#Just thinking about their personalities and how they change and adapt as they fall deeper in love 🥺

[the-magpie-archives]

The thing with Jon is that he is actually really funny! His delightfully dry and sarcastic sense of humor is pleasantly visible from the beginning, and it's gradual decline as pressure builds up is pointed. He never loses his humor though, and in so many cases the crisis enhances it.

It makes me consider his childhood. Jon's rejected, ignored and hushed pretty often but it scarcely stops his witty comments; is this the environment he grew up it? Its not uncommon for elderly people to have dry humor also, and the mask of academia goes hand in hand with sarcasm.

What's really fascinating about Jon's humor however, is how it changes during the apocalypse. When he no longer has to mantain a professional image or his integrity in any way his humor takes much more of a forefront. Of course, he's still under a tremendous amount of pressure so it would be ridiculous for him to be funny all of the time, but when the social stakes are lowered he's much more open.

We see it in many moments when he's with Martin, and even with Basira, Melanie, and Georgie. His jokes are a lot more honest, and he allows them to be simply funny instead of lacing them with intellectualism. For the first time him being professional, polite, and socially acceptable will do absolutely nothing to help him and he's able to let go.

Even in through the various moments of struggle in their journey Jon's able to be more relaxed, which in turn seems to create better outcomes; I'd say that this is because it's not his fault for once, but since he very clearly believes that it is, this reaction is likely as a result of the fact that it absolutely and categorically could not get any worse .

This, I think, is a reason Jon and Martin were able to get so far (and remain so engaging). Even in the darkest depths, the worst of the worst, their survival instincts and coping mechanisms compliment eachother greatly. Jon provides information, knowledge, and the light relief of a very good joke. Martin provides care, concern, and emotional critical thinking.

Their love for eachother was the glue that held together a very well suited team, and together their skills and even their flaws carried them forward.

#Just thinking about their personalities and how they change and adapt as they fall deeper in love 🥺 #They care about eachother so much that they adapt who they are to suit eachother but they never have to let go of themselves to do it... #True love is not changing yourself but instead changing the way you apply yourself <3 #tma #the magnus archives #the magnus institute #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #jmart #jonmartin #the eyepocalypse #tma season 5 #Tma analysis

[theographos]

Why Aliens feels off in Tales of Arcadia

Don't get me wrong, I really like Aja, Krel and Varvatos. I even think that 3Below was quite good, even if i'm not a sci-fi fan at all (i even managed to fall asleep in front of every Star Wars ever, and not with any other movie). But good doesn't mean good in terms of storytelling. Because after all 3Below is set in the Tales of Arcadia franchise, and let's just say they don't 100% fit in it.

So why is that ?

1. Trollhunters is based on a book, and the book doesn't contain any aliens.

Well from what I have researched the book doesn't contain any trace of wizards too. I will also add that I haven't read the original book, I just made some researches about its content on the internet.

For those who don't know, Trollhunters : Tales of Arcadia is a loose adaptation of a book written by Guillermo Del Toro and Daniel Kraus, called Trollhunters. It's an adaptation similar to How to Train Your Dragon : The characters are present, the surnatural/fantasy aspect of the book is also present but everything else is changed. I even saw that Steve dies in the book, so glad they didn't take that route.

And i'm not part of the people who screams and cry everytime there is any changes from a book to a movie, To be deeply honest with you all I studied Cinema and English litterature in highschool and my final projet for those two subjects was to talk about how some changes in book adaptations are a good idea.

But it just shows that writer did not have any basic material for it. They had to create it all from scraps, and I feel like the first season of Trollhunters was already out when they thought of aliens, so they decided to connect it howerver they could. Which leads us to our second point.

2. Aliens don't really have any deep connections with humans, trolls or wizards.

Wizards and trolls fought against Gumm gumms, wizards have created many magical relics that Trolls uses, and as we saw with Hisirdoux wizards have an habit of dealing with trolls species. The interactions are already present, they have a deep history between them, shares problems and common knowledge.

Aliens apparently shook hands long time ago on Earth and were gone for the rest of the time, so except an old memory forgotten by almost everyone, they don't really have a pre existing history tying them to the different races in the story.

Trolls and wizards are based on things we already know off. I mean we have countless myths and legends about them already, but there is a bit more to that.

Horseshoe are items to uncover if someone is a changeling, trolls love to eat socks, which ties into the forever myth of "why am I always missing a sock", you think that racoons made your trashcan fall but it could have been gobelins, is that a black cat or just a small dragon etc. You really have the aspect that you interact with the "underworld" on a day to day basis without being actually aware of, and that goes deeper than just "oh this random person is just a troll in disguise".

Aliens don't really have that, like no one except the army used alien technology before 3Below, and still it was in secret so we can't really copy that to our everyday life as easily as the previous examples that I made.

Earth is about Trolls, humans, demi-gods and wizards. And it also happened to have aliens once in a while, but nothing much about it. And that leads us to our last point.

3. The plot has no space for Aliens.

Since the whole story is about earth and the fate of earth, we don't really have space for Aliens in the plot (no puns intended). We can literally see that with the 3Below plot : gumm gumms are something completly unrelated to the plot, it just happens in the back while the main plot is happening. 3Below is more of a spin-off or a "What If?" kind of show than a continuation of the main plot.

3Below is an interlude, an easter egg for the fans. You barely see the main cast, the main cast barely acknowledge the presence of the trio in their own show.

See I wouldn't be criticizing it if it was considered as such in the franchise. A side-story that doesn't impact the plot, but for fan service it will appear in the final movie so that everyone has their conclusion.

But it's not the case, it is seen as an important part of the story by the studio. It has never been advertised as something else than an active part of Tales of Arcadia.

If they truly wanted something about aliens, it should have been as a side story, a spin off.

But as a major part of the franchise, it doesn't deserve its spot and you can feel it.

#tales of arcadia : trollhunters #tales of arcadia trollhunters #rise of the titans #3below tales of arcadia #tales of arcadia wizards #tales of arcadia #tales of arcadia : rise of the titans #wizards #trollhunters #tales of arcadia : 3below #tales of arcadia : wizards #tales of arcadia 3below #wizards tales of arcadia #rise of the titans tales of arcadia #tales of arcadia rise of the titans #trollhunters tales of arcadia #aja tarron #krel tarron #varvatos vex #trollhunters critical #3below critical

[biconickyoshi]

So. I think it’s possible that they’re actually gonna do Kataang. Definitely with her speech at the end of the season, THAT actually felt like Katara. Finally. And apparent the actor just did an interview recently and she motioned that there were hints of Kataang and there would be a lot more come the next season

I shouldn’t have hope. But little 10 year old in me that grew with this show needs to see them fall in love all over again for 26 year old me.

Yeah, strangely in the last couple of episodes Katara finally started to feel like herself in that she expressed much more emotion than she had the entirety of the rest of the series (though I still hate the girlbossification of her character in the NAtLA NWT storyline). That scene of her yelling at Aang on the wall was also the first scene in the whole show that I personally saw any sort of inkling of Kataang, platonic or romantic. They are supposed to be best friends, but it didn't feel like Katara truly cared about Aang in a deeper way until that scene.

I know how you feel though - if my 10yo self watched this adaptation, I would have been extremely pissed, because Kataang was my OTP above all other ships in any other fandom for yeaaaars haha. I'm so glad to hear Kiawentiio has been hinting at more Kataang in the future - I honestly really like her and I'm still so mad that she didn't get more chances to actually be the Katara we all know and love, because she can definitely do it! She's not a bad actress, it's just the shitty writing!

I wonder if they will actually try to revisit the Cave of Two Lovers in S2 - NAtLA has made it to where the caves lead directly to the city's prison, so it would make sense for the Gaang to use them to try and sneak into Omashu to bust Bumi out. Who knows, maybe we will actually get the Kataang content we deserved too. I still think having Katara and Sokka go into the lovers' cave has been the most egregious change in the entirety of NAtLA so far lmao

#asks #natla #atla #natla critical #netflix atla #netflix avatar the last airbender #natla spoilers #avatar the last airbender #kataang #katara x aang #aang x katara #aang #katara #atla netflix #pro kataang

[barelytolerabled]

The christmas miracle

Spencer Reid x fem!Reader

Summary: You and Spencer are stranded in a small town on Christmas Eve due to a snowstorm. As you both work to find a way back home, you also help the town with their Christmas celebrations. Along the way, you both begin to realize that what you really want for Christmas is each other.

Warnings: none

You had been excitedly counting down the days until Christmas for weeks. As an FBI agent, you had been working long hours and juggling a lot of cases, but the thought of spending the holidays with your family kept you going. You had just finished up a case in a nearby town with your colleague, Spencer Reid, and were on your way to the airport to catch your flight home when you saw the snowflakes start to fall.

At first, it seemed like nothing to worry about, but soon the snow was coming down heavily, and the roads were getting treacherous. You and Spencer made the decision to stay in the small town overnight and wait for the storm to pass before continuing on. It wasn't ideal, but you were both adaptable and could handle a change in plans.

