#quality isn't the best but it is what it is

[heroesneedalancer]

Post by u/DJConvex to r/AskReddit on Nov 6, 2024:

People who work in DC for the government, what is the vibe?

Comment by u/Meduselde:

Resigned. We are generally very good about not discussing politics in the workplace but the vibe was obviously off. My more conservative colleagues who were happy Trump won were extremely respectful. There wasn't smug gloating and they were very obviously being cognizant of others' feelings even more than normal. It was extremely appreciated. Ultimately, we survived the first administration and will survive again. It's not necessarily Trump who was the problem last time, but his inexperienced senior appointees. The world isn't going to end nor do I feel democracy will crumble at his feet. It's just gonna be chaotic, and that's the worst part as a worker bee. At least with Biden we had consistent leadership and clear guidance, even if you didn't agree with it. Under Trump, your "yes man" says "no" and that's how you rotate through four SECDEFs. But as a sign of hope, it also means that even the most loyal DO say "no" sometimes, especially when businessmen are finally confronted with the realities of governance.

They chill out REAL quick on their dismantlement plans when they see the work these agencies do and what's at stake if they don't stand up for their people. It's easy to say you will dissolve or cut funding for something when you do not truly understand it. And as much as people say we can ALL be magically replaced with "yes men," even the most stone-hearted appointees recognize that the last thing you ever want is to lose the entirety of your skilled workforce. They learn it's best to get the skilled people to work towards their vision and not hire enthusiastic but stupid people to attempt the same. If they do, they risk looking inept themselves. You don't get skilled federal workers in a blue portion of the country to work for you by being a fucking Nazi. We're cranky and will make your life hell if you behave like that. I'm not talking about some sort of organized resistance movement because we feel like it. That's wrong. But just imagine hundreds of thousands pissed off at you. If that's the Deep State at work, then we aspire to be the quality of swampy Deep State your racist uncle thinks we are. If implementing dictatorship was that easy, Trump would have taken out every agency his last term and fired us all. I am actually extremely proud of the resiliency and checks and balances that the American federal government has in place to prevent most of the shit he says he can achieve by waving a magic executive wand. (He's done this once. He knows he can't. He just lets the majority of the population believe he can.) Us feds will make it, as we always have.

And we will live up to our oath to serve the Constitution, not a president. We serve every official of every party faithfully within the bounds of legalities and our oath. Working for administrations you may not like it's just a part of the job that we all recognize. Public servants at the federal level generally hold that extremely close to their heart. The ones that don't (I'm talking to YOU, WaPo "informants!") put us to shame. We're just tired, man. I can't believe it has already been four years since the last round. There's going to be some waves, no doubt, and some people definitely are going to be hurt at upper levels. But grab a Twisted Tea and buckle up. We'll at least pretend it's meant to be a roller coaster and ride it. TL;Dr Democracy is not going to die. But a drink and "thanks" would go a long way.

EDIT: Woah! I woke up this morning and am surprised by how much traction this got. I'm sad that this was the most positive thing some people had read. I'm sorry it's been that bad. I am not predicting outcomes. I have no idea how it's going to go. It's going to be bloody. But the hope I am trying to get across is that we are a resilient people and a group of (generally) good people. It will be okay, okay? The people that really make or break your daily life are those around you and your local government. Hold those around you close to your heart and always be kind. Everybody go outside, take a deep breath, eat something you love, and hug your grandma (even if she voted differently). The world is still turning and the sky is still blue. Being surrounded by spiraling anger on the internet only makes us the losers, not those we disagree with. The only thing we can do right now is wait. We have a few months to cool off! Enjoy your holidays!

EDIT 2: I think everybody has forgotten about this, but go check out the memorandum signed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the end of Trump's first term after January 6. The feds basically said "fuck that" when people were scared that the government was going to turn the military on them to help Trump in some way. While it was specifically addressed to our armed forces members, it was spread throughout the DOD and beyond. Partially as a result of federal workers' fear (not actually ordered, to be crystal clear) that they would be asked to turn on citizens. This sentiment was echoed across the entire government via internal emails (from Trump appointees!) as well to the civilian workforce. That's one of my proudest moments as an American and why I know we will get through it.

Emphasis mine. Link to original Reddit Post. Link to an article about the aforementioned memorandum signed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Don't give up. We will get through this.

[weaselle]

i mean. It IS the comments section. Sends me into a rage too. And yeah, there's a lot of that sentiment all over the country. But not as much as you might assume if the comments section is your main sample. Also, california is... mostly conservative, by area. And disturbingly close by population. California voted for Reagan. Look at this

the only thing that makes california blue is that more people live in the blue areas, so those areas have more votes, and more of the people in the heavily populated places vote blue. But by population we're still only something like a 55/45 split percentage wise, so single issues like prison labor don't take a lot of people to swing it the other way.

And even for a very liberal voter, there's always like 10 or 15 things on the ballot that will raise taxes to do, and very few people are going to vote yes on all of them even though they are all incredibly worthwhile.

Because we already pay almost 45% of our income in total tax, plus one of the highest sales taxes of any state keeping our grocery bill high, and our housing prices are one of the worst in the country, and most people are already struggling financially, and i can tell you from experience you check yes on about 3 or 4 propositions that will raise taxes even more and you start to feel like you're at about the limit of what you can afford because you're already broke and you're voting to be broker.

Personally, I still voted yes to end prison labor in this state, but i didn't vote on a few things i believe in because... i used up all the yes votes i think i can afford. Plus a couple, actually, because i will absolutely vote to be even more poor to get some worthy things done. But then, I don't have kids or a mortgage or a sick spouse or anything either.

And prison labor isn't on the general population's radar in a big enough way. I know it's not, because when i get off the internet and i tell real people to their face that california uses prisoners for an amount of firefighting that would cost the state 100 million dollars if we actually paid people to do it instead of using prisoners, they never know that.

