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arvandus · 6 months ago

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FICS FOR GAZA

Hello everyone, I've decided to join the @ficsforgaza fundraiser. I've had a couple people express interest, and I think that every little bit helps. I will be offering WIP donations as well as drabble requests.

Donations are to be submitted to a vetted fundraiser. Do NOT send donations directly to me or to @ficsforgaza. Once you have completed the donation, send me a private screenshot of proof of the donation. Once I receive proof, I will update my WIP and request list and begin writing!

If you have any questions about the donation process, please view the pinned post for @ficsforgaza. If you have questions about the WIPs or requests, please reach out to me.

Total funds raised (after dollar conversions) : $73.29 USD

REQUESTS

$2 donation = 100 words

1k word maximum ($20 donation)

Send me a character/characters and a dialogue prompt, trope, or just an overall idea that's been plaguing your brain lately and I'll write a short drabble/ficlet for you!

Fandoms I will write for: BNHA, Obey Me!, Wind Breaker, JJK, Haikyuu, Blue Lock, Black Butler, AOT, Bleach, Tokyo Revengers, Bungo Stray Dogs

Characters I will write for: Any! Bring it on, I love a challenge.

Will write: x reader (any gender), character ships, OCs, aged-up characters; SFW/NSFW, dark content (noncon/dubcon, yandere, etc). NSFW & dark content requests must provide proof of being 18 or older (request made off anon with age indicator in your tumblr bio). Note: If you want to make a NSFW/dark content request but remain publicly anonymous, send me a private message OR the same request off anon so I can verify. I will respond to your request using only the anon submission once you're verified.

Will not write: pedophilia; NSFW minors (even if no adult character is involved); anything involving bodily fluids that aren't saliva, tears, or blood; eggs, oviposition; a/b/o. If you're unsure about your request, you can message me privately and I'll be happy to answer, no judgment. :)

REQUESTS COMPLETED:

The Art of Looking (Haruka Sakura x f!OC)

REQUESTS PENDING:

Picture Perfect (Haruka Sakura x f!OC)

Sponsored WC: 0/7,604

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marimoscorner · 7 months ago

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Consumerism & Witchcraft

Written by Marimo (he/they)🌿

I’ve seen a turn for the better in some witchy spaces regarding consumerism in the past few years, but overall it still tends to be an issue for us as a community. I’ve decided to try and breakdown the pitfalls I’ve noticed in my own journey, in the hopes that it will inspire and assist others. I’ve also provided alternatives and ideas on how to make small changes in our practice to help us better protect the Earth, stick it to the failing system and still acquire our bits and bobs we love so dearly.

As always, I am no authority on any subject nor am I perfect—but we’re all learning as we go, so let’s dive right in 🌿

A Preface

There are some things that should be made entirely clear before we begin:

You are not a bad person for wanting an aesthetic

You are not a bad person for unknowingly falling into pitfalls. Only if you continue to purposefully do so after knowing better

You are not a bad person for consuming content/objects or for not always making the most sustainable decisions. At the end of the day, we can only control our small part of environmental impact, while the rest is left up to the major corporations that make more pollution than any of us ever will

You are only human. Show yourself some grace and understanding that the internet so lacks.

My Experience in Consumerist Hell

I have fallen victim many times to consumerism in witchcraft. Starting my journey at the ripe age of about ten years old and heavily in the broom closet, I was quickly drawn in by the shiny rocks, the brand new candles and scents, the promise of new tarot decks and pendulums and other fancy, shiny new equipment. I was consuming an online aesthetic along with my ideals, and it distracted me from starting my journey by learning well.

I began to spend my birthday and holiday money on the aesthetic of things. While, granted, I still did buy a few literary resources now and again from my local secondhand bookstore—I was stubbornly ignoring the sage advice to learn and understand first before diving in headfirst.

I purchased statues, crystals, too many tarot decks to use. I purchased osteomancy bones I later returned to the earth, for I had not done enough research to know that that animal was mine to practice with. I had a tankard full of incense sticks, and even a growing pile of books that would not be read. While I liked to consider myself crafty with my homemade Maypole and various hand-bound Grimoires, something was becoming apparent: this was all a distraction.

The aesthetic I was partaking in was providing me with a false sense of progress and practicality.

When I’d go to do a tarot reading, I’d become far too overwhelmed with choosing a deck to read in the first place. When making an offering to a deity, I’d feel pressured to also bolster the altars of all the other deities I’d set up, and with my wide pool, the connections felt muddy. Often times I’d be off-put on a project or spell because I knew I needed to film it and it needed to look nice.

In the long term, I don’t have many of these items today. I’ve sold and donated a vast breadth of them. Feeling overwhelmed costed me a few years retreat from my craft to recuperate. However, what has stuck with me is the knowledge I picked up along the way.

So, What’s the Issue? TL;DR

I’ve noticed a few issues here in making these mistakes myself.

Consumerism absolutely distracts you from learning and your craft

Overconsumption leads to environmental damage. If everyone hoarded supplies, there would not be enough to go around. And with what gets thrown away every year…it paints an ugly wound on the Earth

We damage our learning abilities by not allowing ourselves to be anything less than perfect

The need for aesthetic creates barriers to entry within the community and creates a divide of haves and have-nots

You won’t be able to truly follow your individual path if you are only consuming and not creating for yourself

Consumerist culture promotes appropriation. Metaphysical stores carry items from closed practices (such as white sage and palo santo, or coyote bones) because someone is buying them. Don’t be that person, and find alternatives relating to your own culture instead

Consumerism can influence your spiritual decisions based upon monetary inclinations (where some may sacrifice a quality ingredient over a higher quantity of a lower quality ingredient)

So, what can we do?

Firstly, I want to clarify that I am not against collecting, nor am I against maximalism or the beautiful visual aesthetic we carry as a community.

I am an artist a very visual person and understand the longing for a beautiful home and workspace. However, this aesthetic shouldn’t come at the cost of irresponsibly harming the Earth or another community.

Thus, I’ve compiled a list of small things that I will be incorporating into my practice to make it more mindful and sustainable. I hope that you’ll join me in a few of them.

Minimize Supplies. While I used to have a huge selection of stationary for my Grimoire, I now limit myself to a simple pencil and watercolor set if I’m feeling artistic. This helps me actually use my Grimoire for study, rather than to keep perfect. It’s also friendlier on my wallet!

Thrift Supplies. There are plenty of perfectly good items that get donated daily. You can get high-quality candles and holders, old crystal bowls for altar offerings, spare crafting supplies, fabric for alter cloths and even clothing if you so wish—all for a fraction of the cost new and while saving the planet just a little bit more. Hell, you can sometimes even find good silver!

Share Supplies with your Community. You can create a sort of barter system with other witches in your area. Perhaps you create a sigil for them, and they provide you with a candle spell. Play to your strengths and grow together!

Look for Creative Outlets. Do you really need to go buy an altar statue that’s been mass-produced? Or can you give your deity the personal gift of a drawing, painting or even hand-modeled or hand-carved rendition? This will also deepen your connection to your craft and your magic, and make it more meaningful and stronger. If you really like something, though, go for it!

If you aren’t the artistic sort, consider supporting an artist before going to a large company. While I haven’t purchased from them myself, Blagowood on Etsy has beautiful deity statues carved from wood by their small team in Ukraine for a comparable cost to the standard mass produced metal statues. I consider this extra labor of love going into these pieces and those of similar small companies to be much better energy for my practice. I myself may put out some art prints and other handmade supplies in the future, but I will likely spread them around my community first.

Try Secondhand Books. While not available in every area and further still not as available for witchcraft and occult books, you may strike luck! Not only are secondhand books less expensive, but you’ll be supporting a local business. That’s not to say you can’t buy firsthand books, but some searching around may be beneficial to the earth and to your wallet in the long run.

Be mindful of where you source supplies and decor. If you are a fan of taxidermy decor, make sure that you source cruelty free. Bats can practically never be sourced without cruelty, so if a shop carries them, I’d be mindful of their other specimens. The same goes for if a shop decides to forgo a culture’s wishes and carry supplies sacred to them, such as white sage or dreamcatchers. Supporting folks who turn a profit off of others’ suffering is not something many would wish to include energetically in their craft.

Search the Wild for Tools. Find sticks, flowers and other plants out in the forest. Learn how to rockhound in your area for crystals. Your craft will be more powerful the more connected it is to the land you are surrounded by. Be sure to reference guides for safety and legality!

Get Creative with Purposes. If you are having difficulty finding exactly what you need by thrifting or searching, make another tool multipurpose if it would do the job good enough. Find supplies that are easy to source and work as substitutes for other ingredients (ex. Quartz as a stand in for other stones)

Spend more time Doing. Go out into the woods (safely) and advance your connection to the earth instead of worrying over the perfect item for your collection. Your craft will benefit

At the end of the day, all of this is your decision. Take what you like, and leave what you don’t. Even if we don’t agree, I thank you for your time and open mind. I will continue updating about how I incorporate these steps, and I will also hopefully post more on witchy crafting in the future.

I wish you well, and hope you’ll decide to follow along on our journey!

#pagan #pagan witch #paganism #witchblr #witchcraft #marimo writes🌿

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eatommo · 1 month ago

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Side by Side [d.d.]{kd13}

Pregnancy / aftercare

Cw: Pregnant!reader, happy family, wife!reader, mando'a, unprotected p in v, creampie, cockwarming, cuddling is aftercare!,

Din has always been a caretaker. It came very naturally to him, and he found it exceptionally easy to give you everything you asked for. It was even easier when your belly was swollen with his child.

He’s rubbed your feet, bartered for snacks you craved in back alleys, and even commissioned an addition onto your house Navarro. You were so breathtaking, it was a reward to watch you smile when he provided for you well enough.

Distantly he supposed this was something most ment crave, a wife as beautiful as you barefoot and standing in his kitchen nearing the end of your first pregnancy and playing with your first son.

