#the natural disaster challenge

[skwtches]

“Absolutely not. I mean, well, after all, he… It was not my… He wanted to leave. Didn't he?”

Reading through this line, something about Rabbit in The Tigger Movie occurred to me: the plan that the gang comes up with in order to spare Tigger’s feelings is one of the few instances where Rabbit isn’t present to take on the leader’s role. Throughout the movie, Rabbit is preoccupied with winter preparations, so much so to the point that he, unlike the others, fails to identify the weight of Tigger’s familial dilemma. When he walks in on the gang dressing up as Tiggers in the “How To Be a Tigger” sequence, he questions what they are doing, but does not stick around for an answer, or even try to take up the leadership mantle like he normally would. In an act that is both unorthodox and so completely in-character, he storms off and away from his companions' harebrained scheme to complete his preparations, but not before ironically proclaiming, “at least I haven't lost sight of what’s important.”

To no one’s surprise, the plan falls through. But to everyone’s shock, Tigger runs away that same night. 

“It was not my fault,” is what Rabbit wants and starts to say after hearing of his friend’s disappearance. The members of the group who congregate at Rabbit’s to request his help don’t blame him for Tigger leaving, and Rabbit knows them well enough to understand they wouldn't suggest such a thing by arriving at his house all at once. But Rabbit still has the reflex to defend himself; to confirm that Tigger leaving was indeed not his doing. The one time Rabbit isn't there to lead his friends–believing they all had “lost sight of what’s important,”–the friend whose crisis the lagomorph missed completely had run off into the cold, dreary night. But it wasn’t his fault. It couldn’t have been his fault. 

“He wanted to leave,” Rabbit says, trying to reason with himself. He tries to justify Tigger leaving, searching for a reason–any reason at all–that doesn’t loop right back around to it being his fault. Because it wasn’t. If Tigger had wanted to leave, what good would it have done for Rabbit to have been present? If the bunny had been there alongside his friends to aid their striped pal in his time of need? Whether or not he could have come up with a different, possibly better plan that didn’t result in the heartbreak of the usually bouncy Tigger did not matter here. Of course Tigger would have left anyway in search of his supposed family. He was simply unpredictable that way, and nobody could predict and stop something unpredictable–not even Rabbit. Tigger had most certainly wanted to leave from the start. “Didn’t he?”

As the members of the gang try to convince a hesitant Rabbit to leave with them in search of Tigger, the guilt racks up. He finds himself struggling more and more to excuse himself from the situation as his friends go on about Tigger whilst he fixes up his winter-proofed home, the sadness visibly present amongst them making it even harder for him to dismiss them. As a look of unease–a flicker of guilt–graces his face, he asks, “what do you need me for? Why don't you go find him yourselves?” 

Pooh simply and earnestly responds with, “but we're just not clever enough, Rabbit.” 

A huge facet of Rabbit’s self-appointed leadership role is that it comes from a place where the persnickety critter truly believes himself to be smarter than the majority of his peers in the Wood. He sees himself as the most capable and responsible, and so takes it upon himself to lead whenever he gets the chance. Here however, he tries to deny the opportunity to take charge of the search party. Perhaps it is mostly due to fear of his already fragile shelter coming apart at the seams while he isn’t around. But perhaps it’s also thanks to the aforementioned guilt that he can’t bring himself to diligently lead his friends in searching for the one who he’d inadvertently let slip away. 

Before he can respond to Pooh, a small voice makes itself heard. Rabbit catches sight of Roo, who just tells him that he misses Tigger. The final nail in the coffin. Here is where Rabbit truly can’t bring himself to deny them his help anymore. Here is where the guilt is finally too profound to excuse. 

Here is where Rabbit decides to lead his friends again. 

[waywardvagabonds]

If anyone here was wondering, I am still alive!

[demodraws0606]

So q!BBH named Mount Vesuvius huh....

Hmmmmmm

🤨

[laylawatermelon]

I watched Challengers for the first time and I'm confused.