They also don't know just how much prison labor the US really uses, and they aren't aware of how, for example, the georgia governor's house (like the white house but for the state governor instead of the country's president) is a re-purposed slave plantation and the grounds keeping and cooking and housecleaning and everything is done on that ex-plantation by (mostly black) prison labor. So the main way it's a different facility now is that it produces legislation instead of cotton.

Me, i am very passionate about ending prison labor but there isn't enough public awareness (which i try my best to address with the people around me) and there isn't enough public agreement on priorities.

People sit with their voting guide every year trying to choose between prisoners, school kids, wildlife, air-quality, funding for battered women, environmental chemical regulation, the homeless, mental health services, raising minimum wage and a bunch more programs it feels shameful to vote "no" on... but i can only agree to be so much poorer next year before i have a panic attack about the possibility of winding up homeless again myself.

And there's chaff that gets in the way of the public having a clear cut decision. Because prison work programs are actually SUPER beneficial to incarcerated people (for example, gaining them an employable skill for when they get out, often with an employer who might actually hire them as an ex-con because they've already been working there as a convict. Incarcerated people go back to prison far less often if they have access to these kinds of programs). It's just, you can't tie it to any entity's profit margin or it becomes slave labor. It has to be a program that exists 100% for the benefit of the prisoners, which is always going to cost money and be a harder sell to the public. And the more complex an issue is, the harder it is to get the public to be educated about it, or have agreeing opinions.

Anyway, I don't really know anyone irl that feels the way the comments section feels, but i do think a lot of people vote yes on about half the things they wish they could afford. I don't think it lost because most people have "fuck those prisoners" feelings and voted no on it, i think it lost because a lot of people who would instantly agree to it if it was explained well to them and totally free, voted yes on other stuff and then left that one blank because it didn't make their top 5 list.

There's too many holes in the dike, and we already feel like we're out of fingers. And "prisoners" is a demographic that the public does not tend to have as much empathy for without unlearning a lot of internalized biases. It's starting from behind and it's competing with a lot of things competing for voter's hearts and minds... and wallets.

I suspect the people you've had conversations with who are aghast about the results are probably not in touch with this part of the way things are, or else they think the issue they are most passionate about should automatically be the issue everyone else is most passionate about too.

I hate it, I HATE that abolishing prison labor wasn't passed, but i get how that happens. There's ten drowning people and i only have three life vests and all the choices are tragic. And there's a hole in the bottom of the lifeboat i managed to get in.

i've been seeing a lot of californians aghast at the proposition to abolish prisoners being used as slave labour getting voted down and i have no idea how to fix this on a societal scale but after having enough conversations with people you really do start to realise that a massive percentage of the population sees prisoners as subhuman and therefore believes that once someone is in prison for any reason then everything bad that's done to them is simply their just desserts

[belovanat2]

Our new chance, pt.3

Agatha and Rio are given a new chance. 

It's age regression, if you don't like it, don't read it.

Alice is the reader's name, unrelated to the show.

I'm going to write several chapters, so it may take a while for the story to unfold. 

English its not my first language.

The three of them began to organize themselves, Agatha set up the guest room for the girl, and Rio began to look for some clothes that wouldn't look too big on her, since she was quite small for 17. 

And Alice was standing in the middle of the hallway not knowing what to do. 

She had never given such a quick vote of confidence to anyone as she was giving to the two women, but it was certainly better than spending the night outside. She was going to give herself one night of luxury and then leave. She didn't want her secret exposed to the women, and she knew she had no control over it, so the best option was to leave first thing in the morning. But she would enjoy this night's sleep.

"Okay... I've finished tidying your room," Agatha snapped her out of her thoughts.

"And I've laid out some clean clothes for you," says Rio, appearing in the hallway with some clothes and a towel. 

"Thank you..." Alice thanks him a little shyly. 

"No problem at all, dear" Agatha puts her hand on the girl's shoulder, trying to cheer her up.

"Here's the bathroom, there's all the cleaning products and hot water," Rio says, leading the girl into the bathroom. "I'll leave your towel and clothes here, maybe they're a bit big on you..."

"No problem Mrs. Rio, I'm happy just to have clean clothes

"Oh honey, we don't need formality" Rio laughs at the girl's naivety "well, I'll let you enjoy your bath, take your time..." she was about to leave the bathroom when Alice interrupted her.

"Wait! The girl says, and Rio returns, "Could you leave the door open?"

She asks with flushed cheeks, and Rio thinks it's cute.

"Are you sure?" Rio asks 

“Yes, please... I don't like closed doors" Alice replies

"No problem, no closed doors around here" Rio reassures the girl "Agatha and I will be in our room, when you're done let us know ok?" 

"Okay, thanks!" Alice says and the two women leave the girl to take a shower.

———-

The two women were silent in the room, thinking about the situation.

"Do you think...?" Rio asks Agatha, who shakes her head in denial

"No, just a coincidence!" The witch replied, giving an uncertain smile. Even she didn't believe it.

"Quite a coincidence, isn't it?" Rio quipped, looking at his wife 

"Yes, a great coincidence!" Agatha continues to insist on her own lie.

"Okay, so just a big coincidence..." Rio insists too.

"Love, do you know how many Alices there are in the world?" Agatha whispers the name, since the doors were open "many! Many! And it was just an invention...." She says, looking away from her wife. The memory of Nicky haunting her mind.

"How can you be so sure?" Rio asks, she didn't want to get attached to a name, but it was the last request her son made of her.

"Well, she's not a child, let's start there, she's 17!" Argues the blue-eyed witch. And okay, she was right about that, Nicky always talked about a younger sister.

“Ok ok" Rio gave up, spreading her arms in surrender "you're right, just a coincidence"

But they both felt it was a lie... it wasn't just a coincidence.

"What are we going to do with her?" Agatha asked, changing the subject.

"I don't know, what do you have in mind my love?" Rio asks, tucking her wife's hair behind her ear, and Agatha remains silent "are you thinking of letting her go?”

"What else can we do?" Agatha asks, it wasn't in their plans to take in a teenager.

"I just don't think it's a good idea to let her go," Rio says quietly. They hear the shower turn off. But that conversation didn't end there.

