#they're currently planning who knows what

[a-method-in-it]

Times are scary. Things are moving so fast that four years feels like a lifetime.

But there are always things that you can do. Will they be enough? Who knows. But the things are there, and you can do them.

Some stuff that comes to mind right now:

Call your representatives (yes, even if they're Democrats, and yes, even if they're Republicans). Call them and tell them what you're mad about.

Donate money if you have it. Some organizations that are going to need more room in the budget include: the ACLU, Lamda Legal, the Native American Rights Fund, Planned Parenthood, and the American Federation of Government Employees.

Volunteer with a local community group.

Check out alternative political parties that are grounded in reality and practical goals, like the Working Families Party.

Consider running for local office.

Pick one or two issues to keep track of closely, things that you care about and feel reasonably knowledgeable about, enough to spot most misinformation or disinformation. Focus in on news about those things and give yourself permission not to try to make sense of every news story or every new unhinged thing happening.

Make sure your passport is current.

If you are in a union, do what you can to strengthen it, build additional solidarity among your co-workers, and talk about ways your union can resist any potential political pressure that might be coming to your industry.

If you are not in a union, consider talking to your coworkers (carefully) about unionizing. (I've written more on that here)

Talk to your friends, coworkers and neighbors just in general. When life gets harder and things get scary, it's good to have a community to address issues. Start building and strengthening yours today.

There's a lot happening. It's coming at us very fast, and it feels overwhelming. It will feel less overwhelming if you are taking concrete steps to make the world better and more resilient.

Doomers declaring that there's nothing we can do, no one's trying anything, he has absolute power to do anything and we have to live with it feels kind of odd given like half of everything he's done this week has been followed in a couple hours by a judge blocking it or it bring withdrawn after backlash. Looks eminetly resistable in fact

[diushek]

The Omega Shen Yuan who reached his 35s single and without future views of a couple, accepting that promise he made with his (not) best friend Shang Qinghua that if they reach 35 years old single, and are still friends, they will have a baby together.

Shang Qinghua is an Alpha, and okay, he's not too good a match for Shen Yuan, but from the years he's known him, he thinks he can be a good father. And although they could spend money on assisted fertilization, it's a tedious process so, err, they do it traditionally.

They wait for Shen Yuan to come into heat, Shen Yuan goes off his birth control weeks in advance, things happen. The less said about it the better. It's for the greater good or something. Shen Yuan only hopes that one heat will be enough, because genuinely repeating it is not in his most enthusiastic plans (although he appreciates the company and comfort of his best friend).

And about two weeks later, Shen Yuan meets Luo Binghe.

Luo Binghe is absolutely great, of course. He works in a small restaurant and his dishes are delicious. Shen Yuan and he become fast friends; Shen Yuan has a delicate palate, Luo Binghe's cooking is exquisite, and his company is pleasant. He's funny in a dark sort of way, strong, beautiful as a young model, with a strange amount of hobbies like martial arts, collecting jewelry that he doesn't wear... Luo Binghe is wealthy but doesn't spend on nonsense, which makes Shen Yuan theorizes that he was not always someone well-positioned in society. He finds himself going to his restaurant almost every day even though he could order delivery just for Luo Binghe's company.

And Luo Binghe starts flirting with him.

It's... At first, it's strange. Shen Yuan doesn't want to believe it. Shang Qinghua URGES him to open his eyes because FUCK THAT PRETTY BOY IS FLIRTING WITH YOU. Shen Yuan tries to flirt awkwardly, according to himself it doesn't go well, but Luo Binghe seems to fall quickly. They go on a date that ends with a sweet first kiss.

So, they're on their third date going to a movie theater, when Shen Yuan smells popcorn and nausea hits him so suddenly that he barely makes it to the bathroom.

As he finishes disposing of his lunch in the wc, with teary eyes and Luo Binghe rubbing his back, he suddenly thinks: it's been almost two months already. Oh fuck.

The date is cancelled, Luo Binghe accompanies him to his apartment and they say goodbye. Luo Binghe promises to come back as soon as Shen Yuan calls him, giving him privacy with a worried expression. Shen Yuan just stammers having eaten something bad and lets Luo Binghe leave with his heart in his mouth.

He then calls Shang Qinghua at least thirty times and places orders at a pharmacy for five different pregnancy tests. The tests arrive before Shang Qinghua. When Shang Qinghua arrives, upset and worried but with a fresh scent of an omega that Shen Yuan does not know, all five tests come positive.

... They have no idea what they're going to do with it.

Two months ago, they literally... weren't dating. They had nothing but an agreement to start a family if the opportunity came. So as not to lose the experience for the sake of time. Because they both wanted. Now, Shen Yuan thinks he might really be falling in love with Luo Binghe... And Shang Qinghua literally just dumped an omega in his bed!! What the hell are they going to do now!?

Shen Yuan wants that baby. No matter what, he wants this family. So, they decide: they will go on a double date with their current partners, and explain the situation to them. They can agree whether to leave or stay.

