#the way there's just a place holder paragraph 'they do it'

[cookiepie111]

Why is writing smut hard, im struggling. can't y'all just imagine them going at it really hard 😭

[foervraengd]

Transparent cube Breakdown thingy for art

Part two is here!!

The way light bends and behaves in a transparent cube always mess with my head and makes using photo references less helpful to me. So i bought one of those notes-holders that have a clear acrylic cube as a stand and took a bunch of photos!

Disclaimer (please oh my god read this disclaimer because i know you’re gonna skip this paragraph otherwise) - i dont remember anything about this from science class in high school. And googling “glass cube refraction/light” only gives me diagrams or stock photos that doesnt seem to explain the scenario i often see myself in with this. So be aware that what im writing in this post is mainly my own observations and me just trying to make sense of how the “insides” of a transparent cube behaves from an artists point of view, if you’re a physicist i apologise in advance for making up my own terms or use the wrong words etc. I will update this post if needed.

The “cube inside the cube” thing:

As shown in these three images, as i turn the cube sideways and then tilt it downwards, so we can see three sides of it, there is this smaller ‘cube’ inside that appears. Its not an actual cube, just an illusion of one due to how light bends inside it. I am pretty sure this mini cube is actually just the backside of each side.

Here is a similar set of photos of the cube in the same set of angles. But this time with a teal pen behind it. The pen is most visible through the ‘inner cube’ here. We can also see that the darker blue inner sides of the cube are more saturated in color.

Bright highlights

Notice how the opposite side inside of the cube is also lit up, as well as really saturated? It’s as if the highlight first hits the surface of the cube, and is then also lighting up the inside of it! But it doesnt seem to light up the whole “bottom” inner side.

Cube on a surface vs Suspended in the air

Now this here. This fucking thing here. Is why i struggle so much with using photo references of transparent cubes. If you look closely at the “mini cube” here, it changes when the cube is on a surface. The reason is because the underside is against the surface so it cannot be lit from below by the white paper. But isnt it interesting how this only seem to occur on the top of the cube and not on the sides? I don’t know why this is the case, i probably could find an answer if i had an actual prism cube of glass or better acrylic but those can be expensive.

In any case, i hope these photos will be of any use. The best thing you can do is to het an acrylic cube yourself and place it in the angle you plan to draw it in!

[junkissed]

hi june :] i've been thinking about it, who do u think from svt would be most likely to wanna hold ur hand during sex? 💤

hi beloved 💤!! this made me squeal and giggle and kick my feet this is such a me ask so ofc i had to talk about my thoughts!! hope you enjoy :)

member | svt ot13 x afab reader genre | mtl, smut, fluff (each member has a little paragraph) word count | ~950 warnings | descriptions of female anatomy, mentions of bondage, soft sex & rough sex

most

1 - jun

i’m definitely not biased at all but i think he loves holding hands like anywhere 24/7 at home, walking in public, in the car, and especially during sex. it’s as natural to him as breathing. if he doesn’t have your hand to hold, then is life even worth living at that point. he especially loves it when you offer your hand to him before he even has to ask, and he’ll take it and hold your hands together beside your head and kiss you over and over again until you can barely think any thoughts other than how good he feels thrusting into you and how warm and soft his hands feel in yours

2 - seokmin

the dk stands for dude kisser but here is a little known fact it also stands for d-hand k-holder. he is the clingiest man on the planet and we know this because he anytime you turn around he’s hugging the nearest person as hard as he possibly can so he would totally be the same way during sex. he’d hold onto your arms, your wrists, your hands, anything he could reach but tangling his fingers with yours would be so grounding for him and honestly it would give him a head rush from the closeness with you

3 - hoshi

i think he actually really likes holding hands but he’s always too busy horanghae-ing with them. kidding i actually feel like he would be a lot higher on the list than you might think because he’s a clingy boy and he needs to be touching every inch of your skin at all times or he might short-circuit

4 - joshua

he would say the reason he likes holding hands is because he’s a gentleman and he’s being romantic blah blah, but the real reason is that he has a raging size kink (me too), particularly for hands: it would drive him absolutely crazy seeing his large hands covering yours and seeing how your fingers can barely wrap around his palm would get him so riled up. once you both cum he’d probably ask you for a handjob because he wants to see your hands one more time as you struggle to fit them around his cock

5 - mingyu

big clumsy puppy man would love holding your hand but i think he would be deterred from doing it if the position required more effort on his part, so he would probably only do it in simpler positions like missionary where he can clasp your hands together and just fuck you into the next dimension without putting much thought into it

6 - chan

chan seems very possessive to me (in a healthy way) so i think he would like holding your hand because it shows that you’re his and he’s the only one that gets to have the honor of holding your hand

7 - minghao

i think he would enjoy it an average amount. he wouldn’t mind if you don’t do it every single time, but if you asked him he would prefer holding hands over not. he would probably cite some study that says holding hands is good for relationships or something but he would also just enjoy how it makes everything feel more intimate

8 - jeonghan

in my mind he is a little bit of a secret hopeless romantic, so he might do it and not even say anything about it. he’d get you distracted with his cock hitting just the right place inside of you, and when you’re so gone you can barely do anything but whimper and moan, he’d take the opportunity to slide his fingers down your arms to join your hands together gently. he’d let go afterwards and if you ask him he’d probably pretend it never happened, but in the moment his heart would be soaring when he finally gets to lock hands with you

9 - seungcheol

he would like holding hands but only during softer sessions where he’s taking his time and really wants to feel connected to you. the times when you’re not being soft, his hands are too busy being preoccupied elsewhere on your body for him to even think about holding yours. but i guarantee he’ll hold them constantly once you’re done for the night and all cleaned up, he’ll have his arms wrapped around you and his hands entwined with yours until you fall fast asleep

10 - wonwoo

9 times out of 10 he’s got your hands tied up so it would be kinda hard to hold them in that position. but that 10th time he would be squeezing your hands so hard his knuckles turn white and pressing your hands into the mattress with all his weight

11 - seungkwan

he would like it on occasion but he strikes me as the kind of guy who wouldn’t like having sweaty hands so he wouldn’t do it too often because it’s just too sticky for him sometimes. but you know what he does strike me as? the kind of guy who really likes pulling on your hair. so if his hands are anywhere, that’s probably where they’d be

12 - woozi

honestly i don’t think he would even notice where his hands are. he gets so caught up in the moment and everything else happening that he can’t feel anything except your pussy squeezing his cock. he loses track of time and he probably doesn’t even know what year it is anymore. if he’s holding your hand then it’s not from a conscious effort on his part

13 - vernon

he likes holding hands because it makes him feel closer to you, but honestly he wouldn’t be mad if you didn’t hold his hand. if it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t, he’s not mad either way. genuinely he doesn’t care where his hands are as long as he’s inside of you

least

> no taglist because it's not really a drabble! however, if you'd like to join my taglist and be tagged in future fics you can join my taglist here!

if you enjoyed reading this, please consider reblogging or leaving a comment or an ask :) it shows me this is something people want to see more of, and knowing people like this makes me want to write more of it! thanks for reading!!

[sysboxes]

It's possible for alters to have their own mental health!!! Alters can have personality disorders that other alters don't have, I think what you're talking about is autism, ADHD and other disorders similar! (As those affect the brain and therefore affect the whole system, but personality disorders are a different sort of thing, so one alter can have a PD and the others might not!) We can provide links if you'd like ^^ /nm /info

Hey there Anon! Thank you for the offer. We also received the following anon from (probably) another user, which I'd like to address here as well:

Alters can have personality disorders: (link) “✘ MYTH: ALTERS CAN’T HAVE THEIR OWN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IF THE MAIN SURVIVOR DOESN’T HAVE THEM. They actually can, and many do. It’s extremely common for individual alters to battle depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar, eating disorders, self harm, etc., while other members of the system experience no such thing. Some extremely differentiated systems may even need that system member to come forward and take medications that the rest of the system does not need and will not get. ..and their brain’s neurology responds accordingly. But, make no mistake, most expressions of mental illness amongst alters are incredibly real and valid and should be treated as such.” (cut up a little, the source is above, we're pretty sure the source is reliable, it seems so. We've also had other systems say this too, and to us that's how it works, as only one of us as far as we know are affected by NPD)

Firstly, I feel the paragraph that was cut out of the Beauty After Bruises section is very important for further context and explanation. It's quoted here below:

One note about some disorders, however. Non-verbal, poor eye contact, savant-like, or sensory-processing-disorder alters can be extremely common traits in DID systems. However, it’s important not to just jump to calling these parts “autistic” if the system as a whole is not autistic. It’s possible for alters to behave in ways that mimic their understanding of SYMPTOMS in other disorders they know about, while not actually possessing the neurology for them. This is a complicated subject we could try to elaborate more on at some point, but it’s just an encouragement to pause and not automatically label some parts as having certain conditions just because they show a few traits of them. It can cause a great deal of conflation and misrepresentation of those illnesses. It may also be purely based on discriminatory or uneducated stereotypes of those conditions that were adopted into a young child’s mind. So, it’s just helpful to check for that possibility first!

