#textbooks and school materials not included

[brooklynbornhaitian]

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

[envolvenuances]

mentioned Ibe in the previous post so in case anyone doesn't know him he is a doctor who makes medical illustrations showing black people.

and my personal favourite:

[soon-palestine]

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 We are unaware of any other solicited piece that has been revoked by the Law Review in this way.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.”

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

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

x

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.

x

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 :)

[j-richmond]

Why aren't comics more common in TTRPGs?

(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)

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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.

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!

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!

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!"

(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.

[ms-demeanor]

*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.

[milkoomi]

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!

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

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 🌷

[thestarstoasun]

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.

[ahhnini]

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

ೃ༄ 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.

taglist - @nemesyaaa @julie123456897 @mfdoomdickrider @grxnde-dwt

click here to be added to my taglist!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

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.

[transformationsproject]

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!

[sugatrapp]

「 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.

•─────────────•°•❀•°•─────────────•

TAGLIST

@liv2post

@cold-blooded-girls

@bobobomao

@h0n3y-l3m0n05

@reivelmin

@evans23

@dracolilhoe

✨Leave a comment below if you would like to be added to this series' tag list! ✨

[ros3ybabe]

Current Japanese Study Routine + Resources 🎀

As you all may know, I am currently self studying Japanese and Spanish, though I am putting Spanish on the back burner for now so I can focus more on Japanese as that is where my passion lies at the moment. Lucky for me, there is a Japanese language and culture club on my university campus that I am (hopefully) going to join next week or the week after, given how busy my schedule ends up being. I thought I’d make a little post about my current routine that I use to study and what resources I am currently using and am planning on purchasing to use in order to build my proficiency in this beautiful language!

Current Resources 🩷

Apps - I am currently playing around with several apps to see which ones work for me, so here is all the apps I currently have downloaded to my iPad/phone

Duolingo - this has been a go to for all language I’ve ever tried to learn, it’s useful for me as a basic introduction to vocabulary, sentence structure, some grammar, and I just like how it involves typing, speaking, listening, and reading.

Drops - this one is just a fun little 5 minutes gamified way to learn vocabulary for me, it’s definitely a go to on my lazier language learning days

Bunpo - I like this for learning the kana but I didn’t realize it costs money to use fully so I am debating purchasing a subscription to the paid version

Write Japanese - this one I’m using to learn the correct stroke order for the kana and I like it for the most part

Renshuu - I just signed in to use this one last night and it looks interesting. I’ve seen it recommended by several blogs and even when google searching language learning and watching YouTube videos so I’m excited to try it out!

NHK for School - I saw someone recommend this on their blog and I remember using the website version in the past so I know this will be helpful when it comes to reading

Jisho - this is a dictionary app that I’ve seen recommended on so many platforms and I’m always open to a good dictionary!

Japanese - this one was recommended on a blog post and it allows you to add vocabulary and interesting phrases so I thought it’d be useful once I start on learning sentence structure and grammar

Italki - this one is the one I’m most excited to use. It connects you to people who speak and teach your target language for a set timed lesson, and it does cost money but you pay by lesson, not on a subscription basis. So if you do one lesson the first week and then another lesson in three weeks or something, you only pay for those two lessons. I’m really looking forward to trying this one out in the future once I get more comfortable with speaking.

Anki - a flash card app I am using to currently learn hiragana and will soon use for katakana and eventually kanji and phrases. I was gonna use Quizlet but I ended up liking this one better for my current needs.

LingoDeer, Memrise, Babbel, HiNative, HelloTalk, Hey Japan, Busuu, Kanji, Kana, Sensei - apps that I have and have not tried yet. I really like the ones I’ve already tried so I’m not sure if I’m going to use these ones soon but if I get bored of current apps than I at least have alternatives to turn to to continue learning

Textbooks/Workbooks/Materials - I currently own two workbooks but will include the resource I am planning on buying, as well as any stationery material I am also using!

Japanese for Busy People I - This was the workbook we had for the Japanese class I took at my university while in high school. My dad ended up buying it for me if I promised not to take Japanese classes once I went to college. (My parents don’t believe it is useful to know and they are helping pay for my education so I didn’t have a choice.) I haven’t started reusing it yet but once I am comfortable with the kana then I will resume using it.

Let’s Learn Katakana - this is a katakana writing book my older brother bought for me (he is supportive of everything I have an interest in even if he doesn’t understand it himself) and it is really useful for learning and practicing writing katakana. However I am still focusing on relearning hiragana so I will return to this workbook after I solidify my hiragana knowledge.

