#punctuation added for clarity

[stoppit-keepout]

[image of seven plain corndogs with text that varies between bold, italic, and yellow-coloured for emphasis: "Off work late? hungry, but too tired to cook? try seven corndogs. seven corndogs back to back, no mustard no ketchup, just dog. eat the stick too. you will certainly not regret eating seven corndogs."]

why did my dad send this

should i be concerned

[softgrungeprophet]

radiantsona... what color would you be? (obviously) but also what powers? (if you picked something other than the already established black, pink, red or yellow lol)

[xjaylyn]

Series - Bad Boys: Second Chances

Armando Aretas x Black! OC (Rya)

Warnings: blood, graphic, guns, death, mature, language (use of the n word), and some other stuff I probably forgot about sorry

Summary: It's been two years since Captain Conrad was framed. Another mission brings the team back together and new relationships are formed. It's said everyone deserves second chances and room to grow. So maybe this is that second chance.

Status: Ongoing • Last updated: 8/1/24

➢ Part 6

➢ Part 5

➢ Part 4

➢ Part 3

➢ Part 2

➢ Part 1 (edited for clarity and punctuation-no change to the story)

Tag List: (lmk if you want to be added)

@blackgirlmagicforever @believeinthefireflies95 @wizewhispers @omg-mymelaninisbeautiful @sarcasticbitchsblog @maybepersuasivetom @d4rno @honggihwa @literallegendicon @ninacutebee16 @hannie-squirrel00 @themainacc @stressedmess-21 @dyttomori @lyn-soso

[urfavoritewriter]

Extra Padding

Bracing his back against the plush couch, Sam leaned back, his fingers hooking under the hem of his fitted t-shirt to lift it, revealing a slightly distended and taut belly beneath. With a smirk, he began to rub slow circles over its smooth surface, punctuating his caresses with deliberate slaps that sent waves rippling through his new-found girth.

"See this?" Sam quipped, his voice dripping with nonchalant arrogance. The room fell silent, all eyes on the spectacle unfolding before them. "This right here," he continued, giving another teasing slap to his belly, "used to be our dear buddy, Ollie. Now, he's just a bit of extra padding." He squeezed his sides for emphasis, fingers sinking into the softness.

His lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Always said he wanted to be a part of something bigger, didn't he? Didn't expect it to be my beer gut, I'm sure." With a chuckle, he laid back, continuing his languid massage of what was once their friend, the atmosphere thick with a blend of disbelief, tension, and undeniable allure.

Sam's cocky grin only widened, the atmosphere in the room growing even thicker with his every word. "You know, Ollie put up quite the fight. All that squirming?" He chuckled, pressing a hand deeper into his belly. "Honestly just helped mix him in quicker. The way he moved inside, one hell of a feisty fella. Gave me some of the biggest burps I've ever had. Thought I might bring the roof down with a couple of 'em!"

He leaned forward, the room hanging on his every word. "But you know the best part? When he realized where he was going to end up. That this is it for him. That dawning moment of clarity? Priceless." Sam laughed, relishing the memory.

Running a hand affectionately over the slight bulge that Ollie had become, he smirked at the group. "Looks like our buddy's always going to be with me now, a part of every recording, every meal, every moment. He's not going anywhere. Well, unless I decide to shed some weight." With a wink and a pat to his belly, he added, "But why would I want to let go of such a loyal friend?"

[fagdykevash]

[Image Description: Tags that read: this. fandom is supposed to be a community not a competition or popularity contest and no one is 'higher' or better than another because they write or draw or have a lot of followers. abolish the idea of a hierarchy, we're all here together and we're all equals and fic and art are not 'content'. content just means stuff— what writers and artists make is more than just stuff. let's make fandom more of a community again and lift each other up and support each other and make friends again. End ID]

too sleepy to elaborate at this time but I miss the old fandom culture of interacting with fanfic writers and fanfic artists as members of the fandom community who enjoyed engagement and discussion and feedback instead of the modern trend of seeing us as content creators up on a pedestal who don't need positive feedback but DO need to churn out constant content to feed the a03 machine

[rosyrosethings]

Assistant Prank CEO Harry

This is series on my page. Harry's assistant stays with him. Just short and sweet

On a seemingly ordinary Friday, the atmosphere in Harry and Y/n's shared residence was tinged with a sense of bittersweet anticipation. Harry, known for his meticulous nature and a deep sense of responsibility towards those he cared about, was preparing for a rare weekend getaway. His destination was a cozy retreat in the countryside, where he planned to spend some quality time with his girlfriend, Bridget. This trip was a much-needed break from his demanding work schedule, offering a chance to recharge and nurture his personal relationships.

However, this departure was marked by an unusual heaviness, primarily because it meant leaving Y/n alone in the house. Y/n was not just a housemate but played a crucial role in Harry's life, managing the balance between a confidante and a responsibility he felt deeply for. The thought of leaving her alone, even for a weekend, didn't sit well with him, stirring a protective instinct that he often found hard to dismiss.

“Y/n, text me if anything goes wrong, okay?” Harry implored, his voice laced with concern as he slipped into his coat, ready to step out into the brisk morning air.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mr. Styles. I’ll be fine. I’ve been here alone before,” Y/n responded, her tone light and teasing, aiming to inject a bit of humor into the heavy atmosphere. She approached Harry, extending his bag towards him with a gentle smile. “I packed your laptop because God knows what would happen to you if you don’t work for one second out of the day,” she added, her voice soft yet playful, aware of Harry's relentless work ethic.

Harry couldn't help but smile, a genuine expression of gratitude and fondness. “Bye, Y/n,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of reluctance to leave.

As the door closed behind him, Y/n secured the lock and made her way to the living room, sinking into the couch with a sense of solitude enveloping her. To distract herself, she decided to scroll through TikTok, letting the endless stream of videos wash over her. It wasn't long before she stumbled upon a prank trend that immediately sparked an idea. The premise was simple yet mischievously effective: texting someone “you can come over now, he’s gone,” implying a clandestine meeting now that an obstacle—typically a significant other or a parent—was out of the picture. Chuckling at the thought, Y/n couldn't resist the urge to execute this playful scheme on Harry.

‘You can come over now babe, my boss is gone.’

She sent the message, a giggle escaping her lips as she imagined Harry's reaction, picturing his bewildered face trying to decode the message.

Harry, meanwhile, was only ten minutes away, his mind partly on the road and partly entwined with thoughts of Bridget and the weekend ahead. His phone buzzed with a notification, a text from Y/n. Assuming he had forgotten something at home, he glanced at the message, his eyes widening in disbelief. The words on the screen seemed to rearrange themselves, challenging his understanding. “Is she having someone over? And did she call them babe?” he muttered to himself, confusion and concern taking hold.

Without a second thought, Harry executed a swift U-turn, ignoring the chorus of honks from startled drivers. His mind raced with possibilities, each more unsettling than the last. Upon arriving back at the house, he entered to find Y/n lounging on the couch, her eyes meeting his with an innocent curiosity.

“Were you expecting someone else?” Harry inquired, his voice carrying a mix of jest and underlying seriousness as he approached her.

“No, why would I?” Y/n replied, her tone playful yet genuine, puzzled by the intensity of his reaction.

“Then why did you send me a text saying, ‘you can come over now, my boss is gone’?” Harry pressed, seeking clarity amidst the confusion.

“Because I thought it would be funny to see your reaction,” Y/n confessed, a giggle punctuating her words as she sat up, her eyes dancing with mischief.

Harry, however, was not immediately appeased. The protective instinct that had made him uneasy about leaving surged stronger. “Actually, I’m staying here. Bridget can come over here. I don’t want any boys coming around here,” he declared, a firm resolve setting in as he removed his coat, symbolically dismissing the prospect of leaving.

“Mr. Styles, it was a prank,” Y/n tried to clarify, her tone softening, attempting to bridge the sudden gap Harry's reaction had created.

“Yeah, okay. Now your night is with me instead of with your mysterious man,” Harry countered, half-teasing yet half-serious, as he settled next to her on the couch.

“You’re such a dad,” Y/n remarked, a blend of affection and exasperation in her voice.

“No, I just don’t want any mystery men around what's mine without me being here,” Harry retorted, his comment laced with a deeper, unspoken layer of concern.

“Or do you not want any men around me?” Y/n probed, her gaze locking with his, a challenge in her eyes.

“Aren’t you mine? I think what I said the first time makes sense,” Harry responded, his words hanging in the air, a mix of possessiveness and care mingled in his tone.

“My assistant, I mean,” he quickly added, clearing his throat, realizing the weight of his words and the ambiguity they carried.

“Oh, assistant, is that what you meant?” Y/n teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm, yet a soft smile played on her lips.

“Yeah, assistant,” Harry affirmed, the exchange leaving a tangible tension, a mix of amusement and unresolved feelings lingering between them.

[jesperweidemann]

Master the Comma

The comma, a seemingly simple punctuation mark, holds significant power in shaping the clarity and flow of written language. Its correct usage can transform a piece of writing from confusing to coherent, making it an essential tool for any writer. Understanding the various roles of the comma and how to apply them effectively is crucial for enhancing readability and ensuring your message is conveyed with precision.

The Role of the Comma in Lists

One of the primary functions of the comma is to separate items in a list. When you enumerate three or more items, commas help to distinguish each element clearly. For instance, consider the sentence: “For breakfast, I had eggs, toast, and orange juice.” Here, the commas separate the items, making the list easy to read. The comma before the conjunction “and” is known as the Oxford comma. While its use is optional, it often helps to prevent ambiguity. For example, “I dedicate this book to my parents, Oprah Winfrey, and God” is clearer than “I dedicate this book to my parents, Oprah Winfrey and God,” which could imply that Oprah Winfrey and God are the parents.

Setting Off Introductory Elements

Commas are also used to set off introductory elements in a sentence. These elements can be words, phrases, or clauses that precede the main clause. For example, “After the meeting, we went out for lunch.” The comma after “After the meeting” signals a pause, helping the reader to understand that the introductory phrase is separate from the main action of the sentence. This use of the comma enhances readability by clarifying the sentence structure.

Joining Independent Clauses

When two independent clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), a comma is placed before the conjunction. For instance, “I wanted to go for a walk, but it started raining.” This rule helps to avoid run-on sentences and maintains the flow of ideas. Without the comma, the sentence might feel rushed or jumbled, making it harder for the reader to follow the writer’s train of thought.

