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depressed--carrot · 5 years ago

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Peridot is the first character I’ve ever been able to relate to on a personal level and here’s why...

I’m autistic. I’m a 20 year old female with Asperger’s and never in my life have I been able to relate to character as well as Peridot. Every character I’ve seen in media prior to Peridot that could be considered autisitc has either been an incredibly inaccurate depiction or...well...male!

Although it’s not specifically stated whether or not Peridot is autistic, I believe that Rebecca Sugar has mentioned in the past that she’s glad people in the autistic community can relate to the character. I’m going to list some reasons below as to why I believe people in the community can relate to Peridot. I want to say that she’s obviously an alien (lmao) so I’m just stating all of the things that I see as autistic traits in her character. Everyone on the spectrum experiences different autistic traits, these are just a few I believe that Peridot exhibits.

1. Social interaction and communication.

Peridot struggles a lot with her communication throughout the series. Now, this doesn’t mean that she isn’t well spoken because she is! It’s more or less regarding how she communicates with others. Her phrasing is INCREDIBLY literal, she has a lack of understanding of jokes and sarcasm. Peridot comes across as insensitive a lot of the time. As an example, in 'Too Far’ Amethyst encourages her to say mean things about people, laughing whenever she does. Peridot takes this as what she’s saying is making Amethyst like her, but in reality, she’s hurting people and not realising. It’s very much the idea that you speak your mind without thinking, only realising later that what you’ve said may have offended someone. This can be seen as a lack of empathy by others. Something I, unfortunately, experience a lot in my own life.

Peridot tends to speak in a monotone voice, then not knowing how to control her voice usually ends up shouting when emotionally provoked. She can also sometimes speak too fast. I also have to mention that Peridot has a fantastic vocabulary, which I admire greatly.

Peridot often struggles with emotions. Unable to understand other people’s emotions, she often uses her tape recorder to express how she’s feeling. Of course, this is done pretty awkwardly - but she tries her hardest to relate to how other people feel.

2. Special Interests

A special interest is a hyper-focused interest that autistic people have. This could pretty much be anything, for me (currently), it’s Steven Universe. For Peridot - it’s Camp Pining Hearts! Special interests are much different from hobbies and can change frequently or very rarely. It’s something that you think about every second of the day, something you have to know everything about - your warm blanket. It can become a comfort to you and in Peridot’s case it seems as if CPH’s becomes that interest. She’s obsessive over the show, wants to know everything about it, wants to watch all the episodes repeatedly and even tends to relate real life situations back to the characters so she can grasp a better understanding of people’s emotions. She even manages to convince Lapis to watch the show with her - probably because she kept info-dumping CPH lore and Lapis had no idea what she was talking about. Sounds like a familiar situation with me and my poor mother who I’ve made sit through episodes of SU so she knows what I’m talking about lmao. Bottom line = special interests make us very very happy!

3. Change of Routine & Comforts

Let’s be honest, Peridot was out of her depth getting stranded on Earth. Poor thing, but what made that worse? Steven and the Gems took away her comforts! People with autism tend to get quite attached to certain items that bring us comfort and you can see this a lot throughout the series. Peridot’s limb enhancers, the tape recorder, the barn (!) and her tablet etc.

What happens to Peridot when people mess with her stuff? When people take away the things that bring her that comfort? FREAKOUT. She’s overwhelmed with emotion and usually has a meltdown after these things have been taken away and the norm is no longer the norm. We can see this when Lapis takes the barn away, Peridot falls into a deep pit of depression - routine has been broken and the place she called home has been ripped away so suddenly. She cannot adapt quick enough to the change.

4. Coordination

Okay so, Peridot is incredibly prone to being clumsy. She’s probably the one character who has just straight up fallen on their face the most. Well, I think it may be because her co-ordination isn’t exactly...great. A condition called Dyspraxia is pretty common amongst people with autism which can make us a little bit clumsier than usual and can effect both our gross and fine motor skills. It can mean we struggle with spacial awareness, we tend to bump into things a lot and well, like Peridot - can often fall over. It also covers the basis of fine motor skills such as handwriting etc.

5. Physical Contact

Peridot’s not exactly one for physical contact...now don’t get me wrong, she seems to like a good hug - but unlike the other Gems she tends to avoid touch. Not only that, but it’s been confirmed that she’s aro/ace which means that she’s not exactly one for anything...physical. As someone who is aromantic, her character once again relates heavily to me. She’s a star.

6. Stimming and MELTDOWNS!

Peri is a stimmer! She flaps, claps, spins, jumps, stomps - you name it and she’s doing it. She even did the raptor hands that one time lmao! Autistic people usually use repetitive behaviours like clapping or flapping to help keep themselves calm.