Genki I and Genki II textbook/workbook + answer key bundle - I am planning to buy this off of Amazon as I have heard from most people who are learning Japanese on their own that this set is really useful for self studying so of course I am going to invest in it once I get paid next week.

I am also looking for a hiragana, katakana, and kanji writing workbook to practice those skills.

Free Online Resources -

YouTube!

Anime!

Music

Manga

Anything free I can find online when google searching resources

Stationary Supplies -

Kokuyo Campus Smart Ring Binder in pink

Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens in black

Index cards

Pilot g-2 fashion pens

Zebra mild liner highlighter/markers

Papermate Mechanical Pencils

Mini notebook to carry around for vocabulary

My iPad + Apple Pencil + Goodnotes 5

My Chromebook

A lot of resources but I am trying to stick with this for the long term. A few years ago, I self studied Japanese everyday for about 2 years and gained a good understanding but fell off from studying Japanese when I went to university.

My Current Study Routine* 🎀

*when I have more than 30 minutes to study, if I only have 30 minutes or less I just mess around on my language apps

I currently do not use any workbooks or textbooks as I am trying to re familiarize myself with the language. Here’s my current study routine!

Practice Anki flashcards 3 times or until I get 85-90% correct

Practice hiragana writing in Write Japanese app (~10min)

Duolingo lessons for 10 minutes

1 Japanese language Drops lesson

Use Renshuu until I get bored (~10-15min)

Watch an episode of anime as a reward (Japanese audio with English subtitles)

I will switch this up to a more structured way of studying once I start using my textbooks and workbooks, but for now this relaxed style of learning is working for me time wise and attention wise (ADHD brain right here).

I also listen to Japanese music throughout the day and try to recall hiragana characters correctly in my head when I have the time. I also sneak in some practice when at work on my apps and whatnot. I mentioned in my last daily check in some of my favorite Japanese artists, and I also love Japanese versions of K-pop songs too! I’m currently watching Bungou Stray Dogs on crunchyroll right now, and I’m open to any recommendations for what to watch next!

If anyone has any language learning tips or resources they’d want to share, feel free to comment! It would be greatly appreciated!

Til next time my lovelies 🩷🤍

[doumadono]

GRATULACJE Z OKAZJI 3K, ZASŁUŻYŁAŚ

I'd love to request: comforting you when you’re anxious with Bakugo and f reader, blurb nor headcanons, whatever you find more accurate

An explosive shoulder to lean on - Bakugo x Reader

Synopsis: in times of anxiety, Bakugo extends his unique form of comfort to soothe your worries A/N: thank you so much, my dear friend! Your support is truly priceless. I hope you'll delight in this brief blurb I've crafted ♥

MASTERLIST

One gloomy afternoon, as rain tapped against the windows, you found yourself hunched over your desk in a class, anxiety gnawing at your insides. The weight of upcoming exams and the pressure to excel in a world of heroes was suffocating. Your fingers tapped nervously on your textbook as you tried to focus on the material before you, silent tears streaming down your cheeks.

Suddenly, the door to the classroom swung open with a bang, and Bakugo stormed in, his expression a mix of irritation and frustration. Katsuki had to make a swift return to the school when he realized he had left his phone behind in the classroom. He had a fierce scowl on his face, the telltale sign that something was amiss. His crimson eyes narrowed as they scanned the room, and it was then that he spotted you, sitting at your desk with tear-streaked cheeks.

Bakugo's initial instinct was to scoff, to retreat from the unexpected vulnerability he had stumbled upon. But something held him back, a small flicker of empathy buried beneath his layers of brashness. He cleared his throat, drawing your attention, and his voice, surprisingly gentle, cut through the silence. "What the hell are you doing here, crying like an idiot?"

Panic surged through you, but his gaze held a peculiar softness that contradicted his words. He looked uncomfortable, as if grappling with an unfamiliar emotion. It was a side of him you had rarely seen.

Swallowing hard, you struggled to find your voice. "I-I'm just… having a tough time, I guess."

He snorted, his arms crossed over his chest. "Tch. That's no excuse to blubber like a damn baby."

For a moment, his harshness threatened to push you further into your shell. But then, to your surprise, he pulled out a chair and sat down next to you, his movements awkward and uncharacteristically unsure.

"Look," he began, his voice gruff but with an underlying gentleness. "I ain't good at this kind of crap, but if you're gonna sit here being all mopey, you might as well tell me what's eating at you."

You hesitated, the words caught in your throat. But the way he had defied his own nature to sit beside you, to offer even the slightest semblance of comfort, gave you the courage to open up. "I'm just… overwhelmed, Katsuki… It feels like I can never catch up, like no matter how hard I try, I'm always falling short. I'm scared of failing, of disappointing everyone – including myself."

