#let kevin be in a healthy relationship challenge part two

[orange-foxes]

Marriage Proposal

💍Who's Gonna Hold You Like Me? by lilac_and_ravens (5k)

“Minyard, who the fuck did you murder this time?” David Wymack grumbled through the phone. “I lost Neil,” was all Andrew said in response. There was silence for a second before Wymack replied, “What, like lost him in the grocery store?” “No, like he left for a run and never came home.” (OR: a very unconventional Andriel marriage proposal <3)

💍 It's the Thought that Counts by gluupor (2k)

Andrew and Neil's relationship has many facets that are confusing to outsiders. The strangest may be their habit of giving each other the contents of their pockets and calling it a gift.

💍 For Better Or For Worse by gluupor (15k)

Marrying your best friend who you've secretly been in love with for years because you need health insurance is a good idea, right? ...Right?

💍 Fool for You by conniptionns (1k)

Andrew and Neil get married on April Fools' Day. No one believes them.

💍 The Pinterest Wedding Board by jingerhead (4,5k)

“Do you want to see my Pinterest wedding board?” Andrew asked, already pulling it up. Aaron, who’s arms had been crossed in what could only be him trying to be intimidating, completely lost his composure. “Your what?” “My Pinterest wedding board,” Andrew repeated. He patted the cushion next to him in invitation that Aaron hesitantly accepted, sitting down so slowly and gingerly it was comical. “Here.” He turned the computer towards Aaron, who gave Andrew a concerned look before finally looking at what was there. “You’re serious,” he stated.

💍 Who's Gonna Hold You Like Me? by lilac_and_ravens (5k)

“Minyard, who the fuck did you murder this time?” David Wymack grumbled through the phone. “I lost Neil,” was all Andrew said in response. There was silence for a second before Wymack replied, “What, like lost him in the grocery store?” “No, like he left for a run and never came home.”

💍 Eight Paws and a Roof by JuiceGremlin (10k)

Five times the cats were part of something important, and one time they weren't.

💍 I can't make you love me (if you don't) by djhedy (5k)

Andrew realises he’s faced with two choices: hold onto this or let it go forever. And he hates that. Almost as much as he hates Neil. He watches as Neil turns away, walks up the length of the room once, stops, looks back. “It’s ok,” he says, his voice drained of any emotion, face set. Sure. Resigned. “You always said this was nothing.” Andrew nods. Remembers there’s a cigarette dangling between his fingers, so brings it back up to his lips, holds it there, doesn’t even bother breathing in. “Ok,” Neil says again, and leaves the room. --- before andrew graduates, neil asks him to make a choice.

💍 Say I Do by gluupor (1k)

Neil’s not sure how this happened. Well, okay, that’s blatantly false. This happened because he’s a competitive asshole and so is Andrew, although he hides it behind his general apathy. They wouldn’t both be professional athletes if they didn’t have healthy competitive streaks. But what that means is that sometimes neither of them will back down when issued a challenge. Like right now. When they’re locked in a game of engagement chicken.

💍 i'm a tourist making stops (i'll never leave without you) by Talls (3k)

Andrew is unreasonably on top of this, and should have expected Neil to not be any good at relationships. Or, in which Andrew proposes, and Neil confronts the reality that is his life. (ft. Kevin as a perceptive asshole who Neil couldn't live without)

💍 Neil Josten Is a Lucky Man by irls_goaway (11k)

5 times Neil ends up in the hospital and nobody tells Andrew+The 1 time someone has the common sense to tell Andrew and Andrew decides, fuck, he has to marry Neil.

💍 The Sock Drawer by Paradoxolotl (2k)

Andrew refuses to ask, but he's not unwilling. His solution is simple: put the ring where Neil will find it. Hell, Andrew will even make it obvious where to look. Easy. Simple. He just didn't expect it to take this long.

💍 I'll Race You There by jingerhead (5k)

“Excuse you,” Neil grumbled, nudging his nose against Andrew’s head, “it’s about to be Neil Josten-Minyard.” “I don’t want your stupid last name.” “But I want YOUR stupid last name.” ~*~ Wedding days aren't always picture perfect. Sometimes things go wrong, but if the day ends with you walking down the aisle with your husband, could it really be so bad? Andrew doesn't think so. He thinks that's as perfect as he and Neil are going to get, and it's exactly what he wants, too.

💍 january 19th by crystalcrow (2k)

“Yes or no?” “To kissing?” Andrew puts his hand down, grabbing what he stuck between the wall and the headrest and drops it on Neil’s chest. “To marrying me.”

💍 you ought to give me wedding rings by absolutelithops (11k)

Andrew has the damn thing for a year before he makes any use of it. or Three times Andrew almost asks a very dangerous question, and the one time he does.

[perfectcourts]

tonight i offer you some kevin + eli (cute boy from history class) headcanons to hold you over while i work up the motivation to write full sentences on ao3. tomorrow? who knows (i sure don’t)

when eli finds out kevin plays exy he simply has no idea what that means

“so you... throw a ball down a field and catch it? and then throw it into a goal to win? that’s it?”

kevin: *boiling with rage*

but what he lacks in exy knowledge he makes up for in random facts about the french revolution

you never know when he’s gonna throw one out there

kevin: *one earbud in listening to a sports podcast while they’re studying at the library*

eli: *scribbling down completely unrelated notes* did you know that when the revolutionaries stormed the bastille, they were more interested in finding gunpowder than prisoners? that’s crazy.

kevin: *nods* crazy.

eli: *proceeds to explain the storming of the bastille from memory*

he does a bunch of research on exy one night to learn the rules before the foxes first home game bc kevin sort of suggested in his own subtle way that he come watch them play 

(aka nicky told him to invite eli after he saw kevin smiling just a little bit at his phone while texting him abt the history reading in the locker room)

eli somehow misses the fact that kevin’s mom is a literal co-creator of the fucking sport

after all that research, he still ends up letting kevin explain every tiny detail to him bc he loves listening to him talk

especially when he has that lil glimmer in his eye and that nostalgic smile on his face while talking about how exy was created

kevin keeps pausing to make sure eli’s following along bc he isn’t used to being able to talk so freely 

at the first game, eli sits in the student section right behind the cheerleaders

nicky almost bruises kevin’s arm bc he can’t stop poking him and whisper-shouting “he’s heeere! he really came!”

kevin, exasperated, “of course he came, i invited him.”

eli has no idea where to look until kevin seemlessly scores the first goal and bumps raquets with aaron

after that, he doesn’t take his eyes off of him until the foxes walk off the court

read part one here!

[wallofweird]

hi fae, how do you feel about people saying that kevin only tolerates madison bc of kate and therefore they won't work? :/

Hi! Well, I think these people are definitely not watching This Is Us (or any type of television, for that matter) or living on Earth. Or seeing and unseeing things according to their pre-established opinions. Either way, that’s absolutely not true. On most of their interactions Kevin is polite, as you can see it here:

I love this part because there are at least three other guests closer to him but she is the first person he offers a glass of champagne... If you pay attention to the scene, he is holding THREE glasses. He gives one to Madison and he puts another on a shelf, I don’t know about the third, but there were definitely more women in the room that could’ve had that(those) glass(es), he just didn’t care, lol. Also, Rebecca is looking and smiling at him, but he doesn’t even notice it because he is too busy looking at Madi... I mean, another direction.

CREDIT: https://thisiskevison.tumblr.com (all the gifs above)

Kevin doesn’t look very happy with the idea of dancing and still he doesn’t protest.

CREDIT: https://madsdefencesquad.tumblr.com/post/616600065662926848/kevin-x-madison-height-difference

This gif doesn’t show it, but he turns his head and watches Madison as she walks away just like on gif number 4.

Siding with her during a conversation with Kate.

CREDIT: https://thisiskevison.tumblr.com (all the gifs above)

Comforting Madison.

CREDIT: https://madsdefencesquad.tumblr.com/post/618991372262916096/kevin-looking-at-madison-nothing-but-blue-skies

He isn’t smiling here, but does this seem to be a person that is annoyed with the other? He has soft, delicate, gentle eyes while looking at her.

And this whole thing about Kevin despising Madison and only tolerating her because of Kate is even more ridiculous because on this scene he is basically begging her to invite him to come inside.

CREDIT: https://madsdefencesquad.tumblr.com/post/616600065662926848/kevin-x-madison-height-difference

If he thought her company was so unpleasant, why would he accept it in the first place? He could’ve left and gone to Rebecca’s house instead, or come back after Toby got back from work, he could’ve called Randall, or Nicky, or simply gone somewhere else to make new friends because it’s not like struggles when he socializes with strangers.

And here is what Madison had to say about her night with him:

CREDIT: https://thisiskevison.tumblr.com/post/617836054621339648/do-you-want-to-know-why-i-think-i-slept-with

He made her feel comfortable enough to be her true self and he ended up spending at least a few hours with Madison. He spent the night at her place and only left the next morning... If her presence were so repellent, why didn’t he leave after the sex? Madison didn’t point a gun at him and forced him to stay. Even after he woke up, he kept lying next to her on the bed without a shirt on... Plus, there was the option of leaving without saying anything while she was asleep, but he didn’t do that.

Actually, the only time I believe Kevin was rude to her was at the hospital, but you have to analyze the context: his sister went into early labor, there was an endless list of possible complications to the baby and herself, it took hours until Kevin got some information, Kevin had been drinking, he was dealing with his failed attempt to connect with his uncle, the frustration of having relapsed after an entire year of being sober, feeling guilty for lying to everyone about it and the fear of losing Zoe because of those lies. He was going through A LOT. Those were probably some of the hardest hours of his life. Yet, at first he treated her just fine, it was the fact she wouldn’t stop talking (because that’s the way she was coping with the situation and usually what he does too when he’s sober, btw) that he said those things to her. Now, I don’t drink, but as far as I know people on hangover usually have headaches so it’s not weird that they will avoid noises and I remember Kevin saying a few minutes before that he was on hangover.

I also remember that he immediately regretted it and apologized to Madison, but she didn’t listen and left (I don’t blame her). And when she walked away he was hit by a dose of consciousness and realized his was being “an ass” and apologized to his family. She wasn’t the only one, he was snapping at everybody, because it wasn’t Madison, Randall or anyone else that was annoying him. It wasn’t personal. It was the stress of the entire situation that was making Kevin take it out on everybody. Plus, even though he didn’t specifically snap at Zoe, when he went outside to get some air and clear his head, she offered him company and Kevin shut her out.

CREDIT: https://thisiskevison.tumblr.com/post/618572824853069824/im-sorry-what-exactly-are-you-doing-here

By the way, Kevin bumped into Madison when he was getting out of the elevator and attempted to apologize for a second time.

Another scene people use as an ‘example’ of rudeness is this moment on the season finale, but I sincerely disagree. Here’s why:

Kevin was in the middle of a heated fight with his brother and that was almost getting physical when Madison arrived for the party.

And when she showed up at the door he just told her the truth: it wasn’t a good time.

Now, does that look like an angry, utterly annoyed and disdainful face for you? Because the way I see it, it’s just a guy who’s weary and not in his best state of mind, which is comprehensible since he was in a middle of an argument, his mother’s health is deteriorating, Randall had talked her into doing a clinical trial in the other side of the country despite her previous refusal and that’s just SOME of the heavy stuff he was dealing with at that specific moment.

However, Madison doesn’t bother and enters the place anyway.

And Kevin doesn’t yell at her, protest or leaves, he just lets her in and closes the door.

Again: does this look like he hates Madison so much like some people make it seem?

THIS is being annoyed and/or angry:

CREDIT: https://rostovarps.tumblr.com/post/165520445651/kevin-pearson-in-this-is-us-01x07-the-best

CREDIT: https://adyadintheforce.tumblr.com/post/177326964546/shame-on-all-of-us

And this is just being upset, tired, feeling like all your energy has been drained out of your body:

If you watch the scene, his face on the picture above and on this gif has identical expressions:

CREDIT: https://ltbelanna.tumblr.com/post/189147462109/this-is-us-4x08-sorry-im-sorry-me-too-see

And really, how did these people expect him to react? Did they expect him to smile, kiss her and propose a second round of hookup? His reaction made perfect sense to everything that was happening at the time.

Do they believe things would’ve been different if it had been someone else at the door, like Kate’s neighbor Gregory or somebody from her support group? Do they think that if it had been another person he would’ve hugged them, offer coffee and crack jokes? That the problem was Madison and not the situation he was in with Randall and Rebecca? 

Anywaaaay, by the end of their conversation he had already softened up and was even slightly smiling at her. 

