#negative feedback system notes

[botanicalsword]

Moon & their security & emotional needs

Understanding Emotional Needs

Emotional stability is a state that can arise, varying based on our emotional needs and response.

>> Indicator • Nurturing your soul • what makes you a Healer

✧ Moon in the 1st House

Strong self-awareness

pursuit of validation

their emotional needs revolve primarily around themselves

exhibit nurturing qualities

Source of Security - independency, take care of others and your own emotions and needs more independently

✧ Moon in the 2nd House

A passionate worker - highly focused on work

place great importance on a sense of gain or loss

Excellent concentration skills

Source of Security - material foundations, financial stability

✧ Moon in the 3rd House

excel at gathering information

find satisfaction in gaining knowledge

Source of Security - lies in acquiring information, continuous learning, thirst for knowledge, the ability to effectively communicate and interact with others.

✧ Moon in the 4th House

are the guardians of their family

deeply care for and nurture their parents

strong sense of belonging to their home and family

Source of Security - A stable family, a familiar environment, a comfortable and safe space

✧ Moon in the 5th House

have a wide range of hobbies

find fulfillment through entertaining children

pet lovers

Source of Security - express through various forms of entertainment, adventure, creation, love, enjoyment

✧ Moon in the 6th House

workaholics

appearing stoic on the surface but harboring great passion within

find security in stable employment and a harmonious work environment

have sensitive digestive systems

Source of Security - serve the daily affairs of life, be organized, and pay attention to order, practicality and details

✧ Moon in the 7th House

yearn for companionship

nourish their souls through intimate relationships

Source of Security -  their significant other, harmonious interpersonal relationships, good reactions and feedback from others, natural and gentle atmosphere

✧ Moon in the 8th House

highly sensitive and intuitive

prone to emotional vulnerability

easily become engulfed in their emotions

Source of Security - Understanding the truth, motives, and real emotional needs of others provides them with emotional security

✧ Moon in the 9th House

prioritize self-improvement

seek to overcome inner unrest through constant learning and personal growth

Source of Security - exploring the unknown and seeking spiritual resonance

✧ Moon in the 10th House

strive for wealth, fame, and success

believe that achievements can repair their souls and provide them with a sense of security

Source of Security - their professional accomplishments

✧ Moon in the 11th House

excel at maintaining balance in their social relationships

susceptible to external influences

Source of Security - interactions with groups and older female figures, seeking validation, acceptance, and support

✧ Moon in the 12th House

conceal their emotions

display negative and depressive moods

struggle with expressing themselves

have fear or barriers when it comes to communicating with women

Source of Security - solace in spirituality, healing, wisdom, and acts of charity

✧

>> A note to ✦ Venus / Pluto aspect in Natal Chart

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[inkie-does-whump]

Time to talk about Panic Boxes!

(I figured I should talk about them since my upcoming oneshot for my Lab AU mentions them briefly, and I've only really mentioned them in passing before)

Tw: discussion of panic attacks and anxiety

First things first! A Panic Box is a black box that sits in the corner of some subjects rooms. It's about big enough for them to fit inside if they tuck their legs under them, pull all their limbs close to their body, and duck their head between their knees. There is a flap over the door that can easily be pushed open and closed so the subject can enter and exit whenever they want, while still keeping the box dark inside.

It's not originally called a Panic Box. The Watchers just call it a cage, but the subjects renamed it to humanize it a bit more.

The Watchers "cage train" certain subjects that have anxiety problems, but conditioning them to associate the dark, tight space with safety. They began doing this because regular panic attacks had become a problem (specifically in Jimmy and Pearl) and they didn't want to deal with them crying and screaming. Better to bottle it all up and internalize your problems :)

Side note, a related training program that the Watchers enforce is muzzle training. The same concept (conditioning cooperation with wearing a muzzle) with that added bonus that Joel can't freaking bite them anymore, the FREAK.

Uh. Yeah.

In the Watcher's notes, they describe the two training programs like this:

Cage trained: These subjects often have issues with lots of people or loud noises. They have been conditioned to retreat to their cage to help calm down. The cage is a small dark space designed to make the subject feel safe. Some subjects may need coercion to enter their cage, but their panic should cease upon entering.

Muzzle trained: These subjects have a history of biting. Once a muzzle is placed on them, their aggression should die. Muzzles often must be forced on to a subject.

Due to the conditioning, many of the subjects actually like the Panic Boxes. If Jimmy isn't too achy from his rentals, he can often be found cramped into the box in his spare time, mind numb to his panic and problems (at least for now).

Now, this does have some unintended (totally intended) side effects, because shoving your emotions deep down and ignoring them isn't healthy. It can lead to heightened anxiety, depression and stress (which leads to more time in the panic box, aggravating the symptoms more and creating a negative feedback loop) as well as headaches, digestive issues, difficulty sleeping, and a weakened immune system.

(these are real side effects of not processing your emotions in a healthy way. So, uh, go to therapy or something. Call your dad. Idk)

[candlewaxandp0lar0ids]

How to Leave Comments on Fanfiction

So, I recently made a poll to know if people might find it helpful to have a list of things they could talk about when leaving comments on fanfictions, be it on Ao3 or on here. A majority of people were interested in seeing the post so, well, I'm making it. I started writing and posting stuff online when I was a teenager, on a website where leaving constructive criticism was the norm. It's by far the place where I've gotten the most feedback and it was an incredibly formative experience for me as a young writer — and it taught me how to leave detailed comments.

Writing comments doesn't necessarily come easy. It's something that you may need to learn how to do, but the good news is that you can learn how to do it, so don't worry if you don't know what to say at first. Hopefully this list will give you some pointers on how to do that.

This is more or less the list I go through when I want to leave a detailed comment. Even if I don't have a specific idea at first, I'll go through the steps and I never come out empty-handed.

Comment etiquette:

What became apparent with the poll I made was that a lot of people worry about how they'll be perceived by the writers if they leave a comment. Now, obviously, writers aren't a monolith, but 99% of the time writers will be thrilled that you took the time to leave a comment to let them know what you enjoyed in their fic. I cannot stress this enough. We're not going to judge someone based on a positive comment they leave.

As it stands, on Tumblr and Ao3, it's seen as rude to leave negative feedback, unless the author has explicitly asked for it/agreed to it, so that's what I'll be going over here. Since quite a few writers did say on that post that they would like to get constructive comments as well, stay tuned, I'm trying to get something together to do that for authors. Other than that, you're good to go.

The main ways to let an author know your thoughts on a fic on Tumblr are:

reblogging a fic with your thoughts underneath it

reblogging with your thoughts in the tags, which is often less formal

leaving a comment as a 'reaction'

sending in an ask if they're activated on the blog (which means you can stay anonymous, if anon asks are allowed)

Reblogging means that your followers will see the post as well, and is therefore really appreciated on Tumblr.

As a note, you may find different systems work for different fics! Maybe leaving tag rambles works for you when commenting on drabbles, for example for me it's the system I use to leave comments on smut.

General advice:

Everything I'm saying in here is for people who want to be able to leave longer/more detailed comments and don't always know where to start. If, for whatever reason, you're not comfortable or you don't have time to do it at the moment, a simple "I love the fic, thank you for writing it" always goes a long way for an author.

The key thing to keep in mind if you're trying to find something else to say, I think, is to try making the comment specific to the fic you're leaving it on. It shows the writer what you took away from the fic and the fic's strong points, which is both meaningful and helpful to an author.

Comments don't have to be long to be meaningful. Don't stress about writing a ton; a one-sentence comment highlighting the fic's humor or how emotional it made you can be incredibly impactful.

With this out of the way, I'll go through things you can talk about in a comment, starting with what I think is the easiest and moving on to things that could require more thought. You don't have to do all of that. You may never use some of the things on that list. Leaving comments should not be a source of anxiety. So take what you want from the list, maybe come back to it if you need more inspiration, and don't worry too much about it :)

Favorite line(s) : pull from the fic to let the author know what your favorite line was. If you wish, you can expand on that by saying why it was your favorite: did it make you laugh? Did it make you feel something specific? Did the author nail the characterization with it? Was there some incredible metaphor? Did you find it beautiful or poetic even if you can't go into detail? Is there one line in particular at the beginning of the fic that hooked you in and made you want to keep reading?

