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brooklynbornhaitian · 9 months ago
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Books Read in 2024
Black Cake Charmaine Wilkerson
One True Loves Taylor Jenkins Reid
Thicker than Water Kerry Washington
Twisted Games Book 1 Ana Huang
Twisted Games Book 2 Ana Huang
It Ends With Us Colleen Hoover
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies Deesha Philyaw
Verity Colleen Hoover
Twisted Games Book 3 Ana Huang
After I Do Taylor Jenkins Reid
Ayiti Roxanne Gay
Twisted Games Book 4 Ana Huang
Black Girls Must Be Magic Jayne Allen
Riding In Cars With Boys Beverly (movie based on the book)
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Breath, Eyes, Memory Edwidge Danticat
Daisy Jones and The Six Taylor Jenkins Reid
Somebody's Daughter Ashley Ford
Black Girls Must Have It All Jayne Allen
Black Girls Must Be Magic Jayne Allen
Before I Let Go Kennedy Ryan
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soon-palestine · 1 year ago
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In a statement that was shared with The Nation, a group of 25 HLR editors expressed their concerns about the decision. “At a time when the Law Review was facing a public intimidation and harassment campaign, the journal’s leadership intervened to stop publication,” they wrote. “The body of editors—none of whom are Palestinian—voted to sustain that decision. We are unaware of any other solicited piece that has been revoked by the Law Review in this way. “ When asked for comment, the leadership of the Harvard Law Review referred The Nation to a message posted on the journal’s website. “Like every academic journal, the Harvard Law Review has rigorous editorial processes governing how it solicits, evaluates, and determines when and whether to publish a piece…” the note began. ”Last week, the full body met and deliberated over whether to publish a particular Blog piece that had been solicited by two editors. A substantial majority voted not to proceed with publication.” Today, The Nation is sharing the piece that the Harvard Law Review refused to run. Some may claim that the invocation of genocide, especially in Gaza, is fraught. But does one have to wait for a genocide to be successfully completed to name it? This logic contributes to the politics of denial. When it comes to Gaza, there is a sense of moral hypocrisy that undergirds Western epistemological approaches, one which mutes the ability to name the violence inflicted upon Palestinians. But naming injustice is crucial to claiming justice. If the international community takes its crimes seriously, then the discussion about the unfolding genocide in Gaza is not a matter of mere semantics. The UN Genocide Convention defines the crime of genocide as certain acts “committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such.” These acts include “killing members of a protected group” or “causing serious bodily or mental harm” or “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.” Numerous statements made by top Israeli politicians affirm their intentions. There is a forming consensus among leading scholars in the field of genocide studies that “these statements could easily be construed as indicating a genocidal intent,” as Omer Bartov, an authority in the field, writes. More importantly, genocide is the material reality of Palestinians in Gaza: an entrapped, displaced, starved, water-deprived population of 2.3 million facing massive bombardments and a carnage in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Over 11,000 people have already been killed. That is one person out of every 200 people in Gaza. Tens of thousands are injured, and over 45% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed. The United Nations Secretary General said that Gaza is becoming a “graveyard for children,” but a cessation of the carnage—a ceasefire—remains elusive. Israel continues to blatantly violate international law: dropping white phosphorus from the sky, dispersing death in all directions, shedding blood, shelling neighborhoods, striking schools, hospitals, and universities, bombing churches and mosques, wiping out families, and ethnically cleansing an entire region in both callous and systemic manner. What do you call this? The Center for Constitutional Rights issued a thorough, 44-page, factual and legal analysis, asserting that “there is a plausible and credible case that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian population in Gaza.” Raz Segal, a historian of the Holocaust and genocide studies, calls the situation in Gaza “a textbook case of Genocide unfolding in front of our eyes.”
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mostlysignssomeportents · 27 days ago
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#RedForEd rides again in LA
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I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in CHICAGO with PETER SAGAL on WEDNESDAY (Apr 2), and in BLOOMINGTON on FRIDAY (Apr 4). More tour dates here.
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The LA Teachers' Union is going on strike.
Fuck.
Yes.
The last time the LA teachers struck was in the midst of the 2019 #RedForEd wave, which kicked off during the last Trump presidency. All across the country, teachers walked out – even in states where they were legally prohibited from doing so. These strikes were hugely successful, because communities across the nation rallied around their teachers, and the teachers returned the favor, making community justice part of their goals.
This was true across America, but it was especially true in Los Angeles, where the teachers were militant, united, relentless, and brilliant. The story of the 2019 LA Teachers' Strike is recounted in Jane McAlevey's essential 2021 book A Collective Bargain, which recounts her history as a union organizer on multiple successful unionization drives and strikes, including that fateful teachers' strike:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/23/a-collective-bargain/
McAlevey learned her tactics from a lineage of organizers who predated the legalization of unions and the National Labor Relations Act. Accordingly, her organizing method didn't rely on bosses obeying the law, or governments sticking up for workers. She fought for victories that were won by pure worker power. The 2019 LA teachers' strike is a fantastic example, a literal textbook case about rallying support from the entire shop – including affiliated workers, like bus-drivers – and then broadening that massive support by bringing in related trades (the LA charter school teachers walked out with their public school comrades), and the community.
The LA teachers' community organizing was incredible. They worked with community groups to understand what LA families really needed, and made those families' demands into union demands. The LA teachers' demands included:
in-school social workers;
parks and green-spaces in or near every LA public school; and
a total ban on ICE agents shaking down parents at the school gates.
Environmental justice, immigration justice, racial justice – these issues were every bit as important to the LA teachers in 2019 as wages, working conditions and vacation pay. And. They. WON.
Not only did the LA teachers win everything they struck for, they built an enduring community organization that ran a massive get out of the vote effort for the 2020 elections and flipped two seats for Democrats, securing Biden's Congressional majority.
So now the teachers are walking out again, and while their demands include wage increases (the greedinflation crisis wiped out many of the gains won in the 2019 strike – though imagine how much worse things would be without those gains!), the demands also include a slate of bold, no-fucks-given, material measures to fight back agains the Trump administration and its fascism:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-26/l-a-teachers-union-pursues-salary-hike-progressive-goals-amid-trump-agenda
This time around, the LA teachers are demanding:
"targeted investment in the recruitment and retention of BIPOC, multilingual and immigrant educators and service providers" – that's right, the DEI stuff that makes Trump's incipient aneurysm throb visibly in his temple (keep throbbing, li'l guy, I believe in you!).
"support for, defense and expansion of the school district’s Black Student Achievement Plan and Ethnic Studies" – the same programs that make wrestling faildaughter Linda McMahon get the fantods.
“strengthened policies to support LGBTQIA+ students, educators and staff” – take that, Elon.
"increased support for immigrant students and families, with and without documentation, including support for newcomers" – up yours, Stephen Miller, you pencilneck Hitler wannabe.
Where'd all these demands come from? 665 meetings that solicited input from "students, parents and other community members." In other words, these are our demands – the demands of Angelenos.
Trump is a scab. Musk is a scab. They hate unions. They've put the National Labor Relations Board into a coma, illegally firing a board member so that the board no longer has a quorum and can no longer take most actions. But the tactics the LA teachers used to organize their victory under the last Trump regime didn't rely on the NLRB – it relied on worker power. That power is only stronger today. The NLRB exists because workers built power when unions were illegal. Killing the NLRB doesn't kill worker power. Worker power comes from workers, not the government:
https://pluralistic.net/2025/01/29/which-side-are-you-on-2/#strike-three-yer-out
Now that Trump has canceled labor laws, all bets are off. Trump is illegally breaking the contracts of federal workers, as a prelude to eliminating unions nationwide. As Hamilton Nolan writes, this is the time to take a stand:
It is unreasonable to run around demanding a general strike every time a single union gets in a hard fight. It is not unreasonable to demand a general strike when the very existence of unions is under direct attack by a government that cares nothing about us, and does not respect our contracts, and is attempting to throw in the trash the union contracts covering hundreds of thousands of our fellow union members, as a step towards doing the same thing to millions more of our fellow union members. This is the bombing of Pearl Harbor, against the labor movement. Will we say, “We are filing a lawsuit against this illegal bombing, and we will keep you all updated as it progresses?” Will we say, “Pearl Harbor is way out in Hawaii. I’m glad those bombs didn’t fall where I live.” These are the terms that the union world needs to be thinking in, right now. This is not an exaggeration. If we do not go to war, the husk of American unions that emerges at the end of the Trump administration will be, probably, about half as big as it was when the Trump administration started, and immeasurably weaker. That is not an acceptable outcome if you believe that increasing organized labor’s strength is the key to saving this country, which it is.
https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/they-are-going-to-take-everything
McAlevey – who died in 2024 – agreed with Nolan. She wrote vibrantly about how union organizing, and the solidarity it nurtures, was the key to a revitalized democracy and a nation that truly takes care of its people, rather than lining them up in billionaires' feedlots.
I gotta go. I'm on my way to a Tesla protest. Maybe you could find one near you to join, too:
https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/teslatakedown
But if I don't see you at this one, I'll see you on the picket line – with the LA teachers, the federal workers, and everyone else who's taking a stand against this scab presidency.
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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/29/jane-mcalevey/#trump-is-a-scab
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dr-spencer-reids-queen · 4 months ago
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Courage
Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader
Word Count: ~1k
Warnings: fluff
Summary: You ask Spencer for help studying for an exam, and the evening takes a turn for the better.
Square Filled: lab partners for @spencerreidbingo
Author’s Note: any and all comments are greatly appreciated <3
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You’re not a field agent and you have no desire to be one, but you are the team’s liaison which you do very well. JJ was the one who taught you when she left on maternity leave, and you stayed because she left for the Pentagram soon after. She’s back now but as a profiler, and now the position is permanently yours.
The entire team had been so welcoming when you first started, and now they’re like your second family. They are all so sweet and kind, but Spencer stands out from the rest like a sore thumb. He’s different than anyone you’ve ever met, and that includes all of your exes. He allows you to be yourself completely without having to fake anything, and he’s such a sweetheart. Not to mention he’s super handsome and smart.