CREDIT: https://millennial-mess.tumblr.com/post/613565105725194240/im-so-sick-of-chasing-ghosts-im-tired-of

CREDIT: https://madsdefencesquad.tumblr.com/post/620438418688704513/you-da-best

Sure, it wan’t a wide smile because it wasn’t like his problems had disappeared all of a sudden, but he had found a silver lining in the midst of everything.

And being exhausted, upset, annoyed, stressed or angry is part of the human experience and part of being in a relationship of ANY KIND: romantic, platonic, familial. Taking it out on someone can happen sometimes as well. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows. People are not perfect. People are not robots. They navigate through negative feelings and emotions too. It’s how things are in real life and also how things are on television, specially on This Is Us, which is a show that focuses on relationships and emotions.

Jack and Rebecca, Beth and Randall, Kate and Toby, Randall and Kevin, Kevin and Kate, Nicky and Kevin, Kevin and Sophie, William and Randall, Kevin and Cassidy all had moments like this... The list goes on. Would the same people define these relationships/friendships as unsuccessful and fake because of a few unfriendly moments? I doubt it, because what really defines a relationship as healthy and successful is the people’s ability to recognize their own mistakes, forgive each other, work on themselves as individuals and as friends/a couple/a family and getting even closer and stronger after facing the hardships. It’s not smiling, talking, hugging and kissing 24/7 because nobody does that. Maybe for a few days and weeks, but you won’t last even a month behaving like this, let alone YEARS.

And the complications are also what keep the story interesting and engaging. I don’t mean something like toxicity and abuse, but if couples, relatives and friends don’t disagree, argue and face problems out and within their relationship, the show doesn’t go anywhere. There must be conflict. There must be drama. And there must be happiness. It’s about balancing these aspects out.

If they want to watch something that’s always sunshine and rainbows and where the characters are always happy, they should watch a TV show targeted to three-year-old children, because honestly This Is Us has never been and will never be this kind of show. 

And we know Kevin has a pregnant fiancee on season 5 and since This Is Us is not a soap opera, I seriously doubt Kevin will go out there impregnating multiple women with multiple children and multiple sets of twins. I reckon it’s safe to say it’s Madison. That means they will go through one of the most amazing and yet vulnerable and challenging experiences two people can ever face and instead of pulling them apart, it will only bring them closer to the point they will get engaged. For me, this sounds like a relationship that is DEFINITELY WORKING.

[yourdailykitsch]

No question, Just to say so sorry about your family member passing away. Thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. I know how that feels, my husband passed away July 6. Glad the gas leak got fixed. And, congrats on the new kitten.

Thank you all for the kind messages. Just a rule of thumb that all of us will go through some downs in our life and these past few months have been pretty rough. It’s been a tough year but I hope that the holidays bring some joy to all of you, even if they’re paired down or not the usual. Going to try to get back into the swing of things with Taylor updates. Though he’s very quiet lately as well. 

Ask #2: Is Taylor single?

Not that I know of. He’s dated someone for a long time and though this year it’s hard to keep track of Taylor let alone his relationship, given their history, I have no reason to believe that they’re not still dating. If I learned something different I’d let you all know.

Ask #3: Did Jessica white & taylor kitsch date ? Or was it just a photoshoot?

Answer: I do not believe they’ve ever dated. I’ll quote my answer from another ask about this: “You know, I don’t really know where that rumor got started as far as them dating. I’ve been a Taylor fan since FNL started and I don’t really remember it ever even being a rumor that they dated. It just showed up on that “who dated who” site and was just stated as fact. I actually don’t think it’s true. I think it started based on that photo shoot they did together for GQ but there was never any evidence that they were a thing. No sightings, no mentions of them together, he never talked about her she never talked about him. The timeline doesn’t match up either. He was with Minka Kelly for much of 2006 into 2007 which is when he was supposedly dating Jessica.”

But they did make a gorgeous couple in this shoot

Ask #4: Hello. Is this still a good address to request an autograph from Taylor? Untitled Entertainment 350 S Beverly Dr?

Answer: You can try this address. I know I’ve given it in the past and is the address for his manager. He has a new management group that is representing him, his agent has moved to this agency and it’s Range Media. But they’re very new and I don’t know if they have any information out there yet about their location.

Ask #5: Is taylor working on anything? He seems not to work alot compared to alot of other actors,which is a shame. I know its covid now but he still doesnt work alot. Does he doing anything else other than act apart from his acc charity?

Answer: I do not believe he’s working on anything. I think that this year has created it’s own set of challenges. He has committed to a project which has been delayed due to COVID. Because it’s technically an independent film it’s running into some issues with starting production because of cost for the insurance that they will need to carry in order to film with COVID restrictions/protocols. It also doesn’t help that the state they’re supposed to film in (New Mexico) is one of the tougher states on restrictions. 

As far as him not working more. We know he’s super picky about what he chooses to devote his time to and what he chooses to dive into because he does truly dive into these projects...it does seem like he’s really taken to photography and has spent a period during this year traveling to remote locations to photograph nature/animals. 

Ask #6: It’s weird that there are no details as to why Taylor dropped out of Wash Me In The River. I would find it hard to believe that it’s got to do with pay. But if it’s scheduling conflicts I wonder what he’s shooting? Maybe Shadowplay Chapter 2? Or Inferno or something else? Just kinda strange that he has now also dropped out.

Answer: Easy answer would be scheduling conflict. He was signed on for literally two weeks before dropping out. So it wouldn’t shock me that we hear he’s doing something new or Inferno is going or he is in the second chapter of Shadowplay. ‘Wash Me in the River’ still hasn’t begun filming, so say it starts by early December and would take at least four weeks...maybe he has something coming up next month or early 2021 that he’s committed to. Maybe it’s something we know about, maybe it’s something completely different. 

Ask #7: Do you think Taylor will be spending the holidays here or in Canada? Restrictions are still on but as a citizen he can enter

Answer: I really don’t know. My guess is he’ll stay in Texas because Canada has a 14 day quarantine requirement. So say he wants to go home for the holidays he’d have to leave two weeks prior to Christmas and quarantine those 14 days before he can be out and about and see family. If he’s following the rules...who knows if he has time to do something like that or if he’d want to travel if he does have work coming up that he needs to be healthy for. 

Ask #8: I hate the fact that I found out about Taylor during covid. I wish I knew about him earlier in his career so I could keep up with him during the years.

Answer: Taylor has always been really super private, so even during his busy years the most we see of him is usually when he’s out promoting projects. We saw a glimpse into his life and more about him when he started using Instagram a few years ago but he’s really really slowed down with that, understandably. Hang in there, I think he’ll bounce back. 

Ask #9: Was Neil with Taylor during the 21 bridges press tour? Since that was around the time he had his baby? Also do you think he’d be with him for when he films Wash Me in the River?

Answer: Taylor was solo, but did have his manager Stephanie with him for 21 Bridges press. Normally he’d have Neil with him or his friend Kevin as kind of his PA during press tours and just to hang out with. I don’t now if Neil will continue to be Taylor’s PA on set now that he has started a family. We’ll have to wait and see.

Ask #10: I feel like i always see the fandom say things like he needs to work more, he’s getting older, projects he does aren’t up to standard blah blah blah. But we do know that he does offered the bigger roles but he doesn’t enjoy those stories, and he def doesn’t like the press tour and the spotlight as much as the work itself. I think people fail to realize that he is carefully picking and choosing roles, and he could do a RomCom but chooses not to. He likes his privacy and people fail to understand.

Answer: I think you hit the nail on the head. A lot of fans want him to be A-list and crazy popular and on magazine covers. That’s just not in his DNA. He has, without specifically naming projects, admitted to turning down some really big roles that were more mainstream. I think part of it might have been that he went this route in 2012, did some really big budget/mainstream tentpole projects and they failed by no fault of his own. He might still to this day shy away from something like that again. I think he’s completely comfortable with being a character actor. 

Ask #11: Has Taylor ever lived with Jennifer? Even back when he was in the apartment or condo?

Answer: Yes, I do believe that they lived together in his condo at some point. She also sold his condo a few years back when he moved into his new house. 

[firecrackrred]

Psychology of Gender Concepts in Steven Universe

(for my Psych of Gender Class)

In the show “Steven Universe” there are lots of concepts that the writers of the show try to convey. The creator of the show, Rebecca Sugar, is part of the LGBT community and wanted the show to have a lot of diversity and character. There are lots of messages that she tries to give to her audience that relates back to LGBT life. Like I said, this show has a lot of concepts, but I will be talking about how Steven Universe applies to some concepts from psychology of gender.

For some background: The Crystal Gems are a group of magical beings that are based off of gems found here on earth. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl helped raise Steven on Earth. Steven was born between his father, Greg, and the Crystal Gems’ leader, Rose Quartz. Because the Crystal Gems are not human, the only way for Steven to be born was for Rose to let go of her physical form in order for him to use her gem for life. Together, they take on mysterious monsters and take care of anything magical or dangerous on Earth. 

The term “social learning theory” is pretty much what it sounds like: children learn about social roles through observing the people they are around. This applies to Steven when it comes to the odd way in which he grew up. Being only half human he is primarily raised by the Crystal Gems in order to figure out his powers, although, his father, Greg, was still part of his childhood in learning how to be human. 

While Steven is a boy, having three female-presenting figures to raise him, he has definitely shown more feminine thoughts and behaviors than masculine. Luckily, since there are four parental figures for him to rely on, there’s a lot of diverse thinking within the group. Generally, when Steven interacts with male characters that are more aligned with stereotypical men he has a hard time relating to them. Meaning, while stereo-typically, men are closed off emotionally because that is what they are taught, Steven is very open about his emotions and shows that he cares about his friends very deeply and outwardly. 

In the gif above is a character named Lars. He works at the doughnut shop in Steven’s home town. He has a coworker/friend named Sadie and their relationship at the beginning of this series shows Lars having some implicit stereotypes of Sadie. Although, they eventually work past it. Implicit stereotype meaning, Lars does not know he holds these stereotypical values of women.

Sadie is a pretty quite person who has a hard time sticking up for herself unless pushed too far. She is a very nice and kind person overall. In the beginning of this show it was apparent that Sadie had a crush on Lars and that Lars was too focused on being cool around his friends to notice. So when it came to Lars’ opinion of Sadie, it was a bit harsh. He always though that she was a push-over and that she was a great worker at the doughnut shop because she’s a girl. there were many instances of Sadie continually proving to Lars that just because she is a girl doesn’t mean she isn’t tough and strong, or can’t being mean. Also, just because he is a guy doesn’t automatically make him cooler or stronger than her.

this is evident in this episode where Steven, Lars, and Sadie get trapped on an island. Typically, it would be seen that the man would hunt for food while the woman would cook. In this case Lars tried to get fish but ended up being unable to while Sadie was doing it almost flawlessly. So, reluctant at first, Lars “switched roles” with Sadie. It is instances like this where Lars’ implicit sexism is challenged. Many more happen throughout the series. 

Staying within the area of stereotypes, the reason Rose Quartz, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl are on earth are due to Prescriptive Stereotypes from their home planet (which is just called Home World). Home World has very strict expectations of what each gem should be, just like how prescriptive stereotypes are stereotypes people hold of how other should be. Thus, Rose and Pearl found other outcast gems and formed the Crystal Gems, then starting the rebellion against Home World. 

In this case, each of the three Crystal Gems remaining struggle throughout the series with what kind of identity was made for them based on what kind of gem they are. In our case, relating it back to gender, even though their perceived genders are all she, their gems will represent gender. 

for Garnet, she is actually a fusion between two gems, Ruby and Sapphire. Fusion between gems is when two or more gems combine to become one being, which then combines their weapons and powers. 

Each power and weapon is unique to each gem. Ruby, when alone, has the weapon of a gauntlet (which only appears on her hand where her gem is). While, Sapphire has the power to see possibilities of the future. Combined they exhibit both Sapphire’s powers and two of Ruby’s gauntlets. 

On Home World, it is forbidden to have two different gems fuse. Rubies are only seen as body guards for important gems and are even seen as stupid to higher class gems. While Sapphires are used for advising in the Home World’s royal council of Diamonds. the reason Garnet is part of the Crystal Gems is because Ruby and Sapphire wanted to be together as Garnet. The only way for them to do so was to leave Home World. Due to the prescriptive stereotypes of Home World, Garnet struggled to exist on her own planet. If they had stayed, they would have been shattered (execution for gems). 

