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queerprayers · 3 months

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any tips/advice for someone who is not catholic who wants to participate in lent? like how to choose what to give up etc?

Cheers to not letting Catholics have a monopoly on Lent, beloved! Last year I answered a similar ask that might be helpful. Here are the thoughts I have right now!

[CW: discussion of eating/fasting in italics] My most important note/disclaimer: Fasting is not for everyone. It is a beautiful tradition (for Catholics and non-Catholics) that can change people's lives, but if it's going to be a part of your practice, do it on purpose, knowing yourself. It inherently changes your relationship with food--and for people who have always had enough to eat, who have never struggled with disordered eating, who have never been seriously ill, there can be a solidarity and new perspective in fasting, in realizing how sensory experiences and comfort and mortality go together, how privileged you are to have the choice to go hungry. But for those who have struggled with food insecurity, or have lived through/live with eating disorders/disability/illness, or any other experience/relationship with food/the body that changes your perspective, fasting will often be a re-traumatizing or triggering practice that doesn't change your perspective so much as reinforce unhealthy ones. Something I think about: why fast if you cannot feast? Lenten fasting brings us to Easter feasting--if that's not accessible to you, if that wouldn't be joyful or affordable or healthy, fasting probably isn't either. Okay, all that said:

There is so much diversity in what a Lenten practice can look like, and I can't tell you what will be most meaningful for you, but I'll give you some ideas and some questions that have been helpful for me to ask myself! Lent existed way before the Catholic/Protestant divide, and exists among so many diverse communities, and there is a path here for you if you want one.

"Giving up something" is the most common language used for Lent--fasting technically refers to anything abstained from--and generally that's really useful! Jesus's forty days in the wilderness was time that he had nothing but God, and during Lent we can get closer to that experience. I give things up not as punishment or a test of self-control (those ideas trigger unhealthy behavior patterns for me), but as a letting go of something that is in my life but doesn't need to be, and may deserve reconsidering. Sometimes it's a bad habit, but sometimes it's just a conscious allowing of my life to grow simultaneously smaller and bigger. There is space for grief during Lent, but we're not just making ourselves feel bad--I've never found forced emotions to be spiritually helpful. Emotions come and go--we're doing this on purpose, and whatever we feel about it, we make space for that.

Ideas of things to give up:

eating out/getting coffee/buying drinks/little treats

impulse buying/nonessentials (you could pick a category, like clothes, or go all out)

alcohol/drugs/smoking (if this would be starting a recovery journey, I am not the person to ask for advice on that but please do seek help)

social media (you could choose one app to give up, or set time limits--it doesn't have to be all or nothing)

scrolling-on-your-phone time before bed/another time when you get sucked in

another form of casual entertainment (like TV/video games--again, you can limit this rather than cutting it out)

sexual activity (I talked about this here)

makeup/other appearance-related thing (I must confess I have considered doing this and always chickened out. I know that's because it would force me to rethink too many things, which is a probably a sign I should do it one of these years.)

a social habit, like gossiping or getting into arguments online

overscheduling/not having rest days (this is often unavoidable, but rest is necessary and holy, and perhaps this is the season for sacrifice in honor of rest)

single-use plastics/another environmental choice

Note: I don't think any of these things are inherently bad things. This is a list of things we can change/investigate our relationship with or have a season without them as a distraction, not things I think we shouldn't be doing or we should feel bad about.

One of the most important things I've realized is that so often I have given something up and not done anything about it. Like I didn't watch TV for forty days and was mad about it and then Lent was over and I watched TV again. Perhaps this strengthened my self-discipline, or made my life better in a way known only to God, but ultimately nothing happened. I didn't consciously do anything else, I didn't learn anything.

Now, when I give up something, I purposely do something with whatever space it leaves. If I'm not watching TV, what am I going to do when I would usually watch TV? Am I gonna pray? go to bed earlier? call my grandmother? Am I gonna cancel my Netflix subscription for a couple months and donate that saved money? Or maybe I'm gonna give up watching mindless TV, and find stories that resonate and make me think. Don't give things up to check a box, but to reexamine your relationship with them, make everyday things sacred, fill the space/time/money/energy you now have with God, and ultimately to set this time apart.

The other way of looking at Lent practices is things you can add. Often, as I mentioned, they go together--you can pair up something you're no longer buying with somewhere to donate to, or give up an activity and replace it with a new one. I always caution against Lent-as-self-improvement--obviously I can support improving our habits, but I've seen too many people use Lent to restart their new year's workout plans, and while exercise can be a way to care for ourselves, if new year's and Lent are treated the exact same way, what's different about this season? What makes this Lent?

One of the questions I've been asking myself recently is: What are you gonna do about it? When I'm investigating a belief, or learning something new, or reframing an old thought process, I ask myself: What am I gonna do about it? Lent is a path to Holy Week--something I and many others commemorate as the week when God was put on trial and literally killed. I genuinely believe God died and was resurrected--how does this affect my life? Believing something like that and not letting it change you is, to me, inauthentic. When I'm considering a belief, I think, if this were true, how would it change me? Would it lead me to Love? Lent (and Christianity itself) over and over asks us to do something about what we say we believe. Faith without works is dead--and faith is a work, something I do.

It's almost Lent, which is preparation for the Resurrection, which fundamentally changes our understanding of what it means to be alive--so what are you gonna do about it? Not because doing something will make God love you more or make you a "better person," or even because you'll succeed or change your life, but because how can we not? We are of course welcome at Easter having done nothing, but I can't imagine knowing what's coming and not letting it change me.

Ideas of things to add to our lives:

start a prayer/Bible routine--I can now wholeheartedly recommend (as a Protestant who connects with ancient traditions but not always Catholicism) Phyllis Tickle's Divine Hours books! For Bible study, I like The Bible Project's videos.

read a book--it can be anything that connects you with God! (I had a lovely experience with Lenten Lord of the Rings last year, and this year I'm properly going through the Quran)

pick a subject to research (theological or anything else)

start to attend worship services or commit to attending more--this could include going to several different places if you don't currently belong to a church

research places to volunteer for or donate to

do something politically active, like calling your representatives, researching the next local election, or attending a protest

donate to the next [insert number here] posts you see online requesting mutual aid

start a physical practice like taking a walk or stretching

write a letter or call someone regularly, especially with people you've been wanting to connect with more or have unresolved conflict with

start/commit to more regular therapy/other health treatment

ask for help--maybe you're the one who needs mutual aid, or reaching out to, or support cleaning your house or with your kids. there is no shame in this.

These are all obviously things we can be doing year round, and certainly we can use Lent as a season to start something we want to keep with us! I'd also encourage us to have something that's only present during Lent, or something that we do more or in a different way.

You asked how to choose, and I don't have a one sentence answer to that (...obviously), but perhaps in these days before Lent you can look at your routine/habits, the places where God is present, the things you do to distract yourself from life (not a crime--just something to be mindful of), and you can see where Lent might be able to come in and change you. The thing that's nagging at you that you know might be helpful, the thing you're not in control of and just do, the time you take up or the money you spend that might not be bad but also doesn't lead you anywhere. We can't expect every aspect of our lives to be purposeful and present, or to be continuously improving ourselves (in fact, that sounds terribly stressful and unsustainable)--but we can look around us. We can have a season that looks different because everyone I've ever known has a brain that craves ritual in some way--and either we do it on purpose, or we fall into it. Do something (or don't do something) a little more on purpose this season.

