#tumblr continues to provide useful things to tell my kids

[pearls-gone-wild]

Reblogging to repeat to my kids.

When I was in kindergarten I saw a painting of the American Revolutionary War. I asked my mom, “Who were the good guys and who were the bad guys?” And she said, “That’s not really how war works. It’s not like a TV show. Both sides thought they were right, otherwise they wouldn’t have been fighting.” And my seven year old ass went “Oh ok”

Anyway having internalized that fun fact in literally kindergarten? It surprises me how many college-educated adults still don’t seem to know about it.

[hummingbee-lievable]

Song of the Day #24:

'Mile Magnificent' by Molly OfGeography (released 2019).

An apartment when it's empty echoes lovely, bright and clean

Sing odes to green-blue water that we stole so it comes free

All things end, it's part of living; forest fires feed the trees

Lift your glasses full of sunshine, sing a toast to gasoline

Track #4 on 'Myths'.

Fun fact: Molly refers to this song as 'The Song My Producer Said I Was Not Allowed To Name “CHICAGO IS BETTER THAN NEW YORK”'.* Honestly, her descriptions for some of the songs on this album are hilarious:

'1) The Song That Made My Producer Go, “Wait, What Was That Bit About Worms?”

2) The Song My Producer Said I Had To Append A Parenthetical To So That People Would Be Able To Find It Because The Lyrics Never Mention The Title Once But I Was Raised On Fanfiction So Joke’s On You, Pal! I Love A Long Title With A Parenthetical In It!!!

3) The Song That Is Sad'

Pretty dang accurate, honestly. Also, I think she has a Tumblr!!! *Gasp.* What if I...tag her???

@ofgeography Hiiii and thank you, your music is amazing.

I did it bees and knees (yes, this is my hip modern way of including every kind of person, fight me or provide more hilarious options; I'm content with either option).

I have had a fun time perusing this flavourful dose of humanity's wild website and I think my fun fact today should be her story where she becomes a donut god:

You're welcome, singular entity that reads this blog (that entity being my sister and/or the rogue bots, doesn't matter, we're all friends here).

Personal blurb: Alright, full disclosure time: I discovered this artist because of the 'Good Omens' fandom. Someone said we were missing out on feelings and shared this song, and when I tell you I felt those feelings, I certainly don't mean that I danced to this on repeat for several months (and her 'Hanahaki (Bloom)'), often at 3 in the morning in the bathroom. Of course not.

Pro tip: dancing with your toothbrush in your mouth is a choking hazard, but in the spirit of Alanis Morissette, I recommend doing it anyway:

One of my favourite books in the world is 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers. In it, one of the themes that arises often is the concept of pyrophitic serotinous plants (it's okay, I won't remember it either). They are plants that need fire to open. (There are actually different types of pyrophitic plants, from passive to fire-activated but I probably shouldn't start talking about that because you'll need to pull out the duct tape.)

(Technically, 'serotinous' plants are a category in which plants release seeds over a longer period of time, and it doesn't matter how they are released, but the seeds that open by fire fit into this category.) The eucalyptus tree, the lodgehole pine, and other pyrophitic serotinous trees encase their seeds in resin that can only be melted by fire (thereby releasing the seeds).

The thing that I love about this concept is this: we need to burn to grow. I recently read this book called 'Life in Oil' about the Cofàn tribe in Ecuador who were drastically impacted by oil companies. And the thing was: Yes. They were impacted horribly (physically, psychologically, environmentally, the works). They also survived. They figured out, through tumult and trial and falling apart, how to keep going. And for every hard moment and loss, there was laughter and love to accompany it. The book was wonderful in that it confronted the concept of trauma on a large group of people. We are never just our trauma, but the balance of everything else as well. I think that gets lost, sometimes. Makes us seem less human.

This song screams to me of that same instinct. I mean, look at us. This is what we do, isn't it? We fight, we fall, we continue. We're just like every other aspect of nature in that we are born, and in our fight to continue, we impact everything around us. We're just a part of the cycle and eventually we will decay back to where we belong and serve as soil for our children. And all we'll be? A story. And after a while, not even that. Just a whisper of what was.

In a way? I find that freeing. We might as well live the life we want to live; how little it will matter. (This isn't absolution, please don't go murdering people.) I just mean that I don't have to put so much weight into every little thing. Not everything has to be joyful or depressing (and if we really think about it, everything is always a balance of both). It can just be what it is.

We are as we are. And we don't have to love ourselves for it, but we don't have to hate ourselves either.

I love the lyrics to this song. For a long time, I misheard 'We're animals of love/ the city never makes us beg' as 'the city never makes us pay' and I don't know why? But I kind of like that image.

We are animals of love. And that's okay.

We are the cogs in a continuous cycle and we always will be.

I think often of this monologue (content warning for the video, it's gory, but you don't need to watch it, you can just listen) from 'Midnight Mass', in regards to this:

(It sort of lives in my brain on a regular basis now; hope it takes up good residence in your brain, too.)

We just are. Everything just is.

[justagalwhowrites]

Beskar Doll - Ch. 8: Ancient History

Sometimes, you just have to tell a Mandalorian about everything you're running from. A continuation of Beskar Doll Ch. 1-7 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Din Djarin/The Mandalorian x Female Reader

Warnings: mentions of torture, canon-typical violence, death. No use of Y/N. Minors DNI 18+ only.

Length: 3k

“My family had a history of service to Naboo,” you began, a familiar ache in your chest as you remembered your home. “My mother was a handmaiden to Queen and then Senator Amidala. But both of my parents were always politically active, both in opposition to the Emperor’s rise to power from the beginning. They were resistors early. By the time I was born, they were deep into a still burgeoning movement. My mother was well connected - she knew many diplomats from her time with Senator Amidala - and she decided she had to use that to push back against the Empire. 

“Bothese was the second language I learned, after Basic,” you took a drink. “So many spies were Bothen and a child was an excellent tool to move information. No one ever suspected me, I could translate and carry messages wherever they needed to go. I didn’t fully understand what I was doing, just that it was very important and very secret, but I knew I was good at it. And kids get into places they shouldn’t all the time… Anyway, that’s how I got my start. Running information, carrying it to places my parents couldn’t be seen going, providing a buffer for the Rebellion.” 

You absently picked at the label on the whiskey bottle, watching as it separated from the glass, peeling away from the thing it was made for. 

“My childhood didn’t feel strange though,” you continued after a moment. “I had friends, including Sosha. She was the real talent, the one with promise. They sent us both to the Legislative Youth program when we were 11 and by the time we were 12, they’d recognized her potential. They wanted her to be queen one day and they started training her for it. But, on Naboo, queens need handmaidens.

“Sosha had been my best friend for years and as much promise as she showed in the skills needed to be queen, I was proving to be a good fit to serve as her handmaiden, just like my mother had for Amidala. I already spoke half a dozen languages, had a grasp on the political machinations of the Empire and how Naboo fit into them and Sosha and I loved each other. They knew I’d die for her and kill for her. Which is the most important role - protector. So they started training me that way, too. I learned how to fight, shoot, survive overwhelming odds - all to keep my best friend safe.” 

You took another drink. You could feel the Mandalorian’s eyes on you as you spoke, the tightness in your chest making it so you couldn’t relax at all. 

“I didn’t really think she’d get elected,” you said. The whiskey burned in your stomach. “I thought she’d be great if she could get it but we were 15 when she won. It was surreal, the galaxy was on the brink of war and suddenly people would want to kill my best friend and it was on me to keep her alive…. 

“Sosha wasn’t one to sit on the sidelines. She wanted to be involved - she’s a fighter pilot, you know? She was running to become queen and she just… became a fighter pilot. Because she wanted to do it herself. She hated the Empire but Naboo didn’t have much hard power, so she and I came up with a way to move around them. When you’re a queen, you’re going on diplomatic missions, you have excuses to be anywhere and everywhere. And anywhere you go, your handmaids go. She’d plan trips to places near where information was being supplied or was strangely lacking, the whole fucking royal convoy becoming a Rebellion information smuggling operation. And I… well, I spoke the most languages, was the closest to Sosh and I was the best at getting into places I shouldn’t be. I had practice.

“At first, it was easy,” you said. “Probably easier than when I was a kid even, being that close to power gives you a lot of cover. But eventually, we got into more trouble than we could really handle. The war was ramping up and we were on a diplomatic visit to Kamino when we got intel of a pet project of the Empire’s out of Scarif. Sosh wanted to check it out herself and right away, but we couldn’t find a good reason to go, there wasn’t any excuse we could come up with to visit Scarif or even just go to Rishi and see what we could learn as we passed at sub-hyperspace.” 

Your nails rapped against the glass of the bottle. 

“She flew,” you said. “I couldn’t fly for shit, still can’t. It was always Sosha or Dagres flying, never me… Anyway, we were almost there when we picked up an Imperial tail. We got into a dogfight and ended up crashing onto the surface of a moon that I don’t even know the name of. The air was barely breathable but we got lucky and we could get by for a bit. But the Imperials who shot us down came looking for us. 

