#my new daily motto

[positivewlwvibes]

gotta make it to tomorrow gotta outlive donald trump

[sunmisbf]

I MISSED SUNMISBF DAY 😭💖💞💓💘💞💝💗☹️😿💞💖💓🎊 hi mar bestie happy belated!!! honoured to be one of your oomfs i read your blog daily like the newspaper 👍🏽 stay sexy funny and crazy 4 sunmi <3 she performed at waterbomb festival for YOU and you only. hope you are still alive

HIIIIII FRAN 💖😽💕💞💘💝 u can never miss sunmisbf day it is sunmisbf day every day around here🫡 but thank u so much!! 💖💖 it is an honor to be UR oomf 🫶🫶 she literally did do all that for me i blacked out 4 different times but aside from that i’m doing fine thank u 😽😽

[rizsu]

the husband and his type of style jujutsu kaisen ⭒ fem-reader.

⤹ list ﹢ nanami kento, toji fushiguro, gojo satoru, choso.

﹙ syn ﹚ headcanons — as husbands, they all have their own unique characteristic.

+ love ‘su: “i thought you hated cho—” 🔇🔇🔇

NANAMI KENTO : the “get dressed” husband.

nanami's a man of his word. you want to eat out for dinner? get dressed by 7:00 p.m. you feel like doing a random grocery run? be ready by lunch, he'll come pick you up.

to nanami, nothing is more important than his wife's wants. having necessary items serve their purpose, obviously, but who doesn't like having their wants satisfied? he can never be one to hold you back from it.

happy wife, happy life. the motto he worships. as a man of tradition, he'd take a sick leave from his job if you wanted extra attention. a spoiler to the bone. whatever you want, just say the word and he'll tell you when to get ready.

TOJI FUSHIGURO : the “i'll make it” husband.

the king of craft. toji not only serves as eye candy for your eyes only, he also serves as your person handyman! whether it's to make, break, fix, or repair, he'll have the job done in no time. give him two hours, a beer, and a hammer.

to be loved is to be seen. for toji, he knows when you wish for something to be added to make daily activity easier. since you often crave snacks during the night, he reworked the nightstand's drawers into a small pantry filled with snacks.

sometimes you like to continue watching your show despite what you're doing. with this in mind, his new project is to either make a space into the shower wall where you can safely place your phone, or make a table for the bathtub when you're relaxing.

GOJO SATORU : the “don't you dare throw that away” husband.

a hoarder. most of the time, the items that gojo's been piling up in his studio are things that no longer serve him any purpose nor value. he simply doesn't feel like trashing it.

he'd run up the excuses that it's there for nostalgia, but if you ask him where or who the object came from, he'd be unable to answer. many times this led to unnecessary arguments. there was a time it got bad to the point he'd place the objects around the house out of pettiness.

this downside has its upside. with his hoarder mentality, you're guaranteed to find something you swore to the heavens you lost. there is always good in bad!

CHOSO : the “i miss my wife” husband.

doing grocery runs alone? he misses his wife. seeing a couple holding hands? he misses his wife. someone holding something that's enjoyed or liked by you? he misses his wife.

it's gotten to the point where if he's ever invited to a boys' night, the sentence “i miss my wife” is banned. if he says it he'll have to clean everyone's vehicle. to them, it's annoying. to you, it's peak husbandnity.

choso depends on you as much as you depend on him. oftentimes he needs a moment alone and you're always there to hold his hand. he's gotten used to such behaviour, so when he's set apart from you, the “i miss my wife” gets wicked.

[kaces-graham-crackers]

Stirring the Quiet - Sweet Mistakes

Jenna Ortega x Female Reader

Summary: In the bustling streets of Hollywood, The Daily Grind café offers solace to those seeking peace—famous or not. Y/N, co-owner of the cozy shop, wasn't expecting a masked Jenna Ortega, a regular, hiding in plain sight. Is it just you, or did the spilled sugar not turn out to be the only thing that sweetened your day?

Word Count: 1.1k

The smell of espresso hit me like a warm hug the second I opened the door to The Daily Grind. We'd only been open for three weeks, but the place already felt like my second home. Wilma, my best friend and now business partner, had really nailed it with the cozy vibe— mix of warm lighting and cushy chairs that practically begged you to sit down and spill your deepest secrets into a cup of coffee. We were doing pretty well for ourselves. A lot of it had to do with how we ran things. We prided ourselves on being a low-key spot where even the biggesr stars could come in and out without anyone batting an eye. No paparazzi, No instagram Stans, just people famous—or not trying to enjoy their coffee.

We've had a few people challenge our "No photos, videos, or interrupting other customers of any caliber." rule—a sign clearly displayed at the top of the menu and outside the café. The moment a camera was raised, we'd calmly walk over and politely ask them to leave. If that didn't work, we had a quiet agreement with the boutique's security guard next door—one glare from him, and they usually scurried off. Our café was a sanctuary, and no one would ruin that for our customers. After all, our motto was "We serve coffee, not fame. Take a sip." Today had been like any other day: customers trickling in, ordering their usual, and leaving with smiles. But something was different tonight. Maybe it was the way the door chimed a little softer than usual or the quick sound of shuffling footsteps. I didn't look up right away, as I was too busy balancing a stack of to-go cups while trying not to trip over that corner of the rug that always seemed to curl up, which, let's be honest, was my usual struggle. But I felt it—a shift in the atmosphere. Someone was trying way too hard not to be noticed. I peeked over my shoulder just in time to catch a figure in a hoodie, sunglasses, and a face mask slipping into the booth in the back corner.

I chuckled lightly, nearly knocking over the cups I had stacked. Of course, someone who tried not to stand out only made them stand out more. But hey, this was Hollywood; people like to stay incognito. I walked up beside Wilma as she finished giving a customer their order. She was also watching the spectacle; Wilma leaned in, wiping her hands on a towel. "That hoodie's been here three times this week. Any hunch who it could be?" We, of course, leave celebrities alone here, but we like to talk between ourselves to try and figure out who it is. I shake my head. "No, but they're definitely someone. No one hides like that unless they're trying not to be recognized." Wilma smirked. "Duh—You can tell by how they keep looking over their shoulder." Our eyes met, and she gave me a knowing look. Her smirk grew into a giant grin. "Your turn, mascot," she said, tossing her towel over her shoulder as she walked away. I blinked, confused. "Wait, what? What is that supposed to mean?" She stopped briefly. "Maybe you'll have better luck talking to them. After all, you are the people's favorite barista and a great icebreaker. She looks anxious, so work your little charisma magic." And with that, she disappeared into the back, leaving me staring at the mysterious figure, wondering how I'd gotten roped into this.

As I walked over, I flipped to a new page in my notepad and repeated my mantra when serving customers: Treat everyone the same, whether they're the guy from down the street or some A-lister hiding from the world. No fuss, no fanfare. I tried to stay calm not to scare them out of the café. There was no need to be weird or awkward about it I'm just going to—oh. As I slid up to the table, I managed to knock over the sugar container. Smooth, Y/N. Real smooth. With a quick glance, I crouched down to pick it up, hoping I hadn't drawn attention to either of us. When I stood back up, the figure in the hoodie had their head down, but I could feel them watching me. Great, now I spooked them. "Uh, sorry about that," I chuckled nervously, brushing the sugar off my apron. "That usually only happens on Wednesdays, more than I'd like to admit." A soft giggle escaped from under the mask. Before I could attempt to piece the giggle to a voice she pulled down her mask just enough for me to see her face.

Jenna Ortega.

I blinked, not sure why my brain of all times decided to short-circuit now.

Jenna—freakin'—Ortega was sitting in my café, laughing at my stupid joke.

"Don't worry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've seen worse." I swallowed, trying to play it cool, even though my hands were suddenly very sweaty. "Uh, yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't expecting..." I trailed off, realizing how dumb I sounded. I mean, who was I expecting? Jenna looked around cautiously, lowering her mask completely once she realized no one had recognized her. "I just...needed to get away for a bit. You guys are pretty discreet." I nodded, my heart still racing. "Yeah, absolutely. This is a judgment-free zone. No one here will treat you like, you know...you." A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and I tried not to stare. "Good. I could use a place like that right now." "Well, you found it," I said, sending her a warm smile. "Is the other barista not here today?" she asked, fumbling with the strings of her hoodie. "Wilma? Yeah, she's hiding in the back. I can go get her if you'd like?" she softly cleared her throat, "No, that's alright, she just knows my usual." "Well, I promise not to screw it up." I smiled, flipping back to a blank notepad page. "Alright, I'll hold you to that. I'll have an iced coffee with caramel and whipped cream." She smiled back at me. I nodded, jotting it down and turning back to the counter. "Coming right up." As I worked on her drink, I couldn't help but glance back over. There she was, sitting quietly, reading a book with her headphones around her neck, looking a lot more calm. Just another person needing some space and quiet in a world of phones, lights, and cameras 24/7. It felt great that our little café was something special for people. Not just because of the stars who might show up but because we somehow created a space where people could just be. And that? That was worth all the spilled sugar in the world.

[nana-mania]

pls can you do a part 2 for the red flags of bllk characters!! it was so good!

࿐*ೃ sure!! i actually plan to do for more characters in part 3 so characters suggestion is highly encouraged! (4 CHARACTERS MAXIMUM)

“HIS RED FLAGS” - PART 2 - what does he do that make him an obvious red flag?

╰┈➤: ̗̀➛ headcanon

࿐*ೃ feat : reo mikage, seishiro nagi, oliver aiku, rin itoshi

࿐*ೃ fandom : blue lock

࿐*ೃ extra : gn! reader, angst.

࿐*ೃ trigger warning : cheating, manipulation, profanities, toxic relationship.

REO MIKAGE

╰┈➤: ̗̀➛ Reo would be the best, most perfect partner ever if only he believes that not everything can be resolved through his wealth. He loves you, he does but you're never his priority. All he cares about is his football career. He barely has time for you, often spending time with Seishiro to practice soccer together until dusk nearly everyday. When you tell him about your worries, you expect him to take action and finally considers to mend the relationship again. But he never. He just gives you tons of money and tells you to have fun by yourself to cheer you up. When you insist him to spend quality time with you, he harshly rejects you by saying he is busy. Indeed, he is busy. He is busy being Seishiro's servant and prioritizing his happiness more than yours.

“Sorry, Y/n. Not today. I have practice.”

“I told you, I don't have the leisure time to play around. I need to practice soccer!”

