#sorry if I sound condescending

[aight-griffin]

@helluvatired made a similar post but. . .

People like to use this line to imply that Blitz really needs the book specifically, I’ve even seen some people use it to bolster claims that Stolas is abusing Blitz.

Except, that’s not what this line meant at all? Even a little bit?

Seconds before this happened Stolas gave Blitz an Asmodian Crystal, which would allow him to do everything he was doing with the book, except legally.

Blitz definitely knows how it works too, since

Barbie was using one earlier in the season,

He uses it perfectly well in the next episode

Stolas literally just explained what it does

The “I need this book” line thus makes no sense. Blitz does not need the book, he just got an alternative that’s better in every way.

Now then, when a character says a line like this that makes no goddamn sense on the surface, there’s about a 15% chance it’s bad writing, and a 85% chance the writer is inviting you to look deeper.

In this case Blitz says he needs the book not because he actually needs it, but because he wants to preserve the relationship they currently have. He clearly has feelings for Stolas, but his own self-worth issues don’t let him live with those feelings, they don’t let him internalize that a demon prince could feel the same way about him as he does for them. The book arrangement allows Blitz to be around Stolas, to fuck him, and love him, without challenging that paradigm.

This is what Stolitz’s “breakup” in Full Moon and Apology Tour is all about: clearly they both have feelings for each other, but Stolas wanted to make their relationship less transactional, to lessen the power dynamic, and Blitz simply was not emotionally or mentally ready for that step.

This wasn’t really my thesis but To conclude, Stolitz is obviously not the healthiest relationship in the world, but using the “I need the book” line as evidence of abuse is a level of poor media literacy and taking things out of context that I’ve only seen out of power scalers.

[the-adventures-of-dave]

im not saying this to come at you, as a bengal owner myself (though i do not plan to purchase any more of them), but aren’t there issues of ethicality surrounding the bengal breed as well, because of their wild cat blood? in particular ive heard stories from vets online regarding the fact that they do not handle visits the way fully domestic animals do and can be dangerous as a result. i see this in my own bengal as well despite his coming from a reliable and reputable breeder and regularly receiving comments from vets that he is very well behaved for the breed. despite being generations down, the wild blood has a clear effect on how well he handles shots, flea treatments, etc. however, outside of vets, very few people seem to actually discuss this matter in relation to the breed. i had personally not even thought about it until i saw them compared to wolfdogs, so i thought to bring it up to you in case you were the same.

Hey there anon, it's no trouble at all! I'll split this into two parts. It's gonna be a long one, so take a look under the cut for my answers (and a very cute photo of Kep).

The question about aggression is interesting to me, as I've never actually heard of bengal-specific aggression before. To vetblr and catblr, what are your experiences with bengal aggression? Do you find the breed leans one way or another?

On that note, let's look at aggression. Like I said, this ask is actually the first I've ever heard of bengal cats being aggressive! Of all the bengal owners I've talked to, both breeders and your average folk, none mentioned anything about human or cat aggression in bengals. As a high energy breed, bengals are known to be environmentally destructive when understimulated, but I can't find anything supported by science stating the breed is any more or less human/cat aggressive than your regular tabby. In talking to both my vet and acquaintances that work at vet clinics, they've all only had positive things to share about bengal personalities.

In my own F7 bengal experience Kepler is as sweet as a button, and even in high stress situations like parties or vet visits he is calm and friendly. He's never had issues with shots, ultrasounds, flea treatments, or handling from the vet. (Dave my domestic shorthair, on the other hand, needs multiple drugs including complete anesthetic to prevent him from hurting himself or veterinary staff, and has a greater history of aggressive behaviour). I actually purchased Kepler because the bengal personality seemed a lot safer and more consistent than adopting a dsh from the shelter and risking owning two aggressive cats.

(A photo of Kepler at the fear free vet, allowing them to lay him on his back for an ultrasound and urine collection.)