... Shen Yuan doesn't expect Luo Binghe and Mobei Jun to meet each other. He also doesn't expect the omega Mobei Jun to be the tallest man he's ever seen. He doesn't expect them both to look a little upset, but to decide to support their partners in that. The road to fatherhood. God, they must be so screwed.

They make a good deal: for the baby's first years they will practically share a house, Shen Yuan can afford to rent or buy something bigger. So, the baby will grow up with his parents together to help and educate them. From the third, fourth year, they will be able to move and will share equal custody, and both of them will be able to see the baby at any time, it's not like they were divorced with a legal agreement or something. Not a bad plan.

Shen Yuan wants to consider himself mature about this. He's going to be a father, he's having a baby, he has to take control of the matter.

Now, he has no idea how he is going to position Luo Binghe (and Mobei Jun) in his life, because it seems that Luo Binghe is planning to stay so much that he is already planning the decoration of the baby's room... with Mobei Jun who insists that the color blue is unisex if you don't give a fuck.

Ah. Well, he has a pack, of sorts. His baby, him, his boyfriend, his baby's father, his baby's father's boyfriend. All families come in different shapes and sizes, don't they?

[drdemonprince]

hey,

im a trans woman. ive already gotten a name and gender change court order in my state. i never got my passport updated, though, and im feeling urgency to do that now

but between not-yet-passed state laws that will revert birth certificates, everything going on federally, and thoughts you've posted about giving information to the government

something I've been considering is legally (not socially) detransitioning my gender marker (not my name), so I can have a passport that's valid even if the TSA gets to the point where they see an altered marker and it means no travel

there's a voice that doesn't want to do this, but i think it's the voice that doesn't want me to believe that there's a real threat to my personal security, and it's making it hard to to do a genuinely analytical cost-benefit analysis

do you have any thoughts, please? i know you don't have enough information or the authority to tell me what I, in particular, should do, but any perspective at all you'd like to give?

thanks

We're talking about potentially having a livestream event sometime soon in which we & viewers chat about what decisions they are making to protect their safety and plan for eventualities, so I hope you'll be able to tune in for that, but my short answer would be that it all depends a lot on the particulars of your situation.

Can you get a birth certificate changed in your state? (Even in conservative states, it may be possible! For example, I'm working on getting my birth certificate corrected in Ohio.). If so, you can change that, get your social security card's gender marker changed (which is still really easy), and then potentially get a correct passport.

Do you have a passport already? Have you ever had a passport with your agab on it? These are also important factors. Currently, the trans people who are having the greatest success getting their documents on the federal level are those who have changed their birth certificates, AND who have never gotten a passport with their agab, because it's pretty difficult for the passport office to clock that you are trans if that's all squared away.

Technically you might still be at risk of outing yourself if you have to disclose a name change order, but again, it depends on if your birth certificate is accurate to your current name. If it is, you can probablyyy get away with not disclosing your old name.

Other questions to consider are the typical use cases for when you show your ID. If you travel internationally pretty frequently, you have a completely different set of concerns and risks than someone who mainly shows their ID when they're applying to jobs or going into a bar and don't need it that much in their day-to-day otherwise. You will know your own situation best, and there are no great answers or guarantees of safety in how we navigate this stuff, but some things to consider.

[majikkulu]

✮ ˖° ⸜ masterlist ꕤ ･

╭₊˚๑  ૮꒰˶˃  ᵕ  ˂˶꒱ა  ♡    in  this  super  sweet  pick-a-card  reading,  we’re  diving  into  who’s  coming  your  way  and  all  the  cute  little  details  about  them!  remember,  this  is  a  general  reading  so  take  what  resonates  and  let  go  of  the  rest. 

pick  the  picture  or  pile  that  calls  to  you,  and  let  the  magic  begin!  ✧˖°.₊  ♡  ✩˚  ༘

﹒ ﹢ ♡. PILE ONE ﹑ ﹒ the  one  heading  your  way  in  love  is  a  force  of  nature,  bursting  with  passion  and  an  electric  energy  that  keeps  them  constantly  on  the  move.  they’re  a  whirlwind  of  spontaneity,  sometimes  overwhelming  with  their  wild  enthusiasm.  never  one  to  stay  put  for  long,  they're  always  pushing  forward,  chasing  the  next  thrill.  impulsive,  maybe,  but  undeniably  magnetic  and  sizzling  hot.  when  it  comes  to  romance,  they’re  all  in  or  all  out—no  middle  ground.  expect  the  unexpected  with  them,  as  they  dive  headfirst  into  anything  without  worrying  too  much  about  the  fallout.  focus  might  be  a  struggle,  but  they’ll  make  it  up  to  you  in  the  bedroom;  trust  me,  they're  *very*  good  there.  you  could  pick  up  some  fire  sign  vibes,  maybe  even  a  touch  of  cancer.  this  person  knows  exactly  what  they  want,  and  they  won’t  hesitate  to  go  after  it.  they’re  the  type  who  chases  hard,  with  a  strong,  unyielding  will  that  doesn't  bend  easily.  their  intensity,  especially  emotionally,  is  something  you  can’t  ignore.  once  they  set  their  sights  on  something  or  someone.  they  become  laser-focused  and  single-minded.  their  energy  is  dominant,  unapologetically  confident,  and  they're  well  aware  of  their  worth.  there's  an  aura  of  strength  around  them  that  demands  respect.  traditional  in  how  they  approach  things,  they  prefer  to  take  charge,  protect  those  they  care  for,  and  provide  in  a  way  that  feels  secure  and  grounded.  but,  with  all  that  confidence,  there  might  be  a  bit  of  control  lurking  under  the  surface.  they’re  likely  feeling  unsatisfied  with  their  current  options,  a  bit  emotionally  restless,  maybe  even  bored  with  the  scene.  guarded,  too,  unsure  if  what’s  on  offer  will  meet  their  deeper  needs.  getting  them  to  open  up  may  take  time,  but  once  they  do,  their  true  feelings  will  come  out,  and  they’ll  be  all  in.

