#this post is cal approved

[andre-and-cal]

Thinking about Andre realizing how blessed he is during his first time (NSFW),,

He’s noticed that him and Cal’s similar ideologies and beliefs led them to each other in their first year of middle school.

The older boy’s letting loose garroted squeals, labored breaths humid against Cal’s face as the younger boy’s poorly-trimmed, rigid dick annexes to Andre’s body, lower half erratically bumping against his risen backside. Calvin’s holding his knees up but his skin is so sweaty his hands are nearly sliding off of his skin.

It’s almost like they’ve been fated to intersect into one. At times, the brief spouts of pompous superiority looming over Andre fuels self-doubt, fuels weakness.

In unexpected moments he finds that he doesn’t want to believe that there’s no “Yahweh”— hell, even if He doesn’t exist and even if there is a Lord that’s tyrannically corrupt, he knows it’s brought him to Cal and Cal to him for a reason.

A hand curves around his member and pumps rapidly; Andre releases all over himself, nectar splashing onto his belly button. He’s gritting his teeth and echoing Cal’s name repeatedly, a pitiful bomb dropping from his mouth as he awaits Cal’s response, awaits his approval.

Don’t pull out, he’s reminded Cal. He doesn’t care that he’s going to need to shower later. To be quite frank, he doesn’t care about anything right now. The world doesn’t exist, it’s only made up of Andre and Calvin. Calvin and Andre.

Andre feels like he’s being watched, but he isn’t uncomfortable anymore— rather, he’s trapped in a post-orgasm reverent transcendence, with Cal blanketing him, shielding him, length sloppily nestled between his thighs and twitching inside him, requesting that Andre let them stay in these conditions. He already knows he will.

Andre knows their parents wouldn’t be too fond of their comradeship. Well, if they did accept them, they’d probably limit their time together.

It would fuck everything up, Andre concludes. Their parents don’t have to know. He knows they’d never understand what they have. No one ever would.

[wisecura]

Pretty

Suguru x fem-reader p.4 p.1 ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ p.3

summary: You're Gojo's cute little sister.

AN: now how long did it take me to send this one out? thank you for continuing, these are still under edit so please be aware.

Warning: Yandere behavior oncoming please continue with caution

Summary: You're Gojo's cute little sister.

Butterflies

Suguru had managed to keep you all to himself on that porch for hours.

With no Satoru around to interrupt, he had free rein to tease, talk, and simply enjoy your presence.

And enjoy it he did—far more than he expected.

He felt a strange, insatiable need to hold your attention, to keep your eyes on him and only him, even as your yawns became more frequent and your eyelids grew heavy.

What surprised him most was that you didn’t seem to mind. If anything, you gave him that attention willingly, your focus never wavering.

The two of you stayed there until the sun began to peek over the horizon, its soft light creeping across the garden. Sitting inches apart, both of your legs swung off the edge of the porch, your hands so close they nearly brushed.

Suguru found himself talking about things he rarely shared—bits and pieces of himself he usually kept hidden. But with you, it felt easy. Natural. He wasn’t sure if it was because you were such a good listener or because your relaxed expression made him feel like he could tell you anything.

You talked, too, more than he’d ever heard you speak in one sitting. About little things, big things—anything and everything. He hung onto every word, marveling at the way you opened up to him.

And as the conversation flowed, Suguru felt an overwhelming urge to keep you there, to keep the moment alive. He wasn’t ready for it to end, wasn’t ready to let you go, even as the first rays of sunlight began to wash over the world.

The situation felt unnervingly intimate—just a little too close for a guy and his best friend’s little sister. But it would’ve been stranger to say Suguru wasn’t one of your close friends by now. Although, you weren’t entirely sure how you felt about calling him that. Friendships weren’t something you’d had much experience with, and with Suguru, things always felt… different.

If you were honest, though, if you had to pick anyone to settle down with someday, Suguru would be at the top of your list. He was passionate about his role as a sorcerer, even if you’d noticed hints of resentment toward some parts of it. Despite that, his care for his fellow sorcerers was undeniable, and his quiet strength and thoughtfulness drew you in more than you’d ever admit.

But the idea of actually dating him? That was impossible. He was Satoru’s best friend, first and foremost. Crossing that line wasn’t just risky—it felt like breaking some unspoken rule. And yet, as the sun rose higher, you couldn’t quite shake the thought.

If you did want to date Suguru, what could you even do? He was like your first crush, sure, but what did you really know about relationships anyway? Books, movies, and the occasional online post had given you a general idea of how it was supposed to work, but theory was far different from reality.

Satoru, of course, had always made it clear he wouldn’t let you date anyone without his approval. And you had the sneaking suspicion he wouldn’t want you dating at all—approval or not.

But even if Satoru miraculously gave his blessing, there was still Suguru.

How did he feel? He seemed to treat you much like Satoru did—affectionately but firmly, with no hint of flirtation in your conversations. Did he see you as an extension of your brother? Another little sister to look after?

The thought made your stomach twist uncomfortably. Maybe you were reading too much into things, hoping for something that wasn’t there.

And it wasn’t like you could ask Suguru how he felt—not without bracing for the consequences. What if he thought it was just a naive schoolgirl crush and brushed you off with that teasing smirk of his?

What if he outright rejected you, called you some spoiled, snot-nosed kid for even thinking about it, and made you feel foolish for harboring those feelings at all?

Or worse, what if he got uncomfortable, distanced himself, and left not just you but Satoru too?

Suguru Geto was unpredictable, and that alone made the prospect of confessing anything feel like walking a tightrope. Too many outcomes, too many risks, and not nearly enough certainty to act on how you felt.

"Looks like it’s time for bed," Suguru said, letting out a loud sigh that broke the quiet. You blinked, finally noticing the soft hues of the rising sun. Exhaustion hit you all at once, and you realized you probably looked as tired as you felt.

“I didn’t mean to keep you so long,” you said, your voice thick with drowsiness, tinged with apology. “But I really appreciated the company.”

He didn’t reply immediately, but the smile on his face said more than words could. It was a smile reserved just for you or Satoru—so warm, so affectionate, it left you unsure of what to make of it.

As you stood, his eyes followed your movements, trailing over your form without hesitation. When you glanced down, you found him already watching you, his dark gaze unreadable. Your heart pounded in your ears, the heat rising to your face impossible to ignore.

Backing away clumsily, you nearly tripped over your own feet, breaking the moment. Suguru shifted, ready to catch you if needed, but you steadied yourself before he could move. Embarrassed, you kept your eyes fixed on the ground, mumbling a quick, flustered excuse as you made your way to the door.

Pausing just before stepping inside, you turned slightly, your voice soft, barely above a whisper.

“Good night, Suguru.”

You didn’t wait for a response, disappearing into the house before he could recover from the shock.

Suguru sat frozen, utterly speechless, the sound of your voice—his name spoken with such quiet affection—lingering in the air like a ghost.

Behind your bedroom door, you leaned against it, hands clutching your chest, your heart hammering as if it might burst. The exchange had been wordless yet heavy with emotion, and you hoped you’d conveyed even a fraction of what he’d shown you with that smile.

You felt breathless. Vulnerable in a way you’d never been before.

Sure, it might not have meant much to him, but to you, it was everything. Suguru was the first person besides Satoru you’d ever let yourself get this close to.

You couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across your lips.

Damn it.

You really were like a little schoolgirl confessing to her crush—running off like that, all flustered, just from saying his first name. It was so embarrassing.

The initial giddiness faded as you lay on your bed, thinking about how silly it was to get so worked up over something Suguru probably thought was meaningless. You stared blankly at the wall you shared with him. His room—the previous guest room—was right next to yours. You hadn’t given this much thought before, but now you were acutely aware of how close he was.

Satoru’s bedroom was farther down the hall, naturally having claimed the master suite, but that wasn’t comforting. It didn’t change the fact that Suguru was right there.

You groaned, turning onto your side. Whatever. Summer would be over soon, and once school started back up, you wouldn’t have time to dwell on this.

