#society and environment amie

[reasonsforhope]

A reef that has been degraded—whether by coral bleaching or disease—can’t support the same diversity of species and has a much quieter, less rich soundscape.

But new research from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution shows that sound could potentially be a vital tool in the effort to restore coral reefs.

A healthy coral reef is noisy, full of the croaks, purrs, and grunts of various fishes and the crackling of snapping shrimp. Scientists believe that coral larvae use this symphony of sounds to help them determine where they should live and grow.

So, replaying healthy reef sounds can encourage new life in damaged or degraded reefs.

In a paper published last week in Royal Society Open Science, the Woods Hole researchers showed that broadcasting the soundscape of a healthy reef caused coral larvae to settle at significantly higher rates—up to seven times more often.

“What we’re showing is that you can actively induce coral settlement by playing sounds,” said Nadège Aoki, a doctoral candidate at WHOI and first author on the paper.

“You can go to a reef that is degraded in some way and add in the sounds of biological activity from a healthy reef, potentially helping this really important step in the coral life cycle.”

Corals are immobile as adults, so the larval stage is their only opportunity to select a good habitat. They swim or drift with the currents, seeking the right conditions to settle out of the water column and affix themselves to the seabed. Previous research has shown that chemical and light cues can influence that decision, but Aoki and her colleagues demonstrate that the soundscape also plays a major role in where corals settle.

The researchers ran the same experiment twice in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2022. They collected larvae from Porites astreoides, a hardy species commonly known as mustard hill coral thanks to its lumpy shape and yellow color and distributed them in cups at three reefs along the southern coast of St. John. One of those reefs, Tektite, is relatively healthy. The other two, Cocoloba and Salt Pond, are more degraded with sparse coral cover and fewer fish.

At Salt Pond, Aoki and her colleagues installed an underwater speaker system and placed cups of larvae at distances of one, five, 10, and 30 meters from the speakers. They broadcast healthy reef sounds – recorded at Tektite in 2013 – for three nights. They set up similar installations at the other two reefs but didn’t play any sounds.

When they collected the cups, the researchers found that significantly more coral larvae had settled in the cups at Salt Pond than the other two reefs. On average, coral larvae settled at rates 1.7 times (and up to 7x) higher with the enriched sound environment.

The highest settlement rates were at five meters from the speakers, but even the cups placed 30 meters away had more larvae settling to the bottom than at Cocoloba and Tektite.

“The fact that settlement is consistently decreasing with distance from the speaker, when all else is kept constant, is particularly important because it shows that these changes are due to the added sound and not other factors,” said Aran Mooney, a marine biologist at WHOI and lead author on the paper.

“This gives us a new tool in the toolbox for potentially rebuilding a reef.”

Adding the audio is a process that would be relatively simple to implement, too.

“Replicating an acoustic environment is actually quite easy compared to replicating the reef chemical and microbial cues which also play a role in where corals choose to settle,” said Amy Apprill, a microbial ecologist at WHOI and a co-author on the paper.

“It appears to be one of the most scalable tools that can be applied to rebuild reefs, so we’re really excited about that potential.”"

-via Good News Network, March 17, 2024

[buzzcutlip]

Cracks and Gaps - The Waterfall (part II) Carmen Berzatto x Fem!Reader Mature (Explicit in the following parts) 6573 words

You meet Carmen in Copenhagen through a mutual friend and bond over shared experiences. After following his rising career from afar, you reconnect in Chicago when he renovates his late brother’s restaurant. As an editor, you can’t miss an opportunity to find out more about the comeback of this chef prodigy. part I The Worst Day

A/N: The angst continues and morphs. This part is full of fashion, understanding and soft words. Thank you Amy @foreveraimingtowardsthesky and E @butchcarmy for giving me the confidence to write and to publish this :) (Also reader is reffered to as someone who blushes, in case you would like to know this ahead of deciding to read the story)

THE WATERFALL

You want so badly to forget the fight, but instead, you keep replaying it in your head over and over, until it feels like a movie you saw on TV or in a cinema. Like it wasn't really you Carmen was shouting at. You try to comfort yourself by imagining what you should have done in that moment—anything but nothing, like you actually did. But at least you stood up for yourself. That’s somehow comforting.

The way forward is to go—to leave. To remove yourself from the situation and find a new environment that has nothing to do with what happened. For the weekend, you take a long-postponed trip to Seattle. People envy you for traveling to fancy places for work, but to you, it’s just that—work. This time, though, you’re unusually eager to get on the plane to another state. Nothing in Washington is going to remind you of Carmen Berzatto, you hope. The plan is to try a luxury wellness retreat for women in tech and business at Salish Lodge by Snoqualmie Falls. You’re not in tech or business, but the place paid the magazine to review the program, so you couldn’t really say no. There’s a "pillow menu for the best night’s rest" and a "Canna-bliss CBD natural ritual" option, so you’re not complaining. To escape the busy networking event on Saturday, you sneak out and walk to the top of the falls, take a deep inhale—just as you practiced during that morning's yoga class—and shout into the void, letting the roar of the water swallow it all. 

There’s so much pent-up energy in you that you start to worry you’re scaring all the Zen businesswomen around you. During a workshop, you realize that most of them are your age, or even younger. They have careers, partners, and some even have kids. It sucks, being reminded of what society expects from you when you’re thirty.

When you get back on Tuesday, the office clerk tells you that someone was looking for you on Monday. Not thinking much of it, you sit down at your desk to start working on your piece about the trip. It’s scorching outside—concrete city in July is unforgiving—and you’re grateful for the office's functioning AC.

The next time you check the clock, it’s already noon. You stand up to stretch and grab the empty mug on your desk. It was a silly gift from your parents when you first got this job—white with a black handle and a funny picture of a green pickle with a face that says "It’s kinda a big dill." As foolish as it sounds, drinking coffee from this mug always makes you smile.

As soon as you step out of your office, Dasha, the desk clerk, waves you over. Even sitting, she’s tall, her head and upper body towering proudly over the counter. She always wears amazing glasses.

“I love your glasses,” you say, complimenting her tortoiseshell frames.

“Thanks,” Dasha smiles. “You have a visitor. I was just about to call your desk.”

The blood in your veins seems to stop. You turn your head toward the guest sofa by the elevators. There’s no doubt who the visitor is.

“He said his name was Caramel—Carmel? Sorry!” Dasha fumbles with the name, blushing and nervously fiddling with her pen. “I should’ve written it down!”

Of course, it’s Carmen.

“You’re fine,” you assure her with a quick smile. Taking a very, very deep breath, you ask sweetly, “Could you send Caramel to meeting room three?”

‘I’m so Zen,’ you tell yourself as you walk to the kitchen, giving Dasha and Carmen a few minutes. If you’re going to meet him, it’s going to be on your terms, you decide standing by the fridge. Or, hiding by the fridge?

Wearing a summery yet elegant dress, heeled clogs, and your hair up, you look nothing like you ever did at The Bear. You’re pleased to discover, just before opening the door to meeting room three, that the tight feeling in your stomach isn’t just nerves—it’s also a bit of excitement and confidence.

The frosted glass door closes behind you, and you watch as Carmen’s eyes land on you. He’s already seated in one of the uncomfortable white plastic chairs, and now he’s looking at you. His gaze drops to your legs, where the frilled hem of your dress stops just above your knees, then to the mug you’re still holding, though it’s empty.

“Hey,” he greets you, shifting as if he might stand up. You sit across from him, setting the mug on the table.

“Hi,” you reply, curious about what he’s going to say. You’re fairly sure he’s here to apologize, probably sent by Natalie and Sydney—maybe even Richie—to make things right. You had texted Natalie to say you needed to focus on your "real" job as an excuse to avoid going back to the restaurant. Now, you wish you had told her the truth.

“I brought you something,” Carmen says, awkwardly pulling out a paper bag. “Thought you might be hungry.” He hesitates, then adds, “It’s smoked mozzarella mezzelune.” When you don’t make a move to take it, he places the bag back in his lap.

Leaning back in your chair, you fight the urge to cross your arms. You probably feel as out of place as he does right now—but you’re not about to let him see that.

“We didn’t have to meet here,” he says, glancing nervously around the room. “I just wanted to bring the food.”

You blink a few times, wanting to make him even more uncomfortable. “You could’ve left it at reception,” you say calmly.

Carmen rubs a hand over his face and purses his lips. “About before��the recipe. It was all bullshit.”

You grimace. That doesn’t sound like an apology. You're starting to lose faith that Carmen is even capable of one. Disappointed and at a loss for words, you scoff, and Carmen’s eyes dart back to yours. He looks almost offended, which really pisses you off.

“Bullshit,” you repeat, your voice steady. “I’m not interested in this, Carmen,” you say, meeting his gaze without wavering. “Go to hell with your food.”

He looks down, fidgeting with the paper bag. “I’m terrible at this.”

“Terrible at what? Apologizing? Well, it’s past time you learned.”

The urge to shout at him is strong. You want him to feel as humiliated as you did. But you won’t. He spent his whole life in an environment where people yelled for different reasons—or no reason at all. That’s not your style.

Not expecting anything else from him, you push your chair back, the screeching noise cutting through the tense moment, sending a shiver down your spine.

When Carmen suddenly stands as well, his chair scraping even louder, your heart jumps. You gasp, nearly sick from the fright.

“I—I also came to tell you that I’ll do it,” he stammers. “I’ll do the interview.”

You study him for a moment. Is he serious?

“This isn’t what I want, Carmen,” you say, shaking your head and rubbing your wrist. “Why now?”

“I talked to Syd and the crew. It’s the right thing to do. Right for the restaurant.”

He’s sincere, as far as you can tell. His eyes look huge, and that tortured artist look is back. A martyr. How much does he enjoy playing that role?

“Please, don’t ruin my Zen,” you say quietly, not wanting to return to how you felt a few days ago.

“I’m not interested anymore,” you add, praying Rob won’t find out and fire you. “Dasha will see you out. Or you can take the elevator.” The condescension in your voice is clear, but you’re not sure if Carmen even notices.

—

For the next two days, you decide to work from home and mope. Calling Becky isn’t an option because she would probably go talk to Natalie and tell her everything. The feelings of anger and humiliation are mixing within you, and you don’t know which one makes you more miserable.

When you get back to work, Rob calls you over to his office. Shit, you think.

You walk in with a smile and confidence—fake it till you make it. The usual clutter of papers and magazines is still there, but Rob himself seems unusually animated, almost buzzing with excitement. He waves you in, barely able to contain a grin. “Take a seat,” he says, his tone a little too eager.

You sit down cautiously, trying to gauge what's coming. Rob leans forward, resting his elbows on his desk, and you can see he’s practically bursting to share something. “So, I got a call this morning,” he starts, and you immediately feel a sense of dread creeping in. “It was from Natalie, the manager over at The Bear.”

Your heart skips a beat, but you force yourself to stay composed. You nod, prompting him to continue. “She told me that Carmen Berzatto—yes, that Carmen—wants to do the interview and a photoshoot,” Rob says.

“A—a photoshoot?” you stammer. “Is this the same Carmen Berzatto?” God, you couldn’t imagine Carmen wanting to be a center of attention like that. He would probably die right on the spot.

Rob ignores your snarky remark—as he often does���leaning even closer, his excitement palpable. “And get this—he specifically requested that you be the one to do it.”

He pauses, waiting for your reaction, clearly expecting you to share in his enthusiasm. But all you feel is a mix of shock and apprehension. “Rob, I—” you start, but he cuts you off, too caught up in the moment.

“I mean, this is huge!” he exclaims, practically bouncing in his chair. “The Bear is blowing up, and an exclusive like this could improve all the important numbers for us. And he wants you—he’s insisting on it! Do you have any idea how big this could be for your career?”

You do, of course. An exclusive interview with Carmen could put you on the map in a major way. But all you can think about is that last encounter in the meeting room, the awkwardness, the unresolved tension, and the anger laced in bitterness you thought you had finally let go of. Rob notices your hesitation and softens his tone, though his excitement is still simmering beneath the surface. “Look, I know there’s some history here,” he says, a bit more gently. “But this is a massive opportunity. And honestly, if Carmen wants you specifically, there’s something there. He’s not the type to just pick someone randomly, right?”

You shake your head and swallow hard, your mind racing. The offer is tempting, the kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around often. But it also means facing Carmen again, reopening wounds you thought were starting to heal but ignoring the issue—the healthy way, you think bitterly. But also, you would need to contact Nat and Sydney again about your place in The Bear, which you’ve been putting on hold for a long time now, in internet terms.

Rob senses your inner turmoil and leans back, giving you some space. “I’m not going to pressure you, but I really think you should consider it. We could make this the cover story. It’s that big.”

The room is silent for a moment as Rob waits for your response, his eagerness practically vibrating off him. You’re absolutely sure that if you don’t agree to this project, Rob will ask another editor, or even hire a freelancer. As much as you want to be offended a bit longer, letting it simmer inside you, you also want to do this with The Bear staff. As Natalie must know—this is all her doing, after all, you suppose—the visibility for the restaurant is going to be huge.

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. Then, you make your decision. “I’ll do it,” you say, your voice firmer than you expected.

