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#and i WILL watch those and they are important but i need like. HERE'S A BAT LOOK AT HIS LITTLE HANDS!!
agirlwithglam · 8 hours
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🎀 The It Girl Lifestyle Guide 🎀
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hi girlies! this guide is a part of the big series: The Ultimate It-Girlism Guide. in this mini guide i'll be including all things health, morning/nighttime routines, and more!
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How to create your ideal morning / night / any other routine:
Here’s a mini step by step guide to curating a routine that works specifically for YOU, tailored to your own needs and wants. This can be for any routine u wanna create: morning, night, after school, after work, before school/ work, etc etc.
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Apps / things needed:
ChatGPT (or an AI like that- it’s not completely necessary but it’s useful)
Notes app / docs app. (Or a pen and paper- this will be to write down the routine!)
Calendar app (optional tbh)
Ok so first off: decide what you want in your routine. Make a list in no particular order of what you need/ want in the routine.
Some examples:
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Once you’ve created this list, you’re pretty much half way done. In this next part you can use chat GPT to make it easier, or use your own mind.
The next thing to do is: ask chatGPT to make a routine with the steps u wanted.
Make sure to mention what time your routine starts and ends. And if there’s anything you want to change, you can just ask the AI or make those changes yourself!
The last step is to write it down!
You can either write it down on the notes app, docs, on a journal/ piece of paper, anything that’s easily accessible to you. I heavily recommend writing it down somewhere, but if you dont want to you can…
Put it into your calander. This can help you be a bit more organised, but it’s not completely needed. As long as it’s written down somewhere- so you dont need to always remember it- you’re good.
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Health and wellness
In this section, i will be talking about fitness, mental health and physical health. I will mention some useful tips to finally start, how to overcome procrastination, and how to take care of that area of your body.
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1. FITNESS.
Numero uno: fitness! I’m not going to go yapping on about how fitness is so important- im assuming you all know that by now. But let me just remind you that staying fit is not only exercising or going to the gym everyday. It can be: running, going for a walk, playing a sport, yoga, pilates, dancing, cycling, and THE LIST GOES ON. DO anything that moves your body and gets you fit!
Here are some tips to help you get started:
Start small. Set small goals first. Set SMART goals
Choose the activities you enjoy. Like i mentioned earlier, there’s tons of ways to stay fit- cycling, running, swimming, yoga, dance, sports, etc. etc. (if you like, joining a class or working out with friends can help you stay motivated!)
Stay consistent. I know i know, this is said everywhere. But there is no progress without consistency. Even if you can’t do a whole workout one day, try and do 10 jumping jacks, or 5 pushups. Do whatever you can. Remember: 1% is better than 0.
Create a vision board. You can create one yourself, or find tons of them off Pinterest. Vision boards will make the process so much more fun and will certainly motivate you.
Set a reward system. Tell yourself: if you do this high intensity workout now, you can go to the spa later or watch tv.
Find a why. This goes for like everything tbh. If your why is big enough, you are capable of doing anything (even finding that lost book that you owe the library!) basically, are you doing this to get ripped? With tons of abs, or to get strong and impress people? Or are you doing this to boost your self esteem and improve your health?
2. FOOD & NUTRITION.
Balanced diet: eat the rainbow! Meaning- eat meals with a variety of different colours. Fruits, vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates, etc. it’s completely alright to eat a chocolate, but remember: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.
Hydration: aim for at least 8 glasses of water a day. Trust me, drinking the magical potion that is water will help you SO much! It can help you clear your skin, have pink uncrusty lips, keep you fit and soooo much more.
Mindful eating: in the book IKIGAI it is said that you should only eat until you’re 80% full. Not 100%. Why? Because the time it takes for you to digest the food will have already made you extremely full. You may even have a stomachache. Studies also show that cutting back on calories can lead to better heart health, longevity, and weight loss.
Here are some tips to manage cravings:
Find healthier alternatives. If you are craving something sweet like chocolate, have something like a sweet fruit. If you crave something salty, try nuts. If you can’t think of any, search up some healthier alternatives to it!
Create more friction for junk, and less friction for healthy. This concept was said in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. What does it mean? Make sure that it takes a lot of energy to get the unhealthy junk food. Maybe keep them high up in a cupboard so whenever you want it you have to go get a ladder, climb up, and then get it. And keep the healthy food in easy reach. Like some fruits open on a table, etc. (also remember to keep some actually yummy healthy food like Greek yogurt or protein bars.)
Distract yourself. Go do a workout or engage your mind in a hobby that you enjoy. Basically take your mind off food.
Yummy water. Make some lemonade for yourself. Or perhaps add slices of lemon, cucumber, mint or strawberries to it for some flavours. I’d do some research on this cus i know that some combos can rly help for things like clearing your skin, boosting energy, etc.
3. MENTAL HEALTH
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. It affects how we think, feel and act and also determines how we handle stress, relate to others, relationships, etc.
Of course there will be ups and downs for our mental health. It’s not something that you can just fix once and it’ll be good forever. No, it’s a rollercoaster. But having a “good” mental health is really important for a successful lifestyle.
Here are some tips to help you improve your mental health:
Meditation / deep breathing. I can’t emphasise how important this is. Even 1-2 minutes a day is good. Start small. You dont even need to be sitting crossed legged for this. Whether you’re in class, on a vehicle or in a stressful situation; just breathe. Take a deep breath, and out. Do it right now.
Journalling. Write. It. Out. Writing your problems and worries out is SOO therapeutic, especially when you want to calm down. There are SO MANY benefits to journalling. But remember that once you’ve ranted on the paper, tear it, rip it, and watch it burn. (Don’t keep a journal for this unless you KNOW 150% that no ones ever gonna read it. Trust me, it’s terrifying knowing that someone’s read that.) other things you can do is create a gratitude journal, so whenever you’re feeling low you can just go to it or write in it.
Self careee!! Create time for self care in your week. Because if you do that, it’s gonna be that one thing which you’ll be looking forward to each week, which will make life SO much more fun and bearable. For me, my forms of self care are watching thewizardliz or tam Kaur, reading, watching a movie at night, etc.
POSITIVE. SELF. TALK. Need i say more? What you say to yourself, is what you believe. And what you believe reflects in your external life.
Sing your heart out to Olivia Rodrigo. I swear this is actually so calming and therapeutic. Basically: express your feelings. If you’re angry at someone, feeling grief or really hurt by someone, screaming to Olivia Rodrigo songs in my bedroom is my go-to (i just make sure not to do it when others can here hehe). You can punch your pillow, scream, cry, etc.
Remember honey: this too will pass. Repeat that over in your head. This will pass. This will pass. This will pass. I know you may be going through the toughest time ever, but this too will pass. Nothing is forever. You’ve gotten through so much worse. You’ve got this.
!! Girls, please remember that these are just some tips. I am NOT a professional. If you really feel horrible every single day, go to therapy or counselling. Also contact mental health hotlines or emergency numbers if needed.
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Mkay thats it! I hope this was of some value to you, and stay tuned for the next guide in the it girl series!
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snow-lavender · 21 hours
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now that we're a week out from the finale, i'm feeling settled enough to make my sappy post. TL;DR is: fable has been incredibly important to me, and i think it's a story that's important to have out there. to the community and cast, you've made something beautiful and helped me more than you could know.
so here we go-
i started watching fable in the summer of 2022, to kill time in between summer courses (and thank fuck for that, cause my brain desperately needed to have some fun after 5 hours a day of doing psych stats by hand.) i was originally pulled in by vo'lete, as dissecting a conlang is really fun to me. it became basically the only media i consumed, as 2022/2023 was the fourth year of my BA and i was crazy busy. and then the characters pulled me in further with their earnestness and their devotion to redemption and compassion.
i think one of the theses of fable is "people always deserve happiness. doing awful things doesn't erase your ability to change." and i think the simplicity and love of that take hit really close to home. in the era of modern fandom where bad actors try to make everything black and white, it's an important point to make.
i started making shitposts on tumblr, started enaging with stories from an analysis standpoint again, and found a lot of joy in the community here. i don't have the words for what that means to me, so i'll just default to you guys are great <3
then mid-august happened
those of you who frequent rin's streams might have caught bits and pieces of this, but basically, i had a fall and my knee became royally fucked beyond belief. it can only be fixed with a surgery that's not very common. the pain was (and still is) debilitating to the point that i had to drop out of my second degree, and couldn't walk more than like, a block every few days. my life, my dreams, my future all got put on hold. i was in a new city with no supports, no friends, and no way to leave my apartment. fable went from the only media i consumed to the only thing i did, period.
