#Amazing work INDIE!!! 😁

[truths33k3r4]

Alright! Episode 13 of Indie TMNT is up!!! 😁

This one was seriously one of my favorite episodes to record and edit. I had a lot of fun. 😁

All credit for the art and story goes to @indieyuugure, while I edited and lent my voice for the dialogue of the characters. Epidemic Sound covered the music and sound effects.

To God be the glory!

~ Melissa

[vendetta-if]

Hello!

Just wanted to say the IF is amazing, i just spent 3 days straight binging it and loved every second. Please ignore if it has already been asked but what is all the RO's preferred genre of music? And favourite songs if they have any?

Keep up the amazing work!

Thank you for the kind words! And I just wanna say, your ask is the final push for me to actually scour through most of my songs on Spotify and finish assembling playlists for Rin, Santana, Skylar, and Jackal 😆 But I had so much fun doing so and I'll keep adding more and updating all of the characters' playlists as I discovered more new (and old lost) songs that fit them.

I have the links to their spotify playlist which contain a mix of their favorite songs and some songs whose lyrics fit them. I don't think I can link too much stuff in one post unfortunately, so I'll make a separate post to announce the rest of the characters playlists later on 😁But I'll try to link one song that either perfectly encapsulate their music taste or whose lyrics fit the character--or at least a song that they'd enjoy listening to.

Also, I basically have to split up my own music taste and favorite genres among all of my characters and I'm running out of genres 😭 But as for your question, I don't think I've answered something like that before--at least not in detail.

Sorry in advance for the long post (I just love being able to gush about my characters and music 🤭)

Ash

Ash enjoys quite a wide variety of genres, but mostly, their go-to are genres that are more energetic and/or aggressive. So, think like Rock, Phonk, Dubstep, Trap, Drum and Bass, Metal, that kind of stuff. But usually, they listen to songs whose vibes and/or lyrics kind of fit the mood they're in at the moment.

Also, fun fact, they did have some kind of an emo phase during their angsty and edgy teenage years 😂 It wasn't really too apparent (like no, they didn't have that typical emo hairstyle or wore those iconic eyeliners), but they just relate to quite a number of the lyrics of songs that can be considered to be emo anthems.

The song that fits the genre they like to listen to and the lyrics also matched their feelings and obsession love for MC is "So Sick" by Johnny Goth.

"So Sick" - Johnny Goth

Rin

As the child of a classically-trained musician, Rin mostly enjoys classical and instrumental music. One of their favorite instruments is the piano and they used to enjoy learning to play it. Maybe in the future, when they won't be so busy anymore, they can pick up their piano lessen again...

Also, they tend to gravitate towards more soothing and calming songs in general because of the headaches they usually got after using their power too much or to see to far into the future. So most of their playlist is filled with instrumental songs, either piano, cello, or violin, or a combination of those.

As for the song that fits them, I'd say "The Belt of Faith" by Jung Jaeil kinda fits their vibe and the gravitas they carry (Yes, the main soundtrack for the film "Parasite" and yeah, I can see the irony 😂 )

"The Belt of Faith" - Jung Jaeil

Santana

Santana loves that tinge of old-school songs that they were often exposed to whenever their parents listen to in the radio. So, the genres they enjoy are synthwave and retrowave songs 😎

As for the song that encapsulates their favorite genre and whose lyrics fit them quite well is "Gloria" by The Midnight.

"Gloria" - The Midnight

Skylar

Skylar is a pretty chill and upbeat person who loves and enjoys nature, so their favorite genres include those upbeat summer music and Indie/Alternative Folk music. They also enjoy the occasional pop songs.

As for the song that fits their vibe and desire to just fly off and be free is "Get Away" by Surfclub.