I know it had sex and stuff and i see people raving about it (kind of mild to me it wasn't intimate but intense/used as a storytelling device).

They're also calling it horny but I loved the way they portrayed the desire to win, love and hate.

(I spoil I'm having a rant didn't mind me)

To me the beautiful shots were the highlight for me.

I also found it interesting how they used their bodies in the sex scenes to convey the story.

Zendaya was really good in her scenes and the most stunning shots i think are toward the end of the movie with the Windy car romp, and the final match point.

Mr. Luca ate that last bit up.

I was a bit surprised to be so engaged in a story that could be seen as boring but it was so well done that it was engaging.

If you looked at let's say the dialogue alone and if it didn't have both the directing and score (editing as well) it could've become a flat story as a spprt was the center for it.

We know sports movies have to cater to an audience who knows what's happening and an audience who doesn't and they do a great job with the metaphors for the don't know to know and the do know to recognize.(well i assume I'm a don't know 🤷🏾‍♀️)

But I was truly fascinated in the story they told just by using the sex scenes and it was beautifully done. A few lines are heard to hear at times but other than that 10/10 movie experience.

[thirteenemeraldcats]

I come bearing random fic asks! 1) tell us about your current wip(s)! 2) what's your writing process like? 3) I think you mentioned you have a background in psychology — how much does that influence your writing?

Hello my beautiful friend!!

Thank you so much for sending me these! I have been sitting on this for days because I wanted to banish 'thought that i was young' from my WIPs before answering lol

1.) Now that THAT'S published (and taken most of my WIP wordcount with it *sad violin noises*) there's 3 fics I'm actively poking at, the chunkiest is a Sam-and-Jamie-BFFS-agenda-6-conversations-they-might-have-had-and-one-they-definitely-didn't which I'm pretty sure I've posted a snip of SOMEWHERE before whoops. The working title was too long for me to cope with, to the extent that it managed to override my inability to make my mind up about anything, and is now called 'i said, maybe' - a line I've gleefully pinched from Wonderwall by Oasis! I like it for this fic because *gestures at working title* BUT ALSO Wonderwall is the song Sam sings at karaoke in 1x07 'Make Rebecca Great Again' and the Manchester connection tickles me greatly!

There's a non-angsty, short-ish (I'm honestly shocked) fic that fell out of my brain nearly fully formed a couple of weeks ago (because almost everyone I knew was either talking about or having birthdays) which ALSO has a title 'because he had no say in it (no say in it at all)', which is almost definitely going to be posted next (and hopefully a LOT sooner than the time-space between 'i learned to walk while he was away' and 'thought that i was young').

The only other thing I'm actively poking at right now is in the outline stage, it is also short-ish (please PLEASE stay that way) but is back to the angst-fest that is apparently all my brain wants to spit out. It's Jamie-centric. It involves a cat :)

2.) Honestly at this point my writing process is best described as:

(sound warning)

ANYWAY

(My actual answer about my writing process is that I love planning. Very much. Stretching the dough into spaghetti is where the problem lies 🫠)

3.) I do indeed have a background in Psychology! Like any undiagnosed-in-denial-17-year-old-DUMBASS, I studied Psych right out of high school due to a combined and truly harebrained motivation of 'what IS going on up there' and 'wow I love systematically studying, analysing and mimicking human behaviour [no underlying NOTHING going on up there no siree]' and wound up with a four year degree. NOW, my background is purely theoretical, I have never been registered as/worked as a Psychologist, so I'm not violating any ethical codes by using my knowledge for evil applying my Psych training to fictional stories/characters. Because the answer to 'how much does that influence your writing' is. SO MUCH. Not necessarily intentionally, there's only one fic in the extended-mountainous-WIP-pile that's explicit about Psych stuff (I'm giving Dani Seasonal Affective Disorder whoops), but psychology is one of those fields that once you're trained in it you can't really ever un-know it. Unfortunately for me, and everyone that I meet, there's forever a predisposing/precipitating/perpetuating/protective biopsychosocial model being drawn up in my head whenever someone exhibits any kind of behaviour my forebrain finds moderately interesting. (This doesn't happen with online friends DON'T WORRY [in truth it's only because I can't physically see you all- I AM SO SORRY- I am not in control of this]).