The sound of floorboards creaking outside your door pulled you from your thoughts, followed by a soft thunk, signaling that Suguru had returned to his room. You exhaled deeply and let your head sink into the pillow. Within seconds, you were out, completely unaware of the chaos you’d left behind.

Suguru sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the wall that separated him from you. His mind reeled, replaying that moment over and over again.

The way your lips had shaped his name—Suguru, not Geto—was enough to knock the air from his lungs. You’d said it so softly, so fondly, with a warmth he thought was reserved only for Satoru.

He felt weightless, like he’d drifted into some dreamlike state where everything felt too good to be real. Was it exhaustion playing tricks on him? Or had you really said his name like that?

Whatever it was, he didn’t want it to end. He could listen to you say his name for hours, days, maybe even forever.

For the first time in a long while, Suguru felt light, as if the weight of the world had lifted for just a moment. Even with Satoru, he’d never felt this... enraptured.

And he knew then—he was gone.

p.3 ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ p.5

come home

I will also be posting updates here:

https://www.tumblr.com/communities/obsessedjjk

[therealslimshakespeare]

How are poly Austin, Calum and OC doing ???

Ooooh how are they indeed? It is such fun to be asked about them, aaaah!! Like..:people remember them. You want more. That’s so fun for me, I love them and @ab4eva and I totally have plans for still more of them.

The Three of Us Update ✨

That more being- how they are now. Which is pretty grand but far too busy. Or at least, Austin is, workaholic that man and you knew that he was dedicated and in a very crucial stage of establishing himself as one of the most respected and in demand actors of his generation but, the fact of it is, the holidays find you about as worrisomely detached from his hectic set-life as Cal is from the both of you an ocean away. There is FaceTime and the group chat and gifts sent back and forth and avid interest for each other’s success and fits of glumness, but the long stretch between last time all together has begun to wear, it’s a melancholy sort of missing of both of them and you long for the closeness. The easy way everything is so right when together.

Your mother and your girl friends are making proclamations these days, general platitudes about how a man who was serious about you would make this something more official after a year and a half of “casual” dating. And they’re right, if that’s what was still happening. To be fair, dating doesn’t seem to be what you’re doing anymore, you and Austin are so far beyond that despite the recent distance and added to it, Callum is as solidly a part of that seriousness that your head spins with what sort of talk is even needed to solidify something so utterly unorthodox and yet so crucial for your world to make sense. No one can know, no beyond the occasional snicker over espresso martinis about “the boys” and double innuendos about sharing that you can always laugh off in the sobriety of the morning after.

In this funk, which would be no funk at all if the ones you love were simply near and life didn’t move too fast and work too slow- you find yourself in London in December. A work trip, but feeling indulgent and more than mopey at another fairy light snow dusted early December spent alone despite ostensibly being able to claim a boyfriend, you stay over. You museum stroll, you enjoy your favorite tea houses, explore the garden exhibitions, try your hand at photography on the various bridges. Get a text from Callum asking if you really came to London, stayed a few days, posted it on your Insta stories and “didn’t say shit” to him about it.

Chastened, and no longer deterred by the three avatar bubbles denoting each member of the group chat, you fire back apologies, a string of demure and pitiful emojis and inquiries as to how to make this slight better.

There’s barely five seconds of typing ellipses before your sentence is declared.

Coffee and baguettes at Burhams, 4:00, Mumford and Sons playing at the Carlton at 7:00, so wear something sexy under the coat. But bring a coat, it’s going to be frigid. I’ll schedule an uber if you give me your hotel address. Why the fuck aren’t you staying at mine? See you tonight. Xx

To your credit, between the giddy smile on your face in anticipation of seeing him and the butterflies in your belly of having an evening that’ll finally match the jollity of everyone around your sad little self, you feel a tiny slither of doubt. You like his message, biting your lip in worry over how to reply, not that you don’t know what you want to say to him and how enthusiastically you intend to agree with his hijacking of your evening, but rather, an uneasy awareness of Austin’s presence in the chat. That very same presence that erases all the guilt of such a conversation, not that there should be any anyway, you’re all friends, but you find your fingers stall when you go to gush in approval of the plan as warmly as you intend.

Five whole minutes go by. Just your solitary and very unappreciative thumbs up lingering there. It’s making it weird, you’re making it weird. This is how you’ve been all this season and you’re sick of it.

Then another row of little dots appear, texting in progress. You hold your breath, melancholy and fond in expectation of Callum’s predictable ribbing over your moderation.

But it’s under Austin’s name when the grey chat box slides into delivered. It’s simple, easy, a pink cheeks smile emoji at the end.

Yeah, and wear tights with that coat, I know you. Tights can be sexy. Pneumonia isn’t ☺️.

God you miss him. And it seems you’re going out with Callum tonight. You should overthink the pulsing bravery and excitement that takes over then, but you don’t. Because that’s a thing to be left behind with the loneliness at Christmastime when you’ve got people to love you.

[ball-of-butter]

youre like the only account i look at on here for red queen content (specifically maven) so please go full psychological analysis on maven please. i love your posts they itch my brain perfectly

omygosh anon 🤭 tyyyy tyyyy

theres so much to say about maven and its kinda crazy considering he doesn’t get that much actual page time. so keep in mind that many people could have different interpretations of his character, since he is quite elusive. and i may or may notttt be biassed idk.

the first thing i believe: he's a character that, for all his supposed motivations, had no ambition or dream of his own. he was a complete vessel of his mother’s spite, so he makes for a pretty interesting paradox. mare was haunted by a ‘false’ maven that didn't exist (debatable). cal was haunted by an ‘erased’ maven that used to exist. what is maven haunted by? everything and everyone? he’s a ghost himself, he’s the one who usually did the haunting, but even when you get his POV in the books, there’s a tragedy in the negative space you find. there are clear holes in his psyche that he also subconsciously attempts to fill (his memories always fight to bubble to the surface, but they invoke feelings he can’t feel anymore) and never can. despite how pissed off he is at everyone and everything, he so very clearly yearns for love and approval, to the point where he is absolutely delusional about it. there he was, shocked that mare would reject him after he imprisoned and betrayed her and the scarlet guard. here’s him outraged that anabel lerolan would side with cal after he plotted her son’s murder.

elara basically sculpted a monster, and i don’t think that can be debated since its pretty clearly stated in text. even maven knew what she took from him and the extent of the abuse— but he didn't care because she gave him the love he craved. she couldn’t fill it all, if maven’s obsession with mare was anything to go by. i do think elara genuinely loved and adored him, but i don’t know if i would use the word ‘enabler’ for her because it seems too soft a word. maven is elara. elara dies and maven can’t survive on his own for long without her. he was her iron fist in a way, but neither had much interest in norta as a country like most scheming for the throne usually do– which i find so interesting. it wasn’t political, only personal.

now then there lies the debate of choice— some maven fans are completely comfortable heaping all of the blame onto elara and calling it a day. but i think even elara was failed in a similar way maven was. red queen is cool because it shows how evil is encouraged and nurtured in oppressive societies, how certain individuals even in privileged positions will be abused and neglected, how vices are taught to be hidden rather than treated and how violence is perpetuated as the surest, most permanent decree. every character is affected by this system in some way, and i could talk about it for years but i’ll save you the time. my point is that this would apply to maven, but that doesn’t make him void of choice. it’s sort of predictable that he would make the terrible choices he did in the series considering he never had the chance to escape what predestined narrative was already planned for him, but no one was physically forcing him to burn his initial into mare. no one was physically forcing him to try slaughter a whole race of people. no one physically forced him to blow up naercey, or taunt cal after forcing him to murder his dad, or psychologically torture mare when he kept her as prisoner. yes, there’s nuance but maven is also much too comfortable with being a terrible person, because thats what ultimately earns him love, respect and approval.

