#it's nearly impossible to let it go. it becomes such an essential part of you that you cannot distance yourself from it.

[braskide]

thinking about an unsent yuna verse to cope with the horrors today.

( clinging to life because she feels like her work is never done; becoming the very essence of what she has sworn to defy. being unable to let go of the high summoner duties entrusted to her and the ones she put on herself, because she does not want anyone else to take on the heavy mantle of sacrifice. )

[golbooty]

Betty Grof rant essay 6 months late!! i'm still heartbroken here's 1000 words about it!

I still have so many Thoughts and Feelings about Betty's character that I made a whole separate sideblog more or less just to share them so if YOU are also afflicted with this brainrot then welcome

So after 2 rewatches of fionna and cake and having Simon and Betty infect my brain like a pair if ill-fated amoebas for the past six months I have a random burst of energy and. want to share why I feel so disappointed in the conclusion Betty's character arc.

I feel like most of the positive reviews of the casper & nova + cheers call them "bittersweet", but I honestly can't see anything sweet about the ending. Simon's obvious immense guilt/trauma/depression aside, they're really just going to leave Betty like that? She no longer has a corporeal form and is perma-fused with a malevolent cosmic deity forever. There's no bittersweet maybe-in-the-next-life or deadworld ending for Betty. There's no "I can't be with the love of my life but I get therapy and friends and ride into the sunset". She's just... gone, at least if we take the narrative at face value. We obviously don't really know exactly what being Golbetty is like for Betty, the only hint being choosegoose describing it as "languishing", which isn't positive. I've seen a few people retort that "maybe Betty likes being an all powerful chaos deity" which, maybe? But nothing Betty ever did implied that she would enjoy that or want that type of power. Her only wish was to cure Simon and be with him again.

I also can't be convinced that Betty would've chosen to fuse with Golb if she'd been of sound mind. Beyond the MMS-ness, it's difficult to imagine the depth of her guilt/horror realizing what she'd done to Simon by jumping through the time portal, essentially condemning him to 1000 years of thinking she'd abandoned him and died in a nuclear apocalypse at best, and at worst leaving Simon with the belief he somehow harmed/killed her without knowing it. For. A thousand years.

As if that's not enough guilt, the first thing Simon does after their reunion in AT is beg her to let him die instead of becoming Ice King again. And she refuses, because this is Betty we're talking about, and she just won't give up. She promises Simon she'll figure out a way to cure him without realizing that it will be nearly impossible and then drives herself mad trying. Just.. the immense guilt that Magic Betty must've felt knowing she stole Simon's one chance to escape the curse and pass on peacefully, and now he's trapped in his own mind waiting for her to free him and she just can't figure out how.

On top of that, you have Magic Betty summoning Golb as a last ditch effort which ENDS THE WORLD. Having Betty revert back to her sane(ish) self alongside Simon inside Golb and fully confront the consequences of Betty's actions was... narratively great but also cruel. Betty clearly understood she just triggered the apocalypse- "this world will end unless Golb is banished" and "I'm sorry for messing everything up" and absolutely feels like it's her responsibility to fix that. And I think the most heartbreaking part of that entire scene is Simon just... giving up. He's not upset with her for not letting him die or abandoning him or ending the world he just. Holds her and tries to comfort her That must've been... really something for Betty.

I know Simon/Ice King is touted as the big tragic character in Adventure Time, and while yeah, fair take, I really can't get over the immense tragedy that is Betty Grof's story. She's never allowed to be happy. We don't learn much about her background, but most of her character traits to me at least point to an unhappy childhood (extreme impulsivity, disregard for her own well-being, obsessive tendencies, self sacrificing). She falls deeply in love and accidentally loses her sense of self and purpose in it. Then her fiance, the love of her life, loses his mind and starts attacking her. Then she impulsively jumps 1000 years into the future because she sees him and she loves him so much and she can't stop herself, but he's gone in an instant and now and the world is completely unrecognizable and she has no one. Simon has been warped into a demented lunatic, and she knows he's still her there and it's her fault. Then she goes absolutely bonkers-crazy trying to fix everything and starts betraying people left and right, then nearly destroys the timeline (including herself!), then it culminates in her ending the world. (sidenote: I fucking love how powerful Magic Betty is. like she's a random human who maybe learns magic for a year or two and figures out how to both destroy an entire timeline and summon the most powerful being in existence? ?? fuck I love Betty.) Then she condemns herself to an infinity of suffering in order to keep Simon safe. Like fuck.

I love a good Christ figure/big sacrifice, but I don't find Betty's arc bittersweet or satisfying at all. She didn't want nor deserve her fate, she was forced into it and ultimately destroyed herself out of guilt and grief. It's just... bleak. Every small mistake Betty makes is punished beyond reason. She's burned up and torn up and twisted and it's ultimately because she loves someone too much and wants to save him. She's robbed of the chance for any real character growth or happiness.

Ultimately, I think the show did try to give her and Simon closure, but it went about it in such a bizarre, unconvincing way. They both felt so out of character in Casper & Nova and Cheers that it just seemed flat and unfulfilling. Any character development Betty underwent as Golbetty happened off screen, which is maybe why she seems so... not Betty, especially in Cheers. And I mean, "I have no regrets" my ass, after everything she (unintentionally) put Simon and herself through, that line feels almost cruel. Not to go all "he wouldn't say that" but... she wouldn't say that. On top of that, her final message to Simon seems to be "don't you dare sacrifice your mind and humanity for the sake of someone else" WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE DID? Also see paragraph 2: she's still fused with a malevolent chaos deity isolated in the cold vacuum of space.

I sort of understand not wanting to give Betty and Simon a happy ending together, although I still think done correctly it could've been a satisfying and good ending, even if Fionna and Cake seems to retconn a lot about their relationship that paints it rather unfavorably. More than anything, though, I wish they'd shown Betty an ounce of mercy. She's a phenomenal character, she's funny and smart and impulsive and stubborn and so good. Her character had so much potential for growth and fulfillment and happiness and she just ended up being a plot device for Simon's arc and I will Not forgive that. The ultimate message of her story is that suffering begets suffering and mistakes will be punished to the fullest possible extent. I know to some that feels "realistic" but this is adventure time and that's a harrowing fucking message to end on.

[666writingcafe]

Past, Present, and Future

The human's name is MC. They were simply an exchange student at a school the prince founded, but after forming pacts with seven of the most powerful demons in the Devildom and finding out that they're distantly related to an angel, they're now linked to the Devildom for the foreseeable future.

Judging by how protective Satan is towards them, I suspect he's one of the demons MC has a pact with. Asmo's probably another, which means that most likely, we're the ones MC's referring to.

Oddly enough, it doesn't seem too far-fetched to me. There's something unusually captivating about MC. I find myself hanging onto their every word.

And then I notice it. The ring on their finger. I didn't think too much of it at first, since it's a simple black band, but when the light hit it just now, it glinted like gold.

"Can I see your hand for a second, MC?" I ask. They comply, and I take a closer look at the ring. Even though they nearly blend into the black, the engraved design on it matches the one on mine.

What's more, the ring appears to have fused onto their finger, making it impossible to take off. Just like mine.

"Did I give this to you?"

"Indirectly, yes," they answer. "You gave it to an ex to safeguard it, and she gave it to me. It helps stabilize my power, you see. Prevents it from destroying the three realms."

"Who has the other ring?" MC's confused. Satan, on the other hand, promptly answers,

"Solomon." Well, that's interesting. That's the name of the human sorcerer Michael's taken an interest in recently.

"What are you guys talking about?" MC asks.

"The Ring of Light has a sister: the Ring of Wisdom," Satan explains. "They were created specifically for Lucifer and Michael respectively. Michael gave his ring to Solomon after the war, and obviously you have Lucifer's."

"Right...and this is significant because?" My turn.

"As a result of the rings' power, my soul has become intertwined with Michael's. We're essentially one entity housed in two bodies. The fall must have severed our connection, making it necessary for the rings to find new heirs." I pause. "Do you have any connection to this Solomon fellow?"

"I'm his apprentice." Well, then. It seems as though the process has already begun.

"I want you to be careful, MC. The connection you now share with Solomon has the power to change worlds, but being that close to him can also drive you mad. Just...make sure you keep your wits about you." MC nods as I let go of their hand, and we continue walking.

Eventually, we make our way to one of the observatories.

"If your Simeon is the same as mine, he's probably in here," I explain. "He finds it quiet and secluded enough for him to collect his thoughts."

"Is there anything else you'd like to know before we part ways?" MC asks.

"I think I've heard enough. I would, however, like to pass along a message, if you don't mind." Satan and MC glance at each other, and Satan shrugs. I dig around in my robe pockets until I find my notepad and pen. Using part of the building as a flat surface, I write the following note on a blank sheet of paper:

ᔕ,

ᗩᗰOᖇ ᐯIᑎᑕIT OᗰᑎIᗩ.

-ᒪ

(Transcription: S, Amor vincit omnia. -L)

Tearing the note off, I fold it and hand it to MC.

"Give this to Simeon. He'll understand what it means." As MC sticks the note in their pocket, I open the door to the observatory.

"Thank you," I tell them as they head inside. "For everything."

[babacontainsmultitudes]

always always thinking about your post that was like “normal has a very high threshold for being loved that is nearly impossible to meet and he will do *anything* to feel validated” and then today in the discord during the part where willy reveals it could’ve been either normal or scary, will said “willy fucked up normal would burn the entire world down for the tiniest crumb of validation” and just. screaming screaming forever about this boy’s inability to ever feel loved enough, he is every webweaving post about always devouring and never feeling full from love, this boy is RAVENOUS and it’s hard to understand how the oak good-boy morality can even supersede that, he has every trait imaginable to become a villain and it feels like the only thing preventing that is the desire to be good, bc tbh I don’t think he wants to be good more than he wants to be loved

SORRY FOR TAKING ALMOST TWO FUCKING WEEKS TO ANSWER THIS ANON!

