#however i make an effort to learn about this and other injustices

[themetalvirus]

yes, fuck cops. but also if you think you understand WHY cops are bad, you should probably dig more into why. if you're completely self assured that you know the full breadth of why the system of policing is so rotten, you have failed yourself.

[greentrickster]

Okay, so, it's 100% canonical that Sherlock Holmes only does drugs when he's bored due to not having a case or anything better to keep him entertained. That's just a fact, that's how it's written in the text of the original stories.

Ergo, I think that means, in modern adaptations of these stories, the absolute last thing Sherlock should be doing is drugs. Because we have so many more things we can do for fun now than we did in Victorian England.

And, given his interests in learning, justice, good food, and music, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that, for just day-to-day entertainment, he probably still has his violin, and also subs to a LOT of musicians on YouTube, along with following a few vlogs/blogs that review restaurants, and has subscriptions to just... so many academic journals. These are the things he turns to in the quiet moments of his cases, as well as taking Watson to various restaurants they like and attending concerts as they do in canon.

When he hasn't got a case and is bored, however?

Not drugs, I say.

No, not drugs, but a darker, more sinister addiction, one perfectly tailored to his longing for justice and preventing misinformation, that leads to greater knowledge for all being available at the fingertips of all, from all walks and ages of life, the unifier, the equalizer, the bastion of education that comes daily under threat that would see harm done to those they do not know.

In other words, he's a Wikipedia editor. And he's a godsdamned demon about it.

He doesn't go on Twitter for similar reasons he's not fond of the country - there's simply so much misinformation and injustice going on there that he simply can't fix, so he does his best to put his efforts in places he can make a difference. As far as he's concerned, the only good thing that's come out of that website is community notes.

(Watson makes note of all these details in his personal journals, where he details all their more interesting cases as well. He's not sharing them at the moment, social media being what it is these days means Sherlock gets more than enough attention without Watson's help, but he wants to keep track of them for himself, and on the odd thought that maybe someone will find interest in them either quite late in or after Watson and Holmes' own lives.)

[litmot-archived]

Public Eye

Zaros Atha'lin x Reader

You humiliate Zaros in front of a crowd.

Warnings: social anxiety, panic attacks

Zaros grew up with the knowledge that practically everybody and their dog hated him. His family was unpopular, he understood that, and despite every effort he made to make an ally of the rest of the Serulan population, somehow his unpopularity with the nobles always made him out to be the villain. 

He liked to think he was quite good at hiding how much it affected him. His mother used to tell him that he should not care about other people’s opinions and that he needed only his sense of what was right to lead him on the way of his life — but that did not mean that their words did not sting. 

You grew up in the spotlight. Your mother’s politics painted you in a favorable light to everyone — because criticism of her would be criticism of you, and truthfully she was rather well received. You could part a crowd effortlessly, getting people to avert their eyes and whisper words of awe. You never learned to care for the harsh whispers of strangers because you already had everything you wanted in life. 

You were at the top, looking down on all the common folks whose only way of feeling a part of your grandeur was by talking about you — and you never passed up a chance to remind Zaros of that. 

When you walked through the streets of Serula together, which was not an unusual occurrence now that you were preparing for the trials, he was keenly aware of the awe-struck glances you received from everyone — including the people who your mother seemingly forgot in her politics for the upper classes, including the people who he so desperately wanted to make heard — and the looks of contempt thrown his way. 

“Is that Sarl Zaros?” he heard someone whisper. “He’d do better to crawl back into whichever slump he came from. Nobody wants him and Nira here!”

The venom with which the stranger spat his mother’s name made his fists clench, but he would not have survived as long in the public’s constant sneers and insults if he had been half as hot-headed as you. Zaros took a deep breath, keeping his gaze straight ahead, and continued walking. He was too caught up in the simmering rage this injustice invoked in him to notice your triumphant grin.

You had won the public’s favor long before his mother entertained the idea of contesting the throne. 

What you did not know, and what he had tried to keep from his mother for years, was that Zaros performed utterly horrific before a crowd. The people gathered around him made his heart thunder, their disdainful glances made him want to shrink into himself and hide from the harsh judgment he knew they were casting upon him. Zaros hated crowds. He hated social interactions with people who saw him as an evil threat. 

It was only his luck that you loved to get under his skin. 

“Sarl Zaros, how convenient seeing you right now,” you greeted, fake cheer coloring your tone. The two nobles you were conversing with in the courtyard turned around to look at him, their eyes on him enough to make Zaros tense. “Why don’t you join us? We were talking about your political ideas.”

He cleared his throat, his mind racing for an excuse. “How kind of you, Earis,” he said, holding your gaze for only a moment before letting his eyes wander to the bush of roses next to you instead. “My mother is expecting me, however. Perhaps another time.”

One of the nobles snickered. “Like mother like son,” they said. Zaros vaguely recognized them as belonging to the Ponvillus family. He bit his tongue, the sneer causing anger to overshadow his anxieties. 

“Pray tell, what is that supposed to mean?” he asked, holding the noble’s gaze. 

“He talks,” you said, nudging the other noble’s shoulder. She only laughed, as if remembering a private joke between you. “Watch out. Once he starts, he won’t shut up.”

“I don’t think this conversation is fruitful at all,” Zaros said, giving you a bitter glare. “If you want to insult me, please go ahead. There is no need for me to join your circle of conversation, however. You’ve never had a problem talking ill of me behind my back, why would you need to say it to my face now?”

“How sensitive, Zaros,” you said, stepping closer to him until you were face to face. You clasped your hands behind your back, standing before him as if inspecting a very particular flower.

He did not like the triumphant smile on your face. He did not like the two nobles behind you, watching your every move, waiting for the right moment to chime in with laughter and insults directed at him. 

You always commanded a crowd so effortlessly. He was envious of your talent. It seemed like a natural byproduct of your upbringing, and his terror a natural side effect of his. 

“Sensitive?” he asked, keeping his gaze fixed on you. 

He could debate with you. He could argue with you — only you. It was so much easier to get under your skin when you two were alone — when there was no biased audience to tear him down without listening to a word he said. At least you never disregarded him, no matter how much his words annoyed you or made your blood boil — you always listened.

“Sensitive like the— the time I found you crying over your brother’s grave?” 

Your face fell. 

Perhaps that had been too much. 

The thick silence made Zaro’s breath hitch. His palms were sweaty. He felt his heartbeat picking up. This conversation had taken a horrible turn. The noble’s faces were frozen in an expression of shock and disgust. How was he supposed to rule over a kingdom if he could not even hold a discussion without crossing a line?

You clicked your tongue. “How eloquent, Zaros,” you said, a chilling coldness in your eyes that turned his mouth dry. “I find it interesting how you spit the most hurtful things in private, but you always trip over your words whenever we’re not alone. I wonder why that is?” 

He swallowed thickly, giving you a warning look. When had you caught up on this? How closely had you observed him?

“I’ll tell you why that is,” you continued, making his heart seize painfully. 

He did not dare raise his gaze to look at the nobles behind you, no doubt listening attentively to gather more fuel for the venomous image they had of him. 

“I think you know exactly how much everybody hates you. It eats away at you, knowing they will never listen to you, no matter how brilliant you think your ideas may be. They won’t care, because they can’t stand you. They look at you and see nothing but a waste of space. They wait with bated breath to find fault in everything you do. They are observing you, not because they care, but to remind themselves of why it is that they hate you so much. You are nothing!” you spat, “and if you think you will ever keep yourself on the throne, take a walk around the city and remember how much the people you want to help actually despise you!”

Zaros was frozen, looking at you with wide eyes. His breath caught in his throat, and he felt the blood drain from his face. 

You were right, that’s what hurt so much. He knew you were right. 

Your words would have made him pause at any time. Now that you delivered them in front of an audience — and their taunting laughs registered only now that he thought of them, hearing their mocking chuckles as if from underwater — he could not help feeling utterly destroyed by them. 

He was helpless, caught like a deer in headlights. Not a single thought came to his mind in retort, he would not even find the breath to reply if he tried. 

The laughs were drowned out by the rushing of blood in his ears. He felt sick, nausea churning in his stomach at the public humiliation you had put him through — at the truth you had said aloud. He took a step back, his eyes darting across the courtyard numbly. He felt ready to collapse any minute. 

He was unsteady, the feeling of frozen shock steadily bleeding into the panic he knew so well. His mind began screaming at him to run, run, run— get away, find a private spot before he fell apart in front of the pitiless eyes of the public. 

Zaros turned away from you. He could not breathe, he could not think. There was a sinking feeling in his chest that made him hover on the line between numb shock and panic. He was holding himself together with every last shred of his iron will, but with every step that led him towards the library, he felt his throat burn more and more. His chest felt tight, and when the heavy door shut behind him — blocking out the laughs and taunts that rang in his mind regardless — he felt the scale finally tip, and he collapsed to the ground with a breathless wheeze. 

He was dying, you had finally done it. He could not breathe, and no matter how tightly he gripped the books to ground him, he could not get your words out of his head. They tore him apart over and over again, the knowledge that you had said them for all the world to hear made him want to dissolve into dust. 

He banged his head against the shelf behind him. The hurt did not even register in his panic. His cheeks were wet with tears, but Zaros did not feel them falling from his eyes. His blurry vision made him panic more. He could not see. The world around him did not feel real anymore. He was slipping through the cracks of this reality, slowly bleeding into the ground beneath him until there would be nothing left of him at all. 

At least that way he did not need to face anyone ever again. At least that way he never had to endure their taunts and disgust and hatred ever again.

A loud bang echoed through the library, making him gasp. Gods, he did not want anyone to see him. What would it matter if he was going to die anyway? 

“Zaros?” 

The thought of feeling anyone’s eyes on him made his stomach drop, a sickness running to his very core and making him retch. 

“Zaros!”

The voice sounded familiar. Through his blurry vision, he saw your approaching form. Zaros squeezed his eyes shut. He should have locked the door. Out of all the people, why did it need to be you?

“Come— come to— glo—gloate?” he stuttered breathlessly, biting out the words with as much venom he could muster. 

Why could you not leave him alone? What more did you want? Had you not humiliated him sufficiently? Did you need to twist the knife in an already fatal wound? He had never thought you to be cruel, perhaps he did not know you at all.

You dropped to your knees before him, reaching out a hand to touch his shoulder. Zaros flinched back, the touch burning and making him want to crawl out of his skin. 

“Breathe,” you said calmly, retreating your hand. 

He wanted to laugh at the absurdity. If he were not currently drowning in his panic, he would have shot you a glare so dark it would have haunted your nightmares. 

Breathe, you said. What did you think he was trying to do? Where were the other nobles? Were they lingering in the doorway, mocking him quietly? Did you follow him here to gather more ammunition to use against him later? 

‘Sarl Zaros?’ you would say with a mocking smirk, giving him a dark glance, ‘He can’t rule a kingdom, he can’t even face a crowd! Zaros? Do you mean the pathetic mess I found hyperventilating in the library? He would break in a single council meeting!’

“We’re alone,” you said, shifting to sit next to him instead. You did not try to reach out again. “I took the different entrance, they don’t know I’m here. Can you try to take a deep breath?”

He shook his head, drawing his knees up to his chest. He buried his hands in his hair, tugging at the blonde strands. This was all too much. He was slipping, freefalling into nothingness. “Can’t— can’t—” he panted. He could not calm down enough to breathe the air he so desperately craved.

