#i fear this may be niche but i don’t care

[embervoices]

A very useful thread on Bluesky:

(There is a lot more. Rather than give you all the images, I've copied the full text below.)

Meredith Rose‬ ‪@mrose.ink‬ November 8, 2024

This is not going to be a repeat of 2016-2020. It will be better, it will be worse, but most of all it will be different. Here are things I want every single person to keep in mind as we head into round 2 of a Trump admin.

My credentials: I’m a queer female public interest attorney working on tech policy in DC. I’ve been doing this for a decade--longer than some, not as long as others. I had to navigate three different administrations, as well as Congress, regulatory agencies, courts, and the advocacy world.

FIRST: don’t let despair override your media literacy.

The left has grifters, just like every other movement. If you’re able and compelled to donate, give to orgs with established track records. Avoid giving to individuals, especially anyone who emerges overnight with a one-weird-trick “plan.”

The left is not immune to misinformation, and everyone—EVERYONE—falls for it sometimes, present company included. There is no shame in it. When (not if) it happens to you, you should acknowledge it; delete or retract the post to reduce the spread; and move on.

If a source consistently shares half-truths or outright misinformation, it is not trustworthy, no matter how much “their heart is in the right place.” Unfollow and move on.

Prediction, analysis, and reporting are three fundamentally different things. Learn to identify them for what they are. Reject attempts by amateur “analysts” to predict the future. They know as much as you do.

Real subject matter experts know and acknowledge their limits. They’re also (usually) hesitant to try and predict the future. The best frame their predictions in terms of a range of possible outcomes. Subject matter experts may also disagree with one another! It happens!

SECOND: What we know for sure about how the Trump, how he operates, and how that will impact the next four years.

Trump is a narcissist who avoids reading and doesn’t care about details. He cannot be persuaded by argument or logic; he’s moved mostly by flattery, and will agree with the last person who flattered him. He can and will upend his own administration’s work without warning, often by tweet.

As a result, most policy experts—even those "on his side"—dread him taking an interest in their field. Ask any Republican staffer who worked in Congress during the last administration, and most of them will confirm that their greatest fear was Trump tweeting about anything related to their work.

As such, people who are serious about their work will do everything to make it as invisible and boring-seeming as possible. This is the policy equivalent of defensive camouflage. Lots of “normie” work will continue in silence. (The lion’s share of tech policy ends up in this bucket.)

If you have a niche issue that you care about, now is a great time to donate to orgs that work on it. Lots of money will be funneled to big legacy orgs working on headline issues: ACLU, climate change orgs, etc. Consider sending your donations where they matter most: local, niche, established.

Trump runs his cabinet like the Apprentice. He thrives on chaos and making people compete for his approval. Not only does he not reward collaboration between his subordinates, he actively undermines it.

Moreover, everyone who works with him knows that they’re vulnerable to being thrown under the bus at a moment’s notice, for any reason (or for no reason at all). His cabinet is going to be scorpions in a bottle. They will not be able to coordinate, for good or ill.

One scorpion can still do a lot of horrific damage. But large scale inter-agency coordination is unlikely, particularly after the first few months, by which point he will likely (prediction warning!) have gone through a handful of cabinet secretaries already.

FINALLY: The view from inside civil society heading into 2025.

In 2016, Trump was a largely unknown quantity. The left and establishment right alike wasted a lot of time trying to read tea leaves and make sense of this guy, because he was completely outside the realm of what anyone had dealt with. That’s not happening now.

He did us a favor by broadcasting his plans in advance (aka Project 2025). Civil society has spent the last 2.5 years strategizing around it. We’re not starting off flat-footed.

The Biden admin did a good amount to future-proof its own achievements. Folks can speak to their own areas of expertise, but clean energy and CHIPS and Science Act (investing in domestic semiconductor production) have benefitted from huge sunk investments. That money’s not getting clawed back.

OVERALL TAKE-AWAYS:

It's going to suck. But civil society and the political left have some advantages we didn't have last time. We know him, we know his angles, and we know who he's bringing in--none of which we had in 2016.

We'll get through this. It will be grim, but we'll get through it.

John Cutting‬ ‪@johncutting.bsky.social‬

Thanks Meredith. I really valued your analysis over the past few years, and I think this is a reasonable, actionable framework to think about the upcoming storm

Meredith Rose‬ ‪@mrose.ink‬

I really cannot overstate how much time was (necessarily) wasted in 2017 trying to figure out this guy and his influences. The fact that he's not only a known quantity, but ran the most over-studied administration in this nation's recent history, makes this a very different game.

John Cutting‬ ‪@johncutting.bsky.social‬

I bet we can weaponize his narcissism. Let's say some ghoul starts making progress with a mass deportation effort, if we start calling that ghoul that "shadow president" en masse, Trump would fire him in right away and appoint Hulk Hogan or something

‪Meredith Rose‬ ‪@mrose.ink‬

This is exactly why I don't think Musk will last very long. Trump is very clear that he's the only one in the room allowed to have an ego or any kind of brand name.

[cloudyskiiees]

have you guys watched the good place? if you have oh boy do i have the total drama au for you.

more under the cut in case ppl haven’t seen the good place! (watch it with no spoilers it’s one of the best shows of all time, it’s on netflix!)

(the characters and relationships in the actual show do not line up with the placements of the tdi characters, sue me! they fit better this way :))

noah takes on eleanor’s role as the protagonist. he wakes up in “the good place” and realizes quickly “aw fuck i’m not supposed to be here” and goes a little mental about it for a while!!

heather is michael, because it makes sense in my head okay. she’s very excited to have to new way of torturing humans, and is angry as hell when she fails over and over again because noah keeps figuring out it’s actually the bad place. she’s even more mad when she eventually learns to care about the humans LOL

sierra is janet, making sense as the all knowing entity of the universe. the main sierra is a “good place” sierra, but there’s many different versions of her. she develops real feelings everytime she gets rebooted along with the neighborhood!

courtney is chidi, when she was alive she was a very good lawyer. she knows her stuff about morals and ethics and is the one to usually end up teaching and helping the others how to be good people (not to say she doenst have her own stuff wrong just like everyone else!)

alejandro is more of tahani, in which on earth he appeared to be a very good and generous person, but he’s also kinda a vain asshole. he has a lot of family problems and was raised in competition with his brother, but he’s also usually the first person noah goes to when he realizes he’s screwed since he knows he doesn’t belong.

gwen is jason! she’s definitely not nearly as stupid as he is, but i see her plot as needing to hide herself working well somehow. she wasn’t a terrible person but she wasn’t great either, and taking one look around she knows she definitely doesn’t belong there either. her and noah are both happy and horrified when they discover each other!

anyways this is definitely alenoah because i see them having the relationship that eleanor and chidi have because i want it. I WANT IT.

the first time noah figures out it’s the bad place, the first thing he can think of to write to give him any clue on what’s going on when his memory is rebooted, is “find alejandro”

and in parallel later in the show when alejandro gets his memory rebooted, because he spent his whole life trying to find some meaning in whatever his life was, where he seemed to have everything but nothing at all, and he writes to himself, “there is no meaning. but noah is the meaning.” like please i’m on the floor do you guys see my vision

anyways go watch the good place and then go watch total drama island i love tv shows so much

[astrogre]

Astro observations 3

Disclaimer: I would like to confirm that my observations are the niche ways in which a placement may manifest, it is the way I’ve noticed it in others, the people around me, celebrities, myself and in my studies. It is not the doctrine wide broad way the placement occurs for everyone.

Leo MC always are seen as icons by the public, they’re simply just iconic. Everything they do has an artistic value so they’re just seen as icons

When doing chart analysis I’ve noticed that even if an asteroid isn’t inputted to the chart, the themes surrounding it are still shown simply from planets. Asteroids don’t tell you anything new that isn’t already there, it more so highlights the “how”. The planets themselves already suggest the themes of what’s going on, asteroids are there to perhaps confirm it and further dissect.

E.g a person has Jupiter in 7th house, coincidentally Biblialexa and Sokrates asteroids may also be there too. This suggests more exact detail in how that Jupiter manifests and the natives relationships are filled with wisdom and intellectually charged but even if we removed the two asteroids from the picture, Jupiter already falls under those themes so the asteroids are just confirming that and showing us further how it’s done.

Taurus MC like to work hard so that they can live a wealthy, care free life. That’s what motivates them. It kind of reminds me of Denji from chainsaw man. The motivation to why he works so hard is to have delicious food and a warm bed to sleep in at night. They’re hard working but people can tell they work for the leisure that comes with it.

