#spelling games for dyslexic students

[wordsmartnz]

Innovative Learning: The Intersection of Spelling Games for Dyslexic Students and Multiple Intelligences with WordSmart

In the evolving landscape of education, the intersection of technology, neuroscience, and pedagogy offers new pathways for enhancing learning experiences. Among these, the use of spelling games specifically designed for dyslexic students has emerged as a transformative approach. When paired with the principles of multiple intelligences, this methodology not only addresses the unique challenges faced by dyslexic learners but also enriches their educational journey. WordSmart stands at the forefront of this innovative learning paradigm, seamlessly integrating these elements to foster a more inclusive and effective educational environment.

The Challenges of Dyslexia in Traditional Learning

Dyslexia, a neurodevelopmental condition, affects the ability to read, write, and spell. Traditional learning environments often rely heavily on text-based instruction, which can be particularly daunting for dyslexic students. The rigidity of conventional teaching methods frequently overlooks the diverse cognitive profiles of these learners, leading to frustration and diminished self-esteem.

However, the advent of specialized dyslexia learning programs is changing this narrative. These programs leverage technology to offer personalized learning experiences that cater to the individual needs of students. WordSmart, with its comprehensive suite of tools, exemplifies this shift by providing interactive and engaging solutions that address the core challenges of dyslexia.

Spelling Games: A Gateway to Engagement

Spelling games have long been recognized as effective tools for improving literacy skills. For dyslexic students, these games offer a way to practice spelling in a low-pressure, enjoyable context. WordSmart’s spelling games for dyslexic students are designed to be both educational and entertaining, utilizing gamification to motivate learners and reinforce key concepts.

The appeal of these games lies in their ability to make learning feel like play. By presenting spelling challenges in a game format, students are more likely to engage and persist in their efforts. This engagement is crucial for building confidence and competence, especially for those who have struggled with traditional methods.

Integrating Multiple Intelligences

The theory of multiple intelligences, proposed by Howard Gardner, suggests that individuals possess a variety of cognitive abilities. These intelligences include linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Traditional education systems often emphasize linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence, which can marginalize students who excel in other areas.

WordSmart’s approach integrates Gardner's multiple intelligences into its learning tools, creating a more holistic educational experience. By incorporating elements that cater to different intelligences, such as visual aids for spatial learners or music-based activities for musical learners, WordSmart ensures that each student can engage with the material in a way that resonates with their unique strengths.

The Role of Technology in Personalized Learning

Technology plays a pivotal role in delivering personalized learning experiences. Through adaptive learning algorithms, WordSmart can assess a student’s progress and adjust the difficulty of tasks in real-time. This ensures that learners are continually challenged at an appropriate level, preventing both boredom and frustration.

Online dyslexia tutoring is another facet of WordSmart’s offerings, providing students with access to expert guidance from qualified dyslexia teachers. These tutors use data from the platform to tailor their instruction, focusing on areas where the student needs the most support. This individualized attention is crucial for helping dyslexic students overcome their challenges and achieve their full potential.

Enhancing Literacy Through Gamification

Gamification, the application of game design elements in non-game contexts, is a powerful tool for enhancing literacy. WordSmart’s spelling games incorporate features such as points, badges, and leaderboards to motivate students and encourage persistence. These elements tap into the innate human desire for achievement and recognition, making the learning process more engaging and rewarding.

The best part of these best game apps for dyslexia is their ability to provide immediate feedback. Unlike traditional homework or tests, where feedback is often delayed, these games offer instant responses to a student’s actions. This immediacy helps reinforce learning, as students can quickly correct their mistakes and understand the reasoning behind the correct answers.

Building Confidence and Reducing Anxiety

One of the most significant barriers to learning for dyslexic students is the anxiety associated with academic failure. Traditional classroom settings can be intimidating, with the fear of making mistakes often leading to disengagement. WordSmart’s spelling games create a safe and supportive environment where students can practice without the fear of judgment.

By focusing on positive reinforcement and incremental progress, these games help build confidence and resilience. Students learn to view mistakes as opportunities for growth rather than failures, fostering a growth mindset that is essential for lifelong learning.

The Broader Impact of Multiple Intelligences

The integration of multiple intelligences into educational tools has implications beyond individual student success. It promotes a more inclusive approach to education, recognizing and valuing the diverse talents and abilities of all learners. This inclusivity is crucial for creating equitable learning environments where every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Furthermore, the principles of multiple intelligence theory encourage educators to think creatively about their teaching methods. By incorporating a variety of instructional strategies, teachers can reach a broader range of students and make learning more engaging and effective for everyone.

Preparing Students for the Future

In today’s rapidly changing world, the ability to adapt and learn new skills is more important than ever. WordSmart’s approach to education, which combines the benefits of spelling games and multiple intelligences, prepares students for this reality. By fostering critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability, these tools equip learners with the skills they need to succeed in a complex and dynamic environment.

The incorporation of technology into education also helps students develop digital literacy skills, which are essential for navigating the modern world. By using platforms like WordSmart software, students become familiar with digital tools and resources, preparing them for future academic and professional challenges.

Conclusion

The intersection of spelling games for dyslexic students and multiple intelligences represents a significant advancement in educational technology. WordSmart’s innovative approach leverages these elements to create a more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experience. By addressing the unique needs of dyslexic students and incorporating a variety of cognitive strengths, WordSmart is helping to redefine what it means to be a successful learner.

Through the integration of technology, gamification, and the principles of multiple intelligences, WordSmart is not only enhancing literacy but also fostering a love of learning that will last a lifetime. As education continues to evolve, the potential for tools like WordSmart to make a positive impact on students’ lives is limitless.

[oddberryshortcake]

Deuce’s learning disability

A core part of Deuce’s character is he isn’t the brightest. In the past, he skipped school and acted as a delinquent and therefore fell behind what is easier for other kids…But why exactly was school so hard for him even before he started taking it seriously?

It’s never outwardly said, but as someone who has a learning disability and dealt with the frustrations of not being understood by my teachers or helped by previous schools, combined with some subtle details added in the game and by the voice actor, I think it’s possible that Deuce has a learning disability. 

I don’t think it’s a singular one in specific, it can be either of them, but in my personal opinion, he comes off as dyslexic to me (as someone who has dyslexia and dyscalculia)

Here are some traits I recognize from my own learning disability I’ve seen exhibited in Deuce-

Mispronouncing/misreading words 

Spelling errors

Repeats words to help him better understand/memorize it (Deuce’s VA said this is how he interprets how Deuce learns, and I love that added personal thought and interpretation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ_frMuJvu4

Being characterized as ‘dense’ and a slow learner 

Deuce reveals in Book 5 chapter 40 that he always struggled in school, that he is slow to learn, and he needed extra help that likely no one was giving him (until NRC,) so he turned to delinquency, to cover up the inadequacies he felt with being too cool to try hard. 

But what does he do when he gets to NRC? He still struggles, but when he’s offered remedial lessons from Crewel, he happily takes it, because finally there’s a teacher who is offering him the extra help and attention he needed to succeed in school.

(Remedial lessons are essentially extra help for students that need it. It isn’t always for kids with learning disabilities, but I was given remedial lessons as a kid after I got diagnosed to help me) 

Deuce struggling with feeling inadequate and dumb despite how hard he’s trying is so compelling because I’ve been there; I’ve been in his place. It makes me sad to see the other kids pick on him (namely Ace), but I know he’s going to kick ass and be everything he wants to be.

This one is for all the dyslexic/adhd/other learning disability kids who busted our asses despite what everybody said

[sadisweetomi]

AI is a game changer for students with disabilities, but schools still learning to harness it

NEW YORK

For Makenzie Gilkison, spelling is such a struggle that a word like rhinoceros might come out as “rineanswsaurs” or sarcastic as “srkastik.”

The 14-year-old from suburban Indianapolis can sound out words, but her dyslexia makes the process so draining that she often struggles with comprehension. “I just assumed I was stupid,” she recalled of her early grade school years.But assistive technology powered by artificial intelligence has helped her keep up with classmates. Last year, Makenzie was named to the National Junior Honor Society. She credits a customized AI-powered chatbot, a word prediction program and other tools that can read for her.“I would have just probably given up if I didn’t have them,” she said.

Artificial intelligence holds the promise of helping countless other students with a range of visual, speech, language and hearing impairments to execute tasks that come easily to others. Schools everywhere have been wrestling with how and where to incorporate AI, but many are fast-tracking applications for students with disabilities.

Getting the latest technology into the hands of students with disabilities is a priority for the U.S. Education Department, which has told schools they must consider whether students need tools like text-to-speech and alternative communication devices. New rules from the Department of Justice also will require schools and other government entities to make apps and online content accessible to those with disabilities.

There is concern about how to ensure students using it — including those with disabilities — are still learning.

Students can use artificial intelligence to summarize jumbled thoughts into an outline, summarize complicated passages, or even translate Shakespeare into common English. And computer-generated voices that can read passages for visually impaired and dyslexic students are becoming less robotic and more natural.

“I’m seeing that a lot of students are kind of exploring on their own, almost feeling like they’ve found a cheat code in a video game,” said Alexis Reid, an educational therapist in the Boston area who works with students with learning disabilities. But in her view, it is far from cheating: “We’re meeting students where they are.”

Ben Snyder, a 14-year-old freshman from Larchmont, New York, who was recently diagnosed with a learning disability, has been increasingly using AI to help with homework.

“Sometimes in math, my teachers will explain a problem to me, but it just makes absolutely no sense,” he said. “So if I plug that problem into AI, it’ll give me multiple different ways of explaining how to do that.”

He likes a program called Question AI. Earlier in the day, he asked the program to help him write an outline for a book report — a task he completed in 15 minutes that otherwise would have taken him an hour and a half because of his struggles with writing and organization. But he does think using AI to write the whole report crosses a line.

“That’s just cheating,” Ben said.

Schools have been trying to balance the technology’s benefits against the risk that it will do too much. If a special education plan sets reading growth as a goal, the student needs to improve that skill. AI can’t do it for them, said Mary Lawson, general counsel at the Council of the Great City Schools.

But the technology can help level the playing field for students with disabilities, said Paul Sanft, director of a Minnesota-based center where families can try out different assistive technology tools and borrow devices.

“There are definitely going to be people who use some of these tools in nefarious ways. That’s always going to happen,” Sanft said. “But I don’t think that’s the biggest concern with people with disabilities, who are just trying to do something that they couldn’t do before.”

Another risk is that AI will track students into less rigorous courses of study. And, because it is so good at identifying patterns, AI might be able to figure out a student has a disability. Having that disclosed by AI and not the student or their family could create ethical dilemmas, said Luis Pérez, the disability and digital inclusion lead at the Center for Accessible Technology.

Schools are using the technology to help students who struggle academically, even if they do not qualify for special education services. In Iowa, a new law requires students deemed not proficient — about a quarter of them — to get an individualized reading plan. As part of that effort, the state’s education department spent $3 million on an AI-driven personalized tutoring program. When students struggle, a digital avatar intervenes.

More AI tools are coming soon.

The U.S. National Science Foundation is funding AI research and development. One firm is developing tools to help children with speech and language difficulties. Called the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, it is headquartered at the University of Buffalo, which did pioneering work on handwriting recognition that helped the U.S. Postal Service save hundreds of millions of dollars by automating processing.

“We are able to solve the postal application with very high accuracy. When it comes to children’s handwriting, we fail very badly,” said Venu Govindaraju, the director of the institute. He sees it as an area that needs more work, along with speech-to-text technology, which isn’t as good at understanding children’s voices, particularly if there is a speech impediment.

Sorting through the sheer number of programs developed by education technology companies can be a time-consuming challenge for schools. Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education, said the nonprofit launched an effort this fall to make it easier for districts to vet what they are buying and ensure it is accessible.

Makenzie wishes some of the tools were easier to use. Sometimes a feature will inexplicably be turned off, and she will be without it for a week while the tech team investigates. The challenges can be so cumbersome that some students resist the technology entirely.

But Makenzie’s mother, Nadine Gilkison, who works as a technology integration supervisor at Franklin Township Community School Corporation in Indiana, said she sees more promise than downside.

In September, her district rolled out chatbots to help special education students in high school. She said teachers, who sometimes struggled to provide students the help they needed, became emotional when they heard about the program. Until now, students were reliant on someone to help them, unable to move ahead on their own.

“Now we don’t need to wait anymore,” she said.

[stolasbuckzo]

🔥 Blitzo Buckzo 🔥 (Pronounced “Blitz”)

VAs:

Brandon Rodgers

Michael Romeo Ruocco (singing; in Truth Seekers)

(As a child >>> Blitzo)

Theme song:

Fave quote:

“Sorry, I fucked your husband.”