Eheh, firstly *thank you* because this message is very sweet and made me extremely happy. The post you’re talking about took a good while to write and came with a lot of anxiety so it’s very nice to hear that you’ve kept fragments of it with you, I really do appreciate that!!! 💜

I’d debated for a bit on answering this privately to be honest with you, as not every fire I’ve sparked is one whose flames I wish to fan, so to speak, but everything you wrote is just so on-point and well-articulated that I couldn’t resist. Otherwise. *Ahem*. I know it's very very silly to respond to a response about an essay with what is essentially another essay, but you see, in thinking of how to answer your message, I got a little caught amongst many other things that have been on my mind... And I've seen some takes that have annoyed me for one reason or another and couldn't decide how to address those and. Well. Ultimately I decided that the stuff I wanted to talk about was connected *enough* to the stuff brought up in your message (as well as in my original post) that I could put it all together, soooooooo if you'll entertain me rambling once more~

Let's start by saying that, I recently saw a take going around stating that “Scary’s internal issues caused her external issues while Normal’s external issues caused his internal issues” (among a number of other statements that I frankly found pretty questionable), and I must say, for reasons that I hope to explain, I disagree with this assertion on both accounts!

In Scary’s case, this statement completely erases and undermines the trauma of her dad walking out, and what that does not only to her confidence and sense of self-worth, but to her relationship with her mother as well. And the degree of the impact of this external trauma on her internal view towards and treatment of herself is clear as day just by looking at the stark contrast between Terri and Scary. Scary (Terri) is someone who once had confidence in herself and could find validation and motivation internally, most recently evidenced by Terri's words of encouragement to Scary whilst under beacon of hope:

But then her dad leaves, and things get harder at home, and Scary starts to fight with her mom (her mom who she once called her best friend!!!), and she starts to feel worthless and unlovable- something that only gets worse with time as Willy alienates her from the rest of the group, case in point with this revealing exchange:  

No one’s told her they’re proud of her in a long time (sound familiar??),

her teachers at school shut her down when she tries to speak her mind or otherwise dismiss her behavior as “acting out” seemingly without any sort of intervention or attempt to actually check in with her,

[the above teen fact is from episode 31]

Only then, in response to her diminished sense of self-worth does she begin to cut herself off from the rest of the world and from her former self, most importantly quitting soccer (which we know matters a lot to her!),

and those things leave her even more vulnerable and supportless and ashamed. Not to mention all the mixed emotions she must feel when Terry walks into the picture, between actually liking him but not being able to see his love as genuine due to her relationship with her bio dad and all the frustration and shame she must feel as a result.

This is not to claim that Scary’s internal struggles do not inform a lot of what happens to her and the people around her over the run of the season- of course they do! (In fact some of the later things mentioned above are examples of that- I guess I got a bit carried away). But Scary’s major internal struggles that affect her throughout the course of the adventure are preceded by a slew of important external events that negatively affect her psyche and are in many cases out of her control. Scary’s internal struggles did not originate in a vacuum, and I absolutely would not say that they “caused” the bulk of what she has been through.

Unlike Scary, Norm’s excessive dependency on external validation to feel like he’s worth anything begins when he is very young. [Emphasis on “excessive” here, since obviously everyone requires validation from others to some degree, the point being just that this trait is so very pronounced in Normal and, as I argued a bit in the post anon is referring to, usually the most important factor informing his courses of action, superseding (but not implying the absence of) any desire to be good and help those around him. Will’s statement (the one which anon quotes) seems to corroborate this.] We know that things go so far back from Sparrow’s account in episode 17:

It’s important that this is about Normal’s kindergarten experiences too, because it tells us that Normal’s predominant internal issues go back farther than this and hence were not caused in and of themselves by his peers- instead being perhaps more fundamental to who he is as a person.

This is not to say that external events do not exacerbate the state of Normal’s psyche. In his youth most notably, we can infer that he interpreted Hero’s treatment (which of course he did not understand at the time to be her training) as favoritism, and I think it’s pretty clear by this point that his resentment of her is tied to the degradation of self-esteem that he experienced as a result.

Then of course there is the dance. Sparrow’s words to Normal during the dance obviously consist of a very pivotal moment for Norm within the context of the season, but I think it’s important to remember and not erase the fact that Normal’s internal issues with validation do not begin at the dance, as established in the kindergarten case but also further exemplified by Norm’s primary motive in becoming the school’s mascot in the first place (to get everybody to like him). I think it’s important to remember this in part since it informs so much of Normal’s reaction to what his father has to say, immediately afterwards but also throughout the whole rest of the season. No kid wants to hear that their parent isn’t proud of them, but the severity of the response to this sort of statement is going to vary drastically depending on the person, and in Norm’s case, given his natural disposition, it’s devastating. [and I swear there’s a teen talk moment where Will says basically this but I can’t find it for the life of me rn damn it lol maybe I’ll edit in the clip later if I do]

Of course in this specific case, one can still mostly say that the problem stems from outside of Normal, and that his preexisting issues exacerbate his response but are definitely not the cause of it. Outside of this instance, however, this is not always true! In fact, Normal’s excessive dependency on external validation and related rejection sensitivity (negatively) inform a large amount of his interactions with those around him, particularly Lincoln and Taylor (imagine me underlining “Taylor” several times as I say this). Truthfully that’s a whole ramble on its own, but with respect to more recent events, I have to admit that I was genuinely quite irked to find a lot of people blaming Taylor and Lincoln for Norm’s response to their uh. mech shenanigans in episode 37, choosing to frame this as an act of moral failing or even malice on their part, rather than a reflection of Normal’s own issues and room for growth. Lincoln and Taylor were simply focused on the mission at hand, and there was no good reason realistically speaking to have expected them to be aware of Normal’s emotional state at that point in time (or in general, to be aware of the jealousy their bonding moments evoke within Norm- particularly when Normal consistently fails to communicate and address those emotions with them in a manner that is direct and not passive-aggressive). Lincoln in particular is very clearly stated as not even having fun in that moment, very understandably being focused instead on the fact that his friend Scary is around his father, who he just witnessed, you know, murder someone. This is not an instance of the world going against Norm for no good reason other than to put him through it, this is a very clear example of Normal’s internal issues affecting the way he perceives external events in a manner that is not actually very reflective of the reality of the situation, and which of course feeds in further to his cycle of self-loathing (and I won’t go into it here since I sort of did in the post anon is responding to- but Normal’s negative reaction to Lincoln breaking the pick to gain Scary’s trust is another important example of this [tbh all the more so now coupled with the hypocrisy of how he handles the anchor in Goofs but that’s a tangent]). As aforementioned, Norm also struggles a good chunk of the time to actually explain his feelings in a manner that is direct and does not rely on blaming others for not picking up on his dejection, as exemplified in how this discussion goes with Lincoln in the most recent episode:

The treatment from fandom of this whole instance being reflective of a reoccurring issue I tend to have with a large chunk of the fandom, wherein the collective memory of canon tends towards getting warped to account for Norm’s mental state. Sometimes that’s hailing him as some morally-perfect, emotional reincarnate of Henry (as though the pride layer didn’t happen, as though Goofs didn’t happen, as though all of Norm’s relationship with Taylor isn’t what it is- …I feel like I should stop implying stuff about the significance Taylor and Norm’s relationship and not elaborating but it really is an essay in and of itself LOL), other times it’s just downright turning everyone around Normal into a villain, a persistent phenomenon which I sort of illustrated in the above example but also touched upon in an earlier essay (arguing that despite the fandom’s quick jump to villainize him- Lincoln breaking the guitar pick would prove to be an act of love). Sparrow also takes a good brunt of the damage from this. Sparrow saying he’s not proud of Normal gets turned into Sparrow not loving Normal (despite an abundance of proof in canon to the contrary), his apology for what he said and the support he shows for Norm in light of his alternative plan on dealing with the Doodler are completely ignored by most of the fandom, as are any other demonstrations of emotional availability and shows of growth that he displays throughout the course of the season, and the true motives behind Sparrow’s insistence on Normal living a “normal” life- to protect him from the childhood that he but also that Hero had to undergo- is somehow framed as Sparrow actually holding some kind of favoritism for Hero. It’s as though there is a complete inability on a larger scale within the fandom to see Sparrow as separate character outside of the filter of Norm’s emotions, and the other teens (including Hermie) get a similar if less pronounced treatment.

[Actually, I would argue that to some degree all of the kiddads except Terry (and Lark since he’s not officially a dad) tend to be perceived and criticized predominantly through the noise of their respective child’s emotions/behavior. In Grant’s case, Lincoln 1. spends a good part of the earlier half of the season asserting that his dads are the best dads in the world despite everything going on and 2. has a very unfortunate tendency to compartmentalize and push down his negative emotions as much as possible- in typical Wilson fashion- so the complexity and severity of Lincoln’s issues with his dad generally go understated, and only now that Lincoln has begun to be more vocal and upfront about his issues has some of Grant’s parenting finally begun to come under fire, and even then mostly only his more recent transgressions. In Taylor’s case, Taylor’s emotional security/stability and general fondness for his dad mean that Nicky is being hailed by many people as “the best dad” where in fact Nicky- while certainly helping the teens out in many ways and perhaps even acting as a friend to them- has done just about jack shit for Taylor as a *father*, and really if Taylor has anyone to thank for being as well-adjusted as he is now, it’s definitely his mom! But I digress.]

