#*storms of in the most girlboss way possible*

[fandomhopping]

Ahhhhhh 2003 Mikey: the definition of “fuck gender roles I’ll wear what I want!”

truly an inspiration to all

[starlight-artbby]

Y'all the newest X-Men 97 episode blew me away. Like the animation ate down and it was just so good like I was thoroughly enjoying every second.

I knew that Scott was gonna hold some grudge against the professor and I don't blame him. He left his dream to his team and honestly failed him and damn did this episode remind him that over and over again. Especially Rogue who clearly was fed up with his ass. And I swear I was gonna cry when I saw her wearing Remy's coat and I had a tear nearly fall from my eye when Kurt looked so devastated to tell her again the Remy is dead like ugh I was in so much pain.

Speaking of pain Jubilee and Roberto. How dare they do this to me. I knew from a mile away that Roberto Was gonna go with Magneto (along with Rogue) and I completely understand why. His mother straight up abandon him and handed him to the people who wanted to kill him. Like of course he is gonna be pissed but when Jubilee said you still have me I felt like a part of me died because he walked away and that shit had to hurt.

Now I completely laughed when Magneto said the line about Lilandra. I can't remember exactly what he said but I do recall being gagged and gooped and not him telling Xavier to shut up like if those two don't just go to couples counseling...

Now I won't lie, Morph had me when he pretending to be Sinister so if I were Bastion I most certainly was gonna get caught. May I also express how I thought that Beast was going to get pieced through the chest during that fight sequence like I was on the edge of my toes.

Once again Sinister proved to me why I hate him so much. Having Jean fight her own son?!? Foul and then her contacting Cyclops to tell him that she loves him!!! Like why does X-Men 97 like hurting us? And if Storm or Forge ends up dead, I am most certainly fighting someone.

Now the new looks... Huh... Why did they have to put that cap on my boy Scott. And Jean she ate down with the boots but the gloves and the mask?!?! No mam. I loved Rogues outfit along with Logan's. They could've had morph in something a lot better. Kurt ate as usual and of course Jubilee ate up her look along with Storm. I couldn't tell if beast put on anything different so I can't say much about that but regardless, some of the team needed a better wardrobe.

Now I know some people will probably get mad at Rogue and Roberto for going with Magneto but honestly, Rogue was there on Genosha. It has messed her up so badly and we continue to see the side effects till this very episode. I already explained Roberto so I honestly am not mad at him but I am sad that he couldn't see that Jubilee was there for him just like sadly Rogue couldn't see that the team would be there for her but honestly, their feelings are still valid as fuck and I don't want to hear anyone else say other wise.

Also why did they have to do Wolverine like that!! Huh!!! Like y'all better have his regeneration ability kick in. I also feel so bad cause I know that nobody was expecting murder to occur up there that's for sure.

(also Scott stopping Xavier from forcing Magneto to return power was everything to me cause he did it for Jean and it's time he shows that woman some love.)

Also where is Bishop!?!?!

Now for the things I enjoyed. I loved the new opening. I was so happy to see Storm back in it again. It really made things start off well for the episode. I loved Rogue clocking Xavier and telling him exactly what she needed to say.

My favorite part of the episode though had to be when Jean and Storm had reunited and when they parted ways on the mission. Those two are sisters and I love the show for reminding us of their incredible bond I just lived to see it.

I also enjoyed Scott and Jean giving each other a hug before they parted ways and when Scott gave Nathan that advice I truly loved it. I am hoping that'll stop him from attacking Jean (possibly) if not, Jean will girlboss her way out of there.

I can't wait for the final episode (I hope I get Remy and Logan and anyone else who gets injured back) ♡♡♡♡

[jesawyer]

Potentially controversial question, though I don't mean it in that sort of way: One thing I noticed in Deadfire's writing was that there was a far greater likelihood for male characters to be portrayed as the more incompetent or less sympathetic half in most dynamics, whether it was debtor/debtee (Radora/Zamar), boss/subordinate (Furrante/Aeldys), enemies (Rinco/Mokeha) and so on. That's not to say misandry, since the goal is obviously equal representation, but I did notice this enough that I assumed wasn't just me seeing things or wanting to see them to justify a bias, especially also considering that if my observations were accurate, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest considering I would have chalked it down to an understandable difference in context regarding the way genders act based on historical norms and power dynamics (ie. There is possibly more historical weight in a man abusing a woman vs the reverse of that, so it is important to understand that history before portraying something that may or may not be a false equivalency). Essentially I ask this more as a curiosity than anything else: What was the writing team's approach to portraying gender dynamics in Deadfire?

I think the first thing is that we did make a conscious effort to numerically represent women as much as men among NPCs (note: there are not many non-binary characters in Deadfire, so in this answer I'll just be talking about male/female dynamics). We also put more women in authority positions where we felt it made sense in this fictional world that we created. For those who think that's bad, well okay.

That said, I don't really agree that the women consistently come across as more competent or sympathetic. In cases where they do, it's usually a difference of degree, not kind. I think a lot of the female characters are kind of shitty people and/or bad leaders, as many of the male characters are kind of shitty people and/or bad leaders.

If you prefer Aeldys to Furrante, that's understandable, but also Aeldys... sucks? Director Castol and Lueva Alvari are also both bad in different ways. Queen Onekaza II is a sympathetic figure but installed herself as a monarch over the other tribes of the Deadfire and has caused a lot of collateral damage to the Huana in her ongoing defense of the region - literally a gatekeeping girlboss. Prince Aruihi is a flawed character but I don't think he comes across as particularly incompetent or malicious compared to his sister.

Rinco is annoying and pathetic but Mokeha comes across as excessively belligerent even if she was in the right. Radora did get jumped by pirates, which is easy to sympathize with, but I don't think she does much to endear herself to the Watcher. Hazanui Karū is highly effective but she would be perfectly content seeing the RDC effectively steamroll Huana culture. Atsura is below her in rank, but he easily as competent as she is in different areas, but repellent for other, weirder reasons.

And as far as the companions go, Xoti is approaching Permanent Dark Mode, Maia assassinates people with no questions asked, Pallegina is a ultranationalist zealot... I don't know - I just don't think these characters feel "better" or more sympathetic than the male characters.

I think the main difference really is just that there are about as many female characters as male characters and they are more represented in key positions of power. But they often suck ass in those positions of power because they are difficult jobs and inherently corrupting. For better or worse, one of the recurring comments about Deadfire's factions is that they all seem kind of shitty. Even in cases where you can shift the faction head, they still feel a different type of shitty. That's both because of the vibes of the faction overall as well as their leadership. You do not, in fact, "gotta hand it" to the Royal Deadfire Company or Aeldys' nightmare anarcho pirate flotilla with the Ukaizo storm engines permanently set to Max Power.

[lemonhemlock]

Rhaenys Storming Through the Dragonpit

One of the most controversial scenes in Season 1, this was an addition from the part of the show-runners. It has received quite a lot of criticism already for being bombastic (in a bad way), useless and illogical. Personally speaking, I was torn, so this is an attempt to make (some) sense of it.

Spoilers for upcoming events.

Context

I intend to analyse this scene by giving as much grace and benefit-of-the-doubt to the writers and producers as I can - it's only fair.

Adapting any book series is not easy. There will always be changes performed to the written text, even when trying as hardly as possible to stick to the source material. Sometimes what reads well translates badly on screen. Different mediums require different storytelling techniques. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just different.

Sets, CGI and dragons are expensive. It's not just about money, but about time as well. Graphic artists need to be given enough time to do their jobs properly. You can't just decide to drop 10 dragons out of thin air and expect them to meet your deadlines, unless you plan on making them work in sweatshop conditions.

Logistically speaking, sometimes the scripts need to be changed because there is no time left to film them with their original (maybe better?) ideas. Things can easily get cut or simplified. So I will try to keep my suggestions down to earth and achievable.

Remember we only have 10 episodes. Of course, if we had twice as many, the discussion would be completely different, but that is not feasible. While I feel like the season would have benefited greatly from an additional 2-3 episodes, I do not have access to HBO's cost-benefit analysis and their finances.

Bear in mind that this is the first ASOIAF show to premiere after the disastrous and critically-panned final Game of Thrones season, so perhaps they really did not want to stray from the tried-and-true successful format of 10 episodes per season, with episode 9 the usual stand-out.

Pros

It provides an unexpected, shocking, show-stopping moment. It looks cool on screen; that's undeniable. It gives Rhaenys a girlboss moment that the casual viewer will love (again, casual viewers are the ones who bring the big bucks in). It swiftly communicates the following information about Rhaenys: she is resourceful and brave enough to face the dragonkeepers on her own (probably unarmed), she has a temper (she doesn't appreciate having been locked in her room), she is careless about ordinary people's lives, she has excellent control of her dragon (pointed comparison to Aemond & Vhagar) and she can control her temper tantrum enough to think a little before she acts.

