#First Lessons in Accounting Standards

[bugzzybabe]

Social Media [Steve Rogers x Reader]

Summary: Reader teaches Steve how to use social media and he sees her more provocative pictures.

Authors Note: This was written with the intention of a second part so let me know by the end if that sounds appealing. Enjoy!

WC: 1.2k

Steve might have been over a hundred years old but he did his best to keep up with the times. Over the past two years of being with the Avengers, Steve and you had fallen into routine of you casually keeping him up to date with societal standards and routines. Whether it was explaining to him hookup culture or ubers, he was always attentive during your lessons.

You hadn't recognized it, but the past few months, Steve had been taking extra care to impress you. Listening and being there for you was something he took extra pride in as he wanted you to know that he cared.

Little did he know, you had also grown quite fond off the talks you would share. The way his shoulder would brush yours would send shocks down your spine as you tried to ignore any type of non platonic feelings. You truly believed he could never feel that way about you, so you did your best to maintain the friendship.

It was especially hard to keep this act up though when he was staring at you with those bright blue eyes that peered straight into your thumping heart, as he was doing now.

"Please teach me how to use the online medias. Tony won't stop posting pictures of my butt and posting them on the bird app calling it 'America's Ass'." Steve shuttered as he recounted the memes the team would make of him when he wasn't looking. Tony did have a secret spam that he would use to often make fun of the team in a loving way. Everyone assumed it was Peter's doing until you walked in one day on Tony snickering while posting a photo of Clint having fallen asleep in one of the vents.

Looking back at the tall and brutally handsome man in front of you, you sighed and patted the seat on the couch next to you. Steve gave you that faint worthy smile as he politely sat within arms reach of you. The body heat he gave off made you want to melt but you brushed it off and gestured for his phone.

"Oh right!" He fumbled as he patted his pockets down for the phone under Stark Technologies. Steve was one of the only people who denied all the updates Tony would provide for all the team's tech. You always felt bad as using technology for Steve was hard enough without all the constant updates of flashy nonsense.

"So first I'm going to go to the app store and download some of the more common social media apps like Twitter and Instagram." You gently explained as Steve watched you maneuver throughout his phone. He was always left in awe of how natural it all came to you.

"And I don't have to pay for it?" He questioned as you shook your head.

"Nope! Some apps cost money but most don't. Either way, Tony probably would cover it no problem." You stated as the apps downloaded.

Once they were loaded, you opened Instagram and began to sign Steve up. Since there was already an account for Captain America, run by the team's press, there was no need to create a professional one.

"Now I'm gonna make you an account just for your personal use, not to promote any avengers things. Just for Steve!" He nodded along as you rambled, just in awe of you. Honestly you could say anything and he would probably go along with it.

"You can use this account to post or not post whatever. Some people use it for aesthetic pictures they take, photos of friends and family or just selfies of themselves."

"What do you post?" Steve asked as your rambling was cut short. You should've expected this question but you never thought your crush/friend/coworker would ever see your feed (seeing as Steve is clueless when it comes to the internet).

You blushed and stammered to answer, "Well I post pictures of my friends, food I really liked or photos that I look good in I guess..." You mumble the last part and internally beg he wouldn't request to see it. The reason for this being that you had a couple bikini pictures up that usually weren't a problem or shameful secret, but you just didn't want Steve seeing them.

"Can I follow you?" Steve asks with a soft look in his eyes. Your heart fluttered as you pretended to be chill and shrugged looking back at his phone. You proceeded to look up your account and followed it before quickly exiting before he had a chance to see anything.

Steve smiled at you before continuing the conversation, "Thank you for helping me with all this. I didn't want to ask the others and have them make fun of me." He shyly stated as you looked at the man with wide eyes. You didn't realize how comfortable he felt around you until you realized you were the person he came to for help with all of this.

"Oh Steve, it's no problem at all! Plus you're such a fast learner that it's no big deal." Plus you loved being around him so that made it easy. You weren't gonna tell him that last part though...

After another hour of explaining how social media worked, Steve gave you another genuine smile and excused himself to go finish up a last minute report. The second he left the room you let out an exhausted sigh and sunk back into the couch.

Everytime Steve was around you, you got so in your own head that he basically consumed your mind. Little did you know you had the same effect on Steve. The second he stepped into his office, he let out a sigh he didn't realize he was holding. The only real reason he wanted to get on social media was to see all the photos you always seemed to be posting. He saw one of your photos on Natashas phone the other day when she left it out and had never felt so compelled to steal something before.

Within the privacy of his office, Steve finally brought his phone back out and opened Instagram. Going to his following page like you taught him, he opened your account and almost passed out. Right there on your third latest post was a picture of you and Wanda from a hike you had gone on a couple days prior.

Looking at the blissful smile on your face, Steve felt himself falling even harder for you. He continued to scroll through your account until he landed on one of your posts from a couple months ago. You had gone with the girls on a beach trip (funded by Tony) and had a mini photoshoot at the beach. Steve's face flushed bright red as he tried not to look too hard at the photo. He couldn't help but admire the red one piece you were wearing and how it hugged each of your curves in a way that left his mouth watering.

Fumbling to exit out of the photo before he continued to think the lewd thoughts forming in his mind, Steve accidentally hit the like button. Actively trying to not mess up further, Steve threw his phone across the room, hoping it would turn off. Digging his nails into the desk, he took deep breaths as to try and erase the image of you looking so breathtakingly stunning in his mind.

Hesitantly going to pick back up his phone, Steve noticed a new message from you. He quickly opened it up to find a text that made his breath catch, "Come meet me in my room in 10". Holy shit. 

Authors Note: Comment if you want a part 2 with smut ;)

[daportalpractitioner]

the triple goddess in astrology

the triple goddess is represented by 3 archetypes in 1 to describe the multi-layered experience of the divine feminine. they are the maiden, the mother, and the crone.

the maiden: venus

the maiden is the archetype of the young woman who is grounded in her identity, her sexuality, her gifts, her desires, and her standards. she's confident in herself and what she wants, allowing her to cultivate meaningful connections that elevate her on this soul journey. she recognizes that this is her world and you are just living in it. the sign of your venus tells you how you are meant to embody this maiden innerG.

☾⋆｡ for example, a virgo venus is meant to embody her maiden energy through being of service to herself and others with integrity. this means that she doesn't let people take advantage of her and she doesn't do shit for people with manipulative intentions. she only allows what serves her highest good into her life, from what she eats to the environments that she takes space in, because when she focuses and allows only what serves her, she is also of service to The Most High.

the mother: moon

the mother is the archetype of the woman who gives birth to her creations + nurtures them so that they can grow to sustain life on their own. this is deeper than just having kids —this applies to all creations which once started off as a desire. she is an effective nurturer because she recognizes the importance of taking care of herself first. she uses her heart space to heal her wounds through compassion + forgiveness and in turn cultivates a loving community through the love that she fosters. her first home is herself and her life is a desired reflection of everything she already holds within her. the sign of your moon tells you how you are meant to embody your inner mother innerG.

☾⋆｡ for example, a capricorn moon is meant to embody their mother innerG by reconciling the energy connected to family trauma (especially their parental relationships) and not letting their childhood traumas + resentment bleed into the way that they care for themselves and others. she doesn't add unnecessary pressure to herself and shows grace to self + others. she leads by not being too hard on herself and those that look up to her and depend on her. she trusts herself to lean into her femininity + allows others to support her instead of always being the one that others are always relying on.

the crone: saturn

the crone archetype is the wise, older woman who is a pillar in the community, being able to provide support and insight for others due to the hardships + lessons that she experienced. people look up to her as an authority figure because she has the wisdom to guide others in the right direction. she isn't distracted by what's going on in the world + uses her time wisely because she's aware that she won't be here forever. she doesn't entertain bullshit and while others may call her mean, she stands firm on her boundaries. this is that grandmotherly innerG that is very supportive + protective of our highest good by holding us accountable. the sign of your saturn is meant to show you how to embody your inner crone.

☾⋆｡ for example, a cancer saturn is meant to embody their crone by holding herself emotionally accountable to cultivate healthy connections with others. she is aware of the "generational curses" that she has karmically acquired though the bloodline and doesn't play the blame game, recognizing that it is her duty to break those curses so that those same karmic patterns aren't played out in her connections and the family that she has/will create for herself one day. she is aware of the complexity of humans + their emotions and is able to teach + heal others through her own experiences with family + other loved ones that are or were once near and dear to the heart.

[inkdrinkerworld]

Inn Love Chapter 3

one two

cw: money issue talks, feelings of failure, james and reader being in love and idiots, a little angst (?) friends to lovers

wc: 2.6

“It’s not looking good,” you mutter to Mary, head in your hands as you go over the accounts one more time. 

“It’s the off season, we’ll find something else to do.” 

She’s too kind, too understanding. You wish she’d blow up at you and quit for not being able to pay her on time. 

You sigh, long and hard. You have to figure it out. The Secret Garden is your baby, and even though this is your second year owning it, you’ve still not figured out how to supplement the off season so you make a profit. 

You don’t know if you’ll ever be able to. 

“We might have to. How do you feel about starting up line dancing lessons for a little bit? Just until I figure it out?” 

Mary grins, nodding her head. “I’ve missed it some. Won’t exactly be hard to get back into.” 

Mary’s the best worker you have. The only one you have really, but she’s still the best. 

You close up your books, and double check that all the rooms have been checked out of and begin locking up. 

