#can only make incremental improvements

[bansenshukai]

While perusing the naruto timeline I discovered that the Academy was formed ~30 years after Konoha was founded. The Chunin exams, being a part of the formalized shinobi education system, were formed after the Academy as well.

And at the time of the Academy's Founding, Hiruzen and the rest of his generation (Danzo, Biwako, Koharu, Homura) are approximately age 20~21 . They didn't grow up with the Academy or the Chunin Exams! They became, presumably, fully fledged shinobi, purely through individual mentorship and field experience.

So: no Academy also means no age limit.

This had me start thinking about the kind of childhood Hiruzen led, and what he would have considered normal. People love to criticize his decision to neglect Naruto (and rightfully so), but it's also clear that Hiruzen does regard Naruto with affection. It's entirely possible he saw Naruto's childhood as sheltered compared to what he experienced growing up without the safeguards of a formalized shinobi education.

[anachronisims]

accountability update/Best Practice Preview

Making the charts and graphs to finally make it clear how ridiculous we all are is taking a bit more time than expected because there is a subset of users that both does and doesn't have pink flashing, and since all insights happen at the margins, I have to dig into this a bit more. Release now expected the first weekend in February.

But: as proof I'm moving along, here's a title card, and the simplest main takeaway from the survey:

IF YOU HAVE "uint LotSkirtIncrease" in your userstartup.cheat, you can safely delete it to help reduce pink flashing.

Explanation: "uint LotSkirtIncrease 36" is equivalent to the in-game "Lot View Distance Extra Large" setting. It was previously thought that it was needed to turn this up to 120 in order to see neighborhood horizons in lot view but is not true (or not true anymore). If your horizon is blinking in or out when your game camera moves, it is not from view distance, it is from graphical glitching - same as if you've ever noticed the reflections momentarily not lining up in Voeille's water when you change the angle.

Having a LotSkirtIncrease over 50 SUBSTANTIALLY burdens the game at a critical stress point: loading any lot. It also overrides your in-game setting so if you were under the impression your setting was Small, Medium, or Large (and some of you were), it was actually Extra-Extra-Extra-Large unless you manually changed it after entering the lot.

Corollary: THE BEST PRACTICE FOR LOT LOADING, i.e., the Lot View Settings Juggling Method (LVSJM)

If you are prone to pink flashing, you should always exit lots (including when you exit the game) with Lot View Distance set to "Small" and Neighbors turned "Off." You may want to save with the game camera zoomed in as far as possible.

When you load a lot and have ascertained it is stable (you can pan the camera without any hiccups/lag/crashing), after 30 seconds, you can turn neighbors back on. 30 seconds later, you can start incrementally turning up the Lot View Distance.

Credit for this tip goes to the users who gave a hot tip on the survey that they only turn Neighbors on for screenshots (they will be named in the final report). We are often prone to thinking of those settings as something static, that we set and forget, but if we treat them as dynamic we can definitely manipulate them to our advantage.

Remember, after playing the lot - OR WHEN YOUR SIMS TRAVEL FROM THE LOT - you should turn the Lot View settings back down and manually save BEFORE the game closes the lot.

IF YOU STILL HAVE PINK FLASHING ON FIRST LOT LOAD/HOOD EXIT, there is further help for you coming in the report, but I don't have time to write it all up now. It's not not complicated but I went from total pink every hood load to virtually none (though I am not immune to crashing) using a combination of all the best practices I will be recommending in the report, and other users saw improvement to overall play session quality and length as well.

[bloomzone]

2025 : #21 Hope.

✒️..hope. It’s something we all talk about, we all need, and yet, we seldom understand in its full depth. We hear phrases like “Keep hoping,” or “Don’t lose hope,” but what does hope truly mean, and why is it so vital to our well-being?

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪs ʜᴏᴘᴇ?

Hope is more than just wishful thinking . It’s not simply wishing that things will get better without any effort. True hope is the belief that a better future is not only possible, but within reach. It’s the feeling that even in the darkest moments , there is potential for light to shine through (we often see this in sad dramatic moment or anime lmao ). Hope is both an emotional state and a cognitive mindset that enables us to see beyond present circumstances, empowering us to take action towards a brighter tomorrow it's not motivation ! There is a diff ! (motivation is the drive to act and hope is the belief in possibility ) so It’s the force that keeps us going when life feels overwhelming, the quiet but persistent whisper that says, “You can do this, just keep going.”

Unlike optimism too , which is the general expectation that things will improve, hope involves a more active, personal belief in the possibility of change. It’s rooted in the understanding that our choices matter, that our actions can lead us to a better outcome, and that we are not at the mercy of fate alone.

ʜᴏᴡ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɪs ʙᴜɪʟᴛ

Hope is not something we are born with . It is something we learn and develop over time. It is cultivated through experience, through resilience, and through the belief that no setback is final. Just like any other muscle in the body, the more we exercise hope, the stronger it becomes. It’s built in the small moments when we face challenges and choose not to give up, when we take that next step even though we don’t have all the answers, when we look at a failure as a lesson and not a limitation.

It is fostered by connection. Having supportive relationships, where we feel understood and encouraged, helps build our belief in a positive future. Hope grows when we see others overcome difficulties and when we learn from those who have faced hardship and emerged stronger. In this sense, hope is contagious when we see someone else hold on to hope, it reminds us that we can too .

But most importantly, hope is built through action. It’s easy to feel hopeless when we are stuck in a state of passivity. When we take deliberate steps forward, even in small ways, we send a message to ourselves that we are capable of making progress, no matter how incremental. And with each small success, hope is reaffirmed.

ᴡʜʏ ᴡᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴇ

Hope is the antidote to despair frrr It gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning, even when the weight of the world seems too much to bear. Without hope, we can easily fall into apathy or worse, depression. It is hope that helps us find meaning in our struggles, to see them as part of a larger journey rather than insurmountable obstacles. It is also crucial for mental health. Hope has been shown that individuals who cultivate hope are more likely to bounce back from setbacks, maintain a positive outlook, and experience better overall well-being. It is linked to resilience because when we have hope, we believe that we can navigate difficulties and emerge on the other side, stronger and more capable. is essential for personal growth. It fuels ambition and provides us with the courage to dream beyond our current limitations.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴀ ʜᴏᴘᴇғᴜʟ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴠs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴀ ʜᴏᴘᴇʟᴇss ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ

The difference between a hopeful person and a hopeless one is in the way they perceive the world. A hopeful person sees opportunities in challenges. They look at a difficult situation and ask, “What can I learn from this? How can I grow from this experience?” They understand that setbacks are temporary, and that their present situation does not define their future. Their mindset is one of possibility, of determination, and of a belief that they can influence their outcomes through effort and perseverance.

