#so really that should just confirm which one I apply to regardless.

[twodragonsinatrenchcoat]

The pain of looking into college really is the fact that that shit costs money.

[luvjunie]

miles “i got it” morales earth 42 miles 591 words

Between the both of you, Miles is always the first to stand up when the bell rings at the end of class. With all the textbooks you bring to school, he knows your backpack is just one mechanical pencil away from hitting a ton and for that reason he never lets you carry it yourself. In fact, he makes it his mission to pick it up before you do. With his own backpack on one shoulder, he’ll watch for the exact moment you’re done tucking your supplies away just to interrupt you as you’re mid-reach so he can scoop it up into his free hand by the top handle.

“I got it.”

Miles always pays for you guys’ dates. You knew this wasn’t abnormal when it came to relationships, seeing as he’s the guy, you’re the girl, and that’s just the ‘societal norm’ or whatever. It’s how your dad told you a male should treat the girl he’s with, and based off how Miles acts, you assumed his own father had given him the same speech as well before he passed. But even when you two take a stroll to the corner store to pick up some cheap snacks for a study session—the total coming out to as little as $4.37 for some sunchips and sour gummy worms—he still won’t let you pay.

He’s already getting his wallet out before the cashier can read the total off. And when you try and protest, he’s all—

“I got it.”

When your laces have come undone and you hadn’t noticed.

“Ma, your shoe’s untied.”

You’ll stop in your tracks and look down at your loosened laces, prepared to hand your phone off to him so you can bend down to tie them, and like always—

“I got it.”

When the pizza you ordered an hour ago finally shows up at the door and you get the ‘arrived’ notification on your phone—which he’s already seen because he’s always looking over your shoulder as you scroll your time away on tiktok, watching them with you as an excuse to be all up on you—you can bet your life on what his response will be.

“I got it.”

You knew he only wanted to be a gentleman, but at this point, you were convinced ‘I got it’ was his middle name instead of Gonzalo.

For a while now, Miles has felt like he has to take responsibility and do everything even when something isn’t asked of him, and you wanted him to know that same sentiment didn’t have to apply to the two of you. So you started trying to beat him at his own game.

Brushing past him and rushing down the concrete steps of his apartment building to make it to the passenger side door and open it for yourself before he can.

Keeping your backpack on the opposite side of your desk so you can have the chance to pick it up before him, even if it earns you a subtle glare each time. And while some days it really is too heavy for you to carry—heavy enough to make you question exactly what point you’re trying to prove here—you remain determined.

Having cash ready and smacking it down on the peeling countertop of the bodega before your snacks have even been rung up, and regardless of how insane you look and how the clerk squeezes his face at you to confirm that, the triumphant grin you give Miles (who’s struggling to contain a smile of his own) doesn’t falter.

“I got it.”

[adorawasright]

Don’t forget, Sea Hawk is also apparently Asian. I also thought Frost might be Asian at first bc she kinda looks… maybe stereotypical isn’t the exact word, but just like what comes to mind when you think of a little Asian girl. Not to mention, she was originally designed as a white (Nordic coded?) teenager for this show before they decided to age her down into the little sister character. Never mind the fact the little sister character already existed in the old series with Glimmer and Allegra, and they could have done something with that, but I digress. I’ve also seen some people say Angella is Indian coded, because of the accent and her voice actress. Or maybe it’s because they think her gem is reminiscent of a bindi?

But yeah, idk about Perfuma, Entrapta, or Spinnerella. I think Perfuma could be latina because if the actress? But the character gives off the vibes of such a essential oils Karen that I associate with entitled white women, to the point I think she might just be a tanned white woman? Though I’ll admit, when I first saw her design I considered black and white biracial, and I considered Pacific Islander. So I have no idea. I’ve also seen some people interpret Entrapta as black. Though, I doubt it based on the hair alone. I like to think she’s latina, simply because I want her as my Latin rep, and not the literal cat. As for Spinnerella, I got nothing. Maybe white? All I know is that Huntara should have been black, and isn’t even coded as black. And I think that’s dumb, because I would have loved buff, queer, gets-a-character-arc Grace Jones in this show, since we didn’t get to have it in the old one.

Okay, hold on. I had no idea Sea Hawk was apparently half-Asian. I had to look this up. It was "confirmed" (as in, on Twitter) by the lead character designer for SPOP, who also "confirmed" Scorpia as half-Asian as well. However, I'm pretty sure Frosta is supposed to be Inuk like Katara, but I don't think that was ever confirmed. I could be wrong. I'm not even sure where her kingdom is located, for that matter. The worldbuilding in SPOP sucks so badly I barely remember how the kingdoms were like, save for Perfuma's and maybe Mermista's.

Idk, man. I honestly don't think that much about most characters' ethnicities, because the SPOP crew clearly didn't put a lot of thought into it. I mean, the literal cat teenager who licks herself, who walks on fours, who bites and claws people, who hisses and hates water, and who's sexualized on top of it all, is supposed to be Latina. Or Iranian or Middle Eastern, because apparently OG Catra came from "Purrsia", which is like... the Persian Empire? And fans really want to apply that to the reboot, too. Except Catra's origins were never brought up in SPOP, only that Catra was found abandoned in a cardboard box according to Nate. Regardless, neither theories are great because both Latinas and Iranian women (and Middle Eastern women in general) are not treated like people. They're sexualized and are victims of colonization. I've heard people headcanon Catra as Indigenous, too. Which is even worse considering she got her hair cut against her will.

As for the other characters... I just don't care, lmao. I will agree that Huntara should've been black, too. But since the SPOP crew didn't care about developing their kingdoms and their origins, then I don't think that hard. I mainly mention and dissect "Latina" Catra because the fandom won't shut up about her. Idk about Entrapta's ethnicity, but if Latina Entrapta makes you happy, go for it. Especially because Latin America is pretty diverse, so there are a lot of possibilities.

I don't agree with the term Karen, though. I get what you mean, that Perfuma is annoying and ableist and treats other people like garbage, but sadly that's another term that actual misogynists use against any women who get angry. But I know that's not your intention, I get where you come from.

[withacapitalp]

How come "books are books, shows are shows, do whatever you want w characters" doesn't apply to B*lly? Not trying to start drama, just genuinely want to understand. Is it because he's a bad guy I can't reshape him into something I'd like and ignore what's "canon?"

Oh boy Nonnie okay I'll try to be really clear but it probably won't come out super legible. I'm putting it under a read more because I don't wanna clog up my dash w a long explanation (which knowing me it's going to end up being) I also want to say that all of this is MY opinion. I'm no one's ultimate judge, I'm just a guy on the internet who writes stories.

All that to say, this is why I think that fundamentally the idea that Eddie's sexuality and Billy's racism can be manipulated in fandom on the same level is really flawed.

Overall I think that the point of fan fiction is personal enjoyment. Ultimately you're creating something with yourself as the audience in mind. If not, then I don't really get it. So, for you, maybe it can mean that. Do I personally agree? No, but I can't stop anyone from creating something and putting it online. That's the whole point of ao3, no bars, no barriers. When you start putting that kind of wall in place, a slippery slope starts to form, so even if I would never personally partake in some forms of fanfic, I get why it's important to have a place where any kind of fic can exist. Back button exists for a reason, block button exists for a reason, curate your own online experience.