the fandom became the only people i talked to regularly, other than my family, as online relationships were the only ones possible to maintain. in fableblr and in rin's chat i've found people who i really click with, people whose company i enjoy and who enjoy mine. when i was lying in bed, feeling so alone and less than human, having people on the internet go "i know who you are and you are making an impact," quite frankly, kept me sane. i know i don't talk to people super often, but know that seeing you in my notifs brings me so much joy, and i'd love to talk to you more.
to assuage any worries- i'm doing a bit better now. i've moved back in with my parents so i have human contact and people who can make up for the things i can't do. i have a new doctor who is taking the severity of my condition very seriously and is fighting to get me treated asap. i'll be okay.
so yeah. fable has been super important to me, and will remain so! for me it's a story with so much joy and deep feelings and rediscovery of passions and just. fun. it's been so much fun. and i'm not letting go of that fun any time soon. i'm gonna keep making and watching and enjoying.
to sage, corn, and cob- you guys are great, i cherish every time we get to talk. i hope that it's okay that i count you among my friends
to my other mutuals and people who are here frequently- recognizing you in my notes is such a joy and i hope to get to know you better. y'all are cool and i'm glad you think i'm funny
to rin- thank you for nurturing your little community and creating a space where i have so much fun. also thank you for putting up with my constant setting off of automod
to beck- thank you for making a story that explores sisterhood in all its ugliness and beauty, that shows how even families full of love can fuck up, that holds space for loneliness and loss and joy and fear and new beginnings
to the rest of the cast- thank you for making a story with so many varied and yet connected points, characters and world. with so much love in it. you've truly done something special here and its impact will not be forgotten
to all of you- thank you for knowing my name. thank you for breathing life and joy into these stories. i can't wait to see what else we make. <3
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tinytinyblogs · 1 day
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Your trusty sidekick!
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Stray kids as your brother!
hyung line, maknae line(coming soon)
💬Finally back with a new story! This post idea is thanks to this lovely person @kayleefriedchicken I'm so happy to receive requests and new ideas. Please don't hesitate to reach out, but I apologize if it takes time as I have many things to handle in real life.
Stray kids masterlist
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Your insights and reactions make these posts come alive. Love reblogs, comments, and all the good vibes welcome ✨
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Chan
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Brother Chan loves to annoy you, but he does it in the most endearing and adorable way. It’s just part of his nature to be playful and affectionate. Chan has a unique way of expressing his love, pouring it generously on all his family members, including you. His antics are always lighthearted and never cross the line; they’re meant to keep the interaction lively and engaging. He has a habit of pinching your cheeks and treating you like a little kid, even though you’ve grown up. It’s his way of showing affection, a playful reminder that he’ll always see you as his beloved sibling. Chan’s tendency to text you random things throughout the day is another one of his quirks. Though the messages might seem designed to annoy you, they’re actually his way of checking in and making sure you’re alright. Chan’s actions, whether it’s teasing you or sending you unexpected texts, are rooted in his deep care for you. He understands the importance of staying connected, and his playful behavior is his way of maintaining a close bond. His efforts to annoy you are always coupled with a genuine concern for your well-being, a balance that makes his love both unique and heartwarming.
He possessed an innate ability to discern when your spirits were low, attuned to the subtle shifts in your demeanor even when you endeavored to conceal your emotions. There was no need for you to articulate your feelings; he understood the weight of the world, having borne its burdens himself countless times. Despite his own hectic schedule, he unfailingly set aside time for you, a steadfast pillar of support in your life. On those particularly trying days when tears flowed freely, he would return home after a strenuous day, arms laden with an array of your most cherished comfort foods. His hands, laden with care packages, would forego the formality of knocking, instead, they'd assertively push open your door. Placing the assortment of treats within your reach, he'd tenderly stroke your hair, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "You seem rather like a baby now, don't you think?" he'd jest softly, his voice a soothing melody amidst the storm of emotions. "But it's alright, my dear. Let the tears fall, and indulge in your favorite comforts. Trust me when I say, everything will be alright. Remember, I'm here for you—your unwavering ally and the best brother you could ever ask for."
Minho
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Brother Minho isn’t the type to take over your responsibilities; he believes in letting you handle them because he knows it's what you should do. Despite often seeming indifferent, Minho, in his own way, truly cares deeply, even if he isn’t great at showing it. His demeanor might suggest a lack of concern, but that’s far from the truth. Minho understands the importance of personal growth and responsibility, which is why he stands back, allowing you to fulfill your duties. However, he is always silently watching over you, ensuring that you are not alone. Minho is not one for sweet words or overt displays of affection. He has a quiet strength and a subtle way of showing his support. There have been countless times when you needed someone by your side, and even though he might not have said much, his presence was always felt. He understands that sometimes words aren’t necessary; sometimes, just being there is enough. His support often comes in the form of silent solidarity, a quiet assurance that he’s there for you, even if he doesn’t vocalize it. There was a day when you were at your absolute lowest, struggling to find the energy to face the world. Walking out of the house, every step felt like a monumental effort, and deep down, you wished you could escape the day altogether. You felt utterly drained, as if life had sapped all the strength from your body.
What you didn’t know was that Minho was there, following you from a distance. He didn’t announce his presence or try to comfort you with words, but he was there, quietly making sure you were safe. His silent support provided a safety net, a quiet reassurance that someone cared, even if it wasn’t immediately obvious. Minho’s way of showing care might be unconventional, but it is deeply meaningful. He respects your autonomy and your need to face your own challenges, but he never truly leaves you to face them alone. His quiet presence is a constant reminder that you are supported, and his silent strength gives you the courage to keep going, even on your hardest days. Though he might not always express it openly, Minho’s actions speak volumes about his deep care and commitment to you. When the rain starts to fall and you realize you forgot your umbrella, you look up at the sky, which is covered in grey clouds. As the raindrops begin to hit your skin, an umbrella suddenly covers you. Turning to the side, you see Minho standing there with his usual expressionless face. “Do you think the weather forecast airs for nothing? If you can watch it, then bring this with you too. I’m not going to take care of you if you get sick,” he says. Despite his words, his face softens slightly.
Changbin
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Brother Changbin loves spending time with you, whether you're in the mood for it or not. His love for his family is unwavering, and he consistently makes time to engage with you, no matter how busy his schedule might be. Changbin is the epitome of a supportive brother. He takes joy in all your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem. To him, every little victory, like winning a doll from a claw machine, is worth celebrating. He treats these moments as if you’ve achieved something monumental, always cheering you on with genuine happiness and pride. His constant presence and encouragement make you feel valued and loved, reinforcing the strong bond you share. He lowkey spoils you whenever he goes somewhere, always bringing back something he knows you'll love. It's not just about the gifts for him; he genuinely delights in seeing your happiness and the joy you get from the things he buys. One night, just as you were about to fall asleep, he burst into your room with a wide grin on his face.
"No sleeping yet, lazy ass. We're going out," he announced. You groaned and pulled the blanket over your head, trying to ignore him, but Changbin wasn’t taking no for an answer. With his usual determination, he managed to pull you out of bed for a spontaneous night walk. As you trudged sleepily beside him, he laughed, "You look like a zombie." He then squatted down in front of you, offering a piggyback ride. You reluctantly climbed on, and he carried you through the quiet night streets, the world hushed around you. The two of you talked about anything and everything, enjoying the rare tranquility of the night. Throughout the walk, Changbin shared stories about his day, his thoughts, and his dreams. He listened intently as you told him about your day, making sure you felt heard and valued. His concern for your well-being was evident in every word and gesture, ensuring that you knew he was always there for you, no matter how busy his life got. This impromptu adventure, like many others before it, became a cherished memory, a testament to the bond you shared and his unwavering support.
Hyunjin
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Brother Hyunjin loves to share everything with you. He reveals his entire life and true self without any filters because he trusts you completely. To him, sharing is caring, and he lives by this motto. He's always eager to learn about your likes and interests, paying close attention to what excites you and makes you happy. He wants to know you as deeply and intimately as you know him, believing that this mutual understanding strengthens your bond. Hyunjin never really gets mad at you, no matter what mistakes you make. He sees these mistakes as a natural part of life and growth, and his patience with you is boundless. Although he might tease you playfully, it's always done with a loving heart and a gentle spirit. His light-hearted teasing is his way of showing affection, making sure you know that even your imperfections are loved and accepted. Hyunjin is always there to listen and to share his experiences with you, whether it's a triumph or a struggle. He believes that sharing his life openly helps build a deeper connection, and he cherishes the moments when you do the same. His supportive nature makes him a comforting presence, always ready to lend an ear or offer advice.
