#we love. we are loved. this is human nature

[lazysoulwriter]

you said my name on live tv! - pedro pascal.

requested! thank you for sending, honey. hope you enjoy.

---

Pedro wasn’t supposed to say your name.

You both knew the rules — or at least, the one unspoken agreement that had kept your relationship safely under wraps for the last six months: no public mentions, no soft launches, no clues. You weren’t famous, and he liked it that way. Liked the quiet normalcy of it. Liked how no one in your world cared about red carpets or premiere dates, only if you were free for brunch or needed help picking out plants for the apartment.

But today, during a perfectly standard interview for a late-night show, Pedro forgot.

It started innocently. The host had asked a string of questions about Pedro’s chaotic schedule — something about jetlag and coffee addictions — and then, mid-laugh, the host joked:

“So who keeps you grounded when you’re not off being the internet’s daddy?”

Pedro, in all his charming glory, chuckled, eyes sparkling. “Oh, Y/N does,” he said, like it was the most natural thing in the world. “She reminds me to sleep like a human being.”

The studio audience didn’t catch it. Not really. Just a name dropped in a sea of Pedroisms.

But the internet did.

The clip hit Twitter before the show even ended. Zoomed-in, subtitled, slowed down.

“WHO IS Y/N AND WHY IS PEDRO PASCAL SMILING LIKE THAT WHEN HE SAYS HER NAME??”

“y/n… you better treat him right i swear to GOD.”

“do we think y/n is someone we know? a celeb?? no info anywhere. queen’s in hiding.”

“you guys she’s not famous. i did a deep dive. she’s just. a person. and he’s in love.”

—

Back in your shared apartment, you’re sprawled on the couch, one leg thrown over Pedro’s, a big hoodie drowning your frame and a bowl of popcorn slowly going stale between you.

Pedro looks sheepish, his phone buzzing non-stop. “I really didn’t mean to say it.”

You’re giggling, face tucked into his shoulder. “I told you that interview was live.”

“I forgot, baby. I was tired and they were being funny and then your name just… came out.”

You poke his side. “So now the whole world knows Pedro Pascal has a girlfriend named Y/N who tells him to go to sleep.”

He flips the phone so you both can see the flood of TikToks and tweets. One fan made a slideshow of blurry Pedro candids captioned “thinking about her” set to a Phoebe Bridgers song. Another user made a fake "Y/N Pascal" Vogue cover. Someone even made a fan edit of your blurry Instagram pictures that you thought were private, matched up with Pedro's, like they were connecting some conspiracy.

You both dissolve into laughter, tears welling up in your eyes from how ridiculous it all is.

Pedro wipes a crumb from your cheek and grins. “Should I post a picture of us now? Since it’s out?”

You raise an eyebrow. “What kind of picture?”

He shrugs. “Just… us. Normal. No face filters. No drama.”

You hum, pretending to think it over. “Okay. But I get to pick the caption.”

“And what are you gonna put?”

You grab your phone, snuggle back into his side, and type it out slowly.

“yes, it’s me. no, you can’t have him.”

Pedro bursts out laughing. “That’s evil.”

“That’s iconic,” you correct him, and press post.

The internet loses its mind again. But this time, you’re not just laughing from the sidelines. You’re in it. Together. On the same couch, eating popcorn, letting the world fall in love with a version of what you already have.

Just… a little more out loud now.

---

[mothinkling]

Leander's cult signs, Psychic Moths and Manipulative Bottoming.

!(DEMO UPDATE SPOILERS; LEANDERS ROUTE)!

''What are you doing sitting around, good-looking? the demo's been out, why don't you hurry that cute little body of yours and spend some time with me?''

Call me the Unnamed Oracle because in this post I'd made the point that that Leander would want to make you feel powerful, in control both physically and mentally to stop you from questioning his behavior.

I'm so giddy that I was actually right about this lmfao, and it got me thinking more about Leander's control tactics.

Safety, even if false, creates a safety blanket- it also breeds codependence; for MC, safety looks like the ability to not hurt anybody using the power of their hands.

We can also see this when MC manages to push him down onto the bed to keep him from leaving, exactly what he would've wanted.

MC believes it was from their own volition, but it was all Leander's play, he'd promised them answers to the question they so desperately want to be answered, and then tried to leave in a hurry immediately after.

It makes them feel more in control, like everything they're doing comes from their decision alone and not somebody elses influence, which could render doubt.

This also plays well into all of the cult symptoms I noticed within the new update, something they seem to be pushing more with the Abberstone/Bloodhounds.

One of the first signs of a cult is love-bombing, something that can be expressed in multiple different ways, I'd be willing to overlook Leander's fascination and desire to know every detail about MC as simply a cultural difference due to the exchange of knowledge

BUT on the other hand, another way of love-bombing that's quite popular when it comes to cult activities especially is the act of singling the possible new member out in a positive manner.

He chose you out of everyone vying for his affection, the only difference being that they're completely hooked on him and you aren't yet.

It's human nature to want validation and to feel special, and he's offering that to you in particular, oh, don't you feel so wanted? it makes you feel more akin to stay.

Who wouldn't want to stay somewhere that makes them feel special and adored, especially by the flock leader themselves.

One of the main things we learn about the Abberstone/Bloodhound's is that they're protective of one another, they're good Samaritans who've even lended a hand fixing a leaking roof once or twice.

But if you look on the other side of things, another sign of a cult is both Fear Factor and Hate-Bonding.

Very little unites people like a shared hatred, think about it, have you ever bonded more with a friend because there is someone at work or school you both just cannot stand?

This is also another weapon used by flock leaders, they usually pick a certain group or organization to turn into the cult's enemy, someone everybody can mutually boo.