“You know,” you began, keeping your voice calm, “back when I was younger, I thought the palace was haunted. There was a time when I did not dare to walk the halls at night, because I was afraid that the spirit of my brother would appear before me, and somehow blame me for being dead. I know it had nothing to do with me, but it always felt wrong to be alive when he wasn’t. Even now, I feel I am trying to take what is rightfully his. I used to attribute every little thing to his presence, the rustling of the curtains at night when there was no wind, the weird scratching I heard on my door at night, and the steady footsteps on the stone floor of the halls. 

“It was ridiculous, of course,” you said with a shrug, “but I always thought he was there. One day, when I could no longer take it, I went to his grave. I told him to leave me alone, that I was sorry he was dead but that I could do nothing to bring him back and that the injustice he felt was justified, but that I was innocent of fate’s doing. 

“My mother heard me, and she sat me down and told me that it was not him being envious of my life, but rather watching over me, making his presence known despite no longer being amongst us. I found the sentiment hard to understand at first, but then I thought of it less as a haunting, it was him checking in on me from time to time. It was just an unusual way of doing so.”

You glanced at Zaros. His breathing was still elevated, but it had evened out considerably. Your distraction had worked. 

“I’m sorry about what I said,” he told you, leaning his head against the bookshelf and closing his eyes, taking a deep breath. “I— I don’t know why I said it. I suppose I was panicking. I wanted to lash out before you did. I know how much he means to you.”

“I know,” you said, catching his gaze and giving him a comforting smile. “I’m sorry as well. I was not anticipating this. I knew you struggled with publicity, but I never thought it was this extreme.”

Zaros hummed, closing his eyes. He was exhausted. The sun had already set, and the library was only illuminated by the glowing torchlight streaming through the large windows. 

“Can you make it to your chambers by yourself, or would you like my help?” you asked, giving his shoulder a gentle nudge to keep him awake. “You know I don’t mind.”

“Fine,” he replied, begrudgingly blinking his eyes open again, “and thank you.”

[the-ellia-west]

Khenan and Wild my babies - JoR yapping session

My goal here is Nuance (tell me if I did a good job, but mind you, it's 2am when I write this, so I may explain it really bad)

-

Khenan is an abusive father, and Wild is the victim, but the moral of these two's story and JoR as a whole is that everybody is human, no matter what they've done, and most people can change.

Especially in this scenario. Abuse Is a horrible crime, and it itself is not to be forgiven or forgotten, but abusers are not 100% evil people and CAN change. It's uncommon, (hence why I have several, multiple of whom do not change) but it is possible and they're not evil and don't deserve to be treated as any less than human. Everybody sins, everybody commits crimes against other humans, and if they see the problem with their actions they can and MIGHT change.

I'm yapping bc I'm exhausted but essentially: "Hurting people doesn't make you unredeemable as long as you put in the effort to change and make it right."

So Khenan's whole theme is that he's driven by emotion and impulse. He was raised Corrupt but he wants to do the right thing, only it's often undercut by bad things he finds himself wanting that he often gives into.

To understand this situation better, you have to understand that Wild is NOT the son of Khenan's wife. However, the marriage wasn't one of love at first, and Wild was the product of this after Khenan's wife (who remains unnamed for the moment but I'll call W) had to return to her home city for political shenanigans

I won't elaborate much on Wild's past for the sake of spoilers, but long-story short, Wild's powers are not natural for someone of his species, and his true mother had something to do with it. She died in childbirth, leaving Khenan without the first woman he truly loved, and Wild without his biological mother.

Now, another detail I've forgotten to mention, Khenan has a younger sister, more cunning and thought-oriented than himself. Suited for the job they were both born into where he wasn't. And what Vimadè loves to do more than anything, is dissect. And what more fun to dissect than the person who in her eyes, stole her birthright from her with only a few years. And because of her cunning and her quiet determination, she catches quick to his emotional cues and learns to yank her poor brother around like a Puppet.

(Not helped by this is that Khenan and Vimadè's parents preferred her because of her skills and Khenan was hit and burned and shut in dark rooms to negotiate his way out as long as he made himself useful to the family)

Now, because Wild was his illegitimate child, Khenan couldn't claim him publicly as his own, and ashamed of himself, would hand Wild off to the servants to be raised in the house. Wild would only be around four when one of the servants leaked that Khenan had likely hinted toward Wild being his son, (Maybe Khenan told his wife??????)

But over those years, when Khenan and W would talk to one another more and would establish more healthy communication, they would begin to truly fall for each other. But the leaked rumors not only got back to Vimadè, who made sure the rumors ended with the servant as she found the information more useful as blackmail, but Wild's two older brothers would find out as well, and would blame him for the injustice their mother received at the hands of Khenan's immediate older family

Skipping more because spoilers, Wild is used as a bargaining chip and a hostage, alongside some carefully-placed poison, to convince Khenan to give up his birthright and promise a bi-monthly meeting with Vimadè, who begins to plant seeds in Khenan's head about Wild's species and his mother's death. W takes an interest in Wild and begins to treat him like a son a little after all of this.

Eventually, things happen, and Wild loses his memory in a traumatic event that also modifies his appearance, causing him to wander the streets at 7-8 years old aimlessly without purpose

He's picked up by W because he 'reminds her' of himself. W becomes ill and later dies, after treating Wild the best he's ever been treated in his life, singing him songs and telling him she loves him and telling him stories, Vimadè convinces her parents to take custody of Khenan's older children from him, and he finds himself alone with Wild. (All Wild remembers is his name, that Khenan is his father, he thinks W is some sort of mother, and he's never been good enough to be considered a noble himself)

Khenan recognizes Wild. And up until now, he's tried his best to ignore his presence, as he looks like his mother and acts like W. And Khenan can't stand to look at him.

Later that Month, Khenan, agitated and unable to keep on as things are, impulsively hits Wild with a fire poker. Thankfully the flat bit so it causes no permanent damage, but it's what starts the downfall. Wild is 10 when his father hits him for the first time.

Now that all that backstory out of the way. Let's get into the real meat of this.

Khenan loves his son. He does. Khenan loves him more than Wild could ever imagine. But he'd angry, and the seeds of doubt and mistrust Vimadè planted in his head caused his emotions to turn darker, into an almost sense of Betrayal and fury. Because after all, hate comes from love.

Wild is terrified of his father. He loves him, but he fears him more. All he wants is to escape, he's been stripped down to his bare survival Instincts, suppressing all emotion but fear as he is desperate just to not be hurt. He's down on his knees, apologizing constantly for any mistake he makes, and is jump and hyper vigilant to other's vocal and visual cues and emotions, and just wants to avoid Khenannat any chance he can get.

In his heart he wants nothing more than for his father to love him, but he dares not to get too close because he's been hurt before by hoping. However, over the course of the Story he becomes more confident, he's still terrified of Khenan, but not quite so much as before, and he soon begins to resent him.

Khenan on the other hand, when he finds out Wild ran away, he panics, and frantically joining up with the villains and scouring the continent for news, finding out his son has joined a rebel group, but seemingly a relatively benevolent one, he begins to reconsider his actions and his love for his son, and who Wild is, and as the realization of all that he's done comes crashing down on his head, he slips into a deep depression, all his grief and other suppressed emotions flooding back in and he becomes desperate to make up for what he's done.

He decides Wild would be better without him, and even though he's desperate to see him again, he needs to make sure the group is good enough to take care of him, and he begins to work behind the scenes helping the villains to gather Intel just to make sure Wild will be okay with his new family, willing to settle for never seeing him again or even Wild hating him as long as he's safe.

But what neither of them realize is that Wild doesn't need Hate to distance himself from Khenan. He needs closure. They both Do. They need to talk.

By the way, if you stuck around to read my whole yapping session, plaleade leave a comment, even just a single letter or a period would just let me know you read this. Feedback would be greater appreciated, but anything is good! <3

@an-indecisive-nerd @sunflowerrosy @urnumber1star @homelessnerd @vesanal @darkandstormydolls @supercimi @corinneglass @sm-writes-chaos @thebookishkiwi @blargh-500 @lunaeuphternal @write-with-will @yolbert @thewritingautisticat @carb0n-m0n0xide @theweirdbox123 @inspirationallybored

[superman86to99]

Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #1 (September 1994)

In this issue: Superman gets punched! The real villain is revealed! And, oh yeah, EVERYONE DIES.

We open with Supergirl, Steel, Alternate Timeline Batgirl, and a distraught Guy Gardner coming out of a big hole in reality in what used to be Coast City. Guy is muttering something about how he "just saw the woman I loved die" (which, if you're following @greenlantern94to04, you also just saw in the latest post about Guy Gardner: Warrior #24). More of these "entropy fissures" pop up all around and one of them gobbles up Steel, despite Guy's efforts. It's been a humbling day for the once obnoxiously arrogant Guyster.

While Guy curses Extant for causing all this, Extant is like "The hell is causing all this?" Turns out he's not the one opening all those fissures. That's when the mysterious glowing green figure from the end of last issue shows up and demonstrates that Extant isn't the top dog here (although you could still use a word for "canine" to describe him in this page). The Actual Big Bad chastises Extant for "forgetting who's in charge here" and acting like he's the villain of this comic just because he's all over the covers, ads, preview blurbs, and, you know, the comic itself. Until now, anyway.

The mystery villain's next stop is the 30th century, or at least the tiny Pocket (Earth) of it that still survives. The Time Trapper has stashed a few Legion of Super-Heroes members (including his own past selves, Cosmic Boy and Cosmic... Man?) in there to prevent them from being eaten by entropy, but they end up fading into nothingness anyway. Then, TTT is easily taken down by the mystery character again -- yep, it was him who did that at the start of ZH #4 (the first issue), not Extant. In fact, TTT even does the exact same pose while being blasted just to make it clear that it's by the same guy.

(And also because Dan Jurgens drew six books this month and deserved a little break here.)

Back in the 20th century, everyone born in the past or future starts disappearing as their eras of origin are deleted from history. That means Impulse (30th century), Booster Gold (25th), and the old folks at the Justice Society (early 20th). Before being wiped out, however, Jay "First And Apparently Only Surviving Flash" Garrick manages to convince his old friend The Spectre that they've finally reached the part of the crossover where he decides to get involved. (I only said decides, though; he'll actually do it next issue.)

As time gets erased, Metron takes Superman and a few others outside of it: meaning, to Vanishing Point. The heroes need someone who can easily ride the waves of time, so it's too bad that Waverider died last issue. Luckily, they still have his alternate human version Matthew Ryder, so they just turn him all Waverider-y using convenient comic book science. (It's kinda funny that no one asks for Matthew's opinion on this; he's just like "Oooh, I don't know about thi-- whelp, guess I'm Waverider now!")

In the present, the rapidly declining number of surviving heroes (Batman, RIP... ped apart by a time hole) fight Extant with the help of Waverider 2... and NO help from Wonder Woman, since she's busy delivering Power Girl's baby. At one point, Extant tries to de-age The Atom into primordial goop, but Waverider 2 stops that process when Atom is merely at 18 years old (ironic, considering The Other Atom died from being aged into bones back in ZH #3 (the second issue)).

Just when the heroes are about to defeat Extant, someone punches Superman himself into the ground. Everyone looks in shock as we learn that it's none other than...

Freakin' Psi-- I mean, Hal Jordan! Wait, isn't Hal a good guy? Nice, he can help bring down the mystery villain! The day is saved!

Wait, no. Hal is the mystery villain. He's taken the name Parallax and decided that the universe needs to be restarted from zero to correct injustices like the destruction of Coast City. Oliver Queen / Green Arrow can't believe that his old friend Hal is the one who just wiped away 99.999999...% of all of humanity across history, but Hal says that yep, it's him alright -- and proves it by wiping out the rest now. Everything fades to white.

As he fades away too, Hal says: "Who knows? Maybe one universe... one world -- won't be enough." But right now, there's no universe and no worlds. Just nothing. THE END. OF EVERYTHING.

Except this post, because there's more from Don Sparrow!

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow):

Probably the best cover of the series as some of DC’s most recognizable heroes disintegrate into the widening wave of nothingness.  Having so little of the image inked in pure blacks was very rare for the time and gives the cover a distinguishing look on the shelves.

Inside the issue, the art keeps up the excellent standard of quality with a stunning shot of Supergirl soaring into action.

Guy Gardner is among the characters most consistently drawn in this book, so he feels like a real person.  The shot of him lit from below as he watches Steel disappear is particularly well rendered.

I love Jurgens’ use of long tall panels, and the one of the Greatest Generation Flash huffing his way from New York City is a good one and gives a real sense of his effort.  On the next page, the Spectre hissing through clenched teeth is one of the best images I’ve ever seen of the character (second only, perhaps, to his holy cries in issue #7 of the original Crisis—like this page, inked by the incomparable Jerry Ordway).  I really am trying to restrain myself from commenting on each page, but it’s hard with the art being this good throughout.  Page 18 is almost all highlights, with Batgirl jumping into the fray (in a pose reminiscent, to me at least, of her Million Dollar Debut in Detective Comics #359) and a great shot of Green Arrow taking aim at Extant (though his inner monologue could use an edit).

[Max: DC, please incorporate Don's addition to the next printing.]

The new and improved Waverider’s sudden appearance is a great visual, but nothing compares to a couple pages later where we see who has the power to KO Superman.  Designed by perhaps my favourite Green Lantern artist Darryl Banks, Parallax Hal Jordan’s costume has always been a favourite of mine (in spite of its '90s hallmarks like the giant shoulder armour), and it’s never looked better than here (though for some reason, this Hal has lost his Reed Richards white hair at the temples).  Just so we fully understand he’s a villain, he defies not only all of DC’s heroes, but the late great Jim Croce himself by not only tugging on, but—get this--stepping on Superman’s cape.  Nihilo sanctum estne, Hal Jordan?

I know from the comments we’re getting that there’s still a lot of bad feelings out there for this mini-series.  Maybe knowing the continuity changes that came later to explain this all away made it more palatable but I have to tip my hat to what a huge swing it is revealing the villain this way, especially keeping him under wraps for months as Kyle established himself as the new Green Lantern.  And the art goes an incredibly long way.  Honestly, apart from Bryan Hitch’s work on The Authority 5 years later, it’s hard to think of any non-fully painted comic that had such dynamic realism.     

SPEEDING BULLETS:

The Steel/Supergirl/Batgirl/Gardner team up came immediately from a needlessly cruel set up by Extant, where they were forced to see the active destruction of Coast City as they chased Extant through time as he toyed with them over in Guy Gardner: Warrior #24.  Most tragic of all, Guy temporarily lost his eyebrows in the battle. [Max: NoOoOoOoOoOoO!]

There’s a sense of diminishing returns in big event comics when characters die.  It’s impactful when one or two big names fall in a story, but sometimes as very popular characters die (in this case, Steel, Jay Garrick and no less than BATMAN) as a reader you start to realize—oh, none of this matters, they’re gonna do a reset, there’s no way they’d leave characters this financially important stay dead for long. [Max: At least Jay got a good arc. Batman is kind of an ineffective chump in this series... and as a Superman loyalist, I approve of that narrative choice.]

The whole storyline of Power Girl’s labour is hilariously out of place here.  Purportedly she went to NYC to help, but all she really accomplished was taking one of the big guns (Wonder Woman) out of the arsenal (confirmed by both Impulse and Booster saying there are more important things to worry about).  I’m also a bit confused as to why she has to deliver on the ground. She’s clearly on some kind of shiny, gurney-like thing on page 8, but Wonder Woman’s elevated knee (and Captain Atom looking down on them) seems to show she’s on the floor.  But why? Also, Wonder Woman comes from an island with exactly one childbirth in the last two thousand years or so—why is she pulling rank on Captain Atom for delivering PG’s baby?

Batman seems uncharacteristically broken up about Impulse “dying”, especially since they just met. [Max: I know I just called him a chump, but I think Batman can be forgiven for still being sensitive about teenage sidekicks dying in front of him.]

We get more of that weird pattern in this story, of a character (Geo-Force) boldly declaring they want to do something about the crisis, and then being told, no, “wait until we’re organized” (by Hawkman).  For a quickly developing disaster, we’re losing quite a lot of space with those kinds of exchanges, though I suppose they have them in order to get more characters into speaking parts.

Metron looks so consistent throughout, he must be based off photo reference of an actor.  Who do you guys think?  Jeremy Irons is close.

I kinda love the running theme of Wonder Woman snapping at ineffectual Justice Leaguers, first Captain Atom, then a shell-shocked and barely bandaged Aquaman. [Max: Reading the Spanish version as a kid, I was never clear on whether she was telling him to get a doctor for Power Girl or himself, on account of the whole "just got his hand eaten by piranhas" thing. It's a bit clearer in English.]

In my first (hundred) readings of this issue, I kinda glossed over the foreshadowing between Metron and Atom about how they’ll solve their “Waverider is definitely dead” problem, but it’s not exactly subtle on a closer reading.

They really just had no idea what to do with Atom at this point.  Having tried turning him into a sword and sorcery guy, they now throw “he’s a teenager” at the wall to see if it sticks.  At least this is the last time they’ll make fundamental changes to his mythology in a Crisis book. [Max: I'm very curious about the Teen Titans series that spun out of the Teen Atom thing, though, mainly because Jurgens/Pérez and Jurgens/Rapmund are both such great art combos. I'll read it once we get there!]

Missed an issue? Looking for an old storyline? Check out our new chronological issue index!

[river-fisher]

Okay, so I was thinking of coming up with a "Fulbright is alive" AU of my own, and I ended up rambling about my ideas to a friend, so y'all get an edited down/tidied up version

Allow me to introduce to you.... the Investigator Fulbright AU! Yes, it is inspired by the lies of the phantom! As much as I love the Fulbright we meet in game before the reveal, I wanted to try out something different. I'm honestly surprised this isn't a thing yet (as far as I've seen) >>

Ramble under cut!

So, let me explain the timeline

During the ~dark age of the law~, Fulbright became disillusioned from the justice system. Justice is his main motivation - he wants to make the world become a better place, to help people. When the system shifted to actively work against that, with all the false arrests, evidence, convictions? I don't think Fulbright could take the injustice. He, as an enforcer of the system, would actively be complacent to all those things. So he resigned.

For a while, he shifts between jobs, none fulfilling his need for justice and field work. I think one day, he gets roped into a private investigation, which, when solved gives him the same rush he felt when he was a detective. He opens his own obscure investigation business. He didn't expect it to do as well as it did - the ~dark age of the law~ made common folk distrustful of the system, so if a person went missing or if someone needed closure from a case that was handled poorly in the courts, they came to him. He even got lucky enough to be able to pick his clients carefully, to weigh the morality of what he's doing - he'd rather skip a case and eat cheap food for a while than contribute to the already awful system.

Actually, being an investigator was almost better, in some cases, for Fulbright. The lack of regulation and restrictions allowed him to come to conclusions not solely based on evidence, but on other things as well, things that wouldn't be admissable in court (such as emotions, subtle nervous tics, etc). He spends a couple years like this, his business being decently successful.

One day, however, he gets this recurring client. Always anonymous, very careful about any information they share. Fulbright is cautious, of course. The client needed information on various people's schedules, habits, etc. It seemed decently innocuous though - none of the people he tailed faced any harm.

Yes, you guessed it! The client is the phantom. I mean, I can't make an AU and not include him, y'know? So yeah, the phantom is careful to pay in Fulbright's regular rates to avoid alarming the investigator. He hires Fulbright for a couple different reasons: having a different perspective on the people he's going to impersonate is very useful, it saves him a lot of time and effort, and it gives him more information on Fulbright - The person that is essential for his plan to get his psych profile back.

We know that the phantom was being taunted by Blackquill, and like... I don't think the phantom takes on long impersonation missions often. It's kinda a waste of resources imo, especially if he's doing it unemployed. So unless we reason that he was finding information from the police while impersonating Fulbright, I think it's more fun if we force him to collaborate with Fulbright! And that's precisely what I intend for this AU.

The phantom comes up with a plan to have Fulbright collaborate with him. I enjoy the headcanon that Fulbright doesn't have family around or like. super close friends, so hostages don't work. He isnt the type to give into money either. So, whats left? I might think of something different later, but for now, I'm thinking that the phantom could simply impersonate Fulbright while committing a crime. Get some evidence of it, and boom, blackmail!

Anyway, Fulbright is forced to join the force again. As an Investigator, he learned to manage his emotions better, but in the force, he tries to portray himself as though he hasn't changed much. He's a bit clumsy on cases now too, having become rusty with all the protocols and evidence based arrests.

He isn't entirely upset about the arrangement, despite the fact that its completely unjust. its nice being on the force again, being a detective again. He did miss it at times, since being a private investigator wasn't exactly lawful at times.

Moving along, when it's announced that Blackquill is going to be a prosecutor again and needs a trusted detective handler, Fulbright jumps at the opportunity. Of course, it's mostly because he has to, but having had some time to research Blackquill, the old UR-1 incident felt off. From the time as an investigator, he knew to trust his gut, even if he didn't have the evidence to prove anything.

He gets the job because 1) most people are scared of ~the twisted samurai~ and 2) because Fulbright has experience as a private investigator, aka, people trust him enough to come to him. Being trustworthy and dependable are very important qualities when handling a criminal, no?

Anyway, from here it could branch off in a couple different ways depending on your preferences (Blackquill and Fulbright's relationship wise.), so I'm not gonna ramble about that here.

Going timeline wise and ignoring all that for now, i think fulbright tries to find out more about the phantom. I mean, although he's being blackmailed, he's still aiding a criminal. No way would Fulbright take kindly to that.

I do think that most of what Fulbright is forced to do isn't a crime though. I think the phantom would be clever enough to not push him to his breaking point. Also, the phantom is a paranoid fuck and would not leave any important tasks to someone else. He'd rather just impersonate Fulbright for the few times he needs to.

Anyway, in the final cases, I think that the phantom would take over for the investigation parts, but wouldn't be the one to testify in turnabout for tomorrow, simply because he wouldn't risk his life like that. Everything turns out pretty similar with the phantom being revealed, the truth coming out about UR-1.

I think it'd be fun if Fulbright got shot anyway though, because the phantom got shot at the chance of him yapping about the organisations he works for. Well, Fulbright has evidence of the phantom existing, which is pretty threatening too.

But I also just want him to get shot so so bad HAHA

Anyway, yeah! That's what I have regarding the outline of this AU. I have some daydreams etc in my brain as well, but nothing concrete enough to express for now. I hope my silly little ramble was fun to read :)

[khajiit-reads]

Hello 👋🏻

I'd like a monthly check-in please!

My name is Caterina she/her

I choose the Tarot of Dragons

Thank you 🤍

Well met, internet traveler!

Well, I actually needed you to pick an oracle deck, I use the same tarot deck regardless for this reading as of current day, and my rules for this state that if you don't pick one, I pick for you. However, I elected to find a nice middle ground and use one of my dragon oracle decks.

So, your decks for this reading are Under the Oak Tarot (Oscar, they/xe) by Ofride & StregaDelleMele, and The Pride of Dragons Oracle (Aziz, xhe/[nullpronomial]) by Angelo Thomas & Sonja Hedger. (This latter deck is actually more of a... "spirit guide flash card" deck but I read it as an oracle with some added effort to achieve that.)

For this spread, please consider the month staring on May 18th! This is because I don't like reading this for half-weeks!

As well, for the sideways cards in the week section, they face the inside.

My current self. | Upright XIII Death

This card indicates endings, change, transformation... it can be about the death of something, but usually in a change kind of way. It asks us to let go, release, and accept metamorphosis.

Well, as it stands right now, you're going through some changes. Maybe something has ended, maybe something has begun in the void that the ending left. Things are changing, for the better.

What is the theme for this month? | Sideways III of Cups

For this card, I read both upright and reversed.

Upright, this card indicates celebration, friendship, and creativity. Reversed, it is independence, alone time, and gossip.

So, this month, you'll mutually be celebrating with others and taking much needed alone time. Gossip in this case speaks of communication, so this month you'll be clear with other people to some degree or another.

A key goal to pursue? | Upright V of Cups

This card speaks of regrets, failure, and disappointments.

This month, let yourself be sad. Let yourself mourn whatever failures you've had, whatever regrets rest in your heart, whatever sadness exist within you. It's good to let your emotions be felt and heard.

An obstacle to overcome? | Reversed II of Wands

This card speaks of personal goals, inner alignment, and fear of the unknown. It's lack of planning, bad planning, and not taking action.

Your obstacles are ones of personal making. You need to spend time overcoming what holds you back from pursuing your goals, and then actually pursue said goals.

A major accomplishment? | Reversed X of Pentacles

This card is pretty adversarial... it's financial failure or loss, family disputes, debt, and fleeting success.

I'm not getting the vibe of "Read the opposite way", because otherwise I'd just draw this card upright, so you're about to get an odd reading here.

Your accomplishment is failure. It's learning to have peace with that failure. You're going through some rough stuff right now, and you're going to learn to make peace with that rough stuff.

What to avoid overall? | Reversed XI Justice

This card is unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty, and, obviously, injustice.

Avoid not being fair to other people, but most of all yourself. Treat yourself with kindness about your efforts, but be fair in it. Scold yourself where necessary, praise yourself where necessary.

What to embrace overall? | Upright VII of Wands

This card is competition, challenge, but also protection and perseverance.

Embrace difficulty. Embrace that you're going to be challenged this month. There's no gain from running from it all, you're stuck with it and you need to work to embrace it. But remember, you are protected, and you are strong, and you can make it through this!

General advice and encouragement? | Upright X of Cups

This card is about divine love, blissful relationships, harmony, and alignment.

While I won't assume if you have spirit guides or not, if you do, know they are there for you.

Outside of that, you just generally have a lot of people supporting you. You're not alone in what you're doing, and you're going to be just fine.

Who will I be at the end of the month? | Upright XXI the World

Completion, integration, harmony, accomplishment, and achievement make up this card.

Whatever struggle you've been enduring will be closer to the end, if not entirely done. But whatever happens, you'll be done with a part of your cycle of life, and that's a good thing. You'll also likely be more at harmony with yourself!

— ☆ —

Week one. | Angelic Wisdom

This card is all about divine knowledge. Intuition, guidance from spiritual allies, the works.

Again, I don't like to assume that you're particularly into spiritual allies. So I'm going to give two possible readings, of which both may apply if you do believe in spiritual allies.

First off, in the zone of "no, I don't", this week will be guided by intuition and gut feelings. Trust what your deeper emotions say. If something feels good or bad, listen to that.

In the zone of "yes, I do", this week will bring guidance from your spiritual allies who are there to support you and encourage you. Their wisdom will be precious this week.

Week one blessing. | Upright VI of Wands

This card is about success, recognition (sometimes from the public), progress, and self-confidence.

And so this week, you'll be having success in something that gets you recognized, even if only by yourself. Progress will be happening, and you might find yourself having confidence this week.

Week one challenge. | Reversed II of Swords

This card speaks of indecision, confusion, stalemates, and the lesser of two evils.

And yet despite your success, you're at a standstill. You're enduring indecision and don't know what to do next. You might be facing a situation that feels all around bad, but you have to pick the lesser evil option of it.

— ☆ —

Week two. | Sword of Deliverance

This card is about fighting for what's right.

So, essentially, you're going to be having to make choices for what's right. You'll be faced with some difficulty in this zone, and you have to pick the right option. The option that is kind to others.

Week two blessing. | Upright XVII the Star

This card is about hope, faith, purpose, and renewal.

Your blessing is that you're going to be pretty hopeful. You believe things will turn out okay, and you're pursuing your purpose and renewal in the process.

Week two challenge. | Upright IV of Cups

This card is about meditation, contemplation, and apathy. It is boredom, indifference, and discontent.

Your challenge is being stuck in the realm of your own mind, as well as apathy. You're in your own head now, which isn't the place you need to be. You focus on your own unhappiness, despite the hope you feel.

— ☆ —

Week three. | The Indigo

This card speaks heavily of intuition and intuitive gift. So kind of like Angelic Wisdom, but much more internal than external.

So, again, this week will be about intuition. Let your intuition guide you and support you, let it help you pick where you need to be going.

Week three blessing. | Reversed XII the Hanged Man

This card speaks of delays, resistance, stalling, and indecision.

In the blessing slot, this card basically means that you're not getting things done, and that's good! Maybe this week you'll be resting yourself instead of worrying about everything.

Week three challenge. | Upright Ace of Wands

This card is inspiration, new opportunities, growth, and potential.

Buuut, you're going to be feeling real guilty about the blessing. You're feeling guilty about resting, about not getting everything done, but you're needing that rest and lack of work at the same time. So your challenge is to overcome that.

— ☆ —

Week four. | Righteously, You

This card basically asks you to recognize how wondrous and special you truly are. The fact you exist is a blessing, and you are completely and utterly unique.

And there's not much to add to that. This week will see a lot of seeing yourself as the precious being you truly are.

Week four blessing. | Upright V of Wands

This card is conflict, disagreements, and competition.

As a blessing, this card is that your conflicts are a good thing. You might be feeling conflicted and away from the theme of this month (that you are wonderful and precious), but even this is a blessing. Keeps you from getting arrogant.

Week four challenge. | Reversed Knight of Wands

And this final card indicates a passion project, haste, and scattered energy.

You might find yourself wanting to work on something, but your energy just isn't working with you, so you end up rushing yourself into working when you're just plain not quite ready.

I note below my usual (which has actually been updated a bit!), but I want to add an extra little note that with my divinatory readings, if you want to wait until the end of the month to come back with a review based on accuracy, that's fine!

Thank you so much for your patience with me performing this reading.

Reviews are helpful, but optional. You can send them in this posts replies, my ask box, or in a reblog of this post. Feel free to reblog this post with your thoughts in general, or without a review.

If you feel particularly satisfied with my work, you may leave a tip in my Ko-Fi. You can also see my commissions there if you'd like to order a paid spread.

It also helps to reblog my guidelines post.

Please do not reblog this post if you are not the querent. If there’s something within the post you want, you may ask, and depending on the request, I might fulfill it! Thank you!

I hope you, and all readers, have a wonderful day!

[mmenvs3000w25]

Prompt 6: Unpack the following quote...

There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it. — Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation

The first sentence of this quote suggests that integrity means keeping things whole and that we should preserve the integrity of ancient things. This includes maintaining a connection with our past. One way to achieve this is by utilizing our knowledge of heritage, as it serves as the bridge connecting the past, present, and future (Beck et al., 2018). If we wish to uphold the integrity that Hyams encourages, we must actively engage with history—by discussing it, documenting it, and continuously learning from it. Our past serves as a window into our future (Beck et al., 2018), and in order to shape that future for the better, we must first understand where we have been.

When applying this idea to nature interpretation, one crucial way to connect with the past is by studying how ecosystems evolve over time. Understanding the history of a species, landscape, or ecosystem is key to developing effective conservation efforts. By analyzing past environmental changes, human impacts, and species adaptations, we can make informed decisions to protect biodiversity and ecological integrity.

I’ve emphasized the importance of learning history, but how can we actively do so? One great way is by visiting museums! One of my favourite museums is the Royal Ontario Museum, which features sections on natural history, art, and culture. A bonus for students—on Tuesdays, full-time college and university students receive free admission! Other ways to engage with history include enrolling in history courses, reading historical accounts or books, watching informative programs on TV or YouTube, and exploring history-related blog posts (as long as the sources are reliable!).

Hyams’ quote also highlights the importance of keeping history "whole." This is crucial because, too often, history is presented in a fragmented or biased manner, particularly in formal education systems. There is a tendency to frame historical narratives in ways that favour certain groups while downplaying or erasing the experiences of others. As Winston Churchill famously said, “History is written by the victors.” A clear example of this is how the historical (and ongoing) mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples by the Canadian government is frequently minimized or overlooked. Many people find it uncomfortable to confront these realities, especially when they reveal past atrocities.

This ties into the second part of Hyams’ quote, which uses the metaphor of a train station to illustrate that just because we have moved on, it does not mean the past ceases to exist. Some argue that history is irrelevant—that the past is the past, and learning about it now is unnecessary. To that, I reference another quote by Churchill: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Historically marginalized communities are often told to forget their oppression and to “move on.” However, moving on without acknowledgment and accountability only creates an opportunity for these injustices to be repeated. If we truly wish to build a better future, we must first be willing to learn from and reckon with our past.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore Publishing.

[dndfantasygirl]

Amongst the Stars (Chapter 8: The Perks of a Hero)

Rating: Mature Word count: 3.8k Pairing: Astarion x Female Tav (named)/OC Tags/Warnings: violence, strong language, innuendo, slow burn, little sister, waukeens rest, mirror scene

Summary: The party finds out about Ravengard's capture. Skye becomes Astarion's mirror.

*Link to AO3 Post

*Link to Previous Chapter

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

On their way to the creche, Wyll found the devil he was looking for. Only, she wasn't a devil. She was a tiefling named Karlach, enslaved by Zariel. At first, Wyll was convinced that she was a fiend who needed to be vanquished. His initial encounter with the tiefling was tense, and he was ready to fight. It took Skye's calm demeanor and persuasive words to make Wyll see reason. She pointed out Karlach's plight and the injustice of her enslavement, slowly convincing Wyll that she was not the enemy he had imagined. Reluctantly, he stood down, his sword lowered but his gaze still wary.

As the group got to know her, they learned more about her harrowing situation. A group of so-called paladins of Tyr, who were anything but virtuous, had been hired by Zariel to capture Karlach and drag her back to the hellish realm. These fake paladins were ruthless and relentless, and their pursuit of her was unyielding.

For once, Astarion found common ground with the others and agreed to help. The promise to head to the toll house and confront Karlach's hunters was made with determination. The group knew they were in for a tough fight; Zariel wouldn't hire weaklings for such a task. As they approached it, tension mounted. The battle that ensued was brutal and intense, a true test of their skills and resolve. In the end, they stood victorious, though battered and weary.

Eventually, they continued on their trek with a new companion in tow. As they walked, Misty's eyes suddenly lit up at the sight of an inn in the distance. The stone walls surrounding the large building were a welcome sight. "Look! That must be an inn!" she exclaimed.

Wyll glanced in the direction she was pointing and nodded with a smile. "That's Waukeen's Rest," he explained. "I've stayed there a few times during my travels. It's quite nice."

The young genasi could hardly contain her enthusiasm. She began to bounce up and down in joy. "I've needed a bed for so long!"

Astarion, who usually maintained a veneer of detached amusement, allowed a small smirk to creep onto his face. "You know, I must admit, I have to agree with the wisp. A bed does indeed sound nice."

However, as they approached the fenced perimeter, the building suddenly burst into flames. The roar of the fire was deafening, and thick, acrid smoke billowed into the sky.

The vampire spawn's face fell, his earlier smirk replaced with a look of resigned frustration. "Of course, just our luck," he muttered, crossing his arms in exasperation. The others, driven by a sense of urgency and duty, rushed past him without hesitation.

"Yes, let's just run towards the screams and exploding building. Why not?" Despite his grumbling, he couldn't ignore the pull of his companions' sense of justice. With a roll of his eyes, he followed them towards the burning inn.

What they stumbled upon was a tragedy. The bloodied, limp bodies of Flaming Fists and drow littered the exterior of the building. The ground was slick with blood, and the air was thick with the smell of death. Near the gate, one Flaming Fist soldier was mourning the death of her fellow companion, whose body was cradled diligently in her bloodied hands.

Misty let out an audible gasp at the sight, her eyes wide with horror. "This... this is horrible," she whispered.

"Keep pushing! Duke Ravengard could be inside!" one of the Fists shouted as she and three others pushed against the front doors to the inn. Their efforts were frantic, driven by desperation and hope.

"Ravengard?" Wyll shouted, sharing a glance with Skye. "He's here?!"

The air genasi's eyes narrowed with determination as she glanced back at Gale. "Keep an eye on Misty. I'm going in."

Before his youngest companion could fully grasp what was happening, the wizard immediately wrapped a hand around her wrist, his grip firm yet gentle. "Skye, wait!" Misty called out as she tried to tug her arm away.

Skye turned toward Astarion and grabbed his hand. "We need your help."

The vampire spawn chuckled unamusedly, shaking his head. "No, no, no," he said, his tone dripping with disdain. "There's no way I'm running into a burning building."

Skye's expression hardened, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made it clear she wasn't taking no for an answer. "I wasn't asking," she warned.

Before Astarion could protest further, the air genasi summoned a gust of wind with a flick of her wrist, the air swirling around them. The powerful gust pushed him forward, closer to the blazing inferno.

Astarion stumbled, his eyes widening in surprise and annoyance. "You can not be serious!" he exclaimed, struggling to regain his balance. "This is madness!"

"You're faster and nimbler than us! You're helping," Skye insisted. With a determined grunt, she kicked the doors open, the force of her kick sending them crashing inward. "Look for any survivors!" she shouted, her eyes scanning the smoky interior.

The air genasi's hand found Astarion's once more as they stepped into the inferno. The intense heat made it feel like the very air was on fire, but Skye's resolve was unwavering.

"If my cloak gets singed—" Astarion grumbled. Skye cut him off with a quick, firm gesture. She placed her hand across his mouth, her eyes meeting his with a look that brooked no argument.

The air genasi's eyes were sharp, scanning the surroundings for any sign of life. The crackling of the fire and the groans of the building were almost overwhelming, but she heard a faint, desperate noise cutting through the chaos. It sounded like cries for help.

"Come on!" she yelled, pulling Astarion toward the source of the sound. The vampire spawn grumbled under his breath but followed her, his nimble movements helping him dodge falling debris and navigate the treacherous terrain.

They climbed the stairs, each step a challenge as the flames licked at their heels and the smoke grew thicker. Skye led the way, her determination guiding them through the maze of destruction. Astarion, though clearly annoyed, used his agility to clear obstacles and keep pace until they finally reached the door.

"I'm trapped! Someone open this door!" a voice shouted from the other side.

Skye's eyes narrowed as she heard the plea. Without hesitation, she summoned her elemental power and created a whip of wind. The air whipped around her, crackling with energy. With a determined flick of her wrist, she directed the wind at the door, forcing it open with a forceful gust. The door exploded into splinters, showering the room with debris.

Behind the now-ruined door stood an elven woman, her eyes the color of rich chocolate. Her long, plum and gold dress was in stark contrast to the raging flames that licked at the edges of the doorway. The elegance of her attire seemed almost surreal in the midst of the chaos.

As the door shattered, flames began to spark towards them, the heat intensifying. The trio had to shield their faces from the scorching heat and flying embers. The smoke was thick, making it hard to breathe and see clearly.

The elven woman coughed, her voice strained but determined. "Let's move. Quickly! Before the whole place collapses!"

They began to follow her through the smoldering wreckage of the inn. The air was thick with smoke, and the heat from the flames seemed to press in from all directions.

Suddenly, Skye's sharp ears picked up another cry for help, coming from an adjacent room. Her eyes widened with determination. "There's someone else! I need to—" she began, leaning in to grab the door.

Before she could react further, Astarion's heightened senses detected the imminent danger. The rupturing sound was unmistakable. Without a moment's hesitation, he lunged at Skye. He tackled her to the ground, just as the door exploded outward in a violent burst, sending a torrent of flames and debris in their direction.

The force of the explosion sent a searing wave of heat over them, and Skye was momentarily disoriented. Astarion's body shielded her from the worst of the blast, his own cloak catching some of the burning debris. The flames roared around them, a wall of fire that made it nearly impossible to see or breathe.

"We can't save everyone, darling," the vampire spawn said through clenched teeth. He pulled Skye to her feet with a strength that was both firm and gentle, guiding her away from the inferno. "We must go, now!"

Skye, coughing and limping, struggled to keep up, but Astarion's support was unwavering. He kept a steady pace, his eyes scanning for any further dangers as they descended the stairs. The building continued to groan and creak ominously, the risk of collapse ever-present.

As they made their way back down, the air grew heavier with smoke, and each step was a battle against the encroaching flames. The heat was relentless, and the building seemed to be collapsing around them.

Finally, they burst through the front doors once more, the cool air a stark and painful contrast to the suffocating heat inside. Skye, still coughing and disoriented, leaned heavily on Astarion for support.

"SKYE!" Misty's voice cut through the chaos. Tears streamed down her face as she bolted toward her sister. She flung her arms around Skye, hugging her tightly. The force of the embrace made the air genasi buckle slightly, her legs trembling under the pressure.

"I'm okay, Mist, I promise," Skye coughed. She gently patted her sister's back, trying to offer comfort despite her own exhaustion.

As soon as Misty released her, Astarion was there. He moved quickly to support Skye, helping her to her feet once more. His eyes were sharp. "That was reckless! Foolish! Even for you!" he scolded.

The air genasi managed a small, pained smile through her grimace. Her eyes, though weary, sparkled with a touch of humor. "Kinda sounds like you care, Star," she quipped, trying to lighten the mood despite the harrowing circumstances.

For a moment, Astarion's carefully maintained mask slipped. At the mention of caring, his face betrayed a flicker of vulnerability—an expression of confusion and discomfort that was rarely seen. The words seemed to hit him harder than expected, momentarily unmooring the aloof façade he so meticulously crafted.

He quickly recovered, though, and his expression hardened once more as he adjusted his demeanor. He glanced down at the singed and soot-streaked bottom of his cloak, using it as a shield to hide his emotions. "See! I told you this would happen!" he exclaimed.

Skye, still catching her breath and feeling the weight of the day's events, managed a strained smile. She reached out and patted his chest, her touch light but comforting. "I'll buy you a new one," she croaked.

Astarion glanced at her, his eyes softening despite his attempts to remain aloof. "That's, um...very kind of you," he said, his tone begrudging but warm. "But let's not make a habit of it, shall we? I'd prefer not to end up as a permanent fixture in your heroic escapades."

The air genasi chuckled softly, her laughter a rasping sound. "No promises."

After managing to escape through one of the other exits of the burning inn, Wyll approached the elven woman with a sense of urgency and concern. His eyes were scanning her for any signs of injury or distress. "Counsellor Florrick, are you alright?"

The elven woman, still recovering from the ordeal, took a moment to compose herself before responding. Her plum and gold dress was singed at the edges, but she seemed otherwise unharmed. Her eyes, though weary, were sharp as she met Wyll's gaze. "A scorched throat, a few hairs singed off. Nothing a bit of time and fresh air can't cure."

Skye raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking between the two. Florrick, her face set in a determined expression, turned to the remaining Flaming Fists who were still attending to the aftermath of the fire.

"Gauntlet," she said, addressing one of the Fists with a commanding tone, "a new duty calls. Drow have taken Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard—westward, if my eyes and ears can be believed. Report to the manip and send for reinforcements. We must find the Duke."

The Flaming Fist, visibly startled by the news, nodded quickly. "Understood, Counsellor."

Wyll's face was a picture of shock and disbelief. His eyes widened as he processed the gravity of the situation. "No, it can't be," he stammered, his voice betraying his mounting anxiety. "You mean, they've taken—"

Florrick let out a deep, weary sigh. "Yes, Wyll. The drow have your father."

The news left everyone but the two air genasi visibly stunned. Skye, however, remained calm, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall where she had heard the name before. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Ravengard? I've heard that name before…"

Florrick's gaze sharpened as she addressed the group. "As well you should. He is the great champion of the Council, commander of the Flaming Fist—the binding force holding Baldur's Gate together. Without him, the city faces collapse. In fact, I fear that may have been the intention of those who abducted him."

She then turned her attention to Wyll, her eyes reflecting both a plea and a heavy burden. "Wyll, you may hold little love for your father, but please, find him and return him to the city."

Wyll's face, previously marked by shock, now set into a resolute expression. Without hesitation, he nodded firmly. "Trust us to see it through, Counsellor."

The counsellor's stern demeanor softened slightly, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. She managed a small, encouraging smile. "Thank you, Wyll. When the Grand Duke returns to the city, he'll hail his only son a hero."

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

After the intense debrief with Counsellor Florrick, Skye found a moment of respite outside the smoldering remains of the inn. She spotted Astarion sitting on the edge of the inn's fountain, his posture relaxed but his expression decidedly bored.

The air genasi, her limp now gone and her steps light, approached him with a mischievous glint in her eye. She crept up behind him, her hands hidden behind her back as she moved with an almost cat-like stealth.

Astarion's gaze flickered toward her out of the corner of his eye, though he didn't turn to fully acknowledge her presence. Skye sat down beside him with a flourish, her movements deliberate and playful. With a dramatic gesture, she revealed the luminous silver longbow she had been concealing. The bow, adorned with intricate lightning rod accents, seemed to crackle with a faint, electric energy, casting tiny sparks of light as she handed it to him.

"You know, Star," Skye began, her voice rich with a teasing tone, "sometimes, being a hero comes with its perks." Her smirk was playful, her eyes dancing with a blend of mischief and warmth.

She placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle but affectionate squeeze before standing up. Her gaze met his for a brief moment, and then she turned to join the others, her steps purposeful and confident.

The vampire spawn, left alone with the longbow, remained silent. His fingers traced the delicate engravings on the bow, and his eyes followed the subtle crackles of energy that danced along its surface. Though he didn't speak, a faint twitch of his lips hinted at a smile that he couldn't quite suppress.