You soon realized, however, that the town was completely unprepared for the storm. The locals were all scrambling, trying to figure out how to make the most of the situation, and you both felt compelled to lend a hand. You quickly found yourselves volunteering to help decorate the town square, wrap presents, and set up the Christmas tree.

As you and Spencer worked together at the local Christmas fair, wrapping presents for the children, there was a sense of camaraderie between you both. You had gotten to know each other much better over the past few days, and there was a sense of playfulness in the air.

As you were wrapping a particularly tricky present, Spencer leaned in close to help you. His warm breath tickled your neck, and you couldn't help but shiver.

"Thanks," you said, smiling up at him.

"Anytime," he replied, grinning back at you.

As you continued to work, the playful banter continued. You teased him about his obsessive attention to detail, and he made fun of your terrible wrapping skills.

Suddenly, Spencer reached over and grabbed your hand, pulling you close to him. You looked up at him, confused, but before you could say anything, he leaned in and whispered in your ear.

"You know, I could teach you how to wrap presents properly," he said, his voice low and teasing.

You felt a shiver run down your spine, and you couldn't help but play along.

"Oh really?" you replied, batting your eyelashes at him. "And what do I get in return?"

Spencer's eyes twinkled with mischief, and he leaned in even closer.

"Well, I was thinking a date," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

You felt your heart skip a beat, and you couldn't help but grin. This was the moment you had been waiting for, and it felt like the perfect Christmas gift.

"Deal," you said, leaning in to give him a playful kiss on the cheek.

As you continued to work, there was a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air. You knew that things between you and Spencer had changed, and you couldn't wait to see what the future held

Despite the situation, you both found yourselves enjoying the work and the people you were meeting. Spencer's enthusiasm and eagerness to help the community surprised you. You had known him for a while now, but this side of him was new to you. You could feel yourself drawn to him in a way that you had never experienced before.

As you worked together, it became clear that you both shared a passion for helping others. You talked about your shared experiences and your love for your job, and you found that your connection was deeper than you had thought. It was clear that Spencer was a kind-hearted and intelligent person, and you couldn't help but feel yourself falling for him.

As the day turned into night, you both found yourselves sitting by the fire in a local inn, exhausted but content. You were both sipping hot cocoa and admiring the decorations you had helped put up. You glanced over at Spencer and realized how close you were sitting to him. You could feel the heat radiating from his body and the beating of his heart. It was a moment of perfect peace.

Suddenly, the power flickered, and the room fell into darkness. You both laughed, realizing that the storm had taken out the electricity. Spencer quickly lit some candles, and the room was filled with a warm, flickering light. You both sat in silence for a moment, and then Spencer spoke up.

"I know we're supposed to be heading home for the holidays, but I'm honestly happy we got stuck here," he said softly. "This has been one of the most meaningful Christmas Eves I've ever had." You smiled at him, feeling the same way.

Spencer turned to you, and before you knew it, he leaned in and kissed you softly on the lips. It was a gentle and tender kiss, and it took your breath away. You both pulled away, a little surprised and unsure of what to say.

After a moment of silence, you found your voice. "Spencer, I don't know how to say this, but I think I'm falling for you. What's happening between us feels so right."

Spencer's eyes widened, and then he grinned widely. "I feel the same way. I've been trying to figure out how to tell you for weeks now."

You both sat in silence for a few moments, basking in the glow of the candles and the warmth of each other's company. The power eventually came back on, and you both decided to stay up all night, enjoying each other's company and talking about your hopes and dreams for the future.

The next morning, you both woke up feeling happy and content. . The storm had passed, and the town was already bustling with activity as the residents continued their Christmas celebrations. You and Spencer made the decision to stay for a little longer and help out with the festivities.

You both worked tirelessly alongside the locals, and the sense of community and belonging you felt was overwhelming. It was a Christmas you would never forget, and you knew that it was all thanks to being stranded in that small town.

As the day came to a close, you both said your goodbyes and made the journey back to the airport. The trip home was filled with a comfortable silence, and you both knew that things had changed between you. You were no longer just colleagues, but something more.

When you finally arrived home, you were greeted with warm hugs from your family. They were surprised to see you, but happy nonetheless. You couldn't wait to tell them about your adventure in the small town and about Spencer.

Over the next few weeks, you and Spencer started dating officially, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. You found yourself happier than you had ever been before, and you knew that he felt the same way.

As Christmas approached, you both made the decision to spend it together. You wanted to make new memories, and what better way to do that than by spending it with the person you loved the most?

On Christmas morning, you woke up next to Spencer with a sense of excitement in the air. You exchanged warm hugs and kisses before reaching for the presents under the tree.

You handed Spencer his present first, watching as he unwrapped it with care. Inside was a leather-bound copy of his favorite book, with a handwritten note from you tucked inside.

Spencer's eyes lit up as he read the note, and he turned to you with a huge smile on his face.

"This is amazing," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much."

You grinned back at him, feeling a sense of joy and contentment in your heart. Seeing him so happy made your day, and you couldn't wait to see what he had gotten you.

Spencer reached for the present with your name on it, and he watched as you carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a beautiful necklace, with a small diamond pendant.

"It's beautiful," you said, admiring the delicate piece of jewelry.

"I wanted to get you something special," Spencer said, his voice filled with warmth. "Something to remind you of this Christmas and the memories we've made together."

You felt a wave of emotion wash over you, and you couldn't help but lean in for a kiss.

"I love it," you said, smiling up at him. "And I love you."

Spencer's eyes softened, and he leaned in for another kiss.

"I love you too," he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

As you both sat together, admiring each other's gifts, you knew that this Christmas was something special. It was a reminder of the love you shared and the memories you had made together, and it was a gift that would last a lifetime.

It was the perfect Christmas, and you both knew that it was only the beginning of your love story.

The Christmas Miracle had brought you together, and you were both grateful for it. You knew that whatever the future held, you would face it together, with love in your hearts and each other by your side.

#spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid #spencer reid x you #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid one shot #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid x fem!reader #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds oneshot #criminal minds fic #criminal minds x y/n

[satancopilotsmytardis]

How do you go about writing your fan fictions? I personally kind of just go for it, but I end up loosing the flow and it gets all jumbled up and doesn’t really make any sense.I’ve noticed in a few of your sneak-peaks sometimes your writing is written like a script, or they are random short snippets.

I’m hoping to fix the flow of my writing, and not loose motivation as quickly.

I also usually just start writing. For the most part what I publish is almost exactly what I wrote for my rough draft with just some grammar/spelling edited (if I remember to bother with it before just throwing it up, or if I'm not practically falling asleep before I publish it).

The screenshots that are snippets are taken from scenes that are already fully written, then I just decide on a paragraph or two that I think get the idea across most clearly. The screenshots of writing that looks like it's formatted like a script are probably specifically from my Data Leak WIP, where I'm showing text messages from the characters! That's a way to represent those texts stylistically, and not how I typically write/draft.

When you guys see anything with bullet points, that's my outlining process. Normally that happens after I've already written a chunk of the story and determine I need some of those notes to make sure I don't forget about elements that I was foreshadowing just in case I step away for a while. For example, here is the chapter summary/outline for chapter 3 of Dalliance:

I knew this one was going on the WIP rotation so I wrote down everything I remembered wanted to be in that scene so I had a play-by-play when I got back to it. If you struggle with maintaining motivation for projects, then outlining with a full chapter summary can help ensure that you remember where you wanted to go in case you take a step back for a while.

But if I know I'm doing something in a bigger chunk I don't bother with that and only make short notes. For the Pet!Shifter Dabi story, this is all I have for my outline:

It's just the bare minimum of notes, but they act as anchor points for my story. These are three scenes that I want to hit, anything around these scenes can change or be adapted, even these scenes themselves can be adjusted, it all just depends on what the narrative is doing once I get deeper into the writing. If you're struggling with your flow becoming incoherent, then setting anchor points in a loose outline can help with this. You can always look at the point you are aiming on getting to, look at your current trajectory and adjust accordingly. Sometimes you might notice that the original plan isn't working anymore, that's okay too, as long as you can replace the point you were originally going to with one that is as concrete/makes just as much sense, then making that change can help your story grow.

As far as losing motivation goes, it really, genuinely does help to share your work with a few people/online who motivate you to keep going. I know that when I was in college I was writing at a similar rate as I am now because I was working on my degree. However, once I left, I slowed down a lot until I finally started posting again over the last year. If you have other writer friends then sharing with them can be a great way to keep going!

And for anyone wondering why I'm working in Comic Sans: No joke, writing in Comic Sans can genuinely help you to write faster/not be as precious with your work. And I'm writing on green with gray text because it helps me with my eyestrain after spending so much time on my computer for writing and work!

I hope this can help, but everyone writes in very different ways, and it really, genuinely can take a while to figure out what works best for you! Good luck, you've got this!

#tanco speaks #ask #asks #writing asks

[mbti-notes]

Hi. My spouse and I (both entj or so) both handle conflict terribly. We stonewall, work around each other, withdraw to sulk for hours/days when called out, or at worst lash out verbally. I already find it hard to understand and articulate my emotional needs. It doesn't help when he seems to want clear black and white rules that don't ever have to change according to what's going on with me or accommodate me when I'm struggling. Do you have any tips on how to get started addressing this pattern?

