#new respect for people who do this regularly and/or professionally

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: How To Validate Yourself & Stop People Pleasing

A comprehensive guide to learn love & trust yourself and break out of your people-pleasing identity. Hope this helps xx

HOW TO MASTER THE ART OF SELF-VALIDATION:

Remember the longest relationship you have in life is the one with yourself. While we all need an external support system to be well-rounded & healthy individuals, no one else will be with you throughout your entire life except for you. So, acting as your own best friend is the secret to living your happiest and most fulfilling life. You ultimately need to do what's best for you. Otherwise, you're damaging the only relationship you will have to confront in every aspect and stage of your life.

Acknowledge your humanity and fundamental right to have needs, goals, and personal desires. Validate your personhood and individuality. Remember you're only human and are bound to have your own physical/emotional limitations and preferences. If you would be willing to cater to others' schedules, boundaries, and limitations, give yourself this equal level of respect and expect others to do the same.

Know everyone is self-centered to a certain degree. No one cares about your happiness as much or is watching you as closely as you are. They all have themselves and their lives to worry about. People are paying attention to their own self-interests (or want you to accomplish things to boost their own credibility or self-esteem). Being your greatest personal cheerleader is the only way to fully give yourself the praise and spotlight you deserve for your accomplishments.

Self-confidence is magnetic. It is the secret to showing up as your best self in all areas of life. Being secure in yourself makes you a better friend, family member, lover, partner, spouse, professional, conversationalist, etc. Validating yourself will make you feel good, but also radiates into every relationship or interaction in your life.

Discover what you love about yourself. Reflect on the personality traits, skillsets, and behaviors you know to be admirable about yourself. Are you constantly making others laugh? Do you get endless praise for your cooking, drawing, singing, or problem-solving skills? Would people come to you first to manage a crisis like a champion? Are you a master disciplinarian when it comes to going to the gym or reading? Do people regularly compliment your outfits or nails? Think of all of the aspects of your being that make you unique and help you to feel content with your existing, authentic self.

Take control of your life to cultivate your ideal self. While you should consistently praise your naturally admirable qualities, remember that you always can change aspects of your life that will help you feel like your best self. Know that you're in control of your decisions and have the mental freedom to think & act in any way you desire to reach any goals or implement lifestyle changes to feel like the person you feel destined to be.

Block out the noise and negative self-talk. We're (almost always!) our worst critics. Consider every new experience or interaction as a learning opportunity. Mistakes and failures are life lessons that facilitate self-reflection and opportunities for growth. Remember not to beat yourself up for past mistakes: You did the best you could with the information you had at the time. If you weren't embarrassed by your past self, you never gave yourself the chance to evolve and grow. Every success, failure, and new life stage offers its own lessons and teachable moments. Remember that we're all our own unique life paths. Comparing your life to someone else's is like comparing apples and oranges. Both entities may be fruitful but have vastly different flavor profiles, growing seasons, and rates at which they ripen. As Dita Von Tesse shrewdly said: "You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there will always be someone who hates peaches."

HOW TO STOP PEOPLE PLEASING:

Acknowledge that people-pleasing is a form of self-neglect. By prioritizing another person's desires or approval above your own, you're ultimately neglecting your physical, emotional, energetic, or spiritual needs. Consider acting in your best in your own best interest as an act of self-care that safeguards your well-being.

Set boundaries. State your limitations, calmly, clearly, and directly. Understand that boundaries are your response to other people's actions, not a means to control other people's behavior. An expectation would be to ask someone not to call you during the workday. A boundary is stating that you will not pick up the phone during the workday and will only make/return calls in the evening after leaving the office.

Communicate your needs & expectations clearly. While you can't control what others will do, being upfront with your needs and expectations can eliminate unnecessary stress, logistical issues, misplaced hurt feelings, or disappointment in any type of relationship. Direct communication between parties will allow you both to respect each other's boundaries and to prioritize interactions that are mutually more positive, helpful, and emotionally nourishing.

Express your "no" freely (and without over-explaining). Remember that "No" is a complete sentence. You do not owe someone your time or emotional energy simply because they asked or expect you to do something/attend an event out of perceived obligation/guilt or simply to make someone else happy. Making sure you're okay is your first priority. Feel free to say "no" to any requests that would emotionally drain you, make you overextend yourself, or compromise any of your personal values/goals/priorities. You don't need to justify your needs. Just kindly decline, and let it be.

Remain consistent with your boundaries & priorities. People will treat you how you let them treat you. Once you set a boundary or share your priorities will someone, stick to these words through your actions to show you're serious about how you expect to be treated. Teach people how to interact with you in a way that doesn't feel self-sacrificing. No one will respect your boundaries and priorities if you don't and are easily swayed to forgo these self-imposed standards on a day-to-day or case-by-case basis.

Consider the long-term consequences of people-pleasing. While it may appease immediate conflict or anxiety, people-pleasing offers a one-way ticket to resentment and misplaced anger. By ignoring our own needs for the sake of others, we place unspoken expectations on these individuals' obligations to reciprocate our emotional labor – whether it be with their future actions or matching our generosity with unprompted favors or emotional support. We start keeping score as we continuously give ourselves over to others of perceived obligation. When someone doesn't return the favor, we get upset, despite never expressing this expectation of someone else or that we're even self-sacrificing in any way. This can lead to us feeling depleted or guilt-tripping others, and from their perspective, seemingly out of nowhere. It is best to remember we always have a choice whether to give to others and it should be of a genuine desire, love, or support for the other person – not as a way to gain external validation or manipulate a situation to create a false sense of obligation that we keep ourselves or the receiving party beholden to. Think of your energy, time, and personal resources given to others as a gift, not a bargaining chip.

[ducktoo]

Syncing Dream [Aespa x M!Reader]

1. New life…as what now?

Note: primary vs secondary acc issue, repost it now to the right place. Enjoy!

Masterlist here

It had been years since Y/n left the relentless grind of trainee life behind him. It was a chapter he thought they'd never revisit—especially not from the outside looking in.

His new life had a quieter rhythm.

No more sprinting to dance practices or losing sleep memorising lyrics. Instead, Y/n had been picking up odd jobs in the entertainment industry—small gigs, freelance work, and most recently, running errands for people still in the idol bubble. Heck, he even finished his mandatory services the moment he left his early days.

Y/n stretched, basking in a rare moment of peace as he sat in a quiet café. The iced Americano sweating in front of him was untouched, but that wasn’t a surprise.

He weren’t really there to drink coffee. More like he was trying to figure out what came next. The timeframe of unemployment is real…

Sure, there were opportunities, but nothing that screamed "this is it!"

Just as his thoughts began to drift into existential territory, their phone buzzed on the table.

"SM CEO."

Y/n’s brow furrowed. SM? What could they possibly want? He hadn't stepped foot in that building since—

No time to dwell. He swiped to answer.

"Hello, sir?"

A crisp, professional voice on the other end greeted them, and Y/n immediately recognized it—the CEO he occasionally met during their trainee days. "Y/n, it’s been a while."

Y/n nodded, as if the person on the phone could see them. "Good morning sir. What’s up?"

"Ah, nothing too stressful. I just want to ask how would you feel about rejoining the team—"

Y/n’s heart skipped a beat. "Wait, wait, wait," he interrupted, half-joking, half-anxious. "With all due respect, you’re not trying to re-sign me as a trainee, are you? I don’t think my back can handle another round of choreography."

The voice chuckled lightly. "No, no. Not as a trainee. We actually have a bit of a different proposition for you. It’s related to aespa."

"aespa?" That name hit Y/n like a sudden gust of wind.

aespa. The super rookies who had been making waves all over the industry and one of the biggest girl groups leading the 4th generation of K-pop.

And Winter… his mind went there instinctively.

While they still regularly talked to each other, he remembered he was adamant about leaving his past trainee life behind and pursue blue collar jobs. Winter was someone Y/n had trained alongside before she debuted.

Y/n felt a pang of nostalgia—mixed with a little guilt. He didn’t want to be a disappointment to his childhood friend. "what about them?"

-

“Wait, hold up… what?”

The words felt stuck in Y/n’s throat, awkwardly lodged between disbelief and mild panic. The fluorescent lights above the SM CEO’s office flickered softly, adding to the sense of surrealistic reality. Y/n’s palms felt clammy as the director continued with that calm, almost amused smile, the kind that said, "Welcome to the deep end of the pool—good luck swimming."

“You’re going to manage aespa,” the director said again, this time like he was offering Y/n a cup of coffee, not rearranging his entire life.

Y/n blinked, their mind working overtime to piece together what was just said. “Manage… as in… manage manage?” He tried to keep their voice steady, but the end of the sentence squeaked out a little too much. It didn’t help that the director just nodded, nonchalant as ever.

"Yes. You're aware we're short-staffed, and your background as a trainee means you're already familiar with how the company operates. Their current manager had to step down suddenly due to health reasons, and we need someone to step in on short notice. Someone familiar with the company’s ways and preferably, someone who’s worked with Winter before. That’s where you come in."

Y/n’s heart did a weird flip. Of all the things he had expected—maybe helping out behind the scenes, doing some coordination work—this was not it. Y/n was barely done figuring out their own path, and now he had to figure out the path for one of K-pop’s biggest girl groups?

The panic was rising, but Y/n swallowed hard, trying to keep it together. “B-but, I was just a trainee before this.. I've never took any management courses before?”

The director leaned forward slightly, folding his hands together. “Yet, that experience as a trainee means you know about the idols' health and wellbeing more than everyone else. Everything else you can definitely learn on the job.”

"B-but-"

"And we think it will be better as well considering you and Minjeong auditioned together and got in together."

Ah right, Winter and Y/n were childhood friends. Sure, managing her wouldn't be too hard considering god knows how long they hung out together, but the rest of the members? Just the thought of it made Y/n gulped.

"Don't worry, the other managers will teach you your role. Red Velvet's manager will brief you after our talk." The director stood up, signalling the end of the conversation. “Your first day starts tomorrow. Get some rest tonight.”

Leaving Y/n alone in the room, he thought "…Minjeong will have a fcking field day with this…”

-

Y/n hadn’t slept a wink. The alarm clock was practically taunting them as it beeped at 6 a.m., the early start not unusual in idol life.

If the old Y/n—back when he was a trainee—had thought the pace of idol life was fast, stepping into a manager’s shoes was like jumping onto a bullet train already at full speed. There was no time to get acclimated, no luxury of easing into the role. Y/n showed up to the SM building the very next morning, and the minute he stepped through those familiar glass doors, the whirlwind began.