"Get Away" - Surfclub

BONUS

Luka

Luka enjoys Electronic music, including Phonk, Post-Punk, and Alternative/Indie. So, yeah, quite a variety of genres. But for one song that fits him the most, from the lyrics to even the title itself is "Everything Black" by Unlike Pluto 😆

"Everything Black" - Unlike Pluto (feat. Mike Taylor)

Jackal

Just like Luka, he also enjoys Electronic music, especially Phonk. But unlike Luka, he sometimes loves Hip-Hop music as well. One of the few songs that kinda encapsulate both of those genres and fits with his personality is "Heartless" by UNAVERAGE GANG.

"Heartless" - UNAVERAGE GANG

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Did someone say Kanej coded songs by indie artists who deserve more attention? Probably not but I’m gonna give you some anyway

I’m going to limit myself to putting one or two lyrics with each song but just know that I’m picking and choosing from loads of good options they aren’t the only lyrics that work 😁

Pray by The Amazing Devil - “God made all man in his image but honey I’m no man I’m what’s left when children go to war” “Why womanhood is more than crying I’m stronger now than you have ever known, the cracks you made I���ll fill with mortar a broken pot can still hold water”

Metaphor by The Crane Wives - “I’ve gotten good at leaning on metaphors, I’ve gotten good at living on someone else’s page, I cut my teeth on second hand sentiments, you can’t trust a single thing I say” “I keep my closet free of skeletons, ‘cause I’m much better at digging graves, but I always dig up bones in your sympathy, I can’t trust a single thing you say” (I actually have an edit to this that I haven’t posted yet so I guess let me know if anyone wants to see that)

Three Spectres by J Maya this song is the reason I started making edits - “I wonder how people can talk about the past and go to bed, the space around me feels with spectres of what I should have said. The past is a presence, the future is pretend, and the present is a pastor trying to make it all make sense. Will I ever leave this place? This world that I am trying to break? The mind is such a funny space, with these spectres centre stage”

Falling by Florence + the Machine I guess this is kinda borderline indie but I’m counting it and this is an underrated song - “I’ve fallen from favour and I’ve fallen from grace, fallen out of trees and I’ve fallen on my face, fallen out taxis, out of windows too, fell in your opinion when I fell in love with you” “sometimes I wish for falling, wish for the release, wish for falling through the air to give me some relief because falling’s not the problem when I’m falling I’m at peace, it’s only when I hit the ground it causes all the grief” the edits could’ve gone wild for this one if we had the tightrope scenes with Amita/Inej I’m so heartbroken

We Have It All by Pim Stones I have an edit to this one posted if anyone wants to see it - “the print was so small I didn’t understand, he cut out thumbs and placed a feather in our hands, told us we would see all our dreams and plans unfold” “all my life I’ve been heading for hell but never had I thought I’d drag you down as well, I just couldn’t resist what he was trying to sell” “our hearts we have sold for diamonds and gold but hey baby take a look, we have it all, and haven’t you heard? Hearts turn to dirt, along with the rest of your body it’s all claimed by the earth. It will fade and it will wither, but gold it will never, and hey baby, don’t you know? Diamonds are forever”

Run by Daughter - “if I try to get close, he’s already gone, don’t know where he’s going don’t know where he’s been but he is restless at night ‘cause he has horrible dreams” “and I won’t tell my mother, it’s better she don’t know, and he won’t tell his folks ‘cause they’re already ghosts. And we’ll just keep each other, as safe as we can, until we reach the border, until we make our plan to run” “Will you stay with me my love, for another day? ���Cause I don’t want to be alone when I’m on this state. Will you stay with me my love, til we’re old and grey? ‘Cause I don’t want to be alone when these bones decay”

I might add more as they occur to me but I think this is the list for now, feel free to suggest more!!! ❤️

[destinyc1020]