Rob’s face lights up instantly. “That’s what I’m talking about!” he exclaims, practically beaming. “I knew you’d come through. This is going to be incredible, I can feel it.”

His enthusiasm reassures you, and for a brief moment, you let yourself feel excited, too.

Rob starts rattling off details, already planning how to make this the magazine’s biggest feature yet. “We’ll do a full spread—interview, photoshoot, the works. We can even tie it into some of the broader trends in the culinary world. This could be huge!”

You nod, letting his words wash over you, but part of your mind is still focused on the impending meeting with Carmen. You pretty much sent him to hell. How will you handle this?

“Let’s get the ball rolling,” Rob says, snapping you back to the present. “I’ll coordinate with Natalie to set up the interview. We’ll get the photographer involved, and I’ll make sure you have everything you need.”

“Thanks, Rob,” you say, managing a small smile, not mentioning that you will get in touch with Natalie too. “I’ll make sure it’s worth the hype.”

“I have no doubt,” Rob replies confidently. “This is going to be something special.”

As you walk out of his office, the reality of what you just agreed to starts to settle in. You’re going to see Carmen again, face to face, in a setting that’s as personal as it is professional. It’s also a chance to prove to yourself that you can handle it—and maybe even come out stronger on the other side.

The nerves are still there, but so is a newfound resolve. This is your story to tell, and you’re ready to own it.

---

Naturally, you had to tone down your emotions in Rob’s office, as he didn’t know anything about your work you had done for The Bear or the situation with the chef himself. The need to show off your professional skills, both to Rob and Carmen, won. Natalie nearly pisses herself—her words, not yours!—when you confirm the news over the phone. She shares with you that it actually was Carmen’s idea to do the interview, supported by Sydney and Richie and Tina and everyone. The shoot not so much, but he’s gonna do it too, she says, and you can hear the mischievous smile in her voice.

The photoshoot is set to happen in a studio your magazine usually uses for smaller productions, as it’s only Carmen you need to get. Rob informed you that he had sent a photographer to The Bear earlier, so the photos from the place, as well as photos of the team, are already done. You know this from Natalie and Sydney already, who thanked you probably more than a million times for “arranging this,” but in front of Rob, you play guileless.

It’s awfully quiet in the room when you enter, the swinging door swooshing quietly behind you. No wonder. The shoot had to be planned on Sunday—the only day Carmen’s not at work, which has been met with not very enthusiastic responses. There’s no music playing, which is very unusual.

The studio has high ceilings and large windows that let in natural light. It obviously used to be a factory, now rebuilt into a fancy, modern building with that historic edge. You’ve been here a couple of times before.

You spot the photographer, Elena, adjusting her equipment with the precision of someone who knows exactly what she’s doing. She smiles at you and you give each other a quick hug. With a shoot this small, there’s no one doing production, as you’re using the magazine’s regular talents. As much as you want to stall, you know that Carmen must be sitting on the make-up chair, very probably freaking out. It’s a bit unpleasant, but the fact that he’s more uncomfortable than you here makes you feel better, helps you calm your nerves down. The situation is similar to the one in the office a few weeks back, and you realize it’s more your confidence than maliciousness.

Your steps echo as you walk around the corner to the make-up and hair spot by one of the big windows. Carmen’s just getting up from the high chair, his posture screaming uneasiness.

“Hi Margot,” you say to the make-up artist with a piercing in her eyebrow. She’s younger than you, so you get why she thinks that the 00’s are so cool, since that’s probably when she was born.

Then the spotlight is on Carmen and you, and it takes you both to the moment when you approached him outside of The Bear months ago.

Carmen stares at you without blinking, probably relieved to see a familiar face, and also terrified, because it’s you. It’s crystal clear he doesn’t know what is appropriate for him to do in this setting.

Deciding quickly, you move towards him, giving him a similar hug as to Elena—quick, light, and impersonal. When you feel his palm press against your lower back fleetingly, the touch immediately makes you shiver, unfortunately not completely in a bad way, but you don’t have the time to ponder.

“I’ve just fixed his hair a bit and covered some bits here and there,” Margot explains, already cleaning her brushes. You notice immediately that Carmen’s curls are more defined and softer looking. He also appears less tired, but that’s surely due to Margo’s concealer magic.

“Thank you, Margo, that’s perfect,” you say as Carmen stands unmoving.

“Carmen just needs to moisturize more,” she adds cheekily, giving Carmen a wink over her shoulder.

You suppress a laugh. You’re absolutely sure Carmen has no idea what moisturizing or face cream means. He’s as lost here as you had been in the Bear's kitchen.

“Uhm—” Carmen makes an unsure noise, his hand reaching up to his hair, but Margo interrupts him:

“No touching!” she says hurriedly. “Not until the end of the shoot.”

You laugh for real now.

“How is it looking, guys?” Elena calls from the other side of the studio, checking on you.

“We’re fine. Carmen’s about to get changed, so you can get ready, El.”

You turn back to Carmen, who’s checking the studio with a mix of hesitance and curiosity. He’s dressed in light blue denim—unusual—and a gray jumper you’ve seen on him before.

“I’ll help,” you assure him. As the stylist is absent, you promised Rob that you would give a hand on the shoot. Besides, some selected garments are meant to be ready, plus you know they had asked Carmen to bring some of his stuff. “Follow me.”

Disappearing behind a screen that creates a changing space with clothes and steamers, you come properly face to face.

“Hey,” you say, unable to think of anything better. Your voice remains steady despite the slight flutter in your chest.

“Hey,” he replies, offering a small, almost uncertain smile. He glances around, taking in the unfamiliar setting. “This is… different.”

“Yeah,” you agree, gesturing to the setup around you. “But it’s all about making you look good.”

Carmen chuckles softly, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. “No pressure, right?”

You smile, unable to play the Ice Queen anymore, and for a moment, the awkwardness between you dissipates. “Let’s get started.”

Carmen glances at you, seemingly reassured by your calm demeanor, even if he’s out of his element. You walk over to the clothes neatly hung on a rack. Immediately, you spot the cool embroidered Bode jackets, simple Carhartt pieces, more tailored Ami Paris clothes. There’s Maharishi and PAM too, probably included by the stylist based on your comment that Carmen likes the workwear style, though they are a bit too colorful.

You tell Carmen a little about every brand, trying to get him out of his head and focus on something else. To give him a taste of the world of magazines, media, and fashion. Similar to what he had done for you in the restaurant—when he was in a mood to talk about his dishes, ideas about combining ingredients, and crafting new flavors.

“What about this?” you suggest, handing him a soft, tan brown Carhartt WIP suede jacket. You know that Carmy knows Carhartt because you’ve seen him in their clothes, and you also know that he’s a big denim head. This garment will also help him not to feel as exposed in front of the camera at the start.

Carmen takes the jacket, his brow furrowing slightly as if he’s analyzing every stitch. He slips it on, and you can’t help but note how well it fits him. Natalie nailed the sizes of his clothes perfectly.

You go wait for him at the spot that Elena has set up, Margo already waiting there too, in case any adjustments to the hair are needed during the shoot. When Carmen finally walks over, Elena gives him a reassuring nod as he takes his place in front of the camera, hands in the jacket’s pockets. You watch from the sidelines, a little amused but mostly impressed at how the whole scene has come together. The large windows bathe the room in soft, natural light, casting shadows that play off the industrial vibe of the studio.

Carmen is nervous—anyone can see that—but he stands tall, doing his best to follow Elena’s quiet directions. You watch the laptop screen from the corner of your eye, where all photos appear after Elena presses the shutter, frame after frame. Carmen’s unease is apparent, and for a second you wonder if this really was such a good idea after all.

After another five painful minutes, it’s clear that it’s not getting better. You share a quick look with Elena and say, “Could you put some music on, girls?” Then, turning to Carmen, you add, “I think we can change the outfit now,” you say easily.

You go back to the styling corner, Carmen following you. When you’re both hidden again, you glance at Carmen whose whole body is stiff, discomfort oozing off him.

“This is really not so bad,” you start, but Carmen shakes his head, running a hand through his hair, messing it up in a way that would drive Margo mad if she saw it.

“I’m a chef, not… this,” he says, gesturing to the setting. “I’m not supposed to be in front of cameras, doing interviews, pretending like—like I fucking know what I’m doing. This is all bullshit.”

You take a deep breath, trying to figure out how to reach him. You’ve seen him under pressure before, but this is different. This isn’t about the restaurant; this is about him feeling out of place, exposed.

“Carmen, you’re right. You’re a chef, and a damn good one,” you say, keeping your tone calm and reassuring. It’s strange to be this way for a person who you’ve only ever seen confident and sure, except for what happened in the office two weeks ago.

“But this is part of it, too,” you carry on, trying to catch Carmen’s eye. “People want to know the person behind the food. They want to see the passion, the creativity. Even the struggle. That’s what makes the Bear special—it’s you.”

He looks at you, eyes filled with doubt. “But what if… what if they see through it? What if they realize I’m just faking it?”

You step closer, close enough to reach out, but you don’t. Instead, you offer him a small, genuine smile. “Then they’ll see that you’re human, just like the rest of us. And that’s okay. You don’t have to be perfect, Carmen.”

He closes his eyes, exhaling slowly, trying to steady himself. “I don’t know if I can be that guy.”

“You don’t have to be anyone but yourself,” you reply gently. “And if you’re not feeling it, we can stop. We don’t have to do this. We could just use the pictures from the Bear.”

Carmen opens his eyes and looks at you, something shifting in his expression. It’s still a mix of fear and doubt, but there’s also a flicker of determination. “You really think I can do this?”

“Absolutely,” you confirm with deadly certainty.

The next moment, “1972” by The Smashing Pumpkins starts playing from the speakers in the studio.

Carmen surprises you by taking the initiative and choosing the clothes by himself. You turn when he starts shedding the jacket. Instead, you hang it back on the rack, needing something to do. When the rustling stops, you face the chef again. He’s wearing a pair of vintage Levi’s and a striped sailor crew neck. He looks good in the dark colors.

“Yeah?” he checks, trying to gauge your reaction.

“Yeah,” you nod, hoping it’s not obvious how much you like what you’re seeing. “Yeah.”

Gathering your courage, you reach to roll the sleeves up, exposing Carmen’s forearms, then move up to straighten the seams on his shoulders. You catch his gaze and this time, there’s a flicker of something—perhaps gratitude, or just recognition that you’re both navigating unfamiliar territory. Not just here, on the set, but also between you. You’re discovering another layer of your relationship, perhaps sensing that at this moment, you have the upper hand.

Carmen's expression softens from that tight apprehension to something more open, more trusting. “Thanks,” he says quietly, then looks down at himself, as if trying to imagine how he’ll appear in front of the camera now.

You step back slightly, giving him space, but also giving yourself a moment to collect your thoughts. The tension between you feels different than before, less about awkwardness and more like a mutual acknowledgment that neither of you has the playbook for this. And yet, you’re figuring it out together.

“Here,” you point Carmen to a big mirror in the corner, and he checks the reflection.

“I think I like it,” he says after a moment, and you give him a thumbs up, the silly gesture completely honest.

Back on set, with the music playing, the atmosphere lightens. Carmen doesn’t smile, but there’s a shift in the way he carries himself. He seems more settled in his skin, the dark colors enhancing his quiet confidence. Elena notices the difference immediately; she barely needs to give direction this time. He’s still far from relaxed, but there’s an authenticity in the way he stands, his gaze steady.

The photos start to reflect that subtle transformation, and you feel a tremendous sense of relief as you watch them pop up on the screen. Watching him, you feel an odd sense of pride. This isn’t just about Carmen being in front of the camera; it’s about him facing something that makes him uncomfortable and pushing through it, allowing himself to be vulnerable in this position. If you’re completely honest, you’re surprised that he’s willing to go through with this.

Elena seems pleased, giving Carmen a reassuring nod after every few clicks of the camera. When she finally steps back and lowers her lens, you see Carmen visibly exhale, tension easing from his frame.

“That was good,” Elena praises, glancing at the screen. “We’ve got some solid shots here.”

Carmen looks over, seemingly a little surprised, like he wasn’t quite sure it had gone as well as she said. “See?” you say, nudging him gently. “You nailed it.”

Carmen gives you a small, genuine smile this time. “Maybe,” he says, scratching the back of his head, messing up his styled hair.

After the third outfit change, Rob shows up, as planned, alongside the magazine’s publisher. As this had been arranged before the shoot, you hope it doesn’t throw Carmen off balance too much.

Luckily, Carmen slips into his professional chef mode as Rob greets him, calling him “Chef,” and thanking him sincerely for the opportunity. Rob shoots you a happy grin over Carmen’s shoulder. 

The final outfit is dark gray tailored wool pants and a simple white tee, similar to what you know as Carmen’s daily uniform—probably why he chose it. You suggest adding a nice leather belt with a silver clasp to complete the look. Elena positions Carmen on a high stool this time, changing angles and perspectives.

For the first time today, Carmen looks truly at ease, despite the additional onlookers. You know Rob is looking for the perfect shot for next month’s cover.

Elena captures a few more shots before lowering her camera. “That’s it! We’re done,” she announces, a smile of satisfaction on her face. “Carmen, you did amazing.”

