#where hes willing to be lenient depending on circumstance

[silver-blooded-synthetics]

Anonymous asked:

Is there a line Rachel could cross where Simon says that's enough or will he always put himself aside for her?

Not only is it in his programming, but it's also in his nature to put others before himself. That being said, Simon does have a line that can be crossed. However, it is flexible and whether it is merely bent or completely broken depends entirely on circumstance.

In the thread I believe you are referring to, if Rachel had not told him what was going on and had gotten upset at him for asking instead of easing his concerns, he would have reacted very differently. He would not have put her first and likely would have ended the relationship if she had not explained herself. Because then it wouldn't be justified in his mind for her to have done what she did. But now that he understands why she did what she did, he can empathize. They are still going to have a lengthy discussion about the event and Simon is going to set some boundaries, but he knows that Rachel needs comfort first, not only for her emotional wellbeing, which he cares about deeply, but also because he knows that if she doesn't get what she needs emotionally, she's not going to have the closure she needs in order to really take Simon's boundaries into careful consideration and adhere to them. She is distraught and Simon is strong enough to handle his own stress long enough to help calm and comfort her so she is ready and capable of helping him with his own distress.

So did Rachel dance on that line? Yes. Is it going to have repercussions? Yes. Does he hate her for it? No, and he's willing to temporarily bend his boundaries a little for her, just as he would anyone. Perhaps he's too lenient in this, and it is unhealthy to a degree for him to put others so far above himself. But it is a part of his character as I see him, and I intend to remain true to my portrayal.

[space-whalesharks]

All evens and vowels for my wide son in law? 🙏

2) How easy is it for your character to laugh? In “canon”, it’s next to impossible to make Grant laugh. You have to try extremely hard, catch him when he’s in a rare good mood, make sure the planets are aligned, the whole nine yards. Unless you’re Nic, then you’re mostly home free and just Have That Effect. In the Gatthew verse, it’s way easier. He’s a lot more fun-loving so he’ll laugh at anything. 

4) How easy is it to earn their trust? Kind of same as above. In canon, it’s not that he doesn’t want to trust you, it’s just that he doesn’t care enough, and there’ll be a general base line of trust no matter what. In the Gatthew verse, he’s a little more lenient, but protective over himself and his friends, so if you make a move to enter their circle, so it takes a bit longer, but the trust is deeper.

6) Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable? He tries to stick by them, but figures they’re slightly bendable- especially if the occasion calls for it or the circumstances are dire enough. 

8)  What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child: Answered here

10)  What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them? In canon, “I’m okay” any time he’s asked about his welfare. As far as regretting it/it haunting him, it depends on the day. In the Gatthew verse, “yeah babe, this dinner tastes fantastic.” ;)

12)  How do they deal with an itch found in a place they can’t quite reach? Doorway corner will do just fine.

14)  What animal do they fear most? Jacob Seed, Cobbler and Peaches, because what the fuck was Nic thinking taking in actual mountain lions to rehabilitate them, why did John let her, why did the local authorities let her- wait a second- 

16)  What makes their stomach turn? Seeing his friends being belittled or hurt in any way

18)  What embarrasses them? Getting too much attention/feeling all eyes on him. He gets super self-conscious. 

20)  If they were asked to explain the difference between romantic and platonic or familial love, how would they do so? Romantic/platonic love is conditional but you make the conditions, it’s deeper more desirable for him. Familial love is an obligation but it’s unyielding unless it’s too toxic, and you’re lucky if you have a decent enough family to partake in it with. 

22)  How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)? Thankfully he doesn’t really have it in him to be jealous. He’s lived a life where he got everything he wanted and it turned out pretty awful, so he’s learned to appreciate what he’s got because it’s all on his terms. 

24)  Is sex something that they’re comfortable speaking about? To whom? Depends on the person and the ‘verse. In canon, he’d probably only ever talk about it to Nic (because she bullied him into it), and maybe eventually John but only after the relationship is solidified platonically and romantically. In Gatthew he’s a little more open to talking about it, he’ll crack a few jokes about it too- but only to his main circle of friends. 

26)  What is their preferred mode of transportation? Car. He’s got a beaten down rust-orange pickup truck,  you have to crank down the windows and the A.C only works half the time, but he loves it. 

28)  Would they prefer a lie over an unpleasant truth? Depends on what it is. A little white lie, fine. If it’s a monumental, could-ruin-lives truth, yeah, lie away. Definitely a “lesser of two evils” deal.

30)  Who do they most regret meeting? In canon, Jacob. Funnily enough in the Gatthew ‘verse Jacob’s one of his “Top 5″ for ‘loved meeting.’ In Gatthew ‘verse, Matthew’s in-laws- the ones that don’t try/are straight up rude to Matt, anyway. He could care less about them being rude to him. 

32)  Do they have a go-to story in conversation? Or a joke? “So when I first got here and joined the Police, Nic came over asking me a lot of questions, and apparently didn’t get the ‘please go away’ vibe I was sending her way. Anyway, she talked my ear off for like, two hours [...] letting her talk was the best worst thing to ever happen to me.”

34)  How hard is it for them to shake a sense of guilt? In canon, it’s physically impossible. The guy’s got a case of survivor’s guilt the size of the Empire State Building, which leeks out into all his other guilt about anything. In Gatthew it’s a lot more easy, considering he’s Miller in Jacob’s scenario and the pair of them managed to get out of danger, no cannibalism required, so there’s nothing to be guilty of. In that case, smaller cases of guilt get shrugged off unless a personal relationship is damaged severely. 

36)  Do they actively seek romance, or do they wait for it to fall into their lap? In canon he doesn’t think he deserves romance, in Gatthew he’s not overly interested in sex, so he definitely waits until it falls into his lap - without the waiting. How does that Rascal Flatt’s song go? “It hit me in the face, ‘cause that’s where I’m at” - that’s a decent summary. He wasn’t looking or expecting but he still got it. 

38)  What memory do they revisit the most often? In canon, the Ambush. In Gatthew- the stuff that came after getting discharged. Jacob and him bonding more, Nic basically adopting him as a friend, Matt and his first patrol together- the much happier things. 

40)  How sensitive are they to their own flaws? Canon- hypersensitive, Gatthew- fairly sensitive but can be easily distracted away from focusing on them. 

42) How badly do they want to reach their end goal? In canon, it’s... not exactly a great, desirable goal, very much the most toxic goal you can have, if you catch my drift, and he was determined, but then the whole thing with Joseph and subsequently John gave him a fighting chance at wanting the opposite, so it worked out. In Gatthew, he wants to settle, get married, raise a bunch of dogs and he’s eager to get to it - as long as it’s what his husband or wife would want, and he’d be willing to do it on their desired schedule, too. It definitely helped that Matt was 0-60 real quick on all of those same goals. 

A) Why are you excited about this character? Can I admit I wasn’t that excited about him initially? He was just kind of there as a worldbuilding thing, and then he became a meme on Discord, and then I got my Angst Lord wings with his backstory so I ended up loving him. And I’m excited about a lot of his stuff in theory - except continuing Blood on My Name, because figuring out what comes next is a damn nightmare. 

E) Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you? He probably would be someone I would get along with, if my empathy didn’t super kick in. We’re both so quiet I think getting us to talk and bond with each other would be like pulling teeth. 

I) Do you prefer to keep them in their canon universe? I mean, if you made it this far, you read all the answers. Would you want to keep him in ‘canon’ vs Gatthew or any of the other AUs he’s in? HELL NO. Or if yes, shame on you. Come here, choke yourself. 

[inamindfarfaraway]

I’m certain Two-Face (or Big Bad Harv, as he went by then, a name I headcanon was a throwaway nickname a friend came up with for ‘angry Harvey’ that stuck in Harvey’s head, because come on, nobody would call themselves that) used to be a protective alter because of the circumstances in which he was created, Christopher’s horrendous emotional, mental and physical abuse; his instinctive gravitation toward physical violence and intimidating that would make perfect sense as a defensive response from, say, a boy used to needing to fight off an overpowering father just to not have to explain away extended hospital visits; and his enduring sense of justice, even if it rapidly becomes twisted due to his growing rage and dependence on the coin. His first criminal act was to kill Sal Maroni, an objectively awful person the system was lenient with. Even later he only kills those his source of moral judgement he still trusted, the coin, ‘ruled’ bad. You know, unless it’s the characterization where he’ll break his self-imposed rules for the coin flips or present two equally cruel options so he can just do bad anyway. That really misses the point of his character in my opinion. The point is he’s a a crime boss, a mass murderer, a terrorist… centred around and obsessed with justice. The very law he breaks constantly, the very justice he perverts and escapes. How’s that for duality? Two-Face’s brand of retributive justice is actually nothing more than blind, indiscriminate vengeance, it’s true. But the principle there. He’ll do good or show mercy if the coin ‘demands’ it. He gives his victims a chance to live. He gives himself a chance not to fall any further this time. He keeps doing this, however much it inconveniences him or outright foils his plans. His and Harvey’s reliance on that piece of metal is obviously a symptom of their mental illness, but I think it’s telling that despite Two-Face being so much more dominant and boating his will is infinitely stronger than Harvey’s, he still can’t stop taking a 50/50 risk he won’t be able to cause any harm at all.

Further evidence for Two-Face’s lingering belief in some form of justice is his disgust at miscarriages of it. He hates Gotham’s venal judges and lawyers who’ll let the world’s Maronis off with a slap on the wrist if they’re paid enough or have dark enough secrets, greedy, cowardly, deceitful. He seethes when politicians don’t keep their promises. He remembers all the grief and pain such people and the corrupt system that enabled them gave Harvey throughout his career. In Crime and Punishment his introductory scene is murdering a show host who’s pressuring a clearly uncomfortable boy to discuss his trauma on live television so he can “heal” and guilt-tripping him by telling him the kids watching need him to say what happened to him. Two-Face is willing to kill the child too according to his compulsion with the coin, but he’s genuinely angry the host would manipulate him and cause him further pain to make himself look good and caring. In Harleen (I know it’s not technically canon, but it’s incredible and has great characterization) he explicitly calls out how remorseless, irredeemable serial killers and overall scumbags like the Joker should be executed under American law and instead are let off on the insanity defence and sent to a hopelessly underfunded Arkham everyone knows they won’t stay or reform in. I’m pretty sure the insanity defence would not stand for the Joker anyway, that’s just Gotham being… Gotham. Two-Face is tired of Gotham being Gotham. On a moral basis. He wants change, big change, right now. On paper, crime is a reliable way of making people listen to you. Harvey tried it the honourable way and look where that got him. That’s the whole core of the alters’ duality, that they want conceptually the same thing and make their respective means and attitude toward it the driving force of their personality, but one’s is lawful and the other’s is criminal.

I think Two-Face’s hatred of those complicit, even by passivity, in evil fed his initial resentment of Harvey. Young Harvey was very, very good at pretending he was fine. He still believed in and trusted his father, or desperately wanted to rather, and even after all those years of beatings and not a single tails, he couldn’t consciously admit the coin was two-headed. Two-Face was the one who fully realized that and all it implied. It’s inevitable Harvey’s friends and teachers sometimes noticed his injuries, poor mental health or emotional instability, but every time Harvey had an opportunity to reveal or even just hint at his home life - take the slightest step toward bringing Christopher to justice - he refused. Put the smile back on and lied or deflected or downplayed. He had completely understandable reasons: the sheer terror an abusive parent can invoke in you at the slightest threat of their displeasure; and the psychological aspect of the abuse, with Christopher acting loving enough while sober and making Harvey earnestly believe he deserved it. It took him years to recognize that it was abuse, let alone be able to conceive of confronting his abuser. But the much more accusatory Two-Face saw things for what they were much sooner. So what if Dad would put them in hospital if they talked? He’d do it them anyway one of these days! That’s what he was like! It’s never going to come up tails, why can’t you just listen to me? You know I’m right! Imagine a flashback to a teenage Harvey being questioned by Bruce or his counselor about any problems at home, his environment utterly non-judgmental and help and support guaranteed. In the corner of his mind Harvey’s locked him up in, we hear Two-Face/Harv screaming at him to tell. Something, anything. Anything that could make it better. That could protect both of them. By the end he’s begging, crying - Please, Harvey. And his alter fixes that shining smile and says again, “Everything’s fine, I promise.” That night they play the family game again, try to sleep on broken bones and bloody bruises. Imagine how many instances like this there were. How many that by their adulthood, Two-Face thought he understood his alter better. Harvey could preach truth and justice all he liked, but in their own lives it was all lies and complacency. He was nothing but a weak, traitorous, two-faced coward. Well, Two-Face wouldn’t make those mistakes. One of them had to have the guts to stand up for themselves. He wouldn’t let anybody hurt them ever again…

TLDR: Two-Face is not himself a mental illness. He is a mentally ill person(ality).

Broke: Harvey Dent is an asshole always, one of his personalities is just more of an asshole. Woke: Harvey Dent is a genuinely kind person whose repressed feelings and experiences stemming from extreme childhood abuse and trauma later in life, trigger a second personality that forms that wants to defend himself from ever being hurt again, wants to let out his rage, and has an unhealthy “get them before they get you mentality”, and hates Harvey for repressing everything for so long, but neither of them are completely beyond redemption and gIVE HARV(EY) A GOOD FUCKING STORY ARCH AND MORE LOVE AND ATTENTION DAMMIT

[evilqueens]

Happy Valentine’s Day to @InsideParrilla on Twitter! Sorry for the late posting, I had school today. 

This whole thing became a monster, so I guess this can be considered the start of a new verse for me. It’s based on one of my favorite book series, Delirium.

