#my two cents

[gaasublarb]

Progress before perfection.

Never leave something undone that you could half ass

It's a lot healthier to go for a daily walk than to sign up for a gym membership you won't be using because you hate that kind of exercise. It's a lot healthier to eat a frozen meal than to skip a meal because you were too tired to cook something healthy. It's a lot healthier to take a quick shower than to procrastinate an elaborate routine for days. Don't aim so high that you won't be hitting anything!

[brightbluedot]

to succeed in adult friendship you must remember the key tenets of child friendship:

Play Toys

Play Pretend

Snack Time

[symphonyofsilence]

Let the poor man rest.

[anticoquette]

Another thing about ATLA that applies to both the original and live-action is that Fire Lord Ozai doesn't love Azula, he just hates Zuko. Ozai's disdain for his son is the only thing that pushes him to his daughter. If it weren't for the fact that Azula shares the same disdain for her brother, and is incredibly desperate for her father's validation, Ozai wouldn't care for her either. The only reason I can sympathize with her a little is because her dad groomed her to be like him. Azula never stood a chance, really

[monocordum]

I'd add a healthy dose of pickmeism and false dichotomy to all of the above--correct--takes: isolation means that no other group is as good as you, and since it's not as good as you, because if it were, it'be you, then it's one with the enemy, and you are the only reference.

Or maybe it's the yearning for a simpler world.

sucks that "incel" is just like a generic insult now synonymous with "virgin" bc if people had much of an idea of what incel ideology actually entails, we could have a conversation about radical feminism being quite literally, beat for beat, incel shit for girls

[coinandcandle]

Thoughts on Offerings

The thing about an offering is that it has to come from you for the being you're offering it to. It is specifically FROM YOU meaning it has to be something within your power to give.

This could be something more easy or more difficult, but gods, spirits, ancestors, etc. aren't stupid--they know what you can and can't do.

They know if you're a minimum wage worker, or a broke college student. They know if you're well off financially but maybe you've burnt out and can offer expensive gifts but not much time or energy.

An offering shouldn't be the easiest thing in the world to give, but it never is, because if it was then you could do it without thinking about it. Even offering a prayer or words of veneration is an offering. If you can do more then do it!

The point behind an offering is intention and the means to give the offering. However that manifests for you is almost always gunna be good enough!!

For example: Hunting may be one way you could give offerings to the god Lugh--who I follow. Or taking part in competitive games, but I am asthmatic and trans and organized sports don't tend to like people like me very much.

And he has never asked this of me cuz he knows that's not my vibe!! Nor would it be much of an offering since it's not much within my wheelhouse, lmao. But did I spend 2+ hours painting my nails as perfectly as I could and offer that creative energy and time to him? YES!

TL;DR - Sometimes offerings are like:

"I'd like a coke." "We don't have coke, is pepsi ok?"

[james-silent-hill]

Fuck it im gonna write James x Reader stuff. I shouldn't care but what is going with all the hate towards himmmmm. Wtfff.

There are SO MANY WORSE and much more awful people that tiktok Editors and Twitter folk simp over SOMETIMES EVEN IRL MURDERER and suddenly everyone decided "Jep James from the Silent Hill 2 iS THE guy to hate and shame people for finding him hot or interesting" ok then everyone who ever simped on ghostface or THE GHOST from call of duty needs to be shamed as well. They killed a lot of people?! Or Joel from The Last of Us... but y'all ain't ready for that fucking convo and it showwws.

(Not shitting on them I had a huge Joel and ghostface phase)

I like James. He's a very conflicted and interesting character who happens to be hot too. So I write some EQUALLY as bad and evil and terrible dirty fucking Reader smut with him :)

Especially the hate on people who edit him on tiktok is fucking crazy.

Let people like what they like why are we always going back in time with this.

I don't tell you pink as a color fucking sucks and you shouldn't like it. So don't tell me blue is terrible and I shouldn't like/write about it.

Thanks.

The most insane thing is that we are talking about a fictional game character bruh.