On the other hand, a hopeless person sees only limitations. They view challenges as insurmountable obstacles, and they feel powerless in the face of adversity. When things don’t go as planned, a hopeless individual may become paralyzed by fear or despair, believing that nothing they do will change their circumstances. The hopeless mind is often stuck in a cycle of negativity, where every setback is seen as proof that things will never improve. This mindset becomes self-fulfilling: the more they believe things won’t get better, the less they take action to change them.

✒️.It’s important to note that hope is not about denying reality. It’s not about wearing heart glasses or pretending everything is fine when it’s not. It’s about seeing beyond the present difficulties and understanding that change is possible. A hopeful person acknowledges challenges but believes they have the strength to overcome them like when u pass a final test and u have hope to pass the final test of next semester even u have to face the same difficult but u have "hope" to pass again

ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴜʟᴛɪᴠᴀᴛᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʀʀɪᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠɪɴɢ ɪɴ ɪᴛ

The good news is that hope is something we can cultivate, no matter where we are in life. It doesn’t require an innate ability or perfect circumstances. It requires intentional effort and a mindset shift.

To start, one of the most important things we can do is to ..

change our language

ur monologue intérieur bro need a mise à jour 🦅 . We must stop using words like “I can’t” or “It’s impossible” and instead adopt language that opens up possibilities. Even if you’re unsure about the outcome, saying “I’ll try” or “I can figure this out” signals to your brain that you are not giving up, that you are willing to take action despite uncertainty.

setting small, achievable goals.

Hope thrives when we experience progress, no matter how small. When we accomplish even the tiniest task, it reinforces the belief that we can make a difference, that our actions matter. This sense of achievement builds momentum, turning hope into a habit.

Surround yourself with inspiring stories

NGL I do this all the time when I feel hopeless. listening , read , or watch stories of individuals who have overcome adversity can be a powerful source of hope. These stories show you that no matter how dire the situation seems, it’s possible to rise above it. They can inspire you to believe that you too have the strength to get through tough times.

Surround ourselves with people who uplift and encourage us.

Hope is contagious, and when we are surrounded by individuals who believe in us and in the possibilities of the future, it becomes easier for us to believe the same. Our environment plays a significant role in shaping our mindset.

Find Purpose in Your Struggles

One of the most powerful ways to build hope is by finding meaning in your struggles. When you view challenges as opportunities for growth or as stepping stones to something greater, you begin to see them as part of your journey rather than obstacles. This shift in perspective can help foster a deeper sense of hope and resilience.

Reconnect with Your Core Values

Hope is strongest when you are deeply connected to your core values. When you live in alignment with what truly matters to you, even in challenging times, hope becomes a natural part of your life. Reconnecting with your values reinforces your sense of purpose and reminds you of the bigger picture, which can fuel your drive for the future.

Set and Focus on Bold Goals

Hope is driven by vision. Having a clear, compelling vision for your future helps you move forward with purpose, even when the journey is tough. The more you envision your future and set bold, exciting goals, the more hope you generate for what’s possible. It’s about seeing a brighter future and actively working toward it. For example u want to be a doctor and when u face struggles in ur study .. remind urself of the goal to keep going

💁🏻‍♀️: Set long-term and short-term goals that align with your vision for your life. Write them down, break them into manageable steps, and celebrate progress along the way. The clarity that comes from goal-setting provides a roadmap for hope.

Hope It’s the thread that connects us to a brighter, better tomorrow, even when today feels heavy. Hope is the fuel that powers our dreams, propels us through adversity, and reminds us that no matter how difficult the road may be, there is always a way forward.we can create a life that is not only full of potential but rich with possibility. Because when we hold onto hope, we hold onto the belief that no matter what happens, there is always something to look forward to.good luck 🍀

@bloomzone

[ddarker-dreams]

Lock, would you please explain the differences in your husband rotation when they're in a "normal state/character" compared to when they exhibit yandere tendencies/ are extremely yandere? I'd love to read your thoughts🖤!

this was such an interesting question that i've been thinking about it all day HGETJNKR

speaking in general terms, even when writing 'non-yandere' versions of the husband rotation, i still make them a lil weird. just a dash of unhinged. what changes depending on if they're yan or not is how willing they are to consciously impede on the reader's wishes for their personal gain. now, getting into specifics...

my take on non-yandere and yan chrollo

there are a lot of little specifics that change depending on the variation of the character i'm writing for, but we'd be here all day if i got into that. so, i'll be focusing on the most prominent differences. regarding mr. lucilfer, i consider the most pertinent changes to be: him divulging his identity to reader and how out of his way he goes to rope reader in.

yan chrollo holds off on revealing that he's the leader of the phantom troupe, but is eventually fine with you finding out. it serves a dual-purpose. first, you're Extra cognizant of the power difference, thwarting any potential shenanigans you might get up to. second, he can unapologetically be himself. non-yandere chrollo's fine expressing his apathy toward the plight of others in small, socially acceptable increments. he's less blunt about it overall because he doesn't want you to drift away from him.

then there's his manipulation of outside variables to scooch you his way. yan chrollo accepts subjecting you to some traumatic things as a 'means to an end,' whereas his non-yandere counterpart values your mental well-being more. thanks king. regardless, they're both going to stalk you to varying extents, utilizing morally ambiguous methods without any guilt. they're also both going to make liberal use of lying by omission.

non-yandere and yan gojo

i am physically incapable of writing gojo being normal toward reader. it'd lack the pièce de résistance. that being said, non-yandere gojo is weird and yan gojo is weird with malicious intent. i'm not sure if that makes any sense, so allow me to elaborate.

they're both not the best with respecting boundaries, although in non-yandere gojo's case, that'd improve slightly with age. i always write reader as having attended high school with him because that's the dynamic i find most intriguing. in both cases, gojo in his teenage years is going to be obnoxious and unapologetic about keeping your eyes on him. non-yandere gojo deviates in his ability to mature by trusting you enough to believe you when you say you're not going anywhere. yandere gojo always has that gnawing fear that he'll end up with no one who can truly understand him if he isn't vigilant.

either way, you're not locked up in some dungeon where you'll never see the light of day, which is a boon. they're both content to let you interact with geto & shoko in your high school years, as well as their students into adulthood. selfish as yan gojo can be, his dream of the next generation usurping the status quo is paramount. he believes your influence too invaluable to deprive his students of. they both complain about how much you dote on megumi though.

