Avalon Awoken

Be a hero

[insomniac-arrest]

the road OUT of hell is also paved with good intentions. That’s just kind of the main road we’ve got

[rolameny]

riding the trolley out of omelas because i'm a little too shaken to walk rn and i just heard this weird thump from the tracks. probably nothing

[rolameny]

#they arrested the trolley driver and the guy in charge of track switching #and i hear they're both being offered some kind of plea deal if they agree to testify against the other person

awarding this the first good riff on this post award. thank you tumblr user anyagobsin. this is the first good riff anyone's had on this post.

[chandra-telescope]

hope is a skill

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

hope is a weapon you are trained to wield

favourite additions

[tenaciouswritingdragon]

You cannot hide this in the tags, bestie. This is too lovely to keep a secret.

[wonderwyrm]

[scrmnviking]

Theodor would approve.

[avalonawoken]

[themaniacisinthemailbox]

[themaniacisinthemailbox]

still thinking about how perfect a flag this is for human space exploration. Shapes and symbols can change meanings between people and cultures currently, let alone hundreds or even thousands of years into the future.

And what is the purpose of placing a flag on a foreign planet? It’s a way to say “we were here.” And the one, immediate symbol that any other human who came to the same spot any number of years later would be able to recognize a human hand. Even if governments change and collapse, we all understand a handprint.

and if you found yourself somewhere where you wanted to mark humanity’s presence, but didn’t have a flag with you? Well, you have your own hand.

[avalonawoken]

[dsmsix]

[dsmsix]

[naamahdarling]

"In the same way that your heart feels and your mind thinks, you, mortal beings, are the instrument by which the universe cares. If you choose to care, then the universe cares. If you don't, then it doesn't." -- Brennan Lee Mulligan, D20, Fantasy High

[avalonawoken]

The universe generally fails to be a fairytale.

But that’s where we come in.

-12

[fanonical]

spin this wheel of fanfic tags. this will be the theme of your day tomorrow.

how are you doing

GOOD REALLY GOOD SUPER GOOD

alright, i guess

normal. this is just normal

not great, but i'll manage

BAD

Voting ended onFeb 6, 2025

[givesome]

#domestic

#maybe would be better in a week where I've left the house more

[avalonawoken]

#violence

let’s try again

#blood

… one more go?

#enemies

um. I thought I had a nice day planned for tomorrow.

[shubbabang]

[dark-wizard-guy-fieri]

context (via @mellorocket)

[chimthecappy]

doubly funny that I saw a compilation of all the corporate accounts like "aw thanks elmo, we're doing well" meanwhile all the flesh and blood real human people are extremely not okay

[artistefish]

Okay but Elmo had actually the best and sweetest response to all this trauma dumping:

And then all the other Sesame Street character accounts joined in:

And now I’m thinking maybe we’re gonna be okay… 💗

(Comment compilation from this Twitter)

[aqueerkettleofish]

I kinda feel for the poor person running Elmo's Twitter.

"So, boss... I may have messed up."

"What did you do, Ray?"

"Well, I made a post for Elmo saying 'Hi, how's everybody doing?'"

"I mean, that's kind of what we pay you for."

"Yeah, but.... <sigh> it turns out pretty much everyone is hanging on by a thread, badly enough that they needed to tell Elmo."

"Oh."

"God help me, boss, I think Elmo needs to be there for them."

"Get the others."

[shu-of-the-wind]

this is the energy that jim henson would be proud of.