— Blitz upon his first encounter with Stella in the pilot episode (🤣)

Basics:

Status: Commoner

Species: Demon (imp)

Sex: Male

Height: 4ft tall

Sexuality: Pansexual

Relationship Type:

Polyamorous (S1 - early S2)

Monogamous (S2 finale)

Zodiac sign: Aries ♈️ (theorised)

Bed type:

Top (canonically)

Switch (HC)

Nationality:

American 🇺🇸

Dialect:

New Jersey

Occupation(s):

• Founder of I.M.P (currently)

<> Assassin

• Loo Loo Land clown (formerly)

<> Circus performer (formerly)

• Bodyguard (temporarily)

<> Stolas’s bodyguard

<> Fizzaroli’s bodyguard

• Student (formerly; dropped out)

Ring(s):

• Pride >>> Imp City (currently)

• Lust (under Asmodeus’s jurisdiction)

* via the Asmodean Crystal

• Envy (HC)

Age(s):

• 10 years old — possibly — “The Circus” (flashback)

• 16-18 years old (“Mammon’s Magnificent Musical”; flashback)

• 25 years old (“Seeing Stars”; flashback)

• 30 years old

RP (Tixel):

30 years old (Chapter 2: The Outcast)

35 years old (Chapter 3: Dead to Me)

45 years old (Chapter 9: The Crosshairs)

Flaw(s):

• Vulgarity — sometimes when Blitz is mouthing off, to the wrong sort of people for example Satan in “Mastermind” which can literally get him killed)

• Unpredictability

• Compulsive (ceasing)

<> At least with Moxxie and Millie’s relationship 🤏🏻

• Philophobia 💜

• Emotional dysregulation

• Stage fright

• Dyslexic (confirmed)

• Pyrophobia

<> Fear of fire

• Literacy skills

<> Spelling

• Attachment insecurity

<> Abandonment issues

• Unresolved issues

• PTSD (via Royce)

Format: Role play

Driven by her emotional manipulation, her messing with Blitz’s head by pretending to be his husband, and the lingering effects of being brainwashed .

• ADHD

Other:

• Loving someone — Whether it’s Stolas (romantically) or Loona (familially), the nature of Blitz’s work makes them vulnerable targets, easily used against him — as clearly seen with Millie in the episode “Ghostfuckers” when she was targeted, despite Blitz being the one who was possessed and actually attacked her against his will.

Romance(s):

• Stolas (de facto partner )

• Verosika Mayday (ex-girlfriend)

• Fizzarolli (childhood crush)

RP — Turf Wars (Tixel):

• Stolas Buckzo >>> (husband)

• Royce Sinclair >>> (wife; brainwashed)

• Krampus (attempted ONS)

• Axel >>> Academy Days (ONS; lover—one sided )

Strengths:

• Working

<> Murder

<> Teamwork

• Family values

• Cooking

• Earthly fire resistant

• Character development (S2)

<> Self-growth

<> Maturing

<> Amendments

<> Compassion

• Night vision

• Driving efficiency

• Closed and ranged combat

Likes:

• His daughter

<> Babying Loona

• Mondays

• Hanging out with Fizzarolli

• Drawing

• Murder

<> Blood

• Starting his own circus (formerly)

• Pirates (as a kid)

• Horses

• Games

<> The Pain Games

• Stealing his dad’s booze (as a kid)

• Mammon’s concerts (formerly)

• “Mustang Dong” song

• Pointing other people’s flaws

• Cheese and hot sauce

• Voyeurism (of Moxxie and Millie)

• The idea of start a family with Stolas (via “Sinmas”

Other:

• Stolas

<> Calling his old nickname

<> Swearing

<> Growing out his feathers

<> Comforting him via cuddling

• Shooting TVs

• Sex

• Homeless people

• Iced coffee

• The idea of being a grandad to Loona’s kid (or even T.J.)

• Money

• T.J.’s stims

Dislikes:

• His twin sister wanting nothing to do with him

• Stolas's explicit advances (formerly)

• Fizzarolli living out his childhood dream of becoming a successful performer

• Anyone else having sex with both Moxxie and Millie

• People pronouncing the “o” in his name

• His office walls being destroyed

• Anyone flirting with Loona

• Himself

• Anything complicated

• Doing bodyguard work

• Stolas being in danger

• Being looked down on

• Loona being upset

• Stolas’s wrath

• Criticism

• The idea of I.M.P going out of business

• Emberlynn Pinkle

• The “Better Than Blitzo” incubus

• Being indirectly called out for being the reason someone cheated on their spouse

• Cold temperatures

Other:

• Axel having romantic feelings for him (RP)

• People calling him “Blitzy” (save for Stolas in S3???)

• Anyone taking the fall for him (2x11)

• The idea of Loona moving out— (HC & S3 prediction)

• People making fun of Stolas

• T.J. victimising his husband for no apparent reason

• Feeling sex deprived 😂

_____________________________________

Friends:

• Employees of I.M.P

<> Millie

<> Moxxie

<> Loona

<> Stolas (childhood friend)

• Joe & Lin (Millie’s parents)

• Fizzarolli

Enemies:

• Striker

• Employees of C.H.E.R.U.B.S

• Robo-Fizz

• Employees of D.H.O.R.K.S

• Crimson

• Royce (RP)

Other:

Stolas (childhood friend; receptionist)

Cash Buckzo (former boss)

Barbie Wire (former coworker)

Fizzarolli (former co performer)

Verosika Mayday (rival)

<> Verosika’s crew

• Loo Loo Land employees

<> Loo Loo (former coworker)

<> Wally Wackford (acquainted)

Eddie (victim)

• Goetia Royal family:

<> Stella (acquainted)

<> Octavia (acquainted)

<> Paimon (acquainted) (temporary owner)

Chazwick Thurman (one-night-stand)

Asmodeus (acquainted)

Burnie Burnz (victim)

Unnamed therapist

Loona’s babysitter (acquainted)

Loona’s friends (acquainted)

<> Russ

<> Gigi

Emberlynn Pinkle (victim; stalker)

Affiliation(s):

I.M.P

Ars Goetia (via his daughters)

S.S.F (Working for Royce)

Format: Role play

• The Four Horsemen (Worked for Valentino & Alastor)

Format: Role play

RP: (Blitzika)

Prince of Ars the Goetia (with 💍 Verosika 💍)

________________________________

Family:

Mother: Tilla Buckzo (✝️)

(adoptive) Daughter: Loona Buckzo

Semi-canon:

De-facto partner: Stolas

Other:

Stepdaughter: Octavia of the Ars Goetia (one-sided)

(biological) Daughter: T.J. Buckzo (OC)

Estranged:

Father: Cash Buckzo

(twin) Sister: Barbie Wire

RP (Tixel)

Axel x T.J. (OC)

(1#) Son-in-law: Axel of the Ars Goetia

Grandson: Axel “A.J.” Junior of the Ars Goetia

Deadname: Angel

Granddaughter: Abria of the Ars Goetia

Pronounced: “Aria”

(2#) Son-in-law: Rimon Shiv (N/A)

Grandson: Shiv AKA “Vish” Shiv

Granddaughter: Azrael Shiv

(illegitimate) Son: Nikolas Buckzo-Mayday

Granddaughter-in-law: Snow Dust-Buckzo

Grandson-in-law: Samael Beaufoy

(great) Grandson: Claudius Beaufoy

Wife: Royce Sinclair (via emotional manipulation 😈)

Daughter: Marianne ‘Mare’ Buckzo

Son: Sylas Sinclair

________________________________

Nicknames:

• Dad (by Loona)

• Blitzy (by Stolas) (S3 prediction)

<> My Little Imp

<> Darling

• [Dad’s] Shitty Boyfriend (Octavia’s phone contact)

• Sir (by Moxxie, Millie, & Striker)

• Mr. O (by the St An’s nurse)

• Fuckstain (by Verosika Mayday)

<> Fuckwad

<> Fuckstain

• B (by Loona & Millie)

• Little Devil (by Martha)

• My Man (by Vortex)

• Bingo (by Doc)

• Bossman (by Striker)

• Boy (by Cash Buckzo)

<> Son

• Blitz/Blitzo (by Barbie Wire)

• Dick-swinging boss (by Sallie May)

• Buddy (by Fizzarolli)

• Daddy/Master/My Demon Prince (by Emberlynn)

• Peanut-head (by Colin)

• Chupa-ca-dupa (self proclaimed)

• Bethany Ghostfucker (human persona)

• The Mouthy One (by Satan)

• Demon dicker (self proclaimed)

• The prince’s knight (by Moxxie)

• No “O” (by Russ)

AU:

• Papa (by T.J.)

* D&D (Dad & Dad)

When talking or referring to both Stolas & Blitz (⬇️)

* Dads

• Boss-Dad (by T.J. 🤣)

RP:

• Blitz The Bloody Bloodhound (by T.J.)

• Shitzo (by Angel Dust)

* To Stolas about Blitz

• Boy-toy (by Octavia)

• Fucktard (by Kiki >>> Sterosika RP)

________________________________

Abilities:

Natural:

• Prehensile tail — Blitz’s tail is strong and flexible enough to fully support his body, allowing him to hang upside down like a possum—a skill he often showed off as a child in The Circus.

Additionally, as demonstrated in the episode “Ghostfuckers,” his tail exhibits impressive dexterity, allowing him to manipulate inanimate objects like a remote control with ease.

• Night vision

• Fire Resistance

Skills:

• Weapon proficiency — Blitz is a highly skilled sharpshooter with exceptional proficiency in a wide range of weapons, particularly firearms. He is often seen wielding his signature golden percussion pistol, showcasing his precision and expertise in combat.

• Driving efficiency

• Disguise - Blitz, along with Moxxie and Millie, possesses a wide variety of disguises that allow them to seamlessly blend into the human world during their missions. (Formerly)

Unique:

• Acrobatic Proficiency – A former circus performer, Blitz boasts exceptional acrobatic skills that grant him access to places others cannot. His remarkable dexterity serves him well, whether it’s navigating obstacles—traipsing his way—to rescue Fizzarolli in “Oops” or gracefully balancing on a railing in “Sinmas” to share an intimate dance with Stolas.

________________________________

Appearance/ personality:

Blitz’s crimson skin is broken up by irregular white patches that stretch across his forearms, chest, tail, and much of the right side of his face. The contrast makes his features stand out, giving him a distinctive and unmistakable appearance. His tail, long and flexible, is often an unspoken indicator of his mood, moving in subtle ways that reflect his emotions, not unlike how a dog’s tail betrays its excitement or irritation.

Jagged black spines trail down from the top of his head, continuing along his upper back and tail. The tail tapers to a sharp, triangular tip, marked by a single black spot at the very end, resembling something straight out of a devil’s silhouette. His frame is lean and wiry, but his forearms are broad and his hands strong, built for a fight or whatever mischief he finds himself in. His pointed feet give the impression of natural heels, almost like he was born ready to strut.

His long, narrow face is framed by large, curved horns striped in black and white, adding to his striking and slightly imposing look. His red eyes, encased by yellow sclera and ringed in black, often seem to pierce right through whoever he’s looking at. When he smiles, sharp yellow teeth flash, and his red forked tongue occasionally flicks out, reminiscent of a serpent’s.

Blitz’s wardrobe leans toward practicality with a touch of flair. He wears a weathered slate-gray collared coat, buttoned down the front with red buttons. The coat looks a little frayed at the edges, giving the impression it’s seen its fair share of rough situations. His black knee-high boots and elbow-length fingerless gloves add to the overall rugged aesthetic. The gloves are accented by large, rounded yellow decorations on the upper side, providing just enough embellishment to break up the otherwise utilitarian look.

(As a child):

As a child, Blitzo—before dropping the ‘o’ from his name—is depicted without the white blotches that later appeared across his body in adulthood. During his teenage years, he wore braces, which added to his awkward yet somewhat endearing look at the time. These early glimpses into his youth offer a contrast to the more hardened and confident figure he eventually grew into.

Notably, he also lacked the spines that now line his upper back and nape, as well as the two distinctive stripes near the tip of his tail that developed later. These subtle differences highlight how much his appearance has changed over time, reflecting both his growth and the experiences that have shaped him.

Accessories:

Blitz wears a red skull charm around his neck — or his belt if forgoing his jacket — a keepsake from his late mother that holds deep sentimental value. Though small, the charm is one of the few reminders he has of her, and he rarely ever takes it off. Its worn edges and faded color suggest it has been with him for a long time, surviving countless scrapes and adventures by his side.

How would you describe Blitz’s personality?

• Dominant

• Loyal

• Eccentric

• Arrogant

• Bombastic

• Volatile (S1 - 2x09)

• Comedic

• Paternalistic

Others: (with inner circle)

• Vulnerable

• Friendly

• Switch (HC)

• Family orientated

• Loving (towards Stolas)

<> Soft

• Professional (2x12)

• Sensitive

(As a child):

• Optimistic

• Sensitive

• Creative

• Easygoing

• Childlike

• Nervous

• Playful

_____________________________________

Trivia:

• By his admission, the "o" in Blitzo's name is silent. "Blitz" is also the German word for "lightning".

• In "Loo Loo Land", he remarks how the "o" has been silent since his resignation from his job at the titular circus.

• In the episode “Murder Family,” there’s a poster in Blitz’s office titled “The Blitzo Show,” suggesting he once had his own act in addition to being part of “The Amazing Imp Twins.” Robo Fizz later seems to reference this when mocking Blitz for having a ‘lazy and unfunny show that no one laughed at’ during his time at Loo Loo Land.

<> This could also explain Blitz’s panic attack in the episode “Seeing Stars,” as it likely triggered insecurities about his past failures and fear of rejection as well his renowned trepidation for his stage fright which links back to Robo Fizz’s statement earlier in S1

• In "Murder Family", it is revealed that Blitz goes to therapy and that his therapist apparently "finds him gross".

