#that's just my personal opinion on the matter

[huhwhuhs]

Urghhhhhhhgruuuuu.....flessssshhhhhh.....

—

Today sucked, genuinely sucked, it wasn't a bad day all around, but it was just because my favorite set of ear buds decided to crap out on me last second so I had to go through the day in complete silence.

Which, in my personal opinion, is genuinely miserable.

The worst part was that they were actually pretty new, only two years old, and my last set gave me a good five. But one of the speakers just decided to blow out entirely and I'm not only going to listen to music in one ear for the rest of the time I have them.

But it doesn't matter now, shit happens and you just have to move on in life. I'm sure there's some inspiring quote out there about hurdles for this exact reason. So, I do as everyone does and go buy new earbuds with my already limited budget.

My job isn't the best, dead end at a packaging facility with a boss who thinks since I can actually do my work it's okay to pile more on me for free. Luckily, I have a bit of leftover spending money, so while I won't have anymore outings these next two months, I at least won't be entirely miserable during them.

Things are expensive now though, it's price tag after price tag, google search after google search, checking reviews and wondering how some of these got past the first testing trial with so many glitches.

But, eventually, right near the back of the rack, tucked awkwardly away because they probably don't bring in as much money as the others, is a plastic container with a little square black case inside.

It's shockingly cheap, there's not many reviews on them but none seem too bad, and they'll at least last me until I can save for some actual good ones, and maybe still have enough to catch dinner with my friends sometime.

I go to the counter, the cashier looks at me funny but I think it's because she never really sees anyone buying these, that or I'm more disheveled than I first thought. Then I pay and walk out.

Back home after a long drive, the radio louder than normal to make up for what I was lacking during the time I was standing awkwardly silent in that store. Unlock the door, step inside, kick my shoes off and watch them thunk against the shoe rack I never bother to actually use properly, and sit down to set everything up.

The case is pleasantly warm, I think they were pre-charged since the little light on the front for the battery shines yellow instead of red, most likely drained while it was sitting out on the rack. I grab the little manual, press down on the two little black earbuds while they're in the case to turn on pairing mode, and finally get them connected.

The manual, of course, says things about how you should take them out regularly, and how constant loud playing can "irritate" the speakers. A strange word for it but it's not something to pay much mind to.

Of course, I don't listen, because I love destroying my hearing one song at a time. They mold to my ears surprisingly comfortably, they're never cold out of the case, and they must run on solar power or something because every time I put them back in they're already charged. It almost feels uncomfortable to take them out now, like I'm taking some part of my ear with it.

Yeah, it's... almost ironic looking back on it now. Staring into the mirror as I take out my earbuds to shower and watch blood trickle out of my ear canal, freaking out and then seeing how pale and disgusting the inside of my ear has become, how its soft and sensitive and spongey with little porous holes in the flesh, everything is muffled and I can't tell if the swelling is blocking it, the blood, or if my ears are just infected and dead already.

I can only attribute it to one thing, and to i take those damned earbuds and throw them on the tile, watching the backs of them break off and start bleeding how it oozes onto the tile and stains it red how I can see bloody flesh underneath how I can see it pulse like it breathes and the little blood-stained hairs on the eartips like soft bristles that act like mosquitos how it mo v e s

[lakesbian]

anyway i think the fundamental reason why taylor shitting on her own small chest feels different + less misogynist than other cases of this all-too-common trope is that. in most scenarios where a male author has their female protagonist randomly go on about her chest size, the vibe is that we're supposed to view her commentary as like. A rational self assessment. it is portrayed as expected that women constantly fixate on and analyze their own value as sex objects based on their physical attributes--that this isn't really an indicator of an unhealthy mindset, it's just a fact of life, it's something these shallow toys for men naturally do--and when they report on their value to the readers, it's just a rational, accurate statement. the same conclusion that any person (i.e. any man, because only men are people) would come to upon seeing that woman. it's like. "of course she's telling us about her tit size, that's basically the only thing that matters about her, or at least the most important thing." that's what's being conveyed in incidents of this trope. you know?

but with taylor it's like. it's not like that. what it is with taylor is that Taylor Fucking Hates Herself. right off the bat taylor is portrayed as this full person with flaws, strengths, and many odd little neuroses as a result of deep-set trauma. and she Fucking Hates Herself. she picks at Everything about herself, and it's not through the lens of what a man might find to criticize about her, it's through the lens of what she, someone with her specific philosophies, traumas, and general personality, would find to criticize about her.

like, a man (BRIAN LABORN EVEN) might criticize her brashness, her coldness, her Reminiscent Of A Cult Leader Swag, but she's always criticizing herself for not stepping up enough, for not trying to 1v1 solo that kaiju wrecking the city, you know? shes a girl who yells DONT FUCK WITH ME RIGHT NOW!!! at rachel while participating in a gang war concussed as fuck. (because she hates herself and has no self preservation). but shes also always panicking that she might smell bad and doesnt know it, that shes too tall, that shes standing weird, that everything she says comes out wrong, that shes stupid and ugly and weird and theres Everything Wrong With Her.

so. of course at some point it lands on self-demeaning "and btw my tits are small." shes not reporting that for us under the aforementioned misogynist framework, shes fixating on it as an incredibly complicated character who also happens to genuinely fucking hate herself. and basically thats my overly longwinded opinion on why im ok with taylor fixating on tit size constantly.oh and the other reason is that it accidentally makes her sound bisexual and thats cool too

[professional-rat-eater]

I think my favourite part of IWTV is how often Rolin Jones and the cast bring up Anne in interviews.

Whatever your personal view is of her aside, it is incredibly rare for the people behind an adaptation to speak with such reverence for the source material and for them to actually follow through too. I think it’s easy to look at IWTV from the outside and think “oh, I’m not watching that. They changed (x,y,z.)” and yeah, they did, but did they change as much as you think?

Sure, some characters look different and are different ages and the timeline is a little different but, at least in my opinion, everything they’ve done feels like a natural extension or a logical next step for those characters and the story. If Daniel was allowed to age, that is how he would act. Claudia being a little older only highlights the justified anger she had regarding her age in the books. Louis’s blackness being woven into the story is far more poignant and sympathetic than him staying a mopey, whiny slave-owner (in fact the race changes of all the characters only adds to what their overall arcs were already about.) Armand’s youth was coveted as it was supposed to be but he also aged out of it, making his story somehow even sadder because he had to watch as time took away the only aspect of him he had been taught had value, and now his face is frozen forever as a reminder of that.

And they always bring it back to Anne. If an interviewer tries to ask about the creativity of their plots, they say it’s all Anne. They certainly deserve the praise but no matter what, they mention the source material. Rolin carried that beaten up copy of The Vampire Lestat in every interview he’s in just so he can show the interviewer where season 3 really is. It’s in his hands. It’s all Anne’s work. They’re just building on it.

And I feel like half the time I watch an adaptation, the creatives behind it don’t really get what it’s about. Maybe they keep the basic elements, but the soul of the piece is usually lost (looking at you, every Dracula adaptation ever made) but with IWTV, they’ve shown that the spirit of the piece actually might be the only thing that truly matters. You can change so very much and have it still be the same story with the same point to it.

And I think it hits a little different too because she’s a female writer and so often the work of women is downplayed and trivialised, yet here this group of deeply talented, creative people are, refusing to let you forget that this woman is, was and always will be a pillar of the horror genre, and that has to be the ultimate honour as a writer. To have people care so very much about what you made. To be understood so deeply.

[nathanbatemanfucker]

She Blooms At Night

summary: fanboy’s crush on you comes to a head when you let your hair down post success– yours does too.

pairing: mickey ‘fanboy’ garcia x f!reader (call sign is juniper)

contents: suggestive language, pining, yearning, alcohol mention & consumption, bar/club hopping, PDA/kissing (truly making out)

wc: 1,621

an: after seeing SEVERAL fan edits with danny’s characters to dandelion by ariana grande i couldn’t stop thinking about scandalizing sweet baby mickey on the dance floor!! (mickey being shy & respectful is just MY take on his characterization, if you don’t agree that’s okay friend 🫶🏾)

danny ramirez character masterlist

Every single one of them had warned him. Phoenix, Rooster, Bob, Coyote—even Hangman, who usually only cared about himself. They had all warned him from the moment you walked on the scene.

It makes Mickey wonder how poorly he was doing at hiding his crush on you.

At the end of the day, the only person’s opinion that mattered was yours. For the time being, it seemed you decidedly had no opinion—or maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as obvious as the others claimed he was.

