#this just in. education is NOT part of the activism process. everyone should just Know the facts | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

torchickentacos · 1 year

Text

Physical Education Class and Ableism (AKA, 'Is my invisible disability actually invisible, or do you just close your eyes when confronted with a student in pain?')

I will not pretend this is a well-written discussion on the issues in PE. This is not that. This is an outlet of the grief and pain and genuine suffering that I, and many other students, felt through PE class- which goes far further than having a couple blisters after running the mile. I am in no way being dramatic or hyperbolic when I say that PE class leaves a long-lasting stain on not only self-image, but for some of us, our bodies. LONG POST. This IS personal and emotional (because years later I'm still angry at how I was treated), not a purely fact-driven dissertation, though personal anecdotes are relevant to the topic, and my emotional biases do not invalidate my points.

TW for ableism and brief mention of ED behaviours (clearly labeled and easy to skip over). This was definitively NOT fun to write, and I quite dislike talking about exactly how much disability affects me but I'm honestly angry enough to not care right now. Because every time I think about how I was treated, I get angrier and angrier. The wound grows deeper with each year I have to process it. I just want this to reach anyone else who is as angry about it as I am to reassure you that you have every right to be angry. A hell of a lot more people should be mad, too. I want people to get mad reading this. If you want, share it. Put it on tiktok without credit, for all I care (though actually please don't do that). If nothing else, just listen to kids when they say they're in pain.

To preface, I have never been able to do a push-up. Never. My shoulders and elbows just cannot support me. Any time we did push-up tests, I'd just sit on my ass because why hurt myself trying to do what everyone around me could do with ease? As for curl-ups, I think I peaked at 27 once. I never ran the mile in under thirteen minutes. Never did a pull-up. Was always last in every activity consistently (even during Ramadan, as a non-muslim who was not fasting- which, Ramadan and PE expectations are a WHOLE other topic that I am not educated enough on to make comments on, so I digress).

There were maybe three things I was good at, though. I could always far exceed everyone else in stretching and flexibility tests, and I was uniquely really good at gymnastics and hurdles, of all things. In retrospect, this is due to the leg flexibility needed for hurdle jumping, and I'm flexible due to disability- I'll get into that soon, though.

All of which is to say, I was bad at PE.

No matter what we did, for the most part, I'd be lagging behind and dizzy and in pain.

At first, I tried to push through and ignore it, determined to not fall too far behind my classmates. I was already a weirdo in the special ed program, didn't need another reason to feel like an outcast. I was already, at that point in time, missing large chunks of the year due to 'psychiatric help' stays, to put it mildly. So I just tried to keep up and never could.

Eventually, the complaining started. Or rather, the advocating that fell on un-listening ears. I started telling my teachers that running hurt and I didn't know why. That I was out of breath and my head hurt. This went on for a couple years and every single time the answer was 'well, you'll get half credit for the class if you walk today, but if you do that too much you'll fail'. So basically the answer I was given was to run with everyone else or fail class.

I started having a crunching knee. A clicking kneecap. Ankles rolling. Progressively getting worse over time. I started running with a limp. I started lagging even further behind. I started giving up entirely, opting to walk and take a bad grade because I could not keep willingly and actively hurting myself. One time, I even almost passed out after the mile and was told "well, put your head between your knees and see if that helps, then go back inside and get ready to go to your next class".

What that response told me was that I was being dramatic and lazy. The lack of seriousness they took it with told me I was just being overdramatic. So, I started believing them. Every time I walked up the school's stairs to the second floor, knees hurting and chest heaving, I just told myself I was out of shape and needed to work out more. I convinced myself I was lazy, just like they thought I was. I tried to get better. I tried to exert myself more and more in class only for it to hurt more and more.

The harder I tried, the worse I got.

I didn't understand it. Everyone around me was doing the same exercises and getting faster and stronger. Everyone else was improving or at least staying at the same levels of health. I was deteriorating, no matter how hard I tried to get into shape. I wasn't trying hard enough, maybe. SKIP RED SECTION IF ED TOPICS ARE TRIGGERING FOR YOU.

Maybe I was overweight, I thought (not true and led to some very bad habits that made me worse). I'd go from not eating lunch one day to eating two the next, trying ANYTHING that would make me feel like I was putting in the 'effort' to be healthier. Maybe I needed more food and more muscle. Maybe I needed less food and less fat. I'm sure we can see how this was an issue (that could have and would have been avoided had I been listened to).

RED SECTION OVER.

I was roughly thirteen to sixteen through all of this, if my math adds up (which it very well may not, since we can also put math in the disability zone for me).

I still get stuck in this thought pattern. I'm still working to get rid of these thoughts and attitudes in 2023. My last PE class was in 2018 if I recall.

I started skipping class. I was getting panic attacks and hiding out in the halls, in the bathrooms, trying to strategically schedule counselor meetings, doing anything I could to avoid PE class and the pain that came with it.

Eventually, though, after an eternity of pain and being told to suck it up, I stopped PE classes and fulfilled my credits for them (how I passed, I have NO idea- I can only guess my IEP team pulled strings for me behind the scenes). Only after this did I learn I had Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachychardia Syndrome (and some other random stuff that's less pertinent but definitely didn't help).

Ehlers Danlos or EDS is, to put it simply, a joint/connective tissue disorder characterized by hypermobile, super flexible yet weak joints that are prone to injury and dislocation. It comes with a plethora of comorbidities and other symptoms that aren't as relevant but still made it harder for me to work out.

Postural Orthostatic Tachychardia Syndrome, or POTS, is where your heart rate spikes when you stand from sitting or laying down, causing dizziness and blacking out. For me, it also results in chronic hypoxia- low oxygen.

During exercise, my joints were not strong enough to take it. My joints would not stay in place and this caused injury. Want to know one of the owrst things people with EDS can do? High-impact repetitive exercises. Like running. The POTS made me dizzy and weak, and I couldn't get enough oxygen to sustain the level of exertion required of me to run.

I am now not ALLOWED to run by my doctor. I'm still working on finding a way to work out that is safe for me because the truth is, most exercises are NOT safe for me. Granted, exercise in specific ways are actually helpful and considered treatment, but this is with a physical therapist and medical professionals who know how to help you work out in ways that will help and not prove to be detrimental.

Safe to say, PE class is not that.

And here's the thing. Ehlers Danlos and POTS are what are known as invisible disabilities. Unlike amputees or people whose disabilities altered the physical look of their bodies, my disabilities are all internal. But they aren't truly invisible.

My teacher could have seen the way I was white as a sheet and stumbling after attempting the mile, the way I would almost black out once I finally sat on the grass. She should have seen the way I winced as I got up from sitting every single time. She saw me limping when my kneecaps were sliding OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS as I ran (but she likely assumed I was being dramatic and faking that limp). Invisible disabilities are not truly invisible. Through the easy bruises, the never-healing injuries, the blood pooling, the pallid faces and the hyperflexible joints, the rashes and reactions, through the pain and through all the times I tried my damn hardest to vocalize these issues, it was immensely visible if someone was willing to see it or listen.

She only ever saw the issue when I started to skip class because I was getting panic attacks about attending.

The last interaction I ever had with my PE teacher was at Graduation.

We had an outdoor venue due to Covid. By then, I'd had diagnoses for Ehlers Danlos, Postural Orthostatic Tachychardia Syndrome, and various other things, and I'd been out of PE for three years (I took two years of pe freshman and sophomore year, none during junior and senior, and had one extra year for a veterinary science thing).

I had seen her during our practice round, which took place in our gym. I'd asked her about the amount of stairs at the venue and about how much standing was needed, explaining my disability to the same woman who would force me to run with it. She said she'd make sure she was there to help me through it and to find an accessible way to get through the venue.

I get to the venue and she's nowhere to be seen. I walk to the area we were told to go to, no teacher in sight to take me to any shortcuts or to keep an eye on me. I sit in the line of students on the hot concrete behind the stage (where everyone else stood) in my comfiest, most supportive shoes that clashed with my graduation dress, among the girls in their best heels.

I graduate in the same way I took PE class- without her help.

Afterwards, she finds me. After I've walked and sat on hot concrete and sweated and been dizzy and steadied myself on walls and the ground.

She says, in the most condescending voice I could possibly imagine, that I seem to have been fine without her help.

It was obvious to me. This final act, this final stretch of forced self-sufficience on my part had solidified it to her- I had never needed all the help I had seeked. All the complaining had been just that- complaining. Skipped classes were truancy. To her, I'm sure I'm long forgotten as one of the lazier students she's ever had.

I don't recall her name but I remember her face as clear as day. I remember how I felt every damn time I walked to the dressing room, the pain as I took my backpack off in the locker rooms and felt how much my back hurt from it. I remember her every time my knee crunches as I stand up from my desk chair, every time I'm out of breath. Every time my shoulder aches after tossing a stray ball to the kids across the street from my grandmother's house.

I remember how she made me feel.