Planet conjunctions to a house make the planet that’s conjuncting the house work seamlessly with the theme of the house. It makes the qualities of that planet become heightened with the house, regardless of if the planet is inside it or not. In a way the house-planet conjunct is stronger influence than the planets INSIDE the house because they are not directly communicating with the house itself but are instead a part of it.

The planets in the house cusp obey and follow the nature of the house but when a planet is conjunct to the house it means they are both on par with each other. Like the head of administration speaking to the head of technology whereas all the planets in the house work as the team employees and essentially under the houses orders

let’s say someone has a 6H Venus conjunct Pisces 7th house, and mercury, Saturn, Neptune are in the 7H. The planets IN the house would be the book-keeper, auditor, fundraiser. And if the planet is conjunct to the house it’s in(Venus), that makes it have a stronger influence than the other employees because it’s directly writing with the boss rather than only under him. Venus would have more power and control in that house despite it not being inside

What they say about moon in 7th housers not being able to be single, and needing to constantly be in a relationship is so true. If they are happy single they are most probably living vicariously through a romance Tv series or literature. Some form of medium that lets them indulge in love as a comfort place.

If you have Pluto in a Scorpio ruled house, it makes you able to conquer your deepest fears. if you haven’t overcome them yet, you will eventually. This is because Scorpio shows what we are afraid of and Pluto exerts dominance and control, with this placement your fears become afraid of you, the tables turn and you have control and power over the things that you were once afraid of. However this usually happens after traumatic experience that makes you change your life.

e.g Scorpio 12th house with sag Pluto inside would be able to conquer their nightmares and dark thoughts. They may learn how to lucid dream or align the subconscious with the conscious mind communicating with it via the nightmares to understand the self, they could exert fear and control for an example, making the people in their nightmares do what they want, they can attain a good amount of control on their thoughts.

Usually to figure out if an outcome is likely from a chart you should see strong indicators shown 3+ times in their natal chart. If something is prominent in your life it will be shown on your natal chart and it certainly won’t appear just once.

E.g if you want to know if someone will be wealthy you should look for several strong indicators like Jupiter in 2H, money asteroids conjunct to personal planets 2H ruler in the money houses, Jupiter-Pluto aspects, just constant signs of wealth, they probably have some form of accumulated wealth in this lifetime as all of such are repeating signs of being financially blessed. If something is prominent in your life it will be shown on your natal chart and it certainly won’t appear just once.

Venus 1st housers are so well regarded by women. E.g Aubrey Hepburn, George Clooney, Selena Gomez, Queen Elizabeth. They’re like the staple of being respected by women because of their well presented nature. What you may call “written by a woman”.

I’ve noticed Capricorn risings with outer planet 1st house influence start from being the underdog, looked down upon, ignored and disrespected all for one by one their passion builds up together to form a whirlwind of success, reputation and competence.

E.g Kylie Jenner-being seen as Kendall’s shadow, Ariana Grande- only seen as the Nickelodeon side character and being constantly degraded for looking like a little girl

Chiron conjunct MC can make your work a living hell because it touches on deep traumas and you can feel exposed. But your career also heals you, you may even be seen as someone who heals others. This actually makes me think of Justin Beiber who has this placement. He was degraded online for decades bc of his substance abuse, had his nudes leaked and constantly harassed and now people want to apologize and see why he keeps wanting to “protect” billie and young artists from the predators in the industry. He is literally living the “wounded healer” reputation. Despite his own scars he’s attempting to treat others and he’s publicly known for it, even in the music he releases like his song Yummy that went viral for hinting at child exploitation.

Pluto 2nd house can either be the first one to break familial poverty then be the richest and elevate their status from what they have -going from middle class to upper OR they straight up destroy decades of resources and efforts given to them in the worst way possible due to their own self destructive behavior e.g bankruptcy, gambling, drugs or just spending it whenever they feel like it because they’re seeking power from the things they own so they’ll spend it to assert dominance.

I found that Leo risings LOVE it when people give them attention and make them feel like the centre of the room, even when they’re doing nothing, they kind of expect to be the main attraction. They gleefully jump for joy when you mention their appearance and compliment them. For an example if they’re at a karaoke bar and the group record the session the Leo rising might just stand in the middle and occupy the view of the camera doing nothing while the others are singing. Just because they feel attracted to that limelight.

They can appear “attention seeking” to some but they actually shine beautifully when they have something to contribute like their talents.

Strange observation but I’ve noticed that Venus 11th house in Juno Persona chart at its worst has a partner that cheated on them with a mutual friend. Eg. Will smith. Looking at what Venus is aspecting is also important.

Degrees are like the seasoning for your food, like salt, cinnamon, spices -each sign representing a different kind of added seasoning to the planet. Your planet is the main dish, the house placements show how it’s presented and the aspects are what else it’s eaten with. All parts of the chart must be taken into consideration, all parts are important to get an accurate image of what goes on. So don’t leave out degrees or retrogrades just because they’re not as prominent.

Pluto-Jupiter aspects specifically conjunct is THE well known wealth indicator in astrology. So many billionaires have it: Rupert Murdoch, Warren Buffet, George Soros, Bill Gates, JP Morgan, Charles Koch, Nelson Rockefeller

Planets in the 10th house can show your attitude towards performing for other people, stellium here can make someone feel like they need to meet peoples standards because of pressures or expectations of what and who they’re are “supposed” to be, this expectation can come from authority figures like parents too

10H also shows the parts of you that are easily criticised because they’re seen clearly

[the-barricade]

in a world of boys, he’s a gentleman

pomefiore + riddle & trey x reader

aka the little things they do to make you feel special

—————————————

vil schoenheit

if you’re dating vil, you already know that the way he cares for people is by making sure they’re at their best, even if that means critiquing them - you’re no exception. However, he does his best to make your life easier, especially in that regard. You’re going to a fancy, formal event, without any fragrance? Well, Vil already predicted this might happen, and picked out the perfect one for you in advance to give to you when he pointed it out. Your eyeliner’s smudged? Suppose he’ll just have to do it for you, and he might even give you a kiss to make you feel better after. If you’re ever ill or feeling low, he’ll also be the one making sure you get better as soon as possible. Even if you have just the slightest fever, he’s telling you to rest to recover quicker, and getting a wet towel for your head. If he’s able (and he will try his very best to be) he’ll spend the whole day by your side, it’s almost shocking how caring one person can be.

rook hunt

he remembers the little things. Has a mental list of all your favourites, some that you probably don’t know for yourself. Your favourite colour? Easy. Favourite food or number? No problem. He’d even observe which temperatures you’re most happy and productive in. He wants you to know he pays attention to these things too - and that he cares about them. Anytime you mention a piece of media you like, even if it’s some super obscure thing he’s never heard of, by the next day he’s already an expert and asking you all the questions he can think of to indulge your little heart.

epel felmier

He’s very much an acts of service/gift giving guy. Although he may not have been comfortable doing this before, fearing it was too “feminine” he feels comfortable enough around you to gift you handmade little items. (He would also totally help you fix/sew up any wear and tear in your clothes, I feel as though he’d actually be very good at sewing and the like) However, one thing he’d never been to shy to do was show you off - epel would make sure the whole school knows your dating, and can be a tad bit defensive and jealous if he finds anyone else hitting on you.

—————————————

riddle rosehearts

he’s a classic gentleman, does everything you’d expect from a love interest in a movie and more. He is literally that video analysing the special medieval knightly way that Travis Kelce held the car door open for and walked next to TS. (this one goes for silver and sebek too obvi) (is that too niche?��) Anyways, he uses his organisation skills to his advantage. Valentine’s Day, your birthday, any special days the two of you find important together are all tediously planned to every little detail. Heck, he’d be making sure the red of the roses he got you were the right hex code. Which is where his experience arranging events like unbirthday parties come in handy.

trey clover

Like rook, he’s very observant. He gives you the most targeted compliments, because he wants you to feel confident, especially around him. Aside from being observant, he’s also your rock in this world. If you have any kind of trouble, you can go to him - wether you just need to vent or you need advice (he’s very good at telling when you need what). And when you do get advice from him, you know you can trust it because he (secretly) listens to you like the gospel and makes you feel heard.

+ he would totally bake for and specialise recipes for you :)

[auckie]

Dude I am so sick of people’s attitudes towards wild animals. They are not domesticated they are not pets they will not be happy as pets and even if they are you are either going to be unhappy or have to deal with their impulse to breed and do what they would be doing in the wild, which is shit and tear your house up and probably bite you. If it works out. Well hey! Cool.