[anna-neko]

and important addition

Source: instagram

[sigmaleph]

via some ill-phrased genie wish or divine intervention or something you have become the Supreme Leader of Humanity. For the next twenty years, everyone knows you're the Supreme Leader and will do whatever you tell them to, without ever entertaining thoughts of disobedience, betrayal, etc. You can't turn this off, though of course you could just not give people any orders.

once the twenty years are over, the mind control bit deactivates, but nobody will automatically notice. They will be capable of forming thoughts like "hey I don't want to do the things the Supreme Leader tells me" but they won't know it was impossible to do this before, only that they didn't happen to. If it's plausible, they might decide you were just very good at your job and that's why nobody rebelled against you! that rather depends on what you did during those twenty years, though

So, what do you do?

abdicate immediately and live a life of carefully never giving orders

fix some immediate problems like active wars then abdicate

spend a few years setting up a better world government before quitting

have your twenty years then quit when the magic stops

spend twenty years fortifying your position so you can rule forever

other? tell me in detail

Voting ended onMay 6, 2023

[rkidd]

This poll is the perfect demonstration of why absolute rule is so horrible.. more than Half of you want to use this power??

[triviallytrue]

I mean. Obviously if you have the ability to mitigate most of the unending awfulness of the world you have some moral obligation to do so, imo

[avalonawoken]

Agreed about the obvious moral imperative to use the power as wisely and compassionately as possible. I’m blown away at the choices given (and the poll answers). Like, the only options are “quit at some point or fortify and rule forever.” Not to mention “a few years” being the understatement of the century for how long it would take to set up a world government, even given the extreme powers bestowed upon you.

Short answer: (All done with the advice of existing leaders and experts in geopolitical affairs, all instructed to offer genuine critical feedback to the Supreme Leader) I’d pretty immediately announce to the world that I had this power. Then go about concurrently addressing as many immediate problems as possible while setting up a world government as robust against Molochian dynamics as I could.

I think in 20 years of demonstrating genuine attempts to improve welfare for all, I might actually be able to convince people to hold onto the trust that was forced on them by the premise spell/wish. But whether that’s true or not, whatever government I would set up would have already included the ability to have myself elected out of power before the 20 years were up. I don’t think I would ever quit, whether or not I wanted to, because the opportunity to do good (and therefore responsibility) would be too great.

That, to me, is the thing that makes the question and poll answers striking to me. Especially the first comment claiming that the fact that some people would use absolute power demonstrates something about why absolute power is horrible. To be clear, I don’t think I know of a single case where some individual had extreme power, let alone absolute power, that turned out “good.” But that’s a useful thing to know about how people typically rise to power, *not* a commentary on the nature of power and what one should do with it.

I think so many people have internalized the (imho incorrect) cliches of “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely” and “those that seek power are not those who should have it.” The truer heuristic seems similar but is fundamentally different: “successfully having sought power and gained it is evidence that someone shouldn’t have that power.”

The latter is an indictment against the existing social systems that almost universally reward the corrupt and complicit. But rounding it off into the former is misleading and enables those who believe it to abdicate their moral responsibility. Which, to be clear, is to actively seek power in order to effect positive change *especially in a reality where systems and incentives tend to reward the corrupt and self serving.*

The world exists as it does more because of game theory and collective action problems than any cabal of evil power seekers. “Any human with above room temperature IQ can design a utopia. The reason our current system isn’t a utopia is that it wasn’t designed by humans.” That doesn’t mean that I’d happily bestow the Supreme Leader of Humanity power from the OP on anyone. But on anyone in, say, the top 5% of some arbitrary ranking of “total human decency?” Definitely. And I do my best to stay above that and don’t think it’s an especially high bar.

[prokopetz]

Fact 1: In most versions of Dungeons & Dragons, when infected – as opposed to natural-born – lycanthropes transform under the full moon, they assume the default alignment of their type during the ensuing mindless rampage.

Fact 2: In most versions of Dungeons & Dragons, the default alignment of werebears is Lawful Good.

Conclusion: When an infected werebear transforms under the full moon, they go on a mindless Lawful Good rampage.

[spinach-productions]

Picking up litter and helping direct traffic

[maplehoofs]

SMOKEY THE BEAR

[nudityandnerdery]

“Oh my gods… Who built this orphanage on the middle of the night? This… This… This is all up to building code!”

