#or 'there's no services for this thing you need to survive'

[maincharactermuse]

Practice Makes Perfect.

Author’s Note: sorry guys i had to. i saw all the discourse about harry’s kissing technique and got secondhand embarrassment from the glasto vid… this is my way of emotionally processing it 😂

harry stans please know this comes from a place of love and gentle constructive criticism ❤️

(Find my masterlist here)

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Harry flopped down onto the couch beside her, his curls still damp from the shower and his t-shirt rumpled in a way that made him look unfairly good for someone who just got out of bed at noon.

“Did you see that thing going around again?” he asked, tossing his phone face down on the coffee table.

She looked up from her book. “Which thing? There are many ‘things’ when it comes to you.”

He smiled, lopsided and boyish. “The kissing thing. Apparently I’ve not improved since Tokyo.”

She blinked. “Oh, that.” She tried to keep her expression neutral, but something must’ve slipped, because Harry squinted at her.

“What?” he asked.

“What what?”

“You made a face.”

“I didn’t make a face.”

“You definitely made a face.” He shifted toward her, legs folded beneath him like a very cozy pretzel. “Come on, what was that?”

She bit her lip, caught. “It wasn’t a face. It was just… a minor eyebrow situation.”

He raised his own eyebrows. “A minor eyebrow situation?”

She sighed, dramatic. “Okay, fine. But it wasn’t bad! I just… okay, listen. You’re my favorite person to kiss, obviously. Like, emotionally, spiritually, all the things.”

He looked at her, amused. “But?”

“But.” She grinned. “There is a slight… technical note.”

Harry leaned back, hand on his heart. “A technical note. Fucking hell. Go on, then. Critique me.”

She laughed, setting her book down. “I’m not saying you’re a bad kisser.”

“Pretty sure you are.”

“No, I swear, you’re not! It’s just… sometimes you come in a little… head-on. Like, too direct. It’s like you’re trying to win a game of chicken with my face.”

He stared at her, mock-offended. “You’re saying I kiss like I’m trying to headbutt you gently.”

She shrugged. “Affectionate headbutting. But yes.”

He rubbed his chin, theatrically pondering. “This is devastating.”

“You’ll survive.”

“Will I?” He leaned closer, eyes narrowing. “Maybe we need to workshop this.”

“Oh?” she asked, already smiling.

Harry nodded, determined now. “I’m a very committed student. I want to be the best. For you. For the people.”

She rolled her eyes, but her stomach did that fluttery thing it always did when he was too charming for his own good. “Alright then, Styles. Let’s workshop.”

He leaned in, slower this time, exaggeratedly careful.

“Not like that,” she murmured, giggling. “You look like you’re approaching a bomb.”

“Well I don’t want to get it wrong now, do I?”

She shook her head and reached up, gently resting her hands on either side of his face. “Okay, tilt just a little… nope, the other way. Right there. That’s a better angle.”

He let her maneuver him, completely pliant under her touch. “I feel like a mannequin.”

“You’re a very kissable mannequin.”

“Go on, then,” he whispered.

She kissed him -soft, slow, and warm. Leading him with her tongue. Better. Much better.

He pulled back a little, eyes still closed. “Okay, that was nice. What’s the Yelp review?”

She pretended to think. “Four and a half stars. One star docked for the early days of gentle headbutting trauma.”

He laughed and kissed her again, more confident this time, as if the teasing had somehow become an inside joke that only made it all sweeter.

After a few moments, he murmured against her lips, “You’re going to tell people I needed kissing lessons, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely.”

“Traitor.”

“National service,” she teased. “The people need to know you’re working on it.”

He pulled her into his lap, mock-dramatic. “I’ll prove them all wrong. One kiss at a time.”

She smiled against his neck. “Practice makes perfect.”

[thessalian]

I think it's to do with the fact that this is the first time he's encountered anyone who's not getting paid.

Whether or not you believe that Zevran systematically ripped through the Antivan Crows until they stopped pulling the kind of shit they did to him on new fledgelings, at least to that extent (which I totally do, and I think Lucanis even made a kind of allusion to that at one point), Lucanis Dellamorte is Crow royalty. He never had a "Your pay for this goes to the Crow who owns you" moment in his life. Look at where he lived. Look at how he eats. This man has mostly spent time around people who have serious money - whether he's living with them, being hired by them, or assassinating them.

And then all of a sudden, there's these people, most if not all of them not even Crows, who rescued him out of a prison full of Venatori, and part of why they rescued him is that they couldn't have afforded his services otherwise.

And he watches people. So he notices things like, Harding having lived on a farm and probably sending various amounts of her pay to her Ma while she was in the Inquisition. Neve, who turns down payment for half of the jobs she takes because she doesn't want to bankrupt the people she's trying to help. Bellara, Davrin - he's not even sure how Wardens and Veil Jumpers work in terms of fulfilling their basic needs, let alone anything else. At least Emmrich and Taash make sense to him; they do some very specific-ass tasks, and get paid.

And he likes these people. These people deserve nice things. At least they deserve to know where their next meal is coming from. And sure, he can cover things for this team while they're still saving the world (and I bet he does - no one says it, but I would bet real-world money that Lucanis is quietly bankrolling the operation beyond what Rook loots and then funnels back to allies or spends on gear upgrades), but the world's not going to be in jeopardy forever. If the world survives? He wants to make sure that his friends are going to be financially secure, but he knows they like their jobs and self-sufficiency.

Thus, the best offer he can make - "I'll lend you my negotiator".

It never fails to make me laugh when Lucanis basically turns into a union rep for the team. The man knows the value of hard work and that good and competent people are hard to come by and they should therefore be fairly compensated for that work.

[cyberclouddream]

The Sun and Early Ego Conditioning

The Sun represents how you learned to prove that you mattered, how the ego was built from childhood patterns of reward, neglect, pressure, or survival. As an adult you keep playing this game until you learn new ways to validate yourself.

To see in sidereal, if your tropical sun is at 24° or below, check for previous sign. Ex: Sun Sagittarius 17°, check for Scorpio, and Sun Taurus 25°, check for Taurus.