• In "Truth Seekers", it is revealed that Blitz is a college dropout.

• It is shown in "Ozzie's" that every physical photo of himself, hanging on the walls of his apartment, has his own face crossed out with black, seemingly deliberately. Interesting enough, he is shown to have kept pictures of his past on his phone without any erasure of his own face.

* It is also revealed that his phone's lock-screen is a picture of his own drawing of himself riding Bombproof.

• While Blitz regularly pushes himself into the personal lives of others, ironically, he doesn't appreciate it at all when others so much as pry into his own personal life.

• Blitz is implied to be an atheist, or at least comically cynical in his ideas of a God, as he jokes, "Huh, I guess there is a God!", when informed that the human child Moxxie accidentally shot was their right target, after all.

• Blitz can purr like a cat; this can be heard when he is secretly watching Moxxie sleep during the pilot, and once again in "The Harvest Moon Festival".

• In "Loo Loo Land", it appears that he keeps Martha's eye in a jar as a memento of that job.

• Blitz shares two similar traits with Loopty Goopty; those being that he and Loopty are both voiced by Brandon Rogers, and that they both dislike it whenever anyone mispronounces their names.

• Blitz loves horses, almost to the point of obsession, and even owns toy horses. This obsession may have been the final straw for his romantic relationship with Verosika Mayday, who finally broke up with him after he maxed out her credit card to purchase horse riding lessons. In "C.H.E.R.U.B", he also spends all the money Loopty Goopty paid him to kill Lyle Lipton on a toy horse named "Mare-ajuana", which is covered in gems.

Then did it again in later Season 2 “Ghostfuckers”, though for a different reason and with a different emotional undertone. It seems that whenever Blitz becomes emotional or wants to avoid dealing with something, he resorts to excessive spending and essentially spirals into a shopaholic-like behaviour

(This also explains why Moxxie was so distraught at the thought of I.M.P. going broke and shutting down. It’s an interesting contrast, considering that going out of business is one of the things Blitz dislikes)

• During Pride Month, Vivienne Medrano (VivziePop) confirmed the sexualities of the Helluva Boss characters, officially stating that Blitz is pansexual.

Other:

1x07 - Queen Bee

• Blitz’s ringtone for Loona is a small dog yapping, a reference to I.M.P ringtone for the pilot episode

• After Blitz was called to “pick up” Loona from the party, it’s worth noting that he didn’t use his usual “baby voice” with her. Instead, his tone reflected a dynamic more akin to one adult speaking to another—specifically, a parent addressing their adult child.

Another observation I made is how Blitz reacts whenever Loona corrected someone being about adopted. This has been a recurring occurrence, but particularly in this episode, his response stood out. — unlike previous moments where it seemed to roll off him — Blitz appeared genuinely hurt this time. Whether this was due to his emotional state following the “semi-breakup” with Stolas is uncertain, but it’s clear the comment struck a deeper chord than before.

2x02 - Seeing Stars

• Blitz appeared genuinely nervous around Stolas in that moment, likely because he had never seen that side of the owl before—not necessarily due to the eldritch form itself, but because that intense energy was directed at him. This marked the first time Stolas’ raw power was aimed at Blitz personally, with the previous example being toward the D.H.O.R.K.S. agents in “Truth Seekers”.

2x03 - Exes & Ohs

• Chaz was a little bit too rough with Blitz enough for to him to exclaim “chill the fuck out”

• It’s implied that Blitz had seen Shrek when he said “we’re doing a Shrek”—which makes sense since donkey turns into a horse in one

2x04 - Western Energy

• Blitz’s ringtone for Stolas had changed from a man screaming in agony to a bird tweet

• Blitz showed a rare moment of deep concern for Stolas—concern that went beyond casual acquaintance and bordered on something more significant, like that of a boyfriend or close companion. His reaction made it clear that he hadn’t fully grasped, until then, that Stolas could even be physically hurt.

Despite everything that happened between them at Ozzie’s, Stolas still reached out afterward, texting Blitz to let him know he’d be in the hospital for some time while recovering— likely hinting that this injury would carry into the next couple of episodes. He even invited Blitz to visit him, which spoke volumes about Stolas’s lingering care and willingness to keep their connection open despite the emotional fallout.

However, Blitz’s silence— his failure to text back—suggests something more complex at play. It’s likely Blitz harbored guilt, not just for his emotional distance, but also for not taking Stolas’s kidnapping seriously enough until it was too late, leading to Stolas getting hurt. This unspoken guilt, paired with his concern, hints at a deeper conflict within Blitz: the push and pull between his instinct to shut people out and his underlying care for those who matter to him.

• According to Brandon Rogers his favourite line of Blitz’s so far is “He can get HURT?”

2x05 - Unhappy Campers

• Ironically, Blitz scaled the same hospital—St. An’s—where Stolas was staying, likely passing by his room without realizing it as he made his way to the rehabilitation area.

• Blitz was impressed enough to let Moxxie lead the hit while he focused on tracking down his sister—but afterwards he couldn’t help feeling annoyed that it took Moxxie an entire week to get it done.

• Despite being called by his deadname (or rather dead-vowel) by Barbie, Blitz didn’t correct her – something he had done with everyone else.

• When Barbie said she never wanted to see Blitz again, she poked her index finger against the red skull pin – a small but telling gesture that hinted she still blamed him for their mother’s death. Blitz just closed his eyes, the guilt flickering there for a moment.

2x06 - Oops

• As teenagers, Blitz and Fizzarolli used to sneakily steal booze from Blitz’s dad, Cash Buckzo, during their mischievous escapades.

2x07 - Mammon Magnificent Musical (Mid-Season Special ft Fizarolli)

• Ironically, during a body-guarding gig for Fizzarolli, Blitz made his entrance by dropping into the conversation like Spider-Man, but with way less grace and a lot more chaos.

• Fizzarolli and Asmodeus’s relationship is a healthier and more supportive counterpart to the dynamic between Blitz and Stolas, acting as a mirrored version of what the latter pair could — at that time— potentially aspire to. While both relationships involve imps paired with powerful beings, Fizz and Asmodeus demonstrate mutual respect, open communication, and a strong emotional connection, contrasting with the more complicated and often strained bond between Blitz and Stolas.

2x08 - The Full Moon

• After Loona casually mentioned that Stolas was getting "bored" of Blitz in bed, he panicked just a little and started digging through his stash, grabbing any sex toys they hadn't already used — from the big box in his office— he kept for their transactional nights

He even made a trip to the Lust Ring to ask Fizz for advice on investing in some new equipment, carefully considering the things Stolas likes—and what he doesn’t—when it comes to their sexual activities.

• During the conversation, Blitz couldn’t help but sarcastically make fun of Stolas for pretending they were a real couple. Ironically, by the time Sinmas rolled around, Blitz had gotten pretty good at slipping into the role of being semi-boyfriend.

• In the heat of the moment, Blitz threw out something Loona had said earlier about Stolas being bored with him, snapping, “You think you can just play with our feelings because we’re smaller than you.”

By the end of the argument—and what felt like the end of their arrangement—Blitz realized he might have pushed things too far. It hit him when Stolas said, “I think so highly of you, Blitz—I didn’t realize you thought so low of me.”

• Blitz was just about to say “sorry” and reach out to Stolas when he suddenly got portaled right out of the Goetia mansion.

2x09 - The Apology Tour

• Even though their arrangement had ended, Blitz—much like Moxxie and Millie back in season 1—invited himself to the Goetia mansion to try and make things right with Stolas. Naturally, it ended up leading to another argument.

• Blitz gets annoyed when he finds out Stolas was invited to Verosika’s party – and even more so when Stolas calls him “Blitzo.” Whether Stolas was just reading the invitation or did it on purpose is unclear

• The first time Blitz heard Stolas sing — unbeknownst to him — was at Verosika’s party, and it wasn’t until Stolas finished “All 2 U” that Blitz realized the song was about him and their relationship.

When Stolas described his idea of a dramatic romantic moment with “Harriet! Don’t get on that train! It’s going to London, and I can’t live without you!” Blitz clearly took notes for future references later on

2x10 - Ghostfuckers

• While Blitz was dealing with his “breakup” with Stolas and the end of their arrangement—navigating his own mild version of the five stages of grief—he ended up spending most of I.M.P’s earnings on horse-related items. This, unsurprisingly, sent Moxxie into a full-blown panic.

• The variations of Millie that Blitz had to deal with were from moments in Season 1 where she could have died.

• We see different perspectives from the people Blitz has interacted with – most of them negative. The only exception is Stolas, whose memory of giving Blitz the Asmodean Crystal is noticeably softer. In his version, there’s no grimoire beside him, suggesting a more genuine and intimate view of their relationship.

• At the end of the episode, Blitz admits to Millie that he supposed he has feelings for Stolas – making the Stolitz ship semi-canon.

• Blitz comically says, “Yeah, fuck hotels,” which might be a brief nod or inside joke referencing Hazbin Hotel.

2x11 - Mastermind

• The I.M.P crew had to ditch their old costumes, likely as a precaution after the government started pursuing them. This could mean Blitz will need to rely on the Asmodean Crystal for disguises – unless they manage to get replacements from somewhere else.

• Blitz was willing to sacrifice himself if it meant his daughter and employees could live. In a rare moment of vulnerability, he even asked Moxxie – of all people – to look after his daughter.

• In the Goetia, different members have unique elemental powers. Andrealphus controls ice, Vassago wields light, and Stolas’s power is tied to earth and the cosmos.

• After the trial fiasco, Loona starts calling Blitz “Dad” consistently and openly acknowledges him as her father. It marks a turning point in their relationship, solidifying the bond they’ve both danced around for so long.

• After Stolas was cleaned up and fell asleep on the couch, emotionally drained, Blitz glanced his way – a subtle but meaningful reference to the lyrics “Just Look My Way.” The moment quietly reflects the lingering connection and unspoken feelings between them.

2x12 - Sinmas

• At the start and throughout the episode, Blitz set aside his usual wall of insecurities and emotions, focusing on helping and supporting Stolas as he adjusted to life as a commoner — even slipping into a “semi-boyfriend” role along the way.

• When Stolas asked why Blitz is so obsessed with horses, Blitz said it was because of a very traumatic event – definitely a nod to Wormhorse from “The Circus” episode (I presume)

• Blitz’s phone contact for Octavia is saved as “Via (Stolas’s bird daughter),” which maybe it’s subtle foreshadowing that he’ll start calling her that nickname himself someday.

• Blitz and Stolas shared a parallel scene where they finally had their date without any interruptions – a clear contrast to the constant interference and chaos they faced during their night at “Ozzie’s” in Season 1.

• Blitz explained to Stolas that Sinmas is the one holiday where Hellborne can fully embrace and enact the sin they’re from. Interestingly, throughout the episode, Blitz displayed not just acts of Lust, but also Envy and Pride.

• For once in the episode, the whiteboard – the one Blitz usually doodles on – was completely free of grammatical errors or misspellings during the meeting scene. It was a rare and almost shocking level of professionalism for I.M.P.

• Blitz and Stolas both felt the Karen client’s request to kill her cheating husband hit a little too close to home. Stolas didn’t hold back, being very vocal about it, while Blitz tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal, brushing it off by saying cheating wasn’t that serious anymore. It was clearly personal for both of them — right up until Blitz awkwardly tried to console Stolas after his dramatic declaration that cheaters like him (the husband) didn’t deserve to live.

• Blitz imagined the client’s husband’s family as a version of his own, with him, Stolas, and their two daughters—an interesting detail stands out. He envisioned Stolas with pupils when he could have easily imagined him without. This could suggest that Blitz loves Stolas more as a “commoner,” seeing him as someone grounded and relatable. It may reflect that this version of Stolas is the one Blitz envisions having a family with—the one he wants with their two daughters alongside.

When Millie protests, saying she can handle killing the family, Blitz actually uses his “boss” voice to shut her down – something we hadn’t seen him do before, especially with her

• After Octavia snuck into I.M.P again and absentmindedly called out “Dad” — meant for Stolas, who wasn’t there — Blitz responded instinctively, as if it were perfectly normal for her to call him that.

• Blitz screamed at Andrealphus, “Get your hands off my bottom, bitch!” – a clear callback to the Apology Tour episode, where Stolas described wanting someone to fight for him in a way that felt straight out of a romantic comedy.

• The way Blitz’s hand reached out for Stolas mirrored a key motif from the “Just Look My Way” music video – but this time, their roles were reversed, attempting to rescue Stolas before falling down backwards

• After Stolas pointed out that Blitz had risked his life to save him, Blitz stated a, “Well… so did you.” The two ended up sharing a quick kiss mid-battle before softly landing on the ground together.

• Shortly after Octavia joined the fight and shielded Blitz and Stolas, she and Blitz shared a playful, almost familial exchange about how embarrassing it would be for Andrealphus to get beaten by both I.M.P and his own niece.

• During Stolas and Octavia’s argument, when she says, “You don’t love Mama, you don’t love me, you love HIM,” Blitz’s guilt is evident as he averts his gaze, unable to face either of them.

• The moment Octavia cuts Stolas out of her life, Blitz quietly places his jacket over Stolas to comfort him – despite his own dislike for the cold.