I really hope you enjoy the beginning, and I will be posting the entire first part this weekend. (: I hope you had an amazing day today, and many thanks to @lovefromoq for putting this event together! 💕

(link for ao3)

Regina still cries sometimes. The anniversary of her father’s death is one of those times.

She wonders if that’s something that would upset him. Anyone else would find it alarming, perhaps even enough to report her. But her father had always been a bit more lenient about these things than anyone else, despite the surgical procedure he’d had that was supposed to make him feel otherwise.

It was twenty years before her father had been born when the government had identified love as an official disease. An umbrella disorder under which many other disorders had been reclassified as symptoms, like depression, anxiety, insomnia. And by the time her father had turned eighteen a cure had been all but perfected to keep the public safe against love.

It’d become a mandatory operation — a surgery on the brain, performed on the spot of the head just behind the ear. It was a clean procedure by the time her father had gotten it, leaving behind nothing but three small dots as evidence. A scar most people wore proudly as the mark against amor deliria nervosa.

The wind picks up as Regina stares out at the tides, stinging her tear-stained cheeks and making a mess of her hair. She takes a quick glance around to make sure no one’s there to witness her crying. But she knows she’s safe; it’s too cold to be at the beach. She used to complain whenever her father would drag her out here during temperatures like this, claiming the cold air was refreshing for the mind.

And detrimental to the immune system, she would argue. Then he’d wrap an arm around her — unusual for Cureds, to show any sort of physical affection — and make some sort of teasing compliment about how good a doctor she is. Usually followed by some ridiculous quip of him having learned not to fear everything in nature just because it might pose a danger to him.

The longer Regina has thought about that, the deeper it seems to ring true.

Her father had never outwardly supported the cause against the deliria — not the way most everyone else does. He didn’t cringe away from talk of the deliria the way most people around Regina do. He had secret stashes of banned books and music that Regina had rifled through on more than one occasion when she was younger. The bulk of it had been made well before the official classification of the disease, and the books glorified it, their authors unaware. And the music was full of haunting melodies belting the ugly effects of the deliria that still send a shiver down Regina’s spine whenever she thinks about them.

She never knew why her father held on to those items. It wasn’t safe by any means, and had anyone else ever come across the stashes Regina’s sure he would’ve been accused of being a Sympathizer, a resister to the fight against the deliria.

She brings a hand up behind her ear, rubbing at her procedural scar. She’d gotten the cure two months after her eighteenth birthday. Procedures before the age of eighteen aren’t generally allowed — too many dire side-effects can occur. Though doctors are working hard to make the cure safe for everyone, for now people have to wait until at least eighteen — sometimes older, depending on results of a mandatory physical — unless under extreme circumstances.

Regina used to fear getting the cure when she was younger, more than contracting the deliria itself (though she’d never admit that to anyone). Though she’d never fallen victim of the deliria, her anxiety before the cure had been through the roof, and it had taken everything in her to suppress the panic that had welled up in her the day of her procedure.

She remembers one of the nurses helping her that day had caught a stray tear before Regina could wipe it away, and had tried to ease her worries. “After this, you won’t have reasons to cry again. You’ll be safe.”

Regina scoffs now at the memory, wiping away another tear. Out in the cold, deserted beach, with nothing but sad memories to keep her company, she wonders what she’d done to warrant being so unfortunate.

She also can’t help but wonder what that nurse’s misconception means for her safety.

—

Regina’s first thought about the new nurse on duty is that he’s gorgeous — and she’s immediately alarmed by it. It’s not the first time she’s had that thought about a person, but it is the first time it’s felt anything but objective. The first time since having been cured, anyway.

He’s not very tall. On the days she wears heels (which is more often than not), she’s almost eye-level with him. She thinks this makes things more difficult for her. It gives her a better view of his blue eyes, and the dimples that often peak out when he speaks or smiles (and he smiles a lot, more than anyone else around here).

The tingle she’d felt shoot up her arm when he’d shaken her hand and introduced himself as Robin was one she’d had trouble shaking off for the rest of the day.

She avoids him at first, irritated at the way his gaze leaves a warm feeling in her chest. She’s dismissive, and doesn’t let herself spend more time than she needs to in his immediate proximity. She cuts any conversations with him short at the first opportunity. She doesn’t meet his eyes when he speaks to her, opting to busy herself with whatever’s close by. One day he catches her without anything around for her to toy with, and she finds herself mentally connecting the dots of his procedural scar as he goes over a form with her.

He calls her out on her elusiveness one day.

“I’m cured, you know,” he comments out of the blue while she fills out a prescription form.

She looks up in confusion as he leans an elbow on the counter next to her. “What?”

He smirks at her, the appearance of his dimples causing an unwanted distraction. “Ever since I started here, you’ve been avoiding me like we’re a pair of teenagers. So I just wanted to let you know that I am cured, and you have nothing to worry about.”

She fights down a blush, bristling at his accusation, even though it’s more or less true. She bites back, “I’m perfectly aware.”

“I don’t have any other disease either, for the record,” he quips before she can say anything else. “I was cleared before being allowed to work here.” His smirk doesn’t let up.

“I’m sure you have a clean bill of health.” She glares at him. “And I’m not avoiding you,” she lies. She rips the prescription form off its pack with more force than necessary.

“Could’ve fooled me,” he mutters as she moves around him to get back to her patient’s room.

She throws another glare over her shoulder. “Well you’ll have to excuse me if I have better things to do here than stand around and chat with you.”

She leaves before he can respond, unwilling to give him a chance to point out that her hasty retreat helps his point more than hers.

Determined to prove him wrong, Regina stops dodging him after that. Robin notices, she can tell by the amusement in the smiles he gives her for the following week, but he thankfully doesn’t comment on it. He takes full advantage of the end of her evasiveness however, engaging her in more conversations. And she wills her heartbeat to steady when he’s standing too close, or when his voice lowers to throw a joke or a light tease in her direction.

She watches him, in spite of herself. He has a warm demeanor, one the kids he tends to pick up on immediately. He doesn’t cross the line of propriety, but he tends to near it more often than not; comments here and there that one might consider more playful than than what’s considered normal. He’s drawn a giggle or two out of children before — but aside from a sideways glance from uninterested parents, no one seems to notice anything particularly out of the ordinary. And it occurs to Regina more than once that the only reason she’s noticed it herself is because she pays him too much attention.

And he’s noticed, she thinks. Or perhaps, he also just pays her more attention than he should. In any case, he takes any opportunity he can to talk to her. From often needless information on the children he’s prepped for her to see, to offhand comments about the weather, not a day goes by that he doesn’t attempt a conversation while they work together.

She thinks it should bother her — she’s never been one to have patience for those on the chattery side, her low tolerance for the secretary Ruby being a good example. And as it is, her encounters with Robin do leave her annoyed — but not so much with him. Instead she’s irritated at how unbothered she is by his presence, at how she might even like it.

She’s too aware of him when he’s near. Aware enough to become familiarized with the timbre of his voice, and the shade of blue his eyes are. Aware enough to know that he smells of pine trees, and that the bottom circle of his procedural scar is a just a little bit crooked (and she wonders where he got his procedure; were they careless about it?). She feels his absence more than she thinks she should on his days off, and it leaves her feeling a little off-kilter going those days without talking to him. She’s too aware.

She’s treating a little boy with an ear infection one day, a particularly bad one that she can only assume worsened due to negligence. Her guess is all but proven when Robin exits the examination room and tells her that the reason the boy wasn’t brought in sooner was because his mother had a short business trip to make. The lack of interest from the mother in question is apparent when Regina enters the room and barely receives a reply to her hello.

It’s one of the most common side-effects of the Cure — for people to be unable to form a parental attachment to their children. It’s not new for Regina to come across parents who aren’t particularly worried for the well-being of the children they bring in. There are extreme cases, of course, ones she’s allowed to report if the child’s life seems to be in imminent danger. But those are rare, and despite the unwanted tug in her heart at seeing this little boy feeling so obviously miserable, she knows there’s not much she can do besides prescribe him his antibiotics.

She can’t help casually asking for assurance from his mother that the boy will be monitored and given his medicine, however. She’s told that the housekeeper will be put in charge of administering the boy’s medication, but the answer doesn’t do much to relieve the tightening of Regina’s chest as she clears them both to leave.

She fills a paper cup with water she doesn’t think she’s gonna drink, trying to buy herself time to better compose herself.

“I would assume the housekeeper will be diligent about the medicine,” she hears Robin lightly say. She looks up to see him reach for a paper cup of his own as he continues, “If only to make sure she keeps her job.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine.” She tries to school her face, but the way he looks at her tells her she doesn’t succeed.

He gives her a smile. “He seemed like a trooper,” he agrees. “I think I even saw a bit of a smile when Ruby handed him his lollipop in the waiting area.”

The corners of Regina’s mouth twitch up despite herself at the notion, and the invisible weight on her chest lightens up a little. It’s replaced with a different form of anxiety at Robin’s next words, however.

His smile fades, and he studies her for a moment before softly declaring, “You care about these children.” There’s a certain weight to his words that Regina can’t discern, but it leaves her feeling uneasy.

She stays silent, unsure of how to respond without sounding defensive. Because she suddenly feels defensive — the unidentifiable meaning in his comment has her feeling almost accused. And though she’s not exactly sure of what, she’s also not sure she can truthfully say she’s not guilty.

The corners of Robin’s mouth twitch up again. “It’s refreshing,” he tells her. “At least someone around here is good at their job.” He gives her a playful wink.

It doesn’t fully ease the anxiety of his earlier implication, but the compliment still warms her. The anxious flip flopping in her stomach takes a lighter tone. Almost like butterflies.

[orcugeldcan1989]

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Auto Insurance Quotes by U.S State

Auto Insurance Quotes by U.S State, 2013, and 2014 - New York, 1980, 1991, 2003, 2008; Los Angeles, 2018; San Diego, Los Angeles, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CA, CO, CO, CCO, CO, CCO, CCO, CO, CO, CO, CO, 1 The State of California requires an auto insurer to maintain its credit-.

Auto Insurance Rates by Model

Auto Insurance Rates by Model Year Model Year Full Coverage $1,489 $234 Wheier $2,009 $2,244 Ford Flex $1,912 $1,910 Starter $2,410 $1,814 MSRP $1,946 $1,883 $200 Basic $933 $1,086 $218 Five Stop Auto $1,342 $1,902 $1,624 Multi-Car $1,895 $1,952 $250 Hyundai $1,932 $204 Safeco $2,152 $1,985 $300 Progressive $1,878 $178 State Farm $2,240 $1,854 .

[michiganprelawland]

US Supreme Court Supports California Restrictions On Attendance At Religious Services

By Kate Wills, Michigan State University Class of 2023

June 5, 2020

On Friday, May 29th the Supreme Court delivered a late night 5-4 decision rejecting the request to block enforcement of California restrictions of worship attendance. This request was made on behalf of the South Bay United Pentecostal Church and Bishop Arthur Hodges III. This emergency Writ of Injunction Relief listed Gavin Newsom in his capacity as the Governor of California as well as the state’s Attorney General Xavier Becerra, public health officers of California/San Diego, San Diego’s Director of Emergency Services, and the Sheriff of San Diego [1].

This writ of injunction relief ultimately questioned whether California’s reopening plan violates the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

California, which could be considered one of the states hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, created a four-stage reopening plan, coined the “Resilience Roadmap”by Governor Gavin Newsom [1]. The plaintiffs argued that, although Newsom’s stay-at-home orders and reopening plan had honorable intent in curbing an increase in coronavirus cases, “those orders arbitrarily discriminate against places of worship in violation of their right to the Free Exercise of Religion under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution” [1]. They claim that, because these orders limit the way people can worship during the pandemic, they cannot exercise their religion the way that the Bill of Rights ensured them they could.

The application for writ of injunction relief stated that, although the COVID-19 pandemic is a national tragedy, it would be “equally tragic if the federal judiciary allowed the ‘fog of war’ to act as an excuse for violating fundamental constitutional rights” [1].Next, the writ quoted the post-civil war supreme court case Ex Parte Milligan, which recognized that there was no doctrine with more pernicious consequences than the idea that any provisions of the Bill of Rights can be suspended during war or major emergency [1]. The plaintiffs then requested that California’s executive orders limiting worship practices be withdrawn.

However, the plaintiffs also acknowledged that their application for a writ of injunction relief was not about whether states were interesting in curbing the pandemic, nor whether they could limit some personal liberties, nor about California’s executive orders in March that permitted some life sustaining businesses to stay open [1]. In the original orders, California “insisted that all religious worship take place only at home, by live-streaming” [1]. This too presented a problem to the plaintiffs, because the order assumed that all Californians had access to high-speed internet, computer equipment, and “the willingness to suspend a lifetime of worship practices at the command of the government” [1].

Most importantly, however, was the placement of churches (and other houses of worship) in Stage 3 of Newsom’s reopening plan. Stage 2 of the plan allowed for all manufacturing and warehousing to immediately reopen as well as curbside pickup for retain [1]. Religious services were relegated to Stage 3, which included movie theaters, nail, and hair salons. This stage has yet to start and cited in the writ of injunction to be (according to California’s Public Health Officer) reserved for “things like getting. Your hair cut, uh getting your nails done, doing anything that has very close inherent relationships with other people, where the proximity is very close” [1]. The plaintiffs claim that “permitting various entities to open in Stage 2, but relegating places of worship to Stage 3, was an unconstitutional violation of their right to the Free Exercise of religion” [1]. The plaintiffs also claim that California’s Reopening Plan is neither neutral nor of general applicability – the plan contained many exceptions. They claim that worship was categorized as “low reward” to the California government because it was considered only important for relaxation, and nothing more [1].