Nonessential Information

Commas are also used to set off nonessential information—details that add extra context but are not crucial to the meaning of the sentence. For example, “My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting us next week.” The clause “who lives in New York” provides additional information about the brother but is not essential to the main point of the sentence. Removing it still leaves a complete thought: “My brother is visiting us next week.”

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Despite their importance, commas are often misused. One common mistake is the comma splice, which occurs when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction. For example, “I love reading, it’s my favorite hobby.” This can be corrected by adding a conjunction or changing the comma to a semicolon: “I love reading, and it’s my favorite hobby” or “I love reading; it’s my favorite hobby.”

Another frequent error is the overuse of commas, which can disrupt the flow of writing. For instance, “The cake, was delicious” includes an unnecessary comma that interrupts the sentence. Conversely, omitting necessary commas can lead to confusion. Consider the difference between “Let’s eat Grandma” and “Let’s eat, Grandma.” The first suggests cannibalism, while the second is an invitation to dine.

Advanced Comma Usage

Beyond the basics, commas can be used in more sophisticated ways to enhance writing. When two or more adjectives equally modify a noun, commas are used to separate them. For example, “She wore a bright, colorful dress.” If the adjectives are not equal, no comma is needed: “She wore a bright summer dress.”

Transitional phrases such as “however,” “therefore,” and “for example” should also be set off with commas. For instance, “I wanted to join the team; however, I was too late.” This helps to clarify the relationship between ideas. Additionally, when addressing someone directly, commas are used to set off their name or title, as in “Thank you, Dr. Smith, for your assistance.”

Conclusion

Mastering the comma is essential for effective writing. By understanding the basic rules and avoiding common mistakes, you can use commas to enhance the clarity and flow of your writing. Whether you are listing items, joining clauses, or setting off nonessential information, the comma is a powerful tool that, when used wisely, can significantly improve readability. Remember, the key to mastering the comma is practice and attention to detail. With time and effort, you can become proficient in using this versatile punctuation mark to enhance your writing.

[outlawelly]

Through Time's Embrace

Hey everyone! I’m working on an upcoming story that I can’t wait to share with you all on AO3 under the username outyllelaw.

Stay tuned for the release, and thanks for your support! You can check out my AO3 profile here.

Content Details (for now.):

Pairing: Top Arthur Morgan, Bottom John Marston (no switching)

Themes: Gore, violence, fluff, smut (please be patient with the smut as I’m still learning!)

Warnings: Period-typical racism, homophobia, and sexism. Future warnings will be added in the tags once the fanfic is posted.

Chapters: Multiple chapters; I’m not sure how long it will be yet!

Through Time's Embrace

Time Travel Fanfiction

It’s over.. or is it?

His body felt like it was on fire, each heartbeat a painful reminder of the gunfight that had just torn through his world. John’s gaze remained locked on Edgar Ross, the man who had orchestrated his demise, standing smugly among the lawmen. Their twisted smiles gleamed in the harsh light, reflecting a sadistic satisfaction as they waited for him to collapse, to finally succumb to the inevitable.

A violent cough erupted from his chest, sending a spray of crimson blood spilling onto the parched earth. The metallic taste lingered bitterly against his tongue, mingling with the dry dust swirling in the air, choking him further. He had fought fiercely, every ounce of strength pouring into resisting their grip, but now his legs betrayed him, trembling beneath the weight of exhaustion and desperation.

Slowly, he sank to his knees, the ground seeming to rise up to meet him as the world around him blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors and shadows. The laughter of the lawmen became a distant echo, fading into the background of his mind, replaced by the haunting memories of his loved ones. With a final, shuddering gasp, John fell backward, surrendering to the dark embrace of the earth. Darkness encroached upon his vision, and in those fading moments, the faces of Abigail and Jack flashed before his eyes, illuminated by a warmth that felt worlds away. 

It is over.

Or is it?

A sudden surge of pain jolted through him, sharp and electric, igniting every nerve ending like a thunderclap. John gasped, the air rushing into his lungs as if he had been holding his breath for an eternity. It felt as though he were being pulled from the depths of a chilling void, icy fingers weaving through his veins, grasping at him with desperate intensity.

The world around him blurred momentarily before clarity struck. The biting cold morphed into a harsh wind that howled like a wounded beast, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of pine and snow. Just as the pain crescendoed, everything shifted violently. John's surroundings twisted and contorted as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling. One moment he was kneeling in the dirt, gasping for breath, and the next he was thrust into an endless void—an expansive emptiness where the laws of time and space seemed to warp and bend. The air, thick and suffocating, hung heavy with an otherworldly silence, punctuated only by the echo of his own heartbeat.

“You tread upon the precipice of your own oblivion.” a voice whispered, soft yet resonant, floating through the darkness like a feather caught in a tempest. John squinted into the void, searching for the source of the sound. “You do not yet comprehend the depths of your journey, nor the fragments scattered across the tapestry of your existence.”

The voice was feminine, ethereal, layered with a complexity that made John's head spin. Images flickered to life in the darkness—fragments of his past, memories that surged and receded like the tide. He saw Abigail laughing in the sun, her hair glinting like gold, and Jack with his innocent grin, oblivious to the cruel world that loomed just beyond their laughter.

“You see them, do you not?” the voice continued, weaving through the memories. “These moments, glimmers of a life half-lived. Yet, they are but echoes of what could have been. Do you feel it? The void that echoes in your heart?”

“What are you talking about?” John’s voice broke through the haze, laced with confusion and anger. “What void? What have you seen?”

“The story you have penned is riddled with pauses and unanswered questions, an incomplete saga yearning for resolution. You have faced death, and still you walk. But I have seen your end, John Marston.”

The darkness pulsed around him as another memory surged—he stood before Dutch, his once-hero now a shadow of betrayal, the gunfire echoing in his mind like a mournful dirge. 

“Do you not feel it, John?” the voice pressed, more insistent now, each word punctuated by a haunting echo. “The weight of your choices, the choices of others, pressing down upon you like the weight of the world? Do you ever feel as if your tale is a mere whisper lost in the cacophony of existence? An unfinished manuscript, waiting for the ink to flow?”

John clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “I’ve fought to survive, to protect what matters most. I’ve done what I had to do! But it never feels enough.”

“Precisely.” she replied, her voice weaving through the air like smoke. “You strive for a conclusion, yet the battle within yourself persists. Love and loss, triumph and despair—they intertwine, creating a narrative tangled in fate's cruel grasp. You stand at the crossroads, John, a sentinel of choices yet to be made.”

Another image flickered, capturing him standing on a hilltop, gazing out over a landscape of possibility. It was beautiful and terrifying, a tapestry of paths that could lead to redemption or ruin.

“Have you ever wondered if this journey is truly yours?” she asked, her tone shifting, as though inviting him to peer deeper into his soul. “Each thread of fate you’ve woven carries the weight of every heartbeat, every breath you’ve taken. Yet here you stand, lost amidst the void, burdened by what you have lost.”

John felt a shiver run down his spine as the memories washed over him, each one pulling him deeper into the labyrinth of his heart. He saw himself laughing with his family, but the laughter was hollow, the joy dimmed by the shadows that lurked behind him.

“Your heart bears the scars of a lifetime spent running from the ghosts of your past. The void grows with each fleeting moment, gnawing at your essence.” she said, her voice laced with a sorrow that resonated in the emptiness around him. “What will you choose, John? To embrace the void, or to confront it, to carve your own destiny amidst the chaos?”

The questions hung heavy in the air, demanding answers he was not yet ready to face. “I’m not done yet. I have more to say.”

The ethereal voice lingered, wrapping around John like a shroud as the void shifted once more. Memories began to unfold—fragments that coalesced into moments he had long buried in the recesses of his heart. He saw himself with Arthur, the two of them riding side by side, laughter echoing in the warm sunlight, the camaraderie of brotherhood pulsating between them. The joy radiated from Arthur's smile, a stark contrast to the grim fate that awaited them.

Arthur…

“You see it, do you not?” the woman continued, her voice both gentle and insistent. “The bond you shared with him, forged through trials and tribulations, laughter and tears. But oh, how the tides have turned, casting shadows upon that once-bright light.”

John felt the swell of emotion, a bittersweet ache as he witnessed the familiar warmth of their friendship. He watched as they shared secrets beneath the stars, whispered dreams of a better life that felt almost tangible. Each memory was a thread woven into the tapestry of their lives, a reminder of what they had fought for together.

“Arthur has always been a beacon in your life.” she continued, her tone shifting to something more somber. “He saved all he could, and yet the weight of his sacrifices left him wanting—longing for a life he could never grasp. The betrayals, the heartache, they forged a path leading to despair.”

Another image flickered, capturing Arthur as he faced the realities of their choices—the moment they stood together on the edge of everything they held dear. John’s heart tightened as he heard Arthur’s voice, echoing through the void: “We ain't both gonna make it.”  The resignation in Arthur’s tone sent a shiver down John’s spine, a haunting reminder of the inevitability that had torn them apart.

“I have watched from afar,” the woman said, her voice imbued with deep sorrow, “my husband and I have observed your struggles, your love for one another. He, a man who knows the weight of fate, understands your pain and the void that now consumes you.”

John felt a sudden jolt of recognition—the strange man. He had encountered him, a figure cloaked in mystery who seemed to know more about him than he did about himself. “He knows the depths of your heart, John. He knows what has been lost, what could still be gained.”

“What do you want from me?” John questioned, uncertainty threading through his words. “What can I do?”

“I wish to grant you both a second chance.” she said, her voice lifting with a spark of hope. “A chance to rewrite your story, to reclaim what has been lost. Arthur’s death has carved a void in your heart, one that only he can fill. The world you knew may be fraught with danger and unexpected challenges, but it is a chance—a chance to confront the betrayals, to forge new paths, to stand side by side once more.”

Images flooded the void, more memories of John and Arthur entwined in the tapestry of their lives—Arthur rescuing John from the brink, their shared determination to build a future free from the chains of their pasts. Each fragment painted a picture of resilience and love, a powerful reminder of what had once been and what could be again.

“But this journey will not be without its trials.” she warned, the gravity of her words hanging in the air. “You will face new adversaries, new choices, and the specters of the past will linger at your heels. The question remains: can you reclaim the bond that was lost, the love that thrived even amidst the darkness?”

