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guardians-of-exo · 4 years

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Beauty and the Beast

Also known as “X-EXO falling in love with someone who’s scared of them” based on this scenario post here.

Pair: Suhø / Female reader

Genre: Angsty fluff

Word count: 2689

Series Masterlist | Masterlist

Suhø sighed and threw the magazine he had been reading to the side. Seeing all the rich and famous people smiling on every page had him feeling sad and stupid. He looked around the abandoned warehouse that he had made his own after arriving in the Human world too long ago. It was down by the harbour so it always smelled vaguely of fish and there was no power so after the sun went down, he had to rely on half-burnt candles that he stole from a dingy pub nearby.

He had managed to secure himself some old furniture – or, more precisely, an ancient couch, a dining table and a couple of mismatched chairs. He had either found them left on a curb somewhere waiting for the garbage truck to pick them up, or he had jumped a fence and nicked it from someone’s backyard. Even the clothes he wore was stolen, but for the clothes, he went for more expensive pieces. He wanted to look the part even if he had no money.

It was impossible to get a job, no one would hire him with the scars all over his face and the crazy red hair that was just absolutely impossible to dye for some reason. So Suhø had to steal everything he needed. He wasn’t proud of it, but he had to survive. And considering what his old life had been like, this was miles better. He never wanted to go back to that. The memories still kept him up at night.

At least here he didn’t have to fight anyone to survive. He didn’t have to kill. Stealing was nothing.

The only thing he had to entertain himself with was the magazines, and the stacks had kept growing over time. The magazines were easy to steal, and he told himself that no one would really miss them as they were cheap anyway. They taught him a lot about the Human world, about their selfishness and superficial lives. He wanted it so bad. Money. A house.

He sighed, looking at the stack closest to him. He had already read those over a couple of times by now and was getting bored of them. Perhaps it was time to go get some new ones. Suhø usually went once or twice every two weeks.

There was a gas station a couple of streets from his warehouse that also contained a small shop. It had most of the essentials you would need, and it was Suhø´s preferred place to go. There was always only one person working there at a time, and it was easy to quickly stuff something down his bag when they weren’t looking. Some of the people working there probably knew what he was doing as well but just didn’t care.

It was quite late but Suhø went anyway. The shop was open until midnight, so he had time. Suhø recognized you behind the counter. You were one of the regular employees there, usually working the late shifts.

Suhø pulled his hoodie tighter around his head, making sure it completely hid his hair. He couldn’t do anything about his face, but he wasn’t planning on facing you anyway. As long as the cameras didn’t pick up his very recognizable red hair, he would be fine.

He walked up and down the short aisles, glancing at you every now and then. There weren’t any other customers so hopefully you would turn your attention elsewhere soon, at least just long enough for Suhø to swipe some magazines, and maybe some pot noodles now that he was there. He was getting kind of hungry and he didn’t have that much left back at home.

Finally, you sat down behind the counter and pulled out your phone. Suhø took the chance and quickly pulled off some magazines from the shelf, stuffing a single pot noodle into his jacket as well, and headed for the exit.

“I can’t keep paying for you, you know,” you suddenly spoke up, making Suhø freeze in his tracks.

He turned and his eyes met yours, as you were now looking up from your phone, eyebrows raised in slight annoyance. Suhø didn’t really know what to say, no one had looked him straight in the eyes like that for years without showing even a little bit of fear. Could you not see his face from where you were?

“Even magazines and crappy food get expensive over time,” you continued, tilting your head with narrowed eyes. “Pay for yourself next time, okay?”

You had been covering for him all this time? Without saying anything? Suhø had never met another Human that had shown him kindness like that. It left him a little speechless, a warmth spreading through his chest. He wanted to thank you, but the words got caught in his throat.

Suhø didn’t know what came over him, but he couldn’t handle the thought of you pitying him. He didn’t want pity from someone like you, someone beautiful enough to be in those magazines and not here in a dingy gas station in the middle of the night. He wanted you to look at him with admiration.

“Oh, my mistake,” he drawled, turning around with a self-important expression that he had seen on the cover of most magazines. Lists and lists of the most eligible single celebrities that all looked like they had smelled something nasty right before having their photo taken. Humans apparently like that. “I guess I just forgot. I mean, it’s not worth a lot so why even bother?”

Your frown turned to a scowl and you crossed your arms. “Excuse me?”

The way you were staring daggers at him made Suhø nervous. He needed to get out before you saw through him. He hadn’t been prepared to face you like this.

Without saying anything else, he just raised a brow and shrugged, dropping the items he had taken on a nearby shelf before leaving. He nearly stumbled out of the door, his face feeling hot in the cool night air. Had you been able to see the blush on his face? He hoped not.

He walked back to his warehouse almost in a daze. All he could see was how you had looked up at him for the first time, meeting his eyes. Even in the ghastly lighting of the store, you were beautiful. It had crossed his mind a couple of times in the past when he had seen you, but actually looking straight at your face… Suhø had no words.

The first thing he did after arriving back home, was to pull out every single magazine that said anything about dating. How should he impress you?

Almost every woman on the pages of the magazines was covered in expensive jewellery, advertising pretty bottles of perfumes and fancy clothes with matching handbags. Humans seemed to like the more expensive things in life, truly a materialistic race. But Suhø wanted to impress you, so that was what he was going to get you.

The next morning, he put on the cleanest pair of clothes he had, covered his hair, and headed for the shopping street in the nearby city. The shops were just starting to open and there weren’t a lot of people around yet.

Jewellery was easy to steal, little pieces of glittering silver easily hidden in his pockets. Perfumes proved a bit trickier until Suhø realized he could remove the bottles from the boxes to make them fit in his clothes.

He almost couldn’t wait to go back to the gas station that night and left home early enough to watch you clock in for your nightshift. The early night-crowd died down pretty quick and Suhø made his move.

You looked up, your customer-ready smile disappearing the second your eyes fell on him.

“Oh, it’s you again,” you sighed, shaking your head. “Listen, either you pay, or you leave.”

Suhø felt his heart skip a beat, guilt creeping up inside him, but he kept his face emotionless. He walked up to the counter, hopefully looking more confident than what he felt like, his hand closed tightly around the diamond necklace he wanted to give you.

During the few seconds it took to reach you, Suhø tried to come up with something cool to say but it was like he had forgotten how to even speak a simple sentence. You were staring him down, eyes wavering slightly when he finally came to a stop in front of the counter.

Your eyes went wide as he held out the necklace towards you, and you slowly looked back up at his face.

“What?” you asked.

“Compensation,” he drawled. “Didn’t need it. Should cover my expenses, no?”

“I – what?” you repeated, pointing at the glittering necklace. “That probably costs more than my house, and you’re giving it to me? Wha – if you can afford shit like that, why the fuck are you stealing?”

Having no idea what to say to that without giving himself away, Suhø just shrugged and put the necklace on the counter. “Take it,” he said. “I wanted to get rid of it anyway. If you don’t like it, sell it.”

With that he left the store quickly, afraid that you would see right through his fake bravado. His heart was pounding in his chest. Had you liked it? It was hard to tell. Maybe you didn’t want something that flashy – something more subtle perhaps?

Not wanting to overwhelm you, and because he didn’t want to steal too much to put an even bigger target on his back, Suhø went to drop off a gift about once a week if he could. Be it something simple like a scented candle that had reminded him of you, or expensive diamond earrings, Suhø tried his best to impress you.

Every time you would try and protest, even shoving the gifts back at him, but Suhø always managed to leave without taking anything back. You deserved everything he brought, and even you wouldn’t be able to change his mind about that. If you asked him, he would steal you the moon.

He had never seen you wearing any of the jewellery he had brought you, but it was probably for the best working in the place that you did. It would attract too much unwanted attention.

That night, he was bringing you a pair of earrings shaped like lily flowers. They had caught his attention, sparkling prettily in the display case, and he had thought of you.

You had a weird look on your face when you spotted Suhø entering the shop. The past couple of times, you had been less hostile and more… resigned, and he had hoped it meant you were warming up to him.

“Okay listen,” you said as he stopped in front of the counter and the hand holding the earrings froze midair. “This… I really need you to stop. Please. I don’t know what you want from me.”

Your voice was shaking but you stared him right in the eyes defiantly. “I don’t want all of this! I – where are you even getting it all? And don’t tell me you’ve bought it!”

Suhø frowned and moved to hold out the earrings to you, but when you flinched back, he froze again. He watched you cower against the back wall, heart dropping to his stomach. All your previous bravado had vanished. You looked terrified.

“I… I’m – “ he started but didn’t know what to say. He must have gotten it wrong. The magazines hadn’t prepared him for this.

“I thought you would like it…” he eventually managed to get out. “I wanted to thank you. For paying for me all this time. For not turning me in.”

“Well don’t!” you spat. You looked like you were fighting back tears. “If I had known it would lead to this, I would’ve never done it. So, leave me alone, please.”

You reached under the counter and dropped an old bag onto it, pushing it towards Suhø before quickly stepping back out of reach. “Here, everything you’ve given me. Take it back, I don’t want it.”

Suhø stared at the bag in defeat. He had blown it. There was no way of winning you back. How had he gotten it this wrong? With a last mumbled apology, he grabbed the bag and left the shop. It wasn’t meant to go this way, he just wanted to repay your kindness.

Suhø did as you told him and put everything back to where he had taken it. The jewellery, perfumes and various trinkets were left outside the shops where he had stolen them. He felt terrible, but there wasn’t much he could do about it now. All the magazines had been thrown out. He wanted nothing to do with them.

Afraid that he had become too recognizable after stealing so much, Suhø decided it was time to move cities. That way he wouldn’t accidentally run into you either. He was sure you would appreciate it if he moved as far away as possible.

But first, he really wanted to properly apologize to you. To let you know that he never ever meant you any harm and that you were safe. He didn’t want you to go around looking over your shoulder in fear.

So, for the last time, he headed for the gas station where you worked. It should be around the beginning of your shift by now and Suhø wanted to catch you before you clocked in.