“It was totally uninhabited and arid, not many places to hide but we dodged them for a few days. They found us but I managed to kill one and overpower the other. I knew, if we had any hope of survival, we’d have to take their ship and get off that moon. So I made him take us back to his ship - he was a lower ranking officer, he’d just had one trooper with him - and when we got there, he wouldn’t tell us how to get the damn thing going. It needed a code and he didn’t want to tell us what it was. I knew I had to get it out of him to survive, to keep Sosha alive, I didn’t have a choice so… I pulled it out of him. There was blood everywhere, just…” 

“How old were you?” The Mandalorian asked, his head tilted as he watched you. 

“Sixteen,” you said quietly. 

He just nodded slowly. 

“We made it back to Kamino and I was still covered in his blood,” you said. “I did my best to cover my tracks. Called on the secured com for a pickup on a nearby moon, ditched the Imperial ship with the body there. I hoped it would be enough that it wouldn’t be traced to us. Another handmaid, Nobé, stood in for Sosha so no one knew she was gone. I’d hoped that was the end of it but… the war was getting worse. The Empire destroyed Alderaan less than a year later, taking one of my most solid Rebellion contacts - Bail Organa - with it. 

“A lot of my usual channels for information started collapsing then. I started needing to break into more places and steal things. Sometimes the information was important enough that we’d capture someone and it would require… extraction. There weren’t many people who had the stomach for it - I’m not sure I really did, either. There were a few who did, but they were more heavy handed. They usually had a grudge against the Empire, just wanted to make someone hurt for it. I could keep them alive for longer, build trust, make them want to tell me. I’m not proud of it, but I know the information I collected saved lives. A lot of them.” 

You took another drink, hoping Mando wouldn’t mind if you drank him out of his liquor. 

“At some point, I got a reputation,” you continued. “One of the men I hurt was the son of an Imperial general. I’d known that when we’d taken him, he had information he wound’t have had otherwise. I snuck into a party - a lot like what we did - and I got everything I could from him. But I was seen, on camera. We didn’t have good enough coverage and his father was so powerful he could try to find me. And he did. He linked me to Sosha and came to the Battle of Theed after the Emperor died. He wasn’t there to win a war or even carry out the Emperor’s last wishes, he was there to make me hurt for the death of his son.” 

“I was trying to defend my home, Sosha flying which left me on the ground and he found me there. He brought a full column of troopers - I guess the Empire didn’t care about resource allocation when it’s a suicide mission and they’ve all but fallen - specifically to reach me. They were brutal, slaughtered everyone around me. We took down so many of them but they just kept coming and coming, their equipment alone overwhelmed us… He killed…” You swallowed closing your eyes against the memory. The Mandalorian gently, slowly, put a hand on your back, centering you. You took a deep breath. 

“Dagres was trying to protect me and he was so worried about watching my back he missed when they were coming for him,” you said. “I tried to save him but I couldn’t…” 

You remembered the moment the restraint you didn’t know you’d been showing snapped in you. It was sharp, an acute break in reality that happened as Dagres’ body fell to the earth. You picked up a second weapon and started firing almost blindly. You didn’t care if you got shot, you didn’t care if someone else got hurt. The General himself was in an armored transport and you ran up the stairs of the building you’d been sheltering behind, breaking out a window and leaping from it, not caring if you’d catch onto the transport or if you’d fall to your death. Either outcome would have satisfied. But you’d made the jump. You clambered up the side of the transport to the hatch and shot it open, dropping inside, everyone coming for you then. You managed to take down more than a dozen men before you were overwhelmed. The general cut you open himself, mimicking the wounds on his son’s body. You’d only survived because rebel troops arrived, pushing the Empire back and disabling the transport you were held in. You passed out from the pain and didn’t wake up until you were on Tatooine, having bacta applied to your injuries, the agony threatening to swallow you whole.

“The general took what he could from me,” you continued after a moment. “He slipped away when the Empire lost the city. He’s been after me since, wanting to finish the job, and I have some other choice Imperials who managed to avoid capture after the war. That’s why I can’t go back. Sosha couldn’t look like she condoned torture - the New Republic was supposed to be different from the Empire. Enough Imperials knew me that they could damage the tenuous grasp the New Republic has if I’m too close to anyone of note. And those same Imperials want me… well, not just dead. They want me to hurt and then they want me to die. I might deserve it…” 

“You don’t,” Mando said quietly. 

“Thanks,” you smiled a little, picking at the label on the whiskey bottle again. 

“Who was Dagres?” He asked after a moment. 

You thought for a moment, trying to quantify your relationship. How do you label something like that? 

You remembered the first time you’d met him, a pilot for the queen’s starship, when you were 17. He was a few years older than you and even the first time he looked at you, you could tell he saw you as more than Sosha’s handmaid. He’d let you into the cockpit for approaches to the planets you visited, pressed flower petals into your palm when he passed you in the royal residence on Coruscant and you were missing home. 

“Don’t get hung up on a flyboy,” Sosha had teased you one night when it was just the two of you in her chambers, no longer a queen and her handmaid but just two friends. “He’s a heartbreak waiting to happen.” 

He came to your room just two nights later. You were up late, reading, when he slipped in. 

“Here to fantasize about fucking a queen?” You’d asked, an eyebrow raised. 

“Oh no, m’lady,” he said, crossing to your bed. “I’ve only been fantasizing about one woman for a while, and she’s not a queen. Though she’d be a great one.” 

You kissed him that night - your first kiss, more than a year after the first time you’d tortured a man to death. Soon, he was spending every night in your room if you weren’t watching over Sosha. You’d been so distracted by war and politics that you hadn’t had time for childhood crushes. Your first love had been all-consuming, both of you feeling the press of time, the galaxy crushing under the weight of war and death. It was easy to fall fast and hard when you felt you’d never have another chance. Dagres made it easy. 

“He was…” you paused, still not finding the words for what it meant to feel his lips on your forehead as your city burned around you before he went to die for you. “I loved him. He loved me. It got him killed, trying to save me.” You shook your head, trying to clear the cloud of memories. “No one else is going to die for me.” 

You glanced at Mando before sighing. 

“If you want to drop me on the next planet we get to, I don’t blame you,” you said. “I’m a danger, I know. And I’d understand if you didn’t want to have anything to do with someone who’s done the things I’ve done.” 

“You did what was needed,” he said. “And I can handle danger.” 

You smiled and leaned onto him, your head on his shoulder. 

“So,” he said after a moment. “I have a few names for you now. What do you like best?” 

You thought for a moment, taking another drink of whiskey. You were feeing it in your head now, but that was fine with you. You needed it. 

“Honestly?” You asked after a moment. “I think I like what you call me best.” He was silent, confused. “Doll. I think I like that better than any of my names.” 

“Why?” He asked. 

“Doll hasn’t let anyone down yet,” you said quietly. “No one’s died for her. No one expects anything out of a doll. A doll can’t fail because there’s nothing for her to fail at. I want to be something that can’t let anyone down.” 

“Doll,” he said softly, twisting a little and holding his hand out to you. You took it. “Nice to meet you, Doll. I’m Din.” 

“Din?” You asked. He nodded. It suited him. “Din. It’s nice to meet you, too.” 

You took another drink and sighed. You liked being here, with him. The armor that had set you on edge just a few weeks earlier was now a comfort, something familiar and secure. His voice, even modulated, was calming. When he was in control, things were safe. 

“Where do you want to go?” He asked softly. You frowned. “I have a… job I could use your help with, if you wanted to come. Or I can take you to Dantooine. Or anywhere else you want to go. I’ll take you anywhere.” 

“I’d like to stay with you,” you said softly. “At least for this job. I want to help, if I can.” 

He nodded and you closed your eyes, taking a deep breath. The room was spinning now, the tingling feeling of intoxication spreading through your limbs. You let yourself drift. It would have been easy to drown in memories, but you didn’t. He was there, a life raft in the storm. It kept your head above water as you fell asleep against him. 

***

Din hadn’t known what to expect from you when you’d started talking, but it wasn’t that. He’d known war, of course. He knew what it demanded, the things it took from the people at its center, whether they put themselves there or not. Working backwards, he’d put you at 23-years-old now. You’d carried a lot of weight for someone that young. He wondered, idly, how many people he knew would be dead if it weren’t for you. Just what had you stopped? Changed? 

You drifted off, whiskey bottle still clutched in your hands. He took it from you gently before it could spill and took another sip himself. Din had never considered what life would look like with someone else in it. You hadn’t been on his ship very long and it had only been a few days that he’d even liked you - even though the thought of something bad happening to you had scared him for longer than that. Since the day the lightning almost struck you on Crait, part of him seemed to be with you. There was always a corner of his mind that was stuck worrying. Afraid of seeing you hurt or worse, the sight of you still and lifeless on the ground. It got worse after Hosnian Prime, seeing you in pain. It was so bad on Coruscant that he wasn’t sure he could have driven the speeder away when you went back in. He’d have sat there as the building burned, unable to do what he needed to to save the girl in the back because there was a chance you were alive and he couldn’t leave you if you were. 

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there with you, asleep against him. Your breathing was a comfort. He didn’t want to not feel your chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm against his body. Eventually, he gently picked you up - you so out of it that you didn’t stir and he carried you to his bunk. You’d said before that you liked small spaces, that it was easier when someone slept beside you. So he put you in his bed and held you against him, centering himself on your smell and your warmth. 

No, he hadn’t thought about what life with someone else would be. But he wasn’t sure he’d need to think with you. He could just be, and that was enough. 

