#its becoming my style at this point /j

[acekindaneat]

he gets a bit grumpy when he's tired 😥 let him sleep

[pazza-di-te]

Bear price and his housewife while she's ovulating, and he obviously wants her to have his little cubs

mhmM bear price with that breeding kink

this was supposed to be with no plot by my hands have a mind of their own

// p in v, slight manhandling, talks of having kids, comment what else I've missed!

••••

John is clingy than usual. His usual gentle hand around the waist, had now become full on groping your hips, squeezing and patting the fat around the edges and if you listen close enough you could hear him groan delightfully.

Not to mention his usual appreciative kiss on the neck, had now become open mouth kisses to the side of your neck, sometimes he would smell just you. He did say time to time of the day you smell better, sweeter, nicer even without perfume. And both of you can't point out why.

Just like right now, you were trying to focus stirring the stew for dinner but John's hands and kisses were nothing but distracting, albiet a welcoming distraction.

"John? Im cooking" You said, trying to lightly imply that one more kiss to the neck could make you turn off the stove and kiss him on his bearded face right before reaching the bedroom and-

"Mhm... I can see that."

"Then Mr. Price, I need you to wait for dinner."

John was silent for a moment and you could almost think that he complied with your request, but those are wishful thinking

"How about, dinner can wait for us Mrs. Price?" John spoke back as his hand reached out to turn off the stove.

John didn't waste time on carrying you bridal style to the bedroom while you squel in surprise.

John couldn't wait any longer, just watching you do your daily routine had him adjusting his pants. He had enough and he wants you. Now.

John carried you to the bedroom right before lightly throwing you on the bed making you gasp in surprise. You didn't have enough time to gather yourself before John started crawling on top of you.

"Jo-"

He didn't waste time, pressing his lips onto yours. Its feverish, heated, and full of unsaid words.

"Sorry luv... Couldn't wait any longer."

With how he's panting and desperate, why not take pity on your poor poor man? They did say actions speak louder than words, with that in thought you leaned forward to kiss him more and your hands work on his shirt.

John groaned into the kiss

"atta luv."

••••

"Fuck! J-John, slow down- Ffuck please!" You gasp as he thrusts into you more from the back, your tits dragging sweetly agaist the sheets

"Just.... Little m-more" John hugged your body closer as you feel his weight onto you, his hairy chest and his bod agaist your back, and you can't do anything but lose your mind more.

Along the way he started whispering things agaist your ear, with him closer your getting the words clearer. Something about cubs?

"so good, so good for me luv, ai-aint that righ'?" John groans into your ear as his thrusts turn sporadic.

"Jo-John!"

"Take it- take it all. Gon be a good mum." He unwraps his arms around you and rose up straighter to grab you by your hips and plow deeper

You couldn't speak, your mouth only opening silently and John grunts as he feels you tighten around him.

"c-cum wit' me luv," he says as he thrust faster and faster.

John loudly groans as he spills his seed into you as you scream his name.

Your body shakes in its aftermath and John leans his head back from the feeling.

Both of you are panting and holding each other as you both calm down from the session.

"John?"

"Mhm... Yes luv?" he asked as he kisses your shoulder, spooning from behind you, his dick still inside, keeping you plugged

"Arthur sounds nice for a boy..." you smile at the thought.

John freezes his movements as he takes in your words.

"You really thin' so?" John looks at you, half afraid that was he heard was just a figment of imagination yet half excited at the prospect of having a baby.

"Mhmm, how bout a girl?" you smile at the thought

"haven't though' of that yet.... As long as she has your eyes..." Both you and John smile as the two of you start to daze off to sleep

[dfmm]

I'm just randomly thinking about No Straight Roads and its 7 deadly sins style bosses again and how their motivations were all extremely sympathetic but corrupted by fame

DJ Subatomic Supernova, Pride, who acted like he was smarter and better than anyone else and is then revealed to be terrified of being forgotten and that's why he tried to broadcast his music to the whole universe

Sayu, Sloth, a bunch of children who became too famous too fast and had to hide behind their creation

DK West, Envy, who let himself be ruled by his envy over his brother's successes

Yinu and her mother, Greed, trying to fulfill the dream they shared with Yinu's late father and in the process losing sight of what that dream meant for them in the first place (I cried during their post fight cutscene)

Neon J, Gluttony, the toymaker who tried to spread joy to make up for the things he saw in war, until his vision became mass produced and soulless

Eve, Lust, who was desperately trying to connect with someone, anyone who might understand her and the way she was seeing things, and who felt abandoned and betrayed by the one she opened herself to the most but can't stop herself from trying to get him back (this is the one I keep thinking about, it's stuck in my head forever)

Tatiana, Wrath, who can't let go of the anger she felt over her own failure as a musician and who lashes out at everyone who reminds her of it, to the point of becoming an oppressor as she rises in power

The way that every single NSR member can provoke this immediate reaction of "we need to beat you up now" but by the end of it I can't hate a single one of them, the characters in this game are absolutely fantastic

[agendabymooner]

about names: an amazing boy with an amazing name || cl16 scenario (1)

dad!charles leclerc x mom!ofc (hearth sister!ofc)

EXTENSION OF OF LONG LINES AND NAMES AND THE LECLERC DAYCARE

Summary: The Leclerc boys and their names go hand in hand. OR times when Charles and his wife Aimee had to explain that their children’s names are meaningful. 

Scenario summary: Charles and Aimee wondered what Hervé meant when he said that his name was silly and that he hated it. Thank goodness, Pascale Leclerc was the one that the boy cannot refuse as she comforts her grandson.

Content warning: Kids teasing kids, possible use of explicit language, fluff, dad!Charles content, the Leclerc family (Pascale and Leclerc brothers) content, briefly mentions Charles' dad, crappy French translations by Apple, sad kids being comforted, fluff, what is beta reading we write things at 2am and post it after lol

Note: One more before I dash out of my dorm for the day lmfaoo

masterlist

Aimee Leclerc was no stranger to chatty kids and pick-up schedules, so it was no wonder why she immediately found herself in front of the elementary school that stood gloriously in the middle of Monte-Carlo as she waited for her two children to be dismissed from the class for the day. 

It was a routine of hers now that her work in McLaren had become remote. Five children took up all of her time and between them and her work— she would’ve immediately left the company if the team made her choose. She’d rather be in Monaco while Charles continued to pursue his career as a racing driver. 

Zak Brown was empathetic enough to understand that a set of children wouldn’t be able to have a stable routine should they continue to travel around the world just to be with their parents who worked overseas, offering Aimee a chance to work at home and adapt to a better routine as she took care of her children. 

She could wait patiently if anybody ever asked her. She had no problem, knowing that she was able to finish her work long before she could pick up her eldest children. 

But the energy that her children had shown merely told her enough: they might have been either excited to see her or they thought that she was rushing them. She caught a glimpse of her twins as they stepped out of the elementary school, their uniforms somehow tidy and less wrinkled despite their busy day. 

“Maman! Devinez quoi?” Guess what? Jules jumped excitedly as he wrapped his arms around Aimee tightly, still jumpy and giddy as he spoke in English, “We did our quiz in maths!” 

“Oh? Is that right, J?” Aimee asked with a smile, her fingers running through her son’s wavy hair. It was surprising how her children’s hair continued to lose its volume as years passed— it was becoming more like Charles’ hair.

They were mini Charleses, indeed.

“Yes, Maman! I also— uh…” It seemed like Jules ran out of English immediately as he said, “J'ai fait si bien! Je n'ai perdu qu'un point!” I did so good! I only lost one point!

Aimee was merely thankful that she could understand French and Italian, or rather, she was thankful her private teacher taught her how to speak those languages; otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to understand her multilingual-speaking children. 

She primarily spoke English and had grown up practicing a standard accent in her Received Pronunciation. She never adapted to her husband’s speaking style, but learned to understand it nevertheless. Their children were being raised in Monaco, after all, and most people spoke in French or Italian. She was only thankful that she was able to teach them to speak English to preserve that part of them. Most of their cousins are raised in England and this gave them the opportunity to converse in that language. 

Anyways.

Aimee beamed at her son and exclaimed, “A good job done, Jules!” Then she turned to look at her other son, who was unusually quiet for such a normal day. Hervé, as Aimee learned while nurturing her ever-growing children, was never quiet — he was one of the boys who would often cause ruckus inside the Leclerc home. If he’s silent like this then Aimee knew he was feeling something along the lines of upset. 

Hervé was never upset. He was so much like his grandfather— his namesake. So joyous. Why was he feeling so down? Aimee didn’t know.

“Hervé, my love,” Aimee called softly, but he couldn’t hear. Jules turned to look at his twin and noticed the boy disassociated, giving his brother’s shirt a tug as Hervé finally looked up. The Leclerc matriarch (2.0) smiled gently and asked, “Is it a long day for you?” 

“Oui, Maman,” he replied quietly, offering her a nod and nothing more. 

Aimee had led them to the Aston Martin family SUV as soon as he answered and drove off to head home. Jules was chatting Aimee’s ears off and it somehow defeaned her. It wasn’t because Jules was loud, no; Hervé wasn’t even talking, and his silence defeaned her.

“Herb,” she called as she looked at the rear view mirror, noticing how his jaw clenched before crossing his arms. “Hervé?”

“Stupid, silly name,” Jules hadn’t seen Hervé mutter those words beneath his breath but Aimee certainly had, leaving the mother confused. What the hell was happening?