i don’t think maven could’ve been saved, not because 'the damage was too bad,' but because he had no desire to be saved, and no one but cal had wanted to put in the effort to save him. i always find it interesting how cal secretly resented mare for killing maven, even though it was such a longtime coming, and he would never voice it because considering all maven had done to her, she had more than the right. but i don’t want to yap so much about maven’s relationship with cal because i’ll be here forever. nor do i want to talk too much about his relationship with mare. i'll only say that when i was talking about his death scene i did mention how much of an impact both of them had on each other, how maven was so scary to mare because he was a viable twisted path that represented the worst of her. i think mare could’ve been (my biassed interpretation) a path for him too, but he was so far gone by the second book and especially after elara’s death that he never considered it (would’ve been too late for him then anyway). i have some thoughts on the chances of maven rehabilitating if he had the tools and will to. some thoughts. they won’t go here though.

lastly i just want to link this post which had super interesting additions by @lucy-the-cat that delves into maven from a psychological perspective. its sooooo well written and i still think about it to this day.

last thing i wanna do is glaze a bit so im just gonna 😭 its refreshing to see this sort of villain be portrayed as an mmc who isn’t attractively suave and super misunderstood and depressed and supremely intelligent for what he does– maven is intelligent and sad, but he's presented as a floundering, insecure, delusional brat that the fmc understands entirely. something so refreshing in how he can only either be hated, and at best, pitied.

[imjulia-andilikecats]

I just finished reading @hrizantemy Mare Barrow's Critic Post, and here are my thoughts. I'm a die-hard Mare Barrow fan and will be touching on other topics/events that happened in Glass Sword, so please read with caution.

TW: Branding, Dead Baby

As someone who actually started caring for Mare during her corruption/fall arc in Glass Sword. It's no surprise to me that a lot of people would dislike her but it doesn't mean I'll ever get used to it.

Your criticism is mostly focused on the pivotal moment when Mare captured Cameron, which highlights her hypocrisy and her mental/moral decline at the end of the book.

However, you dismissed A LOT of events that led to Mare becoming this.

To start, Mare didn't become this hypocrite overnight:

Glass Sword began fresh after Maven's betrayal, with Mare still suffering from PTSD and guilt for what she did to Cal (and other characters, such as Lucas and her three handmaids).

For the majority of the book, Mare and her companions are in a bloody race to get to the Newbloods before Maven gets to them first while also being hunted down and killed themselves.

With their first encounter with dead Newlood, they quickly got ambushed, and Maven branded her.

Imagine the physical and mental tools that Mare suffered whenever they found a dead Newblood and a bloody letter. Maven hunting her down and mentally taunting/threatening her with his letters.

I would be, pardon my language, tweaking too, if my enemy leaves a message on a dead baby.

Mare has a lot of unaddressed trauma with problems that keep piling up on her that she doesn't have the resources or skill to fix. Unfortunately for her, she doesn't have access to a therapist; she is far away from her family. She never had a healthy way of coping with her trauma. Cause she is too desperate to save a Newblood and survive the day. She never gets to breathe in this book.

Also, the reason Mare broke protocol was when they encountered Jon The Seer, and he told her that the person they would meet would be their chance to infiltrate Corros Prison, and that unfortunate person was Cameron.

Mare, desperate, had Shade capture her. To save Julian, Sara, Newbloods, and even Silver elites being held captive by Elara.

Everyone did not approve of her decisions and often called her out:

Cal and Farley are very vocal about Mare's plans and choice of action.

With most of her plans being shut down and her behavior getting checked when she oversteps.

They don't see her as a leader even if Mare acts like one.

A good example is when Mare discussed the plan to infiltrate Corros Prison, and only a few of the Newblood recruits wanted to join. Mare even noted that they were either scared of her or they didn't know her.

Only when Kilorn, who spent time with them, spoke up about their need to save the others where they were more persuaded to join.

During the attack in Corros Prison when Mare called for Cal to help her. He ignored her because she killed guards who were begging her for mercy.

Later, when Shade died, Mare was not comforted or pitied. Farley slapped her for being dense and insensitive. Cal pushed her into a different room to tell her off, asking what was wrong with her, why was she reading Maven's letters, and even questioning if she was even capable of love.

Mare faced the consequences of her actions:

After Mare and the colonel broadcasted Elara's head. Barely anyone was talking to Mare.

On their way to their mission, they were quickly captured by an angry, grieving Maven. Mare offered herself to spare the others. Maven wanted justice for his mother, so he accepted.

He put a collar on her, dressed her in rags, and paraded her before a crowd of angry Silvers who wanted nothing more than her dead and commanded her to kneel. This happened on her 18th birthday. She is just a kid.

Mare made mistakes. She was not only called out for it. She suffered the consequences and wholeheartedly apologized to Cameron for what she did. Even offering to fight anyone who tried to question Cameron.

I know my response will be dismissed as a Mare stan. But you got to give credit to Aveyard. She created a flawed FMC with ACTUAL flaws that aren't just relatable but realistic, and she actually faces the consequences of her actions and is not being glorified by the characters or the narrative.

[wildlife4life]

Seven (+) Sentence Sunday

Tagged by super amazing @exhuastedpigeon @cal-daisies-and-briars @hippolotamus @disasterbuckdiaz @glorious-spoon @wikiangela @daffi-990 @tizniz @devirnis @watchyourbuck @hoodie-buck @loserdiaz @spotsandsocks and @diazsdimples. Thank you all so much!

Alright, so I know haven't been as active since dropping the first chapter of NFL Buck. I've just been sort of down because that same day, the Super Bowl Champs had their parade and rally, and just after it ended there was a mass shooting. My younger sister was there with some friends and they got away unharmed, but when she didn't answer my message for a long 30 minutes, I truly thought the worst. I've just been so sad and angry for Kansas City, for the US really and I just couldn't get into the spirit of writing. I'm not getting into the politics of it all today and my sister is coming for a visit soon, so I'm feeling marginally better. KC Strong.

First chapter of NFL Buck has been dropped, but everything else I've posted for this fic can be found here. Here is a snippet from the Eddie Begin's arc of NFL Buck.

Hurricane Harvey was relentless for almost four days, bullying southern Texas with unforgiving wind and an exurbanite amount of rain. Houston fire department and so many others worked day and night to help those who had not evacuated.  It was absolute chaos, and it blew through Eddie’s entire life. The storms had wreaked havoc on the cell towers, which meant service was spotty to none and radios became the main source of communication for rescuers. By some miracle, though, the internet connection at the firehouse held strong. It was slow and glitched out here and there, reminding Eddie too much of his time in Afghanistan. He watched his infant son grow up through a screen, with his very upset wife barely holding on and his parents hovering nearby, souring the video calls even further. Christopher was no longer a whimpering baby in his mother’s lap but looking at his saddened son on a glitching iPad screen with a tense Maddie sitting beside him, was too familiar.  Add in the argument he had with Buck just before, and the threat of danger just outside the firehouse, Eddie was back to being a scared 19-year-old in war riddled country. “Dad, grandma said we’re not going to visit Buck anymore. That he’s too busy. And Maddie tried to call him, but he didn’t answer and…” The eight-year old’s voice trails off, his lips trembling. Eddie bites his inner cheek hard. This was on him. He gave into his mother’s worries and demands about traveling through Texas during the hurricane.  Helena was too stubborn and being his mother, she knew every damn button to push, and Eddie was tired of fighting.  So, he reluctantly agreed to cancel the visit and his mother grinned a little too sharply before stating, “I’m sure Maddie will enjoy having her brother to herself.” Another ploy to take Christopher and Eddie fucking fell for it. Then his mother took it a step further by graciously telling Buck and Maddie herself, that Christopher would no longer be joining them in Dallas and to enjoy their time together for as long as they need it. Eddie knew his mother didn’t approve of his relationship with Buck, more so than his previous one with Shannon. The only reason she kept her mouth shut was the potential back lash of upsetting Christopher. But she already succeeded in having a hand in driving away Shannon and she probably believed she could do the same with Evan.