non-yandere and yan scara

... ahem. the differences here are less pronounced. a driving factor behind scaramouche's character is his fear of abandonment, along with the resentment from the betrayals he previously experienced. they're both not the easiest people to be in a relationship with (or the healthiest). there's always going to be some level of codependency with non-yandere scaramouche. his yandere variation just cranks that to the highest setting.

the key difference lies within your ability to steer him away from being a weirdo. there's a skill ceiling for yan scaramouche, you can only make it so far. non-yandere scaramouche, on the other hand, has a sliver of hope. it'd require a mind-numbing amount of patience and forgiveness, but it's technically possible. everything comes down to how much you love him at his worst. should you accept him, albeit with some conditions (such as him being more honest with his feelings), he will make a legitimate effort to reform himself.

anything else nets you a bad end. he's emotionally volatile and prone to callousness. it isn't like yan scaramouche wants you to hate him — he's driven by paranoia. compounded by your understandable distaste for his new, restrictive behavior, he ends up saying things he'll later regret. tl;dr scara is eevee and will evolve into a slightly normal partner or yandere depending on your stats.

non-yandere and yan blade

somehow the most normal from this lineup?????? not that that's an achievement, since that bar's in hell, but it's still kinda funny.

unlike the other weirdos on this list, non-yandere blade could come to accept if you loved another. it isn't inconceivable or a reality he'd seek to alter. if anything, non-yandere blade would find your romantic interest in him far more perplexing. he's a jaded, immortal weapon who guiltlessly sheds blood. he knows you deserve better and that you're likable enough to find another partner. said partner would be subject to his scrutiny, but he wouldn't be vehemently opposed.

yandere blade thinks a similar way. what changes is his self-restraint — or lack, thereof. would you be happier with another? yes. can he love you the way you deserve? absolutely not. that doesn't remedy the incessant urge to possess you. you don't even have to like him back, per se, just having you around satisfies him. you quench this hunger that his non-yandere self ignores (with great difficulty).

here's to hoping this makes any sense 😭...

[velvetvexations]

This is probably only tangentially related to your Tankie Tuesday special, and unfortunately it's not particularly coherent either. Oh well, I'm in the mood to vent.

One of the many ways that revolutionary leftists frustrate me is the hypocrisy regarding incremental/non-revolutionary progress. I often see revolutionary leftists dismiss incremental progress by pointing out that it can be temporary. I've seen a lot of statements along the lines of "If I have to vote for my rights every few years, then I don't actually have rights". I also see revolutionary leftists dismissing incremental progress by saying that it's vulnerable to being hijacked by the right and other unsavoury interests. The biggest example is voluntary euthanasia: unfortunately in the last few years it's gone from being "let people in immense pain from terminal illnesses end their life on their own terms" to being "let's legally kill people with non-terminal (including mental!) illnesses so we don't have to treat them". And I see revolutionary leftists point these factors out as an example of why incremental progress can't truly work to improve the life of the people.

To an extent, I understand these criticisms. The problem is, these same revolutionary leftists say the Russian Revolution is the ultimate example of progress - when it very obviously has the same issues of creating only temporary progress, that was ended through being hijacked by authoritarians! And said authoritarians then killed millions and millions of people. So which is it? Does temporary progress matter, or does it not? Is the risk of having your movement and ideas hijacked to serve elite interests a problem, or is it not a problem?

I don't like participating in *gestures vaguely at entire world* THIS either. But the way I see it, these are our options: 1, work in and around the system to slowly create a better world. 2, attempt a violent revolution to overthrow the system, and hope that you succeed and it lasts forever against all odds. 3, do nothing. 4, do option 3 whilst pretending you're going to do option 2.

Even though it's slow and shitty and horrible, I'll take option 1 over the rest any day.

Tankies and others who parade round in a cheap revolutionary costume have unshakable faith in their hypothetical system, so it's always a matter of simply implementing that system. Progressives who don't fetishize it, though, understand that you will never have rights that cannot be taken away. History is full of examples of democracies devolving. The whole point of handing someone power is that they will then use that fucking power.

Ask them how long Revolutionary France lasted before they chose to joyously worship an emperor. Sure, it started with a coup - but the military figures who did so were players in the revolution, and regardless of how it started, the French fucking loved Napoleon.

We will always be fighting. We can make things better, we can push evil to a dark hole, but it will always be there, ready to spring on any opportunity it can to come roaring back.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

The truth is KP will be unable to communicate William’s way of doing things effectively. People will always have something to say. As far as I know, KP didn’t use to say big projects > ribbon-cutting engagements. I don’t have proof cause I can’t go through all the articles right now lol. But there’s already a push from certain group of fans to villainize William and this strategy. That’s only when KP intensified the “impact >” messaging.

What can they do then if William is focused on wanting to see “impact”? Wanting to see impact is not exactly saying others aren’t making impact. But how do you say that you’re a person who wants to see results without offending anybody?

To me, the problem starts with the reaction from “royal watchers”.

Princess Anne’s work has had impact, I’m sure. Charles’ too. So if the others work have had impact why would some people who are not Anne or Charles be offended on their behalf?

In the same way, Anne and Charles engagement numbers are always used against William and Kate, without even acknowledging that it also took Charles and Anne years before they could have the steady engagement numbers they have now.

Don’t people see the irony that this particular engagement of William’s can both seen as a ~worthless frivolous engagement~ but also it aligns with one of William’s causes which is mental health. In that sense, it is both. It’s people making dichotomies between bread and butter engagements and pet projects that are the problem. People are so close-minded and don’t often see the big picture, and honestly oftentimes royal watchers simply parrot narratives and arguments they see from other royal watchers.

It’s like with the BAFTA attendance. If they attended, they’re wannabe celebrities. They didn’t attend but William did something with BAFTA that didn’t involve already well-known celebrities and filmmakers, but that was worthless to the critics. Imo, they should probably just attend BAFTA every year to avoid criticisms, but it would also probably be nice if people stopped acting like William completely does nothing with BAFTA when the problem is they’re just not paying enough attention.

But I do think a lot of the problem does root from the fact that W&K won’t stop with the no public engagements when the kids are on break rule that they have. They have to emphasize the “impact” part because their engagement numbers are widely reduced by that rule that they have. But what can we do, they seem to be firm on that.

Let me be clear, I’m not against criticism for W&K. I’m just not convinced about the arguments used.

Well, it looks like I'm going to be repeating myself a lot here today.

The problem with William and Kate's work isn't an ineffective communications team. It's the corporate expectation of immediate tangible results.