It was raining heavily as Suhø walked the dark roads, but the water never touched him. He didn’t feel like facing you completely soaked to the bone.

You were struggling with the keys to the door when Suhø eventually reached the small shop, swearing loudly as they slipped from your fingers and landed in a puddle. You didn’t have an umbrella with you and your jacket looked very thin. Even from where he stood, Suhø could see you already shivering from the cold rain seeping into your clothes.

He held out his hand and the rain stopped falling where you stood, repelled by an invisible force. It took a while before you noticed, but as you straightened up after getting your keys, you looked up confused. The rain was still falling all around you, hitting the puddle where you had dropped your keys, but none of the water was hitting you.

You looked around in wonder, holding out your hand to try and catch the rain falling just beyond your reach, but the invisible shield moved with you, preventing the water from touching your skin.

Suhø took a careful step forwards into the light, footsteps louder on the wet ground and your head snapped up.

“You should have brought an umbrella,” he said with a careful smile. “Don’t want to catch a cold.”

“Y-you?” you asked, then held out your hand towards him. “Are you seeing this? The rain is not hitting me, how does that – “ you trailed off, eyes moving over Suhø’s completely dry clothes.

“Are you doing this?” you then asked, openly gaping when Suhø nodded bashfully. “How?”

“I don’t know, I just… can,” Suhø answered honestly.

“Oh…” you trailed off.

Suhø cleared his throat awkwardly and it seemed to snap you out of your wonder, suddenly realizing who you were talking to, and Suhø’s heart hurt when he saw you tense up. He took a step back to show he meant no harm.

“I just wanted to apologize,” he said, unable to look at you for too long. “I didn’t mean to scare you. And… thank you, really, for helping me. I won’t bother you anymore.”

His stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly and he felt his face heat up. It had been a couple of days since he’d had anything proper to eat. He bowed before turning to leave.

“Wait.”

Suhø turned around slowly, confused. Your eyes were flicking between him and the store uncertainly before you sighed and opened the door.

“At least eat something before you go.” Your smile was tiny and wary, but it was there.

#exo oneshots #junmyeon x reader #suho x reader #suhø x reader #exo x reader #m #junmyeon #suho #exo #x-exo

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laurieteddy · 4 years

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tale of the field | beth march x reader

Description: you and Beth make your way to the field to have a picnic together. (gender neutral reader x beth march)

Request: anon requested simply something beth x reader

Wanrings: none

Word count: 2,066

A/N: this is my first ever Little Women fic, please let me know what you think! I dearly love Beth and I hope I did well :) also I’m on mobile so sorry if the post is weird/long

Requests are open!

Beth was the most captivating person you had ever met. She was such a caring and loving person, always glad to give a helping hand and kind word. She had such a tender and compassionate demeanor about her. It was as if she could calm any storm with the most gentle of words, something quite amazing. She did seem to put others before herself more often than not though. You were always there to put her first, as she at times would allow herself to slip in order to help other people.

Growing up around the March family and Laurie, you spent most of your days with Beth, finding her company to be your favorite by far. You would do a variety of things together. Cooking, gardening, acting out plays with her sisters, miserably failing when she would try teaching you how to play piano. Name anything and you have done it or will in the future. Both of you loved every minute of it. Jo often teased that you should mind how much time you spent together because might become too much alike.

“I couldn’t stand another Beth.” She’d joke.

This didn’t stop you of course, if anything it pushed you closer. Neither of you really enjoyed anyone else’s company as much as each other’s, why not do it as often as you could? So together you were, going on adventures of all sorts. From going to the market to exploring the woods, you would make anything an adventure. Today your adventure was going on a picnic in a field.

The sun was out and a light breeze was in the air, it was perfect weather for your plans. A smile was on your face as you entered the March home, much like your own, and quickly you made your way to the kitchen where you could hear Beth scorning Amy for trying to steal the bread. It felt like home to all who entered and they felt like family that you were ever so close to.

“Amy March, you keep your grubby paws off of my delicious lunch,” you teased with a grin.

Amy jumped at the sound of your voice, soon after making her way over to you when she recognized you.

“Oh, y/n, you’re here!” She chirped, “Don’t you look wonderful today.”

You raised a brow, “No reason to suck up, you aren’t going this time.”

Beth let out a small giggle, continuing to pack her picnic basket. Amy stomped her foot and was clearly upset at what you said. You knew she would want to go and that she had likely been bothering Beth and Marmee about it all week. Typically you wouldn’t mind if she joined but it was nice to spend some time with just you and Beth, no one else, especially not Amy. You both loved her to death but she could be a handful at times.

“Why not?” Amy whined.

“Because Beth and I have had this planned for just the two of us for weeks now.” you explained.

“We have to go now, Amy. You can come with us next time, we promise.” Beth offered a small smile.

Amy was quick to decline, a frown on her face. “I want to go now!”

“I know you do,” you pat the top of her head with an exaggerated frown. “Here, if I give you some of the cookies I made will you settle for next time?”

Her eyes widened and a smile spread across her lips. “Yes!”

You handed her three cookies and off she went, skipping away with joy and calling out to Meg and Jo. You and Beth couldn’t help but laugh at the rather simple solution used to pay her off after days of begging. Amy wasn’t typically so easy to get off your back, you knew she’d beg and you also knew she’d cooperate with those cookies.

Beth shook her head at her sister’s antics, “How did you know to make her favorite cookie?”

“Because Amy always wants to tag along, I knew I could get her to listen with them.” You smiled, “And if I didn’t have to bribe her we would’ve had more cookies, it was a win win situation.”

She chuckled at your response, knowing you were absolutely right. Locking arms with Beth you started today’s adventure. You had been to the field many times, meaning thought no longer needed to be used when finding your way there. Often you’d come up with wild tales to share along the way, dramatically acting them out with whatever makeshift props could be found on the path. It became somewhat of an unspoken tradition, and the crazier the tale the better. Another game seemed to be paired with this.

If you happened upon anyone you were to pause, acting completely normal as you passed but breaking right back into the story once out of sight. These were simply silly games but they brought smiles to your faces, and they helped Beth to feel more comfortable doing such things where you could be caught goofing around.

Anything you could do to help Beth feel more comfortable you would do, especially when you had gone out away from home. While plenty of fun could be found close to home there was much to be had elsewhere and you didn’t want Beth to miss out. You always went out on her terms, never wanting to make her feel pressured. She easily found herself calm around you, knowing she could trust you and that you were someone who truly understood her. Both of you had only the best intentions and interest for one another, promising to always be there for one another.

Though maybe not when you were deep in your tales.

“Put your sword to rest, Margaret! It’s no use to you any longer.” You spoke with a strong voice, pointing your sword (a conveniently found and crooked stick) at her.

Beth slowly placed her own sword on the ground, raising her hands above her head as she stood. “Would you truly kill me, Adrian? You’re no killer, even at your worst.”

You pushed your stick towards her, “I would watch my mouth if I were you.”

Margaret and Adrian, your newfound names in this tale. They were deeply in love with one another, but being from opposing families that despised each other for generations made it nearly impossible for them to be together. Still, they tried. Their families were not happy about it and did what they needed to prevent the two from being together. Spreading slander, making them go at each other’s throats just like the rest of their relations.

“I only speak the truth,” she delivered her line stern but gentle. Reaching out she put a hand on your sword, lightly pushing it down to point the ground. “I know you loved me at least once upon a dream, and if that love still lingers as mine does for you… I find it hard to believe you might kill me.”

Your heart swelled as she stepped closer, something that wasn’t part of your game. Her words and actions were so soft spoken and delicate, catching you off guard and stumping you. Your character was to stab Beth’s, giving the tale a dramatic speech about Adrian’s grief and regret before they drew their own final breath, making for quite a dramatic ending. Something was telling you to go for a different and new ending, finding yourself unable to hurt Margaret as Beth played her so well.

Keeping your gaze on Beth’s you dropped your sword. “You were right, I could never kill you. How could I ever have even come so close as I did?”

Beth was a bit surprised by the drop of your sword, quickly going along with it though. She held her chin high and embraced you in a hug, what she believed Margaret may do in that time.

“All is well, my love.” Her fingers tangled themselves through your hair, “I understand, I had been as close.”

A blush creeped onto your cheeks, completely out of character for Adrian. You and Beth had hugged countless times before but never in the context of this tale, never in such a way more than friendship. You wrapped your arms around her, trying to fall back into character. To appear more heartbroken you let your body fall somewhat limp, hoping to mask your previous flustered feeling.

Beth held you closer, “I am here. I will forever be with you, my dearest Adrian.”

“I have missed your embrace so,” your fingers gripped tighter as your eyes squeezed shut. “But… I cannot ask you to stay, nor can I allow it.”

Unwantingly, you peeled yourself away from her, resting your hand on Beth’s cheek. Her eyebrows furrowed, showing a confusion in herself and Margaret.

“I love you,” you began, “and yet I have hurt you. I can never forgive myself for this.” Your thumb skimmed over her cheekbone and she rested her hand over your own. “It would be selfish of me to wish you to stay,” you smiled weakly, “and so I must leave you once more.”

She let out a gentle breath. You seemed to have exchanged postures, yourself now standing tall while Beth let her shoulders drop. You were holding each other in near silence and definite bliss. Beth realized, too, that you had never held one another in such a way. She kept the thought to herself, just as you had. A blush nearly came to her as well, which she was quick to hide by bowing her head which was a seemingly meaningless action.

“Stay or leave,” she removed your hand from her cheek, “I shall think nothing but fond and loving thoughts of you daily.”

Her lips planted a small kiss on the palm of your hand, covering your hand with her own once again as if to seal the kiss. With that she let your hand fall, looking up to you through her lashes one last time as Margaret. Your breath seemed to have caught in your throat and you found yourself speechless, completely overcome by the moment.

Beth March had just given you a kiss on the palm of your hand, a completely new kiss than you had ever received. A kiss that part of you longed for, even if you didn’t realize it until you received it. Such a simple, and likely aimless, thing. Maybe you were reading too much into the tale, possibly creating an overemphasized reality. Beth was doing the same, her shy nature doing her no favors that minute.

