#Functions of Educational Guidance

[floortile34]

not sure if this is a hot take but school is extremely traumatic and needs huge reform. it causes immense damage to everyone who goes through it. no large-scale school system is exempt from this. this happens in all countries, not just the ones where it's worst. this problem's also inextricably tied to capitalism and neither can be fixed without also fixing the other

school genuinely breaks people (and others) with even worse being done to those with intellectual disabilities and neurodivergents and those with other psychiatric disorders

[ivesambrose]

🤍 WHAT YOU'RE MANIFESTING NEXT 🤍

1. 2. 3.

Starting off new pick a cards with something sweet and simple that everyone can look forward to.

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at ivesambrose@gmail.com

Masterpost

Services Offered

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Picture 1

Its likely you've felt rather helpless and alone, as though life has been testing you to the point it feels like a schedule to get to them and tick them off in your mental notepad once done. It is likely you've felt extra strained in your home environment or hometown, you may have attempted to leave but something or the other comes your way. You may have felt consistently blocked or unable to leave or unable to find a solution to a problem you've been facing in regards to your house or family.

A small part of you then decided to turn the worst case scenarios in your favour somehow. One of the ways being, "all of these sufferings will be rewarded. At least, mine will." I imagine you said this to yourself through gritted teeth. I want to tell you that the first thing you're manifesting is learning and accepting that suffering for rewards and accomplishments as poetic as they sound, shouldn't be the default settings you function under.

You're manifesting -

• A solution and clarity. No more illusions that worry you from taking the next step or making a decision.

• A community that allows you to bloom. New friends and network.

• Relocation.

• An end to apathy and boredom.

• An end to turmoil, stagnation and feeling of lack and helplessness.

• The beginning you've been anticipating as everything ends around you.

Timings: The coming 3 months.

Picture 2

You may have felt a lack of proper guidance in your life. That no matter what mentor came through or what ever path you sought to follow, everything somehow got complicated when you looked up to it. So many contradictions and so many lies. So you decided the only constant guidance are your own experiences and intuition. There's a life of adventure you seek, a career that lets you live the way you've wanted, for your words to inspire others without coming off too preachy and pretentious. Life has lacked stability likely due to external forces because you've time and time again done your best to obtain the stability that had been taken away from you. There's an intention you had set some time back and that is finally coming into fruition. Thing is, you knew it was going to happen anyway no matter how dire it seemed, you just needed to water this intention by directing your energy to it. You're manifesting -

• Increase in creativity with the energy to express it as well. Feeling in charge of your life. Leading rather than being led.

• Travelling to foreign locations for higher education or job/career. A career that lets you travel or involves travel.

• More money or increase in finances in general.

• More things or subjects to learn and achieve proficiency in.

Timings : Sooner than you expect. (Likely Gemini season for some)

Picture 3

You don't really shy away from challenges but certain incidents have made you question your faith and entire belief systems, later people and lastly yourself. You're trying to find a middle ground for yourself and also wondering how many transformations till your quiet breakdowns stop. Some of you really want to leave, something that brought you comfort is only bringing you anxiety now and giving you extreme mood swings. It seems as though you're wondering if any efforts you're putting into what you want is even worth it. Quiet your mind for some time. Even for a minute. Till the minutes eventually pass and your mind feels quiet for once. It's okay to have a head full of no thoughts at times. You're manifesting -

• Emotional regulation.

• Better health.

• Luck and expansion.

• Knowledge that you can put into use.

• For some better relationship with a maternal figure or their parents.

• Sudden wealth or unexpected wealth or property.

• Protection from distrustful and downright vindictive energy.

• Success, recognition and enjoying the fruits of your labour. Succeeding in anything you've been wanting to manifest for yourself actually. No extra steps or rules and regulations to follow. Simply acceptance.

Timings: Within 2 months.

[4dbarbie-archive]

4dbarbie remix: How to let go of Vanessa

My notes: This is basically a TLDR version of my first 4dbarbie remix post How to realise Self. My original intention for that post was actually to make something like this, a really straightforward (and short lol) practical guide on how to let go of the ego in order to realize Self that I could refer to and apply on a day to day basis. It ended up being a long essay (it was over 3000 words aha) as I decided to go through all her posts and answered asks and found a lot of important information to include so it sort of became more of an educational post (which I'm glad to have made and it helped me understand everything better too!). So anyway, here it is. Pretty much all of the below information was taken from my How to realise Self post (besides the suggested exercises section at the bottom) - I just extracted the more practical guidance outside the explanations to make it.

My personal notes and highlights are in pink for main points and purple for 'action' points.

Just let go of the ego, that’s how simple it is. All you need to fix is your wrong identification. There isn't anyone who couldn’t materialize anything right now if he or she would just let go of identifying as the limited body. 1

Stop thinking you are Vanessa, the thoughts of needing this or that drop away. To change, you need to give up this conviction of being this person. You need to disbelieve. 2 A lot of beliefs are subconscious. "I am a body", "I am Vanessa", "There is a world" are all subconscious, automatic beliefs. Upon investigation you can get rid of any belief (by making them conscious and then dropping them). 14 How do you drop a belief? (see part 1 and part 2)

All you need to do is detach from this form during the day, let life happen as it happens while reminding yourself it's a dream, a dream that doesn't have to be yours. 3

What I recommend you to do is bring your self into focus, become aware of your own existence. See how you function, watch the motives and the results of your actions. Study the prison you have built around yourself because of credulity. By knowing what you are not, you come to know your self. The way back to your self is through refusal and rejection. 4

Leave your mind alone, that is all. Don't go along with it. 5 Thoughts will keep on coming for a while, just now you know they have nothing to do with you. Get into a habit of watching, letting them be but not identifying with them. If you can observe them, it means you are not them. 6

Step away and look (observe). The physical events will go on happening, but by themselves they have no importance. It is your mind alone that matters. When you identify yourself with them, you are their slave, you think you have to act on them. When you stand apart, you are their master 7

Just stop taking the thoughts you don't like for truth or reality. There is no convincing involved, it is all letting go. 8 Doesn't matter what the thought is, leave it alone, ignore it BUT not by force of will, just indifference 9

Start letting go bit by bit, just to see what happens. You won't start "acting crazy" just because you become uninterested in thoughts, I promise 10

You don't need to convince yourself they're unreal, just dismiss them (the thoughts) as not yours. They will disappear more and more through your newfound indifference, then their physical counterparts will, too. Detachment is by doubt and indifference. First you start doubting "the facts", then you become indifferent to the facts, lastly there are no facts anymore and you can establish your own. 9

Your next step will be realizing there is nothing to learn in a dream. You'll find yourself having less and less thoughts, then none at all. Then, only if you want, you will be able to reinstall the mind, now of your choice, and change the dream. 3

All you need is to get rid of the tendency to define your self. All definitions apply to your body only and to its expressions. Once this obsession with the body goes, you will revert to your natural state, spontaneously and effortlessly. 4

Be patient with yourself because you don't lose any time, just get to that place I'm telling you about and then you can just go back in time if you so wish. All worry is pointless! And there is nothing to fear, things just happen, do not claim them as yours for a while. Unclutter your mind, it becomes your servant after you've freed it enough. 11

Reminder: This body and this world are not forced onto you, they exist through your identification with them. Not yours, remember? Repeat. Not yours. You won't lose your mind, you'll only lose your misery. After you've detached, you'll easily shift to as many realities as you want - don't put any on a pedestal of desire, they are equal. See this world and the body as not real first. What is true is only what I AM is identified with, right now this body which is not in that TV show (referring to anon's desire). Correct this first by letting go of thinking it's you. 12

Suggested exercises (not required if you don't want to do it!)

