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loveemagicpeace · 10 days

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🧚🏽Astrology Notes🧚🏽

🎸If Jupiter is in the first, fourth, seventh, tenth house, it should protect the person from major accidents. Jupiter in the 11th house means many friends. Jupiter in the 9th house means long journeys, usually paid for by someone else. Jupiter in the 4th house means that the person has a very religious family and that he will not live where he was born.

If Saturn is in the falling house (third, sixth, ninth, twelfth), circumstances may arise during that period, but you only become aware of them a few years later. If Saturn is in an angular house (fourth, seventh, tenth) at the time of birth, it sets a pattern that a person will follow throughout his life.

Saturn in the first, second or third house can indicate a burden on a person already in his early life. This is often because of the father. Saturn in the 4th house means that the individual will build a larger valuable property.

If the Sun is in a corner house (first, fourth, seventh, tenth), this means that the exercise of individuality will be visible to others. It makes the power that can bring you fame.

If the Sun is in one of the following houses (second, fifth, eighth, eleventh), this tends to give up publicity and the individual must progress on his own. If it is accepted by the public, it is not based on a personal initiative, as the main position of the sun sign would suggest. Follow-up houses often lead y dealing with other people's lives and/or their property.

If the Sun is in the falling houses (third, sixth, ninth, twelfth), this indicates that the individual thrives best behind the scenes. It makes an individual who serves. The beauty and strength of this individual are visible only to those closest to him in close contact with him.

Uranus is the planet that shows the clairvoyance of a person and the premonitions that a person has. But it is also a planet associated with astrology.

Mercury and Uranus: each aspect helps the person to communicate well. A person writes a horoscope.

Sun and Uranus: this is one of the more important aspects. No matter how aspected it brings a person great success in the field of astrology. And people will accept him as an expert and trust that person. You will become an authority figure, so you can make sure that you are honest.

Pluto rules kidnappings and gangsters. And many people do not know that pluto is also the co-ruler of Aries. So people who have a lot of Aries and act mysteriously is also part of it.

Cancer rising people are very sensitive when someone is rude to them. They take it to heart when someone is rude to them, especially authority figures. They are very used to home and family and it is difficult for them to be with people who are not their family for a long time. Let's say: if someone takes them to a doctor, they will always want it to be a person who is related to them.

Capricorn rising people are basically unaffected by things. And they are used to people being harsher towards them. are basically unaffected by things. And they are used to people being harsher towards them. They have tough skin and are generally not that personal as a sign. They look at things from a different perspective.

Aquarius Sun tend to want more friendly relationships than romantic ones. They don't like you controlling them or telling them what to do. But they are prone to long engagements. They also say that Aquarians do not like flashy and provocative clothes, jewelry and make-up. Although it all depends on what other signs a person has.

Venus:

Venus in Aries- are often selfish in love and will always put themselves first. And it is considered unstable venus.

Venus in Taurus- are very frugal with money. In love, however, they are loyal, deep and lasting.

Venus in Gemini- in love, they tend to flirt or have several relationships at the same time.

Venus in Cancer- are emotional and tend towards the domestic environment. They can be better parents than partners. This position is not always favorable for marriage.

Venus in Leo- love to spend, especially on people they love. They like attention. They are frank, honest and sometimes too kind-hearted.

Venus in Virgo-Venus falls here. They are artistic, but they are also emotionally closed. They tend to be critical. Once they commit, they don't let up.They are often disappointed in relationships and have several.

Venus in Libra- are young at heart, often indecisive. They are determined hosts. They often marry early.

Venus in Scorpio- are passionate, intense, mysterious, jealous. They strongly desire to know the hidden motives of others. He is quick to rate people. They can have a hard time forming relationships.

Venus in Sagittarius- are positive, sincere, passionate, irresistible. They are very idealistic, philosophical. They are intuitive, loyal and love a mystical way of life. They have many friends.

Venus in Capricorn- usually not open, they are calculating, serious, careful. They are often disappointed in love, so they are afraid of relationships. They can get married for the sake of society. They marry a person who can be quite different.

Venus in Aquarius - aloof in love, quickly establish contacts with strangers. They are usually more friendly than romantic. They tend to have multiple relationships.

Venus in Pisces- often fantasize about their love life. They are sensitive and also depressed. Music has a good effect on them.

The first house covers areas of life such as: early life impression, causes of financial losses, long journeys of children and their religious inclinations, friends of brothers and sisters.

The third house covers areas of life such as: incidental sciences, willpower, speech and hearing, reasons for moving away from home, long journeys of a spouse.

The fifth house covers areas of life such as: spouse's friends, grandchildren's long journeys, person's passions, ways of relaxation, cause of bankruptcy.

The seven house covers areas of life such as: the description and characteristics of a marriage partner, friends in other countries, rivalries, quarrels and fights, enemies and rivals, things that are the most difficult for a person to achieve, the outcome of diseases, the mentality of children, the later life conditions of the father in the female chart, later life conditions of the mother in the male chart.

The eighth house covers areas of life such as: natural death of a person, business friends, transition to the astral world, gateway to the spiritual world, acquisitions due to partnership, acquisitions due to marriage, investigation of lawsuits, short trips to work.

The second house covers areas of life such as: inner emotions and feelings, financial visions, the propriety of borrowing money, a person's ingenuity, the ability to be comfortable, what you give is what you get, family friends, time and reputation of children, inheritances and inheritances by marriage partner, cause of death partner.

The fourth house covers areas of life such as: family traditions, situations in later life, kitchen, causes of sadness due to love relationships, inheritances from other countries.

The sixth house covers areas of life such as: favors, small animals, attitude to diet, restrictions due to marriage, restrictions due to partner, working conditions, food, clothing.

The ninth house covers areas of life such as: rites and ceremonies, types of church, gains from spiritual experiences, gains from psychic experiences, the person's consciousness, the hygienic conditions of the person's home, the care or neglect of property, the mentality of the spouse, the health of the parent of the opposite sex, the end of the life of uncles, restrictions or losses in business, situations of children's romantic relationships.

The tenth house covers areas of life such as: the house of pride, reward karma, grief and loss of friends, long journeys due to money matters, children's health, the cause of death of loved ones, the end of the life of a spouse, money that you can earn from traveling.

The eleventh house covers areas of life such as: societies and organizations to which one belongs, punishments, fines that a person has to pay, the way money is spent, agreements in foreign countries, attitude towards entertainment of the spouse, potential cause of loss of property, health of uncles and aunt on your mother's side.

The twelfth house covers areas of life such as: a symbol of the most difficult battles, a symbol of the most difficult tasks, a symbol of accidents, losses, fate, enemies, hospitals, asylums, the house of spies, the cause of the end of romantic relationships, residence in a foreign country, how someone sleeps and relaxes, house hindsight, self-analysis, friends' finances, friends' acquisitions, closest point of contact with a person's soul.

🎸For personal readings u can sign up here: https://snipfeed.co/bekylibra 🎸

-Rebekah🧚🏽🪐🎸

#astrology #energy #zodiac signs #planets #my notes #astrological houses #astrology observations

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botanicalsword · 1 month

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Venus ✧ how you pursue love and beauty ♡⁀➷

Where Venus is located, that house is the area where we easily find satisfaction and happiness, a field where the energy of love and beauty manifests.

☽✧. ❦ • ✧• .✧ ✞

♡ Venus in the 1st House

This brings a beautiful appearance and a gentle personality to the Houser - They are skilled at dressing themselves and have good taste and temperament. They generally make a good first impression. Even if their genetics are not strong, they have great fashion and makeup skills.

♡ Venus in the 2nd House

Houser with this placement have a pursuit of a good life, and their way of earning money is related to art or luxury goods. They are willing to spend money to improve their quality of life as long as they are not severely afflicted by Saturn. Usually, they can easily earn money, and their quality of life is quite high. However, if they are heavily afflicted by Saturn, they may easily become materialistic or even take loans to consume luxury items.

♡ Venus in the 3rd House

People with this placement are interested in art or emotional intelligence. Generally, their communication style is pleasant and gives people a refreshing feeling. They have a great sense of aesthetics and tend to be specialist in the field of beauty. It is very comfortable talking with them without much pressure.

♡ Venus in the 4th House

This position indicates a strong concern for the home environment. They have high requirements for comfortable living and enjoy spending money on decoration and arranging their living environment. In childhood, they often come from families with love or artistic heritage tendencies.

♡ Venus in the 5th House

People with this placement have a strong sense of love and know how to indulge in romance and pleasure. They seek to experience and appreciate the beautiful things in life, such as art and music. They often have a good relationship with children as well. The 5th house represents children and Venus, a planet associated with femininity.

♡ Venus in the 6th House

In this position, the work atmosphere is usually good, or the work is related to art and beauty. Additionally, this is the house of health. Venus placed here can easily lead to problems due to unhealthy or indulgent habits. Venus is not a planet of discipline but rather seeks beauty, so it is natural to indulge in things like drinking milk tea occasionally - attention should be paid regarding healthcare.

♡ Venus in the 7th House

This position is quite favorable. The native understands interpersonal relationships well and has high emotional intelligence. They are particularly good at making themselves comfortable through one-on-one relationships, whether it is finding a partner or a business collaborator who can make their life better. However, they should be cautious not to develop a mindset of pleasing or appeasing others too much, nor should they become overly dependent or immersed in relationships.

