#it certainly (in the vast majority of cases) isn’t the best way to support the victims

[innocet]

“Believe victims” =/= “immediately pursue punitive justice against an accused perpetrator”

[scriptmedic]

Mangled Mondays: Dislocated Shoulder

Dislocated Shoulder

Excerpted from Blood on the Page: A Writer's Compendium of Injuries, Section 1.4: Blunt Trauma > Appendages

Lethality Index

1/5

What Is It?

The human shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint between the glenoid (socket) and the head of the humerus (ball). Stabilized by muscles, tendons, and ligaments, the joint is fairly complicated. The scapula(shoulder blade) protects it at the rear; the acromion process at the top; and, in part, the clavicle (collarbone) at the front.

But the joint does have a weakness. A strong impact to the extended arm can essentially pop the ball out of the socket, known as a dislocation. (A partial dislocation is known as a subluxation.)

The most common – and least damaging – form of this injury is an anterior dislocation, when the head of the humerus pops forward out of the socket. As we’ll see, this is hardly benign and can involve fractures of the bones involved, but it’s certainly not as damaging as a posterior or inferior dislocation.

Therefore, it’s the anterior dislocation we’ll discuss here.

Clinical Signs:

· Deformity of the upper shoulder.

· Difficulty and pain trying to move the affected arm.

· Humeral head bulging under the skin.

Symptoms:

· Pain.

· Numbness and tingling in the arm, from the bone pressing against a nerve.

How Does It Happen?

There are a number of ways in which a shoulder can become dislocated, but the most common are when the character falls on outstretched arms or when the character suffers a blow to the shoulder with the arm extended.

These often occur in contact sports such as MMA (mixed martial arts) fighting, soccer, rugby, American football, or high-velocity sports such as motocross, cycling, and skiing.

Immediate Treatment

The primary treatment for a character with a dislocated shoulder is to sling and swathe the arm so that it’s tucked against the body, with the wrist across the chest and toward the opposite armpit. This can be done with a scarf, a large triangle bandage (“cravat”), a professional sling, or anything that can be improvised in the field.

Characters should receive the attention of a medical provider, but characters who have undergone reduction (relocation) of a dislocated shoulder will be familiar with the procedure. (Actually, there are a great many ways of reducing a shoulder; a few of the most popular are covered here.)

Definitive Treatment

Surgery / Hospitalization

Characters who have a shoulder reduced won’t require surgery or admission unless imaging determines a fracture; or if reduction in the ER is not possible due to (a) overmuscular upper body and/or (b) delayed presentation to ER, resulting in tight tendons and muscles impairing the physician’s efforts.

Emergency Department: Imaging

Characters with shoulder dislocations will have X-rays taken to ensure that there are no fractures of the glenoid or the humeral head. It’s possible, but unlikely, for these to happen in the process of the dislocation

Emergency Department: Sedation and Analgesia

There are two goals of sedation and analgesia in the ER.

The first goal is reduction of pain before, during, and after the procedure. Most of the pain of the dislocation will be eliminated when the shoulder is reduced, but not all of it.

The second is to reduce spasm of the muscles of the shoulder, which are fairly strong and can get in the way of reduction or make the procedure more difficult.

The simplest, and perhaps the most effective, way in which emergency providers can control pain is with a simple injection of lidocaine into the joint, which will numb the area, reduce pain, and cause the desired relaxation.

However, some providers will give a small dose of morphine and/or a small dose of a sedative like midazolam (Versed).

A low-dose infusion of ketamine can also be used, since it acts as both a sedative and an analgesic and is therefore an excellent single agent. This requires using an IV, whereas other methods are injected into the joint or can be used with oral medication.

However, a great many shoulders can be reduced without any pain medication at all, especially if the muscles haven’t had time to “freeze up” yet.

Emergency Department: Reduction

There are literally dozens of methods of reducing a dislocated shoulder, almost all of which are effective and well tolerated. (These do not include smashing the shoulder into any available wall; I’m looking at you, Lethal Weapon 2.) We’ll take a look at a few of them below, including what characters can do for themselves.

Kocher’s Method

The Kocher’s method of reducing the shoulder is a simple and straightforward one. It involves the provider helping the injured character tuck their elbow against their side with the elbow flexed and the forearm thus parallel to the floor.

The provider will then take the character’s affected wrist and move it laterally (away from the body) until there’s resistance. They’ll pull the elbow and upper arm forward a little bit, and then pull the wrist back across the body toward the opposite side.

The procedure takes less than a minute, and has a good success rate.

Cunningham Technique

This is perhaps the gentlest reduction technique around. The character is instructed to sit up comfortably, with their back fairly straight, and pull their shoulder blades together. The character will tuck the affected elbow against their body while the provider rests the character’s hand on their own elbow and supports the character’s elbow with their hand. The provider will then massage the trapezius, deltoid, and biceps with their free hand. As their thumb moves to the outside of the humeral head and toward the deltoid, they’ll gently nudge the humeral head back into the socket. This technique relies on relaxing the muscles rather than using any kind of force.

The Davos Technique

To perform this reduction technique, the character sits upright and flexes the hip and knee on the side of the dislocation. The character then clasps the fingers of both hands together around their flexed knee, or the provider will tie their wrists together with cravats or an elastic band.

(Can you say dramatic tension? Imagine the physician steps out of the room for a minute, and the villain walks in with the hero’s hands tied and their shoulder still out of place…)

Next, the provider sits on the patient’s foot to hold it stationary. The character is then told to relax their shoulder and arm muscles, let their head fall back, and let their shoulders roll forward with the arms extended. The humeral head should reduce.

In the Austere Environment

Because of its nature, a shoulder dislocation is quite easy to reduce in the field. There are risks and consequences if any of the relevant bones are broken, but the vast majority of shoulder dislocations don’t involve fractures.

Any of the above procedures should work quite well, but without strong analgesics, reducing the shoulder will take longer. The main thing getting in the way of reduction is muscle tension, so reductions should be fairly slow to prevent tightening.

Self-relocation

Sometimes a character will be on their own and won’t have the benefit of an assistant. In this case, they’ll need to help themselves.

The best bet is for the character to find some way of applying weight to their arm. The simplest way is for them to sit facing a doorknob and to grab it with their affected hand. (If they can tie their wrist to it that’s even better, since tension in the hand is part of the problem.) They’ll then lean back and support some of their weight with their arm. This may take several minutes, and isn’t always successful.

Another technique is for the character to reach up and behind the head, then reach for the opposite (“good”) shoulder. This should, theoretically, relocate the shoulder.

Neither of these techniques is foolproof or entirely likely to succeed, and the techniques will likely only be known to those who have dislocated their shoulders before.

However, most other techniques require a second person, and remember that this is fiction: outcomes are determined by what we want to have happen, not what might actually happen, so long as the act is relatively realistic.

The Rocky Road to Recovery

Capabilities Retained

Characters still have some use of their arm during the dislocation, including the hand and wrist, but won’t want to do much except hold their arm in place.

After the dislocation has been reduced, they will still have use of the hand, as well as all other limbs, neurocognitive function, etc.

Disabilities: Temporary

The shoulder that has been dislocated needs time in order to heal. Because of this, the character will need to keep the arm in a sling for at least one to two weeks (but more realistically, four). Failing to do so runs the risk of redislocation.

Disabilities: Permanent

Shoulder dislocations that don’t produce fractures almost never come with any permanent disabilities. However, it’s possible for the character to have damage to the nerves of the arm from either the dislocation or the reduction.

Features of Recovery: Hospital Stay

None.

Features of Recovery: PT/OT

Characters will need to strengthen their shoulder as it heals.

Initial therapy will aim to improve range of motion: raising the arm above the level of the shoulder, and rotating the elbow outward (elbow tucked against the chest, and wrist brought lateral to the body). After range of motion has returned, the goal becomes to strengthen the muscles.

Isometric strengthening:

The character will step up to a wall and almost touch it; they’ll push the thumb side of their wrist against the wall and press for 8–10 seconds. Next they’ll stand perpendicular to the wall and try to abduct their arm, meaning they’ll try to reach their arm out laterally to their body while pressing against the wall, again for 8-10 seconds. Next the character will bend their elbow so their lower arm is parallel to the floor. First they’ll try to externally rotate against the wall or doorway; then they’ll do the same for internal rotation (towards the opposite side of their body).

Weight training.

Characters who progress beyond isometric training will be encouraged to perform similar exercises with weights.

The first exercise will be to hold a weight – a can of soup works well – and will extend their arm laterally to the body and bring their hand toward shoulder height. Next they can lie on their side on the affected arm and hold the can or weight in front of them, and internally rotate the hand (toward the opposite hip).

The New Normal

Characters who completely recover from the injury will likely have no long-term consequences, though if they don’t stabilize their shoulder muscles with PT they may redislocate the arm.

Sometimes there will be some damage to the nerves of the shoulder, which may involve pain, numbness, and/or weakness both in the shoulder and down the arm. Again, physical therapy helps with these.

Future Risks

Your character will be at risk for redislocation of the same arm.

Total Recovery Time (Typical)

Sling: 1–4 weeks

Strength and flexibility:4–8 weeks

Sensory

Sights

The affected shoulder will look “off,” deformed. The humeral head may be visible under the skin, or the anterior aspects of the shoulder may simply look “out of place.”

Smells

None.

Sounds

Characters may hear an audible pop as the shoulder dislocates, and a pop or clunk may be audible as the shoulder relocates.

Sensations

As with sounds, the shoulder pops out and clunks back in. This may be audible only to the character with the dislocation, or may be audible to others too.

Medslang

A subluxation is something of an incomplete dislocation and is managed in the same way.

Abduction is movement away from the body in the same horizontal plane; that is, reaching out directly to the side.

Adduction is the opposite: bringing the body part back along the torso.

Internal rotation is rotation toward (and across) the body.

External rotation is rotation away from the body.

Anterior means forward (toward the front of the body), while posterior means backward or behind.

Reduction can refer to repositioning a dislocated or subluxated joint, or to bringing bone ends back to alignment in a fracture.

Key Points

· Shoulder dislocations are common, dramatic, and have few long-term complications; they are ideal for use in stories.

· Characters with shoulder dislocations might be able to set their own shoulders, but a second person is generally best.

· Setting the dislocation takes only a minute or two, but can be very painful; sudden movements are the enemy, as the goal is to relax the muscles, not tighten them.

· Characters will need a sling for 1-4 weeks (the younger, the longer) and will require PT to strengthen the stabilizer muscles after the fact.

[snapeaddict]

Hi, what do you say to the people who claim Regulus is the real Slytherin hero, and not Snape? To me RAB always seemed like a plot device and nothing more so I don't get why he's being worshipped... He's just another rich pureblood kid...

I say this is a very bad take, and it is disrespectful (that's a strong word for something that isn't really important but I cannot think of a softer version) of the actual people who enjoy his character. I'm going to write down some thoughts, but there's more to it than just what I would reply to them - allow me to ramble a little on the roots of this claim and on the thought process embraced by Snaters and Marauders apologists (I've seen that some people don't like this term, so I mean people who erase the Marauders' flaws and make them morally superior to Snape, justifying them being abusers and him being abused.)

The nonsense of comparing a plot device to a complex, layered character: Comparing Severus and Regulus is ludicrous. You are comparing one of the most (I would argue the most well-written and complex, but Dumbledore is quite something as well) well-written, accomplished character of the books to a plot device. It is indeed what Regulus is, no matter if his character could have been really interesting/seems to be interesting: we know very little of him, and he exists solely for the Slytherin locket plot. The very little we know of him certainly isn't enough to express any critical judgment of his character; he is mostly made out of white pages which are filled out by his fans, which is great, and by the people making this kind of argument, which is unfortunate.