He not only helps you with day-to-day struggles but also with your school work. Some might not think it’s normal to pursue a degree in your thirties, but the FBI has been a lot of help in that department. You can go to school while they pay for it, and you can earn a degree in your field of choice. While being a liaison for the team is a dream, it’s not what you want to do in life.
You love everything chemistry and have already dreamed of being a chemist for the FBI. Spencer has a PhD in chemistry so he’s the best person to ask for help. You don’t think he minds because he always does it with a smile on his face.
You walk through the empty bullpen and find Spencer by the file cabinets putting away past files he was working on.
“Hey, Spence.”
“Hey, Y/N,” he smiles. “What’s up?”
“Are you busy this weekend? Say, Saturday?
You miss the way his eyes light up at the mention of hanging out with you alone. He clears his throat and shakes his head while putting away the files. “No. I have no plans.”
“Great. Can you come over and help me study for this exam?”
You do notice the way his shoulders drop slightly, but he still has a smile on his face.
“Yes, I can.”
“Come over around noon? I can get us some lunch.” He nods and you kiss his cheek .”Thank you, Spencer. You’re the best.”
Spencer watches you walk off with metaphorical hearts in his eyes. Derek passes by you to get to the young doctor, and Spencer quickly looks away in hopes he isn’t caught.
“When are you gonna ask her out?”
Spencer blushes. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Spencer, that girl is into you. She doesn’t kiss anyone else on the cheek. Think about it.”
And Spencer does. He thinks about you the entire day. He thinks about you for the rest of the week. By the time Saturday comes along, his head hurts at the possibility that this weekend can go. Derek’s right. He’s seen the signs from you even if you don’t know you’re doing it. You’re both in your mid-thirties so there’s no need to be beating around the bush. He invited you over to his house instead of going to yours, so you’re bringing over a bunch of study materials for you two to go over.
This exam is one of the big ones, so you have to pass it.
“Hey, Spence,” you greet when he answers the door. “Thank you for doing this with me.”
“It’s no problem, really,” he smiles. “Come in.”
You bring the supplies to his room where he already has snacks, bottles of water, and books set up. He kept his textbooks from when he got his PhD, so you’ll be able to use them as well. The first hour goes great. You’ve answered all his questions right and even got candy as a reward. The second hour is a bit tougher but you powered through it with his protein bars and water. The third hour, however, is kicking your ass. You’ve been studying for quite some time now so your brain hurts.
“Okay, can you tell me the answer to this question?”
Spencer writes on the small whiteboard before showing you the equation. You take out your notebook and jot it down before trying to work on it. You learned this in class last week but for some reason, it’s not clicking in your mind. You wince when you turn the notebook around for Spencer to read, and based on the unsure look on his face, you know you’ve failed it.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get the next one.”
“I’m going to fail this test and this class. The deeper we get into the textbook, the harder the concept. I’m not going to be a chemist for the FBI. It’s hopeless,” you sigh and toss your notebook to the side.
“No, don’t think like that. What you need is a break.” He suddenly becomes nervous. “Why don’t we take a movie break? You can pick what we watch.”
“And you won’t complain?”
“I promise,” he chuckles.
“Okay. You’re right. We’ve been going at this for hours.” You get up and grab the remote to turn the TV on, but frown when it doesn’t. “It’s not working.” You turn it over and open the back to see the batteries are missing. “Where are your batteries?”
He wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans. “In the kitchen.”
You walk to the kitchen and search through the drawers for them. You open the last one and see a note wrapped around the case. You remove two batteries for the remote and take the note out. You shouldn’t be snooping like this through his business but the note has your name on it.
Y/N, I should have done this face-to-face, but I get so nervous whenever I try to find the words. I really like you, like more than a friend, like. I should ask you on a date first, but will you be my girlfriend?
You turn only to find Spencer standing right behind you. The poor thing looks so nervous that you’re going to reject him. He must have not gotten the best responses in the past. That changes now. You drop the note and fling into his arms happily. He catches you before you can tumble to the ground, and you pull him in close.
“Yes!”
You pepper his cheek with kisses and he laughs. He has to remind himself to thank Derek for giving him the courage.
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Want to be tagged? Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)
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j-richmond · 4 months ago
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Why aren't comics more common in TTRPGs?
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(This is about game design and presentation) In school one of the things I discovered is that I have trouble absorbing info from a big text book. And most TTRPGs are presented as text books. Once I understand the basic information in the book (chemistry textbook or RPG sourcebook or whatever) I can deal with the book on my own terms. I can dive into individual parts and learn, and slowly absorb the book as a whole. But I need help to get there. I need an access port. Sometimes this comes in the form of someone explaining the book to me. Explaining the rules of the game or the outline of an essay. This is great, and gives me a way in so I can absorb and master the book myself. But I don't always have someone in my life who can do that. Interestingly, I don't have this problem with novels at all. Narrative feels easier to access, at least for me.
In school I also discovered Scot McCloud's Understanding Comics. This is a pretty fantastic book which I'd recommend to everyone. It helped me understand how I process information. More importantly, it helped me understand the different people process information in different ways. I hadn't realized that at age 16, although I was starting to suspect it. Before I started making comics or games I used to be a teacher. As a teacher I could see that some of my kids were struggling with the information I was giving them, in the same way I had struggled in school. I started using comics in class to help reach these students. I'd draw little comics on my handouts or on the whiteboard to explain what we were learning. The goal wasn't to provide an entire lesson in comics form. I'm not Scott McCloud! Instead, I was trying to find an access point for my students. An on ramp. A port of entry to the ideas and material we were covering so they could engage and eventually absorb the information. It worked so well. It worked like magic. Why don't we do this more in TTRPGs? I used comics in my early games, Panty Explosion Perfect and Ocean. These were narrative comics, not rules comics, but the goal was to provide both an example of what play looked like (from a narrative standpoint) and a point of access for players who weren't sure what the game was or how to engage with it. My thought was that if you understood what the game was supposed to look like it would be easier to approach the rules. (A short comic from Ocean. The book has a bunch of these)
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When my brother Nick and I started working on The Magical Land of Yeld I knew I wanted to use comics more directly as a teaching tool. Especially because part of our target audience was new and younger players who might look at a big text book (Yeld is a giant 400 page hardcover) and just bounce right off it. Like I did in school and like I often do with big games. So I needed to teach with examples and illustrations, and especially comics.
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The first comics you'll encounter in the Yeld book are narrative, and designed to get you into the ideas and themes of the game. But in the first few pages we also start sprinkling in rules comics. These are presented along side the rules text. They don't replace that text, which is important. The text explains the rules in greater detail, and includes information that just couldn't be added in a single page comic. Instead, the comic is intended to be a point of access to the rules text. A player can read the comic, understand the basic concept, and feel comfortable engaging with the text. That's the goal, to make players comfortable and to make the rules text accessible.
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We use comics to teach basic game mechanics, but we also use them to explain specific player facing systems. Sometimes these are things that really do need a comic to explain them, but sometimes we use comics as lures to draw player attention to mechanics that we're afraid they might otherwise not engage with. For example, in playtesting we found that when characters died during a fight the player would just sit there for the rest of the fight and not engage. It turned out, since you don't do anything in D&D once you die (except slowly die more), most players assume that's how all games work! So they hadn't even noticed that in Yeld you become a Ghost and get to ghost around and do fun Ghost stuff! I decided to create a comic that not just explained this but drew attention to it and showed why it was a fun (and important) part of the game!
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Structure of play isn't always obvious to players, especially if they're new to TTRPGs or have only played D&D. You pick up habits from the games you play the most, and since most gamers play nothing but D&D there is a tendency to assume EVERYTHING works like D&D. Yeld doesn't, so we decided to take nothing for granted and make comics that very specifically show what a session of play looks like. In this example, it may not look a lot different from D&D, but the adventure is specifically divided into 5 parts. The comic illustrates these parts in a way that is easy to understand. The accompanying game text explains each part in more detail and illustrates how they are important to play. The comic serves as a ramp that gets players to the info they need.
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Not all of our comics are player facing. Yeld has a rotating GM (which is awesome, btw), and this means every player gets a chance in the Game Master roll. Which means every player needs to understand how this roll works. Comics like this one, which explain how to build monsters to use in your game, help make the process easy to understand. Again, its about building a point of entry for players. A player might say "I don't want to GM, it sounds to complicated!" But its not. You just need to make it easy for them. Make the mechanics and responsibilities easy to understand. Show why they're fun! In Yeld, its important that each player takes on the GM role from time to time, since we're building a story together. Making it look fun is important! Comics help with that. What's more fun than comics?
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Narrative comics are important too. At least for Yeld. I don't think every game benefits from them (although I always love seeing them). Narrative comics show players what the game is supposed to look like. What the characters do and say. What environments they visit. Narrative comics set a tone. Narrative comics let new players understand what a game is about immediately! We can hand a Yeld book to a new player or customer and they know what's up in seconds, just by reading a short single page comic. That's a powerful tool. So why don't more games use comics? Part of it is that game creators are usually not comic creators. There's not a lot of crossover. That always surprises me, but both disciplines take a lot of work. Who has time for both? Even when you have game designers that are comic creators, they often don't include comics in the games (Lancer???). I don't think this means game designers don't recognize the value of comics. I've had this conversation with so many game designers, and they usually agree that comics are useful tools. But if you don't know how to make comics, making comics for your game can be daunting. What rules should you focus on? How do you present that information in comic form? How many comics should you make? How do you hire someone to make comics, anyway? Hiring artists is expansive, btw. You know that, of course. Hiring an artist to make a set of comics for your game could cost you thousands of dollars (or more), depending on what you want. Of course, you can try to make your own comics. And you should! Really! A poorly drawn comic is not necessarily a bad comic. The point is to get your information across to your reader. to provide a point of access. You don't need great art for that (although great art can help attract people to your game). Stick figure work just fine. Here's an example, the layout for the Tea Dragon card game. Another artist took this layout and redrew it in their own style. But my goal here was to be simple and concise with my explanation of the rules. To make the game accessible.