It provides a character-defining situation for both Alicent and Aegon. IMO this was one of the most powerful moments of the season, so I understand why they prioritized it over basically anything else.

I think these are two very strong points and, in all honesty, opportunities too irresistible to pass over.

Cons

Rhaenys commits a terrorist act and her murders are swept under the rug by the narrative.

How do Rhaenys and Meleys manage to fly through the floor of the Dragonpit without either of them getting hurt? Considering the later Storming of the Dragonpit, this is illogical and defies the laws of physics.

It is not immediately apparent why Rhaenys doesn't burn the Greens and be done with it. A common complaint was that her actions didn't make any sense.

No Sunfyre. The most beautiful dragon in the known world and his relationship with Aegon is unparalleled. In the texts, after his coronation, Aegon flies around King's Landing, giving him an opportunity to show off his splendid dragon. Leaving Sunfyre out diminishes Aegon's character when he is in desperate need of rehabilitation.

Changes I agree with

I would argue that con#2 is the most egregious. If I would have been in the writers' / producers' shoes, I would strive to change that. The rest I would keep. IMO it's good visual storytelling.

Rhaenys will probably be the first to die next season. Developing her character is imperative, otherwise her death will feel hollow. Rhaenys is a proper dragonrider in her own right - one of the best. I do insist that showing the viewers that is very important. Rhaenys is played by a middle-aged woman and she gets a cool action scene in a medium where actresses are valued for youth and attractiveness. As viewers, we expect the 9th episode of a Game of Thrones season to be bonkers in some way. Putting her in THE prime-time spot of the season gives her the opportunity to become a memorable character. Yes, I would totally keep Rhaenys in this scene.

Sunfyre is a good boy and his absence has been felt, but he will have many an occasion to stand out before the end of the series. Meanwhile, Meleys will die soon and there hasn't been a proper opportunity to show her off. If her first scene next season is the same as her death scene, I don't think the impact would be as big. Yes, Arrax only got one segment as well, but he was a small dragon, whereas Meleys is one of the important ones. I can, therefore, understand and accept the prioritization of Meleys over Sunfyre in this scenario.

If possible, would I also have included Sunfyre in this scene? I am going to be controversial and answer no. Sunfyre's presence turns this event into a weird showdown between Rhaenys and Aegon (since Aegon is the only one who can control Sunfyre).

What beef would Rhaenys even have with Aegon at this point? She is pissed that the Greens were holding her hostage and forcing her to pick a side. I have already criticized the scene between her and Alicent and, while I believe the show could have done a better job at highlighting Rhaenys' hypocrisy and projection, I think it makes sense for Alicent to try to woo Rhaenys to the green side by appealing to her in some way. It also provides Rhaenys with an opportunity to appraise Alicent's character, so it makes more sense for this last scene of the episode to be a rehashing of that earlier appeal.

In similar vein, I also understand why the crowning of Helaena was cut. It is a sweet mother-daughter moment in the text, but had she been standing next to Aegon, Alicent would have had to protect them both by placing herself in front. We already know Alicent loves Helaena; this is not new information for the viewer. Alicent and Helaena will have their own gut-wrenching scenes together soon enough.

No, the question for the audience (and for Aegon) is whether Alicent loves Aegon. By performing this one act of bravery, we finally have our answer and cannot dispute whether or not Alicent took this stand just because Helaena was near her as well. When faced with the possibility of death, she carries out this one last act of care, even if its only consequence would be that Aegon won't have to spend his last moments on this earth alone.

So, yes, the focus of this scene should remain on Alicent and Aegon and Alicent's silent plea to Rhaenys. We begin the Dance with Alicent & Aegon and we should finish it with them as well. "My first son and my last" etc. It's too meaty of a concept to give up.

Why doesn't Rhaenys just burn the Greens and be done with it?

If I had executive power, I would have Rhaenys explain her reasoning to Daemon in more depth next episode. She kind of does, but the fandom at large was left unsatisfied, whereas I really do feel that burning everyone on the podium would have been a catastrophic decision, for the following reasons:

Kinslaying is a terrible crime in-universe, literally considered one of the worst things you could possibly do. People tend to be generally horrified by it. Rhaenys would be reducing Aegon, Aemond and Helaena to ash. It is really not highlighted how much of a big deal this would be. Of course, they will all end up killing each other later, but at least that would be during the course of the war, whereas this would be an unprovoked attack against defenseless non-combatants. In addition, it's not just that Rhaenys would be judged by society, but it's so taboo that it's very likely she just couldn't bring herself to do it, at least not at this particular stage. It's a very heavy decision!

Apart from killing three (3!) family members, Rhaenys would also be killing other state officials like the Dowager Queen, the Hand of the King, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and other members of the government like Tyland Lannister. All important people, generally coming from important and powerful noble families. That's a lot of potential allies to piss off.

Rhaenys would be killing the High Septon, literally the Westerosi equivalent to the Pope, thus ensuring an uprising of the Faith against Rhaenyra.

This would not end the succession crisis in any way. Aegon's children are in the Red Keep. His son Jaehaerys would become the next king. Alicent and Otto definitely have her own loyalists that could smuggle the children away to Oldtown, if necessary.

Even without the children, Daeron is still in Oldtown. Lord Ormund Hightower could simply crown him and wage war against Rhaenyra, who, by no will of her own, now has the Faith against her and a population outraged by this incredible act of cruelty.

Ultimately, what Rhaenys said was right: the decision to start the war wasn't hers to make, nor was the decision to escalate hostilities to such an appalling level. She was never willing to do that for her own claim. She never tried to take the throne by conquest after the decision of the Great Council in 101. So why would she possibly do something like this for Rhaenyra?

It's not even fair to Rhaenyra. She isn't consulted at all in this matter. Perhaps she doesn't want to kill her own family members. However, the consequences of this act would be pinned on her no matter what. She'd have to execute Rhaenys or something drastic like that to punish her for the heinous crime she committed.

Yes, you could still keep the mother-to-mother bond element between Rhaenys and Alicent. Rhaenys can still be moved by Alicent's determination to stand by and do the best for her children.

Fix-It

These are the tweaks I would perform to preserve the impactful quality of the scene without sacrificing logic:

First of all, I will point out that Rhaenys stayed overnight in order for Vaemond's body be prepared for the journey back to Driftmark. Rhaenyra leaving KL so soon after dinner was an impromptu decision; even she probably intended to stay a little longer in the capital. I'd give Baela a line mentioning how she wants to spend a little time with Rhaena or something, so as to explain her separation from Rhaenys.

I would highlight Rhaenys' dissatisfaction. Rightly or wrongly, she is insulted at having been locked inside her room. She is a proud woman and wants to be in charge of her own destiny, instead of being forced (yet again) down a path against her will. She wants to leave and make up her own mind. And, most importantly, she wants to get back to her granddaughters ASAP. She can tell Ser Erryk all this when he comes to free her. Throw them a couple more lines of dialogue to emphasize their motivations.

Rhaenys' goal should therefore be to get out of King's Landing. She gets separated from Ser Erryk and witnesses the coronation. She can sneak through the tunnels like in the show.

However, I cannot have Rhaenys bursting through the floor like in Looney Tunes, that part needs to GO. This means I will have to change the trajectory of Rhaenys' flight.

Now, the coronation takes place in the Dragonpit, like in the source material. In the show, it looked similar to the Colosseum, but with a dome on top, at least the part that we saw. It's supposed the be this immense structure with plenty of caverns to house the dragons.

The characters stand on some sort of podium at the far end of the ground floor. I can't tell if it has been especially erected for the coronation, but it looks too elaborate for it to be some makeshift structure. There is a sort of canopy (?) above, from which they hung Aegon's banners: a golden dragon on black. I'm not sure what Jaehaerys I's chair is doing there, though, so perhaps I would get rid of it. Aegon won't get to sit on it and it's kind of in my way.

Behind the banners, I would simply invent an entryway to some tunnel deeper inside caverns and have Rhaenys enter from that side. The doors should be opposite.

It can begin with the ground trembling a little, following by ominous sounds getting closer until Meleys rips Aegon's banners up and Rhaenys is revealed. Perhaps destroy the pillar holding up the canopy so that there is nothing else to serve as cover. In this scenario, Rhaenys has no choice but to face the Greens, because they are literally standing in her way.