• At the end of the episode, despite Stolas reaching the stage of acceptance – the final stage of grief – Blitz stays by his side. The two share a romantic dance, lightly flirting about their height difference as the moment softens between them.

<> When Blitz refers to Stolas as one of those “tall tall horses,” it’s subtly hinted that he was actually talking about giraffes 😂

• After their intimate dance, it was clear that both Blitz and Stolas – briefly glancing at each other’s lips – wanted to kiss. However, instead of acting on it, Blitz chose to hug Stolas, recognizing that comfort and reassurance were what he needed most at that time.

Season 3: (TBA)

• When Blitz becomes committed to his relationship with Stolas and stays monogamous with him he’s no longer pansexual — in practice — and is basically gay

[urbanventures]

The Reading Center and Urban Ventures celebrate three years of partnership

Urban Ventures is in its third year of a fruitful partnership with The Reading Center, based in Rochester, Minnesota. The Reading Center (TRC) is the only nonprofit in the region that offers a full array of services for dyslexic students and their families, including tutoring and training for teachers and parents. Over the years, they have trained 2,500 adults and educators in the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach and helped 14,000 students improve their reading ability.

Kendra Peterson is the Director of Reading Plus, Urban Ventures’ literacy intervention program. Her connection to The Reading Center began when her son was diagnosed with dyslexia. Kendra is an experienced classroom teacher with a Master’s Degree who felt she still needed more tools and training to help her son learn to read. She enrolled in TRC’s Basic Orton-Gillingham Institute to train as an Academic Language Therapist, going on to complete the Advanced Institute as well. In 2018 Kendra pitched piloting the Reading Plus afterschool program at Urban Ventures, utilizing The Reading Center’s OG teaching approach to provide high quality reading instruction to UV students who are behind grade-level in reading.

The program started with 12 students and 1 OG tutor. It has grown tremendously, now serving over 100 kids in just 3 years with 5 UV tutors trained by TRC working with small groups. Each student attends two-1 hour reading sessions a week after school at UV or onsite at one of our partner schools during the day. Scaling the program to meet the demand has not been easy, but Kendra shared that it is worth the work, and the support provided through the partnership with TRC has made it possible. Kendra has watched her students gain confidence and recently heard from one of her student’s teachers that one developing reader just handed in the best essay in the whole class!

The Reading Plus program helps students in 1st-8th grade improve their reading. This year it was discovered that there were a handful of 5th and 6th grade students enrolled in the program who, despite their motivation and hard work, were nonreaders or were too far behind their peers to realize success in the small OG groups.

To help these students catch up, TRC tutor, Jenna Bergendahl began 1:1 intensive tutoring for 3 students twice weekly for 1-hour sessions, beginning this January. Even after a short time the students have made great strides. For the first time, one of her student’s learned how to spell his last name and Jenna smiled as she heard him go and announce it to a teacher in another room. Another student took home a reading game to play with his dad and the third has been motivated by learning to read books about soccer.

Jenna was previously an early childhood educator at a dual language school. She enrolled in TRC’s Basic OG Training in 2020, shortly after her son was diagnosed with dyslexia. Now she is not only helping her son learn to read using the OG approach, but she is also able to share her talents with her community. Jenna lives within biking distance to UV and is thrilled that her oldest son has even been able to participate in UV programs while she is tutoring.

Partnerships like this are key to the success of our community. As Cindy Russel, director of The Reading Center, said, “Urban Ventures has been a delight to work with, always focused on the needs of their students,” adding that TRC loves sharing in the success of the students.

Urban Ventures hopes to continue expanding access to expert instruction. When you donate to Urban Ventures you help fund programs like Reading Plus and provide a pathway for more students to lift themselves up and learn!

[teruthecreator]

sweet surprises

lord forgive me for the cringe i’m about to post. i fully blame this post and this post for planting the seeds of berdley having a crush on kris in my brain. also shouts out to izel for listening to me go insane at 3 AM about this. 

anyways, here’s a thing. 

______________________________________________________________

Excitement is in the air.

Unlike the usual calm monotony of life at school, things recently have been quite...electric. Not because of the portal to the Dark World hidden behind the door of the closet, or the adventures had by a select group of students through the portal in the Librarby a few days ago. No, this isn’t about that.

This is about the Sadie Hawkman’s Dance. The once-a-year phenomenon where the school puts on its best interpretation of a formal dance for the incredibly small number of students who attend class. Students buzz in excitement for the event, preparing their most formal outfits and getting ready to dazzle their friends and fellow classmates with their dramatic entrances into the auditorium.

And, of course, there’s the all important ritual of asking someone to the dance.

There’s already been a few proposals made this week. Jockington rolled into class like a hula hoop and asked Catti to be his “best bro” for the dance, to which she happily agreed. (And by that, I mean she looked up from her phone, smiled, said not a single word, and went back to typing.) Temmie loudly announced to the class that she would be taking her egg, which was somehow...embarrassed that she mentioned it. And, of course, Noelle finally managed to work up enough courage to ask Susie to the dance. It was done in an incredible display of candy canes that spelled out the phrase: “CAN(E) YOU BE MY DATE TO THE DANCE?” Unfortunately, Susie was about halfway through scarfing the display down before she realized what it said. She then began choking on one of the candy canes out of disbelief, which wound her in the nurse for the rest of the day. But, when she could speak again, she very quietly agreed to Noelle’s proposal (and, if you happened to be a fly on the wall in that room, you could hear a tail thump rhythmically against the doctor’s bench as she did so).

Kris was pleased with everything. They were happy to see their friends so happy together. A long time coming, if you asked them. And they’d be just as happy attending the dance solo, since they’ll undoubtedly be dragged along by Susie. They’d never gone to the dance before--never had a reason to, truth be told. But with their newfound friends, they may just enjoy being a wingman for the night.

...Speaking of wingmen, Berdly will probably be going solo as well. Unsurprising, but Kris makes a mental note to ensure the bird will be in attendance. As much as he is kind of a lot sometimes, he’s their friend. And Kris is going to make sure all of their friends are having fun at that dance!

They walk into class thinking of this (surprisingly early, for a change), which is why they almost miss the massive display sitting boldly atop their desk. They freeze the instant it catches their eye and, for a second, they almost believe it isn’t real. Like some leftover thoughts of the Dark World lingering in their vision. But, after wiping their eyes and seeing that it’s still there, they decide to approach and...investigate.

The display is expertly crafted by someone who clearly knows their way around a glue gun. It is a heart-shaped arch that is decorated with a myriad of printed illustrations of Super Smashing Fighters Melee characters, all having cut-outs to hold different bars of chocolate. There are also numerous origami hearts glued around the characters on the arch, in colors spanning across the rainbow. The arch is painted in swirls of blues, pinks, and reds and covered with a border of glitter that sprinkles onto the desk when Kris reaches out to pluck a chocolate bar from its perch. On the desk itself is a big origami heart that says “TO KRIS” in gold calligraphy. It is by far one of the coolest, nicest, cheesiest things Kris has ever seen.

They look up from the display to see if anyone else is seeing this shit, and that’s when it all clicks.

Because sitting at the front of the classroom, fidgeting way more than normal, is Berdly. He keeps interlocking his ankles underneath his desk before unlocking them and kicking the air, turning around every half-second or so to try and catch Kris’s reaction. From the brief moments Kris can see the front of him, they notice he’s not in his usual white collared shirt and black khaki shorts. Instead, his shirt is buttoned all the way up, with a nice blue bowtie tied around his neck. He also traded out his khaki shorts for a pair of dress pants that look to be a tad too long for his legs. He keeps reaching up to smooth out the feathers on his head, which immediately stick back up from stress.

Now, Kris may be a straight B student, but they’re not stupid. Context clues are a very good thing, and all signs point to Berdly as the culprit of this public display of...affection?

Beyond Berdly is Ms. Alphys at her desk, who shoots Kris a look of deep understanding and maybe...guilt? She looks at Berdly for a split second and shrugs her shoulders, indicating he was probably in here long before she was and so she had no way of stopping him from leaving it there.

Kris looks back down at the display and picks up the large origami heart. As they begin to unfold it, they see a sprawling letter written in the same flashy calligraphy. Kris squints at the letters--they’re dyslexic, so everything kind of just looks like spaghetti on paper. Still, they’re able to make out the largely printed question of “WILL YOU GO TO THE DANCE WITH ME?” with no issue.

Huh, guess they won’t be going to the dance alone after all…? It’s a little confusing as to why Berdly would want to go with them, though. Like, they’ve hung out a little bit--usually whenever Berdly wanted a “worthy rival” to play video games with, he would come over and Kris would whoop his ass for a few hours. And, of course, there were the recent events in the Cyber World; but Kris is pretty sure them and Susie had thoroughly convinced Noelle and Berdley that that was all a dream. So, why them?

They’re lost in this train of thought for so long that they don’t even notice the other kids enter the room until they suddenly hear:

“Yo, Kris???????? What the heck is this thing????” Susie’s voice doesn’t startle them, but it is loud enough to get them to look up. Susie is standing next to their desk, looking at the display with genuine amazement thinly masked by disgust. She’s also loud enough to basically stop the whole class (who were all muttering amongst themselves about it anyway), which gives Kris only a second to gaze around the room before--

SLAM!

The door to the classroom slams shut, leaving one seat unoccupied.

Berdley’s.

“This thing’s got chocolate on it????” Susie continues to marvel at the display while Kris looks at the door, frowning. They feel...bad. It isn’t Berdley’s fault for trying to fit in with the other kids' proposals; he admitted to feeling like he needs to do more just to stand out enough for people to acknowledge him back in the Dark World. And this thing is really...thoughtful! The characters are all ones Kris typically mains, or ones they know Berdley mains, which means he remembers things about Kris. And the chocolate is a given, but it is nice to be able to stock their personal snack stash with some fancy stuff. Ultimately, it’s very sweet, and Kris can’t help but feel a little guilty for not saying anything immediately.

They turn and lock eyes with Ms. Alphys, who looks extremely out-of-depth with this situation. She makes a number of gestures from them to the door in a flustered way of saying I have absolutely no idea what the hell is going on please help me Kris I know I’m asking a lot of you but I don’t know how to deal with teenage angst I’m like thirty-five. They sigh, standing up and walking past Susie (but not before giving her a stare that warns her if a single chocolate bar is gone that they will be holding that over her until the day she dies) and following Berdly out the door.

It doesn’t take Kris very long to follow the trail of labored breathing to where Berdley is--in the abandoned classroom, hyperventilating as he teeters on a breakdown. Luckily, when Kris opens the door, it seems to put a halt to his spiralling because he just kind of...freezes. Like a deer caught in headlights. Or a Berdley caught in Kris-lights. Kris takes this moment to let the door shut behind them, trapping the two in here. Together.

“U-Uhhhhh, hi--he--Um. H-Hello, K-Kris…” Berdly attempts to put on his usual bravado, but his voice betrays him brutally by squeaking and cracking on every syllable. Kris can’t help the smile that comes to their face.

“Uh, hey,” they reply with a wave. Berdley continues to stand there and stare (almost like he wasn’t expecting Kris to care enough to follow him) before the present circumstances return to his mind and he begins breathing hard again.

“I-I-I-I, uh...I was. Um. J-Just, uh. G-Getting some fresh air! Y-Yes! The classroom can be s-so stuffy sometimes, I’m sure y-you--you, uh...you agree?” Berdley makes a valiant attempt at hiding his panic, which Kris almost takes pity on. But they don’t think the monster will feel any better if they just pretend what happened back there never happened.

“Yeah. I liked the display.” Kris says simply. Berdley stands stock-straight at that, looking even worse for wear in the “being normal and completely cool” department.

“O-Oh??????? That ol’ thing????? I, um--well I just--y-you see, I--uh. Um,” You can really hear the gears in his head turning as he attempts to come up with an excuse. “I-I-I just thought you w-would appreciate the craftsmanship of!!! A t-true artisan, such as myself!!! So, I!!! M-Made it!!! COMPLETELY PLATONICALLY, OF COURSE!!!! I-I would never imply that my intentions w-were anything other than for bro-sies, i--You didn’t read that whole card, did you?”

“I can’t read,” They mean this as a joke, but they can see Berdley seriously consider this for a second too long. “Dude, I’m dsylexic. I can’t really read cursive…” Berdley freezes up once more, which makes Kris realize they haven’t really projected that as loudly as they might’ve thought.

“Oh! Right! How could I forget! That you’re! Dsylexic!” Berdley’s smile is stapled to his face as he begins to rhythmically knock on his head. “And I! Wrote! That! Entire! Note! In! Cursive! Which! You! Can’t! Read!!!” Kris steps forward in an attempt to keep Berdley from bashing his own skull in, but that only makes Berdley more tense, so they take a step back. “I-I just--The note isn’t important! None of it’s important actually can we forget this interaction ever happened okay? Okay yes that’s great have a wonderful day Kris I will be returning home to sitinmyroomandneverreturntothecorporealrealmalrightgoodbyeforeverKris--” He attempts to sidestep around Kris and out the door, but is very easily intercepted.

“Stop.” Kris grabs him by the shoulders, which seems to shut him up for a second. “Can you just tell me what’s wrong?” Berdley gapes at them as his face steadily grows redder, which makes Kris feel as if there’s something on their face. But he quickly shakes it off, going from completely neurotic to...dejected.

