#has opened the floodgates for a spectrum

[el-ffej]

LIVE CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS REACTION:

[littleraccooncarl]

Carl the Collector has been reviewed by Common Sense Media, who gave it a 4/5 and a Common Sense Selection seal of approval. To be honest, I don't really like this website that much because some of their reviews (such as the Codename: Kids Next Door one) are just awful, and the user reviews open the floodgates for Karens and bored teenagers who hate on kids shows for no reason. In fact, there is a one-star review by a 17 year old already, but don't pay attention to it. However, it is good that they gave Carl a relatively positive review. Apparently, there's a paywall on their site after reading three articles, so I'll just copy and paste what they wrote here:

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Carl the Collector is an animated series about a young raccoon with autism (voiced by Kai Barham, who is also neurodiverse) and his woodland creature friends in Fuzzytown. The series celebrates inclusion and encourages noticing each other's similarities and differences. Characters are kind, helpful, and empathetic, learning to express their emotions and work through problems together. There's no iffy content, making the series appropriate for all ages

Any Positive Content?

Positive Messages - Positive messages around including different types of friends in your play, with a focus on neurodivergent friends on the autism spectrum. A strong focus on being kind and helpful to others, as well as expressing your emotions and working through problems together.

Positive Role Models - The characters are all kind, helpful, and empathetic to one another. They model how to work through problems and how to express emotions. They often put others' needs and interests before their own. They do not always get along, but they work together to make it right.

Educational Value - The show models positive problem-solving and social-emotional skills.

Diverse Representations - The show features two characters on the autism spectrum, the lead character Carl the raccoon and supporting character Lotta the fox. They each experience autism in different ways. The characters don't talk about autism, and don't point out the autistic characters' differences. Behind-the-scenes, the production team includes neurodiverse writers, animators, voice talent, and advisors. Other representation includes Forrest the squirrel, who has a tree nut allergy, and Carl whose parents are separated (Carl spends some time living with each). Gender-wise, the supporting characters are both boys and girls, and includes Carl's best friend Sheldon who is an empathetic and sensitive boy. The characters are all animals, and none have an implied race.

What's the Story?

In CARL THE COLLECTOR, Carl (Kai Barham) is a warm-hearted autistic kid raccoon who loves to collect different items. He is extremely detail-oriented, and appreciates all the special qualities of his various collections which range from fake mustaches to bottle caps. Whenever he has a problem, Carl calls up best friend Sheldon (Peter Laurie) the beaver with his walkie-talkie. Carl and Sheldon's other Fuzzytown friends Lotta the fox, Forrest the squirrel, and twin bunnies Nico and Arugula also join in on the day's adventures. They work together to help Carl with everyday problems like organizing his massive stuffed animal collection or tracking down his runaway bouncy ball collection. Carl's Mama (Heather Bambrick) guides the kids as they work through difficult problems and disagreements. They learn about each other's similarities and differences, and have lots of fun along the way.

Is It Any Good?

Creator Zachariah OHora (children's book writer and illustrator) calls his universe of characters "Fuzzytown," and Carl the Collector is sure to give kids and grown-ups the warm fuzzies. Its characters are super relatable: They try really hard to be good friends, but they don't always get it right. They have troubles recognizable to any young kid (like being asked to part with precious stuffed animals). The voice actors sound like real kids, making it seem like the characters could be a friend in real life. OHora's exquisite art is featured in the show's animation, and watching feels like jumping into a picture book. Grown-ups will appreciate the slow, calm pacing and overall gentleness of the show.

Carl the Collector is the first PBS KIDS show to feature a main character on the autism spectrum, and it does a great job of showing how two different characters (Carl and supporting character Lotta) experience autism differently. It simultaneously shows true-to-life characteristics of people with autism, without calling out the differences in a way that feels othering. The neurotypical kids on the show treat the neurodiverse kids the same as their other friends, while having extra sensitivity to how Carl and Lotta interpret the world. It's a beautiful celebration of appreciating everyone's unique qualities.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the empathy characters show in Carl the Collector, or when one character is able to understand the feelings of another character. Sheldon is really good at understanding how Carl is feeling, and helping him to work through tricky situations. Can you think of how Sheldon is empathetic to Carl?

All of the animals in Carl the Collector are really good at communicating how they're feeling. Can you think of a time in the story when one character told another one how they are feeling?

Carl and Lotta are on the autism spectrum, which means their brains and bodies experience the world differently than people who are not on the autism spectrum. How are your friends different than you? How do you find a way to play together even though you're different?

This review confirms that Carl's parents are separated, which is different from being divorced. A legal separation is when a couple lives apart from each other but are technically still married. It's basically like a 'cooling off' period.

[choicesmc]

8 for Fiona (+14 for you)

hihi o/ thank you for dropping by!! questions from [this] ask game

14. Do you have ocs on the aro or ace spectrum?

Yes! Rams is asexual and Rin is aromantic!!

8. Have they had struggles with their identity, be it due to internal or external reasons?

you have opened up the floodgates. I'll post the rest under the read more because it is long.

Both actually!

Starting with the internal side, when Fiona was 12 he learned about queer people through a church sponsored 'sex-ed' class over the summer in Nigeria. Nigeria is highly hostile to queer people. Needless to say, it was not a very accepting lesson.

It demonized queer people, made them monsters of the community, warned all of them to be careful because if these young children --barely starting their exploration of themselves-- weren't, then they'd get you. And if you were one of Them, then you weren't part of Us.

Being queer was to be a danger.

So what happens when Fiona, already struggling with wanting things outside the 'manly' sphere realizes he also wants other men? What happens to a child that has been taught that anything besides aggressive attraction to women is poisonous.

What happens is that child, Fiona, begins to self-isolate. He doubles down on being straight, doubles down on being a 'man', doubles down on being religious, doubles down on stifling himself for the sake of his community because if he didn't then he would damn them all.

And in the end, he's dying. He can't let anyone know why he's dying. They'd only kill him faster.