“H,” Aimee called once more. Hervé’s angry eyes finally looked up to meet Aimee’s worried ones. Even if she wanted to remind him to calm down, she knew that it would lead to his outburst so she avoided it and asked, “Da’s home? Do you want to tell him about your maths quiz today? Maybe you and Jules can show him the art you made for Mademoiselle Blanc?” 

“Hmp,” the eldest Leclerc twin huffed, turning away from his mother and looking out the window. 

Jules’s eyes narrowed as he gave a brief glimpse at Aimee, turning towards his twin, “Are you okay, H?” 

“Oui,” Hervé muttered, acting as some sort of assurance, but this only made Jules look at his mother with worry. Aimee flashed a smile at her son before continuing to drive on the way home. It was another thing that the Leclerc boys had gotten from their father; they were bad liars. 

It only got worse when Aimee pulled up to their driveway, and the boys made their way inside. Jules dashed out of the car with his backpack to navigate his way around the house, trying to find their father before he gasped, “Da!” 

Aimee watched her other son carefully, trying to read Hervé’s behaviour as he walked past Aimee. She still wasn’t sure what was going on. 

“Oh! Hello, Jules!” Charles Leclerc, a Ferrari driver who had just returned from a doubleheader, grinned gracefully at the sight of his son. In his arm was one of his young twins, Anthoine — or Tony, for most people — while the other half of the pair, Alain, sat on the playmat with his book propped open. “Comment va l'école aujourd'hui?” How is school today?

“Very good, Da!” Jules grinned toothily, “Madame Hurst m'a donné une étoile pour mon quiz de mathématiques!” Mrs. Hurst gave me a star for my maths quiz! 

“Ah, really? Cela signifie que vous avez fait un excellent travail en étudiant avec maman alors,” it means you’ve done a good job at studying with Mummy, then. Charles glanced past Aimee’s legs, seeing the other pair of his twins as he greeted the quiet boy, “Bonjour, Hervé. Comment allez-vous?” Good afternoon, Hervé. How are you?

“D'accord, Da,” Fine. Hervé muttered, his irritation noticed easily by his father as Charles scowled lightly. Every adult in their family knew that it meant trouble if Charles gave this look. 

At first, the Ferrari driver tried to make a light of the situation, “Why the long face, Hervé? The more you do that, the more you’ll look like your Uncle Toto. Give Da a smile?”

“No,” but Hervé wasn’t having it as he snapped at his father firmly, the tip of his ears turning red as he stomped off.

“No?” 

“Don’t call me that!” Hervé snapped, his eyes turning dark as he got angry and upset.

“What? Hervé—“ Charles tried to reason out, but the 7-year-old was anything but reasonable at the moment. 

“I’m not Hervé! Don’t call me that! It’s a stupid name!” 

Charles could have sworn that he, too, was seeing red as he placed the toddler in his arms before marching off the playroom. He followed after his son and exclaimed, “Hervé Louis Sebastien René Mathieu Leclerc! Come back here!” 

“No! No more talking! Leave me alone, Da!”

Thud. The boy had just slammed the door on his father’s face, and Charles— Charles was fuming. 

He loves his boys dearly; he does. But it was moments like this that somehow made him different from the loving father that he is. He wasn’t even sure why he was so upset— was it because of the fact that his son just yelled that he didn’t want to talk, or did he just hear his son say that his father’s name was stupid? He wasn’t sure. 

He was just… upset and confused. 

Charles wasn’t sure where he’d gone wrong with becoming a parent to his sons. He did everything he could despite being a busy driver— he took care of them whenever Aimee was out, he taught them how to be kind to other people and he taught them how to love. Hervé had never been this upset before and it bothered Charles and Aimee to no end. What was he genuinely upset about?

Then they both recalled what the boy said. Hervé wasn’t his name. He thought that the name was silly, from what Aimee had told Charles. Where did that even come from? 

“I— truthfully, I don’t even know where that came from, Charles,” Aimee admitted as she sat with him on the couch that night, sighing heavily while the driver rested his head against his hand. 

They tried asking the boy, from asking him to come down for dinner (with Aimee giving up and leaving a bowl of rice and chicken in front of his door) to Charles asking to come into his room (with Charles not receiving any form of response). But alas, Hervé had no response. He didn’t even respond when they tried to ask if he’d like to come over to his Uncle Lorenzo or Arthur’s place. 

No luck. 

“He didn’t mention anything at all,” she continued, keeping her voice down to avoid waking any of their children up. “He was muttering to himself, I’ve no bloody clue he was upset.” 

“I didn’t know either,” Charles murmured, grabbing a hold of her hand and kissing the knuckles of it. “He isn’t normally like this— he’d tell us if there’s something wrong.”

It was true. Hervé, much like the other Leclerc children, never got into a fight with a friend before. He was upfront about his feelings and would tell either his parents or playmate about being upset. There were some instances when he almost snapped but otherwise managed to control his emotions— he was so much like his brothers and mother in a sense. Aimee always approached them with the five-finger solution before they could even burst into tears or anger. 

So, for Hervé to keep quiet? 

Even Aimee couldn’t get an answer from him. What did he mean by his name was a stupid name? Charles asked himself this a couple of times. 

His name was Hervé— that was a typical French name, no? What made Hervé think that his name, his late grandfather’s name, was silly? Charles tried approaching his son about the matter every minute since the boys got home from school, but much to his dismay, the boy evaded him. 

But there was only one person that Hervé wouldn’t refuse to answer. Much like his late grandfather, Hervé never refused his Mamé. 

So the next day, Pascale Leclerc — the grandmother of the Leclerc boys — took the liberty to have a day off with the upset boy. Jules felt incomplete without Hervé in the school but went nonetheless, and the five-year-old boy PJ went to kindergarten while Aimee, Charles and the youngest twins went out. Pascale stayed at home with Hervé and baked cookies with him. 

After putting the cookie dough into the preheated oven, Pascale served the boy some tea, to which Hervé gratefully drank as his grandmother sat across from him.

She sighed and placed a hand on his knee, “Est-il vrai que tu t'es fâché contre ton père, Hervé?” Is it true that you got angry with your dad, Hervé? She asked, her question leaving him frozen as he looked at Pascale guiltily. 

Hervé carefully sat his mug down on the table and nodded solemnly, not uttering a word. Pascale asked, “Has it been a rough day for you? That’s why you got angry?” 

Hervé shook his head as Pascale suggested, “Veux-tu dire à Mamé ce qui t'a mis en colère? Peut-être pouvons-nous trouver une solution ensemble?” Will you tell Mamé what has gotten you angry? Maybe we can find a solution together?

The longer the silence lasted, the more the tears flowed out of Hervé’s eyes as his lips pursed and trembled. The poor boy couldn’t help but stammer, “Mon nom est tellement silly et stupide, Mamé!” My name is so silly and stupid! He continued to cry out, “Kylian a dit que mon nom venait de «Herbe et fromage» et c'est très stupide! Je n'aime pas mon nom, Mamé!” Kylian said that my name came from ‘Herb and cheese’ and that it’s stupid! I don’t like my name, Mamé! 

Pascale’s eyes nearly teared up at the confession that Hervé made. He hated his name because someone made him feel like it wasn’t worth appreciating. Her poor grandson was subjected to this kind of behaviour, which felt so… disheartening. 

“Oh, Hervé,” Pascale immediately reached out to soothe the boy, shushing him quietly while he sobbed. His eyes shut as tears continued to flow down, soaking Pascale’s cardigan in the process. “Your name is not stupid or silly; did you know that?”

His crying lasted for several minutes, with Pascale patiently soothing him in the process. When his sobbing quietened, Pascale took this as an opportunity to tell him about his name.

She sighed shakily, not wanting to shed a tear or two as she explained, “Da, Uncle Lorenzo and Uncle Arthur had their own Da— you have seen him before in the pictures, oui?” She felt the boy nod through her chest as she hummed and continued, “That was your Papy. Do you know what his name was? His name was Hervé.” 

“Her—“ the boy hiccuped. “Hervé? Like me?”

“Oui, mon amour,” Pascale replied with a soft smile, “Hervé like you.”

“You are sooo much like your Papy Hervé, that is why Maman and Da named you after him,” Pascale continued, “you are as funny and happy as him. When he was still alive I used to call him Herb. I loved him so much, mon chou.

“And when he was gone, your Da and your uncles filled the rest of the space in my heart that you and your brothers soon took over,” Pascale smiled, “and I think that your name is beautiful like it is with my Herb’s.” 

“It is?” 

“Oui, my love,” Pascale replied, “your name is what keeps your Papy’s memories alive for your Da and your uncles. Do not let anyone think that it is a silly name because you are an amazing boy with an amazing name. Your Maman and Da love you so much, and your Da? He loved his Papa so much that he decided to name another person he loved after him. That’s you, mon cœur.” 

Ever since then, Hervé learned how to embrace his name and would often explain to everyone where his name came from, even in the grid and paddock. 

Nobody needed to ask where his name came from— after all, he is Hervé Leclerc. He was just as joyful and enthusiastic as his grandfather. 

[stillaclownlol]

@moonbiine got me with the Aiden bug

I thought a lot about how to start this and none of them were good so, here's this;

Frowny's Thesis on Aiden Clark having Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) based on the DSM-5 criteria, living with people with BPD (hi dad!), being...me!, and general vibes.

What is BPD?

