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art-sciencedesigns · 7 months
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The Joyful Digest: Your Weekly Dose of Gift-Giving Goodness @ https://aisdesigns.gift/crossword-puzzles/ #crossword #puzzles #NewYorkTimes #USA Today #solve
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todayswordle · 9 months
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Wordle Answer Today and Wordle Hint #762
Wordle Answer Today and Wordle Hint, Clue #762 for Friday, July 21st, 2023 is BURLY.
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letusbloomtogether · 1 year
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Enter to Samsung App store to get all these games for free. Here's the link below.
https://bit.ly/3Dqzk4j
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hotluncheddie · 2 months
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Wherever you go, that’s where I am.
lovely @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx mentioned writing some more mid 20s, slightly softer body steve <3 so here is: Five times Eddie loves Steve’s body and one time Steve loves Eddie’s 
wc: 3.5k | cw: none | rated: M | tags: established relationship, body worship, feral pining goblin eddie munson, chubby steve harrington, fluff, they're in love (so so so in love)
ao3
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1.
Eddie leaps back into the bed, mattress bouncing. He’s been hit with the post coital zoomies, which unfortunately go against Steve’s post nut ritual of passing the fuck out. 
But Eddie doesn’t mind. Not when Steve looks so soft, all curled up, laying on his side. 
Eddie cleans up, Steve teeters on the verge of sleep until Eddie’s finished and spoons him. It’s foolproof. 
He nuzzles into Steve’s shoulder, kissing over the skin and down his back. He traces over the scars at Steve’s hip, just like his own. It still makes Eddie shiver when he thinks about it sometimes, him and his boyfriend, connected like that. 
Eddie nuzzled in more and Steve lets out a sleepy groan. He’s so cute when he gets fucked boneless. Eddie would know, he’s the one that gets to do the fucking. 
Letting his hands roam further Eddie sneaks around to Steve’s stomach, stroking the soft hairs of his happy trail and letting his fingers press into the slight pudge that sits there now. It feels nice, like his Steve, relaxed and happy and safe. 
‘I like this’ Eddie says, giving the soft skin a squeeze. 
Steve grunts. ‘Wha?’ Eddie thinks he says, Steve’s face is smushed into the pillow. 
Eddie smiles, kisses his shoulder. ‘This.’ Eddie squeezes again, splaying his whole hand over it, pressing his fingers into the warm skin slightly. 
Steve just grunts again, turns his head to lay on the pillow properly. ‘I’ll go for a run tomorrow.’ He says, voice still rough with impending sleep. 
‘What?’ Eddie asks, because, huh? ‘Steve, I just said I like it.’ and Eddie scoots closer, tries to get a look at Steve’s face over his shoulder. 
He seems to be puzzling something out in his head, eyebrows slightly furrowed over his closed eyelids. ‘Oh.’ He says softly. ‘Kay.’ And he shimmies back into Eddie more, face smoothing out. 
Eddie squeezes him, tucking him up into his chest. ‘Yeah oh.’ He murmurs, kissing between Steve’s shoulder blades. ‘Silly.’ He adds fondly. Silly guy, how could he think Eddie sees him as anything other than the breathtaking, heavenly angel that he is? 
Steve just grunts again, resting his hand over Eddie’s on his stomach and falling dead asleep. His soft snores filling the room. 
Eddie resists the urge to bite his shoulder. Instead curling around him more and holding him as close as possible. Maybe they should talk about this at some point, why his mind went where it did. 
Not right now though. right now Eddie just lets himself drift off, lulled by the steady breathing of his most favourite person. 
2.
Eddie is going to erect an alter. And build a shrine. And kneel before it to give thanks. 
And it will all be dedicated to one, Bruce Springsteen. 
Eddie will never ever, cross his heart, ever complain about Steve playing ‘Born in the USA’ multiple times in a row. He’ll even put it at the top of his all time album lists. He’ll do it. He will. 
Because that album cover, that guy, those songs, inspired his Steve to look like that. 
And Eddie has never been a winner. But he hit the fucking jackpot today. Every day. All the days Steve will still let Eddie have him. 
The band had taken a trip into Chicago for some very exiting meetings. With Steve, angel that he is, offering to chauffeur so none of them would be too tired, and so they only had to spring for a hotel for one night instead of two. 
During said meeting Steve had been entertaining himself. The latest that Eddie got out of had been the longest and most exiting, so he’s happy. 
He’s maybe even happier though that Steve found such a productive way to entertain himself. 
Because Eddie too, is entertained. 
He’s waiting at Steve’s car, leaning against the front bumbler. And Steve, blessed, beautiful, jock that he is, had found the batting cages. 
Eddie’s going to write a song about blue jeans. He’s going to send Brucy a letter of thanks for causing Steve to cut the sleeves off his old grey crew neck. He’s going to need to get his mouth on Steve’s dick ASAP if he intends on walking over with his baseball bat over his shoulder the way it is, hips swaying, smug little smirk on his face. Maybe Eddie just needs a lobotomy, it’s all a little too much. 
Steve walks right past him, tapping him under the chin as he goes.
Eddie’s mouth was open, respectfully. 
Then he hears the boot click open, and Eddie quickly scampers around to the back of the car. 
Just in time to watch Steve bend over, putting the bat back, ass round and thick and filling up his jeans oh, so nicely. 
Eddie might have to write a whole album about blue jeans actually. Especially these new ones, a size or so bigger since high school, more room to let the full force of Steve show to the world. 
It’s just, there’s a certain level more bounce to it all now, and it makes Eddie kind of insane. 
And, oh, yep, Steve’s arching his back, okay. He wants Eddie to die, yep, like, actually die, for real. 
He’s not even really keeping up the rouse of pretending to be doing something. He’s just bent over with his back arched and his ass sticking out, shirt lifted just enough for Eddie to see the base of his spine. 
He’s doing it knowing Eddie’s looking. Knowing they’re in public. Knowing Eddie’s looking but they’re in public so Eddie can’t do anything. 
Menace. Brat. Evil. Evil. Evil. 
‘Boys are at the diner down the street. Said we’d meet them there.’ Eddie says, monotone, rough and with herculean effort. They need to go. He can’t do any of the many things he wants to to Steve right now. So they should go, for Eddie’s heart and soul and sanity’s sake. 
Eddie sighs, he really could look at this scene all day, but that would waste time, valuable, Steve and Eddie alone in the privacy of a room time. Which is sacred. 
‘We’ll be home by tonight you know?’ Steve says, leaning on the now closed boot. He’s taking pity on Eddie but he still looks a little smug, which is annoyingly, all, also hot. ‘C’mon, I’ll keep my hand on your thigh on the drive to the diner, the way you like.’ Steve murmurs, coming up behind Eddie and pushing him lightly, steering him towards the car. 