Monarchy, government, and public service are not corporations and businesses. They do not prioritize results. They prioritize people's lives. That is what impact is - fundamental, systemic, lasting change that improves people's lives for the better. That is not something that can be measured in dollars/pounds, days, or engagement counts. It is measured in years and decades. It is small, incremental progress.

Scholars, professionals, experts, civil servants, and the people who work in public service understand that. Royal watchers, on the whole, do not. Neither does the media. And even you, anon, don't seem to understand that either from some of your comments.

Charles and Anne can talk about results from their work because they've been doing this work for 40+ years. William and Kate don't have that kind of tenure. They have to talk about prospective, potential impact because they don't have results yet. They don't have metrics. The only metrics they have are their engagement count, the number of homes they own, and the assumed cost of Kate's clothes; hence everyone hyper-focuses on those data points, to the detriment of their actual work objective: a better, healthier, mentally-stronger citizenry for Britain.

KP actually can communicate William's work effectively, and they have in some respects, but the biggest obstacle is that their audience doesn't understand this, no matter how many times it's explained "this is a multi-year project" or "this is a research foundation". It's not a high-brow concept. It just conflicts with today's fast-paced corporate-led results-driven society where we expect and demand everything right here, right now or it's not worth our time.

[exeggcute]

this is the startup coaster as I'm familiar with it:

(1) three guys named scott snag a few million in seed funding, hire a few engineers to work with them in the abandoned wework they're renting from the ghost of a 15th century land baron.

(2) headcount slowly grows, they release a product that "works" but it's either cheap as hell or free so people are starting to adopt it; adoption is a sign of growth, which in turn yields more funding from eager investors.

(3) scott^3 have enough cash reserves to move into a real office and hire marketing/sales people, product improves a bit. still not even close to being profitable but it's okay because funding continues to pour in!

(4) incremental product improvements, user adoption crescendoes, maybe another funding round. possible hiring frenzy to follow. cue a chorus of scotts, in perfect unison: "our company is valued at almost at a billion dollars! an IPO is just around the corner!"

(5) investor money becomes harder and harder to come by over time; company slows spending.

(6) "well, all we have to do is focus on revenue instead of growth... profitability is within reach." management may or may not make poor decisions that spur original critical employees to jump ship, taking their expertise and guiding philosophy with them.

(7) money continues to hemorrhage with no VC infusions in sight. company makes significant cuts to their workforce, pares back their roadmap.

(8) in the absence of key personnel (and without the necessary cushion to develop new features or offer competitive pricing), the product either stagnates or gets noticeably worse. users revolt and either threaten to leave or actually do.

(9) final death spiral where revenue continues to dry up, which leads to more layoffs, which makes the product worse, which means users continue to churn, which makes revenue dry up even more. any investors cut their losses and move on to their next prospect. scott, scott, and scott either go on the podcast circuit or start over again to get seed funding for a new startup that they can only describe as "the uber of canine saunas"

[tophat-69]

OHHH my god ty SO much for updating, I've only just gotten around to TSF (I've been Saving it because it looked so good) and OUGHH chapter 5 JUST when I started it??? I feel so TREATED

You've taken "the children yearn for the mines" to a whole new height ;-;

I’m so glad you started TSF, and I’m so happy that you liked it!

Chapter 5 got long, mostly because Vander and Silco almost demand to be domestic coparenting teen dads before they’re even actually dating. I couldn’t shake the image of nineteen year old Silco immediately going “I have only had Felicia for a day and a half, but if anything ever happened to her I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.”

(This poor man. He has no idea that he was destined to be both a girl dad and an absolute pushover for a daughter. Felicia is training him well for Jinx’s future benefit.)

And I KNOW that the children yearning for the mines is a meme but now I get to be a nerd in replies so BEFORE I do that thank you so so much for reading and for letting me know you enjoyed!

…

…because now I am going to jump into child labor laws in the 1830s.

Why? Because I am a nerd and a simple meme joke gave me an opening and that’s all I need to infodump! This is the magic of ✨neurodivergence✨ because any random combination of words threatens to send my brain careening in a different direction.

I’m going to preface this by saying that for this story I’ve been doing entirely too much research on early 1800s coal mining (ex: my use of Geordie Lamps because a canary wouldn’t survive Zaun’s polluted air, let alone the air their mines). But I’ve also been brushing up relevant factors in the Industrial Revolution and to an extent the Victorian era… because Zaun is heavily influenced by the Steam Punk genre which is heavily influenced by those historical timeframes. Zaun is written to show the seedy underbelly of that genre, the parts of it that a more romanticized view like Piltover glosses over.

So this gilded fantastical realm is inspired by an era where 50% of the workforce was made up of children. Children with parents started work between the ages of 9 and 14. Orphans were put to work as young as 4. They were considered cheaper, easier to manage, and families had been putting kids to works on their farms and domestic workshops and homes already so the justification was right there for them. Families in poverty often have their kids enter the workplace as soon as they’re legally able, because that’s often the only way they can support themselves. And the Sumps prior to the Lanes were the literal depths of poverty, and even after they still aren’t exactly rolling in wealth.

Silco started as a trapper in the mines at 10 and that’s a pretty common role to shove kids into, and a would be a not-uncommon starting age. Basically he’d be crammed in the dark for 12 hours at a time opening and closing a trap door for coal tubs and fresh air. Even during his time at the mines, though, Zaun was undergoing the technological advancements that both Zaun and Piltover are famous for, and he’s a smart kid and basically became the one learning each new advancement they brought in at every chance so he could make himself indispensable. Which is how he ended up a blaster so young.

He doesn’t have an inherently negative view of child labor. He was a kid, he did a job, he got paid, he got out of the orphanage, and it wasn’t uncommon or unusual. Before Vander and Silco’s work for the Lanes, it’s pretty clear from Silco’s later rants in-show that there weren’t exactly unions around pushing for improved conditions, either.

The change from “child labor for all!” to strict child labor laws took a century. Arguably longer. They slowly went “eh, maybe not four year olds. Let’s start at nine” and then the Factory Act of 1833 said “okay but let’s be reasonable 9-12 year olds can ONLY work 8 hours a day, and 13-17 year olds can ONLY work 12 hours a day.” And on and on from there, these incremental little steps, often pushed by labor unions.

So, in the actual realm of Arcane we see all these children working in the factories and it’s horrific—because it is and was and will always be—but it’s also commentary on the sort of thing a rosy look at history glosses right over when it comes to people who lived in poverty, instead of the fantasy “topside.”

Silco’s like “yeah, started at the mines at 10, been here ever since” and it just is what it is. Commonplace. Vander’s family had a business so he’s worked just as long but was better protected, and he didn’t start in the real workforce outside of the Drop until years later, because the bar couldn’t support itself.

