#most notably: establish boundaries and stop giving a fuck what others think

[joyridingmp3]

2 years to the date that all of my hard work paid off and i was able to buy a home for myself and finally, at long long long long last, able to escape my abusive parents house. not just a house, but a home, and that difference has always been important to me. i feel mostly astounded by how quickly the years have passed since then, but also proud. not just of the achievement but also the way that i've been able to get to know myself, develop my identity, and figure out who i am in that short period of time. it's amazing the way you get to flourish in a world with stability (and not just in the material sense but that too!) when you're not spending every second running from and avoiding life altering trauma. i have some really exciting opportunities coming up to better help me work towards that very soon and hopefully the trajectory continues. it was such a difficult 24 years in getting there a couple of years ago and i really didn't think i'd even make it at times but my god it was so worth waiting for.

[crqelsummer]

something about the tablet scene still bugs me. i can't figure out what it is. there's a small semi essay below the cut of where im at with it, but feel free to chat with me in the notes. i could be looking at this through a really weird lens.

on one hand -- yeah thats definitely a 'dad what the fuck' kind of scene. it was used narratively to show daniel slipping/absorbing more of cobra kai/eagle fang's teachings and as a 'wow daniel's cool now' thing but it is messed up to do that to a kid's belongings. i want to establish that now, scaring a kid is never the right way to go about parenting.

but what also bugs me is that...well. some people have suggested that daniel should've just talked to anthony. that anthony's further actions were going to be colored by his dad's story of being bullied, which i could see. if anthony had been a different character. someone who's been shown to take what his parents to heart -- yeah that'd work.

but i genuinely don't think it would, because it is anthony larusso in canon. he doesn't respect his parents authority, and canonically never has. i doubt it would've changed much. he probably would've read it as "just another story dad tells" and gone back to the way he was already acting. to me? yeah, it probably would've. but, and this is what i'm 75% sure a lot of others are sort of forgetting, i'm (and you are probably not) also not someone who's terrorized a kid before. i'm not someone who's had free reign in her life before to the point that all of anthony's actions were possible. i'm someone who grew up and is still growing up with parents who would likely employ similar tactics like in the tablet scene.

(given that's on the assumption ck keeps his characterization consistent)

and...yeah??? i don't blame him. amanda and daniel have established themselves as "softer" (for lack of better wording) parents in their kids' lives. i wouldn't say absent, but we haven't had many examples of them holding a consequence/line with their kids before and actually following through with it. yeah, they took sam's phone in season one but she still went to that party in the canyon anyway and as far as i remember, there wasn't any reprimand there either. after the fight, they told her to stop practicing karate -- and she still did anyway without...any further notable repercussions. daniel's had multiple times with anthony (notably in ep 2 of season 1) trying to get him off the tablet where he just...gives up? says whatever and moves on. then we rarely see this kid other than when he insults johnny and is generally just typecasted as an annoying zoomer kid.

(i think what bugs me most is just the lack of effort on their parts. but. anthony's not a main character and his name isnt robby keene so.)

which, paragraphs to say -- i don't think daniel was completely wrong. i think he was terribly misguided. and that what he did is a slippery slope into authoritarian/abusive parenting if he continues that way. but for the purposes of that single, mostly stand-alone scene, there had to be genuine consequences. daniel was forced to be firm in the moment because anthony was pushing boundaries he'd established and hadnt respected. what he said afterwards, i don't fault him for. maybe its because ive heard it so many times, but like...yeah. he will be in for a world of pain if he doesn't change his ways. i mean, kenny beating him up in the final episode is probably one he won't ever forget, but i highly doubt any parent wants to see their kid suffer from real world consequences. even so, now instead of really heeding his parents warnings and potential lessons, he has to sit with the bruises and injuries of this fight and is forced to think about his actions.

tl;dr ughhh i'm not condoning daniel's actions. please. children are still very capable of change, but not in two seconds and with a chat over dinner. sometimes authoritative (not authoritarian. those are two very different things) parenting is something you need to do. and yeah...that might appear as what happened.

