#my decision making framework is temporary

[burble-drank]

Being neuro divergent is to experience making a decision with 1000% certainty, faith in it unrivaled by the even the most dedicated of zealots and then waking up tomorrow and thinking it was the stupidest shit you could've done.

[shadowgast-recs-weekly]

Hidden Gems 11: A Shadowgast Rec List

This week, we have one of our recurring themes: fics that have under 150 kudos! Check under the cut for nine fics that we think deserve a little more attention, and of course comment and kudos if you like them!

All Witches Burn by Vailee (6102, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: Choose Not to Warn, Major Character Death, Temporary Character Death, Panic Attack, Dissociation

Sometimes desperate people make the worst (or best) decisions. Like sneaking out in the middle of the night to wander the woods and finding Bad News.'

Reccer says: This is just such a fun AU! The set-up is very fun, I love the soft world-building (some questions left open but in the BEST sort of way - Also like how, as a Fantasy AU, it's similar-ish Canon but a step to the left~. . . VERY fun XD) - So glad I refound it recently, it's very fun /u\ (P.S, The author has alot of other really good/fun Shadowgast AUs, this one in particular is just my favorite ;3c XD)

And Not A Wild Shade by Pippin (7312, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Choose Not to Warn

Essek goes looking for spell components on the border of Fae lands, didn't expect to encounter a mysterious Fae-touched man guarding them. . . - Shadowgast Tam Lin AU!

Reccer says: A really well done AU, just fun from start to finish and so so soft! /u\

Half-Sick of Shadows by Copperhawk (14512, General) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek departs from the Nein soon after the conclusion of the peace talks, saying he needs to tie up some loose ends - However he is a loose end all his own, and not the only one looking to weave this tapestry. . . (Lady of Shalott AU!)

Reccer says: A very fun fic!! Whether you know the poem or not, the fic is very well done and so fun to read - If you DO know it (or read it before reading the fic), it's fun to see the use of the framework of the poem within/meshed with the fic narrative XD The author plays with the ideas *very* well - Cannot overstress how fun and downright delightful I find this fic As a small note, while there's alot of platonic M9 & Essek and the ship-status is Pre-Relationship, there's also a nice amount of pining that's real neat XD Overall, just an amazing Fic

Act of Service by CitizenMocha (5488, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb and Essek do some roleplaying and learn more about each other.

Reccer says: I like the portrayal of nonsexual intimacy and the way Essek is written as having a disability.

The Icarus to Your Certainty by ithilielthechosenone (14091, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

sometimes you consider breaking time and then you go and kiss about it: big wizard energy

Reccer says: Some excellent post T-Dock angst and feels!

I’ll Bow to the Altar of Your Curiousity by Serlenti (10266, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: Rape/Non-con, Dubcon/Consensual Non Consent

Bren Ermendrud awakes, naked, gagged and strapped to an operating table, after he barely survived an implosion leveling the whole of Rexxentrum. Ready to die because of the Residuum in his arms, Bren quickly realizes that the mysterious Shadowhand is searching for something different entirely.

Reccer says: I like the medical themes!

Held in Place: Practical Applications of Immovable Object by C. Widogast et al by Artificial Haunting (6320, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek teaches Caleb some new uses of the Immovable Object spell.

Reccer says: I liked it!

Heart of Joy by Vvenus (68 276 , Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

A WIP modern AU with magic featuring Caleb and Essek as dorm roomates.

Reccer says: A lot of open communication, Essek an overthinker who discovers infatuation with Caleb, it is very sweet, and also explores disabilities. It is a WIP but the author is updating 2 chapters a week !

Then we have two recs for this next fic!

Zweisamkeit by Ajaxis (29,086 (but still being updated), Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

I follows Caleb and Essek as they traverse the ruins of Aeor right after the events of C2.

Reccer 1 says: I’ve been wanting a ‘Caleb and Essek Aeor adventure’ fic for a while now and this absolutely ticks all my boxes. It’s dual pov (which I love) and you can feel the unspoken longing between them in the air. It’s also incredibly well written! Reccer 2 says: I love Caleb and Essek’s dynamic in this!! This fic is full of tense moments, humorous moments, and the typical Shadowgast pining that everyone loves. It expands on and fills in blanks for what Caleb and Essek did in Aeor and is basically canon in my eyes. I wait patiently for every update, and so far, no chapter has disappointed

This is one of our weekly communally-generated shadowgast rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. 

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring time travel/time loops! Fun with dunamancy

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!

[aimportantdragoncollector]

I keep imagining an AU where werewolves keep humans as pets like in Quirkless are worthless fanfic.

I wonder if there would be a way for werewolves to keep humans as pets, and if the bite or any means of infection doesn't work, the treatment would be gentle and somehow condescending.

An interesting question!

I think you're referring to the excellent Quirkless Not Worthless series in the BNHA fandom. Although werewolves are definitely guilty of infantilizing humans, there would always be a couple big differences in their treatment of humans. First, werewolves can smell emotions. If they smell that they are making humans unhappy, they will try to fix it instead of just ignoring or denying it like people with quirks in the BNHA AU. Secondly, werewolves would never torture anyone with sensory deprivation to force obedience or deliberately humiliate people with collars. Although it's debatable if the werewolves are evil, they certainly do not see themselves as evil. They have too high levels of empathy to inflict suffering then pretend not to see it. They would never refer to people as pets. However, there are strong parallels with their condescending "for your own good" treatment of humans. I see why you thought of that series.

Werewolves are not capable of resisting their urge to bite humans in the long run. (Ex: how the second pack fell.) They would find it a torment to keep humans around unturned. Instead we would need to consider a situation where the bite doesn't work. A critical part of the First Werewolf's contract with the Will of the Abyss is “werewolves can infect anything with a soul” so I’m breaking my own rules in this AU. Unless the blockage stopping werewolves from infecting is temporary and/or possible to overcome as the werewolves level up.

My mind is turning like a hamster in a wheel thinking about how my werewolves would react to humans they can’t infect. It’s…not great but not quite as bad as collaring people.

If there’s an entire country/world who cannot be infected by werewolves, then my werewolves would just leave them alone. They’d quarantine off the area and maybe stop by every time they get more powerful to see if the bite works now, but otherwise not bother those people. That’s by far the best outcome. But it’s boring. To make it more interesting, I'm going to create an original earth AU where a werewolf vaccine was created. While the local humans were spreading it around, the werewolves freaked out and mass invaded. Maybe a quarter of the national population got vaccinated before the werewolves took over.

It’s no longer an option to simply leave the vaccinated humans alone, because the werewolves conquered the country and because the uninfected humans have werewolf loved ones who want to see them. Thus werewolf society must figure out how to incorporate humans into it, and they do not have the framework at all. This will involve many debates among werewolves. Humans do not get a voice in this discussion.

Humans are granted a legal status similar to mentally incapacitated people. Every human is assigned a werewolf guardian who checks up on them once a day. The guardians are all unrelated strangers (usually former Bureau agents.) There was a debate among werewolves about if they should allow former friends and relatives turned into werewolves to be guardians, but ultimately it was decided that guardians should be unrelated in order to deliver objective reports and make unbiased judgement calls. This decision was unpopular with werewolves wanted to be guardians of their human loved ones. However it probably benefitted humanity, because the Bureau guardians truly did try to interfere with their lives as little as possible. Also a lot of humans found it difficult and painful to connect with loved ones turned into werewolves or adjust to the power differential.

The guardians are supposed to: 1. Keep the humans safe; 2. Keep them happy; 3. Keep them out of trouble. There’s not much opportunity for number three since werewolves have taken over the world and there’s nowhere to run. The guardians will not interfere as long as their human charges are happy. Unfortunately if the humans are unhappy, the pack instinct goes into overdrive trying to fix it, which could make it worse if the human in question is unhappy about too much werewolf interference. For example, imagine a scene where a guardian tells a human “We’ve noticed you haven’t had sex lately and want to make sure all your needs are being met” while the human contemplates jumping out the window to escape this conversation.

The werewolves passed a rule that all guardians must be turned humans, which was smart because they understand humans better than born werewolves. The guardians are often the ones advocating for more human freedom. For example, the guardians successfully insisted that humans could not be forced into contact with werewolf loved ones. This was a very unpopular decision with those werewolves, but a relief to humans dealing with too much patronization or who simply couldn’t bear to look at people who had changed too much. It went against the usual rule of love comes first. However, without the bite the werewolves could not soothe their loved ones, and the guardians would not permit anything causing distress to their charges. In addition, the Bureau ran an analysis of the situation and noticed that for a lot werewolves with human loved ones, not being able to infect caused them distress. There were some bad incidents of werewolves snapping and biting the same person over and over again with no effect. Even so, this unpopular rule would become an ongoing battle with frequent rounds of voting.