So Silco and Vander have subtle but significant difference of viewpoints. And Piltover never had to confront that reality at all, until Jayce is in the factory.

…Anyway, side rant done! I have a ton of research and parallels and symbolism and just layers of useless nonsense I’ve written into this story and around this story, and it’s generally going to waste in my head so it jumped right out.

I hope that didn’t scare you off, and that you continue to stick around and enjoy the story!

[csuitebitches]

I apologize for the long ask and if this question is a bit juvenile but objectively, how can one “gain” pretty privilege/gauge how they are viewed? I’ve done well in career pursuits for how early on I am ( I graduated in 2020) but started noticing that the invites to events/opportunities where one can really establish themselves not only professionally but socially, I was getting passed over by some higher up colleagues. In speaking to a female mentor who is related to my field and the same background as me (Black), she alluded that while my race may play a small factor in it, it’s more so my appearance that may be holding me back as the personality and poise is there. Some coworkers of mine who are brilliant and POC have similar credentials and positions as I and while we are all wonderful and hard working, they (who I feel are more beautiful and put together looks-wise) have discussed privately to me they have noticed a difference in treatment between us. While it’s not right, I am adult enough to know not to let things that can be fixed hinder the life I want. Your page is a wealth of information and I appreciate how encouraging you are!!

well. I’m going to be very blunt.

it’s all fun and games to say “oh fuck the beauty standards they’re terrible and they shouldn’t exist” yes, true, unfortunately they do exist and they play a bigger role than we imagine it to be.

the first thing you have to get right is your mindset.

you need to be strong enough to admit that you need changes in X, Y, Z area but not in A, B, C area. You also need to be a little loyal towards your racial identity (for the better or worse) because that’s what is going to make you stand out.

if you have a sensitive, overly emotional mindset and you get hurt very easily / become obsessive by nature, I highly recommend you to STOP reading now.

Understand what is considered pretty in your country and area. Even in one country, beauty standards can different from the north and south. Don’t exactly try to become attractive for the opposite sex but understand what they find attractive because these guys are your primary responders to your pretty privilege. Women will be kind on the surface and so it can be difficult to get constructive criticism from them.

Understand what YOU consider pretty. Who are the women who you think are crazy beautiful? What do they look like, dress like, how’s their hair and their make up, can you replicate any of it? Rule of thumb when it comes to hair and beauty - look at influencers / celebs who are of your racial background for the best fit.

there are always a few things that are universally considered “respectfully attractive” not “you wanna fuck me attractive”- semi modesty/ modesty outfits (my father always told me that when in doubt, go for a more conservative look), hygiene, well kept hair, clean nails and toe nails, soft skin, natural make up, natural hair colour, perfume, clothes that fit, skin care, a workout routine.

pretty privilege is not just the art of looking pretty. It’s also bringing in something of value on the table. Value = money / connections / knowledge/ humour / being the fun social person / whatever value the target group considers to be the most important for you to be relevant to them. Work on your soft skills. It’s better to look half baked but have solid soft skills than to look amazing and not know how to converse.

things that one normally notices when meeting someone new:

Skin - is it clear, is the make up overdone?

hair - is it messy or does it suit your face structure?

how you smell

teeth, when you talk - and dental hygiene

shoes - are they filthy?

shirt/ top - does it fit you well (always check that the seams on your shoulder and your actual shoulder line up), the colour of your clothes

body type, posture, how you carry yourself

start with incremental changes. Make a list of things you think you could improve on (this is not a list of “ugly” things, it’s an “improvement/ potential” list). Sort them according to ease of improvement (is this going to be expensive and difficult or affordable and easy?) and time (can this be done overnight or will it take some time).

Use point 1 and 2 only as launching pads. You do not have to look like Beyoncé, you’re simply understanding what her MUA and hair stylist does for her that could work for you. After a point, you have to ensure that YOUR identify sticks out and is still there, you’re not born to imitate someone else and also, it’s very obvious when someone is trying to be someone they’re not.

again. I repeat. If you’re going to get obsessive and make yourself sick over this it’s NOT WORTH IT. If you’re not mentally capable of making these changes, do not go through it.

[theweirdwideweb]

I reported my boss to HR for discrimination last week. Please tell me if I'm crazy.

My old boss got promoted so around October I got a new supervisor. We've been coworkers for about 5 years and had a friendly relationship. I'd been to her house, met her kids, we chit chatted a lot. When she started approving my time cards she noticed I was using about 3-5 hours of PTO per week at random times. I explained this was an informal arrangement I had with my previous supervisor due to my disability. I have C-PTSD and ADHD which honestly make it difficult to get through the day pretty much every day. Sometimes I need more breaks and if I'm using my PTO and being honest, who cares right? Well the new supervisor cared. She told me that if I couldn't be a full time employee they couldn't justify our headcount and my job was on the line unless I made this a formal arrangement. I was really hurt but I did it, I got all the doctors notes together and figured--while I'm formalizing it, I actually do need extra therapy so I'm gonna make my FMLA (family medical leave act) time include these sessions.

All this is approved obviously because one thing I'm not is self diagnosed. I've got medical records a mile high. So starting in January this official leave time goes into effect and I can use up to 7 hours of PTO per week. Before all this began my supervisor consistently praised me as a "rockstar" employee, saying I was the only person on the team who truly follows the rules. In general I was thought of as an excellent worker and had received a promotion. The team that I lead smashed our goals for 2023. But, strangely, once I start the FMLA my supervisor begins complaining about my lack of productivity. I kept a spreadsheet as a tool for my ADHD where I tracked how I was spending my time so I volunteered to let her see it so she could figure it out. Instead of sending the spreadsheet tracking my work in 5 minute increments once or twice, this woman has had me sending it every week for the past 7 months. Every Monday we have our 1:1 and she lets me know how poorly I'm doing. She also sends me an email on Mondays where she counts every email I have in my inbox, every claim I have across multiple programs, every minute of meetings I have scheduled and sends me the amount of time she expects it to take and if I don't make it then we have to talk about my "problems".

Now I'm practically never making it. I've appealed to her and to her boss so many times that there is something wrong with this formula they've come up with to calculate my workload--and they both just think I'm lying. Long story short in May I started measuring my time not on the spreadsheet but by the individual tasks in the email and not only am I keeping up, but there's a full 5-6 hours of work every week that she hasn't been counting (including 3 hours talking on the phone---with her!). I bring this up at our 1:1 in late May and say, See there really is something wrong with your measurement. I'm right on track productivity wise with these tasks. She doesn't acknowledge at all the flaw I've found in her formula but DOES say, "I do think there's been an improvement in your productivity and I expect it will continue to improve as you get more therapy." Full on MASK OFF. So my "productivity issues" are improved by therapy, meaning she's been ascribing those issues to my disability. Incredible.