I'm not gonna be the person who says like if you like Billy you're a garbage person, because like that just isn't true? The two aren't automatically associated. Do I think that people who want to erase that part of Billy should maybe examine that urge? Yeah, but I think we all need to look inside and see where systematic racism might make us think things are more acceptable than they should be. I also can't understand people who want to give Vecna a redemption arc, or the people who think Sn*pe was just misunderstood. Regardless, we're all works in progress, and 90% of people to me are capable of learning more and growing and seeing where they might be working with a bias. I know I definitely have my own too.

I personally just will not give him redemption of any form or reshape him, because to do so seems to be disrespectful from my point of view to real life people. I'm not a person of color, Billy's racism is at the forefront of his character, so for me to reshape that and erase it in a fanfic feels like I would be ignoring a serious thing and pretending like that never happened, when it exists in our society in a major way. There isn't a point where Billy's racism ever gets resolved. In fact, the whole thing gets dropped completely in s3 which seems like a really terrible oversight by the Duffers. It's used as a plot point when it was convenient, which is messy and wrong.

But All of that is just background to your real question here which I believe is this-

Why is it okay to change a character's sexuality, but not their bigotry?

For me, I don't really like to equate the two? I think that the idea that someone's sexuality is a 'flaw' that needs to be reshaped is kinda problematic, and we also don't actually know Eddie's sexuality. Everyone can say what they think till the cows come home, but at no point did we get 'Eddie is confirmed gay, straight, bi, etc. etc.' EVERY single interpretation of Eddie's sexuality is someone shaping canon as they see fit right now.

With Billy he is confirmed racist. He is 100% undoubtedly a racist. Not even someone who used to be racist who learned and repented. He was always racist and tried to commit a hate crime against Lucas (I would argue that he did, because holding a twelve year old up against a wall and threatening to kill them because they're black and they dared to want to get to know your sister feels like a hate crime to me) The only reason he didn't seriously hurt Lucas was the fact that Steve stepped in. That's it. He was going to assault a child for his race.

To compare ignoring that to playing with a character's sexuality feels....mm I just strongly don't agree. I don't exactly have words to explain, but I really don't.

I think there are things you can change about characters easily. You can change their sexualities, their ages, their genders, their backstories, but to fundamentally erase something like that just doesn't line up for me.

No call out here Nonnie, I appreciate that you wanted to ask and be open, but this is my question for people who want to change Billy that way- What is it about Billy that is so compelling that it feels necessary to change that part of him? Why is Billy the character you *need* to write for?

Jonathan is a fantastic big brother who has a ton of issues and was abused by his father. If you're having the hankering to try and examine a flawed big brother, he's right there.

Eddie is an outcast (and strongly implied that he comes from an abusive home) and if you're looking to try and write about that, he's right there.

Steve is the character that has actually GONE through the redemption people always try to give Billy. He said slurs and did bad things, and almost immediately went to make amends for them when he was able to acknowledge he did the wrong thing.

Billy never even apologized. He hadn't changed by the time he died, and no I don't think sacrificing himself was some major change. I think that a villain can be tragic without needing to retroactively make them a better person. Billy is a flawed and broken person. Yes that probably relates mostly to the way he was raised and the fact that his family was violent, but that doesn't excuse it. The Byers have an abusive home, and at no point does Jonathan act the way Billy does. I think they're really good foils to each other on what can happen with a big brother.

Anyways this was a really really long answer nonnie, but I hope I got it across why I really disagree with that stance. If anyone was offended or upset, know that wasn't my intenion, and feel free to let me know.

[fearecia]

Physical Therapy appointment went well. Hypermobility confirmed. I am officially a loosey-goosey monster.

Here's how that went:

First, I'd dropped into the clinic about three weeks ago to have a quick chat with the physical therapists. A coworker of mine has a daughter with EDS who is doing therapy with this place, so I knew they had specialists. I asked the desk if I could have a quick chat with their EDS therapist(s), as I had a couple questions. I got lucky and the therapists were available, and I just asked if they knew the difference between hypermobility and hyper-flexibility. They seemed a bit confused by me, but the one was able to throw out definitions, and then describe how he would check for both. I will admit it went a little over my head, but he clearly knew what to do, and that's what I was really after. So the appointment got scheduled.

Today's appointment started with the usual intake. What my concerns were, what kind of pain I was dealing with (hahaha), history of issues, etc. Primary areas of concern were identified (hips, lumbar, shoulders) and we went from there.

First up was the range of motion with pain checks. How far can you move and does it hurt? We had a clarification mid-assessment because I always stop when I feel the restriction and avoid pain; he wanted to know just how far I could go regardless. Which did require more effort on my part, because I can go further, but it takes work to overcome the muscle guarding.

Strength checks were next. These are the ones where you assume the position and the therapist applies pressure that you have to resist. I was plenty strong in all the necessary areas, except for a surprise weakness in infraspinatus on my left shoulder.

Next was passive muscle mobility. I relaxed and he manipulated the limbs to see how far things could go and what the restrictions were. There were some distinct limitations, as expected.

The last part was actually testing the joint mobility. I would relax and he would kinda gently wiggle the joint via the bone to see how much it would move. So for my hips, my knee was resting on his shoulder and he was moving my femur around to see how much wiggle room there was in the socket. And that's where we hit bingo.

Hips definitely moved too much. There was a bit of a "oh yeah, that's really mobile" with the left shoulder. Right shoulder not quite as bad, but still too much. And then he checked the lumbar spine, and it was the "oh shit" moment. Which is spot that has always been tender to the touch (which I warned him of), and he just put light pressure on the bone. Apparently that was enough that the bone just gave under his fingers and shifted away from the pressure. Which, well, your SPINE should NOT do that.

I will also add that my spine has arthritis in it, and bulging discs. Plus an autoimmune condition that causes chronic inflammation of the spine. It anything, I should have less mobility in those joints, not more.

So, anyway. That's what a PT evaluation of hypermobility versus hyper-flexibility looks like. As a point, he usually called it "hyperextensibility" instead of "hyper-flexibility." And he noted that I may even qualify as hypoextensible (as in, significantly lacking flexibility) in several muscles.

My joints don't full on dislocate (as far I know). I'm starting to think they've been subluxating (partial dislocation/misaligned in the joint) for a very long time and I've just thought things were "jammed" or "spazzed out." I usually solved the problem of the day by finding the offending muscles, releasing them, and then crunching the joint in question back into feeling better. Doing this usually also got the muscles to chill out too. I am ridiculously strong (least, no one expects me to be as strong as I am - I'm not a body builder by any means) and it tends to hide the issues with my joints. But any significant injury I get never seems to fully heal, and instead turns into a chronic issue I just learn to treat/compensate for.

Hopefully these details are helpful to other zebras.

[wireman-au]

(OOC) I'm really tempted to start trying to connect to random people who might be in this au, but that would be rude and possibly ruin things

so, the short answer is "you probably shouldn't do this but i won't let you ruin things with it so don't be afraid of ruining the story when you send an ask".

the longer answer is that, typically, if i get an ask that correctly guesses a plot point before i've finished fully introducing it--the original ask that pegged tango as someone you could connect to, the first ask picking up etho is suspicious, the recent ask about impulse's throw-away lines about migraines--i will answer it, or somehow reward it. that answer or reward won't always be a full answer, and will normally have to wait until a place where it's appropriate within the pacing to answer (so sometimes it may wait a few days), but presuming i don't miss it, i'll try to answer. this blog gets a lot of asks so sometimes i'll miss the clever one and forget to answer it, which is my bad! but i won't typically leave you hanging.

however, this largely applies to asks of people who make clever guesses, not blind ones. i have had at least two attempts to connect to characters i haven't actually introduced yet, and i'll note i haven't even given you a confirm/deny on whether those characters have a connection! because those aren't clever guesses or even really shots in the dark, those are shots in the dark based on information you don't have yet.

and if something completely breaks the story i just won't answer it regardless of how clever it is, although enough of this is improv that i should be insulated against that being all that easy to do.

so, once again, the short answer is: don't send in RANDOM guesses, but if you have a GOOD guess, feel free to continue to try to initialize other connections! i just won't answer if it breaks the story/you don't know that character yet.