Borderline Personality Disorder is defined by a prolonged disturbance of function marked by depth and variability of mood, pattern of unstable personal relationships, unstable self-image, marked impulsivity, and other symptoms. They can manifest in very different ways (the way it appears between my dad and my grandma for example is not the same), but generally includes this.

1. Fear of Abandonment

Nobody wants to be left behind, that's a given, but for people with BPD this fear can spiral into a paranoid phobia that impacts all their personal relationships. Because BPD is influenced by environmental factors, this often stems from children being abandoned in their youth (ex. My father was the child of a teen pregnancy and his parents couldn't care for him for the first few years of his life, letting him be raised by his grandparents. I also grew up alternatively without my mom and withouty my dad, and once for a time with neither of them)

It's been shown to us before that Aiden's parents are often absent from the house, for even months at a time. He seems very used to this and it's likely he grew up very isolated or passed around between different relatives. And I do think this shows in his attachment style; he is a very clingy and sort of "decides" to hyperfixate on a certain person (Ash *coughs*) in the hopes that they'll become friends, and he does this very quickly. Already so scared of losing Ash on that roof even tho he's only known her for like 3 months at this point. He really can't bear the thought of her not being with him.

On the subject of Ash he's idolized her sooooo bad she's so screwed. Pls the Angelic lighting filter he puts on her?? SHE CANT SAVE YOU AIDEN. YOU HAVE TO DO IT YOURSELF. (But i get it its hard) Ties back into how people with BPD see the world in strict black and white, he can't see Ash's flaws and that's how he defends her so much, she's literally like a savior to him and here comes the disciple complex.

He's been forced to move so many times, he's probably made friends who just couldn't keep up the effort of maintaining a long distance friendship and ghosted him, or even him doing the opposite, pushing people away just to avoid the sting of abandonment again. They can't hurt you if you hurt them first.

2. Unstable self-image.

He bleaches his hair end of story /j

No but really, tell me Aiden doesn't put up a persona- he's gone through the phases from quiet gifted kid to an impulsive extroverted mischievous mess. Don't you just look at him and feel the self-hatred coming off in waves?? Dyeing his hair, getting contacts, the ever present grin that must be painful at this point, it's like he can't...look at himself. Like he doesn't want to look at himself.

He can't even face his own problems; he literally paints a clown face on himself after dying cuz he doesn't want to process his feelings about it lol 🫠

Like genuinely, how exactly does Aiden want to be perceived? What is the point of this facade? For himself? For other people? I think he's just trying to shut away his past and start fresh without having to confront it, but...when the root is rotten, nothing healthy can grow, so he needs to get to the source of his issues.

3. Anger regulation problems

Unpopular opinion probably but he seems so angry to me. It's definitely WAY more present in the early chapters like when he goes tf off on Tyler, he was barely controlling himself there asdfghjkl- but I think it manifests more in him attacking the phantoms, it's obviously an adrenaline thing for him but I think he's taking out a lot of anger at the same time too. Even if some of this anger is coming from a righteous place; the desire to protect his loved ones (which ties into the abandonment too, you are still abandoned even when it wasn't their choice), because peope with BPD see the world as smth very...dangerous, I guess is the word? Even if maybe that doesn't apply to themselves

(Fastpass spoilers)

He's also not above taking his anger out on humans either considering he was about to take Alex's eyes out with that paintbrush and was gonna choke the life outta them-

(Done.)

4. Consistent feelings of sadness/worthlessness.

5. Self-injury, suicidal behaviour, suicidal ideation.

Aiden do be a sadboi even with all the smiley faces on his clothes. I think this is probably smth that was way worse when he was younger that led to that depression where he was locked in his room eating junk food and disassociating, and while he's probably coping with it differently it's still smth he struggles with. I mean shiiiiiit, because of his impulsiveness he does kinda cause problems but God he feels SOOOO goddamn bad about it lahdlsj, he was so guilty about the Ash situation, he probably beat himself up so much about that-

Emotions are very extreme, it's 'similar' to bipolar disorder with manic and depressive episodes, except they happen at a much quicker scale (in the same day for ex.) which seems to me how Aiden only lets himself experience positive emotions even tho he's in a deeply stressful situation (even tho there's good parts too like his friends) because he just can't handle having to fully experience those negative emotions.

Check, check, check! Aiden has zero self preservation instincts, he throws himself off walls, gets up close and personal with phantoms that could easily kill him, actually didn't give a fuck about dying?? Actually ENJOYED IT? But didn't wanna do it again because his Favourite person was worried about him and the absolute high of that feeling completely beat out anything else?? Okay man, we get it, you're living for somebody else at this point-

People with BPD suffer from chronic feelings of emptiness and pain is the best kind of distraction for Aiden (cue: him slamming his forehead on the table because he's bored)

6. Impulsive behaviors (aka a bunch of shit which can be summed up as addictions)

Well, for starters, he's an absolute adrenaline junkie, because he feels so constantly empty Aiden wants something to make him feel alive. And adrenaline is the flawless, biological, factual answer to this. Ergo all his octane hobbies and impulsive behaviors. Ties back into his obsessiveness, which, don't get me wrong this doesn't make him a bad guy or anything, we all get a little obsessed with things sometimes, that's just things humans do- but when you have bpd, it's very...difficult to just STAY happy, like an addiction, when the high wears off, they're empty again.

Maybe a bit of a stretch, but considering all the Ramen packets in his room when he was younger I wouldn't be surprised if he had some sort of ED or binge eats (Same bestie.)

Also for sure a reckless driver I'm 99% sure he crashed all those go-karts he drived before.

---

I don't really know where I'm going with this. It's hard to live with somebody who has BPD, it's hard to live with it yourself, it's hard to see other people go through it even when it's hurting yourself. I hate pushing people away, but you get so caught up in your own thoughts, and it just...happens...and when it's done...you really regret it, but it's too late...and you just wonder if things are better like this, being alone and not hurting anybody anymore, cuz they're certainly happy on their own

I don't think anybody who has bpd is automatically a bad person, they just have things harder than normal. People with BPD....they can be amazing artists, or good with animals, or really very kind. They have very big hearts, thats why they feel so deeply. And I think Aiden is a good person, because he has so much love to give, but has never been given an outlet to express that properly, but you can see him making great strides in learning how, with the help of his friends 🧡

Might edit this later when I get my thoughts more clear it's midnight here lol

[tiramegtoons]

Okay so last night i finished watching the entirety of Okage Shadow King and-

.... I dont even know where to start. this is unlike any game ive watched or played before. It felt so weird yet so enticing and half of the time i couldn't tell if my brain was rotting or there was just some real deep lore or hidden meaning in here Maybe both??? and it left a strange, creepy, yet longing and nostalgic feeling in the back of my head too.

Let me explain.

spoilers ahead!!!

okay so First of all, the visual style of the game looks awesome I loved the characters and the dynamics going on between the NPC's and especially the main characters. I loved enjoying the witty banter and arguing between Stan and Rosalyn the most. But also, why is Stan insulting and body shaming her so much SHE AINT EVEN FAT??? i LOOK AT HER MODEL AND IM LIKE BRUH

for some odd reason i still found it funny though. Some of the humor might've even been exaggerated to a degree as well(not sure if that was intentional). Even if the writing and dialogue was a bit lost in translation, maybe perhaps, it was still pretty good as a whole and it caught me by surprise.

As for the world and NPC's... something definitely felt off at the beginning and i guess thats what gave me the initial unsettling feeling. Everyone just seemed so bent on doing their own part like dude i couldn't even explain to you Our main protagonist, Ari, is just a wet pathetic little boy who lets everyone step on him/lh Damn, even his own family doesn't seem to care much for him as an individual person and doesn't consider that he has his own ambitions and it rubbed me in a weird way. and yet for some reason i was still hooked. and then came STANLEY HIHAT TRINIDAD THE FOURTEENTH(the 3d challenged flappy shadow)to sweep our poor little boy off his feet and make him his "slave"(adoptive son/j) so he can conquer the world bfhdgsdvhgdfbgdhjg which btw how could anyone take any "evil king" that seriously with a name like that? I LOVE IT. i really enjoyed him getting his ghostly ass handed to him by the NPC's it was hilarious. He was-without a shadow of a doubt(hehehehehe)- the best character. Also it's so funny how he claims to be an evil king but intentionally and unintentionally does good things? I love that trope with villians. Anywho getting off track a little, Another thing that struck out to me was the soundtrack. It's pretty unique, but at times can get pretty repetitive. The ones i enjoy a lot are -Forest of willkur(just really encompasses the feel of the entire game) -Evil King Battle and my favorite- -Addashi Desert(got me in a shimmy FR)

YEAAAAAAAAAA

anywho going back to repetitive things... Eeeeeee... the fighting mechanics are sure something(GOD WHY ARENT THE COMMANDS BEING CARRIED OUT ON TIME WH- IS THE GAME POSSESSED??? DID STAN POSSESS THE GAME???) Also why are there ghosts in broad daylight?? WHY ARE THERE SO MANY GHOSTSSSS) i get it, you do need to grind for items and XP in this game but it looks pretty tedious, especially deep grave pit... oh lordy dude there are literally eight floors in the cave its not a cave its the 7 circles of hell(plus front desk)/j I don't wanna dunk on this game but the fighting could use improvements. Back to the story... i like the melancholy turn it takes when princess Marlene was revealed to be a doll which made total sense when Stan found she had no soul, the reveal of Beiloune's true identity, and when Ari becomes totally ignored and forgotten by just about everyone and from that point going forward the game took a more serious turn... also why does Triste(which means sad in spanish and i see what they did there-)

... why does that remind me of the wasteland from Epic Mickey where other people who've been forgotten reside there... also the dark, odd vibe of both games kinda match too. Another thing, I'm not sure if anyone else had the same thoughts but did anyone else expect a twist where Ari would become the evil king??? i mean, if this was a supposed journey of our main character who is always reminded about how much of a pushover he is would've lead me to think that the buildup would lead to something like Beiloune making him all powerful and force him to fight against his friends. But the last chapter also surprised me with its own twist and im digging that too. but yeah just about everything was coming back together about why the world was and felt as it is. its always the butler isnt it? Also Stan's final form:

I CANT-

im sorry i can't take this seriously when he's just letting them hang out like that(his moobs)

... anywho that happened. As for any hidden meanings and morals I'll have to talk about that later cause my smooth brain still cannot grasp. And its just

SO MUCH

[the-s1lly-corner]

Which of the creeps (that you write romantically for) be okay/like a bada$$ s/o? Like every1 is intimidated and every1 thinks that if you try to fight them you’re stupid? Have a great day!!