If a human doesn’t like their guardian, they can request a new one. The first time, the human can get a new one with no questions asked. By the second time, the human must provide a justification. The need for justification gets steeper the more guardians you reject.

Humans can live anywhere they want, but most chose to live together as an escape from werewolves. The guardians allowed humanity designated areas where werewolves can’t live to keep out thwarted stalkers. All humans get the same base living standard as werewolves, so they don’t need to work, but they can if they want to. In fact, the guardians will arrange for humans to get priority on jobs. In the eyes of the werewolves, the unturned humans are very pitiful and it’s important to do whatever it takes to make them happy. The humans kept their property. One human owned a furniture making company that he continued to run after the invasion, employing many other humans, and it was very successful because a lot of werewolves would buy human-made furniture for the novelty. Human art is popular for the same reason.

Now for the bad news: the werewolves are stupidly overprotective, because they have zero accidental deaths among their own and they don’t consider any dead humans to be acceptable. As a result the werewolves pass rules like “no humans allowed in cars because death rates in car accidents are too high.” Again the guardians actually argued against this because they saw the distress caused by humans feeling trapped at home. The guardians volunteered to carry humans around on their backs when they failed to block the car ban. Because the guardians have to see how limitations hurt humans they are more likely to defend human freedoms. Whereas distant werewolves who might have never met a human are more likely to prioritize safety, believing that is the right thing to do.

In addition, humans must deal with werewolves who freak out and insist they stay in bed every time they get a cold. Physical illness/injuries can be treated with saliva. Werewolves will try very hard to help with mental illness but are bad at it because they don’t have the same problems. Even former humans turned werewolves struggle to understand. Surviving human psychiatrists would be highly valued. The pack went to great expense to keep factories producing mental health medication still active despite only a handful of people using it.

Werewolves will continue to try and turn the vaccinated humans. All humans get bitten once a day, mandatory. Werewolves are big believers in persistence. (It’s not entirely illogical, vaccines can become less effective over time.) There's an unfortunate risk of humans becoming addicted to the good feelings of the bite. The werewolves will be experimenting with creating highly concentrated venom. As long as they get a few humans to volunteer to test it, no one has to find out what happens when they don’t get volunteers.

Children are…a big problem. Vaccines are not inherited. Thus if the human population has children, they can be turned. Werewolves won’t allow the children to remain uninfected and believe humans can’t raise werewolf children. Honestly the werewolves are probably right. What happens when a two-year-old is stronger than their parent? What happens when a five-year-old feels no respect for their parent? The pack can’t imagine taking children away from parents and werewolves have never done anything like forced sterilization before, but there will be werewolves arguing that pregnancy is too risky for the human body to be ethically allowed. There’s no good solution here. I will show a small amount of mercy. Being bitten once a day effectively renders humans infertile, because all eggs get a dose of venom but human bodies aren’t able to carry werewolf fetuses. The children problem does not exist.

Romantic relationships between humans and werewolves are allowed, but would be exceedingly rare. Frankly, from a werewolf perspective, humans are bad at sex. (The telepathy, empathy, and stamina give all werewolves the ability to be sex gods.) There’s also a power differential that makes it tough. Friendships exist but are difficult because of the gap in perspective.

Overall humans would be able to live relatively normal lives and even largely avoid werewolves. I think the biggest problem would arise when a human is unhappy and failing to adjust. Because the werewolves go into “fix-it” mode and become incapable of leaving that person alone. There is also an inherent instability because any werewolves around humans (especially guardians) get a biting urge that keeps increasing over time, but they can never satisfy their hunger. Werewolves might need to rotate guardians every few years for the sake of their mental health. These are love monsters. Being around people they can’t turn is a torment for them. According to the werewolves, this AU is worse for them than humanity.

[synergysilhouette]

Guide to my Rewrites (and other content)

Status: Temporary hiatus (and temporary return)

I post a lot of things, and some of those things are rewrites. As such, I thought this would be a nice guide for fans of my rewrites in particular. I'm still adding new things! Lemme know what you think. I've also added some overall ratings for the topics I cover for younger Tumblr users who happen upon this page.

Alternate Takes (Rated PG)

These are projects that have the same characters and settings (for the most part), but different plot points. These particular alternate takes suggest ideas that would've made me enjoy the movie more (or at all) and aren't a fanfic so much as bullet points with pictures.

Aida

Pocahontas

Hercules

The Princess and the Frog

Tangled

Frozen

Big Hero 6

Moana

Frozen 2

Raya and the Last Dragon

Encanto

Strange World

Wish (Note: working on a full-length rewrite unrelated to the ideas used here)

I also did rewrites for two Dreamworks movies:

The Road to El Dorado

Sinbad

Reimagining Disney Movies (Rated PG)

These are projects that take Disney's framework (ie a fairy tale) and create my own characters, plot, setting, and song titles for it.

The Snow Queen

Kingdom of the Sun

Rapunzel

Reimagining Disney eras (Rated PG)

These posts are designed based on what if Disney eras made different decisions (either based on my own ideas or rejected concepts) for their films. Note: I made the revival post before the renaissance and post-renaissance posts, so they kind of flow in different continuities. I also wanted to include future ideas for Disney's next era. These posts also work independent of my "Alternate Take" posts.

Reimagining the Renaissance

Reimagining the Post-renaissance

Remaking some of Disney's straight to video films

Reimagining the Revival era

Plotting out the Resurgence era

Plotting out the Resurgence Era (Part II)

Plotting out the Resurgence Era (Part III)

Resurgence Era films that were scrapped

Marvel (Rated PG-13)

Not quite as detailed as my other rewrites, but I thought I'd include them.

Dr. Strange: Multiverse of Madness

Thor: Love and Thunder

X-Men (Because they have more content than my other Marvel things) (Rated PG-13)

This pretty much just includes my rewrites.

X-Men: Evolution--New roster, Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Roster (Timeskip), Season 4, and Season 5 (I did a poll months ago, and maybe I'll do a post brainstorming a Marauders spinoff).

Wolverine & the X-Men--New Roster, Season 1

Fox's X-Men films (I may remake this)--Part I (First 3 films) and Part II (Phoenix, NM, and Dark Phoenix)

Extensive rewrites (Rated PG)

TV shows that I've remade episode-for--episode, perhaps removing and adding some as I see fit.

Miraculous Ladybug--Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4 (No longer doing Season 5; really fell out of love with the series, tbh)

Anime as comic books (Rated PG-13)

Yes, this is a topic. I remember when I was in this headspace, and it was really fun. I basically reimagined what if popular anime had been created as superhero comic books that golden or silver age.

Dragon Ball

Naruto

Anime rewrites (Rated PG-13)

Black Butler

Naruto: Part I (Part II is not cancelled; I just put it on the backburner)

High Card: Season 1 (Season 2 is not cancelled; I just put it on the backburner)

Video Game Rewrites (Rated PG-13, overall)

These aren't quite as detailed as my usual rewrites.

Bayonetta

Fire Emblem: Awakening

Fire Emblem: Fates

Fire Emblem: 3 Houses

Fire Emblem: Engage

Kingdom Hearts

Hogwarts Mystery

My OCs (Rated PG-13)

This section covers my original characters for a few fandoms. Thinking of making OCs for books/anime/comics, but I do not have the confidence that I know the universe(s) well enough.

Fictif

The Arcana

Hogwarts Legacy

Baldur's Gate 3

Mood Boards (Rated PG)

Just something I've made for fun to inspire others! Not an expert on making them, but it was still something I wanted to do.

My Wish rewrite (temporary)

Disney's Swan Lake

Disney's Hansel & Gretel

Disney's Rumpelstiltskin

Disney's Red Riding Hood

Sub-Saharan Disney musical

Disney Superhero Film

Japanese Disney musical

Actors who could play Disney villains

Choices: Stories You Play (Rated PG-13)

REALLY into this game for a period--but it started to get awful when "Witness" came into play. Here's a list of reviews (which I've stopped doing) as well as concepts for new books (originally on Reddit before I got banned).

"Before I Say I Do"

"Celebrity Status"

"Summoned to Court"

"Arkikara"

"Fairy Godparent"

"Hierarchy: Scheming University"

"Willow Falls"

"Late at Night"

"Spellcaster"

"Four"

"America's Most Eligible" (Review)

"Desire & Decorum" (Review)

"High School Story" (Review)

"Rules of Engagement" (Review)

"The Freshman" (Review)

"Queen B" (Review)

Winx Club Content

Rewriting the Winx

Rewriting the Specialists

Rewriting the Villains

Monster High Content

Plotting out Gen 4

Comic Book Content

Remaking Major X

Rewriting Iceman coming out

Making changes to Tim Drake

[triggerhappyhavac-academy]

To: Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate ???

