Meghan's musings

Welcome to my personal blog. I am a third year special education teacher and my teaching blog is from-tutor-to-teacher.

[babyanimalgifs]

I didn’t know cheetahs meow I’ve always thought they roar my whole life has been a lie

[anarchapella]

Ok but the other one is purring so hard

[valgalart]

If I ever don’t reblog this assume I’m dead

[excessively-english-jd]

Fun fact: technically, because of its inability to roar and its ability to purr, the cheetah is not a ‘big cat’ (or Great Cat) - they are still classified as Lesser Cats.

Also you haven’t heard anything until you hear them cheep.

[kunaiman]

YOU CANNOT JUST SAY THAT AND NOT PROVIDE A VIDEO

[excessively-english-jd]

I HAVE REALISED MY MISTAKE AND SHALL RECTIFY IT:

Cheeps.

[godyoutalkpretty]

Filed under: Things I Was Not Prepared For

[nerd-elf]

Dragon Age Origins looks like a Scooby Doo episode lol

[camelliagwerm-archive]

HAVING STEN & MORRIGAN IN THE SAME PARTY: A SUMMARY.

[theprogressivesadist]

[socialistexan]

[scoutbert]

direct action

[spaceshipsandpurpledrank]

@drukhari

[shinosarna]

not even joking, this literally is direct action

[gt-mech-suits]

Welcome to GTMS: The Blog.

ABOUT READ NOW!

MEET THE CAST LORE

[themagicalmolly]

If you’re queer and a Disney fan, you’ve no doubt watched the new Pixar movie Luca and have picked up on the HEAVY queer-coding between Luca and Alberto. 

Here’s my take on why I don’t think it’s ‘coded’ but rather blatantly queer.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

So, yes the director has stated he didn’t ‘plan’ for it to ‘come across like a gay romance’ but keep in mind that most people who work at Disney can end up under very strict rules in regards to discussing LGBTQ+ topics publicly. Disney parks actors are reportedly not even allowed to say ‘gay rights’ or ‘happy pride’ so it’s understandable that the people involved in creating Luca refuse to openly say it’s a gay story.

But the fact of the matter is IT IS. And here is my argument as to why.

First of all it’s obvious right off the bat when you begin the movie that it is serving strong Little Mermaid vibes. Alberto collecting human objects, Luca dreaming of going to the surface and his parents saying no and forbidding it. All things from the classic Little Mermaid. But how is The Little Mermaid queer you ask? I’ll tell you.

The Little Mermaid, the Disney film is obviously based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale and Hans Christian Anderson was a bisexual man who put blatant coming out metaphors into his original tale. Then when Howard Ashman came along to write the Disney adaptation he also put heavy queer elements into it. Ashman was an openly gay man suffering from AIDS during the AIDS epidemic and those themes definitely showed up not just in The Little Mermaid but in all his Disney Renaissance films. And of course, Ursula was modeled after a drag queen. 

How else was Luca a queer masterpiece? The entire narrative parallels the coming out experience. When Luca’s parents learn he’s been going to the surface to spend time with a boy there they decide to send him away to ‘The Deep’ a horrible dark and desolate part of the ocean to help him ‘straighten out’ this is an OBVIOUS nod to conversion therapy, a tragedy that befalls many queer kids/teens when they try and come out to their parents. We also see parental rejection in Alberto when we learn that his father abandoned him. 

When Luca runs away with Alberto they then of course have to hide who they are from everyone around them because sea monsters have been vilified by the town. Again, this is an obvious metaphor for homophobia. Showing that Luca and Alberto can only be their true selves when they’re in private.

Also, speaking of their true selves, their sea monster colors combined make up the colors of the men loving men (mlm) pride flag. 

Alberto also soon shows tell tale signs of jealousy over the fact that Luca begins to spend time with Giulia alone. It is clear it is not the kind of jealousy one holds for someone they only view as a friend.

Later in the film when Alberto shows Giulia that he is a sea monster he hopes that Luca will join him in this (again OBVIOUS) metaphor for coming out. But Luca is terrified and treats Alberto like a monster, going along with the societal expectation to condemn sea monsters.

