#regular check ups

[womn-health]

Why Regular Health Checkups Are Important for Women

For women, regular health checkups play a huge role in staying strong, healthy, and happy. Health checkups help you catch problems early, understand your body better, and prevent serious illnesses. In this article, we will talk about why health checkups are so important and how they can make a big difference in your life.

What Is a Health Checkup?

A health checkup is a visit to the doctor even when you are not sick. It is a way to see how your body is doing and find any problems before they become serious. The doctor may check your weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and other important signs. They may also recommend tests like blood tests, Pap smears, or mammograms, depending on your age and health needs.

Think of a health checkup like a routine check for your car. Just like you check oil, brakes, and tires to keep the car running, your body needs regular checks to stay in good condition.

Why Are Health Checkups Important for Women?

Women’s bodies go through many changes during their lives. Puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and aging can all affect health in different ways. Women are also more likely to experience certain health problems like breast cancer, cervical cancer, and osteoporosis. Regular checkups help:

Catch problems early: Many diseases, like cancer or diabetes, do not show symptoms at first. Early detection can save lives.

Prevent serious illness: With regular tests and screenings, doctors can find signs of illness and treat them before they get worse.

Stay informed: Health checkups help women understand their bodies better. The doctor can explain what is normal and what is not.

Take care of mental health: Health checkups are not just about the body. They also include questions about stress, sleep, and mood.

What Happens During a Health Checkup?

A health checkup usually includes:

Basic Measurements: The doctor will check your weight, height, blood pressure, and heart rate.

General Questions: The doctor will ask about your eating habits, exercise, family history, and any symptoms you may have.

Tests and Screenings: These depend on your age and health condition. Some common ones include:

Blood Tests: To check cholesterol, sugar levels, and overall health.

Pap Smear: To look for cervical cancer.

Breast Exam and Mammogram: To check for breast cancer.

Bone Density Test: To check for osteoporosis, especially after menopause.

Pelvic Exam: To check the health of your reproductive organs.

If the doctor finds anything unusual, they may suggest more tests or treatment.

Health Checkups for Different Ages

Health needs change as women grow older. Here is a simple guide:

In Your 20s and 30s

Blood Pressure Check up: every 1-2 yrs

Pap Smear: Every 3 years to check for cervical cancer.

Breast Exam: Check for any lumps or changes in your breasts.

Blood Tests: Check for anemia, diabetes, or thyroid issues.

Mental Health Screening: Talk to your doctor if you feel stressed, sad, or anxious.

In Your 40s and 50s

Mammogram: to screen for breast cancer. (once every two years)

Cholesterol and Diabetes Check: Regular tests to check heart health.

Bone Density Test: Start checking for osteoporosis.

Eye and Hearing Tests: Vision and hearing can begin to change at this age.

After 60

Heart Health Checks: Regular tests for blood pressure and cholesterol.

Bone Health: Regular bone density scans.

Colon Cancer Screening: Tests to check for colon cancer.

Vaccinations: Get vaccines like the flu shot or pneumonia shot.

Common Health Problems Women Face

Regular checkups can help prevent or treat these common problems:

Breast Cancer: Women should do regular self-exams and get mammograms as advised by their doctor.

Cervical Cancer: Pap smears can detect early signs of cervical cancer.

Osteoporosis: Weak bones are common in older women, especially after menopause.

Heart Disease: High blood pressure and cholesterol can lead to heart problems.

Diabetes: High sugar levels can cause serious problems if not managed early.

Mental Health Issues: Anxiety, depression, and stress are common in women of all ages.

Taking care of these issues early can keep you healthy for longer.

Benefits of Regular Health Checkups

Here are some key benefits of going for regular checkups:

Peace of Mind: Knowing that you are healthy can reduce stress and worry.

Early Treatment: Problems can be treated before they become serious.

Saving Money: Preventing illness is often cheaper than treating a serious disease later.

Longer Life: Taking care of your health can help you live a longer and happier life.