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There's a few more pages of this, but you get the idea. The purpose is to explain, and make the player comfortable with learning more. The art matters to the extent that it serves this goal. In fact, flashy or complicated art can get in the way! You'll notice in that most of the Yeld rules comics I posted above the art is pretty simple, with solid color backgrounds. You want to make your comics as easy to read as possible, and that includes avoiding clutter, overpacked word balloons and messy layout. Readers are easily distracted. It doesn't take much for them to set down a book at all. A complicated phrase or hard to read font can often be enough. And once they set a book down they may not every pick it up again. That's more true for a big text book than it is for a comics, but its still true for a comic. So our goal is to make our comic the easiest, smoothest point of access it can possibly be. So easy and smooth that the reader can slide right into the rules text without noticing! Here's my general process for creating a rules comic. This is from my friend Brian's game Scofflaws. I start by taking the basic mechanics that need to be illustrated and breaking them down into panels. The goal is to make each panel readable and not overwhelm the player. At this point I'm just doing a rough sketch. It may not eve=n be readable, but that's fine!
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Next, I refine the text and art. I decide on the exact language I'll use, and I finalize where characters and other elements will be placed. As you can see, the actual layout didn't change much here. Sometimes it changes a lot!
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Finally, I create the finished art. Honestly, the previous step was just fine. It explanans the rules I wanted to explain. But this last step allows me to add in some narrative flavor. The first panel contains a complicated background in order to present the game's setting. The characters look like the kind of characters you'll play in the game. This isn't nessacary for presenting rules, but it helps present the game as a whole. You want players to engage with every part of your game. The last thing you want them doing is picking up your dungeon crawling game and going "Oh, this would be great for playing Star Wars!"
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(I probably shouldn't have chose than shade of red for the background. It makes the text a bit hard to read!) So again, why aren't we seeing more comics in games? Its not as if they don't exist at all, and I'm personally always excited to see them. I recently opened the Final Fantasy RPG box set and was so happy to find the rules were accompanied by cute comics. And there's lot of other examples (maybe you can post some in the comments). But I think comics are a clearly underused tool in game design and presentation. And as a comic person, let me tell you that you're leaving a valuable tool on the table if you're not considering using comics. Are they right for every game? Maaaybe not? But I think MANY MANY MANY games could benefit form them. Are they expensive? They can be. Are they hard to make? They can be. Are there people you can go to for advice? Hey, my door is open.
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ms-demeanor · 1 year ago
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*screaming*
*continued screaming*
Okay. So. My introductory Visual C# class.
The professor for that class was Alice. Alice was the person who spoke in the introductory video and the person who we were supposed to email if we had any issues.
But all of the assignments, lectures, and quizzes were written and delivered by Bob. On the youtube channel "Bob's programming academy." The quizzes included Bob's name, like "if you do X will it return the string ProfessorBob, Professor, Bob, or Professor.Bob?"
This class was really frustrating for me because it was structured in such a way that you could easily pass the class with zero knowledge of the subject - it was totally based on quizzes that you could take an unlimited number of times and we *had* weekly programming assignments but they weren't graded so there was no incentive to do them (and look, if I wanted to teach myself programming with no incentives I could fail for several years to do that on my own, I don't need to pay fifty bucks a unit for that; the reason I am in a *class* and am not self-taught is because I need external motivation. That's why I sought out a class).
Also when there *was* a problem with an instruction that was unclear in one of the videos for the assignments, or if I thought I'd done something correctly that was very much incorrect, it wasn't Alice who had created the instructions, it was Bob - in 2017 no less - and I didn't really feel like I could ask Alice for help with an ungraded assignment that she hadn't written.
So. Now. My Python class.
Today is the first day of class. Professor is Charles.
I go to the mandatory attendance quiz and it is word-for-word the same mandatory attendance quiz as the C# class, down to the final question "what is your personal email address so I can keep in contact with you after the semester?"
I look at the syllabus.
Class grade is based on quizzes. We have assignments but none of them are graded. There's no textbook, just a series of videos from Professor Bob's Programming Academy.
So I'd been toying with staying at this school and trying to take more CS classes instead of going to another school, just to try to keep my records easier to manage, but since it seems like that *ENTIRE DEPARTMENT* is five Professor Bobs in a trenchcoat, I will probably be going somewhere else (and once again trying to force myself to do projects that I already know are *good for me to do* but *useless for the class and a massive time suck*)
I should drop this class. I should drop this class and apply for the other school so that I can start taking classes there in the spring because if I take this class and then go into the object oriented programming class in the spring and it's another professor bob sock puppet and I end up taking twelve units of programming classes where all I learn is how to google answers in a short time frame (something I already know how to do thanks) I am going to fucking lose it.
Also, again: I have a Bachelor's Degree. I spent five years at a community college when I was getting that degree. I took probably a dozen online classes starting in 2005 and going until 2011 in the process of getting that degree.
THIS bullshit, this "I'm your professor but actually I'm not and all the materials were created by someone else in the department or came directly from the textbook publisher and there is no writing and there are no assignments everything is multiple choice quizzes that are automatically graded" is *dogshit.*
This is NOT how online classes worked back in my day, not even online math classes, and as much as I know adjuncts are getting fucked over by academia in general, this isn't something that these professors should be getting paid as much as they are to do. Alice checked whether or not students turned in a hello world assignment and gave a pass/fail grades for three discussion boards that were responses to youtube videos. Nothing else in the class required her input. If this is the level of instruction that students are getting then the class is already automated and the students shouldn't have to pay for it.
This is crap. This is an incredible level of crap.
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milkoomi · 3 months ago
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semester success. ᥫ᭡
[ 3 chapter mini series ]
in this series, i’m going to teach you all my helpful tips and tricks on how to succeed in the new semester in just 3 quick chapters! get ready to take notes, we’re diving right in!
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chapter one — THE STARTING WEEK
the first week of a new semester can be daunting. how the rest of your semester will go depends on how your first week starts. so let’s make sure we start the semester on the right foot!
class is in session …
୨ৎ — the week before
if you can start preparations at least one week before the start of the new semester, do it!
here’s what you can do:
monday & tuesday - gather all your supplies
the basics…
backpack / school bag
folders / binders / notebooks / planner
pencil case / pencils / pens / highlighters
laptop / tablet / tablet pen / chargers
essentials…
textbooks / required materials
personal care & hygiene products (i.e. deodorant, perfume, lip balm, hair ties, hand sanitizer, feminine products)
headphones
in case you’re missing a few extra supplies, be sure to go and make those necessary purchases! create a checklist if you have to!
wednesday - check student email
be sure to check your student email for any new updates from your teachers/professors! you also want to make sure you give yourself a solid amount of time before classes start back up to keep checking for updates and/or important announcements.
** from this point up until the day before your new semester starts, keep checking your student email. i recommend checking at least 4 times per day! once in the morning around 8-9am, twice in the afternoon around 12-1pm & around 3-4pm, and then once more at night around 7-8pm!
thursday & friday - plan for the first week
grab your planner (whether it’s physical or digital) and take some time to plan out your first week! make note of what classes you have on what days & include the times those classes start, write down any important non-school related appointments/events that you have during that first week, and be sure to include time during that first week where you can rest and relax.
saturday - review syllabus & double checking
take some time out of your day to read and review each of your class’ syllabi! make sure you read through them thoroughly and highlight any important dates that show up in the course semester schedule. i also recommend highlighting your teachers’/professors’ contact information, and if they have office hours be sure to make note of that as well!
also, let this second-to-last day before the start of the semester be designated for last minute preparations. double check that you have all your supplies, check your student email again, and just make sure you complete everything else that might be on your to-do list.
sunday - relaxing & decompressing
the final day of your break before the semester starts should be used to just rest and relax. treat yourself kindly on this day; pamper yourself! do skincare, treat yourself to a cozy day in, watch your favorite show or movies, journal! do something that makes you feel at ease and makes you feel happy! it’s important to have a day where you can just relax and only focus on relaxing.
you might also want to ease your mind by doing some last minute cleaning and reorganizing! starting a new semester with a refreshed study space/room (whether it be an office or your bedroom) can help alleviate some stress that might still be lingering. refresh your space and clear your mind!
this little schedule might not be the exact one you follow, and that’s okay! i made this as an example of what you can do & what your week before might look like!
୨ৎ — academic weapon style
get dressed up for your first week back! wear the clothes that make you feel confident and that help you set the tone for yourself.
gather inspiration! dress like your favorite academic icons! hop onto pinterest & look for style inspo for different characters like…
rory gilmore
hermione granger
meredith grey
cristina yang
elle woods
spencer hastings
blair waldorf
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cristina yang , blair wladorf , spencer hastings
୨ৎ — create a consistent morning & night routine
it’s important to have a routine, especially in the morning and at night. having a routine that works for you and your schedule will help smooth any rough edges that might come up during your semester!
go to sleep & wake up at the same time every day
incorporate self care/hygiene routine in the morning and night
include health & wellness aspects (journaling, morning yoga, etc.)
make your bed as soon as you wake up
set aside time to unwind/time for yourself
୨ৎ — chat with/get to know your professors
the first week is all about figuring out the vibe of your class, so get a feel for your environment and who your professors are! you will be working with them for the next 16 weeks!
use this time to ask questions, let your professor know a little bit about you, and take notes on what your professor asks from you and your classmates during this semester.
after you’ve taken the time to review the syllabus prior to classes starting, write down possible questions or concerns that you can bring up to your teachers!
before you’re dismissed …
take on the first week with your full strength! create that good first impression for yourself and set the path for your incoming success!
with lots of love, faustina 🌷
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thestarstoasun · 1 year ago
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Because the next part of this isn't where I want it to be yet due to packing and schooling, I'm going to post some (more) of my headcanons!
• The Hermes cabin treats all unclaimed demigods as their own siblings even after they get claimed (depending on how fast they get claimed).
• The year-round demigods are closer with each other, but during summer they tend to spend more time with the other campers more. The bonds they have are a bit obvious though.
• Travis and Connor Stoll have a running prank of convincing all new demigods that they're twins (at least until Travis leaves.)
