#when you try your best but you don't succeed

[alex51324]

You're right; this was meant to be contexualized by another post I made, about how Chaos Is the Point, and attention and outrage are finite resources. But this post ended up having a much bigger reach, so a lot of people are seeing it who didn't see the other one.

To summarize:

Because no one can live at DefCon 5 all the time, we need to be thoughtful about distinguishing between "Trump's back on his bullshit," "This is a real actual thing that could happen if they get their shit together," and "holy shit, grab the kids and run." AKA, threat levels Piss Yellow, Spray-Tan Orange, and Blood Red.

A lot of Trump's EOs are simply publicity stunts. For instance, a few days ago there was a flurry of panic because he'd rescinded a Johnson-era Civil Rights EO, which had a similar name to the Act which codified it into law a few years later. With this EO, Trump was showing us (once again) who he is and what he values, but in terms of actual legal effect, it was nothing. Within hours of the headlines announcing this EO, there were clarifications about it all over the place.

Another batch are so blatantly illegal that, again within hours, there are well-grounded legal challenges in process, and often judicial stays on the order. The "funding pause" is one of these, as was Trump's attempt to limit birthright citizenship.

The first group are pure yellow, and the second are sort of orange-tinged, like the urine of a man who drinks only diet coke (and not enough of it). It's important for state governments, the ACLU, and other relevant stakeholders to respond quickly with those legal challenges, but as an ordinary person, you can kind of figure it's being handled, and just keep an eye out in case it explodes somehow, or the groups doing the legal challenges are asking for a show of support from the public.

The next concern level, solid orange, is a mix of orders where it isn't really clear what Trump was trying to do or if it means anything, or where the legality of the order is more open to interpretation, meaning that if it ends up in front of a Trump-friendly judge, it could make it through.

These are the ones where you want to pay attention as the situation develops, especially if the order would affect you personally. With this category, there maybe things for you to do, like writing/calling your congresspeople, attending protests, etc., or ways you can prepare for impact if you're in the affected group (or help others in the affected group prepare). As you follow the story, make sure you're using trusted sources of information, and share information when you're reasonably confident that it is accurate and useful.

And then red, of course, is where the effect could be immediate and drastic, and affected groups should prepare to take quick action. For instance, for federal employees, the "fork in the road" emails are dark orange bordering on red. It's pretty clear that Trump is attempting a purge of the civil service; it's not clear whether he's actually going to succeed, or what comes next if making ominous noises and trying to bribe people to quit doesn't work. If you are in the affected group on this one--that is, a federal employee--you should be actively planning & working with your union, others in your department, and/or legal representation to understand what's happening & what is best for you to do.

As the threat level tends toward Red, it remains important to seek accurate and useful information sources, but at the same time, events may be evolving quickly. Be conscious of how you use and pass along information in the "important if true" category: of course you don't want to be so cautious you miss the window to respond before the situation turns critical, but you also don't want to waste your and others' time with actions that are unnecessary or counterproductive.

It's a very normal and natural impulse, when things are scary, to want to sound the alarm and share the scary information as widely as possible, but overreacting can make it harder for people to pay attention to the most scary things.

Food for thought

[canisalbus]

You ever see the video of the racoon with a piece of cotton candy and it tries to wash it off in some water only for it to dissolve, and its little racoon hands are patting the water trying to find the cotton candy? I need a tiny racoon-like Machete losing his cotton candy in the water while Vasco sits by him and comforts him. I need tiny teary-eyed racoon Machete. Please.

[delawaredetroit]

Shiketsu Guy: We hope we can have a good relationship with UA in the future.

Shouto, two seconds later: Hey you with the face, what's your problem.

[thenezuverse]

R E V A M P

Hello my lovely readers! Usually before starting the next part of this series, I re-read all of Sunlight to get myself back into the swing of things. However! This time, I was absolutely struck by the fact that I utterly hated my own writing! In light of this discovery, I decided to do a revamp of all the chapters I don't particularly like. I will not be changing anything fundamental about the story, but I will be doing some extensive construction, as well as adding in some new details. I will post updates on my tumblr when a part is completely finished, for anyone looking to re-read the updated version. If you don't want to, that is 100% okay, the story will still make sense later on because I won't be changing any of the major plot points. That being said, Part 1 is officially redone and ready to go! Thank you for your patience and support, and enjoy!

[umi-no-onnanoko]

When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can't replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

-Coldplay Fix You

[ghostlyness227]

#SadBoiHours

[crapbirdphotography]

A pheasant. I think

[todayontumblr]

Friday, June 16.

The Toad Who Never Made The Team

...and other important animal images.

