#example of SOW

[efficiencytracker]

Protecting Your Interests: The Importance Of A Well-Defined Statement Of Work

Nowadays, project management and contractual agreements, a well-defined Statement of Work (SOW) serves as a cornerstone for ensuring clarity, accountability, and successful project outcomes. Often overlooked or hastily drafted, the SOW outlines the scope, deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities associated with a project, providing a roadmap that guides both clients and service providers throughout the engagement.

At its core, the SOW serves as a contractual document that formalizes the understanding between parties, mitigates risks, and protects the interests of all stakeholders involved. By clearly defining project objectives, deliverables, and expectations upfront, the SOW helps prevent misunderstandings, scope creep, and disputes that can arise during the course of a project.

Moreover, a well-crafted SOW facilitates effective project management by establishing a baseline against which progress can be measured, milestones can be tracked, and performance can be evaluated. It serves as a reference point for monitoring project progress, identifying deviations from the original plan, and implementing corrective actions as needed. 

Additionally, the SOW provides a mechanism for managing change requests, ensuring that any modifications to the project scope are documented, approved, and properly accounted for.

What Is A Statement Of Work?

It is a formal document that outlines the scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities associated with a specific project or engagement. It serves as a foundational agreement between a client or customer and a service provider or contractor, providing a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished and how it will be achieved.

The SOW typically includes detailed information about the project's scope, including specific tasks, activities, and deliverables that are expected to be completed. It also defines the project's objectives, outlining the desired outcomes or results that the project aims to achieve. Additionally, the SOW specifies the timeline for completing the project, including key milestones and deadlines.

Statement Of Work Example

An example of a Statement of Work (SOW) might include details such as project objectives, scope of work, deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities. For instance, in a software development project, the SOW could specify that the objective is to create a new mobile application for a client within a certain industry. The scope of work might outline the features and functionalities to be included in the app, such as user authentication, data encryption, and payment processing. 

Deliverables could include design mockups, prototype iterations, and the final version of the mobile app. Timelines would establish deadlines for each phase of the project, from initial planning and design to development, testing, and deployment. Responsibilities would be assigned to the client, the development team, and any third-party vendors involved, outlining who is responsible for what tasks and deliverables throughout the project. You may also use the employee monitoring tool for smooth functioning.

How Are Statements Of Work Samples Effective For A Business?

Its samples can be highly effective for businesses in several ways. Firstly, they serve as valuable templates and reference points for creating new SOWs for similar projects. By studying existing SOW samples, businesses can gain insights into best practices, common industry standards, and essential components to include in their own documents. This helps ensure consistency and accuracy across projects, streamlining the process of drafting SOWs and reducing the risk of errors or omissions.

Secondly, SOW samples can provide inspiration and ideas for structuring and formatting the document effectively. Businesses can adapt and customize existing SOW templates to suit their specific needs and preferences, saving time and effort in the document creation process. 

Moreover, by leveraging proven formats and layouts from SOW samples, businesses can enhance the clarity and readability of their documents, making it easier for stakeholders to understand and follow the project scope and requirements. Also Watch: Leading Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity Tool

Last Thoughts!

Throughout this exploration of the importance of a robust SOW in protecting business interests, we've uncovered the pivotal role that this document plays in ensuring clarity, accountability, and successful project outcomes.

A well-crafted Statement of Work serves as a foundation for effective project management by establishing a clear understanding of project objectives, deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities. By delineating these key elements upfront, the SOW helps mitigate risks, prevent misunderstandings, and promote alignment between clients and service providers.

Moreover, the SOW serves as a contractual agreement that protects the interests of all stakeholders involved. By formalizing the understanding between parties and documenting the agreed-upon terms and conditions, the SOW provides a legal framework for resolving disputes, managing change requests, and ensuring compliance with contractual obligations.

[etes-voushumaine]

saw a post a while ago that seemed to believe that certain left-leaning individuals do not want to do work (were arguing with the quote "i do not dream of labor")

i think they have fundamentally misunderstood what 'labor' signifies when that quote is referenced. labor is performance for the machine (industry, government, the economy). when i say i do not dream of labor, i mean i hope that someday whatever work i do is not solely for the gears of our current society.

i dream of work that holds meaning for me and my community, not labor

[isaacathom]

i love playing with names so much. any story or setting where theres a deliberate use of names and differing terms of address and you can really read into a characters choices and it says so much is the Good Fucking Shit

[redkoi1]

just fucking kill yourself already. no one wants you alive. you’re useless and worthless and I promise you’ll die alone and cold, so might as well speed up the process. you’re wasting the air of people who actually deserve to live.

Sounds like you're speaking for a collective

You're also 100% purely wrong so get your spine piked and stick with that why don't you

Genesis 6:5 [KJV] "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

desperate faggot i play fanum tax and negate your ability-- i just negate your abilities. time to shove your ass into a locker-- i mean the shadow realm

It's funny how you think that's some kind o ultimatum for the ultimate utopia. Rebuked in the name of Christ

[lady-luckk]

you reap what you sow

# pairings: yandere sugar daddy harem x sugar baby reader

# synopsis: you’ve been dating eight guys all at the same time for they’re money. hopefully they never find out about each other

# warnings: this will contain dark themes such as obsession and possessiveness. if you are uncomfortable, please block me. viewer discretion is advised. minors DNI.

# notes: inspired by that one tiktok vid. Ifykyk. reblogs, comments, and likes are appreciated!

# parts: part 1 𖤓 part 2 𖤓 part 3

love is a transaction, and you’ve mastered the art of the deal. eight men, each convinced they’re the center of your world, each blind to the truth. they call you when they’re lonely, when they need an ego boost, when they want to feel wanted.

you play your part well—sweet, devoted, just naive enough to keep them comfortable. they see you as temporary, something to be enjoyed and discarded. but that’s fine. as long as the gifts keep coming, as long as the money flows, you’ll let them believe whatever they want. you don’t care as long as the money keeps coming. they’re all your darlings.

they think they’re using you—another pretty thing to entertain them until they get bored. but you don’t mind. boredom works in your favor. their wallets open easier when they don’t take you seriously.

you smile, you flatter, you play your role to perfection. eight men, eight lives, none the wiser. they think they hold all the power, that you should be grateful for whatever scraps of affection they toss your way.

but in the end, you’re the one collecting the rewards.

you’re a master at time management—you’ve been dating these guys simultaneously for a year. one year perfecting the balance, juggling their schedules, their tempers, their affections. none of them have discovered the others' existence. too dumb to suspect a thing. they all think they’re the one you love most. they often feel troubled and annoyed by your affection toward them, and they’ve repeatedly told you to know your place, not to harbor any unrealistic hope.

