#stepping off my soap box

[guccigarantine]

im not trying to start beef with anyone especially a post from two and a half years ago but for me there is no way to interpret cassander being an eidolon of war as anything other than a tragedy. his name is only ever spoken of to say he was a good leader during war times. no one remembers they were the youngest of three sibling never intended for the throne, no one remembers how long it took him to martyr himself, or that they made squid ink pasta for their friends, or that he was a doctor first. all of that is lost and the violence is all that’s left.

[fangeek-girl]

Hi, hello 👋 public librarian here.

Even if you don’t stop by regularly, get a card from your local library. Check our databases. You’ll be surprise by what we have. My library has Criterion on Demand (movies), ComicsPlus (comics, manga, graphic novels), a bunch of encyclopedias, games to help kids learn, etc. If we don’t have something you want, check with us if we can maybe get access to it.

It’s the percentage of patrons registered and all kinds of usage that justify our operating costs and budget to the governments. If you want us to have more resources and serve you better, getting a card is a really good first step 😊

I think it’s time for us to all collectively return to the library. Get a card, go to a club meeting, volunteer on an off day, rent some equipment. You don’t even have to read a book. But since the digital world is rapidly becoming a subscription-only hellscape requiring a criminal amount of private personal information to use even CASUALLY, the library has become our last safe haven to just exist with information present and not have our labour or information exploited for money.

[artemisanalysis]

Mentoplis really said

Letting your ambition and greed be your driving forces of why we do what we do is great for short term.

Ambition is gives you goals and greed gives you the want to pursue said goals.

The want of recognition, the want of money, of security, of the joy of helping and aiding others.

But without your morals, your conscience, and too much focus on something that you can’t justify is so harmful. Passion, interests, pleasure, your lack of attention to what matters all on the back burner.

Life is about joy! It’s about the little things, it’s about having cake, and looking up reptile facts! It’s about finding companion ship with others whether that’s family, friends, or partners.

It’s about doing right by yourself and others around you!

You need to have ambition to do great things, and will to do it the best you can with out harming others.

[atopvisenyashill]

i actually don’t know if xiran was a huge asoiaf fan that just never got into the fandom/a normal person who read it once then moved on with their life, but imagine you have this meteoritic rise in popularity that allows you to get your foot in the door in getting published And popular, then your career starts getting derailed bc of some bullshit censorship…and fucking GEORGE RR MARTIN steps forward to help you, to advocate for you, and then WANTS TO JUST HANG OUT and shoot some shit with you. and you get his UNFILTERED OPINIONS about hbo’s handling of his shows…that’s the dream fr

[a-small-writer-in-a-big-world]

I’ve said it already but I’ll say it again, the Soap is a traitor theory is not interesting nor would it ever be a good plot point

[sentient-cloud]

Adding onto my frustrations at difficultly modes being bungled so badly by the devs. I am using the hall of heroes again as an example. They drop some pieces of merciless gear, a nice good gear set awesome! Except standard mode doesn’t drop. Anything. And challenge mode is the original cheats + extra rules such as PvP spell limitations. It’s noticeably harder than it was at first. And you just. Can’t play it like that anymore! So… who was this helping? You made grinding for gear significantly more frustrating.

To repeat from the tags my ideal way for these to be implemented is to have 3 difficulty settings, Easy (or idk some other term if they don’t want to use that term) which is what standard is now , Standard (what the fight used to be / for other fights going forward yeah. You know. Something more fair without added spell limitations and deck editing limitations ) and then Challenge.

And this is key. One, you should be able to choose whatever difficulty you want from the get go, no having to play through any which one first, if you know you like playing on hard mode you should be allowed to just do that without sacrificing story beats.

And two, idk. Maybe easy only drops the lower/mid tier of gear. Standard drops like normal. And shit, maybe challenge only drops the top tier? Because if the easier game mode is to help people who find fights like that frustrating, don’t lock them out of decent gear! (And then lock the gear behind dick smasher mode.)

Also while doing this add it for more fights. Ok that’s all 🚶‍♂️

[starchanged]

"The only internet celebrity who matters is Shaye Saint John. All other internet celebs are fakers." After having met Iono now, they're disillusioned.

[fangeek-girl]

Adding to the library bit again, from a Canadian POV.

Canadian public libraries also don't keep any information from your sessions. HOWEVER, some libraries have a way to "spy" on your screen in real-time if they believe you are doing something illegal or that goes against library rules (like watching porn on a public computer...) It will not be used lightly, as the sanctity of personal information is something librarians hold dearly, but it's good to know.