The interest in the character only stems in his usefulness: I would argue that the vast majority of people making this claim do not care at all for the character himself, despite using him as a moral high ground. It is not his character which interests them, but how useful he can be to fuel their hate and biased claims. His personality? Having being sorted in Slytherin. His merits? Being a Slytherin. This is the only fact that matters, because it allows them to 'prove' that Snape wasn't a hero (being a hero does not mean being a good person, by the way) and diminishes Severus' merits. Using a character solely for the purpose of depreciating, downgrading another is not appreciating them: it's just completely hypocritical. This is often the kind of flat argument used by people opposed to social justice movements, if you will allow the broad comparison: using something you have never cared for before (often minority populations) in an attempt to depreciate something, even though the very fact you are using them for this purpose shows how little concerned you are with the actual people you are talking about. Well, it reminds me of this a bit. The true purpose is to try and impose your own views, and here they try to legitimise them by filling an almost inexistent character with their views to carry on with their agenda.

The sudden leniency toward privileged characters: Making such a claim in fact once again proves that Snaters have an extremely biased, subjective and elitist vision of what being good means, an opinion on what is moral integrity (and superiority because they keep comparing people), which they also apply to James and Sirius. I think Regulus is loved because he is a Black, respected by the fandom because he comes from a pureblood, rich family. It is very easy to prove: look at how much love Draco and Lucius get, despite being supporters of blood supremacy, active members of a terrorist group, using discriminatory insults on a daily basis, being actively supportive of the murders of muggle borns/participating in these murders [do not misinterpret this - I'm pointing out double standards, not saying they should not be loved. One's interest in a character does not depend on the character's morals]. Look at how respected Snape was in the fandom before book 6, when people thought he was a rich pureblood from an ancient family. Social hierarchy has a great impact on how people view characters, and they tend to be much more lenient toward privileged characters, because prestige is attractive, even in fiction. Similarly - but it is more concealed - there is the usual refusal to acknowledge that social inequalities do impact one's life, choices, and opportunities to be or do good. The quote "You didn't make good choices! You had good choices" (Little Fires Everywhere) works quite well in this context, especially regarding James and Severus, but also regarding the Blacks versus Severus. Severus' survival was completely, utterly dependent on his adherence to blood supremacist values. This must be taken into account - but weirdly, this is an argument that is often used to prove Sirius' moral superiority, because his family required him to share their beliefs. This is ignoring that despite his difficulties, he still beneficiated from a support system and privileges that others did not have access to. Similarly, you cannot compare Regulus' and Severus' choices. And in my opinion, both are tragic; but if we had to take part in Snaters' silly arguments, then I would remind them that Regulus effectively had no obligation to join Voldemort, his parents were not death eaters. The pressure both characters experienced certainly wasn't of the same nature - even perhaps not of the same intensity. But does comparing them makes any sense, again...

The social biases: While Snape is blamed for his decision to join the death Eaters (rightly), Regulus is praised for his decision to leave them. While Regulus is pitied because he came from a family who brought him up with this ideology (just like Draco is), which apparently takes off all responsibility from him, Severus' background is never considered as a factor which pushed him right into extremists' opened arms. Regulus' privilege is used as an excuse; Snape's social disadvantage and familial issues are, at best, ignored, at worst, interpreted as proof of his inherently bad nature. Some people associate his upbringing with him being bad, whether they want to acknowledge it or not. While Regulus is headcanonned as handsome, Snape is constantly described as 'greasy' and 'ugly' by these same people, and you can see exactly how important appearances are to them. I'm even going to argue that worshipping a rich, handsome, privileged pureblood must sound better to them than being fond of the 'greasy git', and I am also saying these are mostly internalised biases. When you read these claims carefully, it sounds like in the mind of these people, Regulus is more legitimate as Slytherin's hero because he is better - inherently. And it is easy to see why.

The double-standards and their disturbing roots: This is also plainly ignoring the fact that Regulus and Snape defected for the same reasons, if we must make comparisons. Voldemort was targeting one of their loved ones, Kreatur for the former and Lily for the later, which made them realise, because they are humans and thus not selfless, how wrong his methods were when they turned against them. However, in Snape's case, turning against Voldemort in an attempt to save Lily is often held as proof of his selfishness/absence of morality: he wanted her for himself, he only deflected because someone he liked was in danger. In Regulus' case however, his gesture is seen as heroic and compassionate. Why? Well, there are a variety of reasons apart from Snaters' double standards, but I have noticed that most of them seem to think of Lily as 'belonging' to either James or Snape, and think Snape unworthy of having ever had Lily as a friend because of some kind of deep rooted flaws he had even as a child ('He tried to hurt Petunia with accidental magic when he was 11, he was always bad'. In fact I should make a post about how horrible this claim is.) In Regulus' case however, wanting to save Kreatur is seen as an act of compassion. Why? Not only because they want to make Regulus look better than Snape. I think it is also because Kreatur is a house-elf, an inferior being: Regulus' wish to protect him becomes praiseworthy, laudable, because house-elves do not really deserve consideration. So wanting to save him becomes an act of generosity. Even when you're not thinking of the double standards, this way of thinking is disturbing. Snape also turned against Voldemort at the age of 20, 21? Like Regulus did if I recall? They weren't death Eaters for very long. They both actively fought to bring Voldemort down. It would be tremendously hypocritical, wrong and plain bad faith to think of Regulus' action as superior to Snape's 20 years of hard work to bring Voldemort down.

So why can't Snape be a hero? I think this claim is a confession. To me it shows a very simplistic vision of heroism, of good and bad, of models, and a complete refusal to consider the grey, sometimes praise the grey- it's a failure to accept the complexity of the human functioning. Thinking that the people we praise for certain actions, or consider to be examples must be flawless is vain, simply because it is unrealistic, and we could not admire them/relate to them/like or dislike them/learn from them if they were not like us, layered and flawed - but this is exactly what this claim desperately wants us to believe. Or rather, what Snaters want to believe, while imposing their very biased views of good and bad, themselves rooted in prejudices. This is why they are using a character that is mostly inexistent: an empty, one dimensional character can fulfil this aim. This is also why so many people fail to appreciate characters such as James, Sirius and Remus without completely ripping off their flaws, and thus complexness - they cannot be loved if you can find fault in them.

[icypantherwrites]

Changes Coming to Patreon; Back to AO3 Icy Goes

An abbreviated and slightly different version of a post I made on my Patreon this evening:

Several months ago I made the announcement that I was switching my main platform from AO3 to exclusively post my works on Patreon. I had hoped it would help with some of my mental health issues with the reasoning that Patreon was a platform with a smaller, dedicated audience and would be better than posting into the great unknown and feeling let down by the sheer number of hits but no sightings of the people behind them.

Unfortunately, this decision has not panned out the way I had hoped. To be completely honest, I feel even worse than I ever have before. I truly thought this switch would encourage more engagement from those that were on my Patreon given that everyone now had that exclusive access and knowing that they'd want to be involved and that I'd be okay with knowing only a literal handful of people might be reading. That has not been the case. And to be clear, that's on me for having those hopes and expectations because certainly no one at my Patreon is required to engage with my works; you pay a subscription fee each month, you get content, and more always comes. And I will certainly continue to post those works that Patreon supporters paid for and expect to see under the original outline of my Patreon, but at this time...

At this time I've made the decision to return to posting on AO3 and no longer make that content exclusive to Patreon.

Any of the exclusive one-shots that did post here will remain, but I'll be adding them to my AO3 archive as well and the chaptered fics will only be posting for early release tiers on Patreon going forward, not posting later for all tiers. They will all instead be made available on my AO3 and just like before you are welcome to read them there. To be clear: none of your access to content is changing. You will still be able to read all of my stories, but they will no longer exclusively be on Patreon.

It is really hard for me to post works (and yes, I know they are all finished, it's still hard). It is hard to post in the author's notes and ask for comments and engagement because it is not fun to post and feel like hardly anyone is reading, and harder still when very few do because it just tells me that the majority of people either don't read those requests or they ignore them. Both don't feel good. And doubly so when you consider the majority of my content is about support. Ironic, right? ;p

Just like when I made this original decision, I didn't come to this one lightly. After all, there was a reason I decided to step away from AO3. But trying to bribe y'all with extra content via engagement hasn't worked. I've actually had 7 people in the two months that I made this switch join the page and quit within a couple days (sometimes a couple hours), accessing all content (and no doubt spurred on by the sheer amount behind a paywall) and that's a slap in the face to me and makes me feel even worse. And I certainly don't want to turn my works into a pay-per-view where I open a shop and sell PDF copies of individual works because the money has never, ever, been what the Patreon has been about. The finances help me to justify spending the time writing the works to keep this page active and going, but the whole reason I created a Patreon was to have an engaged, local community where I could be myself a little bit more, be a little more honest than I normally allow myself to be, and to share exclusive works with all those who made that decision to come here and financially support me with the hope that would extend to mental and emotional support via engagement on the site ♥

There are over 100 people on my Patreon and on average not even 10% make an appearance. It feels like I am posting and posting and hardly anyone is reading and the whole point of posting works is to share them because fandom is something that is meant to be shared. It's an experience for us all, whether we're creators or consumers, and we cannot exist without the other. It's a circle of fanfiction.

AO3 wasn't the best for me mentally. But the alternative I decided to pursue has unfortunately been even worse. And yet I still can't help but want to share my creations, want to make those connections, want people to laugh and cry and find comfort and support and experience emotions or feelings they may never had had, to learn and grow, to just enjoy the whump and angst and find a little escape sometimes from reality. Writing has been so important to me, it's what has kept me going through some very low times although it's catch-22 as the posting part of that process can make me feel lower than when I started. But I push through and hope that things get better, always.

Planning out this Patreon has meant so much to me. Writing stories for it, setting up polls, getting to create cover banners, write commissions, and, most importantly, interact with all of you... it has kept me going. And in order for me to not hate this page, to not delete it, to not call it quits, I need to make this switch back to AO3 and the chance for a larger audience. And I truly hope you can understand why I am doing this. I truly hope that even though the vast amount of my works will now be technically "free" that you still remain a member of my Patreon as those "free" works are only possible due to this site. 

And to anyone reading this now on my Tumblr, please read the above. I only continue to post because of the financial support on my Patreon. There is now going to be a burst of content posting on my AO3 and lots more to come, but please don’t ever think that this is “free” because it was not free. 

And this isn’t to tell you to go join my Patreon (although if you’d like to, please feel free) but to remind you that it costs nothing to leave a comment on a story that you read and that doing so means everything to the creator. Please don’t see this change as just an endless buffet of fanfiction to consume. Please see it as what it is: a chance to engage, to be a part of a fandom, and to support a creator whether that’s financially emotionally or both. 

A gentle reminder that Patreon on the whole was never meant to be just a "how much can you get" type of site, but a way to show your support to creators you enjoy with little bonuses as incentives to check out higher pledged tiers and to stick around so the creator keeps wanting to make more content to share. This page will still have all the bonuses it has always had: the FMs, the previews and bonus snippets, the ability to commission, and, in the event they happen, all of the events and contests :) 

I'm sad that this change didn't work out the way I had hoped, but there's no such things as failures; it has been a learning experience. Thank you all for your patience with me as I muddle through this and try to make the best choices for my own mental health ♥ Thank you to all for your financial support of this Patreon that allows me to keep writing and thank you so much to all those who comment and engage and inspire me to keep writing ♥

Much love,

Icy

[mashounen2003]

Sonic opinions - 1

Honestly, I think it's time for me to give closure to the “Sonic fan phase” of my life. I’ll keep playing the games if they pique my interest, but in terms of the stories they tell and how their characters are portrayed, these games no longer appeal to me. The comic currently published by IDW isn’t complete garbage nor does it have so much drama and controversy surrounding it, in addition to having Whisper and Tangle, two characters I really like at least on a conceptual level, but the story and characterizations are leaving me deeply disappointed and sometimes fall even lower than the recent games written by Pontac & Graff, namely with regard to the characterization of Sonic himself.

The continuity of the TV series Sonic SatAM and the comics published by Archie was always the branch of the franchise that truly caught my attention and is my main source of inspiration for writing stories; in fact, SatAM was the way I found out about Sonic and became a fan in the first place. But this “North-American continuity” is already as dead as the Mega Man Legends saga, and it looks like the vast majority want to forget it as if each and every one of its elements and ideas inherently had just been a massive nightmare regardless of its execution by the writers. At best, the fandom currently sees this branch of Sonic as some silly “edgy” attempt to take the franchise seriously, something that may have been laudable but was always foolish and doomed to fail and is such a risky gamble that it's not worth trying again.

