#there too much gossip and hearsay on the internet | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

karlie-what-you-want · 2 years ago

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Hi bestie, loved your last post about the hypocrisy behind defending Joe versus Karlie. Are you a Kaylor historian? 🤭 Or do you know someone who is? Does anyone have sourced reasoning tied to why people turned on Karlie? Or was it all purely based in rumors and hearsay? I just don’t know the history that well surrounding what caused the (supposed) rift (both them drifting apart publicly and anything that’s as said). Just the general fallout.

Calling on all Kaylor experts too!!

I just have always been curious because it feels like people always say she betrayed Taylor by telling Scotter personal details but is there any “proof” or “evidence” people use to base those claims in? Thanks!!

- ❣️ curious Kaylor/gaylor who doesn’t believe Karlie is the villain some fans make her out to be

Hi lovely anon! Thanks for the support 🥰

I am far from a historian, but I have enjoyed studying up on this myself. I’ll give it my best, and if I miss any important details, everyone else is welcome to chime in as well! We’ve got a great community around here with lots of knowledge. (If anyone has links to the many Tumblr posts documenting the below in more detail, please share! I know we’ve got so much of their timeline mapped out with photos and evidence. This is just my overview, as I’m currently in the office working.)

In short, the rumors were largely unfounded.

To fully get the context of the “rift” between them, I think it’s important to note that their public friendship which had once been very loud and affectionate dimmed significantly after they were caught on video kissing at the 1975 concert in December of 2014 (kissgate). People were already speculating that they were no longer friends anymore, but they were still occasionally seen together, and Karlie maintained in an interview that she and Taylor were still very close.

I think that background is important, as it had Swifties on high alert and ended up setting the scene for what happened next.

Come the masters heist just as Lover era kicked off, Perez Hilton posted a gossip tweet alleging that Karlie might have shared information with Scooter. This was a baseless claim which came only from the fact that she was contracted with Scooter as her manager at the time and thus was seen at gatherings where he was present. It’s worth noting that as soon as her contract with Scooter was up, Karlie ended that business relationship and found new management.

Swifties, however, ran with that narrative. From one gossip column whose author is known to create drama, rather than reporting news. This was not at all like with Taylor and Joe’s “breakup” news, which was reported by reputable magazines and publications that Taylor has always had positive relationships with.

The only proof these Swifties have of these rumors comes in the form of Ashley Avignone and Claire Winter, two friends of Taylor, “liking” Perez’s tweets regarding this. Those likes are gone now, though, and the tweets wiped from the internet (though their legacy unfortunately has lived on and mutated into something vile). I think it’s very interesting and important that the tweets are gone, because one has to wonder why. Who had it removed? What happened to those “likes?”

Meanwhile, Karlie has always denied any claims that they fell out, and she famously tweeted “I will not allow the media to misconstrue my words. Taylor has always had my back, and I will always have hers.”

That tweet is still there. Taylor did not have that one wiped from the internet.

And, as Taylor Swifts friends and family are quickly jumping ship and unfollowing Joe on social media (Austin, Ryan Reynolds, and the Haim sisters all did in the last day), many of Taylor’s closest friends continue to publicly support Karlie (including Ryan, Haim, and Selena Gomez, who is supposed to be Tay’s best friend). Even Abigail (Taylor’s childhood bestie) still follows Karlie, which I think is the most telling thing of all. If these people would all be moved to unfollow Joe because of an allegedly amicable breakup, it would make even more sense for them to unfollow Karlie and keep as much distance as possible—if there really had been this big, world-ending betrayal, that is.

But there was no betrayal. Just one—ONE—rumor started by one man, and an entire misogynistic generation that went on a witch-hunt to make Karlie as miserable as possible. To this day, people harass Karlie over it, and she remains polite and strong.

The treatment of Karlie has always bothered me, but it stands out even more now as I see the same Swifties jump to Joe’s defense over far less egregious claims (with far more evidence of truth to them).

Again, if anyone has links to outlines of kissgate, early lover era (or even how it appeared Taylor was about to come out at that time), or anything else I’ve mentioned here, please share! I know there are so many resources here on our little hellsite, but as I’m working right now, I don’t have time to dig for them.

Anon, I hope this was helpful and enlightening! There is so much history and context here that it can be kind of like opening a hot oven door and getting blasted with the heat 😅 but I encourage you to take your time and explore what the Kaylor community has to offer here on tumblr, because there is so much right at your fingertips.

Thanks for reaching out!

#kaylor #k w y w talking

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heavymetalchemist · 3 years ago

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I do think that the significant thing about Jin Guangyao's downfall is that it was orchestrated specifically to completely ruin his reputation.

Nie Huaisang is very much a background character in the first life, he doesn't actually go out to participate in the sunshot campaign, he's always behind his Da-ge. But he knew Wei Wuxian in the Cloud Recesses, they very much had been friends, and he was friends with Jiang Cheng, too.

Surely he saw how WWX's reputation was shredded. Even if he was no longer close to JC, he (at least in CQL) was there when JC defended WWX to JGS and said he'd take care of it. We know that despite his struggles as a student, NHS is not stupid, not at all.

The difference is that a lot of the rumors about WWX weren't true, and all/most of the stuff uncovered about JGY was true (I think there's some crimes that are a little unclear, like if he really actually killed his own son or just kind of... let someone else kill him because wasn't that assassin rather convenient). But MDZS has a major theme on hearsay and reputation, how important it is and how easily it can be distorted, how the mob is so ready to jump on the next hot juicy gossip and ostracize The Bad Person, Who Is To Blame (not that any of us experience that with modern internet culture, right?)

So it's a deliberate point that NHS went for the complete destruction. He burned JGY's reputation and salted the earth, he made it so that going forward anything good that JGY did would definitely be overshadowed by his many crimes. And there were crimes! There were! But it matters to the narrative that NHS did not only get him for what he did to NMJ. N went digging for more dirt to ensure he destroyed JGY.

Now, you could argue that NHS was also getting justice for the rest of the people affected by JGY's crimes, exposing all the things he'd done. And I hope that post-canon Sisi and Bicao get some peace - at least they're no longer locked up. I hope that any of the friends of the cultivators who were murdered for what they allegedly did to Jin Rusong finally know what happened and that their friends were not murderers. It is, of course, too late for poor Qin Su.

But I don't think NHS did it for them. I think he did it because of the way that what JGY did destroyed NHS's relationship with his brother before killing him, and for that he'd burn the whole world to the ground, even if NMJ wouldn't condone it.

#mdzs meta

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bealusith · 3 years ago

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no preconception

tenth (!) in a series of missing scenes [ao3 link].

in which Isi and Sascha take a night bus home.

[Dec. 25] Saturday 02:23

They were waiting for the night bus. Isi didn’t know when it was supposed to come. When Sascha sat down after examining the timetable, Isi simply sat down next to him and contorted himself until it was physically possible for him to rest his head against Sascha’s arm. But why himself? It was the first word that came to mind. Herself, themself. None of these was more correct than the other. Isi couldn’t get over it: this was allowed. He, she, they, everything was allowed.

They yawned. “I had so much fun.”

“I saw,” Sascha said, smug.

They’d barely had any time together: Sascha at the DJ booth, Isi on the dancefloor, too self-conscious to come over more than two or three times, with nothing much to say but ask Sascha if he was getting a break anytime soon. When Sascha had his half hour off, he showed Isi around, introducing her to every person they met, until everyone at the party knew that their DJ had a very quiet, very star-struck friend. Strangers told Isi that she was looking great, but it felt as if they wanted to tell her that they saw what she was doing, and that it was good. Isi had thought that it was only Lou who saw it. Before Lou, nobody else got him. He did look great, and because he did, others didn’t have to get it. They wanted to have whatever he had, without knowing what it was. As the night went on, Isi realized that she might have been less unknowable than she had imagined. Every person in the room had a name-tag like hers, but whatever they had written on it, it meant a different thing to everyone. Everyone had a secret they didn’t know how to tell. But everyone in the room knew that there was a secret to be known, not in words, but in keeping others company.

After Sascha’s break was over, he and Isi didn’t talk until the very last hour of the night, when the remaining dozen people were mostly sitting on the floor, chatting and playing seventies disco from their phones. Somehow, everybody knew every song. Almost all of them were students, with common gossip, common course readings and Twitter threads. A few of them, when they noticed Isi listening in, made an effort to include her, but she didn’t get a large part of their rambling explanations, interrupted by unpredictable tangents, singing, drinking, and laughter when another person in the group said something too funny to ignore. Isi felt like a new arrival in a foreign country, with nothing but hearsay and Google Translator to guide them. They’d never considered going to a group like that, not before Sascha had mentioned it. It felt too earnest. Just because Isi got a few dresses on the Internet, it didn’t mean that he wanted to sit in a circle, hold hands with strangers and sing kumbaya. Consti would never let him live it down, which was a reason enough to never go. By the time Sascha’d joined, Isi felt that it was too late. He couldn’t go to his first meeting at almost eighteen and tell everyone that he had no idea who he was. He’d die of embarrassment. Now, safe on the couch next to Sascha, listening to the conversation loosely unfolding around them, Isi was surprised by the distance they saw extending between themself, and the person they were remembering.