• During Nico's brief stay at camp in The Titan's Curse, he made friends with the Stolls and a few other campers. (Canonically he met Will, but I did hc they met before it was confirmed.)
• The Ares campers are the best at every weapon, except bows. Some Apollo kids (Michael Yew included) take full advantage of bringing this up. When Sherman Yang brought up Will's less than proficient bow skills, Clarisse had Sherman apologize.
• Chiron teaches the year-rounders using Ancient Greek textbooks + books and myths, so they can understand the material easier.
• When Jason shows up, some people have to pay up because there were bets made on which of the Big 3 would have another secret demigod, when Hazel came more drachmas were exchanged to the Apollo cabin. (Drew: "How the Hades did you guess Hades would have another secret child!?" Will: "I mean, technically, it was Pluto?")
• After Beckendorf's death, the Hephaestus cabin seemed to dull until Leo showed up. He reminded them a lot of Beckendorf and yet was so different (starting with height).
• The Demeter kids hate the winter months and prefer spring and summer.
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noxiatoxia · 2 months ago
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heyyy.. I’ve been learning Japanese because I’m very interested, I’ve only been using Duolingo so far and I’m not satisfied with it for a number of reasons
anyway do you have any resources you’d recommend for a beginner level in Japanese? I know the entire hiragana alphabet, including sounds like “pu” and “gi” (I can’t figure out the Japanese keyboard yet lmao)
Hi! I'm very flattered you'd come to me! Please keep in mind I do not have a degree in Japanese nor English or any Language Teaching, so this is just advice from a normal guy.
Firstly, it was a good idea to ditch Duolingo. Duolingo is good for learning the JP alphabet, or - and if you don't care/don't want to become fluent - if you just need to learn a handful of phrases to make your Summer trip to Japan survivable. If you wish to become fluent though, it's a really awful tool. For one big reason:
There are no 1:1s in language.
Put simply...there is no "English translation" to any given Japanese word. This is true of any language, I think - not just ENG <--> JP. Sure, some simple nouns can be reliably translated with accuracy - りんご ringo means "apple", or 犬 いぬ inu means "dog". But even then, context matters. There's idioms, sayings - and when you get to verbs, more complex nouns, adjectives...there simply is no 1:1 anymore.
This is why we get translations like Danganronpa which read (70% of the time) like they looked up the word in a JP to ENG dictionary and figured that must be it.
For example... "zetsubou" , "despair", doesn't actually mean despair, really. The way it's used in Japanese is much more common/versatile than how it is used in English. Really think about it. How often in day to day normal conversation do you hear the word despair?
In Japanese, ��望 ぜつぼう zetsubou is sort of like...misery, negativity, the absence of any feeling of things will be good or okay. This makes it far more common in Japanese natural dialogue.
So please keep that in mind with every word you learn! Learn the feeling, write down as many example sentences you need to help you with it.
This may feel daunting, and it's okay to rely on basic definitions as a beginner if you need to. Everyone starts somewhere. But it's something to keep in mind.
Elsewise, I think toddler cartoons are actually good. Cartoons made for babies and toddlers are designed to help them learn basic things, such as colors, shapes, being nice...etc. Because of the simplistic nature, small words are used, speech is usually slower, and words are repeated consistently. Even just sitting down every hour once a week to watch a toddler show in Japanese is helpful.
The Japanese dub of Bluey and Peppa Pig are very good. Also available (and my personal favorite) is Paboo and Mojies. If you want some material for kids but not toddlers, NHK for School is good.
Watching the Japanese Dub of a show you know like the back of your hand (preferably a kids' show for easier to understand dialogue) is great too, as you can hear how the sentence gets translated into Japanese. The MLP 5 movie is great in Japanese, and I don't know much about Miraculous Ladybug in English, but I caught it on JP Disney Junior a few times and thought it was fun, and I think if you are able to understand some of the toddler shows with relative ease, these would be good places to move to.
Toddler shows are also careful to generally keep the words spoken normal since kids will likely emulate them. It helps keep you from talking like an anime character.
When it comes to reading, little kid books with Hiragana are good, but manga is actually helpful! Manga uses Kanji, but includes Furigana by the Kanji so you can see how to say it. The Yotsubato Manga in Japanese is a good one to start with. You can look up the words you find in a dictionary.
If you need discipline and can't learn without deadlines and such, a language school may be good. While Japanese textbooks can often be misleading for English learners, it's not necessarily incorrect info, and if you need the school environment, then I'd say the pros outweighs the cons.
Also, don't be afraid to use MTL for help, to look up words, and to google in Japanese.
Also for Hiragana and Katakana, this is a good site. I know you already know Hiragana, but just in case.
Watching Japanese vlogs and YT videos are a good way to hear natural Japanese as well. Finding people who know Japanese to talk to is important for practicing your speaking skills as well.
I hope this helps at all!
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ahhnini · 7 months ago
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academic!rival! rafe moodboard + hcs
a/n - setting up an enemies to lovers? anyways new au!! requests are open for academic!rival! rafe :3 hope yall enjoy! <3
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ೃ༄ academic!rival! rafe who’s the top of his class, on track to graduate #1, practically lives in the school library.
ೃ༄ academic!rival! rafe who loves pumpkin spice lattes (tells everyone its cold brew).
ೃ༄ academic!rival! rafe whos wardrobe staples include in his cardigans and scarves.
ೃ༄ academic!rival! rafe who comes from a wealthy family, who had sent him off to the best university in the country.
ೃ༄ academic!rival! rafe who has a superiority complex over his classmates. he thinks they’re not intelligent enough to comprehend the material, so he doesn’t talk to them.
ೃ༄ academic!rival! rafe who feels weight on his shoulders to uphold the cameron legacy. even if he wants to live the stereotypical “college life,” those temptations are crushed by his father’s words, “our family name depends on you, son”
ೃ༄ academic!rival! rafe who bit the inside of his cheek when he checked the class rankings, and saw you about to dethrone him from his rightful place.
ೃ༄ the first time you two crossed paths was in the library, hands reaching for the same textbook. it was a cliche moment that happened in every kiss-met romcom, but to rafe, it was the start of your rivalry. you quickly snagged the book away from his hand, turning around and speed-walking to the study tables. he scoffed, browsing the shelves and settling with an older edition of the textbook.
ೃ༄ from then on, rafe would always see you on campus. and he hated that. he hated that the person who could take everything away from him was almost always right in front of his eyes.
ೃ༄ you made it seem so easy. you’d study for one hour and get top marks on the exams, while rafe would have to study for days to get the material in his head. it wasn’t fair.
ೃ༄ so he ended up doing something he’d never thought he’d do. he was going to sabotage you, in a way you or he never expected.
ೃ༄ one thursday afternoon, you find a letter someone slipped through your dorm door. opening up the envelope, the letter read; would you like to go out to dinner with me, y/n?
signed, rafe cameron.
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taglist - @nemesyaaa @julie123456897 @mfdoomdickrider @grxnde-dwt
click here to be added to my taglist!
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justinspoliticalcorner · 11 months ago
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Erum Salam at The Guardian:
The wave of book bans sweeping the US, typically reserved for works of fiction deemed controversial, has hit textbooks used in public schools, marking the next step in Republicans’ war on education. The board of trustees for the Cypress Fairbanks independent school district in Houston voted 6-1 earlier this month to redact certain chapters in science textbooks, including those about vaccines, human growth, diversity and climate change. The motion to remove the chapters was made by the board’s vice-president, Natalie Blasingame, and almost unanimously supported. Blasingame, who has served on the board since 2021, did not give a specific explanation for the decision, but said the subjects go beyond what the state requires to teach and creates “a perception that humans are bad”. Last year, the Republican-controlled state board approved textbooks for the schools’ science curriculums, rejecting several books on climate, so the local school district’s censorship of these textbooks is even more restrictive.
Education experts say the move could have far-reaching consequences, prompting similar decisions to omit information in other subjects, and by public school districts across the country. The board’s decision drew the ire of local parents and education groups. Bryan Henry, a local parent and founder of the non-partisan group Cypress Families for Public Schools, said he was concerned about the precedent this decision sets. “Will trustees at the local school board level be able to just delete chapters about civil rights because they just mentioned the history of same-sex marriage?” Henry, 37, said. “It’s really kind of alarming what this could mean for ideological influence and control over what is taught in schools.” Henry describes Cypress, a sprawling suburb of Houston with a population of nearly 200,000, as an increasingly diverse community with a loud minority of political extremists.
“A lot of Republicans in the Cy-Fair area, who are very conservative but are pro-public education, are having to now grapple with the fact that [the] governor, state representatives – they’re really not pro-public education,” he said. “And so people are struggling with how to reconcile that, because they don’t want to vote for Democrats.” Henry added this “level of oversight, micromanagement and interference” was “scary.” The Texas Freedom to Read Project, an organization that fights book bans, swiftly condemned the decision. “To ban entire chapters of textbooks and withhold that information from students is not only unconstitutional, but it is taking away their access to real-life ideas that exist in this world,” said Laney Hawes, co-founder of the group. “Access to a diverse and wide range of information is what prepares students to navigate this world successfully. When we ban books and limit students’ ability to access ideas, we are closing doors to their futures.”
[...] PEN America found 3,362 instances of individual books banned in public K–12 schools for the 2022-23 academic year – a 33% increase from last year, with Florida and Texas leading the way. These books mostly include novels with themes of race or sexuality, not core academic material.
Meehan said the censorships of textbooks is “a further escalation of this movement”. “Texas is no stranger to book bans or censoring other educational content areas or materials. The idea that we’re redacting chapters from state-approved textbooks is almost unheard of. It’s so outlandish,” Meehan said. Book bans have become a core element of platforms of well funded far-right politicians, who have tried to win a larger presence on school boards across the US. “I’m almost worried about a concerning trend where far-right Republican candidates are replacing moderate Republicans on school boards, not because citizens believe they are better suited for the job, but because rightwing billionaires and Pacs [political action committees] are starting to pour money into these local elections,” said David DeMatthews, an education professor at the University of Texas at Austin, who previously worked as a public school teacher and district administrator.
