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lackadaisycats · 3 months

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Hey Tracy! Have you heard about the new Ai called Sora? Apparently it can now create 2D and 3D animations as well as hyper realistic videos. I’ve been getting into animation and trying to improve my art for years since I was 7, but now seeing that anyone can create animation/works in just a mare seconds by typing in a couple words, it’s such a huge slap in the face to people who actually put the time and effort into their works and it’s so discouraging! And it has me worried about what’s going to happen next for artists and many others, as-well. There’s already generated voices, generated works stolen from actual artists, generated music, and now this! It’s just so scary that it’s coming this far.

Yeah, I've seen it. And yeah, it feels like the universe has taken on a 'fuck you in particular' attitude toward artists the past few years. A lot of damage has already been done, and there are plenty of reasons for concern, but bear in mind that we don't know how this will play out yet. Be astute, be justifiably angry, but don't let despair take over. --------

One would expect that the promo clips that have been dropping lately represent some of the best of the best-looking stuff they've been able to produce. And it's only good-looking on an extremely superficial level. It's still riddled with problems if you spend even a moment observing. And I rather suspect, prior to a whole lot of frustrated iteration, most prompts are still going to get you camera-sickness inducing, wibbly-wobbly nonsense with a side of body horror.

Will the tech ultimately get 'smarter' than that and address the array of typical AI giveaways? Maybe. Probably, even. Does that mean it'll be viable in quite the way it's being marketed, more or less as a human-replacer? Well…

A lot of this is hype, and hype is meant to drive up the perceived value of the tech. Executives will rush to be early adopters without a lot of due diligence or forethought because grabbing it first like a dazzled chimp and holding up like a prize ape-rock makes them look like bleeding-edge tech geniuses in their particular ecosystem. They do this because, in turn, that perceived value may make their company profile and valuations go up too, which makes shareholders short-term happy (the only kind of happy they know). The problem is how much actual functional value will it have? And how long does it last? Much of it is the same routine we were seeing with blockchain a few years ago: number go up. Number go up always! Unrealistic, unsustainable forever-growth must be guaranteed in this economic clime. If you can lay off all of your people and replace them with AI, number goes up big and never stops, right?

I have some doubts. ----------------------

The chips also haven't landed yet with regards to the legality of all of this. Will these adopters ultimately be able to copyright any of this output trained on datasets comprised of stolen work? Can computer-made art even be copyrighted at all? How much of a human touch will be required to make something copyright-able? I don't know yet. Neither do the hype team or the early adopters.

Does that mean the tech will be used but will have to be retrained on the adopter's proprietary data? Yeah, maybe. That'd be a somewhat better outcome, at least. It still means human artists make specific things for the machine to learn from. (Watch out for businesses that use 'ethical' as a buzzword to gloss over how many people they've let go from their jobs, though.)

Will it become industry standard practice to do things this way? Maybe. Will it still require an artist's sensbilities and oversignt to plan and curate and fix the results so that it doesn't come across like pure AI trash? Yeah, I think that's pretty likely.

If it becomes standard practice, will it become samey, and self-referential and ultimately an emblem of doing things the cookie-cutter way instead of enlisting real, human artists? Quite possibly.

If it becomes standard industry practice, will there still be an audience or a demand or a desire for art made by human artists? Yes, almost certainly. With every leap of technology, that has remained the case. ------------------ TL;DR Version:

I'm not saying with any certainty that this AI blitz is a passing fad. I think we're likely to experience a torrential amount of generative art, video, voice, music, programming, and text in the coming years, in fact, and it will probably irrevocably change the layout of the career terrain. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was being overhyped as a business strategy right now. And I don't think the immensity of its volume will ever overcome its inherent emptiness.

What I am certain of is that it will not eliminate the innate human impulse to create. Nor the desire to experience art made by a fellow soul. Keep doing your thing, Anon. It's precious. It's authentic. It will be all the more special because it will have come from you, a human.

#art #lackadaisy #technology

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thechekhov · 4 months

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Dungeon Meshi Quick Reacts: CH45

Slumber party!

Fair, but consider: She deserves a little murder. As a treat.

Kabru be like "IS THAT MY BACKSTORY???"

That sure is....a ship. With no one on it.

Ah, shit the Americans are here.

Two things: Toshiro being tended to like a pretty pretty princess is hilarious.

And also, the fact that they think the elves can kill Falin......... hmmm.... Pressing X to doubt.

............... oh. Laios. 😂

But also like. How was he MEANT to keep it silent? Put a little something in it? I thought since it was a magic bell you could code it to only ring when it's shaken with INTENT?

Fancy ass house.

Also, Namari...........are you hitting that yet? Both of that?

Oh, it's backstory time.

Okay one: that's fucking tragic, it sounds like the Elves are just forcing the dungeons closed with no regard for how the ecosystem compensates and what people suffer by being in close proximity......

And another thing: Kabru. Kabru, isn't that what YOU'RE after? Having all the power?

Why is this so much like that one meme where the girls at the party are looking at you.

It's the same picture.

Kabru that's. That's maybe not the way to go about it. you're going to give them MORE reasons to go in.

Nevermind the governor not being into this 'good boy, now sign' talk, Toshiro's kinda right. Ya fucked up Kabru.

No matter how far Laios runs, he cannot escape other people trying to tell him how to live his life. Poor guy. But at the same time...

Is this real? Or a red herring?

Laios' father and mother seemed to be living relatively pious lives. They clearly had a good house, but it didn't seem like they were extremely rich. Then again, perhaps he's just a cousin of royalty? Is that why his parents wanted him to have children?

They want to.... halt the growth of the dungeon? Is this another part of the natural ecosystem of things? Dungeons growing seems to point even more towards the idea that it's a gigantic, fleshpit-like creature instead of simply a construct.

Then again, constructs CAN be creatures. Like the golems.

Elves not understanding how old humans are continues to be hilarious because like.

As humans, we HAVE this same concept of variant aging. Like. Dogs. We understand that dogs live less than us, and mature a lot slower. But this is.... COMMON KNOWLEDGE. Most people do not make it into adulthood without understanding that dogs mature within 1-2 years of their birth.

The fact that elves, a species with FAR more time on their hands, who have lived alongside other races for AGES....... have STILL not got the general concept of aging down....means their education is atrocious. Or they're all not paying attention.

.......this. THIS is the most fascinating concept in this chapter.

The fallen.... turned into MONSTERS.

We know that dying inside the dungeon doesn't mean permanent death. But dying above-ground does.

We know that dying in the dungeon doesn't mean your body turns into a monster (aside from ghosts and ghouls?) ..... but dying aboveground.... DOES......?

WHAT'S THE TRUTH.

👁👁

Hm.

If Kabru and Laios fused, they could almost make one functioning human being.

Senshi just beginning to speak in the middle of his own internal monologue is so real.

...... what's going on there with the expression, buddy?

Bread.......are they STILL carrying around flour with them?! How are they getting bread?!

Also, it's awesome that the eggs are canonically hard to crack, because it makes sense that they don't break during their many fighting events.

Izutsumi really said ◉_◉

Don't tell me Laios, who is sensitive to ghosts has ALSO been seeing things?

Not gonna lie, that's highkey terrifying.

Props to that ghost that's been following Laios around, not ever giving up hope that it can bother him into acknowledging it.