“You’re in trouble now,” Phoenix whispered in his ear as they all celebrated on the flight deck.

“He’s gonna live up to his name tonight,” Coyote quipped, clapping Mickey on the shoulder.

“Guys, knock it off,” Bob said, giving Mickey an apologetic smile. He knew what it felt like to be the butt of the joke and wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone.

Hangman ignored the scolding, wagging both of his eyebrows. “Ultimate Fanboy—loading.”

“Shut up,” Mickey murmured, his eyes flickering around on the lookout for you just in case.

And pop up you do, weaving through the throng of celebrating pilots and support staff. Your presence cuts through all the noise like a sunbeam, bright and impossible to ignore.

“Holy shit, we did it,” you yell as you join the group, scooping Phoenix into a hug.

“Juniper, how are we celebrating tonight?” Hangman asks, eyes never leaving Mickey’s.

“You know exactly how we’re celebrating. Everybody’s letting their hair down tonight—even Fanboy here,” you say, reaching up to run your fingers over the short bristle of his buzz cut.

Mickey nearly stops breathing, his chest hitching. The touch is fleeting, but it strikes him, energy flowing through him like a live wire. It takes everything in him not to lean into it, not to chase the feeling of your fingers against his scalp.

He swallows roughly, gives you the best smile he can manage, and makes an excuse about congratulating Rooster before you can notice the heat rising in his face.

—

The celebration had started at the Hard Deck, uniforms still in place, the familiarity of the bar keeping everything at a reasonable simmer. Mickey did his best to mingle with everyone but you, his eyes drifting over to you every once and a while.

“It wouldn’t kill you to talk to her, would it?” Phoenix asks him over the music.”

“Kill no, but I don’t wanna make a fool of myself.”

“That would be hard— she likes you, Mick. You’re just too enamored with her to see that.”

“I’m not into taking risks, you know that. Here, I’ll go get us another round,” He grabs her nearly empty mug and starts towards the bar, effectively ending their conversation.

The last thing he needs is to get his hopes up.

But, the second he stepped into the club later that night, every bit of self-restraint dissolved.

He doesn’t know when or where you had enough time to change into this number, but you’re going to be the death of him.

Your hair is down, framing your face in a way that makes his stomach drop. The dress—if it can even be called that—clings to you like shimmering silver raindrops, catching the club’s flashing lights with your every move. It’s a little see-through. Stops halfway down your thighs.

Mickey nearly chokes on his drink.

It’s Phoenix who nudges him, half-laughing, half-exasperated. “Don’t pass out, Fanboy.”

“I’m not gonna pass out,” he grumbles, staring down into his beer.

You make your way from the bar to join the two of them at the table. “Hey, where are the other boys?”

Phoenix nods towards the dance floor— Rooster, Hangman, and Coyote all have at least one girl on their arm, dancing under the colorful lights.

“Bob?”

“He said it wasn’t his scene,” Mickey shouts over the drum of the bass.

“Well do you wanna dance with me, Mickey?”

You’ve never called him that before. You’re always strictly professional and focused on the task at hand. He’s never seen you stray, never seen you distracted…or so relaxed. Your shoulders which are usually up to your ears are down, glowing with some sort of body oil.

It’s over for him; he feels turned to goo, unable to turn you down.

“I— uh, sure. Are you sure, because I—“

You cut him off with a laugh, grabbing his hand. “C’mon, Fanboy, it’s just a dance. Unless you’re scared?”

He swallows hard. “Not scared.”

“Good.”

Before whisking him away, you assure Phoenix that you’ll bring him back after a dance or two.

“Don’t mind me,” she calls after you two, a knowing grin on her face.

You guide him through the crowd effortlessly, moving to the rhythm of the bassline that thrums through the floor and straight into his chest. His hand is clammy, but he grips yours firmly, not wanting to mess up this moment.

Dancing with you is…it’s a problem.

You move like you were made for this—the music, the energy, the way your body fits so seamlessly against his. Every sway, every shift of your hips sends a fresh wave of heat through him. And then your hands are on his shoulders, skimming down his arms before slipping around his neck, pulling him in just a little closer.

His heart is pounding. You have to hear it, have to know how you’re affecting him this way. With how close you’ve guided him, he has no choice but to hold on to you tightly, his hands fitting like gloves around your hips.

As he grows more comfortable, you decide to test him.

Your hands skim up his arms, slow and deliberate, until they slip around his neck again. You press in just a little closer, tilting your head up to meet his eyes, your mouth curved into something dangerously close to a smirk.

“You know,” you murmur, “I think I like this side of you, Fanboy.”

He’s struggling to breathe. “What—what side?”

Your fingers toy with the short hairs at the nape of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. “The one that actually touches me instead of staring from across the room.”

Mickey swears under his breath, tightening his grip on your waist. You knew. You knew the whole time, and you’re having fun with it.

“I don’t—” His words cut off as you shift, your body rolling right against him. His jaw clenches. “Jesus, Juniper.”

Your laugh is warm and breathless. “Relax, Mickey. I don’t bite.”

But there’s a glint in your eye that says you could— that you would if he asked nicely enough.

The song shifts, the beat deepening, a low pulse of bass and heat. His fingers are caressing your waist with need. With urgency. His body finds the rhythm of yours like it’s second nature, a push and pull, a slow unraveling.

It’s intoxicating and dangerous, it’s got him thinking his dreams don’t have to just be dreams. They could be reality.

You can see his resolve crumbling— his breath grows quicker, eyes hazy with obsession.

Just when you think he’s about to combust, you lean in, lips brushing his ear. “Kiss me, Mickey.”

His heart drops into his stomach. Are you— could you be serious? Is he dreaming? Did he die on the mission and wake up in the afterlife to what he’s wanted since the first time he laid eyes on you?

No. You’re too real beneath his fingertips. Too warm and soft, the smell of your perfume somehow cutting through the alcohol and sweat of everyone else.

It’s the way you look at him that makes him sure this is truly happening. Eyes glittering with mischief, you have to know what you’re doing to him. The way you whisper it, like a secret, like you’re letting him have the control when really, you’re running this whole damn show.

He hesitates. Not because he doesn’t want it—he wants it, god, he needs it—but because this is you. And this feels like something bigger than just the heat of the moment. This isn't just a kiss with some girl in a club; its you.

You pull back just enough to meet his gaze, your fingers tightening ever so slightly at the nape of his neck. Your expression softens—not teasing or challenging. Just waiting, hope glowing in your eyes.

That glimmer of hope is all it takes.

Mickey leans in, closing the space between you with a kiss that’s hesitant at first—soft, searching. But when you respond, when you sigh with relief against his lips and press closer, he melts.

Any teasing energy you had left fades away now. All that’s left is you, your hands cupping his jaw, your body pressing flush against his as you kiss him slow and deep and unhurried like you’ve got all the time in the world.

Somewhere in the background, there’s a sharp whistle.

“Fanboy’s really living up to his name,” Hangman yells loud enough for probably the entire dancefloor to hear.

There's cheering, whooping but it can't hold his attention, not with you in his arms and the ghost of your taste in his lips.

Mickey should care. He should be embarrassed.

He can’t find it in himself to do either when you grin against his lips, sliding your hands down his chest before tugging him back in for another kiss—deeper, more insistent. It’s sensual, the way your tongue brushes against his.

And he realizes in that moment he would do anything you asked him.

He’s gone for you. Utterly, completely gone.

Judging by how you pull him even closer, how your fingers toy with the hem of his shirt and skim across the skin of his torso like you need to touch more of him—

You’re gone for him too.

lmk if you’d like to be on the danny ramirez characters taglist!

sfw danny taglist: @magikdarkholme, @plan3t-plut0, @mewmew222, @linnygirl09, @ezhz444, @karmaswitch, @badbishsblog, @glader13, @how2besalty, @happypopcornprincess, @hiireadstuffsometimes, @lisiliely, @spider-steve, @nolita-fairytale, @hrlzy, @faretheeoscar, @giuliahowlett, @abriefnirvana, @fanboyswhore9 , @sidkneeeee, @sophreakingfunny, @heartbreakgirlism, @peachyxlynch, @lomlbuckybarnes, @a-randomscrub, @ajcs150, @glimodejun, @isuckatmath, @arsonhotchner, @sidkneeeee, @galaxywannabe, @retrosabers, @marchingicenotes7, @marroonwitch, @jaebugzz, @that-girl-named-alex, @bxtchboy69, @moonymeloncholymoney, @mischiefmanaged71, @something-random-idk, @dualinstinct , @alevanswrites, @articel1967, @lanoviadestiles, @peacefangirl

[deathcries]

Latin from The Witcher books translated

This took a bit longer than I expected, but I finished them :] Keep in mind that I've only been studying Latin for 3 years and that I've had to translate these into Finnish first (all my Latin dictionaries are in Finnish) so there might be some slight mistakes. I've sorted these by book and marked the page number (which might be slightly off due to translations and editions of the books). A few of the phrases are used multiple times in the books, I've only included the first page where the phrase was used for the first time in the book. Some of these have the translation right next to them in the books, but I've also included them here. Also some of these have multiple translations, but I've chosen the one that best fits the context in my opinion.