Creeps with a badass reader!

i actually really like this idea!! also im so so sorry it took me so long to get to this </3!! ive kinda been focusing on art these past few days, and when i havent been drawing ive kinda been. laying in my own. feelings. sleepy.... yk how it is!!

with that said! yeah! i wont be doing all the bare bones list of characters i usually do with non specified characters! to keep true with the prompt im going to stick with characters i feel would like this kind of S/O and/or compliment the readers fierce nature... also going to aim for a more comedic style

LIST OF CHARACTERS: Laughing Jack, Eyeless Jack, Hoodie, Splendorman

CW; mentions of violence

Splendorman;

No because just think about it; a soft easy going cryptid with a strong and ready to fight partner

"he asked for no pickles" dynamic basically imo LMAO

he would rather you tone it down, or at least dont fight for him... he doesnt want you to get hurt, or in trouble..! mostly trouble, he knows you can handle yourself

he wont ever say it but hes internally swooning anytime you fight for him, though. like. "oh? they would do this for me just because someone said something vaguely mean about me?"... hes red in the face

tries to introduce you to new people to make potential friends since he kinda thinks part of your bloodlust(/j) is from loneliness, which in turn makes people see you as.. mean... so its a loop. he doesnt mean it in a bad way! he just cares about your well being!

overall he secretly thinks its hot but hed rather you stay out of trouble and hed try to find ways to make you less fierce...

Laughing Jack;

like splendorman he thinks its hot but he WILL vocalize it

also he thinks its really funny whenever people try to antagonize you

pulls a bag of popcorn out of thin air and watches the show/hj

he will literally cheer for you from the sidelines and becomes the fights personal announcer

absolutely treats you when you win; showered in praise and love and gifts

hes flustered; depending on what color you think he blushes (personally i think he blushes a purpleish-grey), his entire face is that color when he watches it happen

again, hes really into it

smh ive been on a lj trip these past few days and i hardly got anything for him here god mfing damn!!!!

Hoodie;

ngl he probably throws himself into the fight and yall both kick the shit out of the person

basically think something like this scene (ive never seen jjba my friend showed me this) where he just joins you after watching for a few seconds (we can say the third person is masky/j)

anyways it wont let me move the gif up so pretend the gif is under the above bullet point instead of at the end of this segment

really yall are kinda the same but hoodie is more likely to sit back and access the situation before jumping in and fighting someone unless like. its an immediate life or death thing

now how does he feel about you being a proclaimed badass?

he respects it, and he knows that you can defend yourself when hes not around so it also puts him at ease

maybe you two will spar every now and then to get better at defense and offense stuff (he will not go easy on you btw, bro will give it his all)

Eyeless Jack;

he doesnt really like the fighting since hes also likely the one who has to patch you up afterwards. like even if you win the fight youre still going to be hurt in some way, this applies to all the other characters too. ej is just the only one who has the knowledge when it comes to tending wounds...

with ej, in my au, he doesnt really. like conflict, especially since his own body is changing into something that isnt human; he already has enough on his plate already, doesnt need to go bury an extra body because he let his temper get the better of him

and every now and then, that mindset of avoiding conflict bleeds to how he views you and your attitude

hes happy that you can defend yourself, like hoodie he admires it; but at the same time he gets so scared that youre going to pick a fight with the wrong person or get hit in the wrong spot, and..

he does not pity those who are dumb enough to rile you up, though..

overall he worries for you and already has enough on his plate with himself ... but dont think that he sees tending to you as a burden! hell do it regardless of what caused your injury

possible idea for an angst post? ooo? maybe, if you guys want it

[acebytaemin]

ooooo personally I would love to know which songs you think are skz's best songs 👀 (if you want to share of course 💕)

HI raf first of all MWAH💖 you’re always thee sweetest tysm for asking & sorry it’s taken me a little bit of time but im here and READY. now this could take me as much time as i allow myself to type as i am quite the enjoyer of skz music (idk if you’ve noticed 🙈) so i decided to go for a reasonable number of 10 random faves (with commentary because well. it’s me) in signature ana proust style novel form with no real order bc that would be agony and they have TOO many damn songs. under the cut because well. you’ll see why.

any (balkan KINGS that song is on my blog at least 20 times i wish i was joking. GOES STEWPIDDDD. the rest of the songs aren’t really in order but any and ttath share number one FIRMLY)

ttath (experimental skzies is skzies at their best and i will always stand by that. when lino jokingly called this his fav skzies song i was both delighted and ready to fight (making mockery out of MY girl.. preposterous))

cover me (had NO idea hyunjin (producer) had ALL THAT in him. it’s ostensibly hard to make me love a ballad but this one’s in my top 5 skz songs it goes absolutely STUPID. the bridge/last chorus seungmin -> chan -> lino run is earth shattering)

FNF (imagine me leaving the ‘im crying in the club’ comment that had kibum going ‘you’re in the club?’ bangchan give me another club banger im holding you at gunpoint.)

on that note. GOING DUMBBBBBB i need your successor right now. i want you i love you. you’re my girl forever. gunpoint point stands.

DLMLU (SO many people weren’t that impressed and that makes me lose my mind. this is my favorite genre of song. makes me feel something incrementally similar to the emotions become undone by shinee invokes which speaks for itself more than any words i could ever say)

i hate to admit (IF IT HAS ONE MILLION FANS I AM ONE OF THEM IF IT HAS ONE HUNDRED FANS I AM ONE OF THEM IF ITS ONE FAN ITS ME IF THERE’S NO ONE I AM DEAD‼️ im telling you i NEED a mashup of chan’s current solos x this to produce the silk shirt rnb desperate begging hey lover by boyz II men & ll cool j chan track of my dreams. or at LEAST give me rehab by rihanna. SOMETHING anything.)

every 3racha song but let’s talk about ZONE right now (monumental. abysmal. han opens it all politely cutely then changes the flow to more dark then gets rude with it (switching up his flow is his specialty to me he’s so good at it and this song is a perfect showcase of that) and the chorus is good fun and all but when SEO CHANGBIN goes IN. that dude is out of his mind that’s all im saying lest we stay here all night)

phobia (IM STUCK WITH A PHOBIA !!! same genre as dlmlu in my sick and twisted mind bc they’re both absolutely desperate with it. different styles but same raw emotion. Obsessed. headbanging as we speak.)

STOP/road not taken (MMMOOOOREEEEEE of this. i do have a bit of a bone to pick w most of their earlier stuff in view of production but when they got it they GOTTTT ITTTTT)

and this is track 11 actually but who’s counting. can i talk about hanji for a second? let me talk about hanji for a second. VOLCANO i had no idea about that song until like a month ago LMAO and it’s been on my mind all the time. the lyrics bring me to my knees and i absolutely love his flow i think he’s my fav skz rapper actually. he has such a special way of expressing emotion and i know he loves to play w autotune but i just can’t help but wish there were less effects on his voice just to Feel it more but we’ll get there someday. absolutely gorgeous is my point.

[leo-interactive-fiction]

I wanted to ask, do the RO's cut/maintain their own hair, or do they have it done by someone else?

Haha let's see...

E tries to make sure to groom their hair every morning. They can have embarrassing bed head because they are a restless sleeper that moves around a lot, so they always spend time making sure they're presentable. They get their hair cut every few weeks or so, and they're not too concerned about maintaining an exact length. "As long as it doesn't get in the way too much, I'm fine with it? W-Well, if you have any particular preferences...J-Just for reference!"

R used to go to a personal stylist every few days or so to keep their appearance fresh, although since becoming excommunicated from the family they haven't had access to such funds. Nevertheless, they still take very diligent care of their appearance, and the results speak for themselves. "Hey now, not everyone is born good-looking. It takes a great amount of dedication to maintain attractive qualities. It just so happens I'm hard working and blessed. Lucky you."

L always had their hair cut and maintained by their butler, Walter. Since the journey to Triaina, they have been following a detailed instructional pamphlet created by Walter on the specifics of their grooming needs, such as the exact length to cut and what products are used. They can't follow some of the instructions to the butlers' exact specificity, but they do their best. "Um, I apologize for any inconvenience, but would you happen to know if the water here is locally sourced from a freshwater spring? O-Oh, 'tap water', you say...? N-No, that shouldn't be an issue! Thank you!"