When both parties handle conflict terribly, it's like the blind leading the blind. Since there isn't someone skilled enough to steer things in the right direction, it might be necessary to get expert help from a neutral third party in couple's therapy. It sounds like you both have a lot to learn about relationships. While it's possible to get tips online or read books to make some improvements to the situation, it might not be enough to help you tackle the deeper issues. Therapy is often a more efficient option because the learning is tailored to your specific needs and you get real-time guidance and practice.

Relationship skill is actually a set of skills including things such as: emotional intelligence, stress management, assertiveness, communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, moral reasoning. While it may seem overwhelming to think of how much there is to learn, you can view it as an investment. After all, you spent many years of your life learning reading, writing, and arithmetic so that you could one day be able to support yourself financially. Isn't it just as important to be able to handle yourself well socially in order to live a truly fulfilling life? If you agree, then you should be more than willing to put in the time and effort to learn these skills.

From your description, it's not yet clear to me that your spouse is as up to the task of learning as you are, so this seems like the first major issue that needs to be addressed. Imagine that you're learning to drive and you believe you must follow every little rule of the road at all times, in exactly the way the driver's manual taught you. Would doing this make you a "good" driver? Actually, it could make you a terrible driver and even create dangerous situations. An important aspect of being a great driver is adjusting to the immediate conditions of the road. For instance, driving in a snowstorm requires you to slow down, drive defensively, and grant leeway for others to make mistakes on the ice.

Generally speaking, human beings have succeeded as a species not because of rules, but because they have evolved to be highly adaptable, which keeps them in touch with reality and able to confront the challenges of their ever changing circumstances. Adaptability is especially important in relationships because social interactions are very fluid situations, with lots of variables in motion, with lots of potential for unexpected events. The more you can take the whole social context into consideration, the more likely you are to speak effectively and make good social choices. Emotional intelligence is one important way to increase your mental flexibility and thereby your adaptability, which you can read about in the dedicated articles I've already provided.

Of course, human beings need some rules because life would get too chaotic and fall apart otherwise. However, when a person relies too heavily on rules, they become more and more mentally inflexible, and then rule following can easily become a mental health issue that creates more problems than it solves. (I have discussed before how an exacting rule-based approach to life can be a sign of psychological immaturity.)

Mental flexibility isn't a genetic trait, rather, it's largely learned through environmental influences. This is an important point because mentally inflexible people tend to claim "this is just how I am". This is true only to the extent that people can become more and more set in their habits as they get older. However, this decline into stasis is not inevitable and it does not preclude the possibility of change. In fact, one should actually nurture the ability to change periodically in order to keep the mind active and stave off cognitive decline in old age.

It's quite possible to improve mental flexibility, but, first, a person has to acknowledge that their mental inflexibility is a problem that produces self-sabotaging behavior. Once they can admit the problem, they can address the underlying causes. For example:

- Some people feel as though they need fixed rules because they are afraid of making mistakes, getting caught by the unexpected, or feeling unmoored in unfamiliar situations. The underlying issue is often insecurity, low self-confidence, or distrust of the world. They don't feel as though they can handle situations successfully without rules to guide them through the challenges. Unfortunately, they don't realize that their strict belief in the rules is precisely what prevents them from being able to perform well on their feet. They usually need to learn and practice acceptance, in order to relax and go with the flow better.

- Some people only know to follow rules because they suffer from an utter lack of imagination. The underlying issue is often a stubborn narrow-mindedness or short-sightedness. For them, everything in life exists within the confines of the rules, which means life easily becomes stagnant. They never accept new ideas and thus never encounter ways to improve or progress. Eventually, life moves on without them and they become a relic of the past. This kind of alienation is a painful state. However, if they can acknowledge that pain, it can be used to motivate change and rejoin the flow of life. They usually need to learn and practice open-mindedness, in order to take advantage of good opportunities to move forward.

- Some people rely too much on fixed rules because they use laziness as a defense mechanism. They don't want to deal with complexity, complications, ambiguity, or shades of gray. The underlying issue is often an unwillingness to commit. They simply don't care enough to put out time and effort, often because their efforts have been met with disappointment too many times in the past. They may use rules as easy mental shortcuts or hide behind the rules to avoid being held accountable for bad decisions. Eventually, they fall into deep existential boredom that infects their relationships and drives people away. Their relationships won't improve until they can finally confront and resolve their fear of commitment.

- Some people harp on the rules out of arrogance. They take too much pride in their ability to follow the rules and in having the willpower to resist straying from them. The underlying issue is often egotism or perfectionism. They use rule abidance as a way to define people's worth and cast moral judgment upon those they dislike, and they might even lord the rules over people in order to feel superior. Unfortunately, their perfectionist enforcement of the rules can lead to blowback that worsens aggression in a vicious cycle. Until they can step back, reflect, and become more aware of what's really driving the perfectionism, their relationships will remain extremely shallow and unfulfilling for everyone involved.

I don't know your spouse, so I can't tell you why he's mentally inflexible. Perhaps he's resistant because he doesn't want to face up to his own shortcomings. However, it's important to acknowledge that, in many cases, relationship problems are rooted in the unresolved psychological issues of the individual. Thus, it is necessary to do a certain amount of self-work in order to be a better partner.

Psychological issues shouldn't be viewed as "personal failings" to be ashamed of. It's better to view psychological issues as matters of ignorance - lack of knowledge and skill - that can be properly remedied through learning, study, and practice. Many people think they should go to therapy because there's something wrong with them. In my view, therapy isn't about "fixing" what's "wrong" with oneself in any moral sense. Rather, it's about learning the knowledge and skills you missed out on for whatever reason earlier in life. You aren't born knowing everything and you don't always have the opportunity to learn all the tools you need to tackle life's problems.

Relationships are the prime example. People learn their approach to relationships unconsciously as children, through observing their parents, authority figures, and peers (see: attachment theory). This can be a problem when those people weren't good role models or were bad at relationships, thus passing on unhealthy ways to the next generation. As an adult, it's important to realize your true power. You don't have to keep those unhealthy lessons you learned earlier in life. You can learn how to do better at any time as long as there is opportunity and access to the right learning resources. Your motivation to learn should come from deep within you, from a longing to make the most of your potential.

Is there enough willingness to learn and improve, though? Resistance to learning new things is a big obstacle in personal growth and relationship growth. In order to establish the right frame of mind for growth, both you and your spouse have to nurture as much openness to learning as possible. Once the both of you are equally motivated and committed to improving, the learning can begin in earnest.

My suggestion is usually to start at the surface and move your way down into deeper territory as necessary, which allows you to go gradually from easy to difficult in a logical fashion. The first thing you could learn is better ways of communicating, e.g.: choosing more appropriate words; using more constructive language; framing ideas in a way that is more palatable to the listener; listening more carefully to the real meaning; asking clarifying questions in a neutral manner; etc. A therapist can help you with this and you can also consult the communication books I've recommended on the resources page.

In the process of improving your communication skills, you're bound to meet some obstacles. For example, you may find it difficult to communicate when emotions are heightened. This obstacle points to a deeper issue beneath the surface of the communication of not being able to manage emotions well. Thus, the second layer to work on would be emotional intelligence. When you're working on that, another obstacle may arise, such as a past hurt that keeps triggering heightened emotions. Exploring and resolving that past experience would then be the third layer to work on. And so on and so forth.

In short, each obstacle you run into while learning a psychological skill might point you to a deeper problem. In this way, you gradually get deeper and deeper until you finally bump up against the heart of the matter. There is no timeline I can give you as to how long this learning process takes because there's no telling how deep the matter goes until you get there. It really depends on the individuals involved and how much work each of them needs to do. For some couples, improving communication might be enough to get the relationship back on track. For other couples, they might eventually realize that individual therapy is necessary for healing old psychological issues before they can recommence together.

It's important to be patient and take one step at a time rather than focus too much on the end result. There is always hope to mend and salvage a relationship as long as both parties are willing to make some necessary changes and meet up somewhere in the middle.

#relationships #development #mental flexibility #adaptability #communication #ask

[dr-lizortecho]

I'm a delena lover too and wanted to know any delena UOs you have? A few of mine if you promise not to make fun of me - 1. I honestly don't think delena is nearly as "toxic" as it's made out to be? I mean, context matters, and this is a show about screwed up monstrous vampires, so no ship is going to be the epitome of 'healthy' lol. But I actually find delena a lot more honest and real than stelena was and a lot less toxic than klaroline. They communicate and adapt much more than antis give them credit for and are genuinely loving and supportive. I'm dying on that unpopular hill :) 2. I actually think s5 is my favorite delena season? It leaned in to the "but they're not healthy!" stuff too much, but it also showed them at their best, most loyal and passionate and adoring, without the icky shadow of the 'sire bond' crap that ruined s4 for me. And Elena is so...free that season? I don't know, I just love it. S6 has great domestic moments but yet another unpopular opinion is that something about the 'falling in love all over again with no memories' storyline felt really inauthentic and rushed to me. I like it in theory, just not the execution. 3. Delena is NOT just about physical attraction. At all. Like I truly believe that even if they could never have sex again they'd be very happy together. They connect on a much deeper level imo, seeing each other for who they truly are. 4. I do not in any way buy Elena as a doctor or even a science person---in my mind she became a teacher or a counselor :) 5. Elena is thought to be similar to Stefan but imo in actuality she's more like Damon imo---super passionate, follows her heart and instincts to a degree that some see as selfish, reacts in the moment rather than focusing on the past or future etc. 6. I actually think Damon has a better, softer heart than Stefan. He's crazy and impulsive and self-destructive and a whole bunch of other things, but he's also a lot softer and more willing to acknowledge his flaws and try to change than Stefan is. Again, these are all just my very UOs! Can't wait to read yours too!!

