#please support me and tell me that this is a valid decision and i should go ahead with it pretty please

[elizabeth-mitchells]

like this post if i should give up on my thesis, leave it as it is, and hope for the best <3

[onlyangel4]

pushed too hard. mv1. SMAU + written.

max verstappen x chronically ill! reader

in which max's girlfriend has a very valid reason for not attending the races but the public doesn't know. and when the hate gets too much she pushes herself too hard.

author's note: so i have written this completely from experience, so the reader has elhers danlos syndrome (which i also have) but if you suffer from a different chronic illness please do imagine it as that.

warnings: chronic illness. hate. hospitalisation. injury.

face claim: katie douglas

y/ninsta posted a story tagging maxverstappen

written: y/sister managed to get a picture of me as soon as i woke up to find out that max won the bahrain gp with a twenty second lead. i am such a proud girlfriend rn.

maxverstappen replied to your story: good you are awake i'll facetime you rn. i miss you and the cats.

user1 replied to your story: if you really were a good girlfriend you would have been there supporting him

maxfan: you are such a bad wag you didn't even stay up to watch the race.

you had woken up on a high. you had turned your phone on to see all the messages informing you of your boyfriend's impressive win and you had even managed to facetime max before he went to bed. it felt like a good day. but then you made the mistake of opening social media. people on twitter were doing what people on twitter do best, talk shit. your eyes scanned over the screen as for the millionth time people picked apart your relationship and called you every name under the sun. they saw you as a villain that just did not support her boyfriend and that could not be further from the truth.

if you could attend every race you would but that just was not plausible. you suffered from elhers danlos syndrome and on top of that you had chronic fatigue. the elhers danlos effected your joints making every day painful to some degree. yes there were good and bad days but there were never pain free days. both of your knees had been operated on and you were awaiting surgery on your ankle due to frequent dislocations. the simple description of elhers danlos is that you had fault collagen, this collagen is what makes your connective tissue so your connective tissue was faulty and therefore your joints had a habit of dislocating and causing you a hell of a lot of pain. it was a domino effect the constant pain that you were in made you incredibly tired and that is where the chronic fatigue came in. max often called you his sleepy girl because you needed at least one nap per day to function properly.

you knew the problems you were having with max's fans could be solved by you telling them what you suffered with medically but they did not deserve an explanation from you. you should be allowed to live your life how you want to without thousands of strangers telling you that you were doing it wrong or that you were a bad girlfriend. you wanted to keep your medical issues private and max completely understood and supported your decision to do so. so instead you had to deal with all the hate. you just had to remind yourself that these people did not know the real you and if they did they, hopefully, would not treat you like this.

y/sister posted a story tagging y/ninsta

written: y/n finally left the house for the first time in five days and it was just for a snack run.

maxverstappen replied: is she having a bad week, she only eats reese's when she is a lot of pain

y/sister: i didn't tell you this but she is not doing well at all, she slept all of yesterday and then today the internet hates her because she wasn't at the race.

as the saudi arabian gp came and went max was busy with stragety meetings and such this meant that instead of coming home for a few days like he had previously planned he stayed out there and was going to go straight from there to australia and at this point you were really missing your boyfriend. the hate had not subsided either. it was just a very difficult time for you. one night where you had just been scrolling through twitter reading through the cruel things that people had been saying about you, you hit your limit. there was no way that you could deal with this for the rest of the season. so insteadyou decided to do something about it.

the morning you needed to fly to australia was when you realised that this was a bad idea. you had woken up in enough pain to down a horse, joints aching and head spinning. but danny had pulled strings for you. he had arranged everything just so that you could surprise your boyfriend and there was no way you were going to cancel when the plan was already in motion. so instead you just grinned and bared it. the flight was okay, luckily daniel had booked you a first class seat.. but sleep was hard to come by due to your body not being used to sleeping while being in flight. you were already tired when you landed in australia. due to the lack of notice the only flight daniel could arrange got in late on the saturday night. so you had booked a hotel next to the airport and arranged for a car to pick you up in the morning.

it had been so fucking hot in your hotel room and that meant that sleep was incredibly difficult to find. you tossed and turned all night only getting five hours of low quality sleep. in the morning you had pulled on a comfortable outfit and made your way out to the car that daniel had arranged for you.

y/ninsta posted a story

written: fit check

f1wags

liked by user30, user31, user32 and 89,172 others

f1wags: y/n y/ln has arrived to her first ever grand prix. y/n has been dating max verstappen for 18 months and had never been to a race before. but today that changes. she is not dressed in usual wag attire instead in an oversized shirt and bike shorts with a red bull cap. she may not be dressed like the others but we are happy to see her in the paddock

view all 628 comments

user30: we wait for her to show up and she comes wearing that. what an awful wag

user31: go on girl. give us nothing.

user32: i'm actually so happy she is here. i love y/n and have never understood the hate i think she is the cutest

the red bull garage was incredibly easy to spot. your eyes found danny loitering outside having a meaningless conversation with your boyfriend, "i got you a present mate. as it is my home gp i decided to spoil you", danny spoke and max raised an eyebrow.

"whatever it is i am sure that i don't want it", max responded

"i wouldn't be so sure", you cut in and max turned around instantly at the sound of your voice a wide smile gracing his features.

"oh my god, y/n", he spoke as his arms engulfed you in a tight hug. "what are you doing here love?"

"i wanted to surprise you"

"well consider me surprised"

you laughed softly as you followed your boyfriend into the red bull garage he gave you a tour of the garage and you followed him clinging onto his arm. he was used to having to hold you up so leaning on him did relieve your aching joints. max knew all about your medical issues he had helped you with them for over a year. he knew that coming to australia was pushing your body past its limits so every so often he made sure to check in on you. make sure that you sat for a little bit before interacting with the rest of the team. however when he left to go and race there was no longer anyone in the garage that knew about your medical issues. and this is what led to you being stood all of the race. stragestists and other people who you gathered were important to the team took the seats, while you stood towards the back of the garage.

it was around lap twenty when your left ankle began to properly hurt and your eyes felt heavy. a clear indicator of fatigue and your body telling you that you needed to rest. but your boyfriend was racing so well and you wanted to be able to watch him. the race continued for a few more laps however just as max started the thirty first lap your ankle gave way, dislocating from the strain of you being stood on it when it was already under pressure. you crumpled onto the floor a yelp leaving your lips as you fell but you were unable to put your hands out to soften your fall so you ended up hitting your head on the hard ground. this was enough to knock you out. first aiders ran over and called the ambulance into the paddock but you next regained consciousness inside the ambulance, on the way to hospital. alone.

f1updates

liked by user35, user36, user37 and 54,092 others

f1updates: as the drivers go into the 4oth lap of the australian gp an ambulance was spotted leaving the paddock with full lights. sources say the ambulance was parked outside of the red bull garage, but no one knows who was inside of it when it left the paddock

view all 554 comments

user35: the stress finally got to horner

user36: shit i hope whoever it is is okay

user37: the red bull garage do look rather stressed

"well done max you have just won the australian grand prix", christian had called over the radio. he felt guilt twinge at him. his girlfriend had been rushed to the hospital thirty laps ago but christian had made the decision to not tell max until the end of the race. he knew that the dutch driver was going to be mad when he heard the news. christian decided he needed someone else to tell max what had happened. "daniel can you come find me as soon as you are out of the car", he had intercepted the racing bulls radio just to give daniel the message, christian knew it would be better to have bad news coming from him rather than himself.

"thirty fucking laps ago", max spoke pacing back and forth in front of one of his closest friends. "you are trying to tell me my girlfriend had an ambulance called on her thirty laps ago and no one told me. she is in a foreign hospital. alone and probably scared shitless", max ranted to danny.

"i know man, christian just asked me to tell you. we can go to the hospital after the podium ceremony"

"oh fuck that i'm going now"

"you aren't driving", daniel knew better than to argue with max in that moment. yes christian would be pissed to find out that max was skipping the podium ceremony but daniel was not going to stop him from leaving. instead the two man snuck out the back of the paddock and to danny's car. the two racecar drivers got to the hospital in record speed with max running up to the front desk asking the nurse where he could find you. he was ushered through the hospital to a ward.

you were sat in a private ward you ankle elevated, an ice pack on your head and fluid iv in your arm. "max. you won.", you spoke softly. you had the television on and the grand prix on, you had just watched footage of a frantic christian looking for the driver that was now in your room.

"that does no matter my love, what happened?"

"i just pushed myself too far max. i forced myself to stand the whole time and my ankle dislocated, the doctors want to operate on it soon. and when i fell i gave myself a nasty concussion", you explained and the look on max's face could only be described as broken.

"oh my love", he spoke softly pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"i just didn't want the fans to think i was a bad girlfriend. that you deserve more than me", you spoke quietly, "they all hate me because i can't go to races", you spoke tears forming in your eyes but max's thumb quickly wiped them away.

"they don't hate you. they just don't know you honey."

"we should put out a statement, tell them what has been going on with me"

"you just read my mind my love"

maxverstappen posted a story tagging y/ninsta

y/ninsta

liked by maxverstappen, landonorris, daniel ricciardo and 830,121 others

tagged maxverstappen

y/ninsta: a long awaited health update. after a week in hospital i am now finally back home from australia. i am expected to have surgery on my ankle in the next couple of weeks. and i am on a strict diet of hourly lollipops because my blood sugar was low. i just wanted to say a massive thank you to max who literally ditched his own podium ceremony (sorry christian) to be with me. i am so incredibly lucky to have you and i love you with all of my heart, even if i am pissing you off while i'm on bedrest.

view all 28,001 comments

maxverstappen: you could never annoy me

y/ninsta: even when i try to walk when i'm not supposed to

maxverstappen: y/n sit tf down

danielricciardo: so glad to hear you are doing better

y/insta: thank you for bringing me take out every day i was in australia

user40: the world owes this girl an apology. you all bitching and moaning about her not being present just to find out that she has a chronic illness. some of you should be really embarrassed rn

[mysticheathenn]

Messages From The Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Hi, Hexlings!