V handles all of their own grooming with the humble contents of their travel bag, which includes a knife, razor, scissors, pocket mirror, and a bar of soap. There are always traces of split ends, rogue hairs, or ragged lopsidedness, but it is never completely disheveled. It is enough to show you that divine intervention must have taken place somewhere along the way to keep their hair from looking like a matted rug left on the side of the road. "...Oh, I missed a spot. Hmm......Commander, don't stare. Get my knife. I'll fix it."

P doesn't put very much effort into their overall appearance, but they make an exception for their hair. At the very least, they spend some time in the morning to make sure it doesn't cause problems for them or get in the way, and in very special circumstances, they can spend an overabundance of time trying to style it to look better. Unfortunately, their hair naturally fights back against any drastic changes to its normal rugged look, so it requires a lot of effort to style. "Stupid piece of-- Hey M, can you get off your ass and get me a damn hairclip or something? I know you have some...Eh? What do you mean I'm taking too long?! No, it's not for a date with-- Just get me something for this!"

M's hair is a constant tangle of persevering bedhead. It has become the natural rest state of their hair, to the point where you don't think even a thorough combing session could make a difference. They don't even remember the last time they went to a barber to get it cut. Or perhaps they were just asleep when it happened. Nevertheless, it carries a very loose and natural feel to it that M enjoys. "Just so...you know...it can get even...messier...when I'm in bed...If you don't...believe...you're welcome to...'fact check' me..."

Raven's grooming habits can best be described between the ranges of 'potentially hazardous' and 'negligent character assassination'. During their time living in the backwash alleys, they've come to terms with all manner of trash and grime in their hair, and their method of cutting involves a quick chop with a knife when it gets a little too long for their liking, leaving it an uneven and jagged mess. You can't tell how often they actually wash their hair, but since coming to the academy and having access to a running water source, you haven't found anything too worrisome tangled in messy tangled in, although the sleek oily sheen has never faded. "If you tell me I'm not good enough to draw your gaze as I am...I don't mind changing everything about myself. My hair, my manners, my very identity... As long as you can look at me, with those same eyes...I'll do anything...!"

S has surprisingly tidy hair. Despite often having the rest of themselves covered in grime from their work, their hair stays relatively spotless. They say those from the Dens pick up habits to maintain a clean appearance while living through the harsh and sandy desert environment of Orden, but you can't say how much of that is very factual when it's relayed through S's unkempt grin. "Why ya sweatin' the small stuff? It ain't like I never shower or somethin'. You seen how huge those showers in the gym are? Ya can practically take a lap in there! How can ya not take advantage of that?! Speakin' of which, do ya think they'd let me have one for the dorms...? Dont worry, i'd share!"

F's hair has not been cut in a very long time, and they take great lengths to personally maintain and preserve it. No one but a select few are allowed to even touch her hair for normal maintenence, and not even Fiore is allowed to brush or style it. Their hair and their clothing are of the few personal features among them that they claim full ownership of, without any assistance or pretext, and so they safeguard those features very closely. "...You are wondering who did my hair? And what, pray tell, would you do with such information? Have them style your own? Well...perhaps if the discussion of extending your servitude is put underway...I may find the time in that period to indulge you..."

Thank ya for the ask!

[isadrora]

The Fledgling writes Good Omens for school!

Alexander Perry

Year 6

Assignment: English Close reading

Description: Choose a piece of writing to describe and have opinion about (fiction)

Author: Irisblefic

Source: Archive of Our Own (https://archiveofourown.org/works/1055257)

Year published: 2006-09-30

Intro:

I choose this piece of writing becuase of two reasons. For the first, I have watched the tv show “Good Omens” and enjoy it a lot. I then learned that is based on a book that is also called Good Omens (authors Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett). With help of my mum I have also read the book. I like the book very much. I think that it is very different from the show but they both have lots to give offer. One of things both have in common is the stories that the fans (like me and my mum) write themselves. This is called Fan fiction. It is very legal to do this and is actually encouraged by the creator and actors. I want to write about a very good story that is written by a writer that has written many stories based on this world and charcters I enjoy.

Content:

In terms of just happening things in the story, there are these two characters that figure out that they love each other very much over week period. This I will say is one of those things where its not enough o just say “this happens” because the writer makes it clear that there is lots going on the surface with emotions. I will like to point out that I choose this story because there is lots of deeper stuff in feelings and what the characters dont say: this is a very interesting part of the story and makes it very unique.

Characters:

Crowley: (a demon his name he chose for himself is Anthony J Crowley):

He is a man shaped Being. He is a fallen angel: that is he used to be an angel in Heaven until some angels that were in Heaven had the fight with the ones in charge because they were rebelios (The First War in Heavan). We dont know why he was thrown out of Heavan exactly. This story only gives us idea but I am taking ideas from the TV show and the book and using it to make my ideas some more deep. Crowley as he is now has a slim shape, he is tall, and it is known his face sharp and pretty (rather than typical handsome as is common to use to describe male characters in books). Unique to him is that he has plants and is “highly strung” which has to do with that he is actually not as relaxed and cool as he pretends to be. He shouts at his plants and is obsessed with cleaning and being organized. This shows clearly in the story also that he has become “human like” and part of why he actually lets himself accept being in love and more truthful about being with Aziraphale. The show also lets us have a good idea of him because he is as a demon might be, sarcastick and thin and dark. It is funny to watch the show be cause the TV Crowley has different voice I think than the book and both are very good. This story I’m talking about now is very close to book character I think but I can also imagine the TV Crowley if I like which is I think a positive aspect. I will say more about this later.

Aziraphale:

He is an angel although quite a strange one, different from the other ones we meet in the show version and its clear in all the versions (and also from the fanfiction story) that he has been opn earth (and with Crowley) so long that its changed him. My mother told me the term “he’s gone native” to describe him which she says is common to say that people take up habits and thinking of the place they settle. This to me is exact right for these two main characters. He is kind and well spoken. He has good manners and old fashioned style. Although the story Im talking about doesn’t do lots of physical descriptions one can get clear ideas just by “reading for context”. Just by using dialoge especially the expression “Oh dear” “Good heavens” and others a reader can get an idea of him, softer looking than Crowley which actually makes good sense because they are clear meant to be opposites (but in a positive way in the end). In this story its clear he’s accepted his love for Crowley and is shown actually to be the one to have made effort to take things further. This actually is different from how he is in the show where he is scared and in Denial quite a lot. But whats also interesting is the story lets it be seen that he is not just “soft” he is somewhat of “bastard” this also from the book and show. Its important as my mum says that this is clear as part of his personality or Crowley would never have been able to see him different from other angels. I get the idea from “In 7 Days” that he is actually manipulating (not in bad way) that him and Crowley grow closer. I will talk also more of this upcoming.

Discussion:

First of all the way this story is presented is effective. I especially like the way it is broken into weekdays. The title is important : in Bible terms the earth was created in 7 days and this reflects the time it takes for the two main characters to realize their love properly. Creation is good idea for theme here because Crowley grows plants (creates life) and Aziraphale loves books (ideas created). It is also so good that every day division has a little heading underneath. Some made me laugh, like the Monday one that starts the story (“Survival of the fittest. ONLY the fittest.”). This has literally to do with Crowleys plants but also you can maybe think that is about Crowley and Aziraphale love too. It has survived so long and so much that even though “Evolution” is a bit of joke in book and show , something about it is actually true.

Moving on, the point of view (POV) is mostly from Crowley side. I personally like the fanfiction stories that are from his side. This is just preference because he is my favourite character. I would like to say also that it would be so good to get the POV of this story from Aziraphale also: I would like one day to try write something like that if ever I get good at it. But it works very well from Crowley POV for this story because as I said before he is interesting in that its Clear he loves Aziraphale for a long time. But the story makes very clear he has lots of what is called “defense mechanisms” to prevent him being hurt or looking too close at the feelings. So we see his shouting at plants, at his still thinking in terms like “ruining” Aziraphales day because they were Enemies, like him throwing away the card from Aziraphale at first and so on. This is him keeping old habits because he can’t think of how to be otherwise. I will say that my mum calls this story “a Crowley character study” and I like that idea a lot. Its not always important that lots of things Happen in a story for it to be very exciting and good and this story taught me that.

For another thing we can maybe think about “turning point” which most stories must have and I think that irisbleufic has this happen on the Wednesday (which seems good place as feels like middle of a week). It seems like a turning point comes when Crowley has Aziraphale sleeping on his couch after they spent night drinking wine and chatting. I think that its clear they dont do anything romantic at this point but that Aziraphale is there at all still is what Crowley reacts to (even if not openly). For me I think this part makes clear that Aziraphale is now the one making effort to get them to be together properly: because Aziraphale doesn’t really sleep if he doesn’t want to (its clear that demon and angel dont need sleep for real) and so why would he at end of the Wednesday part be sure to be snoring so Crowley wont make him leave. I think this is where Crowley gives into his feelings even with out him really knowing he does.

Another important part that I like evry much is the Thursday section. Crowley rushes over to Aziraphale bookshop what he thinks is emergency. They have dialogue that is this:

“See, that's the problem with things like dust, and plants," Crowley added philosophically, helping himself to some more tea. "If they're inanimate, then I'm your aunt. You've got to let them know who's boss."

Aziraphale smiled faintly, setting down his cup.

