Do Y’all Think Siblings In Medieval Times Would Look At The Little Beasts In Illuminated Manuscripts

it's not gay you guys they are making a biblical reference to the kiss of judas ok there's nothing gay about this

I finished my Rome book and have now begun one about Pompeii. I’m 65 pages in and I already love it: yes, it covers the volcano, but most of the book is about “this is what the town and daily life of it would have been like, actually.” Fascinating stuff. Things I’ve learned so far:

- The streets in Pompeii have sidewalks sometimes a meter higher than the road, with stepping stones to hop across as “crosswalks.” I’d seen some photos before. The book points out that, duh, Pompeii had no underground drainage, was built on a fairly steep incline, and the roads were more or less drainage systems and water channels in the rain.

- Unlike today, where “dining out” is expensive and considered wasteful on a budget, most people in Pompeii straight up didn’t have kitchens. You had to eat out if you were poor; only the wealthy could afford to eat at home.

- Most importantly, and I can’t believe in all the pop culture of Pompeii this had never clicked for me: Pompeii had a population between 6-35,000 people. Perhaps 2,000 died in the volcano. Contemporary sources talk about the bay being full of fleeing ships. Most people got the hell out when the eruption started. The number who died are still a lot, and it’s still gruesome and morbid, but it’s not “an entire town and everyone in it.” This also makes it difficult for archeologists, apparently (and logically): those who remained weren’t acting “normally,” they were sheltering or fleeing a volcano. One famous example is a wealthy woman covered in jewelry found in the bedroom in the glaridator barracks. Scandal! She must have been having an affair and had it immortalized in ash! The book points out that 17 other people and several dogs were also crowded in that one small room: far more likely, they were all trying to shelter together. Another example: Houses are weirdly devoid of furniture, and archeologists find objects in odd places. (Gardening supplies in a formal dining room, for example.) But then you remember that there were several hours of people evacuating, packing their belongings, loading up carts and getting out… maybe the gardening supplies were brought to the dining room to be packed and abandoned, instead of some deeper esoteric meaning. The book argues that this all makes it much harder to get an accurate read on normal life in a Roman town, because while Pompeii is a brilliant snapshot, it’s actually a snapshot of a town undergoing major evacuation and disaster, not an average day.

- Oh, another great one. Outside of a random laundry place in Pompeii, someone painted a mural with two scenes. One of them referenced Virgil’s Aeneid. Underneath that scene, someone graffiti’d a reference to a famous line from that play, except tweaked it to be about laundry. This is really cool, the book points out, because it implies that a) literacy and education was high enough that one could paint a reference and have it recognized, and b) that someone else could recognize it and make a dumb play on words about it and c) the whole thing, again, means that there’s a certain amount of literacy and familiarity with “Roman pop culture” even among fairly normal people at the time.

finally posted it after months

i'm eleven chapters into a weak hero fanfic but i'm not posting it until i can think of a name

i geniunely can't imagine any sort of normal tragic backstory for wolf keum. in my head this man was raised by wolves in the forest as a baby before hunters found him and returned him to civilisation.

Someone: transmascs can’t say tranny because [insert some random shit about how transmascs are immune from transphobia etc etc] so basically transphobia and slurs are never directed at them blah blah

some transphobe upon hearing someone on t speak: nice tranny voice faggot

Weak Hero as Idols pt.1

Gray Yeon- Would 100% be the visual of the group, and is also super good at everything he tries. He has a reputation of being cold and mysterious and straightforward. Overall would be the Ace of the group and one of the most popular members, but some people don’t like him because he’s so quiet and isn’t very expressive. Fans make Youtube compilations of him smiling because he doesn’t do it very often. Is a rookie who got popular quickly. Is mourning the death of another idol, Stephen Ahn. Verbally ruins anyone who comments on his height.