With this fic, there are a lot of canon events with twists. The usual timeline does not exists. But I hope you all enjoyed!

Tagging (no pressure): @bekkachaos @theotherbuckley @lover-of-mine @buddierights @try-set-me-on-fire @jesuisici33 @jeeyuns @aroeddiediaz @giddyupbuck @rainbow-nerdss @thewolvesof1998 @eddiescowboy @eddiebabygirldiaz @spaceprincessem @athenagranted @evanbegins @elvensorceress @malewifediaz @911onabc @911-on-abc @ladydorian05 @bigfootsmom @thekristen999 @spagheddiediaz @rogerzsteven @honestlydarkprincess @doublecheekeddiaz @buck-coded @prosperdemeter2 @lemonzestywrites @gayedmundodiaz @transboybuckley @nmcggg

[my-name-is-apollo]

Two things! 1. Thanks for reporting on Apollo, he is my favorite god by far!! 😭

2. In an old post where you talked about the type of relationship that the main gods had with each other you said that there was a lot to talk about the relationship between Zeus AND Apollo!! Can you take advantage and tell it?

I can definitely talk about Apollo and Zeus!

Basically, Apollo is Zeus' favorite, his pride and joy. I know a lot of people believe Athena is the favorite, but I say Apollo is just as beloved, if not more and I'll tell you why I think so. I'll start by putting together various myths that surround both of them.

1) Zeus' protectiveness

Starting with Apollo's (and Artemis') birth, even though Zeus didn't directly help Leto, in one version, he asked Zephyrus to carry Leto away to Poseidon, so that Poseidon could protect her. He also managed to calm down Hera by the time the twins were born.

And when later Apollo killed Python, according to Pindar, Gaia wanted to send him to tartarus. But obviously that didn't happen and we can assume that it was because Zeus intervened on his son's behalf.

In Euripides' play, there's a particularly cute segment where Apollo, as a little boy, went to Zeus, wrapped his arms around him and supplicated him to deal with Gaia who has been interfering with his oracular business. And of course Zeus agrees and makes Gaia lose her prophetic influence on mortals.

There's also a version of Coronis' tale where Ischys, the guy with whom Coronis had cheated on Apollo with, got killed by Zeus.

In the satires written by Lucian, Zeus got defensive when Momos made fun of Apollo.

Lastly, this is just my interpretation, but in stories where Zeus intervenes in a couple of fights - the Apollo vs Heracles , Apollo vs Idas - makes me feel like Zeus did it because he was overly protective of Apollo (just like did with Athena - Pallas)

2) The way Zeus appreciates Apollo

In Iphigenis in Tauris, when Apollo killed Python and took over the delphic oracle for himself, Zeus is shown to have been proud that Apollo has started serious business at such a young age.

The opening of Homer's hymn to Pythian Apollo shows us Zeus welcoming Apollo and personally pouring a drink to his son. How sweet is that :3

In another scene where Apollo is entertaining the gods, Zeus and Leto together are shown proudly watching their son (Hera is absent oop-).

In the Iliad, whenever he commands Apollo to do something, he calls him "Dear Phoebus" (I've also seen it translated as "friend Phoebus) which is very sweet and shows that Zeus is quite fond of Apollo.

And in Lucian's work, he also appreciated Apollo by telling Momos how much work his son has to do everyday, and how difficult the job is for him.

3) Zeus grants a lot of Apollo's requests

even when he's personally offended. Take the story of king Periphas, whose reputation had personally offended Zeus and he wanted to destroy the king and his entire kingdom, but when Apollo asked Zeus to not do that, he ceased from killing them. In the case of Prometheus too, Zeus agreed to free the Titan when Apollo begged for it.

When Apollo appointed Hermes as the messenger god, Zeus approved that.

He also resurrected Asclepius on Apollo's request, in spite of Apollo killing the cyclops .

And here is what sealed my belief that Apollo is no less of a favorite than Athena: once Athena was using mantic dice to give out prophecies, and Apollo was unhappy with this. He complained to Zeus about it and Zeus made dice divination inferior (and Athena just threw away the dice lol)

Now this is again my opinion, but the whole thing with "Apollo tricking the Fates into postponing Admetus' death" is quite a serious offense, but surprisingly Apollo does not get punished for that. I like to think that that's because Zeus gave him the permission for that (maybe not openly, but more discreetly).

4) Apollo has some favorite child privileges.

He is said to be sitting on the immediate right of Zeus (according to Callimachus), he gets to use Zeus' lightning bolts and the aegis too (like Athena does), and he is the only one allowed to read the will/mind of Zeus.

5) Apollo acts as Zeus' right hand man

Now this could be said of Hermes and Athena also too, but I'm pointing this out because people tend to easily forget it. In the Iliad, Zeus sent Apollo to help the Trojans, since he was secretly rooting for Troy ,in spite of taking a neutral stance, and Athena was fighting against them. He also entrusted his son Sarpedon's body to Apollo and asked him to clean it up and hand it over to Thanatos and Hypnos.

In Orphic theogony, a similar responsibility is given to Apollo - he is asked by Zeus to bury the remains of Zagreus.

In the account given by Plato on soulmates, after Zeus tore apart the humans, he tasked Apollo with stitching them and bringing them back to life.

And of course the whole deal with Apollo's oracles is to pass on the will of Zeus to the mortals. Apollo is basically serving as an extension of Zeus. Arguably, that is one of the most important responsibilities and Apollo was the one Zeus trusted it with. He also actively prevents other gods from taking away this role from Apollo.

6) Apollo's rebellious nature and how Zeus deals with it.

In Alcaeus' hymn, when Apollo is born, Zeus adorns him with a golden headband, gives him a golden chariot driven by swans and asks him to go to Delphi to establish his laws. But Apollo instead just takes the chariot and flies away to Hyperborea and stays there for a whole year (rebellious from the get go XD) Of course, Zeus doesn't punish Apollo for this.

(I'm not bringing up Apollo and Poseidon's servitude under Laomedon because even though it is believed to have been a result of Apollo and Poseidon rebelling against Zeus, we don't really have evidence to say that that was the case. I only vaguely remember there being evidence of it in some scholia but I'm not able to find it at the moment so. Also in the Iliad especially, the coup - whose participants are Hera, Athena and Poseidon- and the servitude under Laomedon are clearly two separate, unrelated events)

But when Apollo killed Cyclopes in retaliation for Zeus killing Asclepius, Zeus intended to throw him into tartarus. This was an instance where he was clearly very upset with his son, and probably felt betrayed too. Even so, he changed his mind thanks to Leto, which makes me feel like he did not fully intend to carry out that punishment, and it was more a decision made in the spur of the moment. And as the alternate punishment, he made Apollo serve a slave and spend time on the Earth. This is in contrast with say, Hera - who was tied and dangled above tartarus. Zeus could have done something similar with Apollo because while one could argue that exiling and making Apollo a slave is pretty humiliating, it's still not as bad as being hung over tartarus. Besides, Zeus made Apollo serve under a very kind hearted king (and by the looks of it, Apollo actually enjoyed his time there, being in love with Admetus and all). So I think even after all that had happened, Zeus still forgave Apollo and went easy on him and even agreed to grant godhood to Asclepius on Apollo's request.

7) Apollo as Zeus' eldest son

Apollo is Zeus' first son in Hesoid's Theogony (born after 19 daughters). Putting it in the context of ancient Greek society, that would make Apollo quite important for Zeus in a way that no other child can be. And while Homer doesn't explicitly say that Apollo is the first son, it is quite evident in his works (Homeric hymn to Apollo, the Iliad) that Apollo's image is that of a first born son, - he is the only one who has access to Zeus' will, all the gods except Zeus trembled when he entered Olympus, Zeus often turned to him for help during the trojan war.

("Apollo" by Fritz Graf)

Of course, Zeus is never going to give away his throne to anyone and Apollo has no serious intent of overthrowing his father, but some scholars share the view that Homer paints Apollo as a potential usurper of Zeus, but also emphasizes how Apollo is very much on Zeus' side, using his powers for Zeus and not against him.

