#i am not trying to discouraging you from voting

[yxstxrdrxxm]

“Yesterday” runs a small flower shop years after what happened to them and the falling out of their ‘friend’. They thought that it would simply be fine, that they are able to move on from what happened.

Still, those flaws followed them, leading them to wear a mask to hide what their actual face is.

“No one must know who I am. From now on, I can never trust those that had ill will in their hearts.”

That is... Until a young man entered the shop, seeking inspiration for his recent piece, and sees a masked individual tending to the flowers.

Surprise! Welcome to Flawed, the surprise March event I've been cooking up since February! This takes place in a different world/universe than One Last Call did, but with a twist: this time, you are the one that decides the fate of our protagonist.

Join Yesterday as they go through their day to day life, speak to their new (and potential) friends, and maybe find it in themselves to accept their flaws and themselves as a whole. Maybe, if you're lucky... You may even win one of our potential visiting clients and their hearts?

These are the mechanics:

Vote on the option to proceed in the story. Remember: majority wins, and your choice matters.

Keep an eye on Yesterday's wilt counter. Make sure it doesn't exceed past 50%! You wouldn't like what happens past 50%.

Make sure to stick to one love interest (if the majority wants to go to one of their routes). Romancing more than one is highly discouraged.

Speaking of love interests, keep an eye on their obsession counter with Yesterday. We can't guarantee their safety if you can't do the same to them, too!

Finally, have fun in interacting with our hosts and the characters! Some may be more receptive to replies than others, but things may change as time goes on, of course.

Unfortunately, though, I won't be hosting the event this time. I will be busy with particular matters to be able to keep an eye on this event, so I'll be entrusting this to a good friend of mine. Please treat him kindly, he's got a short fuse to those that plan on ruining the event for everyone.

The event will be starting by March 10, 2024 at 6 PM (UTC+8) and will end by March 24, 2024. If there are any issues, this will be delayed to March 31, 2024.

...

Oh. Before I forget.

You only get one try to get the ending for Flawed. This means that if you got the bad ending, you won't get a retry.

With that in mind, I bid you all adieu, and have fun playing the game!

FLAWED TAGLIST: (send an ask to be added for Flawed!) @beloved-blaiddyd ; @mixed-kester ; @mochinon-yah ; @fffiii ; @leftdestiny-posts

#💌 ;; messenger writes #💌 ;; promising letter: flawed #genshin impact #genshin #gi #genshin impact diluc #genshin diluc #gi diluc #genshin impact diluc ragnvindr #genshin diluc ragnvindr #gi diluc ragnvindr #genshin impact kaeya alberich #genshin kaeya alberich #gi kaeya alberich #genshin impact kaeya #genshin kaeya #gi kaeya #genshin impact albedo #genshin albedo #gi albedo

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

William Rex

Chapter 3

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

Kate: "Where are we....?"

The 'fun place' William invited me to was a secluded mansion.

William: "Guess. What does it look like in your eyes?"

A wide range of people, young and old, rich and poor, men, and women, are exchanging drinks and talking amidst a comfortable buzz.

A red-faced old man with a sooty face, a well-dressed young man who looked like a student, and a gentleman who looked like he might be in or out of a financial institution.

I watch with some amazement as they converse peacefully at the same table.

Kate: "...is this a social gathering, regardless of social status....?"

William: "Ahaha, that's correct. You've got a sharp insight."

Kate: "I didn't know...such places existed."

William: "It's similar to the coffeehouses that were popular until about the 18th century."

William: "They call it the 'Mad Tea Party' after the Alice book."

William: "There are only two rules here: 1. Respect the other party's wishes and 2. No monetary transactions."

William: "As long as you keep it that way, you're free to exchange information, socialize, discuss....as you please."

Kate: "I don't mind...so is this your mansion?"

William: "I'm just the owner of the land and the building, but there's a separate caretaker."

Businessman: "Ah...if isn't Count William himself?"

Businessman: "Thank you very much for the other day. Thanks to your help, we finally collected our investment."

William: "You don't have to thank me...your face is all red. Celebrate in moderation."

Triumphant woman: "Mr. Rex, it's very unusual for you to be here. Will you play the piano for us again tonight?"

William: "Good evening, Miss Fawcett. If you're so inclined. ....Oh, is that the pamphlet you were talking about the other day?"

Triumphant woman: "Yes. I'll give you one. 'Give women the vote!"

Called on by both men and women, William exchanges friendly words with them.

A few of them clearly had an interest in him.

(I wonder if people here know that William is a member of the Crown....)

As if he saw through these questions, William puts his lips to my ear.

William: "They don't know anything. You are the only one here who knows my secret."

(....!)

William: "Be careful not to slip up inadvertently and spend your time as you please."

A terrible secret and I am the only one here who shares it with him.

(I sound like an accomplice....)

Guilt and nervousness had my heart pulsing faster than usual.

I let my eyes roam around trying to calm my turbulent heartbeat. At that moment-----

Kate: "Ah....."

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

Kate: "Ah....."

In the crowd of people, I spotted a certain redhead, I recognized, and I couldn't help but squeak.

William: "What's up? Do you know someone?"

Kate: "Mmhmm...I know that guy. He's a news reporter."

William: "News reporter...Oh, you mean Brian Bennett?"

William looks in the same direction I was looking out of the corner of his eye and says his name in a friendly manner.

Kate: "He is also a good friend of our postmaster from where I work. He would come and go from time to time."

Kate: "I've at least said hello once, but I don't think...he remembers me."

William: "I see. So you're a fan of his."

Kate: "....Because he is a heroic reporter who helps the weak and discourages the strong."

He is a friend of citizens. He is undaunted by power and leads the civic movement.

He is also very knowledgeable about the behind-the-scenes of politicians and occasionally wrote in-depth articles.

William: "I too, find him attractive because of his strong sense of justice and his strength to take action. Why don't you try talking to him?"

Kate: "Eh?!"

William: "Your eyes are sparkling just like when you were watching the play. It would be a shame to hide them."

Kate: "I don't think that's a good idea. I'm not sure what to talk to him."

Kate: "He is like an actor on the stage and I am just a mere spectator."

William: "That's not true. You, me and him, we're all standing in the same place."

William: "...."

(....?)

Suddenly, William's eyes narrowed as if he was pondering something.

William: "....Hmm. Looks like I have to do some magic."

Kate: "Magic...?"

William puts his index finger to my lips and beckoned me toward a corner of the room.

(What's this all of a sudden....)

Kate: "What's wrong? Why are you cornering me so suddenly----"

Puzzled, I sensed my back touching the wall and William standing in front of me.

Kate: "Ehh..."

In a moment of spinning, the standing position was reversed and I was surrounded by the wall and William.

When I froze in surprise, a cold voice whispered in my ear.

William: "I advised you properly. But you trust me so easily."

(W-What...do...you...mean....)

William: "And yet...you're the one who followed me here in the middle of the night."

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

Kate: "W-What are...saying....?"

William: "This is my land. Can I say that it's too late for you to start resisting?"

William: "No matter what I do, there is no one here to blame."

Kate: "But, what about the rules you mentioned earlier....."

William: "Fufu, you're sharp. You listen well. But unfortunately, that rule doesn't apply to owners."

William: "Even if you shout out loud, no one will come to your rescue."

----Options-----

It's lie

What are you going to do

Really....?

---------

Kate: ".....I know it's a lie....."

William: "....Why do you think so?"

William: "You must have thought about it too."

