Whenever I come across a trainee in customer service (like a cashier, or a sales rep), there is usually a senior/experienced employee with them doing the training and they always apologise for the trainee. “Sorry, they’re learning.” And I always respond with, “That’s good! We all have to learn.”
Even when I got a new phone and had to wait five hours for them to process the purchase (it was on a contract so there were a lot of forms and regulatory steps to finalise), when the trainee went to the back and I was alone with the store manager, I made a point in how impressed I was with the trainee’s performance. The relief on her face was prudent and they were extremely grateful for my patience.
We don’t discourage children from learning. We don’t lambast them when they can’t perform a task that an experienced person can do. Humans aren’t born with the inherent ability to work a credit card facility. We are born to learn and develop skills that help ourselves and each other.
The only decent thing we can do is be patient and encourage each other to become the best at what we do.
• Cacti are some of the only plants to photosynthesize from their stems. Their needles are really just modified leaves.
• Avocados are only around because people pollinate and disperse them by hand. The large seed is indigestible to small mammals now. It was originally eaten by giant sloths who would poop them out far away from the parent tree so they can grow. This is called an evolutionary anachronism.
• Banana candy does not taste like bananas because it was designed to taste like the Gros Michel banana which was eaten in the pre-1950s. It was wiped out by a fungus called panama disease. Since bananas are asexual all of them are genetically identical making it easy to wipe them all out at once. However fungus is sexual so it evolves more quickly. This means eventually we may lose the modern banana, the Cavendish, to it as well.
• There are actually three different types of photosynthesis: C3, C4, and CAM. Which type is used depends on the aridness of the environment, and are increasingly more efficient as listed.
• Moss is amazing. The fuzzy part of the moss is called the gametophyte stage and it is haploid meaning it has one set of chromosomes like a sperm or an egg cell in humans. If you look closely, sometimes you will what look like little tiny seeds on stems coming out of the main body. This is the sporophyte stage and it’s diploid, or has two sets of chromosomes, like our body cells. Moss is the oldest type of plant.
• You can usually tell what animal pollinates a plant by the color and shape of its flowers. Red flowers are hardly ever pollinated by bees because bees cannot see red well. Butterfly flowers have long deep centers. Bird pollinated plants can bear weight and are wide and open. Bat pollinated plants usually smell strongly and are darkly colored.
• Almost all American native elms and chestnut trees are extinct because of fungi. Asian chestnut and elm have replaced them, because they are resistant to the strains.
• There is a type of fern that has over 1200 chromosomes. For reference, humans have 46.
• If you shine consistent low level red light on a plant it will grow extremely tall, because red light tells the plant it is being shaded by and competing with other plants. If you shine consistent green light on a plant it will not sprout or die (if already sprouted) because plants absorb red and blue light to use. This is also why plants are green, because the unused green light is reflected back out.
TLDR; Plants are frickin cool and should get as much love as our animal friends.
1. pinky promises are so fucking important dude, don’t u dare break them
2. just bc ur not happy right now doesn’t mean u never will be, life has a tendency of looking up just when u have had enough
3. not everyone is gonna love u and that’s ok, the people who don’t love u don’t belong in ur life anyway
4. don’t regret anything if it made u happy like seriously cherish the fact that it made u smile and laugh and don’t regret it even if it became shit in the end bc if that’s the case then it taught u something yknow but don’t regret anything ever it takes more energy to hate and regret than it does to forgive and let go
5. this goes w number 4 kinda but everything happens for a reason like legit maybe u will never know WHY but everything is leading to something bigger and better and in 30 yrs u will be like wow that’s why that happened and it’ll all make sense
6. ur not a problem that needs to be solved don’t u dare let people make u feel like ur a burden because ur fucking not
7. u will always always always have urself ur never alone u always have yourself
8. peanut butter tastes so good when u get it right out of the jar like that’s eating it right honestly
9. mental health days are ok yknow don’t feel bad for skipping school or work or whatever bc u couldn’t get out of bed like just bc your struggle is invisible to the outside world does not mean it doesn’t exist
10. love is NOT and i repeat NOT the only thing worth living for and you shouldn’t only strive to achieve romantic love like hello platonic love is great too like love is amazing but it’s not the most important thing and it is NOT THE ONLY THING WORTH LIVING FOR!!!
