#average uber experience

[bioethicists]

hm i really hope that someone has said this better than me but the betterhelp ads (specifically the video ones, as the podcast ones tend to be less scripted) are such poignant examples of alienation + the role of 'go to therapy' in perpetuating that alienation. keep in mind that, if you personally found a therapist who is genuinely healing for you + that therapist happens to be through betterhelp- i'm genuinely happy for you + that experience does not invalidate anything i have to say below! (but jsyk they're trying to sell your shit to facebook lol)

starting strong w/ the fact that betterhelp is essentially the uber of therapy (aka using an independent contractor model which is harmful + predatory towards its providers), rushing in to fill the market on largely uninsured and/or uninformed ppl who want the ease of a concierge system without the cost + lacks a meaningful supervision system (which led to one gay man being recommended a conversion therapist when he asked for someone to help with his identity struggles, btw!). smarter people than me have written about the ways in which these trendy independent contractor apps strip people of labor rights, fail to provide adequate wages, + in the case of healthcare apps, increase digital surveillance + decrease accountability demanded from providers while exploiting the failure of the US healthcare system in order to churn a profit w/o actually creating sustainable, equitable change.

the betterhelp video ads all circle around a theme- a millennial starts talking about some form of emotional pain or worry, usually relatively standard existential worries ("do you ever think nothing has meaning?") or life worries ("i hate my job" "i think i'm gay"). their friends or the ppl around them respond blankly + coldly, looking at them like they're crazy. while i understand these ads are supposed to be tongue in cheek, they demonstrate the crushing reality of our alienation from one another- the solution to your friends responding to your evident pain with confusion + apathy is to confine that pain to a therapy session! nobody wants to hear your struggles or understands them- come generate profits for us by facetiming a newly graduated 24 year old who can barely make rent!

this theme fits well with what already put me off about betterhelp's marketing- their goal has never been to provide access to therapy for those who want it or to altruistically fill in some healthcare gap. their goal, bolstered by the rise in emotional suffering following, you know, the worldwide pandemic, is to generate + increase demand for therapy as a commodity. their earlier podcast ads focused on convincing others that therapy "isn't just for crazy ppl" + "everyone should be in therapy". regardless of if you personally agree with that statement, it should be evident that this is a blatant marketing tactic in which therapy is a commodity to be peddled, not an offer of support or healing. in fact, they're probably actively shying away from treating "crazy people", bcuz their flimsy support systems could not possibly handle an influx of ppl regularly in crisis or experiencing breaks with a common reality. their target audience is your average millennial under late capitalism + post COVID - anxious, lonely, vaguely depressed, unhappy with their jobs, worried + hopeless about their futures.

i'm not here to tell anyone not to get therapy. that's a personal decision + is none of my fucking business. it's about questioning the total alienation we feel from one another, such that pouring our heart our unexpectedly to a friend + being met with a blank stare is framed as "haha you need therapy" + not "it's crushing that this is how distant we are from one another". it's about a company noticing that (unfortunately very real) distance + fear of vulnerability + using that to direct our emotions into the confines of a business transaction under abusive labor conditions. it's about a world in which we are not engaging with one another emotionally (despite, or i guess bcuz of: widespread suffering, recent mass death, class warfare/untenable working conditions, increased pressure of fascist politics, generational trauma + abuse, etc etc). commodifying therapy isn't going to make that loneliness go away- it's going to normalize it.

[kob131]

Pokemon Team Symbolism in Pokemon

You would think a series that emphasizes a colorful cast of creatures would try to use them to symbolize a character and their journey.

They have. Just not as often as you would think. It's damn good when they do though.

What Symbolism?

The symbolism I am talking about is using a Trainer's Pokemon to demonstrate aspects of the Trainer's personality and/or journey. For example, a Pokemon evolving after the Trainer has reached a turning point in their story or a Pokemon's move or Ability to demonstrate a personality trait that isn't so obvious.

Gen 1

Now normally I would begin off by talking about how a Pokemon represents a character and how they change alongside the Trainer...but Gen 1 doesn't really...have this.

This isn't an insult or anything- Gen 1 simply doesn't have the variety to pull this off. For example, what Pokemon can you use to represent Misty within Gen 1? Maybe Seaking or Gyardos but there's a reason why, in her Heartgold/Soulsilver rematch, she uses a Milotic due to it's heavy association with the fluidity and grace of water alongside being a counterpart to perhaps Gen 1's most famous Water-Gyardos. It's because no other Water type can really symbolize who Misty is, especially since there are no rematches to give her a more expansive team. And Misty's one of the EASIER people to make a more symbolic team with.

I guess of particular note is Blaine's use of Arcanine as his ace, due to how supplementary material implies he helped make Mewtwo and how Arcanine is referred to as the 'Legendary' Pokemon. Or Alakazam's immense power and almost alien appearence fitting with Sabrina's creepy vibe. And Giovanni using Nidoking and Nidoqueen, Ground/Poison types, can symbolize his leadership of Team Rocket and his status as the Ground Gym Leader. It's all cool... But not really anything special.

Gen 2

Ah here's the good shit.

This is where Game Freak started experimenting with more...expressive uses of Pokemon. Before we get to the big example, I want to try and talk about some of the other trainers.

In particular, I want to make a special mention of Clair and Lance's teams. With Clair, her team consists of three Dragonairs and a Kingdra. Now this doesn't look all that special aside from the Dragon-Type's status as being uber powerful in earlier gens but it does gain quite a bit of significance if you consider her relationship with Lance (him being her stronger and older cousin that she's implied to feel inferior to) and his own team. Namely that her Dragonairs all only have one move seperating them (Surf/Thunderbolt/Ice Beam) which is very similar to three Pokemon from Lance's team...except that the moves chosen (Thunder/Blizzard/Fire Blast) all have higher BP and the Pokemon in question are his Dragonites, the fnal stage of Dragonair. Meaning that Lance's team is basically an upgraded version of Clair's, showing why she feels so inferior to him.

And this chink in her armor is further emphasized through her ace, Kingdra. Kingdra's typing of Water/Dragon actually removes the signature Ice weakness that Dragons have (as well as giving it a STAB against the Swinub line the player will likely try to use against her) but it leaves it weak to Dragon-Types still. Meaning Lance's mastery will lead to Clair facing a harder battle. And for extra points- Lance's Gen 3 rematch team even gives him a Kingdra, further connecting them.

Now to move on- Silver.

I've come to the realization that Silver might be one of the most important characters in Pokemon. Not story wise mind you- he basically falls off outside of his Gen and it's remakes. But rather, in his writing. Because Silver's team actually includes the first notable use of Evolution to symbolize a Trainer's personal development. In his own story, Silver begins as your average edgy teen with an obsession with power and being a badass, even though you keep whooping his ass. However unlike Blue, Silver actually reacts to being beaten by you as he grows more and more frustrated. This coincideces with everyone he fights telling about how cruel and abusive he is acting towards his Pokemon. And by the time you beat him in Victory Road- he accepts what he did wrong and works to improve himself, not just his Pokemon. And this is shown as his Mt. Moon fight (...Really Game Freak?), his Kadabra and Haunter have evolved, meaning that Silver had to have become more personable to get someone to trade with him and his Golbat evolves in Crobat in his finale fight, a friendship based evolution. (Bonus points- Zubat/Golbat are commonly used by Team Rocket members, with Giovanni their leader being Silver's dad.)

This really shows how a Trainer's team can be used to symbolize their growth as a person. I can't wait to see what the next Gen accompli-

Gen 3

... God damn it.

So Gen 3 kind of falls back a bit in turns of using Pokemon teams for characterization. You have the usual basic symbology- like Brawly the martial artist using martial arts focused Fighting types, Norman being an everyman and a mundane but everpresent presence in your life being the master of powerful Normal types and the sea surrounded Sootopolius having a Water Gym. But nothing like the interplay between Lance and Clair or the subtly of Silver.

Best I have is the quite and sensitive Wally using the sensitive and shy Ralts evolving into the powerful Gardevoir/Gallade. But poor Walley doesn't get much time. The rivals...aren't really characters in Gen 3 and I've never played the Gen 6 remakes. For fuck's sake- they didn't even fully evolve her starter in the original games!

At least the Gym Leader aces do a better job of portraying them. Like Tate and Liza's Double Battle makes them like souped-up versions of the twins you've encountered in the game, their teamwork is shown through their Claydol always having access to Earthquake while their other Pokemon have some way of mitigating its team hitting function. Steven's love of rare stones and minerals is shown through him using the fossil Pokemon and Metagross. Or Winnoa's love of the sky being shown through her cloud-shaped Altaria. And Wallace's love of elegance being echoed in Milotic.

... Let's move on.

Gen 4

Okay, we're getting better.

Specifically, I'm talking about Barry. Specifically, his second to and last fights alongside his general team composition.

In his second to last fight, Barry fights you in Calvacade City, right before the sixth. By this point, most players will have evolved their starter. After all, Byron's team is edging Level 40 and the starter's evolve at Level 36 (Infernape/Empoleon) or 32 (Torterra). This is because Barry hasn't hit his turning point yet, in his loss to Jupiter at Lake Acuity which results in Uxie's capture. This causes Barry to become more serious and focused in his later appearances, as shown by his team battle with the player and his final fight at the Pokemon League having his starter fully evolved.

There's also the fact that Barry's team is actually rather well balanced, better than even Blue's team. As it turns out, Barry's family has a history of being tough trainers as his Dad, Palmer, is a Battle Frontier member. The Battle Tower, in fact. Which is basically the Pokemon location for 'ultra tough battles.'

Of course, there's also Cynthia. Her team is where Game Freak really go out of their way to try and capture the feeling of a 'Pokemon Master'. She begins with Spiritomb, a VERY rare Pokemon that the player likely knows nothing about. She also wields Milotic, a former Champion's ACE; Lucario, another rare Pokemon that you can only get from being gifted an Egg; Togekiss, a Pokemon that involves evolution through friendship and a Gen 4 stone; Roserade, a similar Pokemon to Togekiss through it's evolution line as well as being Gardena's ace and Garchomp, a Pokemon that takes advantage of Gen 4's more varied BST distribution to be a kind of Master of All pseudo-legendary. All of this together showcases Cynthia's power as a Champion- the varied methods of evolution display her wide range, the rarity of her Pokemon show her extensive travels, her use of former aces show her higher rank and her own ace being almost specifically stated to take advantage of every single advantage possible show her sheer strength.

Of smaller note is also Volkner and Flint, friends as shown in game, having similar kinds of teams whose aces are Electrivire/Magmortar, two evolutions of Gen 1 counterparts Electibuzz/Magmar with Gen 2 baby pre-evolutions. And Rorak and Byron's Aces, being Ramphardos and Bastidon, showing them to both be miners and having Byron be a Steel Gym Leader, when Steel is essentially an upgraded version of Rock, to show them being father and son.

Gen 5

Oh this is the good shit.

Gen 5 is famous for the MASSIVE leap in story quality and it really shows. Ignoring the two green elephants in the room for right now, let's start with the rivals.

With Bianca, her story is all about wanting to go out into the world with her childhood friends to live out her dreams, like them. However, she comes to learn that she might not be suited for being a Trainer since even with her strong resistance to her father's demands- she can't really keep up with the other two. And this shows in her battles- Namely that she fights you less frequently than Cheren (five vs. his seven) and with Cheren having better strategies.

Speaking of, Cheren is someone heavily focused on becoming a stronger Trainer and being determined to overcome the Player, which is reflected in his team. He not only fights you more often but his team is at a higher level before the post game than Bianca and he's one of the Trainers in the series to use extensive use of held items. It also demonstrates a knowledge of Pokemon battling than most Trainers in the series, showing why he'd qualify for being a Gym Leader in the sequels.

