#10/10 name upgrade tbh

[sleepanonymous]

AMPED UP: SLEEP TOKEN

(source)

Anonymous Brit metal cult big on peering down the rabbit hole…

??? (UK) 1 Aug 2018

“WE EXPLORE THE DEEPER RECESSES OF THE MIND…” HIM

Sleep Token are a band shrouded in mystery. The London metallers’ mix of high-tech riffs and dreamy soundscapes have earned them a good name for themselves since forming last year, but if you want to give them credit for it, you must do so to the masked, anonymous face of their enigmatic frontman, known only as Him. Him declines to reveal specifics about the ancient deity the band worship, Sleep, but he’s more forthcoming about his own artistic motivation.

“There exists a considerable body of art that explores the deeper recesses of the human mind,” he explains. “Sleep Token serve as a means to explore this on an individual basis. The music is a representation of one individual’s deepest and most fundamental emotions and desires. This is what people connect to. They see themselves in this individual, and the music becomes about them.”

Easy-going fare this isn’t, but there’s no denying it’s pretty captivating. Sleep Token have played fewer than 10 times (they refer to their gigs as “rituals”), but they’re already Download alumni. The industrial-ish thrust of new single Jaws, meanwhile, continues their philosophical, lyrical path. “Our jaws are the tools we have to rend apart,” Him explains. “They show our concealed aggression, and take something once hidden and burst it apart. You don’t know someone until you have seen them destroy something. Jaws is an exploration of the frustration which accompanies the sense that someone close to you is hiding their true self.”

But while Jaws looks to expose the darkness that lies inside us, when it comes to the hand’s own identities Sleep Token are steadfast in their belief that art comes before aesthetic.

“Art has become entangled with identity,” Him says of the band’s anonymity. “The aim is to provide something people can engage with without being obstructed by the identity of its creator. The true identities behind Sleep Token are irrelevant. Our identity is represented through the art and music itself.”

SLEEP TOKEN’S SINGLE JAWS IS OUT NOW. THE BAND PLAY READING & LEEDS FESTIVALS – SEE THE GIG GUIDE FOR INFO

[yougavemeyourheartyouknow]

Within cells, interlinked (Miguel O’Hara x Ai/Hologram! Fem! reader) Part 1

Hiii! Very excited about this bad boy, this is inspired by K and Joi’s relationship in bladerunner 2049, and this panel from 90’s run of the Spider-Man 2099 comics. Also there is some heavily implied (at the very least one sided) holofang (Miguel x Lyla) at the beginning, if that isn’t your cup of tea, then I’m sorry but that’s how I wrote it. Not proofread, enjoy!

(Y/N)-Your name.

Implied (one sided???) holofang, Lyla is like basically dead, mentions of sex work, cursing, Miguel being a sad lonely lonely man, ansty (if you squint), Miguel being a little mad scientist like at the end. Tbh idk really know what to tag these as.

Word count: 3k

Part 2

Masterlist

Playlist I listened to while writing

—

Neuva York 2099.

A dystopian wasteland that was once a pristine and other worldly city. But, like every other beautiful thing, it would be destined to fall, thanks to Kingpin, who now had the city under his thumb. Straile white buildings that once stood tall, crumpled and decayed, being replaced slowly but surely with dark titanium steel. Holographic projections filled the sides of ugly skyscrapers, advertising anything and everything, ranging from restaurants and video games to Ai women and cyborg upgrades.

Miguel’s original Ai assignment was unfortunately no longer functional, her software having been corrupted due to a virus that was released onto Miguel’s suit during a fight with Doc ock, Miguel having no other choice but to terminate her software, putting her out of her misery. It not only set Miguel back from his usual tasks as Spider-Man and his work at Alchemax, but the whole spider society, Lyla being the one who controlled the whole mainstream to the entire operation, along with help from Spider-Byte, but she couldn’t run the whole society technology wise, she had a life outside of her role there.

If Miguel had the time, he would have done what he had done the first time, and redesign her from scratch, raising her from her nonexistent grave. However, he knew he didn’t have the time. He had spent months programming her, not to mention the years it took for him to upgrade her into what she had become. It’s only been a week, and he could already see the cracks that were forming without her to hold it all together. His universe was already in disarray, he didn’t need another thing to crumble into dust in his hands.

The walk from the Alchemax back to his apartment was meant to help him clear his head, but it only dampened his mood more, bitter cold air and large dark clouds rolling in slowly, threatening to pour down on the decile city. Keeping his head held high and eyes forward despite his desire to go deep into a dark alleyway and swing the rest of the way home, keeping the tension in his temples build up with every sleazy salesperson attempting to sell him a sketchily low price for random gadgets that he was certain was stolen, or sex workers attempting to coax him into a small brothel. All kinds of lives walked past him as he ventured home, humans, cyborgs, full robots and AI holographic companions, a million life stories that could be told.

Less and less began to cross his path as he neared his apartment building, eye bags dark and sunken in as he turned his head to the left, he was now alone on the sidewalk, stopping as he put his hand on the railing that lined the evaluated walkway, he remembered not even 10 years ago, that very spot would look out to a beautiful pond, small ducks that pattered around, families gathering around to have little outings, ones that Miguel only ever really dreamed of. Now, all that was a ginormous digital billboard that would switch advertisers every week or so. Although he never really expected they’d project the one that was on display now. He had to squint a bit so that the now dripping rain didn’t get into his eyes as he watched the projection.

“The perfect companion, the perfect coworker, the perfect partner. Joi, your personal Ai. Everything you want to hear, everything you want to see.” The sentences rotated between each other over and over, Miguel stayed silent as he stared mindless at the naked back of the large Ai hologram, their skin admitting a light glow as she sensually ran her hands through her hair. Despite the words “companion” and “coworker” showing up on the ad, it was painfully obvious what the holographic woman was really meant for.

Still, he caught himself unable to look away, despite seeing the ads hundreds of times prior to this moment. He didn’t even register when the Ai had turned around and squatted in front him, making it so the two were at eye level.

“Hello handsome.” His eyes finally drifted up to meet hers once she spoke, he wasn't very fond of the default version they often used on most of their ads, so seeing this version in front of him was a lot more of a nicer sight to see. “What a day hmm?” When he didn’t respond she just came closer, “you look lonely… I could fix that…” She whispered with a head tilt, “you look like a good Joi…” before getting back up and moving away from Miguel once more.

Maybe it was the stress, maybe it was his way of pretending he wasn’t mourning an algorithm, maybe it was just him being tired of carrying everything on his shoulders, still… his eyes slowly went down to his orange watch, moving it in front of the bare glowing figure, before his free hand slowly hovered over the watch, hesitating for a moment, before pressing purchase.

—

Once Miguel got home he spent the next hour or so reworking your programming, jailbreaking and removing restrictions, wanting to make sure you were prepared to handle the society’s system before he even turned you on to make sure you wouldn’t crash the second you were hooked up to it.

Eventually, once everything ran to meet his expectations, he stood back and waited for you to appear in front of him. Waiting impatiently as he watched the small loading circle chase itself until you appeared, although you weren’t fully “awake” still, eyes closed, head slumped forwards and arms hung limply to your sides. Still needing to be given a name, an outfit and if he desired to change anything from your physical appearance he could. He decided to keep your assets the same, and placed a simple outfit on you, deciding if you ever evolved enough to be sentient on the same level as Lyla was, that he’d give you free range to change it. For a name though, it was a bit harder of a choice.

Maybe it was him having his previous one for as long as he did, but he wanted you to be… different, then her, a name that wasn’t, well, Lyla. Something nice and pleasant to say, but not simple enough for him to forget in the midst of him in a fight. After some pondering, he finally typed in the name into his watch and pressed the “finalized model”. Releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding when he saw your head slowly begin to lift and your eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Hello Miguel.” You said him a smile.

“Hello (Y/N).” His lips twitched upwards for half a second.

—

It took a while for your program to adjust and be accustomed to the database, he never realized how much strain he put on his older Ai until he watched you try and accommodate the same thing, yet then again, he built it all around her, instead of vise versa. It wasn’t just you who had needed some time to adjust though. The amount of times that spiders (including Jessica and Miguel) would call for Lyla still instead of you was starting to… annoy you for lack of a better term.

You had been patient at first, appearing despite the slip up, simply correcting the person who called for you and going on with the request, then it seems that the patience started to run thin. Rolling your eyes or letting out snarky little remarks, then eventually you just started to not respond unless they called you by your actual name, which only led you landing yourself in a lecture from Miguel, being threatened to reboot your system. Him ranting about how it could be dangerous or something, after the first few times, it stops being fear insulating, once you even let out a yawn at his usual lecture. A yawn. How close he was to throwing his desk across his office.

The longer you stuck around the more knowledge you gather, the more self-aware you become, mimicking human thoughts and emotions, reading anything you could get your digital little hands on. From the words of Ancient Greek philosophers to thousands of different articles on how the human brain works, what different areas controlled what. You found humans quite interesting, such complex yet flawed creatures, you can understand why so many filmmakers and authors who write science fiction have some odd variation of robots wanting to either become humans or destroy them.

It’s almost cliche, but you can’t help but develop the same fascination with Miguel. How could you not? You were quite literally around him 24/7, you could tell he wanted to be taken care of when he wasn’t taking care of everything himself, and who were you as his assistant to refuse?