1. Sitting in silence & just being with no thoughts - The whole point of sitting in silence is to realize what you are, pure beingness. Awareness only becomes consciousness when it has an object. The object changes all the time. In consciousness there is movement; awareness by itself is motionless and timeless, here and now. 4

2. Start doubting you'll wake up as Vanessa tomorrow - Not to get it, but consider it actually… What if… I wake up tomorrow and I realize an entire life has been just a dream?! Equal to the one I dreamt last night?! What if you wake up and realize it all was a nightmare that you THOUGHT went on for years and it's just been a few hours... even get scared and terrified about that thought. Better than getting scared about non-reality.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?! That never was... but I felt it so real, I swear I was her?! Yet here you are, awake, and the dream never was.

Do it like that. Doubt that it's anything but a dream as much as possible. 13

Sources:

Citations: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

In-text links: 1, 2, 3, 4

[coochiequeens]

TRAs since the ruling in the UK: "We're going to be hunted by Terfs!!!" Meanwhile the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC): "In particular there needed to be "appropriate and available services for all people, including trans people" when it came to settings such as hospitals and changing rooms."

By Aleks Phillips BBC News

Trans women should use toilets according to their biological sex, the equalities minister has said.

In response to the UK Supreme Court's ruling that a woman is legally defined by biological sex, Bridget Phillipson stopped short of saying trans women should use the men's toilets.

But she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The ruling was clear that provisions and services should be accessed on the basis of biological sex."

Pushed further for clarification on whether a trans woman should use the men's or women's toilets she repeated: "The ruling is clear."

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the ruling in his first comments on the matter, saying it gave "much needed clarity".

The prime minister told the BBC: "I'm really pleased the court has clarified the position.

"We can move on from there. [I] think that has been very helpful."

Earlier, Phillipson said the law on trans women accessing single-sex spaces on the basis of biological sex "would apply right across the board".

But she stressed that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) "will be setting out additional guidance and a statutory code of practice, because we need to make sure that everyone has the ability to access services that are safe and appropriate, and respect their privacy and dignity".

In particular, there needed to be "appropriate and available services for all people, including trans people" when it came to settings such as hospitals and changing rooms.

Pressed on what the ruling meant for trans women looking to use a toilet today, she responded: "The ruling was clear that provisions and services should be accessed on the basis of biological sex.

"But I know that many businesses large and small will ensure that they have appropriate provision in place, for example many businesses have moved towards unisex provision or separate cubicles that can be used by anyone."

The EHRC has already suggested trans people should use their "powers of advocacy" to campaign for so-called third spaces that are gender neutral to avoid these sorts of dilemmas.

Phillipson, who is also education secretary, said many places had unisex toilets or individual cubicles.

"Go into your local cafe, a local family cafe - [the] chances are that they'll have one cubicle that's self-contained that can be used by anyone," she added.

The Equality Act 2010 allows for single-sex spaces and services without it being considered discriminatory, such as when a user may reasonably object to another person being of the opposite sex.

The Supreme Court found the biological interpretation of sex was required for single-sex spaces

Campaign group For Women Scotland, which brought the case, warned that interpreting "sex" as gender identity under the law would have implications for the running of single-sex spaces and services, such as hospital wards, prisons, refuges and support groups.

The decision by the Supreme Court found the biological interpretation of sex was required for single-sex spaces - which can include changing rooms, hostels and medical services - to "function coherently".

However, single-sex spaces could exclude people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) - which give legal status to a transgender person's gender identity - "if it is proportionate to do so", the judges ruled.

Transgender people have said the ruling may erode the protections they have against discrimination in their reassigned gender - protections the judges said they had under other parts of the Equality Act.

Phillipson, who managed a women's refuge before becoming an MP, said it was important that "women - especially those who have experienced male violence, sexual violence and trauma - are able to access safe, therapeutic spaces" while ensuring that "everyone in our society is treated with dignity and respect".

She said these women-only spaces could now be "confident as to how they deliver services" as the Supreme Court had "set that beyond doubt".

Asked whether there was unity among ministers, following reports of division over the issue, Phillipson replied: "Yes there is, and I speak for the government on this matter."

She added that she was "crystal clear" the government welcomed the ruling.

Sir Keir told ITV West Country on Tuesday that the ruling provided "real clarity in an area where we did need clarity" and was a "welcome step forward".

He added: "A woman is an adult female, and the court has made that absolutely clear."

Michael Foran, a lecturer in law at the University of Glasgow, said that the discourse surrounding the ruling had been muddied by misinformation and "attempts to delegitimise" the Supreme Court.

He told the Today programme that some were suggesting the ruling would not affect policies around single-sex spaces, which was "obviously incorrect", adding: "This decision has profound implications for trans inclusion in those spaces."

Dr Foran added: "It's incumbent on the government to communicate clearly what this judgement does and does not say, and to combat that misinformation."

[pubbamoon]

Planetary Joys

Hello! It's me again! I hope you are doing well and if you're not, then I hope it will get better. Inspired by the one particular comment from one of my recent posts about the astrology misconceptions, I want to make a specific post about planetary joys this time. The point of this observation is to explain you why planets find their joy and function well in some houses. I hope you're gonna like it.

Firstly, I want to introduce you the Hellenistic astrology a little bit. Hellenistic astrology is a tradition based in the late Hellenistic period. The practice of this tradition started in the 2nd century BC in Mediterranean Basin, but it was mostly practiced in Egypt. The whole point of Hellenistic astrology is to describe someone's canon events and to predict what is probably going to happen in someone's life through someone's birth chart, not only to describe the person's personality and psyche. Hellenistic astrology is basically like a traditional tropical astrology, meaning that there's only seven planets present in every birth chart (from Sun to Saturn) and we use the Whole Sign system for houses. Forget about the asteroids (Chiron, Lilith, Ceres etc.) here in Hellenistic astrology. We use Hermetic lots in this type of astrology instead. But that's whole another story. In Hellenistic astrology, there's a thing called Planetary joys, meaning that planets find their joy in certain house and that's going to be the theme of this post. So, let's finally get into it!

