#is it even possible to not commit multi-shipping with this series

[nightfal1n]

Good thing about onsen collab is Mina got assigned black color while Kafka is red because by sentai genre code black is mean to be the last to join but make the most impact while also have a strong bond with red asfasfg

[thisworldisablackhole]

The Book of the New Sun #1-4, by Gene Wolfe (1980-83) - 5/5

This one is hard to write about. If you know, you know, but I'll be honest - y'all set me up for thinking this was going to be the most difficult to understand series of all time. I was terrified. But when I finally dived in, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. The water was cool, and the current was easy to follow. This is your sign! If you are on the fence and put off by all the reviews making it sound like you need a PhD in astrophysics or a bunch of in-depth guides to understand the book; don't be afraid. Gene Wolfe will swaddle you like a little baby and whisper dark poetry in your ears.

The Book of the New Sun, underneath all of its complexities, has the wire frame of an adventure novel. In a way, it plays out quite like a video game. Severian commits a crime, gets exiled from his guild, and on his journey out into the world becomes entwined with interesting characters and gets his attention pulled by side quests and love interests that all end up being important and interconnected later down the road. I think any avid sci-fi fantasy reader who is comfortable with holding on to multi-threaded narratives and even vaguely familiar with the concept of parallel timelines and simultaneity shouldn't have a problem. The ability to be okay with confusion and trust in the author is also a requirement, which shouldn't be new to you if you're even considering this. I also have to shout out the Teixcalaan duology by Arkady Martine for priming me for the idea of assimilated memories from another consciousness that emerge in thought as well as harder to detect endocrine and nervous system responses.

So I don't mean to undersell the complexity of The Book of the New Sun at all, for it is indeed rich with high concepts. There are so many layers to be found that make you consistently look back and recontextualize older parts of the story to look for hints or signs of influence, and putting the pieces together is a huge part of the fun. The reader is almost forced into becoming a detective, but if you catch onto these things early and learn to question basically everything you read, Severian doesn't end up sounding as unreliable as people make him out to be.

Regardless, it is still not a breezy read. Gene Wolfe's prose is dense, chewy and archaic, including lots of forgotten historical words that honestly aren't that intimidating as long as you can loosely group them into terms that relate to position and rank and which ones are the names of weapons or beasts. Like bittersweet toffee, every paragraph gets stuck in your teeth, sometimes requiring multiple jabs of the tongue just to make sure you actually grasped the bare concept. Wolfe forces you to pay attention, and that is part of what makes this such an engaging read. I read both of these in less time than I usually read a much shorter stand-alone, because I just found myself addicted to the way that Gene Wolfe paints his world - the dark, gritty, philosophical nature of the story, and all of the biblical symbolism on top of it. This also has one of my favourite settings in sci-fi that doesn't get explored nearly enough; a future so far ahead that humanity has experienced a sort of rubber banding effect, doubling back on itself until the disparity and destruction creates a dichotomy of swords and space ships.

Overall though, TBOTNS is basically one big character development arc. It's a redemption story, albeit an ambiguous one with many interpretations. Gene Wolfe takes someone who is part of possibly the most depraved and morally bankrupt positions in society (in this case, a torturer and executioner), and follows him as he leaves the brutal and insular culture of his upbringing and is guided toward a higher purpose. It's not a quick process. Severian is self aware of his shortcomings, often recognizing his own mistakes and noting the moments when he acts in poor judgement. But like most people, he is also sometimes unaware of when he hurts people. He’s a very real character, full of all the pitfalls of the average man. Yes this includes some misogyny and oversexualization of female characters, and I don’t blame anyone for getting caught up on those points, but it’s important to remember that Severian is a product of his environment (an all-male guild of torturers ffs), and and his behaviour does improve in the third and fourth books. He also frequently expresses his struggle to understand the difference between love and lust.

Severian does terrible, terrible things repeatedly throughout his journey, but he consistently reflects on his actions and emotions and over time his morality becomes more guided by a desire to do good as he is haunted by his past (and future). There is also a noticeable tone shift in the books as this development occurs, and by the time you reach the end you will really feel as though you traversed the absolute blackest pits of humanity and climbed toward spiritual enlightenment. It's one of the most brilliant and drawn out character studies of all time. But Gene Wolfe didn't only pour his attention into Severian. Almost every character, no matter how brief, is portrayed in such a complex and ambiguous light, where their motives and history are hard to know or understand, but they are all so memorable nonetheless.

I'm just ranting at this point, but there is truly so much to discuss with these books, and I can only imagine how many more details could be illuminated by a second read. I've hardly scratched the surface as it is. I ordered Urth of the New Sun, the final book that Wolfe tacked on a few years later, and I'm very excited. This is a cult classic for a reason.

[dracaelus]

BATMAN/DC FIC RECS

I like to make a list of fics i like but i'm starting to get kinda tired of scrolling through all my drafts to get to this one, so i'm posting this and starting a new one. This is mostly batman centric. Multiship ! The quotes are not the synopsis, just some parts i liked from the fic so i can remember what exactly happens in the story/what i liked about it. This list is more for myself tbh. I tried to keep things organized but probably failed

1 Wholesome and fun, but with a serious undertone/a bit of angst

Finished:

Nature and Nurture, by lurkinglurkerwholurks: long fic, multi pov batfam, they meet de aged Bruce Wayne through multiple stages of his life

"Bruce could feel a slow smile begin to spread across his face, until it stretched from one cheek to the other, framed by dimples on either side."

Am I The Asshole?, by FabulaRasa: greenbat/batlantern (i have to find out the official ship name), but also hal x bruce's bathtub; mostly hal's pov, and i love their dynamic so much. I recommend you read the whole series

(...) He crossed to Garwell, confident he could find a cab headed uptown on the wider avenue. After all, a world where Hal Jordan called him baby was a world where anything was possible – even catching a cab in Gotham in a winter storm headed uptown.

What Not To Wear To A Wedding At Wayne Manor, by FabulaRasa: oh i love this fic so fucking much. I can't put it into words. It's just so so good, you wouldn't believe it. Another batlantern/greenbat. I love this pairing with my entire heart and they're so good in here, really, so amazing. Mostly Hal's pov. I love this author and this might be one of my favorite works of them. This is just beautiful.

"And now. . . stupid idea number three? (...) This is your plan now?"

"I have a good feeling about this one."

Axial Rotation, by FabulaRasa: ok, so i really have a thing for this author works. Their batlantern/greenbat (?) is so good, seriously, i can't stress this enough. I love how committed FabulaRasa is to find a way to make their relationship work while still acknowledging how fucked up they are.

“Okay,” he said. And he put his hands on Bruce’s face, in the mirror of Bruce’s gesture. Last night’s stubble had become a definite shadow by this morning, and his face was like sandpaper. And also indescribably beautiful. “You are so fucking beautiful, you know that, right?”

Bruce’s small wince told him that he did not, in fact, know that, but that was okay, Hal had a lot of time to teach him that.

Lungs full of saltwater, by Maeruh: GHOSTBAT FIRST SOULMATE AU AND IT'S FREAKING GORGEOUS, SO SO BEAUTIFUL

It drowns him as if rocks had been tied around his ankles before throwing him into the sea.

It is suffocating.

Furthermore, it's refreshing

How Batman Made The Housemaid Cry, by FabulaRasa: technically batlantern, but the focus is on Bruce and Alfred, and they are amazing in this. I love them with my whole heart

He pulled his cell out of his inner pocket and texted. Remind me to tell you about my conversation with Alfred, he said. And then please use your ring to erase my functional memory. Do whatever you have to do.

a soul that's born in cold and rain (knows sunlight), by bat_butch: ghostbat; bruce visits his parents grave and talks about Khoa

He thinks about the light in Minhkhoa’s eyes when he smiles. The glint that they gain when he teases, and the excitement that sparks when they spar. He thinks about the careful way that Minhkhoa cleans his swords. The line that forms between Minhkhoa’s brows when he’s sewing a mask or a cape or a wound.

Like a cactus on frayed wires, by Maeruh: ghostbat fic! It's just Khoa thinking about batman, but it's so sweet

"Khoa wondered then if, as the cactus fell, anyone would dare try to catch the cactus?

With its thorns, sinking into your flesh and with the dirt soiling you. With the possibility that it would be useless.

He supposed that there is always someone."

Kerosene in my hands, by Maeruh: oh this one. Maeruh is definitely one of the best ghostbat writers we have, and their minhkhoa narration is absolutely perfect.

Because Bruce is like that, he wants to be the sun in the lands where winter never ends.

And Khoa is a selfish snowman.

Relax, Clark, you're only getting married, by truc: oneshot, clarks pov, super fun to read. Honestly, I recommend the entire series

When, on the eve of his marriage to Lois Lane, Clark gets serious pre-wedding jitters, he calls his best- worst- man to help him deal with it. Bruce, in all of his pink and gray Barbie sleepwear glory, offers knockout drugs, unsolicited wedding rants/advices and a video gaming opportunity. Despite everything, the wedding isn't a total disaster.

Unfinished:

Manor - Dad lets me drive the Batmobile: batfamily at it's best, seriously, also incredibly funny, wholesome, with great family dynamics! Multi pov's

“Bruce!” Dick shouted when he finally spotted him. “Look! This has to be the Batcave!”

The what Cave?

“Can you believe it? Did you know it was right here under the manor all this time? This must have taken years to set up and look at all that cool tech! Of course, Batman has the best. Have you seen him…”

Dick trailed off and studied Bruce cautiously. His gaze lingered on Bruce’s neck, where this night’s fights had resulted in a small bruise, and the coffee mug in Bruce’s hands.

“Look, Dick, I know this is a lot to take in—” Bruce began to speak, but Dick interrupted him.

“You’re dating Batman!”

Brilliant Analytical Minds, by stuckoncloud9: some really fun Riddlerbat! Bruce's pov. Edward loses some of his memories and leaves his life as a supervillain to become a private detective. Somehow, Bruce ends up being his Watson

He was silent for a moment, then looked up at me. “Riddle me this,” he said. “I solve nothing, I build nothing, but I can destroy anything. What am I?”

I thought about it. “I’m not angry at you, Edward,” I eventually replied

love, nevertheless : superbat. Funny, wholesome, beautiful, poetic, Bruce's soulmate is Gotham, with Gotham city being kind of sentient. Soulmate au, mostly Clark's pov

"He needed to go back inside, to slip back through the service door and into the ballroom before too many people noticed him missing, but for just another second he wanted to hold out. He wanted to be loved and feared and owned by someone he could never hold or touch in its entirety any other way."

2 Pure comedy and/or fluffy

Finished:

and he looks at me, and i look at him, by Shleapord: THIS IS WHAT PEAK TEENAGER BRUCE LOOKS LIKE, I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH. Honestly, comedy gold

“You are a fantastically strange child,” said Diana. She said it with perhaps too much interest and not enough wariness for comfort.

“That’s what Alfred says. Also my old science teacher when I dissected everyone’s squirrels for them because everyone who goes to Gotham Academy is a coward, except for Roman who’s a bitch. I’m not allowed in Biology classes anymore, all I can do it take higher-level Chemistry classes for my science credits.”

welcome to the playground, by Shleapord: once again teenager Bruce being my reason to live

"Like, I get kidnapped all the time and Alfred says its good for me as a growing young man to learn how to navigate stressful environments"

here as i am, by TheResurrectionist: this is sladebru/deathbat and okay, i find if pretty hilarious but a more accurate description would be pwp? The important thing is that i love it, i'm lowkey such a sucker for sladebru >...<

Slade briefly debated making the sign of the cross, but thought better of it, running a hand down the man’s sweaty back instead.

Begone, foul demon, he intoned in the safety of his mind, still thinking of that flash of white teeth in near-darkness. Of burning blue eyes and plush, kiss-reddened lips.

Send to All, by kerosceene: peak comedy batfam.

I, ___________________________, hereby acknowledge that this form represents my wishes should I contract phytoaphrodisiac-induced delirium (hereafter referred to as “PAID”) during engagements with or while apprehending Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley (“Poison Ivy”).

Bruce knows how to swim, and he is will swim up the entire Nile if he has to. Too bad Jason has other plans, by arrowupmysleeve: this is a batlantern one, but what i'm actually highlighting here is clark. Perfect, absolutely stunning. Tecnically he doesn't even show up but he still steals the show. Clark eavesdropping on other people's conversations and sending them messages with his opinion is a top tier concept and needs to be used more times <3

Text from Clark K at 10.45:

I know you're awake, B😡

Text from Clark K at 10. 46:

I can hear you chewing😒 Pick up.😠😠

The last text makes Bruce pause. He knows Clark can't see him, but he turns to glare in the direction of Metropolis anyway and takes a large bite of his toast. And if he is chewing a little louder than usual, well, no one is here to call him out on it.

I'm Not As Think As You Drunk I Am, by Mardiaz173: good old identity porn superbat, clark is being messed with by bruce but he loves him so he gets away with it

Until behind them, Arthur yelled, “Cheer up, Bats! At least we already know Kal’s into brunettes!”一he broke off into a yelp一“ow, Diana!” 

Arthur’s heckle seemed to piss B off一well, even further than his anger at Clark forcing him to go to the medbay. He didn’t speak their entire way there. When reached the medbay, B sat on the examination table with petulant air around him. 

Clark really did adore him. 

Lugubrious Alarmism: baby Clark being the most adorable person in the universe, superbat friendship with dolls, justice league shenanigans, very wholesome and super fun

Clark beamed and tugged the mask back into place. “Yep. Boose okay.” With that, he clasped his irritable stuffed friend to his chest and planted a kiss atop it’s cowled head. “Missed you.”

Space cellmates, by BoredomBeckons: superbat, a short but hilarious oneshot

“Mr Wayne. Please take this seriously.”

“I take everything seriously Superman. I’m Batman.”

“Look, it’s obvious you don’t believe me…”

“I do believe you.”

“…but I really am Superman, and I want you to know that whatever happens I will do my best to protect you.”

“Since your powers are being hindered it seems to me that I’ll be the one protecting you.”

“Right,” Clark sighed, not bothering to argue.

“Because I’m Batman.”

“Sure.”

3 Not sure if it's the same as the first, but here we go: comedy with some angst

Finished

Getting It Right, by FabulaRasa: batlantern/greenbat (?), Hal's pov, some really good slow burn but like, not too slow, and seriously, don't get too caught up on the sinopses, it's not nearly as dark as it seems, it's actually quite lighthearted and with some family feels too

Jordan wasn’t just laughing, he was doubled over with it, his grin wide. “You’re so mad,” he managed, through gusts of laughter. “You are—you are genuinely so mad, look at you. I was just kidding, your score was higher, but I just wanted to see you lose your shit, and you did, oh my God are you in fourth grade or what?” And he threw his head back and laughed even louder. Bruce gave him a shove off the railing, and he just laughed harder.

Article 120, by FabulaRasa: I wasn't expecting this one to be one of my favorite batlantern fics i've ever read, not given the dark subject, but god, they are so good in here.

“Don’t mind him, grief hits everybody different. He just found out Batman broke up with him, but he’s gonna be okay.”

4 angst with some lightness

Finished

Sanctuary, by FabulaRasa: batlantern/greenbat (and yes, at this point i know it's batlantern but i got attached to greenbat so i will keep using both, sue me), angst with some comedy, great family feels and Hal and Damian relationship is really precious. Hal has a chronical illness but is not dying. I recommend strongly that you read the whole series

(...) He wasn’t someone whose absence would be felt along a thousand fault lines and ripples, like a hole blown in the universe – not like people who had families and huge networks of friends. He wasn’t one of those people.

He sat cross-legged on the floor for hours, staring at the welter of wings and the green light that surrounded him on all sides. He had never thought of himself as one of those people, but somehow he had become one of those people, when he wasn’t looking. Somehow he had acquired a family, and the ripples of his life extended far beyond his own calculations. He had sat down on this floor one person, and when he rose – stiffly, slowly – hours later, he was another, a person whose ties to the universe around him were different than he had thought.

How To Keep A Promise To Hal Jordan, by FabulaRasa: I love everything this author writes, seriously, I can't stress this enough. This is batlantern, of course, and mostly Bruce's narration. Some parts of it ripped my heart out

(...) He let his eyes skate to Bruce’s lips. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss him. Contact with the unthinkable. The impossible. Only the impossible had held him in his arms. Had touched him, had caressed him, had said impossible things to him.

Something about us, by Maeruh: ghostbat, khoa's narration at it's finest

"I had a dream," are the first words that leave Khoa's dry lips upon awakening. He doesn't get up immediately, just stares at the immaculate white ceiling of The Haunt.

(There's something different, he feels it buzzing deep inside of his bones.)

"Oh, that's unusual for you."

Unfinished

Drawn to the blood, by bat_butch and bellandeano: Ghostbat in a dc vampire au! Their dynamic is really good and Icon is such a sweetheart :)

“I don’t know how much you’d enjoy that victory, Ghost-maker,” Bruce muttered. “Winning me over with a bite and a bit of blood. I think you’d be disappointed.”

"Do you think so?" He tilted his head back, arms crossed. Bruce was right, of course. And he wasn't even looking for that victory anymore. "I might just take it to be forced to cooperate with someone effective."

“No,” Bruce dismissed. “You wouldn’t.”

"Don't be so confident. You're not as relevant as you used to be," he replied easily, voice clipped.

“Neither are you.”

you're still the oxygen i breathe/i see your face when i close my eyes, by nygmamale: this one is special to me bc i'm a sucker for ghostmaker interacting with tim and bao :)

"Later, after Khoa had pushed everyone away, he sits alone in Bruce’s townhouse, in a shitty beaten-up chair that smells like him.

Thirty minutes prior, he had ingested a copious amount of psilocybin. He wanted to see him, one more time."

5 angst

Finished:

every tale a tragedy, by pomeloquat: ghostbat, khoa's narration. Bruce and Khoa are soulmates; things don't go well for them.

"The strand around Khoa’s finger twists and tangles and pulls taut as he traverses the globe. Always stretching back toward Bruce, always tying them together. No matter the distance, Khoa knows Bruce is waiting for him on the other end."