I'm also getting fed up with the Sonic fandom in general, despite sharing a lot of opinions with some individual fans. Yes, I know there are already many who have declared this for the most varied reasons, be it the “shipp wars”, something in Sonic or even the franchise as a whole suddenly becoming “cringe” due to a whim of a majority portion of the fandom, or the way Sonic reuses "hackneyed" tropes in an alleged demonstration of lack of originality; however, when someone gives Sonic the middle finger for this kind of reasons, they usually do it hypocritically.

No, what got me tired of the Sonic fandom is the way everyone becomes obsessed with picking one branch of the franchise, calling it "the true Sonic", claiming this is the only pure and genuine incarnation of the “soul of Sonic” (if there really is such a thing), marking as “foreigner” every character, concept or element from any other branch of the franchise, and demanding from the fans of those other branches to get on their knees and be thankful that the "True Fans (TM)" even allow them to stay in the fandom. Note that I’m not accusing fans of only one specific portion of the franchise: there are such people among fans of the videogames’ continuity, @skull001 being probably the worst offender, but there’s also that kind of people among the SatAM and Archie-Sonic fans, such as the “nostalgic” delusional pissbabies, blatantly homophobic and conservative, who are now supporting Twitter hashtags like “Rally4Sally” and “Udon4Sonic”. You may think this is actually something typical of all fandoms, but it’s not: this is truly something unique to the Sonic fandom; I don't see huge hordes of Mega Man fans bullying the Legends fandom or making fun of them for the way their favourite saga ended two decades ago; even in the Dragon Ball fandom, despite constant discussions about what is canon and what is not, there’s some kind of tacit consensus that GT and Super are two offshoots of the franchise, equally valid although not coexisting in one same fictional universe (although Shūeisha itself seems to officially support this view, which certainly helps prevent some discourse), while the only part of Dragon Ball universally despised (and rightly so) is Dragon Ball Evolution.

I'm sorry if this hurts some people’s sensibilities, but if I decide to write a story with any given set of characters, elements, concepts, setting, internal rules and whatnot, the only thing in my mind will be to write a mildly decent story. I'm not here to “honour” -let alone honour at all costs- some supposed legacy and traditions that some people say should be upheld by each and every Sonic content creator. And let’s be brutally frank: we’re talking about a franchise that started as platformer 16-bit videogames whose sole purpose was to show SEGA’s consoles were better and handled speed better than Nintendo's; SEGA never really intended to tell a story or portray its characters consistently, only later did the cast begin to receive more defined personalities and the games start telling stories because SEGA suddenly saw this would make them sell more, and even that varied wildly according to whatever seemed more convenient at the time; not to mention SEGA's unique habit of entering vicious cycles of failure and over-correction, where Sonic Team makes a few mistakes in a game that did everything else more or less well, SEGA throws away the entire game along with the foundations on which it was built and the story that was told by that game, Sonic Team makes a new game with absolutely everything replaced and makes mistakes again but those mistakes are different from those of the previous game, the process is repeated ad nauseam and no-one is ever satisfied with anything. A few Sonic fans trying to impose on every other fan a supposed single Sonic canon with some kind of official approval seal by SEGA & Sonic Team is something quite backward, because that single official canon almost never really existed, and if it does exist, it makes no sense and is internally inconsistent, dependent on the creation of new games, and very likely to be retconned, overwritten and modified at any time.

There are other "bad habits" of the Sonic fandom that have led me to break ties with them. One of them is the way many fans take one trait of a character, be it simply one of many facets of their personality or even a physical trait, and turn that into the entire personality of the character; many of those same fans are also massive hypocrites, complaining (albeit rightfully) about how SEGA oversimplifies Shadow into either “Sasuke the Hedgehog” or “Vegeta the Hedgehog”, but then they do the same as SEGA. One of the cases in which this is most evident is when they make Sonic's personality boil down to "gotta go fast" and "be a free spirit"; based on that, they denounce that Sonic saying "I would slow down for you" to one of his closest friends (even if Sonic and Sally weren’t a couple when he said that and/or you don’t support that shipp, it can be said she was at least one of his closest friends in the SatAM-Archie continuity) contradicts the very essence of the character, or they do something even worse: saying that "being a free spirit" means being away from your friends and not having "ties" (like... literal ties, made with ropes, the ones that are actually a bad thing) with anything or anyone. It's like when Goku is portrayed by Dragon Ball fans as far more insensitive than the actual way Akira Toriyama had conceived him and always wrote and portrayed him in his official work.

There are also the plainly disturbing ideas many fans seem to have about personal relationships, judging by the opinions they give about the relationships of Sonic and the rest of the cast. In addition to making everything revolve around vaguely defined words and concepts they throw right and left almost without thinking about their actual meaning, they also seem to believe that having friends and caring for them, or any kind of responsibility no matter what kind it is, is nothing but a drag, like rat-s*** stopping you on your way to "freedom" (this is just amazing: they say the entire Western canon is edgy and the British comic’s Sonic is a jerk, but if you think about this for a bit, these fans’ version of Sonic turns out to be even edgier and more of a jerk than Shadow in his spin-off videogame); in the case of Archie-Sonic, there are all the abuse apologists supporting Scourge and Fiona being a couple, even though you don’t need any “meta” analysis to see he’s (at the very least) verbally abusive towards her and had attracted her by posing as someone else in the first place.

[schraubd]

Bots and Nots in the Sanders Sib Community

Twitter protestations notwithstanding, I find it wholly plausible that Russian bots masquerading as Bernie supporters are the culprits behind some of the toxic online abuse that goes out under the pro-Bernie flag. And contra some, I don't think that this means that the Russians are "backing Sanders" in any meaningful respect. This is a chaos play -- it's a way of sowing division; there's no implied commitment to any underlying policy preference. When Russian trolls simultaneously promoted both pro- and anti-Muslim rights rallies, it was not because they couldn't decide which side of the issue they fell on. The chaos was, and is, the point (although Sanders' backers could stand to reflect as to why his campaign represents such an alluring vector for sowing mistrust). However. Being a Democrat who is under the age of 35, I know plenty of Bernie Sanders supporters. The majority of them are normal, pleasant people who are supporting their preferred candidate in normal, pleasant ways. But I've certainly seen a contingent -- not a majority, but a vocal one -- of the Sanders supporters I know who do endorse or at least excuse the sort of abusive behavior and toxic conspiracy-mongering that Sanders himself has long repudiated. I know this culture is real, and not just a case of bots, because I see people who I know are real partake in it. The recent story of the Bernie Sanders staffer whose private Twitter account was brimming with vicious, brutal, often misogynistic attacks on rival candidates provides a case in point. This was disgusting behavior, and the Sanders campaign to its credit immediately canned the staffer once it went public. But many of Bernie's supporters, instead of taking the easy route of "wow, this was terrible stuff -- I'm glad he was fired!", instead elected to pile on the reporter for covering the story at all. The preferred objection -- and I saw this from multiple people who I know are real flesh-and-blood humans -- is that because the account was a private one, the staffer's remarks could not be harassment. There are, to be sure, indications in the article that the staffer also might have been anonymously responsible for other instances of insults and invective that were made through public channels. But leave that aside. The "it's not harassment if it's a private channel" would be a pedantic objection under the best of circumstances -- yes, it's true that Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren themselves weren't in a position to see the tweets, but nobody is under any illusions as to how "private" messages of abuse circulated to campaign backers the vast majority of whose accounts are not private contributes to a culture of abuse and maltreatment. It is normal, and not strange, for internet harassment campaigns to begin with and by nurtured by conversations on sites and fora where the vast majority of posts are not intended to be and likely never will be seen by the putative target. The reason that these conversations on reddit or 4chan or wherever nonetheless matter isn't because the objects of their hatred could theoretically read them. It's because of what they precipitate out -- "private" conversations where edgelording and abuse and brinksmanship are encouraged and cheered on become the fermentation ground from which the "public" harassment springs. Eventually, someone takes it both seriously and literally. And even if none of that were the case, the apologia still boils down to "he was only privately spreading misogynistic abuse (to 4,000 of his closest friends)." Is that really the hill people want to die on? It was frankly shocking how many real-life people I know who, when confronted with objectively atrocious, grotesque, hateful behavior by a Sanders staffer, responded by trying to pooh-pooh the importance of the issue because technically it wasn't "harassment". On that note, while the article juxtaposes the staffer's behavior with Sanders' condemnation of online harassment and clearly considers the two to be part of the same family (which they are), it generally describes the posts as "toxic" or "abuse". The second paragraph is indicative:

But the private Twitter account of a newly promoted campaign staffer indicates that despite his condemnation of online harassment, at least some of the Vermont senator’s most toxic support is coming from inside the house.

Perhaps it is fair to say that the article is implying that the staffer's behavior is also harassment. But the nitpicking effort to reframe the issue as about the technical distinction between "harassment" versus purely private abuse -- as if that debate, even if it were resolved against the reporter, would reveal the greater evil here -- was terrible, if illustrating, to witness. It reflects not just the abusive culture itself, but the wider circle wherein the abuse is apologized for, denied, minimized, or viewed as a smear -- a form of toxicity that, if not as visceral as the direct offenders, nonetheless is a necessary auxiliary to it. Not every Sanders supporter is a "Sanders Sib". The vast majority are normal, reasonable people who support Sanders in normal, reasonable ways. But the fact of the matter is that -- augmented by bots or not -- the cadre that has earned the Sanders Sib label has largely come by its toxic reputation honestly. They're not being framed. They're not being held to unreasonable standards. They have their reputation because of what they -- flesh and blood humans -- do, and tolerate, and excuse. I know it's not bots, because I've seen it from people who I know in real life. It won't stop me from voting for Sanders if he is the nominee in November (among other reasons, even if I didn't care about substantive policy at all and my criteria for voting was solely "which candidate has the most toxic base of internet support", Sanders still would be orders of magnitude better than Trump). But I'm not going to pretend like reality isn't there. via The Debate Link https://ift.tt/2PqvJLf

[pickone1]

TOP weight loss in 2021 with guaranteed

On the off chance that you need to get in shape, choosing the correct weight loss program is significant to your prosperity. There is an apparently limitless number of weight loss programs accessible today, so how might you choose which one is ideal for you? This is an inquiry I see a great deal from the two people searching for the correct program to follow. It’s a befuddling circumstance to be in I can envision; needing to get in shape yet not realizing which program best serves your necessities. So what do you do?

Indeed, the reason for this article is to talk about different angles and ideas encompassing weight loss programs with the expectation that it can help you select the fitting system for you. First of all!

1-Recognize what you REALLY need

What do you truly need from your actual body? My online wellness instructing customers hear this from me constantly. From the start it might appear to be a lovely senseless inquiry, however, it’s most certainly not. I’ve discovered that by far most individuals looking for weight loss truly aren’t actually that keen on getting thinner by any means. It’s actual! In my extensive expert experience, most individuals looking for proficient wellness training aren’t hoping to get in shape however much they’d basically prefer to have a positive outlook on themselves and stay away from the torment related to the prevalent difficulties of being overweight. Weight loss isn’t their actual longing, it basically gives them the things they are truly needing. Truth be told, I will go as far as to say that a great many people truly need to eat anything they desire to eat, would whatever they like to do and carry on with their life as they consider proper. I’m not pointing fingers here, that is the thing that I’d prefer to do as well. In any case, being human methods we have prevalent difficulties and assumptions. Now in history, we are informed that a lean, conditioned constitution is provocative, alluring and attractive. I accept that this is the explanation the vast majority look for weight loss programs, not given a genuine longing to be fit, however, an exceptional craving to be needed, to be hot, to be viewed as alluring, and to have a positive outlook on their body when encircled by individuals whose sentiments they think about significant.