Amethyst, another one of the Crystal Gems, also faces the problem of dealing with Home World’s stereotypes of her gem. Even though she is not from Home World.

Amethyst was made on Earth in order to aid Home World in conquering other planets. The thing that makes Amethyst of the Crystal Gems so special, however, is the fact that she is much smaller than the other Amethysts or even other “sister” gems that were made on Earth. As evidence by this:

While Amethyst is not from Home World, she has been reminded a lot by listening to the history of the rebellion led by Rose that she is not the same as other gems of her kind. As well as seeing the other spots where other gems came out of on Earth

Although the other Crystal Gems do not outwardly express that she is smaller and therefore seen as not as strong, she has instances of showing insecurity due to this; because she is not what other’s say she should be.

Last but not least, there’s Pearl, the gem that was by the side of Rose during the entire rebellion.

Pearls on Home World are strictly seen as hand maidens of sorts to high class gems. when Rose started her rebellion against the Diamonds, she had her own Pearl. Pearl of the Crystal Gems was seen for the first time by Rose as something more than just a decoration or a servant. This was due to Pearl’s affinity for combat, which was not something Pearls were meant for on Home World. Along with having her own personality, compared to other Pearls where they typically mirror their master’s personality, and willingness to fuse with other gems makes Pearl a prime candidate for going against prescriptive stereotypes from Home World. 

Overall, the entirety of the Crystal Gems are what go against the Prescriptive Stereotypes the Home World has. 

There is another character in this series that shows instances of Benevolent Sexism and Hostile Sexism. His name is Kevin.

Although a minor character, Kevin is a wealthy, healthy, young guy that lives in Steven’s town. Steven’s first interaction with Kevin was when he was fused with his friend Connie. While fusing has always been known to happen between two or more gems, Steven’s powers and his strong relationship with Connie allowed them to become one being named Stevonnie (who is canonically considered intersex).

Anyway, Stevonnie’s first time meeting Kevin was a rough one. They went out to a club to dance since they looked like an adult and met Kevin, who proceeded to call Stevonnie an Angel and told them that as a couple they were perfect together since they are both beautiful. Overall, harassing Sevonnie until they would dance with him. Even calling Stevonnie crazy at one point for refusing to dance with him. (I’m sure if this wasn’t a kids show he’d probably call them some derogatory names) 

This stems more from Kevin having Benevolent Sexism toward women and since Stevonnie, who is female presenting, doesn’t meet his expectations of what a woman should do, that then turns into Hostile Sexism. Benevolent sexism is when someone holds sexist ideals or attitudes toward a specific gender that are typically seen as positive traits but end up being harmful toward that gender. While Hostile Sexism is inherently negative ideals and attitudes toward a specific gender. 

[digitalhovel]

A review of “Juno Steel,” a hilarious and emotionally-driven queer space opera

           I recently began work as a DoorDash driver, and you know what that means: living in fear because you have to constantly expose yourself to shitheads who aren��t wearing masks? Yes. And also, lots of time in the car with nothing to do but listen to stuff. Which means I decided to go back and binge the first two seasons of one of my favorite podcasts, The Penumbra Podcast’s “Juno Steel” series. “Juno Steel” is an enjoyable, enthralling story about home, mental illness, and what it means to be good.

           The Penumbra Podcast, created by Sophie Takagi Kaner and Kevin Vibert, is an anthology series that focuses on telling interesting stories while representing marginalized sexual, romantic, and gender identities. It began with a Twilight Zone-esque series of narratives, each with a different setting and characters, but they now run two main storylines: “The Second Citadel” (a fantasy setting examining prejudice and relationships) and “Juno Steel” (a dystopian space noir set in Hyperion City, Mars). The Penumbra Podcast is one of the first podcasts I ever listened to, and it’s still going strong.

           The following contains spoilers for “Juno Steel” season one. If you want to give them a listen, try the remake of “Juno Steel and the Murderous Mask.” Episodes are 30-60 minutes, but the commitment is well worth it in the end.

The characterization in “Juno Steel” is one of the series’ strongest points. Juno Steel is a classic noir detective: determined, depressed, and damn stubborn. The first season of Juno Steel follows him as he uncovers a plot to harvest ancient Martian tech in order to kill the citizens of Hyperion City. Along the way, he develops a complicated relationship with a thief, Peter Nureyev, and their lives become inextricably linked. Juno is an ex-cop and struggles with several issues: trusting someone whose expertise is being untrustworthy, and also trusting literally anyone else. (Note: there is a brief, problematic moment between Juno Steel and a woman PI named Alessandra. I’ll explain at the bottom if you want a warning before listening.)

          Juno Steel is blunt and focused on good, on solving the problem, on doing his best even if it kills him. He struggles to take into consideration the wants and cares of others, and he often jeopardizes his relationships by jumping to conclusions and acting before thinking. Peter Nureyev is suave, collected, and always has a plan. Their dynamic is incredibly fun to listen to because

1.      The acting by Joshua Ilon (Juno) and Noah Simes (Nureyev), is incredible (as is the work of everyone in the cast), and the writing carries their chemistry incredibly well

2.      They are forced into situations where each must give up their expertise and authority to help the other

This challenges their pre-conceived notions of the world, and it gives their characters places to develop and grow throughout the season. It also provides rife opportunities for comedy. Juno is sardonic and blunt, and Nureyev is witty and concise. Every character has a distinct voice, a distinct sense of excitement, and a distinct humor that makes each episode worth listening to as the creators tackle various tropes in the genre and spin an exciting mystery. While Juno often has a low speaking tempo, his secretary Rita gives monologues in seconds. These small moments of contrast build a broad and unique cast that make every interaction dramatic, and often hilarious. These character beats continue to influence the characters in season two, as Juno has to begin grappling with his own senses of responsibility, his past, and his guilt as he continues trying to do good in the world.

          This idea of ‘good’ pervades the message of both seasons of Juno Steel. The Juno of season one is obsessed with self-sacrifice and self-destruction. The creators have never been shy about Juno having mental illness, namely, depression. In his case, he lashes out at people who disagree with him and can’t see consequences of actions that aren’t his. Somehow, it’s always his fault. But the rest of the characters disagree with that philosophy. The Penumbra Pod presents a great deal of viewpoints on coping with feelings of grief, responsibility and guilt, from self-destruction to bottling it up and moving on to just trying to live every day to forget about the one before. No one is right, but the diversity of opinions provokes genuine thought in the listener. The show deals with heavy themes but the characters are grounded and deal with their grief, guilt, and fear in realistic and dynamic ways, letting the audience learn alongside Juno as his perspective slowly opens up.

          The following contain serious spoilers for “Juno Steel,” season two.

          It’s a testament to the writing that Juno learns from these lessons. In season two, he’s less self-destructive, but still driven to making the world a better place, fueled by his guilt and his past. Season two of Juno Steel features and more nuanced villain, Ramses O’Flaherty (heavily influenced by Walt Disney). Ramses wants to create a good world, plain and simple. The issue is, he thinks his version of good is universal, and he has the power and resources to try to enforce it with impunity. It’s a tense narrative that forces Juno to examine his own motivations for doing his job and perspectives regarding the place he calls home. He struggles between idealism and defeatism, even deciding whether violence is needed or useful in his line of work. But again, the core message of the series is simple: we can never make those changes alone. Only by working willingly with others and listening to them can Juno begin to decide what he considers to be good. While the political situation of “Juno Steel” season two doesn’t mimic our own (I wish our public leaders had only good intentions [they don’t]), it is an inspirational story about the value of trying to grow as a person and begin accepting help from others and trusting them when it’s needed. Because goodness is based in how we affect the world and the people around us. These days, found family can be more real than blood relations, and solidarity is the greatest path towards building a better world.

          In short, The Penumbra Podcast is great. They’re telling interesting, unique, entertaining, queer, gender-diverse stories through personal and diverse lenses, and they’re doing a great job of it. “Juno Steel” has been influential in my life, both as validation for my emotional and psychological experiences, and my changing perspective as I try to learn about myself and do better all the time. Because Juno isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes; we all do. But we get to watch him learn, and in the process, maybe learn something about ourselves.

          If you do listen to them and enjoy it, here’s a link to their website, where they host episodes (you can also find them on most podcast-listening mediums), and their Patreon.

*The creators of The Penumbra Podcast have addressed this, but in “Juno Steel and the Prince of Mars, part 1,” Juno non-consensually kisses Alessandra Strong. The writers have said they wish they hadn’t done it or could redo it because it’s a problematic noir trope, and they wrote it in to confirm that Juno is canonically bisexual. The incident does not come up again, and in future discussions, Juno and Alessandra have a relatively healthy working relationship. Some other concerns have been raised with their presentation of other relations on TPP, and the creators have acknowledged that they are also growing and trying to do the best to present their stories in a positive way, but they also can’t be made into pillars of the queer community. They have individual perspectives and are trying to reflect that. I, for one, believe them, and I hope you’ll still give their podcast a try.

[newwayastrology]