And also - hey, it already saved them once! that means it's probably not evil!

That, or it's the king of the bloody dungeon. Wouldn't that be something!

#dungeon meshi #dungeon meshi quick reacts #dungeon meshi liveblog #chekhov reads dungeon meshi

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a-doubleh-x · 2 months

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Why I like Charlastor

The other day I noticed there was some negativity in the Charlastor tag, including antis and people feeling the need to defend against antis, so I thought I might as well take a step back and just write candidly about why I like the ship.

I only got into Hazbin in October of last year, but already it has inspired me a lot to write and fantazise about it. Like most people, I started with the classic "they look cute together", but as I kept looking I couldn't help but think there was something else to these two than first met the eye.

For starters, I love Pollyanas! I think they get a bad rep for being naive, but I just appreciate an optimist like Charlie who just wants to make people around her happy because it makes her happy. I also like bad boys 😳 I'm a pretty heteronormative guy, so I haven't had a big chance to explore that part of myself yet, but I do like the danger and excitement someone like Alastor brings to the table.

I will admit when I started writing Charlastor I felt like I was handling dynomite. It's a lil scary to ship a boundless altruist with a manipulative sociopath, but bear with me.

I think each of them has something the other needs. I think Charlie needs someone to challenge her, someone to steer her in the right direction while she's mostly isolated. At the start of the series, practically nobody but Vaggie takes her seriously, and Alastor is no exception. He mocks her, teases her, but she still listens and I think it's because somewhere deep down she understands there's something he's trting to communicate in his annoying, but curious way.

Of course, I also love the fanon Charlie who's down bad for Alastor, and even if that Charlie is a little naive, I think it's also sweet and she can use some indulgence while most people treat her like a child.

On the other hand, when it comes to Alastor, this is a bit of a theory on my part, but I think he's secretely lonely. He has friends, certainly, like Rosie and Mimzy, but they're not good enough friends to live together with him. They don't seem to be able to save him from "pure, absolute boredom". But Charlie, for some reason can, even though she's a stranger at the beginning when Alastor chooses to move into the Hotel.

Alastor is not as much of a cynic as someone who chooses to see things in a perspective that benefits him. He doesn't think redeeming sinner is "hopeless", but "hilarious" instead, which has interesting implications to me. That's why he chooses to hover around Charlie, not because he thinks she's lame, rather because he thinks she's silly. She makes him laugh. Which I think is kind of how Alastor sees "love".

And then you have fanon Alastor who, depending on the writer, is either a horny animal, a wisecrack edgelord or a soft boy who's mean to everyone but Charlie XD I like several of those interpretations, but I kinda prefer mine just out of personal taste. I think the best part about Alastor is that he doesn't *care* what anyone thinks of him and always does what he wants, even at the expense of other people, which I find pretty enviable.

They're kinda both outcasts in their own ways. Charlie by being unable to fit in and Alastor being unwilling to compromise. But they don't judge each other. He supports her in his own weird way and she houses him and is delighted of him in general, which is tasty food for his ego. I do wonder why Alastor is interested in Charlie, both in canon and in a fandom vacuum.

There's some cool potential for drama there, but also growth and healing, in my opinion. Personally, I think Alastor doesn't want to actually *hurt* Charlie, but he may hurt those around her, which will be a moment to start settling compromises if Charlie puts her foot down.

That haz bin my review so far! I'm honestly pretty grateful for Vivziepop for all of the work she's done so far, I know directing, animating and writing two shows over the course of 5 year or so ain't easy. I'm also grateful to the fandom who shares their thoughts and vision, which calms the terrible voices I started hearing in my head since I bought this weird old radio.

I'm in the middle of a break, but if you're interested in my fanfics I'll get back to writing very soon. Cheers! 🌈❤🦌

#hazbin hotel #charlie morningstar #alastor hazbin hotel #charlastor

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ivesambrose · 8 months

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Rest of 2023 Forecast 🎐

1. 2. 3.

Just like that, it's already autumn 🍁

How was everyone's year so far?

Mine was rather eventful towards the later half.

But let's take a look into what the closing messages of 2023 are for you 🩵

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at [email protected]

Personal Readings

Masterpost

Thank you for the tip

Picture 1

Realizing that you want to do and achieve certain things for yourself and not because someone expects way too much from you and you have to somehow gain their validation. However, you'll also come across people who inspire creativity in you and encourage you to step into your power, be more assertive without the fear of standing out.

Whatever labour you put in around this time will have it's turn out by next year. Stay patient, it will be rewarded.

You'll slowly see fortune turn in your favor, there might be sudden changes that push you to walk away from a certain place or situation but you'll be happy to do so. It's likely you were waiting for it for the most part of thr year and it's happening now.

Some of you might also hit the lottery, win a jackpot, receive unexpected money through your business, work or just randomly have it come to you.

You'll be making plans for the next year to venture out, manifest important connections, make travel plans etc you'll be looking forward to having fun and admist all the fun you'll see situations that earlier were out of control or stagnant, fall into place for you.

Be wary of certain manipulative people who seem all talk no show, they're just trying to dupe you into something. Trust your intuition here.

If you have a business or working on launching one, you'll find the right people and see a lot of growth. Have faith in your abilities.

Picture 2

Initially I see you being conflicted with something, being unable to decide with the number of options in front of you. You might also be picturing the possible ways certain things can or will play out in your life and trying to stick to the best case scenario. Eventually, you'll be able to focus. You just require some discipline.

You may also be unable to see the progress you've made so far or are making but it'll suddenly occur to you that you've indeed climbed to the top of the ladder and overcame a lot of obstacles, you're almost there, so it's best to simply enjoy the process and the journey since success is imminent if you don't stop.

There's a possible union with someone special or even celebration with your friends. Gifts being exchanged and a lot of financial prosperity coming your way.

I see by the end of this year you'll be feeling lavish and happy since something significant came through somehow.

I heard the words, "seems I'm lucky after all!"

Picture 3

It may have been a tumultuous year so far, good news is thar youre finally finding your center. Body and mind in sync, slowing down and offering a better perspective of things.

For a lot of you, I see that you had been struggling with your health a lot both physical and mental, you'll be seeing considerable progress. You might start getting into exercise again, likely lower intensity ones, it will give you better benefits as well as put you in a meditative state.

Your true glow up starts now. Instead of pushing yourself to break and grind in order get something you'll simply allow yourself to receive. You might feel creative and want to get back to the arts be in sketching, keeping an art book, makeup, even cooking or fashion/fashion design. You'll be feeling more beautiful inside and out.

You'll be excited to welcome the new year, a new chapter of your life is beginning. You'll be feeling more energised and hopeful. Attend more events, celebrate with friends, make new ones, travel etc

You have a lot of intellect and wisdom, there's a power in your words as well as your voice, you'll be influencing the right people who'd want to be around you or know you personally. Have discernment when letting anyone in, eitherway the right ones will stay and add value to your life.

#free readings #tarot community #divination community #pick a card #PAC #pick a pile #pick a picture #pick a photo #2023 forecast #spiritual community

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lil-shiro · 6 months

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Lance Stroll Driving Style/Preference Analysis

I’ve seen a lot of videos and posts online about different driver’s driving styles, so I wanted to do a bit of in depth analysis for Lance since

I haven’t really seen a lot about his and

I think his is very interesting and differs from a large portion of rest of the grid

Disclaimer: I’m no expert or professional at this :)) It’s very much out of personal interest and looking at his growth as a driver. Be aware that styles can change depending on the car, and I could even argue that there are no true “styles”, which is why I like using the word “preferences” as well.