—

“Welcome back Miguel.” You smiled as you appeared next to the door before he could even step foot through its threshold. Your eyes followed him as he took his shoes off and threw his keys on the coffee table in the middle of the living room, landing with a loud clunk.

“I just saw you back at HQ.” He chuckled, shaking his head as he closed the door behind him before he made his way to his kitchen, “It's been 20 minutes.” He added as he turned the corner, being met with you already there, leaning against the counter as his coffee machine was already pouring him a new cup in his favorite mug, with the stove being lit on for him to place his left overs onto to warm up.

“Being greeted when you arrive home helps boost your overall well-being.” You quipped, which only gained a small hum of acknowledgement as he placed a pot of bistec on top of the open flame, and a bowl of leftover white rice in the microwave.

“It could also help boost my overall well-being if you didn’t act like such a brat half the time.” He countered back as he stirred the streak and potatoes to make sure it didn’t burn before turning to face you, meeting you with that all too familiar smirk he always gave you. You were quick to mirror it. “You're supposed to make my life easier, ya know?” Despite it being a rhetorical question, your smirk only widely more.

A silence fell over the kitchen as he goes back to focusing on his food, you just stay there, watching as he made quick work fixing his plate, mumbled a small “sorry” to you everytime he would “bump into you” (as Miguel liked to call it) despite him only passing through your holographic body as he grabs the plate and cup of coffee and goes it set it down at the table, making sure to be fast as to not hold onto the gradually warming glass crockery long enough to burn his rough hands.

With a sigh, he sat down in front of his plate as he heard the faint noise of your projection deactivated from the kitchen, leaving him alone in the quiet home of his. He’s fork moving around the contains on his plate, piercing the potatoes and steak but never lifting it up to bite into the steaming meal. After a few more moments of playing with his food, he placed his fork back down, keeping his eyes down on his plate despite him lifting his head up.

“(Y/N).” He called out after cleaning his throat.

“Yes?” Your voice called back out, ringing through his apartment as he waited for you to reappear, only to let out a huff when you didn’t.

“…have dinner with me?” When he finally looked back up, he was met with you already in the chair across from him, a digital plate of food replicating his in front of you. His lips twitched up as he whispered a light thank you for entertaining his wish, even down to mimicking eating as you both sat there, his eyes never leaving yours.

After his appetite was satiated, and the dish were washed, he wander to his living room, being met with the sight of you already being sat down on one of the small leather accent chair that sat to the right of the coffee table, a small orange tablet-like screen being held in your hands as you tampered away on it, most likely readjusting tomorrow's schedule or researching more on some random topic you found interesting. Leaning against the doorway, he couldn't help but watch you, admire you. He found it humorous that you chose to physically sit down and read about topics even though you were built with the knowledge of practically everything. It made you feel more… real. It made him feel less insane when he found comfort in your company.

“Would you like me to leave you alone mig?” You asked after a second, eyes never leaving the screen in front of you. His heart stopped for half a second when you called him by the nickname as he shook his head.

“¿Qué estás haciendo?” He asked as he made his way towards you, stopping once he was close enough that if you had a physical being, his legs would have been touching your knees. (What are you doing?)

“Just going over your suit diagnostics, I’ve noticed that it’s been lagging a bit.” You hummed, not even fazed by the close proximity.

“…(Y/N).”

“Hmm?”

“Look at me.” He commanded, but his tone is still somewhat soft with the order, your screen evaporating from your hands as you went to meet his gaze. He hesitated for a moment, leaving his dry lips before finally continuing. “You know, I feel like I don’t appreciate you enough.”

“Miguel, I’m your Ai assistant, my whole purpose is to help make your life easier.” You couldn’t help the slight snark that came seeping through your sentence, causing him to let out a scoff and playful eye roll.

“That’s not what I mean, you know that.” He countered with a head tilt, his hands sliding over his thighs and finding their way into his front jean pockets.

“What do you mean then?”

“What do you think I meant?” Now it was you who let out an eye roll as you huffed.

“Miguel, you know I can’t ‘think’. I’m not human, I can simply process and collect information and recite it back. I speak only in facts and unbiased sources.”

He couldn’t help but hate it when you talked like that during casual conversation, despite the deadpan look in your eyes and the small sass in your infliction, it only reminded him that you weren’t real. The only difference from your body and air, was that you were a set of ones and zeros. He could swat a hand through your body and you would simply glitch around it as it interrupted your coding and it attempted to adjust around him, how for once, he wishes that when he would “bump into you” that he would be met with solid flesh, you stumbling back a bit while you scold him, his hand coming around to met the small of your back to help re-stabilize your footing as he lets out a small chuckle.

“Don’t be a smartass with me (Y/N). You know, most humans I know don’t have the ability to think either, and they for sure aren’t as nearly intelligent or knowledgeable as you are. If they can form an option then you can too.” He was met with your face contorting in confusion, a rare expression on your face, one he appreciated when he got the opportunity to witness it. “I want you to think, give me an original thought. Not a statistic, not a fact. Think for yourself (Y/N).” The was a pause before your lips parted.

“I… I think…”

“Thaaaat’s it…” He leaned forward, his face close to yours as he encouraged you to continue in a low whisper. “I think?”

“I think… that if I was a human, that… that I would be in love with you Miguel.”

Oh.

“(Y/N).”

“Yes Miguel?”

“Shut off.”

“Yes Miguel.”

Within a blink, you were gone. His hands came out from his pockets with a heavy sigh, before he rubbed his face and ran them through his hair, causing the semi-neatly slicked back hair to become desiveled. Glancing around the now empty living room, the small constant buzzing from your hologram now being replaced with the gentle tapping of the rain against his window.

Miguel O’Hara was truly a lonely man. A man with weaknesses and flaws despite himself, a man with feelings, and vulnerabilities and emotions. Miguel O’Hara was just a man, just a human. A human who wanted to be loved. To not be seen as some sort of emotionless being, the irony wasn’t lost on him that the only thing that seemed to really care for him, and see him in that way was something that wasn’t even programmed with actual emotions. Oh how he wished you were real, how you were human.

He couldn’t turn you into a human, but he could get close.

With a sigh he entered his home office, the only room he had restricted giving you access to appearing in. Closing the door behind him before leaning against the door, his eyes instantly finding themselves stuck on the limb on the table. An arm to be more specific, the synthetic flesh that matched your complexion wrapped around its exoskeleton. It took him almost a month to do just one arm, and although the time length of that he estimated for this project was a bit more lengthy then he’d like, if it meant getting every minuscule and minute detail perfected, he’ll take all the time in the world for it. He’d make sure it was perfect, that you’d be prefect.

—

Tags: @oscarissac2099

[ebonyweb]

Ok, I'm bored

10 GUITARS GWEN WOULD DO UNSPEAKABLE THINGS TO OWN

Gibson DG-335 (Original Run)

I'm not secretive about this, but one of my major inspirations is Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. This, based on the Trini Lopez 335 with modifications, is one of his weapons of choice. No hate to the Epiphone DG-335 (In fact I'd actually like to have one of those since it's a model I can actually fucking afford) but this would be the prize jewel of my collection

Gibson Explorer (With caveats)

While I love this thing, I do want some features not available on standard Explorers. Mainly, a volute (Added material at the midpoint of the neck and Headstock), a set of Burstbucker pickups (or similar PAF pickups), and in Shell Pink.

Fender Nocaster (Either Vintera II or original)

A Tele without a name, which happened because of a copyright Grestch held on the original name, the Broadcaster. I also just like Telecasters, and TBH, these are just cool bits of history.

Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar

Nirvana is a band I have found a love for. Kurt Cobain was a genius on the guitar, and I find he and Grohl influence a lot of my style on guitar. This is one of his many modified guitars, and I personally really want it, especially for the upgrades like the Tune-O-Matic bridge and separate volumes for the pickups.

ESP E-II Eclipse

While I by no means am a metalhead, I do really enjoy "Metal" guitars. Stuff like the Explorer, ESPs lineup, even something like the 5150 amp. This is a beautiful thing, a pastiche of the ebony Les Paul Custom with modern features like EMG pickups, a volute, and a thinner body.

Epiphone Les Paul Custom (Birth Year)

Speaking of, this beautiful thing. As much as I love a guitar that makes my wallet scream in terror, I like the simple stuff too. I love the Les Paul shape, and the man behind the guitar was invaluable. Seeing this guitar up on a wall with the name "Les Paul" under it is an inspiration.

EVH SA-126

I actually saw this guitar before it was released. Wolfgang Van Halen, son of the incredible Eddie Van Halen, was at Rockville 2024 with a road testing prototype. Playing one of these in a Guitar Center was unreal, because it felt so light and growled through the amp. Plus, look at it. It's beautiful.

Martin D-18e (Replica)

A odd choice, certainly. I mean, these are mega expensive and rare, and the one pictured here is the awe-inspiring model played by Kurt Cobain in Nirvana's MTV Unplugged concert. But, there's the rub. I don't want an original. As a challenge, I want to recreate this with a cheaper Dreadnought acoustic, the exact pickup model (which are still sold), and any custom modifications needed to replicate that historic model, much like Nirvana Guitars did (minus the modifications Kurt Cobain and his guitar tech made such as the soundhole pickup.)

