A shadowhunter in Westeros. A Ravenclaw who lives on reading books and watching tv shows. Loves belting out broadway lyrics in inappropriate times. a multifandom blog
Sad update everyone, Tama recently passed away… An estimated 3,000 people, including railway officials, attended Tama the cat’s funeral on Sunday, days after she died of heart failure aged 16. [x]
For those who haven’t read articles about it, the local shrine elevated her to a god. She’s now the Eternal Stationmaster and patron god of the station.
Beautiful.
Now I’m crying thanks
and a new cat was hired right?
yep! her name is Nitama (essentially ”second tama” or “tama II”) and she served under Tama as an apprentice before being appointed her deputy
she works very hard
Everytime this crosses my dash, I reblog. It is the law.
Law
I’m crying at 11pm over train cats
Nitama, already now a mature cat (born 2010), has a protege named Yontama (fourth Tama, b. 2016). There is no information available for either the physical befellment or tragic self-disgrace which has removed Santama from contention.
^Nitama majestic, and below with Yontama
Yontama.
a legacy
I’d just like to add that there is a ‘Santama’, whose name was ‘SUNtamatama’ (the capitalisation is not my own, it’s in the actual name). They were sent to Okayama prefecture for station-master training. The Okayama PR rep Mister/Ms Y, who was looking after SUNtamatama then refused to let go of the cat, saying something along the lines of, “This child is ours and I will not let them go, they will stay in Okayama”, and so SUNtamatama remained in Okayama.
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.
(the Ram - 21 March 19 April)
* Outgoing.
* Lovable.
* Spontaneous.
* Not one to mess with.
* Funny.
* EXCELLENT kisser.
* EXTREMELY adorable.
* Loves relationships.
* Addictive.
* Loud.
16 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
2. TAURUS - The Tramp
(the Bull - 20 April 20 May)
* Aggressive.
* Loves being in long relationships.
* Likes to give a good fight for what they want.
* Extremely outgoing.
* Loves to help people in times of need.
* GOOD kisser.
* GOOD personality.
* Stubborn but a caring person.
* One of a kind.
* Not one to mess with.
* Usually are the most attractive people.
15 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
3. GEMINI - Irresistible
(the Twins - 21 May 21 June)
* Nice.
* Love is one of a kind.
* Great listener.
* Lover not a fighter, but will still knock you out.
* Trustworthy.
* Always happy.
* Loud.
* Talkative.
* Not one to mess with.
* Freak.
* Outgoing.
* VERY Forgiving.
* Loves to make friends.
* Has a beautiful smile.
* Generous.
* Strong.
* The Irresistible one.
9 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
4. CANCER - The Cutie
(the Crab - 22 June 22 July)
* Most AMAZING kisser..Very high appeal.
* Love is one of a kind.
* Very romantic.
* Most caring person you will ever meet!
* Very creative.
* Extremely random and proud of it.
* Freak.
* Spontaneous.
* Great at telling stories.
* Not a fighter, but will knock your lights out if it comes down to it.
* Someone you should hold on to.
12 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
5. LEO - The Lion
(the Lion - 23 July - 22 August)
* Great talker.
* Attractive and passionate.
* Laid back.
* Knows how to have fun.
* Is really good at almost anything.
* GREAT kisser.
* Unpredictable.
* Outgoing.
* Down to earth.
* Addictive.
* Attractive.
* Loud.
* Loves being in long relationships.
* Talkative.
* Not one to mess with.
* Freak.
* Rare to find.
* Good when found.
7 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
6. VIRGO - The One that Waits
(the Virgin - 23 August 22 September)
* Dominant in relationships.
* Someone loves them right now.
* Always wants the last word.
* Caring.
* Smart.
* Loud.
* Loyal.
* Easy to talk to.
* Everything you ever wanted.
* Easy to please.
* The one and only.
7 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
7. LIBRA - The AWESOME One
(the Balance - 23 September 23 October)
* Nice to everyone they meet.
* Their Love is one of a kind.
* Independent, yet likes company
* Great kisser.
* Always smiling, loves to laugh.
* Silly, fun and sweet.
* Have own unique sex appeal.
* Most caring person you will ever meet!
* However not the kind of person you want to mess with…you might end up crying.
9 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
8. SCORPIO - The Addict
(the Scorpion - 24 October 21 November)
* EXTREMELY adorable.
*Good Lover
* Intelligent.
* Loves to joke.
* Very good sense of humor.
* Energetic.
* GOOD kisser.
* Always get what they want.
* Attractive.
* Easy going.
* Loves being in long relationships.
* Talkative.
* Romantic.
* Caring.
4 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
9. SAGITTARIUS - The Promiscuous One
(the Archer - 22 November 21 December)
* Spontaneous.
* High appeal.
* Rare to find.
* Great when found.
* Loves being in long relationships.
* So much love to give.
