#which is basically herds of cars

[brahmenbones]

Hey what if I put the wild kratts on copper 9

#murder drones #my art #yeah #art #murder drones oc #Dan and Ken #they are my silliest GOOBERS !!! #they go around and document the ‘wildlife’ of copper 9 #which is basically herds of cars #roombas and disassembly drones #THEY EVEN HAVE A COPPER TUBE CHANNEL !!! #they post them all there #they’re like those vhs tapes you find with the quality but they’re still good #md n #md v #you get minor mentions but they’re there!

[paper-mario-wiki]

Do you do farm stuff Scout? Or would you like to? Like owning chickens or tending an outdoor garden, that sort of thing?

From ages 7 to 19 I lived on farms, and was made to be an active participant in maintenance and usages of the facilities I don't know why the fuck I'm typing it like this, but I grew up on a farm. I was kinda in charge of everything, but slacked a lot and my brother had to cover for me. That said, I still spent a LOT of time doing chores.

At one point or another I've been responsible for most every farm chore you can really think of. All the basics like raking leaves, milking goats, collecting eggs, feeding chickens- but also the big stuff like moving tons of hay, herding flocks, caring for large animals such as llamas, alpacas, horses, and cows, as well as delivering babies, gutting and plucking fowl (only chickens and turkeys, though I've also cared for ducks and geese), dehoring, hoof cleaning, corpse transportation, crop maintenance, winter ice removal by breaking up frozen water troughs in 10 below weather (thought this was usually circumvented by anticipating the cold and setting up water heaters beforehand), constructing enclosures, slaughtering pigs, and etc etc etc etc etc all that shit. Bunnies snakes mini horses donkeys. All that shit. Farm stuff. Ya know.

Moved away when I went to college and immediately plunged into a mixed-zoning district in the Fushimi district in Kyoto. This was a really good transition from rural living to city living, because mixed zoning districts have blocks dedicated to apartment complexes and family homes right next to blocks of rice fields and ponds, which was behind the 7-Eleven I bought most of my food from.

Now I live in a SHITTY mixed zoning area in SHITTY America where we never stop hearing cars because there's a massive parking lot nearby and constant police sirens, not because the area is particularly dangerous, but because there's like 2 police stations nearby.

My ideal housing goal, which also happens to be my current goal in life, is to reach a slightly more rural version of the Kyoto living situation. The goals are very distinct:

0. I'm editing this one in after the fact to note that while I've used Kyoto as an example a few times in this post, I'm just looking for an area that feels right and would happily live in any prefecture that fits my needs.

I want to not be tied directly to a visa which would draw me away from doing whatever work I really want to do, like my student visa did later on when school started getting worse as professors were struggling to learn digital classroom mechanics. The visa I'm shooting for is dependent on a few ideas I have for businesses, but that's still kind of a long shot.

I want to be in a position of relative financial freedom so that I can spend enough time genuinely living there instead of just being tied to a computer all day, limiting me to the world I already know. This one's the big one, so I'm still workin on that. That said, recently I've been taking some pretty massive steps towards making this a more tangible circumstance. Fingers crossed.

I want to have a home that I own instead of renting, and I'd like to work with a Japanese architect to actually construct it. Again, these are big big plans, but I think a life goal is a thing worth thinking big about. And it's not like I'm trying to build a mansion, or even a family-sized house, I think I'd be content with three bedrooms, a kitchen, and common room. Of course, in keeping with the "dream big" spirit, in a world where I've got enough money to have a nicer, slightly bigger home, I can imagine as many as 5 bedrooms. It's nice to imagine in this "perfect" outcome that I've got a reason to have enough space for guests to sleep over. A local community, or an otherwise tangible, real-world web of relationships would be nice. Like, Real Adult Socializing Shit.

I want to have a significant emphasis on self-reliance on this home. As far solarpunk as I can reasonably go, without biting off more than I can chew as someone who's kinda limp-wristed. In a gay way and a feeble way. I figure this will come down to solar panels, water filtration, a well, and a garden (or at least the space to have gardening stuff like pots and soil). Some chickens would be nice too, but I don't know that I'd ever take on livestock proper.

I want to be properly submerged in trees without being more than a 5 minute bike ride from a train station. Somwhere like Yase-Hieizanguchi Station in north Kyoto is a good example of station that's on the edge of a metropolitan area and the forest. There was an apartment there I almost got, but backed out when covid hit cuz I decided moving across town would be a whack decision.

This is a BONUS goal, but I think it'd also be nice to not compromise on a single location, and instead have a home out in the inaka, while also having a small apartment rented in the city I can go between whenever I need to. In a world where I can afford a plot of land out in the country, but would still need to travel into town for business, that would be nice. Though in that scenario I'd likely need to also take on the arduous task of getting a Japanese drivers license. If I know far enough in advance that I want to take this specific route then I could bypass that last one by getting an international license before moving to Japan, but after moving to Japan you're barred from getting an international license.

I couldn't tell you in honesty that I'm a Salt of the Earth, Red Blooded American Farmer in my heart, and in fact I could not WAIT to move away from the farm. I hated that I didn't have a say in living on a farm, and was made to take care of animals. But what I DID enjoy about that life was the stillness. The opportunities of perfect silence. The stars unobstructed by light pollution. The ability to explore. Those things I was incredibly grateful for. And as such, in my perfect world, I would like to live on something like a farm again one day, just on my own terms.

#anon

[x-candy-guts-x]

Yautja x human ft worm on a string

I had some more thoughts :)

•It’s really interesting to me how humans are at their core a prey species. You can argue that forwards facing eyes are a trait of predators however it’s seen in basically all monkeys and apes and they are primarily vegetarians. They eat small prey like insects or small mammals but aren’t on the scale of say k-9’s, felines, and other obligatory carnivores. I believe it’s primarily a trait derived from our deeply social species. Our eyes are a huge part of our kinds communication wether we are looking at something or someone. We follow the direction of peoples eyes when talking. It’s been a great tool in our development.

•that being said I feel like predatory species like the yautja would find it fascinating to watch a human go from prey species to brutal predator in a matter of moments due to any given circumstances. Our instincts to danger are typically the five F’s. Fight, flight, freeze, fawn and faint. (For those of you who don’t know freeze is when you become unresponsive much like a deer in the headlight. Fawn is when you try to essentially suck up to the threat and get them to calm down and no longer be a threat. This is usually seen in abusive relationships where people will try to appease their abusor by avoiding conflict or doing whatever they can to get the abusor in a good mood again even at their own detriment. And faint is well.. faint lol.)

•Humans developed carrion stomachs due to our tendency to go after the largest strongest prey possible. We had so much meat we couldn’t eat it all and it would spoil. Our stomachs developed strong acids to kill bacteria in meat that has been sitting.

•humans are one of the only species on the planet to actively hunt the largest and strongest of any animal in a given herd/group. Which I think is something the yautja relate too.

