#when the post is like: small talk makes us ~human~ and connects us with other people 💞

[postcardsfromheapside]

Throwing all of this under the cut, so do what you will.

I’m appalled at how many notes these kinds of “takes” get, and how uncritically they’re accepted.

First of all, based on what’s happened with EA/Bioware, we probably will not get another DA. A number of articles have come out, including interviews with Gaider, which make it clear that Dragon Age was always the less-favored child in the company. It’s something of a miracle that we got Veilguard at all.

To remark that there was a big reveal, and then that the game didn’t *do* anything with that reveal, is disingenuous on a few levels.

On one level, it ignores the entire conversation the game wants to have about colonization: your resources and your bodies used, then selling those very same things, because you were forced into that situation and later took advantage of it. (It doesn’t escape me for a moment that the crit crowd is SO ready to cry “anti-semitism” for the elves, but ignores the parallels with the dwarves – not just in the stereotypes they held in prior games, but the fact that Jews were often forced into particular jobs and then demonized for them. Nor does anyone talk about the parallels with other colonized cultures which are held hostage to and then become dependent on their important resources.) This IS a political and social conversation in the game, it's just not a southern (and human/elven) perspective. Kal-Sharok is having a conversation. They are openly treating with Orzammar, even if they do not openly admit to their connection to a titan. I realize all of this is possible to miss if you do not play to the end of the game, which it appears many of the crit crowd did not do, and it’s especially easy to miss many of these details if you don’t walk slowly through the outpost, or around Stalgard and his sister during the end of Harding’s quest. But the dialogue is there.

On another level, this complaint also seems to derive from the overall problem crit fans have with Veilguard being set in the north. One has to wonder how much information was found in The Descent actually got around Thedas in the ensuing decade. If it were commonly known that titans truly existed and lyrium was “blood”, mages all over Thedas would have to contend with the use of lyrium. Southern templars are the only ones using lyrium (Dorian explains this in dialogue). I believe both Cole and Solas have dialogue about how templars aren’t akin to mages, and aren’t using what’s commonly understood to be magic. Calling them “blood mages” obfuscates what’s happening here. Worrying about their perspectives when we’re playing a game in an area where templars don’t use lyrium, and blood magic and lyrium are already two ways the game engages the player in conversations about power and subjugation, adds unneeded bulk (even in the form of a codex entry, considering so many have admitted they didn’t read the codices in VG).  

Also I don’t believe people have generally learned this information. Neve, in dialogue with Emmrich, refuses to use blood magic, and if she’s the one injured at the ritual site she goes looking for lyrium potions. I have a strong sense that Neve would have moral objections if she felt she was “using” another being in order to power herself. There’s no indication that the information from Valta’s journal pages was disseminated, and before she goes on her own personal quest Lace appears to know only a little due to her own involvement in the events of The Descent.

It's quite possible that, if we had a DA5, we could have explored this topic at some length with the wider world through dialogue or codex entries. But, as I said at the top of the post, we’re not likely to get one. It feels dishonest not to recognize that more could have been explored if EA treated Dragon Age the way they've been treating Mass Effect.

What I think is missing is that you do see *some* of this, in a small sense, if you walk slowly around the dwarves of Kal-Sharok. They don’t make it obvious, but in this case the ‘reactions’ are taken away from the people consuming lyrium and given back to Harding and the dwarves. To put it bluntly, you have to care as much about dwarves as you do humans and elves and spend time listening to their dialogue.

On a side note, the consequences of the release of the information about titans, and lyrium, would make an excellent post-VG fanfic. It didn’t have to be part of the game. You can write that story, if you like. I would love to see a fic about southern templar struggling with their conscience, or a mage from anywhere in Thedas. How does the information get to them? What are their feelings? How do they cope? How does their world move on? Great creative writing opportunity.

Finally, I think it’s very telling “who” is being considered in takes like this. I think it’s ridiculous that so much of the VG crit crowd cries foul about the lore, but can’t seem to remember lore themselves – calling templars blood mages makes erroneous conflations, and ignores the systemic consumption of a colonized resource by many different societies in Thedas. There’s a heavy sense that little of VG was played through, or explored, before judgments were made.

[taeaura]

Yap yap yap yap blah blah blah blah more Thomas Hewitt emotional stuff

My favorite GIF of him oml so handsome

_____

Just saw a post talking about how Thomas probably never had any friends {hit very close to home}, which got me thinking about just how intensely that affected him. Humans require connections, it's essential to our survival and overall wellbeing. Thomas' main influence is his family; And let's be honest, his family isn't all that great at fostering a healthy environment. I don't blame them, I doubt they were raised any better.

Thomas already seems like a closed-off, reserved, and anxious person. His anxiety seems to manifest in small fidgets, excessive staring, zoning out{?}, aggression, and isolation. This paired with his skin condition, facial deformity, and difficulty speaking would make socializing extremely difficult for him. I doubt many people attempted to socialize with Thomas. He was probably that one kid in class who sat by themselves and never spoke up. {I used to be that kid, totally not projecting or anything..} It's fair to assume this stunted some social growth for him, and I doubt being seen as an outcast is any good for your confidence. Confidence isn't just necessary for presenting yourself comfortably, it's also essential for expressing your thoughts, emotions, and boundaries. Putting yourself out there, achieving goals and milestones.

This would most definitely bleed into his relationships {of any kind really, romantic, sexual, platonic, family.} He would not express his emotions to you. Not easily anyway. Want a man who communicates properly despite language / ability barriers? Not gonna happen. Thomas would most likely shut you out. Shut anyone out just to protect himself from further emotional pain. I doubt the Hewitt family puts any emphasis on healthy communication anyway. And Thomas doesn't have experience to model a healthy partner. I'm sure he's an affectionate person, just not by default. ESPECIALLY not during the 2003 timeline. His confidence has grown, sure, but his family has gotten even more socially isolated, making social cues less likely to be processed properly. Another thing, {which connects to the previous statement,} Thomas doesn't fully understand social cues. Not much anyway. {I've discussed this so much, I apologize for the repetition.} He's an observant, quick learner, but that doesn't mean his brain computes certain things {am I projecting? Maybe}. I don't think he'd understand that staring at someone whilst they eat isn't appropriate {to most people}; He'd probably stare into people's car windows from afar, watch people from other rooms/windows/doorways, ect. Now, that doesn't mean Thomas is a nosey guy; Because I don't think he is. He knows not to eavesdrop, and he knows when to mind his business. I think it's more of "I'm zoned out / I'm confused and trying to figure you out" type of staring.