‘Home by tonight.’ Eddie parrots, his life line. He’ll be home by tonight, with Steve. Alone with just Steve, and he can do some of the many many things, whatever Steve will let him, whatever Steve wants.
3.
‘You come here often?’ Steve asks, grin loose and sloppy, eyes lidded. One arm resting on the doorframe next to Eddie’s head. Steve’s staring at his lips. 
Eddie smiles at him, tucks a lock of hair behind Steve’s ear. Cradling his cheek Eddie shakes Steves head slightly. ‘I do baby. I live here.’ And Steve giggles, tucks his head into Eddie’s neck, like this is the best news in the world. 
They’ve just got in from the bar, Steve crowding into Eddie’s space as soon as he got the door locked. Robin found a girl, away for the night. Steve had a couple more than normal to drink. 
Eddie can’t help but laugh along with him, kissing the side of his head and resting his hands on his hips to start walking them backwards towards their room. ‘C’mon big boy.’ He says, just to make Steve giggle more. 
Steve lifts his head back up, smile still big and loose, eyes still lidded. ‘Dance with me?’ He asks, like Eddie can’t tell he’s twenty minutes away for being passed out in bed, his fruity drinks always making him crash eventually. 
But Eddie can’t really say no to Steve, especially not when he’s like this, care free and blinding. When he’s beautifully alive. 
Eddie takes a step back, takes Steve’s hand and twirls him. Steve stumbles slightly, laughing again. 
With his arm up Eddie can see some of his soft hip and belly as his t-shirt lifts, can see that his jeans are unbuttoned. Which is not surprising since they’re practically painted on. Steve explained that he likes feeling Eddie up against him when they dance, likes the way Eddie’s eyes sharpen if someone looks a little too long. And oh, people look, it’s not just Eddie who notices how those jeans fit, how wonderful Steve always looks. 
But Eddie’s the only one who gets to see Steve like this. Home at the end of the night. When Steve needs that extra room, when he lets his soft parts breathe a little better. When he relaxes fully. 
That’s just for Eddie. And it’s the best part. 
Eddie twirls Steve again and lets him fall back into his chest. Giggles dying out slowly and breath coming deeper and slower. Steve hums, squeezing Eddie’s middle and breathing in the skin behind his ear. Steve leaves kisses down Eddie’s neck, a little wet, making Eddie shiver. Steve hums and does it again. ‘Love you.’ He whispers, holding Eddie close. 
Eddie squeezes back, his heart bursting. ‘Love you too baby.’ He says into Steve’s hair, into his bones, into all his soft wonderful edges. ‘Let me take my love to bed now, hm?’ He asks, dipping his hands into Steve’s back pockets, squeezing just to feel Steve tense and then relax against him. 
Steve nods, still in Eddie’s neck. One last kiss and he’s moving. Pulling Eddie by the hand through to their room. Kicking off his shoes and falling onto the bed with Eddie on top of him. Steve’s eyes already closed, breath already slowing and deepening. Like he knows Eddie will take care of the rest of their clothes, knows Eddie will tuck the blanket up around him, will hold Steve close all night. Knows Eddie will take care of him 
Because Eddie will. Always. 
4.
‘Looking good Munson.’ Steve says, jogging past Eddie, panting slightly, smacking Eddie on the ass. Making Eddie jolt and almost spill his coffee. 
He was leaning against the car door, face hidden in his arms because he’s just had to watch his very hot boyfriend complete his weekly work out at the park. Running, push-ups, the whole horrible lot. 
And its ass o’clock in the morning because Eddies vans broke and he needs a ride to work, but he wants his love to have hobbies and be happy and Steve can only get him there if Eddie came along to watch. So, really, Eddie can deal with the early morning but, he’s not sure if his dick can. 
Because ass. 
Ass, was right. 
And hip. And thigh. And bicep. And back. 
Steve is chugging his water, sweaty. His shirt is cropped, his shorts are short and he’s wearing a backwards baseball cap to keep his hair out of his face. 
He’s even got tube socks pulled up over his hairy calf’s. 
He looks like a spread from the magazine Eddie used to keep under his mattress. It was dog eared and kind of, maybe, a little bit.. Sticky. 
And Steve knows about the magazine. 
Steve knows what he’s doing to Eddie right now. 
Eddie glares at him over his largest they own coffee cup. It’s so early and the shirts a little see through. The shorts dig in to the softness at his hips, cut so high Eddie can see the smooth skin of his inner thighs. He watches the muscle and slight chub move when Steve shifts on his feet. 
Eddie walks up to him. Knocking his head between Steve’s beautiful, wonderful, hairy, sweaty pecs. Thud thud thud. 
Eddie groans. 
Why does his boyfriend have to be so stupidly, annoyingly hot right before work? 
Eddie wordlessly follows Steve’s lead and gets back in the car. He glares at the amused smile on Steves face, but then Steve checks all around to make sure the park is still blessedly empty and kisses Eddie sweetly on the temple. Eddie sighs, mollified, he can get over it. 
But then Steve puts his arm around the back of Eddie’s seat, swivelling to look out the back as he reverses. Eddie’s hit with his body heat and smell, all detergent and cologne mixed with sweat and musk and Steve. 
His broad chest right by Eddie’s head, a peak of pink nipple through white cotton, the chain Eddie got him for Christmas dangling into his chest hair. He’s so capable and in control, practical and smart and…
Eddie back at square one. He can’t get over it actually. It’s early and Steve is being a brat dressing like that. Being so hot on purpose. It’s so mean. 
‘You wanna stop for breakfast?’ Steve asks, voice light. 
‘Yeh.’ Eddie grunts, voice small, hands shoved in his jacket. 
‘What d’you want?’ and Eddie can hear the amused smile on Steves face again, his voice a little patronising. 
But Eddie doesn’t care. ‘You.’ He whines, resisting the urge to straddle Steve’s thighs and wrap his arms around his middle and squeeze him. He’d be so warm, and sweaty and soft and strong and perfect. 
They could just make out! Eddie could probably survive all day if he got a bit of tongue down his throat. 
‘Well, I’m getting a breakfast sandwich.’ Steve says, switching to drive and Eddie just whines again, burying his head in his hands. 
5.   
It’s a routine, Eddie doing this for Steve, to make sure his scars heal properly. They won’t ever fade fully but the ointment helps, the doctor said it would, and Eddie likes doing it. Sitting on the edge of the bed and having Steve stand between his thighs, shirt off before him. Eddie likes taking care of Steve like this. Likes that Steve lets him. 
‘You’ve got a new one.’ Eddie says, running the cream over Steve’s skin. 
Steve tenses, looks down at himself. ‘What?’ He asks, confused, a little stressed. 
Eddie hushes him, leans forward and kisses the skin below his bellybutton lightly, before smearing the cream there too. ‘Shh. Here.’ He prods the stretch mark that travels over the softness that now covers Steve’s hip bone, his fingers pressing into the give. 
Steve cranes his neck to look at it, squeezing the skin to inspect it. But he grips so hard, Eddie smacks his hand away gently. ‘Careful.’ He says. Petting over the redness Steve left. ‘That’s my sweetheart you're man handling there, show some respect.’ And he leans back to look up at Steves face. 
His cheeks are red and he looks annoyed, brows furrowed and lips pursed in a pout. ‘What is it love?’ Eddie asks, resting his hands on Steve’s sides. 
‘S’ugly’ Steve mumbles, moving his arms like he wants to cross them but Eddie shifts a little closer and Steve re routs to place them on Eddie’s shoulders with a sigh. 
Eddie kisses his stomach again. Kisses the stretch mark, the scars that travel over his waist. Does the same to the other side. ‘Nah.’ Eddie disagrees softly. ‘You’re beautiful Steve, all your marks are.’ And Eddie kisses his favourite mole, the one that sits below his left pec. ‘But this one’s my new favourite part.’ And he rubs his thumb over the red lightning bold, looks at Steve again. His eyes wide and glassy, his mouth relaxed into the pretties little ‘o’. 
‘Shows how much you’ve grown, how much you’ve healed. It’s all yours baby.’ And he watches Steve swallow, nod his head. 
Eddie goes back to spreading the ointment over Steve’s skin, taking his time, and when he’s finished he lays Steve down, pushing him into the mattress, breathing him in. Promising over and over that he’s so beautiful, so strong and amazing. That Eddie loves him, always has and always will. Until Steve believes him. Until every inch of skin is covered in kisses and praise. Until he’s writhing and panting in the sheets. Eddie kissing his tears away, their lips meeting, salty and slick. 
They fall asleep wrapped up in each other. Eddie almost fully drifted off but not before he feels a final, butterfly light peck on his throat. A little ‘thank you’ whispered into the skin. It’s so quiet he almost misses it. He pulls Steve closer, holds him tighter, and let's sleep take him. 
+1
On Sundays Steve makes breakfast. Or brunch, really, because they always sleep in. But breakfast food, late every Sunday morning. 
He always wakes up first anyway. So he starts cooking while Eddie gets another hour or so of rest. It’s like he stacks them up, needs them to get him through the week. The extra on Sunday allowing him a hour or two leeway for late night Eddie Time after his shifts. Steve doesn’t mind, lets him sleep. 
This week it’s french toast and scrabbled eggs, a little fruit, and, like every morning, coffee. 
Steve hears the telltale thud of Eddie stumbling out of bed. Hears his footsteps travel from the bedroom to the bathroom, and finally into their little kitchen. Where he feels sleep warm arms wrap around his middle. 
Steve smiles into the pan of eggs, Eddie resting his head between Steve’s shoulder blades and sighing. He always takes a long time to wake up, and he’s cute the whole time doing it. 
When he’s had his fill of squeezing Steve, sleepy hands wandering around his torso, head nuzzling against the soft cotton of Steve’s t-shirt, Eddie goes to pore himself coffee. Fills it with milk and sugar before shuffling over the the kitchen table. 
He sits in their creaky wooden chairs, huddled around his steaming mug, eyes bleary and hair a messy halo around his head. Eddie blinks his big brown cow eyes so slowly, staring at nothing. 
Steve turns off the burners and watches the soft spring light fall over eddies shoulders, leaving patches of yellow over his bare skin. Warming the mottled pinks and reds. A patch of light over his thigh, a golden window on the flannel of his low slung pyjama pants. 
his scars have healed well, even with all the grafting and scarring, the doctors managed to do enough to let him survive, let his body become what it is now. he’s stronger, looks healthier than he used to, all the physical therapy and three square meals a day gave him some more definition, more colour in his cheeks. but he’s still wiry, still pale and a little gangly, able to curl up into a ball or spread out and command a whole room. 
He has new tattoos too, stretching over scar and skin. Painting him on the outside with all the wonder and creativity he has swirling in his head. They’re so a part of him, such a perfect addition. The pale tones of pink contrasted with patches of inky black. 
Steve can’t believe it sometimes. That guy he saw in the lunch halls, the one he met in the upside down. Those awful months of Eddie in the hospital. To get to see him now, have him now, this Eddie Munson. His Eddie. 
Steve just. 
Steve can’t take it. 
He steps over, cradling Eddie’s cheeks between his hands. looks down and his loves face. Awed that he gets to see Eddie like this, before all that energy hits him, before his fingers start tapping and his feet need to move, to run, to jump. Gets to see him soft, and quiet and slow. Gets to see his eyes bright and glassy and teary and tired. Gets to see the hunch of his shoulders around his coffee mug, and the curl of his toes against the linoleum. Gets him at his rockstar and his sniffles, at his post work rant and his pre weekend buzz. 
He gets to see all of him. Hard and soft. Dark and light. 
It’s magical. 
‘I love you.’ Steve says, for the hundredth, thousandth time. Kissing Eddie on the lips for the millionth, trying to infuse him with everything Steve has, all the love, all the awe. Tries to put it all there in the kiss. 
When he pulls away Eddie’s sleepy eyes look that little bit brighter, his cheekbones dusted pink. The way they do sometimes when Eddie says Steve gives him “too much attention”. Like Eddie forgets, forgets how much space he fills up in Steve’s brain, his memories, his daydreams. How he can’t look at the sky day or night without being reminded in some way of Eddie. ‘So pretty.’ Steve traces his thumbs over the flush, the tips of Eddie’s ears, fingers trailing over his jaw and scarred neck. 
He kisses Eddie’s forehead and goes to plate the eggs, goes to finish their breakfast. Goes just so he can come back, hold Eddie’s hand, watch him wake up. 
He hopes to every morning. 
For as long as Eddie with let him. 
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tagging list: @pearynice @scoops-aboy86 @chickensinrainboots @cheesedoctor
also just bc i think you might enjoy: @babydollbaron @spectrum-spectre
title from the Maggie Rodger’s song ‘That’s where I am’ (it’s rly good u should listen to it)
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makethemhoesmad · 16 days
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Sorry this took me a minute to officially get out and so sorry if it’s bad. This is my first time actually releasing my writing for anyone to read other than me. It’s also kinda short because 1) I only worked on it for around a weekish and the latest episode parts of the night 2) I really wanted to get at least the prologue out before the end of the week which I did so yay me! But honestly if you have any tips, critiques or recommendations for the next part I will really appreciate it!! Enjoy lovelys🫶
🪐
(this has also not been proof read or really edited once I officially finish part one I will probably re-do this I have just been busy and wanted to get this done. I’m also not 100% sure about the title so if you have a opinion on that lmk babe)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take me home
prologue: Beginning of the end
Pairing: paige bueckers x Azzi fudd
Themes: promptly fluff
Warnings: none that i’m aware of!