[mossy-thing]

In Vain

I have reached a point in the Hunger Games Lay of Leithian Abomination at which I know the oneshot that started it all won't make it into it as a chapter, so here you go!

Characters: Finrod, Lúthien, Beren

Warnings: Hunger Games AU, non graphic violence, sickness, manipulation and abuse of scared children, referenced offscreen suicide general despair.

Ao3

The howl that echoed from outside the cave they had found, and Finrod could not tell whether it was a few paces from the entrance or halfway across the arena, was enough to jerk Beren from his sleep, and the only thing that worried Finrod more than the boy tearing open the haphazard stitches on his hip was that the howls seemed neither human nor beastlike.

"It's alright," he mumbled as Beren grasped for him, fevered and half stuck in a nightmare he could escape by awakening, half in one both of them would never leave. Finrod was sure, at least, that he would not. Beren, he tried to hope for.

It proved more and more difficult.

"It's alright," he repeated, and Beren blinked at him through clouded eyes. "Fin…?"

"Yes, it's me," Finrod breathed, relieved that the salve seemed to do something at least, taking away a little of the fever. Perhaps Beren would make it, without him having to take the actions that note had suggested so slyly. "It's me. You're going to be alright, I promise."

"Is he awake?"

He started so bad that this time he was the one nearly tearing stitches, and Beren gave a horrible sound, stuck half between a sob and a whimper. "I'm sorry," the girl whispered, as he begged Beren to be quiet, and she slowly entered the cave. Her black hair fell over half her face like a curtain, despite him continually telling her to bind it away from her face, and she was, infuriatingly, still barefoot.

"I brought berries," she said, and passed a handful to Finrod. He tried not to swallow down every single one at once.

"What about Gorthaur?", he asked, brushing away a curl from Beren's hot, but no longer scalding brow. He hoped, prayed, nearly, that Lúthien would say the district one tribute was dead, long gone, just as Tevildo and Thu were, but her brow furrowed in a way that made him think it was in vain.

"I don't know," she said, pushing berries into the mouth of an only half lucid Beren. Any other child her age he would not have trusted with gathering food and knowing whether it was poisonous or not, but Lúthien knew what she was doing. It was like the woods were a part of her.

(He hadn't really asked her how old she was. There had been little time for that, between running from fireballs and rabid wolves, but he assumed about four years younger than him. Ten, maybe. Eleven, at most.)

"They have not announced him," she said, which he could confirm (he had been keeping a close eye on that after Edrahil's death), "but he is being quiet. I have not seen him."

Finrod bit back a sharp remark that she should not have been in a position in which she might have seen him in the first place. He knew she would ignore it regardless.

"The wolves are coming closer, though," she said. That, he had noticed too. "I know," he murmured, looking down at Beren.

The boy had been injured while Finrod had been out drawing away Thu into the vague direction of an undoubtedly furious Celegorm. Based on the twin drums that night, their plan had been successful. It barely managed to weigh up what he had found upon his return to the place they had agreed on, though.

Finrod sighed. They had gotten a salve from the capitol, but it did not work as quickly as he felt it should. It had only been applied a few hours ago, but what he had seen of these kinds of things in previous games had made him hope… treacherously hope…

In vain again, it seemed. They would have to move, soon, or else either one of the remaining tributes, a beast, or a machine of the capitol would force them out of their cave.

Neither of them would survive to see the day after tomorrow, if Finrod didn't do what he had dreaded since the salve had arrived.

Lúthien was still feeding Beren dutifully, petting his hair as she did so, and he leaned into her touch. The sweet sight made Finrod sick to his stomach.

After the capitol had lost their 'epic romance' in Fingon and Maedhros when the two had decided to jump off a cliff, locked together in a final embrace, they had seemed to catch onto these two, children, Finrod thought bitterly, little children, who should have never been thrust into this sick game as it was, as their new, juicy romantic subplot.

The implications on the note delivered with the salve were quite clear.

Finrod took a trembling breath. This was for Beren, he reminded himself. "Maybe," he started, hating himself for every syllable forced past his chapped lips, "he will wake up properly, if you kiss him."

Lúthien looked at him, confusion in her deep black eyes. And, more dangerously, hope. "Really? Like in a fairy tale?"

"Yes," Finrod lied, "Yes, Lú, just like in a fairy tale."

She looked at Beren with a considering frown on her face. She bit her lip. "I don't think I should without asking first," she said, and he hid his hands so she wouldn't notice the tremors.

"I'm sure he won't mind," he said, sure Beren would mind, no matter what kind of shy glances he had thrown at the little girl from day one, and he tried not to think what his sister thought of him now, sitting in their little house back in district eight, her hands pressed to her mouth. Had they shown the note on television? How was he being portrayed? It had seemed like the people from the capitol had liked him, in that horrible first week. They had laughed at his jokes, had whispered behind their hands with glittering eyes, had stared at him – he tried not to think of the staring too often – but had they liked him? Had he gotten that right?

He did not know.

"And if you do it now, and then take a well deserved rest from that trip outside, then I am sure he will be nearly ready to go when you wake up."

Lúthien kept staring at him, seemingly unsure what to think. He could not blame her. But finally, after an impossibly long time, she nodded, leaned forward slowly, and pressed soft lips to Beren's brow. Finrod looked away. He hoped with all his heart that he would not have to ask more of her, hoped that the capitol would be so delighted by this portrayal of innocence that they would not force more onto these two children, and this time when he spoke, the tremble was not something he could suppress.

"That was great," he whispered, and opened his free arm as an invitation to rest. Lúthien looked sorrowful, confused, and scared. And still, full of hope. He hoped it would not betray her.

He hoped he would not betray her.

He hoped that this time, it would not be in vain.

Lúthien curled into his side, a hand still caressing Berens black locks, and listened to Finrod's reassurances until she fell asleep, as she had done every night since they had teamed up.

Finrod didn't know anymore who exactly he was whispering them to. They felt automatic, now, like a mantra that had lost its meaning but still clung on tight to his tongue.

With the hand not soothing the children, he held his sword.

Outside, the wolves drew nearer.

[feisheer]

xie qingcheng

to read this name as one of the most beloved heroes to me, whom I feel immeasurably. will it be a kind of analysis? in fact, I just can't help but talk about him, so you will find a voluminous text dedicated exclusively to this man.

I'll start briefly: the main character of the novel, a former psychiatrist. at the time of the narration, he is a teacher at a medical university. initially, he may seem controversial to you, but as the plot moves, you will fill in all the gaps of his personality, understand and accept him.

Xie Qingcheng is proud. he is really proud, he is able to protect himself and others, he is able to get something negative and destructive in his direction, but even so keep his chin high.

he has a craving for control of his loved ones, a craving for dominance. but there is something he stands out for: self-control. Xie Qingcheng has a terribly strict with himself in this regard. this applies to emotions and his actions. "if I want to, it doesn't mean that I will do it, because I don't see this path as the right one. I will keep myself within limits, but follow what I think is right." (this is not a quote, just an example)

a tooth for a tooth. whatever he gets, he always keeps himself within the limits of the type "now I owe you and I will be free when I pay off my debt. and then I will not need to behave so constrained sometimes."

and now it's time to go deeper.