“I just…” He starts, trailing off immediately. “You deserve to have a big proposal, same as everyone else. I-I see you in the back of the class, just...watching. And I, uh, felt it was time to...give you the spotlight! But that was silly of me, wasn’t it?” He looks off to the side at the floor, smiling sadly. “After all, who’d want to go to the dance with me…? I-I’m alone every year, standing in the background. Just kind of...taking it all in...and th-thinking about how it’d be...nice to be a part of it. But that’s...not probable. It was just nice to think about taking you to the dance because you’re--well, you’re nice to me, and you’re funny, and you actually listen to me when I’m talking, an-and you’re a good person and an incredible gaming legend...but I shouldn’t have put it all on you in front of everyone...I’m. I’m sorry, Kris.” He won’t make eye contact with the human, but Kris can still see the tears collecting in his eyes.

“Berdley, that’s stupid.” Kris says, which Berdley cringes at, “Why wouldn’t I wanna go with you?” That part is...not what Berdley was expecting. He looks up at Kris, unsure of where to go from here.

“U-Um…? Because of all the previously stated things? Like me being a complete loser who nobody likes?”

“I like you,” Kris replies immediately, leaving Berdley’s feathers sticking straight up as he flusters. “And I like your display. It’s...really sweet.”

“E-Even if you can’t read the note?” Berdley’s voice cracks.

“I mean, I could read the: WILL YOU GO WITH ME TO THE DANCE part, so, like. Yeah.” Kris shrugs. “Plus, you got me chocolate. Nice chocolate. Nobody...gets me things like that.” They smile, a light dusting of blush across their face. “I’ll go with you.” Berdley’s entire body seizes up for the third time, eyes wide and mouth agape.

“W-W-w-W-w-w-w-w-W-W-W-w-w-w-Wh-Wha-wh-w-w-wha-wha-w-wh-Wh-Wha-wh-Wha-wha-w-w-W-W-W--” Berdley continues to struggle with the word “what” for a solid minute and a half before he’s finally about to manage a: “What?!” Kris can’t help but laugh.

“I said that, Berdley,” at this, they move their grip from his shoulders to his hands, “I will go to the Sadie Hawkman’s dance with you.”

The circuits in Berdley’s brain struggle with this frequency for an extended moment before his face erupts in the giddiest smile Kris has ever seen the bird monster sport. He even begins to jump up and down, taking Kris along with him, as he cackles. It is a surprisingly cute display that Kris finds themselves blushing a bit at. It’s nice to be this...cared about.

“I-I--We have to start thinking of outfits immediately!” Berdley blurts out, returning to their usual demeanor. “I was thinking of some complimentary color schemes on the way to school today which I will be happy to show you at lunchtime. I’m also a master with a sewing machine, so if you are unable to procure an outfit that meets the color requirements, I would be delighted to take your measurements and--w-wait, don’t read into that phrasing, I just m-meant that I could make an outfit for you! B-But I’d need your measurements, and--Oh, goodness, hasn’t class started already, Kris?! We should head back, but--” He looks from the door to Kris and back again a few times before finally settling on something.

“I’lltalktoyouaboutthislaterseeyouinclassKris!!!!!” He says this right before he gives Kris a solitary peck on the cheek before bolting out of the abandoned classroom, leaving Kris blinking at the Berdley-shaped cloud he left behind. Their hand gently grazes the spot on their cheek--luckily not actually pecked by his beak, but more of a quick-kiss kind of peck--and feel their heart skip a beat.

Huh.

That’s...different.

They elect to not dwell on that feeling any longer and head back to class. They have to make sure Susie hasn’t eaten all of the chocolate on that display.

They wouldn’t want to make Berdley go through the trouble of re-proposing  just so they could rightfully claim their other sweet surprise.

[anileahvictoria]

Inside out (But It's Dyslexic and ADHD) P.S This Actually Happened To Me.

"Good morning, sister Eggbert!"

"Morning, Anileah. Can you take attendance today?"

Drama *yelling into the intercom*: AAAAHH! CODE RED, CODE RED! I REPEAT, WE HAVE A CODE RED!"

Social Skills: Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down. We'll just use the chalkboard excuse. We've seen plenty of kids use that excuse before.

Self Doubt: It's not gonna work. It's a whiteboard.

Mean Streak: You're kidding me. That's it, this is all your fault, Dyslexia.

Dyslexia: My fault? I didn't put the whiteboard there!

Mean Streak: Yeah, but everyone wouldn't be freaking out if we could actually spell something!

Dyslexia: I can't help it! My brain just shuts off!

Mean Streak: Exactly! Thanks to you, all our brains shut off, so thanks for that, thank you.

Passion: It's ok, Dyslexia. No one blames you. You help us out in a lot of ways!

Mean Streak: Speak for yourself.

"Sure, no problem!" I said, trying to ignore my pounding heart as I walked up to the whiteboard and picked up the marker.

ADHD: Wait, what did we just agree to do?

Mean Streak: Social Skills just agreed to get us all killed.

Social Skills: We had to say something! What was I supposed to do? Say no?

Everyone: YES!

Social Skills: Come on, guys, that would be uncooperative. We don't even have a valid excuse.

Mean Streak: Yes we do, and it's standing right in front of you.

Passion: Don't be mean, Mean Streak. Dyslexia's strengths just lie elsewhere. For example, did you know she is VERY creative?

Mean Streak: Oh, that's wonderful, Passion! Maybe she can write everyone's names in pretty cursive! Oh wait, she can't even read cursive, let alone write it.

Social Skills: Argue about this later, guys. Drama, got any other excuses for us?

Drama: Sure, sure, how about the fact that WE DON'T KNOW EVERYONE'S NAMES!

Social Skills: What? Yes we do.

ADHD: LOL, nope.

Social Skills: What do you mean, 'LOL nope'?

Mean Streak: You never actually introduced us to anyone.

Social Skills: Oh. Yeah, you're right. Sorry guys, that one's on me.

Drama: WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!

Mean Streak: Of embarrassment.

Social Skills: Wait, there's Landon! We know his name.

Mean Streak: Yeah, but does cross-eyes over there know how to spell it?

"Hey Landon, come write your name down on the board."

ADHD: Oo, good call.

"Uh, isn't that whoever's taking attendance's job?"

ADHD: I take it back.

Sister Eggbert peeked up from her lesson plan, "Yeah, just write their names down as they come in."

ADHD: Busted.

Everyone: Will you shut up already?

Social Skills *taking deep breath*: It's fine, guys, we got thi- DYSLEXIA NO!

"Alright." I say, scribbling 'Landin' onto the board, cringing inside at how sloppy my handwriting was.

I cringed even harder when I heard Landon say, "Um, you spelled my name with an I."

"Oh, yeah, oops." I could hear the gears turning in my brain. "It's with an E, duh."

"Uh, no. L-A-N-^%$#@^*."

Drama: ABORT ABORT! He spelled it too fast! We already failed twice! Give up while we're ahead!

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah. Landon."

"No, no. How'd you spell it?"

"I just told you. L-A-N-$#%^$#. Landon. With an O."

I sighed inwardly with relief at the last sentence. Thank heavens I wouldn't have to ask him to repeat himself a third time.

"Oh, of course! I knew that." I said, trying to laugh it off.

Mean Streak: Dyslexia, not cool.

Social Skills: Yeah, I gotta admit, Dyslexia, that... that was painful.

Passion: It's ok, Dyslexia. One person at a time. Who's next?

Social Skills: Coltrin.

ADHD: YES! My main man Coltrin! We had WAY too much fun sitting next to each other.

Mean Streak: Yeah, that's why sister Eggbert separated you two.

ADHD: Ah, good times, good times.

Social Skills *ignoring ADHD and Mean Streak*: Ok, but this time we're gonna ask him how to spell it BEFORE we attempt to. Ok Dyslexia?

Dyslexia *not paying attention*: Col-trin. Coltrin. Is it with a K or a C?

"Yo Coltrin, how do you spell your name?"

Coltrin lifted his head up from where it was nestled in his arms on his desk, "Seriously, bro?"

Drama: *passes out*.

Mean Streak: Great, now he thinks we're an illiterate idiot.

Self Doubt: Are we?

Passion: No! Of course we aren't!

Social Skills: Ok, ok, I admit, things look bleak, but I can get us out of this.

Passion: Actually, I was thinking we'd let ADHD try.

Everyone except ADHD: WHAT?!

Passion: Well, he does know Coltrin best. Aaand, he's already at the controls...

"Yes, seriously. Dude, Landon literally spells his name like someone misspelling London. For all I know, you spell your name with a C!"

"Dude, my name is spelled with a C."

"C what I mean?!"

Coltrin gave his signature lopsided grin, "Heh, I C what you did there."

I grinned right back, "Dude, you C right through me."

"No one C's you the way I do."

"Duuuude."

"Duuuuuude."

Mean Streak *facepalming*: Great. Now EVERYONE in the class thinks we're idiots. Nice going ADHD.

Social Skills: Actually... ADHD managed to handle a potentially awkward situation with humor.

Mean Streak: Yeah, stupid humor.

Social Skills: I mean, if it works, it works. Well done ADHD.

Drama: Uh, I hate to ruin the moment, BUT WE HAVE TEN STUDENTS INBOUND!

Social skills: Ok team, game plan. #1 from now on, we ask how to spell their names before attempting it on our own.

Self Doubt: What if they speak too fast?

Social Skills: There's no shame in asking them to repeat themselves more slowly.

Mean Streak: Yes, there is.

Social Skills: #2 no one listens to Mean Streak.

Mean Streak: Oh, so it's ok to listen to neurodivergent over there, but not me?

Social Skills: #3 we are going to ignore Mean Streak. And finally, to avoid this situation in the future, we will wait until at least three other students are in class before entering the premises.

Self Doubt: But what if we get here early? We always get here early.

ADHD: Easy, we sleep in.

Social Skills: And risk being late? No way. We'll just wait outside the class or hide in the bathroom or something.

Mean Streak: 'Cause that's not weird.

Social Skills: Whatever, we'll figure something out. Until then, we've got Marin coming in on the right. Dyslexia, does two R's look right?

Dyslexia: Hmm, no, that doesn't look right. I think It's just one.

"Um, it's just one R, Anileah." Marin said sweetly.

"Was just about to fix that."

Social skills: Ee! A cool kid knows our name!

Mean Streak: Of course she does. Unlike some people, she actually pays attention when someone introduces themselves.

ADHD: Don't look at me! How am I supposed to pay attention when Passion is using up all the memory space to remember everyones favorite color?!

Passion: Landon just changed his to blue last week.

ADHD: Whoa. Seriously, how'd you know?

Social Skills: Right. Well, good call, Dyslexia. Passion, the two boys behind her-

Passion: One of them's Noah, the other's Jacob... I think.

ADHD: Naw, Jacob's the tall one who sat down like five minutes ago.

Drama: Five minutes ago?! WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING?!

ADHD: I thought you already got him.

Social skills *going through the list*: No, I don't see any Jacob. But there's a Joey. We don't have a Joey in our class... Dyslexia?

Dyslexia: Sorry! I didn't know if Jacob was spelled with a K or a C, so I just put Joey. That's short for Jacob, right?

Social Skills *dragging a hand over her face*: No, Joey is short for Joseph, not Jacob.

Dyslexia: W-what?

Social Skills: Try both. *speaking slowly* J-A-C-K-O-B. See if that looks right.

Several agonizing minutes later, after attendance has been successfully completed (more or less).

ADHD: There's something off about Jacob.

Social Skills: Really? He seems fine to me.

ADHD: No, not the boy, dingbat, the name.

Dyslexia: There- there is?

ADHD: Yeah, your J is backward.

Dyslexia: No. Gosh, please no!

ADHD: Mmhm, and your K.

Dyslexia *groaning and burying her face in her hands*: Oh no...

ADHD: J.K! Ha! Get it? Cause I said, your J and K were backward! J.K!

Everyone: SHUT UP!

The End

[adamofhephaestus]

+ adam

[SHAWN MENDES, CIS-MALE]｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ whoa, that’s [ADAM FLYNN], [CHILD] of [HEPHAESTUS] isn’t it? i’ve heard all about [HIM], the [21]-year-old [SOPHOMORE] is known to be [METICULOUS] and [TRUSTWORTHY], but i heard [HE] can be [REACTIONARY] and [ANXIOUS], too. last i heard, [HE] [IS] at fates university studying [ENGINEERING] and living at [TRITON TOWERS]. may the fates smile down upon them! {annie, 23, she/her, est}

here’s child #3 because i have no chill. he’s a sweetheart, actually, and just likes to build furniture and eat oatmeal and he has a cat that’s his absolute pride and joy. more below!

wanted connections here!