Another think to think about is what Sundays will look like for you--the "forty days" don't count them. There's no fasting on Sundays--my mom says every Sunday is a little Easter. "Sundays in Lent" is such an interesting concept because it's very much Lent, but the rhythm of our weeks breaks through. When I give up soda, I'll have one as a celebration on Sundays, but a prayer/reading practice I'll continue through. It's up to you and depends on what your rhythm/habits ask of you.

Ultimately, let God interrupt you. Let Them seep in the cracks of everything you do and let go of. To be loved is to be changed. Even the smallest thing--like wearing a cross necklace every day--can cause our lives to be filled with noticing God's presence. I keep saying to do this on purpose, but know that I find Them much more often by accident.

And an obligatory note: starting Lent late, stopping your practice halfway through, not meeting a goal, whatever comes up--Easter still comes for you. Lent is for paying attention, for making space, not for perfection.

I also want to add that while a lot of Lenten practices (including most I've mentioned here) tend to be personal, ultimately what is asked of us is interpersonal. We make space in our life and be more present in the name of Love--which we cannot do alone. If a practice is not specifically about other people (like volunteering/donating), ask yourself how it will serve the ways you love others? This isn't a trick question, just something to think about. Personally, my study of the Quran this season will connect me with my Muslim siblings through time and enable me to more fully love the Muslims around me, and my rhythm of the divine hours will connect me with the wider Christian community and center me as I go about my day, allowing me to be more present in my relationships.

Easter comes whether we're ready or not--and I don't think we can be ready. But we can look at the small parts of ourselves, set this time apart, see what we can change our relationship with, and perhaps when Easter comes, we will every year have come that much closer to understanding what it means to live out the resurrection by honoring the death that came first.

Wishing you a blessed almost-Lent, and praying for you and your practice (as well as all those reading this)!

<3 Johanna

#asks

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copperbadge · 6 months

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Endeavor OTC II: ADHD Boogaloo!

I've been diligently putting in 25 minutes a day on the video game for ADHD and focus that I talked about here. The first thing the game does is test your baseline, a measure of your ability to focus among other things, and set a goal for you to reach from baseline. Each day's gaming is a "dose" of a six week "treatment", and I appreciate them using medical language, because when I'm getting frustrated by the game or feeling like I don't want to play on any given day, it's a quick reminder that the goal is not to win but to undergo treatment.

(Me to therapist: "I'm secretly very competitive." Therapist: "It's not as secret as you think.")

The game retests your focus score every 15 "missions" (you can play several missions per day, each lasting around 3-7 minutes). I started at 36/100, with a goal of 57, and was delighted to have hit it yesterday, after only two weeks:

[ID: A chart of my progress, labeled "Your Focus Score"; it spans October 7th-20th, and shows me rising from 36 to 59 across several dates where they evaluated my progress.]

They haven't given me a new goal and I'm not sure if they will, but I'm going to continue to treat for the full six weeks and see if I can't get into that Top 10% bracket.

Supposedly the two-week mark is where one may start noticing improvement in focus, impulsivity, and similar issues that people with ADHD struggle with. I haven't noticed anything drastic, but I have become aware that I use my headphones less. Usually when I'm out in public, or if I'm working on something that doesn't require intensive focus at home, I have my headphones in and music or a podcast playing, because I get so bored so easily. But when I was traveling home from Texas I took them out to go through security and just...didn't put them back in for like half an hour, which especially in an airport is shocking to me. I've been playing podcasts on my phone at home less, too.

You can't buy anything in the game once you've subscribed to it, but you can earn coins by running missions, and use the coins to buy various costumes for your avatar -- and I finally saved up enough for the costume I wanted....

I'm the dapperest Victorian feline to ever have ADHD.

[ID: A screengrab of the welcome page of the app, which reads "Welcome Sam" at the top, over a backdrop that shows a field of stars and a distant galaxy. In the foreground is my avatar, currently dressed as a black and white anthropomorphic cat, with his whiskers waxed into a curly mustache, dressed in a top hat and tuxedo.]

#sam has adhd #endeavor otc

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fleetstreetvicomte · 5 months

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I always thought that 3rd Life was the first time Martyn, Jimmy and BigB interacted with most of the Hermits…

But now YouTube has recommended me videos from about 4 months prior to 3rd Life of Martyn, Jimmy, BigB, Grian, Scar, Impulse, Tango, Etho, Bdubs, and Keralis playing Among Us!!!

#trafficblr #among us #hermitcraft #inthelittlewood #solidaritygaming #bigbst4tz2 #grian #goodtimeswithscar #impulsesv #tangotek #ethoslab #bdoubleo100 #keralis

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togglesbloggle · 5 months

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I've noticed a lot less... consistency? Plot? Worldbuilding? In many of the more popular video games ever since I stopped chasing the latest AAA sensations. More than once I've made the mistake of asking what a game is 'about' only to get blank looks- I'm making a category error even by asking the question!

Here I'm thinking especially of the 'mega-hit' games like Fortnite, Dead by Daylight, that sort of thing; Overwatch is famously not even canon to itself. Though there's plenty of the type at all levels of popularity, especially among imitators of the heavyweights. They tend to stream well, so they build big fanbases on Twitch and so on, and often involve quick (~15-25 minute) pvp matches in a bounded arena. But there's a decent amount of variation within the 'lore-light' type; I bet most of the new Vampire Survivor microgenre probably qualifies from what I've seen. Even Minecraft might, if you're feeling expansive.

Anyway, I try to resist the impulse to Kids These Days about it- it's not like games with plot and worldbuilding stopped being made, after all, and BG3 proves that there's still voracious appetite for more elaborate constructions. And besides, these arena games have obvious inheritance from classic multiplayer shooters like Halo and Quake, even Goldeneye, so it's been coming for a long time, almost as long as digital gaming has been a thing. They just... stopped bothering to include the single player campaign, so to speak.

Actually, I think it's probably a side effect of video games getting more and more culturally mainstream across my lifespan. Try this thesis on for size: The more mainstream that electronic gaming becomes, the more it comes to resemble sports. Or maybe the reverse! Maybe you can triangulate towards millions upon millions of fans by deeply intuiting interesting things about the nature of sports, and using digital media to explore that landscape in unexpected ways. This is, genuinely, a really interesting trend to me- this thing where many of the elements that I personally enjoy most in games become, sort of, just different-colored jerseys on a small squad of players that are here primarily to test their virtuosity against some opponent.

They tell me that much of the fun of sports is in the narrative, but it's an emergent narrative between the teams and players themselves, something that flows from the contest itself rather than some writer in a studio somewhere. All this seems like a really interesting sort of thing to enjoy, and I'm fascinated by the thought that there's some giant mass of humanity that eternally finds its way back to this participatory storytelling style, no matter how hard the Tolkiens of the world build their own de novo narratives systematically.