♡ Venus in the 8th House

This position is beneficial for financial investments. They are adept at utilizing collective resources and have a keen sense. They often have good luck in inheritance and are interested in mysterious matters. They tend to have a deeper understanding of things.

♡ Venus in the 9th House

This is a sign of having exotic love affairs. People with Venus in 9th House are easily attracted to people from different cultural backgrounds and are likely to encounter romance and adventure during foreign or long-distance travels. They also enjoy different cultures and artistic topics. They are experts in discussing popular brands from abroad.

♡ Venus in the 10th House

They are highly concerned about their public image. They channel the energy of love and beauty into their careers and spread love and beauty to the public. They tend to work in industries, such as wedding photography, beauty salons, cosmetic procedures, makeup artistry, and image consulting, all of which are fields dedicated to spreading beauty.

♡ Venus in the 11th House

This benefits forming collaborations with like-minded people. People with Venus in the 11th house are often popular in groups, and they are skilled at finding common ground and creating a harmonious atmosphere. They tend to have many friends and acquaintances.

♡ Venus in the 12th House

This is a hidden placement, it often indicates the hidden traits of Venus. On one hand, people with this placement tend to be reserved in matters of the heart, which may lead to unrequited love or similar experiences. This can be used for understanding, but not for definitive judgments. Additionally, people with this placement have a good sense of art and often possess a unique charm.

☽✧. ❦ • ✧• .✧ ✞

>> Masterlist | explicit contents

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hallowpen · 3 months

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The Influence of Thai Culture on Attitudes towards Disabilities as it Relates to Last Twilight

(This is a combination of personal experiences/observations having lived in Bangkok and my learned academic knowledge/own personal research. I am not an expert by any means, but I wanted to offer some insight from my own personal point of view.)

While Thailand has certain provisions in place to prevent disability discrimination, it is still very much present in Thai society. Disability legislation is not strictly enforced and accessibility is extremely limited. That is not to say that efforts aren't being made to promote education and inclusivity, just that views and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities have been slow to reform. As such, there is a negative stigma that exists in Thailand where disabled individuals are, for the most part, seen as a burden or an inconvenience. There are certain cultural aspects that, unfortunately, contribute toward this outlook:

Collectivism and Tradition - Thailand can be labeled as a collectivistic society. What that means is, there is a tendency to favor the 'grouped' majority over individual interests. As a result, individuals with disabilities are less likely to be integrated into their communities. The urge to conform to group rules and traditions hinders Thai society from accepting "disruptive" change. Communities prefer to avoid the uncertainty and ambiguity of the unknown, which reduces the amount of conversations centering around disability education. I stated in my review of LT, that there needed to be a deeper conversation surrounding the experiences and realities of the disabled community in order for the series to have the impact it intended to. And this is why. It needs to be talked about, otherwise nothing will change and, much like the last part of that final episode, ableist views/language will prevail.

Religious Influence - At this point (if you are a fan of Thai dramas), you probably already know that Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand. We are taught to be merciful towards the weak and to give of ourselves to those who are less fortunate. While helping others should absolutely be seen as morally good, these viewpoints can also give rise to societal stigmas surrounding disabilities. Receiving unsolicited assistance as a disabled person became a constant question of: are you genuinely concerned out of kindness OR because you somehow see me as 'less than' and therefore feel you have a moral obligation to step in. In LT, I understood Day's insistent worry of being on the receiving end of someone else's pity. There was a reason why it was so prevalent in his story and why he questioned the motives of others' actions so frequently. Because Thai culture has inadvertently labeled disabled people as being 'frail' and 'in need' and who should, therefore, be met with sympathy.

Caregiving - While there are social welfare programs and services available in Thailand, generally, it is the responsibility of the family to care for and provide for their disabled relatives. Intergenerational care is a big part of Thai culture, but in this instance it's not entirely positive. The broader Thai society infantilizes people with disabilities, which means they are often disallowed from making their own decisions by those who care for them (sound familiar?). As a result, they live under less than ideal conditions that exclude them from being active members of their communities. It's upsetting that people with disabilities exist largely out of the public eye, when opportunities to be present in society and engaging with their community could potentially change their status and offset stereotypical attitudes. One of the best parts of LT that I will continuously praise it for, is Mhok's version of caregiving that completely turns these views on its (their?) head. He's not afraid to stand up to Day (or how Day's been conditioned to feel toward his blindness) and gently pushes him toward self acceptance and engagement within his community. Mhok is subtle in a way that he does what is required of him as a caregiver without ever taking away Day's agency. And that was extremely important to see against Day's mother's more 'traditional' care.

Treatment - I'm not well versed when it comes to Thai healthcare. I do know that outside of traditional medicine, access to more advanced modern treatment is highly dependent on income and social standing. Other than that, it is a disabled person's prerogative to seek treatment if a treatment exists for their disability and is accessible to them. It is also their prerogative to refuse treatment. Neither decision should be judged or actively swayed by outside perspectives (though this happens more often than not). It is highly plausible that someone in Day's position, coupled with his mother's status, would have both the access and the desire to receive a corneal transplant surgery. The outcome of Day's vision being restored was never the issue for me. The fault lies in its execution and what was implied in the aftermath.

...that's all I got. I don't really know how to end this...I'm tired.

(Please note, this is not at all meant to paint Thailand in a bad light. Thai society is fairly accepting of individuals with disabilities and positive attitudes do exist, but certain perspectives need to change!)

tagging @lurkingshan @waitmyturtles @shannankle

#last twilight #thai culture #thai attitudes toward disabilities #some of this can be overlapped with MLC #as i was writing this i kind of realized #the reason i never like to share the specifics of my nerve disorder is because i've been conditioned not to #oof...that was a hard pill to swallow #koda watches bl

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jakegooglyeyes · 2 years

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Hey, the thing about the ao3 "censorship" it's not actually censorship. She's trying to remove the p*do stuff. That's not censorship.

Okay, I'll try to explain this as clearly as I can. But this is the only time I'm going to explain this. Other people have said enough about why this person's platform is alarming. This is really long, and I hope you'll care enough to read it.

tldr: I and many other Chinese, SEAsian, or anyone who live under heavy-censorship laws recognize her rhetoric and dog whistles, please do not dismiss our fear as overreacting when we say she is pro-censorship.

Also please forgive any mistakes I made, English is not my first language.

Firstly, let's take a look at what Tiffany G said in her chat:

Well, I think a lot of external people are very concerned about the fact that some works contain child pornography, pedophilic content, and other illegal content. If possible (this is not entirely possible after I chatted with people from PAC though), I am interested in providing extra help to the PAC team and Legal team to update the ToS and policies on those.

OK this is a follow-up to the last question – people think we host child porn content and such things. This issue is actually closely related to the incident when our service is banned in my home country. It might also be helpful to clarify that to the public. I am not an expert but look forward to discussing it more with respective committees.

She never clarified what other "illegal" content is. If you're familiar with China's censorship laws, illegal content includes anything from NSFW (depicting intimacy below the neck), LGBT in all rating, things that lower morales and promote nihilism (violence, tragedy, horror, talking about corruption of authority, painting law inforcement in bad light, you name it). So aside from underage content, what else does she consider "illegal"?

In her follow-up answer, she twisted the fact, claiming that it was banned for cp and such things (once again, never clarify what "such things" was). Except it wasn't, it was banned for hosting sexual content, and, you guessed it, lgbt content.

About the incident that got AO3 banned in China: This user summed it up quite well

As I have mentioned before, AO3 is no longer accessible in my home country due to some incident related to a piece of pedophilic work that is posted at AO3. This makes users very difficult to read and write with AO3. When I was reading the comments about the incident, a lot of people seemed to have a negative opinion about us. So, I think there is at least something we can do to help build a better image for us in my home country.

This is naive as best, China is very clear on what they deem unacceptable, and unless somehow all nsfw, lgbt content is removed, the "image" WILL NOT get better. If she genuinely wants to build a better image of AO3 in her home country, getting rid of underage content is like scooping water out of the sea with a spoon.

One more extra point, let's take a look at her language:

I support 100% “maximum inclusiveness of content”, yet there is always a boundary to everything. Since OTW is already an influential org, we need to protect our image and hold a better image to the public. I want the public to think of us as an inclusive and socially responsible community.

For someone who is familiar with Chinese fandoms, or know how China's censorship laws work (or any retrictive censorship laws in general), all the phrases in bold are familiar dog whistles used by the govt when they enact these types of laws.

The nuances might be lost to you if you aren't used to these types of pro-censorship language, but if you do, this is how they target lgbt content and sexual content. Starting with something everyone agrees is bad, then linking that too queer/sex positive people.

While we’re on the topic of sex-positivity, there is the question about misconception people have of AO3 and how to change that misconception, this is what she chose:

I have been a user of AO3 for a long time. And as a person who reads and writes stuff from Asia, I noticed a lot of people including myself (before) only used it to post stuff with adult content. It is still only used as a substitute for many people. I think we should change this. Fan fiction has all kinds not only just the adult content. And also yes people think AO3 is the only thing we have. We should definitely let them know about our other projects.

It's factually wrong to say users only use AO3 to post NSFW content. However, even if it was. What is she planning to do to CHANGE what content is put on the site? And also why is it a problem if people think AO3 is for porn unless porn is a bad thing?