HA HA HA.

the only unrealistic hope you have is for their money.

you don’t need love—you need their money. their attention. their willingness to spoil you even as they look down on you.

and as long as they keep giving, you’ll keep playing along.

you often cycle through the messages on your phone, each conversation carefully tailored. each boyfriend is a puzzle piece slotted into your perfect game. some of them are cruel, sneering when they hand you gifts. others act indifferent, as if their presence alone is payment enough. you smile and nod and let them think they own you. none of them do.

you’ve rehearsed every lie. when one calls late at night, you’re just getting out of the bath. when another wants to meet, you’re swamped with work. if two of them go to the same café, you warn one about a sudden stomach ache. they eat out of your hand without realizing it.

but something has changed.

they used to forget little details about you, dismissing you as just another fling. now, they remember too much. one recalls your favorite coffee order, even though you never told him. another shows up at places you frequent, acting surprised to see you. one leaves a bouquet of your favorite flowers at your doorstep, carefully arranged with a handwritten note that simply reads, thinking of you. you never told him you liked those flowers. in fact, you don’t even remember mentioning them at all.

their texts, once careless and sparse, become suffocating. "thinking of you," one writes at midnight. "dreamed about you last night," another says. the words feel heavier than before. they ask more questions, ones that dig too deep. "what do you do when we're not together?" "who else do you spend time with?" their words are sweet, but there's an edge, a demand for something unspoken.

their texts, once careless and sparse, become suffocating.

for example,

elijah

elijah never used to care about your whereabouts. he would text you lazily, sometimes going days without responding. but now, he messages you constantly. "where are you?" "who are you with?" "send me a picture."

you laugh it off, telling him he’s being silly, but one night, you catch him outside your workplace. he’s leaning against his car, arms crossed, watching the entrance.

"thought i’d surprise you," he says. "you didn’t answer my texts."

he drives you home without asking, his fingers tapping anxiously against the steering wheel. "you wouldn’t lie to me, would you?" he asks suddenly. his voice is calm, but his grip on the gearshift tightens. "i don’t like being lied to."

you smile, reassure him, say all the right things. he finally relaxes, but his eyes stay sharp, watching you like he’s memorizing your every move.

lucas

lucas has never been the affectionate type, but lately, he’s been pulling you closer, holding onto you longer. his hands linger on your waist when you say goodbye, his fingers curling slightly, as if reluctant to let you go.

"you’re mine, you know that, right?" he whispers one evening, his breath hot against your ear.

"of course," you say, pressing a kiss to his cheek. but inside, something twists. his grip is a little too tight, his smile a little too forced.

the next morning, you wake up to dozens of missed calls from him. your phone buzzes again. "answer me." another message. "don’t ignore me."

you turn off your phone and tell yourself it’s nothing.

nathan

nathan always acted like he had other girls, like he didn’t need you. but now, he’s different. he clings to you in ways that feel desperate, his arrogance cracking.

"i don’t know what i’d do if i lost you," he admits one night, his fingers tracing circles on your wrist. "you wouldn’t leave me, right?"

his voice is soft, but there’s something hollow beneath it, something dark.

"never," you say, and he relaxes—but his grip never loosens.

kai

kai never used to show up unannounced. now, he does. first, at your work. then, at your gym. then, outside your apartment.

"i was just in the neighborhood," he says each time, flashing that easy smile.

but his eyes are always scanning, searching. as if he’s looking for something. or someone.

"i love you, you know," he murmurs one night, his fingers brushing over your cheek. "you wouldn’t betray me. not you."

you laugh, tell him he’s being dramatic.

but when you get home, your apartment door is unlocked.

matthew

matthew was always indifferent, treating you like an afterthought. but not anymore. now, he watches you closely, studying your every move, his head tilted like he’s trying to solve a puzzle.

"you’ve changed," he says one day, his tone unreadable. "you’re hiding something."

you laugh, brush him off. but his gaze lingers, calculating.

"i’ll figure it out," he says finally, and something about the way he says it makes your stomach twist.

leo

leo used to be fun, lighthearted. but now, there’s an edge to him. a quiet intensity that makes you nervous.

"i had a dream about you last night," he tells you one evening. "you were leaving me. i didn’t like it."

you smile, joke that he’s being paranoid. but he just stares at you, unblinking.

"don’t ever do that to me," he says. "not even in a dream."

his fingers tighten around yours. you don’t pull away.

xavier

xavier never asked for more than you were willing to give. but now, he wants everything.

"move in with me," he says suddenly.

it’s not a request.

when you hesitate, his expression darkens. "why not?" he asks. "you love me, don’t you?"

you nod quickly, knowing it’s what he wants to hear. his smile returns, but his eyes remain cold.

"good," he murmurs. "because i won’t let you go."

damien

one night, damien insists on driving you home. he's never offered before. usually, he barely walks you to the door, too preoccupied with himself to care. but tonight, his grip on your wrist lingers a second too long when you try to leave the restaurant. "let me take you home," he says. his voice is smooth, but there's something off in his eyes, something unreadable.

you try to decline, but he doesn’t budge. "humor me," he says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

in the car, he doesn't speak. the drive is quiet, too quiet. when you glance at him, his knuckles are tight around the steering wheel. your apartment building comes into view, but instead of stopping out front like he always does, he pulls into the empty lot and turns off the engine.

"damien—" you start, but he cuts you off. "stay a little longer," he says. his voice is soft, almost pleading. "i just... don’t like saying goodbye so soon."

you smile, playing along, though something about the way he's looking at you makes your skin prickle. "next time, okay?"

for a moment, he doesn’t move. then, he exhales sharply and unlocks the doors. "yeah. next time."

as you step out, you feel his eyes on your back the entire way inside.

lately, you feel eyes on you when no one should be there. the messages come faster, their tones more insistent. “where were you last night?” one asks. “you’re mine, aren’t you?” another demands. you brush them off, just as you always do, but the uneasy feeling lingers. they’re getting restless. possessive.

one night, as you return home, you notice something strange—your apartment door is unlocked. your stomach twists. you always double-check. always.

inside, everything is untouched. but the air feels different, charged. you close the door and step forward cautiously. the silence is suffocating.

you shake the feeling off. no one knows. no one has found out.

not yet.