James is waiting for you on your front steps, hat tipped low as he leans against one of the beams. 

“Hey Jamie, didn’t know you were stopping by.” 

You try for chipper, a smile in your voice as you hold your tote bag on your shoulder. 

“Wanted to see if you wanted to get lunch with me.”

You pause, reaching right in front of him. It’s instant, the way a frown fights for the space of your smile. It’s also instant the way James notices. 

“What’s wrong?” He takes your bag from you, leading you to his truck. 

“Nothing. Where are we getting lunch?” 

James frowns a little bit, but doesn’t press. “Had Chinese dropped off to the house, got all your favourites.” 

You grin, James does this a lot and it makes your stomach flip every time. 

“Meet you there?” 

James frowns again, then shrugs. “Yeah, darling.” 

You double back to your own truck, James setting your bag in the bench seat. 

You watch James pull out first and take a moment to collect all your worry and all your anxiety and stuff it deep in your chest, burying it with a bit of hay before sighing. 

You can’t let James see you’re worried or anxious, he’ll sniff the information out of you and if you tell James then you’d have failed. 

The first year it was understandable, the second year; you’re not sure you could tell the person who helped you build the inn from the ground up that you’ve been having months of money troubles. 

You pull up behind James, sliding out of your car and racing him to the front door. 

“You still cheat.” he says with a smile, you shrug while pushing open the door. Inside James’ house, you’d think it was hot, all the southern heat trapped in the walls, but it’s always cool. 

He’d explained it to you once, the stone and wood kept it cool, but also he had put in a central air con to maintain the chill. 

“I got shorter legs than you James, it’d never be fair.” 

James shakes his head, following you to his dining table where all the boxes are already laid out. 

“How much noodles am I allowed?” James rolls his eyes. You always eat most of it and he always gets you your own box because why deprive you of your favourite thing?

James doesn’t think there’s actually anything he could deprive you of. 

“Does lack of sleep mess with your memory?”

You grin when he passes you an entire box, and then the rest of what you usually like.

As you eat, the talking kind of subsides, which is weird by yours and James’ standards.

“Are you sure nothing’s wrong?” He asks when you migrate to the living room, laying out long on his sofa while he sits with your feet in his lap. 

“What do you mean, Jamie?” You try hard not to stiffen your body as you respond. 

He sighs, hands squeezing the arches of your feet. “I dunno, something feels wrong. Like you feel down.” 

God you could cry right now. James has always been in tune to you like this, as you are with him, but it sometimes gets to be too much because lying to your best friend hurts. Especially when he can tell something is off. 

“Just tired I guess.” you shrug one of your shoulders. James hums but doesn’t say anything and you feel guilt like a hot poker in your stomach. 

You wiggle your toes in his lap and his hands fall back to massaging them. 

“Wanna watch ‘How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days’?” 

James never has to ask twice. 

You don’t mean to, but you and James fall asleep right there on his sofa. Some time during the night you’ve shifted, he’s laying under you and your head is on part of his chest with your legs tangled up. 

The only reason you wake up is because James’ alarm is blaring and you’ve got the worst crick in your neck.

“Make it stop,” you grumble, hiding your face in his chest as he stretches. It’s comfortable even for friends, the way James holds onto your waist as he leans over you to grab his phone. 

“Shit, s’nearly four. You gotta go darling.” 

You’d lasted nearly a whole three minutes without thinking about the fact that The Secret Garden wasn’t doing well. 

Almost awkwardly, which is strange for you and James, you sit up. As you stretch all your joints crack and you sigh where James winces. He’s always hated how you can just crack your bones like that- he worries you’ll break them one day. 

“Nah I got the day off.” 

James’ eyebrows shoot up. “So the TSG is closed today?” 

You wish your friend wouldn’t ask so many questions. Lying to him is hard work. 

“Mary’s running the morning shift today.” James looks a little sceptical but drops it, making his way to the stairs. 

“M’gonna get ready. You staying on the ranch then?” 

You nod, what else is there for you to do? Plus if you use your ‘day off’ to be anywhere but the ranch, say going job hunting or to the bank, your quiet little town will somehow have your going-ons back to James in no time. 

“Heat up breakfast and I’ll make us coffee.” James is back down in ten minutes, showered and changed into his wranglers, a thin white t-shirt and his work boots. 

You’re sure you’ve got yours around here somewhere.

James and you work like a well greased machine, making breakfast and coffee and doing the dishes all in one go. 

He tilts his head to the screen door in the kitchen that leads to his side porch.  

“Wanna watch the sunrise with me and then go round do some ranch chores?” 

“Still got my boots in the coat closet?” you ask and James rolls his eyes. 

“When has anything of yours left this house? You’re everywhere in here.” His gaze is too intense for you to laugh it off. It also makes you feel like you’ve caged race horses in your stomach and they’re butting their fences. 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing, Jamie.” is all you can manage before going in search of your boots.

James doesn’t think it’s a bad thing at all. Honestly, he wishes there were more of you in his house; he’s just not sure if saying that to you will cost him everything. 

Shoving your feet into the boots you sigh, then take a peek out at the sky and shiver. “I’m taking a coat.”

“Take anything you want.” 

This is why you can’t tell James about your money troubles. He’s going to give you anything to turn it around, but you’re not sure if anything he can give will. You also can’t use him anymore than you already do. 

“Race you to the stables!” James takes off before you can even put down your empty mug. 

“You’re such a cheater!” You whine as you race behind him, his laugh floating back to you as you reach the stable doors. 

“Takes one to know one,” he says playfully, causing you to roll your eyes.

James holds the door open for you and as soon as you get in you head for Snowglobe. 

“My baby,”  you coo, already kissing the side of his face while James lets his own horse, Landslide, out.  

“You’d swear he wasn’t nearly twenty three.”

“Don’t remind me Jamie.” you grab a brush and go through the usual maintenance just as James does with his horse. 

“We’re riding up to the fences to check on the horses, then we’re feeding them.” James talks about his day like it’s easy, but you remember the hard work that goes into ranching. You’ve got your work cut out for you, and you’re not even doing the hard stuff like moving hay or any of that. 

“Lead the way, Cowboy.” 

After a couple hours, you go back to the big house and take a shower, well and truly exhausted. James wouldn’t let you haul hay, so you’d been feeding the animals, cleaning the stables and doing a bit of general cleaning up around the ranch while he and his farmhands mended parts of the fence, herded the cows and hauled the dried heaps of hay. 

By the time James comes in, you’re halfway through preparing dinner- beef stew. 

“I would’ve cooked after my shower, darling.” James says as he hangs up his hat and boots. 

“Yeah, but now by the time you come back down, we can eat together.” 

James frowns again, you’ve never been away from TSG for this long since it’s been opened and it’s worrying him that you won’t talk to him about it. 

If he’s honest, you haven’t gushed about the inn since you left it yesterday- which is very unlike you. That place is your pride and joy and everyone knows it. Especially James. 

He holds his tongue on his worry and nods. 

“I’ll be back in ten.” 

Through dinner, you’re on your phone, checking your accounts, trying to see where you can make more money or if you’ll have to do the one thing you don’t want to. 

After your sixth sigh in ten minutes, James sets his cutlery down and reaches a hand for you.

“Darling, I know you said it’s nothing, but it’s clearly not. Can you tell me what’s wrong, please?”

Before you can answer, Sirius bursts through James’ house. 

“Did you see TSG’s been closed all day? Wonder if everything’s okay.” 

You freeze in your seat when James turns to you with wide eyes and a slack jaw. 

Sirius coughs to dispel his embarrassment. “Sorry doll face. But why are you closed? Is everything alright?” 

You can’t even be upset with Sirius because for all of his faults, he’s always concerned about you. He feels very much like an older brother in that way, even when he’s giving you shit. 

You rest your head on the table and sigh. 

“Don’t be upset Jamie,” you start, slow and more than a little nervous. You don’t know how you’ll feel if James is angry with you. You don’t want to feel like a failure to him. You don’t want to fail yourself even more. 

“I think I’m gonna have to close the inn.” 

Sirius gasps, James frowns. “Forever or for a while?” 

You lift your head, “For a while. I’m not sure how long. I’ve got to go over the account but we’re not making a profit right now.” 

“Darling,” he says at the same time Sirius swears. 

Tears spring in your eyes. “I know, it hasn’t been making profit or any sort of money for a couple months but I thought it would pick up again, but I guess late summer is not our season.” 

James stands quickly when your first tear falls and Sirius ruffles your head. 

“There’s nothing to be ashamed about, it happens. I can help you work through it.” You shake your head at James’ proposal. 

“You helped me start it up and I can’t even keep it running through the entire year. I can’t expect you to help me every year that I have a slow period.” 

Sirius tuts, “You could always sell your bakes in the off time, dollface.” 

James wipes your tears away, “I can still help. I don’t mind helping out.” 

You shake your head. Sirius seems to get it before James does, and what it is you’re trying to say. 

“No Jamie, I think maybe working on the ranch or doing a little baking on the side would be good. Right doll?” 

You nod, “I don’t wanna keep using you Jamie.” 

James tuts, tilting your chin up. Sirius takes his cue and goes into the kitchen, looking through James’ pantry. 

“You don’t use me. You’ve never used me.” It’s hard to argue with James when he speaks with such conviction but you know you have. 

“But I did. When I was opening up TSG, it was you helping me.” 