I want to wave my cane in her face. I want to make her take my vitals and WATCH as the blood rushes out of my face as I stand, to WATCH as my heart rate goes from 65 resting to 120+ as I stand up. I want her to hear how my joints crack and pop and snap. I want her to see my kneecap sickeningly glide out of place and into the side of my knee. I want her to have been in the same room as my mom and I when my Cardiologist said my oxygen levels from POTS hypoxia could have been confused with that of someone in heart failure. I want her to know how I cried in the car after that appointment.

Not because I want her to be miserable and sick with guilt, but because I want to prove to her that I wasn't a liar. I wasn't faking it. i wasn't seeking attention.

But I can't do any of that, not that it would help anything if I was able to and did. All I can do is sit here and type and seethe, as my wrist pain starts to shoot into my forearm and as my hands and feet grow cold from blood pooling- I've been sitting and typing too long, and now my hand skin is mottled and my feet are growing purple with that so-called 'invisible' disability that nobody saw in me.

I don't want consolation. I don't want pity. I don't need sympathy, though I appreciate it. What I want is for this to stop happening. I want disabled people to be seen and to stop being forced to do things that are harmful to their bodies. I want for schools to stop giving a letter grade to someone's health. I want some random thirteen year old to not have to go through what I did at their age.

I WANT PEOPLE TO FUCKING LISTEN TO KIDS WHEN THEY SAY THEY'RE IN PAIN.

#reblogs are okay-if not encouraged-though i'm not one of those 'ReBloG oR YoU dOn'T CaRe' types of people.#pots #eds #chronic illness #chronically ill #ableism #accessibility #disabled #zebra #zebra strong #spoonie

28 notes · View notes

olderthannetfic · 2 years

Note

I'm in a fandom where the most vocal and aggressive antis are also the loudest voices speaking out against canon and fandom racism. Many of them are POC, and speaking out is very personal and very much a form of activism. And for a long time those two things were really tied together for me? Like if you wanted to be part of the discussion on how to recognize and counteract fandom racism you also had to be part of the discussion on why people who ship incest should be burned at the stake. And I'll be honest part of why I was anti for a long time was because pro-shippers and blatant racists were held up as equally evil, and I didn't want to be one so obviously I couldn't be the other.

I'm still not sure how to go about fully separating these discussions in my mind or in my participation. I know very few fans who are pro, and I'm still in the process of extracting myself from the anti circles I was involved in. I would still like to be involved in bringing awareness to issues with racism, ableism, and the like in my fandom, but I also really, really don't want to interact with these people again in any way. I know a lot of the problem is that some people make fandom their sole form of activism and are really loud about it, and so its hard to find the people who have similar opinions who are just quiet about it.

—

I don’t think there’s a simple answer because plenty of people aren’t interested in hearing about activist opinions on their fanworks, and it’s not always because they’re white or racist or clueless. The reality is that most of us think that representation matters and that it would be nice if various groups had better representation both in quantity and quality…

But oldschool types like me see fic from a writer-centric perspective. I wouldn’t ask fic writer X to include more representation in their fic any more than I’d ask them to include in their diary or their sexual fantasies.

There are occasionally PSAs about stereotypes that are annoying in writing (Cf. the whole conversation around “almond eyes” or describing people with food words). People don’t always agree with the specifics, but most are fairly open to seeing those discussions in their space.

A lot of supposed fandom activism is about “It’s bad that everyone has favorite character/ship X”. This is a reader-centric attitude. The reader deserves to read this, so someone should be writing it. Moreover, someone should be writing it instead of what they’re writing now. This is never going to fly with most fans. As long as fandom “activism” looks like this, a lot of people are going to dismiss it and block everyone who posts this stuff.

Still more people are like “I know all that, but I’m in fandom to not think about it, unlike the other 99% of my life”, and I wouldn’t assume it’s majority members who think this way.

I also have no patience for “Writing kink about black people means you’re a bigot” style faux-activism. That shit is racist as hell and it is all over these discussions.

The big problem is the assumption that awareness is what’s needed. That’s assuming you know more than others without bothering to explore what they know and why they behave how they behave.

Your best bet is to be kind and welcoming but also block early and often when people are wasting your time and being hostile dickheads. Your best bet is to create educational resources that people can engage with at their own pace and by choice.

There are plenty of people reading me who aren’t white or who are otherwise ethnic minorities. I doubt most of them are antis, but they also don’t necessarily trumpet their identities all over when it’s not relevant. You’ll attract that crowd if you sound like you know what you’re talking about and like you won’t jump down everyone’s throat for no reason. But yeah, it takes a while to find anyone of any sort.

95 notes · View notes

responsible-lime · 5 months

Text

5 Important Tips for San Diego Hikes for Beginners

Want to visit some of the most popular San Diego Hikes? Well, this article will ensure that you do it effectively and safely. Being a best travel guide, we have listed five prominent things that you need to remember while hiking for the first time.

Hiking Tips For San Diego Hikers.

San Diego hikes can be an amazing way to break away from the mundane and explore something new and offbeat. Furthermore, hiking can be a great cardio exercise and help people remain healthy physically as well as mentally. And if you are in San Diego, you will get plenty of opportunities to do so. The southern part of California is full of hiking trails that will satiate your cravings for the wilderness.This is why most of the tourists who visit this part of the world consider visiting these trails without fail.

However, hiking is not just walking up the hills. This oversimplification is something that every novice hiker ends up making before embarking on a hiking trail. Hiking can be quite rewarding if you know how to do it effectively. If you are not prepared for everything that the trail will throw at you, you might end up being in a problem. Therefore, in order to help you enjoy the trail, here is a list of five key tips that you need to remember. The last one can actually save you from a bear attack.

Choose The Trail

As a hiker, the very first thing that you need to do is to choose a trail properly. Hiking is not just walking the trail. The planning process that precedes the activity is important as well. The planning stage needs to be done diligently in order to make your hiking experience as best as possible. As a hiker, you need to gauge things like your physical proficiency for hiking, The overall trail difficulty, the distance that you are covering, and the kind of ecosystem that the respective wilderness houses. The best way to do this is to start checking local hiking websites, they will educate you effectively.

Be Prepared

The second thing that you need to do is to be prepared. As a young hiker, you might not have proper knowledge of what you might need. Over the years, several hikers ended up in trouble and even died because they were underprepared. In fact, every year, at least 100 people lose their way while hiking and have to be airlifted. Therefore be prepared. Make a list of all the things a beginner hiker might need. Some of the most basic and important things you need include rations, water, means to light a fire, a compass, walking sticks, first aid kids, insulated clothing, emergency shelter, etc. You might not need most of the things if you plan your hikes properly, but what if you do? Better be safe than sorry.

Do Not Leave Trace

This sounds more like a murder guide at this point, but trust me, this is an actual principle that hikers follow. The primary driving force behind the ‘leave no trace’ principle is that you do not litter or leave useless junk. If you are on an overnight hiking trail, you might end up littering inadvertently. It is okay. But make sure that you dispose of everything in a bag that is specifically used for taking care of trash. This is not only a way to keep the campgrounds clean, but it is also a way to keep you safe. Animals can follow you for miles if they pick your scent. Do not take a chance. Bring everything back.

Share Responsibly

This is purely for people who want to experience hiking in a group. I mean, the first thing about a good Hiker is that he or she must be self-reliant. But that does not mean that he or she should not be a team player. If you are hiking across a trail with a group, you need to bring value to the group. Do not be the negative nelly, and do not share responsibilities. Such an attitude will not win you friends. Therefore, assign yourselves duties according to your strengths and weaknesses and keep fulfilling them to make things better for everyone involved.

Be Kind

This is something that you need to bring into every facet of your life. Kindness cannot be explained with a hard and fast description. But I think kindness on a trail is a show of respect. Do not disrespect the natural order or your fellow hikers. Follow what your guide is telling you, and try not to go deliberately out of the way to disturb Mother Nature and her rules. Be kind to animals, do not try to interact with them. Let them be, and they will let you be.

The End

So, those are all the important pointers that you need to keep in mind while trailblazing some of the most famous San Diego Hikes. As a beginner, if you follow these rules to the T, we assure you that your first hiking trail will be an unforgettable experience for you. Good Bye!

#san diego hikes #best travel guide #hiking safety tips

2 notes · View notes

dogshit-enchantment · 6 months

Text

saw a post that was like 'activism fatigue is only for actual activists' and like ??? huh ??? someone in the comments of the same post was like 'ppl complaining about seeing whats going on w palestine arent tired of seeing brutality theyre tired of having to care and see them as people' like bro what the fuck. what an evil and bad faith argument to make.

people can care and be unwanting to see brutality as theyre scrolling the funny images website. that's fine. that's normal even. people should go to (unbiased) news outlets and search out information when theyre mentally prepared to see those images and truly digest what's going on.

going from 'haha funny meme give me dopamine rush' to 'this entire city has been leveled by an unparalleled amount of bombs' isnt good for the human brain! sorry but its just not! and truthfully going 'oh you just dont care' isnt going to make people care, it's just going to make people feel worse (especially those of us that suffer mental health issues and have to survive that first before we can consider giving any part of ourselves to a cause)

stop having bad faith because not everyone can be a red cross worker. stop having bad faith because not everyone can give thousands to mutual aid. stop having bad faith because not everyone can call their congress members and convince them to care. (because let's be fuckin for real how many calls do you think it would take to get ted cruz to care? I don't think there is a number high enough)

thank the people that can help in any fashion, do what you can to assist, and stop trying to guilt people into looking at something they not be able to even process. it doesn't help and it never will.

activism fatigue is for those who are strong enough to be on the front lines and those of us who can't do much more than hold hope in our hearts. Sadness isn't exclusionary and I'm tired of people acting like it is.