As Beauty After Bruises is saying here, neurology takes a place in this discussion. It seems as if this resource is mostly stating that alters can all struggle with mental illness, and can appear to struggle singularly with those illnesses symptoms -- in which case, the "This alter is a symptom holder" is exactly the language we feel comfortable with. Until we are able to research more, we're wary about spreading potential misinformation about how brains work.

As mods, we absolutely want to do our best to avoid spreading misinformation. From our understandings, NPD and similar personality disorders are caused by a structural shift in the brain -- something physical and concrete. Here's some of our resources we found on NPD.

Source 1: “They analyzed a total of 34 test subjects, of which 17 suffered from a narcissistic personality disorder… Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods, the scientists measured the thickness of the patients' cerebral cortex… The findings revealed that those subjects suffering from narcissistic personality disorder exhibited structural abnormalities in precisely that region of the brain, which is involved in the processing and generation of compassion.”

Source 2: “The decreased brain white matter microstructures among three clusters were found in the association, projection/thalamic and connection pathways of white matter in young adult males with NPD. The abnormal white matter brain regions may be one of the neuropathological basis of the pathogenesis of young males with NPD, and it may be related to white matter development in early adulthood."

Based on these sources, the moderators are most comfortable using the language of alters being symptom holders. Both sources indicate that NPD affects the structural nature of the brain, which would impact all of the members of the system. However, like Beauty After Bruises was suggesting, that doesn't mean that various alters don't reflect those symptoms in different ways. It's absolutely possible for alters to struggle more or less with disorders, or even seemingly not at all.

I hope this clarifies our perspectives. Thank you!

[whytheylosttheirminds]

the hardest part for me is definitely just figuring out the plot and how to start it

Soooo relatable!

A few things I would say that might help:

- you definitely don’t have to start at the beginning. I honestly don’t know the last time I started a chapter or blurb with the first paragraph. I would start with the actual moment of the prompt since that seems to be what you can picture more clearly, and try to just build a paragraph around that. Don’t worry how they got where they are, you’ll figure it out later! Tbh in fanfiction, I think the beginning part of the fic is honestly the least important (maybe I’m the only one who feels this way but 🤷‍♀️). I think the individual moments are more important, so maybe try to write a handful of moments, it can honestly be a sentence or paragraph or even just a phrase, and really spend time working on those until you like them.

- once you have a solid collection of moments you can start to think about how to string them together, and then ask “okay, how did we get here?” although depending on what type of fic you’re writing, you may not even need a whole exposition sequence. Some of the best fics I’ve ever read, we’re already in the action in the first sentence.

- don’t be afraid of a shitty first draft! Sometimes it’s just about putting words on the paper, even if you don’t like them, just to get them out of the way and you can change them later!

- lastly, I’d make outlining your friend. Outlines are how I solve basically all of my plot problems. If I just start writing in full sentences, the plot will get away from me so fast! I usually outline in bullet points but you can do it however works for you. It’s essentially me talking to future me, telling her how things should go in as few words as possible.

Here’s a snippet of my outline from my last blurb:

• at some point he’ll set the coffee down but not leave

• you say something cheeky (“you can leave the coffee over there” or “Have a nice day, baby” ?)

• he says something like “you like messing with me, huh?” (Not this, will figure out later)

• phone call or text? cancels meetings and tells you while kissing your shoulder

• you pout that it’s still not enough time, he scolds you (lovingly “don’t be greedy” but it’s sweet)

^ this is not good writing lol, but it helped me figure out what I want them to do and write lines I knew I wasn’t going to use but would just be place holders until I found a better one. I always feel ten times better once I get the outline out of the way, it’s basically writing the plot without any pressure that the writing is good, I don’t even use proper grammar lol!

Anyway I’m rambling but I hope this helps some? Lmk if there’s more I can talk about to help you!

What’s most important is that you’re trying something new outside your comfort zone and I’m proud of you!!!

[hereforthevampires]

i saw a post and realized i have things to say about mormon patriarachal blessings...

my blessing was straight up wrong.

i got my blessing at 16, and had to have it done twice bcs the recorder wasn't on the first time. the blessing was almost exactly the same, except for the details about a mission. whether i should go on a mission happened to be the most pressing question in my mind. even at that time, the idea of a mission filled me with dread, and i was worried that that meant i actually SHOULD go. in the first blessing, vauge language was used, and didn't give a clear answer. in the second blessing, there was a whole extra paragraph telling me i would go on a mission in 'new lands' and that i would learn a language.

fast forward to me getting my mission call to Dallas, Texas, english speaking. i lost it. i had pushed through the desprate dread and anxiety about going on a mission, i was going to do what god wanted- and what was promised did not happen. i was being sent to a hot place in the USA- i cried.

this is when the excuses happen- what belivers will say so its impossible for a blessing to be wrong- "maybe you will serve another mission, when you are married!" "it can still happen." and of course, the shameful feeling that maybe you just aren't greatful or righteous enough, because thats the only way you get those blessings anyway.

luckily for me, i did not end up going on a mission. and that moment of my blessing that i had clung to for years being wrong- it was the first real step on my deconstruction journey.

my blessing also hits other classic mormon life stuff- a priesthood holder man wanting to marry me in the temple, kids who love me.

I'm a lesbian and I don't want kids.

the "promises" in these blessings are just generic ideal mormon life milestones with some vauge promises that can be applied to almost anything.

and of course if it hasn't happened yet, it will come true in the afterlife!!! or u just aren't good enough :/ trust in god more

[charliemwrites]

Every time I read any of your works I am so astounded. How you manage to blend pure poetry into each piece is amazing. It sounds silly but do you have any tips? You motivate me to write and write better.

Hi!! Thank you so much that’s so sweet. It doesn’t sound silly at all, hopefully my advice is helpful and not just generic 😅

- write what you want. Like seriously. No shame, no cringe. You don’t even have to publish it, just write whatever your brain is feeling and don’t fall into the trap of “should”

- on the note of bot publishing; I don’t post everything I write. A lot of stuff stays in my personal files. Any writing is good. It’s practice. Don’t feel compelled to share it

- don’t get hung up on finding the right word/phrase/fact. Make a note for yourself somehow and keep going. I tend to use brackets when I’ve dropped in a place holder. I do it with whole paragraphs sometimes

- if you have an idea you really want to write, but don’t know where to go with it, do a headcanon list. This is also a good way to outline a larger story without getting tangled in fine details or specific scenes. Word vomit in a notes app or talk to a friend about it until you run out of ideas. Then go back, pick and choose, and flesh it out

- if you get stuck, I have a couple tips for that but everyone has their own strategies. You can cut the scene and put it in a separate doc. Maybe you wrote some lines you really like, you don’t have to delete them! Just move them somewhere else for now until you can rehome them. Write from a different POV. Even if doesn’t “make sense” with the rest of the story, there’s no writing police out to get you. Time skip. Maybe you’re anxious about writing the big confrontation. Write the fallout, then go back and fill in the blanks as a “how did we get here”

I hope these help! And if you have any specific questions or anything, let me know. Developing a writing style takes practice and emulation. Find styles you like, borrow their terms and phrases. Again, you don’t have to post it, you just need to work with it until it feels comfortable in your voice!

[delilahdadirtydork]

Writing tip list.