Schecter Ultra (Pelham Blue)

Again, I like metal guitar gear. Schecter Guitar Research is one of those companies I've heard good things about, but as someone who doesn't really vibe with S-style guitars, I don't really look too much for their stuff. This is different. It adds elements of the Gibson Firebird, Telecaster, all with modern features and a beautiful look.

Gibson/Epiphone SG Special (Pelham Blue)

I just really like the SG body shape. It's fucking devil horns. With all my talk of how much I love this, is it a surprise it's on here? Although, honestly, I showed the Gibson version because the Epiphone version is relatively cheap, especially in comparison to their recent output (Fuck you, Epiphone Ripper being $1000+), so the Gibson version would probably be a bit more out of reach.

[vonstarlight]

im bored & wanna info dump abt my skates :P

▶︎▶︎▶︎  #1 - moxi jack 1 currently have avanti aluminum plates + chaya mellows wheels 4 skating outdoors on trails c: these are the comfiest skates ive ever worn!!! i thought i wouldn't like suede skates but the soft material n shearling tongue are literally heavvennnnn wtf. i def prefer structured skates n these hold great w the heel cups + lace locks. def want 2 upgrade 2 a lighter plate in the future, they're p heavy n that's their only con tbh. oh but also the fucking suede stinks bc of the dye LOL okay they have 2 cons but that's it xD i fucking love these skates, & the fact i found them second hand just makes me more happy c:

▶︎▶︎▶︎  #2 - chaya melrose premium ophira plates + soft cushions bc i like high agility + 98A rollerbones 4 these since i dance in them (those wheels were once white LOL). these are the oldest skates i own currently, i stopped using them 4 a while when i was mega fucking depressed n didn't do any skating. but recently i glitter bombed them n now i'm OBSESSED w them again !! they have memory foam in them so they're soooo comfy n i love the lace locks on the back bc i always lace my skates up one hook n wrap the rest around the boot 4 ankle mobility. great 4 jam skating bc they're lighter than my jacks! DEF recommend repainting/glitterifying ur skates 2 give them new life. i <3 my ruby red slippers c:

i also previously owned forest green impalas n clementine moxi lollies ▶︎▶︎▶︎ impalas were my first pair & tbh they served me well :o i can see why the brand gets h8 tho -- they're beautiful / visually aesthetic skates but low quality w many issues of the stock hardware breaking down. issues 2 expect from $100 skates. learned quickly i needed my next pair 2 have adjustable toe stops bc bolt-ons r a bitch! sold em 4 like 10 bucks so i hope they continue serving beginner skaters ! :D ▶︎▶︎▶︎ aghhhh i H8D my lollies !!! i got them when Moxi skates were mega hyped up in 2020. i regret letting the brand name + bright colors sway me into buying them b4 doin more research >:c they hurt my feet n knees, were a fucking beast to break in even tho they were supposed 2 feel "pre-worn", had a shit ass nylon plate -- ugh i was SO happy when i sold them even if it was at a fraction of the price i paid 4 them bc i just wanted them GONEEE! theyre great skates 2 some, def not 2 me

[radroller]

CAPTAIN BRITAIN COSTUME RATINGS

Totally impromtu and totally subective to my tastes! Focusing on Brian because his are the costumes i have the strongest feelings towards. Here we goooo!!!!

Original: 6/10

This one is a-okay and ive seen it look really cool in the hands of some artists, but it’s not a fave. The mask is cool, i like the big lion, and the Union Jack armbands are pretty neat, but it just doesnt really come together to me. Also i think Lionheart wore it better, but nobody gives a damn about her 😔

Alan Davis design: 10/10

PLEASE look at this suit, the simple iconic design, the color placements, the boots, the COOL helmet with the chin guard, i love it so much. I used to be confused by the huge X his costume makes but it does fit with how much he associates with X-Men characters. This will always be one of my favorite Alan Davis designs, and now that I’ve seen the other potential costumes he drew when brainstorming i can say we hit the fucking jackpot here.

Alan Davis Redux: 9/10

I dont like this one as much as Davis’ original design, but it’s still really good. The color balance is more or less the same, and as as a person who has drawn the previous Captain Britain suit i do appreciate the simplification. Plus, the biggest thing I appreciate Davis bringing to Captain Britain’s design is his beefy physique, and that has yet to change. So what’s to complain about?

Britannic: 2/10

In terms of 90s redesigns this is about as inoffensive as you can get, but it’s so damn boring. This looks like something Brian would wear for some one-off Excalibur mission, but it’s just his regular suit. Hell it looks like an undersuit that’s missing some kinda armor! Literally only thing worse than this costume to me is the name “Britannic.” Like are you kidding me. The only reason he isnt 1/10 is this is some of the best hair Brian has ever had. Literally a helmetless version of any of his costumes with this flowing hair would be SICK.

King of Otherworld: 3/10

Really don’t give a fuck about this one tbh. It’s not all bad, it’s clearly drawing from his original costume with some of the iconography and i can certainly see that working, but without the mask??? The best part of his original costume??? Or maybe some variation on helmets? Also, again, Lionheart basically wore a version of this suit that was better in every way.

New Excalibur: 8/10

Okay now we’re talking!!! A nice update of the classic design that makes a few interesting changes. I always thought the black sleeves were kinda neat, as is the helmet resembling a more traditional superhero mask. The modern detailings, however, i’m completely indifferent toward. You could tell me this was Ultimate Captain Britain and id believe you (which is funny as some of the Ultimate designs resemble the classic suit way more than this one does). Still, not bad at all!

M.I. 13: 4/10

Im gonna be real, this is probably my least favorite one, but i don’t think it’s the worst. It’s just so bland. It’s not like a helmetless look couldnt work, Brian and Betsy rock that look quite a bit, and Ultimate Jamie Braddock KILLS with it. But like the overly simplistic design, thinner build, lame haircut, he’s just missing so many vital qualities.

Sword of Might: 7/10

This design is very cool and i love how it combines his og and classic looks in a more armored appearance. If he had blue covering his mouth this would be my favorite upgrade of his original design. However i ultimately don’t think this is a design id wanna see regularly because i just don’t like his original suit that much. But still, so cool to see!

Captain Avalon: 6/10

I greatly appreciate the return of the BEEF but i find this suit kinda mid. It’s just a Captain Britain reskin, like he’s Thunderstrike or the Scarlet Spider. But that’s perfectly okay. Frankly my biggest problem with it is that I don’t get why it exists. Like okay Brian is retired and he seems fine with that but there’s a million Captain Britains. There are LITERALLY retired Captain Britains hanging out in Otherworld all the time! Did they get new costumes too? Who knows. On the other hand, this is the least connected to Britain he’s ever been in terms of name and design, so in a way that makes it a secret 10/10!!! Wow!!!

[purplesurveys]

1841

What's the most worthwhile thing you've done in the last year? I've mentioned it to death at this point, but traveling to Thailand with my friends and seeing Yoongi in concert before he went off to military service. It was the first accessible tour BTS had (the previous ones were all in the US), and my friends and I needed it to happen for us.

What foods make you want to gag? I have a strong stomach when it comes to food and typically have no problem with textures, smells, all that stuff...my biggest issue is not liking fruits, but they're not necessarily something I gag over. I just don't like how they taste.

Do you consider yourself to be organized? Like what I've said before, I'm a messy kind of organized so idk where that falls under. I can be careless when placing things but I always remember where everything is.

Have you ever made out with someone? Yes.

What time do you get sleepy? Usually around 1 or 2 AM.

What music do you listen to? I nearly exclusively listen to K-pop these days.

How old were you when you started to walk? I would guess a little over 1 year old, since I have home videos from my 1st birthday party and those clips would show that I was still struggling to keep myself up. Kinda surprising and I would consider that delayed, since I have cousins who were able to walk at like 10-11 months old.

Which member of your family do you get along with the best? My sister. We have the same sense of humor and we generally have an excellent silent understanding of each other's moods.

What cheers you up when you're sad? My dogs, BTS, and wrestling. But I'm also generous towards myself - if I'm in a really down mood, I don't force myself to cheer up anymore.

What do you sleep in? My designated lounge clothes, which is really just a collection of thin, short, and airy pieces. Can't be all covered up in this tropical climate.

Have you ever tanned topless? I wouldn't want to do that. Even if you tell me I'd have an island to myself, I think I'd still be too shy to go topless.

Wear jewelry? I used to have a necklace constantly on, but I took it off a few months ago. It's sitting on my drawer for now.

What's something you've been told you're good at? Writing. And planning, in the sense of crafting PR pitches - which tbh is just an offshoot of writing as every presentation deck needs a strong and compelling narrative.

How much can you eat? Not a lot in one go; I have a very small appetite and rarely finish a full meal, unless I'm at home.

What's the furthest away you've ever traveled? Just around Southeast and East Asia.

Are you a cat or dog person? Dog!

Have you ever done drugs? Only once.

What does your room look like? It's certainly a lot homier and cozier than it used to be - a year ago we had some renovations done and upgraded my bed to a loft-style one, which was able to save a ton of space. That meant I could add some more stuff in my room that would help make it a comfier spot, so right now I have a loft bed with my work station under it, and dedicated shelves for all my K-pop merch. I also have a makeshift couch where I can hang if I don't feel like climbing up to my bed.

Recommend a really amazing book. I'd just recommend the last one I read since I don't read frequently - Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982.

Recommend a really amazing song. Wild Flower by RM or First Love by Suga. Amygdala by Suga is also good.

