#so the child sees the great society his suffering produces and tries to join it

[dollfat]

revenge of the child of omelas

[groovypalacewobblereagle]

Dany antis:

We have to understand that Mirri was devastated over her town and the abuse she suffered. To empathize. She’s a “hero” therefore, for killing a BABY.

We do NOT have to understand that Daenerys was devastated over the loss of her husband and child. She does not deserve empathy despite her losses. She’s “evil” for killing a grown woman who killed a baby.

We have to understand the culture of wealthy grown educated men who have subjected human beings to slavery for hundreds of years.

Oh, but they weren’t alive for hundreds of years! We can’t hold that against them!

But we also can’t deny them the benefit of the excuse that they’ve done this for hundreds of years.

We do NOT have to understand the culture of a teenage girl who is a Khaleesi of the Dothraki, who kills the wine seller for trying to kill her and her baby.

Because she killed him painfully. We don’t care that Varys suggested killing her with the tears of Lys, and remember that the victim dies an agonizing death. We don’t think about the morals of a painful death when the intended victim is Daenerys.

The same applies to when she crucified the slavers. We’re going to insist she did it indiscriminately, even though we know she didn’t kill a single woman who would have had less power, or child who would be entirely innocent, nor did she kill random civilians, they were all nobles. All slavers. But there are innocent slavers! Innocent slavers are definitely a thing.

The people who make laws that are not up to modern standards, like Daenerys, are evil.

But the people who follow those laws, like Ned beheading a man for running away from the dead, or Jon who beheaded a man for refusing to follow an order, or Robb who threatened to hang a man if he didn’t join the war against the Lannisters, aren’t.

Daenerys may have warned the slavers she would show no mercy if they didn’t free the slaves and pay them reparations, but she should have given them a trial even though they own the system.

It’s true they were all slavers, but if she was punishing them for being slavers, she should have killed all of them. The fact she didn’t kill all of them shows it wasn’t about justice, so she’s evil.

But she was also wrong for wanting to kill all of them, and Jorah talked her out of it. The fact he had to talk her out of it shows she’s evil.

And then when Daario tried to talk her into slaughtering them Red Wedding style, and she refused, that’s also proof she’s evil because Daario represents her evil nature.

We can empathize with the slavers! Because we might have done the same thing! We all like to think we’d stand against slavery, but if it’s our culture we might not. And we might stand by while our friends torture 163 children to death to spite an abolitionist.

We say we empathize with the slaves, too, but it’s more we sympathize with them. We understand that they are victims. We don’t see ourselves in their place. We don’t empathize with the anger the parents of those children felt. They follow Dany blindly. They don’t understand choice. That’s why they follow her.

What we CANNOT empathize with (because we know we would NEVER) is a teenage girl who walked along a road lined with the corpses of children who were tortured to death to spite her. We know a GOOD ruler would be stalwart in the face of such horror and hold a trial. Because even though the slavers own all the systems in existence in that city, there’s no way a trial could have caused the death of lesser evil instead of greater. Trials are foolproof!

She should have killed them all or tried to have every one of them examined by witnesses who are profoundly biased. We cannot empathize with that.

Dany’s attachment to the Dothraki shows her savagery. The Dothraki are rapists and slavers and she lusted after her husband when he made that speech and so it doesn’t matter how she tried to fight rapists later. They are all terrible. The Khals are monsters and she loved one, so that shows she’s a monster.

Also, she’s evil for killing the Khals.

She was wrong for sacking Astapor and Yunkai but not staying to rule them. She made it worse because poverty is as bad as slavery and the freed slaves are not able to build their own society, and she should have known that. She was wrong for not staying and ruling them.

She was also wrong for staying in Meereen and ruling it because that makes her a colonizer.

She agrees to allow adults to sell themselves into temporary slavery, and that’s wrong, because voluntary indentured servitude is as bad as generational chattel slavery-except when it’s in Westeros! The rulers in Westeros are rightful, but Daenerys was trying to enslave them by having them bend the knee! She was using the privilege of her father’s name, and it’s different when the Starks do it.

Dragons are evil. They serve no good purpose and she’s evil because she has dragons.

Also, Jon should have a dragon.

When Arya met the Lannister soldiers, and Ed Sheeran, that was to show how she realized that they are not all bad. This shows that sometimes enemies are good. This will show that we should empathize with enemies. That Dany is bad because she doesn’t even though she agrees to help the Starks, whose father supported the man who murdered her brother, and was not disturbed by the murder of her niece and nephew. Who would have killed a baby, had he known Jon was her nephew. Who would have killed her.

This does not apply to Daenerys and her armies, of course. The North was one hundred percent right to treat her with hostility.

Daenerys considered killing Tyrion when she met him! This shows that she is willing to kill people just because they are related to enemies! She’s evil!

Even though she named Tyrion her Hand. Even though she agreed to aid the North with no strings attached once she saw the army of the dead. Even though she accepted Varys into her service when he’d tried to have her murdered. Varys being part of the plan to sell a teenage girl into sexual slavery was not evil because she turned that to her advantage.

Dany was wrong for even considering killing Tyrion despite the fact that she didn’t and ultimately named him her Hand.

She was wrong for killing the Tarlys even though they were oathbreakers who killed their own friends and attacked their liege’s home. Even though the punishment for oath breaking is death. Even though they refused to bend the knee in exchange for keeping their lives, lands and titles, which is standard procedure in Westeros. Even though they refused the Wall, where Tarly sent his eldest son.

She didn’t kill them for oathbreaking or murdering her allies. She killed them for not bending the knee! Even though she only attacked them after they did that, and she did not harm Jon when he refused to bend the knee, she allowed him to mine her dragonglass, and offered to provide men and resources to help.

Sam was not wrong for hating Daenerys for killing his father, even though he was an oathbreaker, an abuser, and threatened to kill Sam. Even though he said that nothing would give him more pleasure than telling Sam’s mother that her son died. Even though Sam knew of Dany’s great deeds from Aemon. It’s understandable that he would still mourn his father. Even if his father was a monster, we have to empathize with his anger.

YET Daenerys is dead wrong for calling out Jaime for murdering her father. Her father was a monster! How dare she feel anything about his murder! She had no right to object to Jaime’s presence at Winterfell, even though he tried to kill her on the battlefield and said straight out said he wasn’t sorry for all he’d done and would do it again to protect his family.

She was wrong for restoring the family name of the man who killed her brother and cheered the brutal murders of her niece and nephew. Because she only legitimized Gendry for personal gain, even though he could have done the opposite of joining her, and tried to take the throne himself.

She is wrong if she is good to the family of her enemies because she is self serving, and she is wrong if she’s not good to them because it’s not their fault.

The Starks are not wrong for judging Daenerys by her father’s actions even though she came to help save them. Sansa is not wrong for wanting to evict children from their homes because their families were traitors.

When the Starks are suspicious of the family members of those who’ve harmed them, it’s fair. They are being smart.

When Daenerys is suspicious of the family members of those who’ve harmed her, it’s proof of her being paranoid like her father.

When Sansa told Jon that the free folk should join their fight against Ramsay, that they owed it to him because he’d saved their lives, that was smart!

When she told Arya “you should be on your knees, thanking me,” she had every right to assert her accomplishments.

YET, Daenerys was very entitled to want the North to fight Cersei with her in exchange for her helping them defeat the army of the dead, even though Cersei was their enemy too, and she sent them a letter saying “come bend the knee or face the fate of all traitors.”

It was not wrong of Jon to tell the North he bent the knee to save them, even though she said she’d help before he bent the knee.

It’s Dany’s fault the Night King got a dragon even though the wight hunt was Tyrion’s idea and Daenerys did not like it. Even though Jon told her, “I don’t need your permission. I am a king.”

Dany held Jon prisoner even though he had to stay to mine the dragonglass and he stated that he did not need her permission to leave. That’s what being a prisoner means, right?

Daenerys went mad because her family was fraught with incest. This does not imply that Jon will go mad, because his mother was not a Targaryen (even though his mother’s parents were related). Generations of inbreeding unequivocally mean madness, but the ramifications of those generations are undone if one guy at the end of the line produces a child with a woman whose parents were also related. That’s how genetics work, right?

Daenerys is a colonizer. Even though she didn’t have any goal other than destroying the slave trade in Essos. She only did that for selfish reasons even though Yunkai trains bed slaves and neither Meereen nor Yunkai added to her military might. Even though she never forced her religion or language on them. Even though she renounced power over the cities when she left, so that the people could choose their own leaders.

The Starks were never colonizers! Even though the earliest Starks were First Men, who committed genocide against the Children of the Forest. The First Men called themselves the First Men, they did not acknowledge the humanity of the Children. Therefore, the Children were not human.

The First Men destroyed the Children. The Starks built a Wall to separate the dead from the living, but left thousands of living and Children of the Forest at the other side of it. The Starks destroyed the other families, established power over the area, established their religion and language as the official religion and language. The Starks became the Kings of Winter by bringing to heel, and sometimes extinguishing, other families. That’s fine because the Starks are good. That’s not colonizing! The Starks were always good! They killed the warg king and his sons and beasts and then married his daughters. That’s not rape, that’s marriage!

The Targaryens who adapted the Westerosi religion and language and did not in any way repress other religions or languages, were the oppressors.

Dany hardly did anything in the Long Night. Her armies and dragons did not thin out the dead army, making it possible for Arya to kill the Night King. Two dragons can only do so much against an army of 100k. Even though Dany’s army also was over 100K.

YET, she burned MILLIONS in KL (even though the population of KL is under a million and even though I just said she could not have possibly taken out much of the dead army.)

When Daenerys didn’t weep and wring her hands over her abusive brother’s death that was evidence of her turning “mad.” Even though he abused her, sold her, and pressed a sword to her belly and threatened to cut her baby out of her body.

When Sansa smiled as Ramsay screamed, being torn apart by dogs, that was not a sign of anything bad. He abused her!

When Daenerys crucified the slavers even though a trial would have yielded nothing, because they had owned the entire system, that was a sign of her being a villain.

But Varys wasn’t wrong for trying to poison her before she did anything wrong because he sensed what she would do! Instinct > Trials. Unless the “instinct” is Daenerys’. Then it’s paranoia, even when the people she suspects of plotting against her are plotting against her.

When Arya killed two men, baked them into a pie, fed them to their father, slit his throat, smiled faintly as he died, cut off his face, then killed every one of his bannermen, with no knowledge of whether those men had been there at the Red Wedding, or whether they’d spoken against it, that was not a sign of her being a villain. Because if it’s a Stark, we understand complicity.

Besides, Arya is not a ruler. Only rulers do harm. Not explorers! Explorers who believe “I’ll never know her, she’s not one of us”, have never done anything bad in all history. Happy Columbus Day, btw.

[theanonymousb]

My 20 Best Korean Drama

1.    Hi Bye Mama

Genre: Fantasy, Drama

Plot:

Cha Yu-Ri (Kim Tae Hee) has been a ghost since she died 5 years ago. She left behind her husband Jo Kang-Hwa and their child. To become a human again, Cha Yu-Ri carries out a reincarnation project for 49 days.

Meanwhile, Jo Kang-Hwa (Lee Kyu-Hyung) works as a chest surgeon. He was loving, but, after his wife died, his personality changed. After 5 years, his wife Cha Yu-Ri reappears in front of him.

2.    It’s Okay to Not be Okay

Genre: Romance, Drama

Plot:

A story about a man employed in a psychiatric ward and a woman, with an antisocial personality disorder, who is a popular writer of children’s books.

Moon Kang-Tae (Kim Soo-Hyun) works in a psychiatric ward. His job is to write down the patients’ conditions and deal with unexpected situations, like if patients fight or they run away. He only earns about 1.8 million won ($1,600 USD) a month. The woman (Seo Yea-Ji) is a popular writer of children’s literature, but she is extremely selfish, arrogant and rude.

3.    Angel’s last Mission

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Plot:

Kim Dan (Kim Myung-Soo) is an angel. He is also a troublemaker and also optimist. Lee Yeon-Seo (Shin Hye-Sun) is a ballerina who does not believe in lve.

Dan then receives a mission. If he succeeds, he can return to Heaven. His mission is to find true love for Yeon-Seo, but soon falls in love with her.