* Not one to mess with.
* Very attractive.
* Very romantic.
* Nice to everyone they meet.
* Their Love is one of a kind.
* Silly, fun and sweet.
* Have their own unique appeal.
* Most caring person you will ever meet!
* Not the kind of person you wanna fuck with because you might end up crying.
4 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
10. CAPRICORN - The Passionate Lover
(the Goat - 22 December 19 January)
* Love to bust.
* Nice.
* Sassy.
* Intelligent.
* Sexy.
* Irresistible.
* Loves being in long relationships.
* Great talker.
* Always gets what he or she wants.
* Cool.
* Loves to own Gemini’s in sports.
* Extremely fun.
* Loves to joke.
* Smart.
24 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
11. AQUARIUS - Does It In The Water
(the Water Bearer - 20 January 18 February)
* Trustworthy.
* Attractive.
* GREAT kisser.
* One of a kind.
* Loves being in long-term relationships.
* Extremely energetic.
* Unpredictable.
* Will exceed your expectations.
* Not a Fighter, but will knock your lights out if it comes down to it.
2 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
12. PISCES - The Partner for Life
(the Fishes - 19 February 20 March)
* Caring and kind.
* Smart.
* Center of attention.
* High appeal.
* Has the last word.
* Good to find, hard to keep.
* Fun to be around.
* Extremely weird but in a good way.
* Good Sense of Humor!!!
* Thoughtful.
* Always gets what he or she wants.
* Loves to joke.
* Very popular.
* Silly, fun and sweet.
* Loves being in long relationships.
2 years of bad luck if you do not reblog.
for his second Magnus Chase book, due to the inclusion of the character Alex Fierro who is gender fluid. This was the speech he gave, and it really distills why I love this author and his works so much, and why I will always recommend his works to anyone and everyone.
“Thank you for inviting me here today. As I told the Stonewall Award Committee, this is an honor both humbling and unexpected.
So, what is an old cis straight white male doing up here? Where did I get the nerve to write Alex Fierro, a transgender, gender fluid child of Loki in The Hammer of Thor, and why should I get cookies for that?
These are all fair and valid questions, which I have been asking myself a lot.
I think, to support young LGBTQ readers, the most important thing publishing can do is to publish and promote more stories by LGBTQ authors, authentic experiences by authentic voices. We have to keep pushing for this. The Stonewall committee’s work is a critical part of that effort. I can only accept the Stonewall Award in the sense that I accept a call to action – firstly, to do more myself to read and promote books by LGBTQ authors.
But also, it’s a call to do better in my own writing. As one of my genderqueer readers told me recently, “Hey, thanks for Alex. You didn’t do a terrible job!” I thought: Yes! Not doing a terrible job was my goal!
As important as it is to offer authentic voices and empower authors and role models from within LGBTQ community, it’s is also important that LGBTQ kids see themselves reflected and valued in the larger world of mass media, including my books. I know this because my non-heteronormative readers tell me so. They actively lobby to see characters like themselves in my books. They like the universe I’ve created. They want to be part of it. They deserve that opportunity. It’s important that I, as a mainstream author, say, “I see you. You matter. Your life experience may not be like mine, but it is no less valid and no less real. I will do whatever I can to understand and accurately include you in my stories, in my world. I will not erase you.”
People all over the political spectrum often ask me, “Why can’t you just stay silent on these issues? Just don’t include LGBTQ material and everybody will be happy.” This assumes that silence is the natural neutral position. But silence is not neutral. It’s an active choice. Silence is great when you are listening. Silence is not so great when you are using it to ignore or exclude.
But that’s all macro, ‘big picture’ stuff. Yes, I think the principles are important. Yes, in the abstract, I feel an obligation to write the world as I see it: beautiful because of its variations. Where I can’t draw on personal experience, I listen, I read a lot – in particular I want to credit Beyond Magenta and Gender Outlaws for helping me understand more about the perspective of my character Alex Fierro – and I trust that much of the human experience is universal. You can’t go too far wrong if you use empathy as your lens. But the reason I wrote Alex Fierro, or Nico di Angelo, or any of my characters, is much more personal.
I was a teacher for many years, in public and private school, California and Texas. During those years, I taught all kinds of kids. I want them all to know that I see them. They matter. I write characters to honor my students, and to make up for what I wished I could have done for them in the classroom.
I think about my former student Adrian (a pseudonym), back in the 90s in San Francisco. Adrian used the pronouns he and him, so I will call him that, but I suspect Adrian might have had more freedom and more options as to how he self-identified in school were he growing up today. His peers, his teachers, his family all understood that Adrian was female, despite his birth designation. Since kindergarten, he had self-selected to be among the girls – socially, athletically, academically. He was one of our girls. And although he got support and acceptance at the school, I don’t know that I helped him as much as I could, or that I tried to understand his needs and his journey. At that time in my life, I didn’t have the experience, the vocabulary, or frankly the emotional capacity to have that conversation. When we broke into social skills groups, for instance, boys apart from girls, he came into my group with the boys, I think because he felt it was required, but I feel like I missed the opportunity to sit with him and ask him what he wanted. And to assure him it was okay, whichever choice he made. I learned more from Adrian than I taught him. Twenty years later, Alex Fierro is for Adrian.