I'm sure Thomas understands boundaries.....the family’s boundaries that is. Hoyt disrespects boundaries all the time; But Luda Mae puts him in his place when {she feels} need be. Monty just flat-out refuses to acknowledge boundaries. That guy is arguably worse than Hoyt; He'd be offending like Hoyt does if he still had legs, I'm sure of it. He's just not as vocally aggressive as Hoyt, but I'm getting off-track here. It seems like Thomas has to respect the family's boundaries, but they don't have to respect his. Nor do I think he understands how to set up boundaries. It's kind of an unspoken rule in the Hewitt household that the basement is Thomas' space. No one goes down there without reason. That's probably the only boundary they respect. {I'm sure Luda Mae gives him space and patience though.} Combining his lack of knowledge / experience with boundaries, his excruciatingly-low confidence, and his social alienation, Thomas would be very, very hesitant towards intimacy. Having to not only be physically exposed {which is such a sore subject for him,} but emotionally?? Mentally?? That's not something he's used to nor ever been encouraged to embrace. I doubt Thomas even understands sex on an emotional level. {What seems to be} His only experience with sex is through his uncles; And maybe Luda Mae's "no intimacy before marriage" lectures. And you KNOW how Monty and Hoyt view sex. There's no intimacy there; It's just the primal, selfish urges. Now, I'm sure deep down those two want genuine intimacy and emotional connection; They've just buried it so deep down to resist being seen as 'weak'. Thomas most likely picked up on this, at least some of it, which has influenced his views on intimacy. He'd really have to trust someone on EVERY level; He also might cry after, idk. OR feel very uncomfortable. Probably have a moment of existentialism and some serious rethinking to do. Not necessarily about the act itself, but how he views it and what he's been taught. To add onto his hesitance: I see a lot of fan fiction involving him and the reader getting married within 1-5 months, which just..doesn't seem too realistic to me. Thomas most definitely has a lot of self-doubt, and the family wouldn't adjust to someone that quickly. I'd say AT LEAST a year before they {the family} consider it. Anyway..this is long enough but I'm fully willing to do pt. 2 on anything I've covered before :)

TLDR: Thomas would definitely need some guidance, the whole Atlantic Ocean's worth of reassurance, and some lessons on boundaries.

____

Anyway, yada-yada, Thomas needs some guidance and emotional regulation tools, what's new - 🫀

[goddessinnerglow]

Become Your Best Version Before 2025 - Day 2

Understanding Yourself Starts With Being Honest

Hi Goddesses! Yesterday we talked about what becoming our best selves means, and today we're diving into something really important, meeting ourselves exactly where we are.

Picture yourself packing for a journey. You'd check what you already have in your suitcase before deciding what else you need, right? That's exactly what we're doing today on our path to 2025, taking a inventory of where we are right now.

I know, I know. Self-assessment can feel a bit intimidating. Maybe you're worried about facing some truths, or perhaps you think it might be discouraging. But think of it as like turning on the GPS before starting a journey. You need to know your starting point to get where you want to go.

First things first: breathe. This isn't about judgment. Think of it as having coffee with your most supportive friend (that's me!) who just wants to help you reflect and grow. Ready? Let’s start.

Start With Your Gut

Remember when you wake up in the morning and have that first quiet moment to yourself? That's when our gut feelings are often the clearest. Take a moment right now. How do you feel about where you are in life? Not what others think, not what social media says you should be doing, just your honest feelings. Grab a notebook (or open your Notes app) and write down whatever comes to mind. No filtering, no judging.

The Life Wheel Check-In

Here's something I find super helpful: imagine your life as a wheel with different spokes. Think about these areas:

Your physical health and energy levels

Your relationships (family, friends, romantic)

Your work or studies

Your personal growth and learning

Your fun and recreation time

Your living space and environment

Your financial situation

Your emotional wellbeing

For each one, ask yourself: "On a scale where 10 is 'couldn't be better' and 1 is 'needs serious attention,' where am I?" Be real with yourself, this is just between us.

The "What's Working" List

Here's something we often skip: celebrating what's already good! Before diving into what you want to change, write down what's working well in your life. Maybe you're great at maintaining friendships, or you've been consistent with your morning routine, or you finally learned how to cook that one dish you love. These wins, big or small, are your foundation for growth.

The Honest Reality Check

Now comes the part that requires some courage: looking at areas where you feel stuck or unsatisfied. But here's the twist, we're going to do this with compassion. Instead of thinking "What's wrong with me?" ask yourself:

What's challenging me right now?

What keeps coming up in my thoughts as something I wish were different?

Where do I feel like I'm not living up to my own standards (not anyone else's)?

Your Future Self Letter

This is one of my favorite exercises: Write a letter from your future self (let's say December 2024) to your current self. What would they thank you for starting now? What changes would they be grateful you made? This isn't about pressure, it's about connecting with your hopes and dreams.

Getting Real with Yourself

Now, let's make this assessment more practical. Pick just three things:

One thing you want to maintain (because it's working well)

One thing you want to improve gradually

One thing you want to change significantly

Write these down somewhere you'll see them daily. Your phone wallpaper, a sticky note on your mirror, wherever works for you.

Remember This, you're not broken and you don't need fixing. You're a human being on a journey of growth, just like all of us. This self-assessment isn't about finding faults, it's about understanding where you are so you can move forward with purpose.

Take a moment to appreciate yourself for doing this work. Seriously. Self-reflection takes courage, and you're already showing up for yourself by reading this and (hopefully) doing these exercises.

Stay tuned for the next post in our "Become Your Best Version Before 2025" series! Remember, you've got this!

♡ ☆:.｡ Keep glowing, babes! ♡ ☆:.｡ With love, Goddess Inner Glow.

[carrotstache]

[ This is a mere theory, and may be wrong post chapter 195 ]

Quite a few nuggets of information hint at Baek Saheon having been raised, or is associated with a cult in GSGW. So I want to list some things in dot point format, as nothing’s concrete so far thus everything is short. 

Spoilers for the novel, I will mostly talk about things already tled, but warnings for the latest chapter spoiler will be clearly marked.

1. Church oppa vibes

In chapter 2 Saheon is introduced to look “fairly innocent”, and purposely acted in a disarming manner when he began talking to Soleum. Ignoring the official illustration (which isn’t text accurate), his curly hair and kind demeanor mimics religious cult recruiters at Korean universities. Which is a real thing btw. People have noted them to look like good looking and kind young men, who look kind but are actually cult recruiters with an agenda. In the Tamra Express arc too, we see him try to act unassuming and gentle.

2. Tries to take advantage of someone vulnerable

Cults have been known to prey on the most susceptible, and do it well and often. Saheon has tried over and over again to get rid of Soleum once he is perceived as vulnerable, and not as threatening. A more blatant example would be in chapter 76 where he said, “he’d always used fools around him as bait during critical moments.”

3. Trained response to danger

Saheon’s immediate switch from hostile to docile upon Soleum’s intimidation, seemed reminiscent of a trauma response to avoid getting hurt. Saheon recognised something with more authority than him, and backed down quickly. He has a heightened sense of danger, to an abnormal degree with how avoidant he is to Soleum, and thinks the other is practically capable of anything. Eg. Thought Soleum brainwashed the crowd with the fountain pen, despite knowing that it's single target only.

4. Goat snake symbolism

Goats in the bible are associated with the devil, experience eternal damnation and are said to have desecrated a temple in the Book of Revelation. Snakes are associated with deception and evil in the bible. Also, he called Youngeun a lamb despite being a goral (which is closer to goats) and thus Saheon is like a sacrifice too. Refer to my religious allusions gsgw post, for a slightly more detailed explanation.

5. Angel devil iconography

With his purple eye, Saheon can see halos behind those whom he deems dangerous. I do not think it’s a coincidence that Saheon, and Soleum have a lot of connected religious symbolism associated with them.

6. Brainwashing equipment

While Saheon no longer has it, the staple item Viper used was the Fountain Pen which could make someone follow a suggestion. Pushing someone who is unaware into doing something, is a classic cult tactic.

7. Trusts his family enough even though they know he will be in harm's way

Saheon received a cassette tape by one of his relatives, who presented it as something that can “reverse a dire situation". This family member, a wanted criminal, was aware of Saheon possibly being in life threatening situations. Yet, he’s constantly going back to visit his family (who have been mentioned several times), and didn’t want Soleum to take the cassette tape.