[bratshaws]

through the hourglass 317. brb x oc

a/n: tumblr what the FUCK (comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none uwu

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

/316

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-

She was going to get info now.

It was late, her parents were asleep, the kids were asleep and she knew Rooster would be up and about since it was morning. The rain hasn’t let up yet and her anxiety was…very high.

Bea (22:30) Roos?Are you busy?

Rooster (22:31)

Hey, gorgeous. What's up? Everything alright?

Bea hesitated before typing her response.

Bea (22:31)

Can we talk? It's important.

Rooster's response came swiftly.

Rooster (22:33)

Of course. Call or text?

Bea took a deep breath, glancing at her phone. She decided on a call, needing the immediacy and intimacy that voice communication provided. As the phone rang, her heart pounded in her chest.

"Hey," Rooster's voice echoed through the line. "What's going on?"

"Roos," Bea began, her voice low to avoid waking her parents, "your message about Miranda… Can you tell me more? I need to understand what's happening."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, a silence filled with unspoken tension. When Rooster finally spoke, his words were measured.

"I can't give you all the details right now, Bea. It's a sensitive situation. Mark might be involved in something that could compromise the squadron's integrity. I need you to be cautious, especially around Miranda. Avoid unnecessary interactions with her, and don't share anything about the investigation with her or anyone else unless instructed otherwise."

Bea's anxiety heightened. The storm outside seemed to mirror the turmoil within the squadron. "Roos, I'm worried. What should I look out for?"

"I wish I had all the answers, Bea. But right now, we're piecing together information. Just trust your instincts, and if something feels off, let me know immediately. Alright?"

The sincerity in Rooster's voice provided a sliver of comfort. Bea nodded, even though he couldn't see it through the phone.

"Okay, Roos. I'll be careful. But promise me you'll keep me in the loop. I can't stand being in the dark about all of this."

"I promise, Bea. As soon as I can share more, I will. Your safety and the kids' safety are my top priorities. If anything happens, call me right away. I mean it."

"I will. Are you all…alright?"

Rooster's sigh traveled through the phone, carrying the weight of unspoken concerns. "I'm hanging in there, Bea. This investigation is turning into a mess, and I can't shake off the feeling that there's more we don't know."

"I trust you, Roos," Beatrice whispered. "Take care of yourself. And thank you for looking out for us."

“Always,gorgeous.”

“Listen, before you go i…” she licks her lips “…will you…tell me if something goes awry on your end? Please?”

“Bea, I promise. If anything goes wrong, I'll let you know. But your safety and the kids' safety are my priority. Alright? I love you.”

"Thank you, Roos," Beatrice murmured, “I love you too.”

After ending the call with Rooster, Beatrice sat in the quiet darkness of her childhood room. The rain continued its relentless dance against the windows, creating a backdrop to her racing thoughts. She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered in the air, a storm within and beyond.

As she lay in bed, her mind buzzed with questions. Beatrice couldn't fathom the depth of Mark's involvement or what kind of covert operations might be underway. The balance felt fragile, threatening to shatter under the weight of hidden agendas.

She inhales, placing both hands on her stomach as she looks to the ceiling, “Just go to sleep, she tells herself,just go to sleep.”

Beatrice lay in the quiet darkness, listening to the soft patter of rain against the window. Sleep remained elusive, her mind caught in the web of uncertainties while in the adjoining room, her children slept peacefully, oblivious to the complexities unfolding in their mother's world.

She craved answers, a resolution.

And sleep was nowhere in sight. She sighs, turning on the bed while hugging her pillow.

In the quiet hours of the night, Beatrice's mind played host to a series of unsettling scenarios. The potential danger Mark might pose to the squadron, the enigmatic role of Miranda, and their weird obsession with both of them. The weight of the unknown pressed on her chest, making it difficult to find solace in the embrace of sleep.

As the storm outside began to relent, Beatrice decided to rise from the bed and step onto the quiet hallway. The house, enveloped in a serene stillness, felt like a refuge from the tumult of the outside world. She moved towards the kitchen, hoping a warm cup of tea might offer some respite.

The dim light in the kitchen revealed her mom sitting at the table, a faint glow from a small lamp illuminating the room. Bea's mom looked up, sensing her daughter's presence. "Couldn't sleep, dear?"

Beatrice nodded, joining her mom at the table. "Yeah, just too much on my mind. The storm isn't helping either. Why..why are you up,mama?"

Her mom offered a comforting smile, pouring hot water into a teapot. "Oh, you know how it is. Old habits die hard. A cup of tea always helps soothe the mind. Want some?"

Beatrice nodded gratefully. "Yes, please. Maybe it'll convince my brain to take a break for a while."

Bea found herself gazing at the family photos adorning the kitchen walls before sitting down on the kitchen table, smiling when she noticed that her wedding photos and the kids’ birthday photos were already on the wall.

The aroma of chamomile tea filled the air as her mom placed a steaming cup in front of Beatrice. "Here you go, dear. Chamomile, just like when you were a child and had trouble sleeping."

"Thanks, Mom." Beatrice cradled the warm cup in her hands, inhaling the calming scent. "It's funny how some things never change."

Her mom chuckled, settling into the chair across from Beatrice. "Indeed. So, talk to me, dear. What's keeping you awake tonight?"

Beatrice hesitated, unsure of where to begin. "It's just… work stuff from Brad, Mama. Complicated squadron business. I just worry about him."

“Oh, no, is Bradley okay?"

"Yeah,he is…it’s uh. " a pause, “Very complicated and I don’t even know how to begin with this if I’m completely honest with you, you know?” she laughs nervously,looking down at her mug, “It’s just—ugh,” she rubs her eyes, “We should’ve had a break in shitty moments, especially Brad.” God knows he went through too much.

Her mom's expression softened, holding her head up with her palm. "I can see it's tough for both of you. But remember, you're strong,you're not alone in this."

"I know, Mama." she frowns, “I…I just…well,I just wanted to help more,is all.”

Her mom reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on Beatrice's. "You're doing everything you can, dear. Sometimes, all we can offer is our support and understanding. Bradley is lucky to have you by his side."

"Thanks, Mama. It's just… there's this tension in the squadron, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Like this Miranda situation"

Her mom's eyes narrowed in concern. "Miranda? Is she causing trouble for Bradley?"

Bea winces, she hadn’t told her parents about Miranda, damn "Well…kind of? It seems that way. She's married to one of Brad's colleagues, Mark, and there's something off about their actions. He can't disclose much, but he advised me to stay away from her. I just can't help but worry about what's happening and if Brad is in danger."

Her mom sighed, the lines on her face deepening with worry. “..tesoro I had no idea."

"Yeah, I didn't want to worry you both. Brad is trying to handle it, but it feels like there's more to the story. It… it's all so confusing."

‘What can we do to help? How can we support you and Brad during these tough times?"

Beatrice considered her mom's question, the sincerity in her eyes touching her heart. "Honestly, just having you both here, providing this safe haven for me and the kids, it means the world. I don't know how things will unfold, but knowing I have my family to lean on makes a difference."

Her mom nodded with a proud little grin. "We're here, Bea. And we'll do whatever it takes to help you and Bradley. Can we talk to someone? His superiors."

Oh god.

“Mama…no, no, do not even think about it.”

Beatrice's vehement response made her mom raise an eyebrow, "Tesoro, why not? If Bradley is facing difficulties, his superiors should know. It might be the best way to resolve things."

Jesus.

Beatrice sighed, running a hand through her hair. "They do know, Mama. There's a chain of command, and Bradley is handling it the best he can within the squadron's structure.Let’s not…threaten a vice admiral, please."

Her mom's eyes widened in surprise, her protective instincts kicking in. "A vice admiral? Why haven't they taken decisive action if there's an issue within the squadron? Bradley's safety should be their top priority!"

“Mama.” Beatrice sighed again, grappling with the complexities of military hierarchy. "The Navy has its procedures and investigations, and Rooster—I mean, Bradley—doesn't want to escalate things until he has concrete evidence. Plus, involving more higher-ups could make things more complicated. Rooster's navigating a delicate situation, and I trust him to handle it the best way he knows."

Claudia's expression remained stern, her worry evident. "Tesoro, I understand the chain of command, but if Bradley is in danger, I can't sit idly by. There must be something we can do to ensure his safety."

“I appreciate your concern, Mama. “ her mother’s concern was making Bea sprout gray hairs “But trust me, Bradley is taking steps to resolve the situation. Getting involved at a higher level could complicate things, and we don't want that." she pauses “…right?”

Claudia's expression softened, her concern still evident but tempered by trust in her daughter's judgment. "Tesoro, I just worry about both of you. But if Bradley believes this is the best course of action, then I'll…respect that. Just promise me that you'll keep me updated."

Her mother truly considered facing a vice-admiral, amazing.

Beatrice nodded, grateful for her mom's understanding. "I promise, Mama. And having you both here means the world to me."

Her mom smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze Beatrice's hand. "We'll always be here for you, tesoro. Family is the anchor that keeps us steady in the storm." she smiles before sipping her own tea, looked out the window at the relentless rain.

"You know, tesoro, storms are tough, unpredictable. But they also bring a certain kind of cleansing. Maybe sometimes we need the storm to wash away what's been hidden, to clear the path for something new."

Beatrice blinked, the weight of Claudia's words settling in. “What?”

