#there are plenty of other articles if you want another source

[axolotlclown]

Reblogging with an update. The state of Florida plans to appeal. This was a high ranking federal judge, which means that this will likely go to the Supreme Court. After the overturning of Roe v Wade, it is difficult to predict the outcome of this ruling.

Also! Very important! This ruling did not actually affect minors. Minors still cannot access gender affirming care in Florida. This overturned the restrictions placed on adults.

Florida bans on trans care have been overturned! 🏳️‍⚧️

[edenfenixblogs]

hello! I’m not a Jewish person (ethnically or religiously), but I was wondering if you know of any ways that I can help Jewish people right now? Like if you know of any donation programs or volunteer work or food drives or anything of the sort that I could do to help? I want to help fight antisemitism and help Jewish people beyond simply spreading awareness on Instagram, but I’m not exactly sure how or where to start. This is a very dumb question, I’m so sorry, you can ignore this if you want

(CONT'D) also, I have another question, I’m so sorry To preface this question, I’d like to say that I’m a very stupid individual who knows absolutely nothing about anything. So the question is, do you have any book or article recommendations that showcase Jewish people’s experiences, values, perspectives, etc. Like for example, are there any books written from the perspective of an Israeli/jewish person who had moved from wherever they were to the state of Israel in 1948 (I apologise if this is a horrible example, I just know absolutely nothing about anything and everything, but I’m open to learning)

Thank you so much for asking these valuable questions!!!!! (And thanks for being patient until I was able to answer!)

Neither of your questions are dumb, and you don't need to be sorry! You're not stupid and I hope you can be as kind to yourself as you have been to me and my community in your questions.

I was wondering if you know of any ways that I can help Jewish people right now?

Truly the very best thing you can do to support Jews at this time is routinely check in on us, speak up for us, and correct misinformation or antisemitism if you see it happening. This means not running away if your Jewish friends mention two antisemitic experiences they've had in one week. This means adding a media bias/fact check link when someone sends you antisemitic propaganda from Al Jazeera. This means saying "Hey. That doesn't help Palestine. That just hurts Jews," when someone's "activism" veers too far in the wrong direction. That means that you don't just shout ceasefire now without also acknowledging that Hamas and Hezbollah also need to cease firing. This means making sure your donations and your links to donations go to sources that do not fund Hamas, like Anera. It also means making sure your donations for the I/P conflict support interfaith efforts whenever possible. I routinely promote the interfaith and intercultural organizations represented within AllMEP; https://www.allmep.org/ Also, steer clear of culturally expropriating organizations like JVP.

Like if you know of any donation programs or volunteer work or food drives or anything of the sort that I could do to help?

Ones that specifically help Jews, you mean? I don't actually! Unfortunately, the international conversation since 10/7 has had very little to do with how to help Jews in Israel or in diaspora. I would say that you should look into and perhaps even email or call your local synagogues and see if they have any kind of fund for their buildings or if they're trying to raise money to pay security and donating to them. Aside from that, I'd love for my followers to weigh in on this, as they'll know better.

Book Recommendations!

These aren't exactly what you're looking for. But I believe deeply in my heart that every single non-Jewish person should read:

Jews Don't Count by David Baddiel

People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn

Night by Elie Wiesel

There are plenty of other books that are less of a bummer to read than those, too. But I think for any non-Jew to truly understand us they need to understand the unexamined antisemitism they carry with them and they need to have true, first-hand accounts about the holocaust to understand the legacy it left to us as well as what it took away.

Followers with more specific recommendations, please offer your advice in comments or replies or reblogs or tags! I'm just one person. I don't claim to speak for my entire community, nor have I ever. But I think, as a larger community, we can all steer you in the right direction, Thank you!!!!!

[gayloringinplainsight]

"Rights are being stripped from basically everyone who isn't a straight white cisgender male," she tells Vogue, when asked about why she chose to, all of a sudden, stand up for LGBTQ+ rights. "I didn't realize until recently that I could advocate for a community that I'm not a part of."

Source: https://www.out.com/news/2019/8/08/taylor-swift-says-shes-straight-despite-all-bisexual-rumors#toggle-gdpr

I was waiting for this to come through my inbox lol. (There was more then one ask about this but I'm only responding to the first.)

There's lots to unpack here but the first and foremost thing is: She doesn't actually say here, "I'm straight." It was a perfect opportunity. It was the ideal conversation. She punted. Why?

Why did she instead give this vague, circuitous, carefully couched answer?

She calls out communities encompassing sexuality, race, and gender, followed by saying, "a community that I'm not a part of." There are lots of communities that she could have been referring to, but she crafted the sentence in such a way that makes it unclear which one. She could have been talking about the trans community. She could have been talking about the poc community. She could have been talking about the ace community. She could have been talking about the gay male community. There are lots of possibilities. In this carefully worded sentence, she deliberately avoided naming the specific community she's talking about.

Another thing to consider is that many, many closeted people don't consider themselves part of the queer community. They don't feel like they belong because they're not out and proud. And even once people come out, it often still takes time before they feel like they're part of the queer community. That was certainly my personal experience. Cara Delevingne said something similar in her Hulu show when discussing her own coming out.

Let's move on. The link anon provided isn't the source. It's an article quoting the source. The actual source is the 2019 Vogue cover article. And the full article is important because there are lots of interesting things that give context to this quote.

First, there's a great deal of conversation about gay stuff and lgbtq+ rights. And the writer makes a point of saying about this subject matter that Taylor seems to enjoy that part of the conversation "as much as she’d enjoy a root canal." Wouldn't a straight ally be eager to discuss this? They would. And a closeted queer person would be uncomfortable and panicking at the thought of having to talk so blatantly about this subject. The writer also makes a point of saying that once the conversation changes to music, Taylor lights up and her demeanor and speech patterns relax dramatically.

The other important context that the Vogue article discusses is Taylor's very long history of supporting lgbtq+ rights. Everything from the Mean mv of a gay boy being bullied to the "boys and boys and girls and girls" line in WTNY to donations to lgbtq+ organizations to giving out queer awards to queer people to dedicating Dress to Loie Fuller, an openly gay artist. There are plenty of other examples of Taylor advocating for the queer community that aren't mentioned. All the way back in 2008 she participated in the LOGO queer anti-bullying PSA. In 2009 she was in Seventeen magazine taking a stand against the slaying of a teenager for being gay.

Why is this important? Because it proves that Taylor is lying in the quote in question. "I didn't realize until recently that I could advocate…" girl yes you did. You've been advocating for years and years at this point. She's lying. She's lying. She's covering herself up. She's hiding in the closet and hoping desperately that no one notices.

And this isn't the first time she's done this either. During the 1989 press tour she gave an interview where she was asked about the "And you can want who you want / Boys and boys and girls and girls" line. As the interviewer is starting to speak about this, a look of pure panic immediately takes over Taylor's face:

And then she starts stumbling around trying to give a coherent answer. At one point she stutters out, "And also I wrote this song, um, I wrote this song, kind of, kind of following, the, uh, when gay marriage became legal in New York." This interview was in October 2014. Gay marriage had been legal in New York since June 2011. Sooo three years later is "kind of following." Right. Sure, Taylor. Nice closeting. You really nailed it.

Okay let's review. She doesn't actually say she's straight even though this was a perfect opportunity to do so. She doesn't name the actual community she's talking about, giving herself cover if she ever comes out. She's closeted and probably doesn't think she's part of the queer community anyways. She full-on lies about not knowing she can advocate for others. And the writer states Taylor seems deeply uncomfortable talking about lgbtq+ things even though the context of the article was that blondie wanted to make it clear how much of an ally she is.

None of this remotely adds up to hetero. And none of this comes even close to Taylor saying that she's straight.

[essential-randomness]

Enter the FujoVerse™

Starting 2024's content creation journey with a bang, it's time to outline the principles behind the FujoVerse™: an ambitious (but realistic) plan to turn the web back into a place of fun, joy, and connection, where people build and nurture their own communities and software. (You can also read the article on my blog)

The Journey

As those who follow my journey with @bobaboard or read my quarterly newsletter (linked in the article) know, the used-to-be-called BobaVerse™ is a collection of projects I've been working on since 2020 while pondering an important question: how do we "fix" the modern social web?