Then we have perhaps the two who stand as the standards, if not pinnacles for great team symbolism- N and Ghetsis. With N, it's already noted that for each battle he partakes in, he catches nearby Pokemon and uses them for his battles. And it's already said that he does this because he thinks capturing Pokemon is wrong and that humans and Pokemon can't coexist. But the interesting thing comes from his teams in the original games and the sequels.

In the first game, N is unique in that he sends out his ace, Zekrom/Reshiram, first. While on a gameplay level it makes sense as your own dragon will be sent to the first slot, it works on a story level too as N sees this fight as the big, determining battle to see whose side is right with your dragons representing your sides of the conflict. I even think N will always start the fight with the Fusion attack of his dragon, showcasing how you have affected him and his view of Pokemon and humans. You also have his other Pokemon- like how he has Carracosta and Archeops, the fossil Pokemon, and Klinklang and Vanillux, a futuristic Pokemon and a Pokemon inspired by a modern beverage, showcasing Black and White's duality and focus on the past and future while also showing N's deep connection to Pokemon old and new. And finally we have his Zoroark, a Pokemon shown in the opening of the game as a Zoura to have been with him his whole life, likely feeding into his beliefs through its experiences...and how said beliefs were based on lies.

Then we have his sequel teams, themed after each different type of weather for each season (Rain for Spring, Sun for Summer, Sand for Autumn and Hail for Winter)- implying that not only is N such a masterful trainer that he has mastered multiple kinds of teams but also showing that he's unwilling to force himself onto nature and Pokemon, instead working with them to achieve the best they can.

Very much unlike his father, Ghetsis. With him, he starts with the defensive and stalling Cofagrigus which uses Toxic and Protect to slowly whittle away at the player with his Mummy ability representing the way he infected and controlled N; Boffluant with Reckless demonstrating his wild emotions and how he views his Pokemon as expendable; Seismitoad and its sweeping power to demonstrate his threat; Bisharp with Defiant to show his status as the final boss as well as how he truly commands Team Plasma much like how a Bisharp commands Pawniards; Eelktross and it's almost leech like appearence to show how he used N and his Hydrigeon, Gen 5's Pseudo-Legendary and known for its violent disposition to show what Ghetsis is really like.

This gets especially blatant with his sequel team, which is far less effective with his Sesimitoad losing Swift Swim for Poison Touch, losing his Bisharp and Boffulant for Draipon and Toxicroak and finally his Hydriegon losing its Special set for an inferior Physical set (the only upside being a maxed out Frustration. Which...yeah, three guesses why). All to show how far he has fallen, how he has lost his ability to lead by this point, how corroded his mind actually is now and how he's lost his effectiveness.

We even have some interesting symbolism in the Gym Leaders, like with Clay's ace, Excadrill, not only being based on a mining tool but also seems to be perfectly designed to defeat the ore-based Roggnerola line (with Ground/Steel attacks to it's Rock, Mold Breaker to ignore Sturdy and Sand Rush/Sand Force to take advantage of the line's future Sand Stream ability). Things are looking up once aga-

Gen 6

... I need to stop pissing in the face of fate.

So...Gen 6, probably the worst Generation of Pokemon, has next to no interesting Pokemon symbolism. Cool, the dancing rival has Pokemon that use dance moves. ... That's it. Trevor wants to travel Kalos because his parents left him behind but his team is a Raichu, a Aerodyctal and a Florges. Shanua is aimless and has a crush on the player character, gets the type-weak starter and fights you twice. Calem and Serena are the kids of famous Pokemon battlers...but their teams aren't very well put together.

The Gym Leaders have nothing. Best is Wulfric, a bulky guy, uses the iceberg Pokemon Avalugg.

The villain leader Lysander does use a Pyroar in his matches, matching team Flare's colors and showing their obssession with beauty. And Malva also uses a Pyroar to show she was a supporter of Team Flare.

That's it.

.... Moving on.

Gen 7

Getting back on track. Again.

First up is Hau. In the Sun and Moon games, Hau is a very laid back and generally easy going guy who doesn't put much stock into the battles he gets into. While this would normally be seen as a good thing, a few characters call him out for his easy going attitude which ends up affecting his performance in battle. The culminates in his loss in Aether House, hammering home that he cannot continue this path. And so, he works harder to become stronger for the sake of his friends. It's around this time the games visibly have his starter, previous stuck in its middle or 'teen' evolution, grow into it's final stage. There's also quite a bit of Fighting Type hate in his team, from his Pichu knowing Charm and it evolving into a part Psychic type, his Eeveeloution also having Charm and Baby-Doll Eyes as well as having a Noivern on his team. Showing that he's still focused on beating his grandpa, Hala. And yet, he's still proud of his heritage, as shown with his Tauros (commonly found on Melemene island as a Ride Pokemon) and his Crabmomible (the ace of his grandpa).

Things don't end there, since there's also Gladion and his ace, Type: Null. Gladion is a runaway young team having recently lost his dad and basically his mom (since she goes either coocoo from neurotoxins in the original games or goes all Count of Monte Cristo on aliens in the Ultra games). Much like his ace, Gladion is bound and chained by his past, driven to either stop his mother or protect who he has left but can't really take advantage of his strengths because of it too. So instead he's kind of stuck seeking power even when we know he's way in over his head. That is until he meets the player and Hau, whom he learns to trust and put his faith into. And by the end- he's free as his family is safe and he can pursue the life he wants. A story neatly packed into Type: Null's own evolution, going from a rampaging beast bound and restricted to a freed and kinder creature. For bonus points, out of Gladion's other six Pokemon- three of them are friendship evolutions with one being a Lucario, a Pokemon that only follows those who have justice in their hearts.

Oh and you get a nice dose of N with his Zororark imitating his Silvally, showing that his threatening demeanor is just a really complicated version of teen angst and coping.

Speaking of coping- Guzma. A tough looking leader of Team Skull...whose actually a man who grew up abused by his dad before beating him up and running away, took up the Island Challenge and is now a washed up leader of bitter people desperately trying to make something of themselves. And wouldn't you know it- He uses the Bug Type, a type that gets shit on both in universe and out for its weak members and generally being outclassed. This shows Guzma's inner weakness and connection to the weak and discarded Team Skull. They're also some of the more threatening Bug Types, including his rather strong ace Golisopod. This Pokemon in particular represents Guzma, as it begins as a weak and scared Wimpod before evolving after a lot of hard work into the threatening and determined Golisopod. Rather fitting for a man who once jumped into an interdimensional portal to fight aliens and also got involved in the downfall of the Super Interdimensional Gay Mafia. Awesome.

Moving back to the blondes- Lusamine. Said mother who went coocoo over her husbands death. A woman obsessed with the beauty of Pokemon, herself deceptively beautiful for a violent and destructive person. Her team consists of Pokemon commonly considered beautiful or cute...while also being rather strong. Those being- Clefairy, a kind hearted and helpful Pokemon showing her loving nature that is either hidden or wrecked; Lilligant, a Pokemon heavily associated with beauty and grace that requires skillful care to ensure its flower blossoms to show her geniune love for Pokemon; Lopunny, a cautious and active Pokemon that also displays Lusamine's kinder side; Mismagius, an eerie witch-like Pokemon known for its cries harming but sometimes helping others, showing Lusamine's violent mood in the earlier games before being switched with the kinder Lopunny; Milotic...we've already talked about it and Bewear, a giant fluffy Pokemon that loves to give hugs...that smooths and crushes those it hugs due to not understanding its own strength. ... Take a guess as to what this Pokemon represents.

And finally we have Lillie. A girl who starts off scared, indecisive and unable to do anything until events force her to help out or lose everything. WIth the likes of Hop and the player's actions, she's inspired to take a more proactive role in battles...while still not being the best and acting as support. As shown with her team being support based Fairy types. A type that just so happens to be heavily connected to feminine beauty. And her signature Pokemon is a Friend Guard Clefairy. ... Did I mention Lusamine's first Pokemon in all her fights is an offensive Magic Guard Clefable?

Sadly can't say too much about the Kahunas- they aren't really focused on. It's more the Totem Pokemon...and those aren't teams. So...moving on.

Gen 8

Okay, get a snack and a drink. We're going to be here for a while.

Let's try something simple- Marnie. One of the more static trainers, this isn't to say she doesn't have any symbolism on her team. It kind of seems odd for someone like Marnie, who isn't even really aggressive in her rivalry with the player, to be using a Dark type team, since Dark types are known for their underhanded tactics and propensity for malicious behavior. But it does make sense when you see that she hails from Spikemuth, which is the hometown of Team Yell. Said team is, in actuality, her brother's Gym Trainers having gone off to support her. This is shown by her team being made up, while perhaps not fully moral Pokemon, are the more beign Pokemon of their types. Like her Liepard, Morpeko and Grimmsnarl are all more akin to tricksters rather than the malicious Pokemon usually associated with the Dark Type. Even her Poison type is a Toxicroak, a Pokemon known for its toxicity but not for any underhanded tactics. This is also a Pokemon that appears frequently on villain teams, hinting at her connection to Team Yell. Further connecting her to them is Scrafty, a Dark/Fighting type she shares with her brother Piers. Over half her team also has a type ADVANTAGE over Team Yell, indicating how she not only controls them but also takes over for her brother in the end.

Yeah, that was one of the more...easy examples. Bede is a bit more complex. He starts off as your typical example of a 'jackass rival', being smug and condescending to you and your friend Hop. As he seems to be a call back to the likes of Blue, Bede uses the Psychic type, which was infamously overpowered in Gen 1. However, Bede is..not good. His team entirely consists of Psychic, Normal and Fairy attacks which sounds good...until you remember that A. this leaves Bede with no means of answering Steel types which resist Psychic, Normal and Fairy and B. Half his moves use his Pokemon's inferior attacking stats (like Gothorilla used Rock Tomb and Galarian Pontya uses Special moves). These kind of leave him as an ill fitting opponent despite his arrogance. And that weakness to Steel types likely isn't a coincidence- his benefactor is Chairman Rose, a Steel type specialist who helped Bede become a Gym Challenger before revoking his right later. Around this time, the Fairy Gym Leader Opal takes a liking to him and proceeds to drag him off. Next time he appears, he shows up as Opal's apprentice and successor, becoming a Fairy type trainer. From here, we see that he has learned a bit of humility and understanding on where he went wrong. This nicely coinsides with his team having far more diverse type coverage, being fully evolved and even having a coverage move against Steels. Coolest part is that Bede retains half his team, with his formerly pure Psychic Ponyta and Hattrem evolving into Psychic/Fairy Rapidash and Hattrene, which is now able to stand against Rose. Even so, he still cares for him, as shown by his Mawille, a Steel/Fairy Pokemon, being his lead. It's part Steel typing and Intimidate ability summing up Bede before his encounter with Opal and displaying Rose's permanent impact in his life.

And yet they both pale in comparison to your main rival- Hop. Hop is the childhood friend of the player character and brother to the current Champion, Leon. An energetic boy with high hopes for his travels, he starts his adventure with his Wooloo (this game's first Normal type) and the starter weak to yours. SO naturally you beat the crap out of him. Simple as always. .... Except. Hop...doesn't just take it. When you beat him after obtaining your first badge, he briefy bemoans how he's weaker than you before admitting he need sto keep his guard up. And this isn't a one and done deal. He later loses to Bede who proceeds to insult him, telling him that he's dragging his brother's name through the mud. Which he later admits to really affecting him. And so...Hop does something that no other trainer in the series has ever done. He does a near full revamp of his old team. He benches his Wooloo and Corvisquare he had been using up until then for various different Pokemon in not just his next fight but the one after that. And after each loss, Hops becomes more and more despondent. After all, if he can't beat you even after overhauling his team twice then does he really stand a chance of beating his brother? However, upon hearing about the Galar legend about the Darkest Day, Hop resolves himself to stop doubting himself and simply focus on getting better, as shown by him returning his old Pokemon (now fully evolved), including a Pinurchin and adding the Snorlax he had been using before. So alls well that ends well.