"Why do you think I asked you here?"

This is a very good dialoge. It has different meaning to both of them. Aziraphale reply to Crowley almost seem like he is a bit smug because he knows Crowley will do anything for him but Crowley still thinks he has upper hand. “philosophy” is aword that the writer uses lots to connect to Crowley. My mum says this shows how Crowley likes to think of himself that he has control and a plan for his whole long life. But then there is Aziraphale now deciding that they should change that plan. This type of writing is very clever. Nothing big happens really but the small things happen in an important way.

Its also good how the Friday part is just used to show an easy normal scene that is between them as if they are already married or properly together. That is its as if they already are just nobody said it yet. “Laundry” is the heading for this one and that shows how normal everything seems already. Its also very funny to me because their version of laundry is snapping fingers and cleaning things (this also from the show which is very flirting part). When Crowley just says he will “start sleeping over” just casually, it is almost a shock because it isn’t a shock. That is how the story has led you to think of it all as logical even though there been no Romantic confession or big fights or anything.

The Saturday part is what is called as climax of the story because in a way its where Crowley has the full realization. It is never really put like that but irisbleufic makes it clear from his behaviour. Its not like in movies where the person will say “I love her/ him” and then run to them or whatever. What happens is that all the things that Crowley did before to make sure he was ok are not enough anymore. His Defense mechanism is not good because Aziraphale quietly been breaking it down. I will say that there is a piece about a Movie that Crowley watches that I didn’t understand about Gone with theWind. I asked my mum to explain what this meant and I think it has to do with that that movie is a very serious movie that everyone loves but is actually a bit horrible and so thats why Crowley calling it comedy is funny. I like that shows his sarcastick nature.

Moving last to the last day and this when they get together properly. I think its very good that the writer does not show the actual event. I think that it is important that the characters show their love physical because of their being changed by earth and they have become more earthly. It makes good sense and is very romantic. For my opinion though we cannot really imagine how the Sexual part will look for angel and demon and so its much better to be shown how they feel afterwards. This story is very good at that in fact actually is wonderfull. The characters are not changed by what happens between them, they are just more open. Crowley is still kind of bratty and Aziraphale is still fussy. But they are finally together and that is the point of the story in the end. Its interesting that Crowley actually says the fact that Aziraphale had a “seduction” plan for him., I want to ask, is it maybe that he knew about Aziraphale wanting it all wlong? Or is is just that he wants to try still be cool after he admits it to himself? It may be doesn’t matter because the last part is so good that I dont want the story to end even. The last line is I understand Inuuendo and that is also important because it shows Crowley being open to finally being loving and Affectionate.

Conclusion: A lot of people dont think that writing about FanFiction stories is real work and I think that is ridiculous i hope that this story will prove that wrong. A lot of people also think that the sexual parts of some stories are not good for us in Year 6 to write about but there are books we read with some of that in it already and worse than for example this story or others Ive read. It is a proper part of the story and needed for it to be good. To end I will say that this story is one of best things Ive ever read and theres lots more stuff about this “world” Good omens to read and that is positive

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Andrew Doyle

Published: Nov 18, 2024

It was quite the flounce. “This is something we have been considering for a while,” The Guardian intoned with the gravity of an Old Testament prophet as it declared in an editorial that the organisation would no longer be posting on X. “The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse”.

Other users have followed suit, with an exodus of accounts from X to Bluesky, a social media platform that resembles in style the pre-Musk Twitter. Taylor Swift fans are flocking in their thousands and former CNN anchor Don Lemon posted a lengthy statement outlining his own reasons for relocating. The official account of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and Museum posted a similar statement, which has led to candlelit vigils and a mass outpouring of public grief.

After the Guardian’s announcement, many users were quick to point out that misinformation, far from being the publication’s chief concern, appears to be its speciality. Since Musk has introduced “community notes” to X, journalists who post falsehoods or misleading articles have quickly been corrected. Inevitably, the Guardian has been slapped with community notes on numerous occasions, which might help explain its decision to withdraw. On its website, the Guardian proudly boasts that it “delivers fearless, investigative journalism — giving a voice to the powerless and holding power to account”. But whether its executives admit it or not, the publication has developed a reputation for extreme ideological bias.

The frequent “community-noting” on X suggests that this reputation is not unfounded. For instance, when the Guardian posted a piece entitled “England riots: how has ‘two-tier policing’ myth become widespread?”, notes were quickly added to provide links to the various articles in which the Guardian has asserted that “two-tier policing” based on race and sexuality is rife. When it published an article entitled “How many more children like Sara Sharif will be killed before smacking is banned?”, the community notes quickly explained that the victim had not merely been smacked, but had suffered extreme beatings and multiple forms of torture. All such hideous acts are, of course, already illegal.

The political theorist Patrick J. Deneen has argued that ideology always fails because once its inherent “falsehoods become more evident, the gap grows between what the ideology claims and the lived experience of human beings under its domain”. Those currently scurrying away from X are effectively retreating from the battlefield of ideas envisaged by John Milton in his Areopagitica (1644) in which Truth and Falsehood are seen as antagonists. “Let her and Falsehood grapple,” he wrote, “who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter?”

I was the subject of the Guardian’s misinformation tactics only the other week. Reporting on a short course on the “woke” movement that I will soon be teaching at the New College of Florida, the Guardian described me as a “controversial British media personality and culture warrior”. It is of course entirely predictable that culture warriors would brand their critics as “culture warriors”, but quite how my consistent defence of liberal values is “controversial” is anyone’s guess.

The article’s author, Jason Wilson, went on to claim that I am guilty of “courting rightwing opinion” because I have been interviewed by Jordan Peterson and Tucker Carlson. I have also appeared on shows hosted by Left-wing commentators such as Hugo Rifkind and George Galloway, but thus far I have not been accused of “courting leftwing opinion”. Perhaps Wilson is simply unfamiliar with the concept of engaging in dialogue with people of opposing views?

Wilson further claimed that the course at the New College of Florida had been “reinstated”, which is odd given that it had never been cancelled in the first place. But the most egregious factual inaccuracy came when Wilson, in pointing out that I have written for Spiked, described the magazine as “hard-right”. Spiked began its existence as Living Marxism, and has consistently supported free speech, the values of democracy and liberal immigration policies, while vehemently opposing all forms of racism and white nationalism. Mislabelling Spiked as “hard-right” is either outright dishonesty or staggering ignorance. It’s what happens when journalistic standards are subordinated to propaganda.

The crowning moment of Wilson’s inadvertent self-satire was when he admitted, in light of my forthcoming course on the “woke movement”, that he had been actively searching for non-profit organisations which might qualify as members. He writes — and I am not making this up — “The Guardian’s search of IRS non-profit records indicate that while there are some 20 nonprofits with the word ‘woke’ in their names, none have reported any income in their most recent filings, and most appear to be inactive.” Wilson genuinely seems to believe that one can only subscribe to an ideology if it is registered with the government and has applied for tax exemptions. This is a species of literal-mindedness so colossal that it must surely be eligible for some kind of award.

On reflection, I got off lightly. A far more egregious example of the Guardian’s mendacity was the controversy over the Wi Spa in Los Angeles in 2021. A video of a woman who calls herself “CubanaAngel” on Instagram was posted online, in which she could be seen complaining to the staff about a naked man in the women’s jacuzzi area. The man in question, Darren Agee Merager, was a registered sex offender with previous convictions for indecent exposure, and it was alleged that the complainant at the Wi Spa had seen him semi-erect. “So it’s okay for a man to go into the women’s section and show his penis around the other women, young little girls — underage — in your spa?” she had said to staff, who defended his right to be there on the grounds of self-identification.

Josephine Bartosch outlined the sequence of events in an article for The Critic. After the video went viral, protests outside the spa were organised by women’s rights campaigners. These were quickly smeared as “far right” and mobbed by so-called “anti-fascist” protesters. The Guardian, having spent years promoting the notion that womanhood is an identity category rather than a biological reality, and having faced allegations of driving female journalists from its staff for their gender-critical views, then produced two articles in quick succession that implied CubanaAngel’s complaints were a hoax. The writers claimed that the incident “provided clear evidence of the links between anti-trans and far-right movements”, while Guardian columnist Owen Jones called the entire incident a “campaign of lies”.

Even when it emerged that Merager had been charged for indecent exposure at the Wi Spa, the Guardian continued to conflate the female protesters with the far-Right agitators who had turned up to exploit the situation. As Bartosch puts it, “For all the Guardian’s handwringing about #metoo, when it comes to believing the women who complained about Merager’s crime, rather than ‘giving a voice to the powerless’ they pretended his victims didn’t exist. Women like CubanaAngel are ideological inconveniences.”

The combination of Musk’s successful Twitter bid and a forthcoming second term for Donald Tru.mp has curdled many once sensible minds. Those who were comfortable with the echo chamber that Twitter had formerly established, where users were routinely banned for pointing out that no human being has ever changed sex, are now looking for an alternative. It is the psychological equivalent of the “safe space” mentality, one which led Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy to establish a “Self-Care Suite” after Tru.mp’s victory. Here students could isolate themselves and process their trauma by playing with Lego, drawing with crayons, and bingeing on milk and cookies.

And now we have the digital milk and cookies of Bluesky, where users can be shielded from the disorientation that occurs where plurality of opinion is permitted. Such online echo chambers are of course largely to blame for the escalation of political tribalism that we have seen in recent years, and also for the sense of shock that many experience when elections don’t go their way. While it is true that Musk has reinstated accounts on X that post some genuinely objectionable material, this is the price one pays for an open marketplace of ideas.