James smiles then, “Yeah I helped, darling. It was a mutual thing. We’re friends, of course I helped you. And I can help again, but if you want to do this part on your own, I’d get it.” 

James wipes your tears, gentle and sweet as ever. “I need to go do a final closing for the season and set some things in place, but can I stay here in the meantime?” You force the words out, soft and whispered against the space between you and James. 

“You can stay here as long as you like,” 

“Thanks Jamie.” 

He shrugs, dimple poking out in his cheek as he smiles at you. “You’re always welcome darling, c’mon I’ll drive you to TSG and help with lock up.” 

As it turns out, telling James you’d been struggling wasn’t that bad. It was hard and you’d felt like a failure for a little bit, but he talked good sense into you and now you’re staying with him till the start of autumn. 

“I can work the ranch, Jamie.” You proposed on your second night on his sofa. 

“You cannot work the entire ranch.” James wasn’t even being funny about it either. You really can’t. You get cut up easily and you blister worse than he does. 

“Okay, I can work the stables.” 

James rolls his eyes good naturedly, tossing a bit of popcorn at you. You’d both been watching a new horror that James had seen advertising. Watching is a generous word because you both talk through all the dull parts and you squeeze his fingers in anxiety during the freaky parts. 

“As opposed to?” 

You giggle, “Hey, I can work the garden or help milk the cows.” 

James chuckles then, his dimple on display making you want to poke your finger in it. “Same cows you’re afraid of? You can work the stables darling, you know your way around it.” 

You squeal, leaning up and closer to James to kiss his cheek. You love doing it because James goes red hot and can’t stop his flush. Even as kids he’d go beet red the minute you gave him a kiss to his cheek. 

“You’re the best James. The best ever.” 

He grins, “I’m glad you finally noticed.” The pillow behind your head whacks him in the face as you groan. 

“That was yuck, don’t ever say that again.” James laughs through your disgust, slotting your pillow behind your back again and holding your feet in his lap as the horror builds. 

[twilightofthesandwiches]

Okay, so I already wrote a bunch of stuff about how that scene, although it is really sweet, is also kind of a Bad Sign for Simon - how he refuses to learn the Obvious Lesson from the Winterworld adventure (that being the Ice King again is probably a really really bad idea). But I want to talk about it also a little more about what it means for Fionna’s character as well. 

Because while sitting around and wallowing in self-loathing is probably bad for Fionna, especially after being told that she shouldn't be allowed to exist, and Simon is right to try and get her out of her funk. It's also still worthwhile for Fionna to have some introspection about the Consequences of Her Actions. Because she and Cake really did not consider them at all at first. They have a sense of morality and an instinct towards heroism, but they also tend to kinda forget the fantastical worlds they visit don’t exist entirely for their fantasy and have kind of a Protagonist-Centered-Morality fallacy. 

Most obviously you can see it in the market in Ooo. How Cake, in her excitement, damaged and hurt and even killed

A bunch of innocent marketgoers without even noticing. And then Fionna immediately jumped to Cake’s defense against these ‘weirdos’, who were actually just normal kinda-righteously-angry Oooian citizens.

It’s actually very similar to the whole Winterworld situation. Fionna’s assumption that she’s automatically the hero and protagonist of the story and black-and-white view of the situation and her tendency to kick ass first and ask questions later meant that she just recklessly injured a lot of innocent people.

(It might’ve been worse actually cause at least in Winterworld she was at least manipulated by an evil Wizard)

Fionna and Cake clearly have a great potential for heroism, but they do need to be a bit more considerate of the situation and people around them. And it does make sense considering that from their perspective - they’ve been living a very ordinary life up until now (and Cake was literally an animal. A very clever animal, but still not bound by the same standards of morality as the talking animals in Ooo). Action and adventure and fantasy stuff has been purely the realm of daydream and video games for them - and Fionna literally speaks about it in these terms.

(also, Fionna's Main Character Syndrome was undoubtedly validated when God literally told her that she was created to be the main character of her universe)

So yeah, it takes them some time to really process how to be heroes - they need to grapple with questions that Finn and Jake already kinda dealt with seventeen years ago. And actually a lot of those; how to resolve a situation without necessarily using violence, when does a 'villain' actually deserve sympathy and kindness, the importance of the larger context of any given conflict... their confrontations with Ice King all played a big part in that. It was never just him, but he was still a very major part.

And for Fionna and Cake right now, learning these lessons require some amount of personal introspection. So while it was a sweet attempt at comforting, I dunno if Simon’s little ‘the only problem with that universe is that this Alternative Me was terrible because he didn’t even acknowledge or remember Betty as the love of our life and the light of my entire universe’ thing is actually Good. 

I’m not quite sure Simon is the best person to teach Fionna and Cake heroism 101, because he is so focused on the Crown Quest as the thing that brings back Meaning to his life, and because his fatherly instincts just kinda go “Sad Young Person???? MUST GIVE COMFORT!” and also on account of the kidnapping.

I’m sure Fionna is going to become the heroine she dreams about eventually, it’s just going to be a bumpy ride. The best we can hope for is that they accept Simon’s comfort, that she doesn't start believing that she is nothing but an Error for the entire universe like the Scarab claims, but don’t necessarily listen to all of Simon's his words either.

[drdemonprince]

I think we all know on some level that age is a pretty blunt instrument for measuring maturity and capability. We all develop at different rates and in different ways, especially when you take into account environmental factors as well as disability. I said my first words at six months old and didn’t get comfortable walking until I was two. Both of those are developmentally ‘abnormal,’ but in completely opposite directions. Intellectually, I was able to spar with most adults before I was old enough to drive a car, but at age 36 I still cannot handle cooking dinner or doing my taxes. (I also really shouldn’t be trusted behind the wheel of an automobile, if I’m being real).

Research suggests that many Autistic people develop social and emotional skills at a slower pace than most non-Autistics; in our 40s, 50s, and beyond we are still learning a lot of valuable lessons about how to better relate to people, and show less difficulty in our relationships as time goes on. I didn’t learn how to make friends or name my emotions until my 30s — was I not an adult until then? What skills must a person have to qualify as really, fully an adult?

This points to a major problem in how our current systems look at intellectually disabled people — their abilities and needs are often summarized using the confusing metaphor of “mental age.” A person with Down Syndrome who cannot read or use the toilet might be labelled as “mentally three-years-old,” for instance — but what does it mean to be mentally three? Which kind of imagined three-year-old is setting that standard? Which skills are important to determine someone’s mental “age”? If a person can write fluently using an adaptive communication device but can’t tell when they need a shower, what mental age do we give them — and which rights?

Why does ability level determine the rights that a person has, anyway?

In our current society, people considered “children” receive certain resources that nobody else gets, like free schooling and special state-provided health insurance, and if they do not have a guardian they are assigned one. A legal adult gets to make all legal, medical, and educational decisions for the child, and makes sure they remain housed and fed.

There are many adults who could use this kind of support. But relying upon others for such support means you don’t get the rights of a legal adult, according to the Support-Freedom Dichotomy. If an intellectually disabled person can’t understand complicated legal and financial documents, for instance, they’re likely to be placed under a conservatorship and lose the freedom to buy the things they like or live how they want to live. They do have preferences and insight into their own lives, but because they need help carrying those preferences out, they don’t get to make them.

I propose that rather than equating needing support with losing freedom, and instead of trying to define a simple category of people who does not get to be an “adult,” we ask specific questions about people’s needs, capabilities, preferences, and desires in a way that allows for everyone to get both the help and the autonomy they require.

I wrote about abolishing age as a meaningful way of categorizing what rights a person gets -- and what supports they are entitled to. You can read the full piece for free on my substack.

[agentrouka-blog]

I think the writers have appealed more to modern choice feminism and that’s why the show’s not actually feminist

It shouldn't have centered "feminism" in the first place, even though sexist oppression and double standards are a big part of it. It should center the concept of tyranny vs. responsible governance. The underlying injustice of their feudal society is doubled by the lack of accountability created by the dragons. And then they turn them against each other in their entitlement. Like the idiots they are.

The climax of the series should be the Storming of the Dragonpit. The release of the pent up wrath of the oppressed smallfolk that wipes out the base of Targaryen power and will leave them limping after their superiority fantasy for the sad rest of their shabby, self-destructive reign. We should feel pity and contempt and revulsion for them all by the end. We should feel a sense of bitter foreboding watching them march a six-year-old orphan girl into a ballroom to dictate to the orphan child king how he's going to keep the royal bloodline pure of another non-incestuous intermarriage that would grant influence to a non-Valyrian. Because that's the lesson they learned.

But the writers don't want to do that. They think the Targaryens really are the righteous chosen ones and they really should rule. So instead, we're asked to consider it Very Important that one specific entitled brat gets to park their butt in the spiky chair over the other one because the True Feudal Overlord is female and that's a win for Feminism even though it gains absolutely nothing for any other female character in their universe!

It's not feminist because they don't really care about a true feminist message. They just needed something sympathetic-sounding to replace the actual point because they don't like the actual point.

[thewistlingbadger]

Mel thoughts

Do I acknowledge and accept the fact that Mel Medarda did bad things, did hurt people, did use people, did manipulate people, yes I do. But. Also. Mel canonically was a teenager when her mother had her shipped off to Piltover. She was a teenager, probably around Vi's age, in a foreign land with strangers, completely cut off from her family. It can be really hard to analyze and discuss characters probably when we aren't given much explicit information...but the fact is Mel had no idea that HER OWN BROTHER had died until Ambessa came to Piltover... Let that sink in.