This also brings a sense of belonging as everyone shares at least one point of view with the rest, it's a very base instinct to agree with something that a large group is saying.

It's like if a person who's spent their life sober goes out with a group of friends who love drinking, they're more inclined to join in despite their own beliefs due to fear of missing out.

It ignites unity within the group, keeping them more loyal to each other and the cause.

This also ties hand in hand with creating bonds within the cult, something to give you a reason to stay.

Leander is your friend, don't you trust him? :)

Sharing secrets is a good way to bond with people, similar to the instance of shared trauma, something exclusive between two people that makes them feel like they can only talk to that other.

Leander love-bombs quite early on until they easily start calling MC a friend, almost desperate to win them over for that exact reason.

He knows MC is alone and desperate, the ideal target for a cults influence, so he's eager to be their first friend.

He even discourages trying to befriend the likes of Mhin or Kuras, pointing out the flaws in all the others so you'd feel more inclined to spend time with him instead.

Not that they really have much of a choice, because another thing that's extremely prominent in the structure of a cult is Financial Control.

But how could Leander do that if everything is free? it's an almost genius method, but the effect goes the opposite.

MC likely doesn't look wealthy, like at all, and it seems that travelers have a reputation for being scraggly if the sighting of the other at the beginning of the game is anything to go off of (before they went insane, I wouldn't be looking too hot either if my mind was broken.)

They're also extremely tight about the information given, anybody can tell that from just five minutes talking about that.

And with Eridia's information value, they're not exactly going to get far.

Leander knows that, so like the good Samaritan he is, he lets them stay at the Wet Wick for free, even offering free meals and drinks.

But this also leaves MC under his thumb, they can barely afford food let alone another place to stay, and Leander is there and kind and oh-so-willing to lend a hand.

Constantly being surrounded by a cult is a sure way to get indoctrinated, especially when they're so much warmer compared to the harshness of the other people they've met, I.E Mhin and Vere.

But we're also overlooking the most crucial sign of Leander being a flock leader.

This has been crucial to his rise in power and keeping his followers hooked on him and his ideologies, enough to overlook any sort of red flag.

Look at those tiddies fr i'd fall for that any day, we don't need any indoctrination fam we're already hooked 😍😍 I'd say we don't need a leash but I know we'd still like it

Big tiddy cult forever

[speedygal]

I am against locking stories becase of this, It is pointless! There will be some idiot who sends an email, waits, and waits, and waits, for days or weeks or months, then gets the account and starts scaping away on those locked fics. It is so utterly pointless. I do not see the point in locking fic.

This is so performative in nature locking your stories up and winding down your audience. Do you know how rare it is to get interaction from readers? Do you? Do you? Once you lock your fics and keep doing that, there's no going back!

Those readers are not coming back! You're burning your audience because you think the AI are better than you even after consuming data, there's no personality in them, there's no desire in them, this is just the general impression I am getting--you think ais are better than you.

These ai do not have soul, they cannot replace you, they cannot get better, they cannot under any circumstance replace the human hand. Ais are capable of slipping up big time. If they write, they will be the amalgamation of so many stories and things will get mixed up-- the point is, stop it!

you are surrendering to things that do not have soul by doing it in exchange for losing a good option for people to comment without leaving their usernames behind.

People have good reasons to be guests.

For example, being blocked for commenting and leaving kudos on something dark or problematic long by another writer before coming across that work, unable to comment, or being attacked relentlessly for what they love to read online, being cancelled, they don't want to be part of the fandom, being alienated by those in the same fandom, for God's sake, it's just not worth closing that avenue for those who don't want their fandom experience ruined.

These people are not lazy so stop it.

Closing them off from being able to share that they loved the fic.

We are better than AIs.

Do I care about my fics being scaped? No, not really. I just don't give a shit. Why?

All it does is provide another dangling thread to be noticed that this isn't a person.

Do I care about a kudos bot lurking on one story? Yes, totally, locking it until the whole thing is over and forgetting about it until checking on it!

If you really want to protect your work --with your argument-- then lock your newer works, the old works are already scaped, it cannot be scaped again.

I cannot believe i had to see this unintentionally while browsing on another tag to a fandom instead of having to see it on reddit or on the a03 tag on here searching it myself.

AO3 has been scraped, once again.

As of the time of this post, AO3 has been scraped by yet another shady individual looking to make a quick buck off the backs of hardworking hobby writers. This Reddit post here has all the details and the most current information. In short, if your fic URL ends in a number between 1 and 63,200,000 (inclusive), AND is not archive locked, your fic has been scraped and added to this database.

I have been trying to hold off on archive locking my fics for as long as possible, and I've managed to get by unscathed up to now. Unfortunately, my luck has run out and I am archive locking all of my current and future stories. I'm sorry to my lovelies who read and comment without an account; I love you all. But I have to do what is best for me and my work. Thank you for your understanding.

[ferventrapture]

They could've really ramped up the weirdness with Solas and I am going to be forever bummed that they didn't. Think about it, he's an eldritch being made demi-human flesh and he thinks immortality is the natural state of being. Maybe just for Elves, but what if he thought it was natural for everyone? What if when he stabbed Varric, he actually connected him to a titan which took in his consciousness so he wasn't actually 'dead' and was instead 'eternal' and the lyrium dagger was the link to that titan.

So when you saw him around, it was the him connected to the Titan. What if you knew Solas killed Varric and confronted him and he was like 'He is not dead, he is Eternal, as he should be.' and was just utterly convinced he'd done him a favor?

