#we made a chat group

[the-stray-storyteller]

This is a rant about the built-in cultural bias that is there in my drama club. I’ve told this story to everyone around me already but it’s still boiling in my brain, so now Tumblr gets it.

I joined my college's drama club as a scriptwriter. It's been two semesters. Two. And I have done nothing even remotely related to writing. Not one discussion. Not one script. Nothing. Just vibes and disappointment.

Now here's where it gets worse: the entire club is dominated by Marathi speakers. That isn’t the issue. The issue is that they make zero effort to include anyone who doesn’t speak the language. I mean zero. Like if you're not part of the Marathi-speaking circle, you might as well not exist.

Our debut play? Full-on Marathi. Script already written. No room for writers anyway. But the problem wasn't just that the script being ready—it was why the hell was it in Marathi? This was a FIRST YEAR welcome production. Meant to bring everyone together. Instead it excluded every single person who couldn't understand what was going on. So tell me, how’s that inclusive?

Then during a college event, I got put into a group to make signs and decor for our stall. I missed two meetings because I was literally sick with a fever and heatstroke. But I still sent in the majority of ideas and laser cutting files. Still contributed. And yet I was the one the seniors decided to call out for “not doing anything.” Meanwhile, a guy who sent one idea and made one file just slipped under the radar. No criticism. No accountability. Just me being used as the punching bag. I tried to explain the group chat stopped being used, there was a communication gap—they didn’t care. They didn’t want to hear it.

And THEN, on the day of the event, I was in the first shift to set up the stall. Everyone else there was speaking instructions in Marathi. The entire time I just stood there, confused, unable to help, while they laughed and chatted in a language they know I don’t understand. I tried to join the convo—they’d talk to me for like one sentence, then bounce back to their group talk. This happens in meetings too. One person starts in Marathi, someone else responds, and then it’s like the whole meeting shifts languages and I’m just...there. Invisible.

Then comes Maharashtra Day. Surprise surprise, we’re doing another play. In Marathi. And you know what? It kinda makes sense—for that day. But let’s look at the bigger picture here: our college has had six cultural events so far. Guess how many the drama club participated in?

Three. And those were:

Onam (in English, thankfully but it's a most popular event out of all of them)

Ganeshotsav (also in English, but very Marathi-coded)

Maharashtra Day (Marathi play + the drama club is literally co-hosting and promoting the whole event)

What happened to:

Pongal?

Sankranti?

Durgotsav?

Baisakhi?

Nothing. They didn’t do a single damn thing for those. Didn’t perform. Didn’t promote. Didn’t care. Didn't give it a thought.

So yeah, even if the Ganeshotsav play was in English, the theme and energy was still Marathi-centered. Yeah, Pongal was non-marathi but it was the most popualr event, this was for pure publicity. And then they go ALL OUT for Maharashtra Day—doing plays, co-hosting, hyping it everywhere—while pretending like the rest of the cultural calendar doesn't exist. That’s not “celebrating culture,” that’s just picking favorites.

These cultural events are meant to share culture, not gatekeep it. What’s the point of doing a play in Marathi for Maharashtra Day when the whole idea is to introduce the culture to people who don’t know Marathi? Who are you even performing for—yourselves?

Let’s call it what it is: systemic exclusion dressed up as fake inclusivity. This whole “we’re all one big club” vibe? Yeah, no. Not when the language, the leadership, and the spotlight are reserved for a select group while the rest of us are pushed to the sidelines.

And here’s the cherry on top: I’m the only writer in the team who can’t speak or understand Marathi. There’s one other girl who can understand but not speak it. So what are we even doing here? Because it feels like they just keep me around to say “Look! We’re diverse!” without actually treating me like part of the team.

Newsflash: you won’t have your token next year.

Anyway, I’m tired. That’s the story. Thankyou for coming to my ted talk.

[ilovecoelacanths]

what if i told you guys i actually decided not to drop out of college

[spark-circuit]

(said in Wise's voice) "Maybe it was a mistake letting Anby borrow our subscription password for that movie..."

[midnightwind]

you guys like me going off on random DA tangents and musings, right?? because I've been awake too long so you're getting another one

I have been sat here trying to figure out Why Lucanis' prison looks like a bunch of ice and why it was so far away from the "lab" settings for a while now. (arguably two rooms fit this description, the one where Lucanis tells you about Zara and the one right outside his phylactery room) Like, even without that bridge being broken, it's in such a bizarre corner of the Ossuary. And I mean, it wouldn't really matter with a normal prisoner, but Lucanis was a notorious Crow and mage killer on top of that, plus he was Zara's special little guy to fuck with. You would not want to take him for a long walk to experience the worst shit on earth every few days. Maybe it's close enough to the little room where he mentions Zara and maybe she wanted him close to the door so she didn't have to go far to torture him, but again, leaving such a challenging subject close to the exit seems like a bad choice. You want him to have to get through so many guys and doors before escaping so you have time to take him down.

This also ignores the magic required to leave, but they're not clear on what that is and not all the Venatori are mages so there's gotta be a mundane way out he could snatch off a guard. I digress, the whole ice cage and far off room doesn't make sense. But we know they were shipping demons to Zara. (I'm pretty sure the few demons you confront in Minrathous were Zara's little pets set loose so we can assume she wanted them in the capital for the eventual Venatori coup on the crown) If Zara was about to be stuck in Minrathous for the foreseeable future, setting things into motion for Elgar'nan, I could see her wanting her pet Crow at her side. Especially if you consider the initial idea for Lucanis: he was going to be a mind controlled murder puppet before you break him out.