----

It was the best shower Alice had ever had. Hot water, good quality products. She had certainly been neglected for most of her life.

The two women had been very good to her. At least they didn't call the police after she broke into their house. They even offered her food, a bath and a bed for the night.

They were good. Sure, the blue-eyed woman called Agatha was a bit scary, but she seemed like a nice person. And Rio wasn't as scary as her wife. They were intimidating at first sight, but they were more affectionate towards her than her mother had been in 17 years. 

She put on the clothes Rio had given her, a purple T-shirt with black sweatpants. They looked big on her, but she appreciated having clean, new clothes. 

Alice shyly leaves the bathroom and goes to the door of the couple's bedroom. 

"I'm done," she says with a smile, her hair wet and messy around her face. 

The two women couldn't control their smiles. It was the cutest scene, especially as her clothes were twice her size.

"Was it a nice bath?" Rio asked, beckoning her into the room.

"Yes, it was very nice," says Alice, trying to tidy her hair back.

"Glad to hear it," replies Rio with a wink at the girl.

"But how about we comb that hair?" Agatha asks, tapping her hand on the bed and motioning for the girl to sit down. 

"I think that's a great idea!" Rio agrees, encouraging Alice to sit down.

The girl gives a low, innocent laugh and sits down. Letting Agatha take control of the situation and comb her hair. She had a lot of hair, her mother always criticized her for it, said it looked like a nest, it was a big insecurity of hers, she never knew how to take care of it properly.

"Oh my God, how much hair!" Agatha starts and Alice freezes, "so beautiful..." she says, starting to comb the girl's hair, who makes a surprised face. She's never been complimented like this before, a part of her heart even warms at the honesty of Agatha's words.

Rio doesn't fail to notice how much her wife's compliment has touched the girl. She wanted to know what was going on in her head. And why she seemed scared all the time.

[hlficlibrary]

HL FIC LIBRARY ☕ Coffee Shop Fics

Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find the library's other recs here.

☕ I’d Still Dance With You by kikikryslee / @flamboyantommo {M, 57k}

“Liam, if you met someone that you really liked, would age matter?” Louis asked. “I suppose so; to a point, anyway.” “Like, how young would you go?” Liam thought it over. “Uh… I don’t know. Like, 24?” Louis groaned and dropped his head in his hands. “Why? How old is this guy you like?” “Twenty-one,” Louis muttered. “Hang on. He’s 21, and you’re… what? Twenty-eight?” “Yeah.” “Wow. Um… well, OK. That’s a, uh, that’s a gap.”

Or, the 21/28 age difference fic where Harry is younger than Louis thought he was, and even though Louis’ head is telling him not to pursue anything, his heart doesn’t seem to agree.

☕ I Really Like Your Styles: The Baking Advent-ure by @homosociallyyours {T, 34k}

Louis isn't much for frills, and the coffee shop he co-owns with his best friend Liam is evidence of that. Yes, it's got a decent sized, well-kept industrial kitchen, but Louis insists that people come to coffee shops for coffee, not mediocre pastry and plastic wrapped cookies. When Liam's campaign for serving treats turns into watching a few baking accounts on whichever popular app he's on, there's one that really gets on Louis' nerves: "I Like Your Styles." With his chipper demeanor and over the top descriptions of the food he makes, Louis is sure that the (unfortunately cute) baker is full of it. Nothing that adorable could possibly be worth the hype.

It doesn't actually take much for him to eat his words...and some quality baked goods, while he's at it.

☕ love drunk, waiting on a miracle by @hellolovers13 {E, 30k}

Christmas inspired Coffeshop AU

Harry has a bit of a crush on a customer. Thankfully, the feeling is mutual.

These are their first 24 days together.

☕ And That’s The Tea by @2tiedships2​ {M, 27k}

I’d like an Earl Grey with milk and sugar, please.

Louis had the phrase memorized, even though it had disappeared off its place on his upper arm over thirteen years ago now.

At fourteen he didn’t understand. Soulmarks don’t just disappear. Not unless…

Unless one of them dies.

Or, the one where Louis loses his soulmate before even getting the chance to meet them, and he is in no way prepared for the kind of distraction his new friend Harry proves to be.

☕ Friday I'm in Love by @perfectdagger {M, 25k}

It has a pattern, Harry has noticed.It’s not that he has been observing the guy who regularly comes to the coffee shop for the past few weeks; but he totally has.It’s also not Harry’s fault that he’s infatuated with the guy who apparently follows a very repetitive schedule.

Or the one where Harry works at the coffee shop and Louis goes there almost every day and Harry is head over heels for him, making his love life look like a The Cure song.

Inspired by Friday I’m in Love by The Cure (obviously).

☕ From The Heart (series) by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom {E, 24k}

Every Tuesday, Louis spends his day off holed up in his favorite coffee-come-bookshop, writing his little stories as part of the WordPlay challenge while daydreaming about the resident barista, Harry. Each week a new word prompt is revealed and Louis adds to his series of short stories about Henry, the owner of a B&B in the Cotswolds who has curly hair and dimples, Lewis, his long term guest who just happens to be a writer, and Tigger, Henry’s cat.

As Louis and Harry’s friendship develops, could his fantasy world spill out into real life? And how does that reader who leaves the lovely comments with the teacup emoji seem to be able to read Louis’ mind?

☕ ever since new york by @sunflower-live​ / sunflower_live {NR, 22k}

Louis works at a coffee shop in NYC and he pines endlessly after the boy who lives above it.

☕ blend into my favourite colour by rainbowninja167 / @rainbowtitania {T, 19k}

Harry often wonders if they’ll ever meet in real life. And if Harry will recognize Tommo the instant they see each other, like somehow their souls will just know. Or maybe Harry’s soul is shouting “Louis!” too loudly for any other signals to go through.

Harry is a barista with a secret Werewolf High fan blog, a desperate crush on a customer named Louis, and a best friend on Tumblr who always makes him laugh. Louis can't figure out why the barista at his favorite coffee shop keeps creepily staring at him, and to make matters worse, he may be slightly in love with a friend he met online.

