#i do feel very conscious of being american

[sitdwnandstudy]

After my qualitative methods class today I'm just increasingly convinced that the boundaries between qualitative and quantitative methods are blurry to nonexistent. I'm not saying that some approaches aren't one thing or the other but literally none of the differentiating aspects listed can be said to only apply to one method or the other. I just think we'd be better off considering how to make sense of our results rather than making statements about how qualitative researchers make conscious choices that produce their results as if quantitative researchers don't literally also do that.

Anyway, I continue to be very interested in the ways that we convey authority in our research work, whether through methodological rigor, the appearance of methodological rigor, or some other way entirely.

[beemovieerotica]

struggling with how to word this, but putting it out there anyway:

i can fully understand the posts on here from a lot of americans being tired of "vote blue no matter who" posts when the #1 thing that people are constantly (and sometimes only?) addressing is how the republican party is going treat trans/queer people if elected.

it's part of an unfortunate pattern of prioritizing the effects on a demographic that includes white + upper class people, when people of color and those in the global south are actively and currently being killed or relegated to circumstances in which their survival is very unlikely

it is genuinely exhausting to witness this, and i was also on the fence about even participating in voting because i a) felt like it didn't matter and b) every time i voiced being frustrated with the current state of the country, white queer people would immediately step in with "but what about trans people!" -> (i am mixed race trans man)

and i say this with unending patience toward people who do this, because i know that it's not something they actively think about. but everyone already knows how the republican party is going to treat queer people. you are probably talking to another queer person when you bring up project 2025. the issue is that, for those of us who aren't white, or for those of us who are but who are conscious of ongoing struggles for people of color worldwide, the safety of people around the world feels more urgent than our own. that is the calculation that's being made.

you're not going to win votes for the democratic party by dismissing or minimizing these realities and by continually centering (white) queer people.

very few people on here and twitter are actually talking about issues beyond queer rights that concern people of color, or how the two administrations differ on these issues instead of constantly circling back to single-issue politics. this isn't an exhaustive list. but these are the issues that have actually altered my perspective and motivated me to the point of committing to casting a vote

the biden administration has been engaged in a years-long fight to allow new applicants to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the program that allows undocumented individuals who arrived as children to remain in the country) after the Trump administration attempted to terminate it. the program is in limbo currently because of the actions of Trump-backed judges, with those who applied before the ruling being allowed to stay, but no new applications are being processed. Trump has repeatedly toyed with the idea of just deporting the 1.8 million people, but he continues to change his mind depending on whatever the fuck goes on in his head. he cannot be relied on to be sympathetic toward people of hispanic descent or to guarantee that DREAMers will be allowed stay in the country. biden + a democratic controlled congress will allow legal challenges to the DACA moratorium to gain ground.

the biden administration is open to returning and protecting portions of culturally important indigenous land in a way that the trump administration absolutely does not give a fuck. as of may 2024, they have established seven national monuments with plans to expand the San Gabriel Monument where the Gabrielino, Kizh / Tongva, the Chumash, Kitanemuk, Serrano, and Tataviam reside. the Berryessa Snow Mountain is also on the list, as a sacred region to the Patwin.

i'm recognizing that the US's plans for clean energy have often come into conflict with tribal sovereignty, and the biden administration could absolutely do better in navigating this. but the unfortunate dichotomy is that there would be zero commitment or investment in clean energy under a trump-led government, which poses an astounding existential threat and destabilizing force to the global south beyond any human-to-human conflict. climate change has caused and will continue to cause resource shortages, greater natural disasters, and near-lethal living conditions for those in the tropics - and the actions of the highest energy consumers (US) are to blame. biden has funneled billions of dollars into climate change mitigation and clean energy generation - trump does not believe that any of it matters.

i may circle back to this and add more as it comes up, but i'm hoping that those who are skeptical / discouraged / tired of the white queer-centric discourse on tumblr and twitter can at least process some of this. please feel free to add more articles + points but i'm asking for the sake of this post to please focus on issues that affect people of color.

[surrexi]

so my dad had a 30-year career in the (united states) air force, and we moved several times while i was growing up. from when i was in 4th grade through 7th grade (so about age 9 to 13), we were living in hawaii. dad was stationed at hickam afb, on the island of oahu. we were able to take a few short trips to the island of maui over the four years we lived there. on one of those trips, when i would have been around 11/12 (i can't remember now), i was allowed to wander away from my parents as long as i stayed relatively close and checked in periodically. so we were wandering around some beautiful tourist overlook somewhere in the mountains on maui and i was separated from my parents. a woman who i remember as looking older than my parents (who would've been in their mid-late 30s at the time) but not, like, old, struck up a conversation with me. it probably started with, like, "child, where are your parents" and then i, who as a child was always very good at interacting with adults, probably pointed them out with a pleasant smile or something, and thus reassured that i wasn't lost, she starts making idle conversation about tourist things like where she was vacationing from and asked me where we were from.

so i'm like "oh, we live on oahu"

and this grown-ass adult american woman deadass looked at me and goes "oh! are there very many americans where you live?"

to this day my mother is proud that despite the fact that neither she nor my dad were there to keep me from laughing in this woman's face, i managed to very calmly and neutrally tell her that, uh, we lived on base so all our neighbors were also military! and then i also managed to not cringe when she acted like that was a huge relief!

i did fairly quickly disengage from the conversation and run to tell my parents about the woman who apparently hadn't realised that she did not have to show her passport upon arriving in our nation's fiftieth state.

anyway that's the story of how at roughly 11 years old i learned to never underestimate the sheer obliviousness of my fellow americans.

[nyancrimew]

Do you think your race/nationality may influence on the consequences of hacking? Or like how far you can even get?

I'm asking because I very rarely see a "prominent" hackitvist that's not white European/USA

it is definitely a factor yes, especially with me, like the only reason im free rn is because switzerland doesn't extradite citizens. but another very big part of it is that to become a widely prominent hacktivist (and as with many other things) you either need to do things western media cares about or get in trouble with the law big time (in the west), which also usually implies being in a country that actively works together with primarily the US or other empires that actively and publicly work against hacking and hacktivists. there are lots of hacktivists in asia and latin america (specifically phineas fisher here also being a popular figure, who is believed to be in latam and has yet to be caught) as well especially (also elsewhere ofc but i dont know of as many), but they are either doing hacktivism within their communities which are usually not internationally that news worthy, or are out of reach enough for the US empire to never get unmasked.

in a lot of ways being a popular hacktivist as an individual is actually moreso a failing in staying safe from consequences by either you or people you work with (see in the history of lulzsec and most of the now well known anonymous figures in the US) or a conscious choice done out of the knowledge that you'll be relatively safe/recklessness. but i definitely feel like international (social) media bias towards western interests is also just a very big part of why you will mostly only ever hear of (assumed) white european/american hacktivists.

and also just as a quick closing note, i would not say that (even white) people in the US or the US sphere of influence are safe from consequences due to hacking in any way, the US is one of the strictest countries when it comes to persecuting hackers and goes to long ways to be as cruel as possible, and especially so with hacktivists. this goes so far that in the 2020 counterintel report the US government put hacktivists/leaktivists on the top 5 biggest threats to the US government, which is ofc both a honor (and shows it works and scares them) but is ofc also scary as fuck. it is this big spectacle they make out of persecuting hackers and making examples out of them that also leads to more of the very distorted prominence of western hackers.

[tanix-dragon]

Is That a New Guy or Am I Losing My Mind; or, A Beginner's Guide to Finding Headmates

Written by Roger de Camden of the Draconic Wizard Workshop

Hello, everybody! This is an essay for both plurals who might struggle finding, identifying, or confirming headmates, as well as people who are questioning whether or not they’re plural. Certain pieces of advice may apply better to questioners than established systems, and vice versa, but rest assured, it is intended for both!

This essay will be broken into several sections for various “phases” of discovery and working things out, but a disclaimer before we get to that: this is heavily based on our own experiences. This is not a one-size-fits-all kind of guide. I’m going to try to make it such, but, well, I can’t make any promises, because there are infinite ways of being a system out there, and everyone’s a little different. This is just what I’ve found works for us, and, to a large extent, many of our system friends! That being said, if you try to start syscourse or invalidate other systems for any reason in response to this essay, I’m going to block you and that’s that.

Also, sorry if I go between spellings for words. I’m English, but the body is American and that means that I don’t know how to spell certain words anymore.

So! Onwards, towards discovery!

Step One: Getting an Inkling

The first step to figuring out whether or not you’ve got a headmate (new or otherwise undiscovered; I’ll mostly be calling them “new” as in “new to you”) is having an inkling that one might exist. This is mostly a passive process, and you’re probably familiar with it if you’re reading this guide. Maybe you felt something scuttle through headspace (if you have one) or through the back of your mind. Maybe you felt a presence looming behind you, mentally, that bolted when you “looked.” Maybe you had a very strong emotional reaction to something that makes no sense for you to react to, but would make sense for a character you’ve been really attached to in a show. Or maybe you slipped into an unfamiliar accent, had a loss of memories and woke up with nail polish on in a colour you hate, or just felt an opinion about something that doesn’t match your usual one. Sometimes, you may even “hear” comments about things going on in your mind.

There are a lot of little things that can tip you off. Most of them are going to be things that are misaligned with your own perception of yourself, your opinions, and your behavior. This is usually a sign that someone is co-conscious or co-fronting with you without you being aware of it. Some headmates are very sneaky this way, and some may not realise that they exist at all while doing this! Don’t hold being hard to notice or get a hold of against your headmates—many of them don’t realise that they exist, don’t know how to not be this way, or are doing it for what they perceive to be a good reason (this last one is especially common in disordered systems). Maybe they’re scared, or just not ready to be confronted yet. Don’t worry—remember, you have your whole lives to figure out everyone who’s in there, and the time will pass anyways! Take it easy.

One specific thing that tends to tip us off to a new fictive is that we realise that… no one is aware of running a character that we’re playing in a tabletop roleplaying game. Maybe someone started off running them, but they sure seem to be doing their own thing now! That character may be hard to “turn off” or “put on the shelf” when you stop playing them—and they may continue to make comments and have opinions about things in your life. This is a dead giveaway! Sometimes when we think about a character, we feel a “movement” or interest somewhere in our mind that doesn’t match anyone else’s pattern of thinking or interests, which also can be a giveaway that they’re scuttling around somewhere. Also beneficial, for us, is our synesthesia—every headmate has a colour associated with them, and when we get a thought pattern that seems to match someone but the colour is off, it can make us realise that maybe there’s someone else in here. For example, if someone were to be really interested in jellyfish, we might think that it’s Caspian, but if the colour comes back as red and not blue, then we know for certain that it’s not him.

This first inkling of a new headmate may be obvious or it may be subtle. You may question yourself repeatedly, but remember: if you feel like you are “accidentally faking,” that’s not how faking works. Faking must be done intentionally and on purpose. You could be wrong, yes, but being wrong isn’t inherently bad. It’s just that you were mistaken about something. Nothing wrong with that! We’re all mistaken about all kinds of things every day! Be kind to yourself while trying to figure things out.

Step Two: Are You There, Headmate? It’s Me, Your Other Headmate

Steps two and three are interchangeable in order, but I thought I’d put this one first because it tends to be the one that’s hardest and most distressing, rather than step three, which is about identifying who the hell your headmate is. We’ll get to that, never fear!

So, let’s say you think there might be someone in there. How can you tell for sure? How can you open communication? How can you get them integrated okay?

The bad news is that this depends heavily on the system. The good news is that there’s no need to panic, rush, or be afraid, because once again, you’ll figure it out eventually, and it will be okay!

My first suggestion is to take note of everything that’s made you think there might be someone else in there. Write it down, if that helps! Write down everything that seems to get the entity’s attention, if anything. Write down anything that might help you identify who it might be! In some instances, you might have a character that seems a little independent but you can’t tell whether they’re really a headmate or not. In my experience, this is often how many non-disordered systems (but it’s not exclusive to them!) realise that they’re plural. Knowing who it is will make this step easier, but it isn’t necessary! After all, if you know who it is, you can also write down things that might bait them into responding. Interests and friends of theirs are good examples.

Your goal in this step is to try to draw them out into doing things, speaking, or acting in ways that will give away that they are for certain there. For systems with heavy amnesia or dissociative barriers, this might be significantly harder, but my best suggestion there is to jump straight to trying to communicate, however you can—and this isn’t a bad approach for other systems, either. You can try internal communication, although you might get no response, or an abnormal one, if the headmate is new. For example, with us, new headmates usually respond to direct queries with anxiety—which, while not good for communication and not ideal for the headmate in question, does help us key in on the fact that they definitely exist. You can also try external communication, if internal communication isn’t working or is difficult for you. Write a note in a journal or a sticky note, or even in a notes app or a private Discord server. Sometimes, headmates can find replying over text to be easier. If you’re a high-dissociation and high-amnesia system who is trying to figure out if it’s someone old or new who is fronting and doing things while you’re unaware, leaving sticky notes places asking people to write down who’s fronting when they see it (if they even know who they are) might be helpful. Keep experimenting, and do what works best for you!

As a last resort for uncertain, new, or inexperienced systems, you can try something called “puppeting” on a suspected headmate, especially if you know who they are and just aren’t sure whether or not they’re here. A warning: this is rude and not advised under most circumstances, but sometimes it’s the only way to make absolutely sure that someone is in there with you, especially when you’re not used to it. Have an apology ready and mean it. Puppeting is when you try to force a headmate to do something, especially something unusual or out of character for them. For example, if I thought I might have my character Gorka as a headmate, but I wasn’t sure, I might try to call up a scenario involving Gorka and then try to imagine her doing something wildly out of character, that she would never, ever do. If I couldn’t get a response out of that, or if I had no idea who this new headmate might be, I might just try to make them physically do something—strongly imagining them doing a stupid dance or similar! No response doesn’t necessarily mean you do or do not have a headmate, but a strong response—usually of anger, offense, or “slapping” your “hands” away—indicates someone separate from yourself! Apologize immediately and then attempt to engage in communication once they’ve calmed down a little, or try to transition into it through an explanation. 

There are a lot of reasons that a headmate might not respond to puppeting, though. They might be non-confrontational, or hiding their presence from you intentionally for any number of reasons. (Maybe they’re nervous, not ready to exist yet, afraid of how you might respond, afraid of accepting that they’re in a system—it could be anything.) In cases like this, you might just get discomfort instead of a strong response, which is easy to confuse for being your own rather than theirs. Try to sort out whether you just feel strange doing it, or if it’s someone else’s discomfort bleeding through. I know it’s hard, but that’s a difficult thing to give advice for, I’m afraid! Other reasons may be that they just dip from the front when you try (removing themself from your sphere of influence completely), or if they’re a character you frequently play, they might be so used to being pulled around into doing things that it doesn’t bother them, or bothers them so little that you don’t notice.

Usually, if you’re at the point of trying puppeting, there’s enough signs that this person really is a headmate to dissuade you from trying it once you’re a little more used to it. It’s a temporary and unideal tool that should leave your toolbox as soon as you become confident enough to identify new headmates without getting grabby with them. Undoubtedly, trying to establish communication is a better approach, if you can get it to work.

Usually, once we’ve properly spotted a headmate and made it clear to them that we know they’re there, one of two things happens: either they come sit in the front for a few days or weeks to settle in, let us identify them, and get used to being a full active member of the system, or they realise that they exist and have a panic attack. This “new headmate panic” can last anywhere from a few minutes to multiple days, and may fluctuate in strength. Sometimes, a new headmate might seem fine early on, but have this panic after a few days, weeks, or even longer. Be gentle during this time, especially if you yourself have a strong reaction—be gentle with both, or all, of you! Realizing that you’re in a system can be very distressing, as can realizing you have a new headmate, so try to be gentle, let yourself feel what you’re going to feel, and work through it in the best way you have. Try not to direct any anger or negative feelings towards anyone else in your system during this time, and just let the storm pass before really trying to get to know each other.

Step Three: Who Is This Guy, Anyway?

Once again, you can do this step before or after step two, but I put it here because I decided to include some tips for getting to know your headmate, not just identifying them (if there is anything to identify). If your system is introject-heavy, or if you’re asking yourself if you’re just really interested in a character or if they’re a new headmate, this is an important step! Who is this? Are they an introject of some kind? Are they something or someone else? Is there anything to identify, per se, or is it just a situation of getting to know a whole new person? This is a very, very different step depending on your system, and is going to skew very much towards my own experiences. I’m sorry about that, but I will do my best!

If you’ve already established communication with this headmate, even if it’s shaky, you can try to get information from them that way. They might be willing to give you a name, a code name, a colour, an aesthetic, likes or dislikes, something you can use to familiarise yourself with them or identify them from a list of “suspects” if you have such a thing. (We always do, because we’re almost all fictives, and we know our own patterns at this point.) For us, new headmates almost never actually identify, and just sullenly sit while trying to figure themselves out and will only confirm who they are once we figure it out. It’s sort of like playing a mystery game, assembling clues based on a myriad of factors. If you have some suspicions, just like the previous step, you can try to bait out responses by doing things that might interest who you suspect this headmate might be.

Again, I suggest writing things down! Write down likes and dislikes, things that get their attention, interests, even things that make them anxious or afraid. Whether it’s a case of identification or just getting to know them, this is invaluable information for interacting with someone sharing a head with you, and it may even be helpful for them as they get their feet under them.

Another invaluable tool is talking to people outside of your system. They can help you identify when you’re acting unusually, when you might have someone unfamiliar riding co-conscious, and even who that person might be. You may be too tangled up in your own feelings, your dissociation, or the desperation to understand who is in your head with you. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds and lose sight of the big picture, but another friend, especially another system that knows you well, can be extremely helpful! One of our system friends has clocked many a headmate of ours before we were even certain they were there—just “hmm, you’ve been very much like X lately” and they were absolutely right. 

Regardless, taking notes on your new headmate, asking them about themselves, and sharing things about yourself are all important steps to getting to know them! They may be uncomfortable, they may distrust you, they may be afraid—or they could be friendly and excited to be here! It really depends on who it is and their comfort level. Don’t push—if they’re not comfortable talking yet, don’t make them! Let them adjust at their own pace and get to know them as they’re willing to let you. I know it can be distressing to have a totally unknown entity co-fronting with you, but sometimes it’s one of those things that you have to take a deep breath and carry on through until they’re willing to talk. I know you can do it! Talk through it with someone outside of your own head if it’s difficult to give yourself some fortitude if you need to. I know it helps me.

Step Four: Now What?

Let’s say that you’ve confirmed that you do have a headmate, and either have or are on the road to identifying them, if applicable. Now what?

As I’ve said before: be gentle with yourselves! Especially for a new or inexperienced system, and especially for someone who is just realising that they’re a system, this can be overwhelming, distressing, or any other number of emotions. Remember that having or gaining headmates isn’t inherently a bad thing, and while this all might take some getting used to, it’s going to be okay. You’ll figure out an equilibrium eventually, and it is absolutely possible to live a long, happy life with your headmates. Remember that you’re all in this together, and you’re a team.