(and i dont want this to come across as a 'woe is me' type deal even tho i know anyone reading this is bad faith will instantly see it as that, but educational empathy and misery porn are not the same thing. it's important to know what's going on, it's important to look at the war crimes that have been enacted in recent days and take a stand against it. go to a protest if you can, sign a form, donate where you can, but you do not have to sit there and watch hours and hours of footage of the travesty going on. it's not helpful. take care of yourself first.)

#rambling

2 notes · View notes

brightgnosis · 1 year

Text

Your Neurodivergence Isn't The Issue- Nor Is It An Excuse

Honestly this kind of nonsense annoys me- especially as a disabled and neurodiverget person myself; we often get used as an excuse by everyone (both within our own group, and by outsiders) as the example for basically every excuse under the sun, and as I get older, I get more tired of it.

But the part of posts and complaints like these that specifically annoy me the most, however? Are expressed mentalities like this one in particular:

The problem is in the exact opposite of what I ended up doing for myself: pressure to do it the “usual” way or the way you are told. if you put a book in front of me and told me I HAVE to read the entire thing before even thinking about moving onto worship, I don’t think I’d ever be able to do it. I certainly would take much longer than neurotypical people trying to do the task. my brain wouldn’t be able to handle it, so I’d give up.

The problem isn’t anything said here at all. The problem is that, when we (as a whole; as teachers, educators, and even bystanders) tell people to “go research” ... Y'all, for some strange reason, seem to automatically translate that as “you have to do all the research and know everything there is to possibly know before you're allowed to start anything” ... When that’s never even remotely been the case at all. Ever. Under any circumstances.

Not only has it never been the case just as a default? No one who has ever said “go research” has ever even remotely implied or merely suggested that has ever been the case. Though certainly, some of us may occasionally mention the fact that it is important to have a solid foundational understanding of certain specific topics before committing to specific actions or practices. But only for the sake of safety in those specific areas- and only because those specific areas are more prone to harm or danger to the practitioner; this does not and has never applied to everything, however. And it takes exactly one minute amount of common sense to understand that.

In fact, all of our Elders have blatantly said the complete opposite of this, numerous times over. A fact which would be well known if anyone would actually read a legitimate book and pay attention to its contents in any minute amount. Heck, even the most seasoned “stick up their ass” kind of Reconstructionists who have long been actively stereotyped for being too hardassed about “proper research first” (as I well know, being a prior Recon myself) will themselves openly tell you that the vast majority of the time? All they even do is treat their own books like references for use as needed; that not even they often read a book from cover to cover, let alone follow it exactly as instructed.

But, like... No... Actual, proper research isn’t easy. It is going to be hard; regardless of whether you're Reconstructionist, Revivalist, or Reimaginist? Any amount of research is inherently a process which takes time, energy, resources, focus, and a number of other things to do correctly. And if you have ADHD, or Autism, cognitive dysfunction, or some other issue- or even a combination of issues (hello! I am here! I am included in this!)? Then Yes! It is inherently going to be harder for you to do. You are naturally going to have to spend more time and energy than a neurotypical person finagling out a system that works for you in order to accomplish it!

But whether you're neuroatypical or just neurotypical- able or disabled- there’s still no short cuts to doing it ... Especially not if you ultimately want that information to be good and accurate. And that’s true regardless of your ability or status. It's not going to change just because you're crying about it.

And if you do want that information to be good and accurate? Then yes, there is a certain series of protocols that you should follow in terms of how to do research the right way; a way that does get you accurate, up to date information from reputable sources, with long source trains that can provide appropriate jumping-off points to lead you through to additional sources which can help further your research. And there is a certain series of protocols to follow in order to further verify the efficacy and accuracy of the information you've obtained. And yeah, it’s annoyingly time consuming.

Again: Neuroatypical or typical- able or disabled- there’s literally no easy way to get proper and accurate information. That’s true regardless of your ability or status, and it's not going to change just because you're crying about it.

Yet despite the fact that these various protocols do exist to some extent? There is also no “usual way” to do research in any capacity; there is no "standard pace" that you have to follow. There is no specific amount of knowledge that you’re “supposed to know”- especially not “before you're allowed to do x or y or z” thing; there is no point at which you are definitively “ready” or “know enough” or "have mastered” a subject.

In fact, the second you think you have mastered anything or figured anything out to its best extent? You have either greatly deluded yourself, or you very quickly realize you actually know nothing at all. There's even a joke about this phenomenon. It’s literally called the Dunning-Kruger Effect and it's well documented.

Shoving urgency, strict instructions, and the “right way” onto beginners, even with the best intentions, may be the reason that beginner drops consideration of practicing. especially if that beginner has a disability you are probably unaware of. this also is inflexible and can make neurodiverget or disabled pagans feel pressured to follow abled / neurotypical methods and practices.

As said earlier: Literally no one is doing this. No one. Not a single person. Not a soul ... The blatant reality is that this mythical “usual way to research” and invisible standard is entirely made up by you in your own mind. It doesn’t actually exist- and it never has. It's etirely fictional in all capacities.

When we say “go research”? That means, and has never meant anything more than, exactly what is being said: “Go research”; it means (as one minuscule example) “if you’re not sure how to do offerings, then go look at some basic sources within the specific system you’re interested in, which discuss offerings and various things related to them”. That's it. There is no hidden meaning or additional subtext to it.

In other words: Literally go research. Pick a topic, go look at things, read some stuff about it, and take some notes until you feel like you have at least some kind of a basic cohesive understanding of the information you've read. End of.

That is literally what "researching" a topic consists of. That is all that research is. And no one else around you is doing anything differently than you. Nor can we; it is actively impossible for us to, because that is the entire process of research in a very hypercondensed and oversimplified nutshell.

Now if you ask someone where to start, however? We can sometimes hand you books and various bits of information as a starting place in order to help you out ... But the onus is still on you, as an individual, to do the research for yourself; we can answer questions once you’ve read things, and try to help you better understand what you’ve read. But we can’t read the material for you. We can’t force it to stick in your brain, or force your understanding of it. You must still put in the effort and energy yourselves instead of relying on people to spoon feed you everything, or working off the back of others.

You have got to stop using neurodivergency as an excuse, and blaming other people for your own self created research paralysis that you've caused entirely on your own- and then calling it “abelism” because you don’t want to put in the work.

No one else is responsible for your research paralysis and laziness in this area but you. And you will only ever be the person responsible for it- and the only person capable of solving it for yourself.

This is an opinion piece based in 20+ years of experience (especially as a neurodivergent practitioner). If you found this helpful or interesting, please consider Tipping or Leaving a Ko-Fi; even $1 helps

This account is run by a Dual Faith «(Converting) Masorti Jew + Traditional NeoWiccan» & «Ancestral Folk Magic Practitioner» with 20+ years of experience as a practicing Pagan and Witch. If that bothers you, don't interact.

#Original Content #Old Blog Reposts #2022 #Original Witchy Content #Religion & Magic #Alphabet Soup #Wicca #NeoWicca #Witchcraft #Paganism #Magic #Witchblr #Paganblr #Wiccablr

4 notes · View notes

bleachbleachbleach · 2 years

Note

All right, going to go full on bonkers with this one. What are Shinigami corporate retreats like? Where do they take everyone? What activities are planned? Is it done by division or do they take multiple divisions out at once? Do they even do corporate retreats? Also, happy blog anniversary when the time comes! It's great to have you both on here :D

Thanks so much for this question! And congrats to you on hitting your major follower milestone!

--------

You say that your question is full on bonkers, but little did you know that it’s actually an idea we’ve been throwing around since January. And now you’ve finally given us a chance to talk about it!

I don’t think the Gotei 13 has typical corporate retreats in the stereotypical sense of the concept. Because teamwork? What’s teamwork? These folks can barely line up in order at their captain’s meetings, much less do trust falls and a challenge ropes course with each other.

You know what the Gotei 13 does all have in common though? All these people are a part of the same professional association, graduated from the same school, and work in the same field. This suggests the existence of a semi-regular event during which shinigami gather together in a small convention hall or medium sized hotel ballroom, in order to share the latest and greatest in shinigami-ing. It’s a time when captains and other seated officers, who are vaguely aware of the existence of officers in other divisions, see each other in person, and awkwardly make small talk with each other while pretending to be cordial. Afterwards, some of the more networking savvy shinigami might think to themselves “that shinigami from 7th was rather nice, I should reach out to them at some point” and then proceed to never do that. Captains, considered experts in their field, praise each other's accomplishments for the purposes of keeping up appearances, and then once they go back home will mutter about how that person is "still just doing the same boring thing." That’s right, it’s the:

Gotei 13 Quinquennial Leadership Conference!