•for humans this was out of necessity. The biggest animal provided the most food for our large social groups. We needed to provide the most food for our people. And our ability to kill from a distance and out do our prey in endurance allowed us to not have to worry about energy expenditure like big cats who hunt alone and need to conserve as much as possible thus hunting whatever is the easiest.

•we did this for so long that we developed predatory instincts. However at our core we still have prey instincts. Your yautja finds that cute. :)

•he is much larger, stronger and deadlier than you without armor and weapons. Sharp teeth and claws with a scaled hide and muscle structure that could knock over a bus is nothing to sneeze at. He absolutely adores the difference between the two of you. Your much smaller form with soft skin and tiny blunt teeth and nails is endearing. But this also makes him extra worried for you when you go hunting. He has to remember that humans are fine predators but only when they have someone else to rely on.

•humans are NOT meant to be alone. In virtually anything. Todays society will have you believe in toxic ideals like pulling yourself up by your boot straps and not needing to rely on anyone. But humans at their very core are meant to be in large deeply socially bonded groups. It takes a village to raise 1 human properly. And our society has forgotten that. Your yautja finds it deeply unsettling when he finds out that your culture is not as social as it seems from the outside looking in. With everyone living so close together and there being so many people in such small areas you’d think everyone would know everybody. But it couldn’t be further from the truth. Single parents and fear stricken neighbors run rampant in most of the cities. So when he sees you pack bonding with a roomba he takes it upon himself to be your best friend.

•that’s another thing. Humans are so social we pack bond with virtually anything. We crave intimacy so badly (not like that you pervs) that we will pack bond with ANYTHING. You name it. A dog? So common. A car? Strange to him but not uncommon for one to become at least a little attached to something important like that. A fuzzy noodle with googly eyes attached? It’s a worm on a string? Ok we’re getting you some help.

•your getting dragged to an oomanologist and he prescribes you a pet.

•your pet ate the worm on a string

•there were tears

•he’s secretly happy about it

•he actually tried to get rid of it several times. Garbage shoot? You walked in on him mid act. Burn it? The bastard wouldn’t even reach the fire because the string kept getting tangled to twigs and branches that hovered above it. A tall shelf? Well he found you sitting on top of the fridge like a gargoyle once so that was out of the question.

•your yautja regularly has to remember that he’s a lot bigger than you and you are so smol. His voice alone can startle you if your not expecting it! There goes the prey instincts again. Loud noises are not your friend that’s for sure.

•did you know that in alien vs predator they used tiger roar sound effects for the yautja roars? They actually do this in a lot of movies and it pisses me off especially when they attach it to things like mountain lions who literally can’t roar but that’s besides the point- anyway tiger roars are actually capable of STUNNING their prey. There’s something about the volume and frequency that actually temporarily stubs other creatures. If the yautja canonically roar similar to tigers and he accidentally stuns you OmG.

•so much purring

•he’s on his knees hugging you trying to make himself small.

•this dude cannot navigate your human home.

•he broke a dining room chair sitting in it

• he’s too big for the hallways without ducking and turning sideways partially sometimes.

•hand holding is so cute. Ur hands are just so tiny compared to his

•he does research on monkeys and sees how grooming is a very important social que and he connects this to humans. Unfortunately he didn’t think that humans were so prudish around nudity so when he just picked you up and threw you into a big tub he was NOT ready for those hands.

•predator instincts activate 🔫

•he almost drowned

•mildly scared of you

•your so small how are you that strong

•when y’all do get comfortable enough though he loves bath time :)

•scratches your little head with his claws (lightly) a lot

•plays with your hair a lot especially in the tub

•your self care routine becomes his care for human routine

•honestly? He fucking prides himself on how well taken care of you are. He flaunts you like you have a pedigree

• “my ooman is better than yours”

•que fight

•you become friends with the other human and while they’re fighting, you guys are sitting in the dirt playing games.

•they come back like ?? Hello? Did you not see us? WERE U EVEN WATCHING?

•you get mad at him? He went and got you new worms

•all the colors

•he has a worm for his ships dash. He chills. Sometimes you catch him playing with it

•I had more ideas but I forgot

#predator x human #predator x reader #yautja #predator #predator x you #predators #alien vs predator

[bourbonificould]

I saw that you did thoughts on Lilly, so how about your thoughts on her main counter, Kenny

Fair goes. Again, SPOILER WARNING (+ A LOT OF TEXT)

I think Kenny is one of the best written characters in the entire series. The apocalypse clearly changes him from Day 1. In the first episode, hes family oriented and willing to do what it takes to keep them alive, but in episode 2, you can see how hes already cracking a little (mainly due to arguments with Lilly). I actually think we miss a crucial detail. Katjaa. Something tells me in between episode 1 and 2, he and Katjaa's relationship begins to get tough. They probably argue a lot(shown by him trying to convince Kat that guns are mandatory), and it ends up with Katjaa not wanting to live in a world where all she has is Kenny(could be a stretch, but Ken was willing to go on after losing Duck + Katjaa.)

Kenny's biggest weakness is his strength. He is TOO convinced that hes unbreakable, that bad things dont happen to people like him. And when they do, he doesn't cope well because he doesn't know how to handle it. In season 2, after losing Sarita, he blames Clementine briefly, but in little time, hes back to being all caring/trusting of her. AJ and Clem is what he wanted to protect, even if he was doing a questionable job. Arvo turns into his frustration punching bag, and while Arvo kinda..... does..... play a part in the group's downfall, Kenny is VERY hard on him.

One thing I love about Kenny is his willingness to make things right. He sacrifices himself for Christa or Ben, attempts to care for Clementine, and when he fights Jane, he accepts your choices for what they are, and he practically begs you to go to Wellington, sacrificing a person to turn to in the darkness. In my eyes, that's a great trait of his.

I do think that Telltale fails miserably with he and Jane in season 3. Kenny turns into a caring parent again, wanting to teach Clementine the basics and keep AJ safe. Its like a small family, which they rip away in such a lame way. He survives the herd in season 1 but dies to a car crash...

Idk really, I think Kenny is an S or A tier character in terms of writing and link to the story, and in my personal favs, he ranks probably top 5ish. But I can totally see why people dont like him, maybe my playthroughs have generally went well with him.

#twdg #kenny twdg #the walking dead game #honorable kenny death in s2/wellington ending >>>>> s3 #it ruins how good of a season anf is #clementine twdg

[honeybear-yammy]

Love At First Sight

Warnings: cursing

Pairings: Rudy Pankow x Female Reader

Summary: In which when Rudy and Y/N are on a live with the rest of the Outer Banks cast, Rudy confesses his feelings for Y/N.

© Honeybear-Yammy, please do not steal, translate, copy, or transfer my work.

You drove into the parking lot and got out of your car. You walked onto the set with your bag and your script. A few of your co-stars were there but you were early. The rest of them should show up in a bit.