[wanna-b-poet31]

Crowley’s Truth and Aziraphale’s Lies (A 3-part series) Part 1: Crowley’s Heartbreaking Honesty

So I could do a whole series about why Crowley (in all his piety) is fallen and Aziraphale (in all his temptations) is not. However, I wanted to focus this series strictly on the use of honesty and lies throughout Good Omens. I argue that honesty (and the irony of an honest Demon and a lying Angel) is a tool for establishing their place in-between Heaven and Hell.  They serve as hybrids, a liminal space between holy and hellish, allowing for their supposed “flaws” to shine, and enable them to form their own side.  

Crowley’s Motivation:

One of Crowley’s defining traits is his imagination. Unlike any other celestial entity, he can create ideas, questions, and fabrications at a moment’s notice.  Crowley’s no Saint, he lies to Hastur easily (about calling the demonic counsel), he impersonates Aziraphale stunningly, and (if Aziraphale recalls correctly) he takes credit for all of the horrendous things humanity has done throughout the years (even earning himself some commendations along the way).  So he CAN lie, quite well actually, so long as he has the proper motivation.

And, without fail what IS his motivation? Who (or what) inspires him and allows him to focus his thoughts even when he’s panicking (and possibly trying his best to cope with his piles of trauma)?  Certainly not humanity alone, and certainly not because he has any sense of self-preservation. The man ran into a burning building head first without a second thought; he drove his beloved car through literal hellfire; he walked across consecrated ground despite being burned simply because he told himself he could.  No, he there’s only 1 thing that motivates him.

Aziraphale (of course) 

Crowley: Would I Lie To You?

Crowley lies at least 5 notable times throughout the series.

His reports about the ill-deeds he’s responsible for are riddled with lies and half-truths (which is a general fuck you Hell kind of lie)

He fails to tell the higher-ups in Hell about his knowledge about the Anti-Christ, the location of the Anti-Christ and neglected to correct Hell about it (a Fuck you Satan kind of lie)

He hides and ignores the agreement he’s made with Aziraphale from Hell (A Fuck you Heaven and Hell kind of lie) 

He deceives Hastur, several times but most notably after Ligur’s death (a fuck you Hastur kind of lie, and he’s murderous so he deserves it sorta)

He Impersonates Aziraphale (An F to the U to Heaven kind of lie) 

The notable exemption from this list is Aziraphale. 

Unlike the demons who he deceives at any given moment (particularly in defense of Aziraphale), he refuses to lie to Aziraphale. 

Are you Satan and have just “blessed” Crowley with the staring role in the Apocalypse?  Yeah, great (lies through his teeth about wanting to partake). 

 Are you a Duke of Hell inquiring about where the Anti-Christ is and trying to confront Crowley about his relationship with Aziraphale? “So Longggg Suckaaas” I’m gonna lie lie lie and possibly kill you for coming towards me. 

Are you heaven trying to torture my best friend >lover< with hellfire that will surely kill him? Not today motherfucker, because guess what? Now I’m him and I’ll lie my ass off to protect him. 

Are you an Angel who shows free will and loves humanity as much as he does? 404 Error lies not found. 

This is not to say he’s always straightforward with Aziraphale. because God, Satan, Someone knows he’s got a flair for the dramatic. But not even does he lie through omission.  Whenever Aziraphale asks a question, no matter how light-hearted or series Crowley’s being, he will always give an honest answer, even if it sometimes goes over the angel’s head. >see: Crowley being a blubbering mess because his best friend died and Aziraphale not quite understanding that the best friend is him< 

He’s also oddly cryptic when he’s asking for holy water, but never once does Crowley lie. Sure, he’s trying to speak in code “because the trees have ears”, but when he says it’s for insurance, not a suicide pill, it is for insurance. 

He can tell that his relationship with Aziraphale has morphed in such a way that it would put him and Aziraphale in danger if Hell ever found out about it.  Aziraphale, simply, does not believe him that his only motivation is protection because it is too close to his own fears about Crowley being destroyed. 

