#'bc i think i need a friends perspective on the matter and you're probably the person i trust most on this ship.'

[isaacathom]

genuinely so hype about the dnd campaign bc all the potential with naielle and euphemia makes me feral. and part of that is that naielle has barely interacted with any other (still living) character, except marius? and their interaction was brief that besides some questions about why hes old naielle has nothing to like. hash out with him. when we get back to the normal timeline theres gonna be something a lot more pressing on naielles part that requires his attention, yknow.

but euphemia! in the prime timeline naielle and euphemia are friends! theyre part of the diplomacy/support squad alongside marius! of the two, theyre the big nerds, and also both involved in navigation - the former the navigator, the latter the cartographer, who is herself married to another navigator aboard. they enjoy knowledge and history. naielle trusts her a lot.

but! in the alt timeline euphemia is fucking scary. she forces naielle into the consultancy, reads her mind constantly (always Asking, but to naielle it never feels like she can actually say no). she lied to naielles face! naielle said 'please dont tell Qinan [about the vision where i murder him]' and euphemia looks her dead in the eye and goes 'i wont!' before handing Qinan a scroll of Detect Thoughts and showing it to him instead. maybe not a lie on technicality, but a lie in every way that matters.

naielle is terrified, categorically afraid for her safety, woefully intimidated by the undersecretary saying she 'killed 2 people' for the knowledge she conscripted naielle for.

and so when they get back to the prime reality, presumably remembering some of this, naielle is gonna be FUMING. naielle did not actually know abouy Euphemia's Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts, because it isn't a detectable spell. no part of that process is discernable by the target. its not detect thoughts, where you know theyre doing it if they push deeper. it just happens. you still make a save (and can choose to fail, as naielle consistently does in this timeline), but you dont know its happening. right. naielle DIDNT KNOW SHE HAD THAT.

so its like, point 1 - you can fucking read minds? how long have you been able to do that? have you been doing that to members of the crew? can i trust you to be honest with me about when and on who it was used? can i fucking trust you?

which feeds naturally into point 2 - i cant fucking trust you. i know its perhaps Unfair to hold you to the conduct of a version of yourself in a very different time and place, but as the war we are currently fighting continues, and is likely to get worse before it gets any fucking better, i cannot in good fucking conscience trust that you, right in front of me, will not make the same decisions that this alternate form of you did. and i dont know that i can fucking trust you if you are capable of that.

naielle doesnt have a way out of this. she doesnt have an olive branch to offer. she doesnt know what shed want euphemia to do to prove any sincerity. euphemia could offer her every excuse under the sky and i dont know that naielle will care, vis a vis the vision specifically. because while naielle isnt the Most self aware person, i think she can look at how she was personally acting in this alternate timeline and go 'you didnt have to lie to me to get the result you wanted. you could have told me no to my request. instead you looked at an elf who is on the verge of a breakdown and has just witnessed some pretty distressing things and decided to be a pedantic fuckstick. "i didnt tell him" fucking tripe. you could have said "i cant promise that, it might be important for him to know" and i wouldve gone "oh :(" but i wasnt gonna fucking stop you! are you insane????'

euphemia could offer whatever justification she likes, but naielle feels fundamentally betrayed by Euphemia's action there, and a little violated by the mind reading shit. naielle only came back to the royal quarter because there was nowhere else she could possibly go when she realised there was trouble, and the group had agreed to work together to try and fix the realities. shes going back because she saw marius and went 'well. he was nice to me earlier, i think. and the strange man seems friendly. ill trust them if i have to, to fix this'. shes not coming back because shes loyal to euphemia. shes back because shes scared, and the group had an answer, and she thinks some of them might at least listen to her. shes terrified.

so prime timeline naielle, a woman in possession of a Fucking Backbone, is going to remember this, in whole or in part, and turn to euphemia like 'we are going to discuss that later. and if i have to pull rank to do so i will, comprenez-vous?' and not wait for an answer. shes gonna be so mad.

[ooc-themis-cattails]

Can I just say how much I appreciate the diversity of ace identities in ISAT and all the detail about it?

(spoilers ahoy)

I love how at first Sif sees the porn scroll as "people doing fun things" but later admits it doesn't interest them at all. Their first response is to say what they know they're "supposed" to think it is, what everyone else is probably going to think it is. But then they learn that it's really ok to admit that they're not into it.

At first Sif is like "why does Beau like me?" but after a while they start to find him cute because they understand the emotion behind his feelings, and while they're not sure if they can actually take it as far as a sexual relationship, they're interested in figuring it out, because for them, that doesn't gross them out, it's just not a drive. This is so relatable to me and I love seeing it bc it's not the typical ace in fiction where like, this character is ace so we mustn't put them in a ship because we should assume it'd gross them out. Sif can be ace but not entirely horrified by sex, and Sif may be romantic (I don't know if even Sif knows whether they are romantic or not)-- I suspect they are demiromantic because it's the intimacy and familiarity of Beau's emotions that makes them start to feel things about the moment by the tree, to the point where they miss it when he doesn't try.

Mirabelle going through the dating service papers is the most wonderful scene because this is what it was like to be ace when I was in my early twenties. Most people didn't know it was a thing, and friends/family were very helpfully concerned that you should find a partner in order to not be alone, because the theory was that it was a basic human need for everyone. I did exactly what Mirabelle did, and had the same kind of reaction: "I have to pick one of these people to try dating because I have to figure out how to be sexually interested in someone so that I can do the whole partnership thing that everyone says you need to do in order to have a fulfilling adult life." Looking at pictures of people trying to figure out how to be attracted to them, or what you like, when the answer is really that you're just Not. And you're kind of torn because some part of you knows that this isn't going to work, but the other part of you legit believes that it's like staying hydrated, you have to do it for your own good even if you're not thirsty.

Mirabelle's being into fictional romance and shipping, just not into doing it herself, is also such a good detail. I'm not aro so I can't speak to that myself, but still, it's a thing. She's emotionally invested in the dynamics between people, she loves watching the details of how they play out, and that's completely separate from ever wanting to do it herself. I've seen it in others and I definitely get that from the perspective of an ace person reading smut-- you can very much enjoy a dynamic without wanting to BE in the dynamic yourself.

Sif coming to understand how attraction works from the outside: "Wait, you can't choose who you get a crush on? That explains so much!" The line made me wince because it's so self-deprecating-- they're probably thinking they're not good enough for Beau-- but I also very much appreciate the realism of how... nobody explains to you how attraction works because they assume you know what it's like, and you probably don't ask because it's embarrassing if they assume that you're an immature late bloomer with no experience of the world, rather than someone who will never have a libido no matter what they've seen. It's so easy to feel infantilized or to infantilize yourself if you're not comfortable with your ace identity. Both Mirabelle and Sif are young enough that they struggle a bit with whether this is really their identity or whether they've just not figured it out yet. In reality, at their age, this probably IS who they are. But they're also a bit hesitant to rule it out because it's really hard to know that you are NOT something, and (given that Mirabelle hadn't really considered the possibility that she's aroace) the culture doesn't seem to have a lot of representation or support for the idea. It's obvious to the player, well, if this is how they feel, then they're ace! But neither one of them can quite settle on that for sure. Because, unlike being attracted to someone where you can go "well that sure did happen", being not attracted to someone is a nonproof. So Mirabelle keeps trying, and Sif doesn't know that their reaction will seem valid to others (as evidenced by the change in how they describe the scroll). Odile, who is aro and who seems to be not entirely ace but isn't exactly the thirstiest plant in the garden, has a different position. She seems to pretty much know where she's at, which makes sense for her age, but we can't really tell if she's always been okay with it or if it's been an issue. We don't know if Ka Bu is a more uptight culture, or how long society has been normalizing non-hetero identities, but we do know she had no female role models, so if any of this heteronormative business was an issue, I imagine it contributed a lot to her feeling of outsiderness. I'd love to know more about how Odile's sexuality impacted her life but she's obviously not about to infodump it on a bunch of 20 year olds, so it remains a mystery. Nonetheless it's pretty great that there's an older aro character, illustrating that people have always been this way, it's just easier for young people to discover it now because they feel more allowed to not be heterosexual. [eta: @butterflyknifepoisoning reminded me that I've misremembered this and Odile isn't actually aro, she's had hatecrushes before and explained them to Mirabelle. Which I kind of sort of remember now! Not sure why I thought she was aro, my memory is crap sometimes. It's still a far cry from yamato nadeshiko, but yeah. Point taken]

...In the end, I find it extremely refreshing that there's a whole RPG party here and only ONE of them experiences sexual attraction, and it's a flamboyant gay-seeming dude with a poorly-kept-secret crush on an enby they/he. ISAT is so cool, it's the best aroace representation I have seen in fiction so far ever.

