#it's like. i dont mean to say there's a setback because it's not that. but he's got this moment of honesty in the car with thatcher

[lifesteal-tournaments]

pilizam propaganda theyre my parents and their divorce was so horrific i cried irl for two hours afterwards i was so genuinely distraught afterward i had to call my best friend at night and get him to talk me to sleep . pili dtowncat cried live On stream after that conversation. it was horrific and terrible and zam didnt even log back in afterward so we'll never know how their tr storyline will end because zams busy w ls and season 1 of the realm will probably wrap up soon too.

i have to elaborate. they started out doomed, pili only invited zam because he wanted her to kill her at the end of the ball and she would never have stuck around afterwards if pili2 hadnt been brutally murdered in front of her by her own best friend. who by the way proceeded to feed her so many fucking lied about pili and his character that when he tried to give her a nice gesture by filling her castle with flowers, zam was terrified of him.

she thought he was going to stalk and terrorize her the same way he purportedly did pangi and he was so distraught over the idea of her hating him he admitted it was the reason he hadnt yet revived himself. it had been a month and he hadnt come back to life just because he was scared of her hating him, and that means a lot on tr where the lore-involved creators like pili rarely take long breaks from doing their lore. then after admitting this to her and telling her he loved her he fucking Kills himself in front of her using a wither rose, and nobody but zam knows this means the pili she loved and got to know is gone , because everyone else just assumed it was ghost pili killing himself for fun again. she keeps the wither rose and an allium on her throne for days afterward btw and she only breaks them in a frantic search for pili3 / aces base.

then they have a few weeks of good times (not even, really, i think they lasted maybe a week or so and then divorced) but then zam and pilis morals clash because of the things they hold dear and their friends. pili tries to stay in yellow for zam and she tries to ignore his bloodlust and crave for violence but it just doesnt work and it culminates in this heartbreaking convo in their base , where zam flies away after and never knows how much pain and turmoil pili is in. he destroys every single bit of memorabilia that reminds him of her- he boards up her side of the room they shared, takes down her version of the banner they use, even kills the axolotl he got specifically for her. at the end of the day it looks like shes never even been there- and yet. even tho pili says he and zam are enemies he still loves her, still cant bring himself to hurt her or jeopardize her safety. and zam doesnt even fucking know that theyre divorced because she cant fathom a world where she and pili dont stay together. god . fuck

and you know the worst part? the worst part is they dont even Have to be doomed. they didnt fucking have to be! because zam is from a future season of lifesteal and she should, logically, understand where pili is coming from. but her gripe with his bloodlust comes from the way the realm works- its not like lifesteal, her home, where everyone is, beneath the hatred, still friends with each other and a death means a mere setback, not a possible way to lose yourself forever. and this is what leads her to adopting her mindset on pacifism and what ultimately sets them against each other. its just so. i have to kill trpangi. sorry. I need pilizam back right neow OH my god im goung to cry again

.

[acanth3]

The Sound Of The Stars English Translation

EPISODE 13/14

Mika: ……

…..Eh?

Shu: If you say that you don’t want to go on this space trip, let’s just cancel it!

No matter what COSPRO or the world says, just ignore them. I will take all responsibility so–

Mika: W-wait a minute, Oshi-san! Let me think about it!

I’m not that smart, so many things suddenly comin’ up my head can’t keep up

Shu: Is, is that so? It’s best to do what you like.

Mika: Well, first of all. Why is Oshi-san here?

Shu: I came back here to apologize to you. 

Mika: Why? I dont want Oshi-san to apologize to me, you didn’t to anythin’ wrong?

Shu: No, I proceeded with this space trip plan without consulting you, then you became angry with me, right?

Mika: It’s too late for that now!? It’s been awhile since I got angry about that

I was convinced to go to space, my dream is goin’ to come true, I’m grateful for this. 

Shu: Then why are you ignoring my calls?! You’ve never ignored my calls for this long, have you!? 

Mika: Calls from Oshi-san…..? 

Huh, really? I got hundreds of calls from Oshi-san?!

Shu: Have you not noticed up until now?

Mika: I’m very sorry Oshi-san, recently i was workin’ so hard with studyin’ and trainin’, I haven't been bothered to check.

I’ve been doin’ my trainin’ and studies from mornin’ till night, it’s even in my dreams or I’m readin’ my english book

Shu: I guess that’s all that happened. It shouldn’t be this fussed over. 

I’ve never been ignored by Kagehira before, so I thought I finally touched your scales. 

Mika: I also really wanted to go to space with Oshi-san so I tried my best.

….So, I should apologize.

Shu: Hm? What do you mean? 

Mika: In order to go to space, you hafta pass an exam

I’m too stupid to pass it

Shu: …..

Mika: There’s only 3 days left till the exam, I haven’t even passed a test.

No matter how hard I try I can’t get a good score. I’m so pathetic and a bad person

Jun-kun and Vice President who tried to help me with Oshi-san. I can’t forgive myself for not passin’ their expectations

Im ashamed of myself…..

Shu: …..So that’s why you're here in the back of an alley and squating? 

Fufu, When I threw around Kagehira, you were a doll

…..It’s good to see you so at ease, Kagehira. This feeling of helplessness, every artist experiences it 

Actually, I’m forced to feel helplessness right now.

Mika: Eh….really?

Shu: Weren’t you listening to Ibara? I still haven’t produced a song for this project yet. 

I guess, I ‘An Itsuki’ am not strong enough to take on the theme of a ‘universe’ 

Mika: That’s not true, if Oshi-san isn’t strong enough, then who can do it?

Shu: Of course, there exists better artists than me. Do other amazing works with the theme of ‘universe’ also exist? 

As long as they exist, there is doubt in my skill

Aa, this is frustrating. It’s disgraceful that I can’t express the amazing work of the ‘universe’ 

—But at the same time, I’m happy. 

Mika: Eh..?

Shu: It’s proof there’s further more growth for an artist like me

If you’re an artist too, Kagehira, you should be happy with this knowledge

There’s such beauty in this world that I can’t draw, and I’m looking forward to draw it by my own hands one day! 

I’m aiming to have that day come earlier, so I ran away to face this together. 

What about you Kagehira? Are you going to abandon your room for growth and run away like this?

Mika: ….. I don’t want to. Because I’m here with Oshi-san. 