Public school textbooks are the next battleground item in the right-wing’s dangerous and censorious book-banning crusade in schools.
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aphelionwrotes11 · 2 months ago
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Hello people! :)
PT 1
Anakin!spiderman x reader
CW: descriptions of violence, light stalking, slow burn, enemies to lovers, pining, fluff, reader bullies anakin (hes into it), nerd anakin, academic rivals, banter, lemme know if I’m missing anything.
The reason he’s called Anakin parker instead of Skywalker will be revealed later >:D
As per usual ignore any and all spelling and grammar errors. Sorryyyy
WC: 4.7k
Another day in the quiet campus library hitting the books. Not exactly how you had planned on spending your early twenties. In the Ivy League school of your choice, New York City, studying fat old books so that you can excel in yet another midterm, and for what? Anakin Parker. That’s what. Your academic rival and determined thorn in your side.
You and Mary wandered through the seemingly endless shelves of books, fifteen minutes had passed and you still hadn’t managed to find the quantum theory textbook you needed to study. The two of you had gone through the STEM section twice, her fingers grazing the shelf as you studied the titles.
”Any luck?” Mary asks, grimacing as she pulls back her fingers to find them coated in dust. “Ugh, where could this dumb book be, dude? Like.. literally no one comes back here.” She whispers, glaring at the tall shelves.
You sigh, “no clue. It should be somewhere around here.” Your eyes narrow at the shelf in front of you, the library is ordered alphabetically, the book in theory should be right here.
“Guess someone got to it before you.. wonder who that could be.” Mary sighed, rolling her eyes.
You know who she’s referring to. You moved here two years ago and there has only been one guy that’s given you any trouble.
“No. He wouldn’t have. There’s no way he could know there’s gonna be a quantum theory section on professor Harvey’s test.” You whisper to yourself. “The TA told me himself that no one else knows.” You emphasize, Carl had swore up and down that not another soul knew what he had told you.
“Yeaaah, not gonna lie though, who knows how many people he actually told. It’s not like nobody else has a spare twenty to slip him for some test tips, girl.” Mary replied casually. “And if you’re willing to go that far then you know damn well he would be too, he’s like the only one on your level.”
”How would he even know to bribe the TA, Mary? Carl is literally never around for lectures, nobody in Harvey’s class even knows hes got a TA.” You reply, exasperated. Now that you think about it, he was quite quick to snatch that twenty from your fingers. It was too easy to get anything out of him to actually trust his promises of exclusivity.
Mary shrugs, “I dunno, he’s got his ways.” She sighs, “I swear he’s got sixth sense or something.”
”Yeah a sixth sense for how to be an absolute nuisance.” You grumble.
Mary chuckles quietly, turning the corner before coming to a halt. “Well, you’ve got that right.” She says with a smirk, pointing to something.
You furrow your brows, coming up behind her and following her finger to a stack of books, your book included, resting beside none other than Anakin Parker.
“Fuck.” You mumble, rubbing your hand down your face.
“Want me to talk to him?” She smiles.
”no, no, Ive got it.”
”Alright.” She shrugs, “I’ll be over here, lemme know if you need me to put him in his place.” She says with an evil grin.
“Okay psycho.” You giggle as she wanders toward the history section.
The sigh you release is heavy as you walk towards an inevitable headache.
You half expect to surprise him, given how engrossed he seems to be in the material he’s studying, but as if sensing you near he straightens and turns to you with wide eyes.
”Hey.” He says with a cool smile, a halfhearted attempt at nonchalantness.
You frown, “Hi.” Glancing over at his stack of books. “Do you need the whole library or do you think I could borrow one of those?” You say, pointing to his stack.
He looks back, “depends on which one it is.” He smirks boyishly, his lips curling over his teeth. You wonder for a moment if he’s had them whitened.
You give him a sour look. “The quantum theory textbook.”
He raises his brow and pulls the book from the middle, turning it over, “huh, really? Didn’t know you had an interest in quantum theory.” He says with clear faux surprise.
“Yeah, suddenly decided I just can’t live without it. So can you hand it over? I only need it for the hour.” You reply flatly.
He sucks his teeth, “eh.. I dunno. Thanks to you I actually just remembered that I was supposed to be reading this, so I don’t think I can give it up. Maybe some other time.” He grins. And again, your vision zones in on his mouth. His stupid mouth.
You shoot him a glare and he swallows thickly, glancing away as if he’s nervous.
“Listen, I don’t know how, but I know you KNOW there’s going to be a quantum theory part in Harveys test. And I also know that your nerdy ass has probably read that book from cover to cover. So please, do me this one favor.” You grit. Only two hours until Harvey’s exam, you picked the worst time to cram.
He stares at the book in his hands, not daring to look at you. “Well.. this is actually the only one I haven’t read yet.” He gives you a crooked smile.
Your eyes narrow in suspicion. “Really?”
He nods. “Yes, really.” He flattens his lips
you suck in a breath. He’s obviously lying, but you have no idea why. “Well what can we do then? Cuz I need to study and I really don’t have the time for this. Can we just take turns every thirty minutes or something?”
he raises his brows, “That doesn’t sound like it would be very productive.” He glances at you and the chair beside him. “Um… How about we just study together?”
You drop your shoulders, clearly disappointed at his proposition.
he frowns, nearly a pout, “not really any better options at the moment.”
You want to say he could just give you the book and miss a few points for once in his life, if at all, god only knows how much home research hes probably already doing about quantum theory and whatever else.
you sigh, he flinches as you toss your bag on the ground beside him and settle into the open chair.
“Guess not.” You reply.
He shuffles in his seat as if making space for you even though there’s enough distance to keep you comfortable. You glance at him expectantly, his hands still clutching the book to his chest.
You jut your head at the table, “Well? Can we get started?” You sound more impatient than you intended.
“Uh- yeah- well, do you wanna get setup first?” He asks, his brows furrowed and face tight, like hes afraid you’ll blow up at him or something.
You click your tongue, your cheeks twinging pink. “Right, yeah.” You say reaching for your bag. He waits patiently for you to lay out your materials before opening the book to a specific chapter.
“Is this what we’re meant to be studying?” You ask.
“Uh- yeah I think so.” He seems fidgety, you give him a look but don’t bother to ask why.
Time goes by fairly quick after that, the two of you sit side by side writing fervently. He clearly finishes his notes before you but always waits to turn the page. You don’t comment, but you do notice it. A quiet act of helpfulness. He seems to make it a point to press the end of his pencil to certain paragraphs that he deems important. If you weren’t so helpless when it came to this type of science you would ignore his cues to help you, but you decide to put your pride away just this once. And besides, if he notices you taking extra care in writing the notes on what hes pointing out he doesn’t say anything about it. He doesn’t even make a face, aside from the occasional smile when you lean in to read his notes.
Your phone pings, and that seems to pull the both of you out of whatever state you were in. He looks at you with raised brows and quickly glances down at his watch.
“Shit- uh, its 2:30, we gotta go!” He whispers, jumping up and all but shoving his stuff into his bag with surprising swiftness.
You jump up too, and rather gracelessly begin shoving your things into your bag. He helps a bit, gathers pencils and strewn about papers before passing them to you.
He throws a sideways glance at his stack of books before looking back at his watch.
“No time..” he looks to you, “we’ll have to come back for them.”
”right, okay, lets go!” You reply in a frenzy, herding him towards the door. Professor Harvey’s classroom is across campus. On a normal day it would take you twenty minutes to get there from the library.
Anakin walks ahead of you with haste, glancing back occasionally to see that you're still behind him. By the time the two of you are halfway there, you’re already out of breath and the distance between you and him is growing.
“Damnit, slow down!” You cry, you don’t even know why. It’s not like the two of you have to get there together. Hell, he could already be there by now if he left you behind.
He slows and turns to you, he doesn’t even look tired. “Come on, we’re almost there!”
You groan but his steps don’t falter, you lightly jog up to him, grabbing onto his elbow.
“How are you so fast?” You ask.
He doesn’t answer, but he looks down at where your hand is on him, and his expression is unreadable. You pull away as if you’d been scorched.
“Oh- sorry.” You mumble, struggling to speak and keep up with him.
“No- it’s-“ he cuts himself off, staring at your arm. “Here.”
He reaches for you and loops your arm with his before picking up the pace, you hadn’t even noticed that you two slowed down before. Now, he was practically dragging you.
“What the hell, Anakin!” You panted.
He’s throws you an empathetic smile, giving your arm a small tug. “You got this, we’ll make it.” He looks at his watch and sucks in a breath. “Gotta pick up the pace a bit.”
“Fuck- okay.” You groan.
What a sight it is, the two of you arm in arm jogging across campus. Well, you’re running, hes jogging. You’re too breathless to feel humiliated, you probably look a mess. Hair strewn about, cheeks red, panic etched over your features. By the time you’ve reached the building and Anakin whispers the time being 2:37, you’re hit with enough adrenaline to propel yourself up the two flights of stairs at his side.
You both reach the door with a minute to spare, you’re sucking in air like its drowning you and he looks as fresh as ever.
“Ugh- god.” You whimper, putting a hand to your chest to calm your racing heart, you notice him staring at you in awe.
“What?” You ask breathlessly. He cheeks redden, like hes surprised he got caught.
“Uh- nothing, you alright?” He asks with a worried smile.
“Just peachy.” You reply sarcastically, attempting to fix yourself. You straighten your shirt and move your hair.
“Ready?” You ask him, he’s got a faraway look.
“Uh, yeah.” He pauses, reaching up and hesitating when you furrow your brows at him.
“Sorry- uh- sorry.” He says quietly, reaching up and fixing a piece of your hair.
“Thanks.” You say softly as he nods and pulls open the door for you.
The exam goes relatively well. You notice anakin, more than once, turning to look at you from his spot in the first three rows. You simply catch the movement of his head in your peripherals the first two times, too focused on your exam to bother looking up. But by the third time you look up and raise your brows, he whips around as soon as you catch his gaze.