Obviously the joyless landscape that is the web of today is not something a single person can fix. Still, I loved and owed the internet too much to see it wither.

After countless hours of work, I found 3 pillars to work on: community, software ownership and technical education.

Jump in after the cut to learn more about how it all comes together!

Community

Community is where I started from, with good reason! While social networks might trick us into thinking of them as communities, they lack the characteristics that researchers identify as the necessary base for "true community": group identity, shared norms, and mutual concern.

Today, I'm even more convinced community is a fundamental piece of reclaiming the web as a place of joy. It's alienating, disempowering, and incredibly lonely to be surrounded by countless people without feeling true connection with most of them (or worse, feeling real danger).

Software Ownership and Collaboration

As I worked with niche communities "software ownership" also became increasingly important to me: if we cannot expect mainstream tech companies to cater to communities at the margins, it follows that these communities must be able to build and shape their own software themselves.

Plenty of people have already discussed how this challenge goes beyond the tech. Among many, "collaboration" is another sticking point for me: effective collaboration requires trust and psychological safety, both of which are in short supply these days (community helps here too, but it's still hard).

Education (Technical and Beyond)

As I worked more and more with volunteers and other collaborators, however, another important piece of the puzzle showed itself: the dire state of educational material for non-professional web developers. How can people change the web if they cannot learn how to *build* the web?

(And yes, learning HTML and CSS is absolutely important and REAL web development. But to collaborate on modern software you need so much more. Even further, people *yearn* for more, and struggle to find it. They want that power, and we should give it to them.)

Once again, technical aspects aren't the only ones that matter. Any large-scale effort needs many skills that society doesn't equip us with. If we want to change how the web looks, we must teach, teach, TEACH! If you've seen me put so much effort into streaming, this is why :)

And obviously, while I don't go into them in this article, open source software and decentralized protocols are core to "this whole thing".

The Future

All of this said, while I've been working on this for a few years, I've struggled to find the support I need to continue this work. To this end, this year I'm doing something I'm not used to: producing content, gaining visibility, and putting my work in front of the eyes of people that want to fight for the future of the web.

This has been a hard choice: producing content is hard and takes energy and focus away from all I've been doing. Still, I'm committed to doing what it takes, and (luckily) content and teaching go hand in hand. But the more each single person helps, the less I need to push for wide reach.

If you want to help (and read the behind the scenes of all I've been working on before everyone else), you can subscribe to my Patreon or to my self-hosted attempt at an alternative.

I deeply believe that in the long term all that we're building will result in self-sustaining projects that will carry this mission forward. After all, I'm building them together with people who understand the needs of the web in a way that no mainstream company can replicate.

Until we get there, every little bit of help (be it monetary support, boosting posts, pitching us to your friends, or kind words of encouragement and support) truly matters.

In exchange, I look forward to sharing more of the knowledge and insights I've accrued with you all :)

And once again, to read or share this post from the original blog, you can find it here.

[fansplaining]

IWTV is the best show on TV. In today’s media environment, it is singular to be able to enjoy a show without the toxicity of the large fandoms. I have found that a majority of the show’s fans are hardcore Anne Rice fans making conversations about the show far more interesting. I am concerned of how this will change once S1 premiers on Netflix. The show deserves a larger audience and it will get it after it premiers on Netflix, but I hope the show runners remain true to the source material and continue on the path they have laid. Looking forward to future IWTV episodes.

Hello! Apologies for the delay in answering this, which I believe was in response to this article I wrote about the show and its audiences. With the official announcement this week that the AMC slate of shows are coming to Netflix on August 19th—

(also: lol Netflix, thank u)

—I was reminded to come back to it!

I totally agree with you re: the show itself, of course—but I also think you've curated your feeds very well haha. I've been observing many corners of the fandom throughout s2, partly because I was reporting on the fan/creator stuff, partly because I'm in the fandom, too. Fandoms are multifarious, and I'm not trying to paint with an overly broad brush—I've seen a ton of creativity and plenty of smart analysis etc. But I have also seen *so* much toxicity and *so* many willfully bad readings over the past few weeks, it's been shocking. Twitter in particular seems to have a literal Discourse of the Day and I don't understand how this is going to be sustainable over the year+ until s3 (lord help us all when s3 arrives lol).

There's a running joke—made so many times I'm not even thinking of a specific post—that people fear ~the Netflix masses~ will bring Bad Takes, but it seems highly likely a casual viewer will go, "Wow! Entertaining!" and move on with their lives, whereas existing fans of this show are already rocket-launching The Worst Takes at each other like clockwork (and even at random viewers who love the show but aren't a part of fandom conversations—because they don't like a person's phrasing, or the picture they chose for a post, etc etc etc).

As far as the idea that Rolin Jones or AMC will waver from their plans, I absolutely don't see that happening. AMC has long licensed their shows to large-audience platforms (Netflix in particular), but they're not making TV *for* those platforms. Jones and (IWTV EP) Mark Johnson have been pretty explicit about how they only could have made this show at AMC. I also found these post-finale comments from Jones very interesting:

I’m confident that we made the best vampire show we could make. I’m proud of the adaptation. There’s the element of second windows, how these things are going to be disseminated going forward. There does seem to be a lot of legwork done by fans. I look at 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and part of me is like, Ugh, that’s way too high. If the intention here is to make something that will haunt you and that will work 15, 20 years from now, did we piss off enough people?

There was another interview I cannot find now about how a larger viewing audience in those "second windows" means more chances for the people who really connect to the show to find it. I've loved seeing that this season, even—people who hadn't checked it out for whatever reason and have now been changed by it. When I wrote that article, fans were kind of cycling in an information vacuum, with minimal signals from AMC/the creators that the metrics for success weren't a pure numbers game. But in the final press run, they hit that message hard—they are in it for the long run, they want to make the best show they can, and they understand this is a sustained partnership with fans. I think they're going to continue taking the biggest creative swings they can, and I can't wait to see what's next.

(BTW, IWTV folks: I pulled @flourish away from their baby for 90 minutes and despite their combined total of perhaps 10 hours of sleep over the past 4 weeks lol we managed to finally record a season 2 special episode. It should be out for patrons early next week!)

[austinslounge]

The PR anon is back(I’m just going to call myself that from now on). I wanted to clarify some things.

First, Zoë/Channing breakup. We all know who the real cheater in this relationship is. Ironically, Kaia claims that she’s queer and doesn’t miss an opportunity to make out or get too handsy with other women. Btw, when she was dating Elordi, she was behaving the same way. There are pics of her that look like she’s kissing Cara’s neck while still dating Jacob. Anyway, back to Zoë. General public is not that invested in Austin as we are. For them, if the breakup article comes out this month, it will look like two people starring in Caught Stealing suddenly end their relationships one after another. I’ve seen people talk about Austin/Zoë kiss on set without realizing that it’s acting. It also doesn’t help that some people project traits of the characters onto the actors(sometimes even subconsciously). So, if both Austin and Zoë end their relationships in a short period of time, while playing lovers on screen, it won’t look good. People who are speculating right now are the minority, but still, I understand that if a breakup has already happened it’s safer to delay it a bit.

There is also a blind item, which cannot be trusted, but I want to mention it because I haven’t seen anyone talk about it even in this fandom. It is from the YouTube podcast “Blinded by the item” Zoë/Channing episode from October 30th. ”Yesterday’s announcement was just first shoot to drop. The A- list offspring actress has gone a little too method with her current role and that is going to break up another relationship, this time with an A- list model/actress and an A list actor”. I don’t know where they take these blind items, probably from Crazy Days and Nights, which is not credible at all. It’s like flipping a coin, sometimes they get it sometimes they don’t. But yeah, this is total bullshit, there is no way in hell Kaia is an A-lister🤣. This blind item doesn’t mean anything, just laugh at it and forget. But anyway, not letting two couples from Caught Stealing break up while shooting is a smart strategy.

