#so for people to forget so quickly what progress has been made and how much it took and how easy it is to loose - disappointing

[un-fwuit-un-fwog]

Falling Behind

Synopsis: The Prefect has ADHD and was medicated for it back in their old world, but when they go to Crowley for help getting a diagnosis here, he brushes them off. They proceed to struggle until finally breaking down. (+ Crewel basically steps up as a father figure)

TW: Pretty descriptive with the negative effects of The Prefect's ADHD, Talk of medication, The Prefect cries, Crowley says the usual things people who deny/downplay ADHD say, Crewel has the "Help me help you talk" with The Prefect, The Prefect cries and is overall just GOING THROUGH IT

NOTE: I went off of my experience as a person diagnosed with ADHD and medicated for it. My experience with it won't apply to everyone else with it, but rest assured this won't be a fic that portrays ADHD like a silly, goofy little quirk. (This is a pretty self-indulgent fic, tbh)

Many people who are diagnosed with ADHD and medicated accordingly have the thought cross their minds every once in a while of "Do I really need the medicine?" When you're on ADHD medication for long enough, you forget what it's like to not function at the level you do when taking it. The memories of the difficulty focusing can slip away with time and leave you doubting. You were no exception.

Key word is were.

When you got thrown into Twisted Wonderland you learned pretty quickly that the medicine in fact does help and that you in fact do need it.

But how would you even go about getting it here? You'd need a diagnosis and for that you'd need a psychiatrist and for that you'd need money (and an official identity which you did not have as an alien to this world).

You tried bringing it up to Crowley, but he brushed it off. He said the same lines you had heard 100 times before, many of which you found yourself thinking from time to time: "You just need to make yourself work. You're unmotivated." and, while he didn't say it out loud, you could clearly tell that what he was really saying was that you were lazy.

You suppose you should have expected as much. No headmage that gave two hoots about mental health would be running a school that has no student counselor.

After that interaction you had resigned yourself to the fact that you'd have to come to terms with being a student and doing schoolwork with no relief to your condition.

You tried your best, you really did. You sat at your desk for hours on end as you tried to finish a simple homework sheet, but hours passed with virtually no progress being made. You couldn't force yourself to focus. When you did your body protested. Your brain refused to allow a single proper thought to form and your eyes wouldn't focus. If you forced the issue further, it only got worse. Your brain and eyes felt somehow heavier than usual and sometimes you swore they were slowly liquifying to a goo in your skull.

You didn't bring it up to your friends. You felt weird talking about it with them. One too many times being told you were faking or doing it for attention you suppose.

Your grades began to slip. Deadlines popped up when you could have sworn you had more time. You made little mistakes you chastised yourself for. You knew the material. You knew you knew the material.

. . .so why were you messing up.

Assignments piled up and slipped through the cracks. It's not like your teachers could notice how out of character this was for you. They didn't know how well you typically functioned when medicated, and it's not like you told them about the disorder in the first place.

Each night you held back tears of frustration as you tried desperately to get any work done. You weren't one to cry easily. In fact, you hadn't cried since you got to Twisted Wonderland, and even before that it had been a while since you last allowed tears to drip from your eyes.

But everyone has a breaking point.

You had gotten so far behind on your assignments that it was decided you needed more than to simply stay in the classroom to work during lunch and you were put in after school tutoring (although it felt more like detention).

The first few weeks you managed to keep it together. You taped over the holes that chipped away into your composure and did your best to hold down the storm of emotions that thrashed violently inside of you.

Another day of after school tutoring came around. By now not even Grim was having to stay for these sessions. There were other students that were in them, but they were in a separate classroom. You knew what was happening even if nobody outright said it.

You sat in Crewel's empty classroom for the second week in a row. The clock on the wall ticked impossibly loud. Every sound around you was amplified tenfold and you could feel it wearing on you. Your arms shook in a sick combination of frustration and exhaustion as you tried in vain to get one question done.

You could feel the ugly jaws of your pent-up emotions gnashing away at your already tattered walls of composure.

Crewel sighed as you once again failed to answer the question: "Look, I really do want to help you, but in order for that to happen I need you to cooperate and listen to me. Right now, it feels like you aren't doing that."

You had had this conversation with him before; with all your teachers for that matter. You used to it. YOU WERE USED TO IT.

You chanted the phrase in your head over and over again.

"What do you not understand."

He didn't say it in a malicious way. He sounded genuine, just. . .exhausted.

He didn't know. He wasn't aware of the storm in your stomach slowly making its way to your eyes. He didn't know.

You don't blame him, but when he said those words you finally broke.

It wasn't anything grand or dramatic like you see in movies. A small catch of your breath in a short-lived attempt to hold it together and then tears. You choked on your sobs as you tried to quell them. The only thing worse than crying is crying in front of people.

Your knees curled up onto the bench, up to your chest, and you hugged them: trying to hide your face and muffle your sobs.

It was no use. Crewel already saw the tears.

He was momentarily stunned at how suddenly you seemed to break down and could only watch as your whole body shook with the sobs you were trying so desperately to hold in.

When he finally snapped out of it he was still unsure of what to do, so he did the only thing he could.

You felt his large, fluffy coat be draped over your shoulders before he somewhat awkwardly sat a comfortable distance away from you as he waited for you to calm down.

When your sobs finally quieted to small whimpers he apologized for making you cry.

You explained it wasn't his fault and, after a bit of silence, you explained to him what was wrong.

He sat with you and listened patiently as you told him about your ADHD, the trouble you'd been having since you got here, and finally recounted your interaction with Crowley.

He led you to the infirmary not far from his office, telling you he'd be back soon and to rest for the time being.

Luckily for Crewel, the headmage's office was just about as far away from the infirmary as it could be.

He could scream as loud as he wanted without disturbing you.

By the time he returned to the infirmary it was late. He was about to apologize for leaving you there so long but stopped himself.

There on the bed was your exhausted form curled up in his coat and sleeping peacefully.

The next day he asked you a few more questions, and the day after that, he accompanied you to the doctor's office. (you didn't bother asking how he managed to get you registered as an actual person)

You went through suspiciously less steps than you had back in your old world to get the diagnosis, but you just chalked it up to the fact that it was clear by your appearance that you had been going through it.

You got your medicine the same day. Wait. . .did Crewel just tell the pharmacist he was picking it up for his child?

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[fairestwriting]

headcannons about idia who’s head over heels in love with yuu ever since the orientation ceremony (he’s such a dork your honor)

Of course they get closer over time as the story progresses ^~^

also I just wanted to say your works r so cute and unique along with how you write them!! You truly do capture the essence of the characters even when the stories r pretty short or even just simply headcannons lol <3

wahh thank you sm 🥹 i really love the characters and writing them in situations…. it makes me happy to hear people think im portraying them well

𐙚 Idia Shroud

It’s not like he’s never had a crush on anyone before, he’d usually recognize the feeling pretty quickly even. But, that pretty much instant feeling of being drawn to this one specific stranger in the crowd, that’s definitely something new. He doesn’t understand why he’s so fixated on you right off the bat, flustered like you’re not multiple feet apart and don’t even know each other’s names. Idia’s heart races even more, being almost too late to realize he was staring at you before you glance towards him. Sure, you’re a cute stranger, but that sort of “crush at first sight” thing only belongs in cheesy dating sims and such, as far as Idia knows.

”Aah, that’s it, this school finally made me lose my mind”, he thinks, once at the ceremony, then again when your face shows up in his thoughts later. He hadn’t even heard you speak, and yet… He finds himself overthinking every bit of that non-interaction, one half of his mind firmly telling him that he’s being a weirdo for doing that at all, near completely drowned out by his worries over whether you caught him staring at you like an idiot. If this was really a crush, and not a really weird case of crossed wires, he’s probably already ruined everything for himself, right? Not that he’d have a chance otherwise—

He almost manages to get over the whole thing when the stars decide to align to laugh at him, and you two end up talking. What exactly led up to it? If you asked him how, he’d hinestly have trouble remembering. Did you end up visiting his dorm, maybe even joining his club? Did you two run into each other in the halls, anime meet-cute style? You introduced yourself, and he somehow managed to respond appropriately. Maybe he was on his phone, looking at something related to a game he likes, and you just so happened to play it too…

And it’s a known fact that the one thing that’ll get Idia to forget his own anxiety for a moment, is being prompted to talk about his interests— Whatever it was that you brought up became the thing that miraculously tied you two together. You end up exchanging contact information, both too invested in feeding each other’s excitement for a second.