Shu: In that case, you need to come to terms with your lack of strengths. It’s the destiny of an artist. 

You know people that were once kings have walked down this same path? 

If you stepped closer than anyone else you would have seen the ugly truth

Mika: …..I see

Oshi-san, you told me not to abandon pitiful me. 

Thank’s to you, I feel better now. After all, Oshi-san is my Oshi-san♪

Shu: Fufu, I’ve experienced most of these blows as an artist 

…..well, in your case, it’s just a single setback. 

As a matter of fact, what do you think of space travel? 

If you actually don’t want to go, I’ll go bow down to COSPRO and the rest of the world.

Mika: There’s no need for that, I want to go to space. 

I’m goin’ to make mah dream come true, it’s proof that ‘dreams can come true and reach for the stars’ 

Because my goal as an idol is to inspire the children in mah hometown. 

That’s why this dream shouldnt just be a stick in the mud 

I will absolutely sing to everyone on Earth, “I have become a star!”

Shu: Fufu, alright. By the way, your eyes mark your words as an idol.

‘Dreams can come true and reach for the stars’...huh, I like that. 

Mika: Huh? What’s up Oshi-san? Yer’ mumblin’ to yerself..

Shu: Kagehira, thanks to you I have thought of the final image production! 

Aa, after all, listening to you was the fastest way. Listening to your determination, all my problems have been resolved. 

Mika: Uh….what do you mean? 

Shu: I took on the theme of the ‘universe’ as a grand idea 

What is the universe? What are the stars? I was obsessed in how to express it 

I forgot the most important thing in art. 

The concept of the universe can’t be done by people who wish to know what’s beyond Earth

I foolishly grabbed onto the stars sparkling in the night, if it wasn’t for your dream, I wouldn’t have even known of this. 

I’m grateful for you Kagehira, nearing the ends of my contemplations, listening to your determination the stars had begun to sparkle once again. 

Mika: Hm~? I don’t know what the type of person Oshi-san is talkin’ about.

Shu: Now, let’s go complete what we both need to do!

I will create an ark that will send you to the ends of the universe, and I need you to control it with your additional knowledge. 

I hope you can achieve it, Kagehira

[strwbrryeyes]

can u do daichi and/or tsuki x tennis player! reader who plays singles (1v1 instead of doubles which is 2v2 lool)? hcs or fic would be fine :3 esp w a reader who hurt their wrist mid season n is rlly frustrated bcus they can’t play until next season unless their wrist gets better bcus that happened to me <//3 (i play anyway even if my wrist is shit bcus i love tennis; daichi would scold me so bad for it too <//3) thank uuuu, i think u mentioned exams (or finals idk the difference) in ur latest posts so i hope they went well!!!

𖦹°｡⋆ Wristache and heartache (daichi x reader)

⟡ cw: angst, reader has an injusry and feels hopeless, comfort, fluff, lmk if i missed anything

⟡ a/n: i dont know anything about tennis. im alos bad with titles.

Daichi Sawamura had always admired your dedication to tennis. As the captain of the Karasuno volleyball team, he understood the love and passion that athletes carried for their sport. Daichi also knew the importance of listening to your body, something you seemed to be struggling with ever since you badly injured your wrist.

The injury has been a big  setback and it was starting to take a toll on you. The season was in full swing, and you were supposed to be playing singles matches, something you were no doubt the best at. Yet here you were, on the sidelines, forced to sit out due to the sharp pain in your wrist. You couldn’t even try to step foot onto the court during games or team practice because your coach had made it clear: no matches until you were fully healed and cleared by the doctor and although this decision was the right one and a necessary one, it still left you feeling frustrated and heartbroken.

Despite the pain and coach’s orders, you couldn't stay away from the court for too long. Every day after school, you'd find yourself at the community center’s tennis courts, practicing your serves and forehands, wincing occasionally when the pain shot through your wrist. You knew it was risky, but tennis was your entire life and ticket to a scholarship for university. You couldn't afford to be away from it for possibly the rest of the season. However, your secret trips to the tennis court were short lived.

Daichi watched you from a distance one afternoon, his brows furrowing with concern. He had come to pick you up like he has been for the last few day, but seeing you push yourself despite your injury was beginning to worry him more than usual. He approached you slowly, hands in his pockets, trying to find the right words.

“[name],” Daichi calls out with a firm voice that had a hint of worry “we need to talk.”

You looked up, surprised to see him there. You hadn't expected him to come this early. "Hey, Daichi. Just give me a few more minutes. I need to work on my backhand." You said before turning back to throw a tennis ball into the air until Daichi took the tennis racket away from you.

Daichi shook his head, his expression stern. "No, we need to talk now. You're pushing yourself too hard. You need to rest."

You sighed, frustration bubbling up inside you. "I can't just sit around and do nothing, Daichi. Tennis means everything to me. If I don't practice, I'll lose all I’ve worked for these past three years!" you say as you snatch your racket back from him.

He walked over to you, taking the racket from your hand gently once again and setting it aside. "And what good is practicing if it only makes your injury worse? You won't be able to play at all if you don't let your wrist heal and then that’ll make you feel worse!”

"But what if I never get better? What if this is it for me?" Tears of frustration welled up in your eyes as you shout at Daichi.

Daichi's expression softened. He reached out, cupping your face in his hands. "You will get better but to do so, you have to be patient. I know it's hard and the last thing you want to do right now, but sometimes the best way to keep going is to take a step back and heal. I'm here for you, and I am sure your team is too. You don't have to go through this alone."

"I just miss it so much, Daichi. I feel so useless." You leaned into his touch, finding comfort in his words, allowing you to let a few tears roll down your face.

"You're not useless," he assured you, his thumbs brushing away your tears. "You're one of the strongest people I know. Strength isn't just about pushing through pain, it's also about knowing when to rest and take care of yourself."

You nodded, his words sinking in. "Okay," you whispered. "I'll try to rest more."

Daichi smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "That's my girl. And don't worry, I'll make sure you stay out of trouble."

You chuckled softly, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders. "I'm counting on you."

The following weeks were a test of your patience but as promised, Daichi kept a close eye on you, making sure you followed the doctor's orders and rested your wrist and the rest of your body, making sure you were fully relaxed and at ease. It wasn't easy, and there were days when you felt like giving up, but Daichi's support helped you stay strong the whole way through.