"Hey y/n!" You herd Madison say behind you. You smiled and turned around and she ran over and hugged you. Madison was one of the people you got to meet before hand. The two of you practiced lines together and became good friends, the two of you have even hung out a few times.

"Hi Maddie!" You laughed and hugged her back. 

"Here, I'll show you where everything is." She said with a smile and led the way. You followed her to the trailer. 

"This is basically where you'll get your appearance ready for the show." She said. Madison was already ready, wearing Kiara's clothes. 

"Okay, I'll stick around here and get ready then." You smiled.

"Sounds good!" She smiled and walked out of the trailer. You put on the outfit you decided to wear for the first day in the pilot.

Once you got into the clothes you sat down in the chair to get your done and makeup. There was not much to do for that so it didn't take long at all. Once they were done you grabbed your phone and walked out of the trailer. 

Now Madelyn, Drew, and Rudy were all here and Chase, Jonathan and Austin were already here with Madison so everyone was here now so they were ready to get started. You all got in your places and started the first scene at the renovated house when the Pogues have to run from the police after they catch them there. 

You guys had to re-do the scene a few times but you eventually got a good take. You kept working and doing the scenes. You couldn't help but smile sometimes just by looking at your co-star Rudy. He was so adorable and sweet. He was also.. so fucking hot. 

You were happy your character got to be around Rudy's character JJ a lot and that the characters had a good friendship. Rudy was also super kind to you. He was so sweet and friendly towards you and you couldn't help but smile. 

You also couldn't help but be amazed at how good he portrayed JJ. He already fit the character so well and his acting was a 10/10. You were head over heels for him. You of course didn't want him to know that, just incase he didn't feel the same way. 

You knew you wouldn't know unless you went for it but, you were scared. Plus, it was just the first day and you didn't want to ruin things before it even started. So, for now you decided to try to make friends with him and sure enough it worked. 

You, Rudy, Chase, Madison, Jonathan, Madelyn, Drew, and Austin were all sitting together getting ready to do a livestream to promote the show. Outer Banks has officially finished the filming but has not been released to the public yet. 

At this point, with how close you and Rudy were all your fans believed you were secretly dating. Even some of the cast questioned if you were dating. They always joked around saying the two of you had to be dating secretly, but in reality you were just best friends.

Rudy was your best friend now. No one knew you better than Rudy did. He knew you better than you know yourself. You honestly wished all those rumors are true. You wished he felt the same way you felt about him.

The two of you were messing around playfully poking eachother and laughing while they were setting things up. Madison recorded the two of you and put it on her Instagram story with the caption "I love these dorks." 

Everything was all set up now so everyone sat down. You sat in between Rudy and Drew. The live started and you all were greeting the fans that were flowing into the live. The livestream got high in views very fast and you all got started. It was April 10th so the show was coming out in 5 days and everyone wanted to hype it up the few days before the release.

All the comments started flowing in. A lot of people kept commenting things about you and Rudy.

"Oh my god! Rudy and Y/N are so cute together!"

"Are Rudy and Y/N dating?"

"Rudy and Y/N are endgame!"

"Rudy and Y/N have to date soon!" 

You were reading all the comments and chuckled slightly. "Guys, Rudy and I are not dating or anything. I mean he an amazing guy but we are best friends." You chuckled. 

"Yeah. I mean we are friends but, if we are being totally honest here, I would not mind at all if we dated." Rudy said. You looked over at him surprised. 

"Really?" You asked shocked. 

"Yeah.." Rudy chuckled a little. "I've liked you since the first time we worked together but, I didn't now how to tell you and I thought you wouldn't feel the same way. I also didn't want to ruin the amazing friendship we have." Rudy said. 

"I like you too Rudy.." You said with a smile.

"It's ok if- wait really? You do?" He asked shocked. 

"Yeah.." You smiled. "I've liked you since the first time we worked together too." You said with a chuckle. The two of you were staring into each others eyes still shocked that the two of you felt the same way. You both seemed to be waiting for one of you to make a move. 

All the comments started flowing in about you and Rudy's emotions exposed.

"OMG! I knew they liked eachother!"

"OMGOMGOMG!"

"OMG! They need to kiss now!"

"YES! MY ENDGAME IS HAPPENING!"

Even the cast was watching you all, waiting for something to happen.

"Well? Kiss already!" Madison said. 

"Yeah, make the fans happy and just lay one on her Rudy." Chase said. You giggled softly as Rudy pulled you over and kissed you. You smiled and put your hands through his hair and he pulled you close. 

The two of you kissed for a good 3 minutes before you stopped realizing you were making out in front of your co-stars and on a live with thousands of people watching. 

"Well, Y/N.. would you be my girlfriend?" Rudy smiled. 

"Rudy, of course I will be your girlfriend." You smiled with a giggle and pecked him. After awhile you guys ended the stream and you and Rudy went out for a walk and to take photos again for Instagram. You were happy with him. You were the happiest you have ever been.

You knew Rudy was the one for you and you knew you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him and he felt the same way about you. In the end, the only person you ever really needed was Rudy, and now, you have him.

Author's Note: tysm for reading!

#outer banks #outerbanks #obx #obx cast #outer banks cast #rudy pankow #r. pankow #rudypankow #rudy #pankow #rudy pankow x reader #rudy pankow x female reader #rudy pankow x fem!reader #rudy pankow x f!reader #rudy pankow x oc #rudy pankow x you #rudy pankow x y/n #rudy pankow x plus size reader #fluff #obx fluff #outer banks fluff #obx cast fluff #outer banks cast fluff #rudy fluff #rudy pankow fluff #tw #tw cursing #tw cussing #tw swearing #tw language

[earthstellar]

it’s 4:30 AM and i just woke up but I had another Transformers dream so before I forget: 

it was an MTMTE/Lost Light/IDW 1 dream where everyone was a beastformer but it was like thematic, based on what their car alt-modes or like roles on the team are in actual canon 

so like all the racers were ferret beastformers, god they’re so fast and slinky. they need so much enrichment holy shit. there was an exercise room that consisted of one of those big colourful plastic tube network playsets for ferrets but it was giant robot ferret size and it was great 

all the medics were cows which was also very cute, Velocity was a cute blue moo moo :’) Ratchet was basically herd mother LOL all the junior medics were smaller, 10/10 cute 

the larger/chonkier beastmodes all had chubby root modes too which was excellent, the longer beastmodes (like ferrets or dachshunds etc.) had root modes that were a little taller, etc. 

Rung was a hamster, idk why maybe the orange fur, anyway very cute and good, people were holding him in his alt-mode and petting him like a tiny therapy animal during his sessions which rules 

Swerve was a scruffy little round bar cat, probably because there’s a pub in my area which has a bar cat and it’s excellent. all the mini bots were tiny/round/fluffy animals. Tailgate was a white and blue Pomeranian!!!! 