This desire to avoid any challenges to one’s ideological certainties is becoming more widespread, and there is a sense in which we are entering a new phase in the culture war. I am not celebrating the departure of activists to Bluesky, because I would rather hear their views and see them participate in these important debates. By insulating themselves from criticism, and seeking platforms where their misrepresentations will not be flagged, the Guardian and its ilk are doing themselves no favours. If they are serious about their goals, they should reconsider their resolution to speak only to those who will unquestioningly cheer them on. Those who withdraw from the debate stand no chance of winning it.

--

[katsu-curry835]

I cannot stress this enough tiktok has a policy whereby it CENSORS CONVENTIONALLY UNATTRACTIVE PPL. They will demote your video if you have wrinkles, an obvious beer belly, are too fat or too thin or have dwarfism. Among other horrid policies of course. The below is a leaked document from the moderators detailing what should be demoted by the algorithm.

I’m aware that most social media apps harvest your data, are prone to pipelines and shadowbanning and don’t pay their creators enough but TikTok is genuinely the w o r s t in every category. You genuinely lose nothing by not using it. Below is another image of a glitch that showed activist hashtags such relating to BLM with 0 views (they got shadowbanned)

Another huge problem that exists on the app is the radicalisation pipelines are so strong because the three minute vid and 150 character comment format completely flattens nuance. All it takes is for someone to sound confident and talk fast enough with a vaguely coherent argument before you start thinking that overpopulation is a myth and engaging in needless drama (see: Drew Afualo and Bela Delgato, Danisha Carter and her critics etc.) This is poisoning how we interact with politics. YouTube is nowhere near perfect but it at the very least rewards longer form content this stuff like video essays is promoted on there. Tumblr has no character limit so you can read the entirety of this shitty essay without me needing to cut things for brevity. Typing a TikTok comment has driven me insane before because 150 characters is not even close to enough to have an informed discussion. Who is correct has now become who can slam dunk on someone else the best.

I do genuinely think that Drew Afualo is a net positive for the world and I’m glad she’s using the TikTok algorithm to spread good messages. But let’s be honest here, her videos aren’t well researched takes on misogyny. And I don’t think they’re trying to be either. Drew shouldn’t be expected to sit down and research a TikTok while she’s shitting on some asshole; that’s not her style. I think the problem is beyond her control. People are taking her quips and one-liners to formulate their opinions on the world around them. This is ok in this example given that Drew a positive influence. But this can and has been weaponised so easily to spread harmful rhetoric left and right and when you’re on political TikTok it’s impossible to tell which is which. Misinformation is also shockingly common and incentivised by the format.

Finally, your attention span is dying. Let’s look at YouTube. YouTube’s policies make it so that longer content is rewarded and, and this is a crucial point, you choose what you want to watch. On TikTok, because you are given content with the assumption you’ll enjoy it, you have to decide while watching if you want to scroll or not. Eventually your window of tolerance of videos before they get good shrinks and you’ll end up judging the quality of the content based on the first seven seconds. Comparatively, YouTube has you choose videos assuming you’ll like them and therefore you’ll spend more time with the art before you decide whether or not it’s for you. When your attention shrinks to seven seconds on TikTok, this bleeds into other aspects of your life and is incredibly unhealthy (speaking from experience). I had to watch two hour long video essays to compensate for how TikTok was just wrecking my focus.

Most people know TikTok sucks and use it anyway but then encourage others not to get it. Why don’t we delete it? Here’s an idea, if you have TikTok, get rid of it now. Destroy its ubiquity and only use Tumblr and YouTube /j No but seriously delete the app I’m so happy I did. My life has improved infinitely since.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (06/23/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler (8/10)

This was my first ever Octavia E. Butler book, and it didn't disappoint! The way this story used Anyanwu and Doro's relationship to comment on power dynamics and issues in the world at large blew my mind; I found the discussion of eugenics particularly interesting. They were both such intensely flawed yet compelling characters. This book skirts the line between fantasy and sci-fi (something I'm looking into for my thesis as a peripheral issue), and it definitely made me wonder about the world. I wasn't aware going in that this was a prequel situation, but even then I do think I was a bit dissatisfied with how things left off. That's just my personal taste though.

Haikyuu!! Vol. 41 and 42 by Haruichi Furudate (10/10)

It usually takes me around half an hour or so to get through a volume of manga, but these took me a couple of hours. Why? Because I had to keep putting it down because I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. As someone who has read a plethora of books ever since I was young, it takes a lot to get me to cry, especially that hard. I was sobbing. Furudate has created such wonderful characters and then puts them through so many struggles that I can't even be mad about because it's highly realistic that someone pursuing a sport would run into this! Seeing Hinata break down followed instantly by the third years graduating and the Brazil arc had me miserable in the best way possible. I usually never rate manga or graphic novels five stars because they're usually super fast-paced and so much relies on writing style for me when I read novels, but this just broke me.

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (46%)

This is a very cute book so far. I could probably tell you exactly what's going to happen from this point onward, but it's a genre convention for romcoms to be predictable. Liz is a fun protagonist; she's quirky in a way that has a reason and isn't annoying. There's good chemistry between the leads with some great banter, and you really can't ask for more than that. However, I will say the constant song references are starting to irk me, especially with the lyrics included in the writing --I don't know, it just reminds me too strongly of my early fanfiction years.

Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland (45%)

If there's one thing about me, I love a mind-reading protagonist. Moonwatcher is probably my favorite perspective of the Wings of Fire series, even if I wish she'd speak up sometimes. Sutherland did a great job making her similar to Starflight, since they're the same tribe, without being a carbon copy, and while mind reading might seem a little too omniscient, her inexperience and general social ineptitude keep it from becoming overpowered. I'm thrilled to see the return of Peril, whose story is left open from the previous arc, and I'm excited to learn more about the other new characters (Winter, Qibli, and I believe Turtle) who have their own interesting introductions.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (43%)

Despite my fantasy obsession, this is my first time reading The Lord of the Rings (though I have read The Hobbit). While it is definitely much slower-paced than the average modern fantasy, I'm enjoying myself so much. If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know I'm a worldbuilding nut, so this is like my dream book. There are so many tangents to tell stories about the history of Middle Earth and all the goings-on of the world, and I keep noticing little details and wishing they'd talk about those too. Tolkien is also a rather funny writer; Bilbo's passive aggression in particular made me giggle. While this a bit of a dense story, it's definitely living up to its reputation so far.

Boys With Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell (42%)

This is a project for my part-time job, so I'm not sure how much I can actually divulge, but let me just say this: this book is compared to The Raven Boys in its summary, and it's living up to that.

Her Wolves by G. Bailey (7%)

I won't lie, the writing of this book so far does not give me hope. However, it could still be a fun read even if the grammar and syntax aren't the best. Also, funny thing, this book is set in the future on Earth. I did not know this. I thought it was a high fantasy. So imagine my surprise to see a landmass labeled "America Court" on the map. My misunderstanding was cleared up soon, but it still made me laugh.

[lifmera]

Hihi (took me 2-3 minutes to figure out how to start this lmao) anyways i would like to request a match-make for a hazbin character pretty please with a cherry on top🙏🙏

Trans masc (any pronouns but prefer he/it)

Pansexual, lithromantic, and cupioromantic

5’5, long-ish blonde faded to black hair, sky blue eyes with glasses, and i either dress wannabe goth, or adam sandler. No inbetween haha.

Southern (and texan).

Favorite colors are hot pink and blood red.

I like Hazbin/Helluva, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, Rick & Morty, and American Dad

I love drawin and readin 🫶

Favorite music artists are Elvis Presley, Melanie Martinez, Calypso, and ICP currently

Favorite songs from them are, Only You, Moon Cycle or Dollhouse, Creature or Carnival of Carnage, And Great Milenko or In My Room

Favorite games are Fnaf, Dying Light, Skyrim, and Farcry

I have 9 pets. 5 cats, 3 dogs, and a snake

Thats about it I believe, take your time and consider (i’m awesome/j)🙏

IVE FINALLY GOT TO YOU.

Eughahwhe love the pfp.

I’ve decided to pair you with…… ADAM!

He definitely loves your style. When he first saw your gothy style he begged you to become an exorcist. I also think if Adam wasn’t always wearing a robe he’d probably dress like Adam Sandler too.

He loves ur accent. He definitely would think its hot!!

Blood red?!!! Join the exorcists!!!!! He loves it too!!! Hot pink- not so much. But he’s happy if you are.

He would love American Dad. This man probably binges it on the weekend.

He doesn’t get the point of reading, but then again, it’s Adam. He’d definitely like to listen to bed time stories because if he talks, he’ll be up all night.

HE LOVES ICP. LETS BE SO REAL. ICP FOR LIFE!!! Personally I think his fav song is dead body man

He’s make you play FNAF and screams at all the jumpscares.

THE AMOUNT OF PETS?? He’d be so surprised. But probably loves animals. He’ll definitely think you are a badass for owning a snake, but i think he also hates snakes cause of lucifer.

~~

HOPE THIS WAS OKAY DARLING !!

[silvernyxchariot]

Since I'm on a dose of Doflamingo right now,

Ta-da, Doffy also gets a Trainer Card.

Details:

ID No. = his debut date in chp 233 on June 10th, 2002.