You know what's funny? Before Tom was cast as Spidey he had a classic indie actor resumé: starting in a Spanish movie with Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, voicing a Studio Ghibli beloved animation, voicing the son of Tom Hardy in an experimental movie (Locke), starring in a dystopian movie with Saoirse Ronan, doing a tragic movie set in a desolate Canadian winter landscape (Edge of Winter), starring in an acclaimed BBC historical miniseries opposite Mark Rylance (Wolf Hall), starring in a movie where he speaks ancient Gaelic (Pilgrimage). Then he was cast as the most popular s superhero globally (based on merchandise sold) and did 6 movies as that character, 5 of which made more than $1B and the other more than $800M. And because of that he started to be viewed as an actor that was not serious about his craft. Tom has talked about that pre-Spidey period as one full of uncertainty, fearful that offers would dry up, so much so that his parents sent him to learn carpentry apprenticeship. Spidey allowed him to finally achieve financial security. I think that some of the choices he made in this period were not the best, but people have to experience life and learn to deal with the consequences. I think that in this period his best performance has been in TDATT because he worked with a director that gets great dramatic performances from his actors. That's why I'm so excited with R+J because he will be working with a great minimalist director that really focuses on truthful emotion and not decoration. And I hope that he gets to work with Paul King because he's creatively amazing but also a really great person. Everybody has to follow their own path. There's no cookie cutter approach towards success

You know what, this is all a very good point Anon! 👍🏾

Tom really was an Indie King himself before he got the Spiderman role. He and Timmy actually had somewhat similar starts in their career. Timmy just stayed doing indie films a little longer before branching out to do more commercial, big films. But they BOTH have an indie background!

I wouldn't say that for Tom the offers weren't coming in, I just think Nikki didn't want him to have NOTHING to fall back on. The work of an actor can be VERY hit or miss. You're only as good as your last job. It's kind of like being a freelancer or contractor almost? Once the contract is up, and the job is done, that's it! 🤷🏾‍♀️

It can be kinda scary for sure, especially if you're trying to make a living. And MOST actors never even make it to the top 2% that we see on the red carpet in Hollywood. Most are struggling to make ends meet, or to book roles, and even when booking roles, they might not make as much as they need.

You REALLY have to enjoy acting, and it really has to be your PASSION if you're going to stick with it under those circumstances.

I'm excited to see Tom working with Paul King and to see him in R&J as well Anon! 😁👏🏾🥰 I can't wait!

We're fortunate that Tom is in a financial situation where he CAN afford to take risks and take long breaks, etc. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Tom HAS been going back to his indie roots actually. It's just that some haven't really liked his choices.... or, they feel like the projects he's chosen aren't well-written, or widely accepted by the critics etc.

But Tom has actually been going back to his roots for a while now.

[lamialamia]

FIC WRITER INTERVIEW

Tagged by @the-cinnamontography-is-amazing and @onehelluvamarine so thank you both ^^

How many works do you have on AO3?

18, which is more than I thought. When I made the acc I didn't even think I would be posting anything ever haha

What’s your total AO3 word count?

73,587. Hmmm i guess everything adds up.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Let's do 3 lmao. My fics don't have many kudos.

Meet The Family [gone wrong] - 26 kudos

Good Old-Fashioned Accident - 24 kudos

The glow of a dream - 22 kudos

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always and always. I can't say enough about how much I appreaciate every single comment I've received. Just thinking about them made me cozy warm and cosy inside ☺️

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

I write mostly for sledgefu so basically things are angsty af. In general, it would be When you kiss me, heaven sighs. I feel bad for that ending >"< but there really was no other way the story could have panned out.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Meet The Family [gone wrong]. It's a romcom AU!!!!1!

Do you write crossovers?

does TP and BoB crossover count? if so, then yes.

Have you received hate on a fic?

I need to be more popular for hate i think /j

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes 😏 The "confused boner" and "everyone has fun" kind.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No. That I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Also no.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. But I RP-ed before which is co-op writing in my eyes.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

..... *look at my Ao3* maybe it's sledgefu. maybe. who knows.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

My old original novel that I started in middle school. I shelved it because... it's long and the inspo ran out. Last I checked, it was over 200k words. I love it tho, a very ambitious project that teach me a lot about writing.

What are your writing strengths?