They had to clean up before they left. Sascha was cleaning up with others – unplugging and rolling the cables, careful with the tiny lightbulbs – while Isi stood with empty hands, asking if there was anything she should do, or take, or carry somewhere, or, or, or. Sascha told him that he was a guest. “But I’m not,” they’d said. A guest wasn’t what they wanted to be. “Okay,” Sascha replied, directing them back towards the couch. “But you are falling asleep.” Isi wanted to help. “I know,” Sascha said. “I will ask you to do everything next time. Promise.” Isi would mind being made fun of so blatantly if Sascha wasn’t also looking at them as if he still couldn’t believe that they’d came and been there with Sascha for the last four hours. Isi knew how it felt: when she took it all in, she was so glad she couldn’t speak. They both paused, the cable half-rolled in Sascha’s hands. With every passing second, Isi discovered that he could be happier than he believed possible a second earlier. It was almost too much. Isi knew, waiting at the bus stop with her head against Sascha’s arm, that the feeling was still there, like a bottomless pool which she was crossing on a tightrope. If she didn’t focus, she’d slip and fall in.

“Isi.” Sascha moved, jolting Isi out of it. “Isi, the bus.”

After the generous darkness of the deserted streets, getting on the glaringly bright bus was as unpleasant as German border control. A group of drunk tourists hooted when Isi and Sascha boarded, as if the fact that they were all on a bus together at two in the morning made them natural friends. Isi and Sascha passed the party-goers, the unconscious drunks, and the single miserable woman dressed for work. They sat right next to the last door.

Isi stuffed his hands inside his pockets and took out the name-tag. She turned it around in her fingers. Sascha shifted in the seat next to her when he’d noticed. Isi considered the men and women on the bus, the men with the women, and the men together, and looked back at the piece of paper in her hands. The glitter was getting on her fingers.

“Do you mind?” They weren’t looking at Sascha.

“What do you mean?”

“If it’s not just for tonight.”

Isi stopped playing with the card and looked at it, properly. It had felt good when he’d done it, and when Sascha had seen it. It felt as if Isi had finally figured out how to give him something real. Himself, herself, themself. She’d finally had a grasp on it. It was terrifying, but she was doing it – and Sascha had understood her, this. But now that the party was over and Isi was on this bus, all she could think was, God, what a mess. They tried to hold on to the certainty they’d felt with the group, but it was dissipating. The people outside the centre would see Isi as childish, indecisive, an attention-seeking emotionally immature drama queen. It was okay to dress up to go out, but in real life there were rules: suck it up and grow up.

“Why would I mind,” Sascha said. He was upset that Isi had asked. Isi wished that they could let it go and stop ruining the mood, but they didn’t know how.

“Because.” They looked at Sascha helplessly. Wasn’t it going to be exhausting? For Sascha, too? Sascha could pretend that it didn’t matter, but it did. “It’s more than what you’ve signed up for.”

“Don’t say it like that.”

Before Isi had the chance to argue, Sascha took his hand, and the name-tag with it. “Are you happy,” he asked, very seriously.

“I –“ Isi looked around to see if anyone was watching them, but then she focused on the sensation of having their hand held by Sascha. They took a deep breath. “I am,” they said, steadier. “But it’s going to be hard, and…” Stop, they told themself. Go back. “But I am happy.”

“Then that’s all I want.”

Sascha let go of her hand and settled back into seat, but Isi was still looking at him. The bus, and the drunks and the hooting tourists receded, and Isi was aware again of the pool opening up under the very thin tightrope. Any second now, it would become too much, and they would fall in. It was the same feeling, they realized, as the one he had the day Sascha painted his nails. She’d begun to recognise it as wanting to kiss him. She waited for Sascha to see it.

Then, he did. They didn’t – they were on a bus and it had been only a few hours – but Isi knew that they were both seeing it, and that they both knew what it meant.

#druck #saschisi #i said i needed to sleep on it but a long walk did the trick.#anyway. it's done now.

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penguiduck · 5 years ago

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Writing Fight Scenes

I’ve had a lot of readers mention that they don’t feel comfortable with fight scenes. Well, that’s understandable. It’s challenging writing about experiences you’ve never had. But with some perspective and practice, you can most certainly work toward writing those fast-paced, heart-pounding scenes with ease.

To give you some background, I practiced competitive martial arts for six years. I competed in tournaments and trained hard to perform well in the ring. It was a contact sport, and even if I wasn’t sparring, training often left me with bruises, usually of the physical nature, sometimes of the emotional persuasion.

This experience gave me a lot of perspective when it comes to writing fight scenes.

Whenever I step into the ring, I have a flexible strategy in mind that combines what I know about myself, my opponent, and what I’m going to learn about them in the next two minutes. I’d like to share some of these thoughts and perspectives with you, and how your character may think before and during a match of their own. Of course, my fighting experience is limited to a contact sport. Your story may very well be far more violent with higher stakes, but strategies may be of similar foundation. Once you take a fight into deeper consideration, aside from the depiction of two fighters merely exchanging blows, you can begin to enrich your writing experience.

I’m including examples from Yu Yu Hakusho because that’s the fandom I write the most for, and as you know, there’s a lot of fighting involved! But remember — anime and writing are two completely different mediums. There's no one narrating everything that our beloved characters are doing on screen. You just see it. That is why you, as a writer, must paint those scenes through words for your readers.

Nevertheless, this advice really stands for any sort of writing, so do with this information what you will.

A well-written fight scene is never about just trading blows. There are other conflicts at play, whether between the fighters or even in the heads of your protagonists.

Allow me to elaborate:

1. Who is your protagonist?

Whenever I am preparing for a sparring match, the first thing I worry about is me. I must be self-aware.

I think about my own fitness. How am I doing? Do I have any existing injuries or ailments? How is my weight? My body type? What are my strengths and weaknesses? What do I have in my toolbox? What techniques do I know? What techniques am I most versed and confident in?

I also think about my overall wellness. Have I been eating well? Drinking water? Sleeping? How is my emotional state of mind? What are the stakes?

Is my uniform clean and pressed? What about my equipment? Headgear? Mouth guard? Shin guard? Did I replace that torn lace?

I recommend using these questions to bring your character’s own reflection to the forefront in whatever way makes most sense for them. How is your character’s fitness? Is she in good fighting condition? Has she been injured previously? What has happened since the last fight that might impact her state of mind?

It’s possible that she’s recovering from an illness or injury. Perhaps her mentor died a gruesome death. Maybe she’s frustrated because she lost use of her right hand, temporarily or permanently, and has had to compensate with her non-dominant hand. Or perhaps she’s lost the will to fight, having experienced something traumatic.

Hiei had to constantly think about his own state of health throughout the Dark Tournament after his fight with Zeru. His arm had been sacrificed to his Dragon of the Darkness Flame, rendered useless, and he was in terrible pain. He never let it impact him, of course, being the stoic warrior he is. His personality allows for little inner dialogue to be shared with the audience, but as a fighter, he was most certainly considering what options he had with his handicap. And, as a writer, perhaps you would like to elaborate on his thoughts for your readers.

What has your character been practicing lately? Is her weapon of choice the same? Has it been upgraded? Has she been training with a different weapon or technique? Is she perhaps nervous about using something new?

Maybe she just repaired her sword, and she’s unsure if it’s as strong as it was before. Perhaps she’s been studying a new technique, and she knows she’ll need to use it in this battle.

Remember when Kuwabara first introduced his spirit sword in Maze Castle? He was so proud of himself, and that whole battle was an introduction to his newfound technique, how he manipulated his sword, and how he was able to harness his spirit energy. It’s far more interesting to see this development and exploration than to just watch him stab at Byakko a dozen times.

My point is that while your character probably should keep her emotions out of the ring, she may not be able to. There are so many things that could be on her mind, plaguing her thoughts, especially if there’s a lot riding on this battle. I think it’s really important to not only acknowledge the physical part of fighting but the emotional toll it can take a fighter, too.

Think about the fight between Yusuke and Toguro. Toguro had just killed Genkai, and Yusuke took that very personally. This was not a simple battle of strength or wits. This was a battle of emotions, and it wasn’t until Yusuke was able to master his feelings and reach beyond that “six foot wall of crap” as Genkai so affectionately calls it that he was able to finally defeat Toguro.

And the catharsis that came from defeating Toguro? It was made all the more powerful because Yusuke went through that emotional journey. It wasnʼt just a fight — it was a calling, a purpose, and a lesson. It was painful and potent, and it made him realize just how much these experiences shaped him as a person.