“What a way to end our tale,” you broke the silence. “I simply couldn’t kill Margaret after everything she had been through to be back with Adrian.”

Beth brushed her hair behind her ear, clearing her throat and straightening her posture. “It still gave us the dramatic ending we craved, Jo would approve.”

“Ah, yes. Jo does enjoy a good drama,” you were both quick to change the subject. “And I think she’d be impressed by our impromptu skills.”

Beginning to feel a pressure, your actions were meek. You both did your best not to let feelings stir, always offering to listen to one another talk about anything whenever needed. There were times like this, though, where you were both too afraid to address anything. How were you to confess your love for one another when you refused to first confess it to yourself?

“Look, the field.” Beth smiled, skipping ahead to find the perfect spot for your picnic.

You stayed in the field for nearly the rest of the day, returning home right as the sun had set. The evening wasn’t filled with many words, rather each other’s peaceful company as you rested your head on Beth’s shoulder.

On the way home you picked a flower for her, something you joked she could keep as a reminder of that day. You both laughed about it in the moment, saying there wasn’t anything very special about that day. It was another day in the field, that was all. But it wasn’t a reminder for what took place in the field, it was a reminder of what happened before you had arrived. Beth kept the flower, pressing it as soon as she got upstairs and keeping it in her private journal as a bookmark.

#beth march #little women #beth march x reader #beth x reader #little women fic #little women oneshot #little women 2019 #little women 2017 #little women 1994 #first fic #long post #little women x reader #little women imagine

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americanredragger · 3 years

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A Letter to My Mother (That I am too scared to send)

Okay. We’re having this talk now. I have been putting it off because there’s never been a way for me to keep my cool long enough to say it straight. I’ve been nice, I’ve been polite. I’ve walked away from conversations rather than address this directly because I don’t want to lose my mom.

Yesterday was unlike anything in American history. There is no both-sides-ism to be taken here. There is no even vaguely similar violence unleashed by the Left. This isn’t to say that NO violence has ever been unleashed by the left, it can and does happen. But nothing like this. This is unprecedented in both it's scope and audacity.

Unless you can point to an instance in which a Democrat president (or Senator, or Governor) whipped up a riot and unleashed those rioters on the Seat of Government of the United States of America, causing it to be breached and overrun by a hostile force for the first time in 207 years, the things don’t equate at all.

Unless you can point to a riot held by alt-right wingers in which the police cracked down on them HARD to the level of being condemned by the International Criminal Court as bordering on war crimes, the things don’t equate at all.

This was a direct assault on our government by a crowd whipped up by a sitting president. This has never happened before.

The Capitol Police removed the barricades and guided the insurrectionists in.

They chatted and took selfies with them. Exchanged fist bumps with them.

The seditionists were allowed to leave with few arrests, just… gently guided out once the barbarian hordes had their fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaPTjQZBLhQ

And yes, Trump (eventually) told them to go home, but refused to condemn what they'd done and finished his speech with "We love you. You're very special." and continued to refer to his political opponents as "evil".

This is quite literally unprecedented in American history. As in, nothing comes close. That's what "unprecedented" means.

If this had been BLM, the response would have been entirely different. DC would be on lockdown. The police would be bringing WAR to the streets. There would be helicopters, APCs, and beat cops dressed like the US Army rolling into Baghdad in 2003. The DC area hospitals would be overwhelmed with rioters suffering from horrific head and spine injuries from trigger-happy use of rubber bullets and night-sticks. Hell, Trump tear-gassed ACTUAL peaceful protesters last summer just so he could stage an awkward photo op in front of a church, which even the Clergy called him out on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzBhYhu7NYI

Don't you DARE equate the two.

I'm tired of the whataboutisms. I'm tired of ignoring the evidence right in front of you. Donald Trump is the single most corrupt, evil man America has ever elected to the presidency. He has worked hard to transform the Republican party into something that actual Holocaust survivors and experts have called "Neofascist" and even less flattering terms.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/10/5/17940610/trump-hitler-history-historian

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/07/16/its-not-wrong-to-compare-trumps-america-to-the-holocaust-heres-why/

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/2020/10/25/holocaust-survivor-fears-rising-tide-ugliness-blames-trump-opinion/3740781001/

https://forward.com/scribe/455507/100-year-old-holocaust-survivor-compares-trump-to-hitler/

https://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article223718330.html

Historians and victims of fascism the world over point to what Trump and his transformed Republican party have been doing as president when asked how the Weimar Republic fell and the Nazi regime rose.

The overwhelming amount of terrorist attacks in the last five years have been Trump supporters (Well over half stemming from that singular cause, with the rest divvied among a MASSIVE swathe of motives), but none more so overwhelmingly so than yesterday's.

There is no left wing equivalent for this in America until you go all the way back to the Weather Underground bombings, and even they were not goaded on by the incumbent politicians of a party.

Your party has been STOLEN from you. The Party of Lincoln, Eisenhower, and Reagan is no more. And now it’s stealing you from your children as we have watched you and dad drift further and further into the Hannity-Limbaugh-Carlson echo chamber.

88 years ago next month, right wing extremists set fire to the Reichstag in the Weimar Republic. Over the next few days, they seeded reports that it was actually the communists, maybe socialists, no, it was definitely anarchists… or was it trade unionists? Either way, it HAD to have been The Left who burned down the Reichstag.

This was used to expand and hold onto the power of the Chancellor, a man who need not be named. The next few years proved to be sorrowful for everyone.

That same blame-shifting is already happening again, but it's not in some far away country, it's happening here, where we all thought it couldn't.

This sort of event is unprecedented in the United States, or it was until yesterday. It is not so unprecedented elsewhere.

The only difference is that this attempt failed.

The attempt was made because Trump’s own administration found that this was the most secure election in American history, and Trump’s lawsuits to the contrary were laughed out of court by Trump-appointed judges, including his Supreme Court justices, and his exceedingly incompetent and well-documented attempts to get state officials to overturn a legitimate election all failed.

I still believe you and dad are good, honest people. Patriots who want America to do well in the world.

You can not-like Nancy Pelosi, or Obama, or Biden, or Hilary Clinton. That’s your prerogative, and we’ll agree on plenty in that regard. You’re well within your rights to believe that my preferred economics don’t work. We’ll disagree heartily, but that’s normal for families, especially between parents and their kids.

But your party has been hijacked by neofascists, malignant narcissists, and white supremacists.

I am on my knees BEGGING you to see what so many experts and victims have been warning you about for years.

The Left did not do this.

Trump did.

You have been led astray by an vain, selfish, greedy demagogue, a well documented honorless grifter who embodies everything Christ opposed, and uses people until they have nothing more to give him and discards them. He has cloaked this latest grift in the American flag and set a cross upon it, the only way Fascism ever COULD take root in America, as we saw with Joe McCarthy in the Second Red Scare.

It’s changing you. You can’t see it because it’s happening to you, but those around you can, and it’s scaring us.

Please, finally, truly see this. I want my parents back. You’re going down a path I can’t follow and it’s breaking my heart.

In 2016, I broke from the Republican Party because I saw calamity coming in the nomination of Donald Trump. Only 4 years later, and history has soberingly showed me that I was more right than I could have ever guessed, and my world view has never been the same since. I have looked back at the political opinions I wrote and posted then, and they were so selfish and hateful that it was physically painful for me to put myself through that review. I was a puppet. I couldn’t have seen it at the time because I was at the center of it, and I still live in dread of the monster I would have become if I’d kept to that path. I see that same kind of speech coming from you now - the jingoism, the recycled talking points, the Orwellian denials, and the near-unquestioning loyalty to the stars of the Republican Party and their mouthpieces at Fox, OAN, Newsmax, and the AM Radio circuit. I see the most selfish parts of who I used to be, and I know that deep down, you are not that person because I still see you constantly striving to be a good mother, a good Christian, and a model human being.

I’m imploring you to finally look at the evidence, the boundless clear and present evidence, and see what men like Gingrich, McConnell, and Trump have turned your party into. What they are turning you into, the same as they tried with me.

I know you wouldn’t be happy as a Democrat - I myself am only begrudgingly a Democrat because the system doesn’t allow for a viable alternative (and that’s a whole different issue that deserves it’s own library of articles). I’m not trying to convert you. I just need to know that you can look at the evidence with your own eyes like I did and see that you’ve been played for a sucker by men who cry wolf and distract you by having you chase shadows while they line their pockets with money and power. Please stop listening to these monsters, stop swallowing their poison. I know how easy it is to be in that world because I myself have lived in it for most of my life. I fully understand the appeal: there are easy answers for everything, you always know who the enemy is and who your supposed allies and benefactors are. But I also left that behind, and yes, it hurts. It hurts a lot, and frequently. But despite the pain, I know I am better off for having done it.

Yes, I have to question the people who claim to represent me more. I have to question EVERYTHING more because I now know that nothing is as clear cut as I thought it was - once removed from Plato’s Cave, I no longer had the luxury of a simple world. And yet I am still happier because I am so much more my own person now. Yes I falter, and worse still, some days I fall back into the old ways of thinking, but now I recognize that for what it is and it is easier to deal with.

You’ll always be a Conservative, Mom, but I see you on the path that I was on, a path that nearly robbed me of my critical thinking and objectivity, and one which would have weaponized my sense of patriotism to benefit people who are not me. You have kept that course far longer than I. Please put aside the whataboutisms, the both-sides-isms, and finally see the evil, ravenous monster that killed your party from the inside and now wears its skin to deceive you into feeding it further.

I don’t ask that you agree with my politics or economics. I AM begging you though to split from this political machine which is changing you into something I no longer recognize. I want the parents I used to have, the ones who could look at things objectively and form their own opinions instead of repeating talk show buzz lines.

Please, recognize the shadows on the wall of the cave that wicked men are showing you are NOT reality. Please, join me in the truth of the world outside.