[silvermoon424]

It just occurred to me that, in every timeline, Madoka always believes Homura. Even when no one else does, even when what Homura is saying doesn't seem to make sense.

The two biggest examples I can think of happen in the main series. In one of the timelines in episode 10, we see Sayaka brushing off Homura's warnings about Kyubey and the true nature of Witches. She even accuses Homura of trying to sow discord in the group because she's in cahoots with Kyoko.

But later on in that same timeline, Madoka uses her last remaining Grief Seed on Homura because she is aware that Homura is a time traveler. We don't know when that happened because it's not shown, but it's very possible she learned Homura's backstory in that same conversation with Sayaka. And unlike Sayaka, she wholeheartedly believes Homura's story, to the point of using her one and only lifeline on Homura and explicitly asking her to prevent this tragedy from happening.

Also, in the main series timeline, Homura tearfully reveals her past to Madoka in episode 11. She offers no concrete proof and acknowledges that what she's saying is crazy, but all she asks is that Madoka allow Homura to protect her. In the next episode, before finally making her wish, Madoka acknowledges that Homura has always been watching over and protecting her. Madoka sincerely thanks Homura, promising that she won't allow Homura's hard work to go to waste. And again, this is before she becomes a goddess and remembers all the other timelines. All she has is Homura's word, and she believes it.

Multiple times throughout the series, Homura expresses her frustration and despondence over the fact that nobody believes her or heeds her warnings. But someone does. It's just that that "someone" happens to be the person she's trying to keep away from everything.

[mask131]

Another reminder that Greek mythology is always somehow symbolic, metaphorical, allegorical, since we are dealing with anthropomorphic personifications and other embodiments of cosmic powers.

For example: Demeter has sex with both Zeus and Poseidon. Something-something about the relationship of the Earth with the Sky and the Sea (or the celestial and chthonian powers). ESPECIALLY since these relationships are said to happen at the beginning of the world, in the primordial times during which the world settled itself for what it is now.

Herakles' wedding with Hebe, the personification of youth, checks in with when he becomes an immortal god (aka, an eternally young entity). What better way to symbolize a hero escaping the clutches of death than by him becoming the husband of the spirit of eternal youth?

Why is Hestia never leaving Olympus? Something-something about her being the literal personification of the hearth, which is at the center of the house/community and does not move.

Why is Ares getting his ass kicked by Athena? Because Athena is civilization, and Ares savagery, and in the Ancient Greek mindset intelligence, wisdom and craft will always be above brutality, bloodlust and random cruelty.

Do I need to spell it out that the myth of Persephone-Hades-Demeter is about the cycle of the seasons, and how the earth renews itself and brings back life after a time of death?

And I wonder why Ares' companions during his mass-slaughters are called Phobos, Deimos and Eris - Fear, Panic and Discord... Why would the goddess that breaks harmony and sows feuds and chaos be depicted as the close sister of the god of the ravages of war and of the brutality of conflicts, what a strange mystery!

And I can go on, and on, and on. Remember, the Greek gods aren't just super-heroes or wizards (that's more in line with more "humanized" mythologies, like the Irish or Nordic ones). They are embodiments of concepts and ideas, personifications of natural forces and cosmic powers, they are living allegories and fleshed metaphors. Zeus wields the lightning because he IS the lightning and thunder. Dionysos is both the bringer of joy and madness because he IS alcohol. Hades is both the name of the god of the dead, and of the realm of the dead. Hestia's name is literaly "hearth" in Greek, Hebe "youth", Nyx "night", Gaia "earth", Eros "desire". You can write "Eris met Helios at Okeanos' palace" or you can write "Strife encountered the Sun at the palace of Ocean" and that is the EXACT SAME THING!

[Mind you to limit the gods to being JUST allegories is also a mistake not to make. Greek deities are much more than just X concept or X idea... But one part of the myths will always be, down the line, some weather metaphor or some natural cycle motif]

[gaylactic-fire]

An unnecessarily long analysis on why Toby Fox chose to heavily reference The Legend of Zelda in Deltarune Chapter 3 (I believe it has narrative implications)

[Warning for spoilers of chapter 3, chapter 4 and TLoZ Link's Awakening]

Deltarune Chapter 3 takes place in a TV show Dark World, hosted by Kris' personified TV Mr Ant Tenna (❤️). The "rounds" of this TV game show are the Fun Gang harkening back to Kris' youth and being characters inside an old video game. This game, of course, looking very familiar

On a surface level, you could say this is all about attachment (this chapter's very prominent theme). Ralsei wants Kris and Susie not to become attached to darkners, whereas Tenna desperately wants to rekindle Kris' attachment to him from their youth; using a likeness of a video game they and Asriel played as a means of manipulation.

I think this is an entirely sufficient explanation. But as a Legend Of Zelda fan, I can't help but believe there are deeper meanings to this inclusion. Meanings that non-Zelda fans might not necessarily pick up on. I want to discuss some of my thoughts below:

1: The Legend of Deltarune

Immediately from ch1, we get the backstory of Deltarune, akin to the "Once Upon A Time" segment from Undertale. In Undertale, it's as simple as showing what happened directly before Frisk fell into the underground. Whereas in Deltarune it's a far more whimsical affair; detailing a prophecy about a human, monster and prince from the Dark World on an epic quest that hasn't happened yet.

"This is the legend of DELTA RUNE".

I had always thought this introduction was very akin to Zelda, both in tone, context and the obvious use of "the legend" emphasis in the text. Even the titular Delta Rune symbol is not unlike Zelda's hylian crest. Zelda's consisting of the Triforce and the legendary crimson loftwing. Deltarune keeps the triangle iconography but replaces the loftwing with "the angel"

While these examples are all related to ch1 and Deltarune in general, I believe that ch3's Zelda segments are proof that these are not just coincidences. Toby Fox is taking clear inspiration from TLoZ in Deltarune, and we should be aware of what that means for the lore and narrative.

2: The rigid prophecy

A huge part of Deltarune ch4 showcases "the prophecy" and what it entails. We can see throughout the Dark World that snippets of the prophecy are wholly accurate, depicting details from previous chapters like Lancer's vocabulary and Queen's car ride. Ralsei clearly believes the prophecy to be set in stone - incapable of changing - and something about that is deeply upsetting him.

It's this plot point of ch4 that makes the previous chapter's Zelda influence even more interesting to me. The vast majority of the Zelda games are no strangers to prophecies and fates that are immutable. Ganon always returns. Link's spirit is always reincarnated. Hyrule is always doomed to fall again and again. Even before the timelines and reincarnation cycle were established, older Zelda games would usually take a rather cut-and-dry "the hero is destined to defeat the bad guy" approach. You can see glimpses of this kind of setup in Deltarune's game show.

I believe ch3's Zelda references are there to further reinforce ch4's prophecy plot point. With so much of Zelda's narratives being intertwined with fate, it further sows the seeds of doubt that Deltarune's prophecy can be altered. Has the story already been decided? Do our choices really not matter? It's an incredibly fascinating dichotomy, considering both Susie and Ralsei (possibly to an extent) are seen rejecting the prophecy at the end of ch4. It might even suggest something about Kris, although I'm not really certain what.

3: The Link's Awakening connections

Ch3's game show has various references to Zelda games from the "classic" era, including Zelda 1 and 2 and A Link To The Past. But the game that stood out to me as the most heavily referenced was Link's Awakening. Some of the references included:

The art style of the boards having a very "chunky" pixel style that is most reminiscent of Link's Awakening DX compared to any other LoZ game.

The boards taking place in a desert and on an island, as opposed to the usual fields and forests of stereotypical Zelda. LA famously takes place on a tropical island.

When using Lancer's dig ability, the OST for this interaction is called "Dig! Dig! To the centre of the Earth!" This being a direct quote from LA's Marin.

The game has its own version of Facade; a boss from LA who resembles a giant eyes and mouth.

When Susie picks up a key in the shop Tenna is quick to say "thief!" This is a reference to the ability in LA to steal from the store in Mabe Village, at the cost of you being labelled as a thief.

At first it may just seem like a cute tribute to a more obscure Zelda game, but when you look at the plot of Link's Awakening I think it starts to become really fascinating.

LA, for those who are unaware, is a game where Link washes up on the shores of Koholint Island after being shipwrecked. He tasked with waking "The Windfish", who slumbers in an egg atop the highest mountain. As the game continues, there is a sense something is not quite right with Koholint. The bosses you fight keep alluding to the island as if it is in danger by you being here. Then you get the bombshell: you are stuck inside The Windfish's dream. Koholint is merely an illusion created by the dream. The monsters infesting the dream are essentially parasites, but they are also keeping Koholint itself alive by facing off against you. In the end, Link defeats the nightmare boss and The Windfish wakes, but the island and all its inhabitants, your friends, are erased.

I needn't really have to explain how eerily similar some parts of this are to Deltarune's Dark Worlds. But I want to highlight how, at the start of ch3, Ralsei makes a specific point about how Dark Worlds are "illusions" specifically. For me that's the smoking gun. I think it's very much intentional that Toby drew connections to LA in Deltarune.

I'd also like to point out the character of Marin in relation to Ralsei. Marin is the girl who finds you at the start of LA. Although subtle, one can argue it is implied Marin knows she's inside a dream. She takes a specific fascination to Link and to what life might be like beyond the island; something that other characters on Koholint don't really seem to care about. She also has moments that are a little shocking and "out of character" ("dig to the centre of the earth" being one of them) as if she realises her actions are ultimately going to be without consequence.

Ralsei, canonically now, knows way more than every other character in Deltarune. He knows the entire prophecy, and he knows something tragic is going to happen in the end. He is painfully self-aware of being a darkner, and how he isn't "really real" like the lightners are. Whether intentional or not, I can see a direct parallel to Marin. Even at the start of LA, Link mistakes Marin for Zelda in his delirium, and it's implied that Marin exists as Link's "dream girl" counterpart to Zelda.

Who does Ralsei have a striking resemblance to?

If the connections are indeed purposeful, that poses potential implications for Ralsei's story. The secret ending in LA sees Marin get spared by The Windfish, allowed to exist beyond the dream as a seagull (it's a long story). Really makes me wonder if Ralsei isn't doomed to be a darkner all along...

4: Why not another game?

So why does ch3 so heavily rely on Zelda as inspiration, anyway?

All of the rounds of Tenna's TV Time use this Zelda-like game as their setting, and I remember being surprised by the fact. I was expecting a "Super Smashing Fighters" stage at least!

I wouldn't say ch3 has a traditional Dark World like chapters 1,2, and 4. One could argue that Toby used the TV boards as a means to include more of the exploration elements seen in previous Deltarunes and Undertale. But these boards could have used a slew of other old adventure games as inspiration, yet they consistently stay Zelda-like.

To me this is just the final reinforcement that Zelda is an important connection here, as to the reasons I stated previously.

And that's pretty much my whole thoughts on the matter. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. I am deeply unwell about both of these franchises, in case it wasn't obvious ❤️

[semperreformanda]

when Christ said not to be anxious because God provides for our needs, He didn't use the example of ants. they work hard and strive to save resources for the coming days. no, He used sparrows as an example. they do not sow nor reap, nor gather into barns. in short, they don't worry about what they're going to eat or if their needs are going to be met. they already know their Creator will feed them--yes, they're fed, even in the stormiest weather. and so Christ says, you are more valuable than birds. you are made in His image, you have been redeemed by His blood, and you have been adopted into His kingdom. why then do you worry? He says, seek first the kingdom of God, and these things will be added to you.

pursue Christ, love the brethren (including your family), be faithful to the daily tasks He has given to you. don't worry about the necessities, because He will provide them. not He might provide them, He will provide them for you. He has promised it. therefore, do not be anxious.

[revelboo]

If we are sharing pets I hope you don’t mind I share my 5 year old senior Guinea pig Cinder she was born a (theorized) runt with narrow nasal passages and a weakened immune system (the reason the vet begrudgingly said she should probably be a single pig that and Cinder hates other Guinea pigs which is odd for a sow but she was also underweight when we got her and that could be a factor) so she’s had chronic respiratory issues since we got her. The picture of her with the white towel is her at 2-3 months. But she is still trucking along just fine. She has survived URI’s, the flu, and a bought of pneumonia.

Honestly I���m about the same with having health issues on my end 😂 imagining now the bot that gets stuck with me. Or a just person with random crap to deal with stuff like for example like diabetes, Crohns, lupus, or thyroid etc issues just like the random needs extra care 🤣

I feel that. Started getting arthritis in my spine and hands in my 20s 🤣 Rev’s not a healthy human-type creature

Care

TFP Ratchet

• “I let you out of sight for a week,” he growls, sounding like he wants to break something and you’d laugh if you weren’t so miserable. But you’re pretty sure just telling him your doctor had said something might be off with your immune system years ago and that you’d not only failed to go to the follow-up appointments, but had pretty much ghosted that doctor since, isn’t going to make him happy.

• It’s driving him crazy not being able to help. He’d started reluctantly digging into human medicine databases after the kids had started hanging around and had doubled down on it after he found you. Wanting to know everything about you just so he could take care of you. And he can’t. Can’t do anything.

• “It’s just the flu,” you say, huddling deeper into your blanket with a cough. “I was around a lot of people and one of them was sick. It’s not a big deal.” Even if he’s acting like you’re actively dying. He’d somehow bullied Fowler into making a drug store run for you and you’ve got more cough medicine, DayQuil, and Kleenex than you could ever use. You appreciate the effort, though.

• How can he believe that when you immediately start sneezing and coughing, eyes streaming before you draw your knees up and rest your head on them. That looks like a big deal, you look miserable. “I’m scanning you again,” he says and you swat at him, but he runs the device over you anyway. And scowls at the readout. “Your temperature is up another degree.”

• Blowing out a breath, you wish he’d have just left you at your house. That way you could be miserable in peace without him hovering and fussing. It’s not like you don’t feel loved with him being overbearingly worried, but you just want to sleep it off. In quiet. And that’s not happening. “Ratch,” you groan when he mass shifts and fluffs your pillow, fussing with your blankets as his jaw works. He hates this, you realize. That you’re sick and he can’t do anything about it.

• Venting in frustration, he freezes when you lay a hand on his arm. “I love you. You’re doing amazing, but please for the love of all that’s holy, let me sleep and I’ll do that thing you like when I’m better, okay?” You ask, sounding exhausted and it startles a laugh out of him. Venting, he leans his helm against your head.

[sthilarions]

So, the Dead Boy Detectives version of Hell is pretty explicitly based in Dante’s Inferno. In Dante’s Hell, the outer circle is Limbo, then next is Lust, then next is Gluttony… sound familiar? The methods of torture used aren’t the same as in Dante’s version (for instance, Lust’s torture is supposed to be a violent storm, symbolizing the howling darkness of helpless discomfort that is sex, or… some such nonsense) but the sins that get you categorized in Hell do seem to be the same (as is the Circles’ arrangement).

So please imagine for me, then, Edwin, fresh out of Hell, desperate to not go back, coming up with schemes to bolster his argument for Heaven-bound status, even forming his entire profession and afterlife’s work partly around that. And think of how Edwin is familiar with the layout of Hell, has mapped it, has been through it all and knows all the sins and their punishments.

I rather suspect that that Edwin would have a mental list of Sins in the back of his mind, and run his every action and word past it before doing or saying anything.

But the thing is, you see, Dante’s Inferno is… comprehensive. And overlapping and somewhat contradictory. You can barely act at all without running afoul of one of the Sins or other, desperately trying to thread a needle of temperance.

The Circle of Greed, for example, punishes both the avaricious and miserly, and the “prodigal” who squander their wealth. The Circle of Wrath punishes not only the actively wrathful but also the sullen, the passively wrathful, so suppressing your anger doesn’t cut it, either. (And that’s separate from the Violence area - the people in Wrath aren’t even violent, they’re being punished for just feeling anger.)

So Edwin would be all but paralyzed, at first, shying away from one Sin only to bounce back towards another.

I think within a few years the realities of living (after-living) combined with Charles’s modern sensibilities and some hefty self-reflection, and a certain amount of belief that Hell isn’t going to snatch him up at any moment, would lead Edwin to easing up. But still, I think, there would be a few things that just stick. Sins with particularly horrible punishments, or areas he spent a lot of time in or adjacent to, or just.. things that, for whatever reason, form a block in his mind.

(We know he seems to have trouble with Lust - they try to drag him down as though he is guilty.)

Perhaps, every time he tells Charles what a great detective he is, there’s a part of Edwin’s mind reminding him that Flatterers are submerged forever in a river of human excrement.

Perhaps, though he uses plenty of magic that might be called “dark”, his absolute line is divination; he won’t use any magic to see the future, thanks to the Eighth Circle’s Fourth Bolgia, which punishes those who pervert God’s laws to view the parts of God’s plan which have not yet been revealed. (It includes astrologers; Monty is forbidden fruit, a scandalous dip into sin, in more ways than one.)

Perhaps he is hesitant to sow discord between kinsmen, to cause family disunion, because the punishment is to be dismembered, hacked to pieces, pulled apart like you have pulled apart a family. (Perhaps if Charles had been abused by someone other than his father, Edwin might have responded more readily.)

[wordsinhaled]

The things Charles touches in Hell

Everyone run and look at @qwanderer's amazing gifset of the things Charles touches in hell that inspired this meta!!!!

TL;DR Charles' journey to get Edwin is not just retracing Edwin's steps following the maps in the notebook but also on some level specifically reflects the doubts Charles holds about his own capacity to be a good person (and, extrapolating from Edwin's confession, a worthy romantic partner for Edwin in the future). Everything Charles touches in Hell (the mirror in Limbo, the bell, the lock, the claw machine + Maxine grabbing him on the stairs) is designed to sow doubt in Charles - incidentally, much like Orpheus experiences doubt on the journey out of Hell with Eurydice.

-

The mirror

The mirror shows Charles his reflection, which he hasn't been able to see since he died. Jayden said in a Cameo that when he acted in this moment he was embodying Charles giving himself a pep talk about saving Edwin - so he's thinking about whether he is different enough from his father to be able to pull off this rescue, whether he's capable of it.

The mirror also reminds him that, being corporeal in Hell, he doesn't have the capacity to mirror-hop to Edwin, which would have been the easiest way to get to him. It's a tool he'd have had as an incorporeal ghost, a tool that he lacks in Hell. The mirror highlights Charles's need to be Useful to his loved ones and the doubt that if he isn't capable of being useful (especially in rescuing/protecting them), he isn't loveable. Later he says to Edwin "Well, I'm here now," and is able to use the tools in the bag of tricks to distract the doll spider and get Edwin to safety.

And though I don't think Charles is as consciously aware of this bit, the mirror's also a bit of a metaphor for Charles' people-pleasing and how Charles effaces himself in favor of his loved ones. Charles isn't able to be seen in reflections normally, as a ghost, just as he puts the comfort and mood of others above showing his authentic feelings/frustrations, so he isn't "seen" in those relationships. In the mirror in Hell, he can see himself, for the first time in over three decades, and it echoes a fear/doubt that if he shows up fully present in a relationship, romantic or otherwise, he will take up too much space for himself, or people won't like what the see when he is visible.

The bell

The bell speaks to Charles's doubts about impulsivity and its unintended negative consequences. Charles' on-the-spot impulsive decisions are a theme throughout the show - he identifies himself as "the one who does shit like this" in the pilot when possessing Esther. And he compensates for or offsets these things really successfully with resourceful thinking (see: the enchanted jar to replace the sprites' smashed vessel, etc.), and his quick thinking is a huge strength. But the bell here is an example to Charles of a time his impulsivity hurt others, even without him realizing.

Charles and Edwin have an exchange about it: "What about the bell?" "No - it hurts them." Charles experiences direct proof that his impulsive action caused harm to others that he can't fix or soothe, and this moment leads directly into Charles slowing down to take time to process/figure out his feelings for Edwin during the staircase confession rather than impulsively saying he was in love back right away. The bell reflects his fear of how his impulsivity could be a hurdle or liability in his relationships. The bell can also represent the fear that even something that typically makes Charles an asset to Edwin, a strength or a positive, can become something harmful if Charles isn't careful. It's the doubt that Charles' quick thinking, which complements Edwin's more regimented nature and desire to always "have a proper plan in place," could have an unintended harmful shadow side if Charles allows it to, so that he can't trust himself.

Also, the ringing of the bell that is meant to summon someone, much like the mirror, also speaks to Charles' desires to take up space and be perceived by others, and ties back to his doubt that he might take up too much space in a dynamic with someone else. Charles has missed being visible and living, wished to be "seen by someone his own age who's alive." The 'attention' piece might reflect Charles' occasional showiness - which became comfortable over years with Edwin, but which while alive he probably used to associate with negative consequences for himself for taking up 'too much space' or otherwise putting himself in a position where his dad or his peers would 'cut him down to size,' so to speak.

The ringing of the bell at a counter is, in theory, used to seek attention or service from someone, which would also mean Charles knowing what he wants in order to ask for it - and, in a relationship, being able to articulate his desires and needs. It would mean Charles subverting his usual way of being where he makes sure others have everything they need, to prioritize his own wants and needs. It represents his doubt of his ability to be vulnerable in a relationship.

The lock

Irene's phrasing "manipulate for access" about the lock got me thinking about the idea of Charles being able to pick any lock, having confidence in his ability to do so, and even others having confidence in his skill at it ("Big lock" "I'm sure you can open it"). It parallels Charles being good with people, being the one who "everyone likes […] eventually" because he's a "good sort of chap" - but also makes me think it reflects a fear that others will be taken in by the façade of affability he takes care to put on for others' comfort, and make themselves vulnerable to him only for him to hurt them. The classic sort of not-wanting-to-continue-the-cycle-of-abuse type fears.

The bell also highlights Charles's differences from David (who Crystal says "must have lied to [her]" to get her to "let him in" to possess her, as Edwin put it in that same scene). Charles doesn't actually manipulate people for access to their bodies, but it calls back to the doubts he experiences in 'The Case of the Two Dead Dragons' about being compared to Crystal's ex/Brad and Hunter in how they exploited women. The lock also speaks to the doubt that once he has actually gotten someone to like him, or if he were to enter into a relationship with Edwin, they're only there because they've been 'taken in.' Charles knows how to be a "cute distraction" to others or a temporary fling, he doesn't think people should be let in to see the dark emotions at the depths of him that he suppresses. The lock is a bit tied into the claw machine, I think.

The claw machine

The claw machine is associated with grabbing prizes and reflects Charles' self-doubt in general and the ways he seeks praise. It speaks to his issues with feeling fundamentally deserving of love and the fear/doubt that he doesn't actually deserve the "prizes" he gets (being praised by others, or receiving Edwin's love without any expectations or conditions).

It's also a game, and in those types of claw games there's usually a lot of maneuvering the claw, trying over and over and failing to grab the prize, "falling short" if you will, even despite having skill at the game; the prize might slip free and be lost, etc. - much like how Charles always felt he was falling short of his dad and never reaching making him happy/proud ("no matter how nice I was, or how good at sports I was"). When it comes to Charles + games: Cricket was a game Charles excelled at and yet never quite made the mark of his father's approval no matter how many trophies he got, etc.

The claw machine can also be a metaphor for the cycle of abuse. It speaks to the idea that Charles was caught up in a sort of 'rigged game' - an endless cycle of abuse in which his abusers held physical, emotional, social, or systemic power over him and he would inevitably end up 'losing' the game with its uncertain rules and would be hurt (by his dad/his peers or by society). While alive he was playing the assimilation/likeability game with his friends for the prize of feeling belonging, only for them to turn out to be the ones to kill him.

(Notably, the way out that Edwin ended up taking was a hole smashed in the wall behind the claw machine, bypassing the game entirely - and Charles retraces the path Edwin took. This shows how Charles doesn't need to actually keep trying and failing to reach an unattainable/shifting goalpost in order to be loved unconditionally or be deserving of love. It also foreshadows he can take a different path that would break the cycle of abuse, that indeed he is already breaking it.)