His goal is to ensure that you feel understood, valued, and loved, just as much as he does. He would take you anywhere he found interesting. "Let's go to this art gallery I've been dying to see," he'd say, pulling you out of bed with a gleam in his eye. With his impeccable fashion sense, he'd help you get dressed, rummaging through your wardrobe until he found the perfect outfit. "Wear this" he'd suggest, handing you his hat. "Perfect! We look like a cool sibling duo. Make sure to take a good picture of me there," he'd add with a wink, dragging you out of the house. As you walked, he'd excitedly share his carefully crafted plan for the day. Every detail was thought out, from the art gallery visit to a cozy café he wanted to try afterward. "This is going to be fun. You should be proud to have a brother like me," he'd say with a playful grin. Throughout the day, his enthusiasm was contagious. At the art gallery, he’d eagerly point out his favorite pieces, discussing their intricacies and why they captivated him. His passion for the art made the experience richer, and he made sure to include you in every moment, asking for your thoughts and reactions.
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traffytaffy · 2 days
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Eustass Kidd with a toddler daughter
I actually wrote this a few months ago and posted it but i didn’t think anyone liked it so i deleted it. But here it is again. So if you saw it the first time, im sorry😭
Daughter series:
Kid with a baby daughter
Law with a daughter
Requests are open!
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❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎
He doesnt know how to watch his language around her.
“Kid! Stop cussing around her!”
“My child isn’t weak! She can handle a few words! It wont kill her!”
He says the kid can do whatever she wants but as soon as shes climbing on something or getting near the railing he’s either running towards her and scooping her up or yelling at the crew to grab his daughter…then blaming them for the fact she even got close.
If she falls randomly? He’ll laugh. “How the fuck did you fall?”
If she randomly throws up? “You cant handle food?”
If she starts crying? “What the hell is wrong with you now?”
Hes the one that styles her hair. And it surprised his s/o cause you would think that he puts her hair in a mohawk or something (he definitely does it though) but he actually does little ponytails and pig tails and other cute styles with his hair gel slicking it back.
As for her style? Hes a sucker in seeing his daughter in fashion. Those cute lil dresses and tutus and bows. But he also dresses her in outfits that are similar to his. If his baby isn’t the best dressed on the ship then what the hell is he doing?
No one needs to worry about buying toys for the lil girl. Anything she wants? Name it. He’ll make it.
For bedtime, she begs him to read a story. He’ll say “Hell no”. But after enough begging and teary eyes, he gives in. She quickly gets comfortable in his lap and he’ll start reading the story. There will be alot of “What a dumbass” to one of the characters or “you sure you like this story?”
He’ll ultimately get mad at the story for how “stupid” it is and go “Let me tell you the story about-“ and tell her a story about his adventures (leaving out the very graphic details) and his daughter getting all excited and intrigued made him feel proud of himself.
No one can find Kid after this. Why? Cause he’ll fall asleep with his daughter and hold her protectively like its the most important mission in the world.
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ficreadergirl · 2 days
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Dangerous Inquiries (2.ch.12)
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"As far as I know, you only took 3 days off. Where were you yesterday?" your colleague asked curiously. Remembering yesterday, you blushed faintly. Jason really kept his promise about... anyway.
"I was... uhh... a little bit sick." you lied quickly, hoping he wouldn't pry any further.
"Really? It must be because of the weather. It's very unstable." he said sympathetically. You thought he was such a sweet person and you kind of felt bad for lying to him.
"Yes. You're right. So... is there anything new about that thief we think is the murderer?" you changed the subject, wanting to focus on something else.
"Not yet. But streets say he might be dead." he informed you. That caught your attention immediately.
"What do you mean by dead? Who says that?" you asked carefully. He sighed heavily before approaching you.
"Of course it's just rumours but... some says he's killed by Red Hood." he whispered like it was some sort of forbidden knowledge. You froze when you heard those words.
"Uhm... when exactly this happened?" you forced yourself to ask casually. Even though he found your attitude strange, he answered the question without saying anything.
"Yesterday. Rumours say he beheaded that thief." he whispered again. Yesterday? It was fake rumours. Yesterday, he was so busy with you. You wondered where he heard that rumour.
"Who said that?" you asked trying not to seem so curious. When he realized that you were curious, he started to explain more enthusiastically.
"I heard it from this girl I knew who works at the bar near the docks. Her boyfriend is a part of the gang that Red Hood sometimes hangs out with. I heard that this girl witnessed her boyfriend talking to some of his friends. What the girl said, these guys were telling that the guy called Red Hood cut off a thief 'who also attacked to a courthouse' head." he explained.
"Just that? There isn't anything else? Who's that said boyfriend? Who's that girl?" you asked.
"Well... she wants to stay anonymous and wants to protect her boyfriend. But she said they also were talking about an antique dealer who was murdered some while ago." he told you. You gasped. An antique dealer who was murdered...
"That's..." you couldn't finish your sentence. Could it be true? Was Jason involved in all this mess? How could he be? He was with you all the time. The girl must have been lying. You left office to get some fresh air. You called Jason as soon as you got out.
"Hey love. What's wrong?" he answered, sounding sleepy.
"Did I wake you up?" you asked trying to keep your cool.
"No. I was just resting my eyes. What's going on?" he replied, already alert now.
"I have to see you." you said firmly.
"Really? You missed me that much?" he teased.
"It's important, Jason. Please meet me at the coffee shop across the street from the courthouse. We need to talk." you insisted.
There was a pause. "Okay. Be there in ten minutes." he agreed, his tone serious now.
You hung up and hurried back to your office, feeling a mixture of fear and determination coursing through you. Whatever was happening, you needed answers. After telling your colleague that you were meeting with a client, you headed to the café.
Jason arrived a few moments later looking worried. "So what's going on?" he asked once you were seated together.
You took a deep breath, gathering your thoughts. "I heard some things today. About the man we're after."
His brow furrowed. "What kind of things?"
You told him everything you had learned, leaving nothing out. As you spoke, his expression grew increasingly concerned. "I don't believe that you killed him Jason." you assured him when you finished. He looked up at you, searching your eyes for any sign of doubt.
"But why would someone make up a story like that?" he asked clearly confused.
"I don't know but what if..." you trailed off, hesitant to voice your suspicions aloud. Jason waited patiently, watching you intently. "Do you think that Wilson girl is here, messing with me again?" you asked finally.
He frowned considering the possibility. "Maybe..."
Both of you fell silent, lost in thought. Finally, Jason reached over and took your hand in his. "Look, whatever happens, you should know that I'm not involved in any of this."
You squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I know. I believe you." you said softly. Your hands remained entwined as you sipped your coffees, gazing into each other's eyes. His touch was making you feel better, more secure. You didn't want to let go. Your leg brushed against his under the table and you couldn't help but feel a jolt of desire course through you. He was surprised but pleased, returning the touch. The moment lingered, and then, without another word, you leaned in and pressed your lips against his. Jason's lips were warm and soft against yours, and you could feel his heart racing. He broke the kiss after a few seconds, looking into your eyes.
"What was that?" he breathed almost in a whisper. Your leg under the table slid up against his thigh.
"Can't I kiss my boyfriend?" you teased as your leg moved up and down, pressing against him. He was hard beneath his jeans, and you could feel his breath hitch. "Or are you telling me you don't like it?" you asked arching an eyebrow.
"Don't you have to go back to court?" he managed to say between pants.
"Do you want me to go?" you challenged grinning mischievously. "I can go back now." you said as you moved to leave the café but he grabbed your arm, pulling you closer. You could feel his erection pushing against your hip. "In all these people? Jason..." you protested quietly while moving your body against his.
"There're only 2 more people Y/n..." he murmured, his hands moving up your arms to cup your shoulders. "We can use the toilet I think."
"Do you think I can be quiet?" you teased nipping playfully at his bottom lip before capturing it between your teeth.
"Let's see if you can." he growled before leading you to women's toilet, locking the door behind. Once inside, he pushed you against the wall, one hand holding onto your hair while the other slid up your shirt, cupping your breast roughly through your bra. You moaned into his mouth as he kissed you hungrily. His tongue was seeking entrance into your mouth, demanding attention. It was hot and rough, passionate and urgent. You felt yourself growing wetter by the second. His hand on your hair started to move lower, trailing along your neck and collarbone until it found its way to your hip. He pulled you even closer, grinding his hips against yours.
"Jason...," you whimpered, unable to form coherent words anymore. You wrapped your legs around his waist, wanting more contact, needing to feel every inch of him pressed against you. He groaned into your neck. His hand on your hip slid down further, cupping your ass through your pants and squeezing gently.
"Fuck..." he muttered, kissing your neck and jaw. His lips trailed lower, sucking and nipping at your skin as they made their way towards your breast. When he found your nipple, he circled it with his tongue, causing you to arch your back and cry out.
"Please..." you begged, your fingers digging into his shoulders. "I need..."
"Need what baby?" he breathed against your skin. "Tell me what you need."
"I need you..." you confessed. "I need you inside me."