Cyclonus was a giant snake and to stay warm/keep Tailgate safe he curls up for recharge in alt-mode and Tailgate sleeps tucked in the middle of all his coils, it was very sweet :’) 

the whole dream was basically just “average day on Lost Light but everyone has beast modes”, it was chill 

I blame this on having looked up some Beast Wars stuff the other day lol 

anyway I’m going to go make some coffee

#just talkin' #dream postin' #beastformers #mtmte #lost light #idw 1

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

megumi asking nanami to get tsumiki out of the room before he had a seizure made me cry

That was actually one of my favorite lines to write in the fic so far because he was asking for the exact opposite of what he really wanted in that moment.

The idea behind that moment is that a “sense of impending doom” is like, an actual symptom that arises ahead of some serious medical conditions, like heart attacks or, in Megumi’s case, a seizure. Apparently it’s more severe than just feeling bad—it’s supposed to come off as this absolute certainty that you are about to die. I don’t know how accurate that is, I’ve never felt it. But that’s what Megumi felt right before he seized.

The thing is that he actually really, desperately wanted Tsumiki to be with him in that moment. And I tried to imply that through his actions the rest of the chapter.

The entire time he’s conscious, Tsumiki’s the only one he wants near him. He summoned his divine dogs to go find her, protect her, and bring her back to the car, which is why Shiro kept trying to herd Tsumiki. When they got to the car, he tried to kick and punch basically everyone until she walked up and told him to stop. She was the only one he would listen to the entire time. Everyone else he’s trying to get to fuck off, but when he’s talking to her, he’s insisting that they have to leave together. It’s unclear how autonomous his shikigami are from him, but they are some extension of his will, and they were falling over themselves to stay close to her. His every interaction during the chapter suggests he’s terrified, delirious, desperately hurt, and really only wants or trusts his sister right now.

He’s a teenager who felt with a sudden, unshakable certainty that he was going to die right then and there. Of course he wanted comfort and to not be alone when it happened, and there was only one person in the entire fic he had wanted near him at all. But he also knew at a very base level that tsumiki would never be okay again if she watched him die, so he told Nanami to get her out of the room instead. He basically chose to die afraid and alone to spare tsumiki the memory of his death, even though the only thing he wanted was for his sister to be holding his hand while he went.

#sea glass gardens #I love writing tsumiki and Megumi #they have the ultimate ‘doomed by the narrative siblings’ swagger #they just exist in this horrible state where the only way they can love the other is to sacrifice themselves

[zlobonessa]

translated; kind-of-sorta-maybe part of an unwritten sequel to this modern au where regulus and reinhard are dating and julius is coping and seething

Julius remembers: he caught the two of them at the entrance to the university one day. Even unintentionally that time: it was just morning, just before the start of the classes.

They were standing close: the toes of their shoes were almost touching. (Black sneakers, ordinary but of good quality, worn for years, and white loafers, probably bought only because of the unreasonably high price and ready to crack after the first rain, for that matter.) No one would mistake them for friends: there was no barrier of personal space between them, the space belonged to them both — and this screamed about the nature of their connection more than anything else.

Regulus said something — Julius couldn't make out the words in the din of the crowd, but no doubt something boorish, shamelessly rude, and full of smugness — and Reinhard laughed. Not at the top of his lungs, not bending over backwards from laughter — but the way people laugh from funny, but not very polite joke, sincerely, showing their teeth and squinting, turning their face away from slight embarrassment for their sense of humor.

It was unbearable to watch: maybe if Julius had opened the door to the supposedly empty lecture hall and found them there, half naked and busy, he wouldn't have felt so voyeuristic, staring at what he had no right to look at.

Perhaps that was the day — at that time, of course, he would not admit it to himself, not for anything — when the realization settled in him: there was the Reinhard that Julius could never have hoped to have.

///

So what's the secret, Julius wants to ask, glaring at the high-stretched collar of his turtleneck, and the words burn his tongue. He wants Reinhard to come back faster. He wants Reinhard to be stuck in line for exactly as long as it takes Julius to shove Regulus in the trunk of his car and drive him to the border of Vollachia.

"It's pretty indecent to stare at people like that, in my opinion. It's not that I want to subordinate everyone to the rules of upbringing with which I was raised, every family, of course, is different in this, and it would be completely inappropriate for me to interfere in this, but I assumed that such basic things are what all parents teach their children, isn't it? " Regulus squints at Julius, a smile oozing superiority on his face.

Julius wipes his lips with a napkin and puts it on the left side of the plate.

"My guardians have taught me the proper amount of etiquette lessons, don't worry," he says with restraint, suppressing the urge to add and the importance of compliance with the law. And the norms of morality. And how to be a decent person, and can you please tell me in full detail exactly how you manage not to exhaust the pathetic remnants of conscience by lecturing me about my upbringing instead of whiling away time in prison, which, I would like to remind you, would have been inevitable if Reinhard had not... If you hadn't... How did you... how?

What's the secret?

Regulus raises his eyebrows emphatically:

"The inability to see the shortcomings of one's own personality is the scourge of the majority, no matter how regrettable it may be. A person who wants to achieve something in life, other than being on in the herd, must learn to look at himself soberly, don't you think?"

Julius forces a smile:

"Of course. I will definitely take that into consideration."

There is something in Regulus's face that Julius would consider a moral struggle if he were a fool. His lips are pressed tightly, and his eyes dart: Julius waits patiently, knowing that he will not last long — and indeed, soon something ugly appears on the surface of that loathsome face, something deserving to remain at the bottom of that far more loathsome mind.

"Reinhard appreciates the ability to be honest about oneself in people, so you know," Regulus says, grinning openly, and this is indeed a malicious glee — a bit childish even, full of sincere pride. The desire to poke his success under Julius' nose: mine, mine, mine.

He knows, Julius thinks distantly. For how long? Probably for a long time. It wasn't that hard to notice, of course.

"I assure you, it never occurred to me in my life that Reinhard doesn't appreciate honesty," he says with exaggerated ease. "He knows how to pay tribute to the positive qualities in a person, that's why he is popular with people, you see. "

"People, " Regulus curls his lips uncomfortably. "Ah, people! These people where, let me remind you, everyone craves only one thing — to cover their rotten soul with their positive qualities? People who do good things in order not to be thought badly of, because all they are obsessed with in this life is the opinion of others, without whom it is unbearable for them to be alone with themselves, and with whom it becomes crystal clear to them how miserable they are? And after all, it does not occur to them that everyone around is exactly the same, no, they believe that only they are the centre of the universe, the most important, the most precious, the most, oh, the irony, disgusting! Are they? Are they? Do you think they're better? Oh, huh? You think these worthless, petty, self-obsessed freaks are better, better than me, you think, you-u-u... "

His breath catches, as if someone has squeezed his throat, and he looks at Julius with bulging and darkened eyes. And this change is so unexpected and quick — black, suffocating jealousy — that Julius feels uncomfortable in his own skin, which suddenly feels like someone else's. It suddenly seems to him that someone has planted a mirror in front of him, where his underside is reflected — rotten and sinister, disgusting in its sincerity.