Sun in the 9th house: The planet Sun finds its joy and functions very well in the 9th house. Both the Sun and the 9th house represent spirituality. The Sun represents pure intelligence, the knowledge we naturally have, which we didn't gain in school and seeing things as they really are. The Sun is a luminary, representing the light which lightens the day. The 9th house represents higher education, wisdom, religion, knowledge etc. Since the 9th house is connected to the Sun, the planet that represents light, father, authority, norms and how things should be, the 9th house is associated with the spirituality we seek beyond and the type of spirituality which is widely accepted, such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam etc.

Moon in the 3rd house: The planet Moon finds its joy and functions very well in the 3rd house. The Moon is also a luminary which represents the light and seeing things clearly. But, since the Moon lightens the night it's possible that there's hidden aspects or area of this planet. The 3rd house also represents spirituality, just like the previous house, but the 3rd house is mostly related with the type of spirituality we seek within and that is not very mainstream or widely accepted, such as magic, witchcraft, wicca, palm readings or even Tarot readings. The 3rd house also represents cousins we may not be aware of their existence. Have you ever heard that almost every celebrity from Hollywood has a 11th or 14th cousin, but they don't know that they're actually cousins? Although the Moon represents the light, it can also represents something hidden or uncertain in our life, as it illuminates the night.

Mercury in the 1st house: The planet Mercury finds its joy and functions very well in the 1st house. Mercury represents communication, unpredictability, adaptivity, logic, chaos, contradictory and it functions well in both day and night, while the 1st house represents the life itself. Communication is the key everywhere in life. In astrology, we interpret both the cosmos and the human's life. Mercury is the planet that is associated with astrology the most, because in astrology, we describe the movement of celestial bodies, interpret the planets, houses and aspects together to make predictions and give guidance. Mercury represents multitasking, doing everything at once and is the messenger in Roman mythology. Life is like a wheel of fortune, it is very unpredictable, chaotic and sometimes it doesn't make any sense. And if you wonder which planet represents the unpredictable area of your life where nothing makes sense, that's Mercury.

Venus in the 5th house: The planet Venus finds its joy and functions very well in the 5th house. Venus is a benefic and a positive planet, representing fertility, creativity, giving birth to a new idea or a life and the area of our life which favors us or works out in our favor. The 5th house is one of the most positive houses and is connected with Venus because the 5th house represents good fortune, privileges or good things that happen in our life, such as good circumstances, good health, wealth, children, fame etc. Having the 5th house placements might indicate being in a privileged positions, enjoying the life, going into great schools, having a nice car, being lucky that you don't have to work, doing something that fulfills us, having children or even getting the princess treatment.

Mars in the 6th house: The planet Mars finds its joy and functions very well in the 6th house. Mars is a malefic and a negative planet, representing war, violence, labor, taking forced actions, commanders, danger etc. The 6th house represents slavery, hard-work that leads to nowhere, misfortune, working class, challenges, bad things that happen in our life, bad circumstances, bad health etc. Having the prominent 6th house in our birth chart may indicate taking forced actions we don't want to take, but we don't have other choice, like working 9-5, getting a credit to buy a house, paying bills and something similar. It can also indicate going to not very nice school, having a bad car and working a job that drains us and that we hate. Unfortunately, that's usually a story of almost every normal or average person.

Jupiter in the 11th house: The planet Jupiter finds its joy and functions very well in the 11th house. Jupiter is also a benefic and a positive planet, representing luck, abundance and the area of our life that works out in our favor. It also represents the faith, morality, churches, schools, universities and all of the places where there's a lot of people coming together. The 11th house is one of the most positive houses in astrology, representing the success, victory, gains, good spirit or good things that happens in our mind. Jupiter is related to the 11th house because the 11th house represents the privileges in our life and the people that help us to achieve our goals because they want us to succeed. Jupiter represents collectivity, while the 11th house represents friends and that's another reason why they're connected.

Saturn in the 12th house: The planet Saturn finds its joy and functions very well in the 12th house. Saturn is the most distant planet from the Sun, representing darkness, isolation, losses, marginalized people, outcasts, death and ending of a cycle. When there's the darkness, we cannot see things as clear as they are. The 12th house also represents isolation, losses and marginalized people who don't have a community, since the 12th house hides behind the 1st house which represents life. Having the prominent Saturn or 12th house in someone's chart might indicate someone feeling melancholic about their own limited life. That person may feel like an outcast or that they don't belong anywhere. It's a lonely path if you have the prominent Saturn or the prominent 12th house in your birth chart. There's a lot of mental battles coming with these placements, since the 12th house represents mental health.

Well, I guess that might be it. I hope you learned something new today. Keep in mind that this observation is related mostly to Hellenistic astrology. I don't think it is going to work in modern tropical astrology or even in vedic/sidereal astrology. Anyways, I hope you liked it. Have a great and successful week ahead!

Best regards,

Paky McGee

[sunsblogs]

BENEHEALTH - SİLVER

Functional medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Rather than simply treating symptoms, functional medicine practitioners aim to uncover underlying imbalances or dysfunctions that contribute to disease. By addressing the root cause of disease, functional medicine can provide more effective and sustainable solutions for patients. This approach recognizes that each symptom or differential diagnosis may be part of a larger, more complex pattern of dysfunction and aims to address the underlying causes of these patterns. Another basic principle of functional medicine is personalized medicine. This approach recognizes that each individual has unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that contribute to their overall health and well-being. By taking a personalized approach to care, functional medicine practitioners can tailor treatment plans to each patient's specific needs and goals. This may include nutritional guidance, supplements, health coaching, and other interventions that address the individual's unique needs and challenges. By treating each patient as an individual, functional medicine can provide more targeted and effective care. Functional medicine also places a strong emphasis on patient empowerment and education.  By providing patients with the information and tools they need to take control of their own health, functional medicine practitioners can help patients achieve long-term health and wellness. This may include nutrition education, lifestyle changes, stress management techniques, and other strategies to improve overall health and well-being. By enabling patients to take an active role in their own health, functional medicine can help develop a sense of ownership and responsibility for one's own well-being, leading to better health outcomes and improved quality of life.

[bagaluten-sys]

☆Denial in OSDD, information and tipps with sources☆

Hey, this is an informational post with many aspects to denial in OSDD. It might ease denial and ensure more knowledge on this very present state that people with this disorder struggle with (diagnosed and undiagnosed equally).

In this post I included:-- What do people mean with "Denial is part of the disorder"(protection and amnesia)--Media portrayal and its focus on alters--the self invalidation of own trauma--DID vs OSDD--Is it really that rare?--"Shouldnt I have noticed it?"--Communication in systems--"What if im still wrong?"