[charmedreincarnation]

I’m kind of in a similar situation to your college indecisiveness post bc I want to shift but never have the time cuz all this studying. I’m really hating life rn. I’ve tried shifting a few times and managed to detach my awareness from this reality for a few minutes at a time, so i know what works for me, but I never have time to do it. I feel kind of drained that I could be achieving so much but I’m stuck not even having the time cuz I’m not smart enough to get done with all this HW fast enough

TLDR how do I be cool like you and too smart for school to be a big concern? Do I just say f**k it and do a shifting attempt when I’m supposed to be studying?

This was such a sweet ask 😭😭💖 I'm overwhelmed by the sweetness of your words, and I assure you, I'm far from being as cool as you think. In fact, I found myself facing the very same dilemma in the past! Now, I'm not sure if you're looking for some wisdom from Loa or valuable studying tips, so ill share a little bit of both? Also college-related questions/asks have been pouring in lately, so I've decided to address them all right here. I should probably just make it a post but I’ll use this ask as a reference.

Pre law perspective:

So my senior year, was when I really started my journey. It was during this time that I learned about shifting and manifesting (kind of law of attraction) so I naturally attempted everyday and had my focus to that. However, I basically spiraled into burnout and indifference towards school. Tbh It's still a mystery to me how I managed to do fine in school when I basically stopped attending classes mentally and barely did my work.

I've always had ADHD, anxiety, and procrastination issues throughout my high school years, But senior year took it to a whole new level. The boredom and disconnection from my studies were unbearable. I went through the motions, completing my homework, but for classes I didn't enjoy, I mindlessly attended without caring or understanding the material. It was a year filled with academic mediocrity, and certain subjects like AP Calculus and AP Biology, which I didn't even need for my future plans, were absolute torture.

And at the time I didn’t even fully understand what shifting was, But I clung to the notion that school no longer mattered in the grand scheme of things. Looking back, I realize it was a detrimental mentality to have for my well being. If there's one piece of advice I can offer, it's this - find a balance. Avoid burning yourself out completely, but don't neglect your mental well-being either. You are still here, whether you're shifting or not, whether you’re god or not, and whether you're actively manifesting or not. Diving deeper into a negative mental well will not benefit you in any way. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

As my burnout intensified, I reached a point where I no longer wanted to be alive in this boring ass reality. It became so severe that I almost didn't apply to college. My entire focus was consumed by shifting, and I simply didn't care about anything else. It was my friends who came to my rescue, pushing me to apply and offering unwavering support. Without their guidance and nurturing, I honestly don't know where I would be today.

Eventually, I grew tired of being tired. I began diving into my subliminal journey, creating playlists that combined affirmations for school,success, and luck. I learned the importance of dividing my time wisely. During the second semester, I continued this approach, focusing on school-related practices during the day and dedicating my evenings to shifting attempts.

Affirmations and scripting became the root of my routine too. Miraculously, my grades improved, even when I skipped classes for an entire month or neglected to read the lectures.

I was able to graduate high school with honors, which in itself proves that success or whatever isn’t even just about being naturally "good at school." I worked smarter, not harder and knowing about manifesting really helped with that!

So I really advice you to find a balance in your journey. Don't pour all your energy into just school or just manifesting. Embrace the plethora of easy methods available - scripting, subliminals, binaural beats - and integrate them into your study routine. Make it work in your favor. Treat shifting like a cherished hobby, something that complements your academic pursuits rather than overshadowing them.

Also, set realistic standards for yourself. In high school, I used to obsess over achieving straight A's, disregarding any grade below perfection. Looking back, I realize how misplaced my priorities were. As long as you maintain a mix of A's, B's, and even a few C's, you'll be absolutely fine. Set a goal of achieving a GPA of 3.0 or whatever scale your institution uses, and celebrate every success along the way.

Loa perspective

Ok, now let's talk about the power of the Law of Assumption!

Now that I'm in a place where I give only about 20% of my time and effort to school and still do very well, I can help and reflect on my journey properly. Back in high school, like said I struggled with anxiety and ADHD, and I thought these challenges would hold me back.

Test-taking, deadlines, remembering information it all seemed overwhelming. But you know what helped me? Subliminals.

Listening to subliminals for intelligence and confidence made a significant difference in my life. They boosted my abilities and gave me the belief that I could excel academically. And that belief was everything.

As you probably know the Law of Assumption states that whatever we expect and assume to be true will become our reality. So, I decided to apply this principle to my studies. I assumed that I was capable of achieving great grades with ease. I assumed that school life would be manageable, and I would continuously improve my skills throughout the semester. I always visualized seeing As, revised my past grades, teacher giving me the grade I know I deserve no matter what.

And guess what? It worked! My mindset shifted towards greater productivity, and I started using my time more efficiently. As a result, my grades improved, and I had more time to focus on the things I genuinely enjoyed. It was a game-changer, and it accounted for about 70% of my success. Just imagine that - simply switching my mindset and accepting the positive results from my previous subliminal experiences.

I understand that college can be more stressful and demanding than high school. But it's still the same principle at play. You don't have to drastically change your study habits if you don't want to. Instead, use general resources during the day to aid your studying. And while you're at it, listen to subliminals that align with your goals. Instead of imagining and affirming to yourself that you're a failure and worrying about all the things that could go wrong, shift your focus. Imagine the grade you want, affirm and visualize that no matter what happens on your test, you'll still pass the class with flying colors. Remember, it's just one test, one assignment, and there are so many more opportunities ahead.

General school tips

* Stop checking your grades every day. Seriously, it's only stressing you out. Grades can fluctuate randomly, especially in college (and honestly, even in high school). Instead of obsessing over the numbers, focus on staying on top of your assignments. Keep up with your work, put in your best effort, and trust that alone will reflect in your grades.

* Say no to all-nighters. Trust me, reading the same material for 12 hours straight won't magically make you understand it. If something isn't clicking, it's probably an internal issue. There's no need to spend an entire night alone trying to grasp a single concept. Look for alternative resources like recap lessons on YouTube or seek help from a tutor or classmate. Remember, it's okay to acknowledge what doesn't come naturally to you and instead focus on your strengths.

* Realistically, doing your homework and attending class means you're probably not failing. Even if you're not getting the grade you want, it doesn't mean you're headed for failure. Those big tests that carry a significant weight in your grade may impact your GPA, but they don't define the trajectory of your life. Take a moment to reflect on all the times you thought a single grade would ruin everything, yet here you are, still alive and thriving. You've been through challenges before, and you're stronger than you think. Breathe, remind yourself that you're not alone in these thoughts and stresses, and keep pushing forward.

* Make friends and join class group chats. Trust me, these connections are gold. Joining group chats on platforms like GroupMe or Snapchat allows you to ask questions, collaborate on study guides, and realize that you're not alone in this journey. Even if they're not your closest friends, having a support system within your classes can make all the difference.

* Use EFT tapping for anxiety, especially before tests. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping is not only useful for Law purposes, but it can also work wonders for managing anxiety. Check out my pinned guide on how to use EFT tapping. It has personally helped me immensely, and I hope it does the same for you.

* Work smarter, not harder. The truth is, those who seem to breeze through school while partying every night still manage to graduate and pass just like everyone else. The key is finding shortcuts, utilizing the vast resources available on the internet, and working smarter, not harder. Embrace technology, explore online study tools, and leverage the power of the internet as your greatest friend in this journey.

Here are some free recourses:

Math and Science

1. MathMagic Lite: This app lets you write any mathematical expressions and various scientific symbols easily

2. Equatio: A powerful equation editor that makes it easy to create digital, accessible maths

3. Microsoft Mathematics: Can be used to write mathematical expressions, solve equations, and plot graphs

4. Desmos Scientific Calculator & Graphing Calculator: Utility apps for students and teachers for calculations and graph plotting

5. WolframAlpha: A computational search engine that can solve a wide variety of problems, especially useful for math and science

Article/Video Summarization

6. Smmry: A website that summarizes articles for you

7. TLDR This: A browser extension for quick article summarization

8. Inshorts: An app providing news in 60 words or less

9. Listenable: Converts articles into short audio files

Note-Taking

10. Evernote: A note-taking app where you can jot down thoughts, save things you find online, and even scan physical documents with your phone's camera

11. Microsoft OneNote: Allows for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration

12. Notion: An all-in-one workspace where you can write, plan, collaborate, and get organized

Concept Explanation

13. Khan Academy: Offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom

14. Coursera: Provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online

15. Complexly: A YouTube channel that produces a variety of educational content, including the series Crash Course which covers many different subjects in depth

16. citation machine: you never have to make source citations by yourself. This gives your both in test and citations for your essays and research.