In terms of meltdowns well...Peridot has a habit of spiralling off into a rant and rage. She’s an incredibly angry little bean and the anger usually stems from her frustration of not being able to express her emotions correctly. This sucks and I know exaclty how she feels.

Now, I’m by no means an expert and there’s a load of other things I’ve spotted with Peridot that I relate to and I’m sure others do too, but these were just my observations. If I continued with this, I really would be here all night!

I am just so happy to have someone like Peridot in the media when the only other ‘representation’ we get is characters like Sheldon Cooper *SHUDDERS*. It’s so nice to be able to relate to a character who is accurately depicted and doesn’t make you feel like garbage. She’s a character with amazing development and I’m so glad that Steven Universe shows an autistic coded ‘female’ in such a strong role.

I love you Peridot. Thanks for making me feel seen when everyone else made me believe I was invisible.

#steven universe #long post #kay speaks #peridot #peridot autism #autistic #autism awareness #autistic characters #aro #ace #we love you peri #su #suf #steven universe future #representation #thank you peridot #aspergers

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turning-dreams-into-chaos · 5 years ago

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Hi! Do you mind writing a bellamy x reader based on the promts 21, 20 and 5? Thank you!

20. “I’m going to marry you someday.”

21. “I think you have a secret admirer.”

25. “Haha you said you loved me.” “We’re married you idiot.”

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

For some reason, everyone on the ark went crazy for Valentine’s Day, the loving holiday that didn’t die with the earth. It was the same for you, the day had always held a special place in your heart, even more so 5 years ago when Bellamy asked you out during the Valentine’s Day dance.

Right now, you were at said dance, looking around for him. Knowing he was most likely on guard duty, you decided to wait around, getting a drink and just enjoying the party. You couldn’t help but think back to the Valentine’s day that started this all.

Being 18 in the ark wasn’t a good thing when it came to being arrested, but when it came to partying? That’s where all the fun came in. After all the under 18’s left, the actual alcohol came out, the music was turned up and you spent the time jumping around with your best friend Gina. You were currently dancing, more like jumping up and down repeatedly, before Gina grabbed your arm, getting your attention.

“I was dancing!” you complained, fairly close to her ear so she could actually hear you. She thrusted a folded piece of paper in your hand, making you raise a brow at her. “What’s this?”

“I think you have a secret admirer.” She told you as your jaw dropped.

You? A secret admirer?

You opened up the paper slowly, taking glances at Gina until the paper was finally readable.

‘I haven’t been able to look away from you all night, but I’m not complaining. You’re so perfect Y/N that I’d never want to look away.’

You read it out loud to her, Gina squealing as she grabbed your arm. You watched her with amusement as she grinned at you. “Someone has a crush on you!” she shouted, making you laugh.

“Yeah but who?” you pointed out as she stopped jumping, looking around the room eagerly. “Wait, G who gave this to you?” She was still looking around the room before stopping on a tall guard, one with sleeked back, black hair who made your heart speed up.

You laughed to yourself softly, meeting the eyes of your secret admirer before making your way over him. “You know, friendships don’t last long when someone keeps secrets, Mr. Blake.” You joked, crossing your arms in front of your chest with a smirk.

Bellamy just nodded, an actual nervous look on his face as he stared into your eyes and you his, his deep brown eyes, a pair that had you falling for years. “I wasn’t sure how to tell you.” He admitted.

“Can I tell you a secret too?” Rubbing the back of your neck, you looked down towards the floor, trying to get the words out. “When Gina handed the letter, I really hoped it was from you.”

Bellamy was taken back from your words, his crush liked him back. “Well then, what would you say about a date sometime? Maybe dinner, then back to mine. I’ll let you teach me how to braid O’s hair.”

You fake gasped, bringing a hand up to your chest. “Really? You’ll actually let me teach you?” you reached forward, grabbing Bellamy’s hand as he tilted his head and you thought he was hesitating.

“Did you miss the part where I asked you on a date?” He teased as you squeezed his hand, letting them rest in the middle of you both.

“Well, I thought it was implied.” You shrugged before taking a deep breath, coming closer to him and kissed him. Bellamy thought his heart was to explode right there when you went in for another and he ran his tongue across your lips.

The kiss didn’t last much longer before some other guard came along, relieving Bellamy from his post. He thanked him, leading you by the hand to the dance floor where you both danced the rest of the night away.

When the dance was over, you were exhausted, hanging onto Bellamy just to keep yourself on your feet. Bellamy kept taking glances down at you, finding the tiredness only making you look stunning. He swept you of your feet, bridal carrying you down the halls to your compartment.