The curriculum for shinigami is only 6yrs at the academy, and somehow there doesn’t appear to be any mandatory training after graduation. Given how long-lived shinigami are though, you’d think there would be requirements to keep knowledge up to date and make sure everyone is still operating using best practices. This means that there are continuing education (CE) requirements. These CE units can be for those wanting to learn new skills or just for general knowledge. Shinigami must acquire units in order to be eligible for seated officer positions.

At the very least, CE is mandatory for 10th seat and above. Captains and VCs have to present/publish at the conference in order to keep their standing. If they fail to do so, there will be a performance evaluation (which is just a pain to deal with).

Once, a few hundred years ago, Kyouraku didn’t present at the conference because he couldn’t be bothered. But having to sit through the whole auditing process where the Central 46 examined and questioned every single report, receipt, location tracking data, and to-do list that had been created during his tenure was such a nightmare that he swore he would never make the mistake again.

Captains/VCs need more CE hours than lower seats (meaning they have to attend multiple days of the conference and not just a half day). Obviously as a captain the idea is that you’d constantly be training and learning new things. But once you’ve been in your job for like 100yrs, some things just get overlooked or forgotten.

The majority of the presentation topics at the conference come from 12th Division showing off random new technologies and experiments that they’ve done (about increasingly esoteric and specific topics that are applicable to no one) or 4th Division with some medical advances. Every once in awhile you get some knucklehead like Renji, who has come up with a new “Let’s Do Shikai” curriculum.

Renji did a poster presentation on “Let’s Do Shikai” at the shinigami conference, which is how he got his Seireitei Communications column (since he was an “expert” on the topic). It’s also one of the reasons why Byakuya chose him as vice-captain – because Renji had “published research experience.”

We’ve provided a flyer from the latest conference, so you can see the groundbreaking topics the Gotei 13 are learning about.

Byakuya always proposes 50 panels but the officials only ever let him run one, and it’s “The Art of Soukatsui.” His panel session is always stupidly early in the morning and on the very first of the day, because it’s “the most important.” He’s also the one who wrote the description of his panel and insisted that it says everything you need to know.

Renji’s panel is also very early in the morning, but according to him it’s because “it’s a great way to get your blood flowing to start the day!”

Relatedly, Nemu’s panel is that 5p session that you sit in, just wishing the day was over because you cannot possibly sit through another presentation and you want to care about the topic, but cannot possibly fathom why this is important.

ハードハドー: Hard Hadou is a panel always given by Hinamori, but the name of the panel makes her immediately blush whenever someone says “Welcome to Haado Hadou.” Shinji named it before he left for the Living World.

Hitsugaya is the kind of guy that succinctly (but kind of boringly) presents his research and then spends all his time by the snacks table.

The description of Hitsugaya's panel is taken from a 2005 book called BlackBerry Hacks: Tips & Tools for Your Mobile Office. You can buy this book new from Amazon for $33.01. What a steal!

I also want to note that Rin’s presentation is based off a real experiment in which Japanese researchers raised mice in a specialized centrifuge cage.

The conference is always concluded by a large banquet which all attendees are encouraged to show up for. The banquet usually ends up somewhat like the event depicted below, where Yamamoto gets way too into performing old karaoke songs, Ikkaku gets drunk off his face, Mayuri tries to spike the punch (with what, no one is sure), and Zaraki starts a food fight. It’s a good thing this only happens every 5 years.

#as you can probably tell we have both attended our fair share of professional/academic conferences #and the intricacies of a gotei 13 conference is probably only hilarious to us #but putting together this conference flyer was so much fun LOL #gotei 13 quinquennial leadership conference #shinigami continuing education #bleach headcanons #B3's B3 #no brain just bleach

44 notes · View notes

olivia-anderson-fanfic · 10 months

Text

Yuu can do it!

Part 25

First<Previous>Next

Masterlist

Listen. Was it funny that Deuce didn’t know the difference between fertilized and unfertilized eggs? Yes. Was it also concerning? Yes. Things, like people, can be multifaceted.

However. Kuroki and Enma were both most interested in one thing: avoiding Ito’s ire.

It wasn’t serious, not really, but that didn’t stop them from being wary. Imagine your mom (or dad, or perhaps your favorite teacher if neither of those apply), now imagine them being ticked off at you. You know they won’t do anything, probably, but man does it suck to be glared at.

Why were they so pissed off? After all, all they had done was educate their dear friend. Ignore the fact that, upon realizing that they had made a mistake in telling Deuce the truth and shattering his worldview, they had both immediately put Ito on ‘comforting someone who had been lied to for their entire lives’ duty. Just ignore it. Ito was being irrational.

When their footsteps finally approached, Ace tipped his head back and gave a sound that was a strange combination of a sigh of relief and a groan. “Sevens, you guys took forev –... errrrrr?”

His eyes landed on Deuce, and he made a face that screamed of pure confusion. He looked at the Yuus for an explanation, but they could give him none. For even they weren’t completely sure why this had broken Deuce’s mind like it had. They were just dealing with the consequences.

Or, at least, Ito was.

Kuroki, Enma, and Grim immediately abandoned ship.

“Trey-senpai, can we help with anything?” Kuroki said, almost pleading.

Trey hesitantly raised a hand as if to point at Deuce, who was staring at the bags in Enma’s hands with an expression of pure, unadulterated grief.

Grim clapped his paws together, loud and sudden enough to make Trey jolt and draw his hand back toward himself. “C’monc’monc’mon! The food won’t make itself, y’know!”

If Kuroki didn’t know any better, he’d say Grim was just a good actor. Instead, he would guess that Grim had just decided to kill two birds with one stone.

Do monsters eat birds? That would make the saying even more apt. Kuroki was deciding that they did.

Regardless, the rest of the baking process was pretty easy (long, but easy) and went off without a hitch. If you ignored Ito taking Deuce into a corner so he could cry into a juice box. He did not seem to understand that the juice box did not cover his face while he drank like a cup might, but it was fine because everyone was pointedly pretending they couldn’t see him anyways.

Ace slumped against the table. “Ugh. Done,” he said, glaring halfheartedly at the tart. It was nice, and the tower of lightly-toasted cream atop it made it a fun thing to look at, but making it had been boring for everyone except for Trey, as it wasn’t really an activity they could do as a group. They had basically been waiting around, doing nothing, for about an hour now.

“Done,” Deuce parroted, though his mind was clearly somewhere else.

Ace gave the boy one more, long look, before turning to look at the Yuus. “Seriously, guys, what happened –?”

“Hey everyone!” Cater cut in, swinging around the doorframe with a brilliant smile. His eyes landed on the tart and he gave a little gasp. “Oh, are you guys done already? You totally should be. Those decorations look so cute!”

Kuroki sputtered. Not because he was scared (though he had jumped a little at the redhead’s sudden appearance), for once, but instead in indignation. “How long have you been waiting outside for us to say we were done?”

“Hi, senpai!” said Enma, waving politely.

“Nice to see you again, Enma-chan,” Cater greeted, waving.

Kuroki raised his hands in mild frustration when he realized he was being ignored. The people feared him because he spoke the truth. What a bummer.

Enma also seemed less than pleased, if the way his eye twitched at the -chan honorific meant anything, but he didn’t say a word in protest.

“You’re always so nice to our senpais,” Ito huffed, dragging a slouching Deuce over by the wrist. “But never to us.”

Enma stepped on their foot.

Ito grinned despite the fact that they were now hopping on one foot. “Proving my point.”

“I never disagreed, did I?”

“Guuuuys,” Ace complained. “Stop bantering so we can all dogpile on Cater, because he only came now that the tart is finished, if you’ve forgotten.”

Cater looked like he was very much trying to suppress a smile. “I just wanted to see my cute little underclassmen. You guys look beat, though.”

“Motherfucker –!”

Ace made a move as if to try and tackle Cater, only to be caught by Enma.

He lifted Ace from the ground and the boy immediately slumped like a disgruntled cat.

“Do I even weigh anything to you?”

Enma shrugged.

Ace scowled. “Let me down.”

“You’re just mad you didn’t come up with it first,” Enma pointed out.

“So?”

“He looks more energetic now,” Cater commented.

“Oh, I’m going to kill you,” Ace promised.

“Bold thing to say when you can’t even get out of Enma’s arms,” Ito said without looking up from where they and Trey were cutting the extra tart they had made into equal pieces. To be fair, if they looked up they would risk the cut being uneven, and god knows that wouldn’t go over well with this group.

“You wouldn’t be able to, either!”

“Well, I’m not trying to kill people.” They plated a slice and held it up. “Does anyone want –?”

The plate dematerialized. A weight settled itself on one of Kuroki’s shoulder, and something cold was placed atop his head. Great. He was both seat and table for a tiny monster.

Ito looked at their now-empty hand for a moment before rolling their eyes. “Right, anyone else?”

Every hand shot into the air instantly.

Deuce got the next slice. Damn him and his mental break down giving him special privileges.

But whatever, everyone got a slice soon enough, and holy fuck was it good. So good, in fact, that it pulled Deuce out of his funk instantly.

“This is insane. How are you so good at this?”

