#very focused good work ethic etc

[lunerabo]

You ever just meet someone who’s super shy and it makes you curious and then they casually reveal smth and you’re like oh. You can stay shy actually

[lilacstro]

ruler of 7th through the houses: personality of your future spouse ˚ʚ💗ɞ˚

back with another post! I am trying to wind up this :) lmk if there is anything you want to see!! This would be maybe somewhat shorter since I am out of time

One more pac coming today! leave suggestions if you like. The next post may be on Vedic Numerology maybe!

How to find the ruler: Let's say your 7th house is in Leo, who rules leo? Sun. Now find where is your Sun. Maybe 11th? Then your ruler of 7th is in 11th. Hope this helps, I often get a lot of questions on this one haha

support me on ko-fi

Paid readings open!!

Ruler of 7th in 1st Someone who is smart, strong and very independent. Achievement focused, focused on themselves in all ways. Always striving for more, for better. Taking responsibility, a little competitive or jealous, strives to be or may actually be the reporting leader or boss in what they do. May not like working under someone, a little bossy.

Ruler of 7th in 2nd Stable, and strong on morals and ethics. Finances are super important, takes things slowly. Patient. Build long term things, in all sense of things, finances, relationships, partnerships etc. Good at comforting with words. Self esteem would be a reflection of how they work in the relationship.

Ruler of 7th in 3rd Someone who has a childlike energy when it comes to learning and understanding, always ready to learn new things, learn more and may be even learn about you haha! A warm, welcoming and comfortable personality. Someone who would listen to you speak, and would hold a conversation just not for the sake of it.

Ruler of 7th in 4th Someone who is family oriented, who adores children or may be their own family they may have created or belong to. Someone who is extremely emotional, led by heart in matters related to you. Would be sweet and kind and caring to you and look after small, little things. Would come back earlier to see family and kids :)

Ruler of 7th in 5th Someone who makes that honeymoon phase last forever. Endearing. Fun, jovial personality and do not let things get monotonous or boring in any way. Would always be down to do fun stuff no matter what. Someone who would not forget to take you on dates no matter how old the relationship has been. May adore children!

Ruler of 7th in 6th Someone who would be a major major part of you daily life and routine. Would help you get through days and weeks, may pack your lunch or take you on the morning walk you've been avoiding. Health conscious. Someone who may even if a little boring, care a lot about you and would stand by you in all seasons of life. Low key nature.

Ruler of 7th in 7th Someone who married, to get married lmao. I mean, someone to whom marriage is extremely important. They may even be a little obsessed with the idea of having a wife. For example "yeah I cannot come because my wife said xyz" "yeah my wife, my wife" haha. They would value this relationships a lot with you, because this thing is serious and sacred to them.

Ruler of 7th in 8th Someone who is more into the dark sides of life a little and may question everything and everyone. Spirituality and very sensual in nature. May be a little possessive on you. Tbh, the degree of possessiveness would actually depend. They would transform you for good. May come from an inheritance or a good money background. The relationship may have its highs and lows BUT when it gets to a stable ground, things would be the same for an extremely extremely long while.

Ruler of 7th in 9th Someone who would teach you a lot, and may literally be very into learning stuff themselves. For example they are an economics major but they like to read physics just because. Very intellectual and jovial in nature. Very curious and broad minded, may even come from a different culture even in your own country or may be very keen on cosmopolitan affinity.

Ruler of 7th in 10th Work would be important to them but for you. For your relationship. They may be keen on providing things to you, for you and your family. Who may avoid fun stuff for now to have a stable and happy future in long term. Someone extremely dependable and reliable and may like to take charge in the relationship and do things because that is what is love for them.

Ruler of 7th in 11th HAHAHA someone who would be best friends kind of trope with you regardless of the meeting situations y'all find yourselves in. Someone who may have BIG dreams, very social and jovial and a lot of admirers. Unconventional in nature, and may do things that people side eye them for, for example if y'all come from a conservative background they would kiss you in front of everyone HAHA

Ruler of 7th in 12th Very very spiritual in nature. Very compassionate in nature. You may have a lot of distance in your thought processes, but it would unite. A past life connection kind of love, you would find unsaid things get understood. Very unexplainable, elevated kind of feelings. "otherworldly" may be the right word. You may find them after a few challenges, but you guys would be inseparable.

take care, I love you!!

xoxo

[finnlongman]

Can you believe that MOTH TO A FLAME has been out for almost two months now? I can't. The time has flown: ten years of working on this trilogy and already it's been finished and published and complete for two months.

I don't think I've been doing a very good job of promoting it, partly due to my own life circumstances over the past couple of months and partly because it's a weird time to be trying to promote books in general. The news is full of terrible, important things; social media is relentlessly video-driven, which doesn't suit me at all; the cost of living continues to be prohibitive, and it's hard to ask anyone to spend their money on my book.

But here we are. If you've been looking for a YA trilogy without romance, or a thriller that grapples with the moral and ethical dilemmas of murder-focused narratives, or a story that pulls no punches but also doesn't act like violence is a viable solution to the world's problems, or a protagonist processing both the harm that's been done to her and the harm she's done to others... well, maybe THE BUTTERFLY ASSASSIN trilogy might be what you're looking for. And now that book three is out, you can read them all back to back and don't even have to worry about cliffhangers 🥰

If you've already read some or all of them, might I request you leave a review somewhere – Goodreads, Amazon, Waterstones etc? Tell your friends, spread the word, post about them... It would be greatly appreciated 💚

[a-d-nox]

hello there can we please have something about human designs and how to decipher them ? Thanks

human design: the five types

i have being doing some reading on the subject so we can talk about it here and learn together!

manifestor

motor center: ego, solar plexus, root

defined: throat

undefined: sacral

keywords: rare, impulsive, self-made, powerful, energetic, powerful, driven, frustrated, influential, self-absorbed, successful, lone-wolf, impatient, mysterious, secretive, etc.

mission: more communication, less asking for permission - tell people what you are doing. this works the other way for people dealing with manifests - don't ask them, tell them.

trends in relationships: they often can't finish what they start (they need to do things when they have a burst of energy), their mind tends to move faster than their mouth does (they tend to miscommunicate/under-communicate), they don't tend to slow down for others (they end up alone because their focus is on a task instead of a team), etc. these people don't need others for growth and often find themselves alone.

how to manage a manifestor: set boundaries and let them rein free within them. trying to quiet them causes them to become angry/tense - instead let them talk/be frustrated. you don't even really have to actively listen or comment in their rants its more so letting them have the space to express their thoughts/emotions that matters.

generator

motor center: solar plexus

defined: sacral

undefined: possibly the throat

keywords: everyday, consistent, sustainability, sexually magnetic, high energy, masterful, self-aware, easily frustrated by life, quick to quit, slow and steady wins the race, morning bird, focused, yes or no answers, etc.

mission: pause; these people tend to jump the gun. it is very important they take a pause before doing something too rashly. it is likely to make them anxious, but it will be better they wait then do something and regret it.

trends in relationships: they are meant to be with others. they have to engage with others to grow. however, it is unlikely that they will make the first move in any of their relationships. they need signs of interest in order to try anything / make a move.

how to manage a generator: they shouldn't be told what to do. they should be coaxed to do a would you rather and pick the one that interests them most. make sure they are well rested and they will be just fine.

manifesting generator

motor center: solar plexus that connects to throat

defined: sacral

undefined: -

keywords: energetic, doer, getting the job done, finds the shortcut, multitasker, self-aware, angry, easily frustrated, rushes, "make it happen", impatient, lacks follow through, quick, scattered, etc.

mission: visualize. inform. respond. inform and respond are basically the combo of the manifestor and the generator missions. visualizing is the new mission here - they have to know what it is they are chasing in order to catch it.

trends in relationships: take an adventure this these people - disappear for hours at a time to spark creativity. like a generator they are not supposed to be told what to do but rather they need would you rather questions to make headway and get things done.

how to manage a manifesting generator: these people need a lot of stimulation- they are very go-go-go energied so just let them do their thing. let them do a lot physically and mentally so they can properly deplete their energy daily. they need freedom to do what they want, so do your best to not get in their way - let them experience new things don't stress over it being the wrong move. they need to learn for themselves what is good and bad for them. try to make it their idea and not solely yours.

projector

motor center: solar plexus

defined: -

undefined: sacral

keywords: manager, guide, direct, sees the bigger picture, wise, insightful, intuitive, magnetic, attractive, focused, lazy, sensitive, lacks self awareness, bitter, misunderstood, lacks work ethic, playful, etc.

mission: wait to be recognized/invited. these people often feel unheard and as though they are never really acknowledged. so it is important to wait until they have full attention before sharing - what they have to say is worthwhile.

trends in relationships: they have a hard time knowing themselves and their needs though they can often see others and know them. they don't need tons of friends but rather they just need a few great ones and a partner who has time to listen to them and be present. strange as it may sound in this generation but in a relationship, they sleep best when they have their own bed.

how to manage a projector: give them recognition - ask them to share and you will be pleasantly surprised. whatever you do, don't ignore them it just leads to them getting frustrated and saying something that will cause you to listen.

reflector

motor center: -

defined: -

undefined: all

keywords: very rare, the 1%, talkative, passionate, unique, peaceful, prosperous, highly sensitive, easily disappointed, needs consistency, struggles with grounding, clingy, "right place right time", honor, valued, value system, sympathetic/empathetic, etc.

mission: wait. they are lunar beings so it is important to wait 28 days to make sure that they are doing what they truly want. if they don't, then they are often very disappointed by the outcome. if they do wait, they should talk with others before acting.

trends in relationships: they need support and consistency. they are easily disappointed in relationships because one of these areas are lacking. it is equally important that they get alone time so they can shake off the energy they stored from others. they are sensual beings so touch is big for them - a hug goes a long way.

how to manage a reflector: they just need a good environment - somewhere stable and consistent (that goes for the people in that environment too). so value them and their boundaries and everything will be smooth.

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my "suggest a post topic" button if you want to see more human design posts.

click here for the masterlist

click here for more human design posts

© a-d-nox 2024 all rights reserved

[erinlindsayy]

professor || carol danvers

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ . ┊ You're Carol's designated note taker, and usually the one teaching her a few things. What happens when you give her the wrong set of notes?

➺  warnings: dirty talk, spanking, edging, violent use of straps, carol danvers tops (but I fully believe she's a switch now), umm... general unholiness, bratting, etc.

✧   a/n: surprise... I'm back... more content coming soon... I promise I've got a val/carol/r fic coming soon, but this popped into my head and I couldn't resist... JOCK COLLEGE CAROL, OK? JOCK RUGBY COLLEGE CAROL.