[marzghost]

Guys guys guys I know we gotta give scar a title or motif thing now that he's a winner and you've all been giving him all these cool ones like Mercury and Pluto but i propose Earth! Like look at him he's a terraformer! Plus if you look at it like this the earth is the only known planet with life. It's the only planet that can "truly see". Scar has won twice. He's won with the Sun by dying and now won by killing the Moon. Two things that WE associate with Earth are , you guessed it, the Sun and Moon. Two things we associate with scar now. The earth who's played each game. The Earth that can see the Sun, the Stars,the Moon, and Mars. It's scared by the humans who call it home. It's where WE know capitalism exists. It's where our own greed hurts us. It's the only known planet with life all alone in an empty galaxy. It's a winner standing alone amongst every other planet in our solar system that has no known life. It's the planet that stands far and yet so close to the Sun so that it may give it life and the planet with only one moon in it's night sky. Scar in the end is earth. Plus if grian is the sun then the fourth planet from the sun is earth and since 3rd life there has been four new games...

I hope this makes sense I'm going to explain it better later for sure

[seventeenlovesthree]

I had to shorten some dialogue and exclude some of the "They're glued to each other by the hip" shots, but here it is: The "Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning Takari" masterpost.

In a similar fashion as Miyakensuke, Takari are mostly framed next to each other whenever there is a group shot. There are a few exceptions, but they still remain as close as ever, responding to each other's remarks and/or sharing knowing glances and smiles. And while that is nothing we haven't seen before, they're still displaying some notable dynamics: First of all, they are back to being "the old souls" of the 02 squad, meaning that, even though they can - and will! - be silly little trolls and teases, their position as "senior Chosen Children" becomes visible again whenever a part of the "lore" gets brought up they are familiar with - or not.

The most interesting scene they share has to be the "What should we do?" scene in which, as outlined here, they are basically mirroring Taichi's and Yamato's conversation in Kizuna. Hikari, while taking after Taichi due to their past experiences, still displays more idealistic outlooks throughout the movie (that also get challenged here and there); while she understands the need to fight for the sake of others, she still believes that her faith in her bond with Tailmon will outlast every obstacle - and that this can apply to every person out there as well. In her view, their belief will affect everyone - thus, her trying to comfort and calm Takeru is only natural. Takeru, on the other hand, understands the need to fight as well, but he interprets the "responsibility for others" differently. He's trying to be more rational about it all, basically implying that they cannot make this choice for everyone else - because if they fail, it'll affect everyone just as much. It is basically an argument about faith vs. rationality to achieve the best possible outcome for everyone involved. They basically agree, but insist on their own viewpoints, which is a refreshing aspect we haven't seen about these two and their relationship before.

(There may be a tiny bit of an underlying romantic subtext too, but it is very subtle; not only are they shown during the snowball fight before Miyaken, they're also INDIRECTLY pulling a trope-y "It's pretty" - "Yeah, you are it is" moment, which may or may not be taken with a grain of salt.)

[tea-time221]

why is there even discourse ya'll 😭

fabian and riz, romantic/qpr, does not erase riz's asexual identity, nor does it erase his aromantic identity.

the aromantic identity can be displayed in a numerous amount of ways, and none of those ways undermines the other.

you can interpret fanart and other fabriz content in soo many different ways, providing you with the representation you want, but one thing has to stay true and it's that no one should shit on other people's interpretations of the way they portray riz's queer identity.

if people want to look at fabriz content as platonic/qpr, that's all fine and good

if people want to interpret it as romantic, it's also fine and good!

the only thing is that no one should label fabriz as "only romantic" or "only platonic" and then believe that to be so and then enforce it on others.

riz is like,, one of the only good reps we have of the aro/ace identity, surely the entire community can share him 😭 we can all project on him together

and create the stuff u want to see of him!!! if ur complaint is that all the riz stuff is just "fabriz" (which it definitely, 100% isnt), then create stuff of him! you have that power!!! create art, create headcanons, create theories and fanfics!!!! the more content there is, the more variety there will be, and that means there will be more facets of the aroace identity being represented.

[amebanworld]

So, here we are. Finally I’m dropping by to share something I’ve been pondering. I think it's about time to speak about this openly.