“Trey-kun’s family owns a bakery back in the Queendom,” Cater said, smiling around his phone. He had yet to take a single bite, too busy snapping picture after picture of his meal. Ah, the life of an influencer. Truly, it must be terrible. Doomed to endure cold food for the rest of time.

“Where is it?” Ace asked around a mouthful of food, like a heathen. “I might drop by sometime.”

“... for the tart?” Trey asked warily.

Ace did not answer.

“Can we go for the tart?” Asked Grim, giving Kuroki a pleading look. “If this is just one tart, we have to try everything.”

Kuroki hesitated.

Enma’s eyes lit up. “Oh, we should definitely go to the Queendom over winter break. For the tarts.”

Kuroki scoffed. “Why are you lying? No one believes you.”

“I’ll have you know that this is very tasty,” Enma sniffed.

“Note how he didn’t say that he wasn’t lying,” Ito ‘whispered’ conspiratorially.

Cater grinned, finally setting down his phone to take a bite, only to grimace. “Ah. It’s… cold,” he said. He looked down at his plate for a long minute, contemplating, and then he lit up once again, his gaze turning onto Trey. “Ohohoh, Trey-kun, do the thing!”

Trey gave a sigh, his lips quicking upwards at the corner in the beginnings of a fond smile, and then pulled out his wand. “Fine, fine.”

“The thing?” Enma repeated.

Trey smiled and decidedly did not answer: “I guess it wouldn’t be fair to just do it for Cater. Can everyone tell me their favorite foods?”

There was an exchange of confused looks.

“Cherry pie,” Ace said, slowly.

“Canned tuna!” Grim said instantly, and then he hummed thoughtfully. “Actually, maybe, cheese omelets. No, wait, grilled meat! Or is it pudding…?”

“Coke,” Ito cut Grim off before he could list every food to exist.

Deuce shrugged. “Omurice, I guess?”

Enma tipped his head back thoughtfully. “Orange-flavored gum.”

(“Isn’t that just orange-flavored anything?” Kuroki mumbled. Enma retaliated by punching him in the arm.)

“Grilled lamb with diavolo sauce.”

Ito’s head perked up just slightly. They narrowed their eyes at Cater, but only got a confused expression in return.

But Kuroki’s attention was pulled away when he realized that everyone else was looking at him expectedly. “Uh – I – chicken tenders?” He said, mildly panicked.

“Ah, you’re one of those people,” Ace said with clear distaste.

Kuroki flipped him off.

Enma nodded his agreement, solemnly. “Shameful, right?”

Thank god Kuroki had two hands.

But then Trey pointed his wand at all of their half-eaten tarts, mumbled “Painting the Roses,” and their food was showered in white light. Never what you want to see.

Or maybe it was. Cater lit up almost as much as the wand had, and immediately dug in.

Everyone else stared at him, trying to get anything out of his expression, but he just waved for them all to eat as well.

Which they did, however hesitantly.

It became readily apparent why Trey had asked for their favorite foods.

“This is Mont Blanc,” Ace said. “But it tastes exactly like cherry pie. This is so cool!”

“Weird,” Kuroki mumbled, his teeth clicking forcefully with every bite, his mouth not quite getting that this only tasted like chicken.

Ito must have been struggling, too, because they were chewing slowly, their eyes on their plate, lost in thought.

Enma, in contrast, was almost completely uninterested in the tart itself. “You can do illusion magic?!”

“Fun, right?” said Cater.

Trey chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not that cool…”

“Shut up!” said Grim, unfortunately not taking the time to swallow between sentences, unable to fathom not eating the delicacy in front of him for even the few seconds it would take to praise Trey. “The flavor changes with every bite. Do you know what I would do with this kind of power?! This is everything I could have ever dreamed of and more!”

Grim’s fork clinked and the monster was horrified to find he was out of food. But then his eyes, gleaming hungrily (literally), found their way to everyone else’s plates. Everyone immediately went into the classic prison stance, their arms guarding their food against the terrible monster who was set on stealing it.

Except for Kuroki, who offered up his food to the monster without hesitation. It was a cool power, don’t get him wrong, but he couldn’t quite get used to eating a tart and instead tasting something else. It put him off.

(Also, he wasn’t that into chicken tenders.)

Forks clinked against plates as everyone finished their food, and Deuce was the first one to speak, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “So, is that your Unique Magic, Trey?”

He nodded obligingly. “My UM is a little more general than that, it’s not just for food. I can overwrite taste, smell, colors…”

“Overpowered,” Kuroki mumbled.

Trey snickered. “Not really. It only lasts for a little while, really. Like painting the roses – the paint washes off after a rain. That’s why I named it that.”

“Still overpowered,” Kuroki shrugged. “I mean, you could tell the perfect lie. Honestly, that might even be better than Rosehearts-senpai’s unique magic.”

Trey shook his head, the tiny smile that had been on his face dissipating instantly. “No, mine is nothing compared to Riddle’s.”

A strange chill washed over the room.

But then Trey pulled his smile right back into place. “Okay, well, it’s probably getting late…” he pulled out his phone to check the time, and shook his head. “Way too late. Riddle has a strict bedtime that he adheres to, there’s no way you’ll be able to get him in a good mood even if you do happen to catch him to give him the tart. How about you do it tomorrow? The Unbirthday Party is tomorrow, anyways, so it’s pretty much the perfect time to give him a dessert.”

Cater gasped and turned to the Yuus. “Oh, you guys should totally come too. I’ll make you, like, little formal outfits – it’ll be so fun.”

“Free food!” Grim cheered. And that was that.

Ace turned to Kuroki. “Hey, am I still allowed to stay at your dorm? I don’t think that these assholes are going to let me back into Heartslabyul.”

“Ace, stop begging them for things,” Deuce groaned. “It’s impolite. At least say please.”

“And pay us ten cans of tuna!” Grim said.

Kuroki, ever the businessman, recognized that this could only be good for them when it came to paying for Grim’s unfortunate tuna addiction and nodded firmly.

Ace scoffed. “Are you serious? What, do all of you just want me to sleep outside or something?”

“It’d be funny,” Enma said, nodding seriously. “You look like the type to pick a fight with a raccoon and then lose.”

Everyone else in the room agreed instantly. Truly, that was the vibe the redhead gave off.

Trey smiled, holding up his hands placatingly before Ace could try and kill Enma for the slight. “How about this: I’ll tell Riddle to let Deuce stay with you guys. That way, he can watch over Ace.”

Ito raised an eyebrow. “I thought Rosehearts wo – senpai – wouldn’t be awake.”

“I’ll tell him in the morning. When he wakes up and notices that Deuce isn’t there to mess up his spade a hundred times.”

Deuce looked offended. Which was understandable. That had been completely unprovoked.

Cater groaned. “I don’t wanna be there when he blows up over that. Hey, Trey, can you cover for me, too?”

“Nope.”

Cater groaned and leaned heavily against Ito, bringing his hand to his forehead like a poor orphan waif that was about to faint from the plague. “The world hates me.”

Ito nodded along absently, patting the top of Cater’s hair comfortingly.

“Sorry about forcing these two onto you,” Trey said, giving them all a faint smile. “It’ll just be until tomorrow, though.”

“It won’t be any problem,” Enma said. You know, like a liar.

Deuce smiled as Trey passed him a duffel bag’s worth of supplies for the night.

“I’ve got everything you should need. Clothes, your charger, a suit for the party tomorrow, your toothbrushes, a hair brush, and your 3-in-1.”

“Ugh, you use a 3-in-1?” Ito asked as they all started off towards the store (for they would need more food to accommodate people’s late dinner and breakfast). “No wonder your hair looks blue. Your dye is fading.”

Deuce frowned and opened his mouth to question them further.

“Did he just say toothbrushes? Like, plural?” Kuroki questioned.

“Yep. Walk faster,” Ace said. “Before he realizes I only brought one.”

Ito swung the grocery basket in their hand back and forth as they eyed the food section of the shop, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “What should I make for dinner?”

“Isn’t the kitchen still a mess?” Deuce asked, looking somewhat guilty.

Kuroki almost reminded him that Deuce had only created the cauldrons to put out a fire, but then he remembered that he and Ace were the ones that had started the fire, which kind of reduced the sympathy he felt for the boy.

“I extorted Crowley to get rid of the cauldrons.”

Enma raised an eyebrow. “How did you figure out how to extort him already?”

“I’m his assistant now, and I have never seen someone commit tax fraud so… blatantly. I don’t even know the law here and I could tell that everything was fucky.”

“... can we extort him more?” Kuroki asked.

“Probably not for major things. He does still provide us with a place to live, so it's best to limit things to minor inconveniences –.”

Ito cut themselves off. Mostly because Ace and Deuce were staring at them in abject terror.

“What is wrong with you people?”

“We’re trying not to die of starvation!” Grim defended them. Because none of them seemed all that interested in defending themselves, honestly, already back to shopping.

Kuroki glanced at the last few tuna cans that had been left after Enma’s raid. You know, because it’s only polite to leave some in case anyone else wanted them.

He swept them off the shelf.

Because he owed Grim, remember? And the monster insisted on being annoying about it.

Yeah, yeah, shut up.