I have my sources in the end of the post and as always additions/corrections/experiences and questions are welcome :) (I am not a professional)

What do people mean with "Denial is part of the disorder"?

First of all one big part of the disorder is dissociative amnesia. This can show as covered amnesia or selective amnesia or emotional amnesia. All these arent fully noticable if you arent aware of it and they might lead to forgetting your own symptoms and the time alters fronted.

Denial can serve as a defense mechanism and a protective function. The idea of the disorder is to protect from trauma and severe stress. The unawarness or lack if acknowledgment over the disorder and your own seperate parts serves to avoid the host being overwhelmed with emotions and unwanted memorys. Usually the host is an ANP and has to maintain a functional state while dissociating from the stressing reality of having the disorder and the trauma it caused.

(Source: DSM-5, Therapeutic Work with Dissociative Identity Disorder (book by Colin A. Ross))

Media portrayal and its focus on alters

The portrayal of OSDD in media (including TV shows and social media) often centers around dramatic or sensationalized decisions of alters and can lead to misunderstanding and mispresentation. These portrayals can impact public perception, potentionally inducing denial among individuals with the disorder.

Since many people (especially ones that dont actively research the disorder) get their impressions of the disorder from media, the symptoms can be widely misunderstood. Common mistakes/clichees the media might make include: Overly dramatic switches, stereotyping alters, fantasy elements that make the disorder seem more magical then an actual disorder, exaggeration, undermining seriousness of disorder, Stigma, Lack of awareness of other symptoms.

In social media specifically the risks are: Glorification, lack of professional guidance, focus not on education, risk of the people not having the disorder.

If your system and alters and symptoms dont work the same as in media does by far not mean you dont have it.

(Sources: DSM-5 (2016), Ross C.A, DID: Diagnosis, Clinical Features and Treatment of Multiple Personality)

DID vs OSDD

If you often think: "I cant have that disorder because I dont have full amnesia between alters or because I dont have very distinct alters" then always remember: its literally what the diagnosis OSDD is for. Its described as followed: It is used for individuals who have similar symptoms to those with DID but who do not meet the full diagnostic criteria for DID. Most commonly, this describes individuals who have dissociative parts that are not sufficiently differentiated to qualify as alters (sometimes known as OSDD-1a) or individuals who do not have amnesia between alters (sometimes known as OSDD-1b). Some individuals with OSDD-1 lack both amnesia and highly distinct parts, and other individuals with OSDD-1 have highly distinct parts but rarely or never switch between them. These latter cases are also sometimes described as OSDD-1b.

(https://did-research.org/comorbid/dd/osdd_udd/did_osdd)

Is it really that rare?

People with red hair: approximately 2 percent

People with DID: 2 percent (few estimates up to 5 percent)

Thats all. (sources: www.did-research.org, worldpopulationreview.com)

"Shouldnt I have noticed it anyway?"

The disorder forms in early childhood, so the symptoms might develope, change and so on, but it still has been there for a long time and there isnt much chance to see how it would be without it. In conclusion you might just accidentally be used to it and didnt realize something is different.

(Source: Dissociative Disorders - Pasadena Trauma Therapy, DID-Research.orghttps://did-research.orgWhat Causes Dissociative Identity Disorder?)

Communication in systems

In denial because your parts/alters dont clearly talk to you? That happens often. Communication can also be through sharing thoughts and feelings or even none at all. All systems are unique akd so is their communication.

(sources: several books including books from the authors Colin A. Ross, Deborah Haddock, Marlene Steinberg and Maxine Schnall, Suzette Boon and more)

"What if im still wrong?" (No sources, my personal conclusion)

Then its okay. This life is hard, so is trauma and everybody makes mistakes. If youre wrong or right in the end feels important, we know that, but in the end a diagnosis doesnt matter as much, your experiences do and no matter what: feelings are always valid and everybody deserves an open ear.

Okay, this all took hours now and the post is pretty long, but I hope this helps :)

[tameblog]

While I enjoy experiencing all types of plants at the botanic gardens I visit, I have always been entranced by stunning bonsai specimens and actively seek out bonsai collections whenever I can. Bonsai continue to gain popularity in North America, and expanding collections can be found in institutions across the United States. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I fondly remember frequent visits to the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois. As I’ve never lived more than two hours from the Windy City, these visits have continued regularly over the last 40 years and often include a look at their masterful bonsai collection. Originating from the 6th-century Chinese practice of penjing, the art of creating miniature landscapes atop earthenware (“potted scene”), the Japanese art form of bonsai (“tree in a pot”) was adopted around the 12th century. Following World War II, this Japanese tradition became increasingly accessible and has found an immense following worldwide. The many nuances of how to successfully engage in bonsai, which is essentially growing and shaping a plant in a container, are covered in myriad references. There are also many active bonsai societies and practitioners that offer experience, guidance, and advice. To gain some insight on the basics of bonsai, I corresponded with Chris Baker, curator of bonsai at the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG). He provided some wonderful information about bonsai, described the beautiful collection at the garden, and discussed the goals this collection aims to achieve. What started as a humble collection has grown into a diverse display of trees and forms. Left: Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa, Zones 4–8), right: Limber pine (Pinus flexilis, Zones 4–7). How long has CBG featured bonsai specimens? In 1978, the collection started as a small display on a bench structure in the east courtyard of the Education Center. That collection was removed when the courtyards were redesigned in 1994. In 1995, the Botanic Garden Committee of the board of directors approved the east courtyard being used as a display area again. At that time, between 10 to 15 trees were shown at any given moment during the display season. Both courtyards were renovated again in 2006, and the bonsai can now be seen on both sides. Since the space has doubled, 32 trees can be exhibited to the public. One of the most common landscape shrubs gets a whole new look in the CBG bonsai collection. Here, a hybrid yew (Taxus × media, Zones 4–7) proves it can be just as aesthetic as it is functional. How many specimens do you currently curate? There are about 260 trees in the collection, with around 125 considered display quality. We currently have over 160 different taxa. Some of our bonsai are imports from Japan, but many others feature North American tree species. What are some of your favorite plants for utilizing in bonsai, considering your Midwest location? The ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa, Zones 3–7) is the dominant pine tree in the western United States, found in mountainous areas from British Columbia to Mexico, and east to North Dakota and Texas. There are many great species that can be used as bonsai specimens, and we try to utilize North American species whenever we can. Some of those include ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa, Zones 3–7), Jack pine (P. banksiana, Zones 2–6), bald cypress (Taxodium distichum, Zones 4–9), eastern larch (Larix laricina, Zones 2–5), American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana, Zones 3–9), and eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis, Zones 3–7). On the opposite end of the spectrum, bald cypress (Taxodium distichum, Zones 4–9) is native to the swamps of the southern United States but can be found in coastal areas as far north as southern Missouri. What three tips would you give beginners interested in bonsai? Getting into bonsai is like exploring any other form of gardening, and the basics are much the same. Before you can get to work pruning and training a tree to your will, you must select the species that is right for your location and needs. One: Know your environment. How much sun do you have? How much shade do you have? How often can you water? This will tell you what species will work best for your bonsai. Two: Do your research. Research details on specific species: what do they need regarding light, water, heat, shade, feeding, and so on? Find the species that matches or comes as close to the conditions you can provide. Three: Master one or two species at a time. Don’t get several different trees that all have different requirements (i.e., tropical, deciduous, pine, evergreen). Like any other collection of plants, mastering the vastly different needs of various species will take time. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too much to learn too early on. Pick your poison. Are you more likely to have success with a tropical species like natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa, Zones 9–10), or a cool-climate evergreen like Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora, Zones 4–7)? How do you see the CBG bonsai collection developing in the future in terms of presence and display at the garden? It is always my goal to make the bonsai as relevant as possible when it comes to the garden as a whole. Being involved in yearly themes, extending display times, and hosting events are some ways I try to do that. Visit chicagobotanic.org/ChrisBaker for more information on Chris and the collection Information regarding Chicago Botanic Garden can be found on their website: chicagobotanic.org Find more information on bonsai: And for more Midwest regional reports, click here. Mark Dwyer is the garden manager for the Edgerton Hospital Healing Garden in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and he operates Landscape Prescriptions by MD. Photos: Mark Dwyer Fine Gardening Recommended Products Wagner's 52003 Classic Blend Wild Bird Food, 6-Pound Bag Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Classic wild bird food uses the highest quality grains to attract backyard wild Birds. A high-quality mix containing Millet, milo, cracked corn and Sunflower for a wide range of wild birds to enjoy. Perfect for tube, hopper, or platform feeders. Great to feed in all seasons! Perfect for the winter, when seeds are scarce; spring and summer for hatchlings; and autumn to give energy to migrating birds. This seed will help you fill your yard with birds such as Jays, cardinals, doves, Juncos, finches, goosebeaks, any many more. Buffalo-Style Gardens: Create a Quirky, One-of-a-Kind Private Garden with Eye-Catching Designs Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Buffalo-Style Gardens is a one-of-a-kind, offbeat garden design book that showcases the wildly inventive gardens and gardeners of Buffalo – and offers readers "the best of the best” ideas to use in their own small-space gardens. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. Source link

