#this is shade at how news outlets talk about these things

[shadowed-yet-vibrant]

I know OP is just quoting the article, but the language in the article bothers me. Words are important: you cannot “pay to have sex” with a minor. He did not “have sex” with her. He raped her. He paid money to rape a child.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve. The Matt Gaetz report has been released.

[saturnsbabyboii]

🍭Astro Observation for you to munch on until Fatoor 🍭

🍭People that have a Fire sign or an Earth sign on the cusp of the 3rd house are great vocalists (Exp. Ariana Grande, Whitney Huston, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Lana Del Rey, etc.)

🍭Taurus Suns with Gemini Venus are top tier

🍭Capricorn Venus and their never-ending search for the perfect partner. (Standards are too high? or is no one worth it?)

🍭The stereotype of Cancers being homebodies seems to be very far from the truth. They're always on the go, meeting people, getting into new experiences and exploring. However, they do value their own space as they consider their home/room/inner world to be sacred and isn't to be shared with everyone. They're the true "Extroverted introvert", if you will.

🍭Synastry charts aren't a one size fits all. An aspect has a different interpretation depending on the status of the relationship (platonic, familial, romantic, or sexual, etc.) For instance, the presence of Squares can be experienced positively in romantic/sexual relationships, but a bit challenging in platonic ones. However, it is hell to have it with family.

🍭Continuing with aspects, the presence of squares or "harsh" aspects doesn't mean you're doomed to fail. In fact, people that have more harsh aspects are very well in control of themselves (or at least of the themes of the placements/houses involved). I have known and witnessed many people that have been blessed with trines that end up overindulging and disregarding the dangers of their actions. It is possible that because things usually work out for them that they take it for granted and push their luck too far. (The recurrence of trines in the birth chart is common among celebrities who overdose, but that is just what I have observed)

🍭There are many posts on placements/aspects that indicate wealth and/or fame. However, we don't talk about HOW, WHERE, and WHAT can we do to cultivate this kind of success. The answer is in the mutable houses (3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th). The sign over the house, the placements, and the position of the house ruler (even aspects and degrees but focus on the latter first) will tell you where you need to go, what should you do, how should you do it, and (most importantly) what is blocking you or in what ways can you change in order to move to that next step.

🍭Regardless of their other placements, I have never met or heard of a Pisce and a Leo getting along.

🍭It is true that Earth placements/doms guard their inner self with many walls, but the way Air placements/doms do it always fascinates me. Instead of an obvious defensive stance, they unleash a mirage that creates the illusion of openness. You never really know what's true versus what's not but the kicker is, neither do they. I still love them though.

🍭What's with Water energy and getting too much plastic surgery?

🍭Jupiter is the planet of growth, wisdom, knowledge, and luck. Wherever it's placed it'll give you "a big head". As a Jupiter in 3rd, I have to catch myself from being a smartass and a know-it-all. My friend has a Jupiter in the 1st and she could wear a trash bag and you can't tell her nothing about how she looks. On a side note, she does have a larger head and looks like a Bratz doll (no shade though)

🍭Despite what I have heard/read, I am continuously disappointed by Scorpio placements. I don't get the hype. But when it comes to Virgos and Geminis though, I have been pleasantly surprised.

🍭Aries Moon 🤝Low key being a covert narcissist

🍭Leos out here thinking they're an undiscovered celebrity, meanwhile Sagittarians and Capricorns are a living meme factory

🍭12th house stelliums and their obsession with existential questions "Why am I here?" "What's the soul?"

🍭Having your Moon reside in an Air house (3rd, 7th, 11th) makes it difficult for you to understand your physical emotional reactions (Exp. Always wondering "Why do I feel weird?") Finding a visual discord as an outlet or talking about it with other people can develop an awareness and an understanding of the connection between your body and mind

🍭Most Fire placements have such powerful minds and pure hearts but their mouths always get them in trouble.

🍭Pisces and Libra placements aren't sweet angels with rose-colored glasses. Not saying they aren't good people, but the ones that I have known had a very dark and twisted side to them with a very pessimistic point of view of the world. This could be due to their sensitivity to their surroundings and other people.

🍭Earth in the 8th is very likely to leave a big chunk as their inheritance, meanwhile Fire in the 8th is hitting the jackpot (Sorry nana)

🍭The element of your 2nd house reflects your self-esteem.

Water in the 2nd indicates a turbulent and unstable self-image that ranges from highs and lows.

Earth in the 2nd house has a sustainable and clear image of themselves with an awareness of their flaws and ways to improve.

Air in the 2nd house and their fluctuating sense of self, they are very likely to personalize and have a completely warped idea of themselves, or they absolutely don't give a damn about how they look and have an unshakable confidence.

Fire in the 2nd house, Either peak early in life then crash hard with a bruised ego or takes a long time to fully accept and love who they are

🍭Having Saturn and Jupiter in the same house is the holy grail of growth. You will forever receive lessons and discipline from Saturn along with endless wisdom and improvement from Jupiter. An indication of a very tough start (depending on the house themes) you may feel alone and conflicted with no one to turn to regarding it. However, with Jupiter as your guide and Saturn as your protector, you'll be able to take on whatever the house (and probably life) throws at you like a pro tennis player.

Bye Bitch✨

[zenala-art]

Hey Rain World Tumblr. Will you allow me to ramble a little about worldbuilding and echo dialogues?

My favorite thing about Downpour is how you can, very visibly, see the world changing as you go. It's not a vision that Vanilla has, and that's alright, it didn't have to - but there's something so beautiful about worldbuilding such as this, in a way that only an outlet such a videogame can accomplish. Passing by the same place but in a different time - familiar for sure, yet not the same. Everyone remembers the first time they went through Chimney as Saint to the Wall and saw that nothingness where the path you probably used for most of your playthroughs was. Or maybe if you didn't, you noticed how Shaded Citadel slowly faded into a fallen iterator, as the realization dawned upon you about who was above Shaded Citadel, if you had already known that part of the lore. Or heck, seeing pre-collapse Moon for the first time, and noticing the similarities (and dissimilarities) with Pebbles' superstructure! Using that area in upper right Pebbles (The Precipice) that you never really knew why was there for the first - and only - time. You get the idea. It's genuinely great. It ties every story point together so neatly, be it from the past or the future.