Like 'this is natural, this is what you should've been. You'll never die, isn't that great?' and meanwhile Varric thinks he's still alive and really walking around, even has a lyrium ghost form because the Lighthouse is in the Fade. You have to inform him, uh, you're dead and you're being kept 'alive' by a Titan indefinitely and he'd have to just. Deal with that. What if these things showed in Inquisition where he reacted very badly every time someone died. Not just his friend Wisdom, but anyone. Like it was an unnatural thing that really bothered him. Every time our troops died in great number in the field he's just sitting at his desk, looking sad and mopey and his voice lines are tired and sorrowful. And I dunno if humans are eternal originally, but Solas being convinced that it's the natural state of all things and they must've been, would've been cool to show. What if when you romance him he becomes panicked every time you fall in battle. Not just 'oh no! Hold on!' shit but like literally his AI will stop what he's doing and rush over to help you even if you're not controlling him to. Which would've been a cool thing to happen with all love interests, honestly, but what if the whole time he's just quietly freaking out under his breath. (of course in this version he can romance anyone of any race or gender because the point of his romance is realizing that people are people which applies to all of them.) What if we got reports after Wisdom died and he walked off, that half the countryside was destroyed with random bursts of magic and when he comes back we're like 'hey, was that you?' and he's just very quietly like 'I had a lot to work out'. And what if what galvanizes him isn't necessarily that he loves you, but because he loves you as a friend or lover, he cannot bear thinking of you or his other friends in the Inquisition dying? What if he tries to find a way to make Humans immortal because now he loves them too and wants to keep them? Just the ones not being dickheads, because he kills tyrants and honestly the ones owning slaves can just die, no loss there. But his human friends who are complex but good like Blackwall and possibly you and Vivienne even though they fight like cats and dogs because she IS doing her best in her own way, even if he doesn't understand it? What if the entirety of Veilguard/Dreadwolf had been about Solas desperately trying to stop death? Trying to save his people yes, but because their suffering would only end in death. They couldn't just outlast their masters and go on living endlessly afterwards. They would have a short life filled with pain and that's JUST too horrible to think about.

And he's perfectly reasonable, logical and understands compassion and empathy, which is what makes it so creepy when he starts talking about death and how it's unnatural and how he'll save everyone.

Not in the 'man I can't understand that' way, but in the way of 'damn, I can totally understand that but also his understanding if it is so alien it makes my brain tired trying to figure it out'.

[everythingisamazing]

Hot Take: If Jayvik survive the finale, whatever their sexuality or romantic orientation was before, does not really matter. Why? Well, maybe I am too pan- and demisexual to fully grasp the concept of normative sexuality, but I personally believe, that it would be way more logical for them to be beyond any of those concepts (as Viktors VA perfectly said), simply because of what they have gone through. I mean, Viktor basically became a god. If you look at gods in myth, they are usually open to pretty much any gender and any type of love because...well they are a god. As a god, you are not limited by what limits humans. I also think that being part of a hive mind would erase a lot of the boundaries you felt were there before - if anything Viktor would probably struggle with knowing what his own identity actually is post finale. I am not saying that the first thing they do after waking up (in a beautiful field of flowers of course) is have sex - I actually picture it more as something that happens eventually and gradually? Like, I know it's impossible to really imagine being soulbonded with someone across different universes, but as far as you can, do you believe it's logical that, if you were, you would be bothered by something as trivial as what we percieve to be different levels of physical intimacy or someones gender? That you would care about platonic VS romantic after what they have been through? After what not only Viktor and Jayce in their timeline have gone through, but all the different iterations of them, literally containing ALL possibilities? I mean, Jayce is already touchy with Viktor to begin with and they die embracing eachother, with their lips like...5 centimeters apart. Is it really more likely, that this kind of physicality would just NEVER naturally evolve into holdings hands, a kiss and whatever more, given their situation? Do you think Jayce would be like: "You know what? Throwing my arms around you naked in the astral plane is as far as I go!" Be serious please. I also think, from a character growth standpoint, it would be really neat if Viktor would confront his past relationship with his body and learn to embrace the physical again, by experiencing the opposite of the pain of his past life - so a lot of pleasure essentially. Idk, man. Maybe I am projecting here - I just really think, even though I am not very touchy irl myself, that after going through something like that with another person, sacrificing EVERYTHING to be with them, even if it is just for a few more seconds ... you can bet your ass, that when I am getting them back, I am holding on to them with everything I've got - especially even my thighs.

[parasolladyansy]

Hello, I hope you’re having a wonderful day/afternoon/night! I love your art style. It’s so cute >w<

Could you give any tips for beginner artists both in drawing for characters and Pokemon?

Hi-ho! I can try ouo;

⬆️ Made in 2010 - the oldest Pokémon drawing I have on file (though I have much older ones on paper!)

First tip I’d say is to practice! ✍🏻

I’ve been drawing since I was very little, & that included Pokémon fanart. There was a point where I was drawing every single day for years - I have all these journals where instead of writing through my thoughts & feelings, I just filled it to the brim with drawings & even little comics!

They don’t need to be perfect, or better than anyone’s - they just have to be yours. 🩵

⬆️ Made in 2016 - I started trying for a softer look with a lighter, blue line-art instead of the thick black one.

Getting into the more technical art stuff I learned in college, drawing just about anything becomes easier when we break them down into shapes.

Humans, Pokémon, or even shadows, ripples, & water patterns can be broken down into basic shapes that you build up with added details. Like here: we can see circles, ovals, semi-circles, & all kinds of angular shapes.

Take a look at the Pokédex, & try seeing the different shapes that make up each Pokémon. Even the most complex Pokémon in the ‘dex becomes less daunting when we break them down into manageable shapes. Same for human characters.