2. Who is the opponent?

Before I participate in a tournament, I do my research. Who is likely to be competing? Who is in my weight class? What do I know about these competitors? If I don’t have answers, I would find them. I’d chat with my instructor, my fellow martial artists. Has anyone else from my school fought these people before? What were they like? Are there videos online of their performance?

I find as much information as possible. I make calls, send texts, take people out to lunch, scour the internet for information. Even if your character lives in a less technologically dependent world, I would imagine that he might talk with friends, look through old records, listen to gossip and hearsay. He might watch battles leading up to his own fight in an effort to learn more.

And if this pre-work isn’t possible, that’s okay. Fights in your story may be entirely unpredictable, but your character can also learn things about his opponent during the match.

When I step into the ring and ready myself to compete, one of the first things I want to find out is on which side my opponent is dominant. In other words, are they right-handed? Or left-handed? Right-footed? Or left-footed? Maybe they only focus on one side during training (which is silly, but that’s another conversation). But there could be an underlying reason why as well. Perhaps they injured themselves in the previous round or maybe they just don’t like exposing one particular side of their body for whatever reason.

This information is critical because this tells me what I need to watch out for, which side of my own body I should be guarding, how I may penetrate my opponent’s defenses. How can I catch them when they least suspect it? Where can I knock them off balance? My instructor always told me to watch the shoulders — shoulders move before the rest of the body. You can tell what your opponent is about to do by watching their shoulders.

Your character may wish to discover the same thing. Maybe his opponent uses a two-handed sword and is very clearly right-handed. This may give him some information on where his blind spot is — or maybe he just needs to disable his opponent’s right arm. The possibilities are endless, and understanding his opponent will give him leverage, offering him many options.

Understanding an opponent’s technique is also important. In martial arts, practitioners often favor a strategy or skill. This seems obvious, but it’s vital that you understand what it is — only then you can combat it.

Consider Kurama’s matches with Gama and Toya during the events of the Dark Tournament. The English dub did a wonderful job voicing Kurama’s inner conflict during these fights, struggling with first his inability to move and then his imprisoned spirit energy — if you were to put these scenes into writing, explaining his thought process would be fascinating. How does Kurama overcome these obstacles? He seeks to understand his opponents before he defeats them, which, unfortunately, also means he risks injury to himself until then.

Your character’s thoughts about the fight, interpreting for your audience what he feels he might need to do to secure victory, is just as important as detailing the fight itself.

3. What about the writing?

The writing will come once you begin to dissect your characters and their motivations for fighting. Your characters aren’t one-dimensional, or, at least, they shouldn’t be!

Your fight scenes shouldn’t be, either. It’s not about two fighters trading blows. It’s about an artfully curated dance. Two opponents are engaged in a craft that they both know well, and whether they’re fighting to win a tournament or for their very lives, they have reasons and complex thought processes that should make their fight interesting.

There are two players here, and unless the fight is grossly one-sided, they’re both thinking and acting independently of one another. My advice is to thread their actions and consequences together — weave the fight scene as if it’s a stream of conscious thought, separated into paragraphs, each with a shift in perspective, for clarity.

Instead of writing:

Yusuke charged at Kuwabara and punched him in the face. Kuwabara punched him in the mouth. Yusuke then kicked him in the stomach.

Try this:

Yusuke had little patience for Kuwabara’s bad jokes, and he rushed toward him, landing a blow square in the side of his head.

Kuwabara flew backward with a grunt, stabilizing himself before launching himself at Yusuke, returning the favor. His fist collided with Yusuke’s jaw, a blow hard enough to knock the teeth out of any regular human.

Yusuke expected him to retaliate, and although he was nearly knocked off balance, he swung his leg around, making full contact with Kuwabara’s stomach.

You may also find it useful to deviate from the fighting itself. You can speak to a character’s inner dialogue or thoughts, whether about the fight or something else. You may choose to have them begin a brief conversation. Or you may describe what other characters are feeling about the fight as onlookers.

There are many ways to make these fight scenes seamless and interesting — take some time to explore your options!

Just a few more general tips that might help:

If you’re going to use a thesaurus, be mindful about it. I use a thesaurus when I write because I suffer all day, every day from tip-the-tongue syndrome. But words, even if they generally fit the same definition, can have vastly different connotations, so before selecting a word from the thesaurus, do some digging. Look at the exact definition and perhaps Google some common usage. Punch, slap, and stroke do not mean the same thing, even if a thesaurus might say otherwise.

Read your writing out loud. If you’re unsure, this is the best way to understand your cadence, the flow of the battle. Use your best Morgan Freeman or Jorge the Ogre voice.

Consider a beta reader. Sometimes having a second opinion is immensely helpful.

Remember that there are no strict writing rules. You write whatever your heart desires in whatever manner your heart desires. Experiment and explore with different styles and techniques to find whatever works for you.

I hope you find this information useful! Please feel free to suggestion additional blog posts you would like to see from me in the future. ^_^ Of course, please reblog this if you found it helpful!

Pictures are, of course, not mine. They are shots from the anime or other official derivatives.

#YYH #Yu Yu Hakusho #YYH tutorial #YYH fight scenes #Writing fight scenes #Fight scenes #Writing #Writing tips #Writing help #Writing tutorial #YYH resource #YYH fanfic #YYH fanfiction #Writing fighting #Writing how-to #Fanfiction #Fanfiction writing #YYH headcanon

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anotheronechicagobog · 4 years ago

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Enemies to Lovers Noah Sexton x dawson!reader

requested by: @bitweird1

written by: @anotheronechicagobog

Warnings: swearing, mature themes, child neglect, slightly Dawson bashing but they really just didn’t know, canon compliant threats

You had spent your entire life struggling and working your ass off. No social life, extracurriculars for the sole purpose of applying to universities, and spending the majority of your life studying because according to your dad at least one Dawson had to become a doctor and your older siblings had decided that it wouldn’t be them, leaving you to do nothing but prepare for the future that had been hand-picked by the man you felt abandoned you. And then Noah fucking Sexton just waltzes in having put in half the effort and riding the coattails of his much more intelligent sister who gave up a career as a doctor because of sexism. He spent far too much of his time flirting with everything that had boobs and a pulse. You didn’t like him because he took nothing seriously and didn’t have a responsible bone in his body, and he hated you because you were incredibly uptight and didn’t have a sense of humour.

“Maybe you’d have more friends here if you didn’t have a stick shoved up your ass.”

“I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to become a doctor.”

Everyone was getting really sick of your fighting, so they banded together and made things worse. They had badgered you until Doris had enough and dragged you to Molly’s. You refused to drink or eat anything, resulting in more snide remarks between you and Noah. Just when everyone was developing a migraine before they were anywhere even close to drunk your parents burst through the door and marched over to you. And suddenly, everyone in the bar, including your siblings, were subjected to and twenty-minute rant from your parents about how you should be grateful they pushed you towards medical school and all the activities that got you scholarships, that they didn’t abandon you, and that they clothed and fed you because a third child cost so much money, how you never took anything seriously and were always joking around, and how you were a disgrace to the family. Once they finished, your dad dragged you out by your arm, your mom followed muttering about why couldn’t you be more like Gabby and Antonio.

You walked into the ED the next day as robotic as ever. The pitiful and awkward stares were ignored with ease, it was something you were quite used to if you were honest. Your parents were always scrutinized by your teachers and DCFS. At the end of the day, though, they weren’t abusive enough for any charges or housing changes to be set. They weren’t like that with Gabby and Antonio, who had mostly moved out by the time you were in kindergarden, you were their last chance to help them prove to their family that they didn’t fail as parents. And they made sure you knew it.

“Dr. Dawson, you’ve got a patient in treatment one. Also, uh, are you okay? I feel pretty bad about last night.”

“Oh, don’t worry about anything. I’m fine, and my parents were right I should’ve been studying. It was a poor decision on my part not to. I’m gonna get to this patient, but you really don’t need to feel bad, okay?”

She nodded absently as you turned your back to her. ”Hi, I'm Dr. Dawson, can you tell me what brought you in today?”

---------------------------------

Your patient had just gone up to the OR to have a blood clot removed and you made your way to the doctor’s lounge, followed by Noah Sexton. ”Hey, Y/N, are you-”

”Yes, Noah, I am okay. Yes, I'm sure. I am fine, I am always fine.”

”From my experience when people say they're fine they're usually not.”

”Noah, I am okay.”

“I don’t believe you.”

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The next few weeks were a maze of pitiful stares, hushed concerned words, and a silent Noah. All of it was completely unnerving. It all came to a head when Dr. Charles approached in the ED you about starting therapy with him, talking continuously about all the points ‘brought to his attention’, not even giving you the time to tell him the majority were false. “Excuse me?”