Overcoming Fear of Health Checkups

Some women feel scared or nervous about visiting the doctor. This is normal, but it is important to remember that checkups are there to help you. Here are some tips:

Take a Friend: Bring someone with you for support.

Ask Questions: Do not be afraid to ask your doctor about any test or result.

Focus on the Benefits: Think about how checkups can help you stay healthy.

Start Small: Begin with a simple checkup and take it one step at a time.

Take Care of Yourself—You Deserve It

Your health is your most valuable treasure, and regular health checkups are the best way to protect it. They help you catch problems early, prevent serious illnesses, and understand your body better. Whether life gets busy or not, always find time for yourself. You deserve to live a healthy, happy, and long life. Visit SheAuraa.com and get more tips on how to take care of yourself. So, book your health checkup today – because your health matters!

[medicaldental]

Stay Ahead of Your Health with Routine Checkups 🩺💪

Health checkups aren't just for when you're sick! 🌟🩺 This blog explains how regular exams help maintain wellness, prevent diseases, and ensure early detection. Read on for expert tips on staying healthy! 💪🌿

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

hero/villain showdown but one of them has a spontaneous medical emergency and the battle gets put on hold while their archnemesis drives them to Urgent Care

[familymdurgentcare]

Living life in the fast lane often means putting our health on the back burner. Here at urgent care in Newark, New Jersey, we understand that sometimes unexpected needs arise. But when it comes to your overall well-being, taking a proactive approach is key. That’s where annual check-ups come in. By scheduling regular check-ups, you can catch any potential health issues early on and prevent them from becoming more serious. Our team of experienced healthcare professionals is here to help you stay on top of your health and address any concerns.

[anand07723]

Gray Oak Family Dental: Your Trusted Dentist in Sherman, TX for Superior Oral Health and Regular Check-Ups

In the heart of Sherman, Texas, Gray Oak Family Dental stands tall as your premier destination for comprehensive dental care. With a commitment to excellence and a focus on patient-centered service, our dedicated team is here to ensure your oral health remains in optimal condition through regular check-ups and personalized care. As your trusted dentist in Sherman, TX, we prioritize your comfort, convenience, and well-being every step of the way.

Dentist in Sherman, TX: Putting Your Smile First

At Gray Oak Family Dental, we understand that maintaining a healthy smile is essential for your overall well-being. As your local dentist in Sherman, TX, we offer a wide range of dental services designed to meet the diverse needs of our community. Whether you require preventive care, restorative treatments, or cosmetic enhancements, our skilled team is here to deliver exceptional care tailored to your individual needs.

Our state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest technology and amenities to ensure your comfort and satisfaction. From routine cleanings and exams to advanced procedures such as dental implants and orthodontic treatments, we are dedicated to helping you achieve the smile of your dreams.

Promoting Oral Health Through Regular Check-Ups

Preventive care is the cornerstone of good oral health, and regular check-ups play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy smile. At Gray Oak Family Dental, we emphasize the importance of preventive dentistry in preserving your natural teeth and preventing dental problems before they arise.

During your regular check-ups, our experienced dental team will perform a comprehensive examination of your teeth, gums, and mouth. We will assess your oral health and address any concerns or issues that may arise. Additionally, we will provide professional cleanings to remove plaque and tartar buildup, reducing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to take control of your oral health and make informed decisions about your dental care. We will work closely with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your unique needs and concerns, ensuring a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Comprehensive Dental Services for the Entire Family

At Gray Oak Family Dental, we are proud to offer comprehensive dental services for patients of all ages. Whether you're bringing your child in for their first dental visit or seeking restorative care for yourself, our compassionate team is here to provide the highest quality of care in a warm and welcoming environment.

From routine cleanings and fillings to more complex procedures such as root canals and dental extractions, we have the expertise and experience to address all of your family's dental needs under one roof. We understand that dental visits can be stressful for some patients, which is why we prioritize patient comfort and satisfaction above all else.