Even if I were to agree with you that we should remove underage content, I simply couldn't help but see she meant more than just pedo stuff. That comes from my experience with pro-censorship language and how censhorship NEVER STOPS at what they start with.

Secondly, just like many others, I strongly believe in 2 things: 1. There is a difference between real life and fiction, 2. Fiction censorship destroys creative spaces.

If you argue that fictions involving minor is equal to actual cp, then where do you draw the line when fictional things = real life crime? Are horror movies equals to superstition practices? Will violence games and movies be banned because it contains murder? Is BDSM the same as torturing people (sure they both consent but the act caused real pain)? I understand you find certain things appalling, but that's what tags are for. You can block what you find unacceptable.

Censorship has never been a good thing. It's too much of a slippery slope. Let say you ban underage tag, and the rape tag for good measure. Done! The next person comes and says there shouldn't be NSFW content because children might be using the site too, it can be used for grooming children. Well, it makes sense, let's ban that too. Then the next person comes along, they say they find LGBT content unacceptable and you need to accomodate their freedom of religion, it makes them uncomfortable so it needs to go so they can browse the site. Then, another one comes and said violence in writing leads to violence behaviors (because remember, we've already established that fiction = reality). When is this going to end? The site can be free from censorship and everyone chooses what they want to see and not see, or it starts censoring things and has to keep up with anyone who wants to stop certain content.

So, are some content bad? Yes. But my stand is to let people have that creative space, that you can always filter things you consume, and that fiction is not the same as reality. I don't think banning underage content is her only goal (or her entire belief) and this person raised too many red flag for someone who live under extreme censorship laws and is familiar with Chinese fandoms scene.

Edit to add one final point: censorship does not always guarantee to remove the things you want to remove, take a look at Tumblr, visual porn is still everywhere; in fact, once authors choose to not tag things anymore fearing their work will get removed, the censorship system fails, the filtering system fails. And you’re left with one option, nuking an archive whose sole purpose is to just be a library of things people write.

#tiffany g #ao3 #otw #archive of our own #otw elections

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morallyinept · 8 months

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For anyone that needs to hear this, and I also just want to talk about this for a minute... or maybe several.

Back on the 29th April 2023, (I know, this year is going TOO fucking fast 😵‍💫) Pedro attended The Last Of Us For Your Consideration Event at The Director's Guild of America in Los Angeles, with his lovely co-star, Bella Ramsey.

The above video appeared by Deadline from the event, with Pedro explaining to Bella, after they queried, as to why he puts his hand over his stomach. "Do you know why? My anxiety's right there." He can be heard saying to them.

And the whole of Pedro's fandom fell in love with him all over again. I mean, you just would, wouldn't you? I know I did. 😍 What a man.

Why? Because he demonstrated that he's human. Relatable. Pedro recognised and embraced his vulnerabilities publically, and by doing so - whether he knew it or not - made everyone who has ever felt the crippling weight of anxiety crush them, feel seen and heard.

Back in 2019 Pedro said in an interview with The Guardian, "anxiety is something that I’ve lived with since I was a child, so it’s a part of my chemistry. I don’t know what kind of person I’d be without it. It’s something that I manage, but it’s also part of what makes me, me."

"I know that I have to put myself in high-stress situations to be happy. I mean, within reason. But there’s a certain level of anxiety that helps me do good work. It helps me be aware of the things I need to be aware of,” Pedro added.

So why does Pedro put his hand over his stomach/sternum area specifically? What is it about that pose? We often see him doing it, even dating as far back as 2005, so for almost 20 something years it's been a part of his red carpet and public appearances.

But what does it mean?

Well, putting your hand on your stomach/sternum area can symbolise many things if you scrutinise body langauge. I'm no expert, but I've worked in fields where I've had to study it and teach it, and it's really interesting at how much you give away about yourself to others in your body language, without even realising it...

Ever heard of WORDS, MUSIC, DANCE? 🎵🎶 In a nutshell (because I could totally talk your damn ear off about all this! 🤪) WORDS is what we verbally say, which is made up of only 7% of our communication. I know, small right? MUSIC is how we say it at 38%, i.e. the tone of our voice. Finally DANCE is our body language, which is 55%. Think about that for a sec. 55% of how you communicate with someone is without even opening up your mouth. 😳

Your stomach - or gut - is a very vulnerable part of your body; a lot of vital organs are smooshed up in there, so by placing a hand over it, you're protecting yourself from harm or attack. It's also a similar thing we do when we feel unwell or sick; we rub our tummy to feel better, right? It's an unconscious protecting motion that stems from our primal selves Think of the foetal position; you curl inwards towards your stomach. The abdomen walls contain significant muscles (some vital for our health ☝🏻) and we can carry tension in here too, so by 'holding' them or protecting them, we feel at ease within our core and can relax better. (#nerdalert 🤓 I love science!)

Some people do it as a means of comfort. Others do it purposefully. Pedro's stance is him possibly trying to rebalance himself. Focus on his breathing and stay grounded in the moments of utter chaos spilling out around him. He also breathes steadily in through his nose, deeply. You can see him do this in various clips, as well as in the one above. His shoulders drop back and you see him relax almost instantly when he does it. Deep breathing is another tactic that is known to keep anyone suffering from anxiety or panic, calm in the moment.

It's incredibly admirable for a man to expose such a personal vulnerability like that, especially in such a public forum. Sadly, mental health is still not a subject that is spoken about or advocated for enough, despite being in the 21st century. We're doing better as a society, but there is still much work to be done. As a man, it can still be seen as very 'unmasculine' or 'weak' to talk about it. So, I really admire Pedro's honesty and the fact that he feels confident enough in himself to recognise that he is just a human being, who sometimes goes through some shit.

Speaking out can only help those, who suffer too, feel validated and that they are not alone. And you're not alone. Anxiety is often stigmatised or not taken seriously, yet it can be terribly debilitating and can cause further issues such as panic attacks and lead to chronic depression if not addressed with help and support.

Pedro has always been open and forthcoming about his own anxiety, and has been quoted in several interviews talking about it, and on his - now deleted - Twitter/X account about how he deals with it.

As someone who has had their fair share of anxiety, I've personally found that meditation has helped me tremendously. 🧘‍♀️ Breathing exercises are really helpful and really do work. I use an app called Balance (not sponsored/affiliated with) and for 10 minutes a day (or whenever I need it) I can breathe, focus and come back to myself. I also find that doing something I really love, like reading (smut), or going for a long hike, really helps. Creative hobbies are brilliant for channelling that negative emotion into something positive. Singing off-key in the shower, dancing crazy like a loon - even though my neighbours can probably see me through the window headbanging in my pants 🤘🏻 - painting, drawing, writing, photography, cooking... These are all things I do myself and love, and would encourage you to try, if you're not already.

Hell, even whacking on your fav Pedro movie makes you feel good too, right? Name your favourite Pedro movie in the comments, GO! 🎬 Mine's Prospect, d'uh. 😏

It's said a lot, but hydrating really helps. Drink that water, bishes! 💦 And eat some greens. 🥦🥬🫑🍏 What you put into your body also helps into what you'll get out of it long term. Food is fuel. 💪🏻🧠 If you eat crap, chances are you're going to feel like crap, capiche?

And I cannot tell you how much a good night's sleep can really turn things around. As a chronic insomniac, sleep can often be the enemy, but it really is vital for your mental wellbeing to rest and switch off for a bit. So put down your phone and get some shut eye. (Ideal time for some hot, mustached Latino man dreams too... 🥲)

And failing that, talking to someone about how you feel can also help. 🗨 A family member, a trusted friend, your cat (personally I'm a dog person 🐶 Woof); a Tumblr mutual... My inbox is always open for a chat FYI. You'll never be judged in Jett's place. 🖤 I'll make you a figurative cup of green tea. Not literal, I mean, I'm not a fucking miracle worker... ✨️🧚‍♀️

What was the point of this long-ass ramble, Jett? I know, I hear ya, I hear ya...

So, to anyone out there who feels a tad (or a helluva lot) anxious from time to time, please know that you're not alone. And also remember to stop and take a moment; breathe deeply in through your nose and slowly out through your mouth three times. Do it with me now. One... two... three. There. You good?

And remember, more than anything, that you are more than enough. You're stronger than you think you are. Your anxiety doesn't define you, nor does it control you. It's just a little shit that likes to come out now and again and try to tell you that you suck. You really don't. (Unless your name is Max Phillips 🧛‍♂️) You've got this. Trust me. You've really got this.