CHAPTER 195 SPOILERS

8. Able to recognise cult tactics

Chapter 114 during the Tamra Express arc, Saheon said “In a small, high-stress emergency environment, humans tended to do whacko things.” How “ridiculous suggestions… suddenly seemed worth clinging to”, because it “was human nature.” Saheon gathered all of this from a few shouts, which shows his familiarity with the subject. Despite recognising it, he also began twisting the narrative in his head and ended up believing Soleum to know the truth to get out safely, and in the end give a worthwhile item. Again, he also believed Soleum to be capable of brainwashing multiple people with the fountain, which he is very much aware isn’t possible.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. A village boy

In chapter 195, Soleum arrives in a village in Cheonan, which is where the Jiksan Baek clan is based. There’s also a festival going on, which when you add village + festival in a horror story it usually = cults. It’s a typical trope to have a celebration or festival of some kind to include a sacrifice (perhaps… a lamb?), and villages sometimes become a concentrated place riddled with ghosts. Saheon has shown how strangely unfazed, and more familiar he is with ghost stories compared to other rookies. And his obsession with items aiding his survival could possibly be hinting at his upbringing, and why he’s not scared of ghosts themselves but other people. 

I would also like to mention that the Church of the Luminous Unknown has three branches, and the village might be under it. A village that worships, and sacrifices for Ireum-nim… In this tweet, OP says that Saheon’s name in Hanja might mean: To serve, snake, offering/sacrificial rite. Which makes me go crazy!!

Thank you for reading my very loose theory. I've had it since January, but haven’t collated it properly until now. It may not become canon, however it’s fun to think about. I also have another post, which is basically a long love letter to Baek Saheon's character.

[bunniisms]

WALTER. C. DORNEZ HEADCANON DUMP

Blame this headcanon dump on the tremendous support from my friends and my unending obsession with this Old Fart and throwing him down the metaphoric staircases in my brain!

THE C IN HIS NAME ISN'T A MIDDLE NAME. Remind me to talk about it at length later, because it's an entire bullshit that would make this post far, far longer that I've already made it. Instead, the C in Walter's name stands for COURTENAY, the name of the old, old noble family he draws descendants from. Who had historical connections to the art of Vampire Hunting & the Hellsing Family via their connection to the Vatican and support of the late Abraham Van Hellsing.

Walter was the son of a daughter who didn't have the name (or any claim) to pass down beyond her and her late husband's friendship with Arthur Hellsing. As an adult, Walter's reclaimed the title and hyphenated his last name (i.e. Courtenay-Dornez)

TLDR: Walter C. Dornez but the C in his name is a desperate clinging symbol and claim to historic (and almost forgotten) notoriety and a connection to the business he’s attached his whole identity to but never found direct happiness from

WALTER DESCENDS FROM PEERAGE BUT ISN'T DIRECTLY OF ANY IMPORTANCE TO ANY NOBLE FAMILIES

This is sort of canon, but WALTER HAS DEEPLY STAKED HIS SENSE OF IDENTITY AND PERSON-HOOD INTO VAMPIRE-HUNTING and the concept of both his body deteriorating with age, and his gradual sense of being rendered obsolete behind New Operatives and Alucard is the heartbeat in the floorboard driving him to madness. FOR WALTER TO BE BENCHED OR TO BE RETIRED, HE SEES THAT AS THE DEATH OF HIMSELF IN A FAR MORE VISCERAL SENSE

WALTER IS AN OXYMORON OF ARROGANCE AND INSECURITY. Walter struggles with his sense of identity and his place in the world. It's not that he feels useless, but he feels like he has been doomed and damned to forever be third best - unable to move forward - unable to be better, to be wanted by existence (and himself), always envious and wanting for any claim of his own that he can truly sink his teeth into and use as a salve to cover the infected wounds of insecurity that have been with him since he was a child.

HOWEVER, the funny thing with Walter? As much as he feels this way, he is a haughty, arrogant, catty bastard. He views the vast majority of people, human and otherwise, as far, far beneath him, even with his insecurity being what it is. Walter knows he could be MORE, but these other people? It would be a miracle if they even got to his weakest position. Their words have precisely as much weight as the clucking of chickens.

WALTER HIDES THESE TRAITS WITH A JEEVES-LIKE FACADE AND PERSONA OF WARMTH AND HUMILITY. A lot of the time, the Walter seen smiling and bowing, offering his hand and advice, greeting the guests and answering the household's calls with a polite warmth is as superficial as a cardboard mockup - it's an act - the Walter we see walk out and make pot shots to scare Jan and quote his speech back at him. THAT'S THE REAL WALTER. Walter hasn't so much changed that part of him that we saw so much of in Dawn, as much as he's learned to hide it.

ONE OF WALTER'S LOVE LANGUAGES IS TRANSPARENCY. Walter has developed such a false crust of subservience and humility and comically stereotypical butler-like deference. You know you've sunk deeper into his person when he begins lifting the act in more intimate settings. Walter might seem to get sharper and cattier, a little more mean-girl-esc with his judgement and quips, but that's Walter! If you took him for a sweet old man, you bought the charade, hook, and sinker. THIS is the real Walter, THIS is what goes on inside his mind's palace. Either embrace it or take the check and go! Haha

UNLIKE THE HOUSE OF COURTENAY'S CATHOLIC ORIGINS, WALTER IS ANGLICAN and sparsely practicing, making sure to attend major Church Functions alongside the Household (such as Integra) but not making much of a habit of attending the small chapel inside the Hellsing Estate

WALTER HAS FOURTH NERVE PALSY, caused during The Dawn Arc after he sustained a massive skull fracture and very nearly died

YES, HE DOES BLAME ALUCARD FOR THE INCIDENT THAT CAUSED THIS, they were assigned to a mission together, flushing out operatives in Warsaw together, and yet, they became separated. Alucard's bloodlust or showboating slowed him down, and Walter was left alone to fend on his own. While successful for a while, Walter was a child, a lone child, and his enemies had no mercy. By the time Alucard dragged his carcass back to Hellsing, there was little to be done. But, despite rescuing him after, Walter never forgave Alucard for the part he feels Alucard played. His blame is partially misplaced, but it still burns hot, and the paranoia festering in the back of his mind forever wonders whether it was delayed by accident or if he orchestrated it all to stunt his abilities and prevent him from surpassing Alucard? (it's absolutely NOT that Walter, I can promise you)

WALTER HAS A SMALL HABIT OF ALWAYS LEANING/COCKING HIS HEAD SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DAMAGE TO HIS EYE AND VISION

RE: THE MONOCLE, it's not there for the aesthetics of a Victorian nobleman, though that's not to say Walter doesn't carefully cultivate his image. Walter's monocle is a prescription medical device; it helps correct issues with his depth perception and acquired short-sightedness caused by his palsy (especially with reading). Additionally, it's been a wonder how ptosis symptoms in his right eye that've stemmed from the palsy have been eased with the monocle supporting that side of his face.

WALTER ALSO HAS PERIPHERAL HYPER-MOBILITY SPECTRUM DISORDER most notably impacting his hands, wrists and fingers, but more broadly affecting his ankles and feet too. In recent years, Walter's found that the symptoms have been worsening and spread to his knees, too, but he's never spoken openly about this and resents it greatly. The records from Hellsing-pocket Doctors making note of the degeneration of his condition have always been burned, almost as though destroying them could silence the truth in some way.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GLOVES, while Butlers wearing gloves is a tale as old as time, Walter wears them not to uphold old traditions of cleanliness and not smudging things - but rather to hide the slight but noticeable gaps at the center of each of his fingertips where he ejects the monofilament from, which is unfortunately essential when facing the public. He removes them the second he gets behind closed doors and happily does that.