[oliverniko]

I painted Gaza's beautiful beaches with the hues of Palestine's flag today. None of us are free until we're all free 🍉

Starting yesterday is the global strike for Palestine. I am participating in whichever way I can, and will be prioritising using social media to uplift Palestinian voices and sharing related artwork. I am also donating where I can, avoiding spending money unless absolutely essential (and if I have to, prioritise small businesses and companies in support of Palestine) and rearranged what appointments this week aren't essential. I am also continuing to always educate myself and following other guidance in this strike.

As the confirmed death toll has surpassed 25,000, there is no longer a fully functional hospital in Gaza and all places that have stored information about the population has been destroyed (medical records, birth certificates, land ownerships), be sure to use your voice however you can and show you will not stand for the genocide of Palestine--and all peoples currently under oppression.

[acti-veg]

My website is finally back up and running; thank you all for your patience while it has been down. I have rebuilt it from the ground up, added some new areas and all the content has been restructured. The site is now separated into three areas: 1) Guidance - This is the practical stuff like my guide to going vegan, advice on food, clothing, cosmetics, budgeting, household products and nutrition. 2) Education - This is all the theory; it includes animal rights, human rights, the environment, resource use, anti-vegan arguments debunked, key concepts explained and FAQs. 3) Resources - This is your further reading, with recommended books, media and websites. This is also where you'll find my bank of references, broken down by topic. It is still a work in progress, but it is now functional at least. I'll be updating all the existing content over the next few weeks, as well as expanding some of the new areas. I hope you'll find it all a bit easier to navigate and use now, but please do let me know if you encounter any issues or spot any errors - I'm sure there will be plenty!

[mariacallous]

When Donald Trump installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center’s formerly bipartisan Board of Trustees, the move prompted growing concerns about attacks on cultural freedoms in the United States. The Kennedy Center is a hallmark of our nation’s capital that champions arts education across the country, benefiting millions through programs like Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) and Arts Across America.  

Trump’s February 7 Truth Social post announcing his intention to install himself as chairman at the Kennedy Center specifically referenced future censorship of drag shows aimed at youth. Targeting the LGBTQ+ community in cultural censorship has been a global trend. In Kenya, for example, any “film, poster or program” that shows homosexuality is restricted. In Russia, Article 6.21 of the Code of Administrative Offenses prohibits disseminating “propaganda” that “create[s] nontraditional sexual attitudes” or makes them “attractive.” The law was documented by FreeMuse as the cause of approximately 75% of artistic freedom violations against LGBTQ+ artists in the country between 2018 and 2020, and Trump’s reference to drag shows would be consistent with this global trend. 

In the early days of the second Trump administration, this increased control of artistic freedoms has extended beyond just the Kennedy Center. In addition to purging the Center’s bipartisan board, Trump also issued an executive order dismantling the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities (PCAH), which was established to cultivate arts education by President Reagan.  

Other executive orders restrict federal funding for “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) or “gender ideology.” The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have both issued directives since to any grant recipients that funds cannot be used to promote DEI or gender ideology. In a letter to NEA officials, over 450 American artists pushed back against the new guidance and requested the organization reverse it, writing, “abandoning our values is wrong, and it won’t protect us. Obedience in advance only feeds authoritarianism.” Though the legality of provisions of two executive orders relating to DEI remains unresolved following a district court judge issuing a preliminary injunction on February 21, the NEA and NEH directives currently remain in place. 

The current administration’s actions double down on attempts during Trump’s first term to defund the arts at the federal level. For example, the previous Trump administration’s 2018 and 2021 annual budget proposals sought to defund the NEA.  

The administration’s recent actions have reportedly had a “chilling effect” on communities at local and state levels, particularly given the trickle-down nature of federal arts funding. Forty percent of annual NEA allocations are budgeted to state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations; the same is true for the NEH, with 40% of funds distributed through a network of 56 humanities councils across the United States. As of late February, the full impact of new restrictions remains to be seen, as compliance for local and state grantees is not yet clear.  

Cultural and artistic institutions like the Kennedy Center, PCAH, NEA, and NEH, along with other national, state, and local institutions across the United States, play an essential key role in preserving a functioning democracy and critical freedoms, as we emphasized in our recently published Democracy Playbook. The tightening of cultural freedoms by the administration also includes attacks on U.S. independent media and the banning of books in schools operated by the Department of Defense. If these efforts continue to metastasize, they could further polarize U.S. society and incite hatred and violence against individuals and communities targeted by these actions. 