I’ve befriended this adorable cotton tail and been able to keep it alive, a miracle because they’re difficult, and it adores me and I love it but once I’m able I’m going to put this fucker outside around other cottontails and hope a hawk doesn’t swoop it.

And seeing as it’s so trusting, that very well may happen. Not a lot of juvenile wild rabbits make it to adulthood. The hawk gets to live and that’s fine by me. They’re not endangered and while I’m glad I could keep it alive I have severely handicapped its ability to fear, which is vital. As it gets older it may regain its original, instinctual sense of terror and anxiety, and I hope it does for its own sake. It’s the very same people who insist I put a bow on it and breast feed it and all that stupid shit who would probably fail to research where to get cecotropes and be confused when an unspayed adult female rabbit starts becoming aggressive towards them and dies early from being confined indoors, if it even makes it that far.

I mean. Even if I’ve been doing a good job it could literally drop dead any moment. Rehabbed rabbits do that constantly without warning. And it’ll be sad but that’s just the risk. I’m not a professional but I’ve had experience with squirrels and frankly while I know it’s illegal in some states, i also know that’s to prevent a lot of random people from nabbing cute baby animals and not doing any research and attempting to keep them as pets. But I also think, that like agriculture, carpentry, tailoring— they’re skills you can and should learn. It’s like in human DNA. Are you gonna be a licensed professional? No, I mean probably not. Animal husbandry is the same. Buuut, it’s alive. So you gotta respect that.

There’s an in between of the ardent scare tactics professionals use (rightfully so) to deter laymen from say, putting a brachypelma tarantula on their face. It will probably be fine to do that. I’m not recommending it bc it totally could bite you, or kick hairs into your eyes and nose. But like, it’s probably gonna be fine. But don’t it. Don’t take a baby Robin from its nest but like if you have to for whatever reason, be good to it, do your research and send it to a rehab center probably but you totally can learn to care for it. And if you do, you should be ready and willing to attempt to reintroduce it to its natural habitat. And it might die. It could at a rehab center too. It’s not a baby eagle*, but it’s a living creature that serves a niche in the food web and it’s important to try and put it back into that place even if it means it gets predated.

*sucks to assign animals like. Priority levels but you can and should step on Japanese garden beetles should you see them on your knock out rose bush. You find a dying bee yeah give it honey water or whatever. Don’t fuck with the mantids. You get the gist.

I don’t regret taking the little feller in at all but I also will not regret trying to acclimate him back into his natural habitat: my yard lol.

[hayatheauthor]

Do you have any tips/guides for writing abusive parents? How they act, and how a fight where they lash out at their child would be? I’m writing a story in which one of the main characters grows up with abusive parents that mistreat her because she doesn’t fit into society’s definition of ‘normal’ (they basically see her as a monster in the literal meaning of the word), and at one point they have a fight because the parents find out that she’s kept a secret close friendship from them for several years, and they snap at her for going behind their backs (despite the parents not really caring about her and what she’s up to normally) while simultaneously being skeptical of their friendship, what it entails, and what being friends with them child says about the friend.

The problem is that no matter how I try to write the scene, it feels dramatized, if that makes sense. I get the feeling that it becomes unrealistic or stereotypical, especially since I know that in abusive households, a lot of the aggression and communication happens without words. I’ve tried researching a bit, but I struggle to find anything that’s relevant, and my childhood struggles were (luckily) not related to abusive parents, so I don’t have many experiences to use as reference when writing.

Resources And Advice For Writing Abusive Parents

Your story sounds really intriguing! I don't have personal experience with this but I asked around and did some research, and I uncovered a lot of interesting facts. If just been looking for a bit of advice/resources, in which case you can scroll straight to the bottom of the blog where I have some resources and niche advice for you.

But, if you, or any other reader for that matter, needs general help in writing abusive parental figures, here is everything I've uncovered thus far.  

Understand The Abuser 

Most of the blogs I read stated it's important to first understand your abuser. While not excusing the behaviour, understanding the motivations behind the abuser's actions can make your portrayal more nuanced. Abusers often have their own traumas or issues.

Abusive parents can emerge from a variety of traumatic backgrounds, each influencing their behaviour in distinct ways. 

Some may have experienced abuse themselves, perpetuating a cycle they learned as children. Others might grapple with deep-seated insecurities, projecting their fears onto their children in an attempt to regain control. Understanding the diverse motivations behind abusive behaviour allows you to create a more authentic and layered portrayal of your characters.

You mentioned your character's parents mistreat her because she doesn't fit in the social norm, so start with figuring out why they're behaving this way. More often than not parental abusers abuse their children because they think they're 'saving' their child from something. 

This is a common trend in female relationships, i.e the mother will abuse her daughter in an attempt to 'protect' her from what the mother faced. A mother who faced fatphobia might become an almond mom, etc. 

The Motive 

Understanding their motive will help you build a reason for their abuse, and then you can create realistic reactions based on that. 

Let's continue with the almond mom example. Now, the mother might presume by verbally abusing her daughters and telling them to look/eat a certain way she shelters them from ever having to face this from other people. 

If the mother's purpose is to ensure her daughter doesn't gain weight then she would likely have a more subtle abuse style.  

So rather than having the mother snatch away the daughter's food in public and eat it for herself, the mother would take her daughter to a food court and fish out veggie bags from her purse claiming that is their lunch. 

Maybe she constantly checks the daughter's weight and takes away certain food privileges (carbs/sugar) depending on the changes.

First, figure this out, or if you're having a hard time, you could tell me their motive and I'll help you with some realistic reactions/abuse tactics. 

Complex Relationships

One important thing to understand about abusive parents is that at the end of the day. As children, we naturally crave parental approval, an instinct deeply embedded in our emotional fabric. This yearning persists even when we recognize the toxicity of the relationship. The deprivation of affection intensifies our desire for it, leading to a complex interplay of emotions.

In the context of your narrative, consider how your character might unconsciously seek their parents' approval despite the abusive dynamics. The power dynamics are not solely physical; emotional manipulation plays a significant role. An abusive parent's disapproval, expressed through statements like being disappointed or claiming their actions are for the child's benefit, can profoundly affect the abused child.

Perhaps their new friend is teaching them to detach from this mindset, something the parents deeply dislike and thus they want to distance your character from this friend to reinstate their control. 

The Emotional Turmoil That Comes With It 

Incorporating subtle cues to showcase your character's emotional turmoil can add layers to their experience of abuse. Consider a poignant example: your character choosing to wear a hoodie as a shield against the verbal assaults from their mother.  

Perhaps on a day when they wore a hoodie, their mother made a disparaging comment, implying that concealing certain features made them appear more "normal." This traumatic incident could prompt your character to adopt hoodies as a protective barrier against the verbal onslaught, highlighting the lasting impact of emotional abuse.

Abuse vs Negligence 

Exploring the nuances between abuse and negligence is crucial for creating a realistic portrayal of an abusive household. While physical and verbal abuse may be more visibly evident, neglect can be equally damaging, leaving lasting scars on a child's psyche.

Negligence encompasses a range of behaviours where parents fail to fulfil their responsibilities. This could involve emotional neglect, where a child's emotional needs are consistently ignored or dismissed. It might manifest as a lack of guidance, support, or affection, creating an environment where the child feels invisible or unimportant.

Moreover, neglect can extend to physical care, where parents neglect their child's basic needs, such as nutrition, hygiene, or medical attention. This form of neglect can have severe consequences on a child's health and well-being.

In your story, consider how neglectful behaviour intertwines with the abusive elements. Maybe the parents, consumed by their own issues, consistently overlook your character's struggles, reinforcing a sense of isolation and abandonment. 

This interplay between neglect and abuse can deepen the emotional impact on your character and provide a more comprehensive portrayal of their traumatic experiences. It can also help you build a more meaningful tie with this friend. Maybe your character befriended this friend at a time when they felt abandoned and rejected by everyone, including those who were supposed to care for them the most. 

Manipulation 

In the realm of abuse and negligence, manipulation becomes a powerful tool that abusers often wield to maintain control. It's essential to recognize the subtle ways in which manipulation seeps into the dynamics of an abusive relationship.

Manipulation in neglectful situations might involve gaslighting, where the parents distort the child's reality or dismiss their feelings and experiences. This psychological manipulation can make the child doubt their perceptions and question the validity of their emotions, further intensifying the emotional toll.

Abusers may use manipulation as a means to deflect responsibility, shifting the blame onto the child for their own neglectful behaviours. This can create a warped sense of guilt and shame within the child, fostering a belief that they are somehow responsible for the inadequate care they receive.