…Then, after you walk away from each other, it hits Idia that he has your contact information. Looking back on it, he feels like that must have been insanely lucky of him. Probably months worth of dream cards pulled from limited banners. At this point, there’s no way to deny his feelings to himself, incomprehensible as they might feel. Maybe he could dare to think he has a chance, considering you two have an interest in common… And it’s always much easier for him to talk to people over text.

That’d be getting ahead of himself, though, he thinks, the debate heavy in his mind as he proofreads his text asking if you want to play that game with him anytime soon. He covers his own eyes when he hits send, his hands feeling shaky down to the fingertips. You could send the most unremarkably polite response, he’s still going all crazy over it, even alarming Ortho with the noise he makes when he almost falls off his chair.

You play together, somehow it turns into a routine thing. You start exchanging texts, greeting each other in the halls. Idia has no idea how life just dropped that on his lap, even though he starts to feel more comfortable around you, it’s always still a little surreal. There’s always that persistent fear that he’s going to ruin everything somehow, but as much as his lower moods make him want to withdraw, he never goes through with it, a text from you arriving just in time to snap him out of the trance— Really, you must be magic, or something. So much that even if it all turned out to be a spell, he doesn’t think he’d even mind it.

if you like my work you can support me by commissioning me or tipping me on ko-fi ── ᵎᵎ ✦

[thepopcultureramble]

Why Does America Keep Selling the Fantasy of a Black Woman President?

Another ramble by The Pop Culture Ramble

So I just watched Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Great stunts, cool explosions, Tom Cruise sprinting like he’s trying to outrun time itself — you know, the usual. But what caught my attention this time wasn’t Ethan Hunt or the IMF. It was Angela Bassett.

Angela. Damn. Bassett.

As the President of the United States. And she was convincing, commanding, and absolutely radiating that “leader of the free world” energy like she was born for it.

But it made me pause. Because it’s not the first time we’ve seen this fictional America — the one where a Black woman can hold the highest office in the land. Viola Davis did it in G20. Regina King has played roles commanding armies and justice. Even in Shonda Rhimes's TV empire, Black women are everything from fixers to presidents. Hollywood keeps pitching this dream of a future we never seem to arrive at in real life.

And it made me think of Kamala Harris.

She was right there. First Black Vice President. First woman Vice President. And for a moment, it felt like history was going to repeat itself — in the best way. First Black president? Check. Now the first Black woman president? The timeline almost made sense.

Until it didn’t.

Until America did what it does best: get scared of a mirror and break it.

Because let’s be honest — Kamala should’ve been the next logical step. She had the credentials. The momentum. The backing. But instead, we got the rerun nobody asked for: Donald Trump, again. TWICE. A man who’s currently on trial more than he’s on television. And yet, he gets re-elected while a capable Black woman gets sidelined like she’s asking for too much just by existing?

Make it make sense.

Actually, don’t. Because I know exactly what it is.

It’s misogynoir. That special brand of hatred reserved just for Black women — not just misogyny, not just racism, but the cursed cocktail of both. It’s why Kamala’s laugh became a talking point, why her confidence was called arrogance, why her every move was hyper-analyzed while white mediocrity is given chance after chance to burn the house down.

And yet, in movies, we keep seeing Black women as presidents, commanders, superheroes, warriors, gods. It’s like Hollywood knows something the electorate doesn’t — or refuses to admit. They create a fantasy where a Black woman can hold power because, deep down, they know the country will never let it happen for real. So they do it in fiction. Where it’s safe. Where it’s controlled.

But here’s my problem with that:

If the people consuming these stories don’t get the point — if they think it’s just “cool casting” or a diversity checkbox — then what’s the point of the fantasy?

The people voting for Trump don’t walk out of Mission Impossible thinking “Wow, maybe we should elect a woman like Angela Bassett’s character.” They either ignore it, mock it, or worse, see it as a threat to “their” America. They live in the same broken system as everyone else, but as long as their guy is in power, even if it burns down around them, they’ll roast marshmallows in the flames before they vote for someone like Kamala.

That’s not just fear. That’s willful destruction.

And yet, American cinema keeps pretending like we’re progressing. Like if we show it enough, it’ll manifest. But the truth? America doesn’t want to see itself for what it is. So it projects who it wants to be — even when the evidence says otherwise.

You can’t keep casting Black women as the leader of the free world when your real world would rather watch it crumble than let one actually lead.

Maybe that’s harsh. Maybe it’s too much.

But I’ve lived through Trump getting elected twice. I’ve watched how people flinched at the idea of President Hillary Clinton, and how they smirk at the mention of Kamala. I’ve seen how quickly America forgets the hope it once bought into with Obama, and how bitter it became when that dream proved too "disruptive" for the comfort of whiteness and patriarchy.

So I ask again: why does Hollywood keep selling a lie?

Or maybe — just maybe — they’re telling the truth through fiction. Maybe it’s the only place they can show an America that’s brave enough, evolved enough, just enough to let a Black woman lead. Maybe they’re not selling a lie — they’re showing the ghost of a possibility that died before it had a real shot.

But it still feels cruel.

Because some of us are sitting here, watching Angela Bassett be president, while knowing that Kamala Harris was right there… and the country looked at her and said, “Nah. We’ll take the chaos again instead.”

It’s not just disappointing.

It’s exhausting.

Anyway. That’s been another ramble from the PCR.

I’ll go back to watching movies where we pretend to do better.

[snoozykazoo]

happy springtime allergies! 🌸

The flowers at this time of year are so lovely! sniff sniff sniff… They’re pretty enough that I’m THIS close to forgetting the pollen up my nose. So it goes. Regardless of springtime allergies or not, it’s Snoozy Devpost time!

If this is your first time seeing us, hey! We’re Snoozy Kazoo, a game dev studio of six guys who make dumb, silly, and fun games. We made the Turnip Boy games, and we’re currently in the midst of working on our latest game, Hobnobbers!

This month, we're getting into our task management workflow to help all you fellow indie devs out there!

What's Snoozy been up to?

Ah…! We’re so, so close to being able to announce something really exciting…! But you have to forgive me. I can’t say anything yet. Keep your eyes peeled — there’s going to be a LOT of exciting Snoozy News™️ come May. Even if I can’t say the big deets yet, I can at least drop this link right overrr here for you merch heads out there…

Cool Makeship Link 👀

Buuuut since we can’t talk about our projects, let’s talk about the next best thing: Project Management! This past month, Snoozy switched from our old task-tracking system to a new system called Codecks. Imagine if you could track your project progress with a deck-building roguelike, and that’s what Codecks is! It’s a nifty little tool specifically made for Indie Game Developers, which we just happen to be.

And to clear the air: no, we are not sponsored in any way by Codecks. Though if Codecks is reading this — we’d totally love to be!

We wanted to share how this system has been working for us, so any aspiring indie devs out there can see if this system is appealing to them and potentially benefit from it!

How it works

What’s made Codecks click for us is how it blends structure with playfulness. It doesn’t just let you organize your work — it encourages you to think about it in terms of clear progress paths, visual layouts, and deck-building metaphors.

We kept falling off of our past task systems because jugging a game’s worth of art, code, design, writing, marketing, and bug-fixing while ALSO needing to come up with constantly updating organization methods is. Hard. Codecks simplifies that process!

Codecks organizes itself into Cards, Decks, and Projects. Cards are tasks (like “Animate a Hob’s death!”), Decks are chunks (animating a Hob would go in our ‘Art’ Deck, but you could split it up further into a ‘3D Animation’ deck while also having a ‘3D Modeling’ Deck), and Projects are, well, projects! (‘Hobnobbers’ is, well, our project!)

What we like

Myyy personal favorite bit of Codecks is how it handles Conversations. Conversations can be had on any card, which makes it really easy to find discussions and notes on particular topics. In the past, we’ve used Discord to talk about ideas, critiques, and problems as they’ve come up. When notes are discussed quickly, they don’t necessarily quality for opening up the whole task itself, which has made remembering clarifications like “Wait, what resolution did this sprite need to be, again?” as simple as pulling up its relevant card.