He'd often join you at the courts, not to practice but to keep you company as you watched your team practice while you were on the sidelines. He'd even bring his volleyball team along, turning your forced downtime into fun, supportive gatherings as everyone loved their captain’s sweet girlfriend. It wasn't the same as playing tennis with your team in the moment, but it reminded you that you had a strong support system no matter where you went, and that made you feel so much better about this tennis break.

Slowly but surely, your wrist began to heal and you started feeling better. The day you were finally cleared to play again was a moment of pure happiness, not just for you, but for everyone who had supported you through this slump and setback.

As you stepped onto the court for your first match back, you looked over to the sidelines where Daichi stood along with his own team, cheering you on with a proud smile. You knew you couldn't have made it through without him. 

And as the match started, all you could feel was happiness, determination, and most importantly, thankful for your loving boyfriend who was there for you every step of the way because without him, you aren’t sure you would have made it through these last few weeks.

With Daichi by your side, you can do anything.

[velvetvexations]

hey anon with the trans ocs!

im a happily transitioned trans guy with a mostly supportive family and heres some experiences u can use for inspiration maybe:

(also tw for mention of death)

- family is overall supportive but some members struggled to accept it at first and still hold some negative biases or outdated/ignorant views which causes conflict on occasions

- family is accepting but sometimes they just say something real stupid they heard from somewhere and i have to explain like they're five

both of those things cause me self doubt and anxiety which i struggle with

- transitioned later in life than would have been ideal for me, i wasnt exposed to the knowledge i would have needed at the time to do so (gender diversity wasnt really covered in my sex ed classes, trans men were never in any of the culture i was exposed to)

- when it came to actually transitioning, i also experienced setbacks with the medical system (crazy wait times, incompetent doctors, etc)

- after puberty my body developed the feminine traits which made me too uncomfortable with my body to continue pursuing my favourite sport, and overall took a massive hit to my self confidence in general

- pre surgery i was binding, which was expensive to me and i also regrettably didnt do it correctly, which means i now have a slightly deformed ribcage that hopefully doesn't cause anything bad in the future wrt my health

- to get my surgery, i was on a long public wait list. due to the nature of the system i live with, these wait lists can have people waiting an excruciatingly indeterminate time because gender affirming surgeries are deprioritised amongst cases that are more immediately concerned. i have to acknowledge that theres a possibility that i only had my surgery because someone ahead of me in the queue died waiting, and it causes me guilt whenever i think about it.

- i also experianced financial barriers to transitioning

- iv had friends and colligues abandon me over my coming out to them

- i have been physically threatened by a stranger for my appearance

i struggle with depression, all of those things definitely contributed to it in the past, some still contribute to it.

- seeing atrocities inflicted on the communities im either a part of or adjacent to, causes a lot of grief and paranoia in me (attacks on the rights of trans people, hatecrimes, transphobic grifters, etc)

the following is not from my own experiences but could be a suggestion:

- androgenising HRT is legally gatekept and is incredibly difficult to obtain without a prescription, if ur character lacks this access it would be a struggle for him that could have compounding side effects wrt his mental health

Anon, if anything iv said here resonates with you, ur welcome to use it as inspiration for ur stories and characters. also i just wanna acknowledge that i dont take my circumstances for granted and that, my access to resources isn't nearly as universal as it should be, im just here to share. id also like to note that many of these experiences arent specifically linked with transmascs in particular, and are likely applicable to any trans or nonbinary person. I'm happily transitioned now and am living the best life i can rn but my journey wasnt smooth at all. anyway, hope i could help a lil and gl on ur writing. (also sorry for the long post in ur inbox velvet, ur great tho)

good ideas!

[fairyminnie444]

hm hey hello, so i have a question or some that people actually already answered but i didnt get it by their explanation so if you could try explaining with details and simple grammar it would be perfect for me, so anyways i think i have a problem with visualization and i know you dont need to manifest with it but im a visual learner person and visualization for me feels like the most comfortable one and that would made me feel more confident, but ive seen plenty of people saying visualization ≠ imagination, and i dont really get it i feel like im always imagining rather than visualizing, for me as a neurodivergent is really overwhelming having to use all my senses to visualize something and its much more simple to just think and not feel with all my senses, also i have trouble of getting attached to things i am not having interactions frequently, like my family is from another country which has a very different culture than the country i live in and as generations went through my family stopped like trying so much to act in my race culture so we do just some things and others we stopped over time and everytime i forget about the things we stopped because im not interacting with it anymore, so when i let go of my manifestation and just stop thinking about it, when my 3d shows the opposite since i forgot about it i just think about the old belief and then correct it i always correct right away but i feel like having to correct myself everytime is giving me like back and on in my manifestation, like i said im a visual learner and if i forget about it and i dont see it i just like go back to my old beliefs without noticing yk? idk if i explained well, lmk but i would really appreciate you explaining to me bc others explainations always got me confused and i dont how to change this mindset of mine its like you do something accidentally bc your used to it

You explained it very well, and I completely understand what you mean. I will try to explain my point in the simplest way possible.

1. What is the difference between “visualization” and “imagination”?

• Visualization means seeing something in your mind, like a picture or movie.

• Imagination is anything you can create in your mind ~~ it includes visuals, but also thoughts, feelings, inner conversations, sounds, ideas, knowing something is true.

So:

• Visualization is a tool inside imagination.

• You don’t have to visualize to imagine — and you don’t have to imagine with all senses to manifest. Just one is enough if it works for you.

You’re not doing it wrong, when you’re imagining even with just thoughts or visuals, you’re already using your imagination.

2. “I don’t feel it with all senses, just think or see it — is that okay?”

Yes, that’s totally okay.

If visualizing is easiest for you, then that’s your strongest tool, and that’s perfect.

You don’t need to force smell, touch, or feelings. If just seeing it in your mind is natural and clear, that’s enough. The key is:

Does it feel natural? Does it feel like “mine”? If yes then it’s working.

3. “I forget about my manifestation and fall back into the old belief — what do I do?”

This is very normal, and the way you fix it is not by forcing constant focus, but by setting gentle reminders of who you are now.

You said you’re a visual learner, so try this:

• Use screensavers, post-its, Pinterest boards, or anything visual around you with reminders of the life you’re creating.

• Example: a wallpaper that shows your new last name or the flag of the country your dad’s nationality will be.