I go to HR the next day to have this interaction on the record. First time I've gone to HR about anything ever. They are so concerned that they are going to launch an investigation and I tearfully plead with them not to because my boss's boss is out on medical leave and I don't want to cause huge problems while she's away and can't moderate. I didn't realize it would automatically cause an investigation to report this. The lady takes pity on me and says they won't investigate for now.

The VERY NEXT DAY my supervisor tells us in a team meeting (other people there to witness) that she's got a funny story about her son. It's some innocent story about how he's grounded and can't go to a party, but she continues on by talking about how she has to be extra strict with him because he has ADHD. If she doesn't enforce consequences, he'll never learn! And he has to learn because when he grows up his boss isn't going to take his ADHD as an excuse. "Policies are policies" she said, "Your boss isn't going to accept an answer like I know I was supposed to do four things but I only got to three because...." She even went further talking about how he's having trouble learning to drive because of his ADHD and just laughing about it. When he has to do something, she says, she has to remind him multiple times and set timers and double check with him otherwise he'll forget.

So I'm fucking flabbergasted at this point, right? This whole time I've been feeling like this time tracking is discriminatory and here she is just spelling it out for me in neon letters: YES, IT ACTUALLY IS. So I'm biding my time until her boss gets back from medical leave. But after 3 weeks of showing her that her method is flawed she tells me I don't have to do the spreadsheet anymore. Her boss is back but cancelled our first meeting, so I figure: If the bullshit stops, for the sake of my career and mental health I'm gonna let this go. My supervisor goes on vacation for 2 weeks. I'm doing my work exactly as I want to without the added pressure and everything is going great.

Once she gets back though we have our 1:1 and she asks me where my emails were on the 2 past Fridays telling her if I got all my work done. Which she never asked me to do, btw. Reader---I mcfreakin lost it. I belligerently asked why this was still necessary, that I felt picked on and bullied, that she isn't doing this to anyone else on the team, and that I'm sick and tired of constantly being demoralized by her leadership. I told her that I was going to talk to her boss directly about this situation. She was pissed. She actually unfriended me on facebook which for middle aged women is like throwing a grenade.

Next day I talk to her boss. I bring my evidence because of course I've been taking notes. The situation is serious. HR has become involved. And just because there are anti-retaliatory rules for reporting protected concerns doesn't actually protect me from getting fired. Suddenly I'm fearful about everything. I'm afraid I'm going to lose my job and my health insurance, bye bye therapy,, bye bye surgery I need. I've been at this job 6 years and the animosity is at an all time high. Christ almighty.

[cupcakeslushie]

sorry for nagging you but i wanted to ask if you have some tips on making comics. I’ve trying making many comics but i always lose motivation and can’t seem to get past even the first panel sometimes.

I did make a pretty long post here, with some advice for starting out! But that’s more technical I guess, and it sounds like maybe you’re looking for some motivational advice? So in addition to that post, I’d say…

Don’t look at these panels where you’re stuck as failures. Look at them, instead, as first drafts!! Keep the early planning stages loose, so it doesn’t feel like an arrow to the heart if you have to make changes. Many artists need to see their thoughts collected somewhere before they can refine things and move on to the next stage. Another big thing is learning to be okay with throwing those drafts away when they become more of a roadblock than a step towards that awesome, final version you’ve got knocking around in your head.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spent an hour plotting the composition of a panel…or maybe I’ve gotten too focused on the little details of a character’s expression, but the rest of the shot has just….idk died. I’ll copy and paste what I did like, and delete what’s not working or I’ll completely start over, no fuss. Wipe my hands of it and refuse to look at it as a failure. If I drew it once, I can draw it again! Practice isn’t time wasted, it’s time invested into growing! Drawing is drawing!

It’s always good to look back at your work, so you can see your improvement, but only focusing on your unfinished pieces might be doing more harm than good.

And maybe, you don’t have to draw a full 10 page comic from the get go! Try experimenting with shorter form comics! You can tell quite a number of stories in just a few panels! Learning the ins and outs of something new is a lot easier to accomplish when it’s done in smaller increments. That way you can have that feeling of success more often and it’ll motivate you into not giving up!

When I started EW, I was doing parts in like, one or two pages! Because I was still nailing down the comic techniques I wanted to employ. I was gathering brushes and learning how and when to use them! Learning how to create compositions that worked around dialogue bubbles! All the boring parts of comic creating lol. But then, the more comfortable I became with those techniques, the less time they took, and I could really go wild with the creative aspect! Now my updates are much longer!

It’s just a process. But at some point, all the advice and resources in the world can only help so much. You have to be willing to put in the time!

I’d say it’s kinda similar advice they give when you start working out. When you’re first starting, and you try to do more than your body is comfortable with, you’ll be in a lot of pain and won’t want to continue. It’s easy to give up if you’re not seeing results and you feel like you’re wasting your time. But if you start in a reasonable place, and let yourself learn as you go, then you can gain good habits and it’ll get easier!

And only then, when it’s easy, that’s when you challenge yourself! Not when you’re already struggling with just starting! Or it won’t be fun and all of your drive will disappear!

And that’s really what you’re doing this all for, right? For fun!

[nicky35]

UConn vs Ole Miss

imma just do a player breakdown cause i think that's the best way to break this one down. sorry but this is gonna be rambly.

paige: i mean i gotta address the obvious, pretty sure she tied her career high for turnovers, when i saw that stat i was hoping i would watch and see that maybe there were other things that led to them, but honestly all of them were her fault and just dumb errors, she did good with the physicality of old miss, but that wasn't surprising, she's still over-helping on defense too much. i also hate seeing her go from floor general to standing around any time she's on the floor with kkm but i think that might be a coaching thing.

azzi: oh how i loved this. firstly, big dawg az is basically averaging 1 block a game since her return, i know this is the boring part but i'm such a nerd for good defense and seeing how much she looks like her old defensive self from like hs has me geeking. i love seeing how smart she plays. in the past, she's gotten in her head when shots aren't falling and either just stopped shooting or kept settling for the three. seeing someone so notorious for that to be the one lifting them out of the 0-15 run just made me tear up. loved seeing her drive and cut, while also still taking a few 3's. i would love to see her take a few more middy's in the next game cause those are always beautiful.

