#you need to reinforce that you will love your children even when they're not good at stuff so they don't end up committing their lives

[hungerpunch]

i've thought a lot about it and i have concluded that parents just shouldn't Be Like That about their kids doing sports, you know?

[meara-eldestofthemall]

Gee, thanks DC! You Just Turned Bruce Into An Irredeemable Ass.

So, at the end of Gotham War Bruce has officially lost everything. Alfred is still dead, Selina is "presumed dead" and Bruce is both financially and morally broke. Why, you may ask, is Bruce so much worse off this time? Let me count the ways.

He preformed a psychic lobotomy on Jason

The "it's for your own good" excuse only makes the mental rape undertaken by Jason's own father that much more heinous.

Just when you think Bruce can't sink any lower he does. When Dick recognizes that Bruce has lost it, he attempts to use a failsafe disconnect that Bruce himself built into the system. How does Nightwing get thanked for that? Well that brings us to number two on the list.

Batman attacks up his eldest son for doing what he's supposed to do when Batman has gone rouge.

Bruce beats him up because nothing proves you are in control of your sanity like hitting your children. While Dick is holding back, Bruce does no such thing. He hits Nightwing hard enough to send him flying. It could have gotten even worse if Tim hadn't shown up.

Tim arrives and attempts to talk some sense into Batman.

Tim tries to talk Bruce down. It doesn't go well. When Robin is trying to help, as he always does, Batman uses the attempt to reason with him to put the smack down on his son. Bruce could have killed Tim but apparently feels no remorse or guilt.

If there was any teeny tiny little doubt that Bruce will not win the Father of The Year award in 2023 it died a horrible screaming death when Batman abandons his children to potential arrest. Yes, he left a batarang for Dick and Tim but any glimer of possible hope associated with that action was instantly extinguished by Damian's reaction to Batman's callous betrayal.

Bruce abandons Damian.

Look at Dami; he's devastated. Since he came into Bruce's life, Damian has struggled with feelings that he can never earn his father's love and respect. Well, that negative self-image was reinforced in way that may never be repairable. Bruce just utterly destroyed a 13 year old child because of his inability to feel any kind of empathy.

And how does this all end? The best part is that Bruce takes all of his parental responsibilities and dumps them onto Dick.

Thank you Chip Zdarsky and Trini Howard. You've taken Batman from being an edgy anti-hero and made him into a callous monster. Part of me hopes that Bruce never comes back because he doesn't deserve his family.

The only positive aspect in this convoluted mess is that Damian and Tim will be far better off with Dick than with Bruce. Yes, Tim is mostly independent but he still needs guidance (particularly since Tim's first instinct is to try and save Bruce). Damian is essentially Dick's son emotionally anyway so this might help to sustain the positive character growth we've seen in him as of late.

The point of this rant is to wonder what on earth DC thinks they're doing. This story arc has been pure character destruction as far as Bruce is concerned. It's bad storytelling too; rushed, frenetic and massively disappointing.

Hasn't the popularity of Good Dad Bruce in Wayne Family Adventures proved that fans are tired of Bruce being a dark depressed and brooding edge lord? We all accept that Batman is a character with deeeeep issues who is in desperate need of therapy. I, however, draw the line at Bruce being an abusive a**hole.

In years to come when fans wonder when Batman jumped the shark, this is the plot line they'll point to.

[emblemxeno]

Chapter 13 of Fates Revelation is a writing highlight for me.

Corrin: What's going on? They're both blaming each other for this carnage.

Azura: Of course. Kingdoms at war will always twist things to benefit themselves.

Ryoma and Xander-representative of Hoshido and Nohr as a whole-uphold the conflict and status quo of the world they live in. Even if it makes no sense, they accept that they're enemies and an enemy must have done something awful to harm the peace.

Even parts of their battle quotes and end of chapter dialogue emphasize this.

Ryoma: It doesn't matter, Kagero. Anyone who doesn't side with Hoshido is the enemy. What will you be?

Xander: Trust her? Don't be a fool. I won't listen to any more of your lies. You've chosen your side—opposite me. Prepare yourself, Camilla.

-

Xander: This isn't over! We'll fight to the very last man!

Ryoma: You won't see Hoshido waver! We'll fight until there's no one left!

Xander: Whoever retreats now admits defeat! Nohr will never lose to Hoshido.

Ryoma: This war will continue until we take our last breath!

They are unable to see any part of a conflict as something with them or against them. Nuance and rationality don't sit well in minds stubbornly steeped in years of animosity. War, hatred, and reinforcing the way things are is something both of them are willing to do, because they see no other path or choice for themselves.

Corrin and Azura meanwhile, actively disrupt their world views.

Corrin: ...You may be my brothers, but I won't go easy on you if you try to stop me! Come, everyone! ... Ryoma! Xander! Please, you both have to listen to me! We've defeated the real enemy—you don't need to fight each other now!

Azura: Ryoma, Xander... It wasn't Nohr or Hoshido who destroyed this town. It was done by the invisible forces that we just defeated. Now that they are gone, I will not allow any more senseless violence. I will sing my song as many times as necessary to restore peace. Do you still insist on fighting?

And it's not empty words or cries that fall on deaf ears. Corrin is strong. Her will is iron-clad, and she will ensure her vision of peace is made a reality, no matter who she makes an enemy of. Azura is strong as well. What she lacks in directing a path on her own, she makes up for with raw resilience and no qualms about using her song-something that risks her life-to end things on her terms.

They force their stubborn older brothers to look at things in a different perspective; to stop trying to hack and slash their lives away and consider a bigger threat to what and who they care about.

While they aren't swayed immediately, they're undoubtedly shaken. After that, it takes personal introspection and uncomfortable truths for each of them to swallow their pride and admit their ways are wrong, and to follow Corrin to end a senseless war.

And I love this exchange at the end as well:

Scarlet: Ryoma's talked my ears off about what happened to you as a kid. You sound like an idealistic brat to me. You want to bring peace to the world? Ha!

Corrin: There's nothing idealistic about ending this horrible war.

REJECT 👏🏽THE 👏🏽 STATUS 👏🏽 QUO 👏🏽!

Accusing others of being naive or idealistic for things like this, in my opinion, shows cowardice, or even ignorance; a life that's been beaten down by other upholders of a terrible state of the world until they agree.

Why is it naive to trust people? Why is it idealistic to want something like endless warring to stop?

We're fed a lie as children: "Life's unfair, you can't do anything about it." Says who!? Why accept that life is cruel and unyielding, when there's so much capacity for good in the world? Is life actually unchangeably unfair in its nature, or is it simply malefactors taking advantage of innocent people in order to rise up to slake their own greed?

Once terrible people get in power, they beat down any forms of resistance and feed this very same lie to them. Worse still, they can even convince the masses to discriminate, fight, and kill each other all so they can swoop in during the aftermath and reap the benefits. And people, at their lowest point, take solace in any explanation-no matter how untrue and no matter who it's coming from-in order to have some semblance of control or direction. That forms their new view of the world.

It takes people who haven't been exposed or raised to believe such nonsense (Corrin) and people who are wise enough to recognize the true problems of the world (Azura), to push against this normalized destruction between two innocent groups of people and direct their ire towards the actual oppressor (Anankos).

It's succint, but scathing. The word choice-in both JP and localization-is too deliberate to consider it a coincidence, I genuinely think it's a good criticism of how our modern world works as well. From a philisophical standpoint it is basic, but Fates as a whole also tackles issues of ignorance/discrimination, xenophobia, the boundaries and meanings of family, who defines justice, the belief of many versus the will of the few, embracing consequences instead of running away, and exploring the concept of leadership in general.

For a game this big, IMO, it meets the mark more often than not when considering the points it wants its audience to hear.

[brucewaynehater101]

Since so many of y'all asked [nobody did. I just think I'm funny], here's songs for your playlist when writing toxic relationships:

[Also, the songs are from multiple genres.

TW for toxic relationships, abuse, etc.]

"My Way of Life" by Frank Sinatra

For when a character is so obsessed by another character that they can not live or function without that person.

