#learn how to just ignore something that annoys you and engage with the things that bring you joy

[separatist-apologist]

There are a lot of people on the internet who come specifically to rage bait simply because their own lives are pathetic, empty, and boring and this is a way they've learned to get attention. And the sooner a lot of you all realize that, the sooner you'll be able to have a measure of actual fun in this fandom.

[elicathebunny]

How to stay positive despite the situation.

Life is hard, nobody said life was easy. People who claim life as easy have benefited from those who have endured hardships or surpassed their own.

But then questions arise: how does one achieve an "easy" life? How can people live their lives as if they have selected what difficulty level to play, yet mine seems to be automatically set to the hardest one?

Positivity is a learned habit for those who are not used to being in that mindset.

HABITS: The more often you repeat the new action, the stronger and more efficient these neural networks become. This reorganising and strengthening of connections between neurons is called neuroplasticity, and in the case of building habits – long-term potentiation. Each time you perform a new action while trying to form a habit, you need smaller cues or triggers to activate the same network of brain cells.

Being positive isn't easy when your situation is the complete opposite. But I believe that is the only way to survive a negative situation. When you are negative, you become a victim of your circumstance and nothing changes. How you think is how you perceive the world, whether true or not.

POSITIVITY THROUGHOUT.

First, Nix the Negative: Before you put positive thinking into practice, look for any negative thoughts that may be running through your mind. These include: A bad filter. Do you overlook the good things about a situation and get wrapped up in the negatives? For example, you enjoy a fun dinner out with friends, but the restaurant gets your bill wrong at the end of the night. You leave feeling annoyed and frustrated, forgetting about the good time you had. Taking the blame. Do you tend to take on the blame for something bad or disappointing that happens? For example, a friend declines an invitation from you, so you assume it’s because they don’t want to spend time with you. Predicting disaster. This means you have one setback and then expect the worst to happen. For example, your car won’t start in the morning, so you think the rest of your day is destined to be doomed. Black-and-white thinking. Do you see things as either good or bad, with no middle ground? In this mindset, if things aren’t perfect, they’re automatically bad.

Thinking positive is difficult when you are surrounded by everything the opposite. But if your mind is the same, how will you overcome it? It starts by making one change in your mind that can completely change your perspective on your circumstance. Remember that change doesn't have to be significantly big; it could be changing something simple, yet it could make a difference in your life.

CONSUME POSITIVITY.

Everything around you that you can change should be positive. Don't focus on anything you can't control just the things you can. Change the type of music you listen to, are the lyrics what you want to resonate with? Words are affirmations, or in other people's words are spells. What you say or what is said to you enough times will be embedded in you if said with enough emotion attached to it. Change

Change the words you use to talk to yourself or to talk to others. Do you participate in gossip? Do you talk down on yourself? What words do you use negatively when talking about yourself and can you catch yourself saying/thinking them in order to change them? Swap out negative thoughts with positive ones. I know it will sound phony when trying but keep trying until it replaces the old habit of self-negativity.

Cut off people who drain the positivity out of you, and if you can't physically remove them, don't engage in conversation with them unless you actually need to (work or school environments). Sometimes people don't get the memo even after distancing, this is when I'd just start ignoring them tbh (don't be rude about it, this is only when you've made it clear that you don't want to associate with them).

Love yourself from the inside. Don't just focus on the outside but really focus on your inner health. Are you drinking enough water? Are you eating well? Do you socialise enough or are you isolating yourself? Are you spending enough time alone or are you over-socialising? Are you lacking anything in your body that you can replenish through supplements or changing your diet? Are you moving enough? Are you resting enough and getting the needed amount of sleep for your age range? Are you overworking yourself? Are you being too kind to yourself and not pushing yourself enough? Do you know your body? Do you go outside enough? Do you have a self-care routine or time throughout the day or week to dedicate to yourself? Do you take care of your hygiene?

Feeling good inside is how you can attempt to change what's happening outside. You can't attempt to better your situation if you don't feel like you can. If you feel like crap obviously you're not going to achieve what you aspire to do.

Being positive all the time is not going to happen. Your not going to be happy all the time because that's not human. But learning how you can make your self happier and how not to be stuck in a rut is good to know.

[epickiya722]

Being in a fandom, like BNHA (most active there) has taught me some things...

It doesn't matter if a person shares the same favorite ships and characters as you, if they annoy you, they annoy you. Block them.

Ship wars are a total waste of time. They're pointless. If someone feels that their ship is better, let them. Don't waste your time arguing about it.

It's a shock when a fairly popular character isn't your favorite.

Rare pairs deserve more love. They're fun, and if you like one, don't be shy about it. You might get others to join you.

On that note, there are some ships though that should never have been thought about, but given if the fandom is a huge one, at least two people have thought about it.

There will always be bad takes about the protagonist (and other characters). It may be surprising to you, but there are people with very off-the-damn-wall takes. Ignore them and move on.

It's illegal for some characters to be mean apparently.

There will be assholes outside the fandom who jump on the bandwagon of hating the material without ever engaging with it and only possibly ever met two people within that fandom. Block and ignore.

Expect people to take what you say and twist it around to make you look like the asshole. There's going to be at least one person who just wants to debate with you because they're bored maybe.

There are people who use "KYS" without thought. No regard for how you may be feeling at that time. They're an ass.

There are people who haven't finished the source material and think they're right. Don't spend your time arguing with them. Block them and move on.

Your mutuals may be mutuals with someone else you don't like. That's fine.

People forgot that opinions and facts are totally different. People will choose what they think and feel is canon just to shape the narrative into what they want. Ignore and block.

Okay, the block button is your best friend.

No matter how you tag a fic, there's gonna be one person who will take it out on you. You put the ship tags, they ignored them and want to be an ass.

Shipping is very popular. So if you mostly write friendships (and rare pairs), there's a chance you won't get as much feedback on a fic (or art) if you wrote a fic with a ship (especially a popular one).

On that note, you might get someone who will try to make the pairing you wrote/drew as platonic into something romantic. You have every right to be upset if it does upset you. Especially, if it was clear that you wrote it as platonic. Not everything needs to be romantic and some people needs to grasp that idea.

Take breaks for you! Take those breaks!! Take them!! And don't feel guilty about it! Take care of yourself!!

If you disagree with someone's opinion, that is fine. But do not reblog or comment under their post because you never know what kind of person that is. Write your own post if you feel the need.

That's so far what comes to mind about what I have learned. This applies to any fandom.

[rosekeu]

[ loner : chainsaw man ]

01 ✭ a sorrowful life.

A/N: long story. chainsaw x reader. mainly aki hayakawa x reader.

Sypnosis: Longing glances and subtle smiles filled the air as they exchanged unspoken words. The electricity between them was palpable, igniting a fire within their souls. But that was always what it was. Now that they are working side by side, maybe their bond will bloom into something more than just unspoken desires.

[part 2 coming soon!]

"Makima-san asked for you today. Over the next few days, you'll be working with her," your master, Kishibe, said as he searched the kitchen cabinets for liquor. You glanced at your pink wristwatch, which read 5 a.m. Even though it wasn't sunny outside, he was still drinking, which wasn't unusual behavior.

You were listening to him speak while seated at the dinner table with your hands on your lap. You were presented with a delicious breakfast and some juice. Your stomach began to churn as you pricked and prodded at your meal in response to his words. You were going to work with Makima. She creeped you out a bit, it was probably those boring yellow eyes.

 "Stay alert, I don't know what she wants with you." Your master's words caused your train of thought to halt.