Anyway, I say this because my favorite part of Saint's campaign is how it handles the echo dialogue. Aside from adding 3 new echos (with the new team's writing, that honestly feels a bit different than the original - not a problem, once again), they also add new dialogue for every reoccurring echo. And I loooove them.

I want to make an example with my favorite contrasting echo dialogue: Six Grains of Gravel, Mountains Abound (the Exterior/FP echo)

< Normal run // Saint >

Let's dissect it.

"We can feel your presence, little creature" vs "Our presence has been revealed to you, young one"

This first sentence alone already shows AMAZING contrast imo. To the other slugcats, the echo says that IT can feel their presence; while this time it's Saint who's the one feeling the echo's presence. I can't pinpoint what exactly that means, but I like to assume that's related to Saint naturally understanding echos (and iterators), so the presence could be felt differently than the slugcats with the mark. Another thing I love about this sentence is how Gravel treats the other scugs as little creatures, but Saint as "young one". Perhaps hinting at their eventual demise as an echo - or the fact that they might already be an echo at the moment of speaking, if you're into that theory. Very cool attention to detail.

"Your attunement has become... much closer to ours" vs "The attunement has become... much nearer"

Here, the most striking difference is the total removal of whatever possessive adjective/pronouns there were. Which, to me, feels like bridging the gap. It's not *your* attunement and *our* attunement. It's THE attunement, we share it. We are not so different, after all.

After these, the comparison is less direct (for the most part) because Saint didn't have to receive any mark to communicate with it, so Gravel can't talk about them like it could for any other slugcat.

But there's a great comparison here on how Saint isn't like the other slugcats - Gravel seems aware of Saint's predicament. The eternal loop it is in. And isn't it ironic that Gravel is the echo who talks about how there's a way out of the cycle to the other slugcats?

"The struggle, the cycles... / It can all fade, like a morning mist beneath the glory of the sun" vs "Like a ripple distorted upon a moonlit reflection / Repetitious, seemingly endless strife"

It's interesting how the order here is reversed, possibly to create contrast. Another detail is that for the other slugcats, Gravel compares ascension to a mist fading under the SUN - while for Saint, it compares ascending to ripples under a MOONlit reflection, further creating contrast/parallels between the normal ascension and whatever happened to Saint. Another thing to note is how Rubicon and Saint's ascension are entirely upside down, so all these reversed verses could be playing into that theme.

"The mark you received is an unimaginable gift" vs "An unimaginable curse"

These are pretty self-explanatory as the most direct contrast possible, but I'd like to point how 1. They're also reversed - with the sentence for all slugcats being before the verses in the former section and the Saint one being after them; and 2. It could imply that whatever makes Saint be able to understand echos and iterator was a curse on its own (just how the mark is a blessing). Enlightenment, perhaps? Being an echo?

"We found a way." vs "Swim with the tide or against it."

Notice how with the other slugcats Gravel is much more positive, reaffirming, proud. While with Saint, it's still a bit reaffirming... but in a more "it is what it is" kind of way. To me, Gravel implies that Saint should either accept their predicament like the other echos did or try to get out of their eternal cycle somehow. And maybe that's what they tried doing by attempting to ascend the void worm. They tried swimming against the tide and got punished for it.

Amazing echo dialogue mwah thank you Downpour for feeding my worldbuilding loving ass so well

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kevin Robillard at HuffPost:

PHILADELPHIA — Robert Lindsey, the owner of Sharp Skills Barber Shop, thinks his customers have some questions for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Even with this whole election right now, brothers ain’t really behind Kamala because of her track record, you know? She was a prosecutor, and that was her job, and a lot of guys are sensitive about that,” Lindsey said, not long after the National Center for Black Civic Participation had used his barbershop as the home base to canvass the majority-Black Overbrook neighborhood in West Philadelphia. “I would love for her to answer some questions straight up.” Lindsey and his customers are getting a chance to hear Harris answer a lot of questions this week. Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, is conducting interviews with a trio of Black male journalists and personalities following the rollout of a new economic plan, all in the hopes of improving her standing with Black men, who some polls show are less enthusiastic about the election than their female counterparts or may even vote for Republican Donald Trump in historic numbers.

Harris’ campaign schedule along with comments from former President Barack Obama suggesting Black men were insufficiently supportive of Harris and a New York Times/Siena College poll showing the former president winning the support of 20% of Black men have jolted the issue to the front burner of the presidential race. There is some skepticism about polling showing significant gains for Trump among Black men, with Democratic operatives noting polls underestimated Black support for Democrats in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, and in the 2022 midterms — even if all three of those races also saw Democrats struggle to turn out as many Black voters as they hoped.

In an interview with the Black news outlet The Shade Room, Harris seemed to both downplay reports she was struggling with Black men and admit she had more work to do with the demographic. “That’s not my experience,” she responded when asked about the polling. “There’s an assumption that I have Black men in my pocket when it comes to their vote,” she continued. “Black men are no different from anybody else. They expect that you have to earn their vote.” Harris’ comments reflect how Democrats are still internally debating the nature and extent of their purported struggles with Black men — which, keep in mind, would mean Democrats earn the vote of Black men at only twice the rate of their white counterparts, instead of nearly three times the rate — and how to best solve it. Many Black operatives feel the threat of Black men voting for Trump is overstated, and most of the party’s problem is around turnout and enthusiasm. Some feel the key to improving Harris’ standing can be solved with talk about economics, while others believe they have to talk about criminal justice and police reform.