﹒ ﹢ ♡. PILE TWO ﹑ ﹒ this  person  is  a  rare  blend  of  generosity  and  stability.  when  they  love,  they  love  hard.  their  love  languages  are  likely  gift-giving  or  quality  time,  and  they  have  an  unmatched  ability  to  provide,  whether  it’s  emotionally  or  financially.  they're  the  real  deal,  no  games,  no  drama.  what  you  see  is  what  you  get.  if  you  need  support,  they’ll  be  right  there,  ready  to  show  up  for  you  in  every  way  possible.  but  there’s  a  past  here,  a  hurt  that  lingers—this  person  has  a  deep  well  of  love  to  offer,  but  they  want  to  be  met  with  the  same  energy  in  return.  they've  faced  rejection  and  abandonment,  which  has  made  them  cautious.  they’ll  give,  but  they  also  want  something  back.  it’s  all  about  balance  with  them.  they  might  be  the  “date  to  marry”  type,  always  thinking  ahead,  planning  for  the  future.  they’re  in  the  process  of  figuring  out  what  they  truly  want,  and  they  might  be  uncertain  if  you  align  with  their  long-term  vision.  they  could  be  hesitant  to  fully  invest  because  they’re  assessing  whether  the  future  you  two  could  share  is  truly  worth  it.  right  now,  they  may  be  dealing  with  some  emotional  or  financial  struggles,  and  loneliness  seems  to  weigh  on  them.  this  could  make  them  hesitant  to  open  up,  fearing  rejection  or  judgment.  accepting  help  might  be  tough  for  them,  but  beneath  it  all,  they’re  incredibly  caring  and  nurturing.  they  want  something  real,  long-lasting,  and  they’re  more  than  willing  to  put  in  the  work.  they’ll  take  care  of  you,  emotionally  and  practically,  and  give  you  the  stability  and  security  you  need.  this  is  someone  who’s  attuned  to  the  needs  of  others  and  willing  to  invest  everything  they  have  into  building  a  future  with  someone  special.

﹒ ﹢ ♡. PILE THREE ﹑ ﹒ this  person  is  as  honest  as  they  come,  with  a  deep-rooted  value  for  truth,  no  matter  how  hard  it  might  be  to  hear.  they  won’t  sugarcoat  things  and  expect  the  same  level  of  transparency  from  others.  deception  doesn’t  stand  a  chance  around  them.  they’re  too  sharp,  too  clever  to  fall  for  any  tricks.  it’s  hard  to  manipulate  them,  and  they  see  through  the  BS  with  ease.  they  might  come  off  as  independent,  even  cold  or  detached  at  times,  approaching  life  with  a  logical,  no-nonsense  mindset  rather  than  getting  caught  up  in  emotions.  but  there’s  another  side  to  them,  one  that’s  deeply  emotional,  balanced,  and  wise  beyond  their  years.  they  don’t  wear  their  heart  on  their  sleeve  at  first,  but  when  they  do  open  up,  it’s  with  depth  and  sincerity.  communication  is  key  for  them.  they  value  clear,  honest  conversations.  this  person’s  the  type  who  believes  in  hard  work  and  collaboration,  understanding  that  sometimes  you  need  the  right  person  by  your  side  to  make  things  work.  they’re  skilled,  dedicated,  and  probably  excel  at  what  they  do.  they  might  come  from  your  workplace  or  school,  but  not  necessarily.  what  matters  is  that  you  likely  share  the  same  values.  emotionally,  they  know  how  to  handle  their  own  feelings  and  have  a  natural  understanding  of  others'  emotions.  there’s  a  nurturing,  calm,  and  even  romantic  side  to  them  that’ll  shine  through  once  they  feel  comfortable.  they’re  thoughtful  and  patient,  never  rushing  into  anything,  but  when  they  do  invest,  they  do  it  with  intention  and  care.  their  love  is  sincere,  deep,  and  genuine.  there’s  something  about  this  connection  that  feels  meant  to  be,  with  a  powerful  chemistry  between  you  two.  it  will  go  beyond  surface-level  attraction.  it’s  the  kind  of  bond  that  brings  out  your  deepest,  most  vulnerable  selves.  you’ll  complement  each  other  in  a  way  that  feels  effortlessly  right.