Also, for filters, most city libraries won't have access to that because it's an IT thing. We hate it, you hate it, everyone hates it. Don't be mad at the librarians. Be mad at the people that make the IT department responsible for everything but never listening to concerns...

things i wish i had known when i escaped my family household and couldn't ask my parents for help

invest in a good mattress early on. there are many other ends you can save on - sleep is not one of them. this is key to how much energy you'll have throughout the day

you don't need a bedframe but you do need a slatted bed base (even if it's just pallets)

opening a bank account is easy

there's youtube tutorials for everything. how to install your washing machine, how to use tools, fixing stuff around the place. channels like dad, how do i? are a godsend

change energy provider as soon as your old deal runs out. you'll get better offers elsewhere and avoid price gouging

assemble a basic first aid kid at home: painkillers, probiotics, alcohol wipes, bandages, tweezers, antihistamine tablets - anything you might need in a pinch

and an emergency toolkit: flashlight, extra batteries, a utility knife, an adjustable wrench, multi-tool, duct tape

set your fridge to the lowest temperature it can go. the energy consumption is minimal in difference and it'll give you +4/7 days on most foods

off-brand products are almost always the same in quality and taste, if not better, for half the price

coupons will save you a lot of money in the long run

there's no reason to be shy around employees at the bank/laundromat/store; most people will be happy to help

vegetarian diets are generally cheap if you make food from scratch

breakfast is as important as they say

keep track of your budget in a notebook or excel file - e.g. rent, phone and internet bills, food, leisure so you'll have an overlook on your spending over the months

don't gamble

piracy is okay

stealing from big stores and chains is also ethically okay

keep medical bills and pharmacy receipts for tax returns

also, file your tax returns early

take up a hobby that isn't in front of a screen. pottery, music, going for a run every now and then, stuff that'll keep you busy and sane

and most importantly... you're allowed to get the stuff you want. treat yourself to the occasional mundane thing. a good scented candle. a bath bomb. that body lotion that makes you feel like royalty. the good coffee beans.

you're free and you deserve to be happy.

[sacredthethreadgvf]

It’s a beautiful day to say f*ck the Supreme Court…..

How disgusting that there was a 6-3 vote ruling that businesses have the right to discriminate against LGBTQ+ community.

I’m literally shaking with anger over this still, I’ve been so dumbfounded. How are you about to rule to not provide service to a group of people like gtfoh…

[scribe-of-hael]

I also wanna add i do not condone Starscream's behavior. They are not excuses for the things he's done, they merely explain it.

What i want is Starscream to be CONFRONTED about it and HAVE ACUTAL CHANGE. This is what I had hoped to see in s2 of Earthspark for Starscream. But that clearly isn't happening.

Yes what Megatron did was bad. But Starscream continuing the cycle is also, bad. Neither of them are excused.

I want to see him struggle. Confront himself and his actions , WORK to change and WANT to change.

I think what is upsetting is Megatron can have this opportunity. Someone who has done just as bad things as Starscream and YET he gets the opportunity. Starscream never does. Or , anything he does do is automatically UNDONE. Amnesia, shitting writing, for the lolz it literally doesn't matter.

And I'm not even saying that Megatron is absolved of his sins. Especially in IDW he very much is NOT. But he TRYS ANYWAY.

I dont expect ppl in story to forgive Starscream for what he has done. But I wnat him to TRY. ANYWAY. And in some cases he does! He struggles. But it feels so unworth wild when they are like "eh and he dies".

Make the bot doomed to be Immortal as least take the rest of forever trying to right thing. Make him struggle , fail , find himself.

He is more than a backstabber for comedy relief to be a punching bag. LET MY BABY GO THROUGH IT AND COME OUT IF IT.

I think the struggle of "i want to be better" hits alot of hearts. For the depressed , for victims, for ppl who know they are struggling with behaviors. That they can do better and they should TRY.

The complicated life of Starscream

Tw: mentioned of Abuse/abusive Realtionships

I think whats interesting is the dynamic that Starscream has with Megatron in some ways. Because seems like no matter WHAT Starscream does. Being helpful ,loyal, or being backstabbing and sneaky.

Megatron finds a way to abuse him. That comes back around to the idea of , "No matter what you do, your abuser will never be happy and find new ways to be upset at you."

This is shown pretty well in TFP. Where Starscream trys to break free, be on his own. He struggles, even looses his Tcog in the process but he is a problem to everyone. The switch between his loyalty form s2 to s3 is a bit drastic. He is, very clearly, trying to do what Megatron asks of him and never once trys to go behind his back again.

Yet, even for a simple mistake, he is beaten. Megatron is completely incapable of trusting Starscream fully (reasonable) but Starscream is never going to be able to please Megatron fully either. Megatron doesn't know how eles to communicate with Starscream that isn't violent because that's how he responses, to violence and fear.

Starscream isn't perfect in TFP, he's killed Bots (as he told us repeatedly about Cliff jumper) , but everyone was someone before the war. I always wondered what he was like?