Without another word, he undone your pants and lowered them, taking your underwear along with them. His fingers found your aching entrance and pushed inside, stretching you. You cried out, arching your back as he thrust his fingers in and out. He leaned in, kissing your neck and nipping at your skin, driving you wild. You were kissing his head as he slowly fingered you, setting a pace that was both gentle and demanding.
"Jason... please..." you moaned, your hips moving with his fingers. "I'm... so close..."
He growled, speeding up his movements, his fingers moving faster and deeper inside you. You could feel the familiar tightening in your core, the impending release building up. Your nails dug into his shoulders as you came, your voice muffled against his neck. He held you tight against him, still thrusting his fingers as you cried out in pleasure.
"Turn around Y/n..." he breathed against your ear. "Let me take you properly."
He pressed you to wall as you turned around. "You're so eager baby..." you said while hearing him undoing his pants. That sound was arousing enough, making your sex throb and ache for him. You couldn't see him but felt his length pushing at your entrance. He lined himself up, and then slowly slid inside, inch by inch. It felt so good to have him inside you again. "Oh fuck..." you moaned, arching your back. "Slowly Jason... take your time..."
He groaned, thrusting deeper, burying himself completely inside you. His hands cupped your ass, holding you close as he began to move. It was slow at first, his hips rolling against yours in a sensual rhythm. "Y/n..." he murmured against your ear. "You feel so good..."
"So do you..." you breathed, feeling your body relax into his touch. "Just like this... so good..." you moaned, your hands on the wall, fingernails digging into the paint. "Go slowly Jason... I wanna feel you..."
He listened, slowing down even more. His hips barely moved against yours as he held himself deep inside you. You could feel the weight of his cock stretching you, filling you completely. "Like that?" he asked, kissing your neck. "You want me deep and... slow?"
"Yes..." you moaned. "Just like that..."
He smiled against your skin, his hips starting to move again, but only fractionally. It was almost like he was teasing you. His hand slid up your stomach, cupping your breast over the fabric of your shirt. He pinched your nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger as he began to thrust more deeply.
"Jason... I love you..." you whispered, your eyes closing as you felt your body beginning to respond to him. His hand moved to your other breast, massaging and squeezing it through your shirt. "Oh god... baby... it's so good..."
"You're so good for me Y/n..." he groaned, his hips beginning to move faster. "I love you so much..."
"Jason... take me..." you gasped, digging your nails to wall. "Take me love... like that..."
He growled, thrusting harder, deeper. His hips slammed against yours, driving his cock deep inside you, claiming you completely. You arched your back to meet his lips, kissing him with a passion that was almost desperate. His hand slid under your shirt, stroking your bare skin as he continued to thrust, his rhythm becoming more and more urgent. "Jason! Keep going!" you cried out, your body trembling with pleasure.
"Y/n... quiet..." he gasped, his lips finding yours again. His hips moved faster, his cock thrusting deeper with each thrust. You could feel the head of his cock brushing against something inside you, driving you crazy for more.
"So good... so good..." you moaned, your legs shaking as he brought you closer and closer to the edge. "That's it... oh baby..."
"Quiet..." he growled, his hand covered your mouth. "They'll hear us..."
"Mmph..." you moaned into his palm, unable to help yourself. He growled, thrusting harder still as he felt you tighten around him. You could feel the rush of pleasure overtaking you, your body tensing and shuddering as you came, your orgasm radiating out from your core and through your entire body. "Mmphh!" you cried out, arching your back as your walls contracted around him.
Jason's thrusts became erratic, his hips slamming against yours as he came as well. He groaned, his eyes closed, his teeth bared as he emptied himself inside you. After a few more moments, he pulled out, his breath ragged. "God... Y/n... you're incredible..." he panted, kissing your shoulder.
You leaned back against him, your heart still racing. Turned your face to his and kissed him softly. "I love you, Jason..." you whispered. "I love you so much..."
He was holding you, his lips pressed to your neck. "I love you too, Y/n..."
"Fuck... I feel like I'm paralyzed." you complained laughing.
"I can carry you to courthouse if you want." he joked back. You both laughed as you started to get dressed. Before unlocking the door, he turned to you and kissed you softly on the lips. "God... I'm so lucky to have you."
You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him back. The kiss was almost desperate. "We should go do our thing before I get wet again I think." you teased, trying to play it cool.
"Whenever and wherever you want." he whispered, his eyes locked on yours. "I'll take you anytime, anywhere."
"Jason... fuck..." you groaned, feeling your body heat up again just from the look in his eyes. "Let's go before I'm late to work because of our second round."
He laughed and leaned in for another kiss. "Yes... we'd better get going. Don't want anyone to get the wrong idea." he said turned to kissing you again.
"Jason..." you moaned, melting into him, deepening the kiss. "I need you again... oh fuck..."
"I'll satisfy you tonight, love." he whispered, his hand sliding down to cup your ass. "I promise."
"I can't believe how we got here. I mean a month ago I was hating you and now... I can't focus on anything else." you confessed before kissing him again.
"Neither can I, Y/n. I love you so much." he whispered, kissing you back. You were trying to push your tongue into his mouth, desperate for him. "Stop before I change my mind. Or--"
"Or what?" you whispered to his lips, licking them gently, kissing him again.
"I'll fuck you again baby... and I won't let you leave this time."
"Oh really?" you asked, teasing, pulling him into another kiss. "What will you do, Jason? Stop me?"
He groaned, his hands gripping your hips as he pressed his body against yours. "I'll show you..." he whispered, his voice rough with desire. "I'll show you tonight."
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go off about the DE debrief pls
Okay okay okay okay SO - gosh, where to even begin.
Okay, so: You're standing above the Whirling-In-Rags (which - by the way - is an INCREDIBLE name for this particular location, as Harry is quite literally caught in the storm of his own hopes and failures and responsibilities and poverty BUT I DIGRESS ALREADY), and you're invited to take in a view of the square which will comprise a central location for the game's central drama, and here, at the end of your first day - for a new player, spent running around haphazardly, talking to people who hate you, who have strong opinions about you and about this world that you barely understand - both as the player AND diegetically as Harry - and right before you try to pack it in and give it another go tomorrow, Kim does something important: he invites you into the story in a way that frames not only what you have done in a way that is encouraging (something needed as a player after all the disorientation) but also deeply personal for this character.
This moment isn't just about the narrative gameplay utility of taking the player aside after they've finished Chapter One (so to speak) and making sure they understood the major components of the story that they're in. It's about giving the player a chance to see Kim Kitsuragi - a character who is deeply straight laced, and particular, and necessary for Harry's potential to heal and to move forward from this point where he's found himself - in a moment of genuine vulnerability, and also genuine power.
Kim pulls a cigarette. His minor vice, his personal challenge, one of the markers of his Cool. He takes you through the days events, making sure that as a new player, you aren't completely lost as to what your goals are here, and what's central to achieving them.
(I had forgotten about this until I've been watching it back - he also compliments the snakeskin shoes!!! The green does compliment the orange!!! And those SHOES - one of the many things that makes me headcanon Harry as a closeted-even-to-himself bisexual, like - Kim KNOWS that it's a bold fashion choice and admires it, okay I'm veering off what's just in the text itself now here)
And then he "zooms out," so to speak. We get a discussion of the RCM, an organization which is core to Kim's belief system, which I read as being a steadfast commitment to the ideals of self-governance, of propriety in the social order, of there being a right way to carry a weapon, and a right way to protect the things worth protecting.
He talks about having been a Moralist (a political ideology coded as being similar to specifically European Liberalism), when he was younger, and falters when trying to articulate why he moved on from their beliefs, except for throwing in a comment about how their motto is more about "what they want you to think about them" implying that, for all their talk, they fail to truly meet those values of "Love, Compassion, Self-Discipline", a statement which the situation in Martinaise genuinely supports.
And it's hard to understate how good the music is in this scene too. Breathy and expansive and yearning and defiant and sad.... It's everything that the story is set up to make you feel. It's big, and it's aching, and musically it's all about how it isn't time to give up yet, not now, not while there's still some way to stand on your two feet and do something about all the problems in the world.
And what's insane about that feeling and that idea is that it's actually the central thing that Harry and Kim deeply share. It's what makes them good cops. The story tells us - both directly through text, and through their actions (assuming that you're not playing Harry as a fucking fascist) - that they get up, every day, broken as they are, and try to Do Good in a world that is beautiful, and hostile, and complicated, and impossibly hard to see clearly through all of the ideologies, and the daily grind, and all the pointless pain, but you still have to try to do the right thing. Because it's worth it. Because that's what you owe it.
Harry has been beaten down by this challenge. He's tried to be good, and smart, and tough enough to take on the problems of the world, and of his community, and he has been brought here: to his last leg, to the Whirling-In-Rags, certain in his heart that he's been beat.