Lastly I’m gonna put all the free resources most colleges offer for free!

Academic Resources

* Online Study Platforms: Websites such as Khan Academy, Coursera, and edX offer free or low-cost courses on a variety of subjects that can supplement your coursework.

* Academic Advising Centers: Most colleges have an academic advising center where students can get guidance on course selection, degree requirements, and academic planning.

* Writing Centers: Writing centers provide assistance with writing assignments, including proofreading, editing, and helping with citations.

* Library Research Databases: Your college library likely subscribes to a number of research databases (like JSTOR, EBSCO, and ProQuest) that can provide access to academic journals, books, and other resources.

2. Career Resources

* Career Centers: These centers offer career counseling, resume reviews, interview preparation, and job search assistance.

* Internship and Co-op Programs: Many colleges have programs that help students find internships or co-op positions in their field of interest.

* LinkedIn Learning: This platform offers courses on a variety of career-related topics, including networking, resume writing, and job interviewing.

3. Mental Health and Wellness Resources

* Counseling Centers: Most colleges offer free or low-cost mental health services to students, including individual therapy, group sessions, and workshops.

* Fitness Centers: Regular exercise is important for both physical and mental health. Most colleges have fitness centers that offer a variety of workout options.

* Mindfulness and Meditation Apps: Apps like Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations that can help reduce stress and improve mental health.

4. Financial Aid Resources

* Financial Aid Office: Your college's financial aid office can provide information on scholarships, grants, work-study opportunities, and student loans.

* FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key to accessing federal financial aid, including grants, work-https://www.tumblr.com/charmedreincarnation/712878654521262080/everything-eft-tapping?source=share funds, and loans.

* Scholarship Search Engines: Websites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com can help you find scholarships that you may be eligible for.

Other questions I got

Q: How did you manifest graduating early?

A: Graduating early was always a desire deep within me. I didn't realize it was on track to manifest until I had a meeting with my advisor. Interestingly, when I found out it was happening, I wasn't as ecstatic as I thought I would be. It made me realize that desires can change as we grow and evolve. So, if something you once desired doesn't bring you the same joy anymore, it's perfectly okay. Life is all about evolving and embracing new desires.

Q: What affirmations do you use?

A: Since I had a multitude of desires in various aspects of my life, I found it tiring to have a separate affirmation for each one. So, I opted for general affirmations that encompassed all areas of my life. For example, I would affirm statements like "I am the luckiest person alive," "Everything works out my way," and "I always get my desires." These affirmations can be applied to all aspects of life, including school. The key is to find affirmations that resonate with you and create a positive mindset.

Q: How do you manage the law/shifting and school?

A: As I mentioned earlier, integration is the key! You don't have to view manifestation or shifting as something separate from your school life. Instead, incorporate these practices seamlessly into your daily routine. The goal is to make it a part of your lifestyle without feeling like it's an extra burden or sacrifice. For example, if a certain method, like wbtb lucid dreaming, is disrupting your sleep schedule, consider switching to other methods like subliminals or reality checks. You can still set intentions before going to bed, which will be effective without compromising your sleep. Find what works best for you and strike a balance between school, manifestation, and your mental health

Q: What to do if affirmations don’t work:

A:maybe you don’t think with words. I’m more of a visual person and will always believe and like images more than words. I would just imagine my grades always being an A. No matter what, no matter if I failed a test or forgot to submit a homework even if I failed everything I still got an A! If you don’t like to visualize then change your wording to how you naturally speak. Maybe you don’t even like affirmations, it’s really different for everyone.

Q:I don’t want to go to this college but I still have to apply, is that affecting living in the end:

A: nope I don’t think taking action or not taking action affects anything If you’re living in the end. Just because you apply doesn’t mean you’ll get in simply because you took the action. Do what you have to do it doesn’t matter if you’re living your 3D life but know imagination is your true reality. If you’re a billionaire and sleep in a homeless shelter that doesn’t take away from the fact you’re a billionaire. Who knows why you’re at a homeless shelter and who knows why you’re applying for college. It doesn’t dictate anything.

Q:I needed to get into the void before college but now I’m here without my dream life and I hate it. What do I do:

A: well it’s happened so take a deep breath. You can still master the void, in fact you already have you’re just being silly and want a funny humbling story. There is no better time than now to be delulu. When you’re trying to escape something and it passes accept it and make it your bitch tbh. honestly keeping busy definitely helped me in my journey anyways, but I did provide tips above so you have free time because you shouldn’t just be immersed in school. For example when I was poor, it was because I needed a humbling back story because no one likes people born into wealth. I’m assuming you still want to be in college, and yea, it’s just cool to have started from the bottom before you become that It girl. That’s your choice and your truth but now you’re done with being humble so go tap into the void.

Q: what’s your perspective on manifesting a perfect life. like nothing bad ever happens but also having a good life with just minor challenges (nothing too big) and I don’t wanna normalize suffering bc who wants to suffer?

A: ok this had a school ask but that was just the gist of it. anyways not that my opinion matters first and foremost. But I think that’s great. Who wants to suffer… exactly. You know I like being human, but I did not like my human experience before Loa. I do like challenges, I like growth, I like not being perfect, and I like being happy and getting what I want too! you can still have all those human aspects and manifest everything you desire. Mary Sues do don’t exist because humanity exists. Don’t worry about it. Your life won’t feel stagnant or unreal or something, I promise

Ok sorry this came out longer than I expected but I had a lot to say. I hope that answers all the asks I’ve been getting ! You all got this, college, your manifesting journey, your anxiety, all of it. All of your dreams & desires are within your reach (right in front of you !!!) so go for it and still live your best life <3!

[sports-on-sundays]

marc and reader breaking up bc of too many arguments and him being super sad

arguments / Marc Guiu / Part 2

Summary: Marc x female!reader - Marc is devastated because of the break up.

Warnings: implied depression, foul language, angst, mention of screaming, anxiety, mention of crying, angst, nausea

Requested?: Yeppers

Author's Note: Link to Part 1. There was another request that led up to this really nicely so I decided to just connect them as a part 1 & 2.

Marc Guiu stares up at the ceiling of his bedroom at two o'clock in the afternoon with the windows closed and the lights off, feeling like it's two o'clock in the morning.

You can't keep living like this, Marc. What's done is done. You said what you said. There's no way to fix it. Just move on.

But I can't.

I can't stop myself from loving her.

Pathetically enough- and Marc would admit in an instant that it is thoroughly pathetic- ever since that fateful day when she cut it off, his days have been a haze of football, sleeping, every so often forcing himself to eat and drink water, and doing what he's doing right now: letting the two sides of his thoughts argue with each other.

No one cares if you love her. She's done with you. You messed it up; it's your fault; oh well.

There's no way to fix it.

Just move on.

But no matter how much he tells himself, over and over, to just do that, it's like he can't.

It's like the picture of your lovely face is imprinted on the backs of his eyelids, so every time he blinks, every time he sleeps, you're there, looking like the angel you are, reminding him of how much he messed up.

"Ah!" he yells, tugging at his hair. "You idiot! You ruined it! Everything! She was the best thing that ever happened to you, and you fucking messed it up!

"You pathetic bastard! Get up and live your life! It's done! She's moved on and is probably happier than ever! Why are you letting her control you like this?"

On top of it all, he's been avoiding Gavi like the plague, knowing that you one hundred percent likely told him everything, all from your perspective, and knowing because of that, now Gavi probably hates his guts, too.

So, yeah. He's been avoiding Gavi and anyone close enough to him to have also heard. So Pedri is also off limits, and Ferran and João are iffy.

It's hard when he trains or plays with these guys nearly every day!

The only person he's told is Héctor, mostly just because he pried it out of Marc enough. He got annoying enough.

Ah, you idiot. Quit crying.

You're not going to let that girl ruin your life like this.

"Maybe he's not the only one who was in the wrong."

"What?" you ask, looking up at your best friend, Gavi. "What do you suppose I did wrong?" you ask, not too happy with this sudden statement from him.