Other people on the team love the ‘Required Effort’ settings, which allow you to set an amount of effort for each card and then see how much total effort a single person has. Basically, all of us adore the fact that you can use Markdown (which I, Yukon, am currently converting this post into for the Snoozy website haha). There are just a ton of little quality of life features that really feel like this tool was made by indie devs, for indie devs, and it’s really smooth to use!

But I’m just a little guy. Just a Small Man. With Few Dollars?

Codecks is free for up to 5 users on a team! If you’re a solo developer working on a project in your spare time, it’s probably more than suitable for you.

Aaaand that was our non-sponsored shilling of this tool we really like! There’s only so much we can say without going too into the weeds of it, but we hope that giving you a peep into our processes helped you out!

Team Corner!

It’s back a second time! Almost like it’s always going to be here!

This week we’ve got… badadadum, Jake! Our musician and developer!

What are you most excited for in Hobnobbers?

I’m most excited for the physics. Some of my favorite games have really robust physics simulations like Gang Beasts, Motor Town, and BeamNG.drive. I love sandbox games that have fun and unexpected environments to explore in a tactile way.

What’s something you’ve worked on in Hobnobbers recently that you’ve found particularly frustrating?

Audio Volumes and spatialization. In a 3D game, each space needs to sound different, and sometimes dialing that in just right can be a pain. Large open rooms and tiny little tunnels sound different in real life, and they will do the same in Hobnobbers, after lots of tweaking and iteration. Coming from 2D development, this literally opens up a whole new dimension of sound design.

What kinds of feelings do you hope for the Hobnobbers’ music to bring about?

I really want to mix dreamlike folktale and plastic consumerism. I am super inspired by I spy books, grimms fairytales, folk/americana music, and toy instruments for the Hobnobbers musical palette, and the music comes very naturally when the inspirations are so vivid. A lot of Hobnobbers is about simulating something tactile and physical in a digital space, and I hope to channel that into the music.

Yay! Thank you for your time!

Andddd we’re all wrapped up!

As a reminder, feel free to send in questions for us to answer right here on our Tumblr, or join our Discord and ask questions in the “ask-the-devs-❓” channel!

Keep your eyes peeled for this upcoming month in particular — we’ve got a lot of cool announcements coming up!

As per Devposts, see you next month!!

[coral-nerd]

i need

i need you to rant about coral island

please

what do you like/not like about the game it's v important to me (i wanna know and none of my friends play so i cant bother them)

I WILL TAKE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO RANT!!!

In exchange, I hope to recieve a rant in return!!

Recently the lack of updates is starting to worry me. I don't mind waiting years to reach the Final Version, but the save I specifically have to test out new features has maxed everything out and been untouched for a while. There used to be a roadmap of when we could expect certain updates, so the radio silence in comparison is troubling.

I think the one thing I would change about the game is the character customization. They have a great variety of hairs (though they could use more curly options), and I love having a color wheel (even if it is hard for me to use) but the 3 body types are incredibly limiting, and the facial features don't make much difference when you only see the farmer from above at an angle. I also just don't really like any of the clothing options. If you want hoodies, you're covered! Sneakers? Sure thing! Sweatpants? They got 20! Anything else? Ehhhhhhhhhhhggg....

The thing the game does best is the npcs. Every single one has such a DISTINCT personality! Everyone goes on an on about how Hot everyone is, but I love that you could take any character and quickly learn what their Goal in life is. What they love, Who they love, where they like to be... and for such a large cast, the variety is spectacular!

But by far my favorite thing about Coral Island is Coral Island itself. The fact that every single home and shop has been decorated with such detail and care! The beauty of the plants, the pathways, the little critters that pop up here and there. When I'm having a hard day, I like to just run around the island and Look at it. And if I had time I could spend a full real day just poking around the islander's homes. I think about a year back I had a series of posts that was just me finding easter eggs in people's homes; there's a lot of great stuff!

I like that I can take it slow; nothing horroble happens if I miss a day, or forget an event, or if a store is closed on a day I wanted it open. I can always come back later, and just take my time. Sure it's fun to clean the ocean and clear the mines year one, but you don't Have to.

I like how you progress through time, especially that you can really see the Impact you have. Purwo forest changes every year (and so do the baby owls!), new shops open, the Hot Springs and Temple become so gorgeous, dialogue changes, and... well I don't want to spoil some of the rank S changes XD

I like that year one you basically Can't win any of the festival minigames, but you come back the next year stronger than ever and can really see just how far your abilities and stamina have changed. Year one you learn the lay of the land, year two you are Part of it.

I do think it's a bit weird that you unlock the full hotspring experience and all the cooking items so late into the game that there's nothing that takes your stamina away to the level you Need energy boosters. It's a bit of a wasted mechanics opportunity. Not that I can think of a way to do it differently.

I'm not currently enamored with the merfolk side of the game, but I'm hopeful that more updates will get me invested in that as well.

The unlockable areas kinda scare me with how Vast and empty they are. Irl I'm terrified of wide open spaces, so in game I tend to avoid the new places. I also kinda thought there would be more Lore attached to those places, but maybe that's a later update.

One of the things I secretly love is how you can tell the game wasn't made by Europeans, Americans, what have you. There's much more focus on familial duty and community than I've seen in most media. Some of the dialogue is clanky and frankly janky. Definitely not written by a native English speaker.

I like when dialogue glitches and you can see <npc name> {item name} because it really makes me appreciate how every single tiny detail had to be thought out, planned for, and executed by a person out there who I hope had a lot of fun creating something they could share.

I know this is the only game I play besides the sims, and clearly I don't know anything about gaming or have anything to compare Coral Island to, but I wish other gamers didn't try to just Rush the game and then compare it's mechanics to other things they've played.

I had a weird moment showing Coral Island to 2 of my gamer buddies, and they were accurately calling out every mechanic before it happened, and seemed so Bored before giving it a chance. Like, "yep, there's the typical 'giving you your farming tools' scene." "Duh, the shipping bin." "The ax animation is so weird." "What do I gain from talking to npcs?" "This town is too big, I don't think I'm ever gonna get it." "Rancher, store owner, disguised character customization, yeah yeah."

And that's just not at all the Point of the game I fear. And I don't ever want to get to the point where I don't think it's cool for games to have built-in mechanics to give you what you need, no strings attached. Or think talking to the npcs isn't Interesting enough to do for it's own sake.

In a world where everyone's going fast, I like the opportunity to choose to take it slow. To like things just because they're pretty. And to watch a game change over time because I gave it a chance before it was ready.

I'm not going to get another gaming experience like this, and I'm so glad I did.

Thank you so so much for inviting me to rant, and I'm looking forward to hearing other people's thoughts!

[smellyrottentrees]

Akasyr and the Rain Pot

A short tale from the drift people of the eastern delta.

In the beginning, all the world was dry land. There were no rivers, no lakes, no oceans. There was only land, and all mortals lived together. They survived off the rain which the goddess Akasyr poured out for them from the pot She carried as She walked the earth every day and night. There was plenty to go around, and the people did not suffer greatly, as the goddess was generous.

Still, there were those who were not content with what they were given, who wanted more. “Why should we receive the rain only at Her discretion?” They asked. “Why do we not deserve it all? Have we not done all we can to please the goddess?”

There were those who chided these mischievous folk, saying, “You should be grateful for what you have. Nothing good comes of going against gods.” But these voices were overpowered. The people were envious of the goddess, of how She held so much in abundance while only giving them a little.

They had long known the goddess liked to dance. And so it was that they devised a plan to trick Her into giving them the water from the rain pot. The cleverest of them spoke to the most talented of them, and together they created music so beautiful that any mortal who heard it would be unable to stop themself from dancing. So powerful, it could reach the ears of the goddess and do the same to Her.

As the goddess approached on Her daily walk to deliver the rain, they began to play their music. At first She paid it no mind, so dedicated to Her task was She. But as She drew nearer, the depth of the notes and the steady beat moved Her, in body and in soul. The goddess began to dance.

At first, however, it seemed the plan would not work. The mortals watched as the goddess twirled and rolled Her hips, long hair swirling around Her in the wind, only a few stray droplets of water ever meeting the ground. They had underestimated Her gracefulness, it seemed, and no matter how She danced, the water in the pot would not spill over.

But the most clever of them had accounted for this, and as the song progressed, so did the tempo. She danced faster, forgetting Herself, and the more She danced, the more agitated became the water in Her pot.