A love square involving two boys, one TV fandom, and one food fight.

☕ The Importance of being Earnest by @louloubabys1992​ / louloubaby92 {NR, 16k}

Harry cannot help but pay extra attention to Louis' order, even if it is just a warm cup of tea with a dash of milk and no sugar. He also makes sure that the Danish Louis asks for is warm and fresh from the oven and not the one in the display, even if it means delaying Louis a bit when he fetches said Danish from the kitchen. It's all worth it when Louis smiles his crinkly smile at him before he rushes off to work.

Man, he's hot, he cannot help but think.

Or Harry is a barista who's been harboring a crush on Louis for months. Little does he know that Louis actually likes him back.

☕ Before We Ever Wrote a Song by @casuallyhl​ {E, 13k}

Harry just can't be around Louis when he's flirting outrageously with Chad Michael Murray. So what if he's the star of one of the country's most popular shows? Harry's seen an episode or two and it's not that great. Sure, the drama is exciting and all the actors are attractive and it’s shot in his hometown, but still. Not that great. Certainly not great enough for Louis to fall over himself every time Chad enters the coffee shop.

Harry doesn’t want to watch the over-the-top spectacle, which is why he usually retreats.

And besides, it hurts to see the boy he’s in love with flirting with someone else.

Or, Harry and Louis work in a coffeehouse on a film studios lot, and Harry wishes Louis would pay half as much attention to him as he does the famous actors.

☕ A Love Stronger Than Espresso by tempolarriefics / @tempolarriefix {G, 12k}

Louis is entirely dependent on caramel mocha in the mornings, but soon he finds that there's one thing at the coffee shop he needs more than coffee - a cute barista named Harry.

aka: The one where Harry is a cute barista guy and Louis plays hard to get by using a different name to order coffee each day

☕ John Doe by FitzAndLarry {G, 12k}

John Doe I don't even know you, but I know fo' sho' That you are beautiful, so baby let me know Your name Damn what's his name?

xxx

There's a boy taking the stand at the open mic night where Harry works as a barista, and he's going to find out the boy's name if it's the last thing he does.

An ode to Never Shout Never, and a story about finding a new home.

☕ Coming Home Through the Dark to You by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup {G, 6k}

Harry Styles works at the Fox in the Snow, the most hipster coffee joint around. He's got too many roommates and a best friend he met his first day of university who he might very well be head-over-heels for.

☕ ‘Sup by MediaWhore / @mediawhorefics​ {G, 6k}

Gemma really wants her little brother to sign up for a dating app and get back in the game after a messy divorce. Harry thinks he’s way too old to swipe. They compromise to devastatingly embarrassing results.

Meanwhile, all Louis wants is to finish the play he’s been commissioned to write, but one of the regulars at his local coffee shop keeps distracting him.

ft. older larry, pushy gemma, harry being a disaster gay and silver fox louis.

☕ Time Of The Season by alienharry {NR, 6k}

When writer's block stands in the way of Harry completing his second novel, he turns to the sweet-smelling omega behind the counter of his new favorite coffee shop for inspiration.

☕ I Kinda Need A Hero (Is It You) by @fallinglikethis {NR, 5k}

Louis is a barista who’s had his heart broken. Harry is the boy who wants to put the pieces back together.

☕ That's Not My Name by @lululawrence {NR, 3k}

He froze for a second, because he hadn’t expected to be hit with such an intense gaze. Green eyes beneath a beanie and loads of curly hair made Louis miss a beat before coming back to himself.

“Uh, hi. Sorry. Can I take your order?”

The boy (man?) gave a shy smile and said, “Just a caramel macchiato, please. Grande.” Louis nodded as he scribbled onto the cup and punched it into the register.

As the boy held his phone to the machine to pay, Louis asked, “Name please?”

“Oh, uh, Marcus.”

Louis scribbled Marcus on the cup and handed it off, but not before giving the boy a smile and nodding over to where he’d be able to pick up his drink. Louis watched him a bit longer than he probably should have, then forced himself to move on.

Or the one where the cute boy coming into the coffee shop gives Louis a different name every time...for over a month.

☕ A Cuppa Courage by @juliusschmidt {G, 3k}

Liam kicks Harry's shin, picking up another cup to fill. “He seems like he’d be a good catch, if you liked guys, I mean.”

I do like guys, Harry does not say, even though he’d like to shout it at the top of his lungs. I DO LIKE GUYS.

[a fluffy lil' fall coffee shop coming out au.]

☕ cursing the cosmos by 5sexualhomos / @hogwartzlou {NR, 3k}

In a world where people have timers counting down to when they meet their soulmate, finding love is easy. Harry meets Louis in a coffee shop one day. They slowly fall in love, the only thing holding them back is that they aren't soulmates.

☕ baby baby, you're a caramel macchiato by @missandrogyny {T, 3k}

So, yeah, Harry doesn't think it's that far of a stretch to call himself a good barista. There are some particularly bad ones, and some particularly good ones, and, with his work ethic, his skill, and his charm, he'd probably be lumped in with the latter group.

☕  tell me what you need by @disgruntledkittenface​ {G, 2k}

“And a fresh cherry?” he asks, pinching his bottom lip between his fingers. He waits as Louis stares him down, his brow furrowing.“No? What the fuck,” Louis rasps, looking bewildered.

coffeeshop AU based on this iconic prompt:

harry: can i please get a semi-iced half caramel half vanilla decaf latte with no foam using fresh almond milk with a small swirl of whipped cream covered in a pinch of cinnamon and a fresh cherry? louis: ...no? what the fuck

[whimsicallywiddershins]

The entire fandom agrees that Percy Jackson has some scary eldritch qualities that humans notice. But I think that all the demigods do, even if most of the effects are more subtle. Powerful demigods are super noticeable, but even the weakest are scary to normal people. But I like to imagine some of my favorites:

Annabeth looks at people like she's dissecting a blueprint, and nothing about them is hidden. She turns her head at odd angles, like an owl. She notices small things and goes completely still, staring, like a bird of prey who just saw a mouse. People feel unsettled by her gaze, like every weakness and vulnerability are no longer hidden.