"This is all going to a shitfilled toilet!" A recognizable voice laughed next to you. It was too early for you to be bothered by him. "Yumeri, it's too early," you whispered.

Kishibe was given the special case of a young girl living in an orphanage. She was moved between a number of homes, but each time death followed closely behind, prompting the public safety commission to be contacted for help. You are the little girl. Kishibe adopted you years ago as part of his work. You were an enigma.

You were human, but immortal in a sense. Throughout the years of investigation into your case, the public safety commission concluded that you had made a deal with a devil as a young child, as a way of merging with the devil. You were a curious and naive child, so this was very much possible. 

Kishibe was aware of any self-talk you engaged in, including actual conversations with the wall. As the years passed and you learned more about your deal with the devil, you saw things that others couldn't. With the devil of sleep paralysis, you struck a deal. It had been so long since the deal had been made that you could not recall the precise conditions or rules. And there he is, the sleep paralysis devil, like a conceited child, trying to get your attention.

"How many days again, master?" You asked softly as you drank your juice not long afterwards. "A few." Kishibe was a man of very few words , but his eyes spoke volumes. At least in your eyes, they did. You could see the weariness and exhaustion in his gaze, a reflection of the years he had spent devil hunting. His eyes were filled with a mixture of determination and resignation, as if he had accepted his fate but still carried the weight of his responsibilities.

"Imagine you stay there forever! HAHA! That bitch is going to rip you into shreds!"

He repeated this as he took a sip of his flask and put on his long trench coat. "Hurry and finish up, kid. It's going to be a long day for both of us." The quiet morning atmosphere was your favorite; the soft chirps of the birds out the window and the cool sensation it gave your body were so satiating.

"I'm leaving. You're clearly ignoring me." Yumeri pouted and left you alone. "Leave then." you answered, and Kishibe looked at you with a raised brow. You met his eyes and sighed, "Yumeri is annoying me again, sorry."

"Don't apologize, and c'mon."

You hummed as you quickly stood up from your chair and snatched up your coat while still wearing a loose, undone tie around your neck. You stood in front of the taller man and had begging eyes. Because you didn't know how to tie your own tie, you did this every morning. He made a small 'tsk' and reluctantly started doing your tie. Although his annoyed expression was obvious, you knew deep down that he looked forward to doing this for you. As he carefully adjusted the knot, you couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in this daily ritual. It was a small act of kindness that reminded you of the strong bond between you two, even if he pretended to be annoyed by it. "Thank you." He only hummed in response.

"Alright, let's go."

You both hopped into the car and started driving to the designated destination. You looked over at the dirty blonde and reached over to brush his hair. It was getting a bit too long. Someone who really doesn't care about his appearance, like Kishibe, doesn't cut his hair unless he's told to. "I think you're due for a haircut," you said to him as your nails scratched his scalp. 

He chuckled and leaned into your touch. "Yeah, I guess it's about time," he replied with the tiniest smile. As you continued driving, the anticipation grew for what awaited you both at the destination. 

Your stop had come way sooner than you'd expected. As Kishibe parked the car and looked at you, he took a deep breath. "Well, this is it." he said, glancing at you. and as you looked through the tinted car windows, you could see three people. The most noticeable of the three was Makima, with her bright red-pink hair. And two other random public safety men beside her.

"Good luck, kid," he said, and you leaned over to kiss his cheek as a farewell. "See you at home." You sent a warm smile his way as you slammed the car door shut. His mood seemed to sour as he drove away. Although Kishibe wouldn't admit it to anyone in a million years. He did care about you.

Your black heeled boots clicked firmly against the concrete as you made your way over to your team. "Makima-san," you said, bowing your head a bit. "Good morning!" you said happily. She tilted her head slightly and smiled at you. "Good morning, y/n-chan." 

"So, what are we doing today?" You questioned, as you trailed behind Makima, making your way over to another car. Both of you sat in the back seats. "We're supposed to investigate a warehouse with the zombie devil."

You nodded and looked up at the gray sky. The sun should be shining in a few hours, but it was so early in the morning that the darkness lingered. You couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and dread as you thought about the upcoming task.

The calming atmosphere of the car provided a brief respite from your racing thoughts. As you gazed out the window, you couldn't help but wonder what kind of horrors awaited you inside the warehouse. Your anxiety grew with each passing moment.

Time passed quickly, and you were at the warehouse. Standing at the entrance, you could see hundreds of dead bodies laying around a shady figure— a young man with something coming out of his head.

"Got a live one." one of your coworkers said. You squinted your eyes to get a better look. "A chainsaw..." you admired. The boy had a chainsaw as a head and chainsaws as his arms too. It was a gruesome sight, and you couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and fascination. "Yumeri, what is he?"

"I'm not telling you because you ignored me this morning. Hmph!" You rolled your eyes at his childish antics.

 "Let's go, Y/n-chan." Makima said, and you followed her. The strange figure approaching you was drenched in blood and appeared to be your age. He appeared fatigued, as if he hadn't eaten in days. and a small string hung on his chest.

Makima hummed. "You've got a peculiar smell. It isn't human or devil." She tilted her head. 

"Did you do this?" you asked as you walked around the scene, looking at all the dead bodies scattered around the building. The boy stood frozen; he had no reply to your question, but before his body fell, he muttered, "H-hold.. me..."

Makima quickly wrapped his arms around him, and you watched the scene with raised brows. as she did, but you didn't judge; you would've done the same. The chainsaw started to melt, showing a face. a blonde boy with hazel eyes. You smiled as you found him sort of adorable.

"You're human…" Makima mumbled, the guy still in her arms. A coworker asked about devil possession, and she replied with no signs. "I'm Makima. We came here to kill the zombie devil. I'm a public safety devil hunter. You have two choices." Makima held up a peace sign. "One, be killed by me, as a devil. Or two, be kept by me as a pet."

"If you're my pet, I'll give you food." You grimaced at her words, you couldn't help but wonder if you ended up with Makima, you would be treated like this too. Like a plaything. That sounded like such a sorrowful life.

"Food..?" The boy murmured in confusion. "What would I get for breakfast?" he asked. You felt bad for him, as he seemed genuinely unaware of the situation. It was clear that he had no idea what being kept as a pet by Makima entailed, and you couldn't help but sympathize with his innocence. 

"Let's see... bread with butter and jam. Salad, coffee... maybe dessert? What else, Y/n-chan?" You looked over and held your face in thought. "I would say eggs and toast... Oh! and orange juice make a perfect breakfast!" You chimed in, the blond boy's eyes making their way over to you. 

He smiled. "That's a dream come true..."

☾ .ೃ࿐

Driving back to the public safety commission, you, the unknown teen, and Makima sat in the backseat. The boy held his stomach as it grumbled. You looked over, a giggle escaping your lips. He looked over at you in awe, as if he'd seen a goddess. 

"That's my stomach.." the blonde said sheepishly as he looked at Makima with embarrassment. You couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction, finding it endearing. "Well, it sounds like someone is in need of a good meal. What's your name? I'm Y/n." you teased playfully, causing him to blush.

"It's Denji!" he exclaimed, showing his sharky teeth. "Denji-kun..." You tested the name on your tongue, and his smile grew wider.

"Cute name for a cute boy!" you bopped his nose. He stood there with the biggest smile.

"Denji." Makima said, grabbing the boy's attention. "From now on, you're in my care." She continued seriously, looking out the window. "I expect "yes" or "woof" for answers. I don't need a dog that says "no". " She finished training her eyes on the blonde. His eyes widened in surprise, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead.

"When you say that..." he paused, his voice trembling slightly. You looked away in embarrassment.

"Is she really asking this kid to be her dog? Nahhh. That's batshit insane. She's crazy as hell." You snorted to yourself. 

"Someone in forensics once told me..." she paused, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards. "When we get dogs that aren't helpful, we put them down." she finished once again, moving her gaze towards the window. Denji's face fell. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as Denji processed her words. His eyes darted toward you. but you didn't meet his eyes.

'I thought she was nice. I had no idea she was scary like this. treating me like a damn dog...' Denji thought as his hands tightened into fists. You noticed and planted your palm on his tensed fist. Your eyes met, and you mouthed. 'It's gonna be okay.' You tried to reassure him that everything would work out. Denji's tense expression softened slightly as he nodded.

His stomach growled once more.

"We haven't had breakfast either. Let's grab some food at a rest stop." Makima suggested it, and you nodded.

"Sorry, uh, I'm broke..." he said nonchalantly. "Pick anything you want, I'll pay." The boy's eyes lit up, and he looked at Makima, surprised. "Really?!" 

Makima nodded

"You'll draw attention to yourself, put this on." You said, as you held out your coat to the blonde boy. He took it hesitatingly. As he slipped on the coat, a grateful smile spread across his face. "Thank you," he said softly, his voice filled with genuine appreciation.

"No problem." You smiled warmly at him, and he couldn't help but blush. 

'People always call me dirty and smelly. Nobody ever comes near me. This is the first time I've been treated nice. And by two pretty girls!' The boy thought to himself as his eyes switched between Makima and you.

'I'm in love! But with which one?' He had an internal conflict with himself, unable to choose between you and your red-haired boss. As the boy struggled with his feelings, he couldn't deny how nice both of you had been to him. But Makima seemed to creep him out just a bit.

As the vehicle came to a stop, all of you walked toward the rest shop. You looked at the menu with a thoughtful expression and said, "I think I'm going to get a soba, please." You said this to the worker as they wrote down your order.

"I'll take some udon... Udon and... a sausage! Is that cool?" He asked, looking for Makima's approval. Denji seemed to cling onto your side, his pointer and thumb finger kept a tight grip on your white button-up.

"Sure is. I'll take a curry udon, please."

"Oh, that sounds good, too..." Denji noted, still admiring all the items the menu had to offer. You chuckled at his enthusiasm and said, "You can always try something new next time we eat together." Denji's eyes lit up at the idea, and he eagerly nodded in agreement. 

Denji's eyes started to haze with dizziness, and his body landed on Makima's chest. You laughed at the sudden turn of events, realizing that Denji had fallen right then and there. Makima asked if he was okay, to which he responded with a mumble, "You smell good..."

You laughed, and he stood up, apologizing. "The chainsaws cut me up too. So I think I'm a little low on blood right now."

"How did you end up like this?" 

"I had a pet devil, and he replaced my heart. Kinda hard to believe, huh?" Denji explained, as his face hung low as he recalled his memories. 'So a fiend of some sort...' you wondered, but Yumeri was quick to prove you wrong.

"Incorrect! He's not a fiend! Think about it as you and me... in a way? He is now the devil, and the devil is him."  Yumeri said, and you furrowed your brows, confused at his words.

'You still haven't told me the conditions of our deal, Yume.'

"I don't need to! Okay! Bye!" 

You groaned in frustration, your devil was a real piece of work. But what did he mean? Was Denji like the both of you? As your thoughts raced, Denji fainted, and by the time he woke up, you had already finished your food. 

The scene in front of you was something else. Makima was feeding Denji, and he barked as a response. You couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. 

'What the actual fuck is going on.'

let me know if you want to be tagged for the next part!

[showtoonzfan]

One of the things I often hear amongst people who give out somewhat positive reviews for Hazbin/Helluva is "It has some mild flaws in its story and writing that those annoying critics are just blowing out of proportion." To some degree, I understand where they're coming from, but it makes me openly question: how flawed does a story's writing choices have to be until it's considered bad writing?

Is it when even if it's rushed and rough around the edges, is it still fun to watch? Is it when it's so distracting that you can't ignore it? At what point is it just watching a car crash in slow motion, rather than actually engaging with the story? I know you can only answer with your own thoughts as a fellow critic, so I want this to be more open for others to comment.

I agree with what you’re saying, to me this situation reminds me of how some of the Spindle crew reacted to criticism, mainly the “everyone is saying the same thing over and over!”- when….yeah, that’s for a reason, and maybe if critics and even FANS keep constantly saying the same feedback over and over, then how long does it take you to realize that maybe you should actually fix those problems within the show because that’s what the writing needs?

No one really wants to admit it but more and more fans are getting tired of the issues in Helluva, that’s why so many more critical videos keep popping up every day and more people are starting to get comfortable enough to talking about the issues it has on twitter. This is not only why the views are dropping, but why some fans are legit dropping the show because they’re tired of the story not improving or being more open minded all because of the writer’s stubbornness and ignorance. They try to say otherwise but they make it obvious that most of them have a hate boner for criticism, have no idea what it’s like being show runners/writers and lack thick skin.

I’ve seen so many fans and even the creators demonize the criticism by stating “more people need to learn to just enjoy media without being overly critical of every little thing!” And in some cases, yeah…that’s valid, obviously if you’re just torturing yourself consuming something without even having passion for it or enjoying yourself, then I agree. But again, this is where the ignorance from the creators and the fans come from. They don’t realize that some folks who are critical of the show are fans who WANT to see it get better and that’s why they’re providing criticism in the first place. People will make essay videos taking or ranting BECAUSE they have passion for it, that’s why so many people make critic blogs or even hate blogs towards Viv’s stuff because they’re passionate about it, and it’s a glaring issue today that the crew tries to roll any critic into the category of mindless trolls. Everyone has already said it before, but if you can’t take criticism and expect praise 24/7, then don’t become a show runner/creator, because that’s not how the real world works.

As for the audience, some are dropping the show, some are aware the show is flawed and are just staying to see where the trainwreck ends, some are still holding on to the hope that it’ll get better. All three decisions are valid so long as you have passion for it. For me I’ve lost all passion for this show, that’s why I’ll be dropping it after the Mammon episode because I can’t stick around any longer just to watch every character and concept get destroyed just to cater to two awful main characters and an awful romance, but I’m sure others will still be tuning in.

[s-lycopersicum]

There's something about those "standing next to paintings we think we could make" videos that annoys me in a way that I find difficult to talk about.

Besides the general ideas of "you could, but you didn't" or that it ignores what the object means besides what it physically is, but also... why would you think you could make that in the first place?

Like, if you engage in any creative pursuit you will realize that the more you learn about it, the more complicated it gets. Every skill you learn enables you to try even more advanced techniques, your tastes develop and you start noticing things you otherwise wouldn't. Specially when it comes to painting, do you know just how deep color mixing gets!?

It's, like, the fractal nature of knowledge or something, I don't know. Just because the result is simple, it doesn't mean the process to obtain it was. I feel like that's true for painting, for music, for crochet, for programming, whatever, it almost feels universal.

I don't know, it just feels like such an incurious and contemptuous way to look at stuff, it makes me a bit bitter.

[awkwardchaosposts]

Icarus and his fool

Sherlock x Golden retriver!male reader

TW: mentions of death(possible murder),strangulation and other things related to crime

*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°

"For the greatest tragedy of them all, Is never to feel the burning light." -Icarus

*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°

He wasn't sure how to feel about this newfound fame. Sherlock did have more clients and more options means more reason to ignore the boring ones.

But if he had to name one thing he hated about it...

"Mr. Holmes! Mr.Holmes!"

You shouted from the crowd of reporters. You had a particular talent of being so loud that you could break even Sherlock's focus. He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or impressed.

Scratch that,he was definitely annoyed.

Icy blue eyes found yours in the crowd. The closest he came to engaging with paparazzi.

It was odd to see such a cold and intimidating stare to make your face light up like fireworks on the 4th of July.

But he grew bored after five seconds. He could already tell everything he needed to know about you so why waste his intellect on something so meaningless.

Unfortunately for Sherlock,you followed him around like some lost puppy.

"Mr. Sherlock? I work with London Time Magazine and I was thinking-"

"Yes I know" he dismissed before you could even finish,putting on some gloves as he analyzed the body.

You both knew that you shouldn't be here but Sherlock was never one to worry about the rules. If you wanted to risk trespassing a crime scene then that was your problem. Not his.

"Well what would you think about an interview?"

"No"

"Oh" his answer was straight to the point atleast

The victim was strangled but no marks of resistance.

Reason: Drugged? Victim was too disoriented to fight back

He sighed. "Stop that"

You raised an eyebrow yet smiled like some jolly idiot. Sherlock made a note to not look at your face too much as to avoid that smile. How he hated it. A simple mind you were.

"Stop what?"

"I can hear you thinking,if you can even call it that. It's distracting "

There it was again. That smile. "Sorry. It's just you're so..." arrogant? cruel? Acting like a Gallus domesticus? "cool"

Cool? That word made his mind spiral in confusion. Your excited fanboying wasn't something he expected to see.

Sherlock knew a lot of people found his mind to be extraordinary,including himself.

But very few would find him 'cool'

"The interview. I'll...think about it" he lied so easily.

Never in his life has he seen someone so excited. What a twat

The door closing signalled to him that you left. Honestly it was better that way. Now he could finally focus.

The victim has no signs of being intoxicated. They look perfectly put together. The bruise on her neck looks older than 8 hours,meaning..

Sherlock dug in her bag. Cellphone,wallet, driver's license...

"There you are"

'Red room' the key card must be to some sort of hotel.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

1:59...2:00 the clock read

Sherlock was having trouble sleeping.

"Oh Sherlock look at the mess you made"

Mrs. Hudson scolded him in her too sweet voice. "I'll clean tomorrow" he made the empty promise. 'London Time Magazine' the web page stared back at him. His surroundings was filtered into white noise as he sulked. Brooding was the word Sherlock liked to use

"Mrs. Hudson" he called just as she was halfway out the door. The woman turned slowly so as to not upset her troubled hip. "Yes dear? Would you like some tea?"

"What does it mean when someone calls you...cool?" he confided in the woman far over her 60's,knowing well that she wouldn't understand what she'd call 'youngster slang'

~*~*~*~*~*

When Sherlock's mother made him learn to play the violin she certainly didn't think that it would be the source of outlet for her son's frustrations.

The apartment was filled with cries from the violin. Begging him to play more gently no doubt.

But he didn't. He was so frustrated with himself.

Sherlock hated feeling and this strange airhead made him feel just that. Albeit it was just curiousity he still hated the thought of his mind being stimulated by something so simple. It made Sherlock worry that all Anderson's talking has finally made him just as feeble minded.

"No don't be ridiculous,Sherlock. No one can be as stupid as Anderson" he silently reassured himself.

'Plink'

A pause ensued. He went to inspect his violin only to find one of the strings broke under the pressure of his abuse.

"Mrs. Hudson? I'm going out for a bit"

"What for dear?"

"It seems I'm in need of a stronger violin"

*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*°

[bengiyo]

The Eighth Sense Eps 3 & 4 Stray Thoughts

Last time, we all lost our minds at the inherent queerness of this show, and how distinct it feels in the world of BL. We met Ji Hyun, a new resident of Seoul from the countryside who recently started school, and Jae Won, a senior returning from military service and son of a wealthy family. Ji Hyun is struggling with city life, and Jae Won is struggling with everyone's expectations of him. These two met and felt instantly drawn to each other, and are now engaged in intricate rituals in the surfing club. We left them on the beach before what felt like a kiss.

Episode 3

Okay so it was a kiss! That was not tentative at all.

Oh, I'm not a fan of pressuring new members to binge drink. Relieved others are pushing back, but still it's gross.

Why is Ji Hyun being brave about the drink? Is it to distract himself from the kiss and abrupt separation? Is it to end the tension of the moment and save the girls? Is he getting drunk enough to be taken care of by Jae Won?

This dude is so annoying every time he gets drunk. Tae Hyung definitely wants to fuck Jae Won, and it's embarrassing.

Ah, of course Jae Won has built up a history of getting drunk and kissing people. He needed to build that mask.

Hey, that was a beautiful shot of the beach.

Not a fan of Ji Hyun potentially going out into the water alone, but it is intriguing that he tried to suit up on his own in maybe the wrong size. He's not comfortable anymore.

Oh, Jae Won. You can't just ignore the boy like this. This is also unfortunately familiar.

I have questions about the person running a bar in Korea that can't understand enough Korean to take orders.

I get Jae Won feeling more comfortable with Yoon Won after all this time because she feels grounded.

Jae Won, you can't smile fondly at his art after ignoring him!

Damn, the freshmen just casually clocking Yoon Won as a lesbian.

There's a lot of drinking in this show.

I don't think the roommate's assessment is totally off. If Jae Won is signalling that he doesn't want to interact with Ji Hyun anymore, it's probably best to just let it go. Does beg whether Ji Hyun knows he's queer.

If Ji Hyun doesn't want this girl to attach to him too much, it would be ideal to introduce her to the definitely straight friend.

I like Joon Pyo.

Oh, I like experiencing the therapy session through the distorted reflection

I love the bar owner. Ji Hyun definitely needs encouragement.

Here Jae Won goes with the meaningful looks again. Not sure how I want to read them having an interaction right after a therapy session.

I liked this episode. I like Ji Hyun taking his angst and confusion in stride. I also like how many people encourage him.

Episode 4

Gosh, seeing these two recognize that there's something special about just being near each other in silence is just...wow.

Wonder what changed for Hae? Is it because it's night time. Don't send me back to my beauty in the dark phase.

I like Jae Won learning how to draw. It's really sweet to see them learning the other's passion. We also get to see Ji Hyun smile and laugh.

"Do you want to eat ramen with me?" *I understood that reference.*

Again the tension between these two when Jae Won adjusts Ji Hyun's bag. These two are delivering.

I love Ji Hyun's briefcase. I hope there isn't a plot point involving it going missing.

I'm obsessed with Ae Ri. She looked at Jae Won and Ji Hyun and was like, "Ah, gays," and immediately covered for Ji Hyun. Then, she goes on to show Ji Hyun how obvious things appear, and to keep his wits about him, before making clear she does not desire him. I hope she gets everything she wants.

Here these dudes go again meddling in Jae Won's affairs with Eun Ji.

If Eun Ji does something cruel to these boys because she saw them bonding in the stacks....

I'm not a therapist, nor have I been in much therapy, but it feels like Jae Won can be honest with his.

Here Eun Ji goes being mean to Ji Hyun.

Oh my goodness. That was a low-key read. "I didn't say you broke it intentionally. But if you broke it, is it that hard to apologize to the person fixing it?" She doesn't know why this girl is bullying Ji Hyun, but she is not going to let it slide.

