#growing up gif

[greeneyessmize]

Today's thoughts are of the youth of Penelope & Colin and how it affects their relationship, specifically: how they fight.

Penelope is maybe 20 at most. Colin is perhaps 23.

They are also a part of the upper class. This allows them essentially a longer childhood in some ways for the era. They are emotionally pretty on par with a somewhat shy and sheltered 18 year old today who has never had a relationship and a 20 year old college kid who was also a bit hiddenly shy but has dated around a bit.

This means that neither of them have ever had to compromise on a larger, but intimate, and more important scale.

They don't know how to fight from a place of common goal. This is what they have to learn together.

I am going into detail with how this affects multiple scenes, so here is a cut for everyone. :)

Pen & Colin only know fighting with siblings, parents, friends, and enemies. So they know fight against, not fight for.

Penelope specifically only knows how to fight by false retreat and full opposition.

Her false retreat is seen most clearly in her use of Lady Whistledown. This is where she cocoons herself outwardly but lets her anger fly using precisely cloaked arrows. Her LW comments on Colin's fakeness upon his return to Mayfair showed a lethal strike.

Her full opposition fights are seen in her arguments with Eloise, both over her yelling that yes she does want to be married some day and then when Eloise confronted her about being LW, and then in her fights with Colin over LW.

When she and Colin fight in the middle of the street the night before their wedding, Pen goes full opposition, even going up on the high step to put her on the same level as Colin as much as possible. She does not retreat, she does not shrink. She goes conflict blow to conflict blow with him. She apologizes but does not bend or break. There is no compromise to be found because they are fighting against, not for. As one raises their voice, the other matches. There will not be a winner, but they don't know that.

Colin's fighting styles are either full shutdown, or like Pen, full opposition.

His full opposition fight with Pen in the middle of the street shows that he also will not back down. Each thing Pen says, he counters until she loudly declares the one thing he can't refute: that she loves him.

You also see that he is unwilling to compromise in his full shutdowns. He won't even try to talk to Pen after they are married during the nights and mornings where he places himself on the settee. He doesn't know how to say what he desperately needs to express to her in any constructive way. So. He stays on the settee, as close as he can to Pen, but unable to engage with her.

When she tries to engage with him, like at the review of the wedding breakfast planning, and it is she who makes the majority of the attempts, Colin still only knows how to go full opposition and/or full shutdown. Pen tries to answer him honestly when he asks if she will end LW because she really doesn't know. But since he can't give her grace to understand her on this... It only leads to more teary eyes and more distance.

On their wedding day, their tenuous truce after the middle of the street argument is broken in their fight after the Queen's threats. Here we see Penelope go full opposition and proclaim clearly and for the first time that she is Whistledown. And then Colin ultimately reacts with full shutdown, saying he will sleep on the sofa/settee.

The morning after their wedding, Colin is teary-eyed, taking tea fully dressed on the settee where he clearly spent the night. He leaves Penelope abruptly while she is still undressed for the day, intending to leave her out of his plans for the day. He definitely saw she was upset by this. I do wonder if that gave him a bit of dark satisfaction.

When Penelope comes to Bridgerton House to inform Colin of Cressida's blackmailing, Penelope gives way when Colin focuses his full opposition towards Cressida instead of her. Granted it takes a few times of being ignored, but she doesn't yell and ultimately lets it go. You can see that it hurts her to let Colin disregard her wishes, but she still ultimately allows it until he messes it all up. In this debacle they both learned to step back from full opposition between each other.

Penelope realized that even when it does not end well, sometimes she must let Colin have his way. Colin realized that not listening to Pen is where mistakes are made. Neither of them are yelling anymore.

Then comes the day of Francesca and John's wedding. It's not until she doesn't give him the reaction he thinks he wants that morning, as he is forlornly laying on the settee... that we see a shift. She does not react with regret or sadness or pain or anger. Pen is calm, cool, collected. She says she will spare him the confined shared carriage to Bridgerton House. She breezes out of his reach while he is still processing this new development.

Colin takes an important step by going to reread all of Penelope's letters. This is something he did not do in anger. He did this so he could gain perspective. This is his realization that full shutdown is ineffective and is not doing anything he wants or needs.