Normal and Scary are very similar, but the way fandom treats them is very different. People (mostly) seem to be able to acknowledge that Scary, in spite of her mistakes and flaws, is a scared, tired kid with a good heart who is capable and deserving of love. In Normal’s case, I just can’t seem to shake the impression that the fandom (in general) would rather strip Norm of all the things that make his character complex, and nuanced, and flawed, reducing him to an utterly uninteresting husk of a character before depicting him as anything other than a perfect goody-two-shoes who has never hurt anybody in his entire life or daring to acknowledge the fact that “Normal has been through a lot, is hurt, and deserves a good support system and emotional validation” and “Normal can at many times be his own worst enemy, sometimes makes mistakes that affect those around him, and has room to grow emotionally” are notions that can and should coexist. Or at least, that's my two cents on the matter.

[mofsblog]

League getting a singular cohesive universe, Arcane being canon and Why I'm worried

[disclaimer: This is all the personal opinions of one sleep deprived rando on the internet and its fine if you disagree with anything I say]

On a surface level, the decision to make to make Arcane canon and make the runeterra universe one cohesive canon sounds pretty harmless and actually good. After all, Arcane's writing was really good and the idea of having a consistent universe sounds really good in theory.

The problems start to arise when you remember that Marvel and DC have been trying to make a singular cohesive universe for decades and have both failed every single time. It's nearly impossible to make a single cohesive canon when you have so many characters and stories and that's not even getting into the implications of Arcane being canon

Arcane being canon

Now, on paper, it doesn't sound too bad and if I'm being completely honest, I wouldn't have minded if they just implemented some worldbuilding from Arcane (like shimmer) into the main universe, my problem arises with the fact they are planning on making the Arcane characters fully canon

The reason why I personally think Arcane worked so well is because it wasn't confined to the main canon and was able to use it as a jumping off point to do its own thing. By making it canon, they're essentially going to have to do one of three things:

Let Arcane continue as it's going and just have the Arcane lore and characters become the main universe's lore and characters (essentially nuking the old characters we've had for years out of existence)

Restricting what Arcane can do and making it so the Arcane characters eventually become their main universe counterparts (which I feel would be a little forced even if they somehow manage to do it semi smoothly with the good writing)

Instead of one completely taking over the other, they merge the Arcane and main universe characters (That's probably the best option but that still means we're gonna lose something)

They essentially can't do anything without either changing or erasing parts of the main universe's lore or Arcane's lore. There is also a part of me that's scared that if Arcane lore does overtake the main universe lore, it's going to set a precedent for potential future shows doing their own thing with the main lore and then that show's lore overriding the main one

Optimism

Okay so before I move onto the next section, I do want to share a bit of cautious optimism I'm feeling in regards to this. Call this copium if you will but who knows? Maybe Riot will have actually learned something from the Sentinels of Light event and will actually give this whole "one singular canon" thing the money and resources it desperately needs to work. Maybe after seeing Arcane's success, they'll allow creatives more freedom but have weekly meetings across all departments and constant check ups from lore coordinators to make sure nothing contradicts itself. Maybe Riot being a gaming company, and not a comic book publisher with comic issues coming out frequently. will actually allow them to somehow manage to do the impossible and make a cohesive universe. Maybe if there are screw ups, they'll be minor and be patched up relatively quickly

i fucking wish Anyways, moving on

"One Big Shared Canon" and the Restrictions on Creativity

As mentioned before, making sure nothing contradicts itself in a universe with this many characters is almost impossible. I wouldn't mind the whole "one cohesive universe" thing if I didn't know it was almost impossible to manage and that the easiest way to have a strict cohesive universe is to restrict everything and simple it down and that scares me. Riot the corporation literally didn't give two shits about lore until it made a line on a graph go up for them. I'm scared they're not gonna give this the effort and funding necessary to actually maintain this

An pre existing example of them already restricting creativity because of the canonisation of Arcane and Runeterra becoming a singular shared narrative would be Legends of Runeterra. LOR has been carrying most of the main universe's lore and worldbuilding. It has expanded so many forgotten champions and is one of the main reasons Runeterra's lore is so vast, complex and interesting and Riot fucking pulled the plug on it, by cutting its budget and forcing a lot of its artists to move to other departments, and told the remaining LOR team to stop developing all new narrative content because they didn't want any runeterra lore to be developed independently and not as a part of the entertainment division. All of this to say making everything one big shared canon, they will probably end up just restricting most of their creative departments and creating less interesting and unique art and stories as a result which I think is a shame

In conclusion, fuck capitalism (kinda ironic, because, yknow, arcane,,) and go play lor/hj

[lovely-pedrito]

Love In Real Time

ꕥWord count: 2.2k

ꕥWarnings: Afab!reader x Joel Miller, no outbreak!tlou, semi-modern era since smartphones exist, alcohol consumption, age gap (reader is mid 20s, Joel is mid 30s), sexual pining/allusions to smut but no actual smut, the smallest bit of angst, buncha fluff, no use of y/n, idk it’s a good time

ꕥA/N: I’ve had this done for several days but for whatever reason I didn’t feel confident enough to post it. I’ve changed a lot but if I keep sitting on it I’m afraid it’ll change entirely so here it goes lol. Also this is hella inspired by the song Love In Real Time by The Maine so if you wanna listen while reading please do ^^

You had no clue what the hell you were watching. It was some kids show, that was obvious, but in your slightly intoxicated and frankly exhausted state you were entirely perplexed. The last time you had checked the clock it was well past one in the morning and you were starting to think you might be glued to the couch watching various dancing shapes for all eternity.

Most of your weeknights were spent babysitting your neighbor’s daughter until her father came home, and tonight was no exception. Although, you were typically in your own home, in your own bed far earlier than tonight. You found out several hours ago; however, that tonight would be different.

You were sitting with Sarah around the dinner table, eating her favorite pizza and listening to her spill her elementary school drama when your phone rang. She gave you a confused look as her father’s name lit up your phone. You shrugged and answered the call.

“Hey Joel. What’s up?”

You heard a sigh on the end of the line. He cleared his throat before he began, “So I’m gonna be home a little late tonight.”

“Okay. How late?” You checked the time. The screen displayed 10pm.

Another sigh, “I don’t know. Tommy’s been drinking and long story short I gotta bail him out so it’s gonna be a while.”

“Tommy?” You were surprised at the mention of Joel’s younger brother, “But isn’t he in Kerrville?” You had known Joel for essentially all your life, and by extension, you’d known Tommy and Sarah for the same length of time, essentially becoming part of your own family. And so, of course, you were aware that Tommy was across Texas visiting some old friends for a few days.

“Yeah.” He was frustrated, understandably so. Joel had a habit of investing all of himself in his work, spending ungodly hours pouring himself into contracting and leaving little time for him to do much else besides spending time with his daughter. Most anything else? A distraction in his eyes.

He continued, “It’s two hours out so it’s gonna be a bit. Do you uh…do you have time to stay with Sarah tonight?”

You smiled and looked at the young girl across from you, “Of course. We’ll have a good time.”

Joel let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Bless you, sweetheart. I’ll keep you updated okay?”                    

The pet name didn’t go unnoticed by you, springing butterflies in your stomach. You’d had feelings for Joel for a while, but it’s not like you could actually do anything about it. He was roughly ten years your senior, not to mention you couldn’t even guarantee he felt the same--so there was no chance you were going to make that move first. There were too many variables. You were comfortable with what you had, even though you secretly wished for more.

“Sounds good. Be safe, okay?”

He let out a noise akin to agreement and hung up. A pair of big brown eyes blinked up at you expectantly.

“Your dad’s gonna be home a little late. What d’ya say about watching that new movie you’ve been dying to see?”

She let out a squeal of excitement and immediately dragged you to the living room, pizza now long forgotten. As you two sat down on the couch, she snuggled into you. You never gave much thought to having children, but damn did you love Sarah like she was your own. She was such a sweet girl it would be nearly impossible to not love her. You spent the next hour zoned out as some action movie played that you were only vaguely familiar with, running your hands through Sarah’s hair as her eyes were glued to the screen.

Sarah fell asleep an hour into the movie. She hardly ever stayed up late and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t surprised. Being careful not to wake her, you lifted her up and carried her to bed. You placed a quick kiss to her forehead before returning to the couch. You checked your phone absentmindedly.

Nothing from Joel.

With nothing else to do you walked to the fridge, pulling out the liquor that Joel graciously let you store at his house and sat in front of the TV mindlessly scrolling through channels and drinking far more alcohol than you had intended. And so, hours passed with you feeling a pleasant buzz, somehow landing on and watching a children’s television show.

You weren’t aware of the unanswered texts on your phone, nor were you aware of the sleep-deprived man that entered his home several feet away from you. Joel walked into the living room and immediately froze as he looked at the TV, his brows furrowing as he glanced from you to the screen. “What the hell are you watching?”

“I’ll be honest, I’m not entirely certain.” Your words were slightly slurred which you were only vaguely aware of, but he noticed and couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. “But I’m kinda liking it. It’s calming.”

Joel emitted a hum, sitting down on the couch next to you. “Sarah in bed?”

“Yeah. She’s been asleep for a few hours.”