Even now years after coming out (it went horribly, worse than a disaster, and, uh, if Fiona could erase it from his life he probably would.) Fiona still struggles. There's the insistent doubt that he's wrong that none of what he is is normal. That he's killing the people around him because he is refusing to kill himself.

On the external side of things, we'll need a little context. So, in Igboland, no one really 'dies'. Igbo naming conventions have an order. The first son of a family is named after their paternal grandfather, the first daughter after their paternal grandmother, the second son after their maternal father and so on. This stems from a traditional belief that children carry the soul of their grandparents. A child is a continuation of a never broken chain of ancestors. So no family member is ever truly gone, they're simply in the next generation —just look.

But that also means his parents have a vested interest to make sure he marries a woman and has children. At least one girl and boy. Why? If he doesn’t then Fiona’s parents would truly die. There would be generation to see them in.

Fiona is an only child (he had a sister but she was stillborn). If they can’t make Fiona have a child then that unbroken chain of family will shatter with him. His parent cannot let that. They cannot raise a man who would murder everyone they love.

Fiona has a poison and they must give him an antidote even if it slaughters they only child they have. (<- note the use of ‘has’ —as if Fiona’s bisexuality and non-conformity is something he can throw away if they just press hard enough)

Right now, Fiona’s parents are trying to socially isolate him. They haven’t spoken to him in any meaningful capacity since his 2nd year at law school.

In summary, Fiona is facing social isolation from his family + internal struggles!

good times 😬

[midnightsun-if]

(Anon that submitted the nightmare ask)

Boy did some floodgates open their, lmao

Not interested in romance persay but it legit makes me sad that Cienna doesn't consider herself close with MC. While I adore all the siblings; we all need some support and Cienna takes on soooo much I hope she has someone to talk too.

Cienna I HC as being the person my MC secretly looks up too and feels closest too but just won't admit it.

I’m glad you enjoyed it. I absolutely adore writing for The Siblings, and the MCs Family in general, because of how integral I find them to Midnight Sun in the grand scheme of things— it may not be in the most obvious ways, but being able to explore the individuals that no doubt had an influence on who the MC is? As well as continuously grow the existing relationships among each other? It’s such a fun thing to do and I can’t wait to get to later scenes wherein they can visit Aurelian and everything else.

I get the romance thing completely. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, which is completely fine!

As for Cienna? She takes on a lot because she truly feels that it’s her duty to do so. (Helena has tried to hammer it into her skull that she shouldn’t go too far with it, but Cienna doesn’t listen when it comes to that.) Being the Heir, she feels like she has so much more to prove— to herself, to her mothers, even her siblings, because she wants to be worthy of that title. She doesn’t want her siblings to feel like she just lucked out on becoming the Heir because she’s the eldest— even deeper feelings will be explored more later on in the story— but she’s definitely going through it, even though she’s a lot better at hiding it than Christian. And she doesn’t have someone to talk to, not because no one would be there, but she firmly believes that the weight she carries is normal, and it should be expected, and all the problems that come with it are just things she has to soldier through.

As for why Cienna doesn’t feel like she’s close with the MC? It’s not because she doesn’t love you, she absolutely does as you can see, but she feels like she doesn’t have anything to truly offer you. (And again more of that’ll be explored later on… It’s a whole thing that I’m excited to get deeper into.)

I absolutely adore that HC! I can completely see the MC admitting that to Cienna during a later conversation that leans towards the emotional side of the spectrum… Which means that HC may become canon. I think the MC saying that to her would be such a gift. One that you wouldn’t ever truly understand the price of.

[duskier]

Some Clara questions! Where's somewhere she's always wanted to go but never gotten a chance to? What was her favourite subject in school? What's her favourite colour? Has she ever been in love?

CLARA QUESTIONS YAY <3

Where's somewhere she's always wanted to go but never gotten a chance to?

She was once on a mission in Barcelona and she saw so many people milling about, enjoying their day and smelled so many delicious food places it made her head spin. She never got the chance to go anywhere just because the mission was high stakes and time sensitive. (Pursuit that ended with her running from rooftop to rooftop, slipping on so many ceramic shingles she lost count) Technically she's visited but she wants to go there and do things right, really savor the city!

What was her favourite subject in school?

Clara hated school in general (was not popular but was generally liked, kind of in her own bubble and forgettable), but definitely enjoyed both art and welding. She can't draw people for shit but always really enjoyed drawing inanimate objects with graphite- and also she is a very talented welder. (She probably made a sign for the 141 at some point and HAD to point out the quality of her welds because she was so pleased with herself.)

What's her favourite colour?

She's a big fan of green. If you ask her to be specific she's kind of on opposite ends of the spectrum- she loves both a dark forest green and a bright neon green. (She follows that old lady that loves the color green online and she will always get excited when that gal posts!!)

Has she ever been in love?

I think she has! She's got a big big heart and even though it is a pain in the ass to get her to open up, once you do it is like floodgates opening. She's an old fashioned romantic at heart and her main love languages are physical touch and acts of service! She is very househusband core. She would keep her partner private online but simultaneously be that person where her partner is on her lockscreen, on a locket around her neck, her desktop wallpaper, etc.

[butchcarmy]

No but like that blurb about Carmy needing to be held? To be taken care of? PLEASE. Like I keep having this recurring headcannon inspired by your Carmy and roommate reader. Like Carm comes home from work early on roommate’s day off because he’s not feeling good (could be physically or mentally, but knowing Carmy, it’s probably both). He’s just going to hole himself up in his room so he’s not a bother. Except roommate is 100% like “Carm, do you want to be on the couch or bed? OJ or Apple juice? Tylenol or Advil? Soup now, or soup later?” And basically just plans their whole day off around making sure Carmy is the MOST taken care of. And he feels so shit and wants it so bad that he just lets it happen. If we want to go extra angst, roommate suggest watching Heartstopper as a mindless comfort fluff show but then by the end of binging season two Carmy is a blubbering wreck because he’s bi and on the ace spectrum (Carmy has such demisexual vibes, convince me otherwise) and he’s never really told anyone or even fully acknowledged it and he’s been so alone and disconnected from himself and the world for so long and the floodgates just OPEN and roommate just holds him and encourages him to let it all out… his childhood, the neglect, the abuse from New York, losing Mikey…. It just all comes out and he lets himself be held through it all. They ground him and keep him from drowning in the shit he’s suppressed since forever. And there’s no going back after that. Carmy is like a fucking octopus whenever they’re around roommate after, and they both love it and that’s just how it is.