People may not want you to notice them, may not want to be in the system, or may avoid attention as best they can for a lot of reasons, and trying to make them feel at home, or at least more comfortable, is essential. It can be scary being in a system all of a sudden, especially if they’re an introject or otherwise had a life outside or before this one. Maybe they don’t like the body, or are afraid of another headmate, or are terrified of a negative response from you or someone else. Don’t force these people into situations they’re not ready for! If you’re looking for someone, trying to identify them, or trying to help them, and you’re just causing a lot of distress, back off for a while. Let them calm down and come to you in their own time. Sometimes, you have to do the system equivalent of leaving cookies out on a plate and turning your back to them so that your new headmate can take them without being watched. Take things at the pace that you’re all the most comfortable with, and as always, be kind.

I really do suggest talking to someone about this process, if you can. Journal if you’d like, especially if you can’t trust anyone with this, or don’t feel comfortable doing so yet. Getting your words out of your head helps you sort them out a lot, especially in the case of systems, where a lot of people’s thoughts can get jumbled together. Writing them all down, even if you don’t know whose they are, can be helpful. We find that talking to other system friends is of the most benefit, and our new members are far more likely to speak to them first rather than us, because there’s a degree of separation and that’s more comfortable for them. Whatever works for you, do it! The idea is to get comfortable with each other, and with being here together.

Find things that your new headmate likes doing. Goratrix has a whole panel about this aimed at fictives, but essentially, if your new headmate doesn’t have reason to front and isn’t interested in anything, you probably won’t see much of them, and they may end up miserable. Make sure you engage with them and their interests. Let them make friends if they’d like. Get them snacks. Again: whatever works! This is going to depend very heavily on your system, so follow your gut instinct on this one, I think.

Absolutely essential, though, is to not repress anybody. I know sometimes getting a new headmate can be scary, especially if they’re unfamiliar, frightening, seemingly monstrous, or a persecutor, but remember: they’re probably just as freaked out as you are, if not more so, and they need patience and understanding. Statistically, if they’re doing something troublesome, they’re trying to help and just don’t know how, or are misguided on what “help” looks like. Be kind, and try to find a solution that works for everyone.

Past that… just get to know each other. Figure out how to live together and how to make your combined life the best life it can be. For us, there’s so many of us that someone new can almost always find a fast friend in someone else, and sticks with them for a while until they’re more used to the system and more confident fronting and doing things without their buddy. Other systems may be able to mimic this approach, or may need to do something very different. Again, again, again, do what works best for you! If parts of this guide seem unhelpful or counterproductive, ignore them! This is based on our experience of plurality, not yours. Always do what’s best for you, what helps the most of you, and what causes the least distress while still letting you function as much as you need to.

Being plural is a very personal experience, in a lot of ways, which is pretty funny because sometimes that personal experience is spread across two or twenty or five hundred people. It’s also a very personalized experience, meaning we’re all quite different. Your “now what?” might look very different from ours, and that’s okay. We can only do our best, and that’s always good enough.

I hope this is helpful to someone! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, and I may edit this guide in the future if it seems that I left something out or think of anything to add. =)

[maxwell-grant]

The Penguin Episode 4: Cent'anni Breakdown

She goes through all these different levels of all these different personas: excellent daughter, overachiever, and this horrific feral state in Arkham. And it's not until the yellow dress that she finds the one that fits.

Kind of like sharks can't stop moving or they sink. It's that relentless pursuit of justice.

This changes her forever. She never comes back. Something so much bigger than her takes over in order to survive - Cristin Milioti

This was pointed out to me by my friend and, show of hands everyone, who else thinks it's unbelievably fucking sick that it is Sofia who gets to show up at the Falcone dinner table, wearing a thematically appropriate embodiment of her childhood trauma, and do a "None of you are safe" speech?

(Episode 1) (Episode 2) (Episode 3) (Episode 5) (Episode 6) (Episode 7) (Episode 8)

It probably felt odd to spend time with Sofia when we’re in a show called The Penguin. But I think it’s just as important so you can understand Oz psychologically. Even though I don’t view Oz as a hero or a villain, he is a greater villain in the show than anyone else. And for you to feel that way, I think you have to understand his primary antagonist more. And that’s Sofia.” - Lauren LeFranc

I gotta say I'm generally not enthusiastic about Penguin being depicted as overtly disgusting, like drooling and eating raw fish and all that Burton stuff (actually I do think the black bile is cool, but only so far as as that version goes), but for that opening scene, that was a spectacularly well-placed bit of grossness. Like this sheer craven animalistic ugliness of DeVito's Penguin descending for a second to show us how Sofia sees Oz, and even how right she is to do so at the moment because holy shit hahahahahaha

From what we can see of Sofia's pre-Arkham life, she was basically the Meadow Soprano of the family: The smart, overachieving golden child, whose social standing and eligitibility for leadership wouldn't even be up for debate if she was born a man like her loser brother (love AJ, relate uncomfortably to AJ, he's not at all morally comparable to Alberto, but he is very much a loser). Socially conscious and sticking up for victims but only if you don't poke too closely at her victim-generating family business, aware of some things but willfully blind to her own hypocrisy and insistent that daddy is still in average a good man who isn't as bad as people around her may say he is. I'd even say that the Sofia we see here is a more moral person than Meadow, although obviously being the daughter of Carmine Falcone is a much scarier, more isolating and horrific prospect than growing up the daughter of Tony Soprano (the ways in which the two Sopranos kids diverged and majorly prefigured American socio-political developments that kicked off after the show is a topic for another post).

(Also, I don't really want to bring up Sopranos comparisons because the shows are similar, they're really not, but I finished The Sopranos yesterday so they're gonna come up still)

I think Mark Strong does a really good job here filling in for John Turturro's role, even if he's not quite as good in it as Turturro. I think he plays the character differently in a way that works really well for this being a past version of Carmine, filtered through Sofia's vision. He is imposing and quiet and mighty, a lone titan of unquestionable power over the entire world, not even remotely someone to be defied or displeased. Turturro's Falcone was charismatic and affable and oozing with unspeakable yet casual cruelty, and I would have liked that here, but I like the idea that we're seeing a Carmine from before he was invincible, when he still needed Sofia to help him get Congressman Hill on the phone and still worried about the future of the family at Alberto's hands, a Carmine from when the Maronis were still around and he wasn't the sole ruling power in Gotham, who could still possibly lose even without vigilante intervention.

He is larger, more imposing, a stern and stoic father who had little use for pleasantries, and with no mirth to be had at the expense of the little people who think they can do anything against him that matters, even if he is getting there. I think the difference here adds a nice little arc to Carmine: there was a time where he needed to keep up appearences, there was a time where he raised his voice above a whisper to get things done, and there was a time where he wasn't the real mayor of Gotham. There was a time where he was a "proper" Don, when he acted like his comics counterpart, and none of that really became necessary over the following decade, when he grew more and more invincible and isolated and comfortable in this nightmare he made the city into.

They also confirm here that apparently the Iceberg Lounge/44 Below existed way back when Oz was just Sofia's driver, and it was already Carmine's prostitute slaughterhouse even then and Alberto knew about it. Possibly explains why Oz was handed the club in the first place, because the Falcones already called him Sofia's penguin and putting The Penguin in charge of the Iceberg Lounge would fit their idea of a laugh (and given how much Oz hates being called Penguin, he would hardly come up with the name himself)

Lmao, those dog comparisons I keep making really don't stop justifying themselves.

Credit again to Mike Marino and the prosthetics team for this younger Oz make-up, he strikes a very nice middleground between current Oz and the one we see as a kid.

Really like what we see of Sofia and Oz's dynamic here, again reinforcing that for all intents and purposes he was the sidekick in her HBO protagonist life. We see how Sofia likes his company and how she even kinda defends him from the family, but she really cannot bring herself to respect him very much and disdains him from the same very upper-class perspective the rest of the family does, she's just nicer about it. And in turn we see parts of where Oz's resentment to her comes from, and also the extent to which Oz was always lying in wait for an opportunity to get ahead regardless of her, his justified grievances as well as him being a conniving fuck. The really thin line this treads though, is that it establishes that neither of them were lying about how they meant something to each other, even if it doesn't help.

Sofia did have her life ruined partially because of Oz, she did endure horrific things while he got a promotion because he ratted her out to Carmine, and he very much did in part because he wanted to get ahead and saw an opportunity to do so. But also, Oz genuinely had no idea that this is what Carmine would do, and I think in large part this was also about keeping himself safe. It's not even that unbelievable that he was genuinely looking out for her, because holy shit you do not talk to the press about Carmine Falcone, daughter or not, and he tried warning her in the car before she rebuffed him and insulted him pretty deep for good measure. If Sofia talked to the press and would not stop talking (since he didn't know in the car that she rebuffed Gleeson) and shit started happening because of her snooping around, he would have absolutely gotten punished/murdered for it, it is not at all a stretch to assume that Carmine would have done something to Oz as punishment to Sofia.

Oz didn't plan any kind of misfortune, at no point did he mastermind her admission into Arkham (or even help keep her there with the letters, like the rest of the family), he just told Carmine something he shouldn't have, and neither of them expected anything too terrible was gonna come out of it. They both wildly underestimated what a complete scumbag Carmine is, but with Carmine (and the others) gone, there's nobody else to turn those grievances to.

Even if Oz could claim deniability for the Arkham thing, which he kinda can't but Sofia even tried to grant him anyway, he sure as shit can't for everything else he does in the opening minutes.

Oh hey it's Mr Mustache With The Broken Nose.

A thing that came to mind when I was watching the episode was the story of Rosemary Kennedy, JFK's sister whose father arranged for her to be institutionalized and lobotomized at age 23 as a reponse to "difficult" behavior. I'm not recounting it in more detail here because the rest of it is just too horrific, look it up yourself if you're curious. I remembered it because reading about Rosemary Kennedy ruined my fucking day and it still pumps up the breaks in my train of thought every now and then, so it came to mind watching this story about a young woman horrifically institutionalized and butchered for the sake of her wealthy family's image. Later I heard the podcast, and turns out that actually was exactly what Lauren LeFranc based Sofia's story on, which was nice. I'm glad it also fucks Lauren LeFranc up and that we both agree she should have gotten to wreak revenge on the entire family over it, thank you Penguin Show that continues to be made for me, this was nice.

Oh hey, Magpie. Just the name, yeah, but that was another nice surprise. I used to have a bit of a soft spot for Magpie, occasionally I thought there was something to get out of her and Penguin together, so a part of me likes that they put Magpie in The Penguin show even if just in name. Yes, she only exists to be annoying and die, but that's what she already tends to do anyway. And y'know, much as I may like her, she is still a John Byrne character, so she doesn't really deserve much more than that

Jesus Christ this episode gets uncomfortable.

I like that this establishes that Julian Rush kinda did make an effort to help her and kinda felt bad about it, but not nearly enough, and that he is very much a complicit contemptible creep who has it coming as much as any of the people who put Sofia in there.

Cannot state enough how much I appreciate that they didn't put any actual named Batman villains in the Arkham Asylum episode, guarantee a lot of creators would not resist the temptation. I mean okay I guess there is a Ventris already in Batman but, come on, you know who I mean. This did not need any references to like, Jeremiah Arkham or Jonathan Crane or Hugo Strange or any of that, and that's not a diss on any of those guys, it's just that unlike pretty much every other Batman story, this episode does not undercut it's point about the horrific institutional horrors dehumanizing and destroying Sofia by pinning it on a chief boogeyman supervillain that Batman is going to fight later. Dr. Ventris is not responsible for the systemic rot that got her there nor is he the sole orchestrator/perpetrator of the abuse it's inmates suffer, he simply answers to those, and thus perpetuates them, by doing his job in a mental institution.

I am still haunted by the inmate committing suicide with a fork. It is so fucked up that Sofia was tortured and goaded by the doctors into murdering another inmate, and when that failed, they tortured her again and again and again until she snapped. The whole point was to push Sofia beyond the breaking point to justify further incarceration. The doctors just standing there letting her kill Magpie.

I want Dr.Rush to die.

I have more thoughts on Arkham, but I'd call this the most horrific take on Arkham so far, because it is the most honest take on Arkham so far. Even at it's most run-down and monstrous, it is usually never at all into question that Arkham Asylum is necessary, because if it wasn't there, all the crazies would run rampant in Gotham. Over the years, it's monstrousness has always been tied directly and specifically to it's inmates, and whenever people have pointed out the shoddy conditions and inhospitable environment of Arkham as a factor for repeat offenders, it's pretty much always as a fandom joke outside of Batman stories proper, and if there is anything wrong with the way the Asylum works, it is always the fault of particularly evil villains attached. A Lock-Up, a Jeremiah Arkham, a Hugo Strange, etc. Arkham Asylum is in general a Batman concept that's raised a lot of discussions and calls for revision over the years, and a lot of the issues with it tie into larger issues around superhero depictions of the carceral system, that @artbyblastweave went into here.

Here, in large part because this is a realistic world and a Gotham without a rampaging supervillain contingent of repeat offenders who can magically break out constantly, it is never into question that the patients are the victims of this system, and if they are being turned into potential supervillains, it is because of Arkham inflicting this on them. This is an Arkham Asylum that remains a nightmarish, horrific force in this world, but not because it's Castle Dracula where all the crazy villains hang out, not even just because the rest of Gotham is hopelessly rotten and corrupt, but because it's a mental institution and depicted accordingly. It gets to dig into the real life horrors mental institutions inflict on it's patients without having to justify those measures as benign or necessary to keep crazy crimes from happening. Frankly, this take on Arkham Asylum has been long overdue.

In every form of Batman media, just about the worst thing that can happen at any given moment is Arkham Asylum falling and it's inmates escaping into the streets, that's generally what happens when Batman needs to deal with apocalyptic stakes (which is why of course it happens all the fucking time now). Here, that scenario would be regarded with cheer, because the worst thing that can happen in this universe is being sent to Arkham Asylum. It isn't just Batman's unofficial personal prison / punching gallery, if anything it massively raises the stakes on this Batman's next adventures, because now we know this is what's waiting for him if he gets caught and unmasked.

I like that Sofia and Oz are both trying to save/protect those they see as younger versions of themselves, while inflicting on them the kinds of tragedies that ultimately created them

Oz reached out to this poor disabled kid from the streets and is showing him the ropes, while also belittling him as a nobody and distorting his worldview and dragging him into life or death cornered scrapdog situations chipping away at his morals. Sofia saves her little niece who laughs at bad table manners and doesn't quite do what her family says, gently lulling her to sleep so she can kill her mom and her entire family.

Extremely important that Sofia Falcone makes her formal arrival as a villain by showing up dressed in a sexy yet fitting extension of her trauma / cultural reference (The Yellow Wallpaper / the walls in her mother's bedroom), before putting on a mask and enacting Gotham's first Mass Casualty Gas Attack, we love to see it.

I was frankly already calling Sofia one of my favorite Bat-villains even before this episode, I'm just glad everyone seems to be on the same page with me now. I'm seeing a lot of posts on Twitter and Instagram talking about how they're rooting for Sofia instead of Oz, that she deserves to win this war, and good, fucking amazing that they're doing this, again, this show is hitting home runs I could not have foreseen.

It is incredible what a character they've made out of Sofia, and the fact that we now see Oz as her antagonist as much as we see Sofia as his, and the fact that if Penguin wins, he will win this as a villain. He will steal a victory he does not deserve and rub it in your face and he will make the children of the world cry for it as any villain worth his name should be doing, and it frankly wouldn't be much of a fight if Sofia wasn't every bit the complicated, engaging protagonist he is. Lauren LeFranc claimed that she sees Sofia is the closest the show has to a hero even if she is not, and this is the episode that sold everyone on it.

Halfway through the show and it's only gotten better and better, can't wait for what's coming next.

[cod-dump]

Nikpricegraves thoughts, special delivery!

Nik getting more grey in his hair, and neither Price or Graves wants to bring it up, because they don't know how Nik feels about it. They dom't want to make him feel self-conscious.

So they wait. And Nik finally brings it up, very casually (fronting like hell) musing aloud that he might color the grey so people don't think their evac pilot is too old.

And maaaaybe Price and Graves wanted their responses to be a liiiittle more restrained, a little more level-headed. But they weren't.

Price: You are not TOUCHING that silver--

Graves: Like HELL you're--absolutely not!

Price: Anyone lucky enough to have you picking him up has no right to complain about that!

Graves: And it's sexy as hell anyway!

Price: Exactly, you're fuckin gorgeous.

Nik: ... Thank you?

Nik was a very confident man. He was sure of himself, comfortable in his own skin and almost never doubted himself. But seeing the thin stripes of silver in his hair… he wasn’t too confident on it. The reality of him being old was setting in and he wasn’t very happy about it.

Nik never gave the thought of him getting old much thought considering he didn’t think he would get this far, especially not with his constant flirting with death. He never thought about how he would feel about growing grey, and now that it was here, highlighting his temples? Nik felt his heart squeeze, uncertainty making his chest tight.

Worse part was that neither his husband or boyfriend had mentioned anything about the grey, which just added to his uncertainty about it. He’s caught them whispering about it, both immediately cutting themselves off upon noticing him. He’s caught them staring, again no comments about it. Nik knows they had noticed it, of course they did. They notice everything new or different about him, most of the time even before he’s noticed it.

He didn’t like their silence and was choosing to assume the worst. But he kept quiet, just like how they were choosing to stay quiet. The topic of greying hair wouldn’t come up until one night while they ate dinner. He couldn’t help but stare at their own hair, how he would’ve noticed if John had started to grey (surprising he hadn’t by this point). The silver would’ve been noticeable amongst his dark brown hair, within his beard. It would be undeniably attractive.

Phil greying would been less noticeable considering his golden hair. There would’ve needed to be quite a few grey hairs before it was obvious and even then it would blend nicely with the gold strands. It would add to the American’s charm. Both would carry silver has crowns yet… Nik couldn’t determine that about himself. Couldn’t see himself with it, even as it took residence within his hair.

“I think I need to start investing in hair dye.”

The speed in which Phil turned his head to look at him made Nik fear he would break his neck. John just froze mid bite, eyes looking up to stare at him. Nik kept his usual level of smug confidence about him even though he wasn’t feeling anything remotely similar. Phil swallows his food, taking a deep swig of his water before he glares at him.

“Over my dead body.”

Nik blinked in surprise, his facade cracking.

“Nik, my love, if you do that you’d break my heart,” John added, staring intensely at him.

Nik looked between his partners before he cleared his throat, “Right-“

“Nikky, I’m serious,” Phil said firmly, “That silver is so fucking hot and if you dye it I’ll probably cry.”

“I second that,” John said very seriously.

Nik couldn’t help but laugh at their seriousness. Phil stood and walked behind him fingers going into his hair which of course caused Nik to lean back and practically melt. John stood as well and walked over.

“Should’ve known something was up when you hadn’t said anything. Big, bad Nikolai, insecure over some grey hairs.”

Nik huffs, closing his eyes as Phil continued to play with his hair, “I am not insecure.”

“You just said you wanted to dye it.”

Nik huffs, he could hear Phil’s smirk. He mustered up an unamused frown, which was immediately chased away by a well placed kiss from John. Nik was choosing to be annoyed in order to hide how relieved he felt about their approval. The two would probably pry that confession out of him later when it wouldn’t add onto their smugness over his unusual lack of confidence.

“You might want to prepare for when we return from leave, the boys are definitely going to say something when they notice.”

Nik snorts, “If they have a problem with their transport getting grey then they can cry about it.”

“Cry and complain, with bad jokes on the side.”

By the time they returned from leave, Nik would regain his rock solid confidence. And some jokes of his own because what is an old man without his jokes?

[fairuzfan]

As an american myself I can understand why people are so scared that arab-americans are refusing to vote for biden since im terrified of what trump will do to our country. I very much feel forced to choose between two very evil people where i have to choose who will probably do less overall damage. But yelling at arab-americans isnt the right move. Im terrified at what decisions ill have to make with voting, but its not like all arab-americans who refuse to vote for biden are trump supporters and in fact many of them were going to vote for biden before october 7. I dont know what we should do about voting, but yelling at grieving arab-americans who cant bring themselves to vote for biden when biden helped kill their family is just wrong. I get the fear, i really do because i feel it too, but that doesnt make it right.

Like as a disabled person I'm pretty nervous about trump presidency ngl. I need meds that allow me to function on a day to day basis. But I cannot in good conscious vote for the man that killed my family's loved ones. Not to give too much info but a family member's best friend was Heba Abu Nada... when they learned of her death they cried for three days straight and asked me not to say any news about Palestine for a week back in October. Even when I told them that Heba's poem became viral, they just nodded at me and said "a lot of talented people in Gaza died" before going quiet, staring out in the distance. That's something that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I can't bare to think of voting for the man that caused that amount of sorrow to anyone. So imagine every single Palestinian family — they all have their own stories and their own grief. So telling them "that means absolutely nothing" and being told to suck it up isn't going to make anyone want to trust you that you have people's best interests in heart. I don't know. It just is so so obvious how little people care about other people and to me that's the most.... shocking thing.

[esotericfaery]

Pluto in Aquarius, After Capricorn

This is the planet of endings, intense upheaval and clearing the way for new beginnings.

Pluto leaves ambitious Capricorn for revolutionary Aquarius on Jan. 21st, then is back in Capricorn from Sept. 3rd to Nov. 19th, and then He settles into Aquarius for about twenty years, until March 8th, 2043.

With Pluto in Capricorn we’ve seen the slow breaking down of structures, plus exposing of issues with governments, rules and traditions. Pluto works socially / politically, but also personally. We see radical transformations in beginning stages.

In Aquarius, Pluto is much more about what happens next with social groups, communities and friends, humanitarianism, scientific inventions & progress, and individuality.

Aquarius pushes strongly for reform of all social structures, through idealism, equality or equity, technology, freedom, and a highly mental energy more than emotional, while Pluto brings in strict and transformative energy related to duties, responsibilities, & personal and social value systems.

Through issues of power and control, this energy causes strange, and intensely dramatic events to occur; even more so than the events of the last few years. This can cause a complete overhaul of society, and we could be living in a very different world in twenty years.

The last time Pluto was in Aquarius, the following impactful events occurred therein, or shortly thereafter, in no particular order: The Industrial Revolution, The French Revolution, and revolutions for America concerning their civil war, Haiti, and many more intensely dramatic social changes and shifts in power structures. I recommend learning more about that time, but I won’t make this post too long by going into that stuff further. We can expect that for this one also, critical issues will come up, and big changes will happen on the world stage, and within if we do conscious work. Irma Kaye Sawyer has mentioned that the American Civil War took place while Pluto was in Taurus. There has been some discussion about dates, and confusion online. Some are saying the American Revolutionary War was when Pluto was in Aquarius. As we're Astrologers on social media, not Historians, it isn't clear. If anyone would like to share specifics, please feel free to comment, with links if possible. If you're an American, maybe you remember those dates from high school history.

This is a gigantic opportunity for purging and renewal when the proper introspection happens and is followed with the right actions being taken.

If you’ve been seeing the Tower card a lot lately, it will certainly have something to do with Pluto. This manifests as personal, and or social / political events, depending on who and where we are in life. We can find the best ways to go through this rebirthing energy, or fight against it and make the experience more difficult for ourselves.

Over this twenty year period, we should work closely with Plutos transits, to see where we need to confront issues such as jealousy, paranoia or obsession, and find personal growth. All important transits are covered weekly in my Astrology affirmations series.

Pluto pushes for wisdom through confronting and transforming adversity, and Aquarius encourages standing up for the people whenever it’s right to do so, and causing real change.

[house-of-slayterr]

beloved <3 what are you Halsin headcanons??

ps do you also like the polymance w Astarion? i wanna know your takes!! <3

Omg ok it’s happening!!! Ahhhh!

Halsin:

Halsin attempts to be a gentle man in his conscious actions. He wants to be soft and cause as little unnecessary harm as possible. That being said, with his size that’s a difficult thing to be. I feel he grows frustrated easy when he accidentally breaks things (or people). But on the flip side, if you unleash his rage, this hardly a way to put a lid on it. He’s a large beast, and as such, it seems so are his emotional states. He is terrifying to the enemy and it’s such a harsh contrast to him off the battle field when he’s safe and happy. It’s something I think sets him aside more than the other companions.

Halsin is also a patient man. It takes a lot of patients and self control to be someone with his gifts. The world is lucky his quicker to compassion than to draw his claws, and bear his teeth. I feel like he’s one to give several warnings.

He’s a very goofey guy. This man has a full belly laugh like good old American Santa Klaus. All of camp can hear it when you make him laugh. The best place to be in the world is with him lying on his back, and you on top of him during a sunset as you try to tell little stories to feel his chest rumble. It lulls you to sleep like a purring cat after awhile, like a sleeping agent for your heart, calming it in all the chaos. (Bear cubs can purr like cats sometimes and it’s adorable)

He’s an old romantic. I feel like this man like to try to play things by the book in his head. He knows what relationships are supposed to look like and sound like and he sounds so stiff when he starts off by using his “script” it works because by the gods does he have that shit down to pretty much a sex science at this point, knowing exactly what to say to get what he wants. But that’s not what draws you in. It’s the potential of getting the spontaneity out of him. Getting him to say things he normally wouldn’t, how he normally wouldn’t. Add people he normally wouldn’t. He’s a very flexible man, he’s happy as long as you’re happy. But his best flirting comes when he’s tried, or angry, or those rare moment he gets jealous. Lord help you if Halsin is jealous and the solution is he can’t just have both of you- good luck walking anytime soon.

He’s very in tune with his emotions. He’s a sensitive guy. I mean he loves ducks for fucks sake. This man is precious. He will treat you as if you are such too. Everyone is small and fragile compared to him. He’ll protect your body, mind, soul and feelings with his life. Defend you with his last breath, do anything just to bring a smile to your face. This man is nothing if not devoted 100% to what he does. He starts to become in touch with your emotions too. Being able to sense them from halfway across camp and always comes running ready to be your Druid in shining armour

Now Astarion is a different beast literally , literally… he is a vampire. I wouldn’t say there’s much in common between vampires and Bears. I’d say other than their insatiable appetites. This spritely little elf is more akin to a cat than a bear.

The dynamic is different apart of course, but if you’re with Halsin first, he’ll notice. He’s not an idiot, far from it actually. He pays close attention to his darling and their needs and wants. Especially when it comes to body language. He wouldn’t exactly be mad you’re attracted to Astarion, he can’t blame you. He’d be more upset the longer he observed this attraction grow and you either said or did nothing about it.

I know I said earlier Halsin is a patient man, but one thing he’s not patient for is watching you “suffer” which might be a dramatic word in this case (Astarion would find it quite fitting, you suffering without his love) he will call you out on this attraction quite quickly and ask as politely and openly as possibly what you want to do about it. It’s no secret the wood elf may also find said vampire attractive.

Astarion would agree too it, not without some fuss at first, calming theatrics of wanting you all to himself but it’s fine to share with some “oaf” as if he too is not attracted to the Druid. Honestly if you keep your sanity during this phase of the relationship, congratulations love, you’ve survived the hardest hardship in all of Baulder’s gate.

But once that awkward phase is over. RIP your legs again. RIP your everything actually. Bestie are you sure you want to do this? A bear and a vampire. In love and obsessed with you… wanting to ravage you body at your earliest convince pretty much multiple times a day when they can? Yeah yeah- you’re totally sane, totally cool, totally normal. The rest of your companions aren’t looking at you like you’re the scariest motherfucker to ever walk this earth. Between the bite marks and the claw marks, and let’s be honest now you’ve probably dislocated a hip at least once- how are you feeling? Truly. That being said, they do go easy on you sometimes and give you a break and let you watch them go at each other , and boy is that a sight. (I’m not drooling, you’re drooling)

It’s the after sex but that’s really what you carve though. The part that makes you feel safe and whole and loved. They wouldn’t dare part from you even if the entire camp was engulfed in flames in that moment. Nothing could pry them from their lovers side. They look at you like you put the moon on the sky, the your he very reason their hearts beat, like you’re the only reason they’re still fighting (probably half the reason they’re still standing, let’s be honest, you’ve saved they’re asses more than enough times and they’re so greatful for that) but it’s these moments that you crave. There simple, full of love and lust and simple honest words and looks and touches. Everything so easy, and feels right.

It would be a moment like this one of your boys would choose to make this arrangement permanent. Perhaps Astarion with an off handed comment. Something about “well maybe we should just wed eternally, I hear honeymoon sex is even better” he would grin like a vampire at a blood bank. And it would be silly, but it would be genuine. Halsin would make him try again and give you something proper later if you asked. Or on the flip side, after a hard battle, Halsin would scoop you both up in his arms kissing you each deeply and say “we ahh like join our hearts as one, so we never fear one it’s like to be apart” and even though the situations not ideal and you may be exhausted and covered and dirt and blood and whatever else, it’s the three of you and that’s what matters.

The sleeping arrangements are simple. It’s always Halsin’s tent. That man in massive. Astarion won’t admit it but he creeps into his tent about halfway through each night, never wanting to start on his arms but always craving them. And you sleep happily on top of him, squishing both your boys as close to you as possible. And they wouldn’t have it any other way. They love you and you love them, it’s plain for all the world to see.

AN: sorry if this is bad, I don’t own the game, all I have to go on is fan fics, behind the scenes, fan info, and watching my friends play the game and info dump about it. If anything is inaccurate I’m so sorry 😭 I tried based on how I view them at least.

[tanadrin]

Are you totally against the concept of evil?

In the sense that "evil" is a value judgement, being "against the concept of evil" is like being "against the concept of stinky." People have their opinions about what they think is evil and what they think is not, just like they have their opinions about what they think smells good and what they think smells bad. Indeed, in this sense "evil" is just a particularly strong condemnation of things we find morally bad.

That said, as a value judgement, I don't find it a very useful one. Even among people who profess to want to think deeply about difficult moral questions, when the word "evil" is raised, it is being used as a thought-terminating cliche, a signpost that says "I am unwilling to be challenged on this opinion further." Like, I see this a lot in rat-adj types here on tumblr who would balk at you shutting down a conversation on sexual ethics or economics or recreational drug use with a cry of "evil!" using it the exact same way when it comes to their own ethical bugbears.

And the reason that a cry of "evil!" shuts down conversations more than even other pure value judgements is that it doesn't appeal to anything, except an affective sense of ethics. If I say (for example) "legalizing weed would be bad, because of consequentialist concerns X, Y, and Z," or "foreign military intervention is bad, because we ought to adopt a strong deontological rule against violating other states' sovereignty," then you might disagree, but at least there is a conceptual basis for our disagreement. If we want to have a conversation about it, we could; it might be a frustrating conversation where neither convinces the other, but we can at least understand each other in principle, even if we continue to disagree quite strongly.

But if I say, "we cannot legalize weed, because doing drugs is evil," or "we should disband the American military, because the Pentagon is evil," what is there to discuss? We're no longer talking about beliefs about the world, just attitudes. If someone thinks I am or believe something that is evil, what am I supposed to do with that? Yelling "you are evil," or "you believe evil things" is not going to change anybody's mind. It's not going to shock them out of their moral complacency, they're not gonna think "oh, this person think I am a bad person, I should really care what they think." Of course not! They're gonna think "oh, this person is an asshole," or, even less productively, "no, you're evil!", and the traditional way of resolving those kinds of conflicts is burning an entire continent to the ground.

Nowadays, we mostly just have shitty flame wars, but those are still kind of unpleasant and I would prefer to avoid them. I can't tell you or anybody else how to use language or how to think, but if someone were asking my advice, I would say: when you have the reflexive feeling of outrage and disgust that you associate with "evil," it's worth reflecting on 1) what your actual moral objection is, and 2) the reason why someone might actually believe or do something you think is evil. And that's not "because they're evil." Again, that is a value judgement, not an explanation! No one goes around thinking to themselves, "today I shall be evil because I love evil."

I must emphasize that making value judgements is not bad. Making value judgements is a necessary component of living in the world and thinking about ethics and caring about other people. But on the basis that "evil" seems particularly prone to being reified as an objective force in the world, and a value judgement that suffices for and replaces actual understanding, I have made a self-conscious effort to exclude it from my analytical vocabulary.

[writtenjewels]

One Bed

Salim watched Jason out of the corner of his eye, waiting for the other man to look upset. Instead, Jason just let out a grunt and dropped his suitcase in a corner. Salim kept waiting, but Jason was now messing with the curtains and the room's air conditioning system. He didn't seem bothered at all by their situation.

In all fairness, there was nothing wrong with the room. It had a decent view, a television and landline phone if they wanted to call for room service, a bathroom, a little mini-bar, a comfortable chair and even a desk. There was only one problem: Salim was sure he booked a room with two beds. His eyes darted over to Jason. The younger man had satisfied himself with the room's temperature and was surfing television stations.

“Should I--?” Salim began.

“Sorry, I'm a night owl,” Jason interrupted. “I'll turn off the television if it bugs ya.”

“No, that's all right. I'm not very tired right now, anyway.”

“Well, then.” Jason grabbed the chair from the desk and dragged it over next to the one he was using. “Park your ass here, grab a snack from the mini-bar. Enjoy some American television.” He seemed so relaxed that Salim couldn't help feeling more at ease. Maybe he was making too big a deal of the bed. After all, as soldiers they both had to sleep in all sorts of conditions.

Except it was a very different thing sleeping next to a fellow soldier in the cold or rain, and sleeping next to someone in a comfortable bed.

Salim opened the mini-bar to distract himself. “These snacks are much smaller than I was expecting,” he commented.

“That's how they get ya,” Jason answered. “Make ya rack up a bill with the snacks. Maybe we can just do room service.”

“Isn't that more expensive?” Salim wondered.

“Who cares? We deserve it.” That was true. Salim conceded to Jason ordering, settling on the chair to watch whatever program was on.

The evening went on with them eating through snacks and laughing at the shows. Salim started to get tired around ten, but managed to fight it until eleven. He kept missing pieces of the show, and didn't realize at first it was because he was nodding off. The next time he opened his eyes, the television was off.

“You didn't have to do that,” he protested.

“It's getting late and there's nothin' good on at this hour,” Jason shrugged. Salim got up and stretched, then hesitated, staring down at his clothes. Not the sort of attire that would be comfortable sleeping in. “Embarrassed by your PJ's?” Jason guessed.

“No.”

It was a little ridiculous to feel self-conscious. It wasn't like he was trying to impress Jason or anything. Salim went through his luggage and pulled out some pajamas. He considered going into the bathroom to change, but that also seemed ridiculous. They were both men, weren't they? Both soldiers, both having seen other male bodies in various states of undress. He shook his head and started working off his clothes. He could hear Jason pulling out some sleep attire, too.

Salim looked over. “Oh, my god,” he gasped. “You have hair!”

“Shut up, asshole!” Jason snapped, throwing a shirt at his face. Salim just laughed. Seeing Jason without his hat was a strange experience. Somehow it made him look more naked than being shirtless, though that was certainly an intriguing image.

Even after over a year spent in Iraq, the marine was very pale. His muscles were firm, his build lean, and his chest smooth. Then Jason dropped his trousers and Salim was surprised to see the boxer-briefs. For some reason, he was expecting Jason to go commando. He turned to his own task of dressing for bed. He didn't always wear shirts or bottoms to bed. Salim's eyes darted to Jason and caught the marine looking at him.

“You wanna use the bathroom first?” Jason asked.

“Sure.”

Still no comments about their situation. Salim washed up and got under the covers with Jason joining him. The light clicked off and there they were, sharing a bed. Salim could feel Jason next to him even though he tried giving a little space. He lay there with hands folded and stared at the ceiling.

“This is weird,” Jason declared.

“I was waiting for you to say so.”

“I didn't want to. You didn't seem to mind, and I didn't wanna seem like I was complainin'.”

“I thought you didn't mind,” Salim countered, turning his head to look at Jason. “I can go to the front desk.”

“Nah.” Jason shrugged. “I'm all settled in and comfy now. It ain't too bad for a few nights.” Salim let out a soft noise. “What about you?” Jason asked.

“I don't know,” Salim mused. “Do you snore? Do you squirm around?” He got a head shake for both questions. “Then I suppose 'it ain't too bad.'” Jason let out a snort and rolled so he was turned in Salim's direction.

“Hearin' you use the word 'ain't' is the funniest shit.”

“I play the long game in getting you to laugh at my jokes, jarhead.” That only made Jason laugh again, his dark eyes twinkling. “You should have let me tell you the one down in the catacombs,” Salim continued. “It was a good one.”

“Tell me now.”

“No, sorry, the moment has passed.”

“Asshole,” Jason chided, and this time it was Salim who laughed. Salim shifted in the bed to face Jason.

“You really aren't tired at all, are you?”

“Nope. But you don't gotta stay up with me.”

“I seem to have found my second wind,” Salim said. He had a feeling it was because of Jason. It was the same as when they were in the catacombs: whenever Salim felt tired or disheartened, Jason's conversation and presence kept him going. “I don't want to get out of bed, though,” he added.

“These sheets are pretty nice,” Jason agreed. “The thread count's probably higher than my military paycheck.”

They fell quiet. Looking at Jason from this angle was a little strange. Seeing him in darkness was nothing new, but without his hat Jason looked so different. His hair was a little longer than a military buzz, and Salim could actually see his eyes. Salim followed the silver chain of Jason's dog-tags down to where they rested on his chest. He had the strange impulse to touch the flat metal.

“Salim,” Jason spoke up. “This is kinda nice.”

“It ain't too bad,” Salim agreed, pleased when Jason laughed.

“G'night,” Jason sighed, rolling away.

“Good night,” Salim echoed. He rolled over as well.

No, he wasn't going to go report the mistake. Three more nights of sharing a bed with Jason. He didn't mind that arrangement at all.

[familyabolisher]

ive been intrigued by ur recent posts about glass onion, and i was wondering: did you have similar issues with knives out, or do you feel that glass onion's weaknesses are unique to that film?

i think that knives out suffers from the same liberal sensibilities as glass onion, though glass onion was noticeably more smug and self-important in its conviction of its own political significance. if anything, i think the shift in political logics governing how rian johnson tackles the detective genre between knives out and glass onion makes for a very effective synecdoche of the changing sensibilities of the wealthy american liberal class between 2019 and 2022. knives out is very much a product of the trump era, when american border violence was front and centre of liberal discourses (and broadly understood to be the consequence of a republican presidency rather than a necessary prerequisite to the maintenance of the settler-colonial regime itself). the ethos at the heart of the detective fiction template is one of affirming the necessity and moral integrity of policing and moving the image of policing away from an overtly political register towards one in which crime is predominantly interpersonal, and a contemporary piece that looks to build on the detective genre and grapple with its political accountabilities should reasonably be expected to challenge this notion. certainly there are gestures made to the role that policing plays in upholding border violence in knives out – a significant part of the stakes of the film come from the dangers of police involvement in the case when marta’s mother is undocumented – but at the end, ransom is arrested, marta gets the inheritance, the courts step in to administer justice, and this is presented as a satisfying ending, in keeping with the traditional end to detective fiction. knives out, whilst conscious of systemic violence to some very liberal degree, still closes with the assumption that i think most liberals of 2019 would have taken at face value; that ransom being arrested and marta getting the inheritance was enough, that that in itself was a politically expedient depiction. 

between 2019 and 2022, the american liberal sentiment around policing underwent a sea change; the 2020 BLM uprisings in the wake of the murder of george floyd introduced a liberal articulation of police abolition to people who would previously have thought of that idea as an extremist commie position. this was ofc watered down to calls to ‘defund the police’ and other such electoralist bullshit, but the idea that the criminal justice system served the interests of capitalists and enforced white supremacy such that Black people were subject to police brutality was now something that had taken root in the liberal psyche. the idea of a metaphysical notion of justice being served when the perpetrator is arrested at the end of the detective story just wouldn’t quite gel with the american liberal in the way it might have in 2019 (though perhaps this imagines american liberals to be more serious about the politics of policing than they are; at the very least, i think rian johnson seems to have been tuned in to this shift in awareness around what policing is and does, and intended to tackle this). hence how, at the end of glass onion, we see benoit blanc acknowledge that his power to deliver ‘justice’ to miles bron is limited to the powers that he answers to, ie. the police and the courts, and that miles’ wealth + the lack of ‘evidence’ that would be afforded legitimacy in a court of law made prosecuting him impossible. stymied by the system’s inability to deliver ‘justice,’ he galvanises helen to – essentially – destroy miles’ property instead. (& in doing so ofc makes prosecution possible; the fuel that bron was developing is proven to be dangerous, his friends redeem themselves in the eye of the narrative by agreeing to testify against him, etc. – the narrative trips over itself a little as it tries to guide the viewer towards a deliverance of ‘justice’ outside of the courts only to bring our focus back there after all.) there’s a new sense that the criminal justice system doesn’t serve the interests of Black people, that it serves the interests of elon musk-types, and that destruction of private property constitutes an understandable response to such a fundamentally unfair system, but it’s not really … developed into a meaningful or original anti-capitalist or anti-racist ethos as much as it just reflects what american liberals have managed to absorb into their worldview. 

anyway, knives out is still broadly v toothless when it comes to ‘saying’ anything about wealth or capitalism or border violence or racism. harlan thrombey, though a wealthy patriarch, is understood to merit a significant degree of sympathy and appreciation from the audience, because 1. he is, putatively, ‘self-made’; all the ‘dislike’ for wealthy people on the part of the audience is channelled towards his children who are presented as spoiled and vacuous and thus undeserving of his inheritance (which, when picked at, is a fundamentally capitalist sentiment that reifies meritocracy); 2. he is intelligent, which goes back to what i criticised about glass onion – so-called ‘intelligence’ and fluency in ‘culture’ is a white supremacist class marker, and failing to interrogate these concepts or ask if a wealthy person with these supposed assets is still a wealthy person complicit in the same violence as the wealthy person who lacks them is a critical failing of an anti-capitalist narrative that near enough collapses it into old money complaining about the uncultured nouveau-riche; 3. he knows marta’s mother is undocumented and wants to protect her from police investigation, which is supposed to endear us to him despite the fact that he had this knowledge and did nothing for her or marta until he himself died, and 4. he participates in what a liberal imaginary might claim constitutes a ‘redistribution of wealth’ in allowing marta to inherit his capital + assets, which in practice only imagines a shift in ownership over the means of production & capital into the hands of marginalised people to constitute an effective counter to racist border violence. (very good post here identifying how marta’s inheritance of the thrombey’s estate plays into the same great replacement logics that the film wants to refute.) marta is seen as a worthy heroine and inheritor of his wealth because she, unlike the thrombey family, ‘deserved’ it – she’s kind, and intelligent, and makes a ‘useful’ social contribution through working as a nurse, and is so driven by an ontological ‘goodness’ that she can’t even tell a lie without vomiting. i appreciate that some of those characteristics are in keeping with what makes for a compelling heroine of the detective genre, but it just makes me wonder — does the film not hang on to a sense of there being ‘deserving’ vs ‘undeserving’ immigrants? would the film have so strongly insisted on marta’s ‘right’ to inherit american wealth and american power had she not been played by a white actress/had she been, say, ‘morally ambiguous’/unemployed/homeless/criminalised? it’s a very palatable narrative, and one that doesn’t really challenge liberal sensibilities or take serious aim at hegemony. 

i do think knives out was at its most compelling when it made the point about how people with wealth and power might well identify themselves at almost any point on the political ‘spectrum,’ but will all unite when it comes to the preservation of capital. unfortunately, this collapses in on itself a little with the suggestion that a concentration of capital of the sort that the thrombeys hold/held is fine as long as it’s in the hands of the ‘right’ person, and rings a little hollow considering … the rest.

i don’t believe the detective genre is inherently, irreparably reactionary – disco elysium, for example, is a work of detective fiction that clearly sets out to interrogate and undermine the reactionary ethos that powers its genre touchstones, and by and large does succeed – but i do think that the fact of the genre having emerged out of the development of modern policing with intent to affirm certain paradigms (the ‘individual’ rather than systemic nature of crime and punishment, the integrity of the law and its enforcement as upholding a metaphysical notion of justice that extends beyond capitalist hegemony, the naturalisation of the modern policing system) is something that contemporary creators have to be prepared to tackle, and i think rian johnson has yet to tackle any of that effectively.

[strdwvlly]

i know a gazillion people have done this already but... i'm gonna post my stardew valley bachelor/ette age hcs + my reasoning hehe

to start this off, i want to say that this is based on what concernedape said about all of them being 20+ but they're also all my personal hcs so i understand if you disagree!

ok that being said, here we go

- maru: 22. she works as a nurse as well as helping her dad with research, i think she's young but not Too young ykwim? demetrius is also really strict so it adds to her seeming young

- penny: 23. it seems like she's been teaching the kids for a few years already even though she hasn't gone to college yet, she also seems older than she is cus she's had to parent her mother :/

- sam: 25. since he lives at home, i think people think he's younger but tbf i know a lot of mid 20 somethings who live at home (me included until recently). i also think jodi and kent had him really young, like 18ish, typical military couple situation

- sebastian: 27. he remembers a time before robin married demetrius so he has to be at least 4 years older than maru, and i think he's a little older because i don't think robin gave birth immediately after getting remarried

- abigail: 23. she's comfortable hanging out with sam and sebastian but definitely seems younger than them, plus she's doing online school which tends to take longer than traditional uni

- alex: 20. to be honest he just seems like the youngest to me, he still wears his varsity jacket and has big dreams of playing gridball and stuff. also a lot of unresolved trauma.

- haley: 22. she's bratty but in a cute tsundere way which makes me think she might be on the younger side. plus she gives me (and everyone else) huge closeted lesbian vibes, so i feel like she hasn't fully come into her identity yet

- emily: 30. i feel like there's a significant age gap between her and haley cus she has second mom vibes and they also seem to have some friction in terms of responsibilities because emily does a lot for haley

- leah: 31. she gives me huge "i hit 30 and realized i needed to change my entire life" energy when she talks about leaving her ex and moving to stardew valley

- harvey: 34. i think he's the oldest, like he doesn't feel ancient but at the same time he had to have gone through med school and his residency so 34 feels comfortable

- shane: 31. he seems older because of the depression and the trauma, but i don't think he's past his early 30s yet, he kinda stopped taking care of himself so it just looks that way

- elliott: 32. he's got big "phd student who abandoned a career in academia to write his great american novel" type vibes, and he's not really self conscious about being very poetic and flowery so i think he's out of his tumultuous twenties

[nekropsii]

You are truly the strongest HS fan out here. Respect o7

Hope your askbox is normal soon king

I will be truthful, I have genuinely not gotten nearly as much flack as other creators have for pointing out the same thing. It’s just that most other creators, when discussing this, have committed the grievous crime of being openly Black… And feeling the effects of that harassment way more, because it tends to hit them like a freight train. So many people checking their tone, shooting their criticism down because they’re openly upset about it and reacting to their harassment, playing dumb, et cetera.

Apparently, so I’ve noticed, people seem to perceive me as white and therefore not having had any connection to any Black person or community at any point in my life… Which is a double-edged sword, because that seems to make a lot more people willing to listen to what I have to say, and also gives some people immediate leeway to ignore the things I am saying, or even accuse me of being “the real racist” for just recognizing that racism is present in the first place.

Hi. I am Native American. I am mixed race. My stepfather since before I was conscious to adulthood was a Black man. I live and grew up in the Bible Belt, in a very racially diverse city. I have known and loved many other people of color. We are brothers in arms. I have known nothing but love, kindness, and acceptance in their communities, and Black kids were the first and fastest ones to accept my Queer identity and help fight for me without question when others refused to respect it. I’ve been the victim of racism, and I’ve also been expected to ignore racism, depending on how I’m perceived in the moment.

I think I have a far more complex relationship with race than a lot of people seem to perceive of me, judging by some cute little comments I’ve received.

How dare anyone respond to someone pointing out racism by throwing all the gotchas they can think of at them without even bothering to do any self reflection as to why they’re so hellbent on ignoring their points? Why? Just for their own personal momentary comfort? That’s far whiter than saying that a known Anti-Black Racist did another Anti-Black Racism when he practically ran through the Wikipedia article for Anti-Black Stereotypes as his inspiration for a character while actively being in a phase of his life where he was casually dropping the N-Word.

I think the most ironic thing is how people will jump to calling me white. For what? What triggers that? They don’t even realize that they’re doing a funny little Blood Quantum check. That, like, Turbo Racism. Calling me white is not only not true, it’s a tool of Genocide. Very cute. Very quirky.

[riddledeep]

Dale's Full Character Profile

🍋 Chronically stressed owner of Dimmadome Global, Dimmazon, Dimm-'N-Out Burgers, and the Dome Zone Indoor Amusement Park (Coming soon)

🍋 Son of real estate tycoon Doug Dimmadome (Owner of the Dimmsdale Dimmadome)

🍋 Husband of energetic slice-of-life travel vlogger Hadley Harrington... and father of Dev, I guess

🍋 Billionaire non-philanthropist

🍋 Late Daddy's not-pride and not-joy (It's fine; he's fine)

Notable Riddleverse ‘fic spoilers. Your mileage may vary.

Two AUs

Dale's profile aligns with both Cloudlands AU and City Lights AU. While the AUs are not canon-compliant with each other, in 2018 I set my OC Hadley up to marry Dale... a character I never expected to see in official media again :'D

As of September 2024, Dale's fate in Cloudlands AU has been tweaked to better mimic his A New Wish Season 1 lore. The original plan was for the couple to be betrothed - and married - young without romantic feelings for one another, but they'd grow closer as they raised their son (Dave) and took him around the world on adventures. And, well... Close enough! I'll take it.

As far as Cloudlands and City Lights canons are concerned, Hadley is Dale's wife and Dev's mom, and Dave's been replaced with Dev. My initial personality for adult Dale (Self-conscious and avoidant) still lurks under the surface, but he comes across as the same ol' confident jerk we know and love. The info below reads correct for both AUs!

OVERVIEW

Full Name: Daedalus Dallas Peddler "Dale" Dimmadome

Preferred Form of Address: Dale Dimmadome, Owner of Dimmadome Global Alternate Forms of Address: Doug's Son / Twerp / Mr. Dimmadome / Maverick / Dad His dad called him Daedalus or Peddler in his youth, but that phased out as he got older. Nowadays, only his wife calls him Daedalus (only when she REALLY needs to get through to him) Aspiration: Maintain his wealthy lifestyle and create his own legacy... in a hopeless attempt to "win his late dad's love."

Born: Spring of the Echoing Peaks

Zodiac: Soil Birthday: May 5th, 1986 Hometown: Dimmsdale -> Dimmadelphia, California; USA Age During Frozen Timestream: 16 - Turned this in both 2002 and every year for the 50 years retroactively condensed into 2003. Turned 17 in 2004. Age When Married: 24 Age at Dev's Birth: 26 (Nearly 27) Age During A New Wish Season 1: 36 (37 in May)

Species: Human

Ethnicity: Mostly English through the Dimm line with some Scottish, German, and Italian mixed in. Pretty familiar with his family history- He could kick your butt at Dimmadome trivia any day. Nationality: American (Texas proud!) (This is untrue)

Mindset: Extremely hardworking and devoted to a fault... to the things he chooses to put his time and care in. Not accurately described as "nervous and jumpy" so much as "paranoid and defensive."

Complex PTSD: Many layers of severe trauma related to his 7-year streak of abuse at Vicky's hands (on top of his parents not being... great). As an adult, Dale can push through a lot of things, but there's a lot of flickering between what he was able to handle as a kid (when he was used to being around such things) and stuff that's more triggering now that he's an adult who's kept his distance.

Notable triggers include lemon scent, loud voices, small spaces, the dark, hunger, rodents, toothaches, stomach pains, going too long without proper hygiene, and being barefoot (among other things). Some days he can handle his triggers fine, other days he can't... Just depends how haunted and jumpy he is.

Ex: Some days he mixes drinks and eats limes, some days limes are not distinct enough and touching the rinds upsets him. Sometimes he can touch dirt, other times he'll avoid it. If he made the decision to gulp down lemonade, he could do so - He grew up with it and is familiar with the smell and texture - but on a day he's not in the mood, it's very upsetting for him. Some days he's fine seeing citrus designs on clothing, other times he leaves the room to be annoyed in private. Notably, few people know about Dale's trauma as his dad was very insistent on keeping it quiet. Dale doesn't trust that information to others lightly.

Struggles with survivor's guilt and other complicated feelings about his trauma (often blaming himself for not being a good friend to Vicky and therefore pushing her to become rough with him). Struggles to connect with people and tends to keep his walls up. Lots of trust issues.

He sleeps with a nightlight and/or phone light on. Avoids things that remind him of cellars and trapdoors... Escape rooms and submarines would really affect him, but he does okay in helicopters. Mostly. I don't know why I'm saying this; he sends them crashing to the ground instead of landing properly.

If you ever tell Dale you sent your kid to bed without food, he will remember that and chalk you up as an unsafe person. What if you take his food? He will not come to your house, follow you, or be alone with you. You're scary.

Hypervigilance: Tendency to spiral, follow extreme trains of thought, and believe things that aren't true (Ex: "Hazel is going to ruin me, she wants to see me fail, she's part of a larger scheme, who does she work for, she wants to tear Dimmazon to the ground, she wants me to lose everything, she wants me on the streets, she and whoever she's working for are scheming to rob and hurt me).

Although not always obvious to Dev, Dale gets very anxious around mealtimes- Dev has hypoglycemia and Dale's the one who insisted to the school that the au pairs are medical devices to help monitor that. When Dev started school, Dale was absolutely the nervous parent who called multiple time to ask if he ate. He's grown more lax over the years due to his faith in the au pairs, but if he had his way, Dev would never be more than 10 feet from an au pair, ever. Too many bad things could happen. Terrifying.

Dissociation: During his stressed-out spirals, Dale sometimes loses his sense of being grounded to reality. Everything feels ambiguous and like it's trickling through his fingers. Sometimes he might still feel like he can function, but feels like his body's on auto-pilot and he's floating outside it. He might jolt "back to reality," check a clock, and realize an hour passed and he has no memory of it.

- Very common experience when studying falling stock charts, lying awake at night, thinking too much about his dad, riding in a vehicle, typing up data, fixing robots, cleaning things, in long meetings, showering, or during flirty bedroom moments. - Dale and Chloe are two sides of the same coin: Children struggling under grand expectations who go into anxiety attacks and dissociative episodes when criticized. - Adult Dale uses this as a shield for justifying his neglectful parenting ("You don't understand what I've been through / I can't be better than this because I have X and Y"). But if he ever said that to Chloe, her mouth would drop open for 5 seconds before she socked him in the jaw. Say good-bye to that last tooth, bud.

The boots, au pairs, beeping wristwatches, phone alarms, and physical touch from his wife or son help... a little.

OCD: Prefers routine- Hates going to bed without knowing what the plan is for the next day (or week, or month, or quarter... The list goes on). Doesn't love when things don't go as planned (and definitely doesn't like someone inviting him to go somewhere if he hasn't been warned in advance).

You will not get him to close his eyes and follow you for "a surprise." Repeatedly checks to ensure he left the doors unlocked so he doesn't get stuck inside (See also, open entrance to his tent in "Lost and Founder's Day").

Constantly checking his schedule out of paranoia he'll forget a meeting (Ex: Struggles to get through dinner without being plagued by thoughts that he was supposed to be doing something else). Tries to eat at a consistent time- Gets frustrated when Dev has other plans.

Lots of unwanted thoughts and impulses, especially in regards to pleasing his parents or Vicky. Sometimes lies awake wondering if his wife or business partners are manipulating him and he just can't see it yet (He's not great with criticism- See also, switching off the au pair that asked why he was hurting people).

Does not do well with his wife's hoarding OCD- Lots of boxes remind him of crates full of lemons and cramped conditions. Puts up with it because he has to, but he and Hadley have separate bathrooms, and he and the au pairs do their utmost to maintain Dale's bedroom spacious, clean, and uncrowded by her stuff. Hadley has her own bedroom, but it's so full of stuff that she seeks out his bed anyway.

Tends to scratch and pick at skin (in addition to pulling out hair). Mutters repetitive phrases sometimes.

Likes things laid out around him, easy to see, especially in a consistent color theme. Doesn't like when things don't match (Ex: If given the choice, he'd rather build an entire fleet of Version 2.0 au pairs rather than 1 or 2 new models alongside old versions... He'd just throw them all out). Has very specific layouts he prefers for buttons, switches, and knobs.

Often prefers symmetry (Ex: hedges and string lights on both sides), but he also likes alternating up-and-down patterns (Ex: Likes the levers in his control room to be up-down-up patterns. Tends to set them like that without thinking through the consequences of flipping things). Horrendous habit of walking into someone else's space and flipping THEIR levers without asking what they do.

Contamination OCD, especially regarding water (He does not like dirt in it) or food given to him by others (What if it's drugged or poisoned? This stuff could make him sick. Actually, we will sit here at the fancy dinner table not eating until everyone else does, and sometimes not even then. It's fine.) If you hand him a box of food, the first thing he'll do is check the expiration date. If it's too close, he'll throw it out.

Feels much safer with the au pairs cooking for him than a hired human chef. That's how people get murdered, Sally. "But what if his robots glitch-" Did I stutter. This man has never heard of "Too many cooks in the kitchen" and he always has several au pairs on the same meal at once. If the day comes where there is a glitch he can't fix, he will cook for himself instead of hiring someone. Do not touch his plate unless you're his wife or son, and even then... he might not eat it. But he also hates going without food, so you can imagine the internal conflict. Thankfully, he is actually married to someone who grew up cooking and who taught Dev to cook for videos. Unfortunately, Hadley is a hoarder and will keep food past its expiration date or when it's moldy. She is not allowed in the kitchen without Dale, Dev, and/or an au pair. Dale loses his mind if she goes in there unsupervised. You do not mess with his food anxiety. It's the thing they argue about most, mostly because Dale knows Hadley will just eat moldy things (or offer them to Dev) rather than throw them out. Thank goodness for au pairs that can cook and discard expired food; they are holding this family together. If you gave Dale the choice between eating something Hadley made or Dev made, he'd choose Dev's every time. He honestly likes his wife's cooking because she's dang good at it, but the picky eater is way more likely to throw things out if they're bad. -> Dale often compares his son to a machine, but in this case, it's a compliment. Dale would stake his life on Dev's ability to put his foot down to Hadley about expired food. He actually has had to do this when ingredients are separated from their labels; it's a huge relief that Dev also thinks her food hoarding habits are unsafe, because Dale finally has someone who Lives In This House and Gets It...

Misophonia: - Hypersensitive to sound; gets very snappy very fast when a sound upsets him. Often unclear what sets him off vs. what doesn't, but screams, squelches, splashes, and rodent squeaks are fairly consistent "Hell no"s. Less bothered by chewing food, but doesn't like whistling or random mouth noises for the sake of noise.

Likes beeps and boops, but prefers when he's in control of them (or they're in musical patterns)- Presumably, he likes when keys he presses make noise, as it draws him in and helps him block out sounds he doesn't like. Easily annoyed by random background sounds.

Very sensitive to the noises his au pairs make. Can instantly tell if one nearby is flying in the wrong direction, which tends to stress him out (What if his security's been compromised? What if someone snuck in? Must check immediately.)

Inattentive ADHD: Does much better with a to-do list or schedule in his hand than he does without (and does better when his list is typed on his phone or tablet instead of a piece of paper he's at risk of putting down).

Easily distracted when things don't snag his attention. Loses interest in meetings that stray from the topic of money and electronics. Although his wife's an influencer and puts out frequent videos, he doesn't watch them (unless something with robots or piles of money catches his eye). Mind glazes over when Dev shows him memes.

When something snags his thoughts, he has a difficult time shifting away from it (See also, unable to focus on the festival or his business in general while plagued by thoughts of Project H, which devolved into "all he talked about" for months). Doesn't switch gears easily when he's in the zone. Hates interruptions and has a hard time switching back if someone - mainly Dev - breaks his concentration.

See also, "only his wife calls him Daedalus and only when she really needs to get through to him." Dale snaps to attention when he hears his full name, but gets quite anxious as he assumes the worst.

Dale's not the best at organizing his thoughts in a coherent to-do list, but he's really good at sticking to a schedule once it's in hand. Maybe too good (and inflexible). He's picked up some of Hadley's list-making tactics over the years (and learned a lot from job shadowing his dad). He's getting better at prioritizing (and learning how to say No to pushy people), but the au pairs are a big help.

Sometimes gets sidetracked and changes course - see also, pursuing Danky in "Stanky Danky"; did Dev go home by himself? - and gets very sucked into what he's doing (Leading to rapid turnaround of his Danky Days marketing). Dale does have humans working in his company - and can turn to the au pairs for assistance - but he'll often do things himself since he feels he can do the work better and faster. He has a vision...

He talks a lot, tends to fidget, and interrupts people. Not very patient with those struggling to get their words out (his wife included). Still has outbursts and doesn't often apologize for cutting people off.

When his wife is stuck on a word, he'll usually fill it in for her and sometimes continue the sentence with his assumption of what she meant- often followed by the classic cartoon vibe of "Excellent idea! I'm glad I thought of it."

In the early years after his Vicky trauma, he was fairly quiet (Lots of racing thoughts inside his head), but even more fidgety than he is now. These days he might just bounce his leg, shift in his chair, or rub his thumb on the table while trying not to make noise that offends his misophonia. As a teen, he'd avoid eye contact, play with his sleeves, pick at stitches in his clothes, bite his nails, scratch his skin, and so on. Skin picking or pulling his hair is definitely one of his go-to behaviors since it's quiet.

Dale is less fidgety during meetings when eyes are on him, but he moves a lot when he's alone (See also, walking in the park while on the phone during "Lost and Founder's Day," taking work calls on Signal Hill more than once, and dancing in his control room).

Stats:

Power:  Average Endurance:  Above Average Wisdom:  Below Average Adaptability:  Below Average Charisma: Average Openness:  Below Average Conscientiousness:  Below Average Neuroticism:  Above Average

Residence: 1 Silver Spoon Hill, Dimmsdale -> 1 Dimmadome Way, Dimmadelphia

Occupation: Inventor (Robotics), owner of multiple businesses (Listed in first bullet point at top), Hadley's partner / assistant in her business affairs.

Heading Dimmadome Funds: 2014 - Present day Heir: Dev Dimmadome Previous Employment: Intern / assistant of Doug Dimmadome. We don't talk about the lemonade stand

BACKGROUND

Self-Perception: Went through hell for a best friend who didn't deserve his love and loyalty, but got up and made something of himself- Something his dad is sure to be proud of. No one in his family will ever be scrabbling for food again... and he's a lot more careful with his trust now than he was back then.

Alignment: Neutral Evil MBTI: ISTJ (Turbulent) Deadly Sin: Greed Heavenly Virtue: Diligence Love Language: Words of Affirmation Reinforcers: Security; making money; well-deserved vacation days

History: Born and raised in Dimmsdale, California- Specifically, in his father's precariously perched cliffside estate (S3's "Engine Blocked").

This extremely questionable environment to raise a child left him overly cautious of where he put his feet and whether people were walking towards him. He learned pretty fast that toys that go over the edge aren't coming back... at least, unless you pull up your big boy pants and take the long walk down to retrieve them from the beach.

See Dimmsdale Map - Dale grew up in the northwest (Through the woods, down a long and windy road, up on a cliff).

Dale didn't have many kids over to play during his youth - or throughout his teen years at that - as watching more than one kid would've really split his parents' attention. -> Adult Dale let Dev wander Dimmadelphia from a young age in part due to this warped idea he has of a child's ability to recognize danger (But mostly because he trusts the au pairs to grab him if he runs into the street).

You wouldn't know it looking at him now, but Dale was a very playful and curious child. He didn't have siblings and his parents' attention towards him was hit-or-miss. He kept himself entertained by exploring the beaches and cliffs around his home (along with any other location Doug brought him, such as Dimmsdale Farms and Dimmadelphia).

He poked through a lot of driftwood and garbage washing up on shore, taught himself to fix broken toys that went over the edge (like toy cars that popped their wheels out of place, or inflatable things that needed a patch).

Despite his mother (Pearl) living the stay-at-home-mom life, Dale preferred spending time with his father. Pearl came from generational wealth (as opposed to Doug's self-made wealth accrued from striking gold and using it wisely as he built up a larger fortune)- It was very important to her that Dale would grow up to be her vision of elegant and proper-mannered.

Pearl had very high expectations, especially in regards to what Dale ate. She struggled with an eating disorder in her teens and never quite let go of it, even though she recovered a lot. She cooked healthy meals and hated if Dale dragged his feet about it. Junk food was banned in the house, and if they attended an event with desserts, Dale was forbidden from eating them (She'd smack his hands if he tried). She commented frequently on his weight, as Doug's family is heavier than hers (especially since anxiety and eating disorders sprinkle her ancestry).

- When they were kids, Vicky snuck Dale sweets and snacks. What a good friend! - If you'd asked young Dale, he'd politely tell you he loves his mother, but as an adult, the question would be met with a pause. He has a lot of conflicting feelings about her... and we've only scratched the surface.

Doug went along with a lot of what Pearl said (Very "Doug is in charge of businesses and Pearl is in charge of the home life" vibes), so he never complained about the fresh-made meals even when Dale struggled with them.

Dale has some good memories with his mom - like playing Dimmanopoly and other board games - but he preferred the company of his relaxed father. Doug may have been too relaxed in some areas, leading to inconsistent parenting (with Pearl trying to set a standard that Doug ignored when she wasn't around and encouraged Dale to flaunt too with a wink and smile).

Dale loves his dad very much, having grown up with Doug as the epicenter of positive things in his life: Dad let him goof off, didn't control what he ate, took him to events (especially those hosted at the Dimmadome), and could do everything. He's so smart and fun!

Dale spent a lot of time following his dad around, being his very curious and eager-to-learn self. He happily volunteered for farm chores and found a system for cleaning and organizing; he'd get a head pat and words of affirmation from his dad, and has been neat and tidy ever since. Even as a very young child, Dale spent many afternoons happily scrubbing his dad's office desk, windows, or floor while Doug talked on the phone.

Dale's preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade years were marked with people who seemingly only took an interest in him because he came from wealth... or alternatively, kids who were children of wealthy families themselves. Dale attended many fancy social events growing up and became familiar with the rich kids his age range. Still, he reached the point where he began introducing himself outside the wealthy social circle as Dale Donovan... which is the name Vicky committed to memory (and never questioned).

Dale wasn't a kid who threw money around (See Remy Buxaplenty doing things like renting out an entire theater just for him and bags of money). He also wasn't "popular" per se- Not like Trixie, Tad, and Chad are in Timmy's era. In fact, Dale had no real money of his own and was pretty get-your-hands-dirty, down-to-earth. He was definitely provided for, but wasn't spoiled to the degree that Dev is. Dale was pretty content as a kid and didn't ask for much- He kept himself entertained, he liked exploring, and he liked cleaning. He lost some toys and balls over the edge of the cliff, but he learned to retrieve and repair them rather than throwing a fit and demanding a new one. Very "It's much faster if I do this myself" energy. - He'd ask for comic books (and maybe a few toys), but he received enough attention and friendship that he was simply happy with his life. It's possible he would've become more restless and spoiled if he hadn't befriended Vicky, or if the Lemonade Drama hadn't happened. -> All of this plays into Dale seeing himself as someone who worked for what he has. Yes, he inherited some generational wealth, but he doesn't consider himself a child who grew up with lots of liquid cash. He sees himself as a child who was grateful, worked hard, and achieved success. -> Dale gets frustrated with Dev and sees his outbursts as evidence he's a spoiled brat, hence Dev's bed being labeled S.S. Spoiled [in French]. Dale doesn't get why Dev "can't just be grateful he has a nice life." -> That said, he's also not the kind of dad who would tell Dev to stop hanging out with Hazel, even though Dale was frustrated with her during his Project H arc. Dale had a friend growing up- He figures Dev has several friends too (and is fine with Dev exploring the city... If only that dang kid would digitally mark when he's eaten!!)

Dale saw Vicky as "his only friend who cares about me for me, not my dad's money" and latched onto her. While he was still polite to other kids, Vicky knew him better than anyone (and he probably knew her better than most people, too... Arguably, he still knows her really well, which is uncomfortable for both of them).

See also, "50 Words of Dale and Vicky" (Age 6 to 9).

Dale always saw Vicky as clever, fun, and a good leader. He trusted her deeply and clung to threads even when she turned cruel towards him. Dale is very aware that "bad things happened" and "he felt hurt and scared for a long time," but he's uncomfortable when he thinks about Vicky as a person.

In his mind, the change was so extreme that he had thoughts like "This can't be who Vicky is- She's definitely under extreme distress. Something else is causing her to be lash out. I'm her best friend and I love her. She doesn't hate me; she's just upset. I forgive her, because that's what friends do. This is probably my fault; I'm not a good friend. I'm upsetting her. If I was better, she wouldn't yell at me."

He had a VERY difficult adjustment period after leaving Vicky. It was not easy for him to unlearn his attachment to her and it is consistently ambiguous to everyone (including himself) how he feels about her. He definitely hung out with her during his recovery period more than he should have.

Dale spent several years working through trauma- He reunited with his family, got doted on, was held to certain expectations, attended social events, played some basketball, played a lot of Sims, learned some languages, and gradually returned to school. Reunited with his mom - Lots of tension there - and was pretty clingy towards his dad.

See the Recovery & Time Freeze section of Dale's education details below.

When Dale was 19, his dad and Ed Leadly arranged a betrothal to Leadly's middle daughter. Since Hadley was someone Dale actually knew from rich people social gatherings, Dale was relieved for the chance to marry someone he knew rather than a stranger from out of state or something (and curious about getting set up with someone his dad liked).

Not much changed for them early on, but they made more of an effort to talk to each other at social events. They went on some walks, ate some treats, and got to know each other. Dale was still in recovery, Hadley more interested in school and friends, and that was expected. They didn't go out of their way to meet each other outside fancy social events.

With the betrothal in play, Dale continued his gap years and personal study; this set his university years up to overlap Hadley's. They lived apart for the first 2.5 years, gradually moving from "vaguely betrothed couple" to "pair who go on actual dates." Dale spent this time working up the courage to hold hands and touch another person (i.e. putting arm behind Hadley while watching a movie).

They married the January Hadley was 21 (and Dale 24), moved in together, and continued their schooling. Doug grew increasingly ill during this time. Despite his wife's excitement for kids, Dale was reluctant to go through with that part of maintaining the Dimmadome family line. Nonetheless, he is nothing if not everything his father wanted him to be; Hadley conceived Dev the summer she was 22 (~1.5 years after the wedding).

Doug passed just before Dev was born. Dale still beats himself up over "not just gritting his teeth and having the kid sooner so Dad could've seen him."

Since Hadley had graduated, she kept herself entertained by filming vlogs of her pregnancy and Dev's early years while Dale continued university studies (and working on the au pairs when he could find time). Dale wasn't often left the primary caretaker of Dev, but he sometimes was when Hadley wasn't available. Dev's hypoglycemia stressed him out very early, and Dale was relieved when the au pairs could monitor Dev's blood sugar levels.

When Dev was 6 and the au pairs were functional enough to handle some basic care (Like holding Dev back from playing in traffic), Hadley took to traveling the world. Ever since, Dale and the au pairs have split Dev's caretaking (with Hadley returning now and then before taking off on her next adventure).

Father-Son Relationships Note: Dale received plentiful physical affection from his father growing up, but as he grew older and more bitter, he resented his dad for giving him "just pats" without expressing his thoughts through words and engagement. He's since twisted his past into believing that Doug's care for him boils down to "needed an heir," that Doug has never been proud of him, and that his dad barely paid attention to him.

As an adult, Dale doesn't recognize how meaningful physical touch was to him. Because he always had it - and even got hugs from Vicky as a kid - he didn't know its absence and fails to process how desperate Dev is for physical affection.

Clarification: Dale lacked physical affection in the lemon pit, but had a lot of other things going on that made "not getting hugs" low priority.

Despite Dale's love for boots (and his fixation on the past, his trauma, and his dad) taking priority in his thoughts, he actually is a decent* parent when he's not working. Dale struggles to take breaks largely because he feels he doesn't deserve to (and/or believes he had to sacrifice work-life balance for success), but there are some situations that let him justify relaxing the reins.

Dale relaxes more during holidays. Yes, there's a lot of business-related things he can still be doing, but let's take Christmas as an example: It's a federal holiday... and it's a day where people open packages they received as gifts, which were possibly ordered through Dimmazon. He helped people find good gifts and have a happy Christmas. Thus, he deserves to relax... It's a holiday! Christmas and similar days Dale has decided are worthy of breaks are the moments Dev waits all year for: the time when his dad addresses him happily, keeps away from his phone and office, picks him up, plays games... or just crashes for a nap.

* "Decent Parent" Notes: Dale IS an inattentive parent and that should not be overlooked, but he brings Dev to city events, lets him hang out in his command tent, and responds to Dev's business-related questions in "Lost and Founder's Day." He greets him - even asking how he's doing this afternoon - when Dev returns home for lunch in "A New Dev-elopment." The au pairs were designed with the ability to cook and recognize when Dev wants a hug. Dale's not always there emotionally, but he sure can keep that kid alive. Dale's relationship with Dev is much more "job shadow me because this will be you soon" while the Buxaplenty's plan for Remy is that they will simply not die until they're very old. Who's Liam and why does it matter if he has enough skills to survive when they're gone? ... Remy. I meant Remy.

⭐ Dale is just "good dad" enough that Dev clings to that, believing "If Dad didn't have to work so much, he'd give me love and attention." Also, Hadley tends to see Dale either in his middle or positive states of being a dad and misses a lot of Dale's questionable moments... The "downs" are more likely to happen when Dale is the sole parent.

The only thing worse than a cluelessly neglectful parent is a try-hard who keeps leading you on. Come on, Dev- He's your father! When he's there, you have everything you've ever wanted... Don't you know how hard things are for him? He's doing his best; he had an abusive childhood and he works so hard. Of course he loves you. He'll come back around if you're patient; just keep on trucking. Smile wide. Work hard. Be a good boy. Give him another chance......

These breaks spent with family are the ones Dale internalizes as "This is who I am as a person; I've given my son everything and here he is. I made him. My kid's a brat, but I can't even blame him- I'm just glad he's safe. And honestly, no DNA test necessary- I get it, buddy. He's mine. I have a wife. I have a kid. I enjoy my family and life."

Despite the way Dale brushes Dev off a lot when he's in business mode, he's a good person. Why wouldn't he be? He's a real man's man- He makes the big bucks and provides for his wife and son! What more can you want? You're asking a lot. Geez... Dale was abused as a kid, you know. Cut him some slack :/

See also, the note on Dale's relationship with fundamental attribution error (Emoji star after the Personality section).

Personality: Dale's always been curious, but his bright mind and love for exploring new things is overshadowed by the trauma of his youth, which pushed him to fight for survival. In fact, he'll fistfight you if you push him into it- or even wrestle you to the ground. He craves security- His dad, boots, money, and straightforward instructions embody that for him. So does Vicky, but we don't have to go there.

Dale's a hard worker, very clever, and willing to fight for what he wants. He gets sucked into projects for weeks or months at a time, but he gets results. Fear, rage, and jealousy boil beneath the surface, but he's better at holding his temper than you'd think. Doesn't often snap at people- More likely to gripe and mutter. Not afraid to get his hands dirty- Always the first to leap into action when he needs something done. No one's as fast or committed as him- Why rely on other people when you can do everything yourself? Day after day after day...

Trust no one. Pay for nothing you don't trust. Make it yourself.

Beneath his "pulled myself up by the bootstraps" persona, Dale is anxious, awkward, and aware of it... The quiet and fidgety kid he was still lurks beneath the louder and more pompous exterior. He looked to Doug and Vicky for so long, he still struggles to be the prime decision-maker (apart from his impulsive adventures).

Dale exhausts himself with his day job, where he's a CEO of multiple companies and juggling tasks (A recent notable one being "overseeing the construction of an indoor amusement park"). In his personal life, he'd rather do low-brainpower things like take a nap- He has little energy for Dev after work. However, he'd find food for both of them if the au pairs glitched out. Their core purposes is to keep Dev from going into a seizure, passing out, or dying, and that's not an "I'll fix it later" problem. If we eat cupcakes in the Wall-2-Wall Mart parking lot at 2 AM, so be it.

After work hours, Dale wants to do the least-brainpower things he can, so he'll crash and sleep... or look to Hadley for instruction (when she's around). Sometimes Dev shows him videos while Dale is sprawled on the couch, but his dad does not understand what he's looking at 90% of the time.

Unless he's in a very stubborn mood, Dale tends to do what people tell him to do. He won't if it's in direct conflict with his money-making goals, but if you ask him to be an extra pair of hands while bringing in party decorations from your car, he'll do it. Beyond his egotistical attitude and hatred for recycling, he's a surprisingly good neighbor & husband (which is probably why people don't realize how neglectful he is to Dev). If you find him in the supermarket and ask if he knows where the spaghetti sauce is, he'll point you towards it. His default response is to be friendly... It's just something that was heavily beaten out of him by Vicky's cruelty, his dad's "Don't talk about your trauma" attitude, and the cutthroat business world. See also, ignoring Hazel's name when he saw her in "A New Dev-elopment," but still greeting her and Dev and asking how their afternoon was in the first place.

Dale is curious, likes learning, and will follow the lead of anyone he deems interesting, relevant, and knowledgeable:

From this post about Dale and Kevin Crocker going out to dinner

Somewhere underneath his poor parenting, Dale wants to be a decent family man... After all, he can't disappoint Daddy there either. But he didn't have good role models for that and putting in the work is hard. Someday... someday when he's not so busy...

⭐ Dale is a textbook case for "guy who doesn't fall into fundamental attribution error easily." In other words, Dale takes circumstances into account when judging people's actions (not just attributing things to personality)... Perhaps to a critically unhealthy degree.

- Dad loves him very much. He's just really busy... Dale already has his father's love; what he needs is something he unquestionably deserves because he worked for it: Daddy's pride in him. - Vicky can't be a horrifically cruel person because no one is actually like that. Vicky is just stressed and scared. She's doing her best and doesn't understand the effect she has on people. - Conversely, Dale has a very hard time recognizing the effects of his neglect on Dev. Of course he cares about Dev- Would he provide for him or spend time with him if he didn't? -> Dale doesn't see himself as "a bad person" or "a terrible dad" or "someone who would hurt a child." He sees himself as "a guy trying to grow and make money in ways that some people look down on or consider amoral, but everyone defines morals in their own way and you can't please everyone, so he's going to chase success regardless of what others think."

At his core, Dale is haunted not just by the abuse Vicky inflicted on him, but by the lack of praise and support he received from his dad growing up. But it's okay. Dad was just busy. He's over it. It's fine.

Education: Dale was a very enthusiastic student. He loved learning and would raise his hand for almost every question. He consistently landed top scores, was deemed "the smart kid," a suck-up, and a little too "goody-two-shoes perfect" for his own good.

Although restless and a little forgetful - ADHD be like that - Doug and Pearl kept him on track, and he did a mostly good job at turning in his homework.

Dale was very much the type to stand up to bullies. He got into several fights growing up, even as a 1st grader (Even with Vicky, who forgave his stupid acts, because she is a good person).

Elementary School: Dale attended preschool and kindergarten at a private school, but asked to be put in the same class as Vicky for 1st grade. Doug shrugged and did so, glad his son had a friend. Thus, Dale moved to Dimmsdale Elementary (with his dad's personal assistant dropping him off, as he was outside the school bus range... See also, lived beyond the woods up on a cliff).

Dale disappeared at the end of his 3rd grade year. He missed several years of school, including his entire middle school period.

- Despite several kids aware of Dale's family name, Vicky believed his surname was Donovan. Why would he lie about that? - If you asked Vicky directly, she'd say something like "Well, I found out his real last name at some point, but he always told me it was Donovan, so I kept calling him that. I thought he came from a family of successful farmers." Whether any of that is true is anyone's guess.

Recovery & Time Freeze: After leaving Vicky's lemonade factory, Dale spent some time "crashing"... mostly curled up in bed, struggling through a lot of feelings, and remembering how to live in a house (Preparing food, adjusting to bright lights, people coming and going, getting dressed every day, and so on).

Generally, Dale got pushed into things (like social interaction and independence) by his dad before he was ready. This may have been beneficial in the long term (seeing as Dale wanted to lay in bed for weeks or months, or maybe on the couch if he was daring), but he wasn't happy about it at the time.

Dale played a lot of PC games (Mostly Sims) and slowly caught up on his schooling... or at least the parts Doug cared about.

Notably, this is how Dale spent the 50 years time was frozen. He also picked up new skills like languages (for fun because he found them interesting), but like everyone else, he was under "It's uncommon to advance through school years because of time manipulation" rules, so... he looped through recovery, personal study, and a small amount of academia- Not a full year of schooling like other kids his age.

Dale also looped through job shadows with his dad. He became very knowledgeable about meticulous business workings and the stock market, farm-related expertise, and social events.

He also became incredibly good at card games (like Blackjack and Texas Hold'em), which surprised everyone including himself. He could consistently clean out his dad's gambling buddies after several loops at age 16, which they found adorable. They were very excited to take him to Vegas when he turned 21.

"Is that legal even if it happened in their own home?" -> We don't have to talk about that. Unrelated, but the Dimmadomes sure own a lot of business fronts and buy weird art pieces, huh?

Since businesses, product releases, and tech advancements continued changing as the years went by, Dale was exposed to many new things and was arguably more prepared for adulthood thanks to the time freeze than any other noteworthy character in the Cloudlands or City Lights AUs (except perhaps A.J.)

Like everyone else, he thinks he gained all his knowledge during 2003- Not during repeated 2002 years.

High School: Dale enrolled in a private school, his learning supplemented with private tutors - namely Denzel Crocker - but that didn't stop him from loitering around Dimmsdale High in search of Vicky. He had several run-ins with her, Justin Jake Ashton (Mark Chang), and other kids their age.

From this post about Dale (and Happy Peppy Gary) spying on Vicky & Justin

Further Education: Took several gap years before attending Archimedes University in Dimmadelphia. He took his courses slowly, just a few credits at a time, and his schooling was stretched out over a long period. He studied robotics and business (and later got a master's).

During this time, Doug passed on, Dev was born, and Dale inherited the Dimmadome fortune.

Favorite School Subject: Science -> Physics -> Robotics. He also enjoyed math, art, and marketing.

Least Favorite Subject: Biology

Clubs: Robotics, of course! (Nerd)

Friend Group: Jeremy and Watson- Upper class folks such as Remy, Trixie, Tad, Chad, Veronica, and Hadley. Also Mikey Munroe (Security expert like his parents), but who's asking?

Notable Likes:

- Boots - Robotics - Naps - Getting into a flow state without distractions (Especially noise) - Boots again - Drawing (Especially with colored pens or markers) - Dancing - Rodeos (plus state fairs, farms, cows, and horses) - Big buildings - Sims games and any card or board game that lets him accrue many pieces and cards. Worst Uno player you've ever met. - Snappy turnaround on his projects- He lives by an "It's faster if I do it myself" attitude - Feeling like he deserves rest (Like that ever happens) - When his wife is away and he gets the bed to himself - When his wife is home so the hypervigilance doesn't hit as hard - His wife :( - Following lists and meticulously organizing things - Cleaning products that don't smell like citrus - Puffy jackets with chunky zippers - People commenting he's gained weight - Sunlight (but no, he won't open the bedroom windows) - Rain and snow - Paloma cocktails - Boat rides - Gambling - Basketball - Animal print - Hunting - His wife in THOSE boots

Had Fairy Godparent: ... This page seems kinda smudged.

Favorite Wish: Hm. I don't think the archives ever wrote that down...

Goals:

- Build generational wealth to pass to his descendants - Stop overthinking things at night; go to bed satisfied - Accrue a lot of knowledge and learn many skills - Teach Dev things about business so he'll be more prepared to take over the Dimmadome fortune than Dale was - Reduce the number of prototypes it takes to land a great robot - Unwind... Rest... Take more guilt-free naps - Be a good family man (??)

Beliefs:

- Hard work will be rewarded - Security and stability are everything - Good branding doesn't guarantee success, but it sure makes things easier - Don't separate a traumatized person from their comforts. Or most people from those things. But Dev shouldn't have screen time too close to bed- Taking his tablet is good for him. - No one is truly evil; everyone is a good person with reasons for what they do. Knowing why people act the way they do is the key to negotiation and communication - Anything can be learned. Anything - and any person - can be improved with hard work, time, and dedication - Robots are helpful and improve quality of life... Good robots that people who know what they're doing built, at least. - Being left unsupervised as a child probably messed him up. Thank goodness Dev has au pair guardians - The ends justify the means

Fears:

- Disappointing his dad - Being abandoned by everyone (Vicky, his dad, his wife...) - Losing everything he's built up - He and/or his family getting kidnapped (and tormented) - Ed Leadly (Father-in-law) - Waking up in the lemonade factory (It was all a dream...) - Vicky Incorrect. Vicky is his friend. She would never hurt him.

Upsets:

- Losing money - Faulty au pairs - Random background noises - Animals (especially furry ones; very unhygienic) - Dev talking back to him, fidgeting during social events, or refusing to eat at a nice restaurant - Lemonade - Hadley dragging her trash into his space (or gifting him things that don't fit his organization system... but she's forgiven) - Loose seashells or stones lying around - Being separated from his boots - Unlabeled items that might contain lactose or mold - Dev not marking on his digital checklist that he's eaten around mealtimes. Boy, don't play these games... - People sneaking near his house

Comforts:

- His lucky boots - The Dimmsdale Dimmadome - Clothes that ease body dysphoria (Like puffy jackets that don't cling to his thin frame) - Things neatly put away (and his stuff still in the same place he left it), especially in his closet, office, bedroom, car, and bathroom - Having enough light to see - Clean water, abundant food, plenty of cash... The basics - Words of affirmation - Decorations and branding that remind him of his dad (Even if he's not a big fan of his dad's hats personally)

Indulgences: Cartoons from his childhood... but he doesn't watch often. When he does, it's probably with headphones on (and the sound low) with the door extra locked.

Sometimes he splurges on Crimson Chin comics since they can go for a high price (and he can afford it). Splurging often sucks him in, leading to binge scrolling and bulk memorabilia purchases.

Some of this stuff ends up in Dev's hands or Hadley's hoard. Dale will hold things in his own room briefly (i.e. while actively using them), but if he doesn't have a consistent storage space, he'll give them to a family member, sell them, or throw them out when he's done.

I am lying. You don't throw things out in Hadley's household!

EXTERNAL

Verbal Notes: Loves to talk; gets big and loud about it. Likes adjectives. Comes across as quite cheery (Was scolded post-lemonade factory for being quiet and fidgety, which was "weak and shameful"- He learned to "shape up" and mask a lot of what he felt).

Loves talking about himself, his businesses, and his dad's accomplishments.

Picked up old slang terms from his dad (and Dad's gambling buddies... who were also Dale's gambling buddies). "Tough titties, kitties" is one of his go-tos, though he censors it as "tough tittles" around Dev.

Other favorites are "Nifty!" (Cool), "Swanky" (Looks great; elegant), "Ah, applesauce!" (Dang it!), "Get a wiggle on" (Let's go; get moving), "Dry up" (Shut up and get lost), and "Bank's closed" (No making out tonight). I wish I was making that last one up. Dev finds these embarrassing and rolls his eyes, but at least he has something to throw back at his dad if Dale ever grumbles about Dev's preferred slang. Also, Dale would rather say "folks" than "everyone" or "guys." He sees people as customers, clients, or walking wallets, but will correct himself to more socially acceptable words (like "lovely people," "other students," "persons," or "kids your age").

Not afraid to share his thought process even if it's a little amoral (See also, "tends to assume others experience emotions the way he does"). When he sets rules and expectations, he'll explain why (Ex: "You can't go out alone; the au pairs are on the fritz" or "Finish your homework before dinner; we're going out tonight"). Dale likes knowing what to expect, so that's how he talks to other people.

Example from canon: "Devin, turn down that game. I can hear the incessant beeping and booping and tapping all the way in my office. I have an important project I'm working on for Founder's Day." -> As opposed to "Turn that off; it's loud." Dev picked this up from him- It's in the way he tells Hazel he's no longer interested in the treasure hunt because "It's silly to jump through hoops." Then he IS interested and explains why he snapped at her. He expresses frustration with Hazel's lack of frustration when he cheated in Rock, Paper, Scissors, etc. Say one thing about those Dimmadomes... They're not always on the same page, but they sure explain what they're thinking. I guess you don't get to be a great business negotiator without communication skills.

Dale's instinct isn't to be complimentary. During business meetings, he'll grit his teeth and fake enthusiasm, but he's definitely had moments where he wants to insult everything around him. He's sweeter with his wife than with most people, but focuses on topics like financial success and elegance.

Ex: "Way to rake it in, Hadley! The stocks are up this month" & "Now that's a classy look" as opposed to "You're such a hard worker" or "You look beautiful tonight". It's just his brain's go-to.

Since he didn't care for Doug's physical affection like pats and hugs but craved praise, Dale mirrors that towards Dev. He expresses pride (i.e. "Keep up the good work and you'll be running with your old man in no time") when he feels Dev "achieved success"... which usually means Hadley's Dev-themed videos are doing well, Dev won money from a tournament, or Dev scored all A's at the end of the year.

Big "Great; that's what I expect. You're a sharp kid; a real chip off the old block- you just need to apply yourself more" vibes.

He tends to overlook or diminish Dev's accomplishments. Are all A's that impressive if you weren't the best in class? Dev gets praised, but it feels hollow... He is never good enough.

In other words, Dale's compliments sound backhanded despite them not technically being rude... He just focuses on "things that help our success and status" more than the people he's addressing.

Dale uses tag questions like "Innit?", "Wouldya?", or "Do I?" Many sentences end with upward inflection. [ Think ~, ?, !, or :) ]

He has a great memory for names. Or rather, the importance of knowing names was drilled into him early on. He'll address people by name if the situation calls for it (even if they're a trash monster). And don't you dare insult the trash monster. That's his friend now. Very good at greeting people that he cares about when he sees them, especially in business situations.

Almost always calls his son Devin. Occasionally calls him Dev or a special nickname like "Kiddo," "Bud," "Son," or "Junior." Dev's full forename is Development, but that's reserved for special moments... Like pride, but never in scolding. Dev doesn't jump in alarm at the sound of his full name the way Dale does- Dale calls "Devin!" if he's mad. For all his emotional distance and dehumanization tendencies, Dale genuinely views Dev as his son. He refers to him as such and doesn't cut ties for the sake of professionalism... which is more than I can say for some people...

Language: Speaks fluent English; can pull off business talks in Mandarin and Japanese.

Better at Japanese since his wife's a big fan and has been learning the language since she was a kid, but Hadley speaks it with "an anime accent" and Dale speaks it with a more professional one.

Languages were one of the things Dale kept himself entertained with during his mental recovery years... Played a lot of video games with different language settings, listened to a lot of audiobooks. He knows all the Simlish words that actually are consistent words.

Physical Notes: Very expressive with his body language, but if you compare him with other people, you'll detect a certain stiffness or reservation in some movements (Ex: Tries to stop himself from flinching. If he does, he'll snap upright and square up... General sense that he doesn't let himself feel certain emotions. Compare with Mikey Munroe, who bends his entire body backwards and curls up when startled).

Tends to lean, often cocking one hand on his hip. Usually has a device in his other hand. Often walks while scrolling through his phone or tablet, or while talking on the phone. Prone to fidgeting (Ex: bouncing his leg) or dancing, especially when he's in the zone. He's dramatic even in his office- kicking himself across the room on his swivel chair or acting out mental images. Walks around a lot while listening to music, pretending he's in a dramatic scene.

Doesn't pocket his hands as much as Dev does and is more likely to pocket one than both. Blinks infrequently. Stares a lot (especially at screens). Often avoids eye contact.

Not afraid to pump his arms, throw his hands in the air, dance, stomp, hop, finger gun, flash peace signs, or whatever it takes to get people's eyes on him while he's trying to sell stuff.

In his teen years, Dale slouched a lot, fidgeted - especially by rubbing his cheeks since his mouth hurt - and struggled to look at people. His dad really pushed him to stand straight, shake hands, and talk more.

Does not often touch people - combo of OCD and trust issues - but he'll lean on them if he's in the zone and talking big (Ex: thumping his elbow on top of Danky while baby-talking him).

Has an easier time touching people with a clothed arm than making skin to skin contact.

Doesn't reach for people absentmindedly. Way more likely to hold his hands close to his chest than take his wife's hand. But sometimes he does, especially in front of cameras (You can't be the Dimmadome power couple if you don't convince everyone you're a couple). He'll clap a hand to Dev's shoulder when talking to or bragging about him.

He does this a lot at bustling social events because if he takes his hand off that child, he will probably lose him within 10 seconds.

Break Dale's trust forever by grabbing his extended hand and yanking him forward (or squeezing way too tight). Like an elephant, he will never forget and will keep an extra step away from you at all times. Do not grab or push him. He will go on guard around you.

Handedness: Right Body Language: Often stiff with a tendency to stare, though he does a lot of leaning. Becomes expressive when he's talking up a storm. Doesn't blink much. Usually holding a phone or tablet. Hair: Thin, often splitting at the ends, and comes out in clumps. Has some pomp and fluff to it, but he's pulled out a lot of that over the years. His front loop is a natural curl that will spring out again even if he clips that bit off. Specifically, it grew in as he got older and his front puff reduced in size. I don't always, but I like to draw the two stray hairs in the back like lowercase Ds (hanging on from their bottoms). Teeth: Had his missing teeth replaced with gold. Back when they were missing, Dale avoided smiling or talking much. Mouth hurt a lot for years. Scars: Physically, not as many as you'd think. But emotionally? Imagine the toil. Tattoos: None... to his wife's disappointment. Hadley would love for him to get a little cherry blossom with a cute branch wrapped around his ring finger to compensate for the sensory issues his wedding ring gives him, but being stabbed repeatedly with a sharp object does not factor into his life goals. When he goes out of town for business meetings, Hadley will often video call and ask to see the ring and/or ask him to write her name on his chest or stomach. She is THAT paranoid... but y'know, we can make small allowances for her. She's his friend wife!

Style: Has a funky, modern, sleek, and not necessarily professional style (See also, chunky zippers and sequin pants). Gives off huge "new money" vibes that make people in his social circle glance at him funny, but no one says anything because he's a billionaire.

Wears his puffer jacket even in the California summer because it makes him look less scrawny. It's a recent addition to his wardrobe, but it tremendously improved his confidence and self-perceived attractiveness. He loves it and is very proud that he found it himself. This man is also a tech geek who does not really understand fashion. He dresses how he wants.

Notably, Dale is very neat and doesn't like items that don't fit his closet organization. He'll humor his wife when she brings him new clothes, but they both know he'll discard it if it's inconsistent with what he already has and likes.

Dev owns a lot of oversized shirts because they were passed down from Dale; Dev wears them to bed sometimes.

Regular Clothing: Big puffer jacket and sequin pants, really leaning into that funky modern geek vibe. Casual Clothing: Anything baggy that doesn't cling to his scrawny figure, but it has to be something with a tight enough collar that it won't hang off his shoulders. Besides white and gold, he also likes purple... It's safe... Nightwear: Animal print boxer shorts. Sometimes leopard, sometimes zebra, sometimes cow... You never know! Hadley gives him pajamas for her holiday videos, so he'll wear those until he doesn't want to. He tends to like his things, but he also likes new and fun things. Formal Clothing: White suits with black and gold accents, as Dimmadomes are wont to do. Other: Cannot emphasize enough how much this man likes animal print. He will wear anything you give him, but cow patterns are a favorite (Probably because he grew up around them). Being barefoot is a huge trigger for lemonade pit memories (specifically, having dirt and grime underfoot). Dale has a stockpile of identical boots because they bring back memories of a safe childhood, his dad's affection, and his recovery process... but he'll still cling to one pair until it's absolutely falling apart. -> Mostly, he only takes the boots off only when getting dressed (They won't fit, but he'll leave them on if he's putting on something with wide leg holes) or in the shower (He cares a lot about scrubbing his feet to get off grime since that's the point of wearing them). -> If he gets separated from his boots, he'll keep his feet off the ground and call for someone... but everyone in his household knows not to touch them, so he's rarely without. Yes, the boots stay on in the bedroom. All the time. Not a big fan of hats... Specifically, his dad's style of hat. He would never, ever tell his father that.

Height: 6′4″

Hygiene: High risk of neglecting hygiene due to hyperfixating on his projects. The au pairs give him reminders, but it's not unusual for him to brush those off. He tries to take care of his remaining tooth.

Dale takes long showers due to mild contamination OCD (especially regarding his feet)- the shower is the only place he likes taking off his boots, and he cares a lot about scrubbing his feet. The feel of dirt or crumbs on his feet is a big trigger, and he wears the boots to take the edge off that.

Sometimes he dissociates, so he ends up in the bathroom longer than he needs to. He might jump on a phone call with Hadley to keep grounded, but strictly no one else- No business talks, no extended family. Wife only.

This is Dale's personal self-care-slash-check-in-with-wife time and he gets snappy if Dev interrupts him. Keep conversation to dinner, kid. If you want to talk to your mother, hop on call in the other room.

Morning Schedule: Brief morning shower (super quick rinse), hair care, check Dev marked himself as "Ate breakfast" on his digital daily checklist, start work.

Typical Day Schedule: Work- Lots of reviewing reports, contacting people, giving presentations, and sitting in meetings. Juggling multiple businesses. Check Dev ate lunch.

If he didn't mark it, stress out. Call school nurse; get assured he's fine. Pace around stressing over Dev until he finally gets the indication he's eaten. Stare blankly at screens, trying to get back in the zone. The usual.

Evening Schedule: Shower. Dinner with Dev (sometimes with fancy people). Stress out if Dev is late.

Dinner is when Dale and Dev talk the most. It's at that time that Dev will talk about his day at school (Ex: If he scored well on a test). Dale doesn't have much to say to Dev because the au pairs and/or Dev's daily checklist keep him on track with chores, homework, hygiene, and "No screen time an hour before bedtime" reminders. That said, if Dale makes plans that involve Dev, he'll tell him (Ex: "Tomorrow we're going out for dinner, so be ready to go by 5:30" or "I need you to pass Dimmlets out to your class." Not great at expressing interest for Dev's life, but he sure tells you his plans. Also, general father-son conversations like Dev getting permission to host a sleepover ("The Wellsington Hotellsington").

After dinner, Dale handles personal life money-related things, like bills, checking stocks, or donating money to Dev's school ("28 Puddings Later"). He'll handle communications with friends and family during this time if applicable (Ex: If his in-laws text to ask about family reunions).

Also does repairs or upgrades to the au pairs (and focused on Project H for a while). He's often on the phone with his wife while doing this since she gets lonely when she doesn't hear from him. Sometimes he's on the phone with other people, including for business reasons (Thus cutting down Dev's ability to engage with him).

Dale can easily get sucked into his projects, but the au pairs will get him when it's bedtime and that helps. He'll tidy up, do some night hygiene things, and try to sleep.

Dale is pretty repetitive with his schedule; he likes it to run smoothly. Very frustrating when things unexpectedly go awry (Ex: Dev was late getting home for dinner). That's a sure way to land him in a bad mood and he's more likely to be snappy about things that annoy him (See also, misophonia).

Dev does his best to appease his dad, but he feels awful if he slips up and his dad gets very grumpy about it. He will absolutely get home on time (and will probably be sitting at the table early) if he wants to ask permission for something. And if he was late, he'll be as quiet and non-needy as possible.

Hadley's often away from home, and Dale's often exhausted by the time he heads to bed. Maybe some light flirting, but sleepy cuddles are much more likely than sex. Their fantasies are a little elaborate... Tired owners of multiple businesses gotta sleep sometime.

Weekend Schedule

Slower to get dressed and up on weekends. It's not uncommon to work from bed, checking up on things and sending emails (Maybe with au pairs bringing him breakfast). Hadley sleeps late, but thrashes less in the early morning hours than she does in the night, so there's that.

Weekends are really their only option for married life intimacy, and only if Hadley's home. Despite Dale's general performance anxiety, he enjoys the cosplay and roleplay aspects, which can get pretty fancy. Work hard during the week, play hard on your half-day off.

He's not always into the things his wife's into, but he likes being told what to do, so take that as you will.

Don't worry- he's very good at pushing his own wants too.

There's plenty of general house stuff to do too, like fixing au pairs and making sure everything's running with the bills and garden.

Dale is mildly more attentive to Dev's personal life on weekends (especially Sundays and/or when Hadley isn't there), offering the hope of a relationship that keeps Dev going between holidays. Still, Dev doesn't see his dad as much as he wants to. It's fine.

Sleep Schedule: Does not sleep well. Even when his wife isn't thrashing around in bed, he's a light sleeper and tends to jolt awake. Very sensitive to sounds; struggles to feel safe at night. Often crashes into naps.

That said, having Hadley around does have its perks, like reducing anxiety that someone will sneak in and kidnap him.

Dale and the au pairs have made multiple attempts to clean Hadley's room so she'll sleep in hers instead of his, but it never works. She'll cuddle up to him despite Dale's annoyance with her thrashing around in her sleep. He tolerates it because... Let's be honest- He's aware he's A Lot, so he can put up with the fact that he's a married man and it's common for couples to share a bed. And while they're both awake, the cuddles aren't bad, so there's that.

Often struggles to drift off and then jerks awake, hypervigilance kicking in (and flooding him with adrenalin). He'll slip out of bed and make the rounds (Checking on Dev himself rather than sending flashy, beeping au pairs... It's easier to find the source of strange sounds when you're not trying to listen over the sound of whirring fan blades).

Sometimes gets up to work in the middle of the night to get a head start on projects. Often looks for food. Sometimes Dev comes down in the early morning to find his dad on the kitchen floor surrounded by boxes, often with a huge pile of opened things that are now "at risk foods" that clearly need to be thrown out. Food anxiety is rough.

Dale actually does like cuddling... Hadley's just not good at staying still. He likes holding Dev more than you'd think- After all, "Someone might kidnap my son" or "My son might die if he doesn't eat" are thoughts that keep him up at night, so it's easier to fall asleep when Dev's on the couch with him (or at least in the room).

Dev might seek him on occasion (i.e. holiday naptime, Mom's away and Dev's spooked by something, or camping), but Dale never asks for this (because... he's not going to ask his son to sleep in bed with him). He does request Dev or the au pairs to knock on his door if he came home late, but that's it. And Dale gets frustrated when Dev's not home for dinner, so sometimes he'll grump and grill him on what kept him out so long and if the reasons help him network. Dev usually avoids approaching his dad, not wanting to upset him (especially if he's ill or feels dumb for being spooked by loud noises). It's a balancing act, but whatcha gonna do?

PERSONAL

Dale's Family Tree: HERE

Disclaimer: If future New Wish seasons give us relatives for Dale, this family tree (and Dale's history section) may change. It also might not. We'll see!

Relationship Status: Married to Hadley Harrington (Ed Leadly's middle daughter). Dale loves her dearly, as far as he has love for a fellow person. Don't quote me on that; it's possibly untrue.

Wedding Anniversary: January 21st, 2012 - A few months before he turned 25

Dale reunited with Hadley at age 15 (after escaping Vicky) as she was part of the social circle he was re-introduced to after many years away. Since he's 3 years older, she was quite young when he went off the radar, but he's technically known her all her life.

Hadley's older sister (Harper) is Dale's age. For a while, he knew her better- He used to play with her as a kid. Harper's the one he (presumably) would've been betrothed to if she didn't fight her dad on the idea of betrothals in general. Hadley didn't mind marrying a man she might not love, so the offer fell to her. Dale still considers Harper a friend and enjoys seeing her at family reunions, but Harper and Hadley don't get along well. Not that Dale notices.

Since he's known her for years, Dale grew familiar with Hadley; she's easily the person he's closest with. He trusts her with his life in almost all situations... but he will still ritually check the expiration dates on every ingredient she cooks with (and will sometimes make a loop to check on things that make him nervous even if she already did it). And yes, he still loves his boots and will say so. See? You don't need to hoard to be happy! Just hyperfixate for life!!

It's almost hilarious that Dale has extreme trust in Hadley while she's paranoid he'll cheat on or divorce her. Hadley asks a lot of questions about where he's been and who he's with, but when she returns from a trip, he'll smile and adopt an attitude of "Hey! You're back!"

Exception being if she interrupts him to tell him she's home. He doesn't love when something breaks his concentration and will be snappy and fussy for the rest of the evening... but if he wraps up his work and then leaves his room to find she's home, he'll throw his arms in the air with a smile and acknowledge she's back. Wife :)

He will not be there emotionally, but he definitely knows when there's someone in his house.

Hadley has an outside entrance to her storage rooms so she can unpack while he works on late-night projects... They realized pretty fast that Dale doesn't handle unexpected door squeaks and footsteps very well.

Dale finds it very attractive that Hadley's always been friendly to him, including when he was fresh out of the lemonade pit, emotionally raw, and didn't look or act appealing. They bicker on occasion, but she's never threatened to hit him. In fact, she's pretty patient when he takes his time working up to things. Hadley came from a very wealthy family (thus cutting down the risk of her being a gold digger), yet is also a hard worker very devoted to her self-made career: making videos and selling a wide variety of products (especially things that don't fit his expertise, such as travel supplies and workout gear). Dale places a lot of value in work and independence, so he's very fond and supportive of his wife. She's a good, safe person. He genuinely doesn't mind when she's away traveling... She's there just enough to be comforting without being around so often that she's super annoying. Dev would benefit from having more parental attention, but Dale does just fine, so clearly his son is fine too.

Despite the conflicts that crop up in their marriage (such as Hadley being a hoarder while Dale is neat and tidy), Dale has a lot of positive feelings towards Hadley. If a positive thought about her comes to mind while she's in the room, he'll just say it. Surprisingly, that's gotten him far in life.

If you get him started, he can gush on about how much he likes his wife, who is very cool and hot...... He'd just also be able to walk away from this relationship without being too bothered that it ended. They might be a little TOO independent...

The vibe here is definitely "Enjoy what you have while you have it." Neither of these people likes letting go of things, so they continue enjoying what they have.

Dale has an interesting quirk of referring to Hadley by name rather than labels like "my wife" due to her extreme determination to make a name for herself; she'll jump in to say her name if she's around when he does use a label like that. Sometimes he'll say "your mother" to Dev (in the same vein he told Dev to "listen to his business partner" in canon), but he's broken most of the "my wife" habit.

Dale is significantly more touchy-feely with Hadley in front of crowds or cameras than he is when they're at home. That is, he'll sit with her at a dining table, hold her hand, or even frog-jump right over her to chase something that caught his eye.

He isn't the most complimentary, he's not great at sharing the spotlight, and he doesn't always sing her due praises despite listing off the many businesses he owns, but he'll smile at, finger gun, throw his arm around, or openly flirt with her.

... If you can call it flirting.

Dale is not big on being lovey-dovey, but he'll play up the flirting when people are watching (Ex: Bragging during a press conference, pulling her right up against him at a party while telling someone she's cool, leaning on her, handing her the microphone with no warning, and dropping comments like "Aw, ain't she a doll?") I mean... that's what people on TV do, right? He also texts her photos of him scoring business deals and/or covering himself in money. Sometimes he just stares at her from afar. Wow... wife...

He tends to talk over Hadley in public- She often stutters and isn't as loud and dramatic as he is, so he'll swoop into her conversations (Sometimes throwing his elbow on her head or shoulder, leaning a lot of his weight on her). He has an equally bad habit of getting distracted and wandering away during events, leaving her to wrap up what she was doing and then look around in confusion for him.

They are sickeningly cute in matching pajamas, which is most likely to happen when Hadley's pulled the family together for a game night, video, or vacation. Dale will probably be on the couch scrolling through his phone, but he lets Hadley sit near him. Maybe even lay her head on him. Even Dev can wriggle up to him when he's in vacation mode... Dale is definitely more at ease when Hadley's taking charge and telling him what to say and do.

Again, Dale is chronically unable to convince himself he deserves rest. When Hadley's in charge and "makes him rest" as a family bonding activity, he's actually okay with that. He'll let Dev climb in his lap and snuggle. Dale's not incredibly affectionate even during holidays, but when you're Dev, you take what you can get.

Dale is prone to both hyperfixations and dissociation; sometimes he feels like seconds or minutes passed when really, it was hours. The au pairs keep him grounded enough to eat, but if he's left alone without them, Dale will completely zone out and neglect all his needs (from hunger to bathroom to hygiene... not to mention Dev in general).

Criticize him for Dev's impersonal, drone-related upbringing all you want, but the cursed alternative is "Dale fails to feed his hypoglycemic little boy, who has a seizure and no one's there." The au pairs are holding this family together... Lost chargers, power outages, and long road trips without electricity cause genuine anxiety in the Dimmadome household. A family of 3 who all have ADHD/OCD comorbidity can get by together, but the worst part about the au pairs is how reliant you end up on them...

Dale considers himself to be an attentive parent "when not working" and fails to recognize the impact his devotion to business-y things has on Dev's daily life.

Cross-reference with H.P., who avoids admitting family relations, actively pushes his offspring away when they touch him, will stay awake until everyone else in the room is asleep, and is always micromanaging. H.P. has a "Not ever; that's unprofessional" approach to touch and family attitudes while Dale's energy is along the lines of "Not now; I'm busy" and "I loved my dad, so Devin loves me" and /takes his son's arm and points at him- "I made this."

Dale wants to be a good dad... he just has skewed memories of what his own dad was like, he's bad at talking to children, and doesn't care if he secures money (i.e. safety) in immoral ways. There's a lot going on inside his head, and frankly... He's not going to listen to your critique. You don't know what he's dealing with. He's raising this kid his way. Money is safety. Safety is everything. Dev is doing fine.

Dale and Hadley are also that couple who, if you put them in a room with a bunch of other people to play games, will always team up. They didn't come here to make new friends... They don't trust like that. Partner with someone else?? You're asking a lot.

Dimmadelphia's ruthless power couple, everyone.

Often takes off his wedding ring for sensory reasons and forgets where he put it (Don't tell his wife) (Oh no, she's onto him).

Due to the triple combo of Dale not wearing his ring, walking around separately at events, and not calling her "my wife" in conversation, there are a lot of people who don't know he's married... Including every teacher Dev's ever had until they get the jumpscare of Hadley showing up for parent-teacher conferences. Many people consider Hadley Dale's personal assistant and don't connect the dots that she's Dev's mom. Yes, they're uncomfortable if Dale hints he's slept with her. Every now and then, Dale attends a social event where some widower or divorcee asks if he'd be interested in joining a singles support group (to his bafflement, and he always turns them down because they're clearly trying to scam him out of money). He's been asked out multiple times... and since he's not great at reading signals, he's inadvertently gone on many dates he thought were business meetings. Sometimes he brings Dev with him "so the kid can get some business experience." Dev can instantly clock when the vibes are flirty and will try to subtly get his dad's attention or cut in with a comment about his mom, but he's often ignored. Comedy of errors...

Betrothed to Hadley at age 19. They'd run in the same social circle all their life, so they were certainly aware of each other despite not being romantic. Well, Dale missed 7 years, but other than that...

Specifically, their dads worked this out as an option in their youth, pitched it to them individually, and they both accepted. Dale was relieved to marry someone from Dimmsdale. Doug definitely had some options from elsewhere in the country and Dale was nervous to meet new people and explain all his trauma. Hadley actually saw him during recovery, so he never had to get into detail, and she's pretty accommodating. They get along great.

Clarifying note: They weren't married until they were older, but the betrothal was locked in at that time since by age 19, it was time for Dale and Doug to nail down a plan. Since the Leadlys are multimillionaires rich enough for Leadly to drop 17 million on a spontaneous purchase ("Dog Gone"), one of his daughters was the ideal place to start asking.

Simple courtship. Mostly, Dale and Hadley continued seeing each other at the usual social gatherings, but slowly moved towards deeper talks about their future. Lots of showy gifts exchanged in the way you'd expect upper class kids to privately flirt.

Dale definitely took his time working up to, y'know... talking to people. Neither Dale nor Hadley trusts easily, both having come from families that raised them to be wary of someone taking advantage of them for wealth. However, their shared backgrounds and planned betrothal helped grow their trust in each other, leading to them both feeling very safe in the other's presence.

Ideal Relationship: Back in the day, Dale would've had a hard time putting into words what he wanted- He was just glad to have his life back. Hadley fits snugly in his life and is a lot of things he never would've thought to ask for.

Besides the obvious - i.e. non-abusive - she's pretty lax, likes to schedule, openly communicates, enjoys her personal space, and has done her utmost to make a name for herself without relying on her dad or husband. She has the right amount of "Likes things done her way" energy to parallel Dale's "After work, I don't want to think, so just tell me what to do" energy. Hadley's been to Texas many times (since Pencil Nexus has a branch there). She also loves hunting, which Dale (child of Doug he is) enjoys too. They share a lot of interests. She also indulges his boot-related fantasies, which he likes. Wouldn't trade her for anyone. He might leave her to live alone, but he wouldn't trade her.

The areas they clash most are Hadley's hoarding OCD - very frustrating for him since her stuff gets everywhere - her paranoia that Dale will cheat on her, and Dale not being emotionally there when Hadley wants a vacation.

Although Dale was a curious child who likes exploring, he lost a lot of that during his trauma. Hadley is much more adventurous than Dale is (both in terms of travel and their bedroom life). Dale does not budge easily from his comfort zone and he wouldn't mind if she slackened the reins.

Hadley would've loved to have more kids. On some level, Dale does equate more kids to being more successful and would enjoy having more of them in that regard (especially since he, his dad, his mom, and his grandparents were all only children- Dale has no cousins, uncles, or aunts and doesn't know how to talk to such people).

That said, Dale doesn't feel a specific desire for more kids. He's very hesitant to stray outside his safe zone, especially while his life is currently in balance. He'd definitely be the type to assume more kids will "fix things."

- He would've preferred waiting until he was older to have a kid if it weren't for the crushing weight of Daddy's Expectations looming in the background... Doug always found it weird that Hadley wanted to do business things (like run her own company) and not exclusively be a stay-at-home mom like his wife was. - Dale still tosses and turns over the fact that Doug never got to meet Dev... Daddy never got to see him "succeed at continuing the Dimmadome line"... He will never know if he's proud. It's fine. He's fine. He's actually over it, haha.

Sexuality: Unclear and generally unimportant- 7 years of trauma did a number on his ability to identify emotions or trust other people, and now he's married, so who cares? Not the best at reading the room. Or himself, for that matter.

Grew up in the '90s and 2000s, missed a bunch of school (health class included), wasn't raised in a home that discussed many options beyond growing up to marry a nice woman so he could continue the Dimmadome line... and frankly, if he thought about it and realized there's a chance he may not have ended up with a woman and had a kid, he'd probably have an anxiety attack. We Do Not Disappoint Daddy In This Household.

All this said, Dale is aware of some Pride symbols - mostly rainbows - due to the Pride rodeos held at the Dimmsdale Dimmadome every year he was growing up (They were quite popular in Los Angeles Dimmsdale throughout the 90s). He attended several in the early 2000s, including the 50 years of frozen time. -> Dale has very positive memories of attending rodeos and similar events with his dad, and was none too pleased when they were banned from Los Angeles Dimmsdale in December 2023. See also, "Dirty Roads and Sterile Hearts." Dale also played a lot of Sims games... Up to Sims 9 or 10, in fact, given how products kept coming out during the 50 years of frozen time. He's not oblivious to sexualities, but it's not something he likes thinking about in relation to himself. He'll sell rainbow things for money and be done with it. He's definitely in the camp of assuming everyone experiences attraction (and most emotions for that matter) the way he does... which is to say, very little on the attraction front. Romance plots in media are baffling to him. He's glimpsed some anime and manga through his wife and son, but he's not invested in Kennueth's romance arc (despite Dev thinking it's heart-wrenching and fun).

Dale tends to ask people to lunch or dinner if he finds them intriguing - maybe at a nice restaurant, maybe at his house... maybe at Dimm-'N-Out Burgers - but if you asked him if he was attracted to any of these people, he would say "Of course not- I'm married" or "That would be unprofessional."

The more he wants to impress and befriend you, the more anxious he feels. He definitely has a squish on Kevin Crocker. Dale doesn't care about most people, but when you have a mouth full of implants and you've built your own line of robots, the dentist-slash-fellow robotics expert from Archimedes U is high on the Cool People list.

From this post about Dale and Kevin going out to dinner

It's very possible that Kevin (who's happily married and monogamous with Chloe) is Dale's type, but who knows if Dale's that self-aware.

If he did, it probably wouldn't change how badly he wants to talk to Kevin about robots. Even in a universe where they did date (and subsequently break-up), Dale would follow him around asking robotics questions. Given his struggles of letting go of Vicky, you can bet he'd be equally fascinated by Kevin. Geek to geek communication; romance optional.

No one ever knows how Dale feels about people or where he hopes things will go... Not even Dale.

Intimate History: Sexually intimate with only one partner (His wife, Hadley).

Cherry lemon ship masterpost

Didn't date anyone while in post-trauma recovery, and by the time he was ready to think about his intimate future, his dad already had betrothal options in mind. Dale accepted, never dated anyone, and never looked back.

Despite his unintended not-business dates, some odd workplace conversations, a few awkward doorstep encounters, aggressively flirtatious Amanda Killman, and people who are genuinely trying to seduce him just for money, he is completely faithful to his wife. Why wouldn't he be? He distrusts everyone equally and was probably backing away even before he realized they were flirting.

If you think this man is going to follow someone he doesn't trust with his life to a private location, think again... You have no choice but to flirt with him in front of his employees, weird drones who could probably fling you into the distance, his wife, or his son. You're dang right the office door is staying open.

No, you're not sharing the bed on this business trip. You can have it and he'll find another hotel. He will pry you off with a crowbar or drag you to the front desk before he ends up in a room with you alone. Don't test the man.

Turn-Ons: Prefers knowing what to expect- Giving him a schedule or explanation note in advance is practically a must. If you try to surprise him with spontaneity, he'll be fidgety and anxious the whole time. Feels most comfortable being told exactly what to do.

Dale: We should have a 24/7 total power exchange dynamic. Hadley: We're not doing that. Dale: Welp, not arguing with a bossy lady. Whatever you say...

Loves animal print and ranch-themed cosplay... It's really hot when his wife shoots a gun while wearing denim, cowgirl fringes, and rhinestone-coated boots tbh. Actually, can we keep the boots in the room? You... you can just put them on top of him. Please do that. Hadley, come back-

Very into recording videos of himself and/or Hadley covered in money, but has absolutely stopped Dev from browsing that au pair's collection in the nick of time. Dale is bad at many things, but his uncanny ability to cross paths with Dev .4 seconds before disaster is unparalleled.

Children: Dev Dimmadome

Dev gets most of his looks from Dale, though he has some of Hadley's tufts and curls (plus her body type).

... Sorry? Did you say someone on the family tree seems to be missing? That doesn't sound familiar.

Notable Grandchildren: I've heard Dale's obsessed with finding "the lost Dimmadome heir," whatever that means... I think Dev's profile might have more info for you there.

Father: Doug Dimmadome

Grandfather: Duncan "Development" Dimm Grandmother: Griselda "Penny" Dimm (née Huber) Notable Ancestors: Dale Dimm, Francis Macdome Dimm, Dimmalonius

Mother: Pearl Dimmadome (née Doe)

Pearl disappeared around the same time Dale went missing, leading many (including Doug) to wonder if she'd taken her young son and run off.

Grandfather: Cassias "Cash" Doe Grandmother: Aurelia "Goldie" Doe (née Astor) NOTE - No relation to John and Jane Doe from A New Wish at this time (Hazel's landlord & landlady; parents of the twins). The surname Doe is a play on "dough" being a word for money, which fits the name scheme of old money families we know. If we don't get a Season 2, I'll likely connect them (since John's hair gives me Buxaplenty vibes anyway and I think it would be interesting to play with that), but there's a chance they're aliens or something. No known relation, but this could change (and possibly land Dale with cousins) in a future update to this profile.

Fairy Godfather: [REDACTED]

Hmm... I think he was green?

Pixie Godfather: Fergus Whimsifinado (H.P.)

Met at some point. Memories are fuzzy...

Wife: Hadley Harrington (née Leadly)

- Met in early childhood. Grew up in the same social circle and saw each other at fancy parties. - Hadley used the surname Leadly in her early years, only taking her mother's name after the divorce

Celebrity Crushes: Why would he crush on someone when he's richer and better than all of them?

Current Love Interest: ........ Still Hadley? Unclear.

Other Important Relationships: 

Vicky Aingeal - Dale's childhood best friend since he was 6. They spent a few years playing together (and doing school projects) before The Incident that spiraled into a cover-up... and the lemon drama.

Related Works: "50 Words of Dale and Vicky," Lemonade and Papercuts, "You Deserve It."

Despite years of abuse beneath Vicky's hand, Dale had a very hard time adjusting to life without her. During recovery, he met up with her a few times in a desperate attempt to convince himself she felt bad for what she did and didn't mean to hurt her best friend. Because... she did. She... can't NOT regret what she put him through...

Dale cared deeply for Vicky and doesn't think of himself as someone who would betray his BFF... An emotion that's side by side with the desire to scream and hurt her just to give her a taste of what she put him through. His trauma haunted him for years (and still haunts him as an adult) as he's very broken up about what happened to him. -> He often blames himself. Ex: "She cares about me. She was only mean because I put her in a bad situation. If I'd been a better friend, she wouldn't have gotten upset with me." As he's gotten older, Dale's stopped clinging to those rose-colored glasses as much as he used to. He still feels awful and conflicted about what happened (and is quicker to find fault with his actions than Vicky's). Since his father's dead and Dale still feels like he never lived up to Daddy's expectations, there's a part of Dale that desperately wants Vicky to apologize and rekindle their friendship... She was his friend. He's supposed to hate her. He'd be reluctant to trust, but would probably hear her out if she asked him too. An apology would likely bring him to his knees, spitting and sobbing and screaming at the overwhelming emotions slamming over him... That's rough, buddy. -> See also, this comic I drew of City Lights Dale and Vicky hanging out at a party after A New Wish Season 1.

Ed Leadly - His father-in-law! ... Dale is overly showy and trips-over-his-feet-attentive to Hadley when her dad is around. Do you have any idea how many trees that man cuts down for pencils? Dimmsdale's [presumably magical] forest is literally kept in check because of Pencil Nexus ("The Boss of Me").

Yeah, we don't pick fights with the CEO of axe-wielding. Leadly is not afraid to hunt, chop wood, hunt, gut animals, or otherwise get his hands dirty and Dale is very afraid of him.

Remy Buxaplenty - A frequent contact. They do a lot of shipping-related business together (Remy with trains, Dale with drones).

Remy's also a long-time friend of Hadley's, so he's one of Dale's most common associates in personal life as well.

Timmy Turner - Not close in Timmy's youth, but once Timmy turned 18 (and forgot the magic parts of his childhood), he got into hunting with Sparky. Dale and Hadley were also hunters and let him join their trips several times. They consider each other buddies.

Dale doesn't hold Timmy up on a pedestal- As far as he's concerned, he got himself out of the lemon pit- Timmy's just the guy who let him eat and wash up while waiting for his dad to drive over. But they do know each other and crossed paths on occasion. Timmy knows Dale better due to Timmy living a double life as the mysterious benefactor who throws Septimberfest every year ("Momnipresent").

Amanda Killman (Sigh) - Another wealthy individual in the tech field. Amanda blatantly finds Dale attractive and has no shame in admitting it (or coming onto him). Dale thinks she's a creep and avoids her whenever possible. Hadley distrusts her and is paranoid her husband will cheat on a business trip someday.

Mikey Munroe (& Bunsen) - Met him a few times while his parents were installing security systems; Mikey followed in his parents' footsteps with Bunsen right behind him. Dale does not like either of them, but that doesn't stop Mikey from talking his ear off or trying to "fix" everything in his house. He does think Mikey's parents' drones are neat, though.

Dale can't deliver products to Beast World directly because there are no Beast portals in California, but Mikey orders things on their behalf and sends them through Muckledunk's portals.

Mikey and Bunsen have been trying to hang out with Dale for ages. They bounce around him when they visit (usually to install security or show him broken robots) and have a long history of sending Waffle House coupons in the mail. Every week. For 22 years. There are no Waffle Houses in California. Where do they even get these? Say one thing for Dale, though- He's better than many big companies at acknowledging the existence of the Beasts living both under and aboveground. Beast World is still a largely untapped market and he incorporates them into his campaign plans (and presumably, that's what he thought Danky was). Fun timeline note: Mikey didn't know Bunsen during the 50 years of repeating time, as Bunsen only met him after meeting Cosmo at Creature Con. Beasts were driven underground during the 2nd Creature War (See The Fae Wars) and have only been allowed aboveground for ~21 years as of A New Wish. Many places still don't trust or cater to them, but Dale will chase whatever makes him money. His old money friends are horrified, but he's pretty pleased with himself. Every now and then, someone tells Dale to "go to Hell" to which he responds "I'm already there and I'm making a killing."

TRIVIA

- Dale's MBTI is ISTJ while Hadley's is ESTJ. They're very similar people, though Hadley's definitely the more outgoing.

- I'm not yet consistent with my Dale design, but my vision is that the younger he is, the more front hair puffs he has (i.e. losing them slowly over time, not all at once). He pulls his hair a lot, but it grows back.

- I based his signature off an image I found of Steve Jobs' signature, which was all lowercase letters with a big dot on the j.

- Read his fair share of Crash Nebula and Crimson Chin comics as a kid. His collection was mostly tossed during his lemonade factory absence.

- Grew up around cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, and cattle dogs; went to the state fair with his dad every year growing up. The Dimmsdale Dimmadome hosted many rodeos over the decades.

- Walks on tiptoe more than you might think. It's a habit from his old days of exploring and trying not to get too dirty.

- No cousins. Has distant extended family he may refer to as uncle, aunt, or cousin colloquially, but they're not close.

- Dale will eat just about anything (Preferably lactose-free, though he's been desperate enough to eat that too), but he especially likes charcuterie boards, chips and salsa, carrots and ranch... Really, anything he can dip to feel "luxurious." Big fan of chocolate fountains- He gets really into carefully coating things. Dev has a lot of good memories of chocolate-coated marshmallows with Dad.

- Greatly enjoys beef and steak. Ate a lot of it thanks to Dimmadome Farms... In fact, he might like hamburgers a little too much (and even founded his own burger chain).

- He's lactose intolerant (and passed the gene to Dev).

- Often eats with his hands when alone (Ex: Spaghetti)- a leftover habit from not having silverware underground.

- Doesn't like the color green (Vicky's shirt). It's not a trigger- He just thinks the color's unpleasant.

- He's a card counter. It's a skill he picked up very fast, and the real trick is slipping under the radar. ADHD/OCD comorbidity + aggressive business instinct + 50 years of frozen time go brrrr...

- Has a weird relationship with holidays. Dislikes Halloween and April Fools Day - Neither is great for relaxing - but he does enjoy Christmas and Valentine's Day. While he's not the best at being emotionally present, he can follow the script for getting gifts. He's a lot more likely to be with family around Christmas, lured in by his wife's holiday video requests and the socially acceptable time of year to take a break.

Valentine's Day is a breeze- He has few qualms about spending money on expensive chocolates and big flower displays and they don't even need to be tailored to Hadley's personality. She both enjoys it personally and makes videos about his gifts. Black Friday weekend (Up through Cyber Monday) is a very busy time of year. Founder's Day also hits that time of year, so there's a lot to think about. Fortunately, no Dimmadomes have birthdays or anniversaries around then.

- Makes schedules he's bad at sticking to. Tends to go off-script, but at least the act of making them gives comfort in the moment.

- Constantly berating himself for not being "clever enough" or "productive enough" to be "more successful."

- Has a bad habit of running out in rain or snow without dressing for cold weather. He went without for so long...

- Scary in a fight. Although his build is thin, he's tall, broad-shouldered, and isn't afraid to listen to his survival instinct. He'll slam his elbows on you, bite, twist your arms, go for your face... Whatever it takes. Not a sleeping bear you want to poke.

- Tends to bite his nails, scratch or pick his skin, and pull out his hair. Tends to nibble on his hair, but gelling it back really helps.

- Has mild claustrophobia, though not as bad as it once was. He does fine in elevators, but tunnels and the underground make him uneasy. He sleeps with a nightlight, but doesn't mind dim light as long as he can see. However, he hates sleeping near windows.

- Contrary to everyone's belief, he actually does know his son's birthday and all his dietary needs. In fact, Dale is VERY paranoid that Dev will go into a seizure or die due to his hypoglycemia (and that was a big reason to build the au pairs in the first place).

- Owns a pair of similar-looking boots without spurs for safety in crowds, but good luck getting him to wear them.

- Simultaneously loves and loathes hunting... Misophonia be like that, but he wasn't gonna tell his dad it's hard for him.

- Has his anniversary date engraved on the inside of his ring.

- Running gag of Dale being a better parent when he's multitasking: Reaching over to seatbelt Dev while talking on the phone, catching Dev by the back of the collar before he can run into the street, covering Dev's eyes whenever they walk past a scantily clad advertisement even if his eyes were downcast the whole scene, picking him up to carry him across a dangerous or sopping wet part of the hiking trail even if he's checking stocks, or sensing Dev's about to eat something with lactose before Dev does. Parental instinct finds a way...

- If he's not on a call, he plays music to block out noises that trigger his misophonia. If he's in a bad enough mood, he'll be upset those songs bother him too.

- Dale and Hadley both like wearing cowboy hats and boots, especially when they visit Texas. A lot of their promotional images (as well as digital wallpapers) depict them in such clothes.

While Dale doesn't have a family photo as his phone background, he does have one on a laptop he only uses for family-related things (e.g. Scheduling vacations, checking on Hadley's businesses, making donations to Dev's school). It's... everyone sitting on a bench in boots, and the boots are the centered part. Close enough.

APPEARANCES

Main Blog Tag: #Dale Dimmadome owner of Dimmadome Global

Sideblog Tag: #RD Dale

AO3 Tag - #Dale Dimmadome

Dale makes most of his appearances in City Lights AU, with minor appearances in Cloudlands AU's Along the Cherry Lane and 130 Reasons Why I'm Fairy Trash.

His most notable appearance in the latter series is "You Deserve It," where he's the POV character, talks with Timmy, reunites with family, and attends his first fancy social gathering after escaping Vicky.

He's the protagonist of Lemonade and Papercuts and the antagonist of Dev's life... just in general.

Sideblog Masterpost