Your mom answered the door, swooning at the sight before her as she moved to the side, letting Bellamy into your room. He thanked her before carefully putting you down on the bed he knew to be yours.

You mumbled his name in your drowsiness, making his heart skip a beat. “Shhh.” He whispered, pushing a fallen strand of your hair behind your ear. “Go to sleep Y/N. I’ll see you in the morning.”

You curled up into your pillow, feeling Bellamy pull your blanket up to your chin, effectively tucking you in. He stayed for a few lingering seconds, watching as you fell asleep before he smiled. “I’m gonna marry you someday.”

You smiled at the memory, feeling a pair of strong arms wrapping around your waist from behind. You didn’t need to turn around to know it was Bellamy as you looked up at him. “I thought you were working.” You told him, spinning in his arms to face him and rest your head on his chest.

“I was, then I saw you and someone offered to cover.” You hummed as you both began to sway softly to the slow song playing throughout the room. “What were you thinking of earlier?” You smiled at him, bringing a hand up to run through his now longer hair, still gelled back for his uniform.

“You. Us. That day you finally asked me out.” you told him as he chuckled, that damn sound that made your stomach erupt with butterflies.

“Right, that day. It felt like so long ago, I remember going back to my room that night and Octavia demanding I told her every little detail from the moment I wrote the note to the moment I got back.”

You could listen to Bellamy talk about his relationship with his sister all day. That caring part of him was one of the main reasons you fell for him.

“I still can’t believe you sent me a note.”

“It seemed like the best way to get your attention.” He defended, putting his hands on your waist. You threw your head back in a laugh, letting your thumb trace his jaw line gently, the light stubble he had rubbing against your fingers.

“I love you Bell.” You told him before his lips upturned into a stupid smile.

“Haha, you said you loved me.”

You stared at him, bringing your hand up in between his face and yours. “We’re married you idiot.” You deadpanned. Bellamy just chuckled, threading his hand with yours as he looked at the wedding band sitting on your finger. He couldn’t believe five years later that he would actually be standing here and married to the love of his life.

“Well then.” He smirked, leaning down to give you a quick kiss. “Lucky me.”

A/N: Hi... that’s all. 😊

~Master List~

~The 100 Master~

*Not My Gif*

Permanent: @literal-fand0m-trash @just4muggles @saturn-aka-six @nathaliabakes @whyamihere-bro @colored-confetti @wiseeggspickleslime @btsiguess-kpop @galacticstxrdust @independentgirl @wellhellotherelovey @hollymac79 @delicately-important-trash @emcchi @rauwz @herondalescecilys

Bellamy: @jodiereedus22 @nyxxxwtp @danielabetancourth

#Bellamy blake x reader #bellamy blake imagine #bellamy blake #bellamy x reader #the 100 x reader #the 100 imagine #valentines day #valentines day request

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deborahdeshoftim5779 · 8 years ago

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The Marvel of Trelsi (Part VI)

I have resorted to the crude methodology of using screenshots as I’ve wasted over an hour trying to find pictures of Troy and Kelsi on Google Images, amongst other such procrastinating habits. Apparently, the Internet does not believe in the power of Trelsi. Google Play and Dropbox are beautiful things, people. :D

In this instalment, I continue with the following question:

Question: What makes the Trelsi friendship and dynamic so friggin’ special? Why does it make me want to weep and write poetry?

I am using the following website link: 11 Signs of A True Friendship to demonstrate the worth of Troy and Kelsi’s friendship throughout their lamentably short scenes together in the HSM franchise. As I’m coming to the end of that list, I will also discuss the overall disadvantage of having Troy spend so little screentime and off-screen time with Kelsi.

9- “They don’t talk about you behind your back.”

As I have repeatedly demonstrated when answering this question, the Wildcats ostensible displays of friendship are heralded by the franchise script as being emblematic of true friendship.

This includes the notable examples where the Wildcats are implied to have talked about Troy, negatively, behind his back. Returning to my example from yesterday, where Chad owns up to his part in the HSM I Wi-Fi/camera stunt, the lead-up to this rare moment of humility for the Wildcats could only have been possible if the Wildcats had been muttering about Troy behind his back. After Coach Bolton tries to pressure Troy into focusing for the upcoming game, and Troy storms out of the gym in a terrible mood, the rest of the Wildcats (none of them coming to comfort Troy, of course) are headed in a different direction to plan their next move. Which would include, of course, muttering about Troy’s alleged insanity in trying out a new interest so close to the game.