The mortals gathered around to watch, some in awe, others in horror, as the goddess finally turned the pot over in Her frenzy.

Water fell to the ground in a great rushing wave, decimating everything in its path as it surged in all directions. The mortals fled, but they had learned the error of their ways too late. The musicians were swept up in the swirling water. Those who came to watch were quickly drawn under as well.

The more cautious of them were able to run to high ground, and avoid the worst of the great flood. These people never did come down from the ground, and with time diverged from all other mortals to become humans.

In the absence of the beautiful song, the goddess stopped Her dance, but the damage was done. She could not gather all the water back into Her pot, and could only scoop up small portions at a time to distribute over the remaining land, but in Her benevolence could not bear to watch the mortals in the water die, no matter how angry She was that they had tricked Her. She dove into the tumult of the newly made ocean, as violent and tempestuous as any great storm has ever been, and gathered as many mortals as She could. Unto them She bestowed gifts, allowing them to breathe and swim so that they might survive, but at the cost of never being able to stray beyond the many beaches that now bordered the land. These blessed survivors became the drifts.

The surviving musicians were filled with remorse and begged the goddess for mercy, entreating Her to allow them to repay Her kindness in spite of their deceitful ways.

The goddess asked for little. She only asked that they continue to play their beautiful song from time to time, so that She might be able to dance to it again.

So the song was passed down from generation to generation, from musician to musician, becoming greater with each set of hands that performs it. This is the song we play to appease Her.

I hope you all enjoy and accept this as an offering in place of new art. I have been busy and lacking in inspiration recently. Do forgive me.

[marzipanandminutiae]

i feel u on 1920s hate. when everyone is like ‘finally women are free of ~restrictive~ corsets’ and its like . first of all. didnt need to be. second. how do u think the curvier women were achieving the 1920s silhouette. quickly.

Exactly. I mean, yeah, it’s not their fault at all that people were saying things like that, or that it’s reached a fever pitch in recent years. Great material gains WERE being made for women, and I’m absolutely not discounting that. But much in the way that people tend to throughout history, though, they firmly believed that everything they were doing was the best and most progressive that it had ever been. And that idea has been hugely amplified in later years

I think it also has a lot to do with the fact that the 1920s were, in many ways, the beginning of a world that looks familiar to us now. Widespread film technology, continued rise of electricity, clothing-ways that seem familiar to us today in contrast to what came before (for example the advent of bras and panties, although people tend to forget there was usually also a girdle involved),  Air travel, cars becoming more popular, etc. because it seems less foreign, we accept all too readily the idea that it was better in all respects than everything earlier

(And ignore all the ways in which it would still have been foreign. Like… The 1920s were not actually the Proto – 2020s, guys. It owed for more to its immediate predecessors re: era mentality and technology and even fashion than some people would like to admit)

I don’t actually hate the 1920s – that would be pointless and reductive, since it’s an entire decade that happened over countless countries, demographics, cultural groups, etc. I think I’m with you, though, in hating the way it’s been put up on a pedestal as the perfect progressive era that was unilaterally better for women in particular

(Also, I read a book from the 1951 about the history of undergarments, and this mindset is in FULL force even three decades later.The guy finds ways to inaccurately rag on the Victorians even in chapters that aren’t about that time period, and concludes with a stirring statement that they are now living in the perfect time for underwear and that everything is so much better and more progressive than it ever has been in the past. The fact that this man- Cecil Willett Cunnington -was considered one of the highest authorities on dress history for a long time probably explains the current state of the discipline, In terms of “you can say basically whatever you want and people will believe you”)

[fictive-culture]

not a culture thing just a ramble but. man it always surprises us how Effective our system is at getting new members to feel comfortable?? like, for the past few years we slowly kind of like... weaned ourselves off of needing a host in a way? slowly teaching Everyone Else how to access collective memory, how to switch on command, gatekeeping and caretaker duties, that sort of thing. One, because most of our previous hosts got extreme burnout from having to manage everything, two because our system is so huge and goes through complete frequent-fronter overhauls pretty often so that finding (and teaching) a new host got pretty stressful after a while. So, we have sections of headmates who excel in caretaking, or protecting, or gatekeeping or whatever, but everyone gets to swap out jobs whenever because we have so many of each and some do multiple jobs. we've been getting wayyyy less Role Burnout because of it, and way less of us are being pretty much forced into temporary dormancy due to that.

and somehow we just. didn't even notice our progress until recently? i think it was at first most major with our Outsiders introjects, how they so quickly adjusted to and honestly found a TON of relief being in a system they KNOW is a safe space. any of them could go to anyone they needed, could stay separate from sourcemates they wanted to be apart from without feeling isolated (a lot of the time in the past we were Stuck with the subsystem of Our Source and that's all we could access. now our headspace is so much more open and people can just free-roam!!). and then we had a big lull period where we barely got any new members (that happens to us a lot, getting nobody for a couple months and then 31 IN THE SPAN OF TWO WEEKS yes this happened to us like. a month ago actually 😭). and then in our most recent new member spam, we got someone we expected to be needing to monitor a lot due to her source being incredibly traumatizing (and furthermore, it's a trauma the body has also experienced, so she can't even Just Forget It here). we tend to do that a lot with emotionally fragile headmates, just monitoring them in case they need comfort or are unable to handle body functions or front.

and this most recent time, we just kind of were shocked with how fast we.. didn't have to monitor her anymore?? it took maybe a couple of DAYS before she started getting the confidence to assert her boundaries and tell people Definitively No on anything. she's already comfortable enough here that within a week, despite the specific trauma she experienced, she's willing to entertain the idea of an in-sys relationship with another headmate who's already starting to develop feelings for her. to be fair, he's been basically her main caretaker so far, being the main person helping her feel comfortable here. but it's just like... from a body perspective THAT'S what's surprising us most, because the same trauma that the body experienced made us basically entirely outwardly aroace, only accepting in-sys relationships anymore. It just surprises us how effectively we've made this place a safe space for every new member, even the so-called "mean/problematic" ones (agarci & dream we love u) to the point where even when we introject this woman's main abuser, she's not scared anymore- because she knows BOTH of them will be safe here, even if just from each other.

you're doing amazing here, anya, and we're so fucking glad we've made a place that you feel safe in.

also, to any systems that feel discouraged over not being able to achieve certain skills or aspects in your system- we absolutely get it. all of this, that we've done here? it took YEARS. We're pretty sure our syscovery was sometime in 2018 or 2019, and we started working on all this stuff around 2020. and that doesn't necessarily mean it'll take that long for you- every system is unique, of course- but this is all the product of a ton of work. which means it can be done, and i promise you the time put in is worth it. we used to be a proxy sys! and we used to Completely Lose older members to new cycles- after all this work now we're very comfortably (and functionally! that's always important to pay attention to what works for you specifically!) hostless and can access system members and memories from even before our syscovery. it can get frustrating in the middle of it all for sure, but looking back and seeing how far you've come is so worth it in the end. the future is plural, never give up <3

Finally posting this beautiful fictive ramble

[reidslovely]

Ok now let us INNNNN on some CEO Peter x reader ! How they meet. What is their dynamic. How they end up together??? Pretty pls pls 🥺🥺

since you said please i guess...

I see them meeting in the lobby of Parker Industries. And because I'm nothing but cliche he's coming on his day off for a client meeting and she's standing in the lobby shuffling through papers obviously lost. He's staring at his Apple Watch and the collide, him sending her towards the floor. He shoots arm out and catches her, staring at her wide eyes as he basically pulls her back to her feet, arm around her stomach as he held her.

"I am so so sorry. I was looking at a message."

"I am so so sorry I was looking at this map and I was.."

They spoke at the same time. Peter's face remained flat but there was a smile in his eyes. He thought she was..gorgeous, he shook his head and cleared his throat.

"You're fine don't worry about it. Can I help you." He pointed at the map of the building in her hands. She nodded looking up at him with big eyes, and handing him the map.

"My mother has a meeting with Mr. Parker over a biotech research for her collarbone damage due to cancer. It's a whole thing, and I'm super late."

"You're in luck because the CEO is also super late to this meeting." Peter chuckled. "Mr. Parker..nice to meet you."

"Oh my god." She says reaching her hand out shaking it. "I'm (y/n) (l/n) nice to meet you...also." she stuttered through her greeting. Peter nodded and handed her map back to her.

"I'll walk with you. Follow me."