The fact of the matter is that Mel actually has a lot of childhood trauma and it comes from not only the horrors her mother forced her to witness and the harshness of Noxus, but it also comes from having been abandoned and forced to live somewhere that was completely unfamiliar to Mel. It goes undiscussed because the show barely acknowledges it because narratively Mel is only a side character, she isn't given the time or dedication as a character like Jinx or Vi despite the fact that she's a member of the main cast.

Mel does tons of things that are shitty and wrong and her actions are the results of the tools her mother gave her. The tools Ambessa gave Mel were incredibly damaging, not only to others but also to Mel. Sure, Mel is a very successful adult socially, financially, and career wise but on a personal level? On a personal level we see that Mel is fake to practically everyone she interacts with. She clearly liked Jayce for a long time and yet it took her forever to be real with him and even when she started to be honest and open with him she was still not being completely transparent. Outside of Jayce Mel really doesn't interact with anyone in a meaningful or positive way other than Elora. Elora is always at Mel's right hand and we know Mel cares about her greatly since she was devastated when she died. However, it should be noted that Elora is Mel's assistant, she works for Mel, so even though they have a close relationship the foundation of their relationship isn't one of friendship or mutual enjoyment of the other. This is similar to the foundation of Mel's relationship with Jayce. Their relationship isn't founded on mutual attraction or appreciation for each other. Mel's relationship with Jayce starts back in the beginning of arcane, because Mel thinks Jayce can be profitable and a useful asset to her. Based on Mel's reactions to Jayce it seems that Jayce is probably her first ever real connection with someone in a long time, perhaps even ever.

Ambessa raised Mel to be harsh and brutal and so in some ways, Mel still abides by the lessons she was taught as a child. She has no problem using the poor to advance her own wealth. She has no problem with turning her colleagues against one another just for the sake of her own personal gain. She's not completely off the rails and unhinged, she has standards and lines she won't cross but don't let the lines she refuses to cross distract you from the lines she already has crossed. I have empathy for Mel for the hardships she has faced and for her complicated family. It is sad that she was never taught how to navigate the world and others in a healthy, appropriate way. However, Mel is not a child anymore. She's an adult, and while she may have not had the skill set to form healthy bonds with people, she had the opportunity to learn how to be a better person. Mel didn't need to use the tactics she was raised on, but she chose to.

Something that I find interesting about Mel is her lack of... accountability? Awareness? The correct word escapes me right now. Mel witnesses a lot of events and in some cases she is actually responsible for the way things have transpired but she never seems to acknowledge that. For example, Mel is partially responsible for the decay of the underground and the suffering of Zaunites as a councilor, but she never acknowledges this, even when it comes to bite her in the ass. When her and Jayce see all the dead enforcers on the bridge, she is mostly concerned about the threat of future violence and retaliation, she isn't all that concerned with what's actually in front of her (this is kinda valid considering she grew up seeing a lot of death and she was probably just in shock at the bridge). Mel is shocked when Jayce accuses her of using him and Viktor in season two, even when she literally did. She even admits to it, but in the way she admits to it she doesn't take accountability. It's not a "yes you're right and that was fucked up" it's a "well of course you guys were investments hello??"

Honestly I think a lot of Mel's issues as a person stem from her childhood and how she was raised, but as an adult Mel hasn't made much of an effort to combat what she was taught and become a better person. And again please note that Mel doesn't need to be a good person. She's allowed to be flawed and complete and human. I'm not saying anything of this as an accusation, I'm saying it as observations I have noted about her character.

[jadewolf22]

The Protector She Raised Pt.3

Larissa Weems x Daughter OC (HelenaWeems)

Series Warnings: Mentions of attempted murder, PTSD, Hurt/comfort, mentions of absent parents, angst, fighting (verbal), detailed account of assault & torture, possessive/protective family members (both Larissa and Helena), etc.

Chapter Warnings: Verbal fighting, dysfunctional family, overbearing parent, etc.

Summary: After Larissa’s brush with death that year her daughter, Helena, joins the Nevermore staff in an attempt to keep tabs on her mother. But Helena, plagued by visions of both the past and the future, soon realises that what Laurel started isn’t over and must choose between her mother and her morals.

A/n: I apologize for the slow start, but I promise things start picking up a bit in the next chapter.

Word Count: 1,300

That week, lessons went just as smoothly as they had the first day. Helena had easily found her rhythm, and the students seemed genuinely engaged—even Wednesday. 

But, of course, the smooth sailing didn’t last long.

The early morning sunlight filtered through the greenhouse windows, casting golden streaks across the long wooden tables. Helena moved through the room with the quiet efficiency of someone who knew exactly what needed to be done. She set out fresh soil samples, arranged trays of seedlings, and prepared a list of talking points for today’s lesson. Everything was meticulously in place.

The only thing she wasn’t prepared for was the sudden presence of her mother.

The door creaked open, and Helena felt it before she saw it—that distinct, looming presence that she had spent the better part of her life trying (and failing) to avoid.

Larissa stepped inside the classroom, poised as ever, her long coat flowing behind her like a cape. Helena didn’t turn to greet her. Instead, she kept her hands busy with the plants in front of her, lips pressing into a thin line as she waited for whatever her mother had come to say.

“I’ll be sitting in on your class today,” Larissa said, her voice smooth but undeniably authoritative.

Helena stilled for half a second before forcing herself to continue with her work. “Oh, will you?” she replied, keeping her tone neutral.

Larissa stepped further inside, heels clicking softly against the stone floor. “Yes. As headmistress, it’s my responsibility to ensure that the new faculty members are up to standard.”

Helena finally turned to face her mother, fixing her with a flat, unimpressed stare. “You don’t do that for the other teachers.”

Larissa’s expression remained unreadable. “The other teachers didn’t go over my head to get their positions.”

Ah. So they were still on that.

Helena crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head slightly. “I didn’t realize you were so eager to hold a grudge, Mother.”

Larissa’s lips pressed into a thin line. “This isn’t about grudges. This is about making sure you understand that I run this school—not you.”

Helena smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “Duly noted,” she said lightly, turning back to her plants. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a class to prepare for.”

Larissa didn’t move.

Helena ignored her.

Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words and years of unresolved tension.

Finally, Larissa let out a quiet hum, as if she were already evaluating Helena’s reaction. “I’ll take a seat in the back,” she said simply. “Don’t let me distract you.”

Helena grit her teeth behind closed lips.

She wanted to argue. She wanted to tell her mother to get the hell out of her classroom and let her do her job without the suffocating weight of her constant supervision. But she also knew how to pick her battles. And right now, fighting Larissa would only make it look like she had something to prove.

So instead, she forced herself to exhale, to unclench her jaw, and to turn away from her mother as if she didn’t care at all. “Do whatever you want,” she said breezily.

And with that, she focused on her work, refusing to let Larissa get under her skin.

But oh, was it a challenge.

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

When the students arrived, they filed in with their usual energy—some bright-eyed and eager, others dragging their feet as if showing up to class was a punishment. The room filled with the usual shuffle of chairs and the murmur of conversation.

Then they saw the headmistress.

The mood shifted instantly. Conversations halted. A few students exchanged wary glances, clearly wondering why the most powerful woman in Nevermore had decided to grace their classroom.

Helena didn’t acknowledge Larissa’s presence.

She simply leaned against her desk, arms crossed, and addressed the class as if everything was perfectly normal. “Alright, settle down. Today we’re discussing plant hybrids and their unique genetic adaptations, so let’s get started.”

The students hesitated, their eyes flickering toward Larissa, as if waiting for an explanation.

Helena offered none.

Slowly, the lesson moved forward. At first, there was an undeniable stiffness in the air, the unspoken tension of having an audience. But Helena was good at what she did. She spoke with confidence, guiding the discussion effortlessly, asking pointed questions and challenging the students to think beyond the basics.

Through it all, Helena could feel her mother’s eyes on her. Watching. Evaluating. Judging.

But she refused to let it rattle her.

She spoke as if Larissa weren’t there.

She moved through the room as if she were the only authority figure present.

And by the time the class had fully engaged, it was almost easy to forget that her mother was sitting in the back, observing her every move.

Almost.

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

The moment the last student had exited the room, Helena braced herself.

Larissa stood from her seat with the kind of slow, deliberate movement that only meant one thing—she was about to say something that would piss Helena off.

And sure enough, she did.

“You’re competent enough in the classroom,” Larissa said, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle in her dress. “But your posture is too casual. You let them get too comfortable.”

Helena inhaled slowly through her nose. “That’s how I teach,” she said evenly.

Larissa raised a brow. “You mean, that’s how you want to teach.”

Helena’s fingers curled against the edge of her desk. “If you have a problem with my methods, you can take it up with the school board,” she said, the sharp edge in her voice unmistakable.

Larissa narrowed her eyes slightly. “Helena—”

“No,” Helena cut in, voice rising. “I know exactly what you’re doing. You came here today not to evaluate me, but to remind me that you’re in charge. You’re trying to make me feel like a child again, like I need to prove myself to you.”

Larissa’s expression remained composed, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—something sharp.

“I simply wanted to see how you conduct yourself in a professional environment,” she said smoothly.

Helena scoffed. “Bullshit.”

A tense silence fell between them.

Then, Larissa crossed her arms. “You may not like it, but I am the headmistress, and I will oversee my faculty as I see fit.”

Helena let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “Right. Because you love pulling the strings, don’t you?”