#I very nearly sent it #but she's already having tremendous issues between her and my sister and I didn't want to compound those and split the family apart #more than it already has #at any rate #if she doesn't start cooling down by fall #well #at least I have it written down here for easy access #politics #family #trump #republicans #democrats #echo chamber #republican #mitch mcconnell #conservative #conservatives #family issues

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noctivitae · 5 years

Note

Hi. I saw your post about theme makers charging for themes, and while I generally agree that it's a garbage situation (because the majority of them are selling stolen content that was never theirs to profit on in the first place), I also have to ask that you check your level of entitlement. 90% of your argument was that it's unfair to charge for things because you personally can't afford them. It's no one's responsibility to cater to your budget. You can easily scroll past them.

Alright, so I had to go back and look at my own post because that was a while ago and I didn’t remember much of what I said in that post. So, gonna address some of your points here:

(a) Like you said, it’s a garbage situation with people selling stolen content. That’s a big issue. Anyone doing that should be shut down, end of story. I stand by that.

(b) The point I was making was that theme makers shouldn’t charge for themes on here because their skills could be utilized so much better elsewhere. Such as actual website making. The demographic of this website tends to skew towards young people who generally are in school or trying to get into a better financial situation. If they market themselves a bit and stretch out past this blue hellsite, they’d get clients. And definitely make more than what they make on patreon.

© Nowhere did I say I couldn’t afford them. Nowhere did I say that “I am entitled to every bit of content you theme makers create”. If you perceived it as entitlement, that’s on you. But that’s not what my intention with the post.

(d) I’ve read about, seen, and spoken first hand with many people who have had issues with Patreon’s subscription model. Overcharging, getting charged and not getting what they signed up for, having patreon owners straight up steal from people – Patreon has it’s problems. I still stand by that.

(e) The only thing I can imagine you felt I was being ‘entitled’ was when i mentioned that a theme does not hold the same monetary value as someone’s meal. I still stand by that.

(f) Yeah, I and many other can scroll past them nonnie. The problem is that there’s another…and another….and another….and another….and another. It’s becoming more common. It’s starting to look like Tumblr’s theme pages – You know tumblr makes and charges for themes, right? That’s why people started making free themes: so tumblr users could have a nice blog. And now it’s like we’re going in reverse again. Tumblr used to be less….money hungry and entitled and selfish. It used to be about expression and artistry and sharing that. It used to be a place where people just did shit for fun. It was a kinder place where people weren’t praised for being petty. And now it’s just changed so much, and THAT is what frustrates me. That is why I made that post.

So yeah – far as I’m concerned, anon, no entitlement to check. Just me ranting about the state of this website that we all collectively agree is garbage, and yet we all stay.

#Anonymous

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nightcoremoon · 5 years

Text

I scroll through tumblr and it's post after post after post of human rights abuses and "please donate to blah blah blah fund"

I honestly gotta say if I wasn't trapped in a prison of a dozen individual financial, physical, emotional, and psychological issues that all conflict and stack on top of each other, I'd just say fuck it and start doing actual shit that matters and achieves results. starting fires in locations holding lots of paper regarding legal stuff, investing in portable magnetic equipment to fry hard drives, disabling vehicles, stealing drugs and planting them elsewhere, investing in molotov cocktails to throw into crowds of nazis and homophobes and ice agents, making fake pipe or gas bombs to plant at republican rallies and inciting evacuations, amassing an arsenal of assault rifles to incite panic in the fascist overlords' safe spaces, destroy the anti-homeless spikes on city sidewalks, bring down a sledgehammer on the abortion propaganda, stick socks in republican car gas fuel valves and set them on fire, brick windows. fuck it, I'd kill members of the presidential cabinet if it was for the greater good. just... inhibiting all of that evil any way that I can.

there's a fucking reason why only progressives are killed. Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, Gandhi. good has standards. evil does not. superman throws lex luthor in jail a million times but every time luthor makes a bigger scheme that kills more innocents but ~superman doesn't kill because if he kills then he's just as bad~ BULLSHIT. letting evil men live to kill more innocents is just killing the innocents yourself. fuck you if you think that killing nazis is ~just as bad~ as killing jews. evil humans kill people for things that they're born as: black, muslim, gay... killing an evil human for the choices they make is incomparable.

frank castle, richard zelazny, ezio auditore... they're killers. and they'd be heroes if they were real. but they're not, because the people who claim to be good don't have the balls to do anything other than make signs and give a few dollars. they're lazy, selfish, spineless cowards more obsessed with focusing on their own lives than about making radical changes to this hell world sculpted for us by whatever you wanna call it. illuminati? freemasons? bilderburgs? whatever. it's complicity, empty shameless pats on the back for helping despite never doing a fucking thing. bigots aren't swayed by logic. they aren't swayed by nickels and dimes. they aren't swayed by any compassionate heartfelt speeches about the inherent goodness of man. they aren't swayed by thoughts and prayers and boyscouts holding hands to sing kumbaya. the intelligent bigots hate from a distance and seek information, like I did when I matured to an adult. the irredeemable garbage, the idiots, the inbred degenerate hateful unchangeable unswayable evil masses just need to be exterminated. they have to be afraid to exist as we're afraid to exist. but that'll never happen.

everyone wants to change the world but no one wants to die? close, gerard. many people want to die because of the tyranny, the hate, and the evil around us. nobody wants to kill. nobody wants to harm, to disrupt, to bother, to inhibit at all in any way shape or meaningful form. it's because we're conditioned by Them, by those powers that be, to fall in line like good little boys and girls. our signs and paltry donations are just distractions. they keep us complacent with the illusion that we're doing anything. but behind closed doors they're just making a new aids, a new gestapo, a new atom bomb, a new swine flu, a new ebola, a new weapon to use on us who don't fit their narrow view of the world.

none of us are willing to step out of line and do actual damage to their machines. nobody has the desire to put spanners in the cogs. nobody wants to bust nazi heads open and hospitalize them and then unplug their life support and leave a card that says "we aren't afraid to stand up for ourselves anymore" written in the blood of the nazi pig they slaughtered on that gurney. nobody wants to do that who has the capability to. only those of us victimized by all of these manufactured mental illnesses given to the poor through the chemicals in all the generic brand food, and then can't get into a college and get a degree to get a lottery raffle for a decent paying job where we can afford to do anything to help out those less fortunate than us, or aren't just carbon copy cookie cutter cishet white christians, we're the only ones who would even consider that as an option, and we can't because we all have mental illnesses that we can't afford to medicate or otherwise take care of and even if we could that's all tainted because the medical community doesn't want us fixed because then they lose profits. they don't give a shit about the hippocratic oath since only the rich can get into health anyway. we're just fucked any way you look at it.

and now pointing it out I'm probably gonna be put on a federal watch list and the FBI's hacker community will just filter my IP address through specific channels to ensure nobody sees this post because it doesn't show up on anybody's dashboard. that or they'll just plant cocaine in my car and pull me over next time I go to work then shoot me 5 times in the back and I'll go down as a statistic all because I dared to say on my private blogging website "man wouldn't it be cool if vigilantism existed in the real world and not just comic books and cartoons" since literal nazis are ruling the world now.

and you know what? either I'll die talking about fighting for the cause, I'll fade into obscurity having done nothing, or they'll activate some kill switch and make me commit suicide, or kidnap me and sell me in the black market. there is zero positive outcome here. the world is just evil and no amount of prayer or memes will ever fix it. it's irreparably broken. we can only stay alive long enough to hopefully help one person, keep ourselves happy and sane, and hope that there's an afterlife of some sort where we can actually live a life free of fear and hate. but that's just a fairytale pipe dream. we'll just die and that'll be the end of it. too fucking bad the gluttonous avaricious hateful swine running this shitshow have made it so I can't even enjoy the blink I'll have on this speck of mud encrusted with the virus of humanity.

...

Ha Ha I Am Just Kidding, Mr Federal Agency Spying On Me Because They Paid Off Yahoo, These Are Just Lyrics For A Punk Metal Band I Am Forming, I Have No Desire To Revolt At All. I Am Being Ironic And Joking. :) :) :) Everything Is Just Fine.

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parisiansulfur · 6 years

Text

How Not To Commit Art Theft

Because this is tumblr and people can’t read, I’m gonna start this entire post by saying this:

I DO NOT BELIEVE PEOPLE WHO COMMIT ART THEFT IN 2K18 ARE DOING SO MALICIOUSLY. I SINCERELY BELIEVE PEOPLE SIMPLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS WRONG, AND THAT NO ONE IS DOING THESE THINGS TO BE AN JERK OR BECAUSE THEY WANNA STEAL.

Good?

Read that again.

Alright, let’s move on.

So, art theft. People get accused of art theft a lot, especially now, especially on tumblr, especially in relationship to anime and manga fandom. Let’s talk about what is and what is not art theft.

In the past, art theft (especially on DeviantArt) was a thing where Person A would post an image, and Person B would trace it or color over it or do some other sort of manipulation to it (or not! people are crazy), then post it as original art. Someone would accuse Person B of art theft, Person B would argue that they changed the art significantly enough that it wasn’t theft (or not, who knows), and then there would be Drama.

This isn’t at all what I’m talking about.

Art theft in 2k18 is different than in 1998.

Art theft in 2k18 looks like this:

I’m using this as an example, and while I realize this looks like a callout post, it’s not meant to be a callout. But I need some sort of indication to show. No falsified example is going to show exactly what the problem is as clearly and precisely as something that is exactly the problem. (To point, I have tried, through multiple channels, to get in touch with the person from this blog, to no avail. So on we go.)

Let’s call this a teachable moment. Let’s call this a chance to be better. Let’s call this an example in a fandom that is, frankly, fraught with this kind of stuff.

Let’s call this an explanation of why art theft is so prevalent and common that it can be hard to recognize.

Moving on.

“How is this Art Theft?” you demand.

Well, chitlins, gather round.

Here’s the source of the screenshot above:

http://grimtwin.tumblr.com/post/177119081910/summer-twins

Let’s look at this image. This is an image, posted on a blog that is not owned by the artist. The blue text underneath is a text, which leads here:

https://twitter.com/yuyu_hamu86/status/1021016848622481409

If you click on that, you can go to the artist’s twitter page, with the image:

So how is posting a picture on tumblr art theft?