Sun in Aries

“ I matter when I’m bold, first, or fighting for myself.”

- their childhood felt competitive, fast-paced, or chaotic; had to stand up for themselves early; could be first-born or had to fend of those with stronger personalities

- early reinforced them to take initiative or show strength without hesitation, like being tough or acting without asking

- sense of self comes from pushing, as in action, challenging, and instincts

- identity comes from fighting for autonomy, feeling alive when they assert their will or break thru resistance

Sun in Taurus

“I matter when I stay calm, stable, and hold onto what’s mine.”

- childhood may have felt unpredictable or emotionally overwhelming so routines and control became safe space

- life reinforced them to be easygoing, dependable, enjoying simple pleasures of life, not disrupting

- learned to slow down and stay grounded to feel safe, their worth tied to what they can hold onto, like possessions, comfort, and loyalty

- identity comes from being reliable and resistance to pressure, clinging to values and routines that made them feel secure early on

Sun in Gemini

“I matter when I’m clever, curious, or entertaining.”

- in their childhood they had to learn quickly, maybe keeping adults engaged or adapt to emotional tone shifts; maybe moved around or family structures changed often

- being witty, flexible, and not taking things too seriously was reinforced

- learned that if they can talk their way thru things they can stay in control

- their sense of self comes from communication and information, may struggle with staying in one place or on one idea

Sun in Cancer

“I matter when I feel, care, or protect.”

- early life probably felt emotionally intense, either nurturing, moody, or fragile; made to feel responsible for other people’s feelings

- sensitivity, caretaking, emotional awareness were all reinforced, putting other’s needs first

- learned that if they take care of other’s needs they’ll be safe and loved; identity tied to emotional role

- builds their sense of self thru connection, nostalgia, and emotional safety; often absorbs other people’s moods instinctually

Sun in Leo

“I matter when I stand out, lead, or express myself.”

- either got a lot of attention for performing or had to act out to get any; often encouraged to be special or felt invisible unless they were

- creativity, visibility, and confidence were reinforced, being “the best” at something

- identity comes from shining, from being admired or respected

- defines their sense of self thru expressive roles, achievements, or personal pride; may struggle with feeling unseen or underappreciated

Sun in Virgo

“I matter when I help, fix, or improve.”

- in their childhood they faced a lot of criticism, high expectations, or emotional distance; got approval from being the responsible or competent one

- helpfulness, practicality, and perfection were reinforced, taking care of details others ignored

- learned that if they stayed useful and got things right they wouldn’t be a problem

- sense of self comes thru service and refining; can be self-critical or rigid when it comes to worth

Sun in Libra

“I matter when I keep the peace and connect well with others.”

- in childhood relationships were key. Others may have demanded harmony or conflict was too frequent, became the mediators or charmers

- agreeableness, beauty, and social tact was reinforced, avoiding messiness

- learned that if they keep others happy and vibes smooth they’ll be accepted; identity comes from how others respond to them

- sense of self comes from their relationships, social roles, and diplomacy; may over-accommodate or avoid directness to keep approval

Sun in Scorpio

“I matter when I protect my inner world and hold emotional power.”

- their childhood carried emotional intensity, loss, secrecy, or betrayal; learned not to trust easily and to guard deeply

- emotional resilience, secrecy, and having insight was reinforced, not showing vulnerability

- learned to control what others see or know to feel safe, identity built around inner strength and emotional defense

- sense of self comes from having private power and depth; may hold grudges or hide behind emotional armour

Sun in Sagittarius

“I matter when I question, explore, and expand.”

- childhood felt caged, restricted, or misunderstood; books, ideas, or physical freedom became an escape

- life reinforced curiosity, bold opinions, and optimism, avoids heavy emotions

- learned that if they looked “beyond this” they can find meaning or freedom; identity comes from beliefs, adventure, or possibility

- sense of self comes thru growth and exploration, may resist settling or commitment

Sun in Capricorn

“ I matter when I’m confident, successful, and in control.”

- probably had to grow up too fast in childhood; authority figures were probably distant or demanding; received praise thru achievement not emotion

- life reinforced being responsible, mature, and enduring; suppressed emotions to get things done

- learned that they received respect thru working hard and staying disciplined; their identity is what they accomplish

- structure, goals, and reputation builds their sense of self; resists vulnerability, may overwork to prove worth

Sun in Aquarius

“I matter when I’m different and think for myself.”

- in childhood they often felt like an outsider, intellectually, emotionally, or socially; belonged thru detachment or being mentally superior

- life reinforced being “special”, rebellious, smart, or following their own path

- learned that if they don’t fit in they better make it meaningful; their identity comes from uniqueness or ideals

- their sense of self defined thru causes, thinking differently, or not needing others; may resist emotional closeness to protect their independence

Sun in Pisces

“I matter when I feel deeply and lose myself in something bigger.”

- childhood contained blurry emotional boundaries; may have had to care for others emotionally or escape painful realities

- life reinforced them to be compassionate, imaginative, and emotionally absorbing; dissolved their own personal needs for others

- learned that if they merged with others or “dreamed away” they’ll stay safe; their identity is built around empathy or fantasy

- they build their sense of self around art, meaning, or helping others; may struggle with boundaries and grounding in a real-world identity

[sagecrops]

Carmen “Some sort of issue with the restaurant. Not good” “No actually it’s fine” Berzatto

Carmen “You need a cleaver? We’ll get you a cleaver” Berzatto

Carmen “I believe in you more than I’ve ever believed in myself. Because you’re The Bear” Berzatto

Carmen “Any chance of any kind of good in this building started when you walked in. And any possibility of it surviving…. is with you.” Berzatto

Carmen “Yeah. I smoke him. And so do you.” Berzatto

Carmen “I don’t know, was it like I photo I liked?” Berzatto

Carmen “Why don’t you let me come over there? I don’t want you to be alone right now.”Berzatto

Carmen “I’m thinking about you. If you need anything just let me know.” Berzatto

Carmen “It’s perfect. It’s better than perfect. Put it up.” Berzatto

Carmen “[looks at Syd straight away when mentioned The Best Class of New Chefs]” Berzatto