WALTER HAS A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DISABILITIES, BUT THEN AGAIN, HE HAS A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERYTHING

WALTER RE: THE WIRES AND THEIR IMPACT ON HIS BODY, the designs of the Late Hellsing and Seward, while innovative, were... imperfect. Flawed even. Walter REFUSES to come to terms with it, but the wires, despite their impeccable qualities, have been degrading his body MORE than gradually. They are the single leading reason for his Hyper-Mobility Spectrum Disorder; they have been EATING at the cartilage and connective tissue in his limbs and making his gradual decline far quicker than had ever been previously believed.

WALTER GOT HIS WIRES IN AN OPERATION AT TEN. It was a deeply invasive affair that left Walter bedridden for months. Directed by Seward and Hellsing loyalists and conducted by the last design of the Late Abraham Van Hellsing and his mentee Seward. WALTER CONSENTED AT THE TIME, IN FACT, HE WAS EAGER ABOUT IT AND THE PROMISE. Walter wanted the prestige, the power, to feel purpose and drive and to have something that was his, that defined him, and the miserable life he'd been gifted that was always at the mouth of the river, leaving him looking up at the source and the promise he had been born outside of and dreaming. HOWEVER, IT WAS STILL SKETCHY AF AFFAIR, AND AS THE WORD OF GOD, IT WAS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, AN INCIDENT OF ADULTS EXPLOITING THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, INNOCENCE AND EAGERNESS OF A CHILD FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT.

WALTER'S LOVE LANGUAGE IS QUALITY TIME. Walter, while a womanizer, is no adept man in the art of romance - some would call him a tad clumsy, but that's not it, nor would it be right to call him cold or unromantic. Walter is simply... atypical. He doesn't enjoy grand gestures of romance or constant touch - Walter is a man of boundary, and his ideal form of love is the quiet, cat-like sort of co-existing in joy. Can he perform his duties and passions and look over to see someone he is fond of simply existing - caught in their natural environment and at peace WITH him? That's ideal for him.

WALTER IS A SOMMELIER. Read as Wine Snob, not only for his job, but he just really enjoys wine!

WALTER AND BEING A BACHELOR IS A DELIBERATE CHOICE. He's had proposals passed onto him, and thrice, he's declined. He's had his girls and boys, but never committed even to the point of being considered lovers. Walter is simply most at ease on his lonesome, and though it might seem lonesome at the surface, it's ideal for his line of work and his love style.

HE ALSO IS ALLERGIC TO DEEP COMMITMENT BUT SHHHH

WALTER DOES A LOT OF WORK AND TAKES A LOT OF PRIDE IN KEEPING HIS APPEARANCE. Sorry, I KNOW this man wears expensive colognes that he has organized for the seasons, has all his suits and tail coats properly fitted and has a skincare routine. He IS the type, and I love that for him. His toiletry cabinet is more stuffed with product than either Integra or Seras' COMBINED! He will not leave his room until his hair is slicked back and he smells like sandalwood ON GOD.

THOUGH THAT BEING SAID, HE IS LONELY IN THE SENSE THAT HE FEELS DEEPLY ALONE WITHOUT PEERS; he simply doesn't see most other people, most other creatures, as on his level. In that, and his arrogance, he is deeply alone, but it's a cage of his own creation.

HE LOVES INTEGRA LIKE A DAUGHTER, AND I REFUSE TO SEE IT ANY OTHER WAY; he helped raise that girl - a constant, familiar face in the background of her youngest years. He watched her be born in the house, he was one of the first that held her - she was one of few she gave a big smile to as a baby (she was one of few things that ever made him reconsider his decision to never want children), she watched her walk, then run and grow into a girl and then a confident young woman. And when it comes to the betrayal :,)

I could make an ENTIRE post detailing my thoughts about it and how I portray it, but Walter had been turned into a Freak a long, long time ago, and by the time he met Integra (as in, she was born), he was too far gone to be saved, and he knew it. There was a gun to the back of his head - he had the chip, and he could be toast at any moment; he... well, he selfishly did what he needed to do to survive. Sometimes, the awful truth is that both things can co-exist, and a person can be caught between love and survival and still choose survival, even after everything.

I'm 10000% on copium with this. Still, I feel his whole Ebony Darkness Dementia speech to Integra was to VILLAINIZE HIM AND HIS MEMORY IN HER MIND - he spent DECADES selfishly loving her and raising her, and he knows she returned those feelings. They never spoke about it, but he KNEW. She'd ask him his opinions (even when he, as a servant, wasn't entitled to those against the word of his lord), request him to have dinner upstairs with her and attend church functions alongside him, even when she was a grown woman. He was one of the most consistent fatherly figures she had. He became that for her, but he doesn't want her to spend any years agonizing or grieving over another dead father. Telling her he's a mustache-twirling evil that has always plotted her downfall is another selfish lie. Still, he hopes and needs to believe that maybe, maybe, that'll make it easier on her heart to cope with the rug-pull, his defection (and death) and losing yet another dad.

WALTER IS INTEGRA'S MOST ADAMENT APOLOGIST AND DEFENDER; this is another truth of mine I will take to the grave, and Hirano can fight me. It's not Walter's place as a servant to feel that level of protection over his master - even given his place, having watched her grow. Still, something alien takes over his sensibilities when he hears people speak against her brazenly, and he'll stamp it out in his own petty way. He's her dad, your honour!

[modawg]

can we/rick talk more abt how extremely inexperienced percy is with his powers in comparison to many of the other big 3 kids

like it’s actually very interesting to think abt if you think abt the connection they each have as a scale to how connected they are to their godly parent (not like emotionally lmao but their godly heritage if that makes sense)

like if you think of nico and hazel those two are arguably the most like in tune with their powers both having used their powers since they were very young and being forced to kind of connect with their godly side much sooner/faster then the others

thalia and jason being second since thalia is literally the second in command to a literal goddess and as a soldier camp jupiter would definitely push jason to know his limits but they both haven’t reached that ease that nico and hazel have — thalia probably could’ve reached it if she hadn’t been snubbed at 15 and wasn’t scared of heights lmao and if jason had probably any type of support that wasn’t pushing him to just be better or focused more on his powers then physical strengths

both thalia and jason also started very young with using their powers yet both had that small blocker of other mortals/people around in comparison to hazel and nico

like hazel and nico are both so small that they’ve been taught to mostly use their powers not that they can’t fight but they rely a lot more on that rather then a sword unlike jason thalia or percy but i think that also just goes with the age that they are since their so young and were taught at that young age to lean on their powers that’s simply what’s easier

then you have percy who literally just found out half this shit was real like 5 years ago and knows nothing abt his powers like genuinely the amount percy leans more on his physical strength bc that’s all he’s had up until he was 12 in comparison to how much he leans on his actual powers is crazy especially if you look at the difference between how much jason or nico rely on their powers at their ages in comparison to how much percy did at those ages

it’s also interesting how that plays into people not taking him very seriously people see him as much more mortal and “weak” bc of it

not that any of them are doing it wrong obv it’s just very interesting to think abt

i think this also plays into percy’s morals a lot ? i recently saw a post saying nico wasn’t scared of percy when he was taking down an army and had hades with a sword to his neck yet annabeth was when percy was choking that goddess in tartarus even tho it was self defense which is all true but if you boil it down to those key points you can really see the clear distinction between the morality of nico and annabeth in those moments and how they know percy in that way as well