The man let out a grunt and you took a moment to turn to him, shamelessly looking him over. Joel was always attractive, but recently it seemed like he’d been putting more effort into his appearance. You couldn’t quite place what, but you could tell he was doing something different. Maybe it was his slightly more form-fitting clothing or the way that he started styling his hair. A part of you wondered if he was trying to impress anyone. You squashed the jealously forming in your chest before you could dwell on it long. It wasn’t like your place anyway. You had no right to be jealous, but damn you just couldn’t help it.

A loud ding from your phone rang throughout the room. You saw the old messages from Joel before you saw the new ones, briefly apologizing to him before groaning at who the more recent messages were from. You tossed your phone down, not bothering to look at them any further.

“Everything okay?”

You ran a hand over your face, “Yeah, just some guy I’ve been talking to recently.”

Joel went quiet. “Oh. Didn’t realize you were seein’ anybody.”

“Well we aren’t really seeing each other, just talking. I think I’m kinda over it though.”

“Oh yeah?” Joel chucked, relief internally washing over him, “How’s that?”

“I mean, he’s cute or whatever but something about him just seems kinda weird. Like, the first time we talked he told me I gave him virgin vibes. That’s weird, right?”

Joel tried to hide a smile but admittedly was losing the battle, “Yeah that’s a little weird.” He shook his head, “Can’t imagine saying that to a woman. Must be a younger man thing.”

You shrugged, a giggle leaving you, “Could be.”

A comfortable silence fell over the two of you. Amidst your buzz, you had no clue about the thousand different thoughts that were wracking Joel’s brain.

“Are you a virgin?” He didn’t even realize the words were coming out of his mouth until he said them, and he prayed to whatever being that might be listening that he didn’t overstep any boundaries.

Your brows furrow, a slight smile playing on your lips, “Why? Do I actually give off virgin vibes?” Before he could respond you started to giggle at how ridiculous it sounded. “Virgin Vibes is for sure like the name of some shitty scented candle.”

He borderline wheezed, equally amused and thankful he didn’t make things awkward between the two of you. Maybe he had the alcohol to thank for that.

“But no, I’m not, just so you know.” A smile graced your lips, “Interesting to know that’s how people perceive me.”

Joel awkwardly shifted in his seat, suddenly feeling hot. “Well I don’t know if I’d say that. People--I mean…y’never know.”

You chuckled, his awkward charm always somehow making your feelings for him intensify.

“Oh, shit I totally forgot to ask; how’s Tommy?”

He raised his eyebrows and shifted again. “He’s fine now. Went out with his friends and all got wasted. Got into some fight but he’s home now.” Joel shook his head, his jaw tense, “Third time this shit has happened now. Told him this was the last time I’m bailin’ him out, but I don’t think he believes me.”

You shifted your body to face him, your knees making contact with his in the process. “The breakup been that bad?”

Joel’s eyes fell to the floor, “Yeah. It has been. Know you never met her, but Tommy was crazy about her. Never saw him like that with anyone before.”

You really wished you had something more profound or comforting to say, but before your brain could veto the words they tumbled out of your mouth, “Damn. Breakups are rough, huh?”

He laughed, not expecting such a response from you either. His warm eyes found yours and made your stomach flutter. It was a beautiful sound and you were really hoping that you weren’t giving him the heart eyes you felt like you were giving him.

You were.

It had maybe been a year or so since Joel started noticed subtle changes in your behavior towards him. Nothing significant, but he became hyper aware of every lingering touch and longing look you sent his way. He wasn’t even fully sure you were aware you were doing it. Joel may not have been on the dating scene for a while, but he could read a woman. Especially you.

You didn’t know that he had been fighting with himself the entire time. You were gorgeous, witty, good with Sarah. In any other situation he would’ve made a move years ago. But god—did he not want to made things awkward. The more time that had passed, though, and now, with how beautiful you looked with a goofy smile on your face, his resolve began to break down.

Fuck it, he thought.

The man leaned closer, moving a strand of hair out of your face. He watched your breath hitch and smiled softly. Your eyes moved to his lips, biting your own as you shamelessly imagined how soft they would feel.

A sly smirk ghosted his lips, his voice gruff, “Hey.”

Your own voice was barely above a whisper, eyes snapping back up to his, “Hey.”

“You’re beautiful, sweetheart.” He watched your eyes soften and face blush, his confidence growing with your involuntary responses.

You opened and closed your mouth, trying to find anything to say but simply overwhelmed by Joel being so close to you. Your brain was short circuiting and you felt pretty confident he could tell. He chuckled, moving his hand to cup your face and press his lips against yours. Your eyes shut immediately, leaning into the kiss and placing your hands against his clothed chest, grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer.

The noise of satisfaction that Joel made was muffled by your lips. And he fucking loved it. In his mind, he was punching the air. All those years he had spent dreaming about you and what your lips could’ve felt like didn’t even come close to just how soft and warm they were. It made his brain immediately wonder how soft and warm the rest of you would be. He groaned into the kiss, trying to reel his thoughts back in but failing. He was only a man, after all.

Joel’s hand that wasn’t on your face tangled through your hair, dragging you closer to him still. He halfway didn’t believe it was happening, afraid that he would wake up any minute. But here you were, whimpering into his lips and letting him slip his tongue in your mouth. Letting him get to know you in all the ways he hadn’t had the privilege of yet.

His hands dropped to your thighs, lifting them and dragging you into his lap, giving you a quick kiss. He brushed his nose against yours, his touch trying to ground you. It flattered him; really, how much he could see he was affecting you, but he wanted you to feel safe and taken care of and, unfortunately, you did have alcohol in your system. He knew it wasn’t enough to inebriate you, nor nearly enough for you to make decisions you wouldn’t make sober, but he wanted you to remember all of him. To choose him.

“How ‘bout I take you home pretty girl?”

You whined, not wanting to move an inch away from Joel. You knew what he was getting at though, and although most of you was now sexually frustrated, a small part of you did thank him for wanting to wait. He took your hand and helped you gather your things before walking you to your house, lingering outside the doorway like shy teenagers experiencing young love for the first time.

The man held your hands, trying to find the right words to say as you yawned comically loud. He smiled and dismissed his thoughts. You smiled back at him when he gave you a kiss on the cheek and ushered your tired form inside. You both hated to say goodbye, but you’d be seeing each other the next day and were in desperate need of rest.

Joel had waited years for you. Now that he knew you shared his feelings? He could wait a little longer. And honestly? So could you.

[slightlyrebelliouswriter23]

What’s your take on canon divergent fanfic’s ability to become publishable original fiction?

It's dangerous territory, in my opinion. But not impossible, if you're willing to put in the effort.

FANFICTION 101- Canon Divergence to Original Work

Especially in the cases of fantasy fiction, canon divergent implies that you are using the author's original world and characters, and writing it into a different plot. Which is fine if it's kept contained to fanfiction spaces.

But when you start talking about publishing, you're also talking about mass-distributing for your own profit, something copyright law protects against.

I. WHAT TO CHANGE

The only way I can see someone reasonably pulling this off is if they write their canon divergent fanfiction, then, in the second draft (where the fic is the first draft), they change fundamental aspects of that world.

Let's take, for example, a Marvel canon divergence.

Instead of superheroes vs. villains, change it to pirates vs. petticoats. Crime syndicate vs. the powers that be. The Capulets vs. the Montagues (which, btw, are totally in the public domain so feel free to go ham with that one).

Essentially, here, you would be using the events of your canon divergent fic and turning it into an AU.

OR

You could change the superpowers of every single one of the characters, as well as their backstories and any significant plot events that might happen in the Marvel version, but keep the idea of the fic relatively similar.

For this one, you'd also have to make sure that no part of your story takes place in recognisable Marvel trademark places. If it does, you're going to have to change the name of the place, as well as its concept.

This option is essentially: Rework everything about your fic to the point where it is nearly unrecognisable from canon.

What do I mean by unrecognisable? I'm so glad you asked.

Take, for example, the maximum security prison in Guardians of the Galaxy. In your work, it is no longer called The Kyln. It's called The Graveyard. It's no longer set in space, but deep in the bowels of some unplumbed underwater trench on a planet in the outer reaches of a far away galaxy.

See what I mean?

II. SOURCE MATERIAL VS. CANON

Since we know that authors often draw inspiration from–or straight up use–folklore and mythology to inform their work, there are also things to consider about your fanfiction and what counts as part of the author's Original World(TM).

Take Thor, for example. He is part of the Norse Mythological Canon. Marvel uses Thor, and many aspects of Thor's world, to inform their fictional world.

This means that Thor, Loki, Oden, Valhalla, etc. are not Marvel(TM). They are part of a larger pantheon that has its own lore, and is generally open to the public domain without risk of being sued.

However, and this is a big however...

Marvel changes quite a bit about Thor, too–even if some of the base elements remain similar to Norse legend. Thor's personality in the films, for example, is something that is trademark Marvel.

I'm no expert on Marvel or Norse Mythology, so this is where you, the author of a canon-divergent-soon-to-be-original work, come in.

It is your job to research as much of Norse Mythology (or whatever source material your canon text might use) as you possibly can. Immerse yourself in it. Really absorb it. Not only is this what any other author does (or should do) at the start of a project, but it's also to inform you what aspects of the source material canon uses, and what it doesn't use.

Where the canon text differs from its source material is what is considered under Copyright Protection. These differences are considered the intellectual property of someone who is still alive and earning a living off of that property.

Say, for instance, in the Marvel films, Thor's signature apparel includes rainbow striped suspenders. This would be a Marvel(TM) trait of Thor, since we know Norse Legend Thor does not wear rainbow striped suspenders.

Therefore, your work should not include rainbow striped suspenders in Thor's regular attire. You could maybe include rainbow striped suspenders once, for a special occasion, as a nod to the canon you are writing from. But I would go so far as to scrap, not just rainbow striped, but any suspenders from Thor's look in your work.

III. RESOURCES

This is all to say that it's possible to turn Canon Divergent Fanfiction into Original Publishable Work–but not without an abundance of time and effort. which is the sacrifice most authors must make, whether they're starting from fic or scratch.

If I were you, I would begin by thinking of your fanfiction as the skeleton of your original story. Use it to improve your style of writing, dialogue, tone. Use it to figure out which scenes enhance your narrative and which scenes work against your narrative. Use it as a framework or map for your original story.

And when it comes time to write that second draft where you must change things about the canon world, here is a list of resources I often use for my original work when I feel stuck:

Nameberry -> this is one of my favourite name sites because you can type in a name and it'll give you, not only the origin and meaning, but also a list of names that have a similar ~vibe~ about them.

Fantasy Name Generator -> this is a site dedicated to helping you come up with names for elements of your fantasy world. It has everything from people names to castle names to poison names to pub names. There are even options that will help you come up with a concept/description for places, animal species, armies, etc.

Reedsy -> plot generator

Theoi -> Greek Mythology Database

norse-mythology.org -> Norse Mythology Database

Mythopedia -> Celtic Mythology Database (they also have Greek on here too, I believe)

Pantheon.org -> World Mythology Encyclopaedia

I hope this helps you on your journey to authorship. If you have any other questions, please feel free to shoot them in my inbox, and I will get to them as soon as I can. Happy writing! ✍️📖

–Em 🖤🗡

How to Turn Fanfiction into Original Stories

Writing Tip Masterlist

[romanticizingmurder]

Okay no actually I can't let this go. Part of the reason why it's so offensive to compare the concepts of Jason killing drug dealers (something he's done in exactly one storyline where he was becoming a mob boss, and not since) and Jason killing rapists/abusers (something he's been shown to do across multiple eras and storylines).

Is that it essentially acts like the death penalty is not only the only thing to be worried about in the justice system when we live in a country whose own "war on crime" has lead to mass incarceration and the horror wherein, but also ignores the other side of things re: murder and the actual irl justice system.

What happens, in real life, when victims fight back and killer their abuser? If you believe the people on here who casually throw out wildly offensive things about victims and abusers while trying to make a point about Fictional Rapists Being Killed Bad, you'd think victims would get a parade and a handshake.

When what actually happens is they get incarcerated. Of women imprisoned for murder or manslaughter, at least 30% are there for killing their abuser.

https://newrepublic.com/article/160589/women-prison-domestic-violence-survivors

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2021/jul/1/woman-abuse-survivors-sent-prison-self-defense/

It is one thing to say things like "how comics portray heroes killing is often problematic" - I would agree, I think comics potray cops and prison and vigilantism all in pretty questionable ways. But when you see fans trying to rework those stories to be cathartic for victims and casually say things like "people who want to see rapists die in fiction are just falling for right wing propaganda" and ignore the very real fact that in real life, even in self defense, victims are punished for fighting back? That any crumb of justice is nearly impossible to find? I don't trust you. I don't trust that you know a single damn thing about problems in the justice system. I don't trust that you can recognize actual copaganda. I don't trust that you care at all about survivors.

[honeybeecomebuzzingme]

My dad's thinks it's a printer emergency.

It sucks because all I wanted was for him to leave the printer alone. It sat in his room for a year with the same error code not being sent away to Canon for repair and he got a replacement printer and everything but it's only now that I'm trying to suss out and say what the error code is that he thinks it's an emergency.

I asked him for help with it and I said let's figure it out together like we used to...

And for some reason he thinks it's an emergency to do at 8 a.m. on a Friday morning. He doesn't take a breath.

I feel like I can't take a breath.

I stood by and I said to chill.

I tried to keep the situation calm.

Things like that keep happening every day.

It doesn't matter if I take my meds or not there's always the same reaction from him.

It doesn't matter if I go to therapy or not the second I start to get better and feel more like myself he will tear that away from me. I don't know why this happens.

It's like the second I feel empowered and happier and start to let my guard down my dad will take that and run and just break all my boundaries like he thinks he owns me.

He insists that I'm in a relationship when I'm not, he insists that I'm unemployed when I have two jobs self-employed, and the main job I had to give up to look after him and I'm also not writing or making candles right now so technically my only job he will allow is looking after him.

I never understand why it's an emergency to fix a desk that's been broken for 20 years or to repair a printer that's been broken for over a year.

Will never Understand the urgency in laundry, hoovering, dishwashing, cleaning the kitchen surfaces, or recycling, as to me, unless I'm doing it at work, it's not under pressure of any timing so my dad feels like he's overreacting.

It feels like he jumps from room to room so you never get to finish the conversation or finish the task as there's constantly something else more urgent cropping up and it's very hard for me to keep him on topic and then when I try and go back to the topic that we pinned it becomes a new emergency instantly.

It's hard for me to get past his stuff so I can focus on my stuff and so because I haven't slept and he made the printer into an emergency at 8:00 a.m. I am struggling to get back to sleep or try to get back to sleep or try to sleep at all...

I also should probably use my inhaler and try to nap at least. But it really sucks.

I don't understand why the printer was an emergency at 8 a.m.

I didn't understand why the dresser was in an emergency at 1:00 a.m. on Thursday the 11th of April. I don't understand why we couldn't have just waited until Monday.

I really don't understand why it's taken nearly a month now to try to fix a dresser?! If he hadn't taking the dresser away from me at 1:00 a.m. that night and just waited until the morning and talked about it then I would have felt so much better. This past weekend I tried to suggest again going to get the parts but there was a complete misunderstanding there as well. Essentially I suggested let's go when they're open if they're open. He thought I was just asking their opening times so I thought okay since he doesn't want to go with me and it's impossible to ask him about it I just gave up trying.

Then yesterday as you can probably tell by the amount and blogging and what I'm talking about was really stressful and hard.

I don't understand why you can't just talk about a printer instead of assuming it's an emergency at 8 a.m.just leave the printer be, it will still be there at 3 p.m.

What scares me is that he always assumes that I mean to throw things away when I have said for decades now not to throw things away, just to talk about things first instead of jumping to assumptions.

I made piles of books that I want to read and piles of books that I know are his and that I wouldn't want to read for war reasons. And right I'm overthinking he's going to assume I want to throw those away even though I have tried to explain that they are just piles of books to be organized. I really don't understand.

How does he think that it's freezing when 50-65% of the population is saying it is too warm? It's all too much!

[lawyeronabike]

Trash TV #1: UDY

Forgive me internet, for I have sinned.

Reality TV is a blight upon society, and we all know it. Yet I have fallen victim to watching the madness unfold. It's like watching a car crash, I can't turn away.

So let he/she/they who doesn't watch Kardashians, or Love Island, or The Bachelor, or any other form trash content that exists solely to appeal to our basest, most vile instincts throw the first stone

With that being said, let's talk about UDY.

Part 1: Introduction

If you believe their Youtube Banner, UDY stands for Underrated, Distinct, and Young. The channel has been going for nine years now, so we will see if they ever stop calling themselves young, or pulling juvenile pranks. For several years now, they have gained views and sponsors by performing "loyalty tests." This is where they take someone's girlfriend or boyfriend, and lure them under false pretenses to a location with hidden cameras, usually a luxury house that the team has rented. At that location there will be a "decoy" whose job is to get the mark to cheat on their partner. There may be all sorts of supporting actors playing friends, employees, photographers, or whoever may be needed to make the decoy seem credible and attractive.

UDY's strategy targeting men usually involves having women act very sexually aggressive, openly suggesting dates / hookups. Basically, can a man resist a woman throwing themselves at him?

The strategy targeting women is to have a man appear extremely wealthy (this makes renting a luxury house all the more essential). He throws around lots of money (fake money) to appear like a gazillionaire. Basically, can women resist an easy ticket to the good life with a handsome man and becoming a trophy wife?

The choice of strategy between the two sexes falls pretty neatly into unfortunate stereotypes. It seems to work well enough for their channel, as they have plenty of vidoes of people failing the test. I don't read too much into it though. Just like with all reality TV, I assume a heavy bias in target selection, editing, and publication. Cheating is the result they want, after all, who wants to watch a video a person not cheating on their partner, with no dramatic confrontation?

Part II: This Was A Bad Idea From The Start

Relationships require trust, and if you don't trust your partner, now it's just a bad relationship. One can make the argument that UDY is doing a service by doing these tests for suspicious couples, because they almost always break up in the end. Ending bad relationships is a net positive, but I'm not going to give them the credit.

These tests are impossible to truly pass. If the mark cheats, they fail. If the mark doesn't cheat, it means the didn't cheat this time. What about next time? Distrust cannot be fixed by a single test. Trust in a relationship is established over time. If you wanted to know if there are any pink elephants on earth, you would have your answer if you found even a single one. However, even finding a million grey elephants would not answer your question with certainty. With a large, randomized sample, you can show things statistically that you can't guarantee with certainty. However, attempting to do so with a sample size of one is scientific malpractice. It leaves the door wide open for comments like this.

So if you catch your partner cheating, you are heartbroken. Sometimes there's even an on camera confrontation which makes for juicy content. If they don't cheat, you are burdened not only with your suspicions that they are disloyal, but also the guilt of lying to and manipulating your partner.

Part III: Their Execution is Laughable

UDY's primary skills appear to be renting expensive houses, and hidden camera work. The other aspects of the operation are not nearly as smooth. Honestly, their blunders are some of the best parts for me, and I'll share a couple of my favorites here.