Later, when Luca lets the rain fall on him, exposing his true sea monster self in order to save Alberto this is the ultimate expression of true love. Then when the two stop to help Giulia after she’s hurt, we see that while many people in the town still hate and distrust sea monsters, many people, including Giullia’s dad who up until this moment had also shown hatred towards sea monsters, realizes the mistake in his long held prejudice and having grown to know Luca and Alberto he openly accepts them for who they are.

And in one of the most beautiful and heartwarming shots of the entire film, we see a couple of elderly women that had been in a few scenes as background characters, let their umbrellas down so the rain can fall on them and reveal that they too are sea monsters. And clearly, sapphic women.

In the second to last scene we see Luca, Alberto and Luca’s family celebrating with Giulia’s family. A beautiful found family scene that so many of us queer kids either had growing up, or desperately wish we had. We learn that Luca’s mother fears (and has always feared) that Luca will essentially be a victim of a hate crime because she knows how awful the world can be towards sea monsters. The same way that even today so many people are so hateful to queer people. But Luca’s grandmother assures her:

“Some people, they’ll never accept him, but some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones.”

This is such a beautiful encapsulation of what it is like to exist in the world as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Not everyone will see you as a whole person and accept you for who you are. Some will be downright hateful. But some will be loving and wonderfully supportive. The film Luca shows what it is like to finally find those individuals who stand by you no matter what.

Lastly, the ending is one of the most obviously romantic scenes ever. With Alberto and Luca sharing a tearful goodbye as Luca tells Alberto he can’t go without him and Alberto assures him he’ll be okay. Then Alberto holds Luca’s hand, chasing after him for as long as he can.

People have argued this isn’t a gay movie because they’re kids and to insist that they’re gay is inappropriate because it’s a children’s film. This is an incredibly ignorant and homophobic argument. Many people have childhood loves. And to insinuate that putting gay characters in a children’s story is somehow inherently bad and not suitable for children to see only continues to invalidate LGBTQ+ youths, and children who have queer parents, friends, family members. Luca and Alberto are at an age the director described as ‘pre-romance’ they are finding themselves, discovering who they are and what it means to form a true and intimate bond with someone. They are at an age where it is normal to question your feelings and sexuality. It is perfectly normal and okay and BEAUTIFUL for these two boys to be gay and feeling childhood versions of love and the early stages of what could one day become a budding romance toward one another. 

No one would ever argue that Peter Pan and Wendy weren’t in love even though they were kids. So ask yourself, if Luca’s character was a girl would these homophobic viewers still argue there was no budding childhood romance written into the story? No, they wouldn’t.

Also, they released this movie during Pride Month. I mean, COME ON.

So that’s my take on why Luca is a blatantly gay movie. I am so happy that kids will now have this movie to watch while growing up. I wish there had been a movie like this for me when I was a kid. A beautiful film that normalizes and celebrates queer kids and queer love. 

Happy Pride Month everyone.

[systlin]

Something I find incredibly cool is that they’ve found neandertal bone tools made from polished rib bones, and they couldn’t figure out what they were for for the life of them. 

Until, of course, they showed it to a traditional leatherworker and she took one look at it and said “Oh yeah sure that’s a leather burnisher, you use it to close the pores of leather and work oil into the hide to make it waterproof. Mine looks just the same.” 

“Wait you’re still using the exact same fucking thing 50,000 years later???”

“Well, yeah. We’ve tried other things. Metal scratches up and damages the hide. Wood splinters and wears out. Bone lasts forever and gives the best polish. There are new, cheaper plastic ones, but they crack and break after a couple years. A bone polisher is nearly indestructible, and only gets better with age. The more you use a bone polisher the better it works.”

It’s just. 

50,000 years. 50,000. And over that huge arc of time, we’ve been quietly using the exact same thing, unchanged, because we simply haven’t found anything better to do the job. 

[saxifraga-x-urbium]

i also like that this is a “ask craftspeople” thing, it reminds me of when art historians were all “the fuck” about someone’s ear “deformity” in a portrait and couldn’t work out what the symbolism was until someone who’d also worked as a piercer was like “uhm, he’s fucked up a piercing there”. interdisciplinary shit also needs to include non-academic approaches because crafts & trades people know shit ok

[assasue]

One of my professors often tells us about a time he, as and Egyptian Archaeologist, came down upon a ring of bricks one brick high. In the middle of a house. He and his fellow researchers could not fpr the life of them figure out what tf it could possibly have been for. Until he decided to as a laborer, who doesnt even speak English, what it was. The guy gestures for my prof to follow him, and shows him the same ring of bricks in a nearby modern house. Said ring is filled with baby chicks, while momma hen is out in the yard having a snack. The chicks can’t get over the single brick, but mom can step right over. Over 2000 years and their still corraling chicks with brick circles. If it aint broke, dont fix it and always ask the locals.