"I Love You Like An Alcoholic" by The Taxpayers

Two singers chatting about how in love they are, how they want "one last kiss," how they need each other like one needs an injury, and how the love each other in the broken, toxic way of alcoholics. It's mutual acknowledgement of how fucked up they are but still wanting to be together

"Hell and You" by Amigo the Devil

A character would go anywhere with the other person, even hell. All that person needs to do is ask. Basically, it gives vibes of two people dancing and staring into each others' eyes as the world burns around them. That's part of the excitement, though.

"Tongues and Teeth" by The Crane Wives

The character is cruel and wicked, but it's all they have. It's all they can offer. If the other person wants to be in a relationship with someone who will hurt them, then okay. They can. The character warns them not to, but they're not going to stop them either. It's not going to end well, but the character let's the other person dictate what their relationship will be. Not once does the character apologize for being the way they are, just warns the other against it.

"No Children" by The Mountain Goats

The singer continues to hope for bad scenarios, such as getting injured, lying, leaving, relationships falling apart, never getting sober, etc. They compare their relationship to drowning, but they're doing it together. It's practically hate

"Chase The Feeling" by The Devil Makes Three

The other person continues their addiction despite it destroying their life. The character seems to have given up on the person and is using humor to cope with the fact that the other person won't get better

"Allies or Enemies" by The Crane Wives

Pretty much the title. Are they on the same side? They have good memories with each other, but they keep fighting as well. This constant uncertainty will kill them.

"Absence" by Rio Romeo

The character wants to know what their lover would do if they disappeared. Would their lover search for them? Disappear with them? Or let them leave without going after them?

"Saint Bernard" by Lincoln

Put on this list for the lyrics "I said make me love myself so that I might love you. Don't make me a liar. Because I swear to God, when I said it, I thought it was true."

"YKWIM?" by Yot Club

The character loves someone who doesn't love or seem to care about them. The character cares too much and they're alone

"loving me is really hard" by NEYSA

The character is cruel and confusing to their loved one. They like watching them cry but still want to be with them

"Nothing's New" by Rio Romeo

The character has been through relationships over and over again and knows the pattern of when they start to fall apart. Their heart is worn, but they love their partner. They want to hold on for however long is left.

"The Bidding" by Tally Hall

The character learned to sell their love/attention to the rich. They make people feel special and loved for a price. As long as they are paid, they will never let the other person down

"I Can't Decide" by Scissor Sisters

Manic laughter and "I can't decide whether you should live or die." Just very toxic deliberating on whether to kill their loved one

"This is Love" by Air Traffic Control

The POV of the abuser in a domestic abuse relationship. They are blaming the other person or anything but themselves, they are preventing the other from seeing anyone else, continually reinforcing that "this is love," and threatening them. It showcases a cycle of abuse and common tactics used

"The Masochism Tango" by Tom Lehrer

Basically, the character yearns to be physically hurt by their loved one.

"Misery Meat" by Sodikken

The character gives every piece of their flesh to their loved one. Through their pain, their loved one can gain so much

"Stalker's Tango" by Autoheart

The character demands the other person to love them

"How I'd Kill" by Cowboy Malfoy

The character is so obsessed by the other person that they would even kill just to see the other person. They talk about how they've never felt anything like that before

"CONTROL BABY" by Jhariah

This is more about toxic relationships with parents. "You're not the son I raised!"

[bengiyo]

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat 2 Eps 17-20 (Finale)

Last week gave me everything I wanted and more. The whole squad went over to Yako's place for a curry party and everyone had a great time. Later, Nagumo got a diagnosis for her condition and got to have personal time with Yako. Kasuga and Nomoto continued to work on their communication and making sure they aren't trampling over each other. They're continuing to work on this move. Seriously, we had a curry party and a s'mores party last week. We planted strawberries together. Let's finish this.

Episode 17

Looking for housing is so stressful. I was wondering if we'd get into housing discrimination in this.

Red beans in Japan are different from what we eat here. Theirs carry a naturally sweet profile that doesn't mesh well with creole cooking.

I feel like those beans needed to boil longer, but that's me thinking in my home cooking terms.

Yes, ladies, tell each other how happy you are to see each other.

@furritsubs thank you for the note about Azuki beans.

I'm really enjoying the way they're handling this situation. The realtor wasn't trying to be homophobic, but the systems he was upholding with the landlord references reinforces the status of same sex households. I also like that they acknowledged how circumstances closet people in ways that hurt them. This is good payoff from the news bit we saw earlier in season with Kasuga.

Getting a tasty treat in before going back into the fray is so valid.

Kasuga being even more affectionate about Nomoto's food now that they're dating is exactly what I wanted.

Episode 18

Oh fuck yeah, let's continue to unpack how structural homophobia makes people scared to share something that should be a joyous occasion.

Amused that Yako is the primary person using Nomoto's given name.

Are we going to have a takoyaki party next??

COME THROUGH, YAKO!!! You gotta help your folks get through this bullshit, but never let them forget that it's bullshit!!

I am relieved that we checked in with Ms. Fujita about divorcing her husband at the same time as we're working through LGBT housing issues. Single divorced women likely also face huge challenges in housing when marriage is the goal we're being pushed into.

Wow, Sayama, you are in contention for the Yihwa Best Girl Award this year. You are an ally. Love the way she examined how what she said might have been hurtful.

Feeling like you somehow failed because you didn't get married in your 20s is so real. I sometimes struggle with this in my 30s.

This show uses its characters to illustrate its political points in a way that feels gentle and accessible, but also carries a sense of urgency. Women are facing extreme reproductive pressure right now, and it's clearly not making those who don't already want husbands and children happier. Hell, it's making them resentful to the point of divorce as they get older.

Hold on. Gotta cry a bit about Nomoto telling Kasuga that being told outright that hiding who they are upset her made her feel better got me.

Episode 19

Takoyaki Party let's goooooo!!!

A party where you cook together like this is always so much fun. We had fun with some friends' kids a few weeks ago teaching them how to make pancakes and letting them add their own toppings before, during, and after cooking.

Nagumo managed to enjoy a bite of food with them. Hold on. Crying again.

We've seen takoyaki a few times lately, and I am very impressed with this cooker.

Yako, tactful as always, is gonna check on Nagumo. I love her.

This is so important. Couple formation does affect the friends around them, and I'm really glad Yako let Nagumo voice that she supports her friends even as she knows she's going to miss the dynamic they've had. Yako is so right to point out that a change doesn't mean it's over, and their friendship will last if we all continue to reach out.

This realtor scene is so good. I like how politely she asked for them to disclose their relationship with the express purpose of securing ideal housing, and we're getting into how the financing of housing can affect people's privacy. She's also owning that landlords can discriminate against couples. I also appreciate that their meeting room was private.

I'm ready for the moving in party!

Episode 20

They got the house!!

A crab cream croquette party!!!

Wait, where's Nagumo? I wanted her to try a croquette too!

We are on the bed together. This is not a drill.

Yes, let's acknowledge that they have liked each other since season 1.

The intimacy question is on the floor!

They are finally hugging!

NOW KISS!!!

That was very sweet, and felt right for them. I'm glad they had that moment in the old place before they moved.

Cried because of Ms. Fujita and Nagumo possibly getting hired.

So glad Yako and Nagumo are still hanging out! That's really how some friends groups will be. Two people will just gel at a party and grow close.

Oh hell yeah we're at casual intimacy now.

I'm so excited to see where the TV goes next season!!

Oh my goodness Kasuga is wearing a lighter sweater!!!!!!

Final Verdict: 10, Go Watch This Immediately and Then Show it to a Friend. Seriously, do not make excuses for yourself. You owe it to yourself to watch this show. Between this, Ossan's Love Returns, and What Did You Eat Yesterday? coming back, we cannot stop supporting our shows about older people getting together and forming their own forms of family. This show built on the foundation of its first season and made every little detail feel so potent and impactful. I did not expect the pen pal to grow into a trusted confidant and core member of this friend group, nor was I expecting the women at the supermarket to help Kasuga as much as they did. This season was excellent, and will be joining WDYEY on my comfort watch rotation.