I'm gonna put in a list of tips that I want share with my fellow writers. These are some things that has helped me in the past and while I sometimes struggle & forget to do them myself, they do work & have been a huge help for me.

Have you done any form of self care today? You are the writer and a real person, who needs to take care of yourself, the story can wait 5 mins for you drink some tea, brush your teeth or have a snack.

Is there some other feelings from some RL stress you need to work through? Follow advice 1 then, give yourself an emotional break too. Go have a cry if you need to, find something happy to focus on for a while. Writing like everything else doesn't work when you are strained.

Set a timer of 15 mins for that story, then do something else for 15 mins. Even if you make no progress, you'll have felt like you made a genuine attempt and took a break to let your mind relax (I'm trying to get into a better habit of it myself actually) This helps with multiple projects too, new ones won't feel like a distraction & old ones won't hold you hostage.

Make a list called "Your Stories Needs." Don't use the phrase "problems". Yes your story will be very needy at times, but think positively, ask "What does your story need to make it better?" Addressing that way can help mentally find what piece you need.

List Small writing victories. Even if you are just counting how many new words you added, keep track of your small bits of progress. Every baby step in the planning to research to finding your stories needs is a part of the writing process. Learn that just because you didn't write 20 paragraphs today, doesn't mean you didn't make progress. Genuinely & literally count your blessings even if it means "i got up today."

Write and highlight small things of what you know want to have happen even if you don't know exactly in detail what will happen yet. Basically put in copied parts of your notes into the story as place holders.

In notes, Ballpark your chapters for how long you think it will be. Then make 2 Chapter indexes. Index 1 will have just the title of those chapters (or a special key word if you just want to use numbers). Index 2 will have a brief description of what you want to have in that chapter including important notes. Have ChX entries for ideas that you want have in the story but don't know where & when they will happen yet.

[acutiewithagun]

You said u wanted requests right? I love ur writing sm, could I request a platonic Mikey and reader piece with them baking together? I just really like your writing and how you portray the characters- It's fine if no, please tell me if I did this wrong this is the first time I've ever requested smth😭

(Baking... I had such a hard time choosing what they would make TTwTT. Also link to the original recipe I found. I don't know how good it actually is but it makes me want to bake it.)

Messes don't mean mistakes

You were sitting on your couch just reading when your phone signals a new message. You curiously left the fanfiction you had been reading and opened the awaiting text. There, being patient, was a paragraph easily summarized to being a baking invite. Mikey always knew how to make anything fun so you shot him an affirming text.

Storing your phone in your jacket pocket, you stood up and made your way to your front door. Once there you walked out, making sure to lock it behind you with the keys you snatched from the key holder. You let the key join your phone as you walked down the stairs, the elevator of your apartment building broke after Donnie had decided it was too slow and tried to rewire it despite the many protests.

You made it to the bottom and exhaled dramatically like you had run a mile. You rushed to the sidewalk to wave down a taxi. Once you caught the attention of one and slid in quickly, you almost immediately gave him the location that you desired to be. Which was a store about six feet from the abandoned subway station your turtle friend resided in. The cabby gave a nod and started driving you to your awaiting destination.

You waited in the long traffic and wondered if it would have just been better to walk. But then watched the passing pedestrians and decided it would have taken just as long. Once you reached the store you paid the cabby, stepping out of the taxi cab, then headed for your actual desired place. You made your way down the stairs and opened the door, only to be tackled in a hug by your favorite orange coded box turtle. "Hey Mikey, what exactly did you want to bake?"

His grin was so wide as he pulled away and grabbed your hand, pulling you to the kitchen. "Macarons, those fancy ones you see in bakeries. I found an a-maze-ing recipe online that I wanted to try out." You let out a sound of interest as the two of you entered the kitchen. The ingredients were all prepped and ready on the island counter as you walked over to it.

"So how are we doing this?" You walked over to the sink and started to wash your hands. "Sieve the icing sugar and ground almonds together in a large bowl then whisk together." He pointed to a bowl on the countertop. You turn the tap off and dry your hands as Mikey starts washing his hands. "Sieve?" He laughed and rubbed his hands in the flowing water. "It's a utensil used to strain the finer stuff away from the bigger stuff." You smile and pick up the sieve that was sitting on the countertop. Mikey dried off his hands quickly and had you hold the sieve as he poured the ingredients mentioned before in the bowl.

"Now we get to put the ingredients in the food processor. Then do that again, after that we get to repeat it twice." Mikey's grin was so bright as he started dumping the contents of the bowl into the food processor. You just watched with your own version of that adorable expression. You covered your ears as he turned the machine on and dropped your hands once it was done. You did make sure to wash your hands again before repeating the process two more times.

"So why did you invite me over?" He looked up at you from where he was reviewing the recipe again. "Oh, just missed you, teehee." He playfully stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth and hit his head with a fist. The action made you laugh as you started moving the next ingredients. Doing so you notice a small bottle of something you didn't recognize. You picked it up and showed it to Mikey. "Hey what's this?" You were about to open the lid when he snatched it out of your hand. "Just a bit of extra flavor for later."

You gave him an odd look and shrugged as he took the rest of the ingredients for the next part. "Ok, now we get to whip the egg whites and cream of tartar together. Then as we do that we add the salt and slowly add the sugar." You nod and help him with the process before moving onto the next part. "Now add vanilla and this gel food coloring. Then I'll finish whisking it." You do as instructed and he started whisking once again.

"So what are we gonna go after this fun little baking spree?" He smirked and continued whining. "Surprise, a fun one at that." You hummed as you thought about what it could be. "Are we gonna prank someone?" "Sounds fun, but no." He giggled as he placed the bowl down and moved onto the next step. "How about, spray painting the tunnels again?" He poured in some powdered sugar and almond flour and began mixing again. "Nope, guess again."

You bit the inside of your cheek as you pondered. "D.D.R?" Mikey blew a raspberry and shook his head. "Dee claimed it today, but that was one of my plans." You tilt your head slightly as he begins transferring the batter to a pan. "I'm out of guesses, need me to preheat the oven." He gave you a nod. "300, but wait a bit, these have to sit out for at most an hour." You looked curiously at the unfinished desert as he tapped the tray.

"What are you doing?" He looked at you with a grin. "Trying to remove any air bubbles." He paused and set a timer before turning back to you. "Hey, can you do me a favor really quick? Just while we wait for these to set and I make the filling." You curiously nodded and walked over to him. "What do you need?" Mikey smiled and pointed outside the kitchen. "Can you go get some blankets, pretty please?"

You smiled and left the kitchen in a hurry, mind running through the different reasons one would need a blanket. Your pace slowed as you neared the makeshift closet they kept extra blankets in. You opened the door and looked over the selections.

Making up your mind, you pulled a few blankets out and wrapped them together to make them easier to carry. You made your trek back to the kitchen and popped your head in. "Mikey, I got the blankets, where do you want them?" He was already working on the filling and looked up at you. "Living room, unless Dad is there. If he is then in my room." You nodded with a grin and walked over to the living room.

You craned your neck to look at the arm chair and noticed the rat man watching something. You blew a puff of air and turned around. You strolled to Mikey's car that was designated as his bedroom. Once entering you lazily dropped the blankets in a pile on the floor. A part of you wanted to explore the car simply because of basic curiosity. But you quickly brushed it off and made your way back to the kitchen.

"Mission accomplished, now what?" You leaned against the countertop as Mikey poured the filling in a plastic bag. "You wait, or start cleaning up and doing dishes." You nodded then started picking up the used measuring cups and other used dishes. You would have to do it eventually, might as well do it as you wait. Once Mikey was done with his task he helped you pile the dishes in the sink and run water over them.

You sectioned off after that, Mikey grabbed cleaning supplies and started cleaning the counters, and you were hand washing each dish then putting them on the drying rack.

"How's this one, a flower guy obsessed with plants?" Mikey nodded with a grin as he scrubbed the counters. "Ended up battling a plant we dared each other to smell, it was awful and we couldn't get the smell out for at least two weeks." You let out a puff of frustration as you place a now clean bowl on the drying rack. "Phooey, again? I really thought I had that one. Hmmm... Pumpkin!"

