#do you see how the occupation lacks creativity?

[trashmuseum]

I've been reading Gaza Unsilenced (2015) by the martyr Refaat Alareer and I just gonna leave this quote, right from the beginning of the book. NEVER let them tell you it started on Oct. 7th.

"We frequently hear Gaza explained in the context of numbers: this many dead, and that many living, in this large of an area. But what does it really mean when children are deliberately targeted while running for cover, or when entire families are wiped out as they sit for their evening Ramadan meal, or when the only survivors are too young to tell you who they are? When there are so many dead and so little electricity that little bodies are piled into ice cream trucks instead of morgues? When children under six years old have witnessed three separate assaults in their still extremely vulnerable young lives? How can we reconcile these scenes with the impenitent statements of Israeli talking heads about selfdefense?"

[maliciousalice]

👕 & 🍽️? For the trek ask game

Heheh thanks for Asking Meg!!! All aboard another long winded ramble about my wife ST: Voyager!!!!!

👕 Character whose fashion you like.

While I answered in the last one, I think I'll add to it by saying I love the Ds9/Voyager Uniforms--Infact I'm a HUGE sucker for them--At least to me, they feel like THE signature trek costume rather than TNG or TOS ones. Plus, they are fun to draw! I love how they look on the actors with the structured upper half, and loose, high-waisted pants that give everyone the illusion of height.

Those that are dressed in the uniform are portrayed with a respectable heft and a pleasant, overall shape. I know it's not the case, but they look like they are really practical. This is fully intentional as the lead costume designer said they wanted the suits to appear modular and have advantages in different environments. That's why sometimes they are unzipped or twisted around, depending on the narrative.

I could go on and on about them. I act feral over how they look when when all the actors stand together, turned in various ways, posing so that that folds pucker on their joints, or when subtle differences in their body sizes take up screen. It just looks so cool! I'm a big fan of squad-based, colour-coded uniforms and clean silhouettes.

Most importantly though, it gives them all BODY-ODY-ODY!!!

AYO WHICH LOCATION THEY AT??? CW: GORILLA DUMPIES!!! 👀👀👀 😳😳😳😳

🍽️What alien food/drink would you want to try?

I wish I could find the video but I've seen bits and pieces about how they designed the food on the sets and I think it's super charming!

Lots of effort went into considering the cuisine. It just about decorates every set and It was important to the show. Voyager engaged in a lot visual gags, or dialog discussing food. It was in a comforting way that would present the characters with their personal ideals of home.I find that subtext of world-building really endearing.

Many scenes involved characters bonding in the mess hall, socializing around food, or isolating with it to gain a sense of self. In contrast, it's used as a device for diplomacy, or to make settings seem more alien, unnavigated and removed from regular comforts. It's even incorporated into main plot points, such as with Tuvok in ''Riddles'', when he gains a newfound skill around cooking after a serious accident, and he solves the plot by decorating a code on a cake. Through food, we saw a lot of what it could be like to be a crew member on the ship, and live inside their Universe. It wasn't always pretty but they made it work.

We have a really rich food bowl and diverse food-culture In Australia, I love noticing exotic food that are used as set decoration of as props--I am used to seeing tropical fruit or Asian ingredients around my community, so it's fun to see it transformed. And much like the characters in Voyager, I relate to the comfort and the charting of new territories when it comes to seeing/ eating food.

I suspect being a chef / working in hospitality would be an interesting occupation in Trek. Everyone complains about the lack of authenticity from replicated food, so I'm sure being a good Chef would be worth your while.

I genuinely want to try Old-mate Neelix's cooking. He seems so creative and passionate about what he plates up, and he CLEARLY (they all put on weight haha) kept the crew well-fed. ''Bitches make do'', but you can tell he cares by the questions he askes everyone, or the detail he places into his recipes. I'd like to see what all the fuss is about with Leeola Root Stew. I bet it's not that bad! (I like bitter food) Or better, serve me up a Jimbalian Fudge cake! It's so quaint how there is an evolution to his work as he gets more integrated with everyone.

(crying over this ^) Neelix Nation Rise Up!!!!

[cherrygorilla]

Ethan's Basic Info

Name: Ethan Dombrowski

Ok, I both did and didn't struggle with coming up with potential faceclaims for Ethan. I had no idea where to even start with looking for faceclaims for him for specific decades - I just don't think that I have that broad of a knowledge of actors lol. So, instead, I've split it into actors who I think capture more of how I imagine his physical appearance to be (Heath Ledger & Johnny Depp - both mostly for the hair, let's be real haha), and actors who I think could really capture the lovably chaotic vibe he brings to the table (Matthew Lillard & Milo Manheim). Unconventional - but then again, so is he, so I think it works lmao.

Nicknames: As much as he loves to dish nicknames out to other people, he's never really been given one himself. I mean, his parents didn't even think to give him a middle name - expecting them to be creative enough to come up with a nickname was a bit of a stretch. He would get called his surname in school quite a bit (mostly if he was getting in trouble), but other than that he usually just gets 'Ethan'. If anything, I think his abundance of nicknames for others is just making up for the lack of his own. I like to think he's just waiting for the right person to come along and drop one on him though hehe.

Age: 20

Date of Birth: 4th of April (which is very helpful for him, because 4.4.44 is a ridiculously easy birthday for his pea-sized brain to remember)

Zodiac: Aries

Birthstone: Diamond

Nationality: American and Polish

Sexuality: He doesn't care about labels - he'll sleep with anyone that breathes in his direction...within reason lmao

Birthplace: A rusty trailer home in Tallahassee, Florida

Current Residence: A slightly less rusty trailer home in St Petersburg, Florida

Occupation: Production Assistant and Sound Engineer in the TV & film industry, and the entertainment coordinator for a local bar. He's also (according to Mick) a professional idiot.

Talents/Skills: Playing the guitar, flipping beer mats, putting together flat-pack furniture (because he's the monkey they apparently wrote the instructions for - Miles' words, not mine), doing god-awful impressions, giving inanimate objects personalities, and, despite his deep-rooted clumsiness, he's pretty good on a skateboard.

Birth Order: Youngest of two

Siblings: His older sister, Billie (27)

Parents: Dominik Alfred Dombrowski (deceased) & Nadia Ruth Dombrowski

New Family: Hendrix, his rescue dog, and the closest thing he thinks he'll ever get to a stable family unit. He says he's a black lab for ease, but he only looks like a black lab if you squint and tilt your head; in reality, he's a mutt that the rescue shelter couldn't even pin down to any particular breed - that's part of what made Ethan so drawn to him though: they're both as misunderstood in the world as each other. In terms of human family though, his aunt (Janis) and uncle (Ford) took him in after everything went to shit with his parents - and although he doesn't see much of them anymore, it's comforting to know that he does have some sort of a real support system to count on if he were to need it.

Signature:

Height: 5' 7'' (so many of the actors I picked as his faceclaims are tall, so I tried to make it work for a while, but I just couldn't - he's just got such chaotic little-shit/confident short-king energy in my mind lmao)

Eye Colour: Brown

Hair Colour: Brown

Glasses or contact lenses: He probably needs glasses, but he doesn't care enough to go get an eye test

Distinguishing features: Dimples, a burn scar on his right thumb from messing around with a lighter, a scar on his left wrist he usually hides with a bunch of bracelets/wrist bands, and a lot of really dumb tattoos.

Mannerisms: He's always fidgeting - like always. It doesn't matter if it's with a paper straw wrapper, the end of one of his many wristbands, or the piece of skin next to his nail - he'll even bounce his leg if it comes down to it; he just always needs to be moving in some capacity. He's pretty intense with holding eye contact in conversations too (despite them being half-closed 90% of the time) - and the concept of personal space is totally lost on him.

Health: Mild insomnia and depression. His drug habits also aren't the healthiest, but it's not like he's gonna go to get himself checked out; what he doesn't know can't hurt him.