Hazel's hair, skin and eyes seem to shine metallic when the light catches just right. Sometimes her motions are rigid and awkward, like she hadn't used her limbs for a long time, like she isn't used to having a body. Her shadow is a deeper black than it should be, is bigger than it should be, and doesn't always move with the light.

Nico's skin is sometimes almost translucent, like he is more ghost than human. You can almost see the muscle and bones beneath it. His eyes catch and hold people, so dark and deep it feels like they are falling an incredibly long distance into dark water and earth. His shadow is also too dark. Sometimes, people swear they can hear faint screaming from his shadow, like thousands of tormented souls are trapped inside.

Jason has fangs, more wolf than human. His mouth opens wider than it should, and he looks at people like he is thinking of the best way to hunt and catch and rip and tear. His eyes are too blue and he always smells like ozone. People want to bow to him as he walks by. People want to run, but instinctively know that he will chase them, and they wait, frozen, for him to pass.

Thalia, like Jason, is a hunter. Her eyes are too blue, too vivid, and she stares people down like she is already picturing them riddled with arrows. She tracks small sounds with terrifying intensity. Brushing up against her will deliver a horrible static shock, and power lines and lights flicker and buzz when she walks by.

Will's hair is too bright. His skin glows, especially at night. At first, it seems to be a sweet thing, his good nature shining though. But sometimes when people touch him, they burn. Just standing near him is too much, like standing in the direct sun on a hot summer day.

Piper's face seems to change, every time someone turns to look at her. Subtle, but someone's subconscious is screaming that this girl is different, something is wrong. Her voice trills, like a bird, when she in happy. People can't help but to follow her and when she is gone, they feel bereft. She is too beautiful, and it hurts to look, but people can't help themselves and look anyways.

Leo is always hot to the touch. His fingers and limbs feel rough and metallic, his hair curls like wire. His eyes glitter like polished coins and when he walks by, cars and computers and machines start up and move on their own, just for a moment. He runs across a busy street and the cars stop for him with no regard for what the driver is doing.

Frank doesn't move like a human. He glides, slinks, pads softly and so quietly most people don't notice him. He had an aurora of command. Frank seems so normal and average, but angry or upset people look at him and know that they can't take him. Sometimes, when he is angry, people get upset and fights start in his wake.

[markrosewater]

Hi Mark,

My name is Isaac Holguin. I sent a detailed email regarding your work on the color pie over the years to making.magic@hotmail.com. I hope that is the correct avenue to reach out to you. I had the pleasure of being answered on this blog as well, so I thought I'd double check by contacting you here. In case the email listed isn't in service anymore, I've copied my message below. I hope this reaches you and that you're doing well. If you're able, I'd love to hear back at interactnm@gmail.com. Thanks for all you do!

----------

Hello Mr. Rosewater,

My name is Isaac Holguin and I'm a nurse studying leadership and education in Tucson, Arizona. Before I get into the topic of my email, I'd just like to say thank you for being a spokesperson for Magic the Gathering all these years! I've played the game since I was thirteen years old, all through college, and well into my career. Magic the Gathering has helped me make new friends and deepen bonds with people I already had in my life. Though I've stopped participating in recent years, the game will always hold a special place in my heart and I've still got an Alpha Serra Angel that is as old as I am!

One of the best memories I have from my time with Magic was diving into the color wheel breakdown series from your "Drive to Work" podcast. During my pursuit of a Bachelors in Nursing Science, I often cited the color wheel as a tool to determine personality traits and compared it to other topics in my studies. Now that I'm pursuing my Master's degree in Nursing Education, I'm interested to see if there were any references or inspirations for the development of the color pie. With the recent popularity of the Myers-Briggs assessment (16 Personalities), Ten Faces of Innovation, and other similar tools I'd like to try and adapt the color pie as a leadership/personality assessment. I understand there will be multiple steps involved to publish such a study with respect to Hasbro and Magic the Gathering as a company, but I would like to attempt to lay the foundation of this project during my studies.

The goal of this project would be to introduce an existing, incredible, fun, and easy to use tool to a vast new audience. Helping others acknowledge that all aspects of the personalities presented exist within them to some degree and can evolve over time has become a core belief for me both personally and professionally. Examples of "your greatest weakness is your greatest strength pushed too far" and the idea that the capacity for good and evil exists in any aspect of a personality are incredible insights that I haven't seen cited enough throughout my studies. My wildest hope is that this tool would be utilized in coursework for multiple professions, similar to the curriculum I'm studying now, to help future leaders reflect on their strengths and develop effective leadership styles.

In short, I hope that you're doing well and would love to hear your insights, recommendations, and references for the work you've so passionately brought to thousands of others of the years. Even if you're unable to share certain aspects of your work, I'd like you to know that your endeavors have not only brought relief and happiness to healthcare workers like me, but that you've inspired so many others to apply the lessons of fictional works to improve our reality. The lessons gained from my long history with this franchise have helped me connect to others in their most vulnerable moments, and improve their quality of life. Thank you for all that you've done, and I wish you continued success in a field you've already become an exemplary expert in.

Sincerely,

Isaac Holguin

BSN, RN

I’m always excited to hear about ways people can use the color pie outside the context of the game. I’m not sure what I can do to help you.

[tigreblvnc]

BLUE LOCK OPTION MATCHUP EXCHANGE — @lapsthings

— Karasu Tabito

✦ Laziness?

✦ No daily schedule?

✦ Acquaintances but no friends...?

✦ Stop.

✦ Karasu's your guy.

✦ Well, not really.

✦ :)

✦ But I'm saying he has the qualities of someone active, responsive—even proactive—which can create a balance with your more laid-back, passive side.

✦ Sure, determination is kind of a driving force for all the characters in the manga, but Karasu has this direct and insolent streak that could make for quite a fiery combo with your Nagi-like temperament.