Carmen slides off the stool, his shoulders visibly relaxing as the weight of the shoot lifts. He looks over at you, a small, almost sheepish grin playing at his lips. “That wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

You laugh softly, walking over to him. “Told you. You nailed it.”

Rob joins you and Carmen. “Chef, you were great today,” he says, clapping Carmen on the shoulder. “Can’t wait to see the final shots.”

Carmen nods, clearly more comfortable now that the shoot is over. “Thanks, Rob. I appreciate it.”

Rob turns to you with a grin. “You too. Thanks for making this happen.”

You nod, feeling a bit of pride at how smoothly things turned out. You’re careful not to jinx it—after all, the interview is still looming in the second half of the day, after you’ve had something to eat.

For the interview, you and Carmen sit down in a corner of the studio that’s been set up to look more intimate—two chairs facing each other with a small table in between. Your notebook rests on your lap. Elena is supposed to take a few shots of the formal interview, and now it’s your turn to be nervous. Very nervous.

You did an extensive amount of research and preparation for the article, keeping in mind your personal history with Carmen. He’s not just another personality you’re interviewing. He’s a guy you once knew. A chef at whose restaurant you had worked, or volunteered. These facts leave you feeling like you’re balancing on a thin rope, and you’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to approach the interview. In the end, you decide to let Carmen set the tone. He could keep it personal or strictly professional.

“How did you enjoy the shoot?” you ask with a mischievous smile, starting off lightly. You don’t need to check your notes for that.

Carmen smiles, rubbing his lips with his fingers. “It was a new, interesting experience. I’m afraid I wasn’t very good, but I hope you’ll be able to find a couple of decent images.”

“And one excellent for the cover,” you add, careful not to interrupt him.

Out of habit and nervousness, you adjust the recorder on the table between you, making sure it’s on. Then you glance at your notes.

“When we met in Copenhagen ten years ago, you were staging at Noma. How do you look back on those times—when you were at the beginning of your journey but already experiencing the kitchens of the world’s best restaurants?”

It takes a moment before Carmen responds. “I was very young and very lucky. I took every opportunity that came my way, worked hard—harder than most—to learn and grow, and hopefully to stand out.” Carmen’s words are measured, careful. “Noma was my first experience outside the US, and it was intimidating. But also—it’s an incredibly peaceful and inspiring place. I loved every moment there. It also helped that I knew someone familiar in Copenhagen. That definitely made me feel less alone.”

You catch yourself staring, a warm feeling spreading through your chest—liquid heat filling every corner. You imagine this is what drinking Felix Felicis must feel like. You smile, and Carmen returns it with a quick smile of his own.

Clearing your throat, you prepare for the real questions, the ones that have to live up to everyone’s expectations—Rob’s, Carmen’s, and mostly your own. As the interview progresses, you feel a shift in the atmosphere. The initial tension has faded, replaced by a sense of collaboration. You’re both here for the same reason: to tell a story that matters.

You ask Carmen about his journey in the culinary world, the chefs he’s worked with, and the chefs he looks up to. You discuss diligence, innovation, and respect. You briefly touch on the topic of Michael and Carmen’s family, letting him decide how much he wants to share.

“You can be more or less fortunate with the starting position you get in life. That’s out of your hands. But the rest is in your hands. There’s no point in thinking about how others might have it easier—it will only paralyze you, trust me. You have to focus on what you can do, what you can change. Take the little you have and turn it into everything you have. Be proud of it. Stand up for yourself. Value yourself, but also others.”

His words are thoughtful, and you can tell he’s reflecting deeply.

There’s a pause, and you realize he’s waiting for your next question. You nod, acknowledging the weight of his words. Carmen answered everything with a mix of humility and passion, offering you—and the audience—glimpses of the person behind the chef: the struggles, the doubts, the relentless drive to succeed.

You glance at your notes, then back at him.

“That’s it. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to share a glimpse of your life and The Bear’s story with Taste readers,” you say, finishing with a cheeky smirk, hoping Carmen knows you’re sincere.

Carmen chuckles at your tone. “Thank you for having me,” he replies, smiling with that familiar mix of modesty and quiet strength. “It was a pleasure to talk. Hopefully, your readers won’t be too bored.”

You laugh lightly, shaking your head. “I doubt that. If anything, they’ll be more intrigued than ever. You’ve got a story people want to hear—and not just about the food.”

He raises an eyebrow, studying you. "Well, that’s good to hear."

You stand up and reach out to shake his hand, a gesture of thanks and closure. He takes it, his grip firm but gentle. Then Rob approaches with more handshakes and thanks, joined by Mrs. Sullivan—the publisher. You quietly slip away, not wanting to disturb their networking, and head over to thank Elena and Margot, who have already packed up their gear while you were interviewing Carmen.

“You guys are cute together,” Margot teases, winking at you. “I didn’t know you actually knew him knew him.”

You absolutely do blush, and Elena adds, “Totally,” giving you a sly grin. “He IS cute.”

“You should see him in the kitchen,” you grumble, shoving your notebook into your tote bag to hide your flushed face.

Suddenly, Carmen appears next to you, having parted ways with Rob and Mrs. Sullivan, who likely have better things to do on a Sunday. “You did good,” he says quietly, almost as an afterthought, as if offering reassurance you didn’t know you needed.

Your chest warms again with that liquid heat, a mix of pride and gratitude blooming. You offer him one last, genuine smile.

“Thanks, Carmen,” you reply softly.

“Actually,” he begins, looking nervous again, hands on his hips, “I—I wanted to talk to you. If you have time now?”

He glances back at Rob, but the man is nowhere to be seen, already gone. Carmen nods, seeming relieved.

“Lead the way.”

—

The weather’s been sweltering lately, the sun heating up the city’s concrete walls, asphalt roads, and stone pavements until it feels like being in a big kiln. Luckily, the coffee shop has air conditioning, which both Carmen and you welcome. They are offering unusual caffeine drinks—most of them including something fruity and milky. Carmen orders a Coke with ice without checking the menu, and you go for an iced blueberry matcha latte.  

“Thank you for—” Carmen says when he’s seated properly, across from you once again.  

“Really, that’s enough of the thanks,” you wave him off, but Carmen talks over you, “For respecting that I wanna keep some things private. During the interview.”  

“Ah,” you nod slowly. “You know, normally I would send all the questions for authorization first,” you tell him truthfully, stirring your drink with the thin paper straw, mixing the green matcha with the milk froth and the purple syrup. “I wanted to be a bit nasty.”  

It’s Carmen’s turn to slowly nod, once. “I see,” he says. “I’m not surprised, honestly.”  

You fiddle with the collar of your cotton blouse nervously.  

“I appreciate that you had my back today,” Carmen continues. “It means a lot to me, you know?”

Not used to hearing kind words from Carmen, you find it hard to look at him directly, so you keep staring into your drink instead. “I think I do.”

As if sensing your hesitation, Carmen gives you a second before he asks:

“So, you have a thing for clothes, huh? Fashion, I mean.”

“As you do,” you shoot back playfully but honestly.

“I guess I enjoy the aesthetic aspect of it… I really liked some of the clothes today. It was nice to try something new. I’m not very good at new things,” he muses. “I liked the dress you wore in your office the other day. You looked—different,” Carmen adds uncertainly, playing with the napkin under the sweaty glass.

“I don’t wear dresses very often,” you stammer out, trying to hide the flush creeping up your neck. “And in the restaurant, I wanted to be in something that can get dirty. So… not too fancy clothes.”

Carmen notices how caught off guard you are right now.

“I wanted to bring up the topic of what happened at your work,” he explains slowly, hesitantly. “And what happened at The Bear before that… A lot of the aggression comes from my own frustration. And I shouldn’t take it out on other people. Like I said, there’s no excuse for it.”

You squirm in your seat, nervous to talk about the topic out loud for the first time. “It’s hard, Carm. First, you pretend you don’t know me. Then you barely talk to me. Then I feel like we’re actually starting to get along well, but you accuse me of this huge nonsense. All the while, I’m only trying to help you.”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

“Because I don’t know how to respond to kindness.”

Your eyes fill up with tears, and you have to blink a couple of times to chase them away. You take a deep breath, your chest expanding with it. Carmen’s sitting still on the stool, looking like a schoolboy who had misbehaved during recess.

“Be kind to kind,” you say simply, spreading your hands, your eyebrows raising.

Carmen chuckles, sounding very self-deprecating, scratching his nose. “I’m working on it.”

He might think you’ll let it slide. You won’t. “Promise,” you press, urgent. “Promise me.”

His eyes meet yours, and he says it. “I promise.” Then once more, in a stronger voice: “I promise. And I’m sorry.” And your heart breaks for him because you know he’s never known much kindness.

“Deal.” To keep your hands occupied, you take out your chewing gum, wrapping it in an empty sugar packet. Then you raise your iced latte in a mock toast, taking a first sip of the drink.

“Just... be careful with the 'nasty' part,” Carmen says with a slight grin, breaking the tension. “I don’t think either of us needs more of that.”  

You chuckle. “Fair enough. I’ll try to keep the nastiness in check.”  

Carmen smirks, shaking his head as he relaxes back into his chair. “I appreciate that.”

[autisticshadowthehedgehog]

It’s Sonic Gang Disney Movie Night! And it’s the Unstoppable Forces vs Immovable Objects! Let’s meet our competitors:

Knuckles “the last of his kind on a noble quest to protect a gem with trust issues, badass fighting skills, and a water-based spirit most of his lost culture was based around who wants to live out his fantasy of his people coming back and enemies turning into friends via continued applied trust” the Echidna who wants to watch Raya and the Last Dragon

Tikal “the curious and empathetic chief’s daughter who was really close with her now-dead grandma who yearns to return to a culture her people once had but have now abandoned and works to make peace with the dieties of her culture while being best friends with sentient water who wants to live out her fantasy of resolving her daddy issues and bringing her people and gods to peace” the Echidna who wants to watch Moana

Blaze “the heir to an entire kingdom with a lot of huge expectations placed on her by her deceased parents desperately trying to keep her deadly and dangerous powers under control which is an issue because they burst out when she’s emotional and she’s been repressing quite a bit of emotions only for an energetic, bubbly person to bring her out of her shell and prove that she can be herself without hurting anyone else” the Cat who wants to watch Frozen

Elise also wants to watch Frozen so two points for Blaze

Shadow “an alien scientifically created to be a living weapon meant to destroy who ends up befriending a little girl who teaches him to have humanity, after which he begins to appreciate life on Earth and fights to protect both it and the found family he’s pieced together for himself” the Hedgehog who wants to watch Lilo & Stitch

Sonic who wants to watch Wreck-It Ralph because he’s in it and things go fast

Amy Rose who wants to watch Sleeping Beauty because it’s “romantic” and “beautiful” but also so she can wait until the dragon scene and then start blasting “What I’m Made Of” and scare the shit out of everyone

Silver “was left alone in a barren wasteland for far longer than he wants to admit and honestly probably longer than he can remember who ends up finding one last bit of hope and who wants to live out his fantasy of bringing life back to his planet and seeing society grow around him as he finds a family of his own” the Hedgehog who wants to watch WALL-E. he’ll also settle for Lightyear he guesses

Cream who wants to watch Snow White because pretty princess sing to animals and spin around

Sally “the heir to an entire kingdom with some severe dead dad issues who ends up on the run as a child only to return and find her kingdom decimated by someone she once trusted who now has to raise a rebellion with her childhood sweetheart to dethrone the usurper and retake the land before he can destroy the entire environment” Acorn who wants to watch The Lion King

Vector who wants to watch The Great Mouse Detective and say “that’s what we do. we do that”

Shahra who wants to watch Aladdin. do i even have to

oh and Jet wants to watch Aladdin too but that’s just because he thinks stealing things is funny

Merlina actually does not want to watch Sword in the Stone it makes her uncomfortable however she will BITE someone if they don’t watch Coco next

Marine who wants to watch Finding Nemo because oooh water ooh australia oooh look at the fishies go. no she doesn’t have abandonment issues why do you ask

alternatively, Marine will make everyone watch The Pirate Fairy

Tekno who wants to watch Big Hero 6 because look at those robots go

Omega who wants to watch The Black Cauldron cause it has the most death in it

Rouge who would rather watch everyone argue than see any movie

Mighty and Ray just wanna watch Bambi guys

Big who wants to watch Fantasia because it calms him down. Omega does a quick ecosia search of Night on Bald Mountain and immediately likes this plan

Belle who wants to watch Pinocchio for obvious reasons

Charmy who wants to watch Peter Pan just to point at the tv when Tink is onscreen and look Belle dead in the eye and say “that’s you”

Espio who wants to die

Miles “Tails” Prower who can’t decide if he wants to watch Dumbo or Meet the Robinsons or if both will just bring up a lot of traumatic memories

and finally, Sticks the Badger, who wants to beat the TV to death with a wooden club and then burn Disney HQ to the ground

who will win!! vote now on your phones

[phlve]

The Enneagram of Divine Forms — Point 5: The Observer

Will narrow the universal view into the particular and subjective point of view of the observer

Always losing perspective of the forest because their entire attention is on particular trees