Regarding ethics, the issue most look to is the Wild x Domestic cross of the asian leopard cat and domestic shorthair. In the United States and other countries with lax animal welfare laws, poaching and private ownership of servals to create the Savannah breed is an ongoing issue, so it makes sense to want to apply the same logic to bengals.

The reason the cross is not an issue to me personally is that the bengal is considered a "closed breed" under the TICA and CFA, meaning that breeders can no longer register and show <F4 bengals or create new bengal bloodlines by outcrossing to the asian leopard cat. As of this change reputable registered bengals are considered a fully domestic cat and not a wild cross.

(The CFA breed standard stating no bengal can be outcrossed to asian leopard cats.)

This means that so long as you source your pet from a registered and reputable breeder, you are not contributing to the poaching or the unethical breeding of wild mixes. It's a fantastic inclusion, as it also actively discourages people from poaching, owning and breeding wildlife. It also makes it clear to potential cat owners like myself which breeders to avoid (ie. those that don't register or show their "bengals").

As an Albertan Canadian I also have further peace of mind as it is illegal for people in this province to own or import wildlife or wild mixes F4 or below, so there is no chance of getting a poached cat (or its offspring) unless I went to the black market or a particularly shady breeder.

Are there people in the United States and other countries that still cross domestics with ALCs? Most definitely. But I personally don't think that owning a cat that is;

Purchased from a reputable breeder;

Barred by law to be a recent outcross; and

Registered under a cat fancy that discourages outcrossing

actively supports modern poaching or unethical wildlife ownership. Cat fancy has taken steps to minimize the harm of bengal breeding and ownership on wildlife while still preserving a bit of cat history. Those steps are sufficient enough for me to be comfortable with it, and I hope that breeds like the savannah cat follow in their footsteps with a closed breed standard.

That being said, if the history of the bengal upsets you or is something that rubs you the wrong way, I wouldn't fault you for it. Wildlife and animal welfare is a bit of a tricky business, and it's not always black and white. Just make sure to do your research and be open to multiple opinions. I appreciate you reaching out to me, and I hope my own thoughts have given you something to think about, even if you don't agree. Cheers!

[myheartisbro-ken]

Can't believe I'm gonna have to spell this out here but there seems to be some confusion about the outcome of literally kissing death.

So, a kiss of death/a kiss from death/death's kiss/to give death a kiss/to kiss death/etc are expressions or idioms that mean dying or sealing your fate towards death (not in a romantic way, again, this is about dying), so I'm gonna hold y'all's hands when I say this:

There was no other possible outcome of kissing Rio. Kissing death means dying! Once more with feeling: KISSING DEATH MEANS DYING! It was always gonna be like this, it's okay that it went over your head because you were excited about their chemistry, it went over my head too, until it happened. But it was right in our faces the entire time.

"oh but what about previous episodes?" You ask me "her behavior towards Rio changed." It did and it didn't. First of all, have we missed their first interaction once Agatha is free from the curse? That was Agatha in her purest form, bearing no fondness over Rio and hating her fucking guts, and literally bargaining with death. Another expression of sorts yeah? Y'know, from the five stages of grief, with the final being acceptance of death, a previous one is bargaining, which means making deals with yourself or a higher power, as a defense mechanism, with the intent of changing your fate/stalling death. (Which she managed to). And what about their interactions on the road? She was vulnerable and sought comfort in her ex who was the only person who truly understood her, yes, but also SHE WAS SEEKING COMFORT IN THE IDEA OF DYING! The whole situation made her vulnerable and it made her miss her son, so she wondered if dying wasn't so bad after all, if it meant she would get to see him (and before you ask, that doesn't change the fact that she's not ready to face him, both things can be true at once).

But she was flirting with Rio, was she not? Yes, she was literally flirting with death, an expression that means being reckless regarding your own safety and doing things that could lead to you dying.

And what about the time she tried to kiss Rio? SHE WAS TRYING TO DIE, PEOPLE! She was hurt, she was sad, she had her grief thrown in her face from the very first trial, and she was coming from nearly losing another boy that she came to care about that reminded her so much of her son, and then Rio talked about Nicky and she wanted to die!