✦ (Plus: his voice..........)

✦ Technically, he's the type to say, "Move your ass!" to get what you want, when you really want something. He's not paternalistic, but rather relentless; they don't call him the assassin for nothing—once he's set on a target, he won't stop until he hits it.

✦ "Although I'm shy and have social anxiety, I can engage in conversations with an individual or a small group of people depending on the situation." On an outing, he's the one who initiates the conversation without effort, knows how to follow up, throw in little jabs, and, most importantly, put himself between you and others if something makes you uncomfortable.

✦ I see him more as a protective type who shows it through actions rather than words. Like, I don't really picture him leaning in to hold your hand and whisper reassuring words; instead, he'd verbally tackle whatever is bothering you. And similarly, I don't see him resorting to fists—he's savvy enough to take down an ego instead of wasting energy throwing punches. That's what they call winning a battle with flair and without breaking a sweat.

✦ I also think he's pretty good at reading you—like he gets that you don't actually not care; it's just that showing your emotions and being explicit isn't really your thing. You don't quite know how, and it's awkward, but that's okay because Karasu is good at reading between the lines. Honestly, the guy probably spent his childhood analyzing people around him to make sure he didn't mess up or leave himself vulnerable; he's had to get good at understanding the underlying reasons behind people's actions.

✦ So, I think he can tell when you need some alone time, to be at home and do your own thing. He does his own thing, too—resourceful, independent, and entrepreneurial, he handles his business solo.

✦ Unlike you, I'm convinced he's a financial mastermind, missing nothing when it comes to his expenses. He keeps track of his money and watches what he spends. I think this could cause some occasional clashes if he sees you spending your savings on things he deems unnecessary. You might resent him for it, but deep down, is he wrong? Wouldn't it be smarter to wait for a better time to spend what's left in your wallet on goodies?

✦ Actually, I lied. He's a bit paternalistic.

✦ He's a pro at making quick decisions, even over little things: choosing a meal, which route to take, what to wear, when to leave. I think this could be a big motivator for you and help you assert yourself more. I sense some uncertainty in you—you're not always sure what's best, even somewhat neutral. When someone asks what you want to eat, you're the type to say, "Whatever you want" and then reject three suggestions in a row.

✦ Not with the raven around!

✦ I'm sure there are times when you don't know what to choose, so you want everything just to be sure you won't regret it.

✦ Please, don't stay glued to your phone when Karasu's around and talking to you; it'll annoy him.

✦ "Learning how to make money (because I'm broke and want to be rich)"—I think this is the most direct key to Karasu's heart. I believe that right after performance, being the world's top striker… comes money. Investing, playing the markets, checking out NFTs, dominating the world, basically. So, he'd happily sit down with you in the living room to show you how he does it. And I think he could go on for ages about the charts, graphs, and projections he works on outside of his sports career. Do you think you could keep up?

✦ "Love language: giving - acts of service, gift giving" I like to think acts of service are something Karasu would appreciate. I picture him as a guy who takes initiative and wants to handle things on his own—not because he doesn't trust others but because, to him, most people just aren't capable of helping him. So, if you handle some of life's small annoying tasks without asking, he might be thrown off at first because he's used to dealing with everything himself. And then... bit by bit, it becomes part of his character development, and he starts appreciating not having to handle everything alone. Especially when it's coming from you, let's be honest—it has an effect.

✦ "Preferred dates: Amusement parks, arcades, aquariums, cafe/dinner." Honestly, I think the places where you're most likely to spot the crow are quiet, nature-filled spaces. Somewhere he can observe from on high, analyze, think, get lost in his thoughts. That said, I can totally picture him in a café; we already saw him like that in the manga when all the players were on break before the U-20 match. It's a pretty classic, casual setting that works well with Karasu. Same with an amusement park—I think he'd save that for special occasions.

✦ In moments like these, I think he spends more time focusing on whether you're enjoying yourself than on actually having fun. Like, the guy's always on high alert, watching everything and everyone, even the security systems. And in the roller coaster car... I think he's more focused on assessing the height and potential damage from a fall than actually enjoying the ride.

✦ That's where I think your chill side could help him relax a bit.

✦ So, now it's the perfect time to pull out your phone for a selfie on the Ferris wheel. ;)

A word about your match: Oh my goodness, it's been ages since I've done a regular matchup, I missed them! I even forgot how I usually do the formatting lol. So, thanks for your input, it was a big pleasure to write this one. I almost depicted Karasu as a man in working life, he's so serious in this matchup lmao. Hope you liked it, and feel free to come again for another matchup :)

© TIGREBLVNC 2024 | INTERESTED IN A MATCHUP EXCHANGE? CHECK THIS.

[illegalmessenger]

I don't really have nothing of importance to say since i literally joined this community 3-4 days ago but i do want to point out that i have known about the Ranfren comics for a very long time and have always been drawn to it's artstyle and overall it's themes of absurd horror and surrealism. I always witnessed the fandom from afar since i myself was afraid to join it after being told that the fandom was terrible but the thing is, that was not at all true, at least in the tumblr community. Every single one of you is so talented and i really admire that even though all of you are from completely different countries and obviously live different lives, most of you manage to give a warm welcome to any newcomer that joins the community. I admire the fact that all of you are brave enought to be creative, to put your OC's out there and to interact with one another, it really amazed me how much wonderful lore everyone has made around their own original characters and i really like how everyone has found ways to incorporate a fragment of themselves into the Ranfren universe. So what if some think our art isn't the best, no matter how good you are there's always room for improvement and growth. So what if our headcanons aren't accurate, that's why it's a headcanon and not canon, what i am trying to get to is that the Ranfren community is full of true artists, full of people that create regardless of the quality of their art or the accuracy of the way they storytell, everyone is just trying to have fun and create and i think that is somehting that most of the art community in general has lost. So, let us all keep creating and improving and most importantly, let's learn while having fun. I love the Ranfren tumblr community, let us all get along!!<33

[beauty-and-passion]

So... The Vengeance Saga

Mr. Rivera-Herrans is really trying to release the entire musical by the end of this year, isn't he?