Hi anon! I adore them- like there’s three ships that I really feel encapsulate romantic love for me, that taught me what it is and how it works, and Delena was the second of those ships so it means a lot to me personally

So I am so far removed from fandom I barely know what counts as popular opinions and unpopular opinions, but feel free to ask me specific questions at any time! Though my two fav characters are Tyler and Bonnie if that counts <3 I’ll start by kinda saying my thoughts on the things you mentioned as your unpopular opinions- which I fully understand even when we slightly disagree! Below the cut so it’s easier for my non-tvd followers

On Delena being called toxic- I talked about it in part before (but alas I can’t find the post) and contrary to popular belief I think they’re not toxic (granted after they get together) outside of the regular amount you should expect in all teen dramas regardless of supernatural elements or not. Unlike a lot of the other relationships they have a lot of communication and consent involved from the start, because they have to with the precarious Stefan ties and the sire bond. On top of that they both acknowledge the parts of their relationship that aren’t the best and actively work towards making them better, however, with the flaws and missteps afforded for drama ✨

I can’t be impartial about s5- definitely not enough to be able to decide about Delena in it. I wasn’t a fan of that brand of angst tbh (sorry anon I do get the appeal) and the racism throughout just hurt my heart too much- but they definitely had some top tier sexy moments. Personally, I loved season six because of the approach of them sharing a best friend and all the little moments and musical beats. Like- watching Damon want to live became something so important to me and really felt like the conclusion for his character arc.

As for the sexual aspect- I do think it plays a part (as with every relationship that involves sex) but it definitely isn’t the peak of it or the draw, it’s a perk. Because if it was the sex they’d have been done with each other after that long hot summer. But there is a tendency in fandom to try and remove all romance and depth to relationships they don’t like- because if it’s shallow they can be rude and dismissive to shippers.

In regards to Elena- I don’t think she’s too similar to either Salvatore, I think she shares common traits with both. But at the end of the day it wa she’d similarities to Stefan that drew them together and her differences to Damon that drew them together. Which is why Stefan was a relationship that let her heal and come back to herself and Damon was the relationship that pushed her out of her comfort zone and helped her grow.

As for Stefan and Damon I don’t think there’s anything to be gained from claiming any one character is “softer” or more “moral” than another. It’s all about action and reaction and growth. However, I think you might be catching onto the sensitivity of their triggers, which Damon’s trauma responses are way more easily triggered throughout the series because unlike Stefan he hasn’t sat with them and worked through near as much of his traumatic experiences. Which is why his healing process through Elena learning of and reminding him to be kind to himself you watch him heal and grow. Which isn’t to be confused with him being “defanged” for a romance- because it was happening regardless of if he and Elena stayed friends or not.

#tvd #tvd asks #asks #anon asks #delena

[missacidburn928s-heathenhideaway]

Divider by @firefly-graphics

Where do I even begin? “Once Upon A Time” seems far too classy for a tale such as mine. 

Although my story may seem vaguely familiar, it should be noted that there is darkness abound here. The line between hero and villain is not so black and white. You never truly know the depths to which one will submerge themselves in the abyss to be free. 

Stature and status truly have no merit in this place. For once you step upon this long forgotten land, tempted by the allure of the fates, your life will be forever changed.

Let me set the stage if you will, by providing you with a bit of my backstory.

You see, I was born of Fae blood with a ruthless Hag for a mother. No, I am not demeaning her, she was in fact a forest witch, who used her magic at the expense of others. Hidden behind a perfect glamour that adapted to suit whoever was in front of her, she was always up for a deal or sneaky trade. It wasn’t until the curse settled upon her unsuspecting victims that they truly understood what she was.

It was with that same flawless glamour, that my mother was able to seduce a powerful Alpha wolf to fall in love with her and create me. I was graced by the fates to have my father in my life for a short time. But as most things attached to my mother, it ended in tragedy. 

While foraging in the woods for herbs and supplies my father was murdered by hunters of the Supernatural. I have no idea what compelled them to wander into our portion of the forest that day. But I will never be able to erase the image of my father, partially shifted from trying to protect me from their silver tipped and poisoned weapons, stricken to the ground and left bleeding out on the forest floor. 

It was in that moment, at the age of 9, that I fully embraced the wolf inside me and partook of my first taste of flesh as I tore them asunder for taking away the one person who truly loved me. For my mother only cared about what power I could bring to her by being of both Fae and Shifter blood. A powerful combination to say the least. One she was all too grateful to expose and use to her whim.

There was a piece of me she was never able to control though. I was blessed by the fates to be born under the light of a rare full blood moon. As I took my first breath, a chorus of three female voices could be heard welcoming me earthside. The Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. Better known as the Triple Moon Goddesses. 

My mother never knew of my deep connection to them. So when she bestowed me with the name Selene, after the Mother, it was almost as if she was tempting the fates. I may be named Selene, but I embody the qualities of Persephone and Hecate as well. The perfect blend of youth, fertility and independence. 

They have been the guides that help me to navigate this world. It was with their assurance that I made the decision to end my cruel mother’s life. I was 15 and had just presented as an Omega. This drove my already mentally unstable mother deeper into her madness. She always assumed, based on how fiercely independent I was, that I would be an Alpha. Commanding lesser designations to do my bidding and dooming them to a life spent lost in her forest, where the only way of escape was to make a deal with the Hag in the woods.

She couldn’t stand that I was “the weakest designation”. What good could me being an Omega bring us but more unwanted men venturing into her woods. The allure of me would render her glamour essentially useless and therefore she could no longer seduce and abuse the way she was accustomed.

She took out her anger at the fates on me in the form of physical violence. I won’t go into the graphic details of the depravity I was subjected to. Just know that she took pleasure in the inventive ways to which she tried to debase my spirit.

Now, you may be thinking that I chose to end her life in a bloody fashion, as payback for her abuse. You would be sorely mistaken. I exacted my revenge in small doses of poison laced in her food, beverage, and absorbed through her skin. You can’t raise a fist if you’re too weak after all.

Like the amazing daughter that I am, I took care of my sickly mother. Doting on her as the poison did its job. Slowly draining her life away, little by little. Towards the end she was unrecognizable. Finally looking like the true Hag she was. 

The night she took her last breath, I danced naked under the light of the moon as I burned her remains to ash. The following morning I scattered them along the edge of the village where she caused the most harm. It was the best day of my 16 years of life on this plane.

Now free from the shackles of my mother, I retreated deeper into the woods. Choosing to leave the home that provided me with so much pain to rot and be reclaimed by the earth. Let that darkness remain trapped there.

I set about creating a manor for which I could protect myself and live freely. Using the skills my mother had taught me as a young witch, combined with what my guides had intuitively bestowed upon me; I placed a protection on the land that surrounded me.      

If ever a soul with ill intent were to cross the barrier into my land I would be alerted. Based on the level of harm they were seeking to dole out, I would punish them accordingly. Many men have fallen at my feet begging for mercy once they realize that I am not one to be tamed but a force to be reckoned with.

10 years I have spent isolated in these woods. Satiating my lust for blood by divesting unworthy men of their useless voice boxes with my teeth and bathing in the warmth of their blood. 

It has become a rather lonely existence as of late. My only true company being that of my raven Othello and his ever changing conspiracy. I think the feathered fellow may be immortal. Or possibly some sort of demi-god. 

For once I’d like for an Alpha or man of worth to stumble upon my home and be able to feed all of my needs. It doesn't have to stop at just one either. A have quite the voracious appetite.

As I contemplate whether the fates have destined me to a life of isolation without love, a scent hits my nose drifting in on the wind. It smells of warm leather, amber and dried tobacco. A mouthwatering combination that has my wolf at attention. 

Breathing the scent into my lungs once more, I hear the faint sound of a twig snapping underneath booted feet. I turn in the direction of the noise, my amber eyes locking onto a pair of cornflower blue ones as a man emerges from the trees.

Well, well, well, what have we here…

#moonlight and fang

[quirkwizard]

Do you have any HCs or theories on the potential on Mina's or Ochako's Quirks? I feel like they have so much potential if given more attention.

I'm going with Mina here, as I think "Acid" is the more interesting of the two and has the greater potential, but I could try to cover "Zero Gravity" if you want.