Kirigiri,

I understand your reservations. You don’t need to explain them—I’ve already heard your impartiality loud and clear. But I still believe you may be the key to the group’s survival.

I’m not writing to ask for your loyalty. Nor am I asking you to believe in my approach without scrutiny. Quite the opposite, actually—I want your critical eye. Your skepticism. Your judgment.

This situation is unfamiliar, volatile, and designed to break you down psychologically. What we need is a hypothesis. A framework. A temporary, adaptable system that we can test, observe, and adjust. Like any proper investigation or experiment.

What I’m proposing is not a dictatorship or a dogma—it’s a working theory of survival. And I believe that someone like you, someone who seeks truth above comfort, is uniquely equipped to help improve it.

I won’t ask you to follow orders or compromise your independence. In fact, I suspect you’ll be more valuable because of your autonomy.

All I ask is this: lend us your analytical mind. Participate enough to observe. Help refine what works and discard what doesn’t. Let’s build something worth believing in, together.

- S.C.

P.S. If you must remain unpartnered, I understand. But please consider a provisional pairing—someone quiet, dependable. Chihiro, perhaps. Or Makoto. Just until the dust settles.

...

Out of all the people attempting to advise us, you seem the most worth my time.

At the very least, your dedication intrigues me. Your intent seems clear, ensure everyone survives. You also appear the most knowledgeable in how to achieve this.

It seems everything you've said so far has been very carefully and well thought out, and you clearly know how to make an argument.

You aren't trying to get me to follow along in the same regard as others, you're smart enough to know that won't work. Along with that, your argument is catered towards me specifically. You aren't trying to convince just anyone, you're aware in who your speaking to.

All this to say, it's efficient in what it's trying to do.

I can consider your request, specifically towards what you request of my "analytical mind". I could even think about going along with your suggestion of a provisional pairing. On one condition.

You claim to find my skepticisms to be not only understandable but necessary. I surely hope that wasn't just your attempt at telling me what I want to hear. If you did truly mean that, then you should have no problem with my request.

Let me make myself clear: My consideration comes after your answers.

Give me what I need to know, and in return I'm willing to listen to what you have to say. If that sounds unreasonable to you, then let me know, but it will only increase my skepticisms.

If it is reasonable to you, then I expect you to answer each and every single one of my questions I have for you. You can trust that I will keep this to myself, so disregard any concerns about the others knowing anything you may tell me.

Firstly, I need to know what you hope to achieve in doing this. You're adamant about our survival, and I want to know why that is.

Secondly, how far does your knowledge of the subject spread? I'd hope you're not making this up as you go.

You're at the very least intelligent, that much is clear. You know relatively useful advice for maintaining our safety and you know how to convince others to do what you want. Those are all important, however,

I'm more curious to know how deep that knowlege goes specifically, or if the surface you've covered is all there is to it. And more importantly, how you know all this in the first place or how I can trust that your ideas work as good in practice as they do on paper.

Like I said, I typically see no reason to listen to the advice of you messengers, so you're lucky I'm willing to take you into consideration in the first place. Don't ruin that, prove to me that hearing you out is the right decision.

[honestkindlereviews]

The Financial Anxiety Solution: A Gentle Guide to Money Calm

The Financial Anxiety Solution: A Gentle Guide to Money Calm

Practical Steps to Understand Your Money Fears, Build Healthy Financial Habits, and Cultivate a Peaceful Relationship with Your Finances

In today’s fast-paced world, financial worries have become a silent epidemic. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about emotions—those 3 a.m. wake-ups, the pit in your stomach when the bills arrive, and the chronic uncertainty that keeps your dreams on hold. The Financial Anxiety Solution by Thiare Nicole Obma offers a gentle, psychologically grounded roadmap for anyone who wants to reclaim peace and confidence around money.

The Financial Anxiety Solution: A Gentle Guide to Money Calm: Practical Steps to Understand Your Money Fears, Build Healthy Financial Habits, and Cultivate a Peaceful Relationship with Your Finances: BUY EBOOK CLICK HARE

What Is Financial Anxiety?

Financial anxiety is more than just stress over a budget. It’s a deep-rooted psychological response that affects your thoughts, emotions, and even your body. You might be earning a decent income and still feel like it’s never enough. Unlike financial stress, which is a temporary reaction to a specific situation, financial anxiety lingers. It’s the constant “what if” loop—what if I lose my job, what if I can't retire, what if I can’t provide?

According to the American Psychological Association, money has remained the number one source of stress for Americans for decades. Obma’s guide doesn’t just validate this reality—it provides a compassionate and practical framework to break free from the cycle.

Understanding Your Money Story

A core principle in The Financial Anxiety Solution is that your current relationship with money is largely shaped by past experiences and subconscious “money scripts.” These are beliefs you formed from childhood—like “money is evil,” “more money will solve everything,” or “you have to suffer to save.”

Obma walks readers through exercises to uncover these inherited patterns, exploring how generational trauma, cultural values, and family dynamics all contribute to money anxiety. By identifying these scripts, you can begin to rewrite the narrative from fear to empowerment.

The Four Core Money Scripts

Money Avoidance – “Money is bad; it causes problems.”

Money Worship – “More money will finally bring peace.”

Money Status – “My self-worth equals my net worth.”

Money Vigilance – “I can never be too careful with money.”

By recognizing your dominant script, you gain insight into the emotional drivers behind your habits—whether that’s overspending, hoarding, or constant financial self-sabotage.

Practical Tools for Immediate Relief

Financial anxiety affects more than your wallet—it affects your body. Obma emphasizes the link between money and the nervous system, showing how fear around finances triggers fight-or-flight responses. To combat this, she offers science-backed tools like:

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique to reorient yourself during panic.

Diaphragmatic Breathing and Box Breathing to activate your body’s natural calming response.

Scheduled Worry Time to contain and reduce obsessive financial thoughts.

Self-Compassion Exercises to shift your inner dialogue from shame to kindness.

These tools aren’t a distraction from your financial goals—they’re essential preparation. A calm mind is a prerequisite for clear decision-making.

The Joyful Budget: Aligning Money With Your Values

Most budgeting advice is rooted in restriction. Obma flips the script by introducing values-based budgeting—a method that prioritizes intentionality and joy. Instead of tracking every penny, you design a spending plan that reflects what truly matters to you.

The “Three-Bucket Budget” includes:

Fixed Costs & Needs – Essentials like rent, groceries, and transportation.

Future You – Savings, investments, and debt repayment.

Joyful Spending – Guilt-free money for things that align with your values (e.g., travel, learning, giving).

By aligning your budget with your personal values, you shift from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance and clarity.

Creating a Gentle Savings Plan

One of the most empowering chapters of The Financial Anxiety Solution focuses on building a financial safety net. Instead of jumping straight to long-term goals like retirement, Obma recommends starting with a “starter emergency fund”—as little as $500–$1,000—to create a psychological cushion.

Her approach to savings includes:

Automatic transfers right after payday (“pay yourself first”).

Segmented savings accounts (e.g., vacation, car repair, peace-of-mind fund).

The 1% Rule—saving just 1% of your income as a starting point.

These small, consistent steps build confidence and momentum—critical ingredients for long-term success.

Facing Debt Without Shame

Debt is one of the most common sources of financial anxiety, yet also one of the most loaded with guilt. Obma reframes debt repayment as an act of empowerment, not punishment. She introduces the Debt Snowball Method—paying off the smallest balances first to generate quick wins and emotional relief.

For those who prefer optimization, she also briefly covers the Debt Avalanche Method, which prioritizes high-interest accounts. But the emphasis remains on choosing the method that’s emotionally sustainable, not just mathematically ideal.

A Calm Approach to Investing

Obma offers a refreshing take on investing, likening it to gardening rather than gambling. Instead of overwhelming readers with jargon, she explains:

Index funds and ETFs as low-cost, low-stress starting points.

Dollar-cost averaging to smooth out market fluctuations.

Simple, automatic investing routines that reduce decision fatigue.

The focus is on planting seeds for the future, not becoming an overnight expert.

Money, Relationships, and the Definition of “Enough”

Money doesn’t just affect your individual well-being—it impacts your relationships. Obma dedicates an entire section to financial intimacy, providing scripts for calm, constructive money conversations with partners.

She also explores the philosophy of “enough”, encouraging readers to define wealth not by income or possessions, but by alignment with personal values, time freedom, and meaningful connections.

Your Daily Practice: Money Calm in Action

The final chapter introduces a simple but powerful 5-Minute Financial Wellness Routine, including:

A mindful check-in

Reviewing financial goals

Practicing gratitude for small wins

Updating one small item (like checking a balance or canceling a subscription)

This daily practice keeps you grounded and connected to your goals without being overwhelming.

Conclusion: A New Relationship With Money Starts Now

The Financial Anxiety Solution is more than a financial self-help book—it’s a compassionate guide to emotional healing and empowerment. Thiare Nicole Obma doesn’t ask you to be perfect. She invites you to be gentle, curious, and brave. Whether you’re drowning in debt or simply tired of worrying despite having “enough,” this book offers a path to clarity, joy, and long-lasting financial peace.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is this book for? Anyone who experiences chronic worry, shame, or confusion about money—regardless of income level. Whether you’re financially struggling or successful but stressed, this guide can help.

2. Does the book offer practical financial advice or just mindset work? Both. It blends psychological insights with actionable strategies for budgeting, saving, debt, and investing.

3. Do I need financial knowledge to understand it? Not at all. Obma writes with warmth and clarity, making even complex topics easy to understand and apply.

4. How is this book different from other financial guides? It puts mental health and emotional healing at the center of the money conversation, offering a trauma-informed, shame-free approach.

5. Where can I buy the book? You can find The Financial Anxiety Solution on Amazon and other major ebook platforms.

If you’d like, I can format this article for WordPress, Medium, or Amazon Author Central Blog—just let me know!

The Financial Anxiety Solution: A Gentle Guide to Money Calm: Practical Steps to Understand Your Money Fears, Build Healthy Financial Habits, and Cultivate a Peaceful Relationship with Your Finances: BUY EBOOK CLICK HARE

[lanabriggs]

Cultivating a Strategic Action Mindset

In the quiet space between planning and results exists a transformative way of thinking — the strategic action mindset. This mental framework blends the clarity of long-term vision with the pragmatism of immediate steps, allowing individuals to navigate complexity without losing momentum. Unlike reactive hustle or theoretical strategizing, this approach creates consistent forward motion while maintaining deliberate direction.

Michael Shvartsman, who has studied high-performing entrepreneurs across industries, observes: “The most impactful leaders share a common trait — they think in bridges rather than gaps. Where others see chasms between where they are and where they want to be, these individuals see actionable pathways. Their genius lies in making progress inevitable through daily strategic choices.”

The Paradox of Patient Urgency.

Strategic action requires holding two seemingly contradictory ideas simultaneously: the patience to allow compounding efforts to accumulate, and the urgency to make each day count. This balanced perspective prevents both the paralysis of perfectionism and the aimlessness of constant activity.

Practitioners of this mindset approach their work like master gardeners — planting seeds with care while trusting the growth process. They invest time in preparation and planning, yet remain willing to adjust as conditions change. They understand that while not every action yields immediate results, consistent strategic effort eventually produces breakthroughs.

“True strategic thinkers don’t confuse motion with progress,” notes Michael Shvartsman. “They measure their days not by hours worked but by value created toward meaningful objectives. This discernment separates busy professionals from truly effective ones.”

The Rhythm of Reflection and Action.

The strategic action mindset follows a natural pulse — periods of focused doing alternating with moments of intentional reflection. This rhythm prevents the common pitfalls of either thought without action or action without thought.

Morning routines often include reviewing priorities and visualizing successful outcomes. Work sessions focus on high-impact activities aligned with long-term goals. Evening reflections assess what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve tomorrow’s approach. Weekly and monthly reviews provide higher-altitude perspective on progress and trajectory.

This structured yet flexible approach creates what Michael Shvartsman calls “the golden mean of productivity — enough structure to maintain direction, enough flexibility to adapt to opportunities.”

Decision Filters for Strategic Action.

Individuals with this mindset develop internal frameworks for evaluating opportunities and distractions. They ask themselves:

Does this align with my core objectives?

Will this create future options or close them?

Is this the highest-value use of my time right now?

What might I need to say no to in order to say yes to this?

These filters become second nature over time, allowing for quick yet considered decision-making. They help maintain focus amid the noise of competing demands and shiny opportunities.

The Resilience of Process Trust.

When setbacks inevitably occur — as they do in any meaningful endeavor — the strategic action mindset provides resilience. Practitioners trust their process rather than relying on emotional motivation. They understand that temporary obstacles become permanent only if allowed to derail consistent effort.

This perspective transforms challenges into information. A rejected proposal becomes feedback for improvement rather than personal failure. A missed target reveals system flaws rather than proving inadequacy. Each difficulty becomes grist for the mill of progress.

Michael Shvartsman reflects: “The professionals who sustain excellence over decades aren’t those who never fail — they’re those who learn to fail strategically. Their secret lies in maintaining forward momentum even while adjusting course.”

Cultivating the Mindset.

Developing this way of thinking begins with small, deliberate practices. Keeping a “strategic action journal” helps connect daily efforts to larger goals. Setting weekly “implementation intentions” — specific plans for when, where, and how to work on priorities — increases follow-through. Regular “strategy sprints” — short bursts of focused work followed by brief reflection — build the muscle of aligned action.

Perhaps most importantly, it requires reframing productivity from quantity of output to quality of impact. Five hours spent on truly strategic work often accomplishes more than fifty hours of scattered effort.

As Michael Shvartsman concludes: “The strategic action mindset isn’t about working harder or even smarter — it’s about working with purpose. When you develop this orientation, progress stops being something you hope for and becomes something you methodically create.”

For professionals seeking to elevate their effectiveness, the journey begins with recognizing that strategy and action aren’t separate phases, but simultaneous dimensions of success. By cultivating this integrated perspective, they transform their approach to challenges and opportunities alike — achieving results that reflect both thoughtful planning and disciplined execution. In a world full of distractions and competing demands, this mindset becomes the ultimate competitive advantage.

[ein-kleiner]

No, actually, I don't regret my decision not to vote.

I'm glad I stayed true to myself instead of letting myself fall to coercion and peer pressure, being violated just for my state to turn out red anyway.

I do just as people voting for the 'lesser evil' do and ignore temporary feelings in favor of doing what I think is right.

I'm not happy with Trump. I'm scared too, even. I never disagreed that he'd be worse--Though maybe now people will actually give a shit about what the president is doing instead of ignoring the literal concentration camps.

It's just. Not my fucking fault. If someones threatens suicide if I don't take their dick, it's not murder when they do it, no matter how my choice might've lead to that outcome. Hard-line utilitarianism is not a good moral framework.

Both are reprehensible and I'm not supporting a slow, unresisted slide into fascism. I'm sticking true to myself.

And I'm not going to let myself be violated by people who say vote blue no matter who. Every statement they make about internet communists is an accusation in a mirror. For all they talk about pragmatism, they sure stick to the ideal that people should just vote blue because someone talked down to them about it. Clearly that's fucking worked.

They pretend the government is made up of non-agents. But guess what, we don't live in a direct democracy, if even a democracy. Maybe they should blame their precious party for this.

They sure do love demonizing people for giving any construed, slight benefit to the Bad People, so why don't they demonize their party for only pretending to oppose the republicans and throwing the election?

They're just doing what most people do and holding moral whatever's most convenient for them, and they're mad because now they can't go out for mimosas.

[aithinks]

An Idea For Future Storytelling

When Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen's "Semiotic Stratification" was first introduced, we were tasked to create an individual story proposal following the framework of Discourse, Design, Production, and Distribution. Although this project was not fully fleshed out, the idea behind this story is something close to my heart. I am keeping this for future use, which would serve as my my creative outlet if given the chance to implement it some other time:

A temporary distraction. A look at what could have been.

Unfulfilled dreams and monotonous routines– these are the typical experiences that prompt one to seek escape. When reality becomes too dull and frustrating, we usually find means to divert our attention to other things– even those that transcend the environment around us. This is the central theme of “Scrapped”, a short film exploring the ways we ‘flee’ into our imagination with the use of mixed media and graphic animations. It serves as the author’s personal creative outlet by portraying anecdotes in a non-typical manner. 

Discourse:

         The story revolves around a young girl in college. Feeling stuck in her studies, she dreams of what her life could be if she were free to choose what she wants. She does this by entering an imaginary world where she gets to live out different personas representing her different goals. Soon, she wakes up grounded in her physical reality, realizing that she is back in her unfulfilling life. To portray this, the 2-minute film (maximum) will be divided into three acts:

The Discontentment The alarm rings as girl groggily wakes up and prepares for school. She spends her day slaving away in her studies, looking bored as she as she takes notes and reads in class. She clearly wants for something more.

The Scrapped Dreams At home, she organizes her things when she finds an old scrapbook— one themed about what she wants to be. As she opens the project, she begins to imagine what it would be like if she had achieved such aspirations. She transforms into different identities: a doctor, a singer, an actress, an author, as she navigates through the dream world. She gradually grows happier along the way.

The Return She reaches the end of the scrapbook and comes back to her ‘real world’, She looks around and feels disoriented as disappointment settles on her face. After a long sigh, she decides to go to bed. Eyes closed, the screen turns black and seconds later the alarm rings again.

Inspo Video: zuveen’s “Supercut” (2023)

Throughout the story, the concepts of somatic simulation, paracosm, and pharmakon will be utilized to drive its meaning:

On Somatic Simulation

As the film makes use of mixed media, the combination of real footage and digital alterations will create different sensory perceptions for the audience. For instance, doodles may surround the subject to help emphasize her emotions (similar to how comic books use symbols to depict the character’s feelings).

On Paracosm In line with theme of escapism, the girl creates an imaginary world resembling a scrapbook to cope with her frustration. She herself turns into a magazine cut-out, just like the rest of the objects around her. Here, she fulfills what she otherwise cant in the real world. 

Aside from providing a unique aesthetic, this stylistic decision also serves as a metaphor. It plays into the idea that all of the experiences she has in the “scrapbook land” are her actual scraps (i.e., discarded dreams, ungranted wishes).       

On Pharmakon

As mentioned, the film ends with the girl out of her imagination and back into her weary life. It is implied that she does this every day as the ending circles back to the beginning of the story (marked by the sound of the alarm clock). The repetition may be her way to deal with her situation, but it can also aggravate her feelings of discontentment. It poses the question: will she continue to live unhappy and discouraged, or will she find a way to get out of the endless cycle of dissatisfaction? 

Inspo Pics: Stills from fakeplastictree’s Motion Graphic (2023)

Design:

To convey the film’s message, the following elements will be used for the story’s design:

Mixed Media and Graphic Animation

Real footage will be shot and digitally altered by adding filters and illustrations (each addition with symbolic value).

Graphics will consist of personal and outsourced pictures that will be assembled together in a scene. These collages will be a narrative device in the subject’s paracosm.

Color 

Contrasting hues will help separate what is fictional or not in the story’s reality, and consequently directs the atmosphere of the differing scenes.

In the ‘real-world’ scenes, the colors will be desaturated (nearly grayish) to give a more dull feel. On the other hand, the imaginary place will be vividly depicted to emphasize the girl’s liveliness as she lives out her dreams.

Music

Scenes in the real world will only make use of natural sounds. No background music will be played to emphasize its dullness.

The imaginary world will be accompanied by a lively, fantastical score to highlight its energy. 

Sample photos (courtesy of Andrea Lux, Rachel Hudgson, and Scarlett)

[precision-debt-relief-hq]

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[paulgadzikowski]

#you know this fascinates me#I want more stories that address the… essential precarity of the Doctor’s place in UNIT#like in and the silurians when he can’t stop them. there is always the danger of them deciding that he is no longer Our alien#UNIT is set up w a basic framework of Humans and Hostile Aliens#and they get by by counting their Nonhostile Alien as Basically Human (as this moment shows)#but that doesn’t seem like an inherently stable situation.#I don’t think the Brig would suddenly decide that the Doctor’s an enemy#but his superiors could. or a (temporary?) replacement#and tbh I don’t think the Brig would turn against the Doctor but I DO think he’d conceivably sack him to make a point#and the Doctor would then be too proud to come back#and idk I just want to see stories set when 3 is still grounded that take him out of that safety of belonging at UNIT#because it really is not constructed with him in mind!#doctor who#third doctor <- prev

It would depend on whether the Brigadier was obliged by orders to retain the TARDIS as captured alien contraband or would allow the Doctor to take it with him.

(My takes below are all What If The TV Show Did It and conform to the established format, as opposed to premises for fanfiction where you can do anything)

If it were the former, you could probably get away with it for only a single story/episode/serial. The Doctor would wander the streets of London in the first act (with the companion sneaking him food and stuff) and then hook up with a clandestine community of stranded aliens. It would turn out that they were unknowingly being exploited by their leaders to exploit Earth somehow, conquer it or burn it for fuel or turn it into a mobile space weapon, you know the drill. The Doctor would defeat the plan AND in the end 50/50 the Brigadier takes the Doctor back because his superiors are now convinced of the Doctor's value OR the Doctor and the Brigadier cooked up the whole thing between them because they'd got a whiff of the plot somehow.

If the Doctor got to keep the TARDIS, he'd have to set it up on a street corner with an out-of-order sign like in The War Machines and do odd jobs in electronics shops to get the parts he wants for trying to fix the TARDIS. Either the existing companion would still see him behind UNIT's back or there'd be a new one. Occasionally the Brigadier would be forced to stand outside the TARDIS and be seen by the public knocking on the door of a disused police box and calling, "Doctor. I know you don't want to see me but this wasn't my decision and now I need your help. Don't be like this." No, after the first time he'd send Benton.

Asshole: “you speak as if these creatures are human 🙄”

The Doctor, not a human: 🧍

[so-i-did-this-thing]

If you wanna know how it's going in Florida as a trans person: we have 3 very scary bills proposed (SB1674, HB1421, SB254) which stand to block - for adults - insurance coverage, bathroom access, and possibly even most transition care itself (not a ban, but still effectively one due to a whole slew of restrictions, including to telemed).

Crow and I had planned on moving to CT before the presidential election, but I needed to figure out an emergency timeline if a bill blocks access to my HRT and I can't find another local provider.

So, I made a spreadsheet of when emergencies could trigger and when I might need to stretch my T stash out while I flee Florida. Worst case: a bill immediately goes into law the day I pick up my next refill and I get denied. (Remember, testosterone is a controlled substance and it is a felony if I try to DIY.)

Every time I pick up my testosterone Rx, I can shift this emergency date further into the future. And if the bad bills fail, this emergency scenario goes away.

But looking at my closest "get the hell outta Dodge" date made me realize I need to step up on packing things I know can sit in storage for a while. Hence, all the bins.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

If you're in a state like Florida that is proposing to effectively ban your care, start planning *now* so you know when you might have to make some difficult decisions. Start researching other providers and what you'd need to do for access.

I'm sharing my thought process not to scare trans people, but to give a bit of a framework for this decision-making, be it moving, saving money to pay costs OOP, hopping providers, etc. My emergency dates are based on when my HRT runs out and (for now) doesn't reflect upon the bills' current movement.

I know I am privileged to be able to leave now with most of my things, and am using that to go ahead and make a safe haven in my new home for friends fleeing in less ideal scenarios who would need temporary housing.

Thanks to all my friends reaching out with support. Our safety next is strong enough to where hopefully we should just need a place to crash with 3 cats on the drive up.

Good luck, stay safe, fight as long as you can, and afford yourself all the grace you can muster.

[bestworstcase]

I’ve been reading your posts about Cass and her dad, and I was a bit confused, because I always thought it was the king’s order to send Cass to the convent. Could you maybe clarify that?

it’s vague enough that “king frederic orders the captain to send cassandra to a convent” is as plausible a reading as my own interpretation, which is “king frederic orders cassandra to be relieved of lady-in-waiting duty and the captain makes the decision to send her to the convent” BUT i favor the latter reading for a couple different reasons 

1. early on cassandra implies pretty strongly that her dad would be the one pulling the trigger on the convent (“my dad would have me taken off princess duty and we’d never see each other again” and “i would be sent to a convent” - like she doesn’t say in so many words that her dad will send her to a convent but when she does talk about consequences she names him, not frederic, as the one who would be doling them out)

2. the captain in general strikes me as more comfortable dealing with cassandra through the framework of a commanding officer rather than a parent, which would overall i think incline him toward strict disciplinary actions bc that is how he would handle a misbehaving recruit. 

3. the clear lack of security cassandra feels in her father’s affection / approval / regard for her underscores this. 

4. in SOTS, when rapunzel and eugene discover that she’s been demoted to stable duty, cassandra explains it like: “seems like your dad found out that i was the one who snuck you out of corona before your coronation, and... here we are.” which implies very heavily that frederic is the one who ordered this demotion. but then when rapunzel declares she’s going to persuade frederic to change his mind, cass says “don’t waste your time, raps. this is just temporary—i’m being sent to a convent tomorrow.” 

which could mean that frederic’s orders were “send her to a convent and until then she can work in the stables,” but could also equally mean “your dad demoted me so my dad is sending me to a convent tomorrow.” personally, i think the latter makes more sense because - if i were a king, and i wanted a woman sent to a convent for endangering my daughter, i would not give her the grace period of a day working in the stables during which she could potentially talk to my daughter and convince her to do something crazy like sneaking out again! i would simply say, pack your things and leave. like the fact that cassandra has this assignment in the stables mandated by the king and then the next day she’s going to be sent to a convent implies to me that something more complicated was going on than just frederic’s orders. 

+ if the convent is the captain’s decision then “don’t waste your time” has this additional layer of meaning ie “don’t bother talking to your father, because my father has already made up his mind”

5. the captain sends her off by saying “you should know, the decision to send you off brings me no pleasure. perhaps after this threat has been quelled and some time has past, we can... revisit the arrangement.” which - like, if frederic is the one who ordered this, and the captain wasn’t happy about it, he could Explicitly Say That. he could say “this isn’t my choice” or “i tried to persuade the king not to send you away,” which would give the follow up statement of “perhaps we can revisit this later” more of an implication of the captain is going to continue trying to convince frederic to let cass come home. but he instead says “this decision brings me no pleasure” which to me, does read as the captain himself made this decision, he just feels bad about it. 

6. cassandra responding to this by telling her dad that he’s a disappointment to her reinforces that imo - her disappointment in him comes in part from his mealy-mouthed refusal to just own the fact that he’s choosing to destroy her life. i feel like that’s a stronger/more compelling source for her disappointment than the alternative “the king wants me sent away and you didn’t change his mind” because like - the king is the king and cassandra has been shown to be very aware of what that means and i think she would be, while still upset, much more understanding of the captain himself if it were a “king said she has to go, cap protests but ultimately has no choice” situation.

7. if the captain is the one who chooses to send her away, that gives his reversal in ready as i’ll ever be when he puts cassandra in command of the guard a LOT more of an emotional punch, which i like.

8. in islands apart, when the captain meets cassandra for the first time in over a year, he jumps straight to “why have you turned against the princess,” doesn’t listen to her explanation or her feelings, and ends the conversation by commanding her to surrender - like, this is a man who is loyal to the bone to corona, for better or worse, so much so that he can’t even bring himself to ask his own daughter if she’s okay when he finds her in the middle of a huge mental breakdown. which like is not direct evidence either way but i feel like this squares with him being willing to personally send her to a convent if she fucked up badly enough that the king himself demoted her, yaknow?

9. this is in no way evidence but if cap is the one who decides to send her to a convent, that gives the three main dads (frederic/quirin/cap) each a singular, uh, Point Of No Return so to speak - an action that they take wrt their child which irrevocably alters the nature of their relationship. for quirin it’s the “that is enough, varian” “...yes, sir” moment in QFaD, which shatters varian’s trust in his father and leads indirectly to the amber incident. and for frederic it’s the decision to lock rapunzel in her tower, which leads to her both literally and figuratively breaking through the chains of overprotectiveness he’s wrapped around her. and for the captain it’s finally following through on this lifelong threat to send cassandra to a convent, which i think snaps her out of craving his approval and ultimately becomes the death knell for her ambitions of becoming a guard and is a key factor in why learning about gothel makes her spiral so hard. and i just like the character parallel here. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

so tl;dr there’s no hard proof one way or the other, but based on the overall situation and the dynamic between the two characters both before and after this decision, the captain being the one who makes that call rather than frederic is what makes the most sense to me, and that obv colors how i read him and their relationship in general. 

[mc-critical]

One of my most favourite confrontations between Mahidevran and Hürrem in the series is the one after Mahidevran sent Olga to Süleiman in episode 61. It's both fun, yet filled with meaningful character dialogue, managing to successfully deliver a thematic message that eventually finds its retroactive way, despite of it all seeming like a yet another smackdown fest by Hürrem at first.

The scene begins with their typical confrontational energy, the rivalry chemistry immediately paves its way forward. Hürrem is ready to face her for what she did and Mahidevran, while not being interested at first, goes with her flow regardless, setting the mood for what follows.

Hürrem: You've sent a concubine to his majesty.

Mahidevran: I'm replacing Valide. Pleasing his majesty is one of my duties.

Hürrem: Let God not give you other worries. Do you want to cover the lack of your femininity this way?

Mahidevran seems very engrained in her role as the head of the harem and connects it with her own desire to take revenge for her wounded pride and for all the pain they caused her. The first excuse she finds for sending Olga to SS refered to the rules and tradition that give her that right, but we know by context that there's something else going on, this was both a move driven by her vendetta and a provoked move - she decided to do this after Hü told her she's the one ruling the privy chamber and perhaps Mahidevran accepted it as a challenge to her power, because, honestly, I doubt she would've attempted such a thing if she weren't provoked like this. Hürrem, on the other hand, gives her own "interpretation" as to why Mahidevran took action. To be blunt, it sits wrong with me right from the start, because it demonstrates a huge amount of internalized mysoginy on full display and it's sad, in a way, that this is what the system encourages at the moment - you're nothing if you sleep alone in your bed, if you don't have the sultan's back. There's a glimmer of possibility Hürrem said it only to render Mahidevran vulnerable and one could understand where she comes from, since she has experienced quite a lot of similar offenses from that same person. And when a confrontation of the like occurs, her first instinct is to think of a comeback, to pull rank and highlight why she's better than her like she does in all their encounters in this batch of episodes. That hardly excuses or whitewashes this statement, though, because for a person who has been shown to fight the system and call out prejudice (even though it was mostly only she was subjected to it or it was about something that concerned her specifically), seeing that she had absorbed some of it and applies it without a second thought leaves a sour taste for me.

Mahidevran: Worry about your own problems, Hürrem. Did you really think his majesty couldn't be with other women?

Hürrem: This is impossible.

Two major beliefs of Mahidevran and Hürrem's characters come on the surface: they drive the dialogue and help the rest of the scene unfold the way it did. Mahidevran brushes off Hürrem's last statement and brings back tradition to the forefront, which begins to highlight a belief of hers that she shared with Valide, that there is a constant cycle in the harem that no one, not even Hürrem, is capable to entirely break. To Hürrem it's impossible for SS to ever have other women at this point, it's something unthinkable for her already. She feels she has fully broken that cycle.

This scene, unlike the confrontation in episode 58, has well done retroactive irony while serving the context of the episode it's in in a plausible enough way that doesn't seem showed in just for the sake of it. The context of the episode puts Hürrem in the right by showing Olga returning from SS's chambers almost immediately after Hürrem says: "This is impossible." and it's the place where this plot-line transitions to another one, leaving the rest of the confrontation to hang in the balance for a while. Maybe SS had truly given up taking other women ever since the wedding, as shown by this and SS refusing another concubine sent by Valide in the wedding episode.

However, we know that this stops being the case later on and whether it's through the decision to bring in yet another drama tool, yet another annoying stretched narrative opposition in the face of the concubine arcs, it's a fact and we could say that this scene ends up being a good enough framework to set us up for it, intentionally or not.

Mahidevran: Then why is there a concubine in his chamber?

Hürrem: What concubine? Maybe that one?

This, to me, is a demonstration of how the tables can turn in the harem at literally any moment. Meryem Uzerli's little amazing, subtle facial expression says it all. When Mahidevran asks the question, we see for a very split second that Hürrem's wondering how to refute her until the concubine appears in the heat of the argument due to sheer luck. Like, if she had already returned to her rooms before the scene occurred, it would've gone much differently! This isn't all that important here, but I love how Meryem showed a slight probability for Hürrem to lose the argument, which contrasts with all her confident remarks before and after this moment. It's just very neat stuff.

Hürrem: Many girls were introduced to his majesty. Among them, there was even a princess. Where are they now? Look around you. You will not see anyone but me.

Speaking of confident remarks, there comes another one of Hürrem's that no matter how many concubines came, they all went and now there is no one other than her. This line further sets a consistent trend of ambiguity, because she's right in the context of the episode and it encapsulates the resolution of these particular plot-lines of Hürrem and Süleiman in the season and we can get behind her words overall both in the arc and in rewatch, in spite of the retroactive irony, but she's wrong in that it's the end of her harem fights, very far from it, as season 3 and season 4 prove. She hasn't completely won yet, even though she sets the impression that she has.

What I also find interesting in this scene is the back and forth throwing of past - present - future between the two sides. They make a perfect showcase of what these characters represent, their states, their losses, their desires, their hopes, dreams and philosophies. Here, in example, Hürrem makes a reference to a part of her obstacles in the past, acknowledging that they were there regardless, but then she immediately goes back to the present with "Where are they now?". Nowhere in the scene she considered the possibilities of the future, the sheer probability that it all may change one day (as it happened, in many ways, through Firuze), focusing on the currently undeniable truth the present day presents.

That same throwing back and forth continues, but with another note which instantly places the two women against each other again:

Mahidevran: I was also loved once, Hürrem. Mustafa is the fruit of that love. Ask Gülfem Hatun if you want. She will tell you how much she suffered because of me.

Hürrem: You always tell this story.