Hobbies: Playing the guitar (what he spends the majority of his free time doing), walking Hendrix, making terrible decisions, dragging Miles into those terrible decisions (either to join in, or get him out of trouble), napping anywhere and everywhere, collecting cool lighters, smoking weed, getting spontaneous tattoos, thrifting bizarre items of clothing, eating Mexican food, and losing himself in an album for 45 minutes. and annoying the shit out of Mick

Greatest flaw (in their opinion): Probably his lack of drive. Whilst how laidback and carefree he is about life can be a great thing most of the time, it does make him feel kind of empty sometimes not having a goal to reach, or some kind of direction he wants to take his life in. Yeah, it makes life a lot less stressful just living it day to day - not having any responsibilities, or commitments to obsess over - but without any sense of ambition it can start to feel a little…pointless, I guess. 

Best quality (in their opinion): His ability to find the fun in any situation. He was dealt a pretty shitty hand in life, but he's never let it get him down. Sure, he may not always cope with it in the healthiest way, but he is coping - thriving, in fact. He floats through life without a care in the world, and will happily toss a pool noodle to anyone that needs one so they can join him. He's optimistic, and authentic, and downright stupid sometimes, but it's those qualities that help people see the bright side in hopeless situations; he draws the fun to the surface, and helps you focus on the simple joys life has to offer, without letting the weight of your troubles drag you down.

Biggest fear: Clowns are his big one - and always the answer if anyone asks. But if he's being totally honest (which is almost never when it comes to serious stuff like this), then it's ending up like his parents. He has a handful of fond memories of his family growing up - his older sister probably has more since she was around for more of the good years - but his unplanned arrival stretched the family's already tight budget razor thin, and it didn't take long for things to go to shit as a result. His dad never had a particularly strong resolve (something he's paranoid about having inherited), and so when things got hard, his already established relationship with drugs became less casual, and more heavily reliant. When the tamer stuff didn't cut it anymore, he turned to the harder stuff, and when the harder stuff stopped helping him feel better - he stopped feeling anything at all. Ethan's mom took her husband's accidental overdose hard, but she found being a single mother even harder. And whilst Ethan knew she was struggling, he's still struggling to forgive her for shutting down on her kids in the way she did. Yeah, fine, lose your job and sleep on the couch all day, ignore your children for days on end - whatever you needed to do to get by - but go out to get your latest fix and go down for 15 years for manslaughter? …That's asking a lot. Like it was mentioned earlier, with his parents out of the picture, his aunt and uncle took him and his sister in, and whilst they might not be the greatest role models themselves in terms of addictive vices, they at least showed him how to open his mind in a safe, supervised environment. Yes, numbing his brain to keep out the bad thoughts is an unhealthy coping mechanism, but it's also beautifully freeing - and there's a lot of fun to be had if you know what's safe and what kind of high you're looking for (which, thanks to his aunt's guidance, he always does). He has a great set of friends keeping him on the straight and narrow now, and his lawyer sister clearly turned her equally shitty hand in life around, but that nagging paranoia about screwing his life up like his old folks did still haunts his thoughts in the wee hours of the morning when he can't get his brain to fall asleep… But that's way too deep and depressing, so he'll stick with clowns - or Miles telling him he's found a new best friend 😢

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor (it was between that or Hufflepuff, but I think he's too recklesss and overbearing to be a Hufflepuff haha)

Favourite Ice Cream Flavour: Cookies 'n Cream

Favourite Colour: Green - but he can be very easily swayed; he thinks they're all fun

Favourite Number: 420 babyyyyy 😎🍃🔥💨🤪💯

Favourite Movie: Wayne's World or the live action Scooby Doo - but his Wet Side Story universe pick would be A Bucket of Blood

Favourite Songs: Ok, this is a really tough category for him, because he has a very deep appreciation for a very broad spectrum of music genres. But, a (slightly) narrowed down list would probably look something like: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Creep by Radiohead, Enter Sandman by Metallica, Hotel California by the Eagles, Vienna by Billy Joel, Does Your Mother Know by ABBA, Happy Together by The Turtles, Life Is A Highway by Rascal Flatts, Fight For Your Right by the Beastie Boys, The Muppet Show theme song & Hurricane by Bridgit Mendler

A place they want to visit: Niagara Falls - purely because he wants a souvenir t-shirt

[blvetv]

character filed under : bai u-jin.

application.

〈  cha eun-woo  /  cis man  /  he / him / they  /  twenty-seven ( 270 ) 〉in the great land of prythian, U-JIN BAI of the DAWN COURT begins their journey towards a new future. known to be compassionate and creative, their suspected obstinate and perfervid habits might prove to be their undoing. if the fae could compose a song for them, it could tell stories of healing sigils etched on the corners of your lips, fraught of a never waking dream, nimble fingers working on intricate gearings, ticking and chimes from clocks that line your walls, and orange ambience of the morning glow. the fates whispers to the tinker of dawn court and it is said that their loyalties lie with prythian. only time will tell if the HIGH FAE ( seer ) has what it takes to live amongst the ruin . 

statistics .

birth name . bai u-jin.

name meaning . his name means blessing. ( pls, i want someone to call him blessing like romantically. )

age + appearance age . 270 + 27.

gender + pronouns . cis man + he / him / they.

species . high fae ( seer ).

orientation . bisexual / biromantic.

status . betrothed, complicated.

occupation . owner of tinkering smith.

languages . sign language ( psl-prythian sign language )

personality .

positive traits . compassionate + clever + illuminating.

negative traits . obstinate - sarcastic - .

mbti . intp.

moral alignment . chaotic neutral.

prone to violence . yes, not by choice.

appearance .

faceclaim . cha eunwoo.

voice claim . cha eunwoo.

eyes . dark purple. when the light isn't reflected in them, they appear so dark that they almost look black. however, in the light mainly the in the sun, they appear like lavender fields in midday rays. and his eyes happen to be very expressive, you can read them almost like an open book. though the fatigue is notable under his eyes most days due to lack of sleep from working on the latest craft, clock, art.

hair . black in colour, when in the sun it almost has a blue tint to his hair. he has a short wolf cut styled hair do, here.

dominant hand . left.

height . 6'0 ( 1.83m ).

build . slim muscular.

tattoos . technically speaking he has none. but he has healing sigils on the corners of his lips from a healer years ago but it has faded quite a bit, still very noticeable against his pale gold skin. here.

piercings . both his bottom lobes are pierced.

notable features . a splatter of freckles across his cheeks and nose ridge, noticeable up close up. his eyes, framed by long lashes. when in lower collared tops, the scar across his neck is seen, faint but catches the light.

family .

father. bai in-su. †

mother. bai hyun-ae. †

brother. bai man-shik. †

character study .

triggers : death, violence, blood, murder ( self-defence ),

a blessing. was what he was to his mother and father, their second child and always deemed a blessing. usually, that would go to someone's head, right ? it would but it didn't, he always stayed humbled and grounded. though that could've been from his older brother's doing, never did the brothers see eye to eye.

and for years it would fester.

they found out quite early on in his life ( which he can barely remember now ), that his larynx had a fault with it, when he was younger he was able to form sentences but his voice was merely a whisper. constantly his brother made fun of him so, he just stopped talking to him — and then to most.

start of trigger : death.

his mother died when he was quite young, not even that of a man yet. she died young from some unknown illness, it took hold of her and never let go. it devasted his father, the man became that of a shell of his former self for the longest of time when it was just him and his boys but from the outside looking in they would assume everything was with him. and that's how he kept it.

end of trigger : death.

it was the following months after his mother's death without his father being present that his brother's antics became next level, dangerous even. he had nowhere to go, meaning he put up with it.

constantly at odds with one another. it was exhausting on u-jin, he never could gage if it was for man-shik... every time he tried in vain to being it to a ceasefire it would always flare up again and go out of control. u-jin was far from perfect but he did try to stop the senseless fighting between his brother but it never worked out. and towards the end, he just stopped caring altogether.

