#and comfort. Common materials include:

[mostly-imagines]

answering a question nobody asked: what are jason's love languages ranked?

giving:

5 ) gift giving is bottom tier for him. i just dont see how he could value that more than any of the above because of the way he grew up. like material things and money seem like something he’d reject more than anything to me. but he does still give you presents, of course. he’ll buy you flowers randomly and jewelry and little things he’d noticed you admiring. but i dont think he really does it as a method of expressing his love for you so much as just like a little nice thing to do for you. its not his preferred method of communication, at least.

4 ) a little lower on the list comes words of affirmation because i don’t think it comes as naturally to him. he’s a man of few words and those chosen are caked in sarcasm and dry in a way that attempts to push people away, even if he doesn’t mean to. i just think his words can be rough around the edges even if his meaning isn’t. when he can work through it though, his words are very gentle and genuine. not one for hyperbole but really truly means what he says. he hears that you’re insecure about how a dress looks on you and he’s telling you to ‘shut up, you look good.’ or you’re nervous and he’ll say “you’re fine, don’t worry about it.” to someone else’s ears it might sound dismissive but you know that not how he means it. there’s a lot of unsaid words with him that are more significant than whats coming out of his mouth. like i said though, only like level 10 acquaintances and you will ever know him well enough to decipher those secret meanings.

3 ) he tends to treat himself like a loner, pulling away from people like second nature, but after he met you he found himself wanting to be around you all the time. he’s not the best with words or romantic gestures so quality time is an easier way of reminding you he loves you. he likes just sitting with you and letting you ramble about your day—listening to your voice is a big part of his calming down process every night. but sitting in comfortable silence with you is probably his favorite. he doesn’t get that with a lot of people. silence—sure; comfortable—not so much. he loves the implied intimacy and trust of quietly cooking, napping together, or doing your own things in the same space.

2 ) physical touch is another big one for him. only unlockable after entering a relationship with him. he does it for a lot of reasons, common ones include: as a reminder that he’s there, to ease anxiety (yours or his own), as a sort of fidget, or if he’s feeling a little possessive. its honestly going to shock his family how much he initiates touch with you. he’ll shove them off of him when they try to hug him and is likely to throw hands if they get too touchy. so when they meet you for the first time and he’s squeezing your hand in his the whole night, shoulder to shoulder with you—they’re surprised, to say the least. as time goes on they start to notice that he looks borderline uncomfortable when he’s not touching you—like he doesn’t know what to do with his body. his favorite ways to touch you (non sexually) include: keeping you pressed back to his chest, having your leg hooked atop his when you’re sitting hanging out, hand on the back of your neck, and hands on your hips are a must.

1 ) jason's prime method of communication is through acts of service. he fully believes it’s his responsibility to take care of you and doing things for you comes very naturally to him anyways. he’s known to refuse to let you carry things, let you have the comfortable chair, give you the last of his snack, that kind of thing. he also wants to make your life easier as much as possible—he’ll insist on you telling him about things you need, especially things you aren’t able to do yourself. you never ever have to hire a guy to come look at anything broken in your apartment, jason’s got that shit under wraps. he’d honestly be a little hurt if you did. he’s got a wide array of skills under his belt, he can fix leaky pipes, install locks, build furniture, repair cars, you name it.

receiving:

5 ) he always appreciates getting gifts from you but it’s not necessarily his preferred way of receiving your love. gift giving and acts of service are bottom tier because they’re the only ones that he feels like are taking away from you. costing you money or energy, wasting it on him—he doesn’t want you to do that. he can’t feel loved by the gesture when he’s busy concerning himself with the idea that he’s putting you out for it. when you do give him gifts he likes it most when they’re little things, especially things that you made. make him a friendship bracelet, a simple painting, a fucking paper crane—he’ll love it. with things like that, it makes him really happy to see how excited you are to show him and that’s when he feels the love from you.

4 ) it’s always a little hit or miss with acts of service. he has a hard time accepting help, especially from you. he tends to feel like its his job to take care of you and if you have to help him, he’s doing something wrong. the best way to perform acts of service for him is through littler things. cooking his favorite dinner, checking up on how his stitches are healing, covering him up when its cold and he’s too busy/stubborn to go get a blanket. don’t make a whole thing about it, just do it and he’ll notice and he’ll be thinking about it for a while.

3 ) for the same reasons as mentioned earlier, he loves quality time with you. he prefers being on the receiving end of it though because he is a little insecure and absolutely loves when you go out of your way to spend time with him. tell him you want to be around him, tell him you miss him, tell him you’re happy he’s here. warning: he might cry.

2 ) you’ll notice this one because his breath will literally hitch. physical touch is one of the most prominent methods of affection in your relationship and he never gets used to it. the presence of just your head on his shoulder or your hand in his provides such a noticeable release of tension for him. he’s a huge huge fan of you tracing patterns anywhere on his skin, playing with his hair, and wrapping your arms around his middle so you can hold him close. climb on his lap unexpectedly and his heart will skip a few beats.

1 ) he won't ever admit it, but words of affirmation are his absolute biggest weakness. your boy has a praise kink, but i also think it's difficult for him to accept that so you have to be subtle about it and work up. it gets him really blushy and if you can manage to get him talking, he’s stammering. he can’t hold eye contact for shit when you call him pretty and it’s very amusing to you to see such a quick and drastic shift in his disposition. things that have straight up put him out of commission include: calling him “my pretty boy,” or “sweet boy,” “you always take such good care of me,” “you’re so strong,” “you’re the love of my life.” “i’m proud of you” will literally put him on his knees.

[loveemagicpeace]

What do u need in relationship

Houses and your spouse

The 2nd house represents the cause of death of the spouse. Inheritance and inheritance by spouse.

The 3rd house represents the long journeys of the marriage partner. Religious beliefs of the spouse.

The 5th house represents the friends of the marriage partner

The 6th house represents the limitations of the marriage partner. Restrictions due to marriage.

The 7th house represents the qualities of a marriage partner

The 9th house represents the mentality of the marriage partner

The 10th house end of spouse's life

The 11th house relationship to the entertainment of the spouse

🌙What moon signs need in relationships🌙

Aries Moon-you need a relationship that is adventurous, energetic, brave, combative. In a relationship, you need someone who is fearless and will do the crazy thing, and that in person will really appeal to you. Someone who will bring out a more fiery and courageous side of you. Someone with whom you can be crazy but at the same time feel like you can be you.Someone who will always encourage you and make you feel that you can do it, but at the same time someone who will make you feel that you don't have to do everything yourself.

Taurus Moon-you need a relationship that is stable, safe and secure. Someone with whom you will share money, luxury and enjoy the material things of life. You need someone who will hug you and show you love through touch, which is one of the most important things for you. If you don't touch a person, then you don't feel a connection. Someone to cook with and someone to cook for you. Good food is also very important to you. Someone who will make you less stubborn and someone who will persevere and not give up on you.Someone who will make you feel that it's okay to just enjoy and exist.

Gemini Moon-you need a relationship that includes a lot of communication, stimulation, interesting things, new things. Someone you can talk to for hours. Someone with whom you will share an intellectual side of yourself. It is important to you that the person has a good mentality and intelligence. Someone who is sociable and gets along with his relatives, or at least includes that in your life. Someone to watch funny videos with and comment on things. Someone with whom you will go shopping or do some daily activities.Someone who will always make you feel like you can talk about how you feel no matter what it is.

Cancer Moon-you need a relationship that is emotional, gentle, safe, caring, above all, that someone fulfills you emotionally and gives you the feeling that you can freely express your emotions. A relationship that will represent your home. It is important for you to share a space with a person you have in common and to create an environment that is only yours. You play cards and watch movies under the covers. The relationship can be warm and comfortable. A person who makes you feel at home. With Cancers, it's not even that important to include family (although many people think so), they want to create their own family with that one person. You need someone who will know all your feelings and know exactly what you need without expressing it. Someone who will be with you through thick and thin and will never leave you. "Save me and I will save you"

Leo Moon- you need a relationship that is teenage, playful, warm, full of surprises, even childish (to bring the inner child into your life). You want someone to give you a feeling of childhood, nostalgia. You need romance and maybe children too. Children can be a big contributor here. So you will be emotionally looking for a person with whom you will have children or see her potentially for this. You need someone with whom you can share hobbies and do more things. Also a lot of attention, a person who will put you first. A relationship that will bring sunshine into your life. Someone who will always make you feel that you are young and that you can be a child forever.

Virgo Moon-you need a relationship that is healthy (literally healthy - in the sense that you don't want a toxic relationship, drama and things like that) I think this is also the only moon that really hates it and they will always look for a partner that will be healthy for them. A relationship in which you will have some benefit, that you will do something for yourself together, such as exercise, body care, healthy eating, etc. You like to take care of others and you like to be of service to others, so also a relationship in which you can do a lot for the person but at the same time the relationship, which is practical and gives you the feeling that the person also gives a lot to you. Someone who will give you a sense of peace and calm.

Libra Moon- you need a relationship that is romantic, a little dreamy, harmonious, balanced. A relationship in which you will feel beautiful and admired, that the person will give you the feeling that you are beautiful and that you have a beautiful style. You need love, and this will also be one of the important things for you to have a relationship that is really focused on the two of you. Someone who will buy you nice things, give you lots of compliments. A union that will be peaceful and just. Also which includes a lot of communication especially about you two. That you can find some intellectuality in the relationship. A relationship in which you will always feel okay and that regardless of the conflict, you will still stay together. To do things together and share things.Someone who will always pick you up and never stop admiring you.

Scorpio Moon-you need a relationship that is intense, deep, emotional, self-sacrificing, faithful. Loyalty is really important in your relationship and that you can completely trust your partner and know that you are the only one. Maybe even someone who is a little more dominant and in control of things, so that you have the feeling that he is really interested in you. Depth is really important to you and you want to connect with someone on a really deep emotional level, to know everything about your partner and to tell you all the secrets. Maybe also a relationship that is hidden from others, that you emotionally like it when the two of you have secrets that others don't know. Intimacy is also one of the very important things to be able to connect with a person, so that your partner can fulfill you here. Sharing finances and soul. Someone who will see your dark side and still love you.

Sagittarius Moon-you need a relationship that will bring you growth, optimism, a journey where you can learn something, fire, passion. You need someone who will emotionally fulfill the passion you long for. You need the drama of someone who will be a little crazy and do crazy things with you. Someone who will never leave no matter what the situation is. That the fire will always burn. You need a relationship that will give you new perspectives on life and bring you enthusiasm. Someone you will want to marry and share the whole world with. Marriage is very important to Sagittarius (rules over the 9th house - which also shows this). You need activity and events so that you and the person can do a lot during the day. You need a person who will put fire in you. A relationship in which both of you will feel that you want to discover the same things and also with someone with whom you share spirituality and the same belief. Someone with whom you will not feel like a stranger, but at home. Someone who will share the journey with you and make you feel that you are not alone.

Capricorn Moon-you need a relationship that will open you up emotionally, give you support, stability. Someone you can build a future with. You always look at whether a person can fulfill you emotionally in the long term and how much they can bring you. A relationship that will give you the feeling that it is important and serious. A relationship that pays off. Maybe even a relationship that will be good for your career and reputation. That the person will bring you some benefit from the work and that you will be able to invest in this work with the person. It is important to you how others accept the relationship you have (which is why you may sometimes be unsure about whether you really want it or not). Especially how the parents view the relationship can be an important factor here. You need someone who will give you the feeling that he is responsible, serious, mature, disciplined, has ambitions and goals and is determined. Someone who will build with you and will never tire of building.

