“Jesus christ eat the goddamn mac and cheese.” scowls the hero “I can hear your stomach growling through your armor, you know.”
The villain blinks “You-”
“Are feeding you, yes. If all I wanted to do was punch people and throw criminals in jail, I would’ve become a vigilante. Heroism involves kindness, dipshit.”
It’s very relaxed up at the North Pole ever since the top demands for toys changed from handcrafted to mass produced. Most of the elves are in “qualify control” these days (very important to check those video games for violence, y’know), and Santa and Mrs. Claus are basically reindeer farmers most of the year.
Then, in late autumn, Santa checks his list.
He checks it twice.
He checks it a third time, and then he calls Mrs. Claus over to the computer, because clearly he’s messed something up and deleted something he shouldn’t have. Mrs. Claus waves him out of the chair, sits down, and starts checking the settings.
In 1943, a team of ingenious Italian doctors invented a deadly, contagious virus called Syndrome K to protect Jews from annihilation. On October 16 of that year, as Nazis closed in to liquidate Rome’s Jewish ghetto, many runaways hid in the 450-year-old Fatebenefratelli Hospital. There, anti-Fascist doctors including Adriano Ossicini, Vittorio SacerdotiandGiovanni Borromeo created a gruesome, imaginary disease.
The doctors instructed “patients” to cough very loudly and told Nazis that the disease was extremely dangerous, disfiguring and molto contagioso. Soldiers were so alarmed by the list of symptoms and incessant coughing that they left without inspecting the patients. It’s estimated that a few dozen lives were saved by this brilliant scheme.
The doctors were later honored for their heroic actions, and Fatebenefratelli Hospital was declared a “House of Life” by the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.
“Imagine a woman in the long skirts and high collar of the early 20th century standing in front of the painting she created. It is a massive piece—about 10 feet tall by 8 feet wide—and it is not a landscape, a portrait, a still life, nor a scene from myth or history. Dominating the composition is a bold yellow form reminiscent of a plant or sea creature, glowing amid colorful, biomorphic shapes and vigorous lines. This is just one of 10 such works that she has created almost entirely alone—sometimes walking on her work as she lays down the paint—and one of 193 radically abstract paintings that she has made in a few short years, between 1906 and 1915. None of these details fit with the story told in museums and art history courses. We know the first abstract painters so well that we often refer to them by last names alone: Kandinsky, Malevich, Mondrian. We know who is celebrated for doing “action painting” on giant canvases laid on the floor—Pollock. Each of these men has been lauded for opening a way into new territory. As it turns out, that territory had already been explored by another artist. Her name was Hilma af Klint.”
reblogging here because i can see this being relevant to anyone who’s ever tried to get out of an abusive relationship
Reblogging because that last comment made me reread the whole thing in a new light and realize this could be vital information. So, putting it out there for everyone, and hoping no one ever really needsit.
Alright I just wanna share a little something that happened to me today with ya’ll. As some of you may know, my boyfriend and I are moving in the beginning of February. We actually just signed our lease today, so it was time for me to contact our utilities company as well as our internet company to get them switched over to our new apartment.
Utilities went off without a hitch. So I call my internet company, I don’t wanna be a snitch so let’s just use a made up company name. Like, how about… Verizon? So I call Verizon and let them know that I will be move. I’ve been with them for about three years now, and previously I was on a contract with them, but this past year I have been on a month to month.
So I start speaking with a representative, and he tells me that the speed that my current plan has (75 mbps) is no longer supported by Verizon. They now only have 100 mbps and up. He tells me that I’ll have to upgrade to a different plan and that I’ll have to pay a termination fee to cancel my contract with them.
I’m like um…??? I don’t have a contract with you? I used to have a contract with you, but then I called to renew it and you put me on a month to month. And the guy is like “Well maybe that’s what he told you he did, but he actually put you on a contract”. And I’m like: “But I didn’t sign any contracts, the first contract I did with you guys I signed” and he’s like: “A verbal confirmation over the phone is enough”. And that’s the first point where I’m like, either this guy is new and has no idea what he’s talking about, or something is not right.
So I tell him that I’d be happy to stay on the contract with them. And he says that I can’t, because the place we’re moving only has the 75 mbps and up. And I’m like, “Well how is that my fault? You’re the ones who aren’t supporting my contract anymore. Can’t you just continue my contract and just update the speed?” And he’s trying to tell me that there is no way he can possibly do that.
And so I ask him for the price breakdown and it’s the monthly price, plus the $90 termination fee, plus a $99 installation fee when the tech comes to set up the router in my apartment. And I’m like “I’m not paying an extra $189 to you guys for essentially the same service because you’re the ones screwing me out of my contract.” And he goes to talk to a supervisor, and they say the same thing. And he talks to another supervisor, and they say they can’t help. So finally I ask to speak to a supervisor.
I explain the whole story to the guy. And he’s like “The system over here won’t let me override this in your contract”. Listen up. Any time a representative that you’re talking to says this to you, ask to speak to someone else. This is complete and utter bullshit. I worked in IT for four years, and let me tell you, if there wasn’t a way to override every single system we used, then we would’ve been in serious shit. Companies will try to tell you that the system won’t let them override what you need done, and the truth is one of two things:
1. The person you’re speaking with doesn’t have the authority to override the system. In other words, they are useless to you. This is not their fault, politely ask them to transfer you to someone who can help.