For sure the most outrageous screwup, one that they don't even acknowledged, was the fake law degree. For one test, the had they decoy play a successful lawyer, and put him in a very expensive house. Maybe my closeness with the law makes me particularly sensitive to this, but come on. Is that not the fakest diploma you've ever seen?

Look at it closely. It's so wrong I don't even know where to begin. I've never seen that embossed cap and scroll icon on the bottom before. It's missing tons of signatures, such as those of the president of the university and the governor. Also, the U.S. doesn't give out bachelor of laws degrees anymore. The law degree given to new lawyers at American universities today is the juris doctor, or J.D.

You don't have to be an expert in what degrees should look like to know that this is an obvious fake. The pièce de résistance is that we don't even know from where this degree purports to originate. There are 5 UC schools that grant law degrees. Alphabetically, they are, Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, LA, and UC College of the Law SF, formerly Hastings. Where exactly did he get his degree? The diploma doesn't say, which is the most obvious giveaway in the world. In short, I wouldn't be caught dead touching this piece of trash. It's like they didn't even try.

If somebody competent was running this operation, they would keep this obvious red flag as far away from the mark as possible. Which means you know that the crew at UDY placed it front and center. They conspicuously and suspiciously left it on the floor of the entryway, and even broke the glass to draw attention to it. Their actor even makes a comment in front of the mark to highlight the broken frame, "Four years of hard work down the drain." Law school is only three years.

Or who could forget the time they were supposed to be following their decoy, only to end up following the wrong car?

(I could go on, but you get the point)

Part IV: Crime?

For one harebrained scheme, they wanted to find out if a girl was actually broke, or if she had money and was just choosing not to pay back her friend. So they decided to do something perfectly reasonable. They lured her (and her car) to the target spot, sent her away (on foot), set up "No Parking" signs and arranged to have a confrontation between her and a tow truck driver WHILE HER CAR IS ON THE TOW HOOK. The theory is, if she can pay money to the tow truck driver to not have her car towed, she can pay back her friend some of the money.

Is it legal to put up fake "no parking" signs and start to tow a girl's car under that pretense? I'm not sure, ask a licensed attorney in your area before you try anything this stupid.

Pictured Above: Sergio doing what I can only assume can best be described as making life very difficult for his attorney.

Part V: The Enablers

So obviously, the viewers are partly to blame. The content machine will starve without eyeballs upon which it can feast. In my defense, I use adblock and sponsorblock (automatically skipping sponsor segments). This lessens my contribution. If you decide to watch content like this, I suggest you also use those browser extensions.

Then there are the sponsors who pay money for promotion in the videos. I'd like to single out Morgan and Morgan for public shaming.

Morgan and Morgan describes themselves as "America's Largest Personal Injury Law Firm." They have offices in all 50 states + D.C. and employ over a thousand lawyers.

I really hope saying this does not cost me a job down the line.

For one video, UDY made gave the decoy a backstory about how he was injurers at work, and was given a multimillon dollar settlement to better integrate with the M&M sponsorship.

Dear Morgan & Morgan. I know that client acquisition for personal injury cases is incredibly important, both to the firm and to those who are injured. I also know it can be a bit unsavory. The term "ambulance chaser" is used as a pejorative for a reason. I think sponsoring youtubers is pretty clever. Just don't choose UDY. These are the kind of people who impersonate lawyers (badly), are willing to commit crimes for a video (See Sergio's quote in the above screenshot, he's willing to tow a car even though he thinks it's illegal), and who have built their entire channel on exploits that harm us all. UDY makes society worse off. Please don't help them.

There are also feeble minded, insecure boyfriends and girlfriends who nominate their partners for these tests, and collude with the UDY team to allow them to be carried out. May you be single for the rest of your days.

Part VI: The Victims

The victims are the people being tested. Sure, they are more sympathetic when they don't cheat. But even when they do, it doesn't justify this.

Victim's privacy is given the bare minimum, and sometimes not even that. Standard protocol is to put an emoji over the victim's face, one that changes to convey emotion needed for the story.

(Yeah dude, that's an understatement)

We do know their partner's name, as well the the general area where the tests take place (Los Angeles area). Often times the test includes details about what kind of job the mark has, and that is incorporated into the test (e.g. a model comes over for a fake modeling shoot). Personal details, like where the mark is from, are sometimes left in. It doesn't seem unlikely to me that somebody could recognize the partner who initiated the test, the figure out who the mark is.

Names appear not to be kept confidential even in the event that the mark fails the test. In the most recent video, we hear the mark introduce herself, so it's clearly not a fake name.

All of this culminates, usually in a confrontation scene. Whether the partner confronts a cheater or the mark confronts the fact that they've been gaslit for this test, it's usually not pretty. Anybody who's had cameras shoved in their face knows that it can be very disorienting. UDY doesn't care. The drama is the point. They film whether you want them to or not.

(This was taken after the mark went outside to get away from the cameras and repeatedly requested to talk without cameras present)

Part VII: Conclusion

Imagine taking some of the most advanced technology mankind has ever created: tiny cameras and microphones, advanced computers for editing, and and the internet for distributing, and using it all to blow up relationships for the amusement of the masses. It is a cynical, heartless creation, and we are all worse off for its existence.

For me, UDY's relationship testing is a true low point in prank / reality TV.

My favorite kind of reality TV is the kind that implodes in on itself. My favorite kind is where the joke is not on the mark, but on the producers of the show themselves. When people try to make a spectacle in bad faith, and instead become the spectacle. It is the justice they deserve. There's some of it in their episodes, but not nearly enough. It's something I hope to be able to explore further in future entries in Trash TV.

[idrisofficial]

vert

1 for evander, alya

2 for lennox, kori, zuri

3 for lennox

4 for kori

5 for lennox, brinne

1. Does your OC feel comfortable expressing feelings of joy - do they laugh or smile easily? Or do they have a constantly stern or dour countenance? If so is this entirely genuine? Or something they feel they need to maintain for the sake of appearances?

evander: evander tries to let himself be happy and show it as much as possible. he knows he lives in a bleak world and is putting himself in constant danger, so cherishing the moments of levity are really important to him. he'd rather not be exhausted from trying to stay tough all the time for the sake of the revolution, although he understands that that's often part of the job.

alya: alya has a harder time visibly showing her joy. vibrant reactions and facial expressions have never been natural to her, and she has a tendency to remain stone-faced regardless of the situation. she'll smile, or more commonly, express gratitude towards others when she's feeling joyful, but the occasion has to be significant for her to go further than that. zephyr is good at finding ways to make her laugh, though :)

2. How hopeful is your OC about the future? Do they see things as becoming better in general - either for them personally or the world at large? Or do they feel as if decline and disaster are inevitable and all that can be done is to delay the final end for as long as possible?

lennox: he's pretty depressed about this, actually! he doesn't let it show for obvious reasons, but he sees no positive or stimulating future for himself or for idris under brinne's rule. his future is essentially sealed to continue the cycle of abuse in his family and run the country within the oppressive atmosphere of the nation and the castle. there are various ways he tries to distract himself from this (alcohol, overworking, being a whore, etc), but there's no getting around it. nesrin shares a similar sentiment so at least they can commiserate about it together.

kori: kori is absolutely clueless about nearly everything, but it's in his nature to be optimistic, so he definitely has hope. at least he's aware that he knows nothing about politics, and his plan is to learn more so that eventually he can be of some help making things better. it's sweet. and so terribly, terribly misguided.

zuri: zuri is nervous about the future. she works with a lot of the cold numbers and realities of idris's population as part of her political domain, and she knows it's not doing great. and she also knows that with brinne holed up in her room or spending days in the chapel or drinking herself into oblivion, it's not looking up. she can't really find a reason to be optimistic, but she tries not to let it bother her and just do her duties like she's supposed to, hoping that following the status quo will work out for the better.

3. What makes your OC laugh (if they laugh at all)? Do they have an intellectual or ironic sense of humour? Or do they prefer ribald jokes or slapstick routines?

dear god if you can make this man laugh out of humor you have done the impossible. most of the time it's just sarcastic. he appreciates some good irony, though.

natal made him laugh

4. Does your OC believe in the importance of fidelity in romantic relationships? Or does it not worry them so long as a lover or spouse never discovers their peccadillos in this regard? Conversely do they worry or obsess over the loyalty of their partner or partners?

kori definitely does value loyalty in his relationships, evidenced by the fact that he's never even entertained a crush or relationship before brinne. for good reason, he's definitely a little concerned about brinne's relationship with adrian, but because the two of them are so on and off, he's never actually seen anything between the two of them, he's only been subtly tipped off by other nobles who feel bad for him. most of them who feel bad for him won't say anything anyway.

5. If your OC could be granted one wish for the future, but could only wish on behalf of another person, who would they choose? And for what would they wish?

lennox: i'm just gonna say it he would wish for the guaranteed wellbeing of his siblings and that's it.

brinne: any wish means you can make a negative wish. which means rowen is getting brutally executed and made an example of for the rest of the country. brinne might actually be able to finally rest.

[howtonotstressatwork]

How to Not Stress at Work - Know This Guides

How to not stress at work? Between a never-ending to-do list, meetings, and deadlines, work can be stressful. In fact, 66% of employees say their job is a very or somewhat significant stressor, according to a 2021 study from the American Psychological Association. It can seem like there’s a new project or problem every day, with three emails stacking up for each one you delete. Feeling some stress is normal, but when work-related anxiety becomes a chronic problem, it can affect your physical and emotional well-being. 