start of triggers : violence, blood & murder.

they were still very young man when the bitter war between brothers finally came to a violent end.

man-shik attacked an underarm u-jin, outside their home in the public eye for all the neighbours to see and no one did anything to assist u-jin or man-shik. he wishes on the stars, that someone would've intervened but no one did.

he got a few really good hits in, trying to block his brother's blows to that of trying to keep him at arm's length. but it didn't stay that way, man-shik blade got the best shot, right across u-jin's jugular ( deep enough to cause more damage to his throat ) whilst blood rushed out of his wound, he managed to backhand the dagger out of his brother's hand.

thus the brothers fell to the ground, fighting for the blade that was just out of reach of the two. somehow, u-jin managed to grab it first and stabbed the blade and in an upwards motion found his brother's heart.

his brother's body fell limp on him. all he could think of was that it was finally over, this horrible war between siblings which he was still uncertain how it even begun in the first place.

end of triggers : violence, blood & murder.

he laid under his brother for what felt like eternity, going in and out of consciousness. strongly believing this was going to be his end. however, his father came and everything went black after that.

u-jin spent a lot of time in the healing wards but nothing could be done about restoring his voice to what it once was.

his father would take him to the best healers the dawn court had to offer but nothing could be done. he accepted that he'd probably never be able to talk again but it was quite hard on his father as he was the one that had to live with the deafening silence... until u-jin lived on his own.

the time under the mountain, felt like a haze to him and still does. his subconscious refusing to reflect back on those dark days.

once out from underneath the mountain, he did his best to assist in the re-building of prythian. that of fixing things that had been broken to that of creating something beautiful for someone, just so they had a little light in their life. and that's how his business of tinkering smith came about, he could fix pretty much anything he was given or create something out of nothing.

canons .

a slick device. pocket size. is what he uses to communicate with others, especially if they don't know psl - prythain sign language. tends to be a robotic voice or just simply for the other to read off the scene.

he can say one word sometimes three words, but it does really place a lot of strain and sometimes even causes him pain to do so. hasn't formed a sentence in over two hundred years.

he's a craftsman, quite a talented one some much so that he gets jobs all over prythian in fixing or creating something for someone. u-jin is a humble fae but when it comes to his masterpieces ( even those he's fixed up ), he makes really proud.

hook-ups hasn't had one for over a hundred years, kid you not. my boy is a near virgin again. all funnies aside, the reason is that he has little time to dedicate to himself at the moment and his last hook-up did die - he misses their company as they were more fwb. but since their death, he hasn't hook-up, fwb or anything close to romantic interest for that long.

connections .

his last hook-up / fwb . this muse was actually one of his main hook-ups but they somehow ended up becoming besties. and since he stopped sleeping with people, they have always had this flirty friendship - dare i say platonic soulmates ? yes, i dare.

unrequired crush . love for someone to have a crush on him and he's just completely oblivious to it.

seer mentor . someone who helped him through the difficult path of being a seer, and they have a closeness to one another.

friends from other courts . everyone needs cute little pen-pals.

high lord or lady . this is someone who asks for his services quite a lot, in crafting something new for them to have in their court or that of fixing something, he's always their guy.

anything !!!

[passionfell]

12. doing their job particularly well (amsyran, this could go one of two ways. the job is killing or the job is either of their creative talents lmao)

That's the expression of a killer.

When Amsel had said there was someone here he'd needed to kill, he'd been so matter-of-fact about the whole thing that Cyran had blindly assumed that this sort of thing was Amsel's job. He'd seemed like the sort of person who'd be methodical about it—a killer by occupation, the sort who had the mettle but lacked conviction. He'd started to have doubts the first time Amsel had spoken with the man, but this...

Amsel looks like the tip of the blade slicing through the man's throat has unleashed some sort of life within him. He's smiling, Cyran realizes, the same sort of smile as before. Only this time it's bigger; this time, Amsel has won something. Mixed between the vindication, Cyran thinks he sees some hint of enjoyment.

He's not having fun, strictly, but he'd liked it. He'd taken a life and he had thoroughly liked the way it made him feel. Cyran doesn't feel the cold as potently as someone who was alive might, but he shudders anyway; he feels a pleasant chill overtake him as he reconsiders the sort of person he's standing across from.

(Not long in the future, Cyran will yell and scream at him for the reasons behind his killer instinct. He won't be thinking about how lucky he is to have come across Amsel at all, but he's thinking about it now.)

He almost forgets to catch the snooty nobleman as his knees crumble, but he doesn't, taking the weight of the body with a grunt. Cyran needs this, after all; he's not so hungry as to be delusional with the need to consume, but it never hurts to remain satiated. He can't even remember what happened the last time he wasn't. Only that it wasn't pleasant.

Still, he spares one more long look at Amsel, who's breathing heavily. Then, before the blood stops circulating entirely and becomes stale, he dives into the man's neck, avoiding the already opened wound to avoid getting assaulted with other, useless bile.

The blood is as delicious as ever, and more than enough to keep him well-fed for the next few days.

"I see you absolutely weren't kidding around about your little mission," Cyran comments before he's even wiped the blood from his face. Thinking it prudent, he does grab a nearby scrap of cloth and dip it into what remains of the water bucket nearby to clean his face of the blood that's stained it. "Was that your first kill, I wonder? You seem to have taken to it very well."

spotted! / accepting.

[theangryjikooker]

Hi, TAJ! It's me again 😅 I know it's impossible to please everybody, but I'm seeing such extreme reactions to JK doing Seven (nvm Scooter and the whole payola - I honestly lack the knowledge about this to form an opinion) and the possible rumours of him having an all English album. I've mentioned how fun the mv was and I love listening to it bec it's a bop (for me). I wouldn't look down on JK if he does create/select English songs.

Should people criticize JK if he decides not to create a deep/reflective/emotional album? He's been doing covers of pop songs esp JB's. He was always vocal about his interest in Western pop music. May I ask your thoughts/opinions should he opt to go this direction? Thank you!

(For the record, you ask the most interesting questions. Thanks!)

There’s this prevailing idea that an artist who can insert a piece of themselves into their work is somehow more deserving of the occupation. The demand and expectation for vulnerability from an artist that may prefer not to give into it reeks of entitlement.

“But we’re the reason for his success! We have a right to x!”

Then don’t support him anymore? Move on. All good things come to an end at some point. (Though I believe any pushback from this is a result of sunk cost fallacy a bit.)

If all Jungkook ever wants to do is sing and explore genres, with his only contribution being in the selection process of songs that motivate him and sound good, that’s his prerogative. He could still be just as successful if he chooses to move in that direction, but could it possibly alienate listeners who are expecting more? Sure. Music is a subjective experience, but there are just as many people who don’t care, who love music for music and aren’t so interested in storytelling. To make judgment calls on others that don’t fit your idea of an ideal artist/music listener is so pretentious. It’s not wrong, just pretentious.

Of course, there’s a lot more authenticity and inspiration to be had from artists who write, produce, and/or play instruments for their own songs. It elevates them into a different category of artist, but that doesn’t make someone who chooses not to do any of that less than. And I say “chooses,” because we already know that Jungkook can write his own songs and melodies—that when he actually puts his mind to something (and if he were consistent about it) he can ace it.

But, rationally, even the above can also instill a sense of frustration and/or bitterness because if you have all this so-called talent, the question becomes why aren’t you utilizing it? Why do you get to reap success from “doing nothing” while your other members give their all and aren’t receiving the same kind of recognition (either from a corporate level or from the general public)?

The last question is especially pointed because it’s the current theme of ARMY ire these days. I’m not sure what it was this fandom was expecting. BTS was vocal about how they had to suppress their individuality (I believe in the vein of creative/musical direction) to prioritize the group. What Jungkook has said so far does not surprise me in the slightest; the fact that he has been more expressive about his desired trajectory and that said desires are self-oriented is neither shocking nor offensive.