• When you see them, don’t try hard to feel ~~ just nod and remind yourself: “That’s mine. That’s who I am.”

That’s how you stay stable in your new belief without pressure.

4. “How do I change the ‘accidental’ mindset?”

You’re doing it already. Every time you notice an old belief and say “wait, no, that’s not true anymore” that is the shift.

But instead of seeing it as a setback, see it as proof that you’re becoming more aware. Eventually, you’ll stop needing to correct, because the new belief will become natural.

Try saying:

“I’m just reminding my brain of who I am now. That’s all.”

Gentle, no guilt, no pressure.

Summary for you:

• Visualization = a type of imagination. You’re not doing it wrong.

• You don’t need to use all your senses. Use what feels natural.

• You can create visual reminders to help your brain stay on track.

• Correcting is not failure ~~ it’s progress. You’re learning a new pattern.

You’re doing really well, you’re aware, and you’re learning your way. That’s what matters.

Hope this helps xx

[isolement]

i've had this idea kinda floating around in my head for a while, so i might as well write down what i have n refine it later as i do more research, since, well... i'm not a psychologist, nor do i have paranoid tendencies/ppd. i'll do my damnedest to make sure that the portrayal is respectful n well researched, but remember that i'm just some guy with far too much time on his hands and not enough sense to use it productively. anyways, without further ado...

my neo's got some severe paranoid tendencies, if not outright paranoid personality disorder. honestly, it explains a lot. wasn't anything genetic, they weren't predisposed to have it, but spend enough time on your own as a small, mute, homeless orphan with people who don't treat women (let alone children) well, and it was inevitable.

more info down below, including ways that this manifests in their day-to-day life.

even just skimming the wikipedia/ICD-10 articles on it, neo fits a surprising number of the markers, being overly sensitive to setbacks; bearing grudges like no one's business; generally suspicious while interpreting neutral n friendly actions as hostile; and arguably the fourth one in 'a combative/tenacious sense of self righteousness out of keeping with the actual situation.'

this manifests in several ways, most notably with their usage of their semblance and aura. neo always spends their aura enhancing their sense, keeping their head on a swivel, eyes on entrances and exits, ears primed for the slightest disturbance. in possibly dicey situations, it's a fifty/fifty chance for the neopolitan someone's talking to to actually be neo. it'll either be an illusion, with an invisible neo nearby using it as an avatar OR it'll actually be neo, but they keep an invisible illusion near an exit for an emergency teleport.

it sucks that neo's so often proven right in these instances, because all that means is that they don't. stop. doing. it. like, i wouldn't say they're iron man 3 levels of 'chilling in the iron man armor 24/7' paranoid, but keeping their aura focused on their senses? double, triple checking doors to make sure they're locked? constantly training in an effort to not be caught off guard and to be prepared if they are? being skittish around new people, convinced that they're just biding their time to do something to them until it finally clicks in their head that maybe, just maybe someone actually doesn't want to hurt them? sleeping with hush next to them, a knife under their pillow, and escape plans rehearsed before bed? check, check, check, check, and fuckin' check.

it tends to flare up more when neo's stressed or unhappy, like for instance back in atlas or when they were living on their own in kuchinashi. when they move in with roman and scarlett n get used to the two of them, neo gradually starts to settle down into some form of normalcy. they're actually able to relax for the first time in years

and then roman 'dies' and scarlett disappears, and they're back in kuchinashi all alone. it gets to the point where neo can't even trust that they'll be safe when sleeping, choosing instead to sleep on the floor or in a closet and keeping an illusion in the bed, with pillows positioned to look roughly like them. volumes 4-6 are possibly the worst for neo.

and then they go back to atlas. i feel i dont need to explain how bad this is for them.

as of volume 10, this has waned a fair bit. they're still using their aura to sharpen their senses all the time, but someone can rest assured that they're actually talking to neo for once, and outside of sleeping with weapons nearby, their other tendencies have been left behind in atlas and the ever-after.

christ thats a lot of words. hopefully they make sense to whoever reads all this cos im fairly certain i started typing in tongues halfway through. anyways... slebrjy...

[treetownconfessions]

say it.

i love having flippy and fliqpy as these paranoid fucking losers who can barely live their lives outside of what theyre used to. you could argue theyre already like that in canon but i mean to a ridiculous and almost depressing degree. like both of them are on edge 24/7 and cling to each other like wounded dogs and are so unstable that any minor setback or inconvenience immediately convinces them that its the doing of someone out to kill them and they need to arm themselves and hold hands and set up traps in their own home just to feel safe. having flippy do his hobbies like knitting sweaters and reading because hes familiar with the routine and therefore takes comfort in doing what he knows (not the hobby itself) and never doing anything new because deviation from the very norm hes created scares him. and having fliqpy kill people for the exact same reason because its his norm PLUS thinking of it as a safety thing because he and flippy near-constantly believe everyone else is out to get them and being able to take action against that makes him feel better. i want them to be miserable but not at each other. like they dont make each other worse but they dont make each other better. theyre both just stuck in this terrible mindset and lifestyle they developed from the war and take comfort in the familiar since they KNOW nothing bad will happen if its something they already know. they love each other and want to keep each other safe and i want them to be sad and exhausted all the time but in the way where they get to smile tiredly at each other when theyre curled up in bed. its not my primary interpretation of them and more like a mild au if they were both extra fucked up (since nothing else changes but them) but do u see my vision. do u get what i mean

correct.