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goqmir · 9 months

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Our other high-end package will leave your boytoy begging for your touch: a sensory depravation experience! Have your twink enter a sensory depravation tank kept at cool, moist temperatures and suspended above the ground. We will gag them so they can't hear themselves speak, bind them so they can hardly flex their muscles, and leave them alone to think about their pathetic little place for hours at a time! We are even happy to place in a vibrator so they can't think about anything but your love for them. If your twink has done any wrong and needs punishment, or maybe even a simple reset, this package may be for you.

Thank you so much for choosing our Twink Safekeeping Service! We hope you will be satisfied with the experiences offered here to take in your twink while you take in your much-needed vacation. And as always, Think Twink™!

#196 #hornyposting #top posting #dom posting #twinkposting #tgirlsummer #femboy #twink safekeeping service

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beardedmrbean · 5 months

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Among images of the bombed out homes and ravaged streets of Gaza, some stood out for the utter horror: Bloodied, abandoned infants.

Viewed millions of times online since the war began, these images are deepfakes created using artificial intelligence. If you look closely you can see clues: fingers that curl oddly, or eyes that shimmer with an unnatural light — all telltale signs of digital deception.

The outrage the images were created to provoke, however, is all too real.

Pictures from the Israel-Hamas war have vividly and painfully illustrated AI's potential as a propaganda tool, used to create lifelike images of carnage. Since the war began last month, digitally altered ones spread on social media have been used to make false claims about responsibility for casualties or to deceive people about atrocities that never happened. While most of the false claims circulating online about the war didn’t require AI to create and came from more conventional sources, technological advances are coming with increasing frequency and little oversight. That’s made the potential of AI to become another form of weapon starkly apparent, and offered a glimpse of what’s to come during future conflicts, elections and other big events.

“It’s going to get worse — a lot worse — before it gets better,” said Jean-Claude Goldenstein, CEO of CREOpoint, a tech company based in San Francisco and Paris that uses AI to assess the validity of online claims. The company has created a database of the most viral deepfakes to emerge from Gaza. “Pictures, video and audio: with generative AI it’s going to be an escalation you haven’t seen.”

In some cases, photos from other conflicts or disasters have been repurposed and passed off as new. In others, generative AI programs have been used to create images from scratch, such as one of a baby crying amidst bombing wreckage that went viral in the conflict’s earliest days.

Other examples of AI-generated images include videos showing supposed Israeli missile strikes, or tanks rolling through ruined neighborhoods, or families combing through rubble for survivors.

In many cases, the fakes seem designed to evoke a strong emotional reaction by including the bodies of babies, children or families. In the bloody first days of the war, supporters of both Israel and Hamas alleged the other side had victimized children and babies; deepfake images of wailing infants offered photographic ‘evidence’ that was quickly held up as proof.

The propagandists who create such images are skilled at targeting people's deepest impulses and anxieties, said Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit that has tracked disinformation from the war. Whether it's a deepfake baby, or an actual image of an infant from another conflict, the emotional impact on the viewer is the same.

The more abhorrent the image, the more likely a user is to remember it and to share it, unwittingly spreading the disinformation further.

“People are being told right now: Look at this picture of a baby,” Ahmed said. “The disinformation is designed to make you engage with it.”

#nunyas news

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sincerely-sofie · 2 months

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Gonna need to make an official poll for this at some point… HOWEVER:

What kind of content would you like to see from me after TPiaG is finished uploading?

I’ve got a lot of storylines I could pursue that are TPiaG-adjacent (like my 5,000 branching AUs), or I could try and continue the fic chronologically somehow. Alternatively, I could start a new fic with some original PMD characters of mine— or even try branching out into some more fandoms or posting my original work!

Here’s a list of some of my stuff I’ve posted about previously to provide some ideas, but don’t feel bound to discussing them alone:

Mortality Exchange AU: A TPiaG alternate storyline where Twig manages to kill Darkrai during the Dark Crater fight and becomes his replacement as the Legend of Nightmares.

Dugtrio Day AU: A PMD2 AU about a new Hero and Partner that revolves around a time loop, how it affects the Hero, and how she breaks out of it and deals with the aftermath.

Legends Lost: An original storyline set in the same universe as TPiaG, but starring an almost entirely original cast and plot.

Peepaw + Isekai’d Cat: A duo of PMD OCs— Necrozma and the once-human litten who helps him recover his true form by giving him hope— and their daily lives.

Paradox Fam: A group of PMD OCs starring a human-turned-flutter mane and said human’s adopted mother and father, a slither wing and iron moth, who hate each other’s guts.

Team Crypt: An exploration team of PMD OCs who solve mysteries in a manner that rivals the shenanigans of Scooby Doo and the Mystery Gang.

The Creeping Chronicles (at end of post): A fantasy story about bug people with trauma which has evolved rapidly and dramatically from when I impulsively uploaded a prologue in comic form.

Room 214: A stand-alone short comic about a reluctant exorcist and a friendly ghost that I think could be expanded upon into a broader storyline.

The Name-Oath: A two-part original story about a mortal woman who divorces a fairy prince after an ugly falling-out, and his desperate efforts to get back together.

THIMBLEQUEST: An original video game concept about a tiny moth knight who’s on a quest to find the seven holy thimbles and save the land from an ancient threat.

Unnamed Pokémon Gym Story: A mainline Pokémon OC that is a weather-enthusiast pokemon trainer and her golisopod who keeps bringing home injured bug-types.

Homebound: An Among Us fanfic featuring interspecies adoption, unlikely friendships, tragic backstories, and angst. A lot of angst.

Massive Art OC Dump: (This links to a summary of a lot of original projects with art associated with them.)

If you’ve got some time to share your thoughts or any ideas, please let me know!

Nothing is certain at this point, but I thought I’d start asking for opinions early!

#stuff by sofie #pmd2 #pmd eos #pmd #pmd explorers #pmd sky #pokémon mystery dungeon #pokemon mystery dungeon #pmd ocs #pmd oc #pokemon oc

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workersolidarity · 1 year

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This is an index of Economic growth of select ex-Communist countries: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and Georgia, with a mention of China.

Poland, among the Eastern European ex-Communist countries, did the best. And it is true that Poland's economy is now more than 2.5x the size it was before the Warsaw Pact countries collapsed, having received ENORMOUS aid funds from the EU and US, and was even brought into the European Union, becoming fully integrated into the Western Imperialist fold.

There's just no way to credibly say that Neoliberalism served the economic growth of Poland. The massive economic intervention by the West into Poland's economy is antithetical to Neoliberalism. And so, we can conclude Neoliberalism was NOT a cause for Poland's economic growth.

Second best, as you can see, is Belarus, having grown to nearly twice the size its economy was in 1989. But what's interesting about this is that Belarus was the one Eastern European nation that did NOT adopt a Neoliberal Capitalist model. It is still to this day a largely publicly-owned economy, depending largely on large State-owned Machining and Manufacturing companies that employ large swaths of the population. Its education system as well has changed little since 1989, and Belarus still has one of the best education systems among Eastern European countries.

Russia is an interesting case because it began down the road to Neoliberalism, oligarchs formed out of the ex-Soviet heartland, with criminal enterprises and private corporations becoming nearly indistinguishable from one another for a time.