When the evidence submitted by California established that large gatherings can lead to coronavirus outbreaks, the plaintiffs responded by asking “Why not ban all large gatherings?”

[1]. They continued to argue that there was not a neutral rule required for all gatherings because such a rule would ban activities California finds important (insinuating that California does not find religious activity important). They then followed with the claim that this prioritization was“unconstitutional religious targeting” [1]. The plaintiffs used these other openings to argue that “if California's interest in limiting gatherings is not important enough to be enforced against other industries, it is not important enough to be enforced against churches” [1].

Finally, the plaintiffs challenged California Governor Newsom because he refused to respond until May 25th to Donald Trump’s decision to make houses of worship “essential places that provide essential services” on May 22nd.

Despite these arguments, the plaintiff’s request was denied. Chief Justice John Roberts’s opinion set a clear statement concurring with the Supreme Court’s ruling, stating that“although California’s guidelines place restrictions on places of worship, those restrictions appear consistent with the free exercise clause of the First Amendment” [2].  He wrote that “similar or more severe restrictions apply to comparable secular gatherings, including lectures, concerts, movie showings, spectator sports and theatrical performances, where large groups of people gather in close proximity for extended periods of time,” and that “the order exempts or treats more leniently only dissimilar activities, such as operating grocery stores, banks, and laundromats, in which people neither congregate in large groups nor remain in close proximity for extended periods” [2].  Roberts also wrote that “the Constitution generally grants broad leeway to state leaders in circumstances of medical uncertainty” [3].

However, not all Supreme Court Justices agreed with Roberts. Kavanaugh, for example, stated that these orders violate the First Amendment because they “discriminate against places of worship and in favor of comparable secular businesses,” and compared churches to “secular spaces that were excepted from the restrictions, such as supermarkets” [3].

Ultimately, the justices’ decisions depended on the way in which they viewed churches, whether that be by looking at them for gathering and its effect on COVID-19 spread (and comparing them to businesses like movie theaters) or as a deep necessity that must be opened early (such as supermarkets).

For now, it seems unlikely that churches will receive legal success in their cases against governors’ stay-at-home and reopening orders based on this case. However, just like information on the coronavirus, cases and orders may change day by day.

________________________________________________________________

Kate Wills is an Honors College student in Michigan State University majoring in International Relations (James Madison College) and Economics with a minor in Arabic. She plans on attending law school after graduation in 2023.

_______________________________________________________________

[1]Emergency Application for Writ of Injunction Relief Requested by Sunday, May 24, 2020: SOUTH BAY UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH, AND BISHOP ARTHUR HODGES III,  v. GAVIN NEWSOM, in his official capacity as the Governor of California; XAVIER BECERRA, in his official capacity as the Attorney General of California, SONIA ANGELL, in her official capacity as California Public Health Officer, WILMA J. WOOTEN, in her official capacity as Public Health Officer, County of San Diego, HELEN ROBBINS-MEYER, in her official capacity as Director of Emergency Services, County of San Diego, and WILLIAM D. GORE, in his official capacity as Sheriff, County of San Diegohttps://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19A1044/144133/20200523140701636_Emergency%20Application%20for%20Writ%20of%20Injunction.pdf

[2] “Supreme Court, in 5-4 Decision, Rejects Church’s Challenge to Shutdown Order” Adam Liptak, 30 May 2020https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/us/supreme-court-churches-coronavirus.html?auth=login-email&login=email

[3]“Supreme Court Rejects Church's Challenge To California's Coronavirus Rules”Colin Dwyer, 30 May 2020. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/30/866097231/supreme-court-rejects-churchs-challenge-of-california-s-coronavirus-rules

[mostthingskenobi]

CHAPTER 16: MASTER -- The Dark Side of Obi-Wan Kenobi - Part 2

SUMMARY: Obi-Wan meets his new Sith master and is forced to prove his loyalty.

Here we are folks! Last chapter. Enjoy!

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

CHAPTER 16: Master

Coruscant – Industrial Sector

Kenobi’s heart was in shreds.

There was no fixing what he had just broken. His friendship with Anakin, one of the most meaningful relationships in his life, was over.

He knew it was the first of many horrible things he would do.

But he had always been good at repressing his emotions, at ignoring his heart and focusing on rational thought. He had done it many times in the past and he would do it now. He took every memory, every deep feeling he had for Anakin Skywalker and locked it away where he would never acknowledge it. Both their lives depended on his impassivity, his dispassion, his ruthlessness. From this moment forward, Obi-Wan Kenobi would have to be a different man.

The massive iron doors slid shut behind Obi-Wan and he found himself standing in a dark, empty warehouse. No sooner had the doors closed than a piercing pain bloomed across the scar on his face. He clapped a hand over his eye but he quickly realized there was no way to stop the discomfort. Doing his best to ignore the miserable agony he began moving forward, the pain sharpening with every step.

The warehouse was long and narrow, the central alley flanked by deep square bays set at equal intervals. Except for a few crates scattered here and there, the place was completely abandoned. An acrid smell wafted about, a mixture of smelting and soot that burned the back of Kenobi’s throat. He made his way slowly through the building, his eyes gradually adjusting to the low light. A maze of catwalks lined the walls, singe marks were visible on the duracrete floor, and a mechanical track carrying an industrial crane bisected the ceiling. Hanging from this track was a giant five-talon claw attached to a fulcrum, and just below the pincers, a cloaked figure stood with its head bowed and its hands tucked inside the arms of its robe.

When he saw the being, Obi-Wan froze, the burning in his scar becoming torturous.

The figure reached out a boney hand and made a quick gesture.

All at once the pain stopped and Obi-Wan’s legs gave out. He fell to his knees, the Force buzzing all around him. The bond that had wrapped itself up in his consciousness suddenly flared to life and he felt a presence in his mind like nothing he had ever experienced; it was both powerful and harrowing, cruel yet deliberate.

“I have been waiting for you, Master Kenobi,” the Sith said.

Obi-Wan immediately recognized the icy, sinister voice; he had been listening to it in his head for weeks.

“What strange circumstances transpired to bring us together,” Sidious marveled with a cackle. “I’m looking forward to completing your training.”

The Sith’s dark presence flooded Kenobi’s senses; the sickening waves of power quickly overwhelmed the Jedi and he had to press his palms flat against the cold floor to steady himself. Part of his rational mind told him that acknowledging Sidious as his new master would finalize his turn to the Dark Side; a small piece of him still desperately clung to his Jedi ideals, preventing his complete fall. He knew he could not maintain this duplicity; he had to commit to his new master. Obi-Wan dug his nails into the floor willing his nerves to obey, but he could not yet bring himself to speak.

“I can feel your conflict,” Sidious said smoothly. “It is understandable, especially considering all you have suffered. But you know, deep down, that the Jedi cannot help you contain your intense emotions; your rage and hatred are far too powerful to be repressed.”

Obi-Wan kept his head down as he felt the Dark Lord approach. A traitorous part of his consciousness felt the truth in Sidious’s words, and for the first time he wondering if the Sith might actually have the answers he had been seeking his entire life.

“I will show you the path, my boy. I will show you how to harness your anger. Once you see the true power of the Dark Side you will no longer feel conflicted. You will understand it is the path you were born to tread.” Sidious stared down at the young man who had not yet looked up. He knew Kenobi was clinging to his Jedi ethos, that he would most likely hold fast to it for a while, if not from desire then most certainly from habit. The Dark Lord would enjoy breaking down Obi-Wan’s resolve.

“Why do you show such formal deference?” Sidious said stepping forward, annoyed that the Jedi had not yet acknowledged him, had not even made eye contact. “Is it out of respect or shame?” He placed a crooked finger under Kenobi’s chin and forced his head up. “Look at me, Obi-Wan.” The Sith could feel the Jedi trembling at his touch and could sense that Kenobi was afraid, but when he was given a command the young man immediately obeyed, lifting his eyes. When the Dark Lord finally saw Obi-Wan’s beautiful yellow irises the Sith could not repress his pleasure. The boy was truly his. He pressed his hand to Kenobi’s brow and closed his eyes, reaching out with the Force to inspect his apprentice’s condition. “Such pain,” he said. “Such raw emotion…”

Obi-Wan could not see Sidious’s face; the deep hood and the darkened room concealed the Dark Lord’s identity. When the Sith touched him, an electric shiver passed through his nerves. There was no denying the bond they shared; it was unwavering and terrible, refusing to be ignored. It flickered with an unmistakable intensity, and whether or not he wanted the connection, the Force made it clear that Sidious was now Obi-Wan’s master.

“You will grow used to the discomfort,” the Sith said as though reading his mind. “And with time you may earn a true place by my side.” He continued searching the young man’s emotions and effortlessly saw the torture Kenobi had endured, the horrible things Maul had done to him. “I will give you vengeance, my boy,” he proffered.

Obi-Wan was ashamed by how his heart swelled, by the gratitude he felt toward Sidious. “Thank you, Master.”

The word master did not come out easily and Sidious sensed this. The Sith withdrew his hand and curled it into a claw, using the Force to twist Kenobi’s thoughts against his will, making the Jedi aware that he was bound to his master in more ways than one. The young man could feel Sidious’s displeasure; it was brutal and oppressive. The Sith had the power to share his emotions with his apprentice, but instead of feeling them as though they were his own, Obi-Wan felt his sense of self being crushed into submission while Sidious’s emotions dominated his consciousness. It was the worst kind of mental punishment.

An invisible fist suddenly closed around Kenobi’s throat, squeezing the air from his lungs. Sidious used the Force to drag the young man forward until they were only inches apart. “I am your master, Obi-Wan. You must learn to accept this.” The pressure increased, causing a vein to bulge next to the Jedi’s eye. “I will be lenient for now, but if I continue to sense your reluctance, I will be most displeased.”

He released the Jedi and Kenobi collapsed to the floor gasping for air. “Forgive me, my lord,” he managed to choke out.

Sidious’s eyes narrowed. My lord was respectful but it was not the same as master. This would be an interesting battle of wills, one that he would certainly win. “Tell me why you have come here? Why do you seek the ways of the Sith?”

Obi-Wan pulled on his collar, trying to give his bruised windpipe some relief. “Because,” he said, drawing himself up to his full height on his knees, “there are things I want, things that the Jedi would never allow.”

Sidious tucked his hands back into his sleeves. “Revenge.”

The Jedi’s eyes grew dark and bitter, his lip pulling up angrily as he nodded.

“This I can certainly grant you. I know where Maul and Savage Opress are hiding.” Obi-Wan could hear the smile in the Sith’s voice. “But first you must prove your loyalty to me.”

Kenobi decidedly let go of his reservations, releasing his fear. If he embraced the Sith, he would understand power in a fresh way, he would learn new things about the Force, and he would find a new path. The universe had led him to this moment; he could not turn his back on the will of the Force. He bowed his head deferentially. “I will prove myself to you, Master. Whatever you ask of me, I will do it without question.”

“Good.” Sidious sensed the young man’s sincerity. Kenobi had cast off his anxiety and was ready to commit. “Give me your oath.”

“I pledge myself to you, my lord. You have my word.”

The Sith took Obi-Wan’s wrist and pulled him to his feet. “I want to believe you, truly I do, but I wonder if you have already betrayed my trust.”

Kenobi felt a shift in the Force; a dark, angry surge swelled out from Sidious, filling the room with a sickening power. He took a step back, not sure what was happening. “Betrayed you how, my lord?”

“You have not come here alone, I see.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes grew wide with surprise and he spun around to find Anakin standing several yards away, barely concealed in the shadows. Rage flashed through Kenobi, quickly followed by desperation. He turned back to Sidious. “I swear to you, I did not bring him here,” he said fiercely. “He followed me. I would never endanger you.”

Sidious snorted. “I am not the one in danger, my apprentice.” He looked from Skywalker to Kenobi, evaluating the younger man.

“I won’t let you do this, Obi-Wan,” Anakin shouted, stepping forward. He was clearly disturbed, having just watched his ex master pledge an oath to the Sith lord.

“He cares for you,” Sidious said to Kenobi, amusement plain in his tone.

“I tried to make him understand, but he just wouldn’t listen to me.” Obi-Wan was growing furious. Anakin had once again gone barreling into a situation without giving it proper consideration. Not only had he placed his own life at risk but he also threatened Kenobi’s ability to earn his new master’s trust.

“This is a careless beginning, Obi-Wan.” Sidious was not pleased, but he was a man who never wasted an opportunity. “If what you say is true, then he must be punished.” The Sith turned slowly toward Kenobi. “Kill him.”

The scenario Obi-Wan dreaded was finally before him, the ultimate test of his loyalty. To prove he was committed to the Sith, he would have to kill his best friend. Under different circumstances Kenobi might have felt repulsed by the command, but in this moment he only felt anger. Anger that his life was constantly unfair, anger that he was being asked to fight his own pupil, anger that Anakin had been stupid and stubborn enough to place them in this predicament. Obi-Wan let his anger fill him, flooding his muscles with controlled power.

Without a word he stepped away from Sidious, letting his robe fall from his shoulders. He circled toward Skywalker as he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt.

“You don’t have to fight me, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said calmly. “We can take on the Sith together.”

“You’re such a naïve child,” Kenobi said scathingly, his eyes wide and intense, the yellow and red irises burning in the darkness. “You have only yourself to blame for what happens now.” He ignited his weapon and, twisting the blade in his classic flourish, came to rest in his standard Soresu pose – lightsaber held back at shoulder height in the stronger hand, body braced back on the dominant foot, off-hand pressed forward with two forefingers pointed at the opponent.