"Y/n, good to see you again!" One of the staff greeted them, barely pausing for pleasantries as she handed them a clipboard. "Here’s aespa’s schedule for the next two days. Red Velvet's manager will teach you today, but from tomorrow onwards, it’s all on you."

Y/n blinked, scanning the clipboard. Music show rehearsal. Commercial shoot. Dance practice. Fan sign event. And that was just before lunch on day one. "Wow… this is… intense," he muttered under their breath.

The staff member laughed. "Welcome to the life of an idol manager. You’ll get used to it."

He wasn’t ready for this. Hell no.

Yet, somehow, at 8:45 a.m., Y/n found himself standing outside aespa’s practice room, a bundle of nerves in the pit of their stomach. Through the glass window, Y/n could see the four girls, laughing about something, stretching, and getting ready to practice, while Red Velvet's manager briefing them their schedules and began to introduce their new manager.

This was going to be weird. Y/n hadn’t been around the group since the trainee days, and even then, he had been on the outside looking in. Minjeong… oh god, Minjeong. He really didn't tell her anything about this new role, just hinting that he got a job.

"Deep breath," Y/n muttered to themselves. It was just a job. Just another day.

As he opened the door, the laughter in the room died down almost instantly. Four sets of eyes turned to Y/n, and the tension hung in the air like fog. Karina stood in the centre, arms folded, eyebrows raised slightly as if sizing up an opponent.

"So," she said, voice cool and composed, "you’re our new manager?"

Y/n nodded stiffly, offering a small wave that felt ridiculously out of place. "Uh, yeah. That’s me. Jung Y/n. Lovely to meet you all.”

Winter, who had been doing some light stretches, straightened up when she recognized Y/n. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she let out a small laugh. "Wait, Y/n?!"

Y/n tried to relax, giving Winter a sheepish smile and a peace sign. "Y-yo"

Winter’s easy laughter filled the room, lightening the mood, if only slightly. "Ya, idiot! Is this why you didn't say anything about your new job?."

"Yeah, well, I guess." Y/n shrugged. "How are you doing tho?"

"More happy now that I know that you're working with us!" Winter beamed. "This is really too funny kekekeke"

While Winter was dying in the background at the revelation, Karina’s sharp gaze hadn’t shifted. She looked Y/n up and down, her scepticism almost tangible. "No offense, but… how much experience do you have managing?"

Y/n inwardly winced but kept their face neutral. "Well, this is my first time officially managing, but I’ve trained with the company for years. I know how things work on both sides, so…"

Karina didn’t seem convinced. She didn’t say anything, but the silence spoke volumes. Ningning and Giselle exchanged glances, sensing the subtle tension in the room.

Giselle, always the bigger person, stepped in, trying to ease the awkwardness. "It’ll be fine, unnie. Y/n’s got this. I mean, he survived SM’s training system, right?"

Karina shrugged, finally breaking eye contact. "We’ll see."

-

Y/n’s phone buzzed for what felt like the thousandth time, and He resisted the urge to hurl it into the nearest trash can. "This cursed fing- I mean, object"

This is fine.

Everything is fine. Sure, his first official day as aespa’s manager had turned into a whirlwind of chaos, but Y/n had told himself he’d survive the day. It was all about staying calm.

Except, calm was nowhere to be found, and the more he tried to navigate their new responsibilities, the more everything spiralled out of control.

The morning had started deceptively smooth. He arrived at SM early, clipboard in hand, ready to tackle the day. A smile even broke out when he saw the group filing into the van, chirpy with coffee and morning energy. But, as soon as Y/n opened the daily schedule on their phone, his stomach sank.

Wrong rehearsal room.

The worst way to f*ck it up as well. Misread the number 7 for 1.

"Uh... okay, small problem," Y/n muttered to themselves before looking at the girls. "So, it turns out I booked the wrong practice room this morning."

Giselle, who was squished between Ningning and Winter in the van, looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow. "Wait, you’re telling me we’re going to a room that doesn’t exist?"

Y/n winced. "No, it exists. It's just... not available.”

Ningning leaned forward with a smirk. "So what, we practice in the parking lot? That could be fun. Maybe film a TikTok."

"That's actually a fire idea" Y/n thought.

"Please don't give her ideas," Karina groaned from the front seat. She glanced at Y/n through the rearview mirror. "So... what’s the backup plan, manager-nim?"

Y/n felt the weight of the title more than ever in that moment. Being called "manager" was still weird, like wearing a jacket that didn’t quite fit. "Uh, we’ll use one of the smaller rooms for now, just for today. I’ll sort it out. Sorry about that, team."

"Just for today?" Giselle echoed with a teasing grin. "Good to know we’ve got a professional in charge."

Y/n sighed. This was going to be a long day.

By the time they arrived at the practice room, the energy had shifted. The smaller rehearsal space had a cozy feel, but "cozy" was just a nice way of saying cramped. The mirrors barely covered one wall, and the air-conditioning was struggling to keep up with the summer heat.

The girls, to their credit, didn’t complain much—well, except for Giselle, who Y/n could always count on for a sarcastic comment or two…and Karina who didn't need any words but Y/n knew he would be skinned alive after bed.

"Well, I guess we’re all gonna sweat out our souls in here," Giselle said as she dropped her bag onto the floor and stretched her arms above her head. "Thanks, Y/n. Really starting the day off right."

Winter shot Y/n a glance, her mouth twitching into a faint smile. "It’s fine, don’t worry. We’ve practiced in worse places."

Y/n appreciated the attempt at reassurance, but the guilt still gnawed at them. He was supposed to make things easier for aespa, not complicate their day with rookie mistakes. Even worse with him thinking his trainee days would help.

So much for better understanding of the girls.

As the group started their warm-ups, Y/n made a mental note to double-check all bookings going forward. He couldn’t afford to mess up again—not with Karina giving them those mildly skeptical looks every few minutes. It was like she was silently judging every move Y/n made.

"Great. Just what I need—her thinking I’m completely useless." Y/n sighed.

Things hit a new low when Y/n tried to connect their phone to the rehearsal room's speakers, but the Wi-Fi password wasn’t working. Panic started creeping up their spine as they stared at the screen.

Y/n wanted to hit his head into a wall right this instant.”

"Hey, Y/n, we’re ready for the playlist," Karina called out from across the room. "Are you good?"

"Yeah, uh... Just a sec." Y/n tapped the password again, slower this time, but it still didn’t connect. "What the—"

Giselle leaned against the wall, arms crossed, clearly enjoying the show. "Let me guess—you forgot the password? Or did you set it to ‘password123’ like a true professional?"

Y/n shot her a look, trying to hide the growing anxiety. "It’s the building Wi-Fi. I swear it’s not my fault."

"Sure, sure." Giselle’s grin widened. "No problem. We’ll just dance in silence. You know, like marionettes."

Winter chuckled softly, while Ningning chimed in. "Oooh, I love silent discos! We could start a trend."

While Y/n cracked a smile at Ningning's genius revelation once again, Karina sighed, crossing her arms. "Just use the Bluetooth on the portable speaker for now. We don’t have time to waste."

"Un-unnie" Winter whimpered, sensing that her leader began to get frustrated. "We don't need to rush, Y/n's just getting used to it."

"Jeong, it's ok." Y/n reassured. "Karina, good idea. I got the speaker just in case."

Y/n scrambled to connect his phone via Bluetooth, heart racing as the group exchanged amused glances. As much as he tried to take the ribbing in stride, Y/n couldn’t help but feel like every little mistake was another nail in their managerial coffin.

First the wrong room, now this…

Finally, the music blasted from the portable speaker, and Y/n sighed in relief. The girls began running through their choreography, their focus quickly shifting back to the dance routine. As the familiar beats filled the small room, Y/n retreated to the side, trying to steady their nerves with a big gulped.

By midday, Y/n was juggling three things at once: updating the afternoon’s schedule, figuring out lunch arrangements, and fielding a call from the media team about an upcoming interview. He was so deep in thought, he didn’t even notice Ningning creeping up behind them.

"Boo."

Y/n flinched, nearly dropping their phone. "Motherf- Yizhuo!"

She laughed, hands on her hips. "Relax, Y/n-oppa. You’re doing fine. We’re all still alive, and no one’s collapsed yet. I’d say that’s a win."

Y/n exhaled, rubbing their temples. "Yeah, barely."

"Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself. This job isn’t easy. Plus, we’ve all made mistakes. I mean, did you know I once went to a music show wearing mismatched shoes? Like, two completely different shoes."

Y/n blinked. "Huh, seriously?"

"Yep," Ningning grinned. "And no one noticed until halfway through the performance."

"Is there a fancam of it at least?"

"Oh, there are plenty of that for you."

Y/n couldn’t help but laugh, the tension easing just a little. "Okay, maybe that makes me feel slightly better."

"Good." She clapped Y/n on the back. "You’ll get the hang of it, oppa. Just remember—you’re not the only one winging it half the time. We are too."

Before Y/n could respond, Karina’s voice interrupted them from across the room. "Y/n! Can we confirm the interview time for this afternoon?"

Y/n checked the schedule on their phone, tapping quickly before calling back, "Yeah, it’s at 2:00. I’ll make sure we’re on time."

Karina nodded, her expression unreadable as she went back to the group, but Y/n caught the faintest flicker of something that might’ve been approval.

"Okay, maybe I haven’t totally screwed up yet." Y/n did a small dance in celebration.

As the morning stretched into afternoon, Y/n found himself slowly settling into the role. Sure, it was still overwhelming, and they felt like they were constantly playing catch-up, but Giselle’s light-hearted teasing and Winter’s quiet-not-so-quiet encouragement kept them going. Even Ningning, who couldn’t resist poking fun at Y/n’s blunders, made the chaos a little more bearable.

By the time the group wrapped up their rehearsals and headed to their interview, Y/n felt a small surge of relief. They had made it through the first half of the day without any major disasters. Maybe this whole manager thing wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

As they entered the interview room, Y/n stood near the back, watching as the girls took their places on the set. Cameras clicked, lights flashed, and the media team buzzed around them. Y/n checked their phone one more time, going over the rest of the day’s schedule. Double checking always works.

Karina, standing just off camera, glanced over at Y/n with a small, almost imperceptible nod. It wasn’t much, but it felt like a step in the right direction.

-

The clock on the wall ticked past midnight, and the hallway lights cast a soft glow over the exhausted aespa members as they stumbled into the dormitory. Their faces were flushed from the intensity of the day’s rehearsals, but there was a shared sense of relief in finally being off their feet. The practice room doors creaked open, revealing the calm haven of their living quarters.