(^Source for this bit: "The Homeric Hymns: Interpretative Essays" by Andrew Faulkner & "Nursemaid to a Monster: Typhon and Pytho in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo" by Kelly E. Shannon)

Moreover, Apollo being Zeus' first son and sort of an unofficial crown prince would neatly explain all the ways in which Zeus favors Apollo over his other children.

Lastly, this is my take on them: They both obviously have a strong bond founded on love and respect for each other. The road wasn't and isn't always smooth for them. I like to think that Apollo held some bitterness towards Zeus for not helping Leto (before eventually letting it go), but he still wants his father's attention and approval. In return, Zeus has complete trust in Apollo, which is why he entrusts a lot of important duties to him. After all, he knows very well of Apollo's struggles and his efforts to rise to power. Zeus might sometimes be more stern on Apollo than he is on the others, but that's because he doesn't want anyone saying anything unpleasant about his son. I also think he doesn't entirely understand or approve of Apollo's extreme attachment to some humans, but he is ready to turn a blind eye as long as nothing drastic is happening (not without his permission at least lol). It's easy for some people to call Zeus a bad father, but we should also remember that despite being knowledgeable and wise, Apollo can be a difficult child to deal with - he is haughty, reckless. Messes with primordial deities and cosmic order, wears his heart on his sleeve, forgets his duties when he falls in love. It's like he is a perpetual teenager not only in appearance, but also at his heart lol and Zeus does try his best to deal with it in the best way possible :') But they do get along well most of the times and no matter how bad their once in a while conflicts can get, I think nothing is irreconcilable :)

(Here's a post where I've linked sources for a lot of the myths I've mentioned. If there's anything you want to know the source for, let me know)

[sybaritick]

and speaking of year-end roundups, one of the things ik i am associated with on here is the kink concept posts. here are 10 from 2024! you can now vote on your favorite! (which i would like to expand into a little original-work oneshot!)

building better catboys / our pretentious designer breed Anyway I totally shouldn't talk about this here but some catfolk protection NGO sent us one of those lawyer threat form letters because of the non-domestic feline intermixture and some unapproved genemods the shop did for us for some neuro and behavioral stuff. I chucked the first one assuming they weren't serious and they sent another that seems a little more concerning but I doubt they'll really do anything. Anything the shop did is gonna get approved in another 5 years I'm sure and if they don't it's because of the hybrid personhood lobby as usual. They sent a letter here addressed to her too, which is hilarious, but obviously I just kept it. I mean she'd understand it if she read it but I don't think she would really get the extent to which it's pure propaganda. They wanna recruit these hybrids as easily-led sympathetic mouthpieces to parrot their own viewpoint-- you know how it is. She deserves better than being used as somebody's pawn.

we really ought to sexualize transition more and that he's horny all the time from the testosterone ofc. horny/hungry/sweaty/face down rutting his sensitive little tdick against a pillow feeling the increasing pudginess of his belly squished up against the mattress

solarpunk girlfriend parts 1/2/3 accepting the Most Boringly Het-Brained Man On Tumblr award for the first example of something sexy I can think of being "woman wearing a sundress," then immediately having to forfeit the award due to subsequent explanation that I find the deficiencies and elisions in her politics sexually attractive because they are exploitable

updates on your cyborg girlfriend tbh if you have a robot or sufficiently-cyborg girlfriend and you're not regularly trying to get in there to get finer-tuned control I think you're doing her a disservice. if it is at all possible for someone to mind-control her they eventually will. take on this responsibility yourself and get there first.

mothboy colonialism the jewel of the collection is the mothboy mounted to the back wall, shackled behind the plexiglass with their hands above their head to better display the musculature of the specimen. a short heavy chain hangs between the leg irons, almost touching the polished wood beneath; the diaphanous wings are spread wide and pinned back with two dozen long t-pins, arranged precisely as not to obscure the view of them.

Click here to disobey. do you see how it erodes the capacity for genuine dissent? do you see how reinforcing the lesson that you can Choose Disobedience, Click Here is a wonderful way of capturing more and more of the energy and organization that could otherwise be used to do things that might actually loosen your grip? to narrow their perception of viable methods of escape to a tactic that will leave them marked and isolated and digestible? does it turn you on?

cal's take on the "drug that makes you fat" feedism trope anyway 'ts like catnip to her. who would not daydream about declawing him and keeping him as a trophy. he's soooo paranoid about accidentally taking a good few doses of this little concoction in his food. it's not like it'll make you forget about this little crusade! at worst you'll put on a few pounds and find yourself with a bit more of a french fry habit. what's the harm, hm? is it really worth being such a conspiracist? sorry, with a schedule like hers the only time she's available to talk this week is for a lunch meeting, but she knows a good place...

rabbitgirl considers collaborating with the occupiers She was raised with the standards that rabbits should be slender and quiet and quick, none of which she has ever met, even in childhood. But by the weasels that remain to keep order she is constantly singled out for jealousy-inducing special treatment; she luxuriates in being the one who is always afforded extra food or leniency or the clothes and jewelry of the invaders that fancy themselves their new masters, the vole-pelt cloak and the heavy wool skirt with its gleaming brass buttons and promises to keep her warm through the coming winter.

forcefem admin friendly good-cop admin at the forcefem reeducation facility who has a lighter touch censoring your letters home and lets you sneak in your silly masculine action movies and nods along when you insist you'll never submit but does record it all in your file just so i can let medical know which of you needs a little extra pharmaceutical attention

"deradicalization" i really have to eventually write some horror-adjacent ""deradicalization"" fic because I have thought about it a few too many times. i would have to put a bit of thought into what sort of political angle i want to come at it from, because while the obvious choice is overt fascism i think this could be a lot more interesting if it's not all that different from a modern liberal democracy. you do not need to look very hard to find some insane things the FBI has done infiltrating leftist organizations/COINTELPRO/etc. following some sort of major domestic unrest i think throwing a bunch of only tangentially involved blue-haired college students and disaffected youths at some sort of pseudo-mandatory (ie: not literally mandatory because that brings a court case upon you, but something like your driver's license or returning to college for the college kids is gated behind it) """therapy""" intended to remove them from the "cult" they have gotten themselves into.

[asthedeathoflight]

so I was reading your post about the band au and i was going to rb and give thoughts about the other gangs in the au (and I still might) but then i realised how funny it would be if my thoughts on the bizzies took place in canon so i’m sending you an ask instead so we can consider both possibilities

so i have fully accepted in my mind that the bizzies are a band. like they’re a gang as well but above all they’re a band. that’s why there’s so few of them they don’t let in anyone who’s pitchy. i think they do weekly ‘concerts’ in union square (or around bc from what i’ve heard the station probably is far too crowded to perform in) but performing in front of crowds that big they probably draw some attention. bc let’s face it they’re pretty good. and if they can get some cds going i think they could have a fairly solid cult following in new york. maybe book out a couple of small-ish venues. never too famous but like the name seems familiar.

anyway i think that eventually the warriors come across a poster advertising a show and cochise, cowgirl and rembrandt are like ‘is that?’ and they go to the show and it is. (and they fucking sing we got you) so then after recovering from the shock they all react in different ways.

cochise just doesn’t care. moves on with her life. she thinks about it sometimes and is like damn that’s crazy but that’s the extent of it.

cowgirl lowkey milks it. whenever she’s talking to someone in a bar or is in a situation where she has to give a fun fact about herself she’s always going to talk about how one of the bizzies bit her. there’s a 50/50 chance the other person knows what she’s on about.

rembrandt wants them cancelled. unfortunately she does not have the technology to do that (if she did have twitter cal could tweet anything and she would respond with ‘remember when you tried to kill me with a knife :D’ and he blocks her) so she’s just in rooms sometimes and she’s like ‘i’m the only person in this room who knows that the bizzies are attempted murderers’ bc she can’t exactly go up to people and just tell them. that would be weird.

by the time social media is invented she’s lost interest in cancelling them. however i do think there’s a comment on a youtube video of one of their songs that’s like ‘one time a girl told me a guy in this band bit her. new york is crazy man.’ and the top reply is like ‘no that happened i was there that was the night they tried to murder me.’ and everyone who ever sees it just thinks it’s a really weird joke.

but then it’s also really funny in band au, where they’re more famous and have like their own fandom and stuff. bc obviously there would be no reason for them to try and murder the warriors. but i still think rembrandt wants them cancelled just bc she’s a hater and bc their song is just constantly on the radio and it makes her want to bash her brains out.