Before I get into the potential of the Quirk, I think it's important to talk about what the Quirk is capable of. Because it's main usage is creating a powerful acid, but it goes a lot deeper than that. Mina can control the properties of her acid, namely the acidity, viscosity, and solubility. That means she can control how acidic it is and how thick the liquid is. It's how she's able to move around on her acid without burning a hole in the ground. Mina also has an exceptional control over the acid she creates as she is making, to the point where she could make full blown shapes like with her Acidman Super Move. So it has a lot more going on underneath and can lend itself to some fun uses outside of what we have already seen.

-If you want to go with Mina's natural abilities, she could apply the acid to her body instead of throwing it around, letting her augment her attack power in closer quarters. She doesn't really need to hit hard, she just needs to be quick enough to land the shot to apply the goo to their person, like weighting them down with a thicker version.

-While acids are usually dangerous, Mina could lower the acidity to make it more of an irritant, causing issues like coughing and blurry vision to whomever she hits. Which could be a really good way to disable and weaken opponents without doing any long lasting harm, which is a great for a hero with a Quirk as dangerous as this one.

-We saw that Mina could change how the acid came out by adjusting her hands. She could take a few notes from Bakugou and Endeavor, learning how to fire off the acid she makes in different ways by adjusting her hands or learning how to shape it further, like firing out a sticky, webbing-like pattern to trap someone.

-By making her acid thicker, she could give it more defined and permeant shapes. The shields we see her using are a good example, just more stable, making a temporarily defense for herself or nearby civilians or catching people in solidified go Mr. 3 and his wax ability in One Piece would be a good example of this idea.

-She could learn to further manipulate the properties of her acid. I don't think she could add anything, like suddenly making it a hallucinogen, but she could alter more of its physical properties, such as making it more flammable or more conductive. This could give her some combo options with characters like Bakugou and Denki.

-Mina could make the acid into a glue like "Cemendine". Maybe not to the same volume as Bondo, but having a lot of the same applications in using a glue like substance. This could actually make her very useful and adaptable in rescue work, letting her strengthen materials by gluing them together or weaken them by burning them with acid.

-In addition to that, she could have some good battlefield control options. By using her acid as a lubricant, she could cause opponents to slip and fall around while she can get around without an issue. She could throw around glue everywhere to trap them in place or spread out the acid to keep people from moving around too much.

-The Acidman move shows some promise. She could train for specific parts, like making a long, vicious arm to attack someone from afar. Maybe she could form different appendages, like a series of tendrils or wings on her arms for a short-lived mobility boost. She may even learn to simply make bigger versions of it, like a gooey monster form.

#My Hero Academia #Quirks #Mina Ashido #Pinky #Acid #MHA Meta #MHA Theory

[jyou-no-sonoko19]

Gomez plays Madame Satan, otherwise known as Lilith, the first wife of Adam from the Garden of Eden according to Jewish folklore, who steals the identity of Sabrina’s favorite teacher at Baxter High to manipulate her into serving her and her Dark Lord. Lilith’s role over the course of the series is half monstrous villain and half aspirational feminist icon, as she fights to claim her rightful place in Hell and remake it in her own image. And Gomez is perfect at walking the fine line between both, crafting a character who isn’t a role model or even a good person, but an endlessly adaptable survivor. [x]

“Perhaps why I’ve had success with playing villains is because I don’t see them as villains. I enjoy working out why they are the way they are. We’re all products of our existence and the sum of our choices, and if you continually make bad choices you’re inviting some darker consequences. 

“I’ve always been determined to try and not just play evil, because that’s kind of boring for you and for me. I’m able to hopefully give her some charm and likability, and that then gives the character some power to wield ― the power of manipulation.

“One of the biggest draws for me of the character is that I get to play those two sides arguably of that one person. All of us think things we shouldn’t think, but Madam Satan gets to do the things we never do. Coming from Miss Wardwell’s point of view ― being this quiet, meek, reliable member of the teaching faculty ― I’m quite sure she at some point would’ve dreamt of busting out of that plaid skirt and taking on her world.

“I just loved that I was able to take that long, slow walk down that corridor and evolve by the time I got to the end of it as Madam Satan. It’s fun playing the baddie because the rules don’t really apply to you in the same way if you were playing another character that wasn’t quite as twisted. It’s probably clear that I’m having a blast.”

“[The performance is] Katharine Hepburn meets Glenn Close. I’m a working-class actor from Scotland and have these heady heights of ever reaching the magnificence that those two women inspire, but those are the two that I take with me into work every day. I have Katherine on one side and Glenn on the other, and the three of us just walk onto set and it’s like, ‘Have a nice day girls! Let’s see what we can get up to today.’

“I really did fall down the Katharine Hepburn hole. Not doing an impersonation, by any stretch of the imagination, but I wanted to get a tone, an era and a feel vocally to translate what Roberto has beautifully provided for me on the page and then make it my own. With a Scottish accent, our consonants can easily be drawn out into American sound, so I wanted to play with that and see if I could make it some otherworldly voice as well.

“I’m sure that half of my performance at this moment in time is on the cutting room floor. I clearly like to play, and in that play, there will always be little bits of magic hopefully, but some of it won’t be appropriate. It’s a new show and there’s a lot of wonderful, amazing characters, and everybody has to find their place and fit together, right? In the beginning, it was about finding the right tone and nobody quite knew what that was yet. It was a balancing act of how far you could push it and then always making sure you give them a little variety so you can go from a more refined, subtler performance to batshit crazy. Somewhere between those two rocks I sit.”

“There’s always a reason for the way we behave. There’s a reason why she’s evil and why she wants Sabrina for the dark side. It can’t just be because she feels like it. The notion of being a powerful woman in a patriarchal society is very old for her.

“[Witchcraft in media] gives us this delicious idea that we are in control somehow and can change things. The world out there is pretty dark and the whole world of witchcraftery is exciting. It’s not just about making wishes and having them come true. It’s darker and deeper than that. It takes us from our childhood beliefs into a more adult version of believing something more powerful than ourselves is out here making things happen. There’s fantasy in there, but there’s also the distraction from being who you perceive yourself to be. It’s fun and not entirely dark because there’s an odd hope in there, too.

“[Lilith’s] not going to go down without a fight and she’s got lot of fight left in her. She hasn’t even begun. I mean, she’s literally just lifted an eyebrow and maybe a finger.” [x]

#Michelle Gomez #Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #CAoS #Was feeling nostalgic and diving for high res rares to clean up #and this interview had so much in it that had me going YESSSS #so I thought why not put it together #That outfit is so under-rated #You know it's the one she's wearing in 2-1's basketball court scene too yeah? #iconic co-ord

[enavant]

RELATIONSHIPS  — TALK ABOUT THE MUSE.

NAME:   j’isu tyanu

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION:   bisexual / romantic  (  vaguely demiromantic  ) PREFERRED PET NAMES:  any her partner want to give her that aren’t demeaning. she loves cute things; kitten, darling, my love, my light, starlight, etc. she also just uses pet names in general but ends up attaching ‘my’ to things when it’s a romantic relationship. dropping the tribe is very nice too uwu pls call her isu she will be so happy RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single; verse dependent. FAVOURITE CANON SHIP:  lmao whats a canon wol ship...  FAVOURITE NON-CANON SHIP:  wol / a vacation,  okay but like i can’t just out myself because i have a lot of ships i’m bias toward;;; uhhh to name a few i’ll list who i ship her with in my heart : urianger, hythlodaeus, emet, y’shtola, zenos, hermes / fandaniel, estinien, graha, ysayle, yotsuyu okay im stopping cause im listing everyone ig but like im easily enabled n if u ship it i probably do to or literally if there is One Single headcanon or the Idea of a ship i will fall hard i just LOVE DYNAMICS pls don’t look at me;;;

OPINION ON TRUE LOVE:  oh she loves love and really hopes for it to be real; though sadly she is of the thought that she does not deserve this kind of love and that it won’t find her. OPINION ON LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT:  doesn’t exist. lust at first sight exists but to her she has to know someone deeper to fall in love; she will shamelessly admit to falling in lust with people, however and is a very sex positive person. HOW ROMANTIC ARE THEY?:  this depends on the partner they are with; as they tend to adapt to each partner to a degree. but generally very, when given the opportunity; they give themself to their partner in full and adore doting on them and simply being near them. big on physical touch, quality time and acts of service. they are one to want to make sure their partner knows they are cared for and that they love them greatly; though not in an overly clingy or pushy fashion ever.

IDEAL PHYSICAL TRAITS:  when love is concerned, they fall for person rather than traits; lust is a different story but she doesn’t consider lust love. IDEAL PERSONALITY TRAITS:  right, so she actually unfortunately loves trash people and she cannot change this fact;;; she can fix them;;; but otherwise, anyone willing to accept her, flaws and past and all. someone who challenges her and keeps her interested and who she can learn more about. share adventures and stories with. someone who will love her for her; not a title. UNATTRACTIVE PHYSICAL TRAITS:  again, they fall more for the person rather than physicality. if they fall for someone, a physical trait is never going to deter them. UNATTRACTIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS:  AGAIN;;; SHE LOVES TRASH IM SORRY;;;; but honestly if it’s someone that’s truly irredeemable, she won’t be drawn. but she does have a very, everyone has the ability to change or have a deeper part of them to them kind of outlook so she may be more open probably despite her friends’ wishes lmaoo if it bites her in the ass it’s on her and she’s been burnt plenty before to know exactly when to cut and run. 