Sometimes I feel like the OT7 mantra has been warped along the way to be extremely idealistic and, as a result, unrealistic. A lot of observant ARMYs have been aware of this for a long time, and these same people are living their best ARMY life, free of drama.

Anyway, back to the original question: should people be able to criticize him for potentially choosing a more “superficial” path with his upcoming album? Of course they can, but I also feel like this fandom’s response to Jungkook lately has been antagonistic because of how he’s been benefiting from his solo debut. And it’s fair to feel that way, but to then judge him for his preferences and the way he’s navigating his solo career because your fave(s) did more or abided by some arbitrary handbook of self-conduct that he’s not following to the letter is just pointlessly stupid.

There’s a difference between genuinely believing that it’s not the kind of path you were anticipating and that for him to opt for a more generic pop star route is cheating or even lazy, and feeling critical because of how your fave(s) was/were treated or not. It’s retaliatory and misguided, which is how a lot of people are moving right now.

I personally think it would be kind of lame if he does go that route, but only because I know what he’s done and can do, but I don’t care if that’s his choice. I’m also interested to see how far he pushes the boundaries in the genres he wants to sing anyway, so there’s still an element of interest there for me if he remains hands-off. And even then, that doesn’t mean he won’t want to make a more personal and intimate contribution in the future.

Ultimately, I’ve had no concerns with what Jungkook has said or done as of late (I do have a concern for him, but it’s speculative and unrelated to this post). People don’t have to like the direction he’s taking, but I find most of the discourse surrounding it disingenuous because they can usually be traced back to the defense of and anger for a different bias.

[paperboy-pb]

☆ About Matthew... ☆

In my experience, growing up disabled, let alone a Special Ed kid, can be incredibly isolating, restrictive, and lonely. Which is bad because as you grow up, you are going to seek connection, and freedom & lots of good company.

So, if I wanted the story of Paperboy to work, I figured our leading kid should 100% embody that opposite.

[TW: this character has suicidal thoughts / childhood trauma & depression.]

The idea behind Matthew Boston is that he holds a deep love for life itself. He's a sweet little boy with big-city-dreams of Broadway & outer space; He's very smart, he's ambitious, curious, (usually) good-natured, and loves talking to people. He's also very creative; always drawing out whatever he notices during school / taking on countless arts & crafts projects at home.

I often imagine that he is made out of musicals, kids' books, the smell of crayons, and stars.

And he's getting bullied by a lot of people, which does tear him down, but no matter how much self-hatred they spark, he still dares to dream about making new friends in new places. Friends who don't mind his differences.

But Matthew is very asthmatic, with plenty of triggers to set it off. He's got Atrial Septal Defect, a hole in his heart that doesn't seem do much (yet), but can easily act up later down the line & make life harder. And let's just say hypotonia (benign congenital) does NOT help.

That's a lot for one little body. He gets sick easily & tires out even easier. He lags behind other kids with lots of physical delays. And when you add it all up, it's enough to land him in Adapted Phys Ed, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, & Special Ed altogether.

So when he starts school at P.S. 361, it's a tiny room with only the same select few disabled kids, over and over as years go by.

They're hidden away from the rest of their grade, rarely meeting anyone new. And even among those classmates, Matthew STILL gets singled out:

He's being dragged out of First Period every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for Adapted PE.

He's not allowed to play with the rest of his glass during the main PE & is forced to sit out and watch everyone else have fun.

He frequently has his occupational & physical therapists taking him out of lessons.

He still gets sick a LOT. Goodbye, perfect attendance awards!

And the adults just hound him for every move he ever makes:

"Now, walk up the stairs like THIS."

"You can't hold your pencils like that!"

"Why are sit-ups so hard for you??"

"You need to type the PROPER way."

"You need to come in more often, Matthew!"

And then they get a little older & his peers pick up on it, so now there's a little extra:

"You're a fucking weakling!"

"God, you're pathetic."

"Imagine being too weak for gym."

"At least WE can defend ourselves!"

"You aren't good enough to play with us anymore."

That ISN'T GOOD for a kid's psyche-- especially not somebody who seems made to roam. He's dealt with that his whole life and feels like it just ain't living... and it isn't! And that is why he begins to feel... well, suicidal.

Ableism surrounds him. The schoolwork is "dumbed down," & even some of the people in charge of the Special Services aren't helping enough. The disability pressure is too high. The respect on his name is too low. And he needs change, but nothing ever changes.

Everyone excludes him, mocks him, babies him, gets frustrated with him...! And as long as he's a Special Ed student, he has no chance getting away from it.

This is a boy who dreams of seeing other GALAXIES... trapped in one room. He deals with this all day after day, week after week, year after year, with almost no explanation. His self-esteem is chipped-away-'d at.

And that breeds a Monster in his head; an agonizing lack of self-worth that makes him wonder if he should just do himself a favor and die.

Of course, Matthew doesn't want to die. He loves PB&J's; all of the art he's made; the pigeons on the street; the train lines & skyscrapers; the few friends & family he does have. And he CAN'T die without seeing the stars!

But he DOES want, no, need to live a life that accepts him, stimulates his brain, and lets him take to the sky. Not one that drowns him, drags him down, and suffocates him in one spot.

And the ableism within P.S. 361's Special Ed program just... refuses to make anything like that accessible to him. If he stays in there too long, not only will he be exposed to more trauma, but it's also possible that this could mess up his future. As far as he knows, anyway.

And yeah, Matthew resents Special Ed. But he also resents himself, too. He was put here because of a disability. That disability is part of him. So of course, internalized ableism begins to fester very, VERY badly.

After all, everyone seems to agree that this is just what he needs / gets for "being this way..." right? It's because of his disability... because of HIM that he doesn't deserve the same freedom & respect that the typical General Ed kids get.

The way he's being treated makes him think, "If I wasn't so defective, I'd be worth more than this! I'm sorry! I'm trying to be better, I promise!"

But it's like I said before: luckily, Matthew is VERY determined & hard-working! And he doesn't intend to lay down and die. Not yet, anyway. One way or another, he WILL find a way to leave this place! Whether anyone likes it or not.

Not only that, but... I didn't want to make him JUST a sad boy. Matthew is definitely still an 11-year-old, not to mention an idealist, and it'll definitely show in how he acts.

The world is still magical to him, despite the depression. He wishes on stars or with coins, plays with bugs, believes in bad luck & curses & superstitions. He has a big imagination that often runs wild. He asks a lot of questions and he's always eager to learn.

And sometimes, certain people or things take advantage of his naivety & manipulate him. Or he makes a mistake on his own volition. But he does grow up as time passes. And like any kid, he always wants to do the right thing.

A lot of my personal favorite scenes to write with him are the ones where he wanders someplace new; and as he takes it all in, he gets this look of pure wonder in his eyes.

This boy is full of internal life.

Now, he just needs to fight for an external one.

🪐⭐️📝🎒🚀🌙

[sincerely-minah]

How Gender Interferes With Childhood Dreams

Gender stereotypes present themselves through the aspirations and dreams of young children. Reflect back to when you were little– what was an occupation you dreamed of? For me, it was becoming a teacher or any sort of job that required care and creativity. 

The representation of gender norms trickles its way into how children begin to express and view themselves as they begin to adjust to the “bigger” world. “Coupled with a lack of role models and discriminative attitudes, it is no surprise we do not have enough women in STEM (8% of apprentices are women) or a solid representation of men in the care sector” (“Gender stereotypes in childhood: what’s the harm?”). The social standards of how males and females are supposed to behave and carry themselves are deeply implemented in the way society categorizes sections– even future occupations. Children dreaming of working is typically pure imaginative play that undergoes continuous change; however, it is interesting to see how they reenact jobs that are typically “accurate” to their gender: “Girls are more interested in jobs that are male-dominated, such as police officer and firefighter than boys are in roles that are less traditional for men. Nonetheless, the most popular career choice among five-year-old girls is to be a teacher, whereas the most common aspiration for five-year-old boys is to be a police officer” (“Gender norms are clearly evident at five years of age”). It is universally accepted that females are characterized as partaking in creative roles as well as the performing arts, whereas males tend to gravitate towards physical and monetary rewarding occupations. Also, there are not copious amounts of job opportunities where it is predominantly female-dominated, which creates a visual restraint for young girls to expand their imagination. However, it is a fact that young girls are more willing and open to engaging in play that may seem much rougher and “boy-like” play, which then transcends through their interests and future goals. Young boys, on the other hand, are at higher risk of limiting their curiosity and participating less in activities that socially are deemed “feminine.” Due to the lack of engagement, male-dominated fields continue to exponentially substantiate the dominance– typically in STEM and business-related fields. The quote, “More than one in two of the 30 most popular roles selected by boys are in traditionally male-dominated occupations. In contrast, one in four of the 30 most popular roles selected by girls are in traditionally female-dominated fields,” highlighting the disparity between the dominance of the two genders and how it unravels in the work field (“Gender norms are clearly evident at five years of age”). 

More often than not, I believe that society tends to underestimate the capacity and quickness of a child’s learning ability. “In the commercial sector, many retailers still market children’s toys, books, cards and clothes based on gender” (“Gender stereotypes in childhood: what’s the harm?”). Children begin constructing their knowledge through social interactions and when retail shops establish the notion of girls being soft and boys are meant to be tough, it skews the way children begin to view themselves and how they are meant to present themselves. Despite pretend play being a means of how children formulate connections with one another, it also proves that young kids understand the societal roles implemented on the genders, and as they act it out during play, it begins to settle in their knowledge. Therefore, their goals, especially regarding dreams, are set on these stereotypes without them evidently revealing themselves. We are responsible for the way children develop their physical and mental judgment of not only themselves but other people and how they act. “To me, it seems crazy that we still create the conditions for children to trust entirely false ideas of identity when this is preventable” (“Gender stereotypes in childhood: what’s the harm?”). 

The idealistic dreams society wants certain genders to act in accordance with affect the future careers of men and women. It truly is disheartening to see that young boys and girls know that society has a limitation for both parties and that stepping beyond the rigid “rules,” completely feels isolating because more often than not, people conform to the common ideals. There also tends to be a narrative switch between when a young boy states he wants to be, for example, a nurse versus when a young girl states she wants to be an engineer. Often, boys are applauded for what we label “caring and compassionate” whereas we steer girls away from physical fields and tell them that it is not “feminine” enough and such. With consistent support for young boys, no matter the career, they have enough fulfilled self-confidence to act upon their desires, whereas girls do not have a public support system– which leads them to either constrain themselves with the norms or chase their dreams with the high chance of being considered an outcast.

Sources:

[ashwin-blythe]

O R I O N B O Y D

BASICS

Age: 43 Birthday: July 26, 1980 Gender & Pronouns: Genderfluid, any pronouns Sexuality: Pansexual Occupation: Nurse and Drag Queen District: University District Face Claim: Lee Pace

Full Bio under a Read More due to some adult themes, please be aware of any trigger warnings!

BIO: TW // Abuse?

Birchwood Boyd was born to a family of hippies, driving around California. Esther and Magnus Boyd liked nothing better than to go exploring, hiking, adventuring- and their old beat-up Volkswagen bus was what they lived off of for years. Their first child and only son was the light of their life, and they named him Birchwood Orion Boyd- though as he grew up, he vastly preferred 'Orion'. He was well-loved, accepted openly as whatever he ever wanted to be, and given the creative freedom to explore just like his parents. For the first few years of his life, it was just adventuring. They lived in Oregon, California, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Eventually when their family expanded, it was time to settle down in California. Sunshine Boyd was the second child and just as free-spirited. And then came Berryhill Boyd, the youngest sister. Orion found himself working at a surf shop on the California coast and enjoying life- he even was settling down with his high school sweetheart, Emma. But things turned a bit sour as he and Emma got more and more serious. She was very possessive, judgmental, and would shut him down quickly when he tried to contribute. Because she had a bigger and more lucrative career, she would often complain about his lack of funds and his own career aspirations. So Orion decided to go to nursing school. He was with Emma, even engaged, when his family staged an intervention. They could see how terrible she was being towards their family member- and the things he often talked about doing (going hiking and exploring again on the road, doing drag, even adopting a dog) were things Emma would say point blank would never happen. After she got incredibly possessive and paranoid one day, he spoke up about it. There was a physical altercation and that was when he left for good. After that he did what he'd always wanted and went off adventuring on his own in his car. Finally ending up back in Denver where he and his parents had briefly lived when he was young. Now Orion is a nurse for a pediatrician and a full-fledged drag queen (part time!). When in drag she goes by Celeste, and since leaving Emma, his creative spirit has returned in full force. He's always been pan but can now experiment and experience, and has had a wonderful time hiking, dancing, and taking care of kids at the private practice.

Headcanons:

-Orion has a cocker spaniel named Calliope (Callie for short) who he rescued immediately after he broke it off with Emma. Callie went on all his adventures with him and now she's around 6 years old.

-Orion LOVES his family- his sisters and parents are his world and he will openly talk about them to anyone who will listen.

-He actively hikes and camps when he has time off of work and will regularly encourage others to come.

-Orion would give you the shirt off his back- he's a huge softie and loves ghost hunting shows, HGTV, cooking, anything with animals, and learning new things. -He gets a LOT more confident when Orion is 'Celeste'. Sometimes far more flirtatious and open, able to stand up for herself as well.

[16woodsequ]

Really looking forward to reading Therapy Works in full when you post it! Do you think you could put all the snippets you've shared, and pit them in chronological order? If not, that's okay too! Another snippet would be fine.

I'm looking forward to this one too! Especially since it will be the first fic of my with the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad cabin! (If you've seen my rants about that.)

Let me see if I can find all the snippets I've posted!

It is obvious to him that Steve has issues, and that he isn’t dealing with them. And it is also obvious that he probably won’t start dealing with them without some helpful nudging in the right direction. He, himself, is all too familiar with that process. It had taken Rhodey and Pepper several years, (and then one solid putting-of-one’s-foot-down) before he had been convinced to give therapy a try.

He had done it though, because he had had friends to help get him onto that path.

Steve has… well, Steve has him now, apparently. Which is why he is now standing in front of his door, a pair ultra-waterproof boots in his hands.

...

“Whatz’ goin’ on?” Tony’s tongue feels a lump of clay. If it was an emergency JARVIS would just wake him up without worrying about Pepper, but for the life of him Tony can’t imagine another reason JARVIS would call him at four in the morning. “Captain Rogers wished to know if you were awake,” JARVIS responds smartly. “I shall inform him you are indeed conscious.” Huh? Tony pushes himself up in his bed, willing his brain to catch up. “Why’z he wanna know that?” “I believe,” JARVIS says, like he’s spelling out something achingly simple. “You once stated he could call you instead of utilising the gym.” ... Tony’s brain kickstarts and his eyes widen. “Wha—? Oh! Where is he?” JARVIS continues over him like he hadn’t said anything. “Captain Rogers insisted on not disturbing you if you were not awake.” “Right, of course,” Tony mutters, shoving back his blankets and glancing briefly at Pepper to make sure she’s still asleep. It doesn’t surprise him one bit that Steve had added that limiter. It also doesn’t surprise him that JARVIS had found a way around it. ... Steve steps out and scans the room immediately, locating Tony at his tinkering desk. He looks tired, shadows under his eyes and a drawn expression on his face. His hands are in two tight fists by his side, but Tony is glad to see they lack the bloodied bandages from last time. Steve pauses uncertainly on the threshold, his eyes flicking around nervously and Tony waves him inside. “Come’on in,” he says, hoping his bedraggled hair reads as creative-genius-at-work and not recently-awoken-by-a-robot. “I was just fiddling with a few things.” ... “I know it’s early,” Steve says suddenly. He holds himself stiffly, as though he isn’t quite sure he’s welcome yet. “I didn’t want to bother you.” Tony shakes his head. “No,” he says decisively. “I’m glad you called. I meant what I said last time, but I was worried you wouldn’t take me up on it.” Steve relaxes slightly, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Well,” he says ruefully. “JARVIS did lock down the gym. And I figured you wanted the glass door to stay intact.” His shoulders roll in a shrug. “Guess JARVIS can be just as stubborn as me.” ... The mention of insane asylums sets the wheels in his brain in motion. If Steve wasn’t sure if sanatoriums were still a thing, did he think that asylums were too? Which is why, a few days after his early-morning movie night, Tony finds himself in his lab, several pages open in front of him as dives for the first time into what 1940s doctors actually thought about mental health.  It is all at once less bleak and more disheartening than he thought it would be. ... At the same time as these and other treatments like lobotomies were being experimented with, psychotherapy and occupational therapists were slowly being brought in. Tony isn’t sure how much of a comfort that is though, because Steve spent most of the 40s at war. If he heard much about ‘mental hygiene’ treatments back then, he doubts it was the brand new Freudian theories. And that leads him to another question. How much did Steve even know about these asylums, and how much of a concern were they for a man like him?

And a new one just for fun!

The more Tony thinks about it, the more he realises he has no idea how Steve actually learned everything he knows about the modern day. Part of him had always just assumed that SHIELD sat him down and laid it out for him, but even if that did happen, they could never have accounted for everything he needed to know.  Steve must have taught himself a lot of it alone.

[sagehqs]

if you’re hearing BEFORE THE WORLD WAS BIG by GIRLPOOL playing, you have to know SAGE OGLE (SHE/THEY; FEMME-QUEER) is near by! the 29 year old LIBRARIAN AND CLERK AT FINDERS KEEPERS has been in denver for, like, FOUR YEARS. they’re known to be quite FRAGILE, but being COMPASSIONATE seems to balance that out. or maybe it’s the fact that they resemble FLORENCE PUGH. personally, i’d love to know more about them seeing as how they’ve got those ECLECTIC, HOMEY, HANDPICKED, AND FOLKY vibes. and maybe i’ll get my chance if i hang out around the UNIVERSITY DISTRICT long enough! 

full name: Sage Aubrey Ogle. | nicknames: aubs (always looking for more). | gender and pronouns: femme-queer, she/they. | age: twenty-nine. | sexuality: bisexual. | date of birth: june 26. | sun sign: cancer ( loyal, creative, sensitive, insecure. ) | moon sign: gemini ( childish, witty, impulsive, outgoing. ) | rising sign: capricorn ( hardworking, honest, sensitive, ambitious. ) | tarot birth card: strength. | place of birth:  charleston, west virginia. | occupation: librarian at the denver public library and clerk at finders keepers thrift store.

she can be found in the last drops of rain hitting hot pavement, soft greens and purples that blend together in the heat of parties, dissonant but purposeful notes in punk songs, awkward lyrics that paint too many stories at once, the aglet barely hanging onto worn out shoelaces that hang onto even more worn out sneakers, and the moment of peace you get when you walk into your apartment after a busy day at work

Sage Ogle was born in a local Charleston, WV hospital -- the air was out, the room humid, and her parents immediately doting on her as she wails her first cries.

They grew up in creek (crick) beds and foothills. Poison ivy was normal and chamomile treatments were well-known every summer. Childhood was filled with puddles, treehouses, and lightning bug earrings.

Deep in the woods in a tucked-away house, she could do what she wanted when school wasn't in session. Most of the time she grabbed a book and curled up under a walnut tree in her backyard -- occasionally opening a nut when she got hungry and dinner wasn't ready yet. Her closest neighbors were half a mile away but loved when she came bearing gifts of cornbread or fresh-baked pie. Most of the time she played with their kids, helped clean up afterward, and came running back home just as the sunset.

As a child she wanted to fit in with everyone, to find space for each person that she could -- which created a bit of a chameleon with no distinct set of self. Her friends were all over the place, which put her at odds with different groups during respective dramas -- but in the end she was always a mediator for them and gave some positive solution. Except for her cousins Daisy and Jeb -- they still don't talk and she truly believes they never will.

This lack of affinity for self left her at quite the crossroads once she graduated from WVU with a degree in English and a minor in gender and sexuality studies -- she didn't know who she was, or what she wanted in life. Hell -- they hardly even knew who they were.

Eventually they figured a big move, a big chop, and a big change was needed. They sold everything they ever owned, bought a beat-up SUV, and trailed their way across the states until the car eventually broke down in Denver. Instead of getting the car fixed, she sold it to the first person who asked about it, used her savings and car money to rent a dinky little apartment in the Montebello District, and began her life in Colorado.

They immediately got a job at Finders Keepers and started to grow in Denver. It wasn't long after that they landed their gig at the library, too. Now they're involved with the city and they know what's going on. The library isn't just for books, it's a place where all people go to learn, a place for resources, and a place for shelter.

After a year and a half in Denver she moved a little closer to the library and upgraded her housing to the university district.

Every day she thinks about applying for grad school, going into library science or public administration -- but every day she settles for the status quo and keeps her safety in routine.

wanted connections: I'm so up for anything! Partners in crime that post radical book displays in the library. A distraction that comes into the thrift store and causes a line. Activist pal that won't skip a beat about protesting with them. A mentor with blurred lines after a night at the bar. The bad taste in her mouth after a bad hook up. I'm here for it all, let's goooo.

[averyxmontgomery]

[ciswoman and she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [AVERY MONTGOMERY]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [HAILEE STEINFELD]. You must be the [TWENTY-FOUR] year old [CONCERT VIOLINIST]. Word is you’re [RESPONSIBLE] but can also be a bit [AWKWARD] and your favorite song is [WORLD’S SMALLEST VIOLIN BY AJR]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [AURORA BAY DRIVE]. I’m sure you’ll love it! 

NAME: Avery Vivienne Montgomery

AGE: 24

PRONOUNS: She/Her

SEXUALITY: Lesbian

BIRTHDAY: September 28th

HOMETOWN: New York City, NY

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music

OCCUPATION: Concert Violinist

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Aurora Bay Drive

FAMILY:

Grandparents: NY Democratic Senator Alexander Montgomery Sr. and Former Judge Vivienne Montgomery (deceased)

Parents: Alexander Montgomery Jr. and Penelope Montgomery

Siblings: Quinn Montgomery (Sister, 35), and Casey Montgomery (Brother, 30)

BIOGRAPHY:

Hailing from a long line of lawyers, politicians, and judges, Avery Montgomery was born into wealth and influence. Her parents manage and own the largest law firm in New York and her grandfather is the current senator of New York. In exchange for that comfort and privilege, Avery’s parents expected excellence and Avery agreed to earn it. While they would have liked for her to follow in their footsteps, going to law school and one day inheriting the firm, Avery’s talents lay elsewhere.

Playing the violin was originally supposed to be an extracurricular, a way to fluff up her law school personal statement, and no one expected someone from Avery’s bloodline, filled with logic and academics, to be capable of such creativity and technical skill, but no sooner had Avery turned five did people around her realize they had a prodigy on their hands. Before she even turned 18, she was winning competition after competition, constantly travelling the country and sometimes the world to compete in them. Due to her endless travels, she was hired the best tutors to ensure that her brain was worthy of her family even if she was technically home-schooled. The work was never ending but as long as Avery kept her medal cabinets overstocked and her investment portfolios fueled with her winnings, her parents were happy to support her. (She wasn’t their only child so they had room for other high-class talents in the family.)