“Rice?” said Enma.

“Rice,” Ito agreed.

Kuroki nodded. World peace achieved. Rice. Truly, the only thing every culture could agree on.

Ace slapped a bag of rice as he passed. As you must do.

Ito picked up an inhaler and met Enma’s eyes, tilting their head in a silent question.

Enma’s gaze slid to Kuroki, for just a moment, thinking, and then nodded firmly.

Ito dropped it into the basket.

Kuroki tapped his chin thoughtfully, eyeing up the child leashes. Maybe he could get one of the ones with the little animals that you strap to your ‘misbehaving kid’s’ back. Surely, that would make it less morally wrong.

Grim tossed a pack of orange-flavored gum into the basket.

Ito glanced down at the new weight and smiled faintly. They quirked an eyebrow at Grim, who pointedly pretended as if it had spontaneously appeared there without any help.

Ito, ever the responsible one, tossed some vegetables into the basket. Much to everyone else’s absolute dismay.

“Can’t you let us die of scurvy in peace?” Ace whined.

“Scurvy is real?!” said Deuce.

Kuroki raised an eyebrow when he saw Enma heft a box of cokes over his shoulder. “I thought you already bought some earlier?”

“Well, I mean, at the rate they drink them we’re going to run out soon, anyways.”

Kuroki hummed, a tiny grin starting to make its way across his face. “Awwww, Enma, do you like us –?”

“I’m just not sure I want to see Ito uncaffeinated.”

Kuroki’s eyes widened in horror. He looked at the last box of coke on the shelf, wondering if they should get it just in case.

Ito glanced up, the use of their name calling their attention away from where they had been trying to break up a brewing fight between Ace and Grim. Not even God knows what they were fighting about this time.

“What’re you two talking about?”

“Nothing!” They both chirped, wide smiles in place, eyelashes batting innocently.

Ito looked unconvinced. Luckily, Grim chose that exact moment to try and tear Ace’s throat out with his teeth, and they were forced to pay attention to that instead.

“Why must food cost?” Enma said, frowning at the receipt in his hands. Their bosses had been kind enough to give them advance paychecks so they didn’t die, but fuck did things cost so much money.

“Capitalism,” Ito said, shaking their head sadly.

Kuroki pressed his face into his hands, devastated. “Capitalism is the root of all problems.”

“So true,” said Enma.

“You guys know you got a discount, right?” Ace said.

“And that we paid for some of this?” Deuce added.

“Catidalism,” said Grim, shaking his head solemnly.

Kuroki and Enma broke character at the mistake, turning their faces away to snicker into their hands.

This, of course, caused Ito to catch a case of giggles themself.

This is why you can’t have friends. Hard to commit to your dumb bits.

It turns out Ito was a pretty good cook.

Not good at giving directions, though.

Kuroki looked up from cutting tomatoes to give them a small frown. “You said you wanted how much cayenne on this?”

“A pinch.”

“... like a large pinch or a baby pinch?”

“The ancestors will guide you.”

“You don’t have ancestors,” said Enma, narrowing his eyes at them.

They grinned. “True. But you guys do. Let them guide you. Or just guess. You can never spice things too much.”

Kuroki glanced at the peppers that lay next to his cutting board, washed and prepped for dicing. “I disagree.”

“Gasp. White,” Enma said.

“Bold thing to say when I have a knife in my hand.”

“Do it, coward.”

Ito sighed. “Please don’t make me be the voice of reason.”

“You couldn’t do that if you tried,” Grim spoke up.

“Yeah –! Wait.”

Everyone whirled on the monster.

“HEY, WE SAID YOU WEREN’T ALLOWED IN THE KITCHEN!”

Grim scurried out, a can of tuna clutched between his paws.

“We have got to find a place to hide the tuna,” Enma said, frowning at the stack of cans that was far smaller than it had been even ten minutes prior.

Kuroki and Ito both nodded their agreement.

Food eaten (it was too spicy, ignore that no one else had had any problems with it, Kuroki was not white), they headed up to the bedroom. It was too late to clean up a room, let alone two, so they had all just agreed to have a sleepover on the floor.

But they were all teens, so it should surprise no one that they weren’t getting to sleep anytime soon.

Besides, one of the ghosts had found a board game for them to play.

Namely, Monopoly.

Deuce frowned suspiciously. “I know what you’re trying to do.”

The ghost merely smiled and disappeared through the floor.

The group of teens squinted down at the game board for just a moment longer, and then decided that it couldn’t be that bad.

Ito was the only one wise enough not to play, instead deciding that they were going to take a very long shower.

Enma soon regretted not trying to find an excuse of his own. He was first to go bankrupt. Apparently, his luck was terrible.

Ace’s was not. Or, at least, he was cheating enough to counteract any bad luck he might have had. No one could figure out how he was cheating in a dice game, but he was cheating. They would bet money on it.

But not Monopoly money. God knows they didn’t have enough of that to do any bets.

“Jailjailjailjailjail, I will stab a child in front of a cop if I must,” said Deuce, rolling the dice. Apparently the cop was blind, because he did not succeed in going to jail. Instead, he landed on Ace’s property. Damn. Of all the people to go bankrupt to. It was the most inevitable, but it still had to have hurt.

Ace smirked, holding out a hand.

Deuce socked him.

Ace went down.

All of them stared in horror at their fallen friend.

Their gazes flicked to the bathroom door. Ito could come out at any minute and see what they had done. Or, what Deuce had done and Kuroki and Enma had not stopped.

“We all fell asleep,” Kuroki said.

There was a collective, conspiratorial nod. Deuce dragged a blanket over Ace. Kuroki and Enma curled up by the bed. Deuce collapsed across the monopoly board to try and hide the evidence. Grim shut off the lights and took the bed because he was a drama queen who couldn’t stand sleeping on the floor like the rest of them plebs.

The bathroom door slid open not much later, and Ito stepped out. Kuroki squeezed his eyes shut tight.

Ito was quiet for just a few moments before snickering and gently shoving Enma and Kuroki to crawl between them as usual.

It was silent for just a minute more. Just long enough that they actually began to think that they had succeeded in getting away with it.

“You guys are telling me what you did in the morning,” Ito whispered.

Kuroki mumbled a curse.

#back to our regularly schedule dumbassery #twst #twisted wonderland #twst fanfic #twisted wonderland fanfic #twst mc #mc twst #grim twst #twst grim #enma yuuken #kuroki yuuya #deuce spade #ace trappola #trey clover #cater diamond

3 notes · View notes

freelancearsonist · 2 years

Note

In recent times, I rarely contribute here, but I thought I'd write to you. I read the latest posts and replies. I may have the right to comment as a person with a mental disorder. I don’t know. Nowadays, little is certain. I didn’t find the anon questions about Moon Knight strange or inappropriate. I was rather wondering how little is said and written about DID, and people with it (here I mean the main character). Anon didn't attack you, and I don't quite understand the strange hate being poured out on him, but okay, I don't need to understand everything. As a woman, however, I would like to point out that what is published gives people a picture of the world, and sometimes an inserted post that it’s just fiction bypasses the reader like an advertisement on the side of the road. And that is about everything. This applies not only to DID, but also to many other topics. It doesn't apply to you either, because it respects your work, but rather is a general reflection.

Maybe I’m weirdo, sorry.

i’d like to clarify that i never said i was being attacked??? i didn’t feel that way even a little bit so i’m not sure where that came from. and no one is hating on anyone, i’ve specifically said in my posts that i wanted to help educate this anon. i DID get some asks that were hateful towards that individual which i deleted because my blog will NEVER be used as a platform for that kind of behavior.

which, by the way, i feel the need to remind everyone that spewing hate at someone for being uneducated about something as complex as mental illness is NEVER okay. if someone is actively seeking answers and trying to learn and better themselves, HELP THEM. and if they refuse to educate themselves, they aren’t worth your time or the effort it takes to write or say hateful things to them. just walk away.

that being said, i am not the person to come to for questions about did. plain and simple. i’m not sure why that anon chose to come to me with their concerns, and part of me just wanted to delete them. but i want to be the best advocate i can and part of that is trying my best to educate those who need it.

just because i have mental illnesses doesn’t mean i can speak for every person with any mental illness. if you have questions, please ask an actual system, many of whom are right here on tumblr and would LOVE and SHOULD HAVE the chance to have their voices heard, rather than going to someone who just writes fanfiction about middle-aged men.

finally, anyone who ignores the fact that moon knight is fiction, that can’t separate said fiction from reality, maybe needs to take a step back and reevaluate their thought processes. i should not have to remind anyone that these characters are fake because the fact that they are SUPERHEROES should be indication enough. but i digress.

i wish you all the best in your endeavors to learn and grow in your understanding of did and mental health. 🫶

#clarke answers #psa

8 notes · View notes

cptenvs3000w24 · 3 months

Text

Blog 4: The Artful Accessibility of Nature's Beauty

Artistic interpretation of nature is an intricate interaction between the interpreter, the audience, and the underlying beauty of the natural world. I see myself as a guide in my role as a nature interpreter, and I take inspiration from the ideas presented in the textbook's Chapter 5. This chapter places a strong emphasis on the role that interpretation plays in helping visitors form connections with their surroundings, especially when it comes to difficult concepts like climate change.