But seriously, the dedication this man has for his project is admirable. He drops song after song and even if they're not all bangers, the quality is still extremely high. He deserves all the money and appreciation he's getting - and same goes, of course, for all the talented people who gave their voices! These songs wouldn't be as impactful without those great artists, so they deserve love and recognition too.

Said that... well, this saga is even more videogame-y than the last. We get the big boss battle and the closing of a resentment that has been going on for ten long years. And even if it was great and I understand it for the overall plot and how it's gonna close in the last saga, I am also a bit perplexed by it.

But let's start from the beginning.

__________________

Not Sorry For Loving You: just like Done For was a way for Mr. Rivera-Herrans to expand more on Circe's mentality and reasons, this song tells us more about Calypso and why she acts the way she does.

Calypso is young - not physically, but mentally. She has always been alone, so she never had someone who taught her best or explained to her what love is. She never saw other people being in love or having any kind of relationship. She doesn't understand what love is.

However, she is enamored with the concept of love. The idea of having someone else to keep her company. So when she found this man on her shore, she fell in love immediately - exactly like a young girl with her first crush.

And, in a way, that's how she acts with Odysseus: she gets immediately, completely obsessed with him and ignores his life and relationships. She doesn't see him as a separate human being with his own mind and reasons: Odysseus is just her lover, that's the role she designed for him and the one he must play. Like a kid playing with a doll, Calypso plays with him and forces him inside the dollhouse she designed for him (Ogygia).

But then teens grow up and learn that other people are more than their dolls: they are their own persons, they have their own wants and needs and said wants and needs may differ from the ones the teens forced upon them.

Calypso never grew up, because she never met other people, nor had any example of human relationships: she has always been stuck in the "teen mentality". So now that the toy has been taken away from her, now she has to deal with the truth that Odysseus has never been hers. That he has always been his own human being, with his own wants and needs. And that she's not part of them.

Of course now she's angry and desperate, of course now she doesn't know what to do and how to deal with rejection: she never had a real relationship with another human being. She never had anyone, besides him. She herself said it!

And now, unfortunately for her, she has to face the harsh truth: Odysseus never loved her. And now that he's leaving, she will be alone again, left to think and ponder about what happened. And, hopefully, learn from her mistakes and mature.

__________________

Dangerous: Hermes is back and brings another banger of a song. I love all the voices of this musical, but the way he laughs and sings is just <3 <3 <3

I also noticed how Odysseus reacts with a lot of confidence and firmness to Hermes' words. Is he going to face dangerous things? He's accustomed to danger, he can and will be dangerous as much as he needs. As he said: "I'm gonna use ruthlessness".

And oh boy if he will.

__________________

Charybdis: I am a bit disappointed by the lack of voice or, well, anything else from Charybdis. It's just a random monster and the battle isn't even so interesting. It's just a monster after all and Odysseus gets past it fairly easily - he just uses his cleverness and bam, problem solved. He didn't even need the "mindset change" Hermes talked about.

I get that this song is more of a "link" between Odysseus leaving Ogygia and his meeting with Poseidon but... I don't know, I think it could've been used better. And Charybdis deserved some more attention - or at least to speak/make any noise at all.

__________________

Get in the Water: Poiseidon is back, baby. And he's still as pissed as he was 10 years ago.

Ah, the Greek gods. Huge stubborn babies.

I would also like to point out the crescendo in Odysseus' actions towards Poseidon. First, he tries to let the whole "vengeance/being pissed at him" thing drop:

Aren't you tired, Poseidon? It's been ten years, how long will this go? We're both hurting from losses So why not leave this here and just go home?

Then he tries to convince Poseidon to forgive him:

Maybe you could learn to forgive?

So the next step is supposed to be another clever trick, right?

Weeeeell... not exactly.

__________________

Six Hundred Strike: we all love a boss battle. The music is truly epic, worth the confrontation we waited for so long. The voices are incredible, both Jorge and Mr. Rodriguez have been incredible in conveying a ton of emotions into their lines.

And the Rule of Cool plays a huge role here, in making Odysseus look as badass as ever. The way he orders Poseidon to call out the storm, the "exactly" he says while he picks up the trident, his last chilling line... he's the king of Ithaca, sure, but also the king of badass.

The ultra-violence was not what I expected, but I am not complaining about that either. I understand this choice: it shows how much Odysseus changed over time, how he became the monster and it works as a great preview of what we will see in the Ithaca saga. Also, it's a clever solution for the narrative: the gods are immortal, so why not use this immortality against them?

Having said all that, what's the problem?

I just think it feels a bit rushed. The moment before, Odysseus was still trying to talk to Poseidon and reason his way out of this confrontation - like he should do, since he's famous for his silver tongue and his ability with words.

But the moment later, he gets out of the water with a goddamn jetpack and resorts to brute violence. Like... what?

I am not saying it cannot work, just... I think it should've been played differently. Maybe by giving him a bit more time to go from 'talk' to 'violence'.

Also because: how am I supposed to believe Odysseus is a monster, if one moment before he was still trying to reason with Poseidon? He didn't try to reason with the sirens, he tricked and killed them all. He didn't try to reason with Scylla, he just got past her. And he didn't try to reason with Calypso either, he was just too wrapped up in his own trauma, to do anything besides begging to die and/or leave.

But here, he tried to reason with Poseidon. And then, bam, violence. Again, it can work, but it needs more time/lines. Enough to show us, idk, that trauma overwhelmed him and because of that, he stopped reasoning and resorted to brute force? If the scene underwater with his loved ones dragging him down was supposed to convey this... well, it wasn't enough for me. It should've taken at least a few more lines.

Also, @oreramar made a great point in their post: what is preventing Poseidon from retreating and going back in the future to pursue his vengeance? He waited 10 years and we know he holds grudges: what stops him from waiting 10 more years and coming back to destroy everything as he threatened Odysseus to do? Or what, being stabbed is enough for him to drop the revenge idea entirely?