Which is why I think he’s so upset about the word “fraternize”. First, there is a class element involved with the Victorian use of the word (usually referring to someone of a higher class interacting friendly to a lower class member). Where Aziraphale may have meant comradery (and brotherhood, which also not how Crowley views their relationship) Crowley certainly acts as if he took it to mean Aziraphale was speaking to him like an enemy or an “inferior” species. 

This is only further supported by Aziraphale’s accusatory “we may have both started out as Angels, but YOU are fallen”, placing (in my opinion) too much emphasis on Crowley’s fall (a huge trauma trigger for him). But this whole characterization of their relationship is a lie Aziraphale tells himself to repress his fears about Heaven’s traumatic treatment of him. By this point in their partnership (as we’ve seen) both he and Crowley go out of their ways to treat each other as equals. To deny it, to repress their feeling is a slap. in. the. face. 

Further, the audience for lying clearly matters to Crowley.  In the relative privacy of the park, Aziraphale says “fraternize”, which doesn’t do enough justice for the kind of intimacy the uniquely share. It implies they could be enemies or strangers (which they aren’t, they’re at least friends). Crowley is so intimately aware that even now, in the 1800′s, it’s them (and humanity) against divinity.  And, Crowley refuses to lie to Aziraphale, especially about the sort of relationship they share. Sure he won’t tell the other demons, and sure as hell won’t tell the angels how deep their relationship goes, but in this private moment, where he’s approaching as a partner (not an adversary)? It would be the worst kind of lie. It would ignore or erase the new space they’ve created for themselves where they can be equals. 

In the above gif, we see Crowley angry and lash out. He says harsh words and insists that he doesn’t need Aziraphale. Since we’re counting, I don’t think this is a lie. Now no, he clearly does need Aziraphale in his life, but he’s just been smacked in the face with the insinuation that they are not equals, they are not friends, they are enemies, and I believe him at this moment, a very hurt Crowley, decides if that’s how Aziraphale is going to treat him, then he will treat him like all his other enemies. At the moment he says I think it he means it because Crowley cannot make time for someone who won’t take his concerns seriously and thinks so little of their relationship.  If he can’t be seen as an equal, he’d prefer not to be seen at all. 

Although, this is a temporary truth, and one Crowley is willing to correct Aziraphale about in a way he never does for his hellish counterparts. Crowley cares too deeply to wish Aziraphale any real harm, even if Aziraphale can’t call a spade a spade. Crowley sure as Hell would move heaven and earth to demonstrate the extent of his love. He shows as much in his rescue in 1941, and again when Aziraphale once again lies and says “we’re not friends...I don’t even like you” in the bandstand. These lies actively hurt Crowley but not once does he retaliate with.  Instead, he meets Aziraphale with blunt honesty. Saying “yes you do” doing everything he can to get Aziraphale on the same page, and share their truth. 

Look at the above gif. Not only does Crowley KNOW Aziraphale is lying, but Aziraphale knows it too. While he clearly loves Crowley and has loved Crowley for some time, his inability to work through his anxieties and rely on Crowley as a support system, as a partner, he can’t come to terms with his own trauma. 

So, he lies. 

He lies and he hurts Crowley. He lies and he dismisses Crowley’s honesty. He lies and he harms himself because they both know this is a facade he can’t keep up much longer. He lies, and Crowley still meets him with honesty and forgiveness. 

And honestly, it breaks his heart to be lied to, but he knows the alternative solution would be no best friend at all. Under normal circumstances, Crowley could be patient. He could wait for Aziraphale to come to terms with their relationship almost for forever. But, shit hits the fan, and he needs to show Aziraphale that two of them need to stop dancing, stop being cryptic, and cut through the bullshit for once. 

Which brings me to the first Gif of this section. Take a moment, scroll the ridiculous amount up, and just look at the indignation on his face. in the earlier gif “Would I lie to you?”, he clearly consciously makes a point to never lie to Aziraphale, despite it supposedly being “the demon’s way”. Not in anger (like at the bandstand) not even if it’s uncomfortable (like when he’s criticizing Aziraphale for being so clever and so stupid), not even if the angel is (knowingly or unknowingly) hurting him with his lies. 