As an interpreter, I value the constructivist education theory because it recognizes that people create new knowledge by drawing on what they already know. By drawing connections between this theory and interpretative techniques, the focus moves from providing knowledge to helping guests engage in active learning. It involves leading them on an adventure where they can interact with nature directly and form their own opinions and experiences. I genuinely believe that anyone can use art to interpret nature because art is an inclusive form of expression. Compared to some media that require specialized understanding, art is appealing since it is available to everyone.

The chapter discusses Maria Montessori's philosophy, which aligns with the idea of letting people educate themselves. In the same way, interpreters should serve as facilitators rather than as authoritative figures, encouraging tourists to explore and learn. This supports the notion that interpretation is an interactive process in which viewers actively engage with the art, making interpretation a comprehensive and immersive experience.

Understanding "the gift of beauty" in the natural world is a complex process. It is exploring the intricate details of ecosystems and the fragile equilibrium of life, rather than just enjoying beautiful scenery on the surface. Discussing challenging topics, such as climate change, as part of interpretation is significant. This makes the beauty of nature a gift that requires care and consideration.

The beauty of natural landscapes is impacted by climate change, which is a major concern. An increasing temperature is causing changes in ecosystems, bloom patterns, and glacial retreats. As an interpreter, my job is to communicate these shifts while igniting action and hope rather than saddening people. As the chapter discusses, strategically framed discussions can be an effective means of conveying the complicated scientific implications related to climate change. Interpreters can make the problem accessible and inspire tourists to take up environmental stewardship by employing metaphors and locally relevant solutions.

In summary, I serve as a facilitator, a guide, and a catalyst for significant connections between people and the natural environment in my capacity as an interpreter of nature through art. The gift of beauty found in nature is more than just aesthetics; it is a call to action, an obligation to safeguard the delicate balance that keeps life on Earth alive.

1 note · View note

mandygilbert · 4 months

Text

Unlocking Engagement: Discovering Effective Incentives for Your Audience

Let’s chat about something as important in digital marketing as a good cup of Tim’s is to our mornings – incentives. At Mandy Gilbert, we’re all about getting this right. So, what makes an incentive tick? Let’s break it down: Canadian style.

Know Your Crowd

First off, it’s all about understanding who you’re talking to. It’s like knowing whether to recommend a Leafs or a Raptors game – you gotta know what your audience loves. Tailor your offers to match their interests. Like this one time, a local café here in Toronto boosted its subscriber list by offering discounts on their killer lattes. Spot on, right?

The VIP Feel

Everyone loves a bit of exclusivity. It’s like getting front-row seats at a concert. Making your subscribers feel like they’re part of an exclusive club can work wonders. We helped a client offer early access to new products, and their sign-up rates soared!

Teach and Engage

Educational content, like ebooks or webinars, is like a friendly guide through the world of digital marketing. It’s valuable, and informative, and keeps your audience coming back for more. A tech company we worked with offered webinars on digital trends and saw their subscriber base jump up big time.

Useful and Relevant

Incentives should be as practical as a warm parka in a Toronto winter. Coupons and trials are great, but they’ve got to be something your audience actually wants or needs.

Fun Times

Incentives don’t always have to be serious. A fun quiz or a chance to win something cool can be super engaging. It’s like those fun winter activities at Nathan Phillips Square. We had a client who introduced a game on their site and saw their traffic skyrocket!

Build a Community

Creating a sense of community is like gathering your friends for a weekend hockey game. Inviting subscribers to exclusive groups or forums for sharing ideas can create a loyal fanbase. A fitness center client of ours did just that with an online workout community and saw a big uptick in memberships.

Keep It Going

After the initial sign-up, keep engaging with your subscribers. It’s like following up after a good game with highlights and commentary. Regular, valuable content keeps your audience hooked.

Easy Peasy

Signing up should be as easy as ordering a double-double. A smooth, hassle-free process is key to getting those sign-ups.

Track and Tweak

Finally, use analytics to see what’s working. It’s like a coach reviewing game tapes. This helps in fine-tuning your strategy and really hitting the mark with your audience.

So, there you have it! Crafting the right incentive is about knowing your audience, adding value, and keeping things engaging and easy. At Mandy Gilbert, we’re all about making your digital marketing as successful and enjoyable as a stroll through the Distillery District. Let’s brew up some amazing strategies together!

#Marketing #Innovation #Business Advice

0 notes

wovetherapy · 7 months

Text

Menstruation and Mental Health

Nobody who menstruates likes to be told by someone else that their behavior is a product of their menstrual cycle and hormones. However, the truth of the matter is that menstruation and mental health are closely linked - menstruation often influences one’s mental health and one’s mental health often affects menstruation. This bidirectional process has a large impact on not just the lives of people who have periods, but everyone who knows someone who gets their period, so, essentially, the global population at large. The stigma and shame around “PMS-ing” and periods is a product of the general population’s ignorance and lack of access to sex education, and this has serious consequences for the world’s collective mental health and wellbeing.

Menstrually-related Mood Disorders

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

PMS includes a wide range of signs and symptoms – emotional, behavioral, physical, and mental – including but not limited to mood swings, irritability, tender breasts, food cravings, fatigue, and depression. These symptoms tend to recur in a similar pattern for each individual, varying in intensity and severity. About 75% of people who menstruate experience PMS symptoms (Mayo Clinic, 2022).

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

PMDD is a more severe form of PMS, affecting 5-10% of people who menstruate during their reproductive years. Symptoms are characterized by greater premenstrual mood disturbance [than PMS] that can have a serious impact on relationships and impair functioning. PMDD may involve clinical levels of depression and anxiety during the week or two before each menstrual cycle. Common symptoms include irritability, depressed mood, anxiety, or mood swings which are only present during a specific period of time (i.e., luteal phase of the menstrual cycle). Those with PMDD should experience a symptom-free stretch of time between menses and ovulation. Important to note is that 40% of women who seek treatment for PMDD actually have an underlying mood disorder which is exacerbated during pre menstruation rather than PMDD. Thus, people seeking treatment for PMDD should be thoroughly evaluated for underlying mood disorders in order to develop the best treatment plan.

Causes of Premenstrual Symptoms

It is unknown exactly what causes PMS and PMDD, but multiple factors may contribute to the conditions. Namely, PMS and PMDD patterns follow along with cyclic changes and fluctuations in hormones, disappearing with pregnancy and menopause. Chemical changes in the brain may also influence premenstrual symptoms. The neurotransmitter serotonin is thought to play a significant role in mood states, and premenstrual depression, fatigue, food cravings, and sleep problems may in part be due to insufficient amounts of serotonin.

Perimenopausal Depression

Perimenopause is the transitional period from normal menstrual periods to menopause, the permanent cessation of the menses (UNC School of Medicine). During this time, which can last anywhere from a few months to a few years, menstrual periods progressively lighten and become less frequent. Typical symptoms during perimenopause include hot flashes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, and issues with mood. Symptoms of perimenopausal depression include emotional flatness, “inability to cope”, irritability, social isolation, tearfulness, decreased energy, and inability to enjoy daily activities and relationships.

Times of intense hormonal fluctuation such as perimenopause can make one more vulnerable to depression, increasing the likelihood of onset of depression even in folk with no prior history of depression. With the gradual nature of onset of symptoms during this time, perimenopausal depression can often go unrecognized as a reversible disorder and instead be interpreted as a permanent change in life. This may bring on feelings of shame which prevent people from speaking up about what they are going through and receiving the care they need.

Menstruation and Mental Health

Research has shown significant evidence of menstrual cycle-dependent fluctuations in psychiatric symptoms. This includes increases in psychosis, mania, depression, suicide/suicide attempts, and alcohol use during premenstrual and menstrual phases. During the luteal phase appears to be a rise in anxiety, stress, and binge-eating. Self-esteem declines in certain intervals of the menstrual cycle as well, and has been linked with symptoms of physical discomfort. An estimated 15% of women with PMDD will attempt suicide in their lifetime according to the international Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), with transgender folk at even higher risk (Handy et al., 2022).

Treatment

Antidepressants (SSRIs), birth control pills, and over-the-counter pain relievers may help mitigate symptoms related to chemical changes in the brain, hormone fluctuation, and physical pain associated with the menstrual cycle. More natural ways to relieve premenstrual and PMDD symptoms may include relaxation and stress management techniques, eating balanced and nutritional meals low in salt and sugar, and increased physical activity.

Menstruation and mental (as well as emotional, behavioral, and physiological) health are closely linked and sometimes involve serious symptoms which should be discussed with a medical professional in order to find treatment options best suited and most effective for each individual. If you are experiencing symptoms which feel overwhelming and unmanageable and have noticed patterns which correspond with your menstrual cycle, you are not alone and your experience is valid. Everyone needs to play their role in combating stigma surrounding menstruation and mental health and continuing the discourse. No one should be made to feel shame about how their body functions and how it affects their mental health. This begins with everyone having access to education on periods and mental health, including those who do not menstruate.

If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment or you’d like more information, please contact us.