nico who’s on the cusp of godly hood in a way - being hades ambassador and spending most time in the underworld - he looks at percy as this hero who fights and kills and wins so that’s what he was letting percy do and he was watching it in awe

yet annabeth knowing percy stopped him yes in fear but in fear of the fact that that is simply not percy percy is the most mortal demigod we’ve met (him and piper tbh) he’s lived his life with mortal morals and he barely uses his powers bc of it so when he’s using his powers to literally kill a goddess like who tf is that ?? and who would he have been if he had gone through with it

i think that’s a pretty easy summary of why percy doesn’t really use his powers much as well he’s always seen himself as just some guy he doesn’t really like ppl calling him a hero he doesn’t really show off (on purpose/without reason) he’s just fighting to survive or to get shit done which is a very human trait percy is a very humble guy and it would just be crazy to see how much more powerful he’d be if he wasn’t bc ik a lot of that is what’s holding him back

also i think it’s interesting to point out the fact that percy used a sword when fighting hades in comparison to tartarus when he used just his powers id be interested to see what nico/annabeth would’ve thought if they were in each others shoes in those moments

also interesting that in both cases he doesn’t go through with it (killing a god/goddess) for 2 different reasons but what would they have done if he did …

i’m realising the purpose at the start of this is very different then what it ended in but i’d like to hear what ppl think if i’m just yapping or if anyone else knows wtf im talking abt lmao

[thetrialsandtribulationsofeb]

the way buck avoids his feelings by bursting out and making them larger than life (lawsuit era, “don’t want him to think i’m an abandoner,” injuring eddie at the basketball game, and a hundred other occasions). it’s like his feelings are so big that his brain shuts off when it happens, and he turns into a “crazy person”

and eddie avoids his emotions in the opposite way - by repressing and running away from them (street fights, post-shooting ptsd, ana breakup, meeting kim, etc). he’s trying to make his feelings as small as possible, which obviously doesn’t work out, and they come up to the surface as an explosion after being bottled up for so long

it’s just that buck usually starts out at the explosion and then fizzles out at the end

they’re both careless and selfish under stress in their own way. that’s kind of what happens when you’re too caught up in your own pain

eddie intentionally pushes people away or waits for them to let him show his feelings

buck focuses on all the wrong things and unintentionally pushes people away because he’s too busy with the need to be heard and validated, losing sight of other people’s feelings as a result

considering the way they were brought up by their parents, it makes perfect sense for their characters to act the way they do in each of their fights

but i do think at some point, buck needs to understand that he’s already validated, so he can stop being so reactive and self-centered. and eddie needs to understand that he doesn’t need to wait for a sign to stop hiding his feelings - he needs to let himself feel and express them right in the moment instead of waiting for the “right time” or for someone to open the door for him instead of opening it himself

and i think the fact that they have underlying feelings for each other adds another layer to this

buck knows deep down he’s in love with eddie, but since it feels doomed, he’s escaping these feelings by lashing out and not even realizing until the end that he’s kind of laid out all his cards already (the whole 7x04 crazygirl act, “i guess i’m just having more trouble dealing with the idea of you not being around than i like to admit,” “i don’t have to want to sleep with everyone i have feelings for, and i don’t have to have feelings for everyone i sleep with”, “except that i’m not! as much as everyone seems to want me to be hopelessly pining for my straight best friend, it just isn’t like that”)

eddie is feeling something more and more inside his chest but is still trying to suppress it because he’s not ready to look those feelings in the eye (“you’re not the only one that feels alone,” “can we please talk about this later? can i maybe just get a little damn time?” “i don’t know, i’m just waiting for a sign. something to know which way to step,” “i’m just gonna stick it out,” “i think she was the love of my life,” the way he’s pretending to himself that his connection with buck doesn’t matter as much as his need to be with chris, putting chris and buck at opposite ends because he can’t admit that this is actually the same option, and the way he completely shuts down from the idea that he can actually have both of them together in 8x09-8x10 and the “texas department offered me a job. i should go there” talk with henren in 8x17)

once both of them finally address these feelings and admit that they need each other not only in a platonic way, these kinds of fights will probably stop

i mean, there probably will be more fights, ‘cause they’re only human, but at least there won’t be that underlying tension of “there’s something there we don’t talk about, and it’s eating us alive, but we’re too afraid to acknowledge it and speak about it because it’s too big and we’re not ready to do something about it.” instead they’ll have a steady ground of mutual understanding of what they are to each other to stand on

anyway, buddie unaware and repressed pining era, you will be missed when it happens

but i’m ready for the next chapter and the further development in their relationship, because this slow burn can’t continue for eternity. from the writing point of view of where their relationship is currently at, bursting this bubble in the very near future makes the most logical sense

[odileeclipse]

Offers this to you in hopes that you will feel better (Sorry about the quality and the messiness, I did this piece for fun in oder to get a break from my project in art class!)

(It's MC from "In the Presence of Truth". I based her off of a pineapple upside down cake and other pineapple based deserts, because I thought that if Earl Grey likes tea than it would make sense for a pineapple based cookie to like pineapple based items of food!)

Also I posted this on a side blog instead of my main one since I tend to do that with more fandom type stuff, so don't worry about someone stealing my art! Unless the blog isn't called theoceanseafoam then it would be art theft. :3

(Btw I love your writing! Do you have any tips for improvement?)

Okay I'll keep an eye out because I absolutely love the way you've drawn MC, I don't endorse stealing art but if I had to steal an artwork and keep it tucked away in the depths of my room I'd choose this rn.....

As for improvement, when you sit down, let your heart guide your words and your mind polish them. I know that makes no sense, but what I think I'm trying to say is think about the scene you want to make, make bullet points of essential points you want for that scene, keep them in your mind, as you write, you'll be able to connect them. I once wrote an essay talking about how, as you write, you learn, the more you continuously write you'll be able to improve, which you might say "Everyone says that." You would be correct, but when you write, write with intention, to write is to be free and creative even on school assignments where freedom is limited, you get to choose how you push your theme around. But for specific tips these are my personal favorites to keep in mind which you may have heard before.

Show, don’t tell.

Make us feel emotions through actions, silence, or body language not just by naming them.

Use specific, vivid details.

Small, concrete things (a chipped mug, a burned letter) make scenes feel real and memorable.

Let characters contradict themselves.

Make them human. Let them say they’re fine when they’re not. Let them want things they’re afraid to reach for.

Write what you feel.

If it makes you ache or smile or cry, it’ll do the same to someone else. That’s what readers remember.

Don’t fear writing badly.

First drafts are supposed to suck. Don’t stall trying to make it perfect.

You can fix a bad page. You can’t fix a blank one. The first step is to just write.

Make characters want something.

Even if it’s small. A goal gives them agency and makes every choice matter.

Desire drives plot. Even if it’s just wanting to be loved.

Another thing that helps is to keep the plot triangle on standby, I would give a full analysis on it but I'm not an English professor.