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

"I just put Misty to bed. She's out cold. Ready to—" Skye began, but her voice trailed off as she noticed Astarion sitting by his tent, looking into a handheld mirror. Her initial small smirk faded as she tilted her head in curiosity, seeing the reflectionless surface of the mirror. "What are you doing?"

Astarion hummed thoughtfully before responding. "I'm looking, but not seeing very much." He didn't need to see Skye to sense her gaze fixed on him. "Another quirk of my affliction."

Skye's face fell further as she absorbed his words. Her curiosity and concern were evident in her eyes, and she opened her mouth to say something before closing it again, grappling with the right words to say.

The vampire spawn sensed the shift in her demeanor and turned around to face her, his crimson eyes meeting her golden ones. Skye cleared her throat, her gaze dropping momentarily before she looked back up at him. "I'm sure you miss it. Being able to see your own face," she said quietly.

"Preening in the looking glass? Petty vanity?" Astarion sighed, his voice carrying a note of frustration. "Of course, I miss it." His gaze shifted away from Skye as he spoke, leaving her to observe the turmoil beneath his composed exterior. "I've never seen this face. Not since it grew fangs and my eyes turned red." As he glanced back at her, their eyes met again, revealing the vulnerability he often kept hidden.

The air genasi's expression softened with empathy, and she took a step closer. "Well, it's nothing to worry about. You have quite a nice face," she said, her smile warm and sincere. The kindness in her words seemed to provide a small comfort to Astarion, even as he continued to gaze intently into her eyes.

Curiosity sparked in Skye as she tried to understand more about Astarion's past. "What color were they before?"

Astarion's brows furrowed, and a shadow of sadness crossed his face. "I—I can't remember," he whispered, his voice barely audible. The admission was a painful one, revealing how much of his past had become a blur in the wake of his vampiric transformation. Skye extended her hand, a gesture of support and comfort, but Astarion pulled away, his eyes reflecting a deep-seated sorrow.

"My face is just some dark shape in my past," he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. He looked down at the mirror in his hand, the reflectionless surface now a symbol of his disconnection from his former self. With a sudden, decisive motion, he slammed the mirror to the ground, watching as it shattered into countless fragments. The sharp sound of breaking glass punctuated the silence of the night.

The sight of the mirror's destruction elicited a flinch from Skye, her concern evident in her eyes. Astarion's lips twisted into a snarl, the emotional turmoil erupting into anger. "Another thing I've lost."

He looked up to see the air genasi approaching him with a cautious yet determined expression. With a tender touch, she reached out and ran her fingers through his curls, letting her hand come to rest on his cheek. The warmth of her touch contrasted with the coolness of the night air, and her soft smile held a quiet reassurance. Astarion blinked at her, momentarily taken aback by her unexpected gesture. "What?" he asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

Skye's smile remained gentle as she met his gaze. "Let me be your mirror. What do you want to know, Star?"

Astarion let out a deep breath. "I want to know what the world sees when it looks at me. What you see."

There was a brief pause as Skye considered his request. Her fingers traced the lines around his eyes. Her touch was light and careful as if she were handling something both precious and fragile.

"I see strong, piercing eyes that have seen unimaginable horrors," Skye began, her voice calm and reflective. "Yet, despite all that, there's still a soft edge to them—a hint of kindness, of vulnerability. They're eyes that have witnessed much pain, but they also hold the potential for compassion and understanding."

As she spoke, Astarion's gaze remained locked with hers, and the raw honesty of her words began to chip away at the defenses he had built around himself. The way she described him wasn't just an observation; it was a profound acknowledgment of the complexity of his existence.

Her hand continued its gentle exploration, trailing down from Astarion's cheek to rest softly on his lips. Her fingers brushed against them with a delicate touch, almost as if trying to memorize their contours. "That dangerous smile," she said softly, her voice tinged with admiration, "especially when it's genuine, lights up a room."

As her gaze lingered on his lips, Skye felt an almost magnetic pull, a momentary hesitation that made her heart race. The connection between them seemed to intensify, and for a fleeting second, she was caught in the gravity of their shared space. The warmth of her touch and the closeness of their faces created a charged atmosphere, and she felt an undeniable pull toward him.

Yet, Skye quickly reined in her emotions, recognizing the significance of the moment and the potential for it to lead to something she might later regret. With a swift and deliberate movement, she withdrew her hand and cleared her throat.

"You—you're not alone anymore, Star," she said, her voice quivering slightly as she tried to offer reassurance. "Don't feel like you have to hide this side of you from—"

"You should go," he interrupted, his tone devoid of warmth. The sudden shift in his demeanor was like a splash of cold water, pulling Skye back from the intimate space they had shared.

Skye's eyes widened at the abruptness of his response, and she took a small, involuntary step back. The warmth and connection that had briefly existed between them now felt like a distant memory, replaced by the cold barrier Astarion had erected.

The rejection stung, but Skye's resolve remained. She nodded slowly, her expression a mix of hurt and understanding. "Alright," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll… I'll leave you to it."

As she turned to walk away, her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The vulnerability she had shown, and the fleeting moment of closeness they had shared, was now overshadowed by Astarion's defensive retreat. She could feel the weight of his words and the distance they had created between them.

The vampire spawn watched her leave, the cold facade he had adopted now masking the turmoil within. As the silence settled in the space where they had stood, he grappled with the emotions Skye's actions had stirred within him. Her attempt to connect had been genuine, and though he had pushed her away, he could not easily erase the impact of her words and the brief warmth of her touch.

Alone again, he looked at the broken shards of the mirror on the ground, their fragmented reflections a stark reminder of his own fractured self.

[dlstmxkakwldrlarchive]

sorry to be late to the dance ranking convo and for the monster length of this ask but i felt the need to address some injustices loool. Bc as much as I adore jk as an artist, performer and a singer who SINGS(!!), i would say he is fifth overall in SHINee for dance**

**big caveat is this is based on the dances that are performed by shinee the group, not necessarily every kind of dance! shinees level of performance is v high and I’d say most idols from gen 3 and prev are on a similar level of dance skill to jk.

I’d say you can tell (watching closely) that executing choreography does not come naturally to jk, which actually has me appreciate much more the extra effort and work he always puts in to keep up in group performances ❤️❤️ You can tell he is trying to remember steps as he is going which can take away from his ability to connect with the performance and it can end up feeling awkward/tense. Compare his performances in routines they have performed/practiced a LOT vs a newer routine or deep cut and you can see practice makes a big difference for him. The style and complexity of the routine also makes a difference. Given enough time to practice (and like, no other demands lol), I’m sure he could improve/perfect many of those routines but that’s not how life goes, esp idol life and I actually prefer seeing him prioritise his 1) wellbeing 2) vocal health over nailing any specific choreography.

Of course his frame of reference has expanded over several years of being an idol and so, although his stamina has been up and down, I think he’s a bit quicker now to pick up the basics of a routine. As you mentioned yourself, a skill he has built up over the years is to “hide” mistakes, which I think came about as a way to manage being somewhat behind in mastering a routine. Other than being able to recover quickly from a full-on slip in concentration or fall, what he tends to do more generally to avoid looking out of place is sort of “blur” through steps he hasn’t quite refined. The end result looks perfectly fine in a group performance but under scrutiny can look a bit messy and uncoordinated, esp when compared to 2minkey who are all exceptionally clean and precise dancers. It also doesn’t leave him room to add in those extra flourishes that can really draw the eye and why he’s rarely in the centre during a complex combo. Nobody has infinite concentration or energy and his coordination, momentum and rhythm suffers more in moments when he’s focusing on serving vocals or face as and when the performance requires, and he can end up lacking follow through in his movements.

The reasons he ranks just below jjong who, like jk, was slower to pick up choreography than the others are that jjong overall demonstrated better body control and coordination and was better able to compensate for deficits in refinement with his stamina and concentration. Jjong also had better rhythm and connection so his dancing looks smooth and his movements tend to follow through.

HOWEVER this is not to dismiss the fact that jk does have some real strengths. Like you mentioned yourself, he has shown some skilled footwork (the tap performance???). Personally I speculate this has a lot to do with his fixation on (passion for?) practicing dexterity “tricks” like plate spinning being put towards learning specific dance moves like moonwalking bc…he is a lewser lmfaooo. The specific kind of dance performed by idols/shinee is not necessarily his strong suit but I think jk’s open mindset and willingness to look a little silly lends itself very well to dances that I think many dance line idols would struggle to pull off (muscle memory is really difficult to overcome).

This is why I too really like watching him in good evening, I think his inexperience in dance (and his acting skills) was actually a strength for him in that routine which was intended to look as unrehearsed as possible. His performances in good evening and circle show that, when he has the room to do so, he’s able to modulate his energy level very well. In good evening he does a really good job of gently building up to a big release at the climax of the song and it’s so satisfying to watch every time!! He loves to learn and I think he’s improving all the time with exposure to more dance. To be honest though dance is not really the reason I tune in for jk like I am really here for his voice at the end of the day 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ That’s my ted talk thank u

its so funny that jjong and jinki are fighting for that 4 spot idk 😭 honestly since he's part of the group vocal line idrc abt him being a stellar dancer esp bcs he wasnt trained to be one but its still nice to see him dance and i agree with you on his strengths! i also think that he kinda improved, like comparing his dancing during dice era with some of his recent beat drum lives, you can notice that he's dancing more lightly without being scared of not getting it right which was something that in dice stages you could kinda notice, even the choreographer said that when jinki was learning the choreo he was more focused on not making mistakes and his moves were sharp bcs of it

hmmmmmmm it's also because he doesn't yk count himself as a dancer, so when shinee dancing routines started to get lighter, he just... let go ig

[sweetheradevil]

AUGUST COURT REPORTING THOUGHTS

Hiii :3 since court reporting takes up most of my time, I wanted to do a monthly write-up on my thoughts. I have a lot to say and I feel bad for subjecting all my friends to my yammering about it HAHAH

Current Speed: 140-160 WPM

The 2024 summer quarter has been the most challenging by far. This is the longest I've been stuck in a speed level (June-September) and I have had many, many frustrating moments with my typing abilities. I hit a wall for most of July, so I am currently two levels behind where I want to be. Fortunately, it looks like I'm just about to exit my 140s.

Despite my exasperation with my typing, I feel like this wall presented me with an opportunity to slow down and actually engage with the court reporting community as a whole and learn things about this career I wouldn't have considered if I had just continued speeding along.

In my stupor, I began talking to other reporters to learn why they pursued this career, what they struggled with as students, and also how things will start looking once I go out there and start working myself.

But before I get to that, I kind of wanted to talk about a realization I had about court reporting as a whole. I never doubted that this was the career I wanted, but I feel like being a court reporter in the era of misinformation takes on an entirely different meaning. With the rampant use of AI by people on the internet, peddling of malicious/false ideas, and the intake of large bodies of information, there's a distinct charm about being able to take down something verbatim. This is by no means me condoning the justice system (because as we all know, there are so many issues with it); however, I am glad that I'm a court reporter because should I come across injustices in court, I am taking that down on paper. I am preserving the history of the courtroom and in a time of rampant misinformation and downright manipulation of information, that is so important to me. I plan to work as an official in a courthouse (because to be so honest being my own boss sounds like hell on Earth) so I'll be present for so much stuff that happens.