4.    Prison Playbook

Genre: Black Comedy

Plot:

Je-Hyeok (Park Hae-Soo) is the best relief pitcher in Korea. He will to the U.S and sign a contract with a major league. One night, he hears his sister screaming and sees a man running out of her apartment. Je-hyeok and the man get into a physical struggle with Je-Hyeok striking the man with a rock. Later, Je-Hyeok receives a 1 year prison sentence for using excessive force. Devastated, Je-Hyeok must adapt to life in prison.

Meanwhile, Joon-Ho (Jung Kyoung-Ho) is a friend of Je-Hyeok and works in the prisonas an officer. He waits for Je-Hyeok’s arrival.

5.    Chicago Typewriter

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Friendship

Plot:

This drama follows the lives of two men and a woman through two eras; one during the 1930s Japanese occupation of Korea and the other in the 21st century. Han Se-Joo (Yoo Ah-In) who was a writer in his past life and a bestselling author in the present. But Se-Joo is depressed with writer’s block so he can’t write his next book.

Yu Jin-Oh (Go Kyung-Pyo) owned a bar in his previous life. In 2017 he is a talented ghostwriter who can bail Se-Joo out of his predicament, but the mysterious man has a condition for his services. Se-Joo may not be able to meet it.

Jun Seol (Im Soo Jung) was a sniper. Now she has extremely variety expertise. She is a former Olympian hopeful, a veterinarian and a book lover who runs her own delivery service. She oscillates between extreme fandom and an anti-fan of Se Joo.

The intricately woven story of these three characters unfolds to reveal strange mirroring connections between the time periods as well as possibilities for past lives to be redeemed or improves in the modern world.

6.    Uncontrollably Fond

Genre: Romance, Melodrama

Plot:

Sin Joon-Young (Kim Woo-Bin) and No Eul (Bae Suzy) were in love in ther younger days. But uncontrollable circumstances separated them and they went their separate ways. Joon-Young is now a superstar actor and singer, while No Eul became a producer-director of documentaries. When their path cross again years later. Joon-Young discovers that No Eul is now very different person than he remembered – materialisticand willing to do anything to get ahead.

7.    Penthouse: War In Life

Genre: Suspense, Life, Drama, Family, Mature

Plot:

The residents of Hera Palace, a luxury penthouse apartment with 100 floors, have many secrets and hidden ambitions. Sim Su-Ryeon (Lee Ji-Ah), who was born into wealth, is the queen of the penthouse apartment. Cheon Seo-Jin (Kim So-Yeon), the prima donna of the residence, does all she can to give everything to her daughter. Oh Yoon-Hee (Eugene) comes from a poor family background, but she strives to enter high society by becoming the queen of the penthouse, the pinnacle success in her eyes. A battle for wealth, power, and prestige at Seoul’s most coveted penthouse begins.

8.    Crash Landing On You

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Military, Political

Plot:

Yoon Se-Ri (Son Ye-Ji) is an heiress to a conglomerate in South Korea. One day, while paragliding, an accident caused by strong winds leads Yoon Se-Ri to make an emergency landing in North Korea.  There, she meets Ri Jeong-Hyeok (Hyun-Bin), who is a North Korean army officer. He tries to protect her and hide her. Soon, Ri Jeong-Hyeok falls in love with Yoon Se-RI.

9.    Itaewon Class

Genre: Romance, Business, Friendship, Life

Plot:

On the first day of attending his new high school, Park Sae-Ro-Yi (Park Seo-Joon) punches his classmate Jang Geun-Won, who was bullying another classmate. The bully is the son of CEO Jang Dae-Hee (Yoo Jae-Myung). The bully's father runs restaurant business Jagga where Park Sae-Ro-Yi’s own father works. CEO Jang Dae-Hee demands to Park Sae-Ro-Yi that he apologizes to his son, but Park Sae-Ro-Yi refuses. Because of his refusal, Park Sae-Ro-Yi gets expelled from school and his father gets fired from his job. Soon, an accident takes place. Park Sae-Ro-Yi’s father dies in a motorcycle accident caused by his ex-classmate Jang Geun-Won. Burning with anger, Park Sae-Ro-Yi viciously beats Jang Geun-Won. He is soon arrested and receives prison time for the violent assault. Park Sae-Ro-Yi decides to destroy the Jagga company and take revenge upon CEO Jang Dae-Hee and his son Jang Geun-Won. Once Park Sae-Ro-Yi is released from prison, he opens a restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul. Jo Yi-Seo (Kim Da-Mi), who is popular on social media, joins Park Sae-Ro-Yi’s restaurant and works there as a manger. She has feelings for Park Sae-Ro-Yi.

10. Hotel De Luna

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Horror, Fantasy

Plot:

Jang Man-Wol (IU) is the CEO of Hotel del Luna. The hotel is situated in downtown in Seoul and has a very old appearance. She made a big error many years ago and, because of this, she has been stuck at Hotel del Luna. She is beautiful, but she is fickle, suspicious and greedy.

Koo Chan-Sung (Yeo Jin-Goo) worked as the youngest assistant manager ever at a multinational hotel corporation. He is a sincere perfectionist. He looks level-headed, but he actually has a soft disposition. Due to an unexpected case, he begins to work as a manager at Hotel del Luna. The hotel's clientele consists of ghosts.

11. Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Plot:

Goo Ra-Ra (Go Ara) is a pianist. She has bright personality. Something happened that caused her to become bankrupt. She doesn't have anything now and she is frustrated with her situation.

Sunwoo Joon (Lee Jae-Wook) doesn't care what other people think about him, but he has a warm heart. He is free spirited and doesn't have a specific dream or goal for his life. He makes ends meet by working part-time jobs.

Goo Ra-Ra and Sunwoo Joon meet at the small private piano academy LaLa Land in a country village.

12. 18 Again

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Youth, Drama, Fantasy

Plot:

Tells the story of a husband named Hong Dae Young (Lee Do-Hyun) who is on the verge of divorce but finds himself back in his body when he was at the prime of his life 18 years ago. He ends up changing his name to Go Woo Young when he becomes 18- years-old again. Meanwhile, his wife Jung Da Jung(Kim Ha-Neul) joins the workforce as an anchorwoman later on in life after raising their 18-year-old twins.

13. Goblin: The Lonely and Great God

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy

Plot:

In ancient times, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) is an unbeatable general in wars, but the young King (Kim Min-Jae) is jealous of Kim Shin and kills him. Kim Shin becomes Dokkaebi (Goblin), possessing an immortal life. At first he thinks that he is blessed, but he realizes that he is cursed.

Closer to the present day, Kim Shin has waited 900 years for a human bride to end his immortal life. One night, he saves a dying pregnant woman (Park Hee-Von) who is destined to die. Meanwhile, the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-Wook) is unable to find the dead pregnant woman. The woman gives birth to a baby girl named Ji Eun-Tak (later played by Kim Go-Eun). 9 years later, Ji Eun-Tak lives with her mother and is able to see ghosts. One night, her mother suddenly dies. On that night, she meets the Grim Reaper.

In the present day, Ji Eun-Tak is a high school student. She still sees ghosts and hears their whisper of “Dokkaebi’s bride.” She now lives with her aunt’s family, but she is mistreated by them. On her birthday, Ji Eun-Tak sits by the sea with a lighted birthday cake. At that time, Kim Shin suddenly appears in front of her. Kim Shin does not know why, but he can hear her voice and appears in front of her against his will. Coincidentally, Kim Shin lives with the Grim Reaper at the same house.

Now, Kim Shin appears in front of her against his will, whenever she turns off the lights. One day, Ji Eun-Tak tells him that he is Dokkaebi and she is his bride.

14. It’s Okay That’s Love

Genre: Friendship, Psychological, Comedy, Romance, Drama

Plot:

Jang Jae-Yeol (Jo In-Sung) is a mystery writer and radio DJ. He suffers from a obsession. Ji Hae-Soo (Gong Hyo-Jin) is going through her first year fellowship in psychiatry at a University Hospital. She chose psychiatry because she doesn't want to perform surgeries. After she meets Jang Jae-Yeol, her life goes through big changes.

15. Let’s Fight Ghost

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Horror

Plot:

Hyun-Ji (Kim So-Hyun) studied for most her life before she died at the age of 19. She is now a ghost and has wandered around the world for several years. Hyun-Ji then meets exorcist Park Bong-Pal (TaecYeon). Hyun-Ji and Bong-Pal listens to various stories from ghosts and sends them to the otherworld.

16. Hospital Playlist

Genre: Friendship, Comedy, Romance, Life, Medical

Plot:

A drama depicting the stories of people going through their days that are seemingly ordinary but actually special, at the hospital, a place known as the microcosm of life - where someone is being born and someone's life meets their ending. The five doctors are longtime friends of 20 years who started their undergrad in 1999 in the same medical school, and now they are colleagues in the same hospital. The drama will also deal with a story of a band formed by the group of doctors.

17. Fated to Loved You

Genre: Business, Comedy, Romance,

Plot:

This drama is the story of an ordinary girl, Mi Yeong, (Jang Na-Ra)who has neither outstanding looks, a prestigious college degree, nor any other charming qualities, facing her whole life abruptly changing when love comes knocking at her door. While on vacation, she accidentally happens to spend one night with Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) and even gets pregnant from that night. Because of this incident, her life will never be the same, and this fateful encounter brings love that transforms this not-so-special girl to an attractive, charming lady.

18. Go Back Couple

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Life, Fantasy

Plot:

Choi Ban-Do (Son Ho-Jun) and Ma Jin-Joo (Jang Na-Ra) are both 38-years-old and a married couple. Choi Ban-Do has been burdened with being the breadwinner and Ma Jin-Joo is a housewife with low self-esteem. Even though they loved each other when they married, they now hate each other. They both regret marrying at such a young age. The couple travel through time and find themselves as 20-year-old university students, when they met for the first time.

19. To The Beautiful You

Genre: School, Teen, Romantic, Comedy, Sports

Plot:

Kang Tae-Joon (Minho) is a gold medalist in the high jump, but he has been mired in a slump due to an injury. In order to help her idol, a girl named Koo Jae-Hee (Sulli) disguises herself as a boy and enrolls at the same all male high school.When Tae-Joon (Minho) is competiting at the World Junior Competition, Jae-Hee (Sulli) watches him on TV in America and becomes very touched.

Despite her friends telling her otherwise, Jae-Hee cuts her long hair by herself. She then flies to South Korea, with a plan to stay with Tae-Joon who is now injured. Jae-Hee disguises herself as a boy and enrolls at the all boys Genie Physical Education High School. On her first day at school, Jae-Hee goes up the stairs with her suitcase, but her suitcase bursts open and all her clothes fall out. A boy comes by and helps her pick up her stuff. Jae-Hee realizes that the boy helping her is none other than her idol Tae-Joon. In her excitement, Jae-Hee sits on her suitcase, which proceeds to slide down the stairs.

20. When the Camellia Blooms

Genre: Triller, Comedy, Romance, Family

Plot:

Dong-Baek (Kong Hyo-Jin) is a single mother living in the small town of Ongsan. She runs the bar-restaurant Camellia, while also taking care of her son Pil-Gu (Kim Kang-Hoon). The people of Ongsan frequently gossip about Dong-Baek. She grew up as an orphan, is a single mother and runs a bar where many of the men in Ongsan frequent. Regardless of what the locals may whisper about Dong-Baek, local police officer Hwang Yong-Sik (Kang Ha-Neul) is deeply in love with her. Meanwhile, Dong-Baek's ex-boyfriend Kang Jong-Ryeol (Kim Ji-Suk) suddenly reappears in her life. He is a famous baseball player, that hid their relationship when they dated. While Dong-Baek tries to find happiness, something truly sinister lurks in the background. A serial killer roams Ongsan and Dong-Baek may be a target.

[mortallyclearwonderland]

Star Wars Alien Species - Gran

Kinyen, an agriworld ocated in the galaxy's Expansion Region on the Corellian Trade Spine. It is the homeworld of the Gran.