It’s totally okay to look for weight loss under any circumstance; since you need to feel alluring, feel positive about your body or draw in imminent love interests. Whatever your justification looking for weight loss, you must distinguish your REAL justification for this pursuit. When you’ve precisely recognized this explanation/reasons, rousing yourself toward that objective/objectives is a considerably more charming cycle. When this occurs, the weight loss measure isn’t such a huge amount about the weight as much as it’s about you! Furthermore, that is by and large how it ought to be.

2-Decide responsibility limits

This idea is maybe the most significant of all. I have seen individuals burn through a large number of dollars on weight loss programs just to surrender that exertion only days into the program. They over-submitted themselves and couldn’t finish. Each weight loss program shares a couple of things practically speaking. Every one of these things will change from one program to another, however, the essential parts remain:

Recurrence — how regularly you should exercise

Force — how much exertion and power you should place into your program

Time — how long you should practice every exercise

Type — the kind of exercise(s) you will do during a program

This really has a typical name. We in the wellness business consider this the F.I.T.T standard. Past these fundamentals which are normally connected with the activity parts of your program there will likewise be wholesome prerequisites to any quality weight loss program that fits consummately into a similar abbreviation:

Recurrence — portrays how regularly you will eat every day

Power — how inflexible or careless your eating routine is

Time — how long you should eat thusly

Type — the sort of food and nourishment philosophy being utilized

These will be available in any very much-created weight loss program. Your prosperity is subject to what you are practically willing and ready to focus on concerning every one of these components. Let’s be honest, buying a weight loss program doesn’t ensure a positive outcome, you should follow the program to accomplish results. For example, if your program requires a severe eating routine with seven days of serious exercise every week except you’re not a restrained weight watcher and have never worked out, this theoretical program most likely isn’t the one that will serve your necessities best. Maybe you need a program that has a more formative methodology and permits you more food and exercise choices.

3-Be careful with programs that guarantee to be for everyone

I’m not saying that there aren’t programs that could profit anybody and everybody, except I am saying that you are bound to be effective when you pursue a program that is aimed at individuals very much like you. Projects that endeavor to take into account everybody is regularly intended to create deals more than results. These projects will in general be requesting, have inflexible eating regimen assumptions and regularly lead to injury for those not set up to deal with the requests the program requires. Get your work done and discover a program that is planned in light of you.

At the point when I started building up my Body Fat Meltdown weight loss program for ladies many individuals disclosed to me I’d make more deals if I would just market it to everybody; men, ladies, more established, more youthful, everyone. While this is without a doubt evident I couldn’t morally do that since I realize that every one of these gatherings of individuals has their own one-of-a-kind arrangement of necessities and wants with regards to actual wellness and weight loss. In this way, I built up the Body Fat Meltdown program explicitly for recently roused ladies needing to get more fit without requiring a rec center enrollment so they could work out every day for thirty minutes or less any place and at whatever point they needed. I needed it to be ideal for the at-home exerciser or for ladies who need to exercise with insignificant hardware while voyaging. It is expected to remove all reasons for a recently propelled weight loss member, which is what it does. By giving accurate eating regimens and exercise directions the Body Fat Meltdown program guarantees a good outcome if a lady will just follow it for ninety days. This is an illustration of a program that has a focus on the crowd, a particular reason, and a significant technique for a movement that will lead this particular gathering of members toward their weight loss objectives.

4-Ensure the program is testing, however bearable

Speak the truth about the sort of program your way of life will permit you to participate in. Wellness is an advancement so where you are in life presently may not be the place where you are down the line, however, you should have the option to deal with your weight loss program inside the current limits that your life gives. For example, if you are a single parent with two little kids at home, you presumably won’t adhere to a multi-day program where you need to eat Brussel fledgling and cabbage soup at every dinner while practicing an hour multiple times every day. It’s simply not economical. Each program has its sustenance and exercise necessities so it’s dependent upon you to ensure that those prerequisites will move you to improve however that additionally fit into your present living plan.

5-The best weight loss program is one you’ll wrap up

The best program on the planet is futile if you don’t do it. I know this direct. I’ve has ladies pursue my Body Fat Meltdown weight loss program and continue to shed 24 pounds in the initial thirty days. Then again I’ve had ladies join and never at any point endeavor the principal preparing program yielding an aftereffect of precisely nothing. The best weight loss program you can put resources into is one you will take an interest in, be tested by, and finish. I can name in any event 100 weight loss programs all things being equal that have delivered stunning outcomes for their members. Alternately, I can guarantee you that all of those projects additionally have individuals who bought, at that point scarcely took part, quit, and went through well-deserved cash for no outcomes at all. Eventually, the outcomes get a start and end with you. They are subject to the components we examined above and are totally controlled by your investment and fruition of the program.

Take these five factors and use them to filter out the huge wild of weight loss programs accessible to you. Discover a program where you are focused on members, one that you can reasonably take an interest in and support beginning to end. If you do these things I solidly trust you will be fruitful in your push to get in shape and look and feel incredible.

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[all-things-lgbtqia]

JK Rowling continues to spout TERF ideology, continues to say she’s not a TERF.

JK Rowling, best known as author of the world-renowned Harry Potter series and the decider of who is and isn’t gay, took to Twitter within the past 24 hours to make what I can only assume was supposed to be a joke in response to a Tweet about efforts to help create a more equal world “those who menstruate” in a post Covid-19 world, saying that “I’m sure there used to be a word for those people.”

When called out for her erasure of trans men, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people - all people who can be assigned female at birth but do not identify as women - Rowling went on the defensive, criticizing the idea that “sex isn’t real”.

Here’s the thing, Rowling: sex is real. Trans people know this. That’s kind of what makes most of us trans. Their biological sex, which is a real and tangible thing, does not match the identity they see for themselves, which is also real although it can be a lot harder for us outsiders to see. This is why many trans people opt for modified clothing (such as binders and gaffs), hormones and surgeries to make the exterior body match the internal sense of gender. Granted, many trans people will not do this, and they are not obligated to do so, but the vast majority of us will opt for such measures, not just to make ourselves more comfortable in our skins, but also so people like you don’t keep misgendering us and then pretend to be the victim when we call you out on it (which you’re doing right now). Absolutely no one is arguing that biological sex isn’t real.

She then goes on to say that saying women like her, “who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades”, hate trans people “because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense”.

Like I said Rowling, sex is real and absolutely no one is saying otherwise. You’re the one who keeps saying it. You said it during the Maya Forstater debacle and you’re saying it now. “Woman” is not a term that refers to someone who is biologically female. An overwhelming amount of the time it does, but not always. “Female” and “female-bodied” are somewhat controversial terms when it comes to afab transgender people, but they always refer to someone who is biologically female. “Afab” is an acronym for “assigned female at birth”, which can even refer to cis women. So as you can see, there are better terms to refer to someone with female reproductive organs than “women”. And believe it or not, a lot of those “lived consequences” are often the same for a lot of afab people. Not everyone has the privilege to transition at 6-years-old, before the horrors of the real world affect most of us. Many afab trans men (I would like to quickly acknowledge that some trans men may be biologically intersex), non-binary and gender-nonconforming people will have lived as females or a somewhat “female experience” up until they come out of the closet and begin their transition, if they do so at all. Pre-transition afab people are still subjected to the same amount of sexism, misogyny, sexual harassment and general dangers that come with being a woman because even though they are not women, society sees them as women. And yes, these people will even menstruate, because they have a female reproductive system (although it is worth noting that some people born with these parts may not menstruate at all, because biology is weird and sometimes things don’t function the way they’re supposed to). And on top of all that, trans women will also face the same hazards during and after the main stages of their transitions. In fact, statistically speaking, transgender women are even more likely to experience male violence than cis women, so let’s not pretend they aren’t involved in this whole conversation at all.

And just a quick sidebar, like I said, some people with female reproductive parts don’t menstruate because their body just never kicks that system into gear. If a cis woman never menstruates because she’s one of those people, is she no longer a woman, J?

I would also like to take the time to comment on how she pretends trans people don’t exist when she wants the spotlight and only references them when she gets called out for it. This is a lot like the, “I can’t be racist, I have black friends” “argument”. We’re not tools that you can use and then put back in the closet when you’re done (only we can decide if it’s time to go back in the closet, and I would rather not do that again, thank you very much). We’re not accessories you can flaunt to show how accepting you are. We exist even when you’re not making exclusionary remarks and pretending that the issue at hand is exclusive to cis females only.

She goes on to claim she would support trans people if we are discriminated against. I don’t have a Twitter account so I can see only very limited Tweets online, but so far I haven’t seen her comment on the proposed UK bathroom bill that would force trans people to use the bathrooms that correspond with the sex marker on their birth certificates. If she has commented, let me know and I will update this section of this post appropriately.

She tries to justify herself by saying she is well-read in scientific journals and transgender experiences, so she knows the distinction between sex and gender. But if this was the case, she wouldn’t still be using “woman” to refer strictly to cis women, and she certainly wouldn’t be using it to describe all  people who menstruate.

She says, “Never assume that because someone thinks differently, they have no knowledge.” And she would make a good point, if saying that only women menstruate and implying that if you menstruate you are a woman, plain and simple, wasn’t TERF rhetoric. Listen, you can know all about a subject as complicated and relatively new as gender identity, but knowledge and acceptance are two different things. Just because you major in Africana Studies and can name just about every major figure in black history doesn’t make you less racist when you clutch your purse tighter when you see a black man jogging down the street. Having a degree in Women’s Studies doesn’t make you any less sexist when you tell a woman to make you a sandwich because you disagree with her opinion. And reading scientific papers about transgender people and what it all means doesn’t make you less transphobic when you make sweeping claims that only women menstruate, and that transgender people don’t understand the struggles of being a woman.

In what is her most damning move so far, Rowling then Tweets out, “‘Feminazi’, ‘TERF’, ‘bitch’, ‘witch’. Times change. Woman-hate is eternal.” One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong...

I get it, there are plenty of terms and phrases used with the intent of shutting up women you don’t agree with. TERF is not one of those terms. TERF is in the same category as racist, misogynist, neo-nazi, etc. NOT the same category as women-silencing words like ‘bitch’ or ‘feminazi’. A TERF is a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, someone who discredits the existence and experiences of transgender people (primarily trans women) because they feel like it (the transgender experience) doesn’t belong in discussions of women’s rights, or even that it threatens their identity as women. Sounds kinda familiar, doesn’t it? Calling someone a TERF is not a silencing behavior, and you’d figure a feminist would understand this. Calling someone a TERF is calling them out for behavior, while also letting the transgender community know that this is not a safe person to be around. If anything it’s a warning label. 

And look, don’t take this all to mean I hate women. I don’t. I only hate it when we pretend that an issue such as menstruation is exclusive to cis women. It isn’t. Women’s issues typically aren’t restricted to cis women. Trans women will experience violence and hate, usually at a disproportionately high rate when compared to their cisgender sisters. Trans men will often experience discrimination pre-transition, and maybe even post-transition from people who still see them as women. Not only that, but trans men typically experience the issues that come along with being biologically female (again, those that are afab). Most transgender men will menstruate and experience all the absolutely wonderful symptoms that come along with it. Some transgender men even get pregnant and have babies. No one is arguing that women have it easy. Transgender people - regardless of if they’re trans women, trans men, non-binary, agender, gender fluid, or gender-nonconforming - don’t want to erase women’s experiences throughout the years. We just want to live our lives in peace like everybody else. I just wish Rowling would stop pretending otherwise.

