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petition to rename the usa ‘south canada’

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he needs enrichment

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Almost 34 here and THIS.. ALL OF THIS

here's some more unsolicited adult advice as someone in her 30s who knows there are a lot of twenty somethings and teens that follow her: if you're trying to build a new habit you really want, and are struggling, you have to break it down to the smallest building block possible. If you're failing, you haven't thought small enough. I know it's possible to hear stories of people who just snapped into new life mode one day by "just deciding", but truly what's happening there is a confluence of events and experiences that force the brain into some sort of epiphany. You cannot will an epiphany. It'll never work. For most times of your life, you will need to build habits intentionally, and that means not working against yourself and to set micro goals. like laughably tiny goals. because once that easy tiny goal is met, you can build off it, tiny goal after tiny goal until you reach your big goal.

so for example, if you want to be a morning person that gets up at ass crack dawn so that you can work out, eat brekkie, shower, and get to work at a leisurely pace, and you're not that person because you will hit your snooze button 800 times, you have to get the big picture goal out of your head. think smaller. "I want to get up 15 minutes earlier than I normally do." If you can't do that, make it 5 minutes. "I want to cook breakfast every day" hell no too big. "I want to eat something, anything, before I leave the house" hell yeah, fantastic. When you go to the grocery store to make sure there are things in the house for breakfast, if you keep buying bagels and microwave sandwiches that you ignore, you gotta think smaller. SMALLER. What's something so easy to eat that you'll never say no to. Is it a yogurt? Is it a handful of grapes? Is it a hostess ho ho? is it hot cheetos? FORGET the big picture of the fantasy put-together woman preparing a full nutritious meal that you'd be proud to admit to. Think only of the smallest goal you can achieve. If you know you can't say no to an ice cream sandwich, put a ton of ice cream sandwiches in your freezer and have one for breakfast every day until it's so instilled in you that you gotta get up to eat something you can start diversifying.

It sounds like, from the lack of habit place, that must take forever. But really it doesn't take too long to form the habit once the discipline kicks in. the trick is that you have to give your brain something easy to become disciplined to. If it's too hard, think easier and smaller. No one has to know. Literally no one in the gd world has to know that for 4 weeks when you were 22 you had an ice cream sandwich for breakfast every day. who cares. If it gets you eating oatmeal with fresh fruit in a few months who cares. you did it, yay. smaller, easier. if you can't do it, think smaller and easier. smaller!! EASIER!!! You are not thinking smaller and easier enough. break your brain thinking how small and easy you can go. SMALLER. EVEN SMALLER, SIS.

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musk is going to die in a Tesla explosion in 6 months after sticking his nose where it doesn't belong and we will never get a conclusive answer on whether it was a CIA car bomb or just a normal Tesla malfunction

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BRO!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

Aside from blowing my last 1/4 of a brain cell for today that makes sense!!! Can't wait to see if this theory is close or correct!!!!

In honour of the Onyx Storm midnight release TODAY, here’s one last, extremely unhinged, theory.

Hear me out. I finished my re-read last night and something didn’t sit right with me. We know that Xaden’s been having dreams of the Sage, just like Violet, but it’s clear at the end of Iron Flame that he knows more than he’s letting on (shocker I know).

The venin leader (the Sage), who we later find out is actually a general, is referred to as “him” several times. By Jack, by Xaden, by the other venin. It almost seems personal. It also seems personal when Xaden tells Violet, “I killed him.” She describes his voice as being flat and emotionless after, almost like he’s sad. Why would Xaden be upset over killing the venin general?

Stay with me it’s getting good, I promise. We learn in Fourth Wing that Xaden is the grandson of Sgaeyl’s previous rider. The one who, and I quote, “didn’t make it through the quadrant”. We also learn that this was 50 years ago.

Why else is 50 years significant? Xaden tells Violet on the roof of Riorson house that they’re “fifty years too late” when it comes to fighting the venin war.

Also, Sgaeyl freaks out when Xaden pulls from the earth. I mean naturally, that’s her rider and she’s obviously upset, but what if it’s more than that. What if it reminds her of something.

What if, XADEN’S GRANDFATHER, Sgaeyl’s previous rider, IS THE VENIN GENERAL?!