However, in very important ways, Russia has begun moving away from the Neoliberal model, even re-Nationalizing certain key resources and vastly increasing Social spending, Healthcare spending, and Infrastructure projects. This increase is reflected in the graph as a sudden stop in Russia's decline in the early 2000's and a steady, if slow, growth since then.

I don't personally know a whole lot about Georgia, and so I will decline to comment on the economic state of the country at this time, and will do some research on the economic system of Georgia.

Last, and certainly least, comes Ukraine, which followed a process similar to Russia's, indulging in the worst Neoliberal impulses for Privatization and Deregulation. With that said, much of Ukraine's previously strong Socialist Labor Protections, broad Union Rights, and huge public assets still remained at the time of the Euromaidan coup.

And what you see since 2014 is the very rapid deregulation, privatization and Union smashing of the Ukrainian economy. The entire country is for sale. Don't take my word for it, take Zelensky's when he made that weird video praising BlackRock and JP Morgan Chase as the future of Ukraine. Zelensky has made it crystal clear: any and all State Assets are up for the highest bidder to take. Mostly Western Corporations that see an opportunity to suck the wealth out of yet another country's working class. And the results have been so far predictable: huge increases in poverty along with economic decline and stagnation. I mean, peeling Ukraine away from its largest trading partner was always going to be bad for Ukraine, and the economic indicators make it clear that Neoliberalism is destroying their Working Class.

And lastly a simple note on China: China's economy has grown 1'480% since 1989. A staggering figure for a Nation that had been among the poorest in the world for the 19th and much of the 20th Centuries. China of course is no longer a Communist style Command economy, or is it? China still has no Private Property, all property must be leased from the State, and though China has opened up its economy, it hasn't exactly followed the Neoliberal model either.

Instead China has led global economic growth as a sort of mixed economy. Much of it remains under Command control, being massive State-owned enterprises, and the CPC has huge stakes in Private companies throughout the Chinese economy. Virtually all of China's resources remain under Govt control, under Public ownership.

I won't go much further into it, the point is clear: China, whatever its economy may be called, it is NOT Neoliberal Capitalism. So for our purposes, China's massive economic growth cannot be attributed to Neoliberalism by any means.

So just something to think about. It seems pretty obvious that Neoliberalism offers nothing to the Working Classes. All it offers is more poverty and stratospheric inequality.

*Update*

Just an added side note: one thing each of the countries that have displayed economic growth since the fall of the Soviet Union have in common is an Industrial Policy. Poland, China and Belarus each have had an industrial policy with large-scale Govt intervention. This is also antithetical to Neoliberalism, and the countries that have not had an industrial policy were also the same countries to follow the Neoliberal model.

A clear Industrial Policy seems like an essential character of an economy growing on Main Street, not Wall Street.

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adrianasunderworld · 1 year

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Imagine Charming with a twist in time personality as he was about see Cinderella only to be stop by the NRC.

Crowley: I WOULDNT LET GO ON A SINGLE STEP.

Charming looks at the window and at Crowley: Okay...

He said before proceed to jump out of the window.

Crowley: WHAT THE-!?

Trein: What kind of prince is he?

Now that I realized, I wonder how Trein feel about Charming.

Twist in time Charming is the only true Charming imo.

Honestly, Prince Charming in the 3rd movie is probably the one that's going to fit into twst the best solely for how goofy and impulsive he is. Like the jumping out the window response is so sassy as well crazy. Floyd is all for these shenanigans. Mf jumped from a cliff, used a dagger to go down the sail of the ship for Cinderella. Only to look around awkwardly like he didn't expect to actually stick that landing. This man just does shit on impulse and never knows what he's doing. I love him so much.

Azul, in fucking shock at watching Charming climb up and jump around rooftops on main street like a video game character, just because the wind blew Cinderellas scarf up away onto one of them.

Azul: What the-? Not even Floyd is this crazy.

Cinderella: and he's all mine. 🥰

Trein has seen some shit in his years teaching at NRC. Charming just another weirdo among many to him. But since Trein has a soft spot for Cinderella, he's a bit more critical. But he's a devoted boy he'll give him that. Most importantly though, Cinderella seems happy, so he lets it be.

#twisted wonderland #cinderella #prince charming #cinderella 3 #its time to rewatch twist in time #azul ashengrotto

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gatefleet · 8 months

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Safe With Me

Scorpion: Walter O'Brien, Paige Dineen, Tobias Curtis

WordCount: 1,179

T(W): Hospital, Kidnapping, Temporary Blindness, Blind Panic.

Request: Yes, “Hey! Could u do a Walter o brien x fem reader, where the reader is kidnapped and the kidnapper keeps sending them her videos and these videos cause walter's EQ to show like he's panicked or even crying and when the team finally find her Walter hugs her tight and tends to her injury this causes toby to tease him and paige becomes jealous.

I totally understand if u don't want to do it.

Thank you” - @quackthesuck

A/N: I'm so sorry I've taken so long with this request, I've had a hectic time at work. I hope this is what you were looking for.

You awoke and could not see; your vision was in darkness, and this caused more panic and fear in you than the vague voices in the background which were drowned out by your panic. Your panic only increased when you became aware that your hands and arms were restrained. Realised you were rocking back and forth on some something solid which moved with you. You tried to speak or scream and realised that you had something made of fabric in your mouth. Your panic grew and you began hyperventilating.

Watching on the live stream Team Scorpion stood frozen. Gabe went to make a call, Paige looked like she was about to cry, Sly already had tears streaming down his face, Toby had begun to babble to himself about ransom demands and motives, Happy look pissed, and Walter hit shutdown mode. Paige was quickest to recover after Gabe and tried help prevent the team from spiralling too deeply, Gabe quickly behind her focussing on Happy and Walter.

Once Happy gained a little more composure she immediately went to work on a potential deterrent for the next person who dared hurt the team and thinking of a way to try and track your location from the equipment the abductors carelessly left in the frame. Walter was still in full shutdown mode. The first few videos they had sent you had appeared to be unaware of what was happening, perhaps unconscious, it wasn’t affecting him as much, but watching you panic, writhe in fear and hearing those muffled screams… that was what broke him. That was what overloaded his EQ, his primal brain and made him shutdown.

Gabe had begun physically shaking Walter in the way someone would a person who had passed out. That was when his brain kicked in again. He went straight to his computer to download the video file, to try and begin pulling it apart in some software he had to find any clue or hint as to your location. It took Sly a minute or two to catch up and attempt the same thing from a different angle on his own computer. Walter had begun to snap at anyone who seemed to be falling behind in their natural duties. Began to look harassed and was poorly hiding his panic.

Toby then began to write up a psych profile on the abductors in the hopes it would help with narrowing down locations or motives. Happy began to work on something to help track you using whatever information the rest of the team could extrapolate.

