#information and knowledge are key to self defense

[hadesoftheladies]

i cannot stress enough how key it is to women's and girls safety for them to simply accept that men (any man in any shape) are dangerous. because the first step to women's self-defense is clocking the predator. you can't fight or prepare to defend a monster you can't see. and you're more likely to get eaten alive if you underestimate your enemy.

and that is precisely why men keep fighting against women sharing that knowledge. because accepting that they're dangerous, that they're the problem, that they are worth fearing, that there is no kind of man that is immune to misogyny or patriarchy, forces women to retreat and fortify, hindering the predator's access to them

[cultkinkcoven]

This is common knowledge for anyone on the r/demonolatrypractices subreddit but I realized that a lot of you aren’t on there and are missing out on some great resources, so if you’re looking for reading material on demonology and demonolatry definitely check out the website below.

These basic resources come straight from Demonology the subreddit. I did not compile any of this, I’m just sharing for the folks on Tumblr. (Honestly even if you aren’t fond of that sub you should definitely take advantage of their deep dives by experienced practitioners, it really is a great resource):

Some book recommendations

Essential Background:

*On the Hieratic Art* by Proclus

*The Testament of Solomon*

*The Picatrix*

*Three Books of Occult Philosophy* by Agrippa

*The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy* by Pseudo-Agrippa

Classic Grimoires:

*The Sworn Book of Honorius (Liber Juratus)*

*The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage*

*The Heptameron* by Pietro d'Abano

*The Greater Key of Solomon*

*The Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton)*

*Grimorium Verum*

For Spiritual/Theological Grounding:

*Timaeus* by Plato

*Parmenides* by Plato

*Chaldean Oracles*

*The Corpus Hermeticum*

*On the Mysteries (De Mysteriis)* by Iamblichus

*Psychic Self-Defense* by Dion Fortune

*Initiation Into Hermetics* by Franz Bardon

Good Contemporary Books:

*Secrets of the Magickal Grimoires* by Aaron Leitch

*Pandemonium* by Jake Stratton-Kent

*Stellas Daemonum* by David Crowhurst

About Lilith:

The Mighty Book List:

Introductory guides (the books that have their own systems of working with spirits included in them, therefore you can try working with spirits if you have any one of these books):

"The Complete Book of Demonolatry" by S. Connolly, (I consider this to be essential)

"Lucifer and The Hidden Demons: A Practical Grimoire from The Order of Unveiled Faces" by Theodore Rose,

"Demons of Magick: Three Practical Rituals for Working with The 72 Demons" by Gordon Winterfield

"Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies" by Jason Miller.

Each one of these books will have wildly different approaches. Try them, see what works for you and what doesn't.

Classic grimoires (these are good to read through to see the working with demons through a historical lens. Some people still use methods in these books, most new books will at the very least borrow elements, such as names, sigils and correspondences):

"The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage" (Dehn ed. is recommended)

"The Greater Key of Solomon",

"The Lesser Key of Solomon" aka Lemegeton (Peterson ed. is best, Mathers/Crowley is its own thing worth reading but incomplete),

"Pseudomonarchia Daemonum" (repeats a lot of information that Lesser Key has, but is older, so worth a read if you're into history of occult),

"Grimorium Verum" (Peterson ed. or JSK's "True Grimoire"),

"The Grand Grimoire" (aka Red Dragon)

"The Grimoire of St. Cyprian",

" The Goetia of Dr. Rudd".

Books that are good to read for general occult/ magick background:

"The Egyptian Book of the Dead",

"Chaldean Oracles",

"On the Mysteries" by Iamblichus,

"The Greek Magical Papyri",

"The Testament of Solomon",

"The Picatrix",

"Three Books of Occult Philosophy" by Agrippa,

"The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy" by Pseudo-Agrippa,

"Transcendental Magic" by Eliphas Levi,

"Psychic Self-Defense" by Dion Fortune,

"Initiation into Hermetics" by Franz Bardon,

"The Golden Dawn" by Regardie/Greer,

"Chicken Qabalah" by Lon Milo Duquette,

"Liber Null and Psychonaut" by Peter J. Carroll.

Contemporary reference books (dictionaries, history books on a spirit and other similar compilations):

"The Dictionary of Demons: Expanded and Revised: Names of the Damned" by Michelle Belanger,

"Book of the Fallen: Satanic Theory, Ethics, and Practice" by Martin McGreggor,

"Lucifer: Princeps" by Peter Grey,

"Rites of Lucifer" by Asenath Mason,

"The Goetia Devils" by Rev. Cain,

"Secrets of the Magickal Grimoires: The Classical Texts of Magick Deciphered" by Aaron Leitch,

"Pandemonium: A Discordant Concordance of Diverse Spirit Catalogues" by Jake Stratton-Kent.

"Stellas Daemonum" by David Crowhurst,

"Demonolator's Handbook" by Mirta Wake.

Books to do with evocation (make sure you know the difference between evoking and invoking), qliphoth, and other intermediate practices:

"The Practice of Magical Evocation" by Franz Bardon,

"Qabalah, Qliphoth, and Goetic Magic" by Thomas Karlsson

"Goetic Evocation" by Steve Savedow,

"Lake of Fire" by S. Connolly,

"Tree of Qliphoth" by Asenath Mason

[chaos-bites]

📯 Subtle Heimdallr Worship 🐏

Learn about/practice a method of self-defense (weapons included)

Own a ram horn - faux or real; own/craft real wool items (blankets, sweaters, scarves, etc.)

Light a bonfire; gather around it with loved ones or enjoy its warmth on your own

Decorate your space with fairy lights, a pretty lamp, or some kind of light fixture that you like

Keep a picture of him in your wallet

Get a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)

Wear jewelry that reminds you of him

Place a protective rune (or bindrune) at the entrance of your home or space

Invest in household security options (security camera, Ring doorbell, alarm system, etc.)

Have a plan in place in the case of home invasion or medical emergencies (legally storing a weapon in your home, learning CPR, or keeping a tourniquet in your car, for example)

Stay informed about the happenings in your area; keep up to date with world news (take a step back from it if it gets to be overwhelming for you, please)

Make sure to eat a good breakfast to start off your day; try to include meat, bread, nuts, and veggies/fruits if able

Drink something energizing at the start of your day, be it coffee, tea, or something else; dedicate the first sip to Heimdall by raising a glass in his honor

Start a collection of keys and locks - new and old (antique shops are a great place to find these)

Practice mindfulness and self-awareness; try to look at situations with a more nuanced and objective perspective

Have a stuffed animal ram, seal, horse, or rooster/chicken

Have imagery of gates, watchful eyes, ram horns, rivers, the World Tree, Asgard, rainbows, the Milky Way (some scholars believe it to be the OG representation of the Bifröst bridge), the sky, golden teeth, golden maned horses, swords, and shields around

Teach someone how to do something new; educate someone about a topic you're educated about; generally openly share knowledge with others

Be willing to learn about new things; be open to corrections from others; practice not taking constructive criticism personally

Learn about different logical fallacies; learn how to properly argue/debate respectfully with someone

Assert your boundaries with others; take time to learn what your boundaries are and where you draw the line

Ground yourself regularly; make sure you take time throughout your day to reconnect with the present moment

Stand up for what you believe in; attend protests or activism events (be safe, please)

Try to attend social events or hang out with loved ones; put yourself out there if you can

Step outside of your comfort zone; if you're scared, do it scared (reasonably, of course)

Drink/make mead; if unable, drink something with honey in it, such as a tea or warm milk with cinnamon and honey

Exercise/care for your senses; don't blast music in your ears, take breaks from looking at screens, sit in silence once in a while, etc.

Take your promises more seriously; try to always follow through on promises (and especially vows) that you make

Acknowledge your inner strength and resilience; be sure to appreciate and celebrate how far you've come; you've overcome before, and you overcome again

Take time to simply sit and observe your surroundings; listen to the sounds of birds, watch leaves fall from trees, notice the feeling of your feet on the ground, etc.

Practice different forms of divination (you don't only need tarot cards or runes for this, I've literally used Uno cards before; practice with a variety of forms until you find one that suits you)

Learn more about Norse runes; once comfortable, practice using them

Do things that benefit your future/make things easier on your future self (getting chores done ahead of time, setting money aside to save, looking into future careers/education, exercising your body and mind, etc.)

Engage in activities that stimulate your mind (reading, writing, solving puzzles, learning about something new, playing card games, etc.)

Learn to trust your own judgement and intuition; this takes time and comes with lots of practice which is ok

Practice learning when to speak and when to hold your tongue; sometimes it's better to simply listen

Practice finding your voice and speaking up for yourself; advocate for your needs

Explore things you find mysterious and intriguing; replace fear of the unknown with curiosity

Allow yourself to bear an air of mystery; try not to give away all the cards in your hand, so to speak

Go stargazing

-

This is my list of discreet ways to worship Heimdallr! I may add more in the future, but this is what I currently have. I hope it's able to give people some good ideas! Take care, and stay safe, everyone. 💜

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

[yes-these-obsessions-are-healthy]

The obvious needn’t be said but the one tiny thing that Veilguard cleared up is why Solas is like that, i.e. why, despite being the cause of the fall of the elves, he is still so critical of the Dalish in Inquisition (besides the fact he got beat up that one time lol).