[thedevilsrain]

thats an issue of class, not race. that's what you're failing to understand

(I DONT KNOW IF THIS PERSON IS AMERICAN OR NOT EVEN IF THEY ARENT IT DOESNT CHANGE WHST I SAY HERE, BECAUSE THIS WEBSITE IS MOSTLY AMERICAN ANYWAY 👍)

the average white latino - like myself - is not "descended from colonizers", because most Latinos are poor. of course, when my white italian ancestors came to brazil in the early 1900s, it was under the guise of "whitening" the population (look up "embranquecimento do brasil". it was an eugenics plan to "whiten" the mostly black population)

but, unlike what you may think, the average white latino is not the one to benefit from imperialism. i was poor my entire life, i studied in public schools that were falling apart, spent months without having teachers due to strikes. i live next to a neighborhood that the average western would probably consider a slum.

the white latinos that DO benefit from imperialism are petit bourgeois and actual bourgeois — people whose family names for back until brazilian territory was split into "hereditary capitals" for a couple of rich settler families.

and this is where we get to the meat of the question, and that is the way westerners - mostly americans for reasons i'll get into - equal "race" with "class".

of course, structural racism is a tool of imperialism, but being white in latam does NOT mean you're benefitting from imperialism in the way an american does. this is mostly due to the fact that, unlike america, we did not have segregation laws. white and black people used the same water coolers, went to the same schools, frequented the same neighborhoods - and of course, married and had children with each other, and these children frequented the same schools their parents had, so on and so forth. and here we can see that this is not an issue of race, but an issue of class.

the insistence on race also ends up being driven into some obvious setbacks — most importantly, the fact a majority of the latin american population is mixed. even if you pointed to me, a pink white woman, and said "you benefit from imperialism", i would laugh in your face. because while it is true that i benefit from racism, it doesn't change the fact my mom is brown, that my grandpa was black, that my grandma was indigenous (whose maiden name was erased from records), that my sisters suffered racism in school. and this is not even getting into how the concept of "white" is simply not the same all throught the world. this insistence is pointless, ridiculously subjective, not materially significant, and harmful.

the latin american reality is not the same as the american reality. you cannot hold up a mirror to us and expect us to be the same.

[lettucedloophole]

i know some people are disappointed about the btsv release date / setback but honestly i think it's very appropriate and i feel good about it. and i swear i'm not just saying that because it's two days before my 24th birthday and that makes me happy lol... (though i do think that is neat! :P)

my first thought on setbacks is always that the crew will have more time to work. this creates better working conditions, and this is especially important for this film given the issues reported of unsustainable working conditions for animators particularly in the last film. i would have been disappointed if the film came out when it was "supposed to" given those issues. creatives deserve not to be bled dry by corporations, and we should have care for the people behind something so beloved.

and like, there is an INSANE amount of pressure when following up atsv PARTICULARLY. they've built up even more pressure than itsv by outdoing what was already a masterpiece with insane animation techniques and a beautifully written story, and everyone is expecting them to do it AGAIN. this time though, there is so much less leeway. there's an established story they're confined to continue and misteps they are tethered to, and so you've got a task that seems almost insurmountable for the writers and animators.

you may be wondering what misteps i'm referring to, and some of it is stuff i dont care about that much, but there are some things that would actively undermind the message of atsv and blunt any resolution if left unresolved. the stuff that i don't really care about is people being upset about atsv taking miguel o'hara, an established character, and kind of just making him into another guy. as far as i can tell, there's a leftist slant to him in his og comics (idk i havent read them) that is. Obviously not present in the film lol. i get where people are coming from but i take this crtique with a grain of salt since people have a tendency of hailing superhero comics or superheros themselves as being Oh-so progressive for stating something obvious like, "punch nazis" or in sm2099's case, corporations Bad. someone also told me there was an anti-cop vibe going on w comic sm2099 but i heavily doubt that it was the systemic criticism necessary of the cops and more like comic miguel acknowledging cops are bad sometimes or fighting them bc naturally the writers would want to do that to make him come off as more vigilante-ish and cool, going against established order. but he is still like, rich 😭 i think it would be great if they found some way to tie some aspects of the comics like his childhood trauma (important events that shaped him) into the movie, but that seems very difficult to do naturally with the story they have right now. i also think using an established character and changing them doesn't have to be all bad, in fact i think having a character seen as lightly leftist and like, a lone figure who challenges the system (who was also probably slightly progressive for being irish and mexican) being assimilated into mainstream culture and instead BECOMING the system is likee good metacommentary to meee.. but as i said, there are some more objective bads.

so likee... yes it's all well and good that miguel o'hara is very sexy. but liekk there is the issue of the atsv playing into the feral animalistic brown man thing, especially with Whatever the injecty stuff is. you can't do the racism in a movie that's a commentary on racism 😔 and i feel that's gotten some pretty heavy criticism from people so it feels like something that the writers are now aware of and hopefully addressing. truly i do not know what the og plan was with that esp the syringies it is very strange..

then there's stuff thats not misteps and in fact Good but difficult to follow up. specifically the abandonment of miles by his (coughWHITEcoughcough) teammates (gwen and peter being the most important two) and how this betrayal is reconciled. bc yall... i mean. Youve seen the movie. youve seen the memes. child got bounced around like a volleyball by this GROWN 👏 ASS 👏 MAN. AND FEW WERE WILLING TO HELP HIM!!! FEW WERE WILLING TO TAKE HIS SIDE EXPLICITLY AND SAY "THIS IS WRONG". it's chilling and it's a great commentary on racism to have even the good guys you know and like fail to do the right thing. where do you go from there?

to me this img is very evocative of that loneliness miles might be feeling after that and the rift this puts in he and gwen's relationship. it's a beautiful scene

anyways thats all i guess hehe :P sorry that most of it's about miguel's i have #Priorities (simp priorities) and honestly i dont think ive seen the movie since it came out... literally only watched it once and idek why when its so spectacular, maybe i am Afraid to experience this emotional depth and mindblowingness again. but i will try to treat myself to a watch before its taken off of netflix..!

[averoonie]

Where am i in life?

I wish i knew what trajectory i wanted to go for sure. Im not good at most of the touchy feely stuff since i rarely ever divulge how i feel on a deep complex level. I just say, "im sad because of XYZ" or "Im not doing so good" Like i dont understand why i cant totally explore my emotions on a basis that lets me feel like i've explained them on a more complete level. I want to be able to express myself in better ways than i can now. like im anxious because i start secondary schooling soon. im anxious because i might end up failing so hard i just work myself to death. i know those are normal feelings to have but for some reason i feel bad for having them. I wish that i could process them "normally" or as normally as anyone can really. things are in a difficult spot right now. i do understand they will get better at some point, i just with that point was now. there shouldnt be an extended wait period that i've been in the waiting line forever for. Im putting more effort to reach that area i want to be in but its gonna take forever if these setbacks keep happening increasingly like they have been. but i didnt even answer my original question. "Where am i in life?" Right now? Im just a guy trying to make it like millions of others. Im just making what i have work even if it isnt desirable. Im just a guy who's trying to find the little things in life to make myself any semblance of happy. Maybe all the wrong doings ive done are coming back to prevent that. i've been a better person than who i used to be. at least i think i am. i wish i could see how people see me. the good, the bad. the ugly. especially the ugly. i need to see how and where i can improve. i need to be better. i have to be. in order to feel okay with myself. i know ive ruined things for others. i know i've been petty or mean. i want to make up for it. its not their fault i made mistakes. its not their fault ***i*** was a mistake. and no i dont mean that in the self depreciative way. i know i wasnt planned, sure my parents "love" me. in whatever way they know how to show it. they're not perfect. neither am i. i want to be perfect, but as desirable as it is. its unobtainable. im working myself to the bone right now, two jobs, schooling and then taking care of my siblings when i arrive home. a large amount of responsibilities. how do i do it? bottle it all up, pretend like the overwhelming amount of sadness isnt there and let it out when im alone or late at night when everyone is sleeping. if anyone is reading what i, an idiot on the internet has to say, Im sorry that it took a sadder turn. its one of those nights. hopefully it gets better soon.