Until you beat Hop in the semifinals before proceeding to beat his brother, the so-called unbeatable Champion. The man whom he looked up to. The man he dreamed about beating and surpassing. The man YOU just beat after beating him multiple times. ... Yeah. After the credits roll, you and him are called back to the resting place of the Legendaries where Hop asks to fight you once again. And here's the return of one the Pokemon from his 'doubt' period. And once again, Hop loses to an asshole insulting him (Sorward or Shieldbert) and even run off with the Legendaries' items, causing a huge hit to his confidence. It even makes him question whether or not he can even help you as you try to catch the brothers, even though Hop had done as much in the plot as you had. Even though he kept one of the items the Legendaries used to fight Eternatus. Even though he helped you BEAT Eternatus. Which is far more than can be said of most rivals. But Hop proves himself once more- he helps quell the raging Dynamax Pokemon, helps defend you as you chase after the brothers and even risks his life to go quell one of the Legendaries as it runs wild. All culminating in an honor that no other rival in the series has gotten: Hop catches the opposing Legendary and adds it to his team. Proof that he is just as much a hero as you are.

And he deserved it.

But this section is going on long enough by this point so we really need to move on. Because Hop sets a standard for the next Gen of Pokemon.

Gen 9

We're FINALLY at the last Gen as of this post's making (Gen 9 Teal Mask DLC). And...fuck my arm is tired.

So, let's try to get the Gym Leaders out of the way quick. Because yes- The Gym Leaders all have some kind of symbolism, rivaling their Gen 5 counterparts. Like Katy bemoaning that she's forced to go easy on Trainers is neatly symbolized by her cute ace Teddiursa becoming the fierce and violent Ursaring; Brassius' signature artwork being a stone statue of a Grass Type with his ace being a Tera Grass Sudowoodo, a Rock Type that emulates a tree; Kofu being a seafood chief using a team themed around seafood (including the self fillieting Veneluza); Larry's ordinary profession belying effectiveness shown through his Tera Pokemon sharing it's type with it meaning it gets extra damage; Rhyme being a rap artist connected with the dead through her Tera Ghost Low Key Toxicricity ect. I can't speak too much about them cuz shit's gonna be long.

Let's start with Arven. A boy who isn't much of Trainer, closed off and hostile because of his parent(s?)'s neglect- Arven doesn't really have any Pokemon to speak of at the beginning. He has a Skwot...and that's it. He even admits he just caught the damn thing. But as he travels with the player, slowly opening up to them and becoming friend with them, he catches nearby Pokemon and uses them to fight off the Titans. And he does a pretty damn good job- His Pokemon will always have a type advantage to be advantageous and each are fairly decent Pokemon in their own right (Cloyster, Scovillain, Garganacl and Toedscruel) along with his previously caught Greedent and his old friend Mabosstiff, an intimidating but loving and loyal Pokemon. Much like Arven. And like Mabosstiff, Arven gains friends and allies in his efforts through his adventure with the player.

One of said allies is Penny. An unassuming girl who the player saves from being harrassed by a group of deliquents called Team Star...who ends up being a skilled hacker and also the LEADER of Team Star under the pseudonym of 'Cassiopea'. And Penny's team is...entirely standardized with six Eeveelutions that share the moves Baby-Doll Eyes, Quick-Attack, a STAB move and a single coverage moves. A rather...underwhelming team of Pokemon, especially for the climax of a storyline. ... But that's intentional. Penny maybe the leader of Team Star but, as you could probably guess, no one had ever even SEEN Penny face to face before. While Team Star have formidable Trainers in their upper ranks, Penny never took to the battlefield personally. Penny is not a fighter and her team reflects this. Her Eeveelutions are not specially trained Pokemon- they're effectively pets. This is why they all have low-level moves in their movesets: they're hold overs from when they were Eevees that were never removed because Penny never had a reason for it. In fact, Quick Attack and Baby Doll Eyes arguable work better for a pet (being able to zoom around quickly to release energy and beg for food) than a battler. Hell, her Pokemon all provide some kind of utility and two of which are friendship evolutions- they really ARE pets.

Next we have Nemona, the rival character of the game. Unlike the other rivals, Nemona is in fact a more accomplished trainer than the player at first. In fact, she's so strong that this combined with her obssession lead her to becoming isolated from her peers. And for a peak at her strength: she beat the Top Champion of Paldea while still holding back. And it shows in the contrast between her fights with the player throughout the Victory Road story. She constantly talks about holding back, carefully considering her team to match what you should be at that point. And her teams are, consequently, nothing special. Just some basic level up moves. Right up until the very last fight of the storyline. Nemona, having changed her class from 'Pokemon Trainer' to 'Champion', is not only using a full team but is now packing STAB for each of her Pokemon AND coverage moves to smack your Pokemon hard no matter the matchup. Even with her choosing the starter weak to yours- her team is made up of rare and powerful Pokemon like a Goodra (pseudo-Legendary), Orthworm (a Pokemon previously fought as a TITAN), Lycanrock (a speedy Rock type), Pawimot (a Pokemon with the rare Electric/Fighting type) and a three segment Dundunsparce (a bulk and strong Normal Type that's also a 1/100 evolution, showing her sheer talent). Unless you overlevel your team, Nemona will be knocking out some of your team. As befitting a Champion. Moreso than fucking Geeta...

And if that's not enough, we also have the Professor stand in- Director Clavell. Introduced as the well meaning, attentive, kind and reasonable principal of the Academy, you would be forgiven for thinking that he might just be okay fight. ... He has more strategy to his team than 90% of Trainers in the series. No really.

He starts with an Oragnuru, a Pokemon noted for its intelligence and ability to use tools. FIttingly, it's a support Pokemon that lacks the usual weakness to Ghost types that Psychics have (important as SV is lousy with absurdly strong Ghosts), Oranguru will debilitate your team with Yawn to smack you with Dream Eater, Foul Play any cheeky Physical Attackers and use Reflect to shore up his team's Physical weakness. He then uses an Abomasnow, which sets up snow to further boost its defense. He then uses it to smack your team hard with STAB, perfect accuracy Blizzards, Wood Hammers and priority Ice Shard. And you want to kill it quick because it setting up snow means it can use Auorua Veil, effectively Reflect AND Light Screen in one. Which is bad because his next Pokemon is a Shell Smash using Poltigeust that spams Shadow Ball for STAB and Sucker Punch to punish priority and revenge killers. And it ALSO has Will-O-Wisp to weaken Physical attackers, which is bad because one of his next two Pokemon can be a Hex-spamming Amoongus which also has the lovely combination of Toxic and Spore to fuck with your team. And it has Giga Drain for recovery. Literally the only thing separating this Pokemon from its competitive counterpart is lacking Regenerator and Leftovers. He can also have a Gyardos, an almost evergreen Water type with a ton of coverage. Telling that his easiest Pokemon is a possible Houndoom. Oh and he uses the starter not picked in the beginning. The one strongest against you.

Really goes to show that Clavell really did earn his spot as the Director.

And if this was just about the base game, I could end it here. But even with all this and more- this wasn't what inspired me to make this post.

No, that would be the Teal Mask DLC and its two key players- Carmine and Kieran.

Starting with Carmine, a basic overview of her story here- she's a dickhead who has a more caring side but is basically covered by her being utterly awful at expressing herself and not being the best sister. She doesn't like outsiders due to people treating her hometown of Kitakami as a tourist trap but grows more open as she befriends the player. Why am I saying all this?

Because her team is a perfect representation of this.

She will always start her fights with a Poocheyna that evolves into Mightynea. A threatening Dark type that excels in pack tactics and is known to follow strong Trainers. Showcasing that despite Carmine's dickish attitude- she's most certainly a skilled trainer while also demonstrating how she bosses around her little brother.

Next is her Morpeko. An Electric/Dark type that wildly switches mood based on hunger, from friendly to aggressive. This duality is a summation of Carmine's character- how she switches from arrogant and standoffish to kinder and sweeter.

Then comes her Swadloon that evolves into Leavanny, a kind and nuturing Pokemon known for taking care of small Pokemon by weaving clothes for them. This showcases Carmine's real feelings for Kieran as despite acting like a bully towards Kieran- she geniunely loves and treasures him. Hell, the Pokedex in Scarlet even deviates a bit from its usual depiction of Leavanny to mention its protective instincts, similar to Carmine's own protectiveness.

Next comes her Ninetails, a Pokemon based off a kitsune and known for its mystical power but vengeful nature. A rather apt summation of how Carmine usually acts- a strong trainer but very easy to set off.

Finally comes her Poltchageist that evolves into Sinistcha- a Pokemon exclusive to her hometown of Kitakami, a Grass/Ghost type that tries to trick people into drinking it in order to drain them of their lifeforce...but failing most of the time. Whereas Morpeko is an overview of Carmine and Ninetails is the usual side of her, Sinistcha is what Carmine really is at the end of the day- a harmless fool. While she can burn people much like her Sinistcha can through its signature move and Scald, she means no ill will and can't do much to hurt anyone. And she can help as much as she can harm, just like how Sinistcha can aid others through its ability, Hospitality.

And what makes this interesting is the effectiveness of the team. As her Mightyena has one of the most useful lead abilities in Pokemon along with Howl to boost it's Sucker Punch and Play Rough; her Morpeko taking advantage of Aura Wheel's Speed boost through a held Focus Slash; Leavanny being a setup sweep through Swords Dance and Fell Stinger; Ninetails supporting the team through Disable and Will-o-Wisp and Sinistcha negating Grass' Fire Weakness through a Berry- it communicates that Carmine is an effective trainer. Fitting as her school is said to be specifically focused on Poke Battles.

But even this pales in comparison to her brother, Kieran. A shy boy who starts out looking up to and befriending the player character, neatly shown through his first two fights being simple 2-3 Pokemon fights. And as the story progresses, we learn a bit about him. That he expresses an admiration for the ogre in the village myth, having defeated three strong Pokemon by itself. He admires that strength and the seeming independence it has, since he himself wants to be strong and relied on due to his sister's unwitting damage to his ego through taking over his tasks. He even comes across having a crush on the player character to add to his likeability.

Then you meet the mascot of the Teal Mask DLC and the ogre from the legend, Ogerpon. Through a series of events involving Carmine making you swear not to tell Kieran about this to preserve his feelings and Kieran evasdropping- he learns that we met Ogerpon and we unknowingly keep lying to him. Which, considering we met the Pokemon he had been admiring for so long and being his first friend...he takes it hard. Things spiral out of control as his mental state burrows down, with him lashing out at the player character and Carmine for percieved injustices, eventually resulting in Kieran challenging the player for the right to be Ogerpon's partner...even though she had already chosen the player character. Even Kieran admits this is selfish but still pushes for it.

It's around this time that his team starts changing for real. Before his team consisted of a Yanma, Furret and Poliwhirl; all with unremarkable moves. Now his Yanma is a dedicated Special Attacker, his Furret is a setup Pokemon using a breeding move to clean hazards and get a Dragon Dance boost; his Poliwhirl evolves into Poliwrath with Haze to clear boosts and he adds a Applin evolution, Dipplin, based off of the candy apples he likes. His next battle has him shelve the Furret for a Cramorant, he adds a Gilgar to his team and his Yanma has evolved into a Tinted Lens Yanmega. ANd then there's his final team.