First, let’s talk about what was done.

The person who posted this on tumblr went onto this twitter page, downloaded/saved the image, then went back to Tumblr, uploaded it, posted a link with the translated name beneath (the artist’s name is NOT in the link), added some tags (including the artist’s twitter handle as a tag), and posted it.

Now, let’s talk about what this means. As of this posting, the tumblr post has 1310 notes. The artist’s post, on twitter (this particular artist also has a pixiv account, but this image was not posted there) has 563 retweets, and 1643 likes, for a combined total notes of 2206 notes.

The tumblr page has 1310 notes that the actual artist will never see.

“So what?” you might say. “It’s exposure, and there’s a link to their twitter. What’s the problem?”

Well, for starters, don’t just decide for someone else what they want and don’t want. Artists who want their art shared are pretty vocal about it, but for the most part, most artists clearly state: Do not reupload onto other sites. Most image sharing sites like Pixiv (a closed service, meaning you need to have an account, agree to the Terms of Service, and be logged in to view images) clearly have it in said Terms of Service to not do exactly what was done above, to the point that Pixiv has it as the second point in a highlighted section at the very top of their Terms of Service that you must not repost an artist’s work without permission:

So even if you willfully ignore both the will of the hosting site and the requests of the artist, even if the art is posted somewhere without a terms of service, and even if the artist doesn’t explicitly say 'please don’t reupload my art elsewhere,’ the best policy is to move in respect for the artists, and understand that if they wanted their art on other sites, they would post them there themselves.

And also, since you really should want to ask permission in the spirit of like, you know, the kind of consent we’re always going on about on this site, you can always ask the artist.

Here’s a really great breakdown on why asking the artist matters.

Please also understand that fandom is not monolith. Just because YOU don’t mind exposure doesn’t mean someone else feels the same way. Just because your friends don’t mind exposure doesn’t mean someone else feels the same way.

Anecdotal: I had a eastern-fandom friend whose family found out she drew BL doujinshi semi-professionally. She was outed, and she was kicked out of her house, lost support from her family and close friends, and basically had her life ruined for a good chunk of years because of it. There are still consequences to this, despite it having happened some fifteen years ago.

Anecdotal: I have several fandom friends have their work shared onto sites like Facebook and Tumblr, where they’re found by people they work with/family, to the point that they’ve left fandom altogether because the risks were too great.

“But Paris, the person above put a source, a link to the twitter where they found the art!!! You’re just splitting hairs!” you say. “The artist is still getting credit! Don’t be a bully!”

Nah, boo. I’m not being a bully. I’m trying to educate you, darling.

What you have to keep in mind is that even by putting a source, you’re still committing art theft, because you are taking away the ability to choose where an artist puts their art.

“But Paris, like, what about unsourced art in like museums?! Are you saying we shouldn’t put anything in museums if we don’t have the artist’s permission?”

Listen, I can’t believe I’m honoring this absolute garbage with a response, but you and I both know there’s a huge difference between a piece of art from a lost artist, and an artist publicly asking for their art to remain under their control, and people deciding to ignore them.

“But Paris, you big old jerk,” you ask, "how can I have pretty things on my tumblr if I don’t just download art and post it?”

Well, one of two ways:

1) You can contact the artist and ask permission to post. Here’s some cute templates for how to do so. If you don’t like these, there are others, or, you know, you can use Google Translate. It’s not hard, and even if it was hard, that’s not an excuse. You can even reach out to people like me or other multilingual people to help you if you aren’t comfortable trying to contact them in English.

"But what if the artist says no because they’re a giant meanie who doesn’t want free exposure?"

2) The second way you can keep your blog full of pretty shiny things is by linking to the image properly. On tumblr, when you link to things, an image shows up. For example, if I copy the above twitter link and post it as a twitter link here in tumblr, I get the following:

This allows the very cute art to appear on my blog, without having to going out of my way. Anyone who clicks on it will go directly to the twitter page, and it includes the artist’s name as the primary part of the caption.

If the link is from pixiv, it looks like this:

(Please notice how Pixiv has been so fraught with art theft that at this point, they have an automatic filter that appears on the art itself, with a hard link to the image and the artist on the bottom right. This is because art theft is a huge problem.)

We have an obligation to the artists who enrich our fandom lives with their beautiful, beautiful porn art, to treat their works with respect. We can respect the wishes of the artists for the totally selfish reason of wanting to encourage them to make more art, but it should be enough to say we don’t want to be assholes. I mean, it’s simple niceness, people. I don’t know how to explain to you that you should care about other people.

If someone says, “Please don’t repost my art,” don’t repost their art. If a site says, “Please don’t repost the art found here,” don’t repost the art. Simple mathematics, kids.

“But Paaaaaaaaris!” you wail. “What am I supposed to do when I come upon stolen art on my feed? I wanna reblob it! :C And since I’m not the one who posted it originally, it’s totally okay to just reblob it, right? :D Right?”

Well, darling, you have a choice. You can just hit that big ol’ reblog button and continue to perpetuate the same issues I’ve rather clearly delineated above. OR YOU CAN FOLLOW THE GUIDE ABOVE AND MAKE A NEW POST. For example, let’s say I really like the “Summer Twins” image above. I could just hit reblog and move on with my life, who cares, la-dee-da, or I could go to the source, and post a link from there.

The choice is yours, fandom. It’s all about the kind of world you want to surround yourself with. If you want to be a person who treats others with respect, you shouldn’t repost or post stolen art. If you want to be a person who is a credit to the fandom, follow the guides above, educate yourself, and make changes to the way you interact with content.

IN CONCLUSION, I WILL RESTATE MY THESIS: NO ONE WHO IS COMMITTING ART THEFT IN THIS WAY IS DOING SO TO BE A JERK. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS WRONG. BUT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND WE SHOULD ALL STRIVE TO KNOW BETTER.

DON’T STEAL ART.

DON’T REPOST STOLEN ART.

More reading, because I know y’all love to read:

http://raspomme.tumblr.com/post/68028153710 http://raspomme.tumblr.com/post/69226532697 http://chocoleeto.tumblr.com/reposts

And sources that can help you find out where that stolen art is from:

https://saucenao.com/ https://www.tineye.com/

Thanks, and my inbox is open, and ready for hate. 😘

#fujoshi discourse #art theft #stolen art #pixiv #yyh #art theft is a serious issue on tumblr #i may do more of these PSA type things if y'all can behave #i may do more of these PSA type things if y'all can't behave #we'll see what happens

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nygmasexual · 7 years

Photo

synpaths meme ⋆

was tagged by @endless-nygmobblepot. thanks, babe!

rules: put your characters in order you relate to most to least, tag any of your tumblr friends you think would want to do this after doing it, and explain why you relate to each synpath “character”.

judy hopps { zootopia }

↳ so no matter what kind of person you are, i implore you: try. try to make the world a better place. look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you.

1. yeah, shes an animation, but shes also the main source of reason why i am the person to this day. judy longs to make the world a better place, to prove others wrong that she isn’t some token bunny and worth so much more. it isn’t about looks, its about trying and to just be yourself.

2. shes a female heroine with both flaws and strengths, just like everyone else. she believed in the importance of always giving everything a shot and making an effort to reach your goals, no matter what.

3. her passion towards the police is what inspired me to make the world a better place and just show that life isn’t all that cynical and dark. there may be bad times, but good moments are yet to come.

diana prince { wonder woman }

↳ I will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

1. “i cannot stand by while innocent lives are list.” this quote will always be my number one motto. when i hear about all of the shit going down in the world, it just fuels me to persue my dream even more. i don’t just wanna sit around while innocent people are dying, i want to make a change. to shine a bit of light in a dark situation. call me cliche, but it’s true.

2. diana tends to throw herself into dangerous situations. she jumped into no man’s land without thinking twice. she is moved by the suffering of the people and fights their fight for them. whenever my friends are going through a hard time, i’ll be there for them no matter what. they may not want me around in fear that i’ll be hurt in return, but thats the least of my worries.

3. selfless, incredibly brave yet stubborn, but also a role model to all sorts of people. the world isn’t gonna change unless you make some sort of improvement with it first. diana, along with judy, are the reasons why i’ll be joining the army and pursuing my career in peacekeeping.

tony stark { iron man }

↳ i’m just a man in a can.

1. not a lot of people will agree but let's be honest. tony is constantly judged and classified to be a villain and isn’t well liked by others. in my opinion, he's just trying his damn best and people tend to forget he's just a human being. mistakes happen, its part of life. but we learn how to grow and to improve by fixing those mistakes. its how we learn, and he does a remarkable job at illustrating this.

2. the reason why i relate to tony is because i know what it feels like to do a mistake and people still holding that against you. trying to redeem yourself is hard to do when you are constantly surrounded by negative people, makes you suffocate and not feel worthy which isn’t fun. but luckily, i learned who are my real friends and i’m gonna stick by them no matter what. love you guys.

3. tony has a lot of self-hatred for himself, people tend to forget that. he covers up his vulnerability by using humor and giving off sarcastic replies, he hides behind a mask just to keep up everyone’s moods and to not appear weak. in reality, he’s just afraid of what people would think of his true colors; afraid to be judged and afraid to even open up to the right people. hes believes that acting like he doesn’t care makes him appear strong. he’s also a self-destructive type of person and would probably sacrifice himself to make others happy.

eddie kaspbrak { it 2017 }

↳ they’re my friends, and you’re not going to steal my friends just because you’re scared of being alone.

1. has an over protective mother and was neglected to do quite a bit of stuff. friends were the ones who pulled him away from that sort of negativity. in this case, my mother wasn’t nearly as bad as eddie’s mom, it was more my grandmother but i wont bore you with the details.

2. one way at home but another way with friends. at home i was pretty much a good kid, but with my friends all i do is fuck around and cuss sooo fucking badly, its ridiculous. parents weren’t fan of friends and tried to cut them out. father’s not in the picture anymore. used to have a terrible case of asthma but found comfort from friends and got over it.