"Listen, idiot," he grumbled, his words surprisingly gentle. "I get it. We're all dealing with our own crap, and sometimes it feels like the weight of the world is gonna crush us. But the only way to deal with it is to keep pushing forward, to keep fighting. So, stop crying and start kicking that anxiety's ass."

You couldn't help but chuckle at his blunt, yet oddly inspiring, pep talk. Bakugo was offering comfort in his own unique way, a blend of tough love and unwavering support. It wasn't a traditional display of kindness, but it was genuine and heartfelt in its own right.

The tears that had threatened to consume you began to recede, replaced by a newfound determination. With Bakugo by your side, even if he was more likely to explode than offer a hug, you felt a renewed sense of strength. You wiped your eyes, managing a small smile.

"Thanks, Kacchan. I needed that."

He grunted, his cheeks tinted with a faint blush that he tried to hide. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't make it a habit, got it?"

With that, he stood up abruptly, as if eager to escape the vulnerable moment he had created. But as he walked away, you couldn't help but feel a warm glow of gratitude. Katsuki Bakugo, the explosive hero-in-training, had shown you a side of himself that few ever witnessed – a side that, despite his rough edges, was capable of providing comfort in its own uniquely fiery way.

[asaka-lucy-dr-rc]

I saw on the news that Nobuyo Oyama, the first voice actor of Monokuma, had passed away. (If you want to see more details, click here). Monokuma is one of my favourite characters and I like the character design so much that I even bought a Monokuma T-shirt (see attached photo) that was sold at the Danganronpa THE STAGE merchandising about 10 years ago.

To be honest, when I first heard that Nobuyo Oyama was going to voice the character who is the facilitator of a death game in a game called Danganronpa, I was quite shocked and uncomfortable with the idea. It might not be so obvious to people who don't live in Japan, but Nobuyo Oyama is more than just a voice actress — she is a legend. In fact, there is a story in elementary school textbooks about how her mother took her to many hospitals when she was a child because she had such an unusual voice, how she felt insecure because of it, but how her life changed after she started voicing Doraemon. (I’m not sure if it's still in the current textbooks, but at least at one time, her life story was so significant that it was included in educational materials.) For various reasons, I became interested in Danganronpa a little before DR2 was released, and I was impressed by how well it was done. I eventually grew very fond of Monokuma as a character.

Even after playing the game, I still felt uncertain about how she viewed the character, but I was happy to hear her response in an interview on Dangan Radio when asked, “What do you think of Monokuma?” She simply replied, “I think he’s cute.”

I feel sad that she is gone, but I’m also grateful for her long life and the joy she brought to so many people. I thank her and wish her peace.

[la-principessa-nuova]

fun idea that nobody should do:

Create a fantasy world and do a bunch of worldbuilding over the course of several years until it feels like a real, consistent world

Figure out the basis of the actual story you are setting within that world

Pick a character in that story

Consider when that character would have been in school (or whatever period where they would have learned about history

Consider how affluent the area is and based on that consider the quality and age of materials used in that school would be (or how their oral histories would be affected or whatever is relevant to the setting)

Consider who would be writing a textbook of that quality however many years before that character is in school (or who would have told the teacher the oral history or whatever) and create a specific character who is the author of that work

Write a textbook as if it were written in the year the textbook would be from, in the society it would be written in, with the biases and misconceptions the author would have based on their background, with the constraints of what the current regime would allow to be published and what the publishing industry in that world would allow to be published, and what the people who purchase books for that area would be ok with and parents would not get upset about (or write down an example of a telling of the oral history with equivalent considerations such as what the previous elders would have been OK with being included)

Create another character who would be the history teacher or whoever would teach the student

Give the material and the character’s information and some background details about the world to an actual history teacher who likes role playing and have them prepare a lesson about it

Create characters who would be in the class with the character you are working on and give their information to several actual high school students (or whatever age) to role play, and you role play as the character you are writing

Prepare the closest you can to a simulation of the classroom environment (or equivalent) in your world including note taking equipment

Have the teacher give the lesson to you and the other students.

Repeat for as long as needed to cover the full curriculum, changing out textbooks and other students as needed

With the knowledge you now have of how that character would have received and interpreted that knowledge, now wait a while to simulate the passage of time between then and the events of the story, and in the meantime consider what else would be happening to the character to affect their assumptions about what they learned and what they might read between the lines

Use that information in writing the character to inform how they see the world.

Repeat for all other characters in your story.

Lose steam and abandon your WIP for a new idea.