Aquarius Moon-you need a relationship that is unique, different, friendly, visible. A relationship in which you will feel that you can be you and that the person accepts you and accepts your feelings. A relationship that will give you a sense of freedom but also stability. Someone who shares the same interests and views as you. Especially when it comes to society, you want someone who looks at the system of society in the same way (someone who is too average and thinks the same as others or does something other than others quickly puts you off). Someone who stands out with their looks and personality. It is important that the person takes you over and that there is something completely different about this person than others. Someone who will make you feel that it's okay to be different and choose a different path.

Pisces Moon- you need a relationship that is fantasy (emotionally fulfills your emotional fantasies), spiritual, gentle, emotional, self-sacrificing, without ego. A relationship in which you will feel emotionally okay and that the person will give you the feeling that you can pour out your emotions without hesitation. A relationship that will not contain ego but will be really true without reservations is stubborn. Maybe a relationship that is magical but at the same time brings stability and reality to your life. That everything you emotionally want will come. You feel things profoundly and are highly attuned to the emotions of others. U need relationship that will give you unconditional support, understanding, and a touch of the mystical. Someone who will make you feel that illusion has no limits and will dream with you.

🎸For personal readings u can sign up here: https://snipfeed.co/bekylibra 🎸

-Rebekah🌊🦋🌙

[lisafication]

This post is uh, extremely normal I swear

So hello yes I am absolutely On My Bullshit regarding my new favourite game. 

That’s right, it’s the cannibal incest game, The Coffin of Andy and Leyley. And I’m here to shove five thousand words of pretentious analysis down your throat because, and I do not exaggerate, I think it is one of, if not the best written game I have ever played. And I have played a lot of games, including Baldur’s Gate 3, Final Fantasy XIV and Undertale, to name a few narrative luminaries to come to mind.

That wordcount is not an exaggeration. My brainworms are extremely powerful and now you can share them with me as I walk you through my insane skyscraper of inference-driven analysis.

Or you can click away. I really wouldn’t blame you, it’s quite a lot.

Content Warnings: …Yes?

(To drop the bit for a moment, The Coffin of Andy and Leyley covers extremely disturbing material and challenges you to examine aspects of living in this world that many have taken for granted all their life, it is not a comfortable game, this will cover similar topics and will often echo the game’s unremitting scepticism on basic principles of society and humanity and you should look after yourself first. My Content Warning is framed as a joke, but it’s also quite real in that the game is designed to make you uncomfortable and there’s no shame in that not being for you.)

This was originally posted on and formatted for Sufficient Velocity, and you can probably more easily read and discuss it with me here.

With that said, let’s dig in. I have had to split this into multiple posts because tumblr will only allow so many images. There will be spoilers for all endings.

She’s excited, are you?

It’s All About Ashley

It really is, isn’t it? I mean, for approximately eighty percent of the total game as currently released and the entirety of Episode 1, you’re in control of Ashley, just as she’s in control of her and Andrew’s relationship for 80% of the game, up until the various ending sequences where it begins to slip. The only other characters who really matter at all in and of themselves are Andrew and her mother — and the former is under her thumb, and she eats the latter. It’s all about Ashley. Even her obsession with Andrew is, ultimately, about Ashley.

But who is Ashley? What is Ashley? Why is Ashley, even? Let’s take a look.

Ashley as presented to us in Episode 1 is very straightforward, so let’s list off the traits we’re given — she is malicious, she is fearless, she lacks empathy, she doesn’t have anything resembling a conscience, she demands Andrew belong to her and her alone, she has him at her beck and call.

In Episode 2, we’re ostensibly shown how she has him at her beck and call— she leverages the threat of reporting Nina’s death over him and had him swear to be with her forever. We’re shown that even as a child she was “just, like that” — but as a child, she hadn’t learnt to live with it yet, to laugh at the farce of it all.

Yeah, exactly like that!

And she does this throughout Episode 1 — The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is a remarkably silly game much of the time, finding moments of absurdity and levity against a backdrop blacker than pitch — and most of the time, your internal narration is coming from Ashley and the jokes will not-infrequently come at her own expense.

She will later get negged by her human sacrifice for her poor ritual circle drawing

Her reaction to being told that her soul is as dark and viscous as tar is “You guess you already knew that” — it’s confirmation to her, not new information. Ashley knows who she is. But who taught her this? There’s layers to this, nothing in this game is as simple and straightforward as it appears at first sight, which is why I’ve been obsessing over it for days.

While it’s common in fiction, the truth of the matter is, most ‘bad people’ really do think they’re good people. But Ashley has never once thought of herself as a good person — or perhaps better put as a person worthy of love — as we learn across Episodes 1 & 2, with our flashbacks to Andy and Leyley and the VERY VERY QUIET!!!

I really wish I had space in this essay to talk about this, but I’d like to touch on these being traits usually more easily forgiven in young boys than young girls at some point.

If she removes all other options, only then can she expect him to like her.

This is something that is echoed in the modern day — her seeming self-assurance is easily shaken and she reaches out to the world — usually Andrew — to affirm and validate her, soothing her insecurities, using any tool she deems necessary. Even when her life is on the line when Andrew has her by the throat at the climax of Episode 1, the only ‘compelling reason’ she can give Andrew to not kill her is her ability to soothe his nightmares. When he tells her there are sleeping pills for that…

Most people would have a bit more to argue for their existence.

While she, unlike Andrew, acknowledges having had friends before the quarantine… you know she’s got a point that they didn’t even bother to answer her calls, that was clearly not something the state was interfering with given Andrew’s calls with his mother and his girlfriend, and given her general demeanour it’s not hard to imagine that… they weren’t ever very close. When we see her and Nina talk in the infamous ‘box scene’, it’s clear that Nina doesn’t like her very much, despite Andrew’s assessment of Nina as being one of Ashley’s friends.

We see further support for her general lack of companionship in her dream sequence in the Burial route — Leyley and Leyley Alone. No matter what you do, you can’t place the pink plushy at the family table, the flowers won’t bloom if you give the Julia and Nina plushies her own as a companion instead of Andrew’s — and if you’re bold enough to go for the ‘incest route’, in the ‘Love’ room you see that no one ever looks happy to be with her in the childlike depictions of her history, nor is she happy in turn, save for when she’s with Andrew. In a bit of heavy-handed metaphor, the player then overwrites all of these tense, upset, hard moments with Andrew, having him fill in for everyone else in life — and happy with her.

Once Upon A Lousy Life…

THE END

And that’s why she needs him to affirm her, because no one else ever has and no one else ever will. It’s even included in their comic beats — when the siblings are getting along well, they’ll often play a game where Andrew dramatically overpraises Ashley while she demands more; it’s a comedic bit but I mean — it really does matter to her!

For the record, she opened a door. She gets a little heart in a speech bubble after this exchange.

We have a great example of this dynamic, that of insecurity and affirmation, in Episode 1, after Andrew has killed for her, butchered for her, his girlfriend broke up with her, he’s seemingly thrown his entire life away for her… she’s still insecure over her relationship with him, she’s uncertain of her control and she needs him to reaffirm it for her.

This is her victory, surely?

Andrew affirms her once, with his usual dead-eyed look.

But she's still not so sure.

He actively reaches out to affirm her again with cheer.

Look how happy she is!

While it’s most obvious and clear cut here, it’s hardly the only case. Let’s look back to the aftermath of Andy and Leyley and the VERY VERY QUIET!!! (I’m not using the other name). Leyley is, after similarly extreme acts — he murdered a girl and hid her body for her — convinced Andy doesn’t like her and she needs this leverage to keep him around, to meet her basic needs for survival. Because that’s what this is — she receives no care of affection elsewhere, so she forces it out of the only source she sees available through the means she sees as necessary.

I really hope we see some of their earlier childhood in Episode 3

What exactly made her like this? Was it just neglect, or something more specific…

She needs this to be the case because otherwise she doesn’t believe he’d stay.

This pattern repeats throughout — Ashley’s insecurities are hit on and she reaches out to Andy to affirm that she is not alone, and she will use any and every tool to exploit her ostensible control over him and force him to be what she needs him to be — and as long as she has that, as long as she is everything to him and it’s not possible for him to leave, she’s happy. As long as she thinks he loves her in her very particular, very peculiar view of love, she’s content, come what may. As long as Andy and Leyley are together, they can take on the world.

Let’s talk about that view of love, because there’s always more layers to unpack here I’m only scratching the surface with this essay — Ashley consistently refers to anyone else Andrew may have befriended or spent time with as a whore, a slut, a bitch — highly gendered insults that bring to mind the idea that he’s cheating in some way. But it’s not even about sex — when Andrew mentions that their parents had friends, she accuses them of cheating on each other in the same way!

There’s a lot to unpack about Ashley’s view of femininity and the role the patriarchy plays in their relationship.

Any kind of emotional engagement, any kind of commitment, any kind of life outside of your significant other is, to Ashley, cheating. Because that’s what she needs from Andrew, a seeming complete and total commitment, secure in her place as the only thing in his life, because she cannot understand anyone picking her if they have a choice.

This insecurity she has in her relationship is what drives her to empower the trinket — he can’t leave her as long as she can protect him with prophetic dreams, after all. She needs every kind of leverage she can get because until she succeeds in being everything to him, in devouring him so completely she has him in her thrall mind, body and soul she can’t be sure of herself — hell, her dream sequence in Burial has you placing Andrew’s signature green plushy, ‘the best thing in the world’ in a cage far away from anything else.

Ultimately, it really is all about Ashley — even her seeming obsession with Andrew ultimately comes back to her own insecurities. If she is everything to ‘the best thing in the world’, some of that ‘best’ must surely reflect on her! 

But that’s enough about the more normal, straightforward and understandable sibling. 

That was not a joke.

Andrew’s Rank 100 Deception

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he did not exist.

Let me explain.

You might have noticed that in the previous section I often use language such as ‘ostensibly’ or ‘seemingly’ to describe Andy and Leyley’s relationship, and there’s a good reason for that. From the beginning of the game through to its end, Andrew is lying to you, the player, without ever falsely representing or misinforming you about events that occurred.

The common, or obvious ‘initial take’ on Andrew as presented in Episode 1 is fairly straightforward. The game primes you to think this way, it frames things and strings reveals just right so as to make it very easy to overlook the incongruities it introduces in Episode 2. He’s a victim. Plain and simple, Ashley is his abuser and he is her victim and would be fine, a normal albeit kinda depressed guy without her.

It really is not a difficult conclusion to draw

You can go all the way through the game, have him try to accept his mother’s olive branch and enter the Decay route as a method for him to finally actualise his desire to get out from Ashley’s thumb and it makes sense, it’s a reasonable way for the story to go, given his character.

You see him this way because the game primes you in Episode 1 to view their relationship like Andrew does — he’s lying. He’s lying to himself, he’s lying to Ashley and he’s so good at it — Deception Rank 100 — he even lies to you. Without misrepresenting a single event or otherwise misleading you directly, the game gets you to buy into his preferred self-perception. Nina? Ashley. Julia? Ashley. The murders they commit in the course of the game? Ashley, Ashley, Ashley, it’s not his fault he’s not to blame he’s just a doormat at the beck and call of his demonic sister.