Everything else mostly proceeds as usual. The characters were facing the smallfolk. At Rhaenys' approach, everyone turns towards her. The camera moves to face the characters on the podium, with the smallfolk (and the exit) now behind them.

Alicent redirects Ser Criston to Helaena and puts herself in front of Aegon. They have their last stand.

Meleys roars and Rhaenys stops to think.

She decides not to commit mass murder, sees the exist and takes flight. She's had her little outburst, she's given her warning and now she returns to her objective, which is to get the hell out of King's Landing.

The crowd actually witnesses the Queen stepping in front of a dragon for her son. Perfect propaganda material.

Smallfolk don't matter

Obviously that was a disappointing consideration from the part of the show-runners. If anyone were to get killed during Rhaenys' escape, I would emphasize it and use it later and as an anti-Black argument to fan the flames when Rhaenyra gets kicked out of King's Landing. But by having Rhaenys enter the scene from the back, the number of possible victims would be much lower.

If it is imperative to have someone killed, perhaps it can be implied in season 2 that Meleys burnt some dragonkeepers while Rhaenys was trying to mount her. This should be shown as a great loss, as dragonkeepers are brave, smart and valuable individuals, who perform an essential job for the safety of the entire city.

Potential for future scenes

Maybe have Aegon and/or Helaena forced to come to the Dragonpit themselves to feed Sunfyre and Dreamfyre because the workforce has taken a literal hit and they are still working on training new "employees". This could allow Aegon and Helaena to interact over a shared interest and would give Helaena screen time with Dreamfyre.

I'm not including Vhagar because she is too big for the Dragonpit and probably makes her lair somewhere outside King's Landing. Maybe show Aemond involving himself with selecting and training new dragonkeepers. This way you give all three siblings something to do and show them collaborating towards a shared goal.

Aegon shoveling Sunfyre's droppings during the opening episode would provide comedic relief and a great opportunity to showcase the bond between dragon and rider, as well an unusual way to introduce Sunfyre and put Aegon to work. :)

All things considered, I think this was a symbolically-charged moment that was ruined by some shoddy scenery placement, a careless disregard for the systemic violence against the general populace and a lack of properly laying out character motivations. Adding several more minutes of dialogue and re-imagining the geography of the Dragonpit a litle could have integrated this moment better within the larger narrative.

[pastel-player]

Round 1 Results

ALRIGHT IT’S TIME

A few of these results really surprised me! Others did not in the slightest. But either way, it is time to reveal the losers of Round 1!

MATCH 1: Scarlet Amin is Eliminated!

Scarlet Amin a wealthy and charismatic business woman, known for her energetic personality and love of mystery! She revels in filling her home with secret passageways and hidden compartments. She is the girlboss to her husband’s malewife. Speaking of which...

MATCH 2: Ronin Amin is Eliminated!

(Art by https://twitter.com/_Cinnaart_?t=06fAdEVxEb7Fo7Rb5ulueg&s=09)

Ronin is, simply put, sopping wet. He’s much more shy and timid compared to his wife, and tends to handle the paperwork of the business. Yes, I have a favorite, what about it? He’s quite gentle and is known for his caring demeanor. He and his wife also own the mansion a certain OC story of mine takes place in ;D

MATCH 3: Burst is Eliminated!

Art by @samthecookielord​

Burst is a Paper Mario OC, inspired by Origami King! Basically I decided that Bobby deserved a boyfriend. Burst is highly energetic, always jumping to new opportunities! He is acutely aware of his mortality and strives to do as much as he possibly can in the time he has. Love this little guy. Funnily enough, speaking of Paper Mario...

MATCH 4: Twiss T. is Eliminated!

(It’s Sam again)

Twiss T. is another Paper Mario OC, based on the older games this time! He’s meant to be an antagonist- not outright evil, but he definitely doesn’t prioritize his morality. He’s a theatre kid through and through- though he’s dying to play a villain. He is so so willing to be manipulative, love that for him. His only loyalties are to the stage and to his pride <3

ROUND 5: Nightlight is Eliminated!

(It’s Sam. Again.)

Nightlight is the mother of one of my more well known OCs- Nightcap! She works at a library reading out stories, as well as writing kids books in her spare time! She’s very kind and gentle, though she very much has a sense of humor. This woman would have a Tumblr account.

ROUND 6: Misery Wizary is Eliminated!

(Take a guess.)

Misery Wizary is my necromancer save from West of Loathing! She started with a somewhat warped sense of morality- having far too much confidence in herself as a good person, and far too quick to assume the worst of others. This lead to her learning necromancy, through the idea that the person most skilled in it should at least be a good person. She ended up hiding away after an Epiphany TM followed by The Guilt. And then she was pulled out by a strange little child name Romy who is now her son. Love this woman.

ROUND 7: Storm is Eliminated!

(Take. A. Guess.)

This one sorta devastated me ngl. Storm is a teenager with arguably the most complicated origin of any of my OCs! What’s important is that they’re part of (in at least one timeline) the Omori Deltarune AU! They’re one of Halkinna’s best friends- they can come off as edgy, but they have soo much love in they heart. They also enjoy writing angst.

ROUND 8: Arthur Morris is Eliminated!

(picrews are: https://picrew.me/image_maker/1706331 and https://picrew.me/image_maker/1414503)

Arthur Morris is one of my Shadows Over Loathing OCs- specifically my Cheese Wizard save! He’s very intelligent and rather soft spoken. He loves learning about various forms of magic, as well as their history. He also had an.. interesting dynamic with Noel, since he just simply could not match her energy. Oh yeah he also a crush on Charles, love to see it. He’s actually part of a duo- wonder if the other is somewhere around here ;D

That’s the end of part one cause this got very long lol, part two of the results should be soon

[koyoba]

A few assorted doodles from one of my campaigns! Our party are the Gaslight Gatekeep Girlbosses and we're running Storm King's Thunder in potentially the most chaotic way possible.

① Our half-orc barbarian and tiny triton paladin had a fearsome arm wrestling bout, which ended in tragedy and wounded feelings when the barbarian said some hurtful things in order to land the finishing blow (they made up though).

② We went shopping in Waterdeep for various trinkets and spell components. The paladin asked my nervous aasimar warlock to pick out a platinum ring they liked to be used for Warding Bond, ostensibly. There may(?) have been some miscommunication?

③ The party went to see an ancient dragon for information and for reasons unknown she took ~quite a liking~ to my warlock. The elven ranger, a former dragon cultist, was not happy to be ignored. The paladin was not happy about this for some other reason.

[storms-path]

I posted 166 times in 2022

107 posts created (64%)

59 posts reblogged (36%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@syngigeim

@storms-path

@charmwitch

@asofterethyris

@vytamins

I tagged 143 of my posts in 2022

Only 14% of my posts had no tags

#ff14 - 139 posts

#final fantasy 14 - 139 posts

#ffxiv - 139 posts

#final fantasy xiv - 139 posts

#arashi washi - 73 posts

#auraugust - 28 posts

#ffxivwrite - 28 posts

#ffxivwrite2022 - 28 posts

#endwalker spoilers - 23 posts

#stalwart mountain - 23 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#sanda doesn't quite get it but the implication is that her voidsent is just part of that nasty abomination she and stalwart flavour-blasted

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Auraugust 2022 Day 6 - Scion

Oft forgotten by history are those whose quiet actions enabled the greatest change. So it was for one Tataru Taru. While most remember her for her enterprise empire, her contributions as bookkeeper and financier for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn could, quite possibly, have led to the salvation of the world as we know it.

“...Arashi, what are you doing?”

“I’m just trying to express my appreciation of you, dear Tataru!”

“...How much gil has Alphinaud drained our coffers by this time?”

“Too, too much...”

9 notes - Posted August 6, 2022

#4

So, there’s two moments in Endwalker which provoked very audible reactions in me when they happened. The first was this twist in the tale, which I had to slam some manic words on the keyboard about.

The second was this:

Hitting that button, sending my friends and allies back to relative safety while I faced down oblivion myself? That wasn’t it.

See the full post

16 notes - Posted January 4, 2022

#3

See the full post

19 notes - Posted June 23, 2022

#2

See the full post

41 notes - Posted January 13, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Azem: "I don't think we'll be able to Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss our way out of this one!"

Venat, already drawing her sword: "Gratuitous violence it is, then."