You heard the bangs first. The loud, deep voices shouting something. The people in the room shouting among each other, panic beginning to rise among the group. Heard the door open and close quickly, the quickly pacing footsteps of those that remained to guard you. It took what felt like ages before they got antsy and left the room. You heard other noises you couldn’t quite identify and then you felt yourself being lifted. You began to panic again and must have passed out, when you awakened you were relieved that you did in fact have your sight back and had not gone blind. Then you panicked as you realised you were in hospital. Nurses came to check on you due to your increasing heart rate. They gave you medication to try and relax you. Then you were being interrogated by several people in suits. You quickly had your adrenaline wear off and became numb and begun reacting on impulse.

The team were watching another livestream, you were calmer this time, but still panicked in the video. Gabe was on a call and told them team “any minute now”. Within seconds the team heard the military extraction in the background of the stream and the immediate aftermath, including the military personnel picking you up and heard Toby’s analysis that you had passed out as a normal bodily function to the fear and panic of not understanding what was going on. The team had to wait a while before they could get to see you, the alphabet agencies each wanted to speak with you in turn and then you were on strict no visitor policies in between to get some form of rest. They sat in the waiting room for hours. Walter getting more annoyed at the time going past without seeing you. Toby watched the interactions of the group to let Paige and Gabe know when something was going to erupt, just to keep himself occupied, any time a doctor walked past he would try to find out anything he could from them. Toby noticed Paige’s demeanour change more and more the longer Walter paced, the longer he rubbed his face in his hands, the more annoyed look would come over Paige’s face, which would flicker to hurt and back to annoyed. Walter’s eyes darting towards the doors, his catching himself pacing up to the doors and fighting the urge to burst through them to see you, to see with his own eyes that you were physically alright.

The second Walter was given a hint of a green light to finally be able to see you he burst through the hospital searching for your room, the rest of the team trailing behind him. When he finally found your room, he stopped dead when he saw you standing next to your bed having a test done on your balance and reactions, you hadn’t realised he was there yet, staring silently, taking in the sight of you. You had sat back on the bed by the time the rest of the team caught up with him and Gabe’s subtle push to get Walter firmly into the room instead of hovering on the outside. The others watched from the door as Walter awkwardly moved into the room, how he awkwardly made you aware of his presence, coughing lightly. You turned quickly and the smile you gave Walter. It made his heart falter, his breath catch in his chest. He hadn’t realised he had opened his arms to cradle you tightly until your body practically collided with his. Toby began to make fun of “Mr. 197 IQ” but quickly stopped once he was elbowed in the ribs to ‘read the room’. What he didn’t miss was the very teary look in Paige’s eyes and the distinct quickness of her suddenly being distracted by something at the other end of the hall. All you could hear over the tears and both you and Walter’s rapid heartbeats was him faintly whispering into your hair, “it’s fine, you’re back and you’re safe with me.”

GIF credit to the owner

Tag List;

@lastwandastan (won't allow tag) , @lollipopsandlandmines

#scorpion x reader #scorpion reader insert #walter obrien x reader #scorpion request #walter o'brien request

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roninkairi · 1 month

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MOVIE REVIEW- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Mild Spoiler Alert About Phoebe Included)

Let me get something off of my chest before we begin: I've been apprehensive about taking sites like Rotten Tomatoes or IGN seriously when it comes to reviews. I mean, I am aware that the purpose of the former is to show the average score of a movie among critics but I rarely take it at face value. (Hence my enjoyment of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie") and as for the latter, the quick summary of their review gave off the wrong kind of vibes, as if the person who wrote it was expecting some sort of Citizen Kane level masterpiece. And I get it, a lot of people set their expectations for a Ghostbusters movie, ANY movie, high. MAybe sometimes a little too high. For me, a good indication of whether or not I want to see a film is how the trailer portrays it. When I saw the trailers for Madame Web, for example, I wasn't too sure if it was something ! would want to see willingly in the theaters and, judging by critic and audience responses, my decision not to see it was well founded. The trailers for Frozen Empire however had the opposite effect, and I'm glad it did, as it really is a good movie all things considered.

Taking place about 3 years after the events of "Afterlife", the story returns us back to NYC where it all began: The Spenglers and Gary Grooberson have moved into the firehouse and take over the operations of the business, while Winston has opened up a new research center in Brooklyn (seriously, Brooklyn? I'm sure Queens would have had some better spots nearby.) However, the story begins to pick up steam once Ray acquires a relic that houses something decidedly sinister and soon, it will require both new and old team members to stop the threat.

The main story of course focuses on Phoebe and her rather rebellious streak (yeah, we all reached that part in our teen years when we thought we knew better) but surprisingly enough, Ray is also part of the story as sort of a mentor figure to Phoebe and Podcast (who, like Lucky, have become interns in the company as a way to explain why they are in New York). Both of them find themselves in a situation where they are sidelined because of their actions out on the field but for different reasons. Its interesting to note since we never really got to see much of Ray's interactions in the first two movies (of course the video games counter this) and Phoebe's character is slowly fleshed out more; here she is quick to anger, seems more assured of herself and more impulsive, which gets her into trouble. In short: she's a teen with a unlicensed nuclear accelerator on her back and a chip on her shoulder. Oddly enough though, she is the one sibling between herself and Trevor who seems to have gotten more attention in the potential romance department. While it's good to see Lucky return, I wished they had tried to further the potential relationship between herself and Trevor, as hinted at in the end of the previous movie. But for the purposes of the story, it's Phoebe and her maybe-girlfriend that we get to explore (yes, you read that right but I won't elaborate further since that is a big Twinkie to digest). Trevor gets relegated to a mini side story with an old ghost friend however...

That's another thing I wanted to touch on, the side stories themselves. Kumali Ali Nanjiani, one of the supporting cast members, said in an interview this movie drew inspiration from The Real Ghostbusters" cartoon series and in many aspects, it feels that way. The tone of each plot point, while seemingly independent, can at times feel like it could be part of a TV show narrative; from the cold opening to Ray's investigation into the legend of Garakka, if the film was indeed a portal into making a limited series it would fit right in. We are left with wanting to see more about the new lab that Winston has set up, the new tech guy, even more about the library but we only have so much time. And you want to see more of the Spengler/Grooberson family dynamic but we got an evil ghost god to contend with. Its a fun ride though, especially towards the end. But if we only got 20 MORE MINUTES, oh the possibilities. Does this mean its bad? No, its a good film. This is something you can definitely sit down and enjoy. But you will want more lore out of it. And hopefully when the next film comes out (and lets face it we will get one sooner or later) we will see the story take more risks. The good kind of risks too.

And MAYBE Phoebe and Trevor go on a double date.

#ghostbusters #ghostbusters frozen empire

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orbmanson7 · 1 year

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How can Logan drinking an ever growing amount of wine in the birthday video be interpreted as? What kind of message us viewers (and Thomas since he was interviewing them) are we supposed to receive from that display?

Alcohol, huh? Here's a trigger warning just in case! I'll be talking about alcohol a lot in this.

Alright, so the obvious answer here is that they are playing on the adult comedy trope of someone drinking wine indicating they are stressed but still have some of their dignity left (it's not like they are so desperate, they're drinking straight whiskey or care so little about class that they're downing beers).

Alcohol in media is often used to portray a character using unhealthy coping mechanisms to handle stress. Namely as a way to say, in not so many words, that someone is either trying to forget something that upsets them or that someone is trying to de-stress from their hectic life. This is likely why both Logan and Janus are seen drinking wine, though Logan, as you've noticed, definitely does it a lot more often. Yes, it's played up for comedic effect, but it's still probably meant to show us how stressed he is.