Introduction

Some things that I’ve seen being discussed when it comes to driver’s preferences include:

Early vs. late breaking into turns

Agressive vs. smooth steering

Preference of Understeer vs. oversteer

Just to name a few but it all plays a part in how fast you exit a corner, tire degradation, and possibility of getting overtaken.

Lance’s “Style”

On the grid, there are a lot of drivers who vary in their approach to how they take corners, such as Checo who always anticipates the best line to take, or Fernando who drives aggressively and uses a braking area to go into a corner without losing speed exiting it.

Lance differs because he’s always been a true reactive driver, meaning he relies more on instinctive feel. You can see it on his onboards, how he’s constantly adjusting the wheel and makes very erratic inputs while driving.

This is in contrast to other drivers who we see handle the steering wheel in a smoother way that doesn’t make it look like they’re wrestling with their car. In his first year of F1 especially, he was significantly overdriving the car.

He uses very deep braking and carries a lot of speed into the corner because of this. From the outside, it seems like he only plans up to the middle of the corner and somehow fights his way from there to the straight, but his reaction time is amazing, therefore he doesn’t completely lose the car. You can see how his approach is unorthodox.

Quali

If you’ve been following Lance for a bit, you probably know that quali has never been his strong suit, he’s definitely more of a Sunday driver. And this correlates directly to his style.

No two laps from him are exactly the same, and since it’s not very smooth, his one-lap pace suffers.

“Rainmaster”

Lance’s driving is far from ideal for a dry quali, but this is why he reacts very well to unforeseen events and changing conditions. On a wet track, drivers have to constantly correct themselves, but he’s already doing that normally.

After his pole position in the wet, he said, “In these conditions you can’t think about everything. You just have to focus on the next corner”. This just highlights how he literally takes it one corner at a time, acting on instinct, as opposed to forecasting what he’s gonna do in the next corner. Ironically, people have said that this instinctive driving reminds them of Gilles Villeneuve.

Adding on, his frantic steering style is really good for heating up cold tires in the wet.

Growth

I would say that over the years, he’s definitely learned how to tone down the way he handles the car. For example, his tire management used to be very bad as his steering would just overwork them.

But even just looking at recent races such as Brazil and Las Vegas, he manages to go on long stints, even exceeding the predicted tire life which would be impossible if he still drove as aggressively as before. His reaction time has only gotten better as well, often gaining places at the start.

However, if you look at his onboards, you can still tell his driving apart from anyone else’s, and I don’t think his way of driving will ever change.

He has such a natural talent for feel and being able to quickly react in the most extreme conditions, but that has forced him to work on other aspects of racing such as tire management and one-lap race pace.

One reason why it might have taken him longer to develop his racing may be his jump from F3 straight to F1. Lower series cars have less grip overall, which suits his style, as opposed to F1 cars that have good grip. So you can probably see why he struggled in the beginning.

Conclusion

As you can see, his driving is quite different, and it shows through his strengths and weaknesses. Reactive driving was more the norm back F1 from the 70’s to early 2000’s, but went away as cars became smoother. I actually think he’d be really good at rally driving…

But I dunno I guess this makes me like him even more because of all the work he’s had to put in to make his unconventional driving work in modern F1.

Extra Onboard from 2017 His Suzuka start in the wet Onboard from LVGP

#lord help me i can't believe i just wrote this #feel free to add your discussions or talk to me about it!#lancey is such a rough gem to me #lance stroll #f1 analysis #f1 meta

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overtail · 1 month

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Can u do zuko x tall reader headcanons? Her being his height or an inch taller??

i mean I'll do that but way taller since Zuko is canonically 5'3...................

he's our short king guys

Zuko x Tall Reader Headcannons

pre-book 3 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

-zuko was always taller than you as a kid

-he was always teasing you since you were such a short girl

-over summer break, when you and your family went on a trip when you two were 11, you came back extremely tall

-'pre-teen growth spurt I guess?'

-he always felt very inferior to you

-you just kept getting taller as the months went on

-when you signed up to fight in the army, you were teased and called a boy by the others in training

-zuko always defended you, and made sure you felt like a girl

-he would get you flowers, try to get dresses for you, and would always call you his 'girl best friend', even though you were his only friend

-when he was sent on the mission to find the Avatar when he was 13, you couldnt accompany him

-you were devastated, even going as far as trying to quit your soldier training

-but when he left, you gave up on your efforts

-you worked hard, writing letters to zuko that were never sent

-you celebrated his birthday, buying gifts that collected up in the closet of your bedroom

-everyday you believed he would come back

-but he never did

-you gave up after about 2 years

-you tried to focus on your work of becoming a soldier, graduating at 13

-you were the most versatile and strongest because of your height, and you were the top of your ranks

book 3 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

-over three years later, zuko returned

-his hair was longer, his scar was fully healed at this point

-he was taller now, but not by much. you still towered over him

-he didn't recognize you at first. you of course knew it was him, since the announcement of his arrival was spread throughout the kingdom

-since you were the most trusted by your commander, you were assigned to guard zuko

-you waved awkwardly at him, and the only thing that confused him was that such a tall person has such a feminine figure

-he didn't see your face under the helmet, so that added to the non recognition

-'y/n?'

-he hugged you the moment you took off your helmet, waving back

-you were maybe 2 or 3 inches taller than him

-though it had been 3 years, it was like you were back at iroh's house, learning how to play pai sho

-'you're a soldier now? sick'

-he was already happy that he had his honor back, but seeing you made him ecstatic

-every say you two would take walks around the palace

-you two would eat lunch together, visit the village

-until he started dating mai

-you held no grudge against her - she was a lot like zuko

-you were happy that he met his other half, someone so indifferent to him

-that's what made you jealous

-you two stopped hanging out like regular

-'wanna get lunch?' 'I'm going on a picnic with mai'

-the title friend slowly faded into just being his bodyguard

-🔞it was always so awkward hearing him and mai get up to things in his room as you stood guard outside

-🔞you always wished it was you

-the possibility of you being too tall ran through your mind, how being a soldier cracked your femininity

-on the day of black sun, you caught him writing a letter and setting it on his desk

-'what are you doing zuko?' 'theres no time to explain'

-you insisted that you come with him, that you could help him

-it was both because you wanted to protect him and stay with him

-he told you that he was abandoning his role as the crowned prince of the fire nation, and that if you wanted to come with, you'd no longer be a loyal soldier

-when he said yes, you were both ecstatic and worried

-you would be leaving your whole life behind - you'd be commiting treason

redemption 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

-none of the members of the Gaang trusted you and Zuko

-they thought you were one of the soldiers that were on the ship with zuko

-you tried explaining to them you had to be 16 to graduate the training academy, and zuko left when they were both 13

-when sparky sparky boom man attacked, you and zuko helped fight him

-they trusted you a bit more, but still held a grudge against zuko

-they forced you two to sleep in a secluded tent together

-the first night you two stayed, there was an awkward silence

-you two were still distant

-'what was in that letter?'

