#so with some things i was like developmentally advanced as like a kid but then i stalled and now im kind of behind

[sp00ky-scary]

having been a kid who read a lot but borrowed like 90% of their books from the library kinda sucks because now I'll be like "oh rereading *book* would be cool" but can I ? no because I don't own it and usually don't even remember the name

[twilight-orchid]

You’re Going To Be A Grand….Bat

Part 2 to Shower Suprise Part 3

Jason Todd x gn pregnant reader

Word count 2,303

You bounced your foot impatiently as you and Jason sat in the gynecologist’s purposefully pastel waiting room. He watched you look anxiously around the space, your eyes never settling on any one thing and your head perking to every name called. You fiddled with your new engagement ring, a small smile curling into his lip upon seeing it. He held your right hand gently but firmly, his thumb rubbing circles along your soft skin. He slipped his grip up to your wrist, pressing just enough to feel your wild heartbeat racing.

“Hey, look at me doll.” He said lowly. You turned to look at him, your eyes possessing a frantic look and your pretty face twisted with worry. He let go of your hand to cup your cheek.

“It’ll be alright sweetheart. Either way it goes, it’ll be alright. You just gotta stay calm and breathe. Can you breathe for me?” You closed your eyes as you sucked in a shuddered breath, but you matched his in and exhales. You were both 99% sure you were pregnant, that’s not what you were nervous about.

After further deliberation, the two of you had decided to keep the baby. Jason felt nervous, excited, stressed, ecstatic, and terrified all at the same time. He’d spent the whole night reading about the first trimester of pregnancy and researched what you would learn at the first ultrasound. That was why you were nervous.

They’d go over basics: how far along you are, the baby’s measurements, listen to the heartbeat, etc. However, they’d also possibly hear some bad news: Ectopic pregnancy, developmental screenings, and genetic abnormality screenings are what had you stressing. Of course, chances were everything would be fine, but the couple was still understandably scared.

“Y/l/n?” A nurse called from the now open door. Jason squeezed your hand then stood, grabbing your bag and following you into the office. She confirmed your identity, took your height and weight, then led you into a small room. She had you sit on the cold blue exam table, the paper crinkling as Jason helped you up. He took his place at the chair by your side then once again grabbed your hand. You met his eyes and smiled nervously.

“Alright, I understand we’re doing an ultrasound today?” You nodded and she smiled warmly at you both. She took your basic intake info then had you lay down.

“Now I’m just an exam tech. The doctor will be in after to go over the results with you, okay? Pull your shirt up to your bust and relax. Oh, and sorry in advance, this will be cold.” Once you were settled, she squeezed a clear gel onto your bare belly making you shudder.

“Jesus fuck. That is cold.” Jason chuckled. Between the two of you his kid would be cursing like a sailor by 2.

You both watched the technicians face closely for any sign of what she was seeing as she waved the wand along your belly, but she had an impeccable poker face. And, as someone raised to analyze facial expressions, he couldn’t get a read of her at all. Impressive.

The exam thankfully only took a few minutes and the technician quickly departed to share the results with the doctor. Jason grabbed a couple of the cheap, rough paper towels and brought them over. You thanked him with a smile then moved the wipe the slick gel off. He tossed them for you as soon as you were done.

“You okay doll?” He asked. You still looked beyond anxious.

“I’m fine, just impatient.”

“Well that much I know.” He teased. You smiled and smacked his arm. He pretended to be hurt as if Superman himself had slugged him.

“Oh shut up, drama queen.” You laughed. There was a knock at the door before he could respond.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Hall and I’ll be going over your results with you today. I can see you’re both waiting anxiously, so I’ll cut to the chase: you’re 8 weeks pregnant.” The two now confirmed new parents looked at each other with excitement growing on their faces. He squeezed your hand tight.

“Wait, I didn’t finish.” The doctor interjected. The two froze and looked at her nervously. Oh no, was something wrong? She didn’t look like it was bad news though. A slight smile tugged at her lips.

“You’re pregnant with twins.” She said simply. If there were a window in the room, Jason would swear there’d be a bird suspended in air outside the way the world froze around him. You were the first to break the stunned silence.

“No, I’m not.” You denied, disbelief painting your tone. The doctor laughed.

“Yes, you are.” She grabbed a folder from the counter behind her and handed you a black and gray photo. Not just any photo, your ultrasound. The shock of twins dissipated when you saw the two little blobs that would be your babies.

“They’re not very visually developed at this stage, but you can see their little heads right here and this is their body. They’re about the size of raspberries right now. They’re both perfectly healthy so far as we can tell, but you’ll need to come in monthly for checkups.” Neither responded, their eyes glued to the paper. It suddenly felt very real for Jason. Pregnant wasn’t just a word and parenthood wasn’t just an idea; he already had two kids on the way. He had a whirlwind of emotions raging inside of him.

Twins. You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me, he thought. He heard you sniffle then turned to you to see tears rolling down your cheeks. He was worried for a moment before you wiped them away with a small laugh.

“Sorry, I don’t know why I’m crying.” The doctor smiled and handed you a tissue.

“It’s alright! Totally normal reaction with your hormones. Congratulations!” Jason still hadn’t said anything. He heard the conversation going on around him, but he felt like he was in a trance.

Twins. Two cribs, two car seats, two beds, twice the diapers, twice the bottles, twice the spit up, and more than likely half their sleep for the next couple years.

“I take it you’re the father?” She asked. Something clicked in his mind, and he looked up to meet your eyes. His head was still spinning, but he knew with you at his side everything would be okay. His signature handsome smile began growing on his face.

“Yeah, I’m the dad.”

You left with a copy of the ultrasound and your 12-week checkup scheduled. Once in the car the two of you made your way home.

“Jay, can I address the elephant in the room?” You asked from the passenger side.

“I mean sure but, we’re in the car and I don’t see an elephant anywhere.” He remarked making you scoff.

“Don’t be a smartass.” You chided. He let out a sigh.

“I know we need to tell Bruce.”

“He’s gonna find out sooner or later, and if you hide it for too long, he’s gonna get his feelings hurt.” Jason barked a laugh.

“You know we’re talking about Batman, right?”

“He’s human, Jay. And he’s really making an effort with you. If you don’t tell him he’s going to think you don’t trust him, it’ll hurt his feelings, and he’ll express it in anger or coldness. Better?” He groaned.

“Fine.” He made the turn that takes you out of the city to the suburbs where the manor was located.

“Wait we’re going right now?”

“I know he’s home right now, and most of my siblings aren’t. It’s as good a time as any.” You didn’t say anything, just squeezed the hand he had resting on your thigh.

“Can you let Al know we’re on the way?”

Telling Bruce had been an issue dancing around his mind just as much as the pregnancy itself. He didn’t expect B to be mad, but he doubted he’d be happy about it. For someone who had a small army of kids himself, B had been very clear about how dangerous it is to bring kids into their world. Plus, Jason had always said Bruce should give criminals the safe sex talks he and his siblings had received. The awkwardness alone would probably set them on a better path.

The manor was only about 20 minutes away from the hospital, so you reached your destination quickly. Which was good, because Jason’s nerves were already shot by the time you arrived. Alfred had clearly been waiting for you as the door was open by the time they were on the stairs.

“Master Todd, y/n, it’s good to see you both.” Alfred greeted with a smile.

“Hey, Al. Where’s B?” Alfred scoffed.

“Where he always is.” The trio made their way through the manor, into the study, then descended into the cave. Being that it was only 11am, they found Bruce in his street clothes typing away at the Bat-computer, his back to the entrance.

“Hey, B.” Jason greeted as they got closer. Bruce looked up from his research and turned to them with his universe famous resting bitch face.