Xie Qingcheng's attitude to life is to put it mildly.. he just does what he "should do", regardless of his condition. roughly speaking, he perceives himself as just a constructor, a gear that should always move, even if it breaks down.  hence, something interesting pops up. one pitfall:

he constantly sees himself in the lives of others as someone who has to bring something into it, and after that he will be able to move on - finish everything, because his path has finally been passed.

roughly speaking, this is a look at life "I gave - I disappeared - it did not give any failure - they got their own and there is no need to stay anymore, because they have no reason for me to stay." judging by his dreams, he is just calm and upset that his theory of significance in other people's lives has been confirmed.

Xie Qingcheng personification of the phrase "I'm here to bring something and then disappear"

Regarding this, I can add that Xie Qingcheng is not the one who wants to change this and not the one who wants to change himself somehow. he agrees with this, he has iron principles and our Doctor Xie is not the one who will deviate from them. and if it deviates, then there is a semblance of self-hatred.

he just lives the way he is comfortable, even if sometimes it does not coincide with his desires, he is still a "little gear"

take it all on yourself. his position is partly "I alone will pull this relationship, this situation", he literally does not rely on anyone but himself and is only ready to drag the universal load alone.

conclusion.

Xie Qingcheng tries to stay with people in such a way that after his departure, (which, by the way, he constantly thinks about) they were able to exist side by side without him and move on. it was because of this that he acted selfishly and abruptly with He Yu, but there was no other way. he can't do it any other way.

Xie Qingcheng, in the case of He Yu, did not leave him the right to choose, because the choice could not be put in this direction of their relationship. Xie Qingcheng could only leave, push away and stay away so that He Yu would get used to life WITHOUT him. so that He Yu does not depend on him. Yes, Xie Qingcheng was his bridge to ordinary life and close relationships, but our Doctor Xie does not think that he personally should be this bridge. in the sense that He yu should not rely on Xie Qingcheng 25 to 8, or more precisely, all his life, but find new acquaintances who will help him cross this fragile, but already existing bridge.

Despite all this, Xie Qingcheng is a very caring person. he really values the people close to him and is ready to do a lot for them, including giving his own life. until the moment when all sorts of changes in relations and dangerous situations began to occur with him, he was not ready to change. he was just waiting for his illness to ruin him completely, but before that he was going to put every person close to him on his feet and finish the works of his teacher.

Xie Qingcheng is a very strong personality who indulges in selfish care, being sure that without his care and support, people close to him will not be able to. and at the same time, he does not allow them to be the same or even just similar. He Yu was able to start changing Xie Qingcheng only by morally destroying him into dust. no matter how terrible it was, but if Xie Qingcheng had continued to live the chosen path, then, God grant, he would have lived another couple of three years.

bonus.

Xie Qingcheng is a strong man, Xie Qingcheng is an amazing man who was able to start a life of a man, and not a "gear" only after breaking down, building himself anew and gradually accepting his feelings and thoughts. he was the one who believed in He Yu to the last. he was the only one who was really there, caring and trying to help. perhaps he chose the wrong path, but he really tried hard and later worked on himself.

it should be at the beginning, but I'm not going to play by the rules, so it's at the very end. I present to you my high kinnie, about whom I can't stop thinking. Xie Qingcheng is the one in whom I found answers to my own questions and I love him immensely and cherish it. That's all I could put together in pieces of thoughts. actually, there is still something to say about him, but I think if you want more, it's time to start reading, isn't it?

[raveneira]

Ugh...are ppl really this dumb?

Warning: Anti KawaSumi/BoruSara post, dont like dont read.

Are idiots really believing Sumire is gonna pretend to like Kawaki because of the omnipotence bs? let alone that she might actually start to like Kawaki while pretending? gah yall are delusional...the same ppl who claim to like her character dont even understand her character at all if you believe that bullshit.

Wtf sense does that even make? just because Kawaki swapped lives with Boruto doesnt mean they literally swapped everything about them even down to their romantic feelings, theres no telling how much of their memories are altered, that remains to be seen since we’ve only got a glimpse through Sasuke but that doesnt account for everyone else.

But lets say it is a complete swap and everything that applied to Boruto now applies to Kawaki, wtf does that have to do with Kawaki? HE knows her feelings arent for him so whats your point? if anything Sumire pretending to like him will just piss him off cuz 

1 he knows she doesnt actually like him and 

2 because hes not fkin interested

Plus despite popular belief, Sumire is not a good actress when it comes to hiding her feelings [literally everyone knows despite her attempts at hiding it], she is always sweating and nervous af, Kawaki would see right through her if she tried to play the 'Kawaki-kun' card because you cant fake romantic feelings [in the Narutoverse, Sakura tried and everyone saw right through it even the ppl who werent in on it] so he'd catch on that shes fakin it regardless.

You cannot fake this, she cannot look at Kawaki and pretend to feel the same love and gratitude that she had for Boruto and be convincing she just cant, because everytime shes looked at Kawaki since finding out he killed Boruto she has been nothing but scared and nervous around him.

Now that he has everyone out to kill Boruto, do you honestly think shes gonna be able to look Kawaki in the eye like she loves him when she couldnt even look at him before without getting ptsd flashbacks? get tf outta here man.

If anything I see Sarada being able to fake it more than her, she never feared Kawaki nor Boruto so she’d be able to look him dead in the eye without flinching if she had to, but we all know this writings not that generous.

Shes better off just not even trying to fake that, its not like Sumire acted that much different around Boruto than she normally did so she could just be casual with Kawaki and nothing will look off, and if by some very VERY unlikely chance, Kawaki asks her if she likes him just to see the full extent of Adas control, its not like she would just confess that she does cuz she hasnt even confessed to Boruto yet, that and she told Kawaki to keep it a secret, so if she fked up and said yes to try and 'pretend' shes inlove with him, Kawaki would have to be stupid af not to know shes unaffected and playin him.

Sarada pretending to like Kawaki is even more unlikely than Sumire since she never had feelings for Boruto from the get go [not confirmed ones anyway] so if she truly did have feelings for him then now would be the time to reveal it because if Sumire feels like she has to 'pretend' to like Kawaki to not expose shes unaffected by Ada who, as these fools claim, KNOWS Sumire and Sarada love Boruto, then Sarada would have to pretend too.

So now would be the best time to confirm it once and for all, lets say Sumire pretends but Sarada doesnt, Ada should get suspicious and ask something along the lines of 'whats the matter? I thought you liked him too?' of course it depends on the context of the conversation but you get the point, she'd question why Sumire is reacting while Sarada isnt, which would confirm Ada did indeed see that Sarada has romantic feelings for Boruto.

But if they dont do that and continue to leave it up in the air, then Im gonna laugh cuz these bozos swear they winnin when they keep bein left in limbo just like everyone else, which for the ‘main couple’ and the ‘obvious endgame’ is highly suspicious, Naruto was able to make Sakura and Hinatas feelings known so why not Sarada? literally nothing changes if they do, so to keep leaving it up in the air when it doesnt need to be is legitimate cause for question because why NOT confirm her feelings? it doesnt ruin the suspense because we’d still have to wait to see how Boruto feels so why not just confirm Sarada’s side already? thats the part yall dont wanna talk about because yall know its suspicious, so you brush it off with ‘well they dont need to cuz its obvious’ or ‘Mitsuki/Ada already confirmed it′ when they are the LEAST reliable ppl to go to for romantic confirmation.