-zuko explained to you that in that message, he told mai that he was leaving her

-he thought it was for the best

-you felt bad for him, not aware that he was going through a break up without telling anyone

-but at the same time, you were happy

-you had a chance

-'im sorry man'

-you tried to hug him, but he looked away.

-something was off about him

-'what wrong zuko?' 'i need to tell you something'

-he not only broke up with mai because he was leaving, but because he liked you

-he looked up at you as you two sat in the tent. the lantern light flickered as you moved closer

-the kiss was soft and first, tender, and practically just a peck on the lips

-when you pulled apart, he was extremely red

-🔞kissing wasn't all you did that night

freaky deaky 🔞 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

-zuko loved putting his face in your chest when you hug

-he likes kissing every part of your body, especially since there's so much of it

-he likes it A LOT, especially when he can make you buckle beneath his words

-you're such a strong girl that it makes him powerful when he's dominating you

-likes the arch of your back when he's hitting it from behind 🫣

-loves watching your long fingers prepare yourself for him

#avatar the last airbender #fandom #fanfic #fluff #smut #atla zuko #zuko x reader #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #zuko

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respiteresponse · 5 months

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genuinely though that video healed me like i already loved and trusted him a lot but he put effort into that video, and he was objectively fair and thorough about a lot of it. theres gonna be people twisting truths into lies no matter what but i am pretty proud to be a fan of a guy with so much willingness to be kind in the face of adversity and unjust hate, a guy willing to apologize, own up, and change while making a conscious effort to make a difference and improve the lives of those around him far and wide. i really do believe in change and growth because ive seen and experienced it in my own life ! ! ! ! ! ! someone who made transphobic comments at the age of 15 in the mid 2010s can be love their trans sibling with all their being by 2023. people who held racist views at a young age can grow, apologize, and work to make amends for the way they were brought up. people who i knew previously would raise their eyebrow at anyone unlike them can become an activist and an advocate. PEOPLE CHANGE AND GROW ! ! ! you will never be who you were when you were 14, 18, 20 etc if you dont want to be lol. it makes me sad to think of all the people who assume because they grew up with free range access to the internet and carrds think that because my brother couldnt understand me being a lesbian as a 15 year old he will forever be the worst person to ever walk the earth and deserves to die for his lesbophobia when NOW ! ! ! he drives me an hour away and home just to see my gf because i asked . sorry this got really long im so passionate lol.

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headspace-hotel · 2 years

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invasive species are interesting to me actually because the more I learn about them the more I'm realizing that ultimately, the goal with getting rid of invasive species is to mitigate their damaging effects to stop them from causing extinctions during existing strain on ecosystems

(in contrast to fully eliminating them because that's not happening)

What's the long-term goal? Hard to say. I think the only way is for them to learn to behave and be a part of the ecosystem. Which happens too slowly for us to see it now, but I think it likely will happen. Controlling them right now is important, but the aim isn't exactly to eventually perfectly restore a previous state of existence

It's...really interesting to see how very recent ecological changes have resulted in organisms slotting themselves into new niches and re-arranging how they do things. The Amur honeysuckle, bane of my existence, behaves differently in eastern US forests than it does in its native range—lots of honeysuckles in the US become more like trees rather than bushes, up to 25 or 30 feet tall. Why? Why is their behavior so different?

Anyway, I was thinking yesterday about how the ash trees that were devastated by the emerald ash borer are still everywhere. They just don't get more than 10-15 years old before the ash borer gets them.

But right now, these small ash trees are functioning as shrubs and bushes. The ones I've been noticing have an oddly "shrubby" growth habit, with lots of twigs and stems in a thicket close to the ground. There's one in my back yard and it's like...a bush. And as far as I know, these trees could continue to exist and reproduce like this indefinitely.

If we don't control the ash borer, does that mean the ash trees die out, or does it mean they change into something else? Are they already changing into something else??????

#random #ecology #plants #species

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harlowcomehome · 7 months

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It’s not that serious! :

October fics!

Requested by @hoodharlow

The cries of your seven-month-old daughter filled the house as you and Jack tried to find the Halloween candy you had bought for this year.

Hazel was still far too young to go trick or treating so you and Jack opted for a quiet night at home.

“Is she hungry?” Jack was stressed, and the sounds of his daughter wailing were not helping.

“No, she’s just tired and needs a nap” you sighed, putting her into a baby carrier against your body before you helped Jack look for the candy.

“I think you took it to the studio? Didn’t you keep the boxes there?” You suddenly remembered and Jack nodded quickly shuffling to the studio to get them.

Hazel was dressed in a black onesie that had a cobweb design on it. Maggie had bought it for her as the words “my first Halloween” were stitched across it.

“I’m so excited, we better get a lot this year” Jack smiled as he struggled to balance the abundance of boxes he had in his hands.

“You decorated the outside of our house for hours, I’ll be so offended if nobody shows up” you teased.

“Me too!”

Jack had gone all out, hiring a team to decorate as well as helping them himself. He had seen videos online of people decorating the outsides of their houses with twelve-foot skeletons and had to get one immediately.

You bounced Hazel up and down until she started to fall asleep against your chest.

“Do you think the doorbell will bother her?” He was worried as she was going through a growth spurt and having a hard time staying asleep.

“I doubt it, I can put her in her bassinet and bring the baby monitor out here though” you smiled knowing how much tonight meant to Jack.

Jack walked over to you placing a kiss on your forehead and one on the top of Hazel's head before you walked to her room, placing her in the bassinet.

You heard the doorbell ring, rushing to the living room so you and Jack could greet the trick-or-treaters together.

You were met with a group of kids, there were four of them. Two were dressed in princess costumes, one was a ninja turtle and another was a zombie.

“I love your costume little man” Jack smiled at the ninja turtle.

“ Leonardo?” You questioned as the door shut.

“You remembered the blue one is Leonardo?” He clutched his chest dramatically making you giggle.

As the night went on, you and Jack had seen every costume imaginable, you felt like your eyes had begun to cross.

A child in a pirate costume came to the door alone, his mother waiting at the end of your driveway. You assumed he was Jack Sparrow, you’d seen that costume a few times tonight.

The first time he knocked on the door he had a hat on, the second time his eye patch covered his right eye.

“Am I crazy or did that kid already come by?” Jack asked as he shut the door.

You held back a laugh, truthfully you had noticed the same kid had come by twice but you doubted he’d have the audacity to do it a third time.

Jack shook his head, thinking maybe he was being dramatic but it wasn’t until the doorbell rang and he saw the same child in a pirate costume for the third time that he knew he wasn’t being dramatic.

When he opened the door, the kid smiled at him, his canine teeth both missing.

“Trick or treat!” His eye patch had moved eyes now.

“Didn't you already come by? Twice?” Jack furrowed his brow, picking the least favorite candy bar and putting it in his overflowing pumpkin pail.

“Nope,” the kid chuckled, turning his back to leave.

You were surprised that Jack asked that, nudging him with your elbow.

Jack didn’t acknowledge you but pulled his cell phone out immediately after the door shut. He was checking the cameras that sat facing the street.

The kid and his mom were now taking his pirate vest off, trying to change the outfit entirely.

“Hell no” Jack walked over to the porch light, immediately shutting it off.