sarah: strong first half, but they definitely targeted her in the second and she got clamped. however because of what she's shown, i am excited to see how she responds to that. also, the 3 ball... i like that she's not afraid to shoot, but i think after 4 misses, especially as a post-player, it's time to cut your losses. defensively she still looked solid, even when they were being aggressive.

jana: i mean with her size, just having her on the court helps this team, especially against aggressive teams like ole miss. you could really see her trying to stay disciplined on defense and not foul and it showed. one of the fouls she got called on was actually bs, but i'm glad she didn't get heated over it. i love her fiery energy on the court and i think it's a good compliment to a lot of the quieter people on the court. she only got 3 fga but she was 100%, which was her biggest problem last time. however, i need her shooting freethrows every day. especially as a center, it is so easy to get fouled and those need to be easy points.

ice: this was her best defensive game i've seen so far. she took to aggression from ole miss really well and was reacting a lot faster. what i've noticed so far from ice is that she is either doing well on offense or defense, but she hasn't had a game where she's contributing on both ends of the floor. i also think she could maybe work on her handle and be able to not be so stationary on offense. jana's taller and is still able to move with the ball more. i think she's lucky she never got double-teamed and stripped, because she won't move with the ball. also there is no world in which she needs to be attempting more than one 3 a game. overall glad to see her improving each game, even if it is incremental.

kaitlyn: gosh this one hurts me. it's harder watching her not score more, when we've seen all that she's got in her bag and she's typically on the floor with another pg. defensively i think she was great and i think both of her fouls were smart and not the typical dumb stuff. i would still take her over kk, just because of her level-headedness and leadership, but with azzi back in the mix and multiple players who can switch between guard and forward, she's not really making an argument for why she should be on the court over others.

ashlynn: liked to middy instead of the regular 3, but zero 3pta's for her is just dumb. at this point i would rather see lower efficiency and just take more shot attempts, but mixing it up between 3's, middy, and getting to the rim. on the postive, i did notice she went under less screens in this game. even though she's improved tremendously on defense, that was an old habit that came back last game and i was happy to see the adjustement.

kk: i'm sorry but i'm just not seeing it. she just has to have more to offer the team offensively than passing and layups, especially being so small. stronger defensive teams are gonna continue to block her shot. i thought we were finally seeing her experimenting with a little floater, but haven't seen that in a bit and the middy and 3 pt shot are still nonexistent. very reminiscent of nika, but at least nika had more of a leadership and aggressive quality to her that helped with the team's energy. i just really cannot see her running this team next year. also putting her on the court now just takes paige off the ball which is the last thing this team needs. i simply cannot see why she is over 10 minutes when morgan is a better defender and allie can shoot.

[qqueenofhades]

Do you think part of what makes people feel like voting isn’t worth it because things don’t get better under democrats is because we can’t see what would have happened? Like I see a lot of people saying “well biden hasn’t made america much better so there’s no point” but it’s like they don’t understand that under a republican they would actively do everything they could to cause more harm. It’s like they don’t understand that 1. The president can’t do much, and 2. IT WOULD BE WORSE. like they don’t understand the possibilities. Idk people just frustrate me

I'm sorry, as I know you're just relaying what these people think and not claiming so yourself, but the whole "things don't get better under Biden/Democrats" line to which we are subjected so very, miserably often is a lie!!! It is demonstrably a lie! It is peddled by people who deliberately live in their echo-chamber leftist misinformation bubbles and either don't read the news, don't accept anything less than the Magical Socialist Revolution Now, and don't think partial or incremental progress (aka the only kind of progress that exists) is valid. "Biden hasn't single-handedly fixed everything wrong with America and the world after the most damaging presidency ever to exist and 250+ years of flaws, while other countries actually are their own actors with agency making complex choices, so we shouldn't vote for him" is a bullshit lie and I'm tired of it!!!

(Again. Sorry. This is not directed at you. This is just my frustration with this entire ridiculous situation speaking.)

We have had multiple elections now where people voted for Democrats, which resulted in abortion protections, protections for LGBTQ people, the biggest climate legislation ever to pass Congress/be signed into law (the Inflation Reduction Act), vast improvements in the job market, executive actions both large and small, improvements in labor and the economy, a general democratic system, a defense of the rule of law, a warning against fascism, and everything else that Trump trampled on in 4 years and will finish the job of doing if this godforsaken country is either right-wing-zealot or left-wing-zealot enough to put him back into office. (Like, people. Google is free. You're welcome to look up the improvements Biden has actually made, but that would harm your Narrative.) So much of this misinformation is also peddled by people who are proud that they don't have a clue how the American government works and/or deliberately lie about it: see all the claims that it was Biden's fault for not magically stopping a Trump-stacked SCOTUS, selected for the express purpose of overturning Roe, from overturning Roe. Because the president could just unilaterally overturn the Supreme Court with no problems at all if He Really Wanted To, I guess. Even if that is literally not the way it has ever functioned in history.

All the noxious Republicans in state legislatures passing anti-trans/anti-abortion/anti-voting laws ARE NOT SOMETHING BIDEN CAN STOP. If you're going to criticize him for not doing something, for God's sake at least make it for something he can do (like not calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, though I would argue he's already taking a more nuanced approach than the entirety of the American establishment during the War on Terror). And then vote for him when/if he follows it up, not just throw your hands in the air and scream about how you Can't Possibly Sully Yourself (especially when there is some very selective support going on here and a deliberate white-washing of how many orders of magnitude worse absolutely everything else in America and the world would be under Trump. So.)

I'm tired of it. I'm really, really tired of it. I've been trying to cut back on my politics posting because my mental health is bad right now and I often feel like a broken record screaming into the void. But. Yeah. Anyway. Whoof.