Carmen “I don’t like dysfunction. I like this.” Berzatto

Carmen “You don’t do that. Can you stop doing that? You’re not good at smoking.” Berzatto

Carmen “[finishes the lamb inspired by Syd’s wedding’s party dress yet again]” Berzatto

Carmen “You didn’t talk to me all service. Yeah, I don’t like the way this feels” Berzatto

Carmen “You do? And I think it’s great that Adam wants you to be at his restaurant. I mean. I think that’s a really great opportunity.” Berzatto

Carmen “Syd, you’re everything I’m never gonna be. You just… you are. You are considerate. You allow yourself to feel things, right? You allow yourself to care. You’re a natural leader and teacher.” Berzatto

[spaghettiwrynn]

So, a funny idea I had that sorta spiraled into an AU:Service animal raptors.Now, this wouldn't work for anyone but the Handler, obviously...but just imagine an AU where she and Ghost survive, and since she's not exactly gonna work with Santos anymore, she's like "fuck it, service raptor."

I mean, they're extremely smart animals and act like dogs around her, I'm sure she could teach them new whistle commands like crowd buffering (which is keeping people away, a thing that the very presence of a raptor probably does already) or whatever else you could need an autism service raptor for (specifically just the comfort part, she's clearly stressed when not around them)

Technically only dogs and mini horses can be service animals but shhh...So, I drew Ghost in a service animal vest :D

Imagine running into this in the grocery store tho...

[technocite]

I think the thing for me is just the fact of the matter is once you eliminate tension and drama the story is no longer that interesting, and now that the drifter’s went and saved the hex through the power of friendship and magic they’re not as fun to me anymore? Idyllic slice of life fanfiction is fun in isolation but it’s not that compelling when sitting shoulder to shoulder with an apocalyptic action-survivor horror story about a group of infested fugitive agents trying to survive in the apocalypse (barely getting along with each other, struggling to manage their encroaching inhumanity, etc.). It just doesn’t have the same oomph. And the more time goes on the more I think the latter was some kind of headcanon I hallucinated based off of the little bits and pieces we got

​like I guess there IS drama but rumors about ‘so-and-so may or may not have kissed at the bar’ is a very different drama from ‘the infection that is eating the city and turning people into monsters infected my friends and now we gotta hunt the evil scientist down before we all succumb to bloodlust and eat each other’. It just doesn’t hit the same

Don’t get me wrong I do like the new KIM chats we’re getting, they’re cute and fun and I’m not gonna get upset in any capacity that the canon of a live service game isn’t the Super Cool Angsty Fanfic In My Head. I’m just musing out loud

There’s just no stakes. Just a bizarre Groundhog Day scenario where everyone can kiss and also be at peace with life while also being in a war zone but not being able to do anything about it. Were they trying to make some kind of meta plot point about resisting cosmic nihilism by stripping the year of all meaning narratively? Which would be hilarious if that was the case. But it also might be a stretch.

I need to play isleweaver because I may have a different opinion then. I also want to see the dead Loid

[idciminlove]

SQUID GAMES SPOILERS-

“They ruined Dae-Ho’s character” “Why did he try to attack Gi-Hun?” “Why did he lie?”

- Dae-Ho was a social service personnel, which is an alternative form of military service. Which means PTSD from brief military training, or something else affecting his mental health was so severe that he had to become a social service personnel. He wanted to fit in and make his father proud, which included hiding his mental struggles and fabricating this whole identity of being a marine.

- Dae-Ho is not innocent. He never was. He’s a 30 something year old man, not a baby. I think in the second season, he was more hopeful to escape and we can see he is a sensitive person, but like everyone else in these games, even the most kind people can be pushed to do awful things. Gi-Hun was attacking him and he was trying to survive, of course he’d try to kill him. What do you expect? For him to just take it? He was scared and alone. And he wound up dying alone. It wasn’t Gi-Hun or Dae-Ho’s faults.

Gi-Hun felt angry and guilty after the rebellion failed. He needed someone to blame, even though the rebellion was initially his idea, (and he was literally telling it to The Front Man) and even if Dae-Ho brought them their ammo, it was unlikely that the rebellion would be a success.

Dae-Ho is a very complex character, and I don’t agree that the show “ruined his character.” I think they just showed him in a different, more gritty light, which is typical as the game goes on and the humanity in the players starts to disappear.

Basically, like we all know, it’s the games’ fault.

[isles-of-man]

Erik watched her as she spoke, letting her words paint vivid pictures of white sand, turquoise water, and slow, sun-soaked days far from the grind of everyday life. The more she described, the more he found himself slipping into the fantasy with her. Each option she presented built on the last, but he barely needed to hear the details to know which one she had already chosen in her heart. He could hear it in her voice—soft but certain—the way she lingered on the idea of floating bungalows and breakfast arriving by boat.

When the final package appeared on the screen, he couldn’t stop the low, appreciative breath that escaped him. It was unreal. The kind of place people dreamed about but rarely experienced. And yet, somehow, it all made sense—her, him, that view, the ocean just a few steps from their bed. It wasn’t just a trip. It was an escape built for two, laced with luxury and a quiet kind of romance that he craved more than he realized.

He didn’t speak right away. Instead, he let the image settle in, side by side with the way she was looking at him now—eager, hopeful, so clearly invested in the thought of them being there together. He loved that. Loved how she brought things to life, not just with research, but with heart. Everything she did, even something as simple as planning a vacation, had that same fire behind it. He admired her for that. Adored her for that.

And yet—how was he meant to behave, really, when she teased him like this? Talking about five-star resorts and private bungalows while dressed in that barely-tied robe, giving him glimpses that made concentration an Olympic sport. “You say you want me to behave,” he said with a slow, crooked grin, “but then you go and plan a fantasy trip while looking like you stepped out of one.” He shook his head with mock disbelief. “That’s emotional sabotage, and I feel personally attacked.”

His eyes dropped briefly to the image on the screen again, then back to her, letting the decision take full shape. There was no question. It wasn’t just the view, or the service, or the overwater luxury—it was the fact that it was her idea. That it was them, together, somewhere far from noise and rush, where time could slow to the rhythm of waves and warm nights.