Karina immediately went into her room to get changed.

Giselle frantically searched for a protein bar in their pantry.

Ningning plopped on the couch and groaned about the schedule.

And Winter noticed Y/n immediately headed to the kitchen. Already had a smile, she knew tonight will be a feast.

During his trainee days, the kitchen had become a sort of sanctuary for Y/n, a place where the clamour of the day’s chaos could be momentarily forgotten. Tonight, the giant pans of cheesy instant ramen unveiling the moment the lid opened was a beacon of comfort. The rich aroma of sauce and steaming noodles wafted through the air, promising a moment of respite.

Of course, it got the members' attention, and their tired eyes lit up at the sight of the pans of ramen. It was a welcoming sight, and their stomachs growled in unison.

Y/n’s presence in the kitchen, with his sleeves rolled up and a focused look on their face, was a stark contrast to the frenetic energy they had witnessed throughout the day.

“Y/n, you rock,” Giselle said, her voice filled with gratitude as she took a seat at the kitchen table. “I didn’t think I’d make it through the day without something like this.”

Ningning, always enthusiastic about food, followed suit and perched herself on a nearby stool. “Seriously, we owe you one. Our kitchen doesn’t usually get this kind of late-night love.”

Winter, the resident annoyance to her childhood friend, leaned against the counter and eyed Y/n with a playful smirk. “So, did you have this bougee ramen this much when you were a trainee too when I wasn't around? Or did you just eat instant noodles and subconsciously dream about becoming our manager?”

Y/n chuckled, stirring the noodles with practiced ease. “Oh, shush you. Buldak was basically my best friend during those days. It was either ramen or cereal for dinner.”

Karina, intrigued, raised an eyebrow. “Cereal for dinner? That’s a new one. What was your go-to flavor?”

“Plain old,” Y/n admitted with a grin. “It was the closest thing I could get to comfort food. Plus, it’s surprisingly filling when you’re too tired to care about anything else.”

Winter burst into laughter, nudging Y/n playfully. “I can just picture you in your trainee days, sitting in a tiny room, eating cereal straight from the box, dreaming about making it big. Did you ever think you’d end up here with us?”

"Hell no." Y/n’s expression softened, a nostalgic glint in their eyes. “Honestly, I had my doubts. It was a tough time, but moments like these make it all worth it. I’m just glad to be here with all of you.”

As the ramen finished cooking, Y/n ladled the pan into plates and handed them out. The group gathered around the table, their laughter and chatter filling the room. It wasn’t just about the food; it was about the camaraderie, the shared experiences, and the understanding that they were all in this together.

Giselle took a generous slurped and sighed contentedly. “This is exactly what we needed. I didn’t realize how much I missed simple yet fancy comforts like this.”

Ningning, already twirling noodles around her chopsticks, nodded in agreement. “Yeah, the practice room is great and all, but there’s something about a late-night cheesy ramen session that just makes everything feel right.”

Y/n took a quick slurp as well, and he banged the table in excitement. "That's how you live the life, man!"

Winter’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Anyway Y/n, give us some bed time story and let us hear your side of our trainee stories.”

"You don't tell them? Unless the early days wasn't unveil yet."

"Yep, and they can hear it directly from you."

Y/n laughed softly, shaking their head. “Oh, where to begin? Let’s just say my trainee days were filled with a lot of ramen, cereal, and endless hours of practice with this doof" He pointed at Winter. "There were days when I’d practice with Minjeong for so long that I’d fall asleep in the studio…. While my childhood friend here just left me and went home.”

While Ningning laughed at the last remark, Karina’s eyes widened in surprise, but regained her distance. “You’d fall asleep in the studio? That sounds rough.”

Y/n nodded, smiling at the memory. “Yeah, I’d be so exhausted that I’d just crash wherever I could. Sometimes, I’d wake up to find the other trainees laughing at me because I’d fallen asleep on the floor in some awkward position.”

Y/n sighed, thinking about those days "Also, I cooked for Jeong here like all the time. We’d spend hours in the practice room, and when the sessions were over, we’d retreat to the dorm’s kitchen. I was always the one cooking because this girl saw the recipe online and wanted me to make it.”

Winter chuckled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ya, you're my eternal lab rat, Y/n. Remember that time you tried to cook a proper meal for us, and I ended up almost burning the place down?”

Y/n laughed, shaking their head. “Jeezus, don't even get me started. You were determined to help, but your idea of ‘helping’ involved a lot of questionable seasoning. It was a proper experiment gone wrong. I vomited all of that after I lost the rock-paper-scissors, and Minjeong laughed like a maniac."

Karina leaned in, clearly intrigued. It was the first time Karina took interested in the new manager today. “Wait, so Y/n was cooking for Winter all the time? What did you cook for her?"

Giselle nodded, her curiosity piqued. “Damn, girl, you got a private chef all this time?" She poked Minjeong's cheek, who was totally flustered at her statement.

Y/n smiled, lost in the memories. “Jeong and I had this routine. After a long day of training, we’d both be starving and exhausted. I’d take over the kitchen because I never trust her for….well, ever. She’d stand by, throwing whatever she found online while I tried to save whatever we had.”

Winter laughed, nodding in agreement. “Y/n was actually really good at cooking. He’d whip up something edible and often surprisingly delicious. I mostly just munch and tried not to set off the smoke alarm.”

Giselle’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “That sounds like something I’d do. Ya, remember when Ningning tried to make ramen on her own and ended up setting off the fire alarm?”

Ningning’s cheeks turned a shade of red, but she laughed along with the rest. “Hey, in my defence, I was trying to add some ‘extra’ ingredients. Let’s just say I got a little carried away with the chili flakes.”

Winter’s eyes widened in mock horror, slapping Y/n's back aggressively as she remembered something. “Oh, and Jimin-unnie's cooking experiment that ended up with the entire dorm smelling like burnt popcorn for days.”

Karina rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. “I was trying to make popcorn, okay? It was my first attempt at cooking.”

The group burst into laughter, their earlier exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Y/n joined in, their laughter blending with the sounds of the group’s mirth. The kitchen, usually a place for quick meals and late-night snacks, had become a space for shared stories and genuine connection.

As the conversation flowed, the stories grew more personal. Karina recounted her struggles with maintaining a rigorous training schedule while trying to stay connected with her family. Ningning shared her experiences of adapting to life in Korea and the culture shock she had felt when she first arrived. Giselle talked about the pressure of being one of the older trainees and the challenges of balancing expectations with her own ambitions.

Y/n listened intently, their heart swelling with appreciation for the group’s openness. The whole day was genuinely suffocating for Y/n and he glad his cooking opened up to them. It was a moment of vulnerability and camaraderie, a chance for everyone to connect on a deeper level.

Winter leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. “You know, it’s crazy to think about how far we’ve all come. Sometimes, it feels like just yesterday we were all trainees, struggling to make it through each day.”

Ningning nodded, her eyes reflecting a mix of nostalgia and determination. “Yeah, but look at us now. We’ve made it through the tough times and come out stronger.”

"Well, you four did for a while." Y/n pointed. "I just started."

"Aish, you know what I'm saying" Ningning brushed it off.

As the last of the ramen was devoured and the plates were set aside, the group settled into a comfortable silence. The kitchen, once filled with the noise of preparation and conversation, now hummed with a quiet sense of contentment. It was a moment of peace, a pause in the whirlwind of their busy lives—a small, perfect slice of normalcy in their extraordinary world.

Winter, sensing the serene atmosphere, broke the silence with a softer tone. “Thanks for doing this, Manager. It really means a lot to us.”

Y/n stared. "Ya, you're just gonna tease me and call me manager after that heartfelt dinner?"

"I'm being serious, this guy.." Winter glared. "We know that the sudden career change is rough for you. But all things considered….you aced it."

Y/n smiled at the thumbs up from everyone, even including the hard-to-approach Karina.

As the night wore on, the group slowly began to disperse to their shared room, their energy restored by the comforting presence of good food and good company. Y/n watched them go, their heart full with a sense of fulfillment. This was what it was all about—connecting, sharing, and growing together.

With the kitchen finally quiet, Y/n began to clean up, their movements slow and deliberate. The pot was washed, the plates stacked neatly, and the remnants of the meal cleared away. The kitchen, now returned to its usual state of order, seemed to hold the echoes of laughter and conversation, a testament to the bond that had been strengthened over a simple late-night snack.

As Y/n finished tidying up, he glanced at the clock and realized it was nearly 2 a.m. The day had been long, but it had ended on a high note. With a contented sigh, Y/n turned off the lights and began to head out to go home.

However, as he was heading towards the front door, a hand tugged his sleep. It was Winter.

"Hey, are you ok?" Her voice was full of concern. While she didn't say much, she knew today was tough for Y/n, especially under the eyes of her leader.

"Yea, I'm ok. What's wrong?"

"I know that Jimin-unnie has been…rough on you…but please don't hate her too much" She held on Y/n's hand, clearly whimpering and shaking from her hand. "She was just looking out for us. Things were especially tough these days even with our old manager."

"Aish, cmon I'm not that petty." Y/n wiped her tears. "Normal person would've been angry with me already considering how many times I fcked up. So Karina was already being the nicest possible she can be."

"B-but I don't want you to feel down and leave again…"

Y/n swore his heart skipped a beat after that confession. "Aish, I'll never leave you like before, Minjeong. Trust me on this."

"Really?" Winter hiccuped.

"Yes, crybaby." That made Y/n earned a kick to the shin from Winter, who cackled afterwards hearing her nickname.

[vladdyissues]

hey speaking of giving them good things out of pure seething spite

assorted badger cereal AND cheese melt fluff?

-reveal gone wrong. Fentons are supportive, but reveal happened in front of GiW, which means government agents now have his identity linked to a ghost caught on camera causing mayhem and destruction. don't matter how ultimately ineffectual OR competent you make them, Danny Fenton's in deep shit now.

-but hey, Vlad's got himself some connections! Danny Fenton disappears. Daniel Masters appears. Big bro to Danielle Masters, yes he's always existed, of course he's not Danny Fenton, Phantom is still appearing in Amity Park, there'd have to be a portal in Wisconsin to pull that off.

-Danny expects to feel isolated. Instead? Gets to have extended ghost family like his new gremlin little sister, gets to have a home schooling experience that means he isn't pressured to keep a schedule broken by ghost attacks, gets to visit through the FentonWorks lab regularly.

-And Vlad seems to have chilled the entire fuck out with two half-ghost kids to Obsess over parenting.

-although if he's going to live in this house Danny is damn well going to learn to make his own ghost-tech and learn the value of an honest day's mad science.