121 notes - Posted February 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ultraericthered]

Anime Update V3 10

From Me To You - Things are now taking their time, with random fluff and incidents such as Sawako, as her one good deed of the day, sheltering a hilariously ungrateful and angry puppy from the rain, and the dog later gets adopted by Kazehaya. Then there's the start of the new school term where seatings have to be changed via drawing numbers, with almost no one wanting to sit next to, behind, in front of, or across from Sawako. Kazehaya ends up going "fuck it, I'm going to take some initiative here!" and physically moves his table and seat next to Sawako's. Yano, Yoshida, and this guy named Ryuu also sit in that end of the classroom, so I guess this is our main cast. My main takeaway is how our two leads are sort of inversions of one another - Sawako is introverted yet easily lets her emotions show, while Kazehaya is extroverted yet is good at being hard to read.

Hunter x Hunter - The Hunters' assault on the royal palace finally begins and with a great big bang. Netero and Zeno did this huge, shiny strike from the sky and Netero let out a display of his full power that hits Neferpitou, who is miraculously able to survive this. Most of the episode was filled with narration and there's even a glimpse into Netero's backstory for how he attained the strength he has now.

SHUFFLE! - Well on one hand, I've warmed up to Primula enough to give a damn when it's revealed what she really is and the focus gets put on her falling ill and needing to be taken back to the demon world and possibly out of the main casts' lives forever. On the other hand, I'm not sure I welcome this sudden swerve into drama. I'm pretty sure I was expecting it at some point given similar works like CLANNAD, but I was enjoying the fun, breezy and laid-back feel the show had going, and now even the opening card, mid-episode eyecatches, and next episode previews aren't the same as they were before! I'm going to be hopeful that this goes somewhere to make this trade worth it and that the charm doesn't completely fade away.

The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II - Had a real locked room mystery this time, one set at an estate that holds a magical workshop in the midst of a storm and had to be covered in two episodes rather than one! To make the case stranger, the client has some special eyes that allow him to see and visually communicate with a human-sized fairy that seems to be haunting the place. I loved that Reines actually got to come along in person for this one, as we got to see some good reactive comedy from her and some precious interaction between her and Gray, showing she's got more range to her than simply an evil girlboss. Also got to meet Ms. Hishiri Adashino, who Waver can barely stand, and Kairi Shishigou, a burly, shades and jacket wearing, gun-toting necromacer. Gray is confirmed to have a connection to Saber as she becomes instrumental in the fight against these terrifying black dogs. I think the one part that was iffy for me is that it repeated the "the father is the posthumous mastermind!" twist from Episode 3, only this time there was no actual ghost in the works. But it did lead to us learning of Rail Zeppelin, an underworld group that sells mystic eyes, paving the way for an unfolding story arc.

KonoSuba - The OVA episode was all kinds of priceless, if not a little bit aggrivating at points due to the characters' stupidity. Got to meet Megumin's self-proclaimed rival Yunyun, though the relationship seems to actually be one of a bully and her victim who've become friends/rivals/secret lovers. Her presence at Wiz's shop leads to Kazuma putting on a cursed choker that will drain him of his life unless his heart's wish from when it was first put on is granted. Since Kazuma is the fucking worst, he milks this situation and gets the girls to do whatever he wants them to do, hoping they'll pleasure him enough for it to be considered wish fulfillment. It doesn't pan out, so he has to confess all his sins before he goes, and long story short, he does end up dying again but it's not the choker that does him in.

Symphogear XV - With the main Symphogear girls at the lunar ruins and Shem-Ha planning on using the Curse of Balal to activate Yggdrasil so that she can distort all life on Earth, repopulate it with her own monstrous spawn, and become a true goddess, the final season is at its climax. Tsubasa and Maria work together and put up a great fight against Noble Red, but are too late to stop Shem-Ha from activating Yggdrasil, which is forming towers all over the planet!

Eureka Seven - Aside from some character growth moments for Talho and Holland, and the reassertion of Gecko State's goal, not much happened here! Basically just prepping for the fight ahead.

Gintama - OK, calling this arc "Yakuza VS Aliens" is either the most misleading thing the series could've done or it's secretly genius. The first of the three episodes sees a freak alien parasite running amuck in Edo City and famed alien hunter Umibozu arriving to exterminate it, and in the process talk his daughter Kagura into returning with him to their homeworld. Yeah, he's Kagura's father and there's a more complicated history behind Kagura's clan and why Kagura wanted to break away from it to live a normal, fun life on Earth, Kagura gets more seriously angered than we've seen her get to this point and has a fight against her old man that's settled by Gintoki making a save and....telling Kagura she should leave Earth with her father. He just gives Kagura up and walks away. What in the blazing HELL, Gin?!?

[shanastoryteller]

Heyo! So it seems like you've watched a bunch of K-dramas and I was wondering if you have any recommendations for a first one to watch for someone who's never watched any Korean shows, let alone many dramas either? I know this is vague and of course tastes vary, but does anything come to mind? Not sure if it's a common sub-genre, but bonus if they aren't super dark and grim. Thanks so much, love your writing!

i love foreign dramas! most of what i watch is from korea and china, but i've watched a few really good ones from thailand and japan too

some of these exist multiple places, but if it's possible to watch it on viki, that's my recommendation. their translations tend to be the best

business proposal (korea, netflix) is a really good intro to kdramas and covers a lot of common tropes, plus the main and secondary couples have FANTASTIC chemistry, which can be rare. a woman pretends to be her rich friend on a blind date, but it ends up being with the ceo of her company and identity shenanigans and hijinks ensue. if you like this one, you'll also really like what's wrong with secretary kim? (korea, viki) but i'd watch this one first because it's a little bit less wacky

the romance of tiger and rose (china, viki) is extremely cute and stars zhao lusi, who i love. a scriptwriter gets trapped in her own alternate historical drama script as a character that she kills off in episode three and has to try and change the story to ensure her own survival and falls in love along the way. it's meta enough that it gives you a good sense for the vibe of historical/fantasy chinese dramas. the acting can be a little meh from some characters in this one, but the leads are all great and respective emotional support characters for the male and female lead are hysterical

word of honor (china, viki) is i think a digestible-ish intro to the wuxia genre, but honestly you just kind of have to jump into wuxia and trust you'll figure out the tropes and world basics as you go. a dying former leader of an assassination organization gets stalked by an unhinged serial killer who's also an excellent cook. they fall in love an adopt a son. the ending here isn't fully happy as some beloved characters die

mr. queen (korea, viki) is one of my absolute favorites and straightforward enough that i don't think the politics are too confusing for someone going in with no background in historical korean culture and politics. a male chef drowns and ends up in the body of queen cheorin, the main wife of the king from the late 1800s, and is determined to return home and NOT fall in love with the king. it's unintentionally very queer and the acting and plot is really a plus here.

bad buddy (thailand, youtube) is a bl drama that is about the sons of neighbors who hate each other going from eternal rivals to boyfriends. it's cute and the chemistry pops off. thai dramas are top tier for non censored queer content, but be prepared for some awkward dialogue and a lot of product placement. the chemistry of the leads tends to make up for this. a tale of 1000 stars (thailand, youtube) is one of the worst offenders of this, but the leads carried that show on the power of their vibes and sexual tension alone. kinnporsche (thailand, dramacool) is the best thai drama i've watched, but i would not describe it as light.

crash landing on you (korea, netflix) is another favorite, but you do need to just disassociate a bit from the fact that it takes place in north korea. a successful girlboss ceo is paragliding, gets caught in a storm, and ends up north korea. a military official finds her and after some light threatening agrees to try and get her back to korea instead of turning her in or killing her, but to pull this off she has to pose as his fiance. the relationships in this one are so good, and it's a happy ending for our main, but it takes some trials and our secondary couple does NOT end happily ever after.

i'm currently going feral over love like the galaxy (china, viki), but i think it's better appreciated after consuming another historical chinese dramas so you have socio-political-trope context for what's happening

goblin (korea, viki), untamed (china, viki), and nirvana in fire (china, viki) are some of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE shows but i think opening with them would be a mistake and you'll miss a lot nuance going in cold

[athyathye]

Girlboss-ed

Author's note 📝: gaslight gatekeep girlboss!!! Based from this request♡

Warnings ⚠️: Kidnapping! Philosophy questions that'll maybe make you think, curse words, violence and more!

(Angry/Souya, Mikey and Ran)

Angry :

❥ Guess who’s sh*tting up a storm trying to find you? Smiley and the others had to continuously glance at the blue-haired boy to check on him. Surely a crying blue ogre wasn’t what they needed right now.

❥ But who was going to stop him if he cries though? Certainly not Mikey who was the source of bad ideas. And certainly not Draken who was too busy brainstorming with Mitsuya on who abducted you.

❥ “If nobody finds y/n or if nobody even gives a clue on where she might be...I don’t know if I can hold myself back...nii-chan” Angry’s state was questionable really. He looked calm, sitting down with his interlocked hands covering the lower part of his face. But at the same time his eyes are saying he was 1 second away from blowing up.

