#... maybe i should get online payment

[aceofspades-sml]

You can tell the newsies cast are all unemployed right now just by the way they are joining cameo one by one

[cyberneticdryad]

this is a reminder that you should not be afraid to call and ask questions regarding your medical bills!!

[theres-whump-in-that-nebula]

I wonder if I can save money on food when moving out by just getting a 30 day supply of “just add water” MREs and cutting the portions in half? The only other food items I’d get would be flour and rice (in bulk), and maybe eggs, so I could pay only around 200 dollars in food for a supply of two months or potentially longer. It would work wonders for my executive dysfunction, not having to cook much. Plus, I could save money on gas by not having to drive to the store very often. I could also grow food indoors.

[yaminerua]

Genuinely looking into the idea of trying to throw together a budget Rimmer cosplay for September now asdfhhjjdssfhk

[suiana]

Yandere reader x rental boyfriend 🤯

i thought i had a rental bf already but okay

(yandere! rental bf x gn! reader)

you had originally hired him to be your boyfriend for an event. you needed a partner, it was a duo event after all. so you went and found him through a website, set up a contract and everything was contractual.

until it wasn't?

you don't know how he misunderstood things, how he saw your actions as romantic when you had clearly set up the contract together with him. you were only acting as required to make your act believable! you couldn't understand how he saw otherwise. not when he's also a seasoned rental boyfriend.

alas, maybe he's not as professional as he claimed to be. which is why you were in this position now.

"what? it was a lie all along? you didn't fall for me? really?"

you sigh at his panicked words, nodding in irritation as you flip through your phone. this could have been all avoided had he just remained professional. i mean, you had always reminded him that this was just a contractual relationship! so it wasn't your fault at all!

you had to cut him off now because clearly, he isn't looking for just a professional relationship.

"i still don't understand how you mistook my actions."

"y-you said you loved me!"

you shake your head, turning to leave. this was getting no where. perhaps you'll just transfer him his payment through online means. you really didn't want to see him again.

he's just so... pathetic.

"i'll give you your payment soon. goodbye and thanks for your hard work."

and then you left. not caring about how he was crying or begging you to come back. and while your heartless actions hurt his heart, all he could think about was what he should do to your best friend that was hidden in his basement.

gritting his teeth, he wipes his tears away as he stares at the opened door which you left through. his face shows no mercy, twisting angrily as he clenches his fists. maybe it's time to show you how serious he is about you.

"you... you'll regret leaving me."

[mimimui]

bllk boys as your not-so bf

includes: isagi, bachira, chigiri, nagi, reo, rin

tags: use of profanity, use of 'babe', one-sided(?), angst if you squint hard enough, discord in nagi's

a/n: inspired by my not-so bf (we don't talk anymore) :b srsly idk if that guy actually liked me or not but anyway .. enjoy !

even if he's at soccer training, he answers all your texts right away. you've seen him reply, or rather, not reply, to his other friends whenever he was with you. it feels as if isagi gives you special treatment, but in reality, you barely talk in real life. he pays you no mind when you pass by him, as if you were strangers. sure, he can act like that all he wants, but he can't forget all the late night talks you had.

you've shared secrets, fears, ambitions, and questions with each other. you've exchanged greetings, selfies, and "i love you"s, yet he's able to act as if you're nothing more to him. you look at him and there's a familiar pang in your heart, one you've experienced many times before.

how much longer is he going to hide his true feelings for you? does he have feelings at all?

the morning of the sleepover your friend hosted, you and bachira lie down comfortably on the bed, clicking through your friends' instagram stories. you're on his chest and his head is on your shoulder, him being the one clicking through while you hold your phone. he occassionally makes comments about them, saying things like "that was funny" or "ooh that one's pretty, introduce me sometime?"

you frown at his comment, but he doesn't see it. you two are always so close, holding hands and whatnot. you're always mistaken as a couple, but bachira denies it quicker than you do, which is a sign you should probably take. when you all go home, your friend sends you a picture they took of you and bachira on the bed and teases you.

your heart wrenches as you tell them "we're just friends."

you share a lot of your things with chigiri, and he does the same. you always find him asking to borrow your hairbrush, if he can take a bite of your food, use your phone, and more than you can remember. can you recall when you let him use your shirt after training? yeah, that was the only thing of yours he never gave back. why would he even keep that shirt?

on his way home, his teammates asked him if the shirt belonged to his significant other. he pauses for a moment, but then ultimately denies even having one. you get a bit irritated at times, and he has to snap you out of your thoughts at the cafe you two frequent. here you are, once again sharing a drink with one straw. yes, one.

from all the indirect kisses you've shared, you should actually just kiss at this point.

you and nagi play video games together everyday. you're always seen duoing together, so a lot of people mistake you two for a couple. after soccer training, nagi's quick to turn on his computer and ask you to play games with him. fps, rpg, horror... you've played so many games together you've lost count.

in vc, he hears you groan and he stifles a laugh. you complain the player that killed you is cheating as you click through the players to spectate nagi. when you're about to mention the flank, he says something that makes your heart pound. maybe you're imagining it, or maybe it's because of a shitty headset, but did he just call you 'babe'?

you shake your head, brushing it off. you probably just heard wrong.

reo connected his online payment to your food apps, so you don't have to pay for your orders. you refused at first, but as your face recognition detects his face, your phone was now his domain. he tells you to order food whenever you want, and not to tell him when you do, he doesn't mind.

but as you see him carrying an extra lunchbox with food he made himself, you wonder who he's going to give it to. you're not bothered, of course, it was just a cooked lunch. made by reo. personally. you mentally slap yourself for thinking about it so much. are you even allowed to be jealous of the lunchbox's recipient? you're just reo's friend, and you already have access to his online wallet, so what's the problem?

yeah... what's the problem?

he's annoyingly good at minesweeper. rin effortlessly completed the board, while you're still stuck deciding between the bottom or top tile. he acts nonchalant about his umpteenth win that day, but you know he wants to brag about it to you so bad.

you sigh in defeat, asking him for another rematch, which he gladly agrees to. and, just like all other times, he completes his board first. this time, instead of laughing at you for being slow, he takes your device and completes the board for you. he complains you take too long, and that he gets impatient when his love isn't done with the game.

wait. his what?

thanks for reading (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

[dawnisdreamlanding]

CHAPTER 1

Ghost x Reader x Konig

(Neighbour!au and Roommate!au cause I can't get enough of them hehe)

Also like for this fic just don't mind how this would actually never happen in real life + don't think too much about the logic in this story. It's all purely fictional and for your entertainment :)

You want to go home.