And just like the rather fucking awesome Mr Pedro Pascal, you're fucking awesome too, babe. 🖤

🖤

#pedro pascal #anxiety #the last of us #jett has spoken #self care #joel miller #you're awesome #max phillips #bella ramsey #pedro pascal characters #ezra prospect #prospect film #we got this bitches #drink some water

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princesscatherinemiddleton · 4 months

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HRH the Princess of Wales in 2023 ♛

What an interesting year! The Queen of my Heart Princess of Wales' year hinged around the Coronation of King Charles III and she pulled off a truly stunning look at the event itself. She took her family volunteering with the Scouts, met the public twice (x, x), and even met Katie! Her early years work has continued, with the year starting with the Shaping Us: Campaign Launch, meetings with experts including Professor Marc Brackett, and ending with the Early Years Symposium. Catherine has also worked a lot with children and young people in general (x, x, x). This year, Catherine gained three new military positions (Fleet Air Arm, RAF Coningsby, and 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards). She has also undertaken lots of work with the military. She visited both the Welsh and Irish Guards on their national days, and she has joined training days throughout the year (x, x, x). The Princess of Wales has continued to develop her relationships with foreign royal families: she met with the Crown Prince couple of Norway and the Crown Princess Couple of Sweden at Windsor Castle; she met multiple royals at the Heads of State pre-coronation event, including her royal bestie Felipe, whom she also met at Wimbledon; and she joined a huge amount of royals at the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa al Saif. As always, a lot of Catherine's work has been linked to the arts, with a surprise appearance at Eurovision, and re-opening two different museums (x, x). The Princess of Wales continued her role as the Queen of Sports, with multiple Wimbledon appearances (x, x, x), a surprise video with Roger Federer to promote the role of ball boys and girls, multiple Rugby World Cup visits (x, x), an appearance at a 6 Nations match, and several rugby related engagements (x, x, x). Catherine has visited Wales multiple times, Scotland once and a half, and made a truly unexpected podcast appearance, but nothing was as notable as her long-awaited textiles engagements!

#mine #royaltyedit #kate #yearreview

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cnestus · 6 months

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If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is your job and degree? Getting into the field of entomology is a bit intimidating and I would appreciate any any advice.

i tend to be a little cagey about my exact job since my field is quite small and there's enough people following me that the chances of someone deciding to take offense to something and Get Weird at me are nonzero, but that's probably excessive paranoia on my part. then again beloved internet bug person mossworm got recently sacked from their job on account of weirdo online tattletales so maybe not.

anyway i can say i work for a government agency identifying insects from a pretty wide geographic range, looking for new exotic species and potential pests. during the busy season i spend most of my time processing huge volumes of raw trap samples, pulling out insect groups of interest, mostly woodboring beetles, for myself or one of the other entomologists in the lab to identify to species. during the off-season when we're not getting tons of new samples i get a little more free reign to work on other projects of my own design, so for example lately i've been working on my bee identification skills and am slowly putting together a large reference collection of native bee species that i reserved from years of insect trap by-catch.

i got my PHD in entomology without a specific career in mind but knowing i wanted to do something that wasn't just about developing products and methods for killing unwanted insects which seem like the main entomology jobs anyone wants to fund anymore. in a perfect world i'd love a entomological curation job in a museum but those positions are rare and in-demand and i didn't have the mental fortitude to do the kind of academic work in grad school to make me competitive for that field. but then i went ahead and got a job that lets me do some curatorial work anyway so i sort of won? my position is still at least on paper about controlling unwanted insects but in practice i rarely have to do much of that work, at least directly.

i get semi-regular requests for advice on getting a job as an entomologist and i often feel like i don't have much constructive or encouraging to say, since it's hard not to feel like it's one of the many disciplines being squeezed to death by the iron hand of capitalism. more and more positions in the government and academia are being cut or downsized by bureaucrats who don't see the benefit of taxonomy or any other research that doesn't directly result in their department or some corporation making a bunch of money. whole subdisciplines are dying out as the elder entomologists who were the sole sources of knowledge about them die off. there are entire groups of insects and other arthropods that are effectively impossible to identify to species now because the one taxonomic wizard who specialized on them died without having anyone to pass that knowledge onto. Donald Bright, the only living expert on bark beetles in the preposterously diverse and morphologically subtle genus Pityophthorus, died a few months ago without an heir that i'm aware of.

also most of the taxonomic research that is being done these days is all molecular systematics which i have Opinions about but this post is way too long already.

sorry. that was a bummer. i guess i'm proof that it is still possible to get a job like this today, even if i can't help but feel like it was mostly luck that got me here. plenty of the others in my academic cohort (that didn't burn out from grad school stress) also went on to get degrees in their field of study or at least adjacent to them. and again there are still plenty of entomology jobs in other sectors like agriculture, public health, nonprofits and NGOs and stuff like that. you also don't necessarily need an advanced degree in entomology for a lot of these, and a lot of people in the entomology field came in sideways through related disciplines like ecology, evolutionary science, general biology, or even things like viticulture and forensic science to name a couple examples from my own cohort.

looking back, that was mostly a lot of vague grumbling and not much concrete advice, but to be fair asking for "any advice" is a hard prompt to go off of so i tend to default to the kinds of grim thoughts that are usually rattling round in my brain. i may also be in an especially dour mood at the moment because even though my job isn't to my knowledge at any risk of being eliminated, my lab is currently being passively if not outright antagonized by higher-level bureaucrats for genuinely mysterious reasons and i will not elaborate on that any further for reasons i mentioned at the beginning. anyway! i am always happy to at least attempt to give more specific advice but i can't promise there won't be at least a little grumbling in that as well.

#entomology #long post

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romancomicsnews · 10 months

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8 Characters who should appear in Young Justice Season 5

Hoping and praying for another season of Young Justice is something I'm very used to.

After its initial cancelation way back in 2013, Young Justice was revived for a third season on DC Universe, DC's attempt at a streaming service, and lived past that to get a fourth season on HBO Max.

It is now under hiatus with no current plans at a fifth season.

I however will continue to remain hopeful for another season. Young Justice (with the exception of the Harley Quinn animated universe) is my favorite version of the DC Universe. With an exceptional voice cast, a focus on younger more relatable heroes, and a realistic political element to a superhero world, Young Justice cements itself not only as one of the best DC animated shows, but one of the best pieces of superhero media.

So while I have nothing but time until Warner Bros sees the gem that they have and give us a fifth season, I thought I'd pitch the characters I'd most like to see in the next season.

Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti, if you're reading this, know if you don't put these in, I trust the season will be great anyway.

But you know, consider it!

*Spoiler Warning for Every Season of Young Justice*

The Bad Boys of the Bat Family

Let's start with the obvious!

Jason Todd AKA The Red Hood has been teased ever since Season 2, and while has made a few appearances, we have yet to see the menace he can be to both Bruce and The Bat Family.

I particularly want his story to tie in with Tim, who has only been seen to be the loyal soldier to Bruce. This can be an opportunity to reflect upon the life, and how Bruce's trauma trickles down.

Another Bat pairing I'm itching to see is Damian Wayne and Nightwing. The blood son and the favorite son can lead to some fun comedic beats and a lot of tension for the team.

Whatever team they decide to position Damian on, it could lead to disaster. Damians presence can also lead to less trust amongst superheroes, as he is a known killer, and Robin is a pretty public title in the Young Justice universe.

The Forgotten Sidekick

Sometimes even sidekicks need sidekicks!

For those not in the know, Gear was an original character for the DCAU show Static Shock, Virgil's best friend Richie.

Using technology, including a robotic backpack and flying boots, he was simultaneously Virgil's guy in the chair and right hand man in the field.

Static has been on the show for multiple seasons, but really hasn't had much to do since season 2. Giving him a protege of his own while paying homage to what came before.

Speaking of what came before...

The Final Titans

Who doesn't want a Titans reunion?

In Season 3, Cyborg was introduced into the fold and Beast Boy was given a much more expanded role. Ever since, I've been waiting for the Daughter of Trigon and the Tamaranean Princess to arrive.

An episode where the 5 Titans meet for an impromptu mission would be a lot of fun, perhaps battling one of their classic villains like Brother Blood or Deathstoke!

In the long run, both characters fit very well into the already established universe.

Raven would make an interesting member of Zatanna's Sentinels of Magic, and Starfire would be right at home with Forager and Miss Martian as aliens on Earth.

Would it be fan wish fulfillment? Absolutely, but Young Justice has done it before. In Season 4, Razer of Green Lantern Animated Series was given one of the best episodes, continuing his arc to find Aya.

I'm not sure how you could get all these characters and one of the Robins together for a mission, but I'll leaving the writing up to the experts.

The Incompetent Time Traveler

We've had the Legion, we've had Bart, but we have yet to have a time traveler who has no idea what he's doing.

Enter: Booster Gold.

Booster Gold is a fan favorite character across comics and animated media. He is a failed football athlete in the 25th Century, who steals tech in the future to pretend to be a hero in our time.

The character is soon to enter James Gunn's DCU, and recently made his Arrowverse debut in Legends of Tomorrow, played by Donald Faison, right before the show got cancelled (I bring this up mainly because he deserved a shot at voicing him and it could be a fun nod).

Boosters interference with the timeline could lead him to the worlds only time traveling expert, Bart Allen, effectively making him the Outsiders responsibility.

The character also leaves the door open to potentially a big bad, and maybe even thee big bad of the season....

The Professor

Much like General Zod and the Kryptonians became an overarching threat for Season 4, making it a Superboy/Superman focused season, I think it's high time the Speedsters of the team have a new threat.

Professor Zoom or the Reverse Flash is Barry Allen's greatest enemy. Another future man of the 25th Century, Eobard Thawne was a brilliant scientist, so opposed with The Flash, he decided to become his greatest enemy to become part of the story.

Reverse Flash has quite a few similarities with Bart actually. Future speedster hoping to be a part of the story and change the timeline for "the better". It would be an interesting rivalry between them.