However, if we consider the original poem, the other gods basically helped Odysseus behind Poseidon's back and the revenge idea disappears once the Phaeacians bring him home... so, well, Poseidon dropping the revenge idea is coherent to canon :P

And now... one saga left. The last one! We already reached the end! It felt like yesterday when I found out about this musical and started following its genesis... soon, we will see its conclusion.

But before that, as always, shower the current saga with love, stream it, listen to it and enjoy it. It's a great work and deserves it.

[alexaloraetheris]

It's the nature of humanity that every so often someone tries to invent a pomato.

But re: your proposal, it's possible, but the end result would be low quality fur and lower quality meat. Farm animals have generally been bred for one specific over-the-top trait because they put all of their energy and resources into building up that one trait. Sheep for wool, cows for milk and meat (but different individual cows at different stages of life), pigs for fat.

The SECOND you start breeding for more than one trait even if the offspring has a decent distribution of it's parents' desired traits, the end result will be inferior to what the parents already have, because they have to distribute a same(ish) amount of resources across two different fields. It's like taking on two different important tasks at once and half-assing both of them: they'll be done, but not up to standard.

As for mink-cow, you run into this problem two-fold. Mink fur is thick and fluffy because it's primary and most important goal is to retain heat. Small animals have more surface area per kilogram, so they lose heat fast, and so they need a thick, air-trapping (ergo soft) fur coat.

Cows are significantly bigger than mustelids, and are, rather importantly, herbivores. The kind of super soft fur you're thinking of is meant as protection against elements in areas where there isn't grass to eat all year: cow ancestors (Aurochs) didn't really inhabit areas where they would have had the need to grow a fur coat, so you don't really have the necessary genes in their entire genome for soft fur, even if you cross-breed some very weird combinations, simply because they can't live in those conditions anyway, regardless of fur.

The best you can get is Highland cattle, but their fur is very coarse and, afaik, tends to fall off in the summer months. Not something you want your fur to do on a jacket. So the leather and fur would have to be harvested in one very specific winter window and you'd have to kill all your cows right at the same time. I'm not a farmer, but I can't say that sounds like good animal husbandry.

There's been attempts to do that with farmed rabbits, with localized sucess, but rabbit meat is, again, vastly nutritionally inferior compared to commercial meats, and also smaller, so you get less meat per animal, which makes it pricier. If you're looking for something that can commercially replace a cow, we'd first have to make giant rabbits. And possibly figure out how to milk them.

You'd be better off getting government subsidies for fur farmers, at least until they have a decent sized operation set up, and banning plastic fur so people have a reason to buy it.

I'm against fur farming because it's pretty much impossible to produce fur in a way that would be profitable without keeping the animals in absurdly cruel conditions. I'm fine with wearing leather because if the animal in question is going to be butchered for meat anyway, it would be a disgusting waste and disrespectful to not make use of every part of the body.

Therefore I propose that we should try breeding a type of meat cattle that grows a smooth, fluffy, mink-like fur coat for peak efficiency.

[livefinn]

the manga isn't giving me any new panels so i've defected to the anime to find the old ones

[fiepige]

Compilation of EVERY single time they changed Hobie's filter in the digital version:

Left: Theatrical release Right: Digital release

You might have to click on some of them to get a better look at Hobie, sadly I don't have a video editor that allows me to make better edits than these :')

[kit-screams-into-the-future]

wanted to try my hand at a fake screenshot thing with a scene from one of the bttf fics of all time, Time Is a Flat Circle by @fourth-dimensional-thinker! i set in to draw only the "little canary" line but. as you can tell. my hand slipped and fell down a 6 story building

if you haven't read it already please check it out PLEASEEE it's very good. i read the whole thing in basically one sitting. the vibes are perfect for the spooky season too!

versions without the filter/subtitles under the cut:

[pigeon-butch]

I certainly have my own concerns about the treatment of moo deng but um. well i think some of you may just be racist

[paimonial-rage]

16 - thoma, lisa (idk i'm in love with this woman no matter how sus everyone thinks she is), diluc

[Character Analysis Ask Meme]

What’s the best way to win Thoma’s heart?

Unlike most others, there is not a simple and clean-cut way to winning Thoma’s heart. Thoma is the type to fall for the whole of a person, not just for a select few qualities. Like a seed that needs to be consistently watered in order to grow, Thoma needs time and consistency. He needs time to truly see you as someone he can fall for. That being said, even if he falls, don’t expect his heart to belong to you. As it is, there is something that already owns the whole of Thoma’s loyalties and attention. He is not in a place where he can give away his heart freely. What would make him willing to give it up? It’s hard to say. 

What’s the best way to win Lisa’s heart?

Lisa, at her core, is a simple person. She is the person she presents to the world, and if there’s one thing she’s never hidden, it’s her love for cute people. It’s not surprising, then, that it’s cute people that she finds herself particularly attracted to. But it’s best to keep in mind that cuteness is not confined merely to physical appearances. It is a state of being. Even the most burly of people can be the cutest things in the world.

If you don’t consider yourself the cutest, it always helps being interested in her first. Why? Well, you can’t expect her not to notice and leave you be. Expect attempts to fluster you while acting coy. There’s nothing cuter than a blushing and flustered expression caused solely by her, after all. And if there’s one thing she loves, it’s cute people.

What’s the best way to win Diluc’s heart?

What puts Diluc at a higher difficulty than most is his reclusion from others. While Diluc treats his workers with gratitude and respect, well… it’s safe to say that he doesn’t exactly have the most friends. Those that know him well that it’s not due to his personality, but because of personal choice. Thus, if there’s anything that you need to be to win this man’s heart, it’s persistence. Even when he pushes you away, you will need to stand your ground and enforce yourself as a constant in his life, as a friend. Once you’re able to get past that first hurdle, the path to his heart really will not be too far away. 

[rhaegxr]

"There is more of Rhaegar in you." ↳ Dany & Rhaegar parallels.