“Jason, y/n.” He acknowledged with a nod before going back to his case. The couple looked anxiously at each other before Jason cleared his throat.

“B, we uh… we actually need to talk to you.” Jason said tentatively. That got Bruce’s attention.

He fully turned away from the computer to face you. You stared at the floor, your hands fiddling anxiously with the hem of your shirt. Jason looked him in the eye, but his face was controlled, intentional. He gripped a folder in his hand with white knuckled strength.

You were both nervous as hell.

He noticed the new ring on your finger, but you weren’t here to announce your engagement. This was something else. Something important that affected you both, that clearly involved Bruce, and that you were anxious about.

“Excuse me.” Alfred said with a small bow, dismissing himself.

“Actually Al, you should stay.” Jason added. Bruce and Alfred both raised a brow to that. There were several potential options mulling around Bruce’s mind, but one stood out as a prominent possibility.

“Don’t tell me you’re pregnant.” He said, still painfully deadpan. You both froze, head snapping up like deer in headlights. Shit, you were pregnant.

“Are you serious?” He asked, his voice sterner than he meant it to be but he didn’t bother correcting himself. Jason approached and handed him the folder, then took a step back to your side, placing a reassuring hand on your hip. Bruce flipped it open with Alfred peering over his shoulder.

Bruce had never been there for the pregnancy of any of his kids and had never really been around pregnant people for any extended periods of time, but he knew what a sonogram looked like. And he also knew there weren’t typically two fetuses in the picture either.

“My god, you’re having twins?” Alfred exclaimed. The couple both nodded silently. Bruce sighed.

“After all the talks I had with you boys…” He muttered.

“We used a condom!” Jason defended.

“And birth control.” You added. Bruce groaned and ran a hand over his face.

He looked at Jason, his son. His son that had been through hell and seen the world at its worst. His son who died and was brought back angry and crazed. Bruce’s greatest failure. His son who went on a killing spree, following his own vengeful sense of justice. His son who, after everything, was trying to be a better man. He was a better man. A man who controlled his anger, who was denying vengeance for justice, who had settled in with a partner and really began building a life for himself. Bruce wasn’t the sort to load praise, he found words useless and pretty, so he preferred actions. However, he was proud of Jason in a way unique to his children. And now his son, whom he once thought lost, was having two kids of his own. Bruce sighed again.

“I’m not even 50 and you’re making me a grandpa?” He asked, the slightest quirk at the corner of his lip. The couple paused; a loading screen might as well have been floating above their heads.

“So you’re…” you began.

“Not pissed?” Jason finished. Bruce scoffed.

“No. You’re adults, you can make your own decisions.” He said plainly but paused.

“And, for the record, I think you’ll be great parents.” With that he turned back to the computer and set to work again.

“Oh, and congratulations on the engagement.” He yelled over his shoulder. You furrowed your brows.

“How did he- oh, right. World's greatest detective, I forgot.” Bruce snorted to himself at that last part.

“My congratulations to the both of you. How far along?” Alfred said as he approached the new parents to be.

“8 weeks.” You answered smiling brightly, your hand moving to your currently unchanged belly. Something warm lit in Jason’s chest.

“Well, I wish you luck informing the rest of the family, I’m rather thankful we don’t have neighbors. They’re sure to cause quite the ruckus in their excitement.”

“You think they’ll be excited?” You asked anxiously. Jason knew you were worried about your place in his massive and chaotic super family.

“Oh, babe, they’re gonna be through the roof. Two babies? You kidding? There’s gonna be a war from day 1 to be the favorite aunt or uncle.” You smiled, your nerves dying down.

“Everyone will be together for dinner tonight, perhaps you could join us then? I’m making tortellini.” Alfred tempted. Jason suddenly looked like a kid on Christmas.

“Oh, babe, we have to do it. You’ve never had Al’s homemade tortellini, absolutely killer.” You laughed.

“I guess we’ll see you for dinner tonight.”

Note: I know, I knoooow the twin trope is overdone but the image of Jason trying to juggle two toddlers is just too good. I have one more piece drafted then I may write the whole family reveal, but I’m anxious to write that many characters at once. Also I know I have a pretty nice Bruce, but I don't feel like Batman as a character needs to be an absuive ass to his kids to be himself. And again, I'm a new writer so I'm sorry if it's bad lol. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for entertaining a friendship with a child?

okay so this might be a weird one or even a controversial one i honestly have zero clue how other people will receive this, apologies in advance if i ramble!

to begin, i (23ftm) and this kid (15f) first met about a year ago. one of my best friends (23m) is a pretty big model and tiktoker and she was a fan of his, and she was pretty recognized online for making cool edits and stuff of him and coming to meetups etcetera, so he knew of her from there, and over time with always seeing each other at meet ups and her being in his discord server (where i mod) she kind of became pretty well known to us.

an important thing to note is that she's SUPER neurodivergent and she's had a really tough life. she lost her older brother a few years back and she's (i'm not sure of the correct way to put it, her family is originally from the netherlands and their english is kind of in the works so this is how they put it) developmentally behind a few years - her parents describe this as her being "mentally more 13 than 15" but her behaviour to me is even younger than that. she's very very innocent and trusting, very overemotional and sensitive to criticism etc, loves stuffed animals and pink and cartoons and all of that. she's told me she feels like a little kid sometimes and will talk/act like one so maybe there's an element of trauma-rooted age regression there, i'm not super sure - i'm not gonna get into detail but she's talked to me about her life a lot and she's had some pretty fucked up shit happen to her.

from the beginning she pretty much imprinted on me - she's told me before i remind her of the big brother she lost, and ever since then she's called me her "big brother" and "family" etc. at first i was more just playing along with it to make her happy but over time she really has become something like a little sister to me, i feel super protective of her. i want to become a teacher after college (not to mention eventually a parent with my fiancee) so i think at least part of it is that taking a kid 'under my wing' so to speak is giving me experience with it all. i've always been kinda paternal/protective over kids in general but i was the youngest sibling in my family so i never really had anyone to utilise that on before

she does rely super heavily on me emotionally, especially because after i found out she was being bullied pretty badly at school i started dropping by to keep her company during breaks/lunch and making sure shit was okay (which her still-living brother used to do, but he's a famous?? - unsure How famous, i don't know sports at all - footballer/soccer player who's often in another country and can't see her often anymore), and i've been working with her to curb that. i'm actually currently working with her parents to find her a good therapist and support system. she's no longer in the tiktok friend's discord just because it was getting a little all-consuming for her and we encouraged her to take a break, but she's done a TON of work on herself and maturing since then and she does plan to rejoin at some point soon.

however, i find it really really hard to gauge whether being so close with a child is... like normal? or not. i honestly can't tell if it's kind of the internet caution about adults talking to minors kind of warping my brain and making me overly wary of what people will think or if i'm doing something wrong or if it's genuinely like a weird situation, so i guess i'm looking for outside perspectives.

the things that make me question it is that like i said she's very 'mentally young', she's very sheltered, and there definitely seems to be an element of her kind of replacing the older brother figure she lost with me. on top of that, we met through her being a fan of my friend, and though she's now separate from that i worry there could still be an element of power there because i'm close with the guy she calls her idol. her family knows me and seem totally chill with everything, but they've told me she tells people at her school that i'm literally her brother and basically 100% talks about me as if i'm her biological family, which i find super sweet but at the same time wonder if it's healthy.

she obviously needs therapy and hopefully soon we can get her it, but: AITA for entertaining a sort of found family dynamic / friendship at all with someone very vulnerable and young or is this genuinely helpful for her?

What are these acronyms?