LEARNING THROUGH WENDY WILLIAMS If you are unfamiliar with Wendy Williams, she is a former radio broadcaster who came to fame as one of the prominent voices on the very popular WBLS radio station in New York City. Williams was so popular during her stint with “BLS” that she was eventually offered a live audience TV show named after her. Williams’ name has been in the news lately because of personal problems that center on her husband’s alleged philandering and her reaction to it, which, unfortunately has been rooted in alcohol and apparently drugs. She has been staying in a downtrodden building that serves as a sober house for her. She cannot abuse herself through alcohol because she is under constant watch. Williams tapes her shows and is then driven back to the sober house. Things were going well until just a few days ago. Wendy’s husband’s name is Kevin Hunter. Hunter’s “other woman” gave birth to a child, a child that he is alleged to be the father of. What makes this really sticky is that Hunter has always been his wife’s agent and is the producer of her show. She is the big bread winner in the relationship so, the marital issue also threatens her career. There are four things that you never want problems with: severe illness or loss of a child; loss of a cherished marriage; loss of career; critical illness of your own. She has two of the four and inasmuch as she has been ill enough to miss a substantial length of time on her show, she is certainly not as healthy as she should be, both mentally and physically. HER ASTROLOGY The Williams horoscope has a northwestern hemisphere emphasis that we can see as a first impression. In layman’s terms, this suggests an orientation to the world centered on a giving of oneself to others that is linked somehow to unfulfilling factors in the formative years of development of her life. Instantly, you see Saturn Rx. That shines a spotlight on the father and it can be because of one or more reasons: he passed away early on; there was an early divorce; he was passive, autocratic, abusive, or just wasn’t around enough. Whatever the case may be, what happens, psychologically speaking, is a sense of inferiority. These feelings give rise to defenses, self-esteem concerns and much more and, as an adult, the stage that these issues play out on is usually relationships. We see Wendy’s Saturn being opposed by the 7th House Uranus from the 7th. This immediately links relationship and identity factors in a tug of war. That she has Uranus and Pluto in the 7th adds more to the profile being built here. Let me detour for a moment..... Have you ever thought about why you have the horoscope you have? I mean, have you ever really given it any thought? If you haven’t, you should because there is a reason why and it is helpful to keep in perspective what you are about to read. A horoscope is your gift from the universe. Look at your life here on this planet as a training ground for the growth of your soul. Your horoscope is your playbook. It tells you what you need, what you excel at and most importantly, what you need to work on to be the most evolved you can be. You learn about your role and purpose through the hard aspects in the horoscope, among other things (especially the Nodes). Back to Wendy. This is the horoscope of someone who learns greatly about herself though others, especially in personal relationships. Uranus is quindecile the Ascendant, an indication of relationship upsets due to too much of a need to project herself as a unique, individuated, even wild person (Marilyn Monroe had this, too). As well, the Uranus-Pluto pairing invites relational turbulence as the low expression of their paired energies. Finally, that the ruler of the Ascendant is in the 7th House tells us that relationships and the public are supposed to be the areas of life where she best finds and loses herself. As unpleasant as what has been happening is, she is supposed to experience relationship turbulence! Relationships, for her, are how she learns who she is and who she is not. It is unpleasant but so is lifting weights and look how great a body can look after dealing with so much resistance. Well, instead of lifting weights, Williams lifts personal and public relationships to get her soul in shape, to evolve. Her marriage to Hunter is her second marriage. The first one broke up primarily because of the bizarre behavior she seemed to constantly display due to the, then, hidden addiction problem she had. As well, she was unfaithful. The horoscope shows a T-square. Mercury squares Jupiter’s opposition to Neptune. On one hand, this symbolism refers to her imaginative communication skills. It also shows the mindset bound up in idealism, which easily becomes delusory. That Mercury rules the 4th House shines yet another light on parental dimensions tied into the idealism (which often easily includes self-deception and dishonesty to others). Mercury also rules the 5th 7th House. Parents-Home-Idealism….they are tied together. Deception is a solid part of her relational index. She was the deceiver in her first marriage and now, she has been deceived. Looking at all of this – the Neptune factor, it becomes easy to see how drugs could easily be a major outlet for her tensions. Venus and Mars are conjunct and are both unaspected by other planets. They are on an island, so to speak, and therefore have a dominant position in the horoscope. Venus-Mars has a sexual focus. In Gemini, the focus is cerebral. Venus also rules the 8th House. The Moon, ruler of the 5th and 7th Houses (co-rules the 7th) The sexual profile is pronounced and since fantasy is such a strong part of it, we can deduce that there is much pleasure in masturbation, that the fantasy part of sexuality is a turn-on. Jupiter’s rulership of the 11th House within this suggests tension about how she feels about herself in terms of lovability, attractiveness and those sorts of things. The Sun in Cancer links the life-energy strongly to emotional and family security. This central energy is expressed in a personality that needs to have control and do so by knowing as much as possible about what it wants to know. This is the combination of the person who needs to be thought of as deep and significant. Emotions run deep. This blend is filtered through the image of the Aquarius-Pisces Ascendant, which combines individuation, social justice interests, and a helping nature with compassion and deep sensitivity. Idealism is all over this horoscope. LOOKING AHEAD One of the mistakes that is often made in astrology, especially when it comes to relationship concerns, is that the person who is having problems now is doing so because of what a planet is doing now. For starters, a planet didn’t make Mr. Hunter have an affair. A planet didn’t make Williams cheat on her first husband. Planets indicate, they don’t make anything happen. Secondly, what is happening to Williams now is part of a process that started before now. If Hunter’s mistress just had a child, that relationship started awhile ago. The new mother didn’t just meet him 9 months ago and start a relationship. When you go back to 2017, you find two strong transits: Uranus squaring the Sun and Saturn opposing Venus, neither of which bodes well for a person in a troubled relationship. It might have been 2017 when this side relationship began or perhaps it was the onset of problems that led to now. Inasmuch as it has been reported that Williams has tossed her wedding ring, it looks like the marriage exists in name only. For Mr. Hunter, perhaps that’s the way it has been for some time. Right now, in 2019, the astrology isn’t life-changing. You don’t see anything that you would expect to see and it stays that way until June. In December, there is SP Moon square Saturn. December is when the aspect peaks but the effect of it begins in June. The significance of this aspect (occurs every 7 years) is that one’s main needs are in conflict with what reality is offering. It forces a person to make a concrete change in life of some kind. As previously mentioned, Hunter is William’s agent and he produces their show. We know that that professional relationship will end. With the Tertiary Progressed Moon going over the Ascendant on October 13th, that will probably be an important time period from, say, the 11th through the 15th. This SP Moon=Saturn contact introduces transiting Saturn opposing the Sun for all of 2020. In lieu of the reality as it exists now, 2020 will probably be pretty challenging for Williams. SP Moon will go over her Midheaven in March, 2020, certainly adding to the hustle and bustle that will no doubt exist as she deals with the marriage and career chaos. She is going to be jogging uphill for the foreseeable future. SUMMARY When I started in astrology, the person who introduced me to it said that with my Sun square Saturn, that I couldn’t expect much to happen in my life, that it will be difficult. I wonder what he thinks when he sees Oprah’s horoscope, with her Sun-Venus in the 2nd squared by Saturn. Imagine how he would look if he had told a young Oprah that she’d always struggle with money. Our hard aspects are CHALLENGES to varying degrees. They are not BAD. There are always things like acts of nature that happen or a neighbor falls asleep with a cigarette that ends up burning down your house, too. There are things that happen beyond our control but for the most part, it is bad decisions that causes our problems. Magic Johnson's career as a player ended early, not vecause of a planet but because he went nuts with indiscriminate sex in Hollywood and other places. Mr. Hunter did Williams wrong but she also did wrong to her first husband. She needs to learn about herself through relationships, both personal and with the public. Perhaps she will make beter choices in the future. None of us would be here if we didn’t make wrong choices. That’s what it’s all about. That’s how you learn and it’s so great that the universe gave us astrology as a roadmap to understanding the whole process!

[steps2expose-ke8145]

Chapter 1:  Confessing your desire to femininity

When do a man begin to be curious about femininity?

We even cannot tell how old they would be curious.  Maybe some begins when they are in their childhood. 

Actually, we are exploring and experiencing sexuality when we begin our juvenile years, like 10 or 11.

Boys will develop their masculinity first because they had to learn to be strong and protect others.   Usually boys would be taught they would not be too emotionally attached because that means ‘weak’.

However, if they could show off their emotions, they would feel relieved much more easier.

‘Emotions and tempers‘, of which we so called ‘feminine elements‘.  

When evaluating, we would discuss on a man’s achievement, and not ‘how they handle their emotions’,   The misunderstanding of ‘being strong enough’ makes boys live in lies for ages.

Boys can be curious about femininity because they helped them to improve the interpersonal skills.  

Every little things boys do with others, is much more important then what they would have achieved.   That’s what parents should tell them.

In discovering femininity, they could learn the strength and the weakness too.  That helps them to balance between masculinity and femininity.  That would probably make them feel much more complete.

(01)  ‘Wondering if there was femininity in them...’

It is ok when boys wondered how probably he could be feminine.  

Usually fathers would stop because it was some kind of weirdo when they found their sons asked freaky questions, like they were girls.   

In fact, that is a good time to discuss, especially when they begin exploring their sexual tendency in those years.   

There is nothing wrong, and you just have to teach them to the best of your knowledge.   Don’t play expert for it finally hurt. 

‘Curious about how I would look like if I was a girl’

Before becoming Coco, Thierry Huppert asked his sister Charlotte to spend hours to train him in her bedroom, over the use of corset to outline the best of his bodyline.  He was taught to love his body because he should learn to value himself by the perfect shape, especially he gradually noticed he got very beautiful curves.  That is the asset for him to seduce a man.

LIke Kristy said, “Men begins to value a woman, not for her talents, but the way her body showed in front of his eyes.  A proper corset training is a good start.  If Thierry got hotter and sexier curves, he would prove he was made from a lot of eroticas, he ever dreamt of.”

(02)  ‘Be courageous to experiment’

Parents should let them try, you know boys would like to find out the answers themselves.   It is not a shame if boys found out the outgrowing femininity on them.   

Maybe it would spend them a lot of time to learn skills but it would become their priceless experience and it was good for the rest of their life.

Experiences, it could be lots of things, sex is just one of them.   

The reach of femininity sometimes helps to understand a boy’s true self.  It provides mirroring of the second half that made him become a human.

When is the best time for a boy to confess his desire towards femininity?

Nobody could answer that because some boys could tell you as early as they were in their childhood.   

Don’t doubt that because what the hearts felt is often true.

Others would discover throughout trials and errors in relationships.  Maybe friendship or romance.   When it goes wrong, you know that was not the right choice.

A boy should confess when he have a clearer understandings of his true self, and not the face others would like him to show.

How should parents response to those confessions?

Don’t panic in the first place.   Don’t explain why they were wrong.  They may be still very anxious because that would be their final.  Just let them speak out.  If they keep it in heart, that would never be healthy.

Some parents would talk about this with other parents.  I think they would stop that.  Sometimes confession can be flashy.   They are not ready to face it.  If you make it talk of the town, it may inevitably hurt him.

My only words, ‘Respect and let it be a secret between you and him’.

(01)  ‘Parents should go with them whatever they would like to be...’

They are not a freaky freak or anything.  Parents just let it be thousands of experiments and they could give them advice.   

If it comes out what their boy could not accept, just go changing a little thing.  That makes he know what they were really made from.

He can change on the way of a better understanding of his real needs.  Keep respect them and not judging why he went for that.  It is so humiliated and disgrace.  Don’t do that.  

=============================================================

If they finally know the answer, they would tell you.   That is just the end of the first part.   There will be much challenging when they had to live it out.

Parents must calm down even though their boys would be bullied because of their wrong decisions.   It may be final but it begins a new journey after all.

(01) ‘Adjust & accept’

There is no final decision because we would change anytime when we got a better understanding of our true self,  with the balance between masculinity and femininity.

When confirming they discovered their outgrowing femininity, even parents have to accept them.  They also need to help their boys to overcome all those possible difficulties.

(01)  ‘Accepting your desire to be feminine‘

n your mind, from the start, totally feel like you had never been a man.  You were born yesterday in a feminine body, sexy and hot

(02) 'Desire as time goes by’

Paul Kevin Merrill kept saying ‘YES’ to learn everything feminine but that made him feel like torn stockings in the drawers, for he called himself a whore when he recalled all that he never met someone he really would become his very last.  So he decided to change.   After become Ruth, she finally met her perfect match, and happily ever after. 

(02)  ‘Getting Along with your feminine body’

(01)  The good shape of buttock

As you know, you would get well fucked by man.  That’s why your buttocks becomes an tangible asset.   You should therefore keep shaping to the perfect size.   A handful touch and greater excitement for penetration.  

(02)  ‘Long and beautiful legs’

The first thing you would consider is to put on high heels, to show the beauty of your sexy legs, a fatal seduction to all the men around you.

'Whatever you wore on your feet, you would become a beauty'

You can spend hours to look at you legs for you’re a beautiful woman.

(01)  ‘Total embarrassment at start on high heels’

Jimmy Alvin Burg had difficulties on choosing the right size at start.  He felt so humiliated when he began the conversation with those salesladies in his favorite shoe boutique in London.  He becomes much more confident and left there with bagful of goodies in hand.

Joe P. Lawrence finally put on those 4-inch high heels from Ronnie, for his 52th birthday six weeks ago, That is just one of the changes he had experienced.  Everyone in the office called him by Josephine.  That makes the happiest time in those 4 years he had been working with them.

(02)  'Running a private collection’

Olivier G. Renault has thrown away most of his dress shoes since two years ago, a tenor for ten years now, signing a contract with the opera house, as a soprano, for one of their 3-act melodrama.

He has already collected 6000 pairs of high heels from over the world.

(03)  ‘Curves’

Woody Edwin Johnson introduced himself as Cindy, seducing a man and made him say more YESES, That filled with much satisfaction and joy for she knew that her breasts were well pampered.  

(04)  ‘Lingerie’

That allows the wildest fantasies available.   You just try working out for them.

The way a man would fantasize, always go with your choice of lingerie.  I believe he would get much more involved if you wore something that could outline the best of your body.

(01)  ‘Showing him you’re a total plaything’

You needed not begin with anything because he already made himself look like someone coming here to toying.   He would not resist and you just simply let him put on those lovely lingerie and start what you had planned for the night. 

(03) ‘In search of machosissy’  

Alpha male found it interesting to dress up like a woman but they would rather choose keep it a secret for that they were afraid of being misunderstood.

Paul Collier loved to suit himself up for a bareback.   Thomas Locke already knew he had to kinda MILF, promising he would bring Paul a set of lace lingerie and spend a hot night with him.  And then tonight he would make Paul feel so satisfied with his final masculine desires. 

Gerald Sam Andrews,  the first lead from TV series QUEEN OF MANHATTAN already noticed he could never be a man again, when he told his master he was a masculine woman, over his high heels.

(04)  ’Understanding Women’

Like Alex Ruth Garland, a bestselling author of the decade, love profiling any women in his novel, by living it in real life.  He would doubtlessly dress up as the character, feeling what she would desire and fear.  Through the experiences, he would write a better story.  He even felt himself a complete person, but not just some broken parts found after a homicide. 

(01)  ‘Looking for a father figure’

Like Quentin Conrad Black, a sissy man, looking so effeminate, for he keep looking for his father figure.  He would rather please him.  That gives him pleasure and a few hours to fulfilled his desires.

(05)  ‘Do what a woman liked to do’

(01)  Gossiping

Danielle Gwen Hewitt avoids being too bitchy at first, as she still felt like Nathan, now he loved to become talk of the town, be scandalous, use rumor to enrich her life.

(02)  ‘Big & Warm hugs’

A hug could work almost anything and a woman usually give a hug from behind, like Alexa Solis, she stood at the back of Joe Rollins, her husband, to let him feel more relaxed during the cheers in their banquet.