Our friendly team is dedicated to building long-lasting relationships with our patients based on trust, respect, and open communication. We believe that everyone deserves a healthy and beautiful smile, and we are committed to helping you achieve your dental goals with confidence and peace of mind.

Experience the Gray Oak Family Dental Difference Today

If you're looking for a dentist in Sherman, TX, who truly cares about your oral health and well-being, look no further than Gray Oak Family Dental. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for patient-centered care, we are your trusted partner in achieving and maintaining a healthy smile for life.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Don't test me, Bestie!

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[specialgradefckr]

a thought.

satoru gojo doesn't belong to you. he doesn't even belong to himself.

he's a weapon, a tool, a teacher and guardian - he doesn't have time to be yours, even if he wanted to.

but this one could.

he looks good, for having been grown in a test tube for twenty months.

a clone. your very own personal satoru gojo. just for you and no one else.

he's born in the lab, a fully grown adult, and you teach him everything he needs to know about life.

when he's hungry, you feed him.

when he's cold, you hold him.

when he's bored, you entertain him.

when he's sad, you delight him.

for this satoru gojo, the world begins and ends with you.

he's never known life outside the private lab beneath your home. after weeks of good behavior, you let him sleep with you in your room.

he never says no. doesn't know what it is. you've never told him no (granted, his requests are always vague, and you fulfill them however you please), so it doesn't exist in his mind.

so when you teach him how to make you feel good - guide him to his knees, between your legs, holding his face against your cunt - this satoru gojo learns eagerly, with all the unrestrained passion and dedicated of a virgin with his longtime crutch.

the first words you taught him to say were "i love you", after all.

at first, he was sort of like a parrot - repeating after you, confused, hesitant forming words.

but quickly enough, his true nature shone through. even with a limited vocabulary, he would tease - "those are called glasses." "glasses?" "yes - satoru! give them back!" - and his appetite for mischief and self-satisfaction were ever-present.

but even with his nature, there was always nurture to gently adjust him.

you'd leave him alone for hours without explanation, even when he could grasp language enough to understand one. always returning with a treat, with a smile and a kiss.

there was food for him when you were gone, and water. but it's bland, unappetizing stuff. he is satoru, after all. still craving sweets.

you were the only person he's ever interacted with. the only person he ever will.

your presence meant food, companionship, entertainment. your absence meant loneliness, boredom, hunger.

you are everything good in his life. you gave him this life. it's only right that he spends it with you.

it's not that satoru minds, after all. he seems to love eating you out, training session after training session leading him to slide to his knees beside you more often than not. bright blue eyes twinkling up at you while he paws at your waistband.

and you're not a selfish lover, not by any means. once you've conditioned him to only cum when you're present, you're very generous with his orgasms.

it took a while. a specialized device - unremovable cockring - and some porn left around for him to peruse curiously.

but soon enough, you'd caught him, red-faced and stressed, unable to find his release. diligently, over many weeks, you'd taught his body that the only real pleasure was you. your touch, your voice, your love.

this is your satoru gojo. he shouldn't want anything but you. he shouldn't get off to anything but you.

you are his sun and stars, his planet, his gravity holding him to earth, the air he breathes, the life that sustains him, his whole universe.

it's all worth it, to come back to him after an outing. bright-faced and smiling and trembling just a little bit in relief.

when he holds you at night extra tightly, like he's terrified you'll slip out of his arms while he sleeps.

it's intoxicating. euphoric.

you try not to leave too often. but absence makes the heart grow fonder. can't have him taking you for granted.

in fact, that's the only punishment that ever seems to work on him, when he's acting out, and a stern correction doesn't do it.

it's not often, but sometimes he'd whine incessantly about getting his way, as if what he wanted mattered. as if you didn't love him more than anything already. as if you didn't go out of your way to give him everything, including his own life.

maybe he wanted to have sex that day, instead of just masturbating for you. maybe he was getting bored of eating you out for hours. maybe he just wanted to hurry up and cum.