"Hmm, " Julius says. He turns his gaze away, looking for Reinhard in the crowd.

#re zero #my writing #there are a couple of lines that i really liked in the original version but translation kinda butchered them. sad! anyway here you go.

[wyrddogs]

Something that is on my mind currently: The formality of AKC events vs the more lax nature of most other organizations.

Thoughts? Which is your preference and why?

This is a great question and I've been chewing on it all evening. We'll just train-of-thought it:

So I am obviously involved in a bunch of dog sports and I also regularly volunteer for four different clubs. I am at a mixture of AKC and non-AKC events more or less equally.

For conformation, I've been to one (1) AKC specialty and had a negative experience. My dachshund is 75% workingline and he does not match what is winning in the ring. The judge was rude to me and the club president told me to stick to sports. I'm more pissed than upset, but it has affected me. I've entered Zaku in the terv specialty next weekend and oh my god I am so anxious. I don't want to be treated badly again.

I love UKC confo shows. They're so relaxed. You can wear whatever you want. At the Western Classic I 100% planned to dress up but the nosework trial started an hour late so I ended up doing containers with Kermit, then picking him up and running back to my car so I could grab Zaku and run to the herding dog ring. It's the big huge regional on the West Coast and I walked into the ring wearing jeans and a t-shirt and no one batted an eye.

They're also super welcoming. I see so many people who like. don't show. at all, and they enter their dogs just to try it out and other competitors just adopt them into the fold and give them tips and lend them show leads and the judge will patiently walk them through how to gait them. It's so nice.

For agility I've done CPE, AKC, and USDAA. I did CPE for quite some time before I went, wait I'm not enjoying, this, and allowed myself to quit. I dislike points games and you have to get up to Level 5 in every single points game to get your CATCH. Also, CPE is only offered by one single facility in my area and I don't care for a lot of the people there (love the facility owners, can't say the same for their employees). I haven't gotten into NADAC because the closest NADAC shows are held at this facility and there is a lot of overlap in attendance.

I like AKC agility just fine. There is a Lot of Shit that goes on at AKC trials, and the atmosphere is a hell of a lot more competitive than CPE, but I'm not really turned off or anything. The one USDAA trial I've been to was a lot like AKC, but I think that's because there's a ton of overlap in the people who attend. The cool people who I like that do AKC also do USDAA. I may have opinions on course differences now that I have a fast, competitive dog, but with Kermit and Bindi I don't really care? Though USDAA courses are super long so Kermit may struggle. We'll see.

I have no real interest in any of the European clubs. Like ISO or whatever it's called. I am not that competitive and the vibes kind of repel me.

I've only done AKC tracking and a lot of the people are super lovely and I enjoy spending time with them.

I've been to AKC earthdog and AWTA den trials. The earthdog trials I've been to are put on by the dachshund clubs (aka the club I left in aggravation and the club I refuse to join), so that kind of colors my perception. The AWTA den trials have been put on by real terrier people-- little old ladies in their 70s and 80s who have been hunting their terriers underground on tough game for 50 years. So they are very no-nonsense and they know more about dogs than I ever will. I like them. In terms of setup the tunnels and rules are basically the same. They're even held at the same locations.

Nosework-- I've had very limited experience, though my goal for this winter is to get Kermit through Novice and make good headway on Open (or Advanced?). I'd like to get his L1 someday but NACSW offers so few shows close to me at times that are convenient for me, so who knows when that will happen.

Tons of overlap. Everyone who is volunteering at trials is competing in both venues. A lot of people who are really serious about nosework (students of the sport) are competing at both venues. I will say the NASCW diehards tend to be pretty snobby towards AKC. I think both venues have a lot to offer so it kind of depends on how you feel. The single UKC nosework trial I've been to is even easier than AKC because they allow faults in Novice.

Racing/Fast CAT-- I will say Fast CATs tend to be a hell of a lot more chaotic. They also take a lot longer. And I've seen way more loose and runaway dogs (as in, leave the track and rapidly leaving the parking lot too). I think it's mostly because it attracts casual people who may or may not have trained their dogs, and LGRA tends to attract people who are a bit more serious about racing? Also, the LGRA/CWA meets I volunteer at offer practice sessions which are SO. INCREDIBLY. HELPFUL. when you are starting a dog. Sometimes a dog only needs a ten foot bump to start out and that's it! You can also start your baby puppy in practice sessions. You can spend their first year doing really short sprints so they learn the ropes (this is what I'm doing with Zaku) before they start competition runs. It is incredibly helpful.

With a Fast CAT your dog runs or it doesn't and it's at the club's discretion whether they are willing to work with you or not. Also Fast CATs are super expensive compared to LGRA.

I will say that CWA does have whippet snobs, which is kind of annoying. But the extremely lovely whippet people do make up for it. And honestly most breeds have snobs, so whatever.

I don't have as much experience with CATs/lure coursing but honestly the same clubs are putting them on so the same observations apply.

I am probably leaving something out but these are my observations. Also I volunteer whenever I am not actively warming up, cooling down, running, or exercising my dogs, so people tend to be very nice to me. That definitely influences my opinions; if I kept to myself more people might not be as welcoming.

Thank you for asking!

#breed club #dog sports #sorry this is just a word vomit #I just typed stuff as I thought of it

[joannep-whoelse]

Oakley the Mio

Romanian Rescue, Helping or Hindering?

We adopted our dog four and a half years ago without knowing anything about him or his breed, background or anything. We were given very little information from the charity.

We completed an online form, they called us, asked us some questions about our family and home and we were told we could go and collect him, and so we did.

Looking back that raises so many red flags for me.

No in person home check

No initial visit with the dog to check compatibility

When we collected him, he was just handed over outside of the gates of where he had been staying and told he had a cut near his eye

He was incredibly anxious in the car and barked for the entire journey home. When we got him home we saw that the cut was severely infected, his hair was terribly matted and unkempt and he was filthy. So the next day we took him to the vet and the groomers, we also discovered he had an infection in both ears. We contacted the dog charity and explained the situation and they said they would deduct the vet fee from the adoption fees. But that didn’t explain how a dog that had been in their care for the last few months could be in such a state.

We were added to facebook group for people who had adopted dogs from this charity and with a quick search I discovered that we weren’t Oakley’s first adopted family. I sent a message to the previous owner and asked about Oakley and why they sent him back to the charity. They told me that they couldn’t handle him and he didn’t get on with their other dog.

So with that information we contacted the charity and requested more information about Oakley’s history and this is what we were told.

Oakley was found at roughly three months old tied up in a village in the Carpathian Mountains region of Romania, next to a pond. It was assumed that he had been left by sheep farmers because he is quite small for his breed so he would have been the runt of the litter. Mioritic Shepherd dogs guard thousands of sheep in large packs and are known to fight wolves, bears and lynxes to protect the herd.

He was then neutered at roughly four months old and then when he was six months old he was packed into a van and made the long arduous journey to the UK.

