themeowingfox

[themeowingfox]

:3

Team Crystals.

Coming at ya (maybe)

[themeowingfox]

Activism is not cold-calling.

Activism is not cold-calling, and this is critically important to understand.

I'm seeing a lot of posts on here about 'building bridges' and 'finding community,' and then (extremely valid) response posts saying "BUT HOW??" And I'm going to explain something that can be very counter-intuitive: there is strategy involved in community.

As a longtime volunteer labour organizer, I’ve taken and taught many trainings on the strategy of talking. Something that surprises a lot of people is the very first thing you do in a union campaign. You sit down with your organizing committee, take out pen and paper, and literally map it out. You draw a physical map of the workplace: where are the entrances, exits, break rooms, supervisor offices. Essentially, ‘where is it safe to have a union conversation.’ Then you draw another physical chart of your coworkers. You sort out who is union-friendly, openly hostile to unions, or somewhere in the middle, and then you plan out very deliberately and carefully who talks to whom and in what order.

Consider: If Vocally Leftist Jane walks up to Conservative David and says "hey what do you think about unions," David is going to shut down immediately. He's not inclined to listen to Jane. But if Jane talks to Moderate Jason and brings him into the fold, then Jason is a far more effective strategic choice to talk to David, and David may actually hear him out without an instant reaction.

IMPORTANT CAVEAT: If Conservative David turns out to be Alt-Right David, and could be dangerous to follow organizers, we write him off. We are not trying to reach Alt-Right David. We are trying to reach Conservative David, who may actually be persuaded to find solidarity with other employees as fellow workers. Jason is a safe scout to find out which one he is. It does no one any good if Leftist Jane (or even Moderate Jane who is a visible minority) talks to Alt-Right David and puts herself on his radar. Not only has she done nothing to convince Alt-Right David to join a union - she's probably actively turned him against the idea - but now she's also in danger and the entire campaign is at risk. NOBODY WANTS THIS. Jane was NOT a hero for doing this. The organizing committee was foolish and enacted a terrible strategy to everyone's detriment.

Where you can make a difference is with people who will listen to you. You having a conversation with your well-meaning but clueless Centrist Democrat Auntie, and maybe gently helping her understand some things the media has been glossing over, is way more strategically useful than you marching up to MAGA Neighbour You've Met Once and trying to "build community" or "understand" them. They don't care. They're impervious, dangerous, and cruel. But maybe your beloved auntie will think about what you said, and then talk to her friend Anna who IDs as "fiscally conservative" but didn't vote because she can't bring herself to get on board with Trump. Then perhaps Anna talks to her brother Nic who has MAGA leanings but isn't all the way there yet. Proto-MAGA Nic would not have listened to you, nor would he have listened to Centrist Democrat Auntie, but he might absorb some of what his sister is saying.

This is not a cop-out or an echo chamber. This is you spending your time and energy strategically and safely. You are not a useful activist to anyone if you’re dead. Anyone who is telling you to hurl yourself directly at MAGA assholes like cannon fodder has no understanding of the strategy behind community building, and you should feel comfortable writing them off.

Last point: If you are tired, emotionally devastated, and/or in danger: take a break. This post is for people who would feel better jumping into action, not for people who are too overwhelmed to even think about it right now. You are worth so much even if you’re not actively Doing Activism, and your rest is worth more than “a break period so you can recharge and Do More Activism.” We all deserve the individual dignity of being worthy of comfort, rest & safety just on the basis of being human, outside of whatever we're doing for others' benefit. To deny ourselves that dignity is to devalue ourselves, and that’s the absolute last thing any of us should be doing right now.

[themeowingfox]

Iran and Israel are at war now and this war has diverted attention from Gaza and the massacres happening there. Gaza is still suffering. In fact, it is getting worse every day and all the news is about the Iran and Israel war. Gaza is no longer important, it no longer exists. I ask myself, are we human beings like you or are you different from us? Why is this? Why are we no longer important? You share sports and funny things but do not share posts of people whose children are dying in front of their eyes. Tumblr users make me feel that you will never forget us and will stand with us by donating to my family who lives a life full of so much pain and share so it reaches those who can contribute to the donation. Thank you to all the countries and all the people who donated to me so that my family and I can live a simple life and escape death, hunger and fear. Don't forget the pride month so you must be good for this month.

[themeowingfox]

Well!

So first, let's clear a common misconception: no, President Abraham Lincoln did not love Black people nor see them as human equals. At best he was centrist about it (though, even his implication that 'exceptional' Black men ought to vote got him assassinated).

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do, it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union...I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free."

The "freeing of slaves" after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 was meant to kneecap the economic and military powers of the seceded South. Lettuce stop making a white savior figure out of Lincoln, or thinking that my people's shackles were unchained via anything other than desperate war strategy and extreme violence. Think on that, for a moment.