Here are some ways to not stress at work: Practicing mindfulness and a few simple changes to your lifestyle can help you de-stress. In 2021, 66% of Americans say their job is a very or somewhat significant stressor.

1. Focus on the big picture

The long-term effect of job stress can be detrimental to your health. It can cause you to feel overwhelmed and even get sick. It is important to take time away from your work to relax and recharge.

The problem is, it is nearly impossible to escape work-related stress completely. There will always be pressure to meet deadlines, deal with a difficult coworker or keep up with all of the daily tasks.

Some experts say it is up to the individual to prioritize their own well-being to help prevent long-term job stress from taking its toll on their health. Practicing mindfulness meditation can help you to focus on the present and eliminate unnecessary thoughts that lead to stress. It can also help you to recognize what triggers your stress and how to avoid it.

2. Don’t sweat the small stuff

The saying “don’t sweat the small stuff” essentially means not to let insignificant matters or petty problems stress you out. This can be challenging, especially when something niggling at you gets lumped in with your bigger life stresses.

Keeping your work life and personal life separate is a key part of not stressing the small stuff. This includes not checking your email on the weekend or dwelling on a project while you’re off the clock.

If you do find yourself stressing about a minor matter, try using a technique from cognitive behavioral therapy known as thought records to help you identify negative hot thoughts and examine them objectively. Then, if it’s really important, remind yourself of the big picture and focus on what’s truly causing your stress.

3. Take breaks

Taking regular breaks is one of the most important things you can do to not stress at work. Breaks improve your focus, energy level and mood and help you perform better at work.

Effective breaks often include activities you enjoy or are motivated by intrinsically (like reading a book). They can also incorporate movement, which can get your blood flowing and increase your endorphins.

Even if you don’t have time for a full break, try to get up from your desk or phone at least once every hour or two and move around. A brisk walk, a few deep breaths or even just talking to a coworker about their weekend can go a long way in reducing your job stress. The world’s highest physical performers are renowned for their diligence in resting and taking breaks. Think Kobe Bryant’s naps before big games or 3-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh’s daily meditation breaks.

4. Talk to your coworkers

Stressed coworkers can negatively impact the work environment. If you notice a colleague is constantly agitated and expressing negative emotions, it’s important to address the issue.

Ideally, you’ll be able to avoid conflict altogether and find a workplace where everyone gets along. If this isn’t possible, try to focus on the positive aspects of your job and spend less time with colleagues who have a cynical or negative attitude.

Ultimately, your well-being should always come first. If you’re suffering from chronic work stress and it’s affecting your physical health, consider seeing a mental health professional to discuss your options. If you’re a salaried employee, see this article for more information about paid and unpaid leave policies. If you’re an hourly worker, contact your local union to learn more about health and safety protections.

5. Be organized

The best way to not stress at work is to be organized. This will eliminate all that last-minute scrambling, and it will make you feel empowered and confident in your ability to manage your tasks.

Getting organized can be difficult, but it’s a soft skill worth learning. If you’re struggling to stay on top of your tasks, try using an organizational tool like a planner or productivity app to help you keep track of your obligations and priorities.

Finally, if you find that even implementing organizational habits isn’t alleviating your stress, talk to a mental health professional who can help you develop a plan to cope with these overwhelming feelings. Often, they stem from other life stresses and imbalances that can be addressed with some simple strategies. In order to not stress at work, it’s important to know what triggers your stress. Does conflict or yelling send your stress levels soaring? Do tight deadlines leave you feeling stressed out? Does a new structure or project cause you anxiety? If you’re noticing that these factors are impacting your job performance, it may be time to discuss these with your employer. Your employer may be able to make changes that will help you manage workplace stress more effectively.

[littleunicornblog]

5 Ways Working Parents Can Maximize Time with Their Little One

More than half of all U.S. households are dual income, meaning both parents are employed. And while no one wants to leave their baby to go to work, it is necessary for many parents. The good news is there are some easy ways to maximize time spent with your baby when you're off the clock.

Figure Out a Daily Ritual Whether it's reading a story or packing up one of your outdoor blankets for some time in the backyard, make a regular ritual that you and your little one can enjoy together. It's a great way to let them know that a particular time of day is just for them, and they will likely start looking forward to bonding with you. Always Eat Meals Together Sharing meals together is an essential part of family bonding, no matter how old your little ones are. Something special happens when you all sit down facing one another, and your baby feels like they are an equal part of the dinner. Sharing meals can become a daily tradition to spend time together and bond over food. If you're still breastfeeding, take the time to snuggle with your little one while you nurse so you can bond a little more. Parents can also share bottle-feeding responsibilities, so both get quality time with their baby. Cut Back on Technology When Bonding It's no secret that babies love their technology. Who doesn't? But technology can be a little distracting and cause a bit of a disconnect when you're trying to bond with your baby after work or on your days off. Make an effort to put away the tablets and phones and turn off the TV to bond with your baby during tummy time or by reading a baby book. This can help it feel more like you are doing the activity together. Always Put Your Baby to Sleep Consistency is key, and making sure you're the person who puts your baby to sleep every night is a great way to bond with your baby consistently. Come up with a little bedtime routine, snuggle up for a story with a muslin swaddle, and enjoy that precious time together before you both catch some shut-eye for the night. Don't Let Guilt Get to You It can be nearly impossible not to feel a little guilty about working when you have a baby. But the truth is that you really shouldn't. You're doing what you have to do to be a financially responsible parent. You shouldn't have to choose one over the other. And with these tips, you can maximize your time spent with your young family and help relieve some of the stress of not being able to bond with your baby all the time. You're also bound to make some amazing memories! About Little Unicorn No one ever said parenthood would be easy. Luckily, Little Unicorn products are designed to support you and your family through every step of the journey. With the safest and highest quality baby supplies by your side, you can relax and get back to enjoying all the little moments with your little ones. Each Little Unicorn product is safety tested to the highest standard to meet international standards. You can find everything you need, from soft and durable swaddling muslins to large, absorbent burp cloths and a breathable, beautiful carseat canopy. With adorable hand-painted designs that make the perfect baby shower gifts, everything you need to help your baby flourish is just one click away. Embrace all of the beautiful and messy moments of parenthood with Little Unicorn by your side. Maximize your time with your baby with Little Unicorn at your side at https://littleunicorn.com/ Original Source: https://bit.ly/40SYhiX

[fabiopaolucci]

Five Factors You Need To Think About Prior To Buying Shoes

An essential part of any ensemble is a pair fashionable, yet elegant shoes. Your outfit isn't complete when it is not complemented by the perfect selection of shoes. Everyone would like to stand out from the crowd and appear attractive but in order to not ruin your image, you should take care of your shoes.

However, fashion should not the only factor of concern for you. A poorly fitting or uncomfortable footwear can result in severe injuries or even damage. Comfort is key when you wear shoes. The season you are in should be considered. Thus, all this variety of topics makes it difficult to pick the most suitable for him. Let's address all of these concerns in here, all in one place.

Comfort And Ease

A lot of us only go to a store if our shoes are already causing some discomfort. Comfort should always be your top priority when making an purchase, no matter the the brand or style. For example, make sure to check the shoe lining for any signs of irritation or scarring. It is suggested that shoes come with a minimum of 1 inch of space. Because feet expand as the temperature increases, it's essential to leave enough space inside your shoes. The Author of Shoe Filter is Jimmy Lewis.

According to a new Harvard Medical School and GSI (German Shoe Institute) study, approximately 80 percent of people purchase shoes that aren't comfortable. In addition, women are more likely to purchase footwear that is too small while in contrast, males opt for footwear that is too large.

Comfort is not solely based on how large the shoes you are wearing, but also on how heavy they weigh. The footwear you select are supposed to be light and comfortable. All these tips are recommended since your mood is based on the level of comfort your shoes offer. ShoeFilter is the best spot for both beginner and expert shoe lovers. We offer premium-quality footwear that is tailored to your needs and preferences. Jimmy Lewis, a professional avid traveler and a hobbyist who has traveled around the world, is your guide. He will ensure that you have a comfortable life, with exceptional comfort, and keep your feet on solid ground.

Environment and Weather

The two main factors that determine the choice of footwear are temperature and environment. Unfortunately, many people don't have these fundamental facts.

Pay attention, however, because the feet tend to grow larger around noon, as we have already mentioned. Therefore, it is also advised to buy the right pair of shoes in the evening time. Moreover, during the winter months, be sure you walk around for a little while wearing your brand new pair and see if they generate a feeling of warmth on your feet. You will find the right size each time.

Select a reputable manufacturer

The style and design of the shoe aren't the most important thing. However, the quality of the material as well as the stitching are equally crucial. Be aware of the quality of leather and the raw materials used. It is essential to be conscious about the workmanship and durability of the leather because this what you are paying for. Rexine has become so sophisticated that it is nearly impossible to discern between genuine and synthetic leather.

A simple water-drop test can be used to confirm that you're purchasing authentic leather. Drop some water on the leather to determine if it absorbs moisture. If the moisture is gone, you can be sure that the material is authentic. If drops of water collect on the surface, and then fall off, you must immediately decide to return the product.

Cost

In the present, it is possible to discover the least expensive and most expensive variants of similar-looking pairs of footwear. The reputation and quality of the brand determines the price of the product. Choose wisely and resist giving yourself into big names. Always verify the quality of the product and its size, regardless of the price or how exclusive the brand is. You want to be sure that you're valuing every cent you pay with your card. Remember that expensive never in any sense is synonymous to better.