In WTIT, once Logan realizes he will not only have to keep Thomas on task but also have to wrangle in Remus, he purposefully dumps out his coffee and immediately fills a tumbler with wine instead. In the early afternoon, too, no less. Yikes.

I won't get into potential alcoholic behaviors or anything because it's clear this is meant to be a joke above all else, even if it's a joke about someone utilizing an unhealthy coping mechanism. The only thing to really focus on with this is its lack of prevalence among other sides and its recently increased frequency in videos.

Like I mentioned, we've only really seen Janus and Logan purposefully ingest the stuff (sorry, Patton), but I fully believe that Janus drinks wine more for the aesthetics than for its effects. It's a villainous prop, it completes his look - the one he wants others to see. That's why we don't typically see him actually drink the wine when he's shown with it, mostly just holding it in a glass.

For him, it's more about looking like someone who drinks wine than actually wanting/needing to drink it. This is why he likes being seen as the "sassy aunt" like he said in the anniversary video, as the 'wine aunt' is another common trope seen in media. The wine aunt is often characterized as someone who likes to gossip, indulge themselves, and often cares more about how others perceive them and pretending they're unbothered by it than actually doing anything about it. Maybe that says something about Janus, maybe not. ;)

But in Logan's case, things are definitely different. I highly doubt it's about aesthetics for him (well, it is on a meta level for the sake of comedy, but not within the narrative) and it's far more about the wine's function.

Alcohol is known to lower inhibitions. As a depressant, it can heighten emotions (any emotions - happiness, sadness, anger, etc.) and it allows you to make more impulsive decisions that you may have properly thought out and talked yourself out of otherwise - depending on your tolerance level, that is. I don't personally like wine but I know it takes several drinks and shots before I can even feel buzzed, so Logan having increasingly larger containers doesn't have to only exist as a running joke, it can also indicate that he has a very high tolerance level.

That means he has a lot of control over himself and his faculties, and if he would want those inhibitions lowered, it would take A LOT of alcohol to actually have a significant effect on him.

If that was another way of saying he's divulging in something that will get his guard down and possibly let something more emotional take hold, it certainly would be an interesting analogy to use for such a purpose.

But, here's the thing - Logan indulging in drinking wine is a choice. He is choosing to do this, likely knowing full well what alcohol can do to someone's mind (which is why he keeps drinking more and more as time goes on). Comedic bit or not, Logan is either using wine as a unhealthy coping mechanism for stress and it's going to result in lowered inhibitions and impulsive choices that he's determined may be worth the risk, or he's using wine for the express purpose of its ability to lower inhibitions and heighten emotions and doesn't care if it's helping him handle his stress or not.

Either way, it doesn't seem like a smart move to make, at least not in the long-term.

But maybe it's a key to getting things moving narratively, who knows?

#i will say if it's indicative of an unhealthy coping mechanism then it makes sense that patton was the only one to drink wine accidentally!#logan sanders #janus sanders #tw alcohol #sanders sides #orbs speech bubbles #long post #sanders sides analysis

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diviinaee · 1 year

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The Story of Quinn and Darlin' .

today. I will talk about the way Erik has approached abuse and the role of the abuser and the victim through the story of Darlin' and Quinn.

I will be very honest. I will be talking about this topic with my own experiences on mind as well. This is not in any way me saying how the metaphor is canonly used because I am not Erik and this is very much just an interpretation that I thought would be nice to share because I really think Erik is a brilliant writer

so now. tws : descriptions of abuse, emotional trauma, victim-blaming, manipulation, shame, helplessness, intrusive thoughts, and isolation

I have struggled ALOT on how to state all of this. But my philosophical mind pushed me to write this analysis.

Darlin' has always been a favorite listener of mine since I first started listening to Redacted. Their want for vengeance, lack of self preservation, moral ambiguity, etc. has always fascinated me. It was the first time that I ever saw a listemer character be given such a complex character and backstory. It was powerful enough to indicate them as a character in a story, but also ambiguous enough to be left to the interpretation of the listener. Of course this also applies to all the other listeners but that's besides the point.

From Sam's first ever solo vid, Darlin' is shown as a character that is rough around the edges, impulsive, self-destructive, and antagonistic. They are the lone wolf who is seeking revenge. Its obvious that there is a deeper explanation to rheir character, but it is left up in the air. The immediate connection between Sam and Darlin' activates an alliance between the two characters. Darlin has a dark history with this vampire and Sam s just gained a new progeny due to said vampire. They both want revenge. And they both agree to help each other get it

In Sam's second video, we are shown how self-destructive Darlin' is. They refuse to bother anyone for the help they clearly need. This very common among victims of abuse. A research study shows that this ingrained fear, lack of knowledge about alternatives, systemic isolation leading to a mistrust in others, and physical and psychological confinement is what causes many victims to be afraid to ask for help. They are afraid of the outcome. The people who have no knowledge of their trauma could develop negative views. But with Sam, it's safe. There is no hurt.

Ok now i think yall got my point. EVERYODY GOT TRAUMA IN THIS HOUSEHOLD.

Now, let's fast foward to now. Quinn is sittimg in an interrogation room with Sam while Darlin', David, and strangers are witnessing this exchange through mirrored glass.

Quinn is deliberately exposing Darlin's past. Their mate, their family, strangers, and honestly anyone who sees the interrogation tape are hearing the parts of Darlin' that they've wanted to bury away from the world.

"Because there is no greater pain I can give them than denying them....closure."

I will be extremely honest. Erik hit the bullseye on this one. Closure gives us an understanding of what went wrong on our end, which can help us grow and avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Without it, the mind can turn into a horrid cycle of overthinking and suffering.

Quinn is right. The worst thing he can do from his position is deny Darlin' closure. Because after this, his memory will haunt them forever. The memories of him abusing and manipulating them will last for an eternity. And they will be powerless against it.

"Oh, they trusted me. They trusted me with every part of them. I was the safe place for all those ugly thoughts in their head because they knew that what was in my head, was much worse. That I wouldn't judge them for it. That they could ask me to do anything to them, and I'd do it, with a smile. Anything for my precious. Are you enjoying my sloppy seconds?"

I know many people were pissed off with Quinn for saying this (rightfully so because so did I) but I want to dive into this whole part.

This just shows how hurt Darlin' was even before Quinn. They felt broken to the point where they only found comfort in a greater evil than what they thought they had. I know many people weren't able to see the sneak peak Erik released earlier this month, but I'm going to reference it for my next point. He basically just showed Quinn's icon with the song 'That's The Way Boys Are' by Lesley Gore, which illustrates an abusive relationship where the singer is trying to redeem their abuser because "that's just how it is". This resembles Darlin and Quinn's relationship perfectly. It shows why Darlin' stayed for as long as they did. Because the familiarity of the pain felt like safety.

We often learned early in our primary relationships (parents, siblings, friends, etc) what we had to do to receive love, and often times this meant giving up our own needs to serve somebody else. The chaos, unpredictability, abuse, pain, and suffering feels safe when they were entangled with love.