#Menstruation #Mental Health

0 notes

hotty44-blog1 · 11 months

Text

Moving To Germany and the cost of living

Is Moving To Germany A Good Idea? Are you considering moving to Germany? It can be a daunting prospect, with so much to consider. However, there are many advantages to living in Germany that might make it the perfect choice for your new home. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of moving to Germany, helping you decide whether it's really the right move for you. Germany has a rich and vibrant culture which offers plenty of exciting activities and experiences. From its stunning architecture and historical sites to its unique culinary delights, there is something for everyone in this diverse nation. On top of this, Germany offers an excellent quality of life with safe cities and reliable public transport systems. The cost of living is also very reasonable compared to other countries in Europe. Despite these positive aspects, there are also some drawbacks that should be considered before making such a big decision. For example, language barriers may present an issue if you don't speak German fluently or at all. You'll also need to obtain permission from the government if you wish to stay longer than three months. These are just some of the things that need to be taken into account when deciding whether moving to Germany is right for you. Is Germany A Good Place To Live For Foreigners? Germany is an attractive country for people looking to live abroad. With its stable economy, highly developed infrastructure and excellent healthcare system, it offers a great quality of life. It also has a rich culture, with over 3,500 museums, beautiful landscapes and vibrant cities like Berlin and Munich. Living in Germany as a foreigner can be relatively easy if you are from another European Union member state. You will benefit from the freedom of movement across the EU countries, allowing you to live and work in Germany without needing any special visas or permits. In addition, German citizens are known to be friendly and welcoming toward foreigners. However, it is important to remember that the cost of living in Germany can be quite high compared to other parts of Europe. Also, those who do not speak German may find it difficult to integrate into society due to language barriers. It is important to research these issues before making a move. Is It Easy To Get A Job In Germany As A Foreigner? Getting a job in Germany as a foreigner can seem daunting, but it is possible. One must first obtain the proper work visa from the German embassy or consulate. This process can take several months and may require multiple documents such as financial statements, proof of education, and a letter of invitation from an employer in Germany. Once the work visa is granted, one can start applying for jobs. The job market in Germany has grown significantly over the past few years, with more than three million vacancies currently available. However, competition can still be tough and employers may favor German citizens over foreigners. Therefore, it is important to have a stellar resume and cover letter tailored to the specific job that one is applying for. Additionally, having a good command of German will help stand out against other applicants who do not know the language. Overall, getting a job in Germany as a foreigner is possible yet challenging. Doing research on visas and permits beforehand as well as being prepared with related documents will make the process smoother. Moreover, having knowledge of the language and customizing one's resume to each job they apply for will give them an advantage when searching for employment opportunities abroad. What Are The Disadvantages Of Living In Germany? Living in Germany can have its drawbacks. The cost of living is high, and the standard of living is also quite expensive. In addition, certain cities may not be as welcoming to foreigners as others. Language can also be a challenge for those who are not native German speakers. Although many people speak English, it can take some time for newcomers to learn the language and feel comfortable using it in everyday life. This could limit one's ability to find employment or engage in social activities. In Germany, there is an extensive bureaucracy that can make navigating everyday tasks difficult and time-consuming. This includes anything from getting a driver's license to applying for health insurance; even something as simple as opening a bank account might require paperwork and lots of patience. All in all, these obstacles should be taken into consideration when contemplating a move to Germany. The cost of living in Germany can vary depending on the city, but generally it is considered to be relatively high compared to other European countries. Here are some approximate prices for a single person: Food: A meal at an inexpensive restaurant: €10-15 A meal at a mid-range restaurant: €15-25 A meal at a high-end restaurant: €40-60 Groceries for a week: €50-70 Cup of coffee: €2-3 Beer (0.5L) at a bar or restaurant: €3-4 Transportation: One-way ticket on local public transportation: €2.80-3.40 Monthly public transportation pass: €60-80 Taxi (starting tariff): €3.50-4.00 per kilometer Other costs: Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center: €700-1200 per month Gym membership: €30-50 per month Movie ticket: €8-12 It's important to keep in mind that these prices are just estimates and can vary depending on the city and specific location within the city. Conclusion Living in Germany as a foreigner can be a great opportunity and an exciting adventure. It's important to consider the pros and cons before making the big decision. On the one hand, Germany offers good job opportunities for foreigners, reasonable cost of living, and easy access to healthcare. On the other hand, language barriers and cultural differences can be difficult to adjust to. In conclusion, moving to Germany is a great idea if you have strong financial means and you're prepared for a few challenges along the way. If you have a good grasp of the German language, it will definitely make life easier. Plus, having friends or family who are already living in Germany can help with adjusting to the new culture. All in all, it's up to each individual whether they decide that moving to Germany is right for them and their situation. Read the full article

0 notes

pornaddictioncounseling · 1 year

Text

How Reboot Can Help You Quit Porn For Good

If you're struggling to quit porn, you're not alone. It's a common addiction that can be extremely difficult to break. But there is hope! Reboot Camp is an online program that can help you overcome your addiction and lead a healthy, fulfilling life. Here's what you need to know about this life-changing program.

Define what "porn" is for you - this can be different for everyone

For me, 'porn' is a term that encompasses several self-gratifying sexual activities. It includes watching and discussing videos, images and stories, as well as participating in experiences that allow for personal pleasure and exploration. Porn gives individuals an opportunity to express their sexuality in a safe environment. It can be used for entertainment purposes, or it could even lead to greater knowledge and understanding of one's own body and desires. Depending on the individual's interests, it could also provide education on anatomy, contraception and individual fantasies. Porn doesn't have to mean just one thing; different people have different values when it comes to seeing and experiencing porn. However, there is something universally enjoyable about the experience. No matter what your definition or preferences are, there is something out there that can meet your needs in terms of pornographic content.

Understand why you're addicted to porn and what triggers your urge to watch it

Although addiction to porn can be difficult to overcome, understanding why and what triggers this urge is the first step to managing it. It's important to realize that addiction is much more than simply watching porn for extended periods of time - it can also include compulsive behavior and a lack of control over one's consumption. Causes could include self-esteem issues, trying to escape from reality, or reasons related to nurture and environment. Knowing what kind of triggers you experience can help you take proactive steps towards avoiding them, such as reducing stress, pausing when feeling overwhelmed, talking about difficult topics with a supportive person, or seeking professional guidance if necessary. With a mindful approach and appropriate support, addiction to porn can become just another part of your past.

Learn about the harmful effects of pornography on your brain and body

Pornography may seem like a harmless form of entertainment for some, but it can have serious consequences on an individual's brain and body. In fact, research has linked individuals with heavy porn consumption to depression and anxiety, as well as the inability to develop healthy relationships and achieve sexual satisfaction. Additionally, pornography can result in physical harm such as erectile dysfunction due to overstimulation of the brain's reward system, which can lead to numbed pleasure responses when engaging in regular activities. Without proper understanding and discourse on the potentially damaging effects of porn addiction counseling, individuals may not recognize the potential dangers of uncontrolled exposure and should exercise caution when indulging in adult materials.

Create a plan to quit watching porn, including setting up accountability measures and finding a support group

Quitting porn can be a daunting task, but it is not impossible. Creating a plan can help make the idea of quitting much less intimidating. The first step is to set up accountability measures, such as regularly checking in with a trusted friend or family member or utilizing an app or website specifically designed for accountability partners. Secondly, it is important to do your own research on the harms associated with porn consumption and to find healthy ways to cope with any emotions that arise during this process. Finally, finding a support group- either online or in person- can provide invaluable guidance and resources from other individuals who are going through their own journey of quitting pornography and offer tangible advice from their experience. With patience, dedication and hard work, anyone can create their own personalized plan to quit watching porn successfully.

Follow through with your plan and stick to it, even when it's hard

Life isn’t always easy, and it is common to find challenges getting in the way of our dreams and goals. However, we must learn to push past these hardships if we want to accomplish anything significant. The best way to make sure that no obstacle can stand in our way is to create a plan and follow through with it even when it seems tough. When faced with an issue, try not to give up on your goals right away; often, hard work and determination can lead us towards success much quicker than giving up immediately. Remember that every action has a consequence and taking the harder road could be the best decision for you. Don’t waiver from your path; follow through with your plan and stick to it even when it's difficult.

Celebrate your success in quitting porn and enjoy a healthier life without it

It's not easy to quit something as pervasive as pornography, but if you've made it to this point, it's definitely worth celebrating. Not only have you successfully removed a negative presence from your life, you've also taken steps towards improving your mental and physical health. With the newfound clarity of mind that comes with quitting porn, you'll find more joy and satisfaction in everyday pursuits; explore hobbies or interests that were previously neglected due to exposure to the damaging content of pornography. Reclaiming your life is definitely an achievement deserving of celebration. Embrace this new path confidently and savor the fruits of victory!

Quitting porn is a difficult but rewarding journey. It's important to be honest with yourself about why you're addicted and what triggers your urges. Once you understand these things, you can create a plan to quit that includes accountability measures and finding a support group. Follow through with your plan even when it's hard, and celebrate your success when you reach your goals. You'll enjoy a healthier life without pornography..

0 notes