#both normal to want and possible to achieve

[imsopopfly]

“I’m gonna get a good grade in baby, something that is both normal to want and possible to achieve.”

The fact that animals that care for their young will sometimes adopt others' lost or orphaned young to raise along their own is just funny to me. I know that it's all hormonal and there's no conscious thought involved in it, but the internal logic of it is so funny.

"Baby = success. More baby = more success. I have one baby and I found four other baby. I have five baby. I am being so fucking successful right now."

[tea-and-secrets]

i’m thinking of making a simple ttrpg based off an incredibly funny situation me and my friends got in

so i always carry my bag of dice around, and after everyone finishes eating during lunch hour, me and my friends like to “play dice”, which is just what we call it when we play extremely simplified dnd. only three of us actually genuinely know how to play dnd 5e and none of us want to take the time to explain it, so we just roll the d20 for every action.

well. a ‘friend’ who normally doesn’t participate decided to join today and exclusively decided to invent various chain restaurants in an attempt to be memey and also form a restaurant monopoly. “mcdonald’s quick tavern”, “sub of way”, “wendolyn d’s” etc. and all other three players (i was the “dm”) immediately dedicated the rest of the session to trying to ruin her life.

to be completely clear, ‘friend’ is sort of an asshole who never stops making dick jokes. last time we played dice before this, when my friend was DMing, she rolled to “stroke her meat” (none of us were exactly pleased). all of us are extremely tired of it but we don’t want to kick her out. so “ruining her life” in-game ranged from setting her restaurants on fire to killing her outright. unfortunately she had absolutely insane luck, which is how she rolled high enough to create the restaurants in the first place. she always rolled high and everyone else almost always rolled too low to kill her. after she attempted to assassinate two of the players, one of them managed to kill her. everyone cheered.

i proceeded to draw fan art of this, and captioned the art “3 CRIMINALS VS. 1 CEO” and now i actually kind of want to make this a kind of game we could run? i think it’d be fun considering the interests of our friend group

the general idea is that you need a minimum of three players: two criminals, one ceo. you can raise the number of players as much as you want; there should be roughly 2-4 criminals for one ceo. the goal for both teams is to destroy the others. in more rp terms, the general premise is that you are one of two people: a ceo who’s flattened countless people to achieve your fortune, or a random guy with a huge grudge against said ceo, for any reason. go try and fuck em up!

some mechanics:

all players would have “reputation” stats. all criminals start with a reputation of 1, while ceos start at 3. the higher the reputation, the more genuine publicity you have- which makes it harder to commit crimes. if a ceo reaches a high enough reputation, i think maybe 7, then the crimes committed to establish their famous brand will become public, shattering their reputation and ruining their career. if a criminal reaches a 3 reputation, however, they’ve got enough publicity to get caught. both parties must work to maintain their reputation, but criminals have to work harder. each party can work to increase the other’s reputation through media like journalism, and decrease their own reputation by laying low after doing something big or hiding their identity when doing unlawful actions (like arson.)

the criminals can work to eliminate the ceo by any means possible. they can go the route of exposing the ceo’s crimes, but they could ALSO do the much more fun route of committing ✨crimes✨. however, the more crimes and less thought put into them, the likelier it is that their reputation will increase; as such, it’s ideal for them to cover their tracks or at least put on a mask. unless they do something REALLY drastic, i think the ceo would have to actively pursue targeting the criminals via journalism, but if the criminals didn’t, say, put on a mask or wait until night to burn down the wendy’s, it would be MUCH easier to track them down, have a paper published about the innocent wendy’s being burnt down, and wait for them to be arrested.

the criminals have a resource limit. since action would be turn-based, i think that there would be two “levels” of crimes, organized by how much energy they would take. maybe it’d be good to utilize a sort of spell slot reminiscent system for this? like you start with 2 big crimes and 3 small crimes, and you get 1 small crime every other turn and 1 big crime every 3 turns.