With each word, John felt a fire ignite within him, rekindling the determination he thought he had lost. “I’ll do it.” he declared, resolute. “I’ll fight for Arthur. I won’t let the darkness take him away from me again.”

“Very well.” she replied, the weight of finality wrapping around them. “Embrace the void, John Marston, for it is only through facing it that you will emerge into the light. Go forth, and weave your tale anew.”

---------

I’m still deciding whether to add more details or keep it as it is. Your input would mean a lot to me, so feel free to share any thoughts or suggestions! (P.S. This is just a sneak peak, edits may occur.)

[gageblackwood]

A Rough Transcript of James Somerton's new video

For those who don't want to watch it, I grabbed the auto-transcript of the video, and then honestly spent way to long cleaning it up. There are a few editor notes that are just attempts at clarity, and punctuation and line breaks added as best I could guess them. Here it is:

"uh just a disclosure this video is monetized but revenue from it will be sent along to H bomber guy's team to be dispersed to the people whose work I plagarized.

uh if his team won't accept it I'll be making monthly donations to Wikipedia and trans Lifeline going forward.

uh you may have also noticed that a few of my past videos have gone up on the channel again and revenue from those as well will also be sent, along with the revenue from this video.

over the last couple of months I've been getting in touch with the people who I plagiarized to apologize one-on-one instead of a mass apology.

it's a bit difficult because many of them don't have public email addresses so I'm still working on it but it is a top priority of mine.

I've heard back from a few of them and they were actually incredibly nice, um accepting my apology and just imploring me to do better in the future, so I want to thank them publicly for that.

there's plenty that I haven't heard back from and I completely understand that in many cases.

uh I wouldn't want to talk to me either.

I also want to apologize to my audience.

though you trusted me to be a good representative of the queer community and I was not that, I tried to be, I tried to be a voice for every member of the queer Community but that was a failed Endeavor before it even started.

I'm a CIS white gay man no matter how much I try to be a good spokesperson I can never really truly understand the life experiences of other far more put upon members of the queer Community.

this is one of the reasons that I would use the their own words but I should have made it very clear that that's what I was doing.

I never, ever thought that I was the only voice out there as some have said but being a CIS white man I thought I might be able to win over some people who wouldn't otherwise listen unless it was someone who looks and sounds just like them, and so I tried speaking for everyone and this was a horrible mistake.

what I thought was being inclusive ended up leading to a lot of people feeling left out and even offended.

this fell upon Nick as well as a non-binary person on the ace spectrum.

they wanted to include asexuality and non-binary representation in our videos but because Nick's experience is not Universal, there is no Universal experience, people felt that we were dealing legitimizing (editor: likely de-legitimizing) their own experiences because we focused on Nicks.

and I apologize for that and I'm sure that Nick does as well.

um I'd also like to extend a personal apology to Jesse Earl, better known as Jesse gender.

out of everyone that I spoke to who was also a YouTuber Jesse was by far the kindest person.

I think Jesse might be one of the kindest people I've ever met or ever encountered.

we never actually met in person because of my hot headedness.

I drew her into just this anger spiral of mine that was unwarranted and absolutely ruined a possible friendship.

Jesse was actually doing her best to kind of mitigate my frustration and and everything and and

uh at that moment and I just wasn't allowing her to do that and I really truly honestly want to apologize to her for that again.

if if you ever get the chance to speak with Jesse one-on-one or if you have gotten the chance you'll know just how nice she is and how kind and I was a a real, for uh dragging her into my reactionary unwarranted frustration.

we, obviously, we haven't spoke since all of that happened um but Jesse if you are watching this video um I do want you to know that I am honestly sorry for that.

I hope truly, honestly I hope everything goes as well as possible for you because you deserve all of it.

there was a misunderstanding between Jesse and I.

um after that happened, that I do want to clear up where someone who at least claimed to be a fan of Jesse's, you know did an internet and threatened to kill me.

which is, you know, being a person on the internet death threats are unfortunately not uncommon.

at the time though, uh I was in a very panicked State, and so I did report it to the police.

I did not report Jesse to the police which is the misunderstanding that people um came away with.

I did not report Jesse to the police.

I would have no reason to do that, and it did end up that this person had a prior record with the police um of violent acts and they actually lived quite near me, um so the police took it very seriously.

they took it so seriously that they implored me not to speak to, to Jesse.

which I took their advice on which I shouldn't have honestly I should have at least clarified to Jesse what was going on and not just left her hanging.

and so I want to again apologize to Jesse for that but in that state I listen to the police.

which is, you know, maybe not the best decision all the time because the cops don't usually have the best interests of people at heart.

so Jesse I want to apologize for that and everything else that happened.

completely understand why you would not want to speak to me ever again but I just want you to know that I am sorry.

but now back on the original topic.

the work Nick and I were doing on the channel.

we wanted it to be you know for everyone.

we wanted it to be a channel where every queer person could feel welcomed and we failed at that.

that is something that in hindsight I think is impossible to create and that's why it's important for there to be many different queer voices in spaces like YouTube.

and there are, what's more important is that those voices are discoverable which is something that I should have been helping with.

I often shared other queer creators on Twitter but this was when I only had you know 800 a th000 (editor: a thousand?) Twitter followers and these creators usually had a whole lot more than that.

it was a weird thing because usually they would have infinitely more Twitter followers but a whole lot less YouTube subscribers.

I'm not sure what created that dichotomy but something was definitely off with the algorithm there.

there is a part of my brain that says YouTube kind of went oh you know white male queer let's push him and you know ignore everyone else in the community.

whereas people were able to actually discover uh other queer creators on Twitter and then make their way to YouTube, but the YouTube algorithm, kind of, that's the most negative interpretation I have of it.

which unfortunately may be true.

uh in any case I should have done more to share the voices of other queer people, certainly the people whose works I used both credited and plagiarized in my videos, but also just other creators on YouTube.

it's important for us as a community as vaguely defined as we are to support each other and I didn't do that nearly enough from day one.

I was very taken in by the idea of being a YouTuber.

as soon as my videos started to get recommended by the algorithm, after not releasing a new video for like two years I felt like I had a short period of time to get the next videos out as soon as possible.

which is why so little work was put into the writing of them and so much was taken from other places, plagiarized early on.

I thought crediting authors in the opening credits alone was enough, especially since the videos weren't monetized early on, but I understand now especially after speaking with some of the people who were, who I did plagiarize that that was just, I was wrong.

that was not the way to go about it, they should have been cited properly within the text of the video video, they should have been called out in the video at least once verbally as well as you know having citations on screen.

if there were a whole lot of them, like with you know one of the examples that H bomber guy used in his video was the Deep Cuts video there were a whole lot of people who I, you know, credited in the opening credits but really it's plagiarism, they should have been cited on screen with actual citations of, you know, links where you can find this stuff.

maybe there should have even been a bibliography that you could have gone to like on a Google drive or something like that.

because you know although I might have stated that the scripts were based upon the work of these authors it in many cases wasn't just based on their work it was their work word for word.

in some cases I did get permission like with the Evil Queen's Disney video.

I'll put the email up on the screen that I got from Sean Griffin, um where he did give me permission to publish the video.

I sent the finished video to him and he watched it and he gave me permission, but in most cases I didn't get permission and thought that just putting the author's name in the opening credits was enough.

I was much more interested in the production of the videos than the writing of them at this point so after three or four videos I brought Nick on as a main writer for the channel.

the idea is that they would write the vast majority of the scripts.

I would film, voice and edit the videos and we'd split the money that came in.

we were roommates at the time and Nick didn't have a job, so I figured it would help both of us.

this is actually when we had some of our biggest videos, uh like the ones talking about Wiccan and hulkling, where we lucked out because it came out right in time for Wan division (Editor: Wandavision?) to hit and then the killing stalking video which became our biggest video by far.

uh the sadism of class was another one.

these videos weren't plagiarized and we loved making them.

uh it didn't take long for the channel income to start growing.

lucky timing really because this was around the same time that I was laid off since the company that I was working for, downsized once Co hit its second year.

Nick and I had both grown up poor, so we started doing what we could to try and stabilize our income as much as possible.

this meant putting out more videos which meant I had to take over more of the writing duties, but since filming, editing, usually doing multiple edits because of YouTube copyright issues, as well as managing the channel and dealing with my mom's recent cancer diagnosis, all of that was already taking up so much of my time and attention.

this led to a lot of copy and pasting blocks of text into scripts.

my intention at the time was to use these as a jumping off point once Nick and I sat down to edit the script, because that's what we would do.

I would sort of put in my parts, Nick would put in his parts and then we would sit down at a table read through the whole script and kind of try and make it seem cohesive.

but, and here's something I'm sure a lot of people will call a excuse, I have memory issues because of a head injury from when I was a child.

uh they're actually getting worse.

I've talked about it on streams and in videos, so yes it is real, but some people will call it a excuse.

Anyway the head injury is actually what led to me having epilepsy, which is why I can't work in any job that involves physical labor.

employers can't get insurance for me to, like lift things or operate vehicles and stuff like that.

I actually did marketing for a restaurant group for a little while but got let go when they found out that I was epileptic because, at least according to them, I couldn't be insured to be in the kitchens where I needed to be to film videos and take photos and stuff like that.

but anyway, when it came to editing the scripts I couldn't remember what I'd written and what had been copy pasted.

we should have just chucked out everything that I had put into the script and filled them in with wholly original thoughts or I should have been taking notes on where things came from so that we could at least site them in the video if nothing else, but I never did that.

according to my therapist, my not thinking to do that probably stems from my recently diagnosed ADHD, but I don't know if I'm willing to say that really.

maybe it was or maybe it was just plain laziness.

maybe I thought that this was somewhere that I could cut a corner because I was torn in so many other directions.

honestly I can't remember, like I said memory issues.

but yes we should have just thrown out my contributions to the scripts and filled them in with original writing but we felt like we had too much of a time crunch.

we felt like we had to get videos out more often to feed the algorithm, and then my mom died and I became completely useless.