While I would like him as the big bad of the season, I understand we JUST did a time traveling menace

My potential pitch would be Reverse Flash needs access to our time now for a power source, something to bring his power to the next level. Something or someone with Speed Force to spare, making him a battery for Eobard. So I believe Reverse Flash has returned to the past to get...

The Prodigal Son

Did I write this piece just to pitch a Wally West return season?

Yes. Yes I did.

Young Justice has left just enough wiggle room for Wally to return. We never hear about his soul, we never found a body, and Wally has been trapped in the Speed Force in the comics before.

Most notably, The Speed Force has not been mentioned yet. Currently, I don't believe any speedsters actually know it exists.

Eobard showing them the speed force and releasing Wally to drain his power, only to be foiled by the team, would not only bring back Wally, it could make him the Fastest Man Alive.

Wally becoming the Flash could be his arc of the season, which I argue would’ve been his destiny if Bart didn’t save Barry’s life.

Giving us a Wally with a power boost, lost time and lost love could lead to a lot of drama and potential for storytelling.

And of course, an Artemis/Wally reunion is well in order.

Again, if none of these characters make an appearance in the next season, I’d still just be happy there’s a season at all.

But time will tell if I’m right.

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astrolovecosmos · 2 years

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~Getting in Touch with Your Mercury Sign~

*may be most helpful to those with Mercury RX, Mercury in the 12th, or with challenging aspects to your Mercury.

Aries Mercury: Share more of yourself in general - especially your interests and personality. Mercury in Aries is known to easily get insulted or may be highly self-focused in their problem solving and intellect, they can benefit from learning to relate to others more and to be objective. With that stated, it may sound counterintuitive but do start to take things more personally. Be braver with your words and creativity. Curse more often. FOCUS ON HONESTY. Never lie to yourself. Introspection can be your friend. Don’t hesitate to stand up for yourself. Allow your mind and your tongue to be quick. Embrace impulsiveness and spontaneous thoughts or sparks of curiosity. Share your side of things and opinions more. Practice public speaking, being the leader of a group or project, or making the first moves at social gatherings - build confidence in the social and communicative sphere. Trust yourself - put faith in yourself. Allow your warm, enthusiastic, or funny side to come out more. Dip your toes into competitiveness, maybe in safe ways through game and sport. Learn more about sales, public relations, psychology, HR, motivational speakers, life coaches, and positive thinking techniques. Listen to your hunches with more reaction and courage. Try not to fear arguments. Be more decisive about what you believe in. The final stage: Fight for what you believe in!

Taurus Mercury: Choose your words more carefully. Try to slow down and approach things in a more methodical or simple manner. Appreciate your intellect, recognize what you are highly knowledgeable in. Practice problem solving with practicality and consistency. Be patient with yourself and others. Embrace any impulse to communicate in a blunt or down-to-earth way. Stand firm in your opinions and decisions. Accept a possible stubborn side, there can be advantages to it. Stick to facts and figures, but if you are more creatively inclined, follow and learn from the experts in the arts. Be around those you find charming and attractive. Eat more mushrooms and root vegetables. Give karaoke a try. Never break a promise to yourself. Practice more active listening. Take your time when making a decision or coming to an opinion. Focus more on your goals or the light at the end of the tunnel - the reward. Don’t let anyone pressure or rush you! Always try to communicate and learn in the most straightforward way. Be others’ reality check, reassurance, or source of sound advice.

Gemini Mercury: Give into gossip more often (hopefully in a non-toxic way). Allow your humor or wit to come out. Stretch and use your observative side more. Exercise your mind with puzzles, riddles, research, or studying. Read and write more. Accept or forgive your restless and impatient side. EMBRACE CURIOSITY. Follow the motto: knowledge is power. Expand your interests or hobbies. Try an innocent prank. Write more handwritten notes or letters. Make up a language or code. Take inspiration from butterflies, small birds, monkeys, parrots, magpies, and ravens. Drink tea, practice breathing techniques, yoga, meditation, listen to relaxing music - whatever can help sooth a restless mind. Hang out in groups more often or with a few friends with a lively dynamic. Take good care of any communicative device aka phone, tablet, computer, etc. Give social media a shot if somehow you aren’t active on it. Remember to give yourself healthy breaks from social media. May find fulfillment in teaching or communication careers. Don’t hold back the urge to talk or share. Accept and appreciate your changeable and flexible side. Explore many forms of self-expression and forgive yourself for being a little all over the place. Embrace social and maybe even emotional intelligence.

Cancer Mercury: Keep a diary, scrapbook, or journal to document and cherish memories. Listen to your intuition. While in general it is good for Mercury in Cancer to practice objectivity, to get in touch with this Mercury Sign allow yourself to be more judgmental, protective, and guarded. Sometimes you need to take things personally. Be around those you trust. Only open up to those who have proven to care about you or can help you. Also practice more emotional sharing. Don’t fear deep conversations. Be thoughtful with gifts, compliments, care, and help. Practice introspection and emotional intelligence. Appreciate and accept your sympathetic, understanding, and sensitive side. Have fun with memory games. Stretch your creative side with crafts, cooking, painting, writing, etc. “Never forget” may be this Mercury Sign’s motto but be cautious about living in the past too often. Indulge in a good ghost story. Be open to the idea of therapy, even if it is just a couple of visits. (this is really something applicable to everyone but Mercury in Cancer is known to struggle a lot with the past and painful memories). Forgive any defensive tendencies while also working on this side of yourself. Take time to reflect on or lay out how you feel and think vs. those closest to you - be careful of mixing up your ideas with the ideas of those you love or admire have. Stay more up to date on politics or news influencing your direct community (but also keep your sanity!). Reconnect with family more often. Indulge your inner child sometimes. Be more gentle with yourself and others.

Leo Mercury: Step into the spotlight and/or entertain more often. Speak louder!!! Flex your creative muscles with any type of art. Believe in yourself and especially your words. Stand by what you say! Know your worth - express it or stand up for it 👏. Give into talking with your hands or using big gestures. While I don’t want to encourage rudeness, interrupt just a little more. Be careful of giving demands but also practice assertiveness. Practice taking the lead on projects or among a group. Give yourself pep talks. Take a moment to admire yourself in the mirror. Own up to and celebrate your wins, even if it means bragging a little more. Indulge in what gives you joy and keeps you at a playful or joyful mindset. Make a scene! Be quicker with decisions. Give the drama club or local theater a try. Wear more flashy or flamboyant clothing or bold colors. Accept any side of you that may crave attention or praise. Be around those who admire you or have a lot of respect for you. Let yourself be the life of the party. Give singing, acting, stand-up comedy, or public speaking a shot. Make up your own slang or use slang that makes you feel more lively or grand. Be a trendsetter by liking what you like proudly. Always try a new approach when trying to persuade or argue with someone. Love your passionate side. Always be brave and creative with your self-expression.

Virgo Mercury: Try journaling more often. Take better or more notes. Spruce up your grammar and/or spelling. Pay attention to the details!! Accept and appreciate your observational side. “Knowledge is power” should be a personal code. Appreciate your quick mind and even quicker tongue. Work on your comebacks. Be patient with others and especially yourself. Trust your judgment. Do more research on topics that interest you. Listen to common sense but follow logic. May find fulfillment by teaching others or flexing your skills in communication and attention to detail. Give yourself a clean, quiet, and organized space to study, learn, or work. Get critical about media and art, food, politics, manners - allow yourself to have opinions and standards. While you are practicing discernment and preference be careful about judging others too harshly or being your own worst critic. Be careful of those who easily stress you out with erratic communication or too impractical of a mindset. Try music, scents, foods, or other substances that can help boost learning or thinking. Stick to plans not only for dependability-sake but for your own sanity. Don’t allow those who don’t appreciate you, value you, or underestimate you get in your head. Allow yourself to have different alter egos - dirty jokes behind closed door and impeccable manners in public. Be careful of burn out. Protect your mind and allow yourself to communicate in the most efficient manner.

Libra Mercury: Dress to impress or at least dress to what makes you feel most confident. Maybe being the life of the party isn’t your style, but having people or even a group engaged in your stories or gossip could be. Flirt more. I know this may be controversial but play devil’s advocate, at least for the learning opportunity and mental stimulation. Tap into your objective side. Always weigh your options. Put yourself in other’s shoes. Always give others a chance to speak or go beyond that and make room for others to share, stand up for the quiet or hesitant person at work or in class. Play more strategy games. Try to lean more towards logic vs. feelings. Appreciate your adaptable side. Always try to play nice or fair, but when being mistreated act with justice or sound judgment. Don’t be afraid to argue but be even more brave towards making peace. Learn to compromise. Hold those you can have open conversations with or even taboo discussions with closely. If you feel disconnected from your charming side examine what you find charming in others and learn from it, even adopt it. Appreciate other’s grace, beauty, or mind and become inspired by it. Share responsibilities more. Embrace the morals or teachings of your favorite stories. Find your voice or self-expression through art 💖. Don’t be shy about discussing or learning more about politics. Science and/or humanity studies can be a good friend. It’s okay to change your mind and be persuaded by others!!!! Balancing your heart and head may be an urge but what is most important is protecting your peace, and maybe sometimes others’ peace.