To him, the Dalish are arrogant, ignorant, and close-minded. Their pride as elves is that they believe themselves to be closer to the true Elvhen than city elves because they have deeper knowledge of elf history, when in reality what they possess is propaganda, misinterpretation, and half-remembered folk legends of powerful entities that time crystallized into gods. What’s more is that they are actively hostile or otherwise unreceptive to any non-Dalish observations and perspectives of their history.

But the Dalish are “ignorant” because centuries of the empire’s decay on top of centuries of enslavement eroded clear and distinct memories of the past. Those who broke out of cities and formed what would become the progenitors of the Dalish clans had to piece together their peoples’ history while crafting traditions out of practical and symbolic necessity. They were the ones who, by way of their self-taught amateur archaeology, were able to craft an Elf-centered history free of human, Chantry, imperial prejudice.

Solas, whose core is that of a spirit of Wisdom, instinctively—or as Weekes says, “genetically”—bristles at the presence of pride, ignorance, and arrogance regardless of the context, regardless of why the ignorance or arrogance may have come about.

There are many nuanced definitions of what Wisdom is, but two key features that are extremely relevant to Solas’s negative response to the Dalish are:

- Adept at active listening (listening to understand the information being presented) and reflective listening (being capable of accurately summarizing the speaker’s points back to them in your own words)

- Intellectually humble (Aware and accepting that their knowledge is limited and fallible; open to other perspectives; not defensive when their ideas are challenged; acknowledge mistakes; do not hold their beliefs as objectively better than anyone else’s)

To Solas, the Dalish openly and aggressively eschew intellectual humility. They do not allow for alternative perspectives of their history from non-Dalish; they believe their ways to be better and more true than what the city elves believe; they shut down any critique or criticism of their ways from non-Dalish; they exist in an impenetrable state of confident wrongness.

Solas’s core Wisdom nature is vexed to agitation by the mere presence of this behavior. When confronted with such qualities, his temperament dramatically shifts from placid guru to mocking, acerbic nemesis. His rebuttals can only be characterized as chastening. He tells Vivienne ‘dirthala ma’—may you learn. Spoken with the virulence of a curse. ‘You who thinks he knows all, who acts without prudence, without awareness. You do not understand how insignificant you are, how infinitesimally scant your perspective is.’

His immediate instinct is to rectify this discrepancy of metacognition, to troubleshoot this glaring flaw in his reality. Arrogant people don’t make for good students, nor good conversation partners. If ignorance is a fallow field, arrogance is salted earth. Wisdom can never take root in the latter. It is lethal to it. That is why Solas seems to jump from 0-100 so easily at the slightest sniff of hubris, why he seems to have a barbed insult loaded in the chamber at all times. The presence of Pride, Arrogance, Ignorance, they are all states of being that stifle or outright extinguish Wisdom. They are natures that most likely posed the greatest existential threat to him during his life as a spirit. Censure serves as his claws and teeth.

But people are far more complex than simple arrogance, or pride, or ignorance, as these traits are closely tied to external factors such as upbringing, nationality, heritage, socioeconomic class, education, personal psychology, etc.

Just as how Cole, a spirit of Compassion, has trouble understanding why some people refuse his help to ease their emotional pain (Solas post-breakup), or why someone can love and detest someone at the same time (Dorian and his father), Solas struggles to keep necessary context in his purview when exposed to these disagreeable attributes. It does not occur to him in the moment that there may be a storied explanation because to him there is no reason that it should exist in any capacity or in any context. It needs to be neutralized immediately. The corrective paw needs to descend and swat down the insolence.

Now Solas does possess the ability to reflect and acknowledge his mistakes, and he does so with a high approval Inquisitor of any race and especially with a romanced Lavellan. This is a facet of Wisdom that I would argue requires the most conscious effort. Reacting to someone’s haughtiness with a scornful “you know nothing” as he does with the Dalish, Dorian, Vivienne, and an uncurious, dogmatic, brash Inquisitor is easy. It’s effortless to him. Truly reflecting on his presumptions and adjusting them based on new information and experiences has been made a more laborious process ever since he took a body because instead of having a pure spirit brain whose existence is solely devoted to embodying wisdom, he has to contend with all the extraneous bits and bobs that come with having a personality. Ego, resentment, guilt, bias, etc.

But yeah, Solas’s hypocritical dislike of the Dalish is rooted in his spirit nature’s autoimmune response to natures that would have been genuine threats to Wisdom. His “arrogance” is often simply him matching you bar for bar + Wisdom, when given a mortal body and a personality that possesses a functioning ego, can look and act a lot like Pride when viewed from certain angles.

[misspresidenthao]

Those of Intuition — Batfam & Original Female Character — Chapter Two

Summary: With her mind still recovering from her eye-opening discovery about the Dark Knight, she finds herself thrust back into the daily grind of her job at Gotham P.D.

The usual chaos of the precinct with hints of the secret about the protector of Gotham lurking beneath the surface - how will this new knowledge influence her interactions with the city and its masked men?

Word count: 3.5k

TW: smoking, crack and angst, burn out, family issues, a lot of bad (bat) puns, depression

Low black heels, dress trousers and a wine red shirt rolled up to the elbows with a small chain and my lips painted the same colour. I was ready to see how long all the preparation I had given myself today would last and how long the braid down my shoulder would take to unravel into a messy bun. 

"Good morning, angels."

I balanced four coffees in one hand as I held my bag and pushed open the doors, watching on the front page as Jim, Harvey, Jason and Maggie were swirling around my desk at this hour of the morning. The sun had only just begun to rise and already I had the four of them whispering and squabbling just in front of the doors and leaning on my desk, Harvey had felt free to take one of the popsicles I leave in a glass container for the occasions when we have children present. Usually the child being me, who ended up eating all the popsicles and providing coffee for the little ones. 

The worst part was the realization that I was going to be left without drinking coffee. 

"Good morning, Jackie." the only one who seemed to understand the reference was Maggie, who turned to me with a smile as I pushed the men out of my way to avoid a tragedy, all taking a coffee from my hands until they were empty. "About the Two-Face paperwork..."

"I'll finish writing it up now-"

"Jackie-"

"Commissioner you have two meetings scheduled for today, I'll pass the information on to your office right now. You have twenty unread messages from Arkham's head of security saying they need to meet to discuss security measures and- Commissioner?" and so Gordon flee to his office running away from the security board that was trying to stop giving Batman access to Arkham. 

"Jackie, the key to the inventory." Bullock and Bard were still standing in front of my desk with their arms crossed as I pulled my colorful key rings out of my purse that had my little self-defense tools added to them, passing him the key with the Hello Kitty with a gun charm on it. 

"I want it on my desk in six minutes, no touching evidence that doesn't belong to you." I pointed it at both of them with my index finger and my wine red painted fingernail. "Don't forget I'll be watching you kids."

"Jackie!" the commissioner called back to me, his voice echoing from his office. "The printer-"

"Give it two taps on the side of the ink dispenser or buy another one!" I shouted back as I avoided sighing deeply at the life situations that had led me to tell the commissioner how to make a printer work. 

And the thanks, as always, went up their asses. 

What would they do without me? 

They would most likely be drowning in paperwork and phone calls and wouldn't know what to do with their lives and yet they couldn't even thank me, their saviour goddess, for leaving everything nice and tidy for them to just go shoot the bad guys and bring them back to their handcuffs. It wasn't as hard to shout at least one thank you to me as it was to shout my name to ask me for things around the office, they weren't even as good at buying me coffee in the mornings or responding to my movie references with greetings. Plus, with a boss like Commissioner Gordon whose technology skills left much to be desired and his constant disinterest in answering messages from politicians or other people he didn't get along with, they were in my ears every day forcing me to try to get Gordon to pay attention to them. But it was like giving a baby a compote he didn't like, he would turn his head and put on his best disgusted face. 

"Jackie!"

"Fuck, at least let me sit down!"

Today had dawned with the batteries on that they hadn't even let me try out my uncomfortable chair a bit or take my reading glasses out of my bag, let alone let me turn on the TVs to review the city news. I threw the rest of my stuff on my desk to wake up the officers who had been assigned to watch the early morning shift while the detectives and important ranks went home to rest, they looked devastated after the patrols and the strange phone calls at three in the morning that were somewhat disturbing, I kicked out their sweat and coffee smelling asses out of my precinct to start turning on all the TVs in the building setting them to a different news channel and making sure the wires were still in good condition. 

"Bardie, honey, you guys are taking a long time in there, do you want me to check your papers on the way out? You won't get away with evidence that doesn't belong to you again nor do you have the old man's permission to open another frozen case." I peeked into the evidence room watching as the two men had their noses in old evidence again, a strange hobby of both of them.

"Come on, Jacks, just this once." Harvey tried to sound charming, too bad for him that he's too old and not my type at all. 

"You've been saying the same thing for a year. No. Get out." I folded my arms in front of the door as they both walked out with their heads down and their arms crossed, a triumphant smile on my face as Harvey grumbled crossing by me before my hand went to his shoulder before my brain could process it. "The bag."

