Father who is from Switzerland, her mom who was born in the UK, and her baby sister Kyanite

Class goofball and classic slacker but somehow still passes and knows the material.

‘ Whoops, I forgot my homework again’ type

Dye’d her hair blue at 14, pierced both her nose, lips, and several places in her ear. 

Depressed and tired. Brings rockstar energy’s to class a lot.

Punk Rock vibes, but wears her uniform rather well. Her messenger bag is tricked out with a lot of music festival patches and pins though.

Her and Topaz both are those kids that have earbuds and beats headphones on all the time. She gets in trouble for listening to rock in class. Or talking.

Has a band, and is the main drummer and back up vocalist.  The band was her idea, but she gives her friends a lot of freedom. Since drumming is her passion she doesn’t mind not being the lead vocalist.

Crushing on / Dating the richest girl in the school (Aquamarine ‘Marie’)

Doesn’t have a job, but thinking about getting a part time one at the record shop near her house.

Oversleeps A LOT. IS late to class a lot. Usually her detentions are from tardiness (or saying some smart ass comment to be funny and getting in trouble for it)

Very protective of her little sister, and gets along well with her in private, despite pretending that she irritates her.

No after school activities for her thanks. That stuffs lame. (Though she does wander in and hang out with the game club sometimes)

Kyanite

Age: 13-15

Grade: 8th

One of the pretty MeanTM girls in middle school. Rather high on the social pecking order due to being an upperclassmen and being a cutie with an attitude.

Fashion sense a mix between soft grunge, a touch of punk and more flowing feminine outfits, or neat and prim /professional outfits. Whatever she decides, she likes to look good.

Very talented at doing her make up and nails, tends to have a lot of requests from other girls her age for help in that dept.

Looks up to her sister a lot more than she lets on. Lowkey wants to be involved in a lot of what she does after school. (She even begged her parents to let her dye her hair blue as well right after Swiss did (She was 12 at the time))

Love’s shopping and collecting outfits and cute little butterfly themed things for her room.

While she’s in the ‘popular’ circle of girls in her grade, shes not particularly stuck up when it comes to other kids. She can be mean, but its usually to just as entitled kids. She’s rather tame and even friendly with less popular kids in her grade. She’s very comfortable around them and enjoys not being put on a pedestal all the time

Romance obsessed. (Duh)

Wishes she could get a piercing and a tattoo like her sissy, but her parents only let her pierce her ears. 

A’s in most of her classes, but struggles in History. It’s a snoozefest to her.

Currently in band and debate team. (She plays flute)

Takes FOR-E-VER to get ready to leave the house. (Hey, its not ALWAYS swiss’s fault shes’ late.)

Best friends in school are Livie and Bebe.

Spends a lot of time after school for Band practice, Debate team activities, or supporting her bestie Bebe in her cheer practice.

Really likes sneaking in the upperclassmen building. No one’s cute in her grade :/ (according to her)

Likes to fake being sick so she can go home early. way too often.

Bebe

Age: 14-15

Grade: 8th

Met Kyanite in 6th grade and they instantly hit it off well.

Bubble gum pink hair, and really likes fashion. Always obsessed with wearing the cutest combo of clothes she can come up with.

Really sweet and bubbly on the surface, but she isn’t called a bubblegum bitch for nothing. She knows shes popular and will often trick the vulnerable into believing they have social status only to humiliate them when she sees fit.

A little bit bitchier than Ky. Not that she wants to be mean actively, she just kind of ……is how we say…..spoiled brat.

As long as her best friend cares about someone she does too.

When she actually does accept you, shes a very sweet and almost loyal to the point of irritation.

Crushing on Kyanite, kissed her at a party and has kind of never got over it.

Serial dater. Literally she has a new sweetie every week. its tiring.

Junior Varsity Cheer Team and Drama club are her life.

When she’s not doing those things, she’s spending her time in her Juniors bowling team. They go to tourney during summer.

Parents aren’t filthy rich but they are not hurting for money in any shape or form. Shes always got whatever she wanted.

Loves getting gifts, and will almost try and bug people into sending her stuff to homeroom during holidays. Either because she wants STUFF or for her own popularity.

Might be kind of bitchy but really does feel bad and get upset if people point that out about her. I wouldn’t say she /wants/ to be a bad person. her parents never told her no and nor how to not be self centered.

Very talkative and upbeat. Wants to inspire her friends and lift them up.

On the other end, is a big gossip and bad about spreading rumors and stirring up drama with people she isn’t a fan of.

Show her a cute animal and she’ll sob. I mean the whole 9 yards.

