elias

It's super annoying that they're never this annoying about every other religious LGBT people

To everyone who stood by us,

To every kind heart that didn't abandon us during the darkest days of our lives,

I write to you today with a heavy heart, burdened by fear and weariness, because our suffering is far from over.

The war may have subsided in the eyes of the world, but it still lives with us every day. We still wake up to the sounds of shelling, fear, and anxiety, and we still live amidst a harsh post-war crisis, without safety or stability.

Life has become indescribably difficult.

The prices of food, medicine, and basic necessities have skyrocketed, and even the simplest things that were once commonplace are now a dream for us. There are days we spend thinking only about how we will secure food, or how we will manage to survive another day.

Sometimes I feel ashamed to repeatedly ask for help, but circumstances are beyond our control, and after God, we have no one but your compassionate hearts.

If you are able, please consider supporting me monthly, even with a small amount. A monthly donation gives us something we have long missed: a sense of security and the knowledge that we will not be suddenly left alone in the midst of this pain. Your continued support means we can continue to survive, buy food and medicine, and protect my family from further suffering.

Even sharing my story might reach someone who can help and save us at a time when we desperately need hope.

Thank you for still being here with us, and thank you to everyone who has extended a helping hand during this difficult time.

She's fat and gets the guy and no one bats an eye.

She's fat and the hottest chick in the sorority and that's normal.

She's fat and an actress and she gets good roles.

She's fat and she's funny and she has character depth and growth.

She's fat and the main character and no one mentions her weight once.

It is especially important for those living in the United States to stand with Cuba as our own government threatens to invade and brutally subjugate our dear neighbors, our peaceful friends to the south who have never invaded or subjugated anyone and who have instead brought doctors and life all around the world, just for the crime of pursuing their own freedom at nobody else's expense. Let Cuba live!

A father and son share the same restless or anxious movement like chewing on the inside of their lip or tapping their fingers. A mother and daughter both raise their eyebrows when they’re in deep thought. Two siblings both tilt their heads when something is intriguing. A younger brother copies his older brother’s posture. A grandchild copies the way their grandfather crosses his arms behind his back when he walks. A father throws his hat down when his sports team loses and his child grows up to do the same.

Adding niche similarities between my characters and their families is one of my favourite things to develop and one of my favourite ways to connect them despite whatever relationship and differences they may have.

They could hate their family and yet they tap their foot side to side when they’re standing in one spot like their father does, and they scrunch their nose when they close their eyes like their mother did. This can be used to portray your character’s struggle with their family, and amplify their fear over ending up like their family. It’s a subtle addition and yet it adds more depth to their turmoil.

Or on the flip side, it can help show how much your character admires their family by emulating them. It can help show how important their bond with their family is to them by showing those shared, unconscious similarities.