I do think that the two have a slight age gap. Peter being around 30-33 and reader being about 25-27. Which makes him kind of skeptical for a bit because Peter's never dated someone younger than him outside of Gwen being a year younger than him and even if it's not by a lot and both are in similar places in life he worries that she'd find him to be old and boring. But she doesn't, she doesn't really pay any mind to the age gap besides teasingly calling him 'old man' here and there in their relationship.

At the start they definitely have a grumpy/sunshine dynamic even if Peter isn't that grumpy he's been out of the dating pool for a few years and he's just kind if skittish which makes him seem grumpy. He's the reason for these big nice parties but he only talks to the people he knows and clients he's built relationships with. She's the one running around greeting people asking if they're having a fun time and he just admires her so much for it. She inspires him and brings him out of his little dark room he's built for himself which helps everyone get to know him a little bit better and see that he's not only a kind person, but also really funny. He's also just so so so soft for her. Peter can be intimidating if needed and he knows how to play that well and when to play it. But whenever she's around he's so soft, it's like all the bad things in his life become muffled. She feels the same about him, she thinks he's the smartest man in the world. She knows he is, and doesn't hesitate to remind him when he is forgetting that himself. As their relationship progresses for Peter he feels like he got a second chance at love, and she feels like she's really fallen in love for the first time.

They start dating pretty quickly actually for Peter being so skittish, Harry gave him a jump in headfirst speech that urged him into asking her to be his girlfriend. And when he did it he felt like that nerdy high school boy again, but when she said yes he knew he made the right decision.

They go on the nicest vacations, he definitely wants to see the world with her. But he also loves just being in their Forest Hills home having domestic moments. He likes the way she'll come into his office while he's working and sit on his lap playing with his hair. His goal is just to spoil his girl, any thing she wants he'd give it to her no matter the cost. If she asked him tomorrow to give up everything and just disappear with her he'd do it, and she'd do it for him.

He also totally gives her a job at Parker Industries let's be real. All she wanted to do was be his assistant/receptionist, and when the spot opened he immediately offered it to her because no one better could keep up with him. And honestly..it's true.

I don't know there is a lot about them, she's gonna need a cute nickname though. I'll get back to y'all on that.

have a ceo!peter coded photo:

[writingwhimsey]

Second Chance Love- Ch. 9

Chapter 9

Ava had run blindly from the “exam” room. She didn’t pay attention to where she had run. She just ran until she just fell to her knees, having run out to the garden. She felt the tears falling down her cheeks.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been out there when she felt a hand on her back. “What are you doing out here, lass?”

Ava looked up to see Masamune kneeling down beside her, his one blue eye peering at her. She quickly wiped at her face. “Uhm…I just…”

Masamune gave her a smile and reached into a pocket, pulling out a handkerchief and handing it to her. “Here. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and then you can come with me.”

“Thanks.” Ava said, taking the offered handkerchief and wiping her face. 

Once she was finished, Masamune was standing up, offering her his hand. “Come on.”

Ava placed her hand in his and allowed Masamune to help her up. “Where are we going?” She asked.

“The kitchen, of course.” Masamune answered, smiling at Ava. “I always find whatever troubles you have, seem smaller after having a good meal.”

“I…I don’t know if that will help…” Ava replied.

“Just come on.” Masamune replied. “Food always helps.”

It didn’t take long for the pair to reach the kitchen. Masamune pulled up a stool for Ava to sit down at the counter, while he got to work chopping and cooking. He’d occasionally hand Ava a bite to taste test the food.

“So, what had you crying in the garden?” Masamune asked.

“I…I had my first appointment with Akari.” Ava answered. “I was…I was okay…I mean…I wanted…he should have been there and I was starting to feel that…but then Mitsuhide showed up and he…he came with me.”

“Yeah? What else happened?” Masamune asked, stirring the food he had over the fire.

“Well…the appointment went fine.” Ava answered. “Akari said the baby and I are fine. Everything is progressing the way it’s supposed to…but then…then she mistook the situation.”

“Oh?” Masamune asked.

“Akari…she thought Mitsuhide…was the father.” Ava answered.

“And that upset you?” Masamune asked.

Ava nodded. “Yeah…I just…I’m always going to miss him.” She said. “But…it made me think at least I have memories of him. This baby…he or she won’t…he or she won’t know their father at all.”

Masamune set the spoon he was using to stir aside and moving the pot off the fire. He put a hand on her shoulder. “Ava, you really think any of us are going to let this baby grow up without knowing their father?” He asked. “We’ll all share our memories with the little one. Make sure he or she knows all about him. May not know him in the traditional sense, but this baby will know their father, I promise you that.”

Ava felt a pleasant warmth filling her chest. Sometimes it was easy for her to forget that she had the help of all the Oda. They would all help me raise this baby with Hideyoshi’s memory. Though that was only one of her problems. It didn’t completely dissolve the heaviness in her chest. “Thanks, Masamune.”

“Now, let’s get you a full belly.” He said, turning to the stew he had made and getting her a bowl.

Ava accepted the bowl and took a bite. It was warm and comforting. “It’s delicious, as always. Thanks Masamune.”

Masamune eyed her. “What else is on your mind, lass?”

“What do you mean?” Ava asked.

“Ava, there’s something else wrong.” Masamune said. “I may only have one eye, but I can see pretty clearly from it.”

“It’s…I feel guilty.” Ava answered.

“What do you mean?”

“For leaning on Mitsuhide so much.” Ava answered. “So much that…my midwife thought he was…”

“Ava, there’s nothing wrong with leaning on the people who care about you.” Masamune told her. “Hideyoshi wouldn’t want you closing yourself off to everyone just because he’s not here. You’re not doing anything wrong by taking comfort from the people around you.”

“Even if…other people might get the wrong idea?” Ava asked.

“Lass, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. You lost someone important to you and now you’re having a baby. Mitsuhide has been helping you. I don’t see anything wrong with that.” Masamune told her. 

“You…don’t think there’s anything wrong with it?” Ava asked.

“Would you be feeling guilty if Akari hadn’t mistaken Mitsuhide for the father?”

“Well…probably not.” Ava admitted. “I mean, Mitsuhide is my friend.”

Masamune had to fight off a smirk. “You finding comfort in me and my food?” He asked.

“Well…yeah. In this moment.” Ava admitted.

“You don’t think anything is wrong with it do you? Friends helping friends.” Masamune said. “And I mean I have flirted with you a bunch in the past.”

A small laugh escaped Ava’s lips at that comment. Masamune was always flirting and joking like that. Even when it had been clear she’d fallen for Hideyoshi. “Well…when you put it like that you do have a point.”

“Listen, you just do whatever you need to do to feel like you again.” Masamune told her. “We’re all here for you and your little one. Maybe we’ll all get mistaken for the father, huh?”

Ava let out a small laugh and shook her head. “You can all be the fun uncles.”

“That’s the spirit, lass.” Masamune said. “Except for Ieyasu. He’s too much of a sourpuss to be fun.”

Ava finished up the food Masamune had made and chatted with him for a bit longer before heading out. She felt a bit lighter having talked to him. She wasn’t in this alone. She had a lot of people who cared about her and her unborn baby.

“There you are, little mouse.”

Ava saw Mitsuhide up ahead of her. “Oh…were you looking for me?” She asked. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“It’s alright.” Mitsuhide replied, walking towards her. “Are YOU alright?”

Ava nodded. “Yeah…Masamune found me and took me into the kitchen to make me some food and chat.”

“I see.” Mitsuhide replied, his amber eyes scanning her features. He was making a mental note to talk to Masamune later.

“Thank you…for coming with me to the appointment…and for everything you’ve been doing for me.” Ava told him.

“It is no trouble, little mouse.” Mitsuhide said. “Though, it sounds like you are thanking me because you’re going to ask me to stop.”

Ava shook her head. “No…there’s a part of me that thinks I should…but I’m not strong enough to listen to that part of me.” She admitted. “Plus…after talking with Masamune…I realized it’s okay for me to lean on the people around me…and you’ve been the most comforting and supportive…I just want to ask you…if I could continue to lean on you?”

Mitsuhide felt his heartbeat picking up. He hadn’t been expecting this at all. Not after the way she had run out like that. Just what did you say to her, Masamune? Mitsuhide thought. It was at this moment, Mitsuhide realized he was taking too long to respond to Ava. It’s not often anyone made him speechless. He mentally shook himself.