That and the fact Starscream mimics Megatron's abusive behavior in order to try and get respect. He HITS people , somtimes with little reason. He shoves and even belittled those who have actively tried to help him and show him concern (Knockout). Somtimes it works, most times it doesn't. He knows fear and violence works on him, why wouldn't it work in others ?

It's kinda a real thing, a friend who has these problems , basically puffing out their chest and bullying people close to them in order to get a sense of power and control that they normally don't have.

It comes down to Control and Safety.

Alot of times, in IDW Starscream does become a leader of Cybertron but almost always finds a way to sabotage himself. Why? He's traumatized. Conditioned to think he can not be anymore than what he was, what Megatron thought he was and what ppl think he is.

Bumblebee even calls this out, and in a fit of emotion, Starscream says its because he is Alone. No one is there to protect or vouche for him. (Which isn't fully true but that's his reality, how he sees it)

In order to keep himself safe, Starscream has defense mechanisms and coping strategies that are built to protect himself. He lies, he backstabs, he starts shit, he is combative even verbally when he doesn't even need to be. These strategies that were once used to help him, now make life difficult when ppl are trying to be there for him. Pushing people away, trying to give the illusion of control and dominance.

Rounding back to TFP, there was a theory i saw, (I think so, but in pretty sure I'm not the only one who thought of this anyway) that in RID, Starscream puts back in his old armor or parts of his frame from before.

My theory was that Starscream in TFP looks alot like Megatron in terms of color. Why go from a blue, white and red color to grey ? And was the armor even off him in the first place ?

My theory is Megatron purposely stripped him of parts of his own body, to make him both smaller and physically more vulnerable. Being a good representation of an Abuser stripping away who a person is, will all is left is the then vulnerable and under their control.

To add intop of it, in s3, its clear Starscream is loyal. The bot trys to go get Megatron or attack the autobots for killing him. Shockwave has to DRAG him away. In the movie, he STILL flinches at Megatron's movement towards him depsite him saying he "now knows what oppression is". FLYS AWAY & LEAVES HIM BEHIND.

This Starscream still has Decpeticon values, has only ever served Megatron for Millions of years, is still clearly afraid of his abuser and atm purpose to keep going. And he just LEAVES. Leaving Starscream to pick himself of being confused, scared and no idea what to do i'm sure.

Not to mention Megatron never once got anything done to him for all the pain and suffering he ever cause ld. He basically got off scotch free. Which to me, reflects the injustice some ppl feel and get when an abuser just leaves you in the mess THEY made and you get NOTHING from it. No justice, no recompense, no apology. You have to figure out how to BE without them.

Point is that Starscream is a complicated character in media. Different versions to show case this behavior. What i hope to see in the future, what I pray for, is seeing Starscream not only be able to break free of this cycle. But become more than what he thinks he is, what anyone thinks he is.

[ariesisms]

Im gonna kill everyone who says there aren’t good published books out there with queer representation AND complex compelling storylines outside of the identities of the characters like literally ill kill you with my BARE HANDS just fucking SEEK THEM OUT i hope ao3 is down forever

[bblackamethystt]

Alexa, play "Drama" by aespa

[leemarkies]

i’m back to complain excessively about the complete lack of content/releases from the two biggest medieval rpg franchises in the past decade

[parcai]

not unsympathetic but also yall romanticize eldest daughters 2 much its kinda weird 🫡

[jazziergin]

the hostility being created in the glee episode polls is um... pretty wild

[fangeek-girl]

I guess this is US-centric so a little Canadian note: most pharmacies here are only closed on specific holidays (December 25, January 1). Their schedule is different on Dec 24, 26, 31 and Jan 2, but they ARE open as an essential service on those days.

HOWEVER, your doctor's office WILL be closed. If your prescription is a recurring one and you don't have any new condition that could change the dosage, pharmacists (I know it's the case in Quebec at least) should be able to accommodate you. It's better to check beforehand, but if you're in a jam, contact your pharmacist first (as they're usually easier to get hold of).

Yes try to plan in advance, but don't panic if you wake up December 22nd with no pills left. See with your pharmacist what they can do. And sometimes they can even get an answer from your doctor quicker than you would.

Last thing: if you don't want it to happen, some pharmacies let you register online for autorenewal and can send you automatic reminder.

Quebec: Shoppers, Jean Coutu, Familiprix, Uniprix (if anyone has info on other provinces, feel free to add)

THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING TO GET YOUR MEDS BEFORE THE PHARMACIES CLOSE

they are going to be CLOSED OVER THE HOLIDAYS and so will the DOCTORS WHO SIGN YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS.

if you don’t have enough meds to last the next THREE WEEKS, put in for your repeats and refills tomorrow! that’s Wednesday! do it! don’t go to hospital at New Year because you ran out of stuff!