In your narrative, explore how manipulation intertwines with neglect. Perhaps the parents employ manipulative tactics to downplay the severity of their neglectful actions, creating a distorted narrative that serves their agenda. This manipulation can deepen the emotional trauma experienced by your character, adding layers to their complex relationship with their parents. 

General Resources 

Here are curated resources to aid you in portraying the complexities of abusive dynamics and crafting a scene that resonates truthfully:

Movies:

Precious (2009): A poignant exploration of abuse and resilience.

Sleepers (1996): Delves into the impact of childhood trauma.

Books:

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls: A memoir unravelling the intricacies of challenging family dynamics.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker: A powerful narrative addressing abuse and empowerment.

Real-Life Stories:

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): Offers survivor stories and resources.

Domestic Violence Hotline: Real-life narratives and support.

Online Articles:

Psychology Today: A wealth of articles dissecting the nuances of abusive relationships.

National Domestic Violence Hotline Blog: Real stories and insightful perspectives.

Approach these resources with sensitivity, understanding that the subject matter can be triggering. Always prioritize your mental health and well-being while navigating the intense world of abusive relationships in your writing journey. 

Resources Specific To Your Question

My main advice would be to read personal accounts or case studies of individuals who have experienced abuse. This doesn't have to be real people, it can also be fictional characters. One character who comes to mind is Rapunzel. 

Hear me out—just like your character Rapunzel meets Flynn who is someone her mother does not like. The ending of Tangled is a scene that comes to mind. You mentioned a fear of seeming too dramatic, but you could showcase the parents suddenly showing their 'true colours' in order to reinstate control over their child. 

This can either backfire and the child realises it's now or never, they need to take a stand, or the child is terrified of the repercussions and gives in. Maybe you could write things like 'and suddenly, she was a five-year-old again, with tears and snot racing down her face as she begged her parents to simply look at her.' 

I hope this blog on Resources And Advice For Writing Abusive Parents will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[bettsfic]

I have a fear of including things I like in my stories. For example: Female rage, romance, etc… because I feel that makes me inflexible and a less talented writer. I’ve always felt like “real” writers can write in any genre and don’t have the same elements in every one of their novels. The idea of writing what you love is a beautiful thing but for me I worry that in writing what I love, I may not get to the level that I want to be at as a writer. I guess I equate enjoying writing and being free with it to = not being worthy. And being complex in ways that I may not necessarily love and is challenging = good work from me.

is it possible that some of your apprehension toward writing what you love has to do with fear of vulnerability? writing what you love exposes you. it feels like walking around naked. it allows people to perceive you, and conversely, it allows people to misperceive you. both of those things are terrifying. it's much more comfortable to catch a wide, distant net of an aesthetic. that way, it doesn't matter what a reader thinks of it; you don't care that much about it anyway, right?

it's interesting that you say "real" writers can write in any genre. i'm looking at my bookshelf right now and there's not a single author on it that goes beyond their established genre, or even writes particularly varying stories with an ensemble of complex characters. go to the bibliography of any prolific author and see how wide their variation is. sometimes you'll see writers write in short form and long form. occasionally a writer will write children's literature and adult literature. there are writers who live in the venn diagram overlap of genres but don't tend to stray in either direction. sometimes screenwriters become novelists and vice versa. but otherwise, it's impractical to write so widely, so consistently. your agent and editors will all have their niche and it will be difficult for them to represent you and support your work if you have three sci fi bestsellers and all of a sudden you want to write some subsubsubgenre of true crime.

every artist has two things: their medium and their subject. instead of thinking of "things you love" think of them as your subjects, in the way a painter's subject can be nature, or a poet's subject can be grief. unless you're only writing for money, you have no choice but to write your subjects. even if you try not to, they'll bleed into your work. here's an example: one time in workshop my good buddy Chris said to me, "you write a lot about class." to which i thought, i love you Chris but this is porn. but he was right. all my characters have a conflict with money. often they're blue collar workers or don't have a job at all. most of my characters don't even go to college. after he said that, i started to lean into it and become more aware of it. the more aware of it i became, the more strongly i felt about it. you can go through my AO3 and scroll through my fics and see how important money is in them. and if it's not money, it's the military. and if it's not the military, it's some other loss of bodily autonomy at the hands of a greater institution.

think outside of writing. chefs have types of food they prefer to cook. scholars have their fields. athletes have their sport. musicians have their instrument. the more you zero in on something, the better you become at it. as a writer, the more you write your subject, the better you'll become at depicting it.

your subjects may grow and change over time. they may not. you may have some subjects you wear out, and you may have others that you sew into everything you write. you may have repetitions of images, characters, resolutions, and conflicts. it's good to experiment and move beyond your comfort zone sometimes, but you have to find comfort in your comfort zone first. and you do that by embracing your subjects.

[cod-fishing]

Mandalorian Ghost.

This may be very niche but I can’t possibly be the only person alive who both loves soapghost and also the absolute untouchable epic that is no-droids Mandalorian fanfiction Rough Day.

And I just love that fic so much, have reread it over and over an embarrassing number of times and in so many ways it feels so perfect for soapghost! We have the obvious parallel - an untouchable man with a hidden face and the onnneeee person who wriggles behind their barriers. But also, Mandalorian!ghost, a man without a name, a dead man, but one who has a guiding path in the Way the same way ghost has in the 141. And god, it’s just so juicy to have ghost - who is 100% terrified of being a father, of becoming his father - made to be a father. Especially because as a mandalorian, he would have a principle to face this fear and overcome it - Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la. Nobody cares who your father was, only the father you'll be. This is the Way.

And god, SOAP! Johnny MacTavish, he’s nothing like Sweet Girl is, but also yes he is!! He would fight Ghost harder about staying behind and just staying with the baby all the time, but he would also take such pride in Ghost’s trust, in his knowledge that he can both care for and protect Ghost’s child, their child. And dear god, imagining Soap with a little green baby on his hip, doing the laundry and ensuring everything is in tip-top shape for when Buir gets home - I’m speechless. I’m salivating. And so is Ghost. And just like Sweet Girl, Johnny is a crack engineer, too. You know he would have the Crest in the best shape of its life. And he’s treat Ghost with the same care.

Now that I’m writing it out, the character parallels are coming easy, but I’ll admit I thought of this first 100% because of the smut. Because…oh my GOD. Rough day spoilers ahead but like…Johnny at the end of an alleyway, getting groped by Ghost, tits out and on display for anyone in canto bright to gaze upon. Johnny on the floor of the pitch-black ship, coming in and out of lucidity as ghost licks his hole, the scars on Ghost’s face pulling at the soft flesh of his thighs. Ghost, fucking Johnny into the forest floor like his life depends on it, praising him the whole way.

“I don’t want anyone to know you the way I know you”

I just love that fic so much, and I love soapghost so much 😭😭😭

[raoulgoldenlake]

@mihrsuri got me back on my Lindhall Reed kick so here's a little Numair and Lindhall fic about Lindhall’s fears about the impending war with Scanra, and how the two of them approach rulers differently.

Preparing for war with Scanra was very different from the months leading up to the Immortals War. With the Immortals, it had been pockets of attacks, less than a year of all out fighting, something playing out in the Mortal Realms just as it did in the Realms of the Gods. It was a war of magic, and as difficult as that was to counter, it was something Numair knew, something he could prepare for.

Uniting clans, advancing into Tortall, burning whole villages, leaving refugees, taking prisoners and conscripting them to fight, magic as one of many tools in a war, Numair had less to offer. This was a war of men, and he wouldn't be called upon to negotiate with dragons, cross realms, fight the only person whose skills with magic rivaled his own. It was difficult work, being one of Jon's advisors in a time of conflict, but it was nothing compared to ten years ago.

Still, it had him missing meals, keeping odd hours, and generally lost in his own thoughts, processing the information he obtained from scrying. At least that was his explanation for why he didn't notice that he hadn't seen Lindhall for quite some time. Not in the libraries, not in the halls of the wing of the castle where the teachers lived, not even at meals. It was only because he had a question about the winter activities of the small mammals up north, and Daine was busy tending to one of the King's hurt horses that he went looking for his friend.

There was no answer when he knocked on Lindhall's door, and he wasn't in the menagerie. Numair checked the libraries, where the librarian said he hadn't seen Lindhall in weeks, and even the kitchen, before finding Lindhall in his classroom, tending to one of his water lizards. He must have been absorbed in his work, because he startled at the sound of the door opening, though he smiled when he saw Numair.

"It must be a very important question," Lindhall said, carefully replacing the lid on the tank. “Unless you’re here to see the animals?”

“Not that important,” Numair said, leaning down to peer into the water lizard’s tank. “It could’ve waited but—”

“You couldn’t move on with whatever you’re doing until you had an answer,” Lindhall finished. “I know the feeling.”