(03)  ‘Falling in love with a feminine man’

It happened to Paul Merrill two years ago when he was working with young and pretty Joseph K. Pullman.  For the magic he showed the beauty of his lips, he soon fall into Joe, a typical lipstick collector, and sometimes eyeliners.

Paul  soon told the world he was in the decent relationship with Joe, soon found out it was from ‘straight’ to ‘lesbian’.

Joe announced he was a feminine tomboy at a dinner, with Paul alone.

(05)  ‘Someday between woman and woman’

(01)  Lisbeth Keys & Tina G. Doyle, formerly as Kyle Dillon & Jake Jones

Lisbeth and her girlfriend let the relationship onto the surface because most of those people around them only know they were Kyle and Jake, a good gay couple in their neighborhood.    

(05)  ‘Involved in presenting femininity’

(01) Elena Michela Costello, formerly as Alfonso Miguel Castillo

He was the first Mexican actor, through Twitter, transmitting his first photograph as Elena, confirming he was signing up for spokesmanship for a well-acclaimed shoemaker Martinez & Co., for 4 commercials on their line 'Black Elegance', the first ladies footwear collection for feminine men.

[britneyfanforever]

The Power Struggle Behind Britney Spears' Conservatorship Saga

There are several parties jockeying for control of Spears' world, and it's hard to tell which one of them she's aligned with. 

 Rag Time is a bi-weekly media investigation of a single celebrity story that's vastly more in-depth than you ever thought you needed. This week: Britney Spears' ongoing conservatorship.

There is perhaps no greater tabloid figure than Britney Spears. From her relationship with Justin Timberlake to her 55-hour Vegas marriage to her mid-aughts partying with Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton, just about every aspect of her personal life has been documented and dissected byUs Weekly, Perez Hilton, and TMZ, since she broke out as a mega-star in her teens.

In recent years, however, Britney enjoyed a period of relative quiet: She was engaged in a successful Vegas residency, dated a nice-seeming 25-year-old fitness enthusiast, and posted fun memes on Instagram. She seemed to be doing so well, in fact, that fans and journalists started to question the necessity of her conservatorship, which was put in place by her family in 2008 when she was struggling from an undisclosed mental illness and substance abuse issues. For the last 11 years, Britney’s father Jamie Spears has served as her conservator, tightly controlling all aspects of her personal life and finances. The situation has always been confusing for fans (and the media)—traditionally, conservatorships are used to protect the elderly or extremely ill, and Britney has never fit the category.

Now, Britney and the details of her unique situation are back in the tabloids, as she is legally challenging her conservatorship for the first time. How did she get to this point?

Things seemed to change for Britney at the beginning of this year, when she announced that she was cancelling her new Vegas residency to spend time with her dad, who was struggling with his health after being hospitalized for a colon rupture. Around the same time—according to TMZ—Britney’s cocktail of psychiatric medications started to lose efficacy, which led her to check into a mental health facility for a 30-day stay in April. She has since returned home and started the process to formally end her conservatorship. While she hasn’t spoken publicly about this legal challenge, reports suggest that she is determined to gain more freedom, even as she seems to be struggling with her mental health.

What is going on with her? And who’s controlling the narrative? Let’s try to make sense of what’s happening between the cover lines.

People gets the first scoop

At the beginning of April, Britney announced on Instagram—her preferred way of connecting with fans and the media over the last few years—that she was taking a little “me time” in the wake of her father’s illness. People quickly followed up that post with an exclusive report stating that she had checked into an undisclosed mental health facility for a 30-day stay. (The report did not cite a specific source, but it's likely the story came directly from someone on Britney’s team— People is the preferred tabloid of celebrity publicists, especially when it comes to delivering potentially scandalous or controversial updates on a celeb’s life.) A source told the tabloid that Britney was getting “all-encompassing wellness treatment” and that “there is nothing dramatic going on with her—she just realized she needs to make sure to take time to care for herself.”

Hardcore Britney fans didn’t buy this sanitized statement, however. Shortly afterPeople’s report came out, hosts of the fan-led podcast Britney’s Gram made the startling—and as yet unproven —claim that Britney was being held against her will at the facility. The conspiracy-laden podcast reignited the #FreeBritney movement on social media and prompted a wave of tabloid coverage about Britney’s conservatorship that has yet to die down. (#FreeBritney has been around and vocal, to varying degrees, since Britney’s conservatorship was put in place in 2008. Vulture has a good primer on the movement here).

In the wake of this controversy, People has continued to provide positive updates about Britney’s life. In the last week, the outlet has published four (four!) separate stories online about how Britney has a great relationship with her fitness enthusiast boyfriend, Sam Asghari. “There is no question that Sam is great for Britney,” a “Spears family source” told the tabloid earlier this week. “He is very motivated to stay healthy and fit, and they often work out together.” So … that’s good, at least?

TMZ takes Jamie’s side

TMZ, meanwhile, has presented a more dire view of Britney’s situation. Picking up right where they left off with their coverage of her unfortunately public breakdown in 2007, the site has been posting round-the-clock about her conservatorship battle. Based on the exclusives the site has gotten so far, it looks like TMZ has a direct line to someone in Britney’s camp. (The site was the first to report that the pop star was having issues with her medication leading up to her stay in a mental health facility, intel that’s now been confirmed by People and other tabloids). So who’s TMZ talking to? Someone who seems to be very sympathetic to Jamie Spears.

TMZ has posted dozens of stories about Britney since she checked into the facility last month, and together they form a three-part narrative that goes something like this: 1) Britney is currently making bad decisions about her health, 2) Jamie has been the best thing for Britney since he became her conservator in 2008, and 3) the conservatorship should continue, despite what other people close to Britney (like her mom, Lynne) might think. According to TMZ, Lynne, who divorced Jamie in 2002, has been staying with Britney since she left the mental health facility and advocating for her in court. But this is not a good thing, per TMZ’s sources. Here’s how the gossip site summed up the current state of affairs in a post from last week:

“As we reported, Britney is not doing well after her 30-day stay at a mental health facility. As we told you, her meds stopped working and doctors have been unable to find the right combination of drugs. As one source said, ‘Britney is making bad decisions and it's a problem.’

Jamie has been trying to provide structure and discipline, and we're told the conflict is that he believes Lynne is way too permissive and just wants Britney to like her.”

TMZ’s sources have also tried to undercut Lynne’s connection to Britney, claiming that the two have been somewhat estranged since Britney broke up with Justin Timberlake in 2002. In a post suggesting that Britney is “using” her mom to gain more freedom, the site noted that Lynne “used to be extremely close to Britney, but when Britney and Justin Timberlake broke up back in 2002, the singer cut her mom out of her life. Their relationship has been spotty ever since ... we're told Lynne hadn't seen Britney for around a year.”

But Us Weekly says....

TMZ has dominated the coverage of Britney’s conservatorship battle, but all the other tabloids are covering it as well. Us Weekly, it seems, has a line into Lynne’s camp. Last week, the tabloid reported that Lynne has Britney’s “best interest at heart” and that commentary that she is being too permissive with her is false.

“Reports that Lynne is trying to help Britney loosen the constraints of the conservatorship are false,” a source told the tabloid. “If anything, Lynne wants Britney back in treatment, and that angers Britney.”

Us Weekly has also exclusively reported on Kevin Federline’s view of the situation. Kevin, who has had full custody of his two sons with Britney since Britney’s conservatorship began in 2008, is apparently limiting Britney’s visits with her children while she recovers. “Kevin won’t allow the boys to spend more time with their mother until Britney is once again stable and therapeutic on medication,” a source told the tabloid. “He allows the boys to spend time with Britney, but it’s at his discretion.”

What about Britney?

Looking out over the tabloid landscape, it’s clear that People is getting official updates from Britney’s PR, TMZ is getting Jamie’s view of the situation, and Us Weekly has sources connected to Lynne and Kevin. But none of the tabloids are talking to Britney directly, save for this week, when, in response to conversationabout whether or not she'd ever perform again, she told a paparazzo in a drive-by that "of course" she would. Instead, she has been using Instagram to connect with her fans since she left the mental health facility earlier this month.

On April 23, she posted a video on Instagram where she indirectly responded to the #FreeBritney movement, telling fans “all is well” and that “my family is going through a lot of stress and anxiety lately and I just need time to deal.” In the caption, she added, “You may not know this about me, but I am strong, and stand up for what I want!”

Since she’s been home from the mental health facility, she has posted selfies with her fitness enthusiast boyfriend, Sam Asghari, and videos of herself doing yoga outside and dancing to Michael Jackson in a home gym. At least one of the videos was filmed over a year ago, per The Blast. And it may not even be Britney who is sharing these snippets with the world. Here’s a tidbit from all the TMZ coverage that seems to be getting overlooked: According to a source connected to Jamie, Britney doesn’t even have a smartphone.

In a post about Britney “using” her mom Lynne to gain more freedom in court, TMZ provided previously unknown details about the pop star’s phone usage. “Our sources say Jamie is alarmed Britney is using Lynne to get more freedom, during a period where her judgment is extremely bad,” the site reported last week. “She's not allowed to drive with her phone -- security stopped her after she was caught texting and driving a week ago. Security takes her phone when she takes the wheel. By the way ... Britney doesn't have a smartphone -- only a flip phone -- because of what she might do if she has access to the internet.”

Over the weekend, a source told the tabloid that Britney has been asking for an iPhone, but “Jamie has put the kibosh on that because of concerns over social media and people with ulterior motives contacting her.”

At this point, Britney seems to be talking about her current situation only in the courtroom. Last Friday, she attended a closed hearing about her conservatorship with Jamie and Lynne, who has petitioned the court to see Britney’s medical records. (So far, Lynne has not attempted to join Jamie as a co-conservator, but she has shown an interest in becoming more involved in Britney’s care.) According to multiple tabloids, Britney asked the judge for more personal freedoms under her conservatorship—a request that was denied. But the judge did order an expert evaluation in the case, which would be the first step toward ending the conservatorship all together. People reported that Britney left the LA courtroom “comfortable, happy and glowing.”

[aion-rsa]

Lucifer Season 6 Ending Explained

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains Lucifer Season 6 spoilers.

No Netflix resurrections this time, as Lucifer has departed this mortal realm after six terrific seasons. The show’s fans managed to rescue it from cancellation once, and the streaming service stepped up to keep the party going at Lux several times, but we’ve had to say goodbye to Lucifer, Chloe and the rest of our faves for good now.

There was a lot going on in the final season, as you might have expected before you even hit play on the first installment. There were certainly plenty of loose ends to tie up from Season 5, and a big new season arc to deal with after Lucifer’s estranged daughter from the future arrived on the scene with very bad tidings: Lucifer was set to suddenly vanish, leaving soon-to-be mom Chloe on Earth alone, and Rory without a dad.

Lucifer Season 6 was a huge improvement on Season 5, and the writers seemed to have a clear course mapped out from the very first episode all the way through to the series finale. Everyone got their happy ending eventually, even if some of them were a little bittersweet.

Let’s take a closer look at how everything wrapped up for Lucifer and the gang…

Lucifer

After diabolical French mercenary Vincent Le Mec kidnapped Rory and took her to the place where she told Lucifer he would soon disappear and never be seen again (according to her knowledge of past events) Lucifer and Chloe decided to ambush Vincent and his thugs at the scene, even if it meant Chloe got hurt or Lucifer died.

Chloe did get hurt quite badly, but she and Lucifer made short work of Le Mec’s henchmen, and Lucifer tried to get through to him about his ongoing guilt and terrible life choices. Though Rory eventually managed to get free of her chains, her instinct was to try and kill Le Mec for what he’d done to her.

Lucifer feared that killing her torturer would only lead to more guilt and pain, so Rory let Le Mec go. Unfortunately, he tried to attack them again, and Chloe shot him. He became impaled on Rory’s feathers and died, going straight to Hell – which he absolutely deserved – but everyone was a bit shaken by the fact that both Rory and Lucifer made it through their expected temporal crisis, and Rory realized that their continuing presence on Earth meant that Lucifer would still abandon them. But why?

The answer came to Chloe and Rory later, when they heard that Lucifer had helped Dan get to Heaven. Chloe remembered he’d previously helped a former criminal break his Hell loop and get to Heaven, too. Lucifer seemed to have learned a lot in his therapy sessions with Dr. Linda!

Rory convinced Lucifer that instead of ruling Hell with an iron fist, he should return there and help as many other souls trapped in Hell loops as he could. Lucifer was reticent to do so, but knew that if he did leave Chloe and go to Hell she would go on to give birth to Rory without him and Rory could return to the future where she belonged.