[ifyouarefictionaliwillpunchyou]

My art sucks ass too rn DON'T QUIT!!!!!! SAVE THE ART FOR LATER!!!! YOU WILL GLOW UP AND YOU WILL FEEL SO SLAY I PROMISE!!!!!! Try an art class with other art people maybe if you feel like you're doing the same thing over and over again bc the class will make you do things you don't normally do and your Skull Will Expand. Listen to Megan Thee station and MAKE BAD ART ON PURPOSE!!!!! Maybe take a break from drawing and let that Juice Marinate? If details are hard so try practicing drawing realism??? There's no such thing as art that sucks but also sometimes it feels like one's art sucks which is a valid and real feeling. I know how you feel because it feels like my art is really simple all the time too and I also want to get better at drawing details and realism. Sometimes you can't see your own growth and that's a very shit feeling that I'm also having and crying about a lot. I feel like an imposter and the thing I do is I try to say Fuck Off I don't Care if I suck. Doing things when you feel like you suck is very very hard but also totally worth it. Don't compare yourself to other people!

I haven't drawn anything in months. It's all like. Side doodles. I don't write books or fanfiction or anything. I dont sing or dance or act. And I feel really stagnant and bad about it a lot. I dont even post my art online because I'm too scared. But that doesn't mean I'm not growing artistically. Growth and setbacks are inevitable. I hope we both find our sexy juices. BUT UNTIL THEN I WISH US A VERY GOOD hide in the basement pickle session. Someday we will see the light of day and be so crunchy and spicy and garlicky.

Im not sure why you hate your art style so much...

You're one of my favourite artists. Your Lamb and Narinder are my favourites. I love how you draw them, it's so expressive and nice and pretty and beautiful— just so awesome. Your art really brings them to life. Your Zim and Dib are also my favourites!! I love your art style. It's simple and yet so perfect.

I dislike it because it feels so simple

There's not really anything super notable about it and I often look at other artists styles as 'man I wish I could draw like that' while the artwork doodles I do make are no where near matching what I have in my head. It's too soft and not anatomically correct and inconsistent to the point where people have commented that they see a difference in my art style since talking about wanting to change it, but I haven't changed anything in any way that I draw.

It's good for quick, scribbled comics for storyboarding because of how simple it is. Less detail = faster drawing and I can make the story board quick enough before it leaves my brain.

But for the past few years I've been doing more and more of those than anything else because it's kinda all I'm good at, just making storyboard and shitposts. It's seriously discouraged me from making full illustrations seriously because it just feels flat, the poses are not dynamic, the faces look like anime twinks or your generic Disney cartoon. Personally I think my style looks like the art kid that never got out of their 'how to draw anime' phase

None of my stuff has clean lines, faces are always look chibified or like I'm trying to mimic a Shonen, and backgrounds are completely out of the question; best I can do is scribbles. I just wish my art hit harder, with sharpness and less big eyes and an edgier, more stylistic kind of look

Don't take this the wrong way, I'm happy my art is enjoyed! I'm just not the one enjoying it right now

[somesortofbandreference]

everytime I see someone say that freddie mercury was bi and they use barbara valentin as a source I get angry,,, but I never want to start discourse so I just sit there and make an argument in my own head without ever saying anything

[csuitebitches]

Book Review/ Notes from: The Psychology of Successful Women

I found the book pretty generic but I liked the fact that she added guiding questions to her strategies, which made it more doable. Here are the notes:

1. Define what success means to you. Ensure that it is healthy and holistic.

2. Note down your goals. “What do i want to be/do/have in my career?”

“A study on goal setting at the Dominican University in California showed you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. Written goals are proven to increase your focus, strengthen motivation and help you come up with a plan of attack to make your dreams a reality.”

3. We need a combination of the right mindset + behaviour in order to actually succeed.

4. Confidence isnt relative to being an extrovert or introvert. Confidence is about having trust in oneself.

A) developing a positive internal dialogue instead of a negative, critical one

B) focus on strengths rather than weaknesses. “.. revealed that people who used their strengths every day were three times more likely to report having an excellent quality of life, six times more likely to be engaged at work, 8% more productive and 15% less likely to quit their jobs.”

C) stop comparison - whether it means logging off social media or unfollowing/restricting certain people.

D) click with people with the same values as you.

E) believe in yourself. It’s not your job to prove yourself to everyone.

5. Developing a personal brand is important. A personal brand is how people see you and what you’re known for. Its important to consider how you present yourself online and offline.

• Your personal (people person/ adaptable/ flexible, etc) and professional strengths (what you really enjoy doing)

• What makes you unique

• Your achievements and qualifications

• Your life experiences

• Your values and the things that are important to you

• Your passions

• Your image

• Your mindset and attitude

• Your behaviour

Ask people around you how they see you - speak to people you deeply trust.

Reflect on that.

How would you like them to see you?

6. Imposter syndrome is often described as a pervasive feeling of self-doubt, inadequacy and incompetence, despite evidence of success.

A. Identity triggers and thought patterns to that lead you to feeling like a fake.

B. Acknowledge your past success and accomplishments. Write a list of some of your achievements and successes. Reflect on some of the great feedback you have received from a client or colleague in the past few months.

7. Boundary setting is a necessary evil. You will feel guilty at first, but it gets easier with time. You dont have to give out excessive excuses, either.