Pacing and setting up a scene or atmosphere, I think. Also I can write a verity of genres.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Dialogue. And generally being to purple prose. Also the penchant to meander and add a lot of details.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

This question made me think there is a discourse lurking behind it lmao. But why not. It's a fic. And if you're featuring multiple languages in the story then write those 'foreign' dialogues. You can choose to leave them in the 'mother tongue' too. Seriously, whatever float your boat!

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

An old old old indie RPG I played in middle school. I forgot its name now. I basically was super let down by the choice of love interest for the playable main girl and wanted to 'fix it' lol

What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

Eyeing Webgott. And Crosby/Bubbles. Maybe. Who know haha.

What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

It's a toss up between Crime, Alien Plant and Punishment and Meet The Family. Both were a blast to write and I'm proud of how they turned out too 😁

Tagging my good friend @gorgeousundertow. I would be tagging Bel if she wasn't on hiatus.

[truths33k3r4]

Guys next part of Indie TMNT IS UPPP!!!!!

WE FINALLY GET TO SEE THE NINJA KITTYYYYY EEEEE!!!!!! I loved Klunk dearly in the 2003 series, so seeing him in this series too just warms my heart. 😁 He so FLUFFIN CUTEEE! And the thing that Mikey did to the cats head when he was patting him- hehehe I do that to my cats sometimes. 🤣 Can’t say they have the same loving reaction to said patting.. 😅

And then the brothers and their father opening presents and celebrating their birthday! Just- AWWWWW~ Their eyes all lit up like little camera lensesssss I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCHHH

And now…

Now we finally get to see SHREDDER. The darkness looming over him constantly keeps us from seeing any distinguishable features other than his glaring, contemplating eyes and the sheen of his spiked armor.

The designs of Shredders Lair are absolutely beautiful. Dark, but also clean and nearly royal-looking.

Amazing work, @indieyuugure!!!!!! Can’t wait to see where the story leads us next week! 😁

~ Melissa

Episode 7 of Ninjas in New York! I’ve gone back and forth in the past, but I have made the executive decision that Klunk is a boy like all other versions :]

Previous: Episode 6

Next: (2) Episode 1 -Get the next part a week early on Locals at indiey.locals.com

See All…

[jet2themoon]

My Thoughts on Indie Animation

Get ready because this is a long-ass post (read: essay).

This is something that's been bugging me for the longest time, and that's how indie animations (mostly series on YouTube) have such high quality, sometimes surpassing the animation from actual professional studios. That's not a problem in of itself, but I feel like there are several effects that can arise from that. Allow me to explain.

Quick Disclaimers - This isn't knocking indie teams. They're all doing amazing work. Also, I'm just one person with opinions, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I'm laying this out here so I don't need to put "in my opinion" in front of every sentence.

Time constraints - One reason a show with a bigger budget and a larger workforce might have "worse" animation (stiffer motion, less lighting/shading, etc) is because they're often working with deadlines. Meanwhile, indie studios usually set their own schedules and can be more flexible with deadlines. On one hand, this means series can get the time and attention they deserve. On the other hand, the audience can be left hanging for long periods of time.

This really is a YMMV issue and doesn't just apply to indie animation (I'm waiting for updates from several abridged series). It just depends on whether you prefer a show with higher quality that releases one episode every year or a show with slightly lower quality that releases monthly. Also, some teams do manage to release high quality episodes on a frequent basis, but I'll get to that (see: The High Bar).

What I find annoying is when deadlines are constantly getting pushed back or are straight up ignored, although everyone under the sun is guilty of doing this (myself included).

Restrictions - One big pro of indie animation is that there aren't any censors or restrictions imposed by major studios/corporate executives, which means creators are free to make their dream show how they like without having to compromise for the sake of appealing to the widest demographic possible or meeting a bottom line. The indie animation community does a good job of blowing past the cash-grabbing shovelware in favor of propping up passion projects with something to say.