Marie/Aquamarine

Age: 17-18

Grade: 12th

Born and raised in London for the majority of her life.  She’s also lived in France for 3 years during an abroad program her parents sent her to where she met one of her closest friends (Astrid)

Her parents are filthy stinkin rich and own a foreign luxurious fashion company and a luxury car company.

Livie is her baby sister and she often tries to pretend like thats not the case. (She loves her guys i swear)

Stuck up, bratty, and just an overall bitch. She RELISHES in it. Marie KNOWS shes mean, popular and has power and she’s proud.

“you can’t sit with me, you can’t talk to me, you aren’t good enough to even know me.”

Her desire for power has her gunning for valedictorian (cue her and satoshit fighting to the death), and she’s currently the president of student government. Thats right. She’s deciding school functions and your future you little peasant fucks.

Will shove her riches and status down your THROAT oh my goooodddd

Throws HUGE parties when her parents are out of town, uses it as a tool to make the popular kids/upperclassmen love her even more and show the ‘losers’ where their place is.

Always has to look THE best in the school, and will probably murder anyone who threatens to take her places as prom queen (i kid i kid………maybe)

Hangs out with Astrid and Mae when they’re in town.

Has a type that does not fall in line with her image (coughcough Swiss cough) and will do a LOT to keep in a secret. But….listen….she also can’t hide it well. Like…not even a little. She gay.

She’s always seen with her posse of popular girls and her two primary school friends the topazes. They’re just the schools huge UNITS of lesbian quarterbacks, their fists as big as your face, they wont squash you, promise. (look at marie wrong once bitch.)

Will die of embarrassment of her sister livie. Unfortunately is responsible for her in a lot of ways. Driving her back and forth from school, taking her to school functions and much more. (She loves her….double pinky swear) But she claims they aren’t related. (no one believes this hoe) That don’t mean she wont DESPERATELY try to pawn her off for the day. Babysitter? Butler? Anyone? SOMEONE?

Will absolutely use Livie as a means to hang out with Swiss via playdates. Oh yeah, she knows their baby sisters are besties. It’s free real estate.

Has expressed to Swiss that she wishes they could trade sisters. ( I swear marie loves livie deep down in this essay I will—-)

In a wealth measuring contest with Satoshit 24/7

Is CONSTANTLY going on overseas trips. She will never stop bragging about it.

Consumed mostly by Student Government and Theatre.

Spinel

Age: 15-16

Grade: (Would be a Freshman but she's held back), 8th grade.

Spinel is Steven’s half sister in the human verse. They share a biological mother (PD). Spinel is 2 years older than Steven, and never lived with him.  She was only a toddler when PD broke up with her biological dad, and had steven. Though PD was in her life until she was around 7. After that she cut contact with her previous husband and to a great extent her daughter Spinel. It was soon found out though after Steven turned 8 or so, PD passed away. Dashing any of Spinel’s previous hopes of reconciling with her mother or finding out why her mother treated her like a mistake.

Spinel was born and raised in Boston MA for a good chunk of her life. She lived with her father alone for most of her young life. Her dad would bring women in and out of the house often after PD left him.

 Until PD’s death, They shared custody of Spinel. Spinel would spend every other weekend in delaware with PD, Greg and her half brother steven. Though PD never seemed to genuinely enjoy her daughters company---rather tolerating her and pawning her off to Greg whenever possible.  

After PD passed away (Spinel was around 10), Spinel became a lot more distant with her brother and step dad Greg. Rarely seeing them, every 2 years or so on a holiday maybe. A month out from her 11th birthday or so, her dad ripped Spinel from her childhood home and moved them to Brooklyn, which is where Spinel would live and rapidly devolve into the delinquent teen she is now. Her relationship with her father, her behavior and the strain her abusive household would put on her and her education and record would devolve further until its breaking point. 

At the age of 15 (nearing 16), when Spinel gets tossed into juvie for a week and flunks out of 8th grade, Her abusive father is enraged and tired of the child, Sending her down to Delaware to live with her step dad greg and half brother steven. In his words: “To let her disappoint someone else for a change”

Now a loud mouth, snarky and toxic teen. Spinel stays with her brother and step dad in Delaware. Greg takes her in with a open mind and love for her like she was his own, despite the quick realization that she is more than just a handful. && Spinel has heavy resentments towards greg to boot---considering in her eyes, it was his and steven’s fault her mother never loved her. Be that true or not, Spinel doesn’t care.

Regardless, Greg gets her transferred to the same middle school as Steven. Though she is supposed to be two grades ahead of him, she ends up in 8th grade only a grade ahead, since she was held back. 