Their decision to meet with the brainiacs to put their plan into action counts as talking about Troy (and Gabriella) behind his back, for the purpose of destroying a potential relationship based on selfish interest. In HSM II, I have already stated that their decision to shun Troy appears heavily pre-planned and I’m sure that Chad had been muttering about Troy behind his back prior to his personal decision not to speak with the latter. After all, he told Taylor and Gabriella, “there’s a guy out there that looks just like Troy Bolton, but I have no idea who he really is.” Not only is this patently absurd, but the melodramatic glum faces of Taylor and Gabriella give one the implication that their lunchtime was spent slanging Troy.

Oh, and speaking of HSM II, let’s not forget Taylor’s instigation of Troy-bashing; telling Gabriella that Troy “forgot” his date without waiting to hear his side of the story (to Gabriella’s credit, she defended Troy!), encouraging Gabriella to hold Troy to ridiculous standards in a relationship (”ALL dates are official. Whether the boy knows it or not.”), planting suspicion in Gabriella’s head that Troy might be straying from her to get in good with Sharpay and the Evans despite there being NO evidence for this, implying that Troy’s motivations are completely unethical throughout despite Sharpay blatantly chasing him and harassing him throughout. Taylor is an excellent friend to Gabriella, and a rotten friend to Troy.*

All of the above scenes are supposed to be glossed over, because hey! We’re all in this together! Indeed, when it comes to stabbing Troy in the back, they are all in this together. However, the ONE scene where Kelsi stands by Troy in the silent Lava Springs kitchen and communicates with him UPFRONT the reason for this undeserved silent treatment once again pours scorn on the alleged Wildcat unity and friendship. Once again, one small gesture in a Trelsi scene outshining everything else. This makes me certain that Kelsi was not involved in the mutinous mutterings against Troy that most probably accompanied Chad’s shouting match earlier on, let alone the plan to ignore him.

10- “They allow you to have other friendships without getting jealous and possessive.”

Consider the value of being friends with Troy Bolton. You have earned instant status points, you’re considered cool, you have direct access to East High’s Primo Boy, you get to hang on his every word and make sacrifices at the altar of eternal worship. Being friends with Troy Bolton is like being elected Cardinal to the Vatican. You have entered an elite circle. It is my firm belief that Troy was Kelsi’s first real friend, at least in high school. She is never shown with anyone else with whom she shares the same level of familiarity, comfort and affection as she does with Troy. This makes their friendship doubly fortunate. Beforehand, she was sitting with the Drama Club students, working on her music. Now, she is well-liked amongst the Wildcat gang and has graduated to sitting at the Cool Girls table, made up of Taylor (who appears to be the head), Gabriella and Martha. People actually notice her now, they know her name and they appreciate her talent as a composer. Mega status points for Kelsi.

But throughout the entire movie franchise, she never seeks to impose her own presence upon Troy’s life. In fact, I may have noted before that they rarely ever hang out outside of musical-related activities; Troy still spends the vast majority of his time with the Wildcats and with Gabriella. Kelsi is respectful to all of Troy’s other friends, is pleased when the Wildcats display unity and support Troy’s ambitions and goals, and does everything she can to maintain this harmony. In such benevolence, during HSM II, she appeared shocked when Chad and Troy had a row in the Lava Springs kitchen (TINY scene)-- later on, she persuaded Chad to forgive Troy. Now the BASIS upon which Chad was to forgive Troy is completely bogus and nonsensical in my view; Chad agrees to the following comment: [T] “I was a jerk.”, which as I have stated time and time again, is categorically untrue.

However, Kelsi certainly never considered Troy to be a jerk throughout this film, and clearly saw that Troy (unjustly) renouncing his privileges in a show of solidarity with his team would appease Chad’s anger. So, either before or after finding Ryan, she runs to Chad, the very same person who called her “small person” in HSM I and with whom she has only shared a little dialogue** previous to plead Troy’s case.*** She doesn’t want to see Troy and Chad’s friendship ruined for anything and seems happy when they get along. This is evidenced by yet another TINY scene where Kelsi is smiling as Troy and Chad do that skipping routine in the kitchen. Scenes like that restore my hope in Troy and Chad’s friendship.