That being said!

But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas.

Consider going through the Smithsonian website to learn about Juneteenth! Recognize why it's an actual day of freedom, versus July 4th and the independence of a select few.

[themeowingfox]

You see

I would do a funny poll like everyone else around in the community

But I already know who'd win that by a landslide lol it's Lief

[themeowingfox]

📢 ISRAEL HAS KIDNAPPED ALL 12 CREW ON BOARD THE MADLEEN HUMANITARIAN AID SHIP 🚨

Earlier this evening, the IOF boarded The Madleen humanitarian aid ship, headed to break the siege on Gaza.

As a result, 12 foreign nationals have been kidnapped by the IOF and their fate is currently unknown.

You can help.

You can contact the relevant ministries of foreign affairs for the crew on board The Madleen and also the UK foreign ministry as this was a UK flagged ship.

This is a violation of international law and an attack on the UK's sovereignty.

The crew on board The Madleen also reported white "paint" being poured on them and it's unknown what this substance was.

Please write to your local representatives and the relevant ministries of foreign affairs to demand the safe release of all 12 crew members who were on board The Madleen.

This is a crisis.

[themeowingfox]

(For Munday.) (For the new "❤" meme thing you're working on.) (Anon-Riolu @ Fenninkou.)

A young Riolu approached Fenni in silence, not saying a word. Instead, they handed her a piece of paper.

On the paper was a simple, hand-drawn and roughly colored picture. It showed the cat-fox Pokémon proudly standing on a pedestal, surrounded by gold, diamonds, gems, rubies, and other treasures. Other Pokémon; townsfolk, and members of the treasure-hunting guild gathered around, some familiar and some random, all cheering for the cat-fox Pokémon.

Around Fenninkou's neck in the drawing, she wore a scarf adorned with one of the highest-ranking treasure hunter badges. At the bottom of the page, the words "Future Fenninkou" were written. Recently added captions in a playful handwriting said, "U R KEWL. :)".

Anonymous asked: (Bonus!) On the back of the page was another crude drawing, this one of Lief sitting in a cage. He was perched on a small stool, arms crossed, looking grouchy with a ">:(" expression. Green lines and little bug Pokémon hovered around him, and above the cage was a sign that read "STINKY JAIL."

9/10! She really likes it.

~

Fenninkou: Ooh. Did you draw this? owo

Fenninkou: *upon examining the back of it, she laughs; her tail sticks up and starts wagging*

Fenninkou: This is great! I'm going to keep this forever~. nwn

[themeowingfox]

(part 1)

(for Munday)

The fact that Lief's mom had FOUR arms means that Lief had a mother who literally could hug and love him like no other Pokemon could, and now he'll never have that feeling again.

So with that said, let's turn back the hands of time and view the very moment where it all began for Lief.

⏪: Lief's birth.

(part 2l And... This is probably going to hurt emotionally to request, and you don't necessarily have to do it right away—or at all. But can we have an art piece of Lief's mom with a sleeping newborn Lief lying on her chest in a four-armed embrace while she's lying on the ground on her back, please? I mainly ask you this because I want to see how good you are at drawing tender, passionate, and nostalgic-feeling art with melancholic undertones.

Just. I stared at this at 3AM, in disbelief.

What I pictured made me want to cry ;;

Where do you keep coming from and why are you giving me feels towards my own OCs /lh

Gods dammit, you guys. Your ideas. I love them so much.

The visions unfold...

~

His world became awash in sensation that day. Of touch, of sound, of smell, of sight.

He'd hatch from the egg under his mother's watch, greeted by the warmth of their family burrow.

He'd make his first noises as she leaned in to gently lick off the gunk still stuck to his fur, starting with his face. His eyes, previous stuck shut, opened to the sight of her grooming the rest of him.

He heard an assortment of voices from around and behind her. He thought he saw them peering at him, too.

"He's so small! Wait... is it a he?"

"What are you going to name them?"

"Where are the wings? Ma, it has no wings!"

The mother lifted her head with a sigh, looking over to address the others.

"He's only just hatched and you're crowding the poor thing... surely if you have the energy to be nosy, then you have the energy to do your chores?"

"It's too cold out..."

"I-I finished mine!"

"Ma, she's lying!"

He began crying from all the noise. In response, the mother hushed away the siblings.

"Go on, shoo! You're upsetting the baby!"

The others scampered off, and the Flareon hybrid sighed as they did.

"Hmph... rapscallions. You won't turn out like them, will you?"

He would be picked up in her large, warm paws. His little eyes met with hers.

"Well, even if you did. You'll always be my baby."

"My little Liefa."