An evidence bag landed on my palm consisting of an old Joker joke gun with the metal painted purple and green, very out of style, as he snorted his way out of the evidence room without first leaving the keys on my palm. That is, until a bad feeling filled my chest and made me growl as I finished lighting up the whole station and getting the place settled so the arriving officers could get to work.

"Jackie!" once again the voice of my beloved commissioner echoed through the building. "The phone-"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I grabbed some papers from Maggie's desk that were part of the report on the most recent Two-Face arrest that she hadn't finished and was due by the end of the day. "I'm only one, Commissioner, remember that!"

As my fingers picked up the corded phone, placing it between my shoulder and my ear as I set the papers down on the table and my fingers began to play with the coiled cord I could hear sirens activating from the basement of the precinct and cars racing out of the precinct into the city. Isn't it a little early in the morning for criminals? 

"Good morning, Gotham City Police Department, how may I help you?"

"Has Commissioner Gordon arrived, Jacks?" that grunt from Cash caused a stretched grimace to escape my lips as I stretched the cord and looked off into the distance at the half-floor where Gordon had his office elevated, noting how he sipped his coffee in relative peace.

"You know what, Aaron, I think your call will do nothing but fill that old heart with joy." 

"I made sure not to give him cardiac arrest for you." he tried to comfort me as Gordon's gaze peered out the window until we made eye contact, a smile breaking from my lips. 

"Thank you, Captain Hook." the signal cut out and Gordon's office phone began to ring incessantly as I watched him grab his hair before turning and answering the call. 

Just like every morning. 

No one around me suspected that I knew who Batman really was. After my early morning enlightenment I had not been able to sleep, my eyes so wide open on my bed even though I had drunk tea and bathed. Not considering sleeping pills because they never worked for me. But every time I blinked I could see the billionaire's face in the dark as he said in his apparently drunken man's voice that he is the night, revenge and darkness. I had gone to the classic movie move of using my poor drawing skills to draw a bat mask over his face in a magazine which left me even more dumbfounded. 

Had we all been so dumb all this time? 

Then, as I had free time to spare since sleep hadn't intended to come, I'd set about doing my skincare routine while I reviewed my options. 

I could blackmail Bruce Wayne with my new knowledge, use the money to go to a Caribbean country and exchange the currency for one that would leave me a multi-millionaire among the locals and spend the rest of my life in a house by the beach or in the mountains without ever having to work again. A very good plan, but there were certain flaws. First I would need concrete evidence that I had learned his secret from them and not from an enlightenment that heaven had given me as an opportunity, or get him to admit it himself after I made a poor revelation and made him feel threatened enough to accept my blackmail. 

I knew Batman didn't kill, but that didn't stop him from disappearing me out there and using his superhero friends to brainwash me and render me completely useless. With all the money he has he could make one of those movie artifacts used to erase the memory of his victims. 

Or I could leave the subject alone and feign insanity although knowing me one way or another I'll blow it and dump it for following the plan on the road to financial freedom and tax evasion. I still had time to ask Patrick for whom he worked for out of all the villains in the city and see if the pay was better than what I was being offered here at the police, maybe one of the crime lords needs a secretary and doesn't know it yet. I should get my CV out on the streets and see how I could expand my repertoire. 

I knew that knowing the identity of the big man in black was dangerous, but I already worked for the police as a secretary almost twenty-four hours a day and half the criminal population most likely already knew my face from the times they went behind bars. Including one of my ex-boyfriends from when I was in school who ended up being Black Mask's right hand man for a while somehow even though he was a teenager until he sent his team to kidnap me and the Robin of the moment caught him leaving him so embarrassed that he quit his job and left town. Unforgettable, I was front row for the show.

"Jackie!"

"Light me up, Commissioner!"

"I'm on my way to Arkham, just redirect the important calls-"

"Just redirect the important calls to your phone and tell the others that you will call them back later, which you probably won't. Understood. Understood." I saluted him with my hand on my forehead as he sighed, repositioning his jacket over his shoulders and adjusting his weapon. "On the way back, buy me a coffee if you don't want me to start a syndicate, riot, and ask for a raise."

A scoffing sound left his lips as he descended the stairs to the underground, leaving the keys to his office on my desk before he left in case I needed to move countless paperwork for his review while he was away and most likely because he wanted me to pick up some of the mess that was created every time the commissioner was in his stress stages with the criminals. Halloween was just around the corner and the usual protagonists of the holiday were too quiet within their confinements to be true. 

"Jackie, the Joker's folder."

"At the speed of sound, Bard."

Back to the Wayne Bat issue. Why would a handsome millionaire and owner of one of the most prolific companies in the world dress up as emo every night in leather and kevlar?

"Montoya, your reports of the Chinatown riots and gang intervention should be rewritten as they demonstrate contradictions and misspellings. They are underlined with orange and yellow marker respectively."

"Understood, Hill."

Well, his family had been murdered in front of him when he was little and he had been raised by his butler in a giant, gothic mansion on the outskirts of the city where contact with other people his age was reduced to their school interactions and not long after the murder of his parents he was kicked out of Gotham Academy for reasons I can't remember which led him to rotate between private institutions outside the city and being homeschooled by his butler until he began his college studies in medicine before withdrawing his enrollment and dropping out to disappear into the world by all accounts. Studying medicine in this city is reason enough to go crazy, I have plenty of examples to prove it. 

"Good morning, Gotham City Police Department, how can I help you?"

"Hill, do you know where some of my papers are?"

"I haven't the faintest idea, Officer Mulcahey... Excuse me, sir, please continue."

Why bats? If he wanted to portray something scary he had to dress up as a bomb or a taxman, or maybe one of those cockroaches that come flying into your bathroom at three in the morning when you think you're at peace and the demons can't get to you. Maybe he could have dressed up as a demon too, they could be scarier than bats. If you studied him as I had been doing all this time, as a character, it became clear that he had taken a fear of his own to impose that fear that he used to have on others to create a figure associated with fear. It had worked so well with the Scarecrow, now he was terrified of bats because of him. 

"Jacks, the coffee powder-"

"It's not over, Harvey, in the bottom left drawer there are two more boxes."

And it made sense that he would create a whole different persona to the world's vision of Bruce Wayne: playboy billionaire with as many numbers in his bank account as there were women who wanted to sleep with him, counting me as well, awkward and sweet with a vibrant and sometimes innocent charm as they said he was. Only few would associate the two, most of their associations being from the money that had to be invested for all the weaponry and that left theories that Wayne Industries sponsored Batman and the rest of the vigilantes which was true because Batman is the head of most of the city's vigilantes. 

It was like a mafia. A very weird mafia.

"Officers and detectives, a humble reminder that you must turn in your reports by the end of the day to the commissioner's office for evaluation and filing. Avoid reports with coffee stains, saliva, tears, blood, and any other unwanted liquids!"

"He's talking to you, Ramirez."

"Especially to you, Ramirez, if I have to review and redo another report with your saliva I swear to you on my mother I will make sure your next report is stained with your blood!"

"Good morning, Gotham City Police Department, how may I help you?"

"This is Gil Colson, District Attorney, is Commissioner Gordon in?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Colson, the Commissioner is in a meeting outside the department right now so if you could leave me your phone number or email so I can put you in touch with him and, if you'd prefer to leave a brief message about what the subject of your call is with me I could move it up on the Commissioner's list."

"Sure, sure. It's about the bat and the sign on the roof of the police station, I'm still of the opinion that they shouldn't let a vigilante arrest people with evidence collected by him as he could be tampering with evidence and sending innocent people to jail. The prosecutor's office is in discussions about this situation and it is something we urgently need to discuss with the Commissioner. Just to let him know, and with regard to my information..."

"Of course, Mr. Colson, thank you for your time. The Commissioner will get back to you." he never will.

The human mind is amazing, sometimes my own intelligence surprised me. When I put my mind to it, I can be a star, not for nothing was I offered a scholarship to Gotham University after graduating from high school and then graduated top with honours. For all the good it had done me, at this point in my life I can't even read this computer screen with my reading glasses. 

"Jacks! Where's the Commissioner?"

"He left for Arkham a few hours ago, Maggie. Do you need me to call him for you?"

"Forget it, he must be on his way to the crime scene."

"Another scene? Isn't it a little early for murder?"

"It's never too early, Jackie, besides it's already nine o'clock at night."

"Night?!? But the Commissioner left in the morning with a promise to buy me a coffee..."

"Jacks... haven't you taken a break since morning?"

"...No."

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call over-exploitation of labour. No lunch, no dinner, just cheap coffee and popsicles. Ruined make-up, sore feet, messy hair, dinosaur hands, squinting eyes, running lips, phone ringing, sirens wailing, Gordon on the streets, empty stomach, autopsy photos flashing across my screen, criminals fighting, officers fighting. Not very demure, not very mindful, just suffering. I could brag to Gordon about my new record of reports written as the pile lay slowly tipping on his desk and on my desk all the ones that wouldn't fit on his desk, plus I'd use the numbers on his card to order my dinner for how badly this job had treated me today. I should quit. 

"Guys, Mommy will be taking a break so if you need me yell. I love to hear your cries of suffering!"

"Yes, Mommy!"

The collective affirmation of my dear officers too busy to realise what they had said brought a chuckle from me as I grabbed my bag and headed to the roof to get some air, watching their reddened faces as they realised what they had said while I took the opportunity to mock them by quickening my pace to disappear from the scene before the phone started ringing. I passed through the small common area to get a glass of water to cool my sore throat before entering that dark corridor whose light seemed to always flicker to climb that staircase with horror movie vibes, each step seemed quieter than the last as you waited to hear a sound behind you to ask if someone was there and the mysterious entity would haunt you for life. 

The smell of city smoke hit me full on as I opened the door along with the cold air that brushed my cheeks and burned them with the intensity, two sneezes coming out of my nose as I approached the edge of the building and dropped my bag after pulling out my cigar box and lighter. I removed the clip that held my hair and the glasses that had been balanced on the tip of my nose, hooking the clip into the waistband of my trousers and the glasses over the buttons of my shirt, my head feeling calmer as I took out a cigarette and placed it to my lips as I listened to the click of the metal lighter in my hands whose flame was blown by the night air. I knew I wasn't alone, I could feel it even though I couldn't see him. 

I placed my hand on the lighter and the cigarette as I brought the flame to my lips to finally light it after so much hard work, feeling a slight relief in my empty stomach at the harmful air entering my lungs and making me forget about hunger for a few moments. It didn't matter being a smoker than living in this city where you smelled a new biological weapon every day, lungs corrupted in any way. I closed my eyes as I blew the air out of my lungs, it hitting my face again at the direction of the air. 

"I guess offering a kid a cigarette isn't what I should do, want a lollipop, Robin?"

"How did you know I was here?" his distorted young voice actually came out of the shadows, confirming my suspicions.

"I got a feeling." a smile broke out on its own from my lips as I turned and walked backwards until my elbows were on the rooftop railings that separated me from falling Olympianly to the concrete below.

"Have time for a little chat?"

[inkyquill553]

POWDER/JINX: ENNEAGRAM TYPE

I'm analysing some Arcane characters based on their Enneagram type, so far I've done Vi and Jinx, hopefully I can get to the others soon :) See this post for a quick introduction/explanation of the Enneagram and a masterlist of the characters.

Disclaimer: All Enneagram information is directly quoted and/or paraphrased from “The Complete Enneagram: 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge” by Beatrice Chestnut.

Also: Sleeping at Last have made an album with songs for each Enneagram type, this is the song for Type 6 in case anyone is interested! Six

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PERSONALITY TYPE: TYPE 6

SUBTYPE: SELF PRESERVATION (POWDER), SEXUAL/ONE-TO-ONE (JINX)

Type 6 Personality Summary:

Basic Fear: Of being without support, security or guidance; being abandoned

Core Emotion: Fear

Type 6s represent the archetype of the person who, given the fear of impending threat, seeks to find safety through the protection of others or by taking refuge in their own strength. The drive of this archetype is to scan for danger in a scary world and defensively manage fear and anxiety. Type 6s tend to harbour an initial attitude of wariness and mistrust, questioning other people’s motives and being habitually suspicious of anyone who might have power over them. If something the 6 perceive stirs up suspicion, their thoughts can move to creating worst-case scenarios. Type 6s have excellent analytical minds, and they can be extremely loyal and steadfast friends to those they trust. They are good strategists, troubleshooters and problem solvers. 

Jinx, both in her current state and in her childhood as Powder, is a deeply loyal, loving person with a high level of intelligence and creativity. As Powder, she has a strong connection with Vi and Vander, and spends much of her time tinkering with and perfecting bombs that she believes will help her family. As Jinx, she puts her creative mind towards building complicated weapons, and deeply cares for Isha and Silco. However, her fear has always been a flaw that is the root of her struggle- as Powder it is the reason for her self-doubt and reliance on others, and as Jinx it is the source of her violence and paranoia. 

Type 6 Key Beliefs:

The world is a dangerous place, and you must be aware of signs of trouble in order to stay safe

By anticipating what might go wrong, you can guard against making mistakes, getting hurt, or becoming trapped in a bad situation

Imminent catastrophe could strike at any time and if you aren't prepared you will be less able to prevent it or deal with it

It's difficult to completely trust anything because there's always room for doubt

It's good to be on guard about how people might threaten you, hurt you, or take advantage of you, so you won't be taken by surprise and unable to protect yourself

Type 6 Early Coping Strategy/Internalised Message:

The type 6 personality usually begins with a child who experienced some sort of ongoing threat early in life. This is an individual who gets a sense that the world is a dangerous place, and have an early experience of fear that gave shape to their personality. Type 6s develop a way of absorbing and sorting information based on picking up on signs (subtle or not) of the negative or threatening intentions of others. Being able to predict when and if someone was going to hurt them was their way of trying to stay safe. Through imagination, 6s develop a radar for trouble that they can't turn off. 

As a very young child, Powder is exposed to high levels of violence and a fear for her safety. Witnessing the murder of her parents is a key traumatic event that would have cemented the idea of the world being a scary, unsafe place that will hurt her or the people she loves. As she grows up, Powder witnesses ongoing violence and fighting, especially around Vi and the other kids. The night of the explosion, her entire family network is taken from her due to the actions of outside, dangerous forces (Silco and his followers) but also due to her own mistakes. When Vi leaves her in the street, she believes she has been abandoned for what she has done. This gives Powder and later Jinx a shaky sense of security, and a fear that the people she cares about could die or leave her at any second.

Relationship to Their Core Emotion:

Type 6s are associated with the core emotion of fear and a concern with safety. In a world they experience as dangerous and uncertain, they often “overdo” their fear response. Their focus centres on the negative data in their environments or their own heads that might signal the presence of threats to their security. Sometimes this habit leads to accurate and insightful readings of a situation, but at other times they can unconsciously project their fear-based, imagination-fuelled thinking to create a threat where none exists- mentally manufacturing dangers to confirm their internal sense of threat or doubt. 

While Jinx may appear to others as a fierce person uncontrolled by pain or fear, at her core she is still deeply fearful, if not more so than she was as Powder. Her propensity for violent reactions (and sometimes over-reactions) to perceived threats, her paranoia that others will betray her, and her poor emotional stability, reflect the fear she feels at all times. In some cases, her hypervigilant state is helpful- when the firelights attack during her reunion with Vi, she is the first to notice and react. When Vander/Warwick attacks in the prison, she quickly realises the threat he poses and makes sure Isha is taken out of harm’s way. However, this fear is predominantly a negative force in her life and appears most when she is not mentally stable. She feels most fear towards Silco and Vi, because these are people she loves and wants to trust, so her fear of their betrayal and abandonment feels overwhelming. But instead of showing this fear, she lashes out whenever they trigger it as a means of protecting herself. 

Defence Mechanisms: Projection and Splitting

The primary defence mechanism of type 6 is projection. They psychologically defend themselves from their own internal sense of fear by unconsciously projecting it out, imagining that it originates in the outside world- often in another person. For example, if a 6 is feeling judgmental of or insecure about themselves, they may imagine that someone else is judging them. A second primary defence mechanism is splitting, where 6s clearly demarcate who is good and who is bad as a way of feeling less fear. Splitting is why many 6s experience a large degree of guilt, self-accusation and a firm belief they are somehow bad, or why they view a person they dislike or see as untrustworthy as “all bad” even when the other person objectively possesses both bad and good traits.

To cope with her fear and overwhelming negative emotions, Jinx creates literal projections of her emotions as physical embodiments of people- she hallucinates Mylo and Claggor as demons on her shoulder. As a way of coping with her own upsetting feelings and thoughts about herself, she imagines they are being said by someone else so that she can face them more easily. In this way she feels she has the power to fight against these overwhelming negative thoughts as an outside attack, rather than acknowledging that they come from herself. Jinx also copes with negative feelings through splitting- the most notable being with Vi and Caitlyn. Jinx oscillates quickly between having positive feelings about Vi and having very negative feelings about her. In the scene where they reunite, she suddenly flips from being happy and relieved to see Vi again to lashing out and accusing her of “playing her” the moment she sees Caitlyn. Caitlyn herself is the target of much of Jinx’s splitting defence mechanism- she is suspicious of Caitlyn being close to Vi in season one and so she paints her solely as a villain, hallucinating that she has devil horns or a cruel expression. This leads Jinx to express her fear of Caitlyn coming between herself and Vi by acting violently towards her.

Type 6 Self-Preservation Subtype (Powder):

In the self-preservation 6, fear manifests as insecurity. Not trusting themselves enough, they feel alone and incapable without outside support. They want to feel the embrace of the family, to be in a warm, protected place where there are no enemies. They escape anxiety by seeking the security of protection, therefore they become dependent on others. They look for a bond of trust in their relationships, and they fear disappointing others, especially those closest to them. They search for an “idealised other” for protection, and can have issues that look like separation anxiety. Self-preservation 6s fear anger, aggression, provocation, and confrontation. They have a lot of hesitation and uncertainty, never feeling ready or able, and also feel a lot of blame and guilt. 