I couldn't think straight at all so Nick had to completely take over writing duties while I dealt with things you deal with after a person dies.

my dad you see he can't read or write uh he was very po poor when he was a kid so he had to leave school really young to work in order to feed his many brothers and sisters.

so I had to deal with all the legal stuff after my mom died as well as making sure that all my dad's bills were paid and whatnot, especially after his income was basically cut in half.

there was supposed to be a buffer here Money Wise as my mom had a life insurance policy that was going to be split between my dad and myself, but the insurance company, RBC Insurance so if you have insurance with them maybe rethink that, uh refuse to pay out the policy because my mother never mentioned that she had family with diabetes.

she didn't have diabetes but because she didn't think to mention that she had family with diabetes it apparently voided the policy.

all they did was refund a Year's worth of premiums that she'd paid even though she'd been paying them for about 15 years.

one of the things, the main thing really that I was supposed to do with my portion of the insurance money was, I was supposed to make a movie.

these were direct instructions from my mom herself.

she'd been very much behind me when I decided, when I was about 10, that I wanted to be a filmmaker and she wanted me to finally have the opportunity to do that even if she never got to see it.

so when the life insurance went bust I decided to try and crowdfund it.

at least enough to make a short film or two this is what teos (Editor: Telos) grew out of.

so what happened with Telos, let me break down the timeline.

when we launched the campaign in February of 2022 we hoped to raise $3,000 to produce a short film that we hoped that we would then use as a sort of proof of concept to attract investors, either private public or through Canada's telefilm program, to produce a feature.

some people online have stated that $3,000 never would have covered the cost of a short film but these were not going to be unionized movies and we were very clear about that upfront.

we wanted to be able to pay actors as best that we could but we never expected to be able to reach typical union wages.

the crew was going to be made up of people that I had gone to film school with.

everyone, including Nick and myself we were roommates at the time, living on the East Coast were more than happy to work behind the scenes for free.

we planned on writing a movie with a small cast and only one or two locations, ideally ones that we could get access to for free.

again we assumed all the money would go to the actors.

uh we kind of looked at this is a sort of Community Theater troop but for film making.

after the campaign launched it did infinitely better than we could have expected and our Ambitions grew.

we started planning to make a feature instead of a short film and the plan was to take this around to, uh film festivals.

the feature we settled on, entitled final girl, was about the Lone Survivor of a slasher movie type Massacre 10 years after the fact, as she was publishing a book about her ordeal, drawing attention from people online convinced that she had actually been the killer all along.

in the end we would find out that the killer was the boyfriend of the girl who the main character had secretly been dating at the time of the killings and most of the people he killed were, in his eyes, collateral damage as he made his way to our main character, because he was not happy that his girlfriend was cheating on him with a girl.

and to those who say that I plagiarized the plot from the novel Final Girl Support Group by Grady hris (Editor: Hendrix), read the book.

it's nothing like the plot of the movie and the final girl is a Trope in horror movies, so if using the Final Girl trope is plagiarism then basically everyone who's made a slasher movie since Texas Chainsaw Massacre owes the Toby Hooper Estates some money.

but anyway Nick and I planned out the movie, but I didn't want to start writing it until the campaign ended and the money was actually deposited.

uh after the insurance debacle I didn't want to count our chickens before they hatched.

when the money was officially deposited I immediately began work on the screenplay.

I finished it that summer.

soon after Nick had left to spend two months at home in Ottawa, Ontario with family.

I sent the script to him to read right away because I was proud very proud of it but Nick didn't want to share his opinion on it until he got back to the east coast so in the meantime I put out a preliminary casting call on local job boards.

when Nick got back, uh he believed that the script needed a page one rework.

this is also when he told me that he'd be moving back to Ontario permanently soon, as he wanted to live closer to family and live in a bigger city with more opportunities.

this was a punch to the gut for me.

we' been living together since 2015 and had become quite dependent on each other.

I felt like there was no way that I could make this movie without him and since I had received not that many replies to the initial casting call I took this as a sign that Ontario would be a better place to launch Telos, even though all my professional professional film connections were on the East Coast.

that was a mistake.

there I had free access to the campground that would serve as the setting for a good portion of the movie, as well as easy access to any number of houses, apartments and even offices that friends of friends would let me use to shoot.

in Ontario I had none of that, which immediately put the breaks on Final Girl since there was no conceivable way of filming in it, at least not within the budget that we had.

after Nick and I moved to the Toronto area he decided that he actually wanted to move home to Ottawa, uh to the Ottawa area about 5 hours away, at least for a little while.

in the meantime he would take a train to the GTA the crater (Editor: greater) Toronto area once a month, uh to work on YouTube videos for a few days and then head back.

this went on for a little less than a year so I began brainstorming new movies that we could film in Ontario.

this is where the multiple posters and teaser trailers came from.

I was trying to create something tangible to show that work was still being done with Telos.

I wrote multiple treatments for movies over the next few months and Nick and I eventually landed on one, called antisocial: a murder mystery, about a former social media click (Editor: clique) who had gone their separate ways on very bad terms and they were coming together for a reunion at a sort of VidCon event.

um they were all sharing a house and then some of them were going to start showing up dead.

around the same time, summer of 2023, uh Nick had moved to the GTA full-time.

uh he and I spent weeks working out exactly how the murder mystery would parse out in the movie.

we had a bunch of whiteboards up on my wall and we were just breaking it down piece by piece.

uh I'd put out a new casting call in the GTA and received hundreds of responses so I was planning on casting as soon as the script was finished but after trying to work out the numbers as far as paying actors went, Plus locations, food, costumes, as well as the equipment that we'd already purchased and the legal costs of setting up Telos as a business, we realized that we'd gone way too big with this movie.

uh the movie had too many characters and too many locations and it was just way too complex to be able to pull off with the budget.

so I started working on a script for a movie called The Listener, about a true crime podcaster focused on the mysterious deaths of homeless gay men in his City.

I was a fair way into the script when we realized it' be about a year before we could even film anything since winter was on its way and the story relied heavily on a summer setting.

so we went back to the drawing board yet again, finally settling on a modern-day adaptation of The Vampire based on the book by John Palador (Editor: capitals added, also it's Polidori).

uh it's one of the original works of published vampire fiction.

it's never received a proper film adaptation and was in public domain so we thought it would be a great choice and the cast could be kept down to basically five characters, with only two of them being on screen most of the time.

Nick and I both wrote treatments for it which we plan on, planned on melding together into a final treatment M that we would write the script based off of.

we'd had a meeting about it and we were talking about how best to move forward, how fast we could get the script written, how long it would take to cast, how soon we could start shooting.

we knew that it had been a while since the initial funding of Telos came in and we wanted to get something concrete out as soon as possible.

after the meeting we went to dinner and while at dinner I started getting messages about the H bomber Guy video.

we were in over our heads once we left the East Coast but the intention was never ever to Take the Money and Run.

I was so insanely excited about getting to make Telos a reality.

I was excited about getting to make a short film, let alone a feature.

it's always been my dream to make movies so Telos meant and means the world to me.

for Nick it was a very exciting project but not his passion.

Nick wanted to write novels, he still does.

Nick looked at this as a good creative outlet that was way more fulfilling than writing video essays.

I should have stayed where I was and not gone to Ontario.

the move uprooted everything that was solid about Telos and it took a whole year to get it back onto even anything close to stable footing, but I am working with the producer now so you can expect an actual product from Telos this year.

it will likely be a short film to start off but there is going to be something coming out of Telos this year.

I know I've lost your trust but I will make nothing financially from this project.

the money that is there will go wholly to paying queer artists to work on a queer film.

I am not nor have I ever intended to be one of the people paid by Telos, neither was Nick.

we made this very clear to everyone who asked.

during our work on tellos (Editor: Telos) is also when the YouTube channel started getting sponsors which as I said as someone who grew up poor I basically accepted all of them except for a few that I didn't think lined up with the message of the channel or had some bad news surrounding them.

there were a couple that had some anti-tr (Editor: anti-trans?) stuff going on in the news and I just didn't want to associate with that.

but by accepting as many sponsors as we did, which became very important when Nick and I started living apart, and suddenly had two rents to pay we ended up needing to produce even more videos, which along with the work on toos (Editor: Telos?) and making sure everything was okay with my dad while living thousands of kilometers away, meant I had even less time for writing, putting more stress on Nick and leading to even more copy pasting from me.

that's what led to us putting out, I think, six videos in one month at one point.

it might have been five, but in any case it was way too damn many videos to go out in one month.

we tried to take the summer off from YouTube in 2023 to work on Telos exclusively but even that went up in smoke because my housing situation.

just, I won't go into it here, I've talked about it at nauseum (Editor: ad nauseam) on streams and stuff.

if you followed me on social media you know the cluster I ended up in that led to me moving twice in two months.

in the last couple of months I've received a lot of emails, as you can imagine, uh many from people who were rightfully let down.

some from people threatening everything from doxing to violence Because the Internet, some with the kindest words of support I've ever heard and others simply asking why I made it so difficult to contact me and if I was okay.

they wanted to know why, as they put it, I nuked my social media presence.

(Editor: Warning for talk of suicide)

to be frank it's because I didn't want to exist anymore.

if you watched my honestly horrendous apology video Back In December you know I tried to make that happen, the not existing thing, but it was more intense than taking too many pills.

it's not that I didn't want to be alive anymore it's that I wished I'd never existed at all, that everyone I'd ever known would be better off had I just never been there, very George Bailey which is fitting given that it was Christmas time.

it's only thanks to some very very dedicated doctors and nurses and one very good friend that I'm even here able to film this right now.

I'm not going to name her because I don't want to expose anyone else to the small but seriously unstable group of people who watched the plagiarism and YouTube video and thought, well he should be dead.

like I said it's a it was a very small group but when they find out your address and some of them are actually in your city they can be terrifying, and they did find my address and at least a couple of them showed up while I was at the hospital.

um my neighbors did report them to the police, uh and I I won't go into any more details than that.

I'm not sure if I legally even can but there's a reason I left Ontario within a week of getting the okay to do so from the doctors.

so what's next then?

like I said you'll notice that a few of my videos are live again on the channel, these ones don't come from plagiarize content and for the most part are written entirely by Nick.

Nick lost three years worth of work when everything on the channel was taken down and that's simply not fair to Nick.

he worked hard writing those videos and deserves to have something to point to when he's looking for new writing work.

I've also done some heavy editing on other videos that did contain other people's writing, um breaking it down to only original content, again so that Nick has an actual portfolio of work.

as mentioned at the beginning of the video revenue from these will be going to the H bomber guy team, to be sent out to the writers I play R (Editor: plagiarized) from or donated to charity, however it works out in the end.

these edited videos will be going back up on the channel in the next few days I think, um along with two completed video essays that we didn't actually get to release before everything happened.

there's also some recent videos that didn't have any plagiarism that the sponsor asked to be taken down and their ads removed, um so they'll also be going back up without the sponsors obviously and soon I will be releasing a new video written entirely by me properly cited with all sources credited.

maybe no one will watch it but I hope you do.