A pinky brush into hand holding? We stay winning.

"A beer in your dorm room. Aren't we moving too fast?" Sir, you kissed and then avoided him!

I no longer like Joon Pyo. We had everything. A hand on a leg, a secret romantic desire expressed, and a lean in for a kiss. Then he runs in to spoil the moment!

I'm really glad they give us two episodes a week. I'd have been really frustrated to only get episode 3 with Jae Won avoiding him only to end on the subway would have been annoying. Instead we're seeing this support network grow around Ji Hyun and the obvious relationship blossoming between these two. I'm curious to learn about this secret desire Jae Won is afraid to voice.

[hawkogurl]

i love your corpse harry au (& what i've read of your other spider-man stuff), especially the way you write harry. i'm pretty new to writing and was hoping you'd have some advice on getting a good handle on a character's motivation/voice

idk if you take these kind of questions so if not: favorite trope that gets a lot of hate & least favorite trope that gets a lot of love? thx

Thanks for sending! I love to talk.

As for the first part? That’s hard. I think my writing style leans more introspective, so it can kind of vary based on what you’re going for. Because I tend to think about these movies very specifically, I found how I write about characters on my personal analysis, look deeper than the surface. Hell, take notes on shit. I also recommend the novelizations for learning how characters tic. Especially for characters other than Peter, you get a lot more about how they think because you actually spend more time in their heads and you get more of a look into their thought process and what effects how they act. The novels are good. Read them in general. I have files available on request because they slap.

But honestly? Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Especially if you’re new to it, make sure you’re having fun above everything. I personally tend to obsess over the mechanics of storytelling and character analysis, sure, but that’s what I find enjoyable. If doing the same makes you like something less, don’t! Especially when you’re starting out, I also think it’s more beneficial to work out more of the mechanics of writing itself. At the same time you learn characterization, learn how to vary sentence structure, to write engaging and descriptive prose without it feeling suffocating, find your personal style. And don’t expect it to be fast. The people you admire have been doing this for years. For another thing, read more. Genuinely, it’ll help you write better. I am a better writer when I’ve been engaging with things that have good writing.

As for part two of the ask, I guess there’s a couple things? I’m insistent upon writing with more emphasis on Harry’s mental illness, both because I’m tired of so much focus on Norman’s non existent illness (that’s the most neurotypical man I’ve ever seen) while ignoring the character they probably actually intended to be read as mentally ill. I also insistently defend and focus on MJ’s reasons for doing things because as a lesbian I’m hyper aware of all fandoms favor for white men that’s caused by a lot of subconscious misogyny and racism and fans are always more critical of women than men.

I do hate a lot more things than I like. I love being critical, it’s in my soul to be analytically critical of things. I hate how a lot of sm3 rewrites will effectively make Harry into a psychopathic crazy slasher villain. Ignoring the ableism to making the guy who hallucinates into That, I also think it’s a major case of throwing the baby out with the bath water with sm3. Harry was never going to be that kind of villain. His arc was always going to be about breaking out of the cycle of abuse by defying his father and becoming his own person. I’m also generally annoyed when fics insist on calling Norman “neglectful” or a “bad father” instead of just saying he was emotionally abusive. It feels like they just think it’s a dirty word someone can’t come back from so they mislabel things. Also a sort of cartoonish example of how if someone doesn’t hit you or shout at you, your experiences will be doubted.

I hate it when fans of other mlm peter ships write Harry as an abusive ex. Just make an oc.

This is pettier and I’ll admit it, but I hate it when raimi Harry is just arbitrarily shoved with a woman. I can give MJ a pass, I have my read of it but if you can sell me on it I’ll allow it. But most of the time, it just feels like Obligatory Heterosexual Love Interest. I’ve found fics that can sell me on it, there’s this one on ffnet I dug up where he ended up with Gwen that I thought was fine less for Harrygwen and more because they wrote them both well. If you can sell me on it I’ll let it slide but it’s like, semi obvious to me when throwing his ass with a woman is more part of like… people seeing a love story as an obligatory part of a happy ending or someone not liking it when Harry is read as queer. It’s fine if you don’t read him as queer but if your romance sucks I’m gonna say your romance sucks. Romantic love is not a prerequisite to a happy ending. He can be happy single because he has friends. Give him some cats. Make him adopt a kid.

It’s somewhat connected, but I also hate a lot of like… sloppier Norman redemptions. I maintain my stance that no character is ever irredeemable because it’s about change but even pushing aside my personal belief I don’t think Norman would ever change, the guy is the Greek god of doubling down, people never let him take responsibility for his actions or otherwise narratively excuse him. I can’t walk two feet without finding it excused by the mental illness people headcanon onto him because mcu decided to write offensive tropes against people with DID onto him or finding a way to blame poor Emily/Caroline when we aren’t supposed to take Norman at his word that she was a bitch or completely misunderstanding the narrative purpose of Ambrose Osborn in the comics to use him as an excuse and also minimize the ways he emotionally abuses Harry. I also hate the way people will say anything but that he was abusive. He was abusive. I know it feels like a bad word you can’t come back from, but he was abusive. Just say it. Him being abusive doesn’t mean he can’t stop being abusive if you want to write that. Ambrose exists to create a cycle of abuse. Narratively, it needs to be a cycle. Harry is the one who actually breaks it. It can’t work with Norman because a major aspect of Harry breaking the cycle is that he is softer than Norman, that he has dozens of traits that Norman doesn’t have. There’s significance to that.

I honestly just hate a lot of Norman writing. I don’t think redeeming him is impossible because of my general worldview and I’ve read fics that have done it. (Really it was fic singular and it’s because they didn’t shy away from what a POS he is) but among those is like. Christ, it’s so wild to see fics in which he’s a father figure to MJ as if he didn’t both ogle her, a girl 30-40 years his junior and also threaten to rape her as the goblin. Like. That’s wild. That’s absolutely wild.

I also hate DID Norman headcanons. How am I not supposed to think it’s wildly insulting to write a character as a system when the only reason people started seeing him as one was because of the MCU’s ableist writing decisions in NWH that connected him to negative stereotypes against people with DID and OSDD. Stereotypes that the trilogy itself put actual work into avoiding because even in 2002 those writers understood that the good alter bad alter trope is terrible.

I will say that none of Hollys extended Norman writing hatred is directed at people who are currently in the fandom. That was more like, circa 2021-2022 NWH fandom things that made me want to die.

[ellmaii]

I’d like to make something very clear. I do NOT have a problem with Byler. You might disagree and that’s fine but I think the ship is one sided attraction. That’s MY opinion.

My problem is with everyone who is trying to manipulate and twist events in the show to feed their own Byler fancies. It’s not only annoying and ignorant but sometimes harmful.

Tumblr is a place that seems to attract people who have difficulties in their personal lives. That doesn’t apply to everyone but for a lot of people it does.

-people throwing accusations of homophobia. I don’t need to explain this one, It doesn’t go amiss

-People being ebleist (not always intentionally). Eleven has disability. You can say she’s ‘just’ traumatised and uneducated but it’s clearly had a profound impact on many areas in life. Trauma itself can cause that. ‘A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).’

-Disregarding and invalidating trauma and grief. “She lies to him because she doesn’t feel like she can be herself around him” “he can’t say he loves her because he actually loves Will” “she didn’t look happy when he confessed his feeling to her because she realised she didn’t love him like that” “Mike didn’t look happy when she said I love you too” Not everything is related directly to their relationships, Im sorry but it’s not. How people behave and respond to situations often goes deeper than what they’re actually arguing over that minute and these characters and their past go wayyy deeper than that. You can disagree but you don’t have to twist everything and anything to make it about Byler.

-No platforming. It’s dangerous. Don’t refuse to engage in a balanced debate because it crushes your Byler fantasies (same goes for Mileven). Sharing opinions and debating them is how we learn, but do them in a way that is respectful and sticks to facts. Not made up facts, if it’s not confirmed then ‘I think’ or ‘from my opinion’ are appropriate to use before sharing. Those are opinions, fell free to share opinions but don’t state them as fact.

-Open lack of compassion. Some of you love to criticise Eleven because she gets in the way of Byler. You can dislike her but at least try to understand her feelings and behaviour. Again, stop invalidating. She’s been severely abused and neglected her entire life, Im sorry if you find her “annoying” or “a bad girlfriend” but grow up

If you haven’t realised by now this post itself goes deeper than Byler and Mileven. It’s about respect. People like to use their fandoms as an escape and a coping strategy. Don’t call people homophobic for sharing an opposing opinion. How do you think child abuse victims or people with autism or learning difficulty or dealing with grief feel when coming across anti-Mileven post that invalidate Elevens issues or use them against her to further their own ideology. The lack of compassion and understanding then the refusal to educate themselves. All for what, to promote a freaking Tv show couple??

We grow attachments to fictional characters often because we can relate to them on a personal level. What you say about a fictional character can make someone feel bad about themselves. It can cause offence to people who love somebody who they think are similar to the fictional character.

We all have different opinions and fell free to share them, it’s how we learn and grow as people, but be considerate and educate yourselves first instead of spreading ignorance. And most importantly, STOP using these things for the purpose of promoting a freaking relationship between fictional characters. For example, saying El can’t understand romantic relationships and isn’t ready for one. If you believe that that’s fine and I respect it. However, it is completely irrelevant to Byler so don’t use it and point it out solely to feed your own fancies.

[hopeymchope]

I almost always seem to have the minority opinion on media. And I'm really sick of it now.

I've been on a Fire Emblem kick again lately. But unfortunately, as much as I love all of the Fire Emblem games on 3DS? That's approximately how much I hate Fire Emblem: Three Houses on Switch. ....which is, of course, the most popular/successful game in the series to date.

Okay, look: In Fire Emblem, I really like the strategy-combat stuff and the storylines + support conversations. THAT'S the tasty meat. Anything else? Is irritating busywork to me. So if I spend between 2/3-3/4 of a supposed Fire Emblem game doing the other shit? You've crafted a great recipe to make me feel like I'm MOSTLY doing stuff I hate, and thusly I shall hate your game. And that's the START of the issue with Three Houses. (I must resist getting into the protagonist being a mute cipher OR how multiple side activities require blind luck or a guide to succeed OR bitching about the weak battle map design... oh shit oh SHIT I'M OUTING MYSELF, RUN FOR IT MARTY!)

By comparison, this year's Fire Emblem Engage feels like a step back in the right direction! I'm playing it a lot right now, and I'm mostly having a good time! Still more busywork than I want in these games, but it's at least back on the side of "more good than bad." So of course, if I look this game up and read any fan reviews or watch any videos... they're all about how disapppointing and sucky it is in comparison.

God. Of COURSE they are.

I really don't know why the advances they made with Fire Emblem Echoes haven't carried into the newer games. 3D dungeons you can explore for items and enemy encounters in a Persona-like fashion? Genius! Make it the template going forward! ..... What's that? Not even most fans bothered to buy or play that game??? So no one fucking cares about that feature?

.........fucking hell. Of COURSE they don't.

See, this is how it always goes for me. If I fall in love with a movie, I'll later learn it's either hated or ignored by its own fandom or by the masses at large. If I get emotionally invested in some weird game and its characters? There's a high probability that almost no one played it. And those who did? They didn't like it as much as me. If I think a game is really annoying and full of boring shit? Great reviews, huge fandom, etc.

I could make an utterly wild fucking list of things I like/love that other people hate. And the same is true in reverse. Sometimes, even when I agree with the hate on something, I don't agree with ANY of the reasons for WHY other people hate it!

Before you ask: It doesn't matter whether I know the "majority opinion" in advance of seeing/experiencing something, or I have no clue wht people think of something until I look it up later. I've gone to many midnight premieres of movies that weren't yet screened for critics, and I typically always wind up on the wrong side of the majority. I've played obscure games just because the premise sounded good, fallen in love with them, gone looking for a fandom... and found out that everybody thinks said game is utter shit.

So I'm not just being contrarian; this shit comes NATURALLY.

However, I should make some caveats about this weirdness clear:

Sometimes I feel like I'm on the wrong side of JUST the outspoken part of the audience... but there's evidence to support that my own stance maybe ISN'T so weird. For example: My family and I have always loved 2009's Avatar. We never were dressing up like the goddamn Na'vi or anything so fanatical, but we've rewatched it many times over the years. We regularly quote it to each other around the house. And the massive success of that movie (and its recent sequel) seems to back up that this admiration/enjoyment isn't THAT crazy or esoteric, RIGHT? It's just that the Internet is extremely outspoken about Avatar supposedly being lame and totally unmemorable. Remember how people in 2022 kept being like "You can't remember even three character names from that movie! Nobody quotes it!" and shit like that? I was one of the people going "I will list you NINE characters and spew DOZENS of quotes at you."

My "minority opinion" thing only stretches so far. It's not like I thought The Room was the best movie I'd ever seen or angrily felt Tears of the Kingdom was the worst game I ever played. That would be beyond "minority" and more "MADNESS." There's a limit to this weirdness; it has to be within a certain degree of reason, you know? Some things just aren't POSSIBLE to totally flip the script on. Birdemic will always be embarrassingly terrible, and I refuse to believe anyone would legitimately feel otherwise. OK?

This isn't completely universal, either. There are always exceptions where I actually wind up on the right side of the majority. They're just... rarer than the other thing, honestly.

It gets exhausting to always feel like I'm on the defensive or at worst, utterly alone in how I think among the larger community. I don't want this anymore.

But I don't get a say, clearly. I'm just going to keep doing this. I'm going to go see a movie on opening weekend and think "Wow, what an awful piece of shit" only to find that DECADES LATER, people still cite it as one of the best movies in its genre. I'm going to adore a modern revival of a classic comic book, then I'll go online and find that it's widely considered an abomination before god. This is who I am. It's just REALLY tiring to be here.

[archduchessofnowhere]

The Accidental Empress Reading Blog III: Very Belated Final Thoughts

After I brought up Pataki again last night I realized that I never finished to give you my opinion of her Sisi novel, so let’s say goodbye to the year with a final review! I originally had planned to make a detailed commentary of parts two and three as I did with the first part (you can read it here and here), but ultimately I decided to just write my final thoughts without going too much into detail since firstly, I don’t remember every detail of the plot anymore, and secondly, my main problems with this book can actually be boiled down to only two points.

My first major issue was something that I already noted on my previous posts about the novel: the pacing. The book is divided in three parts, each which makes up of about a third of the total length. Part one is set during August of 1853, and covers about four? five? days. I personally don’t think the engagement deserves that many pages, specially when you’re planning to cover Elisabeth’s life up until the Hungarian coronation of 1867: the part dragged on for what seemed like an eternity, and soon I was very bored. We already know Sisi is going to marry Franz, why did we need over a hundred and twenty pages to tell that? Let’s get over it quickly and jump to her being empress please!