He finishes his exam first, your eyes follow him as he practically scurries out into the hall. You follow shortly after, giving Harvey a small nod on your way out.
You aren’t sure why you’re so surprised to find him waiting outside, leaning against the wall opposite to the door. He perks up as you walk towards him. He opens his mouth to speak-
”Wow, what am I chopped liver?” A sarcastic voice rings from the right.
The both of you jump, looking to find Mary with her brow raised and arms crossed.
You smile, “I didn’t know you were waiting-“ your smile falters, “Oh my god. I totally forgot you in the library, I’m so sorry.” You cross the distance to her side, giving her a pout as she glares at you. Her expression fades into a grin, “Well, how are you gonna make it up to me?” She asks sweetly.
“Actually, It was my fault. We got caught up in studying and had to get to class-“ Anakin started.
Mary groaned exaggeratedly, rolling her eyes for good measure.
“Fine, how are you gonna make it up to me then?” She snaps.
Anakin pauses, looking between you and her. “Well.. I could take you both out for lunch.” He suggests.
“What, you haven’t had enough time with her yet? Gotta take her out for lunch and make more moves on her?” Mary quizzes, you withhold a laugh.
Anakin flushes red, his brows furrow. “That- I wasn’t-“ he clears his throat, “you said you wanted paid back- and- I haven’t made any..” he pauses, looking away, “moves on her. We were only studying.” He mumbles.
“Oh yeah? How about when you two were skipping arm in arm to class? Surprised you didn’t cream your pants when she grabbed you.” Mary laughs, and you stare at her mortified.
“WHAT!” You cry.
Anakin's mouth gapes open, “I- what-“ he sputters.
Mary doubles over, laughing so hard it looks like it hurts. You can’t help but to laugh along with her, your stomach hurting from the force of your giggle fit. Anakin just stares at the both of you with mild horror.
”Cream my pants?” He whispers to himself. That makes it worse, tears stream down your cheeks, Mary slaps your shoulder as she cackles, the both of you losing balance.
“Oh my god-“ you try to say between cackles.
“Mary- you-“ You wheeze, “Bitch.”
She sucks in a breath and stands straight. “Yeah I’m hungry now, you can get us lunch.” She looks at her phone. “More like early dinner, but whatever.”
You feel a bit bad for Anakin after you’ve recovered from your giggle fit. At this point you’re quite used to their antics. Mary and Anakin went to high school together, their rivalry has always been in good fun and has apparently existed long before you came into the picture. As the three of you walk towards the decided sandwich shop on campus, Mary asks how the exam went and chatters about what she was up to when you forgot she existed. You glance back at Anakin to find he’s already looking at you, you give him a small smile and he gives you one back, his cheeks still twinged red from earlier humiliation.
True to his word, Anakin buys you both early dinner sandwiches, as well as one for himself. You all settle in the corner of the shop by the window.
“Hey, pretty sure you’ve paid me back, you can go now.” Mary says with a shooing motion.
”Yeah, you wish. I’m staying right here.” His usual well meaning sarcasm has finally returned. Your shoulders relax, you hadn’t even noticed they were tense.
“Kay, whatever.” Mary replies. “Hey, I don’t blame you, you wanna hang with the champ. Bet you’re hoping her smarts will rub off on you.” Mary adds, bumping your shoulder with hers. You shake your head and giggle.
”Yeah, I guess so. Doesn’t seem like her smarts have rubbed off on you any.” He quips.
“Hey! I’ll have you know I’m doing very well in my classes.”
“Oh yeah?” He raises a brow.
“Okay maybe I’m not top of the fuckin score board like the both of you, but I make do.” She growls.
“The both of us can’t be top of the scoreboard.” You comment.
“Well we all know you’re number one, beautiful.” Mary says to you with a saccharine grin.
Anakin scoffs, “we’ll see once the exam scores are posted.” He smirks at you.
And there it is, in just one afternoon you had completely forgotten your own rivalry with him, how could you forget just how much he pisses you off. When you graduated high school, you hadn’t expected to do so well in university. Your own passion shocks you at times. And at the very bottom of your list of things you expected to happen, was to have an academic rival. When you first met Anakin, he was a lot more cocky. You had chalked up his recent kindness towards you as having earned his respect, you’ve held your own in this little competition of skill. But now the stakes have risen, because there’s always a prize, which has become more than just keeping your ego intact.
You frown and shoot him a glare, he shuffles in his seat.
“Right. Guess we will.” You grit.
Mary, noticing the sudden tension, quickly changes the subject.
“Soo. Anakin.. got your eyes on new internships?” She asks with raised brows. You already know why she’s asking, the prize. What you and Anakin are both after. She’s hoping he’s trying for something new.
he sighs, he has the courtesy to look sorry. “No. Still trying for the Oscorp position.”
She sucks in a breath and looks to you quickly. Her nervousness makes you bristle.
“Well. May the smartest one win.” You reply tightly, and he nods.
This competition, whats it all for? The prize? An internship at oscorp working in one of the best labs money could buy. There’s only one opening and its reserved for the highest scorer in this round of exams. The realization that you had spent the day with the one person you’re competing against for something that will change your life makes you shift in your seat. Thats what its always been about. But now that the deadline is so close, it feels a lot more real.
The three of you finish your sandwiches in silence.
“Well, we better head out, don’t wanna miss the bus.” Mary finally says after a few long minutes of tense silence.
Anakin finally meets your gaze, he looks like a kicked puppy. “I can walk you to the bus stop-“ your glare cuts him short.
“No thanks. See you later, Anakin.” You say as you rise from your seat.
Mary and you part ways once she gets off at her stop. You’ve still got another three stops till you’ll be on your block. Plenty of time to overthink your bitterness.
For the life of you, you really can’t decipher why the internship is such a soft spot. Do you really doubt yourself that much? After all this time of the both of you head to head, suddenly you fear you don’t have a winning shot. You fidget with your fingers and glance out the city bus window. Today was a really bad day for your exam nerves to kick in. The first day of midterms, you’ve still got five more to take. All the grades will be posted on the following Monday. Your stomach feels as if its twisting in on itself. Why were you so relaxed today? It’s like you just forgot what the stakes were. Did you pay extra attention to the questions? Did you recheck your answers? Did you really get it all? Your brain whirs as you try to think of any possible slip up you could’ve made.
You’re still reeling from the fact that you were so distracted today as you get off the bus and begin your trek to your apartment. You’re relatively certain you did well on the exam, but you still can’t believe how easy time seems to slip away when you’re around Anakin. Did he do that on purpose? Usually he doesn’t hesitate to remind you of the stakes. So why was he so helpful? God, all it does is piss you off.
You’re too caught up in your thinking to catch the sound of footsteps behind you. Your brows furrow as you suddenly come to. It’s dark, you're still a good five minute walk from your apartment building, the street is empty, and whoever is behind you has been steadily getting closer and closer. You curse your distractible mind.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. You try to calm yourself, to hide your bunching shoulders, slow your breath and listen. The steps behind you grow closer, you pick up the pace just a smidge and they do too, that’s what sends you into a frenzy.
You break into a sprint, the feet behind you do as well. You race down the dark street, the corner light in front of you seems miles away. There’s a small alleyway coming up, you contemplate taking your chances on it.
When you turn your head you find your assailant to be hot on your tail, that makes up your mind. You whip to the left into the narrow alleyway and begin shouting, kicking down trash cans behind you. When you turn the corner, you find a dead end.
You turn, your assailant stands at the end after he turns the corner, a wicked grin on his face.
“Help me!” You scream. How cliche is this? The damsel backs herself into a corner. I mean seriously, running into an alleyway? Classic movie drama. Except this isn’t a movie, this is real life. And you are now alone in an alleyway with a scary dude who could easily overpower you.
he starts pacing towards you, mumbling incoherencies under his breath. You brace yourself, try to remember any self defense you’ve ever happened across. Go for the throat, the eyes, the nuts. Scratch him, get his DNA under your fingernails. God help you, fight like a madwoman. Thats what you remind yourself as you let out a final scream once he gets close.
you stupidly squeeze your eyes closed as he lifts his arm, a natural reaction you suppose, but the impact never comes. There’s a thud, you open your eyes. Evil guy is attached to the wall to your right, covered in what looks to be webs.
“Spider-Man?” You mumble, eyes wide.
”The one and only.” Says a voice beside you, loud, playful.
You whip around, there he stands. Tall, muscular, sporting a suit you’ve seen so many times. On the news, the paper, the internet, now here right in front of you.
He obviously notices your shock, he waves a hand in front of your face and you snap your mouth shut, you hadn’t even noticed it was open.
“You alright, ma’am?” He asked, his voice a gentle timbre, much softer than it was before.
You nod. “I’m not- hurt.” You sputter. “Just shaken up.” He nods thoughtfully.
“Would you like me to take you home? I can deal with this guy after. He’ll still be here.” He jokes, jutting his head to the man attached to the wall.
you blink, once, twice. “Take me home?” You repeat quizzically.
”sure. Would you like to walk or,” he points to the rooftop above, “swing.”
Spider-Man just saved you and now hes asking if he can take you for the joyride of your life.
you look up at the rooftop, and back at him. “Will you go slow?” You ask softly.
“Course I will. I’m sure you're scared enough.” He replies, he almost sounds excited.
“Promise?” You ask thoughtlessly.
He falters at that, nodding his head. “Promise.” He whispers.
He reaches towards you, you give him a look of apprehension.
“Can’t exactly swing without holding onto you, angel.” He chuckles.
You practically melt, your hesitance dripping away from you. You step close to him and place your hands on his sturdy shoulders as he pulls you into his body with one arm.
“Hold on tight, spider monkey.” You can practically hear the smile in his voice.
The quote snaps you out of your daze.
”Twilight?” You question, a smile gracing your lips.
“What? It’s a good movie.” He shrugs, and before you can even respond, he shoots a web to a nearby building and you are suddenly in the air.
You shriek, moulding yourself into him.
”Jesus Christ!” You scream as the two of you continue to ascend at an alarming speed.
“Slow down- slow down- slow down-“ you cry, burying your head into his neck, his hold on your waist tightens.