Blood of Elves

p. 209, ad valorem - according to value p. 309, casus belli - cause for war

Time of Contempt

p. 254, victoria - victory

Baptism of Fire

p. 34, persona non grata - person not welcome p. 35, quod attinet - which is related (to) p. 36, justitia fundamentum regnorum - justice is the foundation of kingdoms p. 36, crimen horribilis non potest non esse punible - a horrible crime can not be without punishment p. 36, lapis super lapidem - a stone on top of a stone p. 37, fundamentum regnorum - the foundation of kingdoms p. 37, primo - firstly p. 37, secundo - secondly p. 37, memoria fragilis est - (the) memory is fragile p. 37, raptus puellae - abduction of a girl p. 38, sempiternum meam* - forever mine p. 179, perpetuum mobile - perpetual motion machine (lit. perpetual motion) p. 186, vagina dentata - toothed vagina p. 344, summa cum laude - with highest praise

The Tower of the Swallow

p. 15, vulnus incivisum - incision wound p. 18, rubor, calor, tumor & dolor - redness, fever, swelling & pain p. 115, crimen - crime p. 204, delirium tremens - alcohol-induced delirium (lit. mental disturbance with shaking) p. 217, per fas et nefas - by right and wrong p. 230, cui bono? - to whose advantage? p. 340, de non preiudicando - without prejudgement p. 349, casus belli - cause for war p. 356, pacta sunt servanda - agreements must be kept p. 408, de profundis - from the depths p. 409, propria manu - with one's own hand p. 461, societas leonine - partnership with a lion

The Lady of the Lake

p. 27, ad usum delphini - for the use of Dauphin / for the use of the heir p. 27, summa summarum - all in all p. 77, pericolosus - dangerous p. 171, omnia mea mecum porto - I carry all my possessions with me p. 378, exitus - passed away p. 496, post factum - after the fact p. 497, per acclamationem - by acclamation p. 498, persona turpis - ugly/disgraceful person p. 502, ad futuram rei memoriam - for future reference p. 502, nihil ad rem - nothing to do with the matter p. 502, status quo - existing state (or just 'status quo') p. 503, pro publico bono - for the public good p. 503, salus publica lex suprema est - the health of the people is the supreme law p. 504, verba volant - words fly p. 504, non possumus - we can not p. 505, ad referendum - for referral p. 506, ultimus familiae - last of the family p. 537, vivant - long live p. 537, digitus infamis - infamous finger p. 539, perpetuum mobile - perpetual motion machine (lit. perpetual motion) p. 577, et cetera - and so forth (or just 'et cetera')

Season of Storms

p. 15, status quo - existing state (or just 'status quo') p. 16, ipso facto - by the fact itself p. 35, primo - firstly p. 35, secundo - secondly p. 35, tertio - thirdly p. 37, notitia criminis - notice of a crime p. 38, probatio de relato** - proof concerning the telling of events p. 39, praeiudicium - prejudgement p. 39, Testimonium unius non valet. Testis unus, testis nullus. - One testimony is not strong. One witness is a worthless witness. p. 39, ergo - therefore p. 39, praesumptio - presumption p. 39, in dubio pro reo - in doubt, on behalf of the accused -> in doubt, favour the accused p. 42, cautio pro expensis - security for expenses p. 81, nil admirari - don't be surprised / let nothing surprise you p. 102, summa cum laude - with highest praise p. 102, quadrivium - 2nd group of 7 liberal arts (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music) p. 102, Sphera Mundi subdividitur - The sphere of the world is subdivided p. 102, aer - air p. 102, aether - aether/sky p. 102, firmamentum - support p. 102, erratica sydera*** - roving stars p. 102, fixa sydera*** - fixed stars p. 102, sydera cadens*** - falling stars p. 103, quod erat demonstrandum - which had to be proved p. 109, causa finita - (the) case ended p. 125, unguentum ortolani**** - ortolan ointment p. 133, sine ira et studio - without anger and enthusiasm p. 137, bene vale - be well -> goodbye p. 172, fulmen sphaericus, sagitta aurea - lightning ball, golden arrow p. 193, ad rem - to the matter p. 196, tapetum lucidum - a layer of tissue in the eye (lit. bright tapestry) p. 238, post Resurrectionem***** - after the Resurrection p. 309, Illustrissimus et Reverendissimus - Most illustrious and Most venerable p. 309, Magnus Magister - Great Teacher/Master p. 309, Honoratissime - Most honored p. 309, anno currente - during this year p. 310, non compos mentis, eo ipso - not in control of his mind / not of sound mind, thereby p. 310, impune est admittendum quod per furorem alicuius accidit****** - it must be admitted with impunity that something happened out of anger p. 310, ad interim - temporarily p. 311, item - also p. 311, non sufficit - not enough p. 312, bene valere optamus - I wish you good health p. 312, semper fidelis vestrarum bona amica - always faithful to you, good friend p. 312, manu propria - with one's own hand p. 345, ad libitum - to please p. 351, deus ex machina - god from the machine p. 359, crescite et multiplinicamini******* - increase and multiply p. 393, quarto - fourthly p. 393, quinto - fifthly p. 394, persona non grata - person not welcome

Latin that I can’t find the page for or isn't in my books (trans. Tapani Kärkkäinen), but are in other versions

Baptism of Fire, incognito - unknown

Bonus

Regis - genitive singular of rex, regis m.: king

-

*I have no idea how this fits into the context **should be probatio de relatu ***I have no idea what Sydera is, since astrum, astri n. is 'star' in Latin ****ortolani might be a latinisation of ortolan, not sure though *****probably talking about the conjunction of the spheres and not a resurrection ******I spent so long trying to crack this one, but I'm not sure the translation I decided to go with is correct (I might ask my Latin teacher about this sentence) *******should be crescite et multiplicamini

I might've missed a few, if so, do tell me!! I'll gladly discuss and read your thoughts about these, especially if you have differing translations!! :]

[solarwynd]

I find it amusing at how every time the members are asked who's the first member to listen to their album jimin is never the first name? Not even second or third for that matter. They be like "jimin is someone i love alot, trust alot", armys be like "jihope are the closest" and what not but how is jm never in the top names of that list? I mean if I make music the first person I'd want to show it would be my bestie. Not always to get a feedback but just because that's my bestie and we show eachother things first when done? Idk it's amusing to me and makes me wonder on how much respect they put to his artistry or artistic view.

It would make me feel some type of way if the other members specifically said “the member(s) I go to first are the ones whose music opinion I value the most.” And they never put up Jimin.

And even then if they’re not actively putting him down I don’t think I could personally get that mad. But it’s always more of him still not getting the acknowledgment I feel like he should be getting in general.

I think back to what Hobi said about showing JK his new songs first and that’s fine in itself. But then he went on to wax about how much of an honor it was that he did and how much he respects his opinion and that just had me scratching my ass. Cause like really? Even if you didn’t want to bring up Jimin at all, not even Joon at least? One of the most musically inclined members of the group? 😭 He had to put the one who intentionally surrendered any kind of real artistry for assembly line made slop on such a high pedestal?

They praise him for breathing, but for Jimin, who honestly does have nearly or the same amount or prowess as rapline when it comes to making music: crickets. And with what Hobi said in an interview he did recently about all the members “knowing what their roles are”, it makes me paranoid at what that’s alluding to. Still stuck in the same decade old positions that the majority of them have plateaued or seriously regressed in. Like I really do not want this to continue into whatever they have planned next where the majority of them gloss over how much more inclined Jimin has become with MUSE and FACE + the hit songs he’s made yet still just relegate him to the role of “dancer” and the “high note hitter.” He’s capable of doing so much more. They need to let him.