All of that is very valuable for a writer to know. Some of my favorite comments I've gotten were a list of a reader's favorite lines from a fic with one or two sentences to explain why they liked them, so don't hesitate to do that more than once if you can!

Emotions:  if there’s one thing I know about writers, it’s that we’re thrilled when we’ve made you cry. So tell us: how did the writing make you feel? Did you laugh out loud? If you did, was it the dialogue, or the narrator? Did it make you cry? Which part? Could you relate to one of the characters? Did it make you feel seen? Did the fluff make you feel all fuzzy inside or did the angst twist knots in your stomach? This isn't an exhaustive list, and emotions are great to draw from when you're leaving a comment!

Favorite element of the writing: Is there one thing in the writing that struck you as being particularly good, or what was your favorite thing to read? Is the author a master at writing dialogue? Are their descriptions so good you could see the whole scene? Are they really good at getting in a character's head and describing their emotions? Were you hooked from the start and couldn't stop until you reached the end?

Characterization: Now, this might be less instinctive, but if you've been in a fandom for a while, you'll probably be able to identify these things fairly easily. You can tell the author if you think they've nailed one aspect of a character. Did you have a favorite character in the fic? What did you think of them? Did the author manage to capture their voice? Was the attitude spot-on? Which parts of the character, if you can name them? Were there aspects of the character you particularly enjoyed? Did the author shine a light on something you hadn't considered or on something you don't think is highlighted often enough? Is there one thing from the fic you can actually picture/hear a character doing/saying in your head?

Style: I'd argue this is the hardest part, and you shouldn't feel bad if it's not something you can really comment on. As someone whose first language isn't English, I know I struggle with it. Style can be perceived as the way the author's voice comes through in the text. It can come through in punctuation, in the way sentences are formed, in the choice of the words themselves. If, when you read, you feel something intangible that doesn't fit well in the other categories, it just might be the author's style.

Here are some things (non-exhaustive list, of course) you could say about an author's style: it can be direct, straight to the point. The author doesn't bother with ornaments. Every sentence feels impactful. Maybe the writing feels intense. You're overwhelmed by the characters and their feelings and you feel truly engulfed in the story. Maybe the style is light and airy. It's so easy to read you don't even notice you are reading. Maybe the writing is intricate. Going through it is like piecing a puzzle together, sentences are foreshadowing and metaphors reveal deep truths about the characters. Maybe the style is rich. While not always the easiest, it's a pleasure to read through it, the author has a wide vocabulary, and you might want to compare it to a well-written novel.

If you identify specific elements of that style (metaphors, interesting use of punctuation, etc.), don't hesitate to point them out and let the author know you enjoy them!

That is it for this post, hopefully it doesn't look too daunting — again, you absolutely do not need to do all that in any comment, but maybe going through this list can help you leave comments for authors you enjoy.

I like to end my comments with 'Thank you for writing and sharing this with us', so I'll tell you thank you for reading, I hope this was helpful, and please consider reblogging if you'd like to save this or if you think it could help someone else!

As a bonus, my friend @elidebrey and I (but mostly her) made a 'checklist' for commenting, to help remember all this if that's something you'd like, so use at will!

A big thank you to @elidebrey, @yoongihan and @antoniorhinothethird for their precious opinions on this ♥

[cheritzteam]

[Cheritz] Answering Customer Questions regarding the use of A.I. in <The Ssum> Season 2 and More

Hello, this is Cheritz.

Some of the photos of our newest Ssumone, June, have not been polished enough to the game standard, and we will be updating them as soon as possible. We apologize for the disappointment caused by this issue.

On that note, we would like to clarify the topic on the use of A.I. in art in June’s photos.

First of all, we express our sympathies to the fan base who have been worried about the recent issue over the use of A.I. in games and movies, as it has been linked to copyright issues, job security, and more.

As you may have already been aware, <The Ssum> had to showcase an unparalleled amount of text and images to create a long-term romantic experience for you, and in Season 1, we used real-world images and free stock images to achieve the goal. While keeping the subscription price as low as possible in relation to production costs, our team have been working on the game with a limited number of staff to make <The Ssum> viable in the gaming market on its own.

In Season 2, we decided to apply the 2D art style to meet the feedback received by the fan base, we used retouched images sourced by A.I. which got data exclusively from a commercially available sources of packs to avoid any conflict with copyright issues for the art work that do not involve characters’ faces.

It was never the case for our team to replace the art staff with machines, but rather because most illustrators in the game industry have preferences on drawing main character illustrations over backgrounds or objects. For that reason, the art team was more focused on drawing 2023 commemorative artwork for <Mystic Messenger> and SD images on social media. Also, because Cheritz has been running four-day work weeks since the start of 2023, there was an internal consensus to tap into A.I. to balance work and life for staff. There were no cuts or layoffs of art staff for Season 2 projects.

The team feel terrible about unpleasant surprises some of you may have gone through by us not announcing this before the release.

Additionally, we have learned that some of the users feel disappointed that the new character in <The Ssum> has a connection to one of the main characters of <Mystic Messenger>.

The team has been constantly getting requests for 2D-art style images and involvements of <Mystic Messenger> characters, and more text content to <The Ssum> since its release. Our team is aware of the users’ support for <The Ssum>, however, we did not expect the new change would sadden some of our loyal fan base.

We will do our best to make it obvious that the launch of June is not an extension of <Mystic Messenger>, but rather as an extension of the launch of <The Ssum>, where the games from the same company share a universe but are on their own game systems and charms.

In addition to the currently released June, we have a new character currently under development, and we plan to release the rest of Season 1 in 2024 with some of the improvements applied.

We understand this clarification would not satisfy everyone, and we feel awful that these changes made some of you feel disappointed. We will pay close attention to the negative impact that the A.I. has brought to the gaming industry, and we would like to find a viable way to reach out to you through our games.

The team would like to thank you for your continued support of <The Ssum> and other Cheritz games, and we truly appreciate our fans’ feedback.

We hope this announcement has made your heart a little lighter and given you clarity.

 *To clarify rumors about the author of <Mystic Messenger>, please let us address it as well here. The main writer of <Mystic Messenger> is Ms. Ri, the founder of Cheritz, as revealed in the Otakon video. Ms. Ri is also the writer of <Dandelion>, <Nameless>, and is the main writer of <The Ssum> Season 2.

Thank you.

-Cheritz Team

[slut4thebroken]

Exposure Therapy pt. 5

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Pairing | Jonathan Crane × reader

Summary | Dr. Crane apologizes and shows you an unusual amount of kindness.

Warnings | 18+, sexual content, smut, p in v sex, unprotected sex, after care? (kind of), kissing, hickeys, cunnilingus, comfort, he stops being an asshole lol, crying.

Words | 3.5k

Notes | Okay I’m trying to make the switch realistic with his character but it’s hard portraying someone so cold who’s trying not to show any emotion at all lmao while still portraying to the reader that the shift is there.

Ao3 link | <3

Fic Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Part 4

Almost two weeks went by before you saw him again. With a clear head, you tried to replay it and figure out what you could’ve done, but as you were doing that, it didn’t occur to you that you’re not supposed to care- that you don’t want to care. So why were those two weeks so agonizing? 

You were nervous to see him again. Would he still be mean and cold toward you? Should you confront him or pretend nothing happened? You didn’t have time to choose before you were at his door, being pushed in by the orderly. You kept your head down, not wanting to face him if he’s still acting the same. 

“Sit.” It didn't sound mean? At least you’re pretty sure it didn’t. You tentatively walked toward your chair, then sat down, leg bouncing incessantly. “Something on your mind?” He asked, making you stiffen slightly. 

“No.” You said quietly, but loud enough where he wouldn’t get upset with you for not speaking clearly. 

“Is there a reason you won’t look at me?” Yeah, I’m worried I’m going to find that same look of hatred that brought me to tears. 

“No.” 

“Then will you look at me?” You sighed quietly and bit your lip, then lifted your head. He wasn’t visibly upset, but you were still wary. You couldn’t hold his gaze for long, having to look at the wall behind him or at his desk. 

“I apologize for my… unprofessional behavior last time we met.” He said calmly. Always so fucking calm. Or, mostly. 

“It’s okay.” You muttered, looking down at your hands as you anxiously picked at your cuticles, wincing when one started to bleed. 

“Then can you explain why you’re behaving differently?” You swore he almost started to sound annoyed. 