William: "....What if I said everything leading up to bringing you here today was a trap."

His fingertips trace the contours of my cheek. The distance was so close and the touch of his fingertips on my skin felt inviting.

William: "What do you say to a bad guy who is pressing you down? You're a good girl, you should what to say, right?"

Kate: ".....S-Stop."

William: "Ahaha...no one's gonna hear you if you chirp so faintly like that."

Kate: "Please stop....!"

William: "...Well done."

???: "It is surprising that Count Rex would do such a barbaric thing."

A fearless voice flew in and I see red hair burning like fire swaying in the corner of my eye.

(Mr. Brian....?)

William: "She's just too charming."

As soon as he showed up, William quickly moved away.

William: "Brian, while I cool my head, take her away from me."

Brian: "Yes, with pleasure."

As I leave with Mr. Brian, William looks at me and winks.

(So the magic, right now was...)

(He created an opportunity for me by intentionally luring out Mr. Brian....?)

William: "Shhh...."

(....So pushy....!)

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

I moved away from William and returned to the center of the room.

Mr. Brian opened his mouth as he offered me a glass of champagne.

Brian: "I'm Brian Bennett. If I'm not wrong, you must be Kate."

Brian: "The postmaster was surprised to learn that you were suddenly summoned to the palace."

Kate: "Eh...?"

(He knows my name)

Kate: "Yes...I know my circumstances have caused the postmaster a great deal of inconvenience."

Brian: "Haha, inconvenience. Well, I guess you could put it that way."

Brian: "He lamented that you are an exemplary and well-behaved delivery man and that he would be in trouble without you."

Kate: "I'm glad to hear your compliments....Ermm..."

Brian: "Hm? What's wrong?"

Words of goodwill and praise gets stuck in my throat.

(....Maybe, I'll never get an opportunity like this again)

(So let's just say it!)

Kate: "Mr. Brian, I always read your articles...keep up the good work."

(It might just be a trivial comment for him....! But I want to say it anyway....)

Brian: "Hahaha, thanks. May I interview you next time? After all, you're the lady that drives Count Rex crazy."

Similing briskly, Mr. Brian offered me his business card.

Kate: "Yes...gladly."

It was like I was in the audience and suddenly the spotlight was on me.

I can imagine myself standing there stunned by such a feeling.

A gentle piano melody flows along with people's conversations.

(Ah....it's William playing the piano)

The whispering melody moistens the room like gentle spring rain.

It was pleasant and I couldn't help but listen.

(....Gentler than any sound I've ever heard)

A sense of security like being wrapped up and a sense of elation like a light push on the back filled my chest.

Kate: "William...I mean, what is your acquaintance with Sir Rex?"

Brian: "Oh, he just invited me here. I met him when I was just starting out. He likes to push people's backs."

Brian: "It gives me the courage to shake off my doubts and step out."

Brian: "That's why, social activists, artists, businessmen....and others with strong desires, gather like this and I get my information from them."

Brian: "Activists, especially those who are trying to expand civil rights, are always viewed with suspicion by the aristocracy."

Brian: "Some say that thanks to his unapologetic advocacy, we can live in peace."

Brian: "He doesn't care who you are or what you are, if he likes someone, he is willing to support you."

Brian: "But I don't think you're from a noble family."

Kate: "....Well."

Brian: "Also, I've never seen him approach a woman like that."

Brian: "He's usually the one...who gets pressured."

People were smiling while William's fingers are dancing happily on the piano. I could sense great admiration for him in the people gathered here.

(The face of the ruthless and terrifying assassin I saw last night and...)

(Now I see it, the face of a friendly supporter)

(I wonder which one is the real William?)

Though he was becoming more and more of a mystery----

The favor that he gave me, that he was in tune with my feelings and saw what I wanted,

Maybe it was not a malicious trap.

(....At least for today)

(By the way...)

-----FLASHACK-----

Liam: "It's is said that the Crown was created as a result of an incident that Will caused, right?"

----FLASHBACK ENDS----

(Mr. Brian might know about the 'incident')

Kate: "I heard that Sir Rex was involved in some case in the past, do you know about it?"

-----As soon as I said that, Mr. Brian's expression clouded.

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

When I asked about the incident involving William, Mr. Brian's voice trailed off as if he was wary of his surroundings.

Brian: "....There was a lot of government pressure on that case from the beginning, so it wasn't covered very widely!"

Brian: "Count Rex himself didn't say much, only smiling when asked."

Brian: "In social circles this subject is half-taboo. ...I'll send you a letter later."

Kate: ".....Thank you."

(Taboo huh....so it's such a serious case....?)

William didn't say much.

So I'm not sure what's waiting for me at the end of the unraveling....

Fearfully, I have no choice but to search for clues to unravel him.

(I can't wait to find out, but I'm also afraid to find out....)

(Is this what you call.....'the fun of unraveling'?)

Brian: "By the way, does your being here has something to do with this job at the palace that suddenly popped up?"

Kate: "Eh?"

Mr. Brian's eyes, filled with glaring curiosity, looks at me as if to probe me.

(Oh, you mean you want me to give you information in exchange for the information about the incident?....as expected from a journalist)

What if the Crown's assassination is a cover-up of inconvenient truths by the state power?

Revealing the secret may be a 'good thing'.

(But if I reveal it....I'll surely die)

(And I still don't know what 'evil' they are....' conquering evil with evil')

Kate: "Forgive me....but I'm not supposed to say that."

Brian: "Oh...are you saying that you'll get in trouble if you reveal the reason?"

Kate: ".....Sorry."

Brian: "Oh, please don't apologize. Once we get to know each other a little better, we will negotiate again."

(Good thing you pulled back)

Relieved, we exchange greetings and I parted ways with Mr. Brian.

William stopped playing the piano as I sat down by the grand piano.

He gave up his chair to a woman who was standing beside him and came over to me.

William: "Have you talked to your heart's content?"

Kate: "......Thanks to that hell of a magic, of course."

William: "Newspaper reporters love to gossip. They like to have a front-row seat to sensational events."

William: "And he's a man of action with a strong sense of justice."

Kate: "Hehe..."

I can't help but giggle as William shrugged his shoulders without a hint of offense.

(But still...I)

(I feel like I'm laughing so naturally right now)

Kate: "Hey...thank you."

William: "I just did a bad thing. ....You enjoyed that?"

(....I don't know what kind of person William really is)

(Not that I have zero vigilance, but)

It feels like I'm stepping into places I've never set foot in before.

A conversation with a star is indeed an uplifting experience.

Kate: "....Yes. Thank you for that."

William: "Seriously, for what?"

........

It was past midnight when we arrived back at the castle.

William walked me to the front of the room and opened his mouth.

William: "......I'm curious to see how you will chronicle my sins tonight. Too bad I won't get to see your report."

Kate: "But, you didn't commit any sin tonight....?"

William: "You think?"

(....Again)

Whenever I ask a question, William answers with another question.

It feels like he is trying to look deep into my heart, which I normally try not to show anyone.

It is frightening, comforting, and fidgety.

(I wonder if William, who tried to force himself on a woman tonight, was 'evil' in....Mr. Brian's eyes)

Kate: "I don't think you were guilty of anything.....at least to my eyes,"

William: "Hmmm?"

William smiled wickedly, neither confirming nor denying.

William: "Then I'll commit one sin."