Grogu would inevitably have a bit of a learning curve, but you both figured his understanding was there, as he constantly was touching your belly anytime the babe kicked or nudged against your skin. Sometimes it even felt like they were communicating. You both decided to leave that for when the time came. Grogu’s eyelids were falling quickly as his giggles became more quiet during a game of peekaboo, so you scooped him up and used your belly to help carry him towards the nursery.

When you turned you caught din staring at you longingly, helmet off and eyes alight with so much adoration it caused you to blush. You took the long way round, walking by the armored man so he could press a tender kiss to your forehead then the child’s.

The baby in your arms hummed in content, nuzzling into your chest and letting out a tired puff of air. You disappear into his room and a few minutes later emerge, having successfully put him down for a nap.

“How’re you feeling today?” He already had most of the gear off, standing in the living room putting away the weapons on his belt into a locker stored behind the couch.

“Good, was able to eat a good breakfast this morning.” You walk towards him, wanting a little bit more affection than a chaste welcome home kiss. “Missed you in the bed this morning.”

He smiles, “I had to go make some arrangements, Karga found a Razor crest.” He had been on the hunt for a cargo vehicle that could hold everyone, no longer for missions but for trips to his home world and to visit his comrades on other planets. “Peli is going to be so excited. We’re going to bring her two surprises.”

You wrap your arms as best you can around his middle, loving the feel of his soft shirt on your cheek. You hum low under your breath, blissfully remembering so many memories on his first ship. You fell in love with him on that ship.

“Not exactly what I was getting at but that’s exciting.” You snip, a little wound up at the flooded memories of being bent over a cargo box, or riding Din in the pilot chair.

He mumbles, and his mouth splits into a grin. “And what, my riduur, were you getting at hm?” He’s practically purring against your cheek, and you let your hands fall down to squeeze at his ass as they slip beneath the bottom half of his suit.

You turn your head toward him, asking for another kiss silently. He leans in and instead of pressing your lips to his you take his bottom lip between your teeth.

He groans, instantly pressing himself closer to you. His hands are gentle, still feeling huge at your back as you pop onto your toes to kiss him deeply.

He responds immediately, licking into your mouth and tasting your early morning tea. You turn and lead him towards your bed. Stepping out of you thin pajamas shorts and laying down, he sheds his own clothes and lays behind you.

His cock nudging into your back as he kisses along the nape of your neck and lets his hand span the expanse of your belly before settling right onto the top of your sex.

He whispers into your hair, “Mesh’la, you look so beautiful like this.” The sheets are soft on your skin, and you love how his tender touches continue to drive you further into desperation for him.

His palm slides down your legs more, allowing himself to lift your leg just a few inches, and suddenly he's pressing against your entrance. You're soaking and can hear the deliciously erotic sound of him splitting you open. He moves in slow calculated motions, never pushing you to the point of pain but making each shallow thrust feel devastating.

Your body feels extra sensitive, each brush of his nose against your cheek has you clenching around him in earnest, his own composure waning. "Squeezing me so tight baby, can you cum?"

His punctuating thrust is even more pleasurable than you thought possible, you nod eagerly. "That, keep that up." You hear his mouth pull into a smile. He grunts against your neck pushing into you slowly but with great force, letting your legs fall back together.

His size becomes even more significant, your toes starting to curl and your fist knotting into the pillow. He bites onto your earlobe, and toys with your clit with his index finger, stroking over it in small tender circles.

A few short targeted thrusts has your climax washing over you, white hot waves of pleasure having you squeezing your eyes shut and shuddering around Din.

He follows soon after, you feel him throb and pulse as he cums deep and hard in you like its the first time. You stay like that for awhile, enjoying the warmth and support this position affords your belly and the intimacy of the moment making you feel so excited to see what lays ahead of your little family.

#pedro pascal #din djarin x reader #kinktober #din djarin fanfic #the mandalorian #mando fanfiction #mando smut #mando x reader #the mandolarian #grogu #kinktober 2024

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scorpioriesling · 16 days ago

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Hello! Do you think you're going to continue writing part 5 of " invisible strings" with eris? I really loved this series! Thank you

Invisible String - Part 5

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

Pairing(s): Eris x reader

Warning(s): Please be advised; this part might not be suitable for all audiences. Proceed with caution.

Summary: You'd taken the nanny position for the royal family over a year ago, not expecting what would come of it or how close you'd grow to the child you cared for. Things became tough for Eris when his wife left him and his daughter, and he found it increasingly harder to raise Riley himself. He soon realizes, you've provided a lot more than the typical job description duties for his daughter... and maybe for him, too.

SR’s Note: My apologies, this took forever for me to finish writing for you all (I've had so much on my plate lately). This part IS SHORT, HOWEVER I'm literally already working on the next part and wanted to give you guys at least what I had done so you knew I was indeed working on it! Lol. I added in the advisory so that younger / uncomfortable readers won't read the series without knowing or expecting potential risks in content to come. For those who enjoy or look forward to content as such -- I hope you are excited! Nonetheless, I hope readers will enjoy this series that came to me in a dream one night. (; Much love to all.

Tags: @mellowmusings @talesofadragon @rcarbo1 @mandziaaa @lilah-asteria @a-frog-with-a-laptop @kitsunetori @dannul @velarisdusk @lamarmotta @paintedbyshadows @i-know-i-can @adventure-awaits13 @acourtofbatboydreams (inbox me or comment if you'd like to be added!)

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ:

The Autumn Court experienced the changing seasons like any other in Prythian. Spring was still spring, there was still snow in the winter -- but, the current state of dreary, grayness that took over the sky and stretched beyond the court's borders was quite the contrast to a usual week in July.

Perhaps, it was a reflection of the inner turmoil seeded in those residing in the Forrest House.

"Y/N," Riley whines. "When will the sun come back?"

You sigh, wondering the same.

"I don't know Riles. I truly don't."

She huffs, her fingers reaching for her the mason jar sitting in the middle of the table. The wilting flower inside has lost the vibrant orange coloring on its petals from last week, now replaced with wilting brown ones.

"My flower is yucky with no sun on it." She frowns. You pat her head as she inspects the plant, your shoulders stiffening when you hear the front door open and close quietly.

"Daddyyyyy," Riley groans. "When is the sun coming out?" She trills, hopping off the dining room chair and making way for the front door. It seems she heard him come in too, as she makes her way toward the foyer.

The two of you had gone the entire week with as little communication as possible -- a whole lot of "yep"s and "mhm"s and nods and short debriefings. Since the whole closet incident from the week prior, you hadn't gotten the courage to talk with him again anyways; he'd been so cross with you, so irritated. Your cheeks heated at the thought, how embarassed you'd felt that night. The shame.

Honestly, the whole thing made you a bit angry.

You take a deep breath as footsteps approach, their hushed, mindless conversation drowned out by your own thoughts clouding your headspace. It's not until Eris is standing right in front of you that you come back to reality.

"Play tea party?"

You glance down, taking in the little one's innocent expression from down below. You give her a soft smile, looking to Eris quickly before returning her gaze.

"I'd be honored, dear -- would you go set it up? I'll come join you in a few minutes. Let me talk to your dad first." Riley nods, skipping down the hallway toward her bedroom. Eris looses a sigh, passing toward the kitchen island and leaning against it before looking to you again.

"So..." He says, folding his arms across his chest. You suck in a breath, prepared to hand it to him -- ask him what the Hell all that disrespect was for, what the deal is with the gowns, what was going on between the two of you, all of it.

But, your eyes catch on the wilting stem in the glass jar still sat on the table. You stall a moment, every angry thought in your head receeding like the tides when you consider what could be a more imortant topic of conversation in this very moment.

"So..." You begin, taking a step toward him. He watches you, his face expressionless, as you continue. "I... I've been thinking. Riley is, almost five, and... well, it is the last week of July..."

He simply nods, as though saying go on without saying it. You can't help but roll your eyes, stepping to stand right across from him in the space between the island and the kitchen counter.

"I think she should be enrolled in school."

His brow twitches at this, the most you've gotten from him all week. It's silent for longer than necessary, almost uncomfortable, so you start again.

"She's asking me things, Eris, that she needs a proper teacher for-"

"No."

You startle, blinking as his face returns to that look of emotionless stone.

"W-what?"

"I said no." He shrugs, staring you straight in the eye like it isn't negotiable.

"...Okay, well, I want you to hear me out." You say, trying to remain calm. "She wants to learn. She's inquisitive, and smart, and she-"

"I know she's smart." He cuts in. You huff, your brow furrowing.

"Eris, you're not even listening to me." You can't help the way your voice pitches, but his brows flatten into a straight line.

"I don't need to hear it, Y/N -- she has you. We can hire a teacher to come here if you want. But no, she isn't going to a public school where Gods know what could happen to her." He says, his low tone rising with each sentence.

You push off the counter, folding your arms across your chest. "She needs the social interaction with other kids her age, Eris. You can't keep her locked up in here-"

"I'm her father," he says angrily, leaning toward you. "I think I know, what she needs."

Once the words leave his mouth, his face softens as though he realizes what he's said and how he has acted. You stand still, your eyes wide as you stare up at him. Never has he acted so defensive, not even with the damned dresses -- but this, this was on a whole different level.

You watch as his expression changes from rage to pure worry, his concerned eyes searching yours in desperation. You can't help but look away, only glancing back when his fingers hesitantly reach for your arm.

"Y/N, I didn't mean-"

"Don't." You yank your shoulder back, sneering up at him. He drops his hand slowly, shaking his head as he fumbles for his words.

"I'm sorry Y/N. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that, I-"

"You're damned right, you shouldn't have." You said, glaring up at him through your brows. The lump in your throat only grew as you began to feel bad, practically kicking him while he was indeed apologizing.

Maybe he deserved it... a little.

You turned on your heel, making way for Riley's room. He could make dinner tonight. After all -- maybe some pretend tea would do you good.

･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ:

"I need to leave at first light for another trip with the guard."