Gavi shrugs. "I'm just saying, maybe you should've heard him out before it escalated so much. I don't know, though. What do I know?"

But you frown. "Probably nothing, but it still makes me think."

"Gee, thanks," he says, rolling his eyes.

"I honestly don't care, you know. It's fine. I don't want him back."

Gavi's lips purse as he says, "Then why do you bring him up every single conversation?"

You don't have an answer for this.

"Exactly," Gavi comments with a slight roll of the eyes. "Listen, I'm just saying- Marc isn't himself at all since you guys broke up. He's a shell of himself, and refuses to talk, honestly, anyone but Héctor, if he doesn't need to."

You frown. "I know, but..."

"All I'm saying is maybe he had a point."

"What does that mean?"

"It means if you're going to date someone, you've got to give stuff up for them. Including time and attention. And you were giving far more of that to me. I'm not saying you should get back with him; do what you want. But I am saying it's probably best to make amends, and not just let the last note of the symphony be screaming at each other, yeah?"

You lick your lips nervously. "I'll think about it."

Marc can see Héctor is staring at something behind his head, but before looking leans over to ask, "What is it?"

"Um," Héctor smiles nervously. "Y/n."

Immediately, Marc's eyes widen, reminding Héctor of a frightened rodent. "Please tell me you're joking."

Héctor gives a short shake of his head 'no.' "With Gavi and Pedri," he practically mouths.

Marc leans back, trying not to look easy to notice. Trying to look discreet. "Is it safer to leave or stay?"

"I reckon stay," Héctor responds.

Marc softly blows a raspberry, before looking down at his food. "My luck, I tell you," he murmurs.

"Sometime soon, you knew you'd run into her."

"I hoped not."

Héctor sighs. "I know."

Marc feels his anxiety rise when he watches you walk pass. Tossing your hair, with the sway in your step, confidence radiating off you.

He sinks his head down lower, nervously curling his napkin.

And then, as you're walking back, it's like something else takes control of his body, and he can't help himself but look up at you.

Your eyes meet.

Yours widen for a moment, and your steps begin to slow.

Marc is suddenly hit with a wave of nausea, and he says suddenly, "Héctor, let's get going now."

And you watch Marc and Héctor walk out, away from you, just like that.

But there was something strange in Marc's eyes.

Sorrow.

Loneliness.

Confusion.

Defeat.

But most of all, regret and guilt.

And seeing him like that makes you feel... strange.

You're not sure if you like it.

Shadows, passing in the night. Wind, come and gone. These mysterious concepts. A lonely boy and a confused girl.

Hands in his pockets, head down. It's become the natural stance for him. His hair has grown out and shadows his inky brown eyes. So many emotions that they're gone.

Imploded.

She holds her head up and flips her hair. Sharp tongue, quick remarks. Little glimmer when she winks. Confidence is key, but there's one thing that nags at her.

She wonders if it was all a mistake.

Their eyes meet on a dark street in the middle of a cool night, when neither of them should be out.

They both open their mouths to speak, but sound comes out of neither of them.

He reaches his hand out to her.

If he could fall into her arms, he would.

But the shadows shift, and she's gone. The wind carries her away. Like a secret not meant for his ears. Like a promise broken. Like glass that shattered but never made a sound.

Never hit the ground.

On a concrete wall, the side of a building, he writes with a Sharpie:

I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I still love you.

I need you to come back to me.

On a bathroom mirror, she writes in blood red lipstick:

Why can't I forgive him? Why can't I let him forgive me?

Why can't I let myself love him?

[moonstruckme]

Oh babe I read your post about graduation and life after. I FEEL YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! I’m graduating Friday and I pursued a film degree in a city with little to no opportunities for that industry. Don’t know why I did that. Sorry to my parents who sacrificed a lot to put me through school. Moving to a bigger city is not an option bc I can’t afford it. Might be moving back in with my parents might not be. Everyone is asking whats next for me. Girl idk. I’m stressed I’m anxious. I hate it here. The real world sucks and I just want to skip over all this character building stuff and get to the part of my life where I’m happy with a career and can actually afford groceries. Sometimes I wish my dreams weren’t as big.

Hi gorgeous! First of all, I'm so sorry you feel that way. I promise your degree has value whether you feel like you can get a job out of it right away or not, and I won't pretend to know how your parents feel but I doubt they would have sacrified anything if they didn't feel your education was worthwhile. Graduating from college is a big deal nonetheless ! We both know I'm struggling with this too but I have some pieces of advice that have been given to me and I've found helpful if you want them <3

Obviously, "almost no one works in something related to their degree" is a really disheartening thing to hear, and I bet you've been hearing it (like I have) a lot lately. But what I think the people who say that are trying to convey is that there is no shame in just doing a job that makes some money (and preferably also makes you happy), and sometimes that financial security can help you pursue your dreams with a bit more surety since you're no longer trying to find a way to eat at the same time.

A few months ago, I talked to my mom about how guilty I feel about potentially not being able to get a job relevant to my degree after she helped put me through college, and while I know not all parents feel the same way about this, I think she made some great points. She said that college is about learning how to think, and your education and the experiences you've had in college will always be valuable no matter what job you end up with. And did you have a good time? Did you like learning all those things you did about film? Did you meet some cool friends, or get to talk about your interests with people who get it? If so, none of it was wasted.

It's so, so easy to feel pressure from others when you're trying to figure out your life post-grad, but in my experience most of that pressure is really internal. People ask what's next for you because they're interested, not becuase they have any one specific path in mind, and the vast majority of the time if you seem happy, they're happy. If you're not happy, fuck it! Then your priority should probably be getting to a place where you are happy, and those conversations really don't matter when you've got bigger fish to fry.

Last thing, but as someone also struggling to re-orient herself in her life plan, I've been taking a lot of time to figure out my priorities. I kind of got stuck in this idea of what my life was going to be, and once that seemed less certain I started questioning what I wanted if I didn't have to do that. I'm making a pinterest board (always my first course of action haha), and it's helped me figure out that whatever I do, I want to be around nature and books, and to live in a mid-size city. Figuring out what I need to be happy has really put things into perspective for me, and I'm sorry I don't mean to assume we're in the exact same mental state but I just want to give you all the stuff that's been working for me in case any of it fits into your situation too.

You can still use your passion in film while working another job, or use that job to save to move to a larger city, or maybe even reflect and find that you're content keeping the film thing as a hobby and there's something else you enjoy doing for a career (I know how heartbreaking that can sound when you love something, but that's how writing has turned out for me so I just wanted to put it out there--feel free to reject it of course). For me, trying to open my mind to all the possibilities and re-evaluate what I want from the next few years has been super scary but also kind of exciting, and I hope that whatever happens for you you're able to find happiness in the big and little things. Wishing you all the best my love!

[peachjagiya]

You didn't post my ask ☹️☹️. I just wanted to get some other people's perspective on why they are sure that taekook aren't just close friends bcs off late I've not been able to shake this thought off. It's ok ig it's your blog afterall and I suppose my ask can bring some lurkers too. NVM

It came in a day of a ton of disguised jikookers.

Thing is nobody is sure. And maybe we need to let go of the idea that anybody is sure. We're not. Sure is a dating announcement.

I strongly suspect.

So because I'm not sure and I just strongly suspect, I don't sweat it so much and I don't tend to keep a huge log of rebuffals or get troubled by what others believe. I do think to deny it outright is foolish.

But to answer your question, it feels like couple stuff to me. That's just my interpretation of what's there. A lot of my activities with my wife could be best buddy things. But there's ways we interact that place us firmly in couple territory. That's what I see in Taekook. (Do I get a hotel room a short distance from my house with my best friend? No, I don't. Maybe they do.)

Take touching and nape kissing off the table cos "the boys are just like that"

Take spending time together off the table cos "they're probably just bros"

Take wide eyes and lusty looks off the table because maybe that's just how their faces look...

And you're still left with "why are we being asked to pretend they aren't very very close?"

So I guess that's why I'm thinking couple.

Ultimately it doesn't matter. Don't worry if you find yourself thinking they're just friends. That's ok! Remember there's a high likelihood we never get confirmation. You could drive yourself insane if you're seeking certainty.

Do you still enjoy their closeness? Do you still find their interactions sweet? Do you still think they're the closest? That's all that actually matters. You're not wrong if you sometimes doubt they're a couple. You're just... Not sure.