[cripplecharacters]

I've been working on a world since 2019 and a few characters have had disability aides that are, like, full arms (haven't done legs yet for some reason, maybe because i drew a Lot of halfbody things for a while) but i have a dilemma that I'd like some advice on

so when a character is amputated/born missing a limb in my world they can choose to keep the amputation as is, or choose to get a 'robot arm' for lack of a better term. they aren't very advanced in technology in the usual way, but everything is kind of shifted to the left. it's been thousands of years and VHS players survived, but the video output hasn't, so now they have reprogrammed them to connect to lazers that show on the top of the box. they also tried cars (a very safe model that ran on water) but stopped once a couple died in a crash. they like pick and choose what they work on i guess

but! the disability part of this is: would it be alright if i have them create a synthetic limb that connects to their nerves (a VERY careful process) so it can still act like an abled limb, or would this just br a cop-out 'magic robot arm that is just like the flesh arm'? there are also alternatives to the ability aides as well; someone can get extremely tall mantis-like legs or get special made claws or whatever makes the person happy. i have a character i always think about with this since she's a tattoo artist that was born with her left arm amputated from the shoulder. so she could use the 'robot arm' to do the tattooing and use her other hand to hold the client still and move them around, but i don't want it to be the 'magic limb' thing again

if this is way too wordy you are more than welcome to tell me to try again, i am sorry, i just want to make sure everything is on the table and makes sense. hope you're having a lovely day/night!

Hello, thank you for your ask!

Note while we don’t have any amputee mods, I live with metal implants and will draw from that lived experience.

If you were to have a prosthetic limb be able to act just like a natural limb, it would fall into the ‘perfect prosthetic’ trope. This kind of character design isn’t disability representation, it’s just for the sake of aesthetic. Here are posts we’ve reblogged on the subject by amputees, I’d recommend looking at them [link] [same post but video format] [link]. These posts go much more into living with prosthetics, what to think about when making an amputee character and tropes to avoid that I ever could. If you really want the cool aesthetic of having a human with awesome robot parts, make an android/robot instead! You get all the cool visuals without peddling myths about disabled people that a surprising amount of people really believe.

As for having a character with an arm prosthetic that’s a tattoo machine, I think it’s fine! I’ve seen real world examples of that exact thing [link]. Just know it won’t act as a hand holding a tattoo machine, it’ll be stiff and to adjust the angle your character will either move their arm or manually adjust with their hand.

There is real world work on making prosthetics that connect to nerves, so I’ll talk about that as well. In previous posts we’ve talked about how most arm amputees don’t like wearing prosthetics since they tend to be heavy, uncomfortable and difficult to use, and that’s especially true for mechanical prosthetics. This article on the subject [link] [video that goes a bit more into it] shows a real world example of exactly the kind of prosthetic you’re talking about, though notably with zero feedback from the people who have one. It briefly touches on how the weight may be uncomfortable, how it needs frequent readjustments and practice from both the technicians and amputee to do things like pick up a block, and how the nerve sensors in it are dull, but I imagine that’s only a small bit of the real story. From personal experience, once a nerve is severed it is extremely difficult to ‘wake it up,’ and in some cases may be impossible. It took months of physical and occupational therapy for me to get back small motions and any physical sensation, and for a long time after that what I could feel changed from nothing to either dull, buzzy discomfort or electrical pain. Not to mention the metal implanted in the person for it to work would hurt [plus these kinds of prosthetic implants that go into the bone have a high failure rate due to the very increased risk of getting an infection, as the implant is both inside and outside the body]. If it gets too cold, if the air pressure changes, and just sometimes randomly metal implants become painful, and I’ve yet to meet anyone with implants with a different experience.

Essentially, using this kind of prosthetic would be extremely difficult and would also be painful and uncomfortable, and any character with one would need to be very dedicated, not to mention have a lot of spare time to dedicate to learning to use it and money to afford it, it’s surgeries and the frequent appointments to get it to work.

I hope this helps!

Mod Rot

[tuulikki]

I really appreciate that in your response to the Spotify wrapped post, you didn’t just put, “you are not immune to propaganda”, but actually followed that up with thought-provoking questions that help clarify what that propaganda can look like. That’s really helpful and considerate and I really appreciate how kind and thoughtful your response was. It really helped me recontextualize my experience of and reaction to the misinformation post when it went around. Thank you so much

You're so, so welcome. I'm really glad it helped. If you ever have any follow-up questions or just wanna chat, hit me up

I've fallen for misinformation, propaganda, and conspiratorial thinking in my life. Probably everyone has, to some degree. But I've also been kinda obsessed with the study and analysis of it ever since, so I feel like I'm obligated to try to help people to the degree I can.

I will say, it also "helps" that I have the privilege of not being in anyone's crosshairs and not having a personal connection to the issues, other than the basic moral concerns any decent human being would have. A lot of people don't have that luxury. When people are scared and hurting, it's inhuman to demand that they overcome that and put more energy into fact-checking than do those of us with less pain.

So I guess I'll try to condense some key ideas:

Reblogging ("keep talking about this!") is harmful if it isn't accurate. Inaccuracy contributes to the fog of war, causes agony to people directly involved (they see you on social media: the internet is global!), and discredits the legitimacy of a movement.

Misinformation/disinformation blends truth with lies. Seeing one thing you know to be true next to an unverified statement will make you trust that statement.

Crises make us feel helpless and small. But it is privileging your discomfort over the pain of victims if you shy away from tackling complexity.

Sometimes it feels like a betrayal to reserve a space in yourself for doubt. But disinformation trivializes important issues. If something really matters to you, then you will want it to be accurate.

People will make good-faith inaccuracies. I will. You will. Governments/organizations will. People on the ground will. No one is omniscient. Don't double-down in support of the mistake and don't let one mistake discredit a good source.

People in pain will be duped, lie, or exaggerate. Many are seeking meaning with a greater need than you are. You must find compassion for them.

Our best instincts (justice) and worst instincts (self-righteousness) will be manipulated.

Responsibility for fact-checking falls on those of us whose distress is moral, rather than personal.

Everyone is biased. Humans always care for some people more than others. Find two opposing sources and read both: you'll find the truth somewhere between them.

Truth is a hill worth dying on.

Sorry this is a long post and maybe it's useless but I thought it was important to try

[edges-of-night]

hii, just found your blog recently and i’m obsessed! your writing is on a another level❤️

can I request romantic frodo x fem!human reader headcanons, where the reader is often ignored or brushed off by her family and frodo is always there for/comforts her? (yea clearly going through something lol)

tysm for all your lovely posts!

Hi, nonnie! Firstly, thank you for your kind words. It’s always sweet to hear people like this blog. At the same time, I’m very sorry to hear you’re going through a hard time. Please take good care of yourself ♡

✧ Being a Hobbit with many connections, Frodo knows a thing or two about your Human family, as well as the way they tend to treat you.

✧ After first noticing your family’s ignorance, he’d keep any comments to himself and simply invite you to over to Bag End, perhaps under some pretense.

✧ Quality time with Frodo is always wonderful, be it teatime, reading, dancing, learning poems, eating strawberries, or simply going on a walk, holding your hand…

✧ No matter what the two of you were doing, Frodo would often check with you, trying to capture your eyes with his. “Are you alright? Yes? Can you catch this blueberry? Oh, bravo!”

✧ He would also ask your opinion of seemingly anything – a tailored waistcoat, pressed flowers, a new set of candles for Second Breakfast... He truly treasures your point of view.

✧ Since he has a strong suspicion of what’s going on, asking “Is something weighing you down?” is but a polite formality to Frodo. He’s already determined to get to the bottom of this; he simply cannot bear seeing you so downcast.

✧ With such sweet company, it’s easy for you to open up to Frodo. You can talk to him about anything, as he has often assured you. “Anything you tell me beneath this beech will stay beneath the beech. Between the two of us.” You can trust him entirely!

✧ Frodo always has a friendly ear for you and gives you a heartfelt hug whenever you need one. He may be small, but resting your head on his shoulder does wonders for your soul.

✧ Should you cry when you’re with him, he won’t judge you. On the contrary, Frodo would feel with you – if you want, he’ll pull you close and kiss your hair. You’re safe with him.