A Shiftry with a Focus Sash and the new Wind Rider ability with tailwind to boost Speed and Attack at once; the afromentioned Tinted Tens Yanmega so resistances are less effective than ever; Dipplin for more speed control and Leftovers for recovery; Probopass with Sturdy and pinch berry to become a cannon of a Special Attacker; Poliwhirl is now a Belly Drum-Sitrus Berry user to be a massive sweeper and now a fucking Yache Berry holding Gliscor. ... This is one of the most well put together teams in Pokemon history. Which, again, makes sense since Kieran is ALSO a student at Carmine's school. And not only that- he is actively trying to prove himself worthy of Ogerpon. He will obviously put out ALL the stops to beat you.

And the symbolism isn't just limited to movesets. Each Pokemon have...eerie undertones. Yanma, despite its looks, is a rather big Bug Type known for moving very fast and keeping a close eye on prey with Yanmega capable of crippling foes with its wingbeats and BITING the heads off prey. Shiftry can level houses and its Violet entry posits that it's based off a bird Pokemon that recieved divine punishment. Both representing Kierian's radical change. Poliwhirl goes from a dopy sleep inducing Pokemon to powerful swimmer, reflecting his desire for strength. Probopass manipulates the little mini-units to catch prey and Gliscor is a terrifyingly effective predator, reflecting Kierian's sheer hostility by this point. And Dipplin, the last remainder of the child-like innocence his team once had after Furret gets benched? Its apple is hollowed out and filled with two dragons, unlike Flapple and Appletun who coexist with the apple. Much like how Kieran's childlike demeanor has been hollowed out into a shell.

And just like how Kieran's story isn't done with the Teal Mask- datamines and experimentation with Eviolite has revealed Dipplin will be getting an evolution in the Indigo Disk.

Conclusion

You would think a series that has a core gameplay mechanic like Evolution, basically the symbolic progression from childhood to adulthood, would use these aspects for characterization more. But the history of this is rather bumpy, since the games have prioritized gameplay over story for so long. But good god damn, I would say that Pokemon beats out its contemporary in SMT for using its Mons cast for symbolism when it does.

I mean, you don't write an essay of THIS length over nothing. And I would like to remind people- I glossed over a few things. As in depth as this is: it's not all encompassing.

So I do think Game Freak deserves credit for this.

[leaves-lilies-and-esther]

The pay gap/female choices debate

I was watching this Youtube video the other day, and it pissed me off, but the main point of it was that there were these two men discussing how the pay gap isn't real because it all comes down to women's choices, citing really crappy examples as evidence. They clearly thought they were "owning the libs" too. They did this with 0 contextual analysis on why women make the decisions they do.

The first example they used was the Uber driver 7% pay gap, and how it's completely explained by three factors: (a) that women tend to be less experienced, (b) that men tend to drive faster, and (c) men drive in more lucrative locations. (This paper is Cook et al 20 by the way if you want to fact check me).

And yes, when you put it that way and remove all context for women's decisions, it certainly looks like that sort of moment. But think critically for like two seconds here:

Those more lucrative locations? The paper directly states that it's due to men's willingness to "drive in areas with higher crime and more drinking establishments". Of course men are more willing to do this! Your average woman is significantly more scared of being sexually assaulted, murdered, etc than your average man. She's going to avoid high crime areas because she's already in a vulnerable position (letting strangers into her car).

The fact that women have less experience? The attrition rate for female Uber drivers is substantially higher- 76.5% of women leave after six months, as opposed to 65% of male Uber drivers. I did found an article explaining why women self-select out of being in Uber or Lyft in the first place from Forbes. Quote, "...the job still involves driving alone and picking up strangers, often at night- situations that many women feel are dangerous. In interviews with eight female on-demand drivers, FORBES found that they usually feel safe but sometimes have doubts after troubling experiences and holes in safety policies." The article goes on to describe the experience of a female Uber driver in Atlanta, whose male customer tried to assault her. The company didn't handle the incident appropriately, and she never drove for Uber again. I'm willing to bet that this is the case for other female drivers too. The other women they interviewed (even those who are presumably still driving) described multiple similar experiences.

So, if you were a female Uber driver, you would probably leave around the six-month mark too. And as a result of this high attrition rate, the average female Uber driver will have less experience as compared to men.

And you know what? These other "gotcha" responses about the pay gap can probably be explained by outside factors too. Even in totally automated systems like Uber, where it does come down to female choices, those choices aren't being made in a freaking vacuum. It isn't just "haha pink lady brain can't drive as well", it's women don't feel safe and therefore make less money.

There's other scenarios where this is true as well. Women aren't climbing the corporate ladder as quickly as men? What else is going on? The Harvard Business Review found that more than half of men expect their careers to take precedence in a marriage- so if his is being prioritized always, what's happening to hers? When children get sick, women are ten times more likely to stay home from work to care for them (Kaiser Family Foundation). What does she miss in that lost time? When female scientists write papers, they are less likely than men to describe their accomplishments as *outstanding* or *unprecedented*, with the end result that their papers are cited less often. But it's because when women are socialized to be caretakers and to perform without complaint, this is the end result (Professional Development at Harvard). Worse, women who don't do this, and ask for raises/bonuses/etc, are more likely to be penalized than men (same source).

Yes, women sometimes make "decisions" which negatively impact their careers, but take it altogether. What makes men expect precedence of their wives? Misogyny. What makes men expect that their wives, regardless of their careers, will always nurse their sick kid? Misogyny. What makes women and their employers view female accomplishments as less valuable? You know the answer.

PS: two last things. The first is that I'm not trying to reduce the value of traditional "women's work". It isn't bad that women are taking care of their sick children, it's bad that men aren't doing it in equal numbers.

Secondly, if you're curious, there's this amazing professor named Claudia Goldin who I stumbled across while googling for this. She basically believes that the issue isn't direct discrimination from employers, but that the labor market encourages women to work differently. (And she's like 1000% more nuanced and career-specific than anything I just wrote). I put a link to an article about her below:

[whimsyqueen]

Publishing Databases, A Helpful Post

Okay so I didn't realize that a lot of people didn't know about these, so I'm making a post about them to hopefully help people outing get y'all working towards getting published.

Disclaimer: this is for short fiction only, but also poetry, short creative nonfiction, that kind of thing. Magazine submissions, ya know? I don't really do long-form stuff, that's entirely out of my domain, and ALSO- the use of these tools does not guarantee publication, they're just some useful tools that I really like!

First and foremost (not because I like this one more than the other, just because I've been using it a little longer) we have The Submission Grinder!

The behemoth, she's a delight, she's perfect, she will help you with everything you never knew you needed to know, AND THEN SOME. Basically what it is is a giant database full of all sorts of various markets and magazines and places seeking work. You can log your pieces based on genre and word count and then search for where you can submit those pieces to based on those things (and also based on whether or not they pay and how much they pay per piece or per word!)

I've been on submission grinder a while now and I absolutely love the way they run things there. Another massive benefit is that I can see how long they typically take to respond to other people based on averages, and can see when other people are logging rejections and acceptances for the pieces they've submitted to the same places as you.

I will say, the formatting can take some getting used to, and it can very much be intimidating to someone who's never looked at this style of website before. That's why.......

Next and nextmost, we have Chill Subs!

I adore Chill Subs, even though I've only been exploring the site for a few days. Obviously it doesn't have as large of a database as Submission Grinder, and most of the markets on there are indie and other things like that, but I think the website is so user friendly, and some of the publications are SO cool and interesting. I also really love the function that allows you to search by "vibe" (so basically if a publication is UBER SUPER PROFESSIONAL or just like... chill and cool, send us whatever, ya know?)

It's a database just like Submission Grinder, but they don't track the progress of individual pieces (though you can use it to track submissions, it's hard to explain here but if you set up a profile you can see what I mean.) Additionally, you can advertise services on Chill Subs, like editing, feedback, things like that that you'd like people to hire you for! Very fun!

I realized that lots of people don't exactly know where to begin when it comes to submitting things, but these two places are excellent examples for resources you can use to do exactly that. (Also, it doesn't hurt to simply start googling Lit Mags Accepting Submissions to find out what sorts of places you might want to shoot for)

Y'all go crazy! Good luck!

Another Disclaimer: https://duotrope.com also exists, I just don't have as much experience with it, so I didn't write about it here, but you're free to check it out on your own time, and please let me know how it goes for you!

[patchbadger]

Hello it's been 7 years on this website and I come with raccoon paws scratching at your window pane.

TLDR: I'm supporting 3- 6 humans, a mortgage, inflated electric bills, student loans, basic needs, and working as the sole provider and now I cannot afford my medicine that prevents my migraines. If you want cheap art I am here hi just remember I'm colorblind so colors won't be perfect.

I take many medications for my migraine condition. I take a daily preventative, an abortive when I have a migraine, and then I have a monthly preventative that is an injectable. I need all of these to get me down to 6 or 8 migraines a month. If it rains I have more but this is with medication. If I do not have one of these medications I have migraines daily and if I encounter a trigger like not getting enough sleep, the weather changing, smoking, etc I'll get knocked out.

Unfortunately I have brainstem migraines which impacts my speech and ability to move in my environment. I continue to work through my migraines because I have literally no choice. I basically look and sound drunk it's horribly embarrassing.

This impacts my ability to drive too. If it strikes at work I need to uber home because my coworkers won't drive me home and no one else has a license.

If I miss one dose of any of my medications it sets off a migraine conga line qs I like to call it and I begin having migraines every 2- 3days and the longer I am off it the more migraines I steadily have.

It's hell.

My migraine medication is 208$. I am currently the only working adult for a household of three and there will soon be three children here for the summer.

Unfortunately I had serotonin syndrome a few weeks ago as some of you know and that had me out of work for a week and a half. Meaning I lost a week and a half pay check. Which may not seem like much but we live in constant poverty and are food insecure.

Literally every dollar counts in our precarious position.

The electricity company in western New York is super charging its customers so a regular electric bill for a house using less electric than average is 300- 500$ a month. Which is just a little less than our mortgage

We currently owe over a 1,000 in back pay, there isn't any relief for individuals who cannot pay the inflated rates. It's totally crazy but I need my medication. I can call the electric company and beg but I can't beg for my medicine.

My field also experiences a drop in attendence in the summer and due to my health my boss I'd trying to reduce my hours to help my body recover. That's great and all but it doesn't help me get the money I need for my injection.

My student loans are 875$ a month and I'm on the lowest payment plan and the government just sold my loans to a private company so I will be paying additional loans soon.

As you can see I have a lot on my plate but I just need that migraine medicine so I can work through it. I do a lot of passive income through survey junkies but I can't do those activities when I'm migraining.

All the images below are works in progress

Basic pencil and ink illustration

Comic book pages 15- 30 depending on content and number of pages.

if you want a comic badly and feel OK with my abilities we can work on a manageable and low price to make multiple pages happen. So bulk pages will be cheaper.

Comic book featured custom outlets??? Just resin customized outlet covers???

Can do

Painting I mean I'm trying it but if you'd like one hmu man

I tinker around with a lot of stuff

I also like to find old toys/statues and remake them so if youre interested in my raccoon art that stuff is up for new homes that will appreciate their unique beauty and love them for who they are.

Thanks for your attention and happy scrolling!!