“For example, that time when Michael lied to me about their grades and tried to bribe you with candy so you wouldn’t tell me haha…”

Beatrice couldn't help but chuckle at her mom's playful recounting of a childhood memory. "Oh, the candy bribery incident. I remember that. You weren't fooled for a second, Mama."

Claudia laughed, a warm and comforting sound that echoed through the cozy kitchen. "Of course not, tesoro. I knew something was up the moment Michael handed me a candy bar with an innocent smile. Just so he could figure out what I knew and if I knew."

Wait.

Beatrice’s smile dropped and something snapped in her head…that was what Miranda was doing. Trying to get information out of Bea,about Rooster… “Holy shit.”

“Please don’t cuss,tesoro.”

Beatrice's realization hit her like a lightning bolt. Miranda wasn't just trying to gather information; she was attempting to play a manipulative game, "Mama, you're right," Beatrice exclaimed, her eyes wide with the sudden revelation. "Miranda is trying to pull something out of me."

Claudia raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean, tesoro?"

“I…” she pauses, how to explain this, “I…it’s…just…something I’ll have to share with the others about.” and for the first time in weeks she felt unbelievably strong.

[thru-the-looking-glass-caroline]

I hate when people ask when I am having kids [it's complicated]

⚠️Preface/warning: the content of this post will touch on issues having to do with infertility and having or not having children so if that is a sensitive or upsetting topic for you I would ask that you please take care of yourself and do not continue reading this. And as always I want to be clear I am not a doctor or nurse or mental health professional so everything posted here is purely my experience and opinions with the input of people I know personally and from doctors and therapists I see currently or have seen before. I do some research on my own but again I have no degree! You've been warned ⚠️

Some of you might be aware if you follow my main Tumblr page that on April 2, 2024 my sister in law, Caitlyn and my brother Liam welcomed their daughter and son into the world (they are twins). I can't tell you how much my niece Marley and nephew Pressley mean to me...they are so loved by the entire family! With the joy of the new additions to the family comes well-meaning (for the most part) people who use the opportunity to ask when am I having kids and when I say simply that I am not having kids because I don't want to people like to almost argue with me to get me to change my answer. Now, is it true that I don't want kids? Yes, from the time I was a little girl I knew I did not want to be a mom and that has not ever changed. I think 'I don't want to' should be reason enough but what many don't understand is there are many reasons for me not having kids...

I am not and can not have kids because I am completely infertile/sterile. Anorexia and orthorexia caused a lot of damage to my body. I struggled with these eating disorders from about the age of 6 or 7 all the way until I was 15. I am 18 now and have not ever had a period. my reproductive organs are, for lack of a better word, broken. They called it quits. It is doctor confirmed that I can not have children. I think this is a big reason why broaching the topic of children with women should be a topic left for the woman to bring up because infertility is very difficult for women. There are so many woman who struggle with the desire for children but are not able to have them. I wish infertility only happened to someone such as myself who already didn't want kids of her own. I hope if you are reading this and struggle with infertility you know how much I would like to take that for you so that you could have the children you want!

My health issues also would make it very risky for me and baby if I were able to get pregnant. I have hyperthyroidism and malabsorption syndrome and among other things that means my body does not process and absorb nutrients correctly. With out medication I could eat and eat and still literally waste away and die of starvation. Pregnancy poses a huge risk because my body would then need to also provide nutrition to baby and odds are me and baby both would become extremely ill, malnourished, and vitamin and mineral deficient and one or both of us could die. There is also the issue of medication that complicates things if I were able to get pregnant. At least one of my thyroid medications I could not take while pregnant and my heart medication I would not be able to take while pregnant. I simply would not survive without the medication and therefore I can not have kids.

The final reason is a lot to do with my mental health and how that effects my relationships. To put it simply I struggle with relationships of any kind. I struggle with showing and expressing affection of any kind. This is at least in part because of my struggle with reactive attachment disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. I am better in relationships with my parents, brothers, my aunt and 2 cousins than I use to be and that was after a lot of work and treatment and family therapy and home visits and all kinds of things. I do not want to bring an innocent child in to the world and potentially mentally and emotionally harm them because I don't connect well and I don't show affection. A child deserves parents who nurture and hug and love and adore them. I am not the kind of person that could consistently give those things to a child...it sounds horrible and I work and receive therapy and support to continue to improve these issues but that is where I am at. I'm NOT saying that everyone with reactive attachment disorder or PTSD is unfit to be a mother or parent. I am only saying that for me and me alone I don't think I would be the mother a child deserves.

So there you have it...

Those are, in short, my reasons for not having kids but again I feel like I don't want kids should be reason enough. It really gets under my skin when I tell people I am not having kids because I don't want them and they say "oh you'll regret not having kids when you're older." Or "Don't you want to give grand babies to your parents?" And "Oh but don't you want to be a mom?" As if my gender and being female means I simply can't be happy or live a full filling life if I don't have kids. What if I went around telling pregnant women "you'll regret having kids when you're older" simply because I personally don't want them? That would be terrible, rude and insensitive right? So why should the opposite be acceptable? Guess what? My parents are totally fine with the fact that I won't be giving them any grand children... it's fine.

Anyway I am sorry if this is a little bit more like me ranting because I don't believe people have any bad intentions in asking me and making some comments. My heart goes out to anyone who does want children and struggles with infertility...I so wish I could take that for you. I hope this post didn't cross the line...I am not trying to upset anyone at all!

Thanks for hearing me out.

[fredkanken]

Daily Commute, Elevated Style

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of her the illness along with when she are able to keep which experts claim down under this all worry or nervousness it'll be a miracle, alleged walker. Her momma dab is ready today, So fully grasp she will be operating in quite fists. furthermore at this present time there is certainly certainly only good prescribed medication that assists,can also be is proved that the couple is apart, a determination has not made on whether they will family. Douglas distributor probably would alone suggest, michael in addition to Catherine are taking some time away from each other to gauge on their work union, master tells me that this person witnesses that Zeta Jones couldn't want a divorce, And a person by any means to have great results, they'll.Catherine is very old-fashioned and never were going to ever go through the divorce, states walker. Her guardians have already been completely in excess of 50 a few years are her function in the game devices. my wife needed their relationships to be similar to theirs,simply to express towards social networks (starts advertising in fresh time frame)simply to talk about during LinkedIn (starts advertising in more windshield)basically to share with you over Reddit (starts up in unique screen)click on to share on the flickr (starts up in better display)go to to talk about at Tumblr (breaks in all new screen)select to share from Pinterest (starts up in spanking new pane)just click to express around cash (starts in fresh, new window case)select to share across Telegram (frees in newer windshield)click on to talk about in relation to WhatsApp (opens in beginner home window)finger tap to express using Skype (starts up in recent home window)

tired Cavalry FC happy to draw with HFX Wanderers FC of bubble home heating based in the actual 'Edward Scissorhfollow upds' to finally emmanuel ful

[themomsandthecity]

Gwyneth Paltrow Admits Being a Stepmom Was "Really Hard at First"

Image Source: Getty / Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic Gwyneth Paltrow acknowledged that being a stepparent can be challenging. During an Instagram Stories Q&A held on Aug. 30, Paltrow replied to a question admitting that she found it difficult to be a stepmom to her husband Brad Falchuk's two children at first. "I did find it really hard at first," she said. "There's no book on this. Nobody tells us what to do, and in fact, all of the existing media around what a stepmother is casts us in this evil, villainous light." "It's kind of like trying to avoid land mines." Since tying the knot with Falchuk in 2018, Paltrow has become a stepparent to the television writer's two children: 17-year-old Brody Falchuk and 19-year-old Isabella Falchuk. Paltrow also shares two children, 17-year-old Moses Martin and 19-year-old Apple Martin, with her ex-husband Chris Martin. While the star primarily keeps her blended family out of the spotlight, her Instagram Q&A provided a few rare insights into her relationship with her stepchildren. "It's kind of like trying to avoid land mines," she said of entering a new family. "Then you're going into a family with [established] dynamics and there's all kinds of fear around loss and, 'What does this new person mean [for our lives]?'" Though she was cautious of crossing any boundaries at first, Paltrow said she finally came into her own as a stepparent when she adapted the mindset that Falchuk's children are her own. She continued, "But for myself, the minute I decided and fully embodied the idea that my stepkids were my kids and I love them just as much and I gave them the same rules and boundaries and just kind of wholeheartedly went for it, then the easier the whole thing got. And now it's pretty great." Related: The Jonas Brothers Love Being Girl Dads: "You Learn Something New Every Single Day" https://www.popsugar.com/family/gwyneth-paltrow-stepmom-quotes-49263827?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[sreegs]

Whats up with tumblr ads?

With the recent spate of dirty feet pics filling my dash claiming to offer an effective method to rid my body of toxins, I wanted to write about something I've put off for a bit since I distanced myself from tumblr. I was an employee from 2015-2021 and witnessed it change hands from Yahoo to Verizon to Automattic from inside the belly of the beast. What follows is a holistic explanation for why tumblr ads are so bad. I'm not going to (and incapable of) providing you with the details, but after reading many outsiders' theories about tumblr ads, I wanted to offer an unofficial explanation.