Recommend a really amazing movie. Steve Jobs.

Who's your favorite actor/actress? Kate Winslet and Audrey Hepburn.

Have you ever run away from home? No.

Do you exercise ever? The lack of exercise I do I make up for by walking as much as I can and as far as I can. I recently learned that I have low blood pressure, so that has explained a lot for me as far as why I seem to hate exercising so much.

Do you like your hair, the way it is and the colour? It has its good days but admittedly it's something I've been neglecting. It's way overdue for a new dye job and a major trim.

Do you have any friends named Baloo? Or is he just in the Junglebook? I don't know anyone named Baloo.

Are you a Disney movie fan? I'm not a superfan by any means, but I have my share of Disney movies that I really love.

Do you eat seafood? Yes. I had a ton of it just earlier.

When was the last time you cried? Couple of days ago, but they were good tears.

Do you have good working habits? I like to think so. I've slowed down in the last year or so and while that might give off the impression that I'm not as good as I used to be, the fact of the matter is I overworked myself to death when I was just starting out, and have simply learned how to strike the balance between setting boundaries while still performing at the quality I should be delivering.

So where the hell do you want to go in life? I just want to continue being responsible with my savings while not forgetting to enjoy life. I don't want to push myself on a leash, but I don't want to go out of bounds with my means either.

Contentment. It's a cliché answer but it's what I'm perfectly okay going for.

What are your boundaries? The only boundaries I can think of now are all work-related, but I'm glad to say I've been learning to keep those walls up and to not be a slave for my job.

What are some of the funniest things you can think of? I recently remembered the existence of the WWE musical chairs segment, and that was a treat to unlock from my memory hahaha.

What are two quirky little things about you? Thinking of 'quirky' things kinda makes me feel self-conscious, and it might be better asking someone else. What's quirky for me might just be otherwise normal without me knowing hahaha.

Are you claustrophobic? Nah not really, I don't have a lot of problem with being in cramped spaces or super crowded spots. If anything it just makes me annoyed hahaha.

Do you like getting wasted? I like getting a good amount of tipsy in that I become more extroverted and energized than usual, but I've graduated from blackout drunkenness. Not something I'd want to experience again.

List three things that you look for in a friend. Low-maintenance, on a similar wavelength humor- and vibe-wise, is talkative and likes to share stories and ask questions.

Do you prefer Angels and Airwaves or Rhianna? Rihanna.

What religion are you, if any? I haven't identified with any religion in nearly 15 years, although I was baptized as Roman Catholic and technically that's what I am.

If your house was on fire (and your family escaped), what would you save? If family already includes the dogs, I'd simply go for my phone before making my way out.

Do you have any sash belts? No.

What do you have on right now? Include everything, nail polish, makeup, etc BB cream, hair serum, t-shirt, culottes, a hair tie, glasses.

Does caffeine make you hyper? It keeps me awake and focused, but not hyper.

[himebushou]

I've basically been doing very little with my time besides watching Shaman King 2021 so phew, here are some thoughts on Episodes 10-32!

Episode 10

The bit with everybody hanging out at the inn was adorable, hee.

I LOVE BOZ THEY'RE SO FUNNY

It's odd that Yoh is already paying that much attention to "Hao" considering the name has come up once? But yeah...

Ryu comes back!! And damn, he already qualified for the main tournament?

Bason and Ren are too cute. Also, it's interesting to watch Ren's mindset change and hee, we get the showdown against Tao En!

Episode 11

Phew — Ren gets captured by his Pops and the Zoldyck vibes INTENSIFY.

I don't remember the Tao family having their own Super Sentai Squad, but hey, it tracks!

It's a bit of a shame that these battles were concluded so quickly, but it was cool to see Horohoro and Ryu's upgrades!

Can't believe Tao Rn squeezed that poor baby panda to death only for it to be resurrected as a zombie in the next scene! SHEESH!

Episode 12

This episode also went at THE SPEED OF LIGHT! I cant believe we got Jun's dramatic rescue and the whole Tao En reveal and fight in the same episode! I mean, at this speed, Ren's deep loyalty to the gang does seem a bit goofy, but hey, I'll deal!

Ryu saying, "Just what exactly do you think wavering is?" had me laughing so much, oh man.

Episode 13

How is SO MUCH happeningin EVERY EPISODE?

Yoh and the crew leave home!

They meet Hao!

They get dropped out of a plane!

They meet Lilirara, who's really cool! There's sone backstory!

They go on their way — AND THEN LILIRARA DIES???

Wild!!!!

Horohoro continues to be adorable and guh, I'm really enjoying watching the episodes dubbed... honestly, the dub iis really, really good!

Episode 14

WHEEE LYSERG THE DOOFUS IS HERE... to be honest he's a lil green Sherlock. Isn't it nice that everyone has a colour-coded Oracle Bell lol Yoh's is orange and Lyserg's is green... it's been like 15 years but I still don't know if I've forgiven him for what comes later. Whoops.

Anna is such a great character and I love how much bearing she has on the story.

New ending! And it's Iron Maiden Jeanne!!

Also, the goof with 6 years versus 8 years... Lyserg's parents definitely weren't killed 6 years ago, sheesh.

Episode 15

Okay, so this was one of the eps where the pacing was definitely painful. Anna got a (hodgepodge) version of Hao's backstory — honestly, why didn't Yohmei just tell her the whole deal if he was going to reveal so much? And then, she dealt with Hao's familiars SO QUICKLY that there was like. No threat to them at all. I was expecting more boom bang...

But she did use the 1080 beads! We love the 1080 beads!

Horohoro is just one of the best characters and I loved his upgrade, gosh. Again, we could have had a whole episode dedicated to his time with Apollo, rather than 10 mins. I also don't know HOW Ranger Bluebell knew bout him wanting to become the Shaman King since that wasn't discussed

For obvious reasons, Morphin is renamed Morphia in the dub, hue.

Episode 16

Not much that I can say about this episode (I was a bit sleepy when I watched it). Ryu is getting an upgrade — at lastl! And this episode had some of the humour I love from Shaman King: the whole bit with the vampiric guys was SO funny. "If there are only 5 in the group, why do two of them look the same?!" Yoh/Ren/Horohoro are such a darling trio.

Episode 17

/inhales

THE X-LAWS ARE HERE

WHICH MEANS MARCO IS HERE

WHICH MEANS... ERIC STUART!!!

And man I hate Marco (thought ťhe X-Laws are great villains who basically permanently impacted mine and my friends' psyches; they're a specific type of evil) but boy oh boy, it is sooo good to hear Seto Kaiba in an anime again, sobs.

Lyserg... tbh, I don't think I ever forgave his betrayal back from 2001; THERE'S STILL A PART OF ME THAT'S MAD. I wonder if I might feel differently this time around but I half-expected the little green bean to run off with the X-Laws in this very episode so I was a bit surprised when he didn't.

And then a surprise! Hao chatted to Anna and Manta and Tamao! Anna looks so cool with the sunglasses, lol. Though... I feel like Manta's being from money is largely a plot device (because how else would everyone get to the States)... but I often find this with rich/wealthy characters. sighs!

Oh, also! The Shaman King timeline is SO WHACK. Like, Ryu says to Yoh: "You forgot about me in Izumo which is when I trained to be a shaman." But here's the problem. I think Ryu only went to Izumo in the he first place to take Manta there and THEN he trained with Yohmei — but the flashback reveals that Ryu had to wait for a week to get Yohmei to train him (why is Mikihisa Like That btw) which means that. Yoh would have already been back and fighting and drawing against Ren and therefore concluding prelims in the same time that Ryu was supposedly waiting for Yohemi to train him? And yet Ryu somehow had an Oracle Bell AND qualified for the main tournament? While Ren had only completed two battles?

fudjdjd stuff like this drives me absolutely cuckoo I NEED WRITERS TO HAVE CHARTS AND TOURNAMENT TABLES AND TIMELINES AND ALL ELSE. URHFJFJD

Episode 18

JOCO!!! HEART EMOJIIIS

Anna slapping Hao with her free hand!

Mihihisa being revealed to be Yoh's dad!!

And the whole bit with Ren deciding the teams fhdjd man I am CRACKING UP!

(I rewatched some scenes in English and Japanese and wow, some of the changes are completely unnecessary fjdjd)

Episode 19

I... finally caught the Mic the Jaguar / Mic Jagger joke.

After almost 20 years.

SHEESH.

(I love Boz they're so funny fjljjd)

Episode 20

I never knew that Joco's backstory was so sad... my poor little guy...

I love how Ren pointed out that Horohoro did nothing, zero and zilch in the match dhdjd

Episode 21

Phew... to say that the X-Laws are brutal is putting it lightly... and looking at Jeanne and the way she was in this episode and knowing that she ends up with Ren is very. HUH?

I kind of can't believe just how laidback Yoh is sometimes. It kinda irritates me a tiny bit? Back in the day, I couldn't choose between Yoh, Ren and Horohoro for the Favourite Character Spot, but I'm not firmly Team Horohoro, ehe.

Poor Team Niles. Gosh.

Episode 22

Crying and sobbing... why won't Shaman King just give me. A TIMELINE? So now I discover that it's been TWO MONTHS since they were in the Patch village (???) and it's already the last battle of the first round of the tournament (???) and that Anna already taught Team Funbari Hot Springs EVERYTHING in Hao's big bad book (???) and? We didn't get to see any of that? Like I understand this decision if that's how it went down in the manga and the double OS was a major, unprecedented reveal, but if not... I LOVE A TRAINING MONTAGE. Give me these arcs...