This whole relationship has been a metaphor to grief and dying! She's loved by death, she's resented death for years for taking her son away from her, she's been bargaining with, flirting with, and evading death for centuries, and in her lowest points, when the pain take over her, death offers her comfort. But she's too fucking stubborn to go with her. In the end she still resents her, and she accepts her angrily, so she can stop her from taking another boy she cares about. Once more, bargaining with death to give a boy a bit more time before she takes him.

[vivika-ka]

When people say MHA is realistic, I think they’re right to a certain extent.

(As in, they’re right it presents social issues we deal with in real life, but that’s about it).

I feel like if that’s the type of narrative Horikoshi was going for, the tone and direction of the scenes in which heroes and society at large are conforming to the (deeply flawed) status quo should be darker or sadder. He instead frames it as inspirational. Or he urges the audience to follow said status quo despite the negative consequences being shown.

“Oh, but that’s to show how their society is blind.”

This would work if the society was portrayed as delusional by a character that isn’t a villain—since the villains’ well-founded grievances with the complacency and hypocrisy of the hero culture is portrayed as the worst line of thinking imaginable.

Point being, MHA isn’t playing a psychological game with the audience, because it presents its grey issues as black-and-white. There’s no indication the author intended for us to read between the lines. What you see is what you get.

If the intention was to truly consider their society and their protagonists as characters who are too comfortable with conforming and actively maintaining the status quo through either state or private sponsored forces, the tone of the end and throughout the story wouldn’t be highlighting these traits as something uplifting and altruistic.

[sorchasolas]

I dont exactly remember what the post said but i do remember this post about Navani and Raboniel and Dalinar and it was basically like “despite Dalinar being framed as a good husband Navani still feels lesser and undervalued because Raboniel was the one to make her feel valued for once and not Dalinar and Dalinar delegates too much stuff to her like Gavilar did” that wasnt EXACTLY what it said and if someone has the post pls send it to me. BUT.

Did Navani ever,,,, bring that up? That she didn’t enjoy having to do so much of that work? (Which, i cant recall her ever hating it, in her prologue she expresses annoyance with Gavilar making her job harder and never being there, and later she says shes stressed with helping make Urithiru but she mentions MULTIPLE times that she ENJOYS building kingdoms and running them, just not to the extent Gavilar made her do, especially in the specific instance of the feast.)

DID SHE EVER COMMUNICATE THAT TO DALINAR?? Is Dalinar a bad husband for not reading her mind?? Dalinar repeatedly says thats shes brilliant and beautiful and talented and smart in both his internal and external monologues, and listens to her interests and her grievances pretty consistently, and the one time Dalinar was completely absent and didnt help her at all was when he was relapsing, which i dont?? Remember??? But im 90% sure he either apologizes or recognizes what he did was shitty. Where is the problem? :( he can’t magically read her mind and magically make her feel adequate?

[gulava]

If Namine is truly Kairi’s Nobody, then where is the person that made Namine appear the way she does? Why aren’t they inside Kairi’s heart? If Ventus is what made Roxas appear the way he does, why would Namine be any different?

[deoidesign]

Hello I stumbled across your profile and I just say I love your art style! I've gotta ask, how'd your develop it? And do you have any advice for someone who can't decide what they want their art to look like?

Thank you so much!

To be entirely honest, I don't feel like I truly "developed" my style. I feel a lot more like I finally let myself draw it! But I am incredibly deliberate with my work, and I do have clear tendencies and preferences... So I'll do my best to explain how I got to where I am now as an artist.

It's important to remember that "style" is something of a nebulous concept. It changes with you as you grow as a person, and most artists can work in and emulate many art styles! Art really is a form of communication with yourself, and your "style" is a reflection of the tendencies and preferences you have. My art does not look how it looked 5 years ago, and my art will look different 5 years from now too. I've changed, and my art reflects that!