But he wants to be there. From the very outset, the very first puzzle, that’s made clear. Does anyone else remember this exchange, from right at the beginning of the game?

Ashley wants to investigate the music!

Andrew disapproves…

…Or does he?! 

Like. Listen. Okay. You do not frown when saying ‘Nope’ and then smile when saying that you’ll instead tag along if they do it if your heart is at all in the no. That’s not an objection, that’s using Ashley as his excuse. Especially if you immediately throw her the balcony key that she could not possibly have gotten from you by force (more on Andrew’s ability to use force later).

This is the very first time you control both characters together with Andrew following Ashley instead of off on his own, the first adventure, the first puzzle! 

But put a pin in that for now, let’s talk about his initial framing in Episode 2 first. Episode 1 has set us up to, generally speaking, believe the superficial framing of the siblings as portrayed in its promotional art:

The question that we then ask, right at the heart of it is… why is he a doormat? We explore this in his dream sequence in Episode 2, which does make it clear that the boy’s not okay but— it’s real easy, given the priming from Episode 1 to make you think that he’s the one with the originally functional moral compass, to think that that him being fucked up is damage done to him by Nina’s death and being bound to Ashley for his entire life. She corrupted him.

But, well, is that the case?

You're primed to ignore this as manipulation (which it is) but the best manipulation has some truth to it.

Precisely two things spur Andrew to action in the entire game, consistently — they are the fear of consequences and Ashley. And the first incident of that fear, the very first time we’re shown his seeming moral compass as a kid — the first time it’s really hammered home that it’s a fear of consequences rather than any true moral qualms is after Nina’s death. And why does he fear consequences here?

……

The ‘natural’ read that many take away from this sequence, particularly those who have only played Decay, is that Ashley browbeat him into doing this against his will, using emotional blackmail to overwhelm his objections, and then used the event itself to bind him to her forever as her personal doormat.

In a strict sense, this is true. But this doesn’t match up with the details, something the game uses shock to encourage you to overlook. That outburst is before any kind of threat has been made, and absolutely nothing either of them say anything about it being morally bad until Ashley weaponises ‘you’re a bad person’ against Andrew — morality didn’t seem to enter his mind or the equation at all until Ashley brought it up. More than that, his greatest fear and driving motivation even prior to that is, as shown above, being taken away from Ashley.

She, of course, recognises this and uses it against him. But she never needed to, it didn’t change anything about Andrew’s attachment to her, it was there to address her own insecurities.

Just like to touch on how a lot of his affirmations are preceded by him confirming her insecurities.

I adore this phrasing

There’s a second prong to this as well, to the question of ‘who really calls the shots here’ because — Andrew can, at any stage, apply an ‘ultimate veto’ of physical violence. The game is very clear to the player that that is on the table — even when they were children, when Andy swears their blood oath, he briefly considers killing her — and take note of how he ultimately got a ‘winning’ condition out of her by not specifying there wouldn’t be others and she is forced to accept that, there. Even outside of their most serious confrontations, Ashley is portrayed as having to convince, manipulate or otherwise coerce Andrew into going along with her schemes — she really can’t make him do anything, she doesn’t have the supremacy in violence and, to a lesser extent, capability that would allow her to. 

Andrew, you are like ten years old.

The truth of the matter is, Ashley can only make Andrew do anything because he lets her. I don’t mean in the sense that I’m saying abuse victims let their abusers emotionally abuse them, I mean in the sense that he is clearly considering his options on the table and choosing to discard those that could stop her, or bring an end to any of this. He needs her.

But it’s true that he hates her, too. He has to hate her, because if he doesn’t hate her, if he isn’t forced to have done this, that means… he’s responsible. And nothing, at the start of the story, is as important to Andrew as avoiding the consequences of his own actions, not even Ashley. By the midpoint, he loves her, he hates her, he can’t live without her, he wants to kill her — by the end… well, that depends if you’re on Decay or Burial, but more on that in a bit.

A great scene to study for this dynamic is the climax of Episode 1, when Andrew grabs Ashley by the throat and considers strangling her to death. She’s pushed him too far with hurtful words and assault, and he’s seemingly had enough.

It’s still framed as a question of risk, of consequences happening to him. 

Like, this is not the usual behaviour of someone who’s been pushed past their breaking point.

He tells Ashley that he wants to kill her, because she’s just going to throw another fit and that’s a risk to him. She is… not framed as being able to fight back (she does have a gun here, and more on that in a later essay, maybe). He’s so calculated in how he approaches his use of violence here, which isn’t at all what you’d expect of someone about to commit a crime of passion… but it’s very easy to overlook because of the abuser/victim narrative that the player fits his behaviour into the narrative that the game primes them to accept, brushing incongruities under the carpet.

At the start of Episode 2, we get to control Andrew for the first time, and the first obvious holes in his cover start to show. Some of this is optional — you only learn that he’s been faking having nightmares in order to share a bed with Ashley if you choose to go back into the motel room and check the bed, for example — but not all of it.

----(See reblogs for the second half)

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - May 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content!

1. Translocation of 2,000 rhinos in Africa gets underway in “one of the most audacious conservation efforts of modern times”

“The 2,000 rhinos - more than are currently found in any single wild location in Africa - represent around 12-15% of the continent’s remaining white rhino population. […] “Rhinos perform an important ecological function in the environment as a large grazing herbivore,” says Dale Wepener[….] “The protection of rhino is far more than just looking after rhino; other species that occur in the protected areas will benefit from the protection,” explains Jooste. “This will lead to an increase in diversity and result in much healthier ecosystems.”

2. Florida Corridor Buffers Effects of Climate Change on Wildlife — And People

“A massive multi-partner effort that has conserved 10 million acres for wildlife in Florida over past decades will help buffer wildlife—and people—from the effects of climate change, a new report says. […] Protecting these corridors is important for wildlife genetics, demography and connectivity […], conducting prescribed fires in the corridor can reduce the risk of more intense wildfires [… and] they can provide buffers against hurricanes and seasonal thunderstorms.”

3. Global life expectancy to increase by nearly 5 years by 2050 despite geopolitical, metabolic, and environmental threats

“Increases are expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is lower, contributing to a convergence of increased life expectancy across geographies. The trend is largely driven by public health measures that have prevented and improved survival rates from cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, and a range of communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs).”

4. Valencia has Spain’s longest urban park

“Jardin del Turia (Turia Garden) is the green spine of the City of Valencia and Spain’s (and possibly Europe’s) longest urban park stretching for a length of 8.5 kilometres [… and] the current administration plans to make Jardin del Turia Europe’s largest city green space by extending it to the sea[….] Almost all Valencia residents (97 per cent) live within 300 metres of an urban green space. […] Jardin del Turia is a true urban oasis that provides exceptional thermal comfort, with a temperature difference of up to three degrees compared to other areas of the city.”

5. This Paint Could Clean Both Itself and the Air

“When an artificial ultraviolet light source shines on [photocatalytic] paint, the nanoparticles react with pollutants to make them break down—theoretically removing them from the nearby air and preventing a discoloring buildup. [… R]esearchers developed a new photocatalytic paint that they claim works using UV rays from ordinary sunlight, making its self-cleaning properties easier to activate. They’ve also shown that they can effectively produce this paint from recycled materials [including fallen leaves].”

6. Planting Seedlings for a Cooler Rockingham

“A dedicated group of volunteers recently planted over a thousand native seedlings in Lewington Reserve [… and] re-established canopy cover to areas of the reserve to create cooling shade for the local community and provide homes for native wildlife. […] Planting lots of trees and shrubs in urban areas can help create shade and cool cities, mitigating the impacts of climate change, contributing to biodiversity conservation and building greener, more resilient communities.”

7. Sydney’s first dedicated affordable housing for trans women designed to deliver ‘positive outcomes’

“Community housing provider and charity Common Equity NSW, […] which is for people on very low to moderate incomes, prides itself on creating inclusive living and promotes the independence and well-being of people and communities […, and] will deliver the first-of-its-kind social housing in a bid to provide a safe place to live for transgender women seeking an affordable home.”

8. Rewilding: How a herd of bison reintroduced to Romania is helping ‘supercharge’ carbon removal

“170 European Bison reintroduced to Romania’s Țarcu mountains could help capture and store the carbon released by up to 84,000 average US petrol cars each year. […] By grazing a 48 square kilometre area of grassland in a wider landscape of 300 kilometres squared, they helped to capture an additional 54,000 tonnes of carbon each year. That is around 10 times the amount that would be captured by the ecosystem without the bison.”

9. World’s biggest grids could be powered by renewables, with little or no storage

“[…] 100% renewable supply can then match the load by putting surplus electricity into two kinds of distributed storage worth that [an energy expert] says are worth buying anyway – ice-storage air-conditioning and smart bidirectional charging of electric cars, and recover that energy when needed, filling the last gaps with unobtrusively flexible demand.”

10. Supporting the Long-Term Survival of Copper River Salmon and Alaska Native Traditions

“With $4.3 million in NOAA funds, the Copper River Watershed Project and The Eyak Corporation will remove fish passage barriers, opening more streams for salmon spawning and subsistence fishing. [… As part of this effort, o]ld narrow culverts that constrict water flow will be replaced with “stream simulation” culverts wide enough to fit the full stream, including its banks. They are also deep to allow contractors to place stones and other material inside to mimic a natural stream bottom.”

May 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[anantaru]

— yandere honkai star rail boys

including blade, jing yuan, luocha, sampo x gn! reader

꒰ genre ꒱ — yandere, angsty, toxic, manipulation

— blade

yandere! blade, who won't ever leave your side in the early stages of your relationship, but the smoldering question, the raging reason as to why was deeply purled in an ulterior, much scarier motive.

it's not because of him owning possessive traits, well, he sure did but the motivation behind gracefully aiding you in everything you may require, always showing up to your doorstep whenever you wanted him to with that big, delicate smile on his handsome face and blessing you with sweet gifts of all kind, his reasoning was contrasting.

at any rate, blade can continuously see that you're slowly but surely getting accustomed to him, that you tend to find some sort of unrecognizable comfort and notable security in his calculated antics.

submit to him, to your fate, you do not have to do anything on your own again.

the voice in your head wasn't your own, it was blade's voice, bright, stern and utterly dominating. it's in your head but it wasn't you talking, or was it? it couldn't be.

when you come to terms with it, step by step, you are quick to notice that something changed because blade backs away all of a sudden, without somewhat announcing nor explaining himself.

you try to reach him, desperately, but you're being ignored, no answer, no message or a call being returned. proceeding, you attempt to idly greet him the very moment you see blade suddenly walk past you on a random evening, while at last, being ignored yet again.

the main impetus of his motives, what could it be? fine, to say it without beating around the bush, it's that blade will try anything in his power to make you the obsessed one.