Also, the dub's choices for which terms to leave in Japanese are messy. They use words like Onmyoji and Ultra Senji Ryakketsu, but 'Mana' replaces 'furyoku'... like I'm pretty sure the 4Kids dub used furyoku because it was a term I was v. familiar with.

Anyway, its nice to see a battle span two eps!

Episode 23

Wowee... this episode got me teary. Ryu's upgrade is NICE and Anna talking about the flexibility of Yoh's furyoku was so sweet. I also love the Icemen and their design — and it was particularly cute to see Pino and Horohoro chatting together at the end.

And then Hao's whole convo with Ren (the 4Kids dub called him Len and Yoh nicknamed him Lenny which was the cutest; gah, things I miss!) was really interesting

BUT WHY HAS YOH SOUGHT OUT LYSERG THE TRAITOR... ooft!

Episode 24

WAAAA WHAT A COOL EPISODE?

Okay, so it turns out that I was wrong about all the matches being over because this ep was HAO VS THE X-LAWS and damn, Hao using OXYGEN as his medium? That's bloody cool!!!

The OST in this ep was top tiiieeer and freaking — the X-Laws being humanised? A bit? I am SHOCKED.

Episode 25

Revelations galore... and Yohmei Tries to Commit Infanticide: Extended Edition.

Blimey. This anime is getting me so emotional.

(I love Horohoro I love what a good friend he is he is my FAVOURITE.)

Episode 26

WOW I LOVED THIS EPISODE.

The senior Asakura and Tao folks coming together to discuss Hao's bigtime book and the gang finally finding out about Yoh's origins! I got to see TAO RAN again (I love her) and freaking heck, Mikihisa is so cool? I guess jury has to be out with him a liiiittle bit because I've seen people commenting that he sucks. But. I have a major soft-spot for shounen dads (Goku, Echizen Nanjiroh, Van Hohenheim, Kurosaki Isshin...) and I reckon Mikihisa ticks cool points.

And freaking Ren! Why is everyone so cool??

Episode 27

NO TIME YO RECORD THOUGHTS MUST WATCH NEXT EP

Team Flower vs Jun / Anna / Tamao yeah!!

GOTTA SAVE REEEEN!!!

Episode 28

HOWLING

HOWLING!!

The Iron Maiden will save Ren (oh my GOSH — NOW, CERTAIN THINGS make more sense) and Yoh will be withdrawing from the tournament (?) and we got a new opening AND a new ending and Horohoro had that whole speech and buuu MY TEARS!

Episode 29

Mikihisa appears and just adopts everyone on sight and oh my gosh, the babies? Forget everyone else I want THEIR happiness and dhdhd what is this stuff about a golem?

HOW CAN I GO TO SLEEP WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH HAPPENING IN THIS ANIME

Episode 30

Ahhh we're entering a flashback! So this is what people were talking about when they kept bringing up "Osorezan Arc", huh?? YOH AND ANNA'S FIRST MEETING!

AND SHE WAS SO DISGUSTED.

Once again, the timeline is WHACK because there's really no way it can be the year 2000 at the time of the Shaman Fight unless I'm missing something huuuge... Yoh and Anna really should've been 8 when they met, not 10?

And I'm finally meeting Matamune!

But he was in the last Shaman Fight dhdhd i guess Hao couldn't have participated since he was a Patch that time but what happened at the fight 1000 years ago?

SO MANY MYSTERIIIES

Episode 31

Oh man, I can see why people were so obsessed with this arc... there is just so much emotion here from all sides: Matamune (having to defeat Hao!!), Yoh and Anna, Kino — everything.

You can see why Yoh and Anna are the dream team, wow.

Also, I looked up a timeline and I think I can make my peace with it being the year 2000 in canon... but the anime did not explain it AT ALL, which is pretty poor.

Episode 32

Wow.

Yoh and Anna are very, very special.

[callgespenst]

Completed Media: Sakura Wars for Sega Saturn

I've been meaning to get into Sakura Wars for...most of my life, I think. Geki! Teikoku Kageki-dan is one of the first anisong I ever remember hearing and it's still one of my absolute favorites. I read what was available of the manga in English (not bad! pretty fun), I watched a few episodes of the TV anime (didn't like this one, tbh), and then started playing the game with that nice new fan patch.

I played the patch on my Steam Deck, which overall worked pretty well. I had some trouble figuring out how to switch discs, and controller support was a little funky at points, but otherwise it worked pretty smoothly. Had a few things turned on in the emulator and it looked incredibly nice.

I liked all the fun mini-games! Very glad they let you practice them beforehand. I feel kinda bad for obliterating Kohran at hanafuda, I was forged in the F/HA mines.

I think it's neat how there's no leveling system or upgrades you can choose to make to your machines. Your chances of victory depend entirely on whether you made the right decisions in earlier conversation. And all the battles felt like they were at the exact right level of difficulty.

This probably says more about me than it does about the game, but only a third of the girls feel like they're really and truly options to pursue romantically. Iris is 10, Maria is cool but has enough of her own stuff going on, I'm not going to even try to get in the middle of whatever Sumire and Kanna have going on (something homosexual, I'm pretty sure). I got Sakura's ending, she's good and I like her. If I ever replay this though, I'll probably go for Kohran.

Was wondering what the heck Satan's deal was up until the very end. Like, what's his deal, what's his motive? And then, surprise surprise! It's because he's Actual Satan, like From the Bible, not just some guy who happens to be named Satan because he's evil. And then your commanding officer is Michael, also from the Bible. Was pretty blown away by that.

I had a lot of fun with Sakura Wars! I hope the translation for the second game comes out soon. (Doesn't have to be -too- soon though, I have another dozen games I've started and haven't finished still to get through).

[elizabethrobertajones]

15 questions/Get to know me!

1. Are you named after anyone?

I'm named after both my grandmas :D My brother is not because in the same pattern he'd be Wally John and my parents recognised you don't do that to a kid

2. When was the last time you cried?

I'm a tough nut to crack tbh. I can't remember the order but last month the only 2 times I cried was 1: bitterly at the new David Attenborough program in the final episode because he filmed it before ALL THE GANNETS DIED OF BIRD FLU, LIKE, ALL OF THEM and that was unbearable. And 2: my mum and I saw Good streamed by the National Theatre in cinemas and the ending got me. Still viscerally haunts me actually. Which I guess it was supposed to do.

3. Do you have kids?

Only a Grogu toy and no plan to upgrade unless someone buys me the expensive animatronic baby :P

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Constantly IRL, I try and temper it online and use :P if I think I'm remotely in the ballpark of being read wrong if you take me seriously. (Unless you want to actually buy me a Grogu in which case I am not joking at all.)

5. What sports do you play/have you played?

None since school, where I was in no teams and only did PE very lacklustre-ly so I don't think that counts.

6. What’s the first thing you notice about other people?

vibes (like, their mood, aesthetic, how much they want to interact, what they're trying to convey about themselves, etc - I think I'm quite observant because if I check back in with others they often haven't seen as much as I did so I try not to be weird about it and never like, Sherlock Holmes people because that's extremely rude, but I think it's my writer eyes from having been writing and people watching for characters all my life :P)

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings, I am extremely soppy. Although I don't think all storytelling is boxed into "scary movie" or "happy ending" so I'm treating this like we're in Blockbuster and the two DVDs we are debating are a horror movie and a rom com or other genre with a guaranteed happy to ironic-happy ending simply by its cover and not anything more complicated XD

8. Any special talents?

Writing B)

9. Where were you born?

Swindon, UK (they haven't let me back in since)

10. What are your hobbies?

Knitting, sewing, gaming, watching TV with my family :')

11. Do you have any pets?

Alas no. See above, Grogu toy. I don't know if he counts as baby or pet.

12. How tall are you?

5'4"

13. Fave subject in school?

Philosophy, Science

14. Dream job?

Productive writer in a cottagecore writer aesthetic post with all the books and plants and nooks in a window and vellum notebooks, all that stuff.

15. Eye colour?

Grey!

Tagged by: @draculas-husband

Tagging: @windupsanson @cyborgthepoet @emcapi-ffxiv @blorbos-of-the-7th-dawn idk, anyone who wants to do it can say I sent them :P

[monstrouslyobsessed]

if my body can just...chill, that'd be great. gonna try and publish two pieces by tomorrow. here's hoping i can do it!

Ooh! Regarding the Jaguar tribe, I pick the AFAB one, please! —anonymous

ah alright, i can probably do that one first, maybe. just trying to be considerate to everyone possible!

What age you became (or started) to became a Monsterfucker?and what triggred it for you?;for me it was when i was like 7-10 because of Ben 10 LMFAO.

I had a crush on XLR8,Ripjaws (i love me some shape of water looking monster),Heatblast and Big Chill (my fav Mothman),i also loved Upgrade but when they introducted Malware it was breaking point for me,like you are bringing this EVIL AND WELL WRITTEN VILLAIN VERSION OF UPGRADE AND EXPECT ME NOT TO SIMP???