Chapter 4

#ikemen series #ikemen villain #ikemen villains #otome #cybird #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #ikemen mc #ikemen villains william

[tom-whore-dleston]

What I've Been Looking For

Pairing ▹ Joaquin Torres x gn. reader

This fic contains ▹ fluff, birthdays, soulmates AU, Joaquin and reader are 24 years old, alcohol consumption, sibling banter, lightly beta'ed writing

Word Count ▹ 1.2k

Summary ▹ Every year, you wish to meet your soulmate but are becoming less hopeful of it coming true.

Notes ▹ It's my birthday!!! You all voted for a birthday fic and I delivered 😜 I would like to count this fic towards my submission for @late-to-the-party-81's Challenge Yourself challenge since this is my first time writing a Soulmates AU. Remember to reblog and comment if you enjoyed! 😊

Prompt ▹ Sharing birthdays: soulmates are born on the same day, share the first breath with each other by @creativepromptsforwriting/@creativepromptfills Dividers ▹ @firefly-graphics

Birthdays were a sacred celebration. You lived in a world where your soulmate was born on the same day as you, sharing your first breath together. Every year, you wished for the same thing before blowing the candles of your cake out. You wished to meet your soulmate. The soulmate that came into this world the very exact moment that you did. As the years went by, you became more discouraged from meeting that person you were meant to live the rest of your life with. Nevertheless, you continued to wish to meet that special somebody.

Upon waking up to the sun shining down on your face, you sighed, throwing the bed cover off your body.

Another birthday. Another wish to waste on someone that may as well be a myth.

As you walked into the kitchen, you heard a cheerful shout from your sister.

“Happy birthday!”

“Oh, it’s that day again, huh?” You joked before giving her a hug.

“Of course it is!” She started to run to the fridge, pulling out a small cake and plopping a candle on top. You couldn’t help but laugh at the lengths your sister went to make your birthday special, even if she knew that it wasn’t your favorite day of the year.

“I really appreciate the gesture, but I am not eating cake at 8 in the morning.”

“Oh, c’mon! It’s guava flavored. Your favorite!” For a slight second, you were tempted to give in and eat a slice. You couldn’t resist anything guava flavored.

“Alright, fine. But I am not blowing candles or making wishes.”

“What?” Your sister looked like she was about to cry. Was it her birthday or something? “You will have bad luck if you don’t make a wish.”

“Eh, who cares? I haven’t had any luck with a soulmate so what else do I have to lose?” You walked past her to brew a cup of coffee and she followed you like a newborn duckling.

“I care! I know you feel defeated about not finding your soulmate but I know they are out there. I love you so I want you to be happy. And that starts with enjoying this cake with me. With the candles and singing and wishes!” You admired your sister’s persistence. She may have been younger than you but she fought like hell for you. Maybe you could do without a soulmate, as long as your sister continued to stick around and tolerate your pessimism.

“I love you too, little sis. Thank you for the cake. For everything, actually.” You pressed your forehead against hers. “Now light this bitch up, and try to sing on key.”

The end of your birthday was approaching and so far, it wasn’t too bad. You, your sister, and a couple of your friends went out for dinner and drinks with a balcony view of the sun setting over the beach. The alcohol in your system caused you to fully relax as your gaze followed the orange orb descend in the purplish yellow sky. You had just gulped the last day of your champagne as a crowd of employees marched towards your table with not one, but two chocolate cakes littered with sprinkles.

You glanced over at your party, confused upon seeing the second plate of dessert. They all shrugged before pulling out their phones to record you. One server finally placed a slice of cake in front of you, and you flashed them a thankful smile. Then, you followed the other piece of cake to the next table. The same server set down the plate in front of a man so ethereal, you could have mistaken him for Prince Charming.

That man glanced at you, catching your gaze as the candles on your cakes flickered under your smiles toward each other. Time stopped and the rest of the world ceased to exist as everyone around the two of you sang “Happy Birthday.” You couldn’t tell if it was his enchanting stare or the fizzling drink you downed, but your cheeks warmed up and butterflies fluttered around in your stomach. Everything about this man was mesmerizing, from his sculpted bone structure in his face to his fluffy dark curls, and then the radiant energy that he exerted as the gentlemen across from him sang drunkenly. You wanted to know his name, his story, and his hopes and dreams.

Amongst your trance with him, you discovered his name was Joaquin since his buddies shouted it louder than your equally drunk friends and sister did with your own name. Joaquin wasn’t a common name, but that was what drew you even more to him. Joaquin was full of wonder. You may not have known then and there, but Joaquin was just as enamored and curious about you.

“C’mon, make a wish!” One of your friends yelped behind her phone. Your eyes shut and a hopeful grin spread across your face. For the first time, you had a different wish.

I wish for Joaquin.

Opening your eyes, you blew out the flame and the sounds of cheers and claps filled the atmosphere. Peering back at Joaquin, your eyes met once again, lingering a little longer than before. His teeth glimmered under the last bit of sunlight that peeked from behind the horizon. The sun finally disappeared, but then the moon and stars took their place in illuminating Joaquin’s beauty for you to admire.

“Hey, why don’t you stop gawking over that guy and go say ‘happy birthday’ back.” Your sister laughed. Your lips curled inward as if you had been caught with your hand in a jar of candy. Suddenly, you grew nervous at the thought of approaching him. This man could be the soulmate you have yearned for your whole life. But what if he wasn’t what you expected?

You wouldn’t know unless you tried. And so you did.

The chair shifted under you as you stood up to walk towards Joaquin. Before you knew it, he was doing the same exact thing. Walking toward one another felt like your hearts were being pulled by a string that connected you two. By the time you were only feet from one another, you had wished you had some champagne to chug before leaving your seat. But once you locked eyes with Joaquin, all those years of disappointment and defeat vanished. Hope, love, and happiness began to fill that hole in your heart.

“So…” You began. “It’s your birthday too?”

“Yeah, it’s actually my 24th to be exact,” Joaquin responded, combing his hand through his brown locks.

Your heart skipped a beat. “Same here.”

Joaquin beamed. “I figured. Who would have thought that it would take me 24 years to finally feel truly alive?”

You bit your lip, fighting the urge to tear up. No witty comeback could top his, and deep down, he knew that. It was hard to believe that you had finally found your soulmate. All that was certain of you was that you did not want this moment to end.

“Well, I’m not much of a cake person, but I do like long walks on the beach.” You laughed at his corny comment. “Wanna get out of here in a few?”

You nodded without hesitation. Joaquin took your hand in his, symbolizing the beginning of a beautiful life of many birthdays and growing older with your soulmate.

Navigation | Fanfic Masterlist | Joaquin Torres Masterlist

#Jen’s 1k Challenge #Challenge Yourself #joaquin torres #danny ramirez #tfatws #captain america new world order #joaquin torres x reader #joaquin torres x you #the falcon x reader #joaquin torres fluff #joaquin torres imagine #joaquin torres fanfic #joaquin torres fic #soulmates au #birthday fic #fluff #reader insert #no y/n

[zweetpea]

hey i saw your dvailn stormterror human drawing and how the votes were a little.. mean and i wanted to say i like what you drew and made my own version to try and support you. i was going to submit it anonymously but that’s not possible thru asks so:

its just a quick little doodle but i hope it shares my support well enough and that you aren’t discouraged from taking artistic endeavors in the future

this is so nice! HE HAS FRECKLES!! This art is so good! I am obsessed! AHH! I need it, I need him!