— jing yuan

yandere! jing yuan who was using one noteworthy strategy to ploddingly drive you into his undying arms, so you weren't able to leave nor would you want to leave in the first place.

the golden eyed will make you feel like you're the most special, alluring, stunning individual he had ever laid his eyes on. most of all, will he turn everything around and act like you're in control of the relationship between you both.

hold on a second, it doesn‘t stop there.

for all intents and purposes has the capable and gifted general easily figured out that by giving you any form of large control, an illusion of indurated authority, he can covertly infiltrate that sweet head of yours to deviously influence and manipulate you how he sees fit.

following this pursue of action, you do not realize what you have gotten yourself into by the time it was too late.

for your own pair of thinking— to you it would seem like you are making important choices and solutions, yet not fathoming that in practice it was jing yuan who would put the hand picked ideas into your thoughts with subtle hints and little traces, you barely notice it.

you would end up doing whatever he wants and he smiles, kissing your lips and thanking you for taking such good care of him.

logically thinking, he does it because he wants you to become attached to him, he cannot possibly live a life without you, it's futile— you're the person he fell in love with, he couldn't imagine you walking away now.

— luocha

yandere! luocha, who, on the far side of the color of his innocent-looking, scintillating eyes, will be a crazy skilled liar who will look at you so sweetly that you cannot even process the mere possibility of something going wrong.

at the outset, he was agreeing and relating to everything you were saying or proclaiming, yet keep in mind, he puts it in a way that wasn't overbearing nor appearing as untrue— luocha knew what to say in order for it to come off as his opinion as well, as an oh so little coincidence that the two of you had so many things in common.

almost like you're made for each other, or, almost as if someone was trying to make it materialize as this.

again, you can envision him as a chameleon— following your first dates, he notices that he is wholly obsessed, it's the way you communicated, the small traits you possessed or how you'd slowly avert your eyes whenever he'd try to hold gazes.

luocha looks at you and visualizes a mirror standing in front of him.

for what reason you might wonder, let me break it to you; he needs you to be exceedingly trusting and unquestioning towards him, whatever he says, you wouldn't quiz it.

slowly, deep, decelerated steps, one by one so you wouldn't notice, luocha will gather all the information he had about you, favorite food, most dearest hobby, your habits, your views on life and the future, all written and memorized in his brain until he turns them into his own traits, characteristics of himself— because, ultimately, he was always a step ahead of you, easily lying through his gritted teeth without even realizing it himself sometimes ..

.. yet never letting go of the unfaltering control he now had acquired.

— sampo

yandere! sampo, who on the outside appeared to be rather bubbly and harmless, yet on the inside was excessively skilled in keeping you within his mind altering reach.

because love was scary, or so he thought and sought to point it out, it’s basically handing over a map of all your flaws and imperfections while putting faith in your partner to not abuse that power. 

in advance of your relationship, the man had already gained your abiding trust out of the clear blue sky— lets take this into consideration, whenever you encountered a problem, dear sampo was here to solve it almost immediately, without even trying his utmost hardest.

how come he had a solution to everything you needed, he truly was wonderful, or wasn't he?

and his extraordinary inducements of special care, how he made sure that you were contented and pleased in your life, all while in reality remaining unnoticed in the cruel darkness, as the very cause of those problems you have encountered.

it's quite silly he thinks, how creative he was, again using negative rumors to pull you into a corner, or stealing work utensils and important materials you needed, silently orchestrating a various square of people who will look down on you.

until at the very last, sampo proudly positions himself just right in your life, quite heroic indeed, and placing a fake security on top of your person ..

.. so you wouldn't have to worry about anything in life anymore and fully attach yourself to him.

©2023 anantaru do not repost, copy, translate, modify

[cosmicatta]

One Piece Novel: Law — a short analysis

So, after a long time trying to get my hands on the Law light novel, I was finally able to read it recently! And, because I'm an obnoxiously intense person who can't just be normal about things, I found myself taking notes about everything I judged interesting.

And I thought I could share! So here's a mostly improvised essay about the Law novel, how it portrays Law and what it reveals about him as a character.

Some notes before I start:

The edition I've read of this novel is the official Spanish translation by Planeta. When quoting and mentioning numbered pages, I'm referencing that edition.

I originally posted this on Twitter as a thread! If it sounds familiar, that might be why.

For those who haven't read the novel and might want to: be mindful of some trigger warnings, including gruesome medical descriptions, suicidal thoughts, mentions of abuse, and violence in general (I won't be touching on these subjects here though).

These are just my personal impressions, I'm not trying to tell anyone how they should interpret the novel or Law's character. I'm just doing this for fun!

The story takes place right after Cora dies, following young Law's journey as he makes it to Swallow Island and desperately tries to survive. There, he will meet Bepo, Penguin and Shachi, as well as Wolf, a novel-exclusive character that welcomes Law and the boys into his home as a family.

Overall, it's a very short read, agile and straightforward. The style is very juvenile, but that was to be expected, and I'd say it does a pretty good job at capturing the feeling of watching a One Piece episode. The novel does kinda feel like a mini arc.

I'm unsure if light novels can be considered 100% canon in general, but since the contents don't contradict anything from what we've already seen in the manga/anime, I'm going to assume we can at least take the events described in this one as canon.

But I'll leave the plot aside a little bit to focus more on Law's psyche, analyzing everything in the novel as material that helps us further understand him.

The entire book (save from a few specific passages) is written from Law's point of view and in first person, so it offers a more in-depth look at his way of thinking, motivations and ideals.

What I find most interesting in this sense is that the whole story is very centered around Law's kindness. Though he does admit several times that he had wanted to see the world burn when he was under Doflamingo's care (as we already know from the source material), the novel makes it very obvious that Law's true nature is compassionate. His inner voice even explicitly states that he enjoys helping and making others happy. (Quotes roughly translated from Spanish):

P. 27: "And I felt very comfortable collaborating with the task of helping others."

P. 92: "Knowing that I was going to free a person from their pain [...] gave me a joy I had never experienced before."

P. 136: "Just imagining the surprised faces of the Old Man, Bepo and the others brought a smile to my face" [when planning on getting fresh fish for dinner as a surprise].

And, despite living under Wolf's motto of "give to take," Law never expects anything in return for any of his good actions. In fact, he gets furious at Wolf himself when, after saving his life, the old man insists on giving Law anything he demands as compensation.

P. 120: "I didn't save you because I wanted a reward!" [...] They [Bepo, Shachi and Penguin] burst into tears of happiness when they realized that you had survived. That's more than enough for me! [...]" I won't let you belittle their tears!"

But even then, Law keeps arguing that he only saved Wolf "on a whim," much like he would say years later when asked why he chose to save Luffy's life. This is a common theme throughout the whole book (which is also pretty obvious in the manga)—Law doesn't recognize his own kindness.

It's not modesty or shyness, his inner monologue makes it very clear that he doesn't see himself as good-natured, and is often confused at his own motivations.

In their first meeting, when Bepo asks him why he is so nice to him, Law doesn't know what to answer; and after that, when Law finds himself wondering why he's trying so hard to save Shachi and Penguin despite their past history, he blames it all on "doctor's pride."

P. 48: "I wasn't even a good person."

Still, regardless of what Law might think of himself, living in Swallow Island seems to be making him progressively gentler. He was wary and hostile towards Wolf at first, but eventually lets himself trust people again, trying to honor Cora's memory and what he taught Law.

In Swallow Island he builds his new found family little by little, though never letting go of Cora and what he meant to Law.

P. 39: "Cora and I were family, that's what I felt at heart, I had no doubts. We had loved each other without saying it out loud [...] Would I feel the same for the Old Man and Bepo eventually?"

Slowly, he starts finding comfort and joy in community. He lets himself be carefree around his new friends, treating them with open affection, laughing and being surprisingly enthusiastic (although he quickly starts taking his role as a leader very seriously, and sometimes avoids showing weakness around them so as not to worry them.)

Law even gets to become an active part of life in Pleasure Town, where he and the other boys are cherished after 3 years living and working there. He's comfortable with his role in the community and appreciates the people in town. His sense of duty towards them shines especially when the pirates arrive to attack the town.

Again, this contrasts with how Law sees himself even in the manga/anime, where he insists that he acts mostly out of selfishness and only seeking his own benefit (or, in the best of cases "on a whim.")

But the truth is that Law's decisions are almost always related to other people's desires.

In this sense, the concept of guilt is also key to understand Law's motivations and his relationship with the world as a whole. This is especially obvious when it comes to Cora—Law even briefly wishes that they had never met, so that Cora would still be alive (p. 128-129.)

In a way, guilt is what moves Law forward, and what slowly starts transforming into a thirst for revenge, into rage and hatred towards Doflamingo and possibly towards himself too. It's a kind of tragic guilt born out of love.

His love for Cora still haunts him, his last wish for Law is the big enigma that he tries to solve during his 3 years in Swallow Island: be free. What is freedom to Law? How can he fulfill Cora's request? This is the question that gives meaning to the novel.

We know that Law wouldn't feel free until finally taking down Doflamingo and avenging Cora's death many years later, but he hasn't reached that point of determination in the novel yet. Maybe that's what gives the narration that hopeful and optimistic tone, with a young Law that's still finding himself, experiencing wonder in loving again, and learning what it means for him to be true to his values. It's the start of an adventure, and its core theme is love.

The ending illustrates this very well; I especially like the moment where Law names the crew as they're setting sail:

P. 243: "Cora's love that he showed me, Wolf's affection, the trust I had in my companions. One word embodied it all: Heart."

It is love that gives Law a reason to keep going. And I'm so glad that the novel doesn't shy away from this fact and isn't afraid of sounding "sappy" or "corny," because I do believe emotion is a very important part of Law's character.

The epilogue closes with a very interesting quote in the last page:

"You hear that, Cora? This is my... This is our pirate crew."

It is unclear if by "our" he is referring to himself and Cora, as if dedicating this new beginning to him, or if he means him and his crew. I'd personally like to think he means it both ways. But in any case, it's interesting that he openly shares the honor of "owning" his crew with someone else. He is the captain, but not the owner. It's another little way in which his generosity is evidenced.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable read, and it left me wanting more. Obviously, it's not a literature masterpiece, but it gives a lot of interesting material for character analysis, which is super fun.

Finally, here’s a few fun facts for those who can’t/don’t want to read the novel but enjoy the little trivia:

The Polar Tang was built and designed by Wolf.

Law’s first tattoo was "DEATH," and he got it at a local tattoo shop in Pleasure Town at around 15 years old.

Shachi and Penguin are childhood friends and likely met through their parents.

Shachi had always wanted to be a hair stylist.

Law is bad at cooking.

Both Shachi and Penguin are good at cooking, especially Penguin, who worked as a waiter in Pleasure Town.

The Hearts’ jolly roger was collectively designed by Law, Bepo, Shachi and Penguin days before leaving Swallow Island.

Law decided the name of their crew upon setting sail for the first time.

And I think that's all! ♥ I hope my rambling was enjoyable at least!

Edit: I've now posted an analysis of the Ace novels too!

[15-lizards]

Not sure if you've been asked this before but I love the detail and research you put into your ASOIAF material. What do you think ladies of various houses did for fun? What talents would they be encouraged to develop as they grew older? What did different kingdoms view as being an "accomplished" lady? I know this is HUGE, but I'm always so curious about domesticity and the interior lives of women in fantasy.