Authoritarians and suppressing freedom of expression 

The tightening control over artistic freedoms and content is common under autocratic regimes and aspiring authoritarian leaders, given that art and culture often allow opposition through political commentary. Globally and across history, autocratic actors have taken actions like those we are starting to see in the early days of the current administration, attempting to supplant artistic endeavors in favor of censorship and propaganda. 

Overreach of government powers to control boards and positions on cultural institutions is not a new tactic. In 1930’s Germany, we saw similar actions. In 1933, the Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, Nazi Joseph Goebbels, led the newly established Reich Chamber of Culture. The institution took control of cultural production across Germany as part of the early Nazi regime’s growing attacks on anyone who did not meet “Aryan” standards, including Jews and other religious, political, racial, and sexual minorities. The Nazis conducted racial and political purges across a variety of cultural spaces, including theatrical and visual arts but also extending to the press, film, and broadcast media.  

Other examples saw governments installing pro-party individuals to leadership roles in cultural institutions, leading to artistic censorship. Under the Law and Justice Party (PiS) in Poland in 2015, President Andrzej Duda appointed a new head of the Ministry of Culture, Piotr Gliński. Gliński selected leadership of national and municipal theaters across the country without following the required recommendations from expert advisors, instead installing party loyalists. PiS also used a blasphemy law, Article 196 of the Polish Penal Code, to silence any artistic expression that “offended religious [Catholic] beliefs.” Similarly, a 2019 Culture Law in Hungary adopted under the current Orbán government, which has also sought to censor art and free expression, made funding of cultural institutions conditional on the government having a say in appointments to senior positions.   

Unduly restrictive conditionality of arts funding is also present elsewhere. In Hungary, artists and performers who criticize the government are largely unable to receive any public funding, often facing censorship in addition to funding challenges. And, since 2018, Decree 349 in Cuba has required that Cuban artists, long targeted by the government, must seek permission from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs before any exhibitions and private or public performances. 

Argentina presents a particularly interesting example. Following the 1976 military coup in Argentina, the Argentine Public Information Secretary (SIP) issued directives aimed at the “reconstruction of the national being” through films, theater, and other artistic productions. Specific plays were prohibited, and many artists were individually targeted. Scholars have termed much of the pullback of the arts scene “autocensura” (self-censorship) in the years of the dictatorship. However, artists such as Argentine author Héctor Lastra have pushed back on this idea, with Lastra saying in 1986 that “self-censorship does not exist. What exists is censorship.” It is clear from the Democracy Playbook that the reality of self-censorship is likely somewhere in between. Though censorship pressures are very real, so too is self-censorship and “anticipatory obedience.”  

Pushback by the arts community during Argentina’s dictatorship (1976 to 1983) shows us that it is possible to produce artistic work—even under a repressive government. Starting in 1981, the Argentine clandestine theater group, “Teatro Abierto” or Open Theater, was founded. Working collectively, the group started with 21 authors, 21 directors, and about 150 actors who developed works that were often political in nature and had anti-dictatorial themes.  

Defending artistic and cultural freedom of expression

As we explained in the Democracy Playbook, democratic power in America derives from the consent of the governed. Freedom of expression and diversity of opinions are fundamental to our democracy and our country. It is essential to avoid following the path of artistic and cultural censorship that we have seen take root in autocracies around the world.  

In addition to Americans consistently expressing strong support for the arts, we also know art and culture have a tremendous social and economic impact. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and culture sector activity in 2022 comprised $1.1 trillion and approximately 5.2 million jobs. 

As they have done repeatedly in the past, including during Trump’s first term, Republicans and Democrats in Congress can work together to ensure there is continued federal funding for the arts and counter defunding efforts. As federal, state, and local funding remains uncertain, NGOs, philanthropies, businesses, state and local leaders, and individuals can all endeavor to fill the gap. 

Maintaining wherever possible the independence of arts education, cultural institutions, their boards, and their activities is vital. Civil society organizations like Americans for the Arts and the Performing Arts Alliance provide resources outlining how arts organizations and the public can strengthen the arts community.  

Bolstering American cultural institutions and artists, from their early arts education through their careers, is key. Concrete recommendations for individuals include purchasing artwork or donating to specific artists.  

Organizations can also seek to promote art created in environments with tightening freedom of expression, whether locally or at the national level. The Artistic Freedom Initiative, for example, also allows artists who are at-risk to apply for assistance. The Human Rights Foundation runs the Art in Protest program to highlight such art and annually awards the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent.  

Free artistic and cultural expression, whether through Wicked, Captain America, or the latest Kendrick Lamar hit, is one of the primary vehicles for citizens to express their opinions, including political discontent. They are also essential to the health of our nation’s democracy amidst growing threats. Any efforts by the new administration to weaken freedom of expression or censor dissent run counter to America’s rich and diverse culture. 

[orkbutch]

The reason I say I think kink is a powerful tool of queer liberation is because queer kink is visually, philosophically, culturally, very resistant to true assimilation. The full extent of queer kink is not marketable, it is not palatable, it is inherently weird and deviant because kink intentionally engages in the unsavory, the taboo, the difficult and strange. It lays power and how it functions very bare. It subverts socially engrained power structures constantly. It plays with things that society fears. I also think kink would be sociologically considered forbidden knowledge, and this also makes its assimilation into hegemonic culture very difficult.

Kink cannot be clearly and openly advertised and marketed because of this forbidden knowledge; it's offensive to almost all cultural standards. (This is a GOOD thing.) It cannot be conveniently standardized. It is and always will be unappealing to a large portion of people, because BDSM WILL engage in play with scenarios that are genuinely and understandably upsetting. (It is very much like horror in this way.) And because of the risk involved in Hard/More Risky BDSM, I don't think it should ever become culturally normalised. It is something that requires a community that ensures participants have the proper education, guidance, good intentions and standards, and is capable of pushing out bad actors to protect people. I think safety information should be plentiful and accessible, but I don't think it should (or really could) be "normalised".

I think thats powerful! I'm so glad we have furries, pup-players, piss drinkers and adult babies to keep at least one corner of culture inpenetrable to heteronormative hegemoneity.

[covid-safer-hotties]

University administrators appear unconcerned that COVID is increasingly rampant on Ontario campuses - Published Oct 15, 2024

By Steve Wilcox

'We are witnessing a failure in public health as vulnerable people are being left to self-organize around a larger systemic problem'

From the University of Toronto to Wilfrid Laurier University to Carleton University, students across Ontario are begging one another to take precautions against COVID-19.

Statements like those below, posted by students to Reddit, a social media site that hosts unofficial forums for universities across Canada, appear on a daily basis now.