“Hey, easy, easy. I’ve got you.” He says softly. The movement stops, you’re clearly somewhere very high.
“Look at this.” He whispers.
You shakily lift your head from his neck and your breath stalls in your lungs. The two of you are hanging from a large building, so close to the top you can see the railing, but that’s not what caught your eye. The city, from this view, its beautiful. Thousands of dazzling lights, buildings, life everywhere. The wind whips through your hair.
“Do you get to see this every night?” You ask him, meeting his gaze. The eyes of his mask narrow, you suppose it must be from him smiling.
“Mhm, just about.” He says.
“It’s amazing.” You whisper.
“Yeah. Pretty amazing.”
The two of you stay like that for a bit longer, until the warmth of his body is no longer enough to subdue the cold breeze, the chill set deep in your bones causes you to shiver.
“Better get you home now, it’s late.” He says, swinging down.
You guide him to your apartment building, the ride down much smoother than the ride up.
He drops down on the ground in front of your building, setting you down and making sure you’ve got your footing. When his arm unravels from your waist, you nearly gasp at how much colder you get.
You look at him, still breathless.
“You okay?” He asks once again. And you grin as you nod.
“Thank you, Spider-Man.” You say softly.
He clears his throat. “Of course, just doing my job.” He straightens up, like he’s posing or something, and you can’t help but giggle.
“Well, I better head in.” You say, and he nods.
“Right. Have a good night ma’am. And uh- I guess if you ever need help again, just scream.” He says, backing away.
“You think you’ll be able to hear me?” You ask playfully.
He halts. “Yeah. I’ll hear you.” He says it like a promise, and just as sudden as he had appeared, he was gone.
Your bones were practically jelly by the time you melted into your bed. As you drifted into sleep a smile crept onto your lips.
Abrupt ending!! Sorryyyy anyways hello everyone I’ve returned. Dedicated to @chocolatepeanuttraveler happy late Christmas and late birthday. I LOVE YOUUUUU, im gonna edit later don’t worry guys. Mwah xoxo
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pucksandpower · 2 months ago
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hello! this is kinda outside the medical questions, but im in my last year of high school and i plan on pursuing medicine in the future. do you have any tips you can share on possibilities of studying or even reviewing for upcoming tests/exams? and any tips for when to apply to med school!
Hi, my love! I answered a similar request about tips for applying to medical school before, which I will link here.
When it comes to studying, it really does depend on finding what works for you! The majority of my classmates use Anki for the bulk of their studying. While I do find Anki useful for memorizing certain things, I discovered quite quickly after beginning medical school that it may not be the best option for me when it comes to my lectures.
What I like to do is watch each lecture once without taking notes, just listening to the professor speak and absorbing what I can (first pass). Then, I go back to watch the lecture recording and take notes (second pass). After this, I use my notes to answer the objectives given for the lecture (third pass). Once I have done this for every single lecture that will be on a particular exam, I review them all one more time by simply reading over the notes (fourth pass).
Practice questions are also so helpful! Everyone says that the best way to figure out if you’ve learned something is application, and it’s so true. I am fortunate because most of my professors provided their own practice questions, however when those that don’t will typically link a textbook that they use for their material which almost always also includes some practice questions that are relevant to the specific content.
I hope this helps, and good luck with your studies!
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the-garbanzo-annex-jr · 27 days ago
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By Nurit Yohanan
Education to martyrdom in math classes
Among the passages flagged by IMPACT-se is an 11th-grade history text that claims Zionists “used false claims” to justify their connection to the land while establishing a “Zionist settlement in Palestine.”
These “false claims” include “first, that Jews, despite belonging to various countries and societies, represent a single national group characterized by Semitic ethnic traits… and that there is no solution to the Jewish problem other than the establishment of a Jewish state in the Promised Land (Palestine).”
It also refers to the Jewish settlement of the land as “Zionist colonialism… in Palestine.”
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A map of the Arab world in a Grade 11 Geography textbook. (courtesy IMPACT-SE)
Educational material for 12th graders on Islam includes a religious text interpreting the Quran that portrays Jews as liars and deceivers. A discussion question asks whether a warning about resisting “the temptation of enemies” refers only to Jews.
According to IMPACT-se, the textbooks glorify martyrdom and violence, including a first-grade reading exercise that uses the word “shahid,” or martyr, to teach an Arabic letter. In a second-grade Arabic textbook, a poem tells of a boy and girl pledging to “carry the flame of the revolution,” as they go from Haifa to Jaffa to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque.
An 11th-grade reading exercise includes “Martyrs of the Intifada” by Palestinian poet Fadwa Tuqan, which praises stone-throwers during the First Intifada. An 11th-grade history textbook describes the high Palestinian death toll in the First Intifada as “fuel that powered the uprising.”
“The blood of every martyr gave the Intifada the strength to continue,” the text reads.
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Archive: Clashes in Ramallah during the first intifada (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
The glorification of jihad and martyrdom extends even into arithmetic, IMPACT-se found. Fourth and ninth-grade math textbooks include problems requiring students to calculate the number of martyrs killed over a given period.
Meanwhile, at least three maps found in the textbooks omit Israel, instead terming the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River as Palestine. An 11th-grade map also refers to 1988 as the year that Palestine was founded, referring to the Palestine Liberation Organization’s largely nugatory declaration of independence that year.
Glorification of the war on the class chalkboard
Beyond the online textbooks, the IMPACT-se report claimed to find images and videos from schools that opened since February in which students are exposed to materials and other content inciting violence against Jews or Israel.
According to Mahmoud Matar, the PA Education Ministry’s representative in Gaza, 93% of all schools in the Strip were destroyed in the fighting that was sparked on October 7, 2023, with Hamas’s deadly invasion of southern Israel.
But in February, as a ceasefire took hold, the PA announced that it was opening 680 learning centers across the Strip. To cope with demand, students must attend in shifts, going for a limited number of hours a few days a week.
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transformationsproject · 4 months ago
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Trans rights are still under attack in the United States. Please visit our website linked below to learn about your state and contact your reps. Here's a thread of today's updates:
Bathroom bills deny access to public restrooms by gender or trans identity. 
They increase danger without making anyone any safer and have even prompted attacks on cis and trans people alike. Many national health and anti-sexual assault organizations oppose these bills.
Tennessee HB0064 was filed yesterday. This bill targets school bathrooms, banning all trans people from using the proper bathrooms in schools.
North Dakota HB1144 was filed yesterday. This bill also targets school bathrooms, banning all trans people from using the proper bathrooms in schools, with a potential $2500 fine.
Healthcare bills go against professional and scientific consensus that gender-affirming care saves lives. Denying access will cause harm.
Providers are faced with criminal charges, parents are threatened with child abuse charges, and intersex children are typically exempted.
Virginia HB2146 was filed yesterday. This bill targets trans healthcare by allowing people to sue doctors for trans care up to twenty years after the fact. This is designed to punish any doctors who provide care to trans people.
Educational Censorship and Student Suppression bills force schools to misgender or deadname students, ban instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and make schools alert parents if they suspect a child is trans.
They remove life-saving affirmation and support for trans youth. 
Oklahoma SB413 was prefiled yesterday. This bill has several components and expands on previous sex ed bans. The most notable section requires all sex ed materials in the state to be picked by the state legislature, not by teachers.
Connecticut SB00036 was introduced today and sent to the Joint Education Committee. This bill bans classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation from K-3rd grade and restricts it for 4th-12th grade.
Oklahoma SB348 was prefiled this week. This bill requires that all school textbooks must define sex and gender in such a way as to explicitly exclude trans and intersex people, regardless of modern scientific understandings.
Washington SB5136 was prefiled last week. This bill requires teachers and school staff to deadname and misgender trans students, which is effectively state-mandated harassment.
Trans Erasure bills create legal definitions of terms like “sex” designed to exclude or erase trans identity and insert them into various laws. This can have many different effects, depending on what laws are affected.
They can force a male or female designation based on their sex assigned at birth.
Some target anti-discrimination statutes, legally empowering trans discrimination 
New Hampshire SB38 was introduced today and sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill is a classic Trans Erasure bill, aiming to add an exception to the state’s Human Rights law allowing for discrimination against trans people.
Digital Censorship Bills describe any legislation that potentially targets Queer and Trans media/material for removal. 
They typically do this by using vague and broad definitions of "Obscene" or "Harmful to Minors" and then banning such content from being accessible to minors, which often either removes the material entirely or requires age verification methods in order to view. 
This includes online censorship bills, library book bans, and other such legislation.
New Hampshire HB293 was introduced today and sent to the House Judiciary Committee. This bill adds a filter to all electronic devices in the state, targeting queer and trans content. 
SD SB18 was prefiled on Monday. This bill adds an age verification requirement for social media as well as restricting queer and trans content online.
Most sports bills force schools to designate teams by their sex assigned at birth. 
They are often one-sided and ban trans girls from playing on teams consistent with their gender identity.
Some egregious bills even force invasive genital examinations on student athletes.
Virginia HB1809 was introduced Monday. This bill targets school sports from K-12 and in higher education, banning trans women and girls from participating.
Maryland HB156 was introduced today and sent to the House Ways and Means Committee. This bill targets school sports from K-12, banning trans girls from participating.
In other bills that either fit multiple categories or stand on their own, we have:
Connecticut SB00136 was introduced today and sent to the Joint Government Administration and Elections Committee. This bill prevents the state from requiring anybody to use specific pronouns, which would make it so that anyone can misgender any trans person in the state. 
It's not too late to stop these and other hateful anti-trans bills from passing into law. YOU can go to http://transformationsproject.org/ to learn more and contact your representatives!
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sugatrapp · 1 year ago
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「 O b s i d i a n 」
•─────────────•°•❀•°•─────────────•
Part I
Pairings: Severus Snape x Gender Neutral Reader
Summary: Professor Greeves’s infatuation with the potions master reaches a breaking point when he begins spending more time with his assistant.
Warnings: Lovesick reader ~ Jealousy ~ Angst ~ Use of “they” pronouns ~ Non-specified gender of reader
A/N: The last name Greeves is given but reader is otherwise not described.