✧ Frodo also has words of encouragement for you. He assures you that the way your family treats you is not your fault, and that no one should be brushed off like that: “Don’t blame yourself for what happened. You have so much to carry already.”

✧ On some days, you might need celebration instead of consolation – Then it’s time for a night out at the Green Dragon! Frodo will take you dancing until daylight and bring you closer to his friends and family.

✧ Sidenote: Frodo cares very little for other Hobbits who look down on him bringing a “tall girl like yourself” to Hobbiton. In fact, he even likes the attention and gossip a bit.

✧ Frodo would make it entirely up to you if and when you want to take him along with you to your family (Bilbo, Merry and Pippin have already accepted you as their extended family long ago).

✧ During his visits, Frodo would watch your family with suspicion. He’ll keep a sharp eye on any mistreatment toward you, always ready to pull you aside and engage you in a conversation or play. He’ll always stay polite, unless a true cruelty arose that demanded him speaking up. Then he’ll do just that!

✧ In short: Frodo would always give you the exact amount of attention you crave, never brushing you off – especially not if you were in an emotional or vulnerable state. He’ll hold and kiss your hand, providing you with the refuge you sought all this time.

✧ “I will always be there for you. You know that already – but I still wanted to tell you. Call me and I’ll come flying, as fast as these feet allow at least. I’m here for you.”

[quietlyblooms-gone]

alright, friends, it's time for a lil heart-to-heart.

for quite a while now, i've struggled with feeling like the rpc is an actual community. there's a few things that contribute to this feeling, but it mostly comes down to a lack of interaction and visible interest. sometimes i feel very one-sided in my interest and attachment to my mutuals bc when i see their ooc posts or headcanons, i like them or comment, yet this isn't reciprocated by everyone. i can usually guess who i'm about to see in my notifications, and to be absolutely clear, i'm very grateful for those people!! it's a handful or two of you, but it could be just one and i'd be grateful. it's not about numbers whatsoever but rather growing uncomfortable that not all of my mutuals are all that interested in my character or me.

i write on here to share the excitement of creating with other people. i write on here to create together, too, but i'm also here to share characters and ideas and lore with people i know are happy to hear me ramble. i'm just getting to the point in which i'm questioning how many of you are actually happy to listen, and that's just not a good feeling at all. i'm not a mind reader, y'all. if you don't tell or show me that you care about the things i talk about or even about interacting, there's no way for me to know. eventually, i'm going to question why you're following me if i never see or hear from you, and eventually, i'm going to softblock and move on. that's the only way forward i see right now because i just do not feel comfortable on my own blog. i feel like i'm retreating into this quiet bubble to avoid discomfort, and it really sucks. it's killing my muse.

i'm not perfect. none of us are, and we can't be online at all times to catch every little post. but if we're a community, then we should be supporting each other when we can and liking headcanons, liking/commenting on those lil ooc posts that remind us our writing partners are humans with lives outside this site, reblogging their promo posts, sending in that meme they've reblogged even if we're nervous to reach out first -- if we're a roleplaying community, then we need to act like it. " community " implies connection, and a connection doesn't really begin when you follow each other. it begins when you reach out, even if it's in some small way.

tldr: i think we can all do better to support our mutuals and to connect, and i'm going to softblock people rather than continue to feel unsure where i stand with my mutuals. i won't start until sometime next week, and i won't make one of those " like this to remain mutuals " posts. they're not helpful to me, if i'm honest. if you're worried, just reach out. i'm literally a 4'9'' gremlin who sleeps with a m.unchlax plushie -- i promise i'm not scary despite this post uvu

[a-moe-ba]

Hello. We are amoeba, an amoeba therian. I guess therian would be the right term? If not, then amoeba otherkin or amoebakin. Whatever term you seem fit is probably fine. No we are not "trolling" or making a joke just because we have an abnormal species.

I actually do not know exact species. Technically unsure if we're even an amoeba, as we could possibly be algae or other similar pond-dwelling microbe. Either way amoeba is what we're calling ourselves for now as we have connection to the microscopic life and view ponds as our hearthome. But maybe someday we'll consider ourselves something else if we learn more information.

Aside from our species. Some info on us:

Love listening to music, especially 2000's pop and a lot of nightcore remixes

we are very spiritual, but we can't/wont explain more on how or why as it is very personal.

We spend most our free time outside when possible. Loving hikes and walks and write in journals about interesting things we find and learn.

Love learning about aliens and potential alien lifeforms. Mostly because our girlfriend is alien-kin and I love to learn about her and her history. Though we don't like a lot of the conspiracy theories about aliens.

Unfortunately we are human body now. Not just our amoeboid self anymore. we don't have much memory from before the human form, moreso vague attatchments to certain things with a sense of familiarity.

Sometimes It is nice to imagine we are small again, floating around in a pond all cozy. We try to find ways to connect back to our roots. Swimming, watching microscopic videos, and reading biology books tends to help some.

We have not interacted much with therian communities, its hard to fit in when there aren't many amoeba or even microscopic kinfolk around. but there are some very old posts of ours still on this blog when we tried posting before. A lot of our old posts have since been privated/deleted.

You can message or ask this blog if you want to talk to us, but we may not respond right away as communication can be difficult.

Love and joy to those who need it,

- Amoeba 🦠

[cookie-nom-nom]

A timeline of events for a small resistance:

Like two days ago: A random girl singled me out of room with 80 people and tried to get me (and only me?) to join a pro life organization. Afterwards I resolved to dress more blatantly queer.

Today 11:00: Email sent out to all college students for the Young Conservatives club hosting a chalk art demonstration at 4:30 riddled with pro life messaging and protestors. It will be outside of the hall where the scholarship conference is being held. It’s a massive event for the school, afternoon classes are cancelled so everyone can go, many prospective students will attend. Many would see the pro life messaging, massive influence on how the college is seen. I’m in class and can’t do anything.

11-12:00: I finish a massive essay.

12-1:00: Tabling for our UN climate ambassadors program, I catch wind of what’s going on and we begin scheming.

1-1:30: We build a coalition of students that are pro choice inspired to take action. Make connections with multiple faculty to gain support for counter action including supplies and advice for the rules and procedure regarding demonstrations. Draft a proposal. Gather a group of independent students to contact student affairs president, hold a meeting. We bat our eyes and smile and talk a lot about how we just want to present the diversity of campus values to prospective students, and show how our college facilitates civil intellectual dialogues about human rights. It goes smoothly. As per rules they require a chartered organization to sponsor the event, so I use my position as a Guild head (admittedly one not related to politics, and I’m furiously texting my co president under the table for permission/forgiveness). Submit the proposal, with the student affairs president trying to sound very neutral but subtly relieved that counter action was occurring. Contact the president of the campus democrat organization and slap their name on the proposal for more credibility. With permission, I email the entire student body about a concurrent event for ‘bodily autonomy positivity’.

1:30-4:30: After that hectic 30 minutes, I run over to the scholarship conference because I am presenting my academic endeavors for the UN Climate Ambassadors program. Literally walk in on the others venting about the Conservative event going on, show them the plan and get them on board. As the conference goes on I subtly advertise to people I know. Large number of people saying they’d already planned to sabotage it lol. Mid conference, turns out of the other Ambassadors literally Knows the guy whose name is slapped on the Conservative event, calls him. Love this girl, she plays an AMAZING ditz when she needs to, and was like ‘heyyy I heard you’re doing some kind of event what’s that about teehee’ to draw out the dude’s story. And he was weirdly evasive?? Like saying it wasn’t a protest, that it’s just about art, very much not how the email was set up idk. Very. Odd. Rather spineless.