When he reached the UK he was placed in a foster home with nearly forty other dogs, with no segregated facilities for him to have his own space, they were all fed together and basically left to their own devices.

At home with us Oakley showed some food aggression particularly when it involves bones and other fresh food. He was also very underweight. He also had not developed bite inhibition. He would also find gaps in fences and bushes to jump through into the neighbours garden.

He would spend hours hiding under the table trying to be invisible. He detested going in his crate, to the point he injured himself destroying it to get out. To which I said to my husband no more crate. He had serious separation anxiety and would chew on my oak chairs and table.

For months we had to show endless patience and compassion and slowly he began to settle in to his new place with our family.

The one thing he never did was mess inside the house.

He is a very vocal dog and if he needs something he will let you know, whatever the time is, much to the annoyance of our neighbours, who have even suggested that we should have him debarked, to which I replied you get your voice surgically removed then!

The barking is breed specific and nothing can change that, so we figure out what it is that he wants and then he is fine.

Even now he is still an anxious dog especially when it comes to going out in the car. So clearly the journey over here traumatised him and left him scarred for life.

Yet Oakley is classed as one of the lucky ones because he didn’t come from a life on the streets or worse a kill shelter.

So the question I am asking is knowing the trauma Oakley has experienced and the resulting anxiety that he has been left living with, what about the other dogs who have experienced trauma from before the journey from either living on the streets or worse in a kill shelter is it worth adding to that and bringing them over to the UK and expecting inexperienced owners take on these challenges?

All the vets that I have spoken with have said that it is cruel to put the dogs through this and that the journey from Romania to the UK is much more traumatic than living on the streets.

I have a friend from Romania who told me that in the villages the stray dogs are seen as the village dogs, people feed them, children play with them. They don’t keep them inside.

So are we getting involved where we don’t need to be? Are we forcing our beliefs of how animals should be kept as pets onto others? In the farming communities dogs and cats are not pets they are part of the community and they have jobs to do. Cats catch mice and other pests. Dogs herd and protect the sheep and other livestock.

I am not picking a side I am merely providing food for thought.

I personally don’t think kill shelters should be allowed but I am just one person and who am I to challenge a foreign government that allows them.

#Romanian rescue dogs #rescue dog #uk #getting involved #is this right? #moral dilemma #Mioritic shepherd dog #food for thought #comments welcome #no hate

[suncrysthyper]

Cattle

While for much of European history, the British Isles were looked.. unfavourably upon, they were considered to have the best animal husbandry. To the point that an English prince's random was once paid with a pair of falcons.

Ox

In many pre-agricultural societies, or in societies with pastures but not arable land, the Ox was wealth. They had metals, horses were the equivalent of cars, and tracts were certainly prestigious, but if you were wealthy, you had cows, and a really fine bull.

In India the bull became sacred, while in Ireland, their greatest work of literature was about a fight over a bull. This might sound underwhelming, but it included basically every heroic lineage and is often referred to as their version of the Iliad.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Táin_Bó_Cúailnge

I looked at the numbers before the pandemic, and it cost about $6/day to feed a cow, if you don't have any good commons or pasture land. The average modern dairy cow produces 7.5 gallons of milk a day. It we remove the modern breeding, and alchemy, you would get a 3-4 gallons of milk a day. 1 gallon can produce 3/4 of a pound of cheese or 1-1.5 pounds of butter.

Typically, you save the best bull calf, and castrate the rest into steers. Steers literally have the Strength of an Ox, which until the invention of the steam engine, was the most powerfully things Humans had, other than elephants.

Sheep

The sheep is basically the perfect animal. It produces meet, milk, and wool. And you don't have to do much more than make sure the idiots don't wander off. The answer is to tie a bell around the lead whether, so you know where the herd is, and train dogs to protect them.

#suncryst hyperborea #animal husbandry

[honeybear-yammy]

Side Of The Road | JJ Maybank

Warnings: cursing, smut, unprotected sex

Pairings: JJ Maybank x Female Reader

Summary: In which Y/N gets stuck on the side of the road and JJ offers to help her out but, when Y/N doesn't have the money to pay him, he offers another solution.

© Honeybear-Yammy, please do not steal, translate, copy, or transfer my work.

You sighed and sat in your car waiting. Your car had broke down on the side of the road and you called your best friend John B to try to help. You called about 35 minutes ago so you figured he should be here anytime now.

A car pulled up behind you and parked behind you. To your surprise a blonde boy got out of the car.  A gorgeous blonde boy. You quickly noticed him. It was JJ Maybank, John B’s best friend. You got out of the car to talk to him about the problem. “Herd you were in a pickle huh?” JJ asked walking to the hood of the car. “Yeah… it broke down, I have no idea why..” You huffed.

“It’s fine, nothing JJ Maybank can’t fix.” He smirked and looked under the hood. You chuckled a little rolling your eyes playfully. “I figured John B was coming, not you.” You laughed. “You really think JB could’ve fixed your car?” He looked up to you and corked a brow. “I- yeah you’re right..” You laughed. “Good thing he sent you then..” You smiled slightly. “Yup good thing indeed.” JJ said and then took a took at the problem. In a matter of minutes the car purred again.

“All done.” JJ said as he closed the hood. “I- you fixed it already? That quickly?” You asked shocked. “Yup! I told you, nothing JJ Maybank can’t fix.” He chuckled. “Let me just get my wallet.. I’ll pay you.” You searched through your purse for your wallet and couldn’t find it. “Shit… I must have forgot my wallet at home..” You huffed.

“That’s fine.. I can think of.. another way you could pay me.” JJ said biting his lip. You corked your brow at him. “A much more fun way for both of us..” He smirked. “And what would that way be?” You asked. “Maybe..” He got very close to you, his lips inches away from yours. You looked up at him and bit your lip gently. You had never been this close to JJ but… you loved it.

“You could pay me back by.. getting into the back of the car with me and getting on my dick..” JJ smirked. “I-” You bit your lip and nodded… very much liking that idea. “Baby.. we use our words.. tell me what you want.” He tilted your chin up to look at him. “I want you…” You bit your lip. JJ’s lips crashed onto yours and the two of you began to passionately make out in the open.

JJ opened the car door. “Ladies first..” He smirked. You gigged and got into the back of your car and he followed you into the back shutting the door. You pulled off JJ’s top then he pulled off your top along with your bra. “God you’re so hot..” He leaned back to get a better look at you. You bit your lip and blushed a little. JJ began to suck on your right nipple, thumbing the left. Then the switched doing the opposite to the left. You let out a small whimper.

JJ lifted you up slightly so he could pull off your shorts and panties so now you were completely naked for him. You started to unbuckle his pants, desperate for his cock. He pulled his dick out of his pants. You positioned yourself and sunk down onto his cock, letting out a moan as you did so. You began to bounce on his cock and threw your head back moaning out. JJ held onto your hips tightly and groaned. His grip tightened on your hips as he started to kiss your next.