[molsno]

I would like to think I'm capable of awakening class consciousness in people and I'm going to keep having these conversations regardless because I'm incapable of shutting up about politics but I feel like every time I try to explain basic communist positions to other usamericans my voice falls on deaf ears. and I think the reason for that is that here in the usa, all of this discussion comes across as just abstract theory with no practical applications. the average usamerican is so unbelievably privileged that they've never had to think about how capitalism affects them because for them, the pros outweigh the cons. why bother pursuing drastic change for something that basically works for them when incremental change could give them what they want with no concern for anyone not from the usa?

it's extremely frustrating because it's not abstract in the slightest! even from my privileged position, I've seen it with my own eyes! at my previous workplace, every single person except me was an immigrant, usually indian, with most of them in the country on work visas, which meant that our employer could deport them at a moment's notice by terminating their employment if they didn't obey every order without question. they expected my coworkers to work overtime every single day and even work on weekends; meanwhile, they were much more lenient on me, a us citizen. that's not even to mention the large number of people in india who worked remotely for our company as contractors. a usamerican company employed all of these highly skilled tech workers to generate profit for them, when their labor could have instead been used toward the end of improving the conditions in their own country. all of these people were building up the digital healthcare infrastructure of the usa, and most of them likely would never be able to reap the benefits of their own labor on account of not being us citizens.

when I try to communicate to other usamericans that the convenience and comfort available to us are only made possible through the subjugation and exploitation of the people of the third world, they just don't care. to them, the people of the third world don't have names, faces, personalities, hobbies, or dreams; they're an anonymized hivemind whose suffering is eternal and cannot be explained. but it's not eternal, and it can very easily be explained! our government and the corporations it serves force these people to suffer so that our lives can be a little bit easier. that should make you furious! but the average usamerican is so selfish and entitled that even if they fully understand how imperialism benefits them, it doesn't bother them in the slightest. it makes me sick having to interact with these people regularly.

[mecachrome]

Hi k! Glad you’re back! I was wondering, now that Oscar has taken another step this year, what you think he will want to focus on/you think he should focus on in the future re improving as a driver? He’s the first driver that I’ve followed since their rookie season and it’s been exciting to see the momentum this year so far.

hi anon!!! sorry for the late reply >__< this is a wonderful thought exercise though hehehe oscar has been progressing at such a commendable rate and ia it's been wonderful to witness :') tbh in 2025 the sample size is still too small to make any sweeping arguments but we can take it race-by-race and attempt to lay out his weaknesses anecdotally...

back in the day i actually wrote up a 2023 retrospective to dissect how we approach rookie performances & specifically mclaren's expectations for him as a rookie, which i felt were important to contextualize relative to dr's woes and the under/overhype for him entering f1 thanks to the drama surrounding his contract:

i think this is still a decent way to frame the axes of development for a driver because it's easy to say that at the end of the day, pace and race craft are all that really matter (actionably true in many circumstances), but there are so many intangibles necessary to attain these targets. knowing this, i think oscar's always had really remarkable self-awareness and accountability, which in turn allows him to learn at a fast rate and rarely make the same mistake twice... which i think will always be the most impressive thing about him! just like, not only consistency at its face-value meaning, but also consistency in terms of continuous learning and maintaining a drive to keep improving linearly. the only problem is that f1 is such a variable sport that this alone isn't enough to get you up to speed with something as tricky as tyres in only a handful of races, due to the myriad of conditions that influence how you learn a track, so he really did need the entirety of 2023 to properly hone his weaknesses in tyre management and race pace...

anyway i feel like the big narratives for oscar were tyre management/race pace in 2023 and especially in 2024 quali pace... which is fun to see because i do believe that he improved majorly in management by 2024! so seeing those incremental gains over the seasons has been really rewarding. i have no delusions over his competitiveness vs. lando during this time (21-3 quali h2h in 2024), so i feel like for him a big thing really was just learning how to put together that proper quali lap—he's had the pace on different occasions but would always drop the ball when it really counted, so i wanted to see him improve on that. which... i think he has so far, but it's still too soon to make any sweeping statements! overall though i'm very very glad he finally got that first pole and successfully converted it too T__T

looking at it race-by-race:

australia: a really solid performance overall MINUS the grass moment, but you see this is a tricky one because i could be like "well i think he needs to be better in the wet and not make these mistakes" but it's also like... idk sometimes shit happens you know? like there's obviously a spectrum in evaluating Error Proneness, wherein there's crashing/causing a red flag/dnfing and then there's having 30+ consecutive finishes and one wet-weather incident that still ends in a p9 finish with an extremely committed last-lap overtake as the cherry on top. so obviously you wouldn't want these things to happen, but in the grand scheme of things is that something he needs to regularly focus on or improve? idk!

china: kind of impossible to have notes on this, just a solid weekend overall which is esp heartwarming after how much he struggled here in 2024!!! great quali with two laps strong enough for pole and then comfortably in the lead from start to finish... honestly couldn't ask for more.

japan: considering the nature of this track and its lack of raceability for the current gen of f1 cars, the finishing order was determined by quali which in turn was determined by oscar's middling s1. so i suppose if anything we can once again point to needing to maximize quali potential here—max is just suuuch a machine when given the opportunity and i think there's always that little bit more to eke out that oscar hasn't 100% optimized. this is obviously anecdotal though... but either way i'm sure he himself is like "well obviously i want to qualify on pole every race weekend" just as like, a base fundamental of competitiveness, although whether that's the driving mentality he actually practices with himself is another question. well tbh this is also a reflection of where the mclaren is as a car itself—because oscar's personal philosophy that he's mentioned before is he calibrates his expectations to the potential of the package and is appropriately celebratory of his achievements relative to their scope of possibility so NOW i do believe he comes in every weekend like this car should be on pole so i should put it on pole! Next! which means every time he loses out to lando or someone else he probably does on some base level think to himself well this is something i need to keep working on and get better at. obviously i don't think he's bad at quali and he's seemingly improved significantly in pace since 2023/24, but that's not the ceiling being set for mclaren right now. So!

bahrain: similar to china but with more general excitement 🧡

saudi arabia: honestly overall really impressed with oscar this weekend because this track was pretty favorable to rb and max's avg race pace was actually marginally better and like yes i think oscar could have/should have gotten pole but i appreciated that he showed off his strong race craft/commitment/ability to weather and overcome 1st lap fuckery... like genuinely quite touched by how he got through that first corner and didn't let himself get bullied by max's you-or-me attitude at the apex LOL.

thinking about all of this it's like... oscar's season has honestly been soooo good so far that anything he needs to work on is frankly anecdotal and marginal and likely dependent on what he and the team specifically pinpoint weekend by weekend. SO FAR THAT IS! i'm sure as the season progresses there'll be larger moments of weakness and insecurity that appear, and there'll probably be results much worse than we've seen atm... well i'd prefer if that weren't the case but i'm just saying that the sample size is simply too small for me personally to sit back comfortably. but otherwise i really really like everything i've seen over the past 5 races T__T sure, he could be putting together perfect pole laps but overall he's managed to get his glaring pace issues behind him while still remaining calm and collected and knowing when to take necessary risks and make Big Overtakes without jeopardizing his race. sob!!!

let's revisit this in a few months tho 😖

[phagodyke]

didn't sleep 👎

I have to be up for work in 3 hours and I'm gonna be real I think ive hit the point where I might not be getting any sleep at all. for fucks sake.