I loveeeee the domestic lives of historical women I love material culture and decorative arts that shows us how they lived

-northern noblewomen are usually taught a variety of textile arts, to repair old cloaks, embroider gowns, weave tapestries, quilting blankets, etc etc. A lot of it is practical, as everyone is needed to pitch in on household preparations, especially when it's getting close to winter, but it still functions as entertainment, like when Sansa goes to needlepoint circles to make pretty wall hangings and gossip. Other entertainments include singing and listening to traveling bards (though "refined" instruments are not common up north). An "accomplished" northern lady is one who can do a wide variety of domestic tasks in order to provide what she can for her family.

-Iron Islands womens' domestic life is as bleak as everything else on the islands :/ Women do a lot of practical sewing and weaving, but there isn't much time or product available to do it for leisure. Entertainment often comes in the form of drinking, feasting, and (oftentimes lewd) songs, but highborn women are not allowed to participate as much as the men, though they participate significantly more than mainlander women. The concept of an "accomplished" women is kinda sneered upon on the islands, as men think that kind of stuff is for uppity southerners, but there is still an unconscious expectation for noblewomen to be able to complete practical domestic tasks and be able to run the household, though not so much as they overstep the men.

-Riverlander highborn women take great pride and enjoyment in textile art especially I think. Obviously they do it for practical uses, but there is soooo much woven art in a Riverland women's household. Long, detailed tapestries that run the length of the wall and all of the pillows and gowns and blankets have cross stitch decoration. Outside of textiles, riverlander women love love love traditional songs and ballads, passing them down from generation to generation, especially the bittersweet ones about Jonquil or Simeon Star Eyes. An accomplished riverlands woman is well-rounded and able to apply her domestic talents to many areas, and creating a warm and comfortable home is the most important aspect.

-Noblewomen of the Vale are expected to be paragons of domesticity. Their leisure time is often filled with very feminine pursuits. Praying for her family in the sept. Shyly dancing with kings and lords at balls. Doing delicate lacework and needlework upon her gowns or gifts for others. Doing these things makes one an "accomplished" lady in the eyes of Vale culture. A pious and virtuous young woman who can offer her domestic talents to her family, as well as expertly navigate a complex social web full of gossip and drama, while still staying above all of said drama.

-In the Reach, noblewomen are given a masterclass in aristocratic leisure activities. Not only do they delicately sew and stitch, but they are also taught pretty songs, court dances, how to ride and hunt and hawk like a lady, and even how to gossip slyly appropriately. Because there is more room for comfort over practicality in the south, "accomplished" women are not expected to contribute as much in the way of household management. Instead they are molded into perfect ladies, who can lure in any suitor or charm any guest, one who clearly has the resources to learn so much in the way of entertaining. Overall expected to become a symbol of refinement for their father and/or husband's name.

-Westerlands women are very similar to Reach women in their leisure activities and domestic lives and what they consider to be "accomplished", due to their proximity. However I think there's more of a focus in the Westerlands for women to be more practical, so that they can be more apt in household management and "useful" domestic tasks. This is due to an underlying seriousness in western culture, which I think is the main difference between them and their neighbors. Both charming and sly and self-interested, but present themselves in different manners.

-Crownlands women have the most available to them in terms of leisure and entertainment (rivaled only by the Reach), both social and domestic. Large balls, public plays, and royal feasts are expected to be attended if you're a noble lady, but one is also free to privately garden, read, ride, bind books, make dolls, sew gowns, paint, etc etc. What counts as an "accomplished" women fluctuates on whoever has the most influence, so many nobles play it safe and teach their daughters the basics of court manners and needlepoint and dancing. However since Kings Landing especially is a large mix of cultures and values, there are many noblewomen who are differently talented and in their own right.

-Stormlands women often enjoy outdoor activities for their leisure. Even in the rainy, muggy weather, they are out on the hills to ride or hawk or hunt. They pursue domestic activities as well, like the other noblewomen of Westeros, but are also expected to enjoy the outdoors like the men, in order for their health and constitution. They feast and dance and sing and drink, and its not uncommon for them to match the men in these activities. An "accomplished" woman in the Stormlands is someone who can easily juggle domestic tasks, running a household, and be able to keep up with the men in their activities, and do it all without complaint. More "frivolous" activities are not required.

-Dornish women's domestic culture is fairly unique compared to the rest of Westeros. Due to the weather in most parts, many noblewomen do their leisure activities indoors. These include games like Cyvasse, reading fictions and Dornish poetry, arguing philosophy, playing instruments, singing, and dancing. Due to the general equality between genders (and no im not calling Dorne a feminist utopia) women are allowed to take part in more mental pursuits. Because of this, an "accomplished" Dornish woman is expected to be one who is well read and knowledgable about many fields, and can carry on intelligent conversations with anyone, as well as being charming and hospitable to all who meet her.

[azullumi]

“and they were roommates” ; albedo & diluc

summary — what is he like as your roommate? in correlation, how does he often act around his home shared with you?

includes — albedo and diluc (w/ gender-neutral reader) ; separate

tags — fluff, domestic fluff if you squint so hard, no established relationship, some sprinkle of smau ; headcanons

note — surprise, there is no note ; masterlist

albedo, the helpful and kind roommate, also an artist and somewhat a friend

a genius, a roommate, and a friend (maybe). minds his own business and does his own things but he is willing to help you at most times, he wouldn’t mind tutoring you if you’re a student who needs guidance or wouldn’t mind fixing the pipes if ever it gets broken—i mean, that would affect him also if it breaks down as you two share the same home. he’ll figure things out on his own even if he doesn’t have that much experience with such tasks.

he’s an artist and you’ve seen some of his artworks when you pass by his open room. however, he never talked about it, his art, so if he didn’t leave his door open and if you hadn’t taken a peek inside, you wouldn’t have seen him painting—if you didn’t ask him about it, you’ll never know of it.

probably loves fruits, unsure since he never said it out loud but will always bring some home whenever he goes out—there’s always a basket of it on the table or a container in the fridge—and will even slice or peel it for you, sending you a photo and a message if you want some. you honestly don’t know how that string began but it just happened, peeling oranges for you and sharing just became a normal thing on a hot—perhaps summer—day.

he’s quiet most of the time, doesn’t talk a lot and texts from him first are not a common thing, but that doesn’t mean he’s not willing to engage in a conversation with you and you get along with him just fine. he’s not some emotionless stuck up jerk, he’s very much the opposite of that. he’s caring, gentle, and attentive. he doesn’t leave a mess around unless it’s in his room and he does his own fair share of chores.

his room is somewhat divided into two spaces: rest and work area and the latter space is always messy. cleaning it up is just futile effort as it only gets untidy afterwards. there are all kinds of items and things inside, materials for his art and work or research, expensive equipment lying around his room, and a shelf with different kinds of books. along with some of his paintings that he put up, there are also papers that he taped on the wall, ideas and reminders that he can’t afford to forget.

diluc, just your simple and average thoughtful roommate, a bartender and an old soul

god, he’s just so sweet, attentive, and caring, and if you two aren’t dating, you wish you were. he lets you borrow one of his shirts (even if you have some in your closet but his j ust smells so good and it’s also so comfortable and soft to wear), he doesn’t mind it at all as long as you don’t go digging deeper into his room—not just the clothes—and invading his personal space and overstepping your boundaries. he lets you borrow some of his things also as long as you’ll ask for permission.

he’s not much of a morning person, getting out of his bed when it’s nearly afternoon already. if ever he wakes up early, he’ll stay inside his room probably just laying on his bed and catching to more sleep or cherishing his alone time and making the most out of it, he wallows in the warmth of the sunlight that seeps into his room and lays at his floor and the silence that engulfs him—it’s just peaceful and comforting.

speaking of his room, he has a simple one, adorned with small decorations and a few framed photos, and everything is always neat and tidy. all of his things are stored where they should be. there’s nothing much to describe here except it’s clean and organized with a faint smell of his cologne. he does have a collection of vintage and old items placed around his room such as a phonograph on his table and an antique vase on the corner.

he works part-time as a bartender—from afternoon until night. that’s why he’s often out late but he tells you in advance, either through a call or text message, whatever his mood is. although it’s not everyday that he works since he’s at home on some days. during those times, he’ll be the one to cook and would do chores around the house, letting you rest instead.

he lets you try some of the drinks he made, non-alcoholic if you don’t want alcohol, and would ask for your opinion. he’ll prefer it if you’re honest—lying wouldn’t be beneficial here. but then all of the ones he makes are all good so there’s no need to fabricate and sugarcoat your words to please him.

© azullumi — do not plagiarize, copy, repost, nor translate any of my works.

[lonelynpc]

Waking Up Unconscious Characters

on the topic of whump!

if you want somebody to attempt to wake an unconscious character, here's how we do it when waking you from anaesthesia:

always speak in a loud and clear voice. we need to make sure they can hear us.

identify ourselves. this includes what our role is so, "this is (my name), i'm your anaesthetist/doctor." sometimes i will also say, "we met before," just to try jog their memory a little bit.

use the patient's name.

comfort and reassure. we avoid saying, "everything's okay," or similar but we will say, "this is normal," "we're looking after you," "the procedure went well," etc.

"(name), open your eyes for me. i need you to open your eyes now." notice it's a command, not "can you open your eyes for me?" when patients are confused, we sometimes see a sort of "i can but i won't" response. can't leave room for confusion, we need to be direct.

tap their shoulder firmly, if possible. obviously, if they've just had surgery on their shoulder or have a shoulder injury we might tap a leg or their chest instead. we will also loudly and clearly speak to them while doing this.

apply painful stimuli. this doesn't mean we're hitting them. we're stimulating a patient to get a response to assess LOC. mandibular pressure is the common one in anaesthesia, if it was the surgical site or if there is an injury there we won't do it, we might do the trapezius squeeze instead.

"hey, (name), this is (my name), your anaesthetist. you're just waking up from surgery, alright?" let them know what's going on, identify yourself again. keep using their name.

once they open their eyes, acknowledge it. i say, "there we go, hello again, (name)," and then reiterate the above.

tell them to stay still, talk them through what we're doing. "stay still for a second, we're taking the tube out, okay?" if a character is going to be moving or touching the injured character, even if they are still unresponsive, they should explain what they're doing. "i'm putting you on your side," "i'm just checking you for injuries," "it looks like you've hurt your arm, i'm going to take a look."

here's some responses people have when waking up from anaesthesia (often they do not remember this):

crying a lot. this is very common and usually if we ask why they're crying, they say they don't know so we tend to just assure them that this is normal and it will pass. we also often see this if a procedure went for longer than anticipated and the bladder is distended.

combative responses. some patients wake up swinging because they're confused, in pain, etc. some wake up combative because the procedure went for longer than anticipated and their bladder is distended too, that's a common cause of aggression on emergence.

urinary incontinence. it happens, we assure them that it's normal and not to be embarrassed, clean them up and cover them. sometimes it happens before they're 'awake'.

flirting or declarations of love. it sounds weird but it happens. it also happens when we're putting them under too. i had a patient tell me that i have beautiful eyes and make kissy faces at me once.

some people get erections. it's sometimes seen in response to certain anaesthetic agents. maybe not whump material but it's interesting so there you go.

immediately trying to move, pull monitors off or IVs out, etc.

singing. now, i haven't seen this super often and it's not full singing but they try their best. i had a patient mumble-singing the lyrics to funky cold medina once (instrumental included), he had no recollection of it later.

non-purposeful movement. thrashing, writhing, turning, etc with no intention.

crying, combative responses, non-purposeful movement, etc are known as 'emergence agitation' (EA).

i hope that helps a bit and gives some ideas!