GENERAL

born: adam michael flynn birthday: march 23 age: 21 hometown: cape may, nj siblings: n/a mortal parent: tilly flynn godly parent: hephaestus sexuality: straight star sign: aries moon sign: scorpio alignment: neutral good myers-briggs: infp height: 6'0 hair: brown eyes: brown scars: one on his cheek from stray scrapnel tattoos: this on his left forearm major/minor: engineering/computer science weapon of choice: celestian bronze axe, that attaches to a necklace chain

BIO

tilly flynn, the only child of two artists, was born creative. growing up to become a prop master for theaters around the east coast, it would only make sense that those she gravitated toward were those who liked to create and make something out of nothing. never the type to settle down, she became pregnant after a few days with someone she’s only been on a few dates with, and dropped contact. nine months later, adam was born, to her absolute delight. tilly was a great mom, her and her boy against the world.

adam knew his parental situation - the pg version, at least, being told his mom went through a sperm bank - and didn’t figure out the truth until he was 8 years old, when a siren tried to lure him out into the ocean. not long after that, he was faced with the glowing hephaestus symbol above his head, with a visit from the god himself, instructing them to bring adam to camp.

adam thrived at camp - he liked building weaponry and he was always an athletic kid. he spent his summers at camp, not wanting to completely abandon his friends and schooling, though he would visit on the weekends, or when his mom needed to be in the new york theater scene. he wasn’t the best student, the half-blood double whammy of adhd and dyslexia affecting him greatly, but he played football and volunteered for the theater department, helping with props and set pieces. 

he was always a little bit lonely though? adam always had a hard time making “permanent” friends, the older he got. he wanted to play football and be in school with the other more “normal” kids, but he’d always get so sad leaving camp behind after the summer was over. he always felt he was caught somewhere in between, and sort of just floated between identities for a bit until graduation.

after he graduated high school, he thought his best bet was to continue all through fates university. he always wanted to be a half-blood that saved the day on a big quest, but he was never chosen on anything and he didn’t think he was ready to give up the safety and protection university would bring. 

AESTHETIC

sawdust in the air, the whirring of a power drill, oil slicked hands, smell of rubber tires, popping popcorn, clicking of game controllers, the smell of peppers cooking on a grill, pencil smudges and eraser shavings, clanking of a hammer on metal, the whoosh of a blowtorch, a flickering copper lightbulb, fresh oatmeal in the morning, denim on bare legs, campfire smoke against the night sky, splashing to loud music in the summer rain, grease fingerprints, coffee brewed at 4am

TRIVIA

drives a 90s maroon jeep with christmas lights on the inside, massage chairs as seats, and surround sound speakers

played football most of his life

takes medication for anxiety

really bad at spelling, super dyslexic

has a three legged cat named tripod

favorite food is peanut butter, loves anything peanut butter

his mom collects typewriters, so his apartment has some of the stragglers around the place to feel more at home

folk music is his favorite kind of music

dream job would be opening up his own mechanics shop, or making wood furniture

collects vintage video games and video game systems, repairs them in the months when it’s too cold to be working in open air garages

always runs really warm, he’s like a human heater

loves sci-fi movies

HUGE health nut, he calls himself a borderline vegetarian - his mom’s a vegetarian, so he doesn’t not eat meat, he just generally gravitates away from it

in the same vein, he’s at the gym probably 6/7 days of the week, the arena too

likes that he’s an even six foot, he uses himself as a unit of measurement

helps build sets for the theater productions

[jckelly]

updated intro / 25/09/20

Is that JACK FIELDING? Wow, they do look a lot like VAN MCCANN. I hear HE is an NINETEEN year old FRESHMEN who are studying AEROSPACE ENGINEERING  at Luxor University. Word is they are an ARISTOCRAT student. You should watch out because they can be PHILOPHOBIC and INSINCERE, but on the bright side they can also be WITTY and IMAGINATIVE. Ultimately, you’ll get to see it all for yourself. [YUNI, 20, GMT, SHE/HER]

hello to anyone who has yet 2 be cursed w my presence in their dms, i am yuni and this is  an updated intro for my demon boi jack! this one is a lilll bit more in depth but not to worry there is a tl;dr at the end ion expect u to read this. feel free to dm me if you would like to plot!

01: BASIC INFORMATION

Full Name: Jackson Noel Fielding (previously Kelly; recently changed)

Nicknames: Jack - he dislikes the use of his full first name, and only really answers to Jack, unless joking around with Caitriona. 

Date Of Birth: December 4, 2001 (currently aged 19)

Zodiac: Sagittarius sun, Leo ascendant, and Aries moon. 

Place Of Birth: Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. 

Nationality: Dual UK and US citizenship; he was born and raised in England so was a UK citizen from birth, and acquired US citizenship through his American adopted mother after being formally adopted in 2017. 

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual 

Course: Aerospace Engineering (Freshman)

02: PHYSICAL

Faceclaim: Van McCann 

Voiceclaim: Also Van McCann (but w ... not a Welsh accent LOL think Northern)

Ethnicity: White (English, Irish, Scottish)

Height: 173cm (5′8)

Weight: 52kg (115lbs) / BMI 17.4

Eye Colour: Blue

Hair Colour: Brown

Distinctive Features: Freckles (many), ear piercings (one hoop in his left ear), scars on his wrists which he hides with long sleeved shirts. 

Clothing Preference: Jack really only wears black, or something close to black like grey. He usually opts for simple clothes, just jeans and long sleeved shirts, and beat up black converse. His Sheffield United hoodie makes an appearance more often than not, because he has a ridiculous amount of hometown pride. 

03: PERSONALITY

Overview

Positive Traits: Witty, imaginative, perseverant, passionate

Negative Traits: Philophobic, disloyal, insincere, callous

MBTI: ENTP

Religious Beliefs: Atheist 

Description

The first side most people see of Jack is the side he wants you to see. A total asshole. It’s not an exaggeration - he’s pretty much infamous for flirting with everyone, dating anyone and as a serial cheater. He’ll actively try to worm his way into your life, and then just when you start to care, he does something to hurt you. He’s strangely persistent, probably helping him to push people even further, until they snap. There is nothing which satisfies him more than managing to wind people up to the extreme, get them to the point where they give up. Adopted parents, friends, nobody is immune to this side - he even tries it on the people he genuinely cares about, as if just to see if he’ll still be able to push them away.

The second side, which most people don’t see, is that at heart Jack is a kid. He’s the type of person to ask if owls have ears at 3am, or get some childlike joy out of dumb jokes. Of course, this is the side nobody but a very small number of people see. And even if you do see it, it never lasts long. He keeps his true personality under wraps even amongst those he does like, and it only slips out if he’s extremely comfortable with you. Otherwise, he’ll go straight back to being a sarcastic, flirty piece of shit.

04: PAST

Biography: 

Jackson Kelly was born in a council estate in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, in the UK. His life prior to adoption is not something he routinely talks about, but that’s mostly because he’d rather not give people reasons to pity him: his mother, 15 when she gave birth to him, was a drug addict; he has no idea who his birth father is or was, and no inclination to find out. Jack’s first ten years of life pretty much fell into the same cycle: get put into foster care, his mother would get clean and take him back, and then the cycle would repeat. But when the cycle ended when he was ten, and he was removed from his mother’s care for good, he wasn’t ready for it to end yet.

Sure, she wasn’t the best parent. But she was his mother. Jack quickly developed a reputation for running away, always found back at the same place. Foster parent after foster parent always ended up returning him, unable to cope with his rebellious tendencies and the constant hunt for him after he had run. As he aged, he only became better at avoiding being found. It practically became a game to him, a way for him to entertain himself. So when a wealthy American heiress and her British CEO husband decided that  of all people, they wanted to foster a now thirteen year old Jack, social workers almost wanted to ask if they’d misspoke. (Jack had assumed it was a practical joke.)

Claire and George, his new “parents,” were patient. They said he didn’t have to call them mum or dad, that even after they officially adopted him two years later he could keep his own surname, that they just wanted him to be happy. They moved him to a better school, got a private tutor to make up for lost time, tried to take an interest in his favourite things. But that wasn’t enough for Jack. Eventually, the situation resulted in drastic measures: a rainy afternoon with a social worker being told that Claire wanted to move the family to her birthplace of New York, and send Jack to the school she had attended many years prior. A fresh start would be better for him, they said. As if Jack didn’t know the real reason. He couldn’t run away if he was thousands of miles away.

And that was how a fifteen year old Jack made his way to Carnifex, with absolutely no change to his desire to wreak havoc or to his somewhat disturbing attitude towards other people. Therapists paid for by his adopted parents might say he was pushing people away to manifest emotions about neglect in early life; Jack would just say that he was keeping things interesting. Either way, the next couple years of his life escaped past him, and before he knew it he was in a school office, being told that his birth mother had died.

Obviously, Claire and George freaked, as if he would do anything. Pulled him out of school for a month, flew him back to England for the funeral, and practically wrapped Jack in bubble wrap like he was a baby or something. All he wanted to do was go back to school, ignore the guilt he felt in his stomach for letting them take him away, and go back to what he did best.

Timeline: 

December 4 2001 - Jackson Noel Kelly is born in Sheffield.

2005 - Jack is removed from his mother’s care for the first time. He is frequently removed from her care and then placed back in it for the next seven years of his life. 

2012 - Jack is removed from his mother’s custody permanently and placed in a temporary foster home. He bounces through foster homes for the next few years, including one where he meets Caitriona and becomes close with her. 

2014 - Jack is fostered by Claire and George. He resists any attempt for them to get close to him, and continues to act out. 

December 2016 - Jack is legally adopted by Claire and George, acquiring US citizenship, although he does not change his surname. 

January 2017 - Jack attempts suicide. He is placed in therapy and plans are made for his relocation to the US. 

March 2017 - Claire and George move back to America, taking Jack with them. He begins attending Carnifex. He continues to visit the UK regularly to visit his birth mother, who he keeps in contact with. 

April 2020 - Jack’s birth mother dies. He immediately disappears from school for a month, without telling anyone where he went. 

May 2020 - Jack returns to Luxor. It’s later accidentally blurted out mid fight with Zander that his mother is dead. 

June 2020 - Jack graduates and Leo tells the school Jack attempted suicide. 

September 2020 - Jack legally changes his surname from his birth name - Kelly - to his adopted parents surname, Fielding. 

December 2020 - Zander and Ches spread posters around claiming that Jack is HIV positive and gave it to Balo. They don’t provide any proof for this allegation, and Jack continues to deny it.

(These are the events ur character would probs vaguely know about!!! Anything else is personal info so they wouldn’t know unless Jack explicitly told them. Feel free to ask me if you’re ever unsure if something is ic knowledge or not!) 

05: OTHER TRIVIA

- He has a fairly strong Yorkshire accent which is obviously something other characters would likely notice when interacting with him. So if he uses words you don’t know it’s safe to assume he’s just being his dumb British self so you are free to have your character question the meaning/not know. (LMK if you’re unsure tho!)

- His favourite band is Oasis (closely followed by Arctic Monkeys), favourite film is Fight Club,  go to drink is either a double vodka coke or a pint of Heineken, and his favourite place is Leadmill in Sheffield because it’s where he’s seen some bands (and fucked girls in the bathroom. Such a romantic.)

- Dyslexic, but if you mention it Jack will fight you, although it’s partially why he leans more toward math based subjects where his spelling ability is irrelevant. 

- Notoriously has a thing for redheads, although that doesn’t prevent him from being crude and sexual towards anyone he happens to meet or interact with.

- Chain smokes anything he can get his ratty little hands on (cigarettes, weed, meh) so expect him to smell of ciggies 24/7. 

- Diehard supporter of Sheffield United and insists there is no better football team even though they really suck

- Weetabix, Weetabix, Weetabix 

06: NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Within Luxor:

- Friendships: Caitriona, Balo, Avery, Zai, Oakley, Lennon

- Former Relationships: Oakley Prescott 

- Current Relationship: Juliet McCoy

NPCS

- Claire Richardson Fielding & George Fielding: Jack’s adopted parents, who just want to love him despite him being terrible to them. 

- Lauren Kelly: His birth mother, who he misses a lot. 

- Violet Richardson: Claire’s mother, who for some reason adores Jack and considers him her favourite grandchild. Meaning Jack will probably inherit everything when she dies, although he doesn’t really think about that. 

- Emily French: His ex girlfriend from back home, also known as the only girl who Jack truly cared about before Juliet. She broke up with Jack for being too toxic, which although fair, fucked him up for a little bit. Not that he’d admit it. 

07: CONNECTION IDEAS/WCS

Exes (Lots)

Jack has a habit of dating people, dropping them as soon as feelings get involved, cheating on them, and generally being an asshole. So if you want an ex for your muse… yeah.

Enemies

Again, he tends to happily mess with as many people as he possibly can. So he’s probably gotten on the wrong side of at least a couple people.

Friends (fake or real)

Like when he dates, he tends to get close to people before ditching them or screwing with them. So people who think they’re his friends but who aren’t really as close as they think are very welcome. I’m also down to have a couple people who can be the few he genuinely cares about.

08: TL;DR

If you already knew Jack at Luxor:

Little has changed! He’s the same manipulative dick as ever except that he has legally changed his surname. Your characters are tots fine to comment on the change, it’s not a secret or anything. 

If this is your unfortunate first experience with Jack: 

Jack is manipulative, crude, outright insulting, and nasty. He enjoys nothing more than messing with people, and often acts friendly initially just to hurt you later. He is British, adopted, and I call him rat man. 