Spare a thought for this poor little guy on this most Friday of Fridays, June 16ths. Because while most of us are winding down from school, university, or the workplace, and gearing up for a sunny weekend in June, others are not enjoying such a good time. Indeed, for some, they are heading into Saturday and Sunday left with no choice but two days to face one of life's hard truths, to ponder it—to look it square in its cold, uncompromising eyes. Take, for example, the tale of Toad who never made the team. This here poor fellow is one of a handful of stories from the rich tapestry of life to be explored in other @important-animal-images.��

We've all been there: you set your mind to something with the utmost strongest of determinations. This goal is fixed to your thoughts as if it were written on little bits of paper, and stapled to your eyelids. From the moment you wake, you are out of bed, like a Rocky montage or a LinkedIn hustler bro's post, and swigging eggnog, jogging, boxing the air, putting one step in front of the other in pursuit of that dream. That was the case for Toad, who wanted, more than anything, just to make the team.

There were obstacles, sure, but he didn't let them stand in his way. For Toad, being an amphibian meant he was not the obvious pick for a (human) men's 11-a-side soccer team. The fact he hibernates each winter was also not ideal for a side that would be playing on pitches up and down the nation during the cold, dark winter months. The fact he was smaller than the balls that the players would be kicking for 90 minutes was also not in his favor. As the main prey of snakes, including Toad on a soccer team would increase the risk of serpent attacks mid-match. And mid-match serpent attacks are the last thing coach needs when in pursuit of The Championship.

Unlike others in their family, toads are only capable of a slight hop, and not jump, which leaves them at a serious disadvantage when it comes to heading the ball, whether in attack or defense. They also have lovably short legs, which, while endearing, is not a good fit for a soccer player. The fact Toad eats his own skin is, while not unhelpful for a budding athlete, per se, really kind of gross—and unlikely to win friends in the dressing room and fans in the stadium. But for Toad, it mattered not. He was going to kick balls, and score goals, or die trying, dammit.

And try he did. He hopped with everything he had and kicked as hard as his comical legs would allow. But it, sadly, mattered not. When coach blew the whistle and gathered his squad around the team sheet for tomorrow's big match, eleven names were listed. Toad's was not among them. He was crushed, his dreams shattered in an instant, and as he went to ribbit a most forlorn of ribbits, he stopped, paused, and fell silent. Because, he remembered, he is a toad. And toads do not ribbit.

When you try your best and you don't succeed..., he hums to himself softly, consoling his broken spirit with the soothing lyrics of Fix You, by Coldplay. We can only hope he gets back to the training ground, gives it all he's got, and that we may see a change in his fortunes next year. Then, perhaps, we will see a happier sequel to this in later @important-animal-images. 

Better luck next year champ x

*P.S. It's not all so gloomy for our animal comrades, however. There's a rumour going around that this cat is having two kittens, and will need a hand or two in deciding on some baby names.

[seventhofcrows]

Hey! Who the FUCK gave me this low-quality PNG of Mr. Puzzles? Was it you, Luke?

[phantomuheist]

Quietly grumbles and eats the entire box by himself.

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

me: [posts one pro-life comment] Facebook Algorithm: CONVENTS NEAR YOU. SPONSORED: KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. SUGGESTED FRIENDS: MOTHER THERESA. YOU ARE CATHOLIC.

[zephyr-draws]

POV you're experiencing your third traumatic mentor experience in a calendar month

[desirend]

@streunerhund

it is getting late and he has been wandering for what must have been hours, but he doesn't notice how long it has been. fatigue creeps into his bones, limbs feeling leaden with exhaustion, but it never registers that he should stop until he begins to get slightly dizzy. he can hear his squad members now: rest before your body forces you to!

thankfully, a park bench in the distance comes into view. there's someone already sitting there, but Mithrun doesn't mind. he cannot afford to be picky, lest he faceplant into the ground. maybe he wouldn't even mind that, either.

as easy as breathing, he teleports to a sitting position on the bench, but misjudges the distance between himself and the stranger, ending up much too close to him.

"Oh." he murmurs, regarding the stranger he'd ended up entirely too close to. "I missed."

[tragicclownwrites]

🤡

[quicksiluers]

mr. andrews seeing rose still on the ship after he’s told her multiple times to get off it

[townofcadence]

" hey, hey, it's okay! we'll scrape off the burnt bits! "

Cooking Promps

If looks could maim, Greyson's gaze was close as one could come to being absolutely eviscerated by knives. The glare was cold and left lacerations where it landed. "Excuse me?"

The toneless question almost sounded more like being in the eye of the hurricane, before the winds picked up. A warning served, if anything. "Scrape the burnt bits off." He repeated, and every cook in the back was VERY busy looking anywhere but at the head chef. He looked at the cut of chicken, charred in areas on the plate he took in his hand.

Without further fanfare, he dumped it off the serving plate. "This is a kitchen of quality. If you want to 'scrape the burnt bits off', you are more than free to find work elsewhere, where that is permissible. Now. If you need assistance with the steps, I will happily provide, but here, we do not cut corners. Either make this dish again, with the proper care it is meant to have, or leave my kitchen if my policies don't suit you."