Scorpio Mercury: Watching and learning from or even becoming a motivational speaker can be greatly beneficial to Mercury in Scorpio. Allow your passion to always show, especially about issues and beliefs. FOLLOW YOUR INTUITION, especially in the world of communication and sharing. Indulge in a good mystery. Ask the hard questions. Privacy or even secrets are sacred, remember this. Allow your mind to wonder to strange or even dark places sometimes. Tap into your sarcastic side. Be careful of having a mean streak. Love your intensity but know sometimes you have to complement it with tact or patience. Some situations call for compassion or gentleness and being a water sign, despite all that vigor and pressure you can conjure this easily. Allow words to heal yourself, maybe this can be done with poetry, journaling, other forms of writing, jokes, etc. Skip the small talk. Appreciate heart to heart talks. Practice giving advice to others, you may be one of the most insightful loved ones. Mercury in Scorpio is known to get obsessive with their favorite subjects, allow yourself to dive deep into what interests you. Take more photos. Recognize the advantage in being withdrawn or guardedness. Don’t underestimate the power of therapy or be open to other’s help and advice, especially in terms of the emotional world. Your words may lay heavy on others - be responsible with this. If you feel disconnected from depth or sincerity, then it may be time to face some inner demons and practice more raw communication. ALWAYS be honest with yourself. Be careful of easily feeling betrayed or hurt by other’s words, try to always focus on real intent or meaning. Be firm with your opinions but also be open to transformations in your mindset. When possible only speak with your heart and solve problems with your third eye.

Sagittarius Mercury: Make more wishes on stars, dandelions, or birthday candles or make a vision board. Question EVERYTHING more often. Embrace your inner comedian or storyteller. Practice positive or optimistic thinking. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Practice more honesty or even bluntness. Allow yourself to get feisty or rebellious. Practice open-mindedness. Visualize or talk about your future plans more. Allow yourself to get excited easily (just try to channel passion or enthusiasm towards healthy or positive things). Forgive your competitive side and even take advantage of it. Give advice or feedback more freely. Don’t hesitate to get philosophical. Are deep or out-there conversations your favorite? If not, maybe you aren’t having those discussions with the right people. Argue and debate more BUT be careful of getting too stuck or reckless with a certain belief, this Mercury sign can go off the deep end with hardcore beliefs and opinions. Watch out for self-righteousness or hypocrisy BUT when disconnected with this Mercury sign it is important to encourage pride and assertiveness in what you believe in and what you say. Problem solve with instinct and maybe a bit of luck. Don’t shy away from those who challenge you or the spicy conversations. Stand up for the underdog more often. This Mercury sign craves learning and heat in the social and intellectual realm, to get in tune with it takes bravery, risk, and confidence. This Mercury sign is about jumping right into things, forgiving foot in mouth moments, and embracing getting to the point.

Capricorn Mercury: Problem solve with practicality and possibly methodically. Indulge in dark humor or dry wit. Appreciate your observational and thoughtful side. Learn to accept constructive criticism but even more so give out criticism with either understanding or an intent to help. Mercury in Capricorn may need to be careful of becoming overwhelmed with a negative mindset or communicating in a too negative, condescending, or critical way. But when getting in touch with this Mercury sign it may be helpful to get more realistic with your thoughts and communicate in a down-to-earth or conventional manner. Stay on top of your manners. Take what you and others say more seriously. Be responsible towards gossip and rumors. Sometimes you have to be the adult in the conversation 🙄, it can be unfair but for this placement it can bring boundaries and sanity. Always be upfront with your boundaries, expectations, and intentions. Mercury in Capricorn can think in black and white or can be strong-headed about their opinions - it is important to stand firm in your thoughts and honor pragmatism but be careful of being too stuck in a belief or pattern. Be patient with others and yourself. Indulge in buying anything that makes you feel smart or confident. Learn more about finances, politics, or business. Be cooperative but also follow your strong sense of right and wrong or self-preserving. Strive to communicate with integrity.

Aquarius Mercury: Surround yourself with the latest technology or good quality tech. Play around with slang, especially if it gets a reaction from others 😏. Brace for misunderstandings and learn how to accept and get over them. Explore politics and science. Allow yourself to fall down rabbit holes of subjects or even conspiracy theories (be safe and watch out for misinformation!). Be supportive of others. Indulge in more gossip and harmless flirting. Be around like-minded individuals. Try to stay objective and practice healthy detachment. Mercury in Aquarius is known to be tolerant yet opinionated - don’t be afraid to form firm or even unusual opinions. It is important to appreciate your individuality and any unique forms of self-expression. Don’t ever restrict yourself in terms of brainstorming, searching out new info, and coming to conclusions, be free-thinking. Learn about those who think differently than you do. Mercury in Aquarius is known for being unpredictable in their communication style, this may mean going from withdrawn to super outgoing in one day or being highly secretive to highly open in a way that may seem random to others. Allow yourself this hint of being temperamental or chaotic, allow storms to come and go. Show off your genius 😉. It may benefit you to join a debate, poetry, writing, newspaper, improv, or other club or organization with a focus on communication and expression. Volunteer your time to places of learning and community. Always get your news from multiple sources (good practice for anyone but especially Mercury in Aquarius with a hungry yet fixed mind). Consider alternative learning for yourself. Give tutoring a try or coaching. Communicate with knowledge and seek knowledge with an open mind.

Pisces Mercury: Cut out the filter between your heart and mouth. However be mindful of what you say - your advice or words can be powerful and/or healing either for you or others. Give yourself space and time to recharge by being alone or at home. Daydream more. Stimulate your imagination with plenty of media. Be perceptive and listen to your gut. Be careful of self-deception or letting people easily manipulate or influence you. Practice sympathy or even empathy. Be more receptive to others feelings. Allow yourself to get carried away sometimes. Indulge in low-key drama. Talk about your insecurities and worries more with loved ones. Communicate more gently, tactfully, or even enchantingly. Be around those who are sincere or passionate in how they share and speak. This Mercury placement usually appreciates manners and niceness but exploring dark topics or messy feelings will always come more naturally. Practice tolerance and forgiveness in the social, intellectual, and communicative sphere. Never apologize for how you feel. Be open-minded towards what gives you social comfort or confidence. Give therapy a shot, even if you feel like you are in a healthy place, you’ll be surprised what insights, clarity, or closure outside influences can bring. Practice hopeful thinking and/or gratitude. Be careful of mixing facts with feelings, but to truly get in touch with this Mercury sign feelings need to be the most important aspect in communication. Speak with impulse and from intuition.

#mercury #planet #mercury sign #aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #libra #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces #zodiac #astrology

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simply-ivanka · 27 days

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Trump Was Good for America’s Alliances

He pushed NATO to spend more on defense, expanded the Quad and facilitated the Abraham Accords.

By Alexander B. Gray Wall Street Journal April 3, 2024

Foreign-policy experts are predictably fretting over Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. They fear that the former president threatens the alliances and partnerships that have sustained global peace since 1945. Should Mr. Trump return to the White House, the thinking goes, he will be unconstrained by the guardrails that prevented him from torpedoing America’s alliances in his first term and will permanently damage both U.S. security and the international order.

This narrative concedes a point that undermines its premise: The U.S. alliance system didn’t crumble during Mr. Trump’s first term. On the contrary, the Trump administration strengthened relations with partners in the Indo-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe and the Mideast. Anyone who believes that Mr. Trump was once bound by conventional wisdom but won’t be again—and will wreak havoc on the global order he ostensibly detests—hasn’t been paying attention.

To understand Mr. Trump’s record, recall what he inherited. The Obama administration’s disastrous “red line” in Syria, its ill-conceived Iranian nuclear deal, its failure to deter or respond adequately to Russia’s 2014 aggression against Ukraine, its toleration of Chinese malign activity in the South and East China seas, and its promise of a “new model of great-power relations” with Beijing had brought U.S. relations with allies and partners like Japan, Taiwan, Israel, the Gulf Arab states and much of Eastern Europe to a historic low point. Much of Mr. Trump’s tenure was spent not simply repairing those relationships but expanding them in innovative ways.

Mr. Trump appalled many foreign-policy veterans, who thought his rhetoric threatened the world order. In one sense, that fear was absurd: Nearly every American administration has publicly scolded North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries for shirking their defense-spending commitments. Mr. Trump did likewise—and, perhaps unlike his predecessors, was seen as willing to take decisive action to secure change. Through public and private cajoling—also known as diplomacy—he secured a commitment from NATO members to beef up their contributions. From 2017 through 2021, nearly every signatory raised defense spending, contributing substantially to the alliance’s ability to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

These efforts resulted in a significant redistribution of U.S. forces from legacy bases in Germany to facilities in Poland and the Baltic states, where they are far better positioned to deter Moscow. Along with NATO allies, Mr. Trump provided long-sought Javelin antitank missiles to Ukraine, imposed sanctions against malign Russian actors, and worked with partners to stop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would have increased European allies’ energy dependence on Russia. These weren’t the acts of a retrograde isolationist; they were the work of a pragmatist seeking novel solutions to 21st-century challenges.

The administration’s goal of strengthening America’s standing in the world bore fruit, including the Abraham Accords between Israel and several Arab states, a significant upgrade to the Quad alliance among the U.S., India, Australia and Japan, stronger diplomatic relations with Taiwan thanks to unprecedented cabinet-level visits and record arms sales, and an unexpected deal between Serbia and Kosovo.

At each step, Mr. Trump asked his staff to think of creative ways to resolve issues that had bedeviled their predecessors for decades. Doing the same things over and over and expecting different results rightly struck the president as insane.