If I did have to mention one con, it's that sometimes restrictions can push a person creatively and those same executive curveballs can shape a show for the better. However, for all the good that comes from studio meddling, it's vastly overshadowed by the bad, from the censorship of the LGBTQ+ community (which indie animation has gone lengths to correct) to turning what might have been a decent project into an absolute mess (*ahem* Suicide Squad, 2016) to outright cutting down/canceling amazing series (we've all got our lists and Inside Job is at the top of mine). Plus, I've noticed indie teams often make an effort to include diversity (race, gender, sexuality, history), but without the added baggage of a major corporation constantly peering over their shoulder, tallying up how many brownie points they've earned so far.

Plus, the biggest restriction a lot of indie shows already have to work with is resource availability (budget, staff, skill, time), which leads me to my next point...

The High Bar - I think the expectations people have of indie animation keeps getting higher and higher, and that's not necessarily a good thing. With huge projects constantly pushing what can be done with a small team and a couple of dreams, it's becoming harder for people who just don't have the time, the artistic skills, the manpower, etc to keep up.

For me at least, some of the initial charm of indie animation comes from janky anatomy, weird audio quality, awkward movements and all those rough edges you can only get from one guy in a closet with an old Wacom and a cheap mic. I'm not saying indie animation has to start downgrading. Not by a long shot. Please funnel that smooth animation right into my equally smooth brain 😁.

What I mean to say is that as the bar gets raised, more people struggle to keep up and end up falling behind, kind of negating what I see as the point of indie animation: to give people with less skills and resources a chance to prove themselves and build up a community.

(Also, in my personal experience, I've ended up discouraging myself from starting projects I'm passionate about due to the anxiety of getting compared to an indie series with fluid animation and shading that wasn't done exclusively with the airbrush tool on a multiply layer. I only bring this up because I'm pretty certain I'm not the only one.)

One Small Personal Gripe - Okay, this is very much a "me" issue, but the constant smooth animation and the fact that motion almost always seems to be happening at all times really grates on me. Characters don't have to always be moving. They can just be static for a few seconds, y'know?

If you've read to the end of this post, holy moly you've got endurance. Thanks for bearing with me. Cheers!

[fahrni]

Saturday Morning Coffee

Good morning from Charlottesville, Virginia! ☕️

We’re expecting a snow and sleet event this morning. As I was composing this post it started raining around 6:30AM and it’s below freezing. Here’s hoping we don’t lose power and have frozen roads later. 🥶

I hope you enjoy the links.

Colleen Long • The Associated Press

President Joe Biden will stress democracy is still a ‘sacred cause’ in a speech near Valley Forge

If TFG wins we may become an authoritarian nation. Kiss freedoms we’ve come to expect — like the horrible reversal of Roe v. Wade — to become the norm. I’d expect to see jailed political rivals and journalists. The Justice Department and Military will become law enforcement. With the law being his Orangeness.

No thank you.

Brynn Tannehill • The New Republic

The Polls Prove It: Many Republicans Love Fascism

So, yeah, fascism is the new GOP policy and Republicans across the nation love it.

That’s sickening.

Slashdot

Niklaus Wirth, Inventor of Pascal, Dies At 89

I never learned Pascal but know plenty of developers who made their career using it. 🪦

Casey Newton • Platformer

On Tuesday, I told subscribers that we are considering leaving the platform based on the company’s recent statement that it would not demonetize or remove openly Nazi accounts.

Bravo Casey! I wasn’t planning on linking to any Substack content but I had to break that rule for this piece. Casey is planning on doing something about Substack’s horrible position by, potentially, taking his publication and subscribers elsewhere. That’s very brave given it’s how he makes his living! ❤️

Now, if we can get other writers to follow that would be amazing.

BBC

Japan earthquake: Nearly 250 missing as hope for survivors fades

Our world has become such a mess the tragedy unfolding in Japan doesn’t even register as big news, at least that’s how it feels to me.

Kyle Orland • Ars Technica

34 years later, a 13-year-old hits the NES Tetris “kill screen”

Great explainer video of how the true Tetris Kill Screen was finally reached.