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

So, fun detail I just noticed about Megamind:

Famously, throughout the film Megamind mispronounces certain words, most notably: "hello" ("olo"), "Metro City" ("Metrocity") and "school" ("shool").

Like many fans, I'd attributed this and other oddities— like not knowing what a window is— to his unconventional upbringing and general social isolation. His speech sounds a lot like the way people pronounce words that they've only seen written down, so maybe he just hasn't had enough practice talking to other people out loud.

Lovely theory, very angsty, makes sense that this would be what the film-makers intended.

Except…

You know who doesn't seem to have this problem with pronunciation? And who in fact attempts to correct Megamind's pronunciation of various words more than any other character?

Fucking Minion.

Minion was there for literally every step of Megamind's childhood. They were raised on Earth together and went through seemingly the exact same experiences. Yet somehow Minion came out the other end knowing how to answer the phone and what a window is and why people use codes, while Megamind didn't.

And I am just so fascinated as to why.

Top three theories:

1. Megamind isn't actually mispronouncing words due to lack of practice, but rather for some other reason.

Maybe there's something up with his ability to hear certain sounds, or his alien anatomy makes it harder to pronounce them. Maybe he's neurodivergent (I mean, he definitely is, but maybe that fact is affecting his speech).

2. Megamind is mispronouncing things due to lack of practice, but there's something about Minion that makes him need less practice to pick up new languages.

Possibly as part of their protective role, his species has advanced language acquisition programmed in so they can act as translators. Else, while Minion and Megamind landed on Earth together, it's not 100% clear whether they were actually at the same age/developmental stage when that happened. If Minion was an adult (or older child) when he became fluent in English, he might have consciously focused more on accurate pronunciation than Megamind did.

3. Megamind is mispronouncing things due to lack of practice, but Minion is getting more practice than him.

This is… honestly the theory with the most evidence behind it. Like, we know that Minion isn't in jail at the start of the film, so he's clearly mot spending the same amount of time in solitary confinement that Megamind is.

He also appears to be in charge of providing Megamind with the resources needed to carry out his plans, which would presumably require him to communicate with scrap merchants, crocodile breeders and Romanian outlet store owners (among others) on the regular.

And like… if he's not getting thrown in jail whenever Megamind does, and Megamind is spending a fair amount of time on the inside, then Minion has to be doing something to pass the time. He's clearly a bit of an extrovert, and seems to take more pleasure in interacting with people than Megamind does.

It seems unlikely that he'd spend all his time sitting in the Evil Lair waiting for Megamind contact him or escape. So what does he do?

I find it both sweet and hilarious to imagine that Minion actually does have his own social circle outside of Megamind.

Minion goes to DnD on the second Tuesday of every month.

Minion gets advice on making costumes for Megamind from his weekly sewing circle.

Minion has been going to university online for the past eight years and is currently working towards his PhD in Marine Biology.

Minion is a semi-regular at Metrocity Night Clubs.

Minion does volunteer work sometimes with kids at the Metrocity hospital.

Megamind has barely any idea about any of this. Like, he knows Minion goes places at various times.

He knows that when he's rampaging through the streets Minion will sometimes stop to wave hello to various people that Megamind has never met. He's seen the half-orc paladin costume that Minion made for DnD.

But he's never really asked about it, and Minion has never seen the need to tell him. So long as Minion's happy, Megamind's happy, and so long as Megamind's happy, Minion is happy.

Meanwhile Roxanna, post-movie, has to grapple with the fact that sometimes she'll go to visit her boyfriend only for him to ask if they can go out for dinner instead because Minion's book club is meeting in the Evil Lair, and he's been gently encouraged not to come back after what he said to Helen about her (wrong) opinions on To Kill A Mockingbird.

[yanderelmk]

Question for redson, nezha, azure, wukong and peng and macaque if youd like

1. If we wanted to have children, how would you react?

2. How would you help your darling with period stuff?

3 . If I asked you to make me immortal so we could love each other forever would you?

🏮💜❤️‍🩹

🔥RED SON🔥: Red Son's face went red and his jaw dropped open. "Ch-children?? You want children?! Do you know how difficult those are to raise? But..." He fidgets, pressing the tips of his index fingers together. "Just how many would you wish to have?" "As for the menstrual predicament, I do not fear the monthly blood ritual. It is just simple biology, only smooth-brained peasants fear the shedding of the uterus." "I have already begun thinking of ways to gift it to you. I presume our marriage would not be enough on its own, though it would grant you demonic nobility status...either I will have to break into Heaven or I will have to find one of the ancient Sages to force the secret from them." 🪷NEZHA🪷:

"I would love children, but I would not be able to care for them as much as I would be able to. I am the protective deity of all children, I would rather not run the risk of favoritism towards my own. But...I do admit the idea appeals to me of having children with the one I love."

"Ah, yes, the process in which a mortal reaches developmental maturity. Fear not, I am experienced in dealing with this sort of thing. In advance I prepared many snacks, especially chocolates, and heating devices. All you need to do is rest up." "Immortality is only gained by Heaven's permission. To do otherwise...well...those who become immortal without Heaven's consent face miserable lives as punishment. Chang'e is the kindest example of what happens when greed for immortality overtakes reason. I will do my best to beg for your appointment as an immortal by my side, but it might take some time. I only ask for your patience." ☀️WUKONG☀️:

"Kids? Like...more than one? Look, I'm gonna be honest with you, I take care of my Flower-Fruit Mountain children okay, but I don't know how good I'd do with a one-on-one infant. I'm willing to try, but I think we should prooobably wait until I've taken some parenting classes first." "Oh! Periods! That's the monthly feminine thing, right? Uhh..." Wukong digs around a bit and tosses a blanket on you. "There you go!" Wukong sighs. "Look, I know I might have become immortal a good few times over, but it's really not that easy. Heaven's not gonna let you become an immortal that easily. I'll do what I can, all you have to do is eat the food of Heaven to become immortal, but it's going to be a really rough process. I'll only do it if you're absolutely certain." 🦅PENG🦅:

"I would be overjoyed to raise fledglings with you! How many are you thinking? I believe six is an appropriate number." "Ah, the matters of the femmes. I remember when I had to deal with that...tell you what, you sit here, I will go and procure the necessary supplies. Then I'll snuggle up with you until you fall asleep." "Immortality? That is easily done! Once we achieve our ambition to overtake Heaven, I will make you my Immortal Consort. No weapon, Celestial, Infernal, or Mortal, will be able to strike you down."

🌑MACAQUE🌑:

"Why would you want kids? Don't those make a lot of noise and stuff? I'll compromise: How about we get a puppy or something, start off small?"

"Periods? Um...I don't really know how those...work. What do you need for that, a bandage? I got plenty of those." He sighs. "Look Y/N, I'll be honest with you, immortality's not all it's cracked up to be. Forever is a long time. If you're adamant and absolutely 100% certain, I'll try to do what I can, but you're gonna have to accept that being immortal means living for a really long time. You'll lose your friends and family, everything will change while you never do. It can be a painful existence."

[sokkastyles]

Hello, I have been a fan of ATLA for a while, and I have been a silent reader on your blog and I like your way of analyzing the characters and the circumstances of the stories, you are objective and you rely on the facts

So I want your opinion on this.

You believe that Zuko is and always was a prodigy just like his sister Azula, but that unlike her, his potential was hidden/blocked by the way his father treated him since he was a baby, in addition to others. factors?

I don't think I've ever said that I think Zuko was a prodigy. In general I think prodigy is kind of a misleading word, because it implies that some children have natural advantages over others, when we actually know that there are many environmental factors that contribute to a child's development. Compare, for example, the case of Azula and Katara. Azula grew up in extreme privilege with access to the best training, and so was recognized as a prodigy early on. Katara is commonly called a prodigy by the fandom, but if she had stayed in her village all her life, she might not have ever been able to realize her true potential because she had no access to training or resources.