“Just take this money and enjoy yourself. Leave me alone and never speak about this matter ever again.”

SEISHIRO NAGI

╰┈➤: ̗̀➛ Seishiro...is lazy, in general and in all ways. Relationship is a hassle for him to handle due to his lazy nature. He never make an effort to spice up nor mending his relationship with you. If it happens, it happens. That's his motto, one that he never fail to hold onto. Seishiro basically doesn't even care about you let alone your feelings for him in the slightest bit. He is solely using your vulnerability to his advantage. In all honesty, he only engages in relationship with you because he thinks you would be useful to assist him with his daily needs. You're a gullible person who simply follows all his orders like a servant, only thinking you only do this out of love and casting aside the fact you're being manipulated by your own boyfriend. He asks for breakfast? You make one for him. He tells you to wash all his clothes while he play games? You gladly do so. This goes on for a while until you realize how wrong this is and confronts Seishiro about it. The result, he never give a flying fuck. Instead, Seishiro manipulates you into thinking this is your own fault and makes you feel much worse.

“So...what's your point actually? You're blaming me over your own stupidity?”

“You're really dumb, Y/n. So dumb that it took you this long to notice.”

“Apologize? I never do anything wrong. It isn't like I hit you or anything.”

OLIVER AIKU

╰┈➤: ̗̀➛ We all know what this man is capable of; cheating. From the start of the relationship, he has dropped countless obvious hints. During date, you will always find his eyes lingering on other people as he “admires” them with a lustful smirk on his face. When you confront him, Oliver just brushes it off and says you're overreacting. It doesn't matter how many times you scold him, he will repeat his doing. And as time passes, he straightout flirts with anyone that catches his interest right in front of you. Daring to even exchange number while his lips curves into a seductive smirk. He barely has time for you and frequently leaving the house to have fun with his “friends”, which turns out to be his secret lover, one that he has been cheating on you with for a long time.

“Jeez, you're overreacting too much. I'm just being nice to them.”

“What's wrong with getting their number? You know me, I like making new friends!”

“Come on...can you just be open-minded and let me do anything I want? I can date anyone I want besides you. You have no control over my life.”

RIN ITOSHI

╰┈➤: ̗̀➛ You and Rin were like dream lovers, perfect for each other and completed each other's heart. That's it, until the dispute between Rin and his older brother happened that drastically changed him...and his relationship with you. Rin is not as sweet and as caring he used to be, solely focusing on his goal to surpass and beat his older brother in their unhealthy rivalry. He has become more distant and acts colder toward you. There is no spark of joy in the relationship anymore, with Rin drifting apart from you and you hurting from his cold-hearted treatment. You try to be there for him, supporting him in his journey to be the best striker to prove to his older brother but your efforts are often overlooked and left unappreciated by Rin. In fact, he sees you as a nuisance rather than his biggest supporter.

“I don't have time for you. Screw off, (Y/n).”

“You interrupted my practice to tell me to fucking rest? Are you telling me to laze around?”

“From now on, stop visiting me during practice. You are a fucking nuisance.”

࿐*ೃ thanks for reading this headcanon! likes and reblogs are deeply appreciated ♡

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Erin Reed at Erin In The Morning:

On Monday evening, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien made history by speaking at the Republican National Convention—the first time a Teamsters Union President has ever done so. The move, however, didn’t come without controversy. Union Vice President John Palmer called the decision “unconscionable.”

O’Brien then stirred more debate by tweeting in support of an article by Republican Senator Josh Hawley, which criticized corporate initiatives supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and transgender workers. The situation then erupted when the official Teamsters Twitter account posted a statement condemning O’Brien��s endorsement, which was swiftly deleted. “Unions gain nothing from endorsing the racist, misogynistic, and anti-trans politics of the far right, no matter how much people like Sen. Hawley attempt to tether such bigotry to a cynical pro-labor message. The message this sends to Teamsters of color, Teamster women, and LGBTQ Teamsters is that they are not welcome in the union unless they surrender their identity to a new kind of anti-woke unionism. You don't unite a diverse working class by scoffing at its diversity,” said the now deleted tweet.

O’Brien’s support for Hawley’s views received swift backlash. “We get it. He promised you Secretary of Labor,” read a response by transgender writer Parker Molloy. “If you're a Teamster of color, are LGBTQ+, Sean O'Brien has just said he doesn't give a fuck about you,” said the Daily Union Elections account. “Scab,” said American journalist and labor activist Talia Jane. O’Brien’s speech at the RNC puzzled many observers. He used the platform to advocate for unions while also praising Donald Trump, calling him “one tough SOB.” Throughout much of the speech, the applause was tepid to nonexistent. Reports even indicated that at least one audience member shouted “right to work,” reflecting anti-union sentiments in the Republican Party.

Meanwhile, other labor union leaders were critical of O’Brien’s appearance at the RNC. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, responded, “Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are on the bosses’ side… We won’t be fooled.” These critiques were echoed by members of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, and other union leaders. Even John Palmer, the Teamsters Vice President, weighed in: “A speaking engagement at the Republican National Convention by Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, regardless of the message, only normalizes and makes the most anti-union party and president I’ve seen in my lifetime seem palatable.”

[...] O’Brien’s support for a senator’s explicitly anti-diversity and anti-LGBTQ+ views runs contrary to Teamsters Union’s official documents and policies. One document on the Teamsters website states, “We are pro-union and pro-equality. In keeping with the labor movement motto, ‘an injury to one is an injury to all,’ we support a strong and progressive labor movement that promotes full equality and respect for LGBTQ workers and their families.”

Teamsters leader Sean O’Brien urinated on Teamster ethos of “an injury to one is an injury to all” by not only speaking on the RNC stage Monday but also giving praise to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO)’s anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-DEI comments. #RNC2024 #RNCinMKE

[marvelmcumania]

Blazed in Love

Pairing: Johnny Storm x Reader

Summary: Johnny and Y/N met each other in school and became great friends but one misunderstanding broke the friendship and they went their separate ways. Many years later a space mission has brought them together will the friendship rekindle or the romance?

AN- You can find the same name on Wattpad Updates won't be frequent will be updated at any time English is not my first language Do not repost Feel free to reblog and let me know your thoughts

Chapter 1 - 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐

Today was a good day, Y/N repeated when she got up from her deep slumber sleep. That was her daily mantra until yesterday when her senior colleagues Reed Richards and Ben Grimms told her about a quote talk with none other than Victor Von Doom. Now, she was furious and irritated.

The very mention of Doom's name had ruined her mood. How could Reed think this dream project meeting with Victor would lead to anything productive? He was manipulative, power-hungry, and dangerous—a toxic combination. She couldn't understand why they hadn't learned their lesson yet.

Y/N tossed the blanket aside with a frustrated sigh and got up to freshen up. She rethought why this happened and wished Reed would not accept the deal. Walking to her closet, she pulled out her favorite outfit: a pair of sleek black pants and a fitted dark blue blazer. Professional yet practical, these outfits were perfect for what was likely going to be a long day.

As she buttoned her shirt, her thoughts kept circling back to Victor the guy who had always humiliated them, and herself who was their junior and a friend she shall never name.Y/N shook her head, trying to push away the frustration. She steps into the living aroma of breakfast, hitting her nose 

"Yep, this is what I live for," she says to Matthew, who glances at her smiling.

"And that is why I love you." He answers, preparing the breakfast. Y/N comes inhaling and kissing him "Well why the so professional dress up?"

Y/N goes towards the refrigerator takes out an orange juice and pours it into a glass "Well we have a meeting with the Doom"Matthew makes a face he knows what kind of a man Victor is and how he manipulated news about himself But Matthew's one motto was to being opposite of him.

"But why?"

"Reeds Idea Matty Reed's Idea," she shrugged while Matthew handed her breakfast.

"Is he out of his mind?"

"I don't know, Matty. I had the same doubt."

"And the weird looks he gives you Even though he has a gf, "Matthew grits his teeth.

Y/N stays silent knowing those two never deserved this after having more discussion it is her time to leave "Alright Honey if the deal gets accepted" she says approaching Matthew and keeping a hold of his hand "then I won't be available for weeks"

"Yeah, and then you have to meet him." Referring to the Person, Y/N had stopped talking. She gives him a nod

"I hope not." Giving him a bitter smile, she kisses him and starts walking away when Matthew stops her.

"Also don't forget the date."

"I would never" and starts on her way to the meeting with none other than egoistic Victor Doom

──────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹──────

Y/N meets Reed Richards and Ben Grimms on her way to Victor's headquarters. The welder's torch sparks the hands of a sculptor on the structure. Y/N's eyes fall on the large statue of an epic 20-foot going-up of a business tycoon, none other than Victor Von Doom, whose generously extended hands sit two intertwined columns of DNA. His face is chiseled, angular, and perfect.

"Typical of Victor Von Doom to build a 30-foot statue of himself."

They stood before it and headed toward the soaring glass-box atrium of VDI Headquarters. Designed to inspire awe making an attraction spot for them and the public

"High open space, exposed structural elements. Obviously aimed at first-time visitors to create feelings of... smallness, inadequacy." Reed says smiling at Ben and Y/n who snorts at him.

"Very Funny Reed"

Ben agrees with her and turns towards Reed who looks a little nervous"I agree with Y/N Good thing it ain't working... " they start heading towards the headquarters "Reed, what are we doing here? This guy's fast-food, strip-mall science --"

"This wasn't our first stop, in case you forgot Nasa. And Victor's not that bad. He's just a little.." He looks at the statue "Larger than life." They move past the statue, into the sprawling atrium.

"He's financed some of the biggest breakthroughs of this century"

"Yeah" Y/N chuckled "and one of them being his ego" Reed sighed giving her a look who shrugged at him "I only came just to see if he the great  Victor Dumbass accepts the deal"

"You'd never know it," Ben says, giving a part to Y/N's head and motioning to a high-tech orb. The orb shows footage of Victor's accomplishment of a safe and clean nuclear facility, the first private Space Station. All images include Victor with huge people. Then an image appears of him holding the America's Cup. "Jesus. That too?" The three of them reach a stern receptionist.

"Reed Richards Nen Grimms and Y/N L/N to see-" The receptionist cuts him off, handing them a pass.

"Executive Elevator, top floor."

"What's the price for a smile around here?" Ben comments to the stern receptionist who doesn't look at them.

"I guess a bit of an ego from their bosses stops the smile" She glares at Y/N who gives her a small smile 

Reed then drags Y/N "Sorry she is new"

"What I am telling you the truth"

"Not the time" Ben snickers and from there they head into the elevator he carries a small black box as they enter the elevator the steel door shuts in front of them.