Anakin had seen Obi-Wan take this form many times but had never been on the receiving end, not in true combat. They had sparred often, especially when he was still a Padawan, but he always had the sense that Kenobi was holding back. Now, when his master attacked, it was fueled with a fury and speed he had never expected. Despite weeks of restrictions, Kenobi seemed stronger than ever, his movements precise and powerful. A barrage of blows rained down on Anakin as Obi-Wan effortlessly thrust forward, side stepped, and spun around Skywalker in an attack designed to push him backwards.

Though he was known as the master of Soresu, Kenobi was skilled in nearly all forms of lightsaber combat. He easily incorporated the speed and endurance of Ataru with the powerful, sweeping blows of Djem So, keeping up a constant attack that Skywalker barely had time to anticipate and block.

Sidious had never seen such speed and skill. He marveled at Kenobi’s unique ability to read his opponent’s weaknesses and adjust his attack accordingly, blending multiple combat forms into one personalized style. The young man seemed to never tire and his concentration was unmatched. No wonder he bested Maul when he was still a Padawan, the Sith thought.

Anakin did everything in his power to stay on the defensive, having no wish to wound or attack his master, but the longer they fought the more precise Kenobi’s attacks became. Skywalker desperately searched his friend’s eyes for any indication that this fight was just a show of strength devised to trick the Sith, but all he saw was cold rage. Anakin gradually began to realize that he was in over his head, that Obi-Wan had no choice but to kill or be killed; Kenobi could not disobey his master. If Obi-Wan truly was bonded to Sidious, Anakin had placed them both in danger by following him here. He had hoped to save Obi-Wan, possibly fight the Sith together and free his friend, but now he understood his only hope of survival was escape. He had to find a way out of this duel before one of them ended up dead.

They had moved back across the warehouse toward the massive iron doors and Anakin decided he could make a run for it. He summersaulted sideways, rolling over Obi-Wan’s back, intending to sprint the remaining distance to the landing pad, but he miscalculated Kenobi’s footing. The older man spun at the same time and smashed Skywalker in the chest with his shoulder, forcing Anakin back on his weaker foot, leaving him less able to protect himself. Their weapons clashed together violently, Obi-Wan pressing down on the younger man’s, forcing the hot blades towards Anakin’s face. In an unexpected move, Kenobi suddenly swept his lightsaber in a massive circular parry disarming Skywalker before bringing his blade down in a diagonal blow, slicing Anakin from his right shoulder to his abdomen’s center, knocking the younger man to his knees.

Anakin cried out in pain and doubled over, clutching his arm tight against his side. The wound was not deep but it left him unable to lift his right arm. He barely had a moment to process his shock when he felt the heat of Kenobi’s blade hover near his face. Obi-Wan stood over him, holding his lightsaber out at arms length, thrust just under Anakin’s chin, pointing directly at his throat. Skywalker suddenly felt sad; this was not how things should end; this was not what his master would have wanted. He looked defiantly into Kenobi’s eyes.

“Good,” Sidious beamed from across the large chamber. “Your anger has given you focus. Now, strike Skywalker down and complete your journey to the Dark Side.”

Kenobi’s eyes flared for a moment, his arm never faltering as he held his blade to Anakin’s throat. His back was turned to Sidious as he stared down at the young man.

Panic flooded Skywalker. Obi-Wan was going to kill him. He could feel the dark power flowing from his ex master.

Tightening his grip on his lightsaber hilt, Kenobi locked eyes with Anakin. He clenched his jaw as they stared at each other. He had practically raised this boy; he cared for him and taught him, and now Anakin lay helpless at his feet.

Kenobi’s eyes bore into Skywalker, betraying his agony. Anakin waited for the deathblow, but instead, Obi-Wan nearly inaudibly whispered, “Run.”

Skywalker did not wait for a second chance; using all his might he Force pushed Kenobi away while back flipping toward the doors. He ran as fast as he could ignoring the searing pain in his wound, calling his lightsaber into his hand as he made his escape.

Obi-Wan watched him go, keeping his emotions neutral. He knew Sidious would not be fooled, but he also knew the Sith coveted his powers and would grant him leniency. Kenobi would pay for showing Skywalker mercy, but he guessed the cost would not be his life. He deactivated his lightsaber and hung it on his belt, turning back to Sidious. The Sith’s face was still covered by his hood, but Obi-Wan could feel his displeasure.

“Well played, Jedi,” the last word came out like a taunt. “You are right to assume you will be punished for your defiance, but not yet. For now, we have work to begin” The Dark Lord turned and made his way deeper into the shadows. “Come, my apprentice.”

Kenobi pulled his robe off the floor and flung it over his arm. Then, without a backward glance, he followed his new master.

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

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this, reblog/like, and send me comments/asks!

And I want to give a special thank you to the folks that have sent me fanart and my dear friend/snowflake who gave me constant support during this process :-) You know who you are!

I have part 3 planned and fully outlined. Anyone interested in a final installment?

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

READ IT ON AO3 - Kudos and Comments Welcome :-)

READ CHAPTER 1: Disturbance

READ CHAPTER 2: Waking

READ CHAPTER 3: The Voice

READ CHAPTER 4: The Council’s Lackey

CHAPTER 5: Demons

CHAPTER 6: The Downward Spiral

CHAPTER 7: The Change

CHAPTER 8: Forbidden

CHAPTER 9: The Prophetess

CHAPTER 10: Doubt

CHAPTER 11: The Push

CHAPTER 12: The Fall

CHAPTER 13: The Horrible Truth

CHAPTER 14: The Only Way

CHAPTER 15: Asunder

CHAPTER 16: Master

[munroes]

HC + emily

A LESSON IN MIKEOLOGY: EMILY.

ooh boy,  do i have a lot to unpack re: our favourite stubborn emily davis.   a little preface that this will get long,  and is entirely based on my own ideas   +    headcanons of them,  so although founded on canon evidence,  they can and likely will differ from other interpretations   !

mike and emily as a dynamic are hugely important to me because they’re clearly a very centric relationship in the game.    in many ways,  they’re direct parallels of one another.   i’m pretty sure they’re the only two characters to share two introduction traits,  being intelligent and persuasive.   they’re both morally questionable in more ways than one   (   see: them cheating on their individual partners,  mike being a complete jerk,  emily being a complete bitch,  etc.   )   and both pretty similar in terms of generally being arrogant and self-centred.

i’d also like to quickly note that when they’re initially introduced,  they’re mike’s   /   emily’s ex respectively,  as opposed to matt’s girlfriend and jess’ boyfriend.   there’s a lot of ongoing tension still evident in-game,  and i’ll get to that much later in this response.

however,  they also act as complete foils to one another.   where mike is a little more lenient,  emily is downright stubborn.   when mike wants them to get the fuck off the mountain,  emily wants to hide out until dawn   (   ha   )   and wait for emergency services to arrive.   mike prefers to avoid conflict,  surprisingly taking on the role of mediator on more than one occasion,  while emily is quick to bring out the venom with jess,  seemingly without remorse.   this is most evident in fights with jess and matt respectively,  where emily won’t hesitate to escalate the situation,  while mike initially attempts to diffuse it.

let’s talk about them pre-game.   i’m of the idea that their aforementioned likeness is what brought them together in the first place.   they’re both smart students who care way too much about reputations,  and are both looking for the same thing,  regardless of if love is included in the mix.   i personally don’t think mike was looking for more than a social standing within his relationship,  but whether emily had feelings for mike or was hoping to pursue something is honestly down to other people’s interpretation.

i see them as very much a power couple pre-game,  flaunting one another off at parties,  taking over social media,  arguing a lot mostly due to emily’s stubbornness and mike’s joker personality and flirting.   but i don’t think this was really an issue pre-game,  only adding to a kind of back-and-forth inside joke between the two that only they knew.   they were similar but apart,  and it worked for them,  in a weird   ‘   we’ll stick together and be mean to everyone else around us   ‘   kind of way.

then the prank happens.   and it’s their differences that drive a wedge between them once the twins go missing.   i don’t think the prank’s execution itself was an issue to emily   (   although i do think mike found hannah attractive and possibly cared for her to some extent   )   because she was equally amused as the others until shit went down.   i see afterwards being the issue,  with a variance in coping mechanisms between them.

emily withdraws into herself,  becomes even bitchier,  putting up an icy barrier between herself and those close to her.   mike has the complete opposite response,  and seeks to surround himself with people in an effort to find a distraction   —   his involvement in the prank was major,  and he holds a lot of guilt on the situation from the moment hannah gets upset.

this is where him and jess get close.   i won’t touch on it too in-depth,  since this is re: emily,  but it is important to set straight.   mike and jess share the experience of being shut out by emily,  girlfriend and best friend respectively,  and i see them as sharing similar coping mechanisms.   while jess is ditzy and self-conscious,  she’s a party girl at heart,  and it’s that energy that mike needs to be around.   they hook up,  it’s awful,  emily finds out,  you know the story.

emily gets with matt:  a more or less vindictive rebound on her behalf,  as i see matt and mike being on the same football team.   not super close or anything,  but enough for emily to try and leave a mark.   it doesn’t really work too well,  since,  unlike emily,  mike isn’t exactly one to hold a grudge.   but he does care for her   (   romantically or not   )   and there’s always the possibility of her thawing out a little again,  and jess isn’t really similar to him in many other ways.   so they start getting in touch.

i see mike and emily talking again before the game’s events.   i also interpret emily’s confession of cheating on matt with mike as genuine,  and think that on a standpoint purely based on their personalities and general attitudes towards things,  they’re pretty much made for each other.   they click in a very abnormal way,  and while mildly dysfunctional,  there’s a level of understanding shared between them.

mike knows emily on a personal level   (   you always get like this   )   and despite still being intimate with her,  doesn’t try to sabotage her relationship with matt,  even trying to lighten the mood between them.   emily,  on the other hand,  clearly feels betrayed by jess,   and their fight is what pretty much leads me to believe that emily developed feelings for mike somewhere along the way,  as well as her complete change in demeanour when mike threatens to shoot her.   which brings me to my next point.

i don’t think mike would shoot emily.   he’s intelligent,  for crying out loud.   while circumstances can account for pretty much everyone’s minds to be a little scrambled in the situation   (   and i can see him initially aiming the gun at her   )   i think he’d eventually choose to wait it out and see.   his cheating on emily is by no means a reflection on him being willing to kill her,  and thus the path i follow in-game is the one where he chooses not to shoot her.

post-game, i see them reconciling.   i don’t think romance is something mike is really capable of,  especially post-game,  so nothing like that,  but i do think they’re bonded by something greater than their original connection now,  and dependent on who else dies,  may only really have each other to console.   the most i can really see is them cuddling together at night,  steadying one another’s nightmares,  but it’s not really a romantic or sexual thing anymore,  so much as a comfort that they can provide given their history.

i don’t rly like ending things on an angsty note so   !   cute lil headcanons for them in general:

one day when em’s giving mike an exceptional cold shoulder,  he buys her a lil dog.

em asks mike to look after her earrings one day when she goes swimming with jess at the beach.   mike loses them,  and goes on a frantic search online with jess to replace them before emily can throw a fit.

em watches his football games,  and he puts his helmet on her at the end of the match.

em picks up a lot of dumb sayings from him that stick long after they break up   (   see: holy cannoli   )

their social medias are pretty much consumed by one another:   emily deletes all the pictures when they break up.   mike leaves them up.

mike knows all emily’s little quirks: her fave coffee,  where she gets her nails done, her lipgloss brand,  her phone password,  her class schedule,  her handwriting,  he’s observant re: little things.

mike uses recycled pick-up lines on emily: she notices,  he gets slapped.

mike likes to change the lyrics of the song valerie to emily when she’s ignoring him: his tactic is annoy her until she gives in.   it usually works.

em’s Big on marking her territory: red lipstick on his cheek is pretty much a must-have for parties.

a Mood for them is mike lying on his front reading while em massages his back.

alternatively,  they curl up on the couch to watch movies: she throws popcorn in his mouth,  maybe hits him in the eye.

they stay at mike’s most days.

em likes to hint for stuff she wants mike to buy for her: if he doesn’t catch on,  she gets pissed off.   needless to say,  he learns fast.

[ahnsael]

After missing two days of work, my boss called me in the afternoon before yesterday’s shift and asked if my current schedule was killing me.

I told him that I didn’t think it was why I got sick or anything, but that yeah, it was a lot harder than I had expected it to be.

So next week he’s switching things up. Instead of graveyard shifts (11pm-7am) on Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday and then swing shifts (3pm-11pm) on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, we’re going to try graveyard shifts on Friday/Saturday, and then day shifts (7am-3pm) on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday.

I told him that I wasn’t sure it would make much difference in how tired I’ve been the past couple of weeks with the shift switches, but that I was certainly willing to give it a shot.

When I got to work yesterday afternoon, my boss’ boss was in the office meeting with him. I went in to put my cell phone (which I can’t carry at work) and my car keys in my box, and they said, “Oh, we were just talking about you.” And then my boss and his boss backed away from me, obviously not wanting to catch whatever I’ve been dealing with (and I understood this, and obliged them by just putting my phone and car keys away, putting on my name tag, and then getting out of the office to not risk giving them whatever I’ve been dealing with).

Under normal circumstances, I would actually assume good things that they were saying about me with my current reputation and dependability at this job (I mean, I’m a pessimist by nature but I know I’ve saved their asses a coupe of times, which is also probably why I got a free pass on underpaying a jackpot by $200 a week and a half ago).