Mikey gave you a questioning look with a confused smile. "Pumpkin?" You nodded as you scrubbed another dish with the sponge. "Yeah, what about a pumpkin?" He gave a playful hum and flicked water your away, causing you to yelp in surprise and try to spray him back. "Yep, Donnie went on a wild tirade and we all spent the day chasing this giant pumpkin." You didn't remember when the game started, probably when you accidentally sent the whisk flying. Mikey caught it luckily but that led to questions about his many adventures.

He had preheated the oven then placed the cookie sheet on the middle rack a few minutes ago. So we were just waiting the few minutes left. "So what about... other ninjas?" He paused and nodded. "Where do you think we got Frankenfoot?" "Ah, makes sense." The timer went off and Mikey put on oven mitts before taking the cookie sheet out. "Now we get to wait ten minutes before we put them together."

You let out a hum as you take in the sweet smell of the pastries. "What about a sweets villain?" He shook his head with a grin. "Nope, but we have faced a crazy cook villain." You smile as you notice something out of the corner of your eye. "Leo, they aren't ready." The defeated red slider let out a pout and retreated his hand from the still cooling desert. Mikey laughed as his brother slunk away.

"Ouch, rejected." You run a bit of water from the faucet and flick it at the box turtle keeping you company. "No, protected." He smiled and looked at the cookie sheet. "We are mutants, we were made to be more resilient." You give him a deadpan expression. "Doesn't mean I won't still be concerned."

He smiled at you and poked one of the sweets. "I think we can assemble these now." You beam and grab the plastic tube with the filling inside. "I'll put the filling and you do the assembling." He agreed with a nod and you both got to work. After finishing up the macarons you put them on a plate then walked to Mikey's room.

Once inside he put the plate on the floor by the blankets. "I'll wrap you in blankets, just sit down." You smiled and shook your head as you plopped down on the floor. As soon as you hit the floor he started tightly wrapping blankets around you like a cocoon. "Hey, none for you?" He smiled and held up the last blanket and loosely draped it over his shoulders. "One for me, three for you." You scrunch up your nose as you laugh. "How am I supposed to eat our masterpieces?" He grinned mischievously and shrugged.

You cocked an eyebrow in curiosity and got an evil grin of your own. You leaned forward and snatched a macaron in your mouth. You giggled as you ate the dessert. "Now that's just cheating." Mikey didn't actually seem mad and chowed down on one of his own. "All is fair in love and war." You snatched another one and chewed it happily.

He pulled you closer to him and picked up the plate. "You gotta break free of your blanket prison if you want more." You playfully scowl at him and start to unravel the blankets as he eats another one.

Once you break free you quickly grab a macaron and pop it in your mouth. You both spend the rest of the day chilling in Mikey's subway car. Just drawing and coming up with stories.

[mariana-oconnor]

The Beryl Coronet pt 1

Another one where I remember the title and then literally nothing else. There are a lot like that. I swear I have read most of these before, and watched the entire Granada series, but apparently my memory is just appalling.

One assumes that there will be a beryl coronet involved. i think beryls might be emeralds? (The Internet says both aquamarine and emerald are examples of beryl, my fleeting interest two decades ago in precious and semiprecious stones finally pays off!)

“Holmes,” said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window looking down the street, “here is a madman coming along. It seems rather sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone.”

So we're starting out strong here. In one paragraph we have established that Watson is living with Holmes ('our bow-window') (where is his wife?) and with some period-typical judgement of mental health. I'm guessing the man in question is probably agitated from whatever incident has sent him to request Holmes' assistance, and not suffering from a mental illness, but the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Or it could be the onset of brain fever...

For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed his body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the extreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to his feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room.

Well that definitely sounds like he does have some condition. And if he didn't before, beating your head against a wall that hard is liable to give you some brain damage if you're not lucky. Glad that Watson and Holmes stopped him.

"Public disgrace I might have faced, although I am a man whose character has never yet borne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man; but the two coming together, and in so frightful a form, have been enough to shake my very soul. Besides, it is not I alone. The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be found out of this horrible affair.”

Oh, no, I was right the first time. He's just agitated by his misfortune. Wow... this guy lacks coping mechanisms. He's really hyping this up, though, Public disgrace, private affliction, shaking his soul, the very noblest in the land (not that I particularly care about them, but the stakes they are high). I assume from the title that it's a beryl coronet that has been misplaced in some publicly noticeable way. If it turns out that he just misplaced the meat for his dinner, I will be judging him hard for all this melodrama.

“I feel that time is of value,” said he; “that is why I hastened here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure your co-operation. I came to Baker Street by the Underground and hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this snow. That is why I was so out of breath, for I am a man who takes very little exercise."

Mr Holder: Time is of the essence.

Also Mr Holder:

We don't need to know how you got to Baker Street, we already know you arrived. Maybe if things are so urgent you should... start with the urgent thing and then talk about how unfit you are and how you need to do more exercise.

“‘It is absolutely essential to me,’ said he, ‘that I should have £50,000 at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling a sum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make it a matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In my position you can readily understand that it is unwise to place one's self under obligations.’"

First off, hello BofE inflation calculator: 50k in modern money is approximately £5.2 million today.

Second, 'I could just ask my friends. I totally could ask them and they could all give me this money easily. I'm only here because I want this to be business. I don't want to be obliged to them.' Why does this very famous person (Prince of Wales?) feel so defensive about this? He doesn't need to explain why he's asking a bank not his friends. That's literally what the bank is there for. This feels like what someone would say if they didn't have any friends. Or if they'd already borrowed millions from their friends and never paid them back.

“‘Next Monday I have a large sum due to me, and I shall then most certainly repay what you advance, with whatever interest you think it right to charge. But it is very essential to me that the money should be paid at once.’"

I know this guy is famous and (probably) royal and therefore by the rules of these stories therefore probably above reproach, but I would not want to give him a 5 million pound loan. The 'I could totally ask my friends' and this 'I'm totally going to pay you back on Monday. I've got loads of money coming on Monday' are warning signs for me.

"‘You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?’ “‘One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,’ said I."

Yep, my money is on this being Albert, Prince of Wales, him what would become Edward VII. Iirc he had a bit of a reputation for being a party boy prince, so if he really can't get any money from his friends (even if asking for 5 million were a reasonably thing to do) I wouldn't be surprised if it was because he wasn't good at paying people back.

This mfer just casually totes around some of the crown jewels, though. Just got 10 million in a case that he's carrying around. No one will miss it for a little while. I guess at this time they weren't on display at the Tower of London. I really want this coronet to be stolen so bad, and I have a feeling it's going to be.

"...imbedded in soft, flesh-coloured velvet..."

Whytf did you call it 'flesh-coloured'? Is the colour that important that you needed to specify it, and even if you needed to specify it, why choose those words? Why? Couldn't it have been red, or blue, or green? Why 'flesh-coloured'? ACD, I just want to talk.

"'Is the security sufficient?’ “‘Ample.’"

Well, if this guy says there's ample security, I guess there must be. Clearly that's enough reassurance for me to leave my ten million pound shiny hat here with no problems at all. Details? Who needs details? Pah. It's just a priceless object that technically belongs to the state rather than me.

I don't want this coronet to be recovered. I want it to be lost forever. Whoever stole it should get a gold star.

But it's okay because he makes it very clear that it shouldn't be lost or damaged.

"When I was alone once more, however, with the precious case lying upon the table in front of me..."

And then walks out leaving it just on the desk of this random guy he's never met before.

"I already regretted having ever consented to take charge of it."

Should have thought about that earlier, my dude. Also, if you know it's a national possession, is it even legal for the Prince of Wales to use it as collateral for a loan? Surely it would have to actually be one of his possessions to be valid. Or at least having the signature of the actual owner (Queen Victoria in this case, although possibly parliament?) to be used as such. Nothing about this loan is a good idea.

If he doesn't repay it are you just going to... keep national property?

"However, it was too late to alter the matter now, so I locked it up in my private safe and turned once more to my work."

You just... put it in your own private safe?

WTF even is this buffoonery? How is this... What is this... I can't even. Does the bank not have a secure vault? With guards etc.? But no, any safe will do.

"I determined, therefore, that for the next few days I would always carry the case backward and forward with me, so that it might never be really out of my reach."