(maybe the bizzies hosted a party once and ajax insisted on bringing rembrandt with her, she would’ve avoided going but all the other warriors were going so it would look strange if she was the only one who didn’t show, so she sucks it up and in the 5 minutes it took ajax to go to the bathroom a drunk cal has accidentally(?) pushed rembrandt into a banister and thrown up on her. she had to sign an nda)

however, cowgirl still got bit. this is very important bc i feel she probably gives the least pr-approved responses in interviews (along with ajax). so when she gets asked her thoughts on the bizzies instead of saying she respects them as artists or something she goes ‘omg lance actually bit me one time’ causing chaos. (idk if this is supposed to be modern day or not but if it is then bitegate trends for days i think) rembrandt tries to use this to start the cancellation. the bizzies almost have to put out a statement. the next the public hear about it is a few months down the line when cowgirl and lance are spotted together at a restaurant or holding hands or something like that. once again chaos.

anyway this was a lot longer than i thought it would be but fortunately at least some of it is relevant to what you posted so i can still justify sending it to you

Okay this is so real and I love it for canon. Rembrandt being the number one Bizzies hater in every universe is also real. Also yes the band au is a modern au bc remember that to ME the band au is really a Rembrandt-is-a-concert-lighting-director au and she deserves to have the best toys modern technology can provide.

However for the band au I raise you the Bizzies and the Warriors are actually from the same neighborhood and both started out playing at the same bar and THATS why they know each other and also thats when the ill fated cowgirl/lance hookup happened. Rembrandt has hated the Bizzies forever because Cal was always trying to come talk to her about the lighting design and she was like stfu go away let me do my job in peace. She was so glad to be rid of them forever when Cleon offered her the tour contract only for them to get on like X Factor or American Idol or something a few years later and blow the fuck up and now every party she's at there's the risk of them being there. She hates them soso bad because she's an art snob in the way only true theater professionals can be and she hates pop music (this is why she also hates Mercy but she's more civil about that for Swan's sake).

I think Rembrandt's twitter is iconic because its all like insane awesome photos of Warriors concerts and fun bts stuff and advice for new professionals in the industry and then every once in a while just unhinged Bizzies haterism. I think she would be happy to hate them silently but Cal keeps reaching out to her offering her more and more money to do the production design for their next tour because I think genuinely he admires her and thinks shes brilliant but that just makes her hate him worse bc he's trying to "steal" her (even tho the offers have been pretty respectful they actually just want her to do the like stage concept and then they'll have someone else tour with it bc they know she can't commit to a year+ long tour with them but Rembrandt is like ME??? hand my design off to SOMEONE ELSE???? THIS IS A GRIEVOUS INSULT) and so she stays mad enough to occasionally badmouth them in public. This makes her a fascinating and enigmatic figure in the music industry because her loudly hating an extremely popular band should be career suicide but also she's locked in with the Warriors so she doesn't give a fuck about ever finding another job.

[xxnashiraxx]

For the BG3 character development questions 🥰😘🫂

2: What is your character's alignment?

4: If your Tav was a companion, where would they be found?

11: Weapon of choice?

14: What hobbies does your Tav have?

15: What NPC's do they like? Which one's do they dislike?

26: What animal best represents your Tav?

EEE ty for sending me the ask, my love!! 💖💖💖💖

From this post!!

2. What is your character's alignment? Ofelia is Lawful Good, according to several tests I've taken for her lol. I feel like that fits her well- she values justice and will do whatever she can to stick up for those less fortunate. She's a believer in laws and rules, unless those are unjust and take advantage of others for the gain of the small upper percentage. Coming from a minority, she understands that struggle better than most and has seen firsthand what it can do to a population. She'll never stop resisting the rule of those who think they can subdue and instill fear to hold on to their power.

4. If your Tav was a companion, where would they be found? I think if you could find her after the crash, she'd most likely end up down the beach a ways, sitting on the dock next to the dead fishermen, looking out at the water. She'd be trying to get her bearings and possibly even a little tearful, figuring out that she's "not in Kansas anymore". 😂 She'd be very thankful to the player for finding her and will hang on to their every word about this new world she's in, and I feel like some mischievous options would be misleading her and telling her stupid stuff to take advantage of her unfamiliarity. Unless you dismissed her and were just poking fun, she'd laugh afterward and scold the player for messing with her, but would most likely get an approval if the player is apologetic. 😂 Asking her to join the player's party would give you an approval, and she'd be so relieved, most likely forming a bond from that moment where she'd do anything to help the player character and try to be a useful asset despite her disadvantages. If resorting to dismissing her and leaving her on the beach, she'd probably nod and close in on herself and say "I'd not be of much help anyway... thank you for telling me where I am, at least." and I think that'd be the end of her lol. I'd like to think she'd make it to the Grove, but from then on, she'd most likely just end up abandoned and turned into a mind flayer without the protection of the astral prism.

11. Weapon of choice? If it's not her lute, then it'd be her crossbow! She's gotten better at it over the course of her journey so far, but I think she also values the ranged attack style since she's not so used to combat like the others are. Once she starts to get more comfortable, and gets her virtual degree in the college of swords (lol), she'll be wielding phalar aluve 💖

14. What hobbies does your Tav have? I feel like as a bard, it's cheap and easy for me to say playing instruments, singing, art, etc. Her other hobbies outside of that would be journaling and taking pictures of things she likes with her instant film camera to paste into her journal. It's a fun little thing she does to create lasting memories and started mid-high school for her as a way to catalogue the things or people she saw that she wanted to make last, moving around in the foster system so much.

15. What NPC's do they like? Which one's do they dislike? I'd say some of her favorite NPCs are Alfira, Rolan, and Cal & Lia. I can't wait till they all meet up again, especially during Rolan's little emotional drunken breakdown and bringing back his siblings to him. It'll be cute, and Ofelia really resonates with Lia. 🥰💗

26. What animal best represents your Tav? I've been asked this before and I chose a raven for Ofelia- their symbolism is usually focused on wisdom, death, and transformation. Some of those don't make sense NOW I think, but will later in the story 🖤 Since she's a durge, I feel that element of the supernatural and that connection with death (not unlike her flowers post for magnolias) resonate with her character too 🖤

THANK YOU AGAIN!!! Ahhh!!! Writing these make me remember how much I love and miss her and I am so excited when I finally get back to the story to get more of her personality in there 💕🥰

[iomadachd]

The new blog is mostly set up. I have a queue running all my headcanons from all the muses that made it to the new blog. It goes out until mid-July, good lawd.

I'm waiting for tumblr to approve me for javascript over there and so I have an unfancy muse page in the mean time. I'm going to start following from over there, and posting replies that I owe on the new blog probably this weekend. I'll keep reblogging this notification over the next couple days so y'all aren't confused. Hopefully, you recognize the muses and the pin message at least, lol

Thank y'all for your patience. Cal is a very tired American essentially all the time.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

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WhatMatters

Your guide to California policy and politics

By Lynn La

May 19, 2025

Presented by Dairy Cares, CA Primary Care Association Advocates, Climate-Smart Agricultural Partnership and Child Care Providers UNITED

 

 

Good morning, California.

