#using this as an opportunity to practice my second person perspective..

[lovemeafterhrs]

idk if ur takin requests girl but i’m fr begging for any kuroo content like ur suna smoke fic i will pay good good dalla for that

my requests are currently closed but you’ve inspired me so i whipped up a little somethin’ just for you :P

“kuroo.. what the fuck.” you guffaw, making direct eye contact with the googly eyes attached to your roommate’s new six foot bong.

“got it on a sale, you like it?”

“i mean, yeah. but i’m not sure it’s the most practical.” you shrug, taking a closer look at the pools of color trapped inside the glass. “the eyes are a nice touch.”

“right? please tell me you have your grinder.”

“fuck. i’ll call kenma.” you frown, reaching for your phone in hopes of getting ahold of the grumpy blonde that’s currently in possession of the only thing you’re lacking.

after approximately seven calls between the two of you, kenma arrives at the apartment looking like he just crawled out of the trenches of hell.

the first thing that catches his eye is the comically large water pipe, standing tall above everyone in the room besides the rooster-headed man. soulless plastic eyeballs glare at him forebodingly as he takes a few steps towards the couch.

“you losers woke me up after my twelve hour shift for this?”

“well, yeah.” kuroo grins as he reaches for the sealed container.

“you still have my grinder.” you add, tone playful as you wrap your arm around kenma’s shoulders. he hands it over to you with a sigh, letting you lead him towards the couch.

“you left it at my house.” his reply earns an offended gasp from you, pretending his words aren’t completely true as you watch kuroo plop ice cubes down the neck of the bong.

both you and kenma have to stand on top of the couch cushions to even reach the mouthpiece, and each hit is a duel effort as the other lights the bowl from the floor.

kuroo finds it to be far too comical, until he tries to take a hit and it nearly fucking kills him. it doesn’t help that you’re kneeled on the floor in front of him, eyes glazed over as you watch him cough and die.

tetsurou learns far too quickly that his new purchase is more for decoration than practicality, and after a couple rounds around the circle he’s back to rolling joints at the kitchen table.

across from him, kenma’s barely paying attention to his friend’s babbling. he’s far more content silently playing video games on his switch while he waits for you to finally make something to eat, but he supposes it would be kinder to listen for once.

you however, have chosen to tune them out for the time being as you brown strips of chicken on the stovetop.

“it’s a waste of money.” you tune back in just in time to catch kozume’s snide remark, followed shortly by a loud, offended huff.

“it is not! fuck this, i’m trying it again.” just like that, kuroo’s jumping from his seat to prove him wrong. you hear the soft patter of kenma’s footsteps as he follows his friend to the living room, and you focus back in on the task at hand.

your moment of peace does not last for very long.

preparations for dinner are abruptly halted when you hear a loud crash followed by the sound of glass hitting the floor.

a loud screech fills your ears, and you turn the corner to find tetsurou hunched over in front of the remains of his shiny new piece. bong water coats the knees of his pants as he mourns, looking like a kicked puppy as he sniffles from the floor.

“dumbass.” kenma huffs, bowl piece still loaded in his hands as he shakes his head at his best friend.

[simp-ly-writes]

Dreams of Dragons (pt.1)

─────── · · A House of the Dragon FanFic

PAIRING: Daemon Targaryen x Fem!Targaryen!Reader

SUMMARY: It had been centuries since Kings and Dragons ruled over Westeros but in your dreams- they still do. Being a descendant of the Targaryens, your parents told you stories of the great battles your family had fought generations ago that inspire to to become an archeologist determined to dig up more on your families past. So on a opportunity trip to Dragonstone, you are met by an invisible force that appears to have its own plans for you.

TAGS: alternate universe, canon divergence, no use of y/n, second person perspective, female pronouns used, coarse language, depictions of blood and anxiety attacks, emotional hurt/comfort, protective!Daemon, angst, soulmates, time travel, not beta read. MASTERLIST | TAGLIST REQUEST | WORDCOUNT: 2,070 | NEXT PART A/N: this is my first time writing something for this fandom, please be kind and I hope you all enjoy!

─────── · ·

EVER SINCE YOU WERE A CHILD, YOU WERE FASCINATED BY DRAGONS. Once night would fall your parents would sit at the foot of your bed, a flickering lamp by your bedside acted as the only illumination of the room and played with the shadows to cast the great tales of your ancestors, the once mighty House Targaryen upon your ceiling.

Eyes feeling heavy and body sore from running about all day, your mind was always active, imagination sparking to life as their stories washed over into your dreams that you often confused with reality. Your dreams always felt too real, as if that distant past was increasingly tangible every time you opened your mind to rest.

You could hear the sounds of battle, the clashing of metal and cries of men fighting amongst ash and blood that seemingly rained down from the skies. You were unflinching to the thunderous roars of dragons above, their wings the wind carrying the smoke over to everyone neighbouring in warning not to mess with the Targaryen's. But it was a dream you woke up from nevertheless as you found yourself back in the waking realm day after day.

Your parents thought nothing of your over-active imagination nor your constant desire to learn more of your ancestry, just taking it to you being a curious child with an ambitious mind for knowledge so they kept telling you stories of the bravest princesses and princes that defended the realm, the tricks and battles they faced, and of course, the dragons they rode above the clouds touching the sun before anyone else could.

But as you grew older and your peers 'matured past fantasies' as your teachers put it, you became distanced from the people of your years and wanted to stuff your face in a book or memorize another historical map than attend any social events or soccer practices.

The walls of your room could not expand like your mind and became increasingly flooded in your illustrations and detailed diagrams of each house crest and dragon you read in your books.

Once the upper years of your secondary school education came, so did your time to shine in your historical, political, and classical studies. With ease you could recite the lineage of the great houses and every battle waged from coast to coast of Westeros that allowed you an early pass into college where your passions could be fully envisioned.

But with every sleepless night that passed you by from being enveloped in your studies, your once vivid dreams of the battlefields faded to staring at the back of your eyelids and waking up to the sound of your alarm.

─────── · ·

You would be one of the earliest graduates from your doctorate program in archeology and history, the slips of paper hung proudly up on your office walls beside your original illustrations that you hoped to inspire the younger generations that stepped foot into your office with a thirst for knowledge just like you were and to some point, still are.

The university you graduated from and now worked at was sending you and a small research team to the remains of Dragonstone and you nearly kissed your department head in thanks as you ran out of the meeting room to pack your bags and equipment. 

A heavy backpack, duffle bag, and camera bag were all thrown into the back of your car as you made your way towards the airport for your overnight flight to the coast where it would be a few days of boat travel before you would reach the island. 

You fell asleep easily on the flight contradicting the restless excitement you felt and for the first time in years, you didn’t see the back of your eyelids but vines slithering between weathered stones. The bench you sat on was a cold hard stone, porous and rough underneath your palms as you observed the long black dress you wore. 

Pinching the material between our fingers, its softness confused you for the garment materials you researched for the lower classes were definitely not so velvety. Hiking up your gown slightly you stared at your polished short heels that confirmed your suspicions. You were a noble woman of some kind in this new dream and by the looks of your hands, had yet to see battle if you ever were. 

A cough has your eyes snapping upwards, your skirt dropping as your neck warms and crawls up to your cheeks. “To be scandalized or enthralled by seeing the princesses hiked up skirts, hm,” a tall man with long white hair hums to himself whilst leans against a pillar, hand lazily resting upon the hilt of a sword, their smirk wavering on a grin as they await your response with humour evident not only in their tone but in they violet eyes. 

You look away confused, you recognize the man from some place yet cannot place a name to the face as you take in the gardens that surround you in search of an answer. The rain of blood from past dreams is now a small fountain with a swan spraying water in a steady stream from its beak into a porcelain bowl. The flowers that surround you are thriving in various pigmented shades of reds, blues, and yellows; land untrampled and not a single corpse or dragon in sight.

Your distant attitude and lack of response seem to offend the man, his smile sliding off his face as he casts a glare to the foliage for taking your attention away from him. He takes long strides, sword and cape swinging by his sides to stand before you, casting you in his shadow as a gloved hand tucks a strand of your matching white hair behind your ear. 

“What troubles your mind?” His voice is tender, all traces of humour left as you turn to look into his eyes. No one had ever spoken to you nevertheless touched you in a dream before… you pinch yourself in an effort to wake the real you up only to see a bruise starting to form against your skin. The silver-haired man before you hisses, separating your hand from your skin with a glare, “why are you punishing yourself? What have you done?” 

You watch as the pastel violet fades to a deep purple and look away, mind racing to conjure an explanation but any thoughts are ripped away as a gloved hand grips your chin, forcing your eyes to cast upon his refined features set between a dozen healed scars. “Are you still ill? Do you need me to grab a Maester?” 

He uses his teeth to pull the glove off his other hand, leaving it to fall amongst the grass and clovers before resting his knuckles against your forehead to check your temperature, “you don’t feel hot…” his voice a mere murmur in his observation before sharpening, “who has made you this way?” 

His grip is unwavering on your chin, bordering on a physical comfort and hurtful as you mistake his growing concern for anger and rush to speak, “It is me! This is all of my doing, your highness.” You swallow deeply and pray that you stated the correct title so as to not lose your physical head. You shake yourself away from his touch before moving to stand. 

Yet just as you step around his broad frame his hand reaches for your upper arm, keeping you in place, “Do you forget yourself?” his mouth pressed directly near your near, he feels you still beneath his touch. 

“Please, excuse me,” you look straight forwards, peering down the open hallway for an escape. 

“I demand you tell-” the man is cut off by a new feminine tone that steps out into the sunlight. She too wears a long dress yet hers is mostly red with gold accents. Her hair braided across the top of her head to form a crown, her stance upright, gaze as violet and piercing as the man who holds you and suddenly it dawns on you. 

“Princess Rhaenyra,” you whisper before slowly turning your head to meet the Rogue Prince’s gaze. Your mouth is agape, eyes wide before casting down as you try and bow yet Daemon’s hold on your arm keeps you. 

“She is not right in the head,” Dameon calls over his shoulder to his niece who looks between the two people she adores most in concern. You shoot the prince a glare for his choice of words that he chooses to ignore. 

“But the Maester promised that once she woke up again she would be herself again,” Rhaenyra frowns. Dameons hand slips down your arm, fingers interlacing with your own before raising your hands to press a lingering kiss to your knuckles. His thumb tracing the sparks leftover from his mouth to your skin.

You open and close your mouth like a fish out of water, breathing starting to become ragged as you feel overwhelmed, not understand why you have yet to wake up, why the royals you to some part idolized in the stories your parents told you were worried over you presently, “It's just not adding up,” and you don’t realize to be speaking your thoughts. 

“What does not?” Rhaenyra takes another step forwards, hesitant to give you space, not wanting to overwhelm you further. Your lip quivers and you swear to hear a bee humming in your ears as your body begins to sweat. You start to grip at your bodice that feels too tight against your body, feet wavering on stability before you feel yourself falling back and into an awaiting chest. 

“Get the Maesters!” Daemon roars before hearing a dozen rushed feet of servants departing down the hall. He walks you both towards the bench to sit in his lap, pushing your head gently back to rest against his padded shoulder. 