Crowley draws the line at tainting his relationship with the kind of lies Heaven tells, and the kind of disregard Hell tells.  Because despite the lies he’s told by Aziraphale, Crowley knows who he can trust, who he needs on his side, who he wants to spend the end of the world with, and it sure as hell isn’t Hastur or Beelzebub.  

Because at the end of the day, Crowley knows what the two of them share together.  One great way to see this comparison is to checkout @theladyzephyr ‘s meta on Crowley and his glasses. Because while he does let his guard down for Aziraphale (even if only drunk), his autonomy, his consent to wear/not wear his glasses is taken from in by Hastur in the above gif’s scene.  Aziraphale, for all his lies, does not cross the same boundaries as Hell does, and genuinely cares for Crowley. He shows remorse for his actions and is clearly just as hurt by his own lies as Crowley is. 

A Very Crowley’s Conclusion

But what does this mean in terms of his Honesty? Well, for starters, demonstrates that while he has the power to lie, and could lie to Aziraphale (functionally I mean) he chooses not to.

He might, every now and then poke him and partake in some friendly banter, but never is it mean spirited, not even when they’re both at their breaking points. His ability to lie but restraint from lying; his ability to deceive, but his choice to trust, sets him apart from the rest of the demonic mold.  

Quite honestly, He probably could tempt (like really tempt) Aziraphale to his side. He could manipulate and push the Angel into situations they both know he would be uncomfortable with. But, he doesn’t. He doesn’t become the abusive force Heaven and Hell have pushed on the two of them because that’s not how he wants or needs to cope with his loss. No, he needs an equal, not a lackey. He needs an equal, not a boss. He needs love, not control. 

It becomes clear that his loyalties have never (at least not in the series) been with Hell. Crowley doesn’t trust or care about his fellow demons. He kills one (permanently) and another (not so permanently) without hesitation. He defies (actively and with little regard for the safety of other celestial creatures) the desires of Hell, working with his bestie to ensure the world breaks even. 

Consequently, he’s creating a “third” option with Aziraphale. It is distinctly not a human space (neither of them is human). It’s is not heavenly or hellish, but space for them to be who they are, fight for what they love and feel safe knowing they are a team (romantic or otherwise). And it’s clear based on who he lies to and how he lies, that he’s not cut out for the Demon frenzy or the demon.

Their third space is what Crowley’s been working for since day one because Aziraphale is worth lying to others to protect and worth telling the truth to love. 

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk

[goftwinemoms]

sfw/nsfw headcanon time!

the discord server never sleeps, babey. with that said, this is gonna be a relatively long list, so buckle up.

again, no beetlebabes. only beetledeetzlands and variations of it.

with that, it’s go time.

SFW!

(a bunch of these are kinda like an interconnected au, but there’s also some random ones so)

cw warning: mentions of abuse! (i’m talking about beej’s past with juno, and it wasn’t a good one)

- beetlejuice returns about a month or so after the events of the musical. he strolls (read: heelys) in when everyone is in the living room one night, with a starbucks in hand. after a very long talk, he’s allowed to stay. (charles wants him Gone, lydia is kinda happy to have her friend back, the maitlands are just super iffy about him, and delia knows there’s more to him than they think)

- delia could see a lot of red flags for abuse in beetlejuice’s behavior. after they know each other a bit better, she confronts him about it. it’s a struggle, but he eventually starts talking to her about it.

- lydia helps beej try and convince charles and the maitlands that he’s not all that bad. (it kinda works, although there were definitely more than a few mishaps.)

- after a few weeks of sessions with delia, he eventually sits the members of the house down and opens up about it. (lydia hugs him A Lot)

- charles and the maitlands don’t instantly forgive him, but they at least see that he’s truly trying. (it also makes them all realize exactly why he had acted the way he did. didn’t excuse it, but they understood it a bit more.)

- slowly but surely, charles and the maitlands warm up to beetlejuice (with the maitlands really warming up to him, and realizing that the demon has a Very Large crush on them.)