Big thanks to @furritsubs and friends for making this watch possible.

[furiousgoldfish]

When abused children get bullied at school it sends a slightly different message to them.

Bullying in general, can be terrifying because of the violence, destruction, toxic social hierarchy that is imposed on the bullied child, the humiliation and the social abuse can be traumatic and scarring, and there's a lack of protection, social isolation and knowledge that even in the public setting, you can be hurt and others will do nothing to help you, nobody will stand up for you. That is, ultimately, rejection from your entire social circle; you're unwanted among your peers, they don't find you worthy of saving, or physical safety. It makes you distrust the society, and the good in people.

But abused kids also get this at home, so it's nothing new; for those abused extensively at home, bullying can even seem like not such a big deal. It was like that for me. When life at home would be a constant death threat, few kids at school destroying my things and mocking me in public seemed like a minor inconvenience. Nothing short of life-threatening violence would even upset me, and the kids at my high school weren't looking to go that far.

Looking back though, I understand that it did more than upset me, it let me know that I'm unwanted everywhere. For those abused in their homes, the only hope is the escape in the outside world, where we could dream, that someone would care enough to make sure we're safe, that the don't die from lack of resources, that we could possibly be loved and protected. But bullying puts an end to that hope before we can even start. It tells us, no, public is just the same as home. There's nothing for you anywhere, we don't want you either. It's going to be the same for you everywhere. It's because you're different and weird and unlovable that this is happening to you; you can see it's not happening to other people, so it must be your fault directly that everyone hates you.

I haven't realized for a long time, how far it reinforced the message of the abusive parents, that I deserve this. That in my case, it was normal, and that I'm ultimately unlovable and nobody could possibly want or protect me. 'Something is wrong with you so we're going to hurt you' is the mantra both of the bullies, and the abusive parents. It goes hand in hand. And having no space where I could relax or feel like I'm not going to get hurt, made the world a worse place for me to live in. Regardless of whether I fought back or not, it didn't change the fact that I was surrounded with people who wished to hurt me, and would take any chance to do so. It made me feel that there is no escape. I was just too weird and something was deeply wrong with me, and everyone could see it and agree upon it.

Except it's not true. Nothing was wrong with me, I was only unprotected. I would have been just fine left alone. Nothing I did was any incentive for any of these people to do harm to me. It was their choice to do so, to make the world less safe for those who don't have anyone standing in their corner, and nowhere to turn to.

What society tells us about us sticks with us for a long time. A message repeated long enough, from enough sources, will end up etched in our brain, without us having the ability to scrub it off. We're sensitive to how we're being perceived, and out perception is affected by what other tell us about us. So when people tell us the worst possible things, no matter how untrue, they stick. We can't know immediately, that they're saying it only to excuse and rationalize their own gross actions. We can't know that they need to say it, in order to frame their crimes against us as just and normal, when they're anything but. It takes intense and conscious training to link people's spoken opinions of us, to what they're intending to do to us. It takes a lot to realize that when they're talking with hatred in their voice about us, they're doing so only in order to create a fake scenario in which they are allowed to hurt us. They don't know or perceive us at all, they only perceive a situation where they can get away with causing harm. Our only crime is existing, unprotected.

[lol-jackles]

So this is going to sound mean and like I'm a hater but I promise I'm not lol, I'm very meh about both Js, I was always in it for the show and not the celebrities. BUT, it weirdly seems to me like Jared and Jen (?) would be a couple that I could see my husband and I going to dinner with. Fun, funny, laidback people that we'd have a good time with even as strangers. But Jensen and Daniella (?), there seems to be no signs of intelligence life going on behind those eyes lol. They just give a vibe that they're super boring and bad conversationalists. Like the popular couple in high school, very good looking and look great together, but have no personalities. Just a random thought lol, wanted to know your opinion on the couples.

Well you're a lot nicer than I was in my early years on this blog when I repeatedly said Danneel is not bright and referred to her brother as a Himbo. For a while Danneel tried to be the real life walking "cool girl trope" as a way to explain why she doesn't have female friends in the "I'm not like the other girls". Except there is a huge difference between woman who like non-traditional female stuff and the one who claims that in order to gain points with men.

To be fair, I think Danneel is the type of person who is there for you If you need help.  Once you are back on your feet, she fades away into the background because her work is done. In a way this makes her more suited to be friends with males, which may explain why Jared considers her a friend.

I get the sense that Jensen competes with every male in the room, which isn't bad per se because men generally are competitive with each other, even among friends. But there gets to a point when you settle your differences and stop competing and start cooperating. Top Gun showed how people settle their differences back in the 80s, by playing 2 on 2 volleyball with perfect oiled bodies and tans and in jeans when it's 90 degrees out.

"They just give a vibe that they're super boring and bad conversationalists."

Yeah, their duo appearances in the Architectual Digest home tour and Jeffry Dean Morgan's web show didn't help (X). It only reinforced that vibe.

The Padalackis do have the fun-couple vibe, at least their home tour on AD looks like they actually live there, complete with mended sofa covers due to wear and tear by their children. I wasn't expecting the taxidermy chickens but hey, that's their way of honoring their departed pets that wasn't carried off by hawks. And of course men love talking about engineering stuff like the air conditioning HVAC....

Same, I want to stay cold too. The days of playing volley ball while wearing jeans in 90 degree weather are long behind me.

[mdhwrites]

Idk if you talked about this before but what's your thoughts on the Blight parents' relationship? Asking this mainly because I saw a long post saying all of Alador's actions were forced by Odalia (even the scene of telling Amity to drop Willow) and the only reason he neglected the kids was because he worked to protect them hence he wasn't abusive. Imo he and Odalia got along fine in their debut so when the "odalia abused alador" reveal dropped it was surprising for me. Since they were also hexside friends, I wonder if the show would've explored that aspect of their relationship before it went downhill (it would've been cool as Odalia as a character feels wasted)

I absolutely have talked about this before, in part because between S1 and 2, the Blight Family was actually one of the most interesting parts about the show for me. They were literally the first blog I wrote about TOH because I thought people treated them unfairly, especially Odalia, because High Society Characters are different from ones we normally sympathize with. If you want to see that version of the Blights, where they're both neglectful and making mistakes but also genuinely meaning well by their kids, I have a story called The Power of Love that explores a LOT of TOH's post S1 potential but especially Amity and her family alongside with making Boscha a real character. I've also just talked about them being shit in the past but I really want to focus on this in this blog: They're both terrible people. Everyone likes to focus on the fact that Odalia is a greedy capitalist but an honest story would recognize that Alador is a mad scientist. That Odalia would sell her children to get ahead while Alador would experiment on them if allowed or if he saw it as useful to his research. He makes robots though, so that's never in question. Amity ONLY gets Alador's attention... By besting his own creation. He watches that whole fight in Escaping Expulsion like he's studying it and liking the results. So yeah, he notices Amity is strong and is able to use that against Odalia to make her not be the dumbest form of villain, so they can claim to have some sort of principles... But how much do you really think that matters to him?

His statement when Luz tries to end the fight by saying the investors get it is that she has a point. Not that they are maybe going too far or that the abomiton's job of destruction is bad but just that the point has been made. Because that's what matters to him. After all, they specifically know that this creature is going to kill Luz. This isn't an interesting experiment for Alador. He doesn't care. He'd rather get this over with so he can go back to his lab.