──────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹──────

In a large dim office, Ben and Y/N are in the corner he yawns as he watches Reed giving a presentation Y/N looks down at her nails both of them bored

A bright hologram of stars and planets hovers in the air making the room beautiful "My research suggests that exposure to a high-energy cosmic storm born on solar winds might have triggered the evolution of early planetary life" Reed stands among the holograms explaining to a mysterious figure sitting behind the desk.

An ominous pulsating red cloud covers the stars. It washes over a hologram of earth. "In six weeks another cloud with the same elemental profile will pass Earth's orbit. A study in space could advance our knowledge about the structure of the human genome, and help cure countless diseases, extend human life --" The shadow clears his throat. Reed speeds up, emotional Y/N gives a side eye to Ben both agreeing that this was too much in front of the person they hate.

"Give kids the chance to be stronger, healthier, less prone to--" but the voice cut him off.

"Turn it off Please."

"But I haven't fully explained my--"

"Yes, you have... Imagination. Creativity. Passion. Those were always your trademarks."The figure gets up from his sit revealing it to be none other than Victor Von Doom the 35-year-old handsome, commanding looks almost airbrushed he drops the wired magazine to the desk Y/N's eyes fall on it Reed in the front cover of the magazine the words saying Reed Richard Bankrupt

"But dreams don't pay the bills do they?" Victor says giving a condescending smile to him and a wink to Y/N who rolls her eyes and then back to Reed "Same old Reed, hopeless optimist. Still reaching for the stars, with the world on your back."

"At least he is positive Victor" Y/N claps him back "And that is why he is still better than you."

Reed hisses a small Y/N telling her to stop and Ben holds her back by shaking his head not to escalate the things. Victor nods his head when Reeds begins to speak."You remember in school we talked about working together. That's what I was about to explain..."Reed presses the remote another hologram appears a shuttle slowly approaching an orbiting the space station both bearing the Von Doom Industries logo Victor gives a more intrigued smile.

"So it's not my money you want. It's my toys..." Y/N cringes at the word toys "Tell me if NASA doesn't trust why should I?"

Victor has always been a step ahead Reed pauses thrown for a beat.  Y/N balled her fist not bearing the insult to her long friend who was also her senior Ben woke up from the suspicious glancing at Reed Victor noticed the change in Y/N and Ben, Victor started  laughing

"That's my job To stay a step ahead. To know what other men don't" he speaks getting up from his chair and taking a sit on the desk.

Ben gets close to Reed and Y/N "I can't take this"he whispers to them.

"Me too Reed," She tells him giving a glare to Victor who smirks at her.

"Y/N Ben this is business Just work," Reed says in a low quiet voice.

Victor cracks a smile looking at the tension between the three of them.

"He's right Ben" They all turn and see none other than Sue Storm "and Y/N" giving her an acknowledging nod she stands in a corner possibly during the whole presentation."It's just business" 

Victor swoops in "I think you three know my Director of Genetic Research, Susan Storm."

"Heya Susie" Ben greets her and lowly mutters "One more thing he's got."

"Ben stop it"

Sue gracefully walks into the office only taking her eyes off Reed to give a warm hug to Ben and Y/N

"Ben it's been too long" and she turns to Y/N "And Y/N you look marvelous I hope Matthew is good too"

"Yeah he's fine"

Susan gives Reed a polite handshake. Victor observes Ben and Y/N watching the interaction uncomfortably Reed looks insecure under her gaze and tongue-tied.

Reed began to speak "You're, you've, I mean, how have you bee--"

"Never better"

Victor sizes them up. He puts a hand on Sue's shoulder. "This isn't going to be a problem is it?"

"Not at all"

"Ancient History" Victor smiles eyeing Sue

"Good. Then you're just in time to hear the great Reed Richards ask me for help" He turns to Reed "You know, you made a lot of folks at MIT feel like a junior high science fair. So you'll excuse me if I savor the moment."

They all stop for a moment. Reed sucks it up, "You back this mission, and I'll sign over a fair percentage of any applications or -"

"The number's seventy-five. And it's applications and patents."

"What about his firstborn?"

"Ben, the money's not important we could save lives." Y/N sighs Reed's good deed which makes him better than Doom Sue gives a thin smile a flicker of old feelings.

"Twenty-five percent of a billion is enough to keep lights on, isn't it? Maybe even pay off your fourth mortgage of Baxter building."

They all look at Victor. How did he know about this? "Deal...?" Reed looks at Ben who softly shakes his head no and then at Y/N who doesn't know what to say But Reed drops a nod. Victor smiles offering a handshake. "Well then to our future. Together" Victor says squeezing Reed's hand harder his other hand on Sue's shoulder. "Funny how things turn out, isn't it?" 

"Hilarious"

Reed and Sue lock eyes Ben watches Victor warily. Before they all start moving" By the way Y/N" Victor calls her out when they all stop"The offer still stands"

"I am good Victor and Thank you," she says stepping into the elevator.

──────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹──────

Reed Y/N and Ben are in the elevator now."Good call for declining him" Ben gave her a proud smile.

"Having been doing long back" her face furrows "But how did know about NASA?"

"Yeah what if he made the call to shut us down--" Ben gets interrupted by Reed.

"Ben think about all the people we can help if this works--"

"Maybe you should think about yourself for once. You always let this guy push you around--"

"We got what we wanted. That's enough."

Y/N clears the throat."I know I know we are just worried about what he wants and obsession with pulling you down...Speaking of which" Reed follows Y/N's eyes to Sue. She joins them and the doors shut.

"You sure about this Reed?" Reed nods keeping his head down

"Those solar winds are flaring, but I factored them into my coordinates and--"

"I am talking about us working together," Sue says keeping her gaze on Reed He is uncomfortable Y/N and Ben give a grimacing look at each other.

Reed thinks "Well uh based on our history..." he starts talking fast "You can handle the biogenetics and I'll focus on the molecular physics or, uhm, maybe I should take the biotech, you work the microscopes. since you have some background in electropho--"Y/N mentally wants to slap her forehead after seeing Susan's face annoyed.

"Right. That's exactly what I meant" She shakes her head  Ben smiles, patting Reed on his shoulder.

"Way to overthink it." Ben glances at Sue "So when do we leave?"

"I'll schedule the launch. Call me in the morning to talk about resources and crew" Sue offers a business card. Reed doesn't take it.

"I, uh, think I remember the number."

"It's been changed" Ben and Y/N grimace Reed takes the card keeping his head down.

"As far as the crew I was hoping Y/N could pilot the mission--"

"Well, she's welcome to ride shotgun, but we already have a pilot on our payroll. You remember my brother Johnny..." Sue speaks looking straight to Y/N who sighs rolling her eyes this is what she was scared of and somehow it came true.

[lovelacefc7723]

5 years. It might not seem like a lot of time but the world changed so much in these years. It's not the same as it was before, we are not the same. But somehow re-inc managed to grow, evolve, create. I've learned about this company, I've read and studied and wrote, I understood. And what I love about it is their identity, their commitment, their belief. They make me believe. Even in changing times, they try and follow the path they keep designing, day after day. Annie Lennox once said "Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.", I think re-inc is changing THEIR world, with kindness, acceptance, equity, re-imagination. They taught me so much, they offered another lens to see sport, fashion, social norms. 5 years later, two of the four main public founders stepped back somehow, re-inc celebrates another USWNT journey in France with the first motto they created and everything feels different. But different is not always worse. Tobin Heath and Christen Press developd this company more than I ever imagined, they created spaces, ideas, opened discussions. They found a new purpose beyond the football field and it was just as much inspiring. I believe in re-inc and I might not be part of the close community but I like the effect it has on my daily life. I wish them all the best, more grow, more space, more re-imagination but always the same core, the same heart. Long live, re-inc.

[vynegar]

Rosa's debates with herself

Transcribed my screenshots from the Snowfallen Secrets event, where Rosa was debating herself. This is not exhaustive, but probably has most of the lines/arguments.

Opponent: You. Case descriptions (from less to more challenging):

My professional standard is to work with sincerity and always take responsibility!

My work ethic is to not leave a single loophole!

My life motto is to finish and get off work on time!

The goal I'm working towards is to always partake in challenges regardless of their difficulty!

To prevent mental blindspots, constant introspection is a must!

[Note: The last one is the only one which uses the silhouette of her trial attire (the gray suit with ponytail) instead of her everyday clothes (the red blouse with her hair down), and the only boss to have an attribute, empathy, in the description]

Lines spoken by the opponent (shadow Rosa); lines preceded by an arrow (->) are rebuttals from Rosa/the player

The fun you had slacking off will be paid for in your suffering!

Stop getting distracted!

Don't slack off. Carefully check every place.

Heh heh, have you finished the case report?

You've been given this work out of trust. Are you worthy of it?

Your work determines the fate of others! Be cautious!

It's nearly time for the monthly assessment. Are you confident?

Are you sure all the clues have been properly sorted out?

Your mistakes could cause trouble for your colleagues!

What's the point of trying so hard? Why not just lie down and slack off?

-> I'll keep advancing and become a better version of myself!

Your work is vitally important. You can't cut corners!

I believe you can do it!

It's so hard. Let's call it a day!

-> I'll always work hard and won't let myself down!

You need a change of perspective. You're beating a dead horse!

No one's gonna notice if I slack off every now and then!

No extra pay, even for such good work!

If I can't finish it today, I'll just leave it for tomorrow!

Don't you think you're a bit too complacent!?

Have you forgotten your dreams?

Keep it up! You can definitely do it!

Do you really think that you're fine like this?

The work was delayed because you were being sloppy! Reflect on that!

Did you do the exam practice questions? Don't tell me you forgot!

What's the point of trying so hard? Nobody cares!

A new challenge has appeared. Are you still planning to do nothing?

If you don't pay attention, opportunities will slip past!

You've come this far. You can't just do whatever you like anymore.

You've got to keep giving your all! Don't stop advancing!

Confucius said, "Self-reflection thrice daily." Have you done yours!?

Your work is extremely important. You can't be too careful!

No matter how hard you work, evil will never be fully uprooted!

Are you just taking it for granted?

Are you own subjective emotions influencing your decisions?

Do you really think it's fair and just this way?

Your idea of persistence is a joke!

Have you really considered it from all angles?

Are you taking too much for granted? Is this really fair and just?

Everything you've done has been useless. There are still plenty of people breaking the law!