[avalonawoken]

[adampvrrish]

king arthur was supposed to rise when the worlds need was greatest so. wakey wakey! someone knock on his tomb or something

[nothingeverlost]

[serialreblogger]

i hate fae rules

[danhumphrey]

scott lang, completely misunderstanding peter parker’s power: hey if u want man we could get tiny and just like hang out, i don’t know if you’ve ever been in a lego castle but it’s pretty sweet

peter parker: u have no idea how much physical pain having to turn this offer down is causing me but,

[northstarthembo]

Scott Lang, upon realizing Peter Parker can’t shrink: oh okay no biggee, we’ll just make the LEGO castle big

[magical-awesome-kid]

Peter, ready to cry from joy: do you like Star Wars? Because I have a replica… and my friend Ned and I got it to fly…

Scott Lang, a mechanical engineer and nerd: kid you are my people

[letitrainathousandflames-archive]

Tony, calling peter: …and may I know WHY THE HELL IS SHIELD CALLING ME ABOUT A LIFE-SIZED DEATH STAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT?!

Peter: we didn’t want it to crush any buildings so we brought it out here!

Tony: THATS N O T MY POINT!!!

[gingersnapwolves]

#and then Tony wonders when the hell HE became the responsible one#and promptly abandons his responsibilities#and jumps in his armor#to go zoom around the life size death star#pretending he’s Luke doing the trench run (via)

[153-centimeters-of-sass]

It got better!

[aqueerkettleofish]

I was gonna SAY, Tony would fly out there, look at the thing, and go…. No, this isn’t life size. Impressive though. Okay, bugs, put on these helmets, we’re taking this into orbit and doing this at 1:1 scale.

[joasakura]

Sam: Barnes is gonna make an awesome Chewbacca.

Bucky: -.-

[iconuk01]

Guardians arriving back in Earth orbit for a visit: Rocket : When the **** did Earth get another moon? Peter Qull (with an indescribable look on his face, but knowing his entire life has built to this moment): That’s no moon!

[jabbasyogainstructor]

Drax (without even knowing the reference): It’s a space station

[devilduck]

“The best thing for being sad,“ replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.”

— T.H. White, The Once and Future King

[990000]

source

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

“If you know someone who’s depressed, please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn’t a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just is, like the weather. Try to understand the blackness, lethargy, hopelessness, and loneliness they’re going through. Be there for them when they come through the other side. It’s hard to be a friend to someone who’s depressed, but it is one of the kindest, noblest, and best things you will ever do.”

— Stephen Fry

[coffee-alien]

“Imagine having a child that refuses to hug you or even look you in the eyes”

Imagine being shamed, as a child, for not showing affection in a way that is unnatural or even painful for you. Imagine being forced, as a child, to show affection in a way that is unnatural or even painful for you. Imagine being told, as a child, that your ways of expressing affection weren’t good enough. Imagine being taught, as a child, to associate physical affection with pain and coercion.

[samayla]

As a preschool special ed para, this is very important to me. All my kids have their own ways of showing affection that are just as meaningful to them as a hug or eye contact is to you or me. 

One gently squeezes my hand between both of his palms as he says “squish.” I reciprocate. When he looks like he’s feeling sad or lost, I ask if I can squish him, and he will show me where I can squish him. Sometimes it’s almost like a hug, but most of the time, it’s just a hand or an arm I press between my palms. Then he squishes my hand in return, says “squish,” and moves on. He will come ask for squishes now, when he recognizes that he needs them.

Another boy smiles and sticks his chin out at me, and if he’s really excited, he’ll lean his whole body toward me. The first time he finally won a game at circle time, he got so excited he even ran over and bumped chins with me. He now does it when he sees me outside of school too. I stick out my chin to acknowledge him, and he grins and runs over and I lean down for a chin bump.