Rhaenyra falls to her knees before you both, gripping your hands with tears welling in her eyes, “please,” she squeezes your hands, “stay with me, I cannot do this alone again, I need my-” you fail to catch the rest of her words feeling as your eyes grow heavy with every passing moment. Your breaths begin to even out in contrast to Daemons short panicked ones as his hands rubs up in down your waist in a reassurance for you or himself you will never get to know as sleep overcomes you, the last thing you hear are his pleas, “wake up, I will not live to see you laying lifeless for another day!”

─────── · ·

You find yourself in the waking world and being blinded by artificial lighting as a stewardess politely asks you to place your seat upright and tray up. You hastily comply with an anxious smile as your co-worker in the aisle seat across from you greets you a polite, “good morning.”

But as you deboard the plane, grab your luggage and head for the boats down by the docks, it is as if a presence lingered behind you… watching… waiting, your paranoia growing with every step you took closer towards Dragonstone. You could hear your heartbeat like a drum ringing in your ears with every step you took, connecting to your soul as you were unflinching to the waves coming over the boat, soaking you to the core. 

You debated turning back as you were last to leave the boat and step onto rocky terrain yet your body was acting on its own volition, physically keeping you from moving backwards and dragged you to the cliff face as the sun was setting, a pastel painting of hues reflecting across the deep blue sea that you stood before. A town of tents behind you and a fortress awaiting just up the hill. 

The cool ocean breeze kissed your skin and blades of grass brushed up against your ankles like the island was comforting you for something you had yet to discover. A call of your name has you snapping from your thoughts, a flash of silver out of the corner of your eye has you ignoring your peers before you squeeze your eyes to shut off the nonsense you were experiencing and join everyone for a communal dinner that you are last to leave from, childish to say you were scared to fall asleep in fear of waking up on the other side again… 

─────── · ·

NEXT PART

─ · · A/N: what did you think? and is there anything you want to happen next? 😊

[kpopsexstories]

hi can i request xiapjun wayv rpugh sec with breeding kink?

And, even though this one actually takes place in a hotel room, it's also a response to: "Xiaojun smut when he doing it on a backstage or maybe in practice room?"

One-shot #19: Backstage Sex with WayV Xiaojun

This is the 19th story of my broader Mixed One-shots series.

Celebrity: WayV Xiaojun x Female Reader

Sex Content: Girl shouts "impregnate me Xiaojun" when he's on stage, Standing, Missionary, Dirty talk, A little rough.

Type of Sex: WILD

Word Count: 3.8k

When WayV is on tour there's a running joke between the members: that one of them will end up getting a fan pregnant. Ten was the one who said it first, when Winwin had unprotected sex with a girl he only just met. This was before he left the group, of course, but the joke – and the promiscuity and sexual habits of the boys – have lived on ever since.

Xiaojun, however, was not one to take the joke seriously. Actually none of them really did. Winwin's bare dick in the pussy of a random fan who happened to be in the right place at the right time was nothing short of a mistake. Since that day, condoms were a staple in their mental packing lists, and those who wore the same size frequently borrowed from one another.

A very much related recurring joke was that they collectively contributed negatively to global warming. Their reasoning was the excessive consumption of rubber, which – they joked – was so far above the average that surely it must be measurable. Yangyang was the one who came up with that one.

Fame certainly came with perks, but jokes aside the boys didn't actually have an excessive amount of sex. It happened, even with fans, and they did all pack and use condoms. But to some extent this was also just friendly banter between a group of horny young men. Getting laid wasn't as easy as one might think when you were famous, nor were they as reckless as their jokes made them out to be.

Bringing a stranger – especially someone who was also a fan – back to the hotel room was always risky. Xiaojun had done it twice. The first time was with a girl he met at a party after a show. The second was with girl who stopped him in the street. She had asked for a photo and he left with her number. A million girls – and guys – would kill for the opportunity.

This story, however, is about the third time. The time when Xiaojun met you, and when your kink became part of the joke and led to an accidental pregnancy. The time when Xiaojun fucked you so good you forgot all about who he was, and when he actually did do something reckless by indulging you in your sexual fantasies.

There was nothing stupid about your body in his arms, but his condomless dick inside you was. Had the others ever found out about it Xiaojun would have dethroned Winwin. From his perspective it's good that they never did.

Your initial contact with one another came when Xiaojun was on stage and walked in the direction of your section. You weren't right next to him, but you were close enough for him to hear you if you shouted extremely loud.

You're not sure quite what came over you that night. Maybe it was the ecstasy of the show and the pure joy you felt. Maybe it was the naive idea of getting personal attention from your idol. Or maybe it was Xiaojun's hot figure that became too much for you to control yourself. Whatever it was, you're glad that you did what you did.

When Xiaojun came closer and looked in your general direction, you yelled from top of your lungs: “IMPREGNATE ME XIAOJUN!”

Xiaojun's eyes widened as he glanced out across the audience. He smiled wide and laughed when he spotted you and you shouted again: “XIAOJUN, I WANNA HAVE YOUR BABIES!”

And guess what? Your adrenaline-induced antics actually worked. Xiaojun seemed to find it funny. And several times for the rest of the night you could swear he was looking at you with a playful lust and desire in his eyes.

Let me tell you a secret: He was undressing you in his mind just as much as you were undressing him.

But then the show ended, and you parted ways. Your interaction with one another could and normally would have ended there. Except in this case it didn't. Because once you returned to your hotel – where you shared a room with a group of friends – there was a sudden commotion in the lobby.

I mean, come on… Call it fate, call it incredible good luck, call it whatever you want. Personally I would say that you're crazy.

The reason you ended up in Xiaojun's bed that night is quite clear to me: You stood out from the crowd by asking him to impregnate you, in front of an arena packed with people, and he was horny enough to be intrigued by it. In fact he loved it. He would have fucked you right then and there – on the stage while the world watched– if only it wouldn't have had terrible consequences.

Instead, he had to settle for his bed. And I'm quite sure neither of you were sad about that. Because damn, you're a filthy one and so is Xiaojun. There's no way you could have done what you did with each other backstage.

I'll spare you the boring details. Instead, I'll tell you what you want to hear: how magnificent Xiaojun was, and how exciting and hot the sex you had would prove to be.

If you could see me right now I'm rolling my eyes at you, but lovingly. Truth be told I'm probably a little jealous. Incredible luck indeed.

Anyway, let me describe your time with Xiaojun in detail. Are you sure you're ready for this?

Sex starts here…

It's late at night and you're in Xiaojun's hotel room after an amazing show. Xiaojun pulls you closer from behind and rips your pants down. You bend forward and grab hold of a table for balance. When you feel his hands exploring your ass and hips with a strong passion, you straighten yourself and lean back into his arms.

“Mm, fuck Xiaojun, impregnate me,” you moan for his pleasure.

I swear, I wish this was all a joke.

His hands glide into your shirt. His fingers reach your boobs while his arms hold you tight from behind. You press your shoulder blades into his bare chest and feel him breathing warm air down your neck.

“Mm, Xiaojun,” you moan and squirm. “Mm, fuck you make me wet.”

Xiaojun is turned on by your words. You can tell it from the way he squeezes and holds you. He doesn't really move, yet the sexual desire is unmistakable in the way his body's tensing.

You recall his lustful looks from the stage. His noises confirm what you already know. “Mm, fuck you're hot,” he says and presses his dick against your cheeks.

“Mm, Xiaojun, I wanna feel your cock inside me,” you whisper in the dark.

“Oh yeah, you will baby. You want me to make you pregnant, huh?”

Your eyes shoot open. “Yes baby, I do. Ohhh, yes!”

He buries his nose in your hair. “You want me to fuck you so good my cum is dripping out of your pussy?”

Fuck! “Yes! Oh, yes! I want your cum in me.”

My God, you make me pregnant just telling you about all this.

Xiaojun suddenly pulls away and turns you around with a violent twist. He grabs your shoulders and holds you firmly, and looks deep into your eyes.

“I don't know you,” he says, ”but I'm sure you'd be a great mom. I'll cum inside you if you want me to. We'll make beautiful babies together.”

“Yes, please, I beg you,” you whimper, weakened by his strong grip and deep, dark eyes. “Please, fuck me!”

Neither of you can hold back any longer. You raise your arms and Xiaojun rapidly pulls your shirt over your head. You make out, hard and passionately, naked and horny. You moan, groan and grind against each other, rubbing your bodies together like you've been desperate for this moment for years.

In truth, you probably have. But Xiaojun didn't even know about your existence until just a few hours ago.

It's hard to know what's going on in Xiaojun's head at this moment. He heard your plea from the stage and it did amazing things to him. You've only just met, yet it feels like he's actually serious about knocking you up. Maybe he knows you'll probably never see each other again, and the risk of making you pregnant is turning him on.

All I know for sure is that, in the moment you're standing there naked together, it turns you on. Just the thought of it arouses you and makes you drip.

*****

You're completely nude with Xiaojun, in his hotel room after his show during which you loudly and recklessly asked him to impregnate you. You're wrapped tight in each other's arms, lips smacking passionately together. You're insane just for being here, and so is he for indulging you in your fantasy. Insane, horny and reckless. Damn, I'm so jealous right now!

Xiaojun grabs your thighs and lifts you up, suddenly raising you onto the table against which you're making out. You spread your legs for him, inviting his sperm to come in. You glance down to see his cock which throbs and points straight out between his strong legs.

You close your eyes and moan when it slips inside your wet pussy. The organ stretches your folds, lubricated by your bodily fluids. You can already feel your maternal instincts jump leaps ahead of reality.

“Mm,” Xiaojun moans. He feels your side boob and pulls you closer with a hand on your lower back. You quickly devour the entirety of his shaft.

“Fuck, don't stop,” you say. It feel hard and hot for the both of you.

“Mm, yeah,” he repeats, while you run your hand down his chest and abs. “Let's make a baby, baby. You want to, right?”

It's what you've been asking for. It's something you've wanted for quite some time, desperately. You never imagined it to be with him specifically of course, but here you are. The desire has turned into a real kink, and consequences be damned, there's nothing you want more in this moment than for Xiaojun to plant his seeds inside you.

His rock hard cock in your tight vagina is just the beginning. You want his bodily fluids to fill you and fertilize you. “Yeah, oh yes, fuck Xiaojun you feel good! Yes, please, pump me full!”

Xiaojun is about to do just that. The words really do turn him on too. He quickly begins to thrust, fast and violently, while he pushes and pulls your ass and clit onto his cock, making you slide back and forth on the table.

You kiss, long and hard. His arms keep flexing and his face quickly begins to twist. You feel him tensing, enjoy the hard muscles in your hands, just as much as his magnificent boner in your hole. The way his waist and hips move when he fucks you good on the table, just the way he promised, feels amazing.

Your hand slides down his side. You raise your legs and rub his thighs with your feet. You pull him just as hard as he is pulling you, your pussy wetter and his shaft throbbing harder than ever.

“Let's make a baby,” you whisper and moan.

“Mm, yeah, I can't wait to meet him,” he says.

“Him?” you ask and give the man a side eye.

That's the last time you joke about this. The rest of this story is no joke at all.