Honestly, I think a big part of it is just that my particular brand of pattern-recognition-AuDHD has been granted auto-inserted citations and gone mad with power.

Take Jamie, beloved stress ball that he is, he has so much psycho-analysis potential that I'm forever torn between wanting to write a dissertation on the various comorbidities that could be floating around in that guy's head, having a Watsonian v Doylist argument with myself about ~artistic intentions~, having to suspend disbelief for the sake of storytelling because I've been cursed with knowledge (gleefully and enthusiastically sought out and paid for knowledge) and just wanting to enjoy the story/character as they're presented/as I'm writing it.

Applying actual Psychology to fictional characters is like trying to tie a balloon to a moving rollercoaster, for the simple fact that they're not real; their actions and motivations and reactions are scripted and rehearsed and performed.

I'm doing it anyway :)

[blackthornlegacysims3]

Disaster strikes on the Blackthorn home! Will the family survive?

[qabbie]

Thank you God.

This is the age of mercy. Mercy from God, our higher power. With all these global natural disasters, God calls home his children and releases them from their worldly pain, trials, & challenges. He then comforts & consoles those still living here on earth. Great mercy & love!

[beemovieerotica]

struggling with how to word this, but putting it out there anyway:

i can fully understand the posts on here from a lot of americans being tired of "vote blue no matter who" posts when the #1 thing that people are constantly (and sometimes only?) addressing is how the republican party is going treat trans/queer people if elected.

it's part of an unfortunate pattern of prioritizing the effects on a demographic that includes white + upper class people, when people of color and those in the global south are actively and currently being killed or relegated to circumstances in which their survival is very unlikely

it is genuinely exhausting to witness this, and i was also on the fence about even participating in voting because i a) felt like it didn't matter and b) every time i voiced being frustrated with the current state of the country, white queer people would immediately step in with "but what about trans people!" -> (i am mixed race trans man)

and i say this with unending patience toward people who do this, because i know that it's not something they actively think about. but everyone already knows how the republican party is going to treat queer people. you are probably talking to another queer person when you bring up project 2025. the issue is that, for those of us who aren't white, or for those of us who are but who are conscious of ongoing struggles for people of color worldwide, the safety of people around the world feels more urgent than our own. that is the calculation that's being made.

you're not going to win votes for the democratic party by dismissing or minimizing these realities and by continually centering (white) queer people.

very few people on here and twitter are actually talking about issues beyond queer rights that concern people of color, or how the two administrations differ on these issues instead of constantly circling back to single-issue politics. this isn't an exhaustive list. but these are the issues that have actually altered my perspective and motivated me to the point of committing to casting a vote

the biden administration has been engaged in a years-long fight to allow new applicants to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the program that allows undocumented individuals who arrived as children to remain in the country) after the Trump administration attempted to terminate it. the program is in limbo currently because of the actions of Trump-backed judges, with those who applied before the ruling being allowed to stay, but no new applications are being processed. Trump has repeatedly toyed with the idea of just deporting the 1.8 million people, but he continues to change his mind depending on whatever the fuck goes on in his head. he cannot be relied on to be sympathetic toward people of hispanic descent or to guarantee that DREAMers will be allowed stay in the country. biden + a democratic controlled congress will allow legal challenges to the DACA moratorium to gain ground.

the biden administration is open to returning and protecting portions of culturally important indigenous land in a way that the trump administration absolutely does not give a fuck. as of may 2024, they have established seven national monuments with plans to expand the San Gabriel Monument where the Gabrielino, Kizh / Tongva, the Chumash, Kitanemuk, Serrano, and Tataviam reside. the Berryessa Snow Mountain is also on the list, as a sacred region to the Patwin.