… Is what I thought while reading part one, but that ended up being a monkey-paw wish, because from part two onwards the painfully slow pacing turns into INCREDIBLY FAST. The second part covers from September of 1853 until sometime after Rudolf’s birth (the timeline becomes foggy at this point and it’s not really clear anymore in which year we are), each chapter covering about a year. The change is jarringly noticeable: we go from having a detailed day-by-day story to entire months being described in sentences.

And the pacing gets even WORSE in part three, which covers from August of 1862 until the Hungarian coronation. You may be wondering, didn’t the previous part end in 1858? What happened in-between? Well, guess what. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. Part two ends with Sisi’s “flight” from court, which in reality happened at the end of 1860, but in the Patakiverse after Rudolf’s birth. Part three starts with her returning to court after being away FOR FOUR UNINTERRUMPTED YEARS. I won’t go on details on how CRAZY this is: to summ it up, the real Elisabeth was away from court for two years, but she did came back to Vienna in-between her trips, and the last months of her “flight” she spent them within the borders of the empire. And she was always in contact with her husband and updated about her children! What annoys me so much of the four years off-page isn’t the inaccuracy however, but that Sisi comebacks with AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PERSONALITY, because the years away hardened her and made her more aware of how she can use her beauty for her own ends. A change I would’ve love to see happening ON PAGE! But no, the only thing we learn of Sisi’s years away from court is this:

(Lobkowitz wasn’t even Elisabeth’s Oberhofmeister anymore at this point)

And to add insult to injury, this isn’t even the only time it happens! Because after we get two chapters set in 1862… WE HAVE ANOTHER FOUR YEARS TIMESKIP TO 1866 AAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

Sorry. I just didn’t like the pacing. Let’s move on to my second major issue: this is yet another Sisi story that revolves almost entirely around men.

I’ve complained about this before, but in general I don’t like how in fiction Elisabeth is often reduced to the relationships she had with the different men in her life. We know for a fact that she also had close relationships with many women: her mother, her sisters, her ladies-in-waiting, her daughter, other fellow royal women. So it’s deeply frustrating to me when these relationships are ignored in favor of, for exemple, a fictional affair with a man she was just friendly with. Which is exactly what this novel does.

In the first half of the book Sisi’s entire character revolves around Franz Josef: she starts out as a lovestruck teenager and as the story progresses she slowly falls out of love with him as she discovers that he won’t stand up to his mother for her and that he is cheating on her. During this part Sisi doesn’t have almost any positive relationship with a woman: her sister Helene completely disappears after part one. Her mother only returns a little before the end of the second part (in a very inaccurate scene that I still liked only because it redeemed Ludovika’s character). Archduchess Sophie is a stereotypical evil mother-in-law, Countess Esterhazy is the controlling “governess”, and her two ladies, Countesses Caroline Lamberg and Paula Bellegarde are depicted as scheming women who conspire against Sisi and try to seduce her husband (… what). Needless to say all these characters are incredibly shallow, because the only person that is given a somewhat more nuanced characterization is Franz Josef.

This trope of “every woman is out there to get our super special female protagonist” is already annoying on its own, but here is also accompanied by a lesser known trope that is equally annoying to me: “the only women who are good are the servant characters that have almost no character traits other than adoring our protagonist and serving her loyally”. Sisi has a (fictional) maid called Agata that accompanies her to Vienna, and is the only person who treats her well during the first half. But we know NOTHING of this maid other than she is Polish and she loves Sisi. She is a fictional character, you can give her a more important role if you want!

Meanwhile, the real life people that had important roles in Elisabeth’s life are also turned into this kind of character. Marie Festetics, who entered in service of the empress in 1872, was one of her closest ladies-in-waiting, and while we know that she did adore her mistress, she could also be very critical of her. In The Accidental Empress, Festetics is a lady-in-waiting since 1854, and her role is completely minimal. We are told (specially on the last part) that she is Sisi’s oldest and most faithful friend at court, but they interact so little on-page (and their moments together are always so bland) that it’s hard to buy. Worse of all, however, was the treatment of Ida Ferenczy: she only appears a couple of chapters before the book ends as a maid that Andrássy recommended. While Pataki keeps in her story that Ida was hired to help Sisi practice Hungarian, on page her only interactions with Sisi consist in fetching her things and receiving orders from her. In real life Ida was a gentry girl that amazingly managed to enter court despite her lack of noble ancestry (there is even a theory that she was actually infiltrated by Deák and Andrássy to influence the empress in favor of Hungary), and Elisabeth liked her so much that she CREATED a position for Ida (the reader of the empress) so she could stay in her staff. This is one of the cases in which the real Elisabeth asserted her agency and power in court, which the book completely takes away from her and by doing so destroys her special relationship with Ida!!!

So you remember how I said that in the first half of the book Sisi’s entire character revolves around Franz? Well that’s because in the second half her entire character revolves around Andrássy. Yep, this is one of those stories. I won’t go into details, but honestly it wasn’t even the made up affair what bothered me: it was the implication that Sisi only got involved with the Compromise because she got personally involved with Andrássy. Elisabeth isn’t allowed to have any sort of political ideas on he own, she must be guided, she must be told what to think by the men in her life. This role must always be fulfilled by a man, and that’s why we can’t have Ida Ferenczy or Marie Festetics discussing politics with Sisi, that’s why they are just background servants that only fetch her things and help her cover up an affair while Andrássy gets to be the dashing hero that saves Sisi for her trapping and passionless marriage.

And I’m just tired of this kind of narrative.

If you read until here, thank you! I’m incapable of writing short reviews. All this being say I do plan eventually read the sequel, solely out of an annoying completionist drive and because I’m curious if Pataki cared for and listened to any of the critics she received from people who like the real Elisabeth. Please let me know of you’d like another in-depth sort of commentary or prefer a general review!

[researchgate]

Feel free to ignore if this is an annoying ask but I really need advice on something and unfortunately I live somewhere with a nonexistent Jewish community to seek advice from. My little sister (7) has been dealing with some heavy-handed antisemitism at school, kids calling her a murderer or saying she/her family kills Palestinians, telling her that "her people" need to get out of Israel, things like that. My mother has talked to the teacher and to the principal and the overall statement that's been given is like "oh well, it's normal for kids to talk about political matters since their parents probably talk about it at home, it's not a big deal, kids repeat things they don't understand all the time, they're not actually being malicious".

As a result from the way she's being treated at school though, my little sister now wants absolutely nothing to do with her heritage, literally full-on crying telling our mother that she won't celebrate Chanukah this year because she doesn't want to be evil and if she engages in Jewish practices everyone will hate her for being evil. Both me and my mom are at a complete loss on what to do and nothing we've tried so far as comforted her, do you have any recommendations on anything positive relating to Judaism that we could show/do for my sister? Because she's completely convinced that she and us are all terrorists and she's at the point where she hasn't even been to school in 2 weeks because she's terrified she'll upset everyone just by her being there. It's been really horrible and I don't have anyone IRL to ask, again feel free to ignore if I'm being annoying by dumping my problems on you! ^^

You're not annoying at all! I'll try my best to answer your question here.

Firstly, I think you need to be honest with her and tell her that even if she doesn't celebrate anything, she'll still be viewed as Jewish, so the anger and hate will still be there regardless of whether or not she celebrates her heritage or even just acknowledges it. It's a hard pill to swallow, especially when you're that young, but I think it's an age by which most Jewish kids learn this hard truth. Wouldn't it be more fun to at least celebrate chanukah then? Even if she won't celebrate it they'll still treat her badly, so better at least have some light.