[flintsbroom]

⧼ charles melton, (cis) male, he - him / ‘no church in the wild’ by jay-z and kanye west + well worn leather jackets smelling of cigarette smoke and broom oil, messy sheets and an unmade bed, half-finished cups of coffee ⧽ ━━ hey, isn’t that MARCUS FLINT? i read a daily prophet article on them, once ; the 28 year old [ pure blood ] WIZARD is a [ SLYTHERIN  alumnus who has gone on to be a BROOM MAKER ]. i’ve heard they can be quite HARD-WORKING & PROTECTIVE, but i don’t know… they came off very ABRASIVE & RESENTFUL in that interview. it really is hard to know what to believe these days though, isn’t it?  

hello darlings! i’m zelda from somewhere in northern italy and here’s marcus!  it’s my first time playing him + i haven’t rped in years but hopefully i’ve still got it !!! i came up with a couple (more like a dozen i’m so sorry) headcanons for my character & there’s a wanted connections page if you’re interested in plotting something out! 

childhood  - marcus comes from a pureblood middle class family. his parents (especially his mom) always pushed him to befriend wealthier and more powerful people  - he got to know a lot of pureblood kids even before attending hogwarts, but he wouldn’t really consider them ‘friends’ 

hogwarts  - once marcus began to play quidditch, his life became all about that. he worked hard to become the best (even skipping classes and not doing homework to get extra time to practice) so when he was appointed slytherin captain he actually cried (when no one was watching, obviously)  - fun fact: one of the reasons why marcus was never a model student is because he is dyslexic so reading and learning spells was super hard for him. he has never told this to a living soul (literally the only people who know about this are mcgonagall and his parents) and he doesn’t plan to share this information anytime soon - it’s something that makes him feel really ashamed of himself  - he was very good at care of magical creatures though (fun fact numero dos: he loves animals & he treats them a lot more gently than he does fellow humans)  war  - his parents were both death eaters and because he did not want to disappoint them any further he also ended up taking the mark. pureblood supremacy is all he grew up with and while he does not believe in it as much as his parents do, he def has some prejudices  - however, marcus really, really hated the idea of a war. as soon as he realized that actual battles were going to be fought, he tried as hard as he could to avoid them. does he feel like a coward because of it? absolutely. but while he might be aggressive and quick to throw punches, the idea of cursing and killing others made him want to throw up  - as for his stance on what bellatrix is trying to do, he is not hiding per se but he is terrified by the idea that she might knock on his door one day and ask him to rejoin the ranks 

after hogwarts  - he became a professional chaser for the falmouth falcons  - he also had a thing with one of this male teammates - cue sexuality crisis because how can he like a guy and still be attracted to women? bisexuality was just not a thing at the flint household so marcus still feels very conflicted over this - then,The Incident happened. a year ago, during one of the last game of the season, he got badly injured by a bludger (and by ‘badly’ i mean you-can-never-play-pro-again badly) marcus of course was devastated. he spent six months completely isolating himself from everybody, family included. he picked up a lot of bad habits like smoking and excessive drinking. he still indulges in them these days  - now he’s been working for almost half a year as a broom-maker and general shop assistant at quality quidditch supplies in diagon alley. he’s not the best at dealing with costumers (especially if they are other professional quidditch players), but he’s slowly recovering, both physically and mentally.

& yeah that’s pretty much it! if you have any other questions on marcus or if you’re interested in plotting something for our characters, please let me know! 

[wordsmartnz]

Integrating Spelling Games for Dyslexic Students into WordSmart's Multiple Intelligences Framework

Dyslexia, a learning difficulty that affects reading, spelling, and word recognition, requires a multifaceted approach to address its challenges effectively. Spelling games for dyslexic students offer an innovative solution, particularly when integrated into a broader educational paradigm like the WordSmart platform. By aligning these games with multiple intelligences, educators can tap into diverse learning styles and strengthen cognitive development. This synthesis of interactive learning tools and Howard Gardner’s theory opens new avenues for addressing dyslexia while fostering a positive learning environment.

Understanding Dyslexia and Its Challenges

Dyslexia is not a reflection of intelligence but rather a unique way the brain processes language. Students with dyslexia often struggle with traditional classroom methods that rely heavily on rote memorization and phonetic drills. This highlights the need for specialized dyslexia learning programs that cater to individual strengths and compensate for difficulties.

Interactive tools, such as spelling games for dyslexic students, create a dynamic learning environment. These games not only build essential skills but also boost confidence, making them indispensable in dyslexia tutoring programs.

The Relevance of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences framework posits that intelligence is not a singular construct but a collection of distinct modalities, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. For dyslexic learners, this model offers a tailored approach, identifying strengths beyond linguistic capabilities.

By incorporating word games for dyslexia into Gardner’s theory, educators can create a comprehensive learning experience. Games targeting spatial intelligence, for instance, might involve arranging letters visually, while those leveraging musical intelligence could use rhythmic patterns to teach spelling.

WordSmart: Bridging Theory and Practice

WordSmart is a platform that exemplifies the practical application of Howard Gardner’s theory in educational tools for dyslexic students. It combines innovative dyslexia tutoring techniques with engaging activities, including spelling games, to address the unique needs of each learner.

Through online dyslexia tutoring, WordSmart offers accessibility and flexibility, making it easier for students to benefit from personalized instruction. The platform’s integration of interactive tools ensures that learning remains engaging and impactful.

The Role of Spelling Games in Dyslexia Learning Programs

Spelling games for dyslexic students serve multiple purposes. They provide an enjoyable way to practice essential skills, reducing the frustration often associated with traditional methods. These games also reinforce memory and phonetic understanding, which are critical for spelling and reading proficiency.

A well-designed dyslexia spelling test within a game can help track progress while offering immediate feedback. This aligns seamlessly with the goals of dyslexia learning programs, ensuring continuous improvement.

Engaging Multiple Intelligences Through Games

Interactive games that incorporate multiple intelligence theory can engage dyslexic students more effectively. For example, linguistic intelligence can be strengthened through word association challenges, while spatial intelligence might benefit from puzzles that involve letter arrangement.

Kinesthetic learners, on the other hand, can engage in physically interactive games, such as tapping or dragging letters to form words. These diverse approaches cater to the unique strengths of each learner, making games an integral part of dyslexia tutoring programs.

Success Stories with WordSmart

Many parents and educators have reported transformative experiences with WordSmart. Its structured yet flexible framework allows dyslexic students to explore their potential without the pressure of conventional classroom settings. The combination of word games for dyslexia and tailored tutoring ensures that learning becomes a rewarding experience.

Additionally, Wordsmart highlights the effectiveness of this platform in addressing individual needs. From improving spelling skills to building confidence, WordSmart continues to redefine dyslexia education.

The Future of Dyslexia Education

As educational technology evolves, the integration of interactive tools like best game apps for dyslexia will become increasingly essential. Platforms like WordSmart are at the forefront of this transformation, demonstrating the power of aligning innovative tools with proven theories like theory of multiple intelligence.

Incorporating tools such as spelling games and interactive lessons not only addresses the immediate challenges of dyslexia but also prepares students for long-term success. By fostering a love for learning and emphasizing individual strengths, these programs pave the way for a brighter future.

Conclusion

The integration of spelling games for dyslexic students into WordSmart’s multiple intelligences framework marks a significant advancement in dyslexia education. This approach not only addresses the core challenges of dyslexia but also empowers students to discover their unique strengths.

Through platforms like WordSmart, the synergy between innovative tools and proven theories creates an inclusive and effective learning environment. As we continue to explore the potential of interactive education, the possibilities for transforming dyslexia learning remain limitless.

[genius-with-a-j]

I have had a Sanders Sides college AU bouncing around in my head for a few weeks and the gremlins have been begging for me to let it out so here is some of it:

Virgil:

Sophomore

Undecided major (will eventually go with psychology major and creative writing minor)

Purple hair, very pale (actually has celiac and diabetes and struggles with eating enough)

Actually has a lot of health issues but was still determined to go to college

Skinny boi, into the emo scene still, has purple hair

Has severe anxiety (social and otherwise) and mild to moderate depression

Goes to on-campus counseling

Has an emotional support black cat named Gerard (yes after Gerard Way)

Has okay grades, like a B-/C+ student

Lives in a dorm that’s basically apartments, everything is very separate and it’s mostly grad students there

Not super into extracurriculars because anxiety but does volunteer at an animal shelter

Is reluctantly a barista in like a very indie coffee shop off-campus

Went to a really big high school where he felt very ignored and lost in the crowd

Logan:

Senior

Mechanical and electrical engineering double major with an artificial intelligence emphasis and a computer science minor

Has also considered picking up a math minor or expanding to a double degree

Dark brown hair that’s always just a little messy, tan skin

Angular features, half-Korean and half-Hispanic

Speaks several languages, all weirdly perfectly

Korean, Spanish, English, some Mandarin and some Japanese

Has major depressive disorder and autism

4.0 with ease

Apartment coordinator who was an RA for two years and hall gov president before that

Involved in the robotics club, chess club, head of the engineering society

Went to a large high school, was a standout, won many awards and was valedictorian with like a 4.3 GPA

Patton’s boyfriend, they’ve been together for like 3 years at this point

Patton:

Super senior, this is his 5th year

Changed major a lot, has finally decided on animal science, wants to be a vet tech

Curly, blonde hair and lots of freckles

Chubby, very soft and huggable

Jewish

Genderfluid! Is fine with any pronouns and wears whatever he wants (normally big sweaters and ugg-style slippers)

Struggles with depression and a touch of OCD

Dyslexic

Super empathetic and frequently gets compassion fatigue

Solid C student in most things, but is SUPER good at animal-related classes and pretty bad at math (so Logan helps him)

Lives with Logan even though technically they don’t want apartment coordinators to have roommates but Logan is really good at his job and was basically like “if he goes, I go” so they allowed him to live there for free too

A very good baker and involved with a baking club on campus

Works at an animal shelter (yes that’s how he met Virgil)

Went to a small high school (20 graduating class) really struggled with being bullied, is glad to be away from his small, oppressive hometown

Logan’s boyfriend

Roman:

Junior

Theater and vocal double major with a creative writing minor

Obsessed with love stories, writes love-based plays and love songs, etc.

Plays piano, guitar, and trumpet because he was forced to learn a wind instrument

Black hair basically styled like a Disney prince

Mexican (is actually a DACA student)

Speaks fluent Spanish and English

Has complex PTSD from years of emotional abuse before ending up housed with Abuela

Depressed but going constantly, can’t stop because that’s how the feelings catch you

ADHD but doesn’t know it because he hasn’t been tested, his parents didn’t believe in it

Straight-A student in subjects he cares about but barely scrapes by in the required common core type classes because he doesn’t care and therefore is Unable To Learn

Lives with his brother in an off-campus apartment because Abuela asked that they live together so when she helps pay it’s just one rent payment for the two of them

It’s a bad apartment, it’s basically falling apart but it’s what they can afford

Delivers pizza so he can afford to live

Involved in the choir, jazz band, super active in the drama program, and has starred in multiple roles on the student-run TV network

Went to a small-ish high school (80 graduating class) and was a big fish in a small pond; he and his brother were very well-known

Remus’s identical twin

Remus:

Junior

Creative writing and theater double major with a criminal justice minor

Writes horror, also likes to write poems that seem sweet but are very dark

Majors in theater for the writing aspect more than the acting aspect

Criminal justice minor is because he loves true crime and wants to write accurate criminals in some of his horror stories

Black hair is normally spiked, has a white streak in front

Has that gross rat stache most of the time but will shave it off for a play or the like

Mexican (is actually a DACA student)

Speaks fluent Spanish and English

Has complex PTSD from years of emotional abuse before ending up housed with Abuela

Also depressed, but instead of avoiding his problems embraces them in a way that’s pretty uncomfortable, can be a little too open sometimes

Has OCD that really messes with his head but tries to embrace the intrusive thoughts and blurt them out because he thinks that’s how he wins even though it doesn’t quite work that way

People thought he had Tourettes because of it, but he doesn’t, he has control over what he does (besides the OCD compulsion part of it but that’s different than a tic)

ADHD but doesn’t know it

An impressive writer and excels in his creative writing and theater-based classes but is just awful at other classes because he gets bored and ends up making games out of assignments like trying to freak out his professors or spelling out messages down the side of the page with the first letter of every line

Lives with his brother in an off-campus apartment because Abuela asked that they live together so when she helps pay it’s just one rent payment for the two of them

It’s a bad apartment, it’s basically falling apart but it’s what they can afford

Writes smut for money online

Super active in the drama program, often directs or writes the screenplays, has also written for the student-ran TV network, wrote a whole Twilight-zone-ish show that was pretty popular, enjoys poetry slams

Went to a small-ish high school (80 graduating class) and was a big fish in a small pond; he and his brother were very well-known

Is kind of dating Dee, they’ll both tell you it’s complicated and they like it that way

Roman’s identical twin

Dee:

Freshman

Political science major with a criminal justice minor

Wants to be a lawyer or politician to make changes for marginalized groups

Indigenous

Has vitiligo, it primarily affects the left side of his face (even his left eye is almost hazel instead of dark like his other eye) and also his limbs and his stomach

It started in high school and he was teased pretty bad for it, was afraid college would be the same way

He wears gloves to hide it because he’s kind of ashamed of it, he feels like people think he’s gross-looking

Has very thick, dark hair that’s always a little shaggy, wears a lot of hats

Depressed

Very defensive and guarded, doesn’t want people to know who he truly is

Not a pathological liar, but he does lie to protect himself

Was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder because of his fear of losing people and his lack of emotional regulation

Was raised in a really turbulent household and has trust issues because of it

An honors kid

Nearly has a 4.0, is really good at writing and arguing and history, only struggles with science

Lives in the honors kid dorm, is involved in hall government

Works as an intern (paid) with a local firm

Involved with Model UN and debate team

Went to a medium-sized high school and was very good at blending in

Is involved with Remus

So yeah!!! That’s most of it, I plan on writing stuff about it, feel free to ask questions if you have any, I’d love to answer

[blueneptunium]

Misspelling Fate - Prequel

Summary: “You’re a regular at the coffee shop I work at and you get back at me for all the times I’ve spelt your name wrong by mispronouncing me name in increasingly horrible ways.”Percy works at a campus coffee shop and can't get Jason's name right.