3. the mom friend out of the group; making sure others are well and if something is up they’ll totally fucking come to the rescue.

( i’m sorry i’m not going into full details with this one! i just relate to him a lot and it’s pretty personal stuff! )

richie tozier { it 2017 }

↳ it...it says I’m missing.

1. richie is a very fun sort of character, he just doesn’t let out a lot which i totally relate to. acts tough, but is actually a huge softie. can be rather loud and obnoxious one moment but also can be a cry baby the next. i’m pretty sure all of my friends can agree that i’m pretty much like this majority of the time.

2. uses humor to cover up true emotions. hates the feeling of vulnerability and looking weak. whenever a crowd is down, most likely will try to cheer people up and make a stupid joke or two. tends to platonically flirt with all friends and considers friends to be their #1 family.

3. loves horror movies but has a shit ton of fears. a big fear of mine is to be forgotten, like with richie’s fear of being missing. anything can happen and it would suck if i didn’t leave a mark in this world or in anyone's heart, since a lot of people touched mine.

4. someone also once said i resemble richie a lot when it comes to looks {probably black hair and the brown glasses} but jokes on them i’m taking it as a compliment now man!

ivy pepper { gotham }

↳ words always hurt me way more than sticks or stones.

1. this one would be short and simple since i’m sleepy and the squad really wants to see the post. for starters, ivy looks like an adult but shes actually a child. what a mood since thats fucking me everyday. she gets babied around a lot and is treated as if she’s either stupid or weak. i relate to this since i normally do get babied around in general; either it being school, friends outside of tumblr, etc.

2. she’s actually really fucking strong and badass. is a protective little plant sister and deeply cares about her family, who are her friends. pretty eccentric, wild, which makes her fun and different compared to others. also shes out serving looks and calling out people, bless.

3. ivy can be a little devious at times, a wild card. but she can also be quite selfish and a little bit ditzy at times when it comes to some sort of things. you can tell shes trying her best though, trying to make herself known and to show others that they shouldn’t take an advantage of her.

dustin henderson { stranger things }

↳ SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!

1. this will be short and sweet cause it’s quite obvious why i relate to this bean! he’s a huge comic book junkie, to the point he’ll randomly quote something entirely dorky from either a book or a movie. he’s just so much like me and i love it.

2. best friends are important to him, the same for me. in the show he has like four while for me i got seven and i see nothing wrong with that. would probably sacrifice myself if anything were to happen to them, which says a lot.

3. has a terrible fucking habit when it comes to swearing, very much like me. fuck is probably my only vocab and my favorite word to use for any situation. he tends to wear bright, silly colors and only gives a shit about food. wow, what a mood.

harry hart { kingsman }

↳ sorry about that, needed to let off a little steam.

1. harry is someone i really want to be when i grow up. he’s so fucking cool, a good role model, and kicks fucking ass so casually while still looking like a babe.

2. he has a liking towards butterflies and longed to do something with his interests, but instead went to the army. this relates to me; i admire animals and wanted to be a zoologist for a long time, but instead i’m gonna pursue my career elsewhere.

3. i have been told from a lot of people i’m a really good listener and tend to give good advice, so if you need anything, i’m here! just drop a message and i gotchu. like harry- he is normally seen in the movie giving good advice and showing that he’s a fantastic listener. but, its also important to listen to what he has to say and provide some advice of your own. he may look big and tough, but he’s going through a lot and doesn’t let out a lot about themselves.

THIS WAS ALL SO DEPRESSING BUT I SWEAR I’M ACTUALLY REALLY CHILL (OR SO I HOPE) EWUOFJFTGV

#squadfam #synpath #personal #me #i dont even know why i took my time to do this i'm stressing #dont judgeeee #i might delete later. dont kill me #judy hopps #diana prince #tony stark #eddie kaspbrak #richie tozier #ivy pepper #dustin henderson #harry hart

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chicleeblair · 7 years

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make your own rubber duck: the consequences of pilfering muggle 💡

One of my favorite fics at the moment is @waspabi’s “Hermione Granger’s Hogwarts Crammer for Delinquents on the Run.” It’s an AU based on the premise of Harry being found at seventeen, not eleven, and brought not to Hogwarts, but becoming part of an underground resistance led by the five who helped canon!Harry infiltrate the ministry–the first time–and Draco Malfoy. Chapter nine posted over the weekend, and I reread chapter eight to refresh my memory. i’m glad I did, because one of the many incredible details struck me in a way that let me put some of my thoughts about wixen* and muggle culture into words.

NB: i don’t think there are spoilers in this, but if you’re concerned, go read the fic and come back. read the fic even if you’re not concerned–it’s amazing.

“He felt like a lumos in the dark.”

That simple thought from aspabi’s Harry ignited the Harry Potter, cultural studies, and literary analysis sections of my brain Inside Out-style. It’s such a poetic way of demonstrating the way he is assimilating into wixen culture, and how quickly he is doing it. Canon!Harry might still think of something more muggle like a light switched on, but this Harry’s mind is so eager to latch onto having a place where he belongs, an identity that isn’t shunned, that his thoughts are shifting more quickly, likely sub-consciously.

I always loved the wixen idioms JKR used, but they were mostly comedic set dressing. “God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs” is hilarious, but it’s clearly shoehorning wixen culture into something muggle which makes one wonder how many cliches like “the kneazle’s among the pixies now,” originated from wix, if any did. it makes sense that so much of their culture overlaps with muggles since the Statute of Secrecy is relatively recent, but it also seems like they almost fought against separating further by allowing themselves to adapt rather than constantly altering muggle things without showing any respect for the original creators. The train of thought led me to considering how even muggl(e)philes* like Arthur Weasley are condescending toward a group of people whose technology he insists on altering rather than coming up with something more suited to wix. I’m not saying he shouldn’t be inspired by cars, but the wixen precedent of stealing things like steam engines and adding a few charms seems cheap and almost appropriative. we never hear about wixen novels, but I almost wonder if there is at the least a genre of adding wix to muggle books in the vein of “pride and prejudice and zombies”–The recent upswing in paranormal stories would be incredibly easy to adapt after all. (of course Harry Potter’s publication caused that, so would that universe be different? Paradoxes!)

all of that said, wix are clearly reacting to having been an oppressed–even endangered– minority at some point, and things look like children dressing up as witches on Halloween is also a culturally appropriative, although ignorantly done, but the fact Harry’s thought is so original and serious compared to JKR’s cliches is kind of a micro example of why I really love this story: the implications are intentional, it explores the pitfalls of wixen culture without requiring that it be analogous to the muggle world, and it truly explores both what it means to be a resistance group and what it means for Harry to finally have a place to belong after being told he’s worthless. I love alternate universe stories that both commit to their world and also stay true to the books, delving deeper rather than reinventing. Good fics do what I wish Arthur would do, which is to let canon inspire, but not be held back by it. Wix want to feel superior to muggles, but they clearly envy them as well. And by using disdain to hide their covetousness, muggleborns are looked down on, encouraging them to abandon their understanding of muggle technology rather than using it as a jumping-off point. Wix are thus limited to making assumptions in the vien of Ariel and Scuttle from The Little Mermaid. They might have far less dinglehoppers and more unique inventions if they simply allowed themselves to acknowledge that muggles had surpassed them in some regards and be willing to be unique rather than proving they can make Muggle things better because MAGIC.

going back to @waspabi’s Harry, the originality of this line and its placement makes me think that a Harry who hasn’t been surrounded by the endemic prejudice against muggles at Hogwarts–even ignoring For the Greater Good, old!Dumbledore is on the patronizing end of the spectrum–represents a new way of thinking, as does the titular Hermione. She doesn’t charm flashcards to speak just to make them “better”, she integrates muggle teaching techniques, for example. It’s a matter of balancing, not one upmanship, and waspabi demonstrates that by having Harry think of a lumos in the dark rather than, say, a caterwauling firework or a torch, because in this case the purely wixen idea works best.

I hope I’m getting myself across clearly here I don’t mean to say that wix need to cut the cord completely, the opposite in fact. I mean that they should be willing to use muggle ideas when they’re necessary, and to come up with their own concepts and designs to address a need, not to just steal the muggle technology and make it their own because they think they are entitled. Strangely, i think wix need to be a bit more selfish, to think of themselves as a whole, rather than worrying about muggles and who is related to them. Perhaps canon!Harry moves toward that as an adult, but waspabi’s Harry is so desperate to claim his new identity that he beings to do it at seventeen, and perhaps he will inspire his peers to do the same.

after all, the idea of God rest ye Merry hippogriffs is funny, but I found the lyrics to “a cauldron full of hot strong love” to be even better.***

if you’ve made it this far reward yourself and read the fic that inspired this mammoth post. it’s far more entertaining and clearly thought-provoking.

* a gender neutral alternative for wizarding/“witches and wizards” originated by essayofthoughts afaik

**muggl(e)phile and its counterpart muggl(e)hobia has potential he been used elsewhere, but I’ve never seen it, so if it’s used credit would be appreciate. that said, any linguist want to chime in on if the “e” should be used or not?

***I could devote several more paragraphs to the fact that although pottermore describes Warbeck as being acclaimed and well-off, she’s mocked in canon and preferred by Molly Weasley–a blood traitor–and i wonder if that is a sign of internalized wixephobia. the quibbler is in a similar place, though tabloids are muggle, it's not as clearly ripped off as "the daily prophet" which could totally be a non-magic title for a paper. (wixi-? wix-?)