i'm recognizing that the US's plans for clean energy have often come into conflict with tribal sovereignty, and the biden administration could absolutely do better in navigating this. but the unfortunate dichotomy is that there would be zero commitment or investment in clean energy under a trump-led government, which poses an astounding existential threat and destabilizing force to the global south beyond any human-to-human conflict. climate change has caused and will continue to cause resource shortages, greater natural disasters, and near-lethal living conditions for those in the tropics - and the actions of the highest energy consumers (US) are to blame. biden has funneled billions of dollars into climate change mitigation and clean energy generation - trump does not believe that any of it matters.

i may circle back to this and add more as it comes up, but i'm hoping that those who are skeptical / discouraged / tired of the white queer-centric discourse on tumblr and twitter can at least process some of this. please feel free to add more articles + points but i'm asking for the sake of this post to please focus on issues that affect people of color.

[futurefatum]

Shocking Predictions For The Next 10 Years (Tone: 310)

Sri M predicts rising environmental challenges, but a youth-driven spiritual awakening may avert disaster. #SpiritualAwakening #ClimateCrisis #Predictions

Published on March 14th, 2023 Sri M’s Shocking Predictions For The Next 10 Years ABOUT THIS VIDEO: The video titled “Sri M’s Shocking Predictions for the Next 10 Years” features spiritual teacher Sri M discussing various challenges humanity faces and offering insights into what may unfold over the next decade. Key topics include environmental degradation, such as rising sea levels and…

[shreetmtbars]

Understand the profound impact of climate change on the construction industry. This blog explores how rising temperatures, increased natural disasters, and shifting weather patterns are affecting construction materials, project timelines, and overall building resilience. Learn how the industry is adapting and what measures are being taken to mitigate these challenges. Read more at ShreeTMT.

[touchaheartnews]

Electricity: An In-Depth Look at Why System Collapses Persist

The reliability and stability of electricity systems have become increasingly important as societies rely more on consistent power for everything from household appliances to critical infrastructure. However, despite advancements in technology and infrastructure, electricity systems continue to experience collapses that disrupt daily life and economic activities. This investigation delves into…

[townpostin]

Wild Elephants Wreak Havoc in Saraikela Village

Homes destroyed and burnt in Kumhari Vangoda after elephant herd attack Residents lose belongings and livestock as electrical short circuit sparks devastating fire. SERAIKELA – A herd of wild elephants caused extensive damage in Kumhari Vangoda village of Nimdih police station area, Saraikela district, on Tuesday night. The elephants destroyed the houses of Bhushan Mahato and Nipen Mahato,…

[disasterriskreductionday]

Evaluation on the Socio-economic challenges face people during and after a disaster strike.

Climate disasters are increasing in regularity & intensity. This presents many new socio-economic challenges to the people of Sri Lanka.

This International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, read more on UNDP's efforts as we strive to 'fight inequality for a resilient future'.

[eternitynews]

Preparing for the Unexpected: Our Damage Restoration Services

At A3MS, we understand that disasters can strike at the most unexpected moments. That's why we are fully dedicated to providing 24/7 damage restoration services. Whether your home has suffered from water, fire, mold, or other emergencies, we are here to help you reclaim your space and restore your peace of mind. Our team of restoration experts is ready to tackle any challenge and bring your home back to its original state. No matter the size of the problem, at A3MS, we are committed to providing exceptional service and lasting solutions. Contact us today for a free assessment and regain control of your home restoration!

Contact us:

Website: a3mscorp.com

Phone: (407) 729-0512

#DamageRestoration #ProfessionalServices #Emergencies #PeaceOfMind #a3ms #HomeRecovery

[c0ntr0lledchaos]

Comfortember Day 1: Hugs

(this is moved from an old blog so its from 2022)

Elio knew what was going on. They knew what was about to happen. They had relived these events over and over again. That didn’t stop the fear and anxiety that always accompanied them. They just had to ride this out.