+ Maxine

Bonus, since this one touched him and not vice versa - Maxine grabbing Charles on the stairs and knocking him off-balance. In life Maxine was a stalker, an abusive person who was invasive towards and controlling towards her romantic interest. Ultimately she became physically violent and tried to kill Jenny. This has been spoken on in other metas, but much like the Devlin House reflected his fears of becoming like his dad, Charles encountering Maxine on the stairs reflects Charles' basic fears of continuing the cycle of abuse in a romantic relationship and emotionally or physically hurting his partner by being overbearing/controlling/violent. Maxine being present on the staircase during the confession also underscores this doubt in Charles.

[saeun]

ꪆ୧ ── REAP WHAT YOU SOW ┊ LOVE TO LOSE ﹑ JJK. ⤿ starring: gojo satoru x fem!reader.

꒰ heart to none ﹢ if only he knew karma would come back to bite his ass a few years later. now he misses his ex while she's moved on.

𖧷 · love, ‘su: nothing much!! just moments of him suffering

co-parenting with satoru truly isn't all butterflies. as reserved and respectful as he is (to a selected few), satoru never hesitated to taunt you whenever you mentioned going on dates.

“a date? hmm, good luck with that.”

“if it happens to kick off, good for you, but i don't want him near my child.”

“how exciting! i hope it fails.”

those are just some examples of his behaviour. he's vocal about disliking you and the idea of sharing you. had he known beforehand he'd become slightly possessive, he would've avoided you and relationships altogether.

loving someone his mind hates but his heart longs for isn't an experience he'd wish upon his worst enemy — it's too much. the wretched feeling in his chest deepens whenever he's with the kid; scenarios of you being beside him at that very moment flashes before his eyes, but his pride's too high to crash whatever you're doing.

that doesn't stop him from texting, however. he never had an issue with double—triple texting you. if he had something to say (which is never anything important), he'll say it.

satoru: hey.

satoru: did you forget you have a family at home?

satoru: my child's asleep btw, we had fun all day.

you: my* child. not yours.

satoru: so what am i, an elf on babysitting duties?

you: sure if that's what you want. now stop texting my phone.

satoru: what if i'm dying?

you: i'd pop some champagne. throw something on the grill. light up a cigarette, even.

satoru: you don't even like cigarettes.

you: exactly. now bye i'll be there for six.

yeah, there's no doubt that you'll never entertain him again. he, too, wouldn't entertain himself if he was in your position. sure, he was an ass in the relationship but— you're both older and wiser. maybe you can put the differences aside and come together? a flat no is what you'd answer.

satoru doesn't even hear from you often; most of your activity reports come from your child who excitedly tells their father the details, wishing he was there.

“you guys had fun. i wish i was there too, bub.”

a sentimental tone settled in his voice. he's suffering the consequences of his actions, and he desperately needs you to help him through it.

just like old times: you'd be there for him, going along with whatever he needed to calm down. whether it's wanting to be in you or on you— as long as your arms were wrapped around him.

but it's all a memory now. a bitter one.

do you show your vulnerable side to the guys you date, too? do you hold them the way you held him? do they even know what you like? do they know you the way he knows you?

jealousy, regret, longing— everything mixes in his mind. his stomach aches. it feels as though his insides are hollow.

he adores your child. they look mostly like him, but the personality stems from you. the attitude, tantrums, even the way they hold things — it's all you. he guesses the kid's observed you and eventually picked up your habits. satoru relates; after all, he still has some of your habits he picked up.

as the clock ticks on, his fingers hover over the keyboard on his phone. somehow, he found himself in your pinned chat— debating whether he should text or not. he's been typing and deleting for the past ten minutes. unless you're not on the app, there's no way you didn't notice the ‘typing...’ under his contact name.

satoru: i've been thinking.

(message deleted)

satoru: fuck your date let's get back together.

(message deleted)

satoru: or whatever you're doing right now. let me apologize — it's been years. our baby's four now.

(message deleted)

satoru: hey.

you: what's with these deleted messages?

you: are you okay?

he wonders. is he okay? would you come over if he said no? are you going to be mad if he re-sent what the deleted messages said?

satoru: uhhh yeah. everything's fine.

satoru: i'm bored that's why.

satoru: you should totally come over.

you: no.

you: talk to you later.

satoru: please? i'm serious.

you: fine.

satoru: might as well spend the night.

(message deleted)

satoru: thanks.

(message delivered)

“well fuck...” he sighs, raking his fingers through his hair. he doesn't have anything to say nor do with you. actually, he does — he has quite a few, but he wouldn't push your buttons. he'd love to, but the chances of him receiving a slap is high.

[stardustedknuckles]

Asmodeus is tripping me out to think about because it didn't really hit me at first, the implications of Milo. I was like haha yeah of course he'd show up as a priest of his brother to piss him off. He takes whatever form will get the most under someone's skin - Zerxus, for example, resembling his dead husband.

But he didn't just APPEAR that way. He lived an entire life - a long life! - as a priest, maybe even masquerading as a cleric. It would be even wilder if he IS a cleric. Some human little boy was born four decades into the calamity and was either drawn to the dawnfather without knowing why, or had nothing to do with the gods until his memories began to awaken and went "oh I have the BEST opportunity right now." Did he have parents? Did he just up and move to a temple at some point, or did he know from an early age and shape his entire mortal life around screwing up his brother's favorite toys, the ones at the heart of their great family feud - maybe even starting with those parents. I need more.

I still need to know exactly what he meant when he said sowing the light of the dawnfather was his greatest joy. Like. I need it.

[recoveringsoulsposts]

Women are the superior sex.

We create and nurture human life, serving as the backbone of society. Women uphold humanity and build communities. Despite centuries of degradation, oppression, and systemic barriers, we continue to surpass men. In education, women now outperform men academically. Many of the so-called “great” inventions credited to men were, in reality, stolen from women, only for women’s names to be erased from history.

Biologically, women are more valuable. We live longer, possess stronger immune systems, have higher stress resilience, and are genetically more stable due to our two X chromosomes, which provide genetic protection. Women are essential for the continuation of the human species. Societies with a high female population are more peaceful, stable, and harmonious. Even Mother Nature favors women—during times of extreme stress and famine, female fetuses are more likely to survive. A woman’s body will naturally abort a male fetus, as the XY chromosome is expendable and worthless. Men die earlier, have weaker immune systems, are more likely to be born with birth defects, and are more prone to genetic disorders. I truly believe Males shouldn’t even exist in the large numbers they do currently.