“Jack, it’s not that serious!” You laughed knowing he was being drastic. You checked the baby monitor before turning your attention back to him.

“I’m not about to look like a clown, I didn’t dress up as one” his brow furrowed as he watched the mother and son walk back down the street through his camera.

“You knew when we handed out full-size candy bars that the kids would do that” you teased and he shook his head, clearly authentically bothered.

“Are you beefing with a child right now?” You giggled, not believing how serious he was actually taking it.

“Yes! That’s not cool!” He scoffed making you shake your head as he turned the porch light back on.

“He’s probably like eight!”

“But his moms like fourty-two, she’s trying to fight” he rolled his eyes before opening the door for a new batch of trick or treaters.

#Jack Harlow #jack harlow x reader #jack harlow concepts #jack harlow imagines #jack harlow blurb #Jack Harlow fan fic #hoodharlow #fic requests

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bronx-bomber87 · 8 days

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Hello my lovely fandom :) I hope you are doing well. I can't believe we are at the first half of the finale it's unreal. For only having 10 episodes they've really made them count I will have to say. The writing has been so good this season. Killing me softly but so good. Can only imagine had we had a full season what they could've done. But tis not good to dwell on that ha Let us get started.

6x09 The Squeeze

Ugh poor Tim already breaking my heart 5 seconds into this. It's how he’s looking at the crime scene that gets me. Eric conveys so much with just a look. Always blown away by him. His look is saying so much as he looks on at the chaos. He is processing so much in this moment. Bless Grey showing up to break him out of it. Loving the hat btw Wade. Rocking it good sir. Tim letting him know immediately about his suspicions about Dr. London. Grey telling him to be careful with such accusations.

I love Grey protecting Tim with this friggin Detective Pearson putz. Coming in way too hot. No one I would rather have there to have his back though. Well other than Lucy. But Grey is the the right one to have there in this moment. Always protects his people. Hate this guy already. Wanting to crush Tim to advance his career. Just looks like such a weasel. *grumble.*

John was not ready the rant Lucy sent his way when he asked if she was ok. His face lmao Our girl has a lot of feelings ok? Lucy says she’s good. But you’re not my friend. That rant proving she is anything but ok. Sounds like she is trying to convince herself more than anything else. She is lost in life and where she really is emotionally right now. This scene is proof of that. I know people feel she is being isolated this year. I think the writers are doing this intentionally. I don't see it as bad writing which I've seen mentioned. I don't agree. Because it's very in character IMO. Feel like its setting something up as well. Also she is also the one isolating herself.

Even before Tim broke them up she was doing this. Look at her behavior the entire season. Especially after the exam. Handling everything on her own. Making rash decisions without input from anyone. Not even Tim. Hello Jeff Budney ...Just like Tim isn't open with anyone but Lucy she is the same way. Other than Tim she isn't very open with people about deep personal things. About what's affecting her. So this fits. She even shut Tim out of that situation in 6x04 in her decision making. Not since Jackson has anyone really made it in other than Tim. So this is pretty in character for her to isolate. People may feel it's more Tim but he's not the only one.

His is just showcased far more. Her's has been on display this entire season. Lucy and Tim are scarily alike in this way. She is a control freak and like Tim in the way she shuts people out. How she wants to handle it herself. I mean they have the same fatal flaw. It's why their communication became the problem it did. As much as Tim has growth to do so does our girl. That explosion of emotion just shows how very not ok Lucy is. I'm sure come summer or mid summer with the extended hiatus I might have a more fleshed out analysis of her. But she definitely isn't ok that much i can confidently say now.

I adore Angela calling Lucy to give her a heads up. Always looking out for both of them. Guardian Angel that woman. Friggin Nolan in the back asking what’s happening? She’s kinda busy John so hush. That concerned wifey voice is instantly present on the phone with Lopez. Her turning away from them both once it's about Tim.

This quickly became a personal phone call. Her reaction when she hears this. Oh my lord Closing her eyes. Taking in the severity of the situation. You know her immediate reaction was how he was. How was he feeling? Did he need her? The worry settling in and multiplying quickly.

The wifey vibe is continued when Tim calls John to be his union rep. Ugh killing me how worried she is for him. Concern seeping out of her in this moment. Despite everything that's her person and she still loves him so much. Her first instinct is to be there for him. My heart. Lucy asking Nolan how he sounded? Her tone bleeding worry.

Reason she asks is because Lucy can pull everything she needs to know from that alone. Knows him so well. Her innate need to be there for him. Regardless of all that has happened between them. Melissa killing it with the concern in her voice when asking how he sounded. *heart clutch* You can FEEL her worry.

Tim is so anxious waiting for Nolan. I wanna hug him. Jumps up minute he gets there. Telling him they’re gonna hang this around his neck. That now that Mad Dog is dead their scape goat is gone. Idk I would trust John alone for this. But Tim doesn’t have a lot of options right now.... I will say John proves me wrong later in this ep but my first thought was not 'Nolan should spearhead this.'

But look at Tim reaching out for help. Doing this so differently than how he handled Ray. I’m so proud of him. Taking a totally different approach on this one. Not isolating himself and reaching out for help through proper channels this time. Yeah Dr London sucks for being dirty but Tim has had some growth due to it. I couldn't be prouder of him if I tried. I really hope we continue his therapy journey in S7.

I hate this scene so very much. It was killing me to watch it unfold. She’s using his sessions against him and I wanna cry. It makes me sick tbh. And not even real info about his sessions either. It’s clear she doesn’t wanna be doing this though. Doesn't excuse her but you can see it's not something she is excited to be doing. Her conscience slowly eating at her. What do they have on her? I'm so curious.

This schmuck coming at Grey I wanna deck him. The look on Wade's face you can tell he does too. The amount of blatant aggression and disrespect making his blood boil. Telling Grey he favors his friendships over the city. Was making my Italian temper flare up so very much. Coming at Tim SO hard it was like he wanted to be found out. Bias little shit.

I love the minute Angela hears about Tim's admin leave she calls Wes. Angela saying he better give her a heads up if they're charging him. That she’s standing by Tim a 1,000 percent. Calling him family. Getting all misty over here. Angela loves him so much. He's very lucky to have someone so amazing in his corner. Love me some Angela Lopez. Loyal to a fault. Just like me fiercely protects and defends who she loves. Coming at her own husband to defend him. Adore this woman.

Can I just say I adore Lucy seeking him out. Not only that but making sure she has a private moment with him by pulling that stop button. Telling him she is still mad at him. That this doesn’t change anything. (and yet it changes everything IMO) Tim is so confused because the last thing he expected was this hug. Or her empathy at all. Hell when I saw the promo last week I wasn't either. It's the way he just MELTS into her like butter. His whole body relaxes. You can see the anxiety just drain out of him. Clinging to her like a life raft. Emotionally she is in this moment. Holding her as close as he physically can. He is so grateful for this moment to hold her again.

You can tell this is the first time in a long time he's felt whole. Felt peace of any kind just by being in her arms. This hug is so beautiful you guys. I'm tearing up just writing about it. The way she envelops him so completely. Such raw emotion in her voice asking if he’s ok? His answer makes me wanna cry. ‘I am now.’ Reminiscent of 5x21 when he said the same thing. He wasn’t ok till he heard her voice. The same thing remains the same here. He wasn't ok till he was holding her again. My damn heart. I love how she tightens her hold on him when he says this line.

