Plural Possessed Nouns

It's about damn time we update this sidebar. We're plural and polyamorous. We mostly consist of jerkasses, and our main redeeming feature is our absurd loyalty to our partners. If you keep scrolling back through the years, you will find countless instances of us being less than clever in our interactions on this site; we don't delete anything, in an effort to maintain perspective about our own capacity for sheer foolishness. If you're also a jerkass, then we probably follow and enjoy your blog, but the jury is out for what that says about your personality or our taste in blogs. Cheers!

[cascagreen]

Children of Fate, an interquel to Superdome in the Shadeshifter Chronicles, is now available on Smashwords, Amazon Kindle, Lulu, and Nook!

How far are you willing to go to save your new home?

What if your home is full of murderous villains? Would you entangle its fate with your own, or would you cut ties and run? The Sotiropoulos sisters are powerful enough to be goddesses among men, even among Superheroes: a Memory Manipulator with no moral compass, a Precog without limits on her powers, and a Teleporting assassin who can be in many places at once.

As much as they might prefer to watch the world crumble around them, they need a plan to bring sustainable order to the Dome. The plan will span decades. It’s unforgivable. They don’t care. It’s a numbers game, as Leandra would say. Destroy one man to save millions? It’s a no-brainer.  

What they don’t realize is the price they will pay for their machinations.

Thanks to all my supporters, beta readers, and everybody who provided feedback throughout the writing and editing process. I couldn’t have done this without you!

[tegidsystem]

Just a heads up to any of our followers who have DID or other modes of plurality, this book respectfully features a dissociatively plural two-member system in significant, plot-affecting roles.

We beta read for the author, and Casca produces some really great stuff when it comes to representing MOGAI, neuroatypical people, people with physical disabilities, and people in unconventional relationships. All their books pass the Bechdel Test and the Mako Mori test with flying colors, and a majority of their major characters (so far) have been female and nonbinary genders. The author themself is nonbinary, bisexual, polyamorous, and neuroatypical. In summary, this is an author most of you can probably feel pretty good about supporting.

Their books do feature a lot of superhero-style science fiction violence, and they’re definitely written by an adult, for adults (by way of violence; they’ve never depicted sex explicitly), so don’t go into them expecting YA, PG-13 language and censoring.

[tegidsystem]

Hey G&T! Y'all seem like a bitchin lot. If you want a new internet friend, I'm on tumble A LOT. I also have a steam account by the same name. -ireallyonlylikecake (a play on ace jokes)

Sorry for taking our time responding; we’ve been away for quite awhile, and for some reason our e-mail didn’t notify this ask. Followed here; we have Steam but don’t use it as a vehicle of socialization.We certainly don't object to the prospect of another friend; we'll see you around.

[missolivialouise]

Here’s a thing I’ve had around in my head for a while!

Okay, so I’m pretty sure that by now everyone at least is aware of Steampunk, with it’s completely awesome Victorian sci-fi aesthetic. But what I want to see is Solarpunk – a plausible near-future sci-fi genre, which I like to imagine as based on updated Art Nouveau, Victorian, and Edwardian aesthetics, combined with a green and renewable energy movement to create a world in which children grow up being taught about building electronic tech as well as food gardening and other skills, and people have come back around to appreciating artisans and craftspeople, from stonemasons and smithies, to dress makers and jewelers, and everyone in between. A balance of sustainable energy-powered tech, environmental cities, and wicked cool aesthetics. 

A lot of people seem to share a vision of futuristic tech and architecture that looks a lot like an ipod – smooth and geometrical and white. Which imo is a little boring and sterile, which is why I picked out an Art Nouveau aesthetic for this.

With energy costs at a low, I like to imagine people being more inclined to focus their expendable income on the arts!

Aesthetically my vision of solarpunk is very similar to steampunk, but with electronic technology, and an Art Nouveau veneer.

So here are some buzz words~

Natural colors! Art Nouveau! Handcrafted wares! Tailors and dressmakers! Streetcars! Airships! Stained glass window solar panels!!! Education in tech and food growing! Less corporate capitalism, and more small businesses! Solar rooftops and roadways! Communal greenhouses on top of apartments! Electric cars with old-fashioned looks! No-cars-allowed walkways lined with independent shops! Renewable energy-powered Art Nouveau-styled tech life!