In fact, I’d say the fact that those are your biggest and only real go tos for proof her feelings are confirmed actually makes BoruSara look that much more flimsy because these are your sources.

If those are your sources for proof then those are some sorry excuses for hard evidence.

Anyway this isnt about BoruSara as much as it is about the delusion theory that Sumire is actually gonna try to pretend to like Kawaki, let alone be successful, or even more ridiculous, actually fall for him in the process.

The notion of Sarada pretending too is even more ridiculous, but if she does then atleast yall will finally have some actual hard evidence that she does infact like Boruto, but if not then keep relying on these half assed sources from ppl who dont even understand their own feelings, but you think they can clearly understand someone elses.

This headcanon of yalls isnt a legitimate theory based on any canon fact other than ‘their lives are switched so she has to fake liking him’, its just a last ditch hope to keep an ACTUAL dead ship alive because yes, ksu really is dead but this aint the post for that convo.

Whether or not KawaSara is dead [because I know yall gonna bring it up] depends entirely on how the timeskip kicks off, but ksu died before the timeskip even started but again thats a topic for another day.

If Im wrong Im wrong but I’ve been right so far in regards to Sumire and Kawakis relationship so I dont doubt Im gonna be right again because SOMEHOW me, a non fan, understands Sumire better than alot of her supposed ‘fans’

[icharchivist]

i think that Lucio and Shalem and Beelzebub and all of the primals are all trans because their concept of gender just isn't the same as mortals (also while i'm not huge on the "babygirl" thing because it just makes me slightly uncomfortable the way i've seen some people use it (especially because i'm transmasc myself) Belial is one of the few characters where it never feels weird to me seeing it for him, like yeah that's correct. i think he'd call himself that if he knew about it he says shit like "come to daddy" he just. says shit.)

i only think Lucilius is cis because i don't like him and i'm petty (and it's funny to me to joke that he's cis because he's an imperfect clone of Lucio who is trans)

Yeah actually, that's fair.

tbh when it comes to gender personally i'm kinda like... agender i think? Like in general i feel like gender is the most neutral thing in the world, and anything i can see being described as a gendered experience always puzzles me a little because i don't see it - but i figure it's the same way i feel about sexuality and romance to start with, as an AroAce. Just because i don't specifically understand how people see it doesn't mean it's not there, but i'm definitely not a pro to talk about it at all and generally it's why i just roll with whatever canon gives me unless there's strong possible themes i can get out of it.

With that in mind therefore i just don't really think too hard about it -- but when it comes especially to non-humans, unless they have big reasons to care about it, i wouldn't expect them to have strong reasons to uphold the gender binary.

For primals, since they are made by people with purpose, i feel like they're probably in situations where they're assigned clear gender at creation, generally on the binary, that therefore probably means they might approach it the way humans do. Astrals meanwhile should have the exact same reasoning as mortals in the gbf verse in term of how they feel about gender. Gender is mostly a social construct after all and Astral and Skydweller's societies are mostly based around our own customs, for better and for worse.

Some group, like the Fairies, have shown to exist outside of those social norm (with Morgan being canonically nonbinary) so it's its own thing as it is.

But then we look at the Creations Gods -- The Dragons who are all canonically nonbinary, exist because they're concept to start with, so they don't exactly have a binary gender to start with.

By our IRL definition they're trans because we live in a world that values binary (regardless of how true it is) where their identity doesn't fit the social norms we're used to. But in GBF, it's like..... They're born genderless. They are their assigned gender at birth. They just eventually have fun and present with their gender differently due to Skydwellers' customs.

Meanwhile we have Lucio textually saying that the Gender Binary is fake and that it's actually more natural to change genders anytime, and that dictomies are fake to start with. By all account that confirms that Lucio is, in essence, nonbinary -- even if he presents as a guy most of the time with he/him pronoms. And Shalem therefore is in the same bag. They're trans because Skydwellers society can't take this starting point into account as a proper starting point into a gender discovery because it doesn't fit the binary they are accustomed with. But ultimately more than being Trans it's really just that The Speakers exist outside of the Binary to start with-- which by our definition is trans, but i wonder how much it applies in universe yaknow?

And it's where Lucilius and Beelzebub's possible trans readings are, imo, their own can of worm, and i think it's kinda why i dance around the topic when it comes out because are we establishing them as trans by their lived experiences as Astrals, or in comparaison to their relationship to their nonbinary originals? Do we take Bubs' gender presentation being different from Shalem's to be literally "from someone presenting as a woman to someone presenting as a man", or do we take into account Shalem's nonbinarity, or even Beelzebub's as well? Many people will have different reading on that. Some people may even take offense with implying that Bubs has to be trans because of the way he is different from his nonbinary original.

And personally this is just why i'm a bit out of my depth when it comes to trans HCs, not specifically because i don't really see them, but mostly because like -- why stop there? Especially in relation to characters who are not humans to start with. The Trans reading can go further because the logic of Gender in Granblue isn't even the one of our general IRL society. And personally i like the Gender Logic of Granblue a lot more.

(and it's not to say that it means our IRL binary is a good logic, idk how to word it properly. RL's genders are infinite, there are countless of lived experiences that i could never properly imagine, that comes with the infinite nature of human life. It's just that when it comes to compare Fantasy logic, it will also live in with some of its own rules that can be incompatible with reality, while also accounting on how the fantasy might be limited by the limited view of the writers depending on how they feel about gender to start with; Though Granblue at least seems to be at least a bit above the curve when it comes to this type of reflexion.)

But mostly as someone who, like i said, don't like.... also don't have a passionate connection to the topic, i feel like i'm overstepping if i start to discuss what angles can be explored on that level. I feel like I have too many blindspot and i value much more what others people might connect with on that regard.

So i stick more to academic level of "here's thematically how it can work if you need a bone to chew".

Ultimately my own approach is that i don't want to shut down any possible Trans reading (so sorry if i'm going to shake my head in disapproval at the Lucilius dig in the ask), because everyone will have their own reason to resonate with a character and find a detail that i personally could overlook that would make them think "this is my experience with gender, with life, with my identity", and to me those are always more valuable than whatever i can start to talk about when i ramble.

But yeah ultimately the tldr is basically i think all of the Creations Beings in Granblue are originally Nonbinary/Genderless/Agender of some type to start with, which alligns them with Trans readings in general to start with -- and then once we start to dig into Astrals, Skydwellers, Primals, there will be even more discussion about how this transness can translate on various levels.

i kinda ended up rambling, and ultimately the take away is don't take my own take on gender too seriously because i don't think i have the most interesting overview on all of this. But at least if people are going to come in my ask box to ask about it i hope i can throw some bones to chew on this topic!

[justalazytrashpanda]

Soooo guess who took the secrets list and tried to predict who’s is who’s? Spoilers undercut.

The original image is on the right for reference

Ok so I won’t go over the ones that were confirmed (J, Arei, Charles, Rose, and Nico) since it’s unlikely that the validity of those secrets will be brought into question. I’ll go over the reasons for my predictions below, in order of most confident to least confident

Xander

This falls in line from what we see from Xander in the Bonus episode. He’s a very self-blaming person and it would make sense that this would be both a massive source of guilt and a source of motivation behind his talent.