Now, as for positive things, I think you can talk about the survivability of the Jewish people, how, despite persecution and hatred, we survived thanks to our recognition of who we are. We didn't let it get lost, we always remembered ourselves.

There are many Jewish figures that did important things, too. Despite their small percentage in the world (~0.2%), Jews are 22% of all recipients of the Nobel prize, across both science and humanities.

Several successful comedians and satire writers were and are Jewish, despite all the bad we've been through in the past, we still find things to laugh about, and in doing so, we make other people, not necessarily Jews, laugh and happy.

Right now it feels very dark and scary. It is indeed, it's not just an individual, personal feeling. And without our community, us jews are alone, as we'll never be truly accepted into other communities unless we forego everything that makes us us, and even then the acceptance is conditional and short-lived. Not acknowledging her heritage will distance her from the community she does have, and not get her closer to another community, so it is better to at least keep the community she has naturally.

I will also tag @hero-israel, @pothead-paisan, and any of my followers who's Jewish, to possibly give even more ideas.

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Here's something depressing about your nothlit-Jake AU: Tom thinks Jake is dead. Do you think Temrash taunted him about it?

Radical answer: no. Because it's Temrash 114, and not some other yeerk.

Compared to other yeerks we hear from (Esplin, Edriss, Aftran, Illim, etc.) Temrash seems super uninterested in the lives of his hosts. He spends most of his three days in Jake's head telling Jake to "shut up... just shut up!" over and over again (#6) and only gets annoyed enough to engage with Jake directly when Jake starts unnecessarily narrating wolf trivia to him. This is also the yeerk who has Tom quit the basketball team, a move so obviously out of character that Jake and his parents all comment on it (#1), and says it's because there are "more important things" to worry about. Temrash is about as subtle as a baseball bat to the head - he shouts insults at Ax when caught by surprise, tries to morph anything and run rather than planning an escape, and drops the pretense of being Tom at the first excuse (MM4).

I think Tom knows what he's doing when he offers to "be quiet" in exchange for Temrash not trying to recruit Jake to the Sharing (#6). Temrash wants a host who shuts up and goes away, because Temrash doesn't want to be bothered doing more than the bare minimum to pretend to be human. Sure, if pushed far enough he'll get sadistic and start digging out painful memories like he does to Jake, but Temrash only does that after multiple days of just trying to ignore Jake in the hope that his mind will go away. Contrast that to Esplin taking the time to learn how to impersonate a hork-bajir (HBC) or even just Tom's second yeerk making comments that "Tom would have made" (#21). And that's not even touching Edriss's obsession with becoming Alison Kim, or Sub-Visser Fifty-One's massive over-investment in Taylor's life. So I don't think that Temrash really knows much about Tom's hopes and fears and griefs and longings, because - compared to most other yeerks - he simply can't be bothered.

[angryteapott]

Still going on about this because it's rotating in my mind like kebab, even tho i am in the already annoying li lianhua definitely bit it crew I'm also in the even more annoying faction of refusing to romanticize his actions. While I love everyone's interpretations and what they say about us I just don't see it as a settled ghost story! Even if we ignore that there was treatment (and oh boy i have Thoughts about Li Xiangyi refusing to collaborate with others only seeing his solutions and causing bad endings, boy did Li Lianhua not learn his lesson about arrogance), i think if we pretend like him that there was no chance of him surviving more than a week, from HIS perspective he thinks he's giving closure to an inevitable death and that it's a ghost story, but that's just not the story MLC tells.

He himself tells yun biqiu how meaningful it was to live past guilt and feed himself and a dog, but he doesn't give his honest reasons as "I'm dying and tired, let me go in peace" he says "li xiangyi deserved to die. And he did." Di Feisheng is right that he's a stubborn, lost soul. There's no such thing as ghosts, and he's escaping because he finds the things that contradict that delusion discomfiting. Fang Duobing has actually been very obedient when told Li Lianhua's actual reasoning. Say I'm tired, I don't want to fight. Have a conversation. Have a final meal. Let yourself be cared for in your last days.

Li Lianhua wants there to be some sort of easy closure where he doesn't have to be honest with himself or others by escaping care instead of refusing it and leaving letters and books, and saying it's for their sake, but really it's because of his guilt. He wants to die; I can't think of a crueler way to do it. Who gave anyone closure? He left a letter instead of a body. I took the ocean as you can't hold on to something determined to leave you. What fang duobing said about cups and cups only applies if someone will drink with you.

To be fair this interpretation is definitely shaped by my own damage (rip) but I do think what I'm saying is in text, from the monk begging him to tell his loved ones to his master's wife saying at least let me take care of you here. There is no neat closure, just living with people and leaving honestly. But li xiangyi felt too unworthy to do that.

In order, i think that di feisheng represents wanting to return to a past that's totally fine, I think li lianhua represents wanting to hold onto pain and refusing to engage with the present, and i think fang duobing represents acknowledging the past can't be changed but there's joy in growing forward. Just see his reaction to Shan Gudao, his birth father! I think it's important that the series ends on his perspective, and I think that refusal for real closure, closeness and healing was li lianhua's greatest betrayal.

[rollercoasterwords]

rae im sorry i just need to rant and i feel like youd get it but. god this is like the 50th time ive come across a post trashing atyd’s characterization of sirius, calling him extremely sexist or misogynistic for going out w so many girls??? saying hes repulsive, “barely held back puke every time he spoke” “im so glad i never read that shit” like ??? idk the unfair amount of scrutiny this fic gets makes me so mad. just bc something doesnt ascribe to your personal characterizations doesnt give you the right to start bashing writers left and right all over the internet. breaking news: flawed characters exist! that doesnt make the writer or writing “problematic”! not to mention all the gross ableist comments ive seen regarding remus’ emotions and actions surrounding his disability lol or all the “why is he so angry all the time” comments idk babe u try living as a poverty ridden orphan, second class citizen w chronic pain to boot, lets see how u like it. its. literally so easy to just . Stop reading a fic if you dont like it!

u are welcome 2 rant 2 me abt this any time <3 it frustrates me too honestly i just click away or block anyone who i see reducing the character to "ewww he was sexist!!" bc i think it demonstrates either an inability or an unwillingness to engage with literature beyond a surface-level glance and also a tendency to virtue signal on the internet for attention. neither of which are necessarily morally corrupt but both of which are annoying so i don't want 2 deal w it lol

like if a character is behaving in ways that are sexist "ew this character is sexist" is just about the most boring take u can have. anyone who reads the story can understand that this character is behaving in ways that are sexist; some interesting questions to ask about that are:

- why does he behave this way? what cultural influences and personal feelings are contributing to his actions?

- how do those around this character respond to his behavior? what does that tell us about them? about the world the story is set in?

- how aware is the character of his behavior? does he understand why he acts this way?

- does the character change or grow? why or why not? what influences him to regard his behavior differently? what enables him to ignore his own bad behavior?

- how does this behavior contribute to the narrative? does it help drive plot points? conflicts? does it set up or contribute to character development? how does it tell us things about the pov character [remus] based on his reactions to the behavior?

- how does this behavior challenge readers to think? are you meant to sympathize with this character in the instances where he is behaving badly? what does it mean about the readers' own self if they sympathize with a character who sometimes behaves badly?

honestly i think that everyone could benefit from those discussion questions at the bottom of english textbooks like....we are all supposed to be making those discussion questions in our own head when we read. if somebody doesn't understand that then either someone has failed them somewhere in their education or they are still in the process of learning how to read critically--which is like....fine. but again i just personally don't want 2 have 2 deal w it lol