You know, I've been a TF fan since my childhood, since I saw G1 Cartoon till now.

But since I'm not a native English speaker and the TF TV series have been aired irregularly at my country, I just haven't be able to follow all series when they were broadcasted. I just wasn’t able to watch all of them. I'm not interested in every single series though, just in some of them. Same happens with comics and movies: seriously I like to think Bayverse just didn’t happen.

So I’ll will tackle the series/comic sI’ve watched/read only, and not every Screamer incarnation.

Let's start…

In 80's (and earlier) cartoons, it was quite common that one of the main characters was bashed by other characters under the premise that "this chara is problematic b/c he thinks different from the others, so he must be punished". As crazy as it sounds, this was encouraged by parents supervising children cartoons�� morality. That's why Eric (from the D&D cartoon) or Rudy (from Fat Albert) were made fun of, and that is what’s happening with G-1!Starscream. Yes, I mean the regular bashing he suffers by almost every other character in the series, and mostly from his leader, Megatron. Also, this was encouraged by the idea of "Hey! They're just aliens robots! We can be harsher with them since it isn’t an average cartoon for kids." And that's how it begun.

Since the G1 cartoon (and its comics counterpart, although the mood is quite different), Screamer has been portrayed as “selfish, a disloyal second-in-command, a coward yadda-yadda", but he also has been portrayed as somebody who endures punisment from almost every other character regularly, and mostly from Meggs, as I said before. This pattern repeats itsel over and over in all TF series, no matter the plot or the setting.

Despite being so popular, most of the fandom think that "he deserves it b/c he's a traitor", or just like it as a slapstick comedy. However, over time, and since certain series and comics have more serious plots, this issue was interpreted under a different perspective by older audiences.

Starscream, no matter the continuity, suffers from PTSD and is victim of abuse.

And I fully agree with that.

Over the years, I've met many fans (female fans mostly, perhaps b/c they usually have this kind of sensibility) who loved the character and felt bad for him because they identified with him on a personal level. I've met veterans too who indentified with Screamer. Both of them just felt really uneasy about how he’s treated in comics and especially in the series. Of course, there’re many fans that just think this is nonsense and don't agree with it. However, invalidating the opinion of these other fans and brush it aside as "nonsense" means to ignore the victims of abuse and their suffering too.

So, what do I mean with "victim of (domestic) abuse"?

First of all, it doens't mean just abuse from your romantic partner, but also from your parents or relatives, from your boss, your classmates, etc. The thing is, all that applies to Screamer. Unlike other characters that just attack him during battles and such, Screamer is punched many times till almost dying by Megatron. He’s also insulted and invalidated. There’s some examples of different continuities below.

The dynamic of abusive relationships is very complex, but in all continuities we can find the same pattern: "The victim tries to flee and does something careless, then he's caught and punished by his insolence". The problem is that the victim is also a traitor and a liar, and certainly he's not a saint. Plus the abuser keeps him around still.

Why?

Summing up, it's a vicious circle. The victim thinks he "deserves" to be punished, but since he wants to be free, he behaves carelessly and paying no heed to loyalty so as to “deserve” that punishment. Meanwhile, the abuser seeks to blame (and punish) the victim from his own faults. Then, when one makes a move, the other behaves accordingly. Meanwhile there’s also calm moments where things “seems” fine. That's why Meggs and Screamer seems to get along "nicely" when nothing happens.

Eventually, the victim copies the abusive behaviour, becoming also an abuser. This is quite obvious in the TFP continuity, where Screamer does the same things to KnockOut.

Of course, the abuser is guilty, but the victim has his own faults. Usually, these people suffer from PTSD and develop a nasty behaviour towards others. They become selfish, demanding, disloyal, etc. This explains why Screamer behaves as such with almost everyone in all continuities. Usually, the victim isn’t aware (or just doesn't want to ) that he's into an abusive relationship (no matter what kind), so he’s just seen as being disloyal, stupid or something like that. Usually, only people who have suffered abuse, or are close to an abuse victim, are aware of this problem, and of how hard it is to break the vicious circle and break free.