But right after missing two days, I got a little nervous. My boss’ boss asked for some details of my sickness and I tried to fill him in without being too graphic (one gross thing before the end of my shift on Sunday morning, gross bits Monday, no gross bits Tuesday, but still lethargic and just not with it -- I showed up on Tuesday expecting to power through my shift through sheer willpower but was sent home by the day manager who told me I still looked very pale and weak and who wouldn’t take “I can make it” for an answer because she didn’t want me to make anyone else sick).

Wednesday was a day that I did power through, because I’ve cost myself enough money on the next paycheck (only 28 hours this week, which would have only been 24 if I hadn’t pulled that 12-hour shift from Saturday night-Sunday morning), but I hit a wall about two hours before I was off last night and had to take frequent breaks (fortunately a newly-promoted manager was there to handle most things that came up, though I did tell him to come get me if he needed help -- if I WOULD have had to go home, I would have made sure he had my mobile number so he could call with any questions).

I almost called the grave manager to ask him to come in an hour or two early, but...I started thinking paycheck (and the lack of hours I already have on it), and stuck through it, even though I was farther from 100% than I thought I was when I showed up to work (Tuesday’s day manager, who sent me home that day and was also there on Wednesday, offered me another day off, but I really wanted to not suddenly develop a reputation for missing shifts at the slightest provocation). And if I HAD gone home early last night, I would have made sure that the newbie knew that he could call with any questions he had (he’s just a few days in, and it was three weeks before I was left on my own with that same instruction to call with any questions, so I’m glad I stuck it out, even though it hurt at the end, so I wasn’t trying to make him handle things in a shorter time frame than I had to -- even though he was with the casino before being promoted, and knows more than I did when I hired in AS a manager with zero experience in the industry).

But new manager said nice things to me tonight -- that the swing shift (even though I’m going to days this week on my non-grave shifts, the ultimate goal is to make the the full time swing shift manager) has gotten lackadaisical with some things, including with upholding gaming regulations, and that they need my combination of “heavy hand” plus “understanding ear” to whip those who work swing into shape. Because my goal, which I’ve gotten pretty good at (if I do say so myself -- but I’ve been told this by other people as well), is to correct without yelling or insulting (one of our other managers has problems with this balance).

But, I mean, I’ve gone through the stages of management already. From being the “new guy” who is suddenly in charge of people who have been there for decades (as happened at Disneyland), from being hired as a shift manager at Hollywood Video, over the head of a longer-term employee who had applied for the position, I’ve had my times of being too lenient and also times when I was too harsh.

Now I think I’ve got that balance where I can call someone out for something while NOT being the enemy. And new manager thinks I’ll be VERY good for getting the swing shift people to follow regulations/policies while not upsetting them in my approach.

One of our cashiers was $100 short yesterday; those of us who got involved, manager-wise, think that it was probably a mis-count in a deposit -- this isn’t a drawer that belongs to us, but to a certain Nevada-based sports book, which we will cash tickets for when they’re closed, but we don’t sell any tickets -- I reminded her that I underpaid someone by $200 last week on one of OUR jackpots where I was the one who screwed up, and a few other more extreme errors that have happened (whether the errors involved me or other people with the same title as her), and told her that as long as it was an honest mistake, and you own up to it, whether it was her or the sports book people who prepared a deposit and probably didn’t have two people verify it as per policy...my attendant is PROBABLY fine).

Granted, if the video footage shows her pocketing $100, it’s a different story. But if it’s a paperwork error by the sports book company that we lease the space to (as we suspect it is), then she’s 100% in the clear for her shortage.

I’ll find out Friday night when I go in for my Saturday shift.

[thehuntedhuntress]

THE RULES

//Oh for the love of... Tumblr get your freaking act together and fix your damn mobile app. 

Rules under the cut because they’re hella long

((First off, I’d like to apologize for the length of this page. I tend to add more stuff as it becomes an issue, though the top section usually holds a succinct summary of my most basic rules to roleplaying with me. Here are those rules:

One of the most important things in the roleplay community is respect. If you respect me, then I’ll respect you. I don’t mean character to character, but Mun to Mun. I understand that some characters are simply jackasses, and that’s a part of who they are. That is perfectly okay, and even welcome. But if you start disrespecting me as a Mun, I will cease to respect you, and therefor cease to roleplay with you. Part of this respect involved respecting the rules laid out here. That is why this is rule number one.

If you are not an RP blog, or are not a part of the thread I an roleplaying with another person, please do not reblog threads you are not involved in! It messes with my tracking system. You can like the threads all you want, but please, please do not reblog if you are not the partner or partners I am RPing with in that particular thread. This is my one exception to my three strikes rule. If you break this rule, I will block you immediately, no questions asked. I’ve had too many people break this rule now, and I’m not going to be lenient anymore regarding this. As a sub-section of this rule: If I make a starter call for mutual followers, I will also block any non-mutuals that like or reblog the post. Again, no questions asked.

I am a selective blog. This means that I prefer to roleplay with mutuals only (a.k.a. people who follow me with whom I am already following). That being said, if I am not following you, you’re free to send me an ask regarding roleplaying together. Be advised, however; I’ll usually take a brief look over people’s blogs when they follow me and see if they look like someone I’d be willing to roleplay with. Please note that I don’t mean a starter. I mean an ooc request to roleplay. I also reserve the right to decline roleplaying with anyone if I don’t feel I’d enjoy roleplaying with them. Please see the F.A.Q. section below the rules for more information on my roleplay style and pet peeves.

Regarding the above rule: If I don’t wish to roleplay with you, then I don’t wish to roleplay with you. Every person has their preferences, and I have just as much right to refuse a roleplay, since I do this for fun, and it’s not a job. Harassing me, trying to force roleplay interactions, or sending either myself or my roleplay partners hate will not be tolerated.

I do not follow back every person that follows me; however, I will usually take a brief look at most of my followers blogs to see if they are someone I would like to follow back. I only follow those whom I either enjoy reading what they write with others, or I wish to interact with myself.

Do not assume that just because I once followed you in the past that I am still following you. I frequently go through my list of people I follow and clear out people who either haven’t posted in a long time, people I don’t think I’ll ever actually roleplay with, and people I no longer enjoy following anymore for one reason or another. If I have not interacted with you in a while, or if I seem to consistently not respond to asks/replies/likes, you may want to check to see if I am still following you.

IC does not equal OOC. Just because my character may dislikes yours, it doesn’t mean that I dislikes your character, or you. In fact, at least a couple of my favorite roleplay partners plays characters that mine simply does not get along with.

OOC communication is important. If you have a question or concern, bring it up. I can’t fix something if I don’t know about it.

Regarding the above rule, no one is a mind reader. Don’t assume someone knows what you’re thinking. Use your words!

Don’t god-mod, meta-game, power-play, or auto-hit without permission. That’s all sorts of rude and I guarantee it’ll make people dislike playing with you. Myself included. (Hover for my definition of each item.)

Please respect the canon of my character, and don’t force your canon (relationship status, sexuality, etc) onto her. I’ll do the same for you. In such a case where there are clear canon issues, such as AU’s and reality crossings, talk to me ahead of time so we can determine how best to go about it.

If a Roleplay starter is marked private/closed — or if it is marked for mutuals only — ask before jumping in! I can be semi-selective with who I roleplay with, but if you ask me, and I honestly think our characters might be able to work together in an roleplay, then I may be willing to give it a shot.

Please don’t harass me for a reply. It’s okay to ask if I got your post, but don’t nag me for it. I’ll get to it when I get to it. Roleplaying takes inspiration and interest and free time. You never know if I’m busy IRL, or how many other roleplays I have waiting on me.

Any thread that has been left unanswered after 2 weeks (14 days) by either myself or my partner will be considered automatically dropped. If for some reason my partner really wants to continue the thread, they are free to send me an ask so we can discuss continuing it.

Please respect my boundaries. If I don’t want to do something, don’t make me. Be it a kink/fetish, a relationship, or even a simple interaction.

And finally, when it comes to smut: As the Mun, I am well above 18+, and have done smut before. However, I will not, I repeat, WILL NOT do smut with another Mun who is a minor, regardless of the character’s age. Not only is it wrong, it’s illegal, and I could get in trouble for that. So if I even suspect that you are under-aged, you can forget it.

Because I have had problems with people not following my rules repeatedly, if someone ignores my rules more than three times, then I will be blocking the blog in question. If you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns regarding my rules, feel free to message me. Other than that? Happy Roleplaying!))

((Things to know a.k.a the really long and detailed section))

((For those who have been watching my posts, you can probably see that I tend to be a para to multi-para poster. However, this does not mean that I expect the same of you. It also doesn’t mean that ALL my posts will be para-posts. Simply put, the quality of my posts depends on 3 factors: my inspiration, time, and the post I am replying to. If you give me only a couple lines, I’m more likely to only give a couple of lines back unless I get whacked upside the head with the inspiration stick. Which does happen on occasion.

I primarily at this point Roleplay mostly with mutuals. However, I will Roleplay with just about any type of character, whether they Para-post or not, as long as you follow the rules of engagement as listed above, and will message me politely regarding the possibility of Roleplaying with your character. Look down at the F.A.Q. section for more details.

Given that Valerie is being played uniquely with each individual character he interacts with, unless otherwise agreed upon, I will assume that each interaction exists in it’s own sub-verse within it’s general verse. It might cause a few hiccups now and again, but I’m willing to work through things if the other person is too. So long and short of it, don’t be afraid to message me if you want to roleplay!

F.A.Q.

“Where did you get your icons?”

//Most of my still icons were collected from various free to use icon dumps, though a growing number were made myself from screenshots and using either Krita, Avatarmaker, or ezGifs. Nearly all my gif icons were resized and edited myself using a combination of GifMaker and ezGifs. All official art is property of Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon, and any icons based off of fan art, the art is property of the respective artists. You can find the list of artists whose art I’ve used in icons here.

//No art on this blog is mine unless otherwise specifically stated.

“How open are you to OCs and characters from media you’re not familiar with?”

//It largely depends from character to character. I have several people I role-play with that are Original Characters, and I am slowly branching outside of the fandom my character originates from. However, I do tend to be a bit more picky when it comes to OC’s and characters from fandoms I’m not as familiar with.

First off, if they don’t have a fairly detailed “About” page, then I won’t role-play with them. Period. I need to know at least a little bit about what I’m getting into when role-playing blind. If I cannot honestly see how our characters would interact, I may decline role-playing. I also tend to judge based on what I’ve seen them roleplay with others, and I’ll make no secret that I’ll go through a few pages of their blog to look at how they role-play; if they roleplay in a style that I don’t feel will be compatible with mine, or they have the little things that would really bug me as a role-player, such as frequent improper spelling and lack of capitalization and punctuation, then I am just that much less likely to want to role-play with that character/mun.

I should make a note that I will NOT, under any circumstances, rolelay nsfw content with someone who I am not certain isn’t a minor. So if there is nothing listed on the blog and I have no way of confirming, then smut will not be happening. And even if someone claims to be of age, but the way they type makes me believe otherwise, then I’ll err on the side of caution and deny doing any nsfw roleplayinging.

That all being said, some of my favorite people to role-play with are actually OC’s or cross fandom people. And I know that some people complain about role-players being too picky, but to put it frankly, I do this for fun. If I don’t think I’ll have fun playing with a muse, whether or not they’re Canon, OC, or Cross Fandom, then I’m simply not going to try and force myself.

I’ve been role-playing for 18 years (since summer of 1996). That’s longer than some of my roleplay partners have even been alive. I think I’ve earned the right to be a little choosy now and again. And while I know that I am by no means perfect when it comes to role-playing, and that even I continue to learn and evolve my style as I go along, there comes a point when I am simply not willing to go through the mental struggle of roleplaying with someone I have no interest in roleplaying with. If someone is willing to learn and improve as they go along, I may give them a chance. But if I can see that they’ve been roleplaying for a while, and there is absolutely no visual improvement on how they roleplay when it’s a style that doesn’t jive with my own, then I’m not going to waste my time and energy.

Because yes. I put time and energy and thought and feeling and all sorts of other things into my roleplays. And if I get stuck with a partner that isn’t willing to put at least a decent amount of effort into what they’re doing, then I feel like I am wasting my time.

TL:DR

Yes, I’ll roleplay with OC’s and other Fandoms, but I’m very choosy. Your best bet is to send me a message requesting an roleplay together, regardless of whether you are an OC, In fandom character, or out of fandom character. I’ll give your character a look over, and if I think we can make it work, I’ll give it a shot.

I would suggest something a little more than just a “wanna rp”, or an opener with just the word “Hello”, however.))

“Are there any blogs you won’t roleplay with?”

//I have a couple types of blogs that I can guarantee I won’t likely roleplay with right off the bat. The first of these is multi-fandom blogs. Because I follow every person I roleplay with, this means that anything those people reblog end up on my dash. Many multi-fandom blogs tend to have at least one or two fandoms that I don’t want appearing on my dash. Plus, most of them have what feels to me like an excessive number of characters, which makes it hard to follow what’s going on, or know who you’re going to end up interacting with.

I will on occasion RP with multi-character blogs as long as the characters are from the same fandom, and there isn’t a ridiculously excessive number of characters. If you’re a multi-character blog who is literally roleplaying every single character in a game/anime/book/etc., then I probably won’t want to roleplay with you. Sorry.