Your stomach coiled in anger at his words. Not only were you more than capable of doing your job, but you already had a therapist. With basket case parents like yours, it was blatantly obvious that therapy was required. But the audacity of your co-workers to gossip so much that it came to the point over half the points Charles brought up were complete BS was astounding. Not only that, but he’d apparently spent the last few days internet stalking you to try and find some of your demons. “Dr. Charles, do you consider me a danger or liability to any of the patients or doctors at this hospital because of my relationship with my parents?”

“No, you actually seem to be well balanced mentally.”

“Then what, on earth, made you think it was appropriate to go around behind my back asking everyone at the hospital their opinion about me and what happened at Molly’s, or stalk me online to try and get a read on me, and then ask me blatantly at work, in the middle of the shift, in front of all my co-workers and superiors? What made you think it was okay to loudly bombard me with rumours and hearsay while I’m working?”

“Well, I thought that since it’s my job to check on all the ED docs, I’d check on you.”

“... You’re joking, right? I am the only person in this department who goes to therapy. Don’t kid yourself, you don’t check on anyone here. You judge them and make sure they know it. And quite honestly, you don’t have the best reputation for looking out for the mental and emotional state of your colleagues. This confrontation was not only completely inappropriate, but rude, obnoxious, presumptuous, riddled with unchecked errors, and unprofessional.”

“That’s not how I would word it.”

“It’s how I see it, and how I’ll word it with HR.”

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No one was pitying you anymore, not since the tongue lashing you gave Dr. Charles, who was on very thin ice with the hospital. While bringing up Robin and Sarah may have been a bit of a low blow, it exposed some issues with Dr. Charles that needed to be addressed. The only person who acted as if you were made of glass was Noah Sexton. While he had been a bit of a pain in the ass, this was worse. He was being sickeningly nice to you and it was getting on your last nerve. Yes, your parents were abusive. Yes, you had a messed up and traumatic childhood. But did that limit your abilities? No. Did that make you mentally unstable requiring therapy and fragility from your coworkers? Absolutely not.

He came in with coffee exactly the way you liked it, again. With a muffin, again. “You have to stop.”

“Stop what, Y/N?”

“Stop acting weird. You don’t like me, you hate me, actually. The only reason you’re being nice to me is because my parents resent my existence. I do not need or want your pity. So stop treating me like a china doll, and start treating me like your coworker.”

“Okay, okay, I uh... I’m sorry. I just, I feel guilty, okay? I gave you such a hard time for being so frigid and then when your parents showed up at Molly’s and started screaming at you for existing and having a life of your own, it just all made sense. And I gave you shit and trouble for coping with your crazy-ass parents. And then Dr. Charles came by to talk to you and I just felt even worse because even though I didn’t tell him anything, it was our fighting that put the spotlight on you in the first place. You shouldn’t have had your dirty laundry aired to the entire hospital, that’s happened to me a few times and it’s horrible, and I feel bad because I know that I was a contributing factor to all the shit you’ve had to deal with at work.”

“I get where you’re coming from, but let’s be real, everything would’ve turned out exactly the same way if you weren’t involved. The gossip mill runs strong at Gaffney.”

“Yeah, it does. I still feel bad.”

“Well, you’re forgiven then. So you can stop treading delicately, buying me coffee, and being creepily nice to me.”

“I am not being ‘creepily nice’! And how can being nice be creepy anyway?”

“Yesterday you followed me around offering to help me take my gloves on and off constantly, to the point where a patient who came in for falling out of the ceiling above the women’s changeroom said ‘that’s just weird’.”

“... Okay. I’ll stop. But I gotta be honest, I don’t think I can go back to arguing with you all the time.”

“That’s fine, just stop acting so weird that a couple I caught having kinky sex after an STD swab said ‘that made us really uncomfortable’.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice. Seriously, you didn’t have to tell me twice.”

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SIX MONTHS LATER

You and Noah had actually managed to become good friends and roommates. Shortly after he started acting like a normal person around you, not an instigator or a psycho, you found yourself enjoying his company. And yesterday, when you’d come home to find your room completely torn apart by your mother because your father had tried to frame you for using weed, you were done. Most of what you owned had been destroyed in your mother’s search, which sucked, but it made packing up all your stuff into your car much easier.

So far you’d ignored 43 texts, 12 calls, two visits from Gabby when she brought in a patient, and one visit from Antonio who didn’t even bother trying to lie to you. He also threatened to impound your car, you threatened to tell Voight about the time he and Lindsay got drunk and hooked up. It didn’t even matter that she was in New York now, Voight wouldn’t even blink before bludgeoning him down. He swore at you, “how could you break mami’s heart like this?”, and “can’t you just behave and do what you’re told for once?”

You looked him dead in the eyes, heart beating erratically at you older brother supporting your parents belittling and abusing you, “You sound like dad Antonio.”, watched his face fall, and left. Noah stopped him when he went to follow you. “You good?”

“Uh, not really. I don’t have a place to go tonight.”

“Did your mom kick you out?”

“No, I left. I can’t do it anymore. I break out in hives whenever I even think about my mother now. I just can’t go back.”

“Well, you don’t have to. I have been looking for a roommate, we can move you into my place after shift.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Now come on, it’s prank week. Stohl pissed off Manning last week and she’s been planning revenge ever since, you do not want to miss this.”

And you didn’t. You entered the ED to find one of the most hated doctors in med spitting out Gatorade. “WHaT thE heLL?! That was sooo-ughghghg-” he couldn’t even finish his sentence before running to the doctor’s lounge to throw up in the bathroom. To Natalie’s credit, she didn’t crack a smile or react at all as she gracefully stepped over the spilled orange Gatorade. She briefly reminded you of a fae, graceful, beautiful, and cunning as all hell. You made a mental note never to cross her. Later at lunch, Natalie opened her sushi container, slightly deconstructed each piece, loaded all the pieces up with wasabi, reconstructed them, and popped one in her mouth. Everyone sitting near her had their eyes flash in recognition. Stohl had a habit of stealing other people’s food, and no matter how many times anyone told him to stop, they were just bullied into compliance. As a result, everyone had to dictate their food choices around his palette. Which meant no spicy food. Something that sucked for nearly everyone because hot food was a favourite for most people in the ED. But Manning wasn’t taking his shit. Not today. Something that worried everyone sitting around her because she would get in trouble for eating her own food how she liked it. It wasn’t until one of the HR workers, Holly, sat down beside Natalie and engaged in conversation that everyone realized the full scope of her plans. Stohl plopped down beside you and stole half of your sandwich right out of your hand. Ranting and raving, insulting everyone, stealing food, he made his way all around the circular cafeteria table until he got to Nat. He scooped up to pieces and threw them in his mouth just after he finished the words ‘insolent underlings’. Everyone held their breath as they watched his pale face redden exponentially. His eyes widened. And then he screamed.

He yelled, he swore. “I’m going to report you to HR! You tried to poison me!”

“You stole food from everyone, something inappropriate, unethical, and unprofessional. You stole her food. That she made spicy to her tastes. She didn’t try to poison you.”

“And just who the fuck do you think you are?!”

“Holly Scott, from HR.”

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You and Noah were doing great, as roommates and as friends. “Hey, do you have any plans for dinner tonight? My parents invited me over for dinner and they asked me to extend an invite to you. It’s nothing major, they wanted to meet my previous roommates, too. Make sure you’re not a hooligan.”

“Okay, sounds fun. What should I bring?”

“Yourself...?”

“It’s rude to show up at someone else’s home without a gift.”

“You don’t need to bring my parents a gift.”

“Oh, I’m bringing a gift. I’m just asking you for some input.”

“Okay, well they really like wheelie shoes-”

“Ha, oh my god, I meant for what your parents would like, not you. And want wheelie shoes? Those have been out for a while, Noah.”

“Hey, do not laugh at me! They are just a very effective and fun way to get around.”

“Would you like them to light up too?”

“... Is that an option?”

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You knocked on the door while Noah rolled his eyes at you. “I grew up here!”

“Well you don’t live here anymore and it’s rude to just barge into someone’s home and act like you own the place.”

“Oh, you must be Y/N! I wasn’t expecting anyone to knock, usually, Noah just barges in and acts like he owns the place. Come in, come in. It’s freezing outside.” You gave Noah a side-eyed smirk as you took off your coat, while he looked bashfully embarrassed. “Uh, here Ms. Sexton, I brought some homemade empanadas, they can be put in the fridge or kept in the freezer, and it’s best to reheat them in the oven. 350 F, ten minutes from the fridge and about 20 if they were put in the freezer.”

“Oh, you really didn’t have to do that.”

“I was raised that when you go over to someone’s house for dinner or an event, you bring a gift. And it was either this or a house plant.”

“Ha, good idea going with the food, it’s a Sexton family trait that will kill all the plants we touch. Thank you very much.”

“Hello, you must be Y/N. It;s wonderful to meet you- and what smells so good?”

“Y/N brought empanadas, and they are going away so that you and I can enjoy them later. Now everyone, to the dining room, dinner is just about done.”