I want to prove that I have the ability to do this without abusing other people's work.

it's a very different kind of video than I used to make though, I'd say it's more of a documentary than a video essay.

you won't find my opinions anywhere in there just cited facts.

I'd like to keep making videos like these new ones about people and events in gay history and definitive gay movies that you maybe never heard of, stuff like that.

it's actually something that I planned on doing this year anyway.

there would be two videos a month, Nick would write a video essay and I would write one of these documentary style videos that would fulfill the two videos per month sponsorship deal that we had at the time.

I have no sponsors now so probably not going to be two videos a month, it'll probably just be the one which will give more time for research and citation and crediting and making sure that there is no misinformation in the videos, uh which I know, I know that misinformation made its way into, uh our past videos that was not something that we intended.

in some cases it was information that I was told by people that I considered experts, um in other cases it was information that we had researched, uh in other cases it was things that Nick had learned in University, the point being it was never malicious.

we didn't, we weren't trying to lie about things despite what a lot of people think.

we were not trying to spread misinformation that was not ever Our intention and that's something else that I want to apologize for.

as for my patreon everyone can stop worrying about me relaunching it right in time for a billing cycle, that will not be happening.

I don't want anyone who either doesn't know about the plagiarism or simply forgot to unsub subscribe to get build (Editor: billed) so I'm going to start from zero.

I have put together a new patreon account so if you want to support my documentaries about gay history, fantastic, honestly your faith in me after everything means the world to me.

if not I completely understand.

like I said I've lost your trust.

I'm going to work my ass off to earn it back though and I know for some of you I'll never be able to do that but I'm going to try anyway.

you know there's a link in the description to the patreon if you want to join it, where you'll be able to see the to yet to be released videos right now, as well as, you know, take part in other stuff that will be on there like a book club podcasts, uh voting on upcoming videos, all the usual patreon stuff.

but this video is not about promoting myself this video is about me apologizing and I am incredibly sorry.

it was never my intention for anyone to feel hurt or left out or excluded, it was never my intention to spread misinformation and I'm really really sorry that that happened and you know as as much as I've tried to explain myself in this video, you know the memory issues, ADHD, um the personal things that were going on in my life with my mom getting sick and then dying and trying to make sure that my dad was okay following that and everything, those aren't excuses.

there is no excuse for what I did.

there are lots of people who make videos on YouTube, there are lots of people who make podcasts, TV shows, movies, documentaries who have going on in their lives that's very stressful and they don't plagiarize people's work.

there is no excuse for what I did.

for everything that happened, whether it be with my mom or the memory issues, there was something I could have done to mitigate that.

there's nothing I could have done about my mom getting cancer but knowing my patrons as I did, in hindsight I'm pretty damn sure that if I had said, guys I need to step away for a couple of months to deal with this, I don't think a whole lot of people would have fled the patreon.

a part of me thought they would at the time because I catastrophy (Editor: catastrophize?), I, but I really don't think that would have happened.

even in the very beginning when I was like, oh I got to get as many videos out as possible, if I had said to those people who subscribe to the channel early on, you know for the next video I want to make sure that it's fully correct and I want to make sure that you know it's as high quality as it can possibly be, I, I don't think anyone would have, you know unsubscribed or not watched the next video because it didn't come out a couple of weeks after the algorithm decided that I was important.

for some reason I convinced myself of these things but I don't think, in hindsight, looking at it I don't think any of that would have happened and so there is no excuse for the misinformation and there is certainly no excuse for the plagiarism.

I up bad I stole people's words and thoughts and opinions, that they worked incredibly hard writing and Publishing and finding someone to publish their thoughts and opinions and research, hard research that they had done and, you know, in some cases, I put them their names in the opening credits which I thought was fine, but like I said I've spoken with some of these people now and I understand why that was not okay.

because putting someone's name in the opening credits, you know, okay here's a list of people, here's, you know, seven or eight people who are, even if it was you know everyone, even if it wasn't, you know, taking giant chunks of their work, paragraphs at a time, even if it was just a sentence here or there, putting their name in the opening credits doesn't tell anyone where their work is in the video.

nobody can say, oh I really like that opinion, or wow that's a really, you know, smart observation, I want to read more from this person, and then, you know, to find something you found interesting you have to go play detective and so yes, just putting their name in the opening credits was wrong.

I thought it was cool and you know cinematic, but it was wrong.

citations should have been done properly, there should never have been just chunks of text being put into videos.

there were times like with, uh the queer history of Hollywood videos, that I released this past spring they were based directly on the Celluloid closet by veto (Editor: Vito) Russo, the book not the documentary.

I expanded on it quite a bit but it was based directly on veto's (Editor: Vito's) work and I credited him in the opening credits and I thought it was okay to just do that, because the book was out of print and veto had passed away unfortunately from HIV complications, due to HIV and AIDS and I looked at it more as extend in his legacy, making sure that people knew about the work that he did but I don't think I ever mentioned his name in those videos.

he was crit (Editor: credited?), like I said his name's in the opening credits but I don't think I ever verbally mentioned his name, someone who I have so much respect for who, kind of an idol of mine and I never mentioned his name.

it wasn't because I didn't respect him or anything like that and it also wasn't because I wanted people to think that this was all me again, if, if that was the case I wouldn't have put his name in the in the credits.

I never wanted people to think that this was all me, so that's actually one of the videos I want to make.

I want to make a documentary style video talking about vetto (Editor: Vito) Russo and his life and everything that he accomplished, because he didn't just write the Celluloid closet, he did a lot more than that.

he's someone that people should know about.

obviously people can research him, uh there's books about him but I know, you know, it's easier to sit down and watch a 20 or 30 minute YouTube video than it is to read a book.

I'd like to make a video about VTO (Editor: Vito) Russo, properly cited and not just, you know, copy pasted from a book.

I want to do the work, I want to prove, not just to you, but to myself that I can do the work and that's why I've started making these documentaries.

working on these I can't, I can't really put into words how sorry I am.

I've tried, I've tried writing like a blog entry to say that I was sorry for about two months now and I just can't.

I can't get across how sorry I am and I know actions speak way louder than words and I hope with my actions that I can show you that I am sorry.

I'm sorry to everyone I play Dr (Editor: plagiarized?).

I'm sorry to everyone I've hurt.

I'm sorry to people who feel lied to.

I'm sorry to people who feel like I abused the queer Community, was never my intention.

again I'm sorry to Jesse.

There were actually several other YouTubers who, uh were very nice to me but I feel like with everything that went down Jess, Jesse is the one that I should apologize to the most.

I'm sorry for the people who felt scammed, who thought that Telos was a grift.

it was not it is not I am very sorry and I hope given time and my actions proving it that you can believe me."

--------

I hope my restraint in not adding personal commentary is appreciated, as there were times it took heroic effort. There are several places I deleted comments I typed at first, mainly along the lines of "You sure as fuck shouldn't have, buddy!" virtually whenever he said he shouldn't have done something.

To end on a lighter note, I did almost lose it at the end with the typo VTO Russo. I had just been wading through so much, and suddenly, there was Vertical Takeoff Russo.

[tangerp]

Here is a short list of basic resources to aid in your Tumblr RPC experience and resources to aid with editing replies.

RPC Resources:

-XKit Rewritten- Allows for trimming reblogs for replies, quick reblogs, quickly adding tags, and mutual checks on the dash. Chrome Download . Firefox Download -New Xkit - An older version of XKit Rewritten, but includes features such as their blacklist that is more powerful than Tumblr's blacklist feature. Chrome Download . Firefox Download -UBlock - Useful for blocking ads, scripts, and disruptive UIs. Link. -Session Box - A multi-login tool for Chrome-based browsers that allows a new tab to access a different login. Works well for users with multiple main accounts who don't want to log out each time to switch Tumblr accounts. Firefox has this as a built-in feature. Chrome Download

Text Editors:

-Grammarly - A typing assistant that was founded in 2009, Grammarly is a free program that aids in the grammar of your typing and makes suggestions for clarity, spelling, and punctuation. Chrome Download . Firefox Download -Space Generator - Created by Byluna, this text editor allows for quick font editing for your reply. You can give custom colors to your text, double space, or triple space at the click of a button, and if you accidentally close the tab the site will not lose your progress. Link. -Cool Text Fonts - An older site that provides fancy fonts that you can copy and paste into your replies. Link.

Disclaimer: It is not necessary to edit your text in the Tumblr RPC.

There are plenty of other useful sites and programs, so if you'd like to add any of your own, feel free to do so!

[lucentgallivanter]

[1] 'thing that is not understood.' The destruction of the monolith happens with no preamble; the poet's first line, pleading for clarity, would have established him as audience surrogate.

[3] 'fall' or 'drop;' coupled with the punctuation repeated from [2] to form a sort of ad-hoc stage direction - the actor would fling himself upon the ground, or drop to strike it in fury.

[4] i.e., slightly more than a fortnight after the winter solstice (January 7th by the Gregorian calendar). J-- E--- may have chosen this date in recognition of the lengthening of the days, which would have been noticeable by such time. It may thus be seen as a call to endure through winter to hear the full verse.

[5] lit. 'knowledge of ink' and 'knowledge of gold.'

[6] In conjunction with [5], often interpreted as pushback against Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, both in nominating a ninth category ('money smart') and in establishing a hierarchical structure.

[7] Much literature has been written about this couplet. This translation follows after Tremaine (2209), which reads this as a sort of auto-paean; he is as unshakeable as rock, despite the '[hellish] bands' that plague him.*

*Brei (2254), in an essay that still enjoys some notoriety, argues that this should be read as 'plentiful,' but this is unlikely to be true. J-- E---'s arm cannon is thought to have been purely ceremonial; there is no evidence that he had the allegiance of any troops, let alone numerous war-bands.

[11] lit. '[the] superlative man.' Popular scholarly consensus is that he lays claim to this rank and mentions his accompanying hound in the same breath as a sort of augury. Audiences of the time period would have been familiar with the story of Gilgamesh (one of the oldest 'mega [men]') and Enkidu; a shadow is therefore cast over the journey upon which his lover sends him.