Unlike Hürrem, who only references the past, Mahidevran laments it and takes pride in it, it being the highlight of her once beautiful life. But we know what went down afterwards, adding in the possibility that maybe, it would all be temporary and what one may have now, may change, because Mahidevran was also in Hürrem's position once. Hürrem however, calls out her fixation on the past, in a similar fashion to how she has done it before (E59: "Are you being proud of your past now? Let me remind you: You're still a slave."), what she had doesn't matter, it's the now that is important to Hürrem, which is a solid thematic note to her character arc.

Though, we have this line of dialogue in response:

We here notice that no matter how long it took for them to do it, Mahidevran and Hürrem actually had parallel arcs, in terms of letting go of the past. This line makes for such a striking revelation of Mahidevran's emotional state from her perspective that only continued what episode 46 hinted at and episode 55 directly started. (E55: "I ripped out the love I had of your father of my heart, I threw it into the sea! He doesn't matter to me anymore. Now you are the only one in my heart.") It's rather surprising that she says these words now - Mahidevran's rule of the harem is arguably her at her worst, doing what she does out of the last ounces of her wanting payback for the sad, bitter years. It's precisely what she lost that motivated her, that was a sure part of the reason she sent Olga to SS and yet, we have that honest confession, that grasp of acceptance. Mahidevran's battle with SS was lost very early on and it took her very slow and gradual development for her to accept it and by E61, she was doing the last steps to do so. She tries hard to convince Hürrem that no matter how hard she tries, there is a cycle in this harem that cannot be changed, Mahidevran has come to terms with it, so Hürrem has to do the same. In a way, she was probably trying to say that they both have been fighting a losing battle and she expresses a small amount of sympathy over it, too - she knows what it's like and it's hard, but it's like some unwritten law that it's not worth it in the end and that everyone gets affected by it, without exception. That's how she begins to look upon her present and show a hint of the future.

Out of the particular context, this line could be a very nice stronger endorsement of the franchise's themes, because, truly, no one ever got a good, triumphant, heroic ending. And it was like a cycle: everyone had to face the feelings of sorrow, grief and loss, everyone had to suffer in this time period, everyone dies. Gülfem called Hürrem's life a fairy tale in E134, but that "fairy tale" came to an end after her death. And if we leave that aside, there is hardly a breather episode even for the biggest of victories, no matter how many victories you've won, they would always "have their end", the narrative would always condemn them one way or another.

Mahidevran: One day a woman will appear and would destroy your indestructible love!

The future is finally put on the front with the scene overall and with Mahidevran herself. It's a continuation of her belief that Hürrem would be "detroned", regardless of all. Thing is, she also doesn't consider her own future, only the one of her rival's. She believes in her own victory that is opposed in the present, but would surely come in the future, a belief she holds until the end of the series. Even though I doubt the writers planned Firuze's existence right back then per say, this line sounds like such foreshadowing to her in retrospect, which makes Mahidevran both right and wrong with this quote. Firuze caused an actual continuous rift between Hürrem and Süleiman, making her doubt his love in ways she hadn't before. Nazenin comes into the picture, as well. But no one truly succeeds to properly destroy the love between Süleiman and Hürrem and they managed to prevail, despite of all the narrative opposition. She still stayed the most dear woman to SS's heart, no matter what. There is a slight possibility of Mahidevran judging the situation one hundred percent to herself here, claiming rather that the appearance of another woman would make Hürrem fall out of love with SS and destroy that, instead, just like it was with her, but since Mahidevran called the same line back during the Firuze episodes, I think she was referring to the rift Firuze would cause and how would Hü fall deeper and deeper.

Hürrem: Mahidevran, don't think of me as your equal.

This line is very telling in that Hürrem considers herself different than everyone else. It has always been a part of her character, perhaps a running reminder of her unprecedented elevation in the system she's telling us about through words. And most of the interpretations I've encountered of this line are exactly this: it is epic, badass, it is delivered in such a shading sassy way that could only be respected or applauded. However, it is just as possible for this infamous one-liner to be presented as the culmination of not only her persistent insistence to assert herself as different and special, but her continuous unwillingness to be compared to anyone else in the harem. And usually she's compared to guess who? Mahidevran. She doesn't want to even think of the possibility to be compared with her by this point (starting from E40 where after she was freed, she said: "Now I'm not equal to you." right to Mahidevran's face and continuing forward into S03 with: "I told you not to compare me to others, to Mahidevran never!" -it was something like that), but at first, which is now probably buried deep within, she feared becoming like Mahidevran. She repeated "I'm not Mahidevran!" when she was out of favor like with the Russian concubines, Mahidevran's words that she would make the same mistakes she did echoed in her head during the Isabella arc in episode 31 and earlier had a nightmare of Süleiman giving the emerald ring to Mahidevran instead of Hürrem in a completely parallel scene. (there's also the other nightmare where Mahidevran was taunting Hürrem to tell her about Leo.) Hürrem dreaded all of those things happening and tried her very best to avoid the very thoughts of it. Now, in a season nearly full of victories in her part, she had gained the belief that whatever happens, she'll always stand above the others. She wants to give off the vibe that no one would ever stop her. She has broken so many traditions and the narrative is currently rooted at her favor, all well and good, right? This line could be a mask, in a way, hiding the fear of being rejected just like the others (that doesn't completely disappear, seeing her suicide attempt in E72; also E106's menopause plot.) and striving to leave it behind her, now reaching its peak by putting not only Mahidevran, but the rest of the women into the picture, without a second of realization of the implications it causes, because well, who else was given such special attention by the Sultan? Who else was freed, who else had such a marriage, who else got out of death's door so many times, who else overcame everything, who else had a chance to "rain as fire" over all her enemies? Even though the quote applies on a much grander scale in execution, in later seasons and the way it got called back to in MCK, I feel, in this particular context, it refers to the harem and Süleiman specifically - his majesty doesn't need any other women, there is no such woman that could take away what Hürrem has and even if they stand together, they wouldn't stand a chance, because Hürrem is that massive and powerful.

The retroactive irony hits hard and here: she's right in the events of this particular episode, but the subsequent events definetly tell a different story. Hürrem's influence and power is acknowledged, especially in her last episodes, but that she's the only one capable of having such power is not necessarily true, given the existence of the SOW, some members of which reached more highs than she did, due to the evolving extent of power they could exercise in the system.

Mahidevran: Your arrogance will end you, Hürrem! One day when you're suffering in pain, I'll remind you this!

Hürrem: Mahidevran, you're not here anymore. You'll be leaving soon!

Mahidevran: You're not powerful enough for that!

The focus on the present and future is back with this quick, but substantial exchange. Mahidevran seems to count completely on what will happen in the future in the first line, while Hürrem accounts for both the present and the future, seemingly in accordance, and Mahidevran brings the confrontation back to the present, for what Hürrem talks about is currently unattainable. These lines look like a brief summary of what was established before about the beliefs of both characters: they both desire the end of one another - for Mahidevran it would happen eventually, because Hürrem would end herself in her eyes and Mahidevran would live for this moment and even witness it (and while she didn't witness it exactly, she lived and outlived them all, because there would be no death for her until they get what they deserve, a belief that carries on the strongest in season 4); for Hürrem it has already happened, but it would keep going, fueling her will to get rid of all her enemies and being in conjunction with the ongoing plot arc itself, for her attacking her enemies in all fronts in ways she hadn't before. The last line of Mahidevran's stops the dialogue between both of them for good (followed by Hürrem's smug grin), resting back on her current position, that is also how her whole set of dialogue began in the first place. Even though there was a hint of realization that she has been fighting a losing battle a while before, the part of hers that would prefer not going to the sanjack than give up now, is directly reflected on. It sets more of a parallel between how both of them are, because Mahidevran told Hürrem that arrogance would end her a few seconds ago, but now she's the one that demonstrates this same arrogance herself, starting to underestimate her own opponents yet again, simply because she rules the harem. Claiming that Hürrem doesn't have the power to send her to the sanjack by force, is true, actually, because Ibrahim interfered at the last moment, but this way Mahidevran seems to brush off Hürrem's victories completely, somehow convincing herself that she's forgotten how far has Hürrem gone and just like her rival, thinking of herself as unstoppable. (that goes on the season finale, too, where she says: "If you're powerful enough, face me by yourself!".) This attitude more or less cemented her downfall in this arc, as it would cement major flaws of Hürrem's in the future.

And then they're stopped by... Süleiman himself and I love that, because they have to stop because he comes, they have to stop because he's watching them and give him the necessary respect. Symbolically, it could be a showcase of him being the decider of everyone's fates and them having to accept his will at the end of the day.

And after he leaves, of course, Hürrem and Mahidevran prepare to carry on with their bickering, as they usually do. While that's the end of the whole confrontation, their expressions tell us it's not over yet.