This pick-a-card reading is all about messages from things that you should not be caring or giving a f*ck about. This could be you having the fear of being seen. What does the world think of you at the gym? Basically, petty things that stop you from living your life.

This is a general reading, remember to take what resonates and leave what does not. This reading does not supplement your need to seek professional help. Tarot should be used as entertainment and not a for sure answer to your problems but as a guide, a sense of hope, and amusement.

Take your time when choosing your pile. Ask yourself the question and choose the picture that you can’t stop looking at. Listen to your intuition.

MasterList

Patreon Link

Pile l:

What should you not give a f*uck about? Tarot: 8 of Cups, 7 of Wands (reversed), Awakening, 9 of Cups, The High Priestess

The opinions of others concerning any and everything you do. You are meant to shine and show up as your most authentic self pile l. You do not need anyone's permission, advice, or even guidance on knowing who you are or what you should do with your life especially if these people are doing the exact opposite of what they try to preach to you. For some of you, I am getting that there is a family member or even just family in general who likes to dictate everything that you do and who you are. While I can't tell you what to do and can only provide you guidance for your situation, please ask yourself are these people happy? Do they ask anyone what they should do with their life and who they should be? Are they paying any bill of yours or financially supporting you? If you have answered no to any of these questions, my suggestion and only suggestion and opinion is to stop paying attention to anything that comes out of their mouth when it regards to you. I have a story for you once upon a time a little mystic heathen had parents and family who would dictate and tell little heathen what to do up until it got time to actually put their money where their mouth was and would back out while telling little heathen still what to do. Little heathen wanted to major in English while her parents medicine or computer science. It wasn't until little heathen saw that no one was paying the bills but herself that the only opinion that mattered with what she majored in, where to move, what career, and who I should be friends with was the opinion of her own. She broke free and stopped giving a dam because once you give someone the power to mold and control you it never stops. Unless the opinion from others saw red flags that I did not see everyone's opinion or suggestions could fuck off. Again this is all a suggestion and my opinion as you're an adult and can make your decisions for yourself but if you have been looking for a sign as to what you should do, this is it. Be free and release yourself from the holds of others that hold you at a standstill or make you unhappy.

Pile ll:

What should you not give a f*uck about? Tarot: 10 of Pentacles (Reversed), 2 of Cups, Queen of Cups, 5 of Swords (reversed), Knight of Cups, Queen of Wands (reversed)

Validation from romantic partnerships. I get the strong feeling from this pile that you love to watch and read future spouse pick-a-card readings. No matter the topic of love when it comes to tarot you are there waiting to see what it has in store for you. It is also similar to how you are in a relationship. You see the validation from your partners that you are good enough. Some of you might even have a small bit of pick-me energy. Whenever your partner says jump you don't ask how high you keep jumping and ask them if this is good enough and if it's not you keep jumping higher until they are satisfied not realizing that you, darling, are the prize. People should be jumping through hoops for you and not the other way around unless the energy is being reciprocated but I need you to understand that you are powerful just you alone without the opinion or approval of a love interest. You don't need anyone by your side at all. I know you're thinking I know I don't need anyone but I want someone...do you know pile ll. Do you really know that you don't need anyone? You are the Queen of Wands and the Queen of cups pile ll, you turn a house into a home, food into a cooked meal, etc. Anything someone gives you, you multiply it and tax interest and you are out here answering questions like "What do you bring to the table?" as if you aren't the table, the napkins, silverware, plates, and whole packaged deal. See yourself through the lens of a goddess/god. You are powerful, start acting like it, and stop putting yourself through hoops for someone who wouldn't do the same or doesn't even wash their own ass not knowing their shit stinks, they are no one special.

Pile lll:

What should you not give a f*uck about? Tarot: 2 of Cups, 3 of Swords, 6 of Cups, 6 of Pentacles, The Wheel

Pile lll you may have also been slightly drawn to pile ll as both your piles kind of go hand in hand. Pile ll is all about validation from being in a romantic relationship while yours is simply you acting as if being single is the worst thing in the world. As mentioned in Pile ll you probably watch and read a lot of love and Future Spouse pick-a-card readings because you have a hard time being by yourself. If not pick a card readings you read a lot of romance novels. Your favorite authors are probably Emily Henry, Ana Huang, Ali Hazelwood, Lauren Asher, Elsie Silver, etc. You watch as others around you fall in and out of love and you want that for yourself. If romance was oxygen you would die the moment you're not with someone within .5 seconds and I need you to release the need for romance just for a split second. Enjoy singlehood and realize that not everything is about love. There is more to life than being in a partnership with someone. You may not think that but have you tried and I mean really tried to enjoy being single? Travel to other places, dining out alone, watching a movie all without someone constantly talking or ruining the moment with spoilers. This message is only for a small few of you as it is very specific but you need to leave your ex alone. Stop thinking, dreaming, looking at their social media, or even reaching out to them. What's done is done...don't let someone tell you they don't want you more than once. This also goes out to those who are in situationships wanting a relationship from their person. They are telling you with their actions for some time now that they don't like you they just want you for your body and the things you can do for them. You are a placeholder until they find that person they want a commitment from. That was a specific message for those who resonated with the message but to continue on with the general reading love is beautiful, kind, and sweet, but it's not the end of the world if you don't have someone by your side. You are free to live life beautifully without someone else there to witness it. You remind me of the era when everyone would always post that they were going to the gym on Facebook and the meme was "If you don't post that you're at the gym, did you even go." If you have fun without someone being there with you to also have fun...did it even happen. Yes...yes it did pile lll. One day you will find a beautiful and harmonious relationship but until then enjoy singlehood. Also, give the love readings a break. Go outside and touch the grass for 30 mins everything will be fine.

Pile lV:

What should you not give a f*uck about? Tarot: 3 of words, The emperor, Ace of Swords (reversed), Page of Swords (reversed), The Empress (reversed)

Pile lV You are my only pile where I have to tell you to give a f*ck about something. You've been through heartache, after heartache, and loss to the point you have closed off your heart to the world because of how many times you have been hurt. This is leading you down a path where sometimes you can't focus or make the best decision because you have closed off your heart to the world or even love in general that anything where you need to involve feelings, showing a small bit of compassion, or even empathy goes out the window. Sometimes even logic goes out the window because you are so strung on not getting yourself tangled up in anything where it could lead to heartache or betrayal. For most of you I am getting this is a relationship or several might I add. While others of you probably had a shining light. You were a lighthouse pouring your beautiful light, energy, and guidance out onto the world for others to take advantage of you and make you cold, aggressive, or deemed in the eyes of a few, an asshole. I need to remind you that it is okay to open your heart to others or even love again Pile lV. I get it, it's scary thinking about the chances of being hurt again but I have to remind you that, this is part of life. You get knocked down and you get back up again but don't harden yourself off to the world. Not when the world needs so much kindness and love right now. There is already so much hate and lack of compassion in this world, open yourself up again even if it is for a little bit or for certain situations. The things that happened to you weren't meant to harden you up but to teach you lessons about boundaries and having self-respect and love for yourself. Instead, you hardened up instead of doing the work that is necessary to establish standards and boundaries for yourself. Do the work. Open yourself up again. The world needs your kind and gentle heart the way it was always intended.

Thank you for liking and reblogging my readings. I always appreciate you guys on here and on Patreon.

Stay safe and be blessed

[midnight-fox-boy]

I know this is a very high emotion topic right now but I think I need to say this.

To my USA pals; If you see any posts from a trans person talking about potentially detransitioning/going back in the closet and they list strong reasons as to why they're considering it (living in specific areas for example), please do not react with "No! Don't! Don't let them win that's what they want!!".

Like don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should encourage people to go back in the closet or to "give in". But I DO think that this mindset places an unfair responsibility onto that person. It comes off as seeing it as a betrayal, as "giving up and conforming", as a "loss".

It comes off as thinking someone needs to put their life on the line to loudly fight for what is right. That they must exist as they are publicly regardless of the dangers.

If someone GENUINELY feels that they will be safer going back into the closet until this is all over, that's valid. We shouldn't support them in whatever choices they make and remind them that they are still welcome within his community.

Buuuuttt, I think it's also okay to speak logically, especially if the person is asking for input or something. Helping the person find any potential helpful resources (or how to find those resources) to live as safely and healthily as possible.

I think it's okay to suggest waiting and seeing how things go before hastily making an emotionally charged decision that they may regret. I think it's okay to remind them that there's options in-between fully detransitioning/going into the closet, and being OUT loud and proud. For example maybe that's boy/girlmoding at work/school or going partially back into the closet, but not fully.

By basically telling people they have to be okay with being in danger no matter how scared they are or else they've basically done something wrong or bad, you're just going to contribute to more guilt, fear, and feelings of being alone.

And remember that many trans people are parents. Sometimes a parent may choose decisions they really don't want to do in order to keep their children safe.

I know this is not intended..I know you're not trying to guilt them or imply that they're contributing to the "enemy winning", but it can very much cause those kinds of feelings. They have not failed us. They have not failed themselves.

We will fight as a community, and we will fight for those who have to do whatever they can to survive and be safe, even if they can't be on the front lines. Our collective strength is enough to carry them.