After Rory traveled forward in time, Lucifer and Chloe shared an emotional last night at Lux, and Lucifer indeed left to become a therapist to the troubled denizens of Hell so that he didn’t alter Rory’s future. They had slowly bonded and he had grown to love his daughter so much in the short time he knew her.

We later saw that Vincent Le Mec was a patient on Lucifer’s couch in Hell, but sadly didn’t seem to be making much progress under Lucifer’s care!

Rory

Rory arrived back in the future as Chloe was dying. It seemed that everything she’d told Chloe about their wonderful lives together was true, and Chloe acknowledged the events of their shared past with Lucifer when she and Rory had a last heart-to-heart at Chloe’s deathbed. They agreed to meet “on the other side” as Chloe passed away, but Rory’s future beyond that remained unclear.

Chloe

Chloe returned to work for the LAPD, and became a Lieutenant. She was often visited by Amenadiel, who was pleased to see that the work he’d done during his brief time at the department had paid dividends before he started his rather important new job.

Rory was born right on schedule, and everyone (minus Lucifer of course) was there to welcome Chloe’s new baby girl home.

In the future, Chloe passed away and went to Heaven. Amenadiel was there to meet her, but instead of taking Chloe to Heaven he took her to Hell and into the arms of her devilish beloved, where they kissed and then got to spend the rest of eternity together. Well, as far as we know!

Linda and Charlie

Linda carried on being the best, most patient therapist in LA, and raised her growing son Charlie, who turned out to be a sweet little angel – a real one, with wings! Even though she said she wouldn’t publish her tell-all book about helping Lucifer over the years, we like to think she changed her mind and did it anyway.

Amenadiel

Amenadiel rose to the challenge of being God, taking his seat on the throne in the Silver City and becoming the kind of God who didn’t feel comfortable being bowed down to. He welcomed the angels of Heaven to his side, and seemed content with his new path as the universe’s ultimate benevolent deity.

Amenadiel was busy in Heaven, but didn’t ever really leave his family on Earth behind, and took an active role in their lives. He was even there to see Charlie unexpectedly get his wings on his second birthday!

Dan

Dan (Kevin Alejandro) managed to get into Heaven after first idling in Hell for years (thanks to Lucifer) and then becoming a frustrated ghost on Earth (thanks to Rory), but he was finally able to move on to the afterlife after he saw Trixie one last time and made peace with leaving his daughter behind, knowing that she was a strong, smart young woman who had nothing but good memories of him and the time they spent together.

We saw that Dan reunited with Charlotte (Tricia Helfer) in Heaven, and the two seemed very much in love. Dan was naturally extremely delighted to find that he still got to eat his favorite dessert in the afterlife: chocolate pudding cups!

Ella

Despite the shock of learning the extent of Lucifer’s secret earlier in the season, Ella managed to process all the weirdness that had taken place around her at the LAPD over the years.

Her new relationship with Dan’s official replacement, Carol Corbett (Scott Porter), seemed to be healthy and honest, with both dealing with some personal problems that they were open to discussing. Carol talked in depth to Ella about his alcoholism, and Ella opened up to Carol about her ongoing trauma from dealing with her last boyfriend Pete, who turned out to be a horrific serial killer.

When we left Ella and Carol, they were welcoming a fresh batch of recruits to Ella’s new STEM program, the Miss Lopez STEM Initiative.

Mazikeen and Eve

Maze got cold feet about tying the knot with Eve earlier in the season, and the two learned to accept that not everything in their relationship would be smooth sailing. But after marrying in a very sweet ceremony that involved another well-deserved kick in the emotional nuts for Adam, they partnered up to lay the smackdown on criminals as part of their dream bounty hunter business, and lived life to the max.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Lucifer Season 6 is now streaming on Netflix.

The post Lucifer Season 6 Ending Explained appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3lds2I8

[bklynbabe114]

Something to think about....

Great piece written on medium.com today. Here’s the link: https://medium.com/th-ink/kevin-spacey-metoo-and-the-problem-of-gay-shame-585d5f1bab7

I’m so glad I saw this because I’m happy to see someone else understand how internalized shame played a part in Kevin’s life & how it affected his behavior.

Kevin Spacey, #MeToo, And The Problem Of Gay Shame. 

“As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behaviour.”

The above is Kevin Spacey’s response to Anthony Rapp’s accusation of unwanted sexual advances by Spacey when he was 14-years old.

The challenging aspect of this article, for me, is to create an empathetic discussion about the potential “origins” of Spacey’s behaviour.

What I ask of you is to read through with an open mind. I am not condoning Spacey’s behaviour whatsoever.

When this news first broke I had hoped it would be a single incident. Unfortunately it wasn’t. Spacey clearly made unwanted sexual advances on men, underage men, and women; allegations which span decades.

The Upset Over His Coming Out

It’s good Spacey finally came out publicly. It’s good that he admitted wrongdoing.

But what I find extremely problematic and complicated is how people have reacted to his explanation and reason for finally coming out.

It may be he chose to spin his coming out as a way to deflect from the larger issue of sexual abuse/violence against others.

It may be that he thinks his repressed homosexuality is part of the reason for what he did.

The Problem May Be Rooted In The Closet Of Shame

Gay shame is a complicated psychological issue.

According to Alan Downs, author of The Velvet Rage, gay shame stems from a lack of authentic validation. During adolescence everyone you know is discovering their heteronormative sexuality and receiving positive reinforcement, except for the young gay man.

Boys date girls, girls date boys. No exception.

In my case, I never dated, or went out publicly with a man, until after I left high school. But I got to witness the other boys my age dating, interacting, and flirting with girls, including all the usual dry humping and kissing that goes on at teenage parties in someone’s parent’s basement. I even went so far as to make up complicated reasons for why I hadn’t “done it” yet.

What’s happening during this period of adolescence is sexual identity validation.

Boys and girls are learning how to interact on a sexual level with members of the opposite sex. Their friends, parents, media and culture tells them they are good and valid for acting in that way.

All except for the LGBTQ person on the margins, the silent, non participant.

How does this affect the individual growing up without validation?

“If you hold the fundamental assumption of shame that you are critically flawed, how would you cope with this?”

One part of the young man grows into an adult, but without authentic validation, he will be forever chasing affection, approval, and the attention of others. Interesting to note that Spacey chose a career in acting. Where else can you can that much admiration?

Downs explains the manner in which a gay man handles shame. There are three stages.

Overwhelmed by shame: “that period of time when he remained in “the closet” and fearful of his own sexuality.”

Compensating for shame: “the gay man’s attempt to neutralize his shame by being more successful, outrageous, fabulous, beautiful, or masculine.” These behaviours are undertaken in the hopes of feeling less shameful.

Cultivating authenticity: this is when the gay man moves out of the first two stages “to build a life that is built upon their own passions and values rather than proving to themselves that they are desirable and lovable.”

Depending on the stage of shame the gay man is experiencing, he may still be trying to discover who he is at a level that is more on par with that of an adolescent.

Essentially, Kevin Spacey never had a chance to fully authenticate his identity as a happy and content gay man. That’s not to excuse his behaviour of abusing men sexually, especially underage men. But back up for a moment long enough to see the complicated psychological issues at play, including the intersections of power that might be the root of his actions.

The Power-Factors At Play In Kevin Spacey‘s Life

Power Position #1: Spacey is a white male.

Power Position #2: Spacey (was) a highly respected actor in Hollywood, and as a result,

Power Position #3: Spacey has great financial wealth, thanks to his acting career, thus increasing his privilege.

Other than being born into a wealthy (elite) American family, Hollywood appears to be the second level down aristocracy in the United States.

One of the massive power conflicts in Spacey’s life were the rules of Hollywood: if you’re gay, keep it to yourself.

Side note: this is becoming something of the old generation as there are now more, younger, out and successful gay actors.

But the very public nature of being an actor limits one’s freedom. In Spacey’s case, he might have been out to those in the know, but remaining in the closet is still a form of shame that has psychological consequences.

We Wanted Him To Be One Of Us

On one level I feel very sympathetic for Spacey. I’m sure many of us wish he could’ve been a role model and come out much sooner in life.

I have to ask the hypothetical question:

If Spacey had come out, or been out at the beginning of his acting career, and was fortunate enough to still become a successful actor, would any of this sexual abuse have happened?

There’s no way we can predict one way or another what would’ve happened. The power and privilege of being a white male in Hollywood might still have lead him down the exact same path.

Fame And The Closet

To close, let’s consider another example, another situation of someone’s actions as a result of lacking authentic validation and dealing with gay shame: the late George Michael.

If you do a Google search you will come across the number of times he was arrested for public indecency,getting caught having sex in bathrooms.

Why would someone as famous and celebrated and George Michael risk his safety and his closet by having sex in a public bathroom?

It all comes back to shame and not feeling validated.

“The ability to derive internal satisfaction and contentment didn’t emerge from our adolescence as it should have. Instead, we sputtered along looking to others for the confidence and well-being that we needed to protect ourselves from being overcome with shame. What normally becomes an internal, self-sustaining process of self-validation in the healthy, young adult remained infantile within us, and we instead became sophisticated in the ways of coercing acceptance from the world around us.”

All that power, all that money, all that fame, and the incredibly public nature of Michael’s celebrity created an identity struggle. How could he express himself sexually, or have any form of intimacy with another gay man, while being a public figure who still lived in the closet?

#MeQueer

I hope Kevin Spacey gets the help he needs to overcome his shame. I hope that the people who have accused him of assault receive the means needed to help them heal.

The #MeToo movement is helping dissolve the foundations of those with immense power and privilege. It’s nothing short of an evolution of humane rights.

We have a long way to go

We need to be very careful of maintaining the ethical construct of innocent until proven guilty.

But we have more than a single power structure to disable.

The power of the closet is reinforced by heteronormativity. Gay shame is part of a much larger, and far more complex power structure than individuals in power positions, like actors and movie producers.

[eenefangirlanalysis]

Just then a familiar squeal is heard.

“Wilfred? Is that you?” Rolf asks, sitting up from the ground. He has been separated from his beloved pig for a whole day. Has he been given time to think about his out of character behavior while his head was trapped in that meat grinder? 

Rolf’s character is better at the beginning and ending stages of the movie. His scenes are more filler then anything. Why the writers decided to have Rolf go alone is beyond me. Rolf’s character is better interacting with others then just himself. We learn about ourselves through social interaction. Although being alone is worth experimenting we should not be alone our whole lives. It’s not healthy. That could be the lesson he learns in all this. 

I love how Ed immediately smiles. It’s like he senses that Sarah is going to be with Wilfred. Either that or the sound of a pig makes him happy. He loves animals.

I love scenes in eene where the characters are all together. Artists have to pay attention to each character’s different personality. That’s quite hard to do honestly. Still, it’s my favorite part when it comes to writing or drawing out a scene with multiple characters. Always challenge yourself because the more you do it you’ll get better. 

Also, I love how the whale house looms over the kids. It’s a sign that things are out of place. It’s supposed to look intimidating. These kids are all alone without any adult supervision. This is the first time they’be left the cul-de-sac to explore what’s outside of it.

Sarah storms into the scene having had it with Wilfred eating corn dogs off the ground.

Where did Jimmy get the popcorn? Is there a stand already open? Bro confirms that the park doesn’t open until noon. 

This kid is adorable! Seeing this makes me giggle. This little moment is one of my favorites because it’s so random.

I still don’t understand why Jimmy is hated among the fan base. People are still angry over what he did to the Eds in If It Smells Like an Ed. I don’t think I have ever disliked Jimmy. That episode monumented his growth. He devised a whole Agatha Christie scheme which had the Eds and even viewers baffled. Jimmy has gone from a whimpy kid to a conniving schemer who can look out for himself.

Jimmy and Ed have similarities. The two are always playing around, eating random food they find, and try to make the people around them laugh. If Sarah had a different relationship with Ed Jimmy would be much closer with Ed. He wants to get to know him better. He’s always tagging along with Sarah agreeing with her opinions so Sarah won’t snap at him.

The Kanker’s are first to call out the children.

I wonder if these were different circumstances the girls would have gone after Sarah and Jimmy to get their revenge. Lee sure wants it.

Ed is ecstactic to see his baby sister that he is adapted the ability to fly again. This is the first time Ed mentions his sister throughout the whole movie. He would have mentioned how much he misses her in a deleted scene. 

Ed knows that Sarah is a different person deep down. They’re facing the same neglect from their parents. Ed loves Sarah because she’s the only family member he can look up to and feel that every day is worth living for. Sarah too.

May is the only one out of her sisters who is not angry to see Sarah and Jimmy.