11. animals will always forgive you so even if you’re having a hard time forgiving yourself just know there’s a little kitty or puppy or any animal who would love to cuddle with you and give you so much love even if you can’t give it to yourself
12. no one gets to tell you that their actions didn’t hurt you like LOL they don’t live in your body they don’t feel your feelings so if anyone ever tries to downplay the way they made u feel or belittle how u feel then u cut them off right then and fucking THERE
13. just bc ur family is blood and like,, ur family doesn’t mean you have to love them honestly sometimes the people who will hurt you the most are the people you share blood with so just remember that blood does not make a family and you don’t have to love your family because they’re your family???
14. you’re trying your best even if you don’t feel like it or even if no one else sees it man you’re giving it your all so keep trying and go at your own pace and don’t let anyone tell you it’s not good enough
15. being a teenager is fucking hard don’t let adults belittle your struggles and don’t let them blame them all on hormones like maybe some of your issues stem from hormones but some kids actually have mental illnesses??? if you’re one of them don’t let adults call you lazy and get away with it you make damn sure you tell them you are trying your fucking best and doing what you can with what you have
16. loving yourself is such an amazing thing and it takes time bc trust me i’m not there yet either but i know it’s rewarding i just know it and it’ll be great when i get there and it’ll be great when you get there
17. you’re a fucking miracle man like what the fuck sometimes you go to bed hoping you don’t wake up the next morning and sometimes you do reckless things without thinking and sometimes you don’t know what you’re doing but you’re here and you’re breathing and you’re surviving which is fucking incredible and i am so proud of you and you should be too
i see yall buying cute stuff with like $$ and i cry bc u can buy the exact same product for like 99 cents. However, these are really hard to find. So, here’s a masterpost of lots of stuff that u can buy for way less than $5! This is also useful if youre living on a tight budget like me but you still want these cute shit like me. or if u wanna move out like me.
+ most of these are free shipping but u should check your country for some. +some of these are on sale so if you comeback to it months later the price might change. so hurry up!
+ ok that’s about it i guess. damn that took forever. + please tell me if any of these links aren’t working or if u have any questions! + if u wanna check out more pretty things that aren’t exactly $5 but still considerably cheap, or if these products aren’t available anymore, check out this tag! +last thing! if its not a bother please check this post and help me out if u can!
Karolina Żebrowska’s “Beauty Through The Ages” video shows not only on the glamorized versions of women but also the real, middle and lower class women as they lived in the past century.
Reblogging again because this is the ONLY “fashion through time” video that does it right. All the others glamorize/modernize the eras WAY too much, esp. considering they’re claiming historical accuracy. This is the only one that truly nails it.
what is, in your opinion, the best way to world build? how can you avoid writing a bland, archetypal universe or copying an already existing one? sorry if I’m not being clear, haha, and thanks so much!
Hey there, thanks so much for your ask! I honestly love talking about the world-building process, so I’m really glad you sent this; let’s dive right in!
Best Way to World-Build?
In my opinion, there isn’t a best way to world-build. The “best” process depends on what is needed and what you’ll actually need to know for your writing. What follows isn’t necessarily what I would call the best way, but it’s a good way to cover your bases and opens up a lot of options for going in-depth with details. (It’ll be a bit of a long list, but definitely worth it in the long run.)