Even Clouds on the Horizon actually reinforces this. Yes, he complains about not having a weekend off in five years... But that's FIVE. FUCKING. YEARS. There's a point where you know... Maybe he should have complained about this? Questioned anything. But that raises the question of: Before this... What the fuck else was he doing with his time? Both Escaping Expulsion and Reaching Out have him entirely in mad scientist mode where you might distract him for a moment but he will just keep working and ignore everything around him. That's part of WHY he likes Odalia. Odalia loves to talk. Loves to be social. Loves to remove the part he doesn't care about and easily gets distracted during. Even in Clouds on the Horizon, he doesn't explicitly state that his complaint is a lack of time with his kids. He's finally feeling it now because, if we're generous, Amity opened his eyes but... That implies he's a good person. That he just needed a reminder of who he was deep down, just like his daughter did (because Amity frankly has similar issues to this). But... if he were a good person, jokes like 'Immediate execution" would be done instead by having imply that the punishment is very light, revealing that his true nature, when he's not thinking, is kind. But it's not. It's more extreme than expulsion and goes all the way to murder. And why shouldn't it? He still had to have had this talk with Odalia. Agreed with the outcome. Learned the lines. If he was mad about it, he doesn't need to be at that meeting. He could be home working. This was instead important enough to him to get him out of the house. Same goes with dismissing Willow. He took time out of his day for that and didn't keep on script. Him cutting Amity off is not his job there unless he wants it to be. He defers power to Odalia though because she is better than him at this stuff. She is comfortable interacting with other people in ways he is not and their relationship is pretty much divided by those lines. It's very businesslike but neither person actually gives a fuck about people so why shouldn't it be more about collaborating strengths than it is anything emotional? And here's the thing: I'm just going by what the show shows us. Because if we claim Odalia made Alador do everything he does in the show... Who is Alador? We never get a real glimpse of that. If we even say the abomatons aren't something he wants, then he isn't an inventor. The best we have is he'd like to be a layabout and that doesn't technically include his kids. He could just be lazy then and do whatever he wants because that's what he already did... But at least he was making something.

The closest we have to anything else is Amity claiming that he used to spend time with his kids. We have literally no evidence of this, his personality doesn't support the claim, he didn't give a shit about Amity's well being until she challenged his creations as he was entirely on board with destroying social life, twice, so why should we think he was some paragon? Why should we believe Amity who doesn't even go on to ask about his fate once they're back in the Isles and she sees her siblings? Who seemed to care MUCH about her mother's opinion for Reaching Out rather than literally ever bringing up her dad?

It's revisionist in a way that tries to rewrite their dynamic into something more complex than it was. To try and make there be a point to Alador when him having control of the Abomatons doesn't even go anywhere because they still get shot down and still have to leave Alador behind to fight the damn things while they go rescue Luz. Cut out literally the entirety of Clouds on the Horizon and make it the Hexide kids rushing to the Day of Unity instead and you have a different force that can hold back the abomatons while Amity and co go off to help Luz. Worse yet, replace abomatons with "Elite EC Coven Scouts" and you effectively get the same result making Alador and Odalia even more pointless besides a very minor road bump on Amity's character arc all things said and done with how easy her rebellion against them is. They have no point in the story so people are going to scramble for some deeper meaning. Some reason they should exist by having them tackle something as provocative as domestic abuse or the like. But it doesn't. Instead, it's just inconsistent, wasteful writing that has no point to exist when the main character it should be affecting, Amity, is barely a part of any of it. She has some of the least screentime of any character in Escaping Expulsion. She isn't a part of her dad's transformation in Clouds except in an abstract way where Alador just wanting to spend more time video gaming would have been as meaningful with how shit their relationship is at the end of Reaching Out because they wouldn't even let us have a hug in that episode between the two because TOH refuses to just let a plotline end simply even when it involves extremely minor characters. And Reaching Out is the closest we come. An episode where Alador still rigs an entire abomaton to make sure Amity goes to the tryouts without knowing it's Odalia's dream not hers. And if Odalia really was the reason he did EVERYTHING... Shouldn't he know her better than that? Almost like maybe he sees the EC as a good future for Amity too because that's success and he clearly cares about success to some extent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have married a woman as greedy as Odalia. And even if in real life, I've watched a relationship turn toxic the minute they got married, nothing about either character, from their Hexide days, to a decade ago, to now, seems all that different from each other. They just now have kids they neglect or use as free labor. And yes, it's really that simple, no matter how much that fucking blows. And a final note actually: This is my interpretation. We get such little time with Alador and Odalia that statements like "This is why he likes her" are going to be somewhat subjective by how you interpret their relationship. If you think it's as shallow as Alador just found her hot and married her because of that and has been trapped for 16+ years... Well, A: why are you trying to paint him as sympathetic when you seem to not like him? but B: why hasn't her mistreatment been even longer? More over the top? We're just missing basic answers to these characters because they're so bog standard (even if Odalia feels like she comes from the 80s or 90s cartoons more than literally anything I grew up with) that I have to stretch and use literally every scrap of screentime we get with these characters because not only do they get so little of it, their family/kids reflect such little about themselves because none of the elements cohere into something whole. They're bad and really only stand out for that fact versus other one off villains because, well, they're related to Amity. But they're also dealt with just as easily as any villain of the week the show does so they have this weird contrast between Amity's importance and the importance the show actually gives them. Which again: Sucks.

[moreespressoformydepresso]

sometimes i think about like. what if. the tributes escape, they're running around, trying to get things together. and somehow they get caught. how, we don't know, but imagine a peacekeeper comes across them and has a choice to make. obviously peacekeepers can't have families, but they weren't born without them. this one peacekeeper, maybe wovey reminds him of his little sister. or hy reminds him of his first love, the one he never got to act on. or he's some fresh young recruit who feels like in another life, the likes of sheaf or otto or whoever could have been a friend.

and he lets them go.

even other capitol citizens. some socialite might be more privy to give facet and velvereen more leeway, after all, they're one of the 'good' districts, aren't they? or a shopkeeper lets mizzen or treech get away with stolen goods because they remind him of his kids. or hell, imagine one of them manages to find work, and the supervisor should have half a mind to report it, but teslee knows what she's doing and she's doing it better than the other suckers, it'd be stupid to report her, even if she *is* an escaped tribute. lots of little things build up over time. a story where 24 kids don't escape on their own, it takes a whole village to help them.

That’s beautiful I love it. I had ideas of like- the mentors maybe letting them go if they spot them or even actively helping them escape in some cases, but just random citizens? That’s honestly even better. Because to me, a big part of why so many Capitol citizens were okay with the games is because they had enough distance to it to not care. It’s a once a year thing they can ignore if they want, and they do. Just some district scum, right? So who cares? And when they’re in a literal cage it reinforces that distance. They’re not “like us”, so it’s okay. No need to spend time and emotional energy thinking about it. Especially after what they did to you during the war ten years ago!

But when you’ve spend years fighting with the belief that you’re protecting your people, and you used the image of scared dying Capitol children to fuel you, I imagine it hits so hard to look at a terrified child staring down the barrel you’ve got pointed at them. Maybe the peacekeeper had a realization that they are the monster they’ve been fighting. And in the split second that they realize convincing themself it’s not true isn’t gonna change anything, they let the tribute go.

Teslee and Circ are 100% better employees than anyone in that city. No rationalizing necessary it’s just basic business. And they don’t even ask for much, so it’s win win! Also they’re nice kids, it would suck to see them suffer or even die and if they go into the games only one can get out. So eh, might as well give them some basic necessities.

I think it would probably start with Velvereen and Facet. They are “the good ones” so if anyone’s gonna be let go it’s them. Maybe it gets filmed or something and it’s broadcast in an attempt to get Capitol citizens to look out for the tributes and tip off the peacekeepers. And that video makes the citizens go “oh well, at least it’s the good ones and not one of those backwards savages”. Except once you accept the notion that some of these kids are fine, that slowly starts to trickle over into your perception of the others. If the ones from 1 are fine, the ones from 2 are too right? Because those get lumped together a lot since they’re more well fed. And the boy from 2 is pretty similar to the ones from 11 and 12 so maybe those districts aren’t too bad either. And if the girl from 11 isn’t so bad, well she’s like the tributes from 8 and the boy from 4. And the girl from 12 is a performer like the boy from 7 (actor/performer Treech supremacy). Soon enough the network is complete and we’ve got all the tributes being noted as kind of okay, maybe. So when a clearly starved child steals food, well the shopkeeper didn’t really need that lost income. They can miss it, so it’s not worth the energy to even report. And it slowly escalates from there until we have a district-sympathizer Capitol.