Next, the instagram story of Austin drinking beer(He was drinking Corona, it is beer, I assume?). After the GA concert, a lot of people were talking about it, but no one has the clip itself, because apparently Kaia deleted it very quickly. I assume either this is true, because a lot of people were talking about it, and the detail that Austin was drinking Corona specifically, so someone must have recognized the brand, or someone made this whole thing up and other picked up on it. Either way, it’s not that important, because Kaia never posted anything with Austin for whatever reasons. I was always wondering, why Kaia can’t just post an instagram story with Austin in the background or something? This would be a better damage control than any forced pap walk. I mean, you two “live together” and “spend your free time in private” blah, blah, blah. Will one story or pic be such a violation of privacy? This is not giving “private relationship”, it’s bordering on paranoia at this point. There are plenty of celebrity couples that are private, but don’t avoid each other at all costs like these two. Austin obviously, doesn’t post anything at all, but Kaia on the other hand is very active, she posts everyone(except Austin).

It’s interesting that their teams used Page Six for damage control, when they had to shout down engagement rumors they used TMZ. TMZ and People are used for the most important statements, they are usually the ones celebrities use to announce breakups, pregnancies, engagement etc. Tabloids like L&S, Daily Mail are good for spreading rumors, making questionable statements or writing 10 articles a day about meaningless pap walks. Page Six seems to stand somewhere in between. Celebs use it to buy some time and do damage control, as it’s not complete garbage, but not a totally reputable source either. I genuinely can’t understand why couldn’t their teams send an article to TMZ again? Breakup rumors are more serious than engagement rumors(Both started by Deux Moi by the way). Why can’t they send another “going strong” article to People like they did in May? Maybe because TMZ or People would shut down break up rumors once and for all, unlike Page Six.

If they have already broken up, there could be several reasons why they are delaying an official statement. Zoë/Channing break up is just my assumption, it can be the main reason, one of the reasons, or not the reason at all. We don’t know what their teams are planning behind closed doors. Everything is too strange, I just want Kaia Gerber to go away, but overall I’m completely calm, if they aren’t broken up now, they 100% will eventually. Of course, I want it to happen sooner rather than later, because I’m so tired of the shippers and Gerber baby nonsense.

Like I said previously, doing pap walks after DM article is just complete madness. Even though, subconsciously I’m ready for forced pap funeral walks. Just please, spear us the Cabo photos, they are too awful.

Hey PR Anon! 😁

In answer to your comments:

Yea, Kaia's behavior has just been really strange ever since this whole Kaustin relationship in general, but certainly even more so this year. I mean, is kissing someone else in the lips considered cheating? 👀 Because if so, then she's "cheated" multiple times. She's queer, soooo.... Imo that's like Austin kissing another girl (even one who's just a "friend") on the lips. Most would consider that cheating on Kaia.

But when Kaia does it -- 🤔

Btw, when she was dating Elordi, she was behaving the same way. There are pics of her that look like she’s kissing Cara’s neck while still dating Jacob.

Did she? 🤔 Because I was following the Jakaia relationship pretty closely back then, and I actually never saw Kaia behaving like that with other women when she was with Jacob. Keep in mind too that it was during covid, so there probably just weren't that many events and parties being held and photographed during that time. She and Jacob seemed pretty joined at the hip.

I know that prior to dating Jacob however, Kaia was getting pretty close to Cara 👀, but that was all before she and Jacob officially got together around August/September 2020.

You may have to share some receipts with me Anon, because I don't recall Kaia behaving like that with Cara while she was dating Jacob.

Anyway, back to Zoë. General public is not that invested in Austin as we are. For them, if the breakup article comes out this month, it will look like two people starring in Caught Stealing suddenly end their relationships one after another. I’ve seen people talk about Austin/Zoë kiss on set without realizing that it’s acting. It also doesn’t help that some people project traits of the characters onto the actors(sometimes even subconsciously). So, if both Austin and Zoë end their relationships in a short period of time, while playing lovers on screen, it won’t look good. People who are speculating right now are the minority, but still, I understand that if a breakup has already happened it’s safer to delay it a bit.

I definitely agree with you here. Even if everything is totally innocent, you're right, the optics wouldn't look good atm.

If Austin and Kaia broke up already, it has not been a good time to announce a breakup. She's been busy promoting LS, SNL, and some other film of hers, he's been busy filming Caught Stealing, then there was the whole Marcello thing, so any announcement around that time would have made her look like a cheater, then, Austin's costar Zoe broke up with her fiancé Channing, etc. It's just been a crazy mess lol 😆

If they have already broken up, there could be several reasons why they are delaying an official statement. Zoë/Channing break up is just my assumption, it can be the main reason, one of the reasons, or not the reason at all. We don’t know what their teams are planning behind closed doors.

I totally agree. 💯

Everything is too strange, I just want Kaia Gerber to go away, but overall I’m completely calm, if they aren’t broken up now, they 100% will eventually. Of course, I want it to happen sooner rather than later, because I’m so tired of the shippers and Gerber baby nonsense.

Girl, same!

Like I said previously, doing pap walks after DM article is just complete madness. Even though, subconsciously I’m ready for forced pap funeral walks. Just please, spear us the Cabo photos, they are too awful.

Oh gosh, PLEASE not another Gerber Family Christmas vacation in Cabo! 😭😭🤣

[jessequinones]

Writing Advice: Beta Readers

It occurred to me a lot of my advice comes down to “ask beta readers” However that advice isn’t good if you’re unsure of how to ask for help from beta readers so hopefully, this article should help you.

There are many different ways of asking beta readers for help. The most obvious one is by casting a large net and seeing who you get. There are writing groups and circles all over the internet where you can do this. I use Facebook and Discord as my main sources for beta readers. Whenever I cast my large net, I typically am just looking for what the average reader's opinion of my book is. I just want to see what others have to say. I’ll jot down anything that multiple readers stated and go from there. For instance, in my first book, it was very common to hear that my main character wasn’t well-liked, so I had to fix him. However, it was also common to hear one of my other characters was extremely well-liked, so I didn’t have to do anything to her.

Sometimes it’s a good idea to cast a large net, but only for your target audience. These readers will give you more details on your stories as they’re aware of the tropes, and the genre you're writing about. I would pay attention to these readers opinions a bit more as they’re your target audience. These people are the ones you want to read your final product and if they aren’t enjoying it now, you might need to figure out what’s going on. Personally, I would first cast an overall net, see who you get for your first couple rounds of editing, and then make your net smaller with each throw. After your non-target beta readers are done, recast, but for your target audience instead.

People often ask, how many beta readers do you need and the answer is as many as you think. Some people get hundreds of readers, while others only get twenty. It’s hard finding people to read your story for free, so I always try to offer swaps. If someone reads my story I’ll read theirs. Keep in mind if you give your story to one hundred people, only ten might finish it, and another ten might get halfway. That’s not to say your writing is bad as plenty of factors might make someone not finish your story. Factors such as, they have a busy life and forgot or your story wasn't interesting. I always keep a list of whom I gave my story and ask them in a couple months how was the story? I only do this once as I don’t want to pester them, but I understand life happens and they might’ve only read a couple of chapters.

The biggest fear when handing out your book to random people is “Are they stealing my story?” While the answer you’ll get online is “no” the truth of the matter is, you won’t know. Always keep every version of your story, even after completing it. If you can, keep the messages and details of the people you give your stories to. That way, after you release your story, if someone goes up to you and says “Your story sounds a lot like ___” you’ll have receipts of it not being the case. Also, make sure to date your versions as well. While the chances of someone stealing your unfinished story and finishing it themselves are small, it’s safer to protect yourself by doing the small things just in case. I also tend to talk to my beta readers beforehand, to get to know them. This seems like a weird thing, but I rather give my book to someone I was able to have twenty messages with instead of three.

Beta readers are also good just for small things instead of reading your entire story. If you really need help with a certain character, a trope, or anything else. You can ask beta readers who are good at helping you with that. Let’s go with this example, you struggle to write relationships and you really want to know if this relationship is good or not. You can ask beta readers who love romances and then give them the chapters you want that are about romance. Sometimes they might ask for a bit more chapters if you give too little and that’s fine. If you just need another pair of eyes, asking people to be your second pair of eyes is fine.