Min

In her bonus Episode it was revealed that Min and her family were receiving financial compensation in exchange for Min passing the Ultimate student test, and that mounting pressure could have led her to poisoning some top performing students so that they wouldn’t be able to take the test. Plus if this is accurate then it makes sense that min and Xander got each other’s secrets

Levi

Levi keeps referencing his family‘s past turmoil and also mentions living on his own, so if he had a toxic family I could see his departure potentially leading to the younger sister's death. He does mention specifically having brothers in one scene, but it’s possible that since she’s dead he didn’t want to bring her up.

Whit

Listen listen Whitt has spoke on multiple occasions how much he loves his mom, to the point where we know her name (Elizabeth I think), so to go and have it be revealed she’s dead would be the biggest most awful gut punch. He could also have the „i kissed a girl“ secret but he doesn’t seem very ashamed of his sexuality or his attraction to women.

Veronika

This one just felt like it fit Veronika Tbh. She is wearing those fingerless gloves, which could be covering up self-harm scars. The fact that it specifically mentions that the self harm was “for fun” does make me think of that one scene where Veronika was talking about how boring her plan for escape would be and how she would likely “do something very selfish”. Plus “horror fanatic” is the only talent that really fits with this secret.

Arturo

Since Arturo is so obsessed with beauty I could see him potentially developing dangerous eating habits because of it. He’s also wearing a mask and while at first I thought that it was because he was insecure about his looks, it could also be because his immune system is all fucked up due to him not taking care of himself. Speaking of his appearance he does seem rather lanky, however it’s unclear if that was intentional or not.

Teruko

This feels way too obvious. Like it fits perfectly with what we know so far, all the sussy foreshadowing and the note Xander got. But teruko flat out states that she doesn’t know which secret applies to her. If she can’t connect the dots there’s probably a good reason why. Regardless this probably should be at the top of the list, but something just doesn’t feel right.

Hu

Listen I really want sapphic Hu please just let me have wlw Hu just one (1) lesbian Hu pleas. Ok but in all seriousness Hu specifically stated that her secret was “embarrassing” and all the other secrets felt too heavy to be considered so lightly. Hu was also very vocal about supporting Nico and their identity, which could reflect the lack of support she fears for herself.

David

This goes along with what he said his secret was earlier, and if just left with the secrets this is likely the conclusion I would’ve come to. However the scene with him acting shady towards Teruko’s questions makes me hesitant to call this for certain. It’s possible he was just upset with everyone he makes friends with dying, but it’s also possible that he’s one shady motherfucker.

Eden

Just bear with me for a second, I know Eden’s the sweetest girl ever but she is just so so incredibly suspicious. Shes been following Teruko around this entire time and has been so friendly it feels fake. I’d also like to bring up how she blackmailed Teruko with the cactuses in order to get her to participate. Arei’s assessment of Eden might not have been that far off, it might actually come up in the trial.

Ace

I’ll be honest I have no clue with this one. I briefly considered Ace for the poison secret but discarded that since A. Min has better motivations and B. he stated that he hated his talent. I do think it would be ironic if Ace was a murderer, since he got so butthurt about Nico making good on their word.

[queer-starwars-bracket]

FAQ

What should I be judging characters on?

Whatever you want. How much you like the character. How good it is as representation. Some combination of the two. We just hope you take the time to read the description written for each character so that the non-movie characters have a fighting chance.

2. Why is the bracket organized the way it is?

The bracket is broken up first by continuity. First Legends characters and characters from the novel Ronin will compete amongst themselves. Once only one of them remains, they’ll be integrated into the main tournament next round. The New EU tournament is also broken up with the idea of reverse seeding, making the most popular characters compete against each other in the first round to keep them from dominating the tournament. There are two other “mini-brackets”, one consisting of all of Doctor Aphra’s exes and the other consisting of all of the non-binary bounty hunter bosses from Jedi Survivor. There are also two scripted matches: Moff Moors vs Aleskin/Pavol for being kind of problematic and Adrellia/Odellia vs Thandeka/Dima as the two generations of Eiram queens are pretty similar. Beyond that, all matches are decided randomly. If there are ever an even number of passes occurring in the entire tournament, things will be reshuffled even if it involved someone competing outside of their heat. After the first round, there may be some shuffling of the bracket to prevent passes where possible.

3. Why are some characters running as a couple?

When a couple doesn’t have many individual character traits and have really only appeared in stories together, they will be competing as a pair. This only really applies to supporting characters, as main character ships will have individually defined characters.

4. Why did you use x identity?

Specific orientation labels are difficult in Star Wars, as they do not exist in-universe. We’ve used wlw/mlm when a character has expressed same-gender attraction but there has been no textual or authorial clarification that they don’t have different gender-attraction.. Playersexual is a term when it comes to representation in video games describing characters whose only expressed attraction is to the player character in a non-gender locked romance. I elaborate on this decision here, as well as link a video on the topic by a bisexual person. If mistakes were made regarding author clarification regarding labels or instances of different gender attraction were missed, please let us know. However, only asks/DMs with sources included will be considered.

5. Why did/didn’t you include x?

Characters are only included if they have textual or word of god evidence of them being queer. Characters who have only been mentioned were decided on a case by case basis based on how much is known about them. Characters who are named and appear in a story were automatically included, regardless of how minor their role was. Characters with alternate alien gender systems were included, with such things being specified in their label.

Kallus and Zeb: While Kallus and Zeb seem like a prototypical heavily implied by not actually confirmed same gender ship, it was decided to include them without official clarification because the canon ships Flix/Orca and Chass/Yrica have the same level of textual evidence, but were meant as romantic relationships. If Kallus and Zeb were a f/m couple it would be considered obvious that they were together. This is different from something like Finnpoe, which doesn’t have quite as much textual support. Or even Chirrut/Baze, where the novelization has them think of each other as brothers.

Ahsoka Tano: The Ahsoka novel gets right up to the line of establishing that Ahsoka reciprocates Kaeden’s feelings. The author, EK Johnson, was simply limited it being awkward to fit a full romance in the story and the requirement of the story group. We weren’t quite in the era yet where a well known character could be quietly established as queer in a book.

X’ian/the male Twi'lek server in BoBF: They weren’t included in the bracket because it's unknown if the costuming details that make them seem trans are supposed to be diegetic. They will have to wait for an author to take the detail and make it canon.

List of characters in the bracket

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

So, i know that logic has never applied here, but I've been seeing some rumors where people are afraid that Carlos will be hospitalized and Iris will keep TK from his medical stuff and I'm just kind of confused about that? Like, technically Owen should have been the only one who was allowed to know about TK's condition during the comas 2.0 since I'm sure he was his medical contact at the time but the doctor had literally no problem telling Carlos, Tommy, and Nancy TK's condition and everything going on with him. So, I just don't see how that can kind of be a thing. But also logic doesn't apply sometimes LOL

But I also think that Iris isn't really going to be a part of episode 4 since she's prob rescued in 3 and I like the idea of the divorce papers being signed and we get the false happy ending bc carlos gets shoveled lol.

I've seen that theorized as well. I hope that isn't where this is going. I think I prefer the sequence of events you suggest. A false happy ending before shoveling Carlos seems like a good way to go.

As you mention, this show has never been that concerned with medical privacy. However, there is a difference between finding out medical information and making medical decisions. We don't know what kind of prior permission was given or who exactly TK's emergency medical contact was at the beginning of season 3, but realistically, the hospital probably shouldn't have been giving out medical information to people TK works with and his ex-boyfriend (unless Carlos was his medical contact, but we don't have any confirmation of that). Regardless, we never see the hospital allowing random people to actually make a medical decision for TK. Then we have the fact that the show made a big deal about TK being Owen's medical proxy. I think the main point of that was that TK would be able to make decisions on Owen's behalf. The way I've seen people discussing this theory about Iris is that the conflict would come from Iris being the one able to make medical decisions for Carlos. Since the medical proxy issue has already come up with Owen, there is some precedent for this kind of thing on the show. I don't think we've ever actually seen someone make a medical decision for someone else without proper authority to do so.