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Things started to change a bit a few months later when Choi had to physically restrain Noah from attacking a drunk bar fight patient who called you a slut in the middle of the ED. You’d been confused but Maggie just kept saying that it was a matter of time.

When you’d been hanging around at Molly’s with Noah, Sarah, and Darren, Noah had his arm casually wrapped around your shoulders, something your sister gave you the eyebrow for from her place at the bar.

After you’d been mugged and beaten, you’d run to the 21st, where your brother promptly unleashed the most fearsome demon hell has ever cowered from, AKA Hank Voight, he also called Noah. And when your brother finally made an arrest and got Voight to calm down a little, he’d entered the breakroom to find you fast asleep, curled up against Noah. Who sat in an incredibly uncomfortable position, holding you and stroking your back. You missed the dark look that crossed his face, or the one of fear that had crossed Noah’s but something of an understanding had fallen to Noah. The two of you needed to talk.

So you did, and it went well, so well that you planned a date. Then another one. And another one, until you two had been dating for six months and figured it was time to tell your families. You were shaking in your boots, the Sexton’s were all incredibly close and incredibly doting on Noah, so even though they liked you, you had absolutely no clue as to what the reaction would be. To your relief, it was happiness, they loved you as much as Noah apparently, and they relished in the changed you’d caused in Noah.

Your family, on the other hand, did not react well. Which was why you’d made sure that you told them in a very public place, and had only ordered waters before you told them. There was yelling, screaming, your father waving his arms around so much Antonio had to use his cop voice on him. In the end, you and Noah had been there for around five minutes before throwing some cash at the waitress as a tip for leaving her with your family, and hauling ass out of there. The two of you had ended up just eating pizza on the boardwalk in your fancy clothes and heading back to the apartment late.You both had work the next day, but while you were an intern, Noah was not. And while you were off giving a patient a sponge bath, your siblings cornered Noah at the nurses desk. “Sexton, is there a place the three of us can talk?”

“Uh, sure, this conference room is free...”

“Perfect.”

“So, I take it this is about-”

“Nuh-uh. You do not talk. We do.”

“You are dating our baby sister.”

“We may not be as close to her as you are with your sister, but she still means a lot to us.”

“We love her. We are two people with some pretty dangerous skills. It is for these two reasons that you will not hurt her. Ever.”

“And if you do, don’t forget who I work with.”

“No one will ever find your body.”

“Are we clear?”

“Uh, hmmh... Clear. Crystal clear.”

“Good. Now do you know where Y/N is? We’d like to take the both of you out to lunch or something, just the four of us, to make up for the dinner of many disasters.”

#One Chicago #chicago med #Chicago Fire #Chicago PD #noah sexton #noah sexton x reader #antonio dawson #gabby dawson #maggie lockwood

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sometimesrosy · 5 years ago

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Anonymous said:I dunno why you are looking down on Bellarke shippers? This fandom has done so much for the show and we got shat on constantly around 2016 on and off screen other fandoms were being spoiled non stop. I used to like your meta and I used to follow you here, but I just don't see Bellarke on screen anymore. And I don't like you acting like you are superior. This ship has TOO many interpretations. People have the right to be done. Stop acting like Bellarkes who don't see Bellarke now are stupid.

I don’t really know what you mean about saying fandom has done so much for the show? Do you mean the fandom games? Getting tags going and such? Do you mean the contests where people cheat to get their ship to win? If effort is what is important, then why do you dismiss the effort that the cast and crew have put into this show to give it to you? Why are you so ungrateful? And how are you shat on? You mean... FOR HARASSMENT? You should not be harassing people. You deserve to be shat upon for that.

For loving a ship? No. But it’s entirely possible to love a ship to be a shipper and to NOT force your opinions on other people or demand they give you what you want. That’s not shipping. That’s BULLYING. Loving a ship is not declaring war. Love your ship. Ship your ship. Ship and let ship. Do NOT send nasty anons. (ahem.)

As for thinking bellarke is dead, you have the right to have whatever opinion you want.

That doesn’t mean your opinion is correct. Keep it on your blog, like I keep mine on my blog. Literally don’t even reblog anyone else’s meta anymore. Just share my thoughts right here. On my blog which you are free to unfollow, blacklist or scroll past.

There isnt’ any evidence for bellarke being dead in the text. Bellarke is 100% alive and is, in fact, the central plot now.

I base my theories on canon, not gossip. Most of the evidence for Bellarke being dead is gossip, hearsay, social media, and the theory that anyone who uses evidence from the text to support Bellarke is “delusional.” That is literally not what delusional means.

You can have a billion trillion feelings about the 100, bellarke JR, and me, and they simply don’t affect me because they do not seem to be based in the reality that I exist in. Not the show. Not my life. Not logic.

Acting like I’m superior.

Because I don’t like people harassing others.

That’s not the meaning of superior. That’s the meaning of the word MORAL. And why are you supporting internet harassment? What is wrong with you?

Do I believe my interpretation over yours? YES I DO. And I have evidence to back my interpretation up. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have that interpretation. I think my interpretation is better. Oh well. HEre’s a million words of meta to back it up. Yours doesn’t have evidence in canon. I’m trusting my education and experience as a life long geek, english major, english TEACHER, and professional writer that I know how to analyze a freaking story.

If you want me to think I am wrong because you don’t agree with me you’re gonna have to give me more reasons that the blorke antis have given me, because none of their evidence holds water. I’ve been listening. I need CANON evidence, from the show, logic, lit or film analysis, storytelling or any other ACTUAL way to understand content other than “but he said something online.”

What the antis are giving me as evidence is mostly egocentrism driven by fanon and the belief that fans have the right to dictate the story, instead of being consumers of the story. So no. Your interpretation is not better than or equal to mine. If you have a problem with that learn how to prove your case better. It’s not my fault that your reasoning doesn’t convince me. Do better. Believe me if you guys had good ideas I’d be with you. I dump shows easily. (TWD who? Arrow where? GOT don’t get me started.) But you don’t. You’re ignoring the story on screen because it doesn’t fit your idea of what Bellarke should be and you’re mad about the freaking love triangle because you dont’ like Echo. And you’re having LOTS of tantrums about it.

I’m an artist and writer, and I respect creators too much to treat them like servants who should do our bidding

And you are, my dear, a coward on anon who is blocked.

#whine whine whine #i did not ask you to follow me why are you bugging me?#you don't like me awesome bye

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psychic-refugee · 5 years ago

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Sometimes I get basic and like to read gossip.

So, there’s this thread going about that mainly focuses on Dove Cameron.

https://prettyuglylittleliar.net/topic/3903-dove-cameron/?page=37

I cannot and do not make any claims to the validity of the thread’s contents.

This is all internet gossip from an anonymous “set employee” who does not name themselves. Please take this with a grain of salt. I do not necessarily believe this gossip, and I write about it mostly for entertainment purposes. Remember, this is the internet, anyone can make up anything. Whatever you happen to believe is true is based solely on your own preconceptions and biases, as nothing is substantiated, and it all amounts to hearsay.

Please also remember that any anecdote is solely from one person’s point of view. A point of view they are expressing behind the back of said celebrity who is not given a chance to defend themselves nor have they put forth their version of events.

It does not paint her in a flattering light. It literally goes on for 61 pages of mostly people ragging on her plastic surgery (“PS”). I am not a plastic surgeon, so I cannot 100% say what she has gotten done, but as a layperson and from my own opinion, I would suspect that she has had fillers (specifically for her lips), a nose job, and something done to her cheeks. I do agree with that she looks vastly different in each movie, with more work done as time progresses. I’ve also seen her stint on Shameless and bearing in mind that she was 15/16 vs 19/20, I still think she had a lot of work done. I don’t think her transformation can be brushed off as losing baby fat or growing into her looks.

I’m not super offended by PS. There’s this notion that celebrities maintain this impossible standard, but I think it goes both ways. The public isn’t interested in flaws. They want and even demand perfection from their idols. Fans are quick to “cancel” people or they move on to the next hot new thing. It’s kind of a destructive co-dependent relationship. Like honestly, how many celebrities would you “stan” if you didn’t find them attractive? And what do we find attractive? How quick are people to point out flaws in candid photos? I’m not saying everyone does this, but it’s enough to be pervasive in celebrity culture and I think it’s unfair to try to say it doesn’t exist or to not acknowledge the extreme pressure celebrities are under. The thread itself is an example of it. It’s mostly people ragging on Dove about how bad they think she looks now.

No one is famous without our permission and I have yet to see anyone boost anyone who wasn’t at least conventionally good looking. If they are selling an impossible standard, we are the ones buying it.

So, no. I do not find PS all that problematic in itself. I will agree there is something disingenuous about going on about self-love while heavily filtering/photoshopping pictures on top of PS.

But I also find it disingenuous to talk about body dysmorphia or the mental health dangers of PS and then rag on someone and speculate about every PS they may have had.

Pot, meet kettle.