“Just tired today.” You shrugged. 

“Now you’re lying too?” 

“No- I’m sorry. I really am just tired.” You said, forcing yourself to look at him to seem more convincing. He eyed you skeptically for a moment before sighing and taking off his glasses. 

“Your embittered attitude is fallacious, it was nothing you did.” He said indifferently. You looked away from him again, definitely not feeling better than before his explanation, especially because you barely understood half of it. 

“You hurt me.” You whispered, making him sigh. 

“What?” 

“You yelled at me and grabbed me. The bruise only went away a couple days ago.” You said quietly, then swallowed the lump in your throat. “I don’t-“ Your voice cut off as you got choked up, but you forced yourself to continue. “I don’t understand why you did that if it wasn’t something I did.” You whimpered, letting out a shaky breath. 

“I’m sorry.” He said, but you didn’t believe it. You didn’t believe that he was apologizing for any reason other than soothing you so you’ll go back to normal and he can get on with everything. 

“It’s fine.” You whispered, not letting yourself audibly cry even though the tears already started falling. 

“I’m sorry.” He said again, firmer this time. “The drugs in your system made you more sensitive to any kind of negative feedback and I didn’t keep that in mind when I got upset.” 

“I still don’t understand why you got upset though.” You kept your eyes on your lap as you sniffled, the tears calming down a bit. 

“You were right. When you said I need to be in control- you were right. I knew what was going to happen and what I was going to do, but- I changed it because of you. And the realization upset me. That’s why I behaved the way I did.” 

“…So it was my fault?” You whimpered, making him sigh. You heard his chair move back and his footsteps, then he was dropping down in front of you, gently tilting your head up by your chin. 

“It was mine. And I’m sorry.” He said, never breaking eye contact. 

“Oh… I’m sorry I made you change it.” You said quietly, making him scoff a laugh as he brushed away the lingering tears on your cheeks. 

“You feel better now?” He asked, but it was genuine, not him just trying to move on. You nodded and he gave you a small smile that you couldn’t help but return. When your eyes followed the movement though, you suddenly realized that you’ve never even kissed him yet. The thought was… disappointing? You’re not sure what the right word is. 

“Good.” He said, placing a hand on your thigh. “Would you like to continue your treatment today? Or not yet.” Your brows furrowed at the question. Why is he letting you choose? Is it a trick question?

“Um… I- I don’t…” He seemed to pick up on your confusion. 

“I’m not going to be upset if you say no. I’m genuinely asking.” He said, keeping any emotion in his tone to a minimum. You stared into pale blue eyes as you thought.

“I just don’t wanna do anything like last time.” You said tentatively. 

“Last time was a punishment. You’re not being punished today.” 

“Okay… Then, yes.” He seemed pleased by your answer and he moved onto his knees, placing both hands on your thighs. 

“I want to do something we’ve only done once before.” He started sliding his hands up and down your covered thighs, making you squirm in your seat. “Can I take these off?” He asked, gesturing to your pants. You nodded and lifted your hips off the chair enough for him to slide them down your legs. He continued teasingly dragging his hands up and down your thighs, never getting close to where you wanted him. You whined and squirmed under him, making him look up at you with a teasing glint in his eyes. He moved his hands to the outside of your thighs then snaked them up to your hips, resting them on your underwear. 

“Can I take these off too?” You nodded, breathless. He quickly pulled them down your legs, discarding them with your pants, then spread your legs. You blushed as he stared at your sex, but it got even darker when he pulled your hips forward to the edge of the chair and tilted them up more. He snaked a hand up your thigh until he could lightly brush his thumb over your clit. When your breath hitched he looked up at you again.  

“Tell me what you want.” He rasped, eyes trailing down your body. When he saw your covered chest be pulled away and took your shirt off, then continued the feather light touch. 

“I- I want…” 

“Use your words. C’mon I know you can.” You whined, resisting burying your face in your hands. 

“Want your mouth…” You said quietly, just barely audible. 

“Yeah? Where?” He moved down and placed open mouthed kisses on your inner thigh, then moved to the other one. “Here?” He asked, kissing up your thigh to your hip, but he skipped over your core and went to your stomach. “Or maybe here?” You whined and he kissed up to your breasts, letting his breath fan over your nipple. “What about here?” He rasped, sucking it into his mouth. You let out a shaky breath at the feeling, not used to him being so soft with you. When another needy whine slipped out, he moved to the other one, working it over in his mouth until it hardened. 

“Please.” You pouted, making him pull back to look at you. 

“Please what? I’m giving you my mouth like you wanted.” He said coyly and you frowned. 

“Want it on my- my… cunt.” You whispered, tears welling in your eyes from the humiliation. He didn’t bother with a response before moving back down between your legs and spreading them even wider. He placed a light kiss on your clit, making your hips buck toward the stimulation. When he licked a long stripe up your folds, you let out a loud moan, quickly placing your hand over your mouth to silence yourself. 

“Keep that up and I’ll stop.” He warned, making you slowly lower your hand. He dove back in, sucking your clit into his mouth, letting out a muffled chuckle when you gasped out and bucked your hips again. Moving down to your hole, he fucked his tongue inside of you and your hips started rutting against his face as you placed your hands in his hair, gasping and pulling away once you realized. 

“I- I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” You rushed out, worried you had set him off. Instead, he grabbed your hands and placed them back on his head, never removing his mouth from your cunt. Threading your fingers through his hair, you marveled at how soft it was. When you gave an experimental tug, he moaned against you, making you do it even harder without thinking. 

He lapped up your arousal, the noise obscene in the otherwise quiet room, then moved to your clit, flicking his tongue over it before sucking it into his mouth. 

“Oh god,” You sobbed out. Because you haven’t had an orgasm in over two weeks, you were already getting close. He slipped two fingers inside your eager hole and immediately started curling them against your walls, making you let out a loud moan. Your grip tightened on his hair as your hips started bucking against his face, chasing the pleasure. 

“Dr. Crane, I- I’m…” You trailed off into a moan and waited as long as you could for him to reply to your warning with denial, but he never did. If anything, that made him work harder until he pushed you over the edge. You sobbed out a moan, feeling overwhelmed by the intense pleasure as he never even slowed during your orgasm. When you sagged into the chair and relaxed your grip on his hair, he pulled back, removing his fingers and sucking your arousal off them. 

“Do you want me to fuck you?” He rasped and you nodded, staring down at him with dazed, half lidded eyes. “If you want something, you need to ask nicely.” Part of you missed when he wouldn’t humiliate you by making you say it, but another part understood the significance. He wasn’t threatening or coercing you like last time, he was truly wanting your consent. 

“Yes.” You whispered. 

“I said nicely.”

“Please.” You whined and he continued waiting. “Please fuck me.” You pouted, just wanting him inside you already. He stood up and held his hand out for you to take, helping you out of the chair then maneuvering you in front of his desk. 

“Up.” He said softly. You lifted yourself onto the desk and waited eagerly as he worked on freeing his length. He stepped between your open legs and held one over his hip while lining his cock up with your entrance. When he slowly pushed in, you both took in sharp breaths. He didn’t stop until he was completely buried inside, letting you have a moment to adjust. 

“Ready?” His voice was strained with arousal. 

“Please.” He slowly pulled out, then pushed back in at the same speed, making you whine impatiently. He ignored you and continued slowly rocking his hips into yours. 

Wrapping one hand around the small of your back and the other in your hair, he pushed you forward onto his cock and he pulled your head back, making you gasp. You wrapped your arms over his shoulders as he leaned into your neck, sucking the delicate skin in his mouth until he was satisfied with the mark, then moving to a new place. You held him tightly, locking your legs around his body and trying to move your hips to get more, but he wouldn’t allow it. He just maintained the same, slow rhythm. 

“Please.” You whined, making him pull back to look at you. You tried not to shrink under his gaze, but he seemed to enjoy watching you break. He sped up a little, the first thrust knocking the breath out of you from the intensity, and you clung to his body, fingers digging into his clothed back. His gaze moved from your eyes to your lips, then stayed there for a long time as he got lost in thought. 

“Please?” You whispered, eyes fluttering down to his own lips. You waited for so long that you thought you might’ve gotten yourself in trouble again, but he just cursed under his breath and moved forward, holding your head still by your hair as he kissed you. You let out a startled moan, not expecting him to actually do it. 