Larissa’s lips parted slightly, as if the accusation had caught her off guard.

Helena took a step closer, eyes flashing. “I’m not your fucking puppet, so I would appreciate it if you would quit trying to pull my strings.”

The words rang out, sharp and final, cutting through the room like a blade.

For the first time since Helena had arrived at Nevermore, Larissa Weems looked genuinely speechless.

Helena didn’t wait for her to recover.

She grabbed her bag, brushed past her mother, and stormed out of the classroom without another word.

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

Helena spent the rest of the afternoon pretending that she didn’t feel bad.

She told herself that her mother had deserved it—that Larissa had been the one pushing, the one provoking, the one treating her like a child who needed to be corrected.

But the truth was…

There was something bitter in the back of her throat.

Because as much as she hated to admit it, she knew that she and Larissa would never stop doing this. Never stop arguing. Never stop pushing each other away.

And part of her wished—just for a moment—that it could be different.

But Helena was nothing if not stubborn.

So instead of apologizing, she threw herself into her work, into preparing for the next class, into ignoring the nagging feeling in her chest.

Because apologizing meant vulnerability. And Helena Weems did not do vulnerable.

Taglist: @barbarasstar, @notmeellaannyy, @ness029

(If you want to join my taglist, please leave a comment!!)

[aroaceleovaldez]

Any headcannons about Will Solace? he's an underrated bby (I think?) and I personally hc that he used to be a very moody kid but then decided to turn off all of his negaive emotions (most of the time)

oh i have SO many Will Solace headcanons built up from writing him on Deadangelos so much. Below the cut cause this is very long (and tumblr started glitching about the list format so manual it is):

- His roles at CHB are basically "Every possible medical personnel Ever™." He's camp medic, physician, surgeon, pediatrician, pharmacist, psychiatrist, therapist, dentist, optometrist, veterinarian, etc etc etc. Technically Chiron is also All Of That, but ever since Will joined camp most of the responsibility falls to him (at least in part because campers generally feel a bit more comfortable dealing with somebody their own age versus an immortal centaur), and Chiron just mentors him on it (unless they're running low on hands, in which case Chiron does pitch in, and sometimes the other Apollo kids help staff the infirmary if Will needs. In the past though it was usually just Chiron and whichever camper he pulled in that week to do first aid training with. Mr. D only really handles therapy stuff if Will isn't able to for one reason or another. Will gets very individualized training and has has own schedule separate from the rest of his cabin to account for all of that. Chiron basically personally took Will in under his wing as his apprentice and a not insignificant portion of Will's personal training is gross anatomy lessons with Chiron in the camp morgue. Will does not question where Chiron procures the cadavers for that. He probably should. They aren't campers. They are sometimes demigods, but not always. Most of the rest of camp doesn't even know there's a morgue, let alone that Will does gross anatomy dissection. It's not technically a camp "secret," Will isn't secret about it at all, but most campers treat it like it is and like to use it to try and spook new campers. The ones who find out about the gross anatomy portion and that there is exactly zero information about how Chiron is procuring cadavers are Mildly Concerned.

- Photokinesis and plague powers Will are both extremely fun. I love making him a son of Apollo Smintheus specifically and giving him pet rats and/or the ability to talk to rats and mice. He thinks they're soooo cute and is definitely the type to brag about how intelligent rats are. I also like to think he maybe had a pet snake at one point, like a big ol' boa. Will with a sunglow boa or something? yes? (I also just in general love the idea of Will's house back in Texas being a cute little ranch cause Naomi is rich and also a cowgirl and Will having a ton of different animals over the years. He probably originally wanted to be a veterinarian before he settled more on medic.)

- I just generally love playing with Will (not-so) subtly being the exact opposite of what people would expect from an Apollo kid. Initially he looks like the gold standard for an Apollo kid - sunny, friendly, chill, medic/healer, interest in science/arts/fandom, etc etc. Then you speak to him for more than 20 minutes and find out he loves snakes and rats and guts and gore and is fascinated by disease and mold. He takes gross anatomy classes taught by Chiron. One of his favorite hobbies is just dissecting stuff. He's into vulture culture. His idea of a perfect date is holding hands over a cadaver he is actively cutting into and passing the other person cool stuff he's fishing out. Also he's very vocal about thinking monsters are hot and the combo of all of that is exactly why he's into Nico. Everybody else thinks Nico's inherently cursed or something? Will doesn't mind being cursed - in fact he wants to be cursed, for science. He's swooning over the idea of Nico sacrificing him for some dark ritual in the middle of the night. He daydreams about Nico being a vampire that's gonna romantically kill him. The rest of camp is waiting for the day Will does something stupid and gets himself killed like, flirting with a monster (or the Hades kid) or something. Nico just generally doesn't know how to feel about the whole situation but is? (hesitantly) flattered?? that somebody is enthusiastic about him while recognizing and appreciating his Underworld aspects. Will is out-weirding him, somehow, and Nico never knew this was a thing that could happen.

- Related to that - I have a whole headcanon about "Bad Omen" demigods, which are basically the other main CHB cabin's versions of Hephaestus kids with fire powers being bad luck. For Apollo kids their "bad luck omen" super rare power is a plague-powers kid, and Will showed up during the Titan War, just a couple months before the Battle for Manhattan when nearly all his cabin died. He is very acutely aware of this superstition and fully believes he is a bad luck charm for the cabin and feels SUUUUPER guilty about it and so hides his plague powers. It's not that he feels bad about his plague powers specifically - he thinks plague stuff is really fascinating and his powers are cool and can be used for healing too! - he's just really concerned about how others will view him. (Very strong parallel dynamics between how Will views his plague powers vs the stigma around them & how Nico views his Underworld powers vs the stigma around them. They are handshake emoji).

- TTC implies that Apollo kids are more often than not summer-only campers, and I think it's fun to have Will's backstory being: He may or may not have "accidentally" caused a plague/pest outbreak at his old school early into the year and between that school having to shut down for a couple of months because of that and his mom maybe going on tour, they decided it was time for him to move to CHB and go there year-round. Except he goes from Texas to New York in the middle of winter and he's a son of Apollo, so he gets there and it's like sleet and slush and all cold and he's the only Apollo kid at camp and he hates it so bad. He eventually gets used to it but it is awkward when all his siblings come back in the spring/summer to find they have a new youngest sibling who's just been chilling all by himself for a couple of months. But then Austin and Kayla join so at least he's not the newest/youngest Apollo kid. (But then nearly all of Cabin 7 immediately dies in TLO and Will's right back to being in a mostly empty cabin and being in charge.)

- He definitely puts on an approachable/friendly, or at the very least calm, face 99% of the time, partially because it's expected of him and it's also maybe a little bit masking (it's a lot masking) cause he knows he can be a bit much. He is 100% the type of guy who feels like he has to solve all his problems himself and can't let anybody else know he has problems, and also that he has to help everybody else with their problems because that's his job, right? So he's constantly stressing himself out to the point of breakdown. He also half lives in the infirmary (which he totally has his own little office in) and he'll just shut himself in and spend like, a couple of days straight in there and probably not sleep. He's a workaholic just as bad as Nico and a total hypocrite about it/about overexerting one's self but he's working on it. Nico's too much of a take-no-shit kind of guy (and also him and Will are way too similar) so usually when Will nags Nico about that kind of thing it turns into Will looking in a mirror or Nico turning it back around on him and Will going "ah shit i need to take my own advice >:T"

- He's best friends with Drew Tanaka and he lets out his bitchy side when he's hanging out with her. they are bitching friends. they love to bitch. It's a great venting environment for him cause he knows Drew loves to hear him complain and talk shit so he can just let out all his pent-up frustrations and she'll just enthusiastically eat it all up. The two of them will gossip endlessly. Drew is mildly concerned about Will's romantic tastes though (again: monsters. cryptids. the Addams family. evils from the shadows. the guy from The Shape Of Water. Nico) and keeps trying to talk him out of flirting with things that might kill him. He does not listen to her.

- His only normal crush is Paolo but everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop about how Will could possibly be weird about this one (there's an ongoing camp bet with different theories). He also dated Drew for like, all of a week but they both decided they totally hated it and preferred to stay just besties (bonus points: That was what Drew considered as her passing the whole Aphrodite-kids-breaking-hearts thing. literally neither of them cared).

- I know his full name is William but it's really funny if he lies about that and his full name is actually Wilhelm, named after the scream.

- ...He is a Swiftie. He's been a Swiftie since he was younger back with like, OG-era country music Taylor Swift and he's just stuck with it.

- Trans!Will is fun and I love it lots. Drew helping him with transition stuff is also very near and dear to me.

- His crush on Nico originates from them meeting for the first time during the Battle for Manhattan. Nico's attempt at flirting with Percy misfired and hit Will instead lmao. Nico parts the Titan Army in cool thematic armor and with three gods in tow, says a dramatic one-liner, and then is super badass in battle and Will is head-over-heels for him immediately. He then proceeds to spend the next year obsessing over Nico and being tormented by Nico never being at camp and never being able to talk with him. Ergo why when Nico shows up in BoO, Will is immediately like "HOLD MY HANDS. THREE DAYS IN THE INFIRMARY. HANG OUT WITH ME PLEASEEEE-" (and that's why Will was under the assumption that Nico was actively avoiding people rather than being ostracized, cause he had heart-eyes tunnel vision). Him in BoO though really is just seeing his crush and losing all his cool.