💜💜💜

[ggukiepie]

WOWOW. one of your girls is so yummy.

very excited for next part and to see your perspective and ideas.

but for me i think we’d need more angst rather then revenge. im assuming jk has lots of friends who he sleeps with and its not just yn. which means to him yn is nothing special (unfortunately) thats why i dont see the point of ‘revenge’ because realistically i dont think jk really cares if yn fucks with someone else which has been proved in already the first part. (jk knows yn sleeps with jimin yet doesnt seem to really care and only wants sex.) he only looked for her to sleep with her in the first place & not because he wanted to have a friendly conversation or check up on her. he started touching her before he knew about her sleeping with someone else.

its kinda the same with yn as yn also slept with jimin (which was so hot.) , except she seems to be interested in jungkook. but i dont think yn is really letting jk walk all over her because shes well aware that jk sleeps with other woman and she knows he lied to her yet choose to not speak up. although i love how she can control herself cause if i was in her place id try bring attention to myself and make jk jealous OR js go up to him and slap him especially when he said he ‘just’ left the party while he has a red stain on his shirt 🥸 but by the way she controlled herself and didnt even let jk know that she saw him with another woman, it seems like she knows her feelings wouldnt matter to him because its probably casual for him to be with another (multiple) woman each night.

AND FOR THAT REASONNN^^^ i think the song suits it smmm 😣😣 it fits so perfectly. ive been nonstop listening to the song before i read it and its the first story that im so interested in to write about my opinion. ANYWAYS BACK TO THE STORY.

so maybe shes okay with just simply being one of his girls because she knows she wouldnt be anything more & also she may not want to stop sleeping with him because thats the only way he can be close to her relationship wise.

which means yn is literally just one of his girls for some of his nights. I LOVE THAT SMSMSM. also everything here is simply my opinion and arguments as to why there should be more angst rather then revenge for atleast now until theres more development in their characters and we’d know more. althought idk how many parts ur willing to give in for this. BUT thats simply my perspective, if u think of the story differently and wanted to choose a different way for them thats cool too

i talk alot im gonna stfu now but i really like ur writing and ur idea for it was really cool. im waiting for the next part, take ur time and i hope everythings well for you. 😁

-soo ??

nooooo you're literally so so sweet. thank you so much for taking the time to send me this message. i love ur review !!

im glad u got to see how i related the song and the story. yeah, yn is a bit...not in the right head space 😭 atp she's already given up on the chance that maybe jk might like her back. ofc she can't help but feel sad bc she fell for him. ure right that she's content with being one of his girls, she'll take whatever jungkook gives her :( she didn't even have to ask jk if he slept w that girl bc she already knows 🤧

on jk finding out abt yn and jimin - jk did ask her if they're friends "like us?" i wonder what he meant 🤔

maybe i can write a short backstory of yn and jk hmmmm

[fikarot]

hello can you please do a reading on enha jake as a bf? ty <3

if the boy isn’t him, tell me right away

disclaimer: i know little to nothing about jake and enhypen. my readings might be inaccurate bc of misinterpretation and changing energies.

— jake (enhypen) as boyfriend

13.03.2023, 9:28 pm eet;; 5-card reading;;

• knight of cups, page of cups, 2 of wands, 8 of wands, knight of wands • page of pentacles in the bottom •

tbh, it's really easy to fall in love w/ him.

first of all, jake is emotionally balanced. when he has to, he takes risks. when he acts, he acts as soon as possible. he even thinks fast and decides fast. it's the same for his emotions. he's s innocent and can be naive at times because of his pure intentions towards their so. jake is also sensitive to the needs of others: he can puts himself after their special person, and can be perfectionist romantically. however, he's aware of everyone, including himself. he'll try to make you feel the best way possible no matter what and even though he can be sensitibe at some point, he is trying his best to be considerate.

he knows how to make others see things from his perspective. to be honest, i do believe he uses this for good intentions with the cards nearby. eight of wands describes him really well in my opinion because of the industry he is in, because he lived in australia and because he knows how to adapt easily. he might love to communicate online/with messages on the phone/letters more but i don't quite know if that will align with him.

he's ambitious and really passionate.. but to be honest, he probably doesn't take himself really seriously. i doubt that he has some insecurities in the love but this quality might be in his character.

jake is dedicated to his significant other. before lover, he is your friend.

i hope you're satisfied with my answer of your request.

[practically-an-x-man]

Fanfic ask game :)

👀 📥 🖊 🏅📚 👩‍🏭 😈

thank you!!! You're amazing bestie!!

👀 Do you have any WIPs that you would never let see the light of day? If yes, what are they about?

I've got one at the moment I think, more of an idea than a WIP bc it's not technically on the page yet. I don't know if I'd post it even if I did write it because 1. the fandom is abysmally tiny (I don't think there's even a tag for the movie on AO3 yet), 2. it's very self-indulgent and probably on the verge of a lazy/unrealistic plot, and 3. I just feel like it would go dead even if I did post it, so obviously my other fics are going to take precedence

📥 What is your fave fic to receive comments/messages on?

I mean, I love them all. I don't get very many comments on my fics in general, so I really treasure every one. That being said, I feel like people are really engaged with Who Waits Forever Anyway?, so I get some pretty dynamic comments there, and I really wish people would comment on Desert Song because so far nobody has and I feel like it's some of my best writing

🖊 Post a snippet from a current WIP.

Alright, here's a bit from the next chapter of Bolts and Blasters, my Star Wars fic:

A bit of the truth leached into those final words, and maybe that was why he didn’t question it. Poe just nodded, though his lips pressed into a thin, uneasy line. 

“Don’t know how much you’ll find,” he admitted, “Everywhere’s tapped dry. We had ships coming in from practically every habitable planet, and they all need to recover after that. You’ll be lucky to find bacta.”

“You’re so encouraging.” Indigo huffed, giving him a look, “But I have to try.”

Again, she found glimpses of truth amid the lie. She hated that she couldn’t tell him more. She hated that she had to dodge his questions like this. She hated to lie to a friend.

With luck, it wouldn’t matter. He’d learn that it was a ruse within a day, yes, but he’d forgive her if it all worked out. 

If. 

Indigo sighed, and stepped forward long enough to pull him into a hug. If he thought that was strange, a farewell hug for a supposedly-brief supply run, he didn’t breathe a word of it. She’d been a little shaky these past few weeks, after all. He wouldn’t begrudge her a bit of support after everything she’d lost. 

When she pulled back, Poe’s brows had drawn inwards with suspicion. She took a step back, swallowing hard. 

“Good luck on your mission.” he told her, and didn’t say anything more. His posture was stiff, mechanical. He’d probably already guessed it. He was rowdy, yes, but he’d never been a stupid man.

Indie grit her teeth, forcing herself to turn away. 

🏅 What is something you recently felt proud of in regard to your writing (finished a fic, actually planned for once, etc).

The last two chapters I posted, on two different fics, were both over 7k words long, and I thought they were both very good. And I'm devilishly proud of how much emotional damage I've put my readers through in Bolts and Blasters, particularly since I've already started writing the resolution to it.

📚 Do you read your own fic?

All the time lol. I write it for me, so of course I reread it.

👩‍🏭 If one of your fics was going to get you arrested, which one and why?

Desert Song or Nom De Guerre. I'd like to think that my depictions of thievery, pickpocketing, coup d'etats, underground crime groups, and whatever else that writing 6 Underground fanfiction entails is decently accurate (or at least enough for suspension of disbelief)... but is it TOO accurate?

😈 Is there anything you enjoy doing that you think your readers hate?

I have a few fics where the main character's POV is in first-person perspective, and I know that's pretty polarizing. I still write most of my fics in third-person and even a few in second, but there's a certain level of perspective and closeness in first-person that you really can't quite get in the others. It feels more like they're telling their stories, rather than having this omniscient or godly Narrator walking them through it. I don't use it all the time (only 2 of my fics use first-person, and both also have POV shifts to other characters, which are written in third-person) but I think it can be very powerful when it's done right.

[atalana]

as someone with a parent who makes a living from painting, so i've been immersed in it my whole life, my best advice? TALK TO OTHER ARTISTS

seriously that's the best way to start networking. talk to other artists online, start conversations at gallery openings, put posters up to find artists in your community, whatever, just find people whose work you like and who like your work, ideally both overseas and local. now their artist network is your artist network, you can all help each other

second, i can seriously second the art fair thing. if your town/city already has local art fairs or studio tours, get involved, it's a great way to make income. if it doesn't, start one! find those other artists in your local community and all put your work on show together, you just need space(s) to exhibit (can be your homes if you can't afford anywhere else) and ways to tell people about it - organise flyers and posters, put it on facebook and instagram, get on a local radio show if you can. two consecutive weekends tends to be the formula for how long you exhibit, but it could be longer! find what works for you (but be prepared to advertise yourself a lot - humility doesn't get you far in the art world, know what you're worth and advertise it bc you want the world to know)

(as for what to sell, this will be painting specific bc that's where my experience is, but i advise having a range of prices - big pieces that are up for hundreds or thousands of dollars do occasionally sell! value your work at what it's worth! but most of your art fair income will come from prints or small originals in the $20-100 range, and greeting cards. seriously, i've been going to events like this four times a year my whole life, and every artist has their work on greeting cards. it's an easy way for people who can't afford proper pieces to take your work home with them, or to show it to others, you can sell these for like $5 each and they do sell)

also while you're advertising yourself, talk to local galleries! some might charge you a fee to exhibit, most will take a cut of sales, so be aware of that and do what's gonna work best for you, but it's always worth it to ask

if you're a young person, there may be programs in place specifically to help boost your work, have a look at what's out there! a lot of people in the art world care about new voices and want to help them compete with the more established careers in the room. also, i cannot stress this enough, bring your friends to things. especially if it's any kind of gallery opening (a lot of openings are free! there will be snacks! and cool art!)

the number one thing i get asked by gallery owners is how to get the youth interested in art. i never have a concrete answer for them, bc local art events just really aren't on people's radar in the internet age, but every person i've brought to one has discovered they like them and they want to go again. and the fact that i keep getting asked this means that gallery owners will probably like you if you can bring a whole posse of young adults in, because even if they don't buy anything, they're a valuable perspective, they're potential future artists, and they know how to advertise on the internet, which will eventually reach someone with money who will buy something

another thing my mum's done that may not be on people's radar - children's book covers. most adult books these days are just photo-manipulated, but kids books still need art, which means someone somewhere's gotta paint it. and there's a lot more local writers than you think - if you can find some to add to your artist network, you've got a job

(also the bigger a name you can make for yourself locally, the more likely businesses are to pay you when they need work done. my mum's gotten commissions before for a mural on a primary school wall, or painting a shop window, just because she was the artist those people knew)

and no matter what kind of art you do, or where you go to do it, get business cards!! and leave them everywhere, have some everywhere you exhibit, leave some with gallery owners, with the other artists you know, with anyone who commissions you. put an image of your art on one side of the card and your name, contact details, and website if you have one, on the other side. you will come up in conversation when you're not around more times than you think, and all those people you've worked with need something to give to random people who want to know who made that art. additionally, whenever i go to any kind of art fair, i grab the business cards of any artist i like, because it has happened before that i see something i love but can't pay for it right now, or in one instance i bought a necklace from a jewellery maker that i adored, but it recently got lost at an airport, so i'm gonna ask the maker about commissions to see if i could pay them to replace it. the business cards let me find those artists so i can buy stuff from them outside of the art fairs. and they let new people find you

I think at some point in time we need to sit down and start explaining to artist who want to make a career out of art that there are FAR more options than just "living off of commissions" and "posting my art online and praying I get paid for it".

[johannestevans]

I was saying the last day to a friend that what people don't realise about Garak is that yes, he's extremely provocative and he lives to offend and provoke people, to pick out vulnerable threads in their characters and pluck and play with them like he's pulling them out of their clothes, and yes, he says things that are specifically about Cardassian superiority and culture, especially when he's provoking Bajorans

this is partly because he's The Worst™, partly because he genuinely feels he deserves everyone's hatred, partly because he's happy to be trusted but too much of a nationalist to be trusted if that means people forgetting he's Cardassian, and partly because he thinks it's funny

but consistently, when people describe their culture and defend it to him as proudly as Garak describes and defends his own, he is PLEASED. Garak will tell you until his face turns purple that he hates Klingons, Ferengi, Bajorans, Romulans, Vulcans, etc, but whenever Kira describes Bajor's religion or Klingons go toe to toe with him whilst talking about Kahless or when Quark defends Ferengi culture, Garak is PLEASED

because to Garak, from his moderately insane perspective, if he tells you Cardassian culture is superior and all you do is call him a spoonhead and walk away, you've just proven him right

but if you SHOW your culture, if you defend it piece by piece, it doesn't matter if you spit in his face while you do so - he'll be glad, because if you care enough about it to defend it like that, it must be good for something, and it must be worth defending.

if you don't bother to defend it, or if you jump to personal insults, that's fine, but you're ceding to Cardassian superiority in the first place, and he thinks that's a shame.

Garak as a Cardassian despises individualism and it's probably what he hates most about the Federation and Starfleet - like, Quark and Garak have their root beer conversation where they both scornfully discuss the Federation's cosmopolitan multiculturism and basically point out that the Federation is just as much a colonial force as Cardassia or the Klingins etc, and one of the ways you can consistently befriend Garak is by telling him things he doesn't know and defend them not from a place of logic or sentiment, but LOYALTY to a higher cause, and to a collective

he doesn't tell julian he needs to learn to murder his friends just bc he thinks julian killing people is sexy, although it is - it's also because he wants julian to learn that he can have his friends as an individual, or he can have his ideals as a servant and representative of the causes he claims to support, but he can't be both an individual AND truly loyal to a collective. he has to choose one, ideally the latter.

even if that cause is Starfleet, he'll grudgingly respect it

my favourite thing about garak is also how he consistently comes off as liking and trusting and respecting women far more than he does men, especially bc like

so garak is the pettiest bitch alive, but the bit in civil defence when he tells dukat to back the fuck off kira has NOTHING to do with dukat himself

garak hates dukat. he killed his father, he thinks dukat represents everything flawed and wrong and corrupted in the Cardassian military and government, he thinks Dukat is an embarrassment, hedonistic, selfish, and all these other flaws

and yet in that moment, he doesn't embarrass Dukat in the way that would hurt him most, by implying it and making Dukat figure out what he's saying. he doesn't say it to another character and let it cut him. he doesn't even tell KIRA, and let her refuse Dukat

garak, in short, doesn't do anything about that interaction in a Cardassian way. he doesn't belabour the point, he doesn't draw it out

he sees that dukat is making advances on kira, and that not being Cardassian - and also bc Kira thinks that even Dukat wouldn't stoop that low - she isn't noticing the cues, and he's furious

he's furious that dukat is disrespecting the major like that. the major that garak genuinely quite likes, no matter that kira will never trust him and always hate him - garak has never been and will never be offended when kira threatens him or insults him, even about ziyal later on, because kira is a bajoran and she makes a bajoran something worth BEING. she knows her history, she knows her culture, poetry, religion - she educates both gently and aggressively, she tells federation people to fuck off when they're ignorant, and she is PROUD of who she is. Garak calls her by her title a LOT more than he does some people, for one, and apart from the threats which we all know he enjoys from everyone, he almost never says a bad word about her when she comes up in conversation which I think is so funny

and when he sees what dukat is doing, he's disgusted. yes, he's disgusted bc dukat is disgusting and bc garak likes kira, he's disgusted that dukat is treating kira like one of the bajoran women he could pluck out of a line up and casually take for his comfort, but more than that, he's disgusted that dukat is taking advantage of kira's trust and ignorance.

but what he's disgusted by most isn't dukat himself, but that he's a Cardassian doing this in front of Garak who sees what he's doing, in a room of stupid aliens who don't know any better, and he thinks Garak will LET him? that he'll APPROVE? like fuck he will!

garak speaks very bluntly in that interaction. it's probably the bluntest and simplest we see him get outside of begging tain to acknowledge him as a son.

what's telling about it is how dukat reacts - how he says, wounded and scandalised, "Garak!"

how it's JULIAN that has to seriously tell garak to back off

because even Dukat didn't expect garak would do that. because its not very cardassian of him. a Cardassian doesn't just bluntly reveal the intentions of another like that when he has nothing to gain from it - it isn't done! it's impolite, it's improper! Kira is just an alien woman, after all, and Garak has just embarrassed Dukat in front of all these aliens not because he's being selfish and self indulgent and that's bad from a Cardassian POV, but because Garak is seeing Dukat disrespect this alien officer in a way that he dislikes, and so he puts a pin in it

as though kira is a Cardassian. as though she's worthy of that defence as an OFFICER, not as a Bajoran or a woman.

and he doesn't rub it in. he doesn't gloat over dukat. he doesn't go on and on about Dukat's affection for Bajoran women or women that don't want anything to do with him, even through he easily could, even though he enjoys hurting Dukat, even though flustering him would be a benefit in their conversation

because all of that would upset KIRA. it wouldn't be worth hurting Dukat for, and in fact, I think Garak would have done exactly the same thing if it was any other Cardassian officer, which is WHY it's so significant bc like.