Sorry if this was asked before and thank you! —anonymous

you're the first one who asked!!

but uhhhh, shoot, i think i was probablyyyyyy 6 or 7 with goliath from gargoyles from early 90s??? maybe??? not too positive tbh, it had been a very long time for me. i remembered having a bit of a crush on demona too…i think her name was? the kid me was shocked to see that yes, you can pair a human up with an inhuman character, but i didn't exactly fall in the monsterfucker genre too deep until probably the mid2010s. that genre just wasn't popular before then and the internet was sorta…pretty vanilla then too, at least in my usual internet hang-outs.

oh man, ben 10. i barely remembered half the shits about that show lol watched the kid era from the beginning to the end and missed out a few on the teen era (i missed gwen's sass ngl), but i definitely lost all interest when its creator passed and the jerkwads at cartoon network or whatever company it was rebooted it from scratch and completely disrespected the creator's wishes??? like why lmao and the new style was hideous, so i p much dropped out from ben10 since and don't keep up with it at all.

Mars attacks??? Would you write for it????? —anonymous

er one by tim burton?? unless there are other ones i wasn't aware about (the title is super common with the older media iirc), i'd have to say no. the appearance of those aliens from that movie is not…something i'd be into. sorry!

that said, i certainly did write several alien pieces, including the classic martian aliens in ufo one if you're interested! the latter was very nondescript so you're welcome to imagine whatever alien appearance you'd prefer :)

i envy how you're able to create such a specific and fascinating story —anonymous

daw thank you! <3 my writing def ain't perfect and i know im slow as heck, but it makes me happy that i have kind readers like you reading my pieces <3

i like you —anonymous

i like you too nonnie!

okay thats all the nonstory related asks i have atm. if there's a question i haven't answered, chances are, the hellsite might've eaten it :( if that's the case for you, then feel free to send in another one!

that said, ive been looking around for ask memes for my oc's like that classic nsfw abc's one to interact with yall and do something fun with my characters, but haven't a lot of luck finding any i liked. if you have any rec, hmu!

otherwise, <3 yall be good to one other and take care!

[merlumina]

hi there, tumblr

So after quitting all other social media (twitter, instagram, facebook), I found myself 1) pretty lonely tbh and 2) at a loss for how to keep myself creatively motivated and inspired with nowhere to share my work. I'd heard from several people that tumblr is way more chill these days, and while I hesitated at first, I finally decided to give it a try. After a few weeks of waiting from tech support to regain access to my account (pro tip: don't sign up for anything important with your college email address), I regained access yesterday and spent some time doing some tidying up (i. e. deleting most of my old posts and likes).

So...hi! Feels weird to be back. Life has changed so much in the past seven years. It was interesting going back through old posts to relive those times. Since I was last here, this is what I've been up to:

hollowforest and I got married in 2020. While he was unfortunately not able to propose to me at MAGFest after a particularly victorious round of Gundam Xtreme VS, which would have been rad, we settled for eloping at county jail, which is also a cool story.

Ringo, my cat, is still with us! But now we also have a dog, Haru (named after Persona 5 Haru). Yeah I like dogs now. I like pitt bulls now. 2012 me would never.

After years of self-doubt and self-loathing about my life choices, I actually became what I wanted to be when I grew up - a software developer! In late 2020 I took the plunge to do a coding bootcamp and got really lucky being hired into an apprenticeship program before I'd even graduated. Now I'm making those big coding $$$ working from home, literally living the dream and still kind of in awe.

I joined the Diagnosed with ADHD in My 30s club! (Also, I'm in my 30s now)

We bought a house in October, 2022! I did not think it would be possible for the longest time, but due to the big job upgrade we were finally able to afford it.

I've played a lot of video games, but not beaten that many.

I picked up game dev as a hobby and have made a few small games during game jams.

My mental health is overall a lot better now! Part of that is from therapy, part of that is from self reflection, part of that is maybe just growing up. See also: quitting aforementioned social medias.

Improved mental health aside, my hangups about my artistic abilities and creative capacity still haven't improved any in the past 10 years. It's one of my biggest personal insecurities, but also one of the reasons I'm trying Tumblr again! I wanted somewhere to post my practice routine to keep myself accountable, as well as a place to get inspiration from other artists.

I'm going to make a concerted effort to keep this blog focused on art and personal things that make me happy. After I left Tumblr in 2016 I started working on myself and trying to focus on bringing more empathy into my interactions with others. Whether or not I've been successful at that is another matter, but in general it has helped me be a happier person. I am not interested in participating in Discourse. I don't think you can judge the "goodness" of a human based on a handful of things they've said/done online, and I won't be made to cast judgment on anyone. I think we should spend less time tearing down people in our own communities and more time asking why it's so easy for the people in power to trick us into fighting each other. In general, the overall vibe that everyone's social media account is a personal soapbox where they can make declarations about what is Right and what people Should be doing makes me uncomfortable. So I'm going to try not to do any more of that here. I do like still having those discussions sometimes, but I prefer a more personal venue, where I feel like I'm talking with people rather than at them.

Let's be cool to each other! -Liz / merlumina

[at1nys-blog]

Hello! I was wondering if I could request Blue Exorcist Lucifer x female human that has angelic powers? A enemies to lovers fic would be great! Please and thank you.- 🦆

Alexa play "Jealousy" by Monsta X

Pairing: Lucifer x fem!reader

A/N: I am so so so so sorry it took me this long but everything sucked so I just decided to take a break for a while (started working on it the 14th March) and now I think is somwhow decent. I hope you like it because honestly right now I can't do any better than this. Again so sorry for making you wait 10 months for this 😢

Lucifer doesn't give a shit about you

at least not at first

He doesn't even know your name to be honest

You?

You don't like him

Like at all...

and the reason to why you don't like him is because he kinda kidnapped you(?!)

I mean you finally have a roof above your head but the way it happened wasn't the nicer

he sent his minion and they forced you to join the Illuminati

here you learn how to controll your powers

and "upgrade" them (if that makes even sense?!)

He doesn't pay attention to you that much

still more than anyone else in the sect

you don't want to interact with him at all

things change when you meet Shima Renzo

you and him get along easily

and very fast

We all know how Renzo is with girls...

But you enjoy his flirting, mostly because you flirt back as a joke

He is cute but not really your type

Lucifer get's annoyed

and even if he isn't allowed to stay out of his room that much, guess what?

he doesn't care

he wants to make sure Renzo is not flirting too much (or at all tbh) with you

at first you are confused to why Lucifer is around you more

then you are just annoyed

because why is he always around you and being passive aggressive with your friend??

You ask him but he doesn't answer

Of course he doesn't, he doesn't know why he is annoyed that you spend time with Renzo

Once you are fully in control of your powers you are allowed to join in on mission

but only if Homare Todo is with you because he wants to make sure you are okay

The more time you spend with Renzo the more he gets annoyed

At this point you are doing it on purpose just to piss him off

you like to make him jealous

but why?

Renzo once joked it was becuase you like him

As if...

to your disgust you realize Renzo is right

you do LIKE Lucifer

ewww

Lucifer will not confess first

at least not until he knows he won't get rejected

if he got rejected it will be so embarassing

and if his siblings found out?

they will never stop talking about it

so no, he won't say a word untill he is 1000% sure he won't get reject

(he also strikes me as someone with an ego bigger than this world tbh so some days he is so sure you won't reject him lol)

time passes and you don't get to spend that much time with Renzo anymore and is not fully a good thing

because now you have so much time for yourself and your mind wonders...

wonders too much for your liking

you think about how Lucifer basically saved you from the street life

sure he forced you but still

you think how attentive he is

always making sure you don't overuse your powers

(especially at the beggining)

making sure you are safe and sound

your mind hypotesizes is because he is interested in you

but it can't be, can now?

you decide to ask him directly

"Do you like me?"

Homare and some other memebers are in the room when you ask him

he has to tell them to get out

"Why? Do you like me?"

You dont know what to say

Do you like him because you think he likes you

or do you like him because you do?

Lucifer asks you to think about his question

you don't like the way he says that

"No, I don't like you"

you were mad but is too late, you told him you don't

things go back to day 1

he doesn't talk to you

you don't talk to him

if you bump into him, you just roll your eyes and move on

he doesn't say anything

mission day

the plan backfires and you get hurt

badly

like you need to stay in the infirmary for a couple of weeks

and Lucifer is not happy

like at all about that

(it might be his fault oopsy)

he comes to visit you once a day

(he is busy man)

(no, he just doen't want to annoy you)

(how nice of him)

but anyway, when he visit he doesn't say much, just wants to know how you are doing

and how are your powers

just to check

He might ask Homare to feed you, at least at the beggining

what? You thought he would feed you himself?

there is no way he will do that

one day you ask him why he keeps coming in the infirmary

"to check on you"

simple

true

"can't you send Homare? or anyone else?"

you offended him

"I want to make sure you are okay myself"

you don't understand why though

and he is so sick of your obliviousness so he tells you why

is because he cares about you

you are surprised

like...

why?

how?

since when?

WHY????