People bring up that young people look up to her and while I agree that she does have great influence, I just don’t know if it’s really her (or any celebrities’) responsibility to be a good role model. A human is a human, is a human, right? No one person is ever going to be perfect and while they may do something admirable in one part of their life, that doesn’t mean they have to be admirable in every part of their life. That’s another impossible standard fans put on celebrities. I think we should all critically think when giving our time, attention, energy, etc…to anyone. Learning how to critically think is a parent’s job. My mother specifically raised me without celebrity magazines and to take into account what they do and say, and to be skeptical of anything anyone tries to sell me.

Why is it a celebrities’ job to be a third parent?

They’re only responsible for what they do, you’re responsible for what you do.

Holding celebrities accountable for false things they say or try to hock is different. Example, if X celebrity says that this specific tea or vitamin is what they owe their beauty and success to when really it’s the lifestyle they can afford and genetics. Then yes, point out that what they’re selling is snake oil and a lie or just don’t buy it. At some point we have to take personal responsibility for what we consume. Or if these are impressionable young people, then hold their parents accountable as well. If they’re so young, then they’re not buying this stuff, their parents are. And we should take into account what celebrities associate themselves with. I think it’s telling if a person literally doesn’t care what they sell as long as they make money. If someone is willing to sell you dangerous laxatives and call it a diet, that should clue you in on how much they respect their fans and you should rethink giving them your money.

Again, the celebrity is just the spokesperson/seller. It’s up to us to actually research and determine if what they’re selling is worth it or safe. It’s also up to us to figure out if the celebrity uses their fame wisely. If no to either, then it’s also up to us to keep admiring them or not. Celebrities tend to change their tune if their money is threatened.

I feel like Dove’s PS in itself is a non-issue. Whatever pic of herself that she posts on Insta or any surgery she admits to is her own business. How I react and what I spend my money on is my business. I do not buy into her proclamations of self-love, I do not buy into her vitamins, I do not buy into the highlight reel of the life she’s trying to portray. I see her for what she is: a celebrity. No more, no less.

I am interested in the reports of her diva behavior. Throwing fits, stealing from set, and yelling at set employees does give a bigger picture of her as a person. And it also helps shatter the illusion of a perfect, happy, person. I don’t want to demonize her, but it is good to humanize celebrities. I do think people should take into account how celebrities treat people that are their subordinates.

I don’t think anyone is so talented or famous that they should be given a pass to be a monster to people.

Dove is not so unique in looks or talent where she can’t be replaced.

There were implications that she is struggling with an eating disorder, it kind of fed into why she may be getting all this PS and the types of photos she takes for Insta. I also wonder if it explains (not excuses) her behavior. She’s probably constantly hungry!

They also alleged that she had been taken “illegal” diet pills. The illegal part might be relative, because the commenter mentioned it may have been Hydroxycut. In the States, it’s an over the counter diet supplement that is mostly just a high dose of caffeine and some herbs. It’s not like an upper or some prescription. Hydroxycut is legal in the States and she probably just brought it over with her. I don’t think it’s a controlled substance, merely just banned for sale in Canada. I’d be more worried that she’s taking it with other stimulants like coffee and soda.

There’s also allegations that she had been cheating on her former fiancé with Thomas during filming of Descendant’s 2, while Thomas also was in another relationship. These things happen, they’re human. It’s a personal issue they should deal with. I wouldn’t want either as a significant other in light of it, but that’s about it. I would be weary of anyone who has an affair as potential mates. If they’ll cheat with you, chances are they’ll cheat on you. But I’m never going to date either of them, so it’s not really my place to judge.

Another tidbit that came from the thread that I’m interested in is Mitchell Hope’s alleged drug use. The comments didn’t specify what he was on, only that he seemed “strung out.” So, if I were making a bet, then it’d be on him to write a tell-all book. I’m pretty jaded on the fact that there are drug addled teen stars. I think it’s just par for the course. Disney makes sure they have a clean image while making and promoting the movies, they literally will protect and pay for good coverage. But once that protection is over then everything comes to light. Mitchell isn’t even really the most famous of the stars for Descendants. He hasn’t really done anything worth noting outside of Descendants. It looks like he has a role in a Netflix Christmas rom-com coming out, but again nothing to really be too impressed with.

I don’t see him lasting long if he’s already showing up to work high. Money goes quick between jobs, especially if you’re blowing it on drugs. There’s also an allegation of hooking up with a set employee. I don’t see anything wrong in terms of two consenting adults, but it’s bad form professional wise. It’s especially in poor taste if he’s 1) obvious about it and 2) makes it public knowledge that it’s just a hook up. Have your fun and all but be discreet and classy about it. Otherwise you’re burning bridges. I think she’ll have more issues than he would, which is why discretion should have been practiced. Like even if he had no intention of getting into a relationship with her, at least respect your partner enough to not endanger their livelihood. But I guess she’ll live and learn.

I was glad to see that Cameron really wasn’t mentioned, at least not in terms of anything bad like diva behavior. He was implicated in stealing items from the set (like costume pieces) but the commenter used the universal “everyone,” so they didn’t outright name him like with Dove and Sofia, so they may have been hyperbolic. Otherwise they said he was always nice, which is good to hear.

I saw a post from another blog asking their opinion about Cameron being friends with Dove despite the behavior alleged in the thread. I want to say that I think their friendship is over conflated. Most of their interactions have been for promos/BTS for Descendants. I don’t think I recall ever seeing them hang together on a purely platonic level, not like he did with Sophie and Karan.

I think people, mostly kids, want to see their movie best friends be best friends in real life. I feel like all the promo stuff insinuated that they all LOVED each other, and they all got along ALL THE TIME. I think most people know that there’s never an instance where literally every person in a large group gets along all the time. They might be cordial and polite to them to be professional, and I think we need to remember that the cast are co-workers.

We also have to remember that they’re young and want to do well in the industry. They won’t want to get a reputation of being difficult or even a snitch. So, while Cameron may or may not have liked Dove that deeply on a personal level, I’ve always felt he was the utmost professional. He’s not going to antagonize her or call her out unless she did something super egregious like hit someone (and maybe not even then, I did not know him personally). From the thread, Dove threw tantrums and yelled at people, none of that warrants risking his reputation for. Even the original poster of the thread wouldn’t give out their name for fear of reprimand and possible legal action. On some level, they too do not think it’s worth calling Dove out for any real consequences.

They’re willing to gossip about it, but they’re not willing to give actual credibility to their story.

When his manager was indicted, he immediately fired him. I think that speaks to his character and if Dove had done something truly heinous, he would have stood up to her.

We also have to remember that it’s possible that this entire thread in terms of Dove’s behavior might be completely made up. We have nothing to go on besides this one person’s account, and we have no idea who this person is. Literally anyone can create a username, open a thread account, and say “I work for X company and I had Y position with Z celebrity.” I can’t verify any of that. One person can also make dozens of accounts, say they’re different people, and try to tell the same story. Again, that doesn’t make any of it true. Even if we took their account as true, we only have their side of the story.

I would never judge Cameron or the others on who they’re friends with based on salacious gossip.

#gossip #dove cameron #cameron boyce #mitchell hope #thomas doherty #sofia carson

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josephpauldigitalagency · 6 years ago

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How To Create Brand Awareness For Free

Just think about it. How many times have you shopped, and ended up picking a product you’ve never heard about before?

Now, compare that with the number of times you’ve gone for that specific item you can relate with.

Not much of a comparison, is it? Ok, let’s be fair and introduce something extra to balance out the parameters in these two scenarios.

Well, remember that time you went to a convenience store to buy a product you had no idea about? Then on the shelf were several almost similar versions of the product, each from a different company?

Confusing, right? I know the feeling.

So, to help yourself out, you decide to call the attendant. But, just as you raise your arm, you spot a brand you’ve heard about before.

All the other versions of the product are quite unfamiliar. But there’s this specific one you’ve seen before.

I’d love to know what you’d do at this point. Proceed to seek help from the attendant? Or drop the whole idea altogether, go for that familiar brand, and move on with the rest of the shopping?

Chances are, you won’t even think much. You’ll probably just pick that specific brand without worrying that others could potentially be superior.

Let’s face it. That’s the mind of a typical consumer. That’s why 77% of marketers agree that brand awareness is fundamentally important to future growth.

The Importance of Creating Brand Awareness

Creating brand awareness is the reason why large enterprises like Coca-Cola seem to be everywhere.

You might hate the fact that its all-too repetitive commercials are persistently interrupting your TV viewing time.

But, admit it. Coca-Cola is the first thing on your mind each time someone drops the word “soda”. Even when you know very well that your taste buds would appreciate a different brand.

That’s the sheer power of brand marketing.

You thought selling should be your principal focus? Well, get this. 70% of brand managers say that rallying an audience around your brand is far more important than converting sales.

Ok, this is where you pause for a minute. Oh, no they didn’t dare. Who would have the nerve to make such a claim?