Powder’s early childhood trauma and sense of the world being dangerous makes her a timid, uncertain person who is outwardly fearful of others and of situations that put her safety at risk. She desperately wants to belong and to be accepted as an equal in her family, but she doesn’t feel she measures up to the strength and bravery of other people in her life, especially Vi. Vi becomes her “idealised other,” a protective figure she looks up to, wants to be like, who makes her feel safe. She becomes dependent on Vi and her support, seeking her approval and fearing disappointing her. Which is why she can’t cope when Vi leaves her behind on their mission to save Vander, and why it is so painful for her when Vi calls her a jinx and leaves her alone in the street. It triggers her core fear of being abandoned and left without the security of her protector. She has a screaming emotional breakdown at being left behind, shouts “why did you leave me?” when Vi confronts her, and begs Vi to come back through tears after their fight. When Silco appears, she latches onto him as the nearest protective figure, as a way of coping with her pain. 

Type 6 Sexual/One-to-One Subtype (Jinx):

The sexual or one-to-one 6 turns against their fear by assuming a sense of strength and intimidation. The sexual 6 tends to move toward risky situations, feeling a sense of safety in confronting danger rather than hiding from it. This can give them the appearance of a rebel, a daredevil, a risk taker, an adrenaline junkie, or troublemaker. Sexual 6s give off the impression that they could get violent with anybody at any time, but that doesn't mean they have no fear. Their anticipation of an attack comes from a paranoid imagining of danger, a belief that anyone can turn into a threat- so they do everything they can to not feel cheated, manipulated, taken advantage of, or attacked. They may also have a feeling of being somehow bad inside, and their strength protects them from their own attacks on themselves. However, their aggression is expressed mostly in the social arena and not as much in their private lives, as they will usually have needed to develop some level of trust with those they are close to. Sexual subtypes focus on relationships with specific individuals, seeking wellbeing through one-to-one connections with people.

After the trauma of losing her support network and believing Vi has abandoned her, Powder (in the process of becoming Jinx) learns that she cannot rely on anyone to protect her, or trust that anyone will stay. She comes to believe that in a dangerous world where people will try to hurt her, she needs to become dangerous to protect herself. As Silco tells her “you need to let Powder die, so the fear of pain will no longer control you.” She becomes a violent, chaotic, unpredictable force, lashing out at the sources of her fear- all as a way of hiding that on the inside, she is still that scared little girl. When she finds out Sevika and Silco have been lying to her about Vi being alive, it scares her because it rocks her small sense of safety and trust in these people, especially Silco, leading to the violent reaction she has towards both of them. It’s also why she flips so suddenly during her reunion with Vi when she thinks she is being “played”- she fears being tricked and betrayed because it triggers her core fear of a lack of security. But Jinx isn’t always aggressive and violent. She establishes one-to-one connections with specific people who she allows herself to trust, and becomes loyal and affectionate towards them. First this is Silco, then Isha, then Vi and Vander again. In reconnecting with her father and sister, she can let go of some of her fear and assuage her guilt. Her connection with Isha- who in herself represents a reconnection with Powder- allows her a safe place to trust someone, to have fun, to let go of fear. She even becomes a protective figure to Isha like Vi was to her, healing the part of herself that longed for someone strong to keep her safe. When Isha dies, part of Jinx dies with her.

Growth and Healing:

As 6s work on themselves and become self-aware, they learn to escape the trap of intensifying their fear through their attempts to reduce it. They can become aware of how they create self-fulfilling prophecies, learn to trust themselves and others, and own their power instead of projecting it out onto others.

More than any character, Jinx’s arc focusses on healing and growing from pain. By the end of the series, she realises that if she continues the way she has all these years, the pain will never stop. “Killing is a cycle.” For so much of her life she has believed she is a jinx, but in truth it was her own fear creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. She fears bad things will happen so she tries to take action to prevent them, and that action is what causes the bad things to happen after all. She fears people will hurt and leave her, so she attacks them and pushes them away until they do. By choosing to walk away, she is choosing to let go of fear, to trust in her ability to make it on her own, and to take away the pain she has been projecting onto the people in her life. 

[diavolo-is-babygirl]

Obey Me Headcanons/Diavolo x MC Headcanons: The Exalt

The Exalt, chosen by Prince Diavolo and bestowed with the Exalt's Amulet, undertakes a multifaceted and pivotal role within the Devildom.

(*Exalt is just a fancy way of saying the Prince's boyfriend/girlfriend. I found out about it from Fire Emblem: Awakening*.)

This position demands a unique blend of strategic acumen, unwavering loyalty, and protective instincts. Here is a detailed overview of the Exalt's responsibilities:

1. Strategic Advisor:

The Exalt serves as Diavolo's closest confidant, offering crucial insights and strategies during high-stakes meetings with the Elite Legion of Demons, a council of high-ranking government officials. They help Diavolo navigate the complex and often treacherous political landscape of the Devildom, ensuring that his decisions are well-informed and advantageous.

2. Knowledge Keeper:

To effectively advise Diavolo, the Exalt must diligently learn and master the history, customs, and political nuances of the Devildom. This extensive knowledge allows them to provide accurate and relevant advice, fostering informed decision-making.

3. Protector:

The Exalt is responsible for ensuring Diavolo's safety. This includes identifying potential threats, both visible and hidden, and acting swiftly to neutralize them. Their vigilance and protective measures create a secure environment for Diavolo, allowing him to focus on his leadership duties.

4. Diplomatic Liaison:

The Exalt plays a key role in fostering alliances and smoothing over conflicts. They engage with other realms and entities, using their diplomatic skills to negotiate agreements and maintain peace. Their tact and negotiation skills are essential in managing the delicate balance of power within and beyond the Devildom.

5. Organizational Support:

The Exalt helps manage Diavolo's complex schedule, ensuring that all appointments and duties are attended to efficiently. They coordinate with Barbatos, Diavolo's loyal advisor, to organize events and manage the intricate details of royal duties, ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

6. Combat and Self-Defense:

Trained in self-defense and combat, the Exalt is prepared to protect themselves and Diavolo in any situation. Their combat proficiency ensures they can respond effectively to physical threats, providing an additional layer of security.

7. Magical Aptitude:

The Exalt is proficient in various forms of magic, using their abilities to assist in daily tasks and critical missions. This magical proficiency enhances their effectiveness in all aspects of their role, from protection to diplomacy.

**Collaboration with Barbatos and Lucifer:**

The Exalt works closely with Barbatos and Lucifer, two of Diavolo's most trusted allies. Together, they form a formidable team:

The Exalt and Barbatos coordinate on managing Diavolo's schedule, planning events, and ensuring that all royal duties are meticulously executed. Their combined organizational skills ensure seamless operations, allowing Diavolo to focus on his leadership without distraction.

The Exalt collaborates with Lucifer, the eldest of the seven demon brothers and Diavolo's right-hand man, to maintain order and discipline. They strategize together on security measures and political maneuvers, leveraging Lucifer's authoritative presence and the Exalt's diplomatic finesse to strengthen Diavolo's rule.

The Exalt's role is vital to the stability and success of Diavolo's reign. Their presence is a beacon of support, strategy, and protection, making them an indispensable part of the Devildom's governance and future.

Working alongside Barbatos and Lucifer, the Exalt ensures that every aspect of Diavolo's leadership is supported and fortified, paving the way for a prosperous and secure Devildom.

[valorascult]

Hello dear, i stumbled upon your lack mindset vs abundant mindset post and I needed to share something about me.

So at 8. of lack mindset you wrote "not sharing knowledge". This really shook me. Growing up I've been a real Mama's girl, and she would always tell me to never help out friends,or don't share my notes with them, not tell them information abt class, and that my friends only talk to me because they want something from me.

As i grew up, (I'm a senior at college now) I've seen that this mindset actually made me unable to view any of the relationship in my life as genuine and im always scared people will take advantage of me.

I always thought a lack mindset meant something related to money or poverty. But your post really made me see a different perspective. I'm living in a lack mindset?

I'm trying to get out of this mindset, please do you have advices or suggestions for me?

Hello! First, its a huge step already understanding and acknowledging your programming of immediate distrust. Building trust starts with empathy, if you understand your emotions thoroughly, you are more than likely able to understand others and navigate conversations / connections better rather than hyper analyzing. Understand that trust doesn’t have to be immediate and it is a gradual process. There is no need to share your whole being with people you have only known for a few weeks / months but building trust is where it starts. You can do this by engaging in tasks with people you want to be close with, a task where you are both able to be put in a vulnerable position so that you are both bonding and you are able to understand the way they operate on a deeper level / they are also able to understand you. Having a daily grounding routine is also extremely effective, everything around us operates best on the frequency of love so opening your heart via meditation, self care, spending time with nature, etc;. can really open your body up to receiving and working in love / acceptance with others. I, personally would start there and allow myself to feel one with the world. The key here is to unlearn defense mechanisms. The moment you feel yourself leaning towards immediate distrust is when you are able to also look at it from a different reality and understanding - allow the mind and gut to team up and make the better conclusions. I cannot speak for all but most people DO seek genuine connections with others but they are unsure how. I have also dealt with distrust and held back from making genuine connections, it is not an uncommon practice. When you start to believe there is a form of distrust in someone, you can as yourself, if you must, ‘is there any evidence to support this statement?’. And often, there is not. Many do not have malicious intentions, we are all just trying to survive and dive deeper into connections with others and that’s where empathy gets involved. We do it have to fully understand others and they do not have to understand every part of you and that’s okay - but, we should open our hearts a little deeper to understanding others. You absolutely should have boundaries, allowing trust does not get rid of the boundaries you have set for yourself but understand that others have boundaries too and creating a space where mutual respect is given should be most important. You can share emotions / experiences gradually, it does not have to be in an instant. Putting yourself in uncomfortable positions with others can also build trust with them because it allows their guard to come down a little and have you also open up. I’m typing a lot but if you ever have any other questions or questions / statements related to this, you can always message me directly as well xo.