But Kim refuses to accept that answer, and so does Harry's soul (a stand-in for us, as the player), he refuses to accept that nothing can be done, just because the problems seem so large, and intractable.
And then Kim does the best thing that he could for Harry, and for us, who are facing the same exact questions in our own, much bigger, just as complicated world:
He stares the challenge down with courage. And despite what he believes through the clarity of his sight, he hopes for a better world:
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It's this line, this Perception check, that I always come back to, when I think about what this game really wants me to take away from this whole story. There's more to it than just that, of course, this game is full of lessons about money, soldiers, workers, sex, power, honor, and beauty,
but this is the thing that I need the most, when I'm trying to find my own way forward. I need to be able to acknowledge that maybe I won't see the world become more kind, more loving, and more honest before I die. Maybe it'll still be just as hard and bleak in 20 or 50 or 100 years.
But still.
I still have to believe that the struggle won't break me down. That the work, the very belief that trying is worth it, will drive me forward,
that it will make me look young. when it should make me look tired.
And then just like that, it's over. It's time to go back inside, to let the moment fade, and to take that courage as far as it will take you.
There are so many good scenes and interactions in this incredible masterpiece of gameplay and storytelling, but the Day One debrief will stick with me forever, I think.
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why does writing doctor who fanfic always ends me up googling british railways
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ghosts-of-love · 6 months
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wish there was a Horrible Histories-esque show but for like. nature stuff
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mangle-my-mind · 1 year
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Sorry but I'm not done talking about how I saw and approached Taika Waititi on the street. Like it was absolutely a non-interaction. I said maybe one sentence to him. Couldn't have been more than ten seconds total. And yet this was the highlight of my freaking day.
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rosicheeks · 7 months
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So I watched the first episodes or so of Adventure Time. Is there I guess....a um...breathrough episode that makes you like fall in love with it?
I just looked through them and not going to lie the first season is definitely not my favorite. The first season is where you meet a lot of the characters and see the universe. They are mainly super random and silly.
The first episode of season 2 is pretty good you get to learn more about Marceline and her dad.
S3 Ep9 - first fionna and cake episode (again not my favorite episodes but they are important to know who they are if you want to watch fionna and cake (the series) in the future)
S3 E26 - you get to meet flame princess for the first time 🥰🫶🫶🫶🫶
S4 E26 - The Lich - this is where the story part comes in and it gets GOOOOOOD. There are a few episodes before this that have some story I think but it’s very light if I remember right. This is where things kinda turn in adventure time in my opinion
S5 Ep1 - you get to meet Prismo!!! More story! Good shit
#ok ok ok#so I think if you want to get hooked on adventure time I would start watching from season 4 episode 26#I know I know it sounds like a big jump but like I said I think the first few seasons are mainly just introducing the characters#kinda seeing where everyone lives and their personalities#there are some story episodes in the earlier seasons but I don’t think anything important#it’s one of those shows where usually you can just watch and instantly know what’s going on#you don’t have to watch them in order buuut once you get to the story part it’s better to watch in order just in case#it’s hard to explain cause most of them are Willy nilly and silly but after the end of season 4 you have more chance to get to story#and THEN season 7 is where you get to go into the depths of the characters and their backstories#all of the episodes are 10ish minutes but then season 7 and beyond have multiple parts to some of them#so like the first one is all about Marceline and it has 8 parts#I think that’s all I wanted to say????#but I definitely understand not falling in love with it right away#it was just a thrown on show for awhile until I got to the story story and I was like OH?????? OK I SEE YOU#feel like I wanted to say more but here you gooooo#I think if you wanted to start S4 E26 and get into the story and then if you fall in love with it you can always go back#and watch the beginning seasons#but I definitely don’t think you need to watch the first few seasons to understand what’s going on later#and if you watch the end of season 4 and the beginning of season 5 and it’s still not your jam that’s alright!#I’m sure it’s not for everyone#ask
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kenobihater · 12 days
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>use capcut for 3 years
>attempt to edit a 2 hr movie down to twenty seconds with original audio overlaid by a song
>video lags, audio is fine. editing is impossible
>download inshot
>video lags, audio is fine. editing is impossible
>research reasonably priced mobile editing apps
>spend thirty dollars on luma fusion
>video is good. audio is now nearly inaudible demon cows you can only hear if you crank your volume way up
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violeblanche · 4 months
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tobiasdrake · 3 months
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*deep breath* Okay. Here we go.
I don't think the Netflix Avatar show likes women very much. It's a great show for fans of Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Iroh specifically. All four of those characters get a ton of great material. In fact, it's super great for Sokka stans, because the show takes him ultra-seriously and can't go five minutes without one character or another (usually a woman) praising him.
But the way it handles its female cast is troublesome.
Katara
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So, all three of the main trio got some changes made to their stories. They changed Aang's story so that he wasn't running away from his responsibilities; He was just clearing his head and somehow accidentallied himself into a tsunami. Whoopsy-dooodle. Aang did nothing wrong.
They changed Sokka's story so that him being a leader of his people and a great guardian warrior is treated with complete seriousness. Multiple times, characters stop to talk about how brave and noble Sokka is for taking on such an intense responsibility, and tell him to his face what a great warrior and a wonderful leader he is. Also his misogyny is erased.
And they changed Katara's story so that she directly got her mom killed because she sucks at waterbending.
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Katara tries to waterbend to attack the Fire Nation soldier but couldn't manage it, provoking the soldier to start actively searching for her and forcing her mom to fake a waterbending attack and draw his fire. They changed Katara's story so that her bad decision making fucking got her mom killed.
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This is treated with the same level of severity as "Sokka was bullied by mean kids and also his dad doesn't think he's good enough to be a leader."
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"I hoped Sokka would do better but not everyone is meant to have people's lives in their hands," Sokka's dad says of him.
Yeah, you're right, that's totally comparable to watching your mom get barbecued because you tried to waterbend in a situation you shouldn't have and then failed.
In fact, they give Sokka's greatest trauma more weight because it gets examined again with Yue next episode, while Katara actively getting her mom killed isn't brought up again at all. We get traumatized glimpses of it throughout the season leading up to the reveal, but after this scene in episode 5, it never comes up again.
But to be fair, Katara was a child. An event this significant would surely have motivated her, driving her to become the great waterbender she is now, right?
No! Katara sucks at waterbending and needs men who aren't even waterbenders to teach her how to waterbend. She requires instruction from Aang in episode 1 to learn how to waterbend, then from Jet in episode 3 to learn how to waterbend better.
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And unlike the show, her relationship with Aang isn't a give-and-take; Katara doesn't teach Aang a single goddamn thing. He never learns to waterbend. She is a strictly a pupil throughout the whole season. Though she at least gets officially labeled a master in episode 8, so there's that.
In any case, the whole traumatic memory thing isn't even the only time she's directly compared with Sokka. Episodes 3 and 4 see Katara and Sokka bicker over whose morally dubious side character is better. Sokka likes the Mechanist and Katara likes Jet.
Ultimately, Katara is forced to eat crow when Jet turns out to be the worst, while Sokka is vindicated when the Mechanist sees the error of his ways and reforms. But not before two separate arguments where Sokka calls Katara childish and accuses her of acting like a little girl.
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Arguments ultimately resolved when Katara apologizes to Sokka for not adequately respecting his very serious and ultra important role as village protector and leader. Gives him a whole speech about how great and glorious he is. And Sokka... appreciates Katara learning to respect him properly, I guess, because he never offers any similar sentiments back to her.
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The show just... They need you to know how important Sokka is, okay? It's very important that you respect Sokka.
Suki
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Suki suffers tremendously from that whole "Sokka's misogyny was removed" thing. Y'know, because they need something else to do with that episode. The show is deeply aware that Suki is Sokka's love interest, so they just do that right off the bat. Suki falls madly in love with him from the moment they meet, and spends the entire episode making goo-goo eyes and trying to get him to Notice Me Senpai.
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They still do the "Suki Trains Sokka" stuff. But Sokka is a serious, dignified manly man worthy of the deepest respect now, so of course they don't make him wear the Kyoshi uniform. Instead, the main purpose of his training is to allow them to flirt some more. It's less martial arts training and more an excuse to grope each other and near-kiss.
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Suki's just a waifu now. She still fights real good, but all of the stuff that made her relationship with Sokka interesting has been erased.
Yue
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Yue, similarly, leaps straight to shipping from the word go. They write out her fiance, Hahn, by having Yue briefly meet Sokka earlier in the season. She spends one minute talking to him in the Spirit World about Spirit World lore; In that time, she falls so desperately, madly, unfathomably in love with him that she breaks off her marriage to Hahn and devotes herself to waiting for him to one day come to her.