[anx1ous-op0ssum]

I read something a while back about how pre-columbian Americans had obsidian blades they stored in the rafters of their houses. The archaeologists who discovered them came to the conclusion that the primitive civilizations believed keeping them closer to the sun would keep the blades sharper.

Then a mother looked at their findings and said “yeah, they stored their knives in the rafters to keep them out of reach of the children.”

[whatevercomestomymind]

Omg the ancient child proofing add on tho lol

[pbrim]

I remember years ago on a forum (email list, that’s how old) a woman talking about going to a museum, and seeing among the women’s household objects a number of fired clay items referred to as “prayer objects”.  (Apparently this sort of labeling is not uncommon when you have something that every house has and appears to be important, but no-one knows what it is.)  She found a docent and said, “Excuse me, but I think those are drop spindles.”  “Why would you think that, ma’am?”  “Because they look just like the ones my husband makes for me.  See?”  They got all excited, took tons of pictures and video of her spinning with her spindle.  When she was back in the area a few years later, they were still on display, but labeled as drop spindles.

[catchester]

So ancient Roman statues have some really weird hairstyles. Archaeologists just couldn’t figure them out. They didn’t have hairspray or modern hair bands, or elastic at all, but some of these things defied gravity better than Marge Simpson’s beehive.

Eventually they decided, wigs. Must be wigs. Or maybe hats. Definitely not real hair.

A hairdresser comes a long, looks at a few and is like, “Yeah, they’re sewn.”

“Don’t be silly!” the archaeologists cry. “How foolish, sewn hair indeed! LOL!”

So she went away and recreated them on real people using a needle and thread and the mystery of Roman hairstyles was solved.

She now works as a hair archaeologist and I believe she has a YouTube channel now where she recreates forgotten hairstyles, using only what they had available at the time.

[unified-multiversal-theory]

Where’s that “grandma solves mystery of the Roman dodecahedron” post when I need it?

(Solution: they’re were knotting looms for making the fingers of gloves and other narrow things.)

[historicity-was-already-taken]

I read somewhere that a group of male archaeologists found what looked like the oldest calendar ever found, but they couldn’t for the life of them figure out what or how it was measuring. So after AGONIZING over this, they showed it to a female colleague and she was immediately like “yeah that’s charting a menstrual cycle” and the dudes were just like

but of course I can’t find the article right now

[allthecanadianpolitics]

MMIWG national action plan is an inadequate response to the crisis, say Indigenous women's advocates

‘Justice delayed is still justice denied,’ says Kukpi7 (Chief) Judy Wilson

Indigenous women’s organizations and advocates say the newly released national action plan to end violence against Indigenous women and girls is not an adequate response to the crisis.

“This is not a national action plan,” Pamela Palmater, chair in Indigenous governance at Ryerson University in Toronto told CBC News.

The plan, co-developed between federal and provincial governments, the National Families and Survivors Circle and several Indigenous partners, was released Thursday, the second anniversary of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

[…]

Palmater was one of advocates who expressed concerns at a virtual news conference on Thursday. She said using the word “evergreen” signifies the lack of a plan.

“That is a real disservice to Indigenous women and girls across this country to basically say that genocide is going to continue for a while until we can figure out an actual plan,” she said.

For others, the number of actions and timeframe identified is not enough.

“Justice delayed is still justice denied,” said Neskonlith Kukpi7 (Chief) Judy Wilson, secretary-treasurer of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

“We can’t wait three years for some of these priorities to be handed down. Since the national inquiry, hundreds of women have gone missing and murdered.”

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[doublelinthemorning]

Was there anyone in Mortal Kombat (2021) who couldn’t get it? No. They all could.