[ghostgirlvii-art]

As if I needed to make such a HUGE reference for him, yet... I love give him more personality than just a character created for simping lol. I suppose this can be a basic lore when I write xReader, but can be tweaked a little.

-----

MAIN INFORMATION/GENERAL INFORMATION

Name: Mathis Vermeulen Nicknames: Matt, Matty Nationality: Belgian Date of Birth: February 17th Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium Affiliations: La Défense/Defensie, Special Forces Group Belgium Rank: Captain Gender: Male Sexuality: Bisexual Status: Alive Languages: French (Fluent), Dutch (Mothertongue), English (Fluent), German (basic)

APPEARANCE & PERSONALITY

Height: 1m75 Weight: 80kg Build: Fit, but not over muscled** Hair Color: Dark brown Eye Color: Brown

Others:

Two scars on his chest after a knife attack while on a op.

A burn scar on his back which he was lucky to only end up with this after been thrown a cocktail molotov at.

Tattoo on his left hip. The skulls at the root are an hommage to his brothers and sisters who fell during combat.

He wears his balaclava mainly during mission/deployment or some special occasion connected to the army. While he is civil, he doesn't really wear that much.

**: His body shape is non negociable. It is one of these 'stronger men in the world' shape. I don't know how to describe it but my best example, althought I have not see the series, is The Mountain from Game of Thrones. Give him a toned 36 packs and I'll find you >:(

Faceclaim inspiration: Kevin Janssens

Personality Type (MBTI):

ENTJ

Mathis often come of as emotionless, arrogant and impatient. On the fields he knows that every decision counts and can lead to either success or failure, so he has to be uncompromising on in some situation. But this is him at work. Outside he is friendly, goof around when the moment allows it. Quite charismatic, will always stike a conversation with anyone who seems interesting, happy to meet new people.

Despite his confident and charismatic nature, Mathis carries his own burdens; the weight of past decisions, the faces of those he couldn’t save. He doesn’t talk about it much, but in rare moments of vulnerability, he can open up about it to people he trust the most.

Personification of "looks like he could kill, is actually a cinnamon roll". Mathis can be a bit of flirt here and there.

TRIVIA

Dislike dogs. Like he is ok, from a distance, but get tense when they get to close.

Enjoy to play football and rugby. But because of the latter, he is often the goalkeeper while playing football.

He is a cuddler! Loves PDA and touch a lot.

To do whatever you want of this information, he is a switch leaning dominant though ;)

In public, he doesn't wear is mask (unless it's cold outside)

BACKSTORY/BIOGRAPHY

Early life; Mathis was born in Antwerp, the youngest of three siblings. His father was a former federal police, a man of strict discipline who believed that toughness and order were the keys to success. His mother was a history teacher who valued knowledge, culture, and empathy. Mathis inherited his father’s rigid sense of duty but also his mother’s curiosity about the world.

Young, he was always physically active, one of his favorite sport being football, later in his teen rugby, and running. His father trained him in self-defense, drilling into him that "hesitation is the enemy", a lesson that would stick with Mathis for the rest of his life. But unlike his father, who was more reserved, Mathis was naturally charismatic and energetic, making friends easily.

His teenage years were defined by two things: his growing restlessness and his need for challenge. School bored him, and he hated all the academics. He was smart, but he was also impatient; he wanted action, not endless theory. It wasn’t long before he set his sights on La Défense/Defensie, knowing that a desk job wasn't for him.

Army Life; At 18, Mathis enlisted, diving headfirst into the rigorous training regimen. He thrived in the structure and discipline, making good results in endurance drills/training, and marksmanship. But it was during his first deployment that he learned what war truly was. A routine patrol turned into an ambush, and his unit was pinned down. Their commanding officer was critically wounded. Mathis took charge in a heartbeat, almost natural to him. Giving orders, coordinating cover fire, and made sure his allies could retreat to safety. His actions not only saved lives but earned him recognition.

As an ambitious man, he looked for more challenged. He applied for the Special Forces Group (SFG) selection process. It was a brutal, months-long test. It pushed many past their physical and mental limits, stripping away ego and testing endurance, resilience, and ability to work under extreme pressure. Many candidates washed out. Mathis refused to. By the time he completed his training, he was an elite operator. Profecient in direct action, reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and hostage rescue.

Now in his early 30s, Mathis has built a reputation as one of the many operators you can truly count on in the SFG. He’s been deployed across multiple conflict zones, working alongside NATO forces, tackling counterterrorism operations, hostage rescues, and high-risk reconnaissance

[mcginnlawfirm]

What happens during a criminal case trial?

Facing criminal charges can be a daunting experience that can significantly impact your life. Navigating the complexities of the legal system requires expertise and precision, making the role of a criminal defense attorney indispensable. For residents of Council Bluffs, securing the services of a knowledgeable attorney is crucial to ensuring their rights are protected and achieving the best possible outcome.

Understanding Criminal Charges

Criminal charges in Iowa are categorized into misdemeanors and felonies, each carrying distinct penalties.

Misdemeanors: These are less severe offenses, including simple, serious, and aggravated misdemeanors. Penalties may involve fines, community service, or short-term imprisonment.

Felonies: More serious crimes such as robbery, sexual assault, or homicide fall under this category. Convictions can lead to substantial fines and extended prison sentences.

Understanding the nature of your charges is the first step toward mounting an effective defense.

Qualities of a Reliable Defense Attorney

Selecting the right criminal defense attorney in Council Bluffs is pivotal. Key qualities to consider include:

Experience: An attorney with a robust background in criminal law will be adept at navigating the legal system and formulating effective defense strategies.

Local Knowledge: Familiarity with local courts, judges, and procedures can provide a strategic advantage in your case.

Communication Skills: A proficient attorney will explain complex legal terms in understandable language, ensuring you are well-informed.

Track Record: A history of successful case outcomes reflects an attorney's capability and dedication.

Steps to Find the Best Lawyer

To locate a reliable criminal defense attorney in Council Bluffs, consider the following steps:

Research: Utilize online directories and legal resources to identify attorneys specializing in criminal defense.

Read Reviews: Client testimonials and peer reviews can offer insights into an attorney's reputation and effectiveness.

Consultations: Schedule meetings with potential attorneys to discuss your case and assess their suitability.

Verify Credentials: Ensure the attorney is licensed and in good standing with the Iowa State Bar Association.

Benefits of Hiring Local Legal Professionals

Engaging a local criminal defense attorney offers several advantages:

Accessibility: Proximity facilitates regular communication and meetings.

Local Insight: A local attorney's understanding of regional legal nuances can be beneficial.

Established Relationships: Connections with local legal personnel can aid negotiations and proceedings.

Common Legal Services Offered

Criminal defense attorneys in Council Bluffs provide a range of services, including:

DUI Defense: Representing clients accused of driving under the influence, aiming to reduce penalties or dismiss charges.

Felony Charges Defense: Handling serious criminal cases to achieve favorable outcomes.

Misdemeanor Legal Defense: Assisting clients in navigating less severe charges to minimize consequences.

Court Representation: Advocating on behalf of clients during trials and hearings.

Practical Tips

Act Promptly: Seek legal representation immediately after being charged to ensure timely defense preparation.

Be Transparent: Provide your attorney with all pertinent information to facilitate an effective defense.

Understand Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with your legal rights to avoid self-incrimination.

Maintain Communication: Regularly contact your attorney and promptly respond to their requests.

If you are facing criminal charges in Council Bluffs, it is imperative to consult with a trusted criminal defense attorney. Their expertise can significantly influence the outcome of your case, ensuring your rights are upheld and providing you with the best possible defense.

[lumariea]

Politics

Lumariea's decentralized city-state system, where each city governs itself independently without an overarching ruler, presents a unique and vibrant political landscape. Here’s a closer look at some key aspects of this system:

Governance and Autonomy

City-State Independence: Each city in Lumariea operates autonomously, allowing local rulers and governments to set their own laws, policies, and regulations. This setup reflects a high degree of sovereignty and self-determination at the local level.

Rule Transparency: The practice of posting rules and information at the docks ensures transparency for both residents and visitors. This helps newcomers understand local customs, laws, and governance structures before entering a city, promoting order and mutual understanding.