The internet was once an endless source of knowledge, but now its function has been severely limited by incorrect information, censorship, and paywalls. I used to be in awe at the vast amounts of knowledge I had in the palm of my hand, only for it to be rendered insufficient by all of this bullshit that's out there. It almost feels integral to my values that I will be sitting and preserving a vital part of history in the justice system. Perhaps my efforts will be useful for someone who needs to look back on the record for evidence of various misdeeds, because god knows we need it.

Having to go through court reporting school is hellish, but because I believe it's for a good cause, it's worth it. It also pays handsomely, which I'm very happy about due to financial strife my family has in my adolescence, but that's a topic for another day.

That is one of my biggest inspirations for trekking through school. Another is the fact that this almost feels like a refuge from the horrible job market most people are at the whim of right now. Most reporters chose court reporting as a second career after they were made miserable by their previous jobs. Most of the court reporters I've spoken to are single mothers who had a better opportunity at life after pursuing this career. I'm on the young side for going through court reporting school (most of my schoolmates are middle-aged) but I'm glad to see that there are opportunities for people beyond university. I'm kind of relieved I'm not in a field dominated by men that will undermine my abilities, but rather with other women I have a lot of solidarity with. I really do love this community and the path I'm on.

I'm so, so excited. I think I am just about to pass out of my 140s, so let's hope I can make it to my 200s by the end of the year. Yippeee!

[melishade]

Maybe I'm being overdramatic but I'm having a hard time having hope these days. It just feels like the world's getting worse. The bad guys are winning more battles. And people are suffering more. It's just hard for me to enjoy things like I used too, I used to love writing but it just feels so stupid when in real life good can't overcome. Sorry. I don't know why I'm even writing this. I'm a really fan if your stories and writing. That reading them made me feel better for awhile. So I want to ask something if that's okay. You dont need to answer if its too heavy. Do you have hope? How do you keep it? What helps you keep writing?

Takes a deep breath. No. No you're not being overdramatic.

I've been...so depressed after the election and I really am trying to keep my head above water. I've witnessed cruelty and ignorance win again, but this time, it is a much higher stake. This time we might really lose our democracy, and the people I care about or don't even know, will needlessly suffer and/or die because of the cruelty and stupidity of one man. I've been questioning so much. Does America really hate black people and women that much that they would rather have a convicted felon that tried to burn down the capital to stay in power? Is this country even worth saving? Or...is this just nature? Is it time for America to pay for its transgressions on a global scale? Is it time for the American Empire to collapse? But if and when America falls, what will take its place? Will it be a system that will benefit all, or will it be one that benefits a selected few? What of the minorities in this country? Would we be safe in a new world like that?

Not to mention: Gaza, Ukraine, genocide after genocide, injustice after injustice. The striping of rights. The needless killing. Is this just simply...it? Can humanity really not find a way to coexist? Is it truly impossible for people with different ideas and beliefs to find balance in this world?

I've been doing a few things to try and keep my head above water and give myself hope. In regards to writing, I've just finished Attack on Prime. And I'm just taking it slow because I just finished a decade project. I'm glad I was able to finish and relax for once, and the Future Anthology, I can just go at my own pace. The writing is a hobby, but it's meant to bring people joy. And if I can bring people a small moment of reprieve and joy, then I can live with that and continue answering questions and writing prompts.

Other things that I've been doing to not drown: stopped doomscrolling. Doomscrolling and hyperfixating on what's been going on throughout the media has been damning for my mental health. I've been doing everything I can to avoid doomscrolling and only taking in news moments at a time to keep myself in the loop. It's been really nice.

I've also been doing my best to get physically fit. I've signed up for a gym membership earlier this year and I've been making an effort to go. I've also been going hiking whenever I can. There are other ways of getting fit, a lot of workout youtube videos. You don't have to go to a gym. However, I signed up for a few reasons. Not only is it good for physical and mental health, but if shit does hit the fan, then you need to be fit enough to run.

I've also been doing my best to acquire more skills. I've been learning softwares like Tableau and SQL to add to my resume and get more job opportunities. The job market's hell, and even with a Master's I still struggled to find a job. It took me months. I've also been doing my best to learn Spanish. It's good to learn another language, not just for knowledge and brain health, but again, if shit does hit the fan, then I have more options on where I can go in terms of getting out of the country.

Other things I've been doing is reading more, knowledge is power after all. One of the things I've been reading is the Bible. I know many people have been hurt by religious leaders, especially within the confines of Christianity, and that there are texts in the Bible that would not apply to our current day and age. However, the Bible does provide words of comfort and promises of hope like in Jeremiah 29:11. I am speaking as someone who has grown up in a Christian household who never had a traumatic moment that caused me to leave. I've even been baptized last year. But that doesn't mean that I don't have questions or concerns regarding what's in the Bible. Still, the thought of a God that has a future planned for me, that all things are working for my good, and that He will grant me eternal rest, that does sound wonderful and gives me some hope.

And finally, for every moment of cruelty I've seen, I've seen moments of hope and kindness within humanity. There are people fighting for the lives of those less fortunate, trying to protect the world we live on, doing everything they can to combat evil. Those acts of kindness also bring me some peace.

Frankly, I feel like I'm speaking of a place of some privilege when it comes to having hope. I've experienced hardship and loss, but for the most part, my life has been stable. I know that that stability can be ripped from me, that one day I could be killed simply because I am a black woman. But I don't want to believe that suffering is the only thing that exists because I have witnessed moments of kindness. I want to find a way to give that kindness back. Maybe I hope because I believe all things will work for our good.

But if none of those things work, then live to spite. Live to defy. Living is a brave thing to do. Live as you are. Outlive the people who only display acts of cruelty. Live to be kind. I don't know what the future holds tomorrow, but I still want to live.

I'm not sure if I answered the question, but...I hope this helped.

[nomfundon]

Beyond closure, embracing the journey of community empowerment

The sun sets behind the rolling hills, casting a golden hue across the landscape. It's a moment of peace, a pause that invites me to think deeply. Much like the end of a day, closure in my life serves as a reminder to reflect, learn, and get ready for new beginnings. As I sit in this tranquil moment, I embark on a journey through my paths of professional and personal growth, exploring how my experiences shape my understanding of the world and my place in it. "Every ending is a new beginning." This saying holds true as I think about closure. In my professional life, it means finishing projects, handing over tasks, and summing up my efforts. Yet, it also offers a chance for growth. As I pass on my work, I share my experiences and wisdom that will help others in the future. Adaptability, teamwork, and creativity are not just words but important lessons I have learned through challenges and successes.

Reflecting on these experiences, I realize that each challenge has taught me valuable skills and insights. Adaptability has allowed me to navigate unexpected changes, teamwork has shown me the power of collaboration, and creativity has enabled me to find innovative solutions. These lessons have not only enriched my professional life but have also contributed to my personal growth. As I move forward, I carry these lessons with me, understanding that true growth involves continuous learning and the willingness to embrace new opportunities.

This journey also involves examining power dynamics within our communities, society, and academia. As I find my voice and challenge the norms, I am becoming an advocate for change. Reflecting on political injustices and standing up for what I believe in is not just an academic task; it is a moral duty. I am transforming from a student, once just a learner, into an active participant in the fight for fairness and justice. As I delve more deeply into these reflections, my perspective shifts. I start to see how our growing understanding shapes our actions. Realizing that true growth encompasses both personal development and community involvement pushes me to think and act in new ways. My reflections are not confined to the past but actively guide my present and future actions. This evolving perspective compels me to engage more deeply with the world around me, striving to make a meaningful impact through my work and advocacy.

Starting from the beginning, it's crucial to acknowledge the knowledge gained within this community block. As an Occupational Therapy student, this learning is intended to be a lifelong asset, equipping me to better serve clients and communities. However, the journey has been a mix of successes and setbacks. As Benjamin Disraeli once noted, success isn't about avoiding failure but rather embracing it as an opportunity for growth. Beautiful ideas were discussed within the community, yet implementation faced significant hurdles. The resistance to change, coupled with a lack of knowledge and education among community members, poses a formidable challenge. The stark reality of learners lacking basic literacy skills serves as a stark reminder of the uphill battle ahead. Despite efforts such as the projects initiated at Mayville Primary School, where basic alphabet skills were taught, the impact remains elusive.

Similarly, endeavors like the soup kitchen project faltered due to disinterest among members. Despite the inherent value of Occupational Therapy in community settings, tangible change remains elusive. Previous projects have failed to yield the desired outcomes, leaving one to ponder: where do we go from here? In navigating this complex landscape, it's imperative to draw upon South African-related research. Understanding the socio-economic dynamics, cultural nuances, and educational challenges specific to South Africa is essential. For instance, Pillay and Maharaj (2017) highlight the importance of tailoring educational interventions to the unique needs of underprivileged communities in South Africa, emphasizing the role of culturally relevant approaches. Similarly, Patel et al. (2018) underscore the value of community health initiatives that engage local stakeholders and build on existing community strengths. Research on sustainable health promotion by Du Toit and De Klerk (2019) further suggests that consistent, community-driven efforts are crucial for lasting impact. These studies provide valuable insights that can inform the development of more effective strategies, ensuring that future projects are better aligned with the needs and realities of the communities we aim to serve.

Moving forward, it's evident that a paradigm shift is necessary. Merely repeating past approaches is unlikely to yield different results. Instead, a comprehensive assessment of community needs, coupled with innovative strategies informed by research and cultural sensitivity, is imperative. Collaborative efforts involving community members, educators, healthcare professionals, and local authorities are essential for sustainable change. Furthermore, advocacy for education reform and increased access to literacy programs must be prioritized. Empowering individuals with foundational skills lays the groundwork for broader community development. Additionally, fostering a sense of ownership and participation among community members is vital. Initiatives that actively involve the community in decision-making and implementation are more likely to garner support and yield lasting results.

In addition to the learnings gleaned from the Cato Manor community, my visit to the Denis Hurley Centre offered valuable insights into serving marginalized populations, particularly the homeless. The prospect of working with this demographic sparked contemplation on how to provide sustainable activities that could positively impact their lives. Sustainability emerged as a central priority throughout the sessions, guiding my approach and interventions. Research by Pillay and Maharaj (2017) underscores the importance of sustainable interventions in addressing the needs of homeless populations in South Africa, emphasizing the long-term impact of consistent support and engagement. Moreover, the harsh weather conditions experienced by the homeless population prompted profound reflection on the severity of their circumstances. The bitter cold and desolation they endure underscored the urgency of efforts to provide tangible support. Research by Cloke and Jones (2017) highlights the detrimental effects of adverse weather conditions on the health and well-being of homeless individuals, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to mitigate these challenges. In response, my approach focused on empowering individuals to take the lead in their own health and well-being. Rather than imposing activities, I fostered a collaborative environment where participants were encouraged to share their perspectives and preferences. This participatory approach, informed by research on community engagement (Patel et al., 2018), not only ensured cultural sensitivity but also fostered a sense of ownership and empowerment among the homeless community.

Consistency was another cornerstone of my approach, particularly in health promotion activities. Research by Du Toit and De Klerk (2019) highlights the importance of sustained efforts in promoting health literacy and behavior change among vulnerable populations, emphasizing the need for ongoing support and reinforcement.

In conclusion, my journey from closure to new beginnings has shown me the power of reflection. It calls us to use our insights and knowledge for the greater good. As I stand on the edge of new possibilities, I'm ready to embrace the lessons I've learned and use them to help create a fairer world. This story is not over; it is just one chapter in my ongoing journey of personal and community growth.

References

Cloke, P. and Jones, O., 2017. Impact of Adverse Weather on the Homeless. Journal of Environmental Health, 12(3), pp.45-59.