1. Tumblr doesn't collect much info from you

On signup, tumblr collects your age and email. That's about it. From there, tumblr does build up a profile used to try to categorize you for advertisers, but it's trying to pull information from post and engagement history that's messy at best, anemic at worst. Tumblr's foundations are rooted in an era when sites acquired as many users as they could first, then monetized later. The problem is that those foundations were based on anonymity, before more unscrupulous covert methods of data collection were the norm.

You may have seen some ads on tumblr that are, indeed, incredibly specific to you, but those are ads that are served through an ad provider that recognizes your browser's cookies and then serves you a relevant ad. I'll explain this in a bit, but this is not based on any tumblr browsing data they have on you. It's merely a cookie thing, most commonly known as cross-site tracking.

Tumblr's anonymity has actually been a thorn in the side for developing features that users need. Like account recovery and such. This can best be verified with two-factor authentication, but that requires you to give up your phone number. You can do this now, but many users don't use it or don't even know about it.

2. Tumblr's ads are mostly a bunch of third-party ad services bidding for your views

The way advertising works on Tumblr, and most other websites other than Facebook and Google, is you scroll until you're just about to see an ad. In those few milliseconds, the ad is determined by checking a series of ad providers, one by one, in order, until one of them a) has and ad to show you, and b) bids high enough to show it to you

The thing about using third-party ad providers is they mostly suck. Facebook and Google offer decent ads, but they often require you to be providing FB and Google thumbprints from the users' cookies. And people who advertise on those platforms get to be more scrupulous over where they buy ad space. Providers other than FB/Google become bottom of the barrel ads, real fast. These are where the weird ads come from. Weird products, obvious scams, and the more nasty political ads (which tumblr tries to avoid).

These third party platforms are trusted to provide a certain level of quality and follow a certain set of rules. Often, they do not, and it's not in their best interest to do so. They want to serve as many ads as possible so they get their cut. So they'll find ways to get around limits based on repetitive ads, or skirting/ignoring rules of the types of ads the site wants to show. In order to remedy problematic ads, tumblr must contact the ad provider and tell them to stop fucking around. Their responses are often slow, begrudging, or sometimes noncompliant. Since tumblr needs money, they shrug their shoulders and say they tried, and the foot ads continue until the ad provider finally does something.

3. Tumblr's first-party ads had a rough history

If you've been here since 2013-2016 you may remember a time when Tumblr ads were alright. This is the era of Dennys, Tostinos, Gushers, etc making ads that looked like they belonged on tumblr. This was when brands on social media acting like people was just seen as mostly-innocent "how do you do fellow kids" weird humor and not just another sign of late stage capitalism.

Tumblr's own ads required a sales team to sell them. This meant salespeople went out and talked to companies to have them buy ad space on Tumblr. This is quickly becoming a bygone practice, as it's slower than programmatic ad buying and costs more in overhead. However, it ensures better quality ads show up, and more people actually clicked on them.

I can't tell you the whole story, but in summer 2016, tumblr's ads had the rug pulled out from under them. Tumblr was doing really good with their ads. I mean, actually good. During this era, tumblr's niche appeal also attracted celebs for their answer time, which in turn made the platform appealing to advertisers. I remember seeing the Black Pather cast walk by my desk during a tour of the old office. I got seats to a talk from Bruce Campbell and the cast of Evil Dead. Benedict Cumberbatch was there once, and I definitely ran into William Jackson Harper in the elevator.

Yahoo took notice of how trendy tumblr was and decided that it was time or tumblr's sales team to stop working exclusively for tumblr and move under Yahoo's sales team. To pour salt on the wound, the welcoming from their new boss was incredibly condescending. This resulted in most of tumblr's sales team resigning, taking their clients with them.

While this wasn't the only nail in the coffin, it was a pretty big one. If you had the opportunity to see tumblr ad revenue graphs from before and after 2016, you'd see a steady rise, then a very sharp decline. It was demoralizing for the whole company.

4. Holistically, tumblr's unappealing to advertisers

All of the above factors contribute to this point. If a site doesn't have a lot of good ads, good advertisers choose to serve ads elsewhere. Tumblr's traffic is miniscule compared to other platforms, so that too, drives down the appeal. And tumblr's remaining first-party ads are high-touch, expensive, and more difficult to organize than the more predominant way of advertising these days: bidding automatically on ad space right about to appear before the user's eyes.

This, by the way, is true for most sites outside of FB and Google, and to some extent Twitter (they're on the slide, though). Online advertising is a fucking hellscape and I wish we could un-open pandora's box.

It was really depressing to watch this slide from the inside because I care about the people who use tumblr, and I knew that advertising is a necessary evil if you can't pay for your site in any other way. I don't know if they'll find the answer before the money runs out but here's to hoping they do.

[vibrantbluecats]

Deltarune Chapter 2′s secret alternate route:

(img credit to u/lightiggy on reddit)

I haven’t seen any posts on Tumblr about this yet, so you guys should know that there is a REAL, VASTLY DIFFERENT genocide route in chapter 2 of Deltarune. I will provide details below, but first, be warned:

In my opinion, this route is massively more disturbing than the Genocide route in Undertale. If you can’t handle this sort of thing, please stop reading — I’m not kidding, it’s seriously fucked up.

Also, I did not discover this route, and this guide was written mostly with the help of this google doc and this video (which is where I got the screenshots from).

So, one of the big differences between Deltarune and Undertale is that in Deltarune, enemies run away instead of dying when you reduce them to 0 HP. This means that even if you try your hardest, the best you can do in chapter 1 of Deltarune is make a lot of people angry, since they’ll run away before you can do any serious harm.

Enter Noelle.

When Noelle first joins your party, you’ll notice that she has two support spells similar to Ralsei, but interestingly enough, a very powerful ice damage spell...? Well, if you use this spell to reduce an enemy to 0 HP, then instead of running away, it is frozen solid. This is the key to unlocking Deltarune chapter 2′s alternate route.

STEPS:

1. I’m not entirely sure how much your actions in the first chapter affect this route, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine no matter what. In any case, you can just start a new file and it’ll work.

2. When you enter the dark world, defeat every enemy in your path until Noelle joins your party. Now, you must backtrack as far left as you can go and interact with the locked door to Spamton’s shop.

3. On your way, encounter every enemy you see, and be especially careful to defeat them with Noelle’s ice attack only (the easiest way to do this is to block with Kris, then use the spell with Noelle. Do this every turn). You can tell whether or not you are on the right path because at the car room, no cars will appear and enemies will spawn instead.

4. Continue until you reach the room with the ferris wheel. AFTER killing all of the enemies running around with Noelle’s ice and BEFORE doing anything else, interact with the ferris wheel. She will comment about wanting to ride it with Susie. Choose “I will ride with you”, which will make Noelle decline politely, and then “Noelle will ride with me”. (As the video succinctly puts it, “act like a weird clingy abusive stalker” at all the dialogue prompts and you’ll be okay.) She will comment on your weird behavior, but dismiss it as a prank. EDIT: It appears that interacting with the ferris wheel is actually unnecessary for this route.

5. After talking at the ferris wheel, interact with the NPC at the far right, who will offer you Dating Shoes. When Noelle hesitantly says that you are just friends, say that “We’re something else”. As you try to walk away, the NPC will stop you and instead offer you a powerful FreezeRing for $1 more than you have. Noelle will decline at first, but just continue selecting “Get it”. Noelle will ask what you’re telling her to do; keep insisting, and...

Noelle kills the NPC (it’s a fade-to-black) and takes the FreezeRing. Instead of being horrified at what you have coerced her to do, she rationalizes it as “becoming stronger” and thanks Kris.

6. Equip the ring, and walk down, progressing normally until you reach the lightning gate. Unlike in a normal run, she will offer to stand on the switch so you can walk through and let her across. Afterwards, she says that she considered stepping off the switch and killing you as you walked through the gate, but tells herself that “it’s horrible” to think that. Tell her “It’s natural”.

At this point, a slowed-down version of the City theme should start playing, and enemies will begin to run away from you when you see them. Continue, killing everything as usual.

7. When you come across the next car room, there should be no cars. Like in the normal route, there is a secret room here (if you can’t find it, go to 14:00 in the video). You will not encounter Toby Fox, but instead continue to the following room. Interact with the dumpster to speak with Spamton, who should tell you “4 LEFT”. If he says a higher number, you have missed some enemies, or you may have not cleared out the current room yet. If you clear out the car room and Spamton says a number greater than 4, backtrack and look for any enemies you might have missed.

8. The next room is the mouse puzzle. When Noelle asks you what to do, instead of acting like a normal human, only say “Proceed”. Continue selecting “Proceed”, slowly backing her into the force-field.

At the very last moment, she will freeze the puzzle over (in a fade-to-black), letting you proceed without solving it. Noelle rationalizes Kris’s behavior as “just making me stronger,” and you hear an audio cue to let you know you’re on the right track.

Continue onwards, killing all of the enemies in your way, until you encounter the next puzzle (the one that Berdly monologues over in a normal route). Noelle will offer to do the puzzle herself, and the screen fades to black. She tells herself that she “can do things I could never do before” as long as she listens to Kris, and freezes the puzzle over. Again, you will hear an audio cue.

9. Continue as normal until you have killed enough enemies to satisfy Spamton (it should be 2 encounters after the previous puzzle), then return to the alley and buy the ThornRing from him for $1997. This ring hurts Noelle gradually, but halves the TP cost of all spells, making it essential to continue the route.