Now he wants to know if you care about him

"I basically took a bullet for you weeks ago, what do you think?"

your relationship is not a secret but in public you don't show that you are together

is it as if you still don't like each other's guts

but is just a facade

that's all

Homare is grossed out when YOU, (fem!reader) act all lovely dovey with Lucifer

Lucifer pretends to not like it but a part of him doesn't mind it that much

you aren't allowed to go on missions if he is not there

he does not trust anyone with your well being

also Renzo is the first one you tell him about you and Lucifer

(he is also your only true friend)

yes, Lucifer is still a bit jealous about it though

but you always assure him, Renzo is only a friend

(btw you need to do a lot of reassurance with Lucifer because he has trust issues)

[bisluthq]

No, because it's so weird he can't even post his little silly photodump without causing a commotion among swifties, who say he's so irrelevant yet act like they have his notifs on and take screenshots of what he posts. His name ended up on the trends thing on Twitter 💀 I actually saw someone posting a screenshot of a gc she's in where they were mocking him for the golf clip. I mean????

But I saw something even more ridiculous to me because it's highkey coming from a place of privilege and entitlement. I saw a tweet (and it wasn't one of those with 10 likes and no comments. There actually were hundreds of likes and people on the comments joining the op on their mockery), where this person was laughing at Joe because of the phone he took a photo with.

And you might be thinking what's the fun about that? Well op thought it was fun that she has a more recent phone model than him, so she was like even I have a better phone that's how poor he is. And people in the comments were commenting the phones they have aswell and laughing about how his phone is an old model cause Taylor must have given it to him and hahahaha even I bought a better phone and he didn't.

Like can y'all stop to ponder the absurdity of it all? According to them his phone is a 11 whatever idk much about or care about phones myself, and you are bragging cause you have a 12, 14 etc? And you are calling someone poor and equating someone's value over the phone they have? Like jesus that's the kind of bullying kids do it in schools, you are grown adults and still have this kind of elitism? So Joe seems to have a perfectly working phone and he's in the wrong for not wasting his money on a better model, because people on the internet think that's what you should do even if you don't need it? You are the dumb ones if you keep giving money to millionaire companies, just so you fit in or whatever

but I’ve said many times swifties’ attitude to money baffles the fuck out of me. That’s not even high school bullying - that’s like straight up middle school bullying. Fwiw my partner and I both have the 11 too (weird coincidence but yea neither of us has upgraded). He’s super techy but like there’s nothing he needs a newer phone for tbh because he wouldn’t be able to work off even a 14 Max Pro or w/e (he has an iMac and a desktop PC and he has like a very new iPad that he can do some stuff off of when we travel but also mostly because he needed a new iPad lol because his was really fuck old so then idk he bought himself a new one). Unless you’re working off your phone/an influencer there is no reason to get a new phone. It can do pretty much all the same things, the 14’s camera is just a lot better. But like Joe doesn’t need to use his phone for work and even for his very hobby photography seems to prefer his film ones so like?? Why must he upgrade?? And I’m not saying if you did upgrade even though you don’t need it because idk your shiny new phone makes you happy that’s bad or shallow because silly little materialistic things are allowed to make us happy tbh. What I’m saying is it’s VERY middle school to bully someone for having a perfectly adequate thing just because you’ve got a newer or more expensive thing?? Now ALSO because Joe isn’t actually in any way poor like if he had let’s say a Galaxy A13 I’d have a chuckle about it and be like “mate buy a new phone come the fuck on” because like… the Galaxy A13 can’t even support Google Pay right and a functioning person with a decent job in this here year 2024 should be able to pay with their phone places (this is actually not a fictional example lol a friend of mine who can absolutely afford a new phone has an A13 and I laugh at her about it because there are legit so many things it cannot do but she’s very paranoid and technophobic so like the Google Pay thing for example she’s all like “yes but what happens if your phone gets stolen then all your money can be stolen” and I’m always like “not… really?” and idk her and I went to a bar the one time and she hadn’t brought her card because she’s also parry about THAT when she drinks which actually I do understand because that I’m also careful about because like losing your card can really be a nightmare seeing as how you then need a new card and all the saved card details everywhere disappear and you no longer have Apple/Google Pay etc etc etc so yes that would highkey suck and is why I just use my phone instead and have my cards at home and anyway the bar turned out to be cashless so I had to pay the whole tab - with my phone like a NORMAL FUCKING PERSON - and she did give the cash right away but still that’s like dysfunctional af lol babe JUST BUY A NEW FUCKING PHONE!!!! YOU HAVE A GOOD JOB!!!! YOU CAN AFFORD IT!!!!!!) anyway that was a sidebar but yea if Joe legit had a crappy phone then I would possibly be like “come tf on dude get your shit together pretty much anyone with a normal income can afford a better thing than that and your thing is objectively useless” but he has a perfectly adequate thing??? So what’s the conversation even about?????? PS if you legit can’t afford a nice phone that’s also not something to mock. But my friend can absolutely afford a phone that supports Google Pay/Apple Pay and she’s being weird about it so I’m allowed to mock it. Also she’s actually super into like photography for fun and I’ve tried to explain the camera on her phone is also like very shitty and it’d be better with a new phone but she steadfastly refuses and uses a digital camera instead mostly which idk man idk like I’d get it if it were film but it’s a random ass mid range digital camera and THAT she’ll take out with us like we live in fucking 2008 dudes and then she makes a whole song and dance the next day about “sending everyone the pics” exactly like it’s 2008 again. That shit’s weird. She’s a weird girl. Still nothing she does is as weird as Swifties get when talking about money tho.

[thekaijudude]

Team MLV vs the Ultra Brothers: Who will win?

Either way, let’s also set up 3 basic rules. The first concerns both sides, the second concerns only the Ultra Brothers, and the last only concerns only Team MLV, because if they have this, they WILL win.

—1: No enhanced forms or fusions.

—2: No reality manipulation or dimensional manipulation or whatever you were talking about in my last qn. I don’t know where Taro and Ace showcased this, but even if it was in their shows, it’s clearly considered non-canon now. I mean, why wouldn’t they have just used that to find the Kingdom in UGF3 if it was canon? 

—3: No elemental abilities, ‘cause if Team MLV has this, even if Vylcan’s the only one using them, the Ultra Brothers have no shot, especially given the other rules. I mean it, if their elemental abilities were allowed, Vylcan could probably just amplify himself enough to destroy any one of the Ultra Brothers with only a few punches.

Anyway, I’ve sent you a doc with all of the abilities of each member of Team MLV. (Btw, recall that Ultraman Adam is my name for the OG Ultraman).

Point 2 is gonna rub some feathers tbh cause the reason why they dont use those abilities anymore is the same reason why main series ultras dont just show up and instantly annihilate Tier 2 kaiju even tho theyve shown very clearly that they could, same reason why Tartarus dosent also instantly destroy US Zero since it was clearly shown in UGF3 ep 10 that even the upgraded US Zero barely makes him flinch (recall that Seven was also involved in that fight thus I can say that AT's damage was due to Seven rather than him, consistent with the fact that he took a hit from Shining Ultimate Zero and was still standing AFTER getting a beatdown from the Leo brothers), same reason why PI Belial didnt also instantly dissipate Geed and Z as well despite the vast difference in power and why can Deathcium Ray Burst knock down PI Belial as well

Its all to make a good show, otherwise fights would end in under a few seconds, and the entire displayed conflict between the Ultras and the Absolutians would also end in a single ep since I pointed out that there simply isnt enough Elite Absolutians to handle even the entire cast of UB-level Ultras

Otherwise by your rationale, the infamous Ginga S episode 12 meme where the Zoa Muruchi that solo'ed both Ginga and Victory would be universal level

There are fans that are for and against those feats still being considered canon or nah. Personally, considering the other ridiculous feats of power we've seen beings other than Ultras have protrayed, as well as how powerful Ultras get as they grow older, Im of the opinion that those hax are canon, and they only reason why they dont showcase those abilities anymore is as said, to have a more interesting fight sequence

(Additionally as I also answered before, TsuPro wouldnt want to have to address a situation of "Hax vs Hax" regularly cause it inevitably introduces an extremely convoluted system, iirc i talked in depth about this in the Chaos Darkness vs Sphere ask)

And with good reason too, as the franchise has tried its best to shift away from delving into higher and higher powerscales beyond New Gen Ultras (Movie form++ like US Zero is the current cap) or else theyll eventually encounter the same problem like Dragonball by writing themselves into a hole whereby the in-universe/multiverse/omniverse scaling cannot keep up with its inhabitants (unless they would have a do a metaversal level of retconning every few years just to avoid this issue, which is an absolute pain in the ass to do due to its implications like what Marvel and DC comics do from what I can understand), which was something they alr did up till Taro which was why u saw that they toned it down so much up till now, with the exception of rare occurences of Legendary Ultras and High Tier fusions obviously

(Note that we're currently not even vibing at Multiversal scales mind you, low multi-universal at best with the current UGF plot, expect things to stay this way for the foreseeable future until TsuPro decides to shift their target audiences to young adults)

Thus Im vibin with this canon, and by removing those abilities, youre bascially nerfing them as far as Im concerned

But again, this has too many characters in a single ask, recall I told u max 2v2 yo, unless u can generalize 2 groups in a short summary via numbers or sth within the ask itself (or summarize and highlight the main attributes like base power, multipliers or sth, not just a reference scale to yet another OC which we dk the scaling for) cause I sure as hell aint gonna read all that in the link u sent just for an AU ask

[leggigoesabroad]

Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me

Writing this first post from Eli’s mini iPad that Hil lent to me for this trip to Africa, while in the pitch black in my tented king bed at Kifaru House in Laikipia, Kenya. What a sentence! Also, typing on an iPad is much harder than a computer so bear with any formatting problems or typos. It’s 5:26 am and I leave for the morning game drive at 6:30. I woke up at 4 am unable to fall back asleep so I’m just leaning into it. Plenty of time for a nap later.