I guess the scenario would be Iris wanting to withhold medical treatment that TK thinks Carlos should get? I can't imagine why that would happen or what the possible treatment would be. Or would it just be that TK would feel helpless and left out because he wasn't allowed to make the decisions, even if Iris was making the right ones? I don't know. Personally, I don't like it. It feels too close to villainizing Iris, which I really hope the show doesn't do. I think she and TK might be at odds at least a little bit in this next episode, but I'm hoping that won't continue beyond episode 2. I don't like the idea of them essentially fighting over Carlos. Really, they both love and care about Carlos, so if Iris is involved during episode 4, I would like to hope there wouldn't be conflict between her and TK. I just don't see the point. I suppose it could possibly be used to make TK want to get married as soon as possible because he would never want to be in that situation again, but I don't think we need that since he clearly already wants to get married as soon as possible.

We'll probably have a much better idea on how likely this is after the second episode. We'll find out what Iris' position on signing the divorce papers is, and it also looks like we'll at least start to find out about the mystery/problem/danger involving Iris. I'm betting these facts will give us a lot more to go on when it comes to theorizing about episode 4. I don't feel like we know enough yet to say whether this theory is likely or not. I don't think I want Iris to be a part of episode 4 or involved in Carlos' near death experience, particularly if that requires a conflict between her and TK, but ultimately, I'm reserving judgment until we see how it plays out.

[emotionallychargedtowel]

I don’t doubt that this happened. But any DV service provider that does this is in the stone ages in terms of their LGBTQ+ competence. The shelter in my hometown provided services to everyone regardless of gender and took measures to ensure they were sensitive to issues that come up in queer abusive relationships. Any shelter worth anything should be up-to-date on this stuff. At the very least, if they don’t offer shelter services for folks with certain identities, they should have other service providers they can refer a survivor to that can help. (Some areas even have specialized service providers just for LGBTQ+ folks.)

I just don’t want someone to read this post and decide there’s no point in seeking help. There are service providers out there who can and will help you. Not as many as there should be, and maybe not in your immediate area, but they’re out there. For plenty of people, their first phone call could lead to getting the services they need.

OP was doing something really useful, by the way. I’ve called domestic violence and rape/sexual assault service providers for friends on a number of occasions and it can be a big help. You can’t do an intake on someone’s behalf, or (in my experience) even set an appointment for one, but you can call a service provider with detailed questions and find out a lot about what would happen if they called, and that makes it substantially easier for them to reach out. Depending on the organization, they might let you do some of the talking for your friend if they’re present with you and can provide a few responses and confirm that they want to start services.

Every time I’ve done this, the people who answered the phone told me (usually numerous times) that I couldn’t do an intake on behalf of my friend. I’m sure those who hammered that point home a little too much had their reasons for worrying that I might not understand that. But I just reassured them that I understood and was just trying to gather as much information as possible so that it would be easier for my friend to call. They always understood and wanted to help as much as they could. They also thanked me for helping to bridge the gap.

Here are some examples of questions I’ve asked when calling on friends’ behalf:

What sort of intake process would my friend have to go through to start receiving services? Do they have to be physically present to do an intake or can they do it remotely?

Is there a wait for services right now? If so, how long is the wait? Does it make a difference if my friend’s situation is especially acute (i.e. they’re in imminent danger)? (Most service providers will find a way to provide immediate help if it’s needed.)

What services do you offer? Which are available on an acute basis versus requiring a full intake? Do any of these services have a waitlist right now and if so, about how long is it taking clients to get through that waitlist? Do you provide any services as a stopgap while people are on the waitlist?

Of course, you should ask about any services your friend particularly needs. If they have needs that you don’t think a service provider can help with, it might be worth mentioning them anyway. You might be surprised what a good service provider can do these days. For example, there are special services for people who can only leave an abusive situation if they’re able to find someone to care for their pet. Some orgs have staff that can help with technological surveillance (like the bugging or tracking of smartphones). Most have, or can refer people to, things like legal advice, actual legal aid (i.e. help from a lawyer), or support from a caseworker (helping clients learn about no profit and government programs that could help them and helping them sign up/apply/etc.). And every organization is different, so you really never know what they might be able to offer.

Something to keep in mind: These folks are invariably operating on a shoestring and they often have requirements attached to their funding that you may not anticipate (for example, a grant may require them to gather demographic data on clients). If there’s a wait, or there are hoops to jump through, if you assume it's for a good reason you’ll be correct 99% of the time. If your friend is in dire straits and can’t wait for a service to become available or they can't fulfill some kind of requirement, it’s still worth asking the service provider if there’s anything more they can do for them or any other groups they can refer you to.

Once I was helping a friend help a young, disabled, homeless trans man and we were trying to get him placed in a domestic violence shelter. When my friend called she was told that of COURSE they couldn’t take him, he’s a MAN. She then found out that they wouldn’t take trans women either “for our other client’s comfort.”

If that isn’t a perfect example of how trans people will always be gendered by transphobes in the way that allows them to harm us the most, then I don’t know what is.

[glowupforever]

Mind Blowing Skincare Secrets You'll Regret Not Trying Today!

It's not always difficult to take care of your skin, and often the easiest methods perform best.

To be honest, I had my doubts about a few of these skincare secrets, but now that I've tried them, I can safely say with certainty that they're tremendous. You'll see why these suggestions are revolutionary after you witness the results, even though they may appear too simple to be true.

1. Drinking water isn't the only way to stay hydrated

Drinking extra water is a common recommendation, but there are other ways to hydrate your skin as well. Maintaining proper hydration on the inside is necessary, but so is routinely hydrating your skin.

Believe me, you're losing out on something worthwhile if you haven't discovered a moisturizer that works well for your skin.

Why it works: By retaining moisture, moisturizing helps maintain the softness, plumpness, and youth of your skin. It can even make fine wrinkles less noticeable, giving the illusion of smoother, healthier skin.

2. Use sunscreen daily, regardless of the weather

Sunscreen is one of those things we frequently overlook, even though it seems obvious. To be honest, I used to avoid it on overcast days or in the winter. The fact is that even on cloudy days, UV radiation can still reach your skin. I've noticed a huge improvement since I started applying sunscreen every day.

Why it performs: Sunscreen works by securing your skin from UV rays, which can cause dark spots, early aging, and even skin cancer. I confirm to you that if you want to protect your skin in the long run, this is the one product you simply must use.

3. Vitamin C The Ideal Skincare

I can't stress enough how much my skin has improved thanks to vitamin C. At first, I wasn't sure, but after I started using a vitamin C serum in my routine, I could actually see a difference. It provided a healthy, natural glow to my skin and enhanced my complexion.

Why it functions: Antioxidants included in vitamin C help prevent environmental damage that results in aging symptoms. By increasing the production of collagen, it keeps your skin firm and youthful looking.

It's well worth adding in your skincare regimen if you haven't already.

4. Try sleeping masks; trust me you'll be amazed at the results

I initially believed sleeping masks to be just another skincare fad. But to be honest, I became addicted after trying one. Your skin will be softer and more radiant when you wake up thanks to these masks' nightly hydrating and reparative effects.