IDEAL DATE:  honestly ?? just spending time with someone she loves, they could literally do anything and she’d be happy just to be around them. even sitting in the quiet just enjoying each others company. she does love going out though; travelling, taking her partner to pretty areas to spend time, etc. DO THEY HAVE A TYPE?:   UHHHMMM TRASH;;;; they’d love to say their type is very compassionate people and sweet people and they wish that was true but they do not think they deserve those types of people so end up drawn to a flame instead;; they do love compassion, people with a fiery passion and ambition that can keep up with her own. the type that can fight alongside her or give her a run for her money in sparring matches. if u can keep up with her and perhaps have fun little battle competitions like who fells the most enemies and keep count, she loves that type;; AVERAGE RELATIONSHIP LENGTH:  depends who she is with. she likes being with someone for a long time and is very committed to partners but she also is prone to cutting and running at times;; and if relationships don’t last or she gets burnt she will leave. not to say she can’t and hasn’t been drawn back in though. PREFERRED NON-SEXUAL INTIMACY:  simply being with each other. falling asleep against each other under the shade of a tree, battling back to back, talking about life stories, adventures, interesting facts or knowledge, she loves learning and listening so so much. just soft things n being together !! COMMITMENT LEVEL:  extremely committed when in a relationship. OPINION OF PUBLIC AFFECTION:  it’s fine with her if her partner likes it !! it doesn’t bother her, but she also won’t display it if her partner doesn’t like it. she respects what her partners are comfortable with always.

PAST RELATIONSHIPS?:  several. mostly short lived things or flings. the longer ones ending quite badly; one in her partner’s death, others in simply being drawn to the wrong types of people.

tagged by:  i steal !!

tagging: pls also steal !!

#[ what she wants n what she thinks she deserves are two very different things so this was a mess to fill out but !!!!! ] #[ im embarrassed about this already but whatever bhdkasm ] #[ TAKE THEM TAKE MY CATTE ] #━━ ❥ headcanons »

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

✨🧣🍓

alright you get three different WIP discussions bc you gave three different emojis and also I love you (/p) shdhdhsjw

✨- "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," a joke that mayhaps I don't need to make but it's literally a joke that Mulder and Scully have canonically made with each other (referring to working theories on a case shdjsjsks). in this case, it's referring to uh... literally checking each other for mind-controlling alien parasites. basically, I'm rewriting part of the episode "Ice," which is very early on in the series and the first real test of their tentative trust. I also like to refer to it as "the Alaskan Bull Worms" episode, so the dark vibe of this fic may end up having more humor than it has any right to shsjsnsk.

basically I'm just like... what if instead of walking away and going their separate ways after the first sign that something is Wrong, Scully and Mulder instead stuck together and talked through their emotions (*gasp* communication?!). like, how would that change the events of the episode and also their relationship in that early stage. they're both SO scared in Ice, and it both pushes them apart and ties them together. idk, I just like exploring very early MSR lol

🧣- I'm working on another TXF fic also, based around the idea of Mulder's sister Samantha actually surviving and growing up way differently than what's established in canon. I made a post about it a couple months ago on a whim bc I was thinking about it, and how much I like the actress who plays the idea of an adult Samantha in a few episodes (Colony, End Game, Redux II, and Amor Fati), and it turned into this whole fic concept. I was just trying to write her based off of that actress in the show but I think I ended up developing her in a way that reads as like.. probably autistic, tbh. the entire fic is based around some metaphors involving fae and changelings, just because... a child is taken, a child is returned, but Different, ya know?? Samantha is so lost and searching and not exactly who she once was. she has questions and she wants them answered.

🍓- lol I'm halfway working on an actual essay on Heathers (like, the film mainly, which means I probably need to watch it... 😅) based around the concept of it being in a lot of ways a Shakesperean type of story. like, a lot of stuff parallels very closely with Macbeth — Veronica as Macbeth himself and the Heathers as the three witches (as well as Heather Chandler probably also filling the role of Duncan, but I need to read Macbeth again to really figure it all out). JD as Lady Macbeth, instigating and guiding the darkness Veronica/Macbeth falls into. if I remember right, though, Shakespere's Macbeth is a tragedy, while Heathers is technically a dark comedy??

idk I just have this thought in my head that won't let go, that it's still tragic (though mayhaps this is the little voice of Barrett Wilbert Weed in my head, singing that broken broken refrain of the Dead Girl Walking reprise, talking), that even though unlike Macbeth, Veronica doesn't die in the end, but maybe a part of her has. in the film, she winds up far closer to the cold person she calls JD than in the musical where she turns more into a blazing fire or raw open wound; she seems not to care as much in the film, which probably has to do with the semi-flippancy of the genre and the way musical adaptations tend to lean into deeper looks at humanity and angst (lol), but it does seem as if a part of her has either died or irrevocably changed.

send me an emoji and I'll ramble about one of my WIPs!

#Lu rambles #ask games #Lu writes #heathers #txf #msr

[genesysofthestars]

Day 57 (56.5)

His legs were starting to feel numb but when there's a cat deciding to use his lap as his napping area, there's no way he could move at all. So until this cat awoken, Erick resigned him as this cat’s pillow for the time being…

Until his bus arrived.

“Hey, Maurice. I have to go now.”

“Mrr…” The cat only cuddled deeper on his lap.

He didn’t want to leave the cat alone in the city. And it was already too late to search for his owner. Erick sighed. “Guess I had no choice.”

—

First thing he did was to give the cat some water. Who knows how long the cat had been wondering around in this warm afternoon.

Maurice immediately began sipping the water Erick laid down for him. “Hope you don’t mind staying with me tonight,” he said before letting him finish his drink.

After arranging his groceries and changing clothes for the night, Erick lay on the coach. It was quite late but he still don’t feel like sleeping. As he scrolled down on his phone mindlessly, a sudden weight landing on his chest caught him off guard. He moved away his phone to see the cat sitting quite comfortably on him.

“Mew,” greeted Maurice.

“Do you-?” He was about to shoo him away but the cat already tucked himself on him. Erick let out a tired sigh and said, “Fine, you stay there for a little bit.”

But a little bit became hours when they fell asleep not long after.

—

The sound of knocking both woke them up.

However, after opening his eyes, Erick didn’t think to glance to the door. The sound was not coming from a wooden material. It was glass. And there was only one person who would knock on the windows this late at night.

He hated how he got used to these meetings of theirs. But after so much times, he just got to adapt to her. Erick glared at the window to see the golden caped thief perched on the other side. “What is it this time?” he asked.

“You stole something from me,” she said from the other side of the glass.

He gave her a ridiculous look. “First of all, I’m not the thief here. Second, I didn’t steal shit, especially from you.”

Singularity crossed her arms. “You have my cat!”

“Cat? What cat-? Wait…” He suddenly lifted up Maurice, grumpy from being woken up. “This is your cat? Yours?!”

“Yes! His name is Maurice!”

Fucking hell… What a bloody coincidence. Fate truly hates him, huh?

Still he had his doubts. Erick set down Maurice, who was this close to scratching him from being awaken so rudely before going to the window. “Fine, if he’s really your cat…” He opened it to the fullest so she could enter. “Surely, he can recognize you-”

But before she could even take a step into his home, Maurice took off and suddenly jumped to Singularity… who was still perched on the window.

It was only Erick’s quick reflects that saved her and her cat from falling from imbalance. Grabbing one of her arms, he pulled her back with his full strength. However, it still caused her to tip out of balance and despite being recorded floating in the air, the thief wasn’t as light as news said her to be.

Erick could only let out a pained hiss as her full weight plus her cat crashed straight on him.

So much for a relaxing night.

#writeblr #writers on tumblr #(oc: erick) #100 words a day #(oc: erina) #(oc: maurice the cat) #detective x thief

[whumpywinterbun]

Brackets (Thinking)

Bucky Barnes thinks a lot. (He wishes he wouldn't.)

Emotional hurt. No comfort. Oops.

Warnings: panic attacks, brief suicidal thoughts at the end

a/n: one of my reposts from ao3, Its...overanalyzing characterstudy. No pairings, feel free to read more into Steve and Bucky’s relationship though if you want to. :D

Some people’s mornings start at seven am. Get up. Get dressed. Maybe eat. Hurry to work. Some need to get up earlier, some are blessed with later work hours. Bucky gets up when the nightmares leave.

Sometimes it is a blessing. Bucky can watch the sunrise. (While heaving, the only sound in his ears being the hammering in his chest, intensifying his headache. He at least tries to convince himself that it is a blessing to see the sunrise.) But there are also days where he is greeted by the sun going down, realizing his body gave into his mind’s exhaustion. It was four am when Bucky woke up, with a dry throat and drenched in sweat, six am when he gave up on falling back asleep and deciding to get up from his hardwood floor and almost seven when his morning coffee and a shower made him feel…human?