This was by far the best sex you had ever had. JJ decided to help you so, he held you up slightly and started thrusting into you. “I-I- fuuuck JJ.” You moaned out loudly. “That’s right.. say my name babygirl..” JJ said as he groaned. “Fuck I’m close!” You moaned out. JJ sped up the pace, pounding into you. Your jaw dropped. His sex was… amazing. You were moaning basically as loud as you could now.

“Fuck! I’m gonna cum!” You yelled. “Cum for me baby.” JJ groaned out, his thrusts starting to get sloppy. You moaned out and saw stars… then you squirted. JJ came at the same time you did. “I- damn y'know… you must really love my cock.. you squirted all over it.” JJ smirked. You giggled a little. “Can you stay inside me a little longer?” You looked at him. “Sure..” JJ nodded. You smiled and rested your head on his check now cockwarming him. You never knew breaking down on the side of the road could be so fun sometimes.

Author's Note: tysm for reading!

Taglist ˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗

@pankhoeforlife @ceceswriting @my-baexht-ls @lovedetlost @bethoconnor @n-kkpoly @vashappeningkevin @luversgirl @drewbooooo @gillybear17

#obx #outer banks #outerbanks #jj maybank #jjmaybank #jj #maybank #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank x female reader #jj maybank x fem!reader #jj maybank x f!reader #jj maybank x you #jj maybank x oc #jj maybank x y/n #jj maybank x routledge!reader #jj maybank x pogue!reader #jj maybank one shot #jj maybank x kook!reader #jj maybank x plus size reader #jj x reader #jj outer banks #smut #obx smut #outer banks smut #outerbanks smut #outerbankssmut #jj smut #jj maybank smut #tw smut #smut warning

[uglypastels]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by: @eddiemunsons80sbaby 💖💖

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

My main posting site is tumblr, on which I have 387 titles in my masterlists, (443 individual writing posts if seperating multi-chaptered stories).

Then i've reposted 40 of these titles on AO3 and 10 on Wattpad.*

*Counted since 2018

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

40 fics - 518,511 words total

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I've written for MCU (actors) and co, the Irregulars, Stranger Things and One Piece (live action).

4. What are your top 5 fics?

I'm going by individual posts, not accumulated interactions through series.

Following the Herd

"Wearing His T-Shirt" blurb

"Overcoming the Nerves" blurb

Heaven and Hell

The Special

5. Do you respond to comments?

I always try my best to reply as soon as possible wether its an ask, reblog or comment. (Excluding wattpad, as i see that more like people annotating their reading and generally don't want to bother them. But i do always read them and appreciate them, and if something stands out or if someone comments a lot i will respond)

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Ooh i once killed reader off dramatically lol ("Car Crash" blurb) but I think the general reader's concensus would be Caught Me Slippin' , which I didn't even intend to make that angsty, but people cried (allegedly). And honestly, while i apologise for the emotional damage, i do take it as the highest compliment to be able to evoke such feelings.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my stories are quite happy and i'm not sure how to rate "happiness".

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I am actually surprised how scarce the hate is, and usually in the form of anons, because I always expect people to hate me. But thats on insecurities. Honestly, writing on here has always been amazing.

9. Do you write smut?

Yes. I hate it tho 😫 like, love smut in theory and concept but it's a bitch to write.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I love a lengthy and extended au, often inspired by other works (Not Wholly Evil is basically Stranger Things x Pirates of the Caribbean) but i think the only clear "crossover" i (remember to) have written would be Murder on the Dancefloor ??? which would be a tom holland x Strictly Come Dancing crossover lmao. I do often think about tv show crossovers in concept tho, but doubt i'll write any.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yup. Shit sucks.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, but it was done without my permission and uncredited (which is still stealing!!) so that sucks.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I've dabbled in co-writing, haha, several times avtually, but for one reason or another, none of the projects were ever published. Would love to one day actually fully co-write something with someone on here.

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

Ngl, i'm not sure I have one. Probably why all of my stories are 'x reader'.

15. What's a WIP that you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

At this point I think this about every single one of my WIPs and that's writer's block for ya.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Hmm...i'd like to think the expression of emotion, showing how characters feel. And maybe world building- or thats at least my favorite thing in AUs. Maybe also details (either motives, references or foreshadowing)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm horrible at pacing. Always feel like i go too slow with the plot and then suddenly too fast and its all a mess, especially when it comes to series. Also just general knowledge on things; i feel like i don't know enough things to write about when it comez to daily and regular life, or even how to normally interact with people so that makes things hard when trying to be realistic. I also feel like i don't know enough words??? So things get really repetitive.

Oh, and this is also an aspect of writing- i'm horrible at getting feedback in the form of proofreading. It makes me physically sick having someone go through my work like that, and I barely do it myself. Which may result in some horrible typos/mistakes. And i do apologise profusely for that. Believe me, if you caught a mistake in my fic, i still think about it to this day.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in different languages?

Its always better if the writer is familiar with the language. Things you're comfortable with writing translate over better to the reader. It's like in movies/tv, its always better when you have an actor speaking a language they actually know. And if you don't know it, 1) ask yourself why are you writing it then and then 2) better research the hell out of it.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

My first fic, that has since been deleted for a long time, was on wattpad and it was for a youtuber lmao. (peak 2013/15 era, thats all i'm gonna say)

20. Favorite fic(s) you've written?

From my most recent, in no particular order:

Following the Herd (eddie munson)

The Special (Sanji)

Not Wholly Evil (Eddie Munson)

Biggest Fan (Buggy)

Headlights (Eddie Munson)

This was so much fun to do at 4/5 am haha. Thank you for the tag again. Here are some peeps i'll be tagging (no pressure) 💜

@mydearzero @spiderrrling @eddies-house @elvendria @josephfakingquinn

#long post #tag game #tagged #ask game #questions #writers on tumblr

[iamthecomet]

-stops by with my morning coffee and an extra cup if you so please-

To elaborate on the cop thing; There's a family style restaurant in the same area as the shop I work at (we have two, two tiered main buildings in a sort of L shape, and the restaurant is part of building 1, and the shop and the antique shop above us are part of building 2) and they offer a free breakfast for law enforcement, firefighters, and paramedics.

The first time I encountered the herd, though, like in real force, was when there was a convicted killer on the loose not long ago, and when I was walking down into the main parking lot, they all turned and stared at me, because I was on foot.

But I often count the cop cars in the parking lot when I come in, because if I see one, there's a strong chance there's more waiting around the corner.

Where I'm at, there's a strong police presence due to proximity to a prison, park, and juvenile hall, and when I attended jury duty last week, 98% of the room stood up because they were related to or knew a cop.

In general, I am very wary of other people I encounter while out and about, but when there are cops, I tend to go a bit more rigid, because I get worried if I do anything even remotely "weird" they're going to approach me, and, like, I do not want that, no.