WEHHHH okay first of all i'm so happy to hear that you could b thinking of this in my roommate au!! that brings me a lot of joy :)

anyway YEAH this is a great time for me to mention that bc i'm queer as hell any character I get obsessed with is automatically queer in someway. so yeah carmy is bi as hell and he TOTALLY reads as demisexual, i love that so much!! i've never seen heartstopper but i think i should (esp since it may destroy me it seems)

OUGHHH him learning to learn on his roomie and not isolate himself!! i love it!! to shamelessly plug ch 4 of the roomie fic because... well... it may or may not be very related to what this ask is about... how did you know i was gonna write about this!!!!!

i'm a sucker for hurt characters learning how to love and trust again and learn the joy of being vulnerable around others... OUGHHHH CARMY ONCE I GET MY HANDS ON YOU

[authortobenamedlater]

Ahhh, I wanna ask all of the questions for the ask game! XD But for now, how about: 1, 7, 18, 22

Choose Violence asks

the character everyone gets wrong

This is a LOT for Star Wars 😂 Low-hanging fruit here is Anakin. I get annoyed when he’s painted as an innocent victim at the hands of the cold and uncaring Jedi, or the opposite end of the spectrum where Anakin was just plain evil and never should have had an opportunity to turn back. The second one is an issue I have with fandom at large, really.

Part of what’s kept me from writing my MCU-ish Episode III AU is I don’t want to deal with everyone telling me I got Anakin wrong. Even if I did get him wrong 🤣 I just don’t need the drama.

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

I get irritated with how people act about Obi-Wan and Boba Fett sometimes, but it doesn’t make me hate the characters. I don’t hate any Star Wars characters, as I think about it.

18. it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

This fandom doesn’t sleep on much. A couple of years ago I would have said the incredibly crackish yet highly plausible political romance between Mando and Bo-Katan. Those floodgates are wide open now though 😂

I haven’t been active in the fanfic side of TCW for awhile, but there was rather a dearth of post-Umbara stories. I had one in progress that I lost in my computer crash and want to resurrect but I can’t bring myself to write it again yet. Heavy angst sometimes wears me out before I can finish it.

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

Uhhhhh. Hm. I’m not sure I have a favorite part that everyone ignores for Star Wars.

I do think Bail and Obi-Wan’s bromance/teamwork is underrated, but even canon kinda ignores that and the books about it are Legends now. This would be a big part of that Episode III AU if I ever wrote it.

[blackcoffeestained]

How Unfortunately Familiar

It’s been a long while, and I’m back to this blog. What would be an exciting statement were it not for the context that led me back to these digital pages; writing in my bed at 5:50 am instead of breathing deeply to the ebb and flow of a well developed dream.

The unfortunate context I’m speaking of has two parts really. And although they exist on opposite ends of a spectrum, they are outrageously and unforgivingly linked. Is “unforgivingly” a word?

Part 1: Men

Ugh, I know, fantastic. Another young woman’s blog post about the troubles of men. Skip it then.

My turmoil with men primarily exists within me, but has substantial external elements and catalysts.

The external: I get way too much attention from the wrong guys for the wrong reasons. Older men, specifically, seem to have a very strong affinity for me. Maybe because I come across as a youthful, free-spirited adult rather than the (barf) mature 19 year old that I am. Italian men especially seem to find me irresistible. These qualities (older, italian) in themselves are not an issue in the slightest, but the older men who find me are always off. I don’t know how to describe it but it’s not ok. I’m not ok around it anymore. It’s been happening for too long and I always brush it off as comical or flattering or pitiful. Now I just find it fucking depressing. On the other side of things; boys born within my own generation who I actually like have a habit of falling for me so fast & hard that they seem to hit the ground hard enough to lose the ability to fucking text back. I’ve had so many what-ifs this semester its not even funny. And I don’t even seek it out. The young boys come to me full of fucking piss & vinegar and then when I come around to reciprocating they take their preliminary win and go off to La La Land. Or wherever it is that cell service & follow throughs don’t exist.

Essentially I am yanked between two forms of small men. The aged, and the juvenile.

The Internal: All of this causes me to feel as though the entirety of my value lies in the way I look. My personality as well, but only until I drop the word “platonic” into the conversation. Like they’re searching for a pixie dream girl of sorts and when I shatter the sex-coloured glasses they don’t give a fuck about the un-romantically tinted world before them. I feel desired and worthless simultaneously.

Part 2: Food

I have an eating disorder. I also fall into self-destructive spirals when I feel numb or lost or bored. Not the most uplifting peas in a pod.

I have been eating. So much. And then not eating at all. And then eating just a little because I “deserve it” after having starved for so long; and the floodgates open. I start with a harmless uplifting treat and end at 5:50 in the morning with a stomach full of vending machine snacks, sneakily stolen bites from my roommates’ cupboards, a food delivery order, and a run to the nearby 24hr market. And the worst part will come tomorrow when I’ll feel fucking huge but still end the day craving another “harmless uplifting treat”.

This cycle is far more terrifying than the intense starvation I used to put myself through.

I don’t know why. Not explicitly. I really don’t. But I think it may have something to do with the inappropriate male attention I have been subjected to throughout most of my life. If I don’t feel or look well enough to go out, I can’t possibly be prayed upon. And if I feel like I don’t want any boy I even remotely like to see me, then I won’t feel sad when the cute boys don’t reply. Who knows, but I think this may be… something.

Maybe I should take up poetry.