❥ Smiley didn’t know what to do. First, his little brother was on the edge of crying and losing control and the Second, you were still missing. He didn’t know how to comfort Angry and he didn’t have a clue on where you were either.

❥ Nahoya Kawata stood there dumbfounded, He desperately wished for good news because he was absolutely sure, both of them would lose their marbles. Just one...just one word “Smiley!!! We got someone!” Well, it looks like his prayers were answered.

❥ Meanwhile, on your side. “I’m just saying…” You watched as some of the men in front of you ran around in absolute chaos. “STOP TALKING!” Oh...one finally cracked. You looked to your left where a man skidded his body against the wall. His eyes were bloodshot.

❥ “I’m alive haha...I’m real...I exist, I can feel pain!” He pounded and pinched himself, his pupil was shaking as he took rapid breaths. “But...That’s exactly what a simulation would want you to think.” His crazed eyes refocused on your figure who was leisurely sitting still. Unbothered by the chaos that was unfolding in front you.

❥ “I mean like...of they were smart enough to even create a simulation, what makes you think they wouldn’t perfect making us think we were real?” Those words honestly made everyone around you think deeply and crack. Some started running, some started bawling their eyes out while some just looked...dead.

❥ “no...no..n-” “Ah! Going by that logic, what rejects the idea that says that, that possibility or reality isn’t simulation?” You began to question, loudly in fact. Before you could continue, noises of all sorts were heard. It caused most of the men to flinch and for you to smile brightly.

❥ As if on command the entrance of the warehouse you were locked in was opened. “Souya~!!! You found me! That was not a fun hide and seek!” Even Angry himself had to take a double look around to make sure he was seeing things right. I mean, your partner was tied up and smiling, with her captors looking quite...disorganized.

❥ “W-what happened? Nevermind that, Are you ok!?” he rushed to where you were, untying and analyzing you for any injuries you may have sustained. “I’m fine! Better than yesterday actually!”

❥ How could you be so jolly at a time like this. “H-hey you can see me right?” A hand gripped Draken’s jacket, the tall man glanced unamusedly at the pitiful person who was practically on his knees. He sighed from stress ‘Reminder to never anger y/n ever again...don’t let Mikey near her too-’

❥ Once you were free, Angry spent no time in grabbing you, carrying you like how one would with a toddler as he rushed to where first aid can be found, but you still had unfinished business.

❥ “By the way! It doesn’t really matter! If one day our simulation's creators came down and took us out of the sim, we'd eventually ponder the same possibility.” You shouted after them, smiling in delight at the groans that came after. Angry glanced at you briefly before looking away.

❥ Whatever philosophical question or realization you've come up or heard of, leave him out of it.

Mikey :

❥ A match made in hell honestly, you got the mind and mouth to make others go bonkers, he got the fists to make others lose the ability to think.

❥  “Do you really have free will? Or does free will have you?” You asked the person in front of you, watching his face twist in confusion before he shook it. “As I was saying, We’ve got your girlfriend, come to the address I sent if you don’t wanna see me blow her brains out.”

❥ He closed the flip phone, ultimately ending the call before taking a look towards you who was busy looking up at him with wide clear doe-eyes and all. “Cause if you think about it...Money, you want money right?”

❥ The man squatted down, looks like he was hooked, perfect. “You desire it...Do you control your desires? No. If we’re not in control of our desires then what is?” The man thought for a bit before looking back at you. “All I’m hearing is in a way, I’m innocent and-”

❥ “oh-ho? Are you trying to say what you’re doing isn't bad because of said desires?” You smiled wryly as you questioned him, glancing at him in a way that looked like you were looking down on him, their 6 foot tall leader.

❥ “What? No-” “So you’re admitting it,  you’re a bad person.” “I- I mean-” “Ah right? What really defines bad and good? Morals? Integrity? Sigh…”

❥ You glanced around as if in disappointment, but you could only do so much with the ropes bounding you on the chair. “Stop confusing me damn it, I’ll beat the hell out of you if you let another peep escape that pretty mouth of yours.”

❥ “Of course you will, somebody who think that way could even beat a disabled or an elderly person for money…” “That’s! That’s not it! Mikey ha-” You began to sniffle, confusing the hell out of the men inside the room. “Of course it’s not that! You’re being controlled by your desires aren’t you? It’s ok! You’re not a bad person!”

❥ The man looked around helpless and beginning to fall unawaringly under the hatchet of lunacy you were trying to create for him. The people around you also began to think about your words. “I- I’m not a good person per se! but-”

❥ “Are you trying to tell me that or are you convincing yourself?” Playing devil’s advocate, that role really suited you. Seeing as though the man in front  of you began to look around for anybody to help him. Only to see his men whispering and screaming to each other. But not for the reason you may think, they were discussing what you were saying, but were too flustered to actually think straight.

❥ But then again, that wasn’t what he saw in his eyes anyways. The man began to take sharp breaths, Truly, your words could really make one think before you could say more a group of people came barging in.

❥ “Took them long enough” You scoffed, not seeing the way the people around became so alarmed that they began running away. Being in a vulnerable state with loud noises isn’t really desirable, you see.

❥ In a flash somebody had grabbed the chair you were bound to. “Next time you borrow money from a mafia-like group or something, make sure you know how to deal with it.” Your unimpressed gaze on your boyfriend who was working on your ropes made him let out a sheepish chuckle.

❥ “Sorry, princess. We owe you one” He said seriously but still kept a smile on his face. “Not just one….”

❥ “I’ll give you 3 free passes to cuddle, whole day with no interruptions.” “Deal.”

Ran :

❥ The way your captors looked at you with a grimy smile disgusted you. “You’re a pretty one, ain’t ya? Surely your boy toy wouldn’t mind if we damage the goods quite a bit…” Pause. Did he seriously refer to you as ‘goods’ ? How degrading.

❥ “Are you guys really faithfully following this trash?” You saw how the other’s smile faltered, the way their eyes showed hesitance once their leader spoke. ‘Hmm~’ you hid the amusement threatening to paint your face because of the idea that struck you.

❥ “Lady, if you know what’s good for you then shut up.” One of them began to speak, they say the eyes were the windows to one’s soul. The man’s eyes who spoke gave you a clear view of just what his actions said. “Tch I’d know better than you.” you retorted.

❥ “What’s that supposed to mean?” The leader’s voice was laced with malice and oozed danger. You saw how some of them took a step back before you directly, head on stared at the threat. “Seriously, Have you seen their body language? What makes you think your people aren’t capable of betraying or, at the very least, willing to betray you?”

❥ You laughed mockingly. Infuriating the man before you. “Common sense.” “And you think you guys have that? Wow.” Ok that crossed the line a bit. “Ha? You little-” “Leader come on!”

❥ ‘What a brave soul, I’ll remember your sacrifice’ you thought as you glanced at the man who was twiddling with his fingers but had a determined look on his downcasted eyes. “Are you really- Hah. So you’ve thought about it.” Huh, if it was this easy to get in between the group’s teamwork then they weren’t really good in the first place.

❥ “Oh don’t be like that you guys! Your leader is reasonable! The problem with gangs is that the person it takes to become a leader is not the type of person we would want as a civilian.” You defended the person on the verge of getting ganged on.

❥ “Yeah! You guys pushed me to this position! Why are you acting like you’re all saints!” Oh how you wished you had popcorn. Some people coughed, some cleared their throats. You took that as a sign to speak “But then again, It’s not their fault you're such a greedy tyrant! I bet if they knew the outcome they wouldn’t have pushed you!”

❥ Your words paired with a face that looked so innocent, so free of implications made others get their confidence back. “I’m done with your tyranny!” “Yeah!” “You’ve lost the way of the delinquents!”

❥ “YOU!” Their leader fumed, turning his back on you who was hiding your face in the shadows of your hair. Punches began to fly, kicks, tackles as well as weapons were involved. It was hilarious, how they thought they could last with that amount of trust in each other.

❥ You looked outside of the window, trying to count the seconds away. Ignoring the sounds of grunts and groans around you. Finally, the sound of revving motorcycles was heard by you alone. The people around you, too busy fighting each other that they forgot the real threat.

❥ “Hey come on now, what? We just got here and you’re already fighting? Tsk tsk” The sight of the braided and bleached hair of your lover sent joy scouring through you. “Ran~!” you cooed as you smiled, ignoring the looks thrown at you with unnerve.

❥ “Haa...I deal with you enough at home, but now I have to deal with your crazy girlfriend” Rindou muttered at his older brother who pretended to not hear, Ran’s gaze was on you and nothing else.