- For some reason he is just an absolute magnet for chthonic demigods. Nico, Lou Ellen, Cecil (who i hc is a chthonic Hermes kid), etc etc. He thinks Underworld stuff is super cool though (again, see: Will being super into spooky/gory stuff/etc). Also all the ex-Titan army kids decided they were his personal body guards immediately after the war cause he was nice to them.

- He is a HUUUUGE nerd. Specifically a sci-fi and disney nerd. They're his hyperfixations (/special interests if you lean more autistic!Will) <3 His favorite franchises are Star Wars and Avatar (the blue one). He loves conceptual alien biology/ecology and could go on about it endlessly. He will also very enthusiastically infodump about Disney history (both the art/animation side and theme parks side) and other sci-fi series. Ask him about Doctor Who (you will be there for several hours).

- Will being a micro-celebrity cause of his mom is very fun to me. He's been on talk shows and stuff before cause people love how snarky this country star's kid is. He has an extremely popular Instagram and Austin uses him as clickbait in his Youtube videos extremely often (including forcing him to guest-star or do like react content and stuff) (Will is more than happy to indulge him though cause he finds it funny).

- I also love the idea that Will and Piper have actually known each other since they were little, from Tristan and Naomi meeting at some point and realizing they had kids the same age and encouraging them to be pen-pals. Once social media becomes more of a like, Proper Thing™ they become mutuals on Instagram but just use it to periodically send each other silly memes (Piper's instagram is private and basically all she uses it for is dm'ing people). It takes them a solid week of being at CHB together to realize "WAIT, YOU'RE THAT [PIPER/WILL]?!" One of their hobbies is going into the city and seeing if people will recognize them/if paparazzi will see them and making games out of it (who can ruin the most photos, what types of fake gossip can we get them trying to circulate, etc etc).

- I am a firm believer that Will is an extremely loud out-and-proud type of guy and has been for awhile (again see: him being a micro-celebrity) and he spearheads or runs a lot of pride stuff at CHB ever since he joined. If there is a pride parade/event at CHB he helps organize it. If there's a GSA club at CHB he is the head of it. He keeps pamphlets in the infirmary of queer educational material and guides to different identities and stuff and is very passionate about making people feel welcomed and comfortable. Because of this, when he found out Nico was from the 1930s and severely not up-to-date on terminology and stuff, he considered getting Nico up-to-date his greatest challenge yet. It was a personal quest for him. There was also definitely at least a week before that where Will thought Nico might be homophobic or something and was going "I CAN FIX HIM" before Nico managed to explain that no, he's... very supportive (muffled coughing coming from closet), he's just also extremely behind and doesn't know what any of those words mean, thanks. Will set up the most extensive queer crash course possible for him and poor Nico was just going "slow down please,,,," the entire time. Will gets him up mostly up to speed eventually. I just love Will being that type of guy who will start explaining misc queer history with citations at the drop of a hat. It is probably another hyperfixation of his.

- Will and Annabeth both consider Chiron an adoptive father-figure and joke about being siblings and which of them is the favorite child, cause they both know they're definitely Chiron's favorite campers. They both get him father's day cards/gifts.

[nayatarot777]

what strengths do you have that are not acknowledged by you?

subscribe to the patreon if you’d like to :)

• pile one •

it seems like in situations of complete chaos and disaster, your independence immediately kicks in. you know what to do and operate from your intuition which influences your actions and how you approach dealing with messy situations. i’m also hearing that you yourself will burn some shit down if you need to lmao. sometimes you don’t even know why but it’s because whatever it is has been keeping you in the dark, away from your own strengths. you intuitively pick up on that and know when connections with people, things, and places need to go. you know how to cross a bridge and acknowledge any illusions and truths that may have been hidden prior. you guys do a whole lot of self work too, and i don’t think that you realise just how much you invest energetically into yourself. this tearing shit down might be in relation to yourself - you know when aspects of you gotta go 😂. you use chaos as a tool to push yourself forward (you could do well with chaos magic for my witches and practitioners out there).

you’re not someone with control issues. if something is clearly crumbling, you don’t try to cling onto it and prolong your pain unnecessarily. you understand that nobody’s holding you at gun point to settle for chaotic people and situations, so you move accordingly. period. you’re extremely nurturing, caring, etc - but that doesn’t mean that you allow yourself to act like a fool in the name of love or caring about someone. you know how to also implement your own boundaries and do what’s best for you. because you have unconditional love for yourself - or more love for yourself than for the people and situations that cause a ruckus in your life. when things go wrong, you put yourself into a state of acceptance and receive the lessons that you need to from these situations. you take responsibility and accountability for the part that you play in the crumbling of connections and situations. meaning that you’re not someone who acts like a complete victim to life and to everyone around you. you know that certain things in your life wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t play a part and allow them to develop when they clearly weren’t built on stable foundations in the first place. even if someone else does you wrong, you will still ask yourself “wtf is wrong with me and my actions/mindset/standards that helped aid in this bs happening? why did i continue to feed into this? why did i settle for this?”.

you hold onto stability internally for yourself, therefore that reflects in the physical in some way. whether that be through your finances or some other area of your practical life. you listen to your intuition that helps to protect everything valuable that you’ve already accumulated for yourself already. you also don’t over-extend. mfs may have tried (and failed) to make you feel selfish for this but you understand that they’re just mad that you won’t let yourself be used as a charity case for leeches. you’re receptive to your higher self when it steps in to protect you from certain people. even if they’re people who your ego doesn’t want to necessarily let go of, you’ll let it happen for the sake of your own self-preservation, which is how it should be. you’re loving and caring and nurturing but not out of desperation for love and acceptance. not to receive that back for yourself in order to fill a void. this isn’t self-serving love and nurture for others out of a state of lack. this is out of pure genuine intentions. you’re fulfilled alone and you’d like to fulfil others where possible. however, if you ain’t getting wtf you deserve back, you dip and go back to just focusing on yourself. you don’t let your energy be easily accessible to energetically vampiric people.

• pile two •

your strengths are related to your belief systems and your life philosophies. you know how to be your own mentor and how to give yourself the knowledge that you need - mostly about yourself. this seems to be how you maintain your internal peace. you don’t gain much peace from knowledge given to you from outside of yourself, and that doesn’t mean that you can’t find valuable information from others, but you know that you have a direct connection to the divine of your own. you also know how to manifest and persist in manifesting whatever you want over the course of a long time. and whereas other people would grow impatient, you stay balanced and understanding that what you want is in the process of being given to you. you don’t let much in your external life fuck with your internal state of being. and there’s a repetition of patience throughout this whole spread. you don’t force anything. i’m also hearing that you know how to navigate traditional expectations and structures in society through your own methods. it’s like you don’t fit into society and what they want, but it seems like you do from the outside, so you go under the radar or something like that.

you value your own beliefs and morals over what other people may try to enforce onto you, and this results in a very stable sense of self. you know what you stand for based on your own viewpoints and opinions, so you’re not prone to easily falling for feeding into other people’s expectations of you. you’ve also made your own safe space according to how you want your life to be structured and it’s not easy for others to have influence over this or to even be let in. you guys could also allow your shadow as an energy of protection. you could have lilith or pluto in the first house or something like that. but your shadow is clear to see to other people, especially to those who try to take something of yours that’s quite valuable to you (whether that’s money, time, or something else). thanks to this, you see what you need to and i believe that people view you as someone who people can’t really get anything past. also, when you’re tending to your work (whatever that may be) you’re able to redirect your path to one with less challenges when you encounter blockages on the path that you’re on. it seems like this is quite easy for you, or like it’s easy for you to maintain momentum + motivation with what you invest energy into.

you’re able to learn a lot about the physical realm and how to feel complete within it. even when others would expect you to feel some type of lack, it seems like you understand what’s truly valuable to you. your version of abundance may be heavily different to other people’s version - your abundance is felt metaphorically - and you could reject what the world tells people regarding what to prioritise and what’s important (like earthly riches). you could find more value in your family, teachings from family members like your grandparents for some of you in particular, and that’s what has you feeling like you always have a stable foundation in your life. where other people would only ever feel stable through finances, you feel stable through the faith that you hold. you also know how to dissect your mental state when you’re dealing with some mental conflict, leading you to single out the mindsets that actually serve you and discard the rest. your mind seems to be constantly changing for the sake of becoming more grounded in reality, so maybe that’s something that you feel like you struggle with usually. but you’re doing it! a lot of you could have earth signs in your big three.

[iamthatonefangirl]

First, can I be 🎮 anon? So, ever since I came back to tumblr, I've been wanting to write again. I wrote for different fandoms before but never for the marvel fandom. I didn't get into anything marvel related until covid era. So I never really got to enjoy the marvel fandom during PEAK tumblr which is when I first started my account and I feel like I wouldn't belong, which is why I'm having thoughts on whether I should write again. I've been thinking of ideas for bucky x reader fics but I'm like "would anyone actually enjoy them?" Idk, I just have this habit of always comparing myself to others but my ideas are dying to be written.

yesss 🎮 is all yours

okay, let me share my thoughts on this:

first: every time I post a fic, I worry people won't like it. I worry that it's fucking stupid, and the plot is laughable, and that it's not going to live up to my followers' standards. but guess what? every time, I get overwhelmingly positive feedback. even when I'm terrified that it's god awful, I still have my wonderful amazing tumblr community to back me.

second: I've only been posting on tumblr for the last few months, and I was getting to a point where I would force myself to post every single day. I started to get insanely anxious about notifications, constantly checking every five seconds if I got new comments on my works.

here's the moral of the story, the point I'm trying to make to you:

write for yourself. don't think about if anyone else will like them, because guess what? they will. there's a huge community on here, and there's a fan for any and every kind of fic.

the biggest lesson I've learned is to write because you want to. I still struggle with forcing myself to do certain things, but since taking a break on my trip the last two weeks, it's allowed me to reconnect with my genuine love for writing rather than my compulsive need to post to make other people happy. I can't sit here and force myself to write something I'm not passionate about, and I'm so lucky that I've got a ton of writing projects in the works/coming up that I'm insanely excited for.