Numair smiled, his old teacher knew him well. “I’m trying to find out which birds stick around Scanra during the winter, rather than migrate. If there aren’t any, another animal will do, but a bird would be best. Something that won’t attract too much attention.”

Lindhall didn’t respond right away, and instead carried the tank back to its niche in the wall. “I’m not sure you should be asking me that kind of question, Numair,” he said finally, after he’d replaced the tank. “You may not realize it, but you’ve given away an awful lot about the King’s intelligence efforts in Scanra.”

“Nothing you don’t already know, or couldn’t guess,” Numair replied, a little perplexed by Lindhall’s sudden discomfort.

“But guessing and knowing are two different things. If this information gets out, you’ve put yourself at risk by sharing it, your loyalty could be called into question.”

“Lindhall, be serious,” Numair laughed. “You smuggled slaves out of Carthak under Ozorne’s nose. I think you can keep the King’s plan to have my wife survey Scanra as a bird out of Maggur Rathhausak’s hands.”

“Not everyone knows me as well as you do,” Lindhall said. “If there are some who question my loyalty to Tortall over the country of my birth—”

“But you would never—”

“Obviously not, but suspicions can do as much damage as actions,” Lindhall interjected. “Numair, you have to be careful. You have a life here.”

It was then Numair looked, really looked, at his friend and teacher. Lindhall was no stranger to keeping odd hours, neither of them were, but Numair had never seen the bags under his eyes this pronounced. He looked a bit thinner too, and he had the air of a coiled spring, like he was ready to break apart at any moment. Numair wondered if Lindhall hadn’t been absorbed in his work when he came in, if he’d startled because was generally on edge, waiting for some unknown shoe to drop.

“You have a life here too,” Numair finally said.

“A life that can be moved.”

“Only if you want to move,” Numair countered.

Lindhall smiled sadly at him. “You know as well as I do that whether you stay or leave a country often depends entirely on the rulers.”

“Jon’s not Ozorne.”

“You’re right, King Jonathan isn’t motivated by power, nor by building an empire. But he is deeply concerned for his subjects—”

“Of which you are one.”

“And he wouldn’t hesitate to remove people he considered threats to his subjects,” Lindhall continued, as if he hadn’t heard Numair at all. “I am not so naive in the ways of war to think I can avoid becoming a liability to the realm.”

“Because you’re Scanran?”

Lindhall nodded. “I’ve heard you say more than once that you’d never go back,” Numair said.

“I wouldn’t, not if I have a choice.”

“Then why would you be any danger to Jon?”

“Numair,” Lindhall said, his voice tired.

“You spent too long under Ozorne,” Numair said. “Not every ruler is like him.” Lindhall gave Numair a look, the same one he’d given him when Numair was a boy, and would come bursting into his teacher’s chambers, ready to test out a new idea, propose a new solution to a problem. Narrowed eyes, and a soft smile, inviting Arram to talk through the problem, one or two well-placed questions, letting him discover on his own the flaws in his approach.

“I know the difference, Lindhall,” Numair said, his voice icy.

“I know you do.”

“Jon doesn’t have cages.”

“He doesn’t have Empty Rooms, no. But all rulers have cages, Numair.”

“He wouldn’t put you in one.”

“He wouldn’t put you in one,” Lindhall countered. “You’ve become indispensable to him. For the rest of us, he’d put us where he needed to secure the safety of his kingdom.”

“That’s not why.”

“What?”

“It’s not because I’ve become necessary to him. That’s not why he wouldn’t imprison me. Jon is a fair man. He wouldn’t do that to me, to anyone, not without a trial, not without a good reason.” Lindhall didn’t respond. “You don’t believe me,” Numair said, more as a statement than a question.

“No, I don’t,” Lindhall said sadly. “I want to. And maybe you’re right, maybe it’s too many years under warlords, of one kind or another. There are always ways to make the imprisonment of the unpopular look fair, look just.”

“That’s why you’ve been hiding out?”

Lindhall smiled ruefully. “I figured it was the safest bet.”

Numair sighed. “I wouldn’t have suggested you come if I didn’t think it was safe.”

“I know.”

“You don’t have to trust them,” Numair said. “Not right now. But I hope you’ll trust me. Believe me when I say you don’t need to lay low, that no one who matters is looking at you with suspicion. Believe me when I tell you I know what an unjust ruler looks like, and Jon is the furthest thing from that.”

Lindhall was silent for a long moment. “You know,” he said finally. “There aren’t many people left alive that I’ve known as long as I’ve known you. Certainly not any on this side of the Great Inland Sea.”

“And you’re right,” he continued. “I spent many years not trusting anyone. Under Ozorne, before I came to Carthak, I haven’t had many years of practice in trusting others.” Lindhall paused and regarded Numair. “It’s a bit frightening, isn’t it? Putting your trust in another person.”

“Yes,” Numair said.

“Why do it, then?”

“It won’t always feel like that,” Numair said, recalling back to the early days in Tortall, after he’d first come to court, how closed off he was, unwilling to rely on anyone. How over time, people showed him, through great and small actions that they could be counted on. Until he regained the sense that most people could be counted on, the sense he’d lost after Ozorne.

“I do trust you, Arram.”

“I’m glad for that.”

“A wood grouse.”

“What?”

“A bird that doesn’t migrate, that stays in Scanra all winter. She should take the form of a male one if possible though, they usually travel in pairs but isn’t too unusual to see a male alone.”

“Excellent, that will be very helpful,” Numair said, filing it away to tell Daine later. “Look, it’s been awhile since I’ve eaten, and by the looks of you, it’s been awhile for you too, what do you say we go see if the kitchen will take pity on us?”

“Lead the way,” Lindhall said with a smile.

[norel-ravenclaw]

Ok so this doesn’t need to be 100% like the request but similar

Can you do a Princess in the Mirror fanfic where MC is tired of people telling her to “act more like a princess?” So she decides “fuck it” and starts to act as much as a princess as she possibly can and pretty much does what Faris does and fakes her entire personality in public. Then when people start commenting on how she isn’t acting herself she’s like “I’m just doing what everyone has been telling me to do 😊”

Heck, even the king is slightly unsettled by this change

You can make this go however you want

Please and thank you ♡

Just What You Wanted

Fandom: Princess In The Mirror (Otome)

Featured Characters: Most of the major characters but focused on the Princess

Genre: Semi-angsty psychology

Rating: occasional language and thematic elements

Description: The Princess is finally ready to admit that being in this new world isn’t a dream - and she’s ready to become the monarch everyone is pushing her to be… And more.

A/N: Ohhh anon, this is so deeply satisfying~ 😈👿 It’s how I had to frame my mc to be able to read through the story. Hopefully the tone conveys the overall feeling of, well, satisfaction. (Also fuck the king very much)

Warnings: | angst | political slavery | mentions of abuse culture |

I lay in bed, exhausted and sobbing at the end of another horrible day from the longest week of my life. The voices of so many people trying to make me do what they want go through my head.

‘Straighten up! You look like a gnarled, hunchbacked old woman.’

‘Come now, Princess, don’t I deserve a smile?’

‘You are expected to produce an heir as soon as possible to prevent the people from being more unsettled.’

‘Don’t look away from the duke like that! You refuse to engage with people now, but you’re going to have to.’

So many voices trying to make me accept that this isn’t a dream, a coma. That this is real.

So many faces in the palace and on the streets looking up to me with fear and hope.

So many people that I desperately disagree with.

…So many ways I can imagine changing things.

My daydreams have turned away from tv shows and hoping for someone at work to ask me out. My every thought has been consumed by politics and psycho-analyzation of strangers in a strange world.

A country that they are forcing me to take care of.

I sit up, all of my rage coalescing into a crystalline-sharp form.

And something snaps inside me.

Looking around this room, the moonlight gently illuminating the space, I take in every detail. Every fold of the fabric, every carved niche in the bedframe, the chill in the air.

I can’t run anymore. I know the truth. This is real.

And the people here are real. Their pain, their fears, their hopes and loves - they are real.

And they are not being properly protected by the people in this god forsaken building.

The emotions of fear and self-pity melt away all at once. I get up and go to the letter writing desk, lighting a candle and pulling out the neglected diary in its drawer.