If you went through the 2017 State of Branding Report by Onbrand, you’d notice that the survey respondents were essentially marketing decision makers. They know their stuff.

Still doubt it?

Consider this. Back in 2009, Adobe expanded to the e-commerce and digital marketing space. They acquired Omniture,and dived head first into an industry already dominated by the likes of Oracle and IBM.

As a relatively new solution, Omniture had no chance against its established competitors. But, something came up in 2012 that shook the entire industry.

No. Omniture didn’t boost its features to surpass its competitors. And no, IBM and Oracle didn’t close shop.

Here’s the interesting bit. Adobe simply retired the name Omniture and shifted to Adobe Marketing Cloud.

Now, that was the ultimate turning point. Because everyone, particularly digital entrepreneurs, recognizes the name Adobe.

I won’t deny that feature upgrades in the system had something to do with its subsequent exponential growth. Or the fact that IBM, Oracle, and Salesforce have been putting up a notable fight.

But, let’s not ignore the fundamental point here. That the name Adobe has been the primary attraction for its ever-growing user base.

By 2017, according to the then Gartner Magic Quadrant for Multichannel Campaign Management report, Adobe ultimately overtook its predecessors. In a space, it previously had nothing to do with. Then became the overall market leader.

The bottom line?

You’ve probably figured it out by now. That the whole point of a branding strategy is establishing trust. Then using that as a stepping stone to build a following. And that’s when you’ll be able to seamlessly convert the corresponding opportunities into sales.

As a matter of fact, the bulk of CMOs can attest to this:

But, there’s one problem.

So, let’s address the elephant in the room.

The Problem With Creating Brand Awareness

I know. I’ve only mentioned large enterprises.

And I assume it makes sense to you. At least to a certain extent. Because brand awareness is seemingly a game for the big guns. Only large enterprises with enough money to splash around.

Well, I understand why you’d feel that way. And for what it’s worth, you’re not alone in this school of thought. Most people actually assume creating brand awareness needs money. Loads and loads of it.

To be fair, that was true at some point. When TVs and newspapers were the primary sources of information.

But not anymore. That period is long gone. The internet has not only expanded the audience base. It has also drastically changed how we approach brand awareness.

Of course, you could spend some bucks on it to market your brand. But one thing’s for sure. You could as well achieve extensive brand awareness without spending a dime.

Yes, totally free of charge. That’s the magic of the web.

And for clarity’s sake, I’ve only used large brands as examples to drive the point home. Because everyone can relate to Coke and Adobe, right?

I tell you what though. I’m willing to share my story. Just to show you that a small time business can make it too.

Now, a while back, I found a clever way to wake people up. I developed an iOS app that would help you deal with all the sluggishness in the morning.

It pretty much woke people up with engaging puzzle games. So, to keep things simple, I named it Game UP Alarm Clock.

Yes, you’re right. My friends loved it. But I had a huge problem. A significant hurdle ahead of me.

You see, my friends were barely enough to make up 20 users. I had to find a way to create widespread awareness. But I could not afford to spend even a fraction of what large enterprises use for marketing just an app update.

So I turned to what I knew I could do best. Doing it for free through SEO.

With the right tactics, I was able to spread the word quite extensively. Media houses interviewed me, and tech authority sites like Lifehack featured the app.

Then awareness developed into trust. And trust gave rise to converted sales.

Eventually, Game Up Alarm Clock became a top 12 app in the US, 7 in Japan, and 3 in Ukraine for Utilities.

This taught me that free is the way to go. If anything, 59% of consumers don’t trust sponsored campaigns.

The best way to capture their attention and generate an organic following around your brand is leveraging SEO. And we’re not talking about typical run-of-the-mill strategies.

I am all about using proven tactics to promote your business. And yes, I’ll walk you through all that.

But, before we do, let’s get the basics right.

How Your Brand Fits Into Moments

We’ve seen how Google algorithms are developing at an astronomical rate. The main objective has always been improving the overall user experience.

And one way it currently does this is identifying distinct micro-moments;

Want-to-buy moments

Want-to-do moments

Want-to-go moments

Want-to-know moments

Think about it this way. All Google users live through these micro-moments. They might change from time to time. But the bottom line is that you’re definitely in one of them as you run a search.

How’s that?

Well, let’s see how Google explains it:

Does it all make sense now? It really is that simple.

So, what am I driving at?

Basically, your brand will appear in the search results if you effectively interpret such moments through SEO.

Let’s see how you can do this…

Tell Compelling Brand Stories

Allow me to take you back to 2016.

Can you guess what closed the year as the world’s highest selling album? Ok, I’ll give you a hint. It was composed around an infidelity theme, taking listeners through various stages a victim goes through. From discovery all the way to forgiveness.

Yes, you’re dead right. Beyonce’s Lemonade album.

Admit it. This was an unusual one, to say the least. No, at least not because of the fact that it was a visual album. We’ve seen that concept quite a couple of times now.

Its success had everything to do with the story surrounding it. It was emotional. And most importantly, admittedly compelling to the pop culture audience.

It turns out that the plot started unrolling as early as 2014. A rather controversial video was leaked, showing an infuriated Solange (Beyonce’s sister) fighting the singer’s husband, Jay–Z.

The web was excited. And the video went viral. Consequently triggering rumors that perhaps the husband might have been unfaithful to the singer.

And for two years, the rumors were just that. Nothing more than hearsay gossip, which only increased overall curiosity.

Then boom! The album dropped and it let the cat out of the bag. Everything was confirmed and the singer even revealed further details.

The result? Let’s just say that the storyline was worth over $50 million. Since the album ultimately sold more than 2.5 million copies.

Now, this is a perfect example of how compelling brand stories can build a substantial online following. You just have to find a way to connect with your target audience. Through stories that actually matter to them.

This is precisely where content marketing comes in.

Take prospects within the want-to-do micro-moments for instance. They could very much use educative content.

Their want-to-do counterparts, on the other hand, would be more interested in entertaining pieces.

But one story is never enough. You have to do regular engagement stories spreading across multiple moments. 47% of consumers usually view about 3-5 content pieces before proceeding to buy.

Thanks to such consumer behavior, marketers prioritizing on blogs usually attract 13 times more leads. Certainly one of the most effective ways to get noticed by Google and create brand awareness.

And you know what? Any content doesn’t cut it. It has to provide actual value. Coming to think of this, it makes sense why the average length of Google’s top content pieces is 1,140-1285 words.

That said, you have to admit that written words alone might be bland. And Google knows this. That’s why its algorithm goes further to factor in other content types.

I’m talking about things like videos, infographics and images. Precisely what your audience would be interested in.

So far, we’ve seen blog articles with images attract about 94% more views. You could say we all like our articles with some dose of graphics and pomp.

Optimize Social Media Engagement

Social media is, by far, the most expansive online platform today. No doubt about that. It hosts more than 2.5 billion users and still growing.

Then, going by the fact that users are increasingly registering multiple accounts, the overall number of accounts might soon surpass the total human population. Fascinating, huh?

What does this mean?

Well, of course, companies like Facebook will continue keeping their accountants busy. And so will your business, if you tactfully capitalize on this opportunity.

You’ve probably seen how enterprises have been trying to do this.

From 2008, up until sometime in 2015, they were particularly fond of Facebook. They overwhelmingly registered pages and bombarded users with brand messages.

And to be honest, some of them actually got impressive results. That’s why 92% of marketers, by 2014, were already convinced that social media was extremely important for their businesses.

Until Facebook finally decided enough is enough. According to them, users’ timelines were predominantly filled with irrelevant content from multiple brand pages.

So, in response, they scaled down organic page posts. Then users started connecting more with their actual friends than brand pages.

It also meant more income for Facebook. I actually believe that this might have their principal objective.

Source: ConvinceandConconvert

But, let’s save that debate for later. And focus on the bottom line instead. That social media engagement for brands has changed drastically.

Even Youtube and Twitter joined the bandwagon with algorithm changes that favor user connection over brand engagement.

Consequently, social media organic reach for brands has dropped sharply in recent years. The Financial Times, for instance, reported a 42% decline in organic Facebook reach.

Marketing Land also did a follow-up assessment and established a 52% drop.

Quite devastating, right?

Wrong! The most strategic brand marketers actually love this. Because it gets rid of the spam and bots. Then leaves the game to the real gurus who understand what brand awareness is all about.

So, no. You don’t have to pay even a dime to promote your brand on social media.

The secret is pretty straightforward. Simply dance to their tune.

Instead of fighting their user–optimized engagement algorithms, find ways to leverage it to boost your brand.

Take Facebook, for example. Content shared by a user will ultimately be posted to all their friends’ timelines. And the more the engagement frequency on that post, the wider Facebook’s algorithm will spread it.

Now, which specific content type can’t social media users get enough of?

Yes, of course. Videos.

55% of internet users watch online videos on a regular basis. And Facebook is responsible for about 8 billion video views every day.