﹒ ﹢ ♡. PILE FOUR ﹑ ﹒ the  person  coming  towards  you  is  nothing  short  of  intense.  they've  been  through  some  deep,  life-altering  experiences.  things  that  make  you  look  at  life  from  a  completely  different  angle.  they've  undergone  countless  transformations  and  changes,  shedding  the  old  layers  of  themselves  to  become  who  they  are  now,  unapologetically  raw  and  real.  their  emotions  run  deep  and  fierce,  and  with  that  comes  a  level  of  unpredictability  that  will  keep  you  on  your  toes.  they’re  a  hardworking  soul  who  believes  in  taking  their  time,  slowly  building  trust  with  the  patience  of  someone  who  knows  that  the  best  things  are  worth  waiting  for.  they’re  serious  about  commitment,  ready  to  put  in  the  effort  to  create  something  lasting  and  meaningful.  while  grand  gestures  aren’t  their  style,  they  show  their  care  through  consistent  actions,  building  a  foundation  brick  by  brick.  loyalty  is  one  of  their  strongest  traits,  and  their  romantic  side  is  heartfelt,  though  they  might  express  it  in  subtler  ways.  there’s  a  chance  they  have  an  artistic  flair,  channeling  their  emotions  through  creativity  and  self-expression.  they  love  deep  conversations,  but  also  the  simple,  intimate  exchanges  that  make  a  relationship  feel  warm  and  real.  there  may  be  some  inner  struggles  with  anger  or  frustration,  but  it's  part  of  their  complex  nature.  beneath  it  all,  they  are  stunningly  beautiful  and  radiate  an  independence  that  shows  they  are  fully  comfortable  in  their  own  skin.  they’re  self-assured,  and  don’t  need  a  relationship  to  complete  them.  they’re  content  on  their  own,  not  seeking  validation  from  others  but  standing  strong  in  who  they  are.

[poppyknitt]

Also, wanna add that Roots of Pacha is an in-development farming sim, too! No idea how "cozy game" it is but its cozy for me. It's based on a fictional interpretation of neolithic (i think) era groups and extremely fun. I can not recommend the game enough. Looked it up, and the only controversy i can find looks to be a publisher dispute that evidently resolved, as they're back on steam and have been for a while. (Adding a more in-depth explanation of what i like below. Going into depth about roots of pacha as it is one of my favorite games and I don't have many of those).

It's a bit different in that there's currently no combat, and while there is a bit of ease added through using the wiki, you can absolutely figure a lot if not all of it out on your own. There is animal domestication, lots of seasonal and a few year-by-year shifts, and from what i saw, polyamory! You can choose whether to do that when you get to the appropriate amount of hearts with a second/third/fourth/etc romanceable npc. Currently, there does seem to be a thing that no matter your intentions, romanceable npcs do interpret your kindness as romance by default, but I don't know how normal that is as I'm not actually that big on the genre, and I haven't looked to see if there's plans to modify that. Just know some npcs apparently take being only your friend a bit harder than others.

Also theres a sapphic couple w 3 wolves as their pet and a son. I love them forever. Another few notable things (albeit a marginal spoiler) are that several characters, romanceable and otherwise, address some very real topics. A widower who is trying to move on with his daughter who doesn't want the life he's trying to give her, a man who comes home with a family he didn't have before & the family learning to live with these new people, misunderstandings that led to xenophobic beliefs, and mental + physical disability. While no characters have confirmed diagnoses, it is interpretable that at least one is autistic (imo, as an audhd individual myself), directly shown that another is physically disabled and uses a cane/walking stick, and several other conditions can be inferred if you wish to do so. There's probably more I've missed, as I'm not even that far in! Imo this game is so inclusive, and that plus everything else makes me love it so much.

Sun Haven still doesn't have credits

The game Sun Haven is a cozy farm sim in a magical world. It released in Early Access in 2021, and exited into its full 1.0 launch in 2023. It has over 15k Steam reviews and over a hundred dollars' worth of DLC.

The game still doesn't have credits of who worked on it.

I don't understand why this is. For more than a year, folks (myself included) have politely asked on the community Discord server where the list of people who worked on the game is, and it's always ignored. At most, the team makes their comm manager say "they're coming soon."

Implementing credits is not difficult. Even most Early Access titles including a WIP credits in the game. It's a list of text. It's the bare minimum you can do. It's really disrespectful to both your devs and players to not want to share who made the game. Also a red flag.

It's become clear enough from the Discord that the game enlisted a fleet of contract workers, plus fan volunteers, plus machine-assisted work like for language translations.

I don't know if the credits are missing because the director doesn't care about the team, or is embarrassed, or is trying to hide something. I hope they reverse course soon. But I can't in good conscience recommend anyone play or support Sun Haven.

There's lots of great cozy farming games out there: go play Littlewood, Fields of Mistria, Fae Farm, Disney Dreamlight Valley, or heck...go play some more Stardew Valley.