I’m amazed by how quickly it fills - not with pouting, self centred emotions, but with ideas for action, borne of rage as much as hope.

~~~

When the knock at the door sounds, it is accompanied by a horrible scraping sound.

“Um, Princess? What’s going on?” Simeon calls out.

I rise and walk to the door, moving the chair away from under the handles.

“Ah, there is our lovely Princess’s face…” He trails off when he sees my expression. Behind him, Flora and Mary peek around to meet my eye.

“Things are going to change,” I announce firmly. “Starting today.”

Stepping aside to open the door wider, I begin with the new orders.

“No one is to open my chamber door without explicit, verbal permission. Mr. Simeon, I want to see other quarters that may have a more appropriate layout - namely a reception room before the actual bedroom. Captain Zell, come in as well.”

The four people file into my room, looking apprehensive.

“Captain Zell, security is far too lax. I require a full escort at all times. We will discuss the details later. Simeon, I need to know what my personal budget is, and who do I speak with about it. Flora and Mary, bring me whoever is making all of these clothes. Production stops immediately until I have made my own arrangements with them. I will not have so much work and money go into more dresses that make me feel like a haunted baby doll. I also require self defence lessons and a map of the castle.”

All of them stare at me with shock. It is Zell who finally speaks up.

“Princess… What has come over you?”

I put on a smile - one of the first that I actually mean. “I tried to ignore reality. But no more. Starting now, I make the rules.”

My expression softens into something more remorseful. “I have failed to even ask you about yourselves. I intend to correct the mistakes of my selfishness immediately. But in the meantime, you all have your orders. While I get dressed, please repeat them back to me so I know there have been no miscommunications.”

After a moment of stunned silence, they jump into action. While they list their instructions, a knock comes to the open door.

“You idiot. A note on my door isn’t enough to excuse…” Vincent finally registers all of the people in my room. “What’s going on here?”

I throw a smile his way as Mary hastily finishes my hairdo.

“Ah, master Vincent. We need to talk. Everyone else except Flora and Zell are excused.”

They exchange looks as the crowd thins, and I turn to my tutor. “Mr. Vincent. Starting now, I want every word of communication you make to me to be purposeful, specific, and useful. Together we will learn how to set aside emotion in favour of developing strategy and working to solve problems, rather than just complaining about them.” His eyes are wide as he stares at me. “Have I left any room for misunderstanding?”

“…No, Princess.”

This is actually kind of fun. “Good. Thank you. I spent some time prioritising what I need to learn. We will focus more on those topics for now. I am certain you will agree; there is no reason to delay learning the most critical information and skills. I must attend breakfast, so let us get going.”

“Oh, but first.” I turn to Flora and hold out my notebook. “Ms Flora, are you able to write?”

She nods, looking at me like I’ve been replaced by an alien. “Yes, Princess.”

I offer her a genuine smile. “Excellent! May I ask you to be my note taker? My mind has been going a mile a minute and I can not permit forgetting anything at all.”

“A-as you wish.”

“Thank you so much.”

As we parade out of my quarters, already something comes to mind. “Ah, Flora. Starting a list on page twenty six, add ‘labour laws’ and below it ‘military and essential service labour laws’.”

Beside our footsteps and the scratch of a pencil on paper, my entourage is absolutely silent.

Once out into a grander hall, I remember something. “Say, Mr Vincent, what is this kind of roof called? This rounding at what would be the corners of the walls?”

“I… actually don’t know. I am less versed in architecture.”

“Ah. I remember seeing a t- I mean, a program where they said that shape helps with temperature regulation throughout a space. I’ve always enjoyed architecture, and would like to study it. Can you arrange such lessons in another month or two?”

I hear footsteps coming towards us, and as we found the corner, the four noble sons cross our path.

“A woman wanting to study architecture? Absurd,” Luca scoffs.

I offer him a smile filled with venom. “I disagree. Lord Savini, I will ask of you what I asked of another this morning - You waste your own mental and emotional energy as well as mine with your senseless complaining. Either propose a way to fix the problem and be useful, or be silent. This is an order.”

The men stare at me in the same utter shock as the group before.

He furrows his brow and practically snarls at me. “What do you think you’re doing? You are in no place to scold me when there is so much you can’t do, pajama broad.”

Falco tries to step between us, but I hold up a finger to stop him.

I remain calm, clasping my hands behind my back. “You are trying to deflect by showing aggressive physical behaviour meant to make me submit in fear. I condemn this learned instinct.” His eyes grow wide, and I can see the slightest tilt of his head in confusion.

“Now, there is at least as much that I am ignorant of as you are. I cannot claim omnipotence any more than you can. So, Luca Savini, let us learn and rise up together.”

I smile at him, and the tension in the air snaps when Simeon sighs.

“Look at our Princess! I wonder if it is her red undergarments that have given her such courage today.”

I turn on him, my smile falling. He swallows hard. I let the silence stretch for moment to make him and everyone else focus on this moment.

Just as he takes a breath to speak, I raise a hand to stop him.

“Mr Simeon. You need to understand that your joking enables and reinforces a culture of rampant abuse, violence, and murder.” The blood drains from his face. “You, intentionally or not, embolden people to accept objectification and you subjugate unwilling women to appease your selfish whims. You make it harder for women to say no because ‘it’s just a joke’.”

I take a deep breath. “From this moment onward, you are forbidden from contributing to a culture of fear and selfishness. Do you understand?”

The man looks like he’s about to be sick. He drops to his knees. “…I never thought about it that way. I cannot begin to apologise enough, Princess. Please forgive me.”

I meet his eye. “It is not for me to forgive. Flora? ‘Survivor’s bill of rights. Witness protection program. Safe houses. Prison reform.’”

With a sigh, I turn back to the stunned noblemen. “Let’s get to breakfast, shall we?”

When Farris asks, “What happened to you?” I reply simply this time.

“I woke up.”

We file into the dining hall, and I wait in the doorway until the room turns to look at me. Joseph is the first to catch on. He stands at his place, gesturing to the others to do the same. Slowly, all of the noblemen and the two women in the room slowly get to their feet.

Satisfied, I offer them a smile and incline my head before going to take my place at the king’s side.

“Good morning, uncle.”

He stares at me with surprise and suspicion. “What’s gotten into you this morning?”

I smile at him, hoping it doesn’t come across as menacing. “I know what I need to do to serve this country. No more wasting time.”

As soon as our plates have been brought in, I look down the table and address the Minister of Foodstuffs. I ask for his tutelage, followed by the Minister of Defence and Trade.

The king huffs a quiet sound of approval. “I’m glad to see you taking things seriously.”

This smile I don’t bother to edit much of the sheer loathing from. “You inspired me, uncle.”

His eyes widen at first. “Mm. Well, I’d like to discuss with you then how your search for a husband is going.”

“Oh? Good. There is much to discuss.”

After the room and table have cleared, the king holds me back.

“We will talk here.”

“Very well.” Clasping my hands behind my back again, I stand tall and summon an aura of authority. “Shall I relay to you my current assessment of the four noblemen in question?”

“Yes. Do.”

I smile and go through the list quickly.

“Lord Luca is a dangerously ignorant narcissist. I would not trust him to feed my cat, let alone with a country’s military.

“Lord Farris is unwell. His trauma, whatever it may be, has manifested classic symptoms of self preservation that make me uncertain whether he would ever be trustworthy.

“Lord Falco seems to be, and I say this with full acknowledgement of my own lacking, less intelligent than me. Which is a critical requirement for my co-ruler to possess.

“Lord Joseph is nice, but he lacks persuasion skills, command, and drive. Again, it is a matter of them having the skills that I do not.

“And so, I cannot in good conscience allow control of the country to belong to any of them.”

The king blinks a few times before scowling mightily. “They are all the options you have.”

I reply quickly. “Then we need a greater saturation of people who have the education and skills so that the people are not trapped being governed by someone unsuitable. Do you disagree that they deserve the best?”

He slams his hands on the table. “You don’t know what you are talking about! That is not the way things are!”

I shoot him the most professional death glare possible.

“That is not what I asked.”

This makes him pause, his breath catching visibly. His face is turning red. “You will do what is necessary to follow my orders.”

A smile naturally finds its way to my lips. “I will do what is necessary for the protection of the people’s lives and futures. Please understand, uncle. I am not some bitch on a chain for you to order and tug about - to breed as you please.”

I say the next part slowly.

“You trap me here, offering me a crown and a country. I accept. Know that it is a woman prepared to become a Queen that you are dealing with.”

He stares at me in utter shock, for once speechless.

I put on another smile. “Are you not pleased? You wanted me to accept this life of slavery you forced me into. So I accept a life of service - to the people of Kristein.

I’ve never felt so powerful as I lay down the law for this bastard.

“I accept the responsibility of holding corruption accountable. I accept the responsibility of securing a safe and reliable future - and that is not guaranteed through a system that relies on sexual and child slavery to function. I accept the responsibility to choose a trustworthy and competent co-ruler. Your options are insufficient. Another will have to be chosen. Such is my responsibility.”