They walked around the outside of their small home, glancing at their checklist as they walked. They couldn’t make out the words but they knew that everything on it was checked off. The home was more of a shack so Elio didn’t like calling it a house, especially when the main house on the property was within walking distance. The old wood creaked in the wind, being held together mainly by the renovations and reinforcements Elio added to it. Copper and steel stood out against the old wood. The wind whipped at their raincoat and made the rain feel like tiny needles against their face. The cold bit at their wrists and hands, making them shake from the cold and Elio’s nerves. The air smelled of moist earth and storm, thunder echoing in the distance confirming that the worst was on its way.

Elio made their way back to the front door and walked in, setting their checklist down and turning to one of their machines. The shack was filled with Elio’s inventions and half-finished projects. Even without the storm raging outside, it was always noisy, the sounds of gears turning, lightbulbs buzzing, or steam being released from different machines filling the silence at any given time. The air smelled of oil and metal, mixing with the scent of the damp earth Elio tracked in during their hurry. The shack was always a mess but today was even worse. The screen Elio stood in front of showed a large black-and-white picture of the world that would change every few seconds to update in real-time. Elio watched as a swirling mass tore through the continent, leaving just emptiness in its trail. It was slowly making it's way closer to Elio’s location and they knew it would be there any minute now. This was the worst part.

They turned and headed to a large control board next to the front door. They started pressing buttons and flipping switches, a process that was mere muscle memory to them now, but during that first time was extremely anxiety-inducing. Elio had to keep checking to make sure they were doing everything right. Eventually, the control board showed that the machine was slowly warming up. 

Elio suddenly heard screaming coming from outside and without thinking, they threw the front door open. The world had gone to chaos in what only felt like a few minutes since they had come inside. Across the field from their home was their family's main house and where they had previously lived before moving to the renovated shack. They watched with silent horror as their childhood home was ripped apart in the storm, wood, and furniture flying up into the sky and then disappearing. They could hear their siblings screaming in horror from inside the house as they tried to escape the storm. Outside, just in front of the house stood Elio’s parents, standing motionless despite the raging wind. Elio called out to them, screaming for them to run, to do anything, for their parents to just listen to them for once in their life. If they heard Elio they didn’t show it as they simply walked right into the storm, disappearing without a trace. 

Elio felt hot tears running down their face as they watched. Another scream caught their attention as their youngest sister, Ruby, ran across the field toward them. Elio glanced at the control panel, seeing that there was a little bit of time left before the machines would activate. Elio reached out with one hand, bracing their shoulder against the doorframe as they felt the strong wind trying to pull them out of the house. They called out to their sister, encouraging her to run and that she would make it. Elio knew she wouldn’t.

Ruby ran towards the house, nearly tripping over herself as the wind almost knocked her over. Elio could see as she got closer how she was crying, and Elio knew their expression probably matched at that moment. Ruby was so close now, just a few feet away from the small porch and Elio wondered if maybe this time would be different if this time Ruby would make it.

Elio reached out as Ruby got closer, hoping desperately to save her. Just as Ruby was about to step onto the porch, the machine activated, and in a flash of blinding light Elio was thrown back and Ruby was gone.

Elio shot up from their bed, crying out in pain before they caught themselves and bit into their blanket instead. They reached up and held their shoulder as a burning pain went through their arm. The same arm that was reaching for their baby sister just moments ago. She was only 12 years old…

“Elio?! Is what's wrong?” Calarel asked as she threw the door open. She had just woken up, her bright red hair still up in a loose bun and the blanket she had been using thrown over her shoulders like a cloak

“My arm…” Elio managed to get out before another wave of pain washed over them. Flashes of their sister and the injury playing on repeat behind her eyes.

“What about your arm? How can I help?” Calarel asked, gently pulling the blankets back to get a better look. 