I guess the bank does not have a vault. Or a night watchman, or literally ANY KIND OF WAY OF DEALING WITH ITEMS LIKE THIS. When it seems that this is something that they are in the habit of doing, although maybe not on this level. And they clearly have £1000 notes hanging around. Do they just all have them in their individual safes as well?

"I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs and locked it in the bureau of my dressing-room."

Super secure. A+ job.

I've seen those old bureaus, the locks are so simple I could pick one with one of my hair pins!

I am fully on the side of any and all thieves in this escapade (unless it turns out the Prince of Wales has hired them himself for nefarious purposes) but at this point in time I have lost most of the sympathy I have for these people.

The only reason I don't think it should be stolen right now is that, honestly, it presents so little challenge to any potential thieves it's actually insulting.

"She came with an excellent character, however, and has always given me satisfaction."

Language evolves, meaning changes, this does not mean what it looks like it means. But still, it gives me the ick. Nope. No thank you. Especially when followed by the description of how pretty she is.

"My family itself is so small that it will not take me long to describe it. I am a widower and have an only son, Arthur. He has been a disappointment to me, Mr. Holmes—a grievous disappointment."

Oh boy. So you took a ten million pound coronet and locked it in a desk in the same house as a son who is perpetually in debt and cannot be trusted with money. Even if he didn't take it, which seems likely as he's clearly being marked as the most obvious suspect. I stg you should not be this foolish.

“And, indeed, I could not wonder that such a man as Sir George Burnwell should gain an influence over him, for [...] I have found myself that I could hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than Arthur, a man of the world to his finger-tips, one who had been everywhere, seen everything, a brilliant talker, and a man of great personal beauty. Yet when I think of him in cold blood, far away from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from his cynical speech and the look which I have caught in his eyes that he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so, too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight into character."

Add a fae to the tally of Sherlock Holmes supernatural encounters. Also, I'm going to call it now, Arthur is blameless and Mary is in love with Sir George Burnwell and they're going to run away together, or that's what he told her when he convinced her to steal the coronet. That's my theory. We shall see...

"She is a sunbeam in my house—sweet, loving, beautiful, a wonderful manager and housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet and gentle as a woman could be."

A thief? Honestly I want her to be even more after this description. The Victorian ideals of femininity were so trite. I hope she stole that coronet.

"I think that if anyone could have drawn him into the right path it would have been she, and that his marriage might have changed his whole life; but now, alas! it is too late—forever too late!"

... it is not a woman's job to fix a man, Mr Holder. If this story ends with her marrying Arthur I will be very sad. Although from the 'too late' is one of them dead?

“When we were taking coffee in the drawing-room that night after dinner, I told Arthur and Mary my experience, and of the precious treasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the name of my client."

You just... told them about it. Just... He says be discreet. It's 10 million pounds (£100k at the time). Your son has money problems. And you're just out here chatting about how you have essentially part of the crown jewels of the British Empire in a drawer upstairs.

My dude...

My actual dude...

You should have just taken the coronet out and used it as a centrepiece. it would have been less obvious.

Also, it's part of the crown jewels, how much use do you think 'suppressing the name of your client' is going to bloody be. There aren't a lot of people who can just help themselves to national bloody treasures.

“‘Where have you put it?’ asked Arthur. “‘In my own bureau.’ “‘Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the night.’ said he. “‘It is locked up,’ I answered. “‘Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I have opened it myself with the key of the box-room cupboard.’"

That's what I said! Also... this is evidence in Arthur's favour because only the stupidest person in the world would say 'I could steal that' and then steal it. Although... given the levels of intelligence his father is showing, we can't hold out much hope for him. Perhaps his mother was the brains of this operation. I hope for Arthur's sake he takes more after her than his father.

"I started to go round the house to see that all was secure—a duty which I usually leave to Mary but which I thought it well to perform myself that night. As I came down the stairs I saw Mary herself at the side window of the hall, which she closed and fastened as I approached. “‘Tell me, dad,’ said she, looking, I thought, a little disturbed, ‘did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go out to-night?’"

I'm going to try not to make this a Naval Treaty situation again. Data, data, data, etc. So instead of making an accusation here, I'm merely going to ask what Mary was doing at the window before she closed it, and point out that she is drawing attention to another possible suspect and also has good knowledge of all ways to access the house and ample opportunity to leave something open or unlocked.

These may all be coincidences. There are potential valid explanations for all of these things.

Or she might have just sent a message to Sir George Burnwell and planning to steal a coronet this evening.

“‘She came in just now by the back door. I have no doubt that she has only been to the side gate to see someone, but I think that it is hardly safe and should be stopped.’"

Though the narrative now wants us to think that Lucy is meeting with Sir George Burnwell... but my money is still on Mary. We already know Lucy has lots of suitors who hang around the grounds, she might well have been meeting with one of them.

"Are you sure that everything is fastened?’ “‘Quite sure, dad.’"

Only her word for that.

Not that I'm accusing her of anything. I'm merely... pointing things out. Factual things.

“‘Arthur!’ I screamed [...] "He appeared to be wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength. At my cry he dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death. I snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with three of the beryls in it, was missing. “‘You blackguard!’ I shouted, beside myself with rage. ‘You have destroyed it! You have dishonoured me forever! Where are the jewels which you have stolen?’"

Some other facts that have been established. Arthur loves Mary and has asked her to marry him on multiple occasions. Just throwing that one out there. If he is trying to cover up a crime/take the blame for someone... perhaps...

Also, Mr Holder 'You have dishonoured me forever!'? Sure, but you dishonoured yourself first by being so very, very bad at your job. You had one job.

“‘You have called me names enough,’ said he, ‘I will not stand it any longer. I shall not say another word about this business, since you have chosen to insult me. I will leave your house in the morning and make my own way in the world.’"

Arthur making some interesting choices here. Like 'I know I was just found with my hands on a broken national treasure, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to walk out of this one a free man.'

When you said he was spoiled, Mr Holder, I didn't think you meant that he really didn't understand the meaning of the word 'consequences' at all.

Although maybe you should have listened to him before biting his head off. I know things look pretty damning, but maybe talking would have been a better approach. "Hey, son. What you got there?" But I get that it's a little difficult to remain calm when you're looking at the twisted remains of both a ten million dollar mistake and your entire career/life.

"Mary was the first to rush into my room, and, at the sight of the coronet and of Arthur's face, she read the whole story and, with a scream, fell down senseless on the ground."

Convenient. First, that she was so close to the room that she would be the first to rush in, and second, that she's now unavailable for questioning.

But seriously, Mary, I am behind you all the way on this. Keep at it! I am cheering you on. I hope your performance was Oscar worthy.

I don't know what Arthur expects his father to do here. Lie, maybe, and say 'I don't know what happened to it, Your Royal Highness. Must have been a random thief and absolutely not the son who I told the location to and who I found red-handed with it.' I firmly believe he's innocent and his father walked in on him trying to fix the thing, but even so he's coming across as kind of naive here. I get maybe hoping that Daddy wouldn't turn him in, but he must have thought it was a possibility.

“‘At least,’ said he, ‘you will not have me arrested at once. It would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the house for five minutes.’"

Before Sir George can get away with the missing gems.

Mary, keep playing dead, if you faint for long enough you'll miss all of it. Although your... maybe potential boyfriend... might ditch you. Probably will ditch you. If that's what's happening. I really hope he's not just playing you and the two of you are going to take those gems, get them recut and sold, and sail off into the sunset (hopefully not interrupted by a random shipwrecking incident), but something tells me Sir George Burnwell is playing you.

"...I implored him to remember that not only my honour but that of one who was far greater than I was at stake; and that he threatened to raise a scandal which would convulse the nation."

This is not a convincing argument. Honestly, if I was told that what I was doing might cause a scandal for the royal family, I would absolutely have the impulse to do it harder. I get that I am not the Victorian son of a gentleman, but still. 'You have to save the royal family from scandal' would just make me laugh. They wouldn't be in a scandal if they hadn't done something scandalous.

"A search was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of every portion of the house where he could possibly have concealed the gems; but no trace of them could be found, nor would the wretched boy open his mouth for all our persuasions and our threats."

When would he have had time to hide them that well, considering he was still holding the coronet when you found him? Also, if he is, as I suspect, covering for Mary, then he's probably sure he's doing the noble and honourable thing by protecting her reputation or whatever.

"My God, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, my gems, and my son in one night. Oh, what shall I do!”

Well, maybe you start by inventing time travel to go back and tell your past self to do better.

Tbf, regarding his mental state, if I had, through my own fault, lost/damaged an object someone had entrusted to me that was worth ten million pounds, particularly someone with as much power as the Prince of Wales, I would be in a catatonic state. So yeah. But also, any sympathy I have had for Mr Holder has been lost at every single step of this process. Why does the bank not have a vault for this purpose? Why did he take it home when he didn't have anywhere safe to put it? Why did he tell anyone he had it? Why did he not move it after being told by his son how insecure the bureau was?

And, to back up my theory with text. Reasons I suspect Mary:

She was present during the conversation when Mr Holding told them about the coronet and where he put it.

She also heard Arthur saying how easy that bureau was to break into.

She was at the window that night for an unknown reason.

We only have her word as to the house being locked up that night.

Arthur is unwilling to say anything in his own defence, which makes me think he is covering for someone. The only person we have been given reason to believe he would protect in the text (other than maybe his father) is Mary. He could be secretly in love with Lucy, but given we already have evidence of his affection for Mary, that would be an abrupt turn.

So that's my theory: Sir George Burnwell and Mary are secret lovers and Mary, hearing about the golden opportunity her foolish uncle has presented her with, tells her lover, then either Mary or both of them, go to steal it. Arthur, who honestly might have been in there trying to get £200 for his own debts, witnesses this, attempts to stop it. The coronet is broken. Either Burnwell gets away with the jewels, or Mary does and gives them to him (through the window we saw her at earlier perhaps?) and then hears the yelling and runs upstairs just in time to give the theatrical performance of her life.

[8o--o8-deactivated20220523]

What do you think about the 'nudity' warning in the one piece live action?😭😭😭

I heard about some of the weird warnings when info about the LA age rating came out and I genuinely believe that some of the weirder warnings are probably going to get removed and are just place holders that are there for all shows that have that type of rating

But if nudity IS going to in the show the only way I can imagine it happening is (spoilers for very early one piece if you want to stay blind for the live action show, jump to the next paragraph ) a scene of Nami showering when they reveal the Arlong Tattoo and her gripping it, being too distracted by it too actually shower in peace

Other than that I can't see nudity happening in any other way

[justamagicalpurpleshark]

*SPOILERS* for ML Episode 11: Deflagration (Transmission Part 2)

So, I just watched Deflagration and I have some things to say...

First thing I simply loved about this episode was seeing Gabriel doing the snapping fingers dance/song sequence. Our man was unhinged and insane in a really fun way (he's going crazier and crazier by the episode and i kinda love it). Especially in front of Natalie and her "no fucks given" reaction. I thought it was hilarious.

Spoilers for Emotion in the next paragraph:

Also, tanking into account that this episode comes before Emotion, where Félix does a very similar dance/song of "snapping my fingers", it seems to imply some connection between the two. I'm starting to think Félix and Adrien are sentimonster twins or something, because the similarities between Félix and Gabriel seem to indicate more than an uncle-nephew usual similarities...

On another note, that cute little scene of Djwifi was incredibly cute and I adored Nino's entire character in this episode - super suportive and ready to lead the Revolution (Resistance), eheh

However, can we please talk about Scarabella and Kitty Noire for a minute. I think Alya was really good in her substitute Ladybug role (and was a good throw back to the Origins episodes) with a good amount of foreshadowing and reasoning and to how it works and then didn't.

Kitty Noire and Zoé as a character, however, irritates me to no end. I mean no offense, she's perfectly fine, and it's of no fault of her own. I just don't like that the writers couldn't be bothered to write the redemption arc Chloé deserved, so instead doubled down on her mean girl antics (since season 3) and just created a new character out of nowhere to replace her. Like, do your job correctly, please. I know it's Thomas Astruc's fault because he has always had a strange little hate boner over Chloé - a character he created - and thus Zoé was born. But like, idk i just think her character is incredibly bland and boring (she's just too nice) and feels a bit out of place in our main cast and especially as the Bee Miraculous Holder. She doesn't feel very "queen bee" to me (or "vespera" or whatever, but you get what i mean) ...

(Also this episode was filled with the usual Chloé character assassination *sighs*, oh well...)

Zoé rant aside (sorry about that), i feel like she falls behing Alya a lot in these two episodes in terms of temporarily replacing Chat Noir: she has no relation to Adrien, has never expressed any motivation/traits taht would justify her getting the black cat miraculous; she also doesn't get any in suit moments to justify why it had to be her and no one else (at this point, Nino would have been a better Chat Noir for a narrative stand point but I guess...)

On a lighter note, her last scene with Plagg (although it felt a little "undeserved" for a lack of a better term) was quite sweet and gave me a little hope the writers will do something interesting with her character in the future (I haven't read the bible leaks, so please no spoilers in the comments/reblogs). So, here's to having hope for character development.

Anyway, all around, i think it was a good episode - nothing special but a fun little side quest where our heroes find out they have responsabilities they can't abandon (even for romance) and get saved by the Power Of Friendship (TM).

Feel free to comment on any of my points :)

Now, to thank you for reading my post/rant, have a meme (Spoilers for Deflagration and Emotion):

[perfectlyvalid49]

You’re right actually. I didn’t read it because the fact that JVP kinda sucks is just one of those things that “everybody knows” and someone else had reblogged that link recently, and I was being lazy and just grabbed what was at hand. I apologize.

So, let’s go through it. To start – the founders and advisory board are demonstrably Jewish. The members and even some chapter founders are not necessarily Jewish (https://www.commentary.org/articles/joshua-muravchik/not-so-jewish-not-for-peace/ ). A few years ago there was a scandal when people found out that the person running their facebook page was located in Lebanon. There are about 40 Jews in Lebanon, all of them elderly and no one believes that they’re the ones running JVP’s socials https://unitedwithisrael.org/suspicions-mount-that-the-organization-is-a-front-for-arab-anti-israel-propaganda/

In addition, here’s a tumblr post with pictures from JVP’s socials about celebrating Chanukah. Note that in both pictures the Shamash is not lit (or even present). If a single Jew had been present, these pictures would not look like this (for anyone who isn’t Jewish: You light the Shamash first, use it to light the other candles, and then place it in the holder that’s a different height. It would be in the middle slot in the top picture, and the far left in the bottom one.) https://www.tumblr.com/hero-israel/731823517606297600/heres-how-jews-for-jesus-in-palestine-lights

So while their founders may be Jewish, whether or not any individual member is actually Jewish is questionable. And the people running their social media accounts, and therefore some of the louder voices that people outside the organization hear, don’t seem to be. It’s not “race-traitor bullshit,” it’s “there are non-Jews in an organization that claims to be Jewish, and that paired with some of their actions/stances is deeply sus.”

I can’t follow your link to Xitter – it wants me to make an account and I refuse. I googled the author and I didn’t see anything relating to the IDF, but I’ll take your word for it. Having seen what you’ve been posting for the last few weeks, I am curious what you define as pro-Israel disinformation though.

I don’t know why you can’t copy/paste and why the links don’t work. That does suck. Like I said, I apologize for not vetting the link I posted.

I don’t see where AMCHA lists “thinking about criticizing Israel” as antisemitic. I can see how *actually*  criticizing Israel could be considered antisemitic because when most people criticize Israel they either do it in an antisemitic way, or they are using criticism of Israel as a cover to being more broadly antisemitic. It’s also very probably that this list is generated by people involved reporting it to the website, which means that someone at each of these events was made to feel uncomfortable enough by the JVP presence that they felt the need to report it. That doesn’t make it an attack, but it does mean that it’s more than nothing.