-(Vlad didn't bust his ass learning to solder at a professional level for a field of technology so experimental no one credible believes it exists just so Danny could get desparate and use tech as a projectile)

-and it's really nice having lab safety respected so the food doesn't reanimate.

-and he can just use his powers whenever, however.

-huh. with homeschooling getting easier all the time, maybe he could take up a sport? you don't need to attend a school full time to do that, right...?

-best revenge is living well. Or in this case, enabling such for a kid who just says the saddest things about his home life without realizing

-seriously it makes Vlad go "mine nao" on a deep, irrevocable scale.

-also fucking no one believes Daniel Masters is Danny Fenton because they've a: met his little sister, and b: seen them interact. you're saying these two didn't have the same parents and grow up around each other? (And the fun thing is: technically, Dani being a clone means BOTH of those are true!)

-something something "what do you mean I qualify for scholarships?!" + realization he's actually smart he was just being forced to triple shift his life and it was the worst thing he could have possibly done

I am the biggest sucker for Danny unexpectedly thriving under Vlad's care due to having all of the opportunities and special attention that come with being filthy stinking rich. (That's basically what I'm doing in Familiar.) But having a place where he finally feels comfortable being himself and having people he can relate to? Priceless.

his new gremlin little sister

Can you imagine how awesome Danny is going to feel when it finally clicks that he's not the youngest child anymore? That he's a "big brother"? I think he'd be over the moon. (Mostly. I've heard stories of little sisters.)

an honest day's mad science

ALSKDJHFLAKJSHDFLAKJSDHF Vlad inadvertently switching on Danny's dormant mad scientist gene by demonstrating how to Science Correctly while observing proper safety protocol and making it look really fun and cool—something his parents always wanted but never managed to do—is delicious. Two helpings, please. Heap it on 🍽

[its-wabby-stuff]

My Hero Academia Post Canon Headcanons

Angst First

• Izuku wakes up in the middle of the night with nightmares about Bakugos death. He still hears AFOs words saying “You’re Next,” and he has to remind himself that AFO is dead and Bakugo is alive.

• On top of the nightmares, Izuku will also wake up crying at Shigaraki’s death, the loss of his quirk, and the overall sense of failure he has.

• While they were still dorming at UA, he snuck into Bakugos room one night just to confirm.

• Inko has been on the comforting side of many of these sudden cry sessions.

• Bakugo refuses to watch any of the footage of Shigaraki’s and AFOs defeat.

• Deku would never admit it- but he hates the scar on his cheek. He thinks everyone else got cooler scars. Alternatively, he loves the scars on his hands.

• Though they weren’t around long, Deku misses talking to the vestiges, and often talks to himself in their place. Sometimes he gets caught.

• Shoto visited Touya regularly, but missed the day he died. Endevour was there.

Okay now happier ones:

• The year after the war, the popularity polls had their widest turn out ever, but more than half the votes had to be redone or didn’t count because they were for UA students.

• That was the most votes Bakugo got in his Pro Hero career thus far.

• Hawks leaked the poll results that included the UA students to Aizawa and he shared them to get the class’ spirits up.

• Deku managed to score the Number 4 spot, with the people who voted, and likely would’ve won more if they had officially been in the running, according to Hawks.

• Hawks and Aizawa retired active duty that year, and were thus not counted in the polls. Hawks was appreciative of all the fans who still voted for him.

• Todoroki took the number 6 spot in the initial polls with Bakugo shortly behind him at number 7.

• Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire won number 6, 7, and 8 respectively in the final polls, as they had already graduated. Mirio was very grateful and cried. He gave an unprecedented speech at the ceremony where he promised to bring in this new era with a smile.

• They beat Hawks previous record of being the youngest professional heroes.

• Despite having the precedence to make his own hero agency, Tamaki still decided to sidekick under Fat Gum.

• Shoji and Tokoyami gained a fair number of fans and found themselves in the top 50. A lot of Hawks fans were looking to Tokoyami to be their next idol.

• Ochaco, Jiro and Iida also received some votes, which did bring some tears. But whether their efforts were public or not, Aizawa and Deku made a point that everyone’s contribution is what helped them ultimately win.

• Monoma even got some votes and bragged about it for months.

• Miriko, Best Jeanist, Edgeshot, Woods and Mt Lady all took the number 1-5 spots.

• Originally, Deku was to receive a statue for himself, but he refused saying that everyone deserved one, and he’d rather have one with his friends.

• The day the statue was unveiled with the caption “the greatest heroes,” Deku cried- A LOT. It was also the day the class decided to give parts of their earnings as pro heroes to the Iron Deku.

• Deku was the only one in his class to attend college, as the rest of the class became Pro Heroes after high school. They all attended his graduation from university.

• Deku never stopped running in without thinking, and it caused the embers to die out quicker.

• Deku spends way too much time at UA that half the students think he sleeps there.

• After Mr. Compress published his book, Deku decided to start writing his own.

• Deku and Bakugo regularly hang out. As do Deku and Ochaco, and Deku and Todoroki.

[a-little-revolution]

Hi - I'm a relatively new follower, but I love the variety in what you put out.

I work in healthcare and regularly give talks on very basic disability concepts (why eugenics is wrong, how to get AAC access in hospitals, shut the hell up about parents' rights, don't use slurs in educational talks, etc.).

Is there anything you'd recommend specifically for doctors, nurses, and other care providers in terms of a) not creating problems, and b) actually providing quality healthcare for little people? Assume the target audience knows nothing.

Hello! Welcome!! Thank you so much, I try ^^

I gave a talk a while ago on trans inclusive healthcare, and included a lot of disability related things since there's plenty of intersection. As I'm sure you know, the medical system still has a long way to go when it comes to treating disabled folk (and frankly anyone who isn't a thin, white, cishet male).

With dwarfism specifically, the learning curve is astronomical - here's my thoughts: (And note, I am someone who's had roughly fourteen surgeries, countless scans, and endless doctors visits - so I think I can call myself an expert lol)

The first thing is just establishing basic knowledge on dwarfism - how it presents in a person, how it affects mobility and range of motion, what the terminology is etc. Knowing the related conditions is vital as well - my Achondroplasia for instance comes with sleep apnea, respiratory conditions, arthritis, club foot, loose knees, etc. I'm often the expert on my own condition, but I shouldn't have to be relied on as a teacher in traumatic situations.

Make waiting rooms, doctor's offices, surgical rooms, etc. accessible to those bellow 5 feet! Most of the time I cannot get up on an exam table as they are too high and I am not provided a stool without making a special request. The same goes for xray tables, gurneys, etc. I cannot express the frustration of coming into every medical room and not being able to sit or lay down without assistance.

Respect and autonomy are big things that get missed - assumptions that my life isn't worth living, that my pain isn't real, that I don't participate in daily activities, that I don't have sex or want children etc. are just some of the misconceptions I come across with medical professionals and their assistants. Last year during and x-ray was the first time a medical professional ASKED before touching me.

For now this is what I can think of, I thank you for your patience as I do have CPTSD from my medical trauma. I've talked more on being a patient with dwarfism here! Hope this helps!

-Elliot (they/them)

[sammyluvr]

this is lawyer!au sam

i feel like he consults with hotch quite a few times with lawyer business bc hotch was/is a lawyer and i feel like the first time penelope saw him was when he was walking to hotch’s office meaning business, stern visaged and everything. like i imagine it to be like the scene where they all see hotch’s brother walk into his office n they’re all like “wow” if that makes sense, i feel like he noticed her out the corner of his eye, like who wouldn’t, obvs he noticed jj and elle but he noticed penelope the most but he didn’t make it obvious. (this is very much s1 sam with the boyish hair)

i feel like the first time they spoke was when he had something to do with penny’s expertise he goes to her office and it’s open so he js walks in but not all the way bc he wants to be respectful (truly believe penny js leaves her door open and has been told off for it many times, we know she leaves it open bc of when derek walked in n js started playing with her toys). and then she walks in all confused but they introduce themselves and sam holds his hand out for a handshake and she shakes it back but not firm at all and he gets what he needs and goes. penny doesn’t really see much in him i don’t think bc he seems very boyish and it reminds her too much of reid

then he makes up an excuse months later to go back and sees penny in the halls (this is more s2 hair) and she smiles and greets him and she’s a lot more loosened up around him and they immediately spark up a friendship and exchange personal details and like get to know each other inside and out (not literally yet) but eventually they get together after a year or 2 of being friends, i feel like when he’s bulked up in s4 is when they made stuff official.

deffo feel like when they were friends she taught him that it’s okay to show emotion in front of people, like john was very much like “man up men don’t cry” and that stuck with him but penny is very good at reading ppl and she noticed and all it took was her running her hand down his face gently for him to cry and she held him and that was deffo the moment he was like “she’s it for me”

and then i feel like penny is like afraid of love bc of what she’s been through and she’s very afraid to be with him and show aspects of herself she keeps hidden and be 110% vulnerable but he makes it seem so easy to her and teaches her abt love and everything and it’s js so sweet

also feel like he’d go with her if she was flying with the team on cases, and it’s js good to have an extra set of eyes (ik this is unrealistic but idc i love it), and when it came to seeing the gory stuff penny would have to be there but sam makes sure to stay close to her and comforts her in a way that can be masked as professionalism but then in the hotel room he’d comfort her as she talks about how she despises the evil on earth and he falls for her even more bc she’s so pure hearted and it balances him out nicely

also i feel like they’re both freaky, like one of their love languages is sweet and passionate sex where he worships her like a goddess and makes her feel so so confident in herself and it’s js so AAAAA like come over here sam do that to me WHO SAID THAT‼️😨 anyways yeah, he seriously loves every single inch of her and she’s the love of his life and the only woman ever to him

at the same tho time their relationship is so pure, like all her plushies r now their children and they talk abt children briefly every single time but pennys okay with being a cat mom but sam secretly hopes someday she’ll change her mind bc he wants to have kids with her but if she never wants kids then he’ll love his stuffed animal babies like his real babies bc they r his real babies. she also plays ukulele for him regularly

also he’d buy her new toys for the bat cave and derek would play with them n js be like “u guys r dorks” like he teases them but he’s captain of the ship (hotch is too hes liek “yeah i set the foundation”) but yeah im rambling a lot but they’d definitely have brainwaves together n js nerd out or say the same things at the same time or finish each others sentences and they’re so cute and sickly sweet i love sarcia sm they’re my babies fr

-💽

MMMM I LOVE IT ALLL SARCIA ARE MY BABIES TOOOOO <333

sarcia with their stuffed animal children <333 and sam buying her toys <333 and winning her heart and worshipping her mind soul and body like she deserves I LOVE IT !!! omg hotch being the silent stoic sarcia shipper teehee obsessed <333 and obviously sam quickly and easily proves himself to morgan as an amazing guy so morgan just loves that he's so perfect for his babygirl penny !!! hashtag let them be happy your honor please PLEASEEEEE

sorry you wrote so much but i'm so sleepy but i swear i love all of this so much... you're feeding me well my love <333 hope you're good today muah muah

[la-principessa-nuova]

There’s always that fear in my mind of revealing that I’m neurodivergent and trans at the same time.