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"Never have I known such joys as that time you let me explain the spirit bear Hei Bei to you. Truly, we are destined to be together for life."
Like with Suki, they go out of their way to have Yue and Sokka already be a ship from the word 'go' so they don't have to spend time developing any kind of meaningful attraction.
They just. They really want you to know that Sokka is the manliest and most desirable man ever to walk this earth. It is very important that you understand how great he is. Women hurl themselves into his arms with zero effort whatsoever, because he's just so goddamn irresistible.
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Fortunately, Hahn is super okay with this turn of events. He's the most chill guy ever, he gets along perfectly well with Sokka, and he completely supports Yue's right to dump him! In the famously misogynistic Northern Water Tribe, no less! What a swell guy. Aren't men swell?
June
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June gets hit with that "rewritten as hollow waifu" stick too, but her eyes are set on Iroh. They rewrote June to be super attracted and flirty towards the man who was her unwanted sexual harasser in the source material. So that's fun.
Also, she barely does anything. Zuko hires her to find Aang, she succeeds, and then she fucks right off out of the show - But she manages to find time to express how unbelievably sexy Iroh is twice during that time.
She seriously just dropped into the show to flirt with Iroh and leave. She is unbelievably inconsequential.
Kyoshi
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And then there's Kyoshi. They really want you to hate Kyoshi. She's constantly shot from below, as if looking down on Aang and the audience. Her voice takes on a demonic echoing reverb at one point as she's screaming at Aang that "THE AVATAR MUST BE A MERCILESS WARRIOR!!!"
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She despises Aang, calling him a coward for running away from his responsibilities - Which, I remind you, is no longer a plot point because they unwrote that flaw from his character. So she's just a complete and utter asshole, shot from the asshole angle, yelling violently at him with asshole sound effects. They want you to despise this woman.
Azula
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Awkwardly, they do not seem to want you to despise Azula.
There's a lot to be said for how Ozai treats Azula in the original show. The way the favoritism he shows her is every bit as cruel and manipulative as the unfavoritism that he shows Zuko. Ozai does not love Azula. He loves the reflection of himself he sees in her eyes, and his encouragement urges her to polish herself to ensure his reflection always shines through.
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This is not that. The show instead erases the favoritism entirely. Ozai doesn't really care one way or another about either of his kids. He plays them against each other, bragging openly to Azula about how great Zuko is and unpleasably writing Azula off as weak and useless.
They've rewritten the dynamic between abusive father and his two abused kids in order to take Azula's pride away. Reimagining her from a gifted prodigy who excels at imitating the toxic behaviors of a father who doesn't truly care for her, to a put-upon overachiever tearing herself in knots to live up to the standards of her unpleasable father.
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This results in a truly wild portrayal of Azula as insecure and jealous of Ozai's seemingly love for Zuko. Here, she is simply a browbeaten child constantly complaining to her friends about how mean her father is and conspiring to get one up over Daddy's Golden Child Zuko.
Which she fails at, because she backs Zhao. Zuko deftly defeats her without even realizing they're in competition.
Conclusion
The season ends well for some of these women. It ends promising that maybe we'll see Katara teaching Aang some day. It ends with Zhao bragging that Ozai just used Zuko to train Azula so maybe we'll see the more confident and misguidedly proud Azula some day. Yue becomes the moon like she's supposed to. June's still out there so maybe she'll get to do something again some day.
Katara gets to fight Pakku and lose, but she looks pretty cool. She gets to fight Zuko and lose, but she looks pretty cool. Azula learns to lightningbend because she's just so mad about Ozai's contempt for her and favoritism for Zuko, which isn't how you lightningbend.
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But promises of future content fall flat when the content that exists is so underwhelming. This season made its feelings on these characters pretty evident, and it's unwise to expect better material from creators who've disappointed you with the material they already made.
The women of Netflix Avatar simply do not get to shine, outside of superficial moments like the "Women of Northern Water Tribe demand the right to fight and then fuck off and don't do anything for the entire rest of the episode" bit.
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"In the midst of battle, we demand that you stop being sexist and give us permission to fight! This is a way better idea than convincing you to teach us to fight before the battle begins."
The characters of this show feel as if they've been reimagined to glorify the boys at the expense of the girls. The boys are treated with a great amount of care. They're dignified and made important movers of the plot, with their rough edges sanded off. While the girls are molded around them.
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eff-plays · 9 months
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Ok so I watched the interview with Stephen Rooney, Astarion's writer, and here are some highlights. (I'm an aspiring writer and current game design student who wants to write for games so I'm sorry if some of these insights aren't as interesting to you as they are to me <3)
He calls Astarion his "horrible little vampire boy"
He loves seeing the fandom around Astarion<3
He did write other characters in the game, but mostly NPCs surrounding Astarion or his storyline, so it mostly revolved around Astarion
Astarion is not as connected to other companions/Origins as, for example, Lae'zel and Shadowheart, or Wyll and Karlach are to each other, but he is still reactive to their stories, even if it's just to stand off to the side and laugh when something terrible happens
He had a clear sense of where Astarion's story would start and end, but it got "muddy in the middle", but those are also moments where the best ideas come from
They write from the general idea that every character has one "good" and one "evil" ending, in order to give the player choice. RIP Ascendant apologists :(
According to Stephen, two of the most important aspects of Astarion's character (to keep consistent when bringing him to Idle Champions, at least) is that he enjoys violence, but is also fun about it
"He has a certain appreciation for violence, I guess? A bit of a murdery streak. [...] He's a vampire, he's all about blood, and he's all about, kind of, those darker sides of humanity. [..] But at the same time, he is ... He is really fun, he's really fun to write, he's really fun to have in your party, and it's very important for me that that is also represented."
"He's gonna stab you, but will have a smile on his face as he does it? I mean, I dunno. That's kind of him in a nutshell."
Larian would not have allowed for Astarion to be a typical brooding Dracula type, and there were scenes that were shot down for not being original enough
The main thing about Astarion was trying to get a "sense of fun." It would be easy to write a character that was very unlikable, and they absolutely did not want to do that
Rooney says Astarion is consistently terrible throughout the game and awful in a whole lot of ways, but he also needed to be charming enough that you could tolerate his presence and wanted him around
Rooney also had a lot of input on Astarion's stats (meaning the 10 Charisma is probalby 100% intentional)
He also had input on how certain lines should be delivered, even though the writers didn't directly work with voice actors
The way Astarion moves and poses is "all Neil"
Apparently, Neil Newbon worked on the character for years and Rooney did not speak to him once, though his voice work did influence how Astarion's lines were written and it became a "feedback loop" (Possible context for "ONLY SLIGHTLY, NEIL")
There were no points where a line delivery drastically changed Astarion's writing; rather it was a constant, slow evolution
However, there was one very spoilery moment where Neil gave such emotion to some "basic" lines that it fundamentally changed the scene (WHAT IS IT OMG)
It's difficult to balance approval, as you don't want to straight up write a monster. Every character needs to have some humanity in them. So if it comes to leaving the party, it needed to be the result of something central to said character. They wanted to be mindful of situations that would cause actual rifts between characters. (I assume this is why most generic disapprovals/approvals are +/- 1 or 2, while character-related ones give +/-5 or more)
However, as they don't write straight up horrible people/monsters, it doesn't come up as often as one might think.
The interviewer makes a point about how characters like Astarion and Lae'zel are good examples of how to play "evil" characters, as they are maybe not the best people but are still eager and willing to stick around the other party members
They worked to make sure the characters would work as a group, no matter the configuration of the group. The characters needed to be on the same path, even if they don't always agree or walk that path the same way.
Stephen Rooney is very proud of the "climactic" scene of Astarion's story. (AS HE SHOULD BE.) He even had to step away from the computer and have an emotional moment. Me too, man.
He's also "extremely pleased" that there's a point where you can punch Astarion in the face. "Actually, that one might be my favorite part" A MAN OF THE PEOPLE!!
Stephen Rooney's tip on what specific thing you should try out with Astarion: When he's trying to get a "sneaky nibble" at night, you should "probably" let him bite you. Way ahead of you there, sir.
No discussion about Astarion's romance unfortunately, but that's that!
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Fandom can do a little gatekeeping. As a treat.
So I finally decided to archive-lock my fics on AO3 last night. I’ve been considering it since the AI scrape last year, but the tipping point was this whole lore.fm debacle, coupled with some thoughts I’ve been thinking regarding Fandom These Days in general and Fandom As A Community in particular. So I wanna explain why I waited so long, why I locked my stuff up now, and why I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a-okay with making it harder for people to see my stories.