Find out what you like and make a secure purchase

When choosing the right footwear, be sure to think about your personal style. Choose the shoes that complement your style. This way, you don't have to buy additional pairs for different outfits. Also, if you're buying a pair of footwear for the first time from the same brand, do not invest large amounts for the very first time. Try it out for a couple of weeks before purchasing something more expensive. When you're pleased with the quality you can shop for as many times as you want.

Another crucial aspect is essential to remember when buying a product is the policy check. Make sure you have read the return or exchange policy carefully to be able to return with relief in the event of a problem. You should also verify the legitimacy of an online seller in case you intend to purchase their products. A lot of scammers make use of buzzwords to sell low-quality products.

Conclusion

Selecting the best pair of shoes is difficult because a variety of factors are to be considered including the fit and its size, comfort, longevity and not to forget the style of it. While price is an important consideration, it is recommended to purchase the best pair of shoes if all other elements are in place. Moreover, it is highly advised buying from a walk-in store rather than from websites until you have already tried that shoe because the fit could vary from style to style even if you're sure of your shoe size. Enjoy shopping!

[fallout-drabbles-n-stuff]

Hancock NSFT A-Z

(Since my old one is nowhere to be found)

A= Aftercare

Be it from so much experience or even a more tender part of his personality he may try to conceal, Hancock is especially good at aftercare. He always seems to have a sixth sense for what his partner needs too. Clean up? Gotcha. Food? Okay. Cuddles? Say less. Space? A-okay, sunshine.

B= Body Part

As far as his own body is concerned..he really rather not go into detail, much less try to pick a “favorite” part. However on a partner? Hancock is undoubtedly most attracted to his partner’s eyes. He likes the way the light up when happy..or how they roll back when in ecstasy.

C= Cum

Unfortunately diddling a ghoul means that rad-x is about to become an essential. In small quantities Hancock’s cum isn’t exactly a threat but still..better safe than sorry, right?

D= Dirty Secret

Really into mutual masturbation

E= Experience

As previously mentioned, there’s a reason Hancock is pretty well versed in sexual manners..and no, it’s not just because he’s a quick learn. Hancock is likely amongst the most experienced out of all the companions. Man has been through casual one night stands all the way to full blown orgies.

F= Favorite

Just one? Impossible. Hancock prefers changing the position as much as possible to keep it fun.

G= Goofy

As with most things, Hancock has quite the sense of

humor even with sex. Unless things are especially serious and passionate at the time, Hancock is all smiles and giggles with you.

H= Hair

He’s as smooth as a baby’s butt

I= Intimacy

Hancock has the peculiar ability to be the most intimate partner ever even while fucking you raw. It’s a talent.

K= Kink

Knife Play, Intoxicated Sex, Sensory Deprivation, Wax Play, Role Play, Bondage, Biting, and Dirty Talk.

L = Location

Oh, well..let’s see. There’s the classic bedroom, the Old State House, the Castle, the southern Boston ruins, The Third Rail, Rexford hotel, hiding out in some corner of Boston Airport ruins, The RedRocket gas station, uhhh..over that dead raiders body that one time...

Screw it, nearly anywhere will do.

M= Motivation

Having you sit in his lap is one of the best ways to get him started, but honestly, all you’d have to do is egg him on and maybe bend over a couple times and he’ll get the idea.

N= No

Ummm, he’ll even tell you himself, he’ll try everything at least once- and he has. From such experience, all he can gather is that he doesn’t like anything to do with bodily functions or choking. It just makes him uncomfortable.

O= Oral

Oh boy, he has fun with oral. Look, he loves getting head..BUT he likes to show off even more.

P= Pace

Hancock doesn’t really have a specific way he likes doing it- or at least he doesn’t seem to favor any particular pace. He’s really good at communicating your desires and will gladly oblige, going as hard or as slow as you need. Anything to hear you cry his name.

Q= Quickie

He thinks they’re fun but if he can take his time with you..he’d much rather do that.

R= Risk

Hell yes! He likes the thrill of being potentially caught, even once fucking you on the balcony overlooking the town meeting yard. Deep down he wants people to see, wants them to know that you are all his.

S= Stamina

Hancock has some damn good stamina, be it because of his ghoul state or his impressive experience, he can keep it going for an average of 2-4 rounds- more than that if you take a small smoke break.

T= Toys

His collection is quite impressive and boy..he loves to use it.

U=Unfair

He’ll mess around with you here and there, but it’s primarily to get you wound up. He doesn’t have the heart to make you beg- however if you were to tease him to that point he surely wouldn’t complain.

V= Volume

He has no problem being loud. He’ll growl, moan, grunt and most certainly talk dirty to you. Hope you’re not anywhere with a potential audience. Unless of course you’re like him and enjoy the occasional onlookers..

W= Wild Card

Hancock really is insecure about his appearance. Now, this usually doesn’t affect his ability to “get it on” but the first time with you? Well he had some second thoughts, the last thing he wanted to do was scare you off due to his raisin flesh likeness. With some kind words and a genuine smile, you’ll be able to convince him otherwise.

X= X-ray

As previously mentioned, he’s lacking literally any kind of hair. Being a ghoul doesn’t really allow that sort of thing, anyways, it’s kind of strange describing his body. Of course, he’s littered in scars and wrinkles..and a little bit of rot, but aside from that he has a decently lean-toned type of build. If it’s down “there” you’re wondering about, well he’s pretty average- coming in at a reasonable 5.4 inches when hard.

Y= Yearning

Despite what he claims, he’s not always ready to jump someone’s bones. His drive is still on the higher side of spectrum but he isn’t like dying if he doesn’t get to screw.

Z=Zzzz

He usually prefers not to go to sleep immediately afterwards. Instead he likes for the afterglow to be spent admiring you, maybe even getting a little cheesy with the nicknames and pillow talk.

[utilitycaster]

1/2 I can't fucking believe some people are saying Keyleth being nearly killed instead of Vex was a cowardly and lazy choice, that TLOVM is just trying to fit Vex in 'strong female character' box, that Vex is never portrayed as vulnerable or needing help, like she didn't spend the majority of the episode struggling and fearing she will have to kill her own brother or that he will kill her. Like she didn't literally beg Keyleth to do something to help because she was so desperate and like she

2/2 didn't willingly move in front of Percy pointing a loaded gun at her and being a hair trigger away from shooting her. Saying that Keyleth 'just bounced back' (yeah, Vax and the group didn't do anything to help with that) and that it doesn't matter cause 'they all keep nearly dying'. DEAR FUCKING GOD! How dense can you be? Like, Vex is my fave VM member and I'm loving how TLOVM is adapting her so far so seeing this kind of takes is so bizarre and baffling to me.

----------------------------

Hi anon, this is going to be a long answer because it allows me to talk about many things I love to talk about, namely, Critical Role, Vex, women in media, the art of adaptation, and how a lot of people are just kind of dumb and there's not much you can do about it. But in short: yeah this is a bad take to have for all the reasons mentioned - Vax and Scanlan both put in a lot of effort to heal Keyleth (also? I mean, TLOVM no longer goes by strict D&D rules, but in the actual campaign Vex rolled enough death save successes to in fact just bounce back without help), Vex is repeatedly shown putting herself in danger, and she clearly is distraught about Vax being possessed.

I will say? I'm unsurprised by the take for a number of reasons. The first is that a lot of people are really giving me vibes of "I've never watched a TV drama intended for an adult audience nor read something that wasn't fanfiction" because I really enjoyed TLOVM but like, there is nothing here that is a deviation from normal capable adaptation and storytelling. Also, some people just hate any deviation from Campaign 1, and will come up with a retroactive and nonsensical reason for why it's bad.

Vex is my favorite VM member as well! I also think she gets misunderstood a lot in both the show and the campaign. I think in part because of the backlash to the female cast members in C1, people are unwilling to admit that Vex is, frequently, a huge bitch (honorific), and it's impossible to really understand her character without acknowledging that while Vax's response to their extremely traumatic childhood is to tell people he loves them as soon as he can because he doesn't know if he'll ever see them again, Vex's response is to never let anyone but Vax see her be vulnerable and to become powerful enough that no one can take anything from her again. That is her whole character arc in the campaign! She is terrified that she will lose Vax to his romance with Keyleth and Laura said as much in the watch party q&a! Like, one of the greatest moments in Perc'ahlia history is when Percy finds her freaking out about her father, quietly acknowledges it without making a big deal of it, and then addresses the problem in a way that shows that he fundamentally understands what she's upset about. ln short: if a pre-Chroma Conclave depiction of Vex doesn't appear vulnerable? That's the whole fucking point.

I also happen to love Vex and Percy as individuals because both have a trait I happen to share, that of essentially, well, walling off one's emotions in a crisis and saving the dealing of them for later, and so given that Percy's breakdown is made a bit more explicit in the adaptation, Vex's stoicism in the face of it is also necessarily heightened.

More generally I think that people that lack the understanding of basic adaptation and storytelling tend to take common criticisms of media that can be valid and then apply them clumsily and incorrectly, because they do not know what they're fucking doing. This happens pretty commonly in the fandom and probably in most fandoms: both Vex and later Beau in C2 get called Strong Female Characters by the very people sanding down the prickliness and flaws that make them interesting; people in general do a very poor job of accurately talking about characters with canonical trauma who don't have neat and picture-perfect responses because they want soft angst rather than like, people being abrasive and unpleasant; lots of people don't understand the slowburn background arcs that Vex, Beau, and Caduceus have (nor appreciate how fucking good those arcs are); and so on.

While I do detest all of these takes, I've found it's best to talk shit on your own blog and otherwise just block unless people are doing it on your own posts.