[ubeerosophy]

Strange How You Never Know

I used to joke that I lost sleep over all the amazing songs I’d never hear. Knowing how they can move us to a different time or a foreign place…new emotions even…I wondered what experience I was missing out on simply through lack of exposure. I’ve discovered songs from no name bands in dive bars along the outskirts of random towns I’ve since listened to a thousand times. Songs that stir something deep within my soul. Emotions drawn from experience. Someone else’s experience.

I once picked a guy up in Indianapolis at what looked something like an old converted military school, but it was probably never any sort of school. It could have been a factory or one of any number of things. I looked it up at the time, and it probably wouldn’t be hard to figure out even now, but the only thing consequential about that part of the story is how sometimes a series of events flow into each other in a way that set a distinguishing tone from the beginning.

As an Uber/Lyft driver, there are sometimes things that shape my perception of a ride before the passenger even gets in my car. The rating is obvious. As drivers, we rate our experiences with a passenger the same way passengers rate their experiences with us. To be fair, this isn’t always an accurate way to judge how a drive is going to go. About the lowest ratings I see on average are around 4.7 out of 5. I’ve had passengers with a 4.5 rating, but it’s rare. Either way, I’d venture to say that as a rule those lower ratings have been positive experiences. I’m almost always pleasantly surprised.

A passenger’s name can often elicit a knee jerk reaction, because sometimes, people will choose something expressive that reflects their personality and interests rather than their actual name. The name is really only necessary and helpful for the driver and passenger to verify they have the right person, but once in a while the passenger apparently wants someone seeing their profile to know something extra about them. The first example that pops into my mind is “JuicyMonkeyBallz.” I may have got the spelling wrong, but you understand what I’m getting at. It’s the same way in the case of the profile picture. Sometimes passengers choose to make a statement with their picture via expression, pose or a filter. In both cases I’ve been misled. JuicyMonkeyBallz was an extremely pleasant and respectful passenger, yet I recently picked up a passenger who had their smiling grandkids on their lap in their profile picture. As soon as I accepted the ride and saw the image, I smiled to myself and even considered telling them when they got in the car how much I enjoyed their picture. I didn’t get the chance. Their tone and demeanor helped me make the decision to keep my mouth shut and just get them where they were going as quickly as possible. Maybe they were just having a bad day.

So back to the place that looked like a converted private school or factory…

When I finally got to the main building, it became readily apparent that it was some sort of apartment building or living quarters. As I parked the car and looked back down at the app, I mused to myself how the passenger’s image looked like a LinkedIn profile picture. It was an extremely polished and professional head shot. Knowing that such things can be deceiving, I waited apprehensively for him to emerge. When he did, he looked exactly like the picture. In a suit and well groomed. He was friendly from the moment he got in, and I was immediately at ease.

Sometimes as rideshare drivers we can’t see our passenger’s destination until we’ve told the app that they are in our car. I believe I picked him up on the Southwest side of the city and was taking him to the Northwest side.

I believe our conversation started with him noting that I had the same name as one of his sons, and shortly thereafter we found ourselves talking about Alaska. I don’t remember how or why we got on that topic, but it isn’t surprising given that I’ll pick my passenger’s brains on travel tips and destinations any chance I get. I love to ask people where they’re from or what their favorite cities are. This gentleman was originally from Alaska and was surprised I’d been there. Beyond asking where they are from, I love to ask passengers that aren’t originally from Indiana how in the world they ended up here of all places. The man began telling me a story that went something like this…

He'd been married with something like 8 to 12 kids, and at some point, his wife had left him to raise them on his own. Work had him traveling occasionally, and eventually he found himself falling in love with an Alaskan Airlines stewardess. She told him that she would marry him and help him raise his kids, but with the stipulation that they had to move with her to her native state of Ohio. With little hesitation, he agreed. While there, he started a roofing company that grew to employ hundreds of people and generate millions of dollars annually. He became rich. Very rich. But with money came temptation and vice, and he failed to repel them. He fell into a lifestyle of drugs, alcohol and women, eventually losing both his marriage and his fortune. The next thing he knew, he was living on the street and defecating in a bucket. He was at rock bottom and suicidal until someone encouraged him to start the rebuilding process. He began serving the same kind of people he had become while also working towards being a pastor. As he talked, I deduced that the place I had picked him up must’ve been a communal living space for recovering alcoholics or drug addicts. Eventually I pulled up to a restaurant and we parted ways. Multiple times during that conversation he would start choking up and have to collect himself, telling me at one point that it was “just hard to talk about.” I would reassure him that he didn’t have to continue, but each time he would. And I’m thankful he did.

I know there are parts of that story that I’m forgetting or maybe remembering slightly different. It’s been a few years ago now. Regardless, of the thousands of drives I’ve done, that’s one that sticks out to me. What a story. I wonder how he’s doing. If he’s a pastor now. If he’s fallen off the wagon. I always want more time with those kind of people than their destination allows, and would almost be willing to drive around for another 30 minutes or so unpaid just to hear extra commentary. I wonder how many amazing people and stories I’ve forgotten in the nearly 7,000 drives I’ve done. Like the amazing songs I’ll never hear, I wonder how many amazing passengers will never get in my car.

Between the conversations I have with an extremely diverse clientele and the quiet moments when no one else is in my car, my mind is inundated with thoughts. Thanks for letting me share them and for joining me on this introductory post. Feel free to comment or ask any additional questions about a particular experience, or just my experiences in general.

The UBeerOsopher

And now...a haiku:

the greatest classroom

in which i have ever sat

Is a vehicle

"We deem those happy who from the experience of life have learnt to bear its ills without being overcome by them." ~ Carl Jung

[morewonders]

I asked for prompts and @spurlunk said “Bridgerton sports AU,” which my brain immediately interpreted as “Kate/Anthony Pitch AU.” Sorry about it. This is just a part of it because I somehow wrote like 3k of this today? So maybe I’ll finish it at some point? IDEK.

“I’m not worried about some upstart pitcher barely out of the minors, are you kidding?”

Kate hears the rest of the team laugh. “Right, right,” one of them retorts. “Scared of a girl, Bridgerton?”

“Gender has nothing to do with it,” the first player says. “The MLB doesn’t discriminate and neither do I.” 

Huh, she thinks. That was almost enlightened.

“It’s about experience. This is my team, and no rookie is going to take that away from me.”

On second thought - fuck this guy.

–

“You could have told me who you were,” he says.

“I didn’t know who you were!” At his yeah, right scoff, she rolls her eyes and says, “Contrary to what your inflated ego might have you believe, an over-the-hill catcher with a .260 batting average who spends six months of the year in a mask, playing for a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs in three years, isn’t exactly recognizable off the street.”

Anthony crosses his arms. “You do know who I am, then.”

Cocky piece of shit.

The thing is, he’s not wrong. Oh, she’s not lying about the night before - she genuinely had no idea that the guy with the stubble that she made out with for a good fifteen minutes was Anthony Bridgerton, veteran catcher for the San Diego Padres. 

Because yes, she knows Anthony Bridgerton. She may or may not have had his rookie card on the corkboard above her desk in college. But the mental image of that boy - baby faced, warm brown eyes, unfortunate sideburns that did him no favors - is almost irreconcilable with the scowling man in front of her.

Almost. Now that she knows, she can kind of see the progression. She just hadn’t caught onto it in the shadowy corner of San Diego’s seediest dive bar after three margaritas. They hadn’t even exchanged names, she remembers with a mental groan. What had started as a friendly game of pool had ended up with them next to the ancient jukebox with his thigh between her legs and his tongue in her mouth.

-

“I’m too drunk for this,” he says.

Kate nods. “Me too.” She reaches for him again.

“God, we can’t, we can’t,” he groans. “Consent is key, and all that.”

Drunk Kate very enthusiastically consents, and would demonstrate just how much in a heartbeat. But, fuck, maybe that means he’s got a point.

Leaning into him, she kisses his stubbled cheek. “A gentleman, huh.”

“Trying to be,” he says, hands skimming over her hips.

“AB, come the fuck on,” one of his buddies yells from across the bar.

He sighs. “Are you in town for a while?”

“A while,” she agrees. God willing and the Giants choke.

He holds up a wait here hand and jogs to steal a cocktail napkin and a pen from the bartender. He scribbles his number and hands it to her. “Please call,” he says. “Let me make it up to you when we’re sober.”

Then he’s ducking out the door, sheepishly waving goodbye as his friends loudly give him shit.

She saves him as Brown Eyes Dive Bar in her phone and texts him in the Uber back to her hotel, still tipsy and feeling brave. 

Make it up to me, huh? You better.

–

“Gotta say, when you said you’d ‘make it up to me,’ insulting me in front of my new teammates was not what I pictured.”

“I didn’t know you were the rookie pitcher Danbury called up. But let’s be clear, this is my team, and whatever this was,” he gestures between the two of them, “isn’t happening.”

“That will not be a problem.”

[xxlovelynovaxx]

Thinking more about the rude anons lately and just... what kind of person do you have to be to go to a random stranger's inbox, assume you know enough about them to tell them they're crazy, or that they need therapy because you disagree with them saying "actually, you should listen to marginalized people about their own oppression and experiences", or that they're a pick-me for using microlabels well-accepted and defended by the community they belong to, or...?

What kind of convoluted reasoning do you have to have, what kind of self-awareness do you have to lack, to think you're somehow doing justice by saying that psych should be used as a tool by majority society to force conformity on anyone who harmlessly annoys you or makes you uncomfortable, and yet not see that historically that's how it's been and continues to be used (in ways that likely actively harm them too)?

How little do you know about psychiatry to not understand that very little of it actually overlaps with neurology, both being infant sciences, and that psychiatry as its intended separate from ableism and capitalism is simply the science of listening to people's internal thoughts and emotions and recording commonalities?

Or to not understand that since its conception, psychiatry has had a proud and storied tradition of able-minded and able-bodied neurotypicals patronizing and infantilizing us and encoding their biases on our perspectives into diagnostic manuals that they then used to imprison, torture, and kill us and other marginalized people? And then to not recognize that doing so as a neurodivergent disabled person only aids and upholds that institution?

On the other hand, what kind of justifications does one have to make to themself to say "actually, this other part of this marginalized community is the only authority on this because they are the only ones really oppressed. It's definitely not circular logic to say that all of your claims of oppression are wrong because you're not oppressed and people who are not oppressed can't claim they're oppressed"?

Plenty of these anons have been so vague I don't even know what they're annoyed about. I know the aphobic one was about a microlabel (and a fairly well known one at that, so probably your average mogai-hater guy) but the others?

"Get help" so you endorse coercive enforcement of a consensus standard of normalcy even when the deviancy you so violently despise, in your own words, is merely annoying?

"I'm just concerned, you're out of touch with reality, spend less time online", somehow you managed to hit ableism, sanism, and some pretty wild assumptions about who I am as a person when you yourself admit you came from a random reblog of mine, all at once! Like truly, what gives you the gall to presume you know anything about my life?

I'd even be willing to extend good faith and say it's reasonable to assume honesty of everyone you meet on the internet. Even with that...

Do I buy my food at a farmer's market or a local employee owned chain grocery store or a supercorp and would that last option be out of ignorance, apathy, or living in a food desert? How often do I go to the local library, what do I do there, and do I get there by bus, uber, a friend driving me, or walking/biking?

What organizations do I volunteer with, and in what capacity/doing what tasks? If I tell you that I volunteer primarily in an online capacity, is it because I'm immunocompromised and no one masks at the physical locations anymore, because my doctor is refusing to provide a mobility aid that I desperately need, because public transport is sensory and chronic pain hell, because public transport here requires a four hour round trip just to get to the Walmart seven miles away, because the primary international org I support doesn't have US locations, because we're in a heat wave that is exponentially deadly to me due to my disabilities, or because I'm simply too sick to leave the house at all most days?