My laptop is near dead from the extraordinary amount of not homework I used it for tonight, but i do want to end on an accurate note. Which calls for far more positivity.

I adore this city, and school, and my friends, and my cozy bed, and the view from my window, and the experiences I have here. I am so grateful, but so so confused. And the confusion, or boredom, or numbness, or recklessness that brews within me scares the living crap out of me. Because that can’t be me; but if it isn’t me, who is it? But if it is me, is that distorted being really who I am? But if it isn’t who I really am, why have I been feeding this part of myself for the past 9 years?

Maybe a dream will clarify something.

It’s something to be back.

*post from october 14, 2024

[vantagevu]

Bakgatla Tribe Opens the Floodgates on Potential

by Kgosi Nyalala Pilane, Chief of the Bakgatla Tribe in Northwest The North West province’s Pilanesberg region has long been one of South Africa’s most-visited tourist zones; for its world-renowned game reserve, and – on the other side of the spectrum – its luxury resorts and lodges. But the area is also the home of an incredibly rich cultural heritage which, until now, has remained largely…

[dovesoftltd]

Bulk SMS to DND

In the realm of expanding communication channels, the burgeon of Bulk SMS Services has emerged as a powerful conduit for businesses to connect with their potential customers and keep them well-informed. It stands out as the unparalleled tool that directly reaches customers, regardless of the business's size or nature. An intriguing aspect of this dynamic landscape is the ability to send Bulk SMS to DND (Do Not Disturb) numbers, a feat made possible by adhering to the guidelines set forth by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

DND numbers, as the acronym implies, belong to individuals who have opted to be undisturbed by promotional and marketing SMS/Calls. TRAI mandates that such numbers remain shielded from the incessant barrage of marketing communications. On the flip side, non-DND numbers are fair game for various promotional endeavors.

The question then arises: How can one successfully send Bulk SMS to DND numbers without violating the established norms? The answer lies in leveraging the Transactional and Quick Transactional routes.

Firstly, the Transactional route serves as a gateway for sending Bulk SMS to DND numbers, provided the content remains non-promotional. This route is tailor-made for dispatching urgent and crucial messages to customers regarding products or services. The beauty of the Transactional route is its 24*7 availability, devoid of any time restrictions. To embark on this journey, businesses, whether big or small, can avail themselves of transactional SMS services by submitting essential company documents such as Aadhar Card and PAN Card for verification.

In a refreshing twist, Dove Soft Ltd, a bulk SMS provider in India, introduces the Quick Transactional route, a recent addition to the spectrum of possibilities. This route offers a streamlined approach, sparing users from the cumbersome process of document submission and verification. Instead, businesses only need to submit a message template for approval. Once the template gains the green light, the floodgates open, enabling the hassle-free transmission of Bulk SMS to DND numbers.

In conclusion, as businesses navigate the ever-evolving landscape of communication strategies, the ability to send Bulk SMS to DND numbers emerges as a crucial tool. Whether opting for the established Transactional route or the innovative Quick Transactional route, businesses can find a reliable means to connect with their audience, respecting their preferences while ensuring essential information reaches them effectively.

[sigmastolen]

okay like i know i shouldn’t have let Our Friend Problem Patron S draw me into conversation about masking etc beyond telling him that we have to abide by the current la county health order but i’m just.  so fucking tired of people who have decided that their personal mild inconvenience or discomfort matters more than the potential entirely preventable serious illness or death of the people around them.  i told comrade d the other night and new!boss today that i’m angry about it, but that’s not quite right -- i’ve so far surpassed anger that i just feel nothing, or at any rate i’m no longer aware of feeling anything until my hands are shaking and i’m shouting at the car radio or saying things to patrons that i should instead swallow down.  so.  idk.

[a-dumb-sarcastic-bisexual]

ROTTMNT Headcanons: my class got canceled so y’all get this

The only thing that pisses Donnie off more than stupid people is smart people pretending to be dumb

He’s gotten into actual screaming matches with Leo over this (Leo was only arguing for shits and giggles)

And yeah sure he knows it’s a manipulation tactic and it’s necessary during some missions 

But if he has to hear Leo ask another stupid question he already knows the answer to he’s going to lose his mind

I said in this post that Leo cries like once a week which has led me to other crying headcanons 

Mikey is the loudest crier in the family 

He wails, he hiccups, he screams, he does that gross thing that little kids do where they suck the snot back in

He’s never quite when he’s crying and it’s honestly heartbreaking 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Donnie is a very quiet and peaceful crier 

He barely makes any noise, his breathing barely changes, and he doesn’t even look like he’s acknowledging the tears 

Leo is the ugliest crier

He’s got snot running down his face, he makes that little hiccup noise that kids make, and his eyes and face always end up puffy 

And when I say puffy I don’t mean barely noticeable I’m talking it looks like he just lost a fight (am I projecting… may-haps) 

This is another reason why he hides from his siblings when he’s crying 

Raph always sobs always

He can’t just let a few tears go and then be done with it oh no

The second the floodgates open there is no going back

April always denies that she’s crying 

And she tries to fight off the tears 

If she feels like she’s about to cry she’ll leave the room to compose herself and then come back

And when she does start crying she still tries to fight it

She cleans the tears, she does that little hiccup thing that kids do when they try to talk while crying, she tries to fan her face in an attempt to calm down

Crying is never peaceful for April and it never will be

So for some reason I’ve seen the whole “he asked for no pickles” meme a lot and it’s made me think: which kid would send their food back if there was an issue 

April: never in a million years

she has worked in too many restaurants to ever think about sending food back

She could order a steak they would give her a salad and she would eat the damn salad 

Raph: absolutely not

He’s too nice to send food back

And he’s heard one too many horror stories from April about what it’s like to be a waitress 

Leo: maybe 

If it’s close to what he ordered then he won’t send it back

But if he ordered a steak and they gave him a salad he would politely correct them

And when the waiter would apologize he’s immediately calm them down and be like “no it’s probably my bad I definitely mumbled when I ordered (no he didn’t) don’t even worry about it”