I'm excited to write my fics, not just post them. that's the most important thing I've learned in my writing journey.

but most of all - I'm literally just any other person. no, I never anticipated reaching 2.7k followers. I was so anxious when I found out that tiktok blew up that I was lightheaded and on the verge of vomiting because I gained 1.5k in one day. THAT was stressful. but the next day, I woke up, and I got writing because I love doing it, and I love being able to share my love of marvel with others.

so please, if you want to write, then do it. you say that you have ideas that are dying to be written? DO IT!!! I believe in you.

sorry this was so long, but I truly believe in everything I've told you here.

love you, and get writing. bri

[makeitrealfromfictional]

Others

Fake Languages You Can Actually Learn: 

Klingon — a pretty famous fictional language from Star Trek. You can even learn this one on Duolingo. (Apparently, one Klingonist raised his child from a newborn with Klingon as their first language (along with English), though the child gave up Klingon at the age of five.) Klingon Dictionary and Klingon Handbook KLI (Klingon Language Institute) 

Unlike with some other retroactively created languages, supposedly Tolkien started by inventing languages before writing, with the most famous and elaborate ending up being the Elvish languages. http://councilofelrond.com/content/guide-to-learning-elvish/. Among these (Westron, Sindarin, Quenya, Khuzdul, Entish, Black Speech, Adûnaic, Rohirric/Rohanese), you can learn to speak the Elvish languages Sindarin and Quenya, as well as possibly Westron and Adûnaic, to an extent… There is a book, "The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth" by Ruth S. Noel, that might help…

Na’vi – Created by linguist Paul R. Frommer for the making of the Avatar movie. You can learn Na’vi here on https://learnnavi.org//their YouTube channel or here: https://kelutral.org/   

Dothraki – from A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones. You can learn Dothraki on https://dothraki.org/. This language also has a subreddit (r/learnDothraki) and a Living Language book. 

High Valyrian – You can learn High Valyrian from ASOIAF/Game of Thrones. It has a course on Duolingo.  

Second Tier:

Mando’a – http://mandoa.org/. From my understanding, this is the most fleshed-out Star Wars language (the language of Mandalore and the Mandalorians.) The Oyu'baat community and Project Shereshoy both have reference materials on the Mando’a language (and culture.) Mando'a Lessons - YouTube 

Ewokese — A Star Wars language from the planet Endor. You can’t really become fluent, but there are quite a lot of words you can learn. The same is true for the Jawa and Huttese languages. The Complete Wermo's Guide to EWOKESE

Jawa – The Complete Wermo's Guide to JAWAESE

Huttese – The Complete Wermo's Huttese Transcript  

Might be helpful: Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide 

Chenuh – The language of the Chiss from Star Wars. While it was not canonically fleshed-out, fan-made projects made learning Chenuh possible. On the other hand, the Chiss have superior vocal capabilities, so you’ll never be perfect.   The Cheunh projekt by the_wicked_memer Writing system for it by Zombiepixlz-gamr Resource list compiled by deathcupcake 

Ur-Kittât (Sith) – Star Wars language of the Sith species. Imperial_Cadet on Reddit and YouTube is working on analysing and developing the language. 

Dovahzul, Skyrim’s Dragon Language → Thuum.org

Eragon’s languages – Paolini.net covers the Ancient, Dwarf, Nomad, and Urgal languages from Eragon.

How to Speak the Ancient Language from the Inheritance Cycle

Yautja – The Predator language. Alphabet

Translator (with Yautja alphabet)

Dictionary: here or here (English alphabet)

This does not account, however, for the other aspects of the language like their ‘silent hand’.

(Keyboard)

Bonus: A Few Alphabets: 

Aurebesh/Galactic Basic Standard – a Star Wars alphabet (‘Aurebesh’) seen here. You can learn more information on https://aurebesh.org/. Once you learn that, you can even have Aurebesh key caps (here, here, here). (<-- I don’t like the fact that some of the non-letter keys are just Star Wars symbols; it doesn't seem to me like people in the galaxy would just have a key for the rebel alliance, etc.)   

Gnommish — the language of the People, or faeries, from Artemis Fowl. This language is traditionally written in spiral order outwards. There’s a guide to the original alphabet in the Artemis Fowl Files. (This one is less complete than the others, as it is only an alphabet and occasionally contradicts its canon; it is mostly here for sentimental value.) Gnommish alphabet (Note: The new Gnommish looks like this, and was the version created for the movie.)  

Standard Galactic Alphabet — The “Minecraft Table language” is, in addition to being used on Minecraft enchanting tables, actually from the Commander Keen games. Unfortunately, it won’t get you very far, because, while it IS a real translatable alphabet, these translations often lead to nonsense ramblings and useless information in the Minecraft games. Here's what it looks like. 

Hylian – The Legend of Zelda. Hylian’s more complicated than it appears, even if it is just an alphabet. There are several different Hylian scripts from across the games: look here, as versions of either Japanese or English cyphers, in addition to the Gerudo and Sheikah scripts.   Unlabeled links lead to —> amazon.com, verbalusmater.com, klingon.wiki, learnnavi.org, youtube.com, kelutral.org, dothraki.org, reddit.com, amazon.com, mandoa.org, project-shereshoy.tumblr.com, youtube.com, completewermosguide.com, completewermosguide.com, completewermosguide, youtini.com, reddit.com, reddit.com, deathcupcake.tumblr.com, thuum.org, paolini.net, wikihow.com, reddit.com, avpcentral.com, avpcentral.com, yautjaencylope.altervista.org, reddit.com, reddit.com, aurebesh.org, kono.store, etsy.com, reddit.com, omniglot.com, reddit.com, reddit.com, and reddit.com, respectively.

[tzuyuscloud]

This isnt my usual post but im just gonna rant. I dont want no kind of negativity in my inbox or comments because I will not be tolerating it whatsoever.

I know we have all heard of or seen clips of the LSFM documentary.

1. I am actually so sick of people, might I add people who have no singing experience, job that has anything to do with singing or kind of teaching background or education in singing, not even criticizing BUT bullying Sakura over her vocals. We clearly know she’s been and idol for 13 years, stop bringing it up. She obviously won’t improve when people are basically calling her worthless 24/7 whenever she breathes. Hell I was an advanced choir kid since 6th grade and I still had a shaky voice and voice cracks when I would lose confidence. What she needs first is not vocal lessons but fucking therapy. Because everyone wants to be a critic, when their “critiques” aren’t even valid no real solutions of getting better.

Like yall rmbr when Momo had no confidence to sing bc yall thought the best solution was to talk shit. But now shes getting better because SHES GAINING CONFIDENCE. How do you expect one to get better at something when they constantly have two devils on both shoulders saying that they suck and need to quit.

2. Saying that the girls are “faking” or “great acresses” throughout the documentary shows how fucking sick you are and I hope you are aware that hell is insanely hot. Chaewon literally broke down because she doesn’t know why shes doing what shes doing for anymore, she doesn’t know how to be happy, had a fucking IV in her arm before filming Unforgiven, was sick but still decided to film because everyone likes to hold idols but not just idols WOMEN to high ass fucking standards but let it be (no shade at all) a man and all hell breaks loose.

This clearly shows the double standards the industry, companies, AND so called “fans” have towards female idols and male idols. A male idol can have a voice crack, bad vocals, and its seen as a bad vocal day. But let it be a female idol and suddenly she needs to quit or even worse k word herself. Have we not seen what happens in the industry when your so called “criticism” hurts idols. Have we not seen the lose of many idols who still deserves to be here on earth today. Seeing how Sakura, Chaewon, Yunjin, Kazuha and Eunchae have gone from smiling 24/7 to faking a smile. You can clearly see the hurt and tiredness in their eyes and its absolutely painful to look at. Have some fuckimg human decency and stop acting entitled to idols’ lives and their careers when all you are doing is sitting behind a screen.

3. This goes for every female idol ever compared to male idols. I don’t want anyone saying “oh well so n so from *insert bg*” no. The double standards are clearly there and let me give an example.

I AM A BLACK WOMAN. (Before anyone wants to comment)

Giselle says the n-word. Ppl hold her accountable, gives her death threats, drags it on to this very day.

Soul says the n-word. Ppl go “oh we all know Keeho scolded him after that” then everyone forgets about it.

You can clearly see the double standards. Women are expected to be 100x better from the day they start training compared to male idols who could make a mistake at a concert and not get their entire bloodline cursed and shamed for breathing.

I already know this is one thing about the industry that will never change, no matter how many lives are taken or at stake. No matter how many idols get insanely sick mentally and physically, its proven that yall only view them as objects of your happiness and once they get older (more so female idols) or mess up, you just throw them aside and look for another.