Many fans were aware of this problem, and some years ago a bunch of them decided to let know their feelings about SS to Hasbro, so they send the company a long letter, thanks to @tyrantofthefirmament You can read their letter HERE.

And how did Hasbro answered?

I guess they get a lot of letters from the fandom, and that their marketing team will be well aware about the fandom opinions at least now, b/c it's kind of obvious that the later comics and series portrays ideas that were born in the fandom. Anyway their answer to that letter sounded like "We're glad to heard from you. We'll think about it someday. Thanks!"

And that’s whay they did on the later series, it seems.

Let's check it…

*TFP: SS is written so randomly here. First, he's a serious threat; in the second season, he breaks free and joins the Abots or is just on his own (the best part), and finally, in the third season, he joins Dcons again, and Meggs punches him for any random reason. Finally, he dies.

*Armada Trilogy: he's written as a tragic character. He ends up being a hero and dies saving the day on the first season. Later on, he's resurrected as a zombie with no memories. Finally, in the 3rd season, he becomes… what the heck?? He doesn’t seems to be the same character!

*War for Cybertron Trilogy. Well. Here, he's closer to his G1 Incarnation, despite he wasn't a scientist and he was under Jetfire's command till the white jet joins the Abots. The same tropes are repeated, till Blacharacnnia teams up with him and he meets Unicron in a Lovecraft- like scene. Afterwards, the writers got wild and gave him the arc to be an anti-hero, warning everybody, who actually barely believe in him. At least, the writers tried here to give certain credit.

Starry meets Cthulhu... eeer, Unicron.

*IDW comics. Perhaps the most developed incarnation. Here, the problems of abuse and trauma, along his faults in the GreatWar, become an issue that must be solved. He becomes a Cybertron ruler, makes a friend (Metalhawk) then kills him… and later, he regrets it a lot. Bumblebee appears to him as a so-called hallucination and befriends him (his only friend is out of his reach). WheelJack has a soft spot for him, but this isn’t enough. Then, Windblae appears, who is oblivius of the Cybertronian war. And well, things happen and he isn't disloyal anymore and learns about his true self, which will cause his ultimate sacrifice. Perhaps this is the only series where his fate is different.

Bee facing Screamer in what seems to be his own hallucinations...

*EarthSpark. These series tries to mix up G1 with IDW. War is over, the Earthling TF are born and Screamer is jailed in a corrupted human facility, till he manages to break free. At this point, an Earthligh TF, Haghstag, knows about his trauma and helps him. The whole first season deals with Dcons as people with his own lifestory and traumas, and how important redeption is. Starscream fits this plot…

Haghstag and Screamer... and he's smiling.

Till the following seaons where the writers just ignore everything and they come back to the same old plots again and again in a very creepy way.

The thing is, Starscream nor talks about this with others, neither uses it as an excuse for his behaviour towards his companions. That goes against the Decepticons ideals, but also that would make him to look "weak", or he just doesn't want to admit it despite his pain. Dcon's are usuallly portrayed as horrible people, after all.

Anyway, the fact is Hasbro and their writers just don’t dare to tackle a character arc to give him some reliable background or credit. They show some hints here and there of "perhaps he's victim of abuse/he suffers PTSD", and later, they brush him off. This is kind of obvious for every continuity discussed here.

So why? I just don't get it. And that's why I find this is a problem. I just don't want to see the same old story again and again, with a character that is basically a punching bag on one hand and a baddie on the other. (Skybound comics aren't included here since it's an ongoing series by now and I haven't enough info by today). If the writers dared to write a redenmption arc for Megatron. Why not for Starscream?

(Special thanks to @sandalwood03, who edited my broken English into something nicer).

[falcemartello]

Né Alessandro Impagnatiello né Filippo Turetta hanno nulla a che fare col presunto modello patriarcale.

Piuttosto rappresentano il prodotto di una società che legittima e incentiva il disturbo narcisistico, funzionale al nichilismo spirituale e al materialismo relazionale.