The peaceful nature of Gran society was a reflection of their homeworld, Kinyen. Kinyen boasted large and rolling grasslands and highlands, a dense and beautiful forest, and one of the longest and clearest rivers in the Bes Ber Bikade sector. The beauty of this planet, and the need for primitive Gran to band together for defense against predatory animals, helped the Gran develop strong bonds of home and family in their society (once they became a civilized species, the Grans set aside fenced nature preserves for the carnivores which once threatened them). Grans also mated for life, forming such strong bonds that they generally died within days of a mate's death. It was rare for any Gran to leave their planet of origin once they had taken a mate.

The Grans were also very protective of their families, and were some of the most devoted parents in the galaxy. This was because of their very powerful and sensitive sight, which could sense the emotions of their mates and their children. Gran society maintained its balance by setting up strict career quotas, and making sure young Gran were educated for a specific job that best served his or her talents. While other species who value freedom tend to criticize such a rigid social system, to the Gran it was both logical and essential. Gran religion revolved around the worship of the goddess Doellin.

Gran had a strong need for companionship—a Gran left alone for too long would go insane or die of loneliness. Generally, they needed other Gran for companionship, but some Gran were able to form sufficiently strong bonds with aliens. The most feared punishment among the Gran was exile. Lone, outcast Gran, often wearing black to avoid painful memories of the colorful cities of their homeworld, were generally given a wide berth by experienced spacers. Grans isolated from Gran society were often unreliable, easily bribed, and easily addicted to drugs and liquors, though they were shrewd and often under-estimated. Conversely, Gran within their society were peaceful and amiable, with a keen sense of their place in society, and unselfish instincts putting the greater good ahead of their individual wants.

With such close bonds formed throughout the Gran community, it was unsurprising that they concentrated their cities into very small areas, so they were never out of touch with their many relatives. These cities, while hosting a majority of the population of Kinyen, also hosted the small government of the Gran. The government was a loose group of delegates from the major Gran families who usually controlled different aspects of Gran society. One delegate was selected randomly every three and a half standard years to be the leader of this group. It was only due to the very peaceful sensibilities of the Gran race that this system worked at all. Indeed, the only known major conflicts between Gran took place very early in Kinyen's history, before 10,000 BBY. Even these wars resulted from matters of survival, rather than strong emotional conflicts between the Gran or rival nations.

The Gran on Kinyen had maintained a peaceful civilization for over ten millennia before the fall of the Galactic Republic. During an expansionist period circa 1000 BBY, colonies were established on Hok and Malastare. However, the emigrating colonists left a significant imbalance in Gran society on Kinyen.

Feeling they were destroying too many families, and diluting the Gran race, the government reacted with isolationist policies and prohibited unauthorized emigration from Kinyen and limited offworlders to special alien quarters in their cities. This protected the Gran society, but it also isolated the Gran on Hok and Malastare who had begun to form strong bonds to their new homes. The Gran colonies continued independently, keeping the strong social bonds of Gran society but with loosened social codes. The looser social codes allowed for more corruption in the upper levels of colonial Gran society.

One of the most infamous examples was the Gran Protectorate of Malastare, which subjugated the native Dug population, treating them as little more than slaves and even relocating them to the western continent of their own planet. The behavior of Malastare's Gran was unusual, as most Gran on Kinyen were peaceful, calm beings who abhorred violence, and preferred peaceful ways to adapt to difficult situations. The high corruption rate, as well as the brutality towards the Dugs, led some Gran on Kinyen to conclude that the Gran of Malastare were no longer real Gran.

A number of Gran on Coruscant joined the Black Heth criminal gang and fought the Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Gran of Malastare had a great deal of power within the Galactic Senate during the later years of the Galactic Republic, represented by the thought to be corrupt Aks Moe and his successor, the influential Loyalist Committee member Ask Aak. Aak later took Aks Moe's seat in the Galactic Senate. Other Gran Senators such as Kharrus and Philo also played important roles in the Galactic Senate during the Clone Wars. Hok also produced a well-known Gran in that era, the podracer Mawhonic.

During Emperor Palpatine's reign of terror over the galaxy, Gran became less influential. At one point, the Galactic Empire demanded access to all parts of Kinyen, and leveled one of Kinyen's cities when the Gran protested. This forced the Gran of Kinyen to collaborate with the Empire. Some Gran during the Imperial era secretly supported the Rebel Alliance, usually by peaceful means such as supplying food to the Rebels. Most Gran disapproved of violent revolt, however, and even Rebel sympathizers insisted that no military actions were acceptable on their homeworld.

Gran could easily be identified by their three eyes and their goat-like snout. Female Gran also had three breasts. Gran were also able to sense one another's emotions and disposition by noting subtle changes in body heat and skin color. The Gran had excellent vision, able to resolve more colors than most species, and even able to see into the infrared. Gran had two stomachs, having evolved from herbivorous grazing animals who lived in herds on the mountains and highlands of Kinyen, surviving on the local silvergrass, for which Gran kept their taste. Gran chewed and digested their food quite slowly, savoring the flavor carefully. A single meal could take almost an entire day to finish, but a Gran would often not need to eat for several days afterwards.

A recessive genetic mutation sometimes caused some Gran to suffer from misshapen extremities, with hands and feet swelling to abnormal sizes. While not affecting the individual's ability to do finer work, the handicap nonetheless often resulted in social isolation. Gran scientists intently studied the trait to attempt to find a cure.

A typical Gran stands 1.6 meters or 5.3 feet tall and weighs 80 kilograms or 176 pounds.

Grans age at the following stages: 1 - 10 Child 11 - 15 Young Adult 16 - 40 Adult 41 - 62 Middle Age 63 - 79 Old

Examples of Names: Ainlee Teem, Aks Moe, Ask Aak, Baskol Yeesrim, Cera Vixe, Cruegar, Kea R- Lan, Mawhonic, Nadin Paal, Ree-Yees, Vee Naaq. Languages: Gran speak, read, and write their own language of Gran, as well as Basic. However, they also tried to make their servants, such as the Dugs, learn Gran language. Grandma's tongue sounds like goat/sheep bleating and baaing.

[attack-on-neverland]

2.1 The Main Trio

In both Attack on Titan and The Promised Neverland, the main trio consists of three character tropes which are The Empath, The Distant but Loving and The Savior (who I also like to call “The Genocidal Maniac.” The existence of these tropes especially in the main three characters is important to recognize because these three are also generalizations of the attitudes of the people of their world. This mix keeps things relatively balanced and stable until one of them breaks the delicate balance for whatever reason.

Armin, Eren, and Mikasa (AOT)

Norman, Emma, and Ray (TPN)

1. Armin and Emma - The Empath

Armin (AOT) and Emma (TPN) make up The Empath. Both initially reject the idea of having to strike first and would avoid casualties at all cost. These characters would rather risk failure than harm innocent people (again, initially). They have a deep sense of compassion and can even empathize with the enemy and prefer to talk things out rather than engage in battle. Both Armin and Emma are also the ones to eventually stop the genocidal plans of Eren (AOT) and (Norman). Both characters also selflessly sacrificed themselves to save their loved ones.

Armin dreams of reaching the outside world and seeing the wonders of nature, which is why he joins the Survey Corps in order to secure peace for them once again. In the face of death, he chose to talk it out with Bertholdt, holder of the Colossal Titan and tried to get him to join their side. Even when his life was threatened, Armin hesitated to strike first, which only changed when Captain Levi instructed him to do so or else they would be killed. It is also Armin who stops Eren’s plan of destroying everything outside of Paradis and establishes the Alliance. Armin willingly sacrificed himself and got burnt alive by the Collosal Titan to ensure that he could buy time for Eren’s plan to work (He got revived eventually). However, he does live by the principle that “People who can’t throw something important [humanity] away can never hope to change anything.” This represents an eventual shift in Armin as his innocence is broken and he abides by the rules of war rather than reject them completely, opposite to Emma.

Emma also dreamed of the outside world and meeting all of her siblings with their families before they discovered the painful reality of their world. Throughout the whole series, it was shown how Emma would do literally anything to protect her younger siblings as she would stay behind to hold down enemies, set off on dangerous journeys with the older kids, and even struck a deal with That Person* which meant sacrificing herself to safely bring everyone back to the human world. However, Emma’s empathy doesn’t only manifest in her sibling relationships, but extends to everyone, even their biggest enemies. She befriends devils Mujika and Sonju, forgives Lucas after he endangered her life by bringing her to Goldy Pond, and extends her love to all the adults who were the reason behind the existence of the plantation. She cries out when she sees the demons being massacred by Norman, and begs for him to reverse things. She recognizes that no one is inherently bad and that everyone is just doing what they can to survive. In the end, Emma’s deal with That Person reveals that she traded what she loved the most (her family and her memories of them) in exchange for the freedom of all humans. This resulted in Emma ending up on some mountaintop (in the human world) with no concrete memories, but feelings of pain, longing, and sadness while all the other kids lived their happy lives together and arrived safely in their destination. Trust me, I cried BUCKETS.

2. Mikasa and Ray - The Distant but Loving

Mikasa (AOT) and Ray (TPN) make up the Distantly Rational but Loving trope. Aside from both having black hair and emo hairstyles, these two characters both exhibit the most skill and wits among all the other characters. In times of turmoil and panic, these two managed to keep a cool head (most of the time) and allowed everyone else to survive in safety. Both characters can be said to be distant because they are rarely seen enjoying themselves, presumably because of their traumatic backgrounds which is why all of their energy is focused on getting stronger and saving everyone. Their loyalty is unmatched, and they would be willing to destroy anyone who gets in the way of the safety of their families. This attitude stems from dark backgrounds that made both characters value life and the people around them so much. Despite their willingness to achieve any lengths, these characters still manage to think logically, and do not intend to cause unnecessary harm even to enemies.

Mikasa used to be a sweet and loving child who enjoyed the little things and simply being around her parents. However, everything changed when her parents were murdered by kidnappers, leaving Mikasa an orphan. She witnessed all of this violence and was supposed to be killed as well if she weren’t saved by Eren. From that day on, Mikasa grew to be outwardly distant, presumably to avoid getting attached to anyone who could possibly disappear in an instance. However, she was also attached to Eren and all of her comrades in the Survey Corps. She tried to hide that vulnerability under her cold exterior, but no one would ever doubt her love for her comrades. Witnessing her parents’ deaths made her swore to become stronger in order to protect those she loved.

From a young age, Ray was seen to be quieter than the other kids. Instead of playing, he would spend his time reading books, doing research, and observing everyone. This is because he discovered early on that Gracefield was not an adoption home, but a farm with children as their produce. However, he had to stay quiet and volunteered himself to become Mama’s spy so that he would not be shipped out early. The trauma stems from the awareness that each shipped out orphan became meals for demons, but being unable to do anything about it. For years, he had been a slave to Mama in order to acquire the parts he needed to aid their escape plan. It is evident how his loyalty to his siblings does not fade as he would sacrifice himself for the safety of everyone else. Like Mikasa, he still keeps a calm demeanor and can rationalize under dire circumstances.

3. Eren and Norman - The Self-sacrificing Savior / "Genocidal Maniac"

Eren (AOT) and Normal (TPN) both make up “The Savior” or the “Genocidal Maniac”. These boys both start out as innocent, wide-eyed children who wanted to explore the world. They are both passionate about saving all of their family and even sacrificed themselves for their safety. However, they are both drastically changed by a deeper understanding of their reality. From being hopeful optimists, they come to see the reality that no one else realizes. From the day of their realization, they come to an understanding that they have to be “devils” in order to save humanity in an attempt of self-sacrifice. They know that nothing would be able to redeem these sins, yet they still push forward to destroy anything and anyone that gets in their way. This is because they know that there is no alternative that guarantees their safety except complete annihilation of everything else. They eventually trade in their humanity at the cost of lives of children, innocents, and everyone who might get in the way. However, one key difference is that Norman (TPN) gets a chance at redemption, while Eren (AOT) does not. This will be further explored in Being Bound by destiny vs. Defying destiny.