AO3
Masterlist
Ko-Fi
•─────────────•°•❀•°•─────────────•
Fridays in Advanced Phylactery Making held a special place in Professor Greeves’s heart. Watching awe light up their students’ eyes after separating the metal from their molds never failed to light a fire of pride in them. The hollow pieces were dim and bare bones, but it was a steppingstone to material that would prove useful beyond their studies.
Sanding was next. Each student was equipped with sheets of wet sandpaper as they hunched over their tables and ran them over their soon to be amulets. Greeves had to correct a few eager ones well on the way to sanding a hole in the frames. It was understandable; they’ve been waiting since fifth year to start crafting. Two whole years of learning theory and writing papers on proper amulet usage left plenty of time to weed out bad apples and encourage those with a genuine interest. Much to their surprise, only two students dropped the course while leaving a majority of thirteen.
They couldn’t ask for better students. It was every professor’s dream to have an engaged, well-behaved class every day. They were the talk around the staff room, including from the potions master. One Monday evening while both professors were heading off to dinner in the Great Hall, he expressed his disbelief after hearing of their students’ accomplishments and quick comprehension.
“Some of the seventh years can hardly brew a Wiggenweld potion, let alone craft a talisman,” he grumbled.
It was a normal day in the Hall. The students talked among themselves while forking down their meals. Greeves noticed a little too late that the only available seats were at his usual end of the table. They struggled to contain the warmth rushing through their face and their trembling hands. Talking with the reclusive dungeon bat was rare in and of itself, but sitting near him during mealtimes was unheard of for them. Even in the three years they’d been at Hogwarts, the opportunity had presented itself only one other time, much less desired back then.
Now, as they piled food onto their plate while continuing to speak about their classes, Greeves was aware of their lingering gaze. It wouldn’t surprise them if he could see the hearts shining in their eyes. His deep drawl caressed their soul with feather light fingers, leaving it a purring mess. His obsidian pools drew Greeves in further into their depths each time their eyes met. They seared their skin when they weren’t looking. And his hair, sleek and majestic, aroused the urge to run their fingers through it.
To say they were smitten was an understatement.
His perfect lips were saying something, yet no words reached their ears.
They wiped the serene smile stretching across their face, attention planted firmly back in the present. Hopefully they weren’t as obvious as they were back then. After a few laps around the rows of tables, the clock hanging above the door signaled the end of class and the end of the school week.
“Great work today everyone. Please bring your projects to my desk and don’t forget to clean your workstations,” they looked pointedly at the student notorious for leaving her area in a whirlwind. She blushed before sweeping her metal shavings into a bin. The rest scrambled to collect their things and turn in their work.
“Next week we will learn how to infuse them with magic, so make sure to begin reading the section in your textbooks,” they called to their retreating forms.
Excited chatter settled over the group, continuing down the hall. While they pondered their plans for the weekend, Greeves had their own to attend to. They opened their bottom desk drawer, retrieving a small drawstring bag. They turned it over in their hand then stowed it away in their pocket with a deep breath. Very big plans indeed.
An embarrassing bounce plagued their steps on their way to the Great Hall. Their stomach growled angrily at their insolence, empty since the lackluster biscuit and jam breakfast they had. They couldn’t entirely blame waking up later than usual. No, the nerves from haunting thoughts of a certain dark-haired man are partially to blame.
Before he grew to tolerate them, Severus hadn’t made it easy to get close to him. Asking him a simple question about his day seemed like a crime. Greeves could admit they didn’t trust others easily either, but there came a time when they had to realize not everyone had bad intentions. They didn’t know why he was so cautious. All they knew was they wanted him to take a chance on them.
The usual cacophony of chatter greeted them as they entered the Great Hall. A couple of students waved at them while they walked down the aisle, which they reciprocated with a smile. It eased their mind slightly from the task at hand.
It’s not a big deal, they thought, just say you want to talk to him about something privately. But would that be too forward? Too weird? Would he want to talk to me at all? They were so lost in their head that they didn’t realize the seat beside him was already occupied. They almost choked on their next breath. There she was, Clara—his newly appointed potions assistant—munching away on grapes while talking to him. Her animated manner of speaking was hard to ignore. Some days it was infectious to a degree.
Today was not one of those days.
When Clara first joined the Hogwarts staff, Greeves didn’t mind her jovial company. It made grading and trips to Hogsmeade more interesting. The stories she told of her muggle life in America fueled their desire to visit it one day. She made an honest effort to get to know each of her colleagues. Though not everyone appreciated her chipper attitude. Severus scoffed at any mention of her. He gave her the treatment he gave every newcomer: one-word answers and avoidance like they were diseased ridden. Clara didn’t heed their warnings about his standoffishness, pacing furiously in their classroom one day with a frown that didn’t fit her face.
“I mean, he didn’t even let me finish what I was saying!”
Greeves recalled similarly their time as a newbie. They didn’t fully accept him brushing them off either, but they learned when not to push him too hard. Clara, not so much.
“Don’t be too upset,” they patted her shoulder before going back to putting up supplies. “He’s like that with everyone.”
“But I want us to be civil at least. He won’t even give me the time of day!”
Greeves smirked, vaguely remembering having the same conversation with Professor McGonagall.
“He’ll come around eventually. Just don’t bombard him so soon, okay? Ease into it.”
She paused her frantic movements to ponder their words then nodded, a determined expression replacing her frown.
“Okay. Thanks, Professor.”
They wouldn’t have bothered if they knew it would lead to that. Their heart pounded against their chest harder the closer they get to the head table. He didn’t look annoyed or even mildly disinterested. He was actually engaging with her. They rounded the table, pausing to address them.
“Hello Clara,” it came out more strained than they intended. “Professor.”
Greeves barely paid attention to her cheery response and focused their attention on him instead. He glanced over for a second and gave a polite nod.
Ouch. It felt like their every move was being ridiculed and scrutinized as they took the available seat next to Professor McGonagall further down the table. They greeted the older woman and made a bit of small talk between bites of pasta. They went into autopilot mode. They didn’t fully comprehend what they or Minerva were discussing. All they could linger on was the fact that Clara had waltzed in and wormed her way into Severus’s good graces much faster than them. Much faster than they had heard from the other professors.
A sudden giggle reached their ears, startling them from their trance. They looked in that direction, regretting it immediately. Clara was cackling at something he said. But what really left their heart heavy was the expression on his face. His fine lines were smoothed out, the corner of his lips raised in a half smile, and a glint in his eyes that reminded them of stars on a moonless night. They never saw him look so…placid.
Greeves sighed, long and defeated. They turned back to their plate where they’d been pushing and prodding at their food. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a good idea to talk to him after all.
“Are you alright, dear?” Minerva interrupted their spiraling thoughts.
They blinked, quickly forcing a smile when the question registered.
“Of course, Professor. Just thinking about the assignments I have left to grade.”
They took another bite of food to sell the lie though grimaced afterwards. It had gone cold. Minerva took one look over her shoulder at what they had been transfixed on before a knowing smirk tugged on her lips.
“This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with a certain professor, would it?”
“No-No, not at all!”
Even they didn’t believe the lie. Their half-hearted denial fell on deaf ears.
“You should tell him how you feel.”
“And if he doesn’t feel the same?”
She placed a warm hand on their shoulder. “Then you’ll know, and you won’t be tormented by constant what-ifs.”
They were still unsure, yet groups of students heading for the exit let them know they didn’t have long to decide. From the corner of their eye, they saw Severus taking his leave, his cloak billowing behind him. Clara was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps Minerva was right. It made sense for them to get along. It would be counterproductive if they despised one another while working together so closely. Or maybe Greeves was setting themselves up for heartbreak. Maybe they were closer than typical colleagues. Either way, they knew they had to do something.
They had to know for sure.
They thanked Minerva for the advice before heading off to their chambers to freshen up.
•─────────────•°•❀•°•─────────────•
Unfortunately for them, patrol duty didn’t wait or care about their prior plans.
The halls were calm apart from the stragglers they caught sneaking around with firecrackers. It was even worse since they now had to serve them with a lengthy detention sentence on Monday. After escorting them back to their respective common rooms, they realized they weren’t far from the potions’ classroom. Past curfew or not, Greeves could count on Severus doing some late-night grading or reading. They figured a slight deviation wouldn’t hurt.
They fished the drawstring pouch from their pocket, a faint blue glow emanating from it in the dim lighting. On they walked toward the dungeons, feeling the gradual shift of temperature to a biting chill. They gave themselves a pep talk the entire way that did nothing to slow their doubts.
The door came into view, left cracked open which he only did when he expected them to drop by. Did he notice their not-so-subtle staring at dinner? Had he been aware of their affection for him the whole time?
They bit their lip as they approached the door, raising their fist to knock when a voice that wasn’t his slashed their resolve.
“It’s refreshing to know someone who’s into the same things as I am. You wouldn’t believe how much I was teased for being a teacher’s pet.”
Clara, Greeves frowned. What was she doing here? They willed their heart to quiet for fear of anyone hearing, leaning closer to hear his response.
“It’s nothing against you personally. Others only fear and envy what they don’t understand.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“My early days were no walk in the park either, but you can’t dwell on the past lest you prove them right. You have a brilliant mind and potions are a viable medium, personal bias aside of course.”
“That means a lot, Severus.”
Heels clicked further away before a pin drop silence settled in. With feathered steps, they inched the door open enough to see what was happening. The moment their eyes focused, they gasped and covered their mouth with both hands. The pouch hit the ground with a muffled clack. They…
A hellscape realized was the only thing close to describing the scene. Their blurry forms pulled away from each other as they questioned the noise, one of them starting towards Greeves. They forced their legs to work, casting the disillusionment spell then taking off running. Patrol forgotten, they didn’t stop until they reached their chambers. Only when the door was closed and securely locked behind them did they allow the building sob to escape. They slid down the doors length until they were on the floor, hiding their face behind their knees.
At least they finally got an answer.
•─────────────•°•❀•°•─────────────•
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