“I’m in,” he said simply, voice low but sure. “That last one—Maldives, first-class, floating bungalow, breakfast from a boat. It’s perfect.” He gave a small nod, as if sealing the decision. “I want that with you. All of it.”

Then, with a flicker of playfulness returning to his voice, he added, “And if I survive dinner without misbehaving, I’ll consider it a miracle.”

emily laughed at erik's comment regarding his behavior during dinner. "well i hope you do, i gave so much love to our meal that i would like you to first enjoy it." she teased as she sat opposite to him. she served the plates and gently put her hair back, her robe gently opening and revealing the curve of her breasts while her nipples pointed under the light fabric of it. she knew that he would probably need to release all the tension of the day, she wanted him first to enjoy a relaxing meal and hear about her ideas of holidays.

"so, i have searched this afternoon for a few destinations. there were some interesting and others were quite expensive. i just found one in particular." she paused as she stood up to go pick the laptop and put it on the table. taking a bite of her noodles, emily clicked on the page that opened to show the beautiful resort she found. "so, it's the maldives. there's this five star resort that looks incredible. you have option and packages as well.."

as she started explaining, the woman said: "so there is the package with the plane ticket included but the room is standard. it would be two weeks with all inclusive, access to the pools and the beach for the hotel." she then clicked on the second option, there were three and one in particular caught her attention. she just wanted his opinion first.

"the second option involves the plane ticket in premium economy, a bigger room. like a suite. and the same perks than the previous packages and the access to the beaches. and then... this is my favorite option.."

she clicked on the third window and showed the gorgeous bungalow. "so this is a private bungalow that floats on the turquoise waters. you get breakfast delivered by a boat from the shore. you have a walk that can lead you to the resort and the hotel beach, however, the bungalow has: the room with a king sized bed, view on the turquoise waters. it has a jacuzzi on the terrace and a slide that leads you straight into the sea. behind, there is a small boat that can lead to one of the private beaches only for bungalows. the plane ticket is also included but it's a first class and has all services included."

as she took another bite of the food, emily added: "the question now is: does this work for you? do you like the maldives? and if so, is this okay or do you have something else in mind? i would definitely love your feedback and that we find this together. also, when do you want to leave?"

soon, emily finished the plate and just looked at her boyfriend in the eyes. she was so eager to go on holidays with him and enjoy a bit of freedom and paradise. she already imagined herself playing the little mermaid in the turquoise waters and letting her skin be sun kissed. her smile grew as she then asked: "what are you thinking?"

[grimoirefate]

TAG DROP 001

[ ooc. ] i'm a nice person so long as you are nice to me. my muses are not the only ones with teeth.

[ ic. ] i once feared mythal would consume me were i to carry her. but twas not so. i remain free willed and mortal.

[ mythal & solas ] ...are not for you alone to bear my friend. the many wrongs we did. we did together. I release you from my service.

[ mythal introspection ] I pulled you from the fade you loved and sent you into war. I used your wisdom as a weapon and it broke you.

[ introspection ] when she intended me to become the next host of an ancient gods soul I feared naught would be left of my own.

[ veilguard ] I have been advisor to orlais. witch of the wilds. daughter of flemeth. and once long ago an old friend.

[ inquisition. ] I knew the empress was intrigued by the arcane and I could answer questions no chantry mage could.

[ origins. ] well. well. what have we here? are you a vulture I wonder? a scavenger? poking amidst a corpse? or intruder?

[ answered: ooc. ] its me. the equivalent of a spicy kitten in a corner.

[ answered: ic. ] yet she survived and returned ages later to aide the inquisition in its hour of need. how?

[ psa. ] hear ye! hear ye! use those things on the side of your head or be doomed.

[ saved. ] im like a dragon when it comes to things i like.

[ prompts / memes. ] twas both a pleasure and necessity to help them as it is now.

[ crack. ] ooooo! you fear barbarians will swoop down upon you!

[ salt. ] i'm bitter and now i'm making it everyone's problem.

[ birthday. ] its my hatch day!!!!

[ self promotion. ] would that I could become them I would for now this will do.

[ promotion ] look! its the people I like! I think you will like them too!

[astranite]

--whiney rant and vent--- starts at tumblr but descends into my life.

Fucking tumblr!! *grabs tumblr and aggressively shakes it*

Some new hell update has made it so every time I reblog a post, i go right back to the top of my dash and have to scroll half a mile through the posts Ive already seen to get back to the ones i havent yet seen and want to see!! And even with the scroll bar it takes ages and breaks the loading and makes it nearly genuinely unusable!!!

But Im still going to even though it sucks, because tumblr is my designated scroll and look at characters time and be with mutuals. And yes this is a very small whiny thing to rant about, especially given the state of the damn world, but with the rest of my life imploding in many numbered crisises that even one of would be apparently considered a fairly major thing to have to deal with im now realsising because through massive amounts of avoidance id just gone "this is fine" despite being very reasonably banned from the word fine by 5 different people and then me, and then others going 'wow that really is alot' semihorrified, and I awkwardly laugh because i am used to this and its not that bad and whatever stupid shit i tell myself to keep going.

So yes, whining about tumblr because at this point its a load bearing coping mechanism. And its somewhat a last straw because i am barely hanging on as it is but ill deal with this like everything else because there isnt any other options.

[asgardian--angels]

Planet's Fucked: What Can You Do To Help? (Long Post)

Since nobody is talking about the existential threat to the climate and the environment a second Trump term/Republican government control will cause, which to me supersedes literally every other issue, I wanted to just say my two cents, and some things you can do to help. I am a conservation biologist, whose field was hit substantially by the first Trump presidency. I study wild bees, birds, and plants.

In case anyone forgot what he did last time, he gagged scientists' ability to talk about climate change, he tried zeroing budgets for agencies like the NOAA, he attempted to gut protections in the Endangered Species Act (mainly by redefining 'take' in a way that would allow corporations to destroy habitat of imperiled species with no ramifications), he tried to do the same for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (the law that offers official protection for native non-game birds), he sought to expand oil and coal extraction from federal protected lands, he shrunk the size of multiple national preserves, HE PULLED US OUT OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, and more.