After witnessing the death of his mother, Eren vows to exterminate every last titan in order to guarantee the safety of humanity. He trains hard in order to become an efficient member of the Survey Corps and promises to use his Titan power to defend everyone. Eren is hopeful, arrogant, and stubborn, and this causes him to dive in head first when anyone is in danger. He literally sacrifices himself and is eaten by a titan to save Armin, and he sacrifices himself time and time again. However, when the Survey Corps reach the ocean, Eren realizes that the real enemies are those across the other side of the ocean. The humans who wish for the demise of Paradis Island and its residents. Their enemies are not titans, but other humans. From that day on, Eren distanced himself from everyone and made his own plans. He had gone to extreme lengths to detach himself from his comrades so that they would have no power to stop him and the wrong-doings will be all his. This eventually resulted in Eren's attacks on Marley because he found out that the whole world was going to launch an attack on Paradis to exterminate the “devils” of society. In the end, Eren successfully activates the rumbling and ended up killing 80% of the world population because he knew that discrimination towards Eldians would not end until the world starts anew. His friends were able to save the 20% because they stopped Eren by having Mikasa kill him. Brb, gonna cry AGAIN.

After learning the truth of the house from Ray, Norman decided that he had to aid Emma’s plan of saving all the kids in the house, even the defenseless young ones. To do so would require utmost planning, strategy, and tactics that would put the three at risk. However, Norman decided that the benefits would outweigh the risk and proceeded with Emma’s plan. Unfortunately, Mama stops them in their tracks and decides to ship Norman early in order to stop him from ruining her plans. Emma and Ray do everything they can to save Norman and include him in their plan, and Norman pretends to agree. Unbeknownst to the two, Norman had already planned to betray them because he was afraid that the attempt to save him would only put everyone else at risk. This leads to Norman sacrificing himself and letting him get “shipped out” by Mama. However, instead of being turned into food, he is taken in as an experiment of Project Lamba, where he endured great suffering as a test subject. It was during his time here that he witnessed firsthand the cruelty of the demons, and decided that there was no other way but to exterminate them. He saw the realities of the mass produced farms where children don’t even gain autonomy and consciousness, he met fellow Lamba experiments who would have certain illnesses for life, and he endured the pain firsthand. After a series of events, he breaks out of Lamba and finds Emma and the other children. By this time, Emma had already realized that not all demons were bad and that it was simply a matter of survival for some of them. Norman, however, did not buy into this kind of thinking. When he told his plans of genocide, Emma firmly rejected this and asked for a few days to find an alternative before Norman could continue with the plan. While Norman agreed, he betrayed her and carried out with the plan earlier than expected and caused the degeneration of thousands of demon villagers. In his heart, Norman did not want to do this, but believed that there was no other way. He did not want to bring others in the plan because he wanted to keep the blame to himself as part of his self-sacrifice. Unlike Eren, Norman is redeemed when he reunites with the others and tries to forge a new plan.

[differentnutpeace]

Invincible Season-Finale Recap: My Father the Hero

We knew it was going to be bad. Mark Grayson was never going to turn his back on humanity, and when his father asks him to do that so they can conquer Earth, Mark responds by doing everything he can to stop him. And it’s not enough. Not even close. “Where I Really Come From” is one of the most harrowing episodes of superhero TV ever produced, with half of its runtime dedicated to a fight that matches extreme, spectacular violence with a devastating emotional conflict. It’s a very satisfying season finale that highlights how well Invincible develops its core relationships, and the action wouldn’t have the same impact if there wasn’t such a deep sense of loss behind each punch.  หวย บอล เกมส์ คาสิโนออนไลน์

One Great StoryThe one story you shouldn’t miss, selected by New York editors

The betrayal Mark and Debbie feel only intensifies as Nolan reveals his actual origin story, his intentions for Earth, and his true feelings about not just humanity, but his family. Debbie is little more than a pet, a companion that temporarily joins Nolan during this miniscule period of his millennia-long life. Mark would have been the same if his powers didn’t kick in, but he is Viltrumite so he matters. Viltrum isn’t the benevolent savior Nolan painted it out to be, but a militarized empire that wants to prove its supremacy over the entire universe. Survival of the fittest is the guiding principle of Viltrumite civilization, and they became an unstoppable intergalactic empire by wiping out the weakest from their society, cutting their population in half.

The Viltrumite slaughter sequence emphasizes the ruthless frenzy of this culling process, showing a variety of Viltrumite killings in quick succession. They are completely desensitized to the most brutal violence against their own people, so when it comes to conquering others, there’s absolutely nothing Viltrumites won’t do. I expected waves of blood and punches that shake mountains, but there’s an extra layer of sadistic psychological torture in this family feud. Nolan needs to convince his son that humans are worthless and expendable, so he keeps killing them in ways that will scar Mark for a long time.

When Invincible saves a fighter pilot after his dad flies through his jet, Omni-Man meets them on the ground and crushes the pilot’s head with his hand, getting brain all over his son’s face. When the battle moves to Chicago, a punch from Omni-Man turns Invincible into a human wrecking ball, crashing through buildings and a busy city street, killing anyone who is unlucky enough to be in his way. Mark tries to save a mother and her daughter inside a collapsing building, but he’s not strong enough and they’re both crushed in the rubble. We’re back in the war zone mode of episode two, and Mark’s father is the person responsible for all the carnage.

The most savage moment comes in the Chicago subway, when Omni-Man grabs Invincible by the head and charges through a subway train, ripping people apart with his son’s flailing limbs. It’s deeply disturbing seeing Mark’s body used as a weapon by his own father, but this is what the Viltrumite people do. Viltrumite can only exist if they’re willing to give up their bodies to the empire, and the penalty for breaking rank is execution. Viltrum’s philosophy isn’t all that different from a significant swath of humanity who believes in their inherent superiority and doesn’t want to jeopardize that by helping people who are struggling. Empathy opens the door to assistance, which leads to people becoming stronger, and strength is a threat. For his entire life, Nolan has been told that others are less than him so that he can be the best soldier possible, and now he wants to force that worldview on his son.

After knocking Mark’s teeth out, Nolan has a flashback to a vital moment in his understanding of humanity, when he and Debbie watched Mark play baseball as a child. Nolan feels like he’s wasting his time watching this stupid game, especially when he could have a much better view from the air. This is clearly a situation Debbie has been in before and she puts on a teacher voice as she gives him another lesson in humanity, explaining how parents find comfort in their children because they remind them of life’s joys, which can be easy to forget when the weight of the world bogs them down. Nolan finally understands it when Mark hits the baseball and slides into home plate, and it’s telling that Nolan only connects with humanity when Mark is victorious. What would have happened if Mark struck out, or if he didn’t make it to home plate before the ball?

This memory sparks some compassion in Nolan, and he stops thinking like a Viltrumite conqueror and looks at his beaten, bloodied son through the eyes of a father who is directly responsible for his child’s suffering. He stops punching, but he tries a different tactic: yell at his son and try to convince him that, in the grand scheme of a life that will go on for thousands of years, his relationships with the humans he knows now will mean nothing. It’s not a successful tactic, and emphasizing the loss Mark will feel in the future ends up backfiring as Mark shows his father what he’s lost right now. It’s too much for Nolan to take, and he flies off into space, burning off the mix of his son’s blood and countless human casualties as he moves through the atmosphere.

The back half of the episode focuses on the fallout of Omni-Man and Invincible’s fight. Mark spends two weeks healing while his mother has a very justified emotional breakdown, and the Guardians decide that it’s finally time to wash off that big blood stain in their headquarters. Debbie and Mark’s anonymity is preserved via a cover story about Nolan dying when the neighbor’s house exploded, but Detective Amber puts it all together and rushes to Mark’s side when he gets back home. No one can comprehend the trauma Mark has been through, but his friends know that he needs them by his side. The quartet of Mark, Amber, Will, and Eve really comes together in this episode, and now that everyone knows everyone’s secret identities, there are much stronger ties between them all.

A news report reveals the world’s response as people wonder how the man they trusted to protect them could hurt them so badly, and there’s definite social commentary in there about the corruption of those in positions of authority. And Viltrum’s not the only militarized force to worry about. Toward the end of the episode, we find out that the U.S. government has put chemicals in tap water that prevent people from seeing specific frequencies of light. And the GDA has an entire army of cyborg soldiers created by a mad scientist. There’s plenty of shady stuff happening on Earth too, and I’m curious to see if Mark’s disdain for Viltrumite authority will cause him to look at the GDA through a new lens.

The episode ends with a lot of set up for the second season, which was confirmed this week along with a third. Allen the Alien returns to announce that the coalition of planets is trying to assemble an army big enough to take on the Viltrumites, and Mark is a cosmic asset as the only Viltrumite who won’t fight with his people. This narrative alone is enough to drive an entire season given that it would take Mark (and friends?) to the far reaches of the universe, but there are a lot more story seeds planted during a montage set to The Hives’ “Hate To Say I Told You So,” a music choice that does a lot to shift the tone away from the crushing sadness of the last 40 minutes.

As distressing as this show can get, it still has an exuberant spirit that makes it fun to watch, and this montage is a reminder of that. Invincible’s first season did excellent work creating a rich superhero universe with many different corners to explore, and this montage promises even bigger things to come. But that’s not the final note of the season. Writer Robert Kirkman understands that a huge part of Invincible’s appeal is the contrast between superhero spectacle and the mundane aspects of human life, so when Allen asks Mark what’s next, he goes to his top priority: finish high school. The beat reinforces that Mark is about to enter another major transitional period of his life after graduation, pulling the character back down to Earth as he chats with an alien on the moon.

[womenofcolor15]

We’ll Get Through This! The Wilsons, Trevor Noah, Al Roker, NBA Players Do Their Part In Coronavirus Fight + Free Digital Workouts & Food Delivery, Churches Stream Services

Celebs are stepping up to do their part in the Coronavirus fight. See how they’re lending a helping hand, plus how companies are also trying to make life easier. More inside…

Amid the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, The Wilsons are doing their part to help out.

Singer Ciara and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson are donating one million meals to the local Seattle community via Food Lifeline, which is a non-profit that provides food to food banks in Western Washington. No surprise here. The Wilsons are always giving back.

"The world needs us ALL," Russell captioned a video of himself and CiCi making the announcement. "Unprecedented times. @Ciara & I are supporting our community in Seattle by donating 1 million meals with Seattle @FoodLifeLine https://bit.ly/38VdUuB Rally & support your local food bank @FeedingAmerica Let’s all keep the Faith during this difficult time," he continued.

Check it:

  The world needs us ALL. Unprecedented times. @Ciara & I are supporting our community in Seattle by donating 1 million meals with Seattle @FoodLifeLine https://t.co/TMUkkwjDV6 Rally & support your local food bank @FeedingAmerica Let’s all keep the Faith during this difficult time pic.twitter.com/i2oJnQoOgb

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 18, 2020

  The pregnant singer also shared the video on her social media accounts:

          View this post on Instagram

                  The world needs us ALL. These are unprecedented times. We are supporting our community in Seattle by donating 1 million meals with Seattle @FoodLifeLine. Rally with us and support your local food bank @FeedingAmerica We can all make a difference together. Let’s all keep the Faith during this difficult time.

A post shared by Ciara (@ciara) on Mar 17, 2020 at 6:06pm PDT

  As of the time of this post, Washington state has a reported total of 1,012 Coronavirus cases. Gov. Jay Inslee signed an emergency declaration shutting down bars, restricting restaurants to takeout and limiting gatherings to less than 50 people yesterday. Six more fatalities were announced yesterday bringing the death toll to 54 for the state.

As Italy remains on lockdown amid the Coronavirus pandemic, people are coming up with creative ways to stay entertained. Videos have gone viral of Italians convening on their balconies and singing popular hits:

  Oh to be in quarantine from my balcony in Italy singing LORDE pic.twitter.com/GYxZsuuJI8

— ☆nab☆ (@9naby99) March 15, 2020

    Let Us All RISE UP. everywhere around the world!! #irise pic.twitter.com/NJv93kWnWs

— Madonna (@Madonna) March 15, 2020

    You cannot break the human spirit. We are one in this. https://t.co/XOa0rTVNwB

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) March 14, 2020

  Well, "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah tried to recreate that vibe in NYC and he found out quickly it wasn't going to work:

  Nothing can break the human spirit. Except that guy. That kinda hurt. Will try again tomorrow. #AwholeNewSong pic.twitter.com/KNtvadzXDw

— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) March 17, 2020

  "TODAY" show co-anchors Al Roker and Deborah Roberts have self-quarantined themselves after a colleague on the 3rd hour of the show tested positive for Coronavirus. They don't have any symptoms, but they're obeying the advice that has been given to the masses to help from possibly spreading the virus:

  Feeling fine. Don’t worry about us. Thinking about our colleagues and all those who are really suffering. And God Bless the health care providers and #FirstResponders helping https://t.co/dmfXg1Ves1

— Al Roker (@alroker) March 16, 2020

    Out for a quick breath of fresh air with Nick @debrobertsabc and back inside. One our @3rdhourtoday producers tested positive for #covid_19 so we’re #selfisolating for #15days No symptoms. Thoughts and prayers for those suffering, #healthcareprofessionals and #firstresponders pic.twitter.com/rfvVOmsKkG

— Al Roker (@alroker) March 16, 2020

    Our crack #techsupport team at @nbcnews #fieldtransmission has my tech outfitted so I will be broadcasting from the Roker/Roberts #kitchen tomorrow am on @todayshow and @3rdhourtoday pic.twitter.com/rONrLDb4RX

— Al Roker (@alroker) March 16, 2020

  Celebs have offered to host virtual concerts amid coronavirus quarantines/restrictions. Singer John Legend along with artists like artists like Coldplay's Chris Martin, Katharine McPhee, Keith Urban and more are streaming performances to fans live and for free from their own homes.

          View this post on Instagram

                  Social distancing is important, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. I did a little at-home performance to help lift your spirits. @Miguel, @CharliePuth - you want next? Learn more about how you can take action to help slow the spread of coronavirus with our partners at @WHO and @GlblCtzn globalcitizen.org/coronavirus #TogetherAtHome

A post shared by John Legend (@johnlegend) on Mar 17, 2020 at 9:48pm PDT

  "My friend Chris Martin did a lovely little concert from home today," he said. "See you soon. We'll try to get through this together!"

NBA players have been stepping up to help hourly workers who are no longer being paid since the NBA has been suspended. While it's possible the league could return in June, there are still people who will go months without money if it weren't for the b'ball players stepping up.

          View this post on Instagram

                      A post shared by NBA (@nba) on Mar 15, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

  Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert - who was the first NBA player to test positive for the Coronavirus - is donating $500,000 to support both the employee relief fund at Vivint Smart Home Arena and COVID-19 related social services relief in Utah, Oklahoma City and within the French health care system.

          View this post on Instagram

                  Oakland just announced they're closing schools until April because of the COVID-19 crisis. While we support this decision, we're concerned about what this means for childhood hunger in our hometown. More than 18,000 students in Oakland rely on their school for 2+ meals each day and our foundation @eatlearnplay is making a donation to @accfb and @feedingamerica to help ensure no child has to worry about where their next meal is coming from while schools are closed. Please join us by donating to @ACCFB or a food bank near you. Link in bio

A post shared by Wardell Curry (@stephencurry30) on Mar 13, 2020 at 7:52pm PDT

  With schools being out, Golden State Warriors baller Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha Curry are helping to provide one million meals to Oakland students who depend on school breakfast and lunch can't attend school due to coronavirus closures. Also, the Warriors' owners, players and coaches will contribute $1 million to disaster relief fund for Chase Center employees.

          View this post on Instagram

                  The people of New Orleans have been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I was Drafted by the Pels last June, and some of the most special people I have met are those who work at smoothie King Center. These are the folks who make our games possible, creating the perfect environment for our fans and everyone involved in the organization. Unfortunately, many of them are still recovering from long term challenges created by Katrina, and now face the economic impact of the postponement of games because of the virus. My mother has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have, and so today I am pledging to cover the salaries for all of those Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days. This is a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my teammates and hopefully we can all join together to relieve some of the stress and hardship caused by this national health crisis. This is an incredibly resilient city full of some of the most resilient people, but sometimes providing a little extra assistance can make things a little easier for the community.

A post shared by Zion Williamson (@zionwilliamson) on Mar 13, 2020 at 2:24pm PDT

  New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson has pledged to cover the salaries for all of the Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days. Nice!

  It’s bigger than basketball! And during this tough time I want to help the people that make my life, my family’s lives and my teammates lives easier. Me and my family pledge to donate $100,000 to the Fiserv Forum staff. We can get through this together!

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) March 13, 2020

  Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo plans to donate $100,000 dollars to the staff at the Fiserv Forum arena.

          View this post on Instagram

                  Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming. Through the game of basketball, we've been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work. I'm concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I'm committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities. Pandemics are not just a medical phenomenon. They affect individuals and society on so many levels, with stigma and xenophobia being just two aspects of the impact of a pandemic outbreak. It's important to know that those with a mental illness may be vulnerable to the effects of widespread panic and threat. Be kind to one another. Be understanding of their fears, regardless if you don't feel the same. Be safe and make informed decisions during this time. And I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need -- whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family.

A post shared by Kevin Love (@kevinlove) on Mar 12, 2020 at 2:36pm PDT

  Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love is committing to donating $100,000 to the support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season

  back at you. just following suit https://t.co/eQHrdodond

— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) March 13, 2020

  Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin is 100,000 to staff of Little Caesars Arena.

  With gyms across the nation being closed, fitness fanatic Angela Simmons and her trainer offered a free workout session:

          View this post on Instagram

                  No gym ? Stuck inside ? No problem ! FREE workout on Instagram LIVE @ 11:30 am eastern time ‼️‼️ @iamprx !! Quick efficient workout .. lets do it together ... ‼️ #BnB #builtnotbought

A post shared by Angela Simmons (@angelasimmons) on Mar 17, 2020 at 6:43am PDT

  Planet Fitness is offering free at-home workouts on Facebook Live:

  We are bringing the gym to you with our Home Work-Ins FREE for EVERYONE. Join us again on Facebook Live Tuesday at 7pm...

Posted by Planet Fitness on Tuesday, March 17, 2020

  Uber Eats has axed the delivery charges in support of local restaurants:

Meanwhile, many churches are relying on streaming to continue to deliver the word. There's always a few who decide to not take heed and think Jesus simply won't allow anything to happen to them despite them using their free will problematically (looking at you, Pastor Tony Spell of Louisiana). 

  But for the most part, we salute the pastors and church leaders who are continuing services responsibly.

Listen, we got this. Everyone should adhere to the guidelines that have been laid out to help slow down the outbreak so things can get back to normal faster. It's not just about your own personal health, but the health of our loved ones and strangers whose immune systems put them more at risk.  Stay safe everyone!

Photo: Pacific Coast News

  A SERIOUS MATTER: YBF CELEBS PREPARING FOR CORONAVIRUS!

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2020/03/18/we%E2%80%99ll-get-through-this-the-wilsons-trevor-noah-al-roker-nba-players-do-their-part-free-di

[yuckitup-jwd]

Fulldeckisms Part 3

One shot short of a chain. (Shot is a section of anchor chain.)

One shot short of a locker. (Shot is ammunition; a locker iswhere it's stored.)

One shrimp short of a barbie.

One side short of a pentagon.

One signature short of a book.

One slate short of a full roof.

One sleeve/button short of a shirt.

One snowflake short of a ski slope.

One sock short of a pair.

One song short of a musical.

One span short of a bridge.

One spoon short of a full set.

One steering wheel / bolt short of a Yugo.

One step short of the attic.

One stick short of a bundle.

One straw short of a bale.

One strawberry short of a quart.

One strike past being called out.

One sub short of a party platter.

One taco/enchilada/chalupa short of a combination/Mexican plate.

One teabag short of a pot.

One tilde short of a full URL.

One tile missing from his space shuttle.

One tile short of a successful re-entry.

One too many lights out in his Christmas tree.

One too many rides on the Zipper.

One tower short of a castle.

One tree short of a hammock.

One vine short of the tree. (For Tarzan types.)

One volt below threshold.

One weight short of a shipwreck.

One word short of a.

One yard short of the hole.

Only occasionally wets himself under pressure.

Only one oar in the water.

Only opens his mouth to change feet.

Only playing with 51 cards.

Only playing with the jokers.

Operating in stand-by mode.

Organizationally impaired.

Ought to have a warning label on his forehead.

Out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.

Out there where the buses don't run.

Outlet isn't grounded.

Over the rainbow.

Overdue for reincarnation.

Overruns above 110 baud.

Paged/swapped out.

Parallel mind, serial world.

Parallel world, serial mind.

Paralyzed from the neck up.

Parents beat him with an ugly stick.

Parked his head and forgot where he left it.

Pedaling real fast, but not getting anywhere.

People around her are at risk of second hand idiocy.

Perfect chassis, bad driver.

Perfect face for Halloween.

Perfect percussionist for an acapella group (duh, duh, duh...)

Perfect training subject for apprentice hypnotists.

Permanently out to lunch.

Permanently rotated 90 degrees from the rest of us.

Phototrophic on a better day.

Pins 2 and 3 (RS-232) permanently connected to ground.

Playing an endgame with a king and no other pieces.

Playing baseball with a rubber bat.

Playing hockey with a warped puck.

Playing Scrabble, but we can't figure out what words he's building.

Plays pinochle with a poker deck.

Plays solitaire... For cash.

Plays tennis with no net and finds it challenging.

Plenty of myelin but not enough neurons.

Plenty of salt in the shaker, but no holes in the cap.

Posts empty articles to the Net, and enjoys rereading them later.

Prefers three left turns to one right turn.

Pressure's up, but there's a slow leak somewhere.

Pretty as 20 miles of bad road.

Produces a zero-length core dump.

Programmed into an infinite loop.

Proud of his lawn mower.

Psycho pneumatic. (Crazy air head.)

Put a lens in each ear and you've got a telescope.

Put on Earth to be an oxygen converter.

Puts a finger in his ear so the draft through his head isn't annoying.

Putting his brain on the edge of a razor blade would be likeputting a pea on a six lane highway.

Qualifies for the mental express line -- five thoughts orless. -- MacNelly

Quotes entire letters/articles as responses and hides her oneline of wisdom in the middle.

Racing fifty yards with a pregnant woman, he'd come in third.

Radio's playing but nobody's listening.

Reading from an empty/blank/unformatted disk.

Reads her newspaper back-to-front.

Reads Homer in the original Greek, but doesn't know Greek.

Ready to check in at the HaHa Hilton.

Ready to join the Anti-Mensa Society.

Receiver is off the hook.

Relatively three-dimensional, as fictional characters go.

Renewable energy source for hot air balloons.

Reposts this list when someone asks for it, but it's an old copy.

Requires retraining after every coffee break.

Reset line is glitching.

Result of a first cousin marriage.

Result of God's experiments to see if humans can functionwithout a brain.

Room for rent, unfurnished.

Roving target for a surface-to-idiot missile.

RS232C brain with a DIN connector.

Running at 300 baud.

Running lights are on but no one's at the helm.

Running on a 286.

Running open. (Old mechanical teletype term.)

Running U.S. appliances on British current.

Runs squares around the competition.

Rusty springs in the mousetrap.

S p a c e d o u t .

Sailboat fuel for brains.

Sailing with a short seabag / a few skivvies short of a seabag.(Contains all of a sailor's possessions including underwear.)

Sat under the ozone hole too long.

Says profound things but no one listens and no harm is done.

Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.

Sending back packets, but the checksums are wrong.

Serving donuts on another planet.

Settled some during shipping and handling.

Seven cans short of a six-pack.

Seven seconds behind, and built to stay that way.

Several nuts over fruitcake minimum.

Sharp, like stone in river. Swift, like tree through forest.

She believes the three great lies.

She can piss standing up, but not much else.

She doesn't suffer from insanity; she enjoys every minute of it.

She fears success, but really has nothing to worry about. -- Thaves

She has reached rock bottom, and has started to dig.

She looks virtually real today.

She only packed half a sandwich.

She only schedules zombie processes.

She put the ding in dingbat.

She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B. -- Dorothy Parker

She sets low personal standards and then consistently fails them.

She sounds reasonable... Must be time to up my medication.

She stopped to think and forgot to start again.

She wears a pony tail to cover up the valve stem.

She worries about the calories licking stamps and envelopes.

She'll be just fine as soon as virtual reality arrives.

She's a screensaver. (Looks good, but useless.)

She's all thumbs.

She's as daft as a brush. (British)

She's running real fast, but toward the wrong goal line.

Shedding a little too much black light.

Short a few cards.

Short-circuited between the earphones.

Should be the poster child for family planning.

Should go far -- and the sooner he starts, the better.

Should have kept his helmet on while riding/playing.

Shouldn't be allowed to breed.

Shouldn't eat nuts -- for her, it's practically cannibalism.

Single-sided, low density.

Sings along with elevator music.

Sinking with a deck full of people; her brain cells can'tfind the lifeboats.

Sitting in the right pew, but the wrong church.

Six-packed seven times. (Volleyball slang: "Six-pack" is tospike someone in the head with a volleyball.)

Skating on the wrong side of the ice.

Skylight leaks a little.

Slept too close to his radium-dial watch.

Slinky's kinked.

Sloppy as a soup sandwich.

Slow as molasses in January.

Slow out of the gate.

Slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.

Smarter than the average bear.

Smoke doesn't make it to the top of his chimney.

So boring, his dreams have Muzak.

So clueless, he could BE God and still be an atheist.

So dim, his psychic carries a flashlight.

So dumb, blondes tell jokes about him.

So dumb, he faxes face up.

So dumb, he puts postage stamps on outgoing faxes.

So dumb, his dog teaches him tricks.

So far gone, hard drugs push him closer to normal.

So fat, people jump over him rather than go around.

So slow, he has to speed up to stop.

So slow, we drive stakes in the ground to measure his progress.

So stupid, he tries to drown fish.

So stupid, mind readers charge her half price.

So stupid, she doesn't go further than Thursday.

So thick, he sticks to pasta.

So ugly, robbers give him their masks to wear.

Sold his car for gas money.

Solid concrete from the eyebrows backwards.

Some Assembly Required.

Some bugs in his software.

Some drink from the fountain of knowledge, but he just gargled.

Some of her inodes have nodded off.

Some pages missing.

Somebody lend her a quarter to buy a clue.

Somebody put a stop payment order on his reality check.

Someday when she's younger, she'll ________.

Someone blew out his pilot light.

Someone else is doing the driving for that boy.

Someone forgot to plant the seed for his brain stem.

Someone let the air out of her lock.

Someone Reverend Spooner would have identified as a shining wit.

Sort of like an inverse Einstein.

Source code is missing a few lines.

Speaks math/FORTRAN better than English.

Spent a decade on the leading edge of drug experimentation.

Stares at frozen juice cans because they say, "concentrate".

Still boots to DOS.

Still sending messages with his secret decoder ring.

Still struggling up the evolutionary ladder.

Still traumatized from the forest fire in "Bambi".

Still trying to figure out opposable thumbs.

Stocksy-babes. (A truly vile British-slang insult.)

Strolling through life with one shoelace untied.

Strong, like bull. Smart, like tractor. Beautiful, like KV-2.(A WWII era Russian tank.)

Stuck on the down escalator of life.

Studied for a blood test -- and failed.

Stumped by anything child-proof.

Subtle as a well-thrown brick.

Subtle as a wet tongue in the ear / kiss from a cow.

Suffers from Clue Deficit Disorder.

Suffers from excessive headspace.

Suffers from link rot. (The process by which hypertext linksbecome obsolete as their sites change or die.)

Suffers from Paralysis by Analysis.

Suffers from permanent rapture of the deep. (Nitrogen narcosis.)

Supports nativist theories that man is formed from clay.

Surfing in Nebraska.

Surfing the Web with a hard-copy terminal. (Does anyoneremember those?)

Suspend switch is jumpered.

Swimming on a cold shot. (Inadequate ejection force for a torpedo.)

Switch is on, but no one's receiving.

Takes her 1.5 hours to watch "60 Minutes".

Takes her an hour to cook minute rice.

Takes his imagination out for a walk and ends up being draggedaround the block by it.

Talking with her is a career-limiting move.

Talking with him is a waste of good bandwidth.

Talks to plants on their own level.

Tall as a post and just as smart.

Team player... No chance he'll develop a personality on his own.

Technically sound, but socially impossible.

Teflon brain -- nothing sticks. -- Lilly Tomlin

Ten to the dozen.

The aliens forget to remove his anal probe.

The bark on her family tree actually involves canines.

The best part of him ran down his mother's legs. -- Jackie Gleason

The butter slipped off his noodle.

The cheese slid off his cracker.

The definitive answer is: Her glass is half empty.

The fan is working but the freon's leaked out.

The fire is going well, but the flue is closed.

The going got weird, and he turned pro.

The heater's plugged in but the rheostat's shot.

The march of his intellect is like that of a crab, backward.-- Peacock

The most rock-hard argument can crash through his airy head andcause only the slightest disturbance in the air currentsthat surround the void that comprises his knowledge.

The only place she's ever invited is outside.

The perfect personality to write software manuals.

The recesses of his mind are always in recess.

The result of years of careful inbreeding.

The sharpest thing he's allowed to play with is a red rubber ball.

The space between his ears powers vacuum pumps.

The spit valve's fallen off his trumpet again.

The twinkle in his eyes is actually the sun shining between his ears.

The two put together have an IQ over 150.

The wheel's spinning but the hamster's dead.

The world's foremost collector of ignorance.

Their family tree is a tumbleweed.

There are great people in the world, but she's not one of them.

There she sits, Finite State Automation at its best.

There's no ice cubes in THAT tray. -- Second City comedy troupe

There's nothing wrong with you that couldn't be cured witha little Prozac and a polo mallet. -- Woody Allen

They had to burn down the school to get her out of third grade.

They must have done a clean boot on him.

They never shut up on his planet.

Thick as a brick / whale omelette.

Thick as pig dung and twice as smelly.

Thinks "Private Enterprise" means owning a personal starship.

Thinks a permutation is a medical procedure.

Thinks at 5 baud.

Thinks cellular phones are carbon-based life forms.

Thinks Cheerios are doughnut seeds.

Thinks E=MC^2 is a rap star.

Thinks everyone else is entitled to his opinion, like it or not.

thinks in lower case & types accordingly

Thinks like a boar hog looks at a wristwatch.

Thinks male zebras are the ones with the black stripes.

Thinks Moby Dick is a kind of venereal disease.

Thinks Taco Bell is where you pay for your phone calls to Mexico.

Thirteen short of a dozen.

Three sigma off the norm.

Three-bag/coyote ugly. (Ask your mommy to explain.)

Throws his rod and reel off the bridge when casting.(I resemble that remark. -- editor)

Tight / waterproof as a fish's sphincter.

Tight as a bull's arse in fly season.

To make him laugh on Saturday, tell him a joke on Wednesday.

Tone arm is down but no music is playing.

Too dumb to be bothered when publicly displaying her ignorance.

Too dumb to know when you're getting smart / playing dumb with him.

Too many bad drugs, not enough good drugs.

Too many birds on her antenna.

Too many jokers and not enough aces in his deck.

Too many stop bits in his transmissions.

Too much yardage between the goal posts.

Too pointless to even be called a pinhead.

Top paddock is full of rocks.

Toys in the attic.

Train of thought derailed / still boarding at thestation / has no caboose.

Traveling faster than light, but left his sneakers behind.

Traveling without a passport/towel.

Tried welding two 2x4s together and burned down his house.

Tries to forward this list to some friends, but instead shipssix copies of it to the editor (groan).

Trips over cordless phones.

Truck can't haul a full load.

Truly believes "neural network" is a new Ted Turner enterprise.

Trying out for the javelin retrieval team.

Tuning in shortwave with a TV antenna.

Two bits short of a word/dollar.

Two degrees off square.

Two inches taller than spherical.

Types 120 words a minute but her keyboard isn't plugged in.

Uglier than a hat full of assholes. (Whatever that means.)

Ugly as a warthog and half as smart.

Unclear which of Newton's three laws of motion keeps his ears apart.

Understands English as well as any parrot.

Used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Useful as dinosaur repellent.

Useful as passing gas in a spacesuit.

Useful as piss on a forest fire.

Useful as tits on a bullfrog / bull / boar-hog.

Uses all three functional neurons for his best work.

Uses AOL.

Uses his head best for rolling Easter eggs.

Uses his head to keep the rain out of his neck.

Uses thumbtacks to post notes -- on his refrigerator.

Uses two hands to eat with chopsticks.

Using a 1S-2D floppy for brains in a world of hard disks.

Vacancy on the top floor.

Vacuuming linoleum using a deep-pile setting. (Not pickingup anything.)

Vaginally challenged, and preoccupied with the problem.

Validates my inherent mistrust of strangers.

Vegitatum davenportae. (Couch potato.)

Vertically-fornicated mind.

Views mold as a higher life form.

Vowel-buyer. (As on the TV show Wheel of Fortune, when thesolution is already obvious.)

Waiting on a toaster that's not plugged in.

Warning: Objects in her mirror are dumber than they appear.

Warranty expired.

Was assimilated by the Borg.

Was born an acrobat but landed on his head.

Was born when the planets were misaligned.

Was first in line for brains, but ended up holding the door open.

Was left on the Tilt-A-Whirl a bit too long as a baby.

Was napping in the nut pile the day God was cracking nuts.

Wasn't abused as a child, but should have been.

Wasn't fully debugged before being released.

Wasn't strapped in during launch.

Watches "Beavis and Butthead" to learn vocabulary.

Watching programs not listed in TV Guide.

We're all missing cards from our decks -- and different cards, too.

We're all refreshed and challenged by her unique point of view.

Went in for repairs but wasn't tightened with a torque wrench.

Went to the dentist to have his cranial cavity filled.

Whatever kind of look she was going for, she missed.

When a thought crosses her mind, it's a long and lonely journey.

When God said, "Come forth for brains," he came fifth.

When he collects his thoughts, they fit in a verysmall container. -- Bob Thaves

When he was compiled they forgot to #include<smarts.h>/<iq.h>/<charm.h>.

When her window of opportunity opened, she had the shade drawn.

When opportunity knocked, she refused to open the door.

When she dances, she makes the band skip.

When she hauls ass, she has to make two trips.

When she puts on her lipstick, it keeps backing down the tube.-- Kevin Wilson

When she was born the doctor tried to kill her / slapped her mother.

When they handed out brains he got the short end of the stick / wasat the end of the line.

When they said "drain", he thought they said "brain".

Where it says, "Sign here", she writes, "Pisces".

While he was not dumber than an ox, he wasn't any smarter. -- Thurber

Whole lotta choppin', but no chips a flyin'.

Will never get a ticket for speeding.

Wise as the world is flat.

With one more neuron he'd have a synapse.

Won't eat eggs because he believes the "This is your brain" ads.

Works well when under constant supervision and corneredlike a rat in a trap.

Would make an excellent illustration in a proctology textbook.

Would need help to drool.

Would starve to death in a grocery store.

Wouldn't know a tram was up him if the conductor rang hisbell. (Australian)

Wouldn't know ore if it jumped out of the stope and bithim on the ass. (Said of mineral prospectors.)

Wouldn't make any sense if she ever made sense.

Wouldn't recognize a clue if he saw one / you showed himone (labelled "clue").

Wouldn't shout if a shark bit him. (Australianism meaning hewon't buy a round of drinks (shout) in turn.)

You can hardly tell that he's a simulation.

Zero K memory.

[onthemasspike]

Character Development

1.      What’s their full name? Why was that chosen? Does it mean anything? Mirabella Raquel Mendes. Her mother declared “ella mira bella” when she was born and her father wrote it as her name, whether he misunderstood his wife or he liked the way it sounded, she isn’t quite sure. It means “looks beautiful,” and her beauty was always the girl’s saving grace.

2. Do they have any titles? How did they get them? Mirabella’s always been The Babydoll, seen as someone so innocent and demure due to her petite form, her occupation of owning a bakery and the side of her which is adorable, sweet and cheerful. This is the side of herself she tries to hide behind most because she doesn’t want to acknowledge what she’s really come.