8. Fear of failure: What have you been putting off learning, doing or experiencing personally or professionally, because of fear of failure, or a fear of not being ready? • What can you do this week or month to stretch your comfort zone? • What would you do right now if you knew you absolutely couldn’t fail?

9. “Women tend to apologise a lot more than men in general, even when we have nothing to apologise for – almost out of habit. Do you say sorry a lot? Now this does not mean that we should never apologise, or that we can’t say sorry – of course we can. Just be mindful of over-apologising.”

Phrases to stop saying:

- I’m sorry that our director is unable to come today, you’ll have to put up with me instead…

- Apologies if I’m nervous today, I don’t often speak in public…

- I hope you dont mind but…

- I’m no expert on this but…

10. Stop diminishing yourself. “When we undervalue our role or contribution, we often reflect this in our language, and talk like what we do is not that important. Furthermore, when we don’t genuinely value ourselves, we may start to convince others of the same. People will often mirror back to us how we feel or speak about ourselves.”

11. “People with high levels of resilience think and act in ways that help them cope with change and setbacks. For example, they are flexible and can adapt to changing situations. They also tend to be positive and hopeful – believing the future can or will be better – even if they are in the middle of a challenge. Highly resilient people also don’t tend to dwell on setbacks and things they can’t change.”

Strategies:

1. Dont be afraid to ask for help. “People who are good at reaching out to others, talking about their challenges or setbacks, asking for help and then accepting that help, tend to cope better.”

2. Control what you can control. Do not focus on things you can’t control or change.

[tornad001]

idk where ur getting the idea that i don't support non-electoral action. the truth of the matter is that political action always encompasses a range of investment. and just as most ppl aren't willing to face potential martyrdom themselves, the vast vast vast majority of ppl will also do nothing except vote.

and what 3rd party? it sucks but as long as we live in a 2-party first past the post system, there are no 3rd parties. r u recommending i start shilling for who? RFK? there's just no way to engage with a 3rd party that doesn't detract voting power away from whichever of the 2 real parties with a real chance of getting elected more aligns with ur politics.

so legitimately, who? what 3rd party of 0%Hitlers should i be supporting that won't act as a spoiler for the dems? and this is the attitude towards voting i dont understand. voting isn't a statement of morality, so whats the point in voting for the 0%Hitler party if they have no power, have no way of gaining power, and have no way of affecting change within the system that would allow for that reality to change. unless u Want the spoiler for some kinda accelerationist end, but i like harm reduction so that doesn't really work for me.

also u misinterpret me in an extremely liberal way. "the only way to defeat fascism"? i don't think fascism is a thing to be "defeated" like ur suggesting because a dem win doesn't end the fight. the dems themselves have significantly more fascist tendencies than id like to see, so the fight doesn't end there. in fact it never ends. even in whatever kinda fully automated luxury gay space communism glorious revolution blah blah whatever there's still always gonna be reactionary tendencies that have to be fought. it's a very liberal idea that fascism can be defeated. and im not a liberal in that regard

lastly, yeah it may seem silly at first glance but biden is 100% more pro-queer and pro-black and pro-labor than any other president in a century. who else is better on these issues? was it obama? bush? other bush? raegan perhaps? who? i don't even really wanna harp on this point too much cuz i don't think biden is an especially good guy for having these positions it's just kinda the natural long-arc progression of history and political thought. the only things that can really change that would be like republicans "sending the civil rights act back to the states". i think overturning roe was one of those setbacks, but even there we're continually seeing just how ruinous this topic is for republican electability BECAUSE of how far the overton window has shifted on the issue of abortion.

also, i don't see my position as doomerism, i see yours as that. i mean u literally said i should "just oppose electoralism and support [my] fellow leftists" but i reject the idea that leftism properly understood is anti-electoral. i think that notion basically cedes all political efficacy to the most liberal elements of the movement. the leftist fantasy of material conditions bad enough to lead to revolution is delusional. the nature of a state is to maintain a monopoly on violence and the US has the greatest military force the world has ever seen. revolution as it was carried out before (i.e. ussr, vietnam, etc.) is all but impossible in a fully modernized nation with such a robust civil society and the greatest monopoly on violence in human history

lastly, the "hole" im in is one that acknowledges that i don't have the kind of revolutionary spirit to really be anything other than a "keyboard activist" as they say. im not gonna be out there squaring up against nazis at protests or assassinating my political enemies. im too self-interested to martyr myself on the slim slim hope of my getting the shit beaten outta me causing some uproar of change and progress. i just wanna live my life with the people i love and care about in the greatest degree of relative peace we can. oh and im in that camp along with 99% of all people (including probably u) so i feel pretty comfortable situating my political philosophy within that framework. i don't think it's weak, it's just humans being humans and it's the reality we have to work within.

genuinely curious what Biden could do at this point that's "too far" for liberals other than getting a spraytan

[cl00udyyanan]

hellooo!! could i request like a scara x gn reader, but reader is sick and scaramouche is taking care of them? Like scara is mean at first but when he realise how sick reader is he warms up and becomes very nice with a bit of fluff c: tysm!

this was so cute how scara goes from being so mean to sweet ik he actually cares abt ppl but loves to hide it,, i took a little bit of a diff approach with this bc i tried so many ideas before that didn't work so instead of the reader just being sick they're kinda freezing too lol but i hope u like it in the end, thank u sm for requesting this! if this wasn't to your liking you can always request again!

what happens...

synopsis: you and your boss scara get trapped in a snow storm and he helps you while you're really cold and sick

warnings: scara is degrading, you almost get hypothermia

characters: scaramouche (the balladeer) x reader

notes: i rewrote this like five times. dont talk to me.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

harsh winds singing a desperate chorus as it whirled around you, it claimed all the land in white. bounding everyone to their homes, unlucky for you, you were caught out in the storm. in other circumstances, this sight would have been beautiful to you as all of snezhnaya was, if only you weren't walking in the middle of it. you'd say you were happy when a small wooden hut appeared, it didn't look warm from the outside but it was shelter, except you had to go in with your boss.

scaramouche slammed the wooden door to the hut, blocking most of the blundering storm outside. the cabin was rotten down, boards coroading away, who ever lived here hadn't been around in probabaly years. it was stopping most of the wind, but the freezing tempature was still seeping in. he grimmaced at the situation, he'd been seperated from the rest of the fatui agents while out carrying a mission for the tsaritsa, simply on their way to catch debt from clients. this was only a minor setback, but a damn awful one. who knows how long he'd be stuck here. especially stuck with you.