Sure, Spite didn't crack open his ribcage and crawl out like some new horror, but having a demon in Lucanis lets her control him via the phylactery if not just outright with her blood magic. Maybe his will was too strong for mundane control, but the phylactery works. We know it works based off of Lucanis' dialogue about it. So we know she had a surefire way to keep him under control. (There's a whole other post exploring the amount of dead Venatori and the fact that Lucanis still has his leathers and weapons [which would make sense if he was Zara's murder puppet, but alas] and whether Lucanis recently made a break for it or if the loose demons/spirits/undead killed them all) Maybe he kept his leathers because Zara wanted him presentable upon delivery, I don't know.

But I do think he was being prepped to move. The Ossuary is falling apart, Zara is pulling all the best results, they're losing personnel and servants without being given more; Zara was clearly moving on from that location. But she wanted her little Antivan prize. He's too dangerous to move normally, a Crow is likely to escape if given an inch especially a skilled one like Lucanis, so they need to lock him down somehow. Ropes and chains aren't reliable, not with a Crow, but he's not a mage. You can use magic. You can literally put him on ice. I think they were packaging him up in an ice cube and doing it next(ish) to the door so they could more easily move him. I think Zara was going to take him and his phylactery to Minrathous and use him to cause some absolutely ruthless mayhem in the city before her cult took it over.

I think Rook showing up weakened the spell being cast just enough for Lucanis and Spite to break out, and I think it saved a whole lot of lives.

[intramoon]

She could be tying her hair back for any number of reasons ...

[cursed-creationist]

Ink Kinnies (A defense)

Hey y’all!! I think we need a chat about some UTMV kinnies. Specifically Ink kinnies! Because. WHAT THE FUCK. WHY DO THEY GET SO MUCH HATE. HELLO??

People are allowed to feel connected to characters however they want! Why is it OUR business whether someone relates to positive or negative traits. It helps people cope, and sometimes even seek help!

I’ve met a lot of Ink kinnies over my years. I’m mostly a silent tumblr user. But I get around. There’s been some good ones, some bad ones, some neutral ones! But calling all of them ENERGY VAMPIRES?? Stating that they give NOTHING in return? That they’re all SELFISH?? All because of ONE PERSON. Who, by the way, HASN’T DONE ANYTHING YOU’VE CLAIMED!! Where’s your evidence? Where’s your proof? Why did you feel the need to try and ruin the platform they’ve built? Why is it your business to bring up the past? Why is it your business to spew LIES.

Plus, last I checked, you STALKED the person you’re trying to attack. And also threatened a friend of theirs! And you thought you could get away with it, because this platform is so vast and wide. Nice try.

Also they are DELUSIONAL(/nm). NOT A KINNIE, EVEN! WHAT THE HECK DUDE!!

Ink doesn’t want to be soulless. He wants to love. He doesn’t want to be at the creator’s beck and call. It’s even canon by Comyet that he has CRIED. Over not being able to do something. Because it was in the script.

Ink is a beautifully complex character, a character that many see themselves into because of imposter syndrome, of feeling like an outcast. Like a part of you is missing and rotten and you so desperately want to fix it but. You can’t. But these people are capable of love. They just need help to access it. People are complex.

I would put my trust in an Ink kinnie. And I have, according to your standards. And I don’t regret it at all. Let people be people. Let people relate to the good and the bad.

Let people live how they choose, for creator’s sake!

And next time you want to bring someone down because you’re obsessed with them, seek therapy.

[samaraxmorgan]

I doodled a little Sukuna on the whiteboard at work and when I came back from my delivery the other driver drew Gojo I love it here

[nebulastarss]

My experience with being aroace:

Me at 13: I've never been good at telling the difference between romantic and platonic love, so I'll just say I'm pan till I figure it out

Me at 14 near the end of that same year, reading the asexual definition: Oh ok that makes sense. Haha, no wonder I think everyone's so overwhelmingly horny.

Me, later: there's different ones for romantic attraction?? Panromantic asexual till I figure that out too I guess.

Me, discovering aromantic: oh. Well, I should've guessed that really.

[gaygatsbyy]

I got cock blocked so hard last night by my coconut allergy.

[vile-br4t]

Just one time I’d like to do the thing stupid men do where they try to mass message a girl and start a group chat but! I want to make a fake account so, when I ultimately get embarrassed leaving all my hoes alone in a group chat, I can still see the shit being talked - under an alias so there’s no filter, it’s genius

[huellitaa]

chat is this flirting am i being flirted with

[arcane-vagabond]

.

[boatboys]

Ohoho I'm excited by book 2, but that's a monster length. How many words is book 1 again? For comparison. Also, separate thought, where do the short stories fit on the timeline between books 1 and 2?

Shit, I had not actually checked until now! But it looks like AtS was about 185.5K. So at the current length of 395K, the next one is more than twice as long. I need to lie down!!! How and why do we do this to ourselves, haha.

RE: timeline, all the little novellas so far (with the obvious exception of Midnight Chicken) will fall between the two! The next one (working title Run Aground) takes place approximately a year and change after Taste of New York.

[heretherebedork]

I might not be in any group chats (by choice) but I do have friends and I am very loved and I give assignments to get them to watch shows sometimes, lol.

[lordsardine]

[thatscrazyrandom]

Why can no one be normal about Lando Norris omfg