(2012, 2018, 2023; two pieces I remember being incredibly proud of and considered my best work up til that point, and then my most recent piece)

What you need to do, as everyone will tell you, is study the fundamentals (anatomy, perspective, form and structure, lighting and shadow, color, and composition) so you have the proper tools to make the most informed decisions possible about your art, and so you can deliberately break or follow rules as you please for your desired effect. I know it sounds silly to learn rules if you're not gonna be following them anyways, but they help you be much more consistent and intentional! More knowledge is NEVER a bad thing to have!

However, I know it's a bit demoralizing to just be told to study fundamentals. Everyone knows you're supposed to do that, but it takes YEARS to learn, and people want their art to feel how they want it to now (which is very very very normal to want!)

So on that front, I have 2 follow up suggestions that I personally find helpful (of course, everyone is different, so it's not like this is the only way to learn! But, if it resonates with you, it might mean it will work for you too.)

1: Separate study from application

I believe this is beneficial for a few reasons:

If the goal of every piece is learning, it can become frustrating, overwhelming, and boring

It's harder to self critique when there are multiple variables to investigate. I like to study one fundamental at a time

Study (usually) works best with a large quantity of output, whereas application of knowledge (finished pieces) is often more satisfying and effective when you get to take your time

Deliberate practical application of what you've learned in a finished piece helps cement the learning in your mind, and also lets you get satisfying finished pieces with noticeable improvement after a good study session!

I've found that keeping these things separate helps me improve faster and more deliberately, and it takes a lot of the pressure off of both aspects! I'm not worried about my studies looking beautiful, they're just to learn! And I don't feel pressured to critique my finished pieces, cause they're just for fun and to make something pretty. I personally find this helps me have a much healthier relationship with my art.

When studying, copy! Copy things as best as you can, all the time. It gives you something to compare to for self critique (and of course, if you're copying someone else's work and you share the study, ALWAYS give credit, share the original, and say it was for study.) In application, don't copy: reference. Make it yours!

2: Let yourself do the things that feel "easy" or like "cheating"

This one is simpler: nothing in art is easy.

If something feels easy to you, most of the time it's not because it's actually any easier... It's because it's part of your natural tendencies and preferences! This took me forever to realize, but as long as you're actually doing some study, then you're learning. You don't need to learn All The Time. When you're doing the "application" portion, you should let yourself do whatever is actually the most fun and feels easiest! This is where your style will start to come through, and where you get to learn about yourself. Take the pressure off, and have fun!!!

The only cheating in art is theft. If you're not stealing, then it's allowed!

My whole life (and yes, still!) I'd get regular criticism about both my style and my subject matter. You will too. You'll see a thousand different styles, and a hundred different things to admire in each. Your heart will ache that you don't draw like others do.

But art is a form of communication with yourself. It's like your voice, or your accent; just something that's a part of you! It can be fun to mimic others', but when you sit to have a conversation you speak naturally. (I know some people want to and do change their voice, but this is a metaphor and metaphors aren't perfect)

Don't stress so much about what you want your art to look like, especially if you're not sure. There's a lot of value to be had in constant experimentation, I think it'd be rather boring to only draw one style the rest of my life. What I draw is what I want to see, right now, for who I am now! It's a part of me and comes naturally, if I let it!

I hope this helps!

[lover-of-mine]

i’m always interested in your analyses of the blue-green thing! colour is such a cool way of expressing themes or parallels and when you look at it laid out with all the couples, it’s so clear and non coincidental lol