Have you really thought about it from all possible angles?

The way you view things is too naive!

You're way too trusting of other people's opinions!

Things aren't as simple as you'd like to think!

You're merely insisting on your own idea of justice!

You're just whinging about nothing from a moral high ground!

Do you want to become a partner of justice too?

Your ideas are a complete fantasy!

You'll get what you deserve for being so stubborn.

What you're doing right now is all meaningless!

[nobodylikety]

Hamster hybrid! Haerin 🐹

Part 4 of my blurbs and thoughts about Hybrid! New Jeans! I'm trying to finish this mini AU without dying of cuteness in the process, haha

ps: I was thinking a lot about Cat hybrid!Haerin or Hamster hybrid!Haerin, and although I finally chose hamster version, I could make the cat hybrid version as well, so what do you think? let me know! 💖

tags: hamster hybrid!Haerin x gn!reader??, fluff, hybrid AU.

Hamster hybrid!Haerin who is the opposite of Bear Hybrid!Minji because while Minji is always sleepy and longs for bedtime when night falls, Haerin waits for nightfall to get SUPER HYPER

+ Minji and Haerin are like day 🌞 and night 🌜, while one always wants to flop down on you for a nap and is the calmest presence you have ever met, the other practically doesn't want to let you sleep because is trying to convince you to dig a burrow in the backyard and getting you on your nerves (in a cute way <3)

🐹 ، ☾ ﾟ｡ [ Why do not you sleep? I have no concept of time :3 ]

"Are you sleeping?" Haerin asks in a whisper, poking your side with a finger.

“I was,” You respond with a yawn, rubbing your eyes. It's early in the morning, probably. Just to confirm, you check the time on the clock on the nightstand. 4:05 AM, say the green letters. "Something happens?"

As your eyes adjust to the darkness, it is difficult to see Haerin's figure clearly. You just feel the mattress sink slightly, as she sits at the foot of the bed.

“Let's dig a burrow” Haerin says, just like that. You must have made too absurd a sound, because she giggles squeakily under her breath.

"Haerin, shouldn't you be sleeping?" It doesn't make sense to you that she insists on digging a burrow in your yard at 4 in the morning, instead of sleeping.

"I'm a hamster, I'm active at night," Haerin explains, and from her tone of voice, you know almost certainly that she's smiling. "That's why we have to make a burrow."

You sigh, half-chuckling. This is the daily bread (or perhaps the nightly bread?), the routine that every other morning unites you and Haerin in the familiar discussion of the burrow and the yard.

Where it doesn't matter how many times you've told Haerin that you're not going to build a burrow in the first hours of the morning, she doesn't lose hope. Haerin thinks that maybe, one day, you'll give in and help her dig a hole deep enough to reach China—even you've explained to her that it only happens in the cartoons she loves to watch.

Hamster hybrid!Haerin is OBSESSED with nuts and dried fruits in general 🥜 whenever you see that her cheeks are chubby, it is because she is munching her nuts or —in the worst case— storing and hiding them from the rest of Hybrid! New Jeans, because little Haerin doesn't want to share her yummy snack! she literally goes nuts for nuts, haha

Hamster hybrid!Haerin has the most adorable, chubby cheeks! which makes her the prime target for you and the rest of Hybrid! New Jeans want to pinch her cheeks 🤏🏻

✦ “I shall call you squishy, and you shall be mine, and you shall be my squishy” is Hybrid!New Jeans' motto every time they play with Haerin's cheeks (Danielle came up with it and the rest just imitated her, because it fit quite well!)

[randomfoggytiger]

Collector's Edition: Colleagues, and Agents, and A.D.s-- Oh My! (Part I)

For the anon who requested: do you have any fic recs with Mulder and Scully case filing with other law enforcement tasks forces? or general pov outsider?

Loose chronological order below¬

ML/ML_is_me/ml_griffonnage's (Alt. Ao3, Invidiosa)

XF Friday Nights 02 - Space Invader (Ao3)

She was a cool customer, this one. He was impressed by her composure in the midst of this cacophony, curiously at ease in the maelstrom.

Deep Throat observes Mulder and Scully's dynamic.

XF Friday Nights 03 - J. Edgar, Junior (Ao3)

If you want to be a blue-flamer, act like a blue- flamer, was his motto.

Squeeze's Colton is using Scully for his own benefit.

XF Friday Nights 04 - Impertinent Questions (Ao3)

He'd already known it had to be Mulder, and Holtzman probably had already known too. Nothing seemed to set alarms off faster than if word got around Mulder was investigating something. He might as well have a hotline to the NSA.

The Conduit NSA officers' takes on Mulder and Scully.

XF Friday Nights 05 - Warm Bodies (Ao3)

There were rumors a-plenty about Dana Scully, same as Mulder, but Saunders felt there was no point in mentioning those, either. It all amounted to water-cooler gossip; none of them had anything to do with her ability to do her job. Saunders understood the reasons behind those rumors better than Webster or any man ever would, and she would not be a party to them.

Shadows agents end up liking the dynamic duo (and subtly refer back to the Conduit agents.)

XF Friday Nights 07 - COS of Death

His former partner turned toward him. Next to him stood a petite redhead; a real knockout. She must be the whiz kid from Quantico, Dana Scully.

Ghost in the Machine Jerry Lamana observes Mulder and Scully's strange coexistence.

The New Truth, A Project 09x04 - Home Fires 01 (Ao3) and The New Truth, A Project 09x04 - Home Fires 02 (Ao3)

JD had just about given up on Phoebe when she called him. 

AU-- S9 Mulder and Scully are secretly helping the Resistance when an old "friend", Phoebe Green, drops back in with "information."

Evil_Little_Dog's Credibility

The great 'Spooky' Mulder was talking. Pontificating, even.

A random agent observes, then comes to respect, Mulder's abilities.

tiredmoonlight's Stuck in Storage - Chapter 1

Warren took a breath before speaking again. “But half the officers out there are spooked, and no one wants to work the night shift anymore because it’s they’d be all alone.”

S1 Mulder and Scully end up being saved from case shenanigans by the police chief.

Juliettt's Verdict

Guess there *were* advantages to doing the kind of work "Spooky" and "Skulls" did on a daily basis.

FBI agents slipped down to the basement to watch the OJ Simpson trial verdict.

@gaycrouton/OnlyTheInevitable's Nurse Mulder

The young agent stood up immediately and ran over to her. "Agent Scully, I am so sorry," he repeated for the thousandth time.

She walked past him and motioned for him to follow, which he did like a puppy. "Officer Thompson, some sneezes are impossible to suppress. I assure you I bear no grudge. The perp was caught. No one was killed," she rambled half heartedly, trying her best not to walk differently because of her injury.

The local cops (and seasonal allergies) set off a chain reaction of shenanigans for one Mulder and Scully.

Erin M. Blair's (Alt. Ao3) Softball Accident

A pale-faced young FBI Agent Jim Rodgers stood by, looking on helplessly with concern lining on his face.... "I'm sorry, Mulder. I hope you'll feel better. I... feel bad about this."

Scully and a fellow agent drive Mulder to the hospital after a minor baseball injury.

@mulderwearingglasses's (Ao3)

Stupid Cupid (Ao3)

Was everyone going undercover? Was her outfit en route? Was this some kind of bizarre-o dream? Why did everyone look like they were about to do some sort of red carpet event when she was clad in black leggings, a sweatshirt and -- oof -- she didn’t think she’d even run a brush through her hair, gone puffy and scraggly from her post-work couch nap.

Season 4 Scully is called in by Skinner on Valentine's Day... and is surprised that Mulder didn't have a date, like she'd assumed.

If Walls Could Talk (Ao3)

As she walked up to the crime scene -- a dilapidated house in rural Virginia -- local police and her colleagues shot each other bemused looks, ushering coy smirks off their lips. Some turned to their partners to whisper and cover a snicker behind their hands.

S6 Scully's diary is plastered all over the walls of a crime scene.

Anne Haynes's (xf-redux)

Fragile is the Glass

He tried not to react to her statement. So Hollis knew that Scully was having nosebleeds? Was that common knowledge around the Bureau now? He and Scully had tried hard to keep anyone but Skinner from finding out what was going on with her health.

Post Tempus Fugit Mulder and Scully don't disabuse a fellow agent of her Pendrell convictions.

Someone Else's Child (Gossamer) and Shatter

"I wasn't sure about adopting him at first." Pollack folds up the photo sleeves and tucks them back into the wallet. "You hear things about adoptions--I wanted kids of my own, and I was afraid that once they came along, I might treat Mike differently or something because he was someone else's kid."

I feel the memory cresting, hard and painful. I feel the tiny hands curled around my neck, the sweet smell of little girl, the fevered heat of her tiny body in my arms.

Over six months have passed and it still cuts like a razor.

Post Emily Mulder watches the new, hard edges of Scully's character form as she struggles with the loss of her daughter; and opens up about his VCU days, demonstrating that she's not alone.

Rachel Howards's Gypsy

The boulder field, a few hundred yards off of the trail, was steep and wide and required careful footwork. Dana scrambled over her section, above Levison, who had nimbly made her way to the rocky bottom of the slope and was picking her way along the ravine, bounding, surefooted, from rock to rock, peering into the crevices between the largest boulders. Above her, Mulder walked, silhouetted against the sky, the light above him blacking out his features so that all she saw was an outline of his body as he moved, parallel to her, sometimes stooping to examine the rocks.

Post Elegy Scully and Mulder silently stew in their complicated feelings while on a similarly complicated case.

@syntax6's (Gossamer, FFN, omniscribe) The Queen of Hearts

The chief frowned from Scully to Mulder. "You're the alien hunters. Gunther told me he was writing you a pile of nonsense, but I didn't expect you to show up all the way out here."

Post Redux II Mulder is avoiding x-files cases; and it's Scully who insists they get back into the field, and Scully who acts as Mulder 2.0

robot iconography's Still Life With Moth Men

Somewhere in the Apalachicola National Forest Wednesday

Either 4:36 or 4:40 p.m.

AU-- Pre-Detour Skinner forces both agents to attend a team-building seminar. Hijinks ensue.

@aloysiavirgata/Aloysia_Virgata's

I love reading other people talking about/observing Mulder and Scully. Please please!

Stonecypher rolls her eyes. “Weird,” she says. “But nice.”

“Gorgeous,” Kinsley repeats, dreamily. “Fox Mulder smells like an anthropomorphic regatta.”