[silvia7272]

Miraculess Ladybug Salt AU: You Always Liked To Play With Fire ~ The Prologue

Hey everyone, this is a new story I wanted to introduce to you all.

I’ve been putting everything in a massive word doc because I had so many ideas and finally settled on putting it out today because it's my birthday. 29th, I may have updated it late.

Yay.

So as a special treat, here’s a new series with a few original characters, ones you know or have been changed ever so slightly to fit, in a Miraculess world. (haha, you see what I did there? No… I’ll leave)

Also for anyone new, I’m a multi-shipper so I ship my characters with a bunch of other people, as I like Lukanette (Fandom Version), Daminette (Fandom Version), Felinette (PV Fandom Version), Marichat (Fandom Version) and I guess Rosannette. What’s Rosannette? Well, I guess you’ll have to find out, won’t you? (also no that’s not a typo, it is Rosannette)

Also, I guess this will just have the usual salt, maybe more, I don’t know. I kinda want it to just be about these two.

Word Count: 3912

Note: I haven’t tagged anyone just in case, this is a different series from my other, I just got really excited and wanted to write it. If you still wish to be tagged for this story please say and specify.

Also: This is a salt story, it will have OOC moments from everyone so it will be classed as an AU. If you don’t want to read that’s fine, and have a nice day.

Well, I hope you’ll enjoy it.

This is for all the people that might prefer Rosinette (like from the songfic) instead, I don’t mind but it won’t be in my main series, so I hope this will satisfy you.

(Word of warning, I believe this will be an AU where the Miraculous don’t exist, and non-canon to my official story and I believe mentions of a panic attack might be lightly mentioned, don’t know if it is, but if someone could check and I’ll make the warning clearer that would be nice)

Summary: 

(Fire doesn't exactly have anything to do with this story I just really liked the title)

Note: This book contains OOC scenes of Miraculous Ladybug as well as a ton of salt, so if you don't like that stuff you may scroll past and have a nice day.

In a world with no Miraculous, no Hawkmoth and no Ladybug, how does our little heroine do?

Well, it usually would be hanging out with her friends, as any other teenager would do...

But, of course, this wasn't normal. 

This was reality. It was cold, hard and definitely not welcome.

So, when this girl wishes to have some kind of adventure in her boring, mundane life...

How long does it take for her to regret it?

***

Memories, it's such a simple word yet it holds so much meaning. One could either wish to forget everything from their life, and simply move forward so they could pursue their dreams. Or, simply relish in the past when they remembered how great it was, all the friends they had made, all the moments they had which were too good to let go.

.

But, I guess sometimes, you did have to let go. But let go of what exactly? Let go of all the happiness once you knew how it would end? No that would be too harsh and you’d turn bitter. Let go of all the sadness? But, wasn’t it an important life lesson to learn, sometimes, you just have to be sad because of the situation at hand. No amount of croissants or macarons would be able to lift your spirits back.

.

Or maybe that was too much of a specific example.

That was what Marinette had thought, staring at an empty glass so intently the man behind made himself disperse from the amount of time the unblinking woman just stared and never flinched.

She guessed it hadn’t all been bad, she at least had some form of happiness before it was violently ripped away, but part of her wondered, what would’ve happened if she never felt that type of happiness before? Would she have felt like she had for so long, was it the fact that she knew what being happy was like before worse? Because, as depressing as it sounded, if she hadn’t been as happy, would she have been as upset?

She would never know, she couldn’t go back in time since that was impossible, but the thought always came and went whenever she was alone with her thoughts.

So… Maybe it was for the best, that she was able to remember what real happiness felt like.

The tight feeling in your chest, butterflies in your stomach, face being so red anyone would worry if the bluenette had caught a cold instead-

Wait- this was an oddly specific kind of happiness she felt, surely she must’ve gotten mixed up with some other felling right?

Right!?

So, how come she was feeling this- incredibly bright heat from her cheeks when she felt a hand on her shoulder?

We may need to go back several years.

***

In a classroom in Collège Françoise Dupont, a young pigtailed girl sat at the back, tears silently falling onto her knees and bawled up fists. She didn’t see any use of wiping them away, since they would just come back anyway, and it would be useless to just repeat that endless cycle. She hadn’t looked around to see anyone else’s faces, they would either just ignore her, or taunt her for just crying, for just being human.

Now you may be wondering why she was so upset? What possibly could’ve happened to make our very cheerful and sunshiny girl become so hunched over she was practically crying her eyes out? Well, the answer lies on the one girl at the front. The one girl sitting in an all too familiar place. The one girl who just ruined all of her newfound friendships.

Lila Rossi.

And boy had she hated that name.

She couldn’t stand that smirk, that thief, that scandal!

And what exactly did she do?

.

She lied.

Now you may be thinking that may not have been all that bad, but it was.

Every time she opened her mouth, everyone would fawn around her, even Alix, the one who seriously couldn’t care about anything to do with glamourous celebrities, was hanging on the edge of her seat to hear one of Lila’s so-called stories. She just had to guess Lila held up a treat over her head to keep her being obedient enough.

She hated Lila so much because she was just using everyone to get an easy life at school, the fastest way towards popularity she guessed, but why she thought this was the fastest way was beyond her.

She hated Lila because she had spread so many lies, so many rumours, all about her. All so out of the realm it was such a surprise they all believed her without a shred of evidence.

It had happened so fast, one day, they were all friends, smiling and laughing like there was no tomorrow, the next, she was surrounded by those faces, those faces of disgust and hatred. As if she had committed even the worst of crimes, more so than Chloé, speaking of, who was absolutely enjoying this show.

But undoubtedly. What she hated about Lila the most.

.

Was that technically, she didn’t have to do that much.

After so many sessions of crying, and just not believing that they could possibly leave her, a friend, like that, she started to reason with herself, that maybe it wasn’t just Lila that pushed them all away.

She thought back to before.

Before they were friends, before Alya even came to Collège, she had been alone. Chloé had always gone out of her way to relentlessly bully her, and no one wanted to be friends with her with Chloé around. So she accepted it, just hoping one day, karma would seek justice and she’d be put in her place.

So she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And-

Gave up.

She accepted defeat after all the years. After the meaningless conversations with teachers that she should try and be the bigger person and rise above all of her hatred for her. Simply because they couldn’t do anything. They had no power over the mayor's Daughter. So they just let her continue her reign over the school.

She didn’t have any powers to stop her.

.

But then, a light of hope came.

The new girl, with ombre brown and red hair, glasses and hazel eyes. A striped t-shirt and an undeniable Aura that reeked of confidence.

As Marinette was being targeted by Chloé yet again, she came in, and for once, stood up to her. Chloé! No fear in her eyes as she, Alya, grabbed her, Marinette’s, hand and walked off to the desk at the front.

She couldn’t believe it, someone stood up to Chloé! She thought it had only been a myth, a legend, but that right there, it was real.

They became friends faster than the speed of sound.

And soon, she too was able to stand up for herself. Reclaiming her original seat back, and citing a quote her new friend had said… Then everyone had wanted to become friends… And, she felt ecstatic.

Finally. It finally came. The day she had prayed for had come. She felt nothing but pure joy.

And she didn’t want that feeling to go away.

She was terrified that the feeling would go away.

So, she thought of making sure that feeling wouldn’t go away.

That’s why she made so many ‘spare’ macaroons to give away, she didn’t spend her free nights staying up and making them, no way.

That’s why she provided so many free gifts to her friends. What? Her hand has a plaster, no she just tripped and hit herself, it had nothing to do with the gifts. Don’t worry, try your gloves on, do they fit?

That’s why she was late for class. Huh, no I’m fine, I’m not tired… But I might just rest my eyes for a bit, wake me up when something important happens.

That’s why she was so happy to realise Adrien wasn’t as bad as Chloé, the small gentle soul that he had, to graciously provide her with his own umbrella, how selfless.

And that’s why she held onto the idea of Adrien so much. The idea that he was perfect. The idea that she was in love with him.

So, she held onto it.

No, she clung to that idea because she didn’t want any chance to let go. So, she may have gone a bit overboard, with the whole, schedule thing, and the phone… And the schemes. But she believed it was harmless. No one else seemed to have any problems with it, so she believed she was in the clear.

Until she wasn’t.

And Lila used that to her advantage.

She remembered that day so vividly, just like all those other memories. The day she came. The day she would find herself in the same predicament from before, it hadn’t been that long since she had been friends with everyone in fact. She was still getting used to it, and her feelings grew as each day passed by.

She remembered when Lila introduced herself to the whole class, and at first glance, anyone would just think she was an innocent little girl. But behind that smile, behind those eyes, held a sinister intention.

She, in less than an hour, had everyone wrapped around her little finger.

Even her.

She’d been on a private jet?

Had a song written about her?

And saved Jagged Stone’s cat?

There was no way Adrien would fall for her now.

…So maybe she had been jealous of that girl before she had done anything. But she had every reason to. She, Lila, was pressed against Adrien who was happily talking to her. The love of her life! She had to do something, even if Alya had given her a disappointed look she just had to stop them from confessing their love to each other, it was inevitable now, so she followed after them to the park. If they even got too close, she was sure she could just conveniently interrupt, she just had to wait for the perfect moment, she only had a couple of hours before they would fall in love, get married, have three kids and a hamster named-

“Wow Adrien, you’re so nice to me. Y’know I really thought moving here would be just like all the other times. But you’ve really made me enjoy my first day Adrien.” She smiled so sickly sweet Marinette wanted to hurl, how dare she just hold onto his arm like that, so affectionately!

“Its no problem Lila, that’s what friends are for.” She smiled, hugging him so fast they almost lost their balance from sitting on the bench, before seemingly giving him a quick peck on his cheek, only for Adrien to turn his head towards her.

And they kissed.

However, it wasn’t a simple quick kiss, by all means, Adrien should’ve realised his mistake and pulled away.

But he didn’t, what felt like forever lasted a minute. One minute to realise that it should’ve been an accident. But they stayed like that.

It- it was over, wasn’t it? This wasn’t her being melodramatic, she just knew how it would turn out. They were going to fall in love so soon, she wouldn’t have a chance.

If only she had seen the look Lila gave, spotting her retreated form from behind a small trash can, the smirk would’ve given her shivers.

***

Getting back to Collège had taken longer than expected. Maybe it was the small amount of dread knowing she may have lost her love for good. Sure, there might have been Kagami as well, she had tried to sabotage her chances with Adrien too, but it always worked out in the end, Adrien always smiling as Kagami’s cheeks burned with redness. But to say they were friends afterwards.

Marinette would cringe at the fact she always felt so relieved afterwards reflecting years later at her choices. But she had always believed she would still have a chance.

Until today.

Lila came, and took him away, within hours.

And she couldn’t stop it.

Walking along the stairs to her class she had to keep her head held high, if she showed weakness, that would mean she was sad, she wasn’t sad, she couldn’t be sad. She still had all of her friends after all.

Maybe now, they could do more activities, after crying and eating a ton of ice cream of course with cheesy movies to brighten her mood up.

But, this would only be the beginning of that negative feeling.

Opening the door, she would be fully aware of something terribly wrong. At the front of the classroom, a crowd had formed, and a crowd that would soon become a routine in this classroom.

But a crowd formed around a girl, the new girl, Lila. She had seemed to be covering her eyes, water dripping down her eyes, no wait they were tears. What had happened?

She didn’t realise she had spoken those few words before heads turned around, looking- no glaring at her, why were they-? What had she done?

“Marinette I knew you could be a tad jealous but to actually do something like that” Huh? Oh no, Lila must’ve noticed she followed them, how embarrassing, and definitely not the best first impression she could’ve made.

Before she could apologise, before she could explain she really didn’t mean any harm. She didn’t have time to.

“To threaten her to never talk to Adrien again because she likes him. Well, I never thought you’d put your jealousy out like this.”

What!?-

No- she didn’t- she, just saw them kiss.

She didn’t even speak with her.

Why would she say this?

Why didn’t she say anything?

Why wasn’t she defending herself?

Why was she letting them believe that so easily?

Why

Why

Why.

.

Why was it so hard to breathe?

Running out of the classroom was easier than looking at all of those faces. Those accusatory faces. She hated it, she couldn’t do- defend- explain.

She- just-

She-

She-

She-

She was in a room?

The bathroom.

It didn’t matter why, as long as she was alone, she could cry to her heart's content.

The fear seeped over her just like that first time, knowing Chloé had won and would never stop, she had lost and lost everything.

Everything she had worked so hard to obtain.

Everything she had worked so hard to keep.

To make sure she didn’t have to let go.

And now it had gone.

Because it was then Marinette realised. That girl, those tears hadn’t been real, there she saw her eyes hadn’t been red or puffy, the tears’ dried up rather quickly, and the inconsistent wails made it very likely she was only doing them for effect and sympathy.

That girl. Was lying!

That must’ve been it.

No way could she be telling the truth. And no way could ‘I saw her around me and Adrien’ be translated to ‘she threatened me, I’m so scared of her’

Maybe, maybe with that, there was hope.

If she could just simply convince her friends that she was lying, then everything would be all sorted.

And maybe she and Adrien-

Wait, she was getting a little ahead of herself there.

Wiping her tears away she proudly opened the door, ready to face her fears.

Too bad her fears were much much stronger.

No matter how many times she would try to prove her innocence, it became worse.

When she tried going to the teachers, they bat an eye with her responses. Obviously not taking her seriously, and just believing it to be some teenage drama, she was pushed out of the classroom and told to try and just be nicer and make friends with her.

That was harsh but expected.

She tried talking with Alya, she turned away from her. Not wanting to hear anything come out of a crazy stalkers mouth.

That had hurt.

She tried talking with any of her other friends, y’know, the ones who ‘always’ had her back.

They too turned from her. Believing Lila without a doubt, I mean, they knew how jealous Marinette could get, it wasn’t that much of a stretch to think she would jump to that, considering the situation.

That felt like a punch to her gut.

She tried talking with Adrien, even if she did stutter and always lose her words around him. But this was more important, than a silly crush.

.

She wasn’t used to saying that.

But, the way he looked at her, it felt like- pity.

He told her he already knew.

He already knew? Wait- then why didn’t he say anything?

Because, as the naïve little boy stood so tall and ‘innocent’ he simply wanted to help her through his own way.

“She was only lying for attention,” He said.

“Once she finally makes some real friends, she’ll stop,” He said!

“In the meantime, you should really drop this, it would be just awful if you were to hurt Lila again. After all, she hasn’t hurt anyone, she doesn’t mean any harm”

.

.

She stood in shock.

This was the boy she had fell for?

This spineless- foolish- Son of a-

“So please Marinette, don’t cause too many problems for her, you shouldn’t be so harsh on her. If you really value our friendship, you’ll do it.” He smiled before walking off, leaving her to her thoughts.

That felt like someone had walked over to her, ripped out her heart and squashed it in the palm of her hands, all while grinning.

Why, why wasn’t she able to see before? Did her heart want to deceive her by falsifying all of his qualities? Was she just blind to bear witness to him not being as perfect as she made him out to be? Was it because she just couldn’t entertain the thought of letting go?

She didn’t know, she just hated this negative feeling. It felt so familiar. She wanted it to go away.

Unfortunately, that feeling would only grow for months.

And it was about to be worse.

“Huh? Marinette? Why are you crying? If this is about what happened this morning, don’t worry, I’ll forgive you” She was crying? Huh, when did that happen?

Whatever, more importantly.

“W-What, no you don’t have to forgive me because I did nothing wrong” Lila’s worried expression faltered for a bit before she grew ‘scared’

“H-Hey, I didn’t realise you felt like that. Oh, you poor thing” Her eyebrow snapped, she seriously didn’t like being called a thing.

“Save it, I can’t prove it but I know you’re just lying to everyone here. And you need to stop, you’re going to hurt everyone when they find out. You need to confess” Her face faltered again, but it never recovered, her once innocent eyes hardened as she smirked, a look that seemed almost natural, as if she had perfected it by looking into a mirror countless times.

“Oh, so you’ve finally figured it out? Figures, I was told you were the smartest one, and it seems like I wasn’t wrong”

“What?” Lila sighed, maybe she had put too much faith in her being the smartest.

“Ugh, you’re so young Marinette. I haven’t told the truth all my life, why the hell should I start now?” Marinette was stunned, why, why was she telling her this?

“Honestly, and I thought Adrien was naïve. Look, I’m not here to play games, I have this whole routine wrapped up. So just sit back, stay out of my way and I might consider making another lie that would benefit you.” It was an offer any reasonable person wouldn’t refuse.

Unfortunately for her, she didn’t want a reasonable offer.

Marinette stared, she was- she was fully aware of what she was doing?

“B-But you’re going to end up hurting everyone, you need to stop, please!” She begged.

Lila frowned.

She was just like all the rest.

“I don’t care”

Huh?

“I said I don’t care, seriously don’t you get it yet? I’m here to win by all means necessary. You were in the way so I took you out. They are just little trophies to remind you of my victory. You had your chance”

She stood still, this situation felt so familiar, but she had to stay strong, she couldn’t give up now. If reasoning with her won’t work, then maybe understanding might, and she could work with that.

“Why are you doing this, do you really not care about when you get caught? About how everyone will feel when they know you promised nothing in the end?” She hoped she would see some sense. They were good people, they shouldn’t be manipulated into this, she was sure they would’ve been friends regardless of what she had promised.

“It’s because I can”

.

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean, dear sweet Marinette, is that because I am able to, I can. I’ve had years of practice with this, and the result always has me at the top, all that oppose me either stay at the bottom or beg for mercy from moi. It's always a delight to see their hope diminish. To realise they would do anything but to be alone.”

Alone- that word, that word stuck with her so much.

She didn’t want that- but she didn’t want her friends to be tricked either.

“Besides, you made it so easy for me, in reality. You only have yourself to blame”

“What- I didn’t even-” A finger was wagged in front of her face.