Darlin' was taught that love had to come with that pain. All they wanted in the end was love from someone who cared.

As I've said before, this is in no way me saying that this is exactly what Erik wanted to when he released this story. This is entirely an interpretation that I felt like writing because if I didn't I probably would've just cried to my notes app at 3am 😝🫶🏽

I am very excited to see the way this will end. AGAIN. Erik is a genius, brilliant writer and I cannot put into words how much his videos bring about such stories that feel so realistic to the point where people like me can see ourselves. Where we can live out a reality where we healed the way we wanted.

Ok enough of me rambling because I FORGOT ABOUT 2 ESSAYS THAT ARE DUE IN LIKE 4 HOURS SO IMMA GO DO THAT NOW TOODLESS😻🫶🏽‼️

#redacted audio #redacted asmr #redactedverse #redacted darlin #redacted quinn

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tsukikoayanosuke · 2 years

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Twisted Wonderland x Project Sekai - In Which I Put the TWST Boys into Proseka Scenario

Aka. I impulsively made a color coded lyrics video and put all TWST boys in them at 1 am. I ended up making five of them, one for each group. I’m very normal, guys. Trust me.

So, enjoy these crappy videos I created half-awake and funny (temporary) band names.

Basically:

Leo/need => Sunny/Ultramarine

More More Jump = > Viva Viva Muse

Vivid Bad Squad => Stray Crimson Quartet

Wonderland x Showtime => Fantastique Squadron Twinkle-Twinkle☆Showtime!

Nightcord at 25:00 => After Midnight Composition

Sunny/Ultramarine (the one that sounds a bit like K-On)

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A group of childhood friends decided to form a band.

Azul, Jade, and Floyd are acquaintances since middle school, not necessarily friends, they were just often in the same study group. They even got a scholarship from the same high school they're going to enroll in.

Azul saw how becoming a pro might be a great indie money-making business, so he purpose this to the Leech twins. Jade and Floyd just went along since it might get interesting.

But they might need more than three people to form a decent band.

Kalim and Jamil have a complicated relationship. Kalim's parents have a huge company and Jamil's parents have been working for the said company for years. Technically they are childhood friends, but Jamil is always being reminded not to ever upstage the boss' son.

Kalim was very excited about being in a band when the trio approached them, Jamil was dragged into this.

Jamil was proven to be a talented musician but was held back by Kalim being there.

It took a lot of convincing for Jamil to let loose and be his true self in the gang.

He also had the strongest voice, thus making him the main vocal and vice leader of the band. Azul, of course, is the leader.

Viva Viva Muse (The one that’s definitely not NRC Tribe)

youtube

An idol group filled with people who want changes.

Vil and Neige used to be in the same group, but Neige kept upstaging Vil to the point that Vil slowly pulled back from the agency, wanting to find another way or focus on modeling or TV Show host. But there was no doubt that he missed singing on stage. If only they wouldn't waste his potential.

Rook was the first one to approach Vil when he enrolled in the academy in their first year. At first, Rook was the biggest Neige fanboy and got closer to Vil because he was interested, but the longer he interacted, the more he was enamored with the ex-idol. They become best friends since then. Rook still talks about idol stuff and Vil gives him insight. He's on board with Vil's comeback, but let him return on his on time.

The time came sooner than they expected as they ran into two freshmen.

Deuce wanted to change. He didn't want to be a bad boy anymore. So he decided to be an idol (which is the very opposite of a street gang in his opinion). But he doesn't know how and even he knows that barging into an agency prepared is unethical. So he starts small by watching idol performances on YouTube.

Sebek has the hardest time fitting in, with him being the clingiest among his childhood friends/family. Because of the promise they made to go on their own ways once he enters high school to be independent and stuff (which means he can’t join Malleus’ theater troupe). Crashing into Deuce when he was practicing on the rooftops, Sebek immediately asked to join in. Honestly, he was proud of himself that he found something to fulfill his promise.

Rook, being his usual observant self, told Vil about the two freshmen. Seeing the opportunity, Vil and Rook approached Deuce and Sebek with a deal of idol self-training and to form a new rising idol group. Everyone agreed.

They decided to become a freelance group when the agency didn't accept newbies (Deuce and Sebek) and slowly gained attention, giving hope for people to not be afraid of changes.

Stray Crimson Quartet (The one where I questioned about the rad weekend)

youtube

A group of street musicians who aim to make the greatest event to surpass the legend.

Ace and Jack are two kids whose heart was stolen in one performance. RAD WEEKEND, is considered to be the greatest event of all time. Ace's brother is part of the group, thus planting in Ace's mind (and Jack's as well) that music is the coolest thing ever. Both of them aim to create an event that one day surpasses RAD WEEKEND.

Jack teamed up with Epel. Epel's family is a family of a classical musician who kinda forces Epel to continue the legacy. But he doesn't want to, feeling that it's too stiff. Thus he moved to street music. That's where Jack found him. Together they formed the duo Stray Wolves.

Meanwhile, Ace had a bit of trouble. He hadn't found the perfect partner who can catch up with him.

That was until someone by the name of Lilia entered the stage.

Lilia attends night class because he mostly works online during the day while taking care of his sick brother. But that doesn't mean he's not familiar with the many night events and battles of the band. He had heard about RAD WEEKEND but didn't witness it.

When Ace met Lilia, while he was strange, their voice immediately click. That was when Ace asked Lilia to be his partner. Maybe he would finally have a chance.

Interested, Lilia agrees. Together, they are the Crimson Hearts

Jack-Epel and Ace-Lilia eventually crossed paths in one of the events, Lilia's first event. While they didn't steal the show, the exposure is enough. They met again in the future, and each time, the two duos became more and more skilled

A couple of events later, Lilia purposes to combine the four of them as one team since they have the same goal. After some debate and persuasion, they agreed. Joining together as Stray Crimson Quartet.

Fantastique Squadron Twinkle-Twinkle☆Showtime! (The one in which Malleus is a clown)

youtube

A group of kids who find themselves joining a theater trope.

Let's start from the very beginning. So, there's this big amusement park. It's owned by the Draconia Family. Thus, technically speaking, Malleus is the heir of the amusement park or something. Basically, everything is his when his grandma is dead.

While there's no doubt that Malleus can run the park, his grandmother is mostly worried about his social skill. Sure he has four childhood friends, but they made a promise that they will try to go separate ways once the youngest of the group enrolls in high school. After that, Malleus won't have any friends.

So, grandma has a brilliant idea. There's this empty stage, with a little renovation it'll look good as new. Malleus' job now is to find his troupe to perform on the stage.

Technically, Malleus accepts, but uh...how?

Let's cut from him for a second and go to Trey and Ortho.

Both of them are in a similar position: having a strained relationship with the one who they care about. For Ortho, it's his big brother Idia who hadn't come out from his room after Ortho had woken up from his long coma. For Trey, it's his childhood friend Riddle who he hadn't spoken to since the amusement park incident.

All four of them are connected with one thing: the wonder of watching a stage performance. Seeing their dearest smile from watching a wonderful performance, solidify their resolve to join a theater troupe. While Ortho wants to act, Trey wants to be the director.