For each country you’re going to include or mention in your story, think about:
Name
Capital and major cities, and locations
Border shape
3 most common landforms
Historical sites or places that mean a great deal to the people living there
General economic scheme (ex. capitalist, Communist, Socialist, etc)
Most important laws
Major differences from the character’s homeland
Military setup (different branches, enlistment age, etc)
Climate
Relations with surrounding countries
Societal norms (gender roles, public & professional behavior, etc)
Stance on LGBT+ rights, and treatment of LGBT+ people
Most and least respected professions
Common religions
Stereotypes about this country (any and all)
Common pastimes and hobbies
Popularity of sports, movies, and other forms of entertainment
Genres of music (and possibly stereotypes of people who listen to them)
Language(s) spoken
Beauty standards and the commercialization of them
Commercialization that feeds off of the peoples’ insecurities
For each city you’re going to include or mention in your story, think about:
The “aesthetic” (think of it the way NYC’s aesthetic is taxis, skyscrapers, and nightlife)
Public opinion of street performers
Any recreational centers and common activities
Popularity of a town counsel or the idea of opening to the public for improvement ideas
How well-known the city is by everyone around it, or how much of a tourist attraction it might be
State of educational buildings
Percentage of unemployment versus those who are actively searching for jobs, and how this affects the city’s reputation
3+ popular businesses, maybe food or clothing stores
The way business is generally conducted
Opportunities for nightlife (etc. bars, night clubs, etc)
Usual daytime attire, usual nighttime attire
Any sort of tradition (ex. sharing dreams in the morning, praying before meals, etc)
Stance on more advanced technology
Treatment of different age groups
Again, cliches and stereotypes that might exist of people who live there
Most common architectural style (ex. modern, Victorian, etc)
Commonly seen colors
Any inflation that might exist, local economic troubles
People’s opinion on the government as a whole (then in-depth, if you want)
As you can see, these two lists are very open-ended. I can’t go too far in-depth with world-building ideas and explaining, because it’s all up to you to create this world. Every single item on this list here can be expanded into tons of different things, but if your goal is just to cover your bases and explore needed details then I think this would be a good place to start.
Making Your World Distinct
This can be pretty tough, honestly. There’s (almost) always a world themed around something out there that’s probably more well-known, famous even. Let’s start with everyone’s favorite wizarding world, that of the Harry Potter books. Your world can be as interesting and different as it gets but because it includes wizards, someone out there is always going to relate it to Harry Potter. So how can we avoid this?
There’s one proven way to this this, especially if you don’t want to change your world. Accentuate any and all differences that would set your story apart from a more well-known world. Maybe our wizards’ spells depend on a material transaction, or they won’t work. Maybe there’s some sort of wizarding god who must be pleased to cast a successful spell. Not so much like HP anymore, huh?
Just remember, there’s a huge difference between world-building through details and world-building through exposition. Both are acceptable, but both have their own appropriate time to be utilized. Take a break from telling the reader flat-out how this thing works, and instead reveal it through the world’s details. Not only does this help treat your readers like the competent individuals they are, it also immerses them so much in the world that there isn’t much of a chance to compare your world to others.
Tl;dr—World-building isn’t really something that can be explained for you by someone else. There are certainly questions that exist to help you, but following a guide that works for someone else might not work for you. Explore the details! (And let the reader explore them, too!)
how to tell a god to fuck themselves without them smiting you
dbdjjd ok so i hate being That Person but i had to anyway i returned from the beach like two hours ago so i was sitting in the sand, wanting some water to wet my legs yknow?? cause its pleasant but nothing came to me so i jokingly go like “oh well fuck you too poseidon i dont want your water anyway” and i stand up to grab a plastic cup (a kid likes their cola) and a fucking wave hits me it reached until a bit above my mid-thigh and just
fuck you, poseidon
reblog with your godly experience i once told zeus to fuck off and lightning struck the field next to us i have two witnesses and i convinced my christian mother greek gods are real
also im convinced @the-ghosty-king is a son of zeus every time hes sad it storms out
My little sister asked me why birds sing so early in the morning and i told her it was because Apollo plays music when he pulls the sun into the sky and the birds are singing along. the day after I told her that, she asks if we can sing a song as we walk to school every morning. Of course I say yes and now we do (she usually picks the song so usually it’s like stronger than you from steven universe or the miraculous ladybug theme song). When i asked her why she said “cus i want to sing with the sun man too” so like… I hope Apollo enjoys my 6yo sister and I serenading him every week day???