Other than that, blogs that I see doing nothing but an excessive amount of smut roleplaying, I probably will not want to roleplay with either. While I don’t mind occasional smut, I don’t like jumping into an RP with someone with the expectation that it’s going to happen every RP. I like relationships to be organic, forming naturally, and, well, I don’t see my Valerie just jumping into bed with anyone and everyone.

“What does it mean when you roleplay with mutuals only?”

//While this was somewhat covered in rule 8, I’ll go ahead and put it here. Simply put, a mutual follower is someone who follows you, who you also follow back. I don’t follow back every person who follows me. I like to keep my dashboard clean, and typically only follow blogs that are relevant to my interests, or I would like to interact with. So simply put, if I follow someone, I’m interested in talking/roleplaying with them.

The longer I’ve roleplayed, the more I’ve found myself becoming selective. I’m a cranky old coot and somewhat set in my ways, and I’ve gotten to the point where if I don’t feel like I’m going to have fun roleplaying with a person, I’m not going to go through the hassle of going ahead and giving them a shot only to have to tell them I’m not having fun. That tends to get people all upset, moreso than simply declining in the first place.

As I mentioned before, I make no bones about going onto someone’s blog who has asked me if I’d like to RP, and judging their roleplay based off of how they roleplay with others. And I’ll look through a few pages worth. If I see things that fall under my pet peeves, or I just simply don’t think I’ll enjoy trying to have my character interact with this person, then i’m going to decline roleplaying.

“Do you roleplay with people who don’t write super long replies?”

//Absolutely. I am well aware that my replies can often times get very, very long. I do not, however demand that anyone ever match my length. I do request that in whatever length of a reply you do give me, that you give me something to work with, be it dialog or action. My character needs something to respond to, and if all you give me is “S/He smiled.” I have absolutely nothing to work with. I’m not asking for people to give me a college dissertation in response to what I do, but if I’m giving a longer reply, I would like something more than a one-liner, please.

As a side note, however; I roleplay with the intention of creating character interaction and hopefully development. One of my biggest pet peeves is people starting a thread with me, only getting 1-3 replies in, and then the other person dropping it out of nowhere. I’ve had it happen a lot with a few people, and if I see it become a trend, I will unfollow. Sorry, but it’s something that frustrates me to no end, and rather than get upset about it, I’d rather just not roleplay with people who do that frequently to begin with.

“Do you have any triggers and/or subjects you will not role-play?”

//I don’t have any particular triggers, per say. At least not in the classical sense. However, I do have to be careful about the level of gore, or the intensity of angst, as it can negatively affect my mood sometimes. But I can tolerate it pretty well, at least in written word. If you want to use images, however, I would suggest talking it over with me first.

//As for subject I will or will not role-play, I’ve actually done a lot of triggery materiel before, including abuse, self harm, suicide, rape, and death, though not all necessarily on this particular muse. I do these somewhat sparingly, and only if my partner has not only agreed, but that we have discussed at just what point will we take it. All triggery materiel will be tagged and put under read-mores in deference to my followers.

//At the risk of sounding redundant… if the other mun isn’t at least 18 years old, I will not do sexual nsfw materiel. Period.

“Do you have any particular Role-Play pet peeves?”

//Yes, I do. They fall mostly under the category of technical issues, and role-play issues. The technical issues are things like not using proper capitalization, punctuation, spelling or grammar. Now, I know my own grammar is not the best, and sometimes it’s intentionally so. I write as I think, or as someone would speak. And very few people naturally speak grammatically correct. But if I have to spend more than 5 minutes just trying to decipher what in the heck you said, I’m not going to want to role-play. And I personally feel no one has an excuse for obvious spelling errors, save for those odd typos that spell checker doesn’t manage to catch because you technically spelled a word that exists. For everything else, Google exists for a reason, and most computers have an automatic spellchecker in place.

// In addition, I do NOT RP script style, and don’t really like RPing with people who do. This is the style where you annotate actions using asterisks (*). Example: “ *wanders into the building* wow it sure is dark in here. ” To me this style is very clunky, visually unappealing, and doesn’t lend itself to my preferred methods of roleplaying, such as para and multi-prara posts. Having those symbols in there disrupts the flow of the roleplay, and is very distracting.

//Also, please don’t put out of character comments within the RP post itself. That’s what tags are for. It really throws the thread off to see OOC commentary in the post itself.

//I also highly dislike when people frequently use the wrong words for things, such as the “they’re there their” trio, or words like sore and soar. I get very irritated by things like that, so if it’s a frequent occurrence in someone’s writing outside of maybe an occasional typo, I’m going to be disinclined to RP with that person.

//Also, for the love of God, please trim your threads! There are ways to get around it on mobile, and if you’re on a computer you have no excuse whatsoever. Or ask your partner to do it for you. At the very least, if you can’t cut a thread, then put the whole thing under a read-more so it doesn’t clutter people’s dashes. There is nothing more annoying than having to scroll down several pages worth of one-liners because someone wouldn’t take the effort to try and trim their posts.

//Role-play issues involve the typical things like God-modding and auto-hitting. I also greatly dislike insta-shipping. If you come up to me before our characters have even met and ask me if your character can be my character’s boyfriend/girlfriend, I’m going to tell you flat out no. I will not just have my character instantly be in a relationship with yours. I want the build up and anticipation, if such a thing is even meant to be. And sometimes it isn’t.

//Another roleplay issue I have is replies. While I never expect someone to match my length, it is really disheartening to have written out several paragraphs, and be given a one-liner in response. I purposefully try to write in such a way that gives the person I’m roleplaying with plenty of opportunities to react, respond, or even initiate new action in the responses I’ve given. While I do occasionally do one-liner threads, those are usually lighthearted, and not very emotionally invested for me. And I’ll be blunt; if I look at someone’s blog and ALL they have are a ton of uncut threads filled with nothing but one-liners, I’m probably not going to RP with that person.

As mentioned above, I also highly dislike it when people drop a thread only a few posts in, before the characters have had much of a chance to interact. This is something I find very frustrating, and if it is something that happens frequently, I will likely unfollow because of it.

//Valerie has a mind of her own. Sometimes I will ship something, and she will absolutely refuse to go along with it. I’m not going to try and force her into a ship just to appease someone else. Tried that once, regretted every moment of it.

//Finally, I tend to have issues if I check a blog and find a complete lack of a Rules or About page. Those are major red flags to me regarding RPing with someone, because then I have no idea what I’m getting into if I decide to RP with someone. I often will refuse to roleplay with someone who has no rules or about page.

“How long are you willing to wait for a reply?”

//Due to the nature of how I typically reply, I have a tendency to limit how many threads I actually have going at any given time. I greatly dislike having people wait a long period of time for me to post, and I know that getting bogged down with too many replies at once can be rather daunting and make it that much more difficult to have the desire to get to my posts. Because of this I set a limit on how many threads I will have going at any one time. This limit usually wavers around the 20-30 active threads.

//However, this causes a problem. I am finding myself frequently stuck waiting for my partners to reply, to the point where sometimes it’s been weeks, and in a few cases even over a month since I posted my last reply to a thread. This seriously limits what I am able to do, since as I’ve said I try to limit how many threads I have going at any given time. The times when you seem me with long stretches of inactivity is often because I am literally waiting on ALL my partners to reply.

//Because of this, I decided to implement a new rule: From this point, any thread that has not been replied to after 2 weeks (14 days) I will consider to have been abandoned and officially dropped. It becomes very difficult at times when I receive a reply out of the blue to a thread that hasn’t been answered in ages, and I’m having to try and look back to see what was even going on in that particular thread.

//This rule also works in reverse. On the rare times that I am the one who has a draft sitting in my draft folder and cannot for the life of me think of how to reply, if it’s been over two weeks since my own reply, you can consider the thread having been dropped as well.

//I understand that people are busy, with real life commitments and other interests that they get involved in. I understand that sometimes a muse just isn’t there for a thread, or that a person might be in the mood for a different type of roleplay. This is not an attempt to guilt any of my partners. This is to help me be able to openly interact with more people, or to be willing to try and start new threads. Given that not too many people respond to any memes I’ve posted of late, that often means that I myself would have to send out asks, and I have a tendency to hesitate to do so when I know I’m waiting on a reply from them, for fear that they will think I’m trying to hassle them for a reply.

//This also meant to hopefully serve to help out some of my roleplay partners. I know that many of them do get bogged down with a plethora of replies. So if any of my current partners have replies out there that are between our muses that are beyond that two week time limit, here’s your chance to weed them out of your drafts.

//That said, if there are any threads that you really, really want to keep roleplaying, don’t hesitate to shoot me an ask so we can discuss it. Depending on the thread, and depending on the circumstances at to why you may not have replies, I may be willing to keep it going. If a thread I am particularly interested in continuing seems about ready to expire, I may send one final notice to my partner to let them know the thread is about to expire soon.

//I’m sorry if this seems harsh, and I apologize for the inconvenience, but to be entirely honest I’m tired of feeling like I’m having to beg people to roleplay with me. And I’m tired of feeling like I’m limited because I don’t want to chance everyone suddenly replying all at once, which has happened before on occasion. And it isn’t fair to me to have to sit on my thumbs waiting for partners to reply who seemingly have no intention of ever getting around to it.

//If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to shoot me an ask. Thank you all for your time.

“What is the best way to contact you, as the Mun/Mod/Player?”

//My ask box is always open, so you can always feel free to drop me a line that way. Mutuals are free to ask me for my Skype, Kik and/or Steam usernames.

//If you actually read through this entire wall of text, I will be very impressed. The password is “Rubber Baby Buggie Bumpers.” Just a note, you don’t have to send me my password, though I do appreciate knowing when people have read through my rules. Sending me my password in no way affects the likelihood of me either following or roleplaying with someone.

[rationedwell]

SHIPPING INFO // Answer the following for your muse(s) so people know how shipping works on your blog. REPOST. Don’t reblog.

WHAT’S YOUR OTP FOR YOUR MUSE?:   Duke’s personality tends to shift depending on who he’s with, so there are no wrong answers for this.

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO RP WHEN IT COMES TO SHIPPING?:  Almost anything, so long as it’s actual in character for both muses. I draw the line at pedophilia / anything that even remotely resembles bestiality ( looking at you a/b/o ). Where under very specific and delicately handled circumstances, I have written non-con things and inc*st from other, much much darker blogs, there is no circumstance in which I would allow Duke to be included in them. Ever. End of story.

HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?:  Again, I’m not down for anything smutty below the age of 18, even in Duke’s younger verses. Of course, as a minor, Duke did some pretty risque things, I won’t be writing about them in detail. For Duke’s main verse ( in which his fc is 40 and Duke himself will be in June ), I will need to establish a much deeper connection with any muse under the age of 30. Pre-canon through s1, I’m way more lenient about that gap. And really, I doubt I’ll ever find a muse that much older than Duke.

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WHEN SHIPPING?:  Yes and no. I pick up muses who run on one night stands and bad breakups. So, while it can be a pain to start up a ship with me, I love them, and whoever I’m writing craves them. Especially Duke.

HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY’RE CONSIDERED NS.FW?: Depends on the content. If they can’t say / do it on daytime television, that’s usually a sure sign. If they’d fail a hand check, start making some interesting noises, or the language starts getting colorful; I’m gonna tag it.

WHO ARE OTHER MUSES YOU SHIP YOUR MUSE WITH?:  I have a full page found in the “extras” link on my blog. Go to “people”, and you’ll have a full list of connections I have for duke, 90% of them being ships or near-ships.

DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU?:  It would be nice to know.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU LIKE TO SHIP?:  I mean, look at that hefty list up there. I love ships. I can’t get enough.

ARE YOU MULTISHIP?: Absolutely. And in every verse.

ARE YOU SHIP OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?: I’m more about character development than shipping, but a lot of development comes from shipping. You can’t throw someone in the desert alone and find out everything there is to know about them. You need different spaces and people to bring out dormant pieces of their personality.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM?:  I’m all about Duke / Nathan / Audrey. Colorado’s great, yeah, but there’s just something about all three of them that speaks to me. Otherwise, understand that I ship Duke with almost everyone in Haven.

FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?:  Just hit me up. We’ll see what happens.

tagged by: stole it off @hvmanmachine​ tagging: everyone. do it.

[insidetheheirophant]

Sins of the Father

How much does the past control the present and future? How much already has been determined? Is there such a thing as fate or destiny?

Perhaps, we are really Zombies, just derivatives of our ancestors, inheritors of the evolutionary framework. Only the strong and intelligent survive, then came us. Only makes sense that we must rely on these traits if we are to complete the cycle and create children of our own. But the element of choice is introduced, how much of our freedom is genuine?

An interesting dilemma I’ve come across is called the dilemma of determinism. The first scenario is that if everything is predetermined, freedom does not exist, and so does responsibility of my actions, since it is not I who is to blame, but my “outside of my control” predetermination of doing so. At the same time, if entropy exists, I still lose freedom since I do not gain control of my own circumstances due to random events, I therefore still lose responsibility as it is the randomness of existence that is responsible. Either way, we find ourselves lacking freedom of choice and outcome, and responsibility of whatever may come. It’s like someone who bow hunts, as his ancestors have done before him, how much of it was his own choice, and what was predetermined through genetics and social conditioning? And when the hunter shoots an arrow, how much control can he maintain given the many variables of archery such as bow and string integrity, wind direction, and the overall difficulty of the game he is targeting?