“Of course, little mouse.” He told her, giving her a surprisingly gentle smile. Whatever you need. I am here.

“Thank you.” Ava said, smiling up at him…the smile, quite warm. Perhaps she was healing after all. 

Taglist: @zulablaise @oda-princess @kisara-16 @tele86 @lovely-bubb1es @lucyw260

[djsherriff-responses]

Kinda funny that they’re making a Watch Dogs movie now despite that series haven’t really been much spotlight for several years now. They just finished filming it so I guess it’s progressing fine. I think there’s supposed to be a show too as well.

Not that I can blame them I mean they tried a Prince of Persia movie that flopped, that Assassin’s Creed movie got forgotten so quickly.

A rabbids movie? I feel like they’re more than a decade too late on that front not to mention Minions have mostly stolen that niche very successfully. Unless they go the Mario + Rabbids route on that movie but I doubt we’ll see it soon.

I vaguely remember watching Prince of Persia but based on the fact I barely remember it , it was a forgetful movie, haven't seen the assassins creed film so I can't comment on the quality of either film

What I can comment on is the various factors that makes those movies different to Watchdog , or rather the environment they've released in

Prince of Persia came out in 2010. In that same year we got movies such as Scott Pilgrim , Percy Jackson , Clash of the Titans and Tron Legacy. There was also meant to be an ALTA movie but it never got made 😔 Prince of Persia had a lot of competition when it came out, but it stood very little chance against those more memorable flicks

Assassins Creed came out in 2016 along side Batman Vs Superman and the Killing joke , no chance of out competing those

(obviously all these movies did not come out at the same time of year , I'm over simplifying a it)

Heres an important similarity Prince of Persia and Assassins Creed have besides being made by the same company: They're video game IPs

For as long as video games has existed , there was this issue that movie adaptions of popular video games were never gonna be good (Never seen it but the discussion around the 80s Mario movie is a prime example). Whether these films were actually bad or fans just never being satisfied I can't say, I don't have the energy to research and this is already getting long

However that drastically changed when the Sonic Movie came out in 2020

Now obviously we know about ugly Sonic and how close the film could've gone down the cursed game movie path. But it didn't , Paramount listened to the fans and redesigned Sonic (even though that most definitely made people do overwork last minute) which lead to the film being such a success it's getting it's third installment released this year and a TV series spin off

Than we got the Mario Movie , which was also a success and so on and so forth

Now something worth keeping in mind is that , in the 2010s when Prince of Perisa was released , nostalgia bait wasn't as prominent as it is now

Which is why I think the Watch Dogs film , as well as the Rabbids movie, is Ubisoft trying to cash in on the video game nostalgia train. Maybe even using the film's success as a way to test if people will buy a new game

[sylvia-forest]

[CN] Shaw's 6th Anniversary event - Day 2

⚡ Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an Event which hasn't been released in EN yet!⚡

[Day 2]

MC: What exactly is it? Can you give me some hints? MC: Why are you always so mysterious! Shaw: Don't bother trying to test me; I won't tell you. Shaw: Just carry your curiosity to the next stop, and you might find some clues.

—

MC: Even though driving these past few days has almost driven me crazy QAQ... MC: But seeing the heavy snow here makes everything worthwhile. MC: Now I'm going to build a super giant snowman! The colossal kind! Shaw: I know you're eager, but don't be in a hurry. Shaw: Haven't you noticed that your hands and feet are freezing now? Shaw: Come on, let me take you for a hot pot to warm up. MC: Food is still more tempting for me. Let's go quickly before we have to wait in line.

—

Shaw: You have two choices now: one, challenge the snowy mountain, two, go to the skiing town for some "retirement."

In front of the registration desk of a snow club, Shaw presented me with a multiple-choice question.

MC: ...

I looked at the two brochures in my hand. One displayed the magnificent sea of clouds, while the other depicted cozy wooden cabins in the small town.

Although both were attractive, the snowy mountain was a local feature. When planning the route, I frequently encountered related travel videos—

The panoramic view of the world from the mountaintop was irreplaceable in the skiing town.

MC: Hmm, the scenery on the snowy mountain seems more unique...

Shaw: Okay, let's go with that. MC: Wait, wait a minute!

I quickly grabbed his arm and pointed to the brochure's description.

MC: The entry-level altitude of this snowy mountain is 5000 meters... Considering my sedentary office lifestyle, I should...

Sensing the hesitation and melancholy in my tone, Shaw turned back.

Shaw: How would you know if you don't try? MC: But still…. Shaw: Have some confidence in yourself. You've been doing sports for a while, you should be in better shape than a few months ago, right? MC: Well, that's true. I do feel that my fitness has improved a bit.

Encouraged by his rare words of motivation, I rallied some determination and headed to the front desk.

MC: Hello, we'd like to sign up for the snowy mountain trek.

The staff member handed out the materials, and one of them was a liability waiver that made me hesitate for a moment.

MC: Do we need to sign a liability waiver? Staff member: Yes, but the guides are very professional. As long as you follow their instructions, there won't be any risks.

Seeing Shaw's expression of "Are you scared?" I decisively wrote down my name.

MC: Oh, by the way.

Thinking of not wanting to miss out on anything, I put down the pen and looked at Shaw.

MC: Don't forget to arrange for the skiing town; I want to go there too. MC: Only boring people make choices, so I want both.

Guide: Everyone, we will first hike 11 kilometers to reach the base camp at 4000 meters and camp overnight. We'll start the ascent to the summit early in the morning.

After changing into the professional mountaineering equipment provided by the club, the guide led us along the horse trail on foot.

The mountain tops around us were already covered in white snow, and I envisioned myself standing at the summit, becoming more excited as we progressed.

But everything changed after a "watershed" appeared in the trek, about four kilometers into the hike.

The mountain road became even more rugged, and despite resting many times, each step felt as heavy as if my feet were filled with lead.

MC [panting]: So tired... How much longer?

Gasping for breath, I checked the step count on my watch—it was still a long way to the base camp.

This time, Shaw laughed and covered my eyes.

Shaw: Don't look, the more you look, the more desperate you'll feel. Besides, regrets won't help now. You've already boarded the "thief's ship," and you can only grit your teeth and keep going. MC: Aren't you tired? Still have the energy to tease me... Shaw: It's okay, at least better than those who sit in the office all day.

While saying this, Shaw intentionally slows down his pace, gently pulling me to a relatively flat mountain path.

Shaw: So don't think about how long it will take to reach the destination. Just look ahead. The process is always more interesting than the destination.

For the rest of the journey, Shaw didn't rush me. However, from time to time, he used some provocative methods to make me take a few more steps with determination.

When we finally reached the base camp, after dinner, we were instructed to go inside and sleep.

MC: Shaw, do you know what time it is now? It's only 6:30! How can I sleep at 6:30!

I tossed and turned in my sleeping bag, and finally rolled over to Shaw's side.

Shaw: If you can't sleep, then don't. Shaw: But let me remind you, it's still several hours away from the mountaintop now, and it's only going to get steeper at night. MC: But I really can't sleep!

Before I could finish speaking, he pressed me into his arms, and the warm breath on top of my head felt especially comforting in the night.

Shaw[sighs deeply]: Close your eyes and shut up. No talking from now on. Whoever breaks the rule will get their head bumped. MC: Huh? Shaw: Once.

He tapped my forehead and closed his eyes, not giving me a chance to retaliate.

Feeling a bit helpless, I raised my fist toward the empty space, but he skillfully caught it and placed it in front of himself.

Shaw: Try any tricks again, even if it's just twice for you. MC: I...

As he slightly opened his mouth, I quickly pulled back my neck and closed my eyes.

—[Flashback starts]

But soon, the continuous mountain ranges in the daytime and the bright and lively Shaw under the sunlight began to appear in my mind.

Traveling together is said to be the best test of a couple's compatibility. Although we argued along the way, everything we did was remarkably harmonious.

[Flashback ends]—

Thinking of this, I secretly opened my eyes, only to meet his gaze directly.

Neither of us spoke, the dim light flickering, allowing the tranquility of this moment to linger gently.

Finally, I spoke softly.

MC: Didn't we agree not to open our eyes? Why are you looking at me?

Before I finished speaking, he lightly tapped my forehead.