June 26th 2018
(Paige’s pov)
It was the final week of the rounds for try-outs for team USA when we were split into two teams that we would be on this week. Some of the girls on my team I recognized from the previous try-out days.
There was one girl I didn't recognize, but she was pretty good from what i’ve seen. There wasn't any denying she was going to make the team. As I watched the girl walk over to the water table I had convinced myself to go and talk to her.
“Hey i’m paige” I extend my hand out giving the briefly smaller girl, who’s currently sliding on the jerseys we got during the beginning of try-outs.
"Oh" The girl slightly jumped. "Um sorry hi, Azzi" She smiled reaching her hand out to meet mine.
Her smile immediately lights up the room instantly causing me too return one to the slightly shorter girl. Once our hands meet the feeling of warmth they bring to my normally cold hands, and the instant feeling of comfort she brings me.
"-uh Paige?" Bringing me back from whatever I was a soft, and gentle voice calling out my name.
"Sorry, zoned out for a minute" I responded with a reassuring smile trying not to make it awkward. "But uh, Azzi like Jennifer Azzi?"
"Yeah, actually it is" Her comforting smile now bigger than before she explains while I just listen throwing in my thoughts here and there to keep our conversation afloat. But before I knew it, it had already been fifteen minutes and we were about to start practicing.
"-But uh fun fact! you’re the first person outside of my family to know where I got my name from" The now grinning girl confessed as we were walking to the baseline.
By the time we reached the other side of the court we then started running simple exercises and drills. Which had eventually got tiring enough before coach had finally ended today’s session.
"Okay ladies good practice, remember to get some rest and be prepared for tomorrow we will be splitting up starting tomorrow. And I believe that is all I have for you, you are dismissed" Coach explained for the following day officially ending practice.
Before leaving I caught up to the girl currently walking ahead of me before stopping her. "I think it's cool you know" I looked at the girl in front of me with a puzzled expression on her face.
"Your name. I think it's cool that you're named after someone that good" I couldn't help but smile at the girl before walking out of the arena in the hot summer air.
ahh! it’s finally out once again i’m sorry if it didn’t reach any expectations so please please let me know your thoughts and would appreciate your feedback! bye babe🫶
ong rhis is amazing
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roseate-felidae · 1 month
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My genuine domestic cat skull arrived yesterday!!!
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I have been after a domestic cat skull for ages. But they were always either bobcat skulls, replicas, vet teaching specimens (very dear) or in USA (but not shippable).
I did find one in the UK though and they have the small premolar behind the canine. Which domestic cats have but bobcats don't.
Original owner said they were from a feral cat colony. They were sold on to pay for her cats diabetic vet bills.
Just removing the hot glue from jaw today.
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In the display cabinet with some fossils, rabbits skulls, claws and teeth.
Also an old dragon ornament, hag stone, sea glass, bunny ornaments, blown glass lizard, dolphin and seahorse. A mini bunny puzzle, Anubis on "gold" plinth and Tim Burton easter bunny figure.
Gemstones are blue topaz, raw sapphire, mangonite, a meteorite, raw yellow topaz and amber with insect inclusion.
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Some of my fossils close up. They are Cave bear metapodial, two Spinosaur teeth, mosasaur tooth, and mosasaur teeth in jaw peice. There is also a plastic replica of a velociraptor claw (the other fossils are genuine though). I also have two ammonites out of shot (one with nacre).
I also have a guinea pig skull and a diaphonised fetal rabbit head on another shelf.
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Here are three of my skulls. Guinea pig on left, then two rabbits. Also bunny teeth. Older photo on windowsill, so no cat skull at the time.
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Diaphonised fetal rabbit head
@themarginalthinker kitty skull :3
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puddleofpins · 3 months
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Why Catnap/Theodore worships the Prototype
This theory contains spoilers for Poppy Playtime Chapter 3. Buckle up, this post is not short. tw for mentions of abuse, many mentions of Christianity/Catholicism and its teachings, enforced religious (specifically Christianity) doctrine, mentions of fictional torture/punishment and inhumane experiments
I’ve seen a few people noticing Catnap/Theodore Grambell was…religious in his devotion to the Prototype, and asking why he’s like this. There’s some hints and pieces to put together that puzzle
1. Catnap uses many words/phrases associated with Christianity (and pretty much all of its branched off religions) to refer to the Prototype and what he means to him. Such as:
• “Salvation”- which means liberation/given freedom from suffering, sin, and evil (referring to the experiments being done on the children by the scientists) This word is used 114 times in the Old Testament of the Bible
• “Rejoice in Him” - Luke 1:47: “and my spirit rejoices in God my savior”
• “my somniferous flock” - referring to Jesus, the son of God, being a shepherd of sheep and also his disciples (yes this does imply Catnap sees himself as a higher being, but only after he is turned into Catnap)
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2. Having a shrine to the Prototype, and holding his hands up in prayer/worship to him, like a priest or pastor (or now that I look at it, like Jesus is depicted in many statues)
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3. Punishing “heretics” like Dogday, who don’t believe in Catnap’s belief that the Prototype is their savior (this honestly even resembles crucifixion {a punishment used against criminals in the time of the origins of Christianity} with Dogday being held up in a ✝️-like position)
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But again, why does he do this? Theodore Grambell seems like a normal child up until then.
We gotta look at the location of Playtime Co.
Now, we haven’t yet been given an exact location, but in a poster in one of the prior chapters it says the Midwest, referring to the Midwestern region in America
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doing a few google searches, I found this
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Catholic churches, and (I’m assuming the orphanages they hosted) run on donations, and that’s why they are not taxed by the states that they’re in. Oftentimes these orphanages had extremely poor conditions because of low funding and in turn high rates of abuse and even death of the children.
Playtime Co. could’ve bought out countless Catholic orphanages with “donations” to the churches they’re connected to. This would’ve been extremely easy with the lack of regulations and the power of money
There aren’t anymore traditional orphanages in the states today, but 300 is not a number to scoff at. And I’m aware that orphanages in the USA were all closed by 1960, but Poppy was created in 1950. I believe that MOB Entertainment got wonky with the timeline for storytelling purposes because creating Living Sentient Toys in 1950 does not align with real life technological advancements.
What I’m getting at is: I believe Theodore Grambell and other orphans were bought from Catholic orphanages (not all of them of course, just a good chunk of the orphans). Either that, or Theodore was an orphan attending a Catholic school, who was then bought out by Playtime Co.
Think about it, at first, the Playcare must’ve been like heaven to little Theo, especially in comparison to the possible abuse he experienced due to being raised in a Catholic orphanage. Everything is colorful. The adults are so nice and caring, unlike those mean and strict nuns. There’s even toys who can talk and interact with them! All of their needs are provided for, and there’s even dedicated areas to play and have fun!
but then Theo probably starts to see the cracks in this oasis, this heaven:
• Playcare is literally underground and the children are not allowed to go outside
• Anytime one of the children experiences something horrific or abnormal because of a feature of Playcare/Playtime Co. (like Marie Payne who become Mommy Longlegs, or the mentioned “Kevin” in the third tape found in Ch.3) they’re never seen again
• The orphans being said “selected” by the doctors, instead of saying that they were adopted, in I believe the 4th tape
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And definitely a lot of other signs I haven’t mentioned, because there must’ve been much more than just what’s been listed.
So Theo starts to get a little wary of what’s around him, a little less trusting of the adults who have been taking care of him and his fellow orphans. This place becomes a little less like heaven and a little more false.
but then he meets a friend!!!!
{insert the picture Theo drew of the Prototype under his bed, because I’m on mobile and have already hit the limit of 10 pictures per mobile post}
A friend that only interacts with him. A friend that is only seen by him, only heard by him, that disappears whenever anyone else comes around. A friend that people don’t believe is real. A friend that sees and hears everything. A friend that gives him little missions because that friend has deemed him worthy of them.
Do you know who that friend sounds like?
God. Or one of the angels sent by God.
THEN on one of these missions, Theodore accidentally gets hurt. He’s electrocuted and close to dying, but his friend who was watching over him saves him from death.
And even after Theo almost dies, he stills tries his hardest to complete these missions give to him by his friend. Because why wouldn’t he? This friend is so special. This friend saved his life because Theo almost died trying to complete the mission he gave him. This friend who is so knowing to the point of being “divine”. This friend who is so similar to the “God” that the nuns he spent his early days with talked about nonstop, he has to be Him.
This leads to Theo being found out and taken as a test subject himself, and subsequently being turned into Catnap; which meant going through horrific and painful experiments. Theo may interpret this as “punishment from following the words and teachings of his God” (definitely an equivalent of Jesus being tortured before his death on the cross), so he might consider himself a bit of a martyr.
Now Theo is no longer a little human boy. Theo is Catnap, and Catnap is much more powerful than humans. He became Catnap because he followed what his Lord told him to do. He was reborn as Catnap because he was such a devoted follower, and now he can complete his Lord’s work even better than he could as a human (literally paralleling Jesus being resurrected).
If we want to get even deeper into this theory and the Christianity parallels, look at Theo’s age and when Catnap was created. It says on the wiki that he was born in the 1980s, and he’s 7 at the time he’s introduced to Playtime Co, which means the year is now 1987. Catnap is made in 1990. That’s 3 years. Jesus after he was beaten, tortured, crucified, and killed, was sealed in a cave. It took 3 days for Jesus to resurrect.
So yeah, Theo was a kid from a Catholic orphanage that was bought out by Playtime Co., who was indoctrinated into Catholicism because he was taught it at such a young age. He’s freed from a hell of an orphanage, to be brought to a false heaven, which leads him to meet his God. That’s why Catnap acts the way he does.
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rocky-finnegan-biskit · 5 months
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This is so cool I was doing a crossword puzzle from USA today and theyve been doing more lgbtqia+ stuffs and one of the answers for one of the hints, being "Experiencing little to no romanric attraction, for short" was "aro" and its a little dumb but that made my day better
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todayswordle · 9 months
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Exoplanets true to size
From the brightness variations of its host star, an exoplanet’s size and other properties can be determined. In order to avoid mistakes, the star’s magnetic field is decisive
700 light years away from Earth in the constellation Virgo, the planet WASP-39b orbits the star WASP-39. The gas giant, which takes little more than four days to complete one orbit, is one of the best-studied exoplanets: Shortly after its commissioning in July 2022, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope turned its high-precision gaze on the distant planet. The data revealed evidence of large quantities of water vapor, of methane and even, for the first time, of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of WASP-39b. A minor sensation! But there is still one fly in the ointment: researchers have not yet succeeded in reproducing all the crucial details of the observations in model calculations. This stands in the way of an even more precise analyses of the data. In the new study led by the MPS, the authors, including researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), the Space Telescope Science Institute (USA), Keele University (United Kingdom), and the University of Heidelberg (Germany), show a way to overcome this obstacle.
"The problems arising when interpreting the data from WASP-39b are well known from many other exoplanets - regardless whether they are observed with Kepler, TESS, James Webb, or the future PLATO spacecraft," explains MPS scientist Dr. Nadiia Kostogryz, first author of the new study. "As with other stars orbited by exoplanets, the observed light curve of WASP-39 is flatter than previous models can explain," she adds.
Researchers define a light curve as a measurement of the brightness of a star over a longer period of time. The brightness of a star fluctuates constantly, for example because its luminosity is subject to natural fluctuations. Exoplanets can also leave traces in the light curve. If an exoplanet passes in front of its star as seen by an observer, it dims the starlight. This is reflected in the light curve as a regularly recurring drop in brightness. Precise evaluations of such curves provide information about the size and orbital period of the planet. Researchers can also obtain information about the composition of the planet's atmosphere, if the light from the star is split into its different wavelengths or colours.
A close look at a star’s brightness distribution
The limb of a star, the edge of the stellar disk, plays a decisive role in the interpretation of its light curve. Just as in the case of the Sun, the limb appears darker to the observer than the inner area.  However, the star does not actually shine less brightly further out. "As the star is a sphere and its surface curved, we look into higher and therefore cooler layers at the limb than in the center," explains coauthor and MPS-Director Prof. Dr. Laurent Gizon. "This area therefore appears darker to us," he adds.
It is known that the limb darkening affects the exact shape of the exoplanet signal in the light curve: The dimming determines how steeply the brightness of a star falls during a planetary transit and then rises again. However, it has not been possible to reproduce observational data accurately using conventional models of the stellar atmosphere. The decrease of brightness was always less abrupt than the model calculations suggested. "It was clear that we were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle to precisely understand the exoplanets’ signal," says MPS-Director Prof. Dr. Sami Solanki, coauthor of the current study.
Magnetic field is the missing piece of the puzzle
As the calculations published today show, the missing piece of the puzzle is the stellar magnetic field. Like the Sun, many stars generate a magnetic field deep in their interior through enormous flows of hot plasma. For the first time, the researchers were now able to include the magnetic field in their models of limb darkening. They could show that the strength of the magnetic field has an important effect: The limb darkening is pronounced in stars with a weak magnetic field, while it is weaker in those with a strong magnetic field.