“up until 6b they were really careful with this particular implication of romantic undertones with buddie and that's out the window now” is this in reference to how they carefully set up buddie’s themes and storylines over 5 seasons and then fucked it up in just a few 6b episodes? 😅

because honestly that’s part of the reason why i don’t have much hope for canon in season 7, i feel like they’ve suddenly backtracked on their relationship for some reason and are gonna go all no homo and/or just ruin them completely

post about the blue and green thing

Okay, I'm gonna go conspiracy theorist here, and I may be giving the showrunners too much credit, but here's the thing, we know the threat of cancellation made them change things around during 6b, there's a very clear tone shift, they changed episode names, called actor back for reshoots, so they changed the way the season was supposed to go so it would work as a nice packaged little happy ending if they got cancelled. Personally, I believe that there is some higher plan with Buck and Eddie going on here, I think they are a slowburn that is still burning, and personally, that needs to burn a little bit more until they can have a relationship that would work (getting Buck back in therapy and letting them talk would be ideal) and if you wanna jump ship go for it, I don't blame you, this shit is frustrating. But the thing is, they are very careful about how characters are constructed, and Buck and Eddie exist as mirrors of each other, and they also mirror canon romantic couple, bathena being the most blatant one. And they make a point to make sure that if you look at it closely, you can pick up on some romantic undertone, most major buddie scenes have that feeling that leaves you wondering. And it's not like the show doesn't know how to write friendships, because they do, so... choices. But going back to season 6, it might just be me, but I don't want them to get together for the sake of them getting together, there's a lot of build-up surrounding them for me to be satisfied with "and they kissed roll credits" (i love you *falls to gay superhell*, oh he had complicated feelings over the jeep) so I don't think they fucked it up, I think they didn't have the time to playout what they wanted to do with buddie in the space they had in season 6 and voted against rushing it since there was a chance the show was going to get picked up by someone else. Because it is still very easy to write off both Natalia and Marisol and keep whatever plan they might have and if they didn't get picked up just shoving them together would be unsatisfying. (In the end, it was unsatisfying anyway because the way they wrote the season makes a real effort into painting Buck, Eddie, and Chris as a family unity, so most things that don't end with them acknowledging this are unsatisfying, but it's an easy fix because the show didn't end, so)

Because, in the end, they are purposely writing Buck and Eddie as mirrors of each other, and it goes down to the first death on the job for both of them being someone falling to their death. You have the first love that ran away from them and came back without giving them real closure, you have the rocky relationship with their parents, you have the relationship they were pushed into by other people (Eddie and Ana and Buck and Ali if that's not clear), you have the way that Shannon is introduced and the next episode Buck gets a girlfriend, Shannon dies? Next episode, byebye Ali, Eddie starts dating Ana? Next episode, let's bring Taylor back into the mix, Buck is dating Natalia? What a wonderful time to have Eddie decide he's ready to put himself out there. You have the late confirmation they are the same age. You have the way they both escaped home, the way they found themselves in firefighting. You have the pretty blunt parallels between the shooting and the lightning and the well and the lightning, you have Eddie's will and the way Eddie decided to hide it (because they could have Eddie talk to Buck before changing and I've seen this playout between friends in other shows, but the choice to hide it gives a different feeling), you have multiple confirmations that Buck sees Christopher as his own, you have Eddie being hurt being Buck's berzerker button. One or two things are an accident, this many? They're on purpose, and I chose to believe there is some bigger, longer plan in action here. Sometimes I feel like there's a large percentage of the fandom who doesn't understand the stakes behind a network slowburn. Even shows like castle or the mentalist, where you KNOW they are gonna end up together, took like? 6 seasons? of build-up for something to happen? And like, I want them together, but with everything we have around them, I want them together in the right way, and yes, I think the show is delaying them because the stakes keep getting higher so it's harder to make it work, but I do have faith they can make something good work, just look at everything about them from 6x10 to 6x13.

Also, that particular statement was just about the blue and green thing because I actually looked at every scene where they are together, and they are never in those colors except for those two scenes, and the choice of shades of blue and green is very on purpose to be on accident, you know what I mean? And Buck and Taylor have multiple blue and green scenes, to pick the shades from the shooting is insane really.

Everything is on purpose, but a tv show is not like a book or a movie where everything is gonna be contained, you need to let the story evolve and adapt to the circumstances in which is being aired, and personally, I think 6x16-6x18 are just a detour, some construction on sunset lol, I think they had a choice to keep the season the way it was supposed to go and risk leaving the show feeling unfinished or shift things around and just leave Buck and Eddie feeling unfinished and they went with the second option, because it had less consequences.

