Accidental Arborist

Like, most of the major story beats, at least the ones that directly affect her, have a prominent visual component so she’s following along with the basics. But she has no idea who cave johnson is, or what wheatley was trying to explain to her, and she certainly wasn’t hurt by any of glados’ insults.

So back when I used to coach i would encourage people who wanted to put a little extra time in at home to watch high end competition. Its one thing to be told a certain action, its another thing to practice it, but seeing it done in like a textbook application by someone who's been doing it their whole life is another thing entirely. However, regardless of the gender of the individual I was teaching, I always told them to watch the women's competitions. Because its the actions.... and you can actually SEE whats happening. High end mens fencing lowkey turns into a dick measuring contest. Theres a lot more strong arming, literally just try and push your weapon away and it becomes an arm wrestling contest. Or they'll actually just purely try and outspeed. Womens fencing they just... fence. This is in part why people remarked that I fenced "like a girl." I didn't play into those games. I wasn't strong, I was very mechanically sound. And after a certain competition threshold, caring about the sport and getting good at it as a sport, becomes feminine cause youre not just winning cause your Physically Better

I actually just reblogged a post yesterday with a link to a Forbes article about the PWHL's growing fanbase and how it upends a lot of thoughts about who women's sports appeals to. One of the takeaways is that something like 70% of women's sports fans prioritize athletic skill and achievement compared to 57% of men's sports fans. I'm not just a fan of the PWHL because it's women playing instead of men, but because the game is literally better from an athletic perspective in a lot of ways.

I mean, human experimentation perfectly tracks with the theming and story thus far but... whoof

I guess this is the final nail in the "comunist space utopia" coffin. Not that it really needed any more nails

No matter how injured. If a parent doesn't deem it necessary to see a doctor, it doesn't happen. Teachers can suggest a doctor visit, but unless it's a very acute injury (and even then), it's ultimately up to the parents.

You can be 13. Twisted, maybe broken ankle. You teacher lets you sit out in PE. She's concerned, and tells you to rest when you go home, and see a doctor. You get home, ur parents fill a bath and add some Epsom salts, and then laugh at you for using it moms old colorguard stick as a cane. Take some ibuprofen they say. It's just a little sprain, ur a kid.

You go to school the next day, go to ur office assistant time. Office calls ur mom to come get you, because you're clearly in too much pain for school. Your mom laughs when she gets you, says you just were so determined not to miss school. Scolds you for making the office ladies worry.

You never see a doctor for the injury.

Your parents come into the exam room at every visit. This does not stop with age, except for gynecologist. But your parents are on the medical release forms. They fill them out for you, with you. You do not get to take them off.

You never get to tell s doctor about the ankle. Even though it never quote healed right, and it hurts every day.

Then your 18. In college. Still on your parents insurance, and have no car. The on campus clinic only does std testing. You fall down some stairs. Same injury. You call your parents, crying from the pain. You are using a mop as a cane. They console you and say to have a bath, take some meds, and let them know how it feels in a few days. You end up borrowing your roommates rolling chair to get around for the weekend.

By Monday, you can walk again. You walk miles to class every day. You ask to see a doctor, but your parents won't drive the hour to come take you, and you don't have the insurance card. You are still at their mercy for medical care. The ankle tries to heal again. This time worse than before. The tendons click with every step.

Now you're in your twenties. Finally have your own healthcare. You see a doctor. You get to mention the ankle! They say it's been too long to really even know what was damaged. That you have arthritis now. It healed wrong but it can no longer be fixed.

So

It is, by any metric, a small country masquerading as a city.

It governs more lives and more wealth than most nations. If democratic socialism — housing reform, public banking, equitable taxation — functions here, it obliterates the myth that such governance can’t work at scale. The fear isn’t ideological. It’s empirical. Because if Mamdani can keep the lights on, reduce homelessness, and maintain economic growth without catering to Wall Street, then the capitalist gospel collapses under its own dead weight.

What terrifies the establishment isn’t failure. It’s feasibility.

If it works in New York, there’s no reason it can’t work in Nebraska. If it works in Queens, it can work in Kansas City. And once proof exists, belief becomes irrelevant. The ship of democracy, fully refitted, will keep sailing — and no one can claim it isn’t American."