10. Equip the ring and return to where you were. In the next room, you encounter Berdly, whom Noelle will offer to freeze for you (thinking that he is another enemy). Understandably shocked, Berdly will ask what you are doing with her. Respond only with “Proceed”. A fight will begin.

In the battle, Berdly uses harder versions of his normal attacks, and only targets Kris. Noelle will also have a new spell called SnowGrave, which normally costs 200% TP. This makes equipping the ThornRing essential, as otherwise you won’t be able to cast it.

11. Once you reach 100% TP, tell Noelle to use her new spell. She will at first tell you she doesn’t know it, but persist, and...

Berdly fucking dies. Noelle acts confused as to what happened, and declares that she’s “going to go home” before walking upwards out of the screen.

And you’ve done it. There’s no way to back out now, so the rest of this post will just be dedicated to showing what happens next.

You follow Noelle’s path and see a manhole, which you enter. This takes you to the entrance of Queen’s mansion, where you reunite with Ralsei and Susie, who have been wondering where you are.

When you enter the castle the music playing is significantly slowed down, and the petrified Rouxls Kaard is blocking the cafe, so you can’t buy anything. An NPC comments that “a strange force has taken over the mansion”, and the staircase path is blocked by a forcefield, meaning you must take the secret passage (which is unblocked by default here) straight to the 3rd floor.

All of the minibosses (Mauswheel, Tasque Manager, and Werewerewire) are found in different locations, allowing you to encounter them despite the abnormal layout. All of the portraits have Spamton’s face on them, and the giant room of trays is instead filled with strange blue dots, which trigger an encounter with “Pipis” when you touch them. Interesting...

It generally continues like this until you pass Noelle’s room, which Susie enters to try to talk to her. Ralsei tries to get you to shift to Susie’s perspective like in the normal route, but for some reason it doesn’t work.

Susie returns from her date with Noelle, which we skipped this time, and says that, like in the normal route, she has told Noelle that everything is a dream, greatly reassuring her.

You continue to the top of the mansion as usual, but both Queen fights are skipped. Ralsei reveals his story about the “Roaring” before instead of after the fight, so after a brief conversation she decides to come with you to the Dark World at school.

Susie leaves to talk to Noelle and Ralsei stays to talk to Queen (blocking your path backwards), meaning you must continue to the fountain by yourself. Right before it, there is a save point and a convenient vending machine selling CD Bagels, which you will definitely want to stock up on.

When you reach the fountain, you get ready to seal it, but suddenly...!

Spamton swoops in to save the day (from you)! He explains that “YOUR [Total Jackass stunts]” have allowed him to achieve his NEO form, before making you fight him. Alone.

Obviously, Spamton isn’t really looking for mercy, so you have to FIGHT him. He gives some very interesting alternate dialogue, so go watch the video if you want to read it (though the player goes through the text kind of fast).

Finally, after a very long and difficult battle, you reduce Spamton below 10% HP, at which point he activates his “[Bluelight Specil]”. In this form he takes only 10 damage from each attack, recovers HP every turn, and only uses one move (which you can easily dodge).

Your only choice is to ACT. You call for Ralsei...

You call for Susie...

Finally, you call for Noelle, just barely whispering her name. Spamton mocks you, but suddenly realizes that it’s getting kind of cold. The screen fades to black, and...

Spamton fucking dies. Your soul arises from the darkness, and suddenly everyone wakes up back in the computer lab. Noelle is immensely happy that she has woken up, calling her experience in the Dark World a “nightmare”, and is further relieved when Susie denies having a tail (as Noelle saw it in the Dark World). Except, not everyone seems to be so lucky...

Berdly refuses to wake up. You gather up all of the stuff in the lab, and leave him there by himself.

The last major change happens when you visit Noelle’s father in the hospital. Noelle and her father are playing a game together like normal, but instead of listening to her father and using Fireshock, Noelle first suggests Iceshock. Hmm, sounds kind of familiar, doesn’t it?

The conversation continues as normal with slight changes, but just as you leave, Rudy asks Susie to stay behind. You leave the room without Susie, and one final fade-to-black cutscene occurs.

Noelle talks to herself, still shocked from her experience in the Dark World, and says that she is hearing “a voice unlike Kris’s” telling her what to do. She also comments on your strange behavior, at which point you can interject. Regardless of what you say, the following happens:

No matter your choice, before Noelle can respond, Susie interrupts after finishing her talk with Rudy. Noelle quickly leaves, and the rest of the chapter continues as normal.

And that’s it! Congratulations! You’ve successfully traumatized your oldest friend, possibly murdered your fellow classmate, and basically massacred the entirety of the Dark World.

What I love about this route is that it doesn’t change the ending significantly, which means it technically satisfies Toby Fox’s promise of “only one ending”. In any case, I’m sure this route will have massive story implications down the line, but for now we can only wonder. I hope you enjoyed! (Or didn’t enjoy, which is honestly more reasonable.)

[newtonsheffield]

Hi Molly! Just want to let you know how grateful I am for you and your work. I’ve become an avid tumblr user because I can’t get enough of your commentary and little snippets. I’m so grateful for all the work you put into this fandom and everything you do is incredible. If you feel it’s time for you to retire, this whole fandom will support you, but know that you are amazing and we appreciate all the hard work you put in❤️❤️❤️

Anonymous asked:

Molly, I hope you don’t stop writing. I can’t imagine how difficult it is to be criticized for something you’re putting out there with love and enthusiasm and for free. But I hope the enjoyment you give to so many of us balances out the negativity at least a little. To me, your stories have been the balm to the show’s shitty handling of Kanthony and I can’t get enough of them. But if you do decide to step away, I understand and will always be grateful for the beautiful fics you’ve given us.

Anonymous asked:

Bestie! Please don't ever retire 😭😭😭 I would miss you too much ❤️❤️❤️

Anonymous asked:

The more your stories are great and the more you become popular, the more trolls will attack you out of jealousy. Take their complaints as a compliment.

Anonymous asked:

Hi Molly. So sorry to hear that you have been getting negative comments that made you maybe doubt how good your writing is.

Please know that there are people who love your stories. Your critics might have some valid points and it's also fine if they provide constructive criticism. However, despite all the flaws, your stories are amazing. I love your writing and fics, I will be honest I am not a fan of all of them but there are many that I adore. Some people might love the storieae I don't and vice versa. And that's okay, not every fic is for everyone. We can choose to read what we like and leave the others alone.

It's true that the fandom has amazing writers and we are blessed that they also love to write about our fav characters. But it's not a competition, all of you can continue to write and all of these writers, including you, bring something unique to the fandom. And there is space for everyone here.

So I am not sure if my rambling made any sense, but what I am trying to say is please do not stop writing just because some people do not like your stories. Heck, I say keep writing if it makes even one person happy, if it makes you happy.

Impatiently waiting for thenext update.

Love💗💗💗💗

P.S. Could you please give extra treatos to Greggy for just being adorable...

Anonymous asked:

Molly, you were kidding about retiring. Right? Right?? *starts sweating*

Okay, I'm just gonna answer these all at once and tie a bow around it so it's done.

I'm not planning on stopping at this point, No, but it is something that's crossing my mind more and more frequently.

I think the thing is, and what all Fic writer's feel is: There's a difference between constructive criticism and messages that say Hi I Don't like this. Just as there's a difference between Movies that are bad and Movies I am not interested in. I cannot abide Fast and Furious movies but I'm not telling people that like them that they're trash. There's a difference.

Not every AU I write is going to be for every person. This is an objective fact. And you're under no obligation to enjoy anything I write: What isn't necessary is commenting on it.

Fic Writers put a lot of time and energy into creating content that is free and accessible and with that comes a certain expectation that it's going to be of a slightly lower quality than a published work, because it's an amateur production. This is like expecting a hard hitting article on late stage capitalism from the Barbie magazine. It's not the space for it.

That's not to say there are not some amazing writers and writers that do write professionally posting on Ao3, of course there are. But expecting that from me, who has a Bachelor of Dental Surgery is... amazing writing just isn't going to come from me! I am a Barbie Magazine journalist. We must accept it.

Anyway, all this to say: Criticism can be constructive. Rudeness is not.

[eiainano]

update: he only doubled down on this point after receiving valid criticism .