Regardless of whether predetermination exists within the decision making framework, does our consciousness reveal to us our freedom (this is starting to sound like a divergence from the previous point which may need a better transition, but it is the general turning point in this chapter)? True freedom to impose all of that we are capable is somewhat of an illusion, since absolute freedom may require exceeding the physical or social conditions placed on us (a tree bearing fruit in the winter, a still pond crashing into shore, a man deciding to renounce his current life and travel as a hermit). People choose to remain living relatively ordinary lives, business as usual, but with the perspective of freely choosing to remain so rather than being held captive in this situation. Just because we consciously and freely choose to remain in the same state, does that mean we are free? Does consciousness reveal our freedom? Schopenhauer argues against this. It is characteristic of him to be critical in the sense of free will. Our own myopic view of the basis of our decisions and behavior, though it may provide a perception of freedom and even if you were willing to accept its illusion, is not truly so at all.

Something to keep in mind that even in the dualist approach, concerning the ghost within the machine, it cannot he proved that the the ghost itself is truly free, perhaps it is also victim to random states, changes, and anomalies. On the other hand, who is to say that the the ghost is not rather subject to causations that create a behavioral effect.

This interesting conflict of freedom pit against and the dilemma of determinism is essentially incompatibilism. Everything is governed by the laws of nature, and effects shall arises from specific causes. At the same time, chaos reigns and introduces the element of entropy within the seemingly natural framework. Either way, freedom is lost. Now what would the opposite look like? What is compatibilism?

This is where things can get interesting, hopeful even. With compatibilism, there is an element of consequence and learning from one’s mistakes, a chance for the reconfiguration of one’s behavior, we have the positive and negative reinforcement, the infamous experiment of Pavlov’s dog, operant conditioning. When it comes to the premise of responsibility, it seems with hard determinism, we cannot be held responsible for things predetermined or chaotic. But with compatibilism (aka soft determinism), the relationship between determinism and responsibility can exist; indeed there is an element of autonomy and perhaps even a speck of free will somewhere in there. The phrase ‘could have done otherwise’ is often referenced in this section. It’s almost as if compatibilism allows for some justification for blame and punishment. The problem is, how can one determine truly if ones actions was hardwired or intended?

Another aspect that separates determinism from compatibilism is the position of the self within the natural order. Determinism places one’s conscious free will, the ghost, apart and distinct from the nature, but is somehow able to alter nature’s course. Compatibilism views one as situated within and as part of the casual order. The issue with this is that it impresses as a dismissal rather than a solution for the problem of freedom. As Kant puts it, it only gives the ‘freedom of clockwork’. If we analyze it far enough, there is a strong probability of perceiving a specific action or mental state based on causal regularities which strengthens the determinist argument. In which case, it becomes clearer that compatibilism is outcome-oriented, whereas determinism is process-oriented. Yet, at the same time, we know that operant learning does exist, people are in reality not so hardwired as determinism would lead us to believe (what if operant learning is part of the hardwiring).

Baruch Spinoza, among others, interestingly associate freedom with increased knowledge and understanding. The more one understands and is aware, the more freedoms and opportunities one would have. Based on this hypothetical viewpoint, compatibilism could take a more lenient stance on responsibility, based on curating one’s decision making process that would be most likely to have been represneted depending on ones situation. Reasonable expectations, though it stil allows room for uncertainty, provides a means for inferencing ones state of mind when predicting possible intentions from ones action or state of mind. Interesting how compatibilism, in a sense, detracts the locus of control from the subject compared to the distinction of self in determinism. Compatibilism introduces probabilities, expectations, ‘bad luck’. Yet it will also provide the means for change and learning. Blackburn sums it nicely when staring that interventionalist control is untenable, while inside control is inadequate.

One cannot address the possibility of free will without bringing in the nature of time. We can’t talk about strokes of a painting without mentioning the canvas. A macroscopic scale of likely predictions in behavior and action would only indicate some general form of a fixed future. A future that is symmetrical with the past, in that they cannot be changed. The paradoxes of King Oedipus sheds a confusing but thoughtful analysis on how our fates are set regardless of whatever choices we make. If this is the case, any and all effort is pointless, and even succumbing to the inevitable futilitistic state of mind would draw us closer to our destiny all the same. But it need not be like this. There is no real answer or truth that dispels destiny or an open ended future (interesting how this would also bring in transcending the fourth dimension, if one can freely travel time in both directions assuming the future is stable enough, the future is fixed, if the future is never fixed and open to change based on decisions of the present, the fourth dimension would not be so easily understood), but it does not have to automatically lead to existential dread and nihilism. Assumptions do not always justify action of this scale. Even in the midst of hopelessness, one does not have to go down without fight.

True freedom does not exist in life. The concept of freedom would not exist without consciousness, and perhaps consciousness offers a version of freedom, depending on what consciousness really is. Or rather consciousness provides structure, and with it confinement. Freedom of will inextricably is linked to action, and also to time. One cannot be decided without the other. In the end, these are only convictions, nothing has actually changed from realizing this. And because so, there must be flexibility in how people are allowed to perceive how free we really are, how little control we may have, how much is organism, how much is a ghost.

[hawffensive-blog]

Start Playing Dungeons & Dragons #1: Group-forming and social tips

So you want to play Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), but you’re not sure where to start? Got a group of friends who’ve never played before but want to? Is everyone looking for you to start the group and be the Dungeon Master (DM)?

The world of D&D can be intimidating. Grabbing the book and opening its thousands of words, some you’ve never heard of before, is a bit much. Fear not, traveler. I’m here to help.

A quick introduction. I’ve been playing D&D on and off over the last 2 decades, mostly playing in 2nd and 5th editions (5e), though I’ve had experience in 4th and Pathfinder as well. I’ve recently started DMing 5th edition campaigns for new players.

D&D has seen a sort of revival in the last few years. 5th edition cleaned up and simplified a lot of rules from previous editions. Web shows like Critical Role also brought a lot of people to and back to the game.

I’ll be doing a series of posts built around getting a group together and playing D&D. Most of it will be from the Dungeon Master’s perspective, but much of this is relevant to players. Even though these discussions should take place before the first session, they can (and will) take place as the campaign progresses as well. The things here come from a combination of my personal experience and what I’ve heard from other DMs. Many of these things I adjusted as I discussed as we played.

This first post will have tips for anyone trying to form the group, which is usually the DM, but could be anyone. I’ll be discussing some of the social aspects of D&D that are not specifically related to the gameplay, but are still important. Here we go.

1. Personality compatibility

D&D groups can form in many ways. Sometimes it’s a bunch of people from the same group of friends. Sometimes it’s a mix of different groups. It can be coworkers. It can include girlfriends/boyfriends. It can include family. The possibilities are endless.

Group compatibility is very important. If the group is going to be gaming for hours together at a time, the last thing you need is people not getting along.

It’s also not black and white. Two people who seem like they won’t get along, may. People who seem compatible may not game well together. A harmless joke outside of the game’s context may not be so harmless when someone’s character or play session is affected.

If you’re in a group that doesn’t have the luxury of being discussed beforehand (such as a pick-up group at your local game store or convention), don’t fret! My experience is limited, but I’ve had some success. It comes down to people coming in with an open mind.

2. Setting expectations on game type

Topic#1 — Amount of combat vs non-combat:

This isn’t called “Dungeons & Dragons” for all the fight-avoidance built into the ruleset. A large chunk of the “Player’s Handbook” is dedicated to how combat works.

However, there are plenty of non-combat things to do. You could run a game with little to no combat. Pretty much all D&D games will be a mix, with the dial moving between the two as the campaign progresses.

Most players are excited to just play, ready to be enthralled into the world of whichever DM they play with. But, it could be something worth discussing.

If you, as the DM, spend hours crafting layers of political intrigue and a conflict that requires intense deliberation, but your players want to kick in the door and kill some dragons, you may have set the wrong expectation.

On the flip side, if you spend hours building expansive dungeons with puzzles, traps, loot, and finely tuned combat encounters, but your party wants to frolic at the local bath house and get involved in whirlwind romances, you may have set the wrong expectation.

This doesn’t have to be a huge part of the pre-campaign discussion. It’s good to talk with your players for some ideas, but run the campaign you want to run and be willing to take feedback as things progress.

Topic #2 — Theme/feel of the world and game play:

It is well known that in serious situations, comedy is needed to keep one’s sanity. However, there is a general overall tone you can have with your campaign.

Is the subject matter serious? Are you dealing with heavy subjects like murder, mental health, genocide, or drug dealing? Or is it more light-hearted? Are your players trying to save a princess from the frog prince who wishes to charm her like a fairy tale?

Do you want a strictly developed and consistent universe, or do you want to pull from many sources? Do you mind if pop culture references or memes are featured heavily?

Players immersed in your carefully constructed fantasy could get frustrated if an out-of-place meme shows up during a tense moment.

Topic #3 — Player investment:

It’s nice to have invested players.

An ideal situation: When the game is going, all distractions are kept to a minimum. Phones are only checked periodically or when necessary. Players are paying attention even when they’re not involved in the present circumstance. If a joke is cracked, it’s not a full-scale digression that stalls play for the rest of the group.

But this is not guaranteed. Your players may not pay attention during important scenes. They may play on their phone when it’s not their turn.

If you’re players aren’t involved, ask yourself why. Is your content not compelling? Is the story moving too slow? Are they not taking notes and forgetting things? Are there too many players?

It’s possible your group “isn’t meant to be.” Maybe what you are looking for in players and what they’re looking for in a DM just don’t match up. Some players may not enjoy pen-and-paper as much as they thought they would.

Games without some level of player investment can grow boring, ending up as a slog of rolls and outcomes that feel meaningless and uninteresting. Not all players have to be actively involved and debating on every party decision, but all players should be paying attention, even if that involves sitting back and enjoying the show, jumping in only when they need to act. As the DM, it is important to discuss with your players your expectation of them.

Topic #4 — Rule strictness:

If you’re like much of my generation, you’ve probably played video games. To me, what makes D&D so special is that it’s not like a video game (though I still love video games, but for different reasons).

The “computer” of D&D (the DM) being a reactive human being opens up the game. Adding/subtracting rules can be as simple as adding or removing a dice roll. Making a playtest-ready version of a new class can take only a few hours.

On the other hand, modding a video game can take hours (unlikely), days, months, or years!

When I was a youngling, playing D&D with a group of friends, I remember a situation where a player wanted to kick a door down, but it was being held shut on the other side by goblins. The player still wanted to attempt it and the DM said he could. The DM assigned a -4 penalty (to signify the goblins holding the door) and allowed the roll. I don’t remember the outcome, but I do remember what I thought at that time:

The DM thought of that on the fly! If this was a video game, and no door-kicking mechanic was implemented, he couldn’t even attempt that.

In my mind, the world of D&D was opened. I became enlightened. I was snake-bitten by Gary Gygax’s ghost.

Therefore, I am personally very open-ended with my D&D games. Running for new players especially, I am more lenient on rules and I homebrew heavily to show the freedom of D&D. You want to play Batman? We can do that. You want to play some really cool character idea you thought of but couldn’t make in Skyrim? We’ll make it work. You want to try flipping off the table and catching that flag so you can climb to escape? You can certainly attempt it!

I’ve talked with other players and DMs who run strict ruling games. From what I hear, it’s just as fun, just different. It really depends on the group you want to run.

3. Scheduling and play frequency

If possible, most groups I’ve talked or been in run once a week, same day, roughly same time. But that may not be possible or wanted.

The recent group I DMed ran Saturday nights every other week. While I’m a nerd who spends most of my Saturday nights gaming, and such is true for most of my players… things would come up (random events, concerts, dinners, wanting to relax, etc). I didn’t find it reasonable to hold my player’s Saturday hostage with that much frequency.

I also played in another pen-and-paper game on alternating Saturdays. This meant, for the foreseeable future, all my Saturday nights were booked for a social activity. Being the introvert that I am, this started to wear on me.

Play frequency is important though. It can be tedious to have every session start with the players going “what are we doing again?” Any excitement for an awesome plot twist from the previous session may be gone by the time the next session rolls around if too much time has passed.

Find a schedule that works for your group. Playing at night on a workday may be viable. Playing once a month can work if your group is cool with it.

4. In Conclusion

Don’t overthink it! If you want to play D&D, play D&D. If you have the luxury of a group of friends who want to play, be the DM if no one else wants to be. If you don’t have that luxury, try searching for a group. If you have a veteran friend who wants to run and teach everyone how to play, that’s great! That’s what I am to many friends.

Just start playing. The things I mentioned in this article are important, but they shouldn’t be the reason you don’t play. You’ll get better as you play. Groups can change. People can come in and leave. Rules and themes can adjust as you find what interests your group.

Here are some great D&D channels with a ton of information. These guys have much more experience than me. They’ve taught me a lot and many of my own findings have been verified by them.

Critical Role (on Geek & Sundry) — https://www.youtube.com/user/geekandsundry

Matthew Colville — https://www.youtube.com/user/mcolville

Web DM — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7XFmdssWgaPzGyGbKk8GaQ

So, what are you waiting for? Get a group together and roll some dice! Oh, and come back for my next article where I’ll be going over game mechanics.

[healthnotion]

The 45 Must-Have Qualities of a True Leader

Editor’s Note: The following is a excerpt from The ROTC Infantry Manual, published in 1942. You’d be hard pressed to find a better summation of a leader’s key qualities.

The Qualities of a Leader

What are the qualities which a leader should possess? There have been many attempts at listing the many good qualities which a leader should possess, and cataloguing those undesirable characteristics which he should not possess or should minimize or eliminate. Such a listing often serves only to discourage the aspirant to leadership, because, in summation, they seem to describe an unattainable ideal. However, a goal toward which to aim is necessary, if one is to shape his efforts in self-development so as to gain a satisfactory measure of accomplishment in preparing himself to lead, to guide and direct the efforts of others in any field of common endeavor.

The qualities of the leader may be grouped according to different methods. They may be separated into personal characteristics and professional capabilities; they may be classed as physical, mental, and moral qualities; or they may be considered as those qualities related to the leader himself, and those related to the individuals whom he aspires to lead.

Merely to enumerate the desirable qualities of a leader would accomplish little. But a consideration of some of these qualities will serve to illustrate the characteristics which we should watch for in others and which we should strive to develop in ourselves in order to prepare ourselves to be better leaders.

Loyalty. No quality is more important than loyalty. It is essential in both the leader and the follower, for it works both ways from the individual, and loyalty down is no less important than loyalty up. Loyalty begets loyalty, and an evident sense of devotion to the interests of his followers on the part of a leader is assurance of faithful and willing cooperation upon their part.

Simplicity. Too often is a realization of professional ignorance and lack of self-confidence manifested by an attempt to conceal these faults by vague and complicated orders, explanations, or conduct. The best results in the performance of a task are obtained by simple and direct methods, where the end to be attained and the means to that end are first clearly understood by the leader and then, through his efforts, clearly understood by his men.

Self-Control. No one can lead others until he can properly control himself. We are quick to realize the mastery in the man who can master himself. He who, when he makes mistakes in drill or in any other organized effort, loses his temper and attempts to “bawl out” his subordinates, thereby sacrifices in large measure their willing cooperation in the team play of the unit.

Tact. A sense of the appropriateness of things, of when and how to act, is an invaluable lubricant to the conduct of human relationships. When tact is lacking the military machine soon develops friction and is less efficient. Sympathy, kindness, generosity, and a consideration of the rights of others are all bound up in the exercise of tact in procuring the cheerful and whole-hearted performance of a desired action by others.

Energy, Enthusiasm, Diligence. Inaction in the face of a situation requiring positive measures is at once productive of failure. Capability without industry cannot result in success; but many a mediocre leader has succeeded through sheer energy and perseverance. In this truth lies the hope of the vast majority of us in our endeavors to lead others in the accomplishment of a common end. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm, and fires others to efforts of which they might otherwise not feel themselves capable. No man is beaten until he admits defeat, and impending defeat has often been turned into victory through the energetic and enthusiastic inspiration furnished by the leader.

Common Sense, Judgment, Acumen. It has often been said that common sense is one of the most uncommon attributes of the individual. But the exercise of common sense and good judgment is in large measure the foundation of active leadership. Knowledge is the background of common sense and judgment. Acumen denotes quickness of perception, keenness of discernment, sharpness in deduction, and ability in clear discrimination. The leader who can promptly estimate what his fellows will do under a certain set of circumstances, and who then can make a sound decision based upon the conditions as he sees they will develop, possesses qualities which place him upon a high level of leadership.

Earnestness. Sincerity of purpose, like enthusiasm, in a leader is soon transmitted to those whom he aspires to lead. Sham, hypocrisy, and bluff are all too readily unmasked, and he who attempts to conceal his ignorance or to “alibi” his mistakes will soon find himself not only a dethroned leader but an outcast from the fellowship of team-mates. Zealousness does not require a superior manner, but a conscientious willingness to go more than half-way in the solution of the task in hand.

Justice, Fairness, Impartiality. A sense of justice and a determination to deal fairly and impartially with all others are essential in any one who would control and lead others. The degree of respect, of admiration, and even of affection with which their faith in him is measured is in a very large measure determined by his possession and exhibition of these qualities. In little things even more than in big things does the demoralizing effect of partiality or unfairness make itself felt. Justice does not, however, necessitate domineering, bullying, or blustering tyranny. Usually, these are indications of secretly admitted incompetence or lack of faith in one’s own judgment or decision. Such measures are destructive instead of remedial. Nor is it necessary or desirable, in order to be fair, to be over-lenient, lax, or cajoling, for these qualities in the individual set to lead will quickly corrupt an organization through its lack of respect for his ability and qualities. Even a fool can tear down, but it takes a man of mind and character to build up

Willingness to Accept Responsibility. A willingness to accept responsibility is the foremost trait of leadership. Every individual from the highest commander to the lowest private must always remember that inaction and neglect of opportunities will warrant more severe censure than an error of judgment in the action taken. The criterion by which a commander judges the soundness of his own decision is whether it will further the intentions of the higher commander. Willingness to accept responsibility must not manifest itself in a disregard of orders on the basis of a mere probability of having a better knowledge of the situation than the higher commander. The subordinate unit is a part of a tactical team employed by the higher commander to accomplish a certain mission and any independence on the part of a subordinate commander must conform to the general plan for the unit as a whole.

Initiative and Vision. In order to have a willingness to accept responsibility, the individual must have initiative and vision. Many a cause has been lost through lack of foresight and vision on the part of those charged with the responsibility of planning the course to be followed. Many an action has bogged down in failure because the one in charge did nothing. An early edition of the Field Service Regulations stated: “In a given situation it is far better to do any intelligent thing consistent with aggressive execution of the general plan than to search hesitatingly for the ideal.” Such action takes initiative, and a willingness to accept responsibility and to act. In drill, for example, it is necessary to think ahead, to plan the next movement, and to be prepared at the proper time to give the necessary order. Organizations and groups of individuals often exhibit an inertia similar to inanimate matter and tend to remain at rest or continue in the same direction unless a controlling influence is exercised from without by the leader himself. Imagination and creativeness of mind are attributes which facilitate the exercise of initiative and vision.

Reliability and Dependability. These qualities are much to be sought for and developed in the follower as well as in the leader. It is a comforting thought to know that a task allotted will be well and surely performed, and the leader who knows that he can depend upon his subordinates is well served. Likewise, for those who follow to know that their leader will not desert them and that he is bending every effort toward their welfare and devoting every fiber of his being to their benefit is to call forth from them the last ounce of eager, loyal, and whole-hearted cooperation.

Decision, Resoluteness, and Perseverance. The ability to decide to act and then to act has characterized all successful leaders of history in whatever field of endeavor, and their success has been measured directly by the clarity of their decisions, the determination with which these were executed, and the tenacity with which they clung to their purposes. All this takes willpower, firmness, and the courage to follow the course decided upon. It has long been a military axiom that “a good plan once adopted and put into execution should not be abandoned unless it becomes clear that it cannot succeed. After-thoughts are dangerous, except as the aid in the execution of details of the original plan.” Moreover, a mediocre plan executed with determination, energy, and single-minded purpose will produce far better results than a better plan initiated belatedly or executed with vacillation and indecision.

Honor, Uprightness, and Truthfulness. Honor is an inherent quality in every human being, savage or civilized, young or old. It has its roots in self-respect and pride, a virtue as old as mankind. The morale of the individual and of the organization flows directly from the right to stand bravely and honorably among others. While truthfulness is not instinctive in the individual until the guidance of intelligence intervenes, mankind reveres the truth, as always, and our daily life is based in a very large sense upon reliance in the veracity, as in the dependability, of our fellows. Truth and honor do not make the leader; without them he does not exist.

Courage, Moral and Physical. Of the two kinds of courage, the physical is the more wide-spread. Yet, the individual who can be said to be truly fearless is a rarity. For physical courage is not wholly natural, and the instinct of fear and self-preservation can only be overcome when the individual possesses a character strong enough to prevent this instinct taking charge of his being. Marshal Ney once said that the one who claims that he never knew fear is a compound liar. On the battlefield, Turenne addressed himself thus: “You tremble, body; you would tremble more if you knew where I am going to take you.” It takes moral courage to overcome not only physical fear of pain or injury, but fear of failure, of humiliation or condemnation, of fatigue, discomfort, or the unknown. Such fear, once apparent, is contagious, and the exercise of self-control and willpower are necessary not only to harness the fear in one’s self but to prevent the spread among others. Otherwise panic and disaster may quickly follow, wherever or whatever the crisis may be. It is here that the leader must truly lead; here that the groundwork he may have laid must become evident, and his qualities make themselves felt.

Health, Strength, and Endurance. The development and maintenance of a sound body in which a sound mind may be securely housed is of no small concern to the leader as well as to the follower. Not all of us are naturally possessed of strong physique, exceptional vigor, or even unmarred health. But, like so many of the qualities which are in a measure inherent, we should seek to improve and develop those desirable physical attributes which will enable us better to perform the tasks which fall to our lot.

Physical size is not always the hallmark of the successful leader. Physical fitness is the measure of developing and maintaining the mean provided; vigor and manliness mark the use of these means; and fortitude and endurance are the indexes of the moral ability to whip these toward the goal when fatigue and discomfort cause the energies to flag and falter.

Presence and Manner. Closely akin to other physical qualities are those marking the appearance and bearing of the individual. It is of advantage to the aspirant toward leadership to develop and possess what may be termed a commanding presence. This decidedly does not mean ostentatiousness, pompous strutting, or dramatic self-consciousness. Rather does it involve a quiet, dignified, and self-assured bearing which in itself conveys proof of pride in one’s appearance, knowledge of one’s ability, and acceptance of one’s usefulness in the position occupied and for the task in hand. A neat and soldierly appearance creates an instantly favorable opinion. The power of example is tremendous, and can be used for good just as it can be allowed to wreak destruction in the appearance or morale of an organization. The list of “don’t’s” seems almost endless; but the mere mention of avoiding asperity and haughtiness, indifference and laziness, irascibility and petulance, uncertainty and vagueness, are enough to show the many pitfalls into which the leader may fall, with consequent jeopardy to his success and that of his organization.

Alertness, Quick Thinking, Presence of Mind. In battle or on the drill field as in all our daily life, he who would keep pace with the developments of a situation must be alive to events, be they big or little. The leader should maintain a position in thinking and perception just a little ahead of those he leads. Not only his own actions but those he desires of others depend upon his awareness of what is taking place and adaptability to constant change. To avoid “going to sleep at the switch” requires never-ceasing attention and vigilant heed to the moving circumstances surrounding the action.

Patience, Humor. Two qualities which are assets to the leader are patience and a sense of humor. The first of these is more necessary but hardly more valuable than the second. It is human to make mistakes, but the leader who quickly loses his patience and his temper over mistakes, which may all too often be the result of his own faults, usually loses also his chance of succeeding and the allegiance and cooperation of his organization. Impatience is an indication of lack of balance and of an inability to rise above the conditions, which have themselves become the master. A sense of humor often saves a situation which is slipping beyond control. The American possesses a strong sense of the ludicrous and reacts markedly to that which is incongruous or ridiculous. Laughter is a relief from strain, and cheerfulness and good-will frequently are stimulated by the release afforded by a timely witticism. Jokes at the expense of another are, however, often sources of ill-feeling, and satire, sarcasm, or clumsy and hurtful jibes are weapons rather than aids.

Balance and Prudence. A sense of the fitness of things implies an evenness of character and a freedom from erratic or misjudged overemphasis of one course of action or one manner of acting. Men want to know what to expect of their leaders, not so much in the details as in the broad assurance of the program to be followed. Under the cloud of uncertainty or the annoyance of what may appear to be whims or vagaries of the leader, they become restive, dissatisfied, aggrieved. They admire and will follow boldness, and even rashness, if it appears to them to be justified, but they soon falter and become undependable when the goal disappears, the course reveals itself as unreasonable, or the aim of the endeavors proves empty and fruitless.

Ambition. The human desire for advancement is a quality which is of advantage in both the leader and those whom he leads. It stimulates effort toward the attainment of a goal despite the obstacles which might otherwise discourage. But selfish ambition, fostered at the expense of others, or of the organization of which both leader and follower are members, is a dangerous and destructive quality to be avoided.

Manual Dexterity and Skill. The man who can do things is admired. The applicatory system of training and instruction is based initially upon demonstration, which requires that an example be set before those who are to learn. The execution of the movements in the manual of arms by an individual and of those in close order drill by the organization are steps in instruction of a value directly proportionate to the perfection with which they are accomplished. On the target range, an expert rifle shot sets a standard toward which all will direct their efforts. The aspirant to leadership will do well to qualify himself in those accomplishments which he desires to inculcate in his men.

Professional Knowledge. Ignorance of his duties and profession is a bar to leadership. To teach or train others, one must first possess a thorough knowledge of his subject. A drill master must know every detail of the movements to be executed, and this requires thorough and constant study. The military profession is a highly complex one; a theoretical and practical knowledge of its many ramifications can be gained only by hard work. It is a service in which the ladder of leadership must be climbed rung by rung as the field of individual effort is expanded. Often in other walks of life one may skip over one or more intermediate steps in advancing through the echelons of organization. But almost invariably, in the military service, attainment of the leading position in one echelon presupposes at least a pause or a passage through the lower grades or echelons. On the other hand, the higher the position of the leader, the less is it necessary or even possible for him to be familiar through personal experience with all the details of technique in the lower echelons. The general officer cannot know every detail of every arm or service comprising a part of the force he commands, but he must know the principles on which it operates. The corporal, however, must know better than any member of his squad every detail of the work of that squad.

Knowledge and the Ability of Imparting That Knowledge. The possession of knowledge does not necessarily carry with it the ability to impart that knowledge to others. Knowledge of itself does not make a leader. But acknowledgement by others of superiority of education and knowledge of a pertinent task is an asset to a leader.

Summary

The preceding material is designed for the study of the individual who aspires to become a leader. This is only one approach. There are hundreds of approaches, but it is believed that a careful analysis and application of the foregoing will enable an individual to become a leader. In short, every individual possesses inherent qualities that may be molded into leadership. Some find it more difficult to attain than others, but all leaders have one characteristic in common; the unalterable desire to become a leader.

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