Is JK Rowling a terrible person? I don’t think I can go that far. She has made some serious contributions towards the acceptance of LGB (although notably not T) themes in children’s media, supports the Black Lives Matter movements, and even showcases fan art from very young fans on her Twitter. Although, she did share an article talking about the lesbian experience with discrimination and erasure, which is very important (hell, I admittedly don’t come across a lot of lesbian content on my Tumblr feed so I don’t get a chance to reblog a whole lot of it), but it also says that “ask my pronouns” is decidedly anti-lesbian, and paints the entire LGBTQIA+ community (referred to as “LGBTQ” with the quotes) as greedy, money-hungry, well-supported, and even predatory against children. Is this just a subject I’m not all that knowledgeable in? Perhaps, but I have a really hard time taking your arguments seriously LGBTQIA+ community is decidedly predatory against children, but I digress. I will say, however, that I am just disappointed. I’m disappointed someone who has been all about standing up to bullies and fighting against oppression has been using her platform to side with bullies and take part in said oppression. I’m disappointed she lumps “TERF” in with “Feminazi” and other terms designed to discredit women with opinions. And above all, I’m disappointed that she claims to offer us support when her actions support just the opposite. But, after all we’ve seen over the years, I can’t say I’m surprised.

[consultingwriters]

Hi, I tried to have an IUD put in today but couldn’t because I was too tight and in too much pain. Could you do a thing where Q is either fem or an omega and can’t have sex with James because of this? Maybe they go to a doctor?

Ackk you have my undying sympathies, they’re a bitch, and I have plenty of stories of my own regarding those sodding bitching things (I swear to god if the weather isn’t right IUDs can’t be inserted...) and while our issues weren’t the same I KNOW THE PAIN so I’m so sorry, I hope you’re okay and enjoy this fic-related tribute to the joy of gynecologist apps. Ahem. Jen.

-

Q had a truly impressive array of swear words at her disposal. Truly; Bond could honestly say he’d never encountered any human being with quite that vocabulary, some surprisingly imaginative, and hearing them spoken with her crisp and beautiful (and somewhat ridiculous) British accent was an unforgettable event.

Which Bond would care considerably more about if she wasn’t presently crushing his fingers into dust whilst splayed out on a medical bench.

Bond hated medical at the best of times. Bond had also never attended a doctor’s appointment with a woman, and certainly not for anything so intimate. However - given that this was “a two-way issue you utter cunt”, Bond had conceded that the very least he could do was show up for moral support.

Doctor Megan Walker was a lovely woman, and Bond had never seen somebody so menacing when armed with a speculum, a sentiment Q wholeheartedly shared.

“Yep, nothing amiss, per se,” she said lightly, as Q hissed through her teeth. “Q, you should try breathing.”

“I am,” Q managed, with truly unparalled vitriol; if she and Megan hadn’t been good friends out of work (and “no Bond, it doesn’t make things weird, we’re goddamn adults and she’s the best doctor in the building, she’s seen more of your internal organs than mine at this point”) it would have been, well. Rude was a kind word for it.

“Vaginisimus, and a suspected tilted womb, but given the former I can’t perfectly ascertain the latter.”

Q lifted her head. Bond blinked. “What now?”

“You can get dressed,” Megan smirked. “But yes: in short. Vaginisimus is when you involuntarily contract when it comes to penetration. There are a number of different things you can try; I can talk you through a few options, ranging from therapy to vaginal trainers, but there’s a host of possibilities. Absolutely treatable in the vast majority of cases, and you should see improvements fairly rapidly. Bond, you are presumably on board to assist?”

Bond blinked again. “... yes?” he managed, when it became patently obvious that he was expected to answer. Q twisted to him, her expression distinctly unimpressed. “Sorry. Yes, I am."

“Then why don’t you get dressed and more comfortable, and I’ll see you in a moment.”

Megan disappeared elegantly behind a curtain, leaving a still rather uncomfortable Q to retrieve her clothing. “It’s a good thing you’re not exactly hung like a horse,” she muttered to Bond, who honestly thought it was a rather unfair jab.

... and yet, given the stifled giggle he heard from behind the curtain, he was wearily certain that he was the only one labouring under that delusion.

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For a lot of youngsters, the fact of accomplishing interactive theory on the web will likely soon be sufficient to motivate them to help expand their own musical interest. Moreover, it instructs the young learner to be independent and participate in their or her own education, hence understanding how to be considered a self-taught student, an art that is likely to be most useful in every area of life. In addition to that, he or she will be learning and improving on computer and Internet skills.

Most sites provide premium quality lessons at an extremely reasonable price. You may even get video lessons, and take quizzes and tests. You get the outcome at the click of a mouse. The accessibility to a teacher can be available nearly 24 hours each day on a number of the websites. In case you compare price versus quality and availability of the instructor, you can certainly figure out that it may be well worth it. In actuality, having a teacher available for you anywhere and at anytime... is priceless! The importance of the theory itself Exactly why is music theory so essential? It is imperative to your general musicianship and of one's understanding of music irrespective of the instrument you are playing with. Consider your self playing street hockey and being the ideal goalscorer on your team.

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This facet is crucial for every aspect of music and cannot be stressed enough! It's the foundation of western music. Recognizing time signatures in order to help you determine where in fact the powerful overcome ought to be executed is also essential. Mentioned above are a few essential concepts, however the more you study, the more you will detect and be more cautious! Yes, but... Things are just not the same in a traditional setting, with the one hour per week, where you want to follow along with everyone else's pace (frustrating if they are slower OR faster). In either scenario, you are not getting the money's worthit.

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[rockandrollfool]

My Music Is Better Than Your Music?

I was thinking to myself it’s all a bit boring and predictable isn’t it? The school of thought that goes something like ‘music isn’t quite what it used to be?’ It seems a regular utterance by some and I hate reading and hearing these opinions. In the words of Oscar Wilde “what they call their loyalty, and their fidelity, I call either the lethargy of custom or their lack of imagination” (1890) That need for illogically holding onto the past in the hope that one can re-live the great glory days for pop music.

I fully understand that nostalgia can be a healthy pursuit. The happiness that is generated by fond memories can allow an individual to feel a complete sense of identity. I utterly subscribe to the idea of ‘the soundtrack of our lives’. That bands and music are inextricably linked to a sense of our own past. We can locate experiences on musical continuum. This breathes life into the self and elevates thoughts beyond mere existence. Salavatore in the fantasy novel Streams of Silvers asserts “Nostalgia is a necessary thing, I believe, and a way for all of us to find peace in that which we have accomplished, or even failed to accomplish (1989)

Where this notion segues into some rose tinted view that music was somehow better at a fixed point in time seems lost to me. The argument is not new however Ledsham (2016) offers that the debate is hundreds of years in the making. Tracing the initial discourse to tangible sense of romanticism and history, it seems surreal that folk music from the 1600’s had its detractors. Somewhere in that discussion the words “but it was better before” may seem in inaccessible however the argument feels based on a puritanical and misguided belief that things were somehow better in those ‘golden times’. Ledsham develops this further and suggest that history is very rarely neutral. It has to be rooted within a cultural context and given how many of us locate the idea of the ‘classic’ within our own frame of understanding then surely any opinion regarding the great and good within rock/pop becomes highly subjective. Therefore “when hearing music, you’re not hearing the sounds and appraising them, you’re enjoying a whole group of ideas about culture and history” Ledsham (2016) One is left to ask, could this mean a sort philosophical morality informs your taste and choices? Well they must influence surely. Our opinions are a mere expression of how we interact with culture and history. If that is the case then what of ‘music was better’ back then.

Prepare yourselves as The Beatles were a mere pop band. I don’t doubt their cultural significance in terms of them being a huge catalyst for social change, but this is a world away from them being the definitive and defining band of the last fifty years. Hanif Kureishi in considering The Beatles impact is firmly of the opinion that the Beatles courted media attention and that as a consequence of this they were able to speak ‘directly to the whole world’ that the ‘moptops’ were at the very epicentre of young people’s lives in the West “ and that “throughout the second half of the 60s the Beatles functioned as that rare but necessary and important channel, popularisers of esoteric ideas – about mysticism, about different forms of political involvement and about drugs” (Kureishi On-line) I mean the music was ok but come on best Band in the world? Honestly? You might say that they redefine music, you might also say their albums are beyond comparison. My culture and history would strongly disagree with yours. You are entitled to your opinion as am I.

Equally valid then is my offer that Freddie Mercury is not the greatest in fronting a band. Queen are utter rubbish and the very best you are getting from me is that they represent an inconsequential moment in the history of pop music. Unless of course you feel that at time when South Africa had embarked on oppressing and discriminating the vast majority of the population via the process of apartheid. Many touring bands were politically opposed to the regime and refused to play South Africa. Fred and the lads Queen played a series of gigs (ten) at Sun City, an entertainment complex located in Bophutswana. A sort of Las Vegas venue that appeared to ignore the death and violence beyond the confines of the setting.

When quizzed about the rationale to play Sun City Brian May (guitarist) claimed “the band is not political” and that apparently "we've thought a lot about the morals of it, and it is something we've decided to do.” John Deacon (bass player) in support of the stance said "throughout our career we've been a very non-political group," and referenced the situation in South Africa as “a bit of fuss, but apparently we're very popular down there”. The Guardian (2005)

One World One Vision eh lads? Ironically and in act of utter hypocrisy Queen played Live Aid a year later and offered all manner of treatise regarding poverty, Africa and doing good. The show must go on for Fred and the chaps. So tell me now music isn’t what it used to be. If this is your idea of the good old days then feel free to embrace and hold them dear. History and culture. Don’t you just love them. To all the purists that will now be screaming heresy, my opinion is as valid as yours. Not more so, though certainly not worth less.

The reality is the music scene has never been more diverse, though that eclecticism and creative output is equally valid as any other decade. I sense the reason people feel that music was better in some far off distant past is because they no longer attend those small yet dynamic venues where ‘the next big thing’ is just waiting to be found. So off get off your arse, attend gigs and venues and you won’t be disappointed. To quote David Bowie come and “rock and roll with me” (1974)

The Rock And Roll Fool April 2021

[nasco-office-furniture]

5 Easy Tips On Maintaining Your Office Furniture

Studies show that a work space in a helpless fix contrarily impacts profitability. This regularly lessens your capacity to center and denies you of general inspiration. This is the reason keeping up your office furniture is significant for efficiency. 

Keeping up your office furniture is regularly low on the rundown with regards to the appropriate support of one's workplace. Notwithstanding, as a fundamental piece of your office, appropriate support significantly affects the environment of your work environment. 

To guarantee that your profitability isn't influenced, here are a few hints on the best way to keep up your office furniture. 

Keeping up Your Office Furniture for Comfort and Productivity 

Office Chairs

Working with an old, separated office seat is awkward which thus, influences your capacity to be gainful. Here are the things you can do to keep up your office seat. 

Week after week Chair Maintenance

Upholstery: vacuum or gently brush to eliminate any earth. 

Cowhide: dust the seat with a perfect and delicate material. 

Vinyl: blend an answer of warm water and gentle cleanser to eliminate soil and afterward dry it with a build up free and delicate fabric. 

6-Month Chair Maintenance

Wooden chairs: utilize a sodden fabric or wipe to eliminate earth and dry it with a perfect cotton material. 

It's significant that you change and fix any screws or fasteners on your seat as this won't just guarantee it stays unblemished and delay its life expectancy yet additionally ensure your wellbeing too. 

Other Chair Care

Recall not to add a great deal of pressing factor or weight on your seat's armrests as their plan is to just withstand just the heaviness of your arms. Setting a great deal of weight on them makes them separate. 

Despite the fact that it might appear to be a pointless errand, dealing with your seat does ponder for your efficiency. Keeping up your office furniture assists you with staying more open to, permitting you to think all the more unmistakably and be more beneficial. 

Office Desks 

Once more, an untidy workplace contrarily impacts your capacity to be profitable and the vast majority of that messiness is around your work area. Your work area is where you lead the majority of your work which is the reason it's significant you keep it fit as a fiddle. Thus, clear the messiness and save everything in its place for simple recovery during your workday. 

Standard upkeep of your office work area requires normal tidying of its surface. Whatever material the surface is made of – regardless of whether it's wood or metal, utilize a dry fabric to eliminate the gathered residue and trash on top of it. To eliminate more difficult soil, choose a moist material. 

For cleaning, blend an answer of gentle cleanser and warm water for your fabric. Try not to utilize brutal synthetic substances as this frequently ruins your work area's surface. In any case, consistently counsel your work area producer's guidelines for care certainly. 