She is also coerced by the school system along with Greg to sign up for extracurricular activities to straighten her out. Spinel reluctantly agrees---and picks drama club. Which would soon end up an obsession that she would decide to become the top dog in the department, losing sleep and bullying anyone who tries to take her role as the lead in the school’s productions.

She works part time at a pizzeria, and uses her knowledge from working as a carnie back in Brooklyn to fuck with the machines and steal tokens out of the machines. Why? So she can buy things in front of the kids. Cause fuck em.

Despite Gregs attempts to show her love, she still bullies her half brother a lot--a stark contrast to when they got along well as kids & she gets detention a lot. Its taking him everything in his power to keep her from getting herself expelled. This kid is a live wire, and its gonna take a lot of work to turn her around. But if you can believe it----really deep down, she wants to be better. She just wants to be cared about for who she is, which is something she’s yet to be shown.

[militantinremission]

The 65th Grammys: A Show to remember.

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards was by far The Best Grammy Program that i've seen since Michael Jackson died. To Me, it started a little disjointed w/ Host, Trevor Noah; but Stevie Wonder & Smokey Robinson, along w/ Chris Stapleton & 'Wan Mor' set The Bar. Lizzo rose it even higher, & EVERYONE following her had to Bring It! The majority of the performances were Great! I haven't been able to say that about a Grammy Show for years. Everyone did their Thang, but I was especially proud of the Tribute to the 50th Anniversary of HipHop. It was fun to see LL get hyped about his Love for The Culture.

One Thing that stood out to Me, was the progression of HipHop Music over the years, as it played out On Stage. The Original Concept was Message Driven; there were few curses in the lyrics. The transition to profanity laced lyrics came on abruptly during the Tribute. That's the way Record Producers introduced it to Us; the difference was, for every 'Too Short', there was a 'Guru'. That's not the case today. That said, I think that it was well done- kudos to QuestLove & his Production Crew, as well as All of the Performers... Busta Represented, but Missy KILLED IT! One writer commented that the Tribute was 'somewhat chaotic', but she was showing her ignorance of The Culture. 'True HipHop Heads' saw a consistent narrative of Passing The Mic, from Artist to Artist- throughout the generations. Styles change, but The Method stays the same.

I haven't seen The Grammys in Years, so I don't know when they eliminated Male & Female Categories. It's curious- are they intentionally creating a Free for All in each Category; or are They consolidating Categories out of necessity? There were many more female artists nominated than men... I'm not a Harry Styles fan, but I found his acceptance speech sincere. I have my critique of Beyonce, but I commend her on making Grammy History. Her work ethic is legendary, so the achievement is Hard Won. Samara Joy's win for Best New Artist was a pleasant surprise. Her acceptance speech was pure & heartfelt. I remember hearing her for the 1st Time, & wish her well. As for Lizzo's win- all I can say is: About Damn Time! The Woman is a Force. I hope that this win allows Lizzo to get the Respect she deserves as an Artist.

A particular Truth that stood out to me throughout this Program, is the contribution of Black Music to the overall Global Culture. This is important @ a Time when Other Groups either downplay, or take Credit for Black American Music Trends. I appreciate All of the Genres featured, but from Stevie & Smokey's performance, to Lizzo, Mary, the HipHop Tribute for The Departed, to the 'God Did' performance- U can feel a Special Energy in each. These performances were Soul Stirring. Each brought their A- Game, & it made for an excellent Program. In contrast, Steve Lacy confused me. He 'kinda sorta' reminded me of Lenny Kravitz, & his band reminded me of Mint Condition. Both sounded like 2nd Generation copies.

I found Sam Smith & Kim Petra's performance of 'Unholy' to be dark & heavy, in comparison to the other performances on the Program. It seemed to play up to the Urban Legend of Hollywood Parties & Satanic Rituals. I found myself wondering:: Did they place a ritual in the middle of the Program? I'm reminded of Lil Nas X's Grammy performance of 'Montero'. Trevor Noah's 'devil' reference afterwards was warranted; the whole thing bothered me. Clearly, I'm not alone. I always looked @ Sam Smith as a 'Boy George' type, but I guess he sees himself more as a 'George Michael' type... I think he's wrong.

In contrast, Luke Combs reminds me of a pleasant mix of Clint Black & Kenny Rogers- 'Old School' Country. Brandi Carlile's performance of 'Broken Horses' reminded me of a mix of Bonnie Raitt & Melissa Etheridge - Powerful. Harry Style's performance of 'As it was', reminded me of Classic 80s British Pop. I thought it was a well done, 2nd Generation effort; especially when compared to Steve Lacey. Bad Bunny had the Honor of setting off The Program. I think he brought energy, but his band lacked the dynamic of the other Artists. I can't help but think that The Miami Sound Machine, or Pit Bull would've brought a stronger dynamic to their musical performance.