We are at a crucial tipping point in being able to slow the pace of climate change, where we decide what emissions scenario we will operate at, with existential consequences for both the environment and people. We are also in the middle of the Sixth Mass Extinction, with the rate of species extinctions far surpassing background rates due completely to human actions. What we do now will determine the fate of the environment for hundreds or thousands of years - from our ability to grow key food crops (goodbye corn belt! I hated you anyway but), to the pressure on coastal communities that will face the brunt of sea level rise and intensifying extreme weather events, to desertification, ocean acidification, wildfires, melting permafrost (yay, outbreaks of deadly frozen viruses!), and a breaking down of ecosystems and ecosystem services due to continued habitat loss and species declines, especially insect declines. The fact that the environment is clearly a low priority issue despite the very real existential threat to so many people, is beyond my ability to understand. I do partly blame the public education system for offering no mandatory environmental science curriculum or any at all in most places. What it means is that it will take the support of everyone who does care to make any amount of difference in this steeply uphill battle.

There are not enough environmental scientists to solve these issues, not if public support is not on our side and the majority of the general public is either uninformed or actively hostile towards climate science (or any conservation science).

So what can you, my fellow Americans, do to help mitigate and minimize the inevitable damage that lay ahead?

I'm not going to tell you to recycle more or take shorter showers. I'll be honest, that stuff is a drop in the bucket. What does matter on the individual level is restoring and protecting habitat, reducing threats to at-risk species, reducing pesticide use, improving agricultural practices, and pushing for policy changes. Restoring CONNECTIVITY to our landscape - corridors of contiguous habitat - will make all the difference for wildlife to be able to survive a changing climate and continued human population expansion.

**Caveat that I work in the northeast with pollinators and birds so I cannot provide specific organizations for some topics, including climate change focused NGOs. Scientists on tumblr who specialize in other fields, please add your own recommended resources. **

We need two things: FUNDING and MANPOWER.

You may surprised to find that an insane amount of conservation work is carried out by volunteers. We don't ever have the funds to pay most of the people who want to help. If you really really care, consider going into a conservation-related field as a career. It's rewarding, passionate work.

At the national level, please support:

The Nature Conservancy

Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Cornell Lab of Ornithology (including eBird)

National Audubon Society

Federal Duck Stamps (you don't need to be a hunter to buy one!)

These first four work to acquire and restore critical habitat, change environmental policy, and educate the public. There is almost certainly a Nature Conservancy-owned property within driving distance of you. Xerces plays a very large role in pollinator conservation, including sustainable agriculture, native bee monitoring programs, and the Bee City/Bee Campus USA programs. The Lab of O is one of the world's leaders in bird research and conservation. Audubon focuses on bird conservation. You can get annual memberships to these organizations and receive cool swag and/or a subscription to their publications which are well worth it. You can also volunteer your time; we need thousands of volunteers to do everything from conducting wildlife surveys, invasive species removal, providing outreach programming, managing habitat/clearing trails, planting trees, you name it. Federal Duck Stamps are the major revenue for wetland conservation; hunters need to buy them to hunt waterfowl but anyone can get them to collect!

THERE ARE DEFINITELY MORE, but these are a start.

Additionally, any federal or local organizations that seek to provide support and relief to those affected by hurricanes, sea level rise, any form of coastal climate change...

At the regional level:

These are a list of topics that affect major regions of the United States. Since I do not work in most of these areas I don't feel confident recommending specific organizations, but please seek resources relating to these as they are likely major conservation issues near you.

PRAIRIE CONSERVATION & PRAIRIE POTHOLE WETLANDS

DRYING OF THE COLORADO RIVER (good overview video linked)

PROTECTION OF ESTUARIES AND SALTMARSH, ESPECIALLY IN THE DELAWARE BAY AND LONG ISLAND (and mangroves further south, everglades etc; this includes restoring LIVING SHORELINES instead of concrete storm walls; also check out the likely-soon extinction of saltmarsh sparrows)

UNDAMMING MAJOR RIVERS (not just the Colorado; restoring salmon runs, restoring historic floodplains)

NATIVE POLLINATOR DECLINES (NOT honeybees. for fuck's sake. honeybees are non-native domesticated animals. don't you DARE get honeybee hives to 'save the bees')

WILDLIFE ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER (support the Mission Butterfly Center!)

INVASIVE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES (this is everywhere but the specifics will differ regionally, dear lord please help Hawaii)

LOSS OF WETLANDS NATIONWIDE (some states have lost over 90% of their wetlands, I'm looking at you California, Ohio, Illinois)

INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE, esp in the CORN BELT and CALIFORNIA - this is an issue much bigger than each of us, but we can work incrementally to promote sustainable practices and create habitat in farmland-dominated areas. Support small, local farms, especially those that use soil regenerative practices, no-till agriculture, no pesticides/Integrated Pest Management/no neonicotinoids/at least non-persistent pesticides. We need more farmers enrolling in NRCS programs to put farmland in temporary or permanent wetland easements, or to rent the land for a 30-year solar farm cycle. We've lost over 99% of our prairies to corn and soybeans. Let's not make it 100%.

INDIGENOUS LAND-BACK EFFORTS/INDIGENOUS LAND MANAGEMENT/TEK (adding this because there have been increasing efforts not just for reparations but to also allow indigenous communities to steward and manage lands either fully independently or alongside western science, and it would have great benefits for both people and the land; I know others on here could speak much more on this. Please platform indigenous voices)

HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS (get your neighbors to stop dumping fertilizers on their lawn next to lakes, reduce agricultural runoff)

OCEAN PLASTIC (it's not straws, it's mostly commercial fishing line/trawling equipment and microplastics)

A lot of these are interconnected. And of course not a complete list.

At the state and local level:

You probably have the most power to make change at the local level!

Support or volunteer at your local nature centers, local/state land conservancy non-profits (find out who owns&manages the preserves you like to hike at!), state fish & game dept/non-game program, local Audubon chapters (they do a LOT). Participate in a Christmas Bird Count!

Join local garden clubs, which install and maintain town plantings - encourage them to use NATIVE plants. Join a community garden!

Get your college campus or city/town certified in the Bee Campus USA/Bee City USA programs from the Xerces Society

Check out your state's official plant nursery, forest society, natural heritage program, anything that you could become a member of, get plants from, or volunteer at.

Volunteer to be part of your town's conservation commission, which makes decisions about land management and funding

Attend classes or volunteer with your land grant university's cooperative extension (including master gardener programs)

Literally any volunteer effort aimed at improving the local environment, whether that's picking up litter, pulling invasive plants, installing a local garden, planting trees in a city park, ANYTHING. make a positive change in your own sphere. learn the local issues affecting your nearby ecosystems. I guarantee some lake or river nearby is polluted

MAKE HABITAT IN YOUR COMMUNITY. Biggest thing you can do. Use plants native to your area in your yard or garden. Ditch your lawn. Don't use pesticides (including mosquito spraying, tick spraying, Roundup, etc). Don't use fertilizers that will run off into drinking water. Leave the leaves in your yard. Get your school/college to plant native gardens. Plant native trees (most trees planted in yards are not native). Remove invasive plants in your yard.

On this last point, HERE ARE EASY ONLINE RESOURCES TO FIND NATIVE PLANTS and LEARN ABOUT NATIVE GARDENING:

Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Resource Center

Pollinator Pathway

Audubon Native Plant Finder

Homegrown National Park (and Doug Tallamy's other books)

National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder (clunky but somewhat helpful)

Heather Holm (for prairie/midwest/northeast)

MonarchGard w/ Benjamin Vogt (for prairie/midwest)

Native Plant Trust (northeast & mid-atlantic)

Grow Native Massachusetts (northeast)

Habitat Gardening in Central New York (northeast)

There are many more - I'm not familiar with resources for western states. Print books are your biggest friend. Happy to provide a list of those.

Lastly, you can help scientists monitor species using citizen science. Contribute to iNaturalist, eBird, Bumblebee Watch, or any number of more geographically or taxonomically targeted programs (for instance, our state has a butterfly census carried out by citizen volunteers).

In short? Get curious, get educated, get involved. Notice your local nature, find out how it's threatened, and find out who's working to protect it that you can help with. The health of the planet, including our resilience to climate change, is determined by small local efforts to maintain and restore habitat. That is how we survive this. When government funding won't come, when we're beat back at every turn trying to get policy changed, it comes down to each individual person creating a safe refuge for nature.

Thanks for reading this far. Please feel free to add your own credible resources and organizations.

[maryellencarter]

i think the hill i'm going to die on here is that lasting anti-fascist activism begins and ends with unrestricted social services.

protests are great. kind of indispensable right now. but in times when we can be less reactive, you want to know what you're protesting *for*, not just against.

today i saw a post elseweb saying "why aren't white women fleeing maga? they have to know by now that tradwife means sex slave". and like... it's very simple. they can't leave because they would end up like me.

they're, we're, deliberately made unemployable so that we'll have to marry whatever mediocre white man picks us out. as it happened, i was unappealingly intersex, fat, butch, and autistic, so none of the mediocre white boys of my generation ever took a second look at me, but that didn't give me job skills or career connections.

i knew multiple women whose husbands divorced them and took the house as part of their midlife crises. they had to send the kids to live with relatives and take dead-end jobs like bagging groceries because they were in their forties with zero job experience. if they'd rejected the worldview, if they'd alienated their families and what few friends didn't victim-blame them for the divorces, they'd have had nowhere to turn.

it's been over twelve years since i got out. psychologically, medically, i'm healthier. but i've chased a fresh start through half a dozen states. i spent my inheritance getting a degree. none of it helped. there are no supports for abandoning (or being abandoned by) your support network.

you won't defeat fascism until my people are free to leave the cult if they realize they want out. until we can access free housing to get away from financial abuse, free comprehensive job training and placement services to help us start careers, national healthcare so we can flee across state lines if necessary without losing any medical care we're lucky enough to have access to, protections for children and teens so they can flee without needing a parent's help... universal basic income would be really good but there are smaller steps that could help with financial independence.

and it all has to be available to everybody, including people you think are "unworthy". people who hold the wrong opinions. drug addicts. people whose husbands or parents make too much money. people who aren't from around here. unrepentant bigots. if they want out, you have to give them a path out. minds can change later, once people are less scared and less pressured.

(i'm ex-catholic. do you want to hear about what happens when you force people to profess certain beliefs in order to access basic assistance? i have two thousand years of examples.)

"but if they really wanted out they'd do the Right Thing and leave without support!" Better to be one man's sex slave than turning tricks on the street. "staying just proves they're actually evil and there for the bigotry!" Live in your car for six months in 100°F heat, twice, and then talk to me again. There's no virtue in cutting yourself off from society just to prove some kind of moral point. All that does is get you dead or worse.

("JT, you're not dead" I'm a fucking cockroach. Most people would be dead by now. Survival bias goes both ways; we're not all the same model of airplane.)

[thessaralka]

tumblr likes to shit on marketing bc capitalism, but the reality is that marketing is an EXTREMELY useful skill to know and without having some level of marketing skills (conscious or unconscious), you don't get anywhere. marketing skills are what allow you to become financially free from a boss, make friends, sell your art, get any odd job, hock your fanfiction, even support your communities and create volunteer organizations. you need marketing to nail a job interview, to meet your soulmate, to buy a house, to rent an apartment.

marketing is just positioning something to show where it is best suited in someone's life, it's saying "i have this thing that can help you/ entertain you/ make your life better".

marketing is a neutral and necessary life skill that has nothing to do with your character or morals. a lot of u are squeamish about the term "marketing" bc capitalism, but i'm using the word for a reason - to call u out on your own bullshit when it comes to your fear of anything deemed capitalistic. you're holding yourselves back out of ignorance.