Why it works: Sleeping masks allow retinol, peptides, and hyaluronic acid to deeply penetrate your skin while you sleep. While hydrating your skin, this nightly treatment can help minimize the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles.

5. Avoid Exfoliating Too Much less Is More

I've experienced the hard way that excessive exfoliation can have more negative effects than positive ones, but it's still vital. Actually, all it takes to expose brighter skin without irritating it is a little exfoliation once or twice a week. Your skin will appreciate it, I believe.

Why it works: Dead skin cells that can give your skin a harsh, lifeless appearance are removed by exfoliation.

However, excessive exfoliation can peel your skin, leaving it dry and sensitive. By being delicate, you can maintain the smoothness of your skin without running the risk of harming it.

Last but not least:

Despite their seeming simplicity, but trust me these skincare tips are really effective. The finest thing is that results can be obtained without a demanding routine. A few essential actions and items can have a significant impact.

To be honest, if you're consistent, you'll quickly notice that your skin looks smoother, brighter, and younger.

Kindly let me know if you have tried any of these or if you plan to include them in your daily routine. I would love to know what you think. Sincerely, everyone is looking to enhance their skincare so should make these easy improvements.

Keep glowing! 😊

We're Building This Together

Healthy, glowing skin feels more meaningful when we achieve it together, with each shared routine and learned tip. This is more than just sharing skincare advice it's about building a supportive community where we can openly share experiences, challenges, and encouragement.

Your skincare journey could truly encourage someone else who is struggling to find their way!

Your shared experiences, with all their ups and downs, inspire us all.

Remember, each of you brings unique value and respect to this community, and I'm really grateful to have you here. Let's keep learning, glowing, and achieving healthier skin together.

Together, we're not just a community; we're a family, always standing by each other.

Good Luck 👍

[culturalcompasswarwick]

Student Accommodation and How to Talk to Your Housemates About Keeping the Kitchen Clean

Before we begin, please allow me to congratulate you on successfully getting yourself a place at Warwick, I sincerely hope that your time here will be an enjoyable one! Like the rest of this blog, this post is designed to hopefully give you some advice that will help make the daunting process of beginning your life at Warwick go as smoothly as possible. Specifically, we’re talking about living in student accommodation.

Depending on when you read this post, you might not know which accommodation you will be living in for the duration of your stay at Warwick. Don’t worry! Assuming you are all set to live in student halls, this advice should be general enough to still apply whether you end up living in Rootes or in Bluebell. This is because, regardless of the number of housemates you end up with or the size of your bedroom, you’re guaranteed to be sharing a kitchen!

Your kitchen is an important place, not only is it where you’ll be making all of your food, it is also a shared social space. If you want somewhere to hang out with friends or do some work without having to stay cooped up in your room or trek all the way down to the library – your kitchen is the place to be! So, you’ll want to keep the space as clean and tidy as possible so spending time in it is pleasant for everybody.

You may think that doesn’t sound too difficult. After all, you’re all adults, how hard could it really be to communicate?

Unfortunately, it can sometimes be very difficult thanks to a linguistic concept known as pragmatic failure. Pragmatic failure occurs when you say something that ‘comes across wrong’ – a statement can be perfect in terms of its structure and pronunciation but if it carries implications you didn’t intend then it is still a pragmatic failure. Additionally, pragmatic failure can have more of a social consequence than some other forms of linguistic failure as people tend to assume you’re being impolite rather than just making a mistake!

As you will be entering Warwick with a different cultural perspective to the UK-based students, it is important that you are aware this is a pitfall you might fall into. Especially when it is a well-known fact within linguistics that you cannot often directly translate the conventions of one language to another without subtle changes in the implications of what you are saying. However, this works both ways and it’s just as possible that you will misinterpret something your housemate is saying to you as they will misunderstand something you’re saying to them!

So how do you avoid pragmatic failure and keep the peace with your new housemates? While I can’t guarantee you won’t have any pragmatics-based miscommunications, I can at least give you advice about to navigate requests and apologies.

Requests: Generally, there are three ways you can ask someone to do something for you. The first and most obvious of these is a direct request like “Please tidy the kitchen when you’ve finished cooking.’ These are easy to interpret and leave no real room to misunderstand what is being asked of you.

The second is what is known as a conventionally indirect request like ‘can you tidy up once you’re done cooking?’ If we were to take this request completely literally and answer ‘yes’, it wouldn’t be a commitment to clean the kitchen, it would be a confirmation that you are capable of doing so. However, your housemate almost definitely isn’t asking you about your cleaning ability. Their intent here is the same as in the direct request – to get you to clean the kitchen – only they are asking you ‘more politely’.

The third and perhaps most confusing type of request is a hint like ‘oh, the kitchen is a bit of a mess, isn’t it?’ Again, if we take this literally and respond with a ‘yes’ does nothing more than confirm we agree with your housemate’s assessment. However, they’re probably not actually asking you for your opinion, they’re asking you to clean.

Unfortunately, research has found that, in English, the two indirect (and arguably more confusing) approaches to making requests are considered politer! In one study, (which you can find here, if you’re interested https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/iprg.2011.018/html?lang=en&srsltid=AfmBOoqRPySHNRbI40fAziqd4-x-YjBc3NpQ-Gr6JCgGZn6aoLFz9Nxf) it was found that conventionally indirect requests (referred to as ‘Query Preparatory’ on page 390) were considered the politest of all request strategies they tested, followed by hints!

The lessons you can take from this are two-fold. Firstly, be prepared that your housemates are unlikely to ask you to do something in a particularly direct manner. If they begin a statement about cleaning the kitchen with ‘can you?’ or ‘could you?’ they’re probably asking you to clean up some mess. Secondly, if you need to request your housemates clean up after themselves, it will probably go down a lot more smoothly if you also adopt a more indirect approach, otherwise they might see you as being a bit demanding. 

Apologies: Despite your best efforts, you’re probably going to do something that will irritate your housemates at some point. Whether its forgetting to take out the bins or leaving your dirty dishes on the side for just a bit too long. Here’s what research suggests is the best way to apologise to a disgruntled housemate.

Just as there are several ways to make a request, there are also several ways to apologise. According to a study (again, here’s a link if you’re curious https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/PR.2007.004/html?lang=en&srsltid=AfmBOoqQYrwIk2iKR89KgryNIZhLe_UAuGLldWXj-59tzxtYl9t9AXfc) the most common apology strategy used by English speakers is a combination of the phrase ‘I’m sorry’ and statement used to accept responsibility (e.g. ‘I know it was my week to take out the bins, I just forgot’). Interestingly, the same study also found that English speakers don’t tend to make promises to do better next time. So, you probably don’t need to insist that you’ll never forget to take the bin out ever again – just admit that you made a mistake this time!  

*** Hopefully this brief introduction to the world of housemate politics is more reassuring than scary! Good luck putting some of your newfound knowledge about requests and apologies into practice when the time comes to move into your new accommodation. Don’t fret if you aren’t immediately a master of pragmatics and managing housemate relationships either. At least as far as the pragmatics are concerned, research suggests that the ability to interact and get involved in a culture in the way studying abroad allows is very beneficial for picking up on pragmatics (once again, a link for those who may be interested, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0346251X14001341 (page 4). So, I have full confidence you will be absolutely fine!

Thank you for reading!

(P.S. if you’re interested in where I got my definitions of pragmatic failure and the different types of requests from, they’re in chapter 7 of this textbook: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4020-5639-0 (pages 129-131))