His lips were soft and they still faintly tasted of you. Relaxing his hand in your hair, he used it to instead hold the back of your neck, keeping your lips pressed to his- not that you would’ve tried to pull away. He sped up his thrusts even more and you moaned into the kiss, snaking one hand up to his head to pull his hair. To retaliate, he bit your bottom lip and you hissed at the sudden pain, but you couldn’t taste any blood at least. 

His hand moved from your neck to between your bodies, rubbing fast circles over your clit, making you let out a muffled whine. As your walls spasmed around his length, he let out an almost animalistic groan, pulling back to look at you. 

“Can I please come?” You whimpered. 

“Not yet.” You let out a low, needy whine at his answer. “Wait for me, you can do that right?” He asked softly, making your stomach flutter. 

“I- I think so. Are you close?” You said through a breath, quickly nearing your orgasm. 

“So close, just a little longer.” He was panting almost as heavily as you were, but even though you still hadn’t caught your breath yet, you pulled him into another kiss. You tried to stave off your orgasm, but as he got close, his thrusts became wilder— harder— and you could feel the knot of arousal in your stomach so close to snapping. 

“Come.” He muttered against your lips. “Come now,” You didn’t have to be told a third time before your orgasm was crashing over you, making you tremble in his grasp as he eagerly swallowed down your moans. His hips stuttered before he finally stilled with a low groan, never stopping his fingers on your clit. “Good girl. Good fucking girl.” He said through a moan, just barely pulling away from the kiss enough to get the words out. You clenched down on him from his words, making him hiss as his hips flinched forward. 

When you both came down from your orgasms, he pulled back, nose brushing yours as you both panted, still high from the pleasure. Eventually, he reluctantly pulled out, then slipped your underwear and pants on before helping you stand on shaky legs to pull them up the rest of the way. He did the same with your shirt, helping it over your head and arms before stepping back. 

“You can return to your room once your endorphin levels have normalized. Until then, you may stay in my office.” His use of the word ‘room’ instead of ‘cell’ was not lost on you, nor was the meaning behind his statement. This was the closest he’s ever gotten to giving you any kind of aftercare rather than making you be alone right after. 

“Are you sure?” You asked, not wanting to impose on his work space. 

“It is not in your best interest to be alone right now.” The way he worded it was almost menacing, but you knew what he meant. 

“Thank you.” You gave him a smile and in return, you received a curt nod. So you walked over and sat on the sofa. It was more comfortable than you imagined it’d be and part of you wondered why he hasn’t used this piece of furniture during your… treatment? Can I even call it that anymore? You thought, going over the most recent events in your head. It wasn’t a demand, it was an offer. An offer that you accepted. And he didn’t hurt you, he made you feel good, praised you. Did he only do that because he felt bad about his previous behavior? Is that the only reason he’s letting you stay here?

Not wanting to be consumed by your thoughts, you looked around the room for something to do. Eventually your gaze settled on Dr. Crane who was completely absorbed in something else. 

“Do you need help?” You weren't sure what you would help with, but you figured it couldn’t hurt to ask… probably. 

“Do you have a PhD in chemistry?” He asked, not looking up from his work. 

“…No.”

“Then no I don’t need your help.” His tone wasn’t exactly mean, but it was stern and a little patronizing— maybe it could hurt to ask… 

“Oh. Okay, sorry.” You said quietly, looking away from him for something else to do. There was a bookshelf across from you— none of the books looked remotely interesting, but maybe if you read a chemistry book or two, he’d let you help. So you got up and walked over, standing in front of it as you examined all the different titles. 

“What are you doing?” His voice startled you and you turned around to face him, almost feeling guilty. 

“I- I was just wanting to read something to pass the time, but I don’t have to.” 

“Nothing there will be of interest to you.” His voice was almost laced with… curiosity? It’s hard to tell. 

“I know.” You shrugged, awkwardly waiting by the bookshelf for him to snap at you and tell you not to touch his stuff. Instead, he gave you a teasing smile. 

“If you’re so eager for an activity, I can give you a pencil and some paper. Maybe a puzzle?” He was making fun of you, that much was obvious, but it was light hearted- something you’re not very used to yet. 

“A pencil and paper sounds much better actually.” That wasn’t a lie. You’d rather doodle than read about chemistry or psychiatry. He examined you, an amused expression on his face, then opened one of his desk drawers. You walked over to him when he pulled out a notepad and a pencil, holding it out for you. 

This was much better. The drawing pushed the overwhelming thoughts to the back of your head, muffling them a little. When you ran out of room on the page, you turned it around and started again. This time, he was the one to interrupt the silence. 

“Are you enjoying yourself?” 

“Yes, thank you.” You said, not looking up from the paper. 

“How are you feeling otherwise?” You knew that by otherwise, he meant in terms of you leaving and the thought make your smile fall into a frown. 

“Um… better I guess.” You said quietly. 

“Look at me.” His tone was gentle and you couldn’t help but obey. “Are you lying to me?” He didn’t seem mad, if anything he seemed almost amused that you continued trying to deceive him.

“No. I am feeling better, I just- I don’t like it there.” You muttered, averting your gaze. 

“Why not?” He didn’t seem upset or annoyed yet, so you continued being honest. 

“I’m bored. There’s nothing to do and the only time I leave there is to eat, shower, and come here.” 

“I see.” You dared a glance at him, finding his eyes away from you as he thought. “Would you be more comfortable if I provided some drawing tools, maybe even a book or two that will interest you?” You stared at him in shock, barely comprehending the question. 

“Is- is that allowed?” He raised his brows and the more you thought about the question, the more you realized it was dumb. Not much that goes on in here is probably within the rules, so a sketch pad shouldn’t be a problem. “Right. That would be nice, yes.” You were scared that if you seemed too eager or greedy, he’d change his mind. 

“Good. You can take that for now,” He motioned to the notepad and pencil in your lap, “and tomorrow I will return with a few more items.” 

“Thank you.” You wanted to ask why he was suddenly caring about if you were comfortable or not, but you didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his kindness so you stayed silent. He glanced at the clock before looking back at you. 

“I have to leave in half an hour, you may remain here until then if you’d prefer.” You nodded and went back to your drawing, but all you could think about was his strange behavior. You found yourself struggling to understand why he would do this— why he would ask for your consent, let you stay in his office, give you a notebook to draw in, promise to give you even more supplies later— it was… weird. And you feared his kindness was due to something other than pure intentions. 

Part 6

[66sharkteeth]

Weekly thoughts Ep 173-

Well i said last week that I'd definitely have more thoughts this week, but here I am again, kind of just empty headed as I start this. I was actually pretty excited for this episode, just because it's the first time we see Jericho undeniably as the villain, as well as his scion's first canon lines technically.

But I dunno, feedback lately is kind of killing my enthusiasm. I know the majority of readers are still enjoying the comic, but it's exhausting to see the negative comments increase, ranging from people just being disappointingly moronic about there being LGBT themes in the story, to people telling me the story is going down hill. To which... I'm sorry! But! How?! Like I'm trying to wrap my brain around it. I'm not immune to criticism, there are plenty of points in the story that I agree were not the best writing, but this is not one of them. I've seen comments ranging from "not enough is happening" to "things are only happening for the sake of conflict" and both of those points baffle me. How is everything that's transpired in the past 10 episodes alone nothing? Sorry, do I have to kill off ALL of the cast for it to be "something"? And as for conflict only happening for the sake of conflict???? I literally don't know how to respond to that. Conflict is how a story progresses. Should Rex and Jericho just have...hugged it out?? Should Jericho just have been like "Actually, you know what Claude, I think I do just need therapy. This world domination thing was a bad idea." Should Rex have, back when everyone was betraying him and joined the bad guys, been like "Actually, the systemic treatment of me is fair. I guess I'm just gonna go to jail now instead of going into hiding with these guys. See ya!"

I dunno. I've been SO sad and down the past two weeks, but typing this out I've progressed to angry haha. Mad at homophobes and media illiteracy taking away the pleasure I get from sharing this comic. In a venty way, to be clear. I definitely don't think I'll post this one anywhere else because I can see people saying I don't take criticism or something, but man. No. I can and I have. But the points made this week would make for a flat out bad and BORING story. And I'm so mad people just want my story to be so BORING because they just don't like facing negative emotions in a story. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel of this story eventually, but we're just in the tunnel currently. I'm not gonna hurry up the tour for everyone else just because you're afraid of the dark.