all of these were normal, expected ways for satoru gojo to behave at first. but you'd trained them out of him.

if he was so bored, if he didn't like what you wanted, then he could stay here by himself.

you'd leave discreetly, distracting him with an instruction or an excuse about getting something. and then you'd turn off the breaker so the lights in the basement were out.

and then you'd go. spend hours away from home.

every time you spent a different amount of time away. letting him stew in it. letting him wait for you. wait, and wonder if you were really coming back this time.

it was painful. you didn't create him just to neglect him like this.

but it needs to be done. he had to understand that being without you is utter, abject misery.

this had the side effect of turning him into a clingy menace. which was terribly endearing - he always wanted to have a hand on you, or to sit next to you, or to be touching you somehow.

those beautiful eyes nervously glancing at you every now and then - it's the prettiest thing you've ever seen.

with him clinging to you, of course, you have to adjust his punishments. if a training session isn't going well, you slip something into his next meal.

when he awakens, he's tied up. all alone in a well-lit, padded room.

by the time you open the door, he's teary-eyed, nose red from sniffling, throat sore from screaming. he leans into your fingers in his hair, closing his eyes, shuddering and sighing in utter bliss.

satoru always behaves better after that. you tell him, calmly, what you hope he'll improve on, and he always does. your clever boy.

your perfect boy. your satoru gojo, homemade, hand-raised, yours and yours alone. happy to be yours.

he's improved so much. he really is nearly perfect.

affectionate - almost overbearingly so, but that suits you. he's attentive, so well in tune with your moods. satoru really is so very observant when he wants to be.

he can make you cum in under thirty seconds - there's your quick learner! you feel like a proud teacher, sometimes.

and he loves you. of course he loves you. you make him feel good, you kiss him goodnight, you always make sure he knows exactly how happy he makes you.

he's not unlike a pet who loves you unconditionally and wants to be with you constantly. a particularly clever pet, even, who sometimes gets... ideas.

what you're working on now is a complicated case. satoru's a healthy young man, and he spends all his time with you, who he's attracted to - so he gets erections fairly often.

your conditioning has led him to expect sexual activity... well, relatively frequently. after all, he can't cum on his own. it doesn't help that he always wants to be touching you, next to you, holding you.

the task now is for him to become aroused only when you are aroused. it'll take time - and patience - and lots and lots of punishments. but smaller ones, easier ones.

you're content with this. perfection is a state of mind, after all. there will always be something to improve on.

if you don't have anything to punish him for, satoru might start to think he's perfect. he might realize that you won't stop loving him, for any reason. he might get sloppy.

what if he thinks he can leave?

it's something that keeps you up at night, sometimes. you try not to let it, really. satoru never falls asleep first. you've never seen him sleep at all outside your arms, actually.

you're particularly tired, this night, though.

satoru's been so good lately, so you'd rewarded him with a new, special experience; making food together.

it had been utterly delightful, so domestic and causal, full of laughter and taste-tests and troubled recipe lookups. Is that what being a couple was supposed to be like?

you think you could get used to that.

you try to say something, but your mouth is especially dry. satoru, the darling creature that he is, has water at the ready for you.

the thanks, too, can't come out of your mouth. your vision is darkening...

"sorry," his lovely voice hums distantly, "not sure about the dosage. i know i'm larger than you, so it should be a bit less..."

the words stand out to you. dosage. a bit less.

but very soon, your world goes dark, and all you hear before that is -

"you're never leaving me again."

This work is a part of a series! Read the next part here!

[cosmonova]

Project moon shitposts brainstormed by me and my friend 44 (Masterpost)

[duskneko]

[lu-is-not-ok]

Hong Lu is beginning to Crack

The most recent Intervallo, LCB Regular Check-up, gave a lot to chew on for a lot of us. From lore drops for the Sin Analysts of us, to an important moment for Don Quixote, to subtle hints of something brewing under the surface for Gregor.