2. They are deliberately lying to try and ply you for more money. In other words, they are useless to you. This is not their fault, this is what they’re trained to do. Politely ask them to transfer you to someone who can help.
So I was transferred to a different department. And I explained the whole story to yet another representative. And he immediately said: “If you move to a place where the services in your contract don’t exist, then your contract is null and void”. This, my friends, is what I vaguely remembered reading in my original contract with Verizon. So I said: “So you won’t charge me the termination fee?” And he said “Of course not, we’re not allowed to”.
And then he went on to waive half of the installation fee for me for all of my troubles. I was on the phone with this stupid fucking company for an entire hour, but in the end I saved $130. $130! After finally finding the right person to speak to.
TLDR: So please, if someone corporate tells you that their “system” won’t allow them to change your account, don’t take no for an answer. Keep pushing until you get what you need!
I’ve had this blog for over a year now and I feel like a lot of great books get lost in the shuffle so I’m going to be continuously updating this list, arranged by genre, of books I’ve reviewed or recommended (and personally have read)!
so a tourist in Italy is fulfilling her lifelong dream of seeing the birth of venus, her fave painting, in person. and while she’s there a Hot Girl strikes up a conversation with her and she loves art and is charming and they talk until the museum closes. they exchange numbers. the next day the birth of Venus painting is stolen, nobody knows who stole it. so anyways, the two girls continue dating and are happy and shit? and on their one year anniversary her girlfriend reveals that she’s an international art thief and she stole the birth of venus after meeting her. tourist girl flips and wants it returned she doesn’t want to just. hoard the art so nobody can see it. so then art thief has to do a reverse heist where she sneaks the painting back into the museum without getting caught
Bear in mind that the Birth of Venus is like 15 feet tall and 30 feet wide…
why would you have to do a reverse heist instead of like thouroughly cleaning it of fingerprints, DNA and other trace evidence and then just quietly dropping it off round the back underneath a tarp and a note attached
because she’s gay and loves drama don’t ever question me again
Growing up my parents taught me that if you’re too sick to [insert responsibility here] then you’re too sick to [insert something that makes you happy here].
It took me a really long time to unlearn this. When I would get sick or have a “bad day” I would deprive myself of anything that made me happy. Watching movies, eating something I enjoyed, going for a walk, playing video games or just browsing online looking at funny cat videos. I wouldn’t let myself do these things because I was always told that if I’m too sick to go to work, or do homework, or go to school then I must be too sick to play Mortal Kombat or watch Unsolved Mysteries lol.
Whenever I wouldn’t feel good, which I later learned as an adult was due to sleep deprivation caused by my ADHD and depression (and of course the depression itself would cause me to feel like shit), my parents would tell me “if you’re not throwing up, then you’re not sick.” And when I would stay home from school (or even work in my later teen years) my parents would make sure that I didn’t have any “fun.” No TV, no movies, no games, no going outside, no arts and crafts, no books, no nothing. Just lay in bed and feel miserable.
I’m happy to say that I no longer do this to myself. Now when I’m having a bad day or I’m sick (cold, flu or whatever) I allow myself to do the things (within reason lol) that I actually love doing. If I’m not too sick to step outside for a few minutes then I’ll go for a walk. I’ll watch my favorite movies and if it’s a bad day or a cold (something that doesn’t hinder my appetite too much) I’ll eat my favorite foods. I don’t guilt trip myself anymore for having a “sick day.”
Just because you’re sick (whether physically, emotionally or mentally) doesn’t mean that you can’t do things you enjoy. You’re not any less sick because you watch TV. You’re not any less sick because you’re playing video games.
Actually you SHOULD be doing these things when you’re not feeling good because they make you feel better. The better you feel, the faster your heal.
Thank you! I needed to read this.
My job isn’t physically demanding - I work in an office doing data analysis and database system configuration and maintenance stuff. I’m a spreadsheets nerd, basically. On my days off, I play games on my computer. So you’d think, I’m just spending all day staring at a screen either way, right? So if I’m too sick for one, I should be too sick for the other. Right?
But there’s a huge difference in effort required for pulling myself out of bed to my computer 20 feet away in the room down the hall, where I can huddle in my chair with a blanket and dick around in Stardew Valley or go blow shit up in Warframe all day without ever talking to another human being aside from Ozz, versus getting up early, making myself look professional and polished, leaving on time, driving to work, and spending 8 hours sitting up straight, interacting with people (which means being socially “on” and keeping up professional demeanor as well as appearance), attending meetings and making calls, having to be focused and mentally “on” enough to keep my work accurate and produce the high-quality deliverables my team relies on me for. If going to work requires an 8 out of 10 on the functionality scale, and playing a videogame requires like a 3, then it’s very easy to be too sick to go to work, without necessarily being depleted down to a 0 and unable to do anything other than laying in bed being miserable. It’s not a contradiction to say “I’m too sick to put out the effort to go to work/school” and also “I am not too sick to play videogames” even if they’re both “just sitting at a computer”.