Who are my friends and family? When and where and how do I love them? How much time have I spent helping my incredible partner do the hard, hard work of learning to love herself and to heal, and how many infinities more would I pour into it? How often do I play fortnite with our best friend even though I DESPISE fortnite, just because I love him so much? How many times do I use most or all of my spoons for the day fighting executive dysfunction so I can read another of my best friend's amazing fics, sometimes for fandoms I'm not even in, just to leave comments to build them up?

(Is our landlord fucking us over because we're poor, trans, or disabled? Seriously, I'd like to know, because if it's either of the second, we could sue for damages and get the fuck outta here.)

I mean, that's just it. You don't know me, and I don't know how you can convince yourselves that you do enough to waste both our time being - well, an annoyance! Like, this is not a vent post, I've made those already, I just truly don't get it.

I mean, do you get some trivial satisfaction of feeling like you've done your social justice for the day by telling some random stranger that they're "insane"?

Does it make you feel superior to tell said stranger that they think non-aspec queers are "whores" for having sex, ignoring their near-CONSTANT aggressive posting about the importance of sex positivity and the harm of whorephobia, puritanism, culturally christian ideals of sex as "sinful", and how this impacts ace people, aro people, genderqueer people, and people of queer sexualities?

(Seriously, how do you act like you know me when ignoring my entire blog? Are you lost?)

Does it make you feel like a good little activist to tell disabled people to touch grass, and ignore every disabled person saying "uh, hey, you should consider the ableist intent behind that statement, or at the very least the ableist impact it has"?

Are you coming from a place of privilege or hurt? Or a mix of both? Are you someone who is not marginalized who is still dealing with genuine problems that aren't being listened to and addressed by the people in your life? Are you a marginalized person who is caught up in the conflation of privilege and oppression and evil, so you're too afraid to recognize your own privilege because that wouldn't be a morally neutral fact but evidence that you're an irredeemably bad person?

Are you a person with a mix of marginalized and nonmarginalized identities (white and trans, goy and plural, perisex and queer) who isn't able to get enough help with the harm you do face and is worried that you'll receive less help within your community if you're seen as an evil oppressor, not recognizing that there are people already receiving even less help and more hurt in your community due to the opposite?

People can say "it's not that complicated", but the truth is, people don't do things for no reason. They may not be self-aware enough to identify it, the people around them rarely have enough context to guess at it, but it's there.

It could be petty; they don't like us and want to make it our problem out of spite. "You wasted our time and made us moderately annoyed so we wanna do the same to you."

It could be out of some twisted sense of justice. Maybe they truly believe they're doing good. A lot of people do. Hell, I believe plenty of r//adfems actually believe they're fighting for women, and very few actually recognize the fascism in their own arguments, in the ones they ally with, or anything. It's a much more extreme example than some rando on tumblr, but the same could apply at a much smaller scale.

But is there some other motivation I'm missing?

I just - I've sent anons and non-anomymous asks when I didn't understand an argument being made for something. If I disagree with someone on something unimportant, I'll either leave it, reblog a joke about it, or block them if I find them annoying enough. If it's something important that they're approaching in good faith, which I assume to the extent of my ability to do so, I'll try to engage without being an asshole.

If it's important and they're engaging in bad faith, I may either reblog a rebuttal or make my own post, but I'll certainly block them - because what's the point in continuing to argue with someone whose goal is to undermine someone's personhood (or the fee things of similar weight) by any means necessary?

I just truly don't understand. Anyone's welcome to contribute to this, btw.

As an afterthought, this anon hate is bigoted, so I don't want to trivialize it. Ableism, sanism, and aphobia are still a big deal even when they are online microaggressions, not just because they cause harm but because these people exist offline and have a material effect on the physical (and medical/legal/social) world. Even the immediate harm is bad, though!

That being said, I want to recognize that I feel lucky (knock on wood) to not have gotten any of the really nasty shit again yet. I haven't seen any suicide baiting or "Keep Yourself Safe"s. I haven't been sent gore or death or rape threats or fantasies. I haven't had anyone tell me that I deserved the horrible traumas that I've been very open about, that I'm lying about being a survivor of things that are literally against T/OS to mention on here, or that they hoped my disabilities were terminal again.

It's uh, obviously coming from a place of trauma to have that as my baseline of "really bad". It's why I respond to anon asks to vent (via screenshotting), why I so vehemently defend the boundaries I set by blocking - not just that I have a right to, but am justified in doing so - why, when I get a fee asks like this in quick succession, and one mentions a reblog, my first thought is "how much worse is this gonna get?"

I know I'm making myself vulnerable by even talking about this. I guess I just hope if this doesn't get through to them, anyone who genuinely thinks this has even a lottery's chance of changing a random stranger's mind about anything will get over that. It's not "there's a tiny, one in a trillion chance". It's not even zero. By doing this, you are actively entrenching anyone, of any belief, further against yours. You are working counter to your own goals.

Hell, it's part of why I'm so block happy. I'm not trying to change the minds of the people I refute. I'm just trying to counter their misinformation, logical fallacies, and emotional manipulation to anyone else who may see the posts.

But also... consider maybe just... not. Sending rude anonymous asks to someone already so sensitized by horrific harassment campaigns that at best they'll block and vent about you and move on and at worst you'll trigger them. I mean, maybe that's the goal of some of you? But if so, why not come in guns blazing with the suibaiting? Why even pretend to be a good person to yourself?

Why?

I don't get it.

[becauseallhellseeisme]

I have been thinking about what a Darth Vader show would have to be about and now I can’t stop thinking about it.

1. He canonically doesn’t come from a privileged background. Which means that he will always look at privileged people differently than a privileged person would.

He would look upon privileged officers and generals with disdain. He would hate them for having done "nothing" to get where they are. That just because they had the right parentage, they didn't have to work as hard.

He also would treat people better for their non-privileged background. Like, say, the caretakers, etc.

Which would be so... weird. Because he is like this uber-villain and it probably seems out of character to people around him. They wouldn’t understand. They couldn’t put the pieces together because they don't know who he is.

It would be an interesting angle. Not to make him seem likeable, but because it would make sense.

2. Okay, this one is more difficult. He is obviously more compassionate than the average person. Does he lose that major character trait when he goes all dark-side? Or, my preferred option, does he bury it deep down and keep fuelling his hatred?

This would only be hinted at in more intimate moments. This is trickier.

3. Okay. This is something that bothers me and will keep bothering me. He is obviously not just compassionate, but also gifted. Which... I am not sure if everyone is aware of the implications. It means he is not "normal". He will always feel a distance between himself and most people because he processes the world very differently. He will be the person at the (metaphorically-speaking) party who stands in the corner mostly observing or will only talk to the same 3 people that don't just resort to small talk.

It means he will be bored by mundane Empire staff meetings. He will be bored by people who are very predictable. But he also won't get a lot of things. Like... jokes. Or... Anecdotes from other people's lives because he cannot compare them to his own experience.

It plays into his character and, logically, his actions.

4. And, for all those reasons (plus the reasons why he turned to the dark side) he must feel very lonely. But because he cannot think about it, it must make him even more on-edge.

And how do all these things impact his daily actions in the Empire. What are his motivations? I need to see this.

I hope if this show gets made the showrunner will think about these things. 🙏

[stories-of-the-multiverse]

So... Darnell made me research his condition-

((So. I just started looking into migraines and chronic migraines, because up until now, I’ve only been Darnell’s migraines on my experience with migraines, but intensified, but.

Bruh, migraines can be worse than I fucking thought. Especially chronic migraines.

Apparently a symptom you can get from migraines is dizziness, nausea, and even vomiting.

Holy fucking shit-

Like, I had a headcanon that Darnell wasn’t in Pico Vs. Convict because his migraine was so bad that day, that he had to skip school, but jesus.

Bruh. I did not know migraines could be this bad, mine were always so fucking tame. Like. Mostly annoyances that at worst I had to go to bed for.

This could also go on to explain a few things about him.

For example, in Pico Vs. Uber Kids, their teach Mr. Flacit says the trio was chosen because after the shooting, the school’s best was dead, so they had to settle for those three. That is despite all three of them being above average intelligence. [This was measure by the outdated IQ method, but follow me on this.]

Now, while Pico is above average intelligence, Pico’s father is implied to be neglectful, and the lack of support from your parents can make your grades suffer.

Nene has “superior” intelligence, but she’s also go ADHD, and let’s be real, schools, especially back when the games were first made, aren’t exactly very... accommodating to neurodivergent children. Especially those with attention span issues. Plus. Anxiety and Depression. They are also bitches.

But Darnell... He has “gifted” intelligence. He’s smarter than both Pico and Nene. And I doubt this school was exactly for the best of the best, because. *wildly gestures at it* look at how badly it’s failed to even protect their students. Hell, some of the policies actively endangered the student body. Remember how the only school exit Pico could get to was chained and padlocked? To keep kids from leaving before school was over???

And as far as we can tell, from what little we know of his family, Darnell had a caring mother, and he’s not confirmed with any learning disabilities, or similar disorders that could make school difficult.

Except. For chronic migraines.

If the migraines were bad enough, it could have made focusing on school damn right impossible. If he could go at all.

[The trio did also experience some major trauma with the events of Pico’s School and Pico 2 at least at that point, and trauma can affect your grades, but I don’t think they took recent grades into account.]

And let’s be honest. Grades are a shitty way to determine a child’s intelligence.

And as for the poster that’s kind of a running joke-

While he still could be full of shit characterwise, If his migraines are bad enough to have him missing school, then it could either be a school rumor he took advantage of for his campaign, or he’s just fucking around based off of his condition.

Could the migraines themselves really be that bad, though? How bad are chronic migraines?

Chronic migraines are defined as at least fifteen head ache days a month, with full migraines at least eight of those days. And the pattern persists for at least three months. At least from I’m reading on ClevelandClinic.org.

According to Mayo Clinic there’s actually a lot of shit that can happen even before a migraine happens.

One or two days before, you can get symptoms like a stiff neck, food cravings, mood changes, constant yawning, aaaand bodily excrement issues I am not saying, thank you.

And then sometime before the migraine happens, or even during, some people get this thing called an aura which can last of to an hour. They’re usually visual disturbances, but can be other disturbances. They can be seeing spots of colors or shapes, outright vision loss, pins and needles feelings in the limbs, weakness or numbness in the face or a side of the body, or difficulty speaking.

The migraines themselves? They can last between four hours and three fucking days. And aside from terrible fucking headaches and nausea, they can make you more sensitive to light, sound, and even smells and fucking touch. Holy fuck.

And even after the migraines past, they can leave you drained. Like genuinely exhausted and even confused for a day.

Yeah. Basically they fucking suck.

What can cause them?

Well, general migraines, either stress, sensory stimuli, sleep changes, physical exertion, medication, food [salty processed food, aged cheese, and food additives, as well as skipping meals] and drinks [alcohol and caffeine], and even fucking weather changes. [For women, hormonal changes are also a factor.]

Chronic migraines though?

Again, medication, mood disorders [IE depression, anxiety, etc.], on going disrupted sleeping patterns, excessive caffeine intake, and physical and/or emotional trauma. I believe family history of the affliction is also a factor.

Now possible triggers for general migraines for Darnell?

Stress is a good one. Especially now a days.

Sensory stimuli? Considering he enjoys fucking with fire, light for sure. But I’d argue smell has to do with it too, considering fire accelerants? Probably smell. Not to mention what he makes his bombs out of. And spraypaint. Can’t forget spray paint. Sound probably works too, seeing as his FNF sprite has headphones. He could very well put those on to block out noise when the time calls.