Due the fact that Troy is one of the friendliest, most open and likeable characters in the entire cast, almost everyone is clamouring to be his friend. Those who get there first consider themselves to be the rightful owners. Cue Chad Danforth, whose has turned possessiveness into an art form. Remember, these two have been friends since pre-school, and although Chad was written as the sidekick, he is clearly the more dominant of the two. “For the record? I was a much better superhero than you were.” I know, I know I criticize Chad a lot, but I do REALLY LIKE Troy and Chad’s friendship. It IS a true brotherhood. They have great banter, their friendship is resilient as hell (secretly filming your BEST friend to destroy his relationship? Wow, Troy forgives like there’s no tomorrow), they make great partners in sport, they clearly bonded quite quickly as kids have great complementary qualities. BUT out of the two, it is Chad who feels that his blueprint must be followed. Troy NEVER imposes any idea upon Chad-- not in their professional spheres or in their social spheres. Rather, it is Chad who decides what Troy should think, what he should like, who he should hang out with, what he should decide and what he should do. And that presents a stark difference between how Chad treats Troy and how Kelsi treats him:

(What Troy should think)-- “The music in those shows isn’t hiphop... or rock. Or anything essential to culture. It’s... showtunes. Costumes and makeup. It’s frightening!”

(What Troy should like)-- “You’re a Hoops Dude. Not a musical singer person!”

(Who he should hang out with)-- (This one is indirect) “...the Drama Geeks and the Brainiacs think that they can... talk to us! Suddenly everyone wants to do other stuff, okay: stuff that’s not their stuff!”

(What he should decide)-- (Upon hearing that Troy is undecided about Juilliard) “That’s not what I wanted to hear!”

(What he should do)-- “You and me... we’re goin’ to U of A.”

Now, perhaps it is worth reiterating that despite all this, I still like their friendship! :D But with no such dialogue coming from Kelsi, who rather encourages his decisions and treats his ambitions with respect and is thoroughly devoted to his success, the glaring problem in Troy and Chad’s dynamic becomes clear. And yet they tell me that Troy is the jerk...

I will discuss Gabriella’s controlling tendencies later on, but the Wildcats’ possessiveness of Troy becomes clear when he’s becoming popular with the Redhawks. After all, they invite him to scrimmage within moments of meeting him, give him a jacket and a ride in their (cool!) car. They talk and joke with him like he’s their best buddy, and he gets lunch with them and Mr. Evans. Of course, Troy is cultivating friendships with them for good reasons (and don’t let anyone deceive you otherwise), but to the Wildcats, this appears as though Troy thinks he is too good for his friends. (Their interpretation, not mine). As a result, they shun and insult him. According to Zeke, who has no reason to be so insulting, “...Troy bailed on us, so whatever!” In other words, the Wildcats act like a spurned lover when Troy doesn’t lavish them with the attention they feel entitled to. This gives the impression that they friendship with him is at least partially motivated by the status boost they receive, and if Troy’s attention is on other people, that threatens their own popularity. Interestingly, they do not apply this theory to Kelsi, who is quickly absorbed into their group despite her high uncool points. But maybe this is because Troy likes her, so they see this as a sign of approval.

Long story short: the Trelsi friendship NEVER has these problems.

11- “You have so many inside jokes and funny memories with them that you’ve lost count.”

I have to use speculation here, since there are no scenes to give an appropriate insight into what Troy and Kelsi hanging out what look like. But there are several canonical points worth remembering: 1)- their friendship is uniquely esoteric, 2)- it is built upon unspoken understanding, 3)- they both have a great sense of humour, and are fond of sarcasm, 4)- they share many great friendship moments together. In light of this, I can see them having inside jokes and funny/great memories were they allowed more scenes together, particularly scenes that didn’t involve preparation for the musicals. Perhaps there are some canonical funny memories though: (Kelsi, from HSM II about the Ladies Luncheon) “Won’t exactly be rocking out!”. My screenshot way up above shows Troy’s amusement and somewhat affectionate indulging in Kelsi’s sarcasm. And Kelsi certainly finds his decision to steal Jimmie’s clothes in HSM III hilarious. (Don’t ask me). In the same film, we get a glimpse of the potential teasing, sarcastic sense of humour that could characterize their off-screen conversations: “Hoops Man! Over here! You look like you’re having the time of your life!” To add to the esoteric nature of their relationship, the use of nicknames seems likely.