⬆️ Made in 2023 - from Sword x Shield

Another (less technical) tip I have is study other artists you like to help you find your style!

When I made the step to go line-less, I took a lot from my love for Impressionism (eg. Monet), & was also very much inspired by K. O’Neil’s Tea Dragon books, especially in Sword x Shield.

I think it’s safe to say just about every single artist to pick up a pencil was influenced by someone. The “father of manga” himself, Osamu Tezuka, was inspired by early Disney animations - if you look closely, you can see it in his earlier work. It goes both ways, as we see Disney emulate Tezuka (to the point of plagiarism >_> Lion King)

On that note, try not to feel bad if your style starts off looking too much like the original artist’s - I think that’s natural. After all, we artists emulate what we see, what we like, & how we see those things.

What matters is building on it, finding those personal touches to make it yours. ^_^ Like with Pokémon, you can go by the original art Ken Sugimori & the other official artists, or take your own spin on it (exaggerate features, play with color, etc).

⬆️ Made in 2024 - a little less than a year ago & I already draw Sora a little differently!

I think art is a journey, & you can only stand to improve over time & practice. I’m still refining my work, & sometimes that means crumpling it up & starting again.

Maybe the most important tip I have is: don’t give up.

There were a lot of people who wanted me to quit drawing. I’ve had my doodle ripped up by a teacher, told I wouldn’t amount to anything, told that no matter what I did someone will always be better than me.

Even through all that, I never gave it up, because it’s something I love. I could happily draw all day (though sometimes I have slow periods, like where I’m at right now), & drawing helped me get through the darkest times as well as celebrate when things were good. ^_^

So don’t give up. Take breaks if you need it, but don’t give up if it’s something you love & gives you life. 🩵

—

Ha…I realize that’s probably a lot deeper than what you meant to ask. I said I’d “try” lol 😂 I hope this helps you all the same 😅

[jazeswhbhaven]

this might be.. a really weird ask but how do you think the kings would go along with deflowering reader? If you don’t know ehat that is it’s basically taking someone’s virginity I just think deflowering sounds less vulgar lol, I know asmodeus would probably be rlly sweet but I don’t know about satan since he’s really rough during sex with mc

So, let's throw out canon for this one because if I remember correctly...I think Satan is in fact MC's first sexual partner in the canon main story and we saw how that was 💀 (unless it's implied MC has been with others and just not Minhyeok but I'm not even sure tbh it's been a while since I've read chapter 1 for those fine details)

But....for scenario sake:

Satan's overall demeanor is preferably rough sex with multiple rounds with love bites and bruises. Certainly, this is not a one fits all experience for first timers. I would like to think that normally, taking someone's virginity would not be his top choice, but if he likes you enough, it's a high possibility. With V!Reader he'd probably test out your boundaries and what's "too much" for you. Starting with his fingers, next mouth, and if he's impatient, he'd have you touch him wherever for stimulation. Though it could be touch and go, since he's impatient and tends to get irritated easily. But, he'd never force himself on you if you're truly uncomfortable.

Mammon is a super hopeless romantic at heart, a big teddy bear that giant body. You belong to him already, but if he gets to have you body and soul in intimacy, this is worth to him more than all the gold he owns. He'd set the scene for properly making your first time the most comfortable and luxurious. He's patient, so he can wait all night for you to get ready if he must. He'd take the entire week off if that's what you need. He's rather big though, so baby steps are perfect with him.

Beelzebub's attitude with inexperienced partners is...interesting. Though he likes his suitors to be naive, V!Reader would need to pass his sniff test he likes to do in order to get the greenlight on his end in the first place. Don't be discouraged if he turns you down the first time, or the second or third. He's challenging you to see if you'll give up, do you really want him to be your first? How badly do you want him to be your first? That will be the deciding factor.

Leviathan needs someone with experience, as he feels dealing with someone who has none is too much trouble as it is. At the same time, the thrill of being V!Reader's first, him being chosen and no one else, makes him even more smug that you're asking him. If you mention any other King that you spoke to offering up your innocence, he's visibly upset, and will do anything in short of locking you away in his room so no one else can have you but him. He's an excellent guide and mentor, so you'll be in good hands when it comes to learning what pleases him, and what you enjoy too. Just...be careful with following instructions or not paying attention. He gets touchy!

Lucifer's natural affinity for humans and his service-based personality at it's core makes him the best first time partner. His cold, expressionless exterior may be intimidating, so is the straightforwardness of his words and actions. However, if you've won him over and his affections, he will go ahead and be your first. However, had you come to him without getting to know him at all or even if it's been a short time, he'd decline politely while explaining his reasons for doing so. Don't be bummed though, if Lucifer is who you truly want to experience this with, all it will take is a bit more patience on your end.

Belphegor's read so many "books" and comics about virgins he's pretty much predicting how this is going to go. The fact that you even asked him to take such a responsibility makes him slightly amused you had the nerve. He does love effort, so he's down with it, as long as you're the one doing all the work. Doesn't sound too romantic, but it works in your advantage! You control everything about your own experience. Use this power wisely.

Asmodeus is absolutely shaking with anticipation. He can smell the innocence on you and doesn't hold back when you ask him to be his first. He's fine with setting the pace to where you need, fine with default and boring positions, even fine with a more romantic atmosphere. There is one thing to be wary of and it's his willingness to do any kind of cuddling or aftercare. Speak on it before anything happens and see where his head is at. If something doesn't feel right before, during or after, he's open to talking about it. He can be serious when you need him to be, though don't be surprised if a sexual innuendo is thrown in here and there.