❥ “You ok? Sorry I got you involved...but then again you handled it like a champ. That’s my girl” He said with a proud and award-winning smile. “...What are you doing?” It did not escape your vision how Ran had been holding some kind of tape. Though all he said back in reply was a simple “Shhh”

❥ “You’re way cuter when you don’t open your mouth” While the others were looting whatever they could from the place, Ran placed a generous amount of tape on your mouth. “Mmph!” you exclaimed in protest through the type, your eyes beginning to burn in anger which made Ran shiver for a bit.

❥ “I- It’s a joke! It’s a joke haha! I’m untying you now!” True to his words, he untied the rope that burned your wrists. You were about to rip the tape of your mouth and shout your not so nice words at him when he grabbed your hand.

❥ “I love you, but please, for the love of god and for everybody’s sanity keep that tape on.”

[sscarletvenus]

LOOKISM CHAPTER 389

•Sinu's back ~~~ And he's cooler than ever ~~~

• BIG DEAL IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SO PERSONAL

• My girl looks so good rn I'm gonna scream, cry and throw up

• Anyways so Mitsuki's dad was a piece of shit, womanizer, idler, child neglecter (basically Gapryong Kim in a nutshell lol) and she was the one who stepped up and revived casino Lucky after becoming Ceo

• OH AND SHE DESPISES MEN

• Vivi and Mitsuki besties... So true garbage really does belong together

• The timeline of the flashback is when the Club Vivi is being set up, and the underground Fighting Cage (where Sinu is being used) is already running.

• So Vivi is the one who brought Mitsuki to Korea and introduced her to Eugene, who then invited Mitsuki to watch the fighting as a VIP.

• Eugene calls Sinu pathetic for selling himself off for the street, his love and his men, not realising that MITSUKI HAS BECOME OBSESSED to the point she wants to buy Sinu... And Eugene, the devil's advocate that he is, agrees to sell his "object" only if Mitsuki is willing to run the Second Affiliate...

•honestly Eugene's nerd ass always reminds of a tarantula like so much evil in such a little container

• Whenever Sinu appears I start quivering either from the sadness or for the ahem horny

• MITSUKI IS NOT A GIRLBOSS LMAOOO like miss ma'am you're rich enough to afford therapy, and yet you're resolving your daddy issues by drugging and gaslighting an innocent man who just said he isn't interested to make sacrifices for you? (UNDERSTANBLY SO BECAUSE YOU'RE STRANGERS AND YOUR NASTY ASS IS MAKING HIM FIGHT TO DEATH JUST TO FEEL SOMETHING EVERY PASSING DAY)

• Like no matter how horrible a parent was to you, it doesn't give you the right to be horrible to someone else... JUST LOOK AT JAKE. Same daddy issues. Same disgust for men. Same experience of being touched by Sinu's "romance"... But did we see him go around asking Sinu to fight with random dudes one fine Tuesday morning to prove his "sacrifice"???

• I'M SHAKING??? SHE REALLY PRETENDED TO BE YEONHUI AND SAID JAKE IS DEAD, AND ONLY SINU WAS LEFT IN BIG DEAL... AND CREATED A FALSE STREET, GOT EUGENE TO ACCELERATE SINU'S DRUGGING SO THAT HE COULDN'T REMEMBER, AND PERSUADED HIM TO PROTECT HER

•Are we talking about Lee Jinho/244 cuz Eugene mentioned a Drug Genius...

•idk i feel like she could actually #MakeHimWorse... Like girl YOU'RE CALLED HIME BECAUSE OF YOUR BEAUTY AND BRAINS... and yet you're on your knees??? GET UP AND GO TO WORK PLEASE

• he's so fine omg my head hurts

• so I told you all there' a HIGH POSSIBILITY that shiro oni and warai oni have come across each other right??? I think we just got a lookism and htf crossover (Nomen's uniform is similar to that of the gang Seongjoon took control of, and they're both notorious biker gangs from Kanto region)

• UMMM so I thought Xiaolung and Jerry were SIMPS but looks like the SIMP OLYMPICS has a rising contender : NOMEN lmaooo

•So Ruyhei (aka Kagiroi president aka Ranger Dog aka Nomen) left his position of the president of a gang that took over Kanto region from the freaking Yakuza to move to Korea for a girl who... lol nvm everybody point and laugh

• "WHO MADE HER CRY" how tf are we supposed to know take a guess???

• Also Jake wants to bring Mitsuki to Daniel because he promised him to do whatever he wants if Daniel lets him meet Sinu... And Daniel wanted to take her to the some President (most probably Steve Hong?)

• JAKE SAID HE'S NOT GONNA LOSE HIS FAMILY ANYMORE

•"HOWEVER... DESPITE ALL OF THAT... THERE'S NO ROMANCE" mic drop sinu let's gooo

• felt some chills cuz cap guy, mandeok, samuel are on their way to the second affiliate with eugene who probably keeps around a few terrorist organisations as pets... J-HIGH, HOSTEL, BIG DEAL PLZ GET OUT NOW

•kinda curious about the outcome of the fight between Zack and Kenta damn

• in conclusion big storm coming next week : lovers reunited after the korean war Vs. SIMP super ultra pro max hd

[nikkiferncapp-blog]

Let’s Talk About It: Thanksgrieving

For the record: Nope. Nope. Nope. I don’t want to eat a turkey right now. I don’t want to talk about my blessings. And I DEFINITELY don’t want to be asked one million times, ‘Are you okay?’.

Because I’m not. I worked the last 3 long days leading up to this horrible holiday for me. I had to hear people complain about how my store could possible run out of elbow macaroni pasta on a holiday like this. 

Luckily for my excellent customer service skills - I kept it together. I didn’t want to remind them that they are OK. That their world was not ending because they had to find another type of noddle for Mac & Cheese. My world though? It ended August 23rd of this year when my husband died. THAT was something I could bitch about.

The days leading up to today, I tried to give myself positive thoughts. I tried to surround myself with people who could make me laugh. But here is today - and even though I am currently surrounded by my favorite adopted family members - I am sad as hell. I want to be thankful. I really do. But I miss my husband. I was forever thankful for him and he’s gone now.

Right now, Chris and I would be working. This was the only holiday that we volunteered to work because it was a short day for us. We would get off at 3, then head home real quick to load up the truck (we would be off for the next 2 days) and drive to his parents’ house in San Antonio.

On the way there, we would stop at some fast food place off Mason and i10 (probably Panda Express), eat something real quick to hold us until our rest stop at Buc-ees. Once in SA, we would eat way too much - drink some sour beers or good wine - and chat with his parents’ about work. The next day (Black Friday my favorite day because guess what we did) we would go SHOPPING at the Outlets right after lunch at Cracker Barrel. 

We would attempt to visit Grandma before leaving back for Houston Saturday evening and rest up before a busy Sunday at work. That was our Thanksgiving.

My reality this year is different. It’s my Thanksgrieving holiday. However I’m going to change it up. I’m going to talk about some people I’m thankful for this year. Starting with:

Angel Chris - my favorite Aggie. Who taught me how to budget and be an adult, but also empowered me to be a girlboss in all things. He matured me into a better person and gave me the most supportive backbone I’ve ever experienced. God I miss him.

Momma Tam Tam - My Mother In Law who is as much a part of me as Chris is. This women has laughed with me, cried with me, and listening to me vent about insensitive comments that people have made. She has reminded me that I can, and I will, keep living.

Cody - My Brother In Law aka brother aka the funniest person I know. I am so thankful for his bright spirit. He is just as unfiltered as I am, and I cannot tell you what a blessing that is. He makes my heart happy.

Momma Fern - My Mom. I can write this entire blog about how Thankful I am for her. To love my husband as if he were her own, to be there for not only me - but everyone during the funeral process. For the continued check ups and love from the East Coast. Who I am is because of her. I love her so much.

Jessie - Chris’ Turtle. This girl has always loved me as if she knew me her whole life. I have never felt so included in all things - she was the first wedding I was in! She will do anything with me and constantly reminds me how badass I am. Thankful for this sweet lady.

Cousins - Who will travel and do so many crazy things with me, including going to New Orleans and dancing the weekend away. Talk about positive people - there is no times for any sadness with them They are beautiful inside and out and I am so glad to have them be my family.

Chrissie - my NOLA cutie who may be a 6 hour drive away but never lets me feel forgotten. Love this soul who makes the best Creole food ever.

Marisa - My tiny human who has been sucked into this shit storm of family drama thanks to life. ANYONE who can play with your hair and rub your arm till you fall asleep every time she sees you is a Saint.