There was, also, a lot of Hong Lu foreshadowing, even though he barely had over ten lines in the entire Intervallo. As much as I'd love to go off and overanalyze every single line he's had, I'd rather focus on one main point that this Intervallo cemented.

That being Hong Lu's repressed anger.

Of course, this means we have to talk about this moment here. Upon Hohenheim explaining how Peccatula Irae connect to the concept of Wrath, the following exchange takes place:

Now, before this explanation takes place, we have an extended moment where Hohenheim focuses on the Sinners' lack of agency in their situation. They're effectively prisoners, without any control over their situations, unable to say no or even act as individuals.

I'm pointing this out, because when Hong Lu interprets Wrath as rage and compares it to Sinclair's behavior, he specifically calls out a similar lack of control. Sinclair's Wrath presents itself through an extreme sort of anger that makes him completely lose any control over himself, a stark contrast to how controlled and downright repressed Hong Lu is in most of his behavior, as pointed out by Sinclair.

I want to linger a bit on the answer Hong Lu gives Sinclair here, because I feel there are layers to this line. What Hong Lu is saying here is that he very much has things to burn. There's enough fuel to sustain a fire were he to indulge in it. But he never actually sees a reason to start that fire, to let any spark start it. Because he believes it to be meaningless.

In less poetic words, I believe what Hong Lu is saying here is that he has plenty of reasons to be angry, and perhaps even straight up has a lot of anger that he's actively repressing. However, because he realized that acting out won't actually change anything, he no longer sees any reason to indulge in that anger. Whether the fire burns everything down or not, it won't change anything, so why even bother? Why lose control when it won't even do anything meaningful?

However.

If that's all I would have wanted to talk about, I wouldn't have made a wholeass post about it.

The actual reason I'm talking about this is because I believe we have already seen Hong Lu begin to snap at others. And not only that, but I believe we're already seeing a pattern as to what exactly causes Hong Lu to start to slip in his emotional repression.

What do I mean by Hong Lu snapping at others?

Well, generally Hong Lu is shown to be very good at directing conversations without being too disruptive. He waits his turn before shifting subjects to what he wants everyone to focus on, or at least doesn't directly interrupt anyone, waiting for a lull or an opportunity to jump in rather than asserting himself by directly stomping over someone else's words. Even when he redirects Meursault in Hell's Chicken, he doesn't directly interrupt him, instead waiting for a pause before making his move.

Or at least, that was how he always did it until recently.

See, starting with Canto 7, Hong Lu has begun to have moments where he goes against his usual pattern of behavior. He directly interrupted others.

Remember how the focus of what Hong Lu understands as Sinclair's rage is that he screamed so fiercely he lost control of his body? I believe Hong Lu's interruptions are of a similar nature. A similar loss of control due to his anger escaping through the cracks, causing him to be unable to wait his turn and to say his piece before the other person can finish.

I believe there are, as of now, two notable occurances of him snapping like that.

First is in Canto 7, when Gregor begins to muse over what would happen if Hong Lu were to witness the death of a dear family member.

Then there's the second one, that we only just recieved in the most recent Intervallo - Sinclair showing hesitation to kill Peccatula for the test, due to the fact these ones aren't actually posing danger to anyone, which causes Hong Lu to snap and interrupt him with a Very Loaded Question (one that I am extremely curious as to how it would be voiced btw).

We're already starting to see a pattern forming around what exactly makes Hong Lu actually begin to crack.

Both of these scenes notably include Hong Lu getting in some way emotional over death and its meaning.

With Gregor, it's the implied death of someone close to him, causing Hong Lu to snap back with a very straightforward answer as to what his reaction to such an event would be, denying that such a death would have any further effect on him.

With Sinclair, it's the implication that killing for the sake of survival is different to killing just because, causing Hong Lu to snap with a loaded question that carries the idea that he himself considers both kinds of death equally as devoid of meaning.

For a reason we don't know yet, the suggestion that death could be anything other than completely meaningless is enough for Hong Lu's repressed anger to start leaking through.

And, that made me think. Because of one voiceline.