Yes I know, very unhinged and unlikely.

But:

-It could explain Sgaeyl’s anger/reaction to Xaden drawing.

-I don’t think it ever states in the book that Xaden’s grandfather was dead. Just that he “didn’t make it through the quadrant”. Maybe he turned instead? Or even if it does say he died, so did Jack Barlowe.

-Her last rider being 50 years ago and them being 50 years too late seems a little much to be a coincidence, at least in my opinion.

Also,

-Is this the whole reason Fen started the rebellion in the first place? To expose him?

And yes I know, there are plenty of theories out there that make Naolin the Sage, but this makes more sense as to why Xaden’s connected. I mean what could Naolin possibly want with Xaden. But yes, I do think Naolin is also a venin, just not this specific one.

Also, Naolin only ‘died’ 6 years ago. One would assume that a general would be around for a lot longer than that. Say like, 50 years?

Anyways, like I said, very unhinged. Just something I put together after finishing my re-read that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

Guess we’ll have some answers soon enough!!

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It’s so fascinating to me that we’ve only been breeding Komodo dragons in captivity for thirty years. In that time, our understanding of them has actually really revolutionized the way we understand the social lives and behaviors of lizards in general, and it’s mostly thanks to this lady right here, who was born 30 years ago on September 13, 1992.

Kraken was the first Komodo to be bred in captivity. She hatched out at GMU, but was raised at the National Zoo. Her parents were wild-caught dragons- there’s still WC dragons in the AZA today- and this one specific individual probably did more to revolutionize lizard care in professional settings than any other individual lizard throughout zoo history.

Until Kraken, social enrichment wasn’t a thing people thought about. It wasn’t something anybody felt was necessary for lizards, because they were just… lizards. Sure, some keepers would play with their favorites, but it wasn’t until the National Zoo started documenting what she was doing that anybody realized how much Komodo dragons like to play with us too.

Kraken’s not in that video, but she’s the one who inspired all of the social studies that have been done on captive Komodo dragons. When she was at the National Zoo, her keepers  started getting curious when, for no apparent reason, she kept gingerly stealing things from peoples’ pockets and tugging on their shoelaces. So they started giving her stuff- Frisbees, blankets, soda cans, anything she showed an interest in.

She played with them, just like a mammal might. The way play behavior is described in psychology is a given activity that’s voluntary, repeated, and conducted under “relatively benign” circumstances. Keeper staff found that her conduct during the study met all of these criteria. “Kraken,” they wrote, had clearly demonstrated “play-like behavior with objects and even with humans (tug-of-war).” Moreover, she “could discriminate between prey and nonprey” while showing “varying responses” with different items (rubber rings, shoes, etc.). (There’s an excellent book on Komodo dragons that has an entire chapter devoted to her.)

Kraken died several years ago, but her legacy continues today. There’s several of her descendants still in the AZA, and the intelligence and social needs she demonstrated led to the improvement of life for these guys- and other lizards. The Komodo dragon program has been an eye opener, not just for reptile conservation, but for understanding reptile intelligence and how this incredible clade of animals functions.

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Dragons of the World. I stared this one at the beginning of the year knowing I will soon move and I wanted a very specific print on the wall of my library room. I couldn't find exactly what I want online so I decided to draw it myself 🫀 Here is a small collection of my favourite dragon kinds mixed with smaller, lovely details into vintage, zoology illustration. I've been chipping away a dragon after dragon in between other work and now it's ready! A5 print is available on my patreon during December. I also made it available as a metal print on Displate.

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Can't wait to be reunited with this sassy & iconic dragon duo! 💜🖤🔥🐲

Gotta love their banter & their shared bond with Violet! Can't wait to see more of them in Onyx Storm!

The beautiful artwork in this reel of Andarna💜 and Tairn🖤 was made by @cc.book.chronicles on Instagram

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Currently obsessed with these naturalistic illuminations from a manuscript of De Proprietatibus Rerum (1447, Bibliothèque d'Amiens, ms. 399). I just know that whoever commisioned this must have hired the nearest autistic artist with an insane obsession for birds before proper birdwatching was even a thing. They hired the nearest De arte venandi cum avibus fanboy.