Raugh ok, I guess this wasn't actually much about the actual episode, was it? Ironic that the big villain monologue episode is where I finally kind of lose it and monologue myself. I guess for the sake of actually commenting on the ep...

Yes, I had lots of fun drawing this ep. I've been waiting a long time to have Jericho's scion finally "speak." There's also a lot of cracks showing in Claude that I'm glad people are taking note of. I've said it before, but Claude's development has been some of my favorite to write in the entire story, and we're still in his arc. Excited for things coming up for him.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Congressional Democratics need to be bolder, louder, and more disruptive!

March 4, 2025

Robert B. Hubbell

In a rational world that operates according to time-tested principles of economics and politics, the Trump-Musk rampage should generate negative consequences in the financial and electoral markets. In a rational world, politicians would heed negative feedback and modify their behavior accordingly.

Since there is no evidence to suggest that Trump or Musk are capable of modifying their behavior in response to any feedback, the more likely outcome is that voters will modify their behavior to punish the Republican Party for letting the hounds of hell loose on a booming American economy and a functional federal government.

Strong evidence suggests that the financial markets are preparing for a significant contraction in the economy, a.k.a., a “recession.” In GOP-speak, “recession” means “the end times are upon us.” Republicans spend their time out of power constantly claiming that booming Democratic economies are evidence that a recession is just around the corner. On the other hand, Republicans spend their time in power creating nearly instantaneous recessions—which is what Trump's cuts and tariffs appear to be doing. See Fortune Magazine, US economy has suddenly been thrown into reverse.

Per Fortune,

The Atlanta Fed’s GDP tracker now indicates that the economy is headed for a 1.5% contraction in the first quarter, after showing 2.3% growth just days earlier. That also marks a sharp reversal from the fourth quarter, when GDP expanded by 2.3%. Several economic indicators have been raising alarms as consumers and businesses brace for Trump tariffs and federal job cuts.

As Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo explains in his editor’s blog entitled, Ominous Economic Data, the 1.5% contraction reference in the Fortune article is old news. The Fed has re-revised its projection downward to negative 2.8% growth for the quarter. Per Marshall,

The Atlanta Fed has again lowered its projection for first quarter 2025 GDP. It had been predicting growth of 2.3%. At the end of last week that was revised to 1.5% contraction and this morning they were again down-revised 2.8% contraction, or in other words 2.8% negative growth. To be clear these aren’t final or official stats. We’re only two-thirds of the way through the quarter. They are a prediction based on current indicators

The double-whammy downward revisions come on the eve of 25% sanctions on Canada and Mexico that will go into effect on March 4, 2025. See NYTimes, No last-minute deal for Canada and Mexico to avoid tariffs, Trump says.

Marshall notes that the downward pressure created by threatened tariffs is being exacerbated by “extreme economic uncertainty” depressing consumer confidence and purchasing behavior. Random, arbitrary job cuts that ripple through the economy tend to depress consumer confidence in their future prospects.

The attempt to slash government spending is so alarming to consumers that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says that the Trump administration will change the way it estimates GDP—by removing government spending! Candidly, I have no view on whether government spending should be included in the calculation of GDP. But I do know that changing how GDP is calculated to remove government spending as you are slashing government spending is like changing the scoring system in the middle of a baseball game. It stinks.

[I note that people who do know what they are talking about believe that government spending should be included in GDP. See Neil Irwin in Axios, Why government spending counts in GDP, as Trump admin mulls exclusion.]

As I write this edition of the newsletter on Monday evening in London, the S&P and Dow indices have fallen 500 and 600 points, respectively, for the day—the biggest loss this year. There is no hint that Trump will suddenly reverse course on dozens of economic policies to spur growth. Instead, it appears that Trump is hell-bent on turning the US economy into a kleptocracy like Russia.

For example, the US Treasury will end regulations that seek to prevent (or punish) US taxpayers who use shell companies to conceal taxable income. See ABC News, Treasury ends enforcement of database meant to stop shell company formation. Per ABC,

The U.S. Treasury Department announced it will not enforce a Biden-era small business rule intended to curb money laundering and shell company formation.

Trump is shutting down anti-money laundering regulations at the same time DOJ has announced that it will not enforce legislation that prohibits US businesses from engaging in foreign bribery.

Those worrisome actions must be viewed in the context of Trump's announcement that the United States will establish a cryptocurrency reserve—a move that will effectively grant government financial backing to cryptocurrencies that are (a) subject to wild volatility and (b) used to finance international criminal enterprises. The largest beneficiaries of a US crypto reserve will be current holders of cryptocurrencies (including Trump), many of whom are international criminals, tax cheats, assassins for hire, drug cartels, and smugglers.

Oh, perfect! Just the crowd that the US should legitimize by establishing a crypto reserve. See Reuters, Trump names cryptocurrencies in strategic reserve, sending prices up. The worst part is that the US will use taxpayer money to enrich criminals across the globe. I am not a crypto currency expert, but this move has disaster written all over it.

Finally, Republicans are realizing that their budget blueprint is a recipe for disaster in 2026. See Axios, Republicans fear their big budget win is actually a 2026 time bomb. The analysis in the Axios article is unsurprising to anyone with a television who has watched a recent Republican town hall. In 100% of those GOP town halls, the constituents are as mad as they have been in decades. And their ire is directed at GOP representatives who are allowing Trump and Musk to destroy the economy to extend a tax cut to billionaires and millionaires.

My point is not to suggest that Democrats can ease up because they have a lock on victory in 2026 and 2028. They do not. Rather, my point is to suggest that the laws of electoral and economic gravity still exist and are beginning to tug on the low-earth orbit of Musk’s ketamine high and Trump's teetering bouffant.

Millions of Americans are and will continue to suffer because of the reckless actions by Trump and Musk. Democrats must be smart and relentless in communicating the root causes of the suffering inflicted by Trump and Musk to voters who abandoned the Democratic ticket in 2024. If we can’t do that with the tragic motherlode of political riches that are being created every day, we do not deserve to win. We are up to the task, but we must be louder, bolder, and more creative in our approach.

“Shut down Tesla” protests are spreading across America

Musk has turned himself into the evil billionaire everyone loves to hate. That is a bad look when you sell cars based on the notion that they are modern, cool, and virtuous. No more. Protesters across America are making the point that Elon Musk is singularly responsible for eviscerating government programs and decimating the ranks of federal workers who help deliver services to the American people and ensure their health, safety, and security.

Jessica Craven of Chop Wood Carry Water describes her experience protesting a Tesla dealership in Westchester, CA. See Chop Wood, Carry Water 3/3 - by Jessica Craven.

Jessica includes a description of the effectiveness of the organic protests:

These protests are working, by the way. The AP reports that “as of Friday, [Tesla stock] has dropped 37% since Inauguration Day, a loss of $550 billion in investor wealth.” GOOD! If you haven’t yet attended a Tesla Takedown event please plan to. You can find one here. We can really, really hurt Musk by tanking this stock. Let’s do it!

In addition to the Tesla protests, brave souls in Vermont protested JD Vance’s ski vacation, during which he apparently intended to celebrate his destruction of the NATO alliance by abandoning Ukraine on live TV. Congrats to the Vermonters who did a great job disrupting Vance’s vacation—a move that undoubtedly punctured Vance’s smug, self-satisfied grin after disrespected a global hero.

Former NATO deputy commander says allies can no longer trust America

For anyone who believes I was hyperbolic in describing the effects of the Friday disgrace in the Oval Office, the former Navy deputy commander of NATO, General Richard Shirreff, said

I think we have to assume, after the events of the last 10 days, that we cannot in any way count on America as an ally.

That is exactly the result that Putin wanted—the dissolution of the NATO alliance by eroding the trust between the parties developed over 80 years of post-war cooperation.

And Trump is doubling down on his attack on Ukraine and cooperation with Russia. Trump is holding talks with senior advisors to discuss canceling military aid promised to Ukraine by the Biden administration but not yet delivered. And Trump has leaked to the press that he will not sign a minerals extraction agreement with Zelensky until the Ukrainian leader apologies to Trump on live TV. (Per Steve Doocy on Fox.)