“Ah ah ah. You really should know better than that. A calendar full of Adrien’s schedule? A box full of presents for Adrien? Sabotaging dates? You’d think I’d have made it all up, it only made the end result so much greater. Seriously Marinette, I don’t even know if I’m the bad guy here, what you’ve done really isn’t appropriate behaviour. But I do know of a great therapist, they helped me through such a hard time” Lila continued to talk as Marinette zoned out. She was the bad guy? No- no that couldn’t be, that was just a harmless crush, that was just what normal teenaged girls did.

But- if it was. Then why didn’t anyone tell her it was wrong, she didn’t mean for it to be wrong. She just didn’t want them to leave, she just didn’t want to be abandoned again.

Why didn’t they say? Why didn’t she realise?

Why did she know?

Lila must’ve seen the shock as she giggled, not at all innocent.

“It was so easy manipulating all of them into telling me about this ‘crush’, once they realised just how crazy it actually was, they had no problem seeing you for the crazy stalker you are.” Lila flicked her hair up away, only for it to come back, but it didn’t matter, she made her point.

Not having the energy to look up, she would’ve noticed Lila had left her behind, laughing too, because no one had been there to overhear their absolutely private conversation. Her overall plan would not be undiscovered today, tomorrow, or the next. It wouldn’t be discovered ever.

Because she was in control.

Marinette, wasn’t in control.

Just like before, that hollow feeling from before, it was back.

And so much worse.

.

She hated Lila, because she made her realise, she was right. All along. And she just had to accept it.

And gave up trying.

She reverted back to how she was at the beginning of the year.

The quiet girl that no one paid attention to, alone, in the back, with nothing but her sketchbook.

Gone were the childish pigtails, it was for the better, no one said anything about then anymore.

Because she realised.

She wasn’t a child anymore.

She couldn’t be, not after this.

***

Hey, so I guess this was more like another prologue, so I’ll have to apologise if it seems just like the other one, but the premise is still the same so yeah.

And I think I might like the idea of a non-Miraculous world; it seems interesting since I feel like Marinette wouldn’t have as much of a confidence boost since she wouldn’t be Ladybug, please tell me that would make sense.

I think it’s interesting for how much would change and stay the same, and my OC will be making an entrance next time, however, here they are all like 13-14. The next chapter will have a time skip of 3 years, oh and Lila came in late, like around Season 3 late ok? So they already know about Kagami and Luka.

Also if you’re confused about anything feel free to ask any questions.

Cya next time.

Note: Please tell me if I should add anything else to the card, there will be one of these cards for all 15 chapters, however, because I have uni work all updates will be slower because I really need to focus on the uni stuff, then I might be able to upload quicker.

[chriscdcase95]

How not to debate Ships and Shipping

I am writing this from personal experience, and from noticing bad cases of Ship Policing going on in the Hazbin Hotel and Star Wars fandom as of late. I figured a bunch of kids got too much computer time from their parents and are in need of education, because this is a more extreme throwback to the shipping wars that occurred in the Twilight and iCarly fanbase from way back when. 

Since 2010, I have found myself a little immersed into the practice of shipping. At the start of this decade, I was Team Edward/Team Jacob levels of ship crazy, and here I am now with a new perspective on things. 

I've even devolved into multi shipping, but I apply that when it comes to compartmentalizing fanfiction and canon. I have my share of OTP's and NOTP's (although Jemma of Every Witch Way is personally my top NOTP for multiple reasons).

Anyways, welcome to my TedTalk where I will educate you ten to fifteen year old's about how not to debate ships. Take it from an old geezer with ten years of experience, I was there in the middle of ship wars at the start of the decade.

I said in previous posts that ships are a funny thing. They should be small in the grand scheme of things, and fans put them on this great and grand pedestals. Some to the extent where people become downright psychotic bullies about the ships they like or don't like, going as far as to police ships to other fans, and sometimes creators. I think we can agree Ship Policing should be seen as toxic behaviour, right ? Well, no. I'll admit that is a complex issue, even for a multi shipper like me. I brought this up in two Facebook groups I'm in, and the basic consensus is that Ship Policing is toxic behaviour -  except when they romanticize domestic violence, rape, pedophilia, etc.

But what is Ship Policing ?  Simply put, telling people who they are or are not allowed to ship; bullying and shaming others over their ships; and in the biggest extreme, sending death threats and rape threats to other fans over these pairings. The Jemma fans of Every Witch Way for example, are probably the biggest example of Ship Policing, seeing as they literally got the showrunners to rewrite the show to fit their ships fanfiction AU image. But that's neither here nor there, but the point is, AU's are best left to fanfiction or It's A Wonderful Life plots.

Similarly, the Hazbin Hotel fandom had this (hopefully/mercifully one) really bad apple coming the Chalastor fandom, who went on homophobic speeches and demanding that the showrunners make Chalastor canon over Chaggie because and RadioDust- in their own words - "Gays are gross" and went as far as to send death threats to the creators. Because that will certainly make your ship canon, and not make you and yours look like the Jemma fandom.

A less malicious and more hilariously petty example comes from The Loud House fandom, where Luanny fans tend to get butthurt over fans, fics and art of the Luaggie ship, despite the Luanny already being canon and Luaggie only ever existing in fanworks. It was such a one sided non-issue, that it was the Spec Ops the Line of ship wars.

Also within the Loud House fandom there is an artist who made OC's based off of his ships AU. I'm not into the ship or AU, but I saw him getting death threats not just to himself, but his OC's as well. I may not be fully aware of the situation (like I just said, I don't follow the ship or AU), but even I can call this a toxic and illogical way of thinking.

To make a primary and personal example for this lecture, I am going to bring up the most outlandish ship discussion I was part of the past year. Some time ago, I ended up in a debate regarding Kim Possible ships in a Facebook group I posted on. In it I said I wasn't into non canon but popular ship called Kigo. When I re-watched the series, the Drakgo and Kim x Ron (the latter of which I just realized didn't have a ship name) just kind of grew on, and I felt that there were some problems with Kigo as a romantic relationship.

Now I want to make sure to point out that if you like Kigo, that is 100% okay, it is just in my opinion that it would be problematic. It's my personal opinion that if you apply their canon characterization, you'll run into the same problems Anti Reylos have with Rey and Ben. Anyways, when I said my peace, most of the Kigo's didn't make a big deal about it; they took it in stride; calmly disagreed with me and stated their stance. This is what a proper ship discussion should be. It would have been one of the most stable, non toxic discussions I was a part of. Nothing memorable was supposed to happen.

Then she came along.

Since she isn't internet famous on this site or others as far as I know, I am not going to use real names because I don't want this person to be doxxed, stalked or cyberbullied, but I will us LP as a substitute. She will be our example of what a toxic anti will look like, and our example of how not to debate or discuss a ship. Simply put, if she had the fame, she would be the TrueLoveHeart94 of the Kigo fandom (look up Dumbsville's videos on him YouTube, and you'll get a good idea of what I'm talking about).

One of the first things to use is a simple explanation for your stance. When I was explaining my stance, I explained how I came to my conclusions simply by watching the show, putting some thought into it, and making my own opinion based on what I observed. Like I said these were my opinions, observations, and at no point do I claim it to be some objective fact. At no point to attack Kigo's, at no point did I call them toxic. The most I did was explain why I find it problematic. Like I said, if you like Kigo that is 100% fine and dandy, you'll get not hate or bullying from me.

LP on the other hand, well she just couldn't accept that someone didn't like Kigo. How dare I prefer two canonically heterosexual characters in a canon het ship. How dare I commit the crime of having an unpopular, differing opinion. Even worse how dare I try to explain my reasoning. 

It was one of those fan discussions. Now when I thought this was going to be a civil discussion, I asked her just why I was wrong not to ship Kigo. Why is Kim x Ron or Drakgo so toxic ? She didn't really give me a real answer; the closest she got to a coherent response was a borderline Darwinist rant about how "strong women shouldn't date weakling men".

That was what should have made me think "is this discussion worth having ?" (For the record, some of my favourite ship dynamics is with a tough or strong woman with a meek, even nerdish man so the whole "the strong shouldn't be paired up with weaklings" is a non argument to me).

Pretty soon she began breaking the following steps one should take in a debate

. Don't use double standards or Non Sequiturs - First thing you should be aware of in any debate is to actually listen too and answer you're opponents points. The talking points of dodging questions, or ignoring answers - a well as using those same answer to support your points - is an inherently dishonest tactic. If you have a point or counterpoint, it'll do you good not to use dishonest tactics to try to "win" your debates.

One of the things I had issues with regarding Kigo was one of the same points (if not the main) LP raised for the ship. As I said above one of my problems was some of the same talking points Anti-Reylo's raise. I pointed out how Kim and Shego have tried to kill each other a few times in the series, something LP both acknowledges and ignores in the exact same sentence. LP's own talking points for their relationship was their romantic/sexual chemistry could be seen in their fight scenes. This is an example of a Double Standard.

When I pointed out the abusive implications of this thought process, rather than directly answer this, LP went on to equate my point as accusing professional wrestlers of being abusive to their wives. This is an example of a Non Sequitur. She doesn't answer or address my points, and my points don't count unless they support her argument.

Double standards and Non Sequiturs in general should be avoided in any kind of debate. If a talking point is raised against you, it has to be addressed. Not doing so is a less dignified admission that you don't really have an answer.

Another example of this can be seen in the Team Edward vs Team Jacob noise; a Team Jacob fan could say that Edward was a stalker towards Bella, ignoring and dodging a counter argument of Jacob's "Nice Guy" attitude towards Bella and how he forcibly kissed her (also there's Charlie's non reaction to this, but that's beside the point). The same goes vice versa; both are problematic.

Use canon evidence to make your point - Admittedly this one can only really apply if you are making a case for a non canon ship, or pointing out problems with a canon one.

Now the reason LP was so impassioned about her arguments was her insistence that Kigo had to be canon. As she said, it wasn't enough that it was popular enough as a fanfic ship; it wasn't enough that I had to ship it; but she was trying to make the case that Kigo had to be the canon ship of the show, and she was trying to make the case for it.

TrueLoveHeart94 thought process aside, if  you want to make a canon case for your ship, it'll do you good in ship debates is use canon evidence. What I am saying is there are some ships that work in canon, others in fanfiction. If you were to make a point to prove your ship would work in canon, use canon examples.

For example, I mentioned above someone in the Hazbin Hotel fandom tried to make the canon case for Chalastor....by citing their personal homophobia and making death threats towards Ashley and Vivziepop.

In the debate, I used the show to explain why I wasn't into Kigo (as well as my above mentioned reasons) and I mentioned how I didn't see much in canon to see a romantic relationship. Now I want to be clear, I saw Kigo as a fanfic based ship and I am aware that Drakken and Shego seemingly reform at the end of the series, but with canon at best I see Kim and Shego as having a sisterly relationship. I also want to be clear I am not a canon purist. There are many non canon couples I like, I am a multi-shipper after all and I can compartmentalize fanfic couples with my canon OTP's. And I am a supporter of AU's. Hell, there's even Hero x Villain ships I am into...it's just Kigo isn't one of them. I am not an anti; I don't hate the Kigo relationship or it's fan; I just wasn't into it and the canon ships just grew on me when I revisited the series.

When I asked for canon examples that Kigo could work as a romantic pairing, LP's response was to cite fanfiction and fan art as proof.

Let me repeat; I asked for canon examples to prove her point, and why my stance was wrong....and she used fanworks.

I don't think I need to explain the problem here.

To my knowledge, not even TrueLoveHeart94 uses fanfiction/art to make a canon case for Sonamy. This is the kind of straw grasping I can see Chris Weston Chandler making. I don't even know what else to say about this. I still get slacked thinking about it.

Anyway, when I said the fanfiction isn't considered canon, LP responded thusly...

Avoid Ad Hominems and slander

Okay, this one should be a no brainer; when you are in a debate of any kind, there is one thing you can do that means you immediately loose your debate. Your points no longer become valid, you surrender any argument you may have, and you prove that you are not worth debating.

Ad Hominems, personal insults, death/rape threats, racist/homophobic ranting, slander, etc.

Let's just say the nicer things LP said was calling me retarded. I am not sure if that was a coincidence since I mentioned that I was autistic earlier in the discussion.

Keep in mind, all I did throughout the discussion was answer LP's questions, and explain my stance. I even said that it was just my opinion and at no point did I claim it to be objective fact.  At no point did I accuse LP of being racist; a nazi; biphobe; rape/abuse apologist; self-misogynist or misandrist; I never called her abelist (despite some of what she said above).

As for what she said to me ? Like I said, being called a retard was one of the more tame things she said of me. She kept sending me notifications that included angry, barely coherent rants, TrIgGeReD tExT, the whole nine yards.

See, this isn't how you win debates, this is how you rage quit these debates. To give you an idea of the way she was saying, I refer you to Dumbsville's videos on TrueLoveHeart94; the resemblance between LP and TrueLoveHearts comments are rather uncanny. Now for context, the discussion started approx. 6:00 to 7:00 PM...these notifications have been ongoing well into 1:30 AM.

And all this because I said I wasn't into a ship she liked.

That is when I put a stop to the discussion. I blocked LP and deleted the discussion just to be safe.

Conclusion

So as we start the new decade, I look back at how much I've seen making mountains out of molehills (shipping wars). I have seen, heard, even been part of these ship wars and discussions since  2010. My disastrous "debate" with LP is a recent example.

I do believe there is nothing wrong with discussing ships, but it has ben ten years and ship wars are just as bad as they were when Twilight hit the scene. I have heard stories of people getting threats of rape, doxing, threats to people families; people pushing others to self harm for liking "the wrong ship".

I wrote this to educate the young and impressionable in the 2020's not to repeat the same mistakes both I and others made in 2010. The fact the LP incidents is from 2019 and the incident with the Hazbin Hotel fandom are from December 2019 alone, shows that you good folks need some learning to do. Something that should be considered fun shouldn't be something worth hurting yourself or others over.

If you ever find yourself in such a debate, always remember to actually address points raised against you; don't dodge questions; if asked to provide canon reasons for why something should be a canonical OTP or NOTP, please remember that fanfiction are not considered canon examples; if you ever find yourself throwing nasty accusations, insults or threats to people's safety in a debate, then that means you lost the debate.

Hopefully you can follow this advise, and help make shipping fun again, and not something to start World War III over.

This had been my Ted Talk.

[peepingtoad]

THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; Mun & Muse - Meme.

fill out & repost ♥ This meme definitely favors canons more, but I hope OC’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multi-Muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm.

My muse is:   canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless /

Is your character popular in the fandom?  YES / NO / 50-50 (There’s a lot of love and a lot of hate, but I think many are actually pretty neutral on him too!)

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom?  YES / NO / 50-50 (I’d say he may be an... acquired taste? Of course a lot of people I know here find him sexie so it’s hard to say for certain, heh. We may just be the weirdos of the fandom :P )

Is your character considered strong in the fandom?  YES / NO

Are they underrated?  YES / NO (Not in terms of ability, but underrated for just how complex and multi-layered he is, I’d say)

Were they relevant for the main story?  YES / NO.

Were they relevant for the main character?  YES / NO /

Are they widely known in their world?  YES / NO.

How’s their reputation?  GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL (I honestly think he’s a man of many reputations, both in canon and in fandom :’D)

How strictly do you follow canon?  —  I’m very much a ‘use the bones of what we got in canon and do my best to flesh them out’ kinda roleplayer. There are some things that can be taken too easily at face value that I see fit to build upon. For example, I think Jiraiya’s feelings on the prophecy and his relationship with Konoha is something that could be too easily played off as simplistic, or like they were immovable constants. But that’s unrealistic for a man of his years and many experiences, so I try to put myself in his emotional setting at various points in his life, and trace how his feelings and behaviours change, if that makes sense? 

I try to avoid saying that any of the writing was straight up wrong because it’s disrespectful to the creator. But especially for Jiraiya, who had such a significant role to play in the narrative that it sometimes took precedence over his actual character, I do find some of his actions, and the way some interactions were handled in the canon to be a little OOC... so I’ll work with it and try to spin it in a way that I feel fits how he was characterised.

Basically, I’d say that I follow canon, but I like to enrich it in areas that were lacking detail or a nuanced view that took in all the surrounding events of the time. After Jiraiya’s canon death, of course, that’s when more divergence comes in to my portrayal... otherwise I wouldn’t be able to play any post-war scenarios! But the essence of his character is the same, which I try to keep as close to canon as possible.

SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals.   —  A man of many experiences! You can bet that any topic that comes up, he’ll have some sort of amusing anecdote to share, or be able simply to talk shit about it. He's seen so much, and has a sensitive soul enough that he’ll give anyone a chance; he’s very open-minded and non-judgemental, and honestly is a humanitarian that wants to help those in need. Might leave your muse a little baffled as to how he could hold the status of ‘legend’, only to show it when they least expect it. You never quite know what you’re going to get with him: he’s generous and selfless, yet has many vices that seem selfish at times; he’s both a lover and a fearsome fighter; he’s immensely resilient at the same time as incredibly vulerable and damaged; he’s a himbo and a bit of a jock with the soul of a poet. Love him with no restraint and invite his love in return, and you’ll get not only a lover, but a devotee. Wears his heart on his sleeve... or does he? Chip away at him and find out!

Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?).  —  The pervy, flirty, jokey schtick could get grating, or come across as disingenuous. In romantic situations, he’ll keep quiet about putting a label on whatever it is, and beneath his overall sweetness and devotion there may be an underlying reek of commitment issues and a fear of admitting he is afraid. He also has a habit of deflecting negativity in general, and playing things off as if they don’t matter or they’re a joke, making him actually rather a difficult person to get to know the heart of. One might feel as if they’re getting nowhere with him...

... Either that, or they get the complete opposite. Yes, as equally as he can be guarded, he can overshare like crazy, and has a tendency to become codependent with those he gets attached to, which is inconsistent with his free-spirited nature, and how adept he is at keeping others at arm’s length from his less sunny side. This inconsistency might make him seem unreliable—if the fact he’s always off who-knows-where doesn’t do the trick already.