Genre: Coffee shop AU, no warnings

Word Count: 1306

Read on AO3

Percy didn’t mean to. Honestly. The coffee shop was just busy and looking at that many names and then writing them down? Percy’s dyslexia was in overdrive. Plus he was studying his Latin homework in between customers. English was bad enough when he wasn’t trying to remember hundreds of different names and phrases and grammar and -- well, you get the idea. The point is, sometimes Percy just spelled people’s names wrong. The fact that it happened to the same guy three times wasn’t his fault. Right?

The first time Percy saw him was during the coffee shop’s busiest time. The store would be completely empty, perfectly quiet where Percy could stare at his textbooks and try to study. And then in an instant it would fill with students and noise and caffeine and you knew the nearest lecture hall had just released their pupils. The tall blonde came up and ordered and Percy scribbled his name on the side of his cup. Or at least Percy thought he did. Rather than Jason, he’d messily written Yson. It happened to the best of us. When Percy returned the cup, the boy looked at it then glanced at Percy’s shirt, where his nametag hung.

“Uh, thanks, Parker,” he said, filled with light sarcasm.

Percy’s face reddened a little, but he didn’t think much of it. There were more customers. He didn’t even properly realized that the mispronunciation was the response to Percy’s misspell until later, once the cafe was calm again.

The second time he saw him, it was after hours during an extra seminar for “leadership development”. It sounded pretty lame to Percy, but it was required for academic scholarship students and Percy was on a service scholarship himself. He’d taken the extra shift to help over housing cost.

When he walked in, Percy noticed him immediately. He hadn’t looked much at him before because it was so crowded, but now it was hard not to. The boy walked in the room with such a strong sense of purpose you would think he was marching to Congress, not ordering bad overpriced coffee. He was all Roman jawline, blue eyes, and good posture. It made Percy wonder if he should be going to a leadership lecture. He didn’t dwell on it too much as just then his coworker dropped a jug of milk he was trying to put in the machine.

“Frank!” Percy half-shouted out of surprise.

That’s what you get for ogleing customers, Jackson.

“Here, let me help,” he said, feeling bad. Frank was a pretty clumsy person: he was very big but very self conscious, which didn’t help his movements. But he was also one of the nicest people Percy had ever met.

“No, I got it, sorry, you go help them,” Frank replied, nodding his head towards the three people that decided they were ready to order right when he wasn’t there. Percy shook his head and went to the register.

By the time he got all of their orders, Frank was finished cleaning enough to help him make the drinks, leaving Percy to call out the names. He’s favorite job. He didn’t stumble too much through Leo, but Piper got turned into Pepper and Annabeth was just him saying Ann and mumbling off. Luckily the girl with bouncy curls understood him.

“Uhh, Asyn? Nsoyn? I’m sorry, dude, you’re the only one left, just take it.” Percy exasperated.

The blonde guy came up with his leadership buddies chuckling. “Pleasure doing business with you, Peter.”

The whole not saying his name right on purpose miffed him a little -- and by the cool and calm way the A-son guy said definitely showed on purpose. It reminded him of his high school principal Mr. D who refused to correctly say Percy’s name, no matter how many times they met in the office. Which was, admittedly, a lot. However, Percy struck his best customer smile and replied, “Anytime,” before turning to make sure Frank wasn’t spilling anything else.

The third time it was a game. Percy was studying and everything was floating around. He didn’t even look up at the person who was reading out their order and quickly set the machine to work before staring at his notes again. He was pretty sure he’d read the same passage over a hundred times at this point and he still didn’t understand it. He was almost glad when the machine beeped and pulled him away from his study. That was until he went to write the name on the cup. He stared at the order for awhile trying to force the letters to stop doing flips so he could copy it. He sighed and wrote what he could. He threw an extra vowel or two in for good measure.

When he handed the cup back, realizing it was the blonde smirk from the seminar, he didn’t even bother trying to say the name. He smiled something that might have looked like a grimace and held the drink out. Percy thought he was in the clear. Percy thought wrong. The guy looked at his cup, stifled a chuckle, and replied, “Thanks, Pietro,”

Percy’s blush was followed by the crinkle of his nose. “Is it really that bad?”

He shook his head, “Nah, you’re fine. You dyslexic?” Percy nodded. “I’ve got a few friends that are too. I’m Jason,” Blue eyes held out his hand, not dropping his smirk at all. Percy shook it.

“Percy,” he replied, only because he didn’t know what else to say. Their hands stayed connected for slightly too long.

Rather than leaving, Jason pulled up a counter seat right in front of Percy’s books. After taking a long sip from his drink -- honestly it was amazing Percy was even getting the orders right today -- he asked what Percy was studying.

“Uh, I’m an oceanography major, but this is for my Latin class,” Jason made a face.

“Why are you taking a Latin class?”

Percy thought that was a little pointed, but his own ADHD made him blurt out things all the time, so he wasn’t too bothered.

“My uncle, Dr. Brunner, he teaches the course and I thought why not?”

Percy must not have concealed his dissatisfaction with that choice very well as Jason laughed fully in response. He had a nice laugh, the kind of person that tucks their head in and shakes when they laugh. In fact, it was cute enough that Percy wasn’t bothered by the fact that he was laughing at him.

“Been there,” he replied, which surprised Percy. “My dad is big on expectations and I ended up minoring in Latin, which I think I would have rathered stay as far away from as possible.”

“Minoring? I don’t think I can get through this class, let alone go through with a minor.”

“Maybe I can tutor you,” Jason supplied. His normal smirk was replaced with a soft gaze that made Percy blush.

“I mean, if you can get me to pass midterms, I would do anything.” He shook his head. Him passing midterms was about as likely as him flying a pegasus. Percy looked up at Jason, who had glint in his eyes that made him question his word usage. “I mean not anything, like there’s crimes and stuff,” Percy mumbled off, welcoming Jason interrupting him.

“Okay, I tutor you for this course. You pass, you go with me.”

Percy choked a little. That certainly one way to ask someone out. “Like the whole class, not just midterms?” Jason nodded. He weighed in his mind for a moment. One one hand, Jason could be a weird coffee murderer. One the other he was pretty cute. And Percy was definitely going to need help with Latin. Eventually, he nodded and held out his hand.

“You gotta deal, Jason.”

“Pleasure doing business with you, Percy.”

[faline-cat444]

KWYJIBO returns and has made me realize something...

Scrabble(Or really any board game if I really think about it) was never exactly a big piece of my youth or similar.Likely thanks to the fact I had one parent who took pride in their spelling(Even though he did not realize the proper spelling of “granddaughter”) and the other’s a dyslexic who had to rely on me or him to know how to spell a word(And still does except it’s just me now).

However I do remember them having us play it around third to fifth grade for English class just to see what words we did know.Most I specifically remember was making “GEO” but that not classifying as a word to the teacher’s standards after the other students I was playing with tested it.We weren’t even playing for a prize and it’s not like I pulled this or “BUCKETY*” out.Heck,if you typed both in on a service offering automatic spell check right now you would see my input counts as a word while the latter is red-lined.

*See the Scrabble scene from Roseanne

[morgana-stark]

People are always super judgy about the fact I never read warrior cats or anamorphs growing up. That I didn't read magic tree house or Harry Potter. The amount of times I've heard "what you've never read it?? I thought you loved reading!" is absurd. But they don't consider WHY I didn't read them. Which is first and foremost because I wasn't allowed to check them out from my school library.

This isn't because of religious reason. I went to a perfectly normal public school. I couldn't check these books out because my school only allowed students to check out books within they're reading level. And as a dyslexic child, that was nearly always 2 grade levels below my actual grade.

So I grew up hating the fact I couldn't read what everyone else was. While my friend accumulated about 150-200 "points" a year from reading and testing on large books, I averaged about 50. My school liked to reward students for reading by allowing us to spend these points at the end of the year in games and treats. So my friends always had about 3 times the points I did, and I ended up running out if things to do pretty early during our fun day we have to spend them.

The thing is, I never hated reading. I hated spelling and writing but reading I always enjoyed, even though I was slow at it and had to use tools to help my eyes focus on what line I was on. I still love reading. Now I read fantasy novels faster than anyone I know. Which is why people are always surprised I haven't read their childhood favs. And i can't express how annoying it is to hear that people can't believe I never read them. Because I wanted to. I wanted to read Harry Potter and warrior cats. I just wasn't allowed because the school said so.

Side note: if someone with dyslexia tells you they have it, for the love of God PLEASE dont say you hate spelling too. Or that you think you're a little but dyslexic aswell. I've suffered with this my whole life, even posting this gives me anxiety because I'm sure there is something misspelled that I'm not going to find in the 5 times I read it over before I post. I've cried because I studied twice as much as everyone else in the class and still failed the spelling test. I've had teachers take points of for not trying to write neatly when I was trying and hard as I could, and another told me to write out each word i misspelled on a assignment 5 times and hand it back to her, when she told no one else in the class to do the same. This is a real disability. Not a little aspect of my life, a disability I carry with me every fucking day. Think about that before you tell me you relate because of how bad you are at spelling.

[shitmygaywifesays]

I feel like your Gay Wife either has a surprisingly poor grip on the English language or a unfathomably close relationship with it...

*Gay Wife here*

It’s both.

Ihave dyslexia, which tangles up the wires in my head connected to thelanguage center of my brain. I am a bit sensitive about the subject, I willadmit, and it is something I am working on to become a better person. I do tendto get very (let’s call it) animated about it.

A commonmisconception is that dyslexia is concentrated on spelling, but that isn’t exactlythe extent of it. It effects speech most noticeably in day-to-day interactions. Considering the context of this blog, you are only seeing the speech partof dyslexia. When it comes to speech, it is common to have halting sentences,fragmented thoughts that jump from subject to subject, and (for me especially)a habit of substituting the ‘correct’ word for a different word, or similar(but ultimately incorrect) word, or just mispronounced garble. For example, inthis post, I meant to say “Egypt” and instead said “Belgium.” Whythat happened, who the hell can say? My brain went “a country” and jumpedto a completely different part of the world.

I am a vivacious reader despite the fact that reading doesmake me dizzy and give me headaches. It also can take me a long time to getthrough a book depending on the difficulty of the text, the font, or the subjectmatter. The words do seem to sort of… move around? It is easier with a rulerand a cup of coffee, honestly. I also watch a lot of movies and TV, so when aword/phrase/idiom comes by for the first time, I catalogue that shit andtuck away for later use. See, dyslexics can have a huge, robust vocabulary thanks to the mere fact that language is their own personal white whale in life (I knowthere is a study source link out there but I can’t find it, and it is stillearly for me). Yeah, think of it like trophy hunting. I’ve got a wall of mountedheads of words with more than three vowels (fucking vowels).

So when it comes to my relationship with language, it isn’t poor. It is a labor of love (…and hate). I have to take an extra step when translating a thought, and I have to thinkabout what I am saying more than others, or else it goes all wibbly. Whatyou’re getting with this blog is examples of how my brain likes to play wordassociation without letting me in on the game. And sometimes I say things like‘romant’ without realizing it. Because when I am tired and at home, it is reallyhard to take that extra step and translate a thought into language.

The thing is, since the reading/spelling ability is such a partof society’s metric to determine intelligence (especially on the internet where all interactionsare telescoped by communication through text), many people with dyslexia grow upbelieving they are dumb as bricks. I sure as hell know that I did. I’m still sensitiveabout my handwriting, and every misspelled word is like a knife to my heart. Butin that same vein, I help my high school aged co-worker with her Englishhomework all the time because she hasnever had issues with reading or language, and I have. I’ve exercised thatmuscle more than her out of necessity. She’s an AP student and I had to dropout of college. Neither of us are smart or stupid, we just have different strengthseither out of talent or necessity.

So I used to visit this corner store every other day, and thewoman behind the counter had dyslexia. She had to be in her late 50s and stillbelieved that she was just plain stupid. But I told her all about how this ‘””””disability’”””can cause these brilliant explosions of creativity. Interacting with languagewith a tilt towards the spatial can bring forth some spectacular visions in writingand yes, speaking ability. Loads of authors anddirectors have dyslexia. The moral of the story is that it was raining thatday, and she gave me an umbrella for free for making her feel better. I will always hold close to my heart the memory of seeing herperk up at the mere suggestion that she was actually improved by dyslexia. I made a promise to myself that day to tell othersthat no matter how they speak or spell or read, they are not in any way stupid.

And hey, free umbrella.