Mel - Good gravy. Who lets you immediately move in after your husband dies no questions asked? This girl took me in and all my bat shit crazy issues and loves me like family. She feeds me pasta and lets me cuddle with her dog. She also keeps me educated on Pop Culture and will just chill me with when I need to decompress. Thanks Mellie Mel.

Jaya/Eigeges - My adopted family. They’ve been there for every life event and of course we have spent every holiday with them. They remind me that there is good in the life. They remind me to have HOPE.

The Williams - My sweet friends who have been there thru everything. They keep me warm and bubbly and are always down to hangout any where and any time. They keep their home and heart open to me.

Ray Ray Fre$h - My Best Friend. Who continues to drop everything for me when I need her too. Who forces me to do things outside of my comfort zone - but reminds me it is my comfort zone because I’m with her. 

Jess & Josh - Although they are an hour away (UGH), they love me like a neighbor. Jess and I have gone thru some pretty serious life shit and yet somehow we are still standing! She is my motivation. She keeps my head up. She is love.

Leadership Ladies - I am so thankful for my store. These ladies keep me laughing! Whether it’s trying to give me a cat or telling me about some Drugs Inc episode, they keep my mind busy and my heart full.

Ernie (Brotatertot) - My constant remind to be positive and happy. He loves me like family and lifts me up constantly. Not just in this season of life, but in all my seasons. He is skilled in life and shares his goodness with me.

Crafty Callie - My Real. That’s who she is because that’s how she keeps it She doesn’t sugar coat and doesn’t hide. She is real. And she is everything I can ask for in a friend. Love her hugs and her sweet dog who only likes me when she’s not there.

Joshy Fern - My brother. He has dealt with a lot in his short life and continues to move forward. His sweet nickname for me reminds me that our bond is blood and I’m thankful to have the same DNA as him.

Bonfire Ags - This group that has adopted me as their own. I love them to my core being. They are my family. They keep their arms open for me and remind me to party hard and have fun.

There are so many other people I haven’t mentioned. Dad, DT, John C, etc., that I am thankful for. For so many reasons I have such amazing reminds that their is life. There is love. There is hope.

Chris - Thank you. More than half this list came from you. You knew what you were doing with you picked me.

XOXO,

NFC

[thefemalecampaign-blog]

Meet A Young Visionary. #GirlBoss

Meet a Young Visionary: We had the opportunity of interviewing a young bright, talented soul by the name of Kaylan Jefferson. Many of you may also know her as “The Visionary Boss.” She’s currently taking the world by storm with her blog platform that showcases her style, writing, other influential women, but she’s also launched her own organization at the age of nineteen. Whew! Now that she has inspired us, we hope that you become inspired too.

Now for starters, she’s very confident with who she is and what she does. When we asked her about herself, some of her goals, and basically her influences this is what she had to say:

 “I like the refer to myself as the one & only muse. I use the rhythm of my conversation and words to create intimate, vulnerable think pieces, to witty narratives and self-improvement, and candid, groundbreaking content. I’m newly nineteen years old and it feels wonderful. I have always been a huge life enthusiast. Funny, I’m somewhat of an introvert, but I have a fondness for communication and networking. When I was younger my passions ranged from wanting to being an author, a fashion designer, to a cinematographer. Nonetheless, in one sense or another, I wanted to be a boss. A CEO! Hence my blog and platform: The Visionary Boss. I was born up north, but have lived in Tampa for pretty much all of my life. As far as influential women in my life, I would definitely pay homage to my mother: a queen, a beautiful soul and a great confidant, all in one. My mom has always supported me and been someone I look up to, entrepreneurial wise and more. She has this eclectic, earthy, warm approach to everything she does. Her seamless nature almost seems effortless, at times. That’s the kind of boss I want to be—I want to execute my passions and moves in a natural, fitting way.”

 Not only has Kaylan been an influencer herself, she has also been influenced by someone very close to her to start her on business venture. When we asked Kaylan about who influenced her to start her own business, she said:

“My mother has influenced me to start my own business, because she was an entrepreneur and a self-made business woman at the age of nineteen. I am gracefully following her lead. Being a business owner is humbling, because I'm constantly challenging myself. Everyday, I am trying different methods to reach an audience. At the moment, I am selling sophisticated, sleek sunglasses. For $5 you can either get a cup of coffee, or a beautifully crafted pair of sunnies from an independent, black-owned business. I started the Visionary Boss Shop when I was a senior in high school. I remember investing my money into the project, getting a great model to showcase the shades, and taking the photos for them. I was told that my idea was 'small' and 'good-luck growing my little business,' by an individual at the time. Now, I just smile, because I'm genuinely happy that I got the experience of creating and developing my own merchandise. No one can take that away from me. I do not wear it on my sleeve, but I am proud to call myself an entrepreneur.”

 Your brand has to be very unique and the name has to along with some type of message. We thought that “The Visionary Boss” was very unique and wanted to figure out what the meaning was behind it:

 “The Visionary Boss is not an alter ego or alias. It is merely my reality. Being a Visionary Boss is dreaming, envisioning and creating an aesthetic of your own while making waves. I am creating visuals, literature and content with simplistic, realistic concepts and story lines that have life-changing tendencies and perspectives. Rewind to my sophomore year of high school. Second semester. During this time in my life, I was in the process of preparing for a pageant. I made it through the auditions, initial interviews, the practices, panels of judges before the show, the photo-shoots and finally the dress rehearsals. The morning of the pageant, we had rehearsal and the host and main coordinator of the show gave all the girls the run-down of the live show and some questions we'd have the answer, after the 'runway' portion of the show. "Describe yourself in one word." That's what he told us. From that moment on, 'visionary' just was ingrained to me. I'm an introspective, deep thinker. I reminisce while dreaming of the future to create a present. It is always my season.”

  Being a female entrepreneur has become more common in today’s age. One thing that can detour a lot of people away is how to start and where to start. Getting your idea from pen and paper to reality can be hard, but it’s not impossible. Our young visionary had a few words for our young, upcoming entrepreneurs:

“My advice for aspiring, young entrepreneurs is to plan accordingly and to be realistic. A blog, a business or any passion project does not happen overnight—but it does require late nights. Being strategic and thinking ahead is my best advice. Also, less is more. You do not need to tackle a million different avenues to be seen as a worthy entrepreneur. Minimalism is a beautiful thing. Have a clean-cut office setting to do your work, be organized and ahhhhhh, take a deep breath. I’m all for being on my grind, but if something is effecting my mental state, then I will take a break. This summer, I’m balancing my summer pre-med classes, my full-time marketing coordinating job, and the glorious thing I call my blog: The Visionary Boss. 24 hours is not enough. Like Ginuwine said, ‘Give me 24, give me 24.’ So, basically, I never try to overwork myself. I can simply just get up the next morning and get as much as I can do, possible. Real bosses get sleep, haha.

You asked what problems I’ve faced as a young, black entrepreneur. For starters, being a young, black entrepreneur is a market and network of its own. Personally, I have not had any huge, underlying issues or obstacles. If anything, I think being a young black woman influencer, entrepreneur and blogger has helped me. But, universally speaking, I do think there is too much of a ‘I’m a bigger boss’ elitist competition between young black professionals, bloggers, etc.  The world—at least the independent black marketing and network world would be a lot more vibrant, if people built together. Too many times I scroll down my Insta feed and see young black fashion designers, models, bloggers, influencers and business owners who have this super elitist complex and promote the fact that they have haters and copiers. Yawn! Not everything has to be this elaborate, over the top competition. Just put your heart and soul into your work, be confident in that and network with others.”

Passion is the one thing that seems to drive any and every one when it comes to their dreams. Kaylan was able to tell us her passions and how she figured out what her passions were at a young age:

“My number one passion in life is to evoke a feeling of warmth, inspiration and revelation. I have a passion for aesthetics, literature, film, the universe, the cosmos, the ocean, the mind and body. I organically figured out my passions when I was fifteen. It was on a Summer night that I call one of my many 'nostalgic nights.' It is the intuition you get about life on a hot summer night or intimate fall evening. It is the reflection along with a dream. I want to create eminent, eclectic masterpieces with ancient allusions, aspects from traditional literature and atmospheric, relevant vibes. And, I want to write. And be a CEO. These are my passions, that may be larger-than-life to some, but heaven sent to me.”

We live in a society that has powerful women making their marks in every industry. These women to say the least, influence majority of us in many ways to pursue our own dreams. Our fellow young boss had a few influential women in mind:

“There are so many bold, unapologetic women powerhouses. From Ava Duvernay, to Debbie Allen, Oprah Winfrey,  Issa Rae, to Solange and Beyonce Knowles. Those are women bosses, right there. All of these women are creators, producers and game-changers when it comes to filmmaking, entertainment and creating vivid concepts. I am an aspiring cinematographer and I have filmed, produced, edited and created mini documentaries, short visuals and look-books. In high school, I spent a lot of time dissecting behind-the-scenes and production for music videos, critically-acclaimed movies and even concerts. I wanted to be the modern-day female Spike Lee. But, in all honesty I thank the women mentioned above for inspiring me.”