CA’s roller coaster economy under Trump

The CalPERS regional offices in Sacramento on March 15, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

When Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out his revised state budget proposal last week, he emphasized how President Donald Trump and his administration made forecasting California’s economic future even harder. To see that chaotic uncertainty in action, all one needs to look at is the daily investment returns posted by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

As of Friday morning the nation’s largest public pension fund, CalPERS, has a total market value of $539 billion. But in the days following “Liberation Day,” when Trump first imposed his tariffs on April 2, CalPERS losses hovered around $25 billion. In the first two days alone, CalPERS lost $15 billion, while the stock market experienced a $6.6 trillion wipeout.

The pension fund’s bounceback from a $508 billion-low on April 7 could be attributed to Trump easing off his most severe tariffs and making a deal with China to pause the highest tariffs for 90 days. 

But more volatility is likely on the horizon: In an April board meeting, CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost said the agency is keeping its “eyes on the road ahead as we navigate all the twists and turns of the current time.”

Frost: “Global economies expand or contract for a variety of reasons. But we must prepare for the possibility that current events here in the U.S. could have a serious impact on our investment returns as of June 30 and into the fiscal year that begins after that.”

Meanwhile, Newsom described Trump’s tariff rollout as “remarkably inconsistent,” and to plug California’s $12 billion budget hole, the governor is proposing controversial shifts in funding that are drawing ire from advocates and stakeholders:

Health care: Newsom wants to use $1.6 billion from Proposition 35 — which voters approved in November to increase the pay of doctors who treat Medi-Cal patients — toward the deficit. He also wants to move $500 million initially earmarked to support family planning and women’s health care to the state’s general fund. Both proposals are getting pushback from doctors, hospitals and clinics, which argue that it is wrong to reroute money voters set aside for specific health costs. Read more from CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang.

Climate projects: In addition to extending California’s cap and trade program through 2045, Newsom wants to commit more than half of the money it generates this year, or roughly $4.8 billion, to Cal Fire operations and the High-Speed Rail Project. The cap and trade program has provided billions of dollars for projects aimed at combating climate change. Critics of Newsom’s proposal say moving the money would mean limiting resources for the state’s other environmental efforts, such as reducing emissions from gas-powered cars. Read more from CalMatters’ Alejandro Lazo.

On Saturday the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office released its review of the governor’s updated state budget plan. Though it projects a $14 billion deficit, the analyst’s office considers Newsom’s “spending reductions appropriate.”

Join CalMatters and Evident in Bakersfield on Wednesday for a screening of Operation: Return to Sender, a short documentary uncovering what really happened during a three-day Border Patrol raid in Bakersfield. After the film, CalMatters’ Sergio Olmos and others will discuss what the team uncovered and what it means for immigration enforcement. Register today or attend our Los Angeles screening on Thursday.

Your favorite state, in photos: CalMatters has teamed up with CatchLight on “California in Pictures,” a monthly newsletter that highlights compelling photojournalism from across the state. See the latest edition here. Sign up to receive the next one. And read more about it from our engagement team.

Other Stories You Should Know

 

 

What can high school grads wear?

Students of Mt. Eden High School in the Hayward Unified School District, attend their graduation ceremony in the Pioneer Amphitheater at Cal State University East Bay campus in Hayward, on June 5, 2024. Photo by Laure Andrillon for CalMatters

Two months ago, the Trump administration said it would withhold federal funding to school districts that promote diversity, equity and inclusion through clubs, activities and graduation ceremonies. Though a judge has since temporarily blocked that order and California is filing a separate lawsuit to stop the order, one state lawmaker wants to make it easier for students to wear tribal or other cultural regalia at graduation.

As CalMatters’ Carolyn Jones explains, a bill by Democratic Assemblymember James Ramos of San Bernardino would eliminate the pre-approval process for students who want to wear cultural regalia — Native American or otherwise — at graduation. Native students, families and tribes say schools require notice too far in advance because students often receive their regalia on graduation day, sometimes as a gift from a grandparent or tribal elder. This can be stressful for students on graduation day, since they’re unsure whether they’ll be allowed to wear the regalia.

Jennie Rocha, who graduated from Clovis North High School last year, said she was nervous arriving at graduation because she wore a Comanche stole that the school had initially denied.

Rocha: “I wanted to wear it because I feel like everything I have is because of the Comanche. I wouldn’t be able to go to college without their support.”

But schools argue they need a pre-approval process for all students to ensure the regalia are respectful and appropriate. 

Read more here.

 

Public silenced at bill hearings

Legislators listen to speakers during an informational hearing at the state Capitol in Sacramento on March 12, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

As state legislators wade through the more than 2,000 bills they introduced this year, residents from across the state who travel to Sacramento to speak in support or opposition of those proposals can sometimes find themselves given just a few seconds to speak or silenced altogether, write CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow and Hans Poschman.

In the past two months, there have been at least a dozen examples of committee leaders cutting off speakers midway through their remarks, or prohibiting them to talk at all due to time constraints. Legislators say it’s sometimes necessary to ensure hearings don’t drag into the night, while ensuring other members of the public, as well as lobbyists and advocates, get their say too. 

But for Californians who must drive hours from remote parts of the state, it can be frustrating and discouraging to have their viewpoints be rushed through the legislative process. In April, Elizabeth Washoe took a day off work to drive five hours from Modoc County to the state Capitol to speak in support of a bear-hunting bill. She was given only a few seconds to speak.

Washoe: “I would love to have more time to say something. It’s not equitable representation for rural areas.”

Read more here.

 

And lastly: The wait for federal wildfire relief

An aerial view of the Palisades Fire devastation at the Palisades Bowl Mobile Home Park on Feb. 8, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui, SIPA USA via Reuters

Months after devastating wildfires, Los Angeles County still hasn’t received the $40 billion in federal aid requested by Newsom. CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff and video strategy director Robert Meeks have a video segment on the pressure political leaders are mounting to secure disaster relief as part of our partnership with PBS SoCal. Watch it here.

SoCalMatters airs at 5:58 p.m. weekdays on PBS SoCal.

California Voices

Lawmakers should pass a Senate proposal thatwould create public catastrophe models as a check on proprietary risk prediction models insurers use to justify rate increases and conceal information, writes Jordan Haedtler, climate financial policy strategist with Climate Cabinet.

Other things worth your time:

Some stories may require a subscription to read.

Trump wants to let chainsaws loose in CA national forests. Here’s how it could go // San Francisco Chronicle

GM is pushing hard to tank CA’s EV mandate // The Wall Street Journal

With its climate progress under assault, CA takes up a multipronged defense // Los Angeles Times

Trump taps Benghazi probe lawyer as SF’s top federal prosecutor // The San Francisco Standard

What CA’s wealth gap means for every resident’s financial future // The Sacramento Bee

State bailout for CA school districts comes with long strings attached // EdSource

Could a British Fox News personality fix Republicans’ losing streak in CA? // The Guardian

FBI's ‘person of interest’ in probe of fatal fertility clinic explosion is Twentynine Palms man // Desert Sun

No one knows how to ‘save’ Hollywood // The Atlantic

Youth, whistleblower describe officer violence in San Diego juvenile halls // The San Diego Union-Tribune

 

See you next time!

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[ourdreamsareneon]

!! Photo for Attention !!

Kia ora e te whanau, I'm once again asking you for financial assistance because the government is useless and all we have is each other. If you don't know me, hi! I'm Cal (Orphan if ya nasty), I'm a 24 year old genderqueer gay nerd with chronic depression, PTSD, and PCOS. Due to my disabilities I am moving from full time work to part time in July and I am in dire need of financial assistance.

As is, I am living paycheck to paycheck due to rent and cost of living being so high in Aotearoa/New Zealand (per month - $1,260 rent, $90 gas, $40 public transport, $120 phone bill etc). In conjunction with this, I have to pay $280 a month for therapy, $90 a month for health insurance, and the government is threatening to remove the government subsidy for prescription medication which could make it impossible for me to be medicated.

I am currently going through the process of applying for the benefit (work and income), but due to how busy they always are and the tightening restrictions, I'm unsure how long it will take to get approved - if it ever does.