Look at her face. She didn’t realize this was Ed’s sister. Now she’s going to worry about how this will affect their possible relationship. Will Sarah tell Ed what the Kanker’s did to them? 

EdMay is such a cute ship. Ed and May are longing to be independent from their friends. Edd and Eddy and Lee and Marie are obviously more close with another. Post BPS Ed and May could wander into each other and talk about the events.

Sarah is annoyed that Ed is still in one piece while Jimmy fears that they’ve missed the Eds beating.

Sarah can rant off how ever much she wants about how she dislikes Ed all she wants. Remember how I pointed out the difference in personalities within their eyes? One eye reflects the mask while the other shows their true personality they don’t want others to see. Examine her eyes carefully.

Wow, even with the Kanker’s standing a few feet away they walk towards them.

The other kids are here to protect them. And Ed too.

So, they’re still here to see the Eds get beat up. As I have questioned before is it just Eddy they want to see get beat up? Eddy has always been the least likeable of the trio. 

Sidenote: ‘Mermaid Burgers’

Kevin proudly states that they have not missed any action as he grabs Eddy by the ankle.

Keep in mind this is the leg that will be horrifically tortured in a few short minutes.

Eddy briefly panics but then realizes he has a free card.

“In your dreams, shovel chin. Tell yah what, why don’t you talk to my Bro?”

Sidenote: Is that Ed calmly standing with the Kankers??

Eddy, you’re adorable!

Eddy finally gets revenge on Kevin after he stomped on his head in Ready, Set, Ed!

“[Bro] lives here yah know.”

The scene is slightly reminiscent of Ed... Pass it On.

First, the look Edd gives Eddy.

In Ed... Pass it On Edd was trying to encourage Eddy to tell the truth to everyone saying that his brother wasn’t going to show up. Eddy had the perfect moment to reveal that  Bro was not the person he let on. Instead he kept on lying. That’s where Edd and Eddy’s deterioration in their friendship started.

They have gone through an entire journey where they’ve opened up and saw one another in a different and powerful light. Is all that going to go away?

Each character has a different reaction at the possibility that Bro is the owner of this whale shaped house.

Kevin and Rolf are in disbelief. They both share feelings of legitimate terror whenever Eddy’s brother is mentioned.

It’s implied that Eddy’s brother must have done something quite terrible to Rolf’s chickens. I have a head canon that on the infamous day when Bro’s final scam went awry it caused Rolf’s chickens to go insane. Remember how Eddy hates birds?

As for Kevin it’s suggested that he has only heard horror stories and never met Bro.

I have talked about the divorced parents theory before and may the reason for why his mom left is because of Eddy’s brother. That’s why Kevin holds a grudge towards Eddy.

Nazz is immediately alerted. She has expressed how awesome and cool Eddy’s brother sounds. The kids were very young if they were living in the neighborhood at the same time as Bro.

Sarah and Jimmy do look surprised. Sarah was not interested in the possibility that Bro may show up in Ed.. Pass it On. Jimmy has always been intrigued.

The Kanker’s are the only character who were not present during Ed... Pass it On. Surprisingly Lee is the one Kanker who is interested to meet this figure behind the door. May and, in a rare moment, Marie are unsure. Marie is holding her hands together as if she’s nervous. There is a whole different side to her character.

I guess I should also mention Wilfred too. The writers kept him part of this scene and made sure that he had a motivation to be here. Good on the writers part for not letting him drift off and never be seen again.

Jonny was never been present to witness the possible encounter with Bro in Ed.. Pass it On. And he misses out on everything here. Totally unfair! Jonny should have showed up in his bus now rather then after all these events have occurred. Why did the writers have to outcast his character like that? He’s a member of the cul-de-sac who has hung out with the kids and been in on their schemes in almost every episode.

I have a theory that Big Picture Show takes places one year later from Ed... Pass it On. Everyone, minus Jonny and the Kanker’s, were present in Kevin’s house asking questions about Eddy’s brother whereabouts and true nature. Eddy has been faced with the conflict of being true to himself or denying his past regarding his brother.

A lot can change within a year.

"Yeah. So tell him how you're gonna beat up his little bro,” Eddy remarks turning back to the door.

[billyeatyourgrapes]

thoughts on riverdale 02x05 (and in general)

Let these characters grow. Let them have their “coming of age journeys” without unnecessary drama. Show Josie and her hopes and dreams, her family drama, her dynamic with her parents. But don’t falsify petty storylines just for the shock factor, which at this point, lasts about 3 minutes with little resolution. Kevin- Kevin had one meaningful episode and he’s back to what Cheryl so snarkily said- the gay best friend. And Cheryl, while I love that the show is tackling sexual assault, give her a storyline that isn’t about revenge, but is instead about getting stronger.

The friendship of the core four is so unnecessarily fractured right now that it is nearly impossible to see how this organically ends. The introduction of the Black Hood gives an interesting element to a show full of mystery and intrigue, but this forces these friendships to be tested so superficially that everything we loved about the Betty Veronica friendship seems to have been thrown aside so dramatically that it feels staged. These friendships they so championed, so intricately developed last season, should not be put through a test like this. Contrived and gross, RAS.

Archie and Betty- I don’t agree with the “will they won’t they” element they insist on always hinting at, but for any teen drama, it’s natural and an easy storyline. However, their friendship! Develop that! You said they meant the world to each other as friends so dammit, don’t mess with that. She can help him with Veronica, and life, and whatever, and he can be the lovable, dopey boy next door.

And now onto the most important part of this entire rant- Bughead. You gotta be KIDDING ME, RAS. These two beat the odds and through growth, adversity, and differences, came together in a healthy, loving relationship. You had the opportunity to give Jug an Archie of his own in Toni, someone he could lean on and love as a friend AS A FRIEND, but you made her character caustic and damaging. Betty and Jughead could have troubles that didn’t involve a murder, or a love triangle, or secrets and lies. But for whatever reason, you decided to jump ship- LITERALLY. There was already so much testing their relationship, adding in this element does not help them “grow” as individual characters; it challenges us to question if we ever even knew them in the first place. 

These beautiful people you’ve created, allowed us to love, and watch, to cry with and laugh with, now all feel like shells of themselves in twisted situations like that of a daytime soap opera. If this is the path you are headed, tread carefully. Character development should be stronger by the second season, not weaker, and at this rate, drama for the sake of drama is overshadowing the bread and butter of what this show was- different people, with different problems, finding each other and holding on tight, regardless of what this crazy world threw their way. 

[amaltheafan]

( In case op’s account changes names or gets deleted, here is what’s under the read more).

Juan (played by Mahershala Ali) even comments on this in the fist act.  Lil comes into his house and sits down at the table with his back facing the door. Juan re-seats him at the front of the table facing the door.

Juan states that in this new position, he can see everything. At this new vantage point, there isn’t anything hidden, or outside of Lil’s gaze.

A recurring theme in Moonlight is the construction of masculinity, how that construct is maintained and shattered. Within the Black community, a strong sense of masculinity is considered very important. A lot of black men work hard to maintain the illusion of strength (perhaps through working out, through gaining tattoos to make themselves seem tough, to rough language, to with holding affection from people they care about).  These are all aspects that create a sense of masculine strength, but also cut off many aspects of life that only serve to enrich ourselves. When Black men give into a hardened, emotionless perspective of masculinity we give up vulnerability. We give up parts of our personalities that can enrich our interpersonal relationships with significant others, and children. Just like facing our backs towards the door limits our perception, giving into these hardened stereotypes of black masculinity limits our experiences.

Moving into act 2 (Chiron), we see those same “behind the back” shots when Chiron enters the school court room, and when Chiron and Kevin are intimate on the beach. The film lingers behind the subjects during these shots, almost as if its afraid of intimacy.

And in so doing, this limits the audience’s perception of Chiron (and Kevin’s facial expressions). Audiences can’t really gaze how Chiron is feeling in times of trauma because his back is turned, and Chiron can’t effectively gauge what challenges (good or bad) maybe coming for him. Take for a moment the scene where Chiron was on his way to Teresa’s house after school, Tyrell and his friend came up from behind Chiron to harrass him.

Take the scene where Chiron is on the beach, and Kevin comes from behind him, surprising. Now whether the surprise was good (as in Kevin showing up wit ha blunt for the two to smoke) or ill (Tyrell coming to threat Chiron’s person) each of these experiences began with Chiron’s back turned to the potential development.  

When Juan told Lil about seeing everything in front of him, I’m more than certain he was speaking from experience. Juan, being a drug dealer probably knows about the dangers that happen when your back is turned. Not only that, Juan carries a gun with him in his own house. Which says to me that Juan is on guard all of the time. What kind of intimacy can a man have when he’s constantly on guard against a potential threat?

And this falls into the overall conditioning of Black men. We’re expected to be strong all the time. We’re expected to keep our emotions inside because any show of emotion is emasculating. That kind of conditioning only furthers to cut black men off from learning about their own emotional health and well being. It conditions black men to never let their guard down, even when they want to When Black reconciles with his mother, or when he reunites with Kevin. Both of those instances Chiron struggled to express himself in a healthy way and resorted to anger or defensive silence.  

The way Chiron’s masculinity is constructed throughout the three acts is also interesting. Chiron’s masculinity (and yes, even his identity) is shaped by the three men in his life. Juan (the father figure) , Tyrell (the bully) and Kevin (the friend, and the lover).

Juan is a man Lil looks up to. In the last act of the film, Chiron (now an adult and dubbed “Black”) models himself after his paternal figure. He’s a drug dealer. He wears a doo rag. He carries a gun while in his car. He even has diamond earrings like Juan used to wear. It’s not uncommon for children to model themselves after parental figures they looked up. It is Juan’s image of masculinity that Black emulates.

While Juan may have been the person Chiron modeled himself after, it was Tyrell who propelled Chiron towards that end. Tyrell bullied Chiron for years, ever since they were little. In the beginning second act, it is Tyrell who refers to Chiron as “Lil”, a name Chiron hadn’t gone by since he was a kid.

And in that same scene Chiron corrects Tyrell. “My name is Chiron.” It is here that Chiron identifies himself specifically. He reaffirms his own name. He names himself. Takes hold of his identity, and masculinity.  But Tyrell only returns to taunting Chiron, and calling him “Lil’.”

Kevin is interesting because he fulfills the place of friend and lover. He is the one gives Chiron the nickname “Black.” During the first act when they’re children, he is the one who advises Chiron to fight back against the bullies. During the beach scene, Kevin is the person who helps Chiron’s sexual awakening along.

In the second act, Chiron’s is at war with himself. He’s fighting to escape the young, weak child he used to be (Lil’), while dealing with the conditions that would ultimately turn him into the hardened man he becomes in act 3 (Black). Chiron in this sense is in the middle of these two conflicting images of masculinity. The emotional child and the emotionless man.  

By the end of the second act, Chiron gives into the conditioning of his environment and smacks Tyrell with a chair. Afterwards he is arrested, and the film moves towards the final act.

Now, Chiron or “Black” has fully hardened himself and cut himself off physically and emotionally from his previous life. He rebuilt himself. And in so doing limited many aspects of his character. He has turned his back on the person he used to be. Much to the shock of both his mother and Kevin.

James Baldwin was a black writer often spoke about the limits that the world places on blackness. There is only so much black people are allowed to do, or aspire to be. And this is still prevalent in modern narratives. Take Red Tails a film made by George Lucas. Lucas had a difficult time creating the film due to its “all black cast” and many Hollywood executives refused to give it funding because “Black flims don’t sell.”

It’s not that Black films don’t sell, it’s that the global imagination can’t comprehend all of the layers and nuances that exist within blackness. And unfortunately, that lack of imagination is what makes black masculinity so stagnant. Chiron, throughout all three acts, is proof of that. He was once a sensitive young man, and by the end of the film he is a grown adult who is still trying to find ways to communicate on an intimate level. This masculinity Chiron has trapped himself in has limited his perception (a fate Juan warned about in the first act.)

We need to redefine what Black Masculinity is, and what it could be. Going over the history of black masculinity in America, you can understand where part of it comes from white projection (the idea that black men are dangerous criminals who want to harm white women) and black overcompensation (black men were often reduced to sexless children as a means of placating the white imagination, so many black people work overtime to prove their “toughness”).

I believe that we as black men can’t be so rigid in how we define ourselves. Real talk, there are people out there who believe “Moonlight” is just the “gay agenda” trying to emasculate black men. And that’s the kind of rhetoric that I see a lot in black circles (from churches, to forums, to youtube videos). And I’m still seeing black dudes pissed that Birth of a Nation isn’t on anyone’s radar, and they (partly) blame Moonlight for that. You know, rather than Nate Parker…but I digress.