Also, I had no idea Tetris was still such a big deal. Silly me, of course it is! 🧱

Ashur Cabrera

I thought I’d be sharing photos of pintxos and more Basque lettering from Donostia-San Sebastián, and diving into our early experiences of living abroad.

My friend Ashur had planned a big adventure that didn’t quite work out as planned. It’s a worthwhile read and proves things don’t always go as planned.

David McCabe and Tripp Mickle • The New York Times

The Justice Department is in the late stages of an investigation into Apple and could file a sweeping antitrust case taking aim at the company’s strategies to protect the dominance of the iPhone as soon as the first half of this year, said three people with knowledge of the matter.

Some of the things the Justice Department are interested in seen really strange to me. Like allowing access to the Messages Service. Why should Google, or whoever else, be given the keys to access Messages backend services? Apple created and runs that service. It’s not built on a free to use, government backed, open-to-the-public utility. It’s paid for and maintained by Apple.

Now, if by access the government means Apple has to open it up as a paid service, I could see that. Perhaps Google agrees to take on some of the cost burden, based on usage, or pay Apple some huge fee so Android users have full access to Messages with a native messaging app built by Google. That wouldn’t be so bad. Another alternative is for Apple to build a Messages app for Android and sell access to the service as a monthly subscription. Hey, Apple, that means more service revenue! 😁

The whole App Store payment kerfuffle is something a lot of developers would like to see changed. I think most developers don’t want to pay Apple 15-30% of their potential revenue. That can be a lot of cheese for many Indie developers. There are some things Apple could change to help the situation, like allowing developers to actually tell users to visit their website to sign up or subscribe to their service. E.G. Amazon and Netflix cannot tell new users, through their app UI, to visit their website to get started. For a company who prides themselves on simplicity and great user experience sure do make it difficult for third-party apps to be easy to use.

Anywho, I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for the Justice Department taking action against Apple and fallout from it.

Dave Winer • Scripting News

So at the beginning of a new year, I’m going to remind myself that I’m too old and not paid well enough (I’m not paid at all, heh) to do another year of this kind of work. I should be making writing and reading tools work better on the web. That’s my mission.

Dave has been an innovator all his adult life. Whether it was scripting on the Mac and Windows or creating widely used technology like RSS and podcasting. Since he sold weblogs.com and left UserLand he’s continued to build writing tools of various kinds. His latest venture is FeedLand. It’s a feed reader and more. I can personally see it as a mechanism to follow and find excellent podcasts for a podcast player. Yes, it has an API that could be used for such things and it has full search capability. Bet you didn’t see that use case coming!

Anywho, I hope you get some rest, Dave, and have a wonderful 2024 making the web a better place for writers.

Keep digging!

Tim Kellogg

Back in the ’00s you would download a feed reader and subscribe to feeds. This felt a lot like an early version of social media. Google Reader was killed in 2013, which was largely seen as the death of RSS. I think social media generally replaced RSS because it took far fewer technical skills to setup a Facebook account versus an RSS-enabled blog.

This is interesting because it uses Mastodon as a feed reader. That’s not a bad idea, really. It’s such a good idea to have a timeline based reader I made one! 😁

All the stuff Tim says about Facebook and other social media platforms is 100% accurate. Those platforms stood in for blogs because of their low barrier to entry. Quite honestly I’m surprised Facebook never embraced blogging as a true feature of its platform, complete with all the expected bells and whistles, and that includes RSS and posts that don’t require a Facebook login to read them.

Anil Dash

Well, things changed a little bit in tech of late. Often, the power shifts in the tech world because of a dramatic new invention that solves an old problem a whole lot better. But in the current era, when most of what’s getting funded and hyped up are just various attempts to undermine workers and control consumers, we’re instead seeing lots of major players lose power because their signature offerings have gotten so much worse.

There was a time, not that long ago, folks said things like “RSS is dead” or asked “Is RSS dead?” First off, it’s just a technology, so it can’t actually die. Second, its web fabric and has been since its inception. It’s boring stuff — this is not a dig or insult, it’s a compliment. It’s as boring as HTML or CSS. I’d imagine it’s been used for all sorts of stuff beyond blogs over its history and it’ll probably be around for as long as we have a web to browse.