Garak is so petty, as I said.

it's telling when he puts his pettiness aside to prioritise something else.

[rosabienfuerte]

sorry if this is an odd question but how do you stay motivated to do art/passionate about it? i struggle so much with motivation and inspiration and having the will to do things, and to be honest your stuff actually inspires me a lot but even then i just cant bring myself to do anything. its probably due to my mental health but in the case that it isn't, what are your methods to stay so creative and draw so often?

not odd at all, no need to apologize! (so sorry the answer is so late!!)

struggling with getting art done hasn't been much of a struggle for me since it's more of... a need i have. a compulsion. if i don't draw, i feel bad.

but i've noticed that for people who don't draw too often or struggle to get motivated, it helps to set a simple routine... it doesn't matter how much/long u draw, as long as you're drawing daily or weekly, whether it be for 5 minutes, or "just" a doodle, something is something! 1% is always 100% better than 0%.

it's also important not to overly force yourself to draw, don't push yourself too far if it's bad for your health, whether it's physical or mental. congratulate yourself for drawing if you do it, and don't beat yourself up for struggling. it's more than okay.

as for inspiration... well, i think there's no way to create out of nowhere! you have to consume first! i take inspiration from my life, my friends, my feelings, nature, the world around me, other people's art, and obviously my interests! sometimes i feel like i've squeezed out all my art juice and there's nothing left for me to create. when that happens, i just consume more things until i feel inspired again to draw.

also, if you don't know exactly what to draw, you can also just use references! draw from models, from images of animals, plants, objects, people, places, things you see IRL...!

remember to take care, and don't beat yourself up for struggling with motivation. art can be hard sometimes. drawing often can be hard. i don't struggle with this with drawing bc its like, smth im always doing, but i do struggle with writing, for example, or other creative activities that i'm not used to...

i'm very glad you're inspired by my stuff, thank you so much <3 i'm sorry if my response isn't what you're looking for or if i misinterpreted your questions... i hope it helps at least a little bit!

also, if you can, read this post about art. it changed my life and my perspective on the topic entirely.

[effervescentdragon]

Another Therapy Session For Me or Thanks, Taylor, You're The Woman

okay so i need to get this out. taylor swift put out all too well 10 min version yesterday, and i watched the short film the moment i woke up and i have something to say

first of all, the song hits on so many different levels, like, the gaslighting of my previous relationship, oh my god. that part with his friends, and how she straightened her hair and wore red lipstick, fuck, i did that. i read everything there was about this 'straight edge' crap his bandmates were into, and i listened to this awful fucking screaming music so that i woyld have something to discuss with them when i was inevitably pulled into their little fucked up band circle. and fuck, im not that into music, im always more into lyrics, but my interests didnt matter. and when i commented on their casual misogyny and how one of his bandmates used to cheat on his wife whenever they went away for a gig, and everyone knew it, i got told that its not like that and i was misinterpreting it and that it was stupid and unimportant, implying that me and my feelings and thoughts were also stupid and unimportant. and my ex was only 2yrs older than me, but his friends were like 6-10 yrs older than that, and it just made me feel so fucking awful.

this song brought back so many memories that i only now realize are so fucked up. girls are always put in these patriarchal structures where its expected of us to seek approval from men who are older and hence depicted as wiser, and that is just such fucking bullshit. (ofc, trans and non-binary people are also put in these kinds of power structure struggles, but here im talking from my perspective as a cis woman who is attracted to men). its like, your worth increases if you get approval from these 'cool older smart dudes', but when time passes, you realize that those dudes are literally fucking wankers with emotional range of a teaspoon who in a way prey on impressionable, younger girls, because in most cases women their age would expect them to, you know. have a job or something, and not spend their days pretending they're metallica in their seventh-rate glorified boy band, but for Real Men and playing Real Music, whatever the fuck that even means.

other point was, that kissing scene between sadie and dylan. holy fuck did that make me uncomfortable, and it took me some time to figure out why, and then i remembered. when i was 17 i had this friend who was some 8 yrs older than me. he was smart, and cool, and seemed like he had life figured out, and we spent ages talking abt politics and philosophy and fantasy (he got me into asoiaf) and i wasnt always as oblivious to romantic stuff as i am now, so i always felt there was some intent there, but something always held me back. i kept telling myself "oh ur so shallow, he may not be the handsomest guy around, but you should give him a chance despite that, bcs hes really nice and kind and smart". and holy fucking god how fucked up is that?! that is fucking patriarchal gaslighting at its fucking WORST, bcs now i realize that wasnt me being shallow. that was me being uncomfortable, the same kind of uncomfortable i felt while i watched that scene and that i felt when he kissed me that one time and i turned away real quick and kinda ghosted him before ghosting was a thing. it was the unconfortable which comes from a twenty six year old man kissing a seventeen year old girl. fuck. just, fucking hell, i didnt even realize how messed up that was, and still is. so like, kudos to my internal alarm going off and not engaging in that kind of relationship. what i think also helped is that my friend at that time 18 was in a relationship with this 29yo dude, and i could feel red flags all throughout that relationship even if i couldnt articulate them, because of whom she turned down a scholarship for oxford and stayed in our shitty little town in the middle of nowhere, only to break up when she was 21. probably too old for him.

so basically i wanna say thanks taylor, for putfing all this into perspective for me. i havent stopped listening to the song for these past two days, and it really, really helps knowing that im not the only one.

[funkymbtifiction]

hi, i’ve been trying to figure out my type for a while, and i think i’ve got it down to esxp 6w7. i was unsure between 6w7 and 7w6, but i think i prioritize work too much over fun to be a 7w6. for example, my family and i planned to see a concert, but i realized i had a quiz the following day and told them i couldn’t go because i would’ve been too stressed out about studying to fully enjoy it. while i seek shortcuts, escape routes in life, and new experiences, i do prioritize work over play. i also don’t think i could go back and forth between trying jobs to see which i enjoy and appeals to me better. financial security is way too important to me, and there’s not really any other job i see myself working in the future other than nursing. 

Yeah, that all indicates a strong sp6.

as for esxp, i’m fairly sure i’m an extraverted perceiving type. i’m terrible at planning for the future, although i have a certain vision of what i want it to look like. brainstorming is difficult for me, and for ideas, i look to other people to and then come up with my own. theoretical, abstract information is hard for me to understand, and i prefer hands-on approach to things, which is why i enjoy learning instruments, crafting with clay, or baking. i’m a bit impulsive and sometimes act first, think later. however, i have questioned if i’m ne dom, bc i do like looking at possibilities of “what could be.” one show i watch had a terrible ending to a season finale, and i like looking at what would happen in the next season to potentially make it better, focusing on characters that i think were written badly. i also like envisioning experiences that could happen, if i’m unhappy with my circumstances, like transferring to my best friend’s uni in new york. i later realized the cost and practicality of it was not worth it though. i get obsessed with things (like buying sample perfumes) to the detriment of my bank account, and then move on to the next phase. as much as i like looking at possibilities and theories, i quickly get tired of it and need it to happen and experience it in real life. 

That's ESP for sure and some 7 wing stuff.

for fi-te and ti-fe, i have no idea. i do have morals, but they’re pretty universal, just the basic be kind to people. i think of everyone as the same at the core of it, so it shocks me when people are rude to others. i don’t think i could date or befriend someone who was homophobic, racist, etc. when i’m upset, i feel solace in other people probably feeling the same at one point in their lives. yes, those cringy posts about how the world is infinite and how could your problems matter if you’re just a speck of dust in the universe and will it even matter in 5 years? yeah, that really puts things in perspective for me when i feel lost. i rarely dip into how i feel about things, but when i do, it’s usually a temper tantrum that i regret soon after. i tend to invalidate my feelings and find external things to blame if i feel negatively. 

I'm honestly not sure. Some of this sounds low Fe-ish, but it's also 6ish to blame other people for your problems. There's a lot of focus here on what is/isn't something you would tolerate (Fi), but it overall seems more generalized morality (low Fe) to me, so I would look at ESTP first. (I go in-depth into both types in my book, if you're interested. It's called 16 Kinds of Crazy and the link is on the website.)