After three years of press adulation over America’s supposed return to the world stage under President Biden, one might ask: What have Americans and the world gotten from a supposedly more alliance-friendly U.S. president? So far, a catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the failure of American deterrence in Ukraine, an Iranian nuclear breakout inching ever closer, and an accelerating Chinese threat toward Taiwan. Allies in the Mideast, Eastern Europe, and Asia have begun to chart their own course in the face of an uncertain U.S. trumpet.

The global foreign-policy elite is sowing needless fear around the world by willfully misrepresenting Mr. Trump’s first term and scare-mongering about a second. Should Mr. Trump return to the White House, there will doubtless be sighs of relief among officials in friendly capitals who remember his time in office. It isn’t difficult to understand why: Mr. Trump’s language may make diplomats uncomfortable, but his actions strike fear among those who matter most to American security: our adversaries.

Mr. Gray is a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. He served as chief of staff of the White House National Security Council, 2019-21.

#trump #president trump #trump 2024 #repost #america first

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unknownimagineblog · 1 year

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Into the Widow’s Nest // N.R

Warning(s): minor sexual themes, cursing, angst

The morning sun filtered through your curtains, and you stifled your yawn in an attempt to not wake the other person who joined you in your bed. You rubbed your eye as you sat up, only to be met with a soft moan as the arms around your waist tightened.

You reached down to brush your fingers through your girlfriend’s hair as she nuzzled her face into your waist.

“Stay.” Natasha mumbled quietly, and you smiled at the warm feeling that surrounded both of you.

With a soft laugh, as your fingers continued to thread through her red hair you responded. “I deal with you disappearing for months on end, I think you can deal for a day without me.”

Finally releasing you, she rolled onto her back dramatically. Huffing, she said, “I can already feel myself going through withdrawal.”

“Some super spy you are.” You responded, noticing the playful glare she sent your way at your words. Pulling on your coat, you leaned across the bed to plant one final kiss upon her lips before your departure.

“Enjoy your day off, my love.” You whispered, and she smiled at your words.

“Have fun kissing ass.” She said, and you let out a laugh as you slapped her arm.

You worked as a diplomat, and as a result of your well known relationship with the Black Widow, a public relations expert for the Avengers to foreign nations. Natasha never failed to tease you about it.

Deciding you had time to humor your girlfriend a little longer, you circled the bed to grasp her wrists and place them above her head. Leaning in once again to hover over her, you could see the mischievous glint behind her eyes.

“I do it to keep the United Nations off your ass.” You said.

“They love to be on my ass.”

“Exactly.” You laughed, before pressing a soft kiss upon her cheek, then traveling down her neck. “You’re lucky I’m the jealous type, or I wouldn’t risk my career to fend them off so much.”

“How about you stay home, and I show you just how appreciative I am?” She asked. You released her hands, and Natasha used this opportunity to run them along your sides before reaching down to unbutton your coat. She captured your lips in a heated kiss, and before it had grown too intense, you pulled away.

You kicked your shoes off, before kneeling upon the bed to straddle her hips. You then captured her in a kiss much more intense than the one you had previously shared, causing her to arch her back in an attempt to gain more friction between you.

Pulling away again, you were breathless as you stared down at Natasha. She hadn’t faired much better against the effect you had on her, if her kiss swollen lips and red face were any indication.

You gripped her jaw between your fingers to turn her face, allowing yourself space to lay kisses upon her throat. Reaching that sweet spot upon her neck, you placed a kiss against it and didn’t fail to notice her begin to writhe beneath you.

“I could be a little late for work.” You hummed against her neck, and she sighed at the feeling. “I’ll just tell them it was a matter of national security that needed my immediate attention.”

Her hand began to make quick work of the buttons on your shirt, and relished at the feeling of your skin against her own. She was just about to strip you of your bra, until you were both interrupted by Natasha’s phone ringing.

You froze to stare at it, as if you could will the phone to stop ringing with your mind alone. Then you spoke up, “I swear, if that’s Fury calling you into work before I even get to-”

Natasha interrupted you by answering the call, and you glared at her from your position above her. She reached out a hand to caress her thumb against your exposed hip absentmindedly. “Yes, Director? I’m currently in the middle of something.”

“Tell your girlfriend to get off of you, then.” Fury’s voice spoke through the phone. “You two can fuck like bunnies after you complete your next mission.”

You huffed after overhearing bits of his statement, and Natasha was disappointed to watch as you began to button your shirt once again. Stepping off the bed, you leaned over to place a chaste kiss upon her lips.

“I’ll see you later. I love you.” You whispered just for her to hear, and she smiled.

“I love you too.” She said, sitting up in the bed to watch as you left the apartment. After hearing the door lock behind you, she decided to continue the conversation with the director.

“You know there are other Avengers who are able to complete missions? You don’t have to keep sending me.” Natasha told him.

“The Red Room is still operational.” He said, and he hummed at the sound of her almost inaudible gasp. “Knew that was going to change your tune.”

“That’s impossible.” She said quickly. “I killed Dreykov, there’s no way.”

Natasha remembered the mission in Budapest, it wasn’t hard to forget.

She met you there, after she and Clint had taken refuge at the embassy to await extraction. You came to them with charming smiles that enticed the foreign diplomats, and a warm demeanor. But you seemed exhausted, and below your facade lay a burnt out woman.

“This is the last time I’ll stick my neck out for you.” You had told Clint as you both marched down the pristine hallways with Natasha on your heels. “It’s hard to explain away a massive explosion in the center of the city.”

Clint patted your tense shoulder with a laugh, and you sighed. “Come on, we bring an excitement to this job that you’ve never had before!”

“I like when my job is unexciting.” You said with a dry laugh, and a shake of your head. “Usually, that means the world isn’t teetering on impending doom.”

Natasha finally made her presence known behind you, causing you both to stop and turn toward her.

“Your knuckles are raw, and your nail beds are tore.” Natasha observed, causing you to glance between her and Clint. “Why?”

“Recovering the bodies you left behind.” You said, your tone much more tense than before. “Cant just leave an obvious strike against a Russian dignitary that reeks of American influence out in the open.”

“He’s dead?” She asked, gripping your arm harshly to prevent you from continuing down the hallway. You turned quickly with a harsh glare upon your brow, and you slapped her hand away.

“Yes.” You answered, your voice even more tense then your posture. “I saw his corpse with my own eyes.”

Natasha watched as your back disappeared down the hallway, and Clint cleared his throat in an attempt to diffuse the tension surrounding his companion.

“Maybe keep in her good graces?” Clint said, tapping his shoulder against her own. “She’s saved my ass more than I could count, so she’s a good ally. Give her a chance.”

Apparently, Natasha had taken giving you a chance a bit too far, considering you both shared an apartment now and woke up in the same bed almost every morning. Clint was floored when Natasha shared the news, but was rather happy for the occasion.

She sighed once she pressed your contact, preparing herself to break the news to you. Natasha always hated telling you about her missions, not that you took it hard, but the disappointment in your voice always felt like it was tearing at her heartstrings.

“Hey Nat, what’s up?” You answered in a rather chipper tone, obviously still driving to work.

“I’m going to be headed out on a mission.” She said simply, and she heard you sigh. “It should only be a few weeks, well, at least I hope it is.”

“Yeah.. I wasn’t too confident you’d be home later after Fury’s call.” You said. “It sounded urgent.”

“It is.”

“Anything I need to be prepared for?”

“No..” Natasha trailed off, and you hummed in an obvious indication that you hadn’t believed her. You then wished each other goodbye before ending the call.

—

Natasha wasn’t particularly happy to find herself within the Red Room once again, but none of the widows had made any move to stop her as she snuck through the hallways. If they had spotted her, they simply stared at her like scared animals rather than deadly assassins. It caused an uncertain feeling to begin cooling around her stomach.

She tracked the hallways to Dreykov’s office, and her feeling of unease only continued to grow due to the lack of resistance she had been met with.

Entering the office, she trained her gun upon Dreykov the moment he had came within her eyesight. It caused him to sigh at the sight of her, but raised his hands in a mock surrender.

“Natalia.” He greeted as he stood, then motioned to the chair at the front of the desk. “Just the person I was looking for.”

Natasha scoffed at his words, but lowered her pistol once she noticed the man was unguarded, and unarmed. She did not take the seat he offered.“What’s this all about?”

“A favor.” Dreykov said, and held up an authoritative hand to prevent Natasha from interrupting. “I need someone killed.”

“Why not send a widow to do that for you?” Natasha quipped, and she could watch as a vein steadily began to bulge upon his forehead in anger.

“The widows no longer listen to me.” He answered as if such information was common knowledge, and she was silly for asking such a thing. She looked at him with confusion crossing her brow, but he continued. “There’s a new director. I’m simply a figurehead to take blame if the Red Room were to ever fall.”

Natasha stared at him with skepticism. She wasn’t exactly convinced Dreykov had been pulled from his position within the Red Room, and everything about this proposition seemed suspicious.

“I know this seems questionable.” He said, almost as if he could hear Natasha’s thoughts. “But, if you complete this for me, I will release Yelena Belova from the widow program.”

Natasha seemed to battle within herself for a moment, trying to decide if what she was going to accept was worth it. She could simply put a bullet into Dreykov, and break her sister out now. But that also meant risking, if Dreykov is speaking the truth, forcing the acting director into hiding.