Reblog this again for this ^
I WAS AT A TRUCK STOP AT LIKE MIDNIGHT READING THE DIONYSUS WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE AND I WAS LIKE MAN IM BORED DIONYSUS SEEMS LIKE A GUY WHO REALLY KNOWS HOW TO PARTY
AND THEN THIS DRUNK GUY COMES TUMBLING OUT OF THE CONVENIENCE STORE AND BARFS ON ANOTHER LADY’S CAR
BEST DAY OF MY LIFE IT WAS HILARIOUS THANKS DIONYSUS
“we didn’t know any better,” the crewman says, and swallows, presenting the chest to the captain. “what do we do now?”
“kill it,” the captain says, but the ice is melting in his eyes.
“we can’t,” the first mate says desperately, praying she won’t have to fight her captain on this. “we can’t. we – i won’t. we won’t.”
“i know.”
x
“daddy,” she says, floating in a tub of seawater in the hold, “daddy, la-la, la-la-la.”
her voice rings like bells. her accent is strange; her mouth isn’t made for human words. it mesmerises even the hardiest amongst them and she wasn’t even trying. the crew has taken to diving for shellfish near the shorelines for her; she loves them, splitting the shells apart with strength seen in no human toddler, slurping down the slimy molluscs inside and laughing, all plump brown cheeks and needle-sharp teeth. she sometimes splashes them for fun with her smooth, rubbery brown tail. even when they get soaked they laugh. they love her.
“daddy,” she calls again, and he can hear the worry in her voice. the storm rocking the ship is harsh and uncaring, and if they go down, she would be the only survivor.
“don’t worry,” he says, and goes over, sitting next to the tub. the first mate, leaning against the wall, pretends not to notice as he quietly begins to sing.
x
“father,” she says, one day, as she leans on the edge of the dock and the captain sits next to her, “why am I here?”
“your mother abandoned you,” he says, as he always has. “we found you adrift, and couldn’t bear to leave you there.”
she picks at the salt-soaked boards, uncertain. her hair is pulled back in a fluffy black puff, the white linen holding it slipping almost over one of her dark eyes. one of her first tattoos, a many-limbed kraken, curls over her right shoulder and down her arm, delicate tendrils wrapped around her calloused fingertips. “alright,” she says.
x
“why am I really here?” she asks the first mate, watching the sun set over the water in streaks of liquid metal that pooled in the troughs of the waves and glittered on the seafoam.
“we didn’t know any better,” the first mate says, staring into the water. “we didn’t know- we didn’t know anything. we didn’t understand why she fought so viciously to guard her treasure. we could not know she protected something a thousand times more precious than the purest gold.”
she wants to be furious, but she can’t. she already knew the answer, from reading the guilt in her father’s eyes and the empty space in her own history. and she can’t hate her family.
“it’s alright,” she says. “i do have a family, anyways. i don’t think i would have liked my other life near as much.”
x
her kraken grows, spreading its tendrils over her torso and arms. she grows too, too large to come on board the ship without being hauled up in a boat from the water. she sings when the storms come and swims before the ship to guide it to safety. she fights off more than one beast of the seas, and gathers a set of scars across her back that she bears with pride. “i don’t mind,” she says, when the captain fusses over her, “now i match all of you.”
the first time their ship is threatened, really threatened, is by another fleet. a friend turned enemy of the first mate. “we shouldn’t fight him,” she says, peering through the spyglass.
“why not?” the mermaid asks.
“he’ll win,” the first mate says.
the mermaid tips her head sideways. Her eyes, dark as the deep waters, gleam in the noon light. “are you sure?” she asks.
x
the enemy fleet surrenders after the flagship is sunk in the night, the anchor ripped off the ship and the planks torn off the hull. the surviving crew, wild-eyed and delirious, whimper and say a sea serpent came from the water and attacked them, say it was longer than the boat and crushed it in its coils. the first mate hears this and has to hide her laughter. the captain apologizes to his daughter for doubting her.
“don’t worry,” she says, with a bright laugh, “it was fun.”
x
the second time, they are pushed by a storm into a royal fleet. they can’t possibly fight them, and they don’t have the time to escape.