Elio hesitated before looking down at their arm. In replacement of their normal arm was one made of metal. An image of their shoulder and upper bicep, ripped and bloody flashed before Elio’s eyes and they were forced to squeeze them closed as they experienced another wave of pain. They knew their arm was gone, they had been living without it for years now. They knew that everything was ok, that this pain wasn’t real.

“Is it malfunctioning?” Calarel asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her eyebrows knit together in worry as she watched Elio, feeling helpless. 

“No,” Elio breathed out, taking a deep breath as they tried to calm down, “It's nothing.”

“You are not doing this right now,” Calarel said, fixing Elio with a look. “You are clearly in pain. What is going on?”

“It's…” Elio started, forcing themselves to breathe as they tried to explain. “It’s called… Phantom pain. My arm feels pain… as if it’s still there… There’s nothing you can do about it… I just have to wait it out. Go back to bed.” 

“I am not leaving you to just sit here in pain,” Calarel stated, giving Elio a look that left no room to argue. “Did something cause this?”

Images of the dream flashed in front of Elio’s eyes and they couldn’t help the flinch, gripping their shoulder tighter as the pain continued. Calarel watched them for a moment, observing them as she thought. 

“You had a nightmare didn’t you?”

Elio could only nod, not meeting her eyes. They felt kinda childish, having such a reaction to just a dream. 

“Hey, it’s ok. Nightmares happen to everyone,” Calarel said, ever the empath in knowing just how Elio felt. It was kinda creepy sometimes. “Do you want to talk about it? When I was younger my dad always told me that if I talked about a nightmare I would never have it again. Only if you feel comfortable of course.”

Elio considered it for a moment. The thought of never having the nightmare again sounded appealing but they knew it most likely wouldn’t work and they did not want to burden Calarel with their problems when she had enough of her own.

“Can’t…” They said, keeping their eyes on their lap. Elio tensed up as another wave of pain crashed down on them.

“That's ok… how about we talk about something else to take your mind off of it?” Calarel suggested. Elio nodded, liking the sound of a distraction. Callarel smiled and looked around the room for something to talk about. Her eyes landed on the workbench that was still covered in tools and parts from Elio’s most recent project. 

“How about you tell me about what you were working on before you went to sleep? Or should I say, before you passed out at your desk and Rye and I had to basically drag you to bed,” She said, a slight smirk on her face.

“Don’t… remember that… didn’t happen,” Elio said, managing to joke a little. Elio took a breath before looking up at their desk, trying to remember where they left off. “It's a communication device… for if-no, when we get separated…” 

Elio struggled to talk through the pain at first, having to take pauses to catch their breath or wait out another wave. Calarel sat there, patiently waiting for them to explain at their own pace. Eventually, as Elio got more into their info-dumping about things that went right over Calarel’s head, the pain started to lessen and Elio could breathe normally again. 

Elio yawned, feeling as if all of their energy had been drained. Calarel looked as if she was ready to go back to sleep too. The pain was nothing but a dull echo now, barely even noticeable. 

“Thank you,” Elio said, giving her a small smile.

“No problem,” Calarel said, not teasing Elio about the rare smile like they almost expected them to. “Do you mind if I give you a hug?”

The question caught Elio off guard a bit but they nodded hesitantly, not usually one for physical contact. Calarel leaned forward and hugged Elio gently but firmly. Elio hesitated before reaching up with their good arm and wrapping it around Calarel’s back, feeling a bit awkward as it had been a long time since anyone had hugged them. Despite the awkwardness, it was a pleasant feeling that ended all too soon as Calarel pulled away. She stood up and pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she got ready to head back to her own bed. 

“Sweet dreams, and feel free to come get me if you have another nightmare.”

“I should be the one comforting you guys if anything,” Elio started, “I am the oldest out of everyone here.”

“Whatever,” Calarel said, chuckling and rolling her eyes as she started to leave.

“Goodnight… and thank you,” Elio said as she walked away. Calarel stopped at the door and smiled softly before shutting it and leaving Elio to fall back asleep. This time, Elio’s mind was quiet as they drifted off.