[2nd-coming-of-kamote]

i havent come out yet but i suggest doing so at a time where you dont have anything else to worry about in the moment aside from coming out, maybe at home eating a meal. start your coming out slowly but straight(lol)forward. dont immediately go “parents im genderfluid". just say that you have something to say and need to be sure you will be supported by them.

"Parents i need to tell you something. This is something i need to be sure that you will not hate me for. Im genderfluid"

If they dont understand what that means, calmly explain. Ignorance can often lead to hatred, but it is not equivalent to hatred. Educate your parents on what being genderfluid means before they can start having any hateful opinions on it. Remind them that this is who you are and are not being influenced or forced by anyone to pretend being so. Include whatever information you see fit

If they support you, thats good omg you are so lucky

If they are not supportive and and express hate toward your identity, naturally you will feel emotions about this. Make calm and rational desicions to deescalate any conflict that may come from this, but stay true to your emotions.

If they dont know what their stance is on this matter, give them time to think. Despite this being your identity, ultimately they are the ones who decide how they feel about you being genderfluid.

No matter what they say, this is about you being genderfluid. Do not let their reactions stop you from loving yourself and being true to who you are.

Only come out if you know you are safe to do so. If you know your parents are definitely transphobic, stay in the closet for your own safety.

You can gauge their supportiveness/transphobia by watching shows or movies with characters that identify as genderfluid or another not cis identity, make sure that the show does not focus on their identity. If they know you purposefully watched a show abt being genderfluid or something else, they may confront you about being genderfluid when you are not ready to talk about it with them.

If you know that they are fine with characters in media not being cis, start making small talk about real people you know who are genderfluid (or not cis in general) (if you have the person's consent to talk about them). If you do not know anyone who identifies as such, make up a person or talk about yourself in the 3rd person. Do not directly talk about their identity, rather just talk about things that happened. Remember to use the person's correct pronouns, even if they are not the conventional she/her or he/him (especially if they are not only either of those 2). For example, you could say : "Me and my friend were just hanging out in their house one day, when this bird flew into their window and died on impact!" Talk slowly so they can understand what you said, but do not emphasise their pronouns. It will sound unnatural and suspicious if you do so.

Remember to do these in small doses at first to not be too sudden. Gradually watch more media with more genderqueer characters and bring up more people in your small talk who use less conventional sets of pronouns.

Hope this helps, as i mentioned before i havent come out to my own parents so idk if this will actually work

Good luck op

I’ve seen other people do it, and I’ve been procrastinating on this for years, so whatever I’ll just do it…

500 notes and I’ll come out to my parents as bi.

1,500 and I’ll tell them I’m genderfluid too.

(Also if you guys can give me advice on how to tell them that would be very helpful)

<3

Pink = goal reached

Yellow = completed

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Miraculous vs The Power of Love

I've written several posts where I talked about Miraculous' poor use of the power of love trope and how that massively turned me off to canon. Three strikes and you're out! When this topic comes up I usually bring up Adrien and only Adrien. This has led to some anger at the fact that I didn't mention love failing anyone else as it absolutely has. I've also seen some anger over my desire for Adrien to defeat Gabriel's control and win the day since Adrien is a victim and that means that it's perfectly fine if he fails to beat his father's control no matter what the consequences of that failure are. After all, the failure isn't really on Adrien. It's on Gabriel. A sentiment I understand, but don't agree with since this is a writing blog. I'm discussing the message the writing is sending not which character gets the in-universe blame.

I'm not going to change how I discuss this topic since it is my honest opinion, but I can explain that opinion in depth to hopefully save us all from miscommunication! That's why I'm making this post! It addresses all of the above. I'll be linking to this whenever the topic comes up so that I can include some nuance without having to go into all of the detail I'm about to go into because - as you'll see - this is a long one which is why I don't go into this depth in other posts. It would just totally derail them. I'm also not going to go into the deconstruction aspect of things here because this is already really long, but I do have a post on that for even more nuance!

If you disagree with any of this, that's totally fine! I just ask that you keep the your counter arguments civil. Remember, we're talking about a badly written kids show that none of us have the power to change and the magical power of love isn't real so it doesn't actually matter if I'm right about this. Nor is Adrien going to thank you for coming to his aid. He doesn't exist and, as always, my issue is not him as a person. My issue is the way the narrative uses him as a storytelling tool.

What Is the Power of Love?

The power of love is a trope where either platonic or romantic love saves the hero from some type of conflict or upsetting situation. It's a rather broad trope that can be used in conflicts of any size, but even TV tropes acknowledges that it's primarily "applied in dire situations to make things better. In fact, in many Disney movies it's the solution to everything." That definition is how I approach the power of love.

To put it more bluntly, unless we're talking about a specific example, when I say "the power of love" I am thinking of a story's climax or, in the case of something like a multi-season show, one of the climaxes. More specifically, I'm thinking of the lyrics to one of my favorite cheesy pop songs:

There comes a time When you face the toughest of fights Searching for a sign Lost in the darkest of nights The wind blows so cold Standing alone Before the battle's begun But deep in your soul The future unfolds As bright as the rays of the sun You've got to believe In the power of love

If it's not the toughest of fights or the darkest of nights, then the power of love failing may disappoint me, but I don't consider it an unforgivable sin. In some cases, I'd even be disappointed if the power of love was brought in before the climax! The power of love is the ultimate cheesy move so it makes sense to save it for the last minute if using it earlier would lessen or even ruin that last minute epic save.

To show what I mean, let's talk about another trope that Miraculous has failed to use well, but that doesn't ruin the show for me. A trope that has led the show to do the exact thing we just discussed: ignore a small moment when love should have won to allow for a bigger win when all hope seems lost.

The Evil Clone Thing

[Image description: the Buzz and Woody meme with the words "Evil Clones. Evil Clones Everywhere"]

There have been an absurd number of episodes where the evil clone/evil twin trope came into play, but the three big ones are Ladybug, Optigami, and the season four final. In each of these episodes, we see a good character replaced by an identical evil version. We also see the good character's love interest fail to recognize that their crush/romantic partner has been replaced. That means that all three of these episodes see the power of romantic love failing. We also don't see a more platonic version of love show up to save the day.

The worst of these episode is the season four final where Marinette doesn't recognize that Felix has taken Adrien's place. That deception is how Gabriel steals the miraculous so it's obviously a pretty big deal and can be argued as a major fail for the power of love. I don't disagree. I think that Marinette's love should have let her see through the lies and dislike that the writers took this route to make her lose. However, I don't have this on my list of moments when the power of love needed to win for the story to work.

While Marinette failing to recognize Felix leads to her darkest hour, it does not happen in her darkest hour. Her darkest hour comes when she actually loses the miraculous which happens in a completely different scene from the one where she's deceived. It's also worth noting that Felix is not present in this moment of loss so there was no opportunity for the power of love to pull off a last minute win.

The loss of the miraculous leads to a scene where Ladybug is sitting alone in the rain, ready to give up all hope. And what happens next?

[Image description: Chat Noir standing in the rain, smiling, holding out his hand to Ladybug]

Chat Noir shows up to reignite Ladybug's will to fight via his love and support. She takes his hand, he draws her into a hug, and they stand together as one, ready to once again face their enemy:

Cat Noir: We're gonna get them back one by one…until the very last. And we'll make sure this never happens again. Ladybug: You...and me? Cat Noir: You, the best superhero there ever was... and me, your loyal partner.

A lot of people love this scene and it led to some major hype for season five which means that it's time to quote some more of that cheesy song that I brought up at the start:

Stand by my side There's nothing to hide Together we'll fight to the end Take hold of my hand And you'll understand What it truly means to be friends You've got to believe (you've got to believe) In the power of love

While I don't love the season four final, it is a B-tier execution of the thing I was talking about earlier. Canon let love fail in a small moment to increase tension and give Ladybug a "darkest night" moment. That darkest night moment then led to a semi-epic power-of-love comeback that understandably got a lot of fans super excited for season five because they assumed that it was going to be the season of Ladynoir. In other words, for a lot of fans, the power of love did its job in the season four final!

All of this is why I don't bring up Marinette when I talk about the power of love failing. It does fail her, but not in her darkest nights and toughest fights. Any time she's overwhelmed and ready to give up all hope, someone comes along to give her the will to fight on. That person is usually Chat Noir because he's her end game love interest so of course the writers use him! His "you and me against the world" moments may not be the most epic example of the power of love winning, but they are the power of love winning, so saying that the power of love fails Marinette feels like an overstatement of harm. She's never had a total loss.