Your apartment keys jingle as they hang from your fingers. Room 409. You sigh. It’s been a long day, to say the least. All you want to do is to just relax and unwind like you would any other Friday with a glass of wine and that dumpster fire of a Netflix show that is ‘Emily in Paris’. You let out another long sigh waiting for the elevator to reach the lobby. At least Emily lives a much more exciting and drama-filled life than you did with your 9 to 5 job.

You stare at your feet, trying to find something to pass the time that seems to drag on for forever. Your feet are already killing you from your high heels that you’ve been wearing for over 9 hours. Usually, you would be home by 7 — it’s 11 — especially on a Friday. Laura, a close coworker of yours went on pregnancy leave, meaning you’re working more hours to cover her absence.

Your phone buzzes with a reminder from your calendar app — oh great, it’s already 12. ‘RENT PAYMENT DUE IN A WEEK.’ You haven’t found a roommate to occupy that extra bedroom in your apartment even after 2 months of your listing being put online. Granted, you should’ve started looking for a new roommate the moment your previous one told you they were moving out, but you were too busy for that! You tap your foot impatiently. How long does it take for an elevator to travel up 2 floors from the carpark to the lobby?

The elevator doors open with a ‘ding!’ and you’re met with the giant of a man that is this mysterious guy wearing all black. His brown hair and matching brown eyes make him dashing and the scars littering on his face adds on to his good looks somehow. “’s rude to stare, love.” His gruff voice snaps you out of it. “R-right, sorry.” To say he was intimidating was an understatement, but god was he good looking.

When you’re both in the elevator, the usual smell of the clean, bleached scent is replaced with the smell of cigarettes and an undertone of gunpowder? Whatever it is, you much prefer it over the smell of bleach you’ve been used to for months. The elevator ride is silent and you both get off the same floor to go our separate ways… except he was following you!

You get a little bit nervous as anyone would if a tall, maybe 190cm buff guy was following you a few steps behind. “What apartment you in?” You say with panic filling your body with each step. Oh god, you don’t wanna die yet! “410.” He responds. “Oh.” Well, that makes more sense.

“I’m your neighbor then! Nice to meet you.” You smile and introduce yourself. He hums in response. “Simon Riley.” He says, nodding at you in acknowledgement. You would like to chat with this guy more, but he doesn’t strike you as talkative, as if his short replies didn’t already tell you that.

You both turn the locks on your own apartment doors. “Next time, you should really run if you think you’re in danger.” He chuckles a little to himself. You turn to look at him in shock, only to find he’s already disappeared into his apartment. So he did know! Asshole. You shake your head and enter your own apartment.

After showering, you scroll your phone on Instagram mindlessly when a notification pops up on your phone. Oh my god, someone responded to your listing! You waste no time in responding to them, despite it being ass-o-clock. You arrange to meet up with them in the afternoon, and you head to sleep hoping whoever this guy is will be a good roommate for you.

When you wake up, you’re a little behind schedule. Scrap that, VERY behind schedule. You haven’t cleaned up the apartment and made it presentable to your possible roommate yet, and you’re gonna meet him in 20 minutes downstairs! You hurriedly stuff all the clothes you find lying around in the living room into your own bedroom and clean the kitchen counters — you know the drill.

As soon as you’re done arranging the last piece of furniture in the living room, you rush out of the door, bumping into that neighbor you met last night. You give him a quick, “Morning, Simon!” before rushing past him, not even giving him time to greet you back.

Somehow by the grace of god, you’re right on time to meet the guy. You agree to meet him at the café right across your apartment complex, and holy fuck. There’s no way this 2 meter guy is your roommate. You both stare at each other awkwardly before you decide to go up to him. “Konig?” I say, and he nods. Oh he is.

[gay-dorito-dust]

Can you maybe do a Wednesday and Enid x reader (platonic or romantic) where basically the reader comes from a very rich family and likes to spoil Wednesday and Enid.

(I hope this makes sense)

Is this what you wanted? Idk but I thought a headcannon format would be more sufficient for this but again idk. You tell me.

You spare no expenses when it came to Wednesday and Enid. You never bothered to try in fact because it didn’t really matter, as the money spent would eventually find itself back into your parents bank account anyways so why should you fret about accidentally crossing certain thresholds?

So when Wednesday’s typewriter starts having complications, hindering her writing time, you assured her that you would be able to get it fixed by the best people there was in fixing things. However it turns out that the typewriter was irreparably damaged and you had to buy Wednesday a new one that was personalised to be coated in a matte black colour and you even had her initials engraved on the front of it in gold cursive.

Wednesday may not have looked visibly thrilled at the new typewriter but her bland words of “I’m so ecstatic that my face can not comprehend how to convey it.” Were all you needed to know that she did in fact liked her new typewriter and began working on her book as though nothing ever happened. The next day you found a dead bird in front of your dorm, this was Wednesday’s way of saying ‘thank you.’

You even went out of your way to find enid a new part for her laptop when she complains to you that she couldn’t get anything do without it. So once again you went off to find the best shops available in Jericho that could help you in finding what you needed. Unfortunately due to it being the city of Jericho there weren’t a single good shop in sight that even had the part you needed in stock nor even in the back with the rest of the recent deliveries.

Typical.

With that you resorted to plan b and reached out online to shops elsewhere and ordered it for a next day delivery as to save yourself and enid the agonising waiting game. You even got her some other parts should this happen again but all of them were expensive and of state of the art manufacturing with the added promise of longevity and efficiency.

Enid was gobsmacked when she learnt that you did this all for her. “How can I pay you back for doing this for me?” She would ask but all you told her was that you didn’t need to be paid back for as long as she was happy and that the part was doing it’s job smoothly without any hitches, then that’s all the payment you desired.

This didn’t stop at fixing and or replacing their broken stuff but it also extended to their birthdays where you got enid more squishmellows for her growing pile, top of the range designer clothing that you’d knew she would look stunning in, new sets of nail polish, moisturisers, makeup and some new fairy lights should her current ones light their final night.