[lola-theshowgrl]

"Star-Crossed Blades" - Writing Update #1 Month: January Stage: Plotting/World-Building Word Count: 0 Currently Listening To: Nothing Matters - The Last Dinner Party Beverage: Jasmine Tea Mood: Excited

-

Now then. Some of you will be able to tell immediately that Something Has Happened Here. Wasn't Lola supposed to be working on "All's Fair"? Isn't that the project she's been banging on about for the past six months... maybe longer??

Well yes, actually. As it happens, you're not wrong, and I hold up my hands to that, because that is indeed what I'd been planning to work on. Tomorrow my self-enforced writing hiatus is over with, and as seems to be so very On Brand for me, I woke up this morning with an idea! And that idea turned into a series of scenes, and that series of scenes involved two characters, who very quickly received names and backgrounds, and Situations, and, you guessed it, an ending. And well, there was suddenly a story. Then a playlist. Then a pinterest board. Then a title.

All this to say I spent this evening jotting down world building, character names, cultural beats, a map, names for gods and moons and cities, and even a pet fox called Tiberius.

And I know some of you have been hanging on for "All's Fair" and I will get there (because I love the story and the characters, so, so much!) but I haven't been this excited to write in months, so I have to just go for it! I'm really hyped to get writing tomorrow, I have the prologue played out in my head already, and the beginning of chapter one is chomping at the bit, and I can't wait for you guys to meet Silas and Nedra. I think you're going to enjoy this, I really do!

I think I'm going to enjoy this! It's such a fun little idea, and I know from past experience that it's love for the characters that carry me through the rough patches of writing a story. And folks, I love these two. They're so much fun, both so sweet and so ridiculous. We're in for an adventure, I can already tell!

Thanks for being here with me at the start. Let's see how quickly I can bash out this first draft!

~Lola 💛

[thatonebirdwrites]

Questions and Safety Plans for Surviving the US's Fascist Coup

Crosspost from Mastodon: Questions are to help generate ideas and to get folks started.

I want to be clear in that my pointing out what Musk has control over US treasury isn't me panicking and speculating. He literally has control over US treasury Payment Systems and the OPM datasystem and has stated his intention to eliminate as many programs as he can. Federal workers sent anonymous tips to journalists of how Musk's cronies, no one has any idea of whether they are even US citizens, are downloading data onto private servers, which is a cybersecurity nightmare.

This is an unprecedented hostile coup on speedrun. It is a lot to take in, I know. It can feel overwhelming and paralyzing, but these first few weeks are crucial if we going to save the most lives. We can't rely on anyone to save us.

Look at the Democrats, who are failing to act or take this threat seriiously. Senate Minority Leader is posting about tariffs and pizza on bluesky. Elizabeth Warren stated Musk's actions are wrong and demands an investigation. Are they in denial? Do they not see what this is? Why are they not storming offices and punching fascists? Or at least organizing protests and going on news to show the unconstitutional and illegal acts for what they are? Why are they not blocking Musk from accessing any system?

Thus we can't rely on them to save us. They're complicit at worst and incompetent at best.

The destruction of the US government will kill a lot of innocent and vulnerable groups, and this is why we need to really work together to try to save the most lives. I'm asking these questions to get people to think.

Questions and Actions

When SSDI and other programs are destroyed, who is going to help homebound disabled folks? Do we know who are allies are? Do we know who we can trust to have our back?

What community care exists to help our most vulnerable? What infrastructure exists to care for each other? Do we have a list?

If not, are we researching what exists in our area? Are we looking into who we know and what skills we each can share with one another?

Make a list of your skills. Make a list with friends of their skills. You'll need this.

Do we have a way to train folks, especially on how to care for the unique needs of disabled folks? To train on accessibility and make sure our community care is accessible?

If you don't know how to train folks on accessibility or aren't sure where to find this information, feel free to reach out to me. I used to do accessibility trainings, and I still have those materials.

Do we have a safety plan? (I wrote a post on that here: https://ni.hil.ist/@TheBird/113909678180718685 ).

Do we have ideas on how to do this work and try to avoid burnout? Do we have a system to delegate tasks so no one is left behind or a task left undone?

Whatever actions you plan, you MUST write up an agreed upon plan for delegating tasks and ways people can take breaks. Draft an agreement or mini-constitution about how to handle people who fail to follow-through on the tasks they take on or are assigned.

Do you have a plan or an idea on how to hold people accountable? There's good resources on this within disability justice and transformative justice movements.

Do we have a list or understanding of what talents and skills we currently have and what each of us are able to commit to? Do we have a secure way to store this info to avoid surveillance state?

Disabled people (in particular Disabled Black and Indigenous folks) are the most likely to die after hostile coups like the one we're in.

We can't get out either. There are laws in most nations that prohibit us emigrating unless we can meet a minimum productivity/work threshold to prove we won't be a "drain on the state" and it's resources and healthcare. Yes, most of these laws use the word "drain." So that means when things get worse, and it will get much worse, disabled people end up trapped and left to die.

This is the questions we need to ask and address in our communities and activist groups. Within our friend groups as well. These questions won't be answered in just one conversation or meeting either.

We'll need to pick a set of tasks to focus on and find trusted groups we can coordinate with to help immediate needs.

This won't be easy. But community care and fighting white supremacist transphobic ableist fascism never is.

Be safe.

How to craft a Safety Plan

The item list of what's in your go-bag, which should include clothing, water, snacks, laptop/tablet/backup-drives, driver's license/passport, wallet, cash, phone charger, a portable charger unit, pet supplies, medicines, and for me I add in books/music-player/headphones.

Plan for your pets. I practice with my pets with leash and harness since tornadoes are common where I am, so they are used to heading to the bathroom to stay in place. For a go-bag, I have tuperware ready, where I can quickly scoop food into it and tuck into my bag. I make sure their carriers are near the door and easy for me to slip them into it.

Write down your rights. Memorize them. Yes, the rule of law is being thrown out the window, but hold firm to those rights. Do not allow ICE or any police authority into your home or area without a warrant signed by a judge. (I have to legally say that even if I personally think don't ever allow them in regardless, but safety comes first here and fighting ICE and police when it's just you or you and a few friends could get you killed and won't save the most people in the long run. We need to be hold firm on our rights but also firm on our safety so we can stay alive to help others.)

A route out of town. Make sure there's several possible routes planned in case one isn't viable. (Good to do if an area is prone to fire or flooding as those are unpredictable at best of times). Make sure you have a printed map. Do not rely on your phone.

Printed copies of all necessary documents: healthcare, phone numbers/addresses, identity, maps, etc. Include physical therapy exercises, mental health exercises, and medicine lists.

Share your safety plan with family and friends you trust. Work with them on their safety plans. For disabled people, this means we need to find people willing to help us evacuate (as needed) or check on us (for stay-in-place orders). These need to be people we trust to follow through. Leave no one behind is the motto.

Practice and/or review the safety plan monthly or at least four times a year with family/friends/pets. This becomes more crucial as fascism rises here.

Also helpful to plan community care events, where people share their grief and their hopes. This can help the fight to avoid burnout. Self-care is important, but it's not enough. Community-care is also needed, and should be included in a safety plan -- ways to engage in that care to help bolster one another.

It can be daunting to write up this plan alone, so do it with friends. Help one another through this.

We are not alone, but the fascists assholes want us to believe we are.

Sources: https://www.disabledginger.com/p/week-one-executive-orders-and-a-merit https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/politics/elon-musk-doge-federal-payments-system.html https://bsky.app/profile/thomaszimmer.bsky.social/post/3lh4lj7hfss2l https://www.wired.com/story/us-government-websites-are-disappearing-in-real-time/ https://insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-news-cdc-orders-mass-retraction https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-aides-lock-government-workers-out-computer-systems-us-agency-sources-say-2025-01-31/ https://www.salon.com/2025/01/30/ai-nurses-as-good-as-any-doctor-rfk-jr-confirms-he-wants-to-take-away-peoples-health-care/ https://www.teenvogue.com/story/trumps-executive-order-on-gender-affirming-care-for-trans-youth And may edit in others later.

[chemilico]

"Alright, here's the plan: *most confusing, illogical and most definitely not legal plan ever*" "huh??"

[starry-bi-sky]

danny and officer martinez's relationship in "late at night, when the nightingale sings" in a nutshell:

Martinez: FREAK! GET YOUR FUCKING KID!

Battinson, on the other side of the crime scene: he don't bite

Martinez, with Nightingale firmly attached his arm, visibly biting him: YES HE DO!

*points at them* Danny is the Bugs Bunny to Martinez's Elmer Fudd.

Another Officer: i can't believe you're fighting with an actual twelve year old. Martinez: i swear to god that is not a twelve year old, that is a little hellion that crawled out of batman's shadow one dark and stormy night and decided to dedicate his existence to tormenting me. Officer: Are you really that mad about him putting a sticky note on your back-- Martinez: thats not the point

in danny's defense: the word "freak" is. a mini beserker button for him for.... obvious ghostly reasons, so like, even if its not directed at him, he still very much unappreciates Martinez's insults at Battinson. Danny may or may not be projecting.

he's not going to hurt the guy! not in any serious or permanently disfiguring way at least! But he is going to leave mean sticky notes on the square part of his spine that he can't reach, and stick salt in his 3AM Late Night Crime Scene Coffee, and kick the bottom of his heel while he's walking so he stumbles. And other petty, infuriating things that tally up and boil over, over time.