Like she also can't get close enough to him either. They're just clinging to each other for dear life. This hug gave me so much hope. You can see how in love they both still are with one another. I mean my goodness the way she straightens his collar afterwards and touches his arm lovingly. Reminds me of the lint picking moment from 5x12. Still doing wifey things and can’t even help it. That wifey energy coming off her in waves. It's automatic when they part. Just seems so natural. After being apart physically since 6x06 .They easily fall right back into it. So damn nice to see. Feels like I'm breathing for the first time since 6x06 ended. I'm dying in the best way everyone.

Lucy then re-opens the elevator and they share some VERY loaded looks before she departs. I’m not crying you are.... God I love Tim and Angela’s friendship so much. She is willing do whatever for her bestie. She also is wanting so badly to be tagged in for this. To protect him in any way she can.

Tim seems confident in his play even if Angela doesn’t. Letting her know he's handling this one differently than Ray. Do love her saying different isn't her haha God he's lucky to have all these amazing women in his corner. I adore their friendship so very much. I need more of it in S7 writers I just do.

Really loving Lucy going UC for Harper and Lopez for this case. I think this is part of that setting something up I mentioned earlier. Lucy breaking my heart with the detective comment though. *sad sigh* But classic Lucy to have 8 covers ready to go. God I love her. The most Lucy Chen thing ever to have that many on deck. Not only that she's been growing them for months.

I love this human so very much it's insane. It's no wonder Tim is so damn gone for her. She is the cutest most prepared little nerd and I adore her for it. The look between Lopez and Harper is too damn funny. Tim would not be surprised by this info at all LOL Also her alter ego hitting close to home right now. 'A little lost in life....'

Really enjoyed this shot of Lucy and the nanny debriefing her before we head into the scene. This guy gives me the creeeeeeps. It's no wonder she didn't want to go back into that house. That dude looks like a sociopath. She can handle herself but good lord I hate her being near him. Dude has dead eyes too. The wife looks like she is a prisoner.... The whole scene made me uneasy and nervous for Lucy to be there.

Never thought I would say this....But I’m impressed with Nolan and how he’s handling this situation. That's right you actually read that. LOL You're not crazy. Or seeing things. He’s doing Tim some serious justice right now. Rattling all the cages of the potential dirty cops she’s seeing just by being here. Confronting her like this to see if it bears any fruit for them.

Having Smitty stakeout her office because he knows it'll make her uneasy and easy way to log who comes. Has Nell pulling data for him with police fails for last 6 months from dispatch. Also yay return of Nell. Love her. Honestly first episode in a long time I enjoyed his character. So well done John you pulled off quite the miracle here.

Love Grey in this scene. Hell in this episode really. Papa bear ready to devour anyone threatening his kids at it's finest. This scene was cathartic to watch after this putz had been stomping around. Acting like he owns the damn place. Smearing Tim's name all over the place in the process. Threatening Grey in his tirade. Wade's final straw is him coming after Nolan/Celina.

You can watch Pearson visibly shrink when Wade is done tearing him a new one. Doesn't say a damn word after he tells him to stay in his Iane. You tell 'em Wade. I was cheering him on this entire scene. Was a huge tell for Nolan and Celina as well. Nolan's tactic working very well. Outing him as dirty cop because of his outburst to them working Mad Dog's place plus confront Blair.

This scene makes me VERY nervous for Lucy. She did a really good job listening in till the damn toy. I mean she caught it before it hit floor. Unfortunately the friggin thing goes off with it's song. Giving away not only her position but her potentially her cover. Because he finds it on the ground and has a menacing look on his face. Dude gives me the actual creeps. Well done to the actor cause he makes me wicked uncomfortable.

I don’t like the idea of Lucy going back into that house. Like at all. Extra backup or not. I think her cover is blown and sending her back is like sending her into the Lion's den. She is very competent and can handle herself. That doesn't mean sending her back in isn't extremely high risk. Especially with Monica buzzing around now. We'll see how that shakes out next ep. Kinda hoping it produces some Feral Tim if it goes sideways while she's in there. A girl can dream right?

Prepare yourself. I was once again was very impressed with Nolan in this episode. He did a really good job leading Celina and doing what Tim asked. Was smart about his moves. Bringing Smitty and Nell into it and getting the info he needed. Shaking trees and getting fruit from it. Using everything around him properly even Smitty LOL She's got some balls on her asking for complete immunity and a new life. Also Idk Nolan can promise any of these things.....But it'll be interesting see how the second half of this unfolds.

Now Eric had mentioned in an interview post 6x06 about communication for them in the finale. So I'm excited to see what that'll mean. Will they have a real convo? Idk but i'm excited about it. All I want is them to be in a better spot before S7. I never expected things to magically come back together by seasons end. It shouldn't be that way. Also the season too short for that.

The SL deserved time to breathe and develop a bit. My hope is we will be on our way to reconciliation by end of finale. That hug was a damn good start to that goal. As usual thank you to ALL that like, comment or reblog these. Truly mean that every single one means so much to me. Excited to see how this season ends.

~~~

Side notes- Non Chenford

Harper and Lopez proving what a bad ass duo they were through out the ep. I need more of this in s7 writers. These two woman are dynamos and I need more of it.

Can’t say I didn’t Miss Tim the rest of the ep but damn was it good. I love when they do ensemble cast stuff flexing what a good cast we have as a whole.

Wes standing up to that heavy was impressive and pretty attractive. He’s grown a lot as a character was nice to see.

Loved the ladies nailing that crooked detective. Amazing. Grey getting to put HIM on admin leave. Suck it you schmuck.

#Caitlin's mini reviews #chenford #6x09 The Squeeze #the rookie 6x09 #tim x lucy #tim bradford #lucy chen #lucy x tim #otp: doing my job #otp: unless it is #eric winter #melissa o'neil

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sytokun · 2 months

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A lengthy thought wall about the recent RT shutdown and DillonGoo Studios' interest in acquiring RWBY - I speculate and entertain some hopium about the pros that could come with it and why all in all, impossible it may be, it's probably the best shot we have for RWBY.

Some rwde cause it mentions Shane's letter and nobody likes that.

I've been reading a lot, a lot of the various discussions around RWBY's fate and Dillon Goo Studio's (henceforth shortened to DGS) interest in acquiring it. Here's my overall evaluation everything so far:

This goes without saying but this is obviously an optimistic take on the matter, I wanna talk moreso about the pros rather than the logistics of whether DGS can afford it, whether you think it's just clout-chasing, etc.

Dillon's a former RWBY animator and a fan of Monty's work. No matter what you think of Monty's style of action, in the greater public sphere, RWBY is known and liked precisely for that and largely that alone, period. Only RWBY fans who are already invested in the show will mention story or characters - for the majority of people, i.e. future RWBY fans, the action is the main selling point, and DGS clearly can deliver on this.

Dillon himself is at least amicable with most of CRWBY and likely open to negotiate with them given prior work history. For any other media corporation, consulting the old IP holders of a defunct company is a minor formality at best or even a laughable waste of time. And if you want to bring up a certain almost 10-year-old letter and the person working with Dillon who wrote it, there are plenty in the comments section who would agree with me that it's not as big a dealbreaker as one might think, given the company the letter largely condemned is well dead and buried. I won't go further into that matter.

DGS is very community-oriented - they're very intimately familiar with 3D animation and produces creator-friendly content like the Goo Engine which helps future animators inspired by RWBY to make similar anime-style 3D content. Every single RWBY fan animator whose work we enjoyed benefits from this acquisition - all of whom can grow into future animators for the series, intimately familiar with its trademark action style.

DGS is probably the only genuine fan of RWBY that has a remote chance of acquiring the IP with the express motivation of using the IP creatively. This can be clearly seen in the steady improvement of their animation content over the years and desire to push the medium. All other candidates are corporations whose motivations with RWBY are, more likely than not, going to be entirely financial (not necessarily a bad or unhealthy thing, but it's a factor).

If RWBY stays under WB or given off to Crunchyroll? They have no stake in RWBY beyond pure business. They have no interest in what's best for RWBY or its growth, only how it will be most profitable or recoup the losses from RT. The only companies I can see being more creatively invested in RWBY are ArcSystem Works who implemented RWBY in Blazblue Cross Tag Battle, or Shaft that animated Ice Queendom, but those are both Japanese companies unlikely to go all-in on a foreign IP - especially given that these studios usually adapt other IPs, not buy them outright.

DGS is invested in RWBY. Their entire studio's style is built on RWBY-esque action animation. Acquiring RWBY more or less guarantees it'll become their main flagship series and their main investment, whereas with WB, Crunchyroll or other big platform, RWBY is nowhere near prolific enough to be much more than another shelf-filler in their library. At worst, Warner archives RWBY for eternity and at best, they only bring RWBY out for tie-ins and crossovers to prop up their larger DC properties. Why give RWBY the spotlight when they own the likes of Justice League and Looney Tunes?

DGS may not be the most plausible choice, but it's clear that unless some big company like ArcSystem Works or something throws their hat in the RWBY ring, DGS is far and away the people's favourite, even gaining approval from JJ Grelle (Tyrian's VA), who quite notably refused to reprise their role for Rooster Teeth.

DGS is still very much an indie studio which IMO RWBY has flourished the most under, the time period where it retained a certain unpolished energy that made you invested in watching it improve and grow. I don't want to watch a RWBY that uses its precious time under a new studio to just go by the numbers and coast by on its existing fanbase. I want to watch a RWBY that grows, innovates and takes risks, that impresses and draws new and old fans in the way it does for every single person that has watched the Red Trailer for the first time.

I think a lot of folks have a preconceived notion that RWBY has to continue on the exact same production value as V9 left off, but that never had to be the case. I think a return to a much more subdued production with smaller teams focusing on strong individual episodes over large overarching narratives will be healthy for RWBY and more easily invite new fans, which it sorely needs if it wants to stay afloat this time around.

Whether this means a continuation to V10 or a reboot I don't know, but I know I'd rather take a RWBY that a new studio respects and will produce in a way that fits their strengths and limits, over trying and overreaching themselves to make something work that even Rooster Teeth failed to, or over no RWBY at all.

That's the crux of it: the worse alternative is no RWBY at all. CRWBY and especially us as a fandom are in no position to be picky when that's the alternative. There's no such thing as a perfect deal, but this is about as sweet as they come. If the only hurdle is WB's refusal to sell, then that's on Warner. If the only hurdle is affording the IP, I, many others and no doubt other associates Dillon Goo Studios knows are likely to help them meet that price.

I do wanna stress, despite my optimism, I'm not asking to stake all our hopes on DGS as the saviour of RWBY, god no - the last thing I want is a weirdo Monty 2.0 cult and I doubt Dillon would want that either. I'm not saying the RWBY they'd make will be perfect or be equitable for everyone either - some compromises must be made and professionally speaking, whoever owns RWBY next has no legal obligation to make V10 or bring back anyone from CRWBY. Any such action is solely on the graces of the new IP holder and at the end of the day, I think whatever creates a healthier, longer-lasting future for RWBY should take priority over our sentiment or attachment.

But as things stand right now, if DGS isn't just farming Twitter likes and is honest-to-god serious about acquiring RWBY, and no better candidate presents themselves, this is about the best option we have right now, and I myself will be ready to help and contribute in whatever little way I can. Because I know the very real alternative is either a complete gamble on yet another faceless media subsidiary, or watching RWBY rot behind a vault for the next decade or more.

#rwby #rwde #dillon goo #rooster teeth #crwby

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illogical-fallacy · 2 years

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been thinking about a couple of screencaps that @will80sbyers posted of what looks heavily implied to be h*omosexual activity at rink-o-mania not in the closet:

and it's got me thinking: throughout all of s4, we really don't get any introspection into how much personal growth Will has undergone during his year away from Hawkins

we of course know he's torn up about his relationship with mike and is hurting watching his half-sister be bullied at school, but we don't know much about what HE is going through.

what we know contextually:

the fictional town of lenora hills is somewhere roughly between bakersfield and LA metro. even in the 80s when california was overall more right-leaning than it is now, it still would have been leagues more progressive than hawkins, indiana at this time

2) Will clearly feels comfortable enough in his new environment to do research projects and presentations on openly gay individuals in history

3. Will feels empowered enough to paint a very emotional gift for a girl he likes Mike.

4. (admittedly minor) king has a little shop of horrors poster in his room, literally flooded with queer subtext. considering the film had JUST come out, too, this was something he was eagerly anticipating, not hopping onto the cult-classic bandwagon for after the fact

(unrelated note: if you haven't heard m.j. rodriguez, a BIPOC+ trans actress, sing suddenly seymour, you should do that now).

all of these things together indicate: Will has been put in a position that's allowed himself to slowly begin coming to terms with his sexuality in his time away from Hawkins. He may not be vocalizing it yet, but his actions indicate he's probably seen couples like the ones at rink-o-mania already this year. Something that very possibly could have given him the courage to approach Mike about it over Spring Break.

of course, this goes in the trash as all of Will's insecurities hit him full-force the moment Mike steps off the plane in Cali. The rest of s4 depicts this breakdown very well, but it takes understanding just how far Will has come to appreciate how heartbreaking his emotional deterioration is.