I understand it's hard for everyone right now, and there are way more dire things to worry about like the ongoing quest to free Palestine and care for those in desperate situations. There is no pressure to give anything, but if you could boost this post I would greatly appreciate it.

Buy me a coffee @ ourdreamsareneon (link in bio)

P4yP4l: justthecoffeeboy(gmail)

I don't have much to offer in return other than undying gratitude, and my 12+ years of service to the niché fandoms on Tumblr

Thank you <3

[mcalhenwrites]

Cal's writing - first chapters, AO3 link, and more

First chapter samples: That's... Not a Cat The Elephants Always Come Back The Dragons' Cosmos In Potestate Parentis Before our Ghosts Geckos, Automata Adversary Brackish Serrated Petals The Hostile Credence Short Stories: Audra Mish's Dolls Sanctuary The Sky Market Umbrella Spider Bridge of Affinity Train Cats My kofi link if you feel like donating! Geckos, Automata has two short side stories: Don't Dancing Bones My AO3 has some original stories as well, some of them complete. Name the Frogs (WIP, 5 chapters posted) Rascal (main story) (Rascal side stories and AU stories below) Ravish Him Ungrateful Little Princeling Woeful Spring Colds Eda, Darling A year spent together, as always all to see you smile Seasons (main story) (Seasons side stories below) Summer in Snow Stolen Summer Songs The Unfinished Gift Summer's Storm How to Love Summer in Distress A Papa's Wrath The Starting Foundation Seaside Cleanup Tumblr is really janky and usually messes up my posts if I try to add too much detail, so summaries weren't included. Luckily some are on the AO3 links. Any love on these stories would be appreciated. I'm likely going to be offline quite a bit as I try to arrange moving out of state (we just got approved for the apartment!), and any donations are likely to help me with daily expenses. Thank you for reading, and reblogs would be appreciated! Also! My dragon OCs in sketches, I'll add a couple:

And my favorite line from Rascal is in cross-stitch form:

And I can crochet my dragon OCs:

[terraliensvent]

Hello again! This is omniiamne.

Document 46 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ByySWqoHV3-tehoyJoEi-AIwbbF8j9co/view) - decaf asks about the situation with me, but cal doesn't want to discuss it at that time.

Document 55 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CMVkSFgS5zx3zxeUxCRROt39AG9aS_M1/view) - decaf and cal discuss the situation on September 4.

And about decaf's post here on tumblr. After I found out what the problem was with my application, I realized that staff terraliens has a problem with communicating with the community. Words cannot describe how upset I am and how much of an opportunity I missed because no one contacted me and because I never wrote to anyone over the summer (I had planned to, but thought it would be rude to ask about my application, considering I thought the problem was competition).

And about my attitude towards terralens now - since this is a vent blog! I'm no longer in the terraliens community, or at least I'm no longer active. After the 4th of September I realized how many problems there were with the organization of the species, and to be honest, I was very upset and hurt about my application and the reason why it was rejected. However, now I'm busy with my project and I'm trying to take into account the problems I encountered when I was active with terraliens. So all is well in the end!

I think that terraliens will not approve of my behavior and the fact that I write a post on this blog, so I no longer dream of being part of the team. Although I think I still want to be (maybe).

link 1

link 2

i dont really have anything to add, other than i wouldnt recommend you trying to get back on the team. its a sinking ship

[omgkalyppso]

Tav Étoile as a Companion Part 4 of 4

Questions from here. You can press J to skip this post on desktop.

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.

Romance

1.Is your Tav a romanceable character?  Are there any specific requirements to romancing them?

Yes, Étoile is romanceable. No, there aren't specific requirements that I can think of.

2. Does your Tav need to be flirted with to start the romance, or will they approach the PC themselves if approval is high enough?

Étoile will flirt with the player character but won't think it's the same as "approaching" them. The player character will have to express interest for it to go anywhere.

3. Are they a polyamorous or a monogamous option?

Polyamorous. And available to either be part of a multi-partner relationship or to have a separate relationship to whatever else the player character has going on.

4. Do they have a special romance scene at the tiefling/goblin party?

Yeah. They don't expect the player character to approach them. They're willing to make arrangements, to set up something hidden away upriver. They're also cool with the player character inviting another party-goer; so long as it is NOT Alfira, Lakrissa, Rolan, Cal, Lia or Volo.

5. Does the romance have different branching paths, or just one route to take?

Several. Depends how seriously the player character takes them, how many other partners the player character has and what they're all pursuing. Among other decisions.

6. How do they react to the player character breaking up with them, or choosing another character over them?

They're hurt, and offended. They tried to be clear from the beginning that they'd care for the player character and treat them with respect even if they only wanted something temporary ... but to be breaking up with Étoile they must've led them to believe otherwise. Was it just to break their heart? They're sorry they weren't able to do more to ensure the player character's heart and happiness; especially so if the player character chooses another polyam partner over them.

If the player character chooses a monogamous partnership instead of whatever they have going on with Étoile, then Étoile is more curt in a break up conversation. Holding back past hurts that this current one has agitated.

7. What questions can Zethino ask the PC about Tav in the Love Test?

Zethino: They say, "Home is where the heart is." Your beloved has travelled far afield the reaches of Faerûn. If Étoile was called upon to think of home, would you be prepared for the answer? Is it at your side?

Of course.

No, they are forever bound to their mountain in Impiltur.

No, they have made Baldur's Gate their home.

You gave their answer. Home is where they are. [correct]

Zethino: The challenges relationships face are sometimes quiet and personal, wherein the individual members must make choices that will affect their romance as a whole. When making these choices, what does Étoile value above all?

Their deity, Auril.

Their strength.

Their autonomy. [correct]

Me.

Zethino: The past informs all future possibilities. This is includes whether a love will last, or whether a relationship will wither as another wasteful regret. To date, in those perils of the past, what is Étoile's greatest regret?

Failing to fight at the side of Auril's Chosen. [correct]

Being captured by mindflayers.

Breaking their Paladin Oath.

Agreeing to this love challenge.

8. If they’re poly, do they have a reaction to the PC engaging in a relationship with Halsin?

Strong encouragement; unless the player character has otherwise expressed a desire for exclusivity, in which case it would be confusion / concern / curiosity.

When Halsin is at Very High approval and at least two long rests have passed since the player character's first night with Halsin, then if the player character hasn't already spent a night in a private room at Sharess' Caress with Étoile then the three of them can spend such a night together.

9. How do they react if the PC has sex with Mizora? The Emperor?  Haarlep?

Mizora: disappointed but understanding, she's alluring and no pacts were made — but they know how she injured Wyll and his family.

The Emperor: disgust. You know? This might be Étoile's hard boundary. They break up with the player character over this.

Haarlep: confusion. They think it's a bad decision based on ... the circumstances.

10. Will they join in with the PC and the Drow Twins, or no?

They're not cool with twins. They'll join the player character and one of the drow sex workers.

11. What are Tav’s plans for the future?  Do they propose to the PC, or is marriage not something they’re interested in?

Étoile's plans depend so much on the worldstate that they're hard to pin down. Ultimately, one day, they would like to return home to see their mother again, in Impiltur.

Étoile is not interested in raising a child as a parent. They don't mind offering guidance, friendship, protection, but not a lifelong commitment of parentage. They might change their mind someday, in some hundreds of years, but they consider themself young for an elf and satisfied to express this part of their personhood.

They would not propose to the player character within the timeline of the game. They'd need their commitment for at least another ten years before considering.

12. Free space! Share anything from your companion!Tav au!

Moments that grant Étoile inspiration:

Buying Oskar Fevris' freedom

Reforging Mourning Frost

Saving Isobel

Sparing Komira

Being kind to Zevlor

Donating to Umberlee's Temple

Saving Orin's captive / being saved

I went back and forth about whether one way to resolve Karlach's situation would be to retrieve the Icy Crystal from Mourning Frost / Dead of Winter and installing it / stabbing it into Karlach's heart.