The closest we get to Marinette truly losing is the season five final. That episode feels like an ultimate-level failure to many of us, on par with Ephemeral, but the writers clearly don't agree. For them, season five had a happy ending which makes critiquing that final fight tricky. I'll be arguing that Adrien lost hard in the next section, but I can't say the same for Marinette and this section is about her so let's focus on that for now.

No matter how much I hate the final, I can't look at the picture below this paragraph and argue that love failed Marinette because what did losing cost her? This isn't the season four final where she genuinely suffered. This is her getting everything she's ever wanted! The miraculous are back in her hands, she won the heart of the boy she loves, and no one is actively messing with her love life anymore. That's a pretty solid win even if she didn't win the actual fight.

[Image description: Adrien and Marinette at the end of the season five final, kissing in the spot that used to house Emilie's statue.]

This is further complicated by the fact that - as written - the season five final doesn't put Marinette in a position to use the power of love. She's never given a chance to save Adrien or even just talk to him. She doesn't know that's he's in trouble, locked up in a padded cell, suffering all alone! And Adrien's love can't rally her in her darkest moment when all hope seems lost because - for the first time ever in a season final - she never got one of those! She was a badass in the final fight! No pep talk or supportive teammates necessary! She would have had a total victory if the writers hasn't made her try to talk sense to the villain or sent her Adrien's ring just so Gabriel could make the wish, further adding to the problem of this show's absolutely vile messaging around love.

In other words, lack of love isn't why Marinette loses the final fight. She loses because the writers wanted love to empower Gabriel in his darkest moment, a move the writers have the audacity to call a mutual victory. (Gross. Abusive terrorist should not get power of love moments without a massive redemption arc first. It's yet another insult to the trope. Gabriel did not deserve peace while his son goes on to suffer.)

If you think about the episodes Ladybug and Optigami you'll notice a similar problem. The power of love failed to let Chat Noir and Alya recognize that their romantic interests had been replaced, but that failure didn't lead to their ultimate defeat. It didn't even lead the villains to a minor victory! Both episodes maintain the status quo.

This doesn't mean that I like those episodes. I would rewrite both of them to let love win because they're good examples of small moments where love can win without cheapening or ruining the season's big climax. I just don't view these episodes as times when the show needed to use the power of love if it wanted to honor its chosen genre. That requirement only applies when it's a darkest night or toughest fight.

Before we move on, please note that Ladybug was the power of Adrien's love failing, yet I never mention it when I'm complaining about the power of love failing. That's because I'm never purposefully listing every time Adrien's love failed and ignoring everyone else. I'm simply listing the moments when love needed to let the heroes win because we were in one of the show's darkest hours and that is the only time when I consider the power of love a true requirement. Love can fail in small moments to increase the tension, but if love fails at the moment when all hope seems lost, then why are we even here?

There are only three episodes that get that level of criticism from me and each one had a single character whose writing infuriated me: Adrien.

Adrien vs The Power of Love

There are three episodes where Gabriel's identity is revealed and the final fight goes down. Those episodes are Chat Blanc, Ephemeral, and the season five final. In each of these episodes, Adrien suffers on a scale that no other character has had to suffer:

In Chat Blanc he is akumatized and forced to use his cataclysm to kill both his father and the love of his life, dooming him to spend eternity alone in a dead word.

In Ephemeral he is akumatized and forced to use his powers to hand the love of his life over to his father, thereby allowing Gabriel to win and rewrite reality.

In the season five final, Adrien is left alone in a jail cell, tormented by nightmares while his father dies leaving Adrien an orphan. Adrien is then told some truly colossal lies about what actually happened, leading him to believe that Gabriel scarified himself to save Ladybug's life. Since Chat Noir's usual role in fights is protecting Ladybug, this is arguably the equivalent of Adrien being told that his failure to show up killed his father. I'm not even sure if that's the wrong message because Gabriel did die from a cataclysm and Adrien would understandably blame himself for that, too, so maybe this was a way to address that without going too dark for kids and why does that argument hold water? Wtf was this trash fire of a story line???

When you compare Adrien's treatment in these episodes to something like Marinette's treatment in season four final you can hopefully see why it feels like comparing a broken arm to a mortal blow. It's not that Marinette doesn't suffer. In terms of individual moments of suffering, Marinette beats out every other character! But while she may beat Adrien in breadth, he is the clear winner in terms of depth and the only one who never gets a true power of love moment.

Marinette's darkest nights and toughest fights ultimately work out so that she can go on to some new type of suffering, the old suffering fading away to nothing more than memory. Adrien's darkest nights and toughest fights lead to loss and suffering for which there is no cure other than rewinding time or rewriting reality. The season five final even has Adrien directly state that he's not worthy of Marinette's love:

Adrien: I'm not in my right mind. I'm too angry — at myself for falling short of Marinette's love, at my father for sending me here in London, at this stupid app and these rings that use my image... it makes me sick! This nightmare is giving me the horrible feeling that, if I transform, I'll get akumatized and destroy everything with my Cataclysm — Marinette, Ladybug... (Takes off the ring and hands it to Plagg.) Plagg: Surely Ladybug can help you. Adrien: If I ask her for help, I'd have to give her information that would jeopardize my secret identity... and I can't.

This is literally Adrien's last scene in the main story line. He doesn't show up again until the happily ever after epilogue where he and Marinette kiss. In other words, the show had Adrien directly state that he's unworthy of Marinette's love and then did nothing to counter that statement. I guess this poor unfortunate soul is just lucky that Marinette likes him enough to keep him around in spite of his many failings...

Writers, seriously, what the hell are you doing? This is the kind of dialogue that should lead into a power of love moment! How is thinking about Marinette leading Adrien to despair instead of strength? Why is Plagg just accepting this? Plagg is a magical being who was assigned to watch over Adrien. Shouldn't a character like that help Adrien rally in his darkest night? Where's Adrien's you and me against the world pep talk? That should go both ways!!! Have him break out, call Ladybug to tell her that he's not coming, only for her to rally him so he comes and at least fights outside in the city while she does her solo fight! Don't leave him alone to rot while almost every other character in the freaking show gets to fight!

It would be one thing if Adrien gave up because he was alone and scared, but Plagg is there and the writers directly bring up Marinette and love only to do nothing to show those as positive forces in Adrien's life!!! Instead, Marinette is the thing that keeps him from the fight because Adrien's nightmare is him getting akumatized and killing Marinette even though Adrien knows nothing about Chat Blanc.

[Image description: Adrien's nightmare where he's a blue haired version of Chat Blanc, holding Marinette's body in his arms having killed her with a cataclysm]

To be clear, in each of the three episodes I listed above, Adrien is undeniably a victim suffering at the hands of his main abuser. They're also some of the worst moments of abuse in the entire show. It would be perfectly reasonable for a real life person to give into despair if they were put into this situation, but real life people don't transform into magical cat boys who wield the raw power of Destruction. I was not looking for realism here. I was looking for hope and inspiration!

I wanted to see Adrien win! I wanted his love for Marinette and/or his friends to give him the strength to overpower his father's control because that's what the power of love is all about! When all hope seems lost, it's there to let the hero win because love is stronger than despair, hatred, fear, and magical remote controls! It is the bright light that blasts away the darkness in your darkest night! Unless your name is Adrien Agreste, then no love for you! Suffer, feather boy, suffer!

Example of what I wanted from canon

There are many ways to fix these three episodes so love wins, but to keep this simple let's focus on Chat Blanc and what the power of love winning might look like if we let canon play unchanged up until the moment where Adrien loses control of his powers:

Hawk Moth: Cat Blanc, I'm giving you the infinite power of destruction!! Together, you and I will seize Ladybug's Miraculous and awaken your mother!!! Obey!!! Cat Noir: (tries to fight back but fails) I'm sorry, Ladybug! (He succumbs his akumatization and transforms into Cat Blanc. Ladybug watches in horror at his transformation.) Hawk Moth: Seize her Miraculous, My Son!!! (Cat Blanc lifts his right arm to Ladybug, activating Mega Cataclysm.) Ladybug: No, Adrien! You have to resist!! (Cat Blanc whimpers as he changes his mind and points his arm to Hawk Moth.) Hawk Moth: How dare you!? Not me, Adrien!! Cat Blanc: (whimpering while looking to both of them) I... I don't know what to do!!!!!!