On the topic of nicknames, Troy and Kelsi are the only ones who use nicknames in a reciprocal fashion. Gabriella calls Troy “Wildcat” (in an often patronizing fashion), but Troy just calls her “Gabriella”. Chad calls Troy “Hoops”, but Troy just calls him “Chad”. With his and Kelsi’s friendship, such is the equal nature of it that even the nicknames are shared. He confers on her the status of Playmaker, she calls him Hoops Man. Interestingly, Troy does not mind this coming from Kelsi-- most likely because she has never viewed him entirely through the prism of being a basketball player. Even MORE interestingly, she uses a basketball-related nickname during THEATRE rehearsals. The very side of Troy that he still struggles to reveal thanks to how his basketball career overshadows his past, present and future. Why does Kelsi do this? At first glance, this might appear counter-productive. But consider this in context; they have had a disastrous rehearsal, everyone is pissed with Troy, the energy is down. Kelsi calling him Hoops Man snaps him right back to attention. He’s focused. It’s like the Coach during practice, and Troy knows this like the back of his hand. Instantly, he turns around, his attention drawn away from the disastrous rehearsal. So Kelsi is once again bringing him back from the brink of self-doubt and endless blame. Also, the nickname “Hoops Man” is a definite compliment. Chad calls him “Hoops”, which makes him sound like an inanimate object. Kelsi calls him “Hoops Man”, showing there’s a human being behind the skill. This is coming from someone who doesn’t know what a Game Ball is and wanders around twirling it in her hands, looking extremely awkward, not to mention “basketball class”, and “Playmaker...??” And by referring to Troy’s skill in basketball, she is basically telling him that he can kill it on stage just like he does on the basketball court. The results of this pep talk (minus the odious Gabriella worship!) are to calm Troy considerably so that by the next scene, when he is preparing for prom, he is showing happiness and excitement for the first time in a while. (Of course, this is cruelly crushed just moments later, but... *sigh*)

I will expand on why Troy and Kelsi NEEDED more scenes together in the next instalment and provide some areas where this might have helped.

TO BE CONTINUED

(*FOOTNOTE-- I like Taylor McKessie. She’s fierce and fun and bubbly and smart. But her prejudice and subsequent behaviour towards Troy is inexcusable. What is interesting is that prior to Gabriella taking an interest in Troy, Taylor was quite happy for the world to hear about her disdain for Primo Boys/Sports Stars. During the detention scene in HSM I, she barely uses a whisper when she mocks Chad, who is sitting right in front of her: “That’ll be tough for Chad since he probably can’t count that high!” And later, she has a derogatory poster of Troy made with no shame whatsoever. (Again, I give Gabriella credit for not finding this amusing or persuasive). It’s hilarious and completely uncalled for. But she’s openly disdainful. By the time we get to HSM II, she’s smiling to Troy’s face and denigrating him behind his back. Why the change? I think it’s because she can’t bring herself to admit that Troy DOESN’T represent any of the stereotypes that she attaches to Primo Boys; her apparent vendetta against him is based on his status more than it is on him. In HSM I, she called him a lunkhead twice. In HSM II and HSM III, she no longer does this. Sadly, based on her behaviour in HSM II, it’s not because she had some moral epiphany, but she’s found another way to criticize him. You can see the rationale in her head: based on HSM I, she now concludes “Troy’s a nice guy”, and then BUT... Cue the new round of criticism. This is astonishing, as out of the two it is CHAD who is more of a douche throughout the movies, but she’s willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because of her feelings towards him. As she has no feelings for Troy, it is easier to maintain her prejudices against Primo Boy status. And Chad, who is supposed to be Troy’s best friend, allows her to talk smack about his buddy in front of him with no comment whatsoever. ([C] “Troy would never do that!”/[T] “You’ve got eyes: use them!”) Insane hypocrisy, but I’ve come to expect this from the Wildcats by now).

(**FOOTNOTE-- Despite Chad’s dismissive way of addressing Kelsi in HSM I, it appears by HSM II that he quite likes her. I am intrigued by what they were discussing prior to the Silent Treatment scene. [K] “It’s okay, Ryan can help!” Help what? By this time, they know that they will not be able to participate in the Lava Springs Talent Show, and yet I am always led to assume that Kelsi meant something dance-related. Maybe I am wrong. And the recipient of this help appears to be Chad, who says, [C] “I don’t know...” But Kelsi remains optimistic: [K] “He’ll get it, eventually!” I have no idea what they are referring to, much less when Chad and Kelsi were on friendly chatting terms over breakfast. Not that I object to this, as Kelsi would no doubt be a good influence on Chad! But the show never shows the transition from calling someone “small person” to discussing something like one might discuss the weather. However, I will draw the viewer’s attention back to early HSM II, where Kelsi babbles on about her beloved Talent Show, claiming “I’ve got ideas for EVERYONE; you guys can sing the lead, and maybe CHAD and ZEKE can do backup and everyone can dance!” (Capital emphasis my own). How did Kelsi come upon the information that Chad was capable of doing backup vocals? Did Chad suddenly show an interest in music in between the Winter Musical and the Summer Holidays? Did Kelsi do a survey? It would have been nice to have these details. Anyway, this apparent knowledge that Kelsi has of Chad’s musical skills further undermine his silly pantomime of braggadocio in that glorious waste of time called “I Don’t Dance”.)