Because someone could hear that I’m neurodivergent and say they respect that and still treat me like a person.

And maybe that same person could hear I’m trans and say they respect that and still treat me like a person.

But if they find out I’m both?

Well now the chances of them respecting me and treating me like a person have dropped significantly. And they might use each one to invalidate the other.

Oh, they normally respect trans people, but I’m not really trans because I’m just some crazy, delulu (that’s tiktok for r-slur) nutcase who clearly cannot think for herself because I’m mentally ill and need to be treated like a toddler and therefore I clearly fell for some con online where somebody forcefemmed me.

And they normally respect neurodivergent folks, but clearly since I’m falling for this trans agenda, I must not be one of the normal, acceptable ones. I really shouldn’t be starting new medications without adult supervision, and the several medical professionals I see regularly that prescribed those apparently do not count.

idk… it’s mostly in my head though. really only my mom and the occasional stranger online do this.

[serendertothesquad]

Seren's Studies: Odd Squad UK -- "Miss Information" Episode Followup, Part 1

Not sure if I ever told anyone, but on the off chance someone is keeping up with the news...remember when Sinking Ship announced a media literacy program aimed at kids with Nicole Stamp (who plays Phyllis on Odd Squad) as the host? That may or may not have aired already because I didn't bother to check?

That's exactly what this episode reminds me of from the title alone. The only problem is that media literacy isn't really a STEM topic.

Either way, I'm not exactly setting my bar high for this one after the bombs that were the last two episodes. Here's hoping this batch can go out with a bang that sounds like "yay, party!" instead of "oh God, pure obliteration".

Below the break.

I'm sorry, I could only understand "tofu" in this sentence, but...did they seriously give my girl fucking euphemisms to utter? It sounds so PBS-Kids-core to me in a way I can't explain that it's almost sickening.

Least she doesn't do it all the time, hehe...heh...h- right? Right?

...Right?

Interestingly, this episode doesn't have a writing credit. Either the American version left it out, it's a mistake across the international board (or perhaps not), or this episode had the entire damn team diving in and it's too much for opening credits.

Having bad writers is one thing. Not crediting your writers is another. Hate on them I do, but I at least respect people taking jobs to earn a living regardless of experience.

"You two are my next contestants on The Exposition Price is Right!"

"Is she being serious?"

Yes! And if neither Orli nor Ozzie appear in this entire episode I'll be dead shocked.

"Not everything has to be about them" indeed.

Laptops have been around for decades, long before Odd Squad premiered.

They decide to make a Director use one in the year 2024, 10 years after I had the idea spinning in my head like a rotisserie chicken.

And no, they don't need a laptop with the big screen they have...but I figured, if Investigation agents have computers, Directors should have them too for their own personal use.

And this concludes my presentation of why they should've hired me.

Hey, we finally found Macklemore's buddy, Ryan Lewis! Covered in slime! Er, syrup!

So he hates the workplace but wants Captain O to do a favor for him...as a friend and not as a Director?

I mean setting aside the fact that he's an idiot for taking the words of criminals at face value, this isn't logic that will get you a "yes" answer.

VILLAIN NEWS AND IT'S JUST A PARODY OF BBC WORLD NEWS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Oh God...what bumfuck network would even allow this regularly-airing newscast for criminals and by criminals? Actual news networks interviewing people in prison are more sane!

As arbitrary as Family Feud's "we asked 100 people the following question and here are the answers we are given".

Normally, though, if this were actual news and not fake news, it'd include the name of the town and actual sta- oh. Oh wait this episode does have actual stats doesn't it. Mmmmm okay never mind that.

Your bar graph's also backwards, honey. Bar graphs have ascending axis numbers, not descending. By your logic then no people dislike Odd Squad and those who like it, a mere 20, would win by majority.

This could be pinned on bad editing, but I could also pin it on this woman being a fuck-all idiot, and that's funner so I'll do that instead.

Yeah...yeah, you leave. Remind us that with your political status, you can't do much against a branch of a worldwide pseudo-government organization.

POUT-FACE LEVELS OF DISAPPOINTMENT. POUT-FACE LEVELS!!!

"Build me a fully functional professional TV studio."

"Uh...yeah...about that...we don't need to do anything, do we, Ono-"

"You're sitting in one."

"...What."

"You're currently sitting in one."

"Again I'll repeat: what."

Technically this would be copyright infringement, but putting aside that...if these children don't take off their uniforms and get into civilian clothes, the logo for the newscast might as well be Odd-Squad-branded. It's like criminals doing the news in orange jumpsuits. That's how you know they're criminals. With people dressed professionally...maybe they have a record, maybe they don't. You don't know.

Oh, this man scatting to the tune of the newscast's opening theme...bless him. It's so pure.

Good way to start a newscast! Completely deadpan and with a deadpan anchorman next to you.

By contrast, Miss Information was at least more animated.

(Also, if Miss Information is running evil BBC World News...does that mean Odd Squad's running good BBC World News? What's the difference? Who competes against BBC World News?)

Orwell. Child. You are supposed to be deadpan and stoic. What are you doing.

Clearly the writers did not need to stoop much lower to encapsulate the stupidity of adults, because any smart person would not be fooled by such an obvious mistake.

But Britain is, like Canada and America, full of idiots.

This goofy man.

That's it. That's the comment.

"Thank you for watching. Odd Squad is officially back in business!"

Given how much of "Bad Lemonade" this is copying...no. On so many levels, no. We got 7 minutes.

THIS GUY GOT A WHOLE-ASS STRAWBERRY BERET.

ALSO HI WHO ARE YOU?????????

...Ohhhhhh. So this is Sir Rup.

Honestly, that's a clever punny name. I can't fault them for that.

But also, he's the little brother of someone who pushes fake news? That's...I mean those are wildly different niches. But y'know, one woke up and chose violence and the other one woke up and chose food.

HOLD UP HER OFFICE IS ON THE FIRST FLOOR???????????????

Ohhhh rest in pieces to the days when it was on the second floor.

(Oprah's office was on a lower floor as the Big O too, and same goes for Orpita as the Little O. But this just looks like she shacked up in a closet with a window leading to nowhere.)

Okay, but see, the newscast contains no interviews. That would help in this situation instead of throwing out arbitrary numbers and "oh, we asked people". Citation needed, source?, call it what you like.

It's not as gut-busting hilarious as Oswald's girly scream, but Onom's similarly girly yelp got a laugh out of me all the same.

Y'know, Mayor Mackelmore was an idiot, but at least he somewhat knew his shit.

This guy sees one unsourced bar graph from a criminal and takes it at face value AND OH MY GOD THIS IS SOME THINLY-VEILED JAB AT SOME COUNTRY'S GOVERNMENT ISN'T IT. NOT EVEN JUST THE GOVERNMENT BUT EVERYONE IN THE DAMN COUNTRY. YOU SONS OF BITCHES. HALFWAY IN AND I'M JUST REALIZING THAT.

Orwell, no wink can save you from your dead personality on TV.

This is literally fucking Fake News: The Odd Squad Episode, and that's already a better title than making it an antagonist title.

Pure motherfucking social commentary. And while this is Britain, it very much applies for the whole of America.

A branch of a worldwide pseudo-government organization cannot just pack up and leave town like they bought a new house. Hope this helps!

(On to Part 2!)

[goshdangronpa]

When I'm not writing Danganronpa fan fiction, I moonlight as a professional content/copywriter. All the fresh discourse about plagiarism is reminding me of some formative experiences in my work life, and certain people I've met ...

My first job was with a fast-paced marketing company. The in-house writing team maintained weekly blogs for a bunch of clients, and each writer had to write two 1000-word blog posts a day. That's tough, especially for someone who was still pretty fresh in the field. We were salaried rather than hourly (!), so there was no incentive to staying late ... but that also meant the company didn't have to fret about overtime pay, so we could stay late if we needed it. I'd regularly be the last one in the office, still pumping out words in the struggle to meet deadlines.

Much of my time was spent on research. I knew little about the subjects at hand, which were sometimes highly technical, so I couldn't just BS my way through assignments. I even requested and received permission to take one client's worker education course, just so I could know what the heck I was writing about. It didn't seem at all remarkable to me. It was a job. My job. Although I could've been better, or at least faster, I simply did what needed to be done.

I learned that others took a ... different approach.

One supervisor was on sabbatical for the first couple of months I worked there. I respected them as my superior. Then I was assigned to peer-edit one of their articles, something we did with everything we wrote. One uncited claim led me to Google ... where I found a nearly identical article already published. Supervisor did the ol' switcheroo of amending sentence structures and swapping words for poorly chosen synonyms. I brought it up with them, saying I wouldn't report the incident but urged them to not do that. I can't recall what happened next, other than not trusting Supervisor anymore.

After three months passed, I was up for employee review. The bosses liked what they've read - yay! And then they said, "Here's why we're not giving you a raise." My stomach dropped. Apparently, they checked how many articles everyone wrote. I was behind on a quota I knew nothing about. If I wanted more money, I should take a page from the writer in the lead. Champ had somehow written 60 articles in the past month. Amazing! My employer set a goal much humbler than what my work friend had surpassed. If Champ could do that much, surely I could do this little.

Reader, I did my best. I stayed at the office later and later, especially as the date of my next employee review drew near. Due to my salaried status, I wasn't even paid for that overtime, but I put in the time anyway. It was all for nothing. Just a week before the next meeting, where they would've decided whether I deserved a raise or not, they laid off virtually the entire writing department. Apparently, underpaying freelancers who don't get benefits was easier.

Only one person from the crew stayed. If it was gonna be anybody, it was golden goose Champ, who maintained their insane pace. I wished them well.

Anyone wanna guess the secret behind Champ's prodigious output? It's the same reason they got fired just a few weeks later.

The reveal was a betrayal. We were friends, Champ and I, getting each other through the grind of the content mill with sarcastic humor and deep conversations. They encouraged and motivated me to keep up, all the while hiding some dirty tricks that eventually helped them stay in the race while I spun out. I was shocked to discover that I had zero empathy for them. But they deserved none, the filthy plagiarist. Haven't spoken to them since finding out.