Beri (340000000) = frozen bounty, I also just hate using "belly" as the name of OP currency, because I'm so used to hearing it in Japanese using リ(Ri) with an R. So, I use "beri" instead.

Rank = I chose Gym Leader simply because he was the first antagonist to be beaten by Luffy when the Straw Hats got to the New World. Like, Doffy is strong, no doubt, but obviously, there are Yonko Commanders and Yonko that beat him. So, he’s not an Elite Four member or Champion.

These Pokémon are chosen by one or more of these reasons: type, aesthetic/appearance, and game lore.

[Dragon/Flying] Salamence was my first choice for Doflamingo’s team because I thought it fit him pretty well. A pseudo-legendary Pokémon introduced in Gen III, what caught my attention for this dragon was its Pokédex entry, “Salamence came about as a result of a strong, long-held dream of growing wings. It is said that this powerful desire triggered a sudden mutation in this Pokémon’s cells, causing it to sprout its magnificent wings.” (Pokémon Ruby) Both Salamence and Doflamingo wished to gain some form of freedom, whether it was Salamence’s desire to get off the ground or Doflamingo’s desire to get out of the cruel reality that he no longer held the power of a World Noble. They both attained some form of their dream. On top of that, Salamence has quite the temper and will rampage while spewing fire from its gullet, shredding things with its claws, and just becomes uncontrollable. Doflamingo is all fun and games, but he has his moments where he’s done with everyone’s shit and will destroy everything.

[Dragon/Flying] It’s the fluff. No doubt about it. Two fluffy birds… Even so, Altaria does have a Dragon type making its looks quite deceiving. Although not the best dragon type Pokémon in the game, its mega makes it a decent addition to the team. According to its Pokédex entries, Altaria can sing in a soprano voice and put people into a dream-like state. Both actions seem relatively sweet, but circling back to the star of this post, Doflamingo once upon a time put the entire island of Dressrosa under a dream-like state and became attached to his family like crew, figuratively enveloping them in his protective wings.

[Dragon/Ground] Garchomp was the last to be added to the list. Another pseudo-legendary added to Doflamingo’s team should not be a surprise. Much like how Doflamingo gathered his crew from the best he could get and the ones he could manipulate, Garchomp would be a for sure choice. In the game, the Mach Pokémon boasts offensive capability with good speed and versatile movesets. As for those of you who had trouble beating Champion Cynthia in Gen. 4, specifically her Garchomp, how are those war flashbacks treating you?/j

[Normal/Flying] Staraptor was a major staple in the Gen 4 games. Two predators in the sky, multiple if we’re counting all of Doflamingo’s Pokémon. I added this Pokémon to the team under the game lore category, like Doflamingo, Staraptor is a tough old bird that keeps attacking even if it’s injured. It’s ferocity, strong wings, and legs make it ideal for close combat. It can also learn one of my favorite moves, Close Combat.

[Flying/Fighting] Gather ‘round, Doffy Sluts (/affectionate). Are we all in agreement this is Doflamingo’s signature Pokémon? Like, I have no other reason to add Flamigo to Doflamingo’s team other than It’s👏On👏Theme👏. Personally, I thought this was a disappointing flamingo themed Pokemon because it’s so… simple, but then again, you can also think about it as a throwback to Gen I Pokémon. Look at Geodude and tell me that THAT is “peak” Pokémon design. I’m old too, but let’s stop shitting on newer PKMN gens for “lack of creativity,” OK.

[Fire/Flying] I got tired at this point. Baile style Oricorio just reminds me of a flamenco dancer. Flamenco dancer, Spain; Dressrosa is based off Spain. Y’all get it. And since it’s a Fire type, it would help Doflamingo burn the world to the ground.

Past Choices/Honorable Mentions: Victini, Darkrai, Oricorio (Pa’u style), Ariados, Dragonite, and Charizard, but some of them didn’t fall under the specified types.

And for anyone, including myself when I haven't looked at this for a while, questioning the background, it's just these two images combined + effects.

[makerofmadness]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON

Hi uh I just need a post to scream into about the final boss fight of Earthbound while I'm playing it so excuse me while I do this (under the cut because of spoilers of course) because somehow even knowing what I did know about Giygas wasn't enough to prepare me mentally for this:

WHY THE FUDGE DOES HE HAVE NESS'S FACE?????

WHY DOES HE HAVE NESS'S ROCKIN' MOVE TOO??????????? THAT'S NESS'S SIGNATURE WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET IT FROM WHAT THE FUDGE KIND OF CONNECTION IS THIS IMPLYING??????????????????

Pokey. Buddy. Why are you "discharging stinky gases." Are you farting.

THOUGH SERIOUSLY WHAT THE F-

THE HP SUCKER WON'T WORK :((((((

so I think Giygas is invincible or something so I'm just gonna beat the shzt out of Pokey.

I wanna consult my walkthrough but I'm also scared of spoilers :(

Ok I just went carefully and the strategy really is just "beat the shzt out of Pokey" so. Sorry kid.

why did you put a giant Ness sticker on Giygas though Pokester like tell me please. What was the point of the giant Ness face on the orb.

"DEVIL'S MACHINE????"

oh god here it comes

aaaaaand ok yeah I know what Giygas looks like already but. Jesus that's still a creepy design and. Is that breathing noises??-

"His own mind was destroyed by his incredible power. What an all-mighty idiot!" Pokey throwing shade huh-

HE'S GOING TO EAT US??????

OH GOD HELL WHAT

HE KILLED PAULA LIKE IMMEDIATELY????????? Good thing I saved those Lifenoodles.

"Poo could not turn into Giygas" that's probably a good thing actually

WHY IS HE CALLING FOR NESS

OH MY GOD. GIYGAS'S NEXT ATTACK SPECIFICALLY AVOIDED JEFF FOR SOME REASON. ON THE TURN I TELL JEFF TO SPY ON HIM-

Susceptible to Brainshock the one attack I basically never use. Nuts but Poo is at 69 PP it'd be really funny to keep him like that all fight-

welp what the heck time to try.

this turn he didn't even attack. He just calls for Ness again. What do you want????

ok I try to attack him and it actually does Damage but Paula starts crying and now Jeff and Poo are paralyzed what the fudge.

Finally, the perfect moment... *used Monkey Love* *it fails*

PSI Rockin' Omega fails the first time I use it ever. Frick.

GIYGAS DODGES. HOW????? HE'S LITERALLY THE ENTIRE SCREEN??????

Ok I know I'm being all silly but humor is genuinely just my go-to coping mechanism this is like. Genuinely horrifying.

STOP CALLING FOR NESS WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM HIM?????

well, guess it's time to go with actually doing the thing I remember hearing you're supposed to do in this fight: A hope and a prayer.

...except I have to revive Paula first 'cus she died again.

Ok so like. When my normal attacks did only 1HP at the start of the fight I thought that meant something but now I think it just means that Poo's offense really doesn't hold up against Giygas without his weapon but I didn't get his weapon 'Cus its drop is chance-based so. Yeah.

healing is becoming a pain why did I give everything to Paula

POKEY?????

DEAR GOD WHAT AM I LOOKING AT NOW

ok I prayed because I heard you needed to do that at some point and Pokey's dialogue here seemed to hint to that but. The dialogue. There's actually dialogue.

THE MR SATURNS????????

ok so the power of all those Mr Saturns praying at once managed to break this guy's defenses I guess and now the screen is trippy and wrong in a NEW way. Yippee-

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FEEL GOOD

THE RUNAWAY FIVE?????

GIYGAS WHAT DO YOU MEAN "FRIENDS?????"

oh hey it's Paula's dad.

I feel like this is what would happen if Void from Kirby had been an RPG fight instead of the usual Kirby style. Kirbbound AU when /j

why did I have to give Paula all the frickin' Brain Food Lunches now I need her to keep praying so I can't use them...

NESS LIFEUP OMEGA QUICKLY PAULA CAN'T DIE ON US SHE'S TOO IMPORTANT DAMMIT

Jeff get 'em (Jeff about to unleash a bazooka on an eldritch horror)

IS THAT TONY??????????? MAN I FORGOT ABOUT THAT KID WHERE'S HE BEEN THIS WHOLE TIME-

"A young woman in Dalaam woke from a dream in which Prince Poo died" so basically she dreamt about his Mu Training seriously what the fxck was that about-

GIYGAS WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO NESS LIKE YOU KNOW HIM OR SOMETHING

FRANK?????????

Ness is going to need. So much therapy after this. I mean all these kids will but especially Ness like Giygas keeps saying weird shzt to him directly.

Jeff keep firing the bazooka

NESS'S MOM

THAT DID OVER A THOUSAND DAMAGE-

WHAT THE FU-

HOW MUCH TRIPPIER IS THIS FIGHT GONNA GET???????

this whole time Jeff has been taking like. Laughably low damage from Giygas's attacks I'll admit. Idk why maybe I just equipped him with something good for this fight and didn't realize but he just took like 9 damage here or something.

though seriously WHAT THE FXCK

"Paula's call was absorbed by the darkness" THE FXCK???????

.

.

I...

I kept praying...?

Aaaaaand Pokey comes in to hint at a sequel I guess. Which. I heard he does actually appear in Mother 3 so I guess that's right-

ok I know my tone shift makes it seem like I'm taking this casually but this is really just me typing while my face is still stuck in the same expression from the shock. Hold on a second I need to process what just happened.