He looks at me like I’m some sort of demon. And I chuckle, sighing contentedly.

“Isn’t this just what you wanted?”

[wot-tidbits]

hello!! I just want to ask what to keep your motivation for so long?

Hello, anon! The short answer is myself. But you got me in a mood so there is some TLDR if you are interested.

Every time I repeat the same story for creation of this blog. When I had the idea for my blog ages ago, I expected little attention for my niche and I told to myself that numbers don’t matter, but only the joy of the experience and the journey to do what I love – sharing the Wheel of Time madness. I thought that 100 followers would be a nice goal after some long time. The motivation was myself, not the imaginary attention of strangers.

And here we are 10 and a half years later. Maybe it would be cool to say that my followers, a community or whatever, is my motivation. In the end of the day it is still me and myself. In the end of the day the question is if I was random visitor what I would love to search for in a WOT blog. This question has motivated me through the years. That one imaginary person. If there is one person who have been hooked to check the blog regularly for the newest art, memes and community posts, then everything was worth it and will worth it to continue. I am not good at creating content, but my stubborn ass is good at searching for content.

Most probably my stubborn ass will finish the current Necromancy (Blast from the Past) project and then I will have two options to decide from. The first is to continue with the second part of bringing back WOT content from the dead which is gonna be less laborious and less time-consuming but still needs my insane dedication for a year ahead. Or finally I ditch my urge to check everything WOT and to slow significantly my pace with barely posting new stuff but to try to focus more on my meta analysis. I have my plans for writing my own silly thoughts based on the Wheel of Time but they were constantly pushed back in my mind. One thing can be for certain with my meta – it won’t fit the narrative that Tumblr loves to promote. But what is new – I have not been creating controversies for nothing in the last decade.

So in such future situation from one side people won’t care about my content and it will get less or negative attention. Most probably half the Tumblr (WoT community) doesn’t share good feelings to me as I am always stirring the pot with stuff that people don’t like to read. And from other side, yeah, people won’t care and this is the most liberating part actually. Didn’t I mention that the only motivation is myself? I can write what I want not fearing how others may react. Maybe there will be one person who will be interested and that will be enough. It is never about getting attention but about what I would love to loose my finite time on Earth for.

Sharing the love for WOT has never changed as my ultimate goal. And in doing the Necromancy project, it is very satisfying to watch how this ancient content (which is predominantly not mine!) gets new wave of appreciation and love. This happens only because I happen to be extremely stubborn and very patient in doing the tedious process every day. It is also funny when I see my name on blogs which have blocked me. This shows that the Wheel of Time is transcendental and can pass through everything and everyone. This is unity that I would like to see some day.

But nothing is decided yet. I have time to think what the future is and if it is time to finally close the door. 11 years every day is a lot of dedication so it is amazing that I am still enjoying it. And this is enough motivation for me.

Let the Light keep you safe. LightOne

[moose-muffin]

It’s been a while, but after a lot of mulling it over I have an announcement for you all.

When I turned 13 I remember being so excited because I could FINALLY legally download tumblr and this account was born, or well, a different account that I ended up losing access to when I made a new email so THEN this account was born HAHA.

I will always be grateful for the love and support this community has given me over the years. I mainly used this blog as a means to make friends and talk about tickling without being the fear of being judged and it did that for me. Thank you all for being so kind. I had a blast making up silly headcanons for characters I enjoyed and loved that I could share them with others who found them just as fun.

I think I’ve realized though that my interest in tickling is not entirely SFW. For a lot of my childhood I assumed I was ace (I still do believe I’m somewhere on the spectrum) but I do know that tickling as a form of intimacy is not just platonic. I want to be able to explore the more NSFW sides of the community. And it wouldn’t feel right doing it on this account. I know that my time in the SFW tickle community has taught me so much. I know that community isn’t strictly for minors, but I also realize a majority are. And I want to keep it a safe space, just as kink communities are safe spaces for people 18+. In no way am I saying this interest can’t be SFW for those who are 18+, that’s valid!! For me, that simply isn’t my reality.

I don’t plan on deleting this account. It can serve as a time capsule of the experiences and the love that this community has to offer. Plus people do interact with my old posts from time to time and they were written as SFW, and I don’t want to take it away because I remember trying to look for niche fandom tk content and often finding nothing, so hopefully they continue to bring people joy.

I’m sure I’ll run into some of you on the other side, I don’t think I’m going to advertise my new account here just yet (it also isn’t created at the moment either HAHA). I’m not sure if I will share it here at all, so please feel free to reach out if you want to stay connected, as long as you are over 18.

To any minors reading this, I want to say I know it can be frustrating and it can feel like you’re being purposefully excluded from something. Kink communities are a beautiful thing, but the reality is there are sexual encounters that occur in those communities. And there is an age of consent for a reason, and while it may be different in different places, I feel strongly that 18 is the age that makes sense. Once you’re an adult, you’d be welcomed into NSFW communities with open arms, but these aren’t just rule for the sake of control, they serve an important purpose. They’re for your safety and also the safety of everyone in the communities as well.

I’ve felt inspired to do this for a while by some of the accounts around me. If you’re someone who’s also moved accounts, most likely you helped me realize I wanted to do the same thing. Thank you for setting a positive example and showing that it’s ok when things change.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! Tumblr is probably my favorite platform and a lot of that has to do with the kindness and also the setting and following of boundaries. Remember to read users intro posts before following and just because it’s the internet doesn’t mean you don’t need consent. (Minors cannot give consent for sexual encounters btw let’s not forget that please) Ok I think that’s about it. Remember to have fun and let yourself be weird and freaky. The world needs more freaks in all honesty. Fuck cringe culture too, do what makes you happy and take care of yourself and your friends. Good luck to each and every one of you!

[alyjojo]

Thinking of You - July 🌛 2024 - Pisces

Whole of their energy towards Pisces: King of Cups rev

In the preshuffle I was getting someone *extremely* emotional that things didn’t work out with you, they saw/see you as 10 Cups. You’re everything they want, the only one they love, the only one they can even see themselves with. It’s almost desperate in the way they feel about you because you’re not around them. They could feel like you’ve hurt them, messed with their head, played games maybe - and they still want/love you. The Scholar shows this person as really freakin’ smart, may be highly educated, and they tend to not let things go until they’ve analyzed and turned every single stone over for clues…I’m sure you’re one of those things they’ve studied. Probably the main thing, most often.

King of Cups rev is an emotional game player, and in this case it’s for the purpose of coming back around. They haven’t yet, The Fool rev shows them being afraid to take the risk, but they think about it constantly and it’s only a matter of time. For now. They want to create a situation that gives them the excuse to talk to you, whatever that is, anything, they just haven’t figured out what it is yet. I don’t see any toxicity in this person, aside from the rev they’re just looking for an “in” to be around you again.

Feelings: 2 Pentacles rev & Knight of Wands rev

They have no freakin clue how to go about doing this. They don’t want to come off as immature or inconsistent. They don’t want to just show up at your door or give off fkboy/girl vibes. They want to be seen in the correct way, but with the circumstances involved feel they can’t. They study you, like a book, and it just freaks them out more. They don’t actually do anything because they talk themselves out of it every time - they’re afraid of what you’ll say. Probably more how it will look, even if you wouldn’t care, ohhhh they do, that’s the point. Basically, they want a sure bet, while still smelling like a rose 🌹 and that doesn’t exist.

Intentions: Ace of Cups rev

They intend to do nothing, because they feel like you don’t share the same feelings. But they don’t intend to move on either, no one new, there are no other soulmates, no one else exists but you. But they won’t talk to you and risk rejection. They stalk you in whatever way they can, because of course they do. Could be dealing with a Scorpio with this energy and King of Cups.

Actions: 10 Wands

Heavy burden. Doing nothing, just carrying this love on their back like a 1,000lb. weight they have to put down eventually, but don’t, and can’t. Failure at getting you back or taking the risk - they keep talking themselves out of - is killing them. It’s a confidence thing more than anything. I assume this is an ex, if not it’s someone suffering silently idk. I’m kinda lost at their issue here because you’re not shown at all.

Why do they fear Pisces: Because they haven’t talked to you in a long time. Or it seems like it. It’s more than just you it’s the possible perspective shift of what they know vs. reality, the shame of them reading a situation wrong, or looking like a Fool. Basically, it’s pride 💯

Character Card: The Scholar