Moonlight is a lot of things. It’s a story about identity. It’s a love story. But in this instance, it’s a cautionary tale.

If we keep our backs turned to alternate forms of masculinity, then we are erasing and entire layers of the black experience. Layers that only serve to enrich us as a community.  

Moonlight and the Limitation of Masculinity

Going over Moonlight (2016) again, I’ve noticed Barry Jenkins recurring theme of showcasing Chiron’s (and Kevin’s) backs. In each act (from Lil, to Chiron, to Black) the has a long shot of the subject’s back. (Long Post under the cut)

Keep reading

[spotlightsaga]

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... The Fosters (S05E02) Exterminate Her Airdate: July 18, 2017 @freeformTV Ratings: 0.764 Million :: 0.29 18-49 Demo Share Score: 6.5/10 TVTime/FB/Twitter/IG/Path/Pint/Tumblr: @SpotlightSaga **********SPOILERS BELOW********** We're finally at a place that 'The Fosters' is heading to a really challenging and honest place as a series, honestly surpassing not just all others tv series that fall within the spectrum of Teen Drama/Family Drama on Freeform, but maybe any show in its respective genre on television right now... And you know the only thing I can think about? 'Is someone going to tell Jesus (Noah Centineo) that that he needs to change that raggedy ass shirt?!' I mean, for real, though! We've been through so many ups & downs and unnecessary drama, back & forths, soapy suds of nonsense and then suddenly we hit a late series stride in the beginning of the 5th season... We are tackling hard issues, seeing incredible character growth, Noah is giving us the best work of his young but potentially storied career (and yeah, the holy shirt accentuates the place he's at mentally), but all I can think is that if I was there, I'd be like, 'Can we continue this conversation AFTER you change that funky ass shirt of yours?' Hell, I'd go out and buy him one if I had to. Someone's gotta do it!!! Austrian Silver Fox, Danny Nucci, who normally plays Stef's Ex & current partner at work (don't ask too many questions on the latter, there), Mike Foster, is nowhere to be found throughout the entirety of 'Exterminate Her'... And that's because this week he's behind the lens, making his Directorial Debut! I absolutely love that the longer a tv show runs over the years, the more opportunities long term cast members are allotted to step outside their normal realm of duties and try something new. Now this isn't exactly a mind blowing episode, but Danny definitely has a knack for finding a certain flow of a story and gently highlighting important underlying themes. 'The Fosters' can normally find itself falling into a melodramatic trap, catching itself in a web of those easily overused tv tropes to make sure a certain portion of the younger audience is being taken care of, leaving the older audience a bit frustrated. Danny isn't worried about all that. 'Exterminate Her' is all about identifying what story arcs are important and finding their subtle nuances that act as building blocks that support why the characters are making the decisions that they are making, and ultimately how it's affecting each and everyone one of their lives. Props to Joanna Johnson for writing such a competent episode for Danny to direct and the editorial department to piece together. I try not to get too excited about 'The Fosters' because obviously many hands touch it throughout an entire season and that season is always separated into two parts, S(X)A & S(X)B. Even though specific arcs & subplots are already laid out for the cast & crew going into the season, it just filters through so many different lenses that you never know when its going to move on to one of those lenses that's a bit cracked or just not the right fit. The biggest story here has always been Jesus and the consequences of his accident... The guilt of his biological father, Gabe (Brandon Quinn, who's just killing it this season), and his internal struggle to make amends for both that specific nail gun accident that has deeply affected Jesus' learning and comprehensive abilities as well as Gabe's already deep seeded embarrassing regret & shame for not being there for Jesus & Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) growing up and his forced split from Ana (Alexandra Barreto) as a young adult all those years ago. All of these issues 'snowball effect' into the lives of the twins moms, Stef (Teri Polo) & Lena (Sheri Saum), who not only have to deal with all the feelings of letting biological parents back into the lives of the children that they raised on their own from an early age, but also the conundrums that pop up now that Gabe is living under the same roof. Lord knows it can't be easy and it's obviously taking a hard toll on Stef & Lena's own romantic relationship. Bottom line, there are an awful lot of people living under the several roofs that make up the buildings that reside on that one single property... And all their connections are extremely complicated, making for one helluva compelling drama. When the turmoil and issues are as thick as they are in the Adams-Foster House, there's really no need to hit overly-soapy notes, especially if all the storylines that are weaving in and out feel genuine, which so far they very much do. Even Callie (Maia Mitchell) who's been stuck in teen drama purgatory as a character for so long, is finally making much needed, believable breakthroughs in character & personality development. 'The Fosters' have given us so many reasons to despise Callie's character, so it's so refreshing to see Callie appearing to find this happy medium of sorts where she realizes she can still own her past that made her who she is, while moving forward working towards reasonable goals in a healthy & productive manner. She's so quick to brush off any help from her 'privileged' (not really a word I like to throw around these days) biological father, Robert (Kerr Smith), but in all actuality, he's pulled back and actually trying to approach things as a normal, caring, everyday bio-dad would... A dad that actually understands that Callie just doesn't want to throw away her struggle, she wants to use it to propel her forward! Surprisingly this gives us fans and critics quite the juxtaposition when it comes to comparing the shaky situation with Gabe. Yes! I just couldn't be happier with the direction and all the stories that seem to be carefully coming to fruition! Of course, there's always going to be room for improvement, but that's both normal and a good thing for a series, especially one that's already in its 5th Season. I don't doubt that it's just a matter of time that a massive curveball will be thrown the way of one of the members (if not several) of Adam's-Foster family, but it wouldn't be 'The Fosters' if that ball wasn't rushing at us full speed, right around the bend. I'm just really feeling the tone and overall feel of the series heading into this 5th Season. This feels like the most, focused, distinguished, and clearly paved seasons of 'The Fosters' we've seen to date. Fingers crossed that everyone involved continues on this path and remains on the same page in terms of the 'behind the scenes' cast and crew. Freeform really needs one of their shows to prove why they've accomplished all the things they've accomplished in the past... It's been awhile! And honestly, this network deserves the recognition!

[socialattractionuk]

Where I Work: Sami, the dating coach who’s working from home with her four-year-old while pregnant

Sami Wunder is a dating and relationships expert (Picture: Sami Wunder)

Our series Where I Work is exploring what it’s like to work from home, as the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing lockdown measures makes this the norm.

Today we’re chatting with Sami Wunder, 31, a dating and relationship expert who’s been working from home since 2016.

Her company serves more than 85,000 women from around the world, with the aim of helping them attract the right partner and have brilliant romantic relationships.

She’s used to her home being her office as the CEO of a company she’s built entirely from home.

But since coronavirus hit, she’s also juggling full-time care for her four-year-old son, Aaron – while also pregnant with her second child.

Hey, Sami! How has coronavirus changed the way you work?

I have built my entire company while working from home, since 2016, so corona didn’t change much for me in that respect, except that now I can’t run my in-person events.

When I first started my business, my son had just been born. It was not easy juggling a new-born with a new business but it was also a huge advantage to be able to work from home, at flexible hours and not have a boss telling me what to do.

Perhaps, the only difference coronavirus has made is that my kid is now home all day. He has a lot of energy and needs constant attention like all four year olds do. My husband and I have to both work, so it gives the word ‘juggling’ a whole new meaning and level.

But again thankfully, we have a big house and a nice, green garden where he can still let his energy out and we can still enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. That certainly helps.

She’s currently pregnant with her second child (Picture: Sami Wunder)

Talk us through your working space

I have my own office in my house. I decorated it myself.

Inside it, I have a gorgeous Mahogany desk, a comfortable chair, my laptop, camera equipment, a book shelf, a red carpet and a vintage seating sofa for a guest. I have a gorgeous chandelier to light the room, which makes me very happy.

It is my own little work paradise. I also have some incense sticks that I occasionally use to perfume the room and always have my water bottle by my side to remember to stay hydrated during the day.

Behind my desk I have a collage of photos of some of my happy clients who have found love. I’ve helped over 170 women get engaged in the past four years so I love it when they send me engagement or wedding photos – I’ve also been invited along to a few of my client’s weddings too.

What’s a working day like in lockdown?

I wake up in the morning, do my usual morning meditation and hydration and then have my breakfast with my family.

Then I retreat into my office for two hours of focused work during which Chris is with Aaron. After this, it’s my turn babysitting while Chris works. Then we all get together for lunch.

A similar round of work and baby sitting follows and we stop working around 6pm, at which point we have dinner together.

Then Aaron goes to bed and Chris and I have some time for each other.

Sami has a dedicated home office (Picture: Sami Wunder)

Do you find any parts of working from home challenging?

If I can be honest, I love working from home. One can get up and take a snack break just like that. One can work in a T-shirt and pyjamas without getting judged. One can be working and then take a break by going downstairs and putting on a Netflix show for an hour. The joys of it are actually limitless.

However, as with everything else in life, it’s not all hunky-dory. Having a four-year-old full-time with both partners working has been quite a challenging situation for Chris and myself to be in.

We didn’t want to increase our exposure risk by letting people into the house, so a babysitter is not a possibility at the moment either.

More: UK

Teenager died trying to save his dad from water buffalo on Welsh farm

Outrage grows over George Floyd death as protests spread across the globe

Endangered species of seahorses returns home because of lockdown

Chris is a very supportive husband, so he regulates with his boss when he works and we take rounds to spend time with Aaron and at the end of the day, we´re both quite tired by the time Aaron is in bed.

I also miss human contact sometimes and seeing my clients in person. I have had to cancel all my live luxury retreats and events this year, which are such a sought after offering in my company.

However, at the end of it all, I am still grateful that my company is doing well even during these crazy pandemic times. The need for love has not diminished. In fact, if anything, it has increased.

We’re lucky we live in an age where we can easily connect online, I recently launched a virtual dating kit and it’s been selling really well. I feel very grateful that I’m able to coach women all over the world to find love, even during these strange times.

The family’s outdoor space has been hugely helpful in relaxing amid the pandemic (Picture: Sami Wunder)

How do you stay focused and get stuff done?

Having my own office at home, gives me personal space for work that helps me to separate from everyone and just focus on the job at hand, when I get started with my day.

Also, I’ve made it amply clear to my family, that just because I am home and wearing pyjamas, it does not mean that I can be disturbed when at my computer. At the beginning, my husband and my relatives would just come into my room and start talking to me. That would seriously disturb my concentration and was no fun.

Now, I simply lock the door when working, especially with clients and it has eased out those disturbances as it’s a clear signal to my peeps that right now is not the time.

I also do my best to have boundaries around my working hours. When working from home, it can be easy to just get sucked into your laptop and work all day, especially now during the quarantine when one doesn’t have too many options to go out.

Having designated hours for work and being disciplined around stopping at the agreed time has been great for my healthy and sanity. It also ensures I get ample time to spend with my loved ones.

Sami recommends having dedicated working hours, even when at home (Picture: Sami Wunder)

How are you doing mentally amid the pandemic?

I am doing well mentally during the lockdown. I know there’s a lot of pain and suffering in the world right now but I also believe that by holding faith and positive thoughts during these times, we each do our part in empowering and strengthening the collective consciousness of humanity in fighting this disease.

The only challenging part for me has been being pregnant during the pandemic. All sorts of worries come up when visiting the hospitals for my doctor appointments and also, the idea of birthing and caring for a newborn. But I am taking one day at a time for now and praying for a healthier world each day.

More: Dating

People are masturbating more in lockdown

This is the longest I've ever gone without sex and it's changed me

The three-date rule is dead as most people are up for having sex sooner

What advice do you have for people newly working from home?

I’ve mastered being able to focus on my work while wearing pyjamas but if you’re new to this, it may actually help to dress for work, so that your brain and your family can recognise that even if you’re home, you’re actually working.

Be mindful around the time you spend on work. Make sure you’re not over-working just because there’s nothing else to do. I encourage my clients to intentionally shut off their computers at 6 pm, no matter what.

If you have kids in the household, take rounds looking after them with your partner.

Do you have an unusual working-from-home setup? To get involved in Where I Work, email Ellen.Scott@Metro.co.uk.

Share your views in the comments section below.

MORE: Where I Work: Ruth, the PR consultant who’s worked from home for eight years

MORE: Where I Work: Kevin, an office design specialist working from home in lockdown

MORE: Where I Work: Christian, the massage therapist offering virtual stretching sessions from his flat