[theambitiouswoman]

Learning How to Style Yourself

Learning to style yourself is a continuous journey of self-discovery that involves exploring fashion inspiration, understanding your body type, and experimenting with different styles. By researching and saving images of outfits and styles that resonate with you, you can develop a visual library of inspiration. Identifying your body type allows you to focus on accentuating your assets and finding silhouettes that flatter your figure. Trying on various styles, playing with colors and patterns, and experimenting with different proportions helps you discover what works best for you. Seeking feedback from others, considering the occasion, and maintaining your clothes also contribute to developing your personal style.

Explore Fashion Inspiration: Look for fashion inspiration from various sources such as magazines, online platforms, social media, and fashion blogs. Save or screenshot the styles that catch your eye and resonate with you.

Identify Your Body Type: Understanding your body type is crucial to finding styles that flatter your figure. Common body types include hourglass, pear, apple, rectangle, and inverted triangle. Research different body types and identify which one closely resembles your own.

Accentuate Your Assets: Once you've identified your body type, focus on accentuating your assets. For example, if you have an hourglass figure, you can highlight your waist with belts or tailored clothing. If you have shapely legs, opt for skirts or dresses that show them off.

Experiment with Different Styles: Don't be afraid to experiment with various styles and silhouettes. Try on different types of clothing to see what works best for you. This includes different necklines, sleeve lengths, cuts, and patterns.

Consider Proportions: Pay attention to proportions when choosing outfits. For instance, if you have a shorter torso, high-waisted bottoms can create the illusion of a longer torso. If you have broader shoulders, balancing them with flared or A-line skirts can create a more even proportion.

Dress for Your Personality: Your personal style should reflect who you are and make you feel comfortable and confident. Consider your lifestyle, interests, and personal preferences when selecting outfits. Incorporate elements that make you feel authentic and express your individuality.

Colors and Patterns: Experiment with different colors and patterns to find what suits you best. Certain colors can enhance your complexion and make you appear more radiant. Pay attention to the undertones of your skin (warm or cool) to help determine which colors look most flattering on you.

Seek Advice: Don't hesitate to seek advice from friends, family, or even professional stylists. They can provide valuable feedback and suggestions based on their own experiences and knowledge of fashion.

Confidence is Key: No matter what you choose to wear, confidence is the most important accessory. Wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself and embrace your unique style. Confidence will enhance any outfit you choose.

Try Clothing in Different Sizes: Don't be fixated on a specific size when shopping for clothes. Sizes can vary across brands and styles. Experiment with different sizes to find the best fit for your body shape. Remember that the fit is more important than the number on the tag.

Pay Attention to Fabric and Texture: Different fabrics and textures can significantly impact how an outfit looks on you. Some fabrics may cling to certain areas or add bulk, while others may drape beautifully and enhance your shape. Experiment with different materials to see which ones flatter your body best.

Embrace Tailoring: Tailoring your clothes can make a world of difference in how they fit and flatter your body. If you find a piece of clothing you love but it doesn't fit perfectly, consider taking it to a tailor to make adjustments and achieve a personalized fit.

Use Accessories Strategically: Accessories can transform an outfit and draw attention to your best features. Experiment with belts, scarves, jewelry, hats, and bags to add interest and highlight specific areas. For example, a belt can cinch your waist, creating an hourglass silhouette.

Consider Proportions: Pay attention to the proportions of your outfit as a whole. If you're wearing a loose-fitting top, consider pairing it with a fitted bottom and vice versa. Balancing proportions can create a more visually pleasing and harmonious look.

Take Photos and Evaluate: Take photos of yourself wearing different outfits and analyze them objectively. Sometimes, what looks great in the mirror may appear differently in a photograph. Photos can help you identify areas that you may want to enhance or adjust in your styling choices.

Learn from Fashion Influencers: Follow fashion influencers or style bloggers who have a similar body shape to yours. Study their outfits and see how they put together different pieces. Adapt their ideas to suit your personal style and body type.

Go for Personal Shopping or Styling Sessions: If you're unsure where to start, consider booking a personal shopping or styling session. Many stores and independent stylists offer these services. They can guide you in finding styles that suit your body type and provide expert advice tailored to your needs.

Keep an Open Mind: While it's important to understand what works best for your body type, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new styles. Fashion is all about experimentation and self-expression. You might discover unexpected styles that suit you perfectly.

Shop with Purpose: Before going shopping, make a list of specific items or styles you want to try. This will help you stay focused and avoid impulse purchases that may not flatter your body or align with your personal style.

Take Note of What You Like and Dislike: Keep a fashion journal or create a digital mood board where you can save images of outfits, styles, and trends that you love. Similarly, note down the styles or elements you don't feel comfortable in or don't suit you. This will help you develop a clearer understanding of your personal style preferences.

Pay Attention to Proportions: When putting together an outfit, consider the overall proportions of your look. Aim for balance by mixing different silhouettes. For example, if you're wearing a loose top, pair it with slim-fitting bottoms, or if you're wearing a voluminous skirt, opt for a more fitted top.

Play with Layers: Layering can add depth and interest to your outfits while allowing you to create different looks with the same pieces. Experiment with layering different clothing items such as jackets, cardigans, vests, or scarves to add texture and dimension to your outfits.

Seek Inspiration from Different Eras: Explore fashion trends and styles from different eras such as the '60s, '70s, or '90s. Take inspiration from iconic fashion moments and adapt them to your modern style. Mixing vintage or retro elements with contemporary pieces can create a unique and personalized look.

Find a Signature Piece: Consider incorporating a signature piece into your wardrobe that reflects your personal style. It could be a statement accessory, a distinctive coat, or a particular color that you love. This signature piece can become a focal point of your outfits and add a touch of individuality to your overall style.

Experiment with Colors and Prints: Don't be afraid to try different colors and patterns to find what suits you best. Play around with different combinations and experiment with color blocking or mixing prints. Pay attention to how certain colors and prints enhance your complexion and complement your body shape.

Get Feedback: When trying out new styles or outfits, don't hesitate to ask for feedback from trusted friends or family members whose fashion sense you admire. Their honest opinions can provide valuable insights and help you gain a fresh perspective on how different styles work for you.

Dress for the Occasion: Consider the context and purpose of your outfits. Different occasions may call for different styles and dress codes. Dressing appropriately for the occasion while staying true to your personal style will help you feel confident and comfortable in any setting.

Take Care of Your Clothes: Proper care and maintenance of your clothes can make a significant difference in how they look and how long they last. Follow the care instructions on the garment labels, store your clothes correctly, and consider getting items professionally cleaned or tailored when needed.

[loveemagicpeace]

💘Synastry & Interests💘

🩵I personally think that planets in the 4th and 12th house give nostalgia. When you have this connection with someone, you always feel something related to the past. For example: a classmate from high school and because you have the 12th house with him, he reminds you of when you were a teenager. These people remind you of your memories. But you can also feel like you know them from before (even if you don't). Moon in 4th house- you can feel comfortable around this person.

🪽Having 9th house with someone means that you can have long journeys with them, that you can learn a lot from this person. This person can change your perspective or give you meaning in your life. These people can also become your teachers or people who give you the will to live. It is very beautiful synastry.

🌞Sun in synastry is very importnat because shows where you and the person are inspired, where you find joy in each other. Where they find common motivation and romance at the same time. For ex.: Sun in 9th house- will you travel a lot or will you see this person as someone who gives you inspiration for life, maybe gives you optimism in life. Sun in 4th house- maybe this person will give you the will to your home or family. Or it will give you the feeling that home is something positive. You will be able to decorate the home together or spend time with your family or you will get along very well with his family.

⭐️1st house in synastry represents how the person looks at you and how they see you in your personality. How they like your appearance and what kind of energy you give to a person. Venus in 1st house- the person will give you a lot of compliments and admire you a lot. You will admire the beauty of this person. Neptune in 1st house- the person will find you dreamy, mystical and compassionate. Many times you can be seen as a person who is mysteriously beautiful. The person may be thinking a lot or daydreaming about you.

🎸2nd house in synastry-many times it includes how you and the person view material things, money. At the same time, how they enjoy food and music together... How much they appreciate each other. Moon in this house shows that you can feel stability, security towards this person. You feel that you can trust this person. When a person hurts you emotionally, they can make up for it with gifts. Mercury in this house- you and the person can talk a lot about money or have more stable / practical conversations. At the same time, the person may value your opinion. Appreciate your words. Saturn in this house- Partner teaches us what is really valuable, but it is not money. Pragmatic approach becomes important when it comes to nutrition. Partner can help us sort out financial situation and understand our personal value.

🎨5th house in synastry can create a fun and childlike atmosphere. It shows how you have fun with the person, in what way. Where they find common hobbies and how they keep their romance alive. Venus in this house can create childish energy or that your relationship is dramatic sometimes. You appreciate how fun a person is. You love their energy and how it is cartmatic. You can express a lot of pride to this person. Mars in this house creates a hot and passionate romance. You and the person have a strong energy and have fun together. Your energy is always focused on fiery things. But it can also create a temporary romance because maybe both of you can react or see things too childishly. You can see a person's energy as maybe childish or not serious. This house definitely shows teenage energy. Which means that this person can remind you a little of your childhood, or you can do things together that you did in your childhood.

🦋Jupiter in 5th house synastry is great. Because it keeps romance always alive, fun, optimistic and easy. But it also brings a lot of luck in this area. Because Jupiter shows how happy you are with the person, in what way the person makes you happy. Jupiter in 1st house- With your existence and the energy you have, you make a person happy. This person makes you happy and gives you the feeling that you can always be happy when you are with them. Jupiter in 7th house- the person brings you a lot of luck in your relationships with others or shows you what real people are. You feel happy with this person. Jupiter in 8th house- Intimate relationships are always good. In this area, a person can make you very happy and can also help you with money or debts.

🩷7th house in synastry represents how you and your partner imagine a long-term relationship, what the relationship looks like, how you maintain the relationship. How do you work in a relationship and what do you like about a relationship with this person by. Pluto in 7th house synastry- you can see the relationship with this person as deep, unique, ride or die, strong and as private. You may feel like you want to keep the relationship you have with this person to yourself. Sometimes you want to keep the relationship with this person a secret. Both of them can have many secrets. Saturn in this house- you can see the person as stable or the relationship with that person. You want a committed relationship with this person. But it may also seem to you that this relationship is destined or that you and the person are destined for each other. Mars in this house- you feel like this relationship gives you a lot of energy and passion. You may also feel like you are obsessed with this person or that you want to have this person all to yourself. You may feel like you want this person abnormally.

💘8th house mercury in synastry- you can trust a person with a lot of your secrets and dark things. Maybe you can feel like you can talk to the person about more in-depth topics. Everything you talk about can be more intense and in-depth. You can see the person as intense or also mysterious. You might also be interested in a lot about this person. This could also mean that you talk to people about this person or watch them without the person knowing. Venus in 8th house-You are sexually attracted to a person, and many times you can see love with this person as deeper and more passionate. Love with this person can mean to you like a soul connection. You can be obsessed with this person. I think there can be love that lasts forever. Cuz you love them in a deeper way maybe in a way that you never loved anyone before.