It'd been a few days since you'd had it out with Eris, and maybe it was good you did; he'd been much more present, insisting on cooking, proving more when he was home, and being more involved with not just his daughter but you as well when he was home in the evenings... well, as much as you'd let him be. You hadn't entirely forgiven him yet, all things considered, and the incident from a few weeks ago hadn't even been mentioned, so the relationship was, awkward. To say the least.

"How long this time." You said it as plainly as you could, trying to ignore the burn of the firepoker upon your heart at the thought of him leaving again. You wished it didn't hurt so bad, wished it didn't effect you so much each time.

"Only three days. A quick trip to Spring and back." He nods assuringly, setting his pack on the dining table and looking to you. Nodding, you awkwardly run your hand along your arm, feeling a bit exposed under his intense gaze. This late in the evening, you knew he didn't tell Riley he'd be leaving (per usual) -- so she'd wake up tomorrow with that lovely realization.

"Ok." You chew on your bottom lip, and Eris sighs, stepping toward you. He reaches for your hand, but sensing your hesitation, he retracts. A look of sadness crosses his face before his eyes meet yours.

"Those dresses... in the closet." He murmurs. "They were Selene's." His jaw tightens at the name, and you swear you stop breathing. This was not the conversation you planned to have tonight.

"She... her family, they pass them down for tradition." He continues. "On her way out, she didn't really care to take them; I mean, she took just about everything else, but." He huffs a humorless laugh, but continues when you don't say anything.

"Anyway... I kept them because." He sighs, his head dropping before looking to you again. "You're right, Y/N. Riley is a very smart girl. One day, she is going to ask about her birth mother, and, well."

He shrugs. "I'm not going to have anything to show or give her that was hers." His gaze drops.

"The only thing I had left was those silly dresses from her side of the family."

Your heart clenches as though you can feel every ounce of sorrow he is feeling in that moment. You reach out, your hand caressing his cheek softly before you can think.

"Eris, I... I had no idea, really, I'm sorry-"

"Please, Gods don't apologize." His hand covers yours, his fingers wrapping around yours as he holds it against his cheek. "I know how it looks, and how it must have looked when you happened upon it." He sighs, his other hand reaching for your waist.

"It didn't help that I handled the situation poorly, either." He admits, sorrowfully looking into your eyes. You gaze up at him, your mouth twisting to the side. "I can't take it back, but I truly hope you can understand how sorry I am Y/N."

You step closer, closing the gap between the two of you as he pulls you into a firm embrace. His hand runs through the strands of your hair, a gentle reminder that everything might, just might, be okay.

･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ:

"Y/N! Another!"

Riley holds out an identical bloom to the one previously in the mason jar to you th efollowing day, her earlier sadness at her father's departure replaced with temporary glee.

"Oh wow! Look -- this one is very vibrant." You wink at her, continuing on the path back to the Forest House.

"Vi...bran...t." She sounds out, examining the stem in her hand. She dumped out the dead flower pre-garden walk, and surely will now want to replace it.

As the two of you approach the front door, you stoop down to grab the few pieces of mail collated there. One envelope of deep mohogany with gold embossing catches your eye -- but, you follow the little girl inside nonetheless and push the door closed.

"We put this in the cup?" She asks, already making way for the sink to gather more water for her jar. You set down the paper pile, giving her all your undivided attention.

"Of course dear," you say, helping her to sit on the counter and fill her jar from the sink. She places the new flower in the glass, beaming at its brilliancy.

"Yay!" She squeals, her little feet kicking with delight. You help her off the edge, carefully transporting the jar to the table where it sat prior.

"We make sure this one has sun," she insists. "So it won't be ugly."

You chuckle, returning to the mail pile and plucking the envelope from the top. Your intrigue only grows when you see it is adressed to Eris, Riley and you.

You don't waste another moment in tearing it open.

Scanning the page, you feel a new kind of excitement -- a flutter of hope in your heart, a surge of excitement through your veins. Every nerve ending is electric within you as your true joy grows, the passionate feeling inside deeper than what you thought you could explain before. You felt, like truly, what you said meant something. Someone cared what you said, and you'd been heard.

"Riley?" You called. Her little footsteps bounded into the room, a look of interest on her face as she took you in and the paper between your fingers.

"Uh huh?"

You grinned, telling her the wonderful knews.

"Your daddy signed you up for school next month, sweetie."

･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ:

#a court of thorns and roses #acotar #a court of silver flames #acosf #a court of frost and starlight #acofas #acotar smut #eris vanserra #eris acotar #eris x reader #eris x oc #eris fanfic #eris vandaddy #acowar #a court of mist and fury #a court of wings and ruin #read more #long reads

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tadc-harlequin-au · 10 days ago

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Hey y'all, I'd just like to genuinely thank you all for the supportive messages and the donations. Really, I cannot think of words that would justify how grateful I feel for everyone's help. We're still on the waiting list for the police to investigate the break in, opting to check if there were any CCTVs nearby in order to check the criminals fleeing the scene of the crime.

Other than that, I'm doing much better mentally than yesterday, so I can most definitely write the 2000 followers special again.

I also wanna say how awesome and amazing this community is. I've never been a part of a fandom that pushes my creativity to it's highest, while being supportive and not being at each other's throats because being in the FNAF fandom does things to you. I was pretty popular on the fnaf twitter scene, but it was SO TAXING AND DRAINING that I don't consider it worth going back to.

This is genuinely THE BEST community I've ever had the honors to be a part of (Shipwrecked 64 came very close), and I'm very honored to be at the spot that I am at right now, as creator of the Harlequin AU.

Thank you for supporting me, in my best and worst times. Thank you for being interested in the story I want to tell, and even asking about the world of it as well as it's cast. Thank you for always taking the time to reblog and comment in my works, because I love reading everyone's special inputs.

A very, very special thank yous to all my friends who inspire me to become a better writer and artist, to @thescarletnargacuga who is technically the co-writer for this AU at this point lmfao, to @nobody-nexus for being an amazing and loving partner <3, and to @sm-babie for getting me into showtime, which is the major reason this AU and it's story even exists.

And I know I don't always get to see it because of my incredibly short attention span (and tumblr's weird notification system), but I also would like to thank the other artists who've made fanarts, fanfics or OCs for this AU. There's A LOT of them, that it overwhelms my brain and I'm just- wow. I'm just really taken aback at how much people like this small, incredibly canon-divergent AU. My brain is getting FRIED at all this in the best way possible but woo I need a bit of a breather haha-

I hope I can continue to provide quality Harlequin (and showtime) content, and I hope to keep this train rolling. Keep being awesome, and keep being creative, everyone! The regularly scheduled content will be back rolling on track very soon. :')

- Ziku/E-Specter

#thanks everyone!!!#tadc #tadc au #harlequin au #tadc harlequin au #the amazing digital circus #Ziku's insane rambles

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thechekhov · 2 years ago

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thoughts on the huge OGL debacle around DnD at the moment?

mmmmmMMMMMM BOI

I was going to be holding off on commenting until something was confirmed by WotC because I hoped to get more info but. I think we basically got what we need.

For those who don’t know - the CONTEXT:

Earlier last month there was a leak that made the DnD community peek up out of their little holes like a bunch of meerkats hearing a stampede. Y’see, currently, Wizards of the Coast (a company owned by Hasbro, a corporate giant in board-games) is working on a new DnD version that is meant to replace 5e (5th edition of DnD, the most current one). They’re calling it One DnD, and it’s in play-test right now. But there’s a problem. Along with new stuff, they were apparently planning to revise the OGL - the Open Gaming License which had been a staple of the DnD Era since 2000.

The OGL 1.0 was essentially an open world ticket for third-party creators to use DnD game mechanics to build worlds, create monsters, and expand upon the creative base that was DnD. In 2008 they attempted to publish 4th edition DnD under a different, less open gaming license, which ended up severely hurting their overall standing with the community. When they published 5e, they returned to the OGL and DnD has gained traction with the public thanks to various gaming groups (such as Critical Role) rising to fame. Because of the OGL, many people have made adventures for 5e DnD, making monster manuals compatible with the game, and basically expanding on a huge, growing world. There have been kickstarters for new adventures, new compendiums, etc, which were an incredible creative sandbox for just about anyone who wanted to try their hand at creating.

And now it seems like they fucked it up.

A leak made it clear that WotC is working on OGL 1.1 - which is basically a giant middle finger to everything the original was. They are now demanding royalties from anyone creating new content if they make over 50kᶜᵒʳʳᵉᶜᵗᵉᵈ 750k a year from their creations - which in and of itself isn’t super unreasonable.... except for the fact that they can lower this number at any point.

ALSO with the new OGL (1.1) WotC would OWN the rights to anything made using any of their content (including homebrew made by creators - yes, they would own settings/character just because those adventures use their system) indefinitely, demand they receive financial reports from anyone making 50k or more.

What’s more, they reserve the right to change their own license at any point, with only 30 days notice. (Which basically means that if at any point they decide to demand recompense from people making more than, say, 20k from their little homebrewed setting in 5e, they can do that with nary a month’s warning.)

“...according to attorneys consulted for this article, the new language may indicate that Wizards of the Coast is rendering any future use of the original OGL void, and asserting that if anyone wants to continue to use Open Game Content of any kind, they will need to abide by the terms of the updated OGL, which is a far more restrictive agreement than the original OGL..." (source)

So as you can imagine, for the past few weeks, the entire DnD community and the ttrpg community at large have been gearing up for either a fight, a mass exodus, or both. It would not be the first time.

And then, just recently, we had another comment, this time from inside. An email was sent out, which has been evidently confirmed by one of the recipients as true, describing what is happening inside of WotC.

[I'm an employee at WotC currently working on and with business leaders on the health of the product line. If you want I can provide proof of this.I'm sending this message because I fear for the health of a community I love, and I know what the leaders at WOTC are looking at:

They are briefly delaying rollout of OGL changes due to the backlash.

Their decision making is based entirely on the provable impact to their bottom line

Specifically they are looking at DDB subscriptions and cancellations as it is the quickest financial data they currently have.