Du Toit, J. and De Klerk, R., 2019. Sustainable Health Promotion: A Community-Driven Approach. South African Journal of Public Health, 15(2), pp.78-88.

Patel, S., Jones, T., and Ramiah, S., 2018. Community Engagement in Health Initiatives. South African Journal of Social Work, 10(4), pp.101-115.

Pillay, R. and Maharaj, P., 2017. Educational Interventions in Underprivileged Communities: Lessons from South Africa. Journal of Educational Development, 22(1), pp.34-50.

[sunstranded]

INTJ: The Unorthodox and the Unexplored

There is nothing more bone chilling than the unknown. Or at least, that is what everyone elses fear as if we've collectively macro developed to be so against change and the unfamilliar. I want to talk about my view on the title. I'm curious whether or not it is an Ni dom exclusive thing. I hope not.

By the last sentence, I mean it in a sense that Si users should also be able to be less repulsive to change and uncharted territories. It would be insulting myself if I were to say otherwise. Your cognitive function is your comfort, not your limitations after all. Such is your name.

Moving forward to the unorthodox and the unexplored. By the former, I meant methods and preferences in the real world to either solve problems or give us self-satisfaction should not be subject to judgement, ostracization, and short-sighted criticisms.

An example of the Unorthodox is (at least in my experience) the preference of failure, struggles, and trial and error. I do not seek the discomforts those bring; it is human to not like those. Our body's oldest memory is to survive after all. But struggle and failure is inevitable in life no matter how annoying it is. Hence, I found beauty in them. If anything, I prefer trial and error. There is something all the more satisfying in being wrong than in being right the first time.

I always feel this doubt and lack of satisfaction if I won by luck or if I won by being carried by someone else's efforts. I like winning or achieving something by my own. I like learning the bad before getting the good.

It is unorthodox in my life, having been judged multiple times by my experimental approach in every novel problem. But then I get praised for being so surgical or "perfect" when it is a problem I could not have solved in that way without being experimental in the past. It's an even worse insult to not just me but to those attempting to pull down my intellect when they themselves throw comments that go: "you're trying too hard," "you're just coping," and "do you really not know how to do such a basic task?"

I am not so presumptuous and blind to think I am better than any one else. I am not even so discourteous to cut-off someone mid dialogue when they make basic errors. It really irks me that such basic necessities are even perceived as being a "bitch" about it. If being a bitch is synonymous to having a class and not insulting myself by being such an unimpressive loud idiot, then I am a bitch.

I mean no malintent by drawing the connection that most of people that do that are Si users. Even those with Ne as a 2nd or 1st function have thrown such comments my way. Though if I am explaining something, asking something, and all in a language I deem to be formal and neutral, will it be my fault if your interpretation was hurtful?

That question is one that I keep asking myself too. I am the type to be always labeled in one way or one event or another as the villain. The asshole, the jackass, even disrespectful. I have been told my honesty is too curt, uncalled for and plain rude. I work on that. It's a problem and I solve problems. However, when I am honest and curt with someone, sure they get hurt with their interpretation (though I don't use a single insult in my words) but I don't backstab them. I don't shit talk them behind their back. I find that whole ordeal cowardly and pointless. But the biggest injustice and hypocrisy I am often faced with is those people I am honest with go to every other person possible to do the thing I found cowardly and pointless. So I become the sole bad guy and when they ask ME to respect THEM when I have done nothing as blatantly dehumanizing as shit talking me, I am just appalled!

It happens so much that I am left aggravated and frustrated at the whole fate I am married to. Is honesty even with courtesy so condemned to be a caricature of a gentleman villain? Is the world so horridly poisoned by LIES that when I am practicing respect and integrity, I am the jackass?

This is where I learned I am not an INFJ. I have an INFJ that agrees fully with my opinion but unlike me who would rather be upfront and honest because grudges slow me down, INFJs would track (but not hold onto) their grudges and just door slam someone if they're being too much. Other than that, INFJs appear kind, patient, and warm because they are almost hyperaware of other people's feelings. I am not. But I am aware of mine to an extent. I did not choose to be the smart person in the room. I am just as honest as anyone else. But every pedestal I am put on without my consent, it is doomed to fall as if I am designed to be the villain in everyone's lives.

Enough of my ranting. That is just one of the numerous examples of how depressing it is to prefer the unorthodox and the unexplored and how uncomfortable can be so common in those things that you become accustomed to it. As I said, titles, names, types, are not your limits; they can be a description for an aspect of you like your natural preferences but that is not all you could be.

As for me and the usually vilified INTJs out there, there will be a crowd of persons (individuals) that will either embrace that part of you the way you ought it to be embraced or understand and accept that in a way you didn't know you needed it to be.

This is one of my drafts, I just added to it and it might be less coherent and obvious when the original started but when I wrote this I was pretty aimless and not as passionate as I am now about what I just wrote about.

[ervinafindy]

Denny Ja: Lay poetry with politics: Efforts to build a better civilization

Indonesia has a rich and diverse history, showing uniqueness in culture, traditions, and heritage of their ancestors. However, with all the achievements, there are still many problems that must be faced in building a better civilization. One of the problems faced by Indonesia is the separation between tradition, politics, and culture. This is a concern for literary fighters such as Denny JA who carries the thought that poetry can be used as a tool to bring individuals closer to politics. In renewing modern literature, poetry can open awareness and provide an understanding of political nature in everyday life. Denny JA, a famous writer, poet, and political activist in Indonesia, realizes how important the collective and critical understanding of individuals towards the political role in society. For a few decades, Denny JA has developed his poetry works aimed at providing political awareness to his readers. In several interviews, Denny Ja explained that poetry is a media to introduce political themes and social problems related to society. He also explained that poetry can affect the thoughts, feelings, and actions of his readers through the core of our message. Therefore, like the matter with art, poetry can also inspire and inspire people to respond more to politics. In his poetry, Denny Ja uses universal language, touching the feelings and needs of humans in every country, but remains loyal to Indonesian culture. No wonder Denny Ja's poem experienced extraordinary praise. In 2000, he won the Indonesia's Literary National Award for the work "I Want To Be a Rainbow" which became a phenomenon of devastating literature in Indonesia that year. Through his poetry, Denny Ja encourages the reader not to hide behind the arrogance or fragile verses of poetry but he challenges the reader to rethink a political thought. Denny Ja worshiped the use of poetry as a way to seek loyalty in ideological and implementing strength. In his poetry, he deals with concepts such as objectivity, morality, and social justice. In addition to his poetry, Denny Ja also influenced media reporting through discussions on social media, literary forums, and his followers who were active on Twitter. He introduced the ideas associated with social media as a milestone to provide political awareness to the people. During this time, the public in Indonesia tends to be passive in political affairs, except in low fear, greeting and protesting injustice in decision making. However, through poetry and political actions, Denny Ja built awareness and motivated many people to learn more about politics and criticism. Denny Ja views poetry as a way to build a better civilization. He believes that poetry can help to deepen the way we think, and get in -depth and multidimensional knowledge of politics in Indonesia and the international world. In the near future, Denny Ja has focused its purpose in the young generation of Indonesia. Through various workshops, discussions and poetry reading, he tried to equip the younger generation with a critical understanding of politics and provide an understanding that they moved to make positive changes. In a complex Indonesia, the challenge is not only caring for the wealth of tradition or overcoming poverty, but to build a mentality and mindset that can strengthen Indonesia as a nation. The existence of a gap between society, culture, tradition, and politics, as well as various other socio -political problems is a challenge for our country. As a thinker, poet, and political activist, Denny Ja understands that we must change our perspective on politics. He views politics not only as a means to maintain power, but also as a tool to build and create a better society. Denny Ja is one example of people who use poetry as a tool to achieve better civilization. In his poems, he builds awareness and embraces people from various backgrounds to increase their understanding of politics. And this is what is needed by the people of Indonesia today.

Check more: Denny JA: bring poetry closer to politics: efforts to build a better civilization

[bmenvs3000f23]

Using History to Interpret Nature - Blog 6

“There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.”

To dissect the quote, which is the blog prompt for this week, I wanted to bring special attention to the word “integrity.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines integrity as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change” (Downey and Veitch, 2021). Having integrity means making morally sound decisions that respect the well-being of people and things. I think this is especially important, as we, as learners and nature interpreters, have a role in treating our earth morally and preserving its beauty and resources.

Interpretation through history keeps stories alive, allows us to relate to people and experiences that happened before us, and, most importantly, will enable us to make positive changes in our daily lives. History allows us to analyze situations from the past and make positive efforts not to repeat harmful actions. This can be related to deep issues, such as racial discrimination and slavery, but can also relate to environmental issues (Beck et al., 2018). One environmental catastrophe we remember from historical accounts, shaping the environmental management and stewardship we see today, is the use of dangerous chemicals, including DDT. DDT, known as dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, was a chemically synthesized insecticide used in the 1940s to preserve crops, however, it was observed to have negative impacts on the environment due to its ability to bioaccumulate and persist in the environment (EPA, 2023). Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring is an example of nature interpretation and highlights the history of the emergence, usage, and consequences of DDT use. This novel describes the decrease in wildlife that Carson observed due to the heavy usage of this insecticide, including the decline in bird species and many aquatic species (Pimentel, 2012). This book poses historical significance, highlighting the power humans and chemicals can have on the environment and can be used as motivation to prioritize environmental stewardship. Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac is another book that can be used to highlight the history of the environment, as his interpretation of nature highlighted the beauty of seasons changing, the natural environmental processes that occurred, as well as the anthropogenic impacts of hunting and other destructive processes on the environment. These books, along with other historical relics, contain stories and lessons that can be passed on for generations, allowing new generations to make interpretations and decisions based on these facts.

In my life, I was able to interpret nature through history when I visited the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, Michigan. Not only did this museum bring attention to the injustices that black people have experienced in the past, but it also highlighted the black community's relationship with nature. Idlewood, Michigan, was a popular vacation spot that was accepting of black citizens and allowed them to connect with nature by enjoying the lush forests and freshwater that this area had to offer (The Wright, 2023). Knowing the historical significance of this place allowed me to learn about the past uses of nature in Michigan, but it also motivated me to think of the places I connect with nature today. I was inspired to think of ways to preserve these natural locations, and I was encouraged to document my experiences in a journal and through photographs to create documents for my future children to look at and admire. History holds emotions through people's personal accounts of nature and can inspire future generations to have a similar love for natural areas.

Most things we know today were acquired from historical documentation, such as art, languages, cultural stories, and details about past environments that have shaped our lives today (Beck et al., 2018). Our knowledge that we learn in school is also a product of historical accounts, such as our knowledge of insects, plants, animals, nomenclature and biological naming conventions, disease management for all types of organisms and plant and human diseases, and so much more (Courselink, 2023). Soon, we will just be history, and I am sure we will hope for our memory to be passed down and appreciated once we are gone.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Courselink. (2023). Nature Interpretation Through History.

Downey, F., Veitch, R. (2021). Research Integrity — It’s about More than Misconduct, Forensic Sciences Research, 6, 283–284. https://doi.org/10.1080/20961790.2021.1971383

EPA. (2023). DDT - A Brief History and Status. [Accessed from DDT - A Brief History and Status | US EPA.]

Pimentel D. (2012). Silent Spring, the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson's book. BMC ecology, 12, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-12-20

The Wright. (2023). Exhibitions. [Accessed from https://www.thewright.org/exhibitions].