The LGBTQ attack is probably not mentioned on the AMCHA website because that tracks events at colleges, which the parade was not. Also, you say that he makes it seem like it’s a pride event, but it says that it’s at the Celebrate Israel parade in the first sentence of the first paragraph in that section. It also specifically says “Celebrate Israel Parade” in 3 out of the four HEADLINES of the articles you and he linked. I know that this is the piss poor reading comprehension website, but I don’t think that you’re arguing in good faith here. Also, nothing said that the infiltrators were queer OR Jewish, just that they infiltrated LGBTQ groups, that those groups were deliberately targeted (said the Executive Director of JVP in the articles you linked) and that they scared members of the LGBTQ groups that they had infiltrated. Why target the queer groups specifically for infiltration if not to scare them too?

As for the blood libel and greedy Jew cartoons. They’re dog whistles. Just because you can’t hear them doesn’t mean that other people can’t.

There are a lot of Jews who love Israel. Many of them are people who fled ethnic cleansings or genocides themselves and found safety in Israel. Calling them “garbage people” for loving the only country that would take them in after their country of origin tried to kill them is pretty shitty. Having said that, I there is some historical truth on that shirt (not as much as you think, but if we get into that, you’ll block me for sure).

The “fabricated holidays” in question are probably Yom Hashoah (holocaust remembrance day), Yom Hazikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and Yom Haatzmaut (Israel’s Independence day). I can see why a person might think that represents an oppression to freedom story – IF THEY WEREN’T JEWISH AND DIDN’T KNOW HISTORY. Israel’s Independence day is when they signed their Declaration of Independence. Yom Hashoah is the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. This post is just another example of JVP being shitty and ignorant – and by claiming that Jews are just using the holocaust as an excuse to be shitty, that is the first step down the road to holocaust denial (you’re using it as an excuse, you’re making it up, it wasn’t that bad, etc). If it isn’t holocaust denial outright, it’s DEFINITELY antisemitic.

The Mapping project was literally featured on a neo-nazi livestream: https://jweekly.com/2022/07/18/bds-groups-map-of-jewish-boston-shows-up-on-local-neo-nazis-livestream/ I can’t speak to the rest of his claims, but the fear of it being used by white supremacists to target Jews is not unfounded.

He does not say they’re equivalent. He’s saying that they’re spreading the same propaganda, which will have equivalent outcomes. I also find it very telling that if Stormfront isn’t the originator, then neo-nazis are pulling their memes from anti-zionist creators. It’s almost like they have some beliefs in common.

Jewish supremacy is another dog whistle. And he’s not saying that it makes them David Duke, he’s pointing out yet another way that JVP is walking the same paths as anti-semites. He may be a little overblown in his claims, but at the heart of it, he’s right. JVP routinely displays ignorance of history, of Jewish custom and uses antisemitic talking points in their quest to aid the people of Palestine. There are ways to advocate for them that don’t require that.

Anyway, here are a handful more links to stuff we didn’t even get to talk about

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I know you’re rabidly anti-zionist and liberal with the block button. If you decide to block me for this, so be it. But please know that there are ways to be anti-zionist without being antisemitic and I hope that you can figure that out for yourself. I’m happy to try to help if you don’t block me.

if you live in the us and have literally 2 minutes to spare go fill out the form here -- it will give you a script and also prompt a phone call that will patch you through the the office of your district's representative. specify that you will not consider voting for them again, or for any elected officials, if they don't call for an immediate ceasefire and end to us funding of genocide. jewish voice for peace has a lot of other action items, most of which can be done from home if you aren't able to attend a protest.

[sillyplacetoputpicsforsharing]

How My ADHD Affects Me (From The POV OF My Friends)

ADHD causes brain fog but I also have brain fog from a multitude of different sources including; pain, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, PTSD, multiple medications. I am also most likely forgetting something.

ya, that's adhd too with the scattered never ending onslaught of tangents

ADHD: constantly starting and stopping tasks. You seem to have trouble staying on topic or slowing down when you're excited. Issues with processing information

You talk faster when you're excited, and you also seem to have trouble slowing down.You seem to have trouble staying on topic or slowing down when you're excited

Or sticking to one topic that's probably a better way to phrase it.

Difficulty to maintain focus, difficulty remembering, hard time finishing complex tasks?

I'd associate your adhd with the brain fog

I have brain fog and cognitive issues from a multitude of sources including

Did that twice, it's up at the top too ______________

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Next section probably copied twice but I take no chances and no prisoners

______________________________

ADHD causes brain fog but I also have brain fog from a multitude of different sources including; pain, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, PTSD, multiple medications. I am also most likely forgetting something.

ya, that's adhd too with the scattered never ending onslaught of tangents

ADHD: constantly starting and stopping tasks. You seem to have trouble staying on topic or slowing down when you're excited. Issues with processing information

You talk faster when you're excited, and you also seem to have trouble slowing down.You seem to have trouble staying on topic or slowing down when you're excited

Or sticking to one topic that's probably a better way to phrase it.

Difficulty to maintain focus, difficulty remembering, hard time finishing complex tasks?

I'd associate your adhd with the brain fog

I have brain fog and cognitive issues from a multitude of sources including

^^You did this whole section twice^^

______________________________

Is it possible to put these following paragraphs in a way people who are not mentally ill can understand? So that it makes sense about how my brain be bouncin' around?

Not sure, my brain runs on adhd too so it all makes sense to me ___________________-

Also Gmoney these photos are reminding me that I wanted to show you how fuckin red my ears were earlier so send me a message tomorrow and remind me to show you please. btdubs just thinking that I wanted to show you those pics while I was doing scribbling out important info at the same time also eating while also still doing my appeal shit really made me pause and be like... oh shit I really do be havin the ADHD.

Also also I have been listening to musical soundtracks with my mom all day while doing the appeal and before I finished drawing over those messages, during which remembering that I wanted to tell you about my ears, I also got distracted because there's a lyric in the Annie song about giving someone Mickey Finn's and I was like the fuckin is that so like I really do really do be havin ADHD.

Also also also I got distracted from all of THAT by wanting to fill up my mom's medication holder. So again I really do be havin the ADHD

It's extremely frustrating because I constantly and I mean constantly go out of my way to help her and her kid I constantly buy them things I clean her room almost every time I'm up there and that's means a lot cuz my place looks like a fucking shitstorm

I am just really really fucking tired of having friends I put so much good will and care into without getting even a quarter of it in return.

I'm constantly getting presents for her or Tyson.

Also sorry some of this does not make sense I am using talk to text.

I have no idea why shit like this always happens to me I had a friend in high school who me and my mom went so fucking out of our way to take care of her cuz her mom was an alcoholic and her grandma and her uncle constantly smoked in the house so she always smell like cigarettes We bought her tampons we bought her clothes She was on her f****** Christmas ornament and then one time she came to my house when I wasn't there and told my mom I was having sex and smoking pot. And I wasn't even doing it! Yet lmfao. ________

yet, nice.

People can suck that's just how that goes sometimes gotta decide if it all worth it with people, had folks like that and sometimes you need the person more than the stuff, bounces around a lot though.

[windvexer]

Red Pepper Spellbreaker

Used for: Breaking up and chasing away suspected malefica, unwanted presences, and various undesired energies.

Be careful when burning dried peppers or having them next to open flame. The first and only step to macing yourself is lighting dried red peppers on fire. Seriously, have your inhaler handy.

(Only 4 steps but it reads a bit long as I explain theory along the way)

Materials:

A candle of any size or color (if taking recommendations: taper or smaller for a quick-ish burn; red is ideal).

Dry red peppers, whole, flaked, or powdered. The hotter, the better (red pepper flake packets from the pizza place work well). The peppers may be suspended in a carrier oil.

A touch of carrier oil, such as olive oil (without peppers in it). Or, tap water.

Paper and a pen.

A small offering: three coins, a glass of water, and a small gift of your own choosing will suffice.

All statements may be thought, signed, or written instead of spoken.

Steps:

1. On the paper, write out in detail everything you want to be broken up and banished. Say you only have a vague feeling of a heavy energy holding you down: write about it. Write about how it feels and what the symptoms are and where you feel it most. Write out all your suspicions, worries, concerns. Describe what you're feeling. Write about when you think it started, or when you first noticed it.

This may be a sentence, but the more the better - feel free to accumulate paragraphs or pages of writing.