Ominous silence from the Supreme Court

Chief Justice John Roberts granted an “administrative stay” last week, which allowed Trump to continue withholding USAID payments. The purpose of the stay was to allow the full court to consider Trump's request to stay the decisions of the lower courts that effectively compelled him to comply with the law. To state the obvious, it should not take long for the full Court to decide that the president must comply with congressional statutes that appropriate funds (as permitted by Article I of the Constitution).

The longer the delay in hearing from the Supreme Court, the more likely (I believe) it is that the Court will find a way to say that the president can withhold funds appropriated by Congress. That would be a disgrace equivalent to the decision granting Trump immunity from criminal prosecution.

Concluding Thoughts

[..]

Trump will address Congress on Tuesday. Although the speech is not an official State of the Union Address, it is customary for new presidents to address a joint session of Congress during the first months of a new administration.

Democrats need to be bold, loud, and creatively disruptive—up to and including a mass walk-out. The old rules do not apply and the sooner that Democrats internalize that fact the sooner we can get on with the serious business of using every lever to shut down Trump's unlawful rampage of destruction and betrayal. Let’s hope that our elected leaders rise to the challenge!

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[spockanalia-archive]

Spockanalia #1: A Proposed Model of the Vulcan Heart

By Sandra Deckinger

Art by Sherna Comerford and Kathy Bushman

(Part of a seminar report on E-T biology given at the Federated Planets Academy on 21-19-2368, by Lieutenant Sandra Deckinger, R.N.)

I would like to propose a six-chambered model for the Vulcan heart. Please refer to your diagram slides, as I explain this model of the circulatory pattern and give my reasons for its unusual features.

As in the human, oxygenated blood enters the heart from the superiour and inferiour vena cavae into the right atrium. From the atrium, the blood passes into the right ventricle. Both the atrium and the ventricle are much larger than in the human, because they must be more muscular to handle a greater blood volume.

From the ventricle, the blood goes via two pulmonary arteries to the lungs. The lungs are much larger than ours, and can take on more oxygen. They have greater expansion than human lungs, because the respiratory muscles are larger as an adaption to the heavier gravity. More oxygen is taken into the body because the greater lung expansion leads to greater negative pressure in the lungs, and this in turn increases the amount of oxygen pulled into the body.

From the lungs, the blood goes back to the heart via two pulmonary veins. Here, each vein enters into a separate left atrium. The blood flows into the ventricles from the atria, and then is pumped to the body through the aortae. The double system allows the heart to handle a very high blood volume.

Vulcans require a larger heart than humans because their blood is more dilute, and must therefore flow at a higher rate than ours does. Having a double left-sided heart would decrease blood pressure, and result in an almost undetectable pulse at the extremities. A low blood-pressure would also decrease blood flow to peripheral areas, and this would result in an inability to tolerate cold.

It has been said that the Vulcan heart rate is about 250 beats per minute. A heart beating that quickly needs more oxygen than a human heart beating at 80. This would certainly require a very rapid respiration or an oxygen carrier of greater efficiency than hemoglobin, or both.

The next paper will discuss this problem, and the physiologically related one of the carbon dioxide feedback system, which is one of the regulators of the respiratory rate.

Are there any questions?

A proposed six-chambered model of the Vulcan heart (from a sketch by Sandy Deckinger)

Note: With the help and guidance of Open Doors, we digitized the first volume of Spockanalia and imported it to AO3, which you can view here. In order to meet AO3's terms of service, some of the content was edited or removed. The full version of the zine is preserved on this blog. The masterpost is here.

[magentacat]

RWBY Hellspawn AU Pt. 1: Meetings

Note: I don't know if this is going to be a full-blown AU, or just a scene I needed to get out of my system. Either way, enjoy the concept, and as always, feedback is greatly appreciated

--

As Yang left in the distance with her friends, Ruby stood there, unsure how to feel. One one hand, she was intimidated by her first day at Beacon, had no idea what she was doing, and didn't want to face it alone.

But on the other hand, keeping her secret a secret has been very challenging with Yang refusing to leave Ruby out of her sight for more than five minutes.

Ruby couldn't blame her. If Yang had disappeared for months and mysteriously came back in the middle of the city, she also would be unable to left her side either. She smiled at seeing Yang able to leave her side and be herself again.

Also, the sun shone bright in the sky, meaning that keeping things under control was far easier than under a cloudy weather, or worse, at night. So, at least she had that going on for her.

It was going to be a great--

"What are you doing?!" A girl dressed entirely in white called out as Ruby, distracted in her own thoughts, ran into the luggage cat, falling into it and scrambling its content.

"Uh, sorry!" Ruby raised a hand, both apologetic, but also trying to hold herself.

The surprise almost made her loose her cool, worsened as the white-clad girl kept reprimanding Ruby about her luggage, and dust, and other stuff she couldn't hear anymore. She needed to get away from that stress and quick.

"Look, I'm really sorry," Ruby said after unclenching her teeth, raising her arms defensively, sitting on the floor. "Miss..."

"Schnee, isn't it? Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world." Another voice joined them, defusing the discussion by taking Weiss' focus from Ruby, who hunched over trying to remain calm.

"Finally!" Weiss put her arms on her hips with pride. "Some recognition!"

"The same company infamous for running Faunus slave labor for decades." The new girl, wearing black and white with a pith black bow that blended with her jet black hair walked over them, handing Weiss a vial of red dust that had dropped.

Ruby could feel the aggression coming from both girls, outright bracing herself for what looked like a fight would break between the two. But thankfully, after huffing a couple of half-worsd of indignation, Weiss just took her vial and walked off as a group of servants finished picking up her luggage from around Ruby.

With the emotions calming down, Ruby could finally look up. she wanted to thank the other girl, but she was also walking off.

She sighed, exhausted. Even with the sun holding the worst of it back, it was a strain to keep everything down under the stress. Worse if there were negative emotions around her. And being yelled at, followed by a discussion about slavery and racism did not help at all.

After she could finally breathe steadily, Ruby sighed again. She was ready to get up from the floor when a gloved hand appeared in front of her.

"Hey… I'm Jeanne."

Ruby looked up. It was the tall girl who threw up on the ship, leaning over and smiling at her.

"Thanks, I--" But as soon as their hands touched, everything got out of control.

The process wasn't painful. In a way, each time it happened, Ruby felt it more and more a second nature than anything else. Still, she felt the suit starting to creep over her skin, covering what little skin was still exposed while the rest of her clothes came to life, changing shape and colors, chains appearing around her waist. Even her riding hood changed, extending into a full-body cape that flared behind her back.

Finally, Ruby's face was covered by black, before showing two white marks over her silver eyes, now flaring up with a greenish glow.

"I can explain!" She said as she got up as quick as possible, still holding Jeanne's hand. But when she looked at the new girl, there was something different with her too.

"Yeah..." Jeanne said, her voice reverberating a bit from under the golden helm that was now covering her entire head. "I think we need to talk."

Ruby noticed a glow coming from Jeanne's chest, where a spectral-looking ankh was glowing in the air.

--

RWBY Hellspawn AU Pt. 2: Talk

RWBY Hellspawn AU Pt. 3: Light

[iraprince]

Haven't played in ages as I tend to with mmorpgs, but am highly supportive of GW2's no-subscriptions rule. Truly a breath of fresh air in today's gaming industry. I'd also like to note (though you moght have already) that a massive chunk of the game (essentially the whole 'base') is free without any of the Expansions, so you can play first with those and see if you want to spend money.

I miss my Sylvari deadeye quite a bit.. never completed Heart of Thorns but really should

yep, i agree w all this!! and while gacha-style stuff DOES exist in-game, they've been pretty responsive to negative player feedback and have in the past tweaked how certain lootboxes work in response to criticism -- off the top of my head i'm thinking of like, the black lion statuette system that lets you save up to get otherwise lootbox-exclusive items (which is pretty old now but didn't exist when i first started playing); and the way that mount skin boxes do offer a (more expensive) option that lets you just choose exactly which skin you want rather than rolling for it. stuff like that! it's not perfect but it's just nice to see imo, esp in comparison to the rest of the landscape as you said.

i've historically been a little cranky about the living world pricing model, bc i think it comes off as kind of a "hidden cost" that ends up piling up to be pretty unfriendly to new players -- but they've moved away from that format now and now all newer (post-icebrood saga) story content/important plot episodes are included with expacs, and in the grand scheme of things it's still all way less than you'd be paying for a monthly sub over time, so i've honestly softened on that a bit!

i hope u enjoy if u do end up swinging back around to it!! my main's also a sylvari deadeye :D

EDIT: OH also forgot to mention that gw2 does let u convert in-game money into the premium/cash-shop currency, which to my understanding is pretty unusual (i don't play any other mmos so idk). there are absolutely ppl who manage to buy whatever cosmetics etc they want by just playing the game a lot, grinding up sufficient gold, and trading that for gems rather than ever having to spend actual money -- that method isn't viable for me but if u end up finding that gold grinding works for u, technically u COULD get the living world seasons just by doing that...