4:30: We start, blasting music on the speaker. Conservatives show up like 20 minutes late to their own event. There’s only five of them. We have well over 6 times that with only 3 hours notice and a small campus. A single chalk line separates our areas. The pro choice messages took up over 2.5 side walk blocks (after which we were restricted from doing more space, far more concentrated). They barely fill 1 and only have 9 messages/drawings compared to our well over a hundred. Things are mostly civil and fully safe, I make sure everyone has a buddy. Aside from some chalk arguments across the line, it’s not bad. Everyone had fun stayed safe.

I really, really enjoyed giving a water jug to the conservative girl (only one on their side) who tried to get me to join the pro life organization, so I could watch her erase their measly muster of chalk messages.

(Trying to avoid posting pictures w people of course lol)

[jedisandspacepirates]

Thoughts on Jod Na Nawood and Where We Go From Here

So, Jod Na Nawood. Spoilers ahead for 1x05, read at your own risk.

After watching 1x05 and seeing other folks's thoughts about what went down there, I felt the need to write something.

Now I'm going to start by saying that from the beginning, I (and everyone, really, I'm sure) was wondering just who Jod is, really. I didn't immediately buy into the idea that he's a Jedi just because he can use the Force. That doesn't make or define a Jedi, I don't think. Anyway, it kept me wondering and kept me interested. I will be honest and say that in the first few episodes, I sort of hoped that despite the fact that he's a pirate, a scoundrel in it for his own interests....I had hoped that his heart would soften at least a little bit, being with the kids. But now I remember what Jude himself has said about Jod and his perspective of the kids. According to Jude, Jod has this sort of disdain because his childhood was taken from him (or something along those lines iirc). It's a little sad because apparently Jod didn't have that. But, Jude said, he also doesn't want the kids to end up the same way he did.

Either way, I think it's interesting that Jod has twice done things that remotely demonstrate even the vaguest, faintest sense of...I won't call it affection but whatever it is, he isn't disregarding them.

First example, when he reunites with the kids on At Achrann. Neel and Wim run to him and hug him, and he just holds them close. He could have easily been aloof, or shoved them off and been like 'Ick. Small humans. Go away.'

Second example, when he finds Wim crying. Initially, he's very much repelled by the sight and turns as if to leave, but then goes back, sits down and talks to Wim about it. True, he doesn't give very good advice when he says to let go those attachments (Granted: to the Jedi, that's important, but in the sense of being free from those attachments not in the sense of cutting off love and wholesome, good human connections). But it just caught my attention.

Another thing I thought interesting is exactly how the writers are presenting him. I don't have extensive experience with studying writing methods or even observing it in the shows I watch, but I've noted that in some of the best written stories, the big reveals are almost never obvious. That's sort of their nature, no? Like why would it be a surprise if it's already been spoiled before its time?

What's my point?

This. I think it's notable that when they first present Jod, it's in an ambiance of mystery, so much that everyone is asking 'Who is he?' They're already laying down that idea of wanting to figure him out completely and see what he's made of. Now after 1x05, it was striking to me to see Jod invoke the pirate code and threaten Fern with a knife at her neck.

Let's unpack that moment first. There's a few things I want to point out.

Jod hesitates. It seemed to me like he's debating, really turning around in his head the idea of what he's considering doing. It struck me because we see only moments before how quickly he had SM-33 fill the pit back up with acid and melt the pirates. Jod has no problem with killing, that's clear. So why did he make such an effort not to harm Fern, if he's as despicable a man as we're supposedly led to think he is?

He holds the knife near her neck, but not nearly enough to harm her. It's a threat to make it real enough for her, but he's not trying to harm her. Anyway you dice it, it's NOT okay that he did that and I don't approve it, I just think that it's worth noting.

He keeps insisting that she has to say 'I yield' because that's what the Code demands. 'You literally have to say it,' he tells her.

Then, and this point's more flimsy, up to interpretation, I suppose, but...the bit with the chair. I assumed, on first watch, that he didn't react because he simply didn't care what happened to the kids now that they're out of his way, but I saw a post once (if it was yours or you know who wrote it, tell me please and I'll credit them here) pointed out it's because he knew what the chair would do and he knew where they were going--into a tunnel.

Lastly, I was thinking about this more recently and it came to mind that Jod could have, essentially, done this at any point when he was with them, no? Why did he chose THAT moment to do it? Furthermore (and I mentioned this in a different post), I find it very suspicious that the writers, if they do intend to make Jod out to be the actual Bad Guy ™ po

That's it, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

[ask-the-commodore]

Hello,

I hope these question aren’t too niche— but I’ve always been curious about how a computer speaks, phonetically and linguistically speaking.

In the majority of human bodies, sound is generated by airflow in the lungs, which travels up the trachea to the larynx. Within the larynx lies our vocal folds, which are regularly open to allow for airflow; pressure against them results in vibrations, which produce noise.

The articulation itself happens in the vocal tract. The sound that comes out is dependent on a number of factors— such as the position of the tongue, lips, etc. in the mouth, and whether airflow is obstructed (obstruent) or not (sonorants).

I shall cease my scientific ramblings there before I overload your systems with too much information. For now, my main questions for you are the following:

For computers— where are sounds produced, and how? Is it similar to Vocaloids, in the sense that there are existing sounds in a data bank which your systems play in a certain order to produce sound? If not, is there a certain protocol similar to humans, where sound travels through a system and then out of a speaker?

When a computer beeps, is that the equivalent of a human being’s linguistic filler, or are the beeps themselves a language of their own? (If it’s the latter, are the beeps filtered in any discernable way to make them different from each other?)

I don’t suppose you’ll know this, or how much interaction you’d have had with this sort of thing, but I’ll ask anyway— since a computer’s operating system can be updated, and since sound on a 1980s computer would be inherently different to sound on a 2025 computer, would you consider different devices to have different “accents”, so to speak?

If so, would that depend on “human” things like the place of the computer’s creation or AI-adaptation to data stored within it (ie. a girl’s computer from England would sound different to a boy’s computer from America), or purely on model (ie. all computers from a certain year sound the same)?

In a similar vein, because of OS updates in some systems: do you suppose all computers, regardless of the age they were created, produce sound in the same way? Has there ever been an update in the actual way sound is produced overall by a computer, and is there a distinguishable difference in what you hear based on this method of production?

Apologies for the length of the ask— please don’t feel like you have to answer any of these if you don’t want to. I just think your blog is very interesting, and I’m something of a linguistics nerd, so I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thank you in advance, and have a great night.

—🗣️🐍

What a MARVELOUS ASK!! I might take too long to answer it fully, but your questions are wonderful!

Well, about how computers talk (in the human meaning of communication patterns), I did a small video with me talking to explain it in a short way!

As you love linguistics, I definitely recommend seeing more about how voice synthesizers work! It's fascinating!

So yes, we have the capacity of modulating a 100% computer generated sound without a prerecorded sound database! We break the words into codes for each phoneme construction! Nice, no? :]

And we can adjust our own voices to our liking. So if a computer wants their voice in a certain way, they can configure and modulate them as you wish! As you were adjusting synth configurations.

BUT... This is about IMITATING humans. Our forms of communication from computer to computer comes in many other ways - faster and easier than the human phoneme and word structure!

A nice way of seeing this is codes passed through to initiate a dial internet connection. But this stays for another post, since Tumblr only lets us post only one video per post! Stay tuned! :D