[thirtyorolderpls]

the strawmans i see by american TRAs on tumblr are insane but i want to focus on the "women are not oppressed"

i think it's important to address that, yes, lots of women have wealth, race and social class privilege over other men. it's dumb to deny it and it doesn't water down feminism one bit.

in fact i think denying it and presenting women as this ever suffering sex is a big mistake, one that i made when i was younger. because it obscures reality and feminist victories just as much as denying our oppression does. lots of women are living happy and successful lives and they must be celebrated as well.

another mistake is recurring to historical data, sure, everyone should know that women were basically objects up until two days ago, historically speaking, but that won't impress misogynists because they see it as a far away thing, just like racists like to repeat ad nauseam that "slavery ended 200 years ago" therefore no more racism.

modern misogynists, both men and women, have fallen for the illusion that women and men are legally equal, and that's when women from the west make the third mistake which is mentioning feminist issues from different countries.

you don't need to say that child marriage is legal somewhere else because most child molesters are usually closely related to the child. in the west a man can rape his children and if he goes by statistics alone he knows it's very likely that he will not get reported.

women are allowed to study, sure, but try being a woman in a male dominated field, try getting a promotion without being called a cocksucker. it happens, sure, but it doesn't happen more often because misogynists prevent it from happening. just like they used to do with music until someone said "enough" and now around 50% of professional musicians are women.

speaking of working women try being a lady boss outside of a city. i could write for HOURS about how men disrespect women who are their superiors, others already have. it's incredibly frustrating when you see it happen for yourself. one of my bosses had to ask her big boyfriend to just be there when she talked to male employees, and it fucking worked, they started respecting her a lot more.

trans women are forced into prostitution because of stigma, and that's horrible, but women are much more often abducted or coerced into prostitution than just "trying to making ends meet". sex trafficking is very real and mostly targets one sex and one sex alone. "but that barely happens to girls in the west" true, but most of the eastern european girls who are trafficked end up in my country, and that makes it my country's issue as well. my country is first world, has good education, great healthcare and so many things that make it look like a progressive country but it still is a prostitution haven, thousands of mostly chinese and eastern european women are trapped in here while thousands of male tourists come for sex tourism daily.

women are still expected to do more house chores and generally take more responsibility in a relationship and even worse in parenthood. we are still coerced to have children and expected to like children. SAHMs have no financial compensation for their daily work, can't contribute to social security and are left basically homeless if their loving husbands decide to leave them. "but it is their choice!" alright and what are they supposed to do now? get fucked? because the whole of society told them being a SAHM with no plan B is okay and normal and lots of women make it work? "but it's not really work" yeah that's why you pay for others to cook your food, take care of your kids, dogs, house, right? because it's not really work? yeah, right.

medical studies that use human subjects are still mostly conducted on males because periods are annoying to track. men get alopecia medication and viagra 2.0 and women are still told that "menopause is a natural process" and get sold a bazillion different supplements that don't work because there's almost no data on menopause that doesn't revolve around fertility rates. in general, most of what we know regarding women's health revolves around fertility. fuck pain relief and better quality of life, all that matters is if you can pop kids out or not. and this is huge, women with reproductive issues are usually ignored and have to face excruciating pain for no reason at all, menopause goes on for years and these women are not only expected to perform as well as they did before, they're mocked for a natural condition of aging as a woman.

last time i checked it was women mutilating their bodies daily in the name of beauty and self esteem when it's really body dysmorphia. anyone who has body dysmorphia knows that getting surgery to fix it will only make the problem worse, so we officially have a multi-billion industry that predates on women with mental health issues and it's fine because it's also their choice. just like most women have some sort of disordered eating pattern or have anxiety over food, not healthy consciousness but a terrible relationship with food and their bodies.

if you want to convince someone on why feminism is still important in the west, despite full access to abortion in my country and full equal rights under the law, these are better arguments than resorting to extreme situations of violence or trying to educate someone on women's history, they will not believe you or won't care.

[saturniolo]

hello lovely people! in light of recent events that have happened amongst our fandom i felt the need to speak out on what’s been going…

in all my time as a member of this fandom, or any other fandom for that matter, i’ve never been one to speak out when drama or controversy arises. i’m just an introverted and conflict-avoidant person in nature, and i’ve never really felt like any of the drama that’s happened (we all know there’s been plenty lol) has ever really involved me, so i didn’t speak on it.

unfortunately, this new drama that has started, having to do with the “tripouts” group chat, does affect me in a way. as someone who was diagnosed with autism when they were a little girl, seeing the things some people in our fandom, people i’m friends with, are okay with saying/tolerate being said is hurtful. never once in my life have i said the r slur or felt the need to say the r slur, and it has always been seen as a triggering word for me and other people i know that are on the spectrum, simply because of the fact that it is almost always used in a derogatory way.

now, i have no idea if the person who said that word in that group chat is autistic, or has any sort of disabilities, or not. and frankly, i really don’t care. as much as i wished people would refrain from using slurs, there’s nothing i can do to stop them. just please, for the love of all things good in this world, stop using slurs on the internet! whether it’s the r slur or the f slur or anything else, “reclaiming” a derogatory term does not make it okay to post for the world to see.

i know that the screenshots of that group chat were probably only posted in jest, but i don’t think that the people who are apart of it understand how many they might have hurt by saying and allowing such things. in my personal opinion i do think it’s a little odd to be posting screenshots of a private group chat, and somewhat bragging about how awesome your friend group is, but who am i to judge? if i had a lot friends in this fandom i might do the same, who knows.

what i do know is that people were hurt by what was posted, and that’s not okay. in anything you do, on the internet or in real life, please do it with kindness, love, and an open heart. we’re all humans beings, and none of us really ever know what others are going through. please try to be positive and respectful. there’s too much going on in the world for people to be getting into pointless arguments on the internet or saying things they know they shouldn’t say.

i know that i don’t post a lot on here, but i am frequently active! if you ever need someone to talk to, or want to make a new friend, my inbox is always open and i am always here. <333

love,

isa aka saturniolo 💗

[talonabraxas]

Saint Raphael the Archangel Talon Abraxas

St. Raphael is one of the seven Archangels who stand before the throne of God. He is known as the healer. Raphael’s name, in fact, means ‘God’s Healing’. St. Raphael is helpful in bringing healing to body and soul, charity and deliverance. He is powerful and heals all forms of maladies in both humans and animals.

Most of our knowledge of the Archangel Raphael comes to us from the Book of Tobias. Because of his mission as a wonderful healer and the fellow traveller, guide and counsellor of young Tobias, St. Raphael is invoked for journeys and at any critical moment in life. Tradition also holds that Raphael is the angel that stirred the waters at the healing sheep pool in Bethesda.

Saint Raphael, the healer is recorded as having helped Tobias make balms and ointments from fish to cure Tobit’s (Tobias’s father) blindness. The Archangel Raphael healed Abraham of the pain of circumcision, an operation the patriarch had avoided until late in his life. He also cured the disjointed thigh Jacob suffered while wrestling with the angel.

Saint Raphael is also called the Angel of Science and Knowledge. He is often referred to as ‘Regent’ or ‘Angel of the Sun’. Because of his bright countenance, his sanguine and companionable treatment of Tobias, St. Raphael is considered the most sociable of the archangels; it is imagined that he has the best sense of humor and the happiest disposition. It is said that Raphael delights in bringing health and happiness everywhere he goes.

Prayers for St. Raphael’s Intercession

Saint Raphael Prayer

Blessed Saint Raphael, Archangel, We beseech thee to help us in all our needs and trials of this life, as thou, through the power of God, didst restore sight and give guidance to young Tobit. We humbly seek thine aid and intercession, that our souls may be healed, our bodies protected from all ills, and that through divine grace we may be made fit to dwell in the eternal Glory of God in heaven.

Amen.

St. Raphael Prayer for Healing

Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners. I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the “medicine of God” I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor (here mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Prayer to Saint Raphael Before a Trip

Dear St. Raphael, your lovely name means “God heals.” The Lord sent you to young Tobias to guide him throughout a long journey. Upon his return you taught him how to cure his father’s blindness. How natural, therefore, for Christians to pray for your powerful help for safe travel and a happy return. This is what we ask for ourselves as well as for all who are far from home.

Amen.

Prayer for Protection From All Evil

Most Holy Mother, Queen of the Angels and Archangels, send me your Champion, the Archangel Saint Raphael, let him heal me of all my spiritual and physical ailments in JESUS’ HOLY NAME. May he protect me from satan and all the evil spirits. Saint Raphael be my guide and protector on my journey through life. O’ glorious Saint Raphael the Archangel, herald of blessings, pray for us!

Amen.

[vampiradelmal]

If Patrick Hockstetter wasn’t played by an attractive actor I think he wouldn’t be as popular in the fandom.

I don’t even think this is an unpopular opinion. The Bowers Gang is popular because they’re played by attractive actors. Except notice how people often keep Belch out of their fics or art? They don’t find his character attractive despite being a lesser evil compared to Patrick and Henry.

Seeing how people react to Belch is an indicator that their actions aren’t taken into account, just their looks. Patrick is attractive enough to get away with his actions, while Belch is ostracized for being… chubby? Cuz he burps? He is also horribly mischaracterized imo… read the fucking book. Anyway idc he’s bae fr. I love that silly guy!

If their actors were book accurate then there would be less of a fandom imo. Ofc there are people who find them interesting because they’re horrible people and naturally as human we are drawn to things we cannot understand. However, my point still stands.

[kk-iki]

May I also add, yapping ahead. Sorry.

It’s kind of off putting when writers make the men “change for the reader” this belief that women are mean tot change men for the better is pushed so much by any media. What I mean is, we often see that men become soft because of their mothers, girlfriends, female friends showing them they can be soft. But it should never ever be considered as woman’s responsibility to make a man decent human being. We should not be happy that we made a man empathetic. Because he couldn’t get to that point himself. It’s weird. You don’t need or should fix anyone. (Real life specifically!!!)

Anyway as a raging feminist I do have some strong takes on everything because when you live your world being present and critical of the issues you can’t just look past them. However, as I said read what you like, if you don’t skip - it’s not about censorship and never will be. But it’s important to point things like this out because I don’t know decency I suppose.

Also I will be so sure to dm you when I write something worth posting (working on like five stories at once but snail pace because I never wrote anything longer than diary poetry level T_T)

hi again, baby. please, never apologize for yapping. i said it before and i'll happily say it again; i adore when people come into my inbox or my messages to share their thoughts with me. and i want to preface this by saying that everything you've written here, i absolutely agree with.

"[...] it should never ever be considered as woman’s responsibility to make a man decent human being."

this, this, THIS. when a man says he wants a girlfriend, that should mean he's looking for a girlfriend, not a mother figure or a therapist.

i think that it's just a little peculiar how one girl's presence is going to make these war - weary, hardened soldiers suddenly switch up and become the ideal partner. it's not only promoting this strange narrative that women are responsible for teaching men emotional maturity because they're 'naturally more emotional', but it's also just. . .not realistic.

i see this a lot with ghost and price fics, specifically. it's just a little ridiculous because a) there's an implication that the older a man is, the less in tune he is with his emotions, and b) there's also an implication that the younger a man is, the more in tune he is with his emotions.

personally, i feel like this is all a bit backwards ( something about age bringing experience ), but i'm someone who writes the kinds of things people in this fandom aren't interested in, so what weight do my words hold?

bottom line: if you are not emotionally prepared for a relationship, you absolutely should not go into one thinking that your partner will make you prepared. that is not what they signed up for, and that is not something you should be putting on them.

my dms are always open, baby. hit me up anytime; i'd love to see what you're working on. thank you so much for the ask.

[spiritshaydra]

For the love of god do NOT bring your dogs to state and national parks that involve either EXTREMELY DEADLY natural features like pits of scalding acid or long stretches of shadeless bare stone.

Yellowstone infamously has hot springs that are basically just

Pools of scalding acid water that yes! Look BEAUTIFUL (as a result of extremophile bacteria living on the more “habitable” edges of the spring- with the clear blue center being too inhospitable to even them. By the way the edges are still EXTREMELY dangerous to humans) but can and WILL kill you in seconds. There have been cases of dogs seeing these pools and bolting towards them for a swim without realizing that it’s a Deadly Acid Pit and then dying from being burned by the water.

Here in Texas we have a state park called Enchanted Rock which looks like a giant boulder in the middle of the live oak forest and a lot of people don’t realize how HOT it gets at its summit in the heat of summer due to it not looking like a typical desert environment. Its granite surface EASILY gets into the triple digits in the summer as it just absorbs all the heat the sun brings it as there’s nothing tall enough to provide shade on the granite dome. The trails leading up to the dome are dotted with SEVERAL warning signs about not bringing your dogs up to the summit because they WILL die from the heat.

And of course there’s also plenty of signs warning about how much water is actually recommended to bring and not just a Single Ozarka Water Bottle.

I’m pretty sure Big Bend which is straight up desert mountains and canyons and the like also has the water warning signs, the this trail WILL kill your dog in the hotter months signs, and signs warning about black bears and mountain lions.

Any conspiracy theory about people going missing in National Parks is automatically silly to me. Like "Why are National Parks such a hotbed of disappearances???" because they're full of idiots. You've got thousands of people who've never pissed outdoors in their life wandering around the woods/desert/mountain with zero experience and zero gear and zero understanding that this place can kill them. You don't see as many disappearances in wild areas because people don't go to them unless they have some background knowledge. Whereas you get tour buses full of old folks and suburban families shuttling people into National Parks 365 days a year. If you took the same amount of buffoons and dropped them in the actual wilderness the disappearances would be significantly higher than at the parks. Use your brain.

[lair-of-the-white-worm]

Genuinley curious how a worker mudokon can be gay when it's literally canon that all worker mudokons are ace? Not knocking you or anything, it just seems weird to force a label onto a species that's canonically asexual?

Oh here we go again. I'm forcing a label? Slow down there, buddy.

In Dear Alf 60 (posted in December 2013), Alf explains that Mudokon workers are biologically asexual—I'm putting emphasis on biologically. You are using the term asexuality as a sexual identity, something seperate from biology. I'm not viewing Mudokons as "biologically" an entire sexual identity in the same way I'm not viewing all humans as one specific sexual identity. Because things aren't black and white like that. I don't think Mudokon workers are all by default aroace because they don't reproduce in the same way that I know not all humans are heterosexual because that's how we're expected to reproduce. We're more than just our anatomy.

Alf clarifies that the only Mudokons with definitive sexes are Drones and Queens, similar to males and females in human terms. Alf also notes that Mudokon workers don't adhere to human gender norms; they're considered genderless, and the use of he/him pronouns is simply for convenience—"just because," as he says.

In biological terms, asexual reproduction is a process where a single parent produces offspring without the fusion of gametes. Going into this, it's worth noting that honey bee symbolism is prevalent in Mudokon culture—Royal Jelly is even an item in Soulstorm. In beehives, worker bees are female but don't undergo sexual development. They can't mate but can sometimes lay infertile eggs that become male drones. These workers are, in biological terms, asexual. By the same logic, Mudokon workers are biologically asexual: they aren't meant to reproduce, and they don't need to mate at all because they lack reproductive organs and therefore have no sperm. But that doesn't mean they're like Ken dolls down there, anatomically blank; they're evolved from bird-like creatures. Could they lay eggs? Maybe, maybe not. Nobody knows for sure because it’s simply not something the story has focused on.

What’s important to remember is that Mudokon slaves are utterly sexually repressed. OWI has stated this themselves. They're forbidden from any form of sexual education or sexual media. They don’t know their origins, don't know their mothers, don't even fully understand their own bodies. Saying they must be incapable of experiencing attraction just because we've never seen them kiss onscreen is absurd. Alf himself has made it clear that he experiences attraction. Lorne Lanning, the creator of Oddworld, has even said he considered giving Abe a girlfriend in the past—and confirmed that worker Mudokons can experience desires like romance and attraction because it's necessary for some of them to eventually develop into Drones. So it's not far-fetched at all to imagine Mudokon workers being romantic or sexual sometimes. In fact, given how deeply their lives have been controlled and suppressed, it makes sense to want them to have that freedom—to explore their feelings, identities, and experiences that were denied to them their entire lives.

On a personal note, as many of my followers know, I actually headcanon Abe as being on the AroAce spectrum. I think he's Grey-AroAce. I don’t see him as sex-repulsed—more like someone who just doesn’t really get the appeal of it. I think he's capable of romance but highly prioritizes platonic and familial love. Asexuality is a spectrum, just like any sexuality. People have preferences. Labels aren't rigid "rules" someone has to follow to the letter. An AroAce person doesn't stop being AroAce just because they try relationships. Sometimes gay people date girls before realizing they’re gay. Sometimes people are convinced they're straight until they realize they're bisexual. Exploration and growth are natural and are unironically part of character growth.