[hunn1e-bunn1e]

Most common writing errors (punctuation issues)

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•

Hey guys! I'm back with more freshman composition stuff! This time though, I just copied and pasted it verbatim since I couldn't be bothered to simplify it in my own words. No pictures in today's lesson though, sorry ya'll. Anywho, here's the lesson description: "In this lesson, you will learn how to spot and fix the most common types of punctuation errors that instructors see in student papers." —Benny🐰

                                                                                                   

1. Comma Issues

By far the most frequent comma error instructors see is a missing comma after an introductory word or phrase:

Error example #1: After the 2011 blizzard in Texas she bought a shovel.

Error example #2: However it did not snow again for years.

Error example #3: By 2021 when it did snow again, she could not find the shovel in her garage.

The fix for these situations is easy: in most situations, the introductory language that needs to be set off with the comma is located immediately before the subject of the sentence. Identify the subject of the sentence first and then check the beginning of your sentence to see if you have introductory language that is not part of the main structure of the sentence. 

Corrected sentences:

After the 2011 blizzard in Texas, she bought a shovel.

However, it did not snow again for years.

By 2021, when it did snow again, she could not find the shovel in her garage.

Many times, prepositional phrases (as in example #1 and #3 above) come at the very beginning of the sentence, but as shown in #3, the initial introductory phrase may be followed by a dependent clause ("when it did snow again"), so you may also have an additional comma to separate that dependent clause from the independent clause.

Another error instructors routinely see is a random comma thrown into sentences, typically between the subject and the verb:

Error example #4: Jesse Owens' successes in the Olympic Games of 1936, showed Hitler that African-Americans did not fit into his racist stereotypes.

More likely than not, the student started writing this sentence with commas around that central prepositional phrase ("in the Olympic Games of 1938"), but then changed his mind about the commas and forgot to take out both commas. Generally speaking, sentences in English are clearer when the subject and verb are next to each other, so if the student were to revise this for clarity and the comma error, this would be the clearer version: 

Revision of example #4: In the Olympic Games of 1936, Jesse Owens' successes showed Hitler that African-Americans did not fit into his racist stereotypes.

A similar error happens when a sentence has a compound predicate. Most sentences have one predicate (verb phrase that says something about the subject):

After the 2011 blizzard in Texas, she bought a shovel.

When sentences have two predicates, students should not use a comma between the predicates. Since both predicates need to clearly link back to the same subject, adding a comma between them suggests they may not have the same subject.

Correct: After the 2011 blizzard in Texas, she bought a shovel and invested in snow tires.

Incorrect: After the 2011 blizzard in Texas, she bought a shovel, and invested in snow tires.

Missing commas or unnecessary commas around relative clauses are another way students struggle with comma use.

Examples #5 through #7 below show two types of relative clauses:

Example #5: The detective talked to Mrs. Smith, who lives in apartment 4C, to find out if she heard any noise that night.

Example #6: The Yugo, which was made in Yugoslavia, was considered one of the world's ugliest cars.

Example #7: Dogs that have specks of blood in their fur are likely to have fleas.

The relative clauses are underlined; these clauses start with a relative pronoun ("who," "which," or "that"), and as a unit, these clauses work like adjectives: they describe something about the noun that comes right before them.  Examples #5 and #6 show nonessential (also called unrestricted) relative clauses. This means the relative clause provides a description that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence; the description could be removed and the meaning of the sentence would not change:

Example #5 with the relative clause removed: The detective talked to Mrs. Smith to find out if she heard any noise that night.

Example #6 with the relative clause removed: The Yugo was considered one of the world's ugliest cars.

Nonessential relative clauses have commas around them to show that the language is nonessential.

Example #7 shows an essential/restrictive relative clause. Look what happens if you take out the relative clause in that sentence:

Example #7 (without the relative clause): Dogs are likely to have fleas.

The meaning of the sentence has changed without the relative clause: in the original sentence, the intention of the writer is to restrict the reader's focus to dogs that have specks of blood in their fur; when the relative clause is dropped, it appears the writer is talking about all dogs. To understand the point the writer is trying to make about fleas and dogs, this essential/restrictive relative clause must be seen as part of the whole statement, and therefore the clause should not have commas around it. 

2. Possession errors and it's/its

"Possession" means ownership; if you want to show that one thing belongs to another, you need to use apostrophes correctly.

Correct singular usage: The tree's leaves are turning red. (The position of the apostrophe indicates one tree is being discussed.)

Correct plural usage: The trees' leaves are turning red. (The position of the apostrophe indicates multiple trees are being discussed.)

Apostrophe errors for showing possession are the second most common minor punctuation error instructors see. Students routinely overuse apostrophes, underuse apostrophes, or misplace apostrophes when it comes to showing possession. 

Error example #1: Not all dogs have flea's, but those that do can develop serious issues.

Error example #2: A fleas bite can cause flea allergy dermatitis.

Error example #3: In the worst-case scenario, a dogs' blood can become infected with heartworm from a single flea bite.

In example #1, the word "fleas" has an apostrophe, but it is not showing possession of anything, so the apostrophe needs to be removed. In example #2, "fleas" is actually meant to be a singular possessive noun, but without the apostrophe, it appears as just a plural noun. It should be changed to "flea's" in example #2 to be correct. In example #3, the student understood that possession should be shown with the word "dog," but the apostrophe is in the wrong to show a single dog's blood (it should be "dog's").

Aside from possession, the other major apostrophe error students make is in showing a contraction with "it's." The rules about possession just discussed are the reason why students find this confusing. The words "its" and "it's" are irregular, meaning they do not follow the general possession rules. (If English is your second or third language, you are likely already very familiar with irregular verb forms, so this is another irregular word you can add to your list.) 

Essentially, possession with the word "it" boils down to "it's" is always a contraction, which means using the apostrophe always shows a contracted form of "it is."* 

Because the English language also needs to have a possessive form of the word "it," and English needs to distinguish this possessive form from the contraction, the usage of "its" without an apostrophe shows possession. 

*Side note: Contractions are usually considered informal language, and many instructors will tell you to avoid them in formal papers. This will take some getting used to since English speakers use other common contractions (like "don't," "wasn't," "haven't," and "shouldn't") all the time.

3. Using hyphens

While the Lunsford and Lunsford study shows misuse of hyphens as a top 20 error, this error is far less common than the other types. However, to be thorough, you should understand the most common reason you would use a hyphen.

Adjectives (the descriptive words underlined below) are most commonly used as a single word to describe a noun within a text: 

sunny day

cloudy sky

full moon

However, sometimes two adjectives (or an adjective and adverb) will work together to function as a unique description of a noun:

well-kept secret

blood-red moon

bullet-riddled body

The reason you use a hyphen between the two words in this situation is because the hyphen signals to the reader that the words are working together as a unit in order to convey the descriptive idea that applies to the subsequent noun. 

Without the hyphen, a reader could misunderstand the intentions of the writer and see only the word immediately before the noun as the adjective, which in itself does not contain the full idea of the hyphenated words. For example, riddled body conveys a different idea than bullet-riddled body. The same thing is obvious when you look at the difference between "kept secret" and "well-kept secret." When you want someone to see that the words are working together as a descriptive unit, you will hyphenate those words.

4. Punctuation errors around quoted material

When you are using direct quotations in a paper, there are several types of punctuation you need to use in specific locations for specific situations:

colons 

commas

double quotation marks

single quotation marks

periods

To illustrate your options, let's imagine that you want to put this sentence from The Economist magazine into your paper:

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end.

First things first, make sure you put double quotation marks (") around all the exact words from the source when you add it to your paper:

"Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end."

Next, you need to add a signal phrase or introductory language before the quotation (that is, your own words should immediately precede and be part of the sentence that has the quoted language). You have two options here:

create a related independent clause (complete sentence) immediately before the quoted language

create an intro. phrase or dependent clause immediately before the quoted language

If you choose option #1, you will use a colon between your words and the quoted language.

Independent clause intro. example:

Most economists do not expect the bull market to last: "Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end."

If you choose option #2, you will use a comma between your words and the quoted language.

Intro. phrase and dependent clause examples:

At the end of 2021, "Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end." 

While some economists are bullish about the future, "Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end."

In all three examples here, the punctuation at the beginning of the quotation (the comma or colon) is outside of the double quotation marks, while the punctuation at the end, the period, is inside the quotation marks. The location of the period will change when you are using parenthetical notes to document your sources. With shorter quotations, the period goes at the very end of the parenthetical note to indicate that the parenthetical note goes with the sentence that has the quoted language:

Periods with parenthetical notes (shorter quotations):

While some economists are bullish about the future, "Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end" (Harris 74).With a longer quotations (MLA = four full lines are more; APA = 40 words or more), the quoted language must go in a block indented 1/2 inch from the left margin, the quotation marks are removed, and the period goes after the final word of the quoted material (not after the parentheses):

Periods with parenthetical notes (longer quotations):

While some economists are bullish about the future, 

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end; Powell has met with economists within the United States and with leaders of the World Bank, the UN, and China. Most of these economists were forecasting a decline in GDP globally of 2% for the next five quarters until the pandemic is fully under control with mass vaccinations and reduced spread of COVID-19 variants. (Harris 74) 

--or--

Most economists do not expect the bull market to last:

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end; Powell has met with economists within the United States and with leaders of the World Bank, the UN, and China. Most of these economists were forecasting a decline in GDP globally of 2% for the next five quarters until the pandemic is fully under control with mass vaccinations and reduced spread of COVID-19 variants. (Harris, 2021, 74)  Single quotation marksare only used when the source material has words in quotation marks in the original source. For example, imagine the original language in The Economist looked like this instead: 

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated, "The stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end."To use all of this language in your paper, you would need to put double quotation marks before "federal" and after "end," and you would switch the double quotation marks in the original to single quotation marks:

Most economists do not expect the bull market to last: "Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated, 'The stock market's historic 47% gain over the last three quarters may be coming to an end'" (Harris 74). If you are not sure about the difference between single quotation marks and double quotation marks, take a look at the image below showing the difference between the two punctuation marks: ('') single and ("") double.

5. Semicolons and colons

The semicolon is one of the most misunderstood and misused punctuation marks; in fact, it is often mistaken for the colon (which we’ll discuss next). However, these two punctuation marks are not interchangeable. A semicolon connects two complete ideas (a complete idea has a subject and a verb) that are connected to each other. Look at this sentence for example:

Anika’s statue is presently displayed in the center of the exhibit; this location makes it a focal point and allows it to direct the flow of visitors to the museum.