~

[Edit: There was gonna be a sketch to go with this; I even started it. But I never could finish it. But, I also don't want this to just sit in my drafts any longer. So here, have what I did manage to draw. ;w;

[ ID: A rough sketch showing Lief's mom lying on her back, and embracing a tiny, newborn Lief in her arms. She's looking at him with a tired, but gentle smile. End ID ]

My biggest apologies to this anon, I really did enjoy seeing this in my inbox, I just get distracted easily + a bunch of things irl crept on me and did the equivalent of a White Woman Jumpscare.]

[themeowingfox]

Funny leaf cat go SHING SHING SHING

Also go hydrate, what are you doing

[themeowingfox]

Don't be like me and get too silly and not take your meds. Last few days I went without my mood stabilizer were hell and I was convinced something was seriously wrong with me. Dizziness, tingling in head and limbs, weakness like I haven't ate in days.

In my defense my swollen chipmunk lookin' ass made swallowing larger pills so difficult my brain said "nah, wait until you're better"

Then que me bugging my friends and asking over and over if the dizziness is normal

Then que them eventually bugging me to take my medication last night

And lo and behold. I'm not dizzy anymore.

._.

[themeowingfox]

Seconded with this Pokemon, especially if y'all remember the original design o_o

An idea I have for a fix though is to make it mirror Mr. Mime more. Make it less human, lean into the vague viking vibes it has.

it's weird 'cause I like Smoochum a lot more, but Jynx just... well, it looks like it should've got left behind in that era.

Hope that your Munday has been pleasant so far!

My question today is: What is your least favorite Pokémon from a design perspective?

And an optional follow-up: How would you improve the design?

That's...a good question, not gonna lie.

I don't have any major complaints about majority of Pokémon.

Well, there's a particular family come in mind:

Tbh it's hard to further improve them.

[themeowingfox]

>:3

I regret nothing

(Do not blame me for this. Other people decided this would be a good idea. I know nothing about Final Fantasy. Blame them.)

[themeowingfox]

// Hi all, in case you didn't know, it is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

I (the mod) don't have such heritage myself but considering that this blog takes place in Alola which is directly based on Hawai'i it felt like something to be brought up.

So in honour of this month here are some organisations that could use some donations or support o/ I felt like it was the least I could do .3.

Kalihi Pālama Hawaiian Civic Club https://www.kalihipalama.org/

PA'I Foundation https://paifoundation.org/

Mauna Kea Education and Awareness https://www.mkea.info/

Mālama Kakanilua https://www.malamakakanilua.org/

Nā Moku ʻAupuni ʻo Koʻolau Hui https://www.namoku.net

Pōhāhā I Ka Lani https://www.pohahaikalani.com/

Of course there are many others out there as well this is just a small selection.

Have a good daaaaaay ✨

[themeowingfox]

From Under the Rubble... I Write My Story 🌿

I never thought I would write these words… 😔

I never imagined waking up to endless screams,

Running barefoot through smoke and fire,

Searching for my mother among the rubble,

Only to find nothing but silence… a heavy silence telling me that no one will answer me anymore. 💔

In one moment, everything changed.

Our home became a memory, my mother’s embrace became the past,

And my father's face, now absent, is the last thing I hold in my memory.

They’re gone… and left my heart burdened with unspoken grief. 😢

But despite everything, we are still here… trying.

I survived with my younger siblings.

Yes, we survived… but who are we after survival?

Children without warmth, without a roof, with no place to return to.

We were displaced to an unknown place, carrying a bag empty of everything… except pain. 🥀

We slept in the open, waking every morning to a life that holds nothing for us,

But despite everything… we keep trying. 💪

I write to you today not to cry, but to ask for hope. 🌱

I ask you to be a small light in this vast darkness,

To extend a hand that can mend what the war has broken in us.

Your donation will give my siblings a chance to sleep safely,

It will provide us with food, shelter, and maybe even a new beginning. 💖

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #586 )✅️

Any amount, no matter how small, is big for us

It’s a prayer, it’s love, it’s life. 🌟

In conclusion...

From my heart, and from the hearts of my little siblings,

Thank you to everyone who has donated,

Thank you to everyone who has read,

Thank you to everyone who has shared.

You are the proof that goodness does not die, and that humanity has no boundaries. 💚

[themeowingfox]

Destino: That’s ok. I know I’m amazing. I’m truly spectacular. Simply the best. Of course it would be a lot to look into my gorgeous eyes.

*You’ve received a blue cheese ice cream. I don’t think this is what you meant by sprinkles.*

[themeowingfox]

[themeowingfox]

slowly infecting my dash with these bozos /a

lookit them uwu

Shauna/Valiant Sketch Dump #2

1. Valiant trying Shauna's cooking? Maybe. It's very burnt. 2. Shauna likes wandering, Valiant by law is required to follow her. D: What if she gets hurt? What will he do then?

3. Magical Girl Knowledge finally coming in handy.

4. Trying to show Valiant how to play connect 4.

Shauna belongs to @ask-a-silvy