All in All, the 65th Grammys was memorable. The performances stood out, but the Tribute to Dr. Dre, along w/ Grammy wins for Willie Nelson & Bonnie Raitt made it special. It was a very thoughtful mix of Old & New... The Motown Sound continues to stand the Test of Time; Stevie & Smokey made it look easy! Future Nominees know to bring their Best Effort.

-I'm curious to see what Next Year's Program will look like.

[monty-glasses-roxy]

Alright, I’m going insane about the Minis again before I go make my dinner at 4am. Longish post ahead beware! Mostly under a read more again. Enjoy!

SO

Given the Minis were Roxy’s first friends in the Pizzaplex, and Security Bots are programmed to capture them on sight, Roxy is very protective of them. She does not trust any Staffbot of any kind anywhere near them, and thus, now that she’s in control of the Raceway, the amount of Staffbots and Security Bots decreases drastically. The Minis are appreciative of this move of course, but it’s still nerve wracking being out in the open for long periods of time. This is where they have some issues when working alongside Roxy.

They spend the majority of time before their official debut as the Pit Crew having to get used to being in the middle of the Raceway. They could always do it before, sure, but only after Roxy had obliterated all the Security Bots in the area. Being able to just… hang out now? Anywhere they want within the Raceway, Salon and lobby? It feels weird to them. Like, really weird. The lack of bots everywhere makes the place feel so much bigger and so much emptier that’s it starts giving the five of them (Roxy included here) the spooks after a while. You can hear a fuckin’ pin drop in there now and it’s uh. Really jarring compared to the day time.

Now I just said a moment ago that due to the Security Bots, Roxy is really protective of the Minis. This is also true in reverse. The Minis will throw down for Roxy. They’ve been there when she’s been crying more times than they can count and despite Roxy being known for holding grudges, the Minis never fucking forget. They only have so much patience so there’s only so much you can get to Roxy before you suddenly have four very angry spiders coming for you and they’re arguably worse. With Roxy, you at least have an idea of what you’re getting into. With the Minis? Fuck knows. You could get haunted for months or you could get a singular jumpscare. You could never be able to find anything ever again or things could randomly fall on you from the ceiling. You just never know with these guys!

How does this manifest in New Management AU? WELL

Tough customers being dicks about four spider animatronics are going to get a face full of Roxy very fucking quickly and anyone giving Roxy a hard time is gonna have a few harmless, yet very meaningful and obvious ‘accidents’ start happening to them just as quickly. Tippy is great for those moments in particular since he can get Roxy away from the situation while the others redirect somewhere else or get a staff member to come and help. You know the three strikes and your out rule? That’s the general rule in the Raceway, however, Roxy has made it very clear that anyone who tries to harm her little Pit Crew in any way, shape or form, is getting banned. Anywhere from a week up to years, she will not hesitate. The Minis don’t have the power to do that but they will encourage and talk Roxy into being much more liberal with bans when it comes to weeding out the piece of shit customers. You’d not expect her to be a soft touch, and she’s not most of the time but sometimes the four of them are almost begging her to realise that someone is causing her more trouble than they’re worth and she deserves to not have to deal with them every single day. Obviously, there’s only so much you can do in a customer service/entertainment job such as this, but some things should not be tolerated and the five of them make sure of that. They make a great team!

Speaking of teamwork, where Roxy would always drift away from the group of kids to make sure the loners got plenty of attention, that’s now four times easier to do. With the Minis, a lot less people are left unentertained and they gain a similar type of fanbase to Roxy. It’s a dedicated little fanbase for each of them, maybe not as big as it would be if they poured more energy into the large group, but their fans are much more loyal and care much more about them as a result. And with five animatronics in the Raceway at once, they’re hardly leaving a large group of guests unattended anymore so they’re covering all their bases now anyway.

One of the things I really want to add for them is a soft play area for smaller kids. I don’t know where I’d put it yet, maybe somewhere in the salon tunnels or by the raceway stands or something, but it would be themed entirely around them. A spider and racing themed soft play area that, is the perfect size for them. They basically have their own playground dedicated to them that the smaller kids can enjoy with them and I just think that’d be a really cool thing for them to have. It would also be pretty helpful for when they want to entertain, but being out in the open is too much for them at any given time. They now have a mostly enclosed and safe area to run around in where they don’t have to worry about that.

I have more for how they appear in everyone else’s attractions but I keep getting distracted so this will do for now.