For Wednesday it was a little more trickier as she hated her birthday being celebrated in the traditional sense that you and enid were brought up with and instead you bought her an actual guillotine that she had set up next to her cello outside on the balcony of Ophelia Hall, dissection kits, things to keep her cello in top condition, some dark flowers that didn’t require much caring for, pacidermy animals much to Enid’s dismay as Wednesday would always seemingly have them face her whenever she said something that Wednesday wasn’t particularly fond of.

When Wednesday and enid try to repay you on your generosity, enid worries that due to your upbringing, you would be expecting diamonds, gold and the such thrown at your feet but Wednesday told her that she was exaggerating and that yes, you were born into an extremely wealthy family but the addams noted that you have a preference for the smaller things. So out they went to Jericho and chose a couple of things that they thought you’d might like.

Enid got you some cute toys that she though would add to your dorm along with getting you a matching snood with her and Wednesday that you could all wear to class together. Wednesday got you a necklace with a dead crow with a black Dalia sprouting from it’s heart with some of it’s crystal feathers dotted here and there up the silver chain as to give off the impression that this crow was shot out of the sky. She also got you some uncouth stuff like a hand mace or an taser for self defence for when people who couldn’t get the hint.

She wouldn’t admit it but even Wednesday was a little nervous that you might not like what they got you. However she didn’t have to continue putting belief into that thought as your eyes light up at each and everything that she and Enid got you that by the end of it you looked to both of them with the widest grin they’ve ever seen. “Thank you both so much! I love everything you’ve given me! Nobody’s given me things that I actually like!”

“What do you mean by that y/n?” Enid asks, confused.

“My parents think that splashing their money on expensive stuff for me is what I want but it’s not, I could care less about having the state of the art phone, tv, clothes, none of that matters to me but it seems that to them, that’s all that matters is to not only be rich but look rich too…so when they started putting large sums of money into my bank account, I spent it on the things that I want, on the clothes that I felt good in rather then what they think I’d look good in for their reputation. So I thank you both for these,” you told them as you squeezed one of the plushies Enid bought you close to your chest, “I love them a lot.”

“Even the taser?” Enid asked as Wednesday stared at her

You chuckled, “yes, even the taser. After all you can never be too sure when a creep is nearby.” You looked to Wednesday who’s lips almost uplifted into a proper smile but came back down into it’s neutral state just seconds later.

[dnalt-d2]

I wasn't able to watch Quackity's stream just now but from what I'm getting, it's a really unfortunate development

Basically that Quackity is stepping away from the QSMP for a bit and leaving the Administration of it to other people due to fear for his personal safety, and this next part might be slightly unrelated, but it's something I've been kinda wanting to say for a bit, and this gives me a good chance to do it

I remember a lot of people wondering why Admins had to stay anonymous to the public and this sort of thing is why. If experienced streamers, who are used to dealing with this sort of thing, are going through this, imagine what could have happened to the Admins if people found out who they were

Like imagine we knew exactly who was behind the Code attacks that killed Bobby, Tallulah, or Dapper. You really think people wouldn't have dog-piled on them because they killed their favorite Egg?? Imagine people knew who Leo or Sunny's admins were during all their "drama." People were already crossing boundaries before they knew who the admins were, and I don't think it would have gone well if that information were out in the open at the time

To me, it didn't seem like a good idea to throw people who were inexperienced with this into the spotlight like that. And THIS is why. People are still dog-piling on anyone they think is the problem, and that isn't okay. Quackity just talked about how scared he was for his actual personal safety, and that's not okay. People get the smallest scrap of information and latch onto it like it's gospel, and things like this happen. It's why I haven't even made a post about some recent developments, because I know a lot of what's being spread is speculation, and I don't like to spread around things I don't have concrete information on. Maybe if CERTAIN things were more open, this all wouldn't have been as big a problem, but the fact that this is the end result kinda makes their privacy more understandable

Because this is the kind of thing it leads to. Everyone demands every bit of information, pressuring people to the point that they just want to do SOMETHING to get people off their backs even a little bit. As far as I know, Lea DID NOT mean to leak that kind of information, but she was being bombarded for information, and just tried to provide some evidence for what she was saying, and probably didn't realize that it could lead to this (That's if the information I have on that is correct, that she basically leaked a payment document that had Quackity's full legal name, and that's how people managed to track down his information. If this isn't correct, please let me know, I haven't seen enough information on it to verify 100%)

(And I wanna say that this isn't me excusing the fact that the Admins couldn't talk to each other or the CCs when it was relevant to the server. That sort of thing is a textbook manipulation tactic from bosses who want to take advantage of their workers and using the lack of information as a weapon to that end)

I said before that I NEVER expected concrete updates about everything, just hoped for acknowledgements that things were still happening at all. Because the fact that streamers are in the public eye doesn't mean everything they do needs to be public knowledge. People online love to criticize paparazzi for constantly bombarding celebrities and invading their personal lives, but this is starting to feel startlingly similar, and I don't like that. Yes, the people involved should have that information, but we should not

I really hope people manage to stay safe through all this, including Quackity and each and every Admin/Ex-Admin that's been at the center of this. There are some things going around them that I don't agree with, but that doesn't mean I wish harm on them for it. That's the magical thing about the internet. You can just not interact with people you don't agree with, and I really wish some people would remember that. Especially over on Twitter. Because Holy Shit

Anyways, that's about all I have for now, probably won't be too active for a bit still because of IRL stuff, but I'm still here. Watching

WATCHING YOU ALL

**Okay Edit I didn't know this but

I actually didn't know Leo's admin was public at the time, but considering that, I guess it's not too widespread. So while it seemed to be alright, it could've gone a lot worse if that Admin was more well-known. Or if Sunny's was known at all. Either way, thanks for the clarification!!

[boringkate]

whats the secret of good self butt photography how do i capture there glory and not throw out my back

1) Get something to hold your phone. Dollarama (if you're canadian) has these like $4 goose neck phone clip things that you can clip onto a chair or whatever and are pretty great, but if you can spare a little more money (and you expect to use it enough to justify it) then get a proper tripod (I use a couple 60 inch amazon basics tripods, but it seems like they've gotten more expensive and other brands are probably no worse) and pair it with a screw on phone tripod mount (aliexpress has them for a couple dollars and you can even get rotating ones that'll let you film in portrait mode).