“let me up,” the mermaid urges, surfacing starboard and shouting to the crew. “bring me up, quickly, quickly.”
they lower the boat and she piles her sinous form into it, and uses her claws to help the crew pull her up. once on the deck she flops out of the boat and makes her way over to the bow. the crew tries to help but she’s so heavy they can barely lift parts of her.
she crawls up out in front of the rail and wraps her long webbed tail around the prow. the figurehead has served them well so far but they need more right now. she wraps herself around the figurehead and raises her body up into the wind takes a breath of the stinging salt air and sings.
the storm carries her voice on its front to the royal navy. they are enchanted, so stunned by her song that they drop the rigging ropes and let the tillers drift. the pirates sail through the center of the fleet, trailing the storm behind them, and by the time the fleet has managed to regain its senses they are buried in wind and rain and the pirates are gone.
x
she declines guns. instead she carries a harpoon and its launcher, and uses them to board enemy ships, hauling her massive form out of the water to coil on the deck and dispatch enemies with ruthless efficiency. her family is feared across all the sea.
x
“you know we are dying,” the captain says, looking down at her.
she floats next to the ship, so massive she could hold it in her arms. her eyes are wise.
“i know,” she says, “i can feel it coming.”
the first mate stands next to the captain. she never had a lover or a child, and neither did he, but to the mermaid they are her parents. she will always love her daughter. the tattoos are graven in dark swirls across the mermaid’s deep brown skin and the flesh of her tail, even spiraling onto the spiked webbing on her spine and face. her hair is still tied back, this time with a sail that could not be patched one last time.
“we love you,” the first mate says simply, looking down. her own tightly coiled black hair falls in to her face; she shakes the locs out of the way and smiles through her tears. the captain pretends he isnt crying either.
“i love you too,” the mermaid says, and reached up to pull the ship down just a bit, just to hold them one last time.
“guard the ship,” the captain says. “you always have but you know they’re lost without you.”
“without you,” the mermaid corrects, with a shrug that makes waves. “what will we do?”
“i don’t know,” the captain says. “but you’ll help them, won’t you?”
“of course i will,” she scoffs, rolling her eyes. “i will always protect my family.”
x
the captain and the first mate are gone. the ship has a new captain, young and fearless – of the things she can afford to disregard. she fears and loves the ocean, as all captains do. she does not fear the royal fleet. and she does not fear the mermaid.
“you know, i heard stories about you when i was a little girl,” she says, trailing her fingers in the water next to the dock.
the mermaid stares at her with one eye the size of a dinner table. “is that so?” she hums, smirking with teeth sharper than the swords of the entire navy.
“they said you could sink an entire fleet and that you had skin tougher than dragon scales,” the new captain says, grinning right back at the monster who could eat her without a moment’s hesitation. “i always thought they were telling tall tales.”
“and now?”
“they were right,” the new captain says. “how did they ever befriend you?”
the mermaid smiles, fully this time, her dark eyes gleaming under the white linen sail. “they didn’t know any better.”
I love them so much because they’re about as sharp as a baseball and their anatomy is ridiculous to the point of them literally being classified as plankton for years because they just sort of get blown around by the ocean and look confused, but because they lay more eggs than ANY OTHER VERTEBRATE IN EXISTENCE, evolution can’t stop them
Why is no big predator coming and gnawing on them?
Their biggest defense is that they’re massive and have super tough skin, but they do get hunted by sharks or sea lions sometimes and they just sort of float there like ‘oh bother’ as it happens
Even funnier, because they eat nothing but jellyfish they’re really low in nutritional value anyway, so they basically survive by being not worth eating because they’re like a big floating rice cracker wrapped in leather.
So basically the only reason natural selection hasn’t taken care if them is because they are the most useless fish
yes, they’ve perfected uselessness to the point of being unstoppable
a true inspiration
I bet they are secretly thinking some big fish thoughts.
Blessed image
I love this big dumb fish
The donkey Kong music in the video made me lose it
marshcookie 