- the demon in question quite definitely has a very big crush on the maitlands (and delia and charles, although he’s not about to let them figure that out. he would be Devastated if he lost delia as a friend, and/or set back his progress with charles)

- about 5 months after the demon comes back, him and the maitlands end up dating. it’s a very tentative thing in the beginning, but they realax into it soon enough. after they’re sure it’s not going to fall apart, they tell the deetzs

- lydia doesnt like to think about any of them in the context of dating (because,,,, ew that’s her ghost parents and best friend) but she loves all of them, and accepts their decision easily

- so do charles and delia! although charles is a bit confused about it in the beginning, seeing as the maitlands are married and he’s very used to monogamism, but he understands after they explain it a bit more.

- charles and delia finally have their wedding about a month after that! it’s really nice, and beetlejuice behaves because They Deserve It. (they also made him and adam best men, and barbara was the bridesmaid! beej exerted his powers to make them visible for the day.)

- a little while after this, let’s say about,,,, a year after beej has returned, the feelings are all over the place. delia and charles have talked about their feelings for the 3 ghosts (delia whole heartedly supports communication on everything in a relationship), and the 3 ghosts have talked about the same between themselves (aka the maitlands coax it out of beej because he’s been repressing it for a While)

- this all comes to a head after a month or so of the couples talking about the others. one night while lydia is babysitting sky overnight, delia makes them all sit down and talk it out. it’s a long talk, but they eventually all agree to try this thing out. much like beetlejuice and the maitlands, they keep it a secret from lydia until they’re sure the relationship isn’t going to splinter apart.

- lydia isn’t too surprised, and had honestly come to terms with the fact that all of them were gonna end up in some sort of relationship. (she’s just happy that all of the parents/whatever beej is in her life are happy)

- they make sure to keep everything PG if lydia is so much as within the vicinity of the house.

- adam eventually makes them all a bed big enough for them all, and they custom order a mattress big enough for it.

- charles does renovations to connect the guest room the maitlands and beej had been staying in, to his and delia’s room

- they also renovate the bathroom in their room in order to make the shower big enough for all of them, and have more counter space.

with that all squared away, NSFW time babey!

- beetlejuice and delia are definitely the kinkiest of all of them. they’re also really the only ones with experience with multiple partners, so they mostly take the lead in the beginning

- the first few times they do anything, it’s all very planned and “by the books”, and they also establish some boundaries before each time (ie. who is into what, what they’re willing to try, and what is a hard no, safe words, etc.)

- delia and beej slowly teach them to “go with their feels” as time goes on.

- the most awkward spots are definitely between charles and beetlejuice. however, they sit down and talk (and make out, and hook up) a few times in order to get past it.

- charles and barbara are usually the doms, beej and delia switch often, and adam usually is a sub (however, none of them are set in stone, they can all switch depending on how they/everyone else is feeling)

- ok so kinks specific to each of them. there’s more of them than these lists, or else it would go on for a very long time, but i’m just giving some highlights... for now ;) (this list in general is getting hella long but i have a lot of headcanons so,,,,)

- charles has a big thing with collars, choking and marking his partners, and having them mark him. (and a daddy kink) beej introduces him to pet play because of the whole collar thing, and he Loves It.

- for delia and beej, it would be easier to make a list of things they’re not into. however, both have a Huge thing for pegging (both giving and receiving in delia’s case) and both simultaneously have a praise and degradation kink (depends on the day, which they prefer more)

- however beetlejuice has like,,,,, big pet play kink (him and charles Own That) and he also has some more “nasty ones” (one of which is stuff while delia is on her time of the month. she ain’t complaining.)

- barbara has a very big with with pegging her partners, and also has a thing for lingerie (on herself and her partners.)

- fuck it, they all have a thing for pegging (it takes charles a while to actually admit to it though)

- adam has a big gagging kink, degradation, and dp. i said what i said.

- in general, they’re all huge voyeurs. the 3 ghosts have a lot more leeway since they can’t be seen, however.

- they use this to mess sround with delia and charles when they go out (without lydia obviously)

- charles is sitting in a meeting, and unbeknownst to everyone else, there are 3 ghosts Trying Their Best to get him riled up.

- also. beetleclones. let’s just say they have a lot of fun with them.