There is, in fact, a single voiceline in Limbus Company, where Hong Lu's voice contains clear and unrestrained anger.

Cavernous Wailing corroded voiceline.

The visual design of which shows Hong Lu with mismatched limbs, only half of which are corroded; an empty eye socket on his shoulder, the eye from which being transplanted somewhere else; and a moving sprite that shows him covering his face with his hands.

And it made me think.

The death of a loved one, one which happened to save another life. One which Hong Lu considers to be so utterly meaningless that being reminded of it is the only thing able to cause him to lose control over his emotions and let his anger leak through.

There's certainly someone that Hong Lu continues to never mention, isn't there?

Anger that's as meaningless as their death, is it now?

Hong Lu. Just how much do you blame yourself for Daiyu's 'death'? And just how much anger do you hold over your family for allowing this to happen?

[beargregor]

wait i'm curious, what makes you say that gregor doesn't like everyone else (if i read that post right)? just curious since i've never seen anyone else say that

i don't necessarily think gregor dislikes everyone else at lcb but i do think that gregor is an incredibly petty person that isn't nearly as close to the rest of the sinners and even outright dislikes some of them cough cough rodya cough cough which a lot of people just Refuse to see because he's as much of a doormat as he is. there's several examples i could get into to try and prove my point however i'll just focus on what i personally think to be the biggest ones.

additionally, this is going to be kind of long, so i'm adding a read more. read more! read it. sorry for being so wordy. i have several diseases.

Pt1. gregor is the type to try and get along at least decently with everyone, especially if he gets a good first impression from them.

this is less a point in favor of gregor's distance w/ the rest of the sinners and more just a contributing factor to it. once again there's several examples i could point to here but i think the most in your face one happened in canto I with yuri, as several people have pointed out. even before gregor comes clean about growing attached to her as quickly as he did because she reminds him of his sister, we get this interaction.

i'll go ahead and make the disclaimer now that i don't necessarily think gregor is the most reliable of narrators, especially when it comes to his feelings and interactions with most people, but from the way he acts when the topic of yuri comes up (and the way we still see him act even all the way up to c7, nearly a whole year after yuri's death) i don't see reason to question his sentiment here. gregor immediately got that aya and yuri were close, potentially even taking note of their traded belts, and went out of his way to get something nice for yuri despite hardly knowing her.

i feel like a lot of people have forgotten as much, especially since it's been so long since c1, but gregor actually spent a good bit of season 1 doing the exact same thing with the other sinners! gregor reads a connection between him and ishmael pretty quickly despite getting off to a rocky start

mostly because gregor can tell that ishmael is pretty sardonic in a very similar way to him. there's been multiple instances where ishmael and gregor have essentially expressed the same sentiment at different moments, most notably gregor's little argument after ishmael got shot with a decay ampule in c4

and ishmael's response to pilot talking about self-sacrifice in c5

i could go ahead and pull up more examples, but in general pm has gone out of their way to show us that gregor and ishmael are pretty similar, so it makes sense for gregor to assume that they're friends, right?

this will be pushpin 1. keep note of this for Later.

ishmael's only the first sinner we see gregor trying to do this with in s1, we also see him try it out with heathcliff, sinclair, and ryoushuu

he's tried to get along with charon, being one of very few sinners that we've seen actually try to establish a connection with her at all

even rodya, despite my insistence that gregor doesn't like her nearly as much as the fandom thinks he does

all of these seem pretty fine and dandy, right? sure it frequently leans towards self-degradation, micromanaging, and commiseration, but gregor can at least be pretty chummy with most of the sinners, can't he?