Physical exertion? Especially now a days, yes.

We don’t know shit about his medicine intake or his eating or sleeping habits, so I can’t make comments on that.

As for what may have caused it to be chronic?

We don’t know much about his family, so we can’t say too much on that. Again, same with medication and sleeping habits.

I doubt his mom would have just given him coffee, maybe soda? Who knows.

There’s no confirmation or even indications in canon there’s anything up with him other than his pyromania. And that’s not a mood disorder. As far as I know.

Trauma, though?

Wellll... divorce is pretty traumatizing for a child. And it’s confirmed that his parents are divorced.

Probably not helped by the shit he has to deal with in like. Middle school.

Man. Research is fucking great. It gives you more ways to make your muses s u f f e r .))

[redemptioninchaos]

🚿, 🌍, 🍺, ⌛️, ➗ (Colette, Risuto, Tess)

How good are they at hygiene?

All three keep themselves clean. Colette and Tess both prefer to shower while Risuto usually finds a warm spring to bathe in.

Knowledge of the world

When it comes to the world at large, all three vary in knowledge. Colette doesn't care for world politics, but she often catches world news on her phone via InstaChat and other social media. Tess in mortality didn't care about what went on in the world since she couldn't leave New York and live. Risuto knows much less about the world, stuck in his old samurai ways even well into his death.

Alcohol tolerance

Colette can't actually get drunk; her innate wyvern physiology disallows her from doing so. Since alcohol is naturally fire-friendly, any time she burps while drinking it, there's a chance a small flame escapes her mouth. Tess, being so small and not really one to eat much, would likely get drunk after one or two drinks in mortality. As an angel, her alcohol tolerance is technically increased, but she stopped drinking for Sergio's sake and never really found a reason to start again. Risuto doesn't mind a sake every now and then and has a high alcohol tolerance as a demon, though he keeps his drinking in moderation so he can protect Liu as best as he can.

Time management

Colette procrastinates a bunch when the time window to complete a contract is far enough away, but she still manages to make it on time when she leaves. Granted, she often drives uber fast in her sports car and potentially endangers lives while doing so, but she'd never killed anyone with her car; the blood would be a terrible addition to her convertible.

Tess's time management is practically immaculate; there have been many times where she gets the call to action and arrives at the nick of time to save someone, one example being @lycanspirited's Robin when his father tried to kill him. She's not one to waste time at all, and if there's any downtime, she's doing it to actively help others in the hopes that there will be fewer problems later.

Risuto is similar to Tess in that he wastes no time as well, only speaking to enemies when he offers the rare courtesy to walk away. Most of the time, if his enemies talk, they're cut short as a flash of steel cuts through the air...and their throats. Guarding Liu is a 24/7 operation, so unfortunately there is no downtime for him, though it doesn't mean he won't take some time playing Go with his friend when there's no other business to attend to.

Mathematics

All three have above average arithmetic ability. Both Colette and Tess worked as cashiers at one point, Tess moreso than Colette, so both have experience in counting money, for example. Risuto doesn't have any special arithmetic experience, but he ain't dumb. That's about as best as I can describe it.

[wispisstillverybored67]

https://picrew.me/image_maker/332600

[Name]: Hisa Albright

[Gender]: Female

[Age]: 20 (physically) 67 (chronologically)

"Born" on May 5th.

[Height]: 4"7

[Weight/Build]: 65 pounds (as most Constructs are)

[Birthplace]: Unknown town.

[Hair]: Pink.

[Eyes]: Solid purple.

[Physical peculiarities]: Lots. Her frog eyes, a tiny pinky finger despite her big hands and feet, her very late puberty kicking in, her abnormally small heart (how it beats is beyond me), her crooked nose, and her vaguely malformed limbs.

[Power or any magic ability]: Intense dark magic skills, skill with manipulating the dead souls. Moderate sword skills. Somewhat below average horse riding. She can keep on it, but that's about it.

[Dressing style]: "Don't touch me" and uber-casual.

[Education]: Well educated, surprisingly.

[Sexuality]: Straight.

[Enemies]: Practically every non-Aomogura, anyone who hurts her brother.

[Family]: Only living relative is Zarichas, her brother.

[Core need]: Security.

[Pathological maneuver]: Kill it or run away from it.

[Ambition in life]: To marry and adopt a child.

[Gestures when talking]: Fiddles with her sweater or clings to the nearest person she trusts.

[Gait]: Angy little kid.

[Positive Character trait/s]: Honest, sweetheart to those she trusts, devoted to her cause, endearing like a child.

[Negative character trait/s]: Intense trust issues, mercilessness to the enemy (which changes often), deeply pessimistic and something of a hypocrite.

[Wish]: I want my brother to live! Pretty Please?!

Likes: Her brother, coffee, frogs, animals in general, her new home, festivals, drawing.

Dislikes: Surface mortals, Juno's lectures, those who hurt the weak, ruined plans, hypocrites, anyone who hurts her brother.

[Prized possession]: A knitted sweater, with several adjustments to it's size

[One-line characterization]: "So if that's how they REALLY want it... then I'll never rely on anyone else again."

[Extra details]: She is based off of Hapi (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Tsuyu Asui (My Hero Acadamia), Daki (Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc), Chiaki Nanami (specifically her portrayal in Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School) Ess (Puyo Puyo Tetris) and Sacramouche (Genshin Impact)

[Backstory]: The highly embittered little sister of Zarichas, anyone who knows her will tell you that her love is reserved for him alone. And you will soon know why. She is one of the Constructs, artificial humans who seamlessly blend robotic efficiency and efficacy with human emotion and biology. They are usually created to mimic a person in appearances, based on either the taste of their creator or on a specific order, and Hisa is no exception. Her creator adored anime of any kind, and was thinking of a highly loved one during her creation. She resembled their favorite character, the frog-looking girl originally, and while it meant that her look matching was somewhat of a success, it still left her with some... interesting defects because it was unstable. The group of scientists that created her and many others to order, thus decided to do an experiment on how Constructs develop, if it's the same as normal human children. They paid various families large amounts of money in stipends in exchange for taking care of one child for 7 years. To ensure that anyone who caught on with their plans would be punished, each child was fitted with an anklet that would go off, and it gives away the wearer's location. And they were only ≤7 at the time.

Hisa was placed into the Albright household, and although she was a little sad to leave her creators, her "real" parents, she soon grew attached to the new home. Now, I won't bore you with any heavier details (well, not 'til I release Zarichas' ref), but I'll skip to the good part of it. She was particularly attached to the 11 year old (youngest) son. While she adored her family, and they loved her, fate would take another turn... Curiosity overcame both of them, and the two of them consequently fled to the underground. She had suffered a broken leg from the fall down, and he was already poisoned from an attack on the way. Hisa just didn't care anymore. She willingly took the blue spider lily juices, and gave some to him. It saved their (mostly his) lives, but it permanently turned them into Aomogura. Now they'll never be able to go home, but if it means that they have to survive in THIS new home, so be it. They've been living down there ever since.

[mariska]

this is going to sound kinda Cunty™️ of me maybe but i just started my period and im pissed off so idc. i get at least one public display of asshole behavior a month i think. but there is something so incredibly and indescribably frustrating to me about waking up in more pain than i can properly describe because of my endometriosis and taking a few mins to scroll thru my phone in bed because this happens multiple days per month so i know its gonna be A Whole Ordeal trying to drag myself upwards and out of my room to take my meds and seeing on my instagram feed (via Playbill i think?) that another big popular broadway show will be shutting down soon and checking the comments expecting, for some stupid reason on my end, to see people being like "goes to show what a serious financial and health situation the average population is going thru in the US right now if all these uber popular shows cant stay open", but instead seeing literally hundreds of people writing "WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH BROADWAYYY OMG" and 90% of the replies to those comments being 'IKRRR ITS SO SAD WHATS GOING ON'

like FULL offense but are you actually fucking kidding me right now. if some of the people being that dense about whats happening to Us Peasant Folk Who Have Never Been Able To Partake In A Broadway Showë are like. teenagers that are just commenting impulsively then like. whatever thats fine i can get that, teenagers dont know shit sometimes i was one myself once i remember, but full ass grown adults legitimately flipping out over phantom and beetlejuice not being on broadway and focusing that outrage at. like. broadway. and not even stopping to think about the fact that us Disabled And Poor Peasant Folk who are still alive have been screaming at them for almost 3 whole years and way way way more years before those last big 3 years that if they didnt start valuing other peoples lives as much as they do with their own then our pandemic health crisis and shit for-profit health "care" system will not have an end in sight and that means eventually it will affect them too. whether that is by getting sick with the still very real and deadly virus and becoming disabled, or things like classic cherished theater shows suddenly disappearing because their largest source of regular income are 1.) newly disabled or literally dead, and 2.) no longer able to have enough disposable income to spend on broadway shows because they have to prioritize necessities in an economic collapse where only the very rich and privileged are able to get by fine.

like again i know im being mean about it but i really do not care, the logical/rational processing section of my autistic brain just cannot wrap my mind around being so out of touch from the majority experiences of US american life that THIS is like, The Last Straw for so many adults my age (25) or older. get a fucking reality check or its going to affect a lot more personal things in ur life than ur ability to see phantom of the opera every weekend. my fucking god, dude.

[paypant]

4 Fun Ways to Make Money During Spring Break

Spring break is a period to rest and have fun. It’s a time that allows you to take a break from your studies and enjoy vacations in cool places. If you like, earning money during spring break can be an excellent opportunity to finance your vacation or bolster your savings. In addition, you can make your holiday more fulfilling by taking up employment opportunities that fetch you some additional income and offer the prospect of meeting new individuals and acquiring fresh skills.  Regardless of your choice of work, it is prudent to strategize and formulate plans to optimize your earnings during this period. However, if you choose to make money while others enjoy their breaks, there are some fun ways you can do it.  This article highlights 4 ways fun ways to make money during spring breaks.

#1. Join Research Firms and Participate in Surveys

As a college student, you are knowledgeable in a certain academic field. During the spring break period, you can join focus groups and participate in their activities. Most online or in-person focus groups accept college students. As a member of a focus group, you can earn between $20 and $500 per hour. But this depends on the research firms you join and the contributions you make. As a focus group member, you are expected to share your opinion and thoughts with a group of people who have the same interests as you. To maximize your earnings, it's important to sign up with multiple research firms and fill out your profile completely and accurately. This will help the firms match you with surveys and studies that are relevant to your interests and demographic. When you receive survey invitations via email, be sure to respond quickly to increase your chances of being selected. Completing surveys in a timely manner and being honest in your responses will also increase your chances of being selected for future surveys and studies. In addition to signing up with research firms, you may also consider joining a survey aggregator site, such as Swagbucks or InboxDollars. These sites can help you find high-paying survey opportunities from multiple research firms in one place. Your opinion on a product/topic will be used as data that can affect the decision-making process.

#2. Become a Uber or Lyft Driver

If you have a car, you can make money by becoming an Uber or Lyft driver during the spring period. This job enables you to make an average of $15 an hour. According to Ridester, it is estimated that Uber or Lyft drivers make an average of $350 a month and $29,000 a year. The job of an Uber driver allows you to drive to cool places while making money. To get accepted as a Uber driver, you must have a driving license, and you must be above the age of eighteen. The job of an Uber driver does not require academic qualifications. All you need is good communication skills, good driving skills, and knowledge of locations. To get started, first research popular destinations by checking out where spring breakers tend to go and focus on those areas to increase your chances of getting rides. You can also consider offering discounts or promotions to attract more riders during the busy season. Make sure your car is clean and well-maintained to provide a good experience for riders.