Donnie: yes 

He wouldn’t want to make a big scene if anything he’d ask one of his siblings to tell the waiter (probably Leo) 

But he wouldn’t eat the food if they got to order wrong 

Even if the mistake was something as simple as pickles 

Mikey: Absolutely 

You could use the wrong salad dressing and this man would send it back immediately 

He wouldn’t cause a scene about it…

But if the waiter was being condescending… then that’s a different story 

My friend was talking about her relationship and suddenly I was hit with relationship headcanons 

April: would only enter serious relationships 

She’s never experienced a fling and never wants to

“What’s the point of starting something if it isn’t gonna last” is a point she constantly brings up

Raph: I can’t imagine him in any kind of relationship 

But I do think he’s absolutely obsessed with the idea of romantic love

He reads/watches love stories he’s just never felt any sort of romantic attraction 

Leo: he’s never been in a serious relationship ever

He dates a lot he’s been a part of more flings than years he’s been alive 

But he looks at April's relationships and knows he can never have that

Because he never allows himself to be vulnerable 

The second a relationship gets too serious he backpedals so fucking fast (am I projecting maybe)

Donnie: I can’t imagine him dating either 

I don’t know what his sexuality would be but all I know is the idea of a relationship disgusts him 

He has his family and his friends and that’s good enough for him

Mikey: he wants to date but can’t  

His siblings are so crazy overprotective and they scare off any potential love interest 

Leo keeps saying “if I had to wait until I was 16 to date then you have to wait until you’re 80” (yes this is something my big brother told me)

[chikhaibardocowboy]

For @emeraldcas​’s 1k follower celebration, I decided to do something different and wrote this silly little ficlet from Sam’s POV. I do not consider myself a writer, but I had a lot of fun playing around with a new creative outlet. Hope you enjoy!

Prompt: misunderstandings 1.4k words Read on ao3

“I think Dean is mad at me.”

Sam glances up from reading the newspaper and looks across the table at Cas, staring solemnly into his bowl of corn flakes. Normally, Sam would tell Cas that Dean is always mad at someone or something, not to worry, he’ll get over it. But Cas seems genuinely upset, which is a little out of character.

“Why do you think he’s mad at you?”

Cas takes in a deep breath and pushes the soggy cereal around with his spoon.

“I sort of fell asleep.”

Sam’s eyes go wide, and he practically chokes on his egg white omelet. Cas gives him a concerned look, or maybe it’s embarrassment? Sam can’t quite place it, but he’s pretty sure his own expressions are all over the damn spectrum.

“Sam?”

“Uh, yeah I’m… I’m fine,” Sam manages to stammer out, and physically speaking, he’s not lying. But internally, he’s caught somewhere between being ecstatic and mortified. Because even though he’s thrilled that his apparent 12-year stretch of walking on eggshells around the two clueless idiots in love is finally over, he’s not exactly mentally prepared to talk through the intimate details of his brother and best friend’s relationship.

But now Cas is just sort of staring at him, looking a little lost and confused, and Sam is not quite sure what else to do but forge ahead.

Sam clears his throat and tries to compose himself.

“So uh, you, um, you fell asleep during…” he trails off, looking to Cas for clarification, hoping on some level he’s misreading this entire situation.

Cas nods. Sam briefly wishes he was back in the Pit.

“Um, okay. What were you, uh… Why did you, uh…” Sam winces, not really wanting to press any further. 

He takes a deep breath and attempts a slight redirect.

“Why would he be mad at you for that?”

“I don’t know.” Cas is back to poking at his cereal. “I assume it’s because he wanted me to enjoy it as much as he does.”

And yeah, Sam is definitely not ready to have this conversation. But apparently the floodgates have opened, and Cas is careening full speed ahead.

“I mean, we’ve been talking about it for quite some time. Dean has more or less been telling me for years how much he wants me to see it. But you know how it’s been, Sam. With everything that happened with Jack and then Mary, Chuck coming back and my deal with the Empty. We just never could get the timing right.

“And I think Dean built this whole moment up in his head of what it would be like. He’s a planner, as you’re well aware. And I suppose he was under the assumption that I was excited about it as well, and I didn’t want to shatter the illusion for him, but when we finally got started… I don’t know… it was just… Sam, it was so boring. It was impossible to follow along. It was the same thing over and over again and I just… I fell asleep. And yes, eventually I woke up, and I told Dean that I was sorry and that we could start over, but at that point he had already finished, and he told me to just forget about it.

“So, all that’s to say, I’m pretty sure he’s mad at me,” Cas concludes, and it takes Sam a whole two minutes to lift his jaw up off the floor.

“Okay. Um… That was… a lot,” Sam finally manages, getting his bearings back, but not exactly sure where he wants to go from here.

“I’m sorry to burden you with all this,” Cas says into his bowl, and Sam feels a swell of empathy.  

“Hey, listen,” Sam nudges Cas’s arm. “This is all going to blow over. You two have had fights way bigger than this, right?”

Cas snorts. That goes without saying.

“Dean really cares about you” Sam continues. “He’ll get over it. You two just need to kiss and make up.”

Cas looks up then and gives Sam a slightly bewildered look. Sam gives him a small smile before pushing himself up from the table.

“Trust me,” Sam gives Cas a quick wink. “It’s all going to work out.”

---

A couple hours later, Sam is alone in his room when there’s a weak knock at the door.

“Yeah?” He glances over and Dean’s standing in the doorway, swaying gently, white as a ghost.

“Whoa, hey,” Sam crosses the room and steadies Dean, guiding him down into the empty chair by the door. 

“Jeez, man, you okay?”

“So, uh… Cas kissed me.” Dean is staring blankly ahead, as if not quite believing the words coming out of his mouth.

And that’s what sets Sam into a full-body eye roll.

“Is this how it’s going to be now?” Sam groans and flops down on the edge of the bed. “You go twelve years completely denying any feelings you have for each other, and now you two are, what? Making up for lost time by telling me every time you get a little handsy? Listen, Dean. I’m happy for you guys. I really am. But I don’t really want to hear about it.”

Dean’s head suddenly snaps up to look at Sam. And that’s not quite the look Sam was expecting from him.

“Uh, Sammy?”

“Yeah?”

“What the hell are you talking about, man?”

“Listen, I’m not going to repeat it to anyone so don’t worry. So Cas fell asleep during sex, big deal. Worse things have happened to people. Just forgive him.”

Dean is now up and pacing the room.

“And who exactly was Cas having this sex with?” 

“Uh, with you?” Sam is now fully peeved. He could understand Dean being in denial before, but now? That ship has definitely sailed. 

“And Cas told you that?” 

“Yes, he told me you were mad at him for falling asleep.” Sam pauses. “What, is that not what happened?”

Dean crosses his arms and looks at Sam, a bemused look on his face.

“Oh, he fell asleep all right... Watching Lord of the Rings.”

Sam freezes.

“Wait… What?”

“Yeah, asshole fell asleep on me before they even made it to Rivendell.”

“Wait, but he said—” And suddenly, Sam’s earlier conversation comes rushing back to him in high definition.

“Oh. My. God?”

“Wait,” Dean is now grinning from ear to ear. “Did you think that we were…?”

“Um.” Sam feels his face turn 5 different shades of red. “Are you not?”

“Uh, no,” Dean snorts. “Well, not yet anyway. I mean, he did just kiss me so now who the hell knows.

“Wait, he kissed you?”

“Yeah, man. I just said that. He came into my room and said, ‘I think we need to kiss and make up’ and then he just planted one on me and... Sam?”

Sam is now rocking back and forth, face buried in his hands.

“I told him to do that,” Sam mumbles into his hands.

“You what?”

Sam looks up at Dean, absolutely mortified. 

“I told him to do that! I thought you guys were already together and I told him you two should kiss and make up! And then I winked at him! 

“Sam, oh my God!”

“I can’t believe he actually did it.”

“Uh, yeah. It’s Cas. Have you met the guy? He doesn’t exactly get nuance.”

And then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, Cas suddenly appears in the doorway. 

“Are you two okay?” Cas looks around the room, head tilted in confusion. “I heard a lot of yelling.”

“Oh, yeah, Cas. We’re fine,” Dean walks over and slips his hand into Cas’s, pulling him back towards the hall. “But what do you say we give Sam some space and take his advice from earlier, huh?”

Realization dawns on Cas’s face as he allows himself to be dragged out by Dean. 

“Oh. Yes. Thank you, Sam,” Cas calls over his shoulder. “That was very good advice, you know.   

Sam looks after them, mouth agape before shaking his head and falling back onto the bed, covering his face with his hands. Maybe sometime in the near future, he’ll be able to look back on this day and laugh. But right now he’s pretty sure this relationship will be the death of him after all.

[skyland2703]

Can you write hc on a possibly Autistic Amelia?

OOOHHH boy let's open the floodgates to this one!

Some of the stuff on here is from @reithewonderingwanderer THANK YOU So here we have headcanons that are somewhat canon but I don't know exactly how canon because canon sucks

Amelia has a special passion about the paranormal. she gets excited really quickly, and it's the only thing that can hold her attention. It is, and it has always been the paranormal, because since she was a child, and her parents disappeared, she's been obsessing over it, and there's no way she's quitting now.

She gets overwhelmed with trying other things outside of what she's capable of doing, even though the subject of paranormal activity is more complicated than other things- Somehow, she struggled with normal subjects but when it comes to investigation, she could easily undo the knots within an issue.

She gets upset when someone makes fun of her, or her ghost hunting passion *points rifles at Ollie* but she usually tries not to say anything, because she knows it's not going to help her, and she's going to get flustered.

She gets agitated. A LOT, especially in the presence of Ollie. He doesn't understand her, and he doesn't try to either, and that's the entire problem. She doesn't know how she can communicate that to him in a way that'll make him more sensitive to her.

Doesn't like sticking to rules. Rules and schools are tools for fools.

She gets hyperverbal when she's talking about her interests, putting in all her energy and passion into her voice to give you a captivating experience.

She stumbles a little with social cues, not really getting how staking out a cemetery for ghosts is "bad". But she tries her best.

OBSESSED with Zayto's horns. There's no denying. She is fascinated by everything the two Rafkonians do.

She likes chewy foods, (personal headcanon) because she loves how it stretches out in her mouth. You can find her with a bubblegum any time of any day. It's good for her sensory system.

She likes to wear bracelets around her wrist, and pendants around her neck, usually them being a gift from her Pop Pop, that make her feel safe, and comfortable, and near to anyone they're from.

She has major temper issues. She can't let it out, and instead chooses to lock it away inside her mind, but once that monster struck her with the mood beam... oh boy the pandora's box opened up.

She's not officially diagnosed. She's scared to get diagnosed.

Javi relates to her a lot being on the adhd spectrum. And that's another list for another day!

Thank you so much for the ask!! Hope you liked it!!! ^^

[rotworld]

The Youkai of Ritsuka's Pictures

a kind anon, unaware of the floodgates they would open, asked:

So in Ritsuka’s Pictures, you introduce quite a few youkai and I love them all! But tbh I’m kinda new to Japanese mythology— Teshigahara is a fox demon, Yuu is a crow demon, and Funaki is a cat one? How about the little unnamed ones that make appearances in the other world? If possible, could you explain a little about each one, like origins, lifestyle, and/or practices? And how did you start learning about it yourself? Thank you :)

i'm going to do my very best to not make this the longest post you've ever read in your life, but still explain in detail lol. i was a japanese minor in college and my focus was literature (at the time, i was looking into a career in teaching/translation), so i had access to a lot of material about japanese history, culture and folklore. when i write youkai characters, i take a good amount of creative license to suit the story's themes while still trying to fit within a recognizable framework. you don't need to have an exhaustive knowledge of how youkai work in japanese folklore to enjoy something like ritsuka's pictures, but i think it could add a bit to the enjoyment lol so i'll do my best to give an overview of the important bits.