Sure social media, or microblogging, took center stage for a while. My own blogging slowed for a long period of time because I started posting little blurbs of text to Twitter instead of my blog.

Now I do that with a combination of Mastodon and Micro.blog. Short posts go to Mastodon and Micro.blog and long posts, like this one, go to my blog with a link on many services including Mastodon, Micro.blog, Blue Sky, and Tumblr.

My blog is at the center. It’s my content, I own it.

Matt Birchler

Here’s an uncomfortable question: when do I stop blogging?

I always find this question odd. I figure I’ll stop when, or if, I just stop one day. I suppose folks who do it professionally have to think about stuff like this, especially if they have subscribers and/or advertisers.

Maybe when the day comes that you’d like to stop doing it for a living you just let folks know you’re going to blog about whatever you’d like and do it for fun?

I’ve been blogging since February 2001 and still love it.

Rain Noe • Core77

A Handsome Aluminum and Ultem Smartphone Case

I want one of these. Guess I need to buy an iPhone 14 or 15 Pro? Having an updated iPhone would also open the door to a whole lot of cases I love at Cotton Bureau. 😃

Chance Miller, Benjamin Mayo, Ben Lovejoy, and Ben Schoon • 9to5Mac

The iPhone is the device that pushed the mobile industry away from physical keyboards, but nothing can truly replace that tactile experience. Launching next month, “Clicks” aims to add a physical keyboard to your iPhone with support for keyboard shortcuts and backlighting too.

In 2013 Ryan Seacrest was part of an effort to bring a physical keyboard to the iPhone. It was called Typo and I never heard much about it beyond the initial announcement. I could’ve sworn it was earlier than 2013, but my memory sometimes fails me.

Anyway, I hope these folks are wildly successful. Good luck y’all!

Richard Devine • Windows Central

The best holiday gift was Mac losing out to Windows, at least according to these stats

It’s obvious some Windows users and pundits still have an inferiority complex when it comes to the Mac. It’s surprising.

I’m an old, long time, Windows developer and I owe a lot to the platform. I spent around 20 years writing code for Windows and I still believe it to be an amazing platform for users and developers. But I switched to the Mac full time in 2006 and have grown to enjoy it every bit as much as Windows.

It’s perfectly fine to love using a different operating system or prefer coding for one over the other. Let people have fun and enjoy what they love doing. ❤️

Here’s hoping 2024 isn’t a complete shit show. 🤣

[b0nten]

AS BRIGHT AS YOU

[SYNOPSIS] ˚⁀➷｡ teenage sanzu boyfriend <3

[NOTES] ˚⁀➷｡ not proofread 😁

SANZU MY BELOVED

this sweet, wholesome, selfless, empathetic boy.

again, this sweet, wholesome, selfless, empathetic boy.

he is all that you wouldn't expect him to be.

well, not really

sanzu is the quiet type, and he has always been like this.

i feel like in his past there was someone who abandoned him so he doesn't necessarily feel comfortable with getting close to people, in fear they'll leave too.

since he doesn't speak a lot, he also doesn't know how to express himself the way he wishes he could.

he's afraid he'll spout some shit and accidentally chase you away, so he prefers not to speak.

please, this sweet, innocent boy.

he hates his scars.

not hates, but rather is so 'eh' about them he just doesn't give a fuck but also dislikes them very much. he never really says it, but his behaviour gives it away.

he's so lucky to have you there for him because you reassure him constantly and remind him that he's no different from anybody else.

' what if they make me look like a monster.'