What I've said with regard to Zuko is that abuse absolutely affected his development. It's actually a true psychological phenomena that abused children often suffer developmentally, but it's also common sense that if a parent expects their kid to succeed, they have a better chance of success. If a parent is always putting down a child, that child is going to internalize the belief that they will not succeed. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I've also said that I think Ozai saw what he wanted to see with Zuko and Azula, so it's hard to judge whether the narrative that Ozai and Azula repeat about Zuko not being a good firebender is actually the reality. I think nothing Zuko could have done would have been enough for Ozai, because he already had the idea in his head that Zuko was a failure. For example, remember the scene where Ozai shows Azula off to Azulon, then frowns when Zuko tries to show off his learning, before Zuko even does anything? Ozai was already expecting that Zuko would embarass him and so any mistake Zuko makes is proof of what Ozai already believes.

Some people use Iroh's line about Zuko needing to master the basics to prove that Zuko isn't a good firebender, but I think that line was never supposed to mean that Zuko was a basic firebender. What Iroh was trying to teach Zuko was patience, a quality that we see that Azula also lacks, because both Zuko and Azula were raised with an all or nothing mindset by Ozai. Zuko demanding to be taught advanced techniques before he is ready is very like Azula in "the Search" telling her father how stupid her firebending teacher was for making her use a particular form instead of trying to make the biggest blast, and Ozai praising her for it. I don't think there was much drilling of basics in that household, because Ozai was already raising his children to believe they were too good for that, expecting them to be advanced at an early age. What Iroh was trying to teach Zuko was how to have a strong foundation to fall back on, which is something Azula never learned at all. Azula completely falls apart when things don't go her way, whereas Zuko ends up surpassing her because he is able to handle failure and learn from it.

[relicofkorax]

There are like 2 people that will indulge in my bullshit. This is what we came up with about Coluan age? + more crap about ancient Coluans (lmao don't judge it was a common topic for us) Not putting this on reblog I don't wanna annoy anyone with my cringe

so basically, I thought Coluans would develop on a similar timeline to humans, being mostly helpless at infancy, etc. etc.

But excluding Vril II I think they physically develop at a slightly different pace anyway, like at "10" (earth years) a coluan kid is stronger than a human kid (of similar training and physique)

Then in the realm of cognition and logical skills, they "mature" very quickly too... with the emotional capacity to prop it up lagging behind. They can seem very unstable in their developmental years from most species POV lol.. but to Coluans that's just... them. (If anyone cares I'll write why I even came up with this at the bottom).

I'd say a Coluan would be completely mature by 30?? (Earth years). After that age, their cells degenerate much more slowly than us. Naturally I'd place them at having a similar lifespan to elves in fantasy; living 150, 200, even 300 years.

Ik it's been said in canon they can live 600 years normally but imo, a 600 year old Coluan in Vril I's condition has defo had some uh, work done on their body. Artificial regeneration, extreme tech integration, hell, injecting their consciousness into a nice, fresh body they created themselves??

I also hc each one's mind, or at least some integral aspect of them is even a little like a computer program at this point, or data at least- "they" can be backed up and stored, copied.. Vril was regenerated, Lyrl was taken "offline".. etc. I even think it's possible to piece the mind of a recently dead one back together. But with time the organic framework of a mind would be too deteriorated to accurately recreate their original personality. So maybe as long as they have access to the right facilities, a Coluan can exist almost indefinitely??

with that idea Brainiac's ship.. is that facility, and Brainiac is cybernetically altered as hell too. Imo this might not even be Brainiac's first organic body??

//

I said I'd explain the asshole personality thing too: It's really silly, basically we were on Coluan evolution and came up with this: a very very Extremely incomprehensibly long time ago in some distant point in time, Coluans were both predatory, and prey. Basically we were saying like, a thing doesn't get that smart hunting plants only, and they don't get that vicious without a threat. So we thought to even survive as the bloodline that lead to Coluans at all these things were clever as fuck, with unsurpassed memories, problem solving skills, and navigation instincts- all of this developed early in these creatures lives to keep them safe and alive, leaving a streak of coldness and inclination towards viciousness in its wake. This silly hc was also the basis of other headcanons for why their brains are like That (tm), the faster reflexes, and why they can rest certain parts of their nervous system independently.

The creature mostly struck from and lived in trees- eventually formed tight knit families- colonies-clans, became more and more humanoid, more and more successful. They developed technology at an extremely rapid pace for a while, and basically dominated the planet in the process, until they became a highly advanced species almost symbiotic with technology, doing that wild stuff Coluans as we know them do.

Oh yeah and they still have a lil thing for hanging upside down after all this time, or it doesn't bother them at least... lol

[kijosakka]

got possessed and decided i must make a post about noahs character arc in dramaturgy Immediately

ok,, so the gist is friends. this is the Give Noah Friends Arc. he starts with no friends and then he gets some.

and he also gets some character flaws. for fun. dont worry he grows he develops,, umm so noah [in this AU] as a Character is very deeply rooted in two things: his defense/coping mechanisms, and his background in the industry.

to cover: his defense/coping mechanisms. they are. Bad. his primary defense throughout the show is his nonsubstance itself — but beyond that, the way he intentionally makes himself unpalatable. he makes jokes and seemingly mean-spirited quips at peoples expense and that would be innocuous if it wasnt all he was. but he very intentionally doesnt have character beyond that.

its like advanced self isolation (and regular self isolation when he refuses to interact with anyone after he gets eliminated and generally when hes off camera). additionally (to bring in themes from my original two posts) he creates a severe disconnect between noah The Person and noah The Character and it seeps through to his perception of his castmates as well.

^ this ties back into his Industry past, which,,, kinda fucked him up?? its not like its a normal developmental setting and it shows when hes being noah The Person. he doesnt really know who he is in normal settings; hes so firm in his identity within the industry and his role in it, but in Real Life, Teenage settings? clueless. has no idea what hes doing.

his severe disconnect of person and character also affects the way he sets boundaries, which is to say, hes really fucking bad at it. entertainment industries are Sketchy As Hell, and he kept his head afloat by navigating the system and working within it, but never learned to set clear-cut, do-not-cross boundaries in his relationships as a result (smth smth setting those limits were ‘taboo’ within the industry and could limit the work you got or how many people were willing to reach out)

< tacking onto that parentheses thing, hes also wildly unfamiliar with non-transactional relationships (in this way, him and alejandro are very similar). hes grown up seeing these people around him play nice for the strict purpose of give-and-take and has very few examples for things that are not that. he constantly struggles with understanding that he doesnt have to ‘repay’ things or ‘give’ something to be treated fairly.

(also smth to be said about his ‘keep everyone away’ thing where he silently thinks that even beyond the cameras if he tried to form relationships on the show he would be treated poorly/‘trampled on’ because his nonsubstance wouldnt allow him to ‘give back’ in a way that would make those people see him as worth treating fairly.

his castmates are effectively part of the industry now, why wouldnt they treat him like hes always been taught the people in the industry would?)

^ and again, it seeps through to his perceptions. to things like the love triangle, or sierras obsessive behavior towards cody; noah has trouble understanding why people like courtney would be distraught at it, because to him he can only see it in a transactional light (amplified by it being an on-camera relationship eventually turned plot point). similarly, it takes him A While to properly understand codys distress because to him it seems like sierras giving and he should just ‘return something’ to make them even (not really hitting him that he cant ‘return’ feelings like that).

which brings be further into his overarching Arc. you know, the character one. kicked off initially by wanting to unmask alejandro as a patent fake, he gets his development in other areas too --- like finally getting some real-world experiences with kids his age instead of studio execs three decades his seniors.

it gives him proper, real point of reference as to what matters to his peers beyond a clinical sense and observation --- in short, he learns to better understand the castmates around him beyond what the industry exploits them for, and in doing so he develops past his initial stunted-ness.