Those seconded pair of eyes don’t have to be your target audience either. Someone who doesn’t care for fantasy but likes romance can help you with the romance section of your story if that’s what you need help with. If you want to know how the first ten chapters go, just ask people if they’re willing to read the first ten chapters. This is what I mean by casting a smaller net with every cast. Do one or two big nets for the average opinion, then recast for your target audience, and then keep casting for individual sections of your story.

“What about professional beta readers?” Professional beta readers are great and you don’t have to find ones who are just your target audience. If they’re worth their weight, they’ll help you even if you give them a story they might typically not read. You’re paying them for a service and they’ll give you more advice than any normal beta reader. I understand people go with “You don’t have to pay beta readers” but sometimes it’s not a bad thing. If you pay for a professional beta reader, it’s more likely they’ll finish your story because if they don’t you can kind of ruin their name by going to other writers and being like “Don’t pay for this person's service, they’ll take your money and run.” So professional beta readers are way more likely to finish your story and give you better feedback so you can give their name to other writers who are also looking for beta readers.

For professional beta readers, always use them to their fullest. Ask them what their strengths are, and have them focus on that. If they’re good at visualising your world, ask them to focus on the imagery, world-building, and lore. If they love well-written characters, ask them to focus on your characters. Professional beta readers are often quicker to return your story, as well. My advice, ask these people for help after you’ve gone through a few rounds of normal beta readers. While they’re great, if your story is rough, and you know it’s rough then all they’ll tell you is that your story is rough. (That’s fine if you need help figuring out how to make your story smoother) but giving them a story that’s gone through the rounds a few times, will make them focus on more smaller aspects, aspects other readers missed.

Not all beta readers are good. Sometimes you might get a beta reader who really doesn’t like your story and tears it to shreds. It happens. I once had a beta reader who criticised me to hell and back saying the military in my dragon story wasn’t realistic...sir...it’s a story about talking dragons, of course, it wasn’t gonna be realistic. The guy went on to complain saying it’s clear the only thing I knew about the military was because I played Call of Duty and again...sir...I was in the military and this story was a response to me being in the military...huh? Safe to say, I didn’t take that guy’s advice. That might happen to you. Someone reads your story and really doesn’t like it, it sucks but it happens.

Jot down everything good and everything bad a beta reader gives you. You shouldn’t change everything based on everyone's feedback, but pay more attention if something is coming up multiple times. I saw this advice going around and I liked it. “Beta readers can’t tell you how to fix your book, they can only tell you how they feel about it” This rule doesn’t apply to paid beta readers as oftentimes you can hire them as editors later but I digress. If you have several beta readers who feel like something is off with your main character, you might want to look them over again, but if one person complains about the military in your dragon story, feel free to give that one a skip. The same advice goes if multiple beta readers enjoy a certain element in your story but one person doesn’t, listen to your masses.

Keep a record of beta readers who not only enjoyed your story but also ones you vibe with. Having the same person go over your story, or multiple stories is great because they can pick up on things others might’ve missed. After all, after reading a few of your stories they can start picking up on your writing style. I always try to offer something in return for anyone who’s been a multiple beta reader for me. I’ll try to keep these people for the last bunch of beta readers you need. After your story has gone through a few rounds of editing, and it’s a bit smoother, asking someone familiar with your works to help point out any boulders on your smooth road that others might’ve missed is great and these people are the only ones who can see those boulders because they’re familiar with your story and you.

If you’re writing a multiple-series story, should you only find people who read your first one to be your beta readers? If you can, that’ll be great, but let’s say, one hundred people read book one, tracking down all one hundred people isn’t possible, and you might only find sixty, then only ten of those people might complete book two in it’s beta forum. This is where returning beta readers come in handy but you can’t expect to have many of those. What I do is I create a small section at the beginning of my story explaining what happened in the previous book so that everyone who is helping me with book two and who might’ve not read book one can get an overall idea of what’s going on.

I think that’s about all of the advice about beta readers I can give for now. Beta readers are great. When it comes to writing, there’s no right or wrong way to write and there's no right or wrong way of how to read or enjoy a story. Beta readers are great at expressing their feelings and opinions but keep in mind, they aren’t editors. If all you need is someone to express their opinion on your story or go over a couple of things, beta readers are great, but if you need more detailed help, then you’ll need editors, mainly in the development side of things but that’s advice for another day.

[unbidden-yidden-deactivated20240]

Huh. Okay so going by your recent post idealizing Judaism to an unhealthy degree is such a common problem there’s a name for it. How does someone unpack whether that’s what they’re doing?

Hi there,

That's a great question! I think it can be a little tricky, because there's some nuances that may tip behavior from "okay" to "not okay" or vice versa that are not immediately obvious to an outsider. There are also plenty of gray areas, where some Jews are delighted by the person's expression of interest, and others have concerns.

I think for me, the thing I see most from genuinely well-meaning gentiles who are otherwise good allies is a fixation on certain parts of Judaism or Jewish identity that neatly fit into existing leftist ideals, but that either aren't as universal as they are claiming or are very niche in the scheme of Judaism as a religion. Oftentimes, what will happen is that lefty Jews (i.e., most American Jews, and certainly a large majority of jumblr) will be talking about this exceptionally progressive stance from ancient Jewish texts, or some niche thing that is meaningful to us, which will then get picked up and distorted rapidly to: This Is What The Jews Think About ____. Efforts to add nuance or complications after the fact are then treated like conservative talking points or party poopers who don't want the Good Jews to Have Nice Things. Eventually, even the "Good Jews" will typically get sick of the lack of nuance, but by that point it's way too late and people are no longer listening. It's much less likely to blow up than the original post, and so you end up with misinformation and discourse being passed around *about* us that no longer *includes* us and our petty insistence on nuance or countering facts.

People also struggle to shut down some of these misconceptions because hey - at least they like us right now and we're being considered (finally) to be Appropriately Leftist. (Something that is often difficult for Jews to find inclusion in, despite being overwhelmingly left-leaning.)

I've seen this happen around so many things: abortion, women's sexuality, queerness, transness, the so-called "6 Talmudic genders," Jewish atheism, Jews wrestling with G-d, Hell, Yiddish language, etc.

I guess what I'd say to avoid it is this: before you hop on a new idea to you from a post that goes something like "holy Frick did you know that Jews believe in [idk, e.g.] women's right to orgasms!" Maybe look up sources first before reblogging and spreading that information as legitimate. It's probably more complicated than that, and the misinformation can cause real harm. See: the harm caused to intersex Jews re: the 6 Talmudic genders.

Here is an article about other issues with philosemitism by someone who I know and respect:

Here is another article to add nuance to this discussion as well:

[jorrated]

Hiya Jo, sorry to come to you for this, but your post on Maya Knuckles was so cool I had to ask. You seem good at researching stuff, do you have any tips on looking for sources on specific groups of people? I've been struggling on finding good resources on indigenous groups from brasil... (I'm brazilian myself but i dont know where to start)

I wouldn't say I'm good at research, as I think I'm more insanely curious and just lucky LOL. A lot of times when I try to search for specific things I try absolutely everything until I stumble on whatever I was looking for!

But usually I start with a quick basic skim-read on whatever google gives you when you look up whatever your looking for. Most often then not it'll probably give a wikipedia page, some related news articles and some unsourced pages. A lot of times I won't use any of these, but it's a good way to get a feel for what you'll need to keep an eye for.

What I mean is that sometimes just looking for the main subject of the research wont actually give you what you're looking for. For example, when I was looking for Mayan stuff, it kept giving me Inca and Aztec info, which is cool, but wasn't what i was looking for. But since these 3 were usually grouped together, looking for Inca and Aztec books/resources actually helped me a bunch into finding what I was looking for, and more! So keep an eye out on how the subject you're looking for is COMMONLY described, what's usually associated to it, what people talk about the subject etc.

Then you can go actually searching for thing now, I recommend using DuckDuckGo! And always check if they got a source. Plenty of articles will say things that they've seen on other articles, which maybe are true! but then you always run the risk of getting incorrect facts. So always check, if it's not sourced, run another search with the info and see if another article has a source.

When you do find an article/book with a source THEN you can fall down the rabbit hole! No joke one sourced article can lead you to 5 sources, which most probably also have sources. So from there it's pretty easy to search up on references.

If you run into a dead end and still hasn't found what you're looking for I recommend checking what the wikipedia page is citing as sources. You might not be able to access everything there, but some links should be able to redirect you to somethings.

In terms of paywalled scientific articles, disabling javascript usually works (right click on the page -> inspect element -> find the gear on the top right of the window it just showed up -> scroll down until you see a checkbox saying "disable Javascript" -> and refresh page). But if that doesn't work, Sci-Hub is fucking amazing. Just put down your ref or DOI and voilá!

For books I recommend checking the Internet Archive! They usually have what you're looking for, but also half of the time you can just type "Book name PFD" and it'll usually come up after a few search pages. Just make sure you know how to download stuff without getting a virus in you PC.

Reverse image search can also be pretty useful if you find an image related to the subject, since you can link up to other articles/blogs.

If you're STILL running in dead ends, switching up languages can help (probably not your case since your brazilian and most likely already searching in portuguese but yknow). Google translate extensions can really help looking into pages with languages you don't know! It's not perfect but it might help you get a gist of it.

And lastly if you want to know more about Indigenous people from Brazil, I got a couple of reccomendations (most in portuguese btw)!

Centro de Referência Virtual Indígena

Probably the BIGGEST resource on historical and political information on Indigenous groups. It hosts around 2,3 million documents ranging from bills passed, to personal diary entries. (aaaaand can link up to a lot of other cool resources)

Observatórios dos Direitos e Políticas Indigenistas

Translated from their website: OBIND aims to obtain and systematize quantitative and qualitative data on territorialization processes, territorial management, interethnic conflicts, human rights and quality of life of indigenous peoples and populations in reserved areas or in urban contexts, in order to enable visibility, comparability, evaluation and guidance for indigenous policies and promotion of their rights, notably those pertinent to respect for their uses, customs and traditions and the exclusive enjoyment of the lands they traditionally occupy, recognizing for this the sine qua non condition of promoting indigenous autonomy and overcoming guardianship as assimilationist legacy.

Indígenas pela Terra & Vida

Youtube playlist about many different Indigenous people recounting their experiences and narratives.

GENOCÍDIO INDÍGENA E POLÍTICAS INTEGRACIONISTAS: demarcando a escrita no campo da memória

Book titled: INDIGENOUS GENOCIDE AND INTEGRATIONIST POLICIES: demarcating writing in the field of memory

[amysubmits]

You mentioned that when you brought up the D/s relationship to your husband, you sent him articles about it. Do you remember where you found those articles? My husband and I have been married 14 years, and together 19. We had a very limited sex life in the past due to sexual trauma I had from my previous relationship. I always had very bad feelings towards sex and viewed it as something that just hurt and the sooner it’s over the better and you just have to get him off to be done.

It wasn’t until I started reading erotica novels about BDSM that I even changed my view on sex and had my first orgasm…3 years after being married (5 years after I first had sex). Now I have a much healthier relationship with sex and I can have multiple orgasms, multiple ways.

My husband is very Alpha and amazing at making sure I’m taken care of and he prioritizes me and my safety. We’ve always sort of had that D/s dynamic. But I really want to go deeper into it. He’s open to discussing it. I just don’t know where to start other than the stereotypical stuff you see everywhere. I almost wish we had someone that could guide us and I don’t know how to bring it up to him that he needs a much better understanding of it just from having no familiarity of how in depth the dynamic is. The thing I’m mostly drawn to is the psychological aspect of it and when the Dom knows what the sub needs and demands it, regardless if the sub is aware what he’s doing. Thank you for all your posts and putting everything out there for people wanting to expand from a long term vanilla relationship to a new D/s relationship!

Hi there!

I'm so sorry that you've had the traumatic sexual experiences that have made it harder for you to find your way with your sexuality - but it's so cool that you've managed to do so now! Mine was a bit different from yours it sounds like, but it took me a while to figure out my sexuality due to trauma as well.

As far as what I shared with CD when I was first sharing the concept with him...

I came across the idea of domestic discipline (aka DD) before we knew about 'regular' D/s. It took a while before I realized that DD is basically a form of D/s. There's often a lot more D/s content out there than there is DD, so being limited to just knowing to search for DD made it especially tough. But anyway, the articles that I found early on where all on DD sites. There was some DD site that had a forum that was most of what I used as a reference from what I recall, and that site has since shut down. It was already really inactive by the time I was finding it like 10 years ago. But another that I can recall looks like it's still up. That is

I also recall a blog that was called A Shrew Tamed but I can't seem to find that. I think it may have been a Wordpress or blogspot blog?

That's what I recall starting with, anyway. While I gained a lot of info from those sources, I remember feeling frustrated that I couldn't find anything that was "spot on" for what I wanted. There are plenty of non-sexist DD people out there, but DD does bring in the sexist people more than regular D/s does, so there's a lot of sexism that can get mixed into most of the content I was finding early on... and that was always really offputting to me, but at the time it was the closest I could find to what I wanted. So I'd just share stuff with Cd but then point out the parts that I disagreed with or whatever. And he sometimes had additional parts that he disagreed with. So we had to kinda patch together our own path using some ideas from others but then crafting the rest based on our own ethics and needs and so on. Which I thought was kind of 'wrong' at the time, but I'm so glad we did that rather than feeling like we had to copy some guidelines from someone else that weren't right for us.

It took a ton of talking to get started, and that was pretty uncomfortable for me at the time as my communication skills were pretty bad and I had a lot of shame wrapped up in all of this so it was hard to talk about. But, to do D/s safely, I really had to get to a place where I could talk about it pretty in depth and openly so in hindsight, I'm glad that we did push ourselves to do all that talking. It was needed. Some of what we had to explore in depth were what both of us were wanting to feel about different aspects of D/s, what things we thought would give us those feelings and what things we thought would definitely NOT give us those feelings. And then once we started, we talked about what we were doing all the time in the beginning. CD wanted to know how everything he did felt to me, and we tried to keep adjusting if anything didn't feel good or right.

It's great that you know that a big part of what you're looking for is for your partner to know your needs and to prioritize them. Most likely, making it possible for him to know your needs in different situations will require you to share your needs with him a lot for a long time so that he can learn the patterns of what you need. And I know that sucks because a lot of times when we want someone to know our needs, part of what feels good is them 'just knowing' without us asking or telling, but realistically, our partners can usually only learn our needs in extreme detail like that, if a lot of communication happens early on.

It sometimes feels like CD 'reads my mind' and 'just knows' things - but that's almost always because at some point in the past, we openly discussed that need in some way or another. It also helps that he is very observant of my behavior and reactions to things, so he notices if I have a positive or negative reaction to something that happens or is said, and he tries to catalog that for future use. But that alone wouldn't be enough for him to know my needs most of the time.

I wish I had some specific article to point you to that would be exactly what you want, but I don't know of one. I do know that there's lots of great content here on tumblr that you could maybe use to send to your partner with commentary about what sounds good about it and what doesn't sound so good about it, the way I did with those early articles years go. I have a tag on my blog #vanilla to D/s that I use to tag any content I write or reblog that I think would be of interest to people transitioning from vanilla to D/s. @cherishedproperty has some of the best d/s content on tumblr in my opinion. Off the top of my head, I believe @tinybitsubby and @cybister015 are two more blogs you can follow for vanilla to D/s experience. And there are lots of others that are just good D/s examples even if they aren't vanilla to D/s. I tag most reblogs with #other writers if you want to browse that to see other blogs I've reblogged from and check out their content.

Hope this helps! If you have any additional questions come up feel free to reach out again. Best of luck to you guys. :)

[raisinchallah]

that is actually something i find quite interesting is modern xena fandom i guess pretending everyone was super thrilled and loved every moment of xena and of course it was the 90s nobody could be openly gay on tv in that bygone dark age so nobody would ever criticize it when if u actually start digging there are plenty of opinion articles and academic analysis on how xena positions itself to commodify lesbian sexuality while also refusing to make any statement one way or the other and part of the larger lesbian chic era as well as people coming at it from a fan perspective of feeling jerked around and teased with no confirmation in some ways i think the disconnect comes in general from like well plenty of random gay people dont actually care about or find u crazy to read too much into fictional characters and take that as whatever u want to see it as u see this in discussions of star trek slash fiction but also i think our reframing of xena as only the positive responses (finale excluded) is also in many ways television has been remade in the image of xena so youth raised on shows built on mean spirited gay jokes or heavy handed bait narratives when u get back to the source and see xena which still feels fresh in many ways since genre tv has not actually still 30 years later created a show as long running that centers on a narrative as suffused with gay meaning as xena but now with no plausible deniability so the earlier arguments of well we want actual gay shows within the genre television space there still isnt really that so the fandom is now more specific to people who want xena not people who wish they were watching the L word... but i do think like understanding the variable responses to the show as it was airing is very interesting and important to remember.. i think another element that changes how things are received is that xena as an early internet fandom was kind of on the cutting edge of constantly logged in and engaged fans that people felt various interactions with creators and the response to various episodes in far stronger ways and that you know the winks and nudges at the hardcore shipping fanbase could feel exploitative and part of this new emerging internet fandom space something that also happened on other early net fandoms like buffy and the x files but now in this day and age where fandoms are used as active marketing tools and utilized for publicity this all comes off as quaint and polite in comparison thus the power of time to change many things

[terrence-silver]

Any random 80s Terry headcanons please :)

---

― Undoubtedly fell into the (in)famous aerobic craze of the 80's, or rather, was the aerobic craze of the 80's, where he appeared in multiple extremely high-end, glossy, legitimate and very stylish articles concerning body wellness. Not of the neon spandex variety that was fresh and hip. I mean, truly elegant stuff that only aided his image of a positive benefactor that 'cares about the role models young people consume'. If Kreese had his life-size cardboard cutouts of himself on the entrance of the Cobra Kai dojo, Terry Silver had entire exclusive Men's Health type periodicals detailing how he balances high-powered Yuppie corporate work as CEO and maintaining an immaculately trimmed physique (humbly speaking).

― Relished in having an All-European staff at the time (an English secretary, a Czechoslovakian butler...a Swiss pool cleaner for the laughs and gags, for all we know.) because it was a personal showcasing of wealth on his part and served to cement the idea that America's an exceptional World power during that particular decade, and that he, by extension of money being that plenty and that exceptional, can have a handful of classy, Old World employees and all the status symbol and traditionally associated 'mystique' that entailed as being their Boss (and not the other way around). Economy was booming. He was booming all around. He wanted to show off, simply because he could. So, he did.

― Was possibly embroidered and secretly or not so secretly in cahoots with multiple corrupt governments Worldwide going through the tumultuous transition from dictatorship to an unstable democracy during the 70's and 80's, which tactically allowed Terry (and Dynatox, by extension) to, yes, you guessed it, dispose of toxic materials with ease in the Global South and in Third World Countries as a whole. Toxic materials that would be deemed illegal and absolutely out of the question in any developed ones, but were passable if you knew the right people and officials in (throws dart) Nicaragua. Or hey, case and point, in Borneo. Basically, I am convinced Terry Silver had some very questionable and bizarre names marked down in his phonebook.

― Case and point; to keep it properly 80's --- drugs. Cocaine! He got all of his substances and narcotics right from the source, directly from the people that produced it just for him. Cleanest, purest, highest of quality, because his organism and taste palette deserves the best. Same as his Cuban cigars, which were deemed illegal due to a trade embargo with Cuba at the time. Generally, if one keeps their brain open, again, just envision the type of acquaintances and contacts Terry knew and was connected with during the decade to get ahold of all of these goods. I don't know, it is hilarious (and a little frightening with the right context involved) how plausible and easy it is to imagine a crossover between The Karate Kid III and Narcos, for example.

― On a slightly lighter note, I feel that all throughout the decade, Terry Silver had the tendency to disguise himself; as various things, yes. A hobby all of his own. Hard done by dojo owner, regular Joe Schmoe at the club downtown, struggling martial artist, blue collar guy of the most ordinary variety or just another nameless stranger on the street. You name it. Pre-Internet era, when it was infinitely more difficult to recognize someone, look them up or photograph them in public, he enjoyed going about unbothered and just observing things. People. Situations. Being a bit of a voyeur and a prankster of his own variety, he liked seeing and experiencing how people treat him when they think he's just some nobody and playing with their mind through it for his own amusement.

― At the height of 80's consumerism, there was no need to downplay his wealth, quite the contrary; if Terry lived in a mansion, it was the biggest, most gigantic brutalist bit of property overlooking all of LA from Beverly Hills. If he dressed rich, he wore a red silky ascot like he's a character straight off of Dynasty (and he knew it too!) If he drove around in a car, it was a chauffeured Rolls Royce, of all things. He trained in a white satin Gi as peak decadence. It was only the coming decades that he, as I see it, choose to strategically go about the route of a bit of stealth-wealth, because it became the new acceptable way of being a member of the 1%, and chameleon that he was, he went and adapted. Flew under the radar. Downsized on purpose. Means, that when the 80's ended, the tenure of him dwelling at the Ennis House ended too. And everything that went along with it as well. Times change. Terry (seemingly) changes with them. The earring in his ear had to go too (once it went out of fashion.)

[missmortox]

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is this Blog About?

This blog is primarily about Alida Morberg (public figure) and baby mama to celebrity actor Bill Skarsgard. The majority of the content is commentary on her behavior surrounding his behavior and how it's led to his decline.

What are your sources?

My sources are Alida's social media posts as well as "news" articles from websites like Aftonbladet and Hant. These sources are in print and usually paid for by Alida herself. The videos that Alida posts of herself (or her friends do) are just videos that exist and events that happened. If you do not like these events or facts then take it up with Alida.

Why do you hate Alida Morberg?

I don't hate her as a person as much as I hate her behavior. She is clearly a toxic girlfriend, baby mama, and person in general. Her attention whoring on social media (plus whatever she is doing to Bill to make him look like he's dead inside) is concerning and deplorable. If Alida insists on continuing to make herself a public figure by claiming the title of actress and model then she is opening herself up to commentary.

Did Alida groom Bill when he was underage?

More than likely Alida had some sort of contact with Bill when he was a minor at the age of 15 or 16. This started when she was dating Fares Fares who was best friends with Bill's brother, Alex. Though there's no concrete evidence that she did anything with or to him at that age, the amount of loyalty he shows to the ex of his brother's best friend (when really he should just want to get away from her knowing what she did) makes no sense other than if she groomed him. It would also explain why none of them talk about it and try to draw attention away from it. There's probably more truth to the rumor than lies and there's plenty of evidence to imply that's exactly what happened.

Do you think Oona and Minou are Bill's children?

I think it's unlikely they are. With Oona I could go 50/50 but since Alida was working with Filip Berg at the time she got pregnant with Oona (and he's assumed to be the real father, not Bill) and Oona looks way more like Filip than Bill I think it could go either way. As for Minou, if she is biologically Bill's I do not think it's because he had sex with her. The timing doesn't add up (as in, there's no possible time this could have happened since he would have been filming and it's doubtful she even got on the set to be with him). Her murky way of changing the dates of birth were a way to hide when Minou was actually conceived so no one could do the math. Moving to another country to have the baby and also hiding the baby's birthday is another clue. If Minou actually is his biologically, I believe the kid was created via invitro (so he never touched Alida) or a surrogate. With Alida's age and drinking problems I should hope she didn't physically have a child as it seems like that would be putting yet another one in danger.

Do you think Alida is abusive and controlling?

There's several indications that she is abusive and controlling. The most definitive one was when she did a Zoom interview and used Bill's account. This shows that she has access to his accounts, at least one of them. If that's the case she probably has access to more (or previously did). This draws into question if she ever had access to his (former) IG account and would explain the odd likes and comments on some of her photos before Bill ultimately got rid of the account entirely. With how Bill acts, looks, and the way his stutter has gotten increasingly worse over the time he's been with her I'd say that she plays a huge role in what's going on. She can obviously force him to drop everything to go look miserable at a premiere with her and he's not saying no (when he should). This does imply signs of not only abuse but grooming as well.

How do you know Alida actually drank alcohol while pregnant?

Other than the photos and videos where you can clearly see that some of those bottles are definitely not non-alcoholic it's pretty obvious. Alida has a history of alcohol and substance abuse all across her social media. It's doubtful she'd be someone who could give that up during pregnancy. Though I will agree that in some photos and videos it may be questionable what she's drinking. However, she was certainly fine with continuing the image of a drinking pregnant woman even after the backlash. Someone who is aware of the perception they are giving off (especially a bad one) would have taken measures to stop doing that, or at very least not been on camera doing it multiple times over the course of two pregnancies. I don't think her alcohol soaked brain cares what she's doing is wrong.

Did Alida really film and post Bill without his consent?

Multiple times. Yes, we know it's without his consent because in all of the videos posted he is not aware that he's being filmed. He never looks at the camera or acknowledges her. Without him doing either of these things there's no way anyone can say he consented to being filmed. No, she's not just allowed to film him and post it "whenever" because they are dating. He's outspoken about his privacy and social media and she would have known better. If this was something that was okay for her to do she wouldn't have had to do it so sneakily and she'd still be posting videos of it to this day because he obviously wouldn't care.

Does Alida really get Botox and Lip Fillers?

Look at her face. That's the proof. She can deny it all she wants. Her stans can deny it all they want. Her lips are too thick and a completely unnatural shape. Her eyes and eyebrows are unnaturally arched and paralyzed. There's no way she isn't abusing either of these cosmetic procedures.

Do you think Bill is gay and Alida is a beard?

I think it's possible Bill is also attracted to men. I think that Alida was supposed to be a "good time fuck" girl and never a baby mama. If Bill was that interested in her he'd act like it and show some interest in defending her or something other than the miserable red carpet photos they have together. I think there is a lot of evidence that Bill has enjoyed the company of men in the past. It is possible that Alida is aware of this and she takes advantage of it because if he doesn't want it known she can use it as blackmail material. That would certainly explain a lot. As to if he's 100% full on gay (and not bisexual or something) I can't tell you.

Did Alida really post nudes of Oona on instagram?

Yes, she posted nudes of her daughter to thousands of strangers on her very public instagram. This happened. It was a horrible thing to do and I don't know why people defend it (but they do). Especially since I'm positive the reason she did it was to get attention from Bill.

Do you think Alida likes any attention she gets? Positive or negative?

I mean, I think the proof of that is pretty obvious seeing as how she probably gets way more negative attention than positive and she still keeps behaving like she's behaving. She's also obviously addicted to reading anything about her that exists. On Instagram, on here, on any website that posts about her and then she tries to change accordingly.

Did Alida really copy Tuva? Why? Is it that she wants to be with Alex and not Bill?

Alida copying Tuva's style is not the first instance of her copying a girlfriend that Alex had. She also did this with Alexa Chung when Alex was dating her. I believe she thought she was going to use Fares connection with Alex to jump from him to get with Alex herself. Fortunately for us it seems like Alex was way smarter than that. Though I think it's possible he may have fucked her a few times it's obvious she wasn't end game for him. He probably realized how crazy she was and pawned him off on Bill somehow.

Are Alida and Bill Married?

No, Alida and Bill are not married or engaged. Anyone who says that is trying to start a rumor. Including, in some cases, Alida herself. Do not believe anyone who says that. If they were to actually get married or engaged I'm positive Alida would make several hundred announcements and stories about it herself.

[donuts4evry1]

Hi!!! I love your account with all of its fabulous jellyfish information. And I wanted to know, where are you getting aforementioned fabulous jellyfish information? Is there a book or a website or documentary or smth? Do you have any recommendations?

Tysm and I CANT WAIT for the advanced quiz :DD

Oh!! I'm glad you enjoy it ^-^

I get my jellyfish research from a variety of places, actually. But since I'm kind of obsessed with collecting my information in one place, asks like these are my cup of tea :)

My main source of jellyfish lore comes from Wikipedia. Just like the legendary Hank Green, I ended up downloading Firefox's tree-tab extension so I can organize the tabs by natural taxonomic order. It's really quite relaxing, actually.

Wikipedia, understandably, isn't always the best source though (Take the pages for Cephea cephea and Atolla wyvillei for example. The Cephea cephea page is almost entirely blatant misinformation while the Atolla wyvillei contains an incorrect and misleading throwaway line)

That's why the next logical step is simple- Wikipedia references! This serves as a beginning into further jellyfish research.

Let's take the reference page for the Aurelia aurita, for example:

The information citing citation 14 was super interesting, so I pulled it up on another tab to read it, and got this:

Then I just had a field day reading it all.

One big site that's used as a reference on Wikipedia is humorously named WorMS (World Registry of Marine Species), which goes into the specific classification of pretty much every jellyfish taxon (it is very. VERY comprehensive). It'll tell you how many species are in a genus, what scientific name has become synonomized with another, and even link to the original documents that describe the species (though they may be written in a different language and come in a scan- so tough luck if you don't understand the language since um... it's pretty hard to translate a scan).

Eventually that wasn't enough, though, so I branched out into searching scientific articles myself. My personal favourite website to do this on is ResearchGate, since the UI is the easiest for me to use, but I get plenty of research from other sites and publishers. (And pssst, if you can't access papers through a school or an institution, there's always sci-hub and libgen 😉)

The rest just depends on to how savvy you are with google. I despise normal reporting articles on jellyfish (Most can't tell the difference between them anyways), so I skip those and simply go to the jellyfish papers themselves lol. I've found out a lot of interesting things about jellyfish just by searching random questions on google.

Um, but I suppose I do have extra stuff to add.

Apparently, making a video game for jellyfish is a surefire way to learn more about them (especially when you write them as sapient beings lol). You start to crave niche, specific knowledge of them- like um... If they sleep or not, or what things can make them sleep.

Um... Another thing I've learned about jellyfish? The japanese are absolutely OBSESSED with their jellyfish. Their jellyfish spotlight sites are incredibly detailed (if not a bit region-specific), and I honestly trust them more than I trust our English-speaking sites.

In particular, I adore kurage-ya.com and gogo zoo aquarium, though you definitely will not be able to read anything unless you have a good translator (Kurage-ya is written in such an adorable voice.... and gogo zoo is incredibly detailed. I suggest going onto both for full coverage of your jellyfish knowledge, though)

(I also suggest going on different languages of Wikipedia- you can learn SO much stuff that normal Wikipedia doesn't give to you. Like the Chrysaora pacifica and Nemophilema nomurai have more robust Japanese pages, and the Spanish page for Order Semaeostomeae is a lot more beefed up, haha...)

To learn more about niche jellyfish facts, I also suggest looking through jellyfish husbandry sites (Especially jellyfish warehouse- travis knows so much more about jellyfish than I do it's actually pretty crazy).

As for Jellyfish documentaries? I only know of a few good ones, but I'll list them here:

^^ (not a documentary, but the jellyfish warehouse is friggin awesome and they even have a youtube channel)

Umm... So yeah that's pretty much all the things I got for free.

I think any jellyfan would suggest Lisa-Ann Gerswhin's book, Jellyfish: A Natural History.

I'm pretty sure you can find it in any major bookstore or whatever (online, at least), but it goes super in-depth about pretty much everything you need to know about jellyfish.

She goes SUPER in-depth about things like jellyfish life cycle, jellyfish anatomy, jellyfish ecology- and SO, SO MUCH MORE. She doesn't stay in Phylum Cnidaria, either, branching out into Ctenophora and even Chorodata(?) (Since Salps/tunicates are also there ig).