(marketing has been used long before capitalism even existed btw. capitalism just capitalizes on it bc that's how capitalism works, it's in the definition).

without marketing skills you cannot make any kind of progress in life.

marketing skills connect you to other people. my entire blog is an example of me marketing myself to a particular audience for a particular purpose. i want my girly girl solas lovers who are into random psychology rants like this one and weird esoterica to hop on this dick. am i being untrue to myself or scammy in my marketing here? NO. this is RAW ME, and i'm having FUCKING FUN. what do i get out of it? attention, enjoyment, entertainment, the feeling of being of value/ service to people who share the same brain worms.

without marketing skills you can't recognize propaganda, you fall prey to marketing tactics unconsciously, you don't appreciate as deeply the hard work people put into a product or service or piece of media FOR YOU (because you don't recognize how the product/ service/ media was made with you in mind), you can't tell if a product/ service/ person is right for you because you can't read who the intended audience is and will think every marketing message is for you (beauty marketing isn't making you feel insecure, you believing you are the target audience is. beauty marketing plays on people's insecurities, but so does ALL marketing. beauty marketing is ALSO targeting people who just want to be creative and have fun - different brands market to different desires). products/ services are meant to serve a purpose in our lives and the basic human drive is a drive for connection, progress, and need fulfillment (can't fulfill filled needs). marketing makes you aware of and answers the problem to unmet needs. if you're not insecure in your needs, why would you fall for marketing? the solution is not to eliminate marketing but to get better at understanding marketing tactics to see when and where the target market of an intended product or service applies to you or not. it's also imperative to become less insecure but that's another topic.

marketing is not going away and you can't change the world by complaining about it, but you can change your perspective and your position of power by educating yourself about it.

[followerofmercy]

Networking/Knowing A Guy: A Guide

This is the autism website. Now, as an extension of the power of love and friendship, there are few things more useful than Knowing A Guy. Knowing A Guy means you have a support network. Knowing a plumber, or a tax accountant, or just that one dude that's really fucking good at finding the information you need when you're really overwhelmed, can be the difference between being able to pay rent and having a fun party with friends to fix your shit.

How does one end up Knowing A Guy? It's a skill you can develop called Networking and it is one of the foundations of society. Unfortunately making those connections with people is fucking hard and nobody makes a tutorial for it. So, here you go:

The golden rule is you scratch my back and I scratch yours

It is necessary for survival to seek out useful people

Great news! Everyone is useful in some form or fashion - including you! When given the opportunity to learn about someone, do it! Extroversion does not come naturally to some people and that's okay. Just take whatever falls in your lap.

Types of usefulness: trade skills, connections of their own, personality you jive with, pleasant to talk to, niche interest in shared hobby, security - the list is pretty much endless. I know a guy that lives in the metro area - no job, no major hobbies, inoffensively annoying to me personally, kinda ignorant, not attractive to me, but you know what? He knows how the fuck to get around the city by foot. My rural-raised ass APPRECIATES the guide.

Remember important information: general personality, background, skillset, likes and dislikes. You can find this information by making smalltalk about their life. There is no such thing as pointless conversation. (Yes, even the annoying smalltalk)

The more people you know, the higher the likelihood that one of them will be useful in a given situation - or will know someone who is.

It is overwhelming. In a given clique/community/workspace/whatever, there is A Guy Who Knows The Other Guys. This Guy is a shortcut. Find them. They're often elderly, extroverted, a little bit annoying, a secretary or in some otherwise forward-facing position. Look for people that are gossipy/talk about other people a lot but not in negative ways. If they constantly talk shit, they'll talk shit about you too. They're still useful but be careful with the information you share

You do not have to like someone for them to be useful.

You do not have to like someone for them to be useful.*

If you have low self esteem, you're going to feel like you're using people. You're not. That's the devil talking. People like feeling valued and the connections you are making are the threads holding community together. Recognize people for their talents. It's only a problem when you're taking advantage of people

So: don't feel scummy about it. You're an animal. You have to claw out your right to survive and people will respect you more for it.

Luckily mutualism is the name of the game in the animal kingdom. Offer something back. The foundation of a Know A Guy relationship is Mutual Benefit

Sometimes that Mutual Benefit is just spreading news of the The Guy far and wide. My plumber friend is my actual friend and I love her to death, but I'm maintaining our backscratch relationship by pimping out her plumbing business to anyone that'll listen

Food is a good Mutual Benefit. People across cultures for all of human history have bonded over food. I have good success asking people for a favor and then offering to buy them lunch in return **

General compensation is also good. Offer a service in return and always do your best to offer financial compensation as appropriate. Having your plumber friend take a look at your drain: doable with a case of beer. Having your plumber friend redo the pipes in your entire house? You need to pay for that.

Being transactional is not necessarily a bad thing. I would advise against keeping an itemized list of things owed, but fish don't seek out cleaner shrimp just because they enjoy their company. Everyone gets something

Unfortunately being extroverted and generally personable is a huge benefit here, but that's the value of the Guy That Knows A Guy. There's someone out there that has consolidated All The Guys so you don't have to be the local expert. Always remember nobody can do everything and you don't need to master every skill

* This is the foundation of a functioning community. I have many acquaintances that I find incredibly annoying. They include doctors, welders, artists, social workers, lawyers, construction crew and random fuckers at the grocery store. I do not hang out with them. I do not have to in order to maintain a civil Know A Guy relationship. I can drop them useful tidbits and fuck right off so I don't have to spend any more time than necessary with them

** People may assume romantic intent. Be prepared for that. I generally denote that it's a friendly/work lunch by calling them bro at some point if they're my age. Otherwise my general demeanor is sufficient to show that I do this with everyone

Source: personal experience, mother's teachings of crime, booth vending and poverty

[gimmick-blog-bracket]

Now for the final round!

@hellsitegenetics

I love them

I didn't know I needed to know that the weed-smoking girlfriends post was genetically a wolf, but I did, and I do. Also puts great stuff on my dash.

it’s so fun to be scrolling unhinged posts and then boom. an organism!

so many moths‼ also, unexpected comedy with some of the matches

perfect blend of silly and informative, and makes for an excellent punchline at the end of a long post. puts creatures on my dash. literally what more could you ask for

It's a really unique blog concept and a lot of times the results are pretty funny. It's great when the sequence matches the post content too!