Pt2. hell's chicken was more than just comic relief guys please

i'm fully aware that this is quite the hot take, but i think hell's chicken deserves a lot more credit for character writing than the fandom gives it. hell's chicken gave us foreshadowing for several events, such as the donqui bloodfiend reveal

heathcliff's distortion in c6 (as well as hong lu's highly speculated distortion at some point in the future)

and ryoushuu and sinclair's continued connection by making him the odd one out on her team

which, hey! that implies something about gregor's odd one out, don quixote, too, doesn't it? yes. yes it does. that's pushpin 2. keep note of that for later.

speaking of pushpins, hey! that's pushpin 1!

splitting into teams is one of the major events in hell's chicken, and most of the sinner's choices are either motivated by very little, backhanded, or motivated primarily by not wanting to be on the opposite leader's side. i didn't include all of the picks, just because i feel like including most of them already gets this across, but i think gregor took one major thing from this: most of the sinners, when push comes to shove, will only side with gregor when they refuse to or can't take his opponent's side.

now, don't get me wrong, i'm fully aware that this is primarily intended to be comedic relief, but when gregor is being described as having his trust broken by ishmael or nearly crying because no one on his team properly sided with him for him, i feel like it's pretty fair to read into this.

something that i think is pretty important to remember in conjunction with this is that we know that gregor is the type to hold a grudge, both from his general attitude towards the G corp soldiers in c1 as well as his continued distaste for vergilius

even beyond the splitting into teams of hell's chicken, the sinners have given gregor plenty of reasons to feel bitter. i feel like this is something people have noticed but haven't really put a finger on, but it's kind of wild just how often the rest of the sinners make gregor the butt of the joke

and sure, we could argue that a fair few of these aren't really made with any ill intent. quite a bit of it could have been meant as harmless teasing, but with gregor being more sensitive than most, it coming from nearly all sides, and as often as it does? yeah, i think he's prone to taking it a bit personally.

Pt3. yes i do still think gregor was the third most important character in canto VII you guys gotta hear me out okay

of course, all of this leads up to the bit of the story i highlighted, doesn't it? c7? i totally get why people haven't really picked up on all the gregor things i did in it, seeing as they were mostly not *directly* said about him or by him.

personally, i think that gregor's distaste for talking about himself on any serious level and thus leading to him getting sort of "sidelined" narratively (which i take issue with that claim, but still. it's effective for getting what i mean across atm) is supposed to lead players to take a deeper look at the times gregor gets held up to other characters and compare and contrast what's being said about them by the matchup. as i showed earlier with his immediate latching onto ishmael, i think this is something gregor himself is at least partially aware of too.

so, that begs the question, who was gregor compared to in canto VII that makes me think it's one of the most critical pieces in understanding his character?

really, i'd like to avoid getting too lost in the analysis of this canto specifically, since i'd like to do a proper post about this later, but i figure i can bury the lede a little before doing it properly.

c7 features several characters being made to perform in sansón's play, acting out the relevant backstory for this segment of the plot. a lot of these characters have rather direct, degrading reasons for playing the roles they do.

outis, a character with an inflated ego who wants her journey to have a purpose, is made to play an aimlessly wandering villager with a single line.

hong lu and ryoushuu, two characters for whom families and the expectations placed upon them are likely going to play a major role, are made to play bloodfiends.

rodya, a character who resents her lot in life and is constantly shown to be eager to leave her destitution behind her and become someone special, is made to play a helpless villager that's too poor to even offer any money to the hero that saves her.

heathcliff, a character that has spent most of his life getting dehumanized by comparing him to beastly animals, is made to play a literal bear whose sole purpose in the plot is to get beat up and then quickly left by the wayside.

sinclair, a character that has two opposed parties essentially treating him as a macguffin to procure for their side, is made to play the character who was arguably the catalyst for this entire canto, not to mention playing a decently major role in ruina.

our star don quixote is made to play her father, the first kindred, but there's someone by their side the entire time, isn't there? don quixote's dear, steadfastly loyal companion. a character which don quixote has tasked themself with getting to come out of their shell?

hello again, pushpin 2.

gregor has been made to play our unreachable star, sancho. someone had to, of course. you can't really tell a story without it's main character, now can you?