3. Did they have a good childhood? What are fond memories they have of it? What’s a bad memory?  A product of an arranged marriage, Mirabella was conceived because it was an expectation that they have a child, not because either parent really wanted her. Rather, she was blamed for ruining whatever dreams for the future they’d had. The girl was treated as a pariah, told that she would never be more than someone’s wife, if any man was stupid enough to marry her. Her parents didn’t believe in her and belittled her into compliance. The only rewarding factor of her childhood was her Abuela, who lived with them. Her Abuela tried to shelter the girl by teaching her all about baking and cooking. Though it was to try to protect her from the cruelty of her parents, it sparked an interest within the young girl.

4. What is their relationship with their parents? What’s a good and bad memory with them? Did they know both parents?  Mirabella didn’t want to be stuck in Mendoza, particularly because she didn’t fit in with the other kids. Her parents really made it impossible for her to have friendships. She was homeschooled by her Abuela, seemingly kept from the village society. The way her parents seemed to hate her only made her determined to find a way out. It was because of her parents telling her she’d never amounted to anything that she defied them by making Youtube videos. Other than learning to cook or bake with her grandmother, it was her only creative outlet. She was surprised when a producer in Buenos Aires emailed her with an invitation to audition. The girl begged her Abuela to come with her, though her parents were vehemently against it. Or so it seemed until she landed a part on Chiquititas, a kids telenovela where the performers got to act and sing. Once she had the part, once the papers started writing about her, her parents decided to cash in on their only daughter’s fame. Truthfully, Mirabella wasn’t sure how she felt about it because as happy as she was that they finally showed an interest in her, she knew that it was extremely superficial. It is because of that and her parent’s interference with her relationship and pressure to marry Javier that she has ultimately decided to cut ties with them.

5. Do they have any siblings? What’s their names? What is their relationship with them? Has their relationship changed since they were kids to adults? Nope.

6. What were they like at school? Did they enjoy it? Did they finish? What level of higher education did they reach? What subjects did they enjoy? Which did they hate? She was homeschooled by her Abuela but she loved History, English and anything that involved her creativity. She was fascinated by the world outside of their little home in Mendoza and began to dream of what else was out there. Still, she absolutely hated Math and Science and any subjects that had very specific formats of how to learn. When she left home to join the cast of Chiquititas, her education continued through on-set tutors. Ultimately, Mirabella was a good student, she read voraciously and she enjoyed it but she knew she wouldn’t continue to further education when her career was already starting to gain traction.

7. Did they have lots of friends as a child? Did they keep any of their childhood friends into adulthood?  With the way her parents sheltered her, Mirabella saw her Abuela as her only friend. She had imaginary friends as a child but no one who really mattered. Even when she went out to play with other kids, she suffered a bit because she didn’t (necessarily) have adequate social skills. Those were developed as she began acting, but she learned also that the people she thought were her friends were only interested in her superficially just as her parents had been.

8. Did they have pets as a child? Do they have pets as an adult? Do they like animals?  Mirabella has always adored animals. She knew as soon as she saw Snow White that she wanted to get dressed by birds in the morning and have connections with animals. Even once she learned that wasn’t possible, she hoped to have a pet. Her parents were against it so she wasn’t allowed to have one. Once she moved to Argentina, she was far too busy to take care of a pet. It was her decision when she moved to Boston after she’d declared this was going to be where she would stay, at least, for a while, that she was prepared to have a pet. When she went to the local shelter, the teeniest Corgi puppy connected with her immediately. When she’d taken him home, he’d wrapped himself under the blankets like one would wrap a burrito, thus earning his title.

9. Do animals like them? Do they get on well with animals?  Truthfully, if she could, she’d probably have ten dogs and all sorts of other animals. Mirabella acquired a friend’s dog, Cheeto, when Georgia left Boston. The Pomsky and her Corgi had become good friends, to her delight. They’d also managed to become friends with her friends’ dogs – Nilla, Indie’s Golden Retriever puppy as well as Taco and Bell, Devin’s Pugs. 

10. Do they like children? Do children like them? Do they have or want any children? What would they be like as a parent? Or as a godparent/babysitter/etc? Even though she’d had a difficult childhood, it actually made her want to be a mother more than anything. She knew she would raise a child and shield them from a lot of the pain she’d experienced. Maybe it was that quality that made Mirabella absolutely adore both children and animals. She was a natural caretaker and it had won her the title of Godmother to her best friend, Sienna’s son, Kellan. Children and parents alike tended to like her, partly because they liked the sweets she made. Unfortunately, one afternoon of babysitting went awry when Indie’s daughter, Kiera, disregarded Mirabella’s instructions to tell her if the little girl was hungry, and caused the two-year-old to almost overdose on drugged cupcakes. She’d only taken her eye off of the girl for two or three minutes before she’d discovered her on the floor. It had shaken Mira terribly and colossally hurt her friendship with Indie. Though such a terrible experience happened, she adores Kiera and hopes that she’ll be able to win back Indie’s trust again. 

11. Do they have any special diet requirements? Are they a vegetarian? Vegan? Have any allergies? Mirabella has always been very anxious when it came to eating. Her mother critiqued anything she ate and the girl’s figure. Her handlers and the paparazzi only added to her nerves, which led to a bout with both anorexia and bulimia. After struggles with her figure, she turned to taking pills as a way to soothe her. The Adderall made her focus and that focus relieved her of hunger. Though she struggles with her own appetite, food is the center of her world. She sees it as a way to show her love to others, which is a good part of the reason she opened a bakery and café. 

12. What is their favourite food?  Though she only eats sparatically, Mirabella’s palate is mostly for International and Ethnic foods. She loves exploring other cuisines and recently tried Burmese food. Her favorite is probably Thai food but she’s extremely open. With her flair for sweet, her favorite foods tend to be desserts like gelato, alfajores or mochi but she also has a weakness for arepas, chicken tenders and anything with Thai peanut sauce.

13. What is their least favourite food? Her mother wasn’t a very good cook so anything that reminds her of that!

14. Do they have any specific memories of food/a restaurant/meal? Anytime she can cook for those she loves. 15. Are they good at cooking? Do they enjoy it? What do others think of their cooking? Mirabella is both an excellent cook and baker. Not only does she do it for a living, she loves to invite friends over for dinner. She can constantly be seen bringing dishes to friends, whether her Abuela’s chicken soup when they are sick or a box of cupcakes just because. Her food has received great reviews from her friends, Yelp and local media.

16. Do they collect anything? What do they do with it? Where do they keep it?  She collects recipes. One of the only things she kept from Argentina was her grandmother’s book of recipes that was the basis of her bakery and café. Other than that, Mirabella collects records and books. Her living room features a large bookshelf filled with both.

17. Do they like to take photos? What do they like to take photos of? Selfies? What do they do with their photos? Truthfully, most of her photos are of the bakery or of treats she’s created but she’s used to being in front of the camera. 

18. What’s their favourite genre of: books, music, tv shows, films, video games and anything else? Growing up on Shakira and Selena, Mirabella adores strong women in all aspects. Her tastes have expanded to Pop, Rock, Hip Hop and much more. Her own music tends to be much closer to the Indie Pop soundtrack that plays in her bakery. She is a voracious reader, often reading about how to run a business and about food itself. She also really enjoys Non-Fiction. Her favorite authors of the Latin variety include Sergio Chejfec, Isabel Allende and Gabriel García Márquez. She loves the movie, Closer, and the Jennifer Lopez biopic of Selena (though she’ll argue with you that J Lo was the wrong choice based on many reasons including the fact that she is Puerto Rican, not Mexican), and many others foreign and not. Her guilty pleasure it television though, maybe because she’d been on the other side. She loves reality tv, particularly romance or game shows like The Voice, The Bachelor and anything that specifies talent or drama. She also loves Bob’s Burgers, Jane The Virgin (because she knows far too much about telenovelas), a handful of telenovelas and a few other shows that she has to DVR because she works so much!

19. What’s their least favourite genres? Good question! 20. Do they like musicals? Music in general? What do they do when they’re favourite song comes? Music is extremely important to Mirabella. She’d always sang to herself but it was an audition of singing “Dreaming of You” by Selena that won her an audition. It led to her own music career though the songs were selected for her and she wasn’t allowed to write a singer one. Though she disliked the songs and the direction of her career, she loved the audience, she loved that she was able to connect with people. She continues to write her own music in hopes that she’ll find a way to perform, whether at the bakery or at a local Boston venue. Mirabella is also a skilled dancer, in part from watching a lot of music videos, but also from intense training that helped her career. She is the first one to start dancing and the last one to go home when she goes out.

21. Do they have a temper? Are they patient? What are they like when they do lose their temper? Though she tries to remain calm, hiding behind a persona of positivity, Mirabella has a fuse. There are a few things that ultimately trigger her and when they do, she absolutely lashes out. The Argentine, though small, gets extremely loud and argumentative when she loses her temper. She doesn’t back down, intent on proving that she’s in the right. Because she knows how hard it is for her to calm down when she does get angry, she relies on her persona and the pills to keep her at ease.

22. What are their favourite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they prefer to bitch behind someone’s back? She tries very hard to remain calm and use any negativity into her creative outlets, she isn’t always above it. She knows just how to hit people where it hurts and prey on some of their insecurities. Mostly, though, she complains and gossips about people with her best friends.

23. Do they have a good memory? Short term or long term? Are they good with names? Or faces? She’s typically good with faces and names but sometimes forgets simple things, maybe based off of a history of drug use or maybe because she didn’t care enough to learn it in the first place. She tries to remember everything that the people she loves have told her, at the very least. As far as her personal history, she’d blocked out a good portion of it so she refuses to remember.

24. What is their sleeping pattern like? Do they snore? What do they like to sleep on? A soft or hard mattress? She is a terrible sleeper, based on the fact that for years, she was basically working so much that she never had much time to decompress. That strong work ethic plus insomnia are a toxic match that leave Mirabella sleeping a maximum of five hours a night, typically though, it was more like three. She doesn’t snore when she does sleep but she’s always pushed to the edge of the queen sized bed by both of her dogs.

25. What do they find funny? Do they have a good sense of humour? Are they funny themselves? She wouldn’t call herself funny but she does typically have a good sense of humor. She tries to be the first to laugh at herself and tends to respond to animal gifs that make her laugh out loud.

26. How do they act when they’re happy? Do they sing? Dance? Hum? Or do they hide their emotions?  She hides her negative emotions as best as she can but her positive emotions seem to burst through her. She’s bright and sunny, dancing, singing, bouncing around eagerly. Mirabella seems to be the definition of sunshine, bright, and warm but when she’s sad, she’s a thunderstorm.

27. What makes them sad? Do they cry regularly? Do they cry openly or hide it? What are they like they are sad? So much of her life has made it hard to be happy. She has a lot of stress regarding her family, Javier and a lot of secrets she doesn’t want to spill. Mirabella is a very tragic person who is trying her hardest to overcome a lot of setbacks including extortion, abuse and trauma. The pills make it easier to hide, if she can focus on work, if she can play the role, she won’t have to delve into the true sadness. Though, when she’s alone and the pills wear off, Mirabella understands the trouble within herself.

28. What is their biggest fear? What in general scares them? How do they act when they’re scared? Mostly her fears are that her former life will come back to haunt her. She left Argentina for more than a handful of reasons – that her arrangement of a marriage turned out to be with a psychopath who apparently knew they were meant to be together when he saw her on his father’s vineyard at ten years old, that her agent extorted her after learning about her drug use, forcing her to sleep with him and sell drugs for him, offering him a cut of the profits, that even more of her mistakes will come to life. After Javier sabotaged her Valentine’s Day party, she becomes even more afraid that he knows how to find her, that if she doesn’t someday give in, he’ll really harm someone, or even kill her so no one else can have her. She’s scared that Trent Foster is after all of his former neighbors. Her biggest fear, however, is herself. She thinks she’s a ticking time bomb and she needs to get herself in check. Part of how she wants to do that is to learn to defend herself – maybe Devin will be able to help with that.