“Bad habits die hard,” they say. Well, he said it. Steve’s voice, accompanied by his laugh, was Bucky’s first, and only, thought every time he took out a cigarette. Steve had always berated him on his smoking habit, something that formed a lifetime ago, literally, and something Bucky picked up right after turning back into…himself? (But it only got worse since Steve…)

Bucky sat down on the fire escape, a second cup of hot, brown life motivation in one hand, the world's number one cause for lung cancer in the other. He could probably afford a nice apartment somewhere better, something with an actual balcony he does not need to climb out of a window for. But what would be the fun in that, right? Bucky liked Brooklyn, sometimes it actually felt like home. (But then he remembers that his favorite bookstore is now a grocery store, his favorite diner is a bar and everything and everyone changed and died from old age apart from him.)

Bucky’s therapist tells him he is adapting well to the “modern world,” and he does not agree. She also keeps telling him about how lonely he is, which Bucky just accepts. He is lonely. Friendships are hard, it is not like he can just randomly ask someone on the street to be his friend. (Not like how he met Steve as a child, playing around outside their houses.) He was in fact lonely enough to try out those god forsaken dating apps everyone keeps telling him about. Bet nobody but him has to think twice about his birthdate, huh? (Bucky scoffed to himself. Maybe three times, James Barnes used to be what the cool kids call a “nerd,” but after Hydra fried his brain, he is not even sure if he is getting the change he is supposed to at stores.) But somehow, he managed to give himself a birthdate that maybe made sense under a somewhat recent picture of himself. Now did Bucky go on dates? Yes and no. He met up with a few women here and there but the ugly realization on how much the only thing he liked to do before his life went to shit changed, he stopped. Alcohol does not do its job; modern music gives him headaches, and everything just moved on too fast. But the Sex was still great though. Thank God. (Until he got asked to take off his shirt and left glove, then even that turns into Bucky’s personal hell.)

After finishing his cigarette, Bucky had to leave for his therapy appointment. He did not particularly like Dr. Raynor, but it is not like he had a choice. The state just wanted to make sure he would not start killing people out of nowhere again, and that was her job. Nothing more, nothing less. (He secretly wished she would care more, help him more.)

“You are not a monster, James…,” Bucky laughed while the wrinkles on Raynor’s forehead grew deeper, “…But everyone will keep viewing you as one if you keep staying in your head. Or your home.” She really knew exactly what to say to make Bucky’s day as miserable as possible. “I just don’t have reasons to leave the house much.” “Excuses.” He sighed. “Maybe I just like being alone.” “No, you don’t. And apart from that, you are not just alone. You are lonely.” There it is. “We had this already Doc…” Bucky did not like where this was going, but just accepted everything incoming because he heard it before. (And because he is not sure if leaving the session early would count as “showing aggressive behavior.”)

“One last thing, James.” He was already halfway through the door. “We should really start talking about Mr. Rogers.” (No, they did not.) “Sure.” Bucky left the building as fast as he could.

Steve left. (He left him alone.) There is nothing to talk about because Steve left and he is totally okay with it. (Bucky hated Steve for leaving.) Steve Rogers is (was) his best friend since childhood. Possibly his only friend in the past few years, and Bucky wanted nothing more than for Steve to be happy. Except he could not be happy with Steve’s choice. Because he left him alone. Steve Rogers left him alone.

Bucky sat on his floor; his back pressed against the wall while his entire body shook. Panic attacks were a regular occurrence for him. He hated it. It let all the feelings and thoughts in he has desperately been trying to keep out of his head. He hated hating Steve, he hated wanting to have someone care for his feelings, he hated having to always hide his vibranium arm under clothing, he hated how much Brooklyn changed, he hated waking up at ungodly hours with his pulse going haywire. But most of all, he hated himself.

Except he did not know himself. Who is James Barnes? The last time he spiraled, his therapist asked him exactly that, expecting something along the lines of “ex-soldier, maybe an avenger, mostly just a guy from Brooklyn” or even a “prisoner of war, ex- brainwashed assassin, the reason the avengers fell apart” to really spice things up. But none of that feels like the James Barnes he knew. The guy who liked to go out, social butterfly, ladies’ man, best friends with a small, sickly boy called Steve. So how was he James Barnes if he was nothing like James Barnes? In theory, all his memories have returned, and he should be aware of his existence. But realistically, those could still be fake. Bucky trusted his own mind less than the state did, but not the possibility of random outbursts of violence, everything else.

An hour passed. Or two. Bucky was not sure when he had stopped crying and gotten up. His head hurt. It always does, more or less. Shuri said some parts of his brain were irreparably damaged, resulting in a number of issues he did not like thinking about and constant headaches he chose to ignore. Getting a metal arm stuck in his skin hurt more. Getting brainwashed hurt a lot more. And Bucky also likes telling himself that his victim’s families losing their loved ones hurt them more than anything he endured could ever hurt him. What is a headache if you are responsible for hundreds of deaths? What are panic attacks if you are a monster. What is loneliness when the last person you loved left you all by yourself.

Bucky’s thoughts throughout his days were broken records. He tried to hide them, put them into brackets so he could tell himself they are not actually there. Sometimes they spill, he falls, just to pick himself and his thoughts back up and move on, pretending like it does not hurt. And some days, when he catches himself being extra honest with himself, he ends up on the fire escape, pretending like a jump might fix things. (It will not, he is a super solder, it needs more than that.)

#bucky barnes #winter soldier #bucky barnes fanfic #character study fic #weee first fic posted

[vizhen-thoughts]

Thu June 9 2022 3:18pm

i recognize that this is just American entitlement in my subconscious, but i truly believe that people shouldn’t have to pay for the things they can’t live without. all humans can’t live without food, water, and some form of shelter.

i believe we’ve reached a point where established societies have all of those things to some extent. but i also believe that the human existence as a whole was meant to progress. continuously evolving and changing, doing not only better for humans across the globe, but doing better for the planet that provides us with these essentials.

forgive me for my mind and way of thinking are quite abstract and i’m often misunderstood, but i’ll do my best to explain this cohesively.

i think of the planet and human existence as ouroboros—the snake depicted eating its own tail. i view it this way because humans have the incredible ability of sentience, meaning that our brains evolve as we take in new information and that falls in the same category as learning, only it goes much deeper than that.

humans are able to walk on 2 legs with a straight back.

we learned how to make controlled fires to cook our food.

we learned how to make language to communicate our thoughts with words.

we went on to adapting to our environments by forming communities and utilizing shelter, eventually learning how to build our own houses. we learned how to build towns, cities, countries.

we developed cultures—which if you really think about it, the depth of any one culture is crazy, but the way that humans created multiple different cultures?? my god.

we were able to learn about how the body works, and how to cure disease and even do smaller things like alleviating pain or medicinally aiding a fever so you don’t die from it at any age.

right now, we are learning about how our brains work—how we have come to be “humans” as we now know it.

there’s still a lot to learn, but one truth has been rearing its ugly head lately—that is, we cannot go on like this, to say the least.

everything we are doing is not doing anyone any good. we can look at numbers and productivity levels and all that man-made crap. but the fact of the matter is personal satisfaction rates—maybe even overall satisfaction rates—are so low that i dont know a single person who’s happy with their life and genuinely means it.

and of course i do recognize that my perspective is limited to what i’ve seen. maybe there are more ppl satisfied with the true state of the world than the opposite. its just very hard for me to imagine that the majority of 7B humans would be okay with knowing that global warming will claim this Earth if we continue on this path, which will effect all humans—even the rich humans who think they’re untouchable.

nature’s funny like that, and so is karma. you see these are all very real things.

powerful humans do conquer the weak, and to be more specific, it is humans who have been allotted power by their human ancestors.

but nature will always find its balance, and that is a force that no human can stand against.

so, to put it bluntly, how do you feel about knowing that a lot of the things that are the fundamentals of our societies are actually killing us?

through diversifying our minds we can come together in ways never seen before and save our planet while saving ourselves. i think it’s absolutely stupid to insist on fighting when our home is at stake. when the planet’s uninhabitable there won’t be anywhere or anyone left to fight. we’ll all be screwed.

that is the reality of this dilemma we face.

so many factors go into this, major factors like nationalist ideals and diplomacy, and smaller factors down to the individual level of consciousness.

i’m definitely not going to pretend like i know every single thing or have all the answers, but i know for certain where we need to start. we all have a part to play in this, but until we all get on the same page and realize that life can be better, safer, and more gratifying for everyone, we will not get anywhere. in fact we will be the cause of our own destruction. but it doesn’t have to be this way.

we can come together.