[heyeun-recyclebin]

I just saw this post on my tumblr feed and man…it is misleading…

The part that is misleading is saying that “your soul, it will always tell you”

You gotta elaborate more on this because yet it may sound cool and convincing it’s teaching people to just dismiss any type of relationships without actually understanding the situation.

Because…we all need to know this fact.

“Feelings change every time”

So please do not just rely based on your feelings. You don’t even know if that’s your soul telling you or not lol.

It could just be YOU dealing with crap and simply wanting to distance yourself from the “world”

You might be losing good people because of this.

I thought it was my soul or heart telling me to stay away from certain people in the past and I regret so much for doing this. I made the dumbest decision.

In fact, I recently reconvened with an old friend several months ago whom I dismissed 10 yrs ago. I had this feeling that my soul was telling me to stay away from this person with all my heart at the time lol.

I regretted this decision year after year and we finally decided to try it again.

I am far more mature than I was before and so is my friend. We are really in good shape and both working on this relationship.

People these days give up so easily. If something doesn’t simply align with them they just toss it aside and never look back again.

Yes, unless the relationship is toxic and abusive…you are dealing with sociopath and narcissistic people…please leave the relationship but don’t leave just because you don’t feel the same anymore.

There are tons of ways to make things work out.

Don’t go straight into “oh…I have this gut feeling that I should distance myself from this person because I feel xyz”

If the relationship was good and becoming stale or you’re experiencing life challenges and changes, let them know your situation. Be honest. If they don’t want to respect you then distance yourself.

Some people just read these quotes and immediately apply it to their life by distancing themselves.

That’s an emotional betrayal and shock to the opponent.

They will be wondering why?..did I do something wrong?

They will probably act unnecessarily clingy and being that chaser to find out what the hell is going on??

Even putting them into the most vulnerable, unattractive place and giving you validation that “oh yeah, my soul was telling me the right thing, I indeed need to distance myself from this person”

Relationship is about companionship and commitment. We work on it together. We help and support each other. If something doesn’t seem to align, you work it out together as a team.

It is not too late to distance yourself after trying out all other options.

[psalmicwitch]

oh, sorry dear.. if the previous questions arent appropriate , as per ur practice .. please consider these maybe ?

how can i do better in life ?

message on my current situation ? ( exams stress and i am not doing well )

upcoming or current challenge/message for me and my bf-sk,Sagittarius, he/him

i am ishaana(id) she/her, libra

thank u so much ❤❤

Hi Hun! I wanted to answer all your questions from the previous ask as well, so I just rephrased a couple of them. I did two three card pulls, shuffling my first pull back into the deck before the second one. Here's what I pulled for you:

How should I feel about my exam result (10 of pentacles, upright) I want to begin with the fact that the ten of pentacles literally jumped out of my deck for you. We'll circle back to this fact later. The ten of pentacles usually indicates accomplishment of some sort, money, health, family. You could take this a couple of ways. Either your exam went well, or the process with which you deal with the result, whatever way it goes, could lead you to feeling accomplished and well supported. To take it a step further, the older gentlemen in the card suggests that we're not to be happy simply because we've attained something, but rather the sharing of our accomplishments with our loved ones.

How should I anticipate and prepare for my parent’s reaction to my result (two of Wands, upright) The two of wands invites us to feel adventurous and make a move, despite our reservations. The wall in the cards may represent the security you feel when your parents are pleased with you, and the world outside that comfortable space free of conflict, is daunting. While this card doesn't tell us how they will react, it invites you to perhaps be more self assured and less reliant on their validation for your self worth. I understand that often failing a test results in physical consequences as well, and that is certainly frightning, but I believe this card invites you to at least disconnect your emotions from their reaction.

Upcoming challenge for me and my bf (initials sk) (Page of cups, upright) The page of cups is a card of surprise and creativity. This suggests that an upcoming challenge may be a surprise, perhaps a personality shift in one of the two of you. The personality shift may be a type of creativity, or one that takes creativity to solve. The great part of the page of cups is that although this change and challenge is surprising, it is a welcome and positive one. You may have to explore part of yourself and your relationship deeper, but the sign from the page is a positive one.

How can I do better in life? (Page of swords, reversed) The page of swords often comes to us reversed when we're holding part of ourselves back. That may be from a loved one, our community, or ourselves. Sometimes the page of swords reversed tells us that we're falling into people-pleasing activities, making promises we can't keep, or acting hastily. The invitation from the page of cups is to reflect on the questions he asks us, and decide for ourselves in which of these scenarios we are lacking. Do we need to be more open, make better promises, or think things through further?

Message on my current situation (two of swords, reversed) The two of swords is a card that tells us of confusion, and carefully weighing our options. Reversed, these concepts are exagerated. We're facing a difficult decision, life path, or stuck between two competing sides or ideas, and we have absolutely no idea what to do. As the woman in the two of swords is blindfolded, the only way to move forward is to trust our intuition. We either don't have all the facts or can't see them, so prolonging this stalemate is only detrimental.

Upcoming or current message for me and my bf (10 of Pentacles, reversed) There's the 10 of pentacles again, this time, reversed. I'd take a closer look at the ten of pentacles online, and see if other people's interpretations of this card relate to you at all. It's a little bizare to see the same card twice. In such a short time span for the same person. The ten of pentacles, unlike before where we were to feel comfortable in our situation, invites us to ask ourselves what we really want. We need to question our need for security, stability, and commitment. This card is NOT a reason to rapidly change a relationship, however. Is your relationship feeling stagnant? Are you moving too quickly? Is one of you too dependant on the other? Perhaps we should look back at the Page of Cups. Since that card asks us to try something new, and this one asks us to question our foundations and normalcy, if you resonate with the stagnancy of this card, should the two of you try something new together? If perhaps you resonate with the security aspect of this card, maybe try new hobbies apart, and share the joy in them together?

(I answered this publicly, but let me know if you'd like it removed and answered privately instead!) My physical cards are below!

[nifteeeeee]

Hey, Hey!! Name's @vanilla-cream-blogs156820!! This is random but what's your feeling about LGBTQ+ community? Just wondering how many people think we're valid :)

As someone who is just learning about her bisexuality, I'm trying to find people on tumblr who will allow me to interact with them, even though I'm bi

Thank you for your time, I will respectfully not interact with your blog if you desire :)

Hey vanillababe, in my opinion the LGBYQ+ community seems a bit much these days? The ze/zem/e/er kind of pronouns specifically are really like.. I don't know it's confusing, trans people aswell, I understand wanting to dress how you want or feel different from yourself, but please don't make life altering decisions when you're young and going through puberty, your hormones will mess with your head and make you do stupid things, but please don't act on it. But, they are valid, (except puberty blockers and extreme surgery to change your body, those people scare me, especially when they are prepared to give this kind of medication/treatment to very young children) speaking of children, in my opinion person's/mentally unwell people under the age of 20-24ish should not be allowed to make life altering choices by themselves, I've met many 11-13 year olds who say they're gay, trans or whatever they want, children are easily manipulated and copy what people do and say online, some might say that that child can be what it wants and we should respect it, no way on God's green earth am I letting my baby brother make a decision like that at such a young age, but, if he still feels the way he does when he's an adult, I'll support and love him. I've been hearing some insane stories from the USA that's casting this group in a bad light. I do support gays, bisexuals, lesbians, and aroace (is that how you spell it?) the more basic, simple to understand stuff. And even though I don't understand pronouns, if I'm asked to call someone by they're preferred pronouns, I will try to, and if I slip up and call them the wrong pronoun, that person shouldn't over react, I know its 2024 and people can do and be and say what they want, but what I've been hearing and seeing online puts me into a space that makes me say "who's child is that??" to two fully grown men in stripper clothes walking his partner like a dog who's wearing a harness and ball gag, I'm fine with LGBTQ+ couples and the like but please for the love of God keep your kinky bedroom shenanigans in the bedroom 😭🙏

Long story short, you can love whoever you want, and be whatever you want, but as soon as you start forcing people into respecting you for your choice? That puts you in the wrong, like a Christian telling you "you need Jesus" because you wear shorts

Don't feel forced to fit in, and don't force anyone to fit in or change, spread love, it's in our human nature ♥️♥️♥️

P.S. Sorry for the long response, I get quite passionate on this subject, it's hard to say so much without sounding rude/disrespectful ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[mimikoolover]

There’s nothing wrong in acknowledging the difference in how the company managed jm’s comeback Vs jk’s. And there’s nothing wrong with admitting that jk got a huge push that helped him achieve all these numbers while other members didn’t. That’s not diminishing, that’s stating facts. Idk why army keep calling people “solos” “antis” whenever we point out that a lot of shady things have happened with jimin and face. Yes we don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes but we are also not blind. We can see that face CDs are not restocked, we can see that hype did not acknowledge jimin’s number one, we can see that hype approved that shady article about jimin (the Weverse article ), we know that hype said no when jimin asked for a visual album (he literally told us) , we know that the fans were not informed about bbd new rule and that caused a free fall for LC. we also know that the promotion period was too short for a debut album. These things have happened and have affected LC’s potential and it’s ok to acknowledge that and question why they happened. If some fans want to ignore and focus on the happy things then that’s ok but please don’t accuse those who care about jimin as an artist of being akagaes or whatever you call them. Some of us want to the best for jimin and the rest of the group and we would be happy for all the members and their achievements as long as no one gets sabotaged on the way.

no.

to clarify: you're a solo/akgae because you harbour irrational hatred for other members. not because you care about jimin. caring about jimin doesn't involve hating on the people he's closest to and actively sabotaging them.

tell me your motivation behind comparing jimin and jk's solo debut. where are the comparisons involving the hyung line, if you think of yourself as so fair?