Post Detour Kinsley and Stonecypher swap their thoughts on Mulder and Scully with other interested agents.

Petrichor and Singing of Mount Abora

“This is K9 Officer Jangles,” Scully says, introducing Mulder to the dog. “She’s new.”

Both follow-ups of The Waters of Babylon, Mulder and Scully work alongside other parties to solve two differently horrific cases (while crafting new boundaries for their evolving relationship.)

David Hearne's Hartwell

I admit that I was impressed by Agent Mulder, too. Right after Scully got done with her scientific theories, he started spewing a lot of stuff about vampires, some of which was actually true.

Sheriff Lucius Hartwell's POV on his town, Ronnie Strickland, Mulder, and Scully.

catsndogs's All Creatures

Officer Rogers immediately lost his confidence when she repeated his story almost verbatim: "So you're saying, you're worried because you heard Agent Scully drop her phone and you haven't been able to reach her?" Rogers proposed that that Agent Scully could have dropped her phone into a toilet.

In this unfinished fic, Mulder and Scully try to solve an impossible case-- one in which all signs point to murderous dogs.

Khyber's IMTP Virtual Season 08x03 - Imperial Violet

"Agent Mulder? It's Mulder, right? This is Owen Purcell," he drew out his l's, "the person who's trapped in here with your lovely partner for the night. Dana's out of her head with hunger. Her stomach is making terrifying sounds. I fear for my life. Bring us barbecued ribs, preferably from Nate's. With everything, and whatever the cheesecake special is. I'm guessing she has a weakness for cheesecake."

Mulder works alongside a few helping hands (including TLG) to save Scully and a doctor from Roush's latest infectious disease.

agoodwoman's (WBM) You Are Here

Agent Sherman approached Mulder with an envelope in hand and his camera bag over one shoulder. "Hey Mulder."

Post Detour Skinner gets his revenge by assigning Mulder and Scully to the bullpen for a month.

@atths--twice/ATTHS_TWICE/Atths2/ATTHS's

Every Picture Tells A Story

Yeah, they praised him after, but laughed at him when he suggested an outlandish idea. 

Pre-The End duo are ridiculed as Team Spooky... but they get a picture out of it.

Just Beyond the Edge (Ao3)

“Listen up,” he called to his officers and all chatter stopped. “Not all of you have had the pleasure of meeting the FBI agents yet. This is Agent Mulder and Agent Scully. They are here to help find the missing men.” 

S7 Mulder finds a nice Halloweeny case for Scully: the Tali Keno.

In the Wind

Leaving the morgue and coming back to the motel late at night, she would pick up greasy cheeseburgers and fries, eating them mechanically as she looked over case notes and photos. Mulder had not been around much, as he was busy in the field, helping Detective Hannon, the lead on this case. 

Post Millennium Scully is annoyed by a stupid case (and a flirty female detective on that case.)

Lovesfox's Erroneous Equation

Larger than life, and twice as loud, Tom Colton had hardly changed in the five plus years since Mulder had been blessed with an introduction. The Agent's face was still pudgy and youthful, his eyes still sly and mean. And his artificial jocularity was as stale as the old 'Spooky' joke.

Post One Son Colton drives a wedge between Mulder and Scully.

Pattie's They Call Him AGENT Mulder

Now, I know we all referred to him as "Spooky Mulder" at the F.B.I. Academy, and this reputation persisted years after he had graduated. The legend lived on about him even after I attended and graduated. We all knew he was a target for whispers, looks, even loudly malicious castigation not only throughout the halls of the Academy, but at Hoover's Haunt.

Mulder doesn't have the best track record dealing with annoying or out-of-line agents.

Namarie's (LJ, mulderscreek) Patchwork

"What brought your partner out here?" Deputy Greer asked. He was looking at Scully with frank curiosity.

Scully hesitated. Finally, she decided that the truth was the best option here. "He was investigating the reports of a patchwork creature that had supposedly been seen in the area."

AU-- S6 Mulder gets kidnapped while on an x-file weekend.

Girlie_girl7's Glow

"Agents," Kinsley began, as he looked from Mulder to Scully, "I saw a man."

"It could have been a woman," Stonecypher interrupted.

Kinsley rolled his eyes. "Okay, I saw a being, but it wasn't a person."

S6 Mulder and Scully are bailed out by the Detour agents.

@scully-eats-sushi/ijustknew's You're Not Alone, You're Not Alone II, and You're Not Alone III

Beside him, Springfield chuckled. “No. She gave a couple of my guys a dressing down yesterday over how they were handling bagged evidence. They’re still stinging.”

Post Millennium Scully and Mulder slowly work toward a relationship while solving emotionally strenuous cases.

KatyBlue's Absence of a Heartbeat (Gossamer)

An officer knelt down on Mulder's other side. She didn't know him. He looked young and scared. He had a towel that he placed over the wound. Scully shoved his hands into a good position and pushed down on them to show him the correct amount of pressure. "Press down and don't let up," she ordered.

Scully and a young field agent try to bring Mulder back to life with CPR.

dlynn's If a Frog had Wings . . .

"I'm not sure," he whispered. "Corelli and Mulder were on the trail ahead of me. I heard Mulder say that something didn't feel right and the next thing I knew Corelli was shoving me hard. I landed behind this boulder. I think it protected me from the blast."

Mulder and another agent get trapped under a tree.

Madeleine Partous’s (The Annex) Floaters

Hansen's case was being treated as an internal affair. No local authorities.

"They're keeping it quiet, Scully," he muttered after the second polygraph. "We wouldn't want one of our boys to go down in flames in the media."

Scully is almost murdered by a fellow FBI agent; and she and Mulder must fight against the FBI overhead when she kills her attacker.

TessMooreXF's Armadillo Season

Staring at the pictures of the lake in new-found horror, Scully startled at the sound of a sharp knock on the door. Confused about who could possibly be knocking, she was dismayed to find that private bed and breakfast operations rarely featured peep-holes. Opening the door revealed a clean-cut looking officer waiting in the hallway. He was relatively tall, maybe 5'11, and perhaps 30 years old. His knit brows signified his attempt at sobriety and professionalism, but his face was boyish and friendly. His name tag identified him as Officer Foster.

Kersh sends Scully on a case, solo, that devolves into messy chaos. Mulder arrives to track her down and back her up.

Thalia D'Muse's On the Wings of Destiny

An ear-piercing screech, in the fashion of every door in every old horror movie, filled the hallway as Thomason pushed open the door and took a few steps inside.

When Scully crossed the threshold of the room, an acrid bouquet of smells accosted her nostrils: mildew, animal feces, sweat, dust -- and the unmistakable metallic scent of blood.

S7 Mulder is kidnapped; and Scully scours every crack and crevice in her attempts to find and save him.

Rebecca Rusnak/Anonymous's (mulderscreek, The Annex) Silence, Sea and Sky

Roscoe smiled at them and ambled back towards his office. Scully watched Mulder. He stared straight ahead for a long moment, then looked down at her.

"Want to meet one of the most heinous agents in the history of the Bureau?" he asked.

This case has a little of everything: a jerky guy from the FBI Academy, a little girl that must be saved from a fire, and a broken psychic serial killer courtesy of one Dana Scully.

@mldrgrl's (Ao3) Tumblr drabble prompts of various shades of MSR - Chapter 9

She heard laughter as she approached the door to the office. 

Post Requiem Scully skewers fellow agents mocking Mulder.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[julia-lokidottier]

Young Rita Skeeter Head-cannon Time!!!

So, since she was a Slytherin pureblood her family(mainly her father) drilled into her the blood purest views since 11. She was told that since her family motto(in vincula) means to be bound together, they would always stick together and join the Dark Lord when he started to gain power. Once Rita was 17, suggestive comments about being a death eater turned into hateful threats by her own parents. Luckily, she avoided this until she was 18 1/2, but was forced to join. Since young Rita was a badass, she convinced Voldemort that she could be a great spy. She told him about her ability to write, twist the truth out of people, and her brand new job at the Ministry. She then convinced him not to give her the mark (as all ministry workers were to be inspected daily) but to tie her to his army with an unbreakable vow. She vowed to “serve the dark lord until one side rejoiced in the end of the war” (which was very smart of her not to include a side). Finally, when the war ended, there was no evidence tying her to the death eaters.

(Bonus: her parents were killed in an Order attack by Mad-eye Moody ((she literally celebrated her dad dying)) but Bellatrix hated her for eternity and tried to kill her over 20 times)

Side note 1: there is no record of a skeeter family motto or anyone other than rita in jkr’s work so i made up some shit.

side note 2: the motto was literally found on google and i feel that it shows dedication to her life, family, and loved ones

side note 3: i ship quillkiller and believe rita caved into becoming a death eater easier because Bella was already one.

Tagging @bellatrix-black-bitch because I told them I would do this hc on my main and i don’t know their main

also tagging @13personalities because she might find this interesting or hate it but idk

[eliezersaul]

L: Me (June 16, 23) - - R: Sahar Kazes, IFBB. Since I was a teenager, I've had 3 or 4 goals that haven't changed with the years ... One of those goals, is to ... Yep, to become a musclebro. Or a gymbro. Or whatever people call them now - - I mean, my brother used to be a personal trainer back then, and I loved seeing him getting massive, and all the good vibes and positivity he used to exude. Then, he left the fitness world because of, well... Things unrelated to what I wanna say. I tried the musclebro thing back then, but my brother never understood I was just a newbie with a lot of stuff and problems on his mind... So, everytime I went to his gym, I ended up sore for two weeks!. So, long story short... I avoided training with him like if my life depended on it! ... and ironically, didn't have a lot of motivation or self esteem to go anywhere else to workout. My cousin followed my brother steps though, and he is right now what I still want to be. A biker musclebro. We don't talk a lot, but I feel happy for him. Genuinely happy.

But, anyway... The thing is, I've kinda hated when people have told me silly things (and this is an understatement!) for talking about this goal. Not a surprise that many people assume that: Bodybuilding/Going to a gym/Getting muscled = Becoming arrogant, dumb, or an obnoxious man... Sure, some dudes who go to the gym are that way, and some like to be that way but because (according to my own theory) they already were that way! Besides, there's always SOMETHING to learn about this world: Either a new routine, or a diet, or how your muscles work, or which workout will help you with which muscle, or the chemical components of what you eat daily, how to do a correct meal prep, supplements... Even those who use roids have to learn A MASSIVE TON of stuff. I remember my brother used to train a couple dudes when they were getting ready for a competition, and, maaaaan... Tons and tons of information.