Can you imagine how pretty it would be to have stained glass windows everywhere that are actually solar panels? The tech is already headed in that direction!  Or how about wide-brim hats, or parasols that are topped with discreet solar panel tech incorporated into the design, with ports you can stick your phone charger in to?

(((Character art by me; click the cityscape pieces to see artist names)))

[inverinate]

i am so into this wow

[yamino]

Hehehe… For years, there has been planned an upcoming location in Sister Claire based on exactly this aesthetic. Can you guess which location that might be? It’s been mentioned a few times recently… I can’t wait to show it. =)

[zladkohasaboaraffe]

I would love to live a solarpunk streetcar life.

[tegidsystem]

Many short stories in the Clockwork Phoenix anthology series (4 books) subscribe to Solarpunk without having a name for it. We can't recommend them enough.

Damn, this is lovely.

[thatisnotahat]

I’ve been watching this for 5 minutes and giggling like an idiot.

[cybergata]

stuck cat by akempler on Flickr.

[notallwugs]

Two scientists walk into a bar:

"I’ll have an H2O."

"I’ll have an H2O, too."

The bartender gives them both water because he is able to distinguish the boundary tones that dictate the grammatical function of homonyms in coda...

[pomegranateandivy-deactivated20]

Everyday Magic

But think about this:

a witch who does knot magic braiding spells into her hair

or tying it into his tie or shoelaces

a witch who does technomagic putting a reminder on their phone that contains a good luck charm

a kitchen witch making a memory spell in pancakes to help their kids learn and retain stuff from school

an enchanter/ress putting anti-bullying pins on their childs’ backpack

a musicwitch humming happiness charms all day long

[tegidsystem]

Pay attention to which news stations spin Ferguson coverage in ways which favour the police or strive to incriminate the victims.

Keep in mind that there will be multiple stations under the SAME telecom corporations, giving opposing views, and pay attention to which channels attempt to give “both...

[tegidsystem]

Well, so far, Fox has done a hell of a lot of incriminating the victims, showing security camera footage taken in June at a convenience store as supposed evidence that Mr. Brown had given the police a reason on the day of his death to murder him. The footage is low-resolution and could literally be any tall, broad-shouldered young black man in Ferguson, but it is being used as convenient 'new information' to excuse the inexcusable, and to convince the public to view a victim of violence as a criminal, guilty until proven innocent.

Don't figure it surprises anybody that Fox is putting that spin on this, of course. 

[cornchipz-revival]

man imagine aliens w no concept of interspecies cooperation or pets

'commander the scan of this shelter reveals three primary lifeforms'

'excellent. elaborate please'

'all mammals. two quadrupeds, one feline and one canine, as well as one biped sapien. they appear to be… relaxing and eating in a shared space'

'what the fuck'

[wizardxcore]

i really wanna go to the #dayofrage protest rally thing in DC tonight but i don’t know if like the one anarchist friend i have in DC will be there so we can watch out for each other, and i’m worried about getting disoriented from sensory shit and not doing well in the crowd if...

[tegidsystem]

Hi! You still have options for helping your protester buddies without putting yourself directly in harm's way! You can act as a spotter and information coordinator.

How this works:

1. Find a location that is indoors or outside the immediate protest zone, but where you will be able to see any police or other authorities approaching from outside the area they would be containing. If you're a little far away from everything, you can use binoculars from inside a car or house. You can also record video from a safe distance, if you choose.

2. Stay in constant text or twitter communication with several members of the group, especially if they spread out over a fairly large area. Have the whole group send directly to you, and you can then collect that information and make larger, info-dense social media posts of anything they report back to you. You can also relay to your friends any supportive messages being sent in from other places. Since you personally are outside the immediate protest and danger zone, even if one of your friends stops corresponding, you can still keep updating the outside world using information from the others, and the individual protesters don't have to be distracted by the need to keep up a constant and fast rate of live-tweeting and -streaming. 

3. Additionally, since you'll be in a position to see any approaching authorities, you can warn your friends in advance if you spot them carrying riot equipment, teargas cannisters, etc. You can tell them how fast the authorities are moving and from what direction. You can tell if there are any ambulances with them, or only police vehicles, and you can tell if they are blocking civilian access to local streets.

In short, you can be a logistical coordinator and information relay point for your friends, relieving the burden on each of them individually for up-to-date information, so that they can focus on their protest... and you will be a source of solid documentation, since police won't be able to relieve you of your phone, camera, computer, or other equipment if you aren't near the protest itself. 