[neetpop]

Incoming rant about Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)

So I have been active in my regional DSA for the past four years (just to respect anyone mentioned directly indirectly or accidentally herein I won't say exactly where in the United States this is). mostly i have worked with regard to unions, tenant organizing, and community protections that could exist if police and prisons were abolished. I realize I am an idealist but I also just like trying unconventional things and talking things out w others because it feels right and Because I Can and I would rather not Wallow in Existential Despair. In my organizing I really value base building, accessibility, bipoc, feminism, lgbtq, reevaluation counselling, and liberation theory.

Basically I was in the nominations to go to the Chicago convention until the bitter end. They only voted this other guy in by a margin because he is the Democratic Party's butt boy and people play favorites within our organization. I have been shouted down and disrespected by DSA numerous times and my closest associates in DSA know this. They have my loyalty and trust as I see them acting out of good faith. But I feel sad and ticked off at so many others, even if they are in good faith a lot of us still don't think clearly or we are distracted by trying to survive and have certain privileges. I was actually out there on the field and this guy is riding the coattails of the people who were in DSA, who took over the Democratic town council and then cut ties with DSA all at once.

And on top of that DSA has serious leadership who are vocally pro Israel. So sorry, but at that point I can't help getting a bad taste in my mouth. Like we should expect Better from this organization.....I can't help but attribute the shittiness to DSA itself there is no ethical consumption under capitalism etc.

.....?! SMH makes me so sad as a working class person. I am looking forward to a future with real focus on real class power, I just wanted to go to the convention for the educational and networking purposes and I definitely don't want to stay bummed about it :)

Just throwing this out there to Tumblr land maybe we can commiserate about problematic praxis within DSA and liberal jerks and tankies or just people who WONT ORGANIZE. Overall imho we are all doing a really good socialism for once!!! I hope maybe others can read my story and not feel discouraged because this one organization is iffy.

I will also say you do not have to pay dues long term to stay in DSA I let it try one of my old cards and I got the email that I failed to renew, but also that I was a card carrying DSA member until over a year from that day. Because turns out wow it is a socialist organization and they sure as hell don't need your lunch money. Just as a sidebar.

Ty for reading this post that is all over the place. I am gonna drink some wine 😁🍷

#dsa #democratic socialists of america #democratic socialism #marxism #democratic party #capitalism #lgbtqia #feminism #liberation #abolish the police #abolish the monarchy #abolish prisons #abolish ice

[throwaway-yandere]

Otome anon again ❤️ thanks for the reply! I'm quite happy about it. And yeah I'm a little late to your works bc of school so there's a bunch of works that I need to catch up on 😭 Really hoping we get a small break soon. From the looks of it, your newer works are gonna be WILD 😳 I mostly got introduced to your blog bc of your Alhaitham and Tighnari fics: Vision Qualifications and Creative Differences. I was particularly very interested in how you portrayed Tighnari in CD and adored the way reader being a writer was portrayed.

And yes! It's a game that will be downloadable and I've been learning a bit of renpy to achieve this. It's surprisingly simpler than I imagined. All the tutorials are helpful and the folks in the renpy server are very nice 👌 So far routes aren't 100% finalised but I will say that there ARE secret routes that you can unlock if you choose the right options 🤭

I'm thinking of trying to make a survey to decide some routes but I'm not overly sure what to put on it.

Thanks for all the support!!

"your newer works are gonna be WILD 😳"

??? wdym, after the last 4 fics ive written im being incredibly merciful rn in the secret pen pal event lol.

I mostly got introduced to your blog bc of your Alhaitham and Tighnari fics: Vision Qualifications and Creative Differences. I was particularly very interested in how you portrayed Tighnari in CD and adored the way reader being a writer was portrayed.

you guys are free to hate me for this: but those two fics are my least liked fics i've written hAHAHAHAH. not enough spice for me. not enough violence or dubious "food". i still question why people wanted part 2 on that tighnari fic when for me it was the blandest story i've written i am SORRY it just IS for me ya know what I mean it's just BLAND NO SPICES NO FLAVOR- i wrote about cannibalism, a dragon diety!reader, and a bunch of weird things, my small brain does not calculate why these two has more attention than the ones I actually use my brain for hAHHAHAHAHA- (like seriously, both those fics had little research whatsoever while I'm pulling out sht like Japanese & Filipino mythology, KPop culture, and fricking Abraham Lincoln's biography (no joke.) on other fics hjdasjas)

All the tutorials are helpful

my dumbass who spent hours tryna figure out how to remove the dialogue box for a CG scene: haha yeah g-good for you...

I'm thinking of trying to make a survey to decide some routes but I'm not overly sure what to put on it.

as a dain simp you know who i'd vote for so if you don't want a biased poll don't let me find that survey hAHAHAHAH

considering that you like otome games, I'm recommending this one: "I Got Reincarnated As A Server NPC In An Otome Game But A Capture Target Won’t Leave Me Alone". Don't be discouraged by that title, it's not a comedy LN at all. It contains violence and a mentally deranged cold duke of the south diluc lol. my fave blorbo.

O Capo! My Capo! can be a pretty grim series considering how I was inspired to write it because of a bad ending in an otome game fandisc. There are major character deaths (and it's 100% the readers' fault when an LI dies because of votes), mentions of drug abuse, etc. But if you like Piofiore perhaps you'd appreciate it too. Capo!reader is basically "what if Lilia had Dante's occupation and Gilbert's charisma-- oh and I guess your Nicola is Alhaitham for some reason" lmao.

ps: i think i saw you posting a question on r/otome_games about how to make the MC's personality. i agree with the majority that, honestly, you should just go wild lmao. make MC have some fighting spirit. the bar is low--

in any case, I wish you luck!!! have fun coding the game <3

#ansy-stalks #ansy's stalking: otome anon <3 #is this opinion controversial lmfao

[wowbright]

I've gone to make this post a couple times this year and never posted it because most of my top posts were loooong. But this morning, I remembered, and just in time: This is Tumblr! I can edit a post before posting it! So I deleted the bulk of those long posts, and if you want to read them, you can click through on the little links.

Also, I wrote this little introduction!

Interesting and very relevant to post #2 that none of these are related to my fanfic or Glee, the two main reasons I am on Tumblr.

Without any more to-do:

I posted 3,369 times in 2022

That's 2,354 more posts than 2021!

516 posts created (15%)

2,853 posts reblogged (85%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@coffeegleek

@lucy8675309

@thnxforknowingme

@1908jmd

I tagged 3,294 of my posts in 2022

Only 2% of my posts had no tags

#fanart not mine - 223 posts

#klaine - 223 posts

#signal boost - 212 posts

#gpoy - 205 posts

#ofmd - 198 posts

#to read - 194 posts

#fandom - 190 posts

#kurt hummel - 160 posts

#fic rec - 140 posts

#us politics - 136 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#this story isn't just about falling in love—it's also about trauma & grief and the role beliefs play both in creating & healing those things

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Controversial take: AO3 is an archive, not a social media site. If you have no intention of keeping your fics up after you leave a fandom and are just going to delete them, maybe you should post them only to social media and not use up bandwidth on AO3.

You've already put your words out into the world. Other people have already read them, and likely downloaded them. They are no longer only your own. You cannot make them disappear from the world, so why are you trying?

Orphan your works, don't delete them.

283 notes - Posted April 8, 2022

#4

You know those straight guys who seem really nice and awesome, but then complain about their female friends "friendzoning" them? As if being nice to a woman entitles you to her affection and her body? As if her agency, her own desires, ultimately don't matter that much?