'like a moshi monster, maybe' (i hope y'all also played moshi monsters when you were younger?!)

he blushes so hard when you compliment them, he feels like he's on another planet

listen very close now.

if he catches you saying something bad about yourself? be ready for quiet, mute sanzu to disappear and his hidden alter ego, Won't-Shut-The-Fuck-Up sanzu, to appear and reassure you about how amazing you are.

he secretly loves crocheting. will crochet the cutest things for you - from mittens to cup holders - in all kinds of colors and patterns.

remembers EVERYTHING about you.

it's almost surreal how well he knows you.

if someone asks you for your favorite color he'll be the first to answer because he knows it from the top of his head.

sanzu gives you the best hugs, they're so comfortable and intimate it's hard not to melt when he holds you.

his body is surprisingly warm and on cold winter days, after school, you'll just chill at his place wrapped in blankets as he holds you.

definitely likes it when you brush his hair and vice-versa.

i will take the liberty to say sanzu actually knows how to braid hair and he loves to teach you new & different styles and techniques.

basically - sanzu is such a sucker for your touch. i will not elaborate since i also am working on a cuddles with sanzu headcanon right now.

dates with sanzu are surprisingly... not chill?

expect him to take you to arcades and festivals, carnivals and concerts, even the circus if there's shows.

will so try to win plushies and prizes for you. the way your face lights up when you hug the stuffed animal for the first time makes him forget about every care in this world and you're worth spending millions of tries on.

sanzu has such good aim, that even the games one has to try at least 20 times at he finishes within 10 tries.

you have a shelf dedicated to plushies he won for you and occasionally sleep with one of them when you miss him.

sanzu literally gives 0 fucks about anything else beside you - one time he showed up at your school during lunch and stole you away so you could go to your favorite artist's concert.

a quick parentheses i have to make - (in my mind) he listens to bands like survive said the prophet , buck - tick & X. throw some king gnu here & there and that's sanzu's main playlist. doesn't mind main stream or indie music, but those are his favorites.

he gives you the world and expects nothing in return, so you try to give him the sun.

but nothing you ever give him could ever compare to the way you make him feel - loved, appreciated, secure and excited about life.

[fairy-writes]

hello! can i have a matchup for jjk, my hero academia, and demon slayer please? i want a romantic matchup and my preference is men :) my pronouns are she/her and i’m 5’6.

i’m confident and an ambivert, though leaning on the extrovert side. i’m smart, but my common sense is bad😭 i’m very helpful and polite to everyone. i have a bad rbf and it makes me sad cause people say i look intimidating but i don’t mean to </3 my humor is a little dumb but i think it’s funny. i’m either a ravenclaw or a griffendoor, i kind of forgot 😁

some of my hobbies are playing video game or puzzle games, listening to indie music, hanging out with friends and family, and watching thriller movies.

i like shopping, organizing, the cold, halloween, sweaters, cats, running errands, and cleaning :)

i don’t like bugs(heavy on this one!!), disrespectful people, extremely hot weathers, peanut butter, and my house being messy :] tysm for writing and i hope your day goes well<3

Hello lovely! I hope you like your matchups! 

Jujutsu Kaisen Matchup: I pair you with… Okkotsu Yuta!

Yuta is a bit taller than you at 5’9”! He’s more shy (though he’s more confident than when he started at Jujutsu Technical College) and definitely an introvert, but you balance each other out nicely! You are both incredibly helpful and polite to everyone, and Maki likes to tease you about it at times. Inumaki likes teasing you, too, lol. 

I see Yuta as a Gryffindor! He’s very courageous, and you two go together rather nicely whether you are a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor :) Puzzle game dates! You two have quite the collection of puzzles, games, and video games! Your friend group also grows to include Yuta’s friends, so Panda, Maki, and Inumaki. 

Also! Shopping dates! Yuta usually tags along and offers to help carry your bags, regardless of what or how much you buy. He doesn’t really buy anything for himself; he just likes seeing you happy! The two of you also have movie dates and watch thriller movies! It’s also the most adorable thing to see you bundled up together when it’s cold <3

My Hero Academia Matchup: I pair you with… Togata Mirio!

Mirio is definitely an extrovert. Like seriously, he’s a huge extrovert. Tamaki is an introