#i don't want or feel like i can make a post “dismantling” the theory cause it's based on plausible interpretations

[maranull]

At this point, I would rather that the Gloam eyed Queen was someone else than Melina

The fact that she was Marika's daughter could break the Gloam eyed Queen is Melina theory

Cuz if anything,Melina is very on the side of Marika, I mean she had quotes of Marika,a implied ties to the Black Knives who was also in league with Marika at some point hence her Death association,her guide of us to the Erdtree. Her entire quest seemingly based on finding the perfect Elden Lord's candidate, I do think that she was entrusted with that quest from Marika,just a girl doing what mommy asked her to

Gloam eyed Queen was possibly implied as the one who wanted dethrone Marika cuz she had all the qualities and the big fat truth of her being an Empyrean,but if so why did Melina seemed like she doesn't really hate Marika? My points up there,her goal is very align with finding someone who can replace the Queen Marika,doesn't matter if Melina even like the Erdtree

If Melina possibly respected her mother, what reason she has to overthrow her mom? It seemed so cheap if simple nepotism or inheritance battles was something in the Marika's kids. We all agree Elden Ring doesn't have simple cheap trope like that

So yeah this is hard to be a case of "Mommy was a meanie,she didn't let me get the throne so I went and made a cult to get back at her ass"

Good news! She's not, that's just the most popular theory and some folks sometimes forget that it's not canon.

But yeah, I have nothing of substance to add here. The points you made are part of why I also don't agree with the theory.

I've said my thoughts about Meli already so I won't repeat myself, I'll just say that while the GEQ theory can be interesting, sometimes things and characters are simply what they seem. And I personally think that's the case with Meli. But I could be wrong, as always.

[phoenixyfriend]

A lot has been happening today that rep calls could affect. UN vetoes, KOSA, Julian Assange, UNRWA's funding crisis and Israel's demands that it be completely dismantled, the large number of bills we just learned are on the docket for the coming week, and even the good news that is recent successes by the BDS movement.

And like... I care about this stuff. I want to talk about it. But it takes an emotional and mental toll to do it, and it takes time, and... there are two reasons to write up reference, update, information posts:

Compensation. I'm not a journalist, but if I were, I would in theory be getting paid for the information I collect and share to my audience. However, I am not, and am doing this for free. I have gotten maybe $5 in donations since I started this project, and while I recognize that this is probably because people are (quite rightly) donating instead to Palestinian charities or local campaigns or something, it's a basic fact that I am not actually being compensated for this work.

Promoting change and activism. This is in fact my main goal: to have a positive impact on current events by giving people a guide on the news and politics because there's so much happening that's hard to keep track of, and if I'm already doom-listening to half a dozen political podcasts, I might as well save other people the trouble, right?

The thing is, like... most of the reblogs on my guidelines and helpful posts are from me, to me. I am the one reblogging. I am desperately trying to get these things to circulate so I can make a difference, but... no dice. Some of the posts are admittedly pretty long (my 'how to call your reps, here's some verbiage' post is 3.4k words), and I can imagine some people are saving it for later, and then maybe forget, or they don't want to share something controversial, and like... I do get that. I do.

But it does mean the posts aren't circulating, and thus they're having less of an impact, and I can't help but feel like there are other things I could be doing to help that would be more effective. More bang for my buck, except it's my time and effort instead of my money. Like, maybe it would have more an effect if I hunted down a wider variety of elected officials I could bother instead of instructing other people on how to bother theirs? Maybe going to protests (which would be a huge commitment due to distance) would be more effective than trying to help ensure that the effectiveness of "I actually have a vote and you are losing it" of calls has the weight of numbers behind it.

Especially since I did try to blaze it, and tumblr mods rejected the post. I don't know why. It's not against ToS, since none of it was disinformation or election interference, which is the only reason given on the FAQ for why things might not be approved for blazing, but who knows.

Maybe tumblr just decided the possible blowback on them for blazing a pro-ceasefire post would be too much.

I don't know. I just... it's just really disheartening to try to help and it gets stymied because, as much effort as it might be, it doesn't reach more than a (comparatively) tiny audience, especially when my relatively low-effort polls and shitposts get easily ten times as many notes with way less energy put in.

EDIT: This is not a post that I need to have reblogged. this is just me bitching. This a vent post. What I am asking people to reblog is my activism posts that I spend hours on to try and help nudge things in a better direction. Please reblog THOSE. This one doesn't need reblogging unless you have an actual comment. Reblogging this post just to reblog, with neither useful comment nor encouragement, is not helping me with my issue of 'not paid, not making an impact' or helping with any important causes.