[cannicullistic]

Borderline Plural Demographic.

It's the new plural & cluster b inclusive server, with a mission goal to fight stigma, create a safe space for your people, and bring people together!

This is an initial post on the generic guidelines of our server, our mission statement (aka what we stand for) and proposing to our demographic about us.

Guidelines to the Discord Server & Tumblr Community:

Respect everyone who comes in, and out, of our server. We welcome good faith identities such as 'lesboys' or others you may be familiar with, Anti-Contact Paraphilia's, Proshippers & related. We do not welcome TransID or ill faith labels like transHarm or anti labels.

Please note that NSFW Content in general is bannable within our server, however we do not have control over what a user makes their profile picture, status, bio and such. We can only ask them to change server side stuff if they have the ability to on discord. Otherwise if its something like a spam bot, we also ban them on sight.

We are an endogenic, plural, non-traumagenic centric community that welcomes anyone outside of plurality & cluster B to join. We even allow singlets who are willing to learn!

We do not want members here who are 14 and younger, or 31 and older. Our server and community range from 15-30 for security reasons. If we find out you're not in this range, we reserve the right to remove you instantly from the community, no questions asked.

Drama is bannable. Period. If you bring up something with a user that occured over 3-4 months ago, we typically take this information with a grain of salt because we believe after 3-4 months, a person can make a good change for themselves and seek out help, actively get better and improve their behaviour. Do not witch hunt any of our users, it's not acceptable at all.

As this is a shared space between minors and adults, we kindly ask that adults and minors refrain from DMing no matter the situation. If a minor requires help from a vent for example, an adult may not offer to DM, this is a red flag to us and we will question the adult in a ticket, asking why they'd want to be in a private space with a minor where we don't know what they could be saying or planning. We do not say this to think adults cant be trusted with minors.. it's just that we cannot and will not risk anyone being put in harms way like this. Just simply don't DM people of the opposite age group, only keep to your own please.

Respect everyone's role and boundaries. For some you may need to do a bit of extra diving to see them in a users account and or bio, this isn't too hard to do, and saves people from being upset!

Please use common sense when joining our server, and have some level of emotional maturity. We stand by the idea as well that systems are held accountable for their entire system, be advised.

Stigmatizing, stereotyping, giving negative feedback of and discrediting disorders (especially Cluster B disorders) are a punishable offense and will NOT be taken lightly. Also, this is a server that is pro-recovery for all disorders and against censoring food. We also are pro-emotional permanence and allow IRL's and DA's. However, we don't condone constant feeding of delusions unless it is a comfort (or identity) situation for someone.

Lastly; Creating a safe space for Cluster B disorders can be hard on even staff who may have these or other disorders, so how can you the user help us out? By fighting stigma, stereotypes, and supporting those with these disorders by actively reaching out and providing helpful links like our server and our resources!

Our Mission statement

Our mission statement is to create a community that is stigma & stereotype free for especially Cluster B disorders, along with validating the experiences they, and plurals, have. It's the best of both worlds!

discord permalink: https://discord.gg/8PTCt9v5zj

We invite you to take us on as a new community for you to join - feel free to ask questions under posts related to the server or community, and also open tickets within the discord! Remember, you are seen, you are loved, and you are unique. <3

[daemonmatthias]

I was accidentally eating something that I shouldn’t and so my anxiety and stomach stuff was fucking awful for about a week and a half. I figured out what was triggering it and got my body recalibrated. Ever since Friday/Saturday everything’s been golden. I was feeling so much more comfortable and confident with this crazy situation I’m in at work and everything.

And then I got 1 bad email from a student and I’m spiraling again. I want to cry. I feel sick. I got a high heart rate notice when I first read the email.

I tried talking to a colleague and what she said helped keep me from totally losing it. She said my response was really good and told me what the procedures would be if the parent gets mad. But I’m still terrified this child will go home and tell their parents things that are not true and the whole situation destroyed the confidence I had just gotten back. It feels like I’m pouring everything I have into this and trying just so hard and it’s still not good enough.

—————

Notes:

honestly, the situation I got put in was kind of impossible anyway but logically knowing that does not stop it from often feeling like I can’t be good enough

every colleague I have rn has said nothing but amazing things about how I’m doing and even just this morning the department chair was saying nice things about me bc of stuff that happened in the team meeting last week

the timing with some weather rolling in was also not great- you know how everyone (especially sensitive people like me) start feeling off as a storm is building? Yeah. The outflow boundary hit us right before I left school, and it’s a bad enough system that I basically had to drive home in a dust storm. This factor will not relent until the storm has passed.

I have already taken a zofran but it takes like a hour to kick in. I know the anxiety triggered the stomach stuff but then it starts a negative feedback loop and the anxiety is even harder to get back under control because my stomach is upset and I can’t get my stomach under control because the anxiety. It’s annoying but usually the zofran (once it kicks in) makes it more likely that other anxiety coping mechanisms will actually work.

[eeveecraft]

The Pros and Cons of Following a Single Tulpamancy Philosophy

When it comes to Tulpamancy, especially with the perception of tulpas as a concept, there are multiple philosophies that the community has created over the years. The two primary philosophies being:

1. The Child Philosophy by Cjero

2. The Friend Philosophy by The Dragonheart System (us)

Both aim to create a base set of principles on how tulpas should be viewed and therefore treated. Both philosophies were created years apart from each other when the community has overall changed quite a bit, and on different subsections of the Tulpamancy Community that hold slightly different ideals. So, it’s important to keep that in mind when comparing the two.

Cjero's child philsophy mostly focuses on treating a tulpa's development like the development of a child, but sets the connotation of a tulpa being akin to a child and therefore (even though this shouldn’t be the case) implies a lack of mutual respect and can downplay a tulpa’s ability to be independent. The way they write about protecting a tulpa from bad thoughts, or “vaccinat[ing]” them by gradually exposing them to negativity feels very infantilizing. It forgets that the tulpa is inhabiting your brain with you (a most likely adult brain), most likely has access to all your memories, and therefore is already well-aware that the out-world can majorly suck. However, it’s focus on being patient with a tulpa like a parent caring for a baby is a good message.

Our philosophy focuses on the idea of treating a tulpa like a friend from a faraway place, emphasizing equality and mutualistic exchanges, but does not account for relationships that are familial or less common. How we tackled development with this philosophy was having the idea be that your tulpa is from a foreign place, and therefore needs help getting the hang of things. But unlike a child, the tulpa is treated with a higher degree of respect and already has a vague sense of what needs to be done to adapt (like learning the local language, i.e. vocality, etc). We try to avoid the demeaning connotations this way, and from the feedback we got, everyone liked it.

Now, what are the pros and cons of just picking one and sticking with it? Well, for cons, you limit your viewpoint. You limit the ability to take what you like that best suits your system’s needs. Maybe you like the level of delicacy and care the child philosophy emphasizes, but are not a fan of the infantilizing of the tulpa. Maybe you enjoy the emphasis on mutualistic friendship with the friend philosophy, but your relationship with your tulpa wouldn’t really work as a friendship. If you stick with only one, you may very likely find that there are things missing that you wish were there. Another con: these philosophies can become outdated. The Child Philosophy very much reflects a different time in the community where equality was not as much of a focus, and despite how hard we tried to make The Friend Philosophy timeless, I wouldn’t be shocked if it also inevitably becomes dated and does more harm than good. If you stick with a stagnant ideology in a changing world, you’ll likely fall behind and suffer for it.

For pros: choosing one philosophy is definitely simpler, as each philosophy is contained in a single post. Another pro is that each philosophy is subjective and you don’t have to follow them to a T. But overall, I’d say deliberately choosing a single philosophy to follow has more downsides than upsides.