This may not be as sordid as everything H. Bomberguy discusses in his brilliant new video. My coworkers and I were literally anonymous, with no clout to speak of, let alone abuse. Our clients were small businesses with little platform, which is why they contracted a marketing agency in the first place. Still, it hurt the hell out of me, and I wasn't even the one being copied! Plagiarism is a curse word in my household, lowest of the low (without getting into, like, actual atrocity).

And you know what? Years later, what I wrote for that company still holds up in my eyes. Those old blog posts aren't exactly the Great American Novel, or even on par with what I'd write as I gained more experience, but I put the effort into writing high-quality and original stuff. I worked hard. I still work hard. As self-deprecating and even self-loathing as I can be, I'll always pride myself on this. May you writers out there be able to pride yourselves on this, too.

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Playbook: How To Thrive And Enjoy Casually Dating

Some tips on how to casually date and navigate casual relationships (friends with benefits, flings, nighttime companions, and less traditional/transitory relationships) from a place of self-respect and the pursuit of pleasure that keeps your confidence high (and without losing your mind). Hope this helps xx

Consider Dating To Be An Addition – Not A Focal Point – To Your (Already Full) Life

Set Your Standards Ahead of Time

Reframe Dating As a Networking Opportunity

Consider Different Suitable Arrangements

Communicate Directly

Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

Embrace Living In The Moment

Allow Yourself To Be Selfish

Manage Your Expectations

Never Forget That You’re Single

Practice Self-Care In All Forms

Check In With Yourself Regularly; Modify Your Approach When Necessary

How To Thrive And Enjoy Casually Dating Guide

Consider Dating To Be An Addition – Not A Focal Point – To Your (Already Full) Life: Casual dating should not be used as a "stepping stone" to finding a committed partner. While friends-with-benefits situations can transform into lifelong partnerships, approaching casual dating with a commitment-oriented mindset is setting you up for unnecessary stress and potential heartbreak. You should enjoy and feel respected by the person you're with, but expecting a commitment from a casual relationship is like expecting an orange to grow from an apple seed. There is an incongruence between your actions and your intentions. The main mistake many people make with casual dating is they use it to fill a void – for self-validation, a partner, spouse, body confidence – you name it. However, the only way you can casually date/embrace casual sex is to learn to love yourself first, know what you want, and feel generally fulfilled as a person. Enjoy the casual dating experience for what it is – an indulgence, not a supplement to having platonic relationships, career aspirations, hobbies, health goals, self-care activities, etc. Use casual dating and similar arrangements to embrace hedonic desires – whether that's a shared meal, drinks, or activities that remain behind closed doors.

Set Your Standards Ahead of Time: Check in with yourself, and dive into the casual dating pool with a game plan. Know what you're looking for, establish your boundaries around the sex part of the relationship, remain firm on your non-negotiables, and always be prepared to walk away if you ever feel disrespected or unsafe with a hookup or a date. Knowing what you're looking for can range from a purely sexual relationship to a friends-with-benefits to a nighttime/weekend companion (sex and dinner/drinks type of vibe) or a more casual and less sex-focused dating experience (meeting new people who you might make out or sleep with on occasion). Sexual boundaries include factors like exclusivity, scheduling concerns, preferences regarding intimate activities or sexting, etc. Anyone who tries to coerce you into a situation that makes you uncomfortable is not worth one more second of your time – let alone the privilege to be intimate with you.

Reframe Dating As A Networking Opportunity: Ultimately, dates are a great way to get to know other people as individuals. They don't need to be the loves of your life, ideal partners, or people you end up having a romantic/intimate relationship with. Consider dating as a networking opportunity – to meet people with all different experiences, interests, social circles, career paths, etc. You never know whether these platonic or potentially professional connections can lead outside of any romantic intentions. If you do sense a spark but do not see partnership-level compatibility with the person, consider your fling or series of encounters as an opportunity to build an informal connection with someone and a pleasurable growth opportunity to learn more about yourself and what you want – in life, sexually, or from a future romantic partner.

Consider Different Suitable Arrangements: Once you've acknowledged and accepted your own desires, boundaries, and expectations, it's time to open your mind to consider the different types of arrangements that would satisfy your needs without compromising your standards. Reflect upon the level of intimacy you need outside of the bedroom to feel fulfilled in a casual relationship, the times of the week or day you want to be available to this person, how much you want to socialize with the person (or not at all or somewhere in between).

Communicate Directly: The best part of a casual relationship, friends with benefits, or fling is the opportunity to truly explore your sexuality without having to worry about the performative aspect of a relationship that influences you to feel overly desire to please – regardless of what you do (or don't) receive in return. Be tactful yet direct with your partner about what you want. This experience is designed purely for pleasure. Don't be shy about your desires. Too often, women don't speak up in fear of not being chosen – but this approach backfires because you're ultimately denying yourself from a fulfilling experience, which only breeds resentment down the line and can spill over into your future flings or more serious relationships.

Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously: Allow yourself to let loose, laugh, and enjoy the hours you get to spend with the other person. Don't worry too much about how you're perceived (especially in the bedroom) and whether you're having a "proper" casual dating experience. Let go of societal/purity culture expectations that expect us to date for commitment or experiment with full-fledged hookup culture (both lifestyles attach women's worth to who they're sleeping with and why, rather than acknowledging your sexuality as simply a part of your being).

Embrace Living In The Moment: Consider the purpose of this experience or relationship in this season of your life. Release the notion that you have to anticipate the next stage of the relationship. Enjoy your encounter(s) for what they are: A moment in time where you can share pleasure and a connection with another person you find attractive in some way. There doesn't need to be an underlying meaning to these situations. Whether you know this person for a few weeks, months, or even one night, allow yourself to live in the moment with no regrets about a fun and consensual bonding experience.

Allow Yourself To Be Selfish: With your time, body, priorities, and self-care practices. Don't make your schedule more flexible for a romantic/sexual partner than you would for an acquaintance at the beginning and no more than a friend once/if you two start to hang out regularly or feel very comfortable with each other. Remember: This experience is purely for fun and serves as an addition to your life. Who you are or aren't dating and sleeping with does not determine your worth in any way.

Manage Your Expectations: Embracing casual relationships is not a way to seek out compatibility for a committed relationship. Expecting someone to move mountains for a casual relationship is honestly a red flag (and shows signs of love bombing). While trust and respect are essential between both parties, the level of emotional intimacy will likely never resemble more than a friendship if you're planning to keep things casual. Consideration and thoughtfulness – not romantic gestures – are the biggest green flags here. When people show you who they are and their intentions, through their actions, believe them. Don't overidealize or place grandiose expectations on a lover purely because they are not a platonic interest.

Never Forget That You’re Single: Hyperfixating on one person can only lead to a situationship or the over-idealization of a future with someone who you're not with in pursuit of a serious relationship. While you can choose to be sexually exclusive with someone (condoms are still a must – as your partner is free to do as they please on their own time), it is important to remain open-minded and take time to meet other people. Casual dating is about fun and self-discovery. Date for commitment or a serious relationship if you're seeking emotional and sexual exclusivity.

Practice Self-Care In All Forms: Prioritizing yourself is always essential, especially if you plan on sharing your body and heart with someone in a no-strings-attached fashion. Make sure to maintain a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep schedule. Keep yourself healthy to feel confident, strong, and secure in your body and mind. Stay focused on your career and self-development goals. Dress in a way that makes you feel your best. Establish beauty and self-care routines that make you feel pampered and well taken care of on a daily basis. Make time for your friends, family, and hobbies that you enjoy. Read books, listen to music, take walks, journal, and go to therapy if you can. Intertwine casual relationships into the "pleasure" category of your self-care routine(s). Think of these relationships as indulging in a glass of your favorite wine, a bowl of ice cream, or taking time at night to watch an episode of a reality TV show. It is a fun indulgence that you could live without but make life infinitely more enjoyable and exciting. Allow yourself to feel all of the emotions and bonding chemicals that result from an intimate encounter. Embrace those feelings and the joy of having a human experience. Allow these emotions to be self-referential. Enjoy these encounters as an act of self-love, vulnerability, self-reflection, and personal growth.

Check In With Yourself Regularly; Modify Your Approach When Necessary: Give yourself permission to reflect and change your mind regarding your expectations surrounding casual dating or connections. Remember that you always have the freedom to change your mind and adjust your boundaries to suit your level of comfort within yourself or any interpersonal dynamic. Ensure you communicate these standards to any existing your future partners. Remain unapologetic about finding yourself, standing your ground, and going after what you want.

[scotianostra]

The renowned surgeon Lawson Tait was born on May 1st 1845 in Edinburgh.

Born Robert Lawson Tait, to a middle class family, he attended Heriot's Hospital School and showed great promise, In 1860, the 15-year-old Tait won a scholarship and attended the University of Edinburgh to study the arts, where he subsequently changed course to study medicine, graduating in 1866.

He started his professional career in Wakefield before moving to Birmingham, specialising in gynecology and is widely known as the first to perform salpingectomy to treat ruptured tubal pregnancy, to put it into layman's terms this was a treatment for ectopic pregnancy, a procedure that has saved countless lives since. He was also the first to record removal of an ovary for relief of pelvic pain and to induce menopause, this was way ahead of its time. His scrupulous cleanliness was undoubtedly the forerunner of modern aseptic methods.

Tait's bold, innovative surgical techniques led to a significant decrease in surgical mortality, and his prescient, aggressive approach was at the forefront of changes in the practice of obstetrics, which resulted in a marked decrease in maternal morbidity and mortality. This master teacher, whose contributions inspired the next great generation of abdominal and pelvic surgeons, deserves greater recognition than the few who know of him.

What I also like about Tait is that he was a fervent antivivisectionist. He argued that vivisection was a selfish act in which humans forced living animals to suffer in order for their own benefit. He also argued that the only people outside of medical fields who supported vivisection were the rich. These proponents acted as "amateur poultry butchers" and took to maiming pheasants for fun. As such, the less wealthy saw supporting vivisection as enabling the frivolous and wasteful lifestyles of the wealthy. And although being quite religious he believed in evolution and that humans share a history with lesser animals, they deserve equal rights. As such, despite their inability to speak for themselves, they should be treated with care and respect as one would treat a human being.

He is said to have had disagreements with the pioneering Joseph Lister and believed that using nothing more than boiling water for cleaning his instruments had the same results as Listers antiseptics, this was borne out with his results, mortality for this operations was over 90%. Tait was able to achieve exceptional results in his surgery using his techniques, as they were simple, low-cost, effective, and not limited by the presence of chemicals.