More Virgo/Hermit energy with this card. Someone very smart, they may like to read or enjoy things like Scrabble, investigative journalism, keeping up with world events, watching court cases, they could like crime shows or The Big Bang Theory. Modern Day: 3 Body Problem. Along with something niche they’re an expert at like idk, bugs 🐞 They probably like figuring things out on their own and then checking to see if they’re right, always speculating and digging deeper into things (sometimes too much). They’re someone who can go so far down a rabbit hole they get stuck, and need a hand out of a perspective, it can get echo chamberish in their head sometimes, without others offering different insights and methods - which they are open to.

Messages:

- In love with you ❤️

- I don’t want anyone else.

Possible signs:

Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius, Scorpio & Pisces

If you’re dealing with:

Death is a major ending in your life most likely, along with a reoccurring theme in those you deal with. These may be reasons for a death, or certain things you/them are going through right now, how it resonates will be different everywhere. The only common thread with Death is it’s not as it was, something is over with for good. Intense 💯 And honestly, your cards in everyone else’s reading have been kinda intense, it’s a mood this month.

Aries - constantly going back and forth on whether something is going to work out

Taurus - a lover or family member that you keep breaking up & making up with 😣

Gemini - has a solid opportunity to mend a painful or heartbreaking situation, or you do

Cancer - not pressed or stressed, if anything they think you’re the drama and they don’t want it, you could work together

Leo - wants to ask you out, flirt, or make a move but they’re conflicted about it 💕

Virgo - committed to you and moving forward in a positive direction, definitely this person for someone

Libra - there’s no healing this connection and they’re fine with it, or you are

Scorpio - very sad, doesn’t know what to do, misses you a lot

Sagittarius - sneaky liar lies all day errday 🤥

Capricorn - something is not working out for them regarding work or finances, and that’s where their focus is right now (as usual?)

Aquarius - not speaking because you aren’t

Pisces - sharing some of their abundance and loosening the reigns a little, because they can afford to - for you anyway

[titsgirlbuffy]

With apologies for the slightly niche Buffyverse / Star Trek crossover post, I’ve been thinking a lot about the devices of Angel’s soul and Data’s emotion chip, and I think they’re essentially the same thing. A tangible Thing that unlocks human qualities in non-human characters, who seemed to already have them from the start.

Angelus may have been an almost uniquely evil overachieving vampire, who would have said he was unable to feel emotion, but he Certainly expressed emotion plenty of times. Obsessing over Buffy, trying so hard to please Darla, getting revenge on his father… he laughed, expressed sadness over being abandoned, and cared about his family – bad person, obvs, but far from uncaring and emotionless.

Similarly, Data insists that he’s incapable of feeling emotion, but has clearly always felt and expressed love, friendship, grief, etc. He just doesn’t feel or express them in a totally human way.

Neither character feels or expresses their feelings in the same way they would if they were human. The lens through which they view the world is close to unimaginable for us, and since both characters live in a human dominated environment (each of them is based on a human being – Dr Soong, Liam), they seem to think that human emotions are the only option. Therefore, understanding themselves as non-human and noticing that they don’t feel things in the same way humans do, they draw the conclusion that they Cannot Feel, Full Stop. Vampires can never be good, or androids can never feel emotion, becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The soul and the emotion chip did not grant these characters the ability to Feel, but did grant them the ability to feel/experience/express these emotions in a human way.

Arguably, the actual consequences of the soul/chip (Angel doing good deeds and acknowledging his guilt, Data expressing and claiming to feel for the first time emotions like excitement and fear) was something of a placebo. Given time and therapy, perhaps both characters might have begun to openly admit to a vampire/android set of feelings (like we see from Spike in Buffy – not that the humans around him could accept that). Data was closer to this, but he had Geordi and Deanna. Angelus just had Darla making him worse on purpose (I love her so much) – but if he’d had a more positive support group I wonder if he’d have needed the soul to such an extent? Either way, both the soul and the chip were really only such a big deal because both characters genuinely thought they needed them, unaware that they were always a lot more “human” than they’d been taught to believe.

[inamindfarfaraway]

This is incredibly niche, but… Avatar: The Last Airbender AU fusion with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Sokka is Chip Tolentino. The winner of last year’s bee, he’s experienced, highly intelligent and a little too cocky. But this time he gets… distracted by Ty Lee’s friend Suki in the crowd.

Ty Lee is Leaf Coneybear. She’s not that smart. Her sisters have been telling her that for years. She came third in her district bee, but the winner and runner-up weren’t available on the county one’s date.

Mai is Marcy Park. She succeeds at everything she does, only sleeps three hours a night, isn’t allowed to cry… and is not all business.

Aang is Logainne Schwartzandgrubiniere. His adoptive dads - a younger Tashi and Gyatso, the former strict and ruthless, the latter kind and more lenient - have high expectations for him and he lives in fear of disappointing them. He is precociously aware of and involved in social activism.

Azula is Olive Ostrovsky. She’s taken to the bee by her big brother because their father is working late again and their mother has recently left the country, and spends much of it struggling with her insecurities as her dad continues to not show up. Then to her amazed delight, she finds that she’s making a friend for the first time.

Toph Beifong is William Barfée. She has a magic foot technique, tapping words out in braille. She probably could have won last year if her overprotective parents hadn’t pulled her out against her will the instant her competitors got a little mean. Her growing bond with Azula is purely platonic (unless you ship them, which I don’t).

Piandao is Rona Peretti. He won this bee as a child. Treasuring that memory and valuing the discipline and excellence that accomplishment entails, he has become the moderator, taking pride in helping the new generation thrive under pressure, discover their potential and learn life lessons.

Zhao is Douglas Panch. He’s bitter about being a vice principal instead of a principal. Five years ago he stopped working at the bee due to an “incident”, likely because of his anger issues. But he’s totally fine now, he swears.

Jet is Mitch Mahoney. He’s an ex-convict being the bee’s comfort counsellor for his community service, just eighteen himself. Though jaded, he comes to care a lot about the kids.

[better-name-for-rp-blog]

What flower used in Victorian flower language are you?

Yellow Tulip - “There is sunshine in your smile”

You are the one who is contacting people when you haven’t heard from them in awhile, and the one who friends call when they need to be cheered up. You have the most infectious laugh imaginable, and people can’t help feeling happy when you’re around. Even when things aren’t going your way, you see the glass as half full. Know that it’s okay to feel negative emotions and that just because something worse isn’t happening to you, the things you are going through and the way you feel about them is valid. You are allowed to put yourself ahead of others sometimes. You’ve gotten told you’re naive a lot, and while it’s true that you should take off your rose-colored glasses sometimes, that’s not accurate. You are well aware that things aren’t always going well, but you are making the conscious choice to not add to the misery. Maybe things suck and there’s a lot of fear-mongering and defeatism going around, but that’s ineffective and does nothing but further suck joy out of the world. Your efforts don’t go unnoticed, and the universe is better for them.

Dandelion - “I would not have you otherwise”

You are the mom friend, your bag is full of everything for any possible situation every time you leave your house. Your friends know they can talk to you and that you will accept them and love them for who they are, not some idea of how you think they should be. You have amazing taste in food and are constantly baking things and gifting them to others. At some point, you tried some style of journaling, and it’s about a 50/50 chance that you kept up with it. Your ideal home smells of comfort foods and has tons of windows so that it’s always filled with natural light. Everyone you care about gets a key to your door and blanket permission to stop by anytime. Part of the reason you care so much for others is because you think you’re broken and are trying to make up for it. You are not broken, and you are not whole. You are a person, and people are messy and complicated. There’s no need to chase after a redemption arc, you are trying so hard and that’s all that matters. Take some of the grace you offer to others and apply it to yourself.

Azalea - “Take care of yourself”

Oh boy, that’s gifted kid burnout if I’ve ever seen it. You chose to go into academia, and you enjoy learning, but at this point you have to force the dedication you have. You have niche interests and the way you show love is by sharing knowledge. You may look outwardly like you have your shit together, but inside you are in emotional turmoil. Take some time for self-care, it’s not actually effective to stress about everything, you’re only making things harder on yourself. I promise you, it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s also okay to rely on other people and let people in. You’re not a machine, you can’t keep on going endlessly. When you were a child, did people often “compliment” you for being so mature? Those weren’t compliments, you had to grow up too soon. Get in touch with your inner child, I swear that it’s healing. The people that are meant for you will be there when you're messy. I believe in you.

Tagging: @ofhardknoxxx​, @little-yugi-muto-rp​, @kurai-honoo​, @kaibacorpbros​, @game-weaver​, @xmagicalpansexualpandax​, @mutogamingco​, and anyone else who’d like to participate!