The only reprieve she ever got from the unending practice and competition was summers at Aurora Bay. Her family owned a large mansion on the Drive and would spend nearly every summer there, enjoying the quaint town and all the comforts it had to offer. It was through those summers that she got acquainted with and eventually befriended Elizabeth Levin. They were the same age and always stuck together whenever their families wanted to grab dinner or happen to attend the same political fundraisers together. They both loathed those events but Avery always played her part, appearing the perfect daughter and performing whenever it was “show and tell your children” time. Of course Sterling was always nearby but, at that age, even a two year age gap felt like a decade and Avery was never very good with kids. 

Despite only seeing each other during the summers, their friendship endured and Elizabeth is one of the few people Avery makes time for during her busy weeks and considers a true friend throughout all her touring and competitions. Constantly going around the country and beating other people your age at competitions made for a very lonely life so she lacked many friends otherwise.

After two decades of practice and working at a single skill, Avery was exhausted. Although her agent and parents were against her taking a break, she needed one for her own sanity and decided to go to the only place she ever had fun at: Aurora Bay. She didn’t know how long her stay would be or what she would do but she knew she wanted to be normal for once. She never got to experience anything outside of the classical performance world and hoped this little sabbatical would give her a chance to reevaluate her life and perhaps make some more permanent changes.

[rxscss]

“𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹 "𝒶𝒹𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃" 𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝑒𝓇𝓉𝒶𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓅𝒶𝓃𝓎. 𝓎𝑒𝒶𝒽, 𝓈𝒽𝑒'𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓈𝒽𝑒'𝓈 𝒶𝓃 𝑜𝓇𝓅𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝒶𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝑒𝑒𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒻𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎. 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓃𝓉𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓈 𝒷𝓁𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝒶𝓈 𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓃𝑜𝓌, 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝓊𝓁𝓁𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓈 𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓉𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉. 𝑔𝒾𝓇𝓁, 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝒶 𝓈𝓂𝒾𝓁𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒. 𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓃, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒾𝓉 𝒶𝓁𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉. 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝒶𝓁𝓀𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓁𝓈, 𝓈𝒶𝒾𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒷𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓃𝒶𝓂𝑒.”

(—) ★ spotted!! ROXANNE JO LOCKHART on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 26 year old looks like RILEY KEOUGH, but i don’t really see it. while  the FASHION DESIGNER is known for being ALLURING my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be MYSTERIOUS i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song she talks to angels by the black crows. { she/her / cisfemale } - penned by CANDICE, 25, CISFEMALE, SHE/HER

𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓼

wanted connections + connections || musings || pinterest || instagram || headcanons

𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

name: roxanne jo lockhart

age: twenty three

nicknames: roxy, roxy jo, jo jo

date of birth: march 6th, 1999

astrological sign: pisces

place of birth: kansas city, kansas

occupation: fashion designer

label: the manic pixie dream girl

positive traits: creative, spiritual, comforting, empathetic

negative traits: emotional, clingy, naive, ditzy

characters/celebrities she’s like: cassie from skins, phoebe buffay from friends, jessica day from new girl

𝓫𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂

to say she didn’t have the traditional upbringing would be the understatement of the century. she was born in a trailer park in kansas as ‘betsy jane culver’ to joe and addison culver and like most families in the trailer park, they were riddled in poverty.

her mother worked as a waitress at a local diner and her father was a drug dealer and betsy was terribly neglected her entire childhood.

they barely took care of her, leaving her to fend for herself and that is where her creativity was born. she would spend her days rummaging through the trailer parks for scraps, and made herself beautiful outfits out of whatever she could get her hands on.

preston & delilah lockhart, parents to a young daughter themselves, took notice of the little red head girl that was always wandering around by herself and started to invite her over their trailer and she became the best of friends with their daughter.

preston was a traveling circus performer and delilah worked as a psychic. both of their jobs didn’t pay very well, so they traveled the country in their little trailer trying to make it.

however, betsy always admired them for the parents they were to their daughters, despite not having much. their trailer was always filled with love and laughter, all of the things betsy craved in her own life.

one day, when she was only seven years old, betsy’s parents completely disappeared and without even a doubt in their mind, delilah and preston took betsy in as their own. they officially adopted her and at her request, renamed her roxanne jo lockhart, and she began traveling the country with them and their daughter and considered them the only family she’s ever known.

they didn’t have much money nor were they very smart people, but wherever they lived -whether it was a trailer park or a seedy motel, was filled with nothing but love. roxanne and her new sister, waverly, never felt like they had less just because they lacked material things. they learned early on that those things meant nothing in life, what mattered was doing what made you happy.

preston was passionate about making people laugh. from clown, to acrobat even to elephant tamer, he had almost every job possible in the circus and roxanne and her sisters grew up watching him in awe.

delilah was a spiritual woman - a believer in all things mystic, astrological and was a true bohemian and no one latched onto her mother’s ways more than roxanne did.

with how much they moved, they never had a set routine when it came to school, and while they did attend in order to not be taken away by cps, her parents always instilled in them that school wasn’t important and that real life experience was where they really learned.

her father tried to train her in various circus talents, but roxanne was much more interested in her mother’s profession. she loved tapping into spirituality, loved reading tarot cards and giving people guidance and sound advice based on the moon and the stars.

they became known as the traveling witches, and as they traveled from state to state, people began seeking them out, so much so that the family was able to buy an r.v where they ran their psychic business out of.

when roxanne was fourteen, the family got their biggest gig to date and were hired to run a pop up at coachella.

roxanne designed all of their outfits for the festival, and after a bunch of celebrities and influencers wanted to know where they got them, roxanne realized that this was something she could do as a job.

at just fourteen, roxanne began creating custom looks for celebrities and influencers all over the world and began growing her instagram account. people were amazed by her story and how she started by simply collecting scraps in the trailer parks.

‘stardust’, her line, is a whimsical, bohemian clothing line and she designs each piece to look like it’s a piece of art out of a fairytale or from another planet. however, her climb to the top has been incredibly slow - trying her hardest to earn respect in the fashion industry and make a name for herself.

she doesn’t have a business mindset whatsoever, so when a hot, rich and successful business man approached her and offered to be an investor in her business after one of her small fashion shows, she jumped on the opportunity - and also jumped on the fact that he love bombed her and acted absolutely infatuated with her.

she felt like she was pretty woman - moved into his lavish home, was wined and dined and given all the money she could possibly need to start her clothing line. 

after showing in paris fashion week, she thought things were finally on the up. major retailers began picking up her brand - celebrities started wearing them, she was happy and in a great relationship - or so she thought.

one day, she decided to surprise her boyfriend by coming home early and found him cheating on her with his secretary (typical)

in true, impulsive roxanne fashion, she gathered her things, and stormed out with nowhere to go, thousands of orders to create and all of her resources to do so gone.

so she’s been starting from scratch, working endlessly, finding voulenteers, and even moving into a loft with three dudes to save money (new girl insp!!)

roxanne is a sickly sweet girl who wouldn’t hurt a fly - but if anyone comes for her family or anyone she loves she turns into this giant mama bear and will legit kill for them.

she’s also incredibly naive and often finds herself in outrageous situations, ones in which those closest to her have to get her out of!

𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓻

2017-present: founder and creative director of ‘stardust’ 

[averyvmontgomery-archive]

[ciswoman and she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [AVERY MONTGOMERY]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [HAILEE STEINFELD]. You must be the [TWENTY-FOUR] year old [CONCERT VIOLINIST]. Word is you’re [RESPONSIBLE] but can also be a bit [AWKWARD] and your favorite song is [WORLD’S SMALLEST VIOLIN BY AJR]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [AURORA BAY DRIVE]. I’m sure you’ll love it! 

NAME: Avery Vivienne Montgomery

AGE: 24

PRONOUNS: She/Her

SEXUALITY: Lesbian

BIRTHDAY: September 28th

HOMETOWN: New York City, NY

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music

OCCUPATION: Concert Violinist

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Aurora Bay Drive

Hailing from a long line of lawyers, politicians, and judges, Avery Montgomery was born into wealth and influence. In exchange for that comfort and privilege, Avery’s parents expected excellence and Avery agreed to earn it. While they would have liked for her to follow in their footsteps, going to law school and one day inheriting one of the largest law firms in the country, Avery’s talents lay elsewhere. 