[afurtivecake]

Andrew and Neil never getting married and never making it public that they're together is great actually, because in universe, they'd be seen as a modern version of those historical gay couples who never married, lived together all their days and ended up buried next to each other. Exy fans and sports historians will be debating their relationship and calling them "close friends" for centuries to come. Only decades after their deaths would people start wondering if maybe they've been misreading the whole Josten-Minyard teammate relationship wrong. Not necessarily for homophobic reasons because exy ends up becoming one of the sports that's most known for having out queer players, but because everyone assumed if there was anything going on between them, they'd just have announced it like all normal gay exy player couples. (publicity, sponsorships, etc. the exy fans love a good queer exy players wedding) There'd be memes made of photos taken from when their national team won gold of the team celebrating the victory and it's a close crop of Andrew and Neil in matching armbands staring into each other's eyes, Neil grinning like a madman and Andrew doing his best (and failing) not to do the same. It'd say "And they were TEAMMATES" and it'd be used whenever people go on about how so-and-so can't possibly be together because they don't fit what 'traditional relationships' should look like. They'd live entirely on their own terms and then get the last laugh decades after they're gone.

[cometblaster2070]

all these people asking for an easy mode a spectator mode or a dating sim in elden ring meanwhile I have the superior idea that there should be some sort of reality tv show sort of nonsense like keeping up with the kardashians/the real housewives of beverly hills where the tarnished gets stuck between the drama of the lands between's messiest family.

i would KILL for the drama like can you just imagine seeing all this shit go down in real time? (i bet you at least once an episode there'd be either a murder or arson attempt)

stay tuned for a separate spin-off focusing solely on the antics occurring in volcano manor. and while we're at it maybe a mini-series revolving around miquella and malenia; something like "miquella and malenia take on the consecrated snowfield!"

[bonefall]

This might be too much, but maybe you can kind of use both Mouse and Ash, by really amping up the idea there's some behind the scene meddling. Like Mouse was supposed to be the OG lawyer, but is being mysteriously held up by something (clues hinting at some characters Ashfur works with later during the next arc)

Obviously a lot of the tension is genuine, but there could be some very bad faith players deliberately trying to increase animosity since the stakes are pretty high (Especially for thistle law leaning characters who don't want Squirrel to win)

So just a few weird mishaps that get overlooked in the chaos of the trial, only being brought to light when the imposter arc happens, being kind of a stealth set up that things are about to go very, very wrong

Too little is far, far worse than too much imo. I'm a whole-pussy kind of writer. I spell suBtlety with a capital B.

I'm leaning very strongly towards Mousefur being Ashfur's first victim, done in a fit of entitled anger because he wanted to take over the trial. But I think your suggestion of mishaps should be important too, that's a very good detail

Thoughts...

The trial was paused through some accident of one of Ashfur's cohorts. Someone broke something or called for a break.

The last person to see Mousefur was a Traditionalist, leaning on the harder side.

Mouse either goes missing just before Leafpool's Trial, or midway through.

It is NOT known that Ashfur has this terrifying ability yet, though. His cohorts simply think that Mousefur is having a hard time getting back to StarClan, not knowing that Ashfur has been messing around with the boundaries between realms too.

[caterjunes]

we're gonna put our rats up for adoption at the animal rescue. things are. bad. we can't keep their cage clean. grayson gets exhausted taking them out to play and i rarely join bc i just feel empty or disgusted or i start sobbing or wind up in pain or exhausted myself. so they don't get the amount of human interaction they deserve/need.

i feel awful about it. i feel sick. i don't know the last time i've felt like such an abject failure. not just as a person responsible for small lives but as a partner. grayson gets such joy from these boys, and they are so sweet to us too. i just. i can't even take care of myself. it isn't fair. it's not fair.

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

WIP Wednesday

So okay I don't know if this is like...a cool thing to do or not, but there's a fic I claimed from the 2022 kink meme list (I couldn't resist, in large part because Tales From Jianghu Shopping Center was listed by the prompter as one of their inspirations for the prompt) that I'm not sure when I'll actually finish writing but I have started it and I'd like to at least acknowledge that I'm doing it even if the prompter won't see this. But the prompt is something along the lines of anything highly specific and niche (like my strip mall AU lol), and I actually happen to have a growing little stockpile of very very niche knowledge about my chosen professional field, which is ceramics! I specialize in wheel-throwing (though I'm also a...passable hand at plaster mold-making/slip casting and handbuilding, I just don't enjoy them nearly as much) so I've started a little something from Lan Wangji's point of view that's a love letter to throwing ♥

--//--

As is tradition, Lan Wangji works in porcelain.

The Lan family have been respected masters of porcelain for centuries, generations stretching back, back, back nearly to the beginning of the imperial kiln production in Jingdezhen. They once produced the enormous pots that adorned emperors’ palaces – there are (very distant) cousins of his in Jingdezhen who still do so for wealthy patrons.

It’s easy to forget such a background when he enters his personal studio on the other side of the world and flicks on the lights to begin the day’s routines. It’s precisely what he wants – a quiet life like this, simple and unassuming, is much more suited to his desire than the weight of tradition that could otherwise press him and his work down into something he would never want to be.

Not that he deviates very far from tradition anyway, but it’s the principle of the thing. Lan Wangji takes quiet pleasure in simplicity, in function that is beautiful in its hard-won mastery. There are very few non-traditional ways to accomplish this that he’s interested in, but he likes having the option should he want to take it. 