Another option, if police intervention doesn't look like it's going to be an issue:

You can provide snacks, drinks, and other refreshments, keeping a table stocked with those things throughout the course of the protest. When protestors get hot and thirsty, they can send a runner from their group to pick up bottles of water. If somebody has low blood sugar, they can get a granola bar or an apple from your stand. If you're willing to do it free of charge, then you are compensating with both your time and money for your inability to physically be present at the place of most noise and risk, and you can be absolutely sure that your contribution will be appreciated by every person who has shouted themselves hoarse and needs that drink to get back on their game. If you provide a few types of fresh fruit as the main thing to eat, you also considerately avoid problems involving most food allergies and religious or ethical dietary proscriptions. 

In general, think of a large protest the way you would think of a marathon, a bike race, or any other event where an unusually large number of people are present in a small geographic space: all the same logistical concerns apply; all the same security concerns apply. Having one extra person keeping their eyes open, documenting and reporting events, and/or providing a dependable and safe source of food and water is always a good thing for everybody present, including emergency services, because it diminishes the overall likelihood of medical emergencies relating to dehydration, and because police are significantly less likely to resort to violence if they know that non-protesting civilians in the neighbourhood are all paying close attention to the action.

We hope something here proves helpful for you!

[blazepress]

This three-legged decorated war hero had one leg lost to surgery after taking four rounds from an AK-47.

[shoothikedrinkfuck]

Bad. Mother. Fucker.

[aspiringearthbender-deactivated]

Those eyes say “Pretend to throw the tennis ball. I dare you to only pretend.”

[whiskey-weather-deactivated2016]

I think those eyes say a lot more than that. He’s seen more than I ever will, done more than I’ll ever do, and his war will never be over.

[metal-queer-solid]

He’s got Ranger scrolls on his collar. That dog is a god damn hero.

[revengeofthemudbutt-deactivated]

I just noticed the Purple Heart and that Scroll. Wow. Just wow.  The picture alone, in all it’s detail says a lot of things. god damn.

[ronin134]

I can’t not reblog this dog… his you Eyes say so much

[gonnagoandrunwiththehorses-deac]

I’ve never seen a dog with such a face like that. Like an old man who went to war and if you ask him about he just stiffens up and face turns to stone. 

[elodieunderglass]

Layka is a lady dog. Let’s remember that.

Now, it’s an understandable problem - our socialization instantly encourages us to see this rugged, sleek, military animal as a male. Three-legged hero dog with military decorations and stern-appearing eyes? TOTALLY A DUDE DOG, JUST LOOK AT HIM. It’s a programmed response, and nothing to be ashamed of - let’s just be accurate and note that Layka’s a female.

I’ve highlighted all the reblogs above where Layka is described as a hero, an old man, with male pronouns - rather than the fierce, charming heroine she is. It’s kind of a teachable moment: how does an image of an animal, displaying absolutely no secondary sex characteristics, instantly give us these fictional headcanons about its gender and gender performance? It’s an impressive demonstration of our ability to translate body language.

The photographer who took this compelling shot noted that Layka’s playful, bouncy energy made it nearly impossible for him to get a shot with her mouth closed! He ended up having to stop using the tennis ball he was using to get her attention, because it made her too excited and smiley. Based on the photos below, I think she’d have quite a sense of humor about the “where’s the tennis ball?” game!

Of course, the photographer did end up connecting with a fundamental aspect of Layka’s nature in the cover photo; her serious, soldier side. But that’s not all the animal is. Does the dog in the unused shots still resemble an “old man?” Is the dog in the unused shots male or female? Is it still a hero with its tongue out? Is it still admirable without a “face like stone?”

This is what I mean when I say that we have to examine the lenses of culture and society that we are always, always looking through when we talk about science biology.

[luvyourselfsomeesteem-deactivat]

The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people’s expense, whether whites know/like it or not. Racism is an insidious cultural disease. It is so insidious that it doesn’t care if you are a white person who likes black people; it’s still going to find a way to infect how you deal with people who don’t look like you. Yes, racism looks like hate, but hate is just one manifestation. Privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another. And so on. So while I agree with people who say no one is born racist, it remains a powerful system that we’re immediately born into. It’s like being born into air: you take it in as soon as you breathe. It’s not a cold that you can get over. There is no anti-racist certification class. It’s a set of socioeconomic traps and cultural values that are fired up every time we interact with the world. It is a thing you have to keep scooping out of the boat of your life to keep from drowning in it. I know it’s hard work, but it’s the price you pay for owning everything.