End 

While it might seem like keeping up office furniture is a superfluous errand, not doing so adversely influences your exhibition at work. Keeping up your office furniture improves your focus and generally efficiency. 

There are numerous approaches to sort out your working environment and this incorporates keeping up your office furniture too. With these simple tips, it doesn't take a ton of time and exertion so require a couple of moments of your chance to keep steady over it.

Related Links:

Office Chairs Abu Dhabi | Office Sofas | Home Office Furniture | Safes | Home Office Furniture

[bigskydreaming]

A big part of the reason I harp on NTT #55 and that time Bruce hit Dick after Jason’s death is to me, its just such a perfect example of the downsides of letting something like that go unaddressed. For fans of the whole family, because the ripple effects of letting it go unaddressed either in canon or largely in fandom as a whole....like, those affect every member of the family, even if you’re not particular a fan of Dick or Bruce specifically.

First off, I want to be perfectly clear.....I do believe that a large part of the problem in the writing itself is that the writers and various editors at DC didn’t view it as a father abusing his son. To them, I think it was simply an extreme example of Bruce’s grief getting the better of him....it was meant to be big, dramatic, dark, it was meant to hurt Dick and cause an even bigger division between them, but it wasn’t meant to be abuse, in their eyes, I don’t think. At the end of the day, as far as they were all concerned IMO, it was simply a punch, and Dick’s certainly taken worse in his years as a vigilante.

None of that changes the fact that what was depicted on the page was unequivocally abuse. And I particularly want to break down the mental components of the scene, because I do feel like even when this is mentioned in fandom or fics, the weight of it is rarely felt, because its so often implicitly compared with the lifetime of abuse Jason had before coming to live with Bruce, or the times Dick’s been hurt far worse, or any of a dozen different things. Bottom line is, even when its nominally held out as being abusive, it tends to be in a perfunctory kind of way like “okay, yes, you’re not supposed to hit your kids, that’s abuse, but ultimately it was still just a punch.”

If you’ve been fortunate to never have been abused by a parent, please understand and internalize this:

A punch is never just a punch. 

Or any form of physical abuse for that matter...the delivery isn’t the point. Its what it represents.

Even if its just one hit, and the abuse victim has been hit far more or far worse in fights or sparring or whatever.....the damage doesn’t come from the physical blow alone.

The far greater damage is to every single thing that person had until that point built up in their mind to be true about their parent and their relationship with that parent. 

Society teaches us that parents aren’t supposed to hurt their kids. More than that, its a parent’s job to protect their kids from harm, we’re told from a very young age....with none of this coming from just one single source, but everywhere around us. We’re immersed in this perception, via entertainment, via our teachers, via everything we’re taught about how to protect ourselves. 

What’s the first thing you learn as a kid, that you’re told you should do if someone or something makes you uncomfortable or afraid? ‘Tell your parents’....even if we never hear that advice from our parents themselves, to come to them, its the first thing teachers advise, etc....with there rarely being a caveat about what to do if your parent is the one making you uncomfortable and afraid. Society’s default message to kids doesn’t really factor that in....because those are the outliers, as far as society’s perception goes.

Even as we get older and we start to consume media where older kids and parents have tense relationships, fight a lot....the vast majority of them still end with some form of reconciliation, whether deserved or not, because the implicit understanding is even when families fight, when parents yell, at the end of the day its all okay, because the parents love them and only want whats best for them....because of course they do. That’s how it works. The exceptions, again, are outliers.

The problem is, those of us with abusive parents are just as immersed in these outside narratives as any child with non-abusive parents....even if we don’t get this same reassurance from our parents themselves. Not only does this make it particularly hard for abused children to recognize or acknowledge when they’ve been abused (my parent can’t have meant to hurt me, because they’re my parent, they love me, so its not like they abused me)....

But in addition to that, up until that first moment of actual abuse, up until that first true piece of evidence that our relationship with our parent is not the same as the message we’re immersed in about what it should and should not be....

Before that, in the absence of that, we hear the same narratives and messages everyone else does, about how parents are supposed to protect us, nurture us, be our last line of defense against those who would see to harm us. That they love us, that we should never have to be afraid of them, etc. We absorb these implicit beliefs, the same as any other child. We internalize them. We accept them. We believe them to be true. We believe this to be fact.

‘No matter how much we fight with a parent, they would never truly hurt us. Not on purpose. That’s the last thing they’d ever want, because at the end of the day no matter our disagreements, they love us and want what’s best for us, not for us to be afraid of them.’

A punch is never just a punch, when its from a parent.

Its also the end of that belief. That trust. That unspoken faith we had in the message we’d been taught over and over throughout our lives....

Because its hard to argue that a parent would never really want to hurt you, when you’ve been on the receiving end of a willful and deliberate attempt to hurt you.

Bruce may have been lashing out in his grief, but he didn’t try and take it back. He didn’t show remorse or look horrified by what he’d done. Instead he doubled down, loomed over Dick, glared at him, yelled things about Jason’s death being Dick’s fault, that Dick was jealous that Bruce had adopted Jason but not him, specifically calling up things that he knew were sore points for Dick, things he knew would hurt him....making it unequivocally clear that in this moment, yes, Bruce’s intent was to hurt Dick. For him to be cowed, intimidated, even afraid of him. And then Bruce told him to leave, and to leave his key behind.

And in Dick’s case, all of this is compounded by the fact that Bruce isn’t his biological father, had yet to even be named his adoptive father. Meaning, the unspoken and spoken messages and lessons we’re taught about a parent’s role, and what children can or should trust or expect of a parent...these were only ever things Dick believed (and I don’t think anyone would truly argue that Dick didn’t believe these things about Bruce, that he loved him, wanted to protect him, etc)....

The point being....these things were never taken for granted in this case, because Bruce wasn’t technically or even nominally Dick’s father by that point. They were only ever believed by Dick...because Bruce worked to convince Dick they were all true. Dick was a traumatized orphan when he first came to live with Bruce. No matter how quickly you yourself see or headcanon him as having ‘bounced back’ from that, so to speak....that was only possible in the first place by virtue of Bruce making him feel safe enough to do so. Feel loved enough to well, act like a kid who has love and support in his life. The Manor was only ever Dick’s home because Bruce made it his home. Made him believe it was home. That it was a safe place for him, a place to feel comfortable and secure in, a refuge from the trauma that had made it necessary for him to even need another home.

One punch shattered all of that.

Because there’s no way for it not to. Dick spent years by Bruce’s side as Batman. He knows better than anyone what Bruce looks like when he wants to intimidate, when he wants someone to be afraid of him. He just never expected to be on the receiving end of that, because up until that point, even at their worst or most contentious, Dick still carried that unspoken faith that Bruce loved him even if he was bad at showing it, and as such, he’d never hurt him, not deliberately, not on purpose.....because the very idea of that, we’re taught, is incompatible with love. They can’t coexist. Someone can’t love us, and be capable of even a moment of that.

Life, unfortunately, is rarely that simple.

Make no mistake, someone can love someone and still abuse them. Our tendency in society is also to try and label people as certain things, as though they embody the description we give to them, even when that description originally is just meant to be of an action. So we call people abusive in general, even if at the start, its a specific action that’s abusive. Because abuse is ultimately an action. An abusive action that only turns into an abusive behavior when its repeated. An abusive behavior that only belongs to an abusive person, when that behavior becomes characteristic of that person.

And so whatever it was that Dick had specifically internalized about his and Bruce’s relationship by that point, whether it was that Bruce would never hurt him because Bruce was still his father for all intents and purposes, and loved him, and had made this his home, wanted it to be Dick’s home, for him to feel like it was his too...

One punch didn’t just split his lip and knock him to the floor while Bruce towered over him and yelled blame at him. It also made a lie of everything Bruce had previously worked to impart to Dick about his place here, his home, his relationship with Dick and what Dick could expect of him: to always be safe here, with him, to be wanted.

The reason I said at the start I believed that letting all of this go unaddressed was detrimental to the whole franchise and fandom, even if you’re not a fan of Dick or Bruce’s specifically - that goes back to what I said about how abuse initially is just a description of an action, before it becomes a behavior, and through enough instances of behavior, becomes characteristic enough of someone that they themselves are just described as abusive.

Because at this stage in the comics, this point in time.....Bruce’s abuse of his children is still limited to one singular scene, enacted in a time of extreme grief and emotional turmoil.

Make no mistake, I’m not for a second saying that excuses what Bruce did....because no matter his headspace, that doesn’t change the effect his actions still had on Dick’s headspace. An “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, I was grieving” alone can’t singlehandedly repair the kind of damage that was done to a child’s belief in his father’s inability to truly do him harm, or even want to.

But its a place to start from, and the problem is.....by never actually starting from that place, by never working from THERE, specifically, to stem the behavior that ultimately is seen repeating at various points in the comics....a precedent is made. That he can do this and just have it papered over with a mere refusal to ever really acknowledge or address it, and life will superficially go on the same, as though something fundamental hasn’t changed, shifted....with nothing nearly as impactful put in motion in counterpoint to it, to push back against everything this scene did and implied about their relationship to either of them.

I admit to being somewhat triggerhappy on this subject, lol, but see, the bottom line is ultimately, fandom’s general refusal to give this particular scene real acknowledgment or weight has nothing to do with being a Dick stan, its purely about how abuse narratives are interacted with in any medium, as a whole.

Like, hopefully it makes a little more sense now why it might be downright maddening to see a fandom so frequently write fics tackling Bruce’s behavior.....while largely skipping around and outright avoiding or ignoring:

the initial instance of abuse that without which, and if not for there never having been any consequences resulting from it, Bruce’s actions in this direction would never have kept repeating enough to become a behavior.

Its about for every action there’s an equal an opposite reaction. By one instance of abuse not being deemed worthy of an opposing reaction to address it, attempt to correct it, push back against it and try and return things to where they’d been before an unapologized-for abusive scene skewed things heavily in another direction....

The groundwork is laid for more of the same to happen again, either with the same character, or literally any other.

Because the thing that goes hand in hand with this, without ever really getting acknowledged either, as it would require referencing that time Bruce abused Dick which tends to be counter to this line of thinking entirely: 

Instead of trying to ignore that this scene happened because it clashes with the idea that Dick is the favored son who can do no wrong in Bruce’s eyes.....IMO stans of Jason and the others might be better served by looking at this moment in the characters’ lives as “if we vehemently believe that Bruce favors Dick more than the others, and he can still do this to him, what does that say he’s capable of with the others?”

Hopefully I’m making a case for how after a long enough time has past where scenes like this one just exist and yet there’s not a sizable enough pushback or attempt to acknowledge, address or ‘fix’ it....it was literally inevitable that there would reach a point where shitty writers intent on just making a spectacle rather than because they care about the implications of what they’re writing....

Would eventually come up with something like RHATO #25.

How could they not? When the takeaway was that all this prior abusive stuff Bruce did never even got the kind of outcry, dramatic reception that writers like Lobdell live for.....what were writers like him ever going to do but double down? Up the stakes? Do worse?

Bottom line is you can’t keep a pattern from recurring so long as you refuse to acknowledge various of the points that make up the pattern. Especially the initial point, without which there very well might be no pattern.

And going back to that scene from NTT #55....

No, I don’t believe a simple apology was ever going to make it right. But as I said, its a start, and you have to start somewhere. If anyone ever truly wants to address Bruce’s worse tendencies with his children, IMO, you start here....where its still largely limited to a specific moment in time, and can be addressed as such. Forced out into the open and condemned before it can grow due to a lack of consequences. With Bruce expected to make amends. He can’t and shouldn’t expect Dick just to forgive him, but not even asking for forgiveness literally only lays out the inevitable conclusion that he doesn’t need to, in order to have things back the way they were. 

Whereas owning up to what he did and its effects on Dick, recognizing that Dick only had this initial security of feeling he’d never harm him because he’d once upon a time worked to give him that feeling of security in the first place......that could be a reminder to Bruce that he did it once, and if he wants to badly enough and works at it hard enough, he can do it again.

But again, that requires focus on what this did to Dick, and what he needs in order to make things better from that point on...as well as effort.