Is found collecting bits and pieces

Can spend a lot of time trying to disclose the riddles of life and society

Continuous interest in observing others

Fear that they are also the focus of attentive study and observation by others

Inclined to hide and be anonymous around people

General inclination to play the social game without giving of themselves completely and openly

General attitudes of fear of the environment, natural and social, ‘nervous wrecks’ because of the pressure of their fear and stress

Perceives and projects their distortion of reality by thinking that they have been alienated by their siblings or the world

Ego-delusion: of being stingy or a person who keeps to themselves as they judge others exclusively from their personal perception and narrow point of view

Passion of avarice: amass information and accumulate, pieces of knowledge and gossip about others, as well as collecting material things

Meddling on one side and antisocial on the other

Introjection: their primary defense mechanism, in which they absorb themselves in and internalize the attributes and personalities of others by assimilating their behavior, emotions or characteristics

Self-obsessed, see themselves as a separate bystander

Assert to themselves: ‘I am sociable and self-sufficient’

Shyness which makes them nervous socially

Ego-reaction: distrust, which produces a constant looking in every direction

Ego-justification: to face facts with cynicism because of their poor idea of the motives and self-interest of others

Intense aversion or repulsion that is felt acutely, which becomes the starting point for their plotting and scheming

Considerate on one side and imposing on the other

Source: @/if u seek amy on PDB

[shsl-heck]

One thing that's had me thinking about Amy lately, is the tension between disgust and desire. She is horrified by the immensity of her desire for Victoria, but the shame and guilt over it can only ever make it worse. Fear and arousal, disgust and desire, all of them bleed into each other (we see this constantly in both porn and horror). It's like she has this splinter at the core of her being and she either cant realize or wont accept that the more and more she digs for it to try to get it out, the deeper she's driving it into herself. She cannot remove this without help from someone else. (Coincidentally, not being able to recognize that her attempts to do/be what she's supposed to are only making things worse is also what leads to the Enwretchening)

I'm aware there's a reading of Worm in which Amy's attraction to Victoria is purely an expression of a kind of morality focused ocd, but I personally think that's less interesting. She definitely experiences some level of that (the urge to fuck up a baby she's healing followed by disgust with herself is like a perfect example of an intrusive thought associated with that brand of ocd), but I think this is a case of *and* rather than *or*. My reading of Amy is that of a deeply lonely and emotionally neglected child clinging to the one person in her life that gives her any form of affection, whose attachment only gets increasingly complicated as she starts to grow up and realizes she is attracted to women.

She has never been treated as part of the family, has always felt on some level that she's only playing at being a sister to Victoria, and she is dealing with that during a stage of her life that is turbulent at best for even people raised in a healthy functional environment. There is a broad cultural taboo around sex and desire, but there's a special sort of self-loathing and fear that you're somehow predatory for finding someone attractive that a lot of queer people experience due to the stigma surrounding their sexuality and/or gender. Homoeroticism and attraction is seen as disgusting and fundamentally wrong by society no matter what. It is especially disastrous for Amy because even though she's never been able to see herself as Victoria's sister, she knows she's supposed to, and that adds a whole new layer of guilt and shame to even a passing thought about Victoria being attractive.

Then she triggers. Suddenly she not only has to pretend to be Amy Dallon the well behaved unintrusive family member, she has to be Panacea, the girl who performs miracles. She doesn't even have a secret identity to fall back on for privacy because of New Wave's gimmick. Any resentment about her role, or desire to live a normal life become more proof that she is a sick, evil person; a parasite who has wormed her way into the Good and Heroic Dallon-Pelham family and is eating away at them from the inside-out.

Even as it forces her to repress more and more of herself, Panacea also offers Amy what is seemingly her only chance to be Good like her family. Healing people isn't just something she has to do in order to avoid being a terrible person, but also how she can atone for everything else that's Bad about her. Saving people is a way to try to purge herself of the desire for Victoria, and to prove that she can be a Dallon in more than name.

Like, as awful and lesbophobic as Wildbow's handling of Amy was, there is something deeply compelling and even relatable about her to me. She perfectly captures an emotional state that I've struggled (and failed) to explain as I wrote and rewrote this post. It's the hunger, the guilt, the shame, the fear, the loneliness that settles on your skin like frost as a child when you accept that there must be something wrong with you, because if there wasn't then you wouldn't have to try so hard to be good.

[tenebraevesper]

The Story, Lore & Characters (Sonic Cyber Revolution Analyzer)

Sonic Cyber Revolution (shortened as SCR) is a Sonic the Hedgehog AU story taking place on an alternate Earth, following the adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends and teammates as they deal with various challenges they come across.

Sonic the Hedgehog, a biodigital anomaly created from the data of his video game self, finds his home in the technologically advanced Neos City, which is operating on an augmented reality system. In a reality where Irregulars like him are seen as a danger to society, Sonic refuses to back down from protecting those he cares about, and together with Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Silver, Shadow and their human partners stands against the likes of those who want to destroy the life they created for themselves, Dr. Eggman being only one of their numerous enemies. The Blue Blur’s thrilling adventure continues in a world outside the video game existence he is known for, but when both of these realities clash, this is where the singularity begins.

The Story

The story follows the adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends in Neos City, Starpoint Area, as they get involved in day-to-day hijinks ranging from protecting the city from various dangers (mainly Dr. Eggman), dealing with destructive Irregulars and Hunters, learning about secret government projects, trying to prevent future Neos City from turning into an a fiery apocalyptic wasteland, etc.

While the story is, for the most part, original, it also adapts elements, characters and storylines from various Sonic media. It should be noted that only characters featured in the Sonic video games, Sonic OVA, Sonic X, Sonic Boom, Sonic Movies and Sonic IDW comics appear in this story. Characters featured in media such as AoSTH, Sonic SatAM, Sonic Underground, Sonic the Comic and the Sonic Archie comics (such as the Freedom Fighters) won’t appear in the story.

Note: The sole exception to this rule is Eclipse the Darkling due to his connection to the Black Arms, meaning that he will play an important role in Shadow the Hedgehog's character arc.

The setting itself is also inspired by the world of the MegaMan Battle Network (Rockman.EXE) and MegaMan X (Rockman X) series.

It should be noted that the Sonic characters in SCR are different from their main canon counterparts. In the SCR universe, Sonic the Hedgehog is actually a video game franchise that has somewhat faded out of the public mind, although it still has its fans (with the main cast being part of it), and due to the unique nature of Sonic and his friends (as described below), they exist as separate entities from their video game counterparts.

The Lore

With SCR being an AU story, the most notable thing is that Sonic and his friends have different origins than those featured in the main canon. In SCR, they are sentient digital beings known as Augmented Reality Navigators (ARNavs), and their concept is based on the NetNavis from MegaMan Battle Network.

They have the ability to interact with both the augmented reality and the real world. They also have human partners, who fulfill a similar role to the Operators from MegaMan Battle Network.

However, while most ARNavs exist to assist their human partners during their daily activities, there are also ARNavs who pose a danger to society. They are known as Irregular ARNavs (Irregulars) and their concept is mainly based on the Mavericks from MegaMan X/Zero/ZX.

Unlike regular ARNavs, Irregulars have the ability to absorb BioEnergy, which is essentially a human’s life force, and become empowered by it. They are capable of influencing and interacting with any non-AR Field environment to a much greater degree and have both biological (e.g. having the need to eat and sleep) and digital traits. This allows Irregulars to stay outside AR Fields without having their energy drained. They are considered a threat to humans, due to their aggressive and unpredictable nature.

They are targeted by Irregular Hunters, a group of combat-oriented ARNavs specifically created to track down, detain and eliminate Irregulars. The Irregular Hunters are based on the Maverick Hunters from MegaMan X.

All of the Sonic characters are Irregulars, but of the non-aggressive kind. They are capable of absorbing BioEnergy, which results in them in them developing an ability called Chaos Surge, which not only enhances the Irregular’s natural abilities (e.g. Sonic’s super speed going into overdrive), but also gives their human partners similar powers so they can assist in combat.

The Characters

The main protagonists of SCR is Team Neos, whose main goal is to protect Neos City from The Eggman Empire. Team Neos consists of the following members:

Sonic the Hedgehog & Lucas Kinomoto (16), who act as the de facto leaders of the group.

Miles “Tails” Prower & Warren Taylor (16), who are the team’s engineers, providing them with various necessary gadgets for their missions. Warren and Lucas are also childhood friends, while Sonic has adopted Tails as his little brother.

Knuckles the Echidna & Lily Crystle (16), who have the most combat experience, with Knuckles being self-trained while Lily is experienced in kickboxing. Unlike his main counterpart, Knuckles isn’t the Guardian of Angel Island and the Master Emerald, but he considers himself Lily’s Guardian.

Amy Rose & Minami Kusakabe (15), with both being quite intuitive, although this intuition can cause them to often find trouble. Amy is also skilled in fortunetelling, while Minami has an interest in the occult.

Silver the Hedgehog & Makoto Ryle (15), who are united in their desire to protect the future. Similarly to his main counterpart, Silver is a time-traveler, having arrived in the past to prevent an apocalyptic event, but is unable to return to his timeline. Makoto and Minami are also childhood friends.

Shadow the Hedgehog & Touka Kageura (16), who have a rather mysterious past that keeps haunting them, despite their best efforts to move on from it. They also consider each other siblings, having grown up together. Shadow and Touka tend to act as the Lancer to Sonic and Lucas’ Leader.

On the opposing side, we have The Eggman Empire, a totalitarian regime ruled by Dr. Eggman, whose main goal is to establish complete control over Neos City, planning to spread his rule from Starpoint Area until he has conquered all of Earth. The Eggman Empire consists of the following members:

Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik, the main antagonist of SCR. He is an evil, mean, self-proclaimed genius scientist who dreams of conquering Earth with his Badnik Army.

Metal Sonic & Ferra Ahearn (16), who act as Eggman’s Enforcers and are Sonic and Lucas’ rivals. Unlike his main counterpart, Metal Sonic wasn’t created by Dr. Eggman and is more loyal to Ferra, who supports Metal’s goal of defeating Sonic.

Mephiles the Dark & Toshiro Miwa (15), who also act as Eggman’s Enforcers, albeit they’re more of a wild card, preferring to do their own thing. Unlike Eggman, they want to destroy Earth. They are Shadow and Touka’s rivals, their own past being closely intertwined with theirs.

Orbot and Cubot, two robotic assistants of Eggman. Orbot is the snarky one, Cubot is more dim-witted.

Dr. Starline, a shadowy platypus scientist and self-proclaimed Eggman fanboy who deeply admires his idol, acting as his apprentice. Starline tends to be at odds with Ferra, due to the latter’s disdain for Eggman and insistence on Starline leaving the Eggman Empire for his own good.

Aside from the ones listed above, there is also a wide cast of recurring characters from the main Sonic franchise who appear in the Sonic Cyber Revolution (the human partners are also listed for simplicity’s sake):

Rouge the Bat, an infamous “treasure hunter” who is usually at odds with Knuckles and Lily, attempting to steal the valuable gemstones from the Crystle Mansion. While she is usually out for herself, she also acts as an ally to Team Neos, especially after forming Team Dark alongside Shadow, Omega and Touka.

E-123 Omega, an E-100 series robot created by Dr. Eggman and left forgotten at an old abandoned Egg Base. Due to this treatment, Omega holds a grudge against Eggman, having made it his goal to destroy him and his creations. He is, along with Shadow, Rouge and Touka, a member of Team Dark.

The Babylon Rogues are a team of famous hoverboard racers and infamous treasure hunters/thieves. The group consists of Jet the Hawk and Chase Young (16), Wave the Swallow & Rika Nakano (15), and Storm the Albatross & Arven Pryce (17). They consider themselves Sonic, Lucas, Tails, Warren, Knuckles and Lily’s rivals. Chase and Lucas also have a history together.

Blaze the Cat & Sana Jai (14), who hail from the Surya Empire. Sana is the imperial princess, while Blaze holds the title of the Fire Guardian, protecting the Surya Empire with her pyrokinetic powers from pirate invasions. They become friends with Sonic and Lucas after a diplomatic visit to Neos City.

Marine the Raccoon, is Blaze and Sana’s best friend, as well as the Captain of the SS Marine. She has great nautical skills and water powers. She also has a tendency to get herself into trouble to due to her brash nature.

Team Chaotix are a team of detectives who run the Chaotix Detective Agency located in Neos City. The team consists of Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee. They are allies of Team Neos, having met them during an assignment given by Knuckles and Lily. They’re also close friends with the two.

Surge the Tenrec & Kitsunami “Kit” the Fennec are two artificial Irregulars created by Dr. Starline for the purpose of assisting him in his combat against Team Neos. Surge and Kit consider themselves Sonic and Tails’ rivals.

Big the Cat and Froggy are a duo who tends to hang out at Starlight Lake, which is Big’s favorite fishing spot. They have a tendency to just roam around, preferring a peaceful lifestyle, but will help Team Neos when necessary.

Cream the Rabbit and Cheese the Chao live together with Vanilla the Rabbit, Cream's mother, and Chocola the Chao in Neos City and are close friends with Team Neos, supporting them in their adventures.