Note: I found some more philosophies later on after writing most of this, but they’re mostly metaphysical/religious, which wasn’t what I was going for when talking about Tulpamancy philosophies. We don’t really cover metaphysical/religious topics here, but I wanted to leave this addendum in case you want to check them out yourself.

What was the point of this post? I don’t know. I was bored and felt like checking on these two philosophies and decided to compare them. At the end of the day, these philosophies serve as guidelines, not strict rules, and you can use them as starting points for your own philosophy. What matters is that you treat your tulpa like a person. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and this is proof that this blog isn’t dead.

12-27-2023

[granulesofsand]

Hey! Do you happen to know of any resources about programming done by family cults with few connections/supplies?

We're particularly interested in resources for that or for a few specific program types (beta, epsilon, and gender role (subservient wife)) in a more general sense, with healing/program deactovation being the focus.

🗝️🏷️ RAMCOA, deprogramming

I don’t know that there are resources that combine both, or at least not obviously, but I have several links that might be helpful.

Please be aware that I haven’t been through all affiliated links nor read the majority of longer papers on this topic. My system communication is not good, but I’ll leave a note for the others so you might be better informed.

Links:

https://nonstatetorture.org (overview, examples, frequently referenced by survivors, uses primarily girls/women language)

https://www.icsahome.com/home (every kind of cult, outdated articles but not unhelpful, hard to navigate)

https://www.cherylrainfield.com (use the menu search bar, types of RA, recognizing programs, haven’t heard anything bad about the author yet)

Keywords:

(Terms I feel are safe enough or worth the effort)

“Ritual Abuse Torture” (fairly recent, multiple articles, maybe explicit)

“ISCA” (before or after a term to get a database article, easier than clicking around, some are old)

“IBLP” (Duggar cult, widespread but gives familial deprogramming information, triggering and sometimes fetishized)

Red Flags:

(There is some good but you gotta sift)

“Narcissist” (relies on demonization of PDs, scary, sometimes good ideas but makes me physically ill)

“Satanic Panic” (they don’t mean it as separate from RA, discounts survivors)

Satanic Ritual Abuse (if recent, usually dismissive, cynical from outsider perspectives)

Podcasts (fetishize ‘true crime’, the ones that don’t sometimes pretend DID isn’t a thing, be prepared if you look)

Word Vomit:

This segment exists for my own memory issues and to try and get feedback from systemmates who I don’t have access to, it should be skippable.

Familial/generational groups are oft mentioned in discussion of RAT (Ritual Abuse Torture), and can be found in linkage to informal or formal high control groups and as separate entities.

A familial group operating independently will rely on occupational knowledge of those involved. Some will be situated in a remote farmland where everyone is expected to work with crops, livestock, upkeep, or household chores.

Remote groups are less likely to have access to pharmaceuticals and premade equipment, but may include members with related expertise. A talent in engineering or medicine may be utilized to perform previously unavailable techniques.

Methods of programming depend on the subculture the group came from, and may be quite improvised if no precedent has been set. Any materials available may be used, and there might be efforts to create material specifically for programming.

Beta programming is enforced with heavy gender roles and strict punishment, often a painful sexual assault or related humiliation. Ideas are sprung from environmental influence; epsilon programming can be done with any animal naturally found in the environment, pets, sometimes videos or given instructions on how to behave.

Undoing programming is similar to less complex conditioning. Finding individual identity outside group parameters, creating positive experiences where negative ones forced a reaction, loosening the hold of trauma and untruths told by perpetrators.

I just switched in and I can’t help with this, I’m only posting it. This is a topic we’re interested in for us, too, so we’ll keep looking and come back to it.

[boltdxbblog]

How to Choose Reliable HVAC Maintenance Services

Tips on Finding Reputable Service Providers Companies

Your first step in choosing reliable HVAC maintenance services is doing some thorough research. It’s like going on a treasure hunt, but instead of gold, you're looking for top-notch service providers. Start by asking friends, family, and others for recommendations. Personal referrals are often the most trustworthy.

Next, hit the internet. Search for "Maintenance Services" and see what come up. Look for companies with a strong online and professional websites. Check out their service lists, client testimonials, and any awards or recognitions they've received. Remember, a flashy website doesn’t always mean top-quality service, but it can be a good starting point.

Don't forget about local directories and business listings. Websites like Google My Business, Yelp, and industry-specific directories can offer a wealth of information. These platforms often feature reviews, service descriptions, and contact details, making your search much easier.

When researching, take note of how long the companies have been in business. Experience matters. Companies with a long history in the HVAC industry are likely to have honed their skills and customer service over time. Newer companies might offer great services too, but it's often safer to go with those that have a proven track record.

Reading Reviews and Testimonials of Customer Feedback

Once you've shortlisted a few trusted maintenance service providers, it's time to delve into customer feedback. Reviews and testimonials are gold mines of information about the reliability of maintenance services. They give you an inside look at what you can expect from a company.

Start with Google reviews and social media platforms. These reviews can provide an honest snapshot of customer experiences. Pay attention to both positive and negative feedback. If a company has numerous glowing reviews, it’s a good sign. However, don’t dismiss a company over a few bad reviews. Instead, look at how they respond to criticism. A company that handles complaints professionally and strives to rectify issues demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction.

Testimonials on the company’s website are also worth a read. While these are often curated to highlight positive experiences, they can still offer valuable insights. Look for detailed testimonials that talk about specific services, timeliness, professionalism, and overall satisfaction.

Forums and community boards are another great place to check out. Websites like Reddit or local community forums often have threads discussing service providers. Here, you can find unbiased opinions and even ask questions if you need more details.

[petruchio]

Hi! For the writing asks:

🚀 Do you like to outline your fic first or create as you go?

📗 Do you want to write something outside of fanfiction? If so, what about?

🚀 Do you like to outline your fic first or create as you go?

i definitely outline. i used to say i "sort of" outline because i don't literally structure it like 1. 1a. 1b. etc., but basically i can't start a story unless i know where it's going to finish -- obviously it develops along the way but i don't just like... start. i have to have an end in mind and i have to know how i'm going to get there. basically what i do is i just start daydreaming and sketching some scenes in my head and then when things start to crystalize i write out a frenzied sort of stream of consciousness general plot in my notes app until i find an ending and figure out the connective tissue that will get me there -- the daydreaming phase usually takes months, and then the "outline" comes out of me in like 2 days -- and then depending on how fleshed out my outline is, the writing comes together pretty fast since once i've actually written down the outline, i've at least sketched out most of the scenes in my head and the writing just connected all of them. (now that i've explained that it's a wonder anyone has ever complimented me on my pacing because outside of the fics i've intentionally structured as chaptered i simply <3 do not think about pacing at all -- pacing is definitely a feel as i go sort of thing, although it is something i tweak a lot in edits) lol i would show you guys an example of one of my "outlines" but they're kind of embarrassing to be honest! (i think i actually posted one once but it was basically unintelligible and it was for a fic i never actually wrote)

📗 Do you want to write something outside of fanfiction? If so, what about?

oh absolutely!! i love fanfiction because i feel like it gives me a chance to play around in the worlds i love so much (specifically thg, and a bit of pjo too) and also it lets me "hang out" with the characters if that makes sense. i also love it because i get so much feedback and immediate validation on my work, which is just harder to get on original works and there isn't the same kind of community you get with fanfic. BUT! i love writing and it's the dream of my life to get an original work published. i have a couple worlds in my head i revisit from time to time and try to figure out how to gel a whole story out of them (they're kind of like... young adult fantasy/sci fi worlds that i've bounced around in my brain for years and occasionally i've written some outlines for stories but they never seem to get me quite to the point of novel-length inspiration) and then i have a couple literary fiction plot outlines that take place in elite colleges or postgrad big cities that function as romances that critique the class system in america (that's really my favorite genre of novel to read -- and one that i one day would love to have my own entry) i've also written a couple random short stories (i guess i would call them magical realism or like, low fantasy?) like, one was about an alien in a convenience store, or one was about a city where nobody ages. those are really fun to write and sometimes i do think about cleaning some of them up and seeing if i could get them published -- just to have something "technically" officially published, but i've just never done it. i think i would want to build up my drafts before i start sending things around, because if i got negative feedback i think i'd probably get really down on myself -- so i want to have a bigger body of work to draw from.

well that was a super long answer 🤦‍♀️ but basically the answer is YES YES YES