Shaw: Eyes open, time for a penalty. MC: You clearly opened your eyes too, don't try to escape! Shaw: Why should I be penalized? If you don't open your eyes, you won't know that I did. MC: Shaw!!

I was about to give him a playful response, but he once again held my hand in check.

Shaw: Seems like you're not tired enough during the day. Let's just forget about sleeping. I'll keep you company until you're exhausted.

When I woke up again, it was already 2 a.m. We quickly packed up and followed the guide to continue our journey.

The high mountains that were bright in the daytime now appeared as dark shadows, overlooking numerous climbers facing the challenge.

The latter part of the journey was indeed steeper than during the day. I stumbled over rocks, feeling my energy rapidly depleting.

Not only me, but some fellow travelers even gave up on reaching the summit, brushing past us and heading back.

MC [panting heavily]: Huff …..

Shaw: I know you can still persist, but rushing won't help. Stick to the pace we had during the day.

He slowed down our pace, and gradually, we became the last ones in the group.

The wind and snow continued to blow, stealing the already thin oxygen. I could only breathe heavily, gripping the climbing rope and moving upward.

Until a faint light illuminated the foothills, I belatedly looked up, realizing the snowy summit was still far away.

I instinctively took large strides forward, but my knees went soft, and I was supported by Shaw.

Shaw [sounding concerned]: Hey, holding up okay? MC: I-I can still go on.

As I stood panting, Shaw walked in front of me and crouched down, patting his own shoulder.

Shaw: This snow mountain is a bit more challenging than I imagined. Come on, I won't count it as slacking off.

Feeling a warm surge in my heart, I made an effort to catch my breath and smiled at him.

MC: Some people always say you should experience things for yourself, so I want to climb up step by step on my own.

Shaw smiled and turned to brush off the snow on my knees.

Shaw: Quite determined. I'll follow your lead this time.

I nodded and then held his hand.

MC: But you still need to hold my hand, just like you always do.

Shaw tightened his grip on my hand and took on most of my weight as we ascended together.

Silently, the sun had poured all its light onto the vast white mountains, creating a dazzling golden glow.

Even though we hadn't reached the summit yet, I no longer felt in a hurry. Instead, I held the hand of the person beside me tightly, savoring every step of the journey.

Until I saw the monument marking 5025 meters close at hand, excitement surged within me.

MC: Shaw... I did it! We reached the summit!

All the determination finally relaxed at this moment. I rested on my knees, looking down at the sea of clouds bathed in golden light.

But in the next moment, my vision flickered, and Shaw lifted me high.

Strong arms securely held me, widening my perspective at this moment.

Shaw [in a cheerful voice]: The scenery is undoubtedly better the higher you go. How about it, can you see clearly now? MC: Mm!

The smiling voice reached my ears through the wind and snow. I took a deep breath, looking around the endless snow-covered expanse.

The entire world seemed to be covered in a pure white blanket, with the lazy sun lying on top, casting extremely dazzling light.

In the face of nature, humans are so tiny, yet I was fortunate to stand at the top of the world under its gaze.

MC: Experiencing things for yourself is indeed essential. The scenery in videos is not even one-thousandth as beautiful as what I'm seeing with my own eyes! Shaw [softly]: That's why, if there's a next time, don't dismiss yourself beforehand. Otherwise, you won't know how much you've missed.

After Shaw put me down, I naturally hooked my arms around his neck.

MC: Then I'll continue to engage in sports, because I want to see many more beautiful sceneries with you.

I paused, smiling at him.

MC: Consider it my way of adding a little extra beauty to the future~

He smiled and looked around the mountains before shifting his gaze back to me.

Shaw [chuckles]: Next time, when I ask you to go skateboarding, you better not chicken out, or I'll have to tie you down and take you there.

—

🚐 Day 3

[sweetswesf]

Hey, hey fam.

These past few weeks I have been onboarding. I let my insecurities get the best of me and didn’t want to take on an assignment early. I was dealing with some imposter syndrome and feeling the weight of being the new person. I felt like all eyes were on this little Black girl and wondering what she was going to do. I wanted to get better acclimated with my new environment and such, but also I was fearful. I’m glad I did take my time though. I extended my onboarding as much as I could and finally got started on my project last week. At first it all felt impossible, especially since my manager set an extremely aggressive timeline for it all (1-2 weeks). My teammates who I consulted about the project all told me it would take AT LEAST 3 weeks. I chatted with my mentor who I’ve mentioned to y’all who has never left my side about my fear and he suggested I ask exactly what I need to do. That encouraged me. It reminded me that I’m not even EXPECTED to know every step. Although I didn’t reach out to ask this, God heard me and a few people reached out directly with resources and help. They knew I was assigned this project and they reached out to part some wisdom and offer their continued support going forward. There was a moment when I couldn’t procrastinate anymore and I had to dive into things (a new language, a new code base, a weird interface, tangled code). I prayed to God to get me through and I felt him saying: one thing at a time. And I’m glad I did…I took one step at a time and soon things started to make sense. After a lot of time invested, I gained some confidence back and started to understand things. I made some code changes and made more progress than I thought. It’s all because I tried to face fear head on. I reminded myself that if God put me in this role, he wasn’t going to rip it away from me. He is with me at every point. If you aren’t convinced He exists, I hope you consider it, because if not for trusting Him, I wouldn’t have this praise report. I’ve written all my coding steps out in my tech spect. My team loves it! So much so, that my manager called my colleague and I his favorites on a call with the rest of the team! That was not appropriate, and made me feel like a target is now on my back from my team, but I was absolutely flattered. Some even DM’d me sharing their praise.

I felt so good I even took a work break and didn’t work after work for the first time in such a long time. I REALLY want to do well. I prayed to excel on the team quickly and I pray that is in God’s plan. I’m so used to struggling on my team no matter how agonizing it was. What was holding me back, no matter my prayers, was my fear and my inability to try as hard as I could. I want to try really hard, and I believe I can shock even myself, and that things will all turn out to be better than I expect, as long as I believe in God, pray for it, fight fear, imagine the best outcome, stop worrying, and trust HIM.

I thank God that He’s disciplined me. I want to also find balance. I haven’t worked out in a while just putting all my focus into delivering early, but I will pray for God’s help to make it a priority.

I pray yall are encouraged to fight fear and work for your wildest dreams as well.

On TOP of that, I work closely with a guy I think is kinda cute! Funny thing: my HRBP referred me to him, I reached out, he was kind, turns out were from the same city, he shared what he was working on, offered to meet with me 1:1 regularly going forward, we got paired in the same working group on our department’s offsite the next week, and then I ended up getting assigned to the project that works closely with what he is building! He doesn’t work in my office but is visiting soon and asked if I wanted to do lunch and whiteboard. I’m looking forward to it! I forget how to eat like a human when I eat in front of someone I like, so I’m going to try hard not to look like a weirdo! He has a girlfriend AND I am not going to entertain relationships nor romance with a colleague. I’ve learned from my past. I’m not even sure if I really like him or if I’m just THIRSTY. Ya girl has been deprived of male courtship for a while lol.

Anywho, I’m super grateful to God and things are going well. I have to stop bracing for impact and just continue to always expect for things to go well and know that if they don’t, it’s for a reason and God has a master plan. God bless yall.

[philosetumble]

Can You Not Hear It?

The future within our grasp? That ACHING, CLAWING NEED for us to just REACH OUT and take the reins.

That future whereby public consciousness exceeds our individual knowledge, and we become so deeply driven by eachother. Knowing that if one of us can, then all of us can.

The desire to truly, once and for all take care of eachother. We all just want to make it in this world, and we're so close to a point where we can drag eachother into the future.

The advances we've made in the last century alone have been nothing short of magical. Thinking up new ways to solve our health, increasing our lifespans by decades. We are on the cusp of infinite energy. We're just short of fully cybernetic limbs, and soon regrowable body parts.

The backsliding anti-progressives cannot hold on for much longer, they don't have the power to resist that overbearing monstrosity that is tearing away our backs lest we forget to run.

That monster that tells us there's no way back. Progress slides ever onwards, it's as ever as it has been. We no longer need the hysterics about it, the future is in our grasp, we need but seize it.

We are so connected in thought, feeling, love, acceptance and popular dissuasion.

OOOH CAN YOU NOT FEEL IT?! I know you! As you know me! We have never met, we will never meet, but I KNOW you.