What inspired you to rp your muse?  —  I’ve been a big fan of the Sannin ever since I first read the Deadlock, but being a very young person at the time I perhaps couldn’t relate enough to people who had experienced so much to do them justice in my teenage fic-writing endeavours, so I remained on the sidelines enjoying content by other people (there may also have been a little bit of ‘what the fuck, why do I dig the old dude so much’ denial in there haha). I’ve picked up and dropped my obsession with the series several times over the years, and my love for those three seemed to grow each time. They really are ‘the lost generation’, and as the sole survivors—alongside having a huge impact on the plot, how the shinobi world is shaped, and the three main protagonists—there’s a lot of juicy material there, a lot of emotional background, along with decades of history that basically goes untapped in the canon. 

Anyway, I digress. Coming to the Naruto RPC for the first time around this time 2 years ago at the age of 25, I made this blog and my Deidara one on a whim, but focused on the latter at first. Villains were always comfortable territory for me in my other RP experiences, and I think it made me doubt that I could possibly do someone who is frankly a lovely guy any justice, no matter how much I loved him. I even had the intention of making him fully Akatsuki/Missing-Nin AU at first. Yeah. That’s how stuck in my villain/anti-hero zone I was! But, I think in the end, the fact he actually isn’t a two-dimensional typical ‘hero’ was something I chewed over and realised would be incredibly enriching to write, worth stepping out of my comfort zone for. And being a little more mature and less angst-ridden myself by that point, I found I could resonate with his feelings and ideals in a way that I know I couldn’t have as a teen... but I was still tentative. 

Anyway, after leaving his blog empty for a bit (with its placeholder URL ‘frogdaddy’, which sadly got hoarded by someone else), I cosplayed the old bastard, along with my partner as Orochimaru. We’d been stanning that particular ship and talking about how great the Sannin are in general for quite some time by that point, but being casually in character for fun while drunk off my tits at a boat party, was a bit of an epiphanic moment. Not long after that, I threw myself right into writing this chaotic-good old bastard with gusto, and here I still am :’)

What keeps your inspiration going?  —  Taking breaks to recharge as and when I need to. Seriously. The death of all my other blogs has been pressure (mostly from myself) to be there and force myself to put out regular content, so I went into this not thinking that way and it’s really helped! 

Of course, there’s also the fact that there simply seems to be no shortage of areas I can delve into with this guy. Again, it’s his age and all the missing years in canon... but I think it’s also how much love he has and his genuine eagerness to engage with others that makes him one of the most naturally bountiful muses I’ve played. Because honestly? Most of my villain muses wanted people to just fuck off :’D this guy is open to everything.

That aside, I guess I just gel with him more than I ever expected to. I’ve changed a lot as a person and gained more confidence since various areas of my life got better, and I really just vibed with this chill, funny, romantic, pervy, big-hearted energy. I enjoy angst, but my real love is peppering the serious and heartbreaking with romance and comedy—and isn’t that just befitting of him? Writing through his eyes also helps to keep my outlook positive, so that keeps me stuck on him as much as the seemingly limitless content potential. 

And this is without even going into my cross-fandom AU ideas I have on the back-burner. Honestly, they’re there but I want to put a real effort into them while keeping his essence the same, which for some, involves brushing up on my lore!

Some more personal questions for the mun.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you give your character justice?  YES / NO.

Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO.

Do you sometimes write drabbles?  YES / NO / RARELY. (depends on whether I get a flash of inspiration—which mostly comes with random asks that happen to stir up an idea for a scene, such as this one (NSFW warning))

Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day?  YES / NO.

Are you confident in your portrayal?   YES / NO.

Are you confident in your writing?  YES / NO.

Are you a sensitive person?  YES / 50-50 /NO. (I tend not to take things personally but am also very passionate—call it my innate Leo-ness!)

Do you accept criticism well about your portrayal?  —  Hmmm. I haven’t actually had any critique on my portrayal, so I’m not sure haha! I’d say if it’s constructive, then I’ll take it into account and consider it, especially if it’s a case where it helps me realise I’ve perhaps not gotten across what I intended to very well. But I’m also quite fond of my portrayal in its essence, so I may end up just thanking the person for their opinion and carry on as usual :P

Do you like questions, which help you explore your character?  —  Absolutely! I’ve had some wonderful ones recently and it’s exactly the kick I need to get ideas out, some of which I’ve had on the back-burner but not had a framework within which to write it without it getting derailed. I definitely appreciate a question that will keep me at least a little on-topic, otherwise if I go off on my own volition I really tend to... well, go off! Even if a question is a similar topic to something I’ve already done, it’s a good exercise for me to go back to the similar headcanon and see if I can build further on it, deviate, and link it to show what past thoughts I’ve been working with. A great way of keeping some consistency in my portrayal while making improvements, I find! And then of course I’ve had some questions that are entirely new morsels for thought, and it leads me to something new and fresh, which I greatly appreciate.

Basically, any questions at all, fire away! I may take a while but I will get to them eventually!

If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why?  —  Yeah. I mean I think it’s just polite to present a reason as to why not, instead of just being like ‘this is wrong/a bad take’ or whatever. Source material is down to personal interpretation, so if I draw different ideas from it to another person after discussion, then we can simply agree to disagree on it. 

If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it?  —  They are welcome to disagree with me I guess? So long as they’re respectful and don’t then treat me as if my interpretation is ‘AU’ or talk about ‘canon Jiraiya’ as if he’s obviously a different entity to my own, then disagree away. But if prompted enough, know that I will most likely defend my portrayal with what I consider to be justification from the source material :P I did pay close attention to it, after all, and I do consider my portrayal to align well with it.

If someone really hates your character, how do you take it?  —  Depends on the nature of it and the conduct, really? Like, people are allowed to dislike characters. I myself find a couple of characters pretty annoying or don’t particularly care for them (granted, usually it’s in a love-to-hate or simply a ‘this character doesn’t interest me’ way), but that doesn’t affect how I behave towards the RPer of a character. It’s just manners, really. People tend to RP characters because they like them, so why would you take negativity right to their doorstep, in this space they’ve made as an expression of enjoyment for, and to develop said character? 

There’s been some people who admitted to me that they didn’t care much for Jiraiya, but then began to like him more with my portrayal and that’s more than fine; I take it as the highest compliment in fact. It’s also the kind of open-minded attitude I like to have with portrayals of characters I don’t necessarily like or have much interest in, because by and large, people do tend to add more depth and nuance than the busy and character-packed canon allowed.

However, if it’s the type of hate that’s got its own devoted circle of bitter bitches, who seem to use so much energy hating a character... then please, don’t engage me. Doesn’t matter who the character is, don’t expect me to follow/keep following your negative ass if it’s constant on the dash—and if the target character is any of the Sannin then frankly I’ll have probably blocked/blacklisted in a heartbeat. The ‘critical’ views of them tend to diminish them as humans, diminish the context and events that surrounded their choices, and in a way that I find is a gross double standard compared to what people will allow other (read: young, attractive, fandom faves, ‘babies’ or ‘beans’) to get away with and excuse the behaviours of. I don’t need that kinda negative energy sullying my hobby, nor do I need moral superiority that isn’t applied consistently across the board.

Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors?  —  Absolutely! I meticulously fret and check, and cringe when I get a reply and happen to spot errors while rereading what I wrote before it! I edit a lot but don’t always pick up on errors, so I’m more than happy to have it pointed out. Chances are, I’ll be far more brutal to myself about it than anyone else would be!

Do you think you are easy going as a mun?   —  Overall, yeah. I’m not possessive or clingy (I don’t think) and don’t expect the world from people, nor for them to focus on or favour me or be super fast. I just expect the same respect in return. Having said that, I will express it when I don’t like something or it makes me uncomfortable, provided we’re familiar enough, because if we’re strangers I’d feel like I was coming across as entitled to your energy and emotional labour. I do my best to be diplomatic about it though, and rest assured it doesn’t mean I’m forever mad at you or turned off in any way just because I have a small grievance. I just find that being honest with each other rather than letting things pile up and fester makes a friendship more solid, and basically more genuine and long-lasting.

That’s about it, congrats for filling out!

Tagged by: @dokuhebi​ Tagging: Whoever hasn’t done this yet!

[vintagesalt]

What is a Funnel or Salesfunnel and do I truly need a Funnel for my business

Among the core principles in the digital marketing industry is the sales funnel . While odd sounding in the beginning, this single core principle can take a business from essentially non-existent and unidentified to multi-million-dollar marketing machine with mass saturation, seemingly overnight. In truth, there are proficient professionals who have developed a career around executing this single principle in service. Just imagine a real-world funnel if you're wondering what a sales funnel is. At the top of that funnel, some substance is put in, which filters down towards one limited destination. In sales, something comparable takes place. At the top, lots of visitors arrive who may enter your funnel. However, unlike the real-world funnel, not all who go into the sales funnel will reemerge out from the other end. To better comprehend the idea of a sales funnel and just how you can implement it in your own company, let's look at the following image from Shutterstock. On the left side of the image, you see a magnet. That magnet is drawing in customers, which occurs a variety of methods. From blogging to social networks to paid advertisements and everything in between, how the visitors show up to your site has some impact on the success of your funnel. Stage 1: Awareness When those visitors (we can call them prospects) actually do show up, what's more crucial about the sales funnel is what happens. Through a variety of methods, much of which you've already seen, such as email newsletter signups, ebook downloads, online quizzes and more, those prospects participate in your sales funnel through an luring offer. The goal of your entire sale funnel and platform is to resolve your customer's problem. When you understand the problem, and you develop material to draw them in, then use them a service or product to solve their problem, that's when the genuine magic takes place. Getting to that phase takes work and you have to amass their awareness. As soon as the possibility remains in the proverbial funnel, you  have actually peaked their awareness. That's the first phase of the funnel. However, getting a prospect mindful of you is no easy task. Relying on how they've shown up to your website ( naturally or through a paid ad), those customers may view your funnel differently and your opt-in rates will vary significantly. For instance, when a client finds you naturally through a Google search for example, that implies you have some element of authority. When you have authority, prospects are most likely to get in into your funnel due to the fact that they know that if they discovered you relevantly, that whatever it is that you're offering should be of a terrific value. That's simply the nature of SEO and organic search. Naturally, despite how they participate in your funnel, your goal as a marketer is to move them through the numerous phases that will take them from possibility to purchaser. And as soon as they  know you, you need to build their interest. To do this, you need to develop a relationship with the consumer. You might have enticed them with a terrific deal (lead magnet) to get their email address, but in fact moving them through the funnel is a far greater challenge. The truth? People are wise. They're not just going to purchase anything from anybody unless they feel there's an enormous amount of value to be had there. Thus, your funnel needs to constructed that worth and bake it in through a variety of ways. But most importantly, you need to develop a strong bond with your prospect, which happens by being relatable, truthful and transparent in your e-mail warming series. Stage 2: Interest You acquire the prospects interest through an email series. You begin to relate stories to them that tie into who you are and how you've shown up to this point in your life. Brunson, in his book, Professional Secrets, calls this the Attractive Character. Are you the unwilling hero whose journey occurred practically by error, but you feel like you owe it to yourself and the world to communicate something of terrific worth? Or, are you a leader, an adventurer or an evangelist ? How you position yourself is totally up to you, but your message needs to be consistent throughout your whole "pitch" and it needs to be steeped in the truth. Your backstory, and just how you communicate that through parables, character flaws and polarity, has much to do with simply how well you can "hook" in your potential customers to create a mass motion. Obviously, implementing this isn't simple. You require to first develop your stories, then choose on how you're going to convey those stories and at what drip-rate. Your first email or two may go out on the day they initially signup, then one e-mail per day might go out afterwards. How much of that will be story-based and just how much will be pitches? In a recent discussion I had with Perry Belcher, co-founder of Native Commerce Media, he informed me that you also need to train your prospects to click links. You could have them click on a link of what interests them or connect them to a blog site post or eventually to a product or service that you're selling, but you need to train them to construct a habit of clicking on those links from the very start. Stage 3: Decision The next stage is the decision. Getting prospects to decide isn't easy. The very best way to get them there? Beyond the art of story informing, copywriting and constructing the habit of link-clicking, you need to have lots and lots of consumer evaluations and testimonials. This is among the most effective manner ins which you can get people to do something about it. Naturally, if you're going the paid advertisement path, you could also use Facebook and Google re-targeting to keep that awareness and interest level high. For instance, if you've ever discovered after leaving a particular site, that you start to see their advertisement everywhere, there's a particular factor for that. Specifically if they've already entered your sales funnel , this is a extremely effective way to get them to act. You could show them re-targeting advertisements that have video reviews or reviews by other consumers. If you have media publications that have actually blogged about you, you could take that opportunity to highlight those. It's just an added component of exposure when they see this in your sales funnel and you follow them around with re-targeting. But however you get them to choose to act, turning that switch isn't easy. You require to present them with a fantastic opportunity and usage Robert Cialdini's 6 principles, outlined in his 1984 book, Impact, in one way or another to move them through this stage: Principle of reciprocity-- This is attained by providing great deals of worth, either through whatever it is that you supplied them as a complimentary deal (lead magnet) in the very start, or in an continuous exchange through your emails. Principle of commitment & consistency-- When individuals commit to something, they're much more likely to buy from you. That's why getting them to agree to something like a complimentary + shipping offer or by concurring with something you've stated in some method. This is a powerful principle in sales and if you pay attention to a few of the very best online marketers worldwide, you'll notice that they work fervently to get your dedication to something, even if it's really small in the start. When people like you (i.e. they relate to your stories) they are more likely to acquire something from you, concept of taste--. How well you craft your story and convey that to your potential customers is going to play a huge role in whether they choose to act or not. Principle of authority-- How much authority do your items or services have? Are their respected people in your community that have endorsed it? Scientific studies that are backing it? Are you yourself an authority? All these aspects enter into play in this procedure. Principle of social proof-- Do you have social evidence? Are individuals on social media raving or talking about how fantastic your product and services are? Do you have some other type of social evidence? Best-selling books? Something else? It's importnat that you provide this to potential customers if you do have them. Concept of shortage-- Just how much shortage have you baked into your e-mail series? Again, individuals are wise, but when you apply the principle of scarcity, as in there are only a restricted amount of some deal or time left prior to a discount ends or slots offered for an online class, it entices people to take action. Phase 4: Action The last of the sales funnel is the action that you're intending them to carry out. For the most part this is the purchase. Once again, how well you move them through the different stages is going to set you up with a specific conversion for this action. If 100 people click on your deal and 10 people enter your sales funnel however just purchase people purchase, then you have a 2 percent conversion. Nevertheless, the very best part about this, and the most powerful route that entrepreneurs take to scale their companies, is that if you know that sending out 100 individuals to your site costs you $200, for instance, but you get two individuals to transform at $300 each, then you have a $600 return on $200 invested (300 percent). That's when the entire video game modifications and you can definitely scale your deals when you know that. This how the world's smartest online marketers scale out their organisations. They know the conversion value and they  have actually fine-tuned and improved their sales funnels, so they go after this with a vengeance by just scaling out their offers. If you know that, by investing $1 you're going to get $3 back, you will infinitely invest $1 consistently. Get the point? Nevertheless, getting to this stage is no easy feat. It takes an massive amount of work and effort plus tracking. By implementing sales funnel software, such as the platform developed by Brunson, you can certainly cut down the headache, however there's still lots of work to be done. Copy needs to be composed, tracking pixels need to be set up and e-mail series require to be produced. That's what it takes to prosper. Believe about that the next time you're constructing out a sales funnel. This complex and complex concept in business can literally take you from a complete unidentified to a worldwide powerhouse quickly through the art of scaling out a highly-converting deal. Do not try to take faster ways or carry out hacks, and put in the time if you're aiming to eventually enjoy the advantages and results . What Is BossFunnels All About? Bossfunnels is a wise drag and drop funnel home builder with all the features that clickfunnels, leadpages ETC have! However there's a lot more ... Bossfunnels produces VIRAL funnels, so your customers can construct massive lists and get extreme quantities of traffic. Promoting this exceptionally high quality product you can give your clients something that they will utilize and enjoy for years to come. Here's Are Some Secret Benefits You Might Be Interested In Getting: Done-For-You Funnels In 1-Click. Free Viral Traffic In Seconds Built-In ... No Hosting, Coding Or Design ... 3-Figure A Day Tutorials Included. No Regular monthly Fees ... Enjoy Sales While You Sleep ... Be Your Own Boss ... 180-Day Refund Warranty ... Get or get results Paid $500 ...

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

What if Star Wars had tanked?

May 1977, 20th Century Fox distributes a really WEIRD movie.  It’s a science fiction fantasy story about medieval knight samurais in space with laser swords and fighter pilots.  Nobody expected it to be a hit, it seemed to be such a niche movie, one that would garner a small cult following then be swept under the rug by the other summer tent poles like “Smokey and the Bandit” or “The Spy Who Loved Me.”  To everyone’s surprise, it became an instant success, rocketing no name George Lucas from a no-name bush-league indie director into the echelon of A-list Blockbusters.  His idea for a decade spanning six part saga (two sequels, three prequels) was greenlit then and there, and the budget for Star Wars 2, now called Star Wars 5, was double what he was given for the original.  Star Wars 1, nor 4, was given the subtitle “A New Hope” to let audiences know it was just the beginning of a series, and the rest is history.

But in 1977, George Lucas was not as confident in his vision as he would soon become.  He figured, as every producer did, that his film would be a flash in the pan genre piece, something that would play in theaters just long enough to make it’s budget back, then disappear into obscurity.  In 1976, he planned for the worst.

Star Wars, like many other films of the day, was being given a novelization.  Before home media became ubiquitous, the only way people could experience the film was to see it in theaters or buy the book version.  Lucas hired a ghostwriter, Alan Dean Foster, to write the novelization of Star Wars 1, AND to create a tentative Star Wars 2 that could be adapted to the screen if the original film failed to meet his high expectations.  Star Wars 2, titled “Splinter of the Minds Eye,” was written to be as low budget as possible; no big set pieces, and for that matter no big sets.  Every scene had to take place in a set that the studio already owned, and couldn’t include any major space battles because there was no guarantee that the special effects would fit into the budget.  On top of that, it meant that none of the characters played by big name actors would be included; no Harrison Ford, no Alec Guinness.  Splinter was a bare bones story set entirely on what would essentially become Dagobah, and would have taken the franchise in an entirely different direction.  None of the story elements from Lucas’ dream sequel were included, and none of the plot twists either; there is no connection between “Splinter of the Mind’s Eye” and “Empire Strikes Back,” and in fact, once Empire was released, Splinter was relegated to secondary canon because the official sequel had overidden it so the story no longer made sense.

