Secret Identities

I recently ran into this problem while writing and when I did some google searches for a solution I wasn't able to find a lot. My story is written in first person and I don't know how to introduce my character's name without sounding cheesy or cliche. The "My name is [character] is so cringey but I'm not sure how to introduce my character to the reader in a way that sounds natural. Any advice?

Have someone they talk to call them by their name. 

Have a stranger ask them their name for a good reason (e.g. a barista or nurse).

Have them feel annoyed at seeing their name misspelled or hearing it mispronounced.

Have them fill out forms and whoever receives the form comments on the name (e.g. ”Oh, that’s a pretty name” or “Nice, that’s my cousin’s name” etc.).

Have them respond to hearing their name or one similar to it when it isn’t them someone is trying to communicate with (e.g. Kara hears someone call out “Karen” on the street, and turns her head).

Have them mention that another person in their social group has their name (e.g. ”The other Rachel in our book club said…”).

If they primarily go by a nickname, have someone who calls them by their full name make an appearance (e.g. a sudden phone call from their mother, who insists on calling them by their birth name).

Have someone make a joke/pun with their name (e.g. a rival calling them “Dick” when their name is Richard).

Have something associated with them carry their name (e.g. a family business called “Bob Howard & Sons” or a vanity plate on their vehicle).

They like searching through personalized keychain racks and magnet displays to see if their unusual name is in there this time.

Have it mentioned in roll call (this one’s a bit common in a school setting, but roll calls can happen in certain other settings too).

Have them read a letter, email, or something else addressed to them.

There must be a dozen other ways. Use these to brainstorm and find one that fits your story better.

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a concept : back when Roy first acquired Ed & Al, Al finds a kitten on the way to the office and puts it in his armor for safe keeping (as one does) but it wakes up and meows and Riza and others are like "whats that noise" and Al panics because kittens are probably not permitted so he just bursts into Roy's office, hands him a kitten, and goes back out to show that there was clearly nothing making noise. And Roy just has to deal bc he'd die before disappointing like 12 yr old Al

*huge breath* AWWWWWWWW

villager: oh those two? the kids who are really interested in alchemy and seem to have latched onto you, barnacle-like? the ones who are the same age your child would have been by now? yeah they dont have any parents

izumi:

hohenheim: *leaves ed and al and doesn’t come back even after trisha dies*

izumi and sig curtis:

:)

Not Going Anywhere

Something different! I watched FMAB earlier this year, and have been self-indulgently rewatching my favorite episodes lately. I know, I was HELLA late to the party, @elsie-mcclay convinced me to watch it (thanks for beta-reading by the way, queen) and I fell in love with the characters. More specifically, Roy Mustang and his not so subtle love for Riza, his amusing turned extremely depressing friendship with one Maes Hughes, and his acting as a parental figure to a very short, very outspoken alchemist. The last of these is what I chose to write about. If you like this and want to potentially see more FMA stuff, please tell me what you think, since I’ve never written for these characters before. I hope you enjoy!

In which Ed and Roy are both idiots who will do anything to save someone in danger, especially if that person is someone they care about. And they stop being stubborn long enough to admit that maybe they do care if the other were to die.

Roy sighed, and checked his watch once more. He didn’t know why it surprised him that Fullmetal was late, again.

He had half a mind to go out for a drink and make the kid wait once he did decide to show up. See how the Fullmetal Alchemist liked having his patience tested.

But as a superior officer, Roy knew he couldn’t do something so childish, even if it would be nice to get some payback. Besides, Riza— Lieutenant Hawkeye, that is —would undoubtedly lecture him about responsibility and slacking off… again.

He didn’t really feel up to dealing with that, or the kid’s wrath today.

Luckily, Roy was saved from his boredom and growing irritation at his most determined yet most vexing subordinate by the phone ringing.

He opened his mouth to answer it with a smirk on his lips, which died when he realized that he automatically expected Hughes’ cheery voice to be the one that answered him, gushing about his lovely wife and adorable daughter.

Roy took a deep breath, feeling suddenly as if a heavy weight rested on his lungs. He hoped it would be the Lieutenant on the phone.

No such luck.

“Yes?” Roy said into the receiver, feeling no need for pleasantries anymore.

There was a moment of silence, and Roy heard what sounded like someone trying to catch their breath on the other line. Then—

“Colonel?”

As much as he hated to admit it, the voice of the young alchemist actually did put him in a better mood. He really had gone soft, huh? “Ah, Fullmetal! Finally decided to call in, have you? You’re already over fifteen minutes late, even worse than last—”

“Colonel.”

The Elric brothers interrupted him all the time, but the urgency in the kid’s voice was definitely new. He sounded… scared? When was the last time he’d heard either of them sound like that?

Roy was instantly on alert. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

The kid huffed a short laugh. “You’re gonna hate this,” he muttered. “I know I do. I’m… I think I might need your help.”

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Inspired by (x)

Sokka, chucking his boomerang at Zuko: VIBE CHECK.

Is anyone else just really obsessed with the fact that we’re animals but we disassociate ourselves with them?

Like isn’t that so fascinating? The phrase “I’m not some animal!” Is actually a thing but ??? Yes we are! And it’s so fascinating!! Here’s some things to think on:

•We literally have packs. Whether it be family, close friends, friend groups at school, etc. we all need human interaction, and even some of the most introverted people are included in this. People have been known to die from loneliness!

•We all need strong figures to look at and mold ourselves after. lacking a motherly, fatherly, etc. figure can largely impact who a person grows up to be. Without someone to look up to, a child wouldn’t learn useful lessons from them, what’s right and what’s wrong, etc. We rely very heavily on others!!

•We are EXTREMELY territorial. Have you ever thought about this? Signs are placed around fences designed to keep other humans out saying “trespassing will be insert bad thing here” because humans they don’t know aren’t welcome in their land! Even though it’s really not our land, we pay money to “own” it in the eyes of other humans!

•Attraction. With a few exceptions, (hello asexuals! :D) humans experience the desire to mate with others, but not just anyone! While not everything is about looks, they are a contributing factor! For example, ‘skinny’ people are considered attractive because statistically the less fat an individual has, the higher the libido. Biologically, people like this because A) more sex, and B) more offspring, even if you don’t want children! Your body is still designed to want lots of offspring to keep the human race going. Another example is what society claims to be “beautiful.” Shiny, thick, healthy hair is considered pretty because the offspring an individual with this hair would produce will also have lovely, healthy hair! This goes the same for long legs (for running well) and more!

This list could go on absolutely forever! Feel free to reblog and add some more things :)

Read this and save a life - YOUR OWN

From a surgical nurse and certified CPR teacher:

Please pause for 2 minutes and read this:

1. Let’s say it’s 7.25pm and you’re going home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job.

2. You’re really tired, upset and frustrated.

3 Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up in to your jaw. You are only about five km from the hospital nearest your home.

4. Unfortunately you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it that far.

5. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy who taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.

6. HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE? Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

7. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

8. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

9. Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives!!

10. A cardiologist says If everyone who gets this mail kindly sends it to 10 people, you can bet that we’ll save at least one life.

11. Rather than sending jokes, please... contribute by forwarding this mail which can save a person’s life.

12. If this message comes around you... more than once… please don’t get irritated... You should instead, be happy that you have many friends who care about you & keeps reminding you how to deal with a Heart attack.

please take the time and boost this post by reposting it and sending it to those you love because we all need to understand how to quickly deal with heart attacks