- beetlejuice used to work at dante’s inferno. he puts those skills to good use. (he and delia have a partner routine.)

- while it’s usually smooth sailing, safe words have been used. (one notable occasion was beetlejuice starting to have a panic attack. everything immediately stopped, and his partners showered him in affection until he calmed down enough to fall asleep. the next day, they all had a discussion about what had happened and how to prevent it in the future.)

- just,,,,, communication and consent man. sexy As Fuck.

- they all love each other, and no matter the kinky shit they all get into, they’re sticking together for a very long time to come.

aaaaaand i think that’s it. it got a bit long, but i really like some of these hcs. hope y’all like them as well!

[niskrp]

:// SEARCHING OPERATIVE …

… searching for AGENT 019 / THE HIGH PRIESTESS. classified files indicate that they go by NAM DAEIL. born in SEOUL, SK, in 1990/05/03, further investigation makes it clear that they joined the agency FOUR YEARS ago. they are an INTELLIGENCE AGENT who specialize in ANALYTIC METHODOLOGY. higher clearance is needed to access further information…

… ENTER PASSWORD TO ACCESS THE COMPLETE FILE.

:// ACCESSING BACKGROUND FILES …

03rd June, 1990 / He’s born the first and only son of Nam Hayoon and Yoo Jaebeom, current CEO and chairman of Yoosang Group, a multi-profile business conglomerate with holdings in arms, defense, chemicals, energy, finance, and investment. He’s also born the only grandson of Admiral Nam Seokwoo, 20th Chief of Naval Operations of the Republic of Korea and first ever platoon leader of then freshly established Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla’s SEAL team 1.

28th September, 1992 - 19th July, 2006 / He’s raised in coastal Jeju-do by his maternal grandparents, childhood uneventful in the best of ways; still remembers the taste of his grandmother’s home-cooked meals, the days he’d spend fishing out at sea with his grandfather, the family outings and morning runs and weekends spent rock-climbing. He grows up loved, so he’s unbothered by the lack of parental presence in his life. His father calls once a week; his mother even less. He timed one once, just for kicks. It lasted a whopping 98 seconds, and yet his parents never forgot to tell him they loved him before hanging up. Unsurprisingly, daeil never replied. He just hung up.

20th July 2006 / It’s already been 3 years since his grandmother’s passing. He wakes up past 9:00 AM for the first time in 16 years to find his grandfather still in bed, smiling. At peace in death, just as in life. The funeral that’s held is a small one, and he sees his parents for the first time in 3 years. He pays them no heed, quiet throughout the ceremony. Stays long after everyone else has left, crying over the grave of the only father he’s ever really known. Luckily, his parents give him the space he needs. Haven’t they always.

21st July 2006 - 15th August 2008 / he moves in with his parents the day after the funeral and spends most of the day actively avoiding the confines of his newfound home. No one but the help is ever there to begin with, and it doesn’t help that whenever his old man does manage to scrape together an hour or two to spend with his son, it’s accompanied with the suffocating weight of awkward parental guilt – a constant cycle of trying too hard and overstepping boundaries with a son he does not know.

So he spends his days preoccupied with school, with extra-curriculars, with psychedelics in the back of a senior’s car.

Private school’s always had its perks, after all. Money, has, too.

16th August 2008 / He graduates from high school, and so does his budding addiction. A 5.0 GPA and an impressive list of extra-curricular achievements see him admitted to Harvard’s class of 2008, and as per Harvard culture, he grows to spend his Sundays getting blackout drunk and his Mondays studying Math 55A: honors abstract algebra.

It’s in January of his freshman year that he’s first introduced to cocaine, and it’s easy enough to think you’re invincible when you’re 19 years old. Crack addiction isn’t a possibility for you. You’re too good for that. Don’t be a fucking pussy, a line never hurt anyone. A line never killed anyone.

Except it has. Except It has.

A 200 word paragraph isn’t enough to portray what addiction is like. He tried to stop, really, he did. But that’s never really enough, is it?