So they're "nice" guys, but they're not actually kind or generous?

Marcus in Young Royals is the gay version of that.

He seems great at first. Just the kind of guy that Simon needs around him. Someone who's easygoing, who likes him, who supports him, who's uncomplicated and open and doesn't require much work.

Read the rest at:

387 notes - Posted November 18, 2022

#3

Since I'm seeing anti-voting posts on my dash again, and Tumblr is even *recommending* them to me, let's be clear about this--

Voting is one of the most basic tools for participating in American government and policy. It is not perfect, but it is there.

The people who say that change is possible without voting, that protecting minority interests is possible without voting, rarely lay out a course for how those things could be accomplished.

Sometimes, they make vague promises that "activism" and "pushing for change" is what is needed instead of voting. This makes no sense. Engaging with elected officials is an inherent part of activism. Voting is a way of engaging with elected officials. Voting is activism.

No, some say. Not that kind of activism.

Okay, then what kind of activism?

Historically, the only way to accomplish change without voting is through physical force, i.e. warfare.

That's right. Warfare. Like the Civil War, or I guess what we will soon be calling Civil War I.

Read the rest at:

556 notes - Posted July 1, 2022

#2

I was thinking about a conversation I had with a fellow writer a while back and I think it might also apply to fandom.

He was upset because his partner did not read much of his fiction. His partner was supportive of his writing in every other way--supporting his need to have space to write, asking questions about it, being a listening ear during brainstorming, encouraging him to make friends with other writers, etc. He (the partner) had never said anything belittling, discouraging, or negative about my colleague's writing.

But he didn't read much of it. The writer I was talking to wrote sci-fi, and his partner didn't read sci-fi. In fact, he (the partner) was not a big reader of fiction at all.

I told this colleague of mine something that I had decided about my own relationships: my friends, lovers, acquaintances, relatives, etc., have no obligation to be my fans. I met almost all of them outside of the context of writing. Our relationships are built on those things: common history, common non-writing interests, common social circles, common humanity. They didn't decide they liked me or wanted to hang out with me because of what I wrote. And I didn't decide to hang out with them because I thought they would read my stuff.

Read the rest at:

685 notes - Posted June 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I wish there was a way to block "cute animal videos" that are actually depicting mistreatment of animals. People physically manipulating pets to do things that they clearly do not want to be doing is not cute. People provoking irritation so that their cat or dog makes the funny sound they make when they are irritated is not cute. People making pets of wild animals is not cute.

1,538 notes - Posted April 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #long post

[manygalaxiesinone]

If Shantae Characters Had Arcana

((He ho doods, Prinnyfrost reporting for duty! As promised, I am now about to go over potential Arcana characters from the Shantae series would represent. I have left a poll earlier today for which title I should look into next so if you haven't already, go ahead and vote if you see your favorite one listed and you happen to enjoy the idea. Keep in mind, I'm not exactly a fortune teller so if I'm wrong about any of my picks, please don't be afraid to point them out and explain to me why a different Acana would be better suited. Also, there are likely going to be spoilers for all of the Shantae titles released thus far, so if there's one you haven't played yet and don't want to risk getting spoiled, please click away. With that settled, let's get started.

First up is the star of the show herself, Shantae. And yeah, she gets the Fool Arcana with ease. She's very friendly to those around her, even to her enemies and is willing to see the good in them, which results in her being tricked and taken advantage of in multiple occasions, usually by Risky Boots. That being said, she does highly value the bonds she made with everyone around her. Hell, in the ending of the original game for gameboy, she literally gave up her chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a full genie after finding out she would have to leave everyone behind. So yeah, the Fool Arcana fits Shantae perfectly.

Given his role as Shantae's legal guardian and his more overall calm personality, I'm willing to give her uncle, Mimic either the Hierophant Arcana or at least Temperance. He's always willing to give Shantae helpful advice if she needs it and he doesn't get discouraged if one of his machines didn't go out as planned. He just focuses on trying to come up with something new.

Call me crazy, but I'm going to give Sky the Magician Arcana for a few reasons. First, being able to command War Birds to assist you in battle is a pretty unique talent. Second, aside from Mimic, Sky is Shantae's closest companion as the two of them grew up together. And third, well... remember when I said that Persona has a running bit about characters under the Magician Arcana finding love only for it to go wrong? Yeah, Sky fits that bill. She got engaged to one of Ammo Baron's soldiers only for him to accidentally turned to stone or something along those lines, gets healed by Shantae, and then immediately dump Sky. Then Sky ends up falling for another guy in Siren Island, only for said guy to trick her and Shantae to put on armor that traps them in place and turned into action figures. I can hear arguments for Bolo getting this Arcana instead, but I think Sky deserves it more since Bolo just has bad luck trying to impress girls, while Sky had at least one legit fumble.

Speaking of Bolo, that leaves him with the Strength Arcana. While he has yet to show many signs of competence aside from helping Shantae when she was overtaken by darkness in Half Genie Hero, he is courageous and isn't afraid to try his best if he feels the need to help. Yes, he messes up every now and then, but he's a loyal companion to the end... until he gets distracted by Risky's body.

Rottytops gets the Chariot Arcana with ease. She's active, playful, pretty much does anything she sets her mind to, especially if it involves pranks or cosplaying. That being said, I can hear arguments for the Moon Arcana because she secretly has doubts about whether or not she's a good enough friend for Shantae.

Risky gets the Emperor Arcana. To say she's authoritative would be an understatement and believe it or not, she has been through quite a bit to become the Pirate Queen as she used to be under the thumb of the Pirate King many years ago. I'm not exactly sure what it was like for her working for the Pirate King, but given the bad blood between them, I'm willing to guess it wasn't exactly a pleasant time.

Harmony would get the Empress Arcana. As the oldest of the current generation of Half Genies, she takes the big sister role and does her best to help look after all of them, including Shantae after the two of them meet for the first time.

Zapple also has a case for the Moon Arcana as she tends to have trust issues. She was even suspicious of Shantae for a while after the other half genies were kidnapped until Vera and Plink defended her.

Despite how friendly she seems, Vera doesn't really enjoy going outside of her village all that much unless if there's a good reason for it. That alone should be enough to give her the Hermit Arcana.

Plink on the other hand, easily gets the Star Arcana. Like Shantae, she's always eager to help out and set off on an adventure if one is calling. Plus she's the second youngest of the current generation of half genies, right above Shantae in age, meaning she's likely less mature than the others and she has the ability to "open her mind's eye" and see things that most other can't.

I know you guys are going to riot if I don't bring up Squid Baron at least once, so let's get him over with. Constantly breaking the forth wall, reappears in the games waiting for his chance to become a final boss or a popular, all powerful secret boss, befriending Hypno Baron, yeah he's getting the Sun Arcana. Helps that smile of his is pretty endearing.

Speaking of Hypno Baron, I want to say Death Arcana on a technicality as his plan is to end the world as we know it. And by that I mean completely dominate the market and potentially change how the world's residents see and use it today. I know it's not a great example of the Death Arcana, but I can't really think of any other Arcana that would fit this character.

Techno Baron is arguably the most evil of the Barons as he actually has plans to take over the world with his artwork of weapons and gadgets. He even went so far as to take over Mermaid Island, turn mermaids into food, and replace the mermaids with the fake ones via girls he has captured. Because of that, I'm going to give him the Hanged Man Arcana.