Instead of having the mega cataclysm go off here, we instead see this: Ladybug and Hawk Moth both realize that Chat Blanc is incapable of listening to either of them. Hawk Moth's reaction is to turn and run away, desperate to save himself. Ladybug's reaction is to run to her boyfriend's side, not caring about the danger. She wraps her arms around him, closes her eyes, and tells him that it's okay. That she's here and she loves him and she'll stay here and love him no matter what. It doesn't matter who his father is, it's still him and her against the world now and forever.

The more she talks, the weaker the mega cataclysm grows. By the time she makes her final vow, the mega cataclysm is little more than a flickering glow. A black clad hand touches both of her hair ties, disintegrating them, leaving her hair to fall free around her face since that was a thing in this episode. The minor wardrobe change makes her pull back and look at her boyfriend to see that he's back to Chat Noir, a purified akumas fluttering off in the distance. Chat Noir is crying, clearly distraught, but he's himself again because Marinette's presence allowed him to focus on her love over his father's poison. They won. Love won. Fear and abuse lost.

The couple embraces. Hawk Moth's big gambit failed and they now know his identity so the fight is almost over. Paris will soon be free.

From there you can have an epic battle with the temp holders where the butterfly and the peacock are recovered. Nino gets to punch Gabriel in the face a dozen times or so as a treat and Adrien gets to cuddle up with some treats, sitting the fight out since he's already done his part by surviving the reveal of his father's identity.

You could also have Gabriel just give up because he doesn't have any moves left and the full implications of what he did are smacking him in the face, sapping him of the will to fight. Anything that lets this asshole suffer is fine by me! Emilie's fate is up to you. I like to make her at least semi-decent and revive her to give Adrien a happier ending and Gabriel the horror of divorce papers, but that's just me.

Final Thoughts

As I said at the top, I'm going to continue to complain about the way that Adrien was written in these episodes. I don't consider his victim status a reasonable excuse for the way these episodes played out. If anything, his victim status is an even bigger black mark against the writing!

I come to family-oriented media for hope and happy endings! I want stories about victims being empowered! I want Gabriel's controlling nature to totally backfire on him and not in a mutually-assured-destruction way like we saw in Chat Blanc. I want Gabriel's choice to cost him everything and for him to suffer that loss for the rest of his life while Adrien gets endless love and support, allowing him to survive the reveal and go on to live a happy life. If that's not what you're selling, then I'm not buying thus me giving up on canon after the season five final. There's just no coming back from that kind of colossal writing failure.

I will try to remember to use the word "forced" when describing the problems (as in "forced to kill"), but that's the only thing I can change while still sharing my honest opinion since my main problem with these episodes isn't Gabriel's treatment of Adrien. While I don't like how far these episodes took Gabriel, you don't need to rewrite him to make the episodes work. It doesn't matter how far the writing takes Gabriel, he should never be able to successfully manipulate Adrien while threatening Adrien's supposed True Love.

As soon as Adrien knows that Marinette/Ladybug is in danger, it should be game over for Gabriel because love is supposed to be stronger than all of the awful things that Gabriel has done up to and including the sentimonster crap. In fact, the sentimonster crap just makes it even more important for Adrien to win! Gabriel should think he has victory in the bag because he views Adrien as a perfect doll, but love proves Gabriel wrong letting Adrien overpower his amok and win. The trope is called "love conquers all" not "love conquers the mildly inconvenient." The more dire the straits, the more important the win!

Unfortunately, that's not the message Miraculous is sending. By letting Adrien give into his father's control in the show's darkest hours, the message is that Gabriel's control is stronger than love. That Adrien will never be free. That he was Gabriel's perfect doll and you were silly if you ever expected him to be more than that. That's not a message that I'm that ever going to agree with and is yet another reason why I only bring up Adrien + these three episodes when I talk about the power of love failing.

You are never going to convince me that Adrien being allowed to give into despair was a good thing unless you pair that argument with some major changes to canon like love square not being together and/or Adrien not knowing that his actions would endanger Marinette. Even then you need to design that fix in a way that ultimately allows Adrien to win otherwise you are sending a terrible message to the audience. There should never be a scenario where the final battle ends the way canon had it end.

Gabriel is the show's big bad, Adrien is his main victim, and the theme of their relationship has been control. That means that, when it comes to the final fight with Gabriel, Adrien needs to be involved in a way that gives him agency. I'm not saying he needs to fight his father on his own or even at all! I'm okay with him sitting out the fight so long as you pair it with something big like Adrien being the one to learn Gabriel's identity or something more dramatic like my simple Chat Blanc fix.

However, Adrien sitting out only works if it's his own, freely-made choice. As soon as you pair it with something like magic nightmare dust you are once again sending the message that Gabriel's control is the strongest force in Adrien's life. I truly don't understand how anyone can embrace that message and call it good, especially when canon didn't ultimately do something positive with it like letting Adrien become stronger as time went on. He actually got weaker as the show went on!

Chat Blanc saw everyone lose because Adrien was able to at least try to fight back, denying his father total victory. Ephemeral saw none of that fighting spirit and Gabriel just outright won. Season five once again saw Gabriel win only, this time, the show didn't even let Adrien be part of the fight. What an uplifting character arc for Adrien! (That was sarcasm.) Play the episodes in reverse order and you might actually have something if you add a fourth one where he finally wins!

If you want to talk about more minor conflicts where the power of love should have won then I'm happy to do that! Canon has lots of options to pick from! But unless you specify that you want to talk about something minor, these three episodes are going to be my only examples of the power of love failing because they are the only times when love completely failed the character in question. Total loss, no silver lining, writers wtf are you doing?

Listing times when love failed Marinette or Alya in the same list as these three episodes just feels insulting to Adrien unless the context is something like a list ranking the failures from smallest to largest. I'll once again point out that I don't even list the other times when love failed Adrien because my issue isn't Adrien as a person. My issue is Adrien as a tool of the narrative and the asinine message that the Agreste arc sends to the young children this show is aimed at. I wouldn't even be okay with this in a show aimed at adults unless it was clearly marketed as a grimdark take on superheroes. Miraculous should not feel like a kiddiefied version of The Boys and yet here we are.

Why was Adrien granted magical powers and allowed to fight his controlling father for five seasons if Gabriel was just going to die without Adrien getting a decisive victory? Why focus season five on Gabriel controlling Adrien to such an extreme if Adrien was never going to be allowed to break free? Why make Adrien the main love interest and focus the entire show on romantic love if you don't have anything positive to say about romantic love? Why bother getting the love square together before every single final showdown in the freaking show if their relationship status was going to mean nothing? Where is my power of love always so strong?

(Btw, that song I kept quoting is from the original English dub soundtrack to Sailor Moon R - The Promise of the Rose. It plays as love and friendship save the planet Earth from an asteroid. The updated dub replaced the song with the original Japanese soundtrack and the comments are full of people complaining about the change because the song just takes this scene to the next level! I bring this up because Sailor Moon set many people's standards for the magical girl team show genre that Miraculous is clearly taking inspiration from, but failing to fully embrace. If you don't want love and friendship to be on par with nuclear weapons and asteroid attacks, then don't write a show about love and magic aimed at kids.)

[yourtoradorasextendedwarranty]

Based on everything I'm seeing here, and of course this is my opinion on the matter, This teen intended to kill or wound someone.

Texas law is pretty clear about escalation of force. And based on many witness testimony at this point, he provoked the situation and responded to minimal force (being shoved out of a location realistically he should not of been, after having been asked to leave and reaching for a weapon he illegally held on school ground) with deadly force.

To explain this as I may have already in another post (I'm too lazy to check), This is like inviting someone into your car or home then locking the door behind them and shooting them when they try to push you aside to leave. This is a pretty clear cut case of murder. What degree it falls under, I can't know. The way I understand the law it looks very much like First or Second degree. Because escalation of force here was not warranted. What's more almost all the witness reports more or less said that he didn't punch him. Which even if he did Texas law only permits retaliation of the same amount of force.

And if I were to take a guess at what's going to happen at this trial, it's going to be a case of, "Well he's black so of course he was in fear for his life". Except I grew up in Texas. Where even the racists people are pretty fucking tepid and too lazy to do anything half the time.

And I've already seen people bring up Kyle Rittenhouse. This is not even remotely similar a case to that one. Rittenhouse had permission to be where he was. Fled from danger. And only shot when he was put into a literal corner. From 3 convicts. One of whom had already threatened to kill him. From one that was trying to bash his skull in with a skateboard. And from one that was literally about to shoot him. And later admitted, "I wish I would have killed him". He retreated in every instance. Only to be chased down and only responded with force when there was no option left.