Lan Wangji had learned to throw at his uncle’s knee as soon as it was possible to do so. He has continued to do so since childhood with a single-mindedness that once surprised even his uncle. All he’d ever wanted to do was to sit at the wheel for hours and hours on end, only pausing to warm the water in his bowl with a fresh influx from the kettle and to transfer full wareboards (once he was strong enough) to the drying racks in the corner of his uncle’s studio.

Lan Wangji has always struggled to find the words to convey how integral the motion of the wheel and the smooth slip of clay through his finger and against his palms is to feeling like he fits into his skin properly, but his family seems to understand just the same.

Yesterday, as the sun was westering, Lan Wangji had weighed up a few bags of fresh porcelain. The lumps are waiting for him now, tumbled together under their protective sheets of plastic, ready to be molded and shaped by hands and hypnotic motion. There’s enough of a chill in the studio this time of year that there isn’t any condensation on the plastic when he lifts it, so he folds it away neatly and settles into the easy rhythm of wedging his clay to prepare it for the wheel.

There is, in the middle of the studio, a sturdy butcher’s block workbench. He built it himself right there in the studio, the first piece of furniture that had filled the space even before he’d purchased his Shimpo wheel. It’s very likely too heavy to lift – it’s certainly too big to ever get through the door – but he has no intention of ever leaving this studio to begin another, so it suits his purposes just fine.

Wedging the clay on this sturdy, hip-height table is nearly as meditative a process as all the rest of it. A bit more of a workout than sitting at the wheel, but it’s a good way to warm up in the morning, his muscles well accustomed to the push-turn-push-turn-push-turn of spiral wedging that it’s gone beyond second nature, it simply is. His mind wanders pleasantly as he watches the misshapen lumps of pure porcelain become smooth and rounded beneath his palms. Perhaps he’ll spend the day on bowls. They’re quick and simple, suited to his mood today, and he’ll have plenty of them done by lunch when he already knows his typical solitary routine will be interrupted (and can therefore plan for it so far in advance). 

The sun is up properly by the time Lan Wangji finishes his wedging, and once he’s transferred the first batch of prepared clay to the wheel he pauses to stand in the open doorway and look out over the garden that sits between his studio and his home. The grass and the flowers are glittering fresh and dewy in the sunlight as he rolls his shoulders, stretches out his back in preparation to be seated for long hours.

When he returns, the wheel welcomes him, familiar and comforting. He fills an old bird seed bucket with warm water from the tap and arranges the small mirror at the back of the wheel’s tray to the perfect angle to watch his own hands before he settles in and takes a deep breath, sleeves rolled up and apron cinched comfortably tight around his waist as an unnecessary reminder to keep his back as straight as he can while he works.

The first ball of porcelain hits the perfect bullseye of the wheelhead and Lan Wangji leans in to begin centering, the porcelain buttery soft where it runs under his hands. Porcelain, he knows, is notorious for being difficult to work with, particularly for beginners. This far into his career, it’s simply polite and responsive to each confident press of his palms. He cones it first, hands curled around it to coax it in and up; presses it down again with the flat of his hand, every movement focused on the centerpoint of the wheel gliding silently through magnet-powered rotations. 

Up. 

Down again. 

Up.

Down.

Push.

Press.

Lan Wangji loves every part of the throwing process for what it is, but if he were to have to choose only one, this would be his favorite: the moment he can feel the clay running smoothly, perfectly centered the whole way through and ready to become whatever he will tell it to be, the possibilities – for this moment – endless.

[nonuggetshere]

So they didn't become void, they were "born" that way

In FaaF there are different species and kinds of higher beings (still a MASSIVE work in progress tbh, trying to figure out how these cunts work, but for now I'm thinking they're extremely rare species with far greater abilities and lifespans than a normal bug's that have a chance to ascend to true godhood (but even if they don't ascend that doesn't stop mortals from worshipping them as they're already very god-like from a normal bug's perspective)), "pale beings" being one of these kinds/mutations.

Well, there was also a different kind once, "void beings", but they all went extinct a very long time ago by the beginning of the story. Shade Lord was one, and last, of them and it lost its life in a fight with Radiance - the same fight that drove her to make her permanent residence in the dream realm out of her new-found fear of death (which backfired spectacularly ngl). Its body was buried in the Abyss, where it broke apart and decayed, or decayed as much as a non-living thing can, before it was unearthed many ages later by the pale wyrm.

Not much is known about them since they've been gone for so long, and the vessels are the only void beings remaining, but since they're not "pure" void beings it'd be foolish of anyone to assume that the ancient extinct species behaved the same way as these ones do. But they were generally greatly feared thanks to the void's freaky, dangerous properties, which partly lead to their extinction as some of the other higher beings purposefully attacked and killed them whenever they stumbled across one out of fear. Now the only thing remaining of them are the rare void sources, where their former bodies still refuse to fully die.

Shade Lord does get accidentally resurrected in the story bc of all the tomfoolery happening with its body before almost immediately getting killed again by Ghost who inherits its title and reign. Don't ask me how that works, haven't figured that out yet. Magic god shit or something idk LMAO

[yakny]

they are in my heart always ( ☆ ´⌓` ☆ )ブ♥