Catch my drift? Your page post might only reach a fraction of your followers. But, if it’s a compelling video, they’ll watch it and subsequently share with to their friends. Who’ll then watch it and the cycle continues.

Even Facebook agrees that videos engage way more prospects than other content types. Including photos, regular status updates, and links.

Source: Facebook

Reach Out To Influencers

One thing that large businesses might have an edge over you in is celebrity advertising.

And from what we’ve seen in the past, some of these celebs have cult-like followings. They might even be more popular than Santa. Or the Eiffel Tower.

It’s understandable that they possibly seem like a buffet rich in prospects at first. That’s why they charge money that would only come by if you robbed a bank.

But, take a minute and think again.

Going by recent trends in band marketing, most people can actually see through their paid promotions. As a result, prospects end up ignoring everything altogether.

Mainstream celebrities have been overtaken by digital influencers, who now sit at the top of the brand marketing food chain. And no, not by a foot or two. But by several miles.

Consider this. 30% of consumers are more likely to purchase items suggested by influencers, as opposed to celebrities.

All because of one simple reason. Individuals essentially feel more connected to non-celebrities.

Collective Bias even conducted a study on this by interviewing more than 14,000 consumers based in the US. It subsequently established that 70% of the millennials consider peer recommendations in the whole buying process.

Now, this is literally driving all marketers insane. Everyone now wants in on the action. Hence the following remarks on the developing role of influencer marketing:

Source: Statista

Pretty exciting, right?

But, hold your horses for now. While this type of marketing is proving to be increasingly effective, not all influencers would be ideal for your brand.

Secondly, remember we are only reviewing free tactics? So, no, you will not be paying anyone.

Where does that leave you?

Simple. Just search widely and reach out to your friends in high places. But focus only on selected influential websites that are relevant to your business field. That’s how you generate organic interest in your brand.

A thoughtful approach would be running a parallel complementary campaign along with your influential partners. Promoting their brand as they push for yours is a good way to keep your marketing invoice at zero.

Distribute Valuable Guest Content

Remember those few occasions your school hosted guest speakers?

What did you think of them?

Well, I admit that I didn’t actually recognize more than half of my share of speakers. But, I always thought of them as big shots for being invited to such platforms.

And, of course, I’ve always remembered the talks that were exceptionally captivating.

Undeniably, that’s pretty much how guest posting goes.

Just one small exception. Don’t hold your breath for an invitation. Or you might be waiting around till a second big bang.

Take your time to scour the web for the most outstanding platforms that are relevant to your field. Then reach out to their editors with your guest content proposal, and see how it goes.

At the very worst, some might not bother getting back to you, which isn’t that big a deal. But, you’re bound to get a couple of positive replies, especially if your content is exquisitely valuable.

Now, this is where it usually gets complicated for most people.

Typical run-of-the-mill content doesn’t cut it. Because you’re not just seeking SEO links. You need the audience to respect you as a thought-leader, and subsequently recognize your brand.

This is only achievable through valuable, engaging guest content.

So, surprise the audience with something they never expected. A deep composition that’s very helpful that it compels them to excitedly share it with their friends.

And guess what? 94% of individuals who share content actually do so to help others.

Valuable content, therefore, potentially expands its audience reach quite substantially with each new viewer.

That’s how BufferApp was able to raise awareness and acquire about 100,000 users in just 9 months.

Let’s just say that Leo Widrich, its co-founder is one remarkably persistent guy. Within that time, he had written and distributed 150 solid blog posts.

Admittedly, this entire process wasn’t easy at all, not by a long shot. The initial pieces were particularly poor since they drove very little traffic.

But things gradually improved as he widened his channels and optimized traffic analytics.

Ultimately, 100,000 new users were quite a rewarding catch, to say the least. And that formed their baseline users, from where they were able to escalate their brand marketing to boost the users tenfold.

Source: Buffer

Conclusion

You thought selling should be your principal focus? Well, get this. 70% of brand managers say that rallying an audience around your brand is far more important than converting sales.

The whole point of a branding strategy is establishing trust. Then using that as a stepping stone to build a following. And that’s when you’ll be able to seamlessly convert them into sales.

Of course, you could spend some bucks on it to market your brand. But one thing’s for sure. You could as well achieve extensive brand awareness without spending a dime.

If anything, 59% of consumers don’t trust sponsored campaigns.

Consider using compelling brand stories to build a substantial online following. You just have to find a way to connect with your target audience. Through stories that actually matter to them.

And you have to do regular engagement stories spreading across multiple moments. 47% of consumers usually view about 3-5 content pieces before proceeding to buy.

Instead of fighting social media user–optimized engagement algorithms, find ways to leverage it to boost your brand.

Then search widely and reach out to your friends in high places. But focus only on selected influential websites that are relevant to your business field. That’s how you generate organic interest in your brand.

Finally, take your time to scour the web for the most outstanding platforms that are relevant to your field. Then reach out to their editors with your guest content proposal, and see how it goes.

Action Steps To Remember:

Go through the article

Implement each tactic to your business as you see fit

Measure the results on a weekly basis

Adjust your strategy accordingly

Do you know of any tips we missed? Let everyone know in the comments below!

The post How To Create Brand Awareness For Free appeared first on Joseph Paul Digital Agency.

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richardlowejr · 7 years ago

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16 Habits to Break to be More Successful

Do you have a hard time being successful? Do you run out of time before completing your goals? Does life seem so overwhelming that you can barely keep up?

Perhaps it’s because you’ve accumulated some habits that work against success.

Here is a short list of habits that you can change about your life that will produce more time and give you more energy to get things done.

Turn off the TV and video games. Sure, there are some great shows on television, and videos games can be fun, but sitting on your couch is not healthy for your body and mind. When you watch television, you are being hypnotized and fed propaganda and advertising. You want to improve your life immediately – turn off the television.

Go outside and breath the fresh air. Go for walks. Meet people. Look at things. Enjoy the beauty. By getting out of the house, you expand your view and relax your mind. Just get out, go to the mall, the local museums or botanical gardens, or the many national parks throughout the country. Believe me, you’ll feel better.

Stop criticizing. When you criticize someone, it makes you look pitiful and weak. Instead, spend your energy building up people who deserve your praise.

Turn off social media except at certain, set-aside times of the day. No one needs to be constantly looking at and posting on their social media. It’s a huge time waster. Set aside a certain amount each day, week or even month, and leave it alone. When you do this, you’ll find you have more time available for productive pursuits.

Set daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals and meet them. Set some goals. Even small goals, such as “pay all the bills at the end of the month” can be helpful. Larger goals, such as “go to Disney World at the end of the year” or “pass the exam” are very useful. But make a rule that if you set a goal, you meet the goal.

Give abundantly. When you give, others give back. It’s a basic rule of the universe. Giving creates the baseline for success. You must give BEFORE you can be successful. What kind of giving? In your job, coach a new employee or mentor someone who is having trouble. Give to your church, your community, and volunteer for groups that you believe in.

Get a good job or create one yourself and produce. Be employed. If you can’t find a job, then create your own business. Today, everyone has the internet at their fingertips. You can use it to sell products, even hobbies. When I was young, I walked from house-to-house to sell seeds to earn enough money for my own toys. Earning your own living gives you a feeling of accomplishment and freedom.

Pay your bills and taxes. Pay your debts, including your taxes, on time. You’ll feel better without the financial pressure.

Don’t get too deep in debt. Don’t get more debt that you can afford, and build up a savings so minor problems don’t become dire emergencies.

Get continuously educated. Always be working on your education. Take classes, get certifications, read books. The more you learn, the better you will become.

Stop doing anything that is harmful to you or others. Give up your bad habits – you know what they are. drinking to excess, smoking (anything), illicit drugs, pornography, gambling, spending too much money, and so forth. All of these bring you down, cost you money, and make you miserable.

Practice daily random acts of kindness. Every day make a point to do something good for someone. This could be as simple as paying for someone’s groceries or meal at a restaurant, or carrying bags to a car. Just do something nice for someone.

Find something you believe in and support it. Find something you are passionate about and get involved. Some examples: saving the whales, getting people to vote or volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

Brush and floss daily. You like being in extreme pain? You enjoy visiting the dentist? No? Then brush your teeth and floss twice a day. Just do it.

Understand that everything said on the internet is suspect and act accordingly. Take the attitude that everything you read on the internet is false until proven otherwise.

Validate everything with facts before acting. People lie all the time. Don’t act on hearsay, rumor or gossip. Research and confirm facts for yourself.

And here’s a bonus: One of the biggest bad habits is to be unhappy or negative. Remember to have fun! Life is meant to be enjoyed. Read a good book. Lay back under a tree and look at the clouds. Talk to a stranger at the mall. Go to a movie at a theater or watch a play.

I hope this has been helpful.

Share your successes in the comments.

The post 16 Habits to Break to be More Successful appeared first on The Writing King | Ghostwriter | Blogger | Writer.

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