you can get dnd style advantages by being very organized and disadvantages by being relentlessly pursued by the other team. for example, if every criminal has spent the last three turns making attempts on the ceo’s life, i’d say it’d be fair to give the ceo disadvantage on PR- they’re being fucking hunted, that’d fuck up anyone’s mental health. on the other hand, if a ceo spends 4 turns compiling evidence to paint a very convincing picture of a criminal as, well, a criminal, i’d say they get advantage for their paper to succeed in getting the criminal arrested.

the game ends either when a ceo has their reputation shattered and their livelihood destroyed, or the criminals are all jailed. i know it’s a little biased towards the criminals but like. actually i don’t really have an excuse for that. i do think it could be fun playing as a ceo as well though.

.

[imjustcryinginthecorner]

i am both normal to want and possible to achieve

[rainbowpopeworld]

I love my therapist 😂🥰 Yesterday I unintentionally made her laugh until she cried and she said “You won therapy today!” And I, of course, responded “Something which is both possible to achieve and normal to want.”

(the meme in case you are part of the 10,000 today)

[greenpitbullzombie]

Went to the salon for hair dye and a cut. My planned stylist had a personal emergency but there was another available. She was all "your curls are so healthy and moisturized!" When I told her it had been 6 months since my last dye "your hair grows so fast!" And later on she was "has anyone ever told you your hair takes dye really well and evenly?"

And I was like... I'm getting a good grade in hair care. Something both normal to want and possible to achieve.

Later I went to get my ears pierced. And the lady did one ear, moved to the second and said "you have really great skin." And I'm "... thank you?" She said "sorry that was weird to say, but it's so easy to pierce, the needle just glides through."

So I got a good grade in skin piercing too.

[yokowan]

i have successfully fulfilled the power fantasy of every linux forums contributor by impressing a girl and saving the day with my knowledge of regular expressions

[bedlam-moon]

i am normal and well-adjusted, something that is both possible to want and normal to achieve

[guardianspirits13]

I've gotta say that there is no better achievement as a neurodivergent person than hyperfixating on a character for so long that you are known as "the 'insert character name here' person"

[wineanddineloseyourmind]

is it a good or bad sign if you want your therapist to call you a good girl within 10 minutes of meeting them?

like will it affect my grade in therapy

[starlightbelle]

Sometimes I like going thru my activity tab just as much as my actual dash. Because it’s like, after reblogging a bunch of stuff, or at the end of the day or whatever it’s like, “okay cool now what resonated with everyone? How’s everyone feeling about this stuff today?”

Almost like “I foraged and found cool stuff! What did everyone like?” If I offered them as, like, a buffet spread, which items were the most popular today?

And just reading people’s tags or even just seeing that they reblogged it from me is really nice, idk why. Maybe it goes into the good grade in tumblr blog thing?

[countrynerddancer]

Me at the new bar across the street from my place, making awkward smalltalk with one of the bartenders: I'm gonna get a good grade in regular, something that is both normal to want and possible to achieve

[piierogis]

Imagine that you marry the love of your life, and then a year later you find out that your dad, the kindest person you know, whom you were extremely close to, had always secretly hated him and considerd him an idiot. And you had no idea.

And now he got some old cop who makes fun of your husband all the time. I would bite.

[skecherss]

my ideal character design for Stephanie Brown is when she looks like a girl I'd meet in passing at a thrift store only to grow desperately and hopelessly obsessed with my brief impression of her

[licollisa]

In which Swapfell Sans is your mom friend.

[evildolokhoded]

now that phil's openly said he's fine with people writing fanfic about him and "another youtuber" i think the funniest move we can pull is start writing tons of fanfiction about phil and another random youtuber who isn't dan

[reagent-leon]

Let's talk about pre-Sinyala Coyle!!

Okay so, I’m really into character design, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people who draw pre-Sinyala Coyle tend to miss out some cool details about his Blackwell uniform. So, I figured I’d break it all down, covering 1950s fashion conventions, how Coyle blatantly ignores them, why he gets away with it, and some extra points about his overall dodgy behaviour. Because this post spiralled out of control.

Before we jump in, a quick note: Because of the comic’s style, there are definitely some inconsistencies, but I’ll do my best to piece things together. If you're into history, fashion, and Leland Coyle, stick around 🖤

First, some historical context.

Whether we like it or not, personal grooming and aesthetics have always played a big role in how we’re perceived. But in the 1950s, fashion wasn’t as focused on self-expression as it is today. Rather than standing out, most people aimed for conformity, with conservative ideals and public perception heavily influencing fashion choices. How someone dressed and presented themselves to the world immediately signalled their social status, character, and values. Maintaining a facade of respectability and adhering to social norms was a priority for most.

After World War II, being clean-shaven became a key part of a man's appearance. This was partly inspired by young men who had served in the military. Veterans accustomed to shaving daily carried the habit into civilian life. Of course, not everyone was clean-shaven, but facial hair was generally more common among older generations, as well as musicians, and actors, people who could flout convention without damaging their reputations.

By the mid-1950s, however, facial hair started making a bit of a comeback, thanks to cultural icons like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Alternative hairstyles, especially those associated with greasers, weren’t widely accepted in professional settings. Instead, they became symbols of rebellion, linked to actors, outcasts, and those who rejected the status quo rather than conventional, well-to-do citizens.

With that out of the way, let's talk about Coyle!

Thanks to the comics and in-game documents, we know that Coyle meets Clyde Perry in a Blackwell diner on February 16th 1956. Based on what we can piece together from his past, Coyle would have been around 33 years old at the time. Perry’s account of the altercation directly tells us that Coyle was well-liked and respected within his community.

Blackwell was (and perhaps still is) an extremely conservative town, where conformity to social norms would have been enforced through intense social pressure. The fear of negative judgment would have kept most people compliant. This makes Coyle’s deviation from 1950s conventions all the more apparent, though when we consider his past, things begin to make a bit more sense.

From both the comics and Coyle’s in-game dialogue, we know he had a troubled childhood (details to follow in a separate post). His adolescent delinquency eventually landed him in a military academy. However, his honourable service in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, combined with his undeniable charisma likely convinced most locals that he was a reformed man, paving the way for his position as a police sergeant.

His rough-around-the-edges persona may have only added to his charm, allowing him to get away with behaviour that might have otherwise raised eyebrows, such as openly flirting with a waitress or publicly beating a man senseless.

Although Coyle is primarily depicted as a silhouette in most full-body images, we can still piece together details of his uniform. Interestingly, his attire aligns more with a 1940s police officer than one from the mid-1950s. This could be a deliberate design choice to emphasize how both Coyle and the town he rules over are stuck in the past.

His uniform has a few key features:

Sam Browne belt – A leather belt with a supporting strap that runs over the shoulder and connects to a waist belt.

Standing collar & shoulder boards – Formal elements more common in earlier decades.

Shoes instead of boots – Just a note for the artists in the room. 

Utility belt essentials – Includes a handgun, handcuffs, and a nightstick, which were standard for the time.

We get a clearer look at the general appearance of his uniform from some of the police cutouts in the Trials, though none of them feature a Sam Browne belt.

Coyle’s hair defies the social conventions of the time. It isn’t styled into any particular fashion and appears free of product, an unusual choice for a police officer, who would typically be expected to maintain a polished image, if not for personal pride, then at least for professionalism's sake. His hairline is noticeably receding, and it’s possible he combed it forward to disguise the thinning. By the time the events of the game take place, he’s completely bald, whether from stress-induced hair loss or simply shaving it once the recession became too obvious to hide. Pure speculation on my part. 

His stubble, mussed hair, and unfastened top button suggest that when he meets Perry, he’s either finished work for the day or, at the very least, on his lunch break.

I found a few references of what I think Coyle's hair would look like because the comic is very bad at keeping it consistent. I went out of my way to find a guy with sideburns too. (Don't say I never do anything for you.) It's also worth noting that Julian Bailey, Coyle's VA had a receding hairline in years past. It's my personal belief that they used Julian's face as a reference for this younger version of Coyle.

As a ‘respectable’ police sergeant, he should present himself as buttoned-up, clean, and tidy, proudly representing the Blackwell Police Department and setting a good example for his subordinates. Instead, everything about his presentation suggests a man who sees himself as above reproach, someone who enforces social conventions but doesn’t feel the need to follow them himself. In fact, one could argue he’s rewarded for breaking them, receiving positive attention from women despite (or perhaps because of) his disregard for propriety.

Coyle placing his hat on the waitress is a particularly bold move, especially given the strict dating conventions of the 1950s. Historically, a man placing his hat on a woman's head was a flirtatious gesture, a subtle but effective way of ‘claiming’ her, particularly in cowboy culture (Coyle’s parents were cattle ranchers, cowboy Coyle is canon).

In this context, it’s unlikely to be a genuine display of interest. More than anything, it’s a power play, a deliberate act of pushing the limits of propriety while asserting his dominance. The real impact comes when Perry walks in, seeing Coyle has already ‘marked his territory,’ immediately undermining Perry and ensuring he feels off-balance in the face of Coyle’s effortless machismo. 

At the comic's conclusion, while Perry is driving away, injured but alive, he looks back to see Coyle standing outside the diner, wearing his police cap. At some point, he must have retrieved it from the waitress, likely with a charming, offhand apology for making a scene. Coyle doesn’t need to kill Perry to send a message, because letting him live IS the message. And Perry hears it loud and clear.

A quick side note, this isn’t so much about Coyle’s appearance, but rather his character.

When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, it adopted prohibition as part of its constitution, remaining a dry state up until 1959. Alcohol was largely banned, though moonshiners and speakeasies operated in secret, often with local law enforcement turning a blind eye. As a consequence, one of the only widely acceptable alcoholic beverages was “low-point beer” a drink containing just 3.2% alcohol, considered non-intoxicating under state law.

Perry states that Coyle ‘drank heavily’ before their encounter, but the fact that it was low-alcohol beer explains how he could be four pints down and still completely in control when it came to beating Perry.

It’s possible Coyle was pulling a deliberate ruse, letting Perry believe he was drunker than he actually was. If so, it wasn’t just about drinking, it was a test. Coyle may have wanted to see if Perry would try to take advantage of what seemed like a weakened opponent, only to prove that he was never at a disadvantage to begin with.

For a police officer to drink so openly in a conservative Christian town flies in the face of everything he’s supposed to uphold. Yet no one seems to care, or at least, no one dares to challenge him. Maybe it’s fear. Maybe it’s respect. Either way, Coyle knows exactly what he can get away with, and he enjoys every second of it.

There are plenty of inconsistencies in the comic, and the art style doesn’t always make the details easy to see. Honestly, I could spend forever picking it apart and analyzing it, and one day, I probably will.

But in the meantime… I hope it's been informative. And I hope that some artists who draw pre-Sinyala Coyle will start depicting him in his Blackwell uniform. As much as I love a leather jacket, I’m a sucker for those military-style uniforms.

I hope you enjoyed this little dive into Coyle and his antics. Before I wrap up, I’m leaving you with a picture I annotated—it was meant to be the main image for this post, but... it’s awful. Apologies in advance if it hurts your eyes.

If you enjoyed my descent into madness, please inflict it upon your friends. I welcome friendly and constructive conversation in the comments. And hey, if you think I’m talking out of my arse, that’s your prerogative! This wasn’t meant as a critique, just the ramblings of someone who spends far too much time pondering the hows and whys of this man.

Well done if you made it this far, and thank you for reading!

As usual big shoutout to the Coyle Crew @misa-bun @decayinghost @soggy-bean for enabling me