now, i should once again give a disclaimer. i am not trying to say that i think adapting what happens to donqui/sancho in c7 to gregor is the road pm is going to take here, not only would that toe a bit past the line of foreshadowing, but it'd also just amount to rehashing that plotline again, which i don't think would make for a particularly exciting story.

what i DO think is that we can take a lot of the things that are said to either directly be the case for sancho and use them to inform how we see gregor.

and god, does playing sancho have some fucking implications for our favorite ossan archetype.

starting off, the earliest moment we get to see of sancho is quite literally her just waiting for death to take her in a pile of ashes.

which, i should remind everyone, is actually pretty damn close to what happens to gregor's literary counterpart at the end of the metamorphosis. gregor samsa experiences one final breaking point that pushes him over the edge and makes him decide to just wait for starvation to take him.

gregor and sancho both consider themselves to no longer be human, something which sancho goes out of her way to highlight repeatedly throughout the canto and gregor is quick to get defensive on her behalf for when outis starts really tearing into her

sancho spends quite a lot of this story denying herself the joys of community and friendship, despite knowing that, even with the rest of the sinners frequently making jokes at her expense and outright insulting her, they were things that she desperately craved.

and, while this is getting into my "outis is a red herring meant to distract us from gregor's eventual betrayal" theorizing, i also think it's worth noting for this discussion that sancho's fellow kindreds, her family, all seem to be under the impression that she dislikes them and ultimately her departure was an act of betrayal

and that, despite gregor being one of LCB's resident mood makers and attempted conflict de-escalators, one of the sinners that's most prone to making appeals to the bonds they've all forged together, only him and faust remained silent during everyone's speech

so yeah, i think there's quite a lot of little details and hints building up to the reveal that gregor's not quite as fond of everyone as he presents himself to be. i do think a lot of this ultimately comes down to gregor getting in the way of his own happiness, similarly to donqui, particularly because he's been frequently portrayed as something of a self fulfilling prophecy, especially by giving him as many christ allegories as they have by way of priest and garden of thorns. gregor is convinced that the rest of the sinners don't like him because he's not convinced anyone could like him, so he convinces himself that he hates them because why should he care if someone that he hates hates him too?

a lot of this ultimately ties back to my personal interpretation of what happens in the metamorphosis as well as my own theories regarding all the times gregor has made weird callbacks and references to lobcorp and ruina, but yeah. i think about this guy and his deeper characterization a fairly normal amount, i think.

to end this off i'll highlight one of my favorite little "gregor is fucking seething and trying so hard to keep it cool" moments, in the credits CG for c7 we see rodya teasing him by drawing a little horse on his window and actively pointing and laughing at it, which gregor really doesn't seem all too pleased about.

i personally think this ties into the other cruel part of sansón forcing gregor to play rocinante, which is the more literal "he's actually just straight up playing rocinante" side of things. gregor was quite literally made to play something less than human, less than even animal really, as he was reduced to nothing more than the shoes don quixote wore as she got to play the leading role. sansón directly makes jokes about gregor being nothing more than shoes in the play twice, which adds to this reading, i think.

this, imo, really plays into the adaptation of the metamorphosis! i've seen a lot of readings for the book that posit that, despite being the protagonist, gregor samsa can't really be considered the main character due to nearly everything he experiences in it being used to further his family's character development at his expense, which i think fits nicely with limbus gregor seemingly having the most said about him through indirect means by holding him up to other characters. also it's rodya carelessly making fun of His Big Major Insecurities™ again like she did in c1 which i always find fun. rodya i love you but god you're the worst.

[bonicedemandarina]

Jujy and Tetia being besties bc it's been a while since last time I drew them and wanted to make something winter themed

[daily-odile]

head pats...

[vaguely-concerned]

the barista lady in the treviso café fucking giggles every time you buy the fancy coffee lucanis likes from her btw. can't believe the game is calling out rook and me like this

[dumbfucksystem]

do you guys think anyone remembers to put flowers on airplane’s grave…

[emmavakarian-theirin]

YOU GUYS my surgery results came back and i got the all clear!