2) Use a free auto clicker app (I'm on android, but I assume ios has them too) to automatically tap the button to take a photo every 4 or 5 seconds. You're gonna end up with a lot of wasted photos where you're just getting into position, but that's fine (just delete em). I wildly prefer this over using a bluetooth remote because it keeps your hands free and something about not needing to choose to snap the photo makes it easier (the time passes faster and you'll end up with more usable pics which is dope even if you just want one good one because the way to take a good pic is to take a lot of bad ones untill you get lucky).

3) Set up a way for you to see what the camera sees. You could plug your phone into a monitor or tv using an hdmi adapter or use a free screen streaming app to watch your phone's screen on a laptop.

4) Use the camera on the back. It's always higher quality. The selfie camera is only for when you don't wanna deal with those first three steps.

5) Natural light is your BFF. Take your pics while the sun is out and your curtains are open.

6) Filter your pics. I use an app called MIX (specifically an old build of it bc they changed some stuff like their payment model for the batch image filtering feature) (which is definitely on both Android and iOS), but I imagine there are a ton of others that do all the same stuff. I loath smoothing for face pics, but it can be alright for butt pics. Noise can further obscure stubble. You're probably gonna wanna raise the temperature and maybe even the tint (people look unwell when their skin is more blue or green than it should be). Lowering the contrast can be nice too. Beyond that it can be fun to just experement and see what looks nice.

That's my process anyways. You do you. I know a lot of hotties are more into the pink blue lighting thing for example (you can get colored bulbs at the dollar store and stick em on a couple cheap thrift shop lamps) and I could especially see that being appealing if you aren't getting much natural light (pls don't just be taking nudes at night under the harsh light of your apartment's one shitty ceiling lamp lol).

Bonus protip: If you are using a lamp or lamps or softboxes and you want extra brightness then you can get E27 lamp bulb splitters online for a couple dollars that'll let you plug multiple bulbs into a single lamp.

Bonus bonus protip: Keep an eye out for selfie sticks with a screw on the base. I use a gimbal extension rod with a 1/4 inch screw paired with a hinge (and had previously been using a selfie stick with a screw on the bottom which was cheaper although it eventually broke) and screw it in between my tripod and my phone clip so that I can get my phone hovering over my bed (without the instability that comes from actually putting your tripod on your bed). It's very optional, but it does rule.

[nadianova]

how much $ did u get from sales from malmaid & other VNs on itch/steam? i wanna upload my VNs on itch/steam but 1. idk how much i wanna price it (like... yeah its free but for the pwyw slot for itch) & 2. (for steam) idk if the 100$ steam price for Uploading is worth it/if ppl will like/buy it (am insecure/nervy #girl :'3) .. i luvv ur work n i love seeing ur works it Makes me v happy thank you!!!!

disclaimer everything here is my opinion and perspective from me in this current moment of my life so just take everything with a grain of salt and preferably look for others perspectives to compare to. ultimately its something everyone kinda have to figure out on their own and do what works for them..

but that being said theresa lot of things to say here so ill just start with like... every dev i see says that if you're gonna sell your game put it on steam. i keep hearing numbers throw around like 90% of sells come from steam and 10% from itch io for devs that sell (commercial projects) on both. you still need following etc to promote the wishlists since that is what boosts your game after the initial release on steam or something like that?

if you have a free game put it on itch io. its free just do it might as well. being shy and insecure about what you make is fine but keep in mind that people arent after some perfect flawless projects and making those is impossible

just make what you can and share it, the right people just need to find them

still itchio is nice that its free but the userbase is also 50% people on their mobile searching for strictly free android games to jerk off or horror game with red background because popular streamer #453425 played it. the site culture is different from steamw which some people treat as if games don't count as real unless they're on steam.

from my perspective paying $100 to put a game on steam is 'cheap'. even if you just consider it an ad fee for however much traffic steam algorithm blesses you with, its kind of a good deal if you think about the unhinged amounts you'd have to pay on twitter or facebook or whatever the hell people use to actually promote the game to same amount of eyes.. if you're doing free games its less of a incentive but if you're trying to do business and make money for rent 100(and whatever fees steam and taxes will eat from your earnings) is a very low price of doing business. i see people complain about steam cuts and steam fees but as someone who used to be an online sexworker there was literally popular sites AND STILL ARE that take like 50% cut directly so steam isn't bad when compared to that (also steam gives you the 100 back after you make 1000, which i reasonable believe i could reach if i put a paid game on steam)

also did you know you can set itch ios marketplace cut to 0% if you want with no repercussions. you can do that if you want. do it.

i think if you have rent to pay you should get into the habit of asking for something. artists love supporting other artists and outside of that the people who have money will gladly support someone whose work they like. there's really no concrete numbers to give for pricing projects. just ask anything. tho know that asking for 1 dollar is pretty much the same as asking for like 5 tho. if people are ready to pay they generally don't care if its in that range so i think everyone's happy if its 5 when payment processors get to swipe a smaller percentage of the fees from the transaction

maybe something like just ask for something nad once you make more projects keep rising it. its better to have an empty patreon with 0 subscribers than no patreon at all. my games used to be 0€ to download and 6.66€ pay what you want and people kept paying that. then i raised the suggestion to 15€ just to try it out and i was surprised to see the amount of donations didn't go down. bonus artbooks are a good incentive. its nice to share something special for those who want to donate and its nice for them to get something out of it since a huge portion of these people might have just given that same donation money expecting nothin in return

its taken a few months but malmaid has now made like 800 dollars on itch io which is like wow holy shit but it kinda stops being as exciting when i think about how it took me 6 months to make it and that would be like one month of rent. still ultimately the fact that its a free game and everyone just decided to donate anyway is kinda absurd and it makes me infinitely grateful

i do know that if i had priced it with a set price the amount would be a lot more (this is even more evident from my 4€ comic projects that i keep putting on sale constantly for even cheaper are still by far the most earning projects I've ever put on itchio) id argue people are more likely to take a project seriously and engage with it if it cost money. free games you can just dl and forget about it if you want.. but having a price next to the download button makes things seem more legitimate because money has worth