I think it is quite amazing we do not know more about this man, here are a list of his some of his firsts;

First removal of an organ (Ovary) (

Observation of association of cystic ovaries and excessive menstrual bleeding.

Surgical induction of menopause by removal of ovaries.

Removal of infected tubes.

Drainage of pelvic abscesses

First appedoctomy in 1880. It was later learned that he was anticipated by French-born English surgeon Claudius Amyand in 1735, but Tate removed the first appendix.

First Cholecystectomy (gallbladder surgery)

Tait's career began to decline in 1892. Due to his lifelong history of advocating for new techniques and against common practices (e.g. vivisection and antisepsis), there were many who saw him as an enemy and a nuisance. Tait’s productivity slowed to a halt due to his declining health, along with two legal situations. The first of these was a lawsuit from Andrew Denholm, and the second was a threat to bring action against Tait for supposedly seducing a nurse.

In his retirement, Tait continued to stay active within medicine. Many younger doctors respected and admired him, and he regularly contributed to meetings at several Medical Institutions. He died in 1899, at the age of 54 of

Nephritis and Ulremia , after a week and a half of severe illness. He remained lucid in his final days, and left instructions that his body be buried in a cave near his home! At the time of his death, several of his contemporaries published writings in praise of his medical advances, character, and work at hospitals for poor women

He isn't altogether forgotten though, The Lawson Tait Society at Birmingham University.

Oh his burial? Well he was cremated, still a relatively new concept for christians in the 19th century, his ashes however were interred in Gogarth's Cave, an ancient burial-place in the grounds of his Welsh home on the west side of Great Orme's Head near Llandudno.

I garnered most of the info for this post from Wiki, although other info came from several other sources.

[novvaable]

Get to Know Me- Sims Edition

thank you @hurricanesims for the tag <33

sorry for taking so long to reply, for some reason it took me ages to actually answer these questions🤠

What's your favourite Sims death?

i hate when my sims die.. i can honestly say i’ve never forcefully killed any of my sims as I get so attached to them. in this case, id probably say death by old age.

Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

alpha! back when I used to play ts4 i gravitated towards maxis match.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

seems pointless to me lol

Do you use move objects?

yes!🫡🫡 impossible to build /decorate without it

Favourite Mod?

nrass master controller - it so universal and makes life a lot easier 🥺

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

my first expansion was university life. it will forever have a special place in my heart, I love it so much

Do you pronounce live mode or aLIVE or LiVing?

never even thought about it honest, probably like alive??

whos your favourite sim that you've made?

my girlie marcie, she’s come so far with me so I just have a special kinda attachment to her lol

Have you made a simself?

no i think this would just make me miserable

Which is your favourite EA hair colour?

none. I always find the tones of ea hairs to just be a little off? i just use custom colours

Favourite EA hair?

well i dont use any EA hairs they look ugly I have default replacements hairs by maryjane

Favourite life stage?

young adult

are you a builder or are you in it for gameplay?

only recently have i been in it for the gameplay. but i use that phrase lightly. i wil forever be a builder at heart.

Are you a CC creator?

barely lol. sometimes i post occasional things for dl. my knowledge of cc making only scratches the surface. i can do the basics like make poses, and custom photos (alongside sims and builds - but who doesnt).

ive tried to get into cc making a couple of times but its so complicated? i have mad respect for cc makers in the community. ill leave that job to the professionals.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

back in my day... lol not so much anymore. after i took a fat hiatus a lot of the people i used to regularly talk with moved on.

@pixelevia is still my girlie. she doesnt post much, but we talk all the time off tumblr and regularly get each other excited about sims storylines that are yet to come to life lol.

Do you have any sims merch?

yes.. i am embarrassed to say that when ts4 was release i pre-ordered the deluxe version. it came with a mouse pad.. its long gone now. but i always remember it having a funky smell ??

also i dont wanna talk about the fact i paid an arm and a leg for ts4 (i dont even play it?!) and now its free. forever going to be salty over this fact.

How has your ''Sims Style'' changed throughout your years of playing?

i'd like to think it has! considering my blog is old, i feel like it has grown with me and that reflects in the style of my sims. recently ive been striving for a slightly more realistic looks to my sims

Whats your Origin ID?

i do have an origin id unfortunately. (is it stil even called that?)

i have a lot of opinions on this new ea app bs. but we wont go into that.

Who's your favourite CC creator?

everyone! honestly anyone who has the skills to be able to make beautiful and functional cc are brilliant.

but just to name a couple:

@rollo-rolls

@smallsimmer

@martassimsbook

@sourlemonsimblr

@satellite-sims

How long have you had simblr?

I had to check my email for this.. as of feb 2023, my blog turned 9 years old?! so I guess almost 10 years. (thats kind of mad)

How do you edit your pictures?

depends on the picture! usually for scenery pics I will just sharpen them and adjust the brightness / saturation / contrast.

for sim pics it really just depends on how bothered I can be.

I’ve recently made the change to gshade so that’s been doing all the heavy lifting for me.

I use hunnybee’s moon syrups preset <3

What expansion/ stuff pack is your favourite?

university life!! it was the it was the first expansion pack i got and so it holds a special place in my heart. its also a pretty awesome pack too.

tagged:

@satellite-sims / @smallsimmer / @pixelevia @kitty-pixelz

[vague-humanoid]

@chrisdornerfanclub

Courtesy, professionalism, and respect: Those are the three things the New York Police Department promises all of us, the phrase emblazoned on the Dodge Chargers and Chevy Tahoes and Ford Transit vans (and even the dinky little parking enforcement Smart cars) that officers use across the five boroughs. 

Yet NYPD officers regularly fail to be courteous, respectful professionals. Instead, they look at their phones all day, decorate their offices with threatening posters, rack up millions of dollars in settlement fees from beating up protestors, detain vulnerable individuals like a grandmother and a Yorkshire terrier, lie, point guns at unarmed people—I could go on. And that's just the stuff we've had time to report on…which brings me to the point of this column. 

Every two weeks, we're going to be combing the headlines for a new column called "New York's Finest": a roundup of arrests, firings, settlements, disciplinary board rulings, and anything else we can dig up that involves cops in New York City and the rest of the state breaking the law, harming the people they ostensibly serve and protect, or just being fucked up and weird. At a time when crime and public safety dominate the conversation about life in New York, spurred on by our ex-cop mayor and other right-wing political forces, we think it's important to keep an eye on the people who make up an agency that gets billions of dollars in taxpayer funds every year—are they really making the city a safer place to live?

In this first edition of New York's Finest, we've got knife-wielding cops, Israeli cops, a cop killing a man with a cooler, a cop's death by friendly fire captured in body-worn camera footage, and more:  

On August 12, off-duty NYPD officer Elisamuel Samboy was arrested and charged with strangulation after a fight with his girlfriend at the end of July.

On August 16, Gina Mestre, an ex-NYPD officer who left the force in 2022, was charged with racketeering. The former Bronx-based cop fell in love with the leader of a gang called the Shooting Boys, then helped him flee to the Dominican Republic while assigned to a task force dedicated to capturing him. (OK, I have to  admit it—that's kind of romantic.) 

On August 17, NYPD officers shot a 17-year-old in the thigh in one of Brooklyn's designated "summer violence reduction zones" after he fled the scene of a fight on a Razor scooter. Cops say the teenager was reaching for a gun he dropped out of his pocket when they caught up with him. "These officers…stopped an innocent person from getting shot with that gun," NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a news conference. Maybe! 

On August 21, the Civilian Complaint Review Board released a report that showed complaints about police misconduct increased by 40 percent from 2022 to 2023 and stop-and-frisk complaints jumped 87 percent in the same timeframe. "More enforcement means more unwelcome interactions with the public,” a source told the New York Daily News. "It only makes sense the complaints would go up."

On August 23, ProPublica dropped an investigation into the NYPD's handling of the friendly fire death of police officer Brian Mulkeen, who was killed in 2019 after he pursued and killed a man with an illegal handgun—which raised a bunch of very good questions about how the NYPD's Force Investigation Division (FID) investigates police shootings. How does the FID decide when, and how thoroughly, to review body-worn camera footage? How do they decide what parts of that footage to release to the public? Why didn't they press officers who lied about how far they were standing from Mulkeen when they shot him? Surprise, surprise: No one even tangentially related to the NYPD gave comment for the story.

Also on August 23, off-duty NYPD traffic cop Kerrielyn Gugliada was arrested on Staten Island after she threatened a man with a kitchen knife, and Eric Adams took some time to drool over Israeli police drones while on his tour of the country.

And finally, 30-year-old Eric Duprey died in a motorcycle crash August 23 when NYPD Sergeant Erik Duran hit him with a bystander's cooler that was full of soda and water bottles as, cops say, Duprey fled a drug bust on his bike. (Duprey's mother disputed this account in an interview with the Associated Press: "He wasn’t fleeing. He wasn’t fleeing. He was just on the motorcycle talking to me on the video chat. And he passed by that place when all of a sudden the call cut out," she told a reporter in Spanish.) Truly gruesome video footage shows Duran picking up the cooler and swinging it into Duprey, sending the rider tumbling off the sidewalk, over a metal barricade, and onto the street,  hitting a Jeep Cherokee. "The use of force here is not consistent with our guidelines," an NYPD official told the Daily News, and clarified that the department "[doesn't] train officers to pick up something and throw it at a suspect." Duran—who has racked up 17 CCRB complaints, one substantiated, over the course of his 13-year NYPD career—has been suspended without pay, and Attorney General Letitia James has opened an investigation. According to the New York Times, which obtained an internal NYPD memo, "the police are preparing for a possible public backlash."

On August 25, the New York Civil Liberties Union shared data with Gothamist that showed that of all the people stopped and frisked during the Adams administration, only five percent were white.