Playing the violin was originally supposed to be an extracurricular, a way to fluff up her law school personal statement, and no one expected someone from Avery’s bloodline, filled with logic and academics, to be capable of such creativity and technical skill, but no sooner had Avery turned five did people around her realize they had a prodigy on their hands. Before she even turned 18, she was winning competition after competition. The work was never ending but as long as Avery kept her medal cabinets overstocked, her parents were happy to shower her with attention and affection. (She wasn’t their only child so they had room for other high-class talents in the family.)

The only reprieve she ever got from the unending practice was summers at Aurora Bay. Her family owned a large mansion on the Drive and would spend nearly every summer there, enjoying the quaint town and all the comforts it had to offer. It was through those summers that she got acquainted with and eventually befriended Elizabeth Levin. They were the same age and always stuck together whenever their families wanted to grab dinner or happen to attend the same political fundraisers together. They both loathed those events but Avery always played her part, appearing the perfect daughter and performing whenever it was “show and tell your children” time. Of course Sterling was always nearby but, at that age, even a two year age gap felt like a decade and Avery was never very good with kids. 

Despite only seeing each other during the summers, their friendship endured and Elizabeth is one of the few people Avery makes time for during her busy weeks and considers a true friend throughout all her touring and competitions. Constantly going around the country and beating other people your age at competitions made for a very lonely life so she lacked friends otherwise. 

After two decades of practice and working at a single skill, Avery was exhausted. Although her agent and parents were against her taking a break, she needed one for her own sanity and decided to go to the only place she ever had fun at: Aurora Bay. She didn’t know how long her stay would be or what she would do but she knew she wanted to be normal for once. She never got to experience anything outside of the classical performance world and hoped this little sabbatical would give her a chance to reevaluate her life and perhaps make some more permanent changes.   

[metaphysiical]

[ jessica alba | cis woman | she/her | forty-three ] ——   welcome to grimrose, barbara ortega. it’s cool that you’re here, you know. haven’t you heard of the history of this place… anyway, how’s being a tourist who has been in town for one week, especially since you spend most of your days as a fictional romance author? also, not that it’s a bad thing, of course, but i’ve heard people say you can be a little melodramatic more than you are charismatic… but that’s just coming from people who are bored here, i promise. to me, you remind me of dreams by the cranberries and deep red wine filled to the brim of a glass, a tightness in your chest that loosens faster than anticipated, and the realization that you never knew what real love was until you lost it. hope to see you around, barbie.

pinterest | inspos: charlotte york (sex and the city), izzie stevens (greys anatomy), helen (bridesmaids), hermione granger (harry potter), the protagonist in like, any hallmark movie lol

full name — barbara dolores ortega torres nickname(s) — barbie name meaning — foreign, exotic, strange age — forty-three date of birth — july 1st place of birth — miami, florida current location — grimrose, new hampshire gender — cis woman pronouns — she / her religion — catholic, non-practicing occupation — fictional romance author education level — masters degree in creative writing residence — renting out a room at the white whale inn family — christian torres, ex-husband & gabriella torres, daughter & parents and older siblings finances — pretty well off from her (ex)husbands business mixed with her own money from multiple publications spoken languages — english, spanish faceclaim / voiceclaim — jessica alba

background — tw: divorce

barbara ortega grew up with an amazingly supportive family. as the youngest of her siblings, she was always the baby of the family and treated especially as such by her parents. she’s still incredibly close with them, even her siblings.

barbie is a hopeless romantic, however. she fell in love with her first and only boyfriend in middle school and thats the only love she has ever known. the two got married right out of high school and stayed together just up until now. the minute their daughter, gabriella, walked out of the doors to head to her first year in college, barbie’s husband, christian, told her that he was leaving her.

thankfully, barbie is a pretty well known romance author to some. she’s not as successful as she hopes to be ( not knowing that all her books are the same vanilla love story rn ). since there isn’t anything tying her to miami anymore, she decides to head to the coast. take some time to herself while still under the pressures of writing chapters for her next novel. one she has been having writers block with. she cant seem to find the love in her own loveless life now.

shes only been in grimrose for a week after spending a few months mourning her one and only love. mourning the relationship and the fact that is was over in 5 seconds flat. now, she wants to try and move forward, even when everything seems to be pulling her back. she hopes grimrose will give her a boost of what she needs to finish this next book and go back to miami and see if she can work things out with christian ( until she realizes even she doesn’t want that ).

headcanons — tw: pregnancy, pregnancy difficulties

barbie secretly wishes she was able to give gabriella the same big family lifestyle that she had growing up, but barbie’s pregnancy was too difficult and dangerous for her to think about having more children. it broke her heart, but she knew to accept anything that life threw at her.

barbie can be a bit high strung. she likes order, following deadlines, and doing things without distress or mess. she blames this on living in such a chaotic household growing up, but she wouldn’t change a thing. she’s hoping this divorce and a lack of schedule will help her grow out of it a bit.

her most recent novel was a big flop. its messed with barbie’s head, especially when facing strict deadlines now for this new novel that she can’t seem to write. she’s thinking of doing something different maybe, however she needs inspiration — this is why she chose to leave miami for some time and visit someplace new. 

[uniathena7]

Operation & Project Management- The Ultimate Career Accelerator

In today’s business environment, effectively managing Operations and Projects is the key to success. Businesses need to ensure timely delivery of goods and services, maximize resources, and streamline operations in response to the growing complexity of global marketplaces. Gaining proficiency in these areas promotes creativity and competitiveness and increases productivity. Gaining advanced Operations and Project Management abilities is crucial for individuals who want to lead in this changing environment to stay ahead of the curve and experience sustained growth.

Professionals are valuable assets for organizations to see that all company affairs run effectively and that projects are accomplished satisfactorily, effectively, and efficiently. If you aspire to ascend the corporate ladder and secure a senior position, becoming an expert in Operations and Project Management is critical. (how it is critical for business)

Understanding Operations Management

Operations Management deals with managing the process of manufacturing goods and optimally delivering services. It involves controlling inputs like materials, people, and technology to deliver excellent output with the least expenses. There are several reasons why professionals should pursue Operational Management to enhance organizational procedures, efficiency, and growth. Since the business world is seeking competitiveness, Operations Management specialists without any doubt are in high demand.

The Significance of Project Management

Project Management is the science of leading the work and coordinating all the activities needed to achieve predetermined goals. It refers to the process of organizing resources, scheduling activities, and assessing and managing the probability of risks to make a project successful. As the projects are now more and more complicated and are delivered across the world, the demand for professionals who can effectively manage the projects is high. Project management skills are valued because they enable the personnel to not only coordinate projects and manage resources, but also to direct teams, budgets, and outcomes by the established goals.

The Integration of Operations and Projects

The relationship between Operations and Project Management is very clear since they are both essential in managing the resources of any organization. Whereas Operations Management is about how companies carry out their daily tasks, Project Management is concerned with undertaking discrete activities or undertakings that can be of a limited duration. Professionals who can manage both disciplines are placed in good standing to meet the demands required in the management of modern organizations. These specialist skills provide the pathway to exciting and highly paid occupations from the Operational Manager up to the Project Director level and beyond.

Conclusion

Do you also want to master these critical areas at your own pace, on your schedule, and from the comfort of your home?

UniAthena offers a 1–2 week Diploma in Project Management designed specifically for busy professionals like you. This free online course allows you to balance your work-life commitments while gaining the expertise you need to boost your career. Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, a career change, or simply want to enhance your skill set, this Diploma in Project Management provides the perfect opportunity.

Don’t let the lack of flexibility in traditional learning hold you back. Take control of your career trajectory today by enrolling in UniAthena’s Diploma in Operations Management online. Elevate your career, gain valuable skills, and unlock new opportunities. Join the free course now and start your journey towards a brighter, more successful future.