I think about Jane (pseudonym), another one of my students who was a straight cis-female with two fantastic moms. Again, for LGBTQ families, San Francisco was a pretty good place to live in the 90s, but as we know, prejudice has no geographical border. You cannot build a wall high enough to keep it out. I know Jane got flack about her family. I did what I could to support her, but I don’t think I did enough. I remember the day Jane’s drama class was happening in my classroom. The teacher was new – our first African American male teacher, which we were all really excited about – and this was only his third week. I was sitting at my desk, grading papers, while the teacher did a free association exercise. One of his examples was ‘fruit – gay.’ I think he did it because he thought it would be funny to middle schoolers. After the class, I asked to see the teacher one on one. I asked him to be aware of what he was saying and how that might be hurtful. I know. Me, a white guy, lecturing this Black teacher about hurtful words. He got defensive and quit, because he said he could not promise to not use that language again. At the time, I felt like I needed to do something, to stand up especially for Jane and her family. But did I make things better handling it as I did? I think I missed an opportunity to open a dialogue about how different people experience hurtful labels. Emmie and Josephine and their daughter Georgina, the family I introduce in The Dark Prophecy, are for Jane.
I think about Amy, and Mark, and Nicholas … All former students who have come out as gay since I taught them in middle school. All have gone on to have successful careers and happy families. When I taught them, I knew they were different. Their struggles were greater, their perspectives more divergent than some of my other students. I tried to provide a safe space for them, to model respect, but in retrospect I don’t think I supported them as well as I could have, or reached out as much as they might have needed. I was too busy preparing lessons on Shakespeare or adjectives, and not focusing enough on my students’ emotional health. Adjectives were a lot easier for me to reconcile than feelings. Would they have felt comfortable coming out earlier than college or high school if they had found more support in middle school? Would they have wanted to? I don’t know. But I don’t think they felt it was a safe option, which leaves me thinking that I did not do enough for them at that critical middle school time. I do not want any kid to feel alone, invisible, misunderstood. Nico di Angelo is for Amy, and Mark and Nicholas.
I am trying to do more. Percy Jackson started as a way to empower kids, in particular my son, who had learning differences. As my platform grew, I felt obliged to use it to empower all kids who are struggling through middle school for whatever reason. I don’t always do enough. I don’t always get it right. Good intentions are wonderful things, but at the end of a manuscript, the text has to stand on its own. What I meant ceases to matter. Kids just see what I wrote. But I have to keep trying. My kids are counting on me.
So thank you, above all, to my former students who taught me. Alex Fierro is for you.
To you, I pledge myself to do better – to apologize when I screw up, to learn from my mistakes, to be there for LGBTQ youth and make sure they know that in my books, they are included. They matter. I am going to stop talking now, but I promise you I won’t stop listening.”
Through the ages, purple has always been associated with royalty, nobility, prestige, mystery, magic, power and luxury. Purple is often used to portray rich powerful kings, leaders, magicians and even sorcerers. The colour purple relates to the world of imagination and the need to escape the practical and everyday life. It’s the daydreamers escape from reality, it assists those seeking the meaning of life and spiritual fulfilment. (x)
you know, when i said i wanted the real world to be more like harry potter i just meant the teleportation and the butterbeer, not the entire plot of book 5 where the government refuses to do anything about a deadly threat so the teenagers have to rise up and fight back
my family is so. fucking weird and resistant to talking about anything. when i was a small child i asked my mother why she had a lot of gifts and things where people called her by another name and she like. didn’t give me a straight answer? it was her Hebrew name. like that’s literally it. that’s all u had to say
great-great-grandma cohen refused to tell her younger children that they were related to her two eldest children
my family didn’t tell me about part of my actual name until i sent away for my social security info to get my driver’s permit in my junior year of high school. i have an entire middle name that no one ever felt the need to mention to me
i had to google my own brother to find out why we don’t talk about him anymore
one morning in seventh grade my mother was driving me to school and asked me if she was too overprotective. i told her “yeah, sometimes.” then she casually, calmly went, “maybe it’s because you were almost kidnapped as a baby”
she didn’t even elaborate until i asked her to explain
(my father later confirmed that i was, in fact, briefly stolen as an infant)
my mom just dropped this information on me for the first time and was then like “bye honey have a good day at school”
no one knows great-grandma ruth’s real last name
this is some Lemony Snicket shit right here
My grandma was raised by her aunties and she knew that one of them was her biological mother but they refused to tell her which one.