Penelope also is taking a step forward. She recognizes that false retreat and cloaked attacks are only increasing her own damage. She appeals to Colin with earnestness and honesty after the wedding of Francesca & John. She and he both refrain from moving into full opposition fighting this time. They are listening to each other. Colin asks what Penelope needs from him. She answers with everything he has needed to hear. He tells her what he needs, she listens. They are looking at a common goal. She moves forward with her plan to confess to the queen.

Then after her confession to the Ton at the Butterfly Ball, Penelope does the one thing for Colin that she can think of to heal the wounds of their fighting: she offers to let him go.

This is not something either of them ever wanted. But Penelope offers it because she truly feels, that with their very little communication through this, that Colin must want freedom from her. She cannot see through the pain they have inflicted on one another.

Colin immediately recognizes that now is the moment he must say everything in his heart. He has a moment of panic, of potential loss. Through everything he has always wanted and loved Penelope. He just had no idea how to show it while he was also angry. But now he has let go of his anger, and he will deal with it better should it happen that he is angry again.

Colin does what he needs to most. He tells her everything he is feeling. They are honest with each other. They have their common goal. They won the fights together.

[itsmahree]

[teambyler]

Mike's hidden arc that he doesn't need to put away "childish things": D&D, games, and his relationship with Will

During the promo build-up for s4, Finn Wolfhard said that Mike was struggling to be "as normal as possible and keep on a normal path" during this season. Which can only really be read as his relationship with El: the other thing he pursues in s4, D&D with the Hellfire Club, is NOT something that makes him fit in with the crowd!

Throughout the series, we see a tension between Mike and his conservative, emotionally-distant parents who do not understand him and insist he "grow up." They scold him for getting into trouble, they take away his Atari, and make him get rid of his children's toys. Mike doesn't want to let go, however:

And in s3, who represents holding on to "childish things"? His best friend, Will.

Mike gets wrapped up in his relationship with El and ignores D&D. He tells Will, "We're not kids anymore. I mean what did you think, really? That we we're never gonna get girlfriends? That we're gonna sit in my basement all day and play games for the rest of our lives?"

And Will says, "Yeah, I guess I did."

To which Mike has instant regret. And we find out by the end of s3 that he still wants to play D&D after all - Mike didn't fully believe what he was saying. It reflected his parents' pressure on him to "grow up."

And of course, in s4, he's in the Hellfire Club and he's all about D&D again.

What changed? El, who Mike got preoccupied with in s3, is far away in California. He was with El for only a year, and much of that time was apart. For the rest of his 15 years, he was a Mega Nerd, and now he ends up with "the freaks" in Hawkins High. This arguably is the "true Mike Wheeler."

And we see what Mike's struggle to be "normal" in s4 is. He wears a garish outfit he normally would never wear, that Argyle calls "a knockoff." He's awkward with every idea El proposes: burritos in the morning, and of course, roller skating!

Many viewers in the General Audience have complained that Mike's character takes a nosedive starting in s3. This is when he enters the relationship with El, which is also when we see less of who he is - "the heart" of the Party who kept the Party together. What makes him a "hero" is something that society might look down upon in a young man: his AFFECTION for his friends, especially Will. That side of him recedes into the background when he is wrapped up in his relationship with El.

But by the end of s4, Will reminds him of who he is. He tells Mike that he's "the heart." And Will says HIS dream (while illuminated by the sun), something that Mike deep down wants, too:

For Mike, Will represents happier times and his own lost innocence.

Because of Will, by the last episode Mike is going back to his hero self: he's helping El while piggybacking, and grabbing Will's shoulder and making clear they'll kill Vecna together.

There's a very famous quote from the Bible: "when I became a man, I put away childish things." And there's an even more famous response from C.S. Lewis:

Mike is struggling to find out who he is, which includes what (and who) he loved as a child.

Will's painting is the final clue as to where Mike will end up by the end of the series: being the "heart" of the party again (Finn has confirmed there will be "leader Mike" moments), playing D&D, and probably being with the person who loves playing D&D with him and loves him for everything he is: Will.

This is a show that says to hell with society's expectations. From the beginning, it has contrasted the bullies and abusive dads with our heroes: the nerds, the "freaks," and the outcasts.

Lucas' whole arc in s4 was going back on his decision to try to fit in with the popular crowd. Mike's arc is to embrace the fact that he doesn't have to abandon who he is to "grow up." He doesn't have to worry about what society wants him to be. He can love his nerdy hobbies; he can fight for his friends. And he can dare to love the boy (a BOY!) -- the same one he, many years ago, with the clarity of child, proposed to in kindergarten.

-teambyler

[jacks-weird-world]

[oldinterneticons]

Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up, these are the best days of our lives

[optimisticallycyn]

Next chapter of No Use is finally up! :D Be prepared for more sadness. :)

Summary:

Leo couldn't be happier that his brothers are really growing into themselves and expanding their social circles.

He's excited for them in finding new hobbies and interests that take up their time... a lot of their time... pretty much all of it.

It's fine that they're not as interested in training anymore, or running patrols because Karai's Foot Clan is doing very well to keep the streets of New York safe.

It's fine that he's finding himself spending more and more time alone because even April and Casey are moving on and getting ready to go to college and don't really have any time to spare.

He's happy that everyone seems to be moving on.

Even if there doesn't seem to be any room for him in their lives anymore...

[sarahowritesostucky]

New Game: the evolution of your taste in men (or women)

If you get this, reblog with 1. a pic or GIF of a famous person you had the hots for in high school, side by side with 2. a GIF or pic of a famous person that you love now. Then tag 8 friends! Let's see how much we've changed 🤣

From MCR to the MCU. Boy oh boy, I've changed 😆

@smlmsworld, @ms-existentialcrisis, @stuckydrewx, @autumnrose40, @pia-bartolini, @pandafishao3, @sebastianstansleftbicep, @amarriageoftrueminds

[beyondthevisiblebackground]

God, created the universe. With His voice He created all that exists: the birds of the sky, the beasts of the earth, the sea creatures, the flowers, the trees, the fruits, the stars and... human beings.

Absolutely everything was made by Him. Being the Creator, He had a specific purpose in everything He made. We can see that everything was created in order, for a certain reason, and in a perfect way, everything is good in a great way.

Dios, creó el universo. Con Su voz creó todo lo que existe: las aves del cielo, las bestias de la tierra, las criaturas marinas, las flores, los árboles, las frutas, las estrellas y... Los seres humanos.

Absolutamente todo fue hecho por Él. Tuvo un propósito específico en cada cosa que hizo. Podemos ver que todo fue creado en orden, por una razón determinada, y de una manera perfecta, todo es bueno en gran manera.

One of the biggest drawbacks in life is that we grow up with the idea of discovering who we are based on the standards society has given us. A society is based on the standards and norms we have created for ourselves to live by. For a long time, society has told us what is acceptable to them and what is not. It has given us standards of beauty, success and perfection, manipulating in this way, the genuine purpose of our life. Trying to take man away from the Creator to invite us to "discover" life as if there was not someone superior who put us in this place.

Society has been a toy that the enemy of our souls has used to confuse and distract us from the Truth.

It's necessary to understand that just like fashion, politics and conflicts in the world, society is changing and adapting, it is in constant movement but has no stability because it is dependent on the human beings that make it up. Under these terms we will never understand our identity.

Society is something created by man but it is not what created man. So why do we give it the power to tell us who we are?

Uno de los mayores inconvenientes en la vida, es que crecemos con la idea de descubrir quiénes somos basados en los estándares que nos ha dado la sociedad. Una sociedad se basa en los estándares y normas que hemos creado para vivir. Durante mucho tiempo, la sociedad nos ha dicho lo que para ellos es aceptable y lo que no. Nos ha dado estándares de belleza, éxito y perfección, manipulando de ésta manera el propósito genuino de nuestra vida. Tratando de alejar al hombre del Creador para invitarnos a "descubrir" la vida tal como si no hubiera alguien superior que nos puso en éste lugar.

La sociedad ha sido un juguete que el enemigo de nuestras almas ha utilizado para confundirnos y distraernos de la Verdad.

Es necesario entender que al igual que la moda, la política y los conflictos en el mundo, la sociedad va cambiando y adaptándose, está en constante movimiento pero no tiene estabilidad porque es dependiente de los seres humanos que la conforman. Bajos esos términos jamás entenderemos nuestra identidad.

La sociedad es algo creado por el hombre pero no es lo que creó al hombre. Entonces, ¿Por qué le damos el poder para decirnos quiénes somos?

[vivificame]

Response to Lucky by Halsey

I fall back to writing down my thoughts on tumblr when I feel like life gets to be too much.

One night I sent a message to Halsey’s tumblr. I filled the “ask me anything” with a concept I heard from a friend that made me think. It is about the idea that we somehow become the adult we didn’t have to help us when growing up and the friend we wished we would have had. I asked what she thought about this sentiment.

Today I got my answer.

If I’m being honest, I spent the last year worrying about Ashley. There were many people who were beyond resentful for lots of reasons and I never knew so many people couldn’t hear through silence.

We’re so lucky to still have Ashley and Halsey.

[shamelesswizardtastemaker]

DUMP

Fire ass Thai breakfast spot my wife found

Sick ass sharpie fine tip collection I got going. I know the pastel yellow is open!! I closed it lol

Mi wifey the tough ass cancer lol. Sick ass Oakland As bash bros shirt and time killers snap in the heart of Fruitvale East Oakland lol

Moved I to my first solo apt had to bring my day 1 hitter wit me “bear”

Mi wife getting up!!! ANA 1 wit the dumpster tag

Medl lol wit the booty hole tho

Yoooo we had PT2 of the black ass Art show flyer my MIXTAPE lol love that kid

Do the real thing lol pussy

My first living proof would be the POLO joint 🔥

“WE GOT SO ICEY JAYS NIGGA!!! WE GOT SO ICEY BRAIDS NIGGA!!!!!!” -GUCCI

[deadrottengirl111]

Its so weird... everything is so weird.

....

I want to rip my teath out.

...

My eyes 2...

[henrytheduck36q]

- How many times did you rewatch the video?

- Yes

[beneaththelamina]

Delusion

To me, happiness feels like safety. It feels like hot coffee in the morning. Like those hugs your dad gives you after you haven’t seen him in a while. The ones that feel warm and firm, just shy of crushing you, squeezing out every bit of fear, doubt, and scarcity. The hugs that make you feel like you can dream. 

Happiness feels like when you start something new. Where it’s okay to be vulnerable. Where it’s okay to admit you don’t know something. Where there are no expectations—a long dirt road stretching out in front of you leading to adventure and promise. 

Happiness feels like having love reciprocated without needing to ask. It feels like breakfast in bed, chicken noodle soup, walks in the park, playing in the rain. 

But funnily enough, in order to achieve happiness, you need to experience insecurity, scarcity, fear, etc.—all those emotions and experiences that seem to tear us apart. 

It’s part of life. 

To live in this world, we need to experience polarities. We need to understand the opposites of each concept to truly understand the nuance of its spectrum.

I find it interesting that, in order to navigate the extremes and everything in between, we need to display characteristics akin to psychosis just to smile. 

Delusion

[livwritesfics]

𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞

A/n: Hey everyone! Thank you for choosing to read this fic. Reader will be a female for this one Warning: death

❃ When y/n gave birth to a beautiful daughter, both parents were overjoyed.

❃ It hadn't been part of their plan to create and raise a child, nonetheless, the child was here... screaming and crying in her father's arms.

❃ "It's a girl y/n-ya!" He announced, shedding tears of joy. This was the happiest moment of his life! He was in love with a beautiful woman and had a daughter with her.

❃ Suddenly y/n became paler and paler. Law knew what was happening. He handed his child off to Bepo and started seeing what was wrong.

❃ "I feel so weak Law." y/n reached for Law's hand. Her voice slowly giving out on her.

❃ "I'm doing the best I can to fix whatever is wrong with you my love. You'll be better before you know it!" Law desperately exclaimed, putting a hand on her face.

❃ "I'm going to die Law, you can't save me." She whispered. "No! No, you can't leave yet! Our daughter needs a mother! I need you and so does she!" Law argued sobbing uncontrollably.

❃ "I know you'll be a great father Law, you'll take care of our daughter. She will be the luckiest, most happiest daughter there is." Law continued sobbing and this. Y/n placed her hand on Law's cheek and he quickly placed his hand over hers. "I love you sweetheart. I will always be with you."

❃ "Goodbye y/n... my love." He placed a final kiss on her forehead.

✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲

❃ Raising a child on his own wasn't easy. Law tried his hardest though.

❃ For the first few days after his girlfriend's death, he's by himself in his room. He hasn't left the bed and hasn't eaten.

❃ The crew has been helping out in his place. They took care of the baby during their captain's absence.

❃ Law was worried sick for his baby, but he knew she was in good hands.

❃ The day he does come out of his room, he's hungry, tired, and stinky. He's been sulking for about a week.

❃ It doesn't matter to him. As soon as he comes out of his room he goes straight to his daughter.

❃ "I'm so sorry I haven't taken care of you lately. But don't worry, I'll be the best father in the world... or at least I'll try." he whispers to her. "I will name you Nadine. Because you bring me hope and courage for the future."

❃ From that day on Law will be there. Always. He's there for her first steps, for her first words, for her first everything.

❃ He secretly keeps a photo album in his desk drawer. This album is his treasure. It has photos of when y/n was pregnant, the ultrasound, them preparing for their little one... up to now, Nadine being almost a year old now.

❃ He misses his girlfriend deeply and will always be crushed by her death. However, he intends to keep the promise he made for her. Being a father to their daughter

A/n: Thank you so much for reading! I hope this is okay!! Should I make this a series? I have a few ideas for Nadine as she is growing up!

[apinchofm]

art by @jimmymmtz - stunning!!

Rhaena and Aemond had not seen one another since they were children and she was surprised by how different he was.

Gone was the scrawny young man she and her cousins has fought with when she was ten and in his place was a tall, muscular but lean man.

She watched him, shirtless and his long golden white hair pulled back as he practiced movements with his longsword on a dummy, striking various spots. A warrior, like in one of her books.

She was staring so much that she did not hear her name being called by Aemond.

"Rhaena." He said her name, almost as if he was confused or in disbelief that it was her. She was taller than she used to be.

Her dreadlocks are gone, her hair now long and coily. She has a deep purple cloak over her deep purple dress with gold floral embellishments at each wrist.

But the ruby stone on her right forefinger said which side she was on as did the green cloak that was thrown over the bench. However, he did not care.

He pulled on his white shirt as he walked towards her and she couldn't help but watch his arms.

"I did not mean to-" Her copper brown cheeks are flushed with the slightest red that one could only see if they paid attention and he imagined many paid attention.

"I do hope you have not lost your tongue, cousin." He quipped, knowing she had been staring at him, "We would make a pair - one eye and no tongue."

"I saw you. From a window and thought I would say hello." She tells him timidly, "You are a good fighter."

"Thank you." Aemond said, "You look... taller." A terrible compliment but she giggled and he wished to hear that sound again.

"I am still the shortest, however." Rhaena smiled, "I was looking for the library and I will leave you to your training."

"I can show you to the King's Library, if you wish?" Aemond offered. A voice - his grandsire's - scolded him but he wished to take her and spend time with her.

Rhaena smiled, "As long as it is no inconvenience?"

"I wouldn't offer if it was." Aemond pointed out dryly. But she was not offended by his bluntness, merely shaking her head.

[duckiewrites]

Introduction

hi everyone,

welcome to my blog! i plan to mostly post my writing, but i will also be posting study inspo/study with mes.

im currently a student at cornell university majoring in biology (hypothetically premed) with a passion for writing!

some of my other interests: research, women's health, psychiatry, film theory, reading, journaling, yapping, music, badminton

if you would like some essay editing/writing buddy/etc. reach out to me at duckiewritess@gmail.come <3

use my askbox if you'd like to contact me anonymously :))

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lots of love always <333