Both of them actually came to the amusement park where they met Malleus who straight-up accept them without an interview.

But three people were not enough to make a whole trope.

That was when Ruggie approached them. He was a student with many side jobs because of financial struggles. One of the jobs is being the amusement park mascot (one of the jobs that don't really require skills).

Ruggie agreed to join the troupe if only Malleus would pay him. And Malleus agreed (damn rich people).

Their plays were a mess, especially compared to the bigger ones in the same park. But honestly, the companionship between these fours started to warm up for each of them.

The last person to enter the scene is Cater, a vlogger and Trey's classmate. They're not that close because Cater always maintains his distance from many classmates.

Cater stated that "eh, joining a troupe sounds fun". He doesn't act, mostly wanting in publication, even making a YouTube video for them to post their performance.

Though because they only have five people in the troupe, everyone ended up acting on stage. Cater is surprisingly the best actor among them.

If you want to know who suggested the name, it was Cater and Ortho with approval from Malleus.

Does this count as found family?

After Midnight Composition (The one with the Discord server)

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A YouTube music circle who often create their songs at 1 am and only ever communicate through Discord. They are people who are tired of the world and on the brink of disappearing but still holding on to this small circle.

It started with Idia who has been composing songs as some sort of atonement after Ortho's near-death accident. He hadn’t come out of his room for a long time, not even after Ortho was better. His relationship with other family members became strained and his responsibility as the company's heir is neglected. Everyone tries to make him go outside, But he's stubborn and filled with sadness.

Riddle (who had been secretly creating poems and lyrics) commented on one of his videos and they came in contact. Raised to be his mother's golden child, Riddle is slowly losing his identity and dreams, pressured to follow what his mother told him. He has trouble feeling things and nearly loses all his senses. Venting through poems and song lyrics is the only thing that keeps him from going too far.

When they need an artist, they went on an internet search and found Silver. He has complicated narcolepsy that prevents him to go anywhere without supervision. He started to learn how to draw when he has nothing to do, gaining attention from people on Instagram. He agrees to join on the first offer, wanting to do something useful for others for once.

Leona was the last to join, being contacted when the group need a video editor. He was skeptical at first, but it's not like anyone would care. He had a bad relationship with his brother and decided on wanting to leave the house, but Farena kept him because he promised their dying grandfather to look over him. He's talented, like very talented, but without the recognition from his family, he felt useless. He pretty much had given up on life.

The four of them gathered together at 1 am when everyone was asleep and created music videos. This has become a safe space for them.

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riizebabie444 · 7 months

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ʚɞ nct taeil reading for october 2023

ʚɞ his current energy?

the whole situation is causing him to have sleepless nights. he is feeling more depressed and anxious than usual, feels he is experiencing a major life crisis and the accident has messed up his plans. he also feels afraid for the future. however, he is forcing himself to stay positive among his negative feelings.

he has a lot of energy that he wants to give despite not being able to, so he is using that energy to manage his emotions. he's doing a lot of self-reflecting due to the situation which can get him down in the dumps. but again, he is relying on himself to not allow himself down a dark path.

he feels like he's hit a stalemate in life, indecisive. he may also be presented with an important choice which he is dwelling on. but despite this, he is generally content with the situation because he knows he had to compromise due to his injuries and this was the best option.

and lastly, he feels ignored. he wishes he was able to take full part in the fact check comeback. he believes he is falling behind his members and might also feel he is being ignored by his members although they are simply busy with their promotions. he feels left out and wants to be part of the team again.

ʚɞ how does he feel about the comeback?

he feels overall quite joyful about the comeback. it is a very important comeback to him and he knows the other members believe this is an important comeback. so they all went into it with very positive energy, especially taeil.

however, he feels regretful because of this. he knows the budget was quite large compared to past comebacks and the group and staff worked hard for this album release and he feels disappointed in himself for not being able to help support them all.

he enjoys the comeback, album and music videos. and watching the promotions. it is giving him a lot of positive energy and pleasure in this hard time. though, he may be a little bit obsessed with the comeback as a whole due the setbacks that happened to him.

i think he is also wishing that this comeback might follow with more concert dates or a world tour, so he still has a chance to travel and perform for fans. but he also recognises that this is wishful thinking. overall, he is still enthusiastic about fact check despite not being a huge part of it and it is helping him cope.

ʚɞ his thoughts/feelings on the teaser image mishap?

he feels quite helpless about it. he understands it was a mistake but he also feels betrayed and believes the staff should have known better. he feels sort of embarrassed too. he also feels as though the teaser image mishap has alienated him from his group and from fans because of the negative light it is shedding. he thinks it is bringing him a lot of pity also which is something he is feeling uncomfortable with. he'd rather not talk about the issue because it feels really tense.

he kind of just wants to overcome it, move on and not talk about it again. he also feels like many people are only giving him recognition now because the situation was in the headlines, which again feels embarrassing to him. he has also speculated that the company may have planned it to make headlines and gain traction for the comeback as this is a trending behaviour among kpop companies recently.

ʚɞ what really happened with the teaser image?

i do not get the vibe that this was a malicious attack on him or intended by the company in any way. i believe this was an honest mistake due to the rush of it all. there are no hidden agendas behind it, just bad luck. but the actions that took place lead to future consequences. good and bad things happen, this just happened to be a bad thing. the company reflected on this internally and made certain sacrifices to stop something like this from happening again.

i believe with the rush of it all, a lot of things in preparation for the comeback were done on impulse, meaning things may have not been checked and double checked, a lack of real care from those involved. however, i believe some staff may have been manipulated or berated into getting things done quicker and cutting corners. i'm seeing toxic management were the root cause of this, and the staff carrying out the tasks made mistakes and are getting all the blame.

ʚɞ his feelings towards the staff and company?

he feels backstabbed by them. he believes this careless incident was the last thing he needed given he was already sitting out this comeback. but he also feels like they backstabbed him because they still made him to show up for photoshoots and mv filming even though they told him he wasn't promoting the comeback with the members. he did all that for them and they still did him dirty, intentional or not.

however, he has accepted it and is trying to not have bitter feelings towards the company or staff because it was a mistake. he just hopes that something like this doesn't happen in the future for him, his group or any other group for that matter.

he also strongly believes the company should put more care into planning for comebacks, to have better strategies for the groups success. he wants to continue being creative with the company and staff by making music to share with the world, and as i mentioned before, i think he is still expecting some concert dates or tour to happen and he wants to be a part of it.

ʚɞ his energy going forward?

he is taking this time to explore a lot of things, such as new music or new skills, and developing on his own skills, especially his vocals. he is also working hard to find ways to complete his usual responsibilities with his injuries. he is also putting the adequate energy into working on his mental health as it worsened due to the events. he is trying to find the silver lining in everything, finding even small things to remain positive about despite feeling like he has lost a lot.

he is also working hard to become more focused and clear with his life goals as they may have changed with the obstacles brought by his injuries. he is slowly finding inspiration to feel victorious once more. however, there are still some things which he is neglecting or leaving incomplete. and he may be misaligning his goals. but overall, his energy going forward is calm and ambitious.

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