Creatures 👍

Finds beautiful creatures out of the mess of the hellsite

Offers finality AND gives us a creechur.

I love them. English speakers talk like moths

If this blog wins, they could run the text of the winning announcement, and determine the post's genus and species!

They're also very good about tagging the type of creature depicted in the results, so as long as you mute tags of creatures you don't want to see, it's a very fun time seeing iconic legacy posts (and new submissions) being reduced down to a string of letters and assigned a random species of fish or moth or something!

uhh it’s cool

BLAST

There are so many weird bugs in the world

Yippee!!

If, as Haldane said, God has an inordinate fondness for beetles, then surely this blog proves that Tumblr has an inordinate fondness for moths.

Top tier blog as a geneticist, I love seeing obscure organisms and MOTH

Admin got rate limited after trying to blast the bee movie

the knowledge of biology to pull this off (i have taken one biology class in my life) and also the work to find all the strings honestly deserves quite a bit of praise

This gimmick blog has it all: science, pictures of animals, interaction with the text of other peoples' posts, interesting information, and a unique and fun premise. As a biologist, I'm rooting for hellsitegenetics to reach the end and take the tournament, because it is truly a standout among gimmick blogs.

If they win, perhaps this blog too shall become a cool organism :3

@hasgavlebockenburneddownyet

What's more happy holiday cheer than cheering on the destruction of a giant straw goat?

The birds may have won 2023, but I believe in humanity's capability for arson for 2024 <3

a vote for me is a vote for arson! This message was approved by hasgavlebockenburneddownyet

gavle is SUCH a public service and holiday feature

what's more tumblr than comical destruction and holidays?

sometimes you just gotta vote with your matchsticks

Bringing a cultural staple to tumblr since 2021

Arson is so much more fun

It would be really funny and ironic if it survives the tournament

you have no idea how much joy watching the chronicling of the gavlebocken brings me every year

hasgavlebockenburneddownyet provides an essential public service

always love seeing a bit of Swedish history on my dash 'Swedish bamboo season'

the goat account is peak gimmick blog

If I don't get to beat the goat then nobody does. -pointless-achievements

Never ask Tumblr to choose between lies and arson! The winner threatens by nature to rip apart the very fabric of our DNA!

goat statues made out of straw are exciting and interesting

I wanna see things burn

the goat is an essential part of tumblr culture and the goat blog is a sacred keeper of the tumblr high holidays

watching to see if the big straw goat has burned down each year is a true delight, something I never knew existed until tumblr and the blog dedicated to it

the incredibly focused nature of @/hasgavlebockenburneddownyet is what makes their gimmick superior.

Please guys bite gavlebocken

Look, I'm Danish. I was put on this earth to annoy the Swedes and vice versa, but even I voted for @/hasgavlebockenburneddownyet

gavlebocken is also such a fun name and this blog informed be about its existence, so for that I am grateful

hasgavlebockenburneddownyet is providing a vital service! Every year, people rely on their updates regarding the fate of our most beloved Yule Goat! How could they NOT deserve the win!?

sacred anti-corporate arson

a vote for gävlebocken is a vote for anarchy!

pls vote for them they're the funniest gimmick keeping track on the funniest phenomena in recent human history, like when i look at their acc i think to myself this is what tumblr was created for

the goat is the GOAT

HASGAVLEBOCKENBURNEDDOWNYET DESERVES TO WIN, I have them on post alert for a REASON

the holiday season wouldn't be the same without them

they do important reporting. Do you look at the news and be like 'the reporters aren't doing work they're just telling you whats happening.' Have some respect for the goat news

let the weird burnt sacrificial ritual of it all appeal to you

nothing makes my December more interesting, arson should win

doesn't barge in on other peoples posts which is always a good thing in my books. not a fan when obnoxious gimmick blogs turn a decent post into a garbled mess

[foone]

I love snake handling, as a religious practice.

Because while they can point at some Bible verses to justify it (a couple gospels use "snakes can't hurt you" as a metaphor for strength of belief, and they took it very litteraly) it's basically a modern invention. Like, the American Christian practice of snake handling is barely over a hundred years old! That's very young for a Christian practice.

It's younger than Mormons and Christian Scientist, and it's mostly limited to my area: the Appalachians.

It's basically just a regular Pentecostal service (which often involves laying of hands for healing, and my favorite Christian tradition, glossolalia!) except they add The Snake.

Like, you're at church, and there's the pews, and people are going up and Feeling The Spirit, and some of them are Picking Up The Snake.

That's alright, it's a harmless snake, right?

NOPE! They use venomous snakes. Usually American ones (your rattlesnakes and copperheads) but sometimes they import cobras and the like.

The venomous nature is the point. They believe that if they're blessed by God, they'll be able to handle the dangerous snakes without being hurt.

And given that this is a relatively rarely practiced thing, and it's connected to faith healing, you might think it's just a con. There's some traveling "holy man" with a well-trained snake that he can "miraculously" handle without being attacked, right?

Oh god no. It's a bunch of different guys and they get bitten all the time. Wikipedia has a list of 15 of 'em who died because of it, and that's just the "notable" ones.

People are allowed to just come up and touch the venomous snake! No training or safety equipment needed, just Jesus. Reportedly people who get bitten are not considered to be lacking in faith, just "it was their time to go". Like, they don't even call the hospital about anti-venom. You just die.

(Did I mention sometimes they drink poison too? Mainly strychnine, possibly because it's survivable in small doses. Same reason: their faith will protect them)

Anyway I really do love it. It's such an unusual thing to jam into Christianity, that I can't help but be mesmerized by it.

But it makes up the majority of 20th and 21st century American deaths from snakes. Most people avoid snakes so even the most deadly venomous snakes in America usually only ever kill by surprise, like someone reaches into a gopher hole and gets bit, or they accidentally bother one trying to piss in a bush. And even then, we've got anti-venoms! Lots of people bitten make it to the hospital and get treated.

So naturally the main group that ends up dying from snakes is the ones who are constantly handling deadly snakes and then refuse medical care.