Rough the Skunk and Tumble the Skunk are two skunk brothers who act more as bullies and vandals than actual villains and are considered as a nuisance by Team Neos due to the trouble they cause.

Important original characters that don’t hail from the Sonic franchise, but play a major role in the story are:

Prof. Hiroshi Sakamoto was the head scientist and geneticist of the Codex Research Facility 10 years before the start of the story. He is the father of the late Tomoe Sakamoto, whose death has driven him into madness. He is also the creator of Shadow the Hedgehog, Touka Kageura, Mephiles the Dark and Toshiro Miwa. He currently works for Dr. Eggman at a hidden location, researching an infinite energy source. His character was inspired by Prof. Gerald Robotnik.

Tomoe Sakamoto (15) is Hiroshi Sakamoto’s deceased daughter and Touka’s “older twin sister”. She died 11 years before the start of the main story from a terminal disease, but some of her memories and will have been transferred to Touka. Her character was inspired by Maria Robotnik.

Dr. Kisaki Kageura is Touka and Shadow’s guardian, having adopted the former. She used to work at the Codex Research Facility as Touka’s personal doctor and currently works as a pediatrician at St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital in Neos City.

Kotone Midorikawa is a news reporter alongside her frog ARNav partner Kero. The two are always looking out for the latest scoop and are very tenacious about their work.

Dr. Telos Tamago is an android created by Dr. Eggman to act as the CEO of the Tamago Corporation, a company specializing in innovations in the field of robotics. It had been established around five years before the main story takes place, having gained a respectable reputation. In truth, it is actually a cover for the Eggman Empire. In the public eye, the Tamago Corporation and the Eggman Empire are separate entities. The only ones who are even vaguely aware of the connection between the two is Team Neos.

Commander Loki is a wolf ARNav and Irregular Hunter. He is the commander of the Alpha Unit, keeping Neos City safe from Irregulars. Due to the nature of his job, he tends to clash with Team Neos and especially Sonic, being annoyed by their “vigilantism”.

The Advance Reconnaissance & Mission Support, usually abbreviated as ARMS, is a military and security organization of Starpoint Area, run by Commander Roy Williams as its commander-in-chief. ARMS is a specialized branch that deals with threats like the Irregulars and the Eggman Empire by using their own unit of Irregulars and trained soldiers. They have also collaborated with the Codex Research Facility in the creation of Project Shadow, their main goal being to use Shadow and Touka as military bio-weapons and forcefully recruited the two in the present day (along with Rouge and Omega, leading to the formation of Team Dark). The organization ARMS was inspired by G.U.N.

Saiba is an unknown entity present in the Cyberspace, who had significant role in the creation of Touka Kageura and Toshiro Miwa, as well as supplying Prof. Sakamoto with the data necessary Project Shadow (which resulted in the creation of Shadow the Hedgehog) and Project Shadow: Resurrection (which resulted in the creation of Mephiles the Dark). Little is known about Saiba, but it is speculated that they are aware of the true origins of the Irregulars.

More characters will be added as the story progresses.

This was an overview of the story, with the following updates going more into detail about the story of Sonic Cyber Revolution, including personal notes about the characters, lore, powers, etc. as well as the differences between it and the main canon.

Links:

#Sonic the Hedgehog & Lucas Kinomoto

#Sonic Cyber Revolution Arcs

#Sonic Cyber Revolution Analyzer (Masterlist)

[sneezemonster15]

I find it so funny when people try to dissuade people from shipping same sex pairing by using the "We need more representation of close and intimate male friendship. People need to stop making everything gay" excuse. But the reality is that the friendship who is truly under representated is male/female friendship. Ask anybody if 2 guys can be friend? Of course! Ask if 2 girls can be friend? Obviously! Now ask if a a guy and a girl can be friend? "Well, hum ... not really ... the guy probably want to fuck the girl if she is pretty ... the friendship isnt real." Clearly society lacks representation of healthy male/female friendship. Tv shows, anime etc ... give the MC a whole harem of girls (girls who are supposed to be just friends and he thinks of as only friends at the beginning) pining for him or love the trope of the good guy friend who is waiting for the girl to stop dating assholes and finally notice him. Which also lead to the gay best friend trope bc its the only guy who can be the girl's friend.

Representing male/female friendship not only help against heteronormativity but also misoginy. The idea that women arent fun to be around and are boring perpetuate the thought that women are just good at being fucked, at being wifed etc, and not fun enough to just have a good time doing friends stuff ... So men end up thinking they can only return romantic or lustful feelings toward women.

All that to say that those people clearly do not care about friendships representation. They are just annoyed that people prefer same sex pairings to the holy straight pairings. And "feminist" women who cheer because their queens finally got to get the dicks they wanted are advocating for the wrong thing. Celebrating their faves girls being used as sequel factories or for disney happy ever after the heteronormative and misogynist society craves so much, isnt the big flex they think it is.

Well said anon.

Yes, I agree there is a dearth of healthy and realistic m/f friendships in media and they are surely underrepresented. Lately, more creators are portraying m/f friendships in their films/series etc. But yeah, it's such a stereotypical thing to reduce m/f relationships to romantic or lewd isn't it?

I liked how the character of Amy in Gone Girl talked about the Cool Girl trope. How men wanna see women they wanna hang out with in a certain way and outwardly, it seems this is a fun girl, with a free, liberal and casual devil may care attitude yet still have their personalities revolving around the desires and fetishes of men. I also liked how again, the character of Amy in a film called Chasing Amy portrayed a similar issue, even though the film has its own problems. How men see lesbian women and even though their sexual interests don't intersect, men nevertheless feel righteous about constructing sexual fetishes around it, objectifying lesbians because women, by the simple grace of being women, simply cannot do without men, that their whole existence is nullified if men aren't in it.

A male/female relationship which is platonic and based on equal terms can do so much to give some resolution to this issue.

As for the 'feminist' fans in this fandom, it is interesting to see how Sakura or Hinata stans think cheering their faves is a holy act of feminism while understanding nothing about feminism and female representation in media. It has created such a toxic environment in this fandom, and I am sure others. To a huge extent, I blame the industry because the target group of this genre is so impressionable, it's so easy to misinterpret things, especially with how these women are written. While I get why Kishi did it with these two female characters, given they would be paired up with his two main (and clearly gay, living in a homophobic world) characters for the sake of the sequel and that he writes other female characters much better than theirs, it still is very problematic. Because they were never condemned in the actual story. They were never called out. Never made to face consequences for their actions. And this, THIS, makes their fans so insistent about the apparent goodness of them, while sweeping the rest under the carpet. While it doesn't take a genius to spot their faults, it certainly takes a certain level of understanding of narrative, visual language, themes and understanding of the world.

I can talk about narrative subversion till my lungs give out but unless one shows an inclination to learn how narratives are built, they would keep sticking to their token understanding of concepts such as representation and feminism. Which is such a sad phenomenon. It is almost hurtful how so many fans are so willingly tone deaf and blind, all because of some shallow relationship they wish they had. It's amazing to me how well fortified their delusions are. How strong their willingness to be courted by a hot popular boy. How fine they are with having their fave character revolve around some guy for the most superficial of reasons. This is what their understanding of feminism amounts to. All this nonsense for some cheap self insert.

Even Sasuke stans who are anti SNS. They prefer thinking of Sasuke as some cool, badass, revolutionary man archetype who sleeps around and struts with his massive dick out. And this is how they facilitate their Sasuke*fem reader smut. These Guevara extremists who think homosexuality only exists in western societies, who also consider themselves uber feminists, who think Sasuke casually slept with Karin (because why wouldn't he? He is a man and he has a dick and a willing girl is around, it all makes sense lol), are fine with self inserting into a female character, as long as the badass revolutionary would casually fuck her and then throw her away or let her die without a second thought after his demands have been met. Because yay, feminism. Like irony goes to anti SNS and SS/NH to die a horrible death.

Hinata stans would get triggered at SNS posts or anti NH posts and share the same four Spanish panels of photographs of Naruto with his family because that's their understanding of a happy family. Orchestrated studio pictures. Because gay men living in a het marriage have never been clicked. Because gay men in het marriages don't exist. That's their extent of understanding a relationship. A family picture. It is certainly not a flex.

Just look at how SS apply all sorts of mental gymnastics to justify Sasuke staying away from his family for 12 freaking years. Like you can certainly feel bad for SS stans who even after Gaiden, had the courage to ship this ship. The levels of desperation. And to what ends? What is even their payback? Where is their reward? Kishi certainly isn't giving them any.

You know sometimes I feel shipping is a strong word for what I feel for the story. Because Naruto is just a love story about two boys. If I want them to be together, is it shipping? Shipping is such a fandom term. If that's what the story has led me to, to hope for the two main characters to have a resolution that the entire narrative has painstakingly led me to, is it really shipping? I am just an ordinary reader/audience who wants a good ending to this story. The way the creator wrote it. All I did was to follow what he wanted me to see. Is it then shipping or just a natural conclusion to the story? To want them to be with each other?

As for those fans who say 'we need more representation of men being friends, stop making everything gay' are so fucking silly. Like damn, don't we have enough representation of platonic male bonding? There are entire tropes based on that dynamic. Cop buddies, bro code, band of brothers, big brother mentor, bromantic foil, bros before hoes, brother from another mother and this goes on and on and on. I can count like forty films and twenty books off the top of my head that use these male bonding tropes. Just say you are a homophobic piece of shit. Why circumvent facts? Like we live in a patriarchal, heteronormative world and suddenly stories about men being friends are in jeopardy. Like c'mon, cut the utter bullshit. Lol.

There are only a handful of sane voices in fandoms. Because the rest of them leave and I totally understand why. Hehe. But while you are here, do what you can and then get out. This shit is not good for anyone long term.

[roselynchin]

The Joy Luck Club (1993)

The Joy Luck Club recounts the stories of four pairs of Chinese immigrant mothers and their American born daughters. The four mothers, Suyuan, An-mei, Lindo, and Ying-ying, make up the Joy Luck Club during which they eat, share stories, and play mahjong. The Joy Luck Club is based on the book of the same title by Amy Tan (1989).

The mothers fulfill the sojourner then accommodation mentalities as we learn about their lives in China then coming to America and adapting to the new environment. While each of them have their own reasons for coming to America, their struggles to provide better lives and opportunities for their families are shared. On the other hand, the four daughters, Jing-mei, Rose, Waverly, and Lena serve as the total assimilators as they have grown up in American society and adopted many of their norms despite their mothers’ efforts to instill in their daughters their own traditional values and experiences. The mothers’ accommodation is an exact example of the article’s mentioned “distinct Chinese American identity, one rooted in experience and a belief in a community with shared interests and a common destiny in the United States” (Stringer 427).

Each of the mothers hope to leave their traumatic pasts behind by coming to America and using their experiences to properly raise their daughters and set them up for success. For example, Lindo was betrothed at four years old and forced to marry into a wealthy family at age fifteen who abused her for not bearing an heir. Lindo is able to escape by taking advantage of her mother-in-law’s superstitious beliefs and years later raises a family in America, including her daughter, Waverly. Lindo has high hopes for her daughter which Waverly at first fulfills by becoming a chess champion at six years old. However, Waverly interprets her mother being proud of her as pompous, overbearing boasting and decides to quit chess which both ruins her confidence, any chance she has at playing, and her relationship with her mother. This ruination of something that made her extraordinary and made her mother proud results in Waverly’s constant fear of never being good enough for her mother. This continues until Waverly confronts her mom before her second’s marriage (for some context, her fiancé is white and has disrespected Waverly’s family with his cultural ignorance like his insults of the food and not being able to use chopsticks).  

Throughout the film, Jing-mei or June also faces this struggle of never being enough and throughout her childhood and even adulthood, has always been compared to Waverly. June also feels like she never lives up to her mother’s expectations first with a failed piano recital and more and more flaws over the years. June reaches her breaking point after Waverly rejects her business proposal and embarrasses her at a dinner party, and confronts her mother, believing that Suyuan implied Waverly has more style than her. 

Throughout The Joy Luck Club, the mother-daughter relationships display how impactful the mothers’s pasts are on their hopes for the children’s future and the pressure that in turn has on their children. The Joy Luck Club depicts the struggle of living up to the American dream while retaining as a fixture in immigrant and Asian American identity. Regardless of economic status or other factors of one’s situation, there are always improvements to be made and possibilities for social mobility. The children and descendants of immigrants feel the constant pressure to prove themselves to their family even if their family’s high expectations come from good intentions and love of their children. 

Even though many of the events of the film take place years before or after the events of immigration, how are the characters’ self-view affected by the move?

The four mothers meet at church after immigrating to America and form their own tight-knit community. How do these connections provide support while also challenging and threatening each others’ success in America? 

The Joy Luck Club was made in 1993, do you feel that the portrayal of the Chinese Asian American identity still holds true today? How do you feel the portrayal of Asian American identity has developed in the media since then?

Several of the stories of The Joy Luck Club address the families making a place and a name for themselves in America. Why do you think it is important for the film to show the struggles they face in introducing others to their culture along with the struggles they face accommodating or assimilating to western culture?

[awardseason]

21st Annual Visual Effects Society Awards — Film Winners

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature Avatar: The Way of Water – Richard Baneham, Walter Garcia, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, JD Schwalm — WINNER Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – Christian Mänz, Olly Young, Benjamin Loch, Stephane Naze, Alistair Williams Jurassic World: Dominion – David Vickery, Ann Podlozny, Jance Rubinchik, Dan Snape, Paul Corbould The Batman – Dan Lemmon, Bryan Searing, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands, Dominic Tuohy Top Gun: Maverick – Ryan Tudhope, Paul Molles, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson, Scott Fisher

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature Death on the Nile – George Murphy, Claudia Dehmel, Mathieu Raynault, Jonathan Bowen, David Watkins I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Paul Norris, Tim Field, Don Libby, Andrew Simmonds The Fabelmans – Pablo Helman, Jennifer Mizener, Cernogorods Aleksei, Jeff Kalmus, Mark Hawker The Gray Man – Swen Gilberg, Viet Luu, Bryan Grill, Cliff Welsh, Michael Meinardus The Pale Blue Eye – Jake Braver, Catherine Farrell, Tim Van Horn, Scott Pritchard, Jeremy Hays Thirteen Lives – Jason Billington, Thomas Horton, Denis Baudin, Michael Harrison, Brian Cox — WINNER

Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Aaron Weintraub, Jeffrey Schaper, Cameron Carson, Emma Gorbey, Mad God, Chris Morley, Phil Tippett, Ken Rogerson, Tom Gibbons — WINNER Strange World – Steve Goldberg, Laurie Au, Mark Hammel, Mehrdad Isvandi The Bad Guys– Pierre Perifel, Damon Ross, Matt Baer, JP Sans The Sea Beast – Joshua Beveridge, Christian Hejnal, Stirling Duguid, Spencer Lueders Turning Red – Domee Shi, Lindsey Collins, Danielle Feinberg, Dave Hale

Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature  Avatar: The Way of Water: Kiri – Anneka Fris, Rebecca Louise Leybourne, Guillaume Francois, Jung-Rock Hwang — WINNER Beast: Lion – Alvise Avati, Bora Şahin, Chris McGaw, Krzysztof Boyoko Disney’s Pinocchio: Honest John – Christophe Paradis, Valentina Rosselli, Armita Khanlarpour, Kyoungmin Kim Slumberland: Pig – Fernando Lopes Herrera, Victor Dinis, Martine Chartrand, Lucie Martinetto

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: Geppetto – Charles Greenfield, Peter Saunders, Shami Lang-Rinderspacher, Noel Estevez-Baker Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: Pinocchio – Oliver Beale, Richard Pickersgill, Brian Leif Hansen, Kim Slate — WINNER Strange World: Splat – Leticia Gillett, Cameron Black, Dan Lipson, Louis Jones Turning Red: Panda Mei – Christopher Bolwyn, Ethan Dean, Bill Sheffler, Kureha Yokoo

Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature Avatar: The Way of Water: Metkayina Village – Ryan Arcus, Lisa Hardisty, Paul Harris TaeHyoung David Kim Avatar: The Way of Water: The Reef – Jessica Cowley, Joe W. Churchill, Justin Stockton, Alex Nowotny — WINNER Jurassic World Dominion: Biosyn Valley – Steve Ellis, Steve Hardy, Thomas Dohlen, John Seru Slumberland: The Wondrous Cuban Hotel Dream – Dani��l Dimitri Veder, Marc Austin, Pavan Rajesh Uppu, Casey Gorton

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: In the Stomach of a Sea Monster – Warren Lawtey, Anjum Sakharkar, Javier Gonzalez Alonso, Quinn Carvalho — WINNER Lightyear: T’Kani Prime Forest – Lenora Acidera, Amy Allen, Alyssa Minko, Jose L. Ramos Serrano Strange World: The Windy Jungle – Ki Jong Hong, Ryan Smith, Jesse Erickson, Benjamin Fiske The Sea Beast: The Hunting Ship – Yohan Bang, Enoch Ihde, Denil George Chundangal, John Wallace Wendell & Wild: The Scream Fair – Tom Proost, Nicholas Blake, Colin Babcock, Matthew Paul Albertus Cross

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project ABBA: Voyage – Pär M. Ekberg, John Galloway, Paolo Acri, Jose Burgos Avatar: The Way of Water – Richard Baneham, Dan Cox, Eric Reynolds, A.J Briones — WINNER Prehistoric Planet – Daniel Fotheringham, Krzysztof Szczepanski, Wei-Chuan Hsu, Claire Hill The Batman: Rain Soaked Car Chase – Dennis Yoo, Michael J. Hall, Jason Desjarlais, Ben Bigiel

Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project Avatar: The Way of Water: The Sea Dragon – Sam Sharplin, Stephan Skorepa, Ian Baker, Guillaume Francois — WINNER The Sea Beast – Maxx Okazaki, Susan Kornfeld, Edward Lee, Doug Smith Top Gun: Maverick: F-14 Tomcat – Christian Peck, Klaudio Ladavac, Aram Jung, Peter Dominik Wendell & Wild: Dream Faire – Peter Dahmen, Paul Harrod, Nicholas Blake

Outstanding Effects Simulation in a Photoreal Feature Avatar: The Way of Water: Fire and Destruction – Miguel Perez Senent, Xavier Martin Ramirez, David Kirchner, Ole Geir Eidsheim Avatar: The Way of Water: Water Simulations – Johnathan M. Nixon, David Moraton, Nicolas Illingworth, David Caeiro Cebrian — WINNER Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: City Street Flooding – Matthew Hanger, Alexis Hall, Hang Yang, Mikel Zuloaga Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – Jesse Parker Holmes, Grayden Solman, Toyokazu Hirai, Rob Richardson

Outstanding Effects Simulation in an Animated Feature Lightyear – Alexis Angelidis, Chris Chapman, Jung-Hyun Kim, Keith Klohn Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Derek Cheung, Michael Losure, Kiem Ching Ong, Jinguang Huang — WINNER Strange World – Deborah Carlson, Scott Townsend, Stuart Griese, Yasser Hamed The Sea Beast – Spencer Lueders, Dmitriy Kolesnik, Brian D. Casper, Joe Eckroat

Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in Feature Avatar: The Way of Water: Landing Rockets Forest Destruction – Miguel Santana Da Silva, Hongfei Geng, Jonathan Moulin, Maria Corcho Avatar: The Way of Water: Water Integration – Sam Cole, Francois Sugny, Florian Schroeder, Jean Matthews — WINNER The Batman: Rainy Freeway Chase – Beck Veitch, Stephen Tong, Eva Snyder, Rachel E. Herbert Top Gun: Maverick – Saul Davide Galbiati, Jean-Frederic Veilleux, Felix B. Lafontaine, Cynthia Rodriguez del Castillo

Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal Project Avatar: The Way of Water: Current Machine and Wave Pool – JD Schwalm, Richie Schwalm, Nick Rand, Robert Spurlock — WINNER Black Adam: Robotic Flight – JD Schwalm, Nick Rand, Andrew Hyde, Andy Robot, Mad God, Phil Tippett, Chris Morley, Webster Colcord, Johnny McLeod The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power “Adrift” Middle Earth Storm – Dean Clarke, Oliver Gee, Eliot Naimie, Mark Robson

Emerging Technology Award Avatar: The Way of Water: Depth Comp – Dejan Momcilovic, Tobias B. Schmidt, Benny Edlund, Joshua Hardgrave Avatar: The Way of Water: Facial System – Byungkuk Choi, Stephen Cullingford, Stuart Adcock, Marco Revelant Avatar: The Way of Water: Water Toolset – Alexey Dmitrievich Stomakhin, Steve Lesser, Sven Joel Wretborn, Douglas McHale — WINNER Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: 3D Printed Metal Armature – Richard Pickersgill, Glen Southern, Peter Saunders, Brian Leif Hansen Turning Red: Profile Mover and CurveNets – Kurt Fleischer, Fernando de Goes, Bill Sheffler

[ms-cellanies]

I posted 22,667 times in 2022

911 posts created (4%)

21,756 posts reblogged (96%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@russalex

@cheekybug2

@ladytuarach

@angreav

I tagged 252 of my posts in 2022

#donald trump - 19 posts

#us news - 18 posts

#florida - 16 posts

#us politics - 12 posts

#environment - 9 posts

#politics - 9 posts

#world news - 8 posts

#abortion - 7 posts

#ron desantis - 7 posts

#republicans - 7 posts

Longest Tag: 82 characters

#limbaugh was more disgusting than a huge pile of dog barf or a truckload of manure

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

182 notes - Posted October 18, 2022

#4

ALITO, GORSUCH, KAVANAUGH & CONEY BARRETT MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE SUPREME COURT.  They owe their positions to The Federalist Society but they are supposed to uphold the U.S. Constitution.

215 notes - Posted November 11, 2022

#3

I stumbled upon this & thought it was quite interesting.  There were stronger restrictions on guns in the “Old West” than the world we’re living in now.  The article even mentions that the understanding of the 2nd Amendment was nothing like what we’ve been dealing with since Scalia & the other RepubliKKKans on the Supreme Court made up their own interpretation.

221 notes - Posted May 26, 2022

#2

Johnson’s comments are the most batshit crazy yet.  Could he be suffering from brain damage?  Seriously just read this statement he made on Sept. 11th:

“ On Sunday Johnson suggested to Levin that liberals, Democrats, and anyone on “the left” as he put it, do not have an inherent right to participate in American life on an equal footing as Republicans.”

RON JOHNSON MUST BE DEFEATED & NEVER HOLD GOVERNMENT OFFICE EVER AGAIN.

236 notes - Posted September 13, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

THIS IS A MUST READ.  

RUTH BEN-GHIAT IS AN EXPERT ON AUTHORITARIANISM.  THAT IS WHAT AMERICA IS FACING, WITH OR WITHOUT TRUMP.  RON DESANTIS IS ALREADY PREPARING TO REPLACE TRUMP & OVERTHROW AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY.  

PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE & REBLOG IT.  OUR LIVES DEPEND UPON US BEING AWARE OF THE IMPENDING DANGER TO OUR COUNTRY.

327 notes - Posted June 18, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[purring-meadows]

Get to know us! 🤎 We're the Purring Meadows System / Verdant Athenaeum Society :-)

We are bodily almost 18; collectively we are fine with They/We/Xe pronouns; and the names Toby, Willow, River are all fine to use if you don't know who's talkin'! :-D

• DNI & BFI Lists 🤍

DNI:

Basic Criteria (Racists, Transmeds, Endos/Tulpas, Proshippers, etc.)

BFI:

We have DSMP alters! That does NOT mean we support it. However, if that somehow makes you uncomfortable, please take your leave quietly. This applies to any problematic source.

"Doubles" are okay! We don't quite believe in exact doubles, considering the complexity of source material ^^

We are fictive heavy! We support all types of (VALID) systems. Whether you are fictive heavy, poly-fragmented, have a low head-count, etc. We like to enforce an open and welcoming environment! :-)

Alter Masterlist::

Ainsley/Zero - brainmade

Amber - brainmade

Ambrose - brainmade

Amy - "I Love Amy"

Apis - "Vigilantes are Wronguns, but this one's okay" Ao3

Asmodeus - brainmade

Atticus - brainmade

Autumn - brainmade

Ava - "Mad Father"

Azalea - brainmade

Azrail - brainmade

Basil - brainmade

Bee - brainmade

Ben - BATQFTIM

Bluebell - brainmade

Box - brainmade

Clarabelle - brainmade

Corbin - Tubbo fictive

Creame - brainmade

Darling/Esmé - brainmade

David - "Lalin's Curse"

Deiderich - brainmade

Derwin - brainmade

Edward - Gotham

Elizabeth - brainmade

Fauve - brainmade

Felix - BATQFTIM

Francis/Frannie - DSMP Fundy fictive

Gabriella - brainmade

Golden Wolf/Ryker - "LUMINE"

Grey - "Stars Align" Nao fictive

Grian - "Hermitcraft"

Grimoire - brainmade

Griselda - brainmade

Holden - "Catcher in the Rye"

Ivory/Snow - brainmade

Jaskier/Dandelion - "The Witcher"

Jihan/June - "My Hot Friend is Glowing"

Karina - brainmade

Kasimir - "Diabolik Lovers"

Kat - "Stars Align" Kanako fictive

Kel - "OMORI"

Kiara - "Danganronpa: Killing Harmony" Kirumi fictive

Kris - "DELTARUNE"

Leviathan - Tubbo fictive

Linnea - brainmade

Lithia - brainmade

Lynx/Aether/Link - "Legend of Zelda" Link fictive, variety of games

Mare - "Red Queen" book series

Mary - "IB"

Mellifleur - brainmade

Merlin - BBC's "Merlin"

Michi - "BNA" Michiru fictive

Miriam - "Black Butler" Mey-Rin fictive

Mirza - brainmade

Mituna - "Homestuck"

Newt - "Maze Runner" movies

Nico - "Percy Jackson" books

Oliver - "Vocaloid"

Oliver/Ollie - brainmade

Peter - "Spiderman" movies

Quill - brainmade

Rayne/Fleur - brainmade

Robin - "Stranger Things"

Rowan - "LUMINE"

Sam - "Supernatural"

Serafim/Seraphina - brainmade

Simon - "Lord of the Flies"

Sloth - "Tokyo Ghoul:Re" Saiko fictive

Sock - brainmade

Sock - "Welcome to Hell"

Sparrow - Tubbo fictive

Spectre - Tubbo fictive

Starla - brainmade

Stitches - "Tokyo Ghoul" Juuzou fictive

Teddy - "Haikyuu!" Yamaguchi fictive

Tilman - Dragon Tubbo fictive

Tobias - "(not) My Family" Tubbo fictive

Toby/Tubbo - CC!Tubbo

Token/Toby/Temple - brainmade

Tubbo/Jester - Tubbo fictive

V - brainmade

Val - brainmade

Vinyl - brainmade

Wanda - MCU movies

Wax - WaxFraud fictive

Widow - "Stranger Things" Henry fictive

Will - "Stranger Things"

Willow/Cedar - brainmade

Zipporah/Quiver - brainmade

Bodily we have ADHD, Autism, DiD, Depression, & Anxiety!