The researchers were also able to prove that the discrepancy between observational data and model calculations disappears if the star's magnetic field is included in the computations. To this end, the team turned to selected data from NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, which captured the light of thousands and thousands of stars from 2009 to 2018. In a first step, the scientists modeled the atmosphere of typical Kepler stars in the presence of a magnetic field. In a second step, they then generated "artificial" observational data from these calculations. As a comparison with the real data showed, by including the magnetic field, the Kepler data is successfully reproduced.
The team also extended its considerations to data from the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope is able to split the light of distant stars into its various wavelengths and thus search for the characteristic signs of certain molecules in the atmosphere of the discovered planets. As it turns out, the magnetic field of the parent star influences the stellar limb darkening differently at different wavelengths - and should therefore be taken into account in future evaluations in order to achieve even more precise results.
From telescopes to models
"In the past decades and years, the way to move forward in exoplanet research was to improve the hardware, the space telescopes designed to search for and characterize new worlds. The James Webb Space Telescope has pushed this development to new limits", says Dr. Alexander Shapiro, coauthor of the current study and head of an ERC-funded research group at the MPS. "The next step is now to improve and refine the models to interpret this excellent data", he adds.
To further advance this development, the researchers now want to extend their analyses to stars that are clearly different from the Sun. In addition, their findings offer the possibility of using the light curves of stars with exoplanets to infer the strength of the stellar magnetic field, which is otherwise often hard to measure.
IMAGE....Stars with low magnetic field strength exhibit a more pronounced limb darkening than those with a strong magnetic field. This affects the shape of the light curve. Credit MPS / hormesdesign.de
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geffenrecords · 11 days
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if anyone is curious . today in the USA today crossword puzzle 12 down is "homoerotic"
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28th September >> Fr. Martin's Gospel Reflections / Homilies on Luke 9:7-9 for Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: ‘He was anxious to see Jesus’.
Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel (Except USA) Luke 9:7-9 'John? I beheaded him; so who is this?'
Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.
Gospel (USA) Luke 9:7-9 John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.
Reflections (7)
(i) Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
It is said of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, at the end of today’s gospel reading that ‘he was anxious to see Jesus’. Why would a powerful ruler like Herod Antipas want to see a preacher and healer from a small village in Galilee? The gospel reading says that he was puzzled because of the various reports he was hearing about Jesus. He was asking himself, ‘Who is this?’ This is the same Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded in prison. According to Luke’s gospel from which we are reading, Herod did get to see Jesus on the eve of Jesus’ death by crucifixion. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod to get his view on this troublesome prophet. According to Luke, Herod questioned him at some length but Jesus gave him no answer. So Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and mocked him, putting an elegant robe on him in mockery and sent him back to Pilate. Herod’s curiosity about Jesus did not bring him to faith in Jesus. Yet, sometimes people’s curiosity about Jesus does bring them to faith. According to the gospel of John, Nicodemus’ curiosity about Jesus brought him to faith eventually. Even people of faith can be curious about Jesus and their curiosity can help to deepen their faith. There is much to be curious about when it comes to Jesus. There is such a depth to him that there is no limit to the questions we could ask in his regard. To believe is to see dimly, as Saint Paul says, and, as people of faith, we will always be trying to see more clearly. It is good to notice the questions that our faith gives rise to, questions about God, about Jesus, about the world. Exploring those questions can lead to a deepening of our faith, to a growth in our relationship with the Lord.
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(ii) Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
In the gospels different people are shown as reacting to Jesus in different ways. Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, was tetrarch of Galilee during the public ministry of Jesus. He ruled Galilee on behalf of Rome. In this morning’s gospel reading Luke gives us a portrayal of the way Herod Antipas reacted to Jesus. Luke says that when Herod heard about all that was being done by Jesus he was puzzled. He was asking himself the question, ‘Who is this?’ As a result, he was anxious to see Jesus. In Luke’s gospel Herod finally did get to see Jesus. In the course of the passion of Jesus Pilate sent Jesus to Herod for a second opinion but Luke tells us that although Herod questioned him at great length, in the end Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and mocked him. Herod was curious about Jesus, but his curiosity did not lead to faith. Yet, there were other people in the gospels who were curious about Jesus and whose curiosity eventually led them to faith. Nathanael and Nicodemus come to mind. Even for people of faith, there is much to be curious about in regard to Jesus. The question of Herod Antipas, ‘Who is this?’ is a good question for us all. It is a question that keeps us searching for Jesus. We always need to be searchers in his regard because we can never know him fully in this life. As Saint Paul says, ‘now we see as in a mirror dimly’. We are all on a quest to know the Lord more clearly so as to love him more dearly and follow him more nearly.
And/Or
(iii) Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Herod Antipas who features in today’s gospel reading was tetrarch of Galilee. On one occasion in Luke’s gospel, Jesus refers to him as a ‘fox’. Pharisees had come up to Jesus and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you’, to which Jesus replied, ‘Go tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons today and tomorrow and on the third day I will finish my work’. Luke would suggest that Herod was in fact hostile to Jesus and that Jesus had very little regard for Herod. Given that Herod had John the Baptist beheaded, we would not expect him to be overly sympathetic to Jesus. When we hear in this evening’s gospel reading, therefore, that Herod was anxious to see Jesus, we suspect that he didn’t really want to see Jesus to learn from him or to be enlightened by him. It was more a case of a certain kind of curiosity about this unusual preacher and healer. Not everyone who was anxious to see Jesus wanted to see him for the right reasons. In John’s gospel, on the other hand, there is a story of certain Greeks who come to Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, and say to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus’. Here indeed true searchers who really wanted to come to know Jesus more fully so as to follow him more closely. They were responding to Jesus’ invitation to ‘Come and see’. We can all identify with those Greeks who wanted to see Jesus, who wanted to know him more deeply. That is one aspect of our baptismal calling. It is true that we will never know the Lord fully in this life. As Paul says, ‘now we see as in a mirror dimly’. However, we can keep on growing in our knowledge and love of the Lord until that day when we see him face to face. The Lord knows us thoroughly, as the shepherd knows his flock, and he invites us to know him as deeply as he knows us. As he remains in us, he calls on us to remain in him.
And/Or
(iv) Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Herod mentioned in this morning’s gospel reading is Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great; he was tetrarch of Galilee during the time of the public ministry of Jesus. Luke portrays him as curious about Jesus. He has heard about all that is being done by Jesus and he is puzzled. He asks himself, ‘Who is this I hear such reports about?’ He is anxious to see Jesus. That kind of curiosity and puzzlement about Jesus can be the beginning of faith for some people. Yet, even those who have been people of faith all their lives, and know a great deal about Jesus, will continue to be puzzled by him, will continue to ask that fundamental question, ‘Who is this?’ and will continue to want to see him more clearly. We never exhaust the mystery of Jesus on this side of eternity. As believers, we will always be seekers in his regard. We seek to know Jesus more fully, not only with our mind but also with our heart. In the words of Saint Richard, a thirteenth century bishop of Chichester, ‘may I know you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly, day by day’.