[procrastinatingsoicanreadfanfics]

⭐Our Great Glory⭐ for the 'fanfic writer director's cut' as it is absolutely one of my favorite fics of yours!

oh my god this took me too long (to all the requests in my inbox - guys i'm trying i promise) sorry about that. that being said, here's my directors cut for our great glory:

@ilikeitbetterangsty i hope you enjoy!

first of all, since the reader is commonborn, i wanted to highlight the circumstances of that life in King's Landing, especially during Aegon II's coronation. it ended up being around 50% of the chapter, but i really enjoyed delving into that aspect of the world of asoiaf...

also, this is really long, but i enjoyed the chance to talk about my writing a bit.

okay let's get into the writing:

There was always something disgusting or disturbing in each room that you had to clean, and you felt for the whores that had to endure through these things in the first place. All you wanted was to finish your job and then go out in search for a bowl of brown.

Your cleaning was interrupted by the madam standing in the doorway.

“What is it?” you asked.

“There’s people at the door. Go take care of them, I need to look after Janei for a bit, she had a rough night.”

Okay, so starting off with something pretty rough - asoiaf doesn't have good circumstances for any woman, especially not in KL, and even though the reader isn't a sex worker, her proximity to them makes it impossible to escape that world, and the disgusting customers that come with it. i did this to kind of make the relationship betweent he reader and criston more ~complex~

Criston is literally a white knight, in shining armor. he's supposed to be a beacon of purity - something which already stands in contrast to the regular expectations towards men in the world of hotd and got. but then he drops that facade with the reader, someone who is constantly in the thick of other people's perversions. it makes their relationship even more complicated, bc he's not pure towards her, and just reinforces her expectations towards men, and yet, he really wants to be.

An older woman stood next to you, her demeanor and stance completely out of place. She walked with the other common folk as if she owned the stones she touched, but you pretended not to notice her nobility.

So, the reader is walking next to Princess Rhaenys without knowing it, but she does understand that they're in different... tax brackets ig. i kind of stole this line from game of thrones, where varys tells tyrion that everyone knows he's nobility bc he walks like he owns the ground he walks on. the reader ignores that this other person is noble for a good reason - this other woman definitely has power over her, so if the reader calls her out, she could be in deep shit. at the same time, she kind of sets the events in the dragonpit in motion. had the reader called her out, rhaenys possibly never would have made it there.

You’d barely been more than a child when Prince Daemon had pulled the criminals into the streets, watching with wide eyes as carts of heads, limbs and eyes rolled past.

I think people love to forget a) how far these events apart and b) how this was probably extremely traumatizing to a whole generation of children in Flea Bottom. Yes, the ppl living there are horrible, but a horrible place breeds horrible people. those criminals were definitely parents/siblings/caretakers/etc. it's well within the possible that the reader lost someone that day, either via execution or due to the consequences of such violent punishments. also wanted to call daemon out on being a medieval cop.

Had they brought you here to burn you all?

again, a small throwback to game of thrones + targaryen madness. this fear is, later in the fic, proven as not that unreasonable.

King Viserys was dead, and if this was a coronation, war was on the horizon.

commoners are not stupid!!!! this is what i wanted to highlight here!! why do people always portray the nobles in asoiaf as smart and commoners as stupid? girl be fr most of us would be commoners if we went back in time. but idt that the commoners witnessing aegon's coronation were ignorant to the fact that war was on the horizon. they all knew what was coming - F&B SPOILERS COMING UP!! maybe this was a part of what heated up agressions leading up to the bread riots.

OKAY SPOILERS OVER

You knew that if you stood closer to him, you would be able to see the white of his knuckles, his thumb moving over the grip of his sword impatiently.

This is a reference to rhae rhae's wedding, where mans was grabbing his sword so tightly that it's a wonder his hand didn't explode.

Immediately, people began pushing towards the exit, trying to get away from the beast. Mere meters away from you, a man thudded against a pillar, before landing on the ground motionless.

okay, so this is the typical violence we know from asoiaf. since the focus was on the commoners in the dragon pit here, i wanted to highllight that, in a situation like this a crowd panic/crushes/collapses are bound to happen. they're in an enclosed space with a dragon. i can't believe that this wasn't highlighted in hotd, even though the show itself isn't about the commoners. in general, i'm just kinda sad that their (commoners) perspective is never really highlighted/sympathized with.

“What is your name?” you asked him, still out of breath.

“Gaemon.” The boy said faintly, and you wondered briefly if you had accidentally taken a Targaryen prince with you.

of course, there won't be some random targ kid in the bottom of the dragonpit. the reader rescues this child because it's a split second decision, and the right thing to do. it's a wonder she makes it out with a child on her shoulders, but she does make it. now, if she'd accidentally taken a real targ child with her, i think the reader would have been in deep shit, even if she'd returned him to the red keep. nobility can accuse her of whatever, so gaemon being a bastard was a massive relief for her.

Turmoil was still in the air, but already, whores were flaunting their figures.

the grind never stops in the street of silk ig... jk. or well, not really. istg if i was in flea bottom, i don't think i could take it mentally. there's a constant 180 between violence and everyday business (sex work) which is also deeply connected with violence.

The boy buried his face in your leg, and you picked him up, allowing him to look away as you walked further into the establishment.

okay, here's the thing. gaemon is a child. children don't understand things like this, but instinctually, they deeply dislike surroundings that promote violence. this can be seen in surroundings with high drug consumption/extreme poverty/etc etc while still being likely to become a perpetrator of them when they grow up. and while gaemon hates the surroundings - so does the reader, so it's again instinctual from her to make such a futile attempt at protecting him from this world he's stuck in anyway.

Essie turned to you, Gaemon on her hip. “Thank you.” She said sincerely.

“Of course.”

“Take care. And thank you for saving my son again. I cannot repay you, ever. I’ll ask the madam if there’s still a job for you here. You could make as much money as a merchant’s daughter.”

“I’m only a cleaner.” You explained.

“Still, it’ll pay better than at any other place in the Street of Silk.” She promised, giving you a small hug. You nodded, patting Gaemon on the shoulder before you made to leave again.

Essie doesn't have any money, or much other means to pay the reader back. I think in Flea Bottom and KL in general, there's a mentality of each for their own, but saving someone's child - there is bound to be gratitude, and this is what Essie can offer. a better shot at this whole each for their own thing.

You almost let out a scream as you saw the hooded figure across from you, but the man had already crossed the room, hand over your mouth.

honestly this is just criston being a hoe for drama.

“I know. I’m poor, not an idiot.” You said.

this was inspired by vikings. ivar says something along the lines of 'i'm a cripple, not an idiot' - which doesn't make that much sense since his brothers know he's smart. it does make sense in this situation, i think. it's another reference of nobility looking down on commoners, despite criston being born barely above those commoners.

“Don’t run away when this doesn’t go to plan, or I’ll gut you like my mother did to my father.” You threatened. He nodded, grabbing your hand in his own and pulling you after him.

okay, this is brutal. it's a brutal thing to do to your partner/husband. i didn't flesh out a clear backstory for the reader, but i did want to include this. it may or may not be true, but it's a desperate attempt to appear strong. that she's a person that can stand on her own two feet. if it is true, her mother prolly killed her father while he was drunk/intoxicated in some other way. realistically, the reader wouldn't stand a chance in a fight with criston, and she knows that.

“I love this side of you. I’ve never seen it, and I want more of it.” You replied.

this is another reference to just that. she doesn't quite love criston yet. he's been unkind to her. it's not a simple relationship, but she can see that there's a possibility of happiness. so, instead of lying to ser criston and saying i love you, she chooses that route.

You won’t believe how cheap everything here is.

this is just bc criston hasn't been to a grocery store in like. ten years.