Despite his name, "Ammo Baron" he is capable of diplomacy and is willing to work things out without having to fight, even though he really loves the action. Keep in mind, he only took over Scuttletown because of a deal he made with Scuttlebutt and treats the residents no differently than his soldiers. Because of this, I can see him having the Justice Arcana as he's fair in his actions.

I feel like Twitch and Vinegar would be a good fit for the Wheel of Fortune Arcana. Sometimes they're on Shantae's side, sometimes not. Sometimes they get to enjoy a good vacation, sometimes not. Sometimes they pull off a mission without an issue, you get the idea.

I think I'll end this post by talking about Mayor Scuttlebutt. This...irritating...insufferable...absolute TRASH excuse for a Mayor! Yeah, as you probably can tell, I don't like this guy at all. Anyway, Devil Arcana mainly because he was pretty much powerless to do nothing but watch as Ammo Baron take over the town, even though it was HIS OWN FAULT TO BEGIN WITH! I better stop now before I go on a rant.

Anyway, what do you think? Was I accurate? Got some ideas of you own? Be sure to let me know.))

#shantae #tarot arcana #shin megami tensei

[rriotzine]

⚙️Q: Can I ask if you allow any skill level or only top tier writings? I've just been really discouraged from applying to this zine.

A: Hello! For this project, all six mods are voting individually on each applicant. Each mod has different tastes, of course, but we will be choosing the portfolios which we each personally think are strongest. Please don't feel discouraged! We would love to see your work and potentially welcome you onto the team :)

--- ⚙️Q: Hiii!! Is it okay if we would like to participate in the spicy add on AND the main zine? I have mostly spicy art for the portfolio, but I would LOVE to be in the SFW section too in case I am accepted! PD: Thank you all for your hard work!!!

A: Hi!! All page applicants are being accepted for the main book/SFW portion only. Accepted contributors will be have the opportunity then to do a 2nd piece for the Spicy side project. We are not accepting any contributors SOLELY for the spicy. Please look over our application guidelines, as we do require the main portfolio to be SFW. Thank you for asking and best of luck in apps!

--- ⚙️Q: Hi there--trying to get my application together and I'm wondering if excerpts are allowed. If so, is there any limit to the number of excerpts we can use?

A: Howdy — excerpts are very welcome! We encourage you to be sure the excerpt holds a story/plot well on its own, so that it will still give us a good understanding of how you tell a story. All your pieces may be excerpts as long as they adhere to the min/max word counts (can go over/under a little, within reason). TY for asking!

⚙️Do you have a question for us? Fill out our ask form at https://rriotzine.carrd.co/#ask ! We'll post a response as soon as we are able.

#Q&A Kiri #Kiri zine #Kirishima zine #rriotzine

[taegularities]

Hey there! I will be honest, since after your hiatus, this blog has just been about the current/upcoming stories, which I definitely love 🤍 But something is missing, can't figure out what tho :( Not that interaction has not been along the personal lines too, but I think you too can admit something is there which is missing right? I see you posting about how ask games aren't boosting much around here, and it honestly makes me sad. That is another reason why I am always voting for your polls, sending asks from my different accounts heh. I guess this is also affected by how the connections on this app are breaking apart. I don't see mutuals or other blogs I follow reblog even the littlest thing or comment or be amused much anymore. This makes me want to leave this place too.

Sorry for the vent, this has just been on my mind these days. I'll probably send similar asks to other blogs so that people can god damit see it and if possible, bring k-pop writing blogs back to life.

hey love. i definitely agree that something has changed – idk if it's bc i went on hiatus (for my blog, at least) or if it just happened during that time in general, but a lot of writers and mutuals have been feeling discouraged. lots of them said things feel different now from how they were before. idk what it is either! like 2021, i'd have a lot more fun with ask games, and now i feel like people don't really enjoy them much anymore lol :') maybe we're just busy !!

i'm not complaining about interaction or anything, cos that's been amazing here and everyone's so so sweet. but things definitely feel emptier :/ i still try to queue stuff and support content creators, but even gifs and gfx have decreased, and yeah. i'm not sure if you meant there's something off about me, too, but if you feel that something is, then i'm sorry !! let me know. thank you for being honest 🥺

#but yeah i miss 2021 #when we went crazy back in july over the ruin you amc game and all #i love everyone rn so much but i miss how lively the dash was 🥺 #notes for rid 🌹 #anon

[604]

man there’s a lot of things i kinda want to post about, fun things im doing, random thoughts, beliefs im formulating... but i am so different than the person i was 2 or 3 or 4 years ago. and I don’t want to discourage people by displaying that change. Even though I sincerely believe ive become a better, freer, more loving, more truthful person, i don’t fit into the kinda trad or redpilled or calvinist boxes I did, and I truly don’t want to discourage people with different convictions than me. because I know how that feels. in my late teens and early twenties, I was so lonely and my faith was so difficult, i really felt like being a fundamentalist was the only way. and every time I saw someone get “more liberal” on some issue i felt like they were no longer in the fight with me, they’d given up on really trying to follow Christ. and that would discourage me so deeply. I felt so alone. it took me a long time to trust Christians who looked more like the world than i did, when they said they were being honest about their conclusions. I always thought that people who said they were okay with smoking weed, listening to explicit music, who found spiritual encouragement in the teachings and practices of different religions even while following Jesus, who partied, who voted a certain way, all of it, i thought it was just compromise and intellectual dishonesty for the sake of being more comfortable in the world. and though i don’t think that way anymore, though on all those issues i mentioned i’ve become much more open-minded, i remember at that time i found so much solace in my friends who were just like me and felt so betrayed by those who weren’t. And I don’t want to do that to someone else’s spiritual journey :( because it is so hard to follow Jesus in this life and those who do are so brave and deserve all the encouragement they can get. BUT i look at my posts recently and think how much better honesty is as a policy than being fake so i dont hurt anyone’s feelings. i just want people to know that serving God is the most important thing to me and if anything i say offends you you can always bring it to me as a sister in christ AND you should never let some person online (like me) discourage you from serving Him. but lmfao my relationship with social media sucks right now so ill probably be off for a while soon anyway

#p

[swordandstars]

Well, this is fun.

Yes, that is sarcasm.

Basically, one business in Texas paid another business in Texas to create a fake audio message "from Joe Biden" and then robocalled 5,000 to 25,000 (exact number TBD, investigation is ongoing) people in New Hampshire right before their primary.

The message? Don't vote.

It even implied that if they voted in the primary now, voters could not vote in the November General election. Oh, and as an additional "fuck you" to Democrats, they programmed the call to look like it was coming from the former state Democratic Party chair.

Investigations are in progress, and I'm going to be very curious to see who paid for and orchestrated the whole thing.

But this? This is diiirty. Here's why:

1) Voter suppression? Bad.

2) The call is literally coming from inside the house. Russia has been leading the pack for well over a decade in weaponizing new technology aimed at spreading misinformation and discouraging people from voting. Another day, another Fancy Bear psyop, wev.

This is two companies from our own country pulling this shit. Am I clutching my pearls and gasping that good ol' boys from the god fearing U S of A would nevah, I say NEVAH be part of such underhanded dealings? Fuck no, we wrote the playbook on this shit.

But bullshit like this is illegal here (because we are hypocrites who are fine meddling in other countries' elections, but you better not try it here by god) which they damn well ought to know. Especially when you're being this egregious and blatant about it. Legit American companies know that they're going to have an actual factual Federal investigation up their ass if they get caught.