#long post #hp #harry potter #thinking too much about books #thinking too much about fic #Hermione Granger's Hogwarts Crammer for Delinquents on the Run #fanfiction #fanfic #wizarding culture #wixen culture #wizards #witches #wix #muggle technology #mugglphilia #mugglephilia #mugglephobia #the function of a rubber duck

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emeraldbabygirl · 6 years

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Every time I went on insta they would always post heartfelt messages about Namjoon and I started to feel like I was a bad person, I felt like I wasn’t loving him as much as I should (but how much love can a fan have towards an idol as a fan to idol relationship?), it got to the point where I stopped going on insta because I didn’t want to ruin my day by seeing someone show their love for Namjoon and making me feel worthless. Is it my fault? Am I the bad person? I always felt like I loved him the most, ever since I got into BTS and now there’s this person who seems to love him more than I do. They posted a video of Namjoon singing and dancing to September and the caption was something like ‘imagine getting to see this side of him all the time’ and I cried, ngl. I felt jealous obviously and then I stopped going on insta. I haven’t been on it in months. They posted a few pictures of themselves and they were beautiful and i was jealous because I knew if Namjoon ever came across this person’s account he would fall in love.

I know idols can date whoever they want and that they all will eventually find someone and settle down and start a life with them. As much as I don’t want to think about it I have to keep it in the back of my mind so I can prepare myself for it and not get lost in my own fantasy. Do I think idols should be able to date whoever they want, yes and will I get jealous when they all get married, yes, I will be really sad, do I wish one of my biases found me and fell in love with me, yes. This person has a better chance of being with Namjoon, I have a better chance of being with one of my crushes than being with Namjoon and that hurts, that actually physically hurts. When I think about Namjoon and I think about how I’ll never meet him in person and I’ll never have the opportunity to steal his heart, I get sad and I actually get a pain in my chest, I get a knot in my stomach. That’s why I try not to think about it.

Like the line in Freeze your Brain from The Heathers musical, “the truth’s gonna hurts when it falls so you better start building some walls” the truth already hurts and I have no wall up at all. I’m just here and vulnerable and sensitive to everything. Should I feel bad that I want Namjoon? Should I feel guilty that I wish he was mine? I feel selfish and stupid that someone I barely know have such an impact of my life. I feel like if I don’t have him then I will die alone. I feel the way I am won’t get me a bf unless it’s Namjoon, if I’m not with him I’ll never be with anyone, if he can’t be there for me then why am I alive? I feel like I’m only living for him, I’m hoping that by some miracle I’ll meet him and when I tell him how I feel he’ll understand me and want to tell me otherwise, he’ll fall in love with me. If I try to forget about Namjoon will I ever find someone for me and will they be able to help me forgot about how I feel? Is there a way to get rid of this feeling so I can live my life and actually try to be happy I mean, Namjoon makes me smile and I love him but apparently I don’t love him as much as other people do and no matter how much I think I love him I don’t and there’s always gonna be someone else that loves him more than me.

Even if I did meet him by some miracle and figuratively poured me heart out to him what is he gonna say, ‘wow I’m in love’ ‘I understand what you’re going through let me take the pain away’ ‘be my gf’ nope, the worst thing he could say is ‘thank you for supporting us’ and smile as I cry in front of him. That might seem dramatic but keep in mind that I’ve battled myself about this for months now and I’ve held it in for months so of course if I told him even half of what I was feeling I would break down and cry. I don’t know what to do, can I learn to forget about the things that shouldn’t matter to me, can I live my own life? Can I be happy without Namjoon?

It doesn’t matter what I’m thinking about, even if it has nothing to do with Namjoon or BTS my mind will always end up there being about Namjoon like ‘well what would happen if this happened’ or ‘what if me and Namjoon were’ or ‘what if namjoon’ and I cant seem to stop myself. I think of impossible scenarios then get sad about it when I remember that it’ll never happen. I don’t know how I can stop it, it makes me so upset and I go days thinking about it and I know that my mind should be elsewhere and I shouldn’t live my life as if I was gonna end up with Namjoon but my brain won’t let me. Everything always leads to something that makes me think of Namjoon. I wish I could stop it

Sometimes I wish I could tell the future so I could know if I was kinda end up with Namjoon so I could stop wasting my time if I didn’t but sometimes I’m glad I can’t cause even tho I won’t end up with Namjoon whenever I like to pretend that I can and think that I will it makes me happy. Even tho it’s fake and only lasts for a little bit I still get happy that maybe I have a small chance.

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makingscipub · 4 years

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Gene writing: Between art and nature

In the past, I have written a bit about genomics, synthetic biology and gene editing, from the perspective of language and culture. So, when Matthew Cobb alerted me to a new thing called ‘gene writing’ at the beginning of July, I pricked up my ears. I told myself that I should write a blog post about this new development, if only just to mark the occasion. However, pandemic despondency set in and I just didn’t find the will to write anything. I finally I told myself that this procrastination should end. So here we go!

When first seeing the phrase ‘gene writing’ together with ‘breakthrough’, I was a bit taken aback, as I had thought that that was what synthetic biology was all about. Weren’t we all told that synthetic biology brought about a revolution from just being able to ‘read’ the genetic code to being able to ‘write’ it? But it seems that ‘gene writing’ or ‘genome writing’, although used as phrases once in a while in the context of synthetic biology, never became a thing, it seems. Whether after this announcement ‘gene writing’ will become a thing still has to be seen. One thing has changed though; it has become trademarked!

Gene writing announcement

On 7 July PR Newswire from Cambridge MA announced that: “Flagship Pioneering today announced the unveiling of Tessera Therapeutics, Inc. a new company with the mission of curing disease by writing in the code of life. Tessera is pioneering Gene WritingTM, a new biotechnology that writes therapeutic messages into the genome to treat diseases at their source.”

That announcement was also tweeted out by Flagship Pioneering and Tessera with an accompanying article. I was surprised not to have heard about this apart from in Matthew’s tweet. So I had a quick look at the news data-base Nexis for all English language news and could not find a single mainstream newspaper covering this advance in genetic engineering! The PR Newswire was picked up a few times by online websites. Only Wired, not covered by Nexis, seems to have written something on this new development in genetics.

I first read the PR Newswire, then the Tessera announcement, and then the Wired article in a sort of desultory way, not expecting much, but then was swamped by a tidal wave of metaphors. In the following I’ll try to pick out some of them but I can’t cover them all. But first a quick look at the announcement in the PR Newswire article.

Correcting nature’s code

The PR article starts with the usual proclamation that gene writing will be a “potentially revolutionary breakthrough for genetic medicine”…. That type of hyperbole is almost inevitable. Gene writing is said to overcome various limitations of both gene therapy and gene editing and to be able to “alter the genome by efficiently inserting genes and exons (parts of genes), introducing small insertions and deletions, or changing single or multiple DNA base pairs”. It might potentially cure monogenetic and perhaps also neurodegenerative diseases.

The key people are: Geoffrey von Maltzahn, a biological engineer, Jacob Rubens, a synthetic biologist, and, mentioned elsewhere, Rob Citorik, and others. Von Maltzahn explains what gene writing does by telling readers that “DNA codes for life. But sometimes our DNA is written improperly”. He goes on to say that they asked themselves “’What if Nature evolved a better solution than CRISPR for inserting curative therapeutic messages into the genome?” But how is this imitation of nature done?

To get to the heart of the matter of gene writing, I’ll now turn to what I assume is a press release from Tessera Therapeutics and the article in Wired and stitch them together randomly like a patchwork by tracing some salient metaphors they use.

Genomes, mosaics and tiling

To convey what gene writing is or does, the articles use old and new metaphors and also appeal to nature and evolution. We have already seen the use, by the scientists involved, of the ubiquitous code metaphor. However, there is also something new going on with regard to framing the genome in particular. It is depicted not as the book of life (sort of the basis for gene editing metaphors), but as a mosaic “that has evolved over millennia”. The ‘building blocks’ out of which this mosaic is made are base pairs, the nucleobases A, C, T, and G (also known in the olden times as ‘letters’ of the genetic alphabet).

Now, what is new about gene writing is that it draws its power from scientists being able to “add and subtract tiles from our genomic mosaic”, like “artists changing individual tiles – known as tessera – of a mosaic to alter the whole”. Using this new power, the scientists can write “therapeutic messages into the genome”. It should perhaps have been called ‘gene tiling’….

Beyond cutting and pasting

The real novelty of gene writing is said to lie in overcoming some shortcomings of gene editing. The most important one seems to be something that formerly was hailed as a breakthrough, namely gene editing’s or Crispr’s ability to ‘cut’ DNA – remember those molecular ‘scissors’! But cutting is quite close to breaking and destroying DNA and that’s obviously not good. Fortunately, “nature evolved a better way to alter genomes than cutting DNA”. So, it was time to take lessons from nature (although it should be stressed that gene editing too had taken lessons from nature!).

Junk DNA turns into genomic architects

The above-mentioned scientific artists rearranging genomic tiles began to harness “evolution’s greatest genomic architect: mobile genetic elements” (MGEs), a type of genetic material that can move around within a genome. Some of these were once known as “junk DNA”, but turned out not to be junk after all. To understand the genius of MGEs we have to dig a bit deeper…

Gene villages and jumping genes

Tessera mentions Richard Dawkins’ 1976 book The Selfish Gene to point out that evolution may act not only at the level of genomes but also “at the level of genes”. So, genomes are “not only unitary evolutionary entities but are also like villages composed of thousands of inhabitants called genes, each vying for its own survival”. In this evolutionary context “some genes evolved the ability to replicate independently of the rest of the genome” – and these are MGEs. Barbara McClintock who was the first to research ‘jumping genes’ or transposons.

Cutting, hopping and shuttling

As Wired points out, “MGEs come in a few flavours”: “There are transposons, which can cut themselves out of the genome and hop into a different neighorhood” and there are retrotransposons who “make a copy and shuttle that replica to its new home, expanding the size of the genome with each duplication”. It seems that, so far, Tessara has “identified about 6,000 retrotransposons (what Tessera calls RNA writers) and 2,000 transposons (DNA writers) that show potential” to being harnessed for gene writing.

Battling and stealing

These MGEs are busy little buggers, to put it bluntly. They do not only hop around, move house, etc., there is more. Peters, Koonin and others found in 2017 that there was a type of transposon that “had stolen some Crispr genes to help it move between bacterial hosts”. (Now I leave out a whole lot of battle-stained metaphors employed to explain what bacteria, viruses and phages do, from viral invaders to arms race; something that would deserve further analysis) The researchers realised “that these molecular tools for cutting, copying, and pasting were constantly being shuttled between MGEs, phages, and bacteria to be used alternative as means of offense or defense.” That’s what gene writing tries to imitate.