“This is a manse, not a house.” You laughed, staring at the garden that bloomed around you. Terracotta tiles lined the path in front of you, leading to the house that was apparently yours.

the house is deeply inspired by mediterranean, and especially, italian houses. i'm not sure what they're called, but it's those houses in the countryside that my family would go to for the holidays. the time i spent in those houses was always some of the happiests weeks in my life. i guess it's also an ode to italy and spain, and the experiences i've made there. ofc, i've only ever been on holiday, but in general, people are more friendly and welcoming than in my homecountry germany, and many big cities in southeast asia, where i grew up in. not to mention the absolutely mouthwatering cuisine. ig that's what i wanted for the reader. she's been through enough lol.

“You will. Leaving that place saved you.”

with that place, the reader means the red keep specifically. no one there is happy. sansa is obviously not okay due to the abuse she had to endure. jaime connects most of his trauma to the red keep. cersei sits in the red keep, dreaming of home, of casterly rock (this is in the books, mostly). and why shouldn't they? literally not one character enjoys living there. same thing goes for hotd. rhaenyra leaves it due to rumors catching up to her, and the constant harassment about her sons. alicent's life is just... pretty shit. it's also due to the red keep. had she stayed in oldtown, she never would have been forced to marry viserys, abandoned by her own father and surrounded by people that were out to get something from her. daeron, who is literally alicent's only somewhat normal child, is also the only one that grew up outside the red keep. viserys is killed by living in the red keep and sitting on the iron throne (not that i have much sympathy for him).

now, there's this theme in asoiaf with the corruption through power, and how the iron throne embodies that, but i think that that also extends to the characters in the red keep. either, they're victims of people that seek power (helaena, sansa, tommen, etc) or, they're people made miserable BECAUSE they seek that power (cersei, daemon, kevan, etc).

okay that was A LOT. but yeah, these were kind of my thoughts on the fic and the lines behind it. i hope you enjoyed :)))

[cryoriku]

the body of a slug

Ao3 link: [x] Relationship: Warrior of Light / Alphinaud Leveilleur Tags: fluff, drabble, warrior of light is a system and also alphinaud's age

Drabble of Alphinaud and Arkao managing to squeeze a beach day in Thavnair into their tight schedules.

Arkao nears closer, a cat, making inconspicuous, calculated movements across the sand to stretch the length of himself and reach the space where Alphinaud's elbow, supporting the book he holds, meets his slender waist, and nose at it.

"Hm?"

Alphinaud is still looking at his book. Arkao snakes his hands around Alphinaud, and finally he glances down.

"Gils...?" Alphinaud asks—uncertain which alter was fronting at this moment.

"Arkao."

Indeed, it was his boyfriend.

Alphinaud passes the book to his opposite hand for a moment, to crane his neck down and kiss the top of Arkao's head. “Something weighing on your thoughts?”

Arkao lets out a sigh. “A dream... that's almost what this feels like.”

“Don't let on to Alisaie. She won't hesitate at the chance to pinch someone.”

“I might need to be pinched. —Ouch!”

“Hm? What, you didn't think I just took my sister's abuses idly, did you? Hey—!”

As soon as Arkao releases his grip, Alphinaud's hand clamps over his pained ear. "Heheh. Now we both know this is real.”

Alphinaud's head tilts. “What about it is so hard to believe?”

Arkao's hand slides underneath Alphinaud's shirt, smoothing over his skin and settling at the center, the warmth of his stomach on his palm.

Then he retracts himself, and turns over onto his back, staring up at the sky. The sea here in Thavnair is no different than it is back home—home, Arkao repeats, it almost startles him how quickly he has come to view it as such—in Sharlayan. Yet, somehow, it feels different.

“That day, when we saved the baby... what were you thinking?”

“Huh? Hmm…" Alphinaud takes a moment to think. "Well, I had to maintain my composure. Not only because of... the situation at hand, but for the others, and the baby, whose fears would be reinforced by my own if I panicked," explains Alphinaud. "But a repressed part of myself that didn't surface until, now I suppose, was—is—deeply disturbed. All were punished for their most human instincts, and that even an infant could have gone unspared twists my stomach in a knot. Kids know not their sins.

"I admit I don't exactly have a way with children, but they're important to me. I suppose I am like my father in that way. Hahah…”

Something Alphinaud said strikes Arkao with a memory. Gods, it feels like forever ago now. In the Crystarium, during the struggle with Elidibus, helping the children there. He calls to mind vividly Alphinaud kneeling down to Riqi Tio like a knight in shining armor and encouraging her small acts of heroism.

It was when Arkao knew for certain that he was in love with him.

“Liar. You have a way with everyone... for better or worse.”

A cocky grin flickers across Alphinaud's face. “I would not be a very good diplomat without a certain astuteness," he says.

“The body of a slug is soft and structureless. They have no obvious protection from predators piercing through the skin to their vitals. But they discharge a viscous mucus that is highly parasitic and lethal for predators to ingest.”

Arkao says it without so much as a pause, as though it had already been at the tip of his tongue. Alphinaud, on the other hand, hesitates at what to say. “And it would seem my instincts are entirely lost on you, Ark,” he admits.

"You're like a slug."

Arkao's eyes fly up at the sound of Alphinaud's book slamming shut. Alphinaud is staring down at him, mouth speechlessly agape. Arkao covers his mouth as he burst out laughing.

“Honestly! You should consider taking up a seat in the Forum. Nobody could best you in an argument when they cannot possibly predict what might come out of your mouth next! Good gods…” says Alphinaud exasperatedly, “Would you mind elaborating?”

“Hehehe... now I'm all embarrassed…” Arkao rolls onto his side, to avoid the dilemma of eye contact as he explains it. “You're sensitive and soft. Yet still strong. In spirit and wits. It doesn't feel real that I am able to... have you.”

There's a pause. And then, Arkao gasps at the sensation of his body being enveloped by Alphinaud's own.

“I've said it before and I'll say it as many times as it takes for you to believe it,” Alphinaud tells him, “There is no one I would rather be dragged around the worlds and back by than you.”

Arkao sinks into this feeling, the warmth of the sun and the weight of the person he loved most. He wriggles his arm free just enough to tangle his fingers in the hair at Alphinaud's nape. Pull him in so that their mouths meet, gentle and plush.

It was a bold move for him that had even Alphinaud wide-eyed, though his face was red from his cheeks to the tips of his ears and his smile wouldn't leave his face. "I love you," Alphinaud breathes.

Even now, and as Arkao suspected it would after the hundredth time hearing it, his heart still speeds up. "I love you too."

[hvndredbattles]

𝑮𝑬𝑻 𝑻𝑶 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑾 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑼𝑵

yoinked from: @nezemny

tagging: whoever wants to!

what made you pick up the current muse(s) you have?━━ fandom brainrot lmao In all seriousness, though, I do tend to build my muses toward whatever genres or fandoms I'm currently most engaged with. On this blog in particular, it was definitely falling head-first into CoD.(Teddy being the exception, though she doesn't have info yet; she was inspired by a different piece of media (Wingwomen).)

is there anything you don’t like to write? ━━ Not generally in a way that has come up? I don't like children/pregnancy plots, just because they're not of interest to me, and I'm not generally into period drama type writing? And crack, I suppose.

is there anything you really enjoy writing? ━━ I'm an old fashioned whump/angst bitch. I like giving characters a good thrashing, be it emotionally or physically, and sticking them with other people, and seeing what comes out the other side. (Shaking the snowglobe, as it were.) I also really like working within established/plotted dynamics! Not necessarily that the whole trajectory is plotted out or anything, but developing a solid basis in which to work. I enjoy when characters settle into something, and then presenting circumstances that can reinforce or change those dynamics.

AND SPOOKY SHIT. God, I love me some serious, thriller/horror type spooky shit, even if it's not quite in line with the original media.