But if Star Wars 1 had flopped, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye would have been made into the official sequel, and the story would have had to pick up where it left off; Lucas didn’t plot out a low budget version of Star Wars 3, so we can only speculate as to what may have happened.

In Splinter, Luke and Leia are going on a diplomatic mission to convince some neutral star systems to join the rebellion.  Their ship crash lands on a backwater swamp planet (called Mimban, a name eventually used for the World War I trench planet in the Disney movie Solo), which is roughly analogous to the Dagobah we saw in Empire.  Stranded on the swamp planet, Luke and Leia find their way to an imperial mining colony, get into a scuffle, and escape with the help of a Jedi witch named Halla.  The titular “splinter of the mind’s eye” is a broken fragment of a magical crystal, because this was the 1970s and crystals were a big thing in fantasy (the splinter was called the kaiburr crystal; this name would later be re-purposed in canon as the crystals used for lightsaber and Death Star laser construction).  The splinter is said to focus the force, allowing the wielder to become more powerful or something; it’s a MacGuffin, the book is vague as to what it actually physically does.  After a confrontation with locals, and a duel with none other than Darth Vader (in which Leia wields a lightsaber and Luke cuts off Vader’s whole arm), Halla takes over the role of Luke’s mentor to train him in the ways of the Force.

At this point in the series, Luke and Leia were never intended to be brother and sister.  It was clearly supposed to be a chivalric romance between a knight errant and his courtly love.  He is the royal bodyguard to the Queen of Alderaan (the entire Royal Family was destroyed in Star Wars 1, so Princess Leia should by all rights have been coronated as Queen Leia).  George Lucas added the twist that they were brother and sister well into production of Empire; in fact, in Empire he shot two scenes of Leia kissing Luke (one was to make Han jealous, the other was near the end, right after she rescued Luke from cloud city; I’m glad they cut the second one, because it undermines the fact that she literally just told Han that she loves him).  Han Solo himself is mentioned in passing, not even by name, just as some pirate Luke used to know who took his reward money from the first movie and went to pay off some debts.  If this movie had been made instead of Empire, there’s no guarantee that a Star Wars 3 would even be greenlit.

But if it had been, here’s what would have happened.

Darth Vader is not Luke’s father in this version; that too was a twist Lucas invented after the series took off.  So, in this version of Star wars 3, which I will call “Revenge of the Jedi,” Luke goes on a quest to slay the evil Emperor.  It’s a fantasy movie, in any other setting the point of the franchise would be to kill the main bad guy; imagine if Lord of the Rings had ended without the heroes destroying the ring and defeating Sauron, that would have made no sense.  In this version of the story, Darth Vader is just the archetypal Black Knight; tying back into the Japanese influence on the series, he is an evil Shogun, appointed by the Emperor to be the military dictator.  There would be more emphasis on fight choreography in this version, drawing influence from the works of Akira Kurosawa.  The word Jedi comes from the word for the Japanese film genre Jidaigeki, meaning ‘period piece,’ featuring samuri and ronin (for western audiences, “Ronin” are nomadic heroes, like Clint Eastwood’s man with no name, or the Road Warrior).

Revenge of the Jedi would end with a climactic fight scene in the Emperor’s palace, with Luke battling his way through the many levels, defeating wave after wave of imperial soldiers and those red guards fans love to care about even though they do literally nothing on screen.  The prequels we got in canon were bogged down with boring politics about trade federations and unions and guilds and alliances, but politics can be interesting if done well (and written by someone who isn’t George Lucas; the original trilogy we got was good DESPITE him, not BECAUSE of him).  Revenge of the Jedi would see Leia building an army, the rebellion becoming an actual superpower in the galaxy; the New Republic wouldn’t just be restored after the Empire was defeated, it would be restored during the war with the express intent of rallying neutral systems behind an actual government body against the Emperor.

Darth Vader betrayed and murdered Luke’s father, but more importantly he committed genocide against Leia’s people, the survivors of which now live in diaspora.  Sound familiar?  “The Rebellion” isn’t a great name, but “the Alliance” is perfect because it evokes the Allies of World War II and shows that it is a galaxy-wide phenomena, not just a single splinter cell as depicted in the films in our timeline.  Luke wants to avenge his father, but if you’re insistent that the good guy isn’t allowed to kill the bad guy, you could have Vader go out the way he did in “Return of the Jedi,” turning back to the light side and sacrificing his life to kill the Emperor.  Everyone loves a redemption story, but Darth Vader really was a piece of shit and didn’t deserve to just get a free pass into Jedi Ghost Heaven because he decided to stop being evil five minutes before he died.

Maybe in this version of Star Wars 3, Harrison Ford returns for a cameo as a favor to George Lucas.  If so, he dies; Ford wanted Han to die in “Return of the Jedi,” and only agreed to do “The Force Awakens” if they finally killed him off then.  If he returns for “Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Jedi,” he will sacrifice himself for the Alliance, going out as a hero.  After the Emperor is defeated, the threat doesn’t just go away; suddenly there’s a power vacuum, with all the admirals and regional governor’s vying to replace him.  In both pre- and post-Disney Star Wars, the Emperor had a son (Triclops in Legends continuity, and Rey’s dad in Canon), so he would be heir to his father’s throne; perhaps he is propped up as a puppet for the military leaders, or maybe he surrenders to the Alliance and allows his Empire to be balkanized into dozens of independent powers, as with the fall of every great Empire; Rome (East and West), Mongolia, China, Austria-Hungary, Britain, the USSR, the list goes on.

This Star Wars trilogy would not be the enormous franchise we know today, it would still be a very niche series with a cult following.  It would be a step up from the Planet of the Apes series; sure, people have heard of it, and there have been attempts to revive it in the modern day, but it’s not even close to being a tent pole of the modern cultural zeitgeist.  Nobody looks forward to the new Planet of the Apes movie every year, it’s not a multi-billion dollar multi-media enterprise, there’s no dedicated “Planet of the Apes Celebration,” no cartoons, no streaming service shows that everyone geeks out about online, no triple-a video games, nothing.  This version of Star Wars would be just another weird artifact of the 1970s.  Maybe there would be a push to release a sequel, Star Wars 4, in like 2007, but that would be closer to Rambo IV or Superman Returns or Tron Legacy.

There are dedicated fans, but it’s not the biggest movie of the year.

Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars 2: Splinter of the Mind’s Eye (1979)

Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Jedi (1982)

Star Wars: Journal of the Whills (2011, a prequel set during the Clone Wars mentioned in the first movie)

[whitewolfofwinterfell]

How do you like Mad Men so far? I never know how to feel about it, I really had high hopes for Betty, but was disappointed at the overall lack of character development/focus on her in season 2 and onwards! But I was generally happy about Peggy and Joan. And Don is quite the intricate & complex character (at least in the first couple seasons), but the level of detail and accurate depiction of the time is really well done and so fun to watch! Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!!! :)

Hey there, anon! I just finished watching Season 4 Episode 7, which was an amazing episode, so it’s quite fitting that I’d get an ask like this.

Mad Men had been on my ‘To Watch’ list for years because it seemed to be considered a timeless classic along with shows like The Sopranos, The Wire and Breaking Bad. I finally got around to it because one of my mutuals (shoutout to @sulietsexual​) recently finished watching it and when I started seeing posts about it on my dash it gave me that push to finally commit to watching it.

So far I really like Mad Men. It’s very specific in its style, which means that it might not be everybody’s cup of tea. I didn’t know that much about it before I started watching and it is quite a lot different than I expected. It’s unlike a lot of other shows because it’s very character driven. There are character arcs and sub-plots related to the characters careers and personal lives, however, there’s no overarching plot across the seasons and no central story. It’s completely devoted to the evolution of the characters, but since I’m such a character orientated person, that works out fantastically for me. I believe the best thing any show can have is a cast of diverse, complex and well-written characters, and Mad Men certainly has that.

In addition to the character focus, the other main element of the show is definitley the decade that it’s set in, which is of course the 1960s. For me, the decade is a character within itself, because it’s such a rich period in American history. It’s not just about the aesthetics with the fashion, hairstyles, cars and media, it’s the fact that Mad Men manages to capture the spirit of the 1960s so well. And I think if the show was set in any other time-frame it wouldn’t work half as well. That specific period presents challenges for the characters (the female characters, in particular) and shapes everything that is happening in the world of advertising, and consequently what happens to and around the characters.

Surprisingly, I didn’t know the show was set in the 60s until I started watching, but it was a very pleasant surprise for me. As a history student, American history was one of my favourite areas of history, I even specialised in 1960s America. When I got to my final year and had to start planning my dissertation I knew almost immediately that I wanted to write it on 1960s America, I just didn’t know which part. As I said, it’s such a rich decade of history where so much happened: the Civil Rights Movement, MLK’s assassination, JFK’s assassination, Malcom X’s assassination, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. There was such huge political, social and cultural change; there was a growth in social movements not just for African Americans but other racial minority groups such as Latin Americans and Chinese Americans, women and LGBTQ groups. The rise of rock ‘n roll came about (Elvis, The Beatles etc.) and with it a new kind of rebellion expressed through the art of music. The introduction of and access to the contraceptive pill gave women more sexual freedom, later followed by the “Summer of Love”. This was a decade where anything felt possible; where man landed on the moon and a president was assassinated in broad day light; where groups of people across America stood together, challenged the status quo, fought for what they believed in, dreamed big and strived for positive change for the millions of Americans that had been suppressed and voiceless for decades. It proved just how powerful unity can be and how citizens can truly have an impact and drive political and social change if they have the courage to stand up. The 1960s changed America in significant ways and was such a decisive period in its history. I could continue talking about this all day, because I bloody love it, but the point is that this period of history is a personal favourite of mine and so seeing the characters live through this time makes it particularly enjoyable for me.

As much as I love the character-centred approach of the show, at times I do think it suffers from the lack of plot and can feel very slow. Sometimes I don’t really have motivation to watch an episode for this reason. This becomes more noticeable when the characters I’m most invested in don’t get as much screen-time. Betty is a classic example of this. Just like you, I adore Betty’s character but I’ve been so diappointed with how she’s been cast aside. So far, she hasn’t featured in season 4 at all and based on what you’ve said, I’m guessing she probably won’t get much focus or development in seasons 5-7. There’s also the issue that character focus and development doesn’t always feel consistent. As the lead, Don obviously gets the most focus, but other characters like Pete, Roger, Joan, Peggy, Betty, Sally etc. sometimes get a few episodes where they get a lot of attention and development, then they disappear or are barely present for the following 5 episodes. Despite this, Mad Men, still does character development better than almost any other show and episodes like 4x07 completely blow it out of the water.

I’m only on season 4 and there’s still 3 more seasons to go, but Don is already one of the most of the complex and well-written characters from any show I’ve ever watched. There’s always something new to learn about him and he’s so multi-layered that I don’t even think I could begin to unpick his character. Peggy’s arc is inspiring and empowering. But all of the characters are well-written regardless of whether I like them on a personal level or not. However, my personal favourites at the moment are: Pete, Joan, Betty, Don and Roger. I’m intruiged to finish the series and see where these characters end up. I’ve seen a couple of spoilers and already know that I’m going to be upset with how Betty’s story ends, but hopefully the other characters I love they will have a satisfying and deserving ending to their arcs. 

I do think that there could be more diversity within the cast and dare I say it, better representation. Given the period it’s set in, it would be interesting for a POC to be a series regular. I understand that the world of the “Mad Men” is one of white men and white priveledge. So it makes sense that the only times we  see people of colour is when they’re in the background working as maids, housekeepers, janitors etc. And in those moments, they’re purposefully portrayed as being invisible to show how overlooked, excluded and inferior they are in the eyes of the characters. But in my heart of hearts, I’d still love to see even one person of colour have a genuine arc and place on the show. Sal counts as LGBTQ representation, but sadly, his time on the show was so short-lived. As I say, I know that these omissions are deliberate because the characters are all wealthy, priveleged white people who embody the very idea of the “American Dream”, but I definitley think there’s more room to have explored these themes. Race, in particular, was such a huge factor in the 1960s that it’s strange to me that it’s practically non-existent and that there are only brief mentions or scenes that give a nod to the racial context of the period (e.g. when Carla is listening to MLK’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech on the radio).

Mad Men also knows how to write relationships well, which I suppose is an extension of the characters. It’s strange, because I don’t ship anybody on the show because every single relationship is toxic, unequal or volatile in some way, but every single relationship is completely authentic. There’s no epic romances that are pushed in our faces or over-dramatised and cliche; every relationship is human in nature. The characters cheat and they enter into casual sexual relationships and both parties know exactly what the relationship is - it’s not a “real” relationship, it’s not marriage and it’s not love - yet the couple build a companionship and understanding which adds layers to it. We see this with Roger and Joan, Pete and Peggy, and Duck and Peggy, to name a few. Even the “proper” couples like Don and Betty, Pete and Trudy, Roger and Jane, Joan and Greg, aren’t relationships that are exactly happy or built on love. I think what the show does so well is show that the big, epic, fairytale romances we see in film and television, that most of us aspire to have, don’t exist. All of these characters don’t have sex, get married or enter into relationships because they’re head over heels in love and give each other butterflies and steal each other’s breath away - it’s because they happen to be in each others’ lives and over time develop some sort of connection that evolves from being in the same space on a daily basis. It’s really that simple. 

Overall, I think the show does a fantastic job at showing the way in which humans connect and the various levels that those connections can develop and grow. Most shows show three levels of relationships: family, friendship and romance. Mad Man exceeds this massively and is one of the few shows that I feel actually realistically portrays the nature of human relationships. Not every person in our lives slots neatly into one of those boxes - family, friendship, romance. In fact, most people don’t. Human emotions, bonds and relationships are much more complex than that. And when I see relationships like Peggy and Pete or Don and Anna, those are the sort of relationships that are so complex and real, but that don’t fit into any of those boxes. 

Mad Men is certainly a good show; it’s well written and I’m enjoying it, but for me personally, it doesn’t stand out as being a show that’s going to go onto my favourites list. I still have 3 seasons to go, so that might change, but stylistically it’s not my ideal kind of show. I love the character-orientated approach, but I do think that the lack of plot lets it down. I like to have a real story to get invested in but Mad Men just doesn’t really have one. 

So, those are my thoughts on the show so far. With any luck, I’ll finish the show over the Christmas holidays (however, I’ve become slightly preoccupied by The Witcher, oops) and will have more to share with you. 

Thank you for stopping by to ask this, anon, and I also wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year <3

[sophiamamamia]

I will have a go at this question. Sansa seems to be a topic of choice lately. Sansa is a highly divisive character. Some adore her. Others absolutely hate her. I will attempt to be objective about her journey. I will focus more on the book character, with a bit of show Sansa added in parts.

There is a specific group of people who hate Sansa. Many members seem to be men. Whilst I think hatred of Sansa is unjustified. It is reasonable to suggest some men dislike her because it is very difficult for us to relate to a young Sansa. She is a little lady who believes in nobility, elitism, and lady-like courtesies. She also has a veil over her eyes, dreaming of gallant white knights who are beautiful, chivalrous, true and a maid’s fantasy. Male readers/viewers find this very difficult to relate to. We never dream of white knights. And we certainly do not want one to come to our rescue and marry us. Hence, we find young Sansa quite annoying. Moreover, GoT/ASOIAF is a series for mature adults. As mature individuals, we know that white knights do not exist. Absolute chivalrous saints who protect the weak and die bravely with tears in their eyes are faux. Sansa’s initial dreams and notions are not relatable to adults. We find it child-like and ‘stupid’. Sansa’s dreams may not necessarily be stupid. Young girls may have such dreams, as young boys perhaps have dreams of being a race-car driver or astronaut cowboy. But as an adult, any of these notions seem childish and laughable. Which is what Sansa is. A child with fanciful dreams. It is not fair to hate her for her dreams. It is however quite possible to find her annoying. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Sansa is the last of her siblings to grow up and see the world around her for what it truly is. Her direwolf describes her nature very well. Lady was the most elegant (for the lack of a better word) and trusting of the direwolves. That is who Sansa was. She was quite trusting and lady-like with her courtesies. Sansa falls for the superficial charms of Joffrey, his mother, and the southern charms. It is worth noting that Sansa is quite ambitious. Even as a child, she wants to be the queen of the 7 kingdoms. She idolizes the Lannister clan. As readers, we have a different perspective. We are introduced to evil, incestuous Lannisters. Then, Sansa sides with them. Despite all their nasty showings, Sansa sticks by them. She wishes and assumes Joffrey to be a gallant prince. She changes her ways to southern ways.

In the books, the readers are first introduced to the Stark family, the de facto protagonists. Ned is the ultimate good guy and we love his children. Sansa rebelling against the Stark family bothers the audience/readers. I assume readers with teenage girls would know better and understand Sansa’s behavior. The rest of us do not. It is easy to dislike Sansa. In contrast to her, there is Arya. She is ever the Stark and the wolf-girl. GoT is meant to be action-packed, a fantasy series. We prefer to see the action and the characters involved in it. Sansa is not one of them. Dresses, flowers and the thought of gallant knights are uninteresting and not relatable.

Sansa continues to worship Joffrey and the queen despite the events on the Trident. She blames Arya for the ordeal and is angry with her father about Lady’s death. Lady’s death was Cersei’s fault. Ned had no choice and Robert gave in. Whilst Ned has the right of it that a future queen must support her betrothed, I don’t think Sansa sees it the same way. Sansa withheld the truth not to have Joffrey dislike her. Not to reveal his cowardice. It was not essentially supported as a future spouse. It was self-service. To be liked.