11th december 2010 - 13th August 2011 / Rehab. Then, rehab again. Followed by rehab for a third and final time. He still has a scar on the side of his throat from his second failed attempt. It’s already been months since he’s stopped picking up his father’s calls; weeks since his father’s stopped calling altogether.

15th September 2011 - 26th August 2013 / The last two years of his undergraduate education go by in a blur. It’s busy, hectic. Sobering. He graduates top of his class.

27th August 2013 / It takes him 17 hours to get from Boston to Seoul. He signs up for the PT program at the National Intelligence Service the following day.

He doesn’t really know why he did it. Came back here, of all places.

Perhaps it’s just in his blood.

23rd January 2014 /

NH: Is this about your grandfather, Daeil? ND: Maybe. NH: Maybe? ND: He never told me, you know. I was, what, 14? 15? when i found out? I think it was a year before he died. I never brought it up. He was happy with the idea that I didn’t know and I had no intention of changing that. NH: … ND: Even if I put personal feelings aside for a minute. It doesn’t add up. More than 45 years of service and yet a week after Blackwater is when he’s– [STATIC] NH: Why come back to this now. What difference do you think it’ll make. ND: Dunno. I guess you could say rehab helped me put things back into perspective. / END TAPE.

:// ACCESSING PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION …

REPORT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT prepared by: Dr. Kwon Hojoon National Intelligence Service, Seoul, Republic of South Korea. 23rd September, 2014.

confidential material, for professional use only. NAME: Nam Daeil D.O.B: 03rd June, 1990. TRAINEE NUMBER: 14056 CHRONOLOGICAL AGE: 24 years and 3 months. NATIONALITY: South Korean. ETHNICITY: Korean. MOTHER: Nam Hayoon. FATHER: Yoo Jaebeom. EDUCATIONAL LEVEL: Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, specializing in behavior, perception, and consciousness. REASON FOR REFERRAL: Daeil is a 24 years and 3 months old adult of South Korean descent who was referred for psychological evaluation according to the pt program trainee evaluation process. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: Background information was obtained from government records, as well as from interviews and medical records. Current status of his behavioral patterns and mental state was obtained from observation during testing and from standardized psychological and neuropsychological tests. This information appears to be from reliable sources and valid. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Family history: Daeil is the only son of Nam Hayoon and Yoo Jaebeom, but was raised in Jeju-do by maternal grandparents since the age of two. Although Daeil’s parents are not divorced, they rarely saw each other or Daeil due to work-related reasons. Daeil’s father is the current CEO and Chairman of Yoosang Group, while his mother is the current Deputy Director of NIS’ Clandestine Division, and has been serving since 1985. It’s worth mentioning that his maternal grandfather, late Admiral Nam Seokwoo, served in the ROK navy and was it’s 20th Chief of Naval Operations. His grandfather was also the first ever platoon leader of the ROK Special Warfare Flotilla’s SEAL team 1 when it was first established in 1955. Admiral Seokwoo was given an OTH discharge from the military during his term as Chief of Naval Operations on charges of corruption in 1997. MEDICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY: Pregnancy and birth history: Daeil’s mother was 25 and his father 29 at the time of his birth. There were no complications of pregnancy or delivery reported and he was born by Caesarean section. His birth weight was normal but he experienced some jaundice following birth. Developmental history: Medical reports show that Daeil had difficulties sleeping as an infant and was brought to the hospital for a check-up after being unable to sleep for more than 2 to 3 hours at a time for the first 3 months of his life. His appetite was also reported as poor. Medical history: He had the usual childhood illnesses of chickenpox, ear infections and strep throat. BEHAVIOURAL OBSERVATIONS: Daeil is an attractive young man, who readily established an easy rapport and was open and easy to communicate with. He was evaluated over a period of three days. He showed no reluctance to perform assigned tasks and failed to show signs of resistance, hyperactivity or distractibility. Most notable was his high speed of information processing and how well he functions and adapts in high-stress situations. In conversation, he maintains eye contact, which, combined with his posture, indicates a high level of confidence and an unlikelihood towards suffering from social anxiety. TESTS ADMINISTERED: AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale Adult Neuropsychological Questionnaire Beck Anxiety Inventory Beck Depression Inventory - 2nd Ed Beck Hopelessness Scale Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test Benton Visual Retention Test - 5th Ed Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Percepeption Holtzman Inkblot Technique House-Tree-Person Interrogation Form Personality Assessment Inventory Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale - 5th Ed Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - 3rd Ed Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities TEST RESULTS: Cognitive:

Verbal abilities: Verbal comprehension refers to his ability to listen to a question, draw upon learned information, reason through an answer, and express thoughts verbally. Daeil’s verbal comprehension fell in the high average range and ranked in the 93rd percentile. According to his performance, Daeil is able to express both abstract and concrete ideas clearly and concisely, in simple terms, despite having an extensive vocabulary.

Non-verbal abilities: Perceptual reasoning measures Daeil’s ability to reason using visual cues from the environment; to examine, think about, and solve novel tasks without using words. Daeil’s perceptual reasoning fell in the high range and ranked in the 94th percentile.

Working memory: Daeil’s working memory involves the ability to attend to verbally presented information, hold information in his immediate awareness, and then be able to use that information within a small period of time. Daeil’s working memory fell in the high average range, and ranked in the 85th percentile. His highest scoring task required him to mentally compute math problems within a time limit. His second highest score involved tasks asking him to repeat a 15-digit number verbatim, as state or in reverse order. As expected, the longer the time duration allotted for memorization, the likelier it is that Daeil maintains the subject matter in his long-term memory.

Processing Speed: Processing speed involves the ability to scan, discriminate and process visual information to complete a task. Daeil’s processing speed falls in the high range as well, ranked in the 99th percentile, and is considered a personal strength. His performance suggests that Daeil does not have trouble with concentration, attention or short-term memory nor does he struggle with visual-motor coordination or discrimination.

Social Emotional:

Externalizing problems; hyperactivity, aggression, conduct problems: Daeil’s tendency towards experiencing overall externalizing problems fell in the low range, ranking in the 13th percentile. Daeil scored lowest on measures for hyperactivity. Measures for aggression were consistent and did not indicate a predisposition towards violent behavior. The issue of conduct problems also does not appear to be a noteworthy cause of concern, although some test results indicate that he has a predisposition towards unpredictability.

Internalizing problems; anxiety, depression, somatization, rejection: Daeil’s tendency towards experiencing overall internalizing problems fell in the low range as well, ranking in the 12th percentile. No particular inclination towards anxiety, depression, somatization were noted. Daeil’s results did not indicate a particular fear of rejection either.

Overall problems/maladaptive behavior or emotional disabilities: Daeil appears to have a low level of problem behavior according to the assessments performed. Overall problem behavior combines Daeil’s performance on measures of hyperactivity, aggression, depression, atypicality, and withdrawal. This assessment is supported by another in which Daeil demonstrates low internalizing and externalizing maladaptive behaviors as compared to fellow trainees. Asessments did not indicate maladaptive behavioral tendencies, disturbances in functioning, or pathology. These scores imply that his behavior will not affect his functioning at NIS or negatively impact mission performance. In addition, Daeil does not indicate an emotional disability based on the conducted assessment. With regards to indications of emotional disability, Daeil ranked in the 15th percent when compared to other adults his age. Further evaluation for emotional disabilities was not indicated. This suggests that Daeil’s emotional condition is normal and is not a concern in regards to performance. Adaptive Skills: Daeil’s adaptive skills fall in the high range, ranking in the 90th percentile. These skills include adaptability (ability to readily adapt to environmental changes), social skills, leadership, activities of daily living, and functional communication. Daeil exhibits high coping skills, but indicates a lack of sensitivity, even though empathy levels are considered normal. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Daeil demonstrates exceptional cognitive abilities and adaptability, as well as a talent for operating under large amounts of stress. His test results indicate a high level of mental and emotional stability, and is considered low-risk; however, his performance does indicate a possibility of developing obsessive tendencies, but test results show inconsistent and conflicting results. A second opinion from a psychologist specializing in personality disorders is recommended. CONCLUSION: Nam Daeil, trainee number 14056, is deemed fit for active duty.

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