Every time I unlock the shop with one of them around, and the alarm goes off, I try to get the code done quickly, because I don't want them questioning if I belong there/risking letting the shop cat get hit by their cars if they decide to leave in a hurry, so I'm always scooping her up first thing.

I've never really found myself in a position where I, myself, have had a bad run in with a cop, but I know enough people who have that I'm like, "Just leave me alone, please."

It's also, like, not for nothing, but I did study forensics for a time, and a lot of cases I had to read about/analyze for classes involved some kind of police interference/incompetence that ruined evidence or there were biases among the officers that lead to information being withheld.

The idea that those who are supposed to protect and serve would rather protect themselves really just...

Well, ya know.

Overall, I'd rather deal with firefighters and paramedics coming by to get food than a herd of cops, but at the very least people slow down in the parking lot, I dunno.

Donut?

-slides you the box-

mmm coffee AND a donut? you're too good to me. Your herd of cops makes a lot more sense now. The instinctual aversion to cops is so interesting to me. I totally get why we all have it, it's very clear. But it's so fucked up that this organization that is supposed to be a safe place has universally become a bad, dangerous, scary place. And then that everyone knows that but there is no effort to make cops less fucking terrifying?

I live in a place with basically zero police presence, which maybe should be scary, but really just makes everyone in town much easier to deal with. The nearest cops are twenty minutes away at best and it works out just fine. I've also never had a bad run in with a cop--but I've known people who had. And I have a friend who went to college for criminal justice, joined the police department, and lasted maybe two years before he left because it was so so bad. He really did just want to help people--but the department he was on had no interest in it. ALSO, I feel like cops shouldn't be allowed to gather in herds. It just seems dangerous. They're unpredictable. But yes, I agree. Much safer around (most) firefighters (I've known some really shitty volunteer firefighters, but the worst of them is also a cop). And honestly paramedics make great, albeit traumatized friends. They've seen it all and they've got the best stories.

#comet comments #lamp #cw cops

[dragunsblood]

the basis for my furry world btw:

it's split into two kinds of furs; bipeds and quadrupeds, known more commonly as bips and quads

basically a long time ago, a wave of magic washed over the planet, and drastically altered the path of evolution. many animals began to evolve toward a bipedal stance, tool users and more specialized towards stamina, while quads also continued toward intelligence, while being navigators, defenders, and in the case of carnivorous species, hunters. these two fur species collaborated in life, forming one herd or pack together, and benefitting one another. over time society was formed and generally moved away from these strict roles, and quads and bips live in relative harmony.

regular animals still exist in the form of "animals" which are different from "furs" - think humans vs chimps, closely related but not the same thing

nowadays large insects (cow sized beetles and grubs bred to never metamorphosize) and fish are the primary food species for carnivores as insect and fish furs are a little less wigged eating things that look like them than mammals are

seats in society are generally either very specialized (car driver seats are typically in two models, and only drivable by a quad or a bip respectively) or able to be folded to accommodate the other type of fur

#furry worldbuilding

[veritas-in-notitia]

Every time I take the shc quiz I end up wrestling with the questions as I go. I’ve decided to start doing it in writing. At the very least it’s writing practice, and I’ll stop retreading old ground with myself every time. If people in your family or community disagree with you, is it hard to act against their wishes?   Family? Sure. Community? No. Even with people I love, the struggle is usually in them not agreeing with me or me not understanding them. Either prove I'm wrong or see it my way, damn it.

I tend to go along to get along in groups, but that’s not the same thing as community. Also it’s boring, but riling things up isn’t worth it most of the time, and the times it is my spouse usually stops me saying anything (which is ironic, because in every other circumstance he’s a troll. he likes to stir the pot with people he knows as a sign of affection). 

(I’m specifically remembering early covid. He had a dental surgery, and we were both masked in the waiting room. Two other people were not masked. One was across the room on her phone, one sitting quietly near us. The person on the phone loudly and proudly proclaims they have no intention of ever wearing a mask because if “god wants me, it’s my time to go.” My head snapped around so fast I probably should’ve gotten whiplash. My mouth opened -- I have no idea what I was going to say, exactly -- and he stepped on my foot. His reason was he didn’t want to have to fight the person on the phone if they got mad at me. I proceeded to give him a diatribe about herd immunity and basic common decency and empathy while occasionally pointedly looking at the quiet unmasked person sitting near us. And then he got called in for his appointment and I went to sit in the hot but unpeopled car.)

 And the actual *communities* I've been a part of -- no, it's not hard to act against their wishes when I'm in a healthy place because they've all been online communities. When I was much younger and craved -- I don't even know. Attention? Validation? I went from having almost no social life to having one entirely online, and I had no real framework for how to act. I was, like any young teen, equal parts wildly cringe and anxiety to be liked. I wanted to be admired. 

I still do! But for being me, thanks. Okay. Enough ramble. Time to pick an answer... which is tough, because they’re all valid answers to the question. 1 and 2 specifically if I’m thinking about family; 3, 4, and 5 for groups and communities, depending on the context.

Yes, because I care about them. 

I care about my people, but that mostly makes me want to be around them and do things for and with them. It doesn't mean I have to agree with them, though I’d prefer to on important subjects. Whether or not I’d defer to them depends on the person, context, and how important the issue is to me. 

As for community, I care about my communities and their mores, but not like that. They don't define me or my choices.

Yes, because you should listen to other people before you act.

Obviously? I mean, I’m not going to take advice on every topic from every person, but I want all relevant opinions before I act, and several of my people are quite clever. I value their input.

Yes, because I have to live with and around them, and they can make my life more difficult with their disapproval.

I have to live with them: I had SO MUCH fight in me when I was younger. Argue argue argue. Stand my ground. Make a fuss. I can't do that anymore. I discovered my ideal situation is calm. I am ape. Give me fruit and hammock and a source of good vibes. So yeah, I generally try to keep the peace. But I don't think I'd call it a moral imperative. It's just easier.

It might be hard, but I've got to do what I think is right.

I try to always do what I think is right. I’m not always correct about what that is, and my mind can be changed, often by myself. I spend a lot of time arguing with myself. My brain is a very busy place.

No, not at all.

For little things, or even middling things, this is the one. I do what I want, unless it impinges on someone else, in which case I usually adjust slightly. For important stuff, moral/ethical issues, it’s harder, because if I care about someone (= they are my people = they are family), then I’m automatically going to consider their input. Answer: is really hard to pick. Do I pick the Community answer (not at all), or the Family answer (yes, because I care about them)? I’m inclined to pick the Community answer simply because this feels like a Badger-filtering question, which leads me to think Community is what it’s asking about despite the “or family.” (Of course, it does say “people in your” -- so it could mean individuals, not groups. But I’m going with my first assumption, because I’m fully aware that I’m massively overthinking at this point.) So then. No, not at all. Next question: When you’re not sure what’s the right thing to do, what do you turn to?

#notes to self #i am an argument #overthinking r us #maybe i will get through the whole quiz before the hyperfixation fades again #shc