The one thing they do agree on: Many Black men are not getting what they want out of the Democratic Party, and the party needs to do better. “A lot of Black men really feel like others when they hear us talk about politics,” Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) said earlier this month after a roundtable with other Black elected officials in Milwaukee, noting even she focuses on issues more aimed at women like protecting abortion rights and expanding child care access. “So it sort of sounds like you’re not including men. And so then when somebody comes and they’re macho man or something, then that’s speaking to them.” Moore said she has started talking up Harris’ record as a prosecutor, including her work to create programs to help young people convicted of drug crimes access job and educational opportunities, and pointing to Harris’ plans to help small businesses when Black men ask her about the candidate. “You have to talk to the whole family,” Moore said.

[...] But over the course of more than two hours of door-knocking, the young men’s cynicism was a clear outlier. Most of BlackPAC’s targets were enthusiastic about Harris, and with Iverson’s help, made plans to vote if they did not already have one. Negative reactions tended to come because BlackPAC or another group had already knocked on their door once. The idea of voting for President Donald Trump, as some polling suggests Black people are planning to do in historic numbers, seemed laughable to most of the door-knocking targets. One voter said her top concern for the election was “getting rid of the racist idiot.” Another young woman said she was terrified of “that 2025 thing” — a round of mailers from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party on the threat of Project 2025 had just hit mailboxes in the neighborhood.

[...] So far, however, Harris’ pitch has focused more on economics than on justice issues. The plan she rolled out Monday involved providing a million loans to Black entrepreneurs to start businesses and investing in Black male mentorship and training programs. Even the one criminal justice angle in the plan — the legalization of marijuana — was framed around letting Black men start businesses in the field. And while a Harris ad targeted at Black radio stations released in August briefly mentioned her work “pioneer[ing] a program to give nonviolent drug offenders a second chance,” more recent television ads focused more on the dangers of Project 2025 for Black Americans and on her plans to lower the cost of housing and groceries.

Harris did address criminal justice issues once during her interviews on Monday, telling Roland Martin she would “absolutely” continue to have an aggressive civil rights division at the Justice Department. “Under Donald Trump as president, those cases were not happening with any vigor or commitment,” she said, referring to investigations of police departments or prosecutions of law enforcement officers accused of wrongdoing. “He took resources out of the civil rights division of the Department of Justice.” If it still feels like Democrats and other groups are figuring this all out, that’s because they sort of are. The NCBCP was working with a Philadelphia-based group to poll Black men in the area about what issues were important to them, with a QR code on literature left at doors leading to a survey asking about issues like Black men’s mental health, police reform, reparations and their faith in local government.

Kamala Harris is going on a tour of podcasts that have a heavily Black male audience, such as The Breakfast Club with Charlamagne Tha God and Roland Martin Unfiltered with Roland Martin.

See Also:

Daily Kos: ‘This man is weak’: Harris blasts Trump in town hall with Black voters

[cryptidanathema]

raihan

Why I like them: He's that guy that you THINK'S gonna be a total douche but is actually a really great guy once you get past first impressions. Liable to do something stupid trying to impress you. Dragon in human form. Canon fang haver. Brags about himself in the third person and should not be trusted with tapestries. Babygirl you need so much therapy /aff

Why I don’t: That hat that can't decide weather it's a sweatband or a beany. Seriously what is that thing on your head man

Favorite episode (scene if movie): Haven't watched any of his anime scenes tbh, kind of scared to after how dirty they did Leon. So I'll just use this section to show some love to the bit in Pokespe where he tries to take on Eternatus... himself. Not using a Pokemon. 

Favorite season/movie: See above 

Favorite line: ...I'm just gonna put "Especially you, Piers! The way you battled me in the Champion Cup... You really had my Dynamax Pokémon up against the wall!" and apologize profusely. Yes for ship reasons but also the fact that the guy starts hitting on a new rival in the middle of a Dynamax Pokemon rampage just feels weirdly on-brand? 

Favorite outfit: Shout out to that slightly douchey waistcoat ensemble with the Flygon shades from Masters...which he has a matching stupid, stupid hat for. 

OTP: Raihan/Leon/Piers and Raihan/Piers both qualify. Leon just straight up hits the "you don't even have to Ship It, some characters having had sex is just objective truth" threshold and they're often really sweet together, I just have to throw an alt boy in there too to get into it because my brain craves them like a body craves air. And Piers...they get tragically few scenes together but the ones they do get are so weirdly charged? Like someone else said there's a certain "should we be watching this?" energy to them lol 

Brotp: Leon also goes here, mostly because coming up for platonic explanations for the sheer depth of Raihan's brain rot in regards to that man leads to some FASCINATING relationship dynamics. I'm a big believer that romantic vs platonic indicates a relationship type rather than inherently implying a hierarchy of importance and these two are a great outlet for mentally rotating those themes. Also he and Gordie are fun in Masters, I like to think that they became friends while having shared sadboy time in the locker room. 

Head Canon: Probably my biggest is that with the way there's some pretty depressing shit left unsaid about the way he views himself, the occasional signs of anger issues he shows, and how he's the only member of The Rivalcule you don't meet the family of, the guy did NOT have a good childhood. On a lighter note, the guy has absolutely dogshit music taste. Like we're talking Skrillex and below here. The fact Piers doesn't strangle him over it is testament to the depth of his affection. 

Unpopular opinion: Don't really have one? 

A wish: Gigantamax Archaludon whenever the Galar remakes come out in 10-15 years, he deserves to just summon a wholeass suspension bridge (that notably has a weather-related signature move at that). And, well, just more of him in general. 

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: Same as Piers, please don't throw this man into spacetime GameFreak 🤞

5 words to best describe them: Selfie boy kinda worries me 😔

My nickname for them: Rai, Rai-Rai...💖🐉

[himeitaa]

Introducing My Blog : ❤︎

Hello,

Have you wondered about J-fashion or thought about how to find a personal style that isn’t ever so mainstream?

If you ever had these questions I shall be your personal designer to guide you into the fashion world.