Well well well! To back up, I’m im Africa for about 16 days for an amazing safari through work. This is one of the perks of the job and it doesn’t feel real. Lots of stress anxiety and prep went into it, and I’m finally here. The flights were LESS than enjoyable - 9 hours Denver to Frankfurt, two hour layover, and another 9 hours to Nairobi. I hit a wall with about 5 hours left in the last flight and wanted to jump off the wing of the plane. Joints ached, stomach hurt, couldn’t sleep or get comfortable, you name it. Thinking of paying to upgrade the way home to economy plus because maybe I’m upgraded cabin category rich? We’ll see! I got in late, around 11 pm, and was whisked to Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. It’s a very famous hotel known for the way the giraffes who live there lean their heads into the breakfast nook and eat off the table. Very on brand for instagram influencers which I BASICALLY NOW AM. I was so grateful for the bed when I got there I barely took in my surroundings for the 12 hours I was there, but I will never forget the amazing shower. Tbh all of the showers so far have been incredible. Powerful, boiling hot, like getting a deluge of hot water with amazing pressure and simply washing away my ~pain. I was treated to a delicious breakfast at Giraffe Manor while the staff tried to entice the giraffes to come nearby despite the rain, and one actually did! I was happily watching another couple take pics with her and then the staff asked if I wanted some too, so I jumped at the chance bc why not?! deeply grateful I put on Glow Screen before breakfast because my skin simply glowed in the photos. It sounds dumb but looking back on rare photos and looking busted is so disappointing - so wear the minimal makeup! You won’t regret it!

My Safari Director, Wesley, picked me up at 10 am to go over to Giraffe Centre, which is the other side of the same fields as Giraffe Manor. That was almost equally cool - I got to hand feed the giraffes there. Tbh Giraffe Manor was awesome, but a little over-hyped for me. People lose their minds trying to book it because it’s so famous on social media, but it’s ludicrously expensive and so so so hard to get. I don’t think it’s worth all of that! My biggest takeaway will be lightly guiding my guests against it now that I’ve experienced it. Maybe not my company’s goal but hey you can’t control my takeaways!!!

We then went on to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant orphanage and rehabilitation center. This has been my favorite thing so far. I could talk about it forever. The 27 baby elephants in their care were all located when their mothers died of various causes - poaching, drought. Baby elephants cannot survive in the wild without a mother, as they need to nurse for the first few years of their life. The Trust brings them in for the first few years of their life and takes care of them in their infancy, with the goal of eventually reintroducing them in the wild into a new herd, which is a 5-10 year process. They slowly wean them off milk and give them more and more time in the wild. The elephants come back each night to sleep with their keepers, and eventually don’t come back every night, spending more and more time with their new families until they don’t come back at all. 😭 The Trust has saved and successfully reintroduced over 300 elephants in their tenure, and the elephants will always remember the humans when they see them again. Elephants have got to be the most fascinating creatures on earth, bar none. Maybe octopus come close?! I could have stayed there all day listening to their stories. And this was in the middle of aggressive jet lag so you know it was really gripping!

We met up with my colleague Krista for lunch, who I’ll be spending the rest of safari with. Krista is lovely and we get along great, so it will not be a difficult way to spend 15 days! After lunch we checked into our next hotel for the night, Hemingways Nairobi. In contrast to Giraffe Manor, we book a TON of guests there so it was great to experience it firsthand. I was supposed to take copious notes on every detail of the place but the exhaustion simply did not allow! I’m on day 4 now so hoping it starts to abate soon, but the anti malaria pills I’m on have me all fucked up. They cause crazy vivid dreams and also a need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I’m not miserable by any means, but it could be better! Wesley assures me the side effects will stop and I would love that. They make the passage of time weird too. I’ll feel like I’ve been sleeping forever, and will wake up and look at my phone, and it’s only an hour after I went to bed. What?!

Also, yesterday was my little Len’s first birthday. Gutted to miss it half a world away, but my parents took excellent care of her and gave her a “yes” day. The best kind of day!!! She’s a very lucky girl. And she leaves in a few days to go to her two week board and train program. It will be so good for her, but if I think about it too long I’ll cry, because I know she won’t understand where she’s going or why or where her family is. She will adjust because dogs live in the moment but still, sobs.

I have more to write about yesterday and our first game drives - they were so special. But it’s almost 6 and I need to meditate and get dressed! As jet lag continues to improve i hope I’ll be able to blog daily. But holding this little iPad hurts my hands and thumbs. Oh well! Off to see the African sunrise :)

[ohheyidothat]

MH4 notes for myself (will have spoilers about gear, and maybe other things)

Insect glaives

Sturdy Glaive - BEAUTIFUL final form. As good as your current weapon, if you have Monster Broth and Zinogre Claw+ for upgrades.

Shell Intoner - final form is purple 🥺 💜 wowm....,, Need it

Assault Glaive (sleepy lol) - looks neat fully upgraded, two slots, no violet sharpness tho, but sleepy >:3

Sect Happa - sharpness kinda meh unless you have the sharpness boosting skill, BUT has 899 damage! Most others are in the 700s.

Najarala is the weakest I've seen and it only has one slot and it looks like there's a silly face on it or something :3 RIP. I love Najarala but I don't like this weapon

Zamtrios - looks kinda silly, but THREE SLOTS, and 806 attack, and 300 Ice Element :0

Seregios - okay kinda eh sharpness BUT remember that it auto sharpens when you dodge. Only ONE slot but 899 damage. No element??? No effect???? Maybe that's wrong? I figured it would have the same as the seregios

Brachy - oooooo 390 blast.... 873 attack, one slot. Sharpness fair but no violet. Mmmmh!!! Tough decision. NO slots. 480 thunder element tho and 868 attack. Meh sharpness.

Kirin+ (Violin) - ohhhhh 😍 okay so only one slot, fair sharpness w/o violet, BUT 560 ice element. Only 744 attack, but +35 defense! No affinity. Looks like a unicorn put goth girl purple eyeshadow on its horn (looks cool)

Rajang/Metal Mauler - mmmmmm -20% affinity is blehh

Dalamadur - 😍😍😍 ohhhh. 930 attack???? NICE sharpness!!! 320 blast!!! One slot. I don't even know what a dalamadur is but ooooooo.. uh base name is direspike

Heavens Fire (Rathalos) - one slot, 20% affinity, damage is 868, okay sharpness, 370 fire. Kinda cool

Daora - whoaom it looks like a tentacle whirlpool on one end cool! One slot, 10 affinity, 320 ice, ehhh kinda pretty meh sharpness, tbh not a top contender except for the cool look lol.

Ukanlos - yeehaw motherfucker??? 1116 attack????? Ohhhh +20 def BUT -30% affinity YIKES. One slot and ice 120. Sharpness is....pathetic tbh, barely sharper than my regular shell intoner. Also looks like some weird spikey thing, not graceful like I would prefer :3 oof that attack tho

Fatalis - hmm ok visual vibes. Oh hot damn. 3 slots, +40 def, 837 attack, 520 dragon element. Sharpness is barely better than my regular shell intoner. BUT those slots might make up for it with a sharpness skill addition.

Medusa (Najarala+) - uhhhhh the vibes.... Not my style... No slots but 15% affinity. 837 attack, 320 water. Mmmm..... No..... Turquoisey and has the silly face looking thing. RIP again Najarala.

Color Var Zamtrios - nah. No slots, eh element, eh all around. Does have 150 para.

Diablos - attack 1054 but -10% affinity. Sharpness..... Huh. Well it has a HUGE blue section but no violet. Even with sharpness upgrade. Mmm no slots and fire 330

Black Diablos - eh there's better picks.

Stronger S. Magala - oh funky. -25% affinity unless ur frenzied, then +10% affinity. No slots, 90 dragon, 800s attack.

Caster (Chameleon?) - oh no it's pretty. 480 POISON WHOO. 2 slots, 837 attack. No affinity. Sharpness rather meh--DOES have white, but barely, and then blue isn't very long.

Stronger Eldaora - oh fuck that's sharp. Full sharp bar. Bit of violet, bit of white, then a long section of blue. 930 attack, ice is 200, and -35% affinity RIP. NO slots either. Oof.

Stronger Fatalis (Hellruin) - oh nice 2 slots 560 blast. Attack 837, affinity +15%. Mmmmm nicer than the other Fatalis. I do like the affinity and blast. Sharpness pathetic tho. Small strip of blue and that's it. DOES gain a tiny bit of white and violet with sharpness boost.

Messenger's Mark - oh no. Only ONE slot okay. 110 sleep. -10% affinity. Oof, violet sharpness with a decent white section and then a fair blue section. 899 attack. BUT OH MY GOD ITS SO PRETTY. Description claims it is made from darkness from the netherworld and indeed it has those vibes. Goddamnit I might need it. Its pretty.

OH THATS ALL. RIP.

Oh wait one more Fatalis (soldier/overlord) with a sopping wet meow meow sharpness and 868 attack and no slots or affinity and 450 thunder. eh.

This has not helped me narrow down my chosen weapon. This has only made me want to make a Frankenstein insect glaive by duct-taping my favorite ones together into a big bundle. My brain has a bad suggestion for a name. I could call it Kindling though lol since it is just a bunch of fuckin sticks.