Trade and Diplomacy

Economic Focus: Trade plays a crucial role in Lumariea's economy, with each city managing its own farms, lands for food production, and natural resources. Some cities may specialize in producing certain goods due to local advantages in resources or skills.

Role of Traders: Traders in Lumariea hold significant social status and are respected figures within their communities. They serve not only as merchants but also as diplomats who forge bonds between cities through commerce. This dual role highlights the importance of trade in maintaining relations and fostering cooperation among city-states.

Variety in Trading Practices: While some traders are hired by local governments to represent their city’s interests in trade, others operate independently as freelancers. This diversity in trading practices allows for flexibility and adaptability in the economic interactions between cities.

Cultural and Social Dynamics

Merchant Culture: The emphasis on trading and the respect given to traders contribute to a vibrant merchant culture in Lumariea. Traders often have personal boats from which they conduct business, showcasing goods from different cities and regions.

Inter-City Relations: Trade not only facilitates economic exchange but also serves as a means for cultural exchange and the sharing of knowledge and ideas between city-states. This interaction fosters interconnectedness and mutual dependence among the cities of Lumariea.

Challenges and Considerations

Coordination Issues: While the decentralized system allows for local autonomy, coordinating larger-scale issues such as regional defense or infrastructure development may require collaborative efforts among city-states.

Conflict Resolution: In the absence of a central authority, mechanisms for conflict resolution between cities would likely rely on diplomacy, negotiation, and possibly informal alliances or agreements.

Socioeconomic Disparities: Disparities in resource availability or economic specialization among cities could potentially impact trade relationships and create challenges in maintaining balanced economic development across Lumariea.

Overall, Lumariea’s model of independent city-states governed by their own rules and engaged in vibrant trade and diplomacy underscores a dynamic and diverse political landscape. It exemplifies how decentralized governance can foster resilience, innovation, and interdependence among communities in a fictional world setting.

[casey-elite-martial-arts]

A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a dynamic martial art that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. Known for its emphasis on technique over strength, it’s an excellent choice for individuals of all ages, from young beginners to adults. Whether you’re interested in youth martial arts classes, kids’ self-defense training, or simply learning a new skill, this guide will provide you with the tips and gear essentials to start your BJJ journey.

Understanding Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

What does BJJ mean:BJJ stands for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a martial art that was derived from Judo and further developed in Brazil. An emphasis on controlling and submitting opponents through joint locks and chokeholds. Because BJJ relies on technique and strategy, it has become a common inclusion in many children’s self-defense classes and junior BJJ classes.

In fact, many youth martial arts classes include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in order to help children learn self-discipline, confidence, and problem-solving capabilities. As a rookie, if you understand the philosophy at the heart of the art — that ability, not raw force, is key — it can help ease your entry into this thrilling realm.

Tips for Beginners

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can seem intimidating to begin, but with these tips, we hope to ease the way:

Start with a Positive Mindset

So, come in with a mind that is open and a will to progress in each class. You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed during your initial foray into this new system, but the most important factor is perseverance; the more you practice, the easier it’ll get.

Focus on the Basics

Avoid the temptation to learn advanced techniques. A strong base is made of consistently winning the most fundamental exchanges, like escapes, sweeps, and basic submissions.

Ask Questions

This is where coaches and senior students come to play. If you’re uncertain about a specific technique, be brave enough to ask.

Practice Patience

Progress in BJJ takes time. Even note the little wins like figuring out a certain move or getting out of a tough position.

Consistency is Key

In order to improve, it is important that you attend regularly. And aim for two classes a week so you build muscle memory and can be as great as you were before!

Gear Essentials for Beginners

Having the proper equipment will help guarantee safety and comfort throughout training. Here’s what you will need to begin:

Gi (Kimono)

The gi is the traditional uniform of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Find a light-weight, durable gi designed for BJJ. Make sure it’s fitted, but free to move.

Rash Guard

Tops: While not required, a rash guard slipped under your gi can help prevent mat burn and keep sweat away from your skin.

BJJ Belt

A beginner wears a white belt. As you advance and gain higher levels of skill and knowledge, you will earn belts.

Mouthguard

Especially during sparring, you want to preserve your teeth. Opt for a durable, custom-fitting mouthguard.

Optional Gear

No-Gi Gear: If your academy does no-gi BJJ, you will need athletic shorts and a compression top.

Knee Pads — Helps prevent joint soreness in grappling.

Water Bottle — Hydration is vital during hard training.

Before enrolling kids into junior BJJ lessons, or youth grappling classes, make sure their gear is properly fitted and meets the safety standards.

Frequently Asked Questions and How to Solve Them

If you’re a beginner at BJJ, you’ll come across these problems. Here’s how to tackle them:

Feeling Overwhelmed

Solution: Focus on the class on one or two techniques and work on them at open mat.

Physical Fatigue

Solution: Start with short workouts and gradually build endurance. Mix in some light cardio exercise with your training.

Fear of Sparring (Rolling)

Solution: View sparring as information gathering. Go slowly and pay more attention to using techniques than to “winning.”

Plateaus in Progress

Solution: Accept that plateaus are a normal part of the process. You are up to October 2023, ensure you usually to new techniques and request feedback from mentors.

Injuries

Solution: Pay attention to your body, use good form, and listen to your body for rest and recovery. Many kids’ self-defense programs incorporate lessons on safe grappling techniques to avoid injury.

Finding the Right Academy

Thus the next step you have to take in your jiu jitsu journey is to choose the right academy. Here’s what to look for:

Qualified Instructors

A good teacher is knowledgeable, patient, and relatable. They must have experience with teaching beginners and nurturing a positive atmosphere.

Beginner-Friendly Classes

Now, search for academies that provide dedicated classes for beginners; youth martial arts classes, children’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu programs, etc.

Community and Atmosphere

The academy ought to be a warm and inclusive place. If the training environment is positive, learning becomes fun.

Trial Classes

Most academies provide a free or discounted class to try out. Make use of these to determine whether it’s a good fit for you or your child.

Conclusion

In this article, I will help you with some beginner tips on starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. By learning the basics, investing in good equipment, and sticking to it, you will grow in confidence, fitness and skills that will transfer off the mat. Youth Grappling classes or junior BJJ lessons offer a great introduction for young beginners.

Whether studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for self-improvement or learning and training as a family, enjoy the journey and take pride in each new accomplishment. Embrace the art and allow it to transform you — one roll at a time.

[nickigunshop]

Explore Top Firearm Choices at Nicki Gun Shop: Comanche II-A and Taurus TH40

The Comanche II-A: A Classic Choice

The Comanche Comanche II-A is a revolver that combines classic design with modern functionality. Known for its reliability and ease of use, this firearm is perfect for both novice shooters and seasoned professionals.

Key Features of the Comanche II-A

Robust Construction: The Comanche II-A is built with high-quality materials that ensure durability and longevity. Its solid frame and cylinder provide excellent resistance to wear and tear.

Caliber Options: This revolver is available in a variety of calibers, allowing users to choose the one that best suits their shooting needs. Whether for self-defense or target shooting, there’s a Comanche II-A for you.

Ergonomic Design: The design of the Comanche II-A ensures a comfortable grip, making it easier to handle and shoot accurately. Its balanced weight distribution reduces recoil, enhancing user control.

Safety Features: With a reliable safety mechanism, the Comanche II-A offers peace of mind for shooters, ensuring that accidental discharges are minimized.

Benefits of Choosing the Comanche II-A

Reliability: The Comanche II-A is renowned for its consistent performance. It’s a firearm that you can depend on in critical situations.

Ease of Maintenance: This revolver is straightforward to clean and maintain, ensuring it remains in optimal condition for years.

Versatility: Suitable for a range of applications, from home defense to recreational shooting, the Comanche II-A is a versatile addition to any gun collection.

The Taurus TH40: Modern Performance

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Key Features of the Taurus TH40

High-Capacity Magazine: The Taurus TH40 comes with a high-capacity magazine, providing ample rounds for extended shooting sessions or defensive situations.

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Polymer Frame: The lightweight polymer frame of the TH40 ensures easy handling and reduces fatigue during prolonged use. Despite its light weight, the frame is incredibly durable.

Safety Mechanisms: Featuring multiple safety mechanisms, including a manual safety and trigger safety, the TH40 prioritizes user safety without compromising on performance.

Benefits of Choosing the Taurus TH40

Enhanced Accuracy: With its advanced sighting system and ergonomic design, the Taurus TH40 offers superior accuracy, making it a reliable choice for both defense and sport shooting.

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Ease of Use: Designed with user-friendly features, the TH40 is suitable for both experienced shooters and those new to semi-automatic pistols.

Why Buy from Nicki Gun Shop?

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Expertise and Knowledge: Our team of firearm experts is always ready to assist you in selecting the perfect firearm to meet your needs. We provide detailed information and guidance to ensure you make an informed decision.

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[ray-moo]

Reminder that most female self-defense classes are taught by unqualified experts and scam artists preying on legitimate fears you might be assaulted. Check their credentials, and then check your misconceptions about martial arts experiences qualifying them. A lot of martial arts schools are either sports or just bullshit.

Remember that most rapes are committed by someone you already know.

And remember the three cardinal rules of dealing physically with men. 1. Men are on average 40-60% stronger than you, which means that statistically speaking half of them are even stronger than that. You could know all the self-defense tips in the world and maybe you'd be able to fight a fat, middle-aged guy equally. IF YOU GET INTO A FIGHT, EXPECT TO LOSE. 2. Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Don't rely or claim and false sense of security from your knowledge of self-defense tips or even a non-sparring martial arts because you won't remember them when you have been punched. Even a sparring martial arts since a street fight can be so much of a difference between a sparring match context-wise that you can forget how to do it. THE SECONDS BEFORE YOU GET PUNCHED ARE CRITICAL.

3. 9/10 rapists might leave you alone if you're too much trouble but the 10th bastard is not going to care what you're going to do to them and will power through it. Don't bother with the bs self defense tips of 'your elbow does 20% more damage than the rest of your body', or 'The male funny bone is the second most sensitive part of the anatomy'. Don't hurt your attacker, HURT THEM. Go for the eyes, bite, and scream. Use anything sharp that you have, from car keys to nails. Don't go for the groin, go for actually sensitive areas of the body like eyes, ears, and the nose. If you remember something, remember to scream something actually comprehensible, like 'I'm being attacked', a scream can just be overlooked as another upset woman.

I've never been sexually assaulted in public by a man, but I have been physically robbed and from that I can confirm everything I've said is true. I'm physically fit and this man was scrawny af. I couldn't fight back, I couldn't think straight from the moment he grabbed me, and he wasn't even trying to hurt me. When I punched him in the jaw three times, he didn't care. If you're attacked, something similar will PROBABLY happen to you.

I would say run, but men can run faster than you, so if you run, run with a plan to get somewhere safe rather than to outrun him.

Remember that self-defense is inherently violent. If you want to be able to defend yourself from men, you will have to learn to be violent and be able to turn on a violent mindset. The capacity for violence in women has been locked away by societal conditioning. To become able to defend yourself from men, you need to be able to be comfortable with both contemplating the unthinkable, preparing for it, and being willing to have it spring from yourself. Without the capacity for violence you aren't fighting back, you are just struggling.

And remember that there is no information or training that can make you safe from men. Men are stronger than you, men are just as capable of learning self-defense tips as you are and thinking through the steps to be successful with what they want, and some men want to hurt you.

But also, remember that less than 10% of all men are rapists. There isn't a need to hate all men for what 90% of them would never think or wish to do to you. But there is the 10% so be wary and careful which ones you let into your life.

THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES” (PLS TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. It may save a life, It may save your life.)

An Article from Neena Susan Thomas

“Through a rapist’s eyes. A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interview…ed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh – HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .

b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.

If u have compassion reblog this post. ‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.

REBLOG THIS AND LET EVERY GIRL KNOW AT LEAST PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHATS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD. So please reblog this….Your one reblog can Help to spread this information.

THIS COULD ACTUALLY SAVE A LIFE.”

[lawlerlegal]

How to Respond to a Lawsuit: Free Answer to Complaint Sample and Template

Receiving a legal complaint can be intimidating, especially if you're unfamiliar with the civil court process. Whether you're being sued for an unpaid debt, breach of contract, or another civil matter, your response is critical. The law gives you a limited time to file an official answer—and missing that deadline can lead to a default judgment against you.

In this detailed guide, Lawler Legal explains how to respond correctly using a legally compliant answer to complaint sample, a downloadable answer to complaint template, and practical guidance on how to structure your own template answer to complaint. This article is designed for individuals, small business owners, and anyone facing a civil lawsuit who needs to understand their legal options without the burden of complex legal jargon.

What Is an Answer to a Complaint?

An answer to a complaint is your official legal response to the allegations listed in a plaintiff's complaint. It is filed in court and served to the plaintiff or their attorney. The answer allows the defendant to admit, deny, or express lack of knowledge regarding each specific allegation in the complaint.

This document isn’t just a formality—it’s the foundation of your legal defense. It must be accurate, well-structured, and filed on time. That’s where a quality answer to complaint template comes in.

Why Use an Answer to Complaint Template?

Legal documents follow specific formats and language conventions. A template answer to complaint helps ensure:

You don’t miss any required sections.

Your language is legally sound and professional.

The document complies with local court rules.

Using a template also reduces stress and saves time. Instead of guessing what to write, you can follow a proven structure that legal professionals trust.

Key Elements of an Answer to Complaint

Whether you’re using an answer to complaint sample or creating one from scratch, the document should include the following components:

1. Court Caption

The top section of your response should mirror the information on the plaintiff’s complaint. This includes:

Name of the court

Names of the parties (plaintiff and defendant)

Case number

2. Introductory Statement

You may begin your document with a formal line such as:

“Defendant hereby responds to the allegations contained in Plaintiff’s Complaint as follows:”

3. Paragraph-by-Paragraph Response

Respond to each numbered paragraph in the complaint with one of the following:

Admit

Deny

Lack sufficient knowledge to admit or deny

Be sure to match your paragraph numbers to those in the complaint exactly.

4. Affirmative Defenses

This is your opportunity to assert any legal reasons why the plaintiff’s case should not proceed. Examples include:

Statute of limitations

Lack of jurisdiction

Improper service

Payment already made

5. Prayer for Relief

You can end your answer by requesting that the court dismiss the complaint and possibly award legal costs.

6. Signature and Contact Information

At the bottom, include your signature, name, address, phone number, and the date.

Tips for Using a Template Answer to Complaint Effectively

Here are some important tips from Lawler Legal for completing and filing your answer to complaint properly:

✅ Match Each Allegation Exactly

Refer to each paragraph using the same numbering as the original complaint. If you skip one, it may be considered an admission.

✅ File Before the Deadline

Time is of the essence. Most states require you to respond within 20 to 30 days of being served.

✅ Serve the Plaintiff

After filing, send a copy of your answer to the plaintiff or their attorney and file a Proof of Service with the court.

✅ Include Affirmative Defenses

Failure to include these at this stage could mean you waive them later in the process.

✅ Remain Professional

Avoid emotional language or irrelevant information. Stick to the facts and legal arguments.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many self-represented defendants make simple but costly errors when responding to complaints. Avoid these pitfalls:

Ignoring the Complaint: This leads to automatic judgment against you.

Incomplete Answers: Failing to respond to each paragraph weakens your case.

Incorrect Format: Courts may reject your filing if it doesn’t follow their rules.

Omitting Signature/Contact Info: Basic but essential for court acceptance.

Submitting to the Wrong Court: Double-check jurisdiction and venue.

When to Get Legal Help

While a template answer to complaint is a great starting point, complex cases may require legal expertise. You should consult a lawyer if:

You’re being sued for a large amount of money.

The complaint involves complicated legal issues.

You intend to file counterclaims.

You're unsure about which defenses apply.

At Lawler Legal, we empower users with data-backed legal templates, but we always recommend seeking professional legal advice for personalized representation.

Final Thoughts: Protect Your Rights with the Right Tools

Filing an answer is your first line of defense in any civil lawsuit. Whether you're facing a landlord-tenant dispute, a debt collection case, or a breach of contract claim, using the right answer to complaint sample or answer to complaint template can make all the difference.

Lawler Legal is committed to providing legally compliant, easy-to-use document templates backed by expert insight. With our downloadable template answer to complaint, you can respond with confidence, protect your rights, and avoid common pitfalls that derail self-represented defendants.

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The Most Reliable Firearms for Harsh Outdoor Conditions

Firearms have kept an important element of outdoor tradition for generations, symbolizing both a tool of emergency and a mark of craftsmanship. Whether employed for hunting, sport firing, or particular security in the wild, firearms signify more than simply machinery—they symbolize custom, duty, and precision. As outdoor activities continue to achieve recognition across numerous parts, the significance of selecting supreme quality and trusted firearms can't be overstated. This is in which a trusted manufacturer like Wildebees Outdoor steps in, providing fans with a well-curated arsenal of outside gear, extras, and top-tier firearms to meet the demands of each experience level.

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In the kingdom of outside shopping, a dependable weapon often means the difference between achievement and missed opportunity. Predators usually face unstable weather, varied ground, and fast-moving objectives, which demand responsive equipment. Wildebees Outdoor knows these problems and equips its clientele with items that do not only match objectives but exceed them. Their customer support also reflects a commitment to knowledge and security, ensuring that consumers are educated and organized in every part of gun possession and usage.

More over, the charm of firearms isn't restricted to shopping or activity alone; they function a vital role in wilderness survival and self-defense situations. With appropriate teaching and regard for local regulations, responsible weapon ownership presents reassurance and readiness. Wildebees Outside, through its translucent on line system, encourages that tradition of responsibility by providing well-vetted services and products and comprehensive information on their uses.

To conclude, firearms stay an important element of outdoor exploration and survival. Whether you're a professional hunter, a target shooter, or perhaps a newcomer eager to learn, choosing the best equipment is crucial to a successful and safe experience. Having its vast item selection, qualified method, and commitment to quality, Wildebees Outdoor is a respected companion in the world of firearms and outdoor equipment, helping adventurers maximize out of each and every journey to the wild.