My name is Aruka a fairly new Gyaru and a life long admirer of Lolita since the age of 8 and navigating the world of fashion, makeup, dolls, hair and pop culture. While I am still learning about fashion and makeup as a teenager in this ever changing age of aesthetics and beauty standards that hold hierarchy.

The reason of a blog:

I never had a place to talk about my interests other than being talked over or being called childish for liking things that weren’t mainstream such as the bodycon and nude shades of today.

I wanted to get more knowledge about fashion and to have an outlet to share my opinions and insight and to possibly gain new friends and followers and connections.

As of now:

As of now this is a work in progress where I still have to find out the posting schedule, what to blog about and how to market myself and most importantly how to monetize myself.

I hope people will enjoy my writings and the pictures and set up that go along with them.

Thank you for reading. - love Aruka ❤︎

[grilledkatniss]

Okay so I'm just now catching up on whatever this "why is she shading Joe if she's happy in her new relationship omg" and the comparisons with Lover's I Forgot That You Existed's reactions of "why would she feel the need to come after Calvin if she's in a happy relationship omg" and...

Alright, listen. Here's my super fresh out the over hot take: have we forgotten who we're talking about? Melancolia, and digging up the grave another time, and never leaving well enough alone, and remembering it all too well, and looking back, and recalling now, and seeing it all now that it's gone, and wishing she'd realized what she had, and the whole ass concept of midnights is her dealing with the past and coming to terms with the series of events (happy or unfortunate) that led up to where she is now. It's her coping and doing that hindsight is 20/20, introspective psychoanalytic revisiting of the past, a terribly underappreciated skill characteristic to someone who's very emotionally intelligent. She's like an Olympic Gymnast in emotional maturity and intelligence at this point, and as such she never stops training and practicing -as in, she never stops reminiscing and taking apart what was and isn't anymore, like someone who's trying to figure out what didn't work out, what was the last straw, where were the signs she missed, what should've gone differently, how they could have fixed things, etc etc- It's her niche, her field of expertise and trade mark. Why is it becoming an issue now? Like, our capacity for empathy is super selective, honestly.

Also, now knowing how long it'd been shelved, there's a new bigger book of itemized speculations from the public, many of which will hardly ever get any sign of official recognition, much less one of direct confirmation.

It was probably one of those songs that was meant to be just for her and never released, or that didn't fit any album yet. Hell, it was probably what nudged her into starting a whole new album after an entire year of putting out rerecordings. Maybe she was already well underway designing the concept for the album, maybe the concept was already set, maybe this one at the moment fit said concept and was a call back to another sleepless night that could've taken place at any point in her life, be that recent past or decades ago past, current relationship's past struggles, ancient relationship ponderings.. you know what I mean? She's not doing anything out of what we've learn to expect from her throughout her career but more specifically when it comes to her latest studio album, which literally, as the well established and expressively stated core concept foretells, is an exploration of a lifetime of insomnia inducing ruminations.

[That being said, at the beginning of the year she did spend quite a lot of time flying back and from NYC's Electric Lady Studios (but I actually think she was most likely working on the rerecording of Speak Now and 1989) so there's that on the table.]

But at the end of the day these are people we don't know personally, and unless Joe decides to write a memoir (highly improbable), write another few songs but on his own and make them public, or write/direct a piece in the audiovisual department that specifically addresses the end of a long and very scrutinized relationship, idk something of the like, we might never know his side of the story. Taylor has this very public outlet and a huge platform whereas Joe doesn't beyond his sporadic Instagram photo dumps every once in a while.

Anyway, I don't think her puting an already published song now out on Spotify is a dig. She probably knew this assumption was inevitable and by now super predictive, cause this type of speculation has happened with literally every single one of her songs. She simply decided not to shield away from the scrutiny that was to come regardless and not let the public frenzy censor her anymore. People were gonna think the worst either way, make up theories and demonize her and the intentions they imagine she had for putting out a song about her own life.

I also think she learned from the experience of the re-releases that now she doesn't have to limit her self expression to appease absolutely anyone other than herself. She doesn't have to keep the men in suits with the big pockets happy to get where she wants to go. The rerecordings are a passion project of hers, where the fans' impressions and opinions haven't weighed too much in the making of. Yet, the relentless encouragement she's received from said fans, along with the praise from the media as an after the fact result (which could have never been taken for granted since none of them were counting on it getting any sustancial pay off, keeping in mind an enterprise like that hadn't had that much commercial success in previous attempts by several other artists... which is exactly why she was doing it more for herself and her own personal moral and legal gain) have helped in getting her out of her head about releasing discarded projects. You know, stuff that for some reason or another had to be cut from the final more polished official version of the end product. And it reassured her in the fact that, in the position she's in, at least today, whatever she releases will most likely not bomb commercially. Also, as an added bonus, not only does she get to get things off her chest and speak her truth, but revel in the knowledge that it feeds both the media and her own fanbase with content she knows it's desperately being sought after and craved for, not out of necessity but out of greed for anything resembling an inside look into her up till very recently pretty much kept under wraps and extremely undisclosed private life. Yes, even if it's calculated, cause it's a taste of the type of flaunting and overexposing she was known for during the 1989 era, where everyone and everything clung to her for clout.

What was my point? Something along the lines of be thankful for the dashboard food she's providing us with, but also be nice??? Be more aware of the bigger picture and the inner workings behind the decision of putting out a previously shelved song??? And be empathetic??? It's not that hard??

And, sidenote: in case it was so -that she's still harboring some type of feelings towards Joe (anger, resentment, sadness, longing, etc)-, she's completely entitled to feel any which way she might deem appropriate in regards to her own life, her own relationships and situations, and act and react upon them accordingly. We, however, are NOT entitled to any answer whatsoever. All tidbits, drops of tea and crumbs of scones are hers to disclose if so she chooses and at will, not ours to demand.

[ratsoh-writes]

Okay, gonna talk about my developed monster type:

Typically in the Snowdin and forest regions, a variant of the Gryftrot monster, the Bitrot. It's form is closer to a surface deer, but stands on the rear legs and has opposable thumbs.