It's particularly interesting, even as a confrontational scene alone: it's longer than many of the confrontational scenes between them, it speaks more volumes about the opposing sides than any other of the kind has dreamed to. While I love Mahidevran and Hürrem's chemistry, I wish there were more scenes like this one, more nuanced interactions than vitriol and constant, almost formulaic smackdowns. Because, to me, this whole confrontation, while simple at hindsight, raised the bar to what could we have had. The rivalry of the two ladies is fascinating on a thematic level and not exploring its depth further, would be a myriad of wasted opportunities.

This scene did right all you could think of: composition, soundtrack, attention to detail, chemistry, dialogue and opposing two sides on a respectful, unbiased, while narratively provoked, way. I adore the way it aged: as I said, it created a perfect blend between context of the episode/plot arc and retroactive irony and the mix of cause and effect of soapy intrigues, character exploration through lines and all the coming thematic stuff, while being filled with dynamic and fun energy. And it's absolutely sublime for it.

[paperstorm]

I said this in tags on a post but I’m gonna delete that and say it here with my whole chest because saying it covertly in tags to avoid the possibility of anon hate is cowardly. There are times when being silent is the same as being complicit. It’s not okay that it took Sebastian as long to speak up as it did, it’s just not. And you can say that about somebody, without it meaning you despise them or think they’re evil or that you never want to associate with them ever again. Humanity exists in shades of grey, we can do the same in fandom. I love Sebastian Stan with my entire heart. This week, I am disappointed in him. Those two things can be true at once.

I’m not even American and I am expected to care about what’s happening in America right now because a) I am part of a community and the black and POC members of that community deserve my ally-ship, and b) because I am a CREATOR in that community and marginalized people deserve to know where I stand on issues this important before they consume my content. They deserve to know that what I create is not coming from a framework of racism or sexism or homophobia or islamophobia or xenophobia. That goes quadruple for someone with a platform as big as Sebastian’s, especially because he lives in New York, and the NYPD is historically and presently one of the most corrupt, racist, violent police departments in the Western world. He lives in NY and he talks all the time about how much he loves the city so that is his community that’s being brutalized and it was his choice to take a week to say anything about it to his millions of followers. Don’t infantalize him. He’s not a baby, he is a grown ass man who made a decision.

It is good to hold your faves accountable, the same way it is good to hold your friends and family and coworkers accountable. I know it’s uncomfortable. I know it makes us feel that icky feeling in our tummies. I have that feeling right now as I’m typing this, because I love him and it makes me so sad to be disappointed in him. But people are dying. That’s far worse than us feeling icky for a few hours every now and again. The black community desperately needs our help. If it were possible for them to change the world all on their own through silent, non-violent protests, it would have happened already. It isn’t possible, so now is the time to get your butt used to feeling uncomfortable and be grateful that temporary discomfort is the worst you have to deal with in this situation, rather than a cop’s knee on your neck until you die.

Don’t let the culture of uncritical stanning make you feel bad for being disappointed in Seb if that’s what you feel right now. That feeling is valid. You are allowed to be upset that he chose silence and you are allowed to be upset that his eventual statement felt very PR crafted and not particularly sincere.  Especially if you are POC. Chris Evans spoke up. Brie Larson and Tessa Thompson spoke up. Mark Ruffalo always speaks up. Imagine how it must have felt for the POC members of this fandom this week, to be saying “hey it would be good if Seb said something and indicated he cares about us too” and the white sections of this fandom responded with “how dare you criticize him.” Imagine how uncared for the POC members of this fandom must feel. Our job, as members of a community, is to stand up for them, not for our rich white male celebrity crushes who don’t even know we exist. We have to do better, including me. It’s not optional anymore.

[hemakesallthingsbeautiful]

Advancing Tangible Hope in the Global Order

The United Nations (UN) was birthed out of the aftermath of the two tragic world wars. Prior to the establishment of the UN, was the short-lived League of Nations which was proposed after the First World War in an effort to achieve and maintain peace and security in the global order. Its failure to prevent the Second World War led to yet another attempt at creating an international alliance and global commitment towards preventing the devastation of war, with 26 nations uniting to fight against the axis powers in 1942. Eventually, global delegates from 50 countries convened to prepare the Charter of the UN, which was finally signed on 26 June 1945 (Basic Facts about the United Nations, 4).

The role and purpose of the UN is to maintain a peaceful, just and stable global order. As stated in its charter, it exists to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom”; and ultimately for these ends: “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite strength to maintain international peace and security”. It aims to solve international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, by being a centre for “harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these common ends” (Basic Facts about the United Nations, 5).

In many ways, the United Nations is a symbol of tangible hope; hope for all that’s possible and that can be achieved should nations have the courage and humility to acknowledge our common humanity, and accept the responsibility and sacrifice it requires of us to realize it. Its tangibility lies in the UN’s pragmatic and preventative agenda, a forum where sovereign nations assemble together to prevent anarchy in the global order and the dangers that come from freely pursuing self-interests and unregulated power and growth. Still, in another sense, it’s hopeful and imaginative. It envisions a global order that is capable of affirming our common humanity- each individual and nation equally dignified, honored and free. The United Nations does not simply seek to protect individuals and nations freedom from war, violence and poverty, but enables freedom towards human flourishing, a necessary means of true development as proposed by Amartya Sen (Lanoszka, 36). Furthermore, this cannot be done through the co-existence of sovereign actors but rather, willing collaboration. The UN is the forum where the first global collective effort towards addressing poverty was pursued as a shared social issue with measurable targets towards progress that were integrated for accountability and impact (Myers, 101). This global vision towards collective change continues to evolve, with the latest edition of the UN’s collective efforts creating a framework for addressing the globe’s most pressing issues materialized through the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which lays out the possibility for international, multi-sector, institutional and grassroots social change to be pursued cooperatively and in unity.

Inevitably, as with all large institutions, the UN can be plagued by politics and bureaucracy. The power imbalance between nations with power and economic prowess and those without are palpable. Who gets a seat at the table at the Security Council? Who has veto power? Who has resources to use diplomatic efforts to set agendas and influence decision-making? We must be mindful of recognizing the inevitable power dynamics that exist within the UN Structures, and attentive to whose voices we need to amplify in order to ensure their needs are not ignored, dismissed or drowned out by those with permanent megaphones. Furthermore, the bureaucratic nature of the UN is also something that has been often criticized. In moments of urgent need to respond to humanitarian conflict, there is no time for delayed action, and in times of necessary collective responses to issues such as climate change and the global refugee crisis, patience is not a virtue. But still, we often return to this unshakeable reality: the UN does not have formal judicial or institutional power to regulate or penalize the action or inaction of sovereign nations. The limits of the UN’s power as an institution can be frustrating, but perhaps even in its absence to coerce or mandate necessary action, it can continue to be a voice of our global conscience. It can continue to advocate with perseverance, amplify the voices of the powerless and the vulnerable, and mediate as the peacekeeper who has faith in the inherent good of mankind, (particularly for those who govern) and for their propensity towards choosing good and not evil, to take action rather than be bystanders amidst the need and suffering and injustice faced by our fellow man and woman. The UN in all its potential and its imperfections reminds me of the common grace that God has blessed humanity with that allows for secular institutions such as the UN to pursue justice and neighborly love in global contexts and with such fervor and conviction.

In my graduating year of University, Former UN Secretary General (UNSG) Mr. Ban Ki Moon gave a keynote address to a lecture hall filled with wide-eyed students with hearts set on dedicating their lives to global social change. He quoted another former UNSG Dag Hammarskjold on maintaining the balance between realism and idealism. “Realists are tempted by the illusion of cynicism, and idealists are tempted by the illusion of utopia” and reminded us: “Keep your head above the clouds and your feet firmly planted on the ground."

Five years since that speech, I’m still more caught up in keeping my head above the clouds than having my feet firmly planted on the ground. Maybe because the vision of the Kingdom of God surpasses any worldly utopia, and comes with a hope that sustains far beyond what idealistic optimism could; and empowers us to pursue justice and meaningful social change not with cynical pragmatism, but a vision towards the promised new creation . And perhaps such is the invitation, that even as we sojourn in this temporary home of ours, to seek the welfare and flourishing of this world and all those in it, for in it we will find ours.

References

Basic Facts about the United Nations. United Nations Publications, 42nd Edition. 2017. ISBN: 978-9211013504.

Lanoszka, Anna. International Development: Socio-Economic Theories, Legacies, and Strategies. New York: Routledge, 2018

Myers, Bryant. Engaging Globalization: The Poor, Christian Mission, and Our Hyper-Connected World. Baker Academic, 2017.