Started going approximately a year ago, and, well... My diet is not the best one... Yet. But I like the testosterone rush I feel everyday after a good workout... And I don't consider myself a brainless, dumb dude... Nor planning/thinking about going that way.

...Honestly, F those who disencourage YOU from doing what you'd love. Get your gymspiration (or whatever inspiration you need to do good things) anywhere you need it!

And, yes. Getting big, hairy (test, minox... you name it), a couple tats, a sweet bike when cash allows it... BEING HAPPY WITH THE WAY I LOOK... I mean... Why not? I love that idea. Maybe I fell in love with the action stereotype from the 80s (yep, 80s/90s kid… Former trust fund kid anyway but that's a VERY different story mwhahahahaha), and, seeing that, and my brother, made me love it until today. I still want that!. The roid thing... I'm not exactly partial to it for myself. If it makes your boat float, go for it dude! In my case... Well, MAAAAAAAAAAYBE if I were a pro bodybuilder, an IFBB one, maybe/whoknows/i'dtryit/whatever... I'm not condoning its use, though! But, my motto is never say never!

For me, well, right now, seeing those giants at my current gym is a MAJOR inspiration. Can't talk to them or befriend them because, well... Issues to make friends, can't/don't know how to... (Thanks high school, you damaged me so much my ability to make friends got ruined forever).

Anyway... Just wanted to talk a bit about it.

So, yep. Still wanna be a musclebro, bro. PS: If anyone reads this, I'd love to read your comments! Thanks for making it this far!.

[innershoesuitcasebiscuit]

I'm scared, in fact I'm terrified that now I have realized I am actually losing interest in watching animes.

When I was in my teenage years, I would always search for anime to watch but, the me today prefer the classic anime over new ones.

Daily there are a lot of anime being released and a lot of manga being published. I kinda find it bland anymore and feel like it's creating a mainstream story and the purpose of shocking (ex. killing every character they've created) people to get a lot of attention.

But here's the list of animes I've watched so far that I love and the reason why I've watched them.

I love all of them but I do have certain favorite. So I'm listing them from most love.

1. Blood + - Once upon a time we all had obsessions with vampires and I prefer this over twilight.

2. Tokyo Ghoul - My friend recommended it to me and I love it. I love how Tokyo Ghoul shows us the two sides of the coin and well the pov of a human turned to ghoul.

3. Helsing - once again same reason as above and because I love the opening song.

4. One Piece - my uncle made me watch it as a kid (it was a morning anime show). I stopped watching it for years after Ace's death but resume watching it after I miss Luffy's laugh.

5. Dragon Ball - every child should have watched it. I don't care if anyone said it's overrated but everything that influences us in our childhood is f*cking great. Plus I don't know why I was watching it by the time that I have awareness of the world it has already been in carved in my heart that I love it (more like my brother made me watch it when I was just a baby).

6. Yu yu Hakusho/Ghost Fighter - same reason as dragon ball. Plus I have a soft spot for Kurama 😍.

7. Overlord - I love this anime, everyone might say it's too bland but as a gamer especially an rpg and mmorpg gamer I love seeing the pov of an enemy boss.

8. Demon Slayer - I love the art style and the story, in my opinion the anime and the manga was too rushed but Demon Slayer in my opinion has the best ending and characters. You can't help but love Tanjiro (the kindest mc that I ever knew).

9. Slam Dunk - my uncle made me watch it. I love how the discussion with my friends would be involved with "Have the ball passed through the net yet?", "I think by friday it's going to pass it" 🤣.

10. Full Metal Alchemist - it was a morning show anime. I've watched it every morning and I was hooked by it (I love science and theories once again the INTP in me is grinding it's gears when I watch this). I also think the phrase "Equivalent Exchange". I would quote it like its a cool motto.

These are the top ten, I also love Hunter x Hunter, Naruto (sorry for Boruto fans but I hated the sequel), Shaman King, Flame of Recca and Records of Ragnarok.

I also read a manga "Shut Hell" that for me was underrated by everyone and that it deserves an anime but I guess it's too gruesome to be made one but I was reminded of Berserk and I think its unfair.

Aside from that I actually dropped a lot of anime. Though a recommendation wouldn't hurt.

[infinityyrp]

✨️ FOREVER LOOKING FOR PARTNERS✨️

Hi, my name is Sunnie and I'm 29 and looking for a long term roleplay partner that is 25+. And that wants to be friends outside of roleplay.

I've been role-playing for more than 10 years and have even more years of writing experience under my belt.

BELOW you will find my preferences straight forward— Before I explain what I'm looking for as far as roleplay goes. 🧡🫶

I'm looking for someone around daily, for rapid fire— though I'd be okay with one or two responses a day. Otherwise I cannot stay interested in the story. If you go 7+ days without a response and no communication, I will leave the server. Especially if I reach out and you still don't respond.

I know life comes first and I'd never pressure you for replies, but let's be honest, we all have our phones on us at all times and it takes two minutes to send a reply explaining the absence. We are ALL adults and should be able to communicate in a healthy way.

With that being said I am NOT ghost friendly. Don't even waste your time trying to plot or write with me if you know you have a history of ghosting.

I have little to NO limits, I prefer someone with the same outlook because it's fiction, your roleplay life shouldn't effect your REAL LIFE morals.

BUt I will respect your limits and triggers, because I won't do deep pedophilia(As in I won't roleplay anything smut wise under legal age of consent which is 17 in most places, and usually what is done on TV shows with vampires, WHO ARE PLAYED BY ADULT ACTRESSES AND ACTORS. Even then, Smut will only be involved with characters 18+.), water sports, or write out rape.

I also will not roleplay my characters under the age of 18+ UNLESS we are in a flashback. Even then, SMUT will not be involved with any character under 18, EVEN THOUGH WE as the writers ARE ADULTS. That should be obvious though guys, come on. I can't believe I even have to say this, but considering a message— that was filled with assumptions— that I recently got, I thought it best to elaborate. Smh

I'm over 21. I'm an adult. So if I want to write an 18 year old college student, I CAN do that. And if I want to write a 17 year old for a flashback scene, I CAN do that! I am not a minor. I am a writer WRITING A CHARACTER FOR A STORYLINE.

I'm looking for someone comfortable with SUPERNATURAL Themes such as werewolves and vampires and witches and all that good stuff. I'm not interested in mundane slice of life roleplays.

Please be comfortable with DARK and Mature themes. Taboo subjects as well(pregnancy, cheating, love triangles) etc. My real life is fluffy enough, I don't want my roleplay the same way.

I do NOT fade to black. I like a good amount of smut as well as story. So expect a good 50/50.

I prefer the female role. I've been burned one too many times in the past with partners not being fair in a double— however I'd be open to discussing a double and trying it out, everyone new gets a fair chance. Though I do prefer the female role.

NOW for what I'm looking for when it comes to roleplay.

I am looking to world build.

I am looking for something original at the moment but I also have a list of fandoms I'll post as well.

I am looking for someone to build a story with me, taking place in a supernaturally inclined town called 'Cedar Grove' or 'Cape Thorne'.

My character will be a druid and lioness mix.

I'm looking for someone to make a werewolf OC out of Tyler Hoechlin for me.

If we double I'll make an OC out of anyone you choose and we can do whatever you want as far as a plot! That's what I mean by fair. I give you what you want no matter what if you give me what I want no matter what.

I roleplay exclusively on discord and I can write in 3rd or 1st person! You choose.

I write 3+ paragraphs but won't mind whatever you send as long as I can work with it and it's at least a paragraph.

These days my motto is Quality over Quantity.

Please also be comfortable with text style roleplays..sometimes I get lazy and that's all I can do some days. They're fun— don't knock it til you try it.

Hopefully you've made it this far and want to write! I'm looking forward to hearing from you and I Definitely like to be friends with my partners!

My discord servers are also organized and I prefer you to be familiar with tupperbox.

Now even though at the moment I'm not looking for Fandom roleplays, here's a list of the ones I'd be persuaded to write for.

•Teen wolf: I'd want to write against Derek Hale and Scott McCall.

I'd be able to play Stiles, Theo, Isaac, Malia and Kira for you.

•ACOTAR: I'd be looking to write against Rhysand and Tamlin. I can play Cassian, Azriel or Lucien for you, I also have an OC high lord of the winter court if you'd be interested. (FC Jason Momoa).

•Haunting Adeline: I'm looking to write against Zade Meadows. Drama with Adeline will be involved of course.

•Yellowstone: I'm looking to write against Kayce. (We'd make it supernatural.)

•The Vampire Diaries: I'm looking to write against Damon Salvatore.

I can write Stefan, Klaus or Katherine for you.

ARE WE BESTIES YET? 😉

My discord UN is infinityyrp

Can't wait to hear from you!

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Michele Seminara

Published: Jan 4, 2024

My first exposure to what I now call “griftivism,” a hybrid of grifting and Critical Social Justice activism, occurred in the arts. It was 2020 when—in my role as managing editor of literary journal Verity La—I became embroiled in a social media cancellation precipitated by backlash to the publication of a story some deemed racist and sexist. The ensuing moral outrage razed our “little magazine that could” into internet infamy, where it remains strung up, replete with apologies, hanging its masthead in shame.   

Verity means “truth,” and the journal’s motto was “Be Brave”—rendering its demise that little bit sorrier and sadder. The story that sank our publication depicted a disaffected Australian academic engaged in a sexual affair with a local woman while in the Philippines. The protagonist was uncomfortable with what the author described as the “patriarchal and colonial” power imbalance between his two characters, but not guilty enough to resist. He was an un-admirable and unreliable narrator, and in publishing the story, we sought to unveil an unsavory truth about how some men use women for casual sex. This truth was not well received.

What confounded me most about the backlash to the piece was not the mechanism of cancellation (if you’ve seen one online takedown, you’ve seen them all) but the beliefs and motivations of the cancellers, their supporters, and the silent mob of onlookers.

Upon examining this dynamic, I became aware of a new type of grifter who hitches their self-interest to activism and thrives in a culture hell-bent on “being kind”—or, at least, in appearing to be so. “Griftivists,” I call them. 