Like, the fact that despite the stylized drawings you can clearly tell that these are a corvus corax, a corvus cornix and a corvus corone?! Hello?!?!

I love you, unknown french artist from the 15th century.

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And Liam just sitting back grinning and shaking his head at his foster brother.

Liam: just couldn't help yourself could you? Thank the Gods I wasn't next door!!

Xaden: guys I need your help

Liam: with what

Xaden: I need to move a new amiore into sorrengail’s room

Garrick: why does sorrengail need a new amiore

Xaden: no… reason…

Bodhi: you fucked her didn’t you

Xaden: maybe

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“Fyp” we don’t do that here. I mean, Tumblr the app and website tries, but we don't do that here.

“But then how will anyone see it?” peer review.

“How do you get engagement?” by talking and engaging with other people. Or making a devastating typo. Either way.

“But—” Listen, you’re not doing solo stand up anymore. This is a group improv class being held in a SAW dungeon. Good luck.

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Onyx Storm Predictions

No real order…

We’ll learn that Lilith’s sickness while she was pregnant with Violet was her turning Venin like Xaden did.

Xaden asking Violet to marry him to leave her Tyrrendor and Revolution as he plans his future suicide.

Finally admitting Brennan and Naolin were in a relationship.

Brennan will retake his Sorrengail last name to honor his mom’s sacrifice.

(Total head canon wish but we never know: Rhiannon and Mira falling for each other while both caring for Violet like a sister)

Xaden’s mom will make an apparition.

Violet will find Andarna’s den thanks to her father’s research on feathertails.

Cat will try to seduce Aaric for his crown.

More Liam hallucinations.

I want a Tairn/Sgaeyl dragon egg hatch/sidestory about one of their kids.

Sawyer will get a metal prosthesis he’ll learn to control like a ‘normal’ leg through his signet.

Violet will start keeping a journal like Warrick and Lyra to document Xaden’s Venin transformation and Andarna’s den.

We’ll learn about the seventh rider.

Sloane will use her siphon signet to remove Venin’s sickness like Naolin could have done to Lilith.

And obviously we will all cry and be miserable while being happy about it

{ inserts Ron and his tea cup divinations }

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Andarna *indecently excited*: Good idea. I could use a snack.

Tairn *lecturing*: We do not eat our allies!

Andarna: You never let me have any fun.

Violet *smiling genuinely*: I appreciate the offer.

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I absolutely love them 😂😂😂

Sawyer: We could kill her…

Sawyer: All the fliers are still struggling with the altitude, and their gryphons are still sleeping half the day, according to Sliseag, so they're probably at their weakest.

The entire Squad: …

Rhiannon: *whispers* We’re not actually considering this…

Riddoc: Are we??? *glances*???

Imogen: *shrugs* At least for a few seconds…

Violet: *a little too loudly* I am.

The entire Squad: …

Violet: We can't REALLY kill her…

Rhiannon: Surely… not?

Imogen: …

Rhiannon: She is our squadmate.

Riddoc: Right… right?? *side-eyes*

Violet: Wait, is that really the only ethical line there?

The entire Squad: *shrugs*

Sawyer: …You sure?

Riddoc: Just the word…

Imogen: And we'll *happily* bury a body.

Sawyer: … We do still have a couple of hours before we're due in Battle Brief…

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ATTENTION EVERYBODY

Today (January 20th) is Penguin Awareness Day.

Please be aware of these penguins.

Thank you for your cooperation.

P.S: These penguins are described in alt text.

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Praying to the literature gods for an enjoyable book because I really, really need it right now 🙏🏼

We are SO close! Half an hour in Australia! So just a reminder to block the “onyx storm spoilers” tag if you don’t want any spoilers, since I’ll probably be posting about it.

If you don’t know how to do that I explain here.

My posts will then look like this:

Aside from that, I will also be (probably) posting below a cut under those as well, with a chapter number above it, in case you want to scream together! Please don’t spoil anything past the chapter indicated if you’re ahead though 🥹🖤 so if you click through the spoiler tag block, you should then see something like this:

As an example. But please do so with caution because I don’t need anyone yelling at me if the “read more” moves or disappears as it sometimes does. I’m fragile right now ❤️‍🩹

I hope everyone has a great time with it and it’s everything you hoped for and more 🥹