jimin's promo is not fans' job. how the members' promos are handled is not fans' job. you don't know what happens behind the scenes. stop pretending you do.

you list several things that you perceive as sabotage and for some reason you think this, which is business, is somehow your job to demand better for.

let me say this again: the members' careers are business.

hybe is not attacking jimin as a person if they say no to an idea he brings to the table. as a fan i want jimin to do everything that he wants to. at some stage that stops being realistic as a business decision and jimin knows that. it's still more than valid for him to be upset about the decision and to voice that. but when he tells you, he's not also saying to you that he wants you to burn the company building down.

it's baffling you expect fans to be informed about billboard rules by the company.

as a fan, you should enjoy the music and the content that your fave creates. at some stage in this fandom this will have to be said:

it's not fans' job to spend thousands of dollars in order to make their faves chart.

it's not fans' job to stream 24/7 from multiple devices in order to increase streams.

it's not fans' job to monitor the company, billboard, scooter, the entire industry.

it's not caring about your fave when you spread hate against other members. it's not caring about jimin when you team up with other fandoms to try to make a racist American man or two chart above jungkook. you're not justified hating, comparing, sabotaging jungkook because the company doesn't do for jimin what you want them to do.

it would be naive to claim that the fandom's frankly bonkers 'support' as they call it did not put bts and the members where they are today. it did.

but bts never ask you to do any of that. when they say they love army, it's not because of the monetary support or the endless streaming.

when jungkook tells people to care more about themselves than him, and that fans are the main characters' of their own lives, you can wonder why he says that.

(side-note: i seriously side-eye every single artist that has seen what bts fans do, and now encourage their fans to do the same and buy and stream endlessly. several tweets and posts asking fans if they're streaming. all of that. bts have never done that).

be honest with yourself and really think about how what you listed above in your ask makes you feel. then think about whether jimin would want you to feel that way.

people gotta understand that what fandom says isn't rooted in reality. the reality is bts do their job and we don't know what the company does, we don't know their personal lives, we don't know feelings they only share with the people closest to them or maybe with no one at all. the reality is you cannot take every move, act, breath, word of a member as gospel and base your entire experience around you and twitter's assumptions over what they mean. there's gotta be some grey space where people take things at face value and just enjoy the damn music.

[alexiela73]

Can I please have a headcanon for Reaper where he's both excited and scared after learning he's going to be a dad?

Absolutely!

Gabriel Reyes

McCree knew about the pregnancy before Gabe, only because Gabe's s/o was worried about telling them

The two of them had never really gotten as far as children- you'd been dating maybe six months, and as far as the two of them were concerned, wasn't that serious

After all, the two of them were very career motivated and worked a lot

The two of them have always practiced safe sex, and though the two of them could get carried away, neither had really put much thought into this happening

McCree was there when Gabriel was told. It was a lot for him to process, and admittedly, the first thing he'd said was, "But....But I wore a condom..."

Jesse had rolled his eyes. "As you've told me maybe hundreds of times, Gabe...its not a fool-proof thing, condoms," he'd said.

His partner had asked what Gabriel thought they should do, if they should terminate the pregnancy or not

Honestly, Gabriel had just grabbed the nearest bucket and puked

McCree suggested both parties take a few days to sit on the information before coming to a decision. After all, the fetus wasn't going anywhere

Gabe ended up needing to take the next few days off, in which Jesse checked on him periodically. He tried talking to him, but Gabriel was pretty clammed up about the whole thing

What if he was as shitty a father to the baby as his father had been to him? What if he was a bad dad? What if the baby grew up and hated him?

Another part of him though imagined a small infant in his arms, and wondered what it'd be like to have a piece of himself like that. Would he like being a dad? He already had plenty of adult children

Jesse got so worried that finally he told Ana what was going on and sent her to talk to him

Ana had gone to his room and went in. After a few minutes, she'd broken the silence with, "So, you ready to be a father?"

The words had made him groan and he dropped his hands into his head. "No...maybe...I don't know. Can you go away?"

Ana had chuckled, moving to sit in his desk chair. "No, I can't. Gabriel, you have to make a decision sooner then later. If you don't want the baby, that's completely valid. But if you do...then you need to sit down and talk with her. Come to a decision you both can be happy with."

"How am I suppose to decide?" Gabe asked, looking up at her. "What if I go through with this and its one big mistake? What if I fuck up the kid? I...I don't want to be a bad dad."

Raising an eyebrow, Ana had watched him for a moment, before moving to sit next to him and put her hand on his arm. "You wouldn't be a bad father," she said gently. "I know you, Gabe. You are hard working and hard headed- and present. That's what children need."

Gabriel shook his head a bit. "I'm just...scared, I guess," he muttered. "I...I think I want to be a dad. I just don't think I could stand it though if I failed them..."

"The secret is, Gabriel, that you will always worry you've failed them. You will always double question yourself and if you made the right choices. As long as you love them, through thick and thin, that is the most important thing. As long as you support your child, then you will never fail as a parent," Ana said soothing, rubbing his arm and watching him as Gabriel closed his eyes.

Her old friend looked so tired and ragged. This was a big decision, and of course, Ana remembered what it was like when she realized she was pregnant with Fareeha. Its terrifying.

"Plus, you've survived Jesse. At this point, I think you'll survive anything," she said, managing to get a chuckle out of him. "There it is. Think on it a bit longer, okay? But don't keep hiding away."

Gabriel wiped his eyes, before giving her a few pats on the back. "Ya...thanks, Ana. I'll think about it awhile longer," Gabriel said, but he really did feel a bit better after the talk with her.

[fierceawakening]

2/? It seems like most of the female people I know these days are nonbinary; if engaging with them the way they prefer stopped taking mental effort to walk on eggshells that would be better for everyone. As it is, I just... I feel like I'm staring at the naked Emperor, and if I breathe one word of his nakedness in the wrong situation I'll get excommunicated from the "queer" community. And when I do manage to find someone to talk to in private, they either agree that yes [CONT'D]

That's fair! It took me a long time to figure out what I thought nonbinary was, and longer than that to consider whether applying it to me made sense. I can tell you what this process is/was like for me, if it's helpful.

I knew since I was very young that I was Different from Other Girls. I had a similar body (albeit a disabled one), and my understanding was that people with that body are called "girls" and referred to with "she," so I never really went through a period of thinking these didn't apply to me.

I also did not go through thinking I was a boy.

What I did go through? Was wondering a lot of the time if I "should've been" or "was supposed to be" a boy.

I tried to talk myself out of these feelings, as adults of both genders I knew about kept telling me "girls can do anything."

But the one thing they DIDN'T seem to consider a part of "anything" was "have penetrative sex as the top," and they certainly didn't explain to me that there are ways "Female" "shes" can do this, or that some people like it.

So I resigned myself to the idea that I was a girl, that there's no "should have been" it made any sense to feel, and that it just meant that where most people grew up to want to have sex, I would grow up to NOT want to have sex, because I'd always have to do it wrong.

That, or I would reach this "puberty" thing people kept talking about, and everything I was wondering about would magically invert and I'd become Correct and stop asking myself this stuff.

Now it could have been I was just a butch lesbian, but again... I didn't have context for what that was! I knew, vaguely, that some girls date girls and some boys date boys and it's less common but valid, and I did kind of wonder if that would make it better, and told a few people I thought I'd be a lesbian, as it was the only thing I could make parse at all.

When it became clear in my adolescence that I crushed hard on girls but ALSO (a bit less intensely but it was definitely there too) on boys, this was a bit of a scary revelation. And do what with them? How? I wanted SOMETHING, but I couldn't tell what that was unless, again, I imagined myself in a male body, whether topping a female or a male or some imaginary combination. (Yes, please.)

I knew "FTM transsexuals" existed, but I didn't know that I was one of those. I talked to them, and made friends with many, and am still glad to be friends with many (hi guys, love you!) but... they seemed to really like not just the idea of their bodies becoming less alien to them, but the idea of BEING BOYS. Which seemed to me like, okay, I'd have the right body for sex and that would be lovely, but then the rest of the time I'd have a body that wasn't at all like a girl, when "girl" was what I was... mostly... except for this... THING.... oh god I'm so weird, I'm just a freak.

Fast forward to college. I took a gender studies course, trying to figure out what the fuck was up with me (and made the disastrous assumption "gender therapy" meant you tell a mental health professional that you suspect you might be trans, and they gently and without judgment talked you through what your life might be like if you transitioned vs if you didn't, and helped you to come to an authentic decision and then supported you in it. All I got was "do you hate your period? No? Then you're cis. Bye.")

A really fucked up thing happened. I now think of it as, well, really fucked up. But there was a section in our textbook talking about sex differences and what they were, and why they're not the same thing as gender differences, and in it was a photo of the naked body of a person with CAH--a masculinized female body, including bottom growth.

I now feel very weird I ever saw that, and apologize profusely to whoever that was that someone took photos of her(?) body.

But I had a lightbulb moment. My mind went, "if that was my body, I wouldn't feel weird any more."

Which led me to: okay, I DO have sex dysphoria. I wasn't making that up or parroting words I'd heard trans guys say or something. But I didn't have it quite in the way that they had it. I had it in a way that felt like "I belong somewhere in the middle. I'd be happiest like that, but am afraid I'd be bashed if I was like that and openly so."

Why do I have this feeling? I do not know. I just know that when I pretend it isn't there because it's weird and silly, it doesn't go away. I just feel like the same person I was a moment ago, just now I'm weird and silly.

Some butches seem to describe similar feelings. I lurked in those communities a lot and still do sometimes. But I wasn't a lesbian, I was bisexual. People seemed to be very weird about caring a lot about that bit, so I didn't dare delurk.

