YOU GUYS. This is a huge deal. We recently wrote about ho racist and classist credit scores can be, and this will help the issue.
Credit Scoring Is a Racist, Classist System that Has Us All Trapped
I work in finance/lending.
I cannot tell you how much medical debt I see on a daily basis. The crippling, horrific LEVEL of medical debt wad unimaginable to me before I took this job.
Oh my God. This is a reform that will change people's lives.
my heart absolutely breaks for gaza. imagine screaming for help. for someone to save you and the world ignores you for the most part. shame on anyone and everyone who supports this. where is your empathy.
Hi, it's me again, the person who wrote that viral post about fanfiction plagiarism! Today I'm here to warn you about abuse perpetrated by bots who have stolen AO3 usernames.
There's currently an epidemic of bots going around leaving (apparently random) horrible, hateful comments on people's fics. This isn't the first time bots have invaded AO3, but the big problem with this wave is that they're using real AO3 usernames to do it.
I learned about this when another writer contacted me after receiving the following comment on their story:
ALTNow, while that is my username, I DEFINITELY did not leave this comment (and anyone who would leave something like that on a fic should be slapped! What an awful thing to post). This fic is in a completely unrelated fandom that I have never participated in, nor has that author participated in any of my fandoms, so the probability of it being some intentional fandom drama thing to make me look bad is also low.
The writer whose fic the comment was left on enlisted the aid of some friends and tracked down other guest comments with unrelated usernames attached, which is pretty strong evidence that they are being left by bots at random.
The TL;DR: If you receive a cruel comment from a (Guest) with an actual AO3 username attached, it's most likely from a bot. Please do not lash out at or dogpile the AO3 user who owns that name, and who in all likelihood has no idea that their name has been hijacked for evil.
If finding this kind of comment on a fic, even left by a bot, is likely to upset you, I would recommend changing your comment settings so that only users who are logged in can leave comments. To do this, edit your story settings, and under "Privacy," select the radio button that says "Only registered users can comment," as shown below.
ALTPlease spread the word to other AO3 users! And if you see mean guest comments on other fics, maybe let the author know that it's probably from a bot and not a real person who thinks their writing is bad.
the "canon isn't real we make our own rules" to "i am begging you people to revisit the source material" pipeline
I'm so goth I get S.A.D during summer
literally i overheat and sunburn so easily that i can't be outside very much in summer. during cooler months i can be out hiking around and getting fresh air. but right now and for the next few months i'll mostly hide indoors
but seriously- I've been made fun of and told to shut up for saying I have summer SAD
my temper is shorter in the summer. I have anxiety spirals and meltdowns more readily in the summer. I'm less able to focus and get things done. my brain never seems to be functioning as well. my mood is generally worse across the board. my sleep is often more fitful and disjointed. the sunlight feels physically oppressive and heavy
my dude. if that's not SAD, I don't know what it is
Summer SAD aka Opposite Season SAD aka Photophobia (which is an incorrect name—it's not fear, it's inability to tolerate, so should be photo dysanexia) is a Real Thing. I have an official medical diagnosis, even.
Unlike Winter SAD, there's not much to be done for it: stay cool, stay out of the sun, take several cool showers a few times each day to regulate your temperature. Which works well if you don't have to leave the house, but isn't reality for most people.
Sometimes, an anti-anxiety medication can help. I tried a couple of them, and they helped to varying degrees, but one made me constantly sleepy, and the other gave me brain fog.
I cope by having blackout shades at home and at work (it's my company, I don't have to get anyone's permission to do things at the office), and drinking lots and lots of water. I mix half room temperature water and half water from the refrigerator. If it's all cold, that actually throws off your temperature more, and you end up hotter, so keep them mixed.
Also, I don't sweat much, no matter how hot the weather is. I keep rose water and lavender water around. I dip a handkerchief in one of them and drape it around the back of my neck. The evaporation helps cool what is usually a very hot place of the body.
You can do it with plain water, with or without a tiny bit of ice. It really does help.
How not to fanfic. (See also: What the "no monetizing" policies on AO3 are there to protect us from.)
(Note: the link above is a gift article link so you should be able to read it without a paywall.)
OK, so here's the rundown:
Basically, don't be this guy.
$134k just in opposing counsel legal fees. He also has his own legal fees he has to pay for.
Delusion is expensive.