The big indicator of this type is that every monster of this species, whether they are male/female/intersex, has horns/antlers. The horns/antlers are made of magic and are very culturally important to this type of monster. Think of the magic on their head like hair, but only to be styled from the two outlets on the top of their head. This means the horn style can be changed and styled into new shapes. One day you may see long horns, the next could be five point antlers, and then one day curved horns on the side. As a reflection of their magic, it's rude to touch or make a compliment specifically towards the horns, but it is acceptable to look/gawk and motion to them while giving a compliment. (Like saying the monster looks lovely today, but obviously looking at the horns). The magic of a Bitrot is typically in black color, but can vary in shades of very dark red or green. As they weaken or become ill, the horns and cosmetic design of them will become smaller and less elaborate. This is shameful to them, but there has been a recent movement on the surface to appreciate small horns and even show them off.

Ooooo I love these guys! Oh btw as a species all monsters are intersex, capable of siring or carrying children. The whole he/she thing is a product of human culture and language for them. Most monsters just go with whatever “gender” their human acquaintances assign them in conversation.

I can see how the whole body positive move my could be big in ebott. There’s one right now over monsters with dual colored magic/ecto. A trait that is considered ugly, but is getting more and more common.

[thinkatoryprocess]

All right, so here are all of the fic prompts that I could scrape up/remember. If I'm missing anything, let me know. It'll be nice to have a reference post. See below!

Romewilla - Roman and Willa meet at a party, hit it off, and decide to work together as a creative team. Eventually the chemistry is too much to resist. Dead Kendall AU - In which Kendall actually dies in the pool, and everyone tries to cope. Naomi realizes shortly after his death that she's two months pregnant. We see Rava take Naomi in and Roman and Stewy connect as they try to grieve, and separately a story set in the future with Kendall's teenage daughter with Naomi unraveling the real story behind her father's passing. Roman/Stewy Vampire AU - In which Logan is a vampire hunter who primarily keeps Roman at his side as his backup and sometimes literal punching bag. Stewy is a fairly old vampire, and Roman meets him for the first time only to catch himself more intrigued and amused than he should be; the problem is it isn't the first time at all, and Roman's memories cannot be trusted to tell him what he's been through or what he's missed as years have gone by. Roman pulls back from Logan as he realizes how deeply Logan has used and abused not just his body but his mind. Roman/Eduard "Run" AU - In which, during their brief friendship and connection, Roman and Eduard agreed to reconnect at a specific time and place the moment one texted the other the word "Run." Roman catches this text after his dad agrees to sell Waystar to GoJo, and lives up to his commitment to meet an Eduard who's a shade different than he was expecting. They travel together, away from all responsibilities and expectations, but not without complications. Kendall and his two boyfriends, Stewy and Lukas - Or, the throuple fic. Stewy has been in love with Kendall pretty much his whole life. Lukas, however, has been talking to Kendall a lot since the GoJo deal began, late night connections that eventually tilt towards the sexual. Stewy finds out, tries to earn Kendall's heart in a deeply pathetic but sweet way, and just winds up having sex with him again. Eventually… Kendall has two boyfriends, and everyone is chill. Roman/priest!Mencken Fleabag AU - If you haven't seen Fleabag, don't walk, run. It's amazing and if you like my shit you will adore it, it's absolutely my vibe. That said, concept here is pretty straightforward: Roman's a snarky, weird mess of a person, and meets the priest who's going to officiate Tom and Shiv's wedding. The problem is the priest is aggressively hot and over the course of their friendship (he volunteers for a church event, what is WRONG with him) the priest also clearly wants to fuck him no matter how much they talk around it. Eventually the chemistry explodes. Roman/Mencken pro dom AU - This is also fairly straightforward. Total AU where Mencken is a professional dom who Roman is convinced to attend due to struggling to find someone to fit that outlet who he can trust to be discreet. There are clear professional boundaries. Of course no one would cross them. Of course. (Thinking Romewilla as a sidedish for this one - Roman's girlfriend to the world, who he does genuinely care for and would be aware of what's going on. Eventual polyam.) Tabitha/Roman get married AU - I'm not sure how much more to say about this, but, hey, this would be fun to tease out, what can I say. Roman/Stewy LA AU Roman and Stewy genuinely connect in New York when he's visiting Kendall for a birthday. The problem is that Roman has to fly back to LA, so the whole thing should by all rights be pretty short-lived, but even thousands of miles apart neither of them can let it go. (You know how these things go.) I may be missing something, let me know. Anyway, typing everything out made me think a lot about each of these. I'll be looking back at this. Talk to me about any of this if you want.

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

As a new member of the Toten BBF fanclub I present you some of my own scenarios:

1. The two going on a pranking spree. Their main target is Hawks cause they see him as both a ShigaDabi threat and they can tell he's sus as hell. Dabi approves for the latter and Spinner approves for the former.

2. Marathon movie night. Toga being scandalized when she learns Geten never watched any Disney/Pixar classics or just pre-quirk classics in general. She makes him watch all of then (princesses, Fox & the Hound, Great Mouse Detective, Robin Hood, Aristocats, Toy Story, Wall E, Monsters Inc, Lilo & Stitch, all of them). Afterwards, they experience Barbieheimer (in costume of course). Barely holding back tears with Everything Everywhere All at Once. Falling in love with period dramas, specifically Jane Austen stories (2005 Pride & Prejudice, my beloved). Watching ALL the shitty Netflix romcoms, not because they like them but because they're so bad that it's become a type of anger outlet for them (Twilight, Kissing Booth, 365 Days, 50 Shades of Grey, etc). Dabi once made a comment about how Dead Poets Society sounded boring and it got UGLY.

3. If Curious somehow survived, Geten furiously defending Toga from his bitch of a coworker. Out of all the MLA, Curious is the worst when it comes to dehumanizing the LOV and no way would the persistent journalist stop when they become the PLF. She's borderline harassing all the LOV, but especially Toga. When Geten starts warming up to Toga, he breaks into Curious' things and destroys her incredibly insulting article on Toga. He starts physically getting between the two and acting like Toga's shield. If Curious manages to reach Toga when he's not around, all Toga has to do is send a quick message and Curious barely avoids an ice shard to the head. This along with Geten’s constant glares and both Shigaraki & ReDestro ordering her finally gets Curious to back off.

4. Geten and Toga having sleepovers with late night conversations. Geten confessing his insecurities regarding his own personal identity outside the PLF (now that he's finally had chance to develop). Toga confiding in him all about her different crushes. Sharing their respective pastsand comforting each other. Just two besties being super soft with each other.

5. Baking together. I hc that out of all the LOV the best cook, Dabi is best cook. The rest are all disasters in the kitchen or never had the proper chance to learn. If you're sick of convenience store food and want something nice and homemade, you got to Dabi (he's too soft to say no). The domesticity of it and it baing made by Dabi make his cooking on very high demand (to the point the LOV ignore the professionally made 5 star meals). Geten hears about this and doesn't believe it. He is absolutely shocked at how delicious Dabi's cooking actually is (I'm talking like Shirou Emiya/Chef Bakugou levels) and being Geten, vows to surpass him. Surprise, surprise, Geten is part of the "disaster in the kitchen" group. But he turns out to be a pretty good baker/pastry chef, something Dabi never got the hang of. Capitalizing on this, Geten gets very good at making sweets that are both delicious and are super detailed/very artsy. He gets especially fond if making ultrarealistic cakes cause it's fun to surprise people with them. Toga wastes no time in joining him on his pastry quest and becomes his right hand man. Turns out Toga is very good with making details and with coming up with new patterns. Geten himself prefers bitter sweets but he doesn't mind sweeter flavors cause Toga and most of the PLF prefer them. Also they have pranked the others with the ultrarealistic cakes by taking objects and replacing them with cake. Also Geten helping Toga make Izuku & Ochako Valentines chocolates. The heroes in question are disturbed at how said chocolates came into their possessions but delighted at the taste (they were scolded by Eraserheard for not checking for poison or smth)

Bestie toten is already the ship name of Tenko x Touya, so we need to find a better name for the Toga and Geten friendship!!!

1) I think Geten would absolutely hate Hawks 'cause he'd see him as a threat to ReDestro too. Also Geten doesn't trust in Dabi having friends so wjdjdnjdjd Toga's in for the funsies

2) They are wasting ReDestro money again on streaming services but it's okay! ReDestro thinks it is wonderful they are getting along!! Twice's constantly joining the marathons and soon some of those nights become the PLF official movie nights (not all of them, not that often, just occasional). Geten is fascinated.

3) Curious is 100% because Toga make sure of that herself, so 😏😏 peace of mind.

4) Imagine how tragic this would be if those nights started soon before the big war event. Sorry sorry, I love the angst but-- Geten and Toga sharing those fears in a moment of pure weakness and then regretting it 'cause they are friends, but well... it's hard to fight back years of trauma.

5) I think Geten and Dabi would easily easily destroy one or two kitchens in weird cooking competitions. Easily. Also Toga is a master of the knife (to no one surprise) and Compress decides to act like the host of the event just for the jokes. PLF pure chaos!!!!!

[butternutrisotto]

19/30

Helloooo! :) Let’s talk about a thing that I truly cherished back then. Here's a story about my long-forgotten hobbies:

When I was in school, I found joy in two things that brought me a sense of freedom and peace: swimming and painting on a blank canvas. The feeling of diving into the cool water, letting it embrace me, and gliding effortlessly was like entering another world where all worries seemed to vanish. Similarly, painting allowed me to express myself in colors and shapes that words could never capture. With each stroke of the brush, I could pour my thoughts, dreams, and emotions onto a blank canvas, creating something uniquely mine.

These hobbies were my escape and my sanctuary. After a long day at school, I would look forward to the soothing rhythm of swimming laps or losing myself in the vibrant hues of a new painting. It didn’t matter if I was the fastest swimmer or the most talented artist; what mattered was how these activities made me feel. They were my private retreats, places where I could be myself without judgment or expectation.

However, as I grew older, priorities began to shift. Schoolwork became more demanding, and soon enough, I found myself caught up in the whirlwind of responsibilities that came with growing up. There were exams to prepare for, extracurricular activities to attend, and friends to hang out with. Slowly, the hours I once dedicated to swimming and painting dwindled. My canvases started collecting dust, and the pool that once felt like a second home became a distant memory.

Life took me in new directions, and my interests evolved. I discovered a passion for cooking and baking, which brought its own kind of joy and satisfaction. There’s something magical about creating delicious dishes and seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they taste your food. Cooking became my new creative outlet, a way to express my love and care for others. But even as I fell in love with the art of culinary creation, a part of me still missed the simplicity of swimming and the tranquility of painting.

Every now and then, I would catch myself reminiscing about those carefree afternoons spent by the pool or in front of a blank canvas. I missed the feeling of water against my skin, the thrill of trying to perfect a new stroke, and the meditative process of mixing paints to get just the right shade. These memories lingered in the back of my mind, like old friends I hadn’t seen in a long time but never forgot.

Despite my busy schedule, I often think about how wonderful it would be to dive back into these forgotten hobbies. The thought of picking up a brush again or swimming a few laps feels both nostalgic and exhilarating. It’s not that I regret the paths I’ve chosen—cooking and baking have brought me immense joy—but there’s something irreplaceable about revisiting the activities that once defined who I was.

I imagine that one day, when the timing is right and life is a bit less hectic, I’ll find my way back to the pool and the canvas. I’ll reclaim those moments of solitude and creativity, even if only for a little while. The idea of reconnecting with my younger self through these hobbies excites me, as if rekindling a long-lost friendship. It’s a reminder that the things we love never truly leave us; they simply wait for us to return.