(***FOOTNOTE-- It apparently never occurs to Troy that his “forgiveness” from Chad in HSM II was entirely engineered by Kelsi. Indeed, that’s the first thing that Chad says is “Kelsi told us what went down between you and Sharpay”. It appears not to affect Troy that Kelsi is responsible for this, nor that Chad, who had previously been ignoring him outright, was now making eye contact and walking over to him. Given Troy’s attempt to muster up the courage for his “apology”, I assume he had expected a struggle to get Chad’s attention. (Perhaps one of his pre-prepared speeches). The “apology” scene went off without a hitch, and that’s all due to Kelsi. And yet Troy is never shown to have taken note of this fact, let alone thanked Kelsi for helping him repair his friendships. Neither does Kelsi hang around to take the credit. There are two possible reasons for this: the first, that Troy has been so worn down by the Wildcats’ spitefulness and is desperate to get back into their good books. The fact that Chad is willing to lend him an ear engenders sheer relief. In the resulting friendships that are fixed, he has no time to consider how this was possible. His only objective was to stop the Wildcats giving him dirty looks, avoiding his path and refusing to speak with him. Remember, the beginning of the Silent Treatment was at breakfast time, but Troy appears to speak with Sharpay during the afternoon. That’s six or more hours work-time with no one speaking to him. He leaves his omelette untouched, but what about lunchtime? What about when he crosses someone’s path from the kitchens? After going through the humiliation and upset, the only thing on Troy’s mind is putting an end to it; he cracks like glass. The second reason is that the screenwriters don’t care enough about Troy and Kelsi’s friendship or basic continuity, even though they took the care to demonstrate this friendship as being superior to the main romantic couple in almost every way!)

#Trelsi #OTP #TroyBolton #KelsiNielsen #Playmakers #LiterallyTroyandKelsiForever #HowCanYouNotLoveTheseTwo #WritingSoMuch #Deb'sAnalysis #WhyWon'tPeopleAppreciateThem #WildcatHypocrisy #WildcatsSuck #ChadDanforth #ChadSoPossessiveLike #ToBeContinued

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bitchninthekitchnnn · 8 years ago

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3 Reasons Why I Made My “Let-His-Ass-Go Lasagna”

SOME VERSION OF BITCHN’

There’s cooking, and there’s letting go. I’m only good at one of those things, and the other is more of an aspiration. My history of relationships (which is really “situationships” and “fornicationships”) is basically garbage. I say this, not just because the content was terrible, but also because of my perpetual inability to let. his. ass. go. But that’s getting old for me. The time has come for me to prioritize my personhood, and have some boundaries about my life. By the end of this, I will become the letting-his-ass-go-bad-bitch-supreme.

Note: this is entirely for me, and not you, the precious reader. I’m essentially having a chat with myself (I do that a lot), and you are a fly on the wall. (I’m only 40% joking.)

1. HIS BEHAVIOR

Meet Jay. Jay was funny, handsome, charming...and easily one of the most inconsiderate and selfish people I’ve ever met. These characteristics make him the best holistic image of every man I’ve ever been involved with sexually and romantically (I know what you’re thinking—“Well, what does that say about you then?” We’ll get to that later). He consistently prioritized his own needs over mine in our situation. He repeatedly reached out to me exclusively between the hours of 11:00 pm and 4:00 am, even after I told him to reach out during the day instead. Other than that, he ignored my calls and texts until he found some kind of benefit. He always asked me to do things that I already told him I wasn’t comfortable with. We were clearly just fuckbuddies, but in this Hollywood-inspired way where the “straight-acting” type dabbles in and out of my bedroom and treats our situation as this ambiguous, open-ended pocket full of possibilities. He wasn’t direct in any of the ways I needed him to be, and was an asshole in all of the ways I never deserved. He even told me one time that I wasn’t special.

Jay is a jackass. This behavior is entirely unacceptable, and I should have let his ass go a long time ago. But why did it take so long?

2. THE DYNAMICS

To give some helpful context, Jay was one of the few men of color that expressed interest in me. As a Queer Black Femme living in a very White town, I often gravitate to men of color because it’s so rare that I see myself mirrored in my day-to-day life. And while I could relate to him in ways I found difficult to do with other dudes who weren’t men of color, when did that become more important than how he treated me? Perhaps the biggest thing I learned throughout my time with Jay was the destructive fluidity in the way I have learned to compromise. I need to learn what it means to demonstrate commitment in a way that isn’t so self-sacrificing and that positions my needs parallel to his. I can also benefit from having some kind of rubric (see: standards) for the kind of dude that is truly deserving of my time and energy, while also making sure that I am that for him as well. I need to figure out the purpose of my pursuing a relationship, and work on how to develop some level of accountability with the person I pursue. And if that doesn’t work out, then I need to find the courage to…(say it with me) LET. HIS. ASS. GO.