Ben Park- Would be good at dancing tbh. Very sweet and kind to fans + interacts with them a lot, but does a 180 on stage and has great stage presence. Is the leader of the group, and loves all his members and takes care of them. Fans often ship him with Alex. Probably passed out of exhaustion backstage multiple times due to pressure. Has been in the industry for a while and has always been semi popular, but started climbing the rankings really quickly.

Alex Go- Is extremely awkward when interacting with fans, but is still wholesome. Bullies Ben haha. He has a very fierce temper, and fans make jokes about him being sassy. He would probably get cancelled for not bowing to his seniors at an event, or yelling at a saesang (stalker) until they cry. His fans would back him up, though. Admits in interviews that he found Gerard super annoying at the start of their careers but the two are super close now.

Gerard Jin- If Gray wasn’t there, he’d be a visual. Is the main vocalist, but he’s slightly stiff when dancing. Gets made fun of his height a lot. A more introverted member and is one of the more quiet members during interviews and award shows. Goes on live a lot to take song recommendations from fans and to practice his guitar. Has a Youtube channel that has very aesthetic blogs. Used to be in a group called Slam that was gaining recognition, but it disbanded. Has been in the industry for the longest time. Got into a smoking scandal but he apologised and quit. It’s an inside joke in the fandom that he’s a Grandpa.

Using tumblr is like living in a low class apartment building. You just get used to the landlord not fixing things, and then someone new moves in and you're helpfully like "oh yeah don't drink the tap water, it's got stuff in it that makes you sick" and then your neighbor you've had forever goes "oh they took the stuff out actually" and you're like "what? when was this?"

"like two years ago"

"you mean i could've been drinking the tap water all this time?"

"yeah. they gave us individual mailboxes too finally, you don't have to dig through the communal bin anymore"

"are you for real right now?? i just redirected my mail, i didnt know"

and the new tennant is like "why did you guys even live here if it was so bad"

"we like it."

"I kinda miss the communal mail bin tho"

Death Note AU where hbomberguy makes a five hour long video about youtuber Light Yagami that's initially completely unrelated to the murders (Light would probably plagiarize or have really unhinged right-wing political takes if he was on youtube)

but halfway through he reveals that while researching he stumbled upon evidence that Light might be behind the Kira murders, and then spends like fourty minutes explaining the concept of a shinigami, an hour explaining how he thinks Light used one to commit murders, and then another hour explaining Light's ideology and why the concept of criminals being inherently evil is flawed

He finishes the video by addressing Light directly and telling him that he (Hbomberguy) had his name legally changed before uploading the video, to something that only he knows, making it impossible for Light to kill him

Weak Hero as Idols pt.3

Grape (Sam Lee)- Uses the stage name Grape and has matching hair. Looks away every single time he sees Wolf, who just smirks at him. Fans ship them because they don't know why. Is the visual and is proud of it; mans definitely has an intense skin care routine. Goes shirtless a lot to show off his abs. Has a reputation in the industry for being arrogant. Posts on Instagram a lot. Blocked Wolf on all social media accounts. Close with Eunchan, and is friendly rivals with Robin. Has gotten in a smoking scandal, and apologised, but didn't actually stop.

Wolf Keum- Very controversial but very popular. Has the thirstiest simps (me) and is known for his unique visuals. Rebels against his company and manager a lot but they don't say anything because they're scared of him. Has beef with plenty of other idols. Would go for a sexy/bad boy concept and rarely interacts with fans. He has also gotten into smoking scandals but unlike Grape and Gerard, he doesn't care and just continues. Openly shades other idols. You will never catch him in a dating scandal. Bullied Grape when they were trainees, and is known for being very stoic. Never does fanservice and his fans go crazy when his shirt lifts up slightly.

Jimmy Bae- Very problematic and openly beefs with Wolf Keum, and both of their fandoms hate each other. Probably has gotten cancelled at least five times but makes good music so people forgive him quickly. Posts thirst traps on Tiktok and does a lot of fanservice. Exposed for being a bully back in school but continues to make music anyways. Makes very loud and boppy rap music that his fans eat up. Has won several awards but his reputation is starting to decrease.