But it did seem to me that the gay community was actually *much* more about people who felt weird in their bodies or gender role than "gay people just like people with the same body" described.

Now do I know for sure testosterone would help? No, as I haven't tried it--but I do know that the feeling I am calling dysphoria intensifies horribly if I take any birth control pill stronger than the weakest on the market, which seems to confirm to me that there's a level of estrogen that feels wrong, and leads me to want to find out if a higher level of testosterone would feel "right."

(If it didn't? I'd toss it.)

What frightened me all my life was that people never seemed to talk much about in-between feelings. if you confessed to them you were proving you were cis. and if they were sexual? Hoo boy, you're just messed up.

Now people talk about feeling like being in the middle much more openly, and they call that non-binary. So... why not use that word? Especially when there isn't this weird "did you ever enjoy sexual contact with someone who was male? Or were you going through fundamentally unpleasant motions in every way all the time?"

Which I can't answer as "because I felt uncomfortable in my body and role, it was all completely awful." I did feel off and weird, but I didn't completely lack enjoyment, and I certainly enjoyed seeing my partner's pleasure and knowing that being with me caused that.

So there you go.

[dracomeir]

This is how Pico learns Boyfriend has more problems than his curse, and what he does to help him realize he’s more than just an incubus. (I consider the following 16+, but idk. If anyone thinks I should put the mature filter like some other posts on RD I've done, please tell me.)

Pico wondered why Boyfriend was cheerful and flirty all the time. It was like the past didn’t affect him at all, and he was somewhat jealous his companion could move on so quickly. After learning about the curse, he began to doubt the incubus had no problems of his own. That doubt turned into certainty after hearing a few off handed lines from him during cases.

“Sometimes those who smile often have the most to hide.”

“That guy didn't seem broken, but most people don’t look the part, so I might be wrong.”

“Surely there’s more to life than pleasing others like this.”

Whenever Boyfriend said things like this, Pico could see them applying to him easily. His friend smiled often, didn’t look broken, and always avoided pleasure as a topic the moment it involved him more than he wanted. The incubus didn’t made any effort to learn more about his curse either. It was like he gave up before even trying.

“Boyfriend, you asked me to trust you with my problems, so please do the same for me."

"Huh?"

"I'm a detective, BF. I can see there's something bothering you."

"I... Is it normal not wanting to do it anymore?"

"Ah. No wonder you always found an excuse to leave whenever someone approaches you with that kind of intent." He took a moment to think. "Is the concept of the ace spectrum not a thing in the underworld?"

"I never heard of that before."

"In that case, I recommend doing some research. It might help you move on from whatever is bothering you." He lit a cigarette. "And to answer your question, feeling that way is perfectly valid. Whatever you end deciding to do, I'll support you the whole way. Just like you've done for me so far."

For the first time in his life, Boyfriend felt seen. His life so far started to make sense once he learned about people who are demisexual. He would eventually talk about his past to Pico, and the ginger reminded him that he's also a saxophone player, an emotional support demon, and most importantly, an amazing companion. Those words caused the incubus to release his bottled up emotions. He was glad Pico was so understanding, and they made the decision to not do anything in bed until he was ready again.

[asking-jude]

Hi, so, i dont usually do stuff like this, but i don't really feel like i have anyone irl i can talk to about this right now. So I've recently gotten into a relationship. Its my first actual relationship and my gf seems lovely, shes always been really supportive and kind to me, even before we started dating. However, im not sure i really like being in a relationship, i find myself missing when she and i were just friends and i feel like I've jumped into a relationship to soon. I didn't have time to properly think through my feelings for her and i dont think they're really as strong as i initially thought. Ive started to notice this is a pattern for me, the second someone shows a mutual intrest in me i seem to start to lose intrest, even if i dont want to. My friends haven't havent been much help either, they're all currently upset with her for various and admittedly completely valid reasons, and they have proof of some really inconsiderate and honestly rude things shes said about them and to them (we're all in the same friend group btw). I dont know how to feel about any of this, i mean i don't want to break up, but how much of that is just me wanting to go with the flow? And staying when im not really feeling it feels unfair. Should i end things before they get to deep? Should i stick it out for a while? I'm sorry this is so long.

Do you want free, fast mental health help? Visit askingjude.org.

Hi love,

Thank you for reaching out to Asking Jude. I am sorry that you are going through this difficult situation. Please understand that what you are feeling is completely valid. It is commendable that you are comfortable enough with your feelings to reach out for advice.

I would recommend taking some time to reflect on yourself and your feelings. Assess whether or not you genuinely want to be in a romantic relationship with this person right now, or if you want to be in a romantic relationship at all. You could also ask yourself questions, such as, “Would I be happier if we were just friends?” or, “Do I see myself with her two years from now?” These questions can help clarify your genuine feelings about the situation.

Communication is vital in both romantic and platonic relationships. Try to have an open and honest conversation with her. You can discuss how you have been feeling about the relationship, and what you both can do moving forward. Telling her that you’re trying to understand your emotions will allow her to give you time to evaluate the relationship. You don't have to rush into decisions about the future of your relationship. Allow yourself to explore your emotions without feeling pressured. If you conclude that a romantic relationship is not what you are looking for right now, make sure to clearly communicate that with your partner.

I have linked some articles that can help you navigate through this situation. The second article could be particularly helpful because it explores what you should ask yourself when considering your relationship, and it contains further steps to help you with the conflict of the desire of being in a relationship:

https://www.marriage.com/advice/relationship/relationship-feels-like-friendship/; https://www.elitedaily.com/dating/do-i-want-a-relationship-questions/2015423.

Ultimately, it's important to be true to yourself and prioritize your own well-being. If you find that the relationship with your girlfriend isn’t fulfilling, it’s okay to make decisions that align with your needs. Please remember that all of your feelings are valid, and always be patient with yourself. Thank you again for reaching out to Asking Jude! Please do not hesitate to reach out again.

Best of luck,

Irene

Ask a question here.

[justakitteh622]

Future!Donnie x GN!OC

ROTTMNT Future timeline ANGST! It starts with a lot of fluff and very quickly devolves so I hope you’re prepared! There is a bit of fluff at the end as a palette cleanser. You’re welcome <3

I might make this into a series if it’s well received. The next piece will be the story of Donnie and my OC in the present timeline and it’s a rollercoaster.

This is kinda cherry picked from the middle of a larger story, so for context: Soxx is a lynx yokai with owl wings. They are nonverbal but not deaf and use ASL primarily to communicate.

If you’re interested in seeing more from me please let me know! I crave validation :>

TW: ANGST, AMPUTATION, DISCUSSION OF TAKING SOMEONE OFF LIFE SUPPORT, MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH, HEARTBREAK, GRIEF, SELF NEGLECT, SELF SACRIFICE

“Untie Soxx?!” The comment surprised everyone in the room.

“Uhh Case?” Leo leaned toward Casey Jr. with confusion written all over his face.

“Sorry… uh. I’m Casey. You don’t know me, but I know you from my timeline.” Casey shifted uncomfortably and rubbed his arms for comfort. He was already tearing up, and he hated that this was his reaction. He should have been prepared for this.

Donnie cocked his head curiously, looking from Casey to his partner, Soxx, and back again. Soxx was looking at him for help, advice, information, anything to help, but he had none. The Hamato family had all gathered for New Year’s Eve, and although Donnie had been dating Soxx for months now, this was their first time meeting Casey Jr. Nobody would have guessed that he would’ve recognized them on sight.

“Soxx was in your timeline?” Mikey piped up excitedly, but it didn’t fit the air in the room.

“Yes.” The word stuttered out of Casey’s mouth like it didn’t belong there. Casey shivered and hugged himself tightly. Soxx was starting to get nervous, fidgeting with their wings to self-regulate.

What did they do?

Leo pulled Casey into a hug, only dampening the sound of his choked sobs. By now Donnie was also uncomfortable and took to placing an arm across Soxx’s shoulders lightly squeezing them close.

“Uhh… Casey?” Raph stood from his seat on the couch and apprehensively approached.

“Well…” Casey started, “it’s a sad story. But in a good way?” Now he had everyone’s attention as tears still fell from his cheeks.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Leo’s tone held an air of ‘I will kill anyone who dares to hurt you’.

“I think it might actually be nice to talk about it for once. And… It’s a pretty compelling story.” Casey pulled away from Leo and nodded decisively.

“Yes! Story time!” Mikey flailed energetically on his beanbag, squeezing an armful of blanket.

“Heh…” Casey sniffed, “I’m not the greatest story teller, but I learned from the best.” He glanced warmly at Soxx, putting them much more at ease. “Alright everybody sit. Story time is just better that way. And Raph?”

“Yeah?” Raph smiled kindly at Casey as everyone else found a comfortable spot in the living room to sit.

“Grab the tissues.” Casey’s tone and face were dead serious.

Once tissues, snacks, and drinks were acquired and everyone was comfortable, Casey sat in the middle of the room. Taking a deep breath he began.

“Untie Soxx was a yokai saved by Master Leonardo from a krang attack when I was only a couple years old. Their ability to fly silently seemed incredibly useful, so they began working at the main colony as a scout.”

“A scout huh?” Donnie smirked at Soxx, who was snuggling on his side.

“I keep telling you I’ve been a spy this whole time.” Soxx signed smugly in ASL.

“No interrupting the story!” Leo scolded, pushing his hand into their face.

“One day,” Casey continued silencing the rousing giggles, “Soxx was out patrolling and found a dead krang. Within minutes Master Leonardo and Professor Donatello had arrived at the scene. Master Michelangelo had stayed on base to keep things running, but was on call if they needed assistance.”

“Smart smart…” Leo commented from the sidelines.

“But when Donatello leaned forward to scan the krang’s body, it sprang up to attack!” Gasps rang around the room as Casey mimed the krang coming to life. “Fortunately, Soxx was standing close enough to grab him and take off into the air, saving him from what would have been a very horrible death. Untie Soxx always said that moment is when Dee fell head over heals.”

“Scoff! I do not ‘fall head over heals’.” In response, all three of his brothers, April, and Soxx sent deadpan stares at Donnie, who was getting very flushed very quickly.

“They said it was the look in your eyes and you never protested when they told the story.” Casey smirked at Donnie’s sudden lack of response. “Now then… the three of them killed the krang together. It was already greatly wounded but the fight was still intense. Throughout the battle, Untie Soxx and Uncle Tello were constantly saving each other’s skin. One block here, one swoop there… It was like they were meant to fight together.”

Sparkling eyes fixated on Casey from all around the room. “Of course… I wasn’t there and I’m pretty sure you both exaggerated the story quite a bit.”

“I would never!” Soxx signed defensively.

“They would never!” Donnie echoed, feigning offense.

“What I do believe about that story, is that Soxx had felt surface level adoration for Uncle Tello until that moment when, without question, they valued his life over theirs.” Raph eyes were already watering; he sniffed quietly as Casey went on.

“Uncle Tello was head over heals,” Casey sent a brief glare at Donnie. “and he couldn’t handle that. Master Michelangelo at first told him that it was just a combination of the exhilaration of battle and the isolation of the apocalypse, and maybe he was right. So Donatello buried it: hiding in his work as he often did.”

“He went to great lengths to avoid Soxx entirely even after they were promoted to Lieutenant. “We don’t work well together” he would say, but everyone knew he was lying. This drove a wedge in the war efforts as Donatello’s productivity fell, he refused to go on patrol, and he would often need extra debriefings after missing meetings.”

“Yeah that sounds like D.” Leo commented smugly. His smirk made Donnie roll his eyes.

“Eventually Sensei couldn’t deal with it any longer and forced Uncle Tello to admit his feelings to Untie Soxx or he would tell them himself.”

Soxx and Leo shared a knowing glance. He had done the same thing to Soxx in this timeline.

“So… with some protest, Donatello took Soxx to the rooftop of the colony to watch the sunset. It was both risky and beautiful; certainly not something you see everyday. Apparently,” Casey smiled warmly at Soxx. “you thought Donnie hated you, and were pleasantly surprised at the truth.”

Now Soxx was blushing too, covering their snout with their paws.

“Soxx and Donatello got caught up in the moment and…” Casey coughed and looked away embarrassed. “they had sex on the roof that day.”

“Blech! Ew! I don’t need to hear that many details about my brother.” Leo started making intentional gagging noises. “Why do you even know that?”

“Funny you should ask! They both thought no one knew but… April put a bug on donnie’s battle shell.” Casey stifled a laugh. “The aforementioned bug was hastily turned off when Uncle Tello made a quote “turtle noise” that made Sensei dry heave. They kept the audio as blackmail for years, but never actually used it.”

“Unfortunate. That is fantastic blackmail.” April grinned suspiciously.

“After that, Soxx and Donatello spent almost every waking moment within each other’s sight. That is, until Untie Soxx moved into Uncle Tello’s quarters. Then it really WAS every moment, sleep included.” Casey punctuated his point with a single finger pointing into the air. “That’s how I actually remember them: inseparable. They worked, fought, slept, ate, and even bathed together. Both seemingly afraid the other would die the second they parted. And I don’t blame them… that’s how things were.”

“Yeah, that sounds like them.” Raph shrugged. Soxx sent a death glare at him, but didn’t respond. Casey paused, lost in thought, and for a moment the room was silent.

“I was 7 years old when Untie Soxx lost their wing.” Casey’s statement was blunt, and everyone’s face dropped. Donnie adjusted in his seat, pulling Soxx closer. “They had taken a calculated risk to buy the others some time and suffered the consequences.”

“What happened?” Mikey stated solemnly; he was on the edge of his seat.

“They were grabbed by a krang zombie and thrashed around by their left wing. The wing was unsalvageable but they would have died if Uncle Tello hadn’t jeopardized the mission to rescue them and haul ass back to base.” Casey paused again, taking a deep breath. “Upon returning, Soxx refused to communicate with anyone, even Uncle Tello. Everyone kind of just understood why; it wasn’t quite the same as loosing an arm or leg. It was more like being wheelchair bound. Sensei told me they would never fly again.”

Soxx shifted their wings, somehow needing to remember that they were there.

“Once they were stable and the amputation complete, Donatello left them in the Medbay and locked himself in his lab for over a week. He didn’t open the doors, didn’t accept food or water, and he likely didn’t sleep for more than a few hours total.”

Leo would have said something like “Yup sounds like Dee”, but that point had already been made, and he was deeply invested in this story.

“I was there the day he finally left his lab with a fully functional prosthetic wing.” Again, wide eyes from around the room were fixed on Casey. “It was perfect. It was beautiful. Not a single flaw. It had every bell and whistle you could imagine. Uncle Tello really had done his best, even in the middle of an apocalypse. It was the single greatest piece of technology Donatello ever made… and ever would make.”

Casey wiped a tear off his cheek, noticing briefly that the snacks were now going uneaten.

“He presented his work to Untie Soxx, who was still bedridden, with such pride, admiration, and fulfillment, but he had that manic look in his eye that everyone knew too well. Soxx all but ignored the tech, with their eyes only on him. The first thing Soxx signed after loosing their wing was “You look so tired, baby.” with tears streaming down their face. I committed the moment to memory.”

The room was still. Not a single person dared speak or move. The air was thick with emotion that went completely unspoken. Casey cleared his throat and sniffed away his tears.

“I was just barely 8 when Soxx and Donnie dedicated their lives to each other. Captain Dracum officiated a yokai wedding of sorts which included mystic vows and a binding sigil.” Casey pointed to his wrist, showing where the sigils had been placed. “It was emotional for everyone: a wedding in the apocalypse? Even the great Master Leonardo sobbed unapologetically. It wasn’t the most extravagant wedding, but there was real food, music and dancing… even a pseudo-cake that Master Michelangelo scavenged the ingredients for.”

By this point Donnie and Soxx were completely red and everyone else was grinning ear to ear with wet eyes.

“Did they dress up?” Mikey inquired hopefully, tears welling up expectantly.

“Yeah actually! They did. It was more uh… battle gear then black tie, but Untie Soxx wore a crown made from krang bones and flowers that Uncle Tello grew in his lab. I remember distinctly that they kissed in the air, it was… inspiring to everyone that saw.”

“I would never be so…” Donnie began, but Soxx put a finger over his lips and shut him up immediately. And that was everything anyone needed to know.

“Here was the cool part though! The wedding gave Soxx their own Hamato Ninpo! A wind power complete with force shields and a speed boost while flying!” Casey’s face lit up as he demonstrated the abilities.

“But that would mean…” Donnie trailed off to himself, thinking deeply about the implications that passing on Ninpo would have. Seemingly only Soxx heard because Casey didn’t acknowledge him.

“Soxx continued to fight on the battlefield by Donatello’s side for years. Fighting as one, they aced every mission. I mean they took down live krang on their own! It was incredible. They were rumored to be untouchable… Until they weren’t.” Again Casey filled the room with a sense of dread. This time, a warranted one.

“Like the titanic before them, the unsinkable duo were faced with defeat. Everyone knew the mission was a long shot at best and suicide at worst, but they had gotten confident… no… Cocky. In the end they were victorious but at a high cost. Donatello lost more than a leg that day.” April audibly gasped, sending shivers down everyone’s spines.

“Soxx was in irreparable condition.” Casey went on, “They were conscious but in a great deal of pain and not breathing on their own. Master Leonardo, the primary medic, had them on a ventilator and morphine, (both of which were more than short in supply) but there was nothing they could do to fix all the damage that had been done. I was young, so I wasn’t exactly given the medical rundown, but trust me… it was bad.”

Everyone waited with bated breath for him to continue.

“Sensei was the first to suggest it, and Uncle Tello tried to strangle him for even considering it. Had he not been so badly injured and a brand new amputatee, he may have actually succeeded.” Casey snickered, but it was dull not humorous. “It was terrifying to watch, but I also understood.”

Casey was lost in thought for a moment, seemingly remembering the events.

“Uncle Tello spent several precious days researching different options, procedures that were experimental even before the krang invaded, but he demanded they try. No one dared come between the mighty Donatello and his beloved, but they all knew it was false hope. Even Master Michelangelo wrote down his final words in preparation. They had all accepted it… except Donatello. No one could get through to him, he had made up his mind…” Casey trailed off for emphasis, or maybe it was for himself.

“It was only when Soxx refused to comply that he finally understood. They didn’t want to be poked, prodded, and drugged throughout their final days. They were already being kept alive by machines, and they didn’t want to keep living like that. So… I was 12 when I watched our family say their goodbyes to Untie Soxx.”

“What… what did they say?” Soxx signed apprehensively. It was as if part of them wanted to know, and part of them didn’t.

“Master Michelangelo went first. He had the warmest things to say and promised to visit them in the afterlife through meditation. It was heartwarming and refreshing. I think he was staying strong for the family.” Casey gestured to Mikey, smiling and empathetic. Somehow Mikey felt invaded, like Casey saw right through him.

“Commander O’Neil cried and could only manage a ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t there.’ which Untie Soxx snuffed out with a ‘I’m glad you weren’t.’ but their embrace was touching and it held a thousand words.” April smiled to herself, knowing that likely would be her reaction.