The instigator of my cancellation was a colleague on the advisory board of our journal. Her bio on Ko-fi, an online “tip jar” to make “income directly from fans” proclaimed that she liked to “spread joy on social media, & care for others a lot.” Her Twitter feed was both a consummate work of self-curation and self-contradiction; earnest retweets from fellow social justice activists and scathing criticisms of “white people” (“Do not get me started on white men. Do not, ‘not all white’ me. I’m spicy today”) bookended daily selfies showcasing designer shoes, handbags, and dresses. Fine dining, trips to the theatre, and a steady stream of purchases sat incongruously beside tweets thanking followers for ostensibly essential UberEATS vouchers and requests to “buy her a Ko-fi” so that she could replace her cracked Miele cooktop or purchase a dehumidifier for her “damp” Sydney harbor-side apartment. Unbelievably, there was even a request for donations to enable the purchase of an alcoholic drink at the airport before boarding an international flight to go on vacation. Yet few seemed to notice the grift.  

Someone that did was Sangeetha Thanapal, a Singaporean-Thamil writer and academic residing in Australia, who, in response to the plethora of praise showered on my colleague (“You are such a treasure. Such an advocate. Such a wonderful writer. We are lucky to have you in the world”), boldly tweeted, “It’s enraging to me that Singaporean Chinese people… who have access to every privilege and opportunity, can come here and play ‘person of colour.’ And y’all will fall for it cos you have zero understanding of the dynamics of race in Asia… This is why POC spaces in Australia will continue to shield privileged people like her while shutting out actually disadvantaged people like me.”  

This surprised me. While I had no doubt that since moving to Australia my colleague had experienced racism, I hadn’t thought to question whether she was disingenuous to present herself as marginalized. She had, after all, grown up in a wealthy country as part of the dominant race and spoke English as her main language. Could she be appropriating disadvantage to her advantage, engaging in a kind of cultural double-dip to reap social and financial gain? For a lifelong small-l liberal, even entertaining the idea felt verboten.

* * *

Leading the charge in cancelling someone can be a profitable affair; in the cash-strapped arts, it can pay handsomely in the type of cultural capital that translates into invitations to publish work, speak at writers’ festivals, judge and win literary prizes, and secure competitive grants. In the year following the demise of my journal, my colleague succeeded in repurposing her tweets into a paid full-length article in a literary magazine, saw her Twitter followers burgeon from several hundred to nearly ten thousand, was featured in the news multiple times for her writing and social justice activism, and went on to receive two lucrative arts grants totaling seventy-five thousand dollars. 

Of course, racism, disadvantage, and marginalization are real and must be challenged. Those dedicated to doing so have historically favored the left-wing of politics, a space heavily populated by my demographic: middle-class, educated white women (sometimes known as “bleeding hearts”). Having always been progressive, I was stunned by how swiftly and irrevocably I was recast during my cancellation as a “white supremacist.” A dreaded open letter signed by hundreds of my peers even demanded our funders withdraw their support for our “systemically racist” journal, despite the fact that we worked as volunteers and prioritized publishing and paying writers from marginalized demographics. Logically it made no sense; nonetheless, I was racked by guilt and shame.

However, after schooling myself in the recent trends in Western culture (a.k.a. scouring Twitter), my naiveté quickly resolved. I was both relieved and alarmed to discover that my case paled in comparison to more extreme pile-ons occurring around the world. Particularly in the arts, a space in which you might assume dissenting views could be aired and debated, there was a spate of ad hominem attacks being waged that seemed motivated by a mixture of moral certainty, self-advancement, and thinly veiled glee. As another Australian publisher confided to me when weathering their own public take-down, “One becomes a piñata.”

* * *

The moniker “Verity” in Verity La not only means “truth” but was inspired by the name of a once famous bookshop in Australia’s capital city, Canberra—which, in turn, was named after the inspirational woman who founded it. Verity Fitzhardinge brought literary culture to Canberra at a time when sheep still grazed on the paddocks of Old Parliament House and D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover was banned. From 1938-69, her bookshop was an oasis, a meeting place for thinkers, students and dissidents marooned in a cultural backwater. When Verity La was conceived in 2010, its founding editor happened to live on Verity Lane (rendered “Verity La.” on the street sign), and thus, the literary journal destined to live and die on the sword of its truth was born. Having no experience as an editor and no prescience, I enthusiastically took the helm in 2014 and would infamously go down with the ship just six years later.

After my cancellation, like the heterodox patrons gathered in Verity’s bookshop eighty years earlier, I sought comfort in knowing I was not alone. I discovered Counterweight, an organization established by author and academic Helen Pluckrose to help promote “reason and freedom by encouraging critical thinking” and support people like me who found themselves at odds with the new cultural climate. I devoured books, articles, and podcasts and realized that the verbal jabs thrown at me (“It’s not enough to be not racist, you have to be anti-racist!”) were not original but parroted from the rhetoric of far-left activism. As the 2020 global shitshow gathered steam, cultural commentators were warning that Critical Social Justice (CSJ)—a progeny of postmodernism and Critical Theory with roots in Marxism—had breached the walls of academia and was spreading its own divisive worldview.

CSJ was originally touted as a way to address “prejudice and discrimination on the grounds of characteristics like race, sex, sexuality, gender identity, disability and body size.” This certainly sounded rather positive to me. It appealed to my social conscience and to that of many others, as evidenced by the viral popularity of social media hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter and corporate advertising campaigns like Nike’s "For Once, Don’t Do It," urging Americans not to turn their backs on the issue of racism.   

Yet, as I discovered, the stated goal of ending bigotry was soon subverted—hijacked, if you will—by those wishing to bend the truth to their own advantage.

Perhaps this should come as no surprise since CSJ was born of the postmodern view that knowledge is not objective, but socially constructed to maintain power. Critical theorists scrutinize structures, language, and social interactions to identify and dismantle oppressive power systems and dominant “truths.” This makes for an enlightening thought experiment, but in the wilds beyond academia, it’s easy to see how things might go awry. For if there is no objective yardstick for ranking truths, how will we know what to believe, and what values will we allow to guide us?

Enter the de-and-postcolonial theorists who argued for not only dismantling power systems such as white supremacy but inverting them. Drawing on their revolutionary vision, CSJ activists declared that those best placed to call out the oppressors’ false truths and design fairer alternatives are the ones who suffer oppression most: the marginalized. Perhaps because, in the absence of any method for judging the worth of one socially constructed thing against another, our safest bet is to run in the opposite direction of the powerful towards the powerless. But while it’s undeniably fair and wise to acknowledge, listen to, and learn from the experience of marginalized people, when groups who are viewed as oppressed are elevated to an unquestionable ethical status, problems predictably arise.

This has been evidenced in numerous social justice movements over the last decade (think #MeToo’s “Believe All Women” slogan), with activists claiming that lived experience trumps all other forms of knowledge and that the most marginalized person’s lived experience is the most valid. It follows that your right to engage in cultural and political dialogue is now dependent on your identity and positionality: the lower your position, the higher your status and the more weight your “truth” holds. Any skepticism is dismissed as racist, sexist, and so on. Even if you are a “marginalized” person whose dissenting views are inconvenient to the majority of activists within your group, you risk being diagnosed with “internalized” prejudice or dismissed as an “Uncle Tom.” Sadly, progressives have adopted this worldview with empathic gusto. I know I did. Many well-meaning people do. And so have corporations, universities, whole industries, and governments, effectively transforming the left—a formerly meager hunting ground for opportunists seeking power and reward—into a space fertile with possibilities for those on the grift.

The socially-enforced expectation that we not question the efficacy of progressive activist movements (or risk backlash and potential cancellation) has proved a godsend for the griftivist and has engendered what cultural commentators call a form of “new puritanism.” Whereas society used to judge morality according to religious and conservative values, now there is a shift to make the same judgments based on absolute acceptance of the tenets of CSJ. This has fostered a rigid leftist ideology equal to the far-right in both its pronouncements of acceptable truth and willingness to extinguish dissent. That may seem counterintuitive for a theory embedded in postmodern skepticism, but it’s perhaps not so surprising given human nature; as Lord Acton said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” There is now power in being oppressed (or at least in appearing to be) and by establishing themselves as the marginalized or their allies and espousing the requisite leftist beliefs whilst denouncing those who fail to do so, the unscrupulous griftivist—like the Wolf dressed in Grandma’s clothing—succeeds in veiling their selfish intent under a cloak of harmlessness and virtue. And soft-hearted progressives, not hip to the ruse, are being eaten up.

* * *

A 2023 study published in the journal Current Psychology by Ann Krispenz and Alex Bertrams of the University of Bern entitled “Understanding left-wing authoritarianism: Relations to the dark personality traits, altruism, and social justice commitment” provides insight into the psyche of the griftivist. First, researchers characterized left-wing authoritarianism (LWA) as comprising three interconnected factors: anti-conventionalism, top-down censorship, and anti-hierarchical aggression. “Anti-conventionalism” is a dogmatic endorsement of radical moral values coupled with a desire to impose them on others. “Top-down censorship” is the use of authority to quash opposition and suppress “offensive and intolerant” speech. And “anti-hierarchical aggression” is the drive to overthrow and punish those with power. Together these paint a recognizable, if somewhat disturbing, portrait of left-wing CSJ activism, where the most virulent proponents possess traits mirroring those we’re accustomed to seeing on the authoritarian far-right.

To better understand left-wing authoritarianism, researchers designed two studies exploring its relationship with narcissism and psychopathy, as well as its correlation with traits they defined as prosocial, like altruism and social justice commitment. They found that left-wing activists who endorse aggressive actions to overthrow those in power are more likely to demonstrate “manipulative and exploitative behaviors… self-perceived entitlement, arrogance, reactive anger, distrust, lack of empathy, and thrill-seeking.” They also found that “neither dispositional altruism nor social justice commitment was related to left-wing anti-hierarchical aggression.” In fact, they concluded that “some political activists on the left side of the political spectrum do not actually strive for social justice and the support of underprivileged groups or persons, but rather endorse or express violence for the satisfaction of their own ego-focused needs.” Meaning that the most strident and morally outraged CSJ activists might not be driven by the desire for social justice at all. Quite the opposite.

As Krispenz and Bertrams explained to the science news website PsyPost, left-wing activism provides bad-faith players with “opportunities for positive self-presentation and displays of moral superiority to gain social status and dominate others.” Worse, those who “strive for influential positions that involve social visibility and outreach as well as access to financial and other resources” will likely misuse progressive movements for private purposes and cause “irreparable financial and reputational harm.” Indeed, it would seem a significant number of those marching under the banner of “doing good” while extolling others to “do better” and “be kind” are impelled by selfish, devious, or even harmful motives. And some are just on the grift.

So concerned were the authors that they advised minority groups should be made aware of these “narcissistic ‘enemies’ from within” who might hijack their causes and whose behavior could lead to dwindling public support.