Lurkers really are great, tho
I’m a chronic lurker, and have been since I started hanging out on the internet as a teen in the 00s. These days it’s just cuz I don’t feel a need to socialize very often, but back then it was because I was shy and knew I was socially awkward. Even if I made an account, I’d spend months lurking on message boards or forums or Livejournals, watching other people interact and getting a feel for that particular community’s culture and etiquette before I finally started interacting myself. And y’know, that approach saved me a lot of embarrassment. Over the course of my lurking on any site, there was always some other person who’d clearly joined up five minutes after learning the place existed, barged in without a care for their behavior, and committed so many social faux pas that all the other users were immediately annoyed with them at best. I learned a lot observing those incidents. Lurk More is Rule 33 of the internet for very good reason.
Lurking isn’t bad or weird or creepy. It’s perfectly normal. I love lurking. It’s hard for me to not lurk - socializing takes a lot of energy out of me, even via text. (Heck it took 12 hours for me to write this post, I wish I was kidding--) Occasionally I’ll manage longer bouts of interaction - a few weeks posting here, almost a year chatting in a discord there - but I’m always gonna end up going radio silent for months at some point. I used to feel bad about it, but I’ve long since made peace with the fact that it’s just the way my brain works. I’m a chronic lurker, and in the long term nothing is going to change that.
The thing with being a chronic lurker is that you have to accept that you are not actually seen as part of the community you are lurking in. That’s not to say that lurkers are unimportant - lurkers actually are important, and they make up a large proportion of any online community - but it’s simple cause and effect. You may think of it as “your community”, but if you’ve never said a word, how is the community supposed to know you exist? If I lurked on someone’s LJ, and then that person suddenly friendslocked their blog, I knew that I had two choices: Either accept that I would never be able to read their posts again, or reach out to them and ask if I could be added to their friends list with the full understanding that I was a rando they might not decide to trust. I usually went with the first option, because my invisibility as a lurker was more important to me than talking to strangers on the internet.
Lurking is like sitting on a park bench, quietly people-watching and eavesdropping on the conversations other people are having around you. You’re in the park, but you’re not actively participating in anything happening there. You can see and hear things that you become very interested in! But if you don’t introduce yourself and become part of the conversation, you won’t be able to keep listening to it when those people walk away. When fandom migrated away from Livejournal, people moved to new platforms alongside their friends, but lurkers were often left behind. No one knew they existed, so they weren’t told where everyone else was going. To be seen as part of a fandom community, you need to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known, etc. etc.
There’s nothing wrong with lurking. There can actually be benefits to lurking, both for the lurkers and the communities they lurk in. It’s just another way to be in a fandom. But if that is how you exist in fandom--and remember, I say this as someone who often does exist that way in fandom--you need to remember that you’re on the outside looking in, and the curtains can always close.
I’ve always been super sympathetic to lurkers, because I am one. I know there’s a lot of people like me who just don’t socialize often. I know there’s plenty of reasons why someone might not make an account on the internet - maybe they’re nervous, maybe they’re young and their parents don’t allow them to, maybe they’re in a bad situation where someone is monitoring their activity, maybe they can only access the internet from public computer terminals. Heck, I’ve never even logged into AO3 on my phone--if I’m away from my computer I just read what’s publicly available. 
I know I have people lurking on my fics. I know my fics probably mean a lot to someone I don’t even know exists. I know this because there are plenty of fics I love whose writers don’t know I exist.
I love my commenters personally; I love my lurkers as an abstract concept. I know they’re there and I wish them well, and if they ever de-lurk I love them all the more.
So up until last year I never considered archive-locking my fic, because I get it. The AI scraping was upsetting, but I still hesitated because I was thinking of lurkers and guests and remembering what it felt like to be 15 and wondering if it’d be worth letting a stranger on the internet know I existed and asking to be added to their friends list just so I could reread a funny post they made once.
But the internet has changed a lot since the 00s, and fandom has changed with it. I’ve read some things and been doing some thinking about fandom-as-community over the last few years, and reading through the lore.fm drama made me decide that it’s time for me to set some boundaries.
I still love my lurkers, and I feel bad about leaving any guest commenters behind, especially if they’re in a situation where they can’t make an account for some reason. But from here on out, even my lurkers are going to have to do the bare minimum to read my fics--make an AO3 account.
Should we gatekeep fandom?
I’ve seen a few people ask this question, usually rhetorically, sometimes as a joke, always with a bit of seriousness. And I think…yeah, maybe we should. Except wait, no, not like that--
A decade ago, when people talked about fandom gatekeeping and why it was bad to do, it intersected with a lot of other things, mainly feminism and classism. The prevalent image of fandom gatekeeping was, like, a man learning that a woman likes Star Wars and haughtily demanding, “Oh, yeah? Well if you’re REALLY a fan, name ten EU novels” to belittle and dismiss her, expecting that a “real fan” would have the money and time to be familiar with the EU, and ignoring the fact that male movie-only fans were still considered fans. The thing being gatekept was the very definition of “being a fan” and people’s right to describe themselves as one.
That’s not what I mean when I say maybe fandom should gatekeep more. Anyone can call themselves a fan if they like something, that’s fine. But when it comes to the ability to enjoy the fanworks produced by the fandom community…that might be something worth gatekeeping.
See, back in the 00s, it was perfectly common for people to just…not go on the internet. Surfing the web was a thing, but it was just, like, a fun pastime. Not everyone did it. It wasn’t until the rise of social media that going online became a thing everyone and their grandmother did every day. Back then, going on the internet was just…a hobby.
So one of the first gates online fandom ever had was the simple fact that the entire world wasn’t here yet.
The entire world is here now. That gate has been demolished.
And it’s a lot easier to find us now. Even scattered across platforms, fandom is so centralized these days. It isn’t a network of dedicated webshrines and forums that you can only find via webrings anymore, it’s right there on all the big social media sites. AO3 didn’t set out to be the main fanfic website, but that’s definitely what it’s become. It’s easy for people to find us--and that includes people who don’t care about the community, and just want “content.”
Transformative fandom doesn’t like it when people see our fanworks as “content”. “Content” is a pretty broad term, but when fandom uses it we’re usually referring to creative works that are churned out by content creators to be consumed by an audience as quickly as possible as often as possible so that the content creator can generate revenue. This not-so-new normal has caused a massive shift in how people who are new to fandom view fanworks--instead of seeing fic or art as something a fellow fan made and shared with you, they see fanworks as products to be consumed.
Transformative fandom has, in general, always been a gift economy. We put time and effort into creating fanworks that we share with our fellow fans for free. We do this so we don’t get sued, but fandom as a whole actually gets a lot out of the gift economy. Offer your community a story, and in return you can get comments, build friendships, or inspire other people to write things that you might want to read. Readers are given the gift of free stories to read and enjoy, and while lurking is fine, they have the choice to engage with the writer and other readers by leaving comments or making reclists to help build the community.
And look, don’t get me wrong. People have never engaged with fanfic as much as fan writers wish they would. There has always been “no one comments anymore” wank. There have always been people who only comment to say “MORE!” or otherwise demand or guilt trip writers into posting the next chapter. But fandom has always agreed that those commenters are rude and annoying, and as those commenters navigate fandom they have the chance to learn proper community etiquette.
However, now it seems that a lot of the people who are consuming fanworks aren’t actually in the community. 
I won’t say “they aren’t real fans” because that’s silly; there’s lots of ways to be a fan. But there seem to be a lot of fans now who have no interest in fandom as a community, or in adhering to community etiquette, or in respecting the gift economy. They consume our fics, but they don’t appreciate fan labor. They want our “content”, but they don’t respect our control over our creations.
And even worse--they see us as a resource. We share our work for free, as a gift, but all they see is an open-source content farm waiting to be tapped into. We shared it for free, so clearly they can do whatever they want with it. Why should we care if they feed our work into AI training datasets, or copy/paste our unfinished stories into ChatGPT to get an ending, or charge people for an unnecessary third-party AO3 app, or sell fanbindings on etsy for a profit without the author’s permission, or turn our stories into poor imitations of podfics to be posted on other platforms without giving us credit or asking our consent, while also using it to lure in people they can datascrape for their Forbes 30 Under 30 company? 
And sure, people have been doing shady things with other people’s fanworks since forever. Art theft and reposting has always been a big problem. Fanfic is harder to flat-out repost, but I’ve heard of unauthorized fic translations getting posted without crediting the original author. Once in…I think the 2010s? I read a post by a woman who had gone to some sort of local bookselling event, only to find that the man selling “his” novel had actually self-published her fanfic. (Wish I could find that one again, I don’t even remember where I read it.)
But aside from that third example, the thing is…as awful as fanart/writing theft is, back in the day, the main thing a thief would gain from it was clout. Clout that should rightfully go to the creators who gifted their work in the first place, yeah, but still. Just clout. People will do a lot of hurtful things for clout, but fandom clout means nothing outside of fandom. Fandom clout is not enough to incentivize the sort of wide-scale pillaging we’re seeing from community outsiders today.