This case is not even remotely similar. It was just very public. And had a kid that was mixed but mostly white as the center of it all. And he will forever be paraded around as, "Look a murdered that got away". Yeah. From a pedophile, a rapist and a wife beater. Not certain people LITERALLY trying to defend those people.

This teen that died? He wasn't a threat. He was a teen that pushed a guy who wasn't where he should have been, and got stabbed in the heart for it. This was, from everything released so far, not just murder, but very much premeditated and instigated with the purpose of trying to claim self defense.

I don't care what the ethnicity of the person stabbed was, nor the person stabbing them. I care about the fact that this should not have happened and it did. And that this case will end up doing significantly more damage to race relations than is already the case, and will set a very dangerous precedent if he walks free. (This pending that no other information during the case changes what information we already know)

However, at the end of the day, the people screaming that this was self defense? You do not know Texas state law. And the people on the other side? Well you people think killing people for the car they drive is a valid form of protest so.......as the meme puts it best.

[rukiriri]

Venus: What is your relationship with your darling? What drew you to them? Were the feelings sudden or gradual?

My beloved, doe specifically, I see him as something in between a pet and a lover. Control is my way of love. When I love someone, I want to do whatever I see as in their best interests. That doesn't mean I do not take their opinion into account though. Their feelings and thoughts still matter.

I was drawn to my puppy primarily due to his.... attachment to me? I generally don't waste my time on pursuits I feel would be fruitless. My puppy at first was attached to me and my system, but after a conflict, grew close with me specifically. (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡ Such a sweet thing.

The feelings were rather gradual? But it really was after he chose me that I chose him for certain as well. <3. Prior to that, I didn't have strong attachments to our psys.

Jupiter: what nicknames or terms of endearment do you enjoy for your darling, if any? What pet names do you like for yourself?

I enjoy calling doe anything dog related (pup, puppy, mutt, etc etc) . I'm personally a dog person, as I enjoy the rewarding obedience I earn once I get close enough and deserving of their love. As for myself, Doe usually just calls me Riri!

Neptune: Would you say you are more dominant or submissive to your darling? Also, God complex or inferiority complex?

I feel like in me and doe's relationship, I tend to call the shots. He's heavily dependent on me, my opinions, my feelings, and my mental state for many things. and I don't mind it in the slightest.

Planetary Yandere Asks

Sun (☉): Do you identify as/with any other -dere types? How about your darling? Would you want your beloved to have similar tendencies as you?

Moon (☽): Which yandere aesthetic(s) do you resonate with? Pastel? Guro/gore? Dark?

Mercury (☿): How did you discover yandere/obsessive love/etc. community? What has your experience of having a yandere blog been like?

Venus (♀︎): What is your relationship with your darling(s)? What initially drew you to them? Were your feelings sudden or gradual?

Mars (♂︎): How do you deal with "rivals" or those that wish to covet your beloved, if at all?

Jupiter (♃): What nicknames or terms of endearment do you enjoy using for your darling, if any? What pet names do you like for yourself?

Saturn (♄): What sets off your obsessive and/or possessive feelings?

Uranus (♅): How do you personally define "yandere" as it relates to you?

Neptune (♆): Would you say you are more dominant or submissive to your darling? Also, god complex or inferiority complex?

Pluto (♇): Have you always had obsessive/possessive inclinations or did you develop them from your current darling? When did you to realise you were a yandere?

[sgiandubh]

Buenas tardes, Sgiandubh, gracias por ser tan clara y apartar telarañas de los ojos tan simples y entregados del fandom. He visto la última foto del señor T y, de verdad, este hombre no está bien, tiene algún problema de salud, lo digo por experiencia. Yo también tomo corticoides para mi enfermedad y a él lo veo muy anciano. Espero que se recupere, que le vaya bien, como a mi. Es un trabajador marioneta. Besos.

Dear @luceononuro59,

Siempre un placer leerte y gracias por tu confianza, la moneda más preciada aquí. Y luego cabalgamos traduzcamos:

'Good evening, Sgian-dubh, thank you for being so clear and lifting the veil off this fandom's simple and besotted eyes. I saw Mr. T's last picture and this guy is seriously unwell, he must have health issues and I am speaking from my own experience. I take cortisone, too, for my condition and he looks very old. I hope he recovers and that things go well for him, like they did for me. He's just an employed puppet. Hugs.'

You know, my brain may sometimes come in handy, but this is not one of those times. I am far, very far away from being a specialist in anything remotely related to medicine. I made a personal rule of never commenting anything related to these matters and, in general, anything I do not know or have a personal experience of. I simply consider it a bit much. However, I published your opinion, because clearly what you saw resonated somehow with your own particular experience. But I won't comment on it, sorry for that.

I have no problem with the person named Tony McGill. I do find his public persona a tragic shame, for many reasons. And I certainly wish him a speedy recovery, if he'd be facing that kind of battle. That is all. Thank you for your kindness, honesty and bravery: these things are never easy to share. I am very, very glad to hear you feel well. Here is a hug.

[queenwille]

Hey, as a non Jewish person I have found your blog rly educational on the conflict and rly appreciate it! I've seen a lot of diff debunking posts related to Hamas and the war but not a lot on the whole Israel stopping aid or Israel supposedly being the ones to violate the ceasefire thing. Do you know a) if there's any merit to those claims b) if they're being misconstrued and/or c) if they're based in antisemitism at all that I should be calling out? Ty!

hey there, missed this amongst all the spam. sorry. i guess you’re no longer here, but i’ll answer anyways, just in case.

i’m glad you’re finding it useful and i appreciate you letting me know, it means a lot! 🫶🏽

a) well, it depends on how you look at it. for example, hamas didn’t go through with literally one of the hostages exchange as agreed. obviously literally no one, but israel, cared and israel was expected to be the bigger man and just “let it go”, as if it didn’t matter and didn’t have real significance to its people. well… israel did consider it as a ceasefire violation each and every time and ,ofc, per usual it was frowned upon by the woke west when israel very carefully reacted to it (worried to lose the remaining hostages of phase A, not of what the west thought, even though it felt ridiculous each time to see them turn the blind eye). then phase A ended and as we all feared, they went into another “yeah ofc we want a deal” and nothing happened for a long while and both sides kept teasing each other until yep, israel officially broke the ceasefire and cut the aid. the israeli government claims that pressuring hamas with military and aid, will force them to take a deal quicker. as an israeli, i do find it extremely important to add that the renewal of the war happened during nighttime (local time) and we literally woke up to the news and were as horrified to learn it. a very large portion of israelis are against what’s happening due to how dangerous it is to our 59 hostages, many of them struggling to stay alive 556 days today. we do believe that a deal is the only way to go.

b) well, the short answer is yes. as i said, some of it is true, but just not accurate. for example, food trucks not reaching in certain parts of gaza due to hamas soldiers taking over the aid trucks once they entered the strip, there were literal videos of it. israel was still blamed for how much aid it lets in, even though it literally didn’t matter bc armed men would stand on it and shoot anyone who’d get anywhere near it. the narrative is so messed up at this point that i’m not sure if they bother trying to check for the truth. what i find amazing is that they usually think we’re uninformed or indifferent over what’s happening over the other side of the border, which is incorrect, but they simply never bother asking for our opinions.

c) idk if it’s rooted in antisemitism, but they sure use it all the time. when they use jewish rhetoric or jewish history such as the holocaust and nazis to offend us, it’s antisemitic. when they cancel jewish history and mock it, it’s antisemitic. when they cancel mizrahi, spharadi, ethiopian, shomroni & other jews by calling all jews europeans its… can you guess what? i could go on, but i guess you get my point.

hope i stayed on topic and didn’t let my adhd take me away, thanks for asking 💙

[trashcatsnark]

Work is slow so I'm being annoyed to the void

Forever bothered by the sharp difference in how Aveline losing Wesley is treated compared to Anders losing Karl

Because conceptually, it should be very similar.

Shortly after meeting Hawke, the person they love is subjugated to a fate they deem in some way to be worse than death or nothing more than a slower version of it. Their loved one pleads with them to end their suffering, to die at the hands of the person they know would not wish to seem them languish. And they make the choice to put the blade to their partner out of love and mercy.