And apparently they just... didn't care?

Okay. Cool, cool, cool.

Now, technically, creating AI deepfakes for robocalls is such new technology that laws really haven't caught up with it yet. Cause the law is usually 10-15 years behind technology on a good day.

But this is such a deep level of bullshit that the FCC was like, "Um, no. Effective IMMEDIATELY you're cutting this shit out."

So, unfortunately, that means that you won't be getting a scam call from Prince Harry asking you to send money to his favorite cancer charity. Or a scam call from Taylor Swift inviting you for a ride on her private jet if you type your Social Security number into a special secret website. Or George R.R. Martin encouraging you to set your local independent bookshop on fire because they are behind a secret conspiracy to repress the final Game of Thrones novel, Winds of Winter.

Because, again, this shit? Diiiirty. Enough to make the Federal government move fast enough to break the sound barrier:

So, your takeaways?

Go vote. Especially in the primaries. If you're in America, it's the time to vote for your fave and send a message to politicians who are pissing you off.

And then go vote in the general in November. Pay special attention to who is running for your local school board, judge seats, county commissioners, state reps, and Congress critters. Research every person on that ballot, and know exactly who you are voting into those positions.

Because your vote matters. Assholes wouldn't be trying to stop you from voting if it didn't.

#politics #us politics #2024 elections #voter suppression #go vote #important

[jellicle-brawl]

"Hey Jelliclebrawl, you're being really cavalier and showing a lot of favoritism on this poll. :/"

Couple reasons for that.

I have in fact not shown favoritism, because thus far I have implied that I want Tugger to win. This is not true! I'm expecting that likely either he and/or Misto will win, and I'm okay with that because I like them, but I am also nerfing them as much as I fairly can so that at least they have to work for it. However, I actually want Etcetera to win, because she's my baby. I just don't think she stands a chance against, you know, everyone else. Maybe against Pouncival. I think she could take him.

On a less jokey level, this is my fourth tournament (and will be the third that has started voting once it does). In the first I was accused of favoritism because I said in an offmic conversation that I would like the two mascots of the bracket to make it to the finals; in the second, I ended up going off on one of my voters because my determination to remain impartial meant that I couldn't just say "I do not actually like this option and here is why" to the person who kept pushing me regarding an offhand and extremely neutral remark I made. So, I'm trying something different, and seeing what happens if I'm just really blatant about which options I'm backing. Especially since my choice is likely to change at the drop of a hat, especially with the groupies and young toms, because I really do love every single character and would genuinely love any of them to win. But especially Etcetera, because she's my baby.

In the two weeks before I changed up this tournament, I got exactly two votes. One of them was from my best friend submitting John Partridge as Tugger because they knew I really wanted to run him but had already selected the two autoentries and left him up to chance. It was really discouraging but in the interim while I watched that number stay at two I decided to just run a bracket about the 1999 proshot, because I had all those gifs anyway so why not? And since this is effectively a tournament where all of the options are my own submissions, I realized I can just do whatever I want to. Would I have really liked to do my original idea instead? Absolutely, and maybe if this tournament builds enough of a follower base I can run it (and my original original idea) in future. But in the meantime... I make the rules babyyyy. If you wanted impartiality you should have submitted to my tournament when you had the chance.

I want to be able to talk about my opinions and headcanons and the stuff I'm putting into my fanfictions and the little background things I've spotted and having to remain impartial gets in the way of that. Having to do it for the Discworld poll is hard enough; doing it for the thing I am actively hyperfixating on would be torture. I want to be able to chat with you guys in the comments. I want to have fun engaging with fellow fans. I can't do any of those things if I have to sit on my hands and pretend I don't care who wins or loses and don't have any favorites while I'm in character. I'm still in character here, just this time the character I'm inhabiting is a guy with 27 cats and some dogs and I really want you to have opinions about them with me while you decide amongst yourselves which ones you like best.

And, because it bears saying: regardless of my own impartiality, vote your own heart. If something I say makes you decide that you like that option, then by all means! But I am one man and I have one vote (well, two if I feel like going to the trouble of logging into the old account), and all of my propaganda should carry the same weight as any other rando who propagandas about the polls.

#nobody has actually said anything i just want to be upfront about what i'm about #impartiality on the part of the pollrunner really is important to me and in a way i am still maintaining it on some level #i think if i had one clear favorite maybe i would be making more of an attempt #but the more i thought about it the more i realized my opinions were all based on who i would be sad to see get voted out and like #all of them #honestly #i love all of them! #they are so fun for me! #like if pressed i'd say that i'd like grizabella not to win but that's only because she already won the ball #so someone else should get a chance to win the brawl! #but even that is more like... so what if she does win? #she's a really good character and mrs. paige put her whole p- #no i shan't say it #not because it's inappropriate it's just a really low hanging fruit of a pun #anyway even with the cat that i least want to win it's still a case of 'this would still be a satisfying conclusion' #but anyway the point is #impartiality is very important to me and so if i'm going to be partial and show blatant favoritism #i'd at least like us all to be on the same page about the what my favoritism manifests itself as and why i'm allowing it

[bitletsanddrabbles]

That’s nice, but how do I fix it?

The world has problems.

You can’t live in the world and not know it has problems. You can, to a certain extent, not know about it’s problems, but that both takes a lot of effort and is highly discouraged.

No, really. I can name multiple news casts I’ve seen that are flat out inaccurate, but people still rag on me for not watching the news. “How can you know what’s going on in the world if you don’t watch the news?!?” Dude, I don’t know what’s going on in the world if I do watch the news. The news lies like a log. My teacher’s grandson drowned in the family pool when I was in University, and the news lied about it. And yes, I could watch other countries’ news broadcasts and yes, I actually trust them a bit more than my own - especially on what’s going on in the USA - but I still don’t trust them to tell the truth.

Also, while news casters will fall over themselves to tell you about the world’s problems, they pretty much never tell you what to do about it. One of the most shocking things about the war in Ukraine, to me, was walking into the break room and having the television telling me about places I could send money to actually do something. How effective were those places? Hell if I know, but even the suggestion of how to help was, well, news worthy.

Social media is both more-and-less trustworthy and harder to avoid. I mean, I can filter for #politics all I want, but people don’t use #politics consistently, so I can’t completely avoid them.  And while they’re just as eager to tell you about societies problems - both your society and theirs - as the news, they are, if anything, less eager to tell you what to do about it.

The environment is in danger!

No shit. I give money to environmental conservation groups as often as I’m able. What else do you want me to do? Is there a particular group that would be more useful for a particular cause? What do you want me to do here? I’m afraid I don’t have time to volunteer.

The government is corrupt!

Um, yeah. That statement kinda goes with every government I’m aware of. Outside of ‘vote’, what do you want me to do about it? ‘Cause I’m already voting, been doing it my entire adult life, don’t plan on stopping, and the problems don’t seem to be going away. In fact, in a lot of cases they seem to be getting worse, and one of the biggest factors in this seems to be the government controlled news media that I really need to watch so I know what’s going on in the world. Also, my voting isn’t really going to help people in China or Ukraine or anyplace else on the other side of the world, unless there is very specifically something on the ballot about helping them. Hell, unless we’re talking about the National ballot, my vote won’t really do anything to help someone in another state.

I get that there are cultures where ‘complain about the problem without actually trying to fix it’ is a social building exercise as much as anything, so I can look at the news that crosses my dash from other countries and think ‘this is not meant for me’ and ignore it, but I also get railed upon for doing that! I should absolutely care about the terrible things that other governments are doing to their people! All the time!