And/Or
(v) Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Herod mentioned in this morning’s gospel reading is Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. He ruled Galilee on behalf of the Romans during the whole period of Jesus’ public ministry. He was responsible for the beheading of John the Baptist. In this morning’s gospel, it is said of him that he was puzzled or perplexed by what he was hearing about Jesus of Nazareth and, as a result, he was anxious to see him. The short gospel reading we have just heard is from Luke and in Luke’s gospel Herod does get to see Jesus and to meet with him. In the course of Jesus’ passion, Pilate sends him off to Herod for questioning. Luke tells us that at the end of Herod’s interrogation he and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt, and mocked him, putting an elegant robe on him for fun, before sending him back to Pilate. It seems that Herod’s curiosity about Jesus didn’t lead to faith in Jesus. Other people’s curiosity about Jesus did lead them to faith. Nicodemus and Zacchaeus come to mind. Curiosity, puzzlement, the desire to know more about Jesus, can be a good starting point for faith. Indeed, those of us who consider ourselves to be disciples of Jesus, people of faith, will often retain that sense of curiosity and puzzlement about him, that desire to know him better. Saint Paul, who met the risen Lord, could say, ‘I want to know Christ’. As the revelation of God in human form, Jesus is infinitely fascinating. He will always puzzle us; we will always be searching for him. It is in our searching that we find him more fully; it is in our desire to see him with the eyes of our heart and mind that we will come to know more completely.
And/Or
(vi) Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
In the gospels curiosity can sometimes be the first step on the path to faith. The person of Nicodemus in John’s gospel comes to mind. He came to Jesus by night, under cover of darkness, because he was curious about him. At the end of John’s gospel he is found alongside Joseph of Arimathea, arranging a dignified burial for Jesus. Curiosity and the questions that arise from it can open us up to faith or to a deeper faith if we are already people of faith. In this morning’s short gospel reading, Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee, is curious about Jesus. He is full of questions about this man Jesus on the basis of the reports he has heard about him. ‘Who is this I hear such reports about?’ Luke tells us in the gospel reading that Herod was anxious to see Jesus. It is only in Luke’s gospel that Herod does get to see Jesus. During the passion of Jesus, Pilate decided to send Jesus to Herod for an opinion, because Jesus was from Galilee, Herod’s territory. Herod got his wish to see Jesus. However, Luke tells us that Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and mocked him before sending him back to Pilate. In Herod’s case, curiosity did not lead to faith. The questions generated by our reason, on their own, do not bring us to faith. Faith is ultimately a gift from God. It is given to all but to receive this gift we need to become like little children, as Jesus said. We need to acknowledge our poverty before the Lord and entrust ourselves to the gift he is offering us, which is none other than the gift of himself. As Jesus states in the first beatitude, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’.
And/Or
(vii) Thursday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s gospel reading we hear that people had various views about who Jesus was. The three views that are mentioned all have one thing in common. Jesus is considered a prophet of the past come back to life, whether that be John the Baptist who had been recently executed, or Elijah or some other ancient prophet. This must have been how many people saw Jesus, as a prophet in the line of the prophets of old. It is how Muslims and, many Jews, continue to see Jesus today. He is a great prophet. Luke, from whose gospel the reading is taken, would acknowledge that there is some truth in this understanding of Jesus. Jesus stands in the tradition of those prophets who proclaimed God’s word to God’s people. Yet, for Luke and for the early church as a whole, there is more to Jesus than just one more prophet from God. The question of Herod Antipas in this morning’s gospel reading, ‘Who is this that I hear such reports about?’ is a valid question. Shortly after this gospel passage Luke gives us his account of the Transfiguration of Jesus in the course of which God says of Jesus, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen’. This had never been said of any prophet. Jesus had a more intimate relationship with God than any of the prophets before him. God was more fully and powerfully present in Jesus than in any of the previous prophets. It is because we believe that Jesus is God’s Son that we seek to listen even more attentively to his word and allow that word to shape our lives.
Fr. Martin Hogan.
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mandsleanan · 1 month
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“I would rather take in a fur baby than create a new life,” says Lynn, a 35-year old who’s highly content with her pet dog. Her feelings are echoed by many, as evidenced by a 2023 survey conducted by USA Today and OnePoll where 67% of respondents aged 18 to 26 chose to get a dog instead of having a child.
Family structures are rapidly changing and pets are often considered equivalent to, and, in some cases, better than having children. Consequently, people are choosing to become “pet parents,” taking on a parental role and factoring their pets into major decisions about their career, housing choices and romantic relationships.
Despite facing social pressure to continue their bloodline and do things more conventionally, people opting to be pet parents often delay having kids or choose to not have them at all.
Here are four reasons why people prefer to be pet parents, according to research.
1. Pets Offer Companionship With Flexibility
Individuals weigh several factors when choosing between companionship from pets or children, including career demands, financial considerations, time constraints and convenience. The USA Today and OnePoll survey revealed that over 80% of dog owners found that caring for dogs was easier and, as a result, chose not to have children.
A 2017 study published in Sociological Inquiry found that a majority of the women in the study enjoyed the rewarding company of their pet and reveled in the flexibility that came from being a pet parent.
“If you give them attention they are good for the rest of the day, they don’t have problems. We can still do what we want to do but we have these cute furry little people that are excited to see us when we get home. I just don’t have the desire to have a screaming baby right now. I would rather have a barking dog,” said Emma.
Emma, a 24-year old with two dogs, cited her social life and preference to spend time alone with her husband as her reasons to not have human children for now. Her flourishing career had made her wary of the possible challenges of having a child.
Her thoughts were reiterated by other participants, highlighting the value pets hold as comparatively hassle-free companions.
2. Pets Fulfill The Desire For Parenthood
Many individuals face challenges when trying to conceive. In fact, fertility rates have been declining globally over the past few decades. The global fertility rate stood at 2.3 in 2021, marking a stark decline from the global fertility rate of 5.3 observed in 1963.
Couples who are unable to conceive often experience a void, which leads them to explore alternatives to raising a child. For couples constrained by circumstances, owning a pet can provide a meaningful alternative to having children—offering hope, solace and a sense of fulfillment.
3. Pets Satisfy Evolutionary Needs
Opting to be pet parents instead of having children seems to be an evolutionary puzzle since individuals are foregoing their biological directive to reproduce. However, a 2021 study concluded that individuals choosing to delay or forego this inner drive are able to meet their need to nurture by raising pets instead.