“I’ll do it.” She finally muttered, and he seemed to excite at her words.

“It’s my oldest daughter.” Dreykov said, seemingly answer the question at the top of Natasha’s tongue. He was working at pulling various drawers within the desk open, and unlocking secret locks but he continued to explain. “After the explosion took Antonia’s life, something had broken within her. Her entire life’s purpose was to protect her younger sister, and she had failed.”

Natasha cringed at the mention of Dreykov’s younger daughter, and her mind had managed to memorize almost every feature of her face in those last moments before she instructed Clint to light the fuse. Sometimes that memory was triggered by everyday experiences, but she never realized what it was exactly stemming from.

“She manipulated the committee of foreign dignitaries that sponsor the Red Room into believing that I was no longer a proper fit for the job.” He said. “They instated her as director without question.”

“That’s great, and all, but I’ve never even met your oldest-” Natasha began, but was interrupted by Dreykov once again.

“Why don’t you see for yourself, Natalia?” He asked, motioning to the large glass panel behind her.

She had begun to grow annoyed at the interaction, but humored the man by turning toward where he had indicated. When she had seen the target Dreykov had been referring to, she felt as if her lungs had been squeezed of all their air.

Upon the large glass screen was a video of you, with Natasha in your shared apartment. You were both slow dancing in the kitchen, and Natasha remembered she accidentally burnt the dinner because she had been so lost in you.

Now she realized that maybe you had never gotten lost within your love for her, unlike what she had for you. You had simply clung to Natasha for the desperate need to keep her on a short leash, otherwise she might discover your true identity.

You were Dreykov’s daughter.

#y’all forgot i was an angst writer after that fluff didn’t y’all?#well here it is #avengers #avengers x reader #black widow #black widow x reader #Natasha Romanoff #Natasha Romanoff imagine #Natasha Romanoff x reader #x reader insert #I’m not super proud of this one

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mightyflamethrower · 2 months

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University of Florida has fired all of its employees related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), according to conservative activist and CRT expert Christopher Rufo.

“University of Florida has fired all employees related to DEI. The conservative counter-revolution has begun,” Rufo said in a Friday X/Twitter post.

In his post, Rufo included a screenshot of what appears to be an internal email sent from University of Florida officials to faculty and staff.

The email announced that the university is closing its “Office of the Chief Diversity Officer,” eliminating “DEI positions and administrative appointments,” and halting “DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors” in order to comply with the Florida Board of Governance’s regulation regarding prohibited expenditures.

University of Florida officials added that employees whose positions have been eliminated will receive twelve weeks of pay and can apply for a new job at the school in the meantime.

“HR will work to fast-track the interview process and provide an answer on all applications within the twelve-week window,” the email read.

Moreover, “the Office of the Chief Financial Officer will reallocate the approximately $5 million in funds,” previously used for DEI-related expenses, “into a faculty recruitment fund to be administered by the Office of the Provost,” the email added.

The email concluded by reassuring faculty that “the University of Florida is — and always will be — unwavering in our commitment to universal human dignity.”

“As we educate students by thoughtfully engaging a wide range of ideas and views, we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of the Gator Nation,” the email asserted.

As Breitbart News reported, DEI has been plaguing colleges and universities across the country, prioritizing skin color over merit.

Last week, Florida’s Board of Governors voted to ban state spending on DEI programs across all public universities in the state, defining DEI as “any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.”

In 2022, Dr. Jordan Peterson announced that he resigned from his tenured position at the University of Toronto, citing the “appalling ideology of diversity, inclusion and equity” that is “demolishing education and business.”

I believe there are hundred of thousands, if not millions, of people too afraid to openly support us........who are praying that that we win.

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angelosearch · 2 months

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Once you get this, you have to say five things you like about yourself, publicly. Then you have to send this to ten of your favourite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool~) 🌈🌈

First off, thanks for this! ❤️ yaaaay an ask game!!!

Second... OH MY GOD five things Iike about myself?! This is going to be hard. But my therapist would be so happy to know I've been given this challenge, haha.

And of course, I have to provide details and addendums to these because I have to treat everything like a personal essay. Ugh.

I am a loud cringe nerd

I have fun facts for days, if not weeks

Music is my religion

I bet I can make you laugh

I understand my narrative

Longer answers under the cut.

I am not afraid to show enthusiasm/honesty and be loud. You know the part of your brain that tells you to not do embarrassing/cringe/over-the-top-thing before you do it? I am not going to try and diagnose it but that literally does not exist for me. I will sing along loudly to songs in public; I am the person at a wedding who never leaves the dancefloor; I dress in bright colors and wear the weirdest prints; I will laugh or cry uncontrollably if the moment calls for it. I am incapable of holding back positivity and excitement. I will gush about how great something or someone is. If I like your shoes, I am 100% going to tell you, no fear. All of this can make life really fun. It attracts people with good energy into my orbit. It makes me feel like the last thing I am is boring - but I also go home and regret every minute of it because of the second-hand embarrassment later. Somehow all these things are wrong to do in my head (even though I am never moved like this by negativity, fear, or hate), yet I cannot stop myself from doing them. I loathe that I am a book with a broken spine that cannot stay closed. I hate every inch of space I take up. I cannot stop being vulnerable which is great for therapy but not so great for being a normal, functioning adult. I fear sometimes that people think that I believe my thoughts are all-important because I share them all. Nope. I just literally have no choice in the matter. The thoughts and actions pop into my head and they must be heard/done.

I am an endless fountain of "fun" facts because I am interested in a lot of stuff and love to learn. I think "did you know that..." is my most used phase. If I have a fun fact on a subject, you will know (it's something else I feel I have no control over). My hand will be up if I don't just blurt it out. And I am always rolling them up in my Katamari-Ball brain, listening to podcasts, reading articles, watching documentaries, and other videos. I remember these weird fringe things but then I will forget your name and your job. Don't tell me what you're into because I AM going to do a deep dive and suddenly be an expert in it. Tbh it's a great skill for a writer, but I am pretty sure it annoys people around me. Especially when all the fun facts are related to whatever I am obsessed with at the moment. You'll never guess what I have way too many fun facts about right now.

I connect with music, so strongly it's almost spiritual. Singing and listening to music have always been my go-to coping skills. I learned to drive very late in life (at 30 - but that is a story for another day) and at first I was a horribly anxious driver. But once I realized my car could become my little mobile box of music where I could just belt it out 24/7, I learned to love driving. Lyrics help me understand the prism of my experience and others. I love when songs make me dance, or cry, or give me goosebumps. My shower is my favorite place in my new house because of the great acoustics; plus, there is enough space to pull off an entire shower concert, complete with choreography. Concerts and karaoke make me feel like I am connected to the universe and everyone in the venue. I love my taste in music, which sounds weird, but I am just so proud of my eclectic taste. Also! I am mad skilled at identifying songs and artists and samples, probably because I have listened to so. Much. Music. The downside to this one is that I emotionally connect so thoroughly with every song that I enjoy that a bad association will make the song/artist or even the genre unbearable to listen to (see: country music). Also, some people in my life don't understand why I prioritize concerts so highly and are very critical of me for it. I can't help that a concert is the closest thing I have to a church!

I have a great sense of humor (or at least I think so). If you have followed me for more than two seconds, you have probably figured out that I am constantly attempting (and hopefully succeeding?) to be funny. I try VERY HARD to make people laugh. If you were to talk to me in real life, you'd quickly discover that I would come up with puns in our conversation like we're having a funny rap battle. My favorite tools are wordplay and re-contextualization but I also have quote upon quote and will use physical humor, too. The good thing is that I can make myself laugh, for sure. Like I said yesterday, I embody Chrysippus. A lot of comedians claim their jokes are hiding pain. I've recently realized that I use my humor a little differently--since my social anxiety has convinced me that no one in the world wants anything to do with me at any given moment, I use my jokes as sort of a litmus test. If you're laughing, there is a very strong chance that you don't actively hate me at that very moment. I think this strategy probably annoys people and probably comes off at inappropriate. Don't bring me to a funeral.

I can contextualize my personal story. Somewhere between taking autobiography/memoir and essay classes in college and over a decade of therapy, I've become exquisitely good at taking an event in my life or facet of my personality and placing it in the context of my life. Does that make sense? Like in high school English class I took so much joy out of reading a novel and analyzing character motivations and author intent and "why is the wallpaper yellow." I am still very good at reading something and identifying symbolism, but now I mostly use this same skill to look back at the story of my life and find patterns and connections. I think this will help me as an Art Therapist, and, if my personal essays and posts are actually any good, then it is helping me as a writer as well. But this is a double-edged sword in therapy. It means I can sit in the chair and practically therapize myself. But lives are not novels. We are not characters. Sometimes the wallpaper is just yellow. My over-cerebral approach to my understanding of self makes me come off as "not sick enough" in some settings--I've been told by peers and staff many times while in treatment, "Why are you here? You seem fine!" Well, the truth is, just because you understand why the monster is in the book, you can't always outrun it. Sure, it can help to know where the monster came from and why he's chasing you, but if you get too caught up in that it may slow you down. Or you will run the wrong way because you are so sure you understand him. Or you will run so well that no one will notice you are running at all.

#ask game #answered #answered asks #personal #personal essay

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