They are still hoping the community forgets, moves on, and they can still push this through

I have decided to reach out because at my time in WotC I have never once heard management refer to customers in a positive manner, their communication gives me the impression they see customers as obstacles between them and their money, the DDB team was first told to prepare to support the new OGL changes and online portal when they got back from the holidays, and leadership doesn’t take any responsibility for the pain and stress they cause others. Leadership's first communication to the rank and file on the OGL was 30 minutes on 1/11/23, This was the first time they even tried to communicate their intentions about the OGL to employees, and even in this meeting they blamed the community for over-reacting.I will repeat, the main thing this leadership is looking at is DDB subscription cancellations.Hope your day goes well,PS will be copying and pasting this message to other community leaders]

(source)

As for my comment in all of this?

I won’t pretend to be a local expert in legal terminology. Others can probably parse the full leak far better, and I don’t think there is anything to be gained by running around in a panic and screaming...

However.

The fact of the matter is, Hasbro/WotC are shooting themselves in the foot. I don’t believe they have the right to destroy the original license. Make a new one for OneDnD? Sure, knock yourself out. Try it, see how popular it’ll be. But destroying the community-driven 5e will do only that - destroy it. They will not be gaining any money from the fans which are already plenty used to supporting small-level creators first and large companies second. It’s a supremely counter-culture move which will eat them from the inside out.

The only ones that I feel for are Critical Role - who originally played in Pathfinder and then switched to 5e and paired up with DnD Beyond.............and are now being screwed over because they’re likely locked in a contract with WotC and are contractually obligated to not speak out negatively against the changes.

In my heart of hearts, I kinda hope that their tablets all mysteriously ‘break’ for the next few games and they go back to pen and paper instead of barking out DnD Beyond ads as they’re expected to do. But I don’t know if that’s something they can afford to risk.

(.....though hell, I hope they try to afford it. They have a community that will stand behind them, and that community has MONEY. We won’t know until we know, though, and I know that there are legal repercussions that may go beyond a simple income slap on the wrist.)

Personally, here’s my two cents:

I think people should cast a vote with their money.

Cancel your DnD Beyond subscription.

Don’t give any more money to Hasbro or Wizards. Keep playing whatever 5e games you want, but do it using third-party digital character sheets, OR just go old school and do pen and paper. Let me know if you need sources for it.

Don’t buy the Players Handbook, leave DnD Beyond behind, don’t engage with One DnD. There are resources out there that let you play the game that also don’t require you giving money to corporations that are only here to fuck around and find out. You want an adventure module but don’t want to bow down to the dragon sitting on its hoard? Hit me up. I’ll give you some alternatives.

Hell, I myself will be looking into Pathfinder 2e because I’ve heard good things, and if I need to switch any future games to a different system because Fountry VTT or Roll20 will stop offering the 5e presents, it’ll be a very good alternative. Paizo just came out with a statement that they will write their own version of the OGL which will keep the spirit of the open game alive, and Kobold Press is gearing up with their own stuff.

I won’t be throwing out my own games, and I don’t feel there’s a need to stop playing 5e. I have a Curse of Strahd game to finish, and that game belongs to me and my group now. We don’t need the module - it needs us.

... all that is simply to say - Wizards may soon be realizing that when you live on the Coast... pirates are never far.

(edited thanks to corrections from @magpiesarefluffy )

#dnd #dnd 5e #wotc #ttrpg #d&d #wizards of the coast #ogl #ogl 1.1 #ogl 1.0 #chekhov answers

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endgamelukola · 14 days ago

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when in love, we TALK about it

and i'm not saying people blast it on billboards or announce their relationships via social media. but when you truly fall for someone, it oozes out of you one way or another. either in stories as you relate your experience with your love to someone else (ex. "yeah my partner does that all the time; we LOVE doing that activity; we were talking about that the other day; my partner showed me that!")

This isn't the BLAST IT ON A BILLBOARD I'M IN LOVE kind of talking that I'm referencing. That Tom-Cruise-jumping-on-a-sofa type shit isn't it. It's all the subtle ways that your life melts into your partner's as you spend time together with the one person who sees you and loves you for you. It's not a "I'm in a relationship so I must brag about it" type of speech. It's as if speaking about an extension of yourself.

When you're truly in love, or even experiencing the height of honeymoon phases, you know what you don't do? Remove any association or connection with the person. You don't have dead eyes when you take photos with them. You don't leave an ounce of ambiguity between you and your person, out of respect for the person you're with and out of respect for the relationship. Even if you're in a polyamorous relationship, you go out of your way to make it clear what your boundaries are and where your loyalties lie.

I think we've seen enough of that with social media actions from the ONLY TWO individuals we hope are in a committed relationship with each other. And Luke's interview with People only solidified that more for me in his subconscious use of pronouns. This isn't a paparazzi chasing after someone who clearly doesn't want to be photographed. This is direct from himself; side glances, slips of the tongue, and all.

It baffles me that someone can accept media content from outlets that hardly take the time to verify the information they throw out on the web like a spaghetti noodle to see if it will stick over what individuals themselves are communicating, no matter how softly. But in the end, I guess we can be thankful for people who insist and demand that they're in relationships with other people. That's the kind of person they're trying to fool, and they succeeded.

So next time a rando on the internet tells you that you're wrong, just thank them for continuing a narrative that provides this couple with further privacy through their ignorance.

#lukola #nicola coughlan #luke newton #just some thoughts

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ddarker-dreams · 1 year ago

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Chrollo tells you a story from his childhood centered around bread.

(Warnings for religious mentions and canon typical depictions of his hometown, Meteor City)

“Hm… how uncanny is that.”

Knowing that he’ll continue speaking cryptic phrases until you express an interest you most certainly don’t have, you sigh, and rest your cheek on your fist.

“What’s uncanny?”

Please don’t mean the bread, please don’t mean the bread, please don’t mean the bread—

“This bread loaf,” he inclines his head toward it, as if you couldn’t spot the table’s lone occupant, “It’s bringing up some memories.”

He’s really going to talk to you about bread. Fuck.

“Meteor City, destitute as it is, was an attractive prospect for missionaries. My friends cared little for the religious doctrine they’d expound, but I always found the teachings fascinating. It wasn’t uncommon to go days without eating, so they’d come along with me on the sole condition that food was being provided. The priest, knowing this, had me relay the message that at his next teaching, there’d be fresh bread. Children overflowed from the tent that normally only I would occupy. He preached his sermon.”

There’s a nostalgic air to him as he continues. “By the end, he presented us with a challenge: whoever capable of best verbally expressing their devotion to God could have the bread. Each child present wanted to be the victor. There was a great deal of murmuring and thinking. He had us form a line, where one by one, we’d give what we hoped to be the winning response. My friend Phinks was first. ‘If I’d been there, I’da stomped the shit out of that snake,’ is what he went with. As you can imagine, the priest kept going down the line.

Eventually, he got to me. I’d been closely monitoring his body language and facial expressions. From what I could tell, no answer so far had even come close. I decided to take a different approach. From his theology, I could tell he was of the Roman Catholic persuasion. And so I suggested that to best prove our love, we should have mass. I thought that by focusing on the collective rather than oneself, I’d meet his unspoken criteria. He intended to keep the results to himself until everyone had spoken their piece, but no sooner as the words left my mouth did I know that wasn’t the answer he was looking for.

After everyone had their turn, he brought the bread out for all to see. While we were all excitedly wondering who the lucky individual would be, he raised his voice and began admonishing us. He quoted Matthew, ‘It is written: Man must not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’. With that, he left us there, so that we could ‘think about what we’ve learned’.”

Your jaw practically hits the floor.

“I intended to counter his points later that night to see if I could win the community the bread they were promised. While I was preparing, a few children happened by, eating the bread that was pulled from under our noses. I asked where they got it from — they said Uvogin. Apparently, he learned what had happened and was incensed. I went to go see him so I could ask how he convinced the priest to give him the bread. I didn’t find Uvo at the place he normally hung out at, but I did see the priest.

He was… shall we say, arranged in a way that’s strenuous on the body. All the while he kept chanting, ‘Pater, aphes autois, ou gar oidasin ti poiousin’, though he lay dying. It left a strong impression on me. Especially because his pronunciation was slightly off… but more than that, I thought it interesting he held firm to the belief which landed him in this position. A belief he didn’t even understand properly. He passed with a content expression. He must’ve fancied himself a martyr. It later became a popular joke that in the end, he did prove that you can’t live on bread alone, since it didn’t seem to do him much good.”

“How… how old were you?”

“Seven or eight, I believe.”

You get up from the table. You can feel his eyes following your every movement, from the suite’s dining room to the living space it's connected to. The suitcase you’ve yet to unpack sits patiently as you rummage through its contents. Grabbing what you need, you return to the table, where Chrollo regards you with a curious countenance.

Your antidepressants rattle inside a small orange container as you put it before him. How he gets the medication, you haven’t the slightest clue. It’s more convenient to receive them from your enigmatic kidnapper than an uninsured trip to the psychiatrist. He’s got one thing going in his favor, at least.

“Do you already need a refill?”

You shake your head.

“Just… after hearing that story… I think you might want to consider getting some of these for yourself. High dose.”

#fun story time with chrollo (?)#yandere chrollo x reader #chrollo brainrot #my stuff

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astrojulia · 2 years ago

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Asteroid Fan (151590): Understanding Its Signs, Houses, and Planetary Aspects

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ About the Asteroid: Finding out about the astronomical part of this asteroid was not easy and to be honest, I can't say if the information is correct. What I can say is that it was discovered between 2004/2006 and that it was named after the late Chinese astronomer and physicist, Dr. Fan Zhaohui. doctor Fan was an expert in celestial mechanics and made significant contributions to the study of the orbits of asteroids and comets. He also played a crucial role in the development of China's space program.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Sources and inspirations: As it was already difficult to find astronomical information, it was more difficult to find astrological information, so much that you can see the heavy inspiration in this post here, which was the most complete that I found on the subject. However as the blog is deactivated and if you are a tumblr browser user like me you will have a hard time seeing the whole post. That's why there are parts that are references to the post as well as parts that are my own interpretation. Also, the image template in from minikyuns on deviantart.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Asteroid Fan Rx: Your fans are more withdrawn and hidden, having a more introspective and reflective relationship with you. You can also bring out more hidden or intense feelings in fans. They may become more obsessed or possessive of you, or they may feel a stronger connection to you. Your fans are the type to always question your actions and reconsider whether or not they should continue to admire you, each time you prove that yes, the harder it is for them to leave.