I’ve come to realize that life is a series of chapters, each with its own set of passions and priorities. While swimming and painting may have taken a backseat for now, they remain an important part of my story. They taught me the value of finding joy in simple pleasures and the importance of making time for oneself, even amidst life’s many demands.

One day, when I have a quiet afternoon to myself, I plan to dig out my old paintbrushes and swim cap. I’ll take that first stroke in the water or lay down that first streak of color on a fresh canvas, and it will feel like coming home. Until then, I’ll keep these hobbies tucked safely in my heart, knowing that they’re always there, waiting for me to revisit them whenever I’m ready.

For now, I’ll continue to explore new interests and cherish the present, but I hold onto the hope that, when the opportunity arises, I’ll return to those simple, cherished moments of my long-forgotten hobbies. After all, they were more than just pastimes; they were a part of who I am, and someday, I hope to embrace them once again.

[kpopandmusicpassion]

"I'm a fan favorite"

"Thrownin' shade"

"I see it in their face I see it in their eyes they about to tell a lie"

-Lucas Renegade

Let's start with "I'm a fan favorite". Absolutely. (I actually watched Dip It Low B4 Renegade. Hearing him say baby girl 😭it's cute and sexy. Lucas Wong will be the reason I die one day. He's gonna kill me next comeback. There will be another comeback. Seeing people still "thrownin' shade" and telling lies pisses me off like no tomorrow I don't want these a**holes to f*** it up for him again. After seeing a YouTube video called "Does NCT'S Lucas Deserve Redemption?" I'm super PISSED 😡. THERE IS NOTHING FOR HIM TO F***ING REDEEM! They even said the account that spread that shit about him was just a shit post account the lady was paid to say that shit and even those others including the "ex-boyfriend" ADMITTED it was all f***ING LIES. LEAVE LUCAS THE F*** ALONE PEOPLE!!!!😡😡😡😡)

And he's not wrong people still "thrownin' shade" and it's about time these people get a life. They must really LOVE Lucas since they're so obsessed with him like they are.🤣 (I can still be pissed and I just hope this pisses them off more. But you have to admit them actually Loving him is very likely other wise they wouldn't keep spewing shit about him.)

And people really do need to start thinking before talking shit. How would they like it if they were in that position? I'm sure of the reporters from those news outlets are more likely to have life ruining secrets than Lucas. And as much as absolutely ADORE Lucas as long as he updates to let me know he's okay and he's in the right mindset as well as healthy and not overworked so I can see more AMAZING mvs and music from him I'll leave. You know that song "It feels like somebody's watching me?" We really need to stop with mindset "I need to know ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING about him/them/her" it's creepy and uncomfortable for them. (Just so you are aware the stories I write have nothing to do with the actual people cause when I write them they are characters as far as I'm concerned they are basically face claims.)

If you follow me and don't like Lucas as I ask is you don't make rumors and try to make life harder for him. This is specifically for those who voted Lucas out of NCT based off false unproven accusations. I thought about the gaslighting thing and knew he wouldn't do that. I do think though that it's possible to unknowingly gaslight someone. Maybe it's not their intention to gaslight someone they don't even realize that they are doing it. Or some people may think someone is gaslighting them when they genuinely forgot about something. Some people have the memory of a goldfish. Sometimes things happen and they get so busy they forget. Anyway I'm so happy Lucas is back!!!!🥹😍

Listen to Dip It Low and Renegade if you haven't yet and if you have replay!

Bye

[kopivie]

stupid little mental health update from cinna.

(note: i don't use this name anywhere else, so i sat here for a couple minutes trying to figure out how to refer to myself. might change my alias yet again. not like anyone cares.)

tw: VERY self-deprecating thoughts, feelings of hopelessness

so i'm okay, i guess? i just... i took myself on a date today. i sat in a beautiful cafe with the most delicious mocha ever and amazing natural lighting; i got my shade for a glossier skin tint and finally got the makeup that i've always wanted, and i got myself new notebooks and pens! pretty good!

but... i decided to start journaling.

and.. as freeing as that was — because really, i desperately needed an outlet for my thoughts that aren't creative — i ended up unlocking a section of my thoughts that i haven't really thought about in a while.

i'm a very self-deprecating person. like, insanely so. but for the past couple of months, i've been riding high on the little compliments i've been getting from others. like when i had a crush, he told me i look good with my hair up. or people telling me that tinsel looks good in my box braids for the past week or so. or being told by the woman at sephora that i have beautiful eyes. like i've been keeping myself afloat with these little things.

but today, just before i left the house and told my parents that i'd be out for a while, my dad gave me a look. and... my vocabulary isn't expansive enough to explain just how loaded it was.

understand something: my dad loves me dearly. he does, and i know this. but he's also worried that i'm lonely because i only have one real friend irl that i talk to and hang out with. everyone else is online and let's be real, i don't talk to anybody anymore these days. (which is likely a grief response, but i'm not here to talk about the many ways in which my grief is manifesting.) he wants me to find more friends, but specifically, he wants me to find love. obviously easier said than done, but like..

you know how dads are. they get weirdly pushy about why you're not dating. my dad noticed that his insistence was pissing me off and stopped but.. i just wish you could have seen the look he gave me when i said i was going out. i did my makeup, i wore an outfit that made me happy (wearing a skirt!!)... and he just.. looked at me.

there was so much pity in his eyes. not sorrow, not compassion — pity.

he knows i'm alone. i was so happy to be alone and he just...

he made me so aware that i'm so fucking alone, dude. it took me upwards of an hour to just figure out where i'm going, and the entire time, this seed of doubt is just growing and growing. the second my pen touched my paper, the tree of doubt was in full bloom.

because why? why am i alone?

what was the point in me enjoying the compliments if nothing comes of it? why is it that despite my attempts to fit in, to be attractive, to be normal end in failure? why, why, why am i so fucking alone?

i'm all too aware that this is a hell of my own making. i was once content to be completely alone, even without my best friend irl. i like solitude. but over time, i've realized that i really don't. and my father has been steadily watering this tree of doubt, and i don't know what to do now that i've reached this point of absolute fucking defeat. because i'm defeated. i'm so, so tired.