Money, on the other hand… Well, fandom’s just a giant, untapped content farm, isn’t it? Think of how much revenue all that content could generate.
Lurkers are a normal and even beneficial part of any online community. Maybe one day they’ll de-lurk and easily slide into place beside their fellow fans because they already know the etiquette. Maybe they’re active in another community, and they can spread information from the community they lurk in to the community they’re active in. At the very least, they silently observe, and even if they’re not active community members, they understand the community.
Fans who see fanworks as “content” don’t belong in the same category as lurkers. They’re tourists. 
While reading through the initial Reddit thread on the lore.fm situation, I found this comment:
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[ID: Reddit User Cabbitowo says: ... So in anime fandoms we have a word called tourist and essentially it means a fan of a few anime and doesn't care about anime tropes and actively criticizes them. This is kind of how fandoms on tiktok feel. They're touring fanfics and fanart and actively criticizes tropes that have been in the fandom since the 60s. They want to be in a fandom but they don't want to engage in fandom 
OP totallymandy responds: Just entered back into Reddit after a long day to see this most recent reply. And as a fellow anime fan this making me laugh so much since it’s true! But it sorta hurts too when the reality sets in. Modern fandom is so entitled and bratty and you’d think it’s the minors only but that’s not even true, my age-mates and older seem to be like that. They want to eat their cake and complain all whilst bringing nothing to the potluck… :/ END ID]
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“Tourist” is an apt name for this sort of fan. They don’t want to be part of our community, and they don’t have to be in order to come into our spaces and consume our work. Even if they don’t steal our work themselves, they feel so entitled to it that they’re fine with ignoring our wishes and letting other people take it to make AI “podfics” for them to listen to (there are a lot of comments on lore.fm’s shutdown announcement video from people telling them to just ignore the writers and do it anyway). They’ll use AI to generate an ending to an unfinished fic because they don’t care about seeing “the ending this writer would have given to the story they were telling”, they just want “an ending”. For these tourist fans, the ends justify the means, and their end goal is content for them to consume, with no care for the community that created it for them in the first place.
I don’t think this is confined to a specific age group. This isn’t “13-year-olds on Wattpad” or “Zoomers on TikTok” or whatever pointless generation war we’re in now. This is coming from people who are new to fandom, whose main experience with creative works on the internet is this new content culture and who don’t understand fandom as a community. That description can be true of someone from any age group.
It’s so easy to find fandom these days. It is, in fact, too easy. Newcomers face no hurdles or challenges that would encourage them to lurk and observe a bit before engaging, and it’s easy for people who would otherwise move on and leave us alone to start making trouble. From tourist fans to content entrepreneurs to random people who just want to gawk, it’s so easy for people who don’t care about the fandom community to reap all of its fruits. 
So when I say maybe fandom should start gatekeeping a bit, I’m referring to the fact that we barely even have a gate anymore. Everyone is on the internet now; the entire world can find us, and they don’t need to bother learning community etiquette when they do. Before, we were protected by the fact that fandom was considered weird and most people didn’t look at it twice. Now, fandom is pretty mainstream. People who never would’ve bothered with it before are now comfortable strolling in like they own the place. They have no regard for the fandom community, they don’t understand it, and they don’t want to. They want to treat it just like the rest of the content they consume online.
And then they’re surprised when those of us who understand fandom culture get upset. Fanworks have existed far longer than the algorithmic internet’s content. Fanworks existed long before the internet. We’ve lived like this for ages and we like it.
So if someone can’t be bothered to respect fandom as a community, I don’t see why I should give them easy access to my fics.
Think of it like a garden gate
When I interact with commenters on my fic, I have this sense of hospitality.
The comment section is my front porch. The fic is my garden. I created my garden because I really wanted to, and I’m proud of it, and I’m happy to share it with other people. 
Lots of people enjoy looking at my garden. Many walk through without saying anything. Some stop to leave kudos. Some recommend my garden to their friends. And some people take the time to stop by my front porch and let me know what a beautiful garden it is and how much they’ve enjoyed it. 
Any fic writer can tell you that getting comments is an incredible feeling. I always try to answer all my comments. I don’t always manage it, but my fics’ comment sections are the one place that I manage to consistently socialize in fandom. When I respond to a comment, it feels like I’m pouring out a glass of lemonade to share with this lovely commenter on my front porch, a thank you for their thank you. We take a moment to admire my garden together, and then I see them out. The next time they drop by, I recognize them and am happy to pour another glass of lemonade.
My garden has always been open and easy to access. No fences, no walls. You just have to know where to find it. Fandom in general was once protected by its own obscurity, an out-of-the-way town that showed up on maps but was usually ignored.
But now there’s a highway that makes it easy to get to, and we have all these out-of-towner tourists coming in to gawk and steal our lawn ornaments and wonder if they can use the place to make themselves some money.
I don’t care to have those types trampling over my garden and eating all my vegetables and digging up my flowers to repot and sell, so I’ve put up a wall. It has a gate that visitors can get through if they just take the time to open it.
Admittedly, it’s a small obstacle. But when I share my fics, I share them as a gift with my fellow fans, the ones who understand that fandom is a community, even if they’re lurkers. As for tourist fans and entrepreneurs who see fic as content, who have no qualms ignoring the writer’s wishes, who refuse to respect or understand the fandom community…well, they’re not the people I mean to share my fic with, so I have no issues locking them out. If they want access to my stories, they’ll have to do the bare minimum to become a community member and join the AO3 invite queue.
And y’know, I’ve said a lot about fandom and community here, and I just want to say, I hope it’s not intimidating. When I was younger, talk about The Fandom Community made me feel insecure, and I didn’t think I’d ever manage to be active enough in fandom spaces to be counted as A Member Of The Community. But you don’t have to be a social butterfly to participate in fandom. I’ll always and forever be a chronic lurker, I reblog more than I post, I rarely manage to comment on fic, and I go radio silent for months at a time--but I write and post fanfiction. That’s my contribution.
Do you write, draw, vid, gif, or otherwise create? Congrats, you're a community member.
Do you leave comments? Congrats, you're a community member.
Do you curate reclists? Congrats, you're a community member.
Do you maintain a fandom blog or fuckyeah blog? Congrats, you're a community member.
Do you provide a space for other fans to convene in? Congrats, you're a community member.
Do you regularly send asks (off anon so people know who you are)? Congrats, you're a community member.
Do you have fandom friends who you interact with? Congrats, you're a community member.
There’s lots of ways to be a fan. Just make sure to respect and appreciate your fellow fans and the work they put in for you to enjoy and the gift economy fandom culture that keeps this community going.
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bringmemyrocks · 4 months
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A Gazan's reflection on the ICJ rule and his family who is still living in Gaza.
Reel link for those with instagram--comment in support/visibility if you can: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2kYzKbuzAy
Key takeaways, but please watch the reel. There are English captions.
Many Palestinians in Gaza (talking ordinary ppl, not influencers or activists) have been raised not to engage with politics. [I add for clarity, this is their parents trying to keep them safe] and as such may not have followed Western politics for the past few years.
Palestinians living in Gaza, including his family, genuinely thought this ruling could end the ongoing genocide. They had real hope that the ICJ could save them.
Many Gazans' hopes have completely evaporated as a result of the ICJ not calling for a ceasefire.
The ICJ ruling is an important start, but it is not enough for the hundreds who are dying each day as a result of this occupation.
We need to keep helping Gaza in any way we can.
Important: Mohammed, the creator of this video, has a GoFundMe for his family, which I have personally verified. Note that the narrative in the GFM is that of his brother Faress, a nurse at Al-Shifa hospital: https://www.gofundme.com/f/from-devastation-to-hope-a-nurses-family-journey
His family is currently living in a tent in Rafah after being displaced from Northern Gaza. Please donate if you can.
Mohammed's story was featured in the New York Times in November 2023 (un-paywalled) excerpt:
“Here I am having whatever I want,” said Mohammed Salah Arafat, a Washington, D.C., resident with a brother still in Gaza. “When it comes to food, when it comes to freedom, when it comes to rights, when it comes to freedom of movement, the feeling of guilt is killing me,” said Mr. Arafat, 30, who left Gaza in 2018.
Mohammed also has a poetry blog here: https://moharafat.wordpress.com/ and you can sign up for updates (like with substack or medium) if you input your email at the bottom of the page.
Don't stop demonstrating--find local actions from PYM, PSL, JVP, and SJP on Instagram, don't stop calling (It does help--leave your name and zip code so you're counted--Bernie just called for a ceasefire and Katherine Clark has come close), don't stop spreading awareness.
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