“Sensei tried his best to joke and humor his way out of crying, but to no avail.” Leo chuckled nervously at the thought, though there were tears in his eyes. “Soxx held him as he cried and promised to “haunt his ass” if he ever blamed himself. That was… startling. I hadn’t ever seen him act so immature. It was like he didn’t know how to handle it. I’m still glad I wasn’t old enough to remember Raphael’s death. I’m sure it was worse.”

Raph froze in place, but everyone else nodded silently. Raph’s death would’ve been worse, they all knew that.

“Uncle Tello went last, and signed a long speech. He cried the whole time, kneeling on his one good leg by the bedside. Commander O’Neil knew some sign language but not enough to keep up with him. Master Leonardo and Michelangelo were both fluent, but Sensei turned away out of respect and Michelangelo was too busy wiping his face to see. So it was abundantly clear that Donatello’s speech was for Soxx and only Soxx.” Casey began to cry, tears dripping down his face, but he kept going.

“Except I know sign. I spent my formative years signing with Untie Soxx daily and I’m possibly more fluent than any of them were. Maybe even you guys. So… I watched in legitimate awe as the most deadpan, emotionless, level headed wall crumbled to pieces before me. I cried. I sobbed. How could I not? The speech was beautiful and raw and full of unbridled emotion like I have never seen.” Casey choked down a sob and looked to Donnie, who’s jaw was agape. “You held nothing back.” Soxx watched a tear slide down Donnie’s cheek; he didn’t bother to wipe it away.

“I can still remember every sign of that speech, though I’d dare not try to do it justice.” Casey wiped his face, trying to regulate his breathing.

“After holding each other for a long while, Untie Soxx also said goodbye. It felt… anticlimactic, but then again, how could they possibly follow up that brilliant display? Donatello cried into their chest for hours after their death. Grieving the only thing that kept him sane in that cursed landscape. When he finally left the medbay that day, he was never the same. Professor Donatello was cold, distant, and harsh.”

Casey’s face twisted into something sour, and his audience got the feeling that this story wasn’t over and it was not about to get any happier.

“He spent the first week quote ‘pretending he was dead’ as he called it; which was laying motionless on, what was now only, his bed. After seven days exactly of that, Master Leonardo, Master Michelangelo, and Commander O’Neil intervened. They dragged him out of bed and practically shoveled food down his throat. This wasn’t the first time I had seen them do this, but Donatello had no will to fight them… and that was way scarier.” Casey shivered then continued.

“The next month was spent sending someone to check on Donatello every day, but he was never any better. He didn’t even protest being bothered. He just… laid there and accepted it. Sometimes he would say something out of pocket like ‘Did you know people have actually died of heartbreak? They loose their will to live, but that’s not quantifiable so it’s untreatable.’ or ‘You know it’s really easy to make a nuke. I’ve done it before.’ But that wasn’t out of character, just a little surprising.” Casey shrugged, like it was no big deal, but Raph and Leo shared a worried glance.

“After the first month I wasn’t allowed to visit Uncle Tello’s room anymore. Sensei seemed to think it would be bad for my mental state. So I could only watch from the sidelines. During month two I overheard Master Michelangelo mention solemnly to Master Leonardo that he thought their brother was starting to loose his mind.”

Donnie shifted uncomfortably, like he was sitting on something. He tapped his fingers on his leg rhythmically, and Soxx could tell he was counting his breathing.

“But after three months of Prof. Donatello being out of commission, he finally left his room. He grabbed exactly one cup of black coffee and then wordlessly slipped into his lab. That month was a plateau. Donatello would wake up, get coffee, scarf down a rat or two and disappear into his lab until the next morning. One might think he was doing better, but he had stopped going into his room entirely. Which I assume was because that was their room, not just his.”

Furrowed brows were displayed across the room. This wasn’t even their Donnie, but everyone still carried a heavy burden of concern for his well being. Some of them wondered how Casey managed to carry that burden alone for so long now.

“It was five months in and Donnie hadn’t made a single thing despite spending all his time in his lab. He barely participated in the war efforts and never had any ideas of his own. It was a stark change from his usual… well… past behavior. It wasn’t until the end of the fifth month that he finally started acting somewhat alive again. He started sharing his thoughts during meetings and joining his brothers for meals. It was at that point that he told me to stop calling him Uncle Tello, so he became Professor Donatello again. That hurt, but I understood why. He was only Uncle Tello because Soxx had labeled him that when he carried me around as a kid.”

The air of the living room left no room for jokes or comments. Not a single soul wanted to interrupt or ask questions, even Leo.

“But… despite being somewhat functional again, he didn’t start designing his prosthetic leg until over 6 months after Soxx’s death. Even when it was finished, he often complained about it aching during use or being poorly engineered. He never bothered to upgrade it; he didn’t care enough about it to. Something inside of Donnie was gone, and he was never getting it back. His tech had no more inspiration; no more genius. Even the best designs were carelessly made and buggy.”

“Woah… that doesn’t sound at all like Donnie.” Mikey whispered to himself, but it was so quiet in the room that everyone heard it.

“Yeah. It really doesn’t. He was honestly more of an empty shell at that point.” Casey concurred.

“Haha shell. B-because we’re turtles right Casey?” Leo’s face was dripping with tears and he was shaking. His smile was disingenuous; he kept sniffing and looking around waiting for someone to laugh, but no one did.

“I… I can stop. I’m sorry for dumping this all on you guys…” Casey started to move from his spot, but was interrupted surprisingly by Donnie.

“No!” Donnie sat up hurriedly. His face was still wet from crying a few moments prior, but his expression was serious. “How does it end?”

“Oh! Well…” Casey sat back down and began again. “Donatello kept the prosthetic wing and hung it above the computer in his lab. I once caught a glimpse of him asking Soxx for advice, staring tearfully at the worn tech. He would never create another piece half as stunning even after its years of use.”

“Now I feel challenged.” Donnie smirked, somehow now he didn’t seem nearly as distraught by the story as the rest of his family.

“I was almost 14 when Prof, Donatello went on his last mission. He couldn’t do it anymore. He just… wasn’t himself. Everyone knew, but no one could do anything to help. Untie Soxx was gone, and Uncle Tello was too. So on that battlefield, side by side with his brothers one last time, Donatello sacrificed himself to plug a virus into the techno drome and destroy it completely.”

A series of woah’s and breathy sighs cascaded around the room. Most of them were crying but surprisingly Leo was the most emotional.

“I-I didn’t think Donnie would be the-the one to pull a hero move. Heh. Th-that’s way more Raph’s style.” Leo took a tissue and blew his snout violently. Casey chuckled but ignored him and continued.

“Master Leonardo and Master Michelangelo didn’t mourn him they way they did the others, and it took a month of prying before Sensei finally told me why.” The family exchanged confused gazes, except for Donnie who was a little bit offended.

“The last time Master Michelangelo saw Prof. Donatello; he smiled, a real sincere smile. And Michelangelo saw a blaze of life, of raw ninpo, for the first time since Soxx had died. His last words were “Please let me do this for you.” Donnie wanted desperately to be with his beloved again, and he died for his family, for the world. But even without that, the family had mourned the death of Donatello a year and a half prior. Everything that made Donnie who he was, was buried with Soxx. There was nothing left to mourn.” Casey looked around the room at the tearful eyes staring at him and suddenly felt very apologetic.

“I’m so sorry! That was a lot and it’s a holiday...” Casey sputtered out a few more nothings as Mikey (who had been very uncharacteristically quiet) rose from his seat and approached him. Casey got very anxious very fast, but Mikey put a hand on his shoulder to silence him.

“That was… the best love story I have ever heard.” Mikey’s tone and face showed a deep seated bittersweet warmth.

A dark red flush attacked Casey’s face as he stumbled out a quiet “Thank you so much”

“Although…” Mikey questioned “I did promise to visit them in the afterlife right?” Casey nodded. “Did I ever do that?”

“Yes.” Casey smiled, a real smile this time not one just to comfort his audience. “Two years after Uncle Tello’s death, you thundered into Sensei’s room at like… 2am. With a bright smile and tears staining your face, kinda like right now. You told him what you had seen while meditating. Uncle Tello and Untie Soxx were together again and they were proud. More importantly, they were at peace with the rest of the fallen Hamato.”

Well that did it for Raph because the dam that was keeping back his sobs broke loose, and what was silent tears became full blown bawling. It didn’t take long for a hug pile to collect around Raph to comfort him. This was what Splinter walked into as he left his room.

“M-my sons?!” He rushed over, afraid that something terribly must have happened. And in a way, something did. Raph spoke first.

“It was… and then… Casey said… because… Donnie!… and then Soxx!… And and… and they got married! And then…” Splinter interrupted his blabbering. It was honestly surprising that he caught any of what Raph said, nobody else understood much.

“They’re getting married! Oh! My son! I couldn’t be happier!” A chorus of “uhhh’s and no’s echoed across the room but it seemed Splinter didn’t hear it. He rushed to hug Donnie despite his protesting and very quickly grabbed Soxx by the shoulder, whispering loudly into their ear. “You couldn’t have found someone better? I mean yeesh!”

Soxx growled as the notion, signing angrily in response. Usually Donnie translated for them because splinter didn’t know any sign language, but this time he said: “I’m not translating that. That is my father. Try again.”

So Soxx tried again, this time looking smugly at Donnie. “Nope. Again… my fa-ther.” Donnie pointed at Splinter while drawing out the word.

Soxx rolled their eyes. Signing yet another response. Donnie nodded approvingly. “They appreciate your input but chose me, the superior son and wouldn’t change a thing.