Asteroid Fan in Signs

✧. ┊ Aries: With Asteroid Fan in Aries, get ready for an enthusiastic and passionate supporter. They're drawn to your energy and may see you as a leader or trailblazer. They're spontaneous, expressive and quick to react to everything you do. You can expect lots of random compliments and affection, but they may also get defensive and impatient with people who don't like you.These fans may also be very demanding of you and want to have your content on a daily basis.

✧. ┊ Taurus: With an Asteroid Fan in Taurus, your beauty and sensuality are what they love about you. They may be supportive of your material goals and see you as a source of comfort. These fans are loyal, constant and trustworthy. They love letting you know how much you mean to them, but they can also be quite protective and jealous. Your fans also expect the best from your work, even if it takes time.

✧. ┊ Gemini: The Asteroid Fan in Gemini is all about communication skills and intellectual curiosity. They may follow you on social media and send you long messages, often with a playful and witty tone. They're fans one day and roasting you the next, but they're excited when you reply. They are the type that most reblog/share their content to others.

✧. ┊ Cancer: With Asteroid Fan in Cancer, it's all about emotional depth and sensitivity. They see you as a source of emotional support or a parental figure. They're very protective of you and always willing to listen when you need to vent. You are hardly the type to see your fans, as they appear more in fights and discussions to defend you than giving you likes, comments... they are more of the types that only observe the content, always following but not actively showing up.

✧. ┊ Leo: The Asteroid Fan in Leo is drawn to your charisma and creativity. They're supportive of your artistic endeavors and see you as a source of inspiration. These fans idolize you completely and are always looking for ways to keep you in a good mood. They're warm, playful, and very admiring of you.They see you as a kind leader.

✧. ┊ Virgo: With Asteroid Fan in Virgo, they're drawn to your work ethic and attention to detail. They may be helpful in your daily life and provide practical support. These fans are devoted, but can be a bit shy when interacting with you. They're intelligent, calm, and willing to do anything for you. These are the types of fans with whom the more you create a routine of posts and interaction, the more they help you to grow.

✧. ┊ Libra: With Asteroid Fan in Libra your fans are drawn to your sense of balance and harmony. They share your values and interests and admire your sense of style. These fans bring you peace and harmony, and they're emotional and loving. They trust you and may ask for your advice.

✧. ┊ Scorpio: The Asteroid Fan in Scorpio is drawn to your intensity and emotional depth. They see you as someone who understands their innermost feelings and desires, and they may be interested in spiritual or mystical topics. These fans are extremely intense and loyal, sometimes even obsessed. They're reserved, but feel a deep connection to you.You can also provoke difficult emotions in them with envy and anger.

✧. ┊ Sagittarius: Asteroid Fan in Sagittarius, they share your love of learning and exploring new ideas. They see you as a source of wisdom and guidance, and they're often drawn to your spiritual or philosophical beliefs. These fans are positive and fun, and love to interact with you. They're focused on you and may even idealize you a bit. You will probably attract a lot of fans younger than you, who really need more patience and care when transmitting information.

✧. ┊ Capricorn: The Asteroid Fan in Capricorn is drawn to your success and ambition. They see you as a role model or leader and may be supportive of your career or public image. These fans are consistent, productive and determined. They may feel a bit intimidated by you, but are willing to do a lot for you.This is the kind of fan that gets to see behind the scenes, the details that lead up to the result. So it's not just something you post that they see, but they can see the fonts you used, the design, etc.

✧. ┊ Aquarius: The Asteroid Fan in Aquarius indicates fans who share their idol's interests and values. Fans may be connected to their idol through social causes or activism. Your fans sincerely believe in you and will trust your words and ideas. These individuals are highly creative and often feel like they're not fully understood by others. However, when it comes to you, they feel like you get them on a deeper level. Your followers have the potential to become your close companions, and the bond between you is characterized by warmth, joy, and a distinct sense of individuality. Your ability to make them feel valued and important is a key aspect of this special connection.

✧. ┊ Pisces: The Asteroid Fan in Pisces indicates fans who are drawn to their idol's creativity and emotional depth. Fans may see their idol as a source of inspiration and be drawn to their artistic expression or spiritual beliefs. Your fans are very emotional and have an intense connection to you. They are very devoted to you and may see you as a source of comfort or escape from their own reality. They may express their feelings in a poetic or dreamy way. You may attract fans who are empathic or intuitive, who feel a deep spiritual connection with you.

Asteroid Fan in Houses

✧. ┊1st House: With Asteroid Fan in the 1st house, you have a natural charm that attracts fans and admirers. Your fans see you as a leader and may relate to you on a deep level. They want to be like you or be very similar to you. Your fans may even become your close friends, and you make them feel appreciated and special. You easily gain admiration, and some of your fans may be exclusively devoted to you.

✧. ┊2nd House:The Asteroid Fan in the 2nd house indicates that your fans may be very supportive of you financially. They share your values and interests and may admire your sense of style and taste. Your fans are consistent and detail-oriented. They may give you gifts, pictures, or small gestures, and they will always boost your self-esteem without being asked. You can always count on them for support and stability.

✧. ┊3rd House: With Asteroid Fan in the 3rd house, your fans appreciate your communication skills and intellectual abilities. They may follow you on social media or other forms of online communication. These types of fans are fun, chaotic, and always take the time to write you a beautiful message. They check up on you and ask about your day-to-day, and they can become very close to you. You may even have admirers from your school days, and you're a common topic of conversation in their lives.

✧. ┊4th House:The Asteroid Fan in the 4th house indicates that your fans see you as a source of emotional support or a parental figure. They may be connected to you through your shared cultural or familial background. Your fans find refuge in you, and they feel very close to you. You make them feel comfortable with themselves, and there is a strong and lovable connection between you and them. Your fans are intuitive and can quickly pick up on your mood, and they treasure you very much.

✧. ┊5th House: With the Asteroid Fan in the 5th house, your fans are drawn to your creativity, passion, and self-expression. They see you as a source of inspiration and may be very supportive of your artistic endeavors. Your fans are fun, spontaneous, and loving, and they may tease you playfully. You share many hobbies and personality traits with them, and they put you on a kind of pedestal. Many want to be like you and could even see you as a role model. Some may even find you attractive and appealing and develop a crush on you.

✧. ┊6th House: The Asteroid Fan in the 6th house indicates that your fans appreciate your work ethic and attention to detail. They may be helpful in your daily life and provide practical support and assistance. Your fans are helpful and deeply devoted to you, and they take away your stress, making you feel more relaxed. They support and appreciate everything you do, and their support is unconditional and constant. You become part of their routine, and they cherish you.

✧. ┊7th House: The Asteroid Fan in the 7th house signifies fans who are drawn to their idol's charisma and charm, seeing them as a potential partner or companion who shares their values and interests. These fans deeply adore you and are committed to your success. Although they may differ from you in personality, they become close to you and receive your affection. They may even see you as a crush.

✧. ┊8th House:The Asteroid Fan in the 8th house signifies fans who are attracted to their idol's intensity and emotional depth, seeing them as someone who understands their innermost feelings and desires. These fans feel a great interest in you and discover your most personal and profound aspects. They identify with you closely and feel intrigued by you. They respect you for your maturity, and there is a lot of intimacy and closeness between them and you.

✧. ┊9th House:The Asteroid Fan in the 9th house signifies fans who share their idol's love of learning and exploring new ideas, seeing them as a source of wisdom and guidance. These fans are friendly and curious, and they see you as superior on many levels. They are interested in your philosophy and thinking, and they appreciate not only your talent but also your personality.

✧. ┊10th House:The Asteroid Fan in the 10th house signifies fans who are drawn to their idol's success and ambition, seeing them as a role model or leader. These fans respect you and support your career and public image. They form a strong community, and they see you as a professional. They may be slightly intimidated by you, but they are loyal and supportive, always encouraging you to improve and trust your abilities.

✧. ┊11th House: The Asteroid Fan in the 11th house signifies fans who share their idol's interests and values, connected through social causes or activism. These fans see you as eccentric and inspiring, with a friendly and approachable personality. They feel motivated by you and empowered to pursue their goals. They are very diverse, and you have a large fanbase. You have great influence over them.

✧. ┊12th House: The Asteroid Fan in the 12th house signifies fans who are drawn to their idol's mystical or spiritual nature, seeing them as a source of inspiration or guidance in their own spiritual journey. These fans find solace and sanctuary in you, and they feel that you understand them. They are very dedicated, sentimental, and expressive, and they may become addicted to you. They idolize you and see you better than you see yourself.

Asteroid Fan Aspects Overview

✧. ┊Conjunction: A conjunction between the Asteroid Fan and a planet indicates that a person's fans may have a strong impact on their personality or life path. Fans may be very important to their idol's success or sense of self.

✧. ┊Trine or Sextile: A sextile or trine between the Asteroid Fan and a planet indicates that a person's fans may provide support or opportunities for growth and development. Fans may be helpful in their idol's personal or professional life.

✧. ┊Square or Opposition:A square or opposition between the Asteroid Fan and a planet indicates that a person's fans may cause conflict or tension in their life. Fans may have difficulty relating to their idol or may be a source of stress.

Asteroid Fan in Aspect to Planets

✧. ┊Sun: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to the Sun indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their identity or sense of self. Fans may see their idol as a potential role model or leader.These people like their idol's creativity, enthusiasm and positivity.

✧. ┊Moon: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to the Moon indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their emotional depth or sensitivity. Fans may see their idol as a source of comfort or support. These people like their idol in a more reserved and quiet way, almost as if it were that childhood thing that you like a lot but are ashamed to say you like.

✧. ┊Mercury: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Mercury indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their communication skills or intellectual curiosity. Fans may be connected to their idol through social media or other forms of online communication and talk about their idol to everyone so they can make a bigger fan-base.

✧. ┊Venus:The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Venus indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their beauty or sensuality. Fans may appreciate their idol's style or taste. These people like the way their idol behaves in the world, being inspired by their behavior and style.

✧. ┊Mars: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Mars indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their energy or passion. Fans may see their idol as a leader or trailblazer and be inspired by their courage and enthusiasm.

✧. ┊Jupiter: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Jupiter indicates that the person's fans may share their idol's love of learning and exploring new ideas. Fans may see their idol as a source of wisdom and guidance and may be drawn to their spiritual or philosophical beliefs. These fans try everything to support their idol, mainly in the form of money, but also by showing up at the events their idol is at.

✧. ┊Saturn: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Saturn indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their success and ambition. Fans may see their idol as a role model or leader and be supportive of their career or public image. These fans also support their idols, but because they believe in its worth and its work and want the person it idolizes to succeed.

✧. ┊Uranus: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Uranus indicates that the person's fans may share their idol's interests and values. Fans may be connected to their idol through social causes or activism. It's also very connected to teenage and unconventional fans, who are very active on the internet.

✧. ┊Neptune: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Neptune indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their mystical or spiritual nature. Fans may see their idol as a source of inspiration or guidance in their own spiritual journey. These fans may also find their idol mind-boggling, yet utterly alluring.

✧. ┊Pluto: The Asteroid Fan in aspect to Pluto indicates that the person's fans may be drawn to their intensity or emotional depth. Fans may see their idol as someone who understands their innermost feelings and desires and may be interested in spiritual or mystical topics. These fans also see their idol as someone very reserved but powerful, who will take on important roles without making a fuss about it.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

#astrology #astro notes #astro observations #astrology observations #astro community #astrojulia #all about astrology #witchblr #astroblr #witch community #natal chart #asteroids #asteroid fan #Asteroid Fan (151590)

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t1red-twilight · 1 month ago

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through the ages

part 2

content/warnings: gn!reader, fluff, cursing i think, mentions of spencer’s addiction, season 3, idiots in love refusing to admit they’d die for each other

notes: i love the dies irae

word count: 3.2k

masterlist series masterlist s. r. masterlist

prev. part

you felt spencer nudge your foot with his own. you looked up from your book to see him staring at you with his large brown eyes. a small smile sat on his face, his lips curled up slightly. you raised at eyebrow and smiled back at him. all spencer did was shrug and continue to smile at you.

you lightly kicked his shoe back in response. you and spencer had started communicating wordlessly like this, it helped especially when either or both of you went nonverbal after a particularly long case. after tobias hankel, these nonverbal cues were becoming more and more frequent.

spencer’s head jutted to the side quickly in an effort to move you from sitting across from him to sitting beside him. he hummed briefly. almost instantly, you shot up and sat next to him; hopefully you didn’t look too eager.

linen and freshly done laundry with a hint of citrus. spencer always smelled the same, day in and day out. the consistency was something that you’d never admit that you desperately craved. while the world spun quickly around you and all but whisked you away, spencer was always there to keep you grounded. in the little while you’d known him, he’d become one of the most important people in your life. while you were still currently settling in with the team, you fit perfectly with spencer.

he nudged you with his shoulder. you looked over at him, there was a twinkle in his eye. “what are you going to do when we get back?” he asked in a hushed tone.

you looked away briefly in thought, “eh, i’m probably going to get some food and then head home.” when the jet landed there would still be about an hour of daylight, enough time to eat something that wasn’t a lukewarm coffee and day-old takeout provided by a local police precinct.

you looked back at him: there was something behind his gaze that you couldn’t quite place.

spencer’s eyes flicked away for a moment and then returned to your general direction. you quickly traced to where he had temporarily slipped away to, only to find nothing. then, he spoke, albeit timidly. “uh, do you mind if i tag along?” his voice had lowered.

“yeah!” you responded. “of course you can come. you’re always welcome to.” he visibly relaxed at this, but his reaction was so minute you almost missed it. “i don’t know what to get though. just anything but cold takeout, i think.”

spencer let out something akin to a giggle. “there’s a really good thai place by my apartment. we could have food there and you could stay the night at my place?” he questioned. you paused to pretend to think for a moment.

you noted that spencer’s hands were clasped very tightly in his lap. you brought a finger to tap your chin in false contemplation. “i think that works,” you smiled.

“good,” he smiled back at you.

later, when the jet landed, the two of you were the first off. quickly, you speed walked to your ‘96 pickup truck. (you had been meaning to look into possibly upgrading, but spencer insisted that your truck had charm; that it was never a car he had thought you’d drive.) you opened the passenger door for him before walking around to the driver’s side. you always drove, because spencer didn’t have a car. he always insisted on taking public transportation.

spencer immediately picked up the box of cds and began rifling through them. when he had found one, you had already gotten out into the main road and were in need of directions. (he had picked your only classical cd.)

“where am i going, spencer?” you asked quietly.

spencer’s shoulders had completely relaxed, and the top few buttons of his shirt were undone with his tie loosened. “it’s down the street from my apartment. we can park at my place and walk, if you’d like.” his eyes never left the road, but they occasionally found something to trail after. you, however, caught yourself and peeled your eyes away from him in order to drive safely.

you swallowed down the urge to compliment the slope of his nose or the curve of his lips. “that works. it’s better to not waste gas if i don’t have to.” your fingers tapped along to the choral notes of the dies irae. if you were going to pick any classical song, it would for sure be this one.

there was a silence, but it was by no means anxious. spencer broke it with Info dumping, something that you were beginning to notice that you were the only person who seemed to tolerate. “did you know that the dies irae originated from a poem, and wasn’t actually a song first? turn here,” spencer interrupted himself with directions before continuing. “it has since been used in many productions of musical theater and in movie scores to portray themes of death.“

you nodded before you replied, “that’s so interesting. who wrote this again?“

he swallowed imaginary saliva before speeding up as he spoke and waving his hands around excitedly. “well, it is said to have been originally written by monk thomas of celano, but this version is written by mozart.“

your brow pulled together in minor confusion. “what do you mean ‘said to have been written by him’?“ you glanced over at him briefly to see his facial expression. his face was riddled with giddy excitement.

he continued, “well, some historians believe it was actually written by saint gregory the great.” you nodded, actually interested in what he had to say. it was so incredibly fascinating that he could just recall these facts out of seemingly nowhere.

he paused again for a moment to continue to give you directions. “oh, turn here.” you grinned as small as you could.

you would never admit it, but you knew exactly how to get to his place. not in a creepy way, but just in case he needed something urgently. you’d slept over at his place once before, and been over a handful of times before that.

“just turn right into the car park, i technically have a reserved parking spot. i just never use it, obviously.” there was a sense of sarcasm in his voice. you loved when spencer was relaxed enough to become more “sassy,” rather than just being human wikipedia for the benefit of the team out in the field.

you followed his directions and pulled into the parking spot that he noted was hypothetically his. he quickly got out of the car first to walk around the hood of your truck to open your door before you could manage. thankfully, the sunlight was drifting away, so hopefully he couldn’t see the light redness that spread to your cheeks.

you pulled your keys out of the ignition and locked the door as you exited the car. when you began walking on the sidewalk, you could feel his shoulder brushing against yours. it was a soft sensation, but it made your heart skip a beat nonetheless.

your hands slightly brushed together, it felt practically juvenile that these tiny aspects of physical touch almost made you fold like a cheap suit.

the sounds of the late night city filled your ears with a gentle white noise. spencer was one of the only people that you felt comfortable in silence with. for a second, you swore you felt his pinky reach out to hold yours. you felt butterflies in your stomach, but maybe it was just something else. perhaps it was all of the takeout catching up to you.

eventually, you reached the thai restaurant. you had seen it briefly, driving spencer home from work. “it’s kind of a mom and pop joint,” spencer spoke. “thai food has always been a comfort food for me.”

for the first time in a while, you replied and broke your personal silence. “i’ve never been here, but I’m excited to try it.” you would not remembered passing by this restaurant at all, the only reason you were excited was at spencer seemed so passionate about this restaurant. anything he was passionate about, was something that you were interested in learning about.

the jet had landed earlier than schedule, so the two of you caught the very end of the dinner rush.“table for two, please,“ spencer told the restaurant host. you had no idea, but the same flush that you had earlier was now reflected upon his face. you were both instructed to sit in the waiting room while a table opened up for the two of you.

“i don’t think that the wait should be that long. if i’m correct, we should just be catching the tail end of the dinner rush.“

spencer sat down on the bench that you had been, “the average dinner rush at this particular restaurant lasts from about six to seven thirty. we should be seated fairly soon.” your eyebrows raised slightly, but you caught them before it was too noticeable.

“how often do you come here?” your tone was teasing. you knew that spencer was a creature of habit, and this wasn’t something that you minded in the slightest.

he caught on to your tone. “not super often,“ he insisted. “i just really like this restaurant. and the average dinner rush time is roughly from six to nine,” he continued teasing.

you chortled lightly, nodding. what you didn’t notice, was the imperceptible movement that spencer made to sit slightly closer to you. your thighs brushed together gently. “spencer, party of two?” spencer raised his hand, acknowledging the staff member. he held out a hand to help you off the bench, even though it was by no means a dangerous feat. the two of you were silently led to your table.

it was a booth, a cozy one at that. the booth had nice, comfortable seating, and the table had a design inscribed on it that appeared to be similar to stained glass. you had not expected this restaurant to be as nice as it was. but, it made sense, as spencer lived in a very nice area of town.

after you were left alone, you opened the menu and glanced over the options. the restaurant had some options you were familiar with, but also some house specials. eventually, you decided on something you had had at another restaurant; tonight didn’t feel like the time to be trying something new.