↬ like this work? let me know! comments help encourage writers to write more and let them know that you liked what they wrote :)

★ requests are open–I write for a number of fandoms! just ask :)

☆ comments + reblogs are greatly appreciated ☆

“Can any of you attempt to discern meaning from this week’s assigned reading? Why might I have selected this particular work for you all?” asks Professor Valkyrie, starting class for the day. Your hand immediately raises, and she nods in your direction. 

“Well, was not Beckett’s entire point to find meaning in the absence of conventional meaning?” 

Professor Valkyrie, nods. 

‘Interesting thought,” she says. “Care to elaborate?”

“Well,” you begin. “Beckett created a landscape for us that is so alien and foreign, and unlike what we know. The play does not include any symbolic elements, and it does not really go anywhere. You might try to make meaning out of the carrot that Didi and Gogo share, or the leaves appearing on the tree, but they literally mean nothing. At the end of the play--we, as well as Vladimir and Estragon, are all still waiting for Godot. So, in a sense, there is no meaning, but perhaps there is meaning in the fact that there is no intended meaning.” 

“Good,” replies Professor Valkyrie. “As always, a carefully articulated and thoroughly crafted response. Excellent work as usual.” 

You smile politely, and fall back into your seat as Professor Valkyrie continues to lecture about Samuel Beckett and the wonderful nature and reality of Waiting for Godot. 

Meanwhile, you’ve jotted at the top of your notes, in big bold letters ‘I hate this play!’ 

After all, the ability to just to understand and converse about a work of literature does not mean that one has to enjoy it. 

After class, you’re stopped, as usual, by the one and only  Carol Danvers. Resident jock, captain of the division one team, aspiring pilot, rumored sex god extrodinare, Carol Danvers. She’s quite the legend around campus, but not exactly for her work ethic as it pertains to academic pursuits, which are... lacking, to put it politely. 

“Do you have my notes for me,” she asks, holding her hand out. “I need to at least act like I’m going to study tonight, right?” 

You roll your eyes. “Carol, why do you ask for my notes if you never use them? You do realize that mere possession of the notes will not translate into you understanding the material, yes? You have to actually read them in order for the information to enter your head.” 

Your reply is snarky, short and snappy, but you’re fed up with Carol at this point. She asks you for notes in all the classes you share together (which, granted, is not many,) but never seems to read them or take any of her classes very seriously. Carol narrows her eyes at the response. 

“I’ll just sleep on them? Os--” 

You cut her off, finishing her sentence. 

“--mosis does not apply, Carol. You know that. You cannot absorb the material through the pores of your skin. Read the notes, and actually try for once, or stop bothering me. I could be taking notes for myself, rather than focusing on summarizing all of the lectures so that you can stuff them into your bag, never to see the light of day again. Don’t ask me for notes again unless you’re ready to be serious.” 

With that, you hastily pull out a few papers from your bag, not bothering to double check if they were the correct ones or not. You shove the papers into Carol’s and turn away sharply, not bothering to look back. Granted, you were headed in the completely wrong direction, but you weren’t about to give Carol the satisfaction of seeing your face again. 

Of course, Carol knows that you hardly need notes for your own purposes. Summarizing the lectures for her provides you with the information you need to keep your own mind sharp, with years of literary study and reading filling in the blanks to broader context for you. But still, you love to hassle her. Carol does feel guilty occasionally, knowing how much work you put into the notes you take for her. They’re always organized, and you write important little tidbits down in the margins. She always glances at them, but can never bring herself to actually study the notes. 

Tonight is different. Carol is inspired, reenergized by your scathing talk. She sits down at her desk, and finally pulls out the notes you gave her. She reads the first line, and laughs to herself. 

These definitely weren’t the notes she meant to give me, she thinks to herself. 

_______________________________________________________________________

You’re startled out of your evening study session by a loud ding from your phone. Normally, you wouldn’t check your phone in the middle of studying, but you’re intrigued. 

Your jaw drops slightly when you notice that the text is from Carol. 

8:57 hey. I’ve got a question about the notes

You’re shocked. Carol actually... read the notes? 

9:00 Shoot for it. How can I help? 

9:01 Well. The notes weren’t really on Waiting for Godot

9:04 Oh. Did I give you a repeat copy of last weeks’?

9:05 Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that they’re standard academic notes

You roll your eyes at her comment, typing out a harsh response before deleting it and sending a far more cordial reply. 

9:06 Oh? 

9:07 Well, for starters, I don’t think that Waiting for Godot has anything to do with sex. 

Attached to her text is a picture of your recent exploration of the things that turned you on, or as you aptly named it “An empirical study of the things that make me wet.” 

You’d never meant for anyone to see it, ever. It was purely a list of the things that you desperately wanted to try, things you enjoyed watching and reading, various things that interested you. 

You’d written the list mostly as a joke, as a way to get the ideas out of your head. You wondered how it even found your way into your backpack, and you’re ready to curl up into a ball and cry when Carol texts you again. 

9:13 I could help you, you know

9:14 I have a few things that I could teach you

9:15 What do you say we make a deal? 

You swallow thickly, intrigued. 

9:17 What sort of deal? 

9:19 You teach me literature. 

9:21 I’ll fulfill your deepest fantasies. (And take you out on a date ;) )

You blink slowly, unable to process the words appearing on your screen. A date? Lessons in sex? It all seems to be far too much to handle, and you’re not sure if Carol is serious. The prospect is alluring, however, and you can’t help but admit that you’ve had the tiniest (largest) of crushes on Carol ever since you saw her in that signature leather jacket of hers, kicking her legs up against the desk in front of her, even if your feelings were against your better judgment. You knew she was aware of this fact, and the way you were always angry around him for some odd reason. 

9:24 If this is a joke, it isn’t funny, Carol. 

9:30 I’ll pick you up at 7 tomorrow. Be ready. We’re getting pasta.  

__________________________________________________________________________

“So. You want to be a pilot, but now you’re here playing rugby and studying literature?”

Carol shrugs. 

“My best friend Maria and I were supposed to enlist together, but some shit happened and he needed me to stick around. I’ve always been good at rugby even though my dad hated that I played sports, and so I stuck around here. Got a full scholarship for rugby, and put the dream of flying aside. The academy will always be there. It’s not what I wanted, but it’s what Maria needed. I couldn’t just leave her when she needed me most.” 

You smile softly at Carol, shocked by her sudden display of emotion. She’s clearly conflicted, and her eyes drift up to the sky, staring wistfully at the dimming horizon. 

“I think that’s very brave of you, Carol. You’re a really good friend,” you say, reaching out to place a hand atop hers in a sudden burst of confidence. The evening had been oddly pleasant, and conversation flowed between the two of you. Granted, Carol was still somewhat of an egotistical jerk, but she was obviously emotionally conflicted, and she had sacrificed her biggest dream to help her closest friend when she needed it most.  

Carol looks down at your hand, tensing up for a second before flipping her palm to meet yours and giving your hand a quick squeeze. 

“I’m alright, ok? I don’t want you worrying about me.” 

You nod. Carol smiles, and moves to stand up. 

“What do you say we get out of here, and head back to my place? Maybe watch a movie?” 

You smile, nodding at Carol. “I’d like that a lot,” you whisper. “I’d like that.” 

Carol holds her hand out to you, helping you up out of your chair. You move to pull your hand out of hers, assuming she meant to just assist you up, but she holds on firmly as the two of you walk back to her vintage red Mustang. 

The drive back to her apartment is filled with throwbacks from the 90s, widows open and hair wild. You’re both singing the words of the songs obnoxiously, relishing in the sweet freedom of the open night. 

When you finally reach her apartment, your eyes are bright and your hair is messy. You look over at Carol, messy hair strewn about. You begin to laugh uncontrollably, with Carol joining shortly after upon seeing your own windblown look. 

When the laughter finally succeeds, you look over at Carol to find her gazing at you intently. You laugh apprehensively, but Carol’s gaze does not falter.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re beautiful,” she asks. 

You nod your head slowly. “Not really, no.” 

“But you had a boyfriend?” 

You nod. “It wasn’t really the best of situations. I’ve since come to many realizations about myself since then.” 

Carol smiles. “Well, then I guess I’ll just have to tell you as many times as I possibly can to make up for the lack of times you’ve been told that.” 

“Carol, I don’t even know how to respond to that,” you sputter out. 

“So don’t.” 

Carol leans in over the middle of the car, hesitantly pressing her lips against yours in a tender kiss. You’re surprised at first, but you lean into the kiss, melting against her mouth. Your hands tangle in her already messy hair, and you smile against her lips. The kiss intensifies as your hands begin to roam down Carol’s back, fingers itching to explore. She pulls her hands off of you, smiling softly. 

“Let’s head inside, Princess. We can have a lot more fun in my bedroom than we ever will out here.” 

You nod your head, eagerly anticipating the next steps. 

When you reach her apartment, he leads you past the kitchen, flipping on various light switches as she heads through the living room, finally reaching her bedroom. It’s surprisingly neat, with framed photos of her and a woman that you guessed was her friend Maria. There’s a small pin shaped like a sort of star resting atop her desk, with a framed photo of an adorable orange kitten. Her bed is neatly made, and the room is incredibly put together. 

“You like it, huh?” 

You jump, startled by Carol’s voice. 

“Yeah. Um, it’s very nice,” you reply. “Super neat.” 

Carol laughs. 

“Yeah, for all my disorganization at school, I do like to keep my apartment pretty tidy.” 

Carol walks over to her desk and picks up your list. 

“I think this belongs to you, my darling. We don’t have to do anything with it, or even speak of it again should you so wish that to be the case.” 

You bite your lip, considering your options. 

“Were you really serious, Carol?” 

Your heart is beating fast, and your palms are beginning to grow clammy. 

She laughs. 

“Of course I was serious, Princess. Why would I offer if I wasn’t?” 

You look down, mumbling your answer out. 

“I didn’t really think someone like you would ever be interested in someone like me, honestly.” 

Carol laughs, walking over to you. She gently tilts your chin up, meeting your eyes. 

“Hey. You’re smart, you’re beautiful, and you drive me up a wall when you’re yelling at me to fucking finally read your notes, as you so kindly put it in your own words. Of course I would be interested in a girl like you. You’re incredible.” 

She kisses you softly, slipping hers hands underneath your sweater. Breaking away for a second, she whispers to stop her if anything is too much. Green for go, she says. Red for stop. 

Her hands roam up your body, making their way up to your neck. She gently squeezes at the column of your throat, whispering in your ear. 

“I noticed you had this on your list, Princess. I did read your notes this time, and I did study up. I know all the things that could make you tick. And yet, I still want to hear you tell me what you want. You want me to choke you? Squeeze your throat till you’re begging me to stop?” 

“Yes, please,” you moan out. 

“Then use your words, Princess. Mmm... and what else should we do today? What other things from your little list do you want to try? I know you don’t want to start off simple... You even said so yourself. Tell me with your words, Princess. Tell me what you want.” 

You gasp, head tipping back as Carol’s hands resume their exploration of your body. 

“Cat got your tongue, Princess? Normally you’re so vocal during class... Why change now?” 

You moan again, unable to speak properly as Carol’s fingers find your nipples, gently pinching. He pinches harder when you are unable to answer her question. 

Moving hers hand to cup your jaw, he harshly tilts your face to look at him. 

“Answer me, Princess. I’m growing impatient and I don’t have all day. Normally you’re so quick to answer. What a shame.” 

“Put me in my place, please,” you gasp out, voice breaking. “I want you to edge me and spank me and punish me and tell me what a naughty little girl I’ve been, touching myself to the thought of you. I want to eat you out while I’m forced to touch myself, unable to cum without your permission. I want you to choke me as you pound me into the mattress with your cock, reminding me of my place. I want to be your good little girl, moaning only your name as you show me who I belong to.” 

Carol smirks. 

“I’ll be honest—I always knew you had a thing for me. You weren’t exactly discreet. The secret is, I had a thing for you too. I wasn’t expecting you to write about me in your notes, though. And I definitely wasn’t expecting you to write something like that ever. Our little teacher’s pet, our good little girl, the smartest girl in class—and such filthy thoughts! Didn’t take me long to figure out who the mysterious blonde figure was. You wrote some pretty explicit stuff in there, Princess. You’re such a filthy little whore... So many dirty thoughts! Imagine if those notes had fallen into the wrong hands...” 

Carol’s hands dip to the edge of your sweater, swiftly pulling it off of your body. She cocks an eyebrow at you upon seeing the lacy navy blue bodysuit underneath that you’d specifically selected for tonight. 

“Did you wear this just for me?” 

You nod. 

“Good girl. I like the way you think. Now, take off those pants for me. While you’re at it, get rid of that lacey little thing. It’s pretty, but you’re prettier.” 

You obey her quickly, shedding every stitch of clothing from your body. You’re trembling with excitement and anticipation, and you’re nervous as Carol’s eyes rake up and down your body. 

“Stunning,” she says, never taking her eyes off of your body. “You’re absolutely perfect. I can’t wait to teach you how to be a good little slut for me... you’re such a good learner. Wonder if that translates in the bedroom?” 

You groan, rolling your eyes. “Why don’t you shut up and find out already?” 

Carol laughs condescendingly. 

“You sure you want to mouth off like that, Princess?” 

You nod. “You seem to be all talk right now, and no action.” 

Carol growls. “We can change that. I don’t tolerate brats around here. Brats get punished. If you’re a good girl, you get rewarded. Which is it going to be tonight, Princess. I need an answer.” 

You roll your eyes without even thinking. “Just fuck me already, Carol.” 

Carol tangles her hand in your hair, pulling your head back. “I told you that brats get punished. It looks like you've selected the brat role tonight. Get on your fucking hands and knees. I’m not going to ask you a second time.” 

You quickly obey, scrambling onto your hands and knees. You wiggle your ass slightly, but Carol firmly holds it in place. 

“Stop. Now, since this is your first time, I’m going to take it easy on you. We are only going to do ten, but mark my words, if you pull this sort of bratting on me again, I can and will increase that number. Now, I want you to count.”

The first strike comes faster than you were expecting, but it does not hurt as much as you thought it would. 

“One,” you gasp out.

Carol strikes again, harder this time. 

“Two,” you gasp out again.

He continues, hitting a bit harder each time, and your ass is red by the finish. 

“Good girl,” she whispers in the shell of your ear. “You took your first punishment so well for me—it is almost like you were made to do this...” 

She ghosts her fingers lightly over your neck, drifting down to your collarbone before moving her hands to gently massage the soft tissue of your breasts. 

With a gentle slap to your aching ass, she gives you a new set of instructions. 

“Now. For our next lesson, you’re going to suck me off. The better you do, the less edges I’ll give you tonight. I hope you’ve been studying, Princess. Either that, or you just better wish that this comes naturally for you.” 

Carol swiftly pulls her pants and boxers down and throws her shirt to the side, revealing her toned abs and muscled back. You can see her muscles ripple as she stretches her arms above her head to take her shirt off. Your jaw goes slightly slack at the sight of her perfect nude figure.

“Close your mouth, Princess. You’ll catch flies.” 

You blush. “Sorry, Carol. You’re just so beautiful.” 

Carol winks. “I can tell, Princess. Your eyes haven’t left my torso.” 

You giggle, but quickly stop when Carol moves directly in front of you. 

“Test time, Princess. Hope you’ve studied. But, if you haven’t, I’ll allow for retakes. Think of this one as a pretext, if you will. How much do I need to teach you when it comes to this particular subject?” 

You moan at her words, mouth salivating. You’re desperate to touch her, to run your tongue over her strap. Carol leans down to press a quick kiss upon your lips, immediately guiding your face to her strap after. You’re unsure of what to do at first, the feeling foreign upon your tongue. Eventually, you begin to find your rhythm, head bobbing as you introduce a hand to match your rhythm. You continue your tiny kitten licks, timing them with the thrust of your fingers. Carol is silent for the most part, but every so often she breaks her stoic silence with a loud moan or gasp when you hit a particularly sensitive spot against her body. You grind against the pillow that Carol has placed between your legs, annoyed with the lack of friction you got, but thankful to have anything at all. Your tongue continues its way along Carol’s strap, body quivering with pleasure. 

It isn’t long before she’s moaning continuously.

After all, you have always been a very quick learner. 

Carol pulls away, and you whimper at the loss of contact. She messily kisses you, groaning at the taste of herself on your tongue. 

“For your first time, that was surprisingly good.”

You beam in satisfaction.

“However, I’m still going to edge you at least five times.”

You whimper. 

“But Carol—“

“No buts, pretty girl. It’s for your own pleasure, alright? It’s good to practice delayed gratification. Now, get over there on the back of the bed for me. Spread those legs as wide as you can. I want that dripping cunt of yours on display.”

You move off of your pillow, following her instructions. Carol walks over to you, hovering over you on the bed as she cages your body with her arms. 

“I want to hear every moan you make,” she growls. “Don’t hold back on me, Princess.” 

You nod. 

“Yes, Carol.” 

Carol smiles and strokes a single finger through your dripping folds. You shudder. The feeling of her soft fingertips against your throbbing core is heavenly, and you’re unable to hide from the breathless moan that escapes your mouth. 

Carol continues to slide her fingers through the folds of your cunt, relishing in the puffy texture as she explores. Her fingers trace small circles here and there, dipping into your soaking hole when she feels like doing so, pinching your clit, edging you into oblivion. 

You ask her to cum numerous times, but she always pulls away. Finally, she pulls away for the last time. 

“You can cum this time, Princess. But I want to cum on my cock for me like a good little slut, alright? I want you to scream my name for me. Let the whole world know you’re mine now.” 

You nod, moaning at her filthy words. She carefully lines up with you and thrusts in quickly, giving you a chance to adjust to the size and foreign feeling of the cock inside of you. 

When you nod at her, she begins to thrust her hips at an ungodly pace, hitting that perfect spot inside of you that makes your eyes roll into the back of your head. She moves one hand to your clit, rubbing tight little circles over the throbbing organ, and her other hand moves to your throat, lightly pressing down. She’s pushing you into the mattress, firmly grinning the column of your neck as her hips thrust faster and faster. 

“You like it when I choke you? When your brain starts to go a little bit foggy and you can’t tell if it’s from the sex or lack of air? You like it when I tell you what a good little slut you are, taking my cock like such a good little Princess, showing how well you learn and how well you take instruction?”

“Yes,” you manage to gasp out in between moans. “Please, fuck me harder.” 

Although it seemed humanly impossible, Carol managed to fuck you harder. The relentless snap of her hips grew faster, thrusts hitting further and further inside of you each time. The hand rubbing your clit runs faster, harder, and just before you’re about to rip over the edge, Carol whispers in your ear. 

“Cum  for me, Princess. Cum like the good little girl you are.” 

You scream out in ecstasy as you tip over the edge, collapsing against the mattress. Carol pulls out, falling into bed next to you, wrapping her arms around you as she presses kisses to your neck and collarbone, drifting up to your forehead. 

“You did so well, Princess. You’re such a good learner. Looks like you’re just as good in here as you are in a classroom.” 

You smile. 

“I try my best. Honestly, that’s all I can ever do.”

Carol smiles. 

“A good attitude to have. Now, let’s go get you cleaned up.”

A few snacks, some water, and one blissful shower later, you’re dressed in Carol’s old sweatpants and sweatshirt as you climb into bed beside him. She’d invited you to stay the night, and you hadn’t been able to resist. Carol flips the lights off, pressing a delicate, featherlight kiss to your forehead. 

As you lay in bed however, you remember an important fact. 

“I still have to teach you all of literature,” you mumble. 

Carol laughs softly. 

“And I have many things to teach you still, darling. But for now, sleep.”

You smile, closing your eyes as you feel Carol’s grip on you grow stronger. 

Literature could wait until tomorrow.

[mypimpademia]

— College

College student! Bakugo x College student! Black! Fem! Reader

Synopsis: Headcanons of how Bakugo would be as a college student + what it’d be like to date him.

TW: Swearing, mentions of injuries, suggestive on some parts

Note: Made with the help of @katsumiiii <3. Also this is a sort of implied quirkless au bc it’s a college au but it doesn’t matter too much.

⇶ When Katsuki gets to college, he mellows out a whole lot

⇶ Of course he’s more mature than he was in high school. But now, he has a very obvious security in himself and is like a whole new person

⇶ He’s much quieter, and keeps to himself for the most part

⇶ Somehow, he’s even more focused on his goals than ever, and because of that he just doesn’t have energy to waste on cussing people out and yelling all the time

⇶ He has so much going for himself and he knows it, his priorities are set in stone and nothing can keep him from reaching his goals

⇶ Katsuki would likely major in something related to business whether it’s actually business, finance, analytics, etc, that’s all he can see himself in, and he’d fit the part well

⇶ Even though Katsuki has worked through a lot of his issues by this point, he still has a lot of frustration and stress he needs to channel

⇶ And being competitive by nature, he joins the football team and boxes on the side

⇶ Despite most of his teammates being fairly popular, Katsuki is extremely lowkey

⇶ He is still very popular, in a sense. People know him and know of him, but he minds his business and hardly speaks to most people

⇶ But of course the one person he spends as much time with as possible is his pretty girlfriend

⇶ What drew Katsuki to you initially was your determination and work ethic

⇶ You were smart, and heavily involved with the school and your peers, and he found this oddly attractive

⇶ Before getting together, you were decently known through your in involvement around campus. But after, you were both school celebrities

⇶ Everyone knew, or knew of, the two of you. And they all knew you belonged to each other

⇶ Though, you were both so busy that you’re hardly together during the week

⇶ But you always make your way towards each other by the end of the day, and compensate for lost time over the weekends

⇶ During your freshman year, you’d sneak into each others dorms for the weekend to spend time with one another

⇶ Of course, staying in a drab dorm room all day could be boring, even with company

⇶ So the two of you would always end up taking little adventures together whether it was a walk around campus, driving around town, shopping, or going out to eat, you always made sure your time was well spent

⇶ By your sophomore year, Katsuki would get his own apartment near by the campus

⇶ And although you still had a dorm, you essentially lived with him

⇶ A good chunk of your clothes and shoes were there, he bought all your body care for you so you weren’t taking it back and forth, more bonnets than you’d ever need, and of course, him.

⇶ But it was an advantage to the both of you, and your relationship. Because as busy as the two of you could get sometimes, even if you didn’t see each other the whole day, laying in the same bed at night was enough for you

⇶ During the week, even if your schedules had no alignment whatsoever, Katsuki would always make time to see you

⇶ He has a special knack for always knowing where you were at all times, and knew just when to show up, even if your location was off and you hadn’t communicated where you were to him in the slightest

⇶ This especially comes into play in the context of getting all three meals in on a daily basis

⇶ Katsuki still loves to cook, and he’s never played about having a proper diet and he won’t start with you

⇶ Even if he’s gone from his apartment by the time you wake up, there’s a nice warm breakfast sitting on his counter for you

⇶ And no matter where you are come lunch, he’ll make sure that you eat

Katsu💖: You eat yet princess?

You: Nah, I don’t have time to eat rn anyways

You: I think ima just skip lunch ngl

Katsu💖: The fuck do you mean you’re gonna skip lunch

You: I mean I’m gonna skip lunch!

Katsu💖: No tf you’re not

Katsu💖: I’m otw I’m bringing you food

You: bro

You: my location not even on rn fym you’re otw🧍‍♀️

Katsu💖: ? I don’t need your location to be on to know where you are

Katsu💖: What kind of bf would I be if I didn’t know where my gf was

Katsu💖: Especially if I just let her voluntarily starve like a dumbass

You: Alr.

Katsu💖: What do you take me for??? A fucking loser???

You: Now what if I said yes Katsuki.

Katsu💖: Then you’re not getting food

You: Yeahhhh okay😂😂😂😂

Katsu💖: I’m outside

Katsu💖: Hurry up before I change my mind🤦‍♂️

You: Ty bbg😋

Katsu💖: Do not call me that

⇶ Katsuki pulls his random “I’m outside” texts often

⇶ Usually, it’s to bring you some food, and sometimes he just misses his girl

⇶ As crazy as they may be at times, seeing that notification pop up never fails to make you smile

⇶ Nobody misses it when you smile like that either, you’re so well known as a pair that it’s expected that you’re going to see him when you basically skip out of the room

⇶ Unfortunately, being a well known pair doesn’t stop audacious people from hitting on either of you

⇶ On Katsuki’s end, he think people are insane when they approach him in such a way knowing that he’s dating you

⇶ It’s such a slap in the face whenever it happens, that he can do nothing but stare at the person like they’re stupid until they go away

⇶ On your end, Katsuki’s temper jumps out whenever people get the nerve to approach you in any sort of flirtatious way

⇶ If he’s in the area whenever it happens, he always pops up to remove the person from your space

⇶ If he’s not, you always tell him exactly what happened and the only response you ever get is, “I’ll handle it.”

⇶ Regardless of whether or not he’s present, he always handles it by having a less than friendly exchange with your pursuer that usually puts an end to things

⇶ If the person decides to persist for some reason, you become more reluctant to tell Katsuki about it

⇶ You know he cares about you, but you don’t want him stressing or putting to much energy into something that’s not worth it

⇶ But Katsuki can read you like a book, and to him, no energy that goes towards you is ever too much

⇶ Though Katsuki’s is reputation is fairly polished, it’s only blemishes come from people he ended up fighting over you

⇶ Days where neither of you are busy are both of your favorite days

⇶ They’re usually spent at his apartment, or running errands together

⇶ And of course, he squeezes in time for dates

⇶ On occasion, he’ll randomly tell you to get dressed up nice before taking you out for a fancy dinner and spoiling you with delicious food and thoughtful gifts

⇶ While you always stress about him spending so much money on you when he doesn’t let you do the same, he doesn’t mind at all

⇶ To others, Katsuki always seems to have a suspicious amount of money for a college student

⇶ It sparks some rumors, but nobody cares enough to make a big deal about it

⇶ The truth is, he makes money by modeling for his mom on the side, and makes a little off boxing as well

⇶ And if he’s being honest, most of his money goes to you

⇶ He pays for your hair products, hair, nails, clothes, random things you want, and sometimes even your groceries

⇶ Most of the time, you do small dates like picnics and study dates

⇶ He’ll set a cozy mood in his apartment with a led lights, a playlist going, candles lit, and both of you in matching pajamas

⇶ Katsuki makes snacks during breaks and gives you kisses whenever you get a question right

⇶ And what kind of boyfriend would he be if he wasn’t your personal tutor? He helps you on all and any work that you have, and if he doesn’t know jack shit about the class he’ll learn just for you

⇶ On days where just one of you is busy, you’re still attached at the hip, tagging along wherever the other goes just to be in each others presence

⇶ Game days are “secretly” Katsuki’s favorite

⇶ There’s a certain feeling that he only gets when he sees you wearing his jersey and hears you shouting his name from the stands

⇶ Runs over to talk to you whenever he gets a chance, even if he’s not supposed to be over there

⇶ Takes his good luck kisses VERY seriously, and honestly gets frustrated if he doesn’t get one both before the game and during half time

⇶ Even though he’s supposed to be with the team after games, he somehow always manages to slip away and simply go straight home with you

⇶ Half the time, he should be going to his trainers to get any cuts and bruises treated, but he’ll break a bone before he goes to a trainer instead of you

⇶ Puts it on everything that he heals extra fast when you do it, and even faster if you kiss him while you patch him up

⇶ While cleaning him up should really only take 30 minutes, it always ends up taking 2 hours because Katsuki can’t keep his hands to himself

⇶ Always going to kiss you on your lips, cheeks, and neck, always trying to hold your hands, grab at your thighs, pull you closer by your waist

⇶ You can hardly manage to ice a bruise when he gets like this

⇶ But when you finally get done cleaning him up, he thanks you and smothers you with more kisses

⇶ Cooks up a nice dinner to curl up on the couch with, and puts on a movie that you more than likely fall asleep to

⇶ But like the good boyfriend he is, Katsuki carries you to bed where he puts your bonnet on for you and crawls into bed with you

⇶ Coming home to you is by far Katsuki’s favorite part of his day, and even with the path in front of him, he thinks he’d be lost without you

—

Taglist: @megurulvr @ivanine @planetlunaa @rynfiles @szaplsdropthealbum @dreampurpledreams @goldenglow149 @gender-queery @roaringlion @cosmiles @tatiquichi @kxtsxkii @lillizxzz @starsoir @nikorubakugou @ruubric

Send in an ask or DM me to be added to all taglists, or fill out my form to be added to select ones.

—

Thank you for reading, follow for more! Comments and reblogs are appreciated! <3

[learnastrowallura]

💚The 10th house in astrology💚

The source if this information is The Astrology Podcast (Chris Brennan) on Youtube and I will add a personal example plus some of my own thoughts as well

10th house: career, occupation, profession, work, enactment, achievement, reputation, intention, choice, actions, public image, visibility, exposure, rank, position, demand, duty, reward, honor, MC, legacy, bosses, power dynamics, angular

The sign and planet(s) in the 10th house can show us the image that is apparent or visible to others within a professional context, what we do exactly or how we take action toward achieving what we desire, what is the vision that we have and the contribution that we make (within the 6th house it is more... well what you HAVE to do, whereas with the 10th it is more end result based aka what impact will I have in the world), what is my role to play here etc, technical abilities and talents, career potential, our tendencies or even enthusiasm pertaining to taking action (or in the opposite case hesitation toward it) during work, which type of career the individual will take on, what we are known for

Looking at the ruler of the 10th house can, of course, give us more detail on career/reputation matters.

The midheaven in hellenistic astrology may not always fall in the 10th house, so for example if it falls in the 9th house your career may involve spiritual and/or religious matters, teaching people perhaps in college, and if it is in the 11th house then it may involve friendships so maybe there is an overlap with the coworker and friend relationship, or if you pay attention to the talks that you have with your friends there might be a certain theme that comes up that may be a good fit for you in your career, etc (use whole sign house system for this)

Personal example: Leo in 10th house, no planets

Right well this one is a bit tricky to delineate, to be honest

Starting with Leo I definitely make... a statement, I suppose? See the thing is with the 10th house it is something that becomes easier to analyze and figure out in adulthood. I would say I am known for being a certain kind of provocative and bold at my school for sure. Leo is all about shining and self expression and I do not shy away from being authentic and presenting myself as I am, yk? Not many people like it but yea

The reason why I mention college is because I do believe the way I behave there is close to how I would behave in jobs as well since it does count as 10th house work for me but that is my own perspective on it so take it with a grain of salt <3

Right now I am doing an internship which is as close as it gets to a job as of now and I would say I am all fired up to get shit done and I am also quite focused on doing the things that I have to do in a good and proper way (fixed sign quality; stability is prioritized) even though the situation rarely ever demands it; I would say I have good work ethic personally.

My midheaven is in my 10th house so there is not much to talk about there it is the most common case

My Sun which is the ruler of my 10th house is in 1st house placidus and I do resonate with that because my career, my legacy is of priority to me and I take that shit super seriously like it is this huge like goal of mine

Whereas with WS my Sun is in my 2nd house and to me that manifests in being very financially driven so while I do have a good work ethic if I find myself investing my time and energy into something long term that is not going to give me a financial ROI then I will look for something that does idc

My Sun trines my Saturn in the 9th house which does make me feel like that slowly but surely success in career vibes are relevant to me and that hard work and leaning into spiritual studies is going to be quite beneficial

My Sun is also square my Uranus in 4th house and I am not in a stage within my life in which I can quite explain that, however, I do think that shit constantly happening within my private life and home could potentially make me lose my focus and weaken my resolve at times butttt I always bounce back so it's oki

Thank you for reading <3

Masterlist

Paid readings available

x

[werewolfsister]

A Labour of Love Master Directory (Zora May 2024 Side Story)

Welcome to the comic directory! Looking for a specific chapter? Look no further! More details about the comic at the end of this page!

[STATUS: ONGOING]

Please, Enjoy!

MISCELLANEOUS [HERE!]

THE BEGINNING [HERE!]

2. THE COURTING SHELL [HERE!]

3. STORMY WEATHER [HERE!]

4. MOTHER KNOWS BEST [HERE!]

5. CONFESS [HERE!]

6. JOURNEY [HERE!]

7. SPECIAL DELIVERY [HERE!]

8. RESCUE [HERE!]

8a. RESCUE SIDE STORY: MECHANICAL MYSTERY [HERE!]

9. POLITICAL AFFAIRS [HERE!]

9.a. POLITICAL AFFAIRS SIDE STORY: DISTRESS CALL [HERE!]

10. STORY NOTES: BEHIND ENEMY LINES [HERE!]

11. TRAVEL [HERE!]

12. DENOUEMENT [HERE!]

13. EPILOGUE [HERE!] [JOIN THE EPILOGUE!]

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

ABOUT THE COMIC:

🐠 This is a completed Legend of Zelda fan comic that takes places after the events of the game Tears of the Kingdom, specifically after my main comic Shadow Out of Time (on hiatus). A Labour of Love focused on the good people of Zora's Domain and their struggles to coexist with other less-friendly Domains. The comic started as a romantic comedy and has since evolved into a sort of interactive political drama with romantic elements. It started at the beginning of May 2024 and finished near the end of November 2024!

🐟 Collaboration and interactivity were important features of the comic: fan OCs were regularly included, and major plot decisions have been influenced by readers.

🦀 During the Rescue chapter, I received rude messages, which I addressed here. Here's a post on online etiquette I find very helpful, and another that I think is even better!

........I was later accused of intellectual property theft, which I take very seriously. Here's a more comprehensive post with a log, timelines evidence, etc.

........Highlighting issues and drama is uncomfortable! But I believe being 100% transparent is the ethical thing to do. The point of the comic was for people to come together to work on something wonderful! So, exposing the ugly parts rather than hiding them is awkward, but necessary.

⭐️ Acknowledgement to Nintendo for copyright, ownership, etc. of The Legend of Zelda and all its assets

[seleniangnosis]

Mid Year Check In 💗🪽

Pile 1 Pile 2 Pile 3

Hi everyone 💌🧁! My life is keeping me quite busy, and away from the tumblr tarot community for a while now. I've done this spread for me yesterday, so I decided to share it with you as well.

The reading is intended to provide you with some help and answers on how you've been progressing this year, and a bit of what to expect next 🤍. Pick the picture/pile you're most drawn to and feel free to discard any information that doesn't resonate with you. Enjoy! And reblogs are highly appreciated

Pile 1

Hello pile one and welcome to your reading 🧁🤍

You've entered this year with a goal in mind. Whether be it personal growth and development, topping your class , or building on your finances, you were ready to do whatever it takes to get there. You might have been a bit stubborn with your plan, even to the point where you neglected other life aspects, or for others, you've been very driven on changing the circumstances you've found yourself into for a long while.

You seem to have been extremely diligent with your plans, following them trough, or created a very structured way to get you where you want to be. For those who have jobs, or were job searching, this year has been spent for sure on achieving some sort of financial abundance, or create a foundation for your career, this part is highly similar to my own reading and I can say I truly worked hard this year, so pile 2 congratulations on your hard work, and I hope you're enjoying the fruits of your labour.

You've got so many pentacles cards here pile 2 ,so yeah a lot of focus on personal development, finances, and stability.

Something you've learnt is how to be consistent in your work, life , studies etc, rely on yourself, and how to manage ideas, or maybe a situation when something doesn't go the way you planned it. Some of you might have been focused on creating business connections or just create some stable new connections in regards to work / workplace, or maybe you were focused on finding a workplace where you felt like you can grow and develop your skills.

Something that you'll have to pay more attention to, and might serve as your next lesson is related to some self introspective work, and spending some time with yourself. You seem to have been all on the grinding mindset, so much that you kinda forgot about yourself. Good work ethics are great, but I get the impression that you were overworking yourselves, and you got the results, but detached from yourself and some self care.

If you have a certain goal set in mind, go for it, but not on the expense of your health. I got an intresting mix of cards, which leave me with the idea that you're highly aware you're stressed and have been working your brains out, but you keep going because you already have your mind set on something and only after you get that thing done you'll be able to relax.

Whatever it is pile 1, I'm proud of you, but please don't forget to tend to your needs as well 🤍💌.

Pile 2

Hello pile two and welcome to your reading 🤍🧁

The message of this pile seems to be again centered around money, finances, staring a new job / moving to a different job, work. Some of you might have started as an intern in your first job, or changed your career. You might have felt a personal call to change your orientation and start something new. I'm getting that energy of " should I stay ? should I leave ? What if I get into a much worse situation if I leave this place?" . Maybe, for some of you, your workplace was toxic and no longer suitable, but you were afraid of what could happen if you don't find a better one , or none at all.

Some of you might have took a break and some time to reflect and redefine their goals. I feel like even though you were getting some reward and results, they were not worth the mental exhaustion, the stress , and what you were putting yourself trough.

It's highly possible for you to still be in this energy/ situation, because as the next lesson the universe has in store for you I got something about facing what you're afraid to face. You seem to be caught too often and too tight into your own thoughts, that you're blocking your rational thinking, so you keep yourself away from reaching that freedom. Pike 2 , how stressed you are rn? You're thinking about making a move, making a plan, you get distracted by illusory thoughts, you're back to square one.

You should start looking at the good side of the things as well, not only what can fail or go wrong. Have more faith in yourself pile two 🤍💌!

Pile 3

Hello pile three and welcome to your reading 🤍🧁

The page of pentacles showed up in all 3 piles, but for this one, the energy is centered more on self work and development. For you I'm not getting much about money, work and finances, but about new start and goals around personal development. Your year was more of a journey in the search of what works and what doesn't for you. What improvements can you be making in terms of how you think about yourself, how can you change your mindset and find more fulfilment, rather than resenting yourself for things that didn't work out. Maybe you've even been unsatisfactory with who you were , and spent time improving yourself, making better decisions that bring you healthy benefits, and enjoying the journey of these small new beginnings. You learned to have more faith in yourself, in the fact that you're capable of improving yourself.

As something that you are still about to learn, well when I picked the cards I got " committing to yourself ", so ... commit to yourself. Maybe you feel guilty about how you've changed, and even though it's a positive change for you, others might make you think you're selfish, or a bad person. Maybe you were too tolerant in the past, and now that you've learnt to take better make better decisions, others see you as too self preoccupied.

For the rest of the year your goal should be yourself. Creating stability for yourself, and share it with those like-minded, who appreciate your presence in their lives💌🤍.

[stuckinapril]

Hi Cianna, just wanted to say I really admire your study ethic and general vibe on this blog (you inspire me to do better!)

Do you have any advice/tips for good study habits and staying focused? I find that I get some work done, but after a break I can't get back on track

Sorry for the long ask/ studyblr type of question;; what is your favourite hairstyle that you do with your hair! (I also have curly brown hair :)

Have a lovely day also <3

🌻🌻

hi! i touch on a lot of points in this other ask, but a few specific learning techniques i abide by are:

parkinson's law. parkinson's law states that work expands to fill the time. basically if you have an essay that's due in a week, it will magically take you one week to get it done, even if the task itself could've been done in one day. to counter this i just set artifical deadlines for myself--even if an essay is due in a week, my personal deadline has it due in two days.

prime your brain prior to learning. if you need to study a biology chapter, pre-skim it the night before. this is not the time to go into detail--it's the time to familiarize yourself with the overview of the topic, so you should only be making a quick scan of the chapter. another priming method is to make a concept map of topics before diving into a chapter. as you skim write down key terms haphazardly, google those you don't recognize, and draw a concept map linking them together. this is effective bc it requires you to actually put effort into connecting the topics, takes no longer than 15 minutes, and speeds up the learning process that follows. it doesn't matter if you find out you're wrong once you dive in; what's important is you're actively thinking of how these topics coexist, as opposed to mindlessly taking notes or highlighting only to forget what you learned a couple hours later. i'm also a fan of concept maps bc i get to go back and highlight stuff i'm weak in, which is always a plus.

if you like to take notes, use it as another means of active recall. don't just passively take notes as you go along. what i like to do is i read a paragraph, close the book, then try to take down notes based off memory alone. this helps me both phrase the topic in my own words and realize what my learning gaps are, rather than just passively summarize without putting effort into truly understanding/memorizing something. anything i get wrong i hammer into my brain until i can't get it wrong anymore.

take notes effectively. our brain does not learn in sentences and paragraphs. it learns in bullet points, diagrams, and figures--and that's how i like to frame my notes. first i ask myself if i actually need to take notes to begin with, or if there are online notes out there i can use to save time (which, as a stem student, there typically are). if i do decide to take notes, i never mindlessly summarize. i always condense the material into bullet points, diagrams, concept maps, or visual representations. i also like to phrase my notes as questions rather than just passive summaries, so that when i review them i'm already testing myself in a way. most people would not understand my notes bc they're either very low-yield stuff, stuff i'm weak in, or bare-bones fragments of information.

always prioritize weaknesses. if you're weaker at chapter 18 of your textbook vs chapter 1, maybe start with chapter 18. don't spend 6 hours taking notes on chapter 1 if you're already strong in chapter 1. always attack your weaknesses first.

practice practice practice!! so so important. i owe all my As to mock exams, quizzes i make myself, end-of-chapter questions etc etc. imo practice matters a lot more than passive content review.

interleaving concepts helps with retention. an example of this is i like to do biology and chemistry one day, biochemistry and organic chemistry the next day, physics and psychology the day after... i'm not just doing biology all day, every day. another thing i like to do if i'm in a massive rut is i hop between tons of different subjects on the same day, which keeps me from getting bored/helps me understand the subjects better through distinguishing their differences.

retrospective timetable. an example of this is if i find i'm pretty weak in a particular physics topic, the next few days will disproportionately focus on physics over other subjects. inversely, if i just breezed through a biology chapter, the next few days will have less biology than initially planned. i'm constantly going back and revising my study timetable based on my performance of the day, rather than relying on a rigid prospective timetable that doesn't take into account my progress.

less passive learning, more active. spaced repetition is a big one. i love anki for this bc there's an algorithm that dictates how often topics come up again based on how well you answer them. other methods include active recall, having friends quiz you, and trying to teach the topic to others (or the plushie in your bedroom haha). if you find you're struggling to simplify topics and explain them, that's a sign you don't understand them very well yourself.

[librarycards]

asking this not as a gotcha, but genuinely for perspective, as i respect how much you've read and wrote about antipsychiatry. so, i was committed in a psych ward as a teen, and the help i received there inspired me to pursue becoming a pediatric psych np. there's a lot about the system that angered me, but the good nurses i met there had an impact on me. i've also had a rough time finding the right prescribers for meds as an adult, and i've considered working primarily in medication management- to be the attentive resource that i wish i had years ago. i see you've answered someone who aspired to be a therapist- but would my goal be more likely to hurt than help, in this system? i intend to be critical, and not spout shit like ODD as a legit diagnosis; rather, my main goal would be to recognize how a kid's home is affecting them, as having that safer space away from my own home helped me realize the context of why i was that way. but plenty of people claim to have the best intentions, and then become abusive once in these positions of power, so perspective would be very appreciated. thank you

hey anon - thanks for this message. i've answered similar ones a few times before (1) (2) (3), but here are a few thoughts:

honestly, most good/good-intentioned people don't last very long in highly abusive institutional environments. my current therapist started out in a residential ed treatment place, and left to start a private practice because she couldn't stomach the abuse she faced from her superiors, nor the abuse she was expected to inflict upon residents. i have disabled/Mad friends who have gone into social work and/or psych-focused medicine. i do not know of any who have stuck around in psych ward/other high-control settings. it's a painful, demoralizing job even for people without lived experience, never mind for those of us who have been through it as patients.

the ones that stay often harden. there are always exceptions - there were a couple of staff in each of the places i was that were truly special people, not because of the institution but in spite of it - but most of the staff i encountered, from psych nurses to house parents to psychiatrists to social workers - were sharp and cold. maybe you won't become this, but either way, you'll have to put up with it.

and that's the fundamental problem, imo. even if you preserve your own code of ethics, you will not only be structurally limited by the regulations and demands of wherever you work, but you will also be in an atmosphere at best apathetic and at worst actively hostile to the autonomy and well-being of patients as such. you will have to choose between standing by at times of injustice/violence, or risking your job. we both know what happens behind those locked doors.

at the same time: these units will not close if you choose not to work there. people will not stop needing medication management; kids will not stop needing support amid abusive family/home situations. at the same time, it is in practice extremely difficult to effect real change for kids experiencing abuse - hard to get kids out of abusive homes permanently, hard to find non-abusive foster families, impossible to effectively support traumatized young people in these times of transition given the piss poor systems we have.

whether you'd be "hurting more than helping," while a fair question, is beside the point. i'm not entirely sure it's possible for anyone within these institutional strictures to 'help' in a long term sense at all. BUT, you would certainly make peoples' lives/stays in the hospital less painful in the short-term, even if you're pulling your hair out with frustration at the intransigence and needless cruelty of your colleagues. while you're considering what to do in career terms, i think it's also worth considering leadership positions where you can be a safe, supportive adult for young people without the expectations of the institution - a scout leader, coach, theater director, etc. (these are also not mutually exclusive with actual careers ofc) if you wanted to focus on the medical space, patient advocacy is also an option.

overall, i don't want to uniformly tell you "don't ever go into that", because, as i said, the position will exist regardless and i would prefer Mad kids to have as much access to compassion as humanly possible in a profoundly cruel system. but i also want to make clear that the violence attendant to that system will not be escapable for you, nor will you be able to move through it without perpetuating some of your own. think carefully about what you're able to tolerate.

[thesaintofnevergettingitright]

I am prepared to pay any amount of money for a Leverage: Redemption scene that’s just Breanna explaining what Polyamory/Ethical Non-Monogamy means to the team (for a job, she swears), with the caveat that these have to be their exact reactions:

Harry: visibly surprised/bemused, but in the same “ok cool, I guess this is a thing now” vibe he has when he discovers a new humanly impossible thing the team is capable of.

Sophie: Keeps staring fondly into the middle distance, clearly reminiscing about SOMETHING. Makes a few comments like “that was the part my 5th husband never understood,” or (coyly) “oh I didn’t know there was a word for that.” At one point she starts a sentence with “You know Nate and Sterling…” But doesn’t get to finish because everyone is yelling and making disgusted noises.

Parker: Extremely focused on the presentation, actively taking notes. Has the exact same expression she uses while picking a lock or planning a heist. After Breanna’s done speaking she looks directly at Eliot, starts to say something, and then sees Hardison shaking his head frantically behind him, so just shrugs and says “cool. Got it.” and adds it to her Human Behavior Flow Chart.

Hardison: nodding along encouragingly but lowkey paying WAY more attention to everyone’s (Eliot/Parker’s) reactions This is clearly not the first time Breanna has given him this spiel, but he has apparently never shared the info with the team.

(The next two are edits because I changed my mind. Sorry if you saw this before the edits lmao)

Eliot: Gets defensive-angry-flustered in the exact same way he did when he kept insisting that video games aren’t a sport. Eliot is very open-minded and caring, but he’s also a 50 year old white dude raised to be good old southern boy. Literally says “That’s not how relationships WORK, Breanna. Relationships aren’t… they’re SUPPOSED to be between….”

Breanna: is deeply unimpressed but also unsurprised by Eliot’s reaction. Low key planned this talk specifically for Eliot lbr. “No, no. Please finish that thought Eliot. Relationships are supposed to be what??? Between one one man and one woman?” *raises eyebrow with the queer glare of shame*

The conclusion of the episode is the team screwing over an asshole that was hate-crime-ing a poly group for financial reasons. Then as they hang out with the folks they saved, getting to know them and having a drink etc., the camera zooms in on Eliot who glances over at Parker and Hardison laughing at something, a thoughtful look on his face. Breanna and Sophie exchange a knowing smile while Harry looks confused but happy to be there.

Fin.

[hello-nichya-here]

I have a question that might be offensive, and I'm sorry in advance for any hurt it may cause. I've been trying to search for an answer online for a while but I'm not able to find a proper one, and hoped you could help me.

From what I have gathered, autistic people do not wish for there to be a cure for autism, which I understand because well, it would change your brain and the way you view the world. Some even insist it cannot exist (which I'm not so sure about but whatever). My main question is, there are thousands of people out there who are affected by some kinds of ASD so severe that they can never lead a proper life, will never mentally develop beyond a child, and often have to live through agonizing pain and overstimulation. When it comes to these cases, would they not prefer a cure? So wouldn't it be more ethical for a cure to exist, but taking the cure not be compulsory? Those people are obviously not on social media, so their voices go unheard. But wouldn't they and their loved ones not want them to be in pain?

Thanks in advance.

First off, here's why a "cure" is indeed impossible: autism is a neurotype, not a disease. It's not the brain or any organ/system doing something it shouldn't or being damaged by some internal and/or external factor. An autistic brain functions DIFFERENTLY, not DEFECTIVELY, though obviously there is a variety of ways in which it manifests, and it is very rare for an autistic person to be ONLY autistic, there's often one, or more, conditions affecting them at the same time (anxiety, ADHD, schizophrenia, depression, OCD, etc). It is also likely a result of multiple cromossomes working in atypical ways (unlike with Down Syndrome, which is a result of cromossome 21 and ONLY 21 working differently) - and we still don't know which ones, or even how many said cromossomes are.

What does all of that mean for a cure? It means that:

1 - To make an autistic person non-autistic it'd need to be possible to discover it when they're still a fetus and somehow force their brain and entire nervous system to form differently - both things modern science can't do and that we're not sure will EVER be possible.

2 - It is very likely that even if a cure is possible, it will NOT be a one-size-fits-all kind of deal, and it will work on some cases and be useless in others.

So it is already a far, far, FAR more complicated deal than just "If we put enough money, time and effort into it, we can find a cure." Part of the reason why many autistic people are sick of nearly every fucking charity about autism being focused on a cure is because, instead of that money going directly to us or to our caretakers (be it family or any form of hospice/home) and having a very real positive effective, that money goes into searching for a something that might genuinely not be biologically possible.

This is sadly the common history for nearly every group under the large umbrella of Disabled People. Sign Language was discouraged and even made ILLEGAL in some countries long before there were was a reliable, safe way to allow deaf people to hear. There are THOUSANDS of horror stories about people with any form of paralysis or mobility issues being just let root and die in their beds, even after all kinds of mobility aids were invented because "it's a burden to the caretakers" and a "miserable life to live anyway." A disabled athlete in Canada has recently complained about lack of accessibility and was offered EUTHANASIA as a solution because God forbid someone has to build a ramp.

The sad reality is that many non-disabled people are only interested in helping us if the help is guaranteed to make us 100% "normal." If it will gives us a decent, and sometimes fully/mostly independent life, but not make us able-bodied/neurotypical it is NEVER considerd "good enough", and is often talked about as a "set-back for the cure." Giving us ways to communicate our needs, find emotional support, employment, or at the very least multiple sources of aid that will allow our families to not be on "caretaker mode" 24/7 and to not fear what might happen to us once they pass away is considered A SET BACK. Because we're not "cured", but are also not dead.

They're focused on trying to "solve the mystery that will totally lead us to the cure IN THE FUTURE", but never on hearing our VERY basic requests for stuff that would greately improve our lives NOW - Autism Speaks, the largest autism "charity" (hate-group that literally uses "therapy" created by nazis to "help" us) literally popularized the myths that we don't know ANYTHING about autism, how it happens or how to help people with it, and making the "official autism symbol" be a fucking puzzle piece.

The "finding a cure is more important than anything" narrative talks over the needs of EVERY autistic person in existence, including the ones that cannot express their opinion or understand their own condition enough to HAVE an opinon, and yes, including the ones that actively WANT to be "cured."

And speaking of people who do genuinely want to be "cured" of their autism: it is extremely naive of you to think there's any change a cure wouldn't be made mandatory if it existed, and that the choice would be left to the individual, or even to a parent/caretaker on the more "extreme" cases.

Like I said before, things like Sign Language were made ILLEGAL in many countries for the crime of helping disabled have a better life without curing them. We still have cases of doctors operating deaf babies/toddlers without the parents consent. Wheelchair users constantly complain that people just randomly decide to "help" them by pushing their chair towards where they assume the person wants to go, without saying a word to them, without letting them change direction and sometimes even being careless enough to fuck up the chair.

Disabled people CONSTANTLY get called stupid or selfish for not opting for long, expensive treatments that will often only TEMPORARELY make them abled-bodied because being "normal/not a burden" should be more important than anything, including the completely unnecessary and often brutal emotional turmoil of getting used to a "normal" life just go then have to get used to being disabled again. And yes, autistic peoplel, from the completely indepent ones to the ones that need constant care, who have said they would NEVER take a cure for it if one existed, ALREADY get condescending, and sometimes openly hateful, comments about it all day, every day, everywhere. For saying we don't want to take the IMAGINARY pill that can "fix" us.

Our lives are already considered lesser, our opinions are already disregarded, and our bodily autonomy is already denied constantly (see the more "harmless" things like people that think it's funny to force hugs and kisses on those of us who hate most physical contact, to doctors that have injured or KILLED us through unnecessary, often violent means of restraining us during meltdowns). If a cure existed, we'd be straight up forced, or at least constantly pressured, to take it. There's a reason WE are the only ones discussing how unethical it'd be to force us to be "cured", while most neurptypicals have not even heard of that objection, and half would get mad at us for being "ungrateful" - after all, they spent so much time, money and effort on this thing (that we've been rejecting from day one), we can't just refuse it like that!

I know you probably mean well, anon, but the sad reality is that nearly every talk of "curing" autism (and almost anything that is considered a disability) is often rooted on nothing but society's very open disgust and disdain towards our very existence, not a genuine desire to make sure we're safe and happy - and as you can imagine, we're mad that we constantly have to justify our right to be alive and actually listened to, not spoken over by people who are "trying to help" by telling us to shut up and be glad that they're trying to make us "normal."

[aphrostarot]

Who Are You Pick a Pile

As this is a general collective reading, some things may not resonate with you or your situation. DO NOT try forcing it to fit. If you would like to book a personalized reading with me go to my profile and follow the instructions on my pinned post.

If you enjoyed this reading and wanted to support me further you can do so by tipping me in the link in my bio or by booking a personal reading with me.

Pile One (Amethyst):

How do you see yourself?

Seven of Pentacles:

You view yourself to be someone who is an extremely hard worker. Someone who stops at nothing to achieve their goals. In your mind, never taking a break is the best way to succeed. In your eyes, you are a patient person who is constantly manifesting your desired reality. The color purple may be significant to you, it could be your favorite color for some of you, it may be your aura color for others, etc., lavender may also be significant for some, and as this is the Amethyst pile that may be significant for you too. If you don’t already have Amethyst in your life, I’d encourage you to purchase some. Keep in mind when you are purchasing crystals to buy ethically sourced crystals. Do your research before purchasing.

How do others see you?

Six of Pentacles:

This is interesting because you see yourself as the Seven of Pentacles and the people in your life see you as the card right before it, the Six of Pentacles. People represented by the Six of Pentacles are very generous and caring, this is how the people in your life see you. They believe that you are the type of person to stop at nothing to help the people you care about. They see you as a deeply spiritual person whose spirituality has taught them to be patient and calm. In their eyes, you are always striving to do good deeds for others for their benefit.

What does not represent you?

Nine of Wands:

People who don’t know you well enough see you as someone who has too many expectations of the people in your life. They believe that you are too hard on people and impose these expectations too much. This is something that does not define who you are. As I said, the people who believe that you are like this do not know who you truly are. If you have run or run into people who think this of you, do not let it bring you down, it is not who you are.

What is important to you right now?

Strength:

You may have started to focus more on your confidence and self-love recently, or you have been thinking about doing so, and to this, your guides are saying it is a great thing for you to be doing. Continue to focus on improving your confidence and self-love.

What is not important?

The Emperor:

You may have control issues, either in all areas of your life or only in specific areas, either way you do have control issues. Your guides are saying that this is something that is important for you. You want to be focusing on your self-love, and your control issues are not going to help you in that process.

What are some things in your life right now that you don’t need?

Page of Pentacles:

Based on the amount of Pentacles that have come out in this pile, you may be an Earth sign (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) or, you may have significant earth placements in your chart. As for the Page of Pentacles being something that you don’t need right now, there may be a new project in your work that you want to start, and your guides are saying that you should not be starting that. You have too much on your plate right now, and now is not the time for you to be adding more to your plate.

What goddesses are you most like? (Extended Reading)

Pile Two (Orange Calcite):

How do you see yourself?

Knight of Swords and Four of Pentacles:

You see yourself as a strong individual who is very good at making decisions. You also believe that you are funny and fun to be around. Not only that, but you believe that you are a natural leader. In your eyes you are driven by money and success which is what makes you more confident, better looking, and superior to others.

This is the Orange Citrine pile, so, it may be worth purchasing one to have in your life. Keep in mind when you are purchasing crystals to buy ethically sourced crystals. Do your research before purchasing. Orange may be significant to some of you and sunsets as well.

How do others see you?

Ace of Wands and Ten of Wands:

The people in your life see you as a very hard worker, which seems like something you want to be known for, so this is a good thing. However, these same people believe that you have a tendency to over work yourself and punish yourself when you get things wrong. They think that you put other people's needs over your own too often. They believe that you ignore your own problems because you are afraid of dealing with them. All in all, though, they view you as a very successful person who is constantly pushing forward towards their next goal. For some of you, you may be a highly spiritual person and the people in your life recognize this and believe it is why you are so successful.

What does not represent you?

Four of Cups:

People may see your constant drive towards success as you being dissatisfied with your life. They may think that you don’t see your life for what it is and take things for granted. Your guides say that this is not you, don’t let these false assumptions define who you are.

What is important to you right now?

Nine of Pentacles:

As we have established, your success is very important to you and with this card coming out here it seems that you have been very successful recently, and your guides are saying that it is time for you to bask in these rewards. You have been accumulating so much and haven’t been allowing yourself to stop and feel the joy that comes with your dreams coming true. Based on all the information that has come out with this pile, some of you may be a Capricorn or have significant Capricorn placements in your chart.

What is not important?

King of Swords:

You have very high standards for yourself and where you are going in life, and because of this you tend to focus too heavily on your failures, or what you believe to be failures. This is something you should not be doing. You need to get out of your head and stop over intellectualizing your feelings, especially when it comes to your feelings regarding your mistakes.

What are some things in your life right now that you don’t need?

King of Pentacles and Three of Swords:

Some of you may have an ex coming back into your life recently wanting a second chance and your guides are saying that this is a bad idea. Do not take them back. For others, you may have recently lost out on a business opportunity or made a major mistake in your career, and you are feeling very heartbroken about this. You may feel like giving up, and this is something you should not do. You have been focusing too heavily on the negatives and this is something you should not be doing, focus on the positives here. It is time for you to heal and move forward, not stay stuck in the past.

What goddesses are you most like? (Extended Reading)

Pile Three (Sodalite):

How do you see yourself?

Eight of Pentacles:

You see yourself as a very hardworking individual who is devoted to a person or project no matter what. You love the beginning stages of any project you start and are constantly looking to expand your knowledge and find new projects to start. Not only that, but you may feel that other people don’t get you, especially when it comes to the things that interest you. Furthermore, you may feel that people think you focus on things that are not important, but they are important to you and that is all that matters.

This is the Sodalite pile, so, it may be worth purchasing one to have in your life. Keep in mind when you are purchasing crystals to buy ethically sourced crystals. Do your research before purchasing. The color blue may be on some significance for some of you as well.

How do others see you?

Seven of Wands:

The people in your life see you as an outspoken individual who is not afraid to stand up for what is right. They see you as very brave and determined. They see you as someone who cares deeply about others, especially the underdog, and believe that you will stop at nothing to help the people who need it. However, they also believe that you have a tendency to be on the defensive too much and see problems where there aren’t any.

What does not represent you?

Ten of Swords and Six of Wands:

You may feel like you have failed recently and that you are in a state of ruin right now and to this, your guides say, this is not who you are. They say that you are not seeing your situation for what it is. This may be because you are wanting recognition for what you have done and continue to be doing and because you aren’t getting this you believe you are a failure and that is not true. You are successful and don’t need recognition to be that.

What is important to you right now?

Knight of Swords:

You are someone who loves to start new projects and is very determined when you are doing something you love. However, this comes with perfectionism. When you are thoroughly obsessed by a certain idea and strongly wish to manifest it, you are oftentimes so blinded by the actual desire for its fulfillment that you fail to note the difficulties which you may come across, or the actions and consequences that it could bring. You become so obsessed with getting it done perfectly that you forget to notice what that perfection may take to get. And this is something that you need to recognize about yourself. That is what is important to you right now.

What is not important?

Four of Wands:

You may be wanting to celebrate right now in your life, either by hanging out with friends or family, or by throwing a party, and your guides are saying here that you need to not be focusing on this right now. Your desire to fit in with the people in your life is causing you to not focus on what is important to you right now.

What are some things in your life right now that you don’t need?

High Priestess and Queen of Wands:

You may be prioritizing your intuition and spirituality over your intellect and conscious mind right now in your life, and your guides are telling you that you need to focus on your 3d realm and your reality rather than your unconscious mind and the spiritual realm. You may have been too focused on what your guides are saying to you either through your dreams, music, etc. and because of this you are missing things in your reality that are important to you at the moment.

What goddesses are you most like? (Extended Reading)

Pile Four (Black Tourmaline):

How do you see yourself?

Seven of Wands:

You view yourself as someone who is very outspoken and not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. You see yourself as being very brave, determined, and not willing to let anyone stand in your way. Not only that, but you always root for the underdog and are willing to help anyone who is in need. Likewise, you also know that you are highly competitive and have a hard time trusting people.

Since this is the Black Tourmaline pile, it may be worth purchasing one to have in your life. Keep in mind when you are purchasing crystals to buy ethically sourced crystals. Do your research before purchasing. You could also be a Scorpio or have significant Scorpio placements in your chart. For some of you, you may have people in your life who are Scorpios. Also, mushrooms may be significant to some of you. There are also some of you who may have been drawn to pile one and if that is the case it is worth checking out as well.

How do others see you?

Ace of Cups:

The people in your life see you as a deeply spiritual person who loves very deeply. They believe that your intuition, creativity, and instincts guide you to make the right decisions in life. They think that you are wise beyond your years and admire that you are in tune with your inner voice. Not only that, but they see you as someone who never strays, they think that once you are committed you are committed and that this is what makes you such a great person.

What does not represent you?

Eight of Wands:

You may be someone who is very fast acting in your life and because of this people tend to think that you are someone who doesn’t think before they act, and you just leap into things. This is not something that you are. You think deeply before you make decisions and just because others don’t see that, that does not make you that person.

What is important to you right now?

Strength:

You may feel on the defensive in your life right now. That you need to stand up and be strong in the face of what is happening in your life right now. To this, your guides say you do not need to be doing that right now. It is okay to feel your feelings, you do not need to be putting on a brave face right now. Allow yourself to stop living life in survival mode and to feel everything you are repressing.

What is not important?

Ace of Wands and The Emperor:

There is something you are wanting to start in your life that you may have been thinking about doing for quite some time, but now is not the time for you to be starting anything new.

What are some things in your life right now that you don’t need?

Four of Swords:

You have been putting on a brave face for quite some time now in your life and distracting yourself instead of allowing yourself to feel. Your guides are saying that this form of self-protection that you have been doing is not helping you to heal at all. You need to stop forcing yourself to pretend that everything is alright when it is not alright. People will not think any differently of you if you allow yourself to show emotions, and if they do, they are not meant to be in your life.

What goddesses are you most like? (Extended Reading)

[amphetamine-keen]

Battle Jacket Tips! Yippee!!

I'm hyperfixating, so be warned that this might be rambly and a lot longer than it needs to be, but I promise these are good tips

I'll try to put all my rambles in small text and if it gets too long, I'll stick it under a read-more-- oh, would you look at that

For starters, what is a battle jacket? Maybe you've just stumbled across this post and have no context, or maybe you're researching bc you think you might be interested in making one, here's a short explanation:

Battle jackets are a popular garment in a lot of alternative communities. Punk and metal are the biggest two that I'll be focusing on, but there's genuinely no limit to the "genres" that a battle jacket could belong to. I don't like country music, but like, if you want to make a country battle jacket, do it! Have fun!

Battle jackets are typically either leather or denim and covered in patches and pins to the wearer's taste. Punk battle jackets might include more political sentiments and DIY than say, a metal battle jacket, but of course, there are no rules, and my battle jackets tend to be a bit of a mix of punk and metal. Remember: There are no rules, these are all just suggestions.

The Base:

A few suggestions for your first battle jacket:

Do thrift your starting garment. If you can't find something exactly like what you're looking for, don't sweat it. Find something "good enough" and get started. That's what fabric dye and scissors are for. DIY or Die is the motto here. My most recent battle vest started life blue and with sleeves. Now it's black with big yellow panels in the sides.

Do get your jacket a little bigger than usual. Patches can stiffen up the garment and make it feel tighter, plus, if you wear it year round you'll wanna be able to put it over your coat in the colder season. I actually have two vests, a warm weather and a cold weather vest. The warm weather vest is a lot smaller so it doesn't hang off me when I'm just wearing a shirt, but I recommend starting with a larger vest and doing the "warm weather" vest as a second project.

Don't buy a premade battle jacket, especially fast fashion. The whole point is to make it to your tastes, so buying a jacket with someone else's patches and pin picks kinda mucks up the best parts of making a unique, custom garment. Also, the fast fashion industry is horrifically exploitative, and supporting it financially isn't very punk. If you've already done so, don't beat yourself up. We're all learning and growing. Take the things you learn and grow from them in the future. That is punk.

The Patches:

The biggest patch on a battle jacket is your "back patch." They're huge and seen as the sort of "keystone" of a jacket. They're not a requirement, but I like them a lot. Usually, the patch is of the wearer's favorite album, or something similar, but they can be anything you want. Tarot cards, art pieces. Go nuts and find something that brings you joy. My first vest was very "traditional" with a Metallica Master of Puppets patch, but my second one has painted + embroidered handprints from all my long-distance friends so I can keep them with me <3

Do buy directly from band websites, or from the merch stands at live shows! That's my favorite way to get patches, even if they might be expensive or have iffy manufacturing ethics because it shows where my vest has been and what it's seen.

Do buy from small businesses and online vendors. Try your local craft fairs, or Etsy shops for patches you like. They might be pricier, but that's just because the seller isn't exploiting factory workers and valuing their own time.

Do make your own patches! I might go more into this later, or on a different post, but there are a lot of ways to make your own patches. Embroidery, paint, stenciling, etc. You can get fabric quarters at most craft supply places for like $3 USD tops or free if there's a local Hobby Lobby. Acrylic paint works, though it might crack a bit over time. Fabric paint is pretty widely available and gives a smoother look.

Don't just buy wholesale packs of patches on Amazon. Like the above point about premade jackets, bulk patch packs are often made in exploitative sweatshop conditions, and Amazon should be used sparingly because even if the manufacturer is ethical, Amazon's warehouses are not. Also like the above, don't beat yourself up if you already bought a pack of patches. I did it too, when I first started, you live and you learn.

Don't wear patches for bands you don't know. I mean, you can, I'm not a cop, but you will look like a poser.

Non-Patch Editions:

I said it before, and I'll say it again. There are no rules. You don't have to limit yourself just to patches to customize your jacket. Have fun with it. Here's a list of options to give you ideas, based on things that I've done or want to do on my own.

Embroider directly on the fabric! I put spider webs and violets on my vests just because I like them and think embroidery is fun.

Spikes and studs!! You can get packs of spikes from lots of places (some more ethically than others) or you can make your own. As a disclaimer, some music venues may raise issues with pointier bits, as they could cause injury to other people, so use your best judgment.

Add other metal bits! Can tabs, lighter hoods, chains, keys, washers, nails, bolts, and pieces of scrap metal are all pretty fun to play around with!

Corsetting. Whether as a resizing measure or just for the aesthetic, get some eyelets and throw some ribbon in there. Could be fun!

Pins! I've mentioned them before, but also you can make your own with some bottle caps and a safety pin. Or repaint buttons you already have. I've kept the same little pronoun pin I repainted with nail polish for almost a decade, and it's still in great shape.

Putting it all together:

These are some general tips for putting all the pieces together, and honestly was supposed to be the whole post, but I like to talk so here we go!!

Lay out everything first before sewing it down. I have ripped up more patches than I care to admit, just to sew them back down on another part of the jacket.

Big tip for the mix-patch crowds, keep all your political patches on the front of the jacket. The idea is, if some asshole has a problem with your opinions, you want to see them coming. You don't want them sneaking up behind you.

Thread. Elder Punks often recommend dental floss for fastening patches to your jacket bc of its strength and rightfully sew (hahaha!). However, if you'd like more colorful options, try upholstery thread. It's super strong, and it's what I use on all of my own jackets. Though, I do keep floss and a needle around for convenient repairs. The box has its own thread cutter!

Needles. If you're like me and have shitty old person hands at the ripe old age of 23, those tiny dollar store needles will make your hands cramp up like a motherfucker. For this reason, I use doll needles. My default needle came in a walmart pack, and I use the smallest gauge, 3 in long needle. The thicker ones are too hard to get through the fabric. It's much easier to grab and easier on my hands.

Thimbles. Even with big-ass doll needles, sometimes it's difficult to grab them well enough to get through really thick fabrics. That's what thimbles are for (not to keep you from pricking yourself with the sharp end). Get yourself one, or improvise something similar, it will save your life.

Stitching. Sew down all of your patches, even the ones that claim to be "iron-on" because in my experience the iron-on adhesive fails pretty quickly. I recommend a whip or blanket stitch, so the edges don't peel up or fray (as handmade patches might). If you're moshing, a lot of folks claim that floss is best because it keeps people from ripping off your patches. Respectfully, I think that's a bunch of horseshit. If you don't want your patches ripped off, make them harder to grab onto. Keep your stitches small and close together so assholes can't get a grip on them. That said, I've never actually had someone try to rip off my patches in the pit or otherwise, so use your own discretion.

Washing. A lot of hardcore crust punks will tell you never to wash your battle jacket, but crust punk isn't for everyone. I wash my jacket every year or so, and it's pretty easy to do as long as nothing on your vest is susceptible to damage in water (I had some early patches that I finished with Modpodge that were ruined in the first wash, so keep that in mind). If you're confident in your stitchwork, just toss the vest in a garment washing bag or a pillowcase and chuck it in the wash with everything else. If you're a little more cautious, it's easy enough to hand wash it in a tub/sink and hang it out to dry. Don't use bleach or you'll probably ruin something.

[myimaginarywonderland]

Here's a short summary of the Lance interview (thanks for @goodguylance for reminding me it's already out!)

- Lance has been skiing since he was 2 and loves it. He prefers the mountains to the beach holiday

- He has been living in London for nearly 7 years (cue accent shenanigans between him and Ted)

- He enjoyed working with Seb and learning some of his work ethics. He also regrets some of the maneuvers he did and isn't proud of them. He learned a lot from his experience etc. He also respects him for everything he did for the sport and thinks he's a class act. He thinks Seb is a great person of track too.

- He does not drive very often on the road and also hate the parking/traffic that comes with it.

- There were some bear shenanigans (no one told Ted there would be bears apparently)

- He was bad at maths and according to himself a "little shit" when he was in sports because he was so competitive . He wasn't good at school like most drivers.

- He thinks he grew up with the sport and learned a lot on- and off track. The jump from F3 to F1 was big partly because of regs but also because of the huge media spectacle and the big paddock.

- He loves that every season is different and that he can better and push himself every season against some of the best drivers in the world.

- He is aware of the discredit he gets due to his background but blocks it out because he doesn't like the negativity.

- For him it's important to have his small circle that knows the full picture and have them know how he actually performs. He gives his energy to those people and focuses on them.

- He races for himself and his own satisfaction. He doesn't really need the validation from others.

- He judges himself probably the hardest and is the first to judge himself.

- He loves the feeling of performing well on the two day weekend and thrives of it. He is also aware that it can be hard against the others which makes it more special when you do well.

- He admires Fernando for continuing to be himself all throughout the years. He thinks Fernando's trademark is the seeming to get better and continuing to push even despite the long time he has already been in the sport. He feels that already with Fernando. Fernando seems to want to know every detail and all the ways they can improvement.

- Lance is looking forward to working with Fernando because of his attitude.

Lance was so relaxed and open that interview so I truly hope that many of you watch it because it shows that he puts so much of himself into F1.