Whenever you are done emptying your desires onto the page, end your writing with a paragraph like this:

"The unwanted energy I have described will be melted away by my candle. The energy will be goaded and burned by the peppers until it is torn apart. It will be hounded and chased until it flees to the ends of the earth. Let my spell come together unto this purpose: that the unwanted energy I have described here is reduced to carbon, and what cannot be reduced to carbon is burned until it flees, and whatever flees is chased into oblivion and cannot return. As my word, so shall it be - [Your Name]"

Basically, just describe what will happen to the energies you've pinpointed through your writing. Explain what the candle and peppers are supposed to do. Pretend that you're giving instructions to the candle and peppers. Be a good leader and explain to your helpers what they are supposed to do.

2. Place your peppers on the paper. If using peppers suspended in oil, rub the oil all over your pages. Sprinkle powdered pepper onto each page, place whole peppers around the page like a border, whatever you like.

As you do so, invoke and invite the peppers to aid and assist you. Like,

"Peppers, I call on you for your incredible powers at this time: I have described this sort of energy that is around me that I need gone. And I've given clear details about how it should be burned away and sent away. I place you on this page now, because it holds everything you need to know. I'm doing this because I know through your incredible power, my needs will be fulfilled."

3. Anoint the candle with the non-pepper oil (or water). For a taper or votive, start at the base of the candle and draw the oil/water up towards the wick. For a tea light or jar candle, swirl the oil/water counter-clockwise around the top. Say something like,

"Candle, I need you for a task. I've written down this problem I am having. I need you to help me with this. I need you to provide fire and power to this spell, so that the peppers who are helping me have all the energy they need to do their work. And I need you to be the vessel of fire for me, so that my will be done. Work with the peppers, and give them whatever they ask for."

Do not dress the candle with peppers or pepper oil (safety hazard).

Place the candle in a fire-safe container/holder. Place the holder on top of the sheet(s) of paper (you may be more comfortable placing the candle holder in a larger fire-safe dish, and putting that dish on the paper).

4. Pray. It may be a prayer to yourself, or to a god, or your ancestors. Whatever the prayer is, it needs to have a few components. These are: A) asking for aide, B) promising payment, and C) devoting your power to the spell.

Example:

"I pray to my ancestors and the Powers That Be, that you see how I am working on my own behalf today. I pray that you open the gateways that must be opened for my spell to succeed. I pray that you clear the way, so that my work today is not in vain (A). I now make this vow: that the spirits who help me in this operation will not work for free. I dedicate [prepared offering] to the spirits which aid me, especially Pepper. I dedicate this offering to feed the spirits who aid me, so they have enough energy to complete my will (B)."

Now here's where we get to C, because depending on how much power you have, YMMV. Some of us out here cannot devote extra personal energy to spells, and devoting personal power willy-nilly is risky business regardless. So choose your wording carefully.

I sit here before this spell I have prepared. I have brought offerings to pay the spirits, and I have sacrificed my time and energy to prepare the spell. Let my offerings be devoted. Let my power be applied. Let this spell not be an empty vessel, but one overflowing. Let this be a true act of magic, worked through Me, with the aid of benevolent spirits, and those who come because they are paid. (C)

When the time is right, say something like: "As my words, so shall it be."

Light the candle. Set out the offering.

The candle does not need to burn down all at once. You may snuff it out and relight it as you please.

When the spell is complete, tear up the paper(s) and throw them away. You can burn them outside if you like but its not necessary.

Additional candles may be dressed and dedicated to continue the spell once the first one has burned out.

[liquidstar]

Woo!!! After forever I finally finished drawing this batch of ocs!!! I’m so excited to finally post them, it’s taken some real restraint to wait until they’re all done so I can post them as a set lol. Click on the pics for a better view!

But these are all the members of Pandemonium, aka The Grimdark Guild. A rival guild to the main cast, they’re literally all about the chaos, with more edgy darkly-inclined look to them they’ve sort of gained a reputation as being the gothic guild, but that might not hold equally true for all members. Still they all welcome the strange and macabre, and about expressing yourself in any way you see fit. Do whatever the fuck you want! It’s chaos! It’s Pandemonium baby! 

I’ll put info for each character under the cut, but as bullet points rather than a whole paragraph, since there’s 10 of them! I’ll put close-ups for each of them too because they’re hard to see

Name: Saturn

Name Origin: The planet of course! Which got it’s name from the Roman God of generation, dissolution, and wealth. 

Pronouns: He/him

Age: 36

Guild rank: Guildmaster

Weapon: Rings

Ethos (Power): Spatial direction. Control over the direction of objects with his rings.

Flaw power is based on: The meticulous controlling nature of his power is based on his own scheming nature.

Notes: His tactic for building up his guild is to cause absolute chaos everywhere else and so far it’s working.

Name: Porrima 

Name Origin: A binary star system named for a Roman Goddess of prophesy 

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 19

Guild rank: 4 star

Weapon: Gurz

Ethos (Power): Fortuity. Fortune telling, but her prophesies are often vague

Flaw power is based on: Her pessimistic and gloomy nature, she often interprets the fortunes in the worst way.

Notes: If you can make her smile she’ll be your best friend.

Name: Kari

Name Origin: A moon named for a figure from Norse mythology which represented wind (Which she runs like!)

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 17

Guild rank: 2 star

Weapon: Roller blades 

Ethos (Power): Alacrity. Enhanced speed and agility on her roller skates

Flaw power is based on: Her incredibly hyper demeanor. 

Notes: “But Finn those aren’t roller blades, they’re roller skates! Roller blades are-” She has knives in her shoes. They’re literally Roller blades.

Name: Vanth

Name Origin: A moon named after a psychopomp who guides the souls of the dead to the underworld.

Pronouns: They/them

Age: 25

Guild rank: 5 star

Weapon: Twin scythes

Ethos (Power): Decay. The ability to cause things to rot away by touch 

Flaw power is based on: Their ironic fear of impermanence

Notes: Listens to death metal lol. get it.

Name: Lyra

Name Origin: From the constellation Lyra the lyre. 

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 26

Guild rank: 4 star

Weapon: Lyre

Ethos (Power): Lullaby. She can influence people’s moods and abilities through her music. 

Flaw power is based on: Her soft overly-empathetic nature.

Notes: The heart of the guild, keeps everything together amidst the chaos.

Name: Valetudo

Name Origin: A moon named after the Latin word for fortitude. 

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 28

Guild rank: 4 star

Weapon: Guandao

Ethos (Power): Immutable will. She can lock objects in-place, including herself, basically becoming an immovable object

Flaw power is based on: Her stubbornness 

Notes: The holder of everyone’s braincells

Name: Hebe

Name Origin: An asteroid named after a Goddess of youth

Pronouns: He/him

Age: 13

Guild rank: 1 star

Weapon: Bladed yo-yo

Ethos (Power): Spacelink. Portal creation, only works in places he’s already been.

Flaw power is based on: His thirst for adventure and reckless youthful vigor

Notes: He’s literally just a kid he just wants to have fun

Name: Cerberus

Name Origin: An obsolete constellation named after the mythical 3-headed dog

Pronouns: He/they

Age: 23

Guild rank: 3 star

Weapon: Dadao sword

Ethos (Power): Trifold. He can make two clones of himself. 

Flaw power is based on: Their instance to handle any and all burdens themself. 

Notes: Dogboy (professionally diagnosed)

Name: Corvus

Name Origin: From the constellation of Corvus the Crow

Pronouns: He/him

Age: 28

Guild rank: 5 star

Weapon: Bec de corbin

Ethos (Power): Black Plume. He can control his feathers individual once they’re plucked off within a certain timeframe.

Flaw power is based on: His sacrificial nature, once they’ve fallen off they won’t go back on.

Notes: Thank you to the anime Princess Tutu for inspiring his vaguely bird-shaped hair.

Name: Alkes 

Name Origin: A star whose name means “Teacup”

Pronouns: He/him

Age: 14

Guild rank: 3 star

Weapon: Parasol

Ethos (Power): Open wound. Any cut made by his weapon will not stop bleeding until he wills it to, or you die.

Flaw power is based on: His harsh and malicious demeanor 

Notes: Also known as Pandemonium’s Vampire. Somehow the edgiest member of the guild despite his appearance. 

And if you made it this far I love you and I want to thank you by showing you this special picture taken of the guildmembers: