#and none of this would be possible without community and shared knowledge

[normally-blue]

Character lineup for my post-apocalyptic climbing zine !!

[zeondraws]

I poked a few questions at Secret Mode on their discord server and got an answer back today. Right after I came home and I can't stress how happy I got reading it.

I'll try to show my the questions and the answers together, so that people on tumblr have enough context what I asked about. Figured you guys might enjoy.

"Does Muir play the Bagpipe?" - Personally (others might disagree), I could definitely see Muir play the bagpipe (especially if he can annoy Innes with it!) but what would most likely happen is that he would bring something small that is allowed in his baggage like an harmonica.

"Something I noticed is that McLeary's name seems to be an innuendo to MacReady from The Thing, which made me wonder: Were names chosen at random or did they serve a specific purpose? Another person I know noticed Muir means "sea" while Innes means "island"." - I think the short answer is yes names have meaning and none of them were picked at random! But our philosophy is to let people draw their own conclusion as we don't want to make things "official" by giving our reasons! (we love to read/see people create their own theories so feel free to share them!)

"One small thing me and other people wondered, ingame we found a schedule for the shifts. A bunch of the crewmates seem to be listed on it, like "Derek M."? and "Joey I." Where we wondered if those were the first names of Muir and Innes?" - To my knowledge Muir and Innes have always existed in the game and can be found listed on that schedule I think although it might be hidden. Derek and Joey might be in the background without lines. - Innes' first name is Terry and Muir's name is Ewan.

"Another mini question I had was, is it possible to know who lived in the room 121? I could never find any indications thus far." - 121 was meant to be Innes and Muir's room...Innes is the one who likes reading. Seeing how much fans love them I wish we'd set dressed it more with clues about them.

"And my last goofy question is, when Muir basically yeets Innes across the deck, he is still animated when he lands inbetween the containers (I'm using a mod to look around the level a bit more). Did that have a specific reason? Did Muir just threw him across the deck or did he want to carry him?" - For Innes being animated for a bit longer, the simple answer is that our lead animator always plan to show a tiny bit more than what is shown because you never know if an angle might change...

With this I am finally able to somewhat complete my picture of the crewmate rooms. Thank you so much! I am learning so much about this game and how the developers approach the lore. I've never really been in such a community before so this is all very new for me. But a very positive experience (Since I feel extremely awkward asking questions, where I never know if I sound pushy/annoying, so I am often extremely nervous).

But this also means I have another detail to add for my video- Ooohhhh!

[elegantshapeshifter]

Skepticism of Medieval Pagan Witchcraft vs Skepticism of the Sabbath

Among scholars, there is ongoing skepticism regarding the physical nature of the Sabbath. Was it truly a physical gathering, or merely a visionary experience—a dream or a trance-induced event?

Interestingly, however, no one disputes the existence of offerings to spirits, whether Major Spirits similar to deities (like leaders of witches, of fairies and/or of the Wild Hunt), or Minor Spirits, such as household spirits, nature spirits, fairies, familiars, and so on. These offerings are well-documented, and in rare cases, we even have surviving witnesses to such practices. Similarly, the occurrence of visionary experiences, whether in dreams or trance states, is universally accepted.

So why is the idea of a physical Sabbath questioned? Not because of the ritual itself—it closely resembles the other documented offerings—but due to its collective aspect: the gathering of multiple participants. Historical evidence does not conclusively confirm whether individual practitioners of offerings or visionary experiences ever gathered for such rituals.

It seems plausible, however, that gatherings might have occurred under specific circumstances. People often shared their visionary experiences, just as they might discuss dreams with family, friends, or acquaintances. Likewise, the custom of offering to spirits was common knowledge. These factors suggest that practitioners who shared similar beliefs and rituals could have agreed to meet and celebrate collectively, leading to what we now identify as the Sabbath.

Oddly, most scholarly perspectives neglect the possibility of a solitary Sabbath. Its structure does not differ significantly from a personal offering. A hybrid form—a visionary experience supported by a physical ritual, such as a solitary Sabbath or an extended offering—also seems overlooked.

The crux of the debate lies here: scholars skeptical of Pagan Survivals or Traditional Witchcraft in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period are not disputing the existence of personal practices like offerings, solitary Sabbaths, dreams, or visionary experiences. Instead, their skepticism focuses exclusively on the idea of collective gatherings among practitioners.

Even if we accept the most extreme skeptical scenario—that none of the countless individuals aware of witchcraft beliefs across Europe ever agreed to meet with a neighbor, friend, or family member in an isolated location (such as a forest, clearing, or abandoned building) to perform these rituals—the core of witchcraft would still stand intact.

After all, an individual Hindu today who offers devotion at a home altar, meditates, or dreams of their deities is still considered Hindu, even without participating in communal festivals. Similarly, we would consider an ancient Roman Pagan performing solitary offerings at their household lararium as authentically Roman Pagan.

Why, then, do we set a higher standard for defining Traditional Witchcraft? Why insisting not only on the presence of devotional and visionary practices but also on physical gatherings of practitioners?

In conclusion, when we delve deeper, we see that the few scholars that apparently seems to be skeptical of the existance of a Pagan Witchcraft in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period are not really genuinely skeptical of its existence. Their doubt pertains only to the physical Sabbath as a collective meeting, rather than the broader, solitary, or hybrid practices that are equally significant to the tradition.

[twstgarden]

✰ ❝ match-up for @love-dazee ❞

━ match-up trades are open. for more information, please visit the catalogue and the rules. ━ a florist sorting through the flowers to find your perfect match. according to the red tulip's petals, your match is...

━ 𝙡𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙚 ━

➻ the youthful-looking old soul of diasomnia appears to be a great match! someone with a lot of experience ought to be helpful with your writing prompts and motivation, as the red tulips claim.

➻ your calm demeanour and creative spirit are some of the things that draw him in. your curiosity about several things is usually always quenched by the old bat's vast knowledge and experience; he loves sharing his stories with you just to see the extreme concentration and curiosity in your eyes as you listen to him with great interest.

➻ it seems you are the parent of your friend group as well! with him as your partner, you both would be doting on each other, making sure the other is safe and sound and ensuring none are in pain or about to stir up some trouble. however, there will always be instances where lilia tries to pull harmless pranks on you for the sole reason of seeing your shocked expression followed by a yelp.

➻ dear fellow writer, the retired general would find your creativity a wonder. he'd be enthusiastic upon discovering that you have a knack and passion for writing fanfictions and original works, and if given the chance, he would happily read them.

➻ if you ask him for it, he won't hesitate to give you ideas or share stories from his experiences to help you fuel your creative writing. if you ask for constructive criticism, he'd share it with you as he would support any and all of your endeavours with a proud smile on his face.

➻ a fan of several classic authors, i see. he would be interested to hear you talk about them, and he would even buy you the books that are not in your collection as of late. do you not have the fall of the house of usher by edgar allan poe in your collection yet? he'd buy them for you! oh, you have it? perhaps you don't have the setting sun by osamu dazai yet? he'd gladly buy the book for you! all in hardcovers, i might add.

➻ your paintings are masterpieces in his eyes. he likes how creative you are and would fuel your passions with relentless support! whether it's by hanging your paintings in his bedroom or giving you compliments, he would do it.

➻ your music taste varies from several genres as your listed artists comprise rock bands, k-pop groups, jazz artists, and 1990s to 2000s pop singers. he loves jamming to them with you, especially songs from your favourite rock bands. as part of the light music club, he would even play a song or two for you as you both sing along to the lyrics.

➻ overall, having lilia as your match means your relationship would grow to be rewarding and fulfilling for you both. due to both your desires for commitment, you will have a deep connection with one another. for your dynamics, trust and faithfulness are important factors to make your relationship work. there is a great level of affection and intellect, making it a seemingly balanced relationship.

━ possible matches: ➻ idia shroud (similar personalities and would click, but may struggle in the affectionate department. it will take a long time for both to eventually open up their hearts and pour it out on one another) ➻ rollo flamme (will make for a faithful and supportive partner, in his own way. however, problems may arise due to lack of proper communication as he tends to keep things to himself, similar to idia) ➻ azul ashengrotto (the perfect partner with great intellect and collaboration, but may face troubles when it comes to trust and honesty)

© twstgarden 2023 || please do not steal, translate without my permission, or use this to train a.i.

[theflowerbunny]

MySims - Desk Bell Patch

What is the Desk Bell Patch? This mod is a tool necessary for having your custom NPCs appear as hotel guests without having to start a new game. This is meant to interacting with your new sims while breaking immersion as little as possible.

How Can You Use It:

Place the Desk Bell - Decoration available in the hotel and the player's house.

Creating an NPC - If you have a little knowledge modifying MySims, or even see some tutorials on Reddit, create a new NPC and add it to the game. For this mod The new sims have to be added manually to the files Global_Hotel_MoveInPool.lua and Global_Townies_Tuning.lua by duplicating a preexisting entry and changing the name of the files required for the sim.

And this is just the beginning - You can share various mods here on Nexus and elsewhere. How about shaking up the MySims community?

Special Thanks: Thanks to _hexagon13 for creating this entire mod and giving me permission to share it here! Without you, none of this would have been done, a big thumbs up to you! 

Installation: The Installer will install the patch automatically. If you want to change the installation location, you must change the install location in the Installer. (Although this is not recommended unless the game is installed in a different location). NOTE: If you have installed MySims somewhere else, such as the retail version, you will have to change the installation location.

Uninstallation: To uninstall the Patch, click on the file after installing it, and click on 'Remove'. After that, repair your game through the EA App.

Have fun! 💚

DL (Desk Bell Patch): SimFileShare - Nexus

DL (Custom NPC Creation Guide): SimFileShare - Nexus

[stingslikeabee]

ghis has sought her out with some semblance of a plan. not one concocted by his own imagination, of course, but sewn together by his desire and drace's own prowess in this field of knowledge. really without her aid he would be about as useful as a fish on land, flopping around in desperation. but all is well, at the moment, where the magistrate has invited her into his less than humble abode for a quiet night of conversation. rare are the moments as of late where he is able to call the capitol city, home. the magister's days are fairly limited to the skies he patrols well beyond archades' borders. in these moments though, where ghis can simply be, he does readily choose to spend them with her.

'you are stunning,' he compliments immediately, the man starstruck for a moment. this happens often, around melissa.

unscripted asks . always accepting

The inner rooms of the home belonging to one of the judge magisters of Archadia was a precious location for intel. One could find out much about their living conditions, food preferences and even details about a schedule that would be undisclosed otherwise. It was easier to get a trained officer to be unguarded at their own residences and to justify the casual investigation of the place under the excuses of being lost within such imponent surroundings.

The Marquis would have been overjoyed if he knew of such invitations and plans from judge Ghis - but these were never properly communicated back to the Sky City. By the time Melissa was invited to such occasions, the dancer lacked the old enthusiasm to see the man dead or held accountable by the crimes perpetrated by the empire he served. In the most unexpected twists of the fate, the Gods had seen fit to have an undercover agent turning sincere in her pretend act.

The smile when returning the invitation by writing to Ghis' aide, the careful planning into her appearance for the evening (with the right amount of jewelry, perfume and colorful fabric enveloping her body) and even the way her hand pressed into the magistrate's open compliment - none of them were rehearsed or performed with a hidden agenda in mind. At some point, surely, the leader of Bhujerba would send another missive with ciphered wording inquiring about Melissa's advances and success with the judge that had warranted a prolonged stay in imperial lands - but it was not a concern for that evening.

Perhaps, for once, Melissa shared the same lack of regard of her host for the future day - the man had stepped out of his trademark armor and opened his home (and possibly his heart) to the Bhujerban in a fashion that had no connection to his duties as a man of the law. There was no planning for the next morning, just the eagerness to profit from the rare occasion of the two of them being free and in the same city.

Once Melissa was taken further inside, the attentive servant who had been in charge of closing the doors disappeared. The first drawing room to where the dancer was steered to was very much Archadian - overflowing with the opulence and material comforts expected of someone of his station and family background. And yet, Ghis had eyes only for her, uncaring for the appearances presented. His home was often empty and impersonal - Melissa was being granted an unique chance not only to see it, but to find its owner there too, dressed as a man rather than a tool of the Empire.

"It pleases me to hear that, Jarvis," the Bhujerban mentioned in a low, intimate tone once she was lead to a comfortable couch. It lacked the exuberant covers of these at her home, but it offered more than enough room for Ghis to take a seat close to her, perhaps closer than the proper etiquette would mandate. Right hand raising to touch his face tenderly, Melissa allowed herself the boldness of those born closer to the stars in the floating island, smiling at the man before inching closer for a kiss that was as sweet as it was scandalous if the servants returned to that room.

"I dressed for your gaze alone, after all," the dancer murmured upon parting from that brief caress over the judge's lips, however lingering within his personal space, "And while I would be delighted to hear about your travels and everything that is novel about our vast world, I would also be more than happy to let you take my outfit apart. I have cleared my morning schedule following your invitation - I hope you have no intentions of seeing me leave until well after sunrise."

[canonisdead]

I think this just turned into a notp vs otp

I ship a lot for fun but I do think about the chemistry when I'm actually thinking about the whole ship and not JUST for fun.

For example, they should imo bring out different sides of themselves and what do they bring to the table for their relationship.

I can confidently tell you Tinky and Guardian don't have any chemistry. Hahaha- It doesn't match nicely

I'm bad with words so I will express it through which relationship is healthier-

Control

While we don't see Guardian really hold a real conversation with Tinky, we do see how he interacts with one of the four. And he can come off as controlling sure he might feel better with control over the situation, but it's not healthy to want people to follow every demand you throw at them.

Lenny and Guardian never attempt to control each other.

Safety

Infected Tinky isn't the safest guy to be around, I mean he did just kill his best friend, a complete stranger has no chance.

While Guardian did just witness Lenny take his rage out on a machine and angrily chase after Gary, he doesn't seem to feel unsafe around Lenny.

They enjoy spending time together

Guardian probably would like spending time around any of the test subjects he watched, it wouldn't be mutual on Tinky's side. Because who wants to willingly spend time around someone who watched you without your consent??

While the feelings aren't really clear, Lenny and Guardian don't seem to dislike being around each other. With my fanon, Guardian finds Lenny interesting even when he has no idea what the guy is talking about. Yes, Guardian is a little weird but Lenny also knows Anne who is also a weirdo that sometimes spies on people without their knowledge so that she can paint them naturally. And little snowball is just uneducated, he sees the potential in him.

Communication

Guardian can't have a proper conversation with Tinky because Tinky Winky is technically in an altered mindset. And even if he wasn't infected, talking with your technical stalker is kinda weird and the conversations are awkward. And Tinky possibly might react in a similar way Laa-Laa did.

Lenny and Guardian can have a proper conversation because none of them are infected and they can work together to stop the apocalypse.

Shared Goals

Idk about yours but my Tinky Winky just wants to be with his friends, the apocalypse is none of his business, cured or not infected. While Guardian wants to fix what went wrong.

Lenny and Guardian have a shared goal of wanting to stop the apocalypse.

Constant Arguing

Tinky would argue with Guardian so much that I could add it to my Strangers to semi good terms, to almost friends, to friends, to almost lovers, to lovers. It would be very hard to find a middle ground because Guardian sees nothing morally wrong with what he did and it'll take very long chapters for Tinky's yelling to change his mind on that.

While I believe it'll be rare to see Lenny and Guardian argue, but if they do it's probably around the methods to stop the apocalypse and they could find a middle ground. And it wouldn't take 50 chapters to get to that middle ground.

Working together not against eachother

Working together in the campaign involves fighting/killing the other three. If you think Tinky is going to help fight his friends, think again.

Do I need to really explain why Lenny and Guardian are more likely to work together rather than against eachother?

Power Imbalance

Guardian literally has more power than Tinky, he's a Guardian that can prevent them from leaving the Main Lands with probably just a phone call. Tinky has no power in his situation.

While in my fanon Lenny is in a lot of control in the base, he doesn't use this as a weapon. He finds people using power to talk down to people with less power as despicable. So he would never do it to Guardian.

Isolating From Friends And Family

Sorry but so far as I see this ship written, Tinky's friends are always put so far away almost as if he's being isolated from them.

If Lenny and Guardian have separate platonic relationships, they would never isolate each other.

[oraclekleo]

Hellooo 🌻 Kleoo my impression of your blog is it's like a library with No Kids zone sign, peaceful, mature and cozy. By mature it's not only about nsfw reading but the ambience and the way you interact with your followers 💛💛 i can talk on and on about what i like of your blog 😂 thank youu kleoooo 🫶🏻🫶🏻 as for the celeb do i need to mention, my one and only girl 🤣

Hello!

I’m really happy my blog gives such a good impression. I love libraries and I dislike kids so this is exactly how it should look like here. 😂

No, I’m glad the blog gives a mature vibe. Even people who are already older or their soul is mature should have somewhere to go on Tumblr.

Thank you so much for your kind words and your constant support. It means the world to me. 💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝

Let’s get into your compatibility reading and make it as hot as possible. 😈

18+

@lovelysana + Sana (Twice) Compatibility Reading

Cards: 31 Surrendering (Sexual Magic Oracle), Mercury in Leo - Drama, Saturn in Leo - Generosity (Oracle of the Radiant Sun), XX The Judgement, King of Swords, 7 of Wands (Erotic Fantasy Tarot), 4 of Wands, III The Empress, 5 of Wands (Dark Wood Tarot)

Here we go! Right from the start I can see this compatibility to be somewhat of an explosive one. Great passions are in the game but both parties would like to maintain their autonomy. I see that you and Sana would probably feel strongly attracted to each other on a sexual and intellectual level. At the same time, it looks like none of you is willing to take the more submissive role in the relationship which might cause traction and in result epic fights ending with at least one side in tears. You might need to take breaks in your relationship when you simply don’t see each other as while the sexual tension is high in between you, the emotions might become too strong and raw to be handled when you are in each other’s company.

The cards strongly suggest an aspect of long distance communication. During these breaks, you might actually deepen your bond through some form of correspondence. It’s not necessary for you to write each other handwritten letters like the heroines in Jane Austen novels, in this day and age we have quicker and even more intimate ways. When I looked at the cards, I heard sexting in my head, which might become your favourite way to communicate when apart. Both your oracle cards are connected with the Leo sign which denotes a certain level of flirtation. Sexting and flirting through messages can be your way to better express yourself in the relationship without slipping into a quarrel.

No matter how long this relationship would last, it would be a life changing one for you and Sana alike. I see a certain aspect of apprenticeship in the cards which might mean you will learn a lot from Sana, who’s very likely signified by the Empress card in the reading. You might look up to her and really embrace the opportunity to work on yourself in the relationship. When you two are not fighting or f***ing, you are likely to empower each other a great deal. Sana is likely to share her vast knowledge of lust and pleasure with you in a form you will remember till the end of your life. You will never be the same after this relationship.

Although the cards suggest that it might not last for that long. It probably wouldn’t be your happily-ever-after one, but it would pave your path towards your soulmate.

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[symmetruh]

me talking abt personal life stuff

man after like. the evolution of my relationship with my current partner (friends to fwb to partners But not romantic). its just so wack to read any media depiction of relationships anymore.

we're both aromantic for sure. there was never a single point in which either of us "fell in love" . we just mutually really enjoyed hanging out and exploring stuff, and our bond gradually deepened

and ive been like. tearing through books about love and polyamory bc my partner is poly with some other partners (the ethical slut & More Than two: an ethical guide to polyamory) and you know what they were right.

that the relationship between any number of people is different from any other one, and that we should be free to define what these relationships are outside of the societal expectation. having sex with friends can and should be more normal. living with nonpartners can and should be more normal. being a partner also shouldn't necessarily come with the expectation of sex. anyone can and should be allowed to have multiple partners if desired. like we can all do whatever the fuck we want. we can choose what we want to include and avoid in a relationship and it doesn't make it any more or less important than the societal standard of a romantic marriage life partner. (the authors of these books too also have bonds similar to mine)

marriage to me sounds insane. technically i think any outside person looking in on my relationship would be like You Guys Are Just Dating and im like sure but also we aren't romantic But it is also hopeless to try to draw a clean line between the deep love we share and the "love" that society assumes. but not being romantic doesnt mean we arent insanely emotionally connected and vulnerable with each other, too. its just. love. human connection. and it doesnt have to be limited to a single person. we bitches are family now because we choose for it to be

i know bitches made fun of queerplatonic relationships back in the day, but honestly the idea behind it is real. i think trying to shovel things into named categories will never work out, but there are relationships that are platonic that society will never accept as just "friends" because would friends buy a house together? have a shared bank account? would they fuck? obviously fuckin means it Romantic, right?

and like its NONE of your business but bitches can and should have people they want to entwine their lives with, without being "in love" and without it being dismissed as "just friends". theres a spectrum of types of friendships and there like. are friends that im like Yea We're Friends we hang out sometimes its chill, and then there's friends that i am like I Want To Spend the rest of My Life with these people in the commune we're building u know. like. these are my Found/Chosen Family

and yea. like. experiencing this incredibly deep & loving relationship that some people would try to shove into "you guys are romantic partners" category, and gaining all of the experience and knowledge ive had thus far... so many depictions of romance in media seem so shallow. and sad. im like. damn you guys dont even know that you have the power to redefine your relationship to suit you and whoever else is involved... you don't know what's possible out in the world... you don't know how big your heart can be and how to genuinely connect to this person without the looming weight of societal expectation driving your actions... you don't even know any communication skills that would be required to even breach this iceberg of possibilities... Bruh...

even like Good and Cute depictions of romantic love im like wow. this is unrelatable to me at all. like i've been watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo and the ML confessed his love to the FL and was like "i like you so much it feels like im sick" and my siblings were like Eating It Up and i was like. man. this feels like. So Fake and Weird except also apparently alloromantic people actually do experience this somehow. like. butterflies? lovesick? and also (for monogamous ppl, either by choice or by thinking it is the only choice) you only have 1 slots worth of people you can have these emotions about? it is so alien to me.

i wonder if like. me unable to comprehend the way romantic love is for so many people is why ive been so driven to write and draw romance shit for fandom and myself. like. so much romance and also smut where people thought i did a great job depicting stuff despite have none experience left beef. and yet in the end it was all through a confused aromantic lens, trying to grasp at meaningful connection through what i thought was the only way possible (The Romance Is The Only Way Right? It's The Most Important? this is not true)

and probably a part of why i really enjoyed romantic stories where its built on mutual collaboration or reliance in a Situation rather than just. uwu i fell in love at first sight. i was attracted to the "regardless of what we want, we need to work with each other" OR the "you have accidentally witnessed my vulnerability when i had no one else" so the connection is based on emotional support foundation and not. nothing lol.

ANYWAY i guess love Is real but not the weird commodified and expected version of love that society throws in everyone's faces.

i am now revising the super long novel-length story i wrote about paladin x vampire sexy relationship and turning them into aromantic life partners. :salute:

[david230575]

Handing Over the Baton: Reflections on Enterprise Education and a New Chapter for EEUK

As I prepare to hand over the presidency of Enterprise Educators UK to my friend, colleague, and genuine legend Emilee Simmons, I’ve found myself reflecting on what has been an extraordinary journey. Leading this dynamic, collaborative network has been a privilege, not only because of the passionate professionals I’ve worked alongside, but also because of the purpose that binds us all—empowering learners through enterprise education.

When I first stepped into this role, I was deeply aware of the importance of what we do. Enterprise education is not just about preparing students to start businesses—though many do—it’s about nurturing a mindset. It’s about developing resilience, creativity, problem-solving, and initiative. These are the attributes that allow individuals not just to survive, but to thrive in an increasingly complex and fast-changing world.

Over the last few years, I’ve witnessed first-hand how enterprise education has transformed lives. Whether it’s a student discovering their own potential through a pitch competition, a teacher integrating real-world business challenges into the classroom, or a university embedding entrepreneurship into the heart of their curriculum, the impact is tangible and inspiring. We are helping students see possibilities rather than limitations—encouraging them to ask, “What if?” and then showing them how to turn ideas into action.

This is what makes enterprise education so essential. We live in a time of disruption. Automation, artificial intelligence, and global uncertainty are reshaping industries and redefining work. The traditional career ladder is no longer a guaranteed path. In this landscape, the skills we cultivate through enterprise education—adaptability, initiative, communication, and leadership—are not optional extras; they are essential.

One of the most powerful aspects of enterprise education is its inclusivity. I have always believed that talent is everywhere, even if opportunity is not. Our work can and must be a vehicle for social mobility, giving students from all backgrounds the tools and confidence to forge their own futures. That might mean launching a startup, but it might also mean driving innovation within a larger organisation or leading a social enterprise that changes lives. What matters is that we give people the skills, the mindset, and the permission to be enterprising in whatever path they choose.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible community that makes up EEUK. Over the past year, I’ve been continually inspired by the creativity, commitment, and generosity of our members. We’ve shared knowledge, lifted each other up, and faced challenges head-on—together. Whether through our #EntEd events, our research grants, or our best practice sharing, we’ve shown that collaboration is our greatest strength.

As I step down, I do so with a great sense of pride and optimism. I’m thrilled to be handing the baton to Emilee who brings with her a wealth of experience, energy, vision and a great deal of American sass!. Emilee has long been a champion of enterprise education and understands deeply the responsibility and opportunity this role presents. She’s a strong advocate for impact-led education and has always placed learners at the centre of her work. I have no doubt that under her leadership, EEUK will continue to grow, evolve, and lead the national conversation on enterprise and entrepreneurship education.

There is still so much to do. We must keep pushing for enterprise education to be valued not as a nice-to-have, but as a core element of learning at all levels. We must continue to challenge traditional boundaries and foster environments where students can learn by doing. We must advocate for policy, funding, and recognition that reflects the transformative power of what we offer.

My time as President has been filled with learning, growth, and a deepening sense of purpose. It has reaffirmed my belief that enterprise education isn’t just about businesses—it’s about people. It’s about unleashing potential, creating opportunity, and giving people the tools to build the future they want to see.

To everyone I’ve worked with during this time—thank you. And to Emilee—congratulations and good luck. The baton is in very capable hands.

[musings-on-wisteria]

Thoughts on Initiation So Far

So, after the recent excellent reading from Jasper, I've had something of a mix of feelings. While the reading honestly told me nothing I hadn't already considered, I felt extremely validated by hearing another practitioner identify that what I was feeling? Was a thing. And it was a big thing, and I should take it seriously. That felt really, surprisingly good, despite the news that I'm headed for seriously rocky territory.

There's a pattern with me and my witchy thinking. I see something in others' practices, say to myself, "I want that thing, but I have to do it My Way and none of the community's consensus is relevant to My Thing." This first happened with Hestia (I was all "she's not technically the goddess, just a spirit I happened to name Hestia" do not ask me why I thought this was sound reasoning) but kind of continued with initiation. For some reason, I have the instinct to go "it's not what it looks like" with everything in my craft. When I decided to initiate myself this year, I decided I wanted to celebrate my craft, to deepen my commitments, and to lay a firm foundation for my journey to come. At the same time, I looked at others accounts of spirit-lead initiation and thought, "But this won't be like that; I'm initiating myself. There's no reason to think that concepts in, say, traditional witchcraft should apply to my non-tradcraft path." At the same time I secretly hoped I would receive all the benefits of their style of initiation without any of the detracting factors. I don't know why I thought this was possible.

Anyway, the point is, I think I'm on some kind of spirit-lead initiation journey, likely involving the Moon, who has been reaching out to me since last summer and has seemed rather hurried lately. Hearing Jasper say, "yeah, you are in for a wild ride, and initiation is somehow part of it," I thought, basically, "Wow, this is really happening."

Since then, I've had a lot of nervous energy. Even when I'm not doing anything much, it's just hovering there- this kind of anticipatory excitement. Based on testimonials of initiation, I would hazard a guess that this excitement is not rational. However, some part of me is really thrilled about the prospect. Is that a good sign? I guess so.

Last night I was thinking about all of this, and I think I'll want to formally reach out to the Moon and give some form of consent to indicate I want to go through with this. Part of me suspects that what has happened so far is much more of an invitation than a forced-beginning. Or, maybe I'd just rather pretend to be in control.

This also explains a lot of, at the time, pointless omens I received throughout last summer and autumn. Oh, was the Moon hanging around a lot? Was something drawing my attention to keys and moths? Did I receive unexpected psychic input offering to test me, or hinting that there was something inside of me that wanted to be further expressed? I wonder what any of those things could possibly mean. They certainly aren't invitations to change or unlock something deeper. Recently, there were also ravens. Not sure what those had to do with anything.

Anyway, I think I'm going to share my experiences more regularly on this blog- both as a way to document them for myself, and to maybe help anyone else who is considering this kind of initiation.

It's important to note that I'm hoping to initiate myself (or, be initiated to) a path mostly of my own devising, influenced heavily by my spirit allies. I have no frame of reference for what that means. I intend to be an animist spirit worker, a witch who walks the four paths of the elements, who tends a magical life and cultivates skills in divination, spellcasting and energy work. I'm not being initiated into any specific existing tradition... to my knowledge.

[bllsbailey]

Former Meadows Staffer: Liz Cheney, Cassidy Hutchinson Dealt in Falsehoods, Set Me Up for the FBI Probe

A former senior staffer to Mark R. Meadows, both in his congressional office and at the White House, when Meadows was President Donald J. Trump’s chief of staff X-posted Dec. 17 a shocking vista into the machinations of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol—and one of their star witnesses: Cassidy Hutchinson.

“I haven’t spoken much about the below incident publicly due to ongoing investigations — but given the good work of today’s House Admin report on the J6 Committee and its revelations on possible ‘witness tampering,’” wrote Ben Williamson, who served Meadows as chief of staff and communications director. 

“This is just one story in a long list, and relatively, I ended up one of the lucky ones, but I’m glad to see the report today take the J6 Committee and their ‘star witness’ to task,” he said.

“It was all based on fabrications, yet the J6 Committee never even bothered to get the other side,” he said. “It’s one of many reasons why none of their claims about President Trump, or frankly anyone else, should ever be believed.”

Hutchinson worked with Williamson at both Capitol Hill and the White House, and her transition from friendly witness to hostile witness was facilitated by former Republican Wyoming congresswoman Elizabeth L. “Liz” Cheney, the vice chairwoman of the J6 Committee, along with former Trump and Meadows aide Alyssa Farah Griffin and former Virginia Republican congresswoman Barbara Comstock. 

Farah Griffin, who described Hutchinson as needing money, invited the unemployed former Trump staffer to her home to talk it out before making the connection to Cheney. 

The Patrick Henry College graduate shared his recollections the same day the Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight released an interim report by its chairman, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R.-Ga.), into the politicization of the J6 Committee.

Central to the interim report is Loudermilk’s recommendation that the Justice Department prosecute Cheney for colluding with Hutchinson without Hutchinson’s attorney’s knowledge and Cheney’s potential criminal witness tampering.

Loudermilk further accused Cheney and Hutchinson of baselessly working to disbar Hutchinson’s original attorney after Cheney’s backdoor approach.

The Georgia congressman also said Hutchinson, encouraged by Cheney, testified to the J6 Committee outrageous claims for which she and no one else had evidence to support.

Among Hutchinson’s claims was that Trump physically attacked his Secret Service detail—including the driver—in an effort to redirect his vehicle towards Capitol Hill, which Loudermilk’s report said was false. 

Hutchinson did not draft a handwritten note with the text of a Trump tweet on Jan. 6, 2021, nor did Trump have intelligence indicating that there would be violence the morning of Jan. 6—two more of Hutchinson’s stories, the chairman’s report said.

READ MORE: Bannon Blasts 'Joan of Arc' Cassidy Hutchinson Changing J6 Testimony: 'She Lied!'

Williamson: Hutchinson called me about her testimony

“Almost three years ago, in early 2022, I got a phone call from Cassidy telling me her closed-door deposition with the J6 Committee, under subpoena, was approaching,” Williamson said.

“Cassidy claimed to be worried that our old Trump WH colleagues, including our boss Mark Meadows, might think she was ‘disloyal’ for following a subpoena and showing up to the deposition,” he said.

“I cut her off mid-convo and responded: ‘No one will think you’re disloyal just for following a subpoena, and Mark would never, ever ask you to do anything other than the right thing and tell the truth. He wouldn’t think you’re disloyal,’” he said.

Hutchinson’s former boss said she agreed it would not be a problem, and the call ended without any alarm bells going off.

The North Carolina native said months went by. Then he was surprised to see that the J6 Committee was promoting Hutchinson as one of their star witnesses, “making completely outlandish claims untethered from reality — many of which were rightly disputed or shot down within minutes.”

One of the unique features of the J6 Committee’s public hearing was their hyper-theatrical production, led by James Goldston. Goldston worked for ABC News for 17 years, including the last seven years as the network’s news president. 

Williamson said when he was watching Hutchinson’s testimony, he saw Cheney post on the giant screen that dominated the hearing room what was described as an anonymous message to Hutchinson before the closed-door testimony she called her former boss about.

“Cheney claimed it was evidence of ‘witness intimidation,’” he said. 

“The anonymous message Cheney displayed read, partly: ‘He (Meadows) told me you have your deposition tomorrow. He knows you're loyal, and you're going to do the right thing when you go in for your deposition,’” he said. “Via public news reports, I later learned this was in reference to me.”

Williamson: Cheney, Hutchinson set me up with the FBI

Williamson, now the chief of staff for Rep. Michael J. Cloud, said Cheney’s presentation of the phone conversation between him and Hutchinson was a fantasy.

“It was a completely twisted, utterly nonsense re-telling of the phone convo where Cassidy had fretted to me about ‘loyalty,’” he said. “She (and the Committee) embellished parts of the exchange, made up others, and spun it into a lie that appeared like witness intimidation.”

Then, it got worse, he said.

“The J6 Committee presented this account as factual — when it wasn’t — and then leaked my name to reporters to create the narrative that I was guilty,” he said.

“In the weeks and months that followed, I faced accusations of criminal exposure over it – all over nonsense. Members like Dan Goldman publicly accused me of ‘witness tampering,’” he said. 

Next, the Federal Bureau of Investigation got involved, he said.

“The FBI called me in for hours of questioning,” he said. “Meanwhile, the J6 Committee never once followed up with me or my attorneys to ask me about this interaction before uncritically airing the dishonest version.”

Williamson said many people were put through worse than he went through, but he still remembers it as a very difficult time—especially because it was challenging to find legal representation.

“They spread an untold amount of falsehoods about my friends, colleagues, and bosses and forced many good people to defend themselves in ways they should’ve never had to,” he said. 

“I will never forget it.”

[afterdinner-speakers]

The Rise of Accounting Outsourcing Companies: A Game-Changer for Modern Businesses

Flexibility is essential in the fast-paced corporate environment of today. To remain flexible and competitive, an increasing number of businesses are turning to accounting outsourcing providers. But why is this trend happening? And how is the financial environment changing as a result of outsourced CFO services?

Let's dive in.

The Changing Face of Finance

Gone are the days when having an in-house accountant was the only option. Now, businesses of all sizes are exploring alternatives. Why? It's simple. They're looking for ways to cut costs and access top-tier expertise without breaking the bank.

Enter accounting outsourcing companies.

These firms offer a range of services, from basic bookkeeping to complex financial strategy. They're not just number-crunchers. They're partners in your business growth.

The Rise of Outsourced CFO Services

One of the most exciting developments? The growing popularity of outsourced CFO services.

Think about it. CFOs bring a wealth of knowledge to the table. They're strategic thinkers, financial wizards, and business savvy all rolled into one. But for many small and medium-sized businesses, hiring a full-time CFO is out of reach.

That's where outsourced CFO services come in.

These services offer the best of both worlds. You get top-tier financial expertise without the hefty price tag of a full-time executive. It's a win-win.

Why Choose Part Time CFO Services?

Part time CFO services are gaining traction, especially among startups and growing businesses. Here's why:

Cost-effective: You only pay for what you need.

Flexible: Scale up or down based on your business needs.

Expertise on demand: Access specialised knowledge when you need it most.

But it's not just about saving money. It's about adding value.

A part-time CFO can provide strategic insights, help with financial planning, and even guide you through complex processes like mergers and acquisitions. They're not just bean counters. They're strategic partners in your business growth.

The Global Talent Pool

One of the biggest advantages of working with accounting outsourcing companies? Access to a global talent pool.

These firms can tap into expertise from around the world. Need someone with experience in your specific industry? They've got you covered. Looking for a CFO who's navigated multiple IPOs? They can find one.

It's not just about finding the right skills. It's about finding the right fit for your business.

Technology: The Great Enabler

Of course, none of this would be possible without technology. Advanced communication tools have made remote collaboration seamless. Cloud-based accounting software allows real-time access to financial data. AI and machine learning are revolutionising financial analysis.

The result? A more efficient, more accurate, and more insightful financial function.

Challenges and Considerations

But it's not all smooth sailing. Working with accounting outsourcing companies comes with its own set of challenges.

Data security is a top concern. When you're sharing sensitive financial information, you need to be sure it's in safe hands. That's why it's crucial to choose a reputable provider with robust security measures in place.

There's also the question of cultural fit. When you're working with a remote team, building a strong working relationship can take time. Clear communication and regular check-ins are key.

The Future of Finance

So, what's next for accounting outsourcing companies and outsourced CFO services?

We're likely to see even more specialisation. As businesses face increasingly complex financial challenges, they'll need expert guidance more than ever.

We might also see a shift towards more holistic services. It's not just about the numbers anymore. It's about how those numbers can drive business strategy and growth.

One thing's for sure: the trend towards outsourcing isn't slowing down anytime soon.

The Bottom Line

In a world where agility is everything, accounting outsourcing companies offer a compelling solution. They provide access to top-tier talent, cutting-edge technology, and strategic insights – all at a fraction of the cost of building an in-house team.

Whether you're a startup looking for part time CFO services or an established business seeking to optimise your financial function, outsourcing could be the answer.

The future of finance is flexible, global, and powered by technology. Are you ready to embrace it?

[acclevantmlm]

 Building For the Future (BFF) Crowdfunding: Your Path to Online Success

MAKE $500 TO $2K+ Without Referrals Unleashing the Power of BFF Crowdfunding

Imagine a crowdfunding platform that not only empowers you to succeed without recruiting anyone, but also offers you the freedom to share the opportunity with your friends, family, and others. That’s the beauty of BFF Crowdfunding — no more waiting for others to share it with you; you can take the lead and change lives around you.

And here’s the best part:

With its unique crowdfunding cycler, you can turn a mere $125 into a recurring $500, $250 into $1,000, and $500 into an impressive $2,000, all without any recruiting. But hold on, there’s more. If you choose to recruit, brace yourself for unlimited instant $50, $100, or $200 per referral, depending on the levels. The possibilities are endless, and you can secure as many positions as you want at any level.

A Trustworthy Leader and Supportive Mentor

The brain behind this visionary platform (as mentioned earlier) is none other than Mike Taylor, a dependable, reliable, and trustworthy leader who is committed to helping you achieve success. He’s not just a founder, he’s your supportive mentor, always willing to go the extra mile to make your journey a triumphant one. With Mike by your side, you’ll experience the true essence of teamwork, where everyone selflessly helps each other without any complaints.

A Goal to Set You Financially Free

The essence of BFF Crowdfunding is to help as many people as possible achieve financial freedom. It’s a platform that upholds its promises, and its aim is to continue empowering its members. Here, you’ll find a community that genuinely cares about your success, working together to create a brighter future for all.

Exciting Products Coming Soon

While BFF Crowdfunding already sounds like a dream come true, hold your breath for the exciting products that are on the horizon. Once officially launched, the platform will introduce remarkable offerings, including an Affiliate Marketing course, Credit Repair Training, Email Broadcast System, Website Funnel Creator, and much more. These valuable resources will equip you with the tools and knowledge to excel in the online world and amplify your earnings.

Extensive Research Conducted

Let me mention that this is extensive research I’ve conducted in my relentless pursuit of discovering the most effective, legitimate, and faster methods to earn money from home. This information is intended to benefit countless individuals seeking the path to genuine financial freedom. Moreover, it aims to provide support to those facing financial challenges and teetering on the brink of giving up. My hope is that this research will prove to be a guiding light in your journey towards financial success.

Making the Smart Move: Your Path to Success

Now is the time to act, seize the moment and take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity. There are videos to watch that will show you the immense potential of BFF Crowdfunding. Then, if satisfied, you can head to the Sign-Up link to secure your spot. Taking such action would be the Smartest Move you’ll ever make.

Conclusion

With BFF Crowdfunding, your online success is no longer a distant dream. This program works, and it’s ready to unlock the door to financial abundance for you. Embrace the power of BFF Global Network, and remember, investing in this platform is worth every penny. The future is bright, and we’ll see you on the inside, celebrating your well-deserved success!

[lightlycareless]

First it hurts— Chapter III

Summary:

Naoya Zen’in x Fem!Reader

While arranged marriages are not uncommon in the jujutsu community, it was strange to receive a proposal from none other than the Zen’in’s, nonetheless your clan accepted and before you knew it, you were married off to Naoya.

Your new purpose was clear: to serve and submit, to be seen and not heard. To forget any sense of individuality in favor of obeying your husband.

Will this marriage ever flourish into something else? Will it change…for better or for worse?

Chapter warnings: Arranged marriage. Alcohol consumption. Someone acts as a jerk. Misogyny.

A/N: Would a taglist be of your interest? I believe it might be easier to get updates that way, instead of having to come back to my blog 🤔 let me know if you’d like me to add you! Without any further a do, I hope you enjoy this chapter ❤

Masterpost ➸ Chapter 4

Ao3 link

You glanced at your husband and saw something likened to irritation in his eyes. His lips would jerk and his grasp tightened against his lap whenever a server or guest approached your table, but for sakes appearances he monitored these gestures and entertained the visitors gracefully.  You couldn’t put your finger on it, but taking his reactions into consideration, you assumed he was burnt of entertaining individuals and longed to go home with you.

Home.

The meaning of home changed when you got married.

It was in the agreement that you would experience the remainder of your days in the Zen’in estate once the marriage came through. You had no control, say or even knowledge if you would be allowed to take your personal belongings with you, but Hinata vowed to do whatever she might to transfer your undisputed favorites, while adding little memories of your time at the L/N estate so you would feel at comfortable when away.

Your husband’s estate was a mystery to you and your kin. Not even during the negotiations between two the leaders concerning your marriage where you allowed to visit the Zen’in estate, you didn’t have a clue why you weren’t allowed; however, it was adequate for your significant other to grace yours.

The main individual you had known to have visited the Zen’in home far more frequently than others was your father, probably to check whether their domain was a reasonable place for you to reside on.

In his own words, the estate was vast and imposing, traditional but well kept, much alike the L/N estate, but such things were to be expected from an old clan such as the Zen’in, so he was not surprised when he saw their home for the first time.

You contemplated whether you would have your own chambers or would you be forced to impart one with your better half. Back when your mother was still alive, she and your father had both isolated and shared chambers, it was common for them to rest separated when one got irritated of each other’s presence or when they felt under the weather —to forestall the other getting sick— however, they generally came back to one another’s arms. It was a marriage far from perfect, but you accepted it as an illustration of what a functional marriage ought to be.

The possibility of imparting chambers with your husband was one you tried not to dwell on for more than a few seconds out of embarrassment. You were unpracticed in act of intimacy and hoped your husband would essentially be patient while you got used to him. Perhaps he was inexperienced himself, but such an attractive man would have women flocking any place he went, so you scratched that chance out of your mind.

Your assumptions of his irritation couldn’t have been more exact.

Naoya was annoyed past your understanding and wanted nothing but to end this stupid formality.

He heard a loud gasp and his eyes darted to his father, there were servers desperately trying to ease his demands of more alcohol since he had more than enough to drink for the night, fearing they might be held responsible for his actions if they didn’t put a stop to his liquor consumption:

The best they could hope for was that Naobito was the drunken type to fall asleep one his body reached its limit, so all they would have to worry about is moving him to a place where he would remain undisturbed.

And the worst…well, that he was the violent type and would take his frustrations on one of the servers, even worse, in the father of the bride who was sitting very close to him.

It was a joyful celebration that did not deserve to end in such sour note.

Naoya took it as his cue to require everybody’s attention, standing up as he proceeded to announce your honeymoon’s destination.

It ought to be a rich escape at the edge of the city, encompassed by country towns and nature, far away from human progress with the promise of privacy. You two would only be half a month away, and when finished, would return to his estate.

“It would’ve been longer, yet I know how valuable she is to you all and I wouldn’t dare removing her from you more than necessary” He said cheerfully “Once we’re back, I’ll ensure she contacts you. It’ll be as if she never left”

Naoya’s eyes were straightforwardly set on your father, while he alluded to everyone, his words were only for your closest. He had needed to guarantee the role of a good and caring spouse to him, so your dad would not grow suspicious and let the two be.

His words were additionally coordinated to your sister, who had been throwing daggers with her eyes for some time now, the gesture becoming more obvious by each passing second. The nerve of that woman, he thought in disgust as he peered down to your face, why couldn’t she be as meek as you?

His words caused you to wonder if he genuinely implied those words or was he attempting to conciliate the visitors? In any case, you were unable to reject that his consideration —produced or not— caused you to feel appreciated.

The participants recognized Naoya on being a mindful companion, for they had not been married for more than one day and he was already looking out for his wife and family. It was customary for the husband to take his wife’s attention from everyone else, solely dedicated in tending the new family they would begin, so to see him allow his wife to keep a healthy relationship with her kin made the guest murmur in approval.

The only two that did not concur with that notion were your siblings, who currently gazed at you with objection. It wasn’t by large a sight a lady would need to see on her big day, yet you assumed it rooted from sadness for your departure than rejection of your union.

When Naoya conveyed what he thought necessary, he excused the attendees while assisting you with standing up, once at full height, he set his hand behind your back and carefully guided you through the aisles unto the exit, where as of now, was a vehicle anticipating the couple, ready to take them to their next destination.

You were approbative of the decision of changing into a much lighter dress for your celebration, for you didn’t think it was achievable to maneuver between the guests, servants and stairs with your big wedding kimono.

Once outside, you acknowledged the total quietness that appeared to wrap the two. It was now that you could first hear your thoughts, and it was also the first time you and your husband were distant from everyone else.

That reality sent a shock of uneasiness through your spine and hotness to your cheeks, your anxiety began to besiege you with irrelevant worries: Should you say something to Naoya? Voice how grateful you were with this marriage, albeit questionable of where it was headed? Would it be a good idea for you to talk by any stretch of the imagination?

As your cheeks began to turn red thanks to the stress your mind was encouraging, you neglected to see that Naoya was not intrigued by your essence by any means, instead, his attention had gone back to the building where your siblings and father were presently standing.

Naoya thought his little discourse was sufficient to satisfy whatever questions they might have, but their presence meant otherwise, and as much as he would want to dismiss them the same way he would excuse any deviant worker, he kept quiet and alluded to your family.

“Is there something bothering you, father?” Naoya endearingly asked, your sister Hinata feigned exacerbation at his act, and your brother Ren remained quiet but perceptive. Your eyes darted to your father’s reddened cheeks and you swiftly placed the pieces together: he was drunk. An enthusiastic alcoholic who was setting his daughter off.

Your father cleared his throat and placed his hand over your husband’s shoulder. Naoya remained stiff, but scent of alcohol reminded him far too much of home and wanted to pull away from the man. But he couldn’t go as much and disrespect your father, so he just acknowledged him and pushed forward.

“Is everything alright?” Naoya asked

“Yessss----my daughh-ther, she’ss, sheee’s preciouss to mee” your dad slurred, while your siblings had trouble understanding some of his words, Naoya —who had too much experience dealing with drunk parents— understood every single word impeccably. “Treeeeat heeer----rigggghhh-t”

Naoya simply nodded and delicately removed your father’s grip on him, his arm falling back to his side which Hinata took no hesitation to grab and hold tight against her. A caring gesture between father and daughter, as she wanted to prevent the liquor affecting his equilibrium.

Without anything else to say, Naoya grabbed your wrist and strolled towards the car, more than ready to leave everything behind and start his new life with you.

You followed suit of his actions, stopping just by the exit where the sudden cold breeze of winter crashed against your sleeveless arms causing you to shudder. But before your husband could open the car’s door, you froze at the familiar voice reaching out to you.

“W-wait!’ It was your father.

Even after months of anticipation, he wasn’t ready to see you leave, no, not yet.

He was deeply disheartened by your departure, and his intoxication only highlighted that reality.

Memories of the negotiations slurred through his mind at full speed and he started to feel regretful, appalled by this arranged marriage he forcibly pushed unto you. He couldn’t let you go, it was a mistake, you were walking into the wolves’ den, he had to stop this sham of a—

“Father, you’re drunk” Hinata and Ren simultaneously stated, stopping your father’s musings in his tracks.

Your older sister placed a hand over his chest and lightly pushed him back, just with enough force to stop him, but not strong enough to send a drunk man tumbling down.

She continued “You’ll be able to talk to her once sober” your siblings nodded at your tight-lipped façade, prompting you to look for consent from your husband. To say one last goodbye to your family.

“Wait” you called, the first words to him outside of your vows. You hadn’t anticipated your voice to come as soft as it did, just barely above a whisper, nonetheless loud enough for Naoya to hear. “I wish to say goodbye to my brother and sister”

Naoya stared back at you for a few moments, seriously debating whether to let you go or reject your request, but knowing how immoral that would look before his new in-laws, he nodded and let go of your hand. You thanked him and made a swift turn back to your siblings.

Hinata sat your father on a nearby chair deeper inside the building and made a beeline for you.

One she was close enough, her arms embraced you as tightly as she could —without hurting you— pulling your figure impossibly closer against her body. It was a gesture reminiscent of the ones in your youth, the same way she would hug you whenever she had to leave the house once holidays ended and she was set to return to school.

Back then, Hinata’s sadness would only be temporarily, for she knew that once the school year ended, she would return home to you.

This time, her sadness would be permanent: you were leaving her, and for good.

Your arms mirrored her gesture, although not with the same force, and took a deep breath of her scent. Roses, you mused, her favorite perfume for special occasions.

Ran was quick to envelop his sisters with his arms, his embrace capable enough to hold both thanks to being the tallest of the three.

His gaze was always received with the tops of your heads while hugging due to his height, and while back then he couldn’t care less for the view, he now wished to stay like this for eternity.

“I’ll be fine” you were the first to speak, separating your neck just enough to see your sister’s and brother’s faces, which were presently mournful. “Tell dad he doesn’t have to worry”

“W-we will” Your sister’s throat left out a constricted gasp as she struggled to hold back her tears. “b-but you have to promise us something”

“Anything” You affirmed. Your brother was first to let tears slide down his cheek, one of your fingers rose to swipe drop away.

“Whatever happens” he continued Hinata’s words “Promise you’ll tell us. If he hurts you, or dare to even think on hurting you, swear you’ll let us know”

His warning resonated across your thoughts as the bits of hearsay you frantically hoped were untrue rose from the profundities of your mind.

You have scarcely addressed to your husband throughout the celebration, only nodding or humming in response whenever he asked you something.

But from what you’ve able to perceive, he didn’t seem to be the horrendous man your servants and siblings painted him as.

Naoya ceaselessly showed worry for your needs, requesting the servers to be on the lookout for whatever you would require, benevolently captivating the guests that approached them as they laid their best wishes for the newlywed couple, and finally, the small discourse at the end of the ceremony where he voiced his expectations of maintaining a healthy relationship with his wife and in-laws, contrary to the tradition where the bride was forced to cut all ties with her kin as to solely focus on her new family.

All his actions made you wonder if the rumors were even true to begin with and weren’t a joke as to grow your uneasiness.

In any case, it wouldn’t damage to keep their warning in mind as you plunged yourself to a new life. Your father was exceptionally clear in advising you that you were the most valuable one in this union, if anything went astray, you had enough power to call it quits.

“I will” you gestured and hugged them once again, now dwelling on Ren’s scent “I swear I’ll let you know” you said against his chest, a feeble attempt to stop the tears now forming on your eyes.

“We have to go now” Naoya’s stern voice brought the family back to reality and you carefully stripped yourself from your brother’s and sister’s embrace.

You gave them one last smile before waving to your father at the back, —blacked out by now— and headed to your spouse.

Another winter breeze came through the door and you shuddered. This time, your hands shot up to your arms and scoured against them in attempts to deliver warmth.

Naoya positioned himself before you and opened the door, motioning for you to get inside first.

Once inside, he circumvented the vehicle and entered by the other door, sitting just by the edge of the window.

You paid mind to the distance between the two of you, even more after he leaned towards the window instead of your side. You innocently thought he wasn’t comfortable in sitting on the middle seat, perhaps even waiting for you to take the initiative and lean closer to him, but as you softly scurried to his side, Naoya inclined deeper into the edge.

You looked back once again at your siblings and waved them goodbye, their faces consistent with sadness, an odd feeling to have in such special occasion, while others would be ecstatic to see their relative get married, they were…disheartened.

They’re sad because it happened all too fast you rationalized it’ll be fine once I come back.

“Take us to the ryokan” your husband set out an order to the man in the driver’s seat, the one you neglected to notice with anteriority and the car began to drive away.

While you might not have much experience in relationships, you thought married couples would be virtually indivisible, at least in this early stage of the marriage. Or in this case, he would make attempts in getting to know you. His unapproachable behavior caught you by surprise, as it was the complete opposite of what he had shown during the party.

Perhaps he’s nervous you reasoned, trying to prevent undeserving guilt from drowning you.

Your eyes darted around the interior of the car in attempts of easing your anxiety, fingers intertwined with one another, occasionally playing with the silver wedding ring you would never remove from this day forward.

The car you were in was not short from luxurious, the seats had a shine that embodied an aura of sophistication, windows on the backseat tinted as to preserve privacy to the outside world and a glass separating the driver from the passengers to preserve the confidentiality of their conversations.

It was a reflection of your husband’s money, if it wasn’t already obvious by the lavish celebration.

These luxuries were not part of your lifestyle.

Your family had money, sure, but chose to invest it in other endeavors, often deciding to do things themselves instead of hiring someone else to do them. They were self-sufficient in that matter.

Your father, as cold as he could be, was a very hands-on parent and wanted to be as involved as possible in the lives of each of his 3 children, which regularly implied him driving you to school or preparing your meals whenever possible.

Naoya had demonstrated to be the complete opposite of your persona, indulging in expensive commodities just because he could, and that left you contemplating whether you would grow used to his lifestyle.

But even as your musings were working on distracting you, they couldn’t stop the overwhelming pressure of getting Naoya to acknowledge you.

You were once again alone with your husband, with no one else to interrupt the couple, and ignorant as to how to bridge the evident gap between the two.

In your mind, having a husband meant acting differently as one would do with friends or family, this was a whole new category in social interactions, one you have yet to experience, even with your previous relationships.

You couldn’t exactly start by acting completely oblivious since you two were already married, but couldn’t go to the other extreme either of acting way too comfortably with him, as Naoya might take it as a sign of disrespect.

Following a couple moments of thought, you’ve concluded the best route was to keep quiet, at least until he decided to start a conversation. It would be easier to follow his lead rather than imposing your own.

“We should be there in an hour, possibly less on the off chance that there’s traffic” Naoya said, speaking you out of your thoughts. You hummed and gestured in acknowledgement, eyes darting to his which were now looking up and down your figure while one of his arms relaxed against the window, cheek held against his hand. There was a glint of an emotion you couldn’t figure, but assumed had to do with approval of your appearance “You’re very quiet”

His words were your queue to speak.

“Well, I just didn’t know what to say, I’ve never been married before and---” You began to mumble, attempting to joke with your husband in efforts to lighten up the mood.

“I didn’t say I needed you to speak” He huffed and looked back to the outside of the window.

Oh, that was unexpected you thought, and went back to a silent stance once effectively reprimanded.

The remainder of the ride remained unbearably quiet. Naoya remained deep in thought as he looked just outside the window, not speaking a word to his wife —less to the chauffer on the front— his thoughts remained a mystery.

You were still hurt by the unforeseen way Naoya decided to interpose his wife. The wound of his indifference only growing deeper as he remained silent, not even glancing at the beauty sitting next to him, as if they were complete strangers and not husband and wife… you wondered how the rest of the night would unfold with a man who didn’t bother to look at his companion in the eye.

A seed of doubt now planted in your mind.

Naoya was right in saying that their arrival would be in less than an hour. Only 40 minutes after the couple left the venue, the chauffer informed:

“We’ve arrived at the ryokan, sir”

His words caused you immense relief as your eyes dashed towards the front window: a large ryokan just on top of the hill, faintly lit surrounded by leafless trees and fallen snow, an abundant river crossed by a small bridge, small enough for the car to follow into the main entrance of the building.

The dark wouldn’t permit you to sort out most details of the surroundings, but by the noise of the tires against the roadway and the nearby lamps, you assumed the ryokan was not as distant from the city as expected.

The driver cautiously maneuvers across the small path as you continued to admire your surroundings. You’ve been to ryokan’s in the past throughout school holidays, but not as rich as this one. 

This was, by a wide margin, the best vacation spot you’ve ever visited before, there was no question about it.

Once at the entry, two elderly women set themselves up with a smile to receive the newly wedded couple. Their beautiful yukatas were covered by a matching robe which just filled in as a reminder of how exposed you were for the weather. Even with the warmth provided by the car’s AC, you couldn’t help but to shiver at the prospect of going out in the cold.

It was essentially unthinkable for you to step out of the vehicle while in your thin, sleeveless dress.

“Get her coat” It seemed your concerns were crystal clear on your façade when Naoya spoke.

Unbeknownst to you, he had not been distant to your presence and noticed how you shivered once you stepped outside the venue.

And he was not as insensitive to overlook it was a fairly cool evening.

Quite the opposite impression you receive from him moments earlier.

Your husband didn’t seem appropriately dressed for the cold winter either, only wearing a two-piece smoking jacket and a white t-shirt underneath. But by the absence of shivering and complaints of the cold weather once he ventured outside the car and headed towards your side, you assumed he had higher tolerance.

Once the driver handed him the coat, Naoya opened the door and held his hand out for you to take, which you swiftly accepted as in second nature.

He gently pulled you out of the car and immediately put the coat around you, once suitably placed over your shoulders, he put his hand on your back and lightly pushed you towards the entrance where the cordial women eagerly received their patrons for the following weeks.

“Welcome, Master Zen’in The two exclaimed as they quickly bowed “Congratulations on the wedding. We’re so happy to have you here” the one on the right with the blue yukata added.

“We have set everything your stay” The one on the left with the green yukata informed, her eyes not leaving Naoya’s, officially recognizing him as the rightful benefactor of the two. “Allow me to guide you to your chambers”

“We expect tonight to be colder than previous days, so we went ahead and prepared the heater to a suitable temperature for the rest of the night The woman in the blue yukata was now looking at you. Her golden eyes puncturing yours in a frightening way that forced you to look away 2 seconds into visual contact. She seemed unamused by your reaction —believing she subjugated you too easily— judging by the small twitch of her left eyebrow and got back to Naoya.

The more you noticed them, the more you realized they held features way too similar to be ruled as simple co-workers. You also noticed that those features were similar to ones your husband conveyed.

By each passing second of analyzing them, you began to place the pieces together until a clear picture came into resolution:

They were sisters, they were related to your husband’s family, and this was a family-owned inn.

While in another other occasion this conclusion would be brushed as peculiar, it only managed to heighten your uneasiness but why? You thought they’re relatives…that’s all.

But the motive of your reasoning was not without cause. While you didn’t want to admit it, Naoya’s interruption caused you immense displeasure and you feared they would treat you the same. You perceived his action as little consideration for his wife, ignoring your attempt to brightening the mood and make the relationship smoother. Instead you were received by his irritation and a demand of silence.

It reminded you of one of the rumors you heard one of the maids’ mutters while you strolled around the L/N estate.

The Zen’in women have no place in the clan. They aren’t allowed to have opinions or voice in that matter.

Fear began to creep in the back of your mind as you slowly realized that the whispers surrounding Naoya might have some truth in them.

But before your mind could plunge deeper into despair, your kindness reminded you that 1 mistake was not enough to judge a person and everyone was bound to do things they didn’t mean.

Prompted to give him the benefit of the doubt, you brushed your pain as simple overreaction thanks to your sensitive nature and followed the two nakai alongside your husband into the building.

Yes, you thought, he’s just nervous. That’s all. You continued to soothe yourself Naoya must be the kind of man that isn’t sensible with his words.

Your turmoiled mind seemed to calm down and you smiled once your eyes darted to your husband’s profile. His handsome features ignited a small flame of attraction inside your chest as you began to imagine a domestic future by his side. No relationship was easy at the beginning, it would take effort from both if this were to work out and this was the first test.

But if your husband’s action did not serve as a warning of your role in this marriage, what transpired next did.

[babyspacebatclone]

I would guess this is Masking related - and therefore very much a consequence of Autism/ADHD.

Based on my own experience, I suspect Anon has grown up learning that “Speaking freely” is something that can only be done when “safe.”

A lifetime of being told “You’re over sharing,” “Ugg, no one cares,” and probably “No, you’re wrong, everything’s fine.”

Basically, being trained that their own perception of what is “acceptable” conversation is inherently flawed, and potentially their own experiences and view of reality is just plain “wrong.”

Hopefully, if this is true, Anon has had some close people that they feel safe with, where this omnipresent self-censorship can be loosened.

But if it’s the same as my experience, they’ve internalized “You have to think about everything you say when around people.”

I’m also guessing a lot of flat out abuse (e.g. bullying) over personal observations etc.

And so this gets tied into the Public Mask, set into an Automatic Script to be followed because automatic instructions, once trained, use less spoons/mental energy to maintain in order to survive.

But the downside of setting up and relying on an Automatic Script is that when someone lacks the mental energy to maintain the Public Mask, there isn’t a backup.

So you’re tired, things are dropping, but you’re too tired to notice until you’re 10 minutes into overtly stimming or talking.

And, given the way the Ask was said, likely getting punished for these “lapses,” reinforcing the belief that “Only the Public Mask is Safe.”

None of that is Anon’s fault, if they share my experiences.

That is textbook literal definition gaslighting.

That is a learned defensive behavior in the face of trauma.

It’s horrible, but it is not the Neurodivergent’s fault.

As for dealing with it, there are three suggestions I have:

Find safe people or a safe environment you can express yourself with/in. Practice open, healthy communication without the fear of shame or abuse. You deserve not to keep this bottled up.

Talk about what is socially acceptable to talk about with a trusted, experienced individual - if at all possible not someone who was an authority figure during the period where you traumatized into not being allowed to express your authentic self.

With this knowledge of what is socially acceptable, and the safety of being able to express yourself, pay attention to how you act during your Public Mask. What have you scripted that keeps you feeling safe? What topics do you default to, what level of detail, what do you avoid? Create deliberate, Cognizant Scripts. that recreate your Automatic Scripts. Have snippets of talk you can manually recall and use to protect yourself when you realize you can no longer maintain the Automatic Public Face.

And after you’ve been in a situation where you need to use the things you learned in 3, when you’re in a safe environment, review what happened.

What did you want to say, but didn’t think was safe?

How did the other person react? Remember, you’re by definition exhausted, so you are likely to misread the situation - this would be true of an Allistic/NT! - but try to be objective.

Is there still something you want to share/purge out? A thought or experience, something private but important?

Find a way to express it in a place you found in 1.

Tip: I find an informal journal is great for this. And by that, I mean type it up as a blog post (potentially on an Anon side blog), stare at it, and see if it needs to be sent into the aether after you typed it up.

Sometimes, just the act of writing things down helps - there’s a reason journaling shows up so often in self-care!!

This is me rambling without much planning before bed, so if anyone wants any clarification or even to respectfully criticize any of the points, please let me know!

not sure if this is autism/ADHD related but when I get tired I always speak more loosely (like talk about things I wouldn't usually), and worry that I'll say something personal I didn't mean to say... any tips on preventing this? Does anybody else get this kind of thing?

Hi there,

I personally cannot relate to this personally. Many some of my followers have and can give some advice and tips.

I’m sorry that I couldn’t answer your question. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ♥️