(https://x.com/IlariaBif/status/1860960181644824958)

[lightan117]

Mourn Watch Headcannons

As I've been playing the game, I've started to have some HC on the Mourn Watch and Mourn Watch Rook (at least for my character)

Mourn Watch in general:

They 100% have had to take some sort of poison training - or have tried almost every poison. Their library has to have about 20 rows on poison alone, as one would have to know how a person died by poison. There is also no way a bunch of students have not attempted to kill themselves (accidentally) to see what would happen.

Nevarra is really deep into traditions - hardcore hates new ideas when it comes to the dead. The younger generations have a hard time breaking that ceiling.

Beetles are prized in Nevarra, so there is no way Mourn Watch does not have some sort of Beetle stitched into their outfits besides skulls.

The Grand Necropolis is Hogwarts. No way around it, the levels move, and so do staircases. Fight me on this. Even the students act like those who do. You have students from higher families who will bully those who are taken in by the Mourn Watch themselves.

Younger students have definitely played some sort of prank on a skeleton at one point.

Mage Mourn Watchers are placed higher than non-mage Mourn Watchers mainly because of their connection to spirits/fade but not less important as a whole.

Mourn Watch Rook:

Mourn Watch Rook is so used to smelling dead bodies that it doesn't bother them anymore.

They hide their skull collection from the others. Yeah, you don't see the Nevarran skulls in the meeting room—there is nothing to see here.

Burning the dead is an insult to them, but they don't say shit.

Is on Emmrich's level with being a Mourn Watcher (very seriously)

Mage Mourn Watch Rook can sense Spite (I believe that they can sense them just can't interact like Emmrich can because I call BS on that)

Wisps they adore - they grew up around them, so there is always a fondness for them

Mourn Watch Rook and dating:

If Mourn Watch Rook is dating Lucanis, there will be one point where Lucanis actually gifts them a dead body. It's for a contract, but they know that Rook's fascination with how someone died will be the perfect cover for why he's asking.

If Mourn Watch Rook is dating Emmrich, then you know they have graveyard dates once a week and dissect bodies for educational purposes together.

[brightbluedot]

goddddd black sails is still so good. the very last line of the first episode: we see max leave eleanor's bed, walk up to jack, and crawl into his lap. anne interprets this as a come-on and gets angry, and then max tells him: "i think i have something you might want to buy."

and like, coming from max, that could still be a come-on. when she's at work, sex is a viable business proposition -- the expected one, from her and her coworkers. jack's perception of the moment very well might not have changed yet.

but we as the viewers instantly know that she's referring to the page. we the viewers are also privileged in our knowledge that she just left eleanor's bed -- which was not strictly for work. she's just "the whore" to those around her, but look, her business proposition is all high-handed crew politics, and the last person she slept with she had personal motives for pursuing. there's a woman on your lap in a brothel offering to sell you something, and everything you think you know about her and sex and business is wrong in this moment. and she is still very much a sex worker, which we will see her suffer for and excel at and leverage to her own ends in a thousand different ways as the story goes on. it's not a simple rug pull, but a single layered, cohesive, portrait.

it's such a cool little microcosm of the way the show plays with expectations to add the depth and color that it does to those the empire flattens and sweeps to the side. nobody is ever just one thing, the reduction of themselves. and nobody is ever seen by those around them the way they are by us, who see all. and so much of the action stems from them being all too aware of the importance of that perception and the assumptions it carries. it's so refreshing to be invited to look so deeply and see more everywhere your eye could possibly land.

[symphonyofsilence]

Dazai's idea of a date (and it's getting repetitive. So in the next update he might add an "only true love kiss will save him" scenario)

[armed-with-a-waffle-iron]

Do Dick and Babs really know how to be just normal friends? Seems to me it's always been flirty and intense and intimate. They'll always have this long, complicated, profound history together which is impossibly unique to them. Of course no one really gets them like the other does. They're the original Robin and Batgirl! It's like they've always been partners in crime. And push comes to shove, whatever rift the universe puts between them, they will still be a killer team. They'll always have this profound but complicated love for each other, beautiful and tragic. Like they're always more than just friends but also more than just love interests too. Dunno if there's a single word to describe them.

Something about them makes both the ace and bi part of me go wild.