We can also support this by considering Jonathan's POV in the van and pizza cooler. Traditionally a loner who has the same kind of reserved life as Will, he also wouldn't have had a lot of exposure to queer people just existing prior to moving to California. He's evidently experienced enough to be able to pick up on Will's (admittedly obvious) subtext and deduce that his brother may be hiding something.

why would the duffers go through the effort of so subtly building up Will's growth arc to not have the payoff be one that completes the hero's journey?

not to get bogged down in mythology: the hero's journey is a very common framework found in thousands of works. it has three main sections: 1) when the hero has to leave home and venture into the world, 2) the ordeals the hero undergoes to realize their full potential, and 3) the hero's return home with whatever they've gained from their trial in order to complete their adventure.

to me, this suggests heavily that Will's journey of self-actualization and facing his inner-demons (both extra-dimensional and homosexual) is going to conclude in Hawkins as he enters the final third of his journey.

notably, a section of this Journey Will hasn't gone through yet:

RESURRECTION) One final test is required for the purification and rebirth of the hero. Alternatively, it may be a miraculous transformation.

all i'm saying is that transformation better involve him getting Mike to shut up and admit how he feels about his best friend.

#byler #overly long analysis and rambling and i'm not sure if that made any sense oh well #byler is endgame #byler is real #mike x will #will x mike #mike wheeler is not straight #will byers #byler rights #will is gay #byler is canon #byler tumblr #byler theory #be gay make byler canon #will byers deserves better #byler s4 #byler hope

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y-rhywbeth2 · 1 month

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...starting to dawn on me why the Chosen decided to utilise an army of mind control squids for world domination. Tadpoles, erasure of identity, and hive minds are fast and efficient, as these things go.

The job of the High Primate is managing the entire Bhaalist church in a region (in the case of the region around Baldur's Gate that should be the Western Heartlands) and trying to bring these regions under Bhaalist control. Bhaal having been out of commission for a good century (and the Gate being the only place known to have a temple), there's a lot of room for growth. Like, you're starting basically from scratch with the world's least useful sycophantic butler, a brainwashed half-brother, maybe a decrepit ex-priest or two at risk of keeling over from old age, and your niece (who hates you), and any overly excited serial killers you can find who are up for a new religion.

You'd be looking at pinning down Baldur's Gate first (that'll take at least a few years). Maybe using the Brethren of the Keen Strike to start spreading influence amongst the smaller, less important settlements and locations in the immediate region like Beregost (and Candlekeep maybe?)

But you're going to want to seize influence in Elturgard (Torm is their favourite god; good luck with that) and Najara (infiltrating a yuan-ti cult with another cult: good luck with that.). You might also be attempting to manipulate the elves of Evereska (they won't like that very much either).

And that's an insane amount of work. Except it's actually worse! Because Bhaal's instructions weren't just "I'm putting you in charge of my church in this region and want this area brought to heel."

Bhaal: I am making you my Chosen and High Primate, my prophet, the leader of my reborn faith, and my avatar upon this world.

Durge: So you want me to bring the entire Western Heartlands under your influence?

Bhaal: No.

Bhaal: The Entire World.

Durge, screaming internally: And how soon do you want this accomplished, Father?

Bhaal: Quickly.

Gortash probably has a similar job, but as a Banite I suppose world domination schemes are a hobby of his. I wonder how many schemes they went through before they decided on mind flayer empire, and who had the idea?

On the bright side, once you'd finished expanding your power far enough and have multiple temples and can start appointing individual Primates and Primistresses to manage them, you can make Orin Primistress of Baldur's Gate and she can kick you out of her room and maybe hate you a little less. (Well, no, but it might make things a little calmer while she plots against you? Or she'll shank you for presuming to "give her" the temple she sees as hers already.) Clergy usually live in the temples, and Bhaal's temples are described as fortresses that house the assassins: I think Orin lives in the temple too. Pretty sure she was born there. From her perspective you are very much freeloading in her house.

#The paperwork #The networking #The micromanaging #It sounds like hell #Let's just shove a tadpole in people's brains and call it a day #babbling #/durge

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bitchy-craft · 1 year

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Message From Your Future Self | Pick A Pile

Hello and welcome to this Pick A Pile! In here you'll find out what your future self wants to tell you. I hope you guys enjoy and find this useful. Do make sure to leave comments down below on your experience! I do want to remind you all that this is a General Pick A Pile which means this is for a lot of people: therefore keep what resonates and leave what doesn't.

Note: Thank you all so much for requesting / offering Pick A Pile Ideas. I hope you all understand I am not able to do all of them since there are so many. I hope you guys can understand I am not always able to do everyone’s ideas since some simply don’t resonate with me, which makes me unable to do them or need to alter them slightly.

Masterlist

Pick A Pile!

Pile 1:

Your higher self wants to tell you that you’ll figure things out eventually. That thing you can decide or choose on? It’ll be solved. You’re going to be able to get whatever you want and gain whatever you wished for. Of course, the journey won’t be easy and it won’t simply come walking to you, you have to work for it, but that wish of yours is far from impossible, it’s in near future.

You’re going to go through a lot of self-growth, self-appreciation and self-love, you’re going to grow as a person and be able to revolve your life around the things you love and are passionate about, you’ll be able to use your creativity for success and love in your life. So don’t hold back, continue to learn, continue to love and continue to succeed, you’ll get there.

Pile 2:

You’re going to have a busy life, full of friends, passions, work and everything around it. It’ll look like a fever dream for a couple of years; full of partying and enjoyment. You’ll learn how to love yourself and to be yourself, you’ll be able to appreciate life for what it is and enjoy yourself. Although your life won’t be perfect, and there’ll still be things like heartbreak, but you’ll learn to process these emotions, accept them for what they are and use them to grow in life, to grow as a person.

You’ll feel conflicted for a while, and you’ll realise that even though doing a lot of things all at once is amazing to do, but it does take a toll on you, and that toll will show eventually. Your tiredness will come to you, but you’ll learn how to balance out your life, to make sure that won’t happen again. So continue to enjoy your life, continue to do what makes you happy, enjoy yourself, do as much as you want, it’ll give you a bright future.

Pile 3:

You’ll get a lot gifted to you once you’ve given your energy and time to others. You’ll share emotions and love with other people and live a rather peaceful life. Keep your friends and family close, don’t let them leave, don’t give them barely any energy, they are important and will give a great deal of love and support in the future.

You’ll have a clear vision on your future, a clear vision about what you want, and people will help you on the way. Your life will be a social one, a loving one. A life you wouldn’t dare to throw away, a life where you’ll appreciate yourself and your knowledge.

There’s a big chance you’ll have a family, may that be with children or pets. But you’ll enjoy every second of it, although you will realise it may be a bit harder than expected, a bit more energy than expected. You’ll be confident in yourself and see the growth you’ve made compared to when you were young.

Pile 4:

You’re going to feel pressured with time, possibly fear time if you don’t already do. This is because of how much ambition you have or will have, how much you want to learn, how much time you want to spend with your friends and family.

You’ll find out that time goes much quicker than you remembered, than you thought. You will fear you won’t learn enough in time, you won’t have enough memories in time, that you should use every second of your life to do something useful.

You’ll continue to compare yourself to others, although it will be in a different way than you do now, it doesn’t have to be a negative way of comparing, it can be a peaceful and understanding one.

You’ll live your life to the fullest, and you’ll live a good life, one you won’t regret, but that fear of not being able to do or see enough in time will always be a burden to you, at least if you don’t actively try to change it. Perhaps it isn’t much of a big deal to you, perhaps it won’t ever be a big deal, and if it isn’t a big deal it shouldn’t need to be solved.

Pile 5:

You’re going to fix the things that hold you back, solve the things that make you unhappy. You’re going to do a cleanse of all the negative things and energies around you and in you. You’re going to do an absolute 180 to your own benefit. Of course, it won’t be easy, it’ll be far from it. But it’ll make you succeed in life, be happy with life, be content with life.

You’ll be able to leave the things that happened in the past alone, it won’t hurt you anymore nor annoy you when you don’t want to think about it.

You’ll see the growth you’ve made and compare your future self with your past self. You’ll be able to look at all the terrible and hurtful things that happened with an accepting watch. You’ll be able to leave it behind, since it no longer served you. All that trauma will be dealt with, because you’re able to do it, you’ve always been able to do it, and you will, you did.

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