Donald Na- The face of Versace. Probably has a black card. Is an ace soloist who is good at everything. Has unique visuals. Is the same age as the others but started a company that the others belong to. Is slightly controversial because of all the tattoos that he has but is still highly loved. People love his outfits. Would have a sexy/mysterious concept. He has definitely done something like hiding in a bin to stay away from saesangs (stalkers). Kingsley is his manager. Has the thirstiest fans after Wolf Keum. You will never catch him doing aegyo.

Jake Ji- Rep is a lot better than his actual personality. He has never been in a scandal. His group is unproblematic and stylish. Owns a single snake for a pet that he wraps around his shoulders during lives. The ambassador of some famous brand. Treats fans like friends, but is actually closed off. Is the main rapper and the lead dancer. Reads manga at important events. Does fanservice sometimes. Never listens to his manager. Does controversial things like tweeting about BLM and holding up pride flags. More international fans than K fans. Throws on a hoodie and jeans and is worshipped as a 'fashion icon'.

in short, think self diagnosis, after extensive research, is valid.

not everyone have access to medical professionals. not everyone have access to competent quality medical professionals. not everyone can afford. medical trauma & medical neglect exist. misdiagnosis exist. medical racism sexism misogyny. etc.

though. to add some nuance: (i am specifically addressing autism but probably applies to most self diagnosis)

1. sites like tiktok and tumblr provide important lived experience lens that hard to find any other place. often play huge part in journey! but tiktok and tumblr should not be only place you do research for self diagnosis.

further, watching one tiktok or one tumblr post is not enough for self diagnosis. know most people who self diagnose isn’t doing this, but do see some people do this.

2. there are late diagnosed autistic people with higher support needs. there are late diagnosed autistic people who are visibly developmentally disabled but their other I/DD diagnosis covered over their autism. etc.

having said that though. overwhelming majority of autistic who self diagnose who are late diagnosed. have lower support needs, are high masking, less visibly autistic. most of them lived their life in nondisabled neurotypical society, mainstreamed, go to typical school, get job, maybe job after job after job fired quit fired again—often forced to be this way, not given choice. which is all distressing. have grief about not being noticed as autistic earlier.

but. you need to know that there are early diagnosed autistic folks, some of them high support needs and/or nonspeaking minimally speaking, some of them who put in special ed, go to “special” schools, who have high support needs, who can’t or not allowed to live independently, who needs full physical assistance with bADLs, who can’t keep own basic safety, who will never able to hold typical job, etc etc… they are still autistic. just because you have trauma about being late diagnosed late identified doesn’t mean for them early diagnosis is a abuse free blessing.

early diagnosed, visibly developmentally disabled people like these often face the blunt of the violence. they are one of the most marginalized groups in our community.

some late diagnosed autistics hold privilege over some early diagnosed autistics. (note i say some—late diagnosis early diagnosis not monolith experiences.)

3. just because you are, say, autistic, doesn’t mean right this second you should be an autistic advocate, or right this second you’re qualified to. i believe all autistic people have important meaningful thing to say about own experience with autism. but being an advocate involves so much more than that.

being advocate involves constant learning, especially from people more marginalized than you and people not similar to you.

being advocate means constant self reflection, means reflect on own privilege and oppression, means reflect on own internalized ableism internalized racism, etc.

being advocate means learning to decenter self, learning how to hold space for others, learning how to apologize and take accountability.

being advocate means learning how to listen.

being advocate means learning how to take responsibility.

being an advocate means addressing own trauma and not project trauma onto others, especially other more marginalized groups.

being an advocate means acknowledging nuance.

newly realized autistics, newly self diagnosed autistics, newly professionally diagnosed autistics (who didn’t know they autistic before professional diagnosis), they all have important place in autistic community and autistic conversations. but being new to this means you have so much more to learn. and you need to learn how to do more good than harm when share own experience and do own advocacy.

4. there is a world of autism experiences beyond your own. listen to them, too.

with all that said. self diagnosis, after extensive research, is valid.