Yet another child swings my hand really fast. At a time when another child would be seeking a hug, she stands beside me and holds my hand, and swings it back and forth, with a smile if I’m lucky. The look on her face when I initiate the hand swinging is priceless.

Another one bumps his hip against mine when he walks by in the hallway or on the playground, or when he gets up after I’m done working with him. No eye contact, no words, but he goes out of his way to “crash” into me, and I tell him that it’s good to see him. He now loves to crash into me when I’m least expecting it. He doesn’t want anything, really. Just a bump to say “Hi, I appreciate you’re here.” And when he’s upset and we have to take a break, I’ll bump him, ask if he needs to take a walk, and we just go wander for a bit and discuss whatever’s wrong, and he’s practically glued to my side. Then one more bump before we go back into the room to face the problem.

Moral of the story is, alternative affection is just as valid and vitally important as traditional affection. Reciprocating alternative affection is just as valid and vitally important as returning a hug. That is how you build connections with these children. 

[brighteyedbadwolf]

This is so goddamn important.

I verbally express affection. A LOT.

My husband… doesn’t. I don’t know why. For the longest time part of me wondered if it meant he loved me less.

At some point I told him about a thing I had done as a kid. Holding hands, three squeezes means ‘I Love You’.

Suddenly he’s telling me I Love You all the time.

Holding my hand, obviously, but also randomly.

taptaptap

on my hand, my shoulder, my butt, my knee, whatever body part is closest to him, with whatever part of him is closest to me

All the time.

More often than I ever verbally said it.

It’s an ingrained signal now, I can tap three times on whatever part of him, and get three taps back in his sleep. Apparently I do the same.

It’s made a huge difference for us.

People say things differently.

[sweet-autism-things]

This is so sweet and wonderful. There are so many valid ways to show love and affection.

[ultrafacts]

Source 

[hellkatsally]

These dudes are fucking legit.  They don’t just show up one day in court, either, they actually make friends with the kids and let them know they have a support system and that there are people in the world who care about them and will always have their back.  And less important, but also cool, is that the few times a couple of them have come into my cafe, they’ve been super friendly and polite and when I told one of the guys that I noticed his Bikers Against Child Abuse patch and wanted him to know how awesome I thought he was because of it, he got kind of shy and blushed and said, “The kids are the awesome ones, we just let them know they’re allowed to be brave.”

[bebinn]

The source is long, but so, so good. These men and women are available in 36 states, 24 hours a day to stand guard at home, in court, at school, even if the child has a nightmare. Many of them are survivors of childhood abuse as well, and know what it’s like to feel scared and alone.

In court that day, the judge asked the boy, “Are you afraid?” No, the boy said.

Pipes says the judge seemed surprised, and asked, “Why not?”

The boy glanced at Pipes and the other bikers sitting in the front row, two more standing on each side of the courtroom door, and told the judge, “Because my friends are scarier than he is.”

[lesbian-moon-gf]

Actual tears.. hnngh

[bee-whistler]

Show me more of people like this, world. I give up on humans too easily.

[groovypirate]

where do i sign up for this,i want to be in this gang

[ultrafacts]

[haydengisearchive-deactivated20]

This is fucking amazing. It may be out of character for me to say this but rock on

[clatterbane]

Bikers Against Child Abuse was founded in 1995 by a Native American child psychologist whose ride name is Chief, when he came across a young boy who had been subjected to extreme abuse and was too afraid to leave his house. He called the boy to reach out to him, but the only thing that seemed to interest the child was Chief’s bike. Soon, some 20 bikers went to the boy’s neighborhood and were able to draw him out of his house for the first time in weeks.