But what am I supposed to do about it?

'Cause all I can come up with is ‘vote’, which I do and which has limited impact outside of my own country; ‘send money’, which I do to the best of my ability, if I can figure out where, and which people sneer at as ‘not doing enough’; and ‘send in the military’, which other countries tend to absolutely hate unless they’ve specifically asked for them and sometimes even then. And, I mean, I don’t blame them for hating that last one, but what else do you want me to do?

‘Cause honestly sitting around being continually told that I should be doing something about the civil wars and environmental destruction in other countries, but that nothing I know how to do or can readily do is sufficient, and that I am a typical, horrible, self centered, uncaring American for not knowing all about it and pitching in to make it stop isn’t really doing anything except making me kinda suicidal.

By which I mean ‘I should be in therapy but I don’t trust therapists to actually be effective’ levels of suicidal.

And I mean, yeah, that would be one less white American plaguing the world, which hey! That’s a good thing, right? But it would be one less white American voting in favor of human rights, environmentalism, etc., donating to charity, and writing fan fiction for people to enjoy and use as escapism. It won’t help the country’s staffing shortage one bit, since increasingly few people are willing to put up with people’s shit and pack their groceries for them. So, you know, tell me which is more important there and I’ll take it into consideration, although I’ve promised my mother not to leave her with the cat if I can help it, so if you really want me gone, you’ll have to wait a bit.

#tell me what to do #or shut up already #either way #stop screaming at me to wave a magic wand and make things better #'cause i can't #you wave the wand why don't you?

[njenjemedia]

[ad_1] The Kogi State chapter of the Labour Party has lamented the denial of access to the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, by Governor Yahaya Bello-led All Progressives Congress (APC) barely 24 hours before its presidential mega rally slated to hold on Tuesday, December 13th, 2022, in Lokoja. Addressing journalists on Monday, the Kogi State Chairman of the Labour Party, Hon. Suleiman Abdul Ahmed, who noted that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi was expected to campaign in Lokoja on Tuesday, described the action of the Kogi State Government as wicked and anti-democratic. Ahmed emphasized that the party had written to the Kogi State Government on several occasions, only to be turned down at the last minute of their principal’s visit. According to him, despite the frustration from the state government, the party remains resolute to ensure that the campaign holds as planned. Ahmed stressed that Labour Party is out to salvage the people from the shackles of poverty and maladministration of the present APC government. While admonishing supporters of the party not to be deterred by the recent development, Ahmed lamented the massive destruction of the Labour Party’s billboards by thugs suspected to be loyal to the ruling APC in Kogi State. Explaining further, Ahmed said: “If they had denied them the opportunity of using that stadium to campaign, I am not sure they would be in office today. The truth is that some people put up characters that are strange. You go to so many states, you will find campaign billboards and posters. In Kogi State, there is a law, just for you to erect a campaign billboard, you must pay heavily. “The reason the government put up these policies is to ensure that credible candidates do not win elections, and that will not work. The people are tired of the bad leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kogi State and Nigeria in general. So denying people the ability to use facilities is not the way out. The people will surely vote for candidates that are credible. “Nobody has a monopoly on violence. We are Obidients. No matter what happens, the campaign will be held tomorrow. Even though it is inside the forest. Money has never been the problem. They made several efforts to discourage us. They even tripled the stadium money just to frustrate us from using the facilities. They are doing this deliberately at the eleventh hour so that the campaign will not hold. The people in charge of the stadium said the order came from the top for us not to have access to use the stadium.” The LP chairman, however, debunked media reports that there is a faction in the Labour Party, adding that they are becoming stronger on a daily basis to take over leadership in Nigeria. He said: “Mischief makers are scared of the rising political profile of the Labour Party in Kogi State, so they are eager to see how they can divide the party. We also know that there are people who are paid by the incumbent.” “People who have ruled this state and ruined it. people who for so many years have not been paying salaries; even when they try to pay, they will pay it in percentages; people who have also made up their minds that the state should go into retrogression, instead of progress. They already know that the people will reject them at the poll, all that is paramount to them is to cause disunity in the party,” he added. [ad_2]

[barbaramoorersm]

October 16, 2022

October 16, 2022

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Exodus 17: 8-13

This a violent text but also shows the power of the support of others in times of struggle.

Psalm 121

The Psalmist speaks of God’s help and support at all times.

Letter to Timothy 3: 14- 4:2

Timothy is urged to remain faithful to Scripture and to proclaim the Word.

Luke 18: 1-8

A determined widow changes a corrupt Judge’s actions.

There is a strain of humor in this parable that Jesus shares this weekend. Two adversaries are making life difficult for each other.  One is a judge who Jesus says, “…neither feared God or respected any human being”.   One senses he was powerful and perhaps corrupt.  His problem was a widow begging for justice from …”an adversary”.   One could not find many other extremes like these between two people.   Power, control, maleness and position faces weakness, femaleness, lack of power and dependence.

We are well aware of the hard times many modern widows face but there is a reason why “widows and orphans” were so frequently named in the Old and New Testaments. In ancient times, the independent woman was not a reality. She was part of a family and as a widow even wore exterior garments that conveyed her status. Jesuit Father John McKenzie writes that “…the widow had no defender at law and was at the mercy of unjust judges.”

I am sure you can think of many” figurative” modern examples of today’s Gospel widow. For example, election workers trying to serve and do their best are threatened, called corrupt and their honesty questioned. The parents of murdered children at Sandy Hook Elementary School being faced with lies, threats and enormous amounts of money to discredit them even to the point of saying that some children did not die!  But wonderful election workers like today’s widow persist and continue to serve and parents found justice when the one who threatened them was forced to pay a large amount of money and thus was shown to be a dishonest man. 

In this parable we see the widow winning the day and the judge with all his power, gave in because “…she keeps bothering me, …(therefore) I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally comes and strikes me.”  Imagine someone of his power cowering before this weak woman.  And the Judge also admits her case is a correct one because he says, “…I shall deliver a just decision for her…”.  He even fears she might “strike” him!  Jesus presents quite a strong and determined woman. 

Speaking out and praying for justice and the rights of others takes effort and time.  Our poor widow gives us a wonderful example. It is easy to lose heart but she hung in with great perseverance.  Jesus indicates in this parable that God wants speedy justice for all of us but the problem is, that often we humans slow that process or get in the way.

Why are some State politicians trying their best to limit voting for minorities or making demands on voters that may discourage them from using this important right?   Why are some political leaders trying to limit the rights of transmen, women and youngsters? Why are some religious leaders and folks running for office refusing to accept the results of free and fair elections?   Who are the abused “widows” of our day?

As contemporary folks when we take the time to reflect on our environment, we can find many “widows” in our society.  Men and women who need our help and support and who struggle to make ends meet.  We also have our share of figurative “unjust judges”.  Those who take advantage of others.  Think of the folks who absconded with covid recovery money or those men and women who outright lie to gain political office.  

Perseverance seems to be at the heart of Jesus’ parable. It is not always an easy thing to do when “figurative unjust judges” make the process so difficult. Just think of how long it has been for minorities to be considered equal citizens. Or how it long it is taking our Church to accept women as equals and to fully recognize their gifts.

Perhaps as this week unfolds you may want to ask yourself when you were considered “a poor widow” or when a figurative “unjust judge” blocked things in your life.  We all have our own lists!