3. THEN THERE’S MY SHIT

Lately, I’ve asked myself this question: Would you rather be with Jay or be alone? I am bothered by the fact that I cannot give the answer that I know I should give. I should say that I’m 25 years old, in a decent spot in life, and deserving of all the joy, pleasure, and positive energy my heart could possibly muster, therefore I don’t NEED any boo in my life unless they’re adding to my vibes, and not depleting them. That’s what I should say. I think the truth is closer to not really knowing myself enough to appreciate my worth as a human being, and automatically yielding to whatever others think of me and/or creating and sustaining space and time for any dude who seems ideal. That’s some sad shit. That’s why I said this is some version of bitchin. The version where I get to shout out the trash that has chosen to walk into my world and be bad to me, and also call myself out in the process. The version where I learn to be patient with myself (and less patient with trash), and embrace the fluidity of what the rest of my 20’s can bring (while rejecting the fluidity of what I deserve--what I deserve is concrete and necessary). The version where I address that I don’t really know myself as well as I used to, and would love to spend more time getting to know who I am and what I enjoy. One of the ways I do that is by cooking. So speaking of fluidity, here’s my very fluid recipe for the LET-HIS-ASS-GO Lasagna. For individuals of the cooking community who aspire to let go:

SOME VERSION OF THE KITCHN’

Cook Time: However long you want (As you’ll learn, this recipe may not feel helpful—but I’ll do my best.)

Slow cooker (*Disclaimer--some of you go the slow cooker route so that you can leave your home, conquer the world, and return to a prepared meal. That’s not why I use it. Don’t leave--I’ll explain.)

Slow cooker liners (recommended because letting go takes long enough and no one has time to clean more shit than necessary)

Non-stick spray

Box o’ lasagna

Ground beef/turkey

Italian sausage

Onion

Ricotta Cheese--Part Skim Milk

Onion powder

Pasta Sauce (I use tomato and basil flavored)Chicken (recommended because why not)

Pepperoni (recommended because why not)

Spinach (because it’s green)

Your favorite cheeses (I always use mozzarella and parmesan at least)

Black pepper

Salt

Garlic powder

Blend, season, and brown your meat using stove or oven.

Chop and prepare onions and spinach.

Place the liner in your slow cooker. Apply your non-stick spray to ensure a loose relationship between your meal and the plastic liner.

Layer up!

I always put sauce on the bottom.

Then, I place a layer of lasagna.

From there, the choice is yours. I enjoy it when my lasagna noodles and ricotta get to know one another so I put that next.

I believe I did sauce, lasagna, ricotta, spinach, meat, onion, cheese, and repeat.

Once you’re satisfied with your layering sorcery, turn it on.

After it’s done, dine like you’ve known yourself your entire life and don’t need anyone to tell you who are.

If you’re still unsatisfied, I believe I put it on high for 4 hours (its highest temperature), went to my room, put on some break-up music, typed half of this piece, and it was done in like 2 hours. The key is truly the faith that you build in yourself to trust your cooking abilities. You’ll know when it’s done, much like situationships you don’t belong in. Hopefully.

You probably noticed that I didn’t give any real measurements, temperatures, or times. I never said I was good at giving directions (or letting go). Much like getting to know yourself, you just have to see what feels good to you. Take some time! Give yourself permission to discover what you like and don’t like. The likelihood of burning the lasagna is low since you’ll be somewhere in your home the whole time getting to know yourself and moving beyond your past.

A note from the ‘Editor’:

I’ve known Tyrell Allen for a liiiiittle while now. We worked together as Resident Assistants back in the college days that aren’t that far away. We were super salty during staff meetings and just general grumps with the hooligans. Some of those times- that hooligan was me. I have my moods. Anyway, Tyrell is amazing. From his awesome dancing and singing all the time, a fucking amazing fashion sense that I will never have, and there is just something awesome about being around someone that knows themselves. Tyrell gives no fucks. I appreciate that more than you will ever know. Surround yourself with people like Tyrell and you won’t regret your life.

Now it’s tough because we’ve been trying forever to get together and get drinks but busy people with busy lives. TYRELL WE NEED TO GET DRINKS STILL. -Elle

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cleargentlemenllama-blog · 6 years ago

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