Do you not see that far off sliver of an edge where a beautiful future waits for us. Look at how close it is, WE CAN SEE IT.

Humanity's expansion is one of harmony, don't you see? We want to be the benevolent progenitors so badly. Look at how often we write about it. The people before us looked like us, they were better than we are. All across science fiction, fantasy. THE STORIES WE TELL. We write about aliens coming by and gifting us great ancestral knowledge, because we know that we'd do that if we had that power. We instinctively try to raise up others.

Don't you feel that gnawing need to just HELP EACHOTHER?! Cut out the things that are terrible, let them fall away. You just need to understand we exist in as much space as we can take. Our bubbles end where another begins, and we test eachother's boundaries.

We learn those boundaries so we know what to do when those boundaries break. And we push eachother forward. Get back up, dust off your knees, there's work to do, but we don't have to die for it. We have to live for it.

CAN YOU NOT.

FEEEEEEL IT?!

The future begs for us.

Do you ever wonder if some of our drastic brain disorders are simply unable to process our advances, or some so well equipped for a future not arriving fast enough? Once you live long enough, our brains maybe, just can't process our progress. What if we knew it was coming because it no longer felt like magic.

Every ounce of science fiction was always about what we could be. Telling us what to avoid and what to take with us. Our lessons, successes, failures, and noble truths.

Telling us that the smallest virus can take out so much of us, the most advanced civilization we've ever known. Telling us that if we go too far into the future, we'll look at those behind as monsters.

But we can slow down a little. Time happens anyway. Neither it, nor us, can be stopped. Settle things in a true court of public opinion, make better the lives of those before us, so they can rest knowing that we'll be able take us to the next checkpoint.

We save ourselves by saving eachother. CAN YOU NOT FEEL THAT FUTURE?!

Scientists ready to go, you know, whenever.

can you not hear the echoes of a million stories telling us to GO. Find us, find you, in the future, as you were so will you be!

That city in the clouds we ALWAYS dream of, utopias of perfect community with our planet, the best of us stopping the worst before the worst happens.

Someone will always say NO before the worst, because we've made the big mistake 520 times. And we let it happen, because we just HAD to know, we just couldn't resist the urge to watch how quickly we could decimate our population.

We're the greatest monsters of this planet, and we knew it all along. But we are also it's greatest help, or we can be, if we just give in to that beast egging us forward.

CAN YOU NOT FEEL IT, OUR MINDS BECOMING ONE

[helloenee]

Matlock (2024) (up to 1x09) 

Kathy Bates as the emotionally broken grandma who has somehow convinced herself and her husband to exact justice by... using a fake identity based on a 90s murder mystery show and infiltrating the law firm that contributed to her daughter's death?

I love Matty’s inappropriate grandma schtick. No one takes her seriously and the times where she does drop the mask, it’s like, oooooh. Matty is ruthless and she is so so aware of gender and age and people’s perceptions of her. But she’s also so vulnerable and she’s just an ordinary lady at the end of the day who decided to pursue this larger-than-life mission because she misses her daughter so much. I think her ordinary-ness makes her story so compelling. Her tricks are just manipulation and deceit and whatever techy tools her grandson gets her from Amazon. Quite frankly she’s always just scraping by by the skin of her teeth 

Matty is indeed very easy to talk to and I know it’s a real part of her - the compassion and empathy that she shows to others. Yet something within her is so broken up and twisted that she’s using that compassion and empathy (and all her wits and IMPROV SKILLS) as tools of her mission. Her and Edwin struggle every episode with this moral quandary - does the end justify the means? Are we in over our heads? Should we just… get a therapist? Let all this go in the past? Properly grieve our daughter instead of this… revenge mission? Matty is the driver of this mission and Edwin and Alfie have been convinced to be part of it. But how messed up is it that you are dragging your own grandson into your grief-striken spiral? Oh, Matty. 

I like that Matty is so good at using kernels of truth to lie. And those kernels of truth reveal so much about her. 

Commentary about women in the workplace - especially from someone with Matty’s life experience. There was a plot point where she lied about having to leave for a doctor’s appointment when it was for Alfie’s play. I forget the details of this story, but I remember being so stricken by Matty’s explanation of her deceit when Olympia confronted her. When Matty was in the workforce, women had to hide their familial obligations so as to not invite doubt about their commitment to work or their competency. It was survival tactic and Matty’s been so ingrained with this practice that she still does so when the workplace is a lot more understanding of family life. This wasn’t the only time Matty brought up the prevalent sexism in the workplace in the past. I like that this series doesn’t forget the life experiences of older women and always always reminds us of the progress that has been made. I think this series always puts such gravity in these moments, and it really touches upon the dignity of work, the self-preservation needed for success. I also just remembered - the casual harrassment that impacted Matty’s choice of specialization - just to avoid the abuser. The lost dreams of women who needed to make these choices.

Matlock is such a good show and it’s quickly becoming a comfort watch. 

Oh! Yes it is such a comforting show. Olympia takes on these cases to exact justice against entities that think they can get away with willful negligence, worker safety, murder, etc. And the good guys (Olympia et al) win. The good guys always win and justice is served (AND profitable). I enjoy all the case-of-the-week plots because it is so satisfying. Yet - here’s the push-pull again which makes this series so good - they’re working at a Big Law Firm whose typical clients are Evil Corporations. The fact that Olympia is helping the little guys is simply an experiment within this profit-driven environment. We hope she succeeds, but at the end of the day, Big Law Firm is the one who may have illegally hidden documents that contributed to Matty’s daughter’s death. So yeah. How much good can you do in this environment? How much of this good can balance out what the other side of the Big Law Firm is doing?

I should catch up with 1x10. I watched a bit - we get a bit more background on Sarah! I was wondering about her background and where her overachiever-ness comes from. Very interesting that she is not from an immigrant Asian family but rather an adoptee.

[dolphin1812]

Riot and insurrection are defined by minority vs majority, with insurrection being a just movement by the majority to maintain its democratic power and rioting being a minority using violence against the people (the exception being colonialism because Hugo believed in “civilizing” missions, as illustrated by his remarks on Columbus). Through this link, they’re also defined by their tie to progress: insurrection is part of progress and is good, and rioting looks to the past and is therefore bad. 

Hugo’s comments on writing under tyranny are fascinating in the context of Napoleon III. Hugo was exiled, but he was still conscious of how censorship could affect his work in France. The dense prose mentioned, then, could be this novel! Its themes are concealed, to an extent, by its length and its digressions. Hugo outright tells us his opinions (like he’s doing now), but after reading so much, it can be difficult to keep track of without a very close reading (which is made difficult by length, too – even though the goal of these posts has been to close-read each chapter, there will always be chapters that I understand better and others that are incomprehensible. A censor needing to read this quickly would be very lost!). Hugo’s prose doesn’t seem concise at all, but perhaps he felt that it was appropriate for the breadth of what he covered, and that he felt he learned to better articulate himself with this consciousness.

(Or maybe Hugo wants a republic so he can digress freely. Maybe digressions are democracy)

Despotism being the same under a “genius” feels like a jab at Napoleon I, too, making it an even harsher critique of the less respected (by Hugo) Napoleon III! And it’s also a return to Louis Philippe, who – while a good person – still suffers from the flaw of being a king in a France that doesn’t want one.

And he has a point that suffrage is wonderful because it offers an alternative to both insurrection and rioting! If the people have a non-violent and legitimate way of expressing their opinions, then they become less necessary. Hugo’s dream of them disappearing is a lot – protest is seen as another right alongside suffrage – but it’s a nice ideal in that it imagines a democracy that functions perfectly and thus only needs the vote to decide well.

And unfortunately, Hugo’s right about the reluctance to distinguish between the two by those in power. We’re back to animal symbolism, but this time, it’s between an animal and a person. The “dog” expected to serve the person is beaten for disobedience, leaving no alternative but to transform into a ferocious lion capable of resisting. 

I love that Hugo basically says “June 1832 was insurrection, but there’s a good chance I’ll forget and say riot in the future; just know I don’t mean that politically.” It’s almost a form of self-awareness over how many words he uses to describe most things!

He’s making a claim to historical accuracy, too, and one grounded in the perspective of the protesters. The judicial records he mentions would have been from their trials and, therefore, from the point of view of a state threatened by them. Hugo’s fictionalized account continues to give a voice to those neglected by those narratives.