Male value has always been artificial and manufactured. Men by default are more of a burden to the world than anything. Men commit most violent crimes and engage in anti-social behaviors. Prisons are male-dominated, creating a financial burden on governments. A surplus male population leads to increases in human trafficking and social unrest. The effects of China’s one-child policy serve as an example—after the mass murder of female infants and the artificial skewing of the gender ratio in favor of males, China now faces a 30-million-surplus male population. In almost all species, having a high male population is unnatural. As a result, China is experiencing increased human trafficking, rising crime rates, an aging population, and social instability. Males shouldn’t even exist in such large numbers. At birth, males are expendable and worthless by default. A surplus male population is more detrimental to society than anything else. The more you overvalue Men’s natural worth and undervalue Women’s natural worth, patriarchal societies will continue to reap what they sow, and find themselves in this situation. In an artificial, man-made society, system may favour men however nature, biology and the truth will always be on the side of women.

If males were truly superior, as they claim, they wouldn’t need to constantly remind us of their supposed superiority or use outdated systems of power to justify it and claim that ‘men built the world’ when women were deliberately excluded from participating in society and denied access to resources, making us artificially dependent and forcing us to rely on men for survival and to deal with males in the capacities Women have been forced to deal with them. Yet, despite all the rape, torture, humiliation, and abuse women have been subjected to at the hands of men, along with the oppression and discrimination, women have closed the gap within just a few decades and are now outperforming men. As soon as women regain even a small fraction of our rights, we excel, outperform, and thrive

Men’s survival depends on women, not the other way around. There is no metric in which single men outperform single women. Men need women far more than we need them. Men are confirmed parasites, and women are the hosts. Men suck the life out of women, benefiting from relationships and close proximity to Women. Everything they say against women is merely a projection of their own deficiencies, lack of value, and worthlessness. Remember Women brought these men into the world, and women can just as easily choose to stop bringing these men into the world.

[distort-opia]

@psalmsofpsychosis I didn't want to make that post longer by reblogging it, but... well, I feel that it's something that started with The Killing Joke and then never truly stopped? And perhaps the core of it can be summarized by something Bruce said then:

"You needn't be alone." (Small paranthesis: I like Kevin Conroy's rendition of this line in the animated movie a lot more... He says "You don't need to be alone. We don't have to kill each other." He emphasizes "need" and his voice slightly breaks on it in a way that makes me want to drink cement, frankly.)

At the end of the day, Batman can make Joker vulnerable because he's the only one Joker can relate to, and thus the only equal Joker has. Batman is the only other human being Joker sees as a person. But the very act of caring about someone betrays in him a need for connection, for meaning-- no matter how stunted or emaciated and starved. This is where the "getting dragged kicking and screaming" part comes in. Joker has chosen to be inhuman, he's intentionally made himself into a monster. If Bruce coped with his trauma by becoming Batman, the man who fell into the acid vat chose to cope with his by becoming Joker. Both chose to become something more than human, but in opposite directions. One preserves life at all costs while the other snuffs it out. One intentionally suffuses the world with meaning and attempts to control every aspect of it he can, while the other sees no point in anything at all and aims to sow as much as chaos as possible. But also, one intentionally surrounds himself with people and forges connections that keep him human, while the other shuns any kind of genuine emotional attachment or relationship.

Except one. Joker simply can't destroy his connection to Batman, no matter how much he wants to, and occasionally even tries to. Batman made him, however accidentally... if Batman hadn't been there at ACE Chemicals, Joker would not have been faced with the choice of getting caught or committing suicide. He wouldn't have had to choose how exactly to make sense of his permanent disfigurement, how to live with it. Batman is essential to the creation of his "Joker" identity; he's also a threat to it, by virtue of how much Joker cares about him. So Joker's solution has been to make Batman inhuman too. A fellow creature, an embodiment of cosmic forces, something that can be idealized and thus objectified.

This solution doesn't always work, and it's because Bruce doesn't always play along. Bruce's humanity drags Joker's humanity along with it. Because what's "You needn't be alone" if not a different way for Bruce to say "I needn't be alone"?

Batman: Endgame

Batman (2016) #49

Batman: Joker War

In the Endgame example Bruce pretty much literally drags Joker kicking and screaming into being a person. For both of them it's always about one thing, in moments like these: being left alone. Being left behind. For Joker, anything that threatens Batman is another way through which this could happen... whether it's Bruce having chosen his Family at the end of Death of the Family, Bruce planning to marry Selina, or Bruce getting back together with Selina and unsuccessfully trying to have the best of both being Batman and Bruce Wayne. No matter how inhuman and monstrous Joker's made himself, the idea of being alone makes him panic, and the only one capable of making him act in such a painfully desperate way is Batman.

As a last thing, I do want to say that I love the Batman/Dylan Dog crossover for its novel premise of Joker feeling alone, even with Batman perfectly alive and kicking. It's a fascinating window into what Joker's current relationship with Batman can't give him. But this post is already so long, I'll put the rest under a cut.

Joker literally resurrects a dead guy so he can have a companion:

And then, Joker's interactions with Batman after he gets rejected...

It's such an interesting exchange, to me. Batman is pretty much saying "Did you think if you left me Gotham I'd let you go?" but their relationship is solely made out of violence. He hunts Joker. He hurts Joker. That's the only thing he can give, and he struggles with accepting that Joker might want anything else; that he could be more than a monster.

Batman/Dylan Dog #3

Most of the time, the violence is what Joker wants, for a myriad of reasons. But other times, Joker wants someone to understand. He wants someone to stand with him at the heart of chaos, meaninglessness and disorder-- someone to recognize that the world is pointless and hate it and hurt it. This is what drives him to try and get Batman to kill him, because that's the only way Batman would become like him. The only way to make him see what Joker sees.

...But I'll stop before this turns into an essay about Batman/Dylan Dog. I'm obsessed with all the rare instances Joker tries to leave Batman behind, because it elicits the opposite out of Bruce in such a delicious way. Joker turns into an emotional mess, suicidal and grasping at straws, but Bruce turns into someone horrible. Someone who'd beat Joker within an inch of his life, someone who'd rather hold Joker down so that they'd die together rather than let him go.