“I swear every lecture I go to at least 7 people are one cough away from respiratory failure.” – r/UTSC

“Guys, can you please stay home if you have the god awful cough?…I really don’t want to get sick and some of you aren’t masking or even bothering to cover…” – r/WLU

“Please wear a mask if you’re sick. It seems like a basic courtesy that if you’re coughing and sneezing you should be wearing a mask. We are students and missing class obviously impacts our learning and how much work we can do” – r/CarletonU

On forums like r/UofT you’ll find students using the internet’s equivalent of shouting to implore people to protect themselves and others:

“WEAR A MASK IF YOU’RE SICK OR HAVE BEEN SICK RECENTLY FFS. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I’VE HEARD SOMEONE SAY ‘yeah I’m sick’ OR HEARD SOMEONE COUGHING AT 100000 DECIBELS WITH AUDIBLE PHLEGM AND THEN THEY’RE NOT WEARING A MASK…” – r/UofT

At Laurier, where I research the relationship between play and cognition, there has been no mention of the virus this term; no communication about the risks; no guidance on how students, staff, and faculty can protect themselves.

Let’s be clear: what we are witnessing here is a failure in public health as vulnerable people are being left to self-organize around a larger systemic problem over which they have diminished control and a reasonable expectation that if they were at risk (they are), the school they are attending would inform them (they are not).

At Laurier, where I research the relationship between play and cognition, there has been no mention of the virus this term; no communication about the risks; no guidance on how students, staff, and faculty can protect themselves. At the same time, it is not uncommon for a quarter of the class to be absent at any given time in our program. This has to change.

When I say that vulnerable people are being left to fend for themselves, I mean all of us. We are all vulnerable to COVID, from our lungs to our hearts to our brains. Since higher education is about developing thinking and reasoning skills, I’ll focus on just the mental or cognitive impacts of a COVID infection. As a disclaimer, a number of these studies rely on measuring changes in IQ, a problematic tool for assessing intelligence, partly due to cultural and social biases. However, these studies do provide insight into baseline changes in cognitive functioning.

COVID research tell us that:

Mild COVID infections are associated with a drop in IQ, warns the New England Journal of Medicine. In adolescents and young adults, mild COVID infections disrupt brain connectivity and reduce memory function, according to research from Translational Psychiatry. A single, mild COVID infection can result in the equivalent of the brain aging 10 years, leading to “larger cognitive decline” compared to those uninfected, Nature reports. Young, healthy adults who experience a mild COVID infection show memory and cognition impairment, according to a study published by Heliyon. More severe infections lead to higher drops in IQ, (New England Journal of Medicine); and in one study, one in nine people hospitalized with COVID saw a 30pt drop in IQ (Lancet). Long COVID is associated with severe cognitive slowing (Lancet) One in six Canadians infected with COVID report long COVID symptoms (Government of Canada) These impacts on cognition can last for years (Lancet) If you or your child is attending an Ontario university and they are not taking the proper precautions, they are at risk of graduating with worse cognitive performance than when they arrived. This is not to dimmish students, a number of whom recognize the need for precautions and are scrambling to protect themselves and others. Rather, the responsibility lies with university leadership who have the resources and responsibility to distribute that information at scale. And yet they remain reluctant to even acknowledge the existence of COVID, let alone promote precautions.

Importantly, we do have a “near perfect” solution to this problem: respirators (i.e. N95 masks) are 98 per cent effective at stopping the spread of the virus. As we saw last week on TVO’s The Agenda, informed, equity-focused experts recognize the role of wearing and promoting masks designed to stop airborne pathogens during an ongoing pandemic. It’s worth questioning why this guidance isn’t also being promoted by our governments, local public health officials, or on our university campuses where faculty are producing peer-reviewed research on the harm COVID causes, research that is then resoundingly ignored by their own institutions.

This all seems tied into a broader trend away from evidence-based decision making — the bedrock of good governance — towards decision-based evidence making.

Though by no means a new phenomenon, increasingly leaders are deciding what a policy will be and then manufacturing the evidence that supports that position. It’s an inversion of the scientific method and a dangerous shift towards a post-truth politics in which peer-reviewed research holds as much sway over decision-makers as any other opinion, perhaps even less so given the deference we are witnessing from leadership towards reactionary right-wing framing of topics like the climate crisis, vaccines, genocide, and other socially pressing but economically and politically inconvenient issues.

This all seems tied into a broader trend away from evidence-based decision making — the bedrock of good governance — towards decision-based evidence making.

Indeed, political expedience — making decisions based on what is most convenient rather than what is most moral — is becoming the new norm. The fact is, COVID is an inconvenient truth and leaders have taken the path of least resistance in responding to it, choosing the more expedient route of appeasing those who reject science and our duty to care for others rather than embracing evidence and minimizing harm. While we have become somewhat inured to this from elected officials, there’s something particularly pernicious about an institution of higher education dismissing science, particularly when this involves exposing learners to a virus that diminishes their ability to think, to reason, to learn, and in some cases to even function.

If labelling this post-truth politics seems like an overreach, consider that while universities ignore a demonstrably harmful virus, they continue to position themselves as bastions of equity and inclusivity and to promote the very research they ignore in their own governance.

What needs to happen now? University administrators need to publicly acknowledge the spread of COVID on our campuses; they need to clearly and repeatedly convey the risks in ways that align with best practices for communicating public health information — a single email buried amongst countless others is not going to be effective.

Most importantly, they need to explain how students can protect themselves and each other, such as cleaning the air via enhanced ventilation. The science on the harms of COVID and how to prevent it is becoming quite clear; it’s time for our university leaders to do what we teach our students to do: follow the evidence. The hearts and minds of our students depend on it.

Dr. Steve Wilcox is an associate professor in the game design and development program at Wilfrid Laurier University where he researches the relationship between cognition, play, and communication.

[embodiedfutures]

Day 7: Designing Our Committees and Roles

How do you build something that feels like a family, functions like a movement, and sustains itself long-term?

That question guided us through one of the most complex and tender parts of EFC’s rebirth: deciding who we needed to become and how we’d work together.

At the core was a lesson we had already lived. From Better Future Program (BFP), we knew what worked: our grassroots spirit, our horizontality, our commitment to self-liberation. And we knew what didn’t: the exhaustion, the imbalance, the way labor always seemed to fall hardest on the most marginalized.

We didn’t want to lose the community we’d built. But we couldn’t replicate the structures that left us burnt out and unsupported. One of the biggest reasons burnout became so widespread in BFP was because roles were stretched too thin—people were juggling too many tasks across too many areas. So one of our core commitments this time around was to design clearly defined roles, each focused on a specific area of care or contribution. No one person should be holding it all.

To begin that process, we mapped out the responsibilities we needed to carry forward, identifying what roles would help us do this work well, and reflecting on what titles could honor our values—not just descriptively, but poetically. What names would reflect the love we pour into this work? What roles could help hold the collective without overburdening any one person?