Mining and prospecting

In order to find good MGEs to work with, bioinformaticians have been mining databases and are “prospecting for MGEs that might be best suited for making these kinds of therapeutic DNA changes”. They have found many candidates.

Plugging and shooting

As I said above, gene writing is supposed to go beyond the cutting and pasting feats of gene editing. Tessera aims to use the characteristics of MGEs to develop “a new class of gene editors capable of precisely plugging in long stretches of DNA – something that Crispr can’t do”. Crispr was, apparently only good at breaking DNA, and only short bits at that. By using MGEs in novel ways, gene writing can, it seems, write “therapeutic messages into the genome to treat diseases at their source”. This is supposed to work through giving the genome one ‘shot’ or ‘injection’ of RNA, something that hasn’t been done before, but something that, apparently is also being explored in the making of COVID-19 vaccines!

Nature, art and science

One tweet announced the gene writing breakthrough by quoting: “This is us standing on the shoulders of Mother Nature”. This quote brings together nature and science, just as the name Tessera brings together art and biology or biology and design in order to indicate that those working with Tessera engineer and create “synthetic mobile genetic elements”.

This brings us back to synthetic biology which can be defined as “the design and construction of novel biologically based parts, devices and systems, as well as the redesign of existing natural biological systems, for useful purposes.” Gene writing in Tessera’s sense exploits the evolutionary design capabilities of nature. This is why people writing about gene writing focused on ‘architecture’, ‘art’, ‘mosaics’ and ’tiling’, rather than on scissors and cutting and pasting. However, ‘writing’ harks back to the cutting and pasting days of gene editing, which is a bit confusing. But ‘gene tiling’ might have been too novel a metaphor to use!

Image: Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay – Tessellation

The post Gene writing: Between art and nature appeared first on Making Science Public.

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theexistentialnerd · 7 years

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WARNING - Long Heated Post Regarding Personal Situation

You read that right. This is going to be a very long post. It is going to be a bit heated. It is NOT going to be pretty, either. However, keep in mind that all contents of this post are of my own personal opinions based on the images contained in this post, and personal interactions. This post is made for the purpose of being therapeutic for me. To release tension, and get things out there that I have kept locked down for the last few months. So, here goes...

As you may know, Nathan Smith and I have been friends for five years. FIVE years. It came to a screeching halt back in January 2017. The reason? Well, it isn't just a reason, but many. First off, he has used me to meet his own goals, while pushing me down. He financially relied on me to support his goals. But, mostly it is all summed up over the fact that Nathan Smith is a textbook narcissist.

nar·cis·sism

ˈnärsəˌsizəm/ noun

noun: narcissism

excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's physical appearance.

synonyms:vanity, self-love, self-admiration, self-absorption, self-obsession, conceit, self-centeredness, self-regard, egotism, egoism

"his emotional development was hindered by his mother's narcissism"

antonyms:modesty

PSYCHOLOGYextreme selfishness, with a grandiose view of one's own talents and a craving for admiration, as characterizing a personality type. PSYCHOANALYSISself-centeredness arising from failure to distinguish the self from external objects, either in very young babies or as a feature of mental disorder.

If that textbook definition doesn't grab your attention, how about a meme? Anyone that knows Nathan on some personal level beyond just through Facebook, or limited engagements can attest to this being accurate to describe him. Go and look at his social media posts! He manipulates posts to make himself look like the victim when someone has an issue with him. Especially if that issue is over the fact that he decided to post something, and then got called out for it. He verbally attacks EVERYONE in the sense of throwing out a blanket threat to find a "spy" in his midst. Someone that feeds information to those that he considers his enemies. Folks, DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS MAN! I know a wonderful group of people that he approached. A group that do know him on a personal level, and do NOT wish to be associated with this man. They don't feel safe around him! That should tell you something about him. Little fact for you ladies reading this. He had (I say had because I think he deleted it) a folder of pictures he has taken from cons. Pictures that I detest, and will NOT tolerate. All of you lady COSplayers...you know what types of pictures I am referring too. THOSE pictures. The type where one sneaks up, and snaps a picture that is inappropriate when you aren't looking. He admitted to this in FRONT OF MY CHILDREN at Kansas City Comic Con 2015...our FIRST CON! I was pissed off when he pulled this. This is what gets you banned, and blacklisted! And keep in mind, Nathan is a liar. He admitted to the world that he was gay. Remember that? If not...

Yeah, what does that say? That he is gay. No, serious! It wasn't as a joke. It wasn't an act...supposedly. However, a liar tends to forget what lies that they have going when they have so many going at once. They end up slipping, and post something that says otherwise, like his post back on March 16th at about 1:25 in the afternoon. He goes on a tirade about how his is a "good guy" that got crapped on for "sticking his neck out" for some gal. Personally, I think she got wind of what he is really about, and ran!

So, right now, it seems that things have come up again between he and I. He ran his mouth, then deleted the post to make me sound like this terrible, and vindictive person. However, he attacked my character, and my upcoming comic con.

So, yeah, I stepped up and retorted. I am not going to sit here and allow someone to deface my logo, or my good name. I have worked very hard to present myself in a fashion for the last 15 years as a professional. Someone that you can trust. I understand that you are possibly thinking that this whole post says otherwise. However, any good man is also a man you do not cross. I have social anxieties, and I suffer depression. Because of this, I have allowed much to take place. I have even allowed him to say things about me in public...in front of me...to others without speaking up. Things such as how I am not the creative force behind Notes and Nerds Entertainment. However, I have been branching out, and creating new content that is beyond what we used to do. I am creating a comic con! There were times when I was demoted to being "the camera guy" when interviewing people! Hell, in his recent Facebook post that he deleted, he makes sure you know he was on the Board for TopCon Geek Expo, but makes NO effort to let you know that I was as well. Folks, I do want to point out that he is claiming that I am withholding material that belongs to "Burn the Sun Entertainment", and "Broken Lens Photography". Two Facebook pages he runs. That is false. All videos, and photos taken by Nathan smith for his various "productions" have been removed by him, and uploaded elsewhere. There are no videos in my personal possession that belong to him. There are also no photos that he owns in my possession. Any video and photographs on Notes and Nerds, and all related sites/pages are the property of Notes and Nerds Entertainment. He may have taken some, but by all rights, belong to Notes and Nerds. He is welcome to repost his photos anywhere he wishes, but beyond that, he is blowing smoke. To be perfectly clear, he publicly announced that he LEFT Notes and Nerds Entertainment!

You can't go and make a public announcement, and then sit there complaining about ownership when the other party is succeeding with the brand without you. Also, please take note here. Not anywhere does he mention a thing about Notes and Nerds closing its doors. At the time of this post, there were no comments, as you can see. So any comments made later are not relevant to this post as of the moment it was created. Now, about the creative genius part that he loves to gloat about. The name Notes and Nerds was created by me. There was input from his now ex-wife, my wife, and him...but ultimately, it was me that put the Notes, and the Nerds together to form the name. He also wanted to call our production team "MOFO Entertainment". However, a simple Google search shows dozens of other "MOFO's" out there. As for his precious "Music Hour"? Yeah, again...go do a Google search. I would like to say that he came up with Nom Nom Nerd...but that was me again, on the front porch of my house I was living in a couple years ago. And that show is based on the cooking show I was pitching to our wives where they did the cooking, and we were the comedic relief, aka the puppets, for the show. Unfortunately, he didn't look up to see if Nom Nom Nerd was taken either...which it was. (Yes, I know...Retro Gaming Nerds is also taken long before I used it, but I don't withhold that fact.) By the way, don't confuse his "Broken Lens Photography" with the three or four OTHER Broken Lens Photography websites that are out there. Photographers that have been in business a long while longer than Nathan. Oh, and they also have talent. My point? He creates names for his "businesses", but doesn't bother to go check if they are taken or not. What is worse, he is a plagiarist. For the last 4+ years, I have argued with him about stealing the works of others, and claiming it as his own. Seriously, go to his "Ask a Nerd E. Guy" page, highlight ANY post of his where he gives you a tidbit of information, and Google it. How many results do you get with the SAME EXACT TEXT!? Hell, he has a video on Nom Nom Nerd where he STOLE VIDEO from College Humor, and claimed that portion as HIS OWN! It's titled Nom Nom Nerd: "Reuben's Bad Dream" short. Go on, follow that link. Then follow this link to College Humor's Youtube Channel. Oops. Hell, all of his music that he "created" is actually the works of other artists. What he does is he sends it through a program that strips out the vocals first. Then he alters the tempo, beat, etc so that it sounds different. Hell, the theme for "The Existential Nerd" is Party Rock by LMFAO! Seriously, overlap the two songs, and they match up. He special intro song for our interview with IBOT here recently? Iron Man by Black Sabbath, but he calls it something else, and all he did was loop the first couple seconds of the song! Folks, in closing... If you read this far...what the hell is wrong with you? Were you bored? Regardless, thank you. I appreciate the fact you took the time to read this post. It was therapeutic. It seriously was. I have had a lot on my chest regarding Nathan for the last few months. It is the same problem, over and over. I just feel that it is important that you, the reader, knows that Nathan R. Smith is not someone you should associate with, or trust. I lived with this man, and I was his best friend for five years. I stood up for him, and protected his name when others spoke ill of him, only to now feel as if I am eating shoe. And ladies, please be careful around him. He is a womanizer, and will use you. All images on this post have been legally obtained via Facebook, and Nathan's own Facebook Profile. Images are not fabricated, altered, or forged in any way. All statements made here on this blog post are solely of my OWN opinion, and based on the imagery, and interactions with the individual in question. Any actions taken by anyone that has read this post are of their own accord and sound mind. from The Existential Nerd http://ift.tt/2o8PTKZ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #The Existential Nerd

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