If you want to learn about specific jellyfish species, however, I would honestly just stick to Google and write it yourself. She only highlights about 40 different jellyfish species, and only mentions the textually relevant things in their bio. I would use the book just to learn about jellyfish basics, tbh (since it primes you to learn about the more technical jellyfish language you'll inevitably encounter in jellyfish articles). Overall, though, Lisa-Ann Gershwin's book is incredibly detailed, in-depth, and gorgeous and I could not recommend it more to anyone.

Other than that tho? All the English jellyfish books kinda suck, and I'm seriously considering branching out to japanese books instead (There's one that focuses on 114 species of jellyfish and you can bet your manus that I'm salivating over it rn i am enamoured with Japanese jellyfish culture)

Erm... Anyways?

TLDR;

Wikipedia is a good place to start. Reading Published Scientific articles is where you can get the bulk of your information, but Jellyfish-dedicated Websites will also be pretty knowledgeable as well.

There are a choice few Youtube documentaries you can watch, but if you want to read an actual book, Jellyfish: A Natural History is your best bet.

[lxnu1t]

To explain this a little bit further and show why it’s real, I strongly believe that manifestation is rooted in science and has a clear explanation behind it. Dr. Tara Swart, a well-known neuroscientist, has explained that manifestation isn’t some outside force. Instead, it’s a process that can be understood through psychology and neuroscience. It’s about how your brain works—focusing on clear goals, visualizing what you want, and taking actions that align with those goals.

This explains why things like mood boards and visualization are so effective. Even when I put in minimal effort, the things I visualized eventually happened because I knew exactly what I wanted. Over time, without even realizing it, I saw my manifestations come to fruition.

I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of articles, research studies, evidence, and other sources to back this up. The key is understanding that science and spirituality are interconnected—they’re not separate but work together to help us create the lives we want (it’s not one or another).

Manifesting is definitely REAL.

My grandma believed in manifestation, the law of attraction, and the use of affirmations. She used all of these to help herself become a very successful and empowering woman, providing a comfortable life for herself and her family, including me, her granddaughter.

I can also attest to this because I practice manifesting and have used it to achieve whatever I want. I END UP GETTING WHAT I DESIRE.

It’s all about changing your mindset and perspective. You should believe that you’re already going to get what you want easily and swiftly. Your thoughts create your reality. Debunk all possible doubts and have faith. Twist the doubts until you can tell yourself that nothing will stop you from having it. Trust that it will happen, should happen, and can happen.

I used to be very depressed at one point in my life and kept telling myself that “it won’t get better.” Until one day, I decided I was tired of this mindset and wanted to believe that “life will get better.” I held onto this thought and had faith. I told myself to stop feeling miserable, stop the victim mindset, and change my mentality. I wrote down affirmations, created mood boards of how I wanted my life to change, and constantly dreamed about it until it happened. Now, I’m grateful for my life and everything in it.

Obviously, it’s not just that. I have manifested other great things, and they have come into my life.

Just have FAITH.

[aparichitt]

cats-for-sale

When the time comes to bring a feline friend into your home, many people look for specific breeds, personalities, and traits that align with their lifestyle. The process of purchasing a cat has evolved with the rise of online platforms, where potential cat owners can easily browse available cats for sale. One such category that continues to be popular is "cats for sale," a search term many use when looking to buy a kitten or an adult cat.

In this article, we will explore what it means to buy a cat, the considerations to keep in mind, and the factors to ensure you make the right choice for both you and your future feline companion.

The Convenience of Finding Cats for Sale Online

The internet has made many tasks simpler, including finding a new pet. Gone are the days when you had to rely solely on local breeders, shelters, or pet stores. Now, with just a few clicks, you can browse a wide variety of cats for sale from breeders, rescue organizations, and even individual sellers. Websites dedicated to pet sales, like "cats for sale" platforms, allow you to filter your search based on breed, age, price, and location, making it easier to find the right cat.

Whether you are seeking a playful kitten, a calm adult cat, or even a rare breed, these platforms provide an organized and convenient way to search for the perfect feline companion. You’ll find detailed information about the cats, including their breed, temperament, age, health status, and sometimes photos or videos to give you a better sense of their personality.

Choosing the Right Cat for Your Home

Before diving into the world of "cats for sale," it’s essential to think about what kind of cat fits your home and lifestyle. Are you looking for a specific breed, or are you open to adopting a mixed breed? Do you want a cat that is energetic and playful or one that is more laid-back and calm? Cats have varying needs based on their breed, age, and personality, so it’s important to be mindful of what will work best for your environment.

For example, some breeds, like Siamese or Bengal cats, are known for being more active and require plenty of stimulation. Others, such as Ragdolls or British Shorthairs, are more relaxed and can thrive in a quieter home. Understanding these differences will help you make a more informed decision and ensure that your new cat fits in with your routine.

The Importance of Researching the Seller

While finding a cat for sale is relatively easy, ensuring that you are purchasing from a responsible and ethical source is crucial. Not all sellers operate with the same standards, and it’s vital to research the breeder or individual selling the cat. Some websites, like those that list cats for sale, include reviews or ratings for sellers, helping you gauge their reputation.

When buying a cat, always ask the seller for information about the animal's history. This should include details about vaccinations, health screenings, and any behavior issues. A responsible seller will be open to providing this information and answering any questions you may have. They should also be transparent about the conditions the cat has been raised in, as well as any socialization the animal has experienced.

Another important aspect is the ethical considerations surrounding the sale of cats. While it’s natural to want to find a particular breed or type of cat, always choose breeders who follow responsible breeding practices. This means prioritizing the health and well-being of the animals over making a profit. Look for breeders who don’t over-breed their cats, provide clean and safe living conditions, and ensure their animals are raised with love and care.

The Adoption Option: Cats in Need of a Home

In addition to purchasing a cat, many people also consider adopting a cat from a shelter or rescue organization. Adoption has its own set of benefits, including the opportunity to give a cat in need a loving home. Shelters often have cats of all breeds, ages, and temperaments, and adopting from a rescue group can be incredibly rewarding.

Adopting a cat may require a bit more patience, as you may not know the cat’s full history or background. However, many shelters work with veterinarians to ensure the health of their animals, and you can find information about the cat’s personality, behavior, and health status before making your decision.

Preparing Your Home for a New Cat

Once you’ve decided on a cat and completed the purchase or adoption process, it’s time to prepare your home. Cats require a safe and comfortable environment where they can thrive. Start by setting up a designated space with essentials like a litter box, food and water bowls, scratching posts, and a cozy bed. If you are adopting a kitten, be sure to cat-proof your home by removing any potentially harmful items or hazards.

Creating a calm environment, especially in the first few days, will help your new cat adjust to its new surroundings. Give them time to explore their space at their own pace, and don’t force interactions. While cats are independent creatures, they still need time to bond with their new human companions.

The Responsibilities of Cat Ownership

Owning a cat comes with certain responsibilities. From regular vet visits to daily feeding, grooming, and maintaining their litter box, being a responsible pet owner is key to ensuring your cat lives a happy and healthy life.

Regular veterinary care is essential for maintaining your cat’s health. Cats need vaccinations, flea prevention, and regular checkups to monitor their well-being. Additionally, make sure you’re providing a balanced diet suited to your cat's age, size, and health needs. Cats also require mental and physical stimulation, so be sure to provide toys, climbing structures, and opportunities for exercise.

One of the joys of owning a cat is the bond you form with them. Cats can be affectionate, independent, playful, and sometimes even a little mischievous. Building a relationship with your cat through attention, playtime, and gentle care is incredibly rewarding.

Conclusion: The Right Cat for the Right Home

When it comes to finding the perfect cat for sale, it’s important to consider your living situation, the cat's needs, and the seller’s reputation. Whether you're buying from a breeder or adopting from a shelter, the goal is to find a cat that will fit into your home and bring joy to your life.

A cat is not just a pet; they become part of the family. Through love, care, and proper attention, your new feline friend will become a loyal companion for many years to come. By taking the time to research and carefully choose a cat for sale, you ensure that both you and your new cat have a happy, fulfilling life together.