An action caused this. Nothing but action in the other direction can actually have any kind of effect equivalent to the one the abusive action had.

I firmly believe that focusing on this as the starting point of any ‘fix-it’ fics meant to address or even curb Bruce’s abusive behavior in canon, is to the benefit of fans of every Batkid.

Cut it off at the source. Before it ever even gets to the point of RHATO #25, or NW #30.

Because there reaches a point where it becomes too little, too late. Where acknowledging it only once it gets to instances of that magnitude is akin to trying to put a bandaid on a gaping hole going straight through the body.

There are some instances of abuse that are so extreme, so damaging, that....they shouldn’t be forgiven, IMO. Where when if you’re focusing on what’s best for the victim, rather than trying to make things better for the whole family overall, including the abuser, under the belief that the family truly needs and would be worse off without them...

Like, sometimes the best thing for an abuse victim is to just walk away, if that’s at all possible. Cut ties and start fresh elsewhere. Some things are too big to ever truly come back from, to make things so everyone truly feels comfortable and safe and secure in another’s presence.

So I mean, its never not going to be baffling, and a little frustrating, to see fix-it fics for Bruce’s abusive behavior or actions that only act like something like RHATO #25 is a call for an intervention.

Because the thing that never ever gets mentioned in those fics, even when they bring it up and toss it out there like a throwaway line, like its still not that big a deal...

Is if your premise acknowledges that this initial scene after Jason’s death still happened in your fic....that it was the starting point for a pattern of abusive behavior that unchecked grew until it reached the point of RHATO #25....

Then your own fic is acknowledging but not addressing the fact that Dick has been living as an unacknowledged abuse survivor this whole time, without anyone in the fic’s continuity ever having addressed or even attempted anything to repair that initial damage to his faith in Bruce’s desire to protect and shelter and never harm him.

And that has nothing to do with feelings about individual characters, but again....how we interact with abuse narratives as a whole.

Just, please. If you are not a survivor yourself, if you take nothing else away from this, just please remember, reflect upon, and internalize this:

There is a difference between abuse and assault for a reason.

And that reason boils down to the fact that unlike in instances of assault, with abuse?

A punch is never just a punch.

[mandalorian-bitch]

Behind the scenes

The Mandalorian Modern AU.

Pairing: The Mandalorian x fem!reader

Summary: You are a photographer and a cosplay convention worker. Nothing really interesting happens at these events, but this one... this one brings different feelings when you met that man wearing a glowing helmet.

Warnings: none.

A/N: Well, it is my very first time writing some mandalorian stuff. I'm sorry if it's a little too long and boring, I promise it will get better with time. I actually saw a mandalorian cosplayer at a convention I've worked last year so somethings here may be real. Since English isn't my mother language you may found some grammar errors while reading and if you do, please, let me know so I can fix it :). Hope you enjoy this!

----------------------

You always liked cosplay, it was never a secret. In the beginning your parents thought it was just a hobby, then they told you it was madness and a total loss of time spending months organizing an event and then more hours strolling with a camera in your hand. But then they understood that it makes you happy, in your way of being happy.

It is almost a relief, both for you and for anyone who participates of these events, being who you really are. The vast majority awaits a whole year for the convention, it's like one of the few places where you can act according to your strange taste for space wars or romance about vampires. Or more recent, the k-pop fans. Once a year, you are not the weird nerd who sits alone at lunch break. Everyone there is in the same boat to suffer bullying from elementary school to college, even at work, but there we all are the same.

Cosplayers carry a little bit of each character with them, and they seem to do the magic of movie superheroes as they enter a dark alley like civilians and get out of there in extravagant fantasies. Their look changes, so as their physiognomy, all insecurities, low self-esteem, anxiety and the many social issues that plague most of us simply stays outside the event. People stop them while walking around the event, asking for pictures in character poses, and most of the time it's you who takes the pictures. In addition, you help them to wear the clothes and everything, like a staff. It does not pay much, but it already helps until something better comes up. You graduated at Design school about two years ago and has been a difficult time for professionals in this area, now that anyone downloads Photoshop and some more templates ready for small companies and many of them prefer to pay less for it. Still, you have good friends and they always designate you for some freelance that pays enough to insure yourself for a month or two, until something new appears. Being a photographer helps too, since being at an event full of people wanting good photos already yields a few hundred in your Paypal account. Most cosplayers look quite eccentric, in fact, and barely speak. When they speak, they do not leave the character in a scary, but funny way at the same time. Leaving insecurities without becoming one asshole is very difficult in these cases, but some are nice people. Like a guy who always brings his girlfriend to the event and every year they wear a different cosplay couple. This year, he was Han Solo and she was Princess Leia.

“Hey, (y/n)! Can you take a picture of us?” the boy approached, smiling, holding his girlfriend's hand.

“Sure!” You adjusted the focus of the camera the moment an armoured guy passed behind them.

You have seen that model of armour, of course. There is no way to forget Boba Fett's armour. You didn't know much about the culture involved, but remembered that there was some race or creed and thought it was cool. You could imagine the work he must have done to assemble each piece of this armour. It was silver, with very good details, as if he really was using steel and had been fighting against a dragon or something like.

Anyway, it caught your attention.

The couple moved closer to look at the photo and a second of you looking at the camera, still a little fascinated by the figure, was enough to lose the sight of him when you looked behind them again. Curious. You showed the photo to them while still looking around, looking for the armoured man who walked so calmly a few seconds ago.

“Thank you!” The girl smiled, looking at the photo. When she noticed the figure glossy in the background, her eyes sparkled. “Woow! Is this a Boba Fett or what?!”

“I thought the same thing! But I don't think it's exactly Boba.” You smiled, putting a lock of hair behind your ear. “If you guys find him, say that I want to take some pictures, something for… the event.” They waved and kept walking.

When you thought you saw the helmet strolling through the crowd again, Greef Karga, your supervisor touches your shoulder and makes your attention turn to him.

“(Y/n), I need you to help with some troubles in the dressing room, silly thing but they need someone with experience in dealing with those dickheads” He sighed. Greef, a black guy over fifty years. He also wore a dark blue shirt with the logo of the event as you did and had a moustache. He was like a second father to you, and always supported the event and even got you some freelances.

“Alright.”

The problem in the dressing room was between two women, one using a blonde wing and the other, using a long, red wing. The ‘blonde’ one swore that the redhead had stolen her blue eyeliner and the redhead, in addition to denying it, swore even in her mother’s name that the blonde one had stolen her Lancôme foundation. Nothing that had never happened before, but it was certainly something that should not spread out through the corridors.

“This red bitch steals my eyeliner! This is absurd, is there no security in this place? Cameras?” said the blonde, her wig gave an extra head on her size. Her makeup half-finished and still wearing only the pants of what would be her cosplay.

“Not here, because you change clothes in here.” You started, in a calm voice. Saying ‘please, calm down’ isn’t the better thing to say to someone who’s clearly not at the mood to calm down. The best thing is to transmit this through your voice and the way you look. “Have you looked calmly in the bags? Maybe near the mirrors?”

“I already showed all my things to this bitch and she keeps accusing me!” The redhead spoke between her teeth, her blue eyes burning in anger. She was wearing a 20 centimeters high heels and a white dress that make her look like a Greek goddess.

You started looking around, but to no avail, while they keep yelling to each other. It was better to find at least one of the things before they started to fight with the wooden swords they brought, if so things were going to get really worse. The anime songs playing in the background didn't help much and more and more cosplayers approached to ask what was going on.

There was nothing more hateful than kneeling on that floor, full of fantasy remains, hair - some wigs, others were real hair - feathers and scattered glitter. But still you got on your knees and started looking as fast as you could, touching under the various suitcases left on the floor and asking for permission where you were crawling. Until you look under one of the dressing room mirrors, the ones with the lights around, and see a clear bottle. The damn foundation must have fallen and the redhead, so worried about something else, didn't notice. The bottom of the bottle had “Kayla” written with red nail polish.

“Who's Kayla?” You asked.

The redhead looked down and her face fell into an expression that seemed a mixture of shame and joy at finding the base.

“See it? I said I didn't stole anything!” The blonde said, sighing and looking to you “How cool, she got the damn foundation back. But where's my eyeliner?!”

“Is that an eyeliner?” a modulated voice echoed behind you.

Slowly, you stood up and looked back to face the armoured man. He was pointing to the blonde, but not actually to her. It was something at her. You were very impressed with the voice, the helmet must have some technology stuff that could make his voice sound this way and it's amazing. Not every cosplayer pay attention to this detail when wearing a character that wears a helmet. It looks like there’s no difference, but it actually does.

Here are you again wondering about the “silver Boba Fett” (that’s how you decided to call him in your mind until remember what character he’s wearing).

“Can I?” he asked and after receiving a nod from the blonde, he approached her carefully.

You, Kayla and two other cosplayers were watching the scene. Lightly, he removed something caught between her huge hairstyle, without ruining the whole thing.

“Here you got.” He gently said with a smooth chuckle in the end.

“T-thank you". It was almost a whisper. She received the eyeliner and looked down.

“You’re welcome.”

“Apparently it was with you all the time.” You said, shrugging your shoulders and making a ‘I told you to look calmly to things, girl’ face.

They were both embarrassed, but at least they had stopped accusing each other and cursing in every possible way.

“I think it's everything okay now, right?” You asked and they just waved, without looking at each other. “Well, good luck in the competition, girls!”

“Sorry for the uproar...” Kayla looked at your little badge, with an expression still a little embarrassed.“(Y/n), thanks for your time.”

You smiled in a corner as you looked for the armoured man. “and you-"

He was no longer there. You stared at the place where he should have been, and for a few seconds you looked around, but to no avail. It was funny to still look for him, even though he is just a stranger with a very good cosplay with whom you would like to exchange a couple of words, take some pictures, maybe have a coffee...

After leaving the room, a cosplayer dressed as Geralt of Rivia approached.

A guy of almost two meters, in full costume and holding the saddlebag with both swords, looked like a wall standing in front of him.

“Hi, uh... I wanted to register for the contest, can you help me with this, (y/n)? - His voice was deep, but it didn't seem to have anything to do with the character, as he sounded naturally strong and calm. After a while in this environment, you learn to differentiate.

“Ah, yes, I'll take you there!”

---

You stepped away from the crowded areas a bit and went close to the backstage, texting other co-workers to see if anyone needed any help somewhere. There always was, but no one answered in a while, so you got a sandwich in the cafeteria and leaned close to the staff room to eat where the crowd didn't seem to notice you. Behind a big event, a lot happens. A lot of things go wrong, but also every little thing that works, each small problem solved without causing curious eyes, was a big good thing to the convention. The work was simple, in general, and you didn't have much to worry about except the public's entertainment and mainly: Don't annoy cosplayers. They suck at observing and praising good things, but are quick to see any loose wire on the wall to complain about the risk of electric shock on social media. Of course not all of them were like this but still, there are always a dozen assholes to ruin your year-long job in a few minutes by typing 280 characters on Twitter.

But the armoured guy... He seemed to be oblivious to the two types mentioned. You didn't see him in the dressing room, when you had to go there, or at the event's photo studio. There was always a glimpse of the shiny helmet standing out from everyone, and you always gave a silly little smile when he waved that helmet to you. And it's very important to remember the helmet, because you haven't seen it without it all day. And you have been curious, curious to ask several silly questions.

Did he not eat all day? Worse, didn't he drink water?! You finished the sandwich with that feeling that you should see if he ate just to see if he would agree to go to the cafeteria with you later. But of course you got busy sometimes, so there’s no way to be a stalker.

“(Y/n)??? HEY!” Greef waved his arms in front of your face, as if he wanted to wake you up from something, but you weren't sleeping-

Oh.

“Oh, sorry, Greef. I got distracted” You hugged yourself awkwardly.

He shook his head in disapproval and opened the employees’ room door to show you something.

“Well, there are some boxes to carry to the warehouse, back there.” he pointed to the other side of the place. At least you wouldn't have to go through the crowd, you could go behind the stage and then through the sides.

An easy work, however, there is always something heavy to do. You agreed and saw the image of Greef Karga getting lost among the nerds he hated so much, precisely because he was one of them since the 1980s. You faced the three boxes, probably full of cables and other production's stuff and ran your hand through your hair to arrange it in a high bun, so it wouldn't disturb you.

You carried each box out of the room and stacked the three outside, closing the door. Okay, you can do it.

Can't you?

Carrying all three at once would save time and of course it was unreliable to take one at a time, leaving it alone and being stolen, who knows? You bend down to try to load them, but it was kind of obvious that it wouldn't work. You try again and even let out a few grunts, but it still doesn't work. The crowd in front of you remains like a cluster of ants that have something better to do and by the rules you should never accept help from anyone but your co-workers.

“Alright.” You sigh and take out your cell phone, texting your closest colleagues.

Nobody answered, nor even read. In half an hour you should be on stage as a good staff and help the cosplay competition.

"That sounds heavy," again, the modulated voice caught your attention.

The helmet's T-visor focused on your eyes, you could feel it.

“Yeah... I don't know if they do this to me because it's my first year at this convention, I had worked in many other but-" a sigh comes out of your lips and he analyses you carefully, with his hands at his sides. “You don't even have to hear that, I shouldn't complain about these things with a-“

You stop when you were going to say something wrong, at least for the situation.

“With a strange nerd wearing an armour and a toy gun around his waist?” His metallic voice sounded serious, but in such a serious way that it was funny.

You kind of laughed, looking around.

“It was just a joke, I guess” he added and then laughed too.

His laugh send a heat to your heart.

“I didn't want to-, I don't even know which character you are, you know... I'm sorry for that, but I really have to start carrying this.” You try to change the subject.

“Would you... would you like some help there, (y/n)?”

The way he says your name behind this half-robot, half-Iron Man effect, sent a shiver down your spine. I wasn't the first stranger to say your name, of course, you carry a damn name tag on your chest. And you would love to accept help, but you shouldn't accept it or someone could see it and then you would lose the next two days of the convention by being fired.

“I thank you, really, but if someone see-"

“No one will see, I can walk behind the stage.” he pointed to the dark part where only employees pass from time to time.

“I can't, really” You smiled in a corner and held the first box in your arms, when an idea came to your mind and you looked to him. “Actually, you can help me...”

He approached the boxes and you put a hand on the path, almost touching the breastplate of the armor. He looked at you, probably confused under the helmet.

“You stay here and watch the two boxes while I take this one. So you help me and no one notices.”

“Okay, I can do this.” His voice sounded amused and you could feel his grin behind the helmet.

“You stay, okay?” You straightened the box in your arms and started walking. “Keep your beautiful armor right where. Don't move"

He laughed and raised his arms as if surrendering. So you kept walking to the dark part of the stage, walking slowly. Halfway there, you thought that you being followed by someone, but it was just an employee passing by quickly without looking at you.

When you arrived at the warehouse door, you turned your back to push this and went in that way with the box still in your arms. Walking around the warehouse was a little difficult with the amount of boxes lying on the floor, especiallyin low light, so you took a look at the box label to find out on which shelf you should leave it. Leaving the box in place, you turned to go back and gave a surprise look when you saw the two other boxes at the door, with a handwritten note on top of these.

“It is a mandalorian armor :) - D.”

A silly little smile formed on your lips and you kept the note.

Of course the most sensible thing to do, having just a few minutes until the competition, was to organize the boxes. After doing this, the first thing that comes to mind is looking for the guy with the helmet in the place where you supposedly left.

But there was no sign of him.

---

After touring the rest of the event trying to find the mandalorian, you gave up. Maybe he got tired of walking around with the costume, or him got too hot to stand with this or he simply had something better to do.

You just sat next to the stage, in the last hope of seeing you going to the cosplay competition in the shiny armor he wore. Each person who walked to the stage caught your attention, but none looked like a mandalorian, and neither they wore a similar armor.

After all, why was it so important? Armor guys comes and goes, it's not the first crazy person who incorporates too much the character to mess with you feelings. It's just a helmet fetish or something like that. There was once a guy who was cosplaying Halo's Masterchief; also had the red Power Ranger, and a black one, and pink ranger too... One time or another you would find him, or find a Boba Fett, who knows? There is still two days of event to find out.

Still, it was funny to remember how he disappears in the crowd, like he didn't really wanted to be noticed. But why the hell he wouldn't want to be? Himself chose to wear armor and come to a cosplay event, and walk around with all that bounty hunter's way around the place pulling out the eyes and whispers from all the nerds girls - and some guys too. And even though perfect in what he set out to do, apparently he doesn't want to be seen. And well, he kind of helped you solve two problems on the same day.

“And to close with a golden key, we will receive with a round of applause the our Witcher, Geralt of Rivia!” the female voice that announced each cosplayer made the thoughts stop a little while you enjoyed the perfect cosplay that paraded on stage.

The colorful lights danced as the cosplayer walked and shook his swords, even put some sound effects behind to bring a little more magic at the moment. Everything in the place became magical, in fact, the very energy that cosplayers exuded behind the stage was full of adrenaline and a touch of anxiety. But still, it was a very good energy. They felt alive to be there, to show that they trained and decorated each step of the character and that they could show it in front of the almost four thousand strangers without fear.

And when you looked at the audience, there he was, standing still and calm as he was all day. You wondered why he didn't sign up for the parade, and why he would still be there if so. The figure shone on the stage lights, with his hands on the bottom of his belly, and looked around like a security camera. It was funny, until he stopped and seemed to be staring directly to you, but not in a totally scary way.

Okay, a bit scary.

The audience went crazy with the cosplayers' performances on stage, you caught yourself with a open mouth now and then. Everyone clapped by the end of the parade and dispersed for a few moments, until the time the result would be announced. This take about 5 minutes at most, so you had to be quick and organize the awards together with Greef and one more intern, Rose. She was always so kind and very friendly to you, so that was easy to get everything prepared in a few minutes and you get up to the stage and gave the woman who presented the competition, so you could run to your comfortable spot behind the stage.

“Well guys,” she started saying in the microphone, looking for the paper on her hands. “It seems like we have our very first two finalists of our cosplay competition today!”

Everyone in the crowd clapped and yelled in excitement, but for the thousand time when you searched for the mandalorian he just disappeared. Well, in the end, he's not the ‘to be found’ type, but the ‘to find you'. So you had an idea.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! :)

[heymusings]

​The Mummy and Mummy Returns need more appreciation in terms of sheer cinematic value.  It may not seem like a work of art compared to large budget films that have rocked box offices but I think of it as an example of perfect cinematic enjoyment.

Genre and Gender--- these movies are unique in the adventure and action genre.  First, I could probably count on one hand the number of films that feature a woman in a leading role within the genre-- let alone one that I enjoyed. Second, I love that Eve is arguably the lead character and she isn’t overtly sexy or constantly fighting off the bad guys while ridiculously clothed.  She is not given some incredibly ridiculous skill set.   In fact, most female leads that I can think of in this genre are presented in order to appeal to male audiences; meaning, many of the action/adventure films that feature female leads are actually films made to appeal to men over women (because why would I want to watch that genre...I am only allowed to watch chick flicks).  These women are often expert fighters but they do their fighting in a way that is constantly reminding audiences that they are women or their skill set is so high that it is unrealistic (and would be even if the character were male). 

Instead, The Mummy concentrates more on building realistic female characters that suite the genre and story being told (not appealing to the male gaze or even the female gaze).  

Rather than being a femme fatale, the female lead is an intelligent, witty, and bookish woman who literally knows more about Egyptology than any man there.  It is actually Evelyn's brains rather than brawn or weaponry that is more necessary to defeating the mummy.  It is her intelligence that is emphasized-- in an adventure film-- that isn’t often seen, especially for a woman. Funnily enough, Evelyn in the first film is rather awkward in many ways-- through the entire film.  She doesn’t have this miraculous transformation into a badass who can kill you with a single punch.

 Evelyn even wears more practical clothing and never once becomes scantily clad (for whatever reason).  It is her intelligence rather than her sexuality that pushes the story forward and attracts the male protagonist Rick to her. But damn if she isn’t physically attractive as well...it’s just not the most important thing.

It isn’t until the sequel where Evelyn, still arguably the focus of the film, becomes more physically able.  However, this transformation makes more sense seeing as it is several years after the first film and it is implied that she has been involved in several expeditions and learned some fighting skills from Rick.  Her skills remain on a realistic level and still, her gender is not a focus.  Even with her new skills, it is still her intelligence that is emphasized.

  All that really needs to be said: The story concentrates on a fun adventure science fiction rather than perpetuating gender stereotypes.

Characters-- 

I can actually see every character in this film as being real.  These are not characters who are not impossibly skilled in seemingly all things nor are they what I would call “Hollywood perfect” by falling neatly into one stereotypical role and having their looks be a major factor in their portrayal.  These characters/people even look realistic-- a fact that I find makes them much more attractive.  They all have there own individual skills but they do screw up far more often than other action heroes do, yet they are able to realistically get out of the dangers they find themselves in.

Rick is far from the typical heroic character-- he spends a great deal fo the film screaming.  He is quippy, which is typical of heroes within the genre, but the true difference is that I find him actually likable and his quips don’t come off as...arrogant or sexist, which is also typical within the genre.  He is skilled in combat but not in seemingly every form of combat, and the combat he is skilled in isn’t often useful to him in the situations he ends up in, forcing him to get creative (also showing he is smart and resourceful).  

Johnathan is bumbling and often clumsy (similar to Evie) which often leads him to be under estimated, but he is actually highly intelligent, which you see signs of throughout the films, he just simply doesn’t have much interest in intellectual pursuits to flex how smart he can be.  He can even be a quick thinker when necessary.  But where Evie is fairly ruled by intellectual pursuits Johnathan is not, in fact, he is mostly lazy...he’s just looking for his opportunity to get rich and live it up; treasure hunting seems to be the best way to accomplish that for him.

What I love even more is that he actually doesn’t let his interest in riches interfere with his relationships. You don’t see a lot of characters who have an interest in gold come out on top or be particularly good people, especially in this genre of film.

Comedy--- 

I find it continuously difficult to enjoy comedy, even in comedy films.  Comedy becomes dangerous in other film genres if not used appropriately.  I can honestly say the Mummy brand of humor is top notch and arguably the best in film.  It is perfectly suited for the adventure film and works with the characters rather than seeming out of place or out of character, and it certainly doesn’t take the humor too far (which is often the main issue I have with humor in most movies).  The best humor comes from how the very different and very real character interacts with each other and react to the events taking place-- their reactions are often used to create humor, but to also emphasize their characters and the situation and it is not over the top reactive or obvious (like LOOK AT ME I AM BEING FUNNY).  What I mean is, the humor is purposeful and used sparingly where it makes sense; it’s not there just for a laugh and that makes it all the more humorous.  

Supporting Characters

Unless they are villainous characters, which are fairly cut and dry, want to take over the world it might be a little more difficult to pick out supporting characters. The vast majority of the characters in the films are purposeful and well developed to the point of arguably being equally important and not pushed to the side near as often as is often the case of such characters.  Ardeth and Jonathan come to mind-- they are obviously not the main characters but without them, the story would turn out very different.  Because they are also given nearly equal if not completely equal screen time 

Romance--

Romance is constantly a sub-genre in adventure film...one which I both love and hate.  As a woman, I admit I like a little romance filtered in.  What I absolutely despise in how it is almost ALWAYS depicted as...well, underdeveloped and focused almost solely on the idea that “hey, you look good, I look good, let’s do it and at some point, you’ll the damsel and I’ll be manly and brave enough to save you.”  These films have REAL romance.  Sure, Rick and Evie are physically attracted to each other, but there is zero sex and their attraction is emphasized more by their intellectual connection and genuine appreciation for each other than their physical attraction.  Even better, the get to know each other in traditional ways-- talking, arguing, awkward and adorable shows of affection, and gifts that clearly represent an understanding of the person being gifted (such as Rick giving Evie a set of archeology tools).