you were in a corner of the house, curled into yourself to retain warmth. your thick black coat was keeping some sort of coziness but you were only human and some cloth could only do so much. damn your immune system, you'd only been curled up in here for a couple of minutes and were already sneezing uncontrollably, nose tingling and your skin in a bitter pain because of the frost. "look at you cowering away." your boss crossed his arms, glaring down at you. "we're stuck in this snow storm because of you giving us the wrong direactions. who even allowed you to join the fatui? you're obviously unfit to serve the tsarista." you who fed at his frigid words. "i bet it was that bobbleheaded childe, huh? pathetic." you knew never to show weakness infront of him, the balladeer was known to be so cruel to those who showed fear. yet in this snow storm, you couldn't care to even respond to him or say sorry about your incompetence. you swore if you stayed like this, you'd freeze over into a popsicle.

"…i'm so damn cold." you mumbled. scara pondered you with a scouring look. "oh, you're cold? well you're in snezhnaya its going to be a little chilly" his stupid sarcasm was not what you needed. you hands sting through your gloves, throat itchy and eyes watering. you tried to fight back the tears, you could not cry in front of him no matter how sick and cold you were. his eyes widened watching you shudder in the corner. he shuffled around a bit, looking to you and fro, cheeks a little flush. he hadn't expect you to seriously cry. he sighed, watching his breath swirl the air then trugded over to you.

with his hand nearing your face, you flinched at it thinking he was going to reprimand you for being so weak. yet he simply was pressing the back of his hand to your forehead, you were icy to the touch, eyes puffy and red. a tear rolled down your cheek as you sniffled, he took his thumb and wiped it away with a pout on his lip. "don't cry..." he mumbled. you weren't really sad just your body reacting to the uncomfortable reality you were in. "let me see your hand…" you lifted you arm to him and he pulled one of your gloves off, revealing your discolored fingers, a sign of hyperthermia.

the balladeer was no mother goose, he had no nurturing bone in his body. if he wanted to, he'd leave you here to freeze and would carry out the rest of his mission without batting an eye. instead, he gloved your hand again and held them between his. it wouldn't do him any good to let you die, he supposed. he couldn't warm you up much himself considering his...condition, he knew you were going to catch an even worse cold if he didn't do anything. so, he did the unthinkable. he sat against the wall, pulling you towards him by the waist, you were between his legs, and he curled you into his chest. it wasn't a lot of warmth, but it was enough. it was reassuring that you would be okay, you're allergies were getting to you but atleast you weren't alone in this storm.

in other circumstances, being coddled in your boss' arms would make you vomit at the thought but he was suprsingly cozy. "…tell anyone about this and i'll let you freeze in the lake." scaramouche pulled you tighter to his chest trying to get you warmer. "i'm only doing this because if you die i wont hear the end of it." "…of course, balladeer." you held back a little giggle. "i wouldn't dream of it"

maybe the balladeer was more than he seemed. maybe he cared underneath his empty heartless shell. don't tell anyone though, what happens at the hut, stays at the hut.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

dw when you guys got somewhere safe he made you tea as long as u didn't tell anyone what happened at the hut (esp childe)

[oceanspray5]

Linh Cinder is epileptic because I say so and because you dont have your brain completely switch off due to water damage and then repaired just like that without some form of lasting damage (not to mention the various other times she had to be jump started again throughout the series mainly by Thorne).

Anyway so Cinder has epilepsy and its generalized epilepsy meaning she has no auras, just random seizures whenever her wiring and neurons are being all funky. She discovers it after experiencing absence seizures on Luna and wonders if its just her processor working over time with all the responsibilities now being heaped on her as Queen. The first month after abdicating once she's back in New Beijing she blacks out and then wakes up two hours later to a splitting headache, half the Rampion crew around her and the remaining half on their way. Her cybernetics specialist and a neurologist are there with her too when she discovers she has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

Cinder's seisures aren't frequent but she occasionally forgets to take her meds and she occasionally just hates how they make her feel. Kai is the one who always sits with her and every time she wakes up from a seizure he's sitting right next to her, without fail. He'll be doing paperwork sitting in bed but he won't leave her side and his hand is comforting on her shoulder or head so when she wakes up she knows she's safe.

Her temples hurt because they do anyway post-seizures in epilepsy but her facial muscles stretch out and clash with the metal in her skull too so they hurt a little too much and her jaw is sensitive for weeks and so either Kai or Winter (if she's available) massage her forehead and temples for her to ease the muscles and reduce extra swelling. Its soothing for Cinder who's never been touched so lovingly while she's sick before.

Its very frustrating for Cinder knowing that despite all her modifications to "fix" the disabilities caused by the burns Levana gave her, the one thing that can never be "fixed" is her brain. No amount of wiring can replace whatever issue is in her neural circuitry so it's a condition she has to live with and take medicine for. Frustration aside though, she has friends and is grateful she found a family who will take care of her if she ever happens to convulse because Adri would have done so much worse to her had Cinder discovered she was epileptic under that heinous woman's roof.

Cress is the one who understands Cinder's highs and lows when it comes to her anti-epileptics the best because she has experience with anxiety and depression. Scarlet understands the frustration and mood swings the drugs cause and tries to call Cinder every time she hears from Kai that her medicine is making her irritable. Meanwhile, Winter understands the pain of a brain that just "isn't right" and the struggle that comes with accepting the fact that something is wrong at all. She is the one who is best able to help Cinder accept the help she needs.

Wolf and Cinder sometimes just sit in silence together and it helps that they both understand what its like to have a part of you that's not bad or even wrong but just... different in a way that can be a struggle sometimes. It helps to have someone to talk to who they don't need to explain the frustration to.

Thorne tries, bless his soul, to cheer Cinder up. He takes her crown shopping or something equally ridiculous when she's in a mood because he knows the one thing she needs to not do after she has a seizure is stay trapped in her head thinking about the setbacks to her prior progress or else she'll drive herself insane.

Anyway in conclusion: Cinder's epilepsy isn't debilitating but it can be frustrating and the Rampion crew especially her loving husband Kaito come together to help ease Cinder whenever she's feeling down on herself because of the random seizures she's prone to experiencing.