[firehart9]

The mortal kombat movie is nothing but fanservice and im fine with that

[stargazerofgoldenwords]

Movie reviewers: *complain about the violence in a movie based on one of the most violent video game franchises ever*

Me:

[whumpypepsigal]

okay, i just watched the latest episode of the mandalorian and have to say this:

THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH THESE SHOTS 🥺 😩😭

Ashoka, Din and Groku are the dynamic family we deserved in this godawful year 2020. give us more please. look at them…just look how happy they are. i want this. i need this. THIS IS THE WAY.

[algorithmsoflatecapitalism]

Unpleasant_(interface)_design

[mayflower-gal]

THERE’S A SEQUEL TO THE HORRIBLE VOLUME SLIDER POST

[huua]

hmm don’t know how to address this but i looked it up and apparently Richard Phillips, the 72-year-old black man recently released from prison after serving 45 years for murder he didn’t commit, is being forced to sell his art, rather than willingly selling it, since the justice system is refusing to pay him anything. there’s a post going around saying he’s showcasing his art and we should support him by purchasing it, but i think it’s an important distinction that he doesn’t want to part from the art that he made in prison. parting permanently from art you’ve made can be difficult, and considering the emotional value of the art he made in order to cope with his situation, it’s cruel to take it away from him rather than to just donate money. also there’s like this weird fetishization of his “prison art” in the media that is frankly disgusting, like ogling his pain and suffering and making it into some sort of spectacle. i scoured twitter for a donation page but i couldn’t find anything yet

[huua]

update: i emailed his lawyer and found the official gofundme for him if you guys can spare anything

[blocking-my-writers-block]

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

Okay, now that you've been warned:

BEST MOTHERFUCKING THANKSGIVING EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hakyunie]

the most effective way to deal with a Domain, is to lay out your own Domain. when two Domains are laid out at the same time, the more refined one will dominate that space.

[wild-west-wind]

You know what fantasy writing needs? Working class wizards.

A crew of enchanters maintaining the perpetual flames that run the turbines that generate electricity, covered in ash and grime and stinking of hot chilies and rare mushrooms used for the enchantments

A wizard specializing in construction, casting feather fall on every worker, and enchanting every hammer to drive nails in straight, animating the living clay that makes up the core of the crane

An elderly wizard and her apprentice who transmute fragile broken objects. From furniture, to rotten wood beams, to delicate jewelry

A battle magician, trained with only a few rudimentary spells to solve a shortage of trained wizards on the front who uses his healing spells to help folks around town

Wizarding shops where cheery little mages enchant wooden blocks to be hammered into the sides of homes. Hammer this into the attic and it will scare off termites, toss this in the fire and clean your chimney, throw this in the air and all dust in the room gets sucked up

Wizard loggers who transmute cut trees into solid, square beams, reducing waste, and casting spells to speed up regrowth. The forest, they know, will not be too harsh on them if the lost tree’s children may grow in its place

Wizard farmers who grow their crops in arcane sigils to increase yield, or produce healthier fruit

Factory wizards who control a dozen little constructs that keep machines cleaned and operational, who cast armor to protect the hands of workers, and who, when the factory strikes for better wages, freeze the machines in place to ensure their bosses can’t bring anyone new in.

Anyway, think about it.

[wild-west-wind]

Construction wizards to turn back time to root out wood worm and strengthen old buildings.

A wizard tailors who transmutes cloth into fully made clothes without seems and leaving behind no scraps

A wizard who works in public transit, timing out teleports with detailed schedules, time magic, and enchanted communications, sending dozens of people to far away cities for a day or work or leisure

A team of wizard gardeners tend to trees grown far outside their native range, and ideal climate, encircled with runes and fed potions to grow none the less

A wizard sits in their office in the aqueduct, re-casting the spells that allow its precious water to flow to the city uphill

A wizard fisher casts water repelling spells on the sailors and the stairs, keeps the hoist on the anchor from rusting, casts balls of heat that keep everyone warm below decks. Their real job is to herd fish together so they can be caught in single huge nets, and keep them cold as the boat returns to land.

There are so many possibilities outside of “stodgy academic who wears ugly robes” and “Very good holy man who helps everyone and the fact they’ve never had a job is never brought up” and “evil wizard toiling away on great evils in his evil tower in the evil country.”

[ethanrayne]

Wizards who come out and ward your home for you, like the magical equivalent of a home security system.

[shythegreenskeleton]

We need more working wizards.