[tea-with-evan-and-me]

The thing is, it really isn't about whether Evan is ok with it or not, it's about a person's morals. People pleaser or not, where do you draw the line? If I knew my friend was abusing little puppies I would certainly stop being friends with them (If i am not coerced into tolerating it). Emma might not have abused little puppies, she *only* abused her signifact other for 5-7 years and If that's something you can look past at because it was a long time ago or it isn't worth breaking a friendship over because it's inconvenient for you, then you have highly questionable morals. Especially when that signifacnt other is one of your friends. Same goes for Sarah. Be a people pleaser all you want. But publically supporting a notorious abuser is still a choice. And If I were Evan I would ditch every single one of those hypocrites and read books on self love and trauma so I stop being a magnet to these weirdos

let's be honest, she's a nepobaby, she's influential in the business because of her family. just like you said, it's not convenient to them to not be in good terms with her. that's how hollywood works, its competitive and you have to anything to keep up with it

(gonna change the subject a little bit): that might even be one of the reason why evan didn't press charges (completely speculating rn) He was probably instructed not to do it. if we take a look at the news around that time he was always referred as "emma roberts' boyfriend". he was a nobody compared to her, if he ever did something his career would be over, not hers. we can see that even now in angelica's situation: she only opened up about it because she was gonna leave the business and emma is still being worshiped and has her image almost intact.

(back to the topic): we don't know how their relationship is with emma nor evan. in the past, evan and sarah talked a lot about each other but we haven't seen that. also, we know what THEY want us to know, maybe they weren't even really that close. we don't know what happens backstage. i do feel weird about jeff being friends with both because he looks very close to evan but im trying to keep in mind that i know nothing about his relationship with any of these people.

there's even the hypothesis that evan and emma are in good terms (which o highly doubt). what i'm trying to say is that we have no idea what happens in their lives

well..

that's not the reason why evan didn't press charges, this man who has never given a rat's ass about celebrity was not infatuated with being mr. emma roberts - let's make that clear. he didn't press charges because he loved emma and ultimately wanted to marry her, but he was a victim of abuse. also, evan wasn't a nobody when he was dating emma.. i'm not sure how old you are, but if you were of age to be aware in 2012 when they started dating, you'd be well aware that this was peak AHS fame and when fans stopped them on the street together, 9/10 times they did not care about emma; all the girlies wanted evan and he was a heartthrob by all standards. and let's just be real: what image would emma roberts be keeping intact? there is no one, and i mean no one, who is a fan of hers who is ACTUALLY oblivious to her nature. she is not a big, successful actress whose name conjures up images of a respected professional who has lead major productions. she is a nepo baby meme who stars in romcoms no one watches.. even her stans.

"we don't know how their relationship is with emma nor evan." do you mean sarah and jeff? because if so, just last year sarah was going to be doing one of those netflix career retrospect things with evan, interviewing him. and jeff was just seen with evan a few months back. i know at least for a time, jeff was an actual friend evan hung out with pretty regularly.. sarah not so much. i think she is more ''respected colleague'' than personal friend. for me personally, the bottomline is that my feelings and opinions are not based on whether or not i think deep inside evan is hurt his friends are also still friends with emma.. because i don't believe he is bothered. i don't think he ever was. nothing about his personality nor the way he talks about himself is indicative of someone who would force his friends to side with him, even when he should NEVER have to be in the situation to do so.. this wasn't a regular situation where exes were left bitter. evan was abused, emma is a domestic abuser. i don't need to know how anyone in this situation feels about each other to know that there is no scenario in which i think it's acceptable to try and sit on the fence and be friends with both a domestic abuser AND their victim. what kind of friend are you if you see no major problem with someone assaulting them?

[spaceorphan18]

After the Jesse question, out of the glee club characters who is close with Klaine years later in your opinion? Do you think the group is quite close as a glee club, or there are people they talk to only every few months? Do you think there are any characters they don't talk to unless they see each other in person at reunions?

Since it's a fictional world - you can really pull things in any direction you like. We do see, five years down the line, that at Rachel's Tony Party is Kurt, Blaine, Mercedes, Artie, Tina (and Kitty and Roderick I think are there?). Blaine also mentions that they see Brittany and Santana in Dreams Come True, too.

But I mean - it depends on what happens with everyone, and where they go in life.

No, I don't think the entire glee club stays as close to one another as they did in high school. But that doesn't mean they don't talk to each other or try to catch up. Thinking about my own life - there are only two-ish people I still talk to from high school. But, if I came across someone I used to know, I'd probably still be pretty friendly with them, because I had a pretty good relationship with most people during high school. I do, also, have a teacher of mine whom I'm regularly see - but she's also friends with my parents. I do know the people in town who stayed in town see each other way more regularly. And that there are a few groups of people, as I can tell from things like Facebook, that have stayed close even twenty years later (because yes, I'm that old).

But let's take a quick break down...

Rachel (and Jesse) - I feel like it depends on how famous she comes. I can see she and Kurt doing regular lunches while she's in New York, and Blaine will end up doing some professional work with her. But their lives get busy, and she doesn't see them as much as when they were in their early twenties. She's always a solid contact, though.

Mercedes - I think Mercedes is on the other side of the country, so they probably don't see her all that much. But I think every few years or so, they make it a point to get together. Plus, there's social media and text chains they all remain a part of.

Tina - I think she and Blaine keep in touch, I don't necessarily see her being close with Kurt, and Kurt kind of thinks as her as one of Blaine's friends. I also think Tina's one of those people who ends up moving to Europe or something, and they only see her when reunions come around.

Artie - Kind of depends on whether he and Tina stay together or not. I think Blaine keeps him as a contact professionally, and there's a text chain with him in it kind of thing. But I don't see either Kurt or Blaine being all that close with him, either.

Sam - Blaine always makes a point of seeing Sam when he returns to Ohio, and they message each other a lot, but their lives end up being very different, so there are times when they don't hear from each other. The nice thing, though, is that whenever they do get together, it's like they pick up right where they left off.

Brittany and Santana - The two of them are always picking up and going to other places. I don't necessarily think that Kurt and Blaine keep tabs on them, but they will show up (especially around anniversary time) and go on some kind of wacky adventure. I think there's a general respect among the four of them, and they all keep in touch more often than one might think.

Quinn and Puck - Lumping them together, not because I think they remain a couple (I kind of don't think they would?) but because I think neither Kurt or Blaine really keeps in touch with either of them in a post-high school world.

Mike - Poor Mike. I think Blaine makes it a point to stay in touch via social media, but I think he's the one that kind of goes off and does his own thing -- and is probably closer to the people he met in college over the people he knew in high school. He still remains friendly with everyone though.

Lauren, Rory, Sugar, Joe, The Newbies, The New Newbies - You know what's kind of funny. I think there's a better chance that they both keep in touch with Karofsky more than anyone in this group.

[wirewitchviolet]

OK I guess I'm talking about this loser a little. In the screenshot that is, the person posting this seems perfectly fine. First though I kinda want to highlight the one tag originally on here and this first comment because those are pretty relevant:

Anyway, story time. One of the less fun things about me is I find myself pretty regularly asking people around me if they could please stop CONSTANTLY ambushing me with screenshots of the social media feeds of far right creeps who have a history of targeting me, specifically, for years. In particular, this applies to the one nazi/pedophila-advocate who changed his last name to something long long and greek to encourage people making fun of him to get maybe-racist while doing so (who mercifully does seem to have fallen off people's radar), the former British TV writer who prior to becoming a cartoon villain petitioning the government to defund a children's charity because transphobia ate his brain that badly spent something like a year or two clumsily trying to get into my pants and those of several other trans women, and this loser here.

Just about a decade ago, when neo-nazis were really starting to kick it into high gear against trans people and were really all in with that one twitter hashtag I don't want to mention while talking about this and would prefer nobody reblogging this go and add, I and a couple other trans gals ended up forming this little support group for people who were really in the thick of dealing with that hate mob and needed some friendly voices. Since we were all being really heavily stalked, we had a policy that nobody else be invited in without the unanimous consent of everyone in the group. That policy was ultimately pretty short lived, because eventually we threw an invite to someone who was a bit of a celebrity victim of this crap, who just sort of decided that notoriety came with special privilege and authority, and was also kind of the worst judge of character I've ever met. Said person immediately tossed invites to a number of other people they considered good people, which included a few shady characters who have since become fairly notorious, most notably, the scumbag in the screenshot above.

The real kicker of course was being told quite some time later that he was considered "good people" worth inviting to the support group of mostly-pseudonymous-trans-women dealing with murderous nazi stalkers in spite of knowing that he wrote a high school essay about how much he loved and respected Hitler. While he was at the time half-assedly doing the anti-fascist thing in an effort to ride the coattails of our celebrity member, he was also absolutely spying on the rest of us, and while he didn't ever get anything out of it (this being MOSTLY a group of very good eggs and all... not in that sense but come to think yes also in that sense), he sure as hell did his pathetic best to absolutely ruin the lives of everyone who was in there legitimately for years after.

So, yeah, I am really not a fan of seeing his face, because it reminds me of all the awful things he did to me, and various other people I'm still quite fond of, and ALSO because it reminds me of this former friend of mine who invited him in and put everyone's lives at risk... and the various other things that former friend did to wreck people's lives, like bringing some other terrible and dangerous people into our lives, and... kind of skipping town with a rather large amount of money that was meant to be shared around. Lot of ugly history.

But again, since we're on the subject, yeah guy's a really weird pathetic idiot. Before he became like... a professional licker of Elon Musk's boots or whatever the hell is going on there, he was trying to make a living in a managerial position at some would-be videogame news site, but couldn't work out how to maintain employees who came to him with demands like "I would prefer not to be stalked and sexually harassed by coworkers" and "I would like to actually be paid for writing articles for your for-profit website." He rather famously had a very public saga about sleeping in a bed filled with thousands of ants and failing to understand people's advice to solve this problem by not having food on it. In the brief period I was forced to interact with him on a daily basis, he needed to have the most basic things explained to him on a daily basis. Like I'm not kidding about not knowing what to do about an employee being sexually harassed. He was asking everyone he knew how to make her be quiet about that "talk to and/or fire the people harassing her" was a completely alien concept to him. And yes, I do believe he in fact does not know basic math and somehow blames this like all his other problems on trans people.

And I can also confirm that yes, he and a lot of other "big names" in right wing spaces actually does make living off of saying the most profoundly stupid things in public. People actively maintain accounts on the weird nazi site he posts these things on and follow him to screenshot this stuff and/or confirm it's real. The cargo culty thoughts on popularity those crowds have makes him a Big Deal to... well Elon Musk apparently, and whoever's paying him for opinions lately. He lives on that, and bends people's ears with that. So yeah, while usually the whole "don't feed the trolls" thing is BS and an excuse to blame victims for the behavior of their abusers and such, in this one specific case, no really, there is, via convoluted means, some real benefit to be had for just completely ignoring this particular piece of human garbage. Particularly for me, a seriously traumatized trans woman who otherwise keeps having her PTSD triggered by people pointing and laughing at this nazi clown instead of a plethora of available non-nazi clowns.

PEMDAS is a conspiracy according to far-right idiot and friend of Elon Musk.