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qualitydiamblog · 3 months

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The Timeless Allure of Genuine Diamonds: A Guide to Nature's Sparkling Masterpieces

Diamonds have long captivated human hearts and minds, symbolizing love, strength, and eternity. Their unparalleled sparkle and durability make them the quintessential gemstone for engagement rings, heirloom pieces, and luxury jewelry. But what exactly makes a diamond "genuine," and why do these precious stones continue to enchant us? In this blog, we delve into the fascinating world of genuine diamonds, exploring their formation, characteristics, and the enduring allure that has cemented their place in history and culture.

The Birth of a Genuine Diamond

Genuine diamonds are born deep within the Earth's mantle, where intense heat and pressure cause carbon atoms to crystallize into the brilliant gemstones we cherish. This natural process can take billions of years, making each diamond a unique testament to the Earth's geological history. Unlike synthetic diamonds, which are created in laboratories over a matter of weeks, genuine diamonds are the result of nature's artistry, shaped by time and elemental forces.

Identifying Genuine Diamonds

The hallmark of a genuine diamond lies in its unique set of characteristics, often evaluated using the Four Cs: Carat, Cut, Clarity, and Color.

Carat: This measures the diamond's weight. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. While larger diamonds are rarer and often more expensive, the carat size alone does not determine a diamond's value.

Cut: The cut of a diamond refers to how well it has been shaped and faceted. A well-cut diamond reflects light beautifully, enhancing its brilliance and sparkle. The cut is a critical factor in the stone's overall appearance and value.

Clarity: Clarity assesses the presence of internal or external imperfections, known as inclusions and blemishes, respectively. Genuine diamonds with fewer inclusions are rarer and therefore more valuable.

Color: Genuine diamonds range from colorless to varying shades of yellow or brown. Completely colorless diamonds are exceedingly rare and highly prized. Fancy colored diamonds, such as blue, pink, and yellow, are also sought after for their unique hues.

The Symbolism and Cultural Significance

Throughout history, genuine diamonds have held significant cultural and symbolic meanings. In ancient India, they were considered a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. The Greeks believed diamonds were the tears of gods or splinters from fallen stars. In modern times, diamonds are most commonly associated with love and commitment, epitomized by the tradition of diamond engagement rings.

Investing in Genuine Diamonds

When purchasing a genuine diamond, it's essential to consider its certification. Reputable certifications, such as those from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), ensure that the diamond's quality has been independently verified. This certification provides peace of mind and guarantees that you are investing in an authentic gemstone.

Caring for Your Diamond

Despite their reputation as the hardest natural material, genuine diamonds require proper care to maintain their luster. Regular cleaning with mild soap and water, along with periodic professional inspections, can help preserve their brilliance. Storing diamonds separately from other jewelry can prevent scratching and damage.

Conclusion

Genuine diamonds are more than just beautiful gemstones; they are nature's enduring masterpieces, crafted over millennia. Their intrinsic value, stunning appearance, and rich symbolism continue to make them a cherished possession for many. Whether as a symbol of love, an investment, or a personal treasure, genuine diamonds hold a timeless allure that is truly unparalleled.

#qualitydiam #genuine diamonds

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crystalelemental · 1 year

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Alright, time for my girl Dawn! She's mostly support, this will go great, right?

Vs. Hala My initial plan was to support Ghetsis with Lodge Dawn against Kahili. It did not go well. Ghetsis is a problem, frankly. Anyway, Diantha/Bede worked a lot better, to no one's surprise. Lodge Dawn offers a lot of benefits, between the speed boosting, simplifying Diantha's setup with Team Sharp Entry and Sp Atk boosting, and helping set up her multipliers with Struggle Bug. I actually feel very positively about this clear. It's on-type, so nothing major, but you know.

Vs. Kahili When Ghetsis fails (always), Candice succeeds. She's such a stupid good tech nuke for a common. She doesn't even need help. Dawn just buffed defense, and we were good. The only thing we need was a flinch on the right side before Farfetch'd drops. Which...did not happen the first time. It missed three times. 60%. Flinch is actually garbage.

Vs. Olivia Palentine's Dawn I struggled with, because I wasn't sure who I'd want to use in Electric or Steel, so I did neither and went off-type with some SS Mina action. SS Wally is pretty well supported, though like...it's not as though he's ever in danger of not dealing enough damage. And there are generally more efficient options here. I dunno. I'm kinda getting critical of SS Mina. Though P!Dawn with this comp was nice, making Mina basically invincible against a physically offensive opponent.

Vs. Acerola This was such a bad idea. I just want that on record. I was insistent on using SS Hau to help an Electric team, and for some reason went with Clemont, who can't buff his special attack at all. So instead of doing big number damage, this is SS Dawn helping tank. Which worked out, don't get me wrong. But this was stupid. This was not my best work. They did win first try though. So who's the idiot now, I guess.

Vs. Kukui UUUUGH, why did I do this? There were better, less stupid options than SS Elesa for this. She needs Breathtaking MPR to cap Dawn's crit. She can't dodge for shit. NY!Dawn had the wrong grid for several attempts. I was so dumb. She did eventually get it right, but was it a worthwhile choice? ...yeah. I haven't used SS Elesa in forever, and it's nice to break that back out. I just wish I had done something smarter. At least Dawn's sync and DPS are fantastic under Zone.

Final Thoughts I love Dawn. I think Kris overtook her as my favorite protagonist, but like...she's great. Unfortunately a lot of her sync pairs are a bit dated. Base Dawn just offers so little. Lodge Dawn is a great buff bot, but she really needs Endurance to thrive in CS. SS Dawn is solid, but again, there were more sane options for defense. P!Dawn is just worse Lucian a lot of the time. Even NY!Dawn, who I do legitimately love, has some difficulty with gauge control while partnered with Renegade Cynthia. And keep in mind, my NY!Dawn has Speedy Entry 2. Which is a +4 to speed given her passives. There are just issues aplenty with a lot of her alts, and in a lot of cases it's just her own eccentricities. I dunno. Nothing some grid expansions can't solve for, but it's not the easiest time.

#champion stadium #dawn clear #character clear

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ltwilliammowett · 4 years

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Sailors Needlework

Due to the fact that sailors had to mend their own clothes and there was always a sailmaker with his mates, many on board were very talented sewers. Therefore, many of them went beyond simple mending and created their own clothes. Or began to embellish their pieces with embroidery or make presents for their loved ones. Or earning some money on the side with their skills.

Sailor doing needlework, c. 1850 by unknown in: Jack Tar a Sailors Life, by J. Welles Henderson

It is not possible to pinpoint the exact origins, as many pieces have been lost over time.

A knitted wool hat and handsewn pants, from HMS Invincible, 1758, in: The First HMS Invincible (1747-58): Her Excavations (1980-1991), by John M Bingeman

Some pieces date from the 18th century, while most seem to date from the 19th or 20th century. However, it can be assumed that there are also much older examples.

Embroideries

This type of decoration was embroidered with coloured silk or wool threads on the shirts or duffle bags. But also ribbons, bags or money belts were decorated.

Sailor blouse and poke bag, made by George W.W. Dove, c. 1860 - Sailor’s Hats, c. 1850-1900 in: Jack Tar a Sailors Life, by J. Welles Henderson

Then names, mottos, stars, figures, ships, flags or anchors were embroidered on them.

Money belt, c. 1850 in: Jack Tar a Sailors Life, by J. Welles Henderson

Often the work was done in simple chain-stitch and the material was either taken from home or bought in a harbour.

Wollies

This type of embroidery is a very special form of embroidery, the embroidered woolen pictures, called woolies, which have been around since the 1840s. Most of the materials used to make woolies were found on board ships. Sailcloth, duck cloth from sailor's trousers or a simple linen or cotton fabric served as the backing. The runner was usually made from surplus wood with simple mortise and tenon joints, without wedges.

Theatrical curtains, often depicting trade union banners, suggest the artist was a merchant sailor. c. 1875 - HMS Trafalgar, c. 1865 (x)

Only the Berlin wool, cotton or silk had to be brought from home or purchased in a foreign port. The sailors mainly chose vivid colours - especially white, blue, red, brown and various shades of green. Early Woolies are made from naturally dyed wool. After the development of chemical dyes in the mid-1850s, sailors could obtain a wider range of colours at a cheaper price.

HMS Cumberland, c. 1842 - A third rate together with a paddle steamer, c. 1860-1880 (x)

When making a woolie, the sailor sometimes first sketched the outline of the ship and rigging in ink. With only these schematic designs, he then sewed these images freehand directly onto the canvas, using both rudimentary and refined stitches. Indeed, many Woolies show charming liberties taken with the appearance of elements other than the ship.

Multiple ships raise the value of a piece. This one showcases a second-rate ship, fourth-rate ship, frigate, and smaller ship, 1875 - HMS Queen a present from my son, c. 1855 (x) in: Jack Tar a Sailors Life,by J. Welles Henderson

The sailors used a wide variety of stitches, such as cross stitch, chain stitch, darning and the quilting technique called trapunto. Many of these pictures were appropriately made for the dearest ones at home. As the Victorians liked to collect, the pictures quickly became very popular and were often sold.

Knitting

The men on board also did this. Even though it's hard to imagine how old salts sat there and knitted. But for the cold days, the men needed warm clothes and so they knit socks, gloves and scarves.

British sailors knitting or crocheting (and looking like they enjoy it!) during WWI (x)

(Those who have read the Hornblower novels by CS Forester will perhaps remember that in some books it is mentioned that the men sat there and knitted.) It is verifiable that the Sailors knitted from the 18th century onwards, but since this art had also been known since the 13th century, it must have come on board earlier.

#naval history #sailors handicraft #needlework #age of sail #age of steam

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kewpiemeayo · 3 years

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Mark Grayson (Invincible) Masterlist

Mark Grayson asking you out... (one shot) Fluff: Before his Invincible days.

Mark Grayson with a pregnant!S.O (GN!Reader) (one shot/request) Fluff: Late night/early morning cravings for a special dish.

Being married to Mark H/Cs (GN!Reader) (headcanon/request) Fluff: The kind of chaos that ensues from a marriage with Mark

Sluggish Days (GN!Reader) (one shot/request) Fluff: Mark doing his best to keep you company and ensuring you're at least fed and not feeling so alone if he can help it.

First Date w/ Mark (Fem!Reader) (one shot/request) Fluff: Where you and Mark enjoy a little date at the local petting zoo.

Your first kiss with Mark (GN!Reader) (request) Fluff: First kisses can be awkward, but sometimes, just sometimes, they work out rather romantically.

Mark being needy for attention (GN!Reader) (request) Fluff: You got a busy day ahead of you but Mark finally got his day off, wanting nothing more than to relish in your touch. Alas, he's finding himself huffing and puffing, doing everything he can to get your attention.

H/Cs of Mark complimenting his insecure gf (request)

House Rules (GN!Reader) (request) Fluff: Mark loves to tease you for your height disadvantage and sometimes it gets just a little irritating.

H/Cs of Mark comforting his S/O through a panic attack (request)

Himbo!Mark Grayson x Bimbo!Reader H/Cs (request)

#mea.markgrayson #mark grayson #mark grayson x reader #invincible #invincible x reader #invincible comic #invincible animated series #mea.masterlists

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t-auto · 3 years

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I posted 34,907 times in 2021

40 posts created (0%)

34867 posts reblogged (100%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 871.7 posts.

I added 630 tags in 2021

#toh spoilers - 169 posts

#the owl house spoilers - 155 posts

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#true colors spoilers - 49 posts

#i love it - 24 posts

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#marcanne - 17 posts

#agreed - 17 posts

Longest Tag: 128 characters

#sometimes i see stuff and i think “oh shit that’s seems incredibly personal and i probably shouldn’t share it with other people”

My Top Posts in 2021

Scrooge: Dad...

Webby: Dad

Me:

See the full post

74 notes • Posted 2021-03-15 22:44:54 GMT

Fuck yeah

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YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD YOU BLUE INDIANA JONES RIP-OFF MOTHERFUCKER!

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What’s the amity x hunter ship name? I need to know so that I know who exactly to deck in the face

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Do you believe in Gus/Mattholomule friendship supremacy

I’m conflicted, because

On one hand

See the full post

605 notes • Posted 2021-07-10 23:26:09 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #gotta say I was not expecting that to be my most popular this year #toh #the owl house #ducktales #duck tales #star wars #bad batch #the bad batch

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procrastinationonvacation · 3 years

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Whiskey/wine drinking buddies with Sauron is the best image I could have of Thuringwethil! Could I now beg some opinions on Finrod, just generally and his relationships with all his various friends?

- Captain Anon

Hi! hope you’re doing well and thanks so much for the asks!!!!

Finrod is the Kindest most amazing child and I love him very much. The following part is about him being Happy. (We are ignoring sad things until the End, or possibly for the void to consume.)

Captain, ‘all his various friends’ is a very dangerous phrase, he has more friends than Maedhros has names because to him everyone/thing is friend shaped. (continues under cut)

We’ve discussed that lovely finwean invincibility and “the only thing that can stop me is god, and even then I only listen to them when they agree with me.” (though I’d revise to add that Indis may be an occasional exception because she’s helped him commit so many Crimes) I believe Finrod’s comes out in the sheer confidence that people will like him and be on his side. I think in the beginning he was also a very sunny and optimistic person (erodes over time but shh we aren’t talking about the sad)

I also think his moral compass is linked on personal loyalties as opposed to a cause. Obvs this shows up when he’s helping Beren but also when he goes to middle earth (I think he goes bc friends, not belief in Feanor but I might be wrong).

ok specific friends:

Listen idk with whom, but he was definitely buddy buddies with some of the dwarves of the Blue Mountains bc there’s no way he spent however long making a custom cave fortress and also exchanging gems + fancy necklaces and Didn’t.

It’s really funny to me that he’s also one of the first points of contact for men as well. Like Finrod really seems to be going around pioneering the diplomatic relationships among the races.

I believe he would also be close with Maedhros and with Fingon because it says that the three of them often met to take council or whatever, and honestly? all three seem like very social and agreeable people and I can’t imagine them not getting along after having to sit in court, or wherever eldest sons sit during official things, and *not* becoming friends.

Andreth would also be close friends with our boy, I think Aegnor probably showed up at Finrod’s house like “hey wtf do I do with this” and then separately after some meeting or something, Andreth showed up like “hey wtf do I do with this” and yeah sure, they had some nice philosophical discussions as per recorded history but I am Convinced they were a set of friends who just made up really weird ideas for fun. (ex: finding out what branch of government you’d be elected to in order to redraw the Buffalo city country lines in the shape of a buffalo)

Curufin I’ve already talked about, but again I think they were fairly close because they’d end up on the same sorts of trips, and I think Finrod’s generally disarming demeanor would cause Curufin to be a little less… uh… snappy, because Finrod’s not really the type for hidden agendas, being more devoted to the ppl he cares about than to any particular mission.

Y’all I Cannot express how upset the post Dagor Bragollach field makes me. He’s lost his brothers, he’s got a nephew who’s just lost their parents, Celegorm and Curufin have shown up, his city is in considerable danger for the first time, his brother’s human gf has also presumably died in it, like all together not a fun year. Then we kill his uncle, then we kill his new human bestie Barahir, then freaking Beren shows up with the ring he’d given Barahir trying to get the Stupid gems his brothers just got killed over, and THEN his own COUSINS turn his city against him. Like JESUS what a decade.

oh he also gets captured and killed my sauron but hey at this point…

Anyways, I think the reason he isn’t harsher to Celegorm and Curufin is because he’s just lost a lot of people who were really close to him, and that Belief that good things will happen for good people is really fading away. And I think he has to have wondered if the Cs were right, if his ‘heart on the sleeve’ leadership was what they needed or if it was strong military with Compromises that would get them through. (this isn’t phrased well, but I think you know what I mean)

Also there’s something about him and Fingolfin that like…. going off to challenge a god… one in despair for the people he’s lost and the other in loyalty for the few he has left…

both being honored martyrs who's graves remain untouched by evil, but in the end made the irresponsible decision to leave their kingdoms?

unrelated but I think we should appreciate every family has had their turn fighting a god: Finwe himself, Fingolfin for his house, Finrod for the Arafinweans, Celebrimbor for the feanorians

Anyways, hope that’s what you were looking for!! Thanks so much for the ask, ily!

#asks #Captain anon #as always if that's not what u wantd come bother me #finrod #headcanon

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years

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Survey #367

“i should warn you that you may fuck me, but chances are i’m gonna fuck you over”

Where was the last place you went for vacation? The beach. When was the last time you wore makeup? Halloween. Do you watch soaps or drama series? If so, which ones? Not currently. What’s your favourite tomato variety? I hate tomatoes. What was your very first pet like? Dad had a dog named Trigger when I was born, but I have no memory of her, so I'm excluding her. I consider our first family pet to be Chance, a cat my mom took in after finding her literally in the trash. She was... god, incredible. She was a loyal friend, and I can imagine no greater mother than she was (she legit fought off a rottweiler head-on to protect her kittens). She was so smart, so gentle, and just simply amazing. I'll always miss her. What was the best school project you remember doing? Looking back, despite the fact it TERRIFIED me before, that would be my senior project presentation. It was about snake misconceptions and fallacies, so I made a slideshow to present to the special ed class. I made drawings for them to color, word searches, all that kind of stuff. They were just the sweetest and seemed really into it. What’s your favourite type of fish to eat? None. What kind of an old person do you think you’ll become? I really... don't like thinking about this. Like I'm weak enough now at 25, I can't imagine how my, say, 60s would be. I hope and just about pray that my physical health will improve, but I'm just going to exclude that part entirely from this answer. Personality-wise and such, I have a feeling I'll be the quiet and sweet kind, the one that loves her (hopeful) spouse like crazy, and comes most alive on Halloween if I live in a place where children come trick-or-treating. I imagine I would LOVE that. I'd love to be the type that goes on morning jogs to help stay spry. Which well-known person’s death shocked you the most, if any? Steve Irwin and Chester Bennington might be tied. Both were so, so sudden. Steve was like, invincible to my childhood eyes, and when I heard about Chester's death, I thought it was just a sick rumor. Two amazing people that died way too soon. What’s the craziest colour you’d dye your hair? That would depend on personal opinions. I want to dye my hair LOTS of colors though, if that tells you anything. What’s the coolest hobby one of your friends has? Uhhhh. Idk. Name a video game you can play over and over again: Shadow of the Colossus. It's a pretty short game if you know what you're doing, and it's super relaxing to me and just so goddamn pretty to look at. Every time I've played it has just been a pleasant experience. Do you like meatloaf? Yeah, it's fine. How about Meatloaf? I know who he is, but I've never really listened to his music. Do you take time to do charitable work? If so, what do you do? No. ;_; Especially with all the free time I have, I really should... What is something that will make you laugh instantly? Okay, don't ask, but if I for a SECOND see that commercial of Mr. Clean dancing while he's cleaning, I will die because of memories. What is something you hope you will never inherit from a specific relative? Diabetes. It runs heavily in my family. Name a movie you wouldn’t watch solely based on its name: The Human Centipede. No. Thank you. Have you ever played in a stack of hay bales? No. What’s your dearest souvenir? The stuffed moose I got at Cabela's during a visit to Ohio. I named him Brownie, and he was my "childhood plushie" we all have. Is there a lot of graffiti around your neighbourhood? Not in the actual area I live in, but there are DEFINITELY places where it's a pigsty of distasteful shit. Have you ever made your own soda? (Soda Stream doesn’t count!) No. Do you have a hobby that forces you out of the house? If so, what is it? Nature photography. Have you ever been part of a theater group? No, that stuff doesn't interest me. What’s the most ecological thing you do? We recycle, and I also use metal straws. Would you stop eating meat, if you had to raise and slaughter it yourself? Absolutely. There is no fucking way I could do it. What’s your favourite board game? Why do you like it best? I like Clue just because of the mystery-solving factor, and I think it's kinda cool how you can think ahead and use other's findings to your own advantage to win the game pretty early. Besides English, what other languages can you speak? Some German. It's gotten pretty weak with neglect, though. Besides English, what other languages can you read? I can read German well. What thing/person/happening has made you the happiest you’ve been? This is a complicated answer that I just don't feel like elaborating on. What’s the most freeing thing you’ve ever done? Letting Jason go. Have you ever had a restaurant dish that was made with bugs? If not, would you even want to try one? No, and I'm not interested. Have you ever tasted birch sap? No. How about the young buds/shoots of spruce trees? No. Which edible flowers have you tasted? Honeysuckles. What has been your worst restaurant experience? Well, it's a fast food restaurant, but lemme tell you about my vegetarian encounter with Burger King. I ordered their veggie burger. Which they have. It's not a secret. These idiots gave me a bun with tomato and lettuce, and I think mayo on it, after sounding confused when Mom was ordering for me. Mom went back in there of course to tell them, and oh god was the manager pissed, lol. I got my veggie burger in the end. What’s the most immature, adolescent thing that still makes you laugh? Some sexually inappropriate jokes can still get me sadly, lol. Have you ever had a life-threatening condition? If so, what was it? Not literally, but boy do I think depression counts. Do you ever compare your life to somebody else’s? If so, why? Y E P. I can't tell you why, I just... do it. I look at other's successes and am just like, "Why aren't I there yet?", and beat myself up about being a failure. What is a food item or a dish you absolutely cannot stand? Brussel sprouts, asparagus, runny eggs, many other things because I'm just mega picky. Have you ever had a custom print done on a shirt? If so, what was it? Just the spray paint kind that vendors like to do at the beach and stuff. I don't remember any I got, though. What does your favourite mug look like? It's black with a Markiplier quote on it, given to me by Sara. :') Do you ever read other people’s survey answers? Yeah! Friends', anyway. I love learning all the obscure things about them. Do you like daytime or night time better? Why? Daytime, specifically early morning, because it's better for my depression. Are you more comfortable as a leader or a follower? A follower that isn't afraid to speak up when I'm really against something. What is your favourite song right now at this very moment? I've been really into "7empest" by Tool lately, and the synthwave edit of "Voices" by Motionless In White. If you watched The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, who was your favourite character? I don't remember it well, but I think I liked the butler. Was there even a butler? Who was your first online friend? Emma. :') Do you have any plants in your home? No. If you wear makeup, what’s the most outrageous colour you use? I only ever use black. What was the last photograph you took? My cat being adorable while sleeping. <3 Have you ever submitted a video to Funniest Home Videos? No. What was the first sport you learned how to play? I want to say soccer? I absolutely hated it. Do you have a headache at the moment? Yes, actually. I've really been attacked by the Covid shot side effects. Are your parents still together? No, thank god. What was the last hot food you ate? I made a chicken and I think pesto (some Italian noodles, idk) Healthy Choice bowl for dinner last night. Have you ever seen a meteor shower? No. :( Do you ever feel afraid people will question your sanity? I'm sure people have before, and back then? Rightfully so. Which X Factor audition(s) was/were your favorite? Never watched it. Were you a straight A student in spelling and grammar? Always. It's so weird how it's gotten worse with time since leaving school, even though I write... Were you a straight A student in math? Yeah, no. I usually got Bs or Cs. What is your favorite shade of yellow? Pastel. I don't really like yellow. What is something you want to accomplish before you turn 30? Have a stable job. Are you afraid of getting yelled at? YES. Do you feel a connection to the moon? It's not something I think about, so not really, but I do believe all things in the universe are connected in some way. We are simply a part of nature, as all else is. What does your heart long for? Contentment in who I am and where I am in life. I know I also miss being in love. Do you know what your purpose in life is? We have no innate purpose; we make our own, and I want mine to be to show others that there is always hope for yourself in yourself, and also to spread the message of love of all animals. Did you decorate a pumpkin this year? Last year I didn't. I really should change that this go around. Have you ever seen a fox? Yes! They're a kind of rare sight here sadly, so when I had the opportunity to photograph a fox tragically as roadkill, it was a photographic experience I won't forget. God, I wanted to pet it (I obviously didn't), but I did talk to it about how beautiful (s)he was as I got some shots. I never had a harder time leaving one of those angels I've taken pictures of. Do you find Halloween fun or scary? FUN!!!!!! Is there anything about Halloween you find offensive? Not at all. What do the trees look like where you live? I mean, there's a variety, but the staple that you see literally everywhere are pine trees. What is your dream vacation? Somewhere with mountains, clear lakes, cool weather, beautiful and various wildlife... What was the best vacation you’ve been on so far? Disney World as a kid. What is the best class trip you’ve been on? The zoo in the 5th grade. It was the one occasion I got to see meerkats. Did you like field trips when you were a kid? I lived for them. Do you find museums boring or interesting? I find science museums to be very, very fascinating. Art ones are great, too. What are three issues you are passionate about? LGBT rights, the pro-choice movement, and wildlife conservation, to name a few. Would you ever wear a shirt with your country’s flag on it? No. I'm not patriotic enough at all. What size is your bed? Queen. What’s a medicine that makes you sleepy? When we were experimenting with my Klonopin dosage, I learned that 3mg was enough to knock me on my ASS. Do you like bath bombs? I mean they're pretty, but I wouldn't waste money on 'em. Who are your favorite small YouTubers? Yikes, a looooooot. But this also depends on what you think qualifies as "small." Most of my favorite "small" YTers are tarantula keepers or sub-1M let's players. Who are your favorite big YouTubers? Markiplier obviously, Snake Discovery, Good Mythical Morning (even if I don't watch them anymore, they are veeery dear to my heart and I will always support them), Sam & Colby... Again, there's a lot. When you don't watch TV and YT instead, you really get attached to a lot of them. What was your favorite girl group when you were growing up? Would you believe me if I said Pussycat Dolls? haha Do you like Disney movies? Um, DUH. Were you ever in the popular crowd? No. Have you ever used an outhouse? UGH, at like childhood sports games, yes. I could NEVER nowadays, oh my god. Could you possibly write a successful novel? I think I have the creativity to, but not the dedication. Are there any foods that make you gag? Beans, for one. I just canNOT with them. It's a completely involuntary reaction. Have you ever had blonde highlights in your hair? I think I did? Who was the last person you video-chatted with? The lady who was seeing if I qualified for TMS therapy. Do you think sleeve tattoos look trashy? Definitely not, I love those. If you had to get a portrait tattoo, who would it be of? I don't actually want one, but if I did, I'd go to a serious professional to get THE Darkiplier smile. :') If u know u know. Do you have any stickers on any of your electronic devices? No. Do you think half blonde/half dark brown hair is attractive? It looks great on some people, but it's not my favorite combo.

#survey #surveys #questions #lyrics: ''leave a scar'' by marilyn manson

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junewild · 4 years

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tags masterpost

a couple of people have complimented me on my new tag system and a couple of people have asked me what tags go to what sort of content, so i thought i’d write up a little masterpost of what the tags mean, where they came from, and why they’re important to me! you’ll even get a sneak peek at a few tags that are very rare or have yet to be used 👀. this will be linked in my carrd when i get around to it. i’ve even tried to alphabetize them 😅 thanks for expressing interest, it’s very lovely of you all xoxo

#and i am close behind — home tag

a continuation of “the wild geese are heading home again” which is my nature tag. just for everything that makes me feel like i am coming home.

#and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart — quotes and words tag

from a poem by e.e. cummings. “and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart / i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)”. words are just hearts speaking to each other, after all.

#and i was like *screams* — space tag

from the jenny slate drunk history nasa episode, because she somehow manages to sum up fully 80% of my feelings about the universe in that one sentence

#angstposting — disordered thoughts tag

literally just stream-of-consciousness breakdown-posting. probably block this tag. i go back and clean it out after every breakdown.

#but they are all good stories — media analysis/literature critique tag

hilary mantel (whose work i have never read) wrote that “some of these things are true and some of them lies. but they are all good stories.” anyway, that’s how i feel about taking apart stories and narratives and looking at them from the outside.

#can you not hear the ocean in me — mental health and disorders tag

the non-breakdown version. from this poem, which i can’t find anyone but i think is a deleted inkskinned or caitlyn siehl one:

“i am alive;

can you not hear the ocean in me;

are you not aware of the war i am fighting ;

i am alive ;

you cannot take that from me”

#checkmate nihilism — crafts tag

higgsboshark wrote a lovely post about how knitting is a great treatment for existential dread & now that’s all i think about every time i’m crafting. checkmate, nihilism. look at this thing that i am making with my hands. it exists and it will change someone’s life.

#dumbposting — misc tag

for tag games and dumb comments and things that don’t fit in anywhere else.

#fashion is instant language — fashion/body art tag

okay. IS this a cliche prada quote? yes. but also, one of my first classes in college was about art & society & the first thing that we learned was that the human body is the first & most primal canvas. what you do with your body is a statement, a language you are sharing with the people around you. i get very emotional about it.

#felt rather than seen — poetry tag

YES i am a BASIC WHITE GIRL, thank you. the first half of the da vinci quote. “poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen / “

#fill your arms with the pink and white flowers — spring aesthetic tag

from one of mary oliver’s slightly less well known poems.

“do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden, and softly

exclaiming of their dearness,

fill your arms with

the pink and white flowers,

with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling, their eagerness

to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are nothing

forever”

#get in good trouble — activism/politics tag

are you really living if you aren’t making trouble for someone? write more letters. leave more voicemails. go to protests. join a mutual aid group. donate. there’s something you can do, even if it’s small.

#i am building a world that is worth living for — moral living tag

slightly different from the activism tag bc this is more about what you/i can do in everyday life to make the world a better place. these are my own words, reminding me that to stay alive i have to build my own life and live in it.

#i care to look on the outside like i do on the inside — gender/ sexuality tag

maggie stiefvater is a poet.

#i have a magpie mind — happy tag

laurie graham’s version of the quote goes “i have a magpie mind, by which i mean i see and hear little things - photos, fragments of conversation - and store them away for future use,” and that’s what this tag is. just a lot of lovely things that i want to look back on.

#i think i was a selkie in a past life — ocean/beach/selkie myth tag

someday i’m going to walk into the ocean and never come out again. j promised he would take me to a warm ocean where i can stand in chest-deep waves until i can’t stand any longer and i’ve never looked forward to anything so much in my life.

#i wrote my own deliverance — creation/writing tag

this is not an admission of guilt. hamilton has a lot of words in it and these happen to be very nice.

#it would be a merrier world — food tag

because tolkien was right.

#laughter for no cause — humor tag

funny things. half of a quote by louise glück.

#let the wilderness engulf us again — discourse tag

i believe this is by christa wolf. anyway this is how i feel when i read Discourse. let’s all just get swallowed by the wilderness. who needs civilization anyway.

#loveposting — affection tag

look, i’m just really gay and happy and i love my followers and my mutuals. let’s move on

#nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it — memory/emotion tag

yes, i have read everything ever written by l m montgomery, why do you ask?

#offspring of heaven firstborn — light tag

constantly debating about whether i should change this one. i just have too many quotes about light. and too many posts about light. and too much love for light. this one is by milton, from the third book of paradise lost, and i memorized the entire chapter as a teenager because my “history” “class” believed in memorization as a form of education.

#our bodies are meant to hold other bodies — sex/eros tag

from that little comic by grendelmenz (?). i KNOW it’s about cannibalism i DON’T care don’t @ me to love is to consume

#seen rather than felt — painting/visual art tag

and here’s the other half of the da vinci quote.

#she stood in desperate music wound — music and playlists tag

from “a crazed girl” by yeats. tbh i usually lie upside down in my bed in desperate music wound but this poem kept me going as a teenager

#simply because the world is beautiful — misc tag

i just think the world is lovely and i am glad to be alive in it. this is where the rest of the assorted content goes.

#someday you will be old enough to read fairytales again — fantasy/gaming/scifi tag

cs lewis got one thing right.

#stardust will turn into kindness — joy tag

okay. okay i am still weeping about this man and his chickens. this tag is for every small creature who brings me delight. https://everychickdeservesamother.com/2019/08/17/all-the-good-there-is/

#thank god for the months after may — summer aesthetic tag

i haven’t listened to ben rector since i was seventeen but this is a good quote anyway and summer flowers are the thing that keep me going through the winter.

#the first sign of civilization is a healed femur — civilization/altruism/kindness tag

paraphrase of the famous (possibly apocryphal) margaret meade quote. i saw a criticism of it by the green brothers, who were like “but lots of people/animals show altruism without any connection to civilization (eg buildings and cities and record keeping systems)” and i deeply disagree with them. civilization doesn’t require monuments, only people coming together to build (metaphorically) something bigger than they could have done as individuals. humans aren’t the only ones on that path, just the ones who’ve gotten the furthest down it.

#the great sweeping wind — autumn aesthetic

yes i am a shameless l m montgomery stan. anne of green gables is my kindred spirit.

#the quick and the dead — fungi tag

from the bible. you know. we all sin, we’re all alive or dead or both. fungi don’t care.

#the race that knows joseph — kindred spirit tag

haven’t gotten to use this one yet. looking forward to when i do.

#the wild geese are heading home again — nature tag

shortened version of mary oliver’s poem.

#there is a history in all men’s lives — history/natural history/anthropology tag

shakespeare knew how to use words. everything is history and i am excited about ALL of it. when will someone admit me into a grad school???

#we are the children of an indifferent universe — community/fandom tag

but, like colin meloy says, we are also the inheritors of a wonderful world. i think it’s amazing how we look at the universe around us and build communities and find meaning out of sheer spite. also i have got to refine this tag set better i can’t just shove ALL fandom content into one tag. stay tuned

#we don’t love this world without reason — awe/joy tag

from catadromously’s comic. this is for things that make me go “oh.” when i see them.

#we shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us — architecture/interior design tag

churchill can have one right. architecture is one of my favorite art forms & interior design is something i love looking at and doing. someday i’ll even be able to afford it.

#we will be better than we were — recovery tag

from (yet another) caitlyn siehl poem that reads:

“love is quiet love whispers “it is okay, we will be better than we were” and we are. we are.”

and we are.

#within me; an invincible summer — winter aesthetic tag

albert camus wrote that: “in the midst of winter, i found there was, within me, an invincible summer. and that makes me happy. for it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” winters are hard for me, but i hang on anyway.

#you have no idea the joy that is coming — love tag

guess who this quote is by? if you guessed caitlyn siehl, you are correct.

#you pull out the wild in me - feral aesthetic

not feral, just… wild. i don’t know. i don’t think i made this quote up but i can’t find it anywhere else so maybe i did. i’m guessing it’s now-deleted inkskinned or bonemeadows.

#you’ve got to be kind — misc humans tag

kurt vonnegut. because yeah. we’ve got to be kind. that’s the only rule. we’re just humans and we have to be kind.

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maskydoo-old · 5 years

Text

Gas Gas Gas

Way back when I was a wee little private in basic training, I had a few gripes. Ok. A lot of gripes.

Griping is just what soldiers do – it’s our favorite pastime. What else are we going to do, actually read the Army manuals? What for?

To learn the words the Army Song? Pssh! Like I’ll ever need to know that!

Training is hard. It’s supposed to be. So embrace the suck. If it was easy, everyone could do it.

It wasn’t all bad. I genuinely had a lot of good times in the army, even in basic training. Sometimes the training was fun, and found things I was surprisingly good at.

I knew it would be hard, but I was young and invincible and I could do anything.

So I was ready for the shouting, the challenges, the pushups – all that. Bring it on.

But the gas. The gas.

The recruiters never said anything about tear gas.

Just forgot to mention that one, did you SSG Nett. Left that one out of the recruitment brochure. Join the Army, set your lungs on fire.

The gas was the absolute worst experience, in basic, in the Army, and probably in my entire life.

Not so tough anymore when the gas hits.

I don’t care what a big, strong, stoic soldier you are. Doesn’t matter. You’re gunna cry, GI Joe.

Zero out of ten. Would not breathe CS gas again.

CS gas, that’s … this.

(text: orto-chlorobenzylidene-malononitrile / 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile )

The drill sergeants never called it by these names. They always just called it CS. Probably they assumed we wouldn’t be able to pronounce these words. Well HA! Jokes on them. I’ve been practicing, and-

They’re right.

CS gas is a riot control agent. A tear gas. And, according to the internet, it’s really an aerosolized powder.

The more you know.

Imma keep calling gas anyway.

If you’ve never been exposed to tear gas, maybe you think all it does is irritate people’s eyes a bit and make them cry, like someone managed to weaponize the feeling of chopping onions.

I mean yeah, the gas will do that, but it’s so, so much worse.

Day whatever of basic,

I don’t know, it all blurs together,

Aint like I kept a diary like some kind of pioneer on the Oregon trail, days away from dying of dysentery.

The drill sergeants issued us all these enormous green pouches. Inside, some ancient gas masks that look like they’re in even worse shape than my rifle, which by the way was held together with wire where a takedown pin should have been.

The upper and lower receivers were not on speaking terms. Rattled like a… well, a rattle.

And like my rifle, we were taught to take masks apart and put them back together. Some are missing pieces.

Like my rifle.

Drill Sergeant: “GAS! GAS! GAS!”

This is the command to put you mask on.

Drill Sergeant: “Gas! Gas! Gas!”

Pretty straight forward as far as commands go. Nothing left to interpretation there.

Also, there’s gesture signal. Shoulder touching. Like this. Looks goofy.

We drilled putting on those masks quick, because when their air is poison, you’d better be fast or you’re going to have a bad time.

Speaking of bad times, next we ran laps. You do a lot of running in basic, and it’s death. I hate running even on a good day. I can do pushups all day long, but cardio can pound sand. Running laps with a facehugger doesn’t improve the experience.

The purpose of this is to prove that yes, you can in fact breathe in these things, so just quit whinging and do it, Drill Sergeants have no time for your claustrophobia nonsense.

That wasn’t a problem for me. The heat was. Running laps in Missouri, in the summer heat, with my face covered material designed specifically NOT to let air flow.

Well the good news is you don’t have worry about breathing poison if you can drown yourself in your own sweat first.

All of this was in preparation for the gas chamber.

The gas chamber was a tiny one-room building full of that nasty CS gas that we would all have to spend some time in, as a required part of training in the US military. Why?

To instill confidence in your equipment to protect you, we’re told.

Yeah… about that…

(gas mask falls apart)

We get marched into the woods, to this run down looking shack, where we would get locked in.

This sounds like a setup for a horror movie.

The room is already filled with gas. They make sure it’s nice and thick before they send us in. When we were lined up outside, masks on, I could already smell pepper. Trying to clear my mask was not working.

Not feeling super confident in my equipment right now.

So we file in, and to prove to us that our masks can protect us from the gas, what do they do?

They have us take our masks off. Immediately.

What?! How are our masks supposed to protect us if we just take them off as soon as we’re inside? I don’t know. Training people to remove their masks and just stand around when exposed to gas doesn’t seem like a great idea…

You can’t hold it forever, eventually, you have to breathe. And holy heck that is some SPICY air!

I’ve been told that CS gas works by reacting to your mucous membranes, which I basically just took this to mean anything moist will burn.

This is when I became literally painfully aware of what it means to be a lifeform made mostly of water. I regretted every drop.

Just a scratching in your throat at first, makes you cough. Then it burns. Your throat. Your nostrils. Your eyes.

Now you’re crying. Not so tough now, are ya? The tears fall and the trail burns down your face.

All your exposed skin burns more as you sweat – and if you weren’t sweating before, you are now.

Your mouth burns. Down your lungs. It even reaches your stomach. You realize a lot more of your body was exposed to the outside environment than you’re comfortable thinking of that way. And it’s all on fire.

You hack, you cough, you gasp, you cry, you snot, you drool, you puke. You’re not pretty.

Did you know CS gas use in war is prohibited by the Chemical Weapons Convention? We literally wouldn’t use this stuff on our enemies.

The trick to making the gas chamber not so bad is to remain calm, but that’s difficult to do when you feel like you’re actually melting.

Your bodys like WTF?! Alert! Alert!

Your sympathetic nervous system kicks in – you freak out. Your heart races, your breathing quickens – or tries to, and you sweat more, all of it makes the reaction so much worse.

30 seconds in, I thought I was gunna die. A minute in, I wished I would.

I think we were there for at least five. It could have been ten. Felt like an eternity. Like a preview of hell.

We weren’t allowed to leave or put our masks back on. So there we are, just choking and coughing for as long as it amused the drill sergeant.

And he was in no hurry. He was in full MOP gear, and presumably his mask was one that actually worked.

The Drill Sergeant is completely indifferent to everyone’s suffering. He walked up and down the line holding a plate to shove at everyone, like a pusher church user with a collection plate. But you couldn’t pay this guy not to waft some fresh-ly made, concentrated CS directly at your face.

But we’re not left to our misery, no. The Drill Sergeant has tasks for us.

He was doing everything he could to make the reaction as bad as possible. He wanted us breathing hard, getting our heart rates up, and sweating. And Drill Sergeants know just how to do that.

Pushups, cardio, shouting. All things the Army loves. All things that require breathing.

But the worst was yet to come.

Y’all, I made a huge mistake not reading the entire Army manual. The task we had to complete, without making a mistake, in order to escape this horrible room was to scream-sing the Army Song.

I didn’t know the words. No one knew the full song. At most, a few of us knew some parts of it – but no one bothered to memorize the whole thing. And the Drill Sergenat was not about to help us at all.

It took us all soooo many agonizing tries to get it right. But enough of us knew enough bits and pieces to eventually piece it all together, after many, many tries.

All: “First to fight for the right… (trails off)

One Private: “And to build the nation’s might!”

Drill Sergeant: “Start again!”

All (wheeze) “March along sing our song *cough cough*

Drill Sergeant: “Louder! Start over!”

All: (Anguished wail)

This singing portion went on for a long time, and not because it was music to anyone’s ears. The patriotic tune as covered by the wails of the damned wasn’t going to make top 40, but there’s no accounting for schadenfreude for the drill sergeant. He seemed entertained.

And… as much as I hated his guts in that moment…. I get it. I totally get it.

If there was a version of American Idol, like, insane edition, where contestants had to sing their hearts out while Simon Cowell pepper sprayed them in the face…

I’d watch that.

I did not know the Army Song going in, but I sure as heck knew it by heart by the time we left.

It turns out you can learn pretty fast when it feels like your life depends on it. Still, doubt, gas chambers will catch on as a study aid.

Teacher: “What’s the quadratic equation?”

Students: “

Side note: The Army Song doesn’t hold a candle to the Marine Corps Song. Yeah, I’m a traitor and I don’t care. Don’t at me.

So remind me again, what was supposed to be the purpose this training? Between all this singing, exercising, and not mask wearing, I forgot.

“To instill confidence in our equipment.” You know, the equipment we were not using in the one exact situation it was designed for. What does screaming the Army Song and working out in a gas chamber, puking my lungs out, demonstrate about a mask that we are not even wearing?

----

(Cut to an airplane)

Skydiving instructor: “Alright everyone, I want you all to feel confident in your equipment to protect you. So today you’re all jumping… without your parachutes.”

Jumper: Uh… it’s Ok, I trust the parachute.

Skydiving instructor: (Tosses someone) “Out you go.”

I think the methodology of this experiment is flawed, the test doesn’t do anything to support your conclusion.

I think the real reason they didn’t let us wear the masks at all was just keep us from realizing these old things have been used for every basic training company to come through probably since Nam and really don’t work.

I’m sure the newer ones fielded to the real army work just fine, but no one is shelling out that kind of dough for a bunch of newbie kids in basic. We just get the hand-me-downs..

We take them off so we don’t get the change to lose confidence in our gear.

That, or it’s just plain hazing.

Probably both.

Finally it was time to leave. We were half blind but could see daylight enough to rush for it. And if we’re not careful, rush right into a drill sergeant waiting in ambush, just standing there evidently in hopes of a collision as an excuse to shout at us some more.

In other places, I’m told this drill sergeant is a replaced by a sturdy pole, there for no other reason than to be in the way.

By the time we finally leave, we’re a mess. We’re crying, we’ve got drool and snot hanging down our faces all the way to the ground, which we’re not allowed to wipe away. We have to keep our heads down while flapping our arms to air out our uniforms, while hacking and coughing and puking all the way out.

We looked like ostriches with a plague.

And you’ll get to have that look remembered forever. There was a sneaky photographer dude I’d sometimes see following the company around, taking shots for the class yearbook and… I guess Army publicity.

He won’t get that sweet action shot of you scaling a wall, or crawling under some razor wire on the night assault course, or when you stab a dummy right in the chest with your bayonette, looking like a total bad one.

But he’ll totally make sure to capture your ugly-crying gross booger face for your siblings to laugh at when your family buy your class yearbook on graduation you’re your grandma will frame the photo and hang it on the wall, telling proudly telling everyone in her book club “that’s my granddaughter.”

And your teachers will use it to threaten their students with “This is the face of someone who didn’t complete their homework on time. This could be you if you don’t get your grades up. Get a scholarship or you’re joining the military.”

Ah yes, this is the face I want to show the world. That dangling snot rope really brings out the agony in my eyes. Gunna put that right on my Tinder profile. Yep.

(If you can’t handle me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best.)

Wikipedia suggests several methods for treating victims of CS gas exposure. Our post exposure treatment was - nothing.

Yeah. We got nothing. Just sat around in a field and waited for the effects to wear off and for life to suck slightly less.

And that’s the funny thing about it. Just a short while before, I was having probably the worst 5 minutes of my life up that point, but as soon as it was done, it was done. I felt fine.

Actually, I felt a little better than I did that morning, and not just out of a new appreciation for fresh air.

Stick 60 people from all over the country in one sleeping bay, in an environment where no matter how hard you try hygiene is never great, and then there’s that donkeyface who stands behind me in formation coughing directly at the back of my head, and sicknesses tend to get around.

Me: “Cough in my hair one more time, and I will jam this patrol cap right down your throat to feed back you your own germs.“

I don’t think many people make it through the first weeks of basic without catching some kind of bug.

One lady in our platoon even managed to catch a staph infection, like, the first week. I dunno how. Eventually, she got sent home, and I got to take her rifle, which wasn’t much better than my original one, but at least was not held together by a bit of bent wire.

Anyway, if there’s anything good that can be said for CS, it really works wonders to clear the sinuses. I was breathing better after the gas chamber than before I went in. Everything that was stuffing me up was gone.

Gotta find that silver lining somewhere.

And in this case it’s a snot lining, and you’ll find it coating the gas chamber floor.

Me: (reading my own script.) “Ew.”

-Infomercial-

Sinus congestion got you feeling down? Don’t have time to wait around for normal medicine to kick in?

Not to worry, the US Military has the solution for you! Formally declare war on enemy boogies with CS gas! 9 out of 10 riot control teams agree, CS is the number 1 choice to make all your troubles panic and scatter in terror. Just pop one CS gas capsule and it works instantly, scientifically proven to make the sniffles the least of your problems.

Mission accomplished!”

Side-effects include:

Burning sensation in eyes, skin, mouth, and internal organs, coughing, wheezing, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, difficulty speaking, sweating, thoughts of revenge against your recruiter, elevated heartrate, snot rockets, drooling absolutely everywhere, vomiting, making this face, secondary gassing of yourself and others later when puff of CS come off your clothing, pain – like - lots of it, and regret.

Harness the power of chemical weapons today! Ask your doctor is CS gas is right for you and your entire neighborhood!

Not approved by the Geneva conventions.

#maskydoo #storytime #script #feedback welcome #army

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arundolyn · 5 years

Text

monster of the week blazblue au nobody asked for!

these lists are what i used for reference even tho the only one i really used out of tome of mysteries is the hex

i got burned out and am stumped on amane bullet and azrael so suggestions are welcome

Ragna:

the chosen

moves: either invincible, devastating, or resilience

gear: handle, artifact, blade, heavy, steel

Look: man, controlled face, urban wear

charm -1, cool +2, sharp +1, tough +2, weird -1

found out through nightmares and visions

heroic tags: sacrifice and you can save the world

doom tags: host of monsters and loss of loved ones

history: waaaay too many choices. ie him and jin being siblings, jubei being destined to be his mentor, jin could have been the chosen one instead but wasn’t there for saya, etc

the wronged

moves: berserk and what does not kill me…

gear: huge sword, big knife, brass knuckles

look: man, angry eyes, nondescript clothes (?)

charm -1, cool -1, sharp =0, tough +2, weird +2

lost siblings and parent

prey: ghost?

couldn’t save them because he was weak

history: jubei showed him the ropes

Jin:

the professional

moves: unfazeable, battlefield awareness, tactical genius

gear: flak vest, only weapon that really fits him is big knife?

look: man, young face?, tailored suit

charm -1, cool +2, sharp +1, tough =0, weird +1

agency: works for a clandestine police team that studies the supernatural

resources: well armed and recognized authority

red tape: dubious motives and bureaucratic

history: ragna’s on the agency’s watchlist and he’s keeping an eye on him

Noel/Mu (cs era mu is dark side):

the spooky

moves: the sight, the big whammy, jinx

gear: 9mm, hunting rifle

look: girl, blank eyes, neat clothes

charm +2, cool =0, sharp -1, tough -1, weird +2

the dark side: violence, self destruction, paranoia

history: blood kin with ragna and jin, old friends with makoto and tsubaki

Rachel:

the spell-slinger

combat magic: blast, lightning/entropy, force/wind

moves: advanced arcane training, arcane reputation, enchanted clothing

gear: ritual knife

look: girl, goth clothes, weary eyes

charm -1, cool =0, sharp +2, tough -1, weird +2

history: valk acts are her conscience when her power goes to her head

Tao:

the mundane

moves: oops!, the power of heart, what could go wrong?

gear: hockey stick, pocket knife, skateboard cause why not

look: concealed, friendly face, sporty clothes(?)

charm +2, cool =0, sharp -1, tough +1, weird +1

history: good friends with ragna

Tager:

the monstrous

monster breed: demon

curse: anything holy I guess

natural attacks: claws, +1 harm

moves: immortal, unholy strength

gear: brass knuckles

look: man, powerful aura, stylish clothes

charm -1, cool -1, sharp =0, tough +2, weird +3

history: kokonoe is tied to his origin

Litchi:

the mundane

moves: let’s get out of here!, the power of heart, trust me

gear: hockey stick, nunchucks, fairly new car

look: woman, alluring face, casual clothes

charm +2, cool +1, sharp +1, tough =0, weird -1

history: romantically involved with roy

Arakune/Roy:

Literally The Monster but if i had to

the monstrous

monster breed: slime monster

curse: feed

natural attacks: magical force, ignore armor

moves: unnatural appeal, shapeshifter

look: mysterious, bestial aura

charm =0, cool -1, sharp +2, tough -1, weird +3

history: litchi and kokonoe are tied to his origin

the mundane

moves: panic button, trust me, don’t worry, i’ll check it out

gear: baseball bat, small handgun, bicycle

look: man, average face, nerdy clothes

charm +2, cool =0, sharp +1, tough +1, weird -1

history: romantically involved with litchi

Bang:

the chosen

moves: the big entrance or dutiful

gear: staff, artifact, spikes, long, steel

look: man, hopeful face, urban wear

charm +2, cool -1, sharp +1, tough +2, weird -1

heroic tags: secret training, a normal life

doom tags: you can’t save everyone, a nemesis

history: tenjo was destined to be his mentor i know she isnt here but fuck it i got nothin

Carl:

the wronged

moves: fervor, safety first

gear: enchanted dagger, 9mm, big knife

look: boy, angry eyes, nondescript clothes

charm =0, cool =0, sharp +1, tough +2, weird =0

lost sibling and parent

prey: shapeshifter (shapeshifter turned into relius and killed ada) or just relius

couldn’t save them because he was scared and weak

history: basically everyone has stood in carl’s way at some point

Hakumen:

the gumshoe

code: justice must be done

moves: asphalt jungle

gear: irrelevant

look: ambiguous, blank face, nondescript clothes

charm +1, cool =0, sharp +2, tough +1, weird -1

history: caught ragna committing a crime (being alive)

Nu:

the monstrous

monster breed: black beast

curse: pure drive (hate)

natural attack: magical force, ignore armor

moves: immortal, unquenchable vitality

gear: huge sword

look: girl, sinister aura, stylish clothes

charm -1, cool -1, sharp =0, tough +2, weird +3

history: ragna is tied to her curse

Lambda:

the initiate

moves: ancient fighting arts, mystic, sacred oath (to protect ragna)

gear: sword, big sword, sniper rifle

look: girl, agile body, archaic clothes

charm +1, cool -1, sharp +1, tough =0, weird +2

good traditions: fighting arts, flexible tactics

bad traditions: dubious motives

history: she noel and nu are sisters

Tsubaki/Izayoi:

the searcher

first encounter: higher power

moves: guardian, just another day

gear: irrelevant except for small knife

look: woman, thoughtful face, casual wear

charm +1, cool -1, sharp +1, tough =0, weird +2

history: found accounts of someone matching ragna’s description from before he was born

Hazama:

the crooked

background: grifter

moves: artifact (amulet,) friends on the force, notorious

gear: .38 revolver, big knife, baseball bat

heat: hibiki is a rival, took advantage of noel

underworld: worked with a demon

look: man, calculating eyes, tailored suit

charm +2, cool =0, sharp +1, tough -1, weird +1

history: terumi saved his life and now he owes him

the flake

moves: connect the dots, see, it all fits together, sneaky

gear: big knife, throwing knives, butterfly knife

look: man, suspicious eyes, neat clothes

charm +1, cool -1, sharp +2, tough =0, weird +1

history: ragna is tied to everything

Makoto:

the mundane

moves: the power of heart, what could go wrong?, don’t worry, i’ll check it out

gear: baseball bat, nunchucks, skateboard

look: woman, friendly face, sporty clothes(?)

charm +2, cool =0, sharp +1, tough +1, weird -1

history: initially mai’s rival

Valk:

the monstrous

monster breed: werewolf

curse: vulnerability (silver)

natural attacks: teeth, claws

moves: unholy strength, shapeshifter

look: man, powerful aura, archaic clothes

charm -1, cool -1, sharp =0, tough +2, weird +3

history: clavis tried to kill him and spared him

Plat:

the spooky

moves: premonitions, the big whammy, jinx

gear: no weapons we die with muchorin like men

look: girl, piercing eyes, ratty clothes

charm =0, cool -1, sharp +1, tough +1, weird +2

dark side: mood swings, rage, poor impulse control

history: jubei taught her to control her powers

Relius:

the expert

moves: i’ve read about this sort of thing, dark past

haven: lore library, mystical library, workshop

gear: silver sword, blessed knife, magical dagger

look: man, thoughtful face, tailored clothes

charm -1, cool =0, sharp +2, tough -1, weird +2

history: carl is his child

Kagura:

the professional

moves: battlefield awareness, tactical genius, mobility (stealthy, concealed weapons, obvious)

gear: flak vest, smg, hunting rifle, shotgun

look: man, chiseled face, tailored suit

charm +1, cool +2, sharp +1, tough -1, weird =0

agency: works for a clandestine police team that studies the supernatural

resources: well armed and recognized authority

red tape: dubious motives and bureaucratic

history: friends with other NOL soldiers in training im too lazy to list them all. except for makoto obviously

Kokonoe:

the hex

temptation: vengeance

moves: force of will, wise soul

look: woman, sharp eyes, trendy clothes

charm -1, cool =0, sharp +1, tough +1, weird +2

history: tager keeps her grounded

Terumi/Susan:

the divine

moves: boss from beyond, smite, cast out evil

gear: flaming sword

mission: exiled, but not the rest of that one just the exiled part, sowing evil instead of good

look: man for terumi/asexual for susan, blazing eyes, perfect suit

charm -1, cool =0, sharp +1, tough +2, weird +1

history: haz is the person he goes to for advice on mortal stuff lmao

Celica:

the mundane

Moves: always the victim, oops!, don’t worry, i’ll check it out

gear: baseball bat, pocket knife, fairly new car

look: girl, friendly face, normal clothes

charm +2, cool =0, sharp -1, tough +1, weird +1

history: related to nine, ragna is her hero

Hibiki:

the crooked

background: assassin

Moves: deal with the devil (skill, add to tough and sharp,) friends on the force, notorious

gear: .22 revolver, hunting rifle, big knife

heat: pissed off haz, who will do whatever it takes to kill him, and jin wants to put him in jail

underworld: target of a job was a vampire

look: man, watchful eyes, street wear

charm +1, cool +1, sharp +2, tough =0, weird -1

history: jin saw him kill someone

Nine:

the spell-slinger

combat magic: ball, fire, force/wind

moves: advanced arcane training, arcane reputation, forensic divination

gear: ritual knife

look: woman, stylish clothes, fierce eyes

charm -1, cool =0, sharp +2, tough -1, weird +2

history: she thought celica was dead And Yet, plus they’re related

the hex

temptation: power

moves: burn everything, luck of the damned

look: woman, angry eyes, trendy clothes

charm =0, cool =0, sharp +2, tough -1, weird +2

gear: athame

history: celica keeps her grounded

Naoto:

the chosen

moves: resilience

gear: handle, spikes, blade, throwable, blood

look: boy, young face, casual wear

charm +2, cool -1, sharp +1, tough +2, weird -1

found out via some weirdo (Raquel) telling him/by being attacked by monsters

heroic tags: magical powers, a normal life

doom tags: death, a nemesis

history: raquel is destined to be his mentor

Izanami:

the divine

moves: boss from beyond, what i need, when i need it, smite

gear: five demon bag

mission: the end of days approaches, your role is to guide these hunters and ensure it comes to pass

look: woman, placid eyes, casual clothes

charm -1, cool +1, sharp =0, tough +2, weird +1

history: noel should not be involved in this situation, prophecies didn’t mention her blah blah

Es:

the initiate

moves: mystic, sacred oath (to protect the azure), helping hand

gear: sword, big sword, crossbow

look: woman, strong body, formal clothes

charm -1, cool =0, sharp -1, tough +2, weird +2

good traditions: knowledgeable, magical lore

bad traditions: strict laws

history: ragna is described in prophecies, but his role is unstated

Mai:

the mundane

moves: the power of heart, trust me, what could go wrong?

gear: baseball bat, hockey stick, bike

look: woman, friendly face, sporty clothes(?)

charm +2, cool =0, sharp -1, tough +1, weird +1

history: she and makoto were rivals

Jubei:

the expert

moves: often right, it wasn’t as bad as it looked

haven: armory, infirmary, panic room

gear: silver sword, cold iron sword, blessed knife

look: indeterminate, experienced face, tailored clothes

charm +1, cool -1, sharp +2, tough +1, weird =0

history: ragna was his student/apprentice

bonus

Raquel:

the spell-slinger

combat magic: missile, lightning/entropy, force/wind

moves: advanced arcane training, forensic divination, third eye

gear: heirloom sword

look: girl, stylish clothes, fierce eyes

charm -1, cool =0, sharp +2, tough -1, weird +2

history: rescued naoto

#blazblue #wow this got long #ghost.txt #aus #? i guess

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crystalelemental · 2 years

Text

Archie and Maxie - One Year Later

I will preface with this: this isn’t my usual retrospective of a unit I have. I don’t have either. I showed up with like two days left in their run, and didn’t get either. On purpose, a bit. I didn’t know if I was staying, just wanted Caitlin, and didn’t know anything about the meta or what was good or anything. So I missed them. Rather, this is about what you, as players of this game, have already heard about them, and where I think they seem to fall in the grand scheme of the game given its shifts. Because if you were around for their launch, and the next several months after their launch? You are coming in with big expectations.

Archie and Maxie were, for their time, the very definition of powercrreep. To say they upended the game is an understatement. They weren’t just dominant, they were effectively unstoppable in the CS metagame. Most units at the time who had secondary offensive types had them more as a courtesy; something they could hypothetically do well if you didn’t have someone more optimized for it. Maxie’s Solarbeam is the strongest Grass-type damage move if he gets the Supereffective Up Next he can pack naturally, otherwise he’s under SS Leaf and SC Sonia. Archie is still, unconditionally, the best damage Electric-type damage with Thunder. And keep in mind, these are their off-types. Archie’s Origin Pulse is behind Dojo Gloria, Nessa, and Cyrus given optimal conditions, but two of those require very specific teams being built around them. Maxie, meanwhile, is only slightly outdone by SS Giovanni. They’re still the top of their fields. What makes them, in my mind, a better option than those competitors is AoE. I know some people dislike it, but I love not having to even think about the sides. Just explode them, your damage is high enough you can, then you have concentrated damage on the center. This is how Archie and Maxie play.

The thing that is known to set them over the edge is their abuse of weather. Archie gets a natural 50% multiplier from his own condition, while Maxie just had multipliers built in to function similarly under Sun. To add to their threat level, they didn’t just set weather on entry, they extended the duration to around two times the natural duration. This means you don’t have to worry about re-applying their weather until after two syncs have passed. That is...a ton of time to have those conditions active. In the CS meta, this effectively made them invincible. Weather would last long enough. It wasn’t a question. You had the time.

My specific hangup is that I have yet to see many presentations of Maxie or Archie in Gauntlet. Given the hype around these guys through the CS meta, I expected to see more showcases of them dominating the Legendary Arena matches, but I have, to date, seen only one, from SkippingMud. And during this showcase, it confirmed some of my thoughts around it.

With the longer duration of matches in Gauntlet, my big fear was...they can run out of weather. And sure enough, they very much do. Weather needed to be applied twice more in this match, even with the extended duration. In Gauntlet, your resources are valuable. You don’t necessarily want to partner these two with yet another weather setter, they should be able to handle themselves. And yet...they don’t seem able to. The biggest condemnation in this meta shift being that Archie cannot beat Moltres, because it keeps changing his weather back. And considering they need weather, but also need to have gimmicks like status checked? You are running into absolutely massive levels of problems in teambuilding.

The other big issue is self-setup. Maxie and Archie can both set themselves up perfectly. They’re able to cap their needed offensive stats just fine, and get the needed accuracy as well. Problem: it takes three turns. And that’s half your weather’s duration just in setup phase. This is why “Weather on entry” will always be less valuable than setting it when needed via a move. It’s why I don’t really like Palentine’s Bea. On entry usually means wasted time while you set up, and while they can take strong supporters to make them work, Gauntlet, again, means you’re trying to break up your threats in a way that doesn’t cluster your best tools together. But Archie and Maxie, ideally, want a weather setter, and someone to help buff them up so they can get straight to attacking. This is a notable problem with their performance in the modern meta. I actually rank them below SS Lusamine in terms of overall effectiveness, because at least with Lusamine, there’s never a question of whether her damage is fully in place. That may be a bit unfair, but if you heard the complaints of Archie’s special attack being too low to matter when he first dropped, you understand how horrific the dropoff in power is for them if weather fades.

I will say that Gauntlet does significantly increase the value of their grid nodes that set weather again upon first sync. Maxie and Archie don’t need to take sync, their move damage is their primary function. But you can throw out a sync to reset weather, and this does extend their performance rather significantly. It’s a pretty fantastic skill to pick up...that’s also really expensive, and you’re going to want to pick what you drop real carefully.

Which brings me to the main problem at hand. Maxie and Archie are rerunning, and they are on separate focuses. Which means for many people, you pull one or the other, but probably not both. If you, like me, don’t have either...which one makes the most sense to go for?

Maxie. Come on. It’s not even close.

Look, obviously, pull to your needs, but Water damage is at an all-time high, and Cyrus’ Hydro Pump is one of the moves that outperforms Origin Pulse. A free unit that’s not even a Water-type sync pair has equivalent Water-type damage. Maxie is Ground. Ground damage doesn’t exist in the general pool. It’s starting to, but the difference is notable.

But the bigger rationale, for me, is that Ground Zone now exists. When these two were developed, Archie got a really low special attack stat to compensate for his absurd multipliers, including natural access to Rain. These field multipliers were limited to only four types, and Ground wasn’t one of them. In response, to keep up, Maxie got a much better attack stat in the 400s. He’s a bit better off when weather fades, barring Solarbeam issues. But more importantly...we just got Ground Zone. On a unit with Defense Crush. Courtney is the most ideal partner Maxie could ask for, and her stocks just shot up with his confirmed rerun. But moreover, it’s the kind of adjustment that easily puts Maxie above Archie.

Per this damage chart, Maxie’s damage under optimal Zone conditions, hits 2,159,136. Archie, meanwhile, hits 1,562,652. This is a little under 40% more damage than Archie can muster. Considering better starting stats and thus better performance if Sun fades, Maxie’s overall utility is a slam dunk. Even if you’re using them more for their supportive effects in setting weather, Maxie’s just better with his usual partners. Grass types love Sun, and he contributes with secondary Grass damage. Meanwhile, the mix of Dragons and Flying types that like Rain, tend to also need offensive support that’s really hard to acquire, and Archie’s just not contributing as much to the overall effort.

I hate to say it, but after a year of Archie being one of those “Best units in the game” types, and being decisively above Maxie, the inevitable happened, Ground Zone dropped, and now Maxie’s just better off.

So if you’re super stuck, and are thinking you need to get one of them, but aren’t sure which has the better utility, my vote’s on Maxie. Considering their run time as godkings of the meta, who made the Second Anniversary units cry, the Gauntlet meta sure has taken a bat to their overall performance. They’re still really good, and you’ll hear a lot of groundswell about how broken these two are and how much they’re must-pulls. But we are in the pre-anniverary phase, and these two are up through October. There’s no need to jump on them right away, and there’s good odds whatever comes next could be more valuable for the modern times.

#pokemon masters #sync pair retrospective #archie #maxie

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snoopctm · 6 years

Photo

Turnadette Tuesday

Timeline--CS 2018

A Little Says a Lot

Happy New Year! And happy new Turnadette Tuesday! So, today a new year brings a new Timeline post and a lot of thoughts about how CtM uses subtlety so well in this very short scene in the Christmas special. More thoughts follow:

So, I’ve mentioned how often this show (and especially with the Turners) seems to major on these scenes where subtlety and implication are front and center. We don’t get to see a lot of long, in-depth conversations with the Turners. I wish there could be more sometimes, but I also love scenes like this, especially in cases like this particular one when so much is being conveyed in such a short scene. Although becuase of the nature of the show (ensemble cast, medical/midwifery focus) we don’t get a lot of scenes of the Turners that focus on their personal lives outside of the show’s primary context, I think that the show (through writing and acting) does an especially good job (at least for me) of portraying this couple in the context of having a life outside of what we see onscreen. Their interactions, the way they communicate and respond to one another, the implications in what they say and how they say it, and their body language convey the idea of a loving, close-knit couple who lappreciate, respect, and listen to one another. This scene is very brief and the situation is mundane (Patrick is going to drive Shelagh to the train station so she can go to the Mother House), but there’s a lot here that isn’t directly spelled out but is still there.

I think Heidi is especially good at scenes like this. It’s a short scene, and it’s easy to watch it and see simple exposition and an exasperated Shelagh and the hilariously relatable way she pushes away the cake tins when she gets into the car. This starts out there, but it doesn’t end there (and I haven’t featured that part of the scene because so many others have posted about it already). What we have here is a simple conversation, but it communicates a lot in terms of implications--of feelings, actions, knowlege, and intentions. First, Patrick’s response to Shelagh’s concern about Miss Higgins shows that he knows her well--”we’ll all be fine”. He knows she’s concerned about the family, the surgery, and how everyone will be able to do without her. She’s not sure about leaving the surgery in the charge of the still-new Miss Higgins, but she’s also concerned about her own family. Shelagh’s portrayed often as very together and able to keep order in the face of stress, but she’s not invincible and does have struggles and doubts, and Patrick knows that. There’s also a suggestion here of alluding back to earlier conversations these two would have had in private, but that’s more obvious as the scene continues and the subect of Sister J comes up.

“Sister Julienne needs you”--The stressed-out Shelagh notably softens her expression after Patrick says this to her. From what he says and how she responds, it’s clear to me that they have talked about this situation. As I mentioned before recently, I don’t think Sister J called Shelagh primarily to help with sorting out the office. That’s what she said, but Shelagh knows her well and I think she picked up more of an urgency than a simple office task. Shelagh and Sister J are dear friends with a long history and they have a close bond, and Patrick knows that. There’s a lot of meaning here in this simple exchange between husband and wife. It indicatees to me that not only have they had (off screen) conversations about the current situation and exactly why Shelagh’s nervous about it, but why it’s so important that she be the one who goes to help Sister J at this time. Aside from her family, Sister J is the person that Shelagh has been closest to and Patrick not only acknowledges that--he fully supports and encourages it. And even though it’s a busy time for everyone, they both know it’s important for Shelagh to go.

In Shelagh’s case, the nerves about going to the Mother House seem to stem not just from reluctance to leave her family, but also because it’s a reminder of her former life, and the exchange here also seems to indicate that Patrick is aware of that, too. I would like to imagine that they’ve had some serious conversations about this in private, and it’s easy to imagine that with scenes like this that suggest a depth of understanding even in such a short scene (notice the way Patrick looks at her in the last image, with love but also with understanding). There’s a history here--a closely bonded couple who know each other well. Although yes, it would be nice to occasionally see some of these more serious personal conversations, little moments like this are strong evidence to me that (in the fictional world of Poplar) these conversations do actually happen.

So that’s all I have for now. Next week, I’ll be looking at another important scene from this episode, both in terms of what it says about the Turners and their relationship, and its plot implications. Stay tuned!

#call the midwife #shelagh turner #patrick turner #ctm christmas special 2018

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