Chief’s thesis was that a child who has been abused by an adult can benefit psychologically from the presence of even more intimidating adults that they know are on their side. “When we tell a child they don’t have to be afraid, they believe us,” Arizona biker Pipes told azcentral.com. “When we tell them we will be there for them, they believe us.” ( Article)

More about BACA, from their site

[uriesays]

My parents are a part of this organization and they are metal af

They go on runs to protect the child if they feel even the slightest threatened no matter where. If the child needs them to go on vacation with them, they do. Bikers come from across the nation to watch over and take shifts for these kids. And the best part is once you’re adopted into this family as a BACA kid, you’re always one. Even when you’re 40 and the perp gets released from jail, they’ll come meet with you and find your best options for avoiding the person and maintaining the life you’ve built for yourself. Once a BACA child, always a BACA child. In Florida, there’s 100% rate for identifying the perp based on the child’s testimony. Why? Because BACA stands with the child and supports the child so they feel comfortable enough to point out their attacker.

What’s better than a badass biker gang being on your side???

[kikithegirl]

NATIVE AMERICAN CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST WHO IS A BIKER AND NAMED HIMSELF CHIEF HELL YES I’M HERE FOR THAT AND BIKERS BEING BAD ASS TO PROTECT KIDS. HELL YEAH.

[birdungehrl]

it’s back! I will always reblog BACA

[your-uncle-dave]

Damn good people.

[rowsdower-saves-us]

I know they wouldn’t consider themselves such, but these people are freaking heroes and the world is a better place because of them. 

[racethewind10]

Hey folks, it talks about this in the article but its not mentioned in this post, BACA is a 501 © (3) charity that depends in part on donations to help pay for stuff like gas for their bikes. If you want to help, consider donating. 

[drgaellon]

@copperbadge You like posting about heroes, Sam. Seems like this would be up your alley.

[copperbadge]

I love these folks! I’ve reblogged them before but it’s wonderful to see the donation information has been added. 

[galaxy-of-stories]

Always reblog. Keep doing what you’re doing y'all.

[hurtlittleboy]

Guys? This post changed my life. I saw this post. Forever ago. And thought it was only in america… and wished desperately that they could help me. But then I saw it again, during a bad episode, and checked their site. They aren’t just in the USA

They’re in Canada as well and probably other countries. I met and talked with a native guy who runs the place near me. His name is Shaman. I got in, and I’m considered a BACA child now. Despite being 17, turning 18 when I talked to them. They spent time with me when my abuser was over, they gave me therapy resources. They give you something called a ‘level 1′ where they go to your house with as many bikers as they can, i shit you not a solid 20-40 bikers came from even out of province, and met me. I got to choose my biker name and I got a vest with patches on it and my name on it. They all hugged a Teddybear before giving it to me, and told me if I ever felt the BACA bear was running out of love, to give them a call and they’d refill it for me, and then I got a ride on one of their bikes. Just a day or so ago I went to an annual party with them and they we ate food one of them cooked and had a lot of laughs. 

I’ve never felt as loved as I did being a part of the BACA family. They also gave me dog tags with the names, and phone numbers of my 2 workers.  So I can call them whenever I feel scared. 

BACA is an absolutely wonderful group that will do everything in it’s power to help any child whos been abused. 

And it doesn’t end when you’re 18 either. As long as you get in contact/get your level 1 before you’re 18? you’re ALWAYS a BACA kid. I’m 18 now and they still invite me to parties, ask me if I’m okay, and are there for me. They’re still trying to find me resources for therapy. 

BACA has changed my fucking life. 

I hope you all can read this, and reblog it knowing from someone who fucking been with them, that they are absolutely amazing. 

[bowtomypointlesswords]

This is truly amazing, I’m so glad people like this exist

[instructor144]

This needs to be reblogged. Because.

[mjaydziarand-deactivated2018121]

Always reblog BACA.

[the-real-seebs]

I did not know BACA was active in Canada also!

[solarpunk-aesthetic]

Fab Tree Hab

A concept for a living home made from trees, by Mitchell Joachim. The design uses a computer designed prefabricated scaffold made from plywood to grow the trees into shape, before later being removed. The growing trees are woven together using an old technique called pleaching, to form walls, screens, and archways.