♟️11th house in synastry shows what dreams you have with this person or what connects you. What are your interests and circle of friends. What is your friendship like. Let's say Neptune in this house can mean that your dreams are this person or that you want to make many dreams come true with them. Uranus in this house can mean that you and the person have many different or unusual dreams. Maybe you see this person's circle of friends as strange or different from others. It is often the case that we find ourselves in some type of shared enterprise or adventure. You can also meet this person unexpectedly.

💜10th house synastry shows something that have to happen, the mission you have with this person, something that is serious and stable, maybe more public and a career. Moon in this house can mean that you have stable and deep feelings for this person. Also means that you and your partner have a powerful bond that connects you. It is the desire to create something that will outlast one’s lifetime. You can help this person a lot in their career. It can indicate a shared family background or an immediate family connection between the partners. Anything that is conected to saturn in synastry create long term relationship.

-Rebekah⭐️💘🦋

[foragerknits]

Knitting in Victorian England

I wrote this for a class on Victorian Literature because my professor let me research knittinf and make a cape instead of writing a literary analysis paper. The cape that is discussed from The Art of Knitting is what I created for this project, with the illustration from the book on the top right and the cape I knit on the left. The book is from 1892 and is free on Internet Archive, and Engineering Knits on YouTube made a wonderful video about it. (More photos of the cape at the end!)

Knitting experienced a surge of popularity in Victorian England, and was even a topic of discussion in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. After gaining popularity due  to industrialization, knitting became a common pastime for women. Knitting was important because it existed as a way for Victorian women of all classes to be seen as  virtuous and gave them the look of domesticity, while additionally functioning as a  means of income for working-class women by either knitting or writing about knitting.  

Industrialization shifted the view of knitting from economic necessity to a  fashionable pastime for gentry women. In 1589 the first mechanical knitting machine  was invented in Nottingham, which industrialized the knitting industry (“The History  of Hand-Knitting"). Dyed wool trade with Germany and the subsequent booming  industry of knitting pattern books turned knitting into something more accessible and artistic than solely practical (Rutt 112). Knitting became popular and fashionable for gentry women around  1835 (Rutt 111). Women of all classes have knitted long before the Victorian period, but  the industrial changes shifted knitting to a popular and fashionable pastime for gentry women, in addition to the economic necessity for working-class women. 

Knitting served as a way to keep women wholesomely busy. In The Art of  Knitting, a quote from the beginning by Richter reads “A letter or a book distracts a woman more than four pair of stockings knit by herself” (qtd in The Art of Knitting 2).  Knitting kept women busy without opening them up to new ideas that came from  letters and books. Furthermore, a writer in The Magazine of Domestic Economy writes how  useless the items (upper-class) women made were, but praises knitting in its effort “to rid of those hours which, but for their aid, might not be so innocently disposed of” (qtd  in Rutt 112). Concentrating on knitting produces something at the end of the hours of  challenging work but does not expose women to any material that the Victorians would deem dangerous or immoral. Thus, even when women made something useless, they  were keeping themselves busy in a virtuous way. 

Knitting also gave women the feminine and domestic look that was expected of  them in the Victorian era. This can be seen in Jane Eyre with Jane’s description of Mrs. Fairfax upon their meeting. Jane thinks, “[Mrs. Fairfax] was occupied in knitting; a large  cat sat demurely at her feet; nothing in short was wanting to complete the beau-ideal of  domestic comfort” (Bronte 145). This is the first time the reader sees Mrs. Fairfax,  surrounded by a warm fire, a cat and engaged in a feminine pastime. She is the image  of domesticity. Jane admires Mrs. Fairfax, in part, for the comfort her nature, including  knitting, brings. Mrs. Fairfax shows the role knitting plays into the idea of women as  domestic creatures. 

Certain forms of knitting made women appear elegant. Frances Lambert, author  of 1842 manual The Handbook of Needlework, advises women to knit using the common Dutch knitting method, in which the yarn is held over the fingers of the left hand and  the needles pointed upwards, because it was seen as a more elegant style of knitting  (Rutt 113). While Rutt notes that this method was a faster way of knitting, Lambert does  not comment on this, but instead focuses on its aesthetic qualities. This style of knitting was popular because it allowed for the look of style that was mandatory in women’s lives.  

While gentry women were often restricted to making less practical knit items,  some knitting authors disparaged this for frivolity and immorality. Working-class  women did not have this criticism as the things they made were out of practicality and  meant for regular use. In picking yarn color and material, Mlle Riego de la  Branchardiere, author of Ladies Handbook of Knitting, Netting and Crochet writes “...and  let her be careful to make all she does a sacrifice acceptable to her God” (qtd in Rutt  116). Rutt asserts that although Victorian knitting is seen as producing useless knits,  some authors disparaged this (117). They instead encouraged women to focus on what  they saw as the spiritual aspects rather than on aesthetics, as everything women did,  including knitting, should enhance their virtue. 

While knitting was popular as a pastime, it was still used out of economic need  and served as a way for working-class women to earn money. Knitting was taught in  orphanages and poor houses, with the first knitting school opened in Lincoln, Leicester, and York in the late 1500s. One school in Yorkshire was established for boys and girls  who were “not in affluence” (“The History of Hand-Knitting"). The first knitting book,  titled The National Society's Instructions on Needlework and Knitting, published in 1838, was an instructional manual for teachers to teach poor students the art of knitting and  needlework. Knitting was used as a personal hobby, but also as a way for working-class  people to support themselves.  

The importance of knitting to working-class women can be seen in Jane Eyre. St John tells Jane, “It is a village school: your scholars will be only poor girls—cottagers’  children—at the best, farmers’ daughters. Knitting, sewing, reading, writing, ciphering, will be all you will have to teach” (Bronte 541). Knitting will be a way for these young girls to get jobs and to be able to make clothes for themselves and their families. In this way, knitting was more than a fashionable and artistic hobby, but a necessity for many  working-class women. 

In addition to manufacturing knitwear, women were able to make substantial livings writing about knitting. There was a boom in knitting and needlework  publications during the 19th century (“The History of Hand-Knitting"). Some, such as  The Art of Knitting, were published directly by publishers with no one associated author.  Others were authored by women and were immensely successful. Cornelia Mee, who  published shorter pamphlet-type knitting books, sold over 300,000 copies during their run in print (Rutt 115). Francis Lambert, author of two editions of My Knitting Book, sold a combined 65,000 copies and was translated into several languages across Europe (Rutt  113). Knitting gave working-class women opportunities to earn money, whether it was  making knitwear or writing about knitting.

Knitting manuals contained various topics, such as some focusing on the religious and virtuous aspects of knitting as discussed previously, but most, if not all, had patterns in them. Under the chapter “Hoods, Capes, Shawls, Jackets, Fascinators, Petticoats, Leggings, Slippers, etc., etc.” in The Art of Knitting there is a pattern to knit a cape. Victorian knitting patterns tended to be broad and vague. Today's patterns are quite concerned with needle size and gauge, unlike many Victorian patterns. For instance, the cape pattern instructs the reader to “use quite coarse needles and work rather loosely,” (60).

Knitting was an important skill for women in the Victorian era, and they knit for a multitude of reasons. Knitting gave women the look of virtue, elegance, and domesticity. Working-class women used their knitting skills to support themselves and their families through making knitwear or writing about knitting.  

Sources:

The Art of Knitting. The Butterick Publishing Co. 1892.   https://archive.org/details/artofknitting00butt/page/60/mode/2up?ref=ol&vi ew=theater

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Planet eBooks. 1847. 

“The History of Hand-Knitting" Victoria and Albert Museum. 

Rutt, Richard. A History of Hand Knitting. Interweave Press. 1987.  https://archive.org/details/historyofhandkni0000rutt/page/n7/mode/2up?vie w=theater

[olderthannetfic]

I just reread the whole Alice Oseman ask-answer and holy shit. It's like a playbook. The posturing, the condescension, the weird other-ing of queer relationships vs. straight ones. It's almost good enough to be satire.

I get that there is fear in writing kids having sex. Lots of authors these days are dealing with all sort of crazy accusations when it comes to their YA books including any sort of sexual material. Fine, you don't even have to say that but do not moralize to queer people about it and then tell us it's for our own good. Yes, this also goes for fellow queer people.

Her post said it's not ok to write sex scenes for teens over the age of 18. So when the characters turn 20 it's fine? How many sequels is she writing and when they do hit that age will she be writing sex scenes?

--

I do have a particle of sympathy for Oseman because I think it's extremely likely that fans have pestered and pestered and pestered her for more sexy stuff with those characters. This is something we see even with medium-popular fic writers, never mind anyone achieving mainstream popularity with their art. (Same with any other annoyingly persistent request like a different ship or a different genre, honestly.) And it can be really draining to have to keep saying no to requests you shouldn't be having to field in the first place...

But...

A more self-confident and self-aware author would be able to set that boundary by saying "I'm not comfortable doing that in my own art" or "I choose not to". As it is, the whole thing has the taint of purity garbage. Gay teens already get enough messaging that gay sex is disgusting and that they're only valid if they don't go farther than holding hands. All teens already get enough messaging that the perfectly common feelings many of us get with puberty are dirty and anomalous.

Oseman is replicating the godawful strain of culture that gives us teens asking in all apparent earnestness if they're a ~pedo~ for finding people their own age hot. I don't demand that creators be saints, but I think Oseman can do a little better than this, for fuck sake!

Nobody, including me, asks to be a role model, but at the point you're famous for your YA fiction, you could at least try not to give your audience a god damn complex.

[mental-illness-bingo]

Struggling with transitions isn't always externalized in the form of a meltdown. Here are some examples of things (from an autistic former early childhood teacher) that also count as struggling with transitions.

Note: I'm including things to do with adult transitions and childhood transitions here. Examples and explanations are given in italics.

Trying to politely decline to transition - sometimes, this may include lying about your wants/needs or not even realizing you want or need something because your brain isn't processing that information during the stress of a transition; "Becca, it's time for snack." "No thank you, I'm not hungry."

Undetectable self-harm behaviors - digging nails into palm, "itching" when you aren't itchy, internally degrading yourself, biting cheek or tongue, holding breath until you can't anymore. Self-harm during transitions is a common and valid struggle, even if you didn't try to use it as leverage to avoid the transition.

Undetectable stimming to regulate (very healthy!) - especially with objects that have a similar texture to one from the previous area or material

Slow or stuttered transitions - Starting to move on, but repeatedly having "just one more thing (you) forgot" or physically walking away slower possibly while staring at the previous area or material

Verbal shutdown (total or partial) during or immediately after transitions - this could be part of a more overall shutdown or exist on it's own

Fixating on the previous task/area/material - may show by excessively talking about the previous task long after others have moved on for example trying to tell everyone about your cool lego building or even showing them pictures of it (taking pictures is good coping mechanism for moving on from a toy) long after everyone stopped playing with or talking about legos, or if you were moving from legos to drawing, wanting to draw a picture of legos

Keeping materials from the previous task - if you were playing with legos, but have to clean up, you might keep some to build with or even a single lego on your person somewhere as a comfort. In larger/life transitions, you may refuse to get rid of something long past when it is socially acceptable (such as an ex's shirt) or taking something "strange" such as a piece of trim or a scrap of wallpaper from a previous house.