#3. Babysitting Jobs

The job of a babysitter is very lucrative and flexible. You can earn between $10 and $20 an hour as a babysitter. If you love kids and don't mind caring for them, you can make money from babysitting during spring break. There are lots of sites that offer babysitting jobs. However, it is better to find clients yourself. Sites that offer babysitting jobs will connect you with clients needing a babysitter, but a good percentage of your earnings will be taken from you. You can advertise your services to friends, family, and the community. Consider posting flyers or creating social media posts to spread the word. When you begin babysitting, make sure you are reliable and trustworthy. Parents want to feel comfortable leaving their children in your care, so arriving on time and following their instructions is important. You can also consider offering additional services, such as light housekeeping or meal preparation, to increase your earnings. Be clear about your rates and availability, and be willing to negotiate with parents to find a fair price. If you find babysitting clients by yourself, you will get to enjoy your full reward.

#4. Sell on eBay

Spring break affords you the time to sell items online. If you want to make easy money from home, you can start selling on platforms like eBay and Amazon. With online shopping becoming increasingly popular, there are now many ways to sell clothes, shoes, books, and other things on the internet. It's likely that you have a lot of stuff you don't need in your dorm room or at home. Instead of hiding these things, you could make money by selling them on eBay. To get started, think about what items you want to sell. Look for things that you no longer use or need. Once you've picked the products you want to sell, you need to find an online store to post them on. This way, lots of people will see what you have to offer and might want to buy your things. Also, taking really good pictures of your products is important. Clear photos help people see what they're buying and can make them more likely to buy from you. To take good pictures, ensure your products are well-lit and focused. You might want to take pictures from different angles so people can see everything clearly. This will help create a positive impression and make it easier for potential customers to understand what they're getting. You can also decide to ply the path of a drop shipper. A dropshipping business allows you to make cool cash without investment. However, it requires time and dedication. Here's how you can start.

Bottom Line

There are lots of ways to make money during spring break. If you have a high-demand skill, you can become a freelancer. Other jobs that can pay you to include petsitting, affiliate marketing, YouTubing, and more.

Some Frequently Asked Questions On Earning Money During Spring Break

How much can I earn during spring break? Earnings during spring break vary depending on the type of job and hours worked. Part-time and temporary jobs may pay hourly wages ranging from minimum wage to $20 or more per hour. Freelance work and online surveys may pay per project or per completed survey. When should I start looking for spring break jobs? It's a good idea to start looking for spring break jobs a few weeks or even months in advance, as some positions may require an application process and training. Also, check with local businesses and organizations to see if they are hiring for seasonal positions. Are there any risks associated with earning money during spring break? It's important to be cautious when looking for job opportunities, especially if they are posted online. Be wary of scams that may ask for personal information or money upfront. Researching the company or organization and reading reviews before accepting a job offer is always a good idea. Do I need any special skills or qualifications to earn money during spring break? The skills and qualifications required to earn money during spring break vary depending on the job you take up. However, most part-time jobs do not require any special skills or qualifications, and on-the-job training is provided. How can I find part-time job opportunities for spring break? You can find part-time job opportunities for spring break by checking online job boards, contacting temporary staffing agencies, or visiting your university's career center. How can I make extra money during spring break if I have a full-time job? If you have a full-time job, you can consider working overtime or taking on extra shifts to earn more money during spring break. You can also consider offering freelance services or participating in online surveys or focus groups in your spare time. What are some tips for maximizing my earnings during spring break? Some tips for maximizing your earnings during spring break include researching high-paying job opportunities, negotiating your pay rates, working multiple jobs, and using your skills and talents to offer valuable services. Additionally, you can consider cutting back on expenses and budgeting wisely to save money and increase your overall earnings. Are there any seasonal job opportunities available during spring break? Yes, there are many seasonal job opportunities available during spring break. For example, you can work as a tax preparer during tax season, a landscaper during the spring season, or a lifeguard at a beach or pool during the warmer months. Read the full article

[market-news-24]

Uber has officially announced six new features during its annual Go-Get showcase. The ride-hailing giant revealed the exciting updates that will enhance the user experience and make travel even more convenient. Stay tuned for more details on the latest innovations from Uber. Click to Claim Latest Airdrop for FREE Claim in 15 seconds Scroll Down to End of This Post const downloadBtn = document.getElementById('download-btn'); const timerBtn = document.getElementById('timer-btn'); const downloadLinkBtn = document.getElementById('download-link-btn'); downloadBtn.addEventListener('click', () => downloadBtn.style.display = 'none'; timerBtn.style.display = 'block'; let timeLeft = 15; const timerInterval = setInterval(() => if (timeLeft === 0) clearInterval(timerInterval); timerBtn.style.display = 'none'; downloadLinkBtn.style.display = 'inline-block'; // Add your download functionality here console.log('Download started!'); else timerBtn.textContent = `Claim in $timeLeft seconds`; timeLeft--; , 1000); ); Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators [ad_1] After two years of launching features aimed at families, Uber unveiled six new products — three focused on shared rides and three new Uber Eats expansions — at its fourth annual product showcase, Go-Get. The new additions include airport shuttle and event rides, pre-scheduled Uber X shared rides, and Uber Caregiver. Travelers heading to the same destination (including select airports and event venues) can now use Uber Shuttle, a new feature that allows them to book a shared UberX for a fraction of the price. With Uber Shuttle, riders can reserve up to five seats in the Uber app seven days before their desired departure date. Within 25 minutes of the scheduled pick-up, riders can track their Uber Shuttle's location. Riders must also show a QR-code ticket to the driver to validate the ride. These rides are not affected by surge pricing. This summer, Uber Shuttle is also partnering with Live Nation to provide concertgoers with rides to select venues such as Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago, Star Lake Amphitheater in Pittsburgh, PNC Pavilion in Charlotte, and Miami's Hard Rock Stadium for sporting events. Additionally, users will be able to use Uber Shuttle to book airport shuttle services in select cities. A list of specific cities is not yet available, but keep in mind that this feature will look different in each municipality. Leaning into shared rides even further, customers who schedule UberX Share rides in advance will now be able to save an average of 25% compared to the standard cost of an UberX trip. Shared Uber X rides can be reserved up to 10 minutes before departure and as far as 30 days in advance. Prices are locked in when booked. This feature is currently available in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, and Atlanta. More cities are to come. To book, tap the clock icon, choose a time window to arrive, lock in the price, and confirm the pickup price. The next day, you'll receive a text indicating when your driver is available and whether there will be a co-rider. Uber Health is expanding its sights this summer by launching Uber Caregiver — a new feature for caregivers and their loved ones. Users will soon be able to add a caregiver to their profiles, which will give a designated person access to certain features on the app. Such features include the ability to book and monitor rides to doctor appointments, order deliveries for things such as medical supplies and groceries, and a three-way chat option for easy communication with drivers or couriers. Users' commercial insurance, including Medicare Advantage, Medicaid recipients, employer-generated health plans, and health benefits cards, can be applied to eligible costs to minimize out-of-pocket expenses. All other expenses can be paid in-app via credit card.

Caregivers will also be able to order groceries via Uber Eats later this year. Uber Eats is partnering with Costco in select U.S. locations for members and non-members to order from Costco via Uber Eats. Costco members save an additional amount on every order and 20% off an annual Uber One membership. Enter your membership number in the Uber Eats app on the Costco storefront page or at checkout to save in select locations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Japan. The final two new Uber products are also aimed at food, including Uber Eats List, which will launch in July in New York City. This feature will allow users to provide personalized curated food recommendations and discover recommendations from friends and foodies alike. Lastly, Uber expanded its Uber One membership program to cover college students at a discounted monthly price of $4.99 or $48 annually, offering perks such as 10% off eligible Uber Eats orders, a $0 delivery fee, and 6% cashback on late-night rides, among other savings. This program will launch in the U.S., Australia, France, New Zealand, and Mexico through the fall. Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators [ad_2] 1. What are some of the new features Uber announced at its Go-Get showcase? Uber unveiled six new features at its annual event, including improved passenger pickup options, a new driver safety toolkit, and updated driver earnings reports. 2. How will the improved passenger pickup options benefit riders? Uber's enhanced pickup options for passengers will make it easier for riders to find their drivers, reducing wait times and improving overall user experience. 3. What is included in Uber's new driver safety toolkit? The new driver safety toolkit from Uber includes features such as an in-app emergency button, ride check-ins for long trips, and real-time trip monitoring for additional security measures. 4. How will the updated driver earnings reports help Uber drivers? Uber's updated earnings reports will provide drivers with more detailed information on their trips, giving them a better understanding of their earnings and helping them make informed decisions about their work. 5. Are these new features available to all Uber users? Yes, the new features announced at Uber's Go-Get showcase will be rolled out to all users of the Uber platform, including both passengers and drivers. Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators [ad_1] Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators Claim Airdrop now Searching FREE Airdrops 20 seconds Sorry There is No FREE Airdrops Available now. Please visit Later function claimAirdrop() document.getElementById('claim-button').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'block'; let countdownTimer = 20; const countdownInterval = setInterval(function() document.getElementById('countdown').textContent = countdownTimer; countdownTimer--; if (countdownTimer < 0) clearInterval(countdownInterval); document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('sorry-button').style.display = 'block'; , 1000);

[freepressjournals]

FMS Summer Placements 2024: 289 Students Placed with Average Stipend of Rs 2.96 Lakh

The Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) has concluded its summer placements for the batch of 2023–25, achieving remarkable success. Out of 304 offers made by 101 participating companies, a total of 289 students have been successfully placed.

According to data released by FMS, the average stipend for the top 10 percent of students stands at Rs 4.22 lakh, Rs 4.03 lakh for the top 25 percent, and Rs 3.57 lakh for the top 50 percent. Notably, there has been a consistent increase in stipend across all categories over the past three years. The average stipend for the entire batch is Rs 2.96 lakh, with the median stipend recorded at Rs 3 lakh.

Sector-wise Performance

E-commerce companies continued their strong presence in FMS placements, offering sought-after product and program management roles. Major recruiters included Adobe, Amazon, American Express, Arcesium, GE Vernova, HDFC Credila, Hindustan Unilever, Infoedge, Media.net, Microsoft, Natwest, Qualcomm, Samsung, Uber, and Zomato.

In the Sales and Marketing domain, FMCG giants remained prominent recruiters, while sectors like Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Electronics, Retail, E-Commerce, Industrial Goods, and Automobiles also offered lucrative roles. Top recruiters encompassed Apollo, Asian Paints, AstraZeneca, Bridgestone, Cipla, Coca-Cola, Dabur, Diageo, Disney HCCB, ITC, L’Oréal, Mondelez, Nestle, NPCI, Perfetti Van Melle, Pernod Ricard, Pidilite, Puma, Reckitt, Tata Play, and VI.

The finance sector witnessed placements in various roles including Investment Banking, Corporate Finance, Corporate Banking, and Wealth Management. Leading recruiters in this domain included American Express, Axis Bank, Bank of America, Bharti Enterprises, Citi, Goldman Sachs, HDFC, JPMC, Morgan Stanley, SMBC, White Oak, and Yes Bank.

Consulting, General Management, and Strategy roles were filled by companies such as Aditya Birla Fashion, Accenture Strategy, Adani, Airtel, Bain & Company, BCG, Capgemini, Deloitte, EY Parthenon, JSW, Kearney, KPMG, Mahindra Group, McKinsey & Co., PWC, Reliance, Renew Power, and TAS.

The successful summer placements at FMS underscore its reputation as a premier management institution, providing students with diverse opportunities across sectors. As the academic year progresses, students can look forward to leveraging their summer experiences to excel in their respective fields.