“what are you going to get?“ you asked spencer. you looked over the top of your menu to see a thoughtful expression adorned across his face.

he hummed before he responded. “i think i’m going to get the chicken pad thai. that’s what i usually get.” when the waitress approached your table and asked for your drink orders, you both didn’t get anything alcoholic. spencer didn’t get anything alcoholic for obvious reasons, but you also didn’t either, seeing as you’d have to drive home later. you also felt weird being the only one drinking, you didn’t want spencer to feel left out in any way.

after your drinks had been delivered, you both decided that you were ready to order. you placed your orders and the waitress left the booth. “so, how often do you really come here?” you questioned.

he laughed quietly. “well, not every night,” he pulled his lower lip between his teeth briefly. “but just often enough that some of the wait staff recognizes me.” he looked up at you and the joy was palpable on his face. this restaurant was clearly a harbinger of joy for him, and the thought of that made you smile.

your brow raised in slight shock. “wow, so you’re a regular? do they know your order and everything?”

he shook his head in amusement, “i’m sure some of them know my order. but, i usually have to order it myself anyways.” the lopsided grin on his face made your heart just about skip a beat. his hands clasped together again, on top of the table. your hands remained resting in your lap, you tried desperately not to pick at your cuticles and anxiety.

this was just spencer. you knew him, but you had never been on a one on one dinner outing with him though. dinner outing? hopefully he didn’t think that you saw this as a date. it could possibly ruin everything that you had set up. you couldn’t risk ruining the friendship that you had with him. your current situation was working swimmingly.

by the time the waitress had brought your food back to your table, you and spencer had engaged in a conversation about what music you preferred. spencer went on about hot popular melodies from classic music were often reused in modern music. “i think my favorite use of sampling classical music is in ‘this night’ by billy joel. he sampled beethoven’s sonata number 8 pathetique. the second movement to be exact,” he stated, before taking another bite of his dinner.

your eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, what an interesting development. “you like billy joel? i thought you were pretentious and only listened to instrumentals and junk.” you tried to keep the shock out of your tone of voice.

“they’re not junk. i just appreciate the serenity that music without vocals provides me.“ while he defended himself, he still kept an air of whimsy.

you swallowed your food before you continue to speak, “yeah yeah, sure. you can try and hide your pretentious, art person persona behind some fancy words, spencer, but I know you.” you pointed at him with your fork, a smile playing at him on your face.

there was a spark in his eye, and his lips were curled up in a boyish grin. “no, I swear!” he defended, his voice raising in pitch. “billy joel is wonderful musician. my mother used to play his music all the time when i was a kid.”

“at least your mom has taste. my mom only played sixties country that all sounded the same.” you paused to take another bite of your food. “there’s nothing wrong with country as a whole, just the specific music that my mom chose.”

spencer smiled at the anecdote. “that doesn’t sound too bad. sometimes consistency is comforting.” you looked down at your food, perhaps he was right. every time that you listened to that specific type of guitar, you were reminded of the peace and joy that only childhood nostalgia could provide.

your voice dropped in volume, but only slightly. “yeah, I suppose so. i guess i didn’t like it much as a kid, but now I listen to it when I miss my mom.” a watery smile placed itself upon your lips. you often tried not to think too much about your mom, you talked about her even less.

spencer��s eyebrows together with concern. “what do you mean?” he asked. you paused for a moment. god, how you missed her. you set your silverware down on the table, and your eyes dropped.

you didn’t know how to put it, it wasn’t something that you had even fully processed yet. “it’s not something that i like to talk about,” you tried to play it off like you were that set off by his question. “it’s just been a long time since i’ve talked to her.” now that, was understatement. spencer caught on, and dropped the subject.

quickly, he changed the subject, leaning forward on the table. “well, what music do you like to listen to now?” it was easy to perceive the way that he was trying to move on from the awkward conversation topic. but, you appreciated it immensely.

you picked up before once more, and looked up for the first time in a couple moments. “i’m sure you’re aware of what music i listen to, spencer. you’ve seen my cd collection. i’m know of your eidetic memory,” you tried to lighten the slightly morbid tone in your voice.

he chuckled, “yes. I am very aware, depeche mode? you do have several of their cds in your cd box in your car,” he smiled again softly. you appreciated how easily he could change the topic. you knew you’d have to eventually talk about your mom, but now was not the time.

the conversation leaned on small talk, but it wasn’t uncomfortable like it had been in the past. it was nice to get to know, spencer and his little things. not the deep, intense aspects of his being; just the little things. after a small period of silence, you felt his shoe tap yours from underneath the table.

it felt juvenile. not immature in a way that was annoying, perhaps juvenile in the way that children play tag at recess. pure, and with no underlying layer of malice.

“so,” you asked, “what do you like to do in your free time?” what a stupid thing to ask.

he paused in thought for a moment. “i know this sounds boring, but i really enjoy reading. it’s really interesting to see someone’s passions through their writing. I read a lot for work, obviously. but I enjoy reading for pleasure in my free time as well.”

you took a final bite of your food, pushing your plate a few inches further onto the table. you placed your hands in your lap. what are you reading right now?” quickly you realized that this was a stupid question, spencer could read several books within twenty minutes with his reading speed.

spencer too had finished his dinner by this point, but this was important. he quickly elaborated on what he was reading, currently, i am reading more classic authors. i never really got too invested in shakespeare. so, at the moment, i am reading through his competed works. i’m trying to read them more slowly, so I can fully comprehend what he is saying metaphorically within his work. i never had the time to read a lot of fiction when i was in school, but i’m really enjoying reading it now.”

as he spoke, the waitress approached the booth. she mentioned something about the bill, and placed it down on the table. before you could reach it, spencer snatched it off the table and placed his card down with the receipt. the waitress took the bill and walked off to complete the payment.

you looked up at him with a mixture of bewilderment and shock. “spencer, we could’ve split it. lord knows i’m already staying at your place tonight.” there was a cocky expression laid at top his face.

“well, there’s no use in worrying about it now,“ his smirk grew, “you can pay the bill next time— if you’re fast enough.” you let out a gasp of false offense.

the waitress returned with his card, and the two of you stood to leave. spencer quickly jotted down a tip, and you reached into your bag to pull out some cash for the waitress as well.

“wait,” you blurted out. spencer turned to face you, looking at you quizzically. his shirt was still unbuttoned and his tie still loose; you reached up and adjusted his crooked tie. but that didn’t stop you from at least making it more symmetrical. your fingers lingered on his chest, but only briefly. “okay, now we can leave.”

#healing my soul by letting spencer info dump #lee’s writing <3 #spencer reid #criminal minds #x reader #spencer reid x reader #criminal minds x reader #fluff #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid x you

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lurkingshan · 3 months ago

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Japanese QL Corner

In which I cling to the last vestiges of two of my favorite shows of the year, write a eulogy for one of the most disappointing, and rejoice over the entry of a new fav. These shows are available for weekly streaming on Gaga unless otherwise noted.

Mr. Mitsuya's Planned Feeding

Farewell to a wonderful show. @isaksbestpillow has posted all seven episodes as of last week, so if you've been waiting for a binge, now is your chance. I already said a lot about why I loved this one, so I'll just use this space to urge you again to watch! This show is a goddamn delight.

Takara's Treasure

The main narrative ended last week, but this week we got a sweet little epilogue and one more visit with Takara and Taishin. I enjoyed the brief glimpse into their near future and getting to see Taishin turn 20 with his very first fuzzy navel, though I was a bit sad we got a repeat of the finale's themes rather than treading new ground for their relationship (I could not have cared less about the fujoshi writing RPF). This was a lovely show and I will miss these characters.

Happy of the End

CWs: Assault, child abandonment, child molestation, childhood sexual slavery, dubcon (including between the main characters), human trafficking, rape, sexual coercion and exploitation, suicidal ideation/possible attempt, unsafe S&M practices, violence

A very rough week for this show in terms of the content--please mind the triggers above because these are explicit depictions and it can be hard to stomach. I am waiting to see where this show is going with its themes before I make a final judgment, but watching the fourth episode in particular, some parts felt like crossing the line into gratuitous trauma porn that provided little additional illumination. We'll see how it shakes out in the end, but please take care with this one. I continue to find the characters and relationship dynamics compelling, and I am invested in Haoren and Chihiro's attempt to have a relationship despite the metric ton of baggage they are shouldering between them. Neither is equipped to even have any idea what a healthy relationship looks like, but they see something in each other and they want to try. That tiny bit of hopeful but likely doomed thinking may be all we have to cling to in this story.

I Hear the Sunspot

Sigh. I am sad about what this show could have been. For me, the finale definitely did not succeed at sticking the landing and making the last six weeks of wheel spinning feel worth it, and this show is going down as one of the big disappointments of the year for me. As you know if you've been keeping up with this weekly post, I loved the first half of this show, and Taichi's original characterization, so much. And I don't understand what happened here. The second half has felt like a completely different, confused, demonstrably worse show. Taichi hasn't felt like himself in weeks, the plots with Maya and the job at Sign were poorly grounded, inconsistently executed, and offered little pay off either thematically or in terms of character development, and the romance writing was a complete failure. It was actually painful to see Kohei run after Taichi and confess to him again, and the directing and editing of that sequence was so muddled that I had no idea what I was supposed to understand about Taichi's emotional journey or why this was the moment he was suddenly able to reciprocate. After all that brooding and his big speech about communication, he did not communicate much of anything to Kohei in the end. And I'm supposed to be content with leaving them here? Deeply unsatisfying on just about every level.

I understand from @twig-tea that while the story followed the beats of the manga's first two volumes at a high level, this production chose to remove many of the contextual details that actually made sense of the characters' behavior. It also seems they didn't understand they were setting up character arcs that did not get resolved until a later volume the show will not cover, thus ensuring the story would end at the wrong place. Just a baffling set of adaptation choices, and so much wasted potential. It's a shame.

Love is Like a Poison

But at least we have a new favorite coming in hot a week sooner than expected! I absolutely loved this first episode, in which we meet Shiba, our cold-hearted lawyer with delusions of grandeur and a sexually charged fixation on his house plants, and Haruto, our flirty scammer who has his number. This show is really well written and packed a ton of story, comedy, and deep characterization into its first episode. It's a promising start! For now it’s only available grey outside of Japan; I am hoping it will get picked up for proper international distribution soon.

Tagging @bengiyo to add this week's anime update.

#japanese ql corner #takara no vidro #takara's treasure #happy of the end #i hear the sunspot #hidamari ga kikoeru #love is like a poison #doku koi: doku mo sugireba koi to naru #mr mitsuya's planned feeding #mitsuya sensei no keikakutekina ezuke #twilight out of focus #japanese bl #shan shouts into the void

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feminist-space · 1 year ago

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"Long COVID has destroyed my life

I would love nothing more than to “finally ignore COVID,” as the headline to Dr. Ashish Jha’s July 31 op-ed reads (“With a few basic steps, most of us can finally ignore COVID”). As a healthy, vaccinated, and recently boosted 35-year-old, I did what he said: I ignored COVID-19 on a weekend trip with friends in September 2022. But the infection I got as a result has all but destroyed my life.

A week after my infection, I began to experience intense fatigue, overwhelming headaches, and cognitive challenges that continue to this day. These symptoms are debilitating: I can no longer work, socialize, or travel. My finances are dire. And if I am unable to avoid another infection, my condition may deteriorate even further.

Jha wrote of long COVID “treatments” being promising. Perhaps he could clarify what treatments he is referring to, because my doctors say that there are no approved treatments for long COVID.

A recent study funded by the NIH’s RECOVER initiative showed that 10 percent of adults infected with COVID still have symptoms six months later, even with vaccination. By downplaying the prevalence and debilitating outcomes of even moderate long COVID, Jha is signing thousands of people up to the misery and despair with which I live every day.

Ezra J. Spier

Oakland, Calif.

Another view from infectious disease doctors

As infectious disease doctors, we disagree with Dr. Jha’s contention that it is time to ignore COVID-19.

Yes, being vaccinated and taking Paxlovid thankfully decrease the risk of severe disease. But only 43 percent of people age 65 and over and only 17 percent of all Americans had received an updated COVID vaccination by May 2023, and access to Paxlovid treatment is inequitable by race and insurance status.

Long-term complications of COVID can be devastating, including after second infections.

More than half a million Americans have died since the summer of 2021, when sufficient vaccine doses were available: COVID death rates in the United States continue to be double those of Canada. Termination of free tests and “commercialization” of medications as implemented by the federal government will only widen our country’s grisly COVID-related health disparities.

Inevitably, ignoring COVID leads to ignoring the slow-motion epidemic of long COVID. Standing up against such neglect, leaders like Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Governor Maura Healey can promote meaningful measures to protect our communities: air purification in all schools and public spaces; free COVID-preventive masks (KN95 or N95, not surgical masks); tests, vaccines, and Paxlovid for all who cannot afford to buy them; and concern for and support of long COVID victims.

Dr. Julia Koehler

Boston

Dr. Regina LaRocque

Wellesley

We remain vulnerable to long COVID

Ashish Jha’s position as former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator is a conflict of interest masquerading as a qualification for his op-ed. Researchers who study long COVID stated in a recent paper in Nature Reviews Immunology that “the oncoming burden of long COVID faced by patients, health-care providers, governments and economies is so large as to be unfathomable.” Rapid tests, which are less accurate with recent strains while PCR tests are less available, and low death rates give a false sense of security.

I agree that despite progress, more buildings need the air filtration and ventilation that would make public life safer. But Jha omits our vulnerability to long COVID after even mild infections, its devastating effects, and higher death rates for hospital-acquired COVID-19, combined with a lack of collective protection in health care settings with unmasked, untested people who prefer to ignore COVID-19.

Aside from advocating vaccines, he describes an everyone-for-themselves approach, not mentioning responsibility to protect others or access to essentials.

Jha dines in a restaurant with his friends while patients even in leading cancer hospitals are forced into Russian roulette, thanks to this approach.

Kathryn Nichols

Cambridge

Vigilance is necessary to prevent long COVID

While I understand the desire to promote optimism amid the ongoing pandemic, I am deeply concerned about the potential consequences of downplaying the importance of COVID precautions and the significant risk of long COVID. As a person living with long COVID for the last 16 months despite being vaccinated and boosted, I have experienced post-exertional malaise, fatigue, headaches, joint and muscle pain, cognitive dysfunction, and more symptoms that have continued to today. I have tried numerous medicines, supplements, and even participated in a clinical trial, only to find limited relief from the persistent effects of this virus.

Such a stance overlooks the reality that millions more people could end up with long COVID if we fail to remain vigilant in our efforts to combat the virus. Long COVID is a devastating consequence of this virus, and we cannot rely solely on vaccinations to end the pandemic. Even with widespread vaccination, the risk of contracting long COVID remains high. A recent study funded by the NIH’s RECOVER initiative showed that 10 percent of adults infected with COVID still have symptoms six months later. Minimizing the significance of long COVID not only neglects the suffering of long-haulers but also risks undermining public health efforts to control the spread of the virus.

By raising awareness about the risk of long COVID, media outlets can play a pivotal role in educating the public and promoting continued vigilance. Responsible reporting on the enduring impact of long COVID can serve as a reminder that the pandemic is far from over and that we must remain committed to taking necessary precautions to protect ourselves and others. Highlighting the struggles of long COVID survivors and the lack of proven treatments can spur further research and medical advancements in addressing this condition. Empathy and support for those living with long COVID are essential in paving the way for better understanding, compassionate care, and better health outcomes for everyone as COVID rates increase again this summer.

Travis Hardy

Norwalk, Conn.

Link https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/08/05/opinion/cant-ignore-long-covid-jha/

#covid #long covid #wear a mask #please wear a mask #the pandemic isn't over

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kaiannae · 3 months ago

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It is time- (Or: It Has Begin XD)

Greetings, my dear readers, it has been quite some time. First and foremost I would like to assure you that yes, I'm alive, and no, I have not abandoned my writing. But, I HAVE been distracted by somehing in the last few months, and I think its time to reveal it. I made a game! And not just a game, a Shadowgast game. I would like to present to you:

Beacon Run.

Ko-Fi This game begun its existance as a homework project for a game dev course I took about a year ago. I was supposed to implement a simple chase and pickup game and I thought, "Why use some random sprites when all I can imagine is small chibi Caleb chasing small chibi Essek around while Essek is trying to nom beacons?"

This idea lit a fire in my brain, and I just had to implement it but I had a very short time for the assignment. Iended up implementing something very simple, but I just couldn't let it go afterwards and vowed I was going to finish that small game and get it out for the fandom to play.

It has since been rewriteen, refactored and recoded several times, until I had something workable to show others. This is the place to mention the major contribution the people fo AIFL had on this little game. As I was maing this game, I shared its early stages with the server, and people have been kind in thier enthusasm, gave me ideas and provided invaluable criticism and feedback. They kept me motivated and kept me going through the lows of frustration one gets when coding. I got @bumble-b-goode 's permission to use their designs for the Weezards and drew my own sprites using that as inspiration. I ended up creating most of the assets for this game. Drawing the art assets took quite some time and I've learned a lot in the process.

Beacon Run not big or complicated as a game. In essence, is a tribute and a love letter to the Critical Role community and the CR crew. To the people who brought to life the Mighty Nein and have shared, and continue to share their stories with us on a weekly basis throughout the years. For Liam and Matt, who have weaved the tale of two broken wizards mending each other into better people, and keep their children of ink and paper alive for us to enjoy. The game: You as a player, are randomly assigned a little wizard to play for each match, so you can play as Essek or Caleb. The board dimensions and obstacles and even the flooring art are randomized for each match so each match is different. Your goal: to collect as many Beacons as you can during the allotted time, and end up with more Beacons than your rival which is the other wizard played by the computer. You gain projectiles over time, which are fake Beacons you can throw at the other wizard. If hit, the rival wizard is stunned for a short time, and drops several of his picked up Beacons for you to gather. However, beware! The rival wizard can also shoot you and stun you for a short while, and make you drop beacons as well. (You might notice that Essek gets stunned by sour lemon Beacons, while Caleb gets stunned by hand-knitted wool Beacons XD) In addition, when the rival is hit, he may drop a Magic Abeyance Bead which contains a Chronurgy spell. if you pick it up, it will provide a short time bonus for the match. In short, the game is a small, cozy game, made out of love for the wizards and the fandom, and I hope you'll enjoy it! I it still in the late stages of testing and development, as the feedback players provide is invaluable and lets me find bugs, add ideas and content suggested and tweak the mechanics to make it more enjoyable. So I would very much appreciate feedback, suggestions, con-crit etc. I would be happy to head what you like about it, what you think needs tweaking, ideas of content to add.... you name it! (Note that currently, the game does not work on mobile. I am planing to revamp the input system and add touch suport for mobile in the near future) Also it is worth mentioning that as I fix bugs, add content and tweak things, I upload new versions of the game so its worth following the Devlog and updates. The game is avaliable for play in the embedded player on the page, and also available for download to play offline (Though you might need to redownload it with every new version as I don't have an auto updater for it.)

In addition, if you like my work, feel like enabling me to make more of these or just want to buy me a coffee, It is always very much appreciated as it sure helps me stay afloat! Tip Jar

So, I hope you forgive me for my lack of writing for the last few months. I really wanted to get this out. I am trying to keep writing in my spare time, but the muses haven't been with me lately. I hope that now that this is out I can finally get my mind off it XD Stay tuned!

#shadowgast #caleb widogast #essek thelyss #critical role #critical role fanart #game making #the mighty nein #Beacon Run

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