They should in some way be seen as mirrors, even interestingly enough happening to polar opposite couples. A Templar and a knight. A circle mage and apostate. Like not that I think it's completely fair because mages are systematically opressrd but like- if there was any like point of comparison for a more pro-templar character and pro-mage character to have a *oh we're not so different, you and i~* moment that'd kind of be the thing to narrow in on

But somehow the writer don't seem to recognize the way these losses mirror one another and treat them differently in a way that makes my teeth itch

Hawke has the option to tell Aveline whether or not she wants to kill Wesley is her choice. You the player are allowed expressly to prioritize her freedom/autonomy in the narrative. This is then reinforced twice as the "right" choice, initially in gaining friendship with her for using it. Then again when Aveline tells the story of her father's death and reinforces how much being allowed the space to make her own choices, especially in connection with grief matters to her. How much having someone hold her hand and say "you're choice" matters to her.

There is no "your choice" option with Anders and Karl. The player can only either encourage him to kill Karl or encourage him not to. For the mages, who have had far less autonomy and freedom on their lives- one of which has just been forcibly lobotomized, the player doesn't get to prioritize their autonomy and instead can only assert their opinion. This is also the case despite, arguably the choice to kill Karl being an even grayer area morally. Wesley on all levels was doomed to die, it was just a matter of a quick pain free or a longer drawn out affair. Being made tranquil is a death of the self, your personhood, but not your actual physical life. But instead of allowing a softer choice that let's Anders choose, you can only assert one side or the other.

Additionally, just like Aveline- Anders narrative has... kind of a lot to do with freedom and autonomy, so it also would have made sense for this option to reinforce that value in him- but no.

Then, Aveline's loss of Wesley is reflected on fairly often and is treated with a lot of kindness through out most the narrative. A lot of Hawke's initial dialogue options are then checking in on how she's coping with her grief a full year later.

Immediately following Karl's death and I do mean immediately- you can talk to Anders about Justice. You can flirt with Anders. And sometimes if you click on him, he mentions Karl didn't deserve to be lobotomized.

All meaningful dialogue regarding his loss of Karl is not just romance locked. But in vanilla game, gender locked as well. You literally cannot "check in" with him about having to kill someone he at the very least clearly cared about- unless you wait at least 3 years and are a man who has sex with him.

And also also almost immediately following that being how Anders joins your gang of freaks- everyone is complaining about how he's too whiny, angry, and a bummer while mages are being actively oppressed and also he JUST HAD TO KILL SOMEONE HE LOVES BECAUSE OF IT

And to be clear on this piss on the poor website, I fucking love Aveline. This is a not "she didn't deserve this care narratively" post, this is I wish he'd have gotten a fraction of the same treatment post.

Hawke doesn't get the slightest option of "Hey, we can talk about the glowing in a bit- are you okay? I'm so sorry that happened, are you okay? Do you need a minute?"

Like I get that bioware hates the dude but christ almighty, can I get a hug anders button in this fucking game

[bethanydelleman]

Thoughts on a gender bent pride and prejudice? It’s something I’ve been rolling around in my brain for a few days but I’m curious about your thoughts on it

I think you already have a gender-bent Mr. Darcy in Emma's Emma Woodhouse, who is a wealthy heiress, snobby, and sure that her opinion is right on matters of love (the Harriet Smith/Charles Bingley parallels are right there!). Elizabeth Bennet gender-bent is the witty clergyman, Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey, though he does come from a much wealthier background.

Five Bennet boys would be off to secure professions (except Jane, who would likely inherit). If Miss Darcy was twenty-eight and her sixteen year old brother had inherited, that would be an interesting dynamic (female Wickham trying to seduce a younger man?), though I think Miss Darcy would have married by now. Charles Bingley already plays a somewhat feminine role, with his modesty and being dissuaded out of a marriage by his family, I don't think a gender swap would affect that couple very much. I started a fan fiction with Lydia gender-swaped and she could do so much more damage as a young man! Can you imagine?

One final note, I often find in fan fiction that people will change circumstances drastically, Darcy is a second son, Elizabeth was abused growing up etc. and not change the personalities of the characters very much at all. This annoys the crap out of me, because 1. why even change the circumstances then and 2. it makes zero sense. Darcy is the way he is because he was the only child, a super rich heir, and male. Emma is far more polite than Darcy, it's probably because she's female and the societal rules are just that much more strict for her. Can you imagine anyone reaming out Darcy if he said something like that to a Miss Bates? No, they'd be like the people of Meryton, polite to his face and complaining behind his back. Elizabeth may have crappy parents, but they do let her do whatever she wants. She'd be stifled and different if she grew up at Mansfield Park under the strict Sir Thomas. Gender matters a lot because of the social expectations around you, changing the genders would change the people.

[sparenickel-blog]

About square food

Someone on Reddit asked about whether or not Duviri had square food and I wrote such a long-winded response that I figured I would post it here too.

Enjoy!

I have been wondering the same thing honestly. I'm pretty sure ALL food on the Zariman was square, as they were meant for interstellar travel as "nutritional cubes" to keep longer.

I have pretty much zero idea what they ate in Duviri (only thing I know for certain is they had vineyards for wine for nobility), but my best guess is probably also nutritional cubes for a couple reasons.

One is that the drifter is the one who made Duviri, so whatever they imagined would be made real there, including what they ate.

The second is that the drifter, after arriving in 1999, mentions that square food is comforting, so they had to have eaten it often either before Duviri or during.

Given their non-descript allotted time in Duviri, which was purposefully left vague (but as time may not work the same way in the Void as it does our own reality, it could be anywhere from a couple decades to thousands of years for all we know), if they didn't eat cubes there, then it could make sense because the idea of "comfort" in a place they know as a personal hell would remind them of a time before Duviri. However, the longer the time they could have spent in Duviri, the less sense it makes, because then the memories of a time before would be faded or vague at best. It could still work if they held on to those memories, but given the drifter made a world of their own after being left on the Zariman (aka "not saved" like the operator was) just so they could escape from losing their mind entirely, then that prior comfort might have been entirely cast aside for their own sanity's sake.

The possibility of them having had nutritional cubes for only a couple years leading up to space travel then saying that it is "comforting" doesn't make much sense either, especially if they only had them for such a short time.

So in my opinion, either the drifter ate nutritional cubes all their life up until a couple decades of Duviri, or Duviri had the cubes as well while they spent who-knows-how-long amounts of time there.

Added tidbit: When it comes to people, suppressing memories is something we do very well to cope, so I say "MIGHT have been entirely cast aside for their own sanity's sake" for the very reason that just because the memory is suppressed does not mean it cannot resurface. It's possible, just a matter of whether or not our brains can remember or will keep that memory in favor of something else.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[traumasurvivors]

That persons response was valid, and you didn't need to reblog their ideas about it if you didn't like them... people are entitled to their opinions and views.

They had a point according to how they read your post... even if how they read it/understood it was different than you intended.. You chose to create the drama there.

People are entitled to their own opinions and views, which also means I’m allowed to express by opinion and views. And when it’s on my post, in response to something I said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with sharing my opinion to a response on it. Responding on my post is a lot different than making their own, and I would have left it if I saw it on their own post. But responses show up in my activity feed since they’re the only activity I have turned on, and I am not obligated to ignore them.

Their response came off very dismissive on a post meant for survivors. And their explanation in my ask box didn’t really help either. I do agree that people can create problems sometimes that aren’t there by their interpretation of the facts. I run an entire blog that talks about dealing with irrational thoughts and how to check the facts and all that. It just isn’t something I talk about on this blog because this blog is about validation. And my belief is that feelings are always valid. It’s how we react to those feelings that matters.

I will also say, my response might have been a more gentle explanation of what my post intended if they’d asked, or just said “I feel like…” instead of wording it like a concrete fact which came off as condescending. If they didn’t mean it to be that way, then I do apologize for that. I’ve often been accused of missing people’s tone and taking things in good faith too much and I really struggle with it. I’m told that often people are taking my posts in bad faith on purpose, and I’m trying to be more aware of that. It’s so hard to tell.

I feel like I can’t win on here, because I get hate for being a “push over” and taking things in good faith too much, but I also get hate when I try and actually solidly back my beliefs and don’t soften my explanation, and don’t take something in good faith. I’m always open to reconsidering things, but in this case, I stand by what I said. And I feel like I get hate no matter what I do, so I’m just going to do what feels right to me personally.

They did ask me to delete my responses, so I’ve done that because they said they were getting terrible asks about it and I never want that. Me defending my post doesn’t mean I want someone to be attacked in their ask box. My point of mentioning this is that it’s done. We’ve moved on. And I won’t be answering asks about it anymore.