Furthermore, they identified a phenomenon they dubbed “the dark-ego-vehicle principle” in which “individuals with dark personalities—such as high narcissistic and psychopathic traits—are attracted to certain ideologies and forms of political activism.” For example, someone might “participate in a pro-BLM protest pretending to fight against racism while actually using such protesting activities to meet their own aggressive motives and thrills” or because “this form of activism can provide them with opportunities for positive self-presentation (e.g., virtue signaling).”

The trajectory of the discredited Black Lives Matter Global Network certainly bears this out. In the wake of George Floyd’s death in 2020, corporations and individuals desperate to demonstrate their CSJ credentials poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the organization globally. Happy to profit off the empathy (or, more cynically, the virtue-signaling) of those willing to donate to BLM, one of its founders, Patrisse Cullors, controversially bought a house worth $1.4 million. Another BLM organizer, Xahra Saleem, was recently jailed for stealing donations intended for a British “anti-racist” group. And there are still several lawsuits involving alleged misuse of BLM funds by members ongoing; as UnHeard journalist Niall Gooch noted: “When a cause is hedged around with taboos... to the extent that obvious questions about governance, spending and oversight are simply not asked, that cause will attract grifters like moths to a flame.”

Of course, activism per se is not psychopathic; Krispenz and Bertrams’ study merely confirms that for a confluence of reasons, leftist CSJ movements are currently attracting dark personality types. There are still many political activists who get involved for positive reasons. That’s a relief on the one hand, but a concern on the other; it suggests that the volatile world of left-wing activism is currently a murky meeting point of malignant griftivists and socially conscious bleeding hearts being manipulated into rewarding them. It’s a worrying trend that—once recognized—you begin to see everywhere.   

Take, for example, my field: writing and publishing. The dirty secret behind the submissions wall is that many editors now read bios before even considering a writer’s work, and all know that the way to secure lucrative government funding is to tick as many diversity boxes on grant applications as possible. Of course, many (perhaps even the majority) of those working in publishing are motivated by good intentions and aim to nurture and platform underrepresented writers. However, it’s not a stretch to imagine that as publishers jostle to showcase the work of the marginalized, they might attract the attention of a canny griftivist.

One who twigged to these opportunities earlier than most was Norma Bagain Toliopoulos (otherwise known as Norma Khouri), who made a literary killing in the early 2000s with her “memoir” Forbidden Love. The book hinged on the false narrative of its author growing up in Jordan before fleeing on witnessing her best friend’s “honor killing.” Norma referred to herself as a “humanitarian” and claimed she wrote the memoir to give voice to the plight of oppressed Arab women, yet was not only found to have duped her worldwide readership, but was investigated by the FBI for having swindled lovers, friends, family, and even elderly and infirm strangers out of at least one million US dollars. Her ruse was uncovered after her publisher, Random House, received a twelve-page dossier from the Jordanian Women’s Commission outlining seventy-three factual errors and discrepancies they had noticed in the book. An eighteen-month investigation revealed that, far from being a Jordanian who fled her home, Khouri was an American passport holder who had lived in Chicago from the age of three. Rana Husseini, a Jordanian writer and human-rights activist who spent years actually exposing and working to eradicate her country’s honor killings, told journalists that by profiting off false narratives about Middle-Eastern women’s deaths and appropriating the work of activists, Khouri—like the opportunistic Dark Triad individuals Krispenz and Bertrams warn of—had effectively “ruined our cause.”

A no less scandalous case is that of Egyptian-Australian activist Eman Sharobeem, who grifted on a fake narrative of being forced to marry her first cousin as a child bride before escaping to Australia. She was a finalist in the 2015 Australian of the Year Awards and founded two publicly funded not-for-profit community organizations to assist immigrant women before being found guilty of fraud in 2017 for misappropriating upwards of $800,000 in public funds for personal use. Like Khouri, Sharobeem styled herself as a women’s rights activist while stealing from the marginalized communities she claimed to support. She wasn’t investigated until a group of determined migrant women working for one of her organizations repeatedly filed complaints about her financial misappropriation and bullying of staff. Only then was it discovered the prominent activist’s entire backstory was fabricated, including her claim to have two PhDs. When asked how such fragrant lies could pass unchecked, the Immigrant Women's Health Service board chairman Audrey Lai testified, “We trusted Eman. We thought she had such a good reputation and high profile in the community, we didn't check. It's not very wise in hindsight but unfortunately we were very gullible because we believed in her.”

* * *

Establishing belief in an oppressed identity, a common enemy, or a worthy cause, is central to the griftivists’ game. And it’s disturbingly easy because few of the precariously privileged who have the power to call out their lies are prepared to risk questioning the veracity of a social justice activist’s claims; their reputations and often livelihoods depend upon asserting the emperor is indeed clothed.

Instead, the dirty business of calling out the truth is often left to the people who can afford it least but who it affects the most: people from the marginalized communities that the griftivists leech off.

Take, for example, the case of Rachel Dolezal, a white woman whose career, memoir, and Netflix documentary were based on her identification as a black American. While some white commentators were quick to reach for explanations such as mental instability and childhood trauma to explain Dolezal’s bizarre behavior, many black critics accused her of exploiting the history of black suffering in order to opt into victimhood and co-opt lucrative leadership positions in the black community. One of the most intriguing aspects of Dolezal’s case is that she continues to uphold her black identity despite admitting to being biologically Caucasian, claiming that race is just a “social construct”—another example of how the postmodern elasticization of “truth” is artfully manipulated by griftivists.

Another sphere where griftivists opting into an oppressed identity to secure advantage has succeeded is in the gender versus sex debate, with some biological men exploiting society’s support for transgender people to enter previously sex-segregated spaces, often with disastrous results. After violent criminal Stephen Wood (who adopted the name Karen White) expediently claimed to be trans while awaiting trial for multiple sexual crimes and then reoffended while housed in a women’s prison, there was outrage from both the gender critical and trans communities. Many feminists claimed such outcomes were the inevitable result of the recent legal and social sanctioning of gender self-identification and used the case to demonstrate the incompatibility of all trans women in all women’s spaces. However, trans activists, such as Steph Richards, denied that Wood was transgender at all and argued that by claiming to be so with nefarious intent, he had created a public and media backlash that harmed the trans rights movement. Indeed, in 2023, the British Ministry of Justice tightened its rules in an effort to curtail people of bad faith exploiting policies designed to keep inmates of all genders safe. As Richards pointed out, “Wood was very aware that the Prison Service procedures at that time (they have subsequently changed) meant that he could self-identify as a trans woman and easily get transferred to the female estate. This offered Wood two significant advantages... Firstly he himself would be in a safer environment... Secondly, he would be close to vulnerable cisgendered females and trans women—potentially more victims.” Yet another case where a malevolent griftivist exploited the empathy and damaged the reputation of the social justice movement that harboured him.

Griftivists and their cons come in many shapes and sizes—from hate crime hoaxes, to identity appropriation, to outrageously priced diversity dinners—but what they share is a canny eye for the opportunities created by Critical Social Justice ideology and a willingness to trade on progressive guilt in order to advance their own ends, often while destroying their competitors with allegations of bigotry. It’s beyond dispiriting.

In his essay ‘The Curse of the Man Who Could See the Little Fish at the Bottom of the Ocean,” sinologist Pierre Ryckmans pondered belief, truth and lies after the ruthlessness of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was confirmed in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre. For twenty years prior to the massacre, Ryckmans (who wrote for security reasons under the pen name Simon Leys) was a rare dissenting voice in the West. His warnings about the Chinese regime were drowned out by leftist media, academics, and film stars who were convinced that the Maoist Revolution was a net good. When asked how the world could have failed to recognize the reality of the CCP for so long, Ryckmans chose to ponder a much more profound question: “How and why do we usually endeavor to protect ourselves against the truth?” For, as he noted, the truth can be disturbing, inconvenient, and dangerous to acknowledge. Perhaps this explains why, in a culture captured by Critical Social Justice, we’re committed to not seeing certain obvious but unpopular “truths,” or to bending the truth so far out of shape with clever theories that it essentially becomes meaningless.

With a nuance atypical by today’s standards, Ryckmans’ article outlines the varied reasons people might choose to believe lies, even in the face of evidence to the contrary: “What people believe is essentially what they wish to believe. They cultivate illusions out of idealism—and also out of cynicism. They follow their own visions because doing so satisfies their religious cravings, and also because it is expedient. They seek beliefs that can exalt their souls, and that can fill their bellies. They believe out of generosity, and also because it serves their interests. They believe because they are stupid, and also because they are clever. Simply, they believe in order to survive. And because they need to survive, sometimes they could gladly kill whoever has the insensitivity, cruelty, and inhumanity to deny them their life-supporting lies.”

The lies peddled by CSJ activism and exploited by griftivists are not ones we are supposed to question, and yet, everyone does—in their minds, in their hearts, and in private rooms and messages, away from the censorious and punitive eyes and ears of ideologues.

We question privately because to do so publicly risks joining the ranks of the cancelled, becoming one of the shunned. Calling out griftivists can extract a heavy personal and professional price.   

One of the more tragic examples in recent years is that of Canadian school principal Richard Bilkszto who took his own life after being publicly shamed for questioning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion trainer Kike Ojo-Thompson during a Zoom presentation in which she claimed that Canada was a bastion of “white supremacy and colonialism.” The Toronto District School Board has finally announced an investigation into Bilkszto’s tragic case, but not before two years of bullying, disbelief, and social media pile-ons fatally took their toll. While his family must continue without him, Bilkszto’s peers who smeared him as racist for merely questioning Ojo-Thompson’s “truth” have prevailed.

Human rights activist Ginetta Sagan wrote that “silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor.” The questions we might ask in cases like Bilkszto’s are: where was the injustice and who was the oppressor? Or perhaps it’s time to drop the often-weaponized framework of oppressor and oppressed entirely for something that has the potential to unite us.

I imagine only a handful who took part in my cancellation did so out of self-interest or spite. Most believed the “truth” my detractors spun, and those who didn’t played along or stayed silent for fear of joining the ranks of the cancelled. Their fears were well-founded; the power of the scarlet letter is frighteningly real. To disarm the griftivists and limit the harm they cause their victims and the justice movements they claim to champion, more of us must fight for what Verity La tried to: truth and the bravery to face it. By doing so, and by speaking up, we can strip the Wolf of Grandma’s clothing and unveil bad-faith players.