“the internet will change the world,” is a quote i heard recently.

the fact is, the internet made us aware of the fact that other humans exist in worlds beyond our own. and that did not have to be a bad thing, but humans often repeat the same mistakes, such as extreme culture shock to the point of extreme rejection. depending on how you’re looking at the situation that could be either a good or a bad thing.

but the fact of the matter is, the internet opened our eyes to the world as a whole. there’s no way that that in itself isn’t a sign telling us to do better as one collective.

i stand firm on my beliefs and my morals—and call it entitlement, narcissism, or whatever you want— but all i wish to do with my life is be apart of the movement that’s gonna take all of humanity to a brighter future.

the future where every human can live in comfort and peace, no matter where their home is, and no matter where they wish their home to be.

the future where traveling is much easier and more efficient and safer for the environment.

the future where we can actually explore our own oceans and learn something abt this planet before we no longer have the opportunity for christ’s sake…

the future i envision is one where anyone can become whoever they want. whether they want to be a marine biologist, a doctor, a chef, or even just an at-home tech support or full-time parent.

everyone, and i do mean everyone, would love the opportunity to be productive in the way that works best for their physical and mental needs.

this future focuses on the individual within a greater society with the common goal of survival & prosperity. we all need it. for ourselves alive today, and for our children who will take our place.

i truly believe that we can change, and i have hope that we wont squander our planet and all the progress we’ve made up to this point.

— VIZHEN

#3am thoughts #deep thinking #depthobsessed #potentially triggering #not for the weak #not for the faint of heart #politics #environmetalists #capitalism #capitalist hell #being autistic #being black #being better #sorry for being depressing #keep an open mind #humanity #our future

[writing-with-olive]

How to write essays fast

I've been writing a lot of papers, so that's what's on my mind.

So this mostly applies to your standard 5-paragraph paper, though it's fairly straightforward to adapt it to longer (or sometimes shorter) assignments.

One of the main things to note is that essays are VERY formulaic, so knowing the formula and being able to write down your ideas in a way that fit into the formula is probably the number one way to get stuff done fast. Because of that, most of what I’m covering is breaking down the formulas so they’re more accessable.

Also this got very long. If there’s anything you want me to expand on just let me know in the comments or send me an ask/DM and I’ll make another post that goes more in-depth about it.

Structure (I hate this step, so I’ve figured out how to do it very fast becuase it’s still important)

The first thing to consider is prewriting and structure. To start, there are two major paper structures I usually consider. The first goes

Introduction

Main point #1

Main point #2

Main point #3

Conclusion

This is good if you have a lot to say on the topic, or if it's something closer to a summary essay where there's not really an opposing side. In something where there are distinct sides, (or if you have less to say to support your own side), you may want something that looks like

Introduction

Main point #1

Main point #2

Why the other side is wrong

Conclusion

The "why the other side is wrong" side is involves thinking through the MOST credible arguments the other side might make, and methodically breaking them down to show how they don't work. The stronger the argument you choose, the more effective this is.

Since I personally hate prewriting with a passion, I usually do this step very fast and end up with an outline that looks like

Intro [insert thesis statement]

P1: [three word summary]

P2: [three word summary]

P3: [three word summary]

Conclusion

(thesis statement, introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion tips are all below the cut)

Usually, this is enough so when I look at my outline, I can see what I'm trying to focus on for each paragraph - and do so without straying from my main point.

For the prewriting, the main things to do are identify with basic structure of the two will serve your purposes better, and write a thesis statement that solidly supports your argument.

Thesis Statement

There are so many guides about creating thesis statements that are powerful, but I'm just going to quickly go over how to be fast about it.

The first thing to know is that a thesis statement is usually a complex sentence: it's your entire essay distilled down to a single line. The general formula I follow goes something like this:

"In their [media type] [name of specific piece], [creator's full name] explored/demonstrated/other verb [theme you're going to be arguing about] demonstrated/using/as evidenced/as shown by [example 1], [example 2], and [optional example 3]."

For example, a thesis statement that follows this format might go

“In his short film Job at Place, David Davidson explored the manifestations of human stupidity through the absurdity of the main character’s home, school, and office.”

Or, if you're writing a historical piece, it might look something like this:

"In [place/time period], [thing you're arguing was happening]: they had to/the conditions were such that/other thing to set up a list [example 1], [example 2], and [example 3]."

For example, a thesis statement that follows this format might go

“During the Tusken Invasion of 32nd century Tatooine, it was the lives of the children that were most affected, from their social development and connections with others to more personal struggles they didn’t yet have the tools to overcome.”

The examples you give are going to correlate to your paragraphs - example 1 is for body paragraph 1, and so on. 

Introduction

I like to think of the introduction as a funnel that gets more and more specific.

First, write a broad statement that touches on whatever theme you’re referencing. 

Job at Place is about human stupidity, so something like “while great minds have flourished throughout the ages, so have the not-so-great.”

Tatooine is about war, and about child development, so something like “children’s development has always been impacted by the state of the world around them.” or “war has many effects, many of which impact those not directly involved with the conflict.”

The idea is that it’s a broad statement that can almost be looked at like a universal truth.

Next, you’re going to go deeper - two sentences that narrow down the time and place you’re talking about specifically, and how that time and place fit into your universal statement. 

The fourth sentence gets even more specific - introducing how the thesis sentence fits into your first three sentences.

Then the last line is your thesis statements. 

Body Paragraphs

Your three main body paragraphs all follow the same formula. (I’ll get to the “why the other side is wrong” paragraph in a minute)

The first sentence you’re going to want is a topic sentence. For this, you’re going to want to look at the example you gave in your thesis statement that corresponds to this paragraph, and see how it relates to your central claim. 

If we’re going with the Job at Place example from above, for the second paragraph, you might open with a line like:

“A striking characteristic of Davidson’s short film was the abnormality of the main character’s school, used to showcase exactly what happens when poor decisions get taken too far.”

Everything within the paragraph will then back up the claim you’re making in the topic sentence (which in turn is backing up your thesis). 

For each paragraph, you’re probably going to want about three pieces of evidence, either in the form of direct quotes (plucking words directly from the source) or paraphrased quotes (summarizing what happened in your own words). The quote should be used to directly support your argument.

After each piece of evidence, you’re going to want about... twoish lines of analysis (this number can change as you need it to, but two lines is something solid to fall back to). 

While analysis can take all kinds of forms, one pattern you can use if you’re stuck is

evidence sentence 

what it means

how that meaning ties back into your main point

Following this pattern, a piece of analysis of Job at Place might look like:

“One of the first images of the private school is that it’s a tall spire with creaking stairs and loose floorboards. Despite this, the principal has eight personal cars parked outside on full display. While the first glimpse of the school might indicate that there is little money to care for the structural integrity, the notion is directly negated by the principal’s actions. By using these two images, Davidson demonstrates what can happen to the youth when those in power let greed carry them away.”

After you write your analysis, include some kind of transition phrase, and go onto the next piece of evidence.

The last line of your paragraph is going to transition into the next paragraph while also summing up the main point of what you talked about in the current one. (This line can also get moved down and tacked onto the beginning of the next paragraph, before the topic sentence, but I have found it tends to look less cohesive that way).

You might choose something like:

“While the school was a disaster in its own right, it wasn’t the only example of human folly.”

If you’re writing a “this is why the other side is wrong” you’re going to want to think about the MOST compelling arguments the other side could make. Take the top one (or two), and figure out ways to crack them apart using evidence from your source material.

In this case, your topic sentence might start off with something like

“While opponents might say [insert compelling counterargument], their reasoning breaks down when one takes into account the evidence.”

At this point, you’re going to follow the same formula as above. The main thing to keep in mind is that for the duration of this paragraph, your point is that the other side’s claim of X is wrong.

Conclusion!

If you know what you’re doing, this is actually the easiest part.

(wait, what??????)

The thing is, you NEVER want to introduce new ideas into your conclusion. Instead, you’re summarizing your main points.

The formula I follow per sentence is:

Thesis statement but reworded (you can change the sentence structure too)

Topic sentence for paragraph 2 or 3, but reworded (I’ll explain why you shouldn’t do the sentence for P1 in just a sec)

Topic sentence for paragraph 1 or 3 but reworded

Topic sentence for paragraph 1 or 2 but reworded

Wow sentence or question (i’ll get to this too)

The idea for the middle three sentences is you don’t want them to read as repetitive, so you’re going to mix up the order so it doesn’t match the order of the rest of the essay. This will help to keep it fresh.

The wow sentence is basically the last impression you get to make. I find it’s usually a good idea to go just a tad dramatic (it sounds dumb, but it has never failed me). If I can’t think of anything, a declarative statement on whatever major theme was being discussed throughout the essay usually does the trick.

Examples:

All of this shows that in the absence of friendships and platonic love, humanity will falter.

Fiction may seem far fetched now, but if the world falls into those same mistakes, it’s only a matter of time until it becomes a reality.

Art has existed for as long as humans have populated the earth; it’s not going away any time soon.

A lesson everyone must understand is the most powerful weapon isn’t anything physical or tangeable: it’s the ideas that exist in the minds of those who care.

(I told you they were going to be dramatic) A way I look at it is if you can’t imagine dropping the mic on the last line, it needs to be stronger (yes I found that plagiarized with not even a whisper of credit on Pinterest, but it works).

If you wrote a SOLID essay, consider ending with a question aimed at the reader (this will push your essay in the direction of either the positive or negative extreme: a strong essay will become stronger, a weak essay will become weaker). Questions can be a call to action or rhetorical as a means to drive home your final point. Becuase they’re more nuanced to the content of the essay, I don’t really have great examples to give you though (sorry).

Hopefully this is useful to at least some of you - good luck!

++++

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