Season 7 could absolutely go just kidding, no homo, but the thing is, you have two characters whose storylines are deeply tangled together, you can just sit them down, have them talk, say "you're my brother, dude" and goodbye, they're platonic best buddies. But I also don't think they would draw such a hard line because us crazy buddie shippers keep watching the show in the hopes of seeing them in the same frame together, and I feel like a significant part of people could give up the show altogether if they make such a blunt statement. And the showrunners know that, keeping us in the will they won't they thing helps their numbers and we are a significant enough portion of the viewers to make a difference. The hope of buddie brings audience to the show so I wouldn't expect a no homo thing. Or any hard line between them really.

But what do I know? I'm just a girl with a blog and a hyperfixation lol

[lautakwah]

hate when customers talk to me in a tone like they think im an idiot but when i give the same energy back theyre like "Uhm... That's rude... Nothing personal but--"

[gen4grl]

as an adult i can’t imagine actually getting offended over someone having a headcanon that differs from yours, ship related or not. i feel like most of the mutuals or people i follow on here don’t share a majority of my headcanons or ships but what i’ve always adored about fandom spaces is how one character or dynamic can create so many interpretations! i love seeing people talk so passionately about a character/ship in ways i never would of even pictured it even if i don’t apply it to my personal au/headcanons. there is literally no excuse as an adult to be so offended, block someone if what they create hurts you so deeply and probably work on yourself too!

[creekfiend]

Every time a post about the man from the Bear shows up pn my dash I HAVE to go in the tags and see what unhinged shit ppl are saying it's always so good. Sometimes I read them aloud to Fer

[hareofhrair]

Can I get serious about the walrus/fairy thing for a minute?

This is a fun, silly question and arguing about it is a good time. It's also a really good thought exercise and an opportunity to recognize and examine reactionary thought.

Fairies, factually, do not exist. This is a scientifically supported consensus belief.

Walruses do exist, and can be moved just about anywhere with enough money and determination. If I had Jeff Bezos cash I could hand deliver a walrus to each of your doorways. It is not physically impossible, just super unlikely.

So why do we *feel* like the fairy is less surprising?

Why do we dismiss something provably true, in favor of something provably false, that feels better?

This is the basis of reactionary thought. Feelings over facts.

I want us to use this as a chance to look at our instinctive, reactive response, and examine where that feeling comes from, and learn to distinguish justifications from an earnest examination.

Doubling down on how the walrus could never get to your house is justification, because no matter how improbable it would be, it will always be *more* probable than something provably impossible.

So where does the feeling that the walrus is less possible come from?

If you accept the premise that a walrus could get to your house, and fairies are not real, why does the walrus still feel more surprising?

Examine your reaction, and try to figure out where it's coming from.

[idkfitememate]

… Would you guys like more stuff like the things I posted last night? Genuine question because I got so many “twisted” (so sayeth the therapist) ideas and I prefer writing horror soooo-

I mean I wouldn’t be opposed what-

[the-laurel-nymph]

I can relate to the 'getting turned into a tree' thing

@badassthalia

Oh, really? How interesting, but I'd assume a few differences include the fact that you weren't being chased by a certain sun god, but details are just details, aren't they?

[m4ndysk4nkovich]

Tumblr communities don't typically do 'extra tags for reach' kinda thing. If you fill specific character tags with posts exclusively about other characters, you'll get blocked by a lot of people. If I'm searching for BEVERLY MARSH I don't want to see posts exclusively about Richie and Eddie.

goodbye i’ve posted one thing under beverly marsh and it was something WITH HER IN IT. like she was literally the main part of it, it was about the scene where they’re all trying to get richie to leave eddie’s body, AND I SPECIFICALLY SHOWED BEV TALKING TO RICHIE BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED. wtf

[llycaons]

the 'brat summer to demure fall' thing is annoying if true but I'm 90% sure most people participating aren't actually completely substituting their personality for seasonal aesthetics