The first idea tells us where Anika’s statue is, and the second idea tells us more about the location and its importance. Each of these ideas could be its own sentence, but by using a semicolon, the author is telling the reader that the two ideas are connected. Often, you may find yourself putting a comma in the place of the semicolon; this is incorrect. Using a comma here would create a run-on sentence. Remember: a comma can join a complete idea to other items while a semicolon needs a complete idea on either side.

The semicolon can also be used to separate items in a list when those items have internal commas. For example, say you’re listing a series of cities and their states, or you’re listing duties for a resume:

As a photographer for National Geographic, Renato had been to a lot of different places including São Paulo, Brazil; Kobe, Japan; Kyiv, Ukraine; and Barcelona, Spain.

As an engineering assistant, I had a variety of duties: participating in pressure ventilation surveys; completing daily drafting, surveying, and data compilation; and acting as a company representative during a roof-bolt pull test.

Colons

The colon is like a sign on the highway, announcing that something important is coming. It acts as an arrow pointing forward, telling you to read on for important information. A common analogy used to explain the colon is that it acts like a flare in the road, signaling that something meaningful lies ahead.

Use the colon when you wish to provide pithy emphasis.

To address this problem, we must turn to one of the biologist’s most fundamental tools: the Petri dish.

Use the colon to introduce material that explains, amplifies, or summaries what has preceded it.

The Petri dish: one of the biologist’s most fundamental tools.

In low carbon steels, banding tends to affect two properties in particular: tensile ductility and yield strength.

The colon is also commonly used to present a list or series:

A compost facility may not be located as follows: within 300 feet of an exceptional-value wetland, within 100 feet of a perennial stream, or within 50 feet of a property line.

6. Run-on sentences

Run-on sentences occur when two or more independent clauses are improperly joined. One type of run-on that you’ve probably heard of is the comma splice, in which two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, etc.).

Let’s look at a few examples of run-on sentences:

Choosing a topic for a paper can be the hardest part but it gets a lot easier after that.

Sometimes, books do not have the most complete information, it is a good idea then to look for articles in specialized periodicals.

All three of these have two independent clauses. Each clause should be separated from another with a period, a semicolon, or a comma and a coordinating conjunction:

Choosing a topic for a paper can be the hardest part, but it gets a lot easier after that.

Sometimes, books do not have the most complete information; it is a good idea then to look for articles in specialized periodicals.

Note: Caution should be exercised when defining a run-on sentence as a sentence that just goes on and on. A run-on sentence is a sentence that goes on and on and isn’t correctly punctuated. Not every long sentence is a run-on sentence. For example, look at this quote from The Great Gastby:

Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder.

If you look at the punctuation, you’ll see that this quote is a single sentence. F. Scott Fitzgerald used commas and semicolons is such a way that, despite its great length, it’s grammatically sound, as well. Length is no guarantee of a run-on sentence.

Common Causes of Run-Ons

We often write run-on sentences because we sense that the sentences involved are closely related and dividing them with a period just doesn’t seem right. We may also write them because the parts seem to short to need any division, like in “She loves skiing but he doesn’t.” However, “She loves skiing” and “he doesn’t” are both independent clauses, so they need to be divided by a comma and a coordinating conjunction—not just a coordinating conjunction by itself.

Another common cause of run-on sentences is mistaking adverbial conjunctions for coordinating conjunctions. For example if we were to write, “She loved skiing, however he didn’t,” we would have produced a comma splice. The correct sentence would be “She loved skiing; however, he didn’t.”

Fixing Run-On Sentences

Before you can fix a run-on sentence, you’ll need to identify the problem. When you write, carefully look at each part of every sentence. Are the parts independent clauses, or are they dependent clauses or phrases? Remember, only independent clauses can stand on their own. This also means they have to stand on their own; they can’t run together without correct punctuation.

Let’s take a look at a few run-on sentences and their revisions:

Most of the hours I’ve earned toward my associate’s degree do not transfer, however, I do have at least some hours the University will accept.

The opposite is true of stronger types of stainless steel they tend to be more susceptible to rust.

Some people were highly educated professionals, others were from small villages in underdeveloped countries.

Let’s start with the first sentence. This is a comma-splice sentence. The adverbial conjunction however is being treated like a coordinating conjunction. There are two easy fixes to this problem. The first is to turn the comma before however into a period. If this feels like too hard of a stop between ideas, you can change the comma into a semicolon instead.

Most of the hours I’ve earned toward my associate’s degree do not transfer. However, I do have at least some hours the University will accept.

Most of the hours I’ve earned toward my associate’s degree do not transfer; however, I do have at least some hours the University will accept.

The second sentence is a run-on as well. “The opposite is true of stronger types of stainless steel” and “they tend to be more susceptible to rust.” are both independent clauses. The two clauses are very closely related, and the second clarifies the information provided in the first. The best solution is to insert a colon between the two clauses:

The opposite is true of stronger types of stainless steel: they tend to be more susceptible to rust.

What about the last example? Once again we have two independent clauses. The two clauses provide contrasting information. Adding a conjunction could help the reader move from one kind of information to another. However, you may want that sharp contrast. Here are two revision options:

Some people were highly educated professionals, while others were from small villages in underdeveloped countries.

Some people were highly educated professionals. Others were from small villages in underdeveloped countries.

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•

[communist-ojou-sama]

By the way this was actually a big revelation for me when I started reading the ctext copy of the Zhuangzi but while modern Chinese punctuation is added to the classical Chinese for clarity, the original texts didn't have it and in that context it was actually really interesting reading Zhuangzi's prose and taking notice on how the use of grammatical parallelism actually served to make the logical breaks in the text parsible in the days when the only "punctuation" in Chinese was the line break

[bratshaws]

through the hourglass 302. brb x oc

a/n: this chapter got so long tumblr wasn't letting me post it so 8) action on the next one (comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none uwu

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

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(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

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-

“And then I was like wooooooooah that’s crazy!”

She had no idea who this woman was and what she did to Shells…because Bea knew Shells and she never wakes up before eight thirty. She blinked, still trying to understand what her friend was talking about since it was so early “...what?”

Shells laughed heartily at Beatrice's bewildered expression. "I know, right? Then I had to tell aunt Penny that ‘hey so i think we should expand the bar a bit more and make a bigger game room.” 

Beatrice, still struggling to fully wake up, blinked at Shells with a mix of confusion and disbelief. The mention of Penny, a bar expansion, and a bigger game room felt like fragments of a dream that refused to coalesce into a coherent narrative.

"..right?" Beatrice mumbled, her words punctuated by a wide yawn. She took another sip of her coffee, hoping the caffeine would kick in and bring some clarity to the early morning haze.

Shells grinned, seemingly undeterred by Beatrice's befuddled state. "Yes, yes! It's all part of my grand plan. You see, a bigger game room is essential for unfolding this idea of mine.”

Beatrice squinted at Shells, her expression a mix of skepticism and amusement. "Idea? Shells, are you sure you're not still asleep?"

Shells leaned in, her eyes sparkling "Bea,of course not….besides, with the suits bothering her so much I think something like that will help a lot. The Hard Deck is loved by many so…”

Beatrice stared at Shells, her brain struggling to catch up with the rapid-fire information. She ran a hand through her tousled hair, realizing that this conversation had taken a turn into the realm of the utterly surreal. "Explain?" Beatrice's confusion deepened. The early hour, combined with Shells' animated storytelling, made it challenging for her to process the details.

Shells leaned back, grinning mischievously. "Okay, let me break it down for you. So, you know how aunt Penny is the magnificent force behind The Hard Deck, right?”

Beatrice nodded slowly, her mind attempting to piece together the fragments of information. "Yeah, I know. But why are we talking about Penny at..." she glanced at the clock, "...this ungodly hour?"

Shells chuckled. "Because, my dear Bea, while you were in the sweet embrace of slumber, I had a revelation! A vision, if you will. An epiphany that struck me like a cosmic lightning bolt."

Beatrice raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on her face. "A cosmic lightning bolt? Shells, are you alright?"

Shells winked. "Of course, I'm alright. More than alright, actually. You see, in this cosmic revelation, I saw The Hard Deck expanding, growing, becoming a haven for interstellar adventurers and local patrons alike. And at the heart of it all, a grand game room, a nexus of fun and excitement!"

Beatrice stared at Shells, still trying to grasp the surreal nature of the conversation. "A game room? Shells, are you turning The Hard Deck into a space arcade or something?"

Shells nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with an infectious enthusiasm. "Exactly, Bea! A space arcade, a hub for gamers, explorers, and anyone seeking a cosmic escape. Picture it: retro arcade machines, futuristic VR experiences, and a vibrant community of players coming together to share their love for games."

Beatrice blinked, half-expecting to wake up from what felt like a whimsical dream. "This is... unexpected. Why now, Shells? And why are you discussing this with Aunt Penny at the crack of dawn?"

Shells leaned in, her tone conspiratorial. "Because the cosmic energies flow strongest at dawn, Bea. And as for why now, well, I couldn't wait. The vision was too vivid, too compelling to be delayed. I had to share it with Aunt Penny, and you know how she is when it comes to ambitious ideas."

Beatrice rubbed her temples, trying to reconcile the reality of the conversation with the remnants of sleep clouding her mind. "So, you had a vision of turning The Hard Deck into a space arcade, and you're convincing Penny to go along with it?"

Shells nodded, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Precisely! And you, my dear Bea, will play a crucial role in bringing this vision to life. You'll be the guardian of the game room, the one who ensures that every gamer who walks through those doors experiences the cosmic thrill of The Hard Deck."

"Guardian of the game room? Shells, this sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel."

Shells grinned. "Well, we do love our sci-fi adventures, don't we? And this, my friend, is an adventure waiting to unfold. The Hard Deck, with its expanded game room, will become a beacon of vast cosmic expanse. Isn’t that right, Bea?”

Bea.

Bea!

The brunette jumps on the couch and looks around furiously,trying to regain her surroundings and then stops when she sees Shells holding a mug with coffee in her hands “Hey…you…fell asleep.”

Oh.

“...oh I did?”

“Yeah,I told you to stay on the couch as I cleaned the kitchen.” her friend said softly, “Were you dreaming? You were making…noises kind of.”

Beatrice blinked, the remnants of the dream still lingering in her mind. "Yeah, I... I think I was dreaming. Shells, you were turning The Hard Deck into a space arcade, and I was the guardian of the game room."

Shells burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the room. "Guardian of the game room? Now that's a title I'd trust you with, Bea.."

Beatrice chuckled, slowly sitting on the couch "A dream indeed. You had me convinced for a moment that I'd stepped into some alternate reality where The Hard Deck became a galactic hub."

She raised an eyebrow playfully. “Aunt Penny would hate that."

Beatrice grinned, appreciating the whimsical optimism that Shells always brought into her life. "Totally…was–was I out long? Where are the kids?"

Shells checked the time on her wristwatch and smirked. "Not too long. The little rascals are still napping. I figured you needed a moment of peace, considering everything."

Beatrice sighs,running a hand through her hair. "Yeah,thanks for keeping an eye on them, Shells. I..." she rubs her eyes “Didn’t sleep that well,you know?”

Shells nodded understandingly, her expression sympathetic. "Hey, I get it.Do you want-” she points to the mug then sets it aside when Bea shakes her head, sitting down next to her friend, “Wanna talk about it?”

“About the dream?”

“No dummy,” she gently slaps Bea’s shoulder, “Why you didn’t sleep!”

Beatrice hesitated for a moment, glancing at Shells with enough  vulnerability for her friend to hug her close. The weight of the recent events pressed on her, and the dreams seemed to be a tumultuous journey into the subconscious. She took a deep breath, then began to share the concerns that had been gnawing at her.

"It's just... everything, Shells. Everything.It's driving me crazy."

Shells listened attentively, her eyes reflecting genuine concern. She allowed Bea to place her head on her shoulder, gently tapping her friend’s cheek. "I can only imagine how tough it must be, Bea. You could’ve called me,I wouldn’t mind sleeping in the couch or staying here making sure YOU fell asleep."

Beatrice leaned into Shells' comforting presence, then smiles softly, closing her eyes, “Thank you.” she whispers, “You are a good friend.”

“I’m a great friend.”

“You are.”

Shells chuckled, the sound resonating with a mixture of warmth and playfulness. "Well, I do try my best, you know. And speaking of friends, I’ve been thinking. How about we shake off this heavy atmosphere? Let’s do something fun, something that takes our minds off the chaos."

Beatrice tilted her head, looking at Shells with curiosity. "What do you have in mind?"

Shells grinned mischievously. "Ever heard of the legendary pizza blanket fort?"

Beatrice blinked, a hint of surprise in her expression. "Pizza blanket fort? Is that a thing?"

"Oh, it's absolutely a thing," Shells insisted, enthusiasm lighting up her eyes. "And we're going to build the most epic pizza blanket fort in the history of blanket forts. Trust me, it's the perfect remedy for a heavy heart and a tired mind."

“I…I don’t even know what that is.”

“Well,we better get to it then.”

-

Rooster was reading every report,ever single note from the past days and he tries,he tries hard to find what was missing. He flips the page back and forth, hand holding his forehead as he chews his bottom lip repeatedly.

He wouldn’t have any more surprises.

No more.

His gaze shifted from one document to another, absorbing the details, searching for patterns, and connecting the dots that could lead to a clearer understanding of the situation. The room was silent, save for the occasional sound of paper rustling and the distant hum of activity outside his office.

With a deep breath, Rooster leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing in concentration. The lack of transparency from higher-ups and the unexpected challenges faced during the mission had ignited a fire within him—a fire to protect his team and unearth the truth.

He interlocks his fingers behind his head, moving his chair from side to side. Cyclone said he’d figure out why this whole thing happened but Rooster couldn’t wait for his reply.

He had a feeling-something, someone maybe? Was off.

That wreckage was a trap for them. Which means someone knew they’d be flying that area…”Fuck.” he grunts,rubbing his eyes with his fingertips, corneas burning as he does so.

The room felt tense. He couldn't shake the feeling that there were hidden layers, concealed motives that had put his team in the crosshairs of danger. The question lingered like a persistent echo: Who knew about their movements, and why?

His desk lamp cast a focused beam on the documents, creating a pool of light in the dimly lit office. Rooster leaned forward, his elbows on the desk, eyes fixed on a particular paragraph that seemed to hold a fragment of the puzzle.

As he continued his scrutiny, his office door creaked open, and Jake cautiously entered. The officer noticed the intensity in Rooster's expression but chose to speak up, "Hey man, any updates on the situation?"

Rooster glanced up, his eyes relaxing immediately. "Nothing concrete yet, Jake. The higher-ups are still playing their cards close to the chest. But I can't wait for their deliberations. We need to act, and we need to act now."

Jake nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "We also have been checking our communication logs, looking for any irregularities after the breach. So far, everything seems secure on our end."

“Thank fuck.”

Jake pursed his lips, then sat down in front of him, “I have a question.”

Rooster smiled tiredly,rubbing his temple,”Go on,what is it?”

Jake leaned forward, his expression earnest. "Do you think there is someone who might be feeding information to those who set up the trap?"

Rooster's gaze intensified, contemplating Jake's question. The idea of a traitor within their own ranks was a heavy thought, one that weighed on everyone. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I don't want to believe it, Jake. But we can't ignore the possibility. The breach, the targeted nature of the trap... it all points to someone having inside information."

Jake's jaw tightened, a silent acknowledgment of the severity of the situation. "What do we do then? We can't trust anyone until we figure this out. And we can't afford to have our movements predicted."

Rooster leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk. "We need to conduct a thorough internal investigation. Check backgrounds, communication patterns, anything that might hint at unusual activity. And we keep this discreet. We don't want to create panic or give the potential leak a heads-up."

Jake nodded, tongue against his cheek. "Anyone that should help us with this?"

“...McAllister.” Rooster whispers, “And the boys, they are good…tell Bob too.”

“And if we find someone?”

Rooster frowns, “Then that’s out of our hands, it’s on the higher ups.” he tsks, “Fuck,I can’t believe that this is happening with Bea alone with the babies and before my promotion, seems like a huge joke.”

"I'll inform McAllister and the others," Jake said, his voice low. "We need to act swiftly but discreetly. The last thing we want is to tip our hand to whoever might be watching."

Rooster nodded, his gaze fixed on a point in the room. "Make sure McAllister knows the urgency. We can't afford to miss any details. If there's a leak, we need to plug it before it jeopardizes more lives."

With a determined nod, Jake rose from his chair and headed towards the door. "I'll get on it right away. And, Rooster, we'll get through this. It’ll be fine."

As the door closed behind Jake, Rooster was left alone with his thoughts. The room felt like a pressure cooker, each passing second adding to the weight on his shoulders. The picture on his desk—the one with Beatrice and the kids, the last one she sent as the twins got home—seemed to mock him with its serenity, a stark contrast to the turmoil that engulfed his professional life.

The worry for her safety compounded the stress of the mission. He couldn't shake the feeling of being torn between duty and the innate desire to protect his family. 

He sent her a text first

 Roos (20:04)

Hi gorgeous. Just wanted to check on you,you alright?

She didn’t respond so he sent another one 

Roos (20:05)

Things are…going, you know? We are all doing it, somehow. hah…when you see this, pls message me back? I want to…talk to you. I really do. i love you Bea and I miss you so much.

The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness as Rooster anxiously awaited Beatrice's response. Each passing second heightened the sense of unease that had settled over him like a heavy shroud. The lack of immediate reply only fueled his concerns.

Finally, a notification lit up the screen:

Bea (20:15)

Hey, Rooster. We're doing fine here. Shells is staying over tonight so. How's everything on your end?

Rooster felt an immense amount of relief at the sight of Beatrice's message.He took a moment to compose his response:

Roos (20:18)

Good to hear that Shells is with you. Things on my end are...complicated. Can't go into details right now, but I just wanted to check on you..and talk to you. i miss you a lot.

Bea (20:19)

I miss you too…did you talk to Mav? Did he give you some insight?

Roos (20:22)

Yeah, I talked to Mav. He's looking into it, trying to get more information from the higher-ups. It's a mess, Bea, but I promise I'm doing everything I can to figure this out.

Bea (20:25)

I trust you, Rooster. We've been through tough times before, and we always find our way back to each other. Just...come back to us, okay?

Rooster's chest tightened at the sincerity in her words.He took a deep breath before responding:

Roos (20:28)

I will. I promise.

Bea (20:30)

And you never break your promises.

Roos (20:29)

Never,gorgeous. Never.

[fluttershiesworld]

[ID: a white t-shirt with text in all caps reading, “when you drop the act, the world rushes to you, wide open and wet” end ID]

[ewingstan]

Rachel Lindt please?

The girl is popular :] Had to think about it for a while, but I'm gonna go with Thomas Nagel's What is it Like to Be a Bat? This also works well for Alec, but I'm working on a whole syllabus for him. It does slightly different work for each character, for Rachel its the "I am an animal and my experiences are inherently alien to you and yours to mine, true understanding between us could be impossible yet you're trying as hard as you can anyway." For Alec its more "the experiences of others have to be felt to be understood, being trapped in your own body is inherently limiting to your capacity to feel." But I don't think I actually need to do an in-depth explanation for why its appropriate for each, I could just quote the relevant sections from Nagel:

"It will not help to try to imagine that one has webbing on one's arms, which enables one to fly around at dusk and dawn catching insects in one's mouth; that one has very poor vision, and perceives the surrounding world by a system of reflected high-frequency sound signals; and that one spends the day hanging upside down by one's feet in an attic. In so far as I can imagine this (which is not very far), it tells me only what it would be like for me to behave as a bat behaves. But that is not the question. I want to know what it is like for a bat to be a bat. Yet if I try to imagine this, I am restricted to the resources of my own mind, and those resources are inadequate to the task." "...To the extent that I could look and behave like a wasp or a bat without changing my fundamental structure, my experiences would not be anything like the experiences of those animals....Even if I could by gradual degrees be transformed into a bat, nothing in my present constitution enables me to imagine what the experiences of such a future stage of myself thus metamorphosed would be like. The best evidence would come from the experiences of bats, if we only knew what they were like." "...Thus we describe bat sonar as a form of three-dimensional forward perception; we believe that bats feel some versions of pain, fear, hunger, and lust, and that they have other, more familiar types of perception besides sonar. But we believe that these experiences also have in each case a specific subjective character, which it is beyond our ability to conceive. And if there is conscious life elsewhere in the universe, it is likely that some of it will not be describable even in the most general experiential terms available to us. The problem is not confined to exotic cases, however, for it exists between one person and another." [emphasis added, punctuation removed for clarity]