I’ve even outright said as much when I’ve been feeling crappy and needed to leave early. “Look, I’m not functional enough to actually be productive right now, so I can either sit here and stare blankly at my work screen, or I can go home and stare blankly at my videogame screen, and if I’m not accomplishing much of anything either way I’d rather not be here wasting everyone’s time / the company’s money paying me for work I’m not doing.”
This isn’t because Burger King is nicer in Denmark. It’s the law, and the US is actually the only so-called “developed” country that doesn’t mandate jobs provide a minimum amount of paid vacation, sick leave, or both.
kinda debunks that claim that they can’t afford to pay their workers those sort of wages and still make a profit
Its corporate greed, plain and simple.
It is the same in Sweden. It is so funny every time an american company opens up offices here and then tries to do it the american way and all the unions go “I don’t think so”.
They refused to sign on to the union deals that govern such things as pay/pension and vacation in Sweden. Most of our rights are not mandated by law (we don’t have a minimum wage for example) but are made in voluntary agreements between the unions and the companies.
But they refused, saying that they had never negotiated with any unions anywhere else in the world and weren’t planning to do it in Sweden either.
Of course a lot of people thought it was useless fighting against an international giant, but Handels (the store worker’s union) said that they could not budge, because that might mean that the whole Swedish model might crumble. So they went on strike in the three stores that the company had opened so far.
Cue a shitstorm from the press, and from right wing politicians. But the members were all for it, and other unions started doing sympathy actions. The teamsters refused to deliver goods to their stores, the financial unions blockaded all economical transactions regarding Toys ‘r Us and the strike got strong international support as well, especially in the US.
In the end, Toys ‘r Us caved in, signed the union deal, and thus their employees got the same treatment as Swedish store workers everywhere.
The right to be treated as bloody human beings and not disposable cogs in a machine.
and that story right there? is exactly why Republicans in the US work so hard to bust unions. it’s because unionizing WORKS and they’re terrified of workers actually having some power.
going thru phone pics and found this thing that was tacked up next to the toaster at my old job, if anyone needs some light toast eating reading material
Would anyone be kind enough to transcribe this or link to a text version?
Everything Is AWFUL and I’m Not Okay: Questions to Ask Before Giving Up on Yourself
Are you hydrated?
If not, have a glass of water. Dehydration can mimic or increase feelings associated with anxiety and a well hydrated brain functions optimally. Avoid excess caffeine.
Have you eaten in the past three hours?
Don’t be a victim of hanger! Get some food–something with protein, not just simple carbs or high-fat. Nuts, hummus, and veggies are great options to feed your studying brain. Keep healthy snacks within reach to avoid mindlessly chowing down on sweets.
Have you stretched your legs in the past day?
If not, do so right now. If you don’t have the energy or time for a run or a trip to the gym, just walk around the block or building. Even minimal exercise preps the mind for learning so that you can focus better and recall things easier, plus it’s good to get a change of scenery.
Have you said something nice to someone in the past day?
Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine! We bet your study partner would appreciate a compliment.
Have you moved your body to music in the past day?
If not, jog for the length of a song at your favorite tempo, or just dance around your bedroom for the length of an upbeat song (singing along is a bonus)
Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days?
If not, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends of friends’ pets. Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing.
Have you started or changed any medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand?
That may be screwing with your head. Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down.
If daytime: are you dressed?
If no, put on clean clothes that aren’t PJs. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress.
If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep?
Put on PJs, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes while focusing on breathing deeper with every breath- no electronic screens allowed! Adequate sleep is a necessity for stress management.
Do you feel ineffective?
Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an email, loading the dishwasher, or tidying up your room. Good job!
Do you feel unattractive?
Take a darn selfie. Your friends will remind you how great you look. You are always insta-worthy.
Do you feel paralyzed by indecision?
Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial.
Have you over-exerted yourself lately–physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually?
That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking some time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment for a little. Time spent refreshing yourself is never time “wasted!”
Have you waited a week?
Sometimes or perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause. It happens. Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then.
You’ve made it this far; and you will make it through. You are stronger than you think.
“It all matters. That someone turns out the lamp, picks up the windblown wrapper, says hello to the invalid, pays at the unattended lot, listens to the repeated tale, folds the abandoned laundry, plays the game fairly, tells the story honestly, acknowledges help, gives credit, says good night, resists temptation, wipes the counter, waits at the yellow, makes the bed, tips the maid, remembers the illness, congratulates the victor, accepts the consequences, takes a stand, steps up, offers a hand, goes first, goes last, chooses the small portion, teaches the child, tends to the dying, comforts the grieving, removes the splinter, wipes the tear, directs the lost, touches the lonely, is the whole thing. What is most beautiful is least acknowledged. What is worth dying for is barely noticed.”
— Laura McBride, We Are Called to Rise(viabeeghosts)
Love people as if they were cats, in their character and their independance, without trying to dominate them, without trying to change them, let them come when they please, be glad for their happiness.