i also get pay-per-project patreon money. tho patreon hates that mode and will be deleting in like a year or so instead of having stupid monthly payments. idk what ill do then i might delete patreon at that point will see

but on the matter of if these numbers really are a useful metric to share is debatable. hopeless junction made like $1000(ignoring the vncup 2 award) since i released it year ago and this and malmaid are two of my most popular games like that. i think i made 300-400 during the first few release months back then. I've been posting stuff on itch io for FREE for a decade soon and its an accumulation of all my visibility from over the years. itch io also favorites nsfw games with their tag traffic so its an environment that works for me

if i had started asking for money and packaging my things in a more commercial form i would be making a lot more with it i think and the people who followed me would already be accustomed to that. its just that for now ive valued people being able to play my things for free and my situation has allowed for it

everyone hates marketing but ultimately its about making the thing you made look good and be seen by others. a nice custom theme on an itch io page is more likely to get someone to stay than a game with blank profile no screenshots.

its important to make the thing you made look presentable and that's just finding your own voice by looking at how others do these things

the coolest story in the world isnt gonna sell if it doesn't have a nice cover if nobody knows that story exists.. but if people like the story they're more likely to stick around for future stuff and spread the word.. i think that matters more than what amount of money is being asked for a game as there are popular cheap games just as there are popular expensive games

idk. if theres more specific questsions ask again its a very broad thing

[queen-breha-organa]

I wanted to briefly come back online and discuss the WGA and, in turn, the current writer's strike.

I know my opinion matters very little, and I don’t consider myself an expert or a valuable voice in this matter. However, since I talk about Star Wars a lot, I wanted to discuss the strike because these things go hand in hand. I think it’s unfair to ignore the real-world circumstances that shape the media you enjoy. Knowing the context of something is important. And beyond that, this situation has just been on my mind, and I wanted to express my thoughts somewhere. 

Firstly, all workers should be paid living wages. All workers deserve to be treated fairly and compensated fairly. All workers deserve safe, productive, and fair working environments—end of story.

I’ve been seeing a lot of jokes along the lines of “I didn’t even know media had writers these days,” and while I understand the joke and the potential humor in it, I feel like it’s important to realize that this is entirely why the WGA is striking in the first place.

The writer’s rooms are shrinking. Writers are being overworked. Writers are being underpaid. Writers are being dismissed and undercut. These factors lead to poorly written and poorly managed shows because the individuals who write the bones of the shows are exhausted and burdened by corporate interference, unreasonable deadlines (especially in animation), unfair wages, and stale corporate agendas.

Additionally, these writers often aren’t given the opportunity to oversee or manage their writing while it’s being filmed. Instead, companies are acting as if the writing process ends before the filming process so that they can shorten the writer's contracts and pay them less. However, in actuality, the writing process is often most valuable during the filming process. 

Some things work on paper but don’t work on the day. Maybe the joke doesn’t land, or an actor can’t deliver the line as intended. Writers are needed on set to rework and revise these lines, so the process can run smoother without sacrificing story and believability. Now some actors are incredible at improvising and can make these things work. However, overall, without writers on set, you usually end up with awkward/stiff dialogue or scenes that make no sense. Writing doesn’t stop in the writers' room.

Another massive force driving this strike is the evolution of streaming services. 

With “traditional” tv reruns, the network airing the media has to purchase the viewing rights of the episode or the show. This money is then extended to the people who worked on the show in the form of residuals. It makes sense. Something you worked on makes money, so in turn, you get money. 

However, streaming services have broken this mold by allowing consumers to watch whatever media whenever they want. Streaming services claim that it is no longer possible to pay residuals for these shows since they don’t know how often or when the shows are being watched. This is a lie.

Companies will brag privately in shareholder's meetings and publicly in articles about streaming shows that have done well. We’ll read headlines like “Stranger Things’ Was Most-Streamed TV Show in 2022” or “‘Star Wars’ vs. Marvel: Which Disney+ Shows Are Most-Viewed.” These articles and the data within them prove it is possible to know how frequently shows/movies are being watched on streaming services. Still, companies are only willing to shell out this information for bragging rights and not for fair payments.

In 2021, Disney CEO Bob Chapk earned $32 million. In contrast, the WGA website states, “Median weekly writer-producer pay has declined 4% over the last decade. Adjusting for inflation, the decline is 23%.” These writers are merely asking for 3%, while CEOs are given the moon.

This is unacceptable.

If you’re reading this post, if you’re on Tumblr and engaging with fandoms enough to have this post written by me, a Star Wars blog, circulate on your feed, media writing has affected your life. Writers have impacted you and your daily routine and hobbies. 

You should care about this strike. You should be supporting this strike. 

We all want our favorite shows to come back, we all want to reunite with our favorite characters, and we all want to see their stories, their triumphs, and their struggles. 

But the real people behind these stories and behind these characters are far more important than any fictional narrative. 

These writers have crafted the worlds and stories we love, and by supporting them, we can return the favor and craft a better world for them too.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for using my moms money to buy games?

The title sounds bad, but I'm not sure how else to word it. This is also going to be a weird one as, in advance, I know the other party isn't an asshole, however I think it's a similar situation im tone and I really need some feedback on this.

I'm 22 and live with my mom and cat. I've lived with her my whole life, and continue to due to disability. My mom has 2 jobs that she mainly works on weekends, and I'm unemployed. Ever since covid it's been incredibly difficult for me to find work because it is still very much a thing despite what people want to believe, and I can't be in contact with random people physically due to immune issues and the chance of getting sick. Online jobs are apparently very hard to find (my mom has tried) and many ask for a payment beforehand. I do however get social security income that pays most of our bills/utilities, and we're also on foodstamps for groceries.

My family has never been well off. I wouldn't call us dirt poor, we've never had to go hungry, and I always had toys to play with/clothes as a kid. But my mom has had to manage funds well and we've never had a lot of money for leisure or frivolous purchases. My mom will buy herself things like some new clothes, a phone charger, roku set, etc smaller things like that when she gets her paycheck but extra expenses such as furniture have to be planned out probably weeks/months ahead of time. We also moved recently and ever since then our budget has been more difficult, the down payment really screwed with my moms expenses.