Tone tags are preferred to be used when interacting, but don't worry if it slips your mind or you don't know how! :-)

We honestly don't use Tumblr often, but we do pop in every now-and-then!

Don't be afraid to correct us on anything you find incorrect! We're always open to criticism, we'd much rather be corrected ASAP in order to prevent further harm.

That's about it! Thank you for taking the time to read through this, please enjoy the rest of your day/night! <3

[idigitizellp21]

Finding Balance: Overcoming Guilt As A Working Mother

In the last decade, we can see an increasing number of married women moving into the workforce in a few months after childbirth. Working mothers often grapple with an elusive work-life balance, feeling the weight of time as they try to fulfill both career aspirations and family commitments. 

The stress of feeling like they should always be elsewhere irrespective of whether they are at work or home which leads to feelings of guilt and overwhelm. We will explore the complexities of maternal guilt and offer strategies to reclaim a sense of balance.

Let’s begin by discussing about the Working Mom Dilemma:

Pressure of Dual Roles: In Amy Westervelt’s book “ Forget Having it All” it encapsulates the struggles many mothers face. She mentions that society expects women to work like they don’t have children and raise children as if they don’t work. 

This creates a cycle of guilt, where mothers feel inadequate regardless of their choices.  Working mothers often feel the pressure of fulfilling both professional and parental responsibilities. For instance, a mother may need to prepare for an important meeting while also ensuring her children are ready for school, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed and inadequate in both roles.

Time Constraints: The Limited availability of time creates a constant struggle. Many mothers find themselves torn between work commitments and family activities, such as attending school events. For instance, you might yourself be sneaking away from work to attend your child’s exhibition while in the middle of checking your emails which ultimately leads to the feeling of failure. 

Guilt and Self Expectation: Working mothers frequently experience guilt about their choices, whether it’s working late or missing a family event. For instance, a mother might feel guilt for choosing to work overtime instead of spending time with her children which leads to feelings of inadequacy and impacts her overall well-being.

Strategies to overcome a working mothers guilt:

1. Ask for Help: Many Mothers struggle with the idea of asking for help. However, seeking support can relieve stress and create a network of mutual assistance. Connect with neighbors, family or other parents to share responsibilities like carpooling or organizing playdates.

2. Forgive Yourself: The first and most important step to guilt is self-forgiveness. Acknowledge that every decision you make has a reason behind it. When the guilt arises, it is important to replace negative self-talk with affirmations of your choices. For example, if you feel bad about working late, remind yourself that you are providing for your family.

3. Revisit your Values: Identify what truly matters to you. If family time tops your list, make conscious efforts to prioritize it. Say no to non-essential commitments and involve your children in daily tasks, turning chores into quality time. For instance, cook dinner together once a week to bond and create memories.

4. Embrace “Good Enough”: Striving for perfection is unrealistic. Embrace the concept of being a good enough parent. Mothers should focus on being present and connected with their children rather than trying to meet every societal expectation. Engaging in meaningful conversations, even if brief, can foster a strong parent-child bond without overwhelming yourself.

Maternal Guilt is often socially accepted, creating an environment where working mothers feel they must justify their choices. Research shows that children of working mothers can thrive, yet societal norms continue to pressure women into feeling guilty about balancing work and family. It is essential to challenge these expectations for the well-being of both mothers and families. 

The journey to overcoming guilt as a working mother is ongoing but attainable. By implementing these strategies and fostering a culture that recognises the complexities of motherhood, we can pave the way for healthier, more balanced lives. It is important to remember that mothers are never alone in this struggle and finding your version of balance is not only possible but it’s necessary. By prioritizing self-compassion and support, working mothers can reclaim their well being, ensuring a positive environment for both themselves and their families.

Talk to a professional at ImPerfect and feel better

The journey of a working mother is a delicate balance between career aspirations and familial responsibilities. The societal pressure to excel in both roles often leads to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and overwhelm. By understanding the root causes of maternal guilt and implementing practical strategies, working mothers can reclaim their well-being and create a harmonious work-life balance.

It’s crucial to recognize that societal expectations can exacerbate maternal guilt. By challenging these norms and fostering a supportive environment, we can empower working mothers to thrive without compromise. Remember, it’s okay to not be perfect, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.

– Urveez Kakalia and Krupa Abraham

[iankhanblogs]

The Future Unveiled: Insights from Famous Futurists, AR Experts, and AI Innovators

Famous Futurists: Guiding the Vision of Tomorrow

Famous futurist are the thinkers, authors, and speakers who envision how technology, society, and economy will evolve. Thought leaders like Ian Khan, Ray Kurzweil, and Amy Webb share forecasts that shed light on the transformations we’re likely to see in the coming decades. They tackle questions like how AI will reshape employment, how sustainable technology will drive environmental change, and how the future of work will look in an age of digital nomadism.

Key contributions of famous futurists include:

Trend Analysis: Studying and predicting social, technological, and economic shifts.

Future of Work: Anticipating job market changes, new roles, and skills needed in a digital era.

Environmental and Ethical Concerns: Advocating for sustainable technology to address climate change.

By studying emerging trends, futurist authors and speakers guide us through potential challenges and opportunities. Their insights help individuals and businesses prepare for shifts in job markets, economic systems, and everyday life, encouraging proactive approaches to stay ahead in a world of constant change.

AR Experts: Redefining Reality with Technology

Augmented Reality (AR) experts are redefining how we experience the world around us by blending digital information with our physical environment. Whether it’s in retail, healthcare, or education, AR has shown incredible potential to transform user experiences by making them interactive and immersive. AR experts are at the forefront, pushing the limits of technology and offering new ways for brands and consumers to connect.

Imagine trying on clothes virtually, previewing furniture in your home through your phone, or allowing doctors to view patient anatomy in 3D for more effective care. These are all possible thanks to AR. By bringing the virtual and physical worlds together, AR experts are not only enhancing daily life but also creating endless opportunities for businesses to innovate and engage with their audiences in deeper, more meaningful ways.

Controversial Technology: Innovating with Caution

While technology often brings benefits, some advancements also spark debate and ethical concerns. Controversial technology — such as facial recognition, autonomous vehicles, and genetic engineering — holds potential for groundbreaking solutions but also raises questions around privacy, equity, and safety. For example, facial recognition can enhance security, yet it also introduces privacy concerns. Similarly, AI-powered autonomous vehicles promise safer roads, but they also raise liability and ethical challenges.

Considerations surrounding controversial technology:

Privacy Concerns: Ensuring that data collection respects individuals’ privacy rights.

Safety and Accountability: Addressing the ethical implications of autonomous technologies.

Equity in Access: Ensuring that advanced tech benefits society broadly, not just select groups.

Keynote Experts: Translating Complex Technology for All Audiences

Keynote experts play a crucial role in demystifying complex topics. Through speaking engagements, they provide a bridge between emerging technology and the public, helping people understand how AI, AR, blockchain, and other innovations will impact their lives. By breaking down advanced concepts, keynote experts empower businesses to embrace digital transformation confidently and responsibly.

Top-Rated AI Experts: Pioneers of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence experts has transformed numerous sectors, from healthcare to finance, and top-rated AI expert are the architects behind these advancements. Figures like Fei-Fei Li, Andrew Ng, and Yann LeCun have pioneered AI’s journey from concept to reality, developing the intelligent algorithms, machine learning models, and neural networks that power today’s AI applications.

These AI experts not only drive innovation but also advocate for ethical and transparent AI practices. By providing frameworks for responsible AI adoption, they ensure this technology is used to benefit humanity while avoiding potential pitfalls, such as bias or privacy concerns. Businesses looking to incorporate AI into their operations benefit greatly from consulting with AI futurist who understand both the technical and ethical aspects of artificial intelligence.

Key areas led by AI experts:

Machine Learning: Creating intelligent systems that learn and improve from experience.

Predictive Analytics: Enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and anticipate trends.

Ethics and Responsibility: Advocating for transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI applications.

Technology Futurists: Charting the Path for Global Innovation

Technology futurist explore and interpret trends that define the future of our societies and economies. They analyze the implications of AI, AR, and other emerging technologies, offering predictions on how these will reshape industries from manufacturing to entertainment. Their work doesn’t stop at identifying trends — they consider the ethical and social impacts of these advancements, urging companies to adopt innovations that are not only profitable but also socially responsible.

Businesses that work with technology futurists gain strategic insights into where they should focus their resources and innovation efforts. This guidance empowers organizations to remain competitive, agile, and forward-thinking in an environment where technology is constantly evolving.

Engaging with AI and Futurist Experts: A Strategic Advantage

To succeed in a technology-driven world, it’s essential to learn from famous futurists, AR experts, top-rated AI experts, and keynote speakers. These leaders provide clarity and direction, equipping businesses and individuals with the insights needed to navigate and embrace the future of technology responsibly.

By understanding the forecasts of futurist authors and consulting with AI experts and technology futurists, businesses can prepare for an evolving landscape where innovation is key to remaining relevant and resilient. Engaging with the knowledge of these visionaries ensures that we’re not just keeping up with change but leading it, armed with insights and a commitment to ethical and sustainable progress.

With the future on the horizon, embracing these perspectives empowers organizations and individuals to make confident strides toward a world shaped by innovation and informed by ethical considerations.

[the-hem]

"Arrows." Introduction to The Krishna Upanishad, the Exploration of the Mysteries of the Scourging of the Wicked.

The date or author of Krishna Upanishad is unknown. It is likely a late medieval era text. Manuscripts of this text are also found titled as Krsnopanisad. In the Telugu language anthology of 108 Upanishads of the Muktika canon, narrated by Rama to Hanuman, it is listed at number 96.

The Upanishad mentions 16108 maidens which is without a doubt Hebrew Gematria, it also mentions the evolution of Ramchandra into Krishnah. The Value in Hebrew means י״הח‎ץ "arrows" and the evolution of Ram which is a bhij, means "the desire to bring OM Tat Sat and Chit into being through speech".

The more one practices at the bow, the more accurate the aim of the archer will become. Since our world is very populous with the dipshitz, we are going to benefit a great deal form archery practice and gain some ground with all the social justice we decided to leave behind a few days ago.

The Upanishad is short, one page, and speaks of translation of the not-self into the Self through various stages of transition. The ovulation of Lord Krishna out of Sri Ramchandra is important as it signifies the first mission of man upon learning to speak, read, and write is obeisance to a way of life that is not violent, is completely chivalrous.

The Upanishad also mentions goddess Kali, who represents the wrath of the gods especially violence towards women. When violence towards women is prevalent in spite of the fact reading, writing, arithmetic and other features of civil society are present, Ma appears to return the favor. Anyone who commits acts of horror against women must die. This includes Donald Trump, the Taliban, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Sam Alito, etc. all those Pro-Life organizations need to be closed down, the Catholic Church etc. need to be closed down.

We live in a modern age, we cannot have these things holding us back from achieving our mutual dream of a world that is not at war we know better. In spite of the fact the Upanishad refers to Ram and Krishna, it is actually a hymn of praise to goddess Kali who has come to remind women to stand their ground against the evil that is trying to swallow them up. The Upanishad says this is critical for mastery of heaven, to bring it down to earth:

Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship ! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady !

May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us !

May Brihaspati the god of prayer grant us well-being ! Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment !

Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

When the sages living in the forest visited Sri Ramachandra who was the incarnation of the ever joyful God and who was extremely pretty, they became surprised and forgetting themselves said, “We want to embrace you, Oh Lord.” The God told them, “When I reincarnate as Lord Krishna, you will be born as Gopis and then you can embrace me.”[Their wish was fulfilled in Krishnavatara.] [the scourge of the wicked.]

1 During the time of incarnation of the Lord as Krishna, Gokula became the forest heaven. Those who had done penance earlier became trees in that forest. Characters like miserliness and anger became Asuras “devils”. The Kali period which was coming was postponed till the reincarnation period was over. That Hari “remover of sin” who was very pretty reincarnated himself as a Gopa Boy. His playful nature (play with the world) was an unknowable secret. Because of that the world was enchanted. Upanishads and portions of Vedas came in the form of 16108 maidens.

 The "mercy" was born as mother Rohini and the “earth mother” was born as Sathya Bhama “passion for truth”. “Humility” was born as Krishna’s friend Sudhama. “Control of senses” was born as Sage Udhawa and “Truth” was born as Sage Akroora.

The broken curd pots became to Krishna the ocean of milk so that he can play with it. This reincarnation was meant to destroy his enemies and to protect good people.

The sword in the hand of Krishna was the God of destruction, the Maheswara himself. Sage Kasyapa “a fish” was born as the mortar in Yasodha’s house “quicksilver” and The God mother Adithi became the rope which tied Krishna to the mortar.

Kali who destroys all enemies was the mace. The bow called Saranga was the illusion of the God. The harvest season of Sarad “bestows wisdom” became the meals in his house.

The lotus he held playfully was the seed for the world. Though the world was not different from all these, it appeared as if it was different. Similarly God himself did not have any differences. And the Vaikunta mastery of Vedanta, of those people who live in heaven was brought down to the world. The people who have understood this truly would get the result of their good deeds. They would get themselves released from the ties of the body and attain salvation.

 Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship !

May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady !

May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us ! May Brihaspati grant us well-being !

Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! Here ends the Krishnopanishad, as contained in the Atharva-Veda.

[poemshubs]

9 Famous Poems About Patterns in Nature

Nature has always been a rich source of inspiration for poets, providing both a physical landscape and a symbolic backdrop for reflection, emotion, and deep thought. Among the many themes poets have explored, one that stands out is the intricate and recurring patterns found in the natural world. Whether in the cycles of seasons, the symmetry of leaves, or the orderly march of time itself, nature is filled with patterns that echo throughout all living things. These patterns, while rooted in the physical world, can evoke deeper philosophical and existential reflections about life, time, and human experience.

In this article, we will explore nine famous poems that delve into the patterns found in nature. These poems are not only beautiful expressions of the natural world but also an exploration of how these recurring forms reflect the deeper order of life. Through nature’s patterns, we can uncover a sense of unity and continuity in the world, an idea that has captivated poets for centuries. Each poem we will discuss reflects a different aspect of nature’s patterns, offering insight into the cycles, systems, and connections that shape our environment.

Introduction: Nature’s Patterns as Reflections of Life

Nature, with its recurring rhythms, symmetrical forms, and cyclic processes, is one of the most powerful and enduring subjects in poetry. From the daily cycles of the sun and moon to the seasonal transformations of plants and animals, nature provides a canvas of patterns that have fascinated poets and thinkers throughout history. These patterns—whether predictable or surprising—serve as metaphors for broader themes like change, growth, decay, renewal, and interconnection.

The natural world is often viewed as a reflection of the universe’s deeper order, and poets have long used the observation of patterns in nature as a way to probe larger existential questions. The intricate repetition in nature’s cycles can symbolize life’s continuous flow, the balance of opposites, and the harmony of all things, from the microcosm to the macrocosm. Through their poems, these poets use nature’s patterns to tell stories, evoke emotions, and explore the essential rhythms of life.

Let’s take a look at nine famous poems that highlight nature’s patterns in their exploration of time, cycles, and universal connections.

1. “A Noiseless Patient Spider” by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman’s “A Noiseless Patient Spider” is a short yet profound meditation on the patterns of existence. The poem contrasts the solitary activity of a spider weaving its web with the poet’s own search for meaning in the vast, uncertain world. Whitman uses the spider’s methodical, repetitive action as a metaphor for the human soul’s quest for connection and understanding.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“A noiseless patient spider, I mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated, Mark’d how to explore the vacant vast surrounding, It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself, Ever unyielding, ever steadily, And ever so, ever so, ever so.”

In this poem, the spider’s persistent weaving of its web represents the search for meaning in life. Just as the spider’s pattern is repeated over and over again, so too is the search for connection, purpose, and understanding in human life. Whitman’s comparison between the spider’s patient work and the human spirit reflects on the universal desire to make sense of the world, find one’s place, and establish meaningful connections.

2. “Patterns” by Amy Lowell

Amy Lowell’s poem “Patterns” uses the metaphor of a lace pattern to explore the roles and restrictions placed on women in society. In this poem, the speaker observes the intricacies of a pattern woven in lace and reflects on the delicate balance between freedom and constraint. The poem reveals how a woman’s life is often shaped by social norms and expectations, much like the recurring, predictable patterns of the lace.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“I walk down the garden-paths, I look at the flowers’ faces, The color of the flowers is faint and shy, The lace upon my gown is delicate, fine.”

The delicate nature of the lace becomes a symbol of the fragility and limitations imposed upon the speaker. Lowell’s use of the pattern as a metaphor for societal expectation contrasts the natural beauty of the garden and the complexity of life. Through this exploration, Lowell reflects on how life’s patterns can both sustain and constrain individuals, particularly women in early 20th-century society.

3. “The Pattern” by James Henry Leigh Hunt

In “The Pattern,” Leigh Hunt presents a view of the world through the lens of pattern recognition. The poem reflects on how patterns are found not only in nature but in life itself, offering a commentary on the interconnectedness of all things. The poem suggests that just as nature is full of repeating patterns, so too are human experiences marked by recurring themes.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“The stars that shine on high, And the moon that comes, The wandering winds that sigh, The gentle waves that run.”

Hunt uses natural imagery to reflect on the universal presence of patterns. Through his words, he draws a parallel between the cosmic patterns in the stars and the patterns in life. The poem’s gentle, rhythmic lines convey a sense of harmony between nature and human existence, highlighting the endless repetitions in both.

4. “Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey” by William Wordsworth

In this famous poem, William Wordsworth reflects on his return to the River Wye, where he once spent time in his youth. The natural world he encounters has not changed, and he is struck by the cyclical patterns of nature—growth, change, and renewal. Wordsworth contemplates how these patterns provide a sense of continuity and connection in life.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs With a sweet inland murmur. – Once again Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs, Which on a wild secluded scene impress Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect The landscape with the quiet of the sky.”

Wordsworth’s meditation on nature’s timeless cycles—its constancy in the face of human change—brings the speaker a sense of peace. He finds comfort in the idea that nature’s patterns continue unabated, offering a steady source of renewal and reflection. Through nature’s rhythms, Wordsworth expresses a deep gratitude for life’s continuity.

5. “The Tiger” by William Blake

In “The  Tiger,” William Blake examines the powerful, mysterious forces of nature through the image of the tiger, an animal that represents both danger and beauty. The poem explores the creation of the tiger as a divine pattern, reflecting the tension between good and evil, innocence and experience, in both the natural and human worlds.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“Tiger, tiger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”

Blake’s famous line, “fearful symmetry,” highlights the pattern inherent in nature’s creation. The symmetry of the tiger’s body reflects the divine design, suggesting that even the most fearsome aspects of life are part of a larger, orderly pattern. Through the image of  the tiger, Blake explores the dual nature of existence, emphasizing the complexity and mystery behind natural patterns.

6. “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” is not only a haunting tale of grief and loss, but it also showcases the repetition of patterns in both structure and theme. The poem’s refrain—“Nevermore”—emphasizes the cyclical nature of grief and the inability to escape the haunting memories of loss.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door— Perched, and sat, and nothing more.”

Poe’s use of repetition creates a sense of inevitability and unrelenting recurrence, reflecting how the speaker’s grief cannot be escaped. The raven’s repeated utterance of “Nevermore” creates a pattern that echoes throughout the poem, amplifying the psychological toll of the speaker’s sorrow. The raven itself becomes a symbol of the cyclical nature of mourning, emphasizing how some patterns, like grief, never truly end.

7. “A Garden” by Andrew Marvell

In “A Garden,” Andrew Marvell reflects on the harmony and balance of nature, exploring the natural world as a model of perfect order. The poem contrasts the tranquility of the garden with the chaos of human life, suggesting that nature’s patterns offer a sense of peace and stability that humans often lack.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“How vainly men themselves amaze To win the palm, the oak, or bays, And their unnumber’d usuries, To fill the air with idle pleas!”

Marvell’s poem emphasizes how nature’s patterns, especially in a well-ordered garden, are more peaceful and enduring than the arbitrary pursuits of mankind. Through this reflection, he advocates for a return to the simplicity and balance found in nature’s recurring cycles. The garden’s patterns serve as a reminder of the deeper, timeless order that governs life.

8. “The Flower” by George Herbert

George Herbert’s “The Flower” explores the natural world as a reflection of the divine. In this poem, the flower becomes a symbol of spiritual renewal, with its life cycle mirroring the patterns of growth, death, and resurrection. Herbert draws parallels between the flower’s blooming and withering and the spiritual journey of the soul.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“Who would not love thee, O my soul, Thou art as fair as flowers in May!”

Herbert’s focus on the natural world emphasizes the idea that life’s patterns—growth, change, and rebirth—are divinely ordained. The poem suggests that human life, much like a flower, follows an inevitable path, moving from innocence to maturity and eventual decay. Through these natural cycles, Herbert highlights the enduring and repetitive patterns of existence that offer meaning to life.

9. “To Autumn” by John Keats

In “To Autumn,” John Keats celebrates the patterns of the autumn season, using the changing landscapes and the ripening of fruit as metaphors for the passage of time. Keats explores the richness and beauty of autumn’s patterns, while also reflecting on the inevitability of change and the approach of winter.

Excerpt from the Poem:

“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run.”

Keats beautifully captures the rhythms and patterns of autumn in this poem, celebrating the season as a time of fullness and harvest. The patterns of growth, ripening, and decay that are inherent to nature’s cycles serve as a poignant reminder of the transitory nature of life, and Keats’ vivid descriptions imbue these cycles with a sense of beauty and purpose.

Conclusion

These nine poems provide diverse and compelling ways of thinking about the recurring patterns in nature. From the patient weaving of the spider to the cyclical changes of autumn, poets have used the patterns of the natural world as metaphors for life’s rhythms, growth, decay, and transformation. Whether it is the symmetry of the tiger, the grief of “The Raven,” or the spiritual renewal symbolized by the flower, each poem highlights how patterns in nature offer a deeper understanding of life and the universe.

Through their intricate and thoughtful reflections, these poets remind us that the patterns in nature are not just physical phenomena but also spiritual, emotional, and intellectual truths. The patterns of nature reflect the order of the universe, the passage of time, and the interconnectedness of all things, making them a powerful subject for poetry.

In exploring nature’s patterns, these poets have created works that transcend the natural world, inviting readers to contemplate their own place in the cycles and rhythms that shape human existence. These recurring patterns—whether in nature, life, or human experience—serve as an enduring source of inspiration, contemplation, and beauty.

[basilepessoart]

1e diffusion juillet 18 (lien en commentaire (Fb) ou ici). Rien n'a depuis été dit dans la presse sur le statut (migrant ou non) des ordures.

Ces faits sont PERMANENTS dans de nombreux pays occidentaux depuis TRES longtemps. Les gouvernements sont payés pour ces invasions barbares, notamment par l'UE et la fondation Open Society (Georges Schwarz aka Soros, juif), qui a soutenu la propagande indep catalane - le mouvement Aliança Catalana croit que ce seraient les "Castillans" (Espagnols non catalans) qui ont créé cette invasion en Catalogne, "pour attaquer les Catalans", alors que les indeps sauf Aliança sont des collaborationnistes maousse.

C'est une amie proche qui dirige AC, Alejandro m'a demandé de m'exprimer sur le caractère délirant de l'accusation de Silvia, je ne le fais pas, pour elle, mais "ça serait sympa" qu'elle arrête...

BP.

P.S : Soros n'est pas pédo-sataniste. Ca faisait partie du fake, j'ai diffusé ce machin pendant environ un an, contre ma volonté.

En Catalogne, Open Society a comme relai indep gauchiste Omnium.

L'insensibilité psychopathique du gauchiste à la barbarie raciste contre nos peuples s'explique par de nombreux critères dont l'ego et la puissance du "virtue signaling" multipliée parfois par des...millions par internet.

Le gauchard, véritable ordure, se voit comme un surhomme car adoubé par une masse aussi atroce que lui, alors que c'est l'héritier du kapo (le prisonnier qui aidait les Nazis en camps de concentration et d'extermination - Wiki en commentaire 2 (Fb) ou ici).

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Post originel, contenu :

Espérons que ce ne soient pas des nouveaux arrivants, sinon Pedro Sánchez doit dégager immédiatement. Et y a encore un autre truc grave qui s'est passé, j'en parlerai dans les jours suivants. A demain.

>>>>

"Les faits se sont produits vendredi 20 juillet vers 4 heures du matin dans la commune de San Pedro del Pinatar (province de Murcie), à seulement quelques kilomètres de Pilar de la Horadada, sur une aire de loisirs, d’après la Garde civile.

La victime présumée était accompagnée de sa cousine, majeure, lorsque deux hommes, «apparemment d’origine marocaine, l’ont abordée avant de l’agresser sexuellement et de la pénétrer», a-t-elle raconté aux enquêteurs."

Basile Pesso, Land of Somewhere, 18 septembre 2 024 (Fb) Article de Yabiladi : "Espagne : Arrestation d'un Marocain pour viol présumé sur mineure"