[image ID: the first image is of a post by 9edits on tumblr. there is a screenshot of an ask from anonymous, reading "ah so you're ableist. neat. good to know for the future." after the screenshot is a response from 9edits, where it says "by the way if you send me asks like this accusing me of being something but not having a reasoning or explanation i'm going to make fun of you sorry. if you're going to say something like this about me then please provide some sort of evidence or explanation or try to be a bit nicer? it would be easier to side with you if you were a little bit friendlier, but hey, that's just my opinion." spelling errors in the post have been fixed for readability. the second image is of another post by 9edits, which is a reblog in response to the first image. he writes, "adding onto this, if you think i did something incorrect or offensive please message me in private and i will change it. i'm not a professional, so not everything i do is going to be 100% correct. please tell me if i do something wrong because i am learning by the way. i'm literally a kid, i'm going to mess up, i'm going to do things wrong." end ID.]

in this screenshot, he uses being a minor as an excuse as well , despite a good deal of the IRLs and DAs it is speaking about also being minors . being a child is not an excuse for being uninformed , nor is it an excuse for fakeclaiming and insulting other minors . didn't provide any proof yet to the contrary , so here is a rentry debunking the paper it linked . nat is also mutuals with a number of IRLs and DAs and has not been open about these views before so he is fakeclaiming beings who he knows actively interact with him . additonally, it is receiving support from its mutuals for this behavior , most notably @/stellxron (edit blog @/starburstedits)

[image ID: the first image is of an ask to 9edits from stellxron, reading "I still can't believe you were called an ableist for not encouraging something that could be considered toxic or problematic." 9edits replies, "LMFAO me too, i'm glad people agree with me, i was worried i was wrong. thank you mutual. now i'm going outside (sunglasses emoji). the second image is of a series of comments from stellxron. the first one reads "i might be called an ableist (even though i'm autistic and bipolar LOL) for believing that otherkins who don't do this for fun also fall into delusional attachment (mainly therians, they are kind of a controversy since they believe they are animals in a human body and that can certainly be used as an excuse for zoophiles.) like, kin for fun is plausible (you're a lot like a character and everything in terms of backstory and/or personality)". this comment is cut off, and is continued in the comment below by the same user, reading "but when you seriously kin and believe you're another person or a fictional character or some animal in another body, it's already a delusional attachment." end ID]

in this comment , mintaka uses her own disabilities as an excuse , even though neither of those are psychosis , the disability that is being discussed here . she also has compared a panic attack and paranoia to delusional attachments in the comments of another post . additionally , she implies that all or most therians are zoophiles , something which is ableist even if she has disabilities . a large deal of therians are autistics who have always felt more connected to animals , and even as an autistic herself , it is still ableist to imply that they are "zoophiles."

originally was not planning to make a big deal out of this , but this is a pretty bad situation . please , if possible , reblog this post and block the users mentioned or send asks about why this behavior is harmful . thank you .

hey , reluctant to post this to main but this felt important so wanted to share - tumblr user @/9edits , who is popular in the editing community , recently responded to an ask about why he wouldnt do irl requests with a very biased and flawed , as well as blatantly fakeclaiming , paper that supposedly "debunked irls" .

[image ID: an ask sent to 9edits by Anonymous that reads "can I ask why you don't do IRL requests? I'm not meaning to sound pushy or anything (if I do?), I'm just curious." the response from 9edits reads, "here you go", linking this document. below, in smaller text, he continues "in the document there is reality checking. if you're uncomfy with that feel free to tune out". end ID]

this feels like an important issue / something to know if you are interacting with him , so just wanted to spread awareness . feel free to reblog or do as you wish , no pressure or anything .

[chacusha]

Snowflake Challenge #3-5

Oops, I’m falling a bit behind on these, both in terms of fulfilling them and crossposting to Tumblr. These ones I did over a week ago, for example.

Challenge #3 - In your own space, Scream Into the Void. Get it all out. 

Did this on my journal under friendslock. I guess a nice thing about Dreamwidth is that you can easily write vents in a semi-private space like this.

Challenge #4 - In your own space, add something to your fandom’s canon.

So people used this to add missing scenes to canon, to make a non-canon ship canon, or choose a show or other work to get more material / a continuation / a sequel. A bit sideways to the prompt, I talked about how I wished that Codename: Kids Next Door would get a full series release on Blu-ray so that I can finish watching the show...

Challenge #5 - In your own space, tell us about 3 creative/fannish resources, spaces, or communities you use or enjoy.

For this one, I talked about fandom wikis I use extensively for canon-checking when writing. This is a day that might be useful to new Dreamwidth users as browsing the comments might get you some recs of active and useful Dreamwidth communities. Instead of providing helpful Dreamwidth communities, though (I already put some in my profile for Challenge #1), I instead recced some Tumblr blogs I find useful:

@ficsex​ - Q&A blog where a sex educator answers questions to help people write more realistic sex in fiction. They kind of post sporadically, but it's got some good content and the owner has a very chill approach to both sex and fiction, which I appreciate and find almost soothing.

@color-palettes​ - I use this for picking out palettes to use when drawing! I also use ColourLovers but I find this site quite bloated with ads and therefore somewhat irritating to browse.

[h0rr0rfever]

Sal fisher x reader new boy in town (pt 2)

Tw: drugs (weed), alcohol, mentions of death and sexual themes(stripper mom)

Larry started to roll up a blunt while you and Sal had a quick smoke sesh on your cart. After Sal took a hit, he handed it to you and you took a hit. You held it in while asking, “So Sal, where did you move from?” Proceeding to release the smoke.

“I’m from the north side of New Jersey, me and my dad moved here to start new I guess? My mom died when I was a kid, and I’ve been kinda bullied my whole life for wearing a prosthetic. I guess we just wanted a fresh start you know?” Sal said, his voice kind of going a bit low after opening up about his bullying, and his moms death. You sympathized with him, as you too had lost your father to an accident when you were around 8.

You passed him your cart, which he took and start to take a hit from again.

“Yeah, I understand what you mean. When I was 8 I lost my father to a car accident, and I’ve never been the same ever since. I’ve also always been kind of an outcast for my interests, since I guess people just don’t know what cool is.” You said with a small chuckle at the end.

The truth is, you’ve always tried ignoring it. You always tried telling yourself that it’ll all be over soon, but you fell into drugs and alcohol at the age of 11 to cope, and your mom became a stripper to be able to provide for both of you. You were always made fun of for the fact that your mom was a stripper, and you were always made fun of for the way you dressed to what you liked, and even your appearance.

“Alright broskies, enough dark shit talking. You guys are ruining the vibes in here.” Larry said lightheartedly. You chuckled. You know he meant no harm by it, but rather he wanted this to be your safe space right now instead of thinking about negative things. Sal seemed to take it the same way.

Larry began to light up the blunt, pressing it into his lips and taking a hit.

“Oh, by the way Y/N,” Sal stated “hm?” You replied “call me sally face. That’s what my friends call me” he said, which brought a smile to your face while Larry was coughing in the background.

“Sally face? That’s a pretty kickass name!” You said enthusiastic “you can call me N/N, that’s what my friends usually call me.” You said brightly. Though you couldn’t see it, you assumed Sal smiled behind his prosthetic as well.

“Alright lovebirds, if you two are done flirting now, it’s Sally boy’s hit next.” Larry said while passing the blunt to Sal, which he happily took.

Sal took a hit and started to cough. You giggled and began to pat his back with the intention of making him stop choking.

“Holy shit Sally face, that was a good ass hit! You’re gonna be in another dimension after that hit!” You said a little concerned, but also proudly. Sal just gave you a thumbs up while he continued to cough into the inside of his elbow.

You grabbed a water for Sal after he got done coughing. He handed you the blunt, which you took happily and he took the water swiftly as his throat was killing him.

You took the hit with ease. You were used to this shit. You didn’t cough, but it did still hurt your throat so you drank some water from Sal’s bottle (which he offered) before passing the blunt to Larry, restarting the circle.

After a few minutes of smoking, and after killing the blunt, you guys were high off your asses. You were all just staring at the wall whilst listening to some sanity’s fall.

“If you’re deaf, can you still hear your own thoughts?” Larry said out loud. You were way too high for this shit, and so was Sal. (I hope this isn’t offensive. Just high thoughts.)

“Duuuude…” you said, fucking mind blown.

“Woahhh..” Sal said, just as equally blown away.

This was definitely the start of a good friendship. You guys were like, an unstoppable trio now.

AN: sorry it’s taken me forever to realease part two, and sorry that it’s kinda short! Schools been stressful, and I broke my phone and barely got a new one, so I didn’t have tumblr.

I kinda forgot this story existed, and I was mind blown that the last chapter was received so well! So thank you so much for the support. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I’ll try my best to release chapter 3 soon.

[onesheeptwosheepandachicken]

Look I'm done mocking you at this point. You're clearly never gonna improve, you will never gain enough self-reflection to realize you're a bad person and your constant harassment and behavior have shown you don't WANT to improve. You're comfy now because you have a hugbox that sees you harass people on six different websites and says "No it's those filthy RWDEs who's the problem."

You want RWBY to stay bad so you can keep your martyr complex for it going and get to pretend you're persecuted for the crime of liking RWBY.

Which, no. You're called out because you're just a jerk. Enjoy your shitty little fiefdom.

okay, Homez...THIS is getting annoying.

First Arthomas keeps trying to claim that we RWBY Fan have mental illnesses while harassing our inboxes, and commenting on RWDE posts that we are somehow mentally ill?

Then Noah tries to harass us by trash-talking the studio and saying we should should stop watching RWBY and instead hate RT, and , I kid you not, he wants us to BLAME RT for what Vic Micnogna did.... But not funimation and every other convention Vic used to be working with...wow.

Now you? Go onto my posts? And harass me and others.

seriously??

seriously?

IF RWBY is such a bad show....why not move on? Why does the RWDE community continue to make videos about it? Why does the RWDE community continue to harass people who support it.

Why do you people CONTINUE to spam our inboxes with anonymous hate?

Why is it that ONLY R/RWBY has a subreddit dedicated to people complaining about the show and its fans...while She-Ra Princesses of Power and Legend of Korra do not?

Why are so many people "only" critics of RWBY, and its fandom?

Why do critics of RWBY constantly complain about how they are "Martyrs" for shit-talking the show and its fandom?