Lets be real, the reason why half of these idols are sick and unconfident isn’t just because of the companies and industry but because of yall fans as well. And imma say this. IF THE SHOE FITS THEN WEAR IT. IF IT DOESN’T PERTAIN TO YOU, THEN DO NOT GET OFFENDED. 🗣️

[justforbooks]

Martial Solal

French jazz pianist who loved to improvise and wrote the score for Jean-Luc Godard’s film A Bout de Souffle

A squint through the metal fence around Martial Solal’s tree-shrouded villa, in Chatou, the suburb of Paris known as the “ville des impressionistes”, could have confirmed that the great French pianist was not the average jazz musician. Solal, who has died aged 97, was the most famous jazz musician in France from the 1950s onwards, and widely known across Europe and the US.

The breakthrough that paid for that Chatou villa came when Solal – then a little-known club pianist – wrote the score for Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960 film A Bout de Souffle (Breathless). The commission came out of the blue via Godard’s jazz-loving friend and fellow director Jean-Pierre Melville, and Solal collected royalties on it for ever after. “It’s like I won the Lotto,” he said in 2010. “Because back in 1959 when I did it, I was mainly just known for being the house pianist in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés jazz club.” Godard had few ideas about the music he wanted, beyond joking to Solal that he might compose a piece for a banjo player, to save money. The pianist promptly produced a soundtrack for big band and 30 violins.

Solal went on to work on several more films, and was one of the first Europeans to perform at the Newport jazz festival in the US. Into his 80s, he could still walk the tightrope of unaccompanied improvised performance, and his compositions had a signature as personal and harmonically idiosyncratic as Thelonious Monk’s. Solal, who liked stop-start melodies and constant rhythmic changes, wrote elegant pieces that slowly coalesced out of scattered fragments. He loved peppering classic jazz material – even as sacrosanct as Duke Ellington’s – with disrespectful quotes going all the way back to his danceband days in Algiers, the city where he was born.

Solal’s mother, Sultana Abrami, an amateur opera singer, introduced him to classical piano as a child. During the second world war, under Nazi race laws, Martial was excluded from a secondary education because his father, Jacob Cohen-Solal, an accountant, was Jewish. He took jazz clarinet and piano lessons from a local bandleader, with whom he was soon performing tangos, waltzes and Benny Goodmanesque swing. Soon, Fats Waller, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum and the bebop virtuoso Bud Powell began to displace Chopin and Bach among Solal’s keyboard models.

He moved to Paris in 1950 after his military service, and teamed up with the American bebop drums pioneer Kenny Clarke in the house band at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés club. The young pianist’s nervous recording debut was in April 1953 with the jazz-guitar genius Django Reinhardt, who turned out to be playing on his last; Reinhardt died the following month. That year, Solal recorded Modern Sounds with his own trio and also recorded unaccompanied. After working with Sidney Bechet in 1957, he received the commission for the Breathless score.

The word about Solal then began to reach America – both Oscar Peterson and Ellington had been entranced by him in Paris, with Ellington pronouncing him a “soul brother”. In 1963, he played at Newport, with the bassist Teddy Kotick and the drummer Paul Motian; despite barely knowing his new partners, Solal boldly added his 11-minute tempo-shuffling Suite Pour Une Frise to the usual programme of standard songs.

Turning down an invitation to move to the US, Solal led world-class groups in the 1960s and 70s, often including the drummer Daniel Humair, the bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, and even an advanced two-bass trio for piano and the double-bassists Gilbert Rovère and Jean-François Jenny-Clark. He also explored fruitful duo partnerships with the American saxophonists Lee Konitz and Phil Woods between the 70s and the 90s, and led innovative big bands, notably on the thrilling Martial Solal Big Band session (for the Gaumont label in 1981) and Plays Hodeir (1984).

An insatiable capacity for self-education helped Solal to develop a characteristically pungent harmonic language. He wrote and performed contemporary classical music and published jazz-piano pieces modelled on the Mikrokosmos educational cycles of Béla Bartók.

In 1989 the Martial Solal jazz piano competition was founded. Its winners have included the Frenchman Baptiste Trotignon and the charismatic Armenian virtuoso Tigran Hamasyan. In the 90s, Solal often worked with the Moutin twins, François and Louis, on bass and drums – both were flexible enough to follow their leader’s tendency to launch a tune without telling them what it was, change key without warning, or turn it into a different song entirely.

As he entered his 70s, Solal seemed to be playing with a revitalised and swashbuckling confidence – as if he was finally sure that he would still sound like himself whether he played within the regular rules, or broke them. In 1999, he won Denmark’s Jazzpar prize, and celebrated by writing parts for the accompanying Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra owing as much to the French impressionist classical composers as to jazz. In that decade, Solal also had an unprecedented 30-concert solo run on French national radio.

In 2000, with his 12-piece Dodecaband, he recorded Martial Solal Dodecaband Plays Ellington. During the following decade, he recorded two live albums at the Village Vanguard in New York; the brilliant unaccompanied session Solitude; the duet Rue de Seine, with the trumpeter Dave Douglas; and the Exposition Sans Tableau session for his woodwind-less, brass-packed Decaband – a typically quirky lineup featuring Solal’s talented daughter Claudia singing the roles of a missing sax section.

His final public performance was a solo concert in 2019, at the Salle Gaveau hall where he had made his Paris debut in 1961. After a masterly exposition later issued on the album Coming Yesterday, Solal’s typically elegant exit was prefaced by the words: “I don’t want to bore you. It’s better that you leave here serene.” Then he played “a nice chord like this” – a single F major – said “Voilà. Merci” and left the stage.

Solal undoubtedly loved improvisation, but he believed it needed the spur of challenging composition to stop improvisers from slipping into habits. Not everyone shared his enthusiasm for musical jokes and maybe Solal was unnecessarily diverted by whether or not jazz could satisfy what he saw as classical listeners’ expectations of “perfection”. But he was a jazz-lover to his nimble fingertips, nonetheless. Speculating that probably no more than 10% of his fellow countryfolk knew anything about jazz, Solal phelgmatically declared that “as long as we can live, and play the music we like, it’s too bad for the 90%. It’s their loss.”

Solal is survived by his wife, Anna, their son, Eric, and daughter, Claudia, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

🔔 Martial Saul Cohen-Solal, musician, born 23 August 1927; died 12 December 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[moonofsoleanna]

Good morning. After trying to figure out what exactly I’m going to do with this account beyond answering questions, I’ve decided that once every couple of days, I’ll post an interesting historical fact I’ve recently come across (whether for the first time or via rereading something). Hopefully, someone on here will find them as enjoyable to learn as I do.

Here is the first fact: the Kingdom of Soleanna is one of the oldest known human civilizations on Earth, with the earliest definitive proof of organized settlement on the island dating to roughly 7,780 BCE. This also makes it the oldest contiguous point of human settlement, with very few severe civilizational disruptions, at least that we know of.

Of course, I do have to reiterate this is only by the standards for human civilization. Mobian history is a much more complicated matter, and not quite as well documented or understood, but I do believe there is at least some evidence for Mobian civilization arising earlier than 8,000 BCE. There are also the Gaia Temples and the Altar of Emerald, who no one knows the origins of, at least with any level of certainty, but clearly point to an even more ancient, long-extinct civilization.

Hm. That ended up being longer than I’d intended. Apologies. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the miniature history lesson.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Piano Lessons...

Kiddo's mom texted me last week saying she had a line on a free REAL piano, a Story & Clark Console upright from the '40s, if she could get someone to move and deliver it. She texted on Friday they'd delivered it a day early. In keeping with 1940s craftsmanship and quality standards, it's a gorgeous piece of furniture, to be sure.

So now I guess I take off the cook/baker hat and put on the Piano Teacher Hat I didn't know I was going to wear.

Even if I don't read music, I *DO* know what I'm doing physically with the instrument itself, and along with some basic piano teaching books and illustrated texts, I'm about to embark on giving kiddo piano lessons for awhile.

The thing being, at going-on-15, she has been in the "Advanced String Orchestra" playing violin this year. Last two years she played Trumpet. She may play cello next year, her first year in High School. So she already has a firm grasp on sight reading and the basics of general music theory. I'll be translating how she applies that good stuff she already knows to the piano.

The majority of it will be about making the proper tone, making the right sounds, and definitely nurturing her improvisational "by ear" skills. I have ideas about which pianists to have her listen to playing a piece she will learn, etc. Also playing her different pianists playing the same piece to show how individualistic performers can be with how they interpret a piece.

Since we already have a good rapport, I'm not worried about anything like that...I'm more worried about what I DON'T know. I know instinct and how to make sound by instinct, so maybe I'll be able to translate 60+ years of playing the piano into something she can understand and use in her obviously musical future.

The piano tech told them to just let it sit in the spot where it will be for a week, and then they'll come evaluate and see what it needs. One of the pedals is out of commission, evidently, but that's usually just a slipped piece of linkage or a worn felt washer. I'll finally get to play it after the tech checks it out and tunes it.

Since it's the "mid-size" of upright pianos, the 40" Console, in between "spinet" (short) and "upright grand" (tall), it should have good tone, especially taking into account the quality of the wood they had available and used back in the '40s, the cabinet should have a nice resonance. Can't wait to give it a test drive...it'll be the first real piano I've touched in over nine years. Electronic keyboards just suck, even if they have "hammer action"...it's just not the same! Especially with dynamics and pedal useage. A real piano in good shape is a multi-lifetime thing, especially those from the early-mid 20th Century.