[tobe-sogolden]

The speaking for whole groups of people gets on my nerves as well. I had a friend tell me that poc were upset with Olivia because of the article and she said she was reading and listening to what they had to say, but she didn’t even say what it was? So I thought it was something really harmful but it was the 50s quote. That annoyed me because I knew she hadn’t read the article or even the whole paragraph that the quote came from to form her own opinion first. She’d just seen that comment out of context and the people she followed (a lot of her mutuals I know don’t like her which is whatever) were angry. Like the way she said it just came across really performative and condescending? I knew there would have been people who didn’t have a problem with it. We’re both white and I would never dismiss someone else’s feelings or argue that they’re wrong, I completely agree with you that it could have been said with more understanding of how it could be interpreted, but I knew what she meant by it. that kind of activism annoys me because it comes from a place of wanting to feel validated that you’re a good person or not racist, “that’s enough activism for today” kind of thing you know? When actually you can have your own opinion on something like this comment, as long as you’re respectful and can understand different people’s perspectives. And sometimes you don’t have to say anything or act fake outraged on someone else’s behalf you know? It’s the group think mentality and blowing things out of proportion thing of this fandom yet again. Again I am white so I understand I could be speaking out of turn but that’s just what I thought on this topic

That kind of behavior is so dangerous to me bc you're not getting your info from an unbiased source yet you don't feel like you're even able to form your own opinion anyways bc you're told you're not allowed to. Probably a very unpopular sentiment among POC, but I can't tell you how annoyed I get with the whole "you can't speak on this unless you're a person of color" thing. It's so ridiculous like you're allowed to have an opinion for god's sake. Obviously don't speak over POC and act like you know what they should and shouldn't be offended by but people need to be able to have civilized adult conversations without their opinions being dismissed outright. Bc like I said before, all that ends up happening is that people feel intimidated into agreeing bc they don't want to seem racist by having a different opinion than a POC and they want people to think they're a good woke. Bc as a non-POC if you even bring up a clarification or a point that conflicts with what they're saying, you get told you shouldn't even be speaking. And like that might work for you online but good luck trying that in the real world lmao. Like yeah there are absolutely things that non-POC aren't going to understand are harmful and in those instances it's good to be quiet & just listen, but that's not what's happening here. People were poised to find anything they could possibly use against her in that article, no matter how much reaching and purposeful misinterpretation and context stripping they had to do so they could add it to her ever-growing list of wrongdoings. POC are not infallible and can be clouded by bias just like white people can, sorry to say 🤷🏾‍♀️

[syubub]

Hoseok soulmate reading

Let's get the disclaimer out of the way: This is for entertainment purposes only and shouldn't be taken as fact! This is my interpretation of the cards.

Oki. Before we begin I must say... I put this off as long as possible. For those of you who have followed me for a while, you know that hobi is THE HARDEST to connect with and tbh this was no different. I'll probably revisit this reading again at a different time (you'll see why)

So. To start things off... Hope has some.. strange(?) energy. His energy was really vague and weak. The color too is intresting because its 100% not a color I've ever seen and I'm not sure if something is afflicting the color of his energy? Its ruby red but also deep grey blue? Its really strange and honestly pretty but it doesn't feel like the normal color? The color is usually a nice red with some deeper hints but...Its usually a bit more... lively? It just feels dull right now.

It looks like this right now but with a little more red? Its really peculiar.

Now. Idk maybe some shit is going on with him right now? Or maybe bc there was a fuckin lunar eclipse in Gemini last night? Idk but the energy was a little.. hostile. That's not a bad thing but it kinda felt like he was being broody? Its all really strange but he was not very into the reading (more so than usual) blah blah he didn't want to talk and I asked some questions I probably shouldn't have and some stuff happened. Long story short his soulmate(?) Showed up and pushed our foreheads together so we'd have to connect.

I asked his soulmate if they could tell me what the fuck was going on and they said that they don't know him well. Idk if that means that they don't know him well on a soul level? I'll get into this more later but this feels like something that's already been concluded or comes back up from time to time.

"He's pretty closed off huh?" Yes soulmate. He is.

I asked for more info about them and they said May. I was like cool, is that your name or? "Nah" sick is that like you're birthday? "Not really" cool cool cool.

They did say that he deserves better than what he has. I'm gonna leave it at that but hobi is possibly going through some shit.

Now we can get onto the reading part. I do want to say though, this reading felt very disconnected and weird? Just like somethings off and I have a feeling that this soulmate is more of the "life lesson" type soulmate?

Oki. We have temperance, chariot, two of cups, queen of coins. This is a person who is definitely motivated and driven and 100% a business savy human. They are also very likely loyal and know how to balance work and play time very very well. Is well-off (or materialistic) lol. There's a very ride or die energy that tells me this person is the type of friend that will do anything for you but when you do stupid shit then you get a stern talking to. Idk why but it also feels lonely? Like they're on their own journey to find themselves and their path/happiness/self and if it doesn't fit in the wagon then it gets left behind. This person might move too fast and miss out on important things because they're always chasing after something. They take "its not the destination that matters but the journey that does" to a whole new level and they just never stop to enjoy the scenery bc they'd rather get the rush of newness.

As for their relationship. As I said before I think this soulmate specifically is the "life lesson" type and could definitelybe a platonicsoulmate too. The kind that provides you with an opportunity for growth. With the 5 of swords rev. I kinda think that this could be someone from either a past life or back in a less favorable time. The fool card to me makes me thin that this relationship provides a sense of being born again? Its that newness of having a new perspective and a whole new understanding of self. With the magician rev. Its about issues with communication i.e not being able to get across your needs and desires for both of them and a lack of energy to figure it out. I also feel like this was just something that they didn't fix and didn't want to fix. (I'm talking in past tense bc this reading feels like its someone from the past) This card also talks about deception. I'm not gonna go into this much. With the 3 of wands though!! Yay! This talks about progress and I feel like this points to them learning more and more about who they are and what they truly want. They're kinda like lines that were moving towards eachother, intersected and then continued going in their own direction. Its like this time together was formative in who they are as people and what they dream of! And with the father of cups it does seem that over all the relationship was/is (I don't know how to talk about this) relatively balanced and they had/have respect for eachother. This card specifically is about balanced emotions and emotional intelligence and I think that this is what they gain from this relationship.

Moving right along we have the oracle cards! Stand by you commitment, financial healing, unconventionality, socialize or join in and sensitive emotions. The flower cards are from hobi to soulmate and the others are from soulmate to hope. Now. Maybe his soulmate went through a failed business venture that they're recovering from or just general money trouble bc the whole world is being fucked over by a virus. Either way hobi is very strong in the message of commitment (that makes me think that its specifically about business or something they started but never finished) onto cards for Hope. He might kinda be going through the shitty times and his soulmates advice is to not isolate and celebrate himself more. He might be having some issues related to self image or a soul-identity crisis? Idk but hobi needs that good good self care and love.

Now the two unicorn cards. Those are also from his soulmate to hope about some personal shit and I will be leaving that out because its not my fucking business. (Hobi is fine don't worry)

Woo wee lets get on to traits! First for zodiac sign. Earth, fire, air. Possible Libra and Taurus placements.

Tiny cards. Light hair, dark hair, sweet, extrovert, hard working, tall, business oriented, loud, fate, sorry, open, faith, happy, wait.

First off I get brown hair vibes (maybe medium brown?)

The word cards sound like his soulmate trying to give him a pep talk so I pulled an affirmation card that says in stillness I receive. I think hobi is going through some soul stuff and I'm not sure if this specificly translates into his life right now (though I think it does and he's repressing it or hopefully he's sorting it out on his own privately)

Oki oki oki. Idk why but it also might be that hobi is doing work to heal his inner child? I honestly don't know whats going on or if its affecting him in his day to day life at this time but I want to come back and do this reading at a time that he might be in a better energy space?

Hobi is ALWAYS hard to read and its even harder when he's less open than usual.

I'll get another soulmate read from hobi at some point and see if I can catch a "future/current romantic soulmate"

I am confused 😕

Also!! I have a Ko-fi now! I'll drop the link here but its in my bio! Absolutely no pressure but its there for people who want to tip me and were looking for a way to support me! (Also, I'm not taking readings through ko-fi so please don't drop money and request a reading there.)

Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/syubub