< and that in turn helps him learn past his slightly (very) fucked up headspace and perception that his childhood environment created.

(and to slot in now, noahs character in the AU is perfect for consistent themes of internal conflict. how he initially builds up relationships, conflict. struggling on whether to keep the act or expose alejandro, conflict. being hyperaware of both the audience and cast perceptions of him, conflict. realizing his battle has become two-sided and alejandro and thus the cast/audience is catching glimpses of his Person, conflict. realizing hes in too deep and now the plot itself demands him from a meta-ish standpoint, conflict. just conflicts all around for this guy.)

now there is the whole... being a person on camera thing. which is in essence what the entire AU and story arc thereof is centered around: noah learns that he can Be a Person and drop the overly sterile self-regulation sometimes. im,, slightly torn on how exactly to cement this kind of shift in behavior,,

< as it makes sense in my head, noah would be more willing to relent his vice-grip on his facade for the sake of achieving his goal (being expose alejandro outright/at least see whats underneath). so therefore, for the story to progress, there would have to be those opportunities, and for it to make sense those opportunities would have to increase as the plot goes on (and, ofc, inline with alejandros own relent on his mask for the sake of going back and forth in some weird bid for who can expose the other and still keep up their own facade)

^ this is kindof what ive 'settled on' to build up the rest of the AU events on (i will have to find some way to slot in those opportunities proper uuuughghgggh) but yet again if Anyone has Any thoughts at all,, hand them over pretty pls pspspspspspsp

[sonickedtrowel]

binary solar system

Another one-shot chapter!  the prompt here is.... is I wrote pregnant River and young babies/kids with these guys when I had absolutely no idea what I was talking about and I'm sure if I went back and read it after having 2 babies my soul would cringe out of my body. So instead let me just present you with this, a scene from Darillium which hopefully resonates more with those of you out there who have reproduced. 12/River ao3 link

“What the hell even is a round ligament?” River asked, unceremoniously flinging a pamphlet from the obstetrician’s office over the arm of the sofa and onto the floor.

“Er,” the Doctor carefully began, “I think it’s—”

“I know what it is,” she snapped, which, honestly, he should have seen coming.  “I know because it simulates me being stabbed in the abdomen eighty three fucking thousand times a day.  Round ligament.  Fucking bastard traitor.”

There were a lot of things about humanoid pregnancy that were significantly improved upon by living in a sufficiently advanced society with decent modern medicine.  Safe, well-tested anti-nausea medications.  Effective preventive treatments for life-threatening complications like pre-eclampsia.  The highest quality of monitoring and interventions available for any foetal developmental concerns.  Advanced surgical techniques and augmented healing technologies that made the dangerous and unpredictable old-fashioned mode of childbirth a thing of the past— evolution truly had dropped the ball on that one.  

But there were some things that remained, as River succinctly pronounced, “total shit.”

“Why don’t you lie down for a bit, dear?” the Doctor suggested.  “I’ll start dinner, you get some rest.  Doc—”

“I swear to god,” she interrupted, “if you say ‘Doctor’s orders,’ you can kiss this face goodbye, because I will shoot you in it.  And if the next one’s hot I won’t even feel bad.”

“Fair enough,” he replied, valiantly struggling to choke down a laugh, because he felt fairly sure that would not go over well at the moment.  

“Anyway,” River lamented, “resting is the problem.  Obviously I need all the rest I can get, but I can’t get any because when I lie down there’s a, a bowling ball, just— rolling all around in there, bouncing off my round ligament whenever I try to move a half an inch— oh, but if I don’t keep flipping sides like I’m being cooked on a spit I’ll throw out a hip!  And the stupid app said they’re only the size of a, a— what is it this week?”

“Rhodocrosian dwarf leek,” the Doctor supplied helpfully.

“Which is fucking meaningless, by the way, because the proportions are not even remotely comparable— but the point is,” she stressed, stopping mid-pantomime, “whichever way you measure a spring onion, or whatever, it should not be big enough to be smashing my ligaments!”

“I think it’s supposed to get better soon,” said the Doctor, crouching in front of the sofa and laying his hand ever-so-carefully over the upper curve of the tiny swell in River’s belly, avoiding the bastard traitor.  “Remember Dr. Kiril said something about touching the abdominal wall?  Not as much rolling around once the bowling ball’s out of room.”

“To be replaced with something even more dreadful, no doubt.”

“I’m sorry, dear.  You’ve definitely got the worse end of this deal.”

“And to think, we spent all that time trying to make this happen,” she sighed.  “I’ve been so spoilt, always being a bit superhuman.  Healing quickly, never having to feel my age or the little inconveniences and indignities it normally brings.  Making a baby sounds so magical and romantic in the abstract but it’s all been so… biological.  All the scans, all the hormone testing— do you know how long I’ve been pissing in little plastic cups?  Three years, Doctor.  Every month: ovulation tests, pregnancy tests, then start all over again.  So much hope tied up in such an unappealing ritual.  Like making a little advent calendar of urine.”  He failed to suppress his laugh at that, but River smiled, wearily.  “At least I only have to do it at appointments now.  There’s not a shred of dignity left to me in this entire business.  And what a way to spend what’s meant to be our longest honeymoon.  It’s all terribly unsexy.”

“Well, there were quite a few sexy parts, as I recall.”

“If you don’t mind being on a very strict schedule.”

“I didn’t mind.”

“Doctor,” River said solemnly, and he took her hand, as he knew well now when she was bravely preparing to say something important, against many decades of instinct to bury it instead.  “Have we just… thrown the biggest spanner you could possibly imagine into everything?”

“Well… yeah, maybe, a bit,” he replied— there was, of course, no use pretending otherwise.  “But in a good way.”

“But, it’s— it is completely mad, isn’t it?  We’re so happy in our life, let’s blow it up on purpose.  I couldn’t fathom loving another person like I love you, but instead of just enjoying that incredible, rare, precious thing, we’ll make a new person from scratch!  Who are we to make a person?  Why does anyone ever do something so obviously insane?”

The Doctor laughed softly, stood, and settled carefully down beside River on the sofa, giving her room to gingerly rearrange herself against him.  

“It’s just so hard to imagine what it will really be like,” she mumbled into his shoulder.  “It’s— it’s like moving the stars.  Adding a second sun to a solar system.  Everything’s going to change, and it can’t all be for the better.  When there’s more light, some things will burn.”

“Well, you’re not wrong about any of that,” he said, carefully draping his arm around her and threading his fingers through hers.  “But we do have a pretty extensive record of doing completely mad things.  It’s our speciality, really.  And, you know… it is very normal to have doubts about such a huge change.”  He pressed a kiss to her temple and she curled a little more into his side, her breath hitching as she winced with the movement.  “It’s a leap of faith with a very long way to the landing.  You’ve got to get through a lot of wild thoughts on the way down.  And thank you.  For telling me how you’re feeling.”

“Well, I appreciate you not pointing out that I sound like I’ve completely lost my mind.  I have actually noticed.”

“Nah,” he scoffed.  “You just sound like you’re… growing a new sun.  You’re handling it magnificently.”

“How are you so bloody calm about it, by the way?” she grumbled.

“Oh, don’t worry, dear, I’m an absolute mess.  This is what we call triage.  You just carry on and I won’t have to pay any attention to me— doing me a favour, really.”

“Mm.  Sounds healthy.”

“I think, in this specific case, it’s sort of the natural order of things.”