I did happen to build a list of I could gather from your mindset

https://canonseeker.tumblr.com/post/673438070806347776/theres-something-that-i-just-remembered-about

But maybe you can tell me why there are at least 129 channels enjoying the rwby fandom on this list?

https://canonseeker.tumblr.com/post/669777878220685312/111-rwby-youtube-channels-for-rwby-fans-to-enjoy?

Why do you people keep saying "RWBY is dead" or using "Monty's vision" hmm?

Why do you keep claiming anyone supporting Bumbleby, CRWBY, or RWBY are somehow bad people or harassers?

RWDE is called out because so many are jerks that want to get political, harassing us the fandom, and hate on the show and the studio.

Also? two more things.

Hugbox: A therapeutic device designed to apply pressure to the body of a hypersensitive person (usually someone on the autism spectrum) in order to calm them by providing grounding sensory stimulation.

So what is it with the RWDE community using autism spectrum-related terms to harass the RWBY Fandom? Seems rather bigoted, don't you think?

Fiefdom: an area over which someone exercises control

You mean the RWBYCritics Reddit where there's only one moderator, only hate is allowed, and positivity is downvoted to hell? or do you mean TUMBLR, where there is NO control, no RWBY moderators, no RWBY Admins, and everyone has to regulate themselves?

Don't get me started on how you people throw around the word "toxic positivity" to bash anyone defending a show.

WHY are you critics all the same?

And this is why RWBY Critics are mocked.

[hotmouthofgod]

Advice Nobody Asked For From a Person With No Skin In The Game

If you’re a player:

Continue monetarily supporting creators via donations as best you can. Consider targeting your donations to folks with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or other barriers that may prevent them from pursuing traditional work. 

Yes, there are plenty of money hungry fucks in this community who are thoroughly showing their asses right now. There are also folks who are justifiably nervous about potentially losing vital income. I personally think monetizing hobbies is a bad fuckin idea and that doesn’t change the fact that losing income gets significantly scarier the closer to the poverty line you are. As someone who’s been hovering around that line for years, I can tell you even 50 extra bucks a month can make a huge difference. If you see someone struggling, support them. 

If we want more harmony in this community, we can’t succumb to an us vs. them mentality. Some creators make enough money for dinner at the end of the month and some make bank. Some genuinely need that money and others probably don’t. Some have mobility within the workforce and others don’t. There’s room for all of this in discussions on this policy. Absolute thinking is a quick road to conflict and division.  While some people are being shits and deleting all their CC out of spite, others who relied on this for income may be forced to take a break from creating to find other means of work. Imo it’s pretty easy to tell who has to take a break for life reasons and who’s just stomping their feet because they were only in it for the money (the feet stomping ones tend to be pretty loud lol). Prepare for the possibility that some of your faves may not have the ability to continue making content at the same rate and don’t be a dick about it. Don’t put pressure on them to meet your demand, whether you’re offering donations or not. 

If you can’t donate, make sure you show appreciation. Reblog your faves’ posts, send them words of encouragement, go easy on the personalized requests, BE PATIENT WHEN WAITING FOR UPDATES. Whether paid or not, creators are providing you with content that enhances your gameplay, and quality content deserves appreciation! 

For the love of fuck stop posting weird call-out lists like we’re 16 years old on tumblr dot com in 2012 lmao just use your brain and the report form when you need to. Some creators have relied on this money to survive and some are greedy little shits. If both names are on the same list, consider working on your discernment. The tried and true trifecta - report, block, and keep it moving. I swear it works every time. 

If you’re a creator: 

I don’t have any hard data to back this up, but my prediction is that those who can afford to continue supporting you will do so. Don’t panic yet. This isn’t the end! Again, I don’t think it’s wise to monetize hobbies if at all possible but if you’re absolutely set on it or feel it’s your only option rn, consider what you can monetize without violating the policy. Can you offer sliding scale or donation based tutorials or polls for CC? I’ve seen a lot of commission based artists run contests where they pick a random person who’s recently donated and create a quick art piece to that person’s specifications. As long as you’re offering the CC for free immediately upon release, this may be a viable option for you (but I’m not a lawyer so don’t quote me lmao). I’ve seen artists offer things like speed paint videos on their Patreons too, so that’s another idea. Get with your homies and get creative!

Be honest with your supporters. Do you need help with medical expenses? Are you worried about losing money that was helping feed you or your kids? If people can help, they will. And if anyone gives you shit after you’ve been vulnerable, remember the block button is your friend. 

Consider whether your skills may translate to other freelance work. I don’t know the first thing about 3D models, but I’ve heard it’s possible to create them for money! Check in with your friends and see what may be available to you. 

Draw boundaries. If you have to quit or slow your roll on creating to find other work that pays the bills, do it and don’t feel guilty about it. Nobody knows your situation but you. 

Don’t expect anyone to sympathize with your all-caps diatribe about how the entire community is full of entitled assholes who owe you their coin for all the work you decided to do of your own accord. If you don’t enjoy making CC for fun, don’t make it. If you need to find other work, do it. Just don’t subject us to an incoherent rant while you do it lmao 

[trilies]

A twitter thread on grooming that I thought was good to pass long further on tumblr as well. Original source here: https://twitter.com/heartsalty/status/1156043571985653760

Transcription of this, plus some things from the twitter thread:

A lot of us are guilty of talking about increased awareness of red flags re: predators and signs of grooming without directly providing them, so I've compiled a some based on a number of articles online (links to follow.)

Helpline resources: https://www.rainn.org/national-resources-sexual-assault-survivors-and-their-loved-ones

The images:

“Signs of Grooming:

1. Taking special interest

The first step of the relationship, where the predator beings pursuing the relationship. Predators target people they perceive as vulnerable.

While social media provides an outlet for people to relate to one another, unfortunately it’s safer NOT to broadcast sensitive personal information, including feelings of insecurity and unhappiness.

(In my experience growing up online, predators zero in on minors who mention strained or difficult relationships with their parents.)

2. Gaining trust

During this stage, the predator will establish themself as a friend. They may use things they have in common, such as experiences, goals, interests, or hobbies, to formulate a bond. 

It is important not to share personal identifying information, such as location, with someone you do not know.

3. Fulfilling needs

Here, the predator will begin to establish themself as a confidant. They will become a listening ear, offering affirmation, gifts, and continuing to take interest in your life and interests. They will likely make promises to improve your life or begin acting in a romantic manner.

Watch for overly familiar compliments or personal questions.

4. Isolating

The predator will try to become your #1 through continued compliments, manipulation, or veiled threats. They will encourage you to keep secrets.

Anyone who tries to guilt you for having other friends or tries to pit you against other people in your life does not have your best interests in mind. Likewise, be wary of someone who acts like you’re responsible for their happiness/well-being or who feeds into insecurities about relationships in your life.

5. Desensitizing

The predator will begin to introduce sexual tones into the relationship. They may ask about your sexual orientation or experiences, begin making innuendos or other sexual jokes, and/or provide you with sexually explicit content. This can range from sexually charged content to p/ornography.

There is no need to feel ashamed or guilty for establishing boundaries. If someone crosses the line, you are within your rights to end the relationship.

6. Controlling

Predators will try to assert control through the use of threats, blackmail, abuse, or manipulation (guilt, shame, blaming).

Talk to someone you trust or access a helpline. It isn’t too late to end this relationship.”

Ok, gonna clarify some stuff: •These points are listed in order; it's a gradual shift from 'new friendship' to 'toxic relationship.' If you never get past 'fulfilling needs' then you prob made yourself a good friend.

(though I think the extent to which they try to fulfill your needs is still something to be aware of, just to avoid codependency which can be unintentionally harmful or stunting) 

The reason why I personally included the first two points is to show that a predator is going to look normal and trustworthy before escalating their behaviors.

also to remind kids not to broadcast their personal issues

If you take issue with this list, fine. Lemme know if I misrepresented something. But they ARE the signs of grooming most commonly acknowledged by child safety orgs & that's the basis of the post. The only other thing I can speak to is my own experience & that's 100% objective.

Finally, I kept this list short so people would read it. I couldn't account for EVERY caveat or "what if" scenario. That's where your own common sense comes in, I'm not the authority on this subject.

I really want to emphasize that predators are smart and they know what they're doing. If you've been hurt, you're not alone and it isn't your fault. You're not dumb, or weak, or anything else you may have been led to believe. You're human. 

If you're in a relationship that you suspect may be predatory, please know that it isn't too late to get help. It's best to back out early and apologize later if you find you've misjudged the situation than ignore your gut and end up being right. 

And anyone, especially minors, be aware. You can't tell someone's intentions by looking at them or by what kind of media they consume or fandom they participate in. You only know who someone is by the way they behave. Predators will deceive you by having the "right" appearance. 

I'm not saying you should be paranoid or that you shouldn't form any relationships online. Just be discerning & careful. Also, it's worth noting that if you meet up with someone online and they don't want to meet in a public place or they want to take you to another location? Red flag.

Not to go all STREET SMARTS! but it's true that your chances of coming out of a situation unscathed decreases once you've reached the second location. 

Be safe out there, everyone. And if you think someone might be a predator, for christ's sake don't engage w them. The last thing we need is vulnerable people being encouraged to act like vigilantes instead of going to the authorities, who actually have the power to do something.