Scott Woods (X)

he motherfucking dropped the truth.

(via mesmerisme)

THAT’S THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR OWNING EVERYTHING

(via queerfabulousmermaid)

this is a super important explanation to think about whenever you feel like telling someone that something isn’t racist because you don’t hate x person.

(via robotsandfrippary)

[tegidsystem]

Pay attention to televised news media in the coming several days.

Pay attention to which news stations spin Ferguson coverage in ways which favour the police or strive to incriminate the victims.

Keep in mind that there will be multiple stations under the SAME telecom corporations, giving opposing views, and pay attention to which channels attempt to give "both sides of the story," as if there are multiple perspectives here which actually deserve equal legitimacy and equal screentime. 

Tonight it's fine to be up in arms at the infringement of freedom of the press. Just remember tomorrow morning to pay attention to what the press do with the footage they obtain. Telecoms each have their own agenda that they will try to sell to you. Don't be oblivious; don't universally beatify journalists simply because they are currently encountering police hostility.

Other media angles WILL ATTEMPT TO CO-OPT THIS NARRATIVE. No matter what the cause, existing powers will ALWAYS strive to co-opt, ridicule, and undermine the legitimate protest narratives of civilians who have been abused by those in power. It happened during Occupy when that movement was filed away as just a fringe type of Democrat. It happened to the Tea Party when that movement was co-opted and ridiculed as just a fringe variety of Republican. School shootings and police brutality and abuses of civilian human rights get co-opted in far less obvious ways all the time. Don't let them!

Remember who the real victims are, and don't let this devolve into a 'police versus press' narrative, when it NEEDS to be recognized for the 'established authority versus black civilians' narrative that it truly is. 

[straightedgeanarchy]

[invisiblecopy-deactivated201904]

It’s terrifying really

[tegidsystem]

On occasions I have felt gills that open and close randomly. Never paid much attention to it cause I've heard that feeling extra bodyparts is normal. But since last night they burn. Can't go to doctor and be all "my gills hurt" ~The Fishman~

Don't really know why you're directing this message to our inbox, mate, but good luck with that. 

[how-many-ways]

Needless to say, I was very happy when my friend’s cat decided to sit on a glass table.

[mostlycatsmostly]

Ghost Footies!

[hestmord]

please be advised that a cat is made up entirely of small ghosts. the paws are just the improperly covered parts where you can see inside the cat. a cat comprises anywhere between 800 and 13,000 small ghosts depending on the size.

[tegidsystem]

They say that cats come with nine lives, but they never say how cats go about acquiring all those extra lives. The secret is really very simple: they hunt the ghosts of small things - squirrels, songbirds, goldfish flushed before their prime, well-loved but overwatered houseplants, crickets and fireflies unready for winter - and once they have the right quantity of each tiny ghost, they can trade them in for an extra life.

They're greedy, though, and they have short attention spans, and they aren't very good at counting... so the cat forgets that she already maxed out her inventory of lives, and she continues to accumulate tiny ghosts, until she's all full up with them, and they peek their little ghosty faces out at the world through her feet. We can only see them when the ghosts look at us through pieces of glass.

It's okay for the ghosts, though; we like to think that they like looking at the universe through noctural living eyes, and they share their little ghosty magics with the cat: a squirrel shares half his climbing skill (enough to get up a tree, but not back down it without help!); a moth shares the silence of his wings. House plants share their ability to sit still and meditative and appreciate a sunbeam. The goldfish never lose their love of water, but songbirds never lose their apprehension of it, so the cat is always paradoxically curious about water but unwilling to be touched by it. Fireflies lend their lights to cats' eyes, and crickets lend a chirpy music which cats translate into purring.

If you ever see a kitty stalking a mote of dust or something you can't see, she's probably accumulating more little ghosts. 

[lumberjack-y-lumberjack]

What if pluto was declassified as a planet because it was used as a weapon by NASA to deter aliens from invading our solar system (a la giant slingshot)? Maybe Pluto hasn’t been declassified, so much as destroyed…I mean, the only reason we know its there is because NASA said so. I haven’t seen it lately…