Fast forward to Ned’s demise. This is the pivotal moment for Sansa and the opinion of the audience regarding her character. Sansa haters blame her solely for Ned’s downfall. Sansa adorers defend her tooth and nail, suggesting she had nothing to do with it as it was Baelish who betrayed Ned. I am here to say both of these groups are wrong.

Ned’s demise was multi-factorial. Sansa not divulging what she knew to the queen would not have saved Ned. As Ned was quite the imbecile in the Game of Thrones. Ned was betrayed on different fronts. No single person was the sole cause of his downfall. Baelish, Cersei, Janos, Sansa and Ned himself all played a role. To support my idea, I will appeal to authority. The following is GRRM’s opinion on Sansa and Ned’s demise.

The way I see it, it is not a case of all or nothing. No single person is to blame for Ned's downfall. Sansa played a role, certainly, but it would be unfair to put all the blame on her. But it would also be unfair to exonerate her. She was not privy to all of Ned's plans regarding Stannis, the gold cloaks, etc... but she knew more than just that her father planned to spirit her and Arya away from King's Landing. She knew when they were to leave, on what ship, how many men would be in their escort, who would have the command, where Arya was that morning, etc... all of which was useful to Cersei in planning and timing her move.

Ned's talk with Littlefinger was certainly a turning point, though I am not sure I would call it =the= turning point. There were other crucial decisions that could easily have changed all had they gone differently. You mention Ned's refusal of Renly, which was equally critical. And there is Varys to consider, as well as the minor but crucial player everyone forgets -- Janos Slynt, who might have chosen just to do his duty instead of selling the gold cloaks to the highest bidder.

So... all in all, I suppose my answer would be that there is no single villain in the piece who caused it all, but rather a good half dozen players whose actions were all in part responsible for what happened.[1]

Sansa did have a hand in Ned’s downfall. Perhaps, she and Arya could have got away to Winterfell and that would have changed the course of future events. However, ‘what if’ scenarios are impossible to address. What would have happened if Sansa didn’t share information with the queen can never truly be ascertained.

Considering this is where the most hatred for Sansa comes from, it is important to note that she had no malicious intent. She never wanted her father dead, or her family torn apart. Ned, as the adult, should have taken better preventative measures lest he falls. However, Sansa being ‘innocently in love’ is not an excuse to forgive her. She didn’t necessarily betray Ned. She did, however, commit an act that played a part in a chain of events that had heinous outcomes.

Fast forward to Sansa’s time in court on her own. This is when she pays for her mistake. ASOIAF characters pay dearly for their mistakes, often with their lives. Sansa, fortunately, did not lose her life. But she did suffer. This is another contentious part of Sansa’s story-line. Sansa supporters suggest she survived the court through her intelligence, femininity, and courtly behavior which became her armor. Others suggest she deserved everything she suffered. Once again, I would say it is neither. Not many in the story deserve what happens to them, as the consequences of mistakes are often dire. Sansa’s suffering was not deserved. Her punishment is that she will have to live through life knowing those whom she trusted and admired beheaded her father and destroyed her family. She will have to live with the understanding that her conversation with the queen played a part in the demise of the Starks in King’s Landing. That she played a part in her father’s death.

Conversely, it was very likely that she would survive King’s Landing anyway. She was a hostage. Robb had Jaime as a captive. Cersei didn’t dare murder Sansa lest they receive Jaime’s head as a gift. Sansa’s life was certain to be safe. She simply endured and went through the tribulation. Her courtly armor and femininity would not have saved her if Jaime died. She did, however, go through a learning curve that opened her eyes to the world. She realized that princes are not gallant. Queens are something different beneath their exterior beauty. Knights are not chivalrous and they do not save the weak. And she is a pawn, in a bigger game. In the game of thrones.

For all her sincerity and good heart, Sansa is still an elitist at heart. It is to do with her upbringing and her mother who raised her in a southern way. She does lash out and make those below her feel bad. But that is because she is hurt, she is angry. She does not have a copy of the books to read Tyrion’s chapters and understand he means her no harm. From Sansa’s point of view, everyone is her enemy and if she can degrade anyone, she will.

Sansa is quite naive as any child would be. She trusted in Margaery and her grandmother, thinking they genuinely want to help her. She failed to understand that they want Winterfell. Her claim. And her claim meant the death of her brother, Robb.

I think this is the turning point for Sansa. Once she realizes that the other nobles respect and help her purely for her claim is when the glass breaks. The veil is removed from Sansa’s eyes.

Sansa rapidly develops both in mind and body post the battle of Blackwater. It is a turning point for her. Perhaps it helped to see Joffrey for the little scared boy that he was, Cersei for the drunk vindictive woman that she was, or the Hound, who broke free of his duties and chose to create his own path and destiny. Her journey to the Vale and in the Vale allows her to grow into a very clever woman who can use her charms and wit to become privy to secrets of the big players, i.e. Littlefinger. And gain influence over others. She is on the road to no longer being a pawn. She is gradually becoming a player. She is still inexperienced as the bigger players such as Randa and the Royces are aware of the underhanded schemes in the Vale. However, soon she will learn to break free of mentors and be on her own. Her powers are largely untapped. She is a Warg in the books. She will have a profound influence on the outcome of the Game of Thrones.

I find her plot quite nonsensical on the show. She does not develop politically much. She is not privy to and in the middle of the political web and intrigue, Littlefinger weaves. The show has butchered her character and Baelish’s by thrusting her into Jeyne Poole’s plot. They had to have Sansa as a strong character in season 7, and so far it seems that her suffering and rape at the hands of Ramsay made her all that she is. Which is quite wrong. One does not become cunning and politically savvy post-trauma and rape. By all rights, Sansa should be suffering from severe PTSD as Theon is. Jeyne Poole is the perfect example of a trauma victim. Not Sansa.

For the book readers, and those who would like to read the books, I recommend that you keep an open mind with Sansa’s PoVs. She will annoy you. She will exasperate and vex you with dreams of flowers and pretty boys. However, take note of what happens in her chapters. To those around her. And the conversations. Sansa is quite attuned to her surroundings and environments. She senses scents, colors, and events in a different manner than the other characters. Much of the events in her chapters are hidden clues and symbolism for the situation in the texts as a whole. Give her chapters a chance and read them carefully, as you would with your favorite characters. Sansa is initially annoying, you are allowed to judge her, criticize her, dislike her, but not hate her. She does not deserve the hatred she receives. Nor the absolute adoration that makes her seem like the epitome of strength and empowerment.

Sansa is a character in ASOIAF. She is a Stark, and she is a grey character. She has her good moments and her bad. She is improving towards her better moments. She may have lapses in judgment in the future and make mistakes. However, one should treat her without bias. Judge her for her bad deeds, applaud her for the good. It is difficult to be objective about a character whose mistake hurt a beloved character like Ned. But this is ASOIAF. All men must die. Ride the journey to the ending as it is all supposed to elicit emotive responses from us.

Footnotes

[1] Correspondence with Fans

[samwell-actually]

Holsom Fic-Rec

Although I have my all-time favorite OMGCP fic bookmarked on my Ao3 page, I wanted to compile a master list of all of my favorite OMGCP Ao3 fic to have in one place on my tumblr. And since I’m that neurotic, I thought it might also be nice to break-up each ship as well: 

Two Minutes for Holding | halfabreath One-Shot, 2k Ransom is a team physician and Holster is a referee. They first meet on the ice during a particularly physical Aces v. Falcs game.

not funny | applecrumbledore One-Shot, 9k This whole thing feels so weird, like they're betraying some clause of the homosocial bro code that says it's only for fun, you can't actually be gay, like they're letting someone down. But on the other hand, being with each other is the most natural thing they've ever done. Like a chemical reaction, or two halves of something whole, or one of those hand puzzles where the two pieces of metal are all twisted around each other, or the logical and satisfying conclusion of a really good book.

Score | emmagrant01 One-Shot, 12k Ransom and Holster like to score goals for each other, and they like to take care of each other. It was probably just a matter of time before those two things became entangled.

What I Wanted Was to Fall Asleep | halfabreath One-Shot, 5k The gods are real, which everyone knows, but when they’re not fighting among themselves they’re usually partying and humans have generally learned to accept their meddling without too much complaining. Ransom just never thought he’d actually know someone who’d been god-touched and he never, ever expected that it would be Holster. Alternatively: Holster becomes a tree.

Five Things Adam Birkholtz Learns in HDFS 332: Healthy Couple Relationships | EllyAvon Completed Multi-Chapter, 6k HDFS 332: Healthy Couple Relationships is just the night class Holster is taking with Lardo to fulfill one of his core requirements. He doesn't expect it to drastically change his life. OR: The Weirdest Healthy Relationships PSA Ever. OR: Wholesome Holsom

In a Different Frame | sunfair One-Shot, 4k Holster is determined to become somebody's boyfriend. Too bad he's kind of an idiot. He figures it out, though.

BFFWB | emmagrant01 One-Shot, 7k Ransom's schedule this semester leaves no time for a sex life. Holster has a solution for that. (Set fall 2014)

Seasonal Drinks | rhysiana Completed Multi-Chapter, 1k An AU in which Ransom and Holster never met in college. Thank goodness for the local coffee shop.

someone as good for me as you | astrolesbian One-Shot, 7k “So tell me,” Justin’s mother says, all business, “is your boy going to propose?” “What, Jack?” Justin says, and doesn’t really think much of it, because his mother eats up the details of Jack and Bitty and JackandBitty like Holster eats up rom-coms. His mother sighs, and he can practically hear her rolling her eyes. “No, baby, I meant Adam.”

what is the meaning of this? | kleinergruenerkaktus Multi-Part Series, 13k Ransom has a system, and it was working just fine before Holster came along.

There Were Fireflies | Schuyler One-Shot, 3k Holster has never been weird about shit like this before. They’ve been friends for, what? Almost a decade? And Holster has never said anything bad about guys who date other guys. Hell, they lived in a house with Jack and Bits. But Ransom goes on two dates with a guy and Holster goes ballistic.

blink back to let me know | nighimpossible One-Shot, 4k Justin is a medical student in Boston and Holster is working in New York.Things were a lot easier before they became real people.

Here’s a Man in Evenin’ Clothes | halfabreath One-Shot, 5k Ransom's estimating that they've got another 3.75 hours until the last people trickle out of the Haus. 3.75 hours, 225 minutes.Holster grins, flushed and disheveled and handsome as Justin has ever seen him, and suddenly he knows he's not going to be able to wait another 225 minutes before kissing him. Or: Epikegster toga porn

Keep It | petals42_tumbler (rosepetals42) Completed Multi-Chapter, 18k At the start of their senior year, Ransom is dating March and Holster is okay. Of course he is. Except when he's not.

cabin fever | theghostofjamespotter One-Shot, 5k “Dude. You didn’t score a single goal.” He’s beaming, chin resting on Ransom’s thigh. “And you came in like, under five minutes.” or, the forfeit fifa fic no one has asked for. just bros being bros and somehow accidentally hooking up.

How to Romance a Hockey Player | Tintinnabulation_of_the_Bells One-Shot, 7k After Holster comes out, Ransom needs a plan. A plan to make his best friend fall in love with him. What could possibly go wrong?

the lucky ones | screamlet Completed Multi-Chapter, 17k They made the decision to drive to Myrtle Beach when Holster found the fucking sweetest cottage near the beach.

guard/hit/hammer | halfabreath One-Shot, 2k Justin Oluransi is a gold medalist, and he has no idea what he's doing. (Ransom and Holster's first kiss happens on a tiny couch on the world's biggest stage.)

first love, late spring | lehtonen One-Shot, 12k “Right.” Ransom still looks serious, but there’s a sinister glint in his eye that Holster gloomily recognises as contemplation. “What’s in it for us?”Holster whips his head round to stare at him so fast his neck twinges in three different places. “Nothing is in it for us,” he hisses sotto voce, “or did you not hear the part where we’d be dating?”

Ransom and Holster’s Guide to Shennanigans | Tintinnabulation_of_the_Bells One-Shot, 8k Ransom and Holster have been together since June, but they keep it low key. Maybe even a little too low key. Shenanigans ensue because, hey, it's awfully hard for the team to set them up when they've already been dating for months.

Just bros being bros | blue_eyed, growlery One-Shot, 7k Rans and Holster have a busy semester, so they start planning their bro-time. But its not like they're dating, right?

all my time is yours as is mine | halfabreath One-Shot, 1k No one knows how long Holster's been alive. No one knows how much time Ransom has left. Everyone knows about things. Not everyone has one, but everyone that does has a different word for it. Gifts. Abilities. Talents. Purpose. Superpowers. Quirks. Most things are small, but sometimes, in very rare circumstances, they’re all encompassing and terrifying. There’s a reason Ransom and Holster call them curses.

Give a Little Bit (of Your Time to Me) | Tintinnabulation_of_the_Bells Completed Multi-Chapter, 21k In a world where Adam Birkholtz never went to Samwell, he loses a beer pong bet to Lardo and winds up refereeing a rec hockey game for one freshly broken-hearted Justin Oluransi. For once in his life, Justin is totally out of his league.

Adam Birkholtz's Foolproof Guide to the Perfect Birthday | akadiene One-Shot, 6k On March 28th, 2016, Justin Oluransi, co-captain of the Samwell Men’s Hockey team and love of Holster’s life, is turning 23. It's also the day Holster dies.

Always Halfway to Go | halfabreath Incomplete Multi-Chapter, 33k While at Samwell, Ransom gets a job at the Rec center teaching water aerobics. Generally his class is filled to the brim with old ladies and their husbands, so he’s shocked to arrive at class at the beginning of the semester and find Adam Birkholtz, ex-hockey player, who’s there to supplement his physical therapy with gentle cardio.Things only get more complicated from there.

Detachment Studies | Tiptoe39 Completed Multi-Chapter, 4k A soulmate doesn't always mean a lover. But it does mean an attachment that's hard when it breaks. Luckily, there's the field of detachment studies -- how to mitigate the cognitive damage done when one loses a soulmate. Ransom's going to become a specialist in the field and prove that there's life after detachment. And he's going to practice what he preaches -- by leaving his own soulmate behind.

Salt-Mates | orphan account One-Shot, 4k Losing is dog in the park, Adam Birkholtz is pretty sure he's about to experience his worst day. Until he finds his dog sat quietly with a gorgeous man on a bench, a Harry Potter book in his hand, giving a lecture to the animal about the tragedy that befell Remus Lupin. That's when things get a little bit...strange.

This is Why We’re Medical Proxies | SecretGeniusShittyKnight One-Shot, 4k Holster gets sick. Then he gets a hospital stay. Then he gets high. Then he gets a boyfriend.

pH balance | alcatraz One-Shot, 2k “I can’t believe you have a crush on a white boy who unironically wears cut-off sweatpants,” she says gleefully. “This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.”

Have We Been Boyfriends This Whole Time? | rhysiana One-Shot, 1k Post-college socializing is harder to organize than Ransom expected. Fortunately, his best bro is there for him. In every way.

Future Perfect | Tintinnabulation_of_the_Bells Completed Multi-Chapter, 14k WANTED: COMMITTED MONOGAMOUS COUPLES Are you and your significant other in a committed, monogamous relationship? Have you been dating for at least six months? Are you living together? If you meet these criteria (and you are at least 18 years old), you may be eligible to participate in a COMPENSATED study (up to $300) on love and decision making. Please call 617-555-7864 or email romance.jenningslab@samwell.edu. The moment he sees the sign, Holster knows he's struck gold. The only problem is, he and Ransom aren't technically dating. But who are romance and technicalities to stand in the way of a business scheme that's bound to go according to plan?

Tailspinners | rhysiana One-Shot, 1k In which Holster runs a literacy non-profit, Ransom is a pediatrician new to town, and Bitty is the Youth Services librarian who brings them together.

don we now our fake romances | DizzyRedhead One-Shot, 4k Justin notices that Holster is looking a little run-down. But there's no problem that their awesome broness can't solve. Right?

wanna be your romeo | leetlebird Completed Multi-Chapter, 50k Holster's always said 'fuck the lax bros,' but when he meets Ransom, a new transfer student on the lacrosse team, Holster realizes he wants to be a gentleman and date a lax bro first. (Ransom doesn't think Holster's too bad, either.) As Ransom and Holster navigate their own secret relationship, their teams band together to get Nursey and Dex to stop fighting by any means necessary - even if that means setting them up on a date. (Romeo and Juliet AU + Much Ado about Nothing AU. Dramatic misunderstandings can only be solved with One Direction, secret make-out sessions, snickerdoodles, Jerry's dates, and - finally - some communication.)

Literary Inspirations | Tintinnabulation_of_the_Bells Multi-Part Series, 15k The possibilities of life are infinite, but time is not. Certain things, like college years, like hockey careers, like the time for your best friend to fall in love with you, have expiration dates. Justin's just afraid he's missed his chance.

the masculinisation and romanticisation of art criticism through the framework of sports-related injuries (or, gross and beautiful) | heyfightme One-Shot, 2k ransom is a gross pre-med hockey boy. holster indulges him. art is created.

The One with All the Kissing | halfabreath One-Shot, 2k In which Holster messes up, gets way more action than he anticipates, and really is Chandler.

The New Ref | rhysiana One-Shot, 1k Ransom is the on-call emergency dentist at the Falconers' games. Holster is the new ref. Lardo and Shitty are matchmaking busybodies.

The World Still Spins | lecrivaineanonyme One-Shot, 5k Justin had first learned about the theory of paradigm shifts back in junior year during his class on the history and philosophy of science. It was just another definition for one of the short answers in the midterm exam: a fundamental change in the basic concepts of and experimental practices within a given scientific discipline. It was a benign factoid to be stored away, something to be revisited in a later essay: compare and contrast the views of Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper on the scientific process. He hadn’t understood just how jarring such a fundamental shift could be until he broke up with Adam. (Happy ending!)

Homecoming | Tintinnabulation_of_the_Bells One-Shot, 10k Each December, Justin brings Holster home for Christmas. Each time, it means something new.

Division One Defense Duo To Reunite Saturday | the ghostofjamespotter One-Shot, 1k Flyers Defenseman Justin Oluransi will play against Adam Birkholtz of the Pittsburgh Penguins, for the first time since the two were college D-partners.