1: kitsune (this is the longest section, i swear the others are shorter)

when i worked as a japanese tutor for younger students, i included a "culture" section after the language lesson, which occasionally meant looking at youkai. in all that time, i only touched on fox spirits in the context of specific stories, because i just didn't have time to talk about them more than that. kitsune are complicated. if you've seen one in an anime or a game, it might've been a monster, or a familiar, or a divine spirit, because they can be any of those things and more.

it's generally understood that they're talented shapeshifters who can take human form, and that they can be helpful or harmful, or somewhere between or otherwise. like many animal spirits in japanese folklore, they become more powerful as they get older. for foxes, this can manifest physically with the appearance of additional tails. the popular image of kitsune is that they're tricksters who play pranks on humans. some do this strictly for fun, and some do it only when they've been wronged. some pranks are harmless, and some are disastrous for the human on the receiving-end. there's a story about a fox whose leg gets hurt accidentally when someone tries to scare it off, so the fox comes back and sets a house in fire in retaliation.

on one end of the spectrum, there are kitsune who are seen as divine in nature and benevolent towards humans. foxes are associated with the kami inari and fox statues can be found at shrines dedicated to this deity. depending on the situation, the fox can be seen as a inari's messenger, or as a manifestation of inari. one of my favorite stories is told in the noh play kokaji ("the swordsmith") where inari appears in the form of a fox to help make a sword.

here is a wonderful video showing highlights of this play and exploring the story's background, as well as a bit about noh in general. inari is portrayed as a deity who has the silhouette of a fox on top of their head. i love this so much lol what does the swordsmith see when inari appears before him? a deity beyond comprehension? a fox-like human? a literal fox, helping him make the sword? it's fun to think about things like that. inari is also a complicated deity who is interpreted in many different ways. i'm not sure if there's reason to believe this has any impact or relationship with the shapeshifting of kitsune, but i think it's interesting that both the deity and their associated animal have this nature.

left half of kogyo tsukioka's painting of kokaji, depicting inari.

on the other end of the spectrum are malicious foxes who actively try to deceive and harm humans. among these, the nine-tailed fox is portrayed as especially dangerous. fox spirits, and the nine-tailed fox specifically, are folklore concepts that aren't unique to japan, and this cross-pollination of ideas is especially apparent with characters like tamamo-no-mae. her story as it's known today is a combination of stories from china and india, generally about the corruption of rulers by a beautiful woman, and blames all of these incidents on one very old and very powerful kitsune.

even when foxes are minding their own business, they still have an air of mystique and danger. there's a common folklore motif of "the fox's wedding" that's said to occur during sunshowers (you can see it depicted in this scene of the akira kurosawa film dreams). the popular image is of someone going about their day when they come across a traditional wedding procession. it happens suddenly and in a strange place, and there's an understanding that something unearthly is happening, even if the people you see look ordinary. if you followed the procession, you might find yourself hopelessly lost in the wilderness. i feel like the fox's wedding encapsulates the idea of these youkai. there's something entrancing and appealing about them, despite the danger.

my concept for foxes in ritsuka's pictures is more like the malicious ones. they're so good at tricking people that they even trick themselves--taking human form means becoming the human they're mimicking so completely they can temporarily forget that they're a fox. they're not necessarily evil, but what they find acceptable might seem cruel to humans. izumi in particular behaves according to his whims and instincts. what matters most to him is being with the person he loves, and human life that is lost along the way is irrelevent. here's a post i did on kitsune courtship that goes a little more into the ritsuka's pictures mythos.

2: tengu

tengu are another "can be helpful, can be evil" sort of youkai, but they also have a clear evolution over time due to their religious associations. popularly depicted as humanoid with bird features, tengu are believed to live in the mountains and be vaguely mischievous or threatening. at the same time, they could also be considered powerful warriors or a type of kami. a common legend claims that historical figure minamoto no yoshitsune encountered a tengu in the mountains as a child who taught him the warrior skills he'd use later in life.

however, tengu were also considered to be enemies of buddhism. the more malevolent and fearsome aspects of their reputation stem from stories of them kidnapping or attacking monks and burning down temples. one interpretation of tengu was that they were the form fallen monks take after death, and could be considered a kind of demon. emperor sutoku was exiled after a failed coup, and legend states that a powerful grudge caused him to return as a tengu, intent on destroying the country. natural disasters and other misfortunes have historically been blamed on him, which led to memorial ceremonies and monuments being built to appease his spirit.

over time, tengu came to be viewed as more benevolent youkai, though they retained the association with the remote woods and mountains they're said to live in and are seen as potentially, though not necessarily, dangerous. within buddhism, they now enjoy a place as protectors rather than attackers. there are tengu enshrined and featured at many places, such as furumine shrine and kurama temple. you'll often see them depicted in the clothes of shugendo practitioners, since this is a human form they're said to take.

there's a particular type of tengu known as the karasu-tengu ("crow tengu") that's the basis for yuu. i took the most creative liberties here and invented a lot of mythology for him and tengu in general. they're born from wind, generally auspicious winds that pass through certain places or experience certain things, and spend some time in the care of an older tengu who serves as a mentor before going off on their own. they act as protective or guiding deities who are each responsible for a "domain," a type of human they look after (like one may have a domain that's "the lonely" and another might have "the sick." it's a bit vague, and how that tengu chooses to interpret what their domain means depends on their personality.) what i kept from established folklore was the changing image of tengu over time and the association with buddhism. it's mostly just hinted at in ritsuka's pictures but i like yuu a lot so he's going to get his own story later that'll focus on all of this lol. the kitsune post i linked above also has a section on tengu that touches on some of it.

3: nekomata

there are a lot of cat youkai in japanese folklore. like foxes, cats were traditionally believed to have supernatural powers, as minor as seeing ghosts and as major as raising the dead. the older they got, the more powerful they were thought to become. unlike foxes, the nekomata is almost always depicted as malevolent and interested in killing and eating people. some nekomata are just extremely large, vicious cats. others are small but have two tails (or one tail that's split partway through). they have a malicious streak and don't just hunt humans like an animal would, but go out of their way to menace and deceive them. there's a very famous story about one that eats an old woman and then takes her form just to mess with her son.

although there are much nicer cats in folklore, i'm really attached to this one lol so a nekomata was used as a basis for funaki. i have an ongoing cat youkai mythology that blends other cat folklore, but there's not much noteworthy about it. nekomata like funaki are generally from remote, insular communities while other cat youkai can also be from the city or born from domestic cats. there's a piece i wrote about another couple cat youkai characters that has a bit of it.

as for everything else, if i remember right, i think i used a sazae-oni and kejoro as background characters or just cameos. sazae-oni are snails who gain magical powers after they've lived long enough, and can shapeshift. kejoro are a type of youkai that deceive you at a glance. you approach someone from behind thinking they're normal, but they turn around and you see something shocking. kejoro appear to be prostitutes with extremely long hair. they would be approached at a yoshiwara brothel by a prospective customer, but when they turn around, all you see is more hair and no face.

[dustedmagazine]

The Smile — A Light for Attracting Attention (XL)

Photo by Alex Lake

A Light for Attracting Attention by The Smile

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood debuted their first batch of songs as new trio The Smile, with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, at last year’s Glastonbury streaming event. Radiohead’s internet fanbase immediately went into meltdown, speculating wildly about what this meant for Radiohead’s future. But can you blame Yorke and Greenwood for wanting to shake off the expectations surrounding their main band, even if it’s just for one pandemic album?

It’s not as if there’s no precedent for The Smile. Yorke has released three solo albums and another with Atoms For Peace, and Greenwood has worked on multiple high-profile movie soundtracks. Most members of Radiohead are sporadically busy with other projects, so coordinating their five-man team — seven-man team if you include producer Nigel Godrich and artist/designer Stanley Donwood — must be a logistical and creative challenge. None of the band members necessarily need to continue making music together, so they all have to feel compelled to re-engage for it to be worthwhile for everyone involved. 

Two songs on The Smile’s debut album, A Light for Attracting Attention, originated as potential Radiohead recordings. “Open the Floodgates” has surfaced in bootlegs of Radiohead soundchecks, and has been performed solo by Yorke. “Skrting on the Surface” was debuted during Radiohead’s King of Limbs tour, albeit in a very different form to the version found here. There’s an urgency to some of these songs that suggests being cooped up during lockdown led Yorke to reflect on whether he would ever get to play live again. Indeed, when he played “Free in the Knowledge” solo at the Royal Albert Hall in December 2021, he confessed as much. 

Yorke is in particularly fine voice throughout this record, and his lyrics make several potential allusions to the trials and tribulations of the last couple of years without being heavy handed. On opener “The Same” he sings, “Somebody’s falling down / Somebody’s telling lies / Simple-ass motherfuckers / One mistake after another.” “Free in the Knowledge,” the album’s emotional lodestone, alternates sentiments of hope (“Free in the knowledge / That one day this will end”) with veiled references to the dark side of state power (“A face, using fear, to try to keep control”). And at the end of “A Hairdryer,” Yorke seems to be repeating the slightly inane phrase “Look at all the pretty lights,” until you realise he’s alternating it with the more pointed, “Look at all the pretty lies.” He hasn’t been such an overtly political lyricist since perhaps Hail to the Thief; fortunately his words are ambiguous enough to be open to interpretation while still packing a punch. 

Speaking of packing a punch, Tom Skinner’s drumming is excellent throughout, consistently nailing the sweet spot between holding down the beat and adding addictive rhythmic details. His fantastic part on “The Opposite” is crying out to be sampled, switching between tumbling tom runs and tight, shuffling hats and snare. There’s a maniacal, clacking intensity to his playing on “Thin Thing,” which matches the ricocheting energy of the guitars. And on “Speech Bubbles,” Skinner switches to mallets and locks into a loping, understated groove. 

Which brings us to Greenwood. Aside from his wild, echoing solo at the end of A Moon Shaped Pool’s “Identikit,” it’s been a while since Greenwood’s playing has been quite this ferocious and inventive. At this intense end of the spectrum there’s the edgy, agitated “The Opposite” and “Thin Thing.” Then, in contrast, he plays languid, reflective arpeggios on “Speech Bubbles” and “Skrting on the Surface.” Greenwood’s talents also extend to the album’s beautiful arrangements. Horns swell up beneath the eerie piano of “Pana-Vision” and the bass-driven groove of “The Smoke,” while strings wield considerable emotional heft during the climaxes of “Speech Bubbles” and “Free in the Knowledge.” 

Given the wide variety among these 13 songs, and the album’s 53-minute runtime, the track order cleverly counterbalances the songs’ varying pace and density. Synth-heavy opener “The Same” builds and builds, see-sawing between major and minor chords, before dropping into the head-nodding groove of “The Opposite.” The raw, up-tempo guitars of “You Will Never Work in Television Again” give way to the elegant sway of the piano-led “Pana-Vision.” The gorgeous “Speech Bubbles” runs into the nervous, jittering “Thin Thing.” And the kosmische synth arpeggios and strings of “Waving a White Flag” cut to the breakneck synth and bass attack of “We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings.” 

At times, the immediacy of the performances sacrifices precision in the playing, such as the instrumental transitions in “Thin Thing” and “Skrting on the Surface,” where the songs either seem to slip out of time, or there are odd bars where it doesn’t sound like Greenwood has quite settled on what he wants to play in order to move smoothly between sections. Given that Radiohead have a tendency to fuss over songs for years, tinkering with arrangements, it’s refreshing to hear them cutting loose. 

Ultimately, whether The Smile spells the end of Radiohead feels beside the point when the music that Yorke and Greenwood are making at this stage in their career is this damned good. 

Tim Clarke