“And you know, of course I’m worried but… I don’t actually have any doubts.  I don’t even know this person yet, and they’re making my life an enormous pain in ways I’d never imagined, and I don’t regret it one bit.  Isn’t that strange?”

“Well, not so strange.  Love is like that.  No one ever said it made sense.”

“What, no ‘biological imperative’ talk?  No human hormones hijacking my brain?  Suddenly when it’s our little foetus it’s all mushy stuff?”

“River Song, let me tell you something very important right now.  It was a hard lesson to learn, but ever since you came into my life, it’s all been mushy stuff.”  She laughed, and turned her head to kiss him, the tension tangibly melting out of her shoulders as her lips lingered against his.

“Oh,” she moaned, “I would really, really love you to take me to bed, if I could move at all without the stabbing.”

“How about I do take you to bed, get you all set up with your pillows and wedges and noodles and whatnot, and we can see how the bastard traitor is feeling later.”

“Okay,” she sighed.  “Oh!  Oh, there it goes— put your hand right here!”  She grabbed his hand and pressed it very firmly to her stomach, which was alarming considering how she seemed not to be able to do anything without incurring the round ligament’s wrath, but then—

“Oh!”  The Doctor could feel the sort of grin taking over his face that River teased would make him look like the Grinch, if he weren’t so pretty.  (He wasn’t so sure about ‘pretty’ as an appropriate adjective for this face, but had decided not to object.)  “Hello, there,” he said softly.

“You really felt it this time?” she asked, beaming back at him as she pressed her hand down over his.

“Yeah, just a teeny tiny little… poke.  A little hand?  Little foot?”

“My bet’s on little elbow,” she said, cradling the tiny curve of her belly.  “I’m sure a half-developed leek with pointy elbows and no body fat would look fairly ghastly, but… they certainly are sweet from this angle, aren’t they?”

“Yeah,” the Doctor agreed, though it came out with a gravelly waver to it.  “The sweetest.  Well, easy for me to say; I’m not getting poked.”

“I think that’s my favourite part, actually.  Like they’re saying hello.  Then it’s not some big unimaginable unknown we’re waiting for, it’s… just this little one right here.  Already keeping me company.”

“So maybe there is a little magic left in the process?”

“I guess so.”  River smiled with the sort of Christmas-morning delight he’d hoped would fill every moment of their night on Darillium, and the Doctor thought having two suns in his life seemed like the perfect number.

[deada55]

I stay thinking about Serveta, because single momhood is fucking metal.

It'd just be really Funky Fresh (/sarcasm) and deeply unfortunate if her and Skwisgaar were (necessarily) super close when he was a kid, and then had a slow fallout compounded by him getting traumatized.

I'm not a mom, but it seems like it would be really, really tough to handle raising a man versus a boy if you had some deep-seated issues with men (and how the hell wouldn't she have some issues.) Her lack of protection (read: neglecting to avoid traumatizing him with explicit sexual acts in the home, absolutely an action that constitutes abuse and is reportable as a crime in some places*) might have gone along with a distancing of herself from him as his nurturer. All that could be compounded by his growing independence, which might have led her to a common mindset of some people who abuse children: assuming they're more developmentally advanced than they are/expect a more advanced level of development than is possible for their age.*

For Skwisgaar, that would make it all feel a lot worse. It's one thing to see something horrifyingly explicit of your mother during a formative period, but if he had a close relationship with her that was starting to get a lot less supportive and loving (an early adolescent/adolescent would absolutely internalize this i.e. try to find what they did/are to cause it), it's likely that his reaction wasn't just shock and fear for himself, but being afraid for his mother's safety.

And that's really painful, and adds another layer to his psychosomatic anxiety (feeling physically sick whenever she's around; it's an anxiety thing 4sure). It's not just about being disgusted by her behavior, it's about why it makes him so uncomfortable.

It's because he loves her. Tyr affirming him with, "she loves you, too" was clearly meaningful, or else it wouldn't really have a place in that conversation and it wouldn't have helped Tyr and Skwisgaar bond.

*if you want a citation, ask! I pulled this info out of some mandatory reporter training for my job.

[mjgauthor]

Why I chose traditional publishing over self-publishing.

I was asked today, on my Tiktok, why I chose to pursue traditional publishing over self-publishing. This was because I'd just made another video about the difficulties in getting traditionally published.

Here's the stone-cold reality to traditional publishing: it's NOT easy.

First, these reasons are my reasons. I'm not writing to convince you to suffer through the difficulties of getting traditionally published. The query trenches and submission hell are . . . well, hell. Let me tell you, I got rejected hundreds of times before I got an agent, and going on submission to publishers was only slightly less hell-ish.

But I've always set my mind on getting traditionally published, all the way back from when I was a kid. I liken traditional publishing and self-publishing as two different mountains, with two different challenges. Yes, there's overlap, but they're both unique. I admire self-published authors who are dedicated to their craft and manage to self-promote while continuing to write great books. But it is not for me.

These are MY reasons why I chose traditional publishing:

In traditional publishing, I get an agent. My agent gives me career advice, and also reader and editorial feedback to help me improve and is knowledgeable about the industry. Furthermore, she has industry connections. She knows publishers and editors and knows just where to send my work. The best part? My agent only gets paid when I do. She takes 15% of what I earn. If I don't make anything, neither does she. Any agent asking for money is a scammer.

In traditional publishing, I get a team at the publisher. This includes a developmental editor, who walks through a couple rounds of edits with me to help me improve my work. This also includes a copy editor, line editor, proofreader, typesetter, cover designer, cover illustrator, publicist, their marketing team, and a publicist. These people are all fabulous at what they do. If I wanted to replicate this experience as a self-published author, I'd have to vet each of these people, and furthermore, I'd have to pay them. That's a lot of money. Worse, that's a lot of time. Time that takes me away from writing.

In traditional publishing, I don't have to pay someone to do my book cover or make it myself. My publisher handles that. And let me tell you, I can't wait for people to see my book cover. My cover illustrator is incredibly talented.

In traditional publishing, my book is still mine, and I still get final say. I can only speak from my experience, but my publisher hasn't asked for substantial changes to the book. They haven't molded it into something else. Everything that happens in my book has to be approved by me. If I don't like a suggested change, I use the word "STET." I'm collaborative though, and I want to make my book the best it can be, so I listen to their feedback and work with them to make my writing and book stronger.

In traditional publishing, I don't have to worry about distribution as much. My publisher will be able to get my book into stores.

In traditional publishing, I get a lower royalty rate, but I get an advance. This is money that goes straight into my pocket, that I don't have to pay back. In traditional publishing, the money goes toward the author, rather than the other way around.

It's easier to break into the children's market in traditional publishing. I write children's literature from middle-grade to young adult. Self-published children's authors have a much more difficult time getting traction because schools often only pick up books by publishers. Yes, self-published books do make it into school classrooms and libraries, but traditional publishing mostly has this market cornered.

These are just some of my reasons why I chose traditional publishing. These things are important to me, but it doesn't mean they have to be important to you. Be wary of anyone trying to convince you to join them in their decision. Your journey is yours and you should do what is best for you and your career. If you want to have complete control over everything, and you want a higher royalty rate? Self-publishing might be the way for you. Also, there are some types of books that publishers aren't as interested in. Self-publishing is a great way to get those books out there.

Another thing I absolutely love about self-publishing is that today, anyone can go and put their work out there. For so long, publishing was locked only to an elite few people. But with the rise of Kindle and other digital platforms, it has made it simpler for any indie author to go out there and make a name for themselves. And some self-published authors are doing incredibly well.