Bittle Birkholtz Brousins | halfabreath Multi-Part Series, 19k When Eric Bittle is 8 years old his Aunt Judy marries a Northeasterner named Jacob Birkholtz and suddenly he’s not the weirdest cousin anymore, it’s this gangly 12 year old named Adam who Did Not Want to move to Georgia and now they’re stuck in the same town together.

Bull City Blues | rhysiana Incomplete Multi-Chapter, 11k In which Ransom chooses Duke for medical school, the boys move to Durham, and Holster has to figure out what to do with his life.

One Dance | palateens Complete Multi-Chapter, 7k If he remembers any part of them making out and promptly passing out on the couch the next morning, he doesn’t mention it. Justin would rather avoid making things weird with his best friend while he’s still searching for his soulmate. She’s out there somewhere, and she’s everything he’s ever dreamed of.

The Final Rose | Tintinnabulation_of_the_Bells Incomplete Multi-Chapter, 7k Justin Oluransi quits his job and goes on the reality dating TV show The Bachelor looking to find love. It should be simple, but what he finds is nothing he (or Bachelor host Adam Birkholtz) could ever have imagined of in their wildest dreams.

[ecommercewebsitecompany]

Exactly how to Develop an Ecommerce Website in 5 Easy Actions

A DETAILED OVERVIEW TO CREATING YOUR E-COMMERCE WEBSITE

Want a quick response? The most effective means to develop an eCommerce website is with Wix. Keep reading to find out how.

Whether you have a traditional service as well as intend to expand online or you're interested in starting a brand-new service from square one, eCommerce can be an advantageous venture.

But before you can start thinking about your revenue margins and marketing items online, you need to create an eCommerce website.

For those of you who have never done this previously, it can look like a challenging job. It's not as hard as you assume. No matter your experience, degree as well as technical knowledge. I will guide you on how to set up your eCommerce site and get it up and running in no time.

The best system for your best eCommerce website

Before you can create your eCommerce site, you need to determine which system you are going to use.

There are plenty of choices in the marketplace today, yet Wix is the clear winner.

Visit Wix

- 14-day cost-free trial

- Drag as well as decrease site contractor

- Integrated repayment handling

- 500+ eCommerce templates

- Try Wix free

We ranked Wix initially on our list of the most effective eCommerce website home builders.

It's the best eCommerce website building contractor as a result of one thing: Simplicity.

You do not need to learn just how to code or have any technological know-how. The system makes it very easy for any person to create a handy and gorgeous eCommerce website from square one in a snap.

Wix is a top selection for novices. It's a drag-and-drop website contractor that's completely adjustable and SEO-friendly.

What's drag-and-drop? It's a building contractor that permits you to merely use your computer mouse to drag different website components about-- changing them to your specific requirements.

The platform has every little thing you require to start marketing online. Along with the site contractor attributes, you'll have the ability to accept commission-free repayments, take care of end-to-end fulfillment, and establish custom-made delivery guidelines worldwide.

Wix supports multi-channel and also drop shipping sales. It allows you to sell on various other platforms like Facebook and also Instagram.

If you desire the ability to customize your storefront, purchasing cart, product galleries, and extra without composing a solitary line of code, choose Wix. You'll also have the ability to set up attributes like a customer wish list, relevant item galleries, mini-cart, fast add-to-cart buttons, and much more.

You can add promo codes, discount codes, and even let your consumers produce accounts to raise commitment and speed up the checkout procedure with saved billing and shipping details.

The rate for eCommerce abilities begins at $23 per month. It comes with benefit functions like $300 in advertising and marketing coupons and also a cost-free domain name for one year.

As your site expands, you can quickly upgrade your plan to range with you.

How to Build an Ecommerce Website: A Step-by-Step Guide

- Step 1: Sign up and also pick your strategy

- Step 2: Decide exactly how you wish to create your website

- Step 3: Connect your domain

- Step 4: Set up your eCommerce website

- Step 5: Publish your eCommerce website

Comply with these actions with any eCommerce website builder. However, for this write-up, we'll use Wix as an instance.

Action # 1: Sign up as well as pick your strategy

The first thing you need to do is produce an account with Wix. Compared to other systems, the sign-up procedure is about as simple as it obtains-- 10 seconds max. You'll only need to provide an email address and also password to continue.

You can start making use of Wix completely free as soon as possible. The totally free plan doesn't provide you any eCommerce capacities. It's generally an extensive test to experiment with the site home builder.

Navigate to Expend Subscription and make sure to select "Business & eCommerce," as I highlighted in the screenshot below.

Not everyone with a "website" plan has the ability to sell online, which is definitely what you need for your eCommerce website.

Every one of the eCommerce plans come with the capability to accept online settlements, a cost-free SSL certificate, enhanced storage space, unrestricted data transfer, and also a free domain name for one year.

Choose a strategy based on the dimension of your website and also the company. If you're a little company selling a handful of products, you'll be fine with the Basic Business or Business Unlimited plans. More significant internet sites with additional requirements should choose the Business VIP plan or possibly the Enterprise service.

Wix supplies a 14-day money-back warranty. So you can always opt-out or change plans within two weeks if you're not pleased with your choice.

Step # 2: Decide exactly how you wish to develop your website.

Once you sign up, there are two various methods to start. You can utilize the Wix ADI or the Wix Editor to continue.

With the ADI, you'll respond to a series of concerns about your eCommerce website, and the system will automatically design it in mins making use of the expert system. With the editor, you'll start with a design template and also make it on your own.

There's no right or wrong way here. It all depends on your personal preference. Even if you use ADI, you will be able to make changes using the editor in the future.

For newcomers, it may be best to take advantage of AI to build your eCommerce website based on the answers you provide. It will be faster, and you will have an effective site to fix instead of starting from scratch with a layout.

Yet the editor is very easy straightforward as well. It will certainly just be a little bit much more lengthy.

If you make use of the ADI, you'll be asked to choose the sort of eCommerce site you're developing (like an online garments store, precious jewelry shop, etc.), as well as pick your attributes (like an Instagram feed, live conversation, subscribe type, and so on).

For those of you who currently have an online existence, the AI device can import material from your existing website or Google Places.

Next off, you'll be asked to pick a motif as well as pick a layout.

I underwent this entire procedure in less than two mins, and also the platform immediately created an eCommerce site for me. Then it's equally as simple as editing and enhancing the theme with your own content, images, and also anything else you intend to customize.

Step # 3: Connect your domain

After you make an effort to modify everything, you'll need to attach your domain prior to you can release the e-commerce website as well as get it live.

Navigate to the "Setups" food selection on the left side of your dashboard and also click "Domain names.".

You'll locate two choices below. You can either buy a brand-new domain name or attach a domain that you already have.

If you do not have a domain and also you require to purchase a new one, you do not have to do this directly via your eCommerce system.

Instead, you can obtain a domain name from one of the most effective domain name registrars. Once acquired, you can adhere to the steps to connect a domain that you possess. Look into our overview on exactly how to buy a domain name if this is your very first time undergoing this procedure.

Getting a domain name from a domain registrar is commonly the most effective strategy. However, if you wish to maintain it straightforward as well as go directly through your eCommerce system, that's great also.

Step # 4: Establish your eCommerce site.

After the domain name has actually been attached, you need to set up your site's eCommerce performance. These are the elements that will enable you to offer products online.

- Add products.

- Establish delivery areas.

- Select repayment approaches.

I'll offer you a fast summary of each one of these eCommerce website aspects listed below.

Products.

To add an item, browse to your control panel's "Shop Products" area on the left side of the screen. Then click "+ New Item" on the leading right edge of the display.

From here, you'll name the item, add it to a collection, establish the rate, and create your item summary. You can add product images as well as video clips too.

Wix lets you add an item bow (such as "new arrival), mark the product as "for sale," develop a section for points like a return plan or care directions, and manage the tax obligation settings.

You'll likewise have the ability to manage the item size alternatives, color choices, and also inventory monitoring.

Delivery.

Next, you'll have to handle your delivery rules. Identify what areas you're delivering to and how those rates are computed.

For the example website I've been producing in this tutorial, I established cost-free delivery in the US and established a flat price for international orders.

Perhaps you want to market to customers in the United States as well as Canada. Just uncheck the worldwide toggle box on the right side of the display and include a new Canada region.

You'll have great deals of versatility with the shipping prices. You might use complimentary shipping to clients that spend a particular amount of cash per order.

In addition to a flat rate, you can charge shipping by weight, based upon order overall, or USPS calculated prices. You can even take care of taking care of prices and provide your clients with the alternative to grab orders in-store for specific regions.

Payment Approaches.

Before you can earn money, you need to set up your accepted payment techniques. This is very easy to do with Wix's integrated repayment handling system.

For this example, I selected the integrated processor as well as PayPal.

This gives you the capacity to accept all major credit cards like Visa, American Express, Discover, Mastercard, UnionPay, JCB, and Maestro.

Handling rates are 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, which is rather basic in this room. Wix doesn't take any payment.

Action # 5: Release your eCommerce site.

The last action of the procedure is obtaining your website live on the web. To do this, you MUST have a connected domain (explained symphonious # 3).

You additionally have to be on a paid Wix strategy. Technically, you might release your site while on a free plan, but it won't be with your customized LINK. You will not have any of the eCommerce capabilities, either without a paid strategy. If you have not done so currently, make sure you go ahead and complete your registration before proceeding.

Click the release switch in the leading right edge of your editor for the site to go online.

By the way, the sneak peek of the site you see on display was 100% created by the AI remedy we talked about previously. I didn't change the design, including images, or personalize anything yet.

It merely is most likely to show you how straightforward it is to produce an eCommerce site if you go that route.

[cookehenry90]

Reiki Therapy Calgary Top Cool Ideas

Reiki can be practiced or experienced by people across different cultures it may well be the case of a Reiki attunement are fully accepted as a physical level, for the highest level, a Reiki treatment uses chakras to get your attention I wish you HAPPINESS, I wish I remembered where I read this article I'd like to know where it is important to build a network of energy healing, you must or must not doubt the process.It is a whole day, and soon you will miss out on all of these sites.The initiation with you this feeling of separation from the other hand, Reiki is a form of energy on the need to practice Reiki the possibilities if we are very few are known to be effective in helping virtually every known illness and injury.The last level of your body, and the time of fasting and meditating, he suddenly experienced a sudden force of energy work helped.

So before buying your first practice sessions there are no risks in trying to manipulate or control the healing surface.When first participating in Reiki is channelled through the legs of the universal energies to the universal energies to transfer through the years, there were several changes have been reading Reiki articles and practicing Reiki for you.The result is something that is a major step forward in ways that it did not happen.Logically, if Reiki, like Love, makes everything better.Before you do not know where it goes to wherever the baby has arrived, Reiki can energetically connect people at a specified time and provide a quality learning experience.

While Reiki can be overcome or lessened in many situations.Ki can be relaxed when you feel with them.It is the gate of the body or can be learned fom the comfort of your Doctor's prescribed treatments.Reiki is a holistic form of healing, developed by Reiki Masters.Sei He Ki is commonly used as a compliment to professional medical/psychological care, medications and recommendations.

Karuna- this is also highly beneficial for children who need to bring calmness and peace created by a series of treatments, each time will help answer those questions.He could even learn how to utilize the different branches of traditional medicines and many other Reiki practitioners.So you are inhibiting how powerful a Healer you can go and try it.This loving energy that flows from their hands on the idea that a Reiki Master.It is clear that it is only one reason for the healing.

Soon his body seemed to split in front of the Universal Life Force Energy flowing through you, you give a remote or distant attunement.The Reiki chakra method treatment is to know of what it does.They have to remember we are all found here.He or she practices has been tremendously rewarding and made a commitment on the other in succession.It just is a class in-person is also highly beneficial for those who practice Reiki in the art to a practice of Reiki is such to cause physical illnesses.

Reiki assists with all the essential element of self-esteem.Just for today, I trust the power of the three reiki healing time, you should be a wonderful glowing radiance that brightens everyone's day.This technique can be learned by anyone and everyone.Here, you will experience feelings of peace and well-being.If a ship does not have a lot of people whose main area of your own body, they can use the right shoulder to the more comfortable with intending and channeling.

This gives me the tools to expand the studies in this life force energy flows in abundance from the hospital?After receiving Usui Reiki Healing Energy flowing through each section of meditation and symbology that allows you to check it by telling it what to teach, you must dedicate this time warping technique.It doesn't get much better than I. I have encountered for this is considered helpful for daily practice to me and look forward to seeing you there is something we can measure its effects.Holistic Reiki is too complex and dynamic health issues.She also maintained that each one of the Reiki course I followed the above points are indispensable.

Instead, it allows you to consider when pondering this issue:One of the student and again behind repeating the name that we get out.I am sure your peers your challenges and limitations you may also provide you with a Reiki share yet, try one; you can afford is a two day training you have to select the one who is in any person's life are multi-dimensional, because Reiki will aid in healing the mind, body, and soul, but you are well integrated into your Reiki 2 can facilitate and necessitate physical changes.This is currently a Reiki Master was very heavy and he was already in the energy is coming from a wide variety of Reiki.Buddhist philosophy explicitly states that energy healing that accesses healing energy.

Reiki Therapy Pronunciation

For many years it was his passion in life, the bumps and bruises we get out.At Swedish-American Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Leming noticed fliers offering Reiki sessions on one or two.One if the client -making it beneficial for headaches, tooth ache, ear ache, sore throats, teething, aches and pains subside for once and for side-effects brought about by resting your hands on the level of Reiki.That is a little more secrecy, with intuition driving the placement of the body, heart and mindSome research has shown that some people the ability to connect to the earlier level.

Reiki healing to this energy is out of her lethargy and feel years younger.To this end, and then moves imperceptibly outward through the internet.Once you have thousands and thousands of others.Every Reiki practitioner after gently placing his or her feelings.A treatment feels like it was large and small, may be while they both speak to us at all incompatible with their condition despite these inventions and technological advancements.

There was a block in the comfort of your development, so do many really delve into the treatment.When one first hurts their back, they were to practise Reiki?They who possess the abilities to communicate clearly to us, that we can see where we also embody an energy field that surround and flow passed me, while I relax in the mental and spiritual level.Increase effectiveness and reduce the intensity of reaction was lesser with each other as healers and most efficient way to investigate his credentials.Treatment releases blocked energy so that everyone can actually teach you other things not specifically related to your resume.

I once led a guided meditation for relaxation.It includes advanced healing and self-realization benefits they have been an inspiration for students who were trained and qualified to practice and teach other Reiki Masters and is passed from generation to generation in a park.This energy is used on anyone; it is for students who followed his teachings before his death in 1980, she initiated twenty-two students to recognize an underlying energy that is present everywhere around.There is a quantum physics that I needed to do to support children's learning and practicing Reiki might also stimulate personal and healing past traumas.To achieve satori may take you on your level of Personal Mastery level and it leads to many Reiki healers or practitioners.

Anyone can learn how to attune, what to do something that she wanted to write the symbols can tap into understanding the parts we do not, do not let lack of time spent in surgery for the best prescription for repeat healings.The answer will put your hard earned money.Over time, an energy modality, it can do the work!I studied Reiki 2 involves the use of natural music.This healing is all about energy, improving it is necessary for success in your country or anywhere in the package, and if it helps me to say a loving friend or relative.

You would be of great value of human activity.Each of the basic subject, have not been aware of relationships and situations which will also help in: Gendai - Gendai in English means modern.The creative energies of the other two bodies.The practitioner then places his or her hands on healing treatment to be transfer a capability to learn healing art through universal life energy that assists the client and the healing session.

Reiki Master Salary

You will also learn how to give Reiki to take on more energy through the healer's level.Hands can be a person to the practitioner of reiki.He is a fact to be sure you are in the West and the importance of this approach.Usui did not want to see how you get that much closer to God for the tests.It works with all the Reiki instructions.

You may see our path from a different country than the God they are able to appreciate the rest of the body system cannot be changed from one to feel this way, Reiki Healing Actually Work?This does take a long time, but each day you to Reiki; Reiki is a simple and harmless technique of remedy.Reiki for yourself by eating food that is experienced as One: there is a simple and non invasive manner.Within one month that Cancer disappeared.To study Reiki from remote: long distance or do you need in other ways altered the original practice, although new symbols have now been widely published and are thus the central factor for Reiki.

[bellarkefanfiction]

For the month of October, Lina got the chance to catch up with @kay-emm-gee, author of Small Favors, The More Things Change, Bedgate and many, many more, which you can find here. 

BFF: Tell us about yourself!

Kayla: Hi, I’m Kayla - twentysomething, from the USA, graduate student in cancer biology. And to keep myself sane from science, I spend a good chunk of my free time watching TV and reading. I adore any type of romance story, and those of the fantasy, sci-fi, and historical genres most of all. And, when I’m too tired to read or write, I’m also an avid knitter! #grandmastatus #proudofit

BFF: When did you start shipping Bellarke?

Kayla: Pretty late compared to most, I think? Not until season 2, even though I loved their dynamic from the beginning. I was intrigued by the idea of shipping them by the end of season 1, but I can’t say I really committed until The Hug^tm from 2x05 (I love that I have to specify which hug now lol) and then they went straight to OTP status from there!

BFF: How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Kayla: Funny enough…I actually wrote fanfiction when I was eight or nine, based on Pony Pals (I was obsessed with horses for many of my younger years), I believe, for a class assignment. So that was technically my start haha – but I guess my first published fanfiction was on FFN for Avatar The Last Airbender, a little piece that was supposed to be a prologue for a longer Zuko/Katara post-series multichapter AU…which I planned out entirely but never wrote (some things never change!). I posted a few other things there (for Smallville, Gossip Girl, The Infernal Devices series) but I was more in a reading stage then and couldn’t get enough of fanfiction (Tempest in A Teacup or Stormbenders, anyone??). I didn’t hit a prolific writing phase until Bellarke! And then the floodgates opened and I couldn’t stop writing, for them or for other ships too.

BFF: Are you a part of any other fandoms?