BUT ALSO I do just really enjoy writing with my friends.

how do you come up with headcanons? ━━ Uhhhh I mean. I almost never write canon characters (too intimidated by the prospect of fucking it up), so anything "headcanon" is actually just canon, technically? In any case, I tend to sit with the character and start prodding at a concept I want to know more about. I'll try to visualize it and set the character down in related situations to gauge reaction and then build from there, if that makes sense?

do you write in silence or do you play music? ━━ It depends. I do have curated playlists for some characters, and generally have a genre or fandom playlist that I can put on. Sometimes I struggle to focus on writing if I have other stimuli, but other times I need something else to split my focus so I can actually get work done

do you plan your replies or wing them? ━━ RP to me is improv. Very little planning, a lot of feeling it out as you go, informed by whatever you've got in your noggin about the character you're writing as.

do you enjoy shipping? ━━ It's not what I write for, but I do enjoy shipping on occasion! I think... iirc out of all my ships, I'm rarely the one to suggest it first, but I'm not avoiding it. It's another one of those vibes-based things where I sort of just need to feel it out as I go, and approve or pivot as I feel is honest and appropriate to the character involved. Very chemistry-based.

what’s your alias/name?   ━━ This is a funny place to put this question in the order of questions lshdfhsdf I'm Squid! I've been Squid for years and years, at this point; longer irl than online, actually. I've had other names and aliases, but this is the one I'm likely to stick with. It rings true to me.

favorite color? ━━ I don't? Have one? Idk man, greens are pretty sick, but I couldn't pick just one. But I also rly like gold and yellows!

favorite song? ━━ Such a "depends on the day" answer. Uhhhhh. Can't pick. Have this one: Gloves (with Matt McAndrew) - Saint Punk

last movie you watched? ━━ What a great question. It's-- OH! It was the new Chicken Run movie, which I watched with my beloved Hannah.

last show you watched? ━━ Does stuff on Dropout count? If yes, I've been burning through all their stuff, and have been currently working my way through Um, Actually. If not.... it's been. A While since I watched any television. It might have been 3 Body Problem? Which I haven't finished, because it was Stressful, but I was enjoying it!

last song you listened to? ━━ lshdfhsd I've got music on rn, cuz I was trying to find one I vibed enough with to share for the fave song question. I bounced around for a while, and then ended up back on the playlist I have it in, so sldhfhsd see favorite song for the song I last listened to.

favorite food? ━━ Macaroni and cheese!

favorite season? ━━ Fall, maybe? idk, they all have their pros and cons.

do you have a Tumblr best friend? ━━ A few! My bestest tumblr friend (and actually just one of my best friends) is @ru5t!

[mindandbodyreviewer]

Why Every Child Should Wear a Bike Helmet: A Parent’s Guide

Hey everyone,

Welcome back to MindandBodyReviewer! Today, we’re diving into a topic that combines safety, fun, and parenting – children’s bike helmets. 🚴‍♂️🛡️

The Importance of Bike Helmets

As parents, our number one priority is keeping our kids safe. Whether they’re riding a bike for the first time or they're seasoned little cyclists, wearing a bike helmet is crucial. But why exactly is this piece of gear so important?

The Science Behind Helmet Safety

Helmets are designed to protect one of the most vulnerable and vital parts of the body – the brain. Here are some quick facts:

Impact Absorption: Helmets are constructed to absorb the force of impact during a fall or collision, significantly reducing the risk of head injuries.

Spinal Protection: By securing the head, helmets also help protect the neck and spine from injury.

Standards and Regulations: Most helmets meet rigorous safety standards, ensuring they provide the best possible protection.

Choosing the Right Helmet

Selecting the right helmet is just as important as wearing one. Here’s what you need to know:

Fit is Key: A helmet should fit snugly on your child’s head without being too tight. Look for adjustable straps and sizing pads.

Check for Certification: Make sure the helmet meets safety standards like CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) in the US.

Style and Comfort: Let your child pick a helmet they like. If they love it, they’re more likely to wear it consistently.

Making Helmet-Wearing a Habit

It’s one thing to buy a helmet, but getting your child to wear it every time they ride is another story. Here are some tips:

Set a Good Example: Kids learn by watching adults. Wear a helmet yourself when riding.

Create a Routine: Make wearing a helmet a non-negotiable part of biking. Consistency is key.

Positive Reinforcement: Praise and encourage your child every time they wear their helmet. Turn it into a fun ritual!

Common Myths Debunked

There are several myths about bike helmets that need debunking:

Myth: Helmets are uncomfortable and hot. Fact: Modern helmets are designed with ventilation and lightweight materials to ensure comfort.

Myth: Short rides don’t require helmets. Fact: Most accidents happen close to home, often on short rides. Helmets are essential, no matter the distance.

Myth: Helmets mess up hairstyles. Fact: Safety trumps style! Plus, there are plenty of tips to keep hair looking great even after wearing a helmet. And there are many other ways to look good during fitness -- more than just your safety gear. Check out this gym bag blog for some stylish and practical gym bags.

Final Thoughts

Investing in a quality bike helmet and ensuring your child wears it can make all the difference. It’s a small step that provides immense peace of mind and keeps your little adventurer safe while they explore the world on two wheels.

What are your thoughts on bike helmets for kids? Do you have any tips or experiences to share? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

Stay safe and keep pedaling,

MindandBodyReviewer 🚴‍♀️✨

Feel free to reblog and share this post to spread awareness about the importance of bike helmets for children. Every little bit helps in making our world a safer place for our kids!

[topazadine]

I know I just reblogged something about this (and I am Book Talking again) but as a lesbian, something I really wanted to represent in my trilogy that people can be neutral toward LGBT people, or even uncomfortable with them, and still be allies.

The setting in my world is viciously, horrendously homophobic. They literally send gay people to an island full of people-eating dogs. MC comes from another country that does not have such people-eating dog islands and thus is baffled by their homophobia, though she quickly gets the hint that she cannot openly hit on other women.

One of the characters is a straight woman who, upon finding out that the MC has a gay brother and brother-in-law, goes "yeah, there was a couple like that in my hometown. They were good people. Anytime someone tried to have them sent to the island, my dad would take care of it. I've got enough of my own stuff going on to worry about stuff like that."

Is she the perfect ally? No, of course not. She doesn't really advocate for the lesbian MC in any real capacity, nor does she go out of her way to encourage MC to get with her love interest. She's got her own stuff going on. It's none of her business. But when push comes to shove, and MC is in danger, she'll throw down because this is her friend being hurt - and that matters more than sexuality.

People can be also uncomfortable with LGBT people in a "I don't really want to see that" way and not be bad people. They don't know any better. They may have never interacted with a real life queer person before and have been programmed their whole life to hate us.

Another character is a straight man who just really, really doesn't like the idea of girls kissing. It makes him itchy, and he basically flees any time MC and her love interest show any sort of affection for one another. He hates the concept. But he, too, is willing to help and protect the MC because, beyond her sexuality, she is his friend.

Over time, as they get closer and start to understand one another better, he revises his concept of sexuality and slowly gets over his homophobia, to the point where he's willing to say that gay people can be heroic and admirable. He's not going to be wearing an ally pin, but he's also not going to call for all lesbians to be eaten by dogs.

These characters are not written as villains, because they're not. They're people who are shaped by their background and societal interpretations of issues, and they have the potential to improve. There's a good heart down there, even if it's cluttered by discrimination and homophobia.

If we lived in a better world, such passive homophobia would be our biggest issue, and we could work on boosting education in schools or, I don't know, starting a Tolerance Points system where you get free things if you give a thumbs up to two women kissing on the train. (That's a bad idea, don't listen to me.) But we, like the setting of my book, do not have a perfect world, and we need to focus on potential and "good enough" rather than "perfect angel ally."

This is what younger queers need to understand. Constant policing of language, demanding better than what people can give, just makes them hate you all the more.

You coming in guns blazing, screaming that they're a bigot, is not going to change their mind, it is just going to reinforce what they were taught. That we are all scary bad people who want to ruin their culture and pull a Reverse Uno to oppress them instead.

Of course, there are some people who are, quite simply, terrible. They will burn your house down for being gay. They'll beat you to death. They'll pass laws so you can't find a bathroom within five miles because you're trans. They'll show up at drag story hour in hopes of shooting the drag queens reading to children.

Those are the people who deserve our ire, our venom, because there is no way to fix that level of hatred, and their existence is a threat to us far more than our existence is to them. Not the person who uses outdated language with a good heart, or who freezes up when two men hold hands, or who says they really just don't care what trans people do as long as they wash their hands.