“That is not what they said.” Leo snickered to no one in particular. “Glad y’all are getting married though.” Leo had a shit eating grin that made Donnie’s blood boil.

“We are not…” Donnie paused his rage mid sentence, glancing first at his dad in front of him. Splinter was starry eyed and giddy with a smile that could cure cancer. Then Donnie looked at Soxx who was curled in his arms. They blushed at the eye contact, but nodded approvingly. Donnie rethought his statement, and mentally re-arranged his plans for the future.

“Yeah… I knew you guys would be stoked.”

[stuiie]

Hi Stuiie..hope you have a nice day!..i want to talk about my problem..since i don't have anyone to asked..pardon for my bad English since im crying right now i will just type anything..

Im so sad right now..i just found out my girlfriend cheated on me..our 3 years relationship gone just like that. She cheated on me about 1 year and a few months..i was so speechless because our relationship are normal, we always had a nice chat day and night, we did fights sometimes but we will immediately apologize to each other, so i really don't know why she cheated on me. I asked her why but all she said is because im to busy with my life (im a university student and i swear i never ignored her) but right now she's asking me to forgive her, saying that she won't do it anymore and already end the relationship with the other person..she hope that we will still be together. You see as much as im mad at her, i still love her, i mean..3 whole years..i really don't know what to do anymore since im basically still in my early 20+ and yes this is my first relationship..i just need some advice and comfort right now.

This is not a made up story, its really happening to me..you don't need to answer this ask if you are uncomfortable..im not forcing you :)

Oh, my heart truly aches reading this, and I want you to know that your feelings and your hurt are so valid. Being in a relationship can be hard, and when someone you love and trust wounds you like this, the pain can cut just as deeply as any physical hurt. I wish I had the superpower to come over, wrap you in the biggest hug, and tell you that one day, this pain will lessen, little by little.

The reasoning behind her decision to cheat feels so weak and shallow—it’s heartbreaking that something she was unhappy with could have been addressed with a simple, honest conversation. The way she tries to justify her betrayal of one of the most fundamental aspects of your relationship makes my blood boil. It’s infuriating to see someone you trusted so deeply minimize the hurt they’ve caused, as if their actions could somehow be excused.

I can’t even imagine how painful and frustrating this must be for you. It’s incredibly unfair, and you didn’t deserve to be treated this way. Betrayal like this isn’t just a breach of trust—it shakes the very foundation of the love you’ve built together. You have every right to feel angry, hurt, and disappointed.

But I want you to know that none of this reflects on you.

You deserve someone who will cherish and respect you, someone who will choose you every single day and honor the union you build together.

I would never tell you what you should do—that decision is yours, and only yours to make—but I want to share with you what I hope for you. I hope that you choose yourself. I hope you see your incredible worth and recognize the possibilities that lie ahead of you.

And darling, you are so young, with a life full of endless opportunities, love, and joy waiting for you. I believe with all my heart that there is someone out there who will treat you with the respect and devotion you deserve. Please hold onto that hope.

I want you to know how strong you are—reaching out and being vulnerable about your pain takes immense courage. It’s so easy to let pain consume you, but you’re choosing to face it, and that speaks volumes about your strength and resilience.

I’m here for you. If you need someone to listen, to offer support, or just to be a comforting presence, I’m here for all of it. Never hesitate to reach out—you're not alone in this, and you deserve all the love and support in the world.

[thenaturalmom]

There's something about the wounds we get as a child and how they shape us as adults. I have always had this overwhelming, anxiety-inducing feeling that I am not enough. I'm not funny enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, etc. and the abandonment wound is strong. I've carried that weight with me for as long as I can remember. As I've gotten older, I've always just assumed that that mindset was probably because of my upbringing, and I guess on a surface level that's right. But it goes much deeper than that. There's a quote from one of my absolute favorite movies ( The Crow) where he says " Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children. " That quote sticks with me , because man is that a powerful sentence. Especially as a mother myself now. And thinking back about this, that quote rings true for little me. I looked and thought about my mom like she put the stars in the sky. I wanted to grow up to be like her. My mom is strong and independent and always working and I idolized that. I wanted to make her proud, more than anything. I don't think I ever did though. I think I've always carried that weight with me and the pressure of people pleasing for any kind of affection or validation. I've done that with a lot of relationships in my past, platonically or romantically. And never received that, even when I was pushing myself to my limits. It made me put up with a lot of abuse, because maybe if I just tried harder, maybe if I was just good enough that wouldn't happen. It's an awfully vicious cycle that I put myself through before. Something I pride myself on though is making sure my daughter and younger sister never feel the same way I did, at least not from me. I make sure to tell them I'm proud of them, that I love them and really try to be there and active without being overbearing. How parenting should be. How relationships should be.

Meeting my husband changed things for me too. Having someone give love so freely to me was so different from what I was used to. What do you mean I can make my own decisions and you will support me regardless? That was such an out of this world concept for me . And it hasn't changed, 8 years down and he still gushes over me. Tells me he's proud of me. Calls me a goddess and loves me for me. And I think that's really beautiful. And I deserve that.

All of this to say; you can break cycles. You don't have to stay where you aren't welcome or appreciated. You deserve to be listened to and loved openly, freely and LOUDLY. Be proud of your wins, even the small ones. And damnit, you are good enough. Even on the days where you feel broken, even on the days when you don't feel like trying anymore, even if nobody tells you. YOU are enough.

If you've read this far, thank you. This was just something I was thinking about this morning while drinking my coffee. Have a great day, lovely people ❤️

Xoxo

Krystal

[darael]

Oooof, there's some serious problems with that essay (its examples hold up only if you assume that the specific problem that may have been alleviated was the only moral dimension to the situation and actions in question, and in only one of those cases was that true¹) and it doesn't really describe what's happening here anyway. It's not that people think, as proposed by this idea of Copenhagen ethics, that observing and acknowledging the existence of a problem makes them culpable. If they thought that, they'd be trying to ignore or deny the genocide, because under the Copenhagen interpretation not acknowledging it would keep them pure of culpability.

No, this is a matter of people conflating the (true, valid, useful) idea that there is always something beyond the dichotomy with the (film-script, fiction) notion that The Third Option must necessarily be easy and pure. As we who are discussing this know, it often isn't. It's often the hardest of all, and has problems of its own. Because like @deadnotsleeping413 said, there is at least theoretically third option here besides one of the two genocidal maniacs becoming president… but as the sarcasm indicates, it isn't pure or easy. In fact, it's so not-easy that it is far too late to make it happen before the choice must next be made.

I saw it said on the formerly-blue hellsite(derogatory) that "if the choice is between Hitler and Mussolini the answer is to destroy the government", and the thing is that there does come a point where that's true — but you'd better be damned sure that you will actually do so, and in a way that doesn't manage to be worse than either by preserving the attitudes that created them while also making a whole lot of extra suffering along the way, and those using pithy lines to equivocate the outcomes don't have a plan or even much intent to do anything besides wait for someone else to do the revolution for them.

Consequentialist ethics are great (if you're sensible about them, and realise that you have to temper them with at least enough intentionalism to use the consequences that could reasonably be foreseen rather than what happens regardless of predictability), but you have to consider all the consequences of all the options. If something is a consequence of all your choices, then you need to make it a non-factor in that decision. That doesn't mean you can't affect it — it means you are looking at the wrong decision point from which to do so. That's why the people scolding those voting uncommitted in primaries to express their displeasure at Biden's support for Israeli atrocities are being just as ridiculous as the ones intending to abstain from the general — the former are pretending that the choice in the primary is the same choice as the one in the general with the same outcomes, and the latter are pretending that the choice in the general is the only one. Both groups are pretending there's only one point at which a decision is made.

You are, each and every one of you, a unique and nuanced person. You contain multitudes. You can, should, and — I guarantee — do care about multiple things, which sometimes appear to be in conflict. No, not just "appear": sometimes, in practical terms even if not in ideological ones, they are in conflict. But the way you reject the dichotomy of "bad thing A or bad thing B" isn't to make a single third choice that produces neither A nor B: it's to reject the dichotomy of choose now or never. If you can't use this moment to prevent both, look for another moment you can use on one of them, and use your choice now to work on the other.

And to those reading who have a third option that will actually improve things overall and necessitate not choosing the furthest-left of the way-over-to-the-right set of actually viable candidates in the meantime… please do tell me what it is and how you plan to achieve it (even if that's just "by doing what this specific other person, who has a better plan than I can come up with because I am just one Internet rando, says"). I'd love to know. I won't be implementing it in the next US elections because I am neither a citizen nor a resident of that country, but maybe I can adapt it to my own.

1: two examples: criticism of Uber is not actually based exclusively on their use of surge-pricingprice-gouging, but also on their constant skirting of regulations, blatantly anticompetitive businesses practices, and mistreatment of "independent contractor" employees-in-all-but-name and customers alike; and PETA's "go vegan to get your bills paid" stunt had more dimensions to it than just that of bill payment. The only one that actually holds up under even a moment's thought is the case of tracking nonparticipants in a programme that was already operating at capacity, and calling them a control group.

You know I used to think "tumblr's absolute refusal to actually engage with the Trolley Problem in favor of insisting that there must be a third, morally pure option that doesn't require them to make a hard decision and anyone who asks them to make a binary choice is just a short-sighted idiot is really fucking annoying, but I guess it's not actually doing any harm".

Anyway that was before we asked tumblr at large to decide between "guy aiding a genocide but making progress elsewhere" and "guy who would actively and enthusiastically participate in a genocide and would also make everything else much, much worse for everyone elsewhere" and the response was that there must be a third, morally pure option that doesn't require them to make a hard decision and that anyone who asks them to make a binary choice is a short-sighted idiot.