29. What do they do when they find out someone else’s fear? Do they tease them? Or get very over protective?  She is an extremely protective person, often times it comes out because she can’t imagine anyone hurting the way that she does constantly. Even those who can readily take care of themselves, Mirabella worries about. Her strongest fears are towards Ginny, often times because the girl lives within her secrets. She wonders what her best friend is hiding and why she won’t tell. Now that a secret about Ginny has been revealed, Mirabella is even more concerned about the girl than ever.

30. Do they exercise? Regularly? Or only when forced? What do they act like pre-work out and post-work out? Mirabella exercises a lot because of her inability to sleep and because she’s so cautious about her weight. She enjoys dance classes, yoga and exploring other types of exercise such as spinning, hot barre, kickboxing and aerial fitness. She likes to try to exercise with Ginny especially because she finds a natural competitiveness when they are exercising.* (* If Gin approves of this detail.)

31. Do they drink? What are they like drunk? What are they like hungover? How do they act when other people are drunk or hungover? Kind or teasing? As fond of sweets as she is, it isn’t shocking to learn that her favorite cocktails are Midori Sours, Amaretto Sours or Pina Coladas. Still, she’s absolutely fine with a beer or a Jack and Coke. But she’d be lying if she wasn’t fond of Malbec wine, made in her hometown of Mendoza, Argentina. After years of partying, she doesn’t get drunk so quickly but because she is a very petite woman, she can’t handle drinking many cocktails in one night. Depending on what she drinks, she gets flirty, angry or sleepy. She’s a bit whiny when she’s hung over but is often sated with coffee and Tylenol.

32. What do they dress like? What sorta shops do they buy clothes from? Do they wear the fashion that they like? What do they wear to sleep? Do they wear makeup? What’s their hair like? She’s very dedicated to fashion, particularly supporting Sienna’s boutique. Mirabella doesn’t exclusively wear Blackwood Designs but she wears it enough to be a walking billboard. She sees her fashion as both edgy and feminine. She loves pink and dresses but she also likes dressing down. Mirabella spent a lot of time being unable to choose what she wanted to wear so now she wears whatever she wants. To bed, she typically wears a t-shirt and yoga pants… unless she were going to bed with someone, then she’d pull out the lingerie. She has long brunette hair and typically wears it straight but she also seen wearing it up, curled or in braids. She loves makeup, particularly bright lipsticks.

33. What underwear do they wear? Boxers or briefs? Lacey? Comfy granny panties? Though no one is seeing it, Mirabella tends to wear lingerie sets that make her feel sexy. It is important to her to feel like a woman.

34. What is their body type? How tall are they? Do they like their body? Though she is only 5’0” and just over 100 pounds, Mirabella has a curvier form. She was always anxious about the curves of her body but is slowly learning to appreciate them.

35. What’s their guilty pleasure? What is their totally unguilty pleasure?  She doesn’t feel guilty about reading romance novels, watching bad tv or gossiping. 

36. What are they good at? What hobbies do they like? Can they sing? She’s a great baker/cooker, she’s also quite talented at singing and acting. Mirabella has taught herself how to play both piano and guitar.

37. Do they like to read? Are they a fast or slow reader? Do they like poetry? Fictional or non fiction? She loves reading and is a fast reader. She likes poetry but she prefers non fiction.

38. What do they admire in others? What talents do they wish they had? She admires others who are able to present, who are fully honest and can be their full selves. She loves that her friends are all sure of who they are. She is amazed by the strong women she’s surrounded by and envies that quality. She adores the type of mother Sienna is and the creativity of her fashion designs. Both Sienna and Indie are incredible business owners and mothers, which are qualities she hopes to accomplish one day. Ginny is an amazing writer and, as someone who is more used to reciting words than writing them, she wishes she was capable of writing like that.

39. Do they like letters? Or prefer emails/messaging?  She wishes more people wrote letters. She loves to write little notes with food she brings her friends but she tends to use social media more than anything. 

40. Do they like energy drinks? Coffee? Sugary food? Or can they naturally stay awake and alert? It is the Adderall that is often keeping her awake and focused more than anything but she relies on coffee, lattes and a whole lot of matcha.

41. What’s their sexuality? What do they find attractive? Physically and mentally? What do they like/need in a relationship? She is mostly straight. She’s been with both guys and girls in her determined rebellion but has always been more drawn to men. It doesn’t mean she’s opposed to being with a girl again though. Mirabella is attractive to dominance, to someone who can handle her, who knows how to be protective but also allow her to flourish. She tends to be attracted to bad boys, musicians, bartenders and anyone she knows her parents wouldn’t like. Perhaps she purposely picks people that aren’t like the man they wanted her to be with. She craves someone who challenges her mentally, who she can open her true self to and who can inspire her to be better. Physically, she tends to fall for the tall men who tower over her, often with dark hair but she’s extremely open.

42. What are their goals? What would they sacrifice anything for? What is their secret ambition? She isn’t totally sure what she wants out of life. Ultimately, she wants to be successful in her personal and professional lives. She focuses so much on her business that she hasn’t really given herself time to have a personal life. Secretly though, she truly wants to have a family of her own.

43. Are they religious? What do they think of religion? What do they think of religious people? What do they think of non religious people? She hasn’t any relationship to religion. She was raised in a Jewish household and acknowledges traditions or customs her Abuela taught her but she doesn’t keep kosher or anything.

44. What is their favourite season? Type of weather? Are they good in the cold or the heat? What weather do they complain in the most?  Considering she grew up in a warmer climate, it is no secret that Mirabella adores warmer weather. She loves the Summer and adores everything about it. She also really enjoys the Fall when the leaves begin to change. She likes the way flowers blossom and how everything feels new in the Spring. Her least favorite season is the Winter. She’s always cold, always has to layer up and she has to keep her electric blanket on. Still, Winter is really good when you own a bakery as far as Hot Chocolate, Eggnog and other things to warm up!

45. How do other people see them? Is it similar to how they see themselves?  Mirabella tries to control the way that people see her. As an actress, she learned how to present herself. It allowed her to turn off everything she is in order to present the best representation of herself. She shows herself to be gregarious, courteous and eager, all qualities that are aspects of who she is but not who she is entirely. She battles herself constantly. She sees herself as her worst enemy.

46. Do they make a good first impression? Does their first impression reflect them accurately? How do they introduce themselves? She knows exactly how to make a great impression. She introduces herself with a smile and maintains a jovial presence.

47. How do they act in a formal occasion? What do they think of black tie wear? Do they enjoy fancy parties and love to chit chat or loathe the whole event? She knows how to act in social engagements, relying on a past of red carpet events, award shows and other ways to present herself. She loves dressing up, she loves the whole experience of going out.

48. Do they enjoy any parties? If so what kind? Do they organize the party or just turn up? How do they act? What if they didn’t want to go but were dragged along by a friend?  She loves parties, loves social engagements. It is easy for her to forget about all of her demons when she’s around others and enjoying an experience. She loves planning events, particularly whenever she can cater them.

49. What is their most valued object? Are they sentimental? Is there something they have to take everywhere with them? Her most valuable object is her Abuela’s recipe book. It is one of the only things she lets remind her of where she came from. She is a very sentimental person. She even framed the first dollar she earned at the bakery. 

50. If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack? What do they consider their essentials? Firstly, it would depend where she was going – is it business or leisure? Is she going willingly or would she be forced? For her, it would probably be a journal and a few pens, some clothes and a few too many pairs of shoes. She’d probably pack some toiletries and makeup but those would be added after. 

QUOTE 

“Why is it we always choose to see the worst in ourselves? In the end, we’re always the villains of our own stories.”

BASIC

NAME:  Mirabella Raquel Mendes NICKNAMES: Mira, Bella, Wife (Ginny), Tink (Devin), VG (Devin) AGE: 21 BIRTHDAY: December 14th SPECIES: Human GENDER:  Female PRONOUNS: She/Her

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

FACE CLAIM: Cierra Ramirez RACE/ETHNICITY: Latina NATIONALITY: Argentine HEIGHT: 5’0” WEIGHT: 105 pounds BUILD: Lithe but curvy HAIR: Dark brown, naturally a bit wavy but worn straight FACIAL HAIR: God no. HAIR COLOR: Dark brown EYE COLOR: Dark brown but can look golden when she’s happy. SKIN COLOR: Tan DOMINANT HAND: Right  ANOMALIES:  SCENT: Depends on the day, but something reminiscent of summer – warm, fruity and alluring. ACCENT: Though she’s lived in the States for years, her accent is still quite strong. It is often saccharine and sweet, though she sometimes mispronounces words or uses the wrong version of the word. PHYSICAL DISABILITIES: N/A LEARNING DISABILITIES: N/A but probably something. ALLERGIES: None that she knows of. DISORDERS: Body dysmorphia/anxiety/trauma FASHION: She loves fashion – edgy and feminine, both dressing up and dressing down. NERVOUS TICS: Playing with her hair, chewing her lower lip. QUIRKS: 

LIFESTYLE

HOME ADDRESS:  RESIDES: Boston, MA BORN: Mendoza, Argentina RAISED: Mendoza, Argentina VEHICLE:  PHONE: Iphone LAPTOP/COMPUTER: Macbook PETS:  Doggies - Cheeto and Burrito

EDUCATION: Homeschooled and tutored on set CAREER: Owner of Tricks and Sweets Bakery-Cafe EXPERIENCE: Years of acting and singing, learning from her Abuela EMPLOYER: Self-employed YEARLY SALARY: $47,000 (on average)

POLITICAL AFFILIATION:  RELIGION: Jewish BELIEFS:  MISDEMEANORS:  FELONIES:  TICKETS AND/OR VIOLATIONS:  DRUGS: Adderall and Uppers mostly. SMOKES:  Every once in a while. ALCOHOL: Socially. DIET: What diet?

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Single. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Mostly straight. MARTIAL STATUS: Single. CHILDREN: One day. AVAILABILITY: When she isn’t working. LOOKING FOR: Someone who can handle her.

LANGUAGES: English, Spanish, some Italian.

PHOBIAS:  HOBBIES: Baking, cooking, reading, writing songs. TRAITS:  SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook (at least, for the bakery)

FAVOURITE

LOCATION:  SPORTS TEAM: She’ll say the Boston Red Sox but she only really cares about Futbol. GAME: She secretly wants to learn how to be a good bowler and is extremely competitive MUSIC: All over the place SHOWS: Jane The Virgin, telenovelas, Bob’s Burgers, game shows, dating shows, reality tv, and a few others. MOVIES: Pocahontas, honestly, but she probably won’t admit that to you. RADIO STATION: 88.1FM, Emerson College’s radio station FOOD: Chicken Tenders or Arepas or Churros with Dulce de Leche or a million other things. BEVERAGE: Thai Iced Tea Bubble Tea or Root Beer Floats COLOR: Yellow

CHARACTER

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Good

MBTI: (ENFJ-T)

MBTI ROLE: The Protagonist (https://www.16personalities.com/enfj-strengths-and-weaknesses)

ENNEAGRAM: Type 2

ENNEAGRAM ROLE:  The Helper

TEMPERAMENT:

Your temperament is melancholic. The melancholic temperament is fundamentally introverted and thoughtful. Melancholic people often were perceived as very (or overly) pondering and considerate, getting rather worried when they could not be on time for events. Melancholics can be highly creative in activities such as poetry and art - and can become preoccupied with the tragedy and cruelty in the world. Often they are perfectionists. They are self-reliant and independent; one negative part of being a melancholic is that they can get so involved in what they are doing they forget to think of others.

WESTERN ZODIAC:

Date of Birth: November 23 - December 21

Strength: insightful, superior, rational, brave, beautiful, lively, lovely, optimistic

Weakness: forgetful, careless, rash

Symbol: Archer

Element: Fire

Sign Ruler: Jupiter

Lucky Color: Light Blue

Lucky Number: 6

Jewelry: Amethyst

Best Match: Virgo, Leo and Aries

CHINESE ZODIAC:

You are a: Pig Lucky numbers: 2, 5, 8 Lucky colors: yellow, gray, brown, gold Characteristics: Good-natured, lovely, easy-going, generous, brave but irritable

PRIMAL SIGN: Camel (http://www.primalastrology.com/camel.html)

TAROT CARD: The Moon This represents fear, anxiety, confusion, and insecurity. Alternatively, it can represent a release of fear.