That’s how our committee structure was reborn. Through conversation, memory, feedback, and iteration. Through rooting ourselves in language, legacy, and the lessons we carried forward—not just about what didn’t work, but what we needed to feel whole. We didn’t just want job titles—we wanted names that spoke to how we embody our guiding principles.

The Stewards became our executive committee—a name chosen for its connotation of reciprocity, guardianship, and caregiving across time. As one of our youth reminded us, stewardship isn’t just about the present—it’s about the past and the future, about land and memory, about archiving and accountability.

The Conservators felt right for our volunteer relations committee—those responsible for easing your journey as a volunteer with us, and for holding this collective with care. Their name evokes preservation and healing, guardianship and tenderness.

The Storytellers became our communications committee, because storytelling is world-building. It is how we remember and imagine, educate and inspire. Our visions curator, post writers, graphic designers, and community engagement coordinators live here.

The Gardeners tend to our Liberation Library and its numerous branches. We loved the imagery of foragers, seed sowers, topiarists, and composters. A living system. Knowledge that breathes.

The Bookkeepers handle our finances and fundraising. Mutual aid, resource redistribution, transparency—they track the flow of how we give and receive.

The Cultivators carry our teachings and programming. Curriculum creators. Workshop facilitators. Newsletter editors. Zine designers. They are the soil in which your learning takes root—where your questions are honored, your curiosity is nourished, and your voice is welcomed.

The Caregivers form our peer support committee—those trained in transformative justice and ready to offer you care, comfort, and guidance when tensions arise or grief surfaces.

The Webweavers maintain our digital presence—designing for accessibility, privacy, and ease. They make sure our online home is as thoughtful and navigable as our in-person ones—so your journey through our resources is intuitive, accessible, and welcoming at every turn. In a world where digital tools are too often designed without our communities in mind, the Webweavers create with equity and care at the center.

We could have chosen simpler names. But that wasn’t the point. Every name holds intention. Every title is a kind of story.

This structure is alive. It will shift. It will grow. But for now, it is the scaffolding that allows our vision to stand.

Not hierarchy, but relationship. Not rigidity, but rootedness.

Not just labor, but liberation.

— Reaux (she/they), Founding Executive Director

[mortifying-macaroni]

What's got you into the whole Tremere/Tzimisce dynamic? Just curious to know. I like them too

Well, anon, I'm glad you asked (btw you've got excellent taste). I'll try to keep it short and sweet with a few main bullet points *cracks fingers*

It's the perfect foundation for "somewhat acquaintances to enemies to lovers". Their first means of interaction stemmed from curiosity to potential cooperation laced with some form of trust as they partook in exchanging of knowledge and magic acumen, hell even some Tzimisce got embraced while carrying a Tremere name. Moreover, they lived in this brief unity until it all got squandered by the blood wizards' betrayal as we know.

Both clans are pretty much two enigmas wrapped in a mystery that battled on a tight rope throughout the ages. Despite the rocky road they're fiercely tangoing on, the fire from their mutual hatred keeps them on their feet as they're restlessly trying to take the lead in bringing the other party to their downfall. There are certain things that entwine them, things that establish a common ground for them to agree upon. Aside from the bit of blood they share by forceful means from the Tremere's side, both clans foster this penchant for torture in the name of academic pursuits. If melding their minds by combining their methods for causing destruction, then these two bloodlines could've been the most fearsome clan duo of educated executioners throughout kindred history.

I've already quoted this one part somewhere (*ahem* my fic), but they have the potential to work like scissors- the blades function to that of a married couple that carry out their tasks together in perfect synchronicity and unison, with equal toil put into it. They're two hands holding the gun, the hammer and firing pin pushing the bullet out. One example of that is their co-op dependant ability to create Blood Brothers. Think about it, A koldun fleshcrafter and a thaumaturgy sorcerer can mass produce walking weapons of annihilation, sort of like their "children" birthed for war through brutality and blood magic.

The whole kindred world may be cursing at them, deeming them as inhumane monsters and murderers and yet the Tzimisce and Tremere can only slow dance to the beat of chaos and pure pandemonium unfolding around them. Everything may as well be crumbling into ruin, but they'd still see an opportunity to salvage something from the suffering of others. What's more, I imagine if they were in a relationship they'd be partial to mutual inflictions of pain. All the pent up clan tension could provide an outlet to channel that (whether it be caused or sustained) hurt into a sort of gratification that nobody else could provide them.

A Tzimisce is an instrument of pain that a Tremere can learn to, not only appreciate, but study, even without applying force; just how a Tremere's knowledge can serve as a song for a Tzimisce to learn through guidance. Furthermore, if given the chance, either of them would kill or burn the whole world for their partner no questions asked. Even though they bring out the worst in each other, they'd remain where they are because nobody else can handle or keep up with all of their "ugly" aspects.

In other words, if only they weren't so stubborn about their clan beef, they could not only have the kinkiest sex imaginable, but also establish a Gomez/Morticia relationship if they'd just work everything out.

I have only one Tremere/Tzimisce ship, so I'm kinda going based on my own little headcanons regarding their own issues and how they can personally work together through them, in addition to some lore I've dug out on top of that.

Final verdict (in my humble, yet correct opinion): Best ship dynamic in VTM with Nosferatu/Toreador being the runner ups

[theshipscommander]

Alright, late night flare up and I have a bone to pick with some Kanera fanfiction....

Remember, if you write in your fanfiction that Kanan does not die in the oil tank explosion, he's still blind. I commonly see fanfic writers write in their fanfic that Kanan does not die in the explosion and he can miraculously see again. You have to remember the whole reason Kanan could see again for a few split seconds was because he was going to die and the force allowed him to see again. It annoys me when writers will have Kanan miraculously healed or worse, completely write his blindness out of the story without any explanation because it's 'easier' to not have any disabled characters (And this is after the Maul incident). Like yeah, you can write whatever you want, but, it feels lazy honestly. If you're going to write out a characters disability that significantly impacts them throughout the show, at least come up with a reasonable explanation.

I know some people will say, "Well, Kanan could see through the force so he really wasn't blind in the first place." Yeah, no. A lot of people seem to think that if you have any accommodations for your disability that help you function on a daily basis, it means that you are no longer disabled. At the end of the day, Kanan is still blind, whether he can see through the force or not.

I've seen the same thing happen with Echo. Some writers will not write in his prosthetics or any of his disabilities. Even in modern day AU's.

There is a lot of 'healing' in shows and amoung characters. I honestly find it sad that some writers do this. I totally understand that approaching the topic of disability and writing disabled characters is not easy at first. If you are curious on how to better write your disabled characters, research their disability, ask disabled writers for advice and some sort of guidance.

(Also, if I got anything wrong or incorrect in this, please educate me.)