Because of our situation, I never really had games growing up. I remember we had maybe 3 big family consoles during me and my sisters whole childhood (with like 3-6 games on them each, most of which were guitar hero which my mom and sister loved to play), and I would get a new handheld for myself every few years. I never got to play the new exciting games people were always talking about, and my gaming experience has really been limited to like. Animal crossing, the sims, and cooking mama.

I played a bunch of roms as a kid so that helped, but I was always kinda sad and felt left out that I never got to experience gaming the way other people did. I really wanted to try the "classics" people talked about but didn't have any way to. People (especially as I got into my 20s and started following streamers + nintendo direct for example) would always talk about the New Thing coming out and playing it the day it dropped, all the excitement and community people had around that, but if I really wanted that kind of game, I'd have to wait a few years before getting it and trying it out, and by then no one was playing it anymore anyways.

As time went on things got a little better. Especially because of my moms new jobs, both of which she genuinely loves doing, though it's still work, we have been a bit better off. It's only been recently we started struggling more again.

Recently I've been kind of asking for things from my mom. Mostly it's steam games. I found I've gotten much more into gaming as a hobby as I've gotten older, and I have a long wishlist of games that I really want to get into, but of course have no money to myself. I should also clarify that NONE of these are those big triple A $60 titles, as I still can't ever justify paying something so expensive for one game. So sometimes lately I've been asking my mom "hey, can I get this/these games?" And use her money/card to purchase them. I don't do it constantly, or even super often, but I feel like it's becoming more often and it makes me feel really guilty.

I have done this before, around high school I started asking my mom for certain things I wanted around the house, and usually she had no problem buying them for me. This also wasn't large stuff, nothing ever over $30 and usually only up to $20. But when I'd find something I *really* wanted, especially if it was a time limited thing like merch drops from a favorite content creator, often yarn for my knitting or art supplies I wanted to try, I would ask her.

I've pretty much always felt guilty about this. I would ask for something despite my better judgement, and for the most part my mom would say yes, and that it was okay, whereas I was the one apologizing and asking if it was "really alright". She has told me she has no issues buying things for me as long as I ask her. She says the social security I get is "technichally my money", and that she wants me to be able to use it. (Obviously we don't use the actual ssi to buy random shit, but her giving me spending money is the next best thing).

Every time I've asked my mom for something like this, I've told myself that it would be the last time, that I would get my own job and own money and not mooch on my mom anymore, but both with the stress of chronic illness and depression I never seem to get around to it. I try to do dishes and keep my room clean, take care of the cat etc as ways I can help without working, but for some reason the money really weighs on me. I know that it's really my fault, I haven't even been looking for jobs and I could always take art commissions again, but somehow a mental block always stops me.

I feel like I have a bit of an impulsivity problem when it comes to spending. The money I got from my one summer job and commissions would never last long, and honestly I couldn't even tell you what I spent it on for the weeks I had it. I have issues taking money from people, but when I realized that I may not have had the stuff I wanted as a kid simply because I never asked for/communicated that I wanted it, it made me more bold to actually ask my mom for things.

I never pester my mother about this. I'll ask once and if she says no I'll be dissapointed but won't continue. Sometimes she says that we don't have the money for it then, or that I'll have to wait until xyz thing is paid for, which is always fine. I also have *never* bought anything with her money without asking first. I get pretty much all the steam games I buy on sale (usually that's what prompts me to ask about them, actually) as personally I can't justify getting games for their asking price for the experience I'm going to get.

I feel bad as I feel like I'm wasting our money, mooching off my mom and not putting in the work to have spending money myself. I also worry that sometimes when she says it's fine, it's untrue and she's really just trying to make me feel better. I also sometimes don't play the games as soon as I get them, I have a sizeable backlog of games I have gotten but haven't "got around" to playing as I was excited to get them at a low price at the time, but then haven't felt like I'm in the right mood. This also makes me feel worse because I feel like I'm not being appreciative enough of her buying for me.

So am I the asshole?

What are these acronyms?

[kirynnvt]

You, tumblr user, have you heard of the commission website VGen?

i am not being paid this is not an official ad i just really think its super cool and more people should check it out maybe and help them build a better online commission ecosystem

It's like fiverrr but with no AI and much less of a risk of getting scammed. They take reports very seriously and all verified artists have been reviewed by a human in their dev team.

You can commission fully custom (or YCH) pieces of art in all different mediums. From music, to writing, and even physical goods! There's also a shop feature coming soon for pre-made items or adoptables! There's also a ton of filters to help you find exactly what you want AND you can always follow an artist to get notified of when they open next.

Every seller gets their own page to customize which hosts not only the services they're selling, but also space for a portfolio, and reviews for past commissions.

Artists even get to review their past clients so that other artists can look out for troublesome buyers :3c

For anyone interested in selling there, it is still in open beta so you'll need an invite code to start selling. More information here: https://vgen.co/for-artists

The biggest plus for artists IMO is the discoverability and notification system. Anyone who follows you can choose to be notified by email whenever you open comms. They also have an entire dashboard where you can keep track of all your comms, services, and even your TOSs (policies).

Like any selling platform, they do have fees though :'( It's a 5% fee on every order you make through them and they have a price breakdown for every sale that tells you how much you'll actually be getting after VGen fees + payment processing (Paypal or Stripe) fees.

They provide a ton of services for us artists and while the fees can hurt, I don't mind them too much. I personally use my VGen as just ONE form of selling, I also make sales through other websites or on my own through word of mouth or through my social medias. There's no expectation that VGen will be your ONLY platform that you sell on :)

I really really love the mission that VGen has of helping human artists thrive and making commission based selling easier and more accessible to prospective clients. They're constantly improving the site and they actively review suggestions through their discord. If you'd like to help them succeed make buy something from an artist on there \o/

oh also bonus, they currently allow spicy artwork as well

[cattimeswithjellie]

Excerpt from Tango's 6/21 stream recap

I'm not going to finish the stream recap from Tango's Friday stream tonight, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. Tango's streams are always hilarious because he is constantly getting the business from his chat, Mrs T, and karma. Here's a tidbit I just finished up, from right after Tango uses Grian's mushroom farm:

1:07:30 “Street Value” of the mushroom stems is about 40 diamonds. Tango quizzes the chat about what sort of discount he should give himself. A chatter asks if there will be a stream tonight. Tango says probably not. Mrs. T says definitely not, because they have CPR class tonight. Tango keeps forgetting that and asks why he is doing that again. She insists it is in case she dies, he should know CPR. He points out that if she’s dead, him knowing CPR won’t help much. She says maybe he’d like to PREVENT her from dying. Tango is giggling now, but agrees that sounds more reasonable. Chat has a wide range of discount suggestions, but Tango decides that given how much time the farm saved him, he’s willing to pay 35 diamonds. Chat still wants to include the free hug coupon. Tango agrees to the hug coupon.