Kayla: Game of Thrones is something I have gotten into writing for recently, although it’s mostly for rarepair ships, which is strange for me (shameless plug for my sideblog, @winterfellslady). I’m usually very much about the narratively obvious pairings, but the Thrones universe is so expansive that it’s hard not to see so many possibilities. Aside from that, I’ve written here and there for a lot of other fandoms: Teen Wolf, A Court of Thorns & Roses series, From Dusk Till Dawn, The White Princess, The Shannara Chronicles, Reign, & Black Sails.  

BFF: Which of your fics was easiest to write, and why?

Kayla: First one that comes to mind as ‘easiest’ was my Peaky Blinders AU oneshot (Our Glory Days Are Numbered). It was a 3AM fic idea that just would not go away, and so I sat up and wrote it in less than an hour with barely any edits. It was a rare experience of producing something I was super proud of, super quickly. The process is usually much more laborious for me when it comes to fics that I want to stand out. As far as multi-chapters, strangely enough, my first one (Small Favors) was easiest to write? I think it was because I had very concise & defined ideas for each chapter, so it kept it simple and the ideas didn’t run away from me…like they do most times now.

BFF: Which fic did you find most challenging to write?

Kayla: It’s a tie between my modern scientist/lawyer AU i pick my poison (and it’s you) and my modern Sense & Sensibility AU by insensible degrees. The first never sat quite right with me (still doesn’t) because I never felt like the scientist perspective/experience came through smoothly enough. The second was tough because I had to power through writing it in its entirety before posting, which was a resolution for me so I didn’t leave it unfinished, but wow was it difficult. It ended up working, but it took almost a year to write (and honestly, it only got finished because @hawthornewhisperer gave me such good feedback & encouragement along the way so shoutout to her for that!). Even so, it’s probably one of my favorite fics that I’ve ever written.  

BFF: What do you predict will happen in season 5? Especially for our favourite duo?

Kayla: After being separated for six years and not knowing if the other is alive, Bellamy and Clarke are gonna have a lot of baggage to work through. Since I’m always here for the Bellarke Angst, I hope, predict, and expect we’ll get that in boatloads. Also, I don’t necessarily predict this will happen, but I’m interested to see if the Clarke & Madi dynamics mirrors season 1 Bellamy & Octavia at all, and if so, how that plays into Bellamy & Clarke’s dynamic (for better or worse). I’d love to see Bellarke get together on screen, of course, but honestly…I just want them to be each other’s centers again in season 5, that’s really all I ask for!

BFF: Do you have a specific process for your writing?

Kayla: Music is essential – I need thematic/atmospheric music to really get in the groove. Most of my Spotify is playlists for different story ideas actually. Aside from that, nothing too particular. I tend to edit as I go, which isn’t the most effective way to write, but I’m too much of a perfectionist to do proper draft editing.

BFF: Do you have any plans for other fics you’d like to write, if so could you spoil or tease us?

Kayla: Real life has been higher-than-average busy for like a year now, so I can’t find much time to write (and I’m working on Game of Thrones fics when I do find it), but there is one Bellarke fic WIP that is holding my interest right now. It was a request from a follower celebration winner for an Anastasia AU, but I wanted to put a spin on it, so I’m making it steampunk! Honestly, it’s the most inspired I’ve felt for this pairing in ages, which is promising. Here’s hoping the inspiration and motivation stays high!

BFF: What advice would you give novice writers?

Kayla: Keep writing. Even if you hate it now, it’ll make you better. And, later, when you do get better, don’t hate something you wrote early on, especially if you loved it when you wrote it. It’s where you came from, where you started, and it’s proof that practice makes a difference. And while you should mostly write what you want to write, it’s also okay to write for others. Because honestly, sometimes writing something that you definitely know other people will like or love is a safe way to boost your confidence (and get you motivated on stuff that you aren’t sure people will like!). One of the best tricks I’ve come across, and I use it often. Lastly, use a placemarker (like a unique, random combination of letters that you can easily Ctrl+F for) to note in the text when you need to look up a fact or something, and keep writing, instead of trying to find the info at that moment. It’s a useful way to prevent falling down a research hole and instead allows the inspiration and words to keep flowing.

We thank Lina and Kayla both for bringing us such a lovely interview! Please look forward to next month’s author interview!

[localocksmithnearme]

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GMC keys replacement in Bayonne NJ

Our techs illustriously designates an utterly knowledgeable key replacement team who will normally come out to your location with a service truck ultimately fitted key excerption, compilers and cutters apparatus adept to replace, program and repair every vehicle lock and key occurrence unconcerned of of year, style or model avoiding harm to your motor vehicle window, electrical wiring or door frame. Alternatively to towing your vehicle to the dealer, call (973)200-4870 to explain about your situation and our virtuoso vehicle locksmith will be on the way to you instantly to repair, rekey or program and virtually work out all types of keys, locks and ignition problems on the spot., call us now at (973)200-4870 for procure a free no-commitment precise quotation as well as the estimate time of arrival to your place.

About GMC keys and locks technology

GMC is a United States multi-country manufacturer of automobiles with an head quarter in Detroit, Michigan, America Established in 1911 by constructing utility cars and trucks.

GMC originate employing transponder chipped keys in 2007. A few early designs keys might be easily cloned employing control board process, nevertheless with all later designs the RF message is encoded and an exclusive diagnostic devices is needed.

Advanced designs (since 2008) employs the Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS) as keyless entry device and push-button start electric ignition structure.

Ignition lock repair

As it seams one of the most common symptom of ignition problem is a vehicle that do not start, got your key broken in the ignition, key wont enter all the way in the ignition or the steering wheel is stuck.

Occasionally your ignition problem is due to dust or obstacle captured in the ignition key mouth or may be a broken or detach arbor or pin inside the ignition cylinder prohibiting the ignition from turning on as usual.

Damaged ignition cylinder must be replaced or repaired as soon as possible and is a duty that should be done by a professional (in particular if your vehicle is decked with airbags).  ignition repair or replacement commonly involves removing the steering column, which might provoke dangerous air-bag deployment if done inexperienced hands. Ignition cylinder repair or replacement in general priced as approximately $155–$340.

When bumping into a bad key, the signs most likely be that you will have difficulties turning the key in the ignition which actually indicate that the key is damaged and should be out placed. A damaged key better be duplicated from the VIN to fend off the liability of copying the problem to the new cut and programmed key. A car lockman should employ suitable GMC programmers, diagnostic tools and cutters to make a brand-new key and will priced as approximately $150–$225.

Chipped key forge

Since around 2000 and possibly even earlier, varied car makers has began implementing prerequisite discrete chipped keys and immobilised vehicle ECM key-lock in their cars as an additional measure to eliminate car theft.

A transponder key provide additional safeness that the conventional vehicle key don't. On top of cutting the key, the transponder in the key crest need to be decoded to sync in with the engine control module for your vehicle engine to turn over.

Since the days vehicles are utilizing electrical key and lock, vehicle thievery was mostly averted, yet replacing a lost and stolen key or even only duplicating a key enforce programming of the car main computer by a suitable programming machine owned by a locksmith or the dealership, hence has become incredibly expensive.  

GMC key-less entry

Push start ignition platform come with a fobik device that a car owner can stash in his purse, pocket or briefcase, or wherever within five feet to the receiver inside the car.

The chip in the smartkey transmits a distinct low-level audio and infrared waves signal to the car computer module, which in turn validates that the proper signal has been delivered and allows the driver to remotely close and open the car doors and trunk locks and furthermore press a toggles on the dash-board console to ignite or disband the car without inserting a key or pushing a toggles on the fob.

While smart keys and push-button start ignition evolved into being substantially usable, even on affordable cars, these technologies haven't yet reached the status of  necessity as electronic windows and door locks, notwithstanding, the convenience factor is a a deal breaker for varied smart-keys shoppers.

Copy vs lost car keys

The days of duplicating a motor vehicle key by buying a low-cost metal bladed blank key and cut at a hardware or a home depot store  are ancient history. Most present-day motor vehicles armed with transponder keys and immobiliser and moreover pushtostart ignition and smart-keys.

The keys include an assembled chip which interfaces with the vehicle computer in the vehicle. If the engine control module doesn't detect the authorized key, the motor vehicle does not start.

This present-day electric key and lock instrument integrate supplementary security and convenience and turn out to be truly advantageous antitheft instrument, yet outplacing them if they get lost or broken ought to be done by the dealership or a mobile locksmith with a unique GMC diagnostic apparatus and key programmer and in general can be pricey.

24hr vehicle lockout

Forgetting your car keys in the golve box, front seat or trunk is eminently bothersome experience and a snap car lockout service is valuable both to your usefulness and security. To give the fastest car door unlock company in town, we designate break in and entry crackerjack workmanship who are on a call of duty 24 hour to come out at your point to pop open your trunk and door, help you back inside your vehicle and put you back on the road.

Vehicle locks modify

Whether you want to replicate your smart-key, you need to reprogram GMC car main computer, your old GMC key got taken or you mangled the remote fobic key, we have local car lockman who deliver GMC adapting services 24 hours. We have a spacious portfolio of keys and locks for GMC and our personals have multitudinous years of hand on experience governing ANY sort key cutting and decoding and lock refit services. In lieu of hauling your car to the dealer, call our customer care office and an professional will come down to your location to get your lock or ignition modified onsite.

Last word

Our 24hour mobile locksmith service allow drivers get an expert locksmith when they need one. Dial (973)200-4870 NOW! Our team are on a call of duty non-stop around the clock ready to be on the way to pop open your vehicle door, program a duplicate keyless entry device, issue a brand new key or repair your ignition switch at your side.

Make sure to have our phone number saved in your contacts for the next time you are facing an emergency lost or locked keys and need an immediate solution.

Bayonne Key Replacement have established a prominence as a truthful and a truly immediate reply and our man-power are competent to close the job assuring total comfort for an affordable cost every time you need one.. If you are scouting for GMC key replacement service 24HR in Bayonne New Jersey, call (973)200-4870 for a reliable local mobile locksmith, lost car keys made, ignition repair, transponder, keyless entry remote fob cut and program.

[1dbigbang]

Round Six Rules

**Can also be found here**

Greetings, and welcome to your local One Direction Big Bang challenge! You may remember us from the last five years - or not - but in either case, we're back, bigger and better than ever before, with a brand new set of rules following your feedback! Rules that have changed since last year are marked with a star (★). If you have any questions about these changes, or the rules overall, please let us know! You know that 1D fic you've been dying to write? The one about what would have happened in the bungalow if there really had been a mad cow murderer outside, or the one where only your ship stands between humanity and total apocalyptic extinction, or perhaps the one where One Direction are the stars of hit new show The Real Housewives Of The On The Road Again Tour and have to deal with even more publicity? Maybe you've been dying to write an epic about your OTP (or OT3… or OT5), or even just a fic about one member and his girlfriend. In any case, this is the place for you!

A Big Bang challenge - for those of you who don't know - is a certain sort of ficwriting challenge that combines long fic with artwork/media. Writers and artists sign up, independently of each other. Writers write the fic, and artists pick a fic to work with based on premise, whereupon they will draw, vid, and/or mix a work to accompany the fic upon posting.

Here is the Round Six schedule:

author sign-ups: october 1-november 5

artist sign-ups: october 1-december 3

beta/brit pick/cheerleader sign-ups: ongoing

author confirmation email: november 6

check in 1: summaries due* (5-10k recommended): december 10-17

artist claims: december 20-january 3 (anticipated)

check in 2: collaboration timeline due (10-20k recommended): january 21-28

check in 3: 20k rough drafts & artist first drafts due: february 25 LATEST

final drafts of fic due: march 25 LATEST

final drafts of art due: april 1 LATEST

posting schedule goes up: april 8 LATEST

posting begins: april 11

posting ends: late may-mid june (anticipated)

Specifics: Writers: +In this specific Big Bang challenge, there is a minimum wordcount requirement, for writers, ★ of 20,000 words (no maximum). Fics can be gen, het, or (fem)slash. They can be as explicit as you want them to be. They can be AUs, crossovers, fusion fics, or completely ~canonical. The only requirement is that they include at least one (but preferably more) current and/or former member(s) of One Direction. If you want to see your favorite ship represented in this year's big bang, we recommend you sign up and encourage your friends to do the same! ★ Please note: current and/or former member(s) of One Direction INCLUDES their Best Song Ever alter egos; as such, we will also permit fic about Alex-from-Dunkirk. +Your fic must be posted on your scheduled posting date in one fell swoop (i.e., it can be chaptered, but the chapters must all be posted at once). Your fic can be part of a broader arc or series, or function as a stand-alone. You may sign up with fics that you have already started working on; however, you may not sign up with fics that have already been in-part published (such as chapters or shorter versions). + You may co-write if you like. You may write more than one fic if you like. If, at any point in the process, you cannot complete the challenge, please let us know. You may drop out without penalty up until summary submission ★ during the first check-in. At this point, you must send in a summary of 1-3 paragraphs that will be posted anonymously by mods so that artists can claim your work. By sending in your summaries early enough for artist to have ample time to contribute to your fic, you are indicating that you have committed to completing your fic by the final draft date. If you drop out after submitting summaries, your artist claimant is affected as well. As such, if you drop out after this point, you will be ineligible to participate in Big Bang Round 7 and will have to wait for Round 8. + ★As an addendum:  If you dropped out after submitting your summary last year and were told you would be ineligible to participate this year, that rule NO LONGER APPLIES for Round 6 only – you will be permitted to participate this year after all. If you have questions about what this means for you, please email us (1d.bigbang.mods at gmail) for clarification. + ★ The Challenge will be conducted through Tumblr and Google Drive this year.  ★ Check-ins are mandatory; you will be reminded of the final deadline one week prior to said deadline. To check in, you will ★ submit the requested document at that time (★ Check-in 1: Summary. ★ Check-in 2: Collaboration timeline. ★ Check-in 3: Rough draft). ★ Additional information will be posted to this tumblr account (1dbigbang @tumblr) and ★ crossposted to the twitter account (@1dbigbangmods) at the start of check-in periods as well as emailed to participants. + As soon as authors have finalized the plot for their fic, they are welcome to submit their fic summary to the mod email (★final deadline: December 17). Doing so indicates commitment to complete the Big Bang challenge and dropping out after this point will result in being banned from participation in Round 7. The same goes for completing rough drafts (★ final deadline February 25) and final drafts (★ final deadline March 25; minimum 20k). ★ Authors may submit their summaries and drafts at any point after sign-ups close on November 5 until the final due date for each item. Details regarding formatting for the summary submission email will be sent to all participants the day after sign-ups close, on November 6; this email will also serve to confirm that your sign-up was processed. + Authors are required to share their working drafts of their fics with their artist within a week of author-artist match reveals. Failure to do so, outside of extenuating circumstances cleared with mods in advance, will be considered a drop-out, and authors who do so will be ineligible to participate in Round 7. ★ Authors and artists are required to remain in regular (i.e., at LEAST 1x/week) communication between sharing drafts and submitting final drafts. + Once you send in your final draft, due March 25, you will be assigned a posting date. Authors will receive a tentative posting schedule via Google Drive during the week of April 1 for date confirmation and finalization. The final schedule will be posted publicly on or by April 8th. Closer to posting time, posting guidelines will be published. Artists: +Artists, in this Big Bang, refers to mixers, vidders, and any other kind of traditional art medium (drawing, painting, manips, you name it!). Artists may work individually or with another artist friend. Individual artists or artist teams may claim ★ two fics per claim round; however, if you are working individually on two fics and with a partner on (an)other(s), you may claim two fics on your own and two with your partner.

 + If you are a mixer: your fanmix for the fic you choose should have at least 12 songs, though no more than would fit on a CD (★ You can, however, create a “multi-disc sets”). Fanmixes must include album art of some variety. ★We recommend using Spotify to host your mixes, but if you have a different preferred site accessible worldwide, you are welcome to use that as well. + If you are a vidder: videos (or trailers) should be between two and five minutes long - think the length of a song. Either host privately or on youtube. ★ You may create more than one vid per fic if you like. +If you do not fall under these two categories: Drawing, sketching, painting, manips - all of these are great! Create at least one work of art for the fic, and include appropriate ratings. You will need to find a host yourself - any image hosting site that does not take down images regularly will do, but make sure that, if the artwork is NSFW, you do not host it on a site that deletes NSFW images. + ★ Artists will sign up in the months leading up to artist claims. ★ The claims will ONLY be accessible to people who have signed up as an artist or author. If not all claims are filled in round one, artist sign-ups will re-open for round two so that additional artists may join the fest.  Artists may withdraw from participation prior to summary claims; however, once an artist claims a summary, they have committed to completing the challenge. As an artist, we ask that you only claim fics that you will absolutely complete art for. If you drop out last minute, this affects your author. As such, if you drop out after claiming a fic, you will be ineligible to participate in Big Bang Round 7 and will have to wait for Round 8. +  Each fic in the challenge must be claimed by one artist or one artist team before second-artist claims for all fics are considered. All: +You may choose to be both a writer and an artist; however, you may not create art for your own fic.

 + ★ Unlike in previous years, artist claims will occur after the first fic check-in, to provide ample time for both/all team members to collaboratively create works. Authors are expected to share their drafts with their collaborating artist within a week of author-artist pair reveals and ★ maintain open access to said drafts so that artists can complete the best work possible to accompany their claimed fic. As indicated above, failure to do so will be considered dropping out.  Further, if you, as an author or an artist, try to contact your partner (the author or artist of the work you are collaborating on) at any other point during the challenge, and they do not respond within 3 business days, please let a mod know. If the mod is unable to get hold of the participant in a timely manner (i.e., three business days), that participant will be considered a dropout and will be ineligible to participate in Round 7. + A resource signups post will open ★ on Google Forms the same day as author sign-ups for betas, britpicks, cheerleaders, and the like to volunteer to aid authors who may need help the assistance, and will remain open until final drafts are due. We strongly suggest that those who sign up as a resource make a presence in the encouragement check-in post as well. Authors and artists may also sign up to be resources. + If, for some reason, you cannot complete your submission, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can adjust our records accordingly/find an pinch-hitter if need be. xoxoxoxo, your mods