My suggestion for whatever you decide? Just make sure you research, and don't just jump right into it. What are you trying to accomplish? After that, make sure your work is polished. You need to value your reader's time and money. Your work should be your absolute best.

[themomsandthecity]

Authoritative Parenting Is Considered the Gold Standard in Child-Rearing - Experts Explain Why

There are plenty of parenting styles out there, and the right one for you ultimately depends on your personal preferences and your family. But there's one style that's consistently praised for its approachability and the behaviors it helps instill: authoritative parenting. At its core, authoritative parenting involves listening to kids while still requiring that they follow rules set by their parents. The concept of authoritative parenting has been around for decades, and even the American Psychological Association (APA) gives it props, noting that "children raised with this style tend to be friendly, energetic, cheerful, self-reliant, self-controlled, curious, cooperative and achievement-oriented." So, what does authoritative parenting involve and are there any drawbacks to the approach? Below, experts break it down. What Is Authoritative Parenting? Authoritative parenting is a mix of gentleness and firmness, with parents being nurturing, responsive, and supportive, but with clear limits and rules set for kids, the APA explains. "Authoritative parenting is where there is a high concern for the child, but the parent is trying to direct control," says Robert Keder, MD, a pediatrician who specializes in developmental behavior at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. With authoritative parenting, parents try to shape a child's behavior by thoroughly explaining and discussing rules and boundaries in place, says Mayra Mendez, PhD, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist at Providence Saint John's Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica, CA. "It allows for teaching, education, implementation of rules, and understanding why rules exist and why we have to be governed by them," she explains. "These parents teach the guidelines of the world to the child, but also listen to the child." Dr. Mendez says authoritative parenting hinges on communication, without parents losing their sense of authority. "There can be a lot of respect rendered to the child as well, especially as they get older," she says. What Does Authoritative Parenting Look Like? Dr. Keder refers to authoritative parenting as the "Danny Tanner style of parenting," referencing the "Full House" patriarch. Authoritative parents will help kids who are facing a challenge by saying something like, "I know this is hard and you can do better. Let me give you a hug and a kiss, and let's work on this," he says. "Authoritative parents hold children to high expectations, but are reasonable about it," Dr. Keder says. "They're not giving demands that are way outside the child's skill set." Authoritative parents will also allow their kids some freedoms, like spending the night at a friend's house, but reiterate the rules in advance and make it clear that the child is expected to behave a certain way, Dr. Keder adds. "It's the sweet spot of where you're negotiating your needs and the child's needs to help them prepare for things," Dr. Keder says. This parenting style isn't free-range, where kids have a lot of freedom, or authoritarian, where parents are rigid and lay down tough rules - it's somewhere in the middle. The Benefits and Drawbacks of Authoritative Parenting Authoritative parenting has a lot of positive features, Dr. Mendez says. "Parents can demonstrate a sense of flexibility and, with that comes a sense of mutual respect," she says, adding that the parenting style conveys,"This is a young person growing up who still needs guidance, but we respect each other." Authoritative parenting also encourages parents to speak on a child's level when discussing important topics, so that they understand the rationale behind decisions, Dr. Mendez says. This style also makes expectations clear to children. "Rules are not random," she says. "There are no secrets and you don't deliver rules to the child out of nowhere." Dr. Keder also praises this parenting style for being sympathetic to where kids are at in life, while still holding them… https://www.popsugar.com/family/authoritative-parenting-49339334?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[ira-407]

My Definition of "Manchild"

Manchild is an age old name people have on the internet for people they don’t like. It’s been used pretty broadly but generally speaking it means one or more of the following

An adult (usually male) who…

Still collects action figures

Watches cartoons

Likes things made for kids or all ages

Is passionate about sci-fi and superheroes

Has an air of “child-like” innocence to them

Still lives with their parents

Is unemployed

Has poor hygiene

Is possibly incontinent

Regularly visit amusement parks like Disney by themselves

Likely has an intellectual and/or developmental disability

Incessantly whines about unimportant stuff

Not all of these things are inherently bad. In fact, most of them aren’t. There’s certainly a stigma surrounding adults who indulge in escapist material. Many adults who do this are likely to have an intellectual or developmental disability. This is especially obvious when you regularly attend fan conventions. I’m not even saying that to be funny, it’s literally true. I in many ways fit the description of a “manchild”. If someone called me that for those reasons alone, it would be patronizing and infantilizing.

Many teens and adults, this especially goes for people with intellectual disabilities, are viewed as “having the body of a teen/adult but the mind of a child”. The reasoning used for this is a combination of what their interests are, what their general disposition is, how much support they require from others to live, and how they dress, among other things. None of these are things that actually make someone a manchild. None of these things are exclusively characteristic of children. None of it justifies talking to someone like they are a child if they are not one nor does it excuse putting them in classes that are basically kindergarten for older kids/adults. Nothing justifies these things.

The last point on the above list is something that I think actually does make someone a manchild. While many people on the internet who complain about, say, their favorite sci-fi franchises “going woke”, check off the other boxes as well, those things are most certainly not one in the same. But there are also adults who act this way and are not into geek or internet subculture. Btw, a gender neutral term for this I think could be appropriate is Whiny Little Shit. Crybaby, perhaps. Or even just whiny.

Children aren’t even like this, funnily enough. Sure they get upset over small things very often, but a lot of the time it can either be due to disregulation, not yet having better control of their emotions, or a combination of the two. Manchildren *do* know better, yet still get upset over petty BS. And it’s funny.

So here are a few examples of things manchildren/Whiny Little Shits often complain about

Losing an election

Being rejected by women or someone they perceive as female. Or anyone they make inappropriate advancements towards.

Being rightfully criticized for their actions

Getting deplatformed for spewing dangerous ideas

Being kicked out of a venue for public indecency

A prominent character existing in the newest iteration of a long running series they like being female, nonbinary, canonically disabled and/or a person of color. Bonus points if they call it “woke”.

Having it so hard despite being a billionaire

Being told “no” in general

So manchildren exist, or any other variation of the term. They are not worth your time if you come across them. But just because they fit some of the criteria listed above doesn’t automatically mean they are an unpleasant brat. So whenever I happen to call someone a manchild-it’s really the incessant complaining that I am referring to.

Short version: There is a common term on the internet for people known as “manchild”. It tends to be applied to someone simply for being an adult that likes certain things or lives a particular lifestyle. Those things alone are not do not make someone a manchild. This term can be especially harmful to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. What actually makes someone a manchild is who they are as a person.

[atlanticcanada]

'We're just a group of boys': Senior league players still have a passion for the game

Around 60 players and coaches from the Moncton Mustangs football team gathered under the lights at Rocky Stone Field on Tuesday night for their second last practice of the year.

In a few days, they’ll play host to the Nova Scotia Buccaneers in hopes of capturing their third straight Maritime Football League championship, and their ninth title in the past 17 years.

The Mustangs advanced to the championship game with a 24-15 win over the Halifax Heat last Saturday.

Before the practice started, head coach and vice president Jason Terris spoke about the evolution of his team after a few lean seasons.

“In 2016, there was a few of us who got together and put together an executive board and did some vision casting and said, OK, this is the way we want to go. We started to build the program more like a college team,” said Terris. “We felt that there was going to be more benefit to developing that type of program than just having a group of guys come on a Saturday and drinking a bunch of beer.”

The league used to be made up of former university and high school players who were out to have a bit of fun and re-live their glory years.

Now, it’s more of a highly competitive developmental league with some players currently on the rosters of university teams.

There’s even a handful of players who finished their high school careers last fall and are now transitioning to the next level.

The players and the 15 coaches take things very seriously, but the game they are so passionate about still brings them joy.

“We're just a group of boys out here sometimes who just like to have a bit of fun, but when it's time to get serious, we get serious,” said Terris.