There’s always speculation about what the future may hold for many, but Kaylan seems to continue to have the bright spirit and drive to succeed and tap into way more in the future:

“I’m going to have a lot of fun with this answer, because I have a dozen vision boards in the back of my head. Ten years from now I will be twenty-nine years old. I will have my pharmacy degree, (cheers to that), and continue to be the CEO of The Visionary Boss. Honestly, I have always envisioned myself living a simplistic, yet larger-than-life life. By 29, I will be married to my equivalent, and he will most likely have a growing business—and we’ll be partners for a business that is something organic or natural, or dealing with fitness. Maybe all three.  I would have successfully spent my twenties, traveling, networking, branding and taking lots of photos, capturing the warm, exciting moments. But honestly, in ten years I want my platform to turn into a brand, and I want to promote my lifestyle to others and be a great CEO.”

Being a young, black entrepreneur can have its cons but it for sure has its pro’s. Kaylan, who is a young, black entrepreneur herself feels the complete opposite of what most may think about being a black female entrepreneur:

“It feels limitless. The only thing stopping young, black entrepreneurs is believing you have to follow a specific formula. And trying to separate thyself from older, original influencers to seem 'different.' There is nothing wrong with being influenced!”

 As a entrepreneur, your number one goal should be making an impact or mark on the world instead of sitting around not trying to make change. Honestly, that’s what being an entrepreneur is about… making change. When Kaylan was asked about how she plans to make an even bigger impact on the world, this is what she had to say:

 “Recently, I started and launched an organization for Top-Shelf, ambitious, creative, well-rounded, vibrant young women + boss babes in Tampa who want to network and give back. This organization and sisterhood is called MUSE—because I, The Visionary Boss surrounds and supports herself around other goddesses who are creative influencers. Through this organization, I want to show representation to young WOC and create a refreshing networking environment for like-minded aspiring bosses.”

 We want to thank Kaylan for wanting to be apart of our campaign and being such a boss she is. We hope she has many more successes in the future!

 Her social media handles:

IG- @thevisionaryboss

Youtube- Cake and Kat

Twitter-@visionary_boss

[bharatiyamedia-blog]

5 Feminine Candidates Take into account the Singular Glass Ceiling: Broadsheet

http://tinyurl.com/y46rwt6h Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Wimbledon has its youngest star ever, extra mothers are flying solo, and 5 feminine Democratic candidates for president take into account the glass ceiling. Have a terrific Tuesday! EVERYONE’S TALKING – 5 candidates; one glass ceiling. Vogue yesterday revealed a must-read that includes interviews with 5 ladies working for the Democratic presidential nomination. The story by Chasing Hillary creator Amy Chozick is chock-full of fascinating tidbits concerning the White Home hopefuls: Amy Klobuchar received into politics by calling for mandated postpartum hospital stays; Elizabeth Warren credit her skilled rise, partially, to her daughter’s potty-training proficiency years in the past; Kamala Harris rightfully spins questions on ‘ladies’s points’ into conversations concerning the economic system and nationwide safety. Chozick writes that the ladies’s historic presence on the debates final week signaled “that the period of a dozen males—and possibly a lone girl—arguing the problems is over.” However that doesn’t imply they’re not dogged by the identical drained questions on electability.  The candidates themselves skirt issues of gender, wanting to speak coverage as an alternative. “I’ve heard from women eight, 9, ten years previous, and for them that is what an election ought to appear like. It’s not a shocker,” Consultant Tulsi Gabbard says.  In making an attempt to reply the query posed by the story headline—What is going to it take to shatter essentially the most cussed glass ceiling?—Chozick herself gives this tackle the present cycle:  “One of many upsides to working in 2020 is that nothing a lot is a shocker anymore. Porn stars and Russian hackers? The president of america, in a span of a few days, selecting fights with Meghan Markle and Bette Midler? Perhaps I’m being overly optimistic, however I see one thing liberating—notably for feminine candidates—in Trump’s subverting of conventional political norms . . . as a result of ladies presidents aren’t the norm both.” Apparently, analysis revealed final week in Harvard Business Review cites the query on the coronary heart of the Vogue story—whether or not a girl is ever going to be elected president—and deems it in and of itself “baffling.” Authors Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman write that their company analysis—evaluation of 360-degree opinions—finds that “ladies in management positions have been perceived as being each bit as efficient as males.” “The truth is,” they write, “whereas the variations weren’t enormous, ladies scored at a statistically considerably greater stage than males on the overwhelming majority of management competencies we measured.” However we all know that electability is not only about management expertise. Zenger and Folkman know this too and flag “incorrect and unwarranted” bias as a prohibitive power.  “[W]omen make extremely competent leaders, in line with those that work most intently with them,” they write. “[W]hat’s holding them again is just not lack of functionality however a dearth of alternative. When given these alternatives, ladies are simply as probably to reach greater stage positions as males.”  Claire Zillman claire.zillman@fortune.com @clairezillman ALSO IN THE HEADLINES – Loopy for Coco. Tennis phenom Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff took Wimbledon by storm yesterday in her victory over five-time champ Venus Williams. The 15-year-old American is the youngest girl to qualify for Wimbledon within the trendy period and has credited the Williams sisters with inspiring her to pursue the game. NPR – Flying solo. Single motherhood is pricey, however extra ladies than ever have an interest. Ladies selecting to have children on their very own was once rich and have just one baby; now a rising portion are higher middle- and middle-class and have a couple of baby. Ladies’s larger illustration in higher-paying jobs is one issue within the shift. Wall Street Journal – Doing variety proper. A reminder and a few sensible ideas right here for the way to verify variety initiatives particularly tackle the wants of girls of shade: analyze alternatives for ladies of shade to progress at your group, guarantee any implicit bias coaching takes an intersectional method, and extra. Harvard Business Review – She’s the captain now. Carola Rakete is captain of the help boat Sea Watch 3, and he or she’s a brand new face of the migrant disaster in Europe. The 31-year-old was arrested at a port on the island of Lampedusa for bringing to shore 40 migrants who have been stranded at sea for a lot of June. Doing so was in violation of Italy’s zero-tolerance closed ports coverage. Fortune MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Joanne Bradford joined the board of administrators at OneLogin. Principal Monetary Group named Guardian Life Insurance coverage’s Beth Wooden SVP and CMO.  IN CASE YOU MISSED IT – IMT within the DMZ. Ivanka Trump appeared to be all over the place this weekend, from her memed involvement in a dialog with Christine Lagarde and Justin Trudeau to her appearances alongside her father at G20. By accompanying the president into North Korea, her function as First Daughter-cum-diplomat turned particularly historic. Washington Post – Questionable steerage. The U.Okay.’s House Workplace has an official coverage notice on trafficking of girls from Nigeria—however the doc stated that ladies who had been trafficked may return to Nigeria “rich from prostitution” and “held in excessive regard.” One of many many issues with that language is that it might damage ladies’s makes an attempt to hunt asylum within the U.Okay.; it’s provoked outrage from politicians and activists. Guardian – Hong Kong protests. On the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from the U.Okay. to China, there are often demonstrations. However protests morphed into mayhem yesterday following the current controversy over the proposed regulation that might have allowed extradition to mainland China and unhappiness with Chief Govt Carrie Lam’s management. Fortune – (Scooter) Did One thing Unhealthy. Are you updated in your area of interest drama this week? Supervisor to the celebrities Scooter Braun purchased Large Machine Information—aka Taylor Swift’s whole again catalogue. Swift accused Braun of bullying—his shoppers embody Kanye West and Justin Bieber, each concerned within the Swift-Kim Kardashian drama of 2016—and stated she wasn’t given the chance to buy her personal music. It continued to escalate from there: Fortune Right this moment’s Broadsheet was produced by Emma Hinchliffe. Share it with a pal. Searching for earlier Broadsheets? Click here. ON MY RADAR Girlboss pivots to offer a LinkedIn for skilled ladies TechCrunch Kim Kardashian agrees to vary the identify of her Kimono model Fast Company Hearst chief content material officer Kate Lewis recommends throwing out your to-do record The Cut QUOTE I’m a woman who’s really into her career, so I’m obsessed with the craft of my work. … There’s a romance in that for me. —Musician Mitski in a ‘New Yorker’ profile Source link