And honestly, isn't that we what really want in the end? To be seen as fine, normal, and unextraordinary. To be just another segment of society. The goal is to not even need advocacy anymore because we're no different than someone with brown eyes and blonde hair.

But if we want to get there, we cannot get in everyone's face and demand they march at Pride or they're a bigot. That is counterproductive.

If someone isn't calling for our execution, then we need to meet people where they are at and accept them as who they are, just as we want to be accepted as who we are. Sometimes we need to hold our tongue and not blow up at a microaggression because, frankly, it doesn't really matter. People can grow and change, but you need to give them the space to do so.

I know that's a lesson a lot of people don't want to learn, but you need to if you're going to survive in this tough old world.

[shaunashipman]

long personal rant

(i know this doesn't make me look very good)

so my sister has gotten kicked out of her apartment, amazingly not because of anything she did, and my parents are helping her out, trying to find a place for her, and they've bought her a tent and supplies for now

today she's at our house, washing a bunch of clothes and stuff, and my parents just said that they're going to be staying the night, which fine

but my parents are going out of town tomorrow morning for the week, my sister is supposed to leave for a few hours to scout some places then come back and get their stuff, and my mom just said that basically, they might stop by at points throughout the week

i know i should feel sympathy and want to help them, but i was done with my sister years ago, she's done so much shit, and yeah, the drugs, but even now that she's ostensibly off them, she's never apologized or learned. even now when she seems to get that she can't take my stuff, she can't get it through her head to not fucking touch it, to not go into my rooms without permission, because i can't trust her, and yet today i'm sitting downstairs and she comes back from shower, talks with mom, then says "oh, i borrowed your lighter" and puts it on the table, which means she went into my study, when there's nothing in there that she's allowed to touch.

and i'm just so frustrated with my mother when she asks if i'm okay with this stuff, because what am i supposed to say, no my homeless sister can't stay the night? no you can't give her food that i've bought? she knows i eat specific things on specific days, that i need to stick to my schedule to mitigate my migraines, that i buy in specific quantities to last me a certain amount of days, and yet i still wake up or come home to her telling me she gave my sister one of my yogurt drinks, or some of my pizza pops, and it's like great, i can't do groceries until saturday, and now i'm short for the week

now i'm just so upset, because i booked time off work to coincide with my parents going out of town, so i can have the house to myself for once, and now, my sister might be stopping by at any time, staying for who knows how long

i feel sympathy for her as a human being, but as my sister, i just truly don't fucking care. there's been a lot of times over the years when we didn't know where she was, or if she was even alive, and i always thought there was something wrong with me, because i just don't care. i don't care what happens to her, i really fucking don't.

i mean, i obviously don't want her dead, but i do want her to just go away forever, i want to never have to deal with her again, i never want her in my house again. and i hate that this all makes me feel like a child, because my mom always paid more attention to my sister and brother than me, and i always told myself it was because they were the "problem children" and needed more attention, whereas i was quiet and did what i was told, but every time my mother would let her back into our lives, after stealing from her, from me, after lying, after the time she physically attacked me for trying to make her leave when mom wasn't there, it just reinforces my belief that no, my mom really does love her more than me.

[thrivingmindsacademy]

Effective Strategies in ABA Therapy: Building Strong Foundations

ABA therapy is a form of behavioral therapy that uses methods and techniques to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve their learning skills. It has been used for over many years, so it's definitely not new. However, there are many myths surrounding ABA therapy that prevent parents from using it effectively. This article will explain how effective strategies can be incorporated into your child's ABA schedule so that they can get the most out of each session!

Establishing Routines

Routines are an important part of ABA therapy. They help children with autism stay calm and focused, which makes it easier for them to learn new skills. In addition, routines can also be used to teach kids about their disabilities.

For example, if your child is working on learning how to tie their shoes, you could use a routine that involves putting on socks as part of the steps required for tying shoes. This will help reinforce what they're learning while providing additional opportunities for practice at home or in school (depending on where you're getting your ABA therapy).

Prompting, not prompting

Prompting is a strategy used to help clients learn new behaviors. It's not a reward, reinforcer or punishment. It's not even a threat!

Prompting is simply an instruction given by the therapist to the client in order for him/her to perform an action on his/her own. When you prompt someone using ABA therapy techniques, you're telling them what you want them to do and how they can do it (for example: "Can you point with your finger?"). When we give our child this instruction without prompting him or her first, he/she won't know what we want them to do until after we've finished speaking--at which point it may be too late for him/her to respond appropriately without any guidance from us at all!

Differentiating between reinforcing and rewarding

Reinforcement is defined as a consequence that follows a behavior and increases the probability of that behavior happening again. A good example of reinforcement is when you receive a paycheck at the end of each week, which makes you want to go back to work every Monday. In contrast, rewarding is giving someone something they want or feel good about but it doesn't increase the probability of that behavior happening again. For example: if your child gets an A on their math test because they studied hard instead of just getting lucky on one question (which happens sometimes), then giving them ice cream as a reward might not be effective at increasing studying behaviors in general since it wasn't earned through effort or skill development.

Identifying academic areas

The first step in planning for ABA therapy is to identify the academic areas that need to be taught. This can be done by observing your child's behavior and listening to what he has learned in school so far.

Identify strengths and weaknesses: It is important to understand what your child already knows, as well as what they do not know. These are areas where you will want to focus your teaching efforts during ABA sessions. For example, if your child can read words but cannot write them yet, then you would want him/her learning how to write those words during therapy sessions instead of focusing on other skills such as phonological awareness or comprehension skills (both of which might come easier).

Identify interests: You also want identify any specific interests that may motivate your child into wanting learn more about certain topics or subjects; these are excellent motivators for starting new lessons! For example: If a young boy loves playing soccer with his friends outside every weekend during summer break from school then maybe one thing we could do together would be creating an activity booklet about soccer rules & regulations so whenever he gets bored inside after lunchtime during winter months when there aren't many outdoor activities available due snowfall etc., instead of watching TV all day long like most children do nowadays--instead maybe we could spend some time together reading up on different types of balls used throughout history until finally reaching modern times where everything has changed drastically compared past centuries' standards such as using rubber instead leather stitching techniques etc..

Teaching Clients About Their Disabilities and Strengths

You can teach your clients about their disabilities and strengths in a number of ways. The first step is to determine your client's strengths, which you can do by observing them in everyday situations. For example, if they're trying to get dressed in the morning and have trouble finding matching socks or shoes (a common issue for autistic people), that could be an indication that their visual processing skills are impaired--a disability.

Let's say you notice that one of your clients has difficulty making eye contact with strangers when talking to them; this could be due to social anxiety or simply being overwhelmed by the situation at hand (another common symptom). In either case, it would be helpful for this person if they knew how much eye contact matters when interacting with others socially; this knowledge might help him feel more comfortable around people overall and lead him down paths toward better communication skills down the road!

ABA therapy is effective when you make sure you are doing it right.

When you are working with an ABA therapist, it is important to make sure that you are doing it right.

Having a good therapist is essential. You want someone who has experience and knows how to do their job well. They should also be able to explain everything clearly so that you know what's going on and why they're doing certain things during therapy sessions with your child. This can help ease any concerns or worries that may arise from time-to-time during treatment sessions (and there will be days when these concerns pop up).

Having a good plan in place is also key--you want something concretely laid out for both yourself and your child so everyone knows where they need to be at all times during each session, whether it's for homework assignments or practicing skills such as reading/writing letters/numbers; following directions; etcetera...

Thriving Minds Academy is the best ABA therapy near me. We are a school that provides a wide range of services to help students reach their full potential. Our staff has over many years of combined experience in autism and behavioral therapy, so we know what it takes to help students succeed. Thriving Minds Academy have an amazing facility with classrooms, playgrounds, and gymnasiums all designed to give your child the best possible experience while they're with us!

Thriving Minds Academy 850 S Ironwood Dr Ste #110, Apache Junction, AZ 85120, United States +1 480-806-8000 https://thrivingmindsaz.com/