Researchers suggest that a key human trait is “alloparental care,” or parental care toward a young one that is not the individual’s direct offspring. Indeed, humans can reap the benefits of alloparenting a different species through animal adoption campaigns and products.
Furthermore, if nurturing rather than parenting is a fundamental need, it can be fulfilled by pets without the full-time demands of biological offspring. Individuals can choose to meet their nurturing needs based on resource availability, support networks and personal choice.
Half of the participants in the Sociological Inquiry study described themselves as actively “nurturing” their pets or viewing them as outlets for their mothering instincts.
“Without having a child to raise, it gives me that care for something that I otherwise would not have. And I think I didn’t realize how helpful that would be for me until I had Sam,” said Hannah, a 36-year old woman, highlighting her love for her dog, Sam.
4. Pets Improve Mental Health
Pets have a positive impact on their owners’ mental health. A 2024 poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association found that pets caused:
84% of respondents to experience positive mental health
62% of respondents to experience a reduction in stress and anxiety
62% of respondents to feel calm
Pets tend to offer comfort, reduce feelings of loneliness and regulate the intensity of negative emotions. Their presence also acts as a constant source of emotional support. Pets aren’t just our tail-wagging pals, but custodians of unconditional love.
Ultimately, the decision to become a pet parent over having children is a personal choice that should be considered carefully. While pet parenting offers unique rewards, it is not without its challenges. Carefully consider both sides of the coin and choose the path that best aligns with your values, lifestyle and aspirations.
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sloggervlogger · 2 months
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Nutty Antics Prague's Silverback Richard's Hazelnut Challenge by SloggerVlogger *Today the well known Silverback Richard ( November 9th, 1991) from the Prague Zoo. * Richard is coming up from the back to get some left over food. One leg up for extra reach to grab it. He made his way to the food puzzle which have some Hazelnuts in them. He uses a small stick to get the nut to the hole, so it drops to the bottom. He moves to the other site while cracking a nut. Always keeping an eye out towards the camera. As he's quite camera shy and doesn't really like them. So I have to be a bit careful to stay further away from the window. Luckily I can zoom in a bit without him getting disturbed. He uses the stick again in his massive hand to try to get the nut out. When it hasn't got quite the length he tries with a twig, but that's far too short, so he takes a big tree branch and prepares a new stick. He tries and modifies it again to fit better. It doesn't take him long to get the nut through the hole. One of his son's is in the back doing the same. As Richard moves, he got something stuck under his foot, which he removes. He goes into the corner to have his tasty bark. Richard has retired from family life. He had seven offspring and is now only living with his two son's Kiburi and Nuru. The Prague Gorilla series continues next Thursday. Playlist of all the Prague gorillas including an introduction to the troop: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXC1aShJSBiV0naHlsnOJKSgeyuEVnP_6 #PragueZoo #Silverback 🛍️Gear up with exclusive merch from our worldwide delivery shop: 🦍Check out rawshutterbug Redbubble for a variety of T-shirts, stickers, apparel, homeware, and much more: 🛍️ https://rb-ambassador.pxf.io/Gorillas #AD #redbubbleambassador 🦍Express yourself with customizable T-shirts, stickers, apparel, homeware, and more from rawshutterbug Zazzle: https://www.zazzle.com/collections/gorilla_gallery-119832843969795462?rf=238978496872225031 🦍Amazon USA 🇺🇲 Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/sloggervlogger #Ad #AmazonAssociate 🦍 Amazon UK 🇬🇧 Store: https://amzn.to/47mDmbA 📷Join the adventure on my travel channel, exploring zoo hyperlapses, walkthroughs, and animal habitats and more. https://youtube.com/@MSVRVisualTravel?sub_confirmation=1 🌐My website: https://msvrvisual.weebly.com/sloggervlogger.html And guess what? Some of the links above and in the video are affiliate links! When you make a purchase, I earn a commission without any extra cost to you. Your support means the world to me – thanks for dropping by and watching and commenting. via YouTube https://youtu.be/Lc4i6x4gK0o
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beardedmrbean · 1 year
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WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Tuesday sided unanimously with a deaf student who sought to sue his school for damages over profound lapses in his education, a case that experts say could give parents of disabled students more leverage as they negotiate for the education of their children.
Central to the case was the story of Miguel Perez, who enrolled in the Sturgis Public School District at age 9 and brought home As and Bs on report cards for more than a decade. Months before graduation, Perez's parents learned he would not receive a diploma and that aides the school assigned to him did not know sign language. 
Though the legal question raised by the case is technical, its outcome "holds consequences not just for Mr. Perez but for a great many children with disabilities and their parents," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the unanimous court.
What to know about the Supreme Court's special education decision 
The case, Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, involved the interplay between two federal laws, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. At issue was whether students may sue a school for damages under the ADA when they haven’t exhausted the administrative process required by the IDEA.
In the unanimous decision Tuesday, the high court ruled that Perez didn't need to exhaust the requirements of the IDEA process before filing a lawsuit for damages under the ADA.  
The decision may help parents and schools clarify one piece of a byzantine puzzle of laws that govern the nation's 7.2 million special education students. Experts have predicted it may give parents more leverage in their negotiation with schools. 
What happened with Miguel Perez?  
Perez's journey through the 3,000-student school district in Sturgis highlights the challenges faced by many students who have disabilities.
His family alleges school officials misrepresented the qualifications of his aide. They say that aide, in later years, was assigned to other duties, leaving Perez unable to communicate with anyone for hours every day. And Perez was promoted through each grade level despite not having a grasp of the curriculum, his attorneys say.
Perez filed a complaint with Michigan officials in 2017 alleging his school violated state and federal laws, including the IDEA. Before that complaint was resolved, the district offered to settle, agreeing to pay for Perez to attend the Michigan School for the Deaf. 
Perez's family took the settlement.
His family then sued the district under the Americans with Disability Act for discrimination, seeking unspecified monetary damages. A federal district court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Perez had not exhausted the required IDEA process because he accepted the settlement. A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit agreed. Perez appealed to the Supreme Court in late 2021.
What do school districts say about the impact of the Perez case? 
Art Ebert, the district's superintendent, declined to address the claims raised in the suit – he wasn't leading the district when Perez attended Sturgis – but he said in an email earlier this month that because of the experience the district would "gain knowledge, insight, and understanding that will help us maximize every student's true potential."
Schools say they are concerned that allowing parents to sue for damages more easily will inject a legal battle over money into the IDEA process, which is intended to quickly address students' needs. School districts might be forced to approach that process differently if their actions could be used against them in a suit for damages. 
Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director of the School Superintendents Association, told USA TODAY this month that she worries such a ruling would lead parents "to prioritize money from the districts over educational services" and create "a culture of litigation."
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