You feel Xiaojun's flat but toned ass cheeks. They're nice, his muscles working tirelessly, and the crack between them feels so good. Distinct, toned, and incredibly sexy and erotic.

He's building up a sweat. You push your arm into his armpit and hold him tight around the back and shoulder. He feels strong. Eager, ready to be your baby daddy.

You drag your hand across his chest, his heart and pecs pumping just as strongly as his cock soon will.

You reach in between your legs, feel the root of the shaft going in and out of your vagina, as it rubs your clit in just the right spot. Your fingers become just as wet as your pussy already is.

And finally you feel his abs, wet and slippery, and his preliminary discharge as you wipe your fingers on his hot body.

“Mm, fuuuck!” Xiaojun suddenly howls. His face is a crumpled mess by now.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” you repeat audibly, each time he slams his dick quick and hard into your hole.

“Shit, you'll be pregnant soon!”

“Yes! Xiaojun! Fill me up.”

The table bangs against the wall.

“I'm gonna put lots of babies in you.”

“Yes, please, put your load in me.”

You lean slightly back, his body pushing into and towering over you.

“Y-you'll be a great… Baby… Mama!”

“Yeeees, ahhh, Xiaojuuuun!”

Xiaojun suddenly thrusts so hard a glass falls off the tabletop. It crashes onto the floor and breaks into a million pieces, a literal metaphor of your life from this day on.

But this isn't it. He won't impregnate you in this moment. Because let's be honest here… the idea of getting pregnant is your kink, not his, and it's not all you want from the man.

Just as you feel him about to discharge you push him away. Xiaojun gets the message and pulls out. He grabs your body and pulls you with him. You make out with such lust and passion it's a wonder you haven't both come already.

He takes you to his bed, where he abruptly throws you onto the mattress. You bounce up and down when you land, naked and horny, while he climbs on top of you.

“Mm, Xiaojun, let me feel your hard dick.”

“Yeah, baby, I can't wait to come inside you.”

“You're serious, right?” you ask and look at him while he pushes his dick back inside you, and you close your eyes and moan. “You wanna be my baby’s daddy, right?”

Xiaojun suddenly stops thrusting his cock into you and looks you in the eye. He holds you with an arm behind your back, pulling your chest and stomach onto his while tilting his head back.

“Yeah,” he says slowly and smiles faintly. “I wanna father our children. May I, please?”

You burst out in an enormous smile. “Yes,” you whisper. “I want a baby, and I want you to be the father.”

“You weren't kidding when you yelled at me on stage?”

Whatever you were thinking back then, you and I both know that you weren't actually serious. But you weren't kidding either. What you thought and felt in that moment was more than just a kink or a funny joke. It's your sexual fantasy, and there are no words to explain the phenomena you experience between you.

“No, I wasn't,” you say with a serious expression. “I want you to fuck me without a condom.”

“Really?” Xiaojun asks, as if he still quite can't believe it. His body abruptly jolts as if what you just said turns him on immensely.

“Yeah. I want your sperm, your seeds, your love.”

Xiaojun finds your words poetic and snickers. He smiles wide and starts to thrust again, rolling his hips slowly while gently shoving his hard dick into your pussy.

He kisses your neck and his hands are all over your sides. He spreads his knees slightly to push the dick deeper with each thrust. You caress his back and ass, faster and more lustfully, and he soon starts to grimace and groan again.

You close your eyes and enjoy the sensation of his shaft stretching you wide, and the feeling of his warm and tensing body wrapped in your arms. He gives you another kiss on the lips, before he buries his head by your side and keeps it still.

He pants lovingly onto your neck while his ass moves up and down. You feel his body reaching a climax, as he breaks into a gentle sweat and saliva drips onto your skin.

Then he finally gets there. Well, not finally, because you could honestly have kept going forever. It was never about the baby.

Xiaojun suddenly gasps. He jolts and jerks and heaves and thrusts as his sperm releases deep inside your pussy. He ejaculates in you with a love and passion that surely can't fail in producing a child. The way he comes inside you there's simply no way his seeds won't take root.

It's not about how fast they swim. It's about how compatible your body is with his. And man, when you feel his dick throb as his balls fill the shaft with cum, shoot it out from the head, fill your pussy and the sperm races to your eggs – you swear you can feel him impregnate you, just the way you asked him to.

Fuck, baby or not, this is the greatest feeling in the world.

Xiaojun's warm, hot, naked body in your arms is incredible. His muscles and warmth feel so good. His dick throbbing and ejaculating feels strong and powerful. And to him, your soft, horny body underneath him is worlds better than he ever imagined having sex with you would feel like, when he spotted you from the stage and undressed you with his eyes.

“FUUUCK, XIOAJUN!” you scream when he fills your womb.

He jolts again, jamming his cock hard and deep. “Ahhh, fuck you're a hot mama!”

You pull yourself onto his shaft with an arm around his neck and a leg wrapped around his, your whole body jerking into his arms. “AHHH, YEEES!”

He jolts a third time, slower but still hard. “Shiiit, I hope they stick,” he exclaims and chuckles when he empties himself fully inside you.

Your body slows down too, your ass sinking into the bed. “Fuck me, you come so good!”

Xiaojun suddenly smiles wide, looking into your eyes again. But he's too weak to speak. You both pant heavily.

“If that didn't make me pregnant nothing will,” you say and giggle, while trying hard to catch your breath.

“I hope I did,” Xiaojun smirks. He's actually not lying.

You lower your legs around him and feel his open arms descending onto you. He holds you close but softly, his hard dick still throbbing inside you as the last drops of cum trickles out.

Fun fact: You weren't actually going to get pregnant until this point. That last trickle of sperm includes the one that will eventually succeed.

Xiaojun lets his forehead weight heavy on your shoulder. He's heaving for air, his warm breath engulfing your breasts. You caress the back of his head as the dick softens.

“Wouldn't that hurt your career though?” you ask, suddenly sounding serious.

“Yeah,” Xiaojun says. “But I wouldn't mind.”

He lifts his head and looks at you, then adds: “I wanna be a father. And I'm serious when I say I think you'd be a great mother.”

I mean, come on, how would the man know? But what is true is that he believes it. You might have just met, but he's felt a connection to you since he first lay his eyes on you. And you've felt it too, years before he even knew you existed.

You chuckle and hold him lovingly. “I'm sure you'd be a great one. Maybe one day.”

“Maybe I already am,” Xiaojun says with a smug grin.

“Maybe you are,” you say softly, not sure if he's talking about this very moment or if he means that he's had a lot of lovers and unprotected sex in the past. Regardless, you don't actually believe in that your sex with him will get you pregnant. “We sure did our best.”

“Yeah, we did,” Xiaojun says and laughs.

He's slowly regaining his strength. You lay in silence for several minutes, his heavy body on top of you and his dick slack inside you.

“Will I see you again at the next show?” you eventually ask, breaking the sweet and tender moment between you.

Xiaojun suddenly looks exceptionally happy. “Why, you coming?”

“Ehm, yeah! If every show is as good as this one, sure I am.”

“The yes,” he says and hugs you tight. “I'd love that.”

You stroke his back and kiss him on the lips. “I'm sure you'll be a great daddy some day.”

“I'm sure you'll be a great mom.” He gives you a wink, then slowly pulls out of you.

He abruptly rolls on his side, then laughs again and says in a mocking tone: ”Impregnate me Xiaojun!”

You chuckle and playfully punch his shoulder. You roll onto his chest and caress him gently, but his words actually make your ovaries go wild. “Well, if it didn't work this time, we can always try again.”

“Don't worry,” Xiaojun says. ”It doesn't matter if you're already carrying my child. We will try again for sure, if you want to.”

*****

You probably have a burning question on your mind right now: Did I ever have sex with Xiaojun again? No, you did not. Sorry ti disappoint, but this was the one and only time. Once you left his hotel room you never saw the man again, at least not in the flesh.

I mean, how could you? How could you tell the poor man that he's a father?

Oh, that's right. You don't even remember that any of this even happened. That's a curious situation, I'll admit.

But there is a simple answer to your precarious situation: It might not be Xiaojun who fathered your beloved child.

It might be Winwin, or Yangyang, or even Ten whose dick erupted inside you only days after Xiaojun's. Perhaps that's why you're in such doubt and denial about all of this.

If only the others had ever learned about any of it. Winwin would have been dethroned for sure, or at least the others would be called his equal. I still can't believe I have to remind you that this ever happened. How can you not remember?

Oh, wait… Now I get it. You do remember, don't you? You just wanted to hear it all again, to make you feel better.

And regarding the question who really is the father… I guess time will tell. For now, you just have to live with the fact that each of the boys you fucked were reckless, and that you were too.

I'm serious and honest when I say that I wish you all the best. It's just too bad Xiaojun will never know that he's a dad. Your kink had some serious consequences indeed, but in reality to no one but yourself.

And now that you've met her you wouldn't want to have it any other way. Whether you understand it or not, Xiaojun is the best thing that ever happened to you. If you were to see him on stage again, I'd strongly advice you to shout the same thing: “IMPREGNATE ME XIAOJUN!”

Because you never know what delightful time it might lead to ❤️🥰👼 Your daughter might want a sibling.

[fizzingwizard]

help

(warning: politics & misogyny & related)

My dad has finally crossed the line.

Since he's swallowed every single MAGA conspiracy and talking point so far - every single one - I thought it was only a matter of time before he swallowed other manosphere garbage too. But I didn't want that because I wouldn't know what to do if that were the case.

When I was a teenager my dad walked in on a converation between my mom and me. Neither of us were feminists in any particular way. I grew up in a conservative evangelical family. I was only beginning to shed the lies that had instilled in me about homosexuality at the time. But a general cultural acceptance of women's rights meant that I did believe women should have a choice about whether they worked or stayed home, and that women are capable of great things which we were barred from in the past by patriarchal rules.

Both my mom and dad grew up in the flower power movement and were liberal democrats when they were young. My dad's sister was at Woodstock. But my dad became intensely conservative after he had kids, and my mom followed suit. She used to me tell me "Your dad is the head of the family, he makes the decisions." My mom probably would have become super feminist if she'd had the opportunity. But she wound up the caretaker of her family at a young age, having had an (in my opinion) abusive and neglectful mother, and she learned to be people-pleaser.

When my dad came down as hard as he did about his views, her nature gave in. Recently she even told me that before she met my dad, she'd been a confident driver. After all, this was her home state, she knew its roads well. My dad, an out-of-towner, berated her so heavily for her "poor driving" that she began to believe him. She only realized that he was wrong after the divorce, and she was on her own to get around 100% of the time.

By the way, my dad has totalled SO MANY CARS. At one point he went through one car a year. We weren't exactly LOADED y'all. We were barely clinging to middle class. Also at the time my dad wasn't even working, my mom though was working 12+ hour days to make ends meet!!

So that's the relevant backstory. I was not raised with a feminist perspective and it's only because of the success of the feminist movement culturally that I had any sense of my potential beyond motherhood at all. So my dad walks on this conversation my mom and I are having about women's roles in America, and it can't have been too terribly radical for the reasons given above. He listens for 30 seconds, then declares, "Women are NOT oppressed," and leaves.

Didn't even stay to debate it. Or explain his reasoning.

He just made his statement, took our shocked silence for submission, and went on back to his man cave.

Obviously at the time I was just confused, not really offended or anything. Since then, as I've learned and grown as a person, I've thought back on it often and wondered what that moment meant. But he's my dad, and he never told me that I shouldn't follow my dreams or demanded that I start making babies. I chalked it up to him knowing that women deserve the rights we had to fight for, but like many men, refusing to acknowledge that having to fight for something means there was an oppressive system. A lot of Boomer men seem to think oppression only happens when the oppressor hates the victim. That is just not true. If it were true, people wouldn't have done so much mental gymnastics to justify slavery including gems such as "We're doing them a favor by feeding them and housing them, they're too incompetent to do it themselves!" and "We're giving them Christianity and saving their eternal souls!"

Oppressors ALWAYS view themselves as the angel in the oppressive system. That is why discriminatory practices are so dangerous even if they're "justified." Because the justification is just a veil for hate to make itself look pretty so "good" people don't have to think they might in fact be "bad" people.

Fast forward to today, and my dad has finally, FINALLY posted an anti-women's rights posts on Facebook. It's not super shocking. Tame in the long run. It's a picture of a nuclear family unit (the mother is weirdly dressed kinda skimpily??) lovingly hugging, with the text "Imagine how much propaganda it took to convince women that THIS is oppression" printed above. Obviously sexist as hell. He's posted misogynistic shit before, like the Kamala Harris slept her way to the top, and other gross insults at female politicians and similar. But when I pointed those out to him, he argued that it's part of the political game, it's trash-talking, it doesn't mean anything bigger than that, he trashes male politicians too (though I don't think I've ever seen him post anything sexual about them). So this is actually new: he's posted something that cannot be defended as trash talk, it is just straight up sexism.

My dad is also, of course, repeating the idiotic republican rants about trans women in sports, and quoting daily, "only weak men play against women" etc. A lot, in fact, MOST, of these posts are absolutely blinding in how self-righteous they are. Republicans are PROTECTING us weak cis women from the evil trans womens! Republicans are our SAVIORS! Republicans LOVE women and RESPECT them and KNOW WHAT A WOMAN IS! In other words, my dad thinks he's pro-woman.

(He's also pro-life. Aaaaand in his twenties, he had an affair with a married woman, got her pregnant, and let her abort... Rules for thee but not for me)

So I'm currently losing my fucking mind because it's one week till Father's Day and I was just about to mail my dad's card and now I reall really really don't want to. This is just one too many strikes. I am not even angry. Just disappointed to the bottom of my soul. Even though I knew it was coming. All the signs pointed to this outcome, but I tried really really hard not to see it.

My brother who is queer wrote my dad off years ago because of his homophobia. That hit too close for home to him. This hits too close to home for me. I don't know what to do. I hate the idea of cutting off my dad. He's in his mid 70s. There won't be much time for reconciliation. But I also can't just pretend this is not happening.

I could call him out on it, but if I did, that would lead to having to talk about politics in general with him. My dad can never stay on topic especially if he's uncomfortable. The reason I imposed a moratorium on politics was because it was the only way he and I could have a relationship without me losing my mind. I have ignored all of his shit on Facebook since Trump's reelection. He has broken it, sending me things three or four times, so I then stated as firmly as I could that while he can do whatever he wants on his own page, political talk directed specifically at ME was NOT welcome. He hasn't pushed me since, even though I'm also posting a lot of politics that he'd find provoking.

So I don't really want to be the one to break that moratorium either. And also I need to consider the fact that, if I do try to talk to him about these things, he won't listen. It's not a question. He won't. I tried it in Trump's first term. My dad would not engage. I gave opinions, facts, sources, as respectfully as I could, and every time, EVERY time, he responding with screaming about how "dems are ruining the country" and "the world is collapsing" and "it's the end times." He NEVER respected with facts of his own. He attacked friends who responded to my posts back then with agreement - college friends of mine he'd never even met. My mom and I both got PMs from people saying my dad was kinda sorta harassing them and saying they were not sure how to handle it because they didn't want us to get caught up in the fall out.

It's insane. I don't know what to do. I hate the manosphere. To every bro who's ever harassed me for being female, online and off, you're all scum.

[blossomthepinkbunny]

I accidentally deleted a question someone asked me because of issues with posting my response and I don't remember the user of the person, so I'll just try to summarize what they asked and then answer. I hope they still see this. (TT)

They were talking about my post regarding some of the worldbuilding issues in HH/HB, specifically this point:

And asked if I would count these things being said on the HB Subreddit as a valid explanation for prisons in hell.

They said, that to them it just seemed like something the writers didn't really think through and mentioned, that hell pretty much functions like earth atp, with the approach to punishment being more akin to a "hell on earth" situation.

This was my response:

Thanks for the question! I do think that could be an answer to prisons being in hell, but I generally don't like/count explanations that were given outside of the show, especially when it's not from an official interview or something. I feel like it was really just something they included without thinking much about it. But I'll use this opportunity to rant about something that's a bit different. Hell is just getting closer and closer to earth and I think the biggest problem is that hell as a place and what happens there is never defined really. Atleast not what living in hell means for Hellborn. For Sinners it's supposed to be a place with punishment, but the punishment is more like what you mentioned with the "hell on earth" idea. This is because there is no outside form of punishment, all the harm that Sinners experience is self-inflicted in a way. I assumed the exterminations were a form of punishment, but the show makes it clear that they aren't supposed to happen and only really do, because Adam gets off to it. Im fine with the punishment that Sinners receive, because they did something to end up in hell, but Hellborns? To them, hell is just the place they were born and they didn't to anything specific to end up there. They don't really deserve to be punished. But I would be fine with the fact that the have to endure harm/punishment down there if it was consistent in any way. First off, the sinners just live in one ring of hell, the pride ring. If Hellborns have to endure harm, because they live among sinners and there is no way to differentiate between the two that's alright, but sinner only live in one ring, why not just make a working system in every other ring? And to call hell a "place with no rules" could work, if there weren't very obviously rules to this place still. There's a system with higher-ups, there's prisons and therapy centers, there are rules to who can or can't date someone and who gets access to certain powers/items. But there is seemingly no god who makes all of these rules. Lucifer, the king of hell doesn't care and only seems to hang out in his own ring (as far as HH let's us assume), so who makes these rules and why does anyone follow them/act like they're a big deal. We have no reason to assume that the sins care about anything that presents issues in the show (except for Mammon caring about his money being stolen, but I'll get to that). Mammon only cares about his wealth and Asmodeus and Beelzebub seem like pretty chill people overall. But to get back to the point, we see Moxxie end up in prison in the greed ring after stealing a bunch of money with Chaz. It makes sense for Mammon to want to punish him, which to me, it would make more sense to just kill him. What does Mammon gain by putting him in jail for a bit and then just letting him go? The sins are unbelievably strong (atleast we can assume that, because powerscaling is practically nonexistent in HH/HB), they could kill an Imp in matter of seconds. The idea that prison is more of a punishment is only sustainable if you go at it from the perspective of someone who enjoys the suffering of others. Someone like Adam, who would go out of his way to maybe visit the prisons, or oversee punishments, just to enjoy seeing another person get abused. But who does that in the greed ring? I assumed, with how hell was characterized so far, Demons are more selfish than they are sadistic. I thought the idea was, that everyone is more focused on self-sustainability, rather than directly hurting others (atleast for the Hellborns). And yeah, Mammon abuses Fizzarolli, but it's never something he does because he directly and intentionally wants to hurt him. It's just more of a means to an end for him, something that just so happens to be a byproduct to making Fizzarolli famous. And if Mammon isn't in charge of the prisons, then who is? Other Imps? Another sin that for some reason has influence over what happens in the greed ring? The goetia? Lucifer?

And if it's not about punishment necessarily, but more about the labor they can get out of prisoners that begs the question of why Mammon would need to pay Demons anyways. You cannot tell me that the personification of Greed, who so far has only been characterized by money would pay his workers when he doesn't need to. He's a sin, who would stand up to him anyways? What about just making contracts with demons. Does Angel get money from Valentino, or Husk from Alastor? I don't think so. Or are contracts something only sinners can do, but not some immortal, eldritch beings literally born in hell. And what money even means in a technically "lawless" place is also never explained deeper. So the idea with prisons being more punishment is only really an explanation to a certain degree. I would probably still count it, if it was mentioned in the show or, if hell was generally better established as a setting, but it mostly seems like an excuse for something that wasn't that thought out. Sorry that this answer is so long, I sorta got carried away.

[nightowlssleep]

While I love Dual Destinies I'm not above wanting to rewrite certain elements so

Case rewrite: (I'm giving Athena more cases guys!!!!)

I'd set it up as the following:

Turnabout Countdown: Athena as the attorney, Phoenix as co-council

The Monstrous Turnabout: Apollo as the attorney, Athena as co-council (Trucy tags along to investigations)

Turnabout Reclaimed: Athena as the attorney, Phoenix as co-council (Pearl tags along to investigations)

Turnabout Academy: Athena as the attorney, Apollo as co-council (Phoenix and/or Klavier tags along to investigations)

The Cosmic Turnabout: Apollo as the attorney, Athena as co-council (After Apollo leaves, Athena as the attorney, Phoenix as co-council)

Turnabout for Tomorrow: Phoenix as the attorney (no co-council until the mood matrix segment) (Trucy, then Pearl tags along to investigations)

(In my rewrite Phoenix only gets his badge back right before Turnabout for Tomorrow, therefore while Athena doesn't get a lot more cases, she still gets Reclaimed and The Cosmic Turnabout)

• Firstly, Turnabout Countdown: I personally like that this game has a non linear first case, I think it works with setting up the mystery with Apollo and even Juniper

I think letting Athena take over the case is a very good start to seeing her character BUT THAT'S WHEN PHOENIX HAS TO COME IN AND TAKE ALL THE SPOTLIGHT

God I hate that, I get it, it's Phoenix's grand return but still, LET ATHENA DEFEND

Anyways in my rewrite, Athena has her panic attack, Phoenix comes in as co-council (Doesn't have his badge back yet therefore can't take over the case) and helps Athena through the case, nice mentor moment 👍🏻

• The Monstrous Turnabout: I like that this case happens from Apollo's perspective, I'd like it if it would feel a bit more like AA4 since (to me) it's very reminiscent to Turnabout Corner

Anyways I don't have too many gripes with this case, maybe more Trucy to tag along with investigating cuz I'd like to see her and Athena interacting

As for Athena I like that she has an "observing" case where she can see how a more experienced attorney handles a case

I also like that Phoenix is mostly missing from this case (my personal explanation is he's taking the bar during this but he only gets his badge back much later cuz the bar association is still a bit ehhh about letting him pass) (dw Edgeworth helps out with getting it back)

• Turnabout Reclaimed: Oh I love this case

Probably my favourite in the second trilogy (going to an aquarium right before I watched it probably helped with the enjoyment tbh)

Since Phoenix is still missing his badge Athena has to defend (she's also the one who's a big fan of Shipshape aquarium and begged Phoenix to help them so I don't even get why Phoenix gets this case)

I like the idea of such a silly case being Athena's first, I could also see Phoenix using this opportunity to pull Athena's leg a little, so the we can still feel the Beanix in him

Like he agrees that the agency will take the case and Athena assumes that he'll make Apollo represent the orca but instead he turns to her like "Athena you'll take the case, since you're such an eager fan" and that way Athena can experience getting messed with by her boss but also let it be a learning opportunity without it being an overtly traumatic first trial (I don't think he wants a repeat of Apollo's first trial lol)

Anyways student mentor moments, while Apollo and Trucy are practicing magic tricks in the office or something (could be foreshadowing to the fact that Trucy will get her own magic show in the next game)

• Turnabout Academy: No notes for this case's trial segment really, I just wish Klavier would act a bit more like himself, and Juniper acknowledging that her costume was inspired by Lamiroir (It could be a cool call back, like Juniper watched *that* specific performance and really liked Lamiroir's outfit and decided to recreate it or something and Apollo could point it out so we get more of the "I like Lamiroir's aura" thing he says) (Capcom tell him that she's his mother I beg)

I like that this time around Athena jumps to promise defending Juniper, that's good

Also maybe more AA4 call backs?? Maybe a Kristoph mention?? Please??

• The Cosmic Turnabout: Disclaimer: I don't remember much from this case so if anything is wrong, feel free to correct me

I like how mysterious the whole eye patch thing is even though we're in Apollo's perspective, it also makes sense that he'd take the case

To add to the tension I'd mention Phoenix being worried about still not getting his badge back and that's why he can't be there in the gallery (He's arguing his case with the Bar association with Edgeworth probably or something)

I like how hurried Blackquill is during this trial too, he's convincing himself and trying to project that Starbuck is the Phantom because he doesn't have more time and he wants to finish his mission of chasing ghosts seven years past even if it's not the truth, I think that that was done well

I'd like for Athena to notice this, point it out to Apollo, but since Apollo is already on edge about Athena I'd like to think he takes it as "Athena is more worried about a murderer than our case, than about my friend, than about me... Is this a sign?" And that (and the explosion) could be the last push for him to dip from the agency and go on his own investigation (maybe reaching out to Kristoph...? Hmm? Mr "Evidence is everything in court"?)

As for after the explosion, I'd like to think Apollo left the case to Phoenix (cuz he was convinced that Phoenix would get his badge back by that time) but since Nick is still missing his badge Athena decides that she'll take over and defend Starbuck

Anyways all goes the same Athena gets arrested, and with no attorney left in the agency... What now?

• Turnabout for Tomorrow: Phoenix leaves the courtroom alone

Trucy who witnessed the whole thing from the gallery, runs up to him, similarly worried about "what now?"

Phoenix gets a call. From who? We won't know for a bit but we can assume (It's Edgeworth)

Anyways, at last, there's another attorney in the agency who can help... Phoenix got his badge back

Now finally being a full fledged lawyer again, him and Trucy go investigating, we get father daughter moments, unravelling the mystery of the Cykes and Blackquills, everything goes mostly as it happens in canon, after Trucy gets kidnapped Pearl tags along and when Phoenix and her are investigating the space station, Edgeworth shows up with Phoenix's lawyer badge in hand

They're facing eachother in court again

PHOENIX WRIGHT, THE TURNABOUT TERROR, IS BACK IN COURT

Anyways epic return (instead of the random come back in the dlc case???) (Like it's funny that he's defending an orca but still)

Everything else happens like canon, except Athena gets to hug Blackquill after he's freed because they're siblings your honour and she's been working seven years for this to finally happen

Happy end and celebration at Eldoon's Noodles obviously

And that is my AA5 rewrite, thanks for coming to my TED talk

[loganremade]

Out of curiosity, how are your professors like?

let me break it down for you

pluralistic society and teaching about the arts professor: my favorite professor. he’s a great teacher and great person. he’s very open-minded, understanding and compassionate. he was the first professor i came out to as nonbinary because i felt 100% safe and comfortable. his style of teaching allows us to share our thoughts, ideas and experiences in a nonjudgmental environment. we also get to think outside the box and look at perspectives we may not have considered before.

education and american culture professor: my other favorite. also open-minded, understanding and empathetic. cares deeply about creating an equitable environment. very open to learning and not afraid to admit when she’s wrong. we have lectures but she makes it interactive and open for discussion and debates. what sold me is the fact she teaches american history and culture and how they’re interconnected with our education system like it is without hiding the worst and ugliest parts of it. i have learned A LOT thanks to this class. one important part of the class is that each week a group has the opportunity to teach the group/create a group activity for the chapters, which i believe is a great practice since that’s what we’re studying for.

language arts and methods of teaching reading professor: she gets criticism from those assholes, but i really like her. she does lectures because she’s required to by the state, but she makes them interactive. we get to do a lot of hands-on activities and discussions, which i really appreciate. i also appreciate how enthusiastic and engaging she is.

inquiry in math professor: i love her. i love how passionate she is about math. unfortunately i don’t enjoy math and she seems to rely too much on videos. they’re fine, but i much prefer when we get to have discussions and be involved in class.

social studies, bilingual education and linguistic literacy professor: i don’t have her in person this semester, but i had one of her classes in person last semester. yet another great teacher. very sweet and kind, supportive and understanding. she was the second teacher i came out to. provides great feedback which i truly appreciate. she puts a lot of emphasis on inquiry-based learning (my favorite style of teaching, both from a teacher’s and student’s perspective) i really miss having her in person and i hope i get to next semester.

[mint-in-the-moonlight]

on the gods being "angry"

this has become a hot topic lately and I'm sure we've all seen our fair share of hot and cold takes alike. i don't intent to spend that much time on this as i frankly believe that it's going to blow over soon and then it's going to be resurrected on another occasion like all awesome (/s) discourse topics are. the discourse is infinite as long as social media exploits our attention.

anyways, i think it is completely fair to believe that the gods are angry at the result of the US election. i don't want to invalidate anyone's experiences or divination sessions, but there are a few things that may be valuable for us to ask.

first, what/who are the gods angry at? i think the majority of the issue comes down to this question as some have implied that the blame is placed on those who were involved in the election and that the reason for their anger is the election's result.

i'm not going to get into my personal and political views as it is not entirely relevant so i'll approach this from a purely theological perspective - we do not know what the gods truly want/believe. what are their political positions? no idea. how do they think human society should be governed? absolutely no clue.

i think this comment a found on reddit under a post on this topic expresses what i think better than i could put it:

if the gods are angry, it would be more conceivable to me that they are angry that their worshippers and others are being put in danger. there are many other and arguably worse things going on in other parts of the world and i haven't seen anyone argue that the gods are angry about those.

second, we should ask ourselves if we're not accidentally centering ourselves and thus believing that the gods are most concerned with what we personally are going through rather than other things happening in the world. i understand that many people are going through a tough time right now and their religion is bringing them hope and relief but situations and discourses like these are a good opportunity to reflect on our beliefs and opinions and the role our religions play in our lives.

third, and this is just a sidenote as i do not want to get into this too much, we should be aware of how other more dominant religions may be influencing our worldview, especially in situations like this. Christianity specifically has a very strong moralising influence, where worshippers believe that this or that certain thing is right or wrong as determined by their deity. like i've said before, we do not know what the gods' opinions on electoral politics are or if they even have any. you as a worshipper should have political opinions and leanings (in my opinion) however arguing that those are supported by your deities is a difficult and frankly maybe not useful stance. we've all seen alt-righters claiming that the gods support white supremacism and such, and we can't do much about that except contest it and create more inclusive communities that combat them.

furthermore, the idea that the gods are angry at this situation seems to imply that there might be some action taken by the gods in retribution. once again this feels like it is influenced by Christianity as "god's wrath and punishment" is a common motif amongst Christians. i truly believe that this is something that we need to be as aware of as possible and distance ourselves from. our gods are not all-powerful and the world is unfair and so believing that we will be avenged is a hopeless task and we must take matters into our own hands. plus, having a practice governed by fear is really not a good idea.

actually, this turned out much longer than i was planning, sorry about that. i hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts. anyways please stay discerning and critical of online discourses and dramas. i really think pagan spaces overall need more intellectual discussion. oh well...

never stop fighting!!

[samkerrworshipper]

you mentioned a while ago that you grew up in a super religious family and don’t talk to them anymore as a result. did you experience a lot of internalised homophobia and what’s your perspectives on situations like korbin albert?

firstly i’d like to say that i don’t talk to my parents just because of their religious beliefs, there is a lot of trauma i have because of them and i don’t have a relationship with them because of that.

i think a lot of religions, preach to love everybody and forgive everybody and yet they actively discriminate whilst saying that. i believe people use religion to excuse themselves of just being hateful people and at the end of the day a person is very capable of practicing what they preach and in the case i’m talking about that is love. the bible talks about loving thy neighbour and john 4:7 literally says let us love one another for love comes from god.

there isn’t any part of any of the verses revolving around love that excludes different groups of people. so to say you love all and are a ‘good christian/catholic/mormon/whatever’ and then actively discriminate in my opinion is completely against the point of religion. religion is supposed to connect people and to make every feel like they are able to connect with a greater power.

i think internalised homophobia is weird because whilst i wouldn’t ever say i was homophobic towards myself growing up i also completely denied my sexuality until i was 18-19 because it was never a real option for me and i couldn’t accept it.

i think situations like korbin albert are sad, i don’t harbour any hatred for her. many of my siblings don’t believe in my life style and whilst it’s upsetting i don’t have any hate for them either. at the end of the day, a person, specifically a child who is raised in a household full of hatred and never quite escapes that hatred you can’t expect them to make the change unless they are given the resources and opportunity to do so. and even if you give them the resources it’s going against everything they’ve known their whole lives.

my favourite example which i heard a couple of years ago when i went to a service at a lbgtqia+ church was the example of children raised during the war in germany. their whole lives they had been trained and indoctrinated to hate jewish people, their parents, main stream media, propaganda. they thought they were supporting the right thing and because of the hatred fed into their lives it because second nature, it was pure habit and they struggled and experienced far more hatred after the war ended because they still believed in what they had been taught.

children are a product of their environment and whilst it is completely possible to change that, it’s incredibly hard to completely pivot a whole mindset that they’ve learnt their whole lives

anyways that’s a whole essay but it’s a subject i feel very passionate about !

[spockandawe]

Hi, I’m not sure if you’ve answered this already, What kind of paper do you use when printing your pages?? I’d love to try my hand at book binding some of my faves that I have saved on my library, I’m just super nervous lol

Sure!! So, there's a WIDE range, even in my latest books, because there's a couple characteristics I'm juggling. The set I still have to write up a post for, it was done on inexpensive staples paper (I still have multiple packs of this stuff stored), while the two books I posted before that are done on the Church Paper bookbinding special. I spent MONTHS working from extremely generic, cheap paper, and I stand by the idea that there's nothing wrong with it! Fancy paper is one way you can level up your bookbinding, but it's not the only way, or even the first one I could pursue. Before I say anything else, I personally do encourage people to buy the really affordable staples paper without fussing about the other stuff, so they can focus on other aspects of the hobby without spending money on something you're going to print on, fold, glue, and ruin. You'll have plenty of opportunities to mess up your paper, you don't need to spend fancy money until you're comfortable.

(and you can stop there if you're overwhelmed! I think that's an entirely valid perspective to bookbind from).

First, the easiest characteristic I'm juggling here is paper color. Most books run somewhere in the bleached-white range to ivory. Some people think bleached-white is a little stark, or that ivory is just too yellow. I don't personally have strong feelings, but some people do. I might choose a cream paper if I want an antique vibe, or I might choose white if my endpapers have a stark white I want to match, but it only matters as much as you want it to.

Second, paper weight. I fuss less than I probably should, but even basic printer paper runs a range from very thin to noticeably thick. That matters to me, occasionally, for fiddly projects. I have my 32 lb paper because I needed to make wedding guestbooks feel as thick and substantial as possible. If I have a long book I want to wedge into my guillotine, I'll pick thin paper to minimize bulk. This isn't something you have to be concerned with at this point.

Third, and arguably most mechanically important, is paper grain. I really don't like the emphasis that gets placed on this when beginner bookbinders are trying to get a grasp on the hobby for the first time, I don't want you to stress about this more than you want to. I ignored it completely for months. But the idea is that paper has a grain, as if it was a miniature bamboo mat. In one direction, you're working with the grain, and it will bend or fold more easily. In the other direction, you have to force it a little. Ideally, all materials you use with a grain will have it running parallel to the spine of the book. For the pages, it means your pages will flop more easily in the directions they ought to be turning, if that makes sense.

Most commercial 8.5x11 paper is long grain, which is "wrong" for half-letter books. If you fold a piece of letter paper in half like a hamburger, the grain is wrong for a book. My position is that this is NOT something you should feel obligated to account for at first. I spent months working with the wrong grain, my wrong grain books handle absolutely fine, they aren't in worse shape than my books with the right grain, i think accessibility and not overwhelming beginners is more important than enforcing a bajillion best practices right from the start.

The link for church paper I provided is special because short-grain paper, if you can find it, will have the right grain direction for a half-letter book. At this stage in my bookbinding experience, if I'm making a half-letter book, I'll look to my short-grain paper first. If I'm making a quarto, I'll look to long-grain. If there's some other characteristic of the book that steers me towards the wrong grain, I'll just let it happen. I include this because I feel obligated to say it, not because I think you need to worry about it right now. A book that exists is better than a book that doesn't exist, and it's entirely valid to make it with whatever paper is most convenient for you to acquire. Even if you do every possible step totally wrong, a handbound fic will easily, EASILY last for years.

[captain-eppe]

in where Jason sets the tone with some festive amnesia

Jason 1. 

What! Where are my funny chapter titles!

Ok, I'm renaming it. 

"In where Jason sets the tone with some festive amnesia"

What… I'm not that funny. Oh well. Lets get this started!

The first page details how Jason doesn't know What in the world is going on. He seems remarkably nonchalant about it. Maybe it's because he's older. Maybe it's because Percy had a sense of humour. Looking back at the Lightning Thief, and the Red Pyramid, I can see something that I had not consciously made note of, this book is in third person. The previous two are in first person. 

Is this a subtle difference that made it harder for me to connect with the Lost Hero protagonists, compared to Carter , Sadie or Percy? Either way, it's a bit jarring. I know I am not particularly practiced in first person perspective. My ability to write essays has given me more practice in second and third person. I like the second person. I'll admit, I'm not a master with it, but I would like to say I can use it competently. 

Can Rick write as well in third, as he can first? 

I have some doubts. 

Maybe it's supposed to be dissociative? 

The descriptions just seem odd here. 

Honestly Jason's amnesia is pissing me off. It feels too spoonfed to everything. I think I would have rather had Piper or Leo open this, convinced Jason is trying to prank them, and quietly wondering wtf is wrong with him. Maybe even poking the illusion.

Jason seems pretty judgmental. “Matching jeans, and enough makeup for a halloween party” oh must be the popular kids, with all their sniggering. Like who even says that?  Did you consider that maybe this is Halloween, given you've not even sure of your own age. What do you know about the world at the moment? Zip. 

Draw me up like one of dem halloween party girls! Or “owls with makeup”

Hmm… Piper uses connection to native american heritage. On one hand, as knowledge the average city person has on native American lifestyle is abysmal. Like, our education on that sucks. Please educate us accurately on that using Piper. 

While I am asking for things from Piper, take the opportunity to educate people on the pitfalls of being beautiful, or even female. Men feel entitled to your time and attention, and get in the way of you getting shit done. 

Let Piper fight that battle. Smashing heads won't help. 

Jason thinks about Crazy Gods, and a suspiciously timed storm and headache rolls in. He questions Leo about their friendship, then goes off to question the coach, who confirms that he is an imposter. Or at least, an interloper. Pretty sus. 

Then, action is built up. 

[emerynn]

In a post that was… a long time ago, you put in the tags:

“i JUST wrote an essay on this omfg i have SO many thoughts about sir gawain and the green knight”

The post was about how Gawain literally had no way to win in SGATGK. You were talking in the tags about shame culture and the instability of the moral culture and symbols and identity and the like, and I was wondering….Do you have a link to that essay or something?

If not then that’s totally fine, I just ALSO have many thoughts on sir Gawain and the green knight and love not only the poem but the essays and academic articles and stuff surrounding it, and that essay honestly sounds really interesting and cool! So I thought I’d ask, but yeah!

Hey Anon! First of all, thanks so much for coming into my inbox to talk Sir Gawain with me - a very unexpected but very welcome surprise! I'd completely forgotten about that post I reblogged, but yeah, I took a Middle English paper in my second year of uni, and the Sir Gawain essay was my favourite one to research all term. It's just such a fun poem, and like you said, there's so much great discussion to delve into for it. It's been a little while since I thought about it though, so it's so fun to have a reason to shift my brain back into medieval mode again!

It was just a weekly essay (we had to write an essay each week on a different text/author/group of texts), so it was rather frantically researched and wasn't something I was able to spend loads of time on. I don't think I came to any particularly new or interesting conclusions, and I didn't post it anywhere or anything. That said, given that it's pretty short, I'm happy to copy and paste it here for you if you'd like to read it! Like all my uni essays, it was written the day before the deadline in a slightly sleep deprived haze, so it's not the best thing written on Gawain by a long shot, but it'd be lovely to have someone outside of my supervisor read it! Obviously just please don't use it anywhere or plagiarise it, but I assume that goes without saying lol

If you do get around to reading it, I'd love to hear your thoughts! But no pressure at all ofc - honestly it's just super nice to be asked! I'll put it below a read more, along with my sources - thanks again for the lovely message anon :)

‘For man may hyden his harme,   bot unhap ne may hit, For there hit ones is tached   twynne wil hit never.’ What do you understand to be the meaning and significance of Gawain’s last words?

Despite Gawain's confidence in asserting the green gridle as a signal of his fundamentally flawed nature, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight deliberately complicates the reader's ability to interpret the girdle - and by extension, the poem's moral - in such easy metaphorical terms. Gawain's initial symbol, the pentangle, embodies an honour system which sees morality as intertwined with reputation, making Gawain's apparent goodness into a static symbol whose worth depends on its ability to be interpreted by others. By replacing it with the girdle, the poem alludes to the instability of a community-based chivalric moral code. In offering the reader multiple interpretations of the girdle, with Gawain's held in no higher narrative esteem than Arthur's or the Green Knight's, the poem suggests the limitations of relying on community for moral validation, which ultimately leads to a performance rather than practice of morality, and therefore stunts any opportunity for personal growth.

Gawain’s certainty in labelling the girdle a metaphorical scar, to ‘remorde to myselven/ The faut and the fayntyse of the flesch crabbed’ (2434-35), is immediately challenged by two alternative perspectives – the Green Knight’s, and Arthur’s.[1] The Green Knight suggests Gawain take the girdle as little more than a trophy, ‘a pure token/ Of the chaunce of the Grene Chapel at chivalrous knightes.’ (2398-99), ‘pure’ acting in direct antithesis to the charge of sin that Gawain lays against it. Arthur and the court, meanwhile, have an emotionally opposed reaction to Gawain, greeting his morose confession by ‘Laughen loude thereat’ (2514), and appropriating Gawain’s symbol of personal shame into one of communal honour: ‘For that was accorded the renoun of the Rounde Table,/ And he honoured that hit had evermore after.’ (2519-20). The poet presents the reader with three inharmonious definitions, with no individual appearing the obvious source of authority. Thus, Gawain’s attempt at using the girdle to signify a universal truth in his aphoristic statement, ‘man may hyden his harme, but unhap ne may hit’ (2511) is radically undermined. Through offering, and refusing to discredit, alternating interpretations, the Gawain-poet makes his own description of the girdle’s ‘abelef as a buderyk bounden by [Gawain’s] side’ (2485) ironic in the passivity of its phrasing – Gawain may say that ‘unhap ne may hit’, but Arthur’s swift reinterpretation of the girdle repositions it from absolute symbol to simply a belt that Gawain has tied to suit his subjective purposes, and may just as easily untie. This ending marks a significant transformation for the reader’s understanding of the Romantic world Gawain inhabits, previously one in which symbols and epithets can be interpreted to indicate moral truth about an individual; a transition made clear in the movement from the pentangle as Gawain’s symbol, which Ralph Hanna describes as ‘the emblem of a world where meaning is clear and exemplary’ to the girdle, ‘to which meaning must be assigned’.[2] The Gawain-poet upholds the pentangle for its symbolic potential, pausing the narrative to interject, ‘And why the pantangel apendes to that prince noble/ I am in tente you to telle’ (623-24). The and the details provided in relation to the pentangle – ‘Hit is a synge that Salomon sette sumwhyle’ (625)’, ‘Englych hit callen/ Overal, as I here’ (629-30) appeal to the desire for a symbol with absolute meaning. The interpretation that follows of the pentangle’s application to Gawain, representing his five virtues, associates the accuracy of historical and linguistic information about the symbol with the apparently also objective information it relays about Gawain’s moral character. As Putter and Stokes suggest, ‘ethics and aesthetics come very close together in this poem’; in a reputation-based society, a kind of metaphorical vision is encouraged, which allows symbols like Gawain’s pentangle to be correctly interpreted as indicative of his nature.[3] Thus, the Gawain-poet provides the reader with the girdle as an alluring signification of an absolute moral truth, only to complicate this moral to such an extent that the girdle comes to signify the opposite, replacing the pentangle’s moral idealism and certainty with the suggestion that morality may be subjective.

Fitting to his interpretation of the girdle, the Green Knight disdains the kind of performative morality that underlies the reputation-based structure of Arthur’s court, associating it with the pride he has apparently come to test. Thus, he announces, ‘What, is this Arthures house […]. That all the rous rennes of thurgh ryalmes so mony? Where is now your sorqudrye and your conquests[..]/?’ (309-311). The Green Knight’s condescending tone relies upon the inevitable tension between the hyperbolic tales he is aware of, and the disappointing reality. There is a metatextual element to this speech, as the contemporary reader, too, would have heard tales of Arthur’s court’s ‘conquests’, and thus what is within the text a challenge to the pride of Arthur’s court becomes an implicit challenge of the implausibility of the Romance genre. As Ad Putter suggests, in Sir Gawain, the poet appears to deliberately use this fantastical genre to pose ‘an interpretative challenge […] how can we take it seriously?’[4] His response is to explore the psychological ramifications of existing as a character within this canon. As Gawain’s despair at the end of the poem indicates, this mythological society in which reputation is paramount has a fragile moral core. When Gawain flinches during the beheading scene, the Green Knight chastises him by saying ‘Thou art not Gawan’ (2270), alluding to his famed reputation. But what this truly reveals is that no one can be ‘Gawan’, who would not fear his head under a falling axe – within a genre predicated on hyperbolic acts of knightly courage, the Gawain-poet radically asserts the humanity that underlies Gawain’s character and makes living up to his generic reputation impossible. In doing so, the poem not only further undercuts Gawain’s shame at not fulfilling this reputation, but it discredits the entire notion of morality based on chivalry – based, fundamentally, on how good one is judged to be by others, rather than by an internalised moral compass. As A.C. Spearing suggests, the ramifications of this society manifest in a ‘criteria of conduct […] not fully internalized’: thus, Gawain ‘fails to recognize’ that his initial retention of the girdle ‘is a sin’ until it infringes on his reputation – that being, until the Green Knight reveals his knowledge of it.[5] Like Arthur, who responds to the Green Knight’s challenge of the court’s reputation by blushing – ‘The blod schotte for schame into his schyre face’ (317), Gawain, caught out in his lie, feels ‘All the blod of his brest blende in his face,/ That all he schrank for schame’ (2371-72). Their identical responses betray how Gawain’s embarrassment at his contradicted reputation, rather than actual feelings of moral guilt, lie at the core of the shame he associates with the girdle.

The poem thus exposes the flaws of a communal morality system, in which morality becomes more rigid and absolute – either the individual does, or does not, maintain their idealised reputation. Hence, Gawain’s assertion that if he is flawed, he must be fundamentally flawed: ‘Now am I fauty and false, and ferde have ben ever’ (2382). In this sense, the poem’s ending is further unsettling, as Arthur’s absorption of the girdle as a performance piece into the mythos of the court signifies his ignorance as to the dangers of this [MS1] structure. He continues to assume an externalised identity predicated on reputation, and as such, will continue not to scrutinise himself internally. Gawain may view the girdle as a metaphor for shame, and Arthur for honour, but, as David Aers notes, ‘none of this is of much consequence since nothing much will change anyway’; the absolutism of the Arthurian court prevents moral development.[6] The poem’s ending becomes bathetic, as the self-destruction inherent to the Arthurian court is stressed in the characters’ ignorance to their need for moral progression. Indeed, this is made all the more tragic as Gawain has already demonstrated within the poem that he can progress towards his idealised reputation, even if he can never truly fulfil its requirements. When he initially places his head down to receive the Green Knight’s blow, Gawain ‘[shrinks] a little with the schulderes for the scharp yrne’ (2267). As the Green Knight notes, such an act is contrary to his hyperbolically brave reputation, as ‘Gawan […] that is so good holden,/ That never arwed for no here.’ (2270-71). However, Gawain’s response demonstrates his ability to grow towards this role, as he determines not to flinch a second time, and successfully ‘graythly hit bides and glent with no member’ (2292). As Ralph Hanna suggests, the beheading scene is heavily charged with symbolism connoting rebirth, from the New Year setting, to the description of Gawain ‘Never syn that he was burn born of his moder/ [….] half so blythe’ (2320-21), to the spilling of his blood onto white snow, which Hanna calls ‘a tabula rasa on which Gawain must learn to write what he […] is now.’[7] If Gawain has emerged from a metaphorical death morally absolved and able to discover himself anew, then the positive potential of this revelation is immediately squandered in his curt refusal of Bertilak’s invitation back to his castle. His identity is still wholly externalised, and therefore his first instinct upon gaining an apparent greater self-understanding is to return to the court to vocalise it.The Arthurian court has a holistic and restrictive grip on individual identity in Sir Gawain, inescapable not because there is no opportunity to do so, but because the knights themselves – represented in Gawain and Arthur’s definitions of the girdle as still performatively signalling their reputations, just as the pentangle did – are ignorant of the very ways in which their potential is stunted by the structures they inhabit.

In showing the multiple, often conflicting meanings the girdle is given, the poem uses Gawain’s quest of self-discovery to destabilise the very moral structure at the core of the Arthurian court. In doing so, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight suggests the limitations of an external moral compass, and instead encourages the cultivation of the kind of more nuanced, internalised mortality that Gawain fails to realise.

Sources I quoted from: These are definitely worth reading in their own rights, since they express everything I had to say, and do so far better than second-year me ever could! You might have already read it, but if not, I'd particularly recommend the Spearing. I loved his interpretation, and it ended up forming most of the basis for my argument.

[1] The Works of the Gawain Poet: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Cleanness, Patience, ed. by Ad Putter and Myra Stokes (London: Penguin Classics, 2014), p.401; all further references to this text will be made in the body of the essay.

[2] Ralph Hanna III, ‘Unlocking What’s Locked: Gawain’s Green Girdle’, Viator, 14 (1983), 289-302 (p.290).

[3] Putter and Stokes, ‘Foreword to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’, The Works of the Gawain Poet, p.246.

[4] Ad Putter, An Introduction to the Gawain Poet (London; New York: Longman, 1996), p.45.

[5] A.C. Spearing, The Gawain-Poet; A Critical Study (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1970), pp.224- 25.

[6] David Aers, ‘Christianity for Courtly Subjects: Reflections on the Gawain-Poet’ in A Companion to the Gawain-Poet, ed. by Derek Brewer and Jonathan Gibson (Woodbridge, Suffolk: D.S. Brewer, 1997), p.99.

[7] Hanna, pp.295-96.

[nova-starcutter]

based on your answer to the fight to the death poll and this blog’s theming i am gonna go ahead and guess that your discord icon is something to do with the lor

whats the deal with magolor anyways

1. Yeah, it’s one of my favorite frames of any cutscene ever.

(Just as a little bonus before I get to the second part of your ask, that little “Lor gets unexpectedly close to the viewer for no apparent reason” sequence is actually what made me headcanon her as nearsighted. Originally it was just a “soft” headcanon that I had no intention of entirely subscribing to but nowadays it’s actually become one of my favorites.)

2. Ok so there’s a whole lot of ways that can be interpreted and it is almost 2 AM as im starting this so I’ll go with just one for now and elaborate on others if asked. Halcandra— at least the part of it where he lived— was hardly the sort of place anyone would reasonably choose to live in, let alone try to have a family or raise kids. Resources were scarce, dangers weren’t, and really the primary types you’d find staying there were those who wanted to live out their lives away from civilization, criminals hiding from authorities, and those who just wanted to be somewhere less permeated by the government’s influence and prying eyes. As a result, Magolor never really knew anyone close to his own age growing up, on top of just not knowing many folks aside from his parents to begin with. Though his upbringing was otherwise relatively positive— on good terms with his parents, well-educated, given opportunities to learn and practice various skills and hobbies, etc— not having peers to connect with and grow alongside did leave him somewhat socially stunted.

One of the ways this manifests is his maturity, or seeming lack thereof. He has the experience and knowledge to act like an adult at this point, but never really had the social cues to begin doing so. Like that guy in highschool who still acts like a 6th grader in senior year while everyone else has moved on to bigger and better things. Of course his perspective has changed after what he’s gone through, but he’s always going to act less mature than other Halcandrans his age would be expected to.

NOT 2 AM UPDATE: The above doesn’t mean he can’t convincingly act like he had a normal/actually existent childhood, the main indicator that he didn’t would just be that he never brings up his personal life back on Halcandra, definitely treats Kirby as his very first friend ever™️, and doesn’t really have a distinct hanging with friends mode vs interacting with peers/colleagues/etc. In other words he kinda treats everyone the same, exceptions being Lor and people he either actively dislikes or finds intimidating. This can definitely be offputting for some because often comes off as him not being genuine, akin to someone using their customer service voice at all times, but no he is in fact just Like That™️. It does certainly help him a bit when he’s actually scheming, given that his normal already comes off as dubious plottingcore, with the trade off that he’s always the first person everyone suspects when shenanigans are afoot. This guy can never win at Among Us

[yzanjiiii]

𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴 #𝟭 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲

I've always been attracted by the beauty of politics in business. How people can settle and manage their financial transactions through efficient communication, proficiency, and the development of plans using scientific methods in research to patch up gaps and establish projects based on solvency. Selling your business necessitate you to be able to speak persuasively, and I admit that it was still challenging for me to gather my thoughts and be confident enough to approach people and persuade them about something, despite the fact that I am a Political Science major and thus expected to be good at public speaking. However, our interview activity gave me the opportunity to venture outside of my comfort zone. In a larger perspective, it made the realm of politics and entrepreneurship converge in a sense that I was able to practice the art of identifying grassroot problems to provide solutions for the betterment of learning and quality education, which is entirely the definition of politics, and to make it income generating, we have to devise a product or services to cater the needs of the people, which is in the business realm, and for me to be able to show my innovative skills, I have to also link the realm of entrepreneurship hence, I believe that I can pour out all the learning application of my three years residency in political science in this subject.

EXPERIENCE

The encounter itself was enjoyable. During our preparation phase, I was able to demonstrate my leadership skills by devising techniques to make our workload more efficient by assigning ourselves quotas to meet. Personally, I wanted our data to exceed 100, but owing to forthcoming requirements, we opted to limit the quota at 50-60 interviewees. I assigned the deadlines, responsibilities, and established a bureaucratic framework to guarantee that each of us fulfilled our tasks; thus, before the interview, I ensured that the Google Drive was available for the uploading of our documentation, specifically images, videos, and recordings. Google Docs is also ready for the consolidated report, which includes both the quantitative and qualitative data. To avoid delays, I have also assigned the secretary to monitor task completion.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW/D-DAY

During the interview, it became increasingly difficult to identify students who are not shy in front of the camera and are willing to participate. Fortunately, I know a lot of people at the university, which gave me an edge in finding interviewers. An individual interview was initially conducted, but I later realized that it was time consuming and made the interviewee more shy due to the pressure and tension of becoming embarrassed, so I have to make small talk with the interviewee first to ensure that I will be able to break the ice and allow comfort to kick in. We experimented with combined interviews, team interviews, and partner interviews alongside Eloisa. As a result, we were able to troubleshoot problems during the interview by devising plans and trying out different techniques. Regardless of the outcome, I believe it gave me confidence to take risks and become resilient, both of which are essential in entrepreneurship, especially since one major challenge is dealing with people with different tastes, preferences, and attitudes.

D-DAY

INTERVIEWEES #1 and #2

Eloisa and I with our first interviewee from the program of Sociology. The problem identified was the absence of comfortable tambayan with good food.

Our second respondent is from BSED PE and the problem identified was waste problems.

INTERVIEWEES #3 and #4

The third interviewee is also from BSED PE and the problem identified was mental health issues due to the pressure being felt by students.

The fourth interviewee is from the College of Business and Management major in Finance. The problem identified was ventilation due to poor budgeting of the university.

INTERVIEWEES #5 & #6 and #8 & #9

The fifth and sixth interviewees are from the program of BS Bio. The problems identified are transportation and printing problems due to the location of printing services.

The 8th and 9th interviewees are both from the program of AB Political Science. The problem identified is waste problems.

Bonus GIF

Caught on 4K: Ma'am Butalid, the program coordinator

INTERVIEWEES #10 & #11 and #11, #12, #13, & #14

The tenth and eleventh interviewees are both from the College of Education. The problem that was identified is also the prevalent waste problem.

All four interviewees (11-14) are from the program of AB Political Science and the problems identified were insufficiency of educational tools, transportation, waste problems, and illegal business (no permit).

INTERVIEWEES #15 & #16

Our fifteenth interviewee is from the program of BS Math and the problem identified was waste problem.

The last interviewee is from BSED PE and the problem identified was waste problem.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Following the interview and consultation with the instructor, we were able to share our views, suggestions, and data results, so with waste management being the most pressing issue at the university based on our data gathered from the series of interview, we looked for potential products and services that would be the greatest solution. We had a lot of prospects for the proposal because I came prepared, and I had already researched sustainable products online through various platforms to make our decision process easier. Following the deliberation, it was decided to proceed with the conversion of leaves into paper, with modifications such as colour classification and scented option.

RESULTS OF THE INTERVIEW

The first pie chart shows the result of our joint interview. It has been revealed that there are 8 identified problems and the top three are the following: (1) Waste problems, (2) Transportation, and (3) Ventilation. Meanwhile, for the consolidated result, it was revealed that waste problems still hold the top issue that the CMUans are currently facing and have been posing grave concerns weighing 53.8 percent out of 55 respondents being interviewed. Therefore, we have decided to go with a visionary EcoVenture product called "EVERLEAF" which means everlasting leaf which aims to stop deforestation and degradation of the environment 🌿

REFLECTION

Through this dialogue, I have come to understand that that, despite the fact that we are in a micro level setting, the problem that we are facing in the university is ubiquitous since corporations do nothing about it because they just care about profit. Sustainable practices are difficult to implement since they may inhibit economic growth, which is something every businessman avoids. The ongoing problem of deforestation, erosion, and forest fires will exist unless we begin to develop regulations and sanction big industries. Thus, this subject is an excellent way to enter the VentureVerse because anyone may be a businessman, but not everyone can sustain their business owing to the ups and downs of business hence, it needs strong mentality.

LEARNINGS

Furthermore, this interview helped me identify my strengths, such as strategic leadership, critical thinking, resiliency to troubleshoot unforeseen problems that require immediate solutions, adaptability, time management skills, and the ability to remain rational at all times in order to manage the team. While I accept my inadequacies, such as my public speaking abilities and approaching strangers, it has provided me with opportunities to identify areas for improvement. It taught me that mistakes and failures are inevitable and necessary for learning and growth. Every master was once a beginner in their chosen industry. As a result, I feel that by constantly improving and allowing oneself to admit mistakes, I will be able to recognise threats that are critical for mitigating macro consequences on the endeavour.

To summarise everything, I am excited for the thrills of this rollercoaster journey. The uncertainty makes me rosier about the future. Risks are what keep me alive. It piques my interest in exploring new horizons. I am challenged to venture beyond of my comfort zone in order to try new things and discover more about myself.

[harmonyhealinghub]

The Juggling Act - Balancing Two Full-Time Jobs: Educational Assistant by Day, Distant Energy Healer by Night

Shaina Tranquilino

January 9, 2024

In today's fast-paced world, many individuals find themselves taking on multiple roles and responsibilities to make ends meet or pursue their passions. One such challenging scenario is working two full-time jobs simultaneously. As an educational assistant during the day and a distant energy healer by night, my life has become an intricate balancing act that requires dedication, time management, and unwavering passion. In this blog post, I will take you through the journey of navigating both worlds and shedding light on the unique experiences and challenges it brings. 1. A Day in the Life as an Educational Assistant: My daytime job as an educational assistant provides me with opportunities to make a positive impact on students' lives. From assisting teachers in lesson planning to supporting students with special needs, every day presents new challenges and rewards. Building rapport with students, making sure their needs are met, fostering a nurturing environment, and ensuring their academic success are at the core of my role. 2. Transitioning into the World of Energy Healing: As daylight fades away, I embark on my second full-time job – distant energy healing. This realm allows me to tap into the spiritual energies that connect us all and offer healing from afar. Through various practices like Reiki or meditation, I channel positive vibes towards those seeking solace or relief from physical ailments or emotional distress. Being able to help others heal is immensely gratifying. 3. Challenges Faced: Balancing two full-time jobs comes with its share of hurdles. Time management becomes crucial when trying to excel in both professions without compromising quality or personal well-being. Fatigue can set in after long days at work followed by late-night healing sessions; self-care becomes paramount for maintaining productivity and avoiding burnout. 4. Benefits of Dual Roles: Despite the challenges, there are numerous benefits to embracing dual roles in different fields. Firstly, both jobs provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, allowing me to make a difference in the lives of others through education and healing. Secondly, having diverse professional experiences broadens my perspectives and enhances personal growth. Lastly, financial stability is another significant advantage of working multiple jobs. 5. The Importance of Boundaries: Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial when juggling two full-time jobs. Establishing boundaries helps prevent exhaustion and ensures sufficient time for personal life, relationships, and self-care activities. Prioritizing rest, setting realistic expectations, and seeking support from loved ones are essential components in managing this delicate equilibrium. 6. Finding Inspiration in Both Roles: Interestingly, my educational assistant job often influences my distant energy healing practice and vice versa. Witnessing the resilience and determination of students at school inspires me to bring that same strength into my healing sessions. Similarly, the empathy cultivated as an energy healer fosters a deeper understanding of students' needs during my day job. Working two full-time jobs as an educational assistant by day and a distant energy healer by night may seem challenging on paper; however, it provides unique opportunities for personal growth, fulfillment, and making a positive impact in people's lives. Successfully navigating this juggling act requires effective time management, strong boundaries, self-care practices, and unwavering passion for both professions. Embracing these challenges with dedication allows me to experience the joys that come with dual roles while continuously growing personally and professionally. Remember: No matter how busy life gets or how many roles we take on, following our passions can lead us down unexpected paths towards personal fulfillment and success!

[rawrtriesagain]

Heya, same anon who asked you for art advice! First, I wanted to thank you for answer my questions and listing all that wonderful advice! I just have some followups. It’s really okay to just draw without even knowing how to put down a line? Won’t that just lead to bad habits or not learning the right techniques? And you mentioned learning how to draw the human body, will the sites you listed help, or are there other resources I should look up (like maybe on Pinterest?). Again, thanks!

Combining your asks into one. Thank you for the kind words! I'll be happy to continue helping where I can :)

So in terms of bad habits and practices, this is where my advice will fall flat haha because I myself don't know what's a good practice actually - I just do what I want to do even if its the worst way to do something anyone's ever seen! For example, my way of doing 'lineart' (just cleaning up my sketches) is to draw big fat lines and then slowly carve it with an eraser into a line I deem good enough. Someone who could grab a pen and draw a perfect line on the fly would probably be like wtf watching me meticulously erase my one fat line lol

But!

If you really don't know how to put down a line at all yet, your best bet really is to just start. There's not really a trick or technique too it, its just practice. I think unless you were trying to go into art school or something and needed to work on a portfolio (btw again I am not the person to ask for that), there's not really a 'bad habit,' its just as long as you're having fun. In my earlier example about my 'lineart' I pretty much know I'm doing it in such a dumb way, but I actually find it really fun to carve away my line with an eraser haha. Yea I could put in the effort to actually learn how to do things properly, but I like wasting hours just nitpicking on this little thing just because its fun to me. (I do the same thing for coloring also. I'll scribble my entire screen and then use an eraser to start carving things out lmao)

Of course while you're drawing and you're doing something that makes you think "hey this actually sucks actually-" that's when you take the opportunity to grow and learn something new that you didn't know before. This is a digital art thing: but for the longest time I literally didn't know anything about layers and my thoughts were just "man there's got to be a better way to do this" which throws me into a rabbit hole of searching "how do I do This Thing"

If you're really into learning art techniques though it might be good to slowly go over all of the 'art fundamentals' especially when it comes to like shading and perspective. I looked at this blog post and it looks like it would help start you out with some links to other resources: link then of course you can look up the corresponding Youtube videos to see someone actually do the fundamental for real. I'd also honestly recommend like a beginners artist course in person if that's something affordable and accessible to you. It's been one of my dreams to go to like random art classes for fun haha but alas life happens so its just me and my tablet until I'm rich as hell I guess. I've never taken a digital course either, but if that's one of the ways you're able to learn that's great too and I'd recommend it!

Next on human body:

Sorry I should have talked about them more in depth at the time, but yes they will help but only if you're determined to use them correctly! So the sites I listed basically show a pose for 30 seconds, and the idea is you're supposed to just try to take in the shape/form of the pose and draw it without nitpicking over minor details. You can also set the timer higher if you need (I used to set it to at least 60 seconds just because I was just a slow ass artist). But basically it should help you break down the human body into simple shapes and lines.

Now what I mean by using the sites correctly: So there's two ways to approach drawing from references:

1. "eye tracing" which is where your eyes are kind of just following the outline of whatever you're drawing but you're not really processing what exactly you're doing to help you later down the line. I have a bad habit of doing this and I tend to struggle later again for the same pose.

2. Breaking down the reference into small chunks and shapes, and then morphing those shapes into your piece. And later down the line you should start to be able to think of things like "oh the Circle piece of the body normally goes Here!"

Here's a random google image I found to help illustrate what I'm kind of talking about:

So eye tracing would kind of be like a less refined version of #3. Just a blobby but like you can somewhat tell what it is and that's cool I guess, but its not very helpful for when you want to try drawing a variant of the pose above. Breaking down the reference is like steps #1 and #2, simple shapes and blocks that help guide and outline the final shape you want. #1 in particular is very easy to change around should you want to.

So while you're on the sites I linked, you should try to break down each pose into its shape instead of drawing exactly what you see. You should also keep in mind the 'line of action' while doing so:

It's definitely a lot to take in all at once, so I'd honestly recommend just loading up the site and doing your best to replicate the pose, 'eye tracing' or not. Once you get more used to the routine and flow, then try to branch into learning more appropriate techniques. I've seen around that some people also recommend removing the time limit on the poses, as some people learn better by taking their time on one thing and breaking things down even further from there, but that's definitely up to you. You could also go out and try drawing random people if that helps and if you're bold!

My experience with Pinterest has mostly been for inspiration or cool things I've never thought of before, though I'm sure others are able to use it better than I can haha. I'm sure there are step by step guides to help you out around there!

I think resources to learn how to draw better really do come down to what kind of learner you are in the first place. Lots of people learn really well from Youtube tutorials for example, or maybe reading and following along with a book about anatomy would work for you too. I have like the most god awful attention span ever, so what works for me is just raw trial and error and hoping for the best. tbh idk how I even got this far haha but i am happy that I've progressed at all

Let me know if you have more questions and I'll definitely do my best to answer them! If you're looking for more advice regarding traditional art learning fundamentals, I'm sure there are many other artists that would be happy to answer your questions as well!

Best of luck! :)