1:09:10 Tango makes up a hug coupon and puts it in a mail parcel with the 35 diamonds and an explanation of the farm use, written in a book after writing on a mushroom stem block doesn’t give him enough letters to use. Chat notices that Skizz is online and suggests that it would be fun to go bother him. Tango is busy. His final message reads “Dearest Grian, I took the liberty of utilizing your fantastic mushroom farm and harvested 500+ stems. 10/10 Would Farm Again. Please accept this payment. Neck Kisses, Tango” Chat approves the message, saying it has lots of Twag (Jimmy’s word for Tango Swag.) Chat is less sure about Tango’s use of two spaces after a period, but they will let it slide this time. Tango signs the book “Stem Love <3” and puts it in the parcel. He mails it off to Grian.

1:14:40 Item Number One on the materials list is complete! Now there are a million other things to get. Chat tells Tango to fix his silk touch axe. He throws it in a chest full of random armor and tool pieces and declares it fixed. Future Tango will surely never regret that.

1:15:00 The second item on the list is Red Mushroom Blocks. Tango only needs about fifty more of those, so that will be easy… except he needs a silk touch axe to harvest them. He sheepishly retrieves the axe from the chest and declares it is time to go fix his axe.

[noonaishere]

Online/Offline [C.S] - sixty-three | ACAB

It was like your stalker knew - somehow - that San and Seonghwa would be gone for the week. You didn’t know if he actually did, or if you had just gotten so paranoid that you just convinced yourself that he did, but he came in every day that week.

Every. Fucking. Day.

Seven days of him trying to talk to you, trying to ask you about yourself, trying to figure out what your schedule was for the next week. You were pretty sure that there was even at least one obfuscated attempt at trying to ask you out. You cranked up the blender at that moment and pretended that you couldn’t hear what he was asking, but unlike the other times you had done similar, he seemed to be annoyed by it. Maybe it was because there were no men near you - someone who could protect you from him, someone he actually thought of as a human and respected, someone he could possibly fear - but he seemed much more brazen in the week without your boss and coworker.

The meeting finally had a break and San and Seonghwa both excused themselves to the bathroom. San washed his hands as Seonghwa came out of the stall to wash his.

“Did the police really say they couldn’t do anything?” Seonghwa sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. They said he hasn’t become violent--

“Yet.”

He nodded. “They also said he could press charges if I kick him out and don’t have just cause.” San shook his head angrily and grabbed some paper towels to dry his hands. He looked at Seonghwa as he did so.

“What?”

He shook his head. “What can we do if the cops won’t do anything?”

“Well,” Seonghwa got some paper towels and dried his hands, “I’m going to keep compiling the CCTV evidence. I think if I have enough at some point, they’ll have to take it seriously.”

“And if they don’t?”

“I don’t know yet. This is completely unreasonable.”

They stood in silence for a few moments as both thought.

“What about your lawyer?” Seonghwa asked.

“My-- I haven’t talked to her in a while. Not since the last payment from the emancipation came through.”

Seonghwa nodded. “Do you still have her number?”

“I do.” “I think you should call her. We might need some advice at the very least.”

San nodded. “She’s not a criminal lawyer… but she might know some. I'll see if she can help.” Seonghwa nodded. “Other than that… if what the cops say is true then it’s almost like…” He pulled his hands down his face with a sigh. “It’s almost like we need to wait for him to escalate.”

“Hyung--”

“I know.”

“What if he hurts her?”

“I know.” Seonghwa paused for a few seconds. “We need to think of something else, first. Before it gets to that.” Seonghwa put his hand on San’s arm reassuringly. “I know you don’t want her to get hurt, I don’t want her to get hurt either.”

San nodded.

Seonghwa nodded and threw out the paper towels he used. San did the same.

“When we’re done with this meeting today, we’ll put our heads together, okay?”

San nodded again. “Yes, hyung.”

“That’s literally just--” Gun shots rang out in your left headphone speaker and you died suddenly. You sighed. “...Yeji.”

“Was that you?”

“Yes, Yeji. It was me.”

“Oh my god I’m so sorry!”

Ryujin laughed. “We might as well just throw in the towel here.”

“I hate shooting games,” you said.

“But you’re so good at them.”

“Are you making fun of me?” You laughed.

She laughed. “No. Yeji!” she called her.

“Yes?” She asked quietly. Her character was moving around erratically, as if she was looking for somewhere to hide.

“What happened?”

You clicked through to Ryuijin’s viewpoint as she alternated hiding and shooting.

“I just saw a head pop up and shot! I’m sorry, y/n.”

You clicked back to Yeji.

“Don’t worry about it,” you sighed. “On your left.”

She spun ninety degrees and shot.

“Your conviction is good, Yeji.”

“It is?” 

“It’s your aim we need to worry about,” Ryujin added.

“Yeah.” You said.

You couldn’t play until your team either won or lost, so you looked through the chat while you waited.

Yoon.Kee.Ho: Hey Namhae! Yoon.Kee.Ho: Nice to see you back! 🗻of Namhae✅: Why aren’t you streaming, Keeho? Yoon.Kee.Ho: I’m at dance practice 🗻of Namhae✅: Ahh. Fighting! Yoon.Kee.Ho: Lol thanks

Namhae was back?

🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: Hey, Namhae 🗻of Namhae✅: Oh, hi! 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: Are you coming back? You didn’t say anything 🗻of Namhae✅: Oh, I’m just checking in for a second. I’m still dealing with family shit 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: Ah 🗻of Namhae✅: Hopefully it’ll be done soon though 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: I hope it all turns out well 🗻of Namhae✅: Me too 🗻of Namhae✅: Yeji got you good, huh? 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: I mean… you “get” me you *kill* me 🤷‍♀️ 🗻of Namhae✅: LOL 🗻of Namhae✅: Wait… sorry boss 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: Not a fireable offense JohnnyYuta: Are we in the way of something 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: Workplace training 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: Lol 🗻of Namhae✅: She killed you really early on, huh? 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: YES A🌲SurroundedBy🌷s: Shade 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: No shade 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: But now I’m sitting here and I can’t do anything 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: And I have to wait until they die or they kill the other team for the game to end… 🖤🖤JGG🖤🖤: I’m bored :(

Unfortunately, Yeji killed you a few more times that stream. She was only replacing Keeho since he had dance practice he had forgotten about, and he was replacing San anyway because he was on his trip: A double replacement, no less. And of course, it had to happen when you were supposed to have an - admittedly friendly but still way too competitive - charity “March Madness”-style bracket series of matches with a few other popular streamers. 

Somehow the JGG/Keeho (and Ryujin) team placed third, despite Yeji’s constantly mistaking you for the enemy. She apologized afterwards and bought some subscriptions as an apology. You, knowing you made much more than her, bought them back from Ryujin’s stream; you didn’t feel it was fair of her to give you her money when the only crime she was guilty of was being a bit goofy.

You laid in bed after streaming and scrolled through youtube trying to figure out what you should watch to fall asleep. Should you watch a compilation of people restocking food and cleaning items in their house? Maybe a compilation of Get Ready With Me’s, where a disembodied hand with very nice nails packed all their Sanrio items into a Sanrio bag? Or maybe you could watch [your favorite youtuber] Out of Context for 6:78 minutes? Maybe instead of soothing, you should giggle yourself to sleep to get rid of the stress that had been mounting all week. You pressed the heels of your hands into your eyes for a moment and sighed as you thought. This whole stalker thing had you tired and wired at the same time, like you were waiting for something bad to happen but didn’t know when it would happen, and actually falling asleep meant nightmares in your state. You didn’t want those, you just wanted the rest. Maybe you should watch the Out of Context compilation.

Your phone lit up.

“Why’d you call?” You rolled over in bed and propped up the phone against the pillow so you didn’t have to hold onto it.

“You can’t keep talking like that.”

“Like--”

“I know that like… the cops don’t take you seriously… but you need to get out of that black hole.”

You thought to yourself for a few moments, and sniffed as you felt tears come on.

“Hey.” He said.

You cleared your throat and sniffed hard. “Yeah?”

“We’re going to figure it out, okay?”

“Are we?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t we?”

“... I don’t know.”

“Hey.”

“Mm.”

“We’re going to figure it out.”

“You keep saying that--”

“Because we are. I’m not going to let that bastard do this to you, okay?”

You scoffed softly. “What’s in it for you?”

He was quiet for a moment as he looked away, thinking.

“See? Nothing--”

“I’ll get to see you smile again.”

“What?”

“You’ll be happy again. Isn’t that enough?”

You thought.

“Just because those cops are pieces of shit doesn’t mean we’ve all abandoned you. We just need to think of something else.”

You rolled over onto your back and looked at the ceiling. “There you go with that ‘we’ again…”

“Hey…”

You looked at him.

“I speak for everyone at the café when I say that we all want you to be happy and free from that fucker.”

Your eyebrows raised. “Mr. Choi, I’ve never heard you speak so forcefully before.”

His stern, almost angry expression softened and he brushed his hair back. “Sorry.”

“No, it was very powerful. You’d make a good chaebol heir in a drama.”

He laughed awkwardly.

“Has Yunho ever asked you about auditioning?” You laughed.

“He has and I told him no. Don’t change the subject.”

You snapped your fingers. “Darn. You got me.”

He chuckled. He brushed his hair back again as he thought. “He’s come in every day, you said?”

“Yeah.”

He pursed his lips. “I’m going to do something tomorrow, so please don’t get mad.”

“What is it? And what are you doing? You’re all the way over there.” 

Was he coming back? You really wanted him to come back. You were a strong, independent streamer who didn’t need no man. But you wanted him to at least stand next to you so the stalker would fuck off.

“Are you coming back?” You asked, smiling.

“I can’t, we have a bunch of appointments with vendors tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Your smile dropped.

He looked into the screen and smiled. “Why? You miss me that bad?”

“I mean… you don’t shoot me like Yeji does when we play PUBG.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“What?”

He tilted his head, processing what you said. “Oh-- sorry. I meant: I’m sure it wasn't that bad.”

You sighed. “She killed me right at the beginning of a round. Twice.” San paused. “...Did you win?”

“We placed third.”

“That’s not too terrible.”

“We were first last year.”

“Ah.”

You sighed, hands folded across your stomach as you looked at the ceiling, only mildly despondent.

He laughed. “I’ll be back soon enough.”

You waved him away. “She’ll have killed again me by then.”

He laughed. “Well, I can’t be there for the game, but I can help with the stalker a little bit.”

You rolled over. “How?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because it has to be a surprise.”

“Why does it have to be a surprise?”

“Because you have to react like it is.”

You went to respond, but he smiled at you, eyes in upturned crescents and dimples on full display like the cat that ate the cream (if that cat had dimples).

You scoffed. “I could just pretend!”

“No, no, no.”

“What ‘no, no, no’?”

“If you know what it is, you won’t react the right way.”

You laughed. “It’s not bad is it?”

“Of course it’s not bad. Why would it be bad?”

“I don't know, I’m nervous,” you laughed.

“It’s fine. It’s a present, does that help?”

“Maybe…”

“You’ll like it.”

“Ugh.”

“What?”

“I don’t hate surprises, but with the stalker involved I hate everything.”

“You’ll like it.” You sighed. “Okay… what are you doing right now?”

“Eating dinner.”

“This late?”

“The people we met wanted to drink after and it was a whole thing.”

“You don’t seem drunk.”

He smiled. “I didn’t really feel like drinking.”

You nodded. You wondered if it was because of everything happening, but you didn’t want to ask.

“Want to see my food? It might make you feel better.”

You laughed. “Sure.”

You chuckled.

He smiled and put it down again.

“Now I want fries.”

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