And when you really think about it: Mudokon slaves have no understanding of sexuality at all. Abe wouldn’t even know what being AroAce means at first, or even how to recognize feelings like attraction. His self-discovery would take time, experience, and freedom—something he never had under Glukkon rule (and frankly something he doesn't even have as the Messiah!). To immediately slap a strict human label on him and other slaves based solely on his repression is unfair. Come on, dude.

Let the Mudokons figure themselves out. Let's not slap a strict label with rules to follow on an entire species, please? They deserve that chance. They may be aliens, but they're as sentient if not more sentient than human beings.

[thewalrusespublicist]

It’s so funny when I see folks justifying their dislike of Paul whenever he does something selfish and shitty like ma’am the beatles, all of ‘em right down to their offspring, are narcissistic Capitalists. They were all living good up top with no real regard for the working class. I thought we knew this?

Hi anon,

Yeah watching a couple of the comments around that descend into non ironic 'Paul is the devil and people just can't accept that he's a terrible person' was not really surprising, but was a bit frustrating (always the usual suspects as well lmao have to love the dedication to Paul haterism) Like let's be really real here you are in the Beatles fandom, none of your faves are winning Person of the Year.

Though saying that, I am going to say something controversial but not that brave which is that whilst I don't think they were amazing or even great people, I don't think any of the Beatles were/are inherently bad. I think it's more accurate to characterise them all as often wrong-headed and egotistical but fundamentally well-intentioned.

To be clear, I'm not saying that they didn't do MASSIVELY shitty things because ohhh my godddd did they just. But they did try to do a lot of good too and to use their platform to support others and for a lot of it they were on the right side of history. George in particular essentially dedicated his life to the ideals of love and connection to others. Did his personal conduct always match his ideals? No, but you can tell from friends, family and those that met him that George was sincere in his commitment.

I also don't think it's entirely fair to say that the Beatles doesn't/didn't care about the working class. To take Paul as an example for a moment (just because I went on a deep dive so it's really fresh in my mind lol), whilst he has had his fair share of howlers (teachers strike hello), his overall known resume of support is long and far reaching. Here is the list of known charities Paul has donated and supported:

21st Century Leaders

Adopt-A-Minefield

Aid Still Required

American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

Animal Defenders International

Autism Movement Therapy

Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes

Celebrity Fight Night Foundation

Children With Leukaemia

City of Hope

Comic Relief

Cruelty Free International

David Lynch Foundation

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

Dorset Wildlife Trust

Elton John AIDS Foundation

Everyone Matters

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Greenpeace

Humane Society International

International Rescue Committee

Keep A Child Alive

Kids Wish Network

Make Poverty History

Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center

MusiCares

Natural Resources Defense Council

No More Landmines

Nordoff Robbins

ParalympicsGB

PETA

Prince's Trust

Red Cross

Robin Hood

Society for Animal Protective Legislation

St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters

STOMP Out Bullying

Teenage Cancer Trust

The Humane Society

TigerTime

Voices Against Violence

War Child

Watering Seeds Organization

Whatever It Takes

Worldwide Orphans Foundation

On top of this he has:

Fought to keep hospitals open

Browbeat politicians for donations for performing arts,

Started up a performing art university and non-fee paying primary school to get kids into the performing arts who otherwise wouldnt have access to them

These are just the ones we're aware of. Paul has done a lot behind the scenes that he specifically keeps as far out of the press as humanly possible to the point he has cut funding from people who have revealed his sponsorship. It's absolutely true that a lot of these causes are those that touch him personally but this is the case for most philanthropy when you get into it.

That being said Paul's a fantastic example of why support for charities and causes should not be arbitrarily decided on the whims of billionaires and why society should be structured to support vulnerable groups in the first place. Paul clearly means well, but it doesen't mean he doesen't have blind spots. He is stubborn, has no concept of a normal adult life and job, can get wild ideas into his head and is an instinctively bleeding heart for children and animals to the point where it overrules his reason. The teachers strike thing was a perfect example of those factors coming together.

You can see how even a liberal celebrity like Paul who means to do good could do a lot of damage by throwing their support behind questionable causes *cough* PETA *cough*. (I was saying to a beloved moot I also saw Mary McCartney throw support behind the Alfie Evans case and internally groaned because that is the sort of thing you can see Paul going all in for without any of the nuance save 'sick kid, sad parents, must help'.)

Could Paul do more? Could Ringo do more? Could John and George have done more? Can there ever be an ethical billionaire? Do you really care if you are not actively and consistently working to dismantle the systems that shackle the working classes? These are all valid questions where YMMV, but I think it's fair to say that they did and do care to at least a certain extent.

[pagerunner-j]

Well, well, wellity well. Somebody went and got themselves off the planet, didn't they.

Overall thoughts (probably a little scrambled, it's one in the morning and I'm tired): I'm not really loving how many things this season are references at best and just repeating themselves at worst -- needle drops, jokes (the mystery shopper bit), Mrs. Flood being the new Susan Twist, etc. -- but viewed on its own, this episode still did a number of things right. For one thing, it sure did know how to generate tension. I'm glad it still didn't even get close to explaining what that entity is. And seriously, can we all get those self-captioning devices for real? Like, yesterday?

Midnight's always going to top this episode, though, because it just plain had more to say (literally and figuratively). Midnight dug into the ugly undersides of human nature and made everyone stare at what it found dead on. This was just sort of a horror movie. An effective one, because yeesh, I need to go relax now, but it's not the sort of thing that's going to haunt me like its predecessor did.