i'm typing this on the bus and fighting back tears. i have mascara on, so it's really hard to make sure that it doesn't run. i'm heartbroken. because in the end, all my efforts are for naught. i've been trying so hard to see the joy in the little things today, but i can't overlook the fact that in the end, i have nobody.

i can't even be like "oh, kazuha would love me!" because no. no he would not. first of all, why am i compensating for my lack of human relationships by pretending that some fictional man would like me? because he makes me happy? why does he make me happy? everything that i've written about him is based on some flawed dating experiences i've had pre-autism diagnosis. kazuha behaves the way he does in my writing because that was my way of compensating for the fact that i just needed a companion, be it platonic or romantic. all of those goddamn genshin boys were just ways for me to cope. and now that i've recognized that i can't help but laugh at how fucking pathetic i am, dude.

when i was on my way to the bus earlier, some man walked past me and said "you're super pretty by the way," and kept on walking. and honestly, that was the nail in the coffin. not because i'm foolishly expecting something to come out of that encounter — i didn't even see his face. but because i realized that i've never actually been told that before.

the word beautiful makes me uncomfortable. it disgusts me. but being called pretty is.. very rare. i'll be told that something i have on is nice or something, but nobody ever actually compliments me. and that guy... i dunno if he was an angel in passing telling me the one thing i needed to hear, or if he was some fucking demon mocking me.

regardless, i'm going to get off this bus and cry on my way home. i need to cry so badly. my heart is in tatters and it's all because of some pitying look from my father. i don't blame him but... whatever.

[sumiyarezasuchana]

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[thatspookyagent]

Actually no, if you fight so hard against racism, and even other forms of oppression, but let colorism slide specifically, you're not actually committed to being anti-racism and are instead actively upholding the very things that you claim to be against. Colorism absolutely intersects with multiple other forms of marginalization but too many folks (mainly folks with light skin) are in denial about that or see colorism as something to let slide.

Stop pretending like you don't notice whenever you hear or see news about a Black or Brown person being murdered or assaulted, the folks that get shown being beaten or killed on news outlets the most, aren't ones of darker shades. Reports about POC being harmed that get sensualized, are often ones of brown & dark skinned folks, let's acknowledge that elephant in the room. Just like who's more likely to be the face of a supposed "thug" or "dangerous looking individual" versus who's the face of the "approachable" or "docile individual". Cut the shit.

And this covers all communities that include POC in them. Darker skinned Black and Brown trans folks being amongst the most reported cases of harm and assault. Dark skinned queer folks being more likely to be viewed as masculine, regardless if they identify as such, and as a a result having a higher chance of being stereotyped as "mean", "aggressors", or "perpetrators of harm".

This isn't even getting into how medical racism banks heavily on myths about darker skin being harder to treat in various different ways or the lack of training on detecting and identifying injuries on darker skin tones therefore heightening the risks of medical neglect and misdiagnosis. And of course it doesn't stop there, it happens on much smaller and less physically harmful scales as well.

Such as a variety of darker skin tones being harder to find on binders or packers, being less likely to be advertised on items that multi marginalized darker POC buy (examples being plus sized clothing, mobility aids, and hair care products), and still having to take a backseat in terms of representation because folks with a closer proximity to whiteness, still have a privilege in being represented, even if they're not white & marginalized in other ways as well.

I could quite literally go on and on about how colorism intersects with so many axes of oppression, on both marco and micro levels but first I'm gonna need more so called activists, educators, progressives, etc, to really pay attention to colorism and take it seriously in the first place. Regardless if you or anyone that you know faces it personally because we're way past only caring or talking about certain things, just because of your close proximity to someone who personally faces it.

[gimletagain]

Away

A few days ago we took a flight from LA to Hawaii where we will be spending our holidays. And let me tell you, no one on that 6 hour flight was streaming their show, even though it’s the perfect opportunity to do so and it was the first weekend of its release.

A few thoughts to touch on some asks -

This staggered release is also unusual for Netflix, and likely something their team pushed for. You’re starting to see the drawbacks of it now, along with not having real marketing leading up to it. There is very limited coverage outside of entertainment outlets like People, and the comments are beyond negative, even on the NYT. The few pop culture pieces giving them space the first time around are all silent now. I’m talking the meme accounts and reactions that reflect public interest and commentary -like the Shade Room (esp for the black gossip community on IG). Given how much Tyler Perry features in the latest series it is quite remarkable that they have not commented on the doc AT ALL.

As with the above, emphasizing how jaw droppingly negative the reactions to press are. Not only on IG, but the comment sections of the NYT (which, if you’ve been reading me for a while, I’ve noted have been trending neutral-negative since the Bench.)

Netflix algorithms require a longer discussion. I’d say don’t believe anything you read online about how watching for X minutes is bad for them or that rating them poorly is enough. Their algorithms are a closely guarded secret and subject to change at any time anyway - that’s the point of machine learning. If you want to hit them where it hurts, the sure fire thing to do is to unsubscribe. When they sign big deals like this the goal is user growth - new subscribers, while limiting churn (retention). It’s probably safe to watch it if you’re a long time subscriber who is going to keep it around, but you might play into their annoying bragging about viewership and there’s a small chance they get a bonus off of views if they negotiated something like this. With that in mind, do you think anyone actually signed up for Netflix to watch this thing? Often times you hear people say things like, “crap, I cancelled Netflix but stranger things is back - going to reactivate this month.” My husband for example refused to let me cancel this month bc he wants to see the new Knives Out. This is what they’re looking for. This is what the contracts are dependent on (and not being a pain in the ass.) I’m not sure they’ll get that, given how settled opinions are about them even prior to the show. And not to sound like a bitch, but her sugars who would support the doc seem a bit broke and like they still live at home anyway, whether they’re 13 or 45.

That’s all folks. Happy holidays! 🌴