Brain fog, fatigue, disorientation, and/or dissociation during and/or immediately after a transition

Internal emotional distress during/immediately after transitions - due to autistic issues with emotional regulation, these emotions may last the rest of the day if not supported because of bottling up the emotions

Executive dysfunction post-transition - especially if you don't usually struggle with it or weren't before the transition

When going to bed, insomnia is an extremely common presentation of struggling with transitions

Feel free to add on! Preferably in the text of the reblog rather than in tags so I can reblog this with your additions, but either works!

I also want to specify that not all of these are harmful or negative responses to transitions. If you do these things and they help you without hurting anyone, that's fine! This is just to help give you the language to get help as needed because it's much easier to get help if you say "I struggle with transitions because of my autism" than "I'm struggling right now but I'm not sure why".

[zoeykallus]

Hi there! I love your headcanons and I was wondering if I could make a personal request. Let me know if this is a no-go.

I have PMDD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, basically PMS [premenstrual syndrome] but 20x worse. It usually resolves upon the onset of the crimson wave. But not all the time.

I have been struggling really badly with the deep depression, insomnia, and self-image issues brought on by my disorder.

Do you think we can see how the Batch handles their fem reader S/O struggling with this disorder specifically? And maybe, if it's not too much, a part 2 with some of our favorite regs?

Thank you so much!

Aloha my dear!

Oh, this is a heavy hitter, I know where you are coming from. So many people out there have no idea how freaking much this can affect someone's life. PMS is already a hard thing to deal with, but PMDD brings it to yet another really shitty level. Don't worry, I got you 😊

The Bad Batch x Afab!Reader HCs - Struggling With PMDD

Warnings: Mention of PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and its symptoms /Hurt/Comfort/Fluff

_______

AC: I'm using Techs Part first to introduce PMDD and its symptoms to those who might not know what it is. So don't be surprised about Tech's Part being longer than the others, there is a lot of information in there. So please read Tech's part, to understand what this is all about 😊

_______

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

_______

Tech

The first experiences he has with you in this context are frightening for him. Apart from the fact that you suddenly seem like a completely different person to him, he is really worried about you. But Tech wouldn't be Tech if he didn't get to the bottom of this.

It takes him a little while to find the right material.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a much more severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It may affect women of childbearing age. It’s a severe and chronic medical condition that needs attention and treatment. Lifestyle changes and sometimes medicines can help manage symptoms.

The exact cause of PMDD is not known. It may be an abnormal reaction to normal hormone changes that happen with each menstrual cycle. The hormone changes can cause a serotonin deficiency. Serotonin is a substance found naturally in the brain and intestines that narrows blood vessels and can affect mood and cause physical symptoms.

What are the risk factors for PMDD?

While any woman can develop PMDD, the following may be at increased risk:

Women with a family history of PMS or PMDD  

Women with a personal or family history of depression, postpartum depression, or other mood disorders

Other possible risk factors include lower education and cigarette smoking

Talk with your healthcare provider for more information.

"Healthcare provider?" he mumbles softly between reading, "As if any of us have such a thing"

Symptoms of PMDD appear during the week before menstruation and end within a few days after your period starts. These symptoms disrupt daily living tasks. Symptoms of PMDD are so severe that women have trouble functioning at home, at work, and in relationships during this time. This is markedly different than other times during the month.

There is a chart with symptoms and he worriedly starts to read it.

The following are the most common symptoms of PMDD:

Psychological symptoms

Irritability

Nervousness

Lack of control

Agitation

Anger

Insomnia

Difficulty in concentrating

Depression

Severe fatigue

Anxiety

Confusion

Forgetfulness

Poor self-image

Paranoia

Emotional sensitivity

Crying spells

Moodiness

Trouble sleeping

Fluid retention

Swelling of the ankles, hands, and feet

Periodic weight gain

Diminished urine output

Breast fullness and pain

Respiratory problems

Allergies

Infections

Eye complaints

Vision changes

Eye infection

Gastrointestinal symptoms

Abdominal cramps

Bloating

Constipation

Nausea

Vomiting

Pelvic heaviness or pressure

Backache

Skin problems

Acne

Skin inflammation with itching

Aggravation of other skin disorders, including cold sores

Neurologic and vascular symptoms

Headache

Dizziness

Fainting

Numbness, prickling, tingling, or heightened sensitivity of arms and/or legs

Easy bruising

Heart palpitations

Muscle spasms

Other

Decreased coordination

Painful menstruation

Diminished sex drive

Appetite changes

Food cravings

Hot flashes

His brows are drawn together critically. With a heavy sigh, he says quietly to himself, "Oh boy…"

Tech makes it his business to see that you are examined by a proper doctor, given appropriate medication, and change your diet. He sometimes seems stern and matter-of-fact, but only when he notices you neglecting yourself. Tech also pampers you to counteract the psychological symptoms, with picnics, massages and the like.

Don't worry too much, Tech's got your back. He won't give up on you.

Hunter

His senses already tell him what connections exist with your condition. But of course he is not a doctor and therefore informs himself accordingly without your knowledge, Tech helps him. What he learns frightens him, Hunter is really worried, and he makes it his mission to make this time, these symptoms, easier for you. Apart from making sure you always have the medication you need at hand, he is also much more attentive and caring than usual during this time.

You can let yourself go and not have to worry about anything, Hunter takes everything in hand and has it under control. He is especially gentle and forgiving with you during this time. You mean a lot to him, and he does his absolute best to help you.

He doesn't argue with you when you get your moods, if you want to be alone he respects that, but keeps an eye on you from a safe distance, just in case.

Echo

This sweet man really throws himself into the task of helping you. Whether it's getting your medications, preparing food, massages, and running relaxing baths, Echo has it all covered.

With him by your side, you will want for nothing during this difficult time. He is also not easily scared away, he is as patient as he is stubborn. You don't have to go to the doctor alone, Echo will accompany you.

He organizes your medication, your diet and everything else you need, if you want. If you don't, you must tell him clearly, because Echo will automatically see his task in taking care of everything.

Wrecker

He is warm, and lively. Contrary to the expectations of most, he is also very sensitive and attentive. Of course, he does not miss the fact that something is wrong with you. Of course, he is worried and wants to help.

Talk to him honestly, try not to withdraw, and you will have a steadfast supporter and caretaker in Wrecker. He likes to spoil you, make sure you are taken care of and have your medication.

Wrecker is happy to adapt to you, you just need to communicate with him and let him know what you need. Taking care of you is very easy for him, he likes to do that. Knowing that he can make things easier for you is also good for him in this situation. So confide in him, there is absolutely no reason to pretend in front of him.

Crosshair

He is a bit more complicated at first. Of course, you are incredibly important to him, and he also has a certain empathy, but he often stands in his own way when it comes to emotional, interpersonal things.

At first, he can't really deal with it at all and is looking for some distance at this time. But in a small conversation between brothers, in which Hunter makes it clear to him that his behavior sooner or later can seriously damage your relationship, Crosshair first informs himself more precisely about the existing problem. Finally, he approaches you with the knowledge he has gathered and tries to discuss with you what you can do together as a couple, what he can do as your partner to make the whole thing easier for you.

You talk about medications, doctor visits, relaxation techniques, and home remedies to combat some symptoms. It doesn't take long for the two of you to work out a certain routine that you can both manage and that he can use to help you get through this time okay.

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

@meshla-madalene

@chxpsi

@thebahdbitch

@nahoney22 @ladykatakuri

@darkangel4121

@ttzamara

@arctrooper69

@padawancat97

@agenteliix

@allsystemsblue

@palliateclaw

@either-madness-or-brilliance

@ortizshinkaroff

@andy-solo1

@hunterssecretrecipe

@heyitsaloy

@greaser-wolf

@extrahotpixels

@hated-by-me

@hunterxcrosshair

@malicemercy

@bebopsworld

@echos-girlfriend

@cpnt616

@dangraccoon

@jediknightjana

@pb-jellybeans

@antishadow2021

@sleepycreativewriter

@projectdreamwalker

@1vlouds

[nose-nippin-fun]

Hazbin Hotel Episode 4 Discussion:

I’ve seen a lot of nasty posts floating around today criticizing Vivzie and the show. I’m not here to discredit your feelings, but I think that the darker tone of episode 4 merits some constructive discussion beyond a knee-jerk, pearl-clutching reaction.

From what I’ve seen, the biggest complaint from viewers, myself included, is that this emotional episode with some fairly intense depictions of SA/r*pe was not prefaced with a content warning aside from the usual small text in the top left corner. I truly do believe Amazon should correct this going forward so that viewers can feel better prepared for tone shifts between episodes. That being said, here are my defenses of the show.

Hazbin Hotel has had a huge fan following since the pilot release back in 2019, which set the tone of the show. Between the pilot and Addict music video, people had a pretty clear indication of the adult themes that would be present in the project moving forward. The show is set in Hell, the place where the world’s worst sinners are trapped in the afterlife. This is not an excuse, this is an explanation. There are going to be several characters with tainted morality, some of whom are irredeemable. That’s why they’re in Hell. This show is not meant to glorify sins, but to shine a light on flawed, relatable characters who will grapple with ethics and other struggles and come out changed in the end.

“I can’t believe Angel doesn’t leave his situation and stays stagnant.” Have you ever lived through/witnessed abuse? It is never this easy to sever ties with an abuser. They position themselves in power to control and manipulate, and many times, it’s not physically safe to get away from them. Also, this has been ONE EPISODE, you cannot expect a character with deep trauma to be totally different after a 20-30 minute episode. Angel’s character arc will take time, but his interaction with Husk at the end is an important first step in that direction.

“So Angel is supposed to just get over his trauma because he and Husk sang a song about it?” No. If that was your takeaway, I’m truly sorry you missed the point. Husk is the only person who’s been raw and blunt with Angel (on screen) about dropping the Angel Dust persona and being Anthony. Angel is used to having to put on a flawless, sexy act at all times, so much so that that’s how people really believe he is at all times. Husk sees through this mask Angel developed to protect himself and tell him through their song that imperfect and broken as he feels, Angel isn’t alone in struggling with feelings of powerlessness and addiction. He’s not comparing his loss of overlord status to Angel’s horrible SA, he’s finding common ground and empathizing (the best way a Hellbound soul can). This song wasn’t a solution, it was a gateway to vulnerability and the beginning of change for both characters.

“We’re expected to just ship Huskerdust after Angel has done nothing but sexually harass and push Husk’s boundaries?” No. That’s absolutely the wrong reason to ship anything. While it’s true that in the first three episodes, Angel sees Husk as eye candy who might be able to distract him from his suffering, episode 4 brings a necessary shift in their dynamic. Angel is used to everyone around him wanting Angel Dust, the pornstar. But for the first time, someone doesn’t want that coveted persona, and he can’t comprehend this. Angel has no control over anything except the act he keeps up, so he clings to it as a false sense of power. It’s only after Husk tells him that he likes Angel for everything he is off camera that Angel starts to treat Husk with respect, which will pave the way for any future Huskerdust shipping.

You don’t have to agree with what I’ve written, and I absolutely don’t blame you if you’ve realized this show is not content you can comfortably consume, but please understand that depicting difficult material is not the same as glorifying or excusing it. This episode was hard for me too, because I care about Angel Dust, and I am so eager to watch his growth as the show continues. My heart goes out to anyone struggling from triggering this episode caused. I hope you’re able to safely navigate away from this show while respecting the viewers who continue to watch.