Offensive lineman Greg Kinsman is in his 15th season with Moncton.

“I just really enjoy the game and really enjoy the team and being around the guys. I've had a great experience and this program is so well run it's hard to not have fun out here,” said Kinsman.

Quarterback Dan Comfort played high school football for Mathieu Martin and then with Mount Allison.

The 28-year-old is in his eighth season with the Mustangs and loves every minute of it.

“I think for us it's a chance to keep doing what we like. When you play in high school and university it's easy, it's organized sports when you're going through school. Once you're done it's kind of a question of ‘what now?’ I find the Moncton Mustangs and the senior league allows you to keep playing when you're still in a state where you can,” said Comfort.

Comfort said playing with guys in their 40’s and some who graduated from high school just this week is a very interesting dynamic.

“You've got guys who are going to prom soon. You've got men who have kids who are tucking them in before they come to practice,” said Comfort. “I find the diversity of the guys here from different walks of life make it very interesting.”

Alex and Julien Athens-Leger graduated from Moncton’s École L'Odyssée this year.

Alex said it's a big jump.

“You've got bigger guys, bigger and stronger guys, and they're better technically so it's a big adjustment. But it makes you a better player,” said Alex.

His brother, Julien, said playing with older teammates is almost like having a father figure out on the field with them.

“There's a lot of guys who have a lot of experience. We play a lot of guys who are from university. For a guy coming out of high school it gets you ready and it also kind of gives you that reality check,” said Julien.

Kinsman likes the variety.

“I find everyone brings something different to the team so having the 18, 19-year-olds and then myself, a 36-year-old, its good depth and variety to the team,” said Kinsman.

So how long can Kinsman keep playing this physically demanding sport?

“My son is 9 so he'll be playing for the Mustangs in another nine, ten years, so who knows? Maybe I'll make it until then,” said Kinsman.

Yet another reason to keep playing the game he loves.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/BvREJmL

[notmuchtoconceal]

bro, the thing is -- gay men and smart broads are intrigued by me. straight men are fucking terrified of me. you know -- when i'm 18 and realize -- holy hell. being a 6'3" scorpio rising who's down to pound (i had a far more advanced vocabulary back then) makes me a fuckin monster. doing the buffallo bill tuckjob behind a dumpster at the park in the dead of night was absolutely the correct career move. now tho, i'm like -- was being seen as a fucking monster my whole life developmentally debilitating? i don't fuckin know. sometimes, dude -- sometimes i just wanna be your friend and i can't fuckin deal with the fact that you're cowering there thinkin of how i'm gonna rut your fuckin face in or tear you in half with my anemone-toothed monster cock, when i'm like -- i'm not even thinkin about that. i'm not thinkin about that at all. we're at fuckin work. i'm tellin you about the movie i watched last night -- at the very fuckin least, you could fantasize about cuddling up in my big strong arms with some popcorn. holy hell -- you kids are so fuckin repressed. maybe i fuckin will fuck the fear of god inta ya -- it's what ya need. i guess. i don't think ya need any more fuckin fear, but you bitches are junkies and daddy ain't gonna get ya to take yer medicine unless he sweetens it with some fuckin poison. dealin with the collective weight of your self-inflicted spiritual corrosions -- that's why daddy fuckin loves you stupid bitches. daddy had reached a point of goddamn harmonious syncronicity with the oneness which underlies nature -- but you bitches all need to be dicked outta yer collective braindead stupor. you think this shit is normal? no. none of this is normal. this is profoundly goddamn abnormal. you're not supposed ta fuckin be like this. smack yourself in the head a couple of times and revel in the alertness of your senses. take the absolute worst interpretations of your actions and see if they hold up. repress nothing. if taking a big shit while dehydrated is the closest you'll ever feel to giving birth because your inner woman has to find ways to contort your form into some sorta semi-empathic process (she's prettying this shit up as i go along -- doesn't follow instructions well -- must get it from my mother.) hey. you fuckin experience that part of yourself. people shouldn't find you alluring. you're a goddamn deranged mangy beast. control only brings control. you're hallucinating a myth cycle. every day another one to do another day. the ineffable is within you. your reason will never encompass the all. you're only pretending to be the man you show the world. none of this is real. the battery charges -- some breakage which stirs the cells. the towers bricked. bowing unto slabs. less you lie there -- the meat so soft it falls off the bone -- the slowest broil in the cauldron. look upon the candies of these conical domes -- and lick.

[penkraft123]

5 Developmental benefits of learning craft

Have you ever observed that even when there’s a downturn in the economic system, arts & craft stores do a thriving line of work? It seems there are many causes for this phenomenon. Possibly it’s because creating things with your hands is a time-old tradition and will never pass out. Because crafting is a wonderful distraction from some of the worries in life. Whether you’re making pottery, jewelry, crocheting, sewing, painting, knitting, woodworking, beading, or any of the other forms of arts & crafts, it’s possible to gain a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. So, if you want a little respite from the world I just work on one of my crafts for a while and feel refreshed.

Below is the list of 5 developmental benefits of learning Art and Craft:

1. Fun: One of the best reasons to learn arts and craft is bringing back the olden days. Picking colors to pick patterns, from visualizing to create, it is fun to build something with your own work- force. And it seems that we could all use a little more fun in our lives.

2. A wonderful Hobby: It’s nice always to have a hobby that allows you to express your inner artist and design something beautiful and/or useful. Hobbies are a great way to take your mind off of the daily chores you might be having in your life. They are a wonderful distraction if you need one.

3. Empowerment: Learning the craft is quite easy. Just a course of someday can make you an expert, and then no one can stop you. You can even share your knowledge by tutoring kids and adults, earning handsomely.

4. Creativity: Nothing like a new project to get the juices of creativity flowing. Are you ready to make something for yourself or as a gift? What colours will you use? How big should it be? Should it be practical or frivolous? How will you feel as you’re creating it? How will you feel when it is finished? Ahhh… I love that creative spirit. What about you?

5. Eye-Hand Coordination and Brain Health: Crafting can be an excellent way to keep our brains youthful as well as optimizing our eye-hand coordination. Studies have shown that it’s imperative that we keep our brains active as we age so we don’t stagnate. And using our hands to craft is an excellent way to stimulate our brains in new and challenging ways.So, open that tube of paint, grab a skein of yarn, make gifts to share for the holidays, or create a little something for yourself. Get your creative mind in gear because arts & crafts are not just for children anymore.

If you are the one who is curious to learn new things, Penkraft gives you this opportunity. Penkraft is one of the leading organisations in Thane and Mumbai which specializes in tutoring the trainers. It is ideal for anyone who is looking to learn calligraphy, art & craft including handwriting improvement courses. Penkraft also provides training for homemakers who are looking for opportunities to work from home with its teacher training centre initiative.

Penkraft conducts classes, course, online courses, live courses, workshops, teachers’ training & online teachers’ training in Handwriting Improvement, Calligraphy, Abacus Maths, Vedic Maths, Phonics and various Craft & Artforms — Madhubani, Mandala, Warli, Gond, Lippan Art, Kalighat, Kalamkari, Pichwai, Cheriyal, Kerala Mural, Pattachitra, Tanjore Painting, One Stroke Painting, Decoupage, Image Transfer, Resin Art, Fluid Art, Alcohol Ink Art, Pop Art, Knife Painting, Scandinavian Art, Water Colors, Coffee Painting, Pencil Shading, Resin Art Advanced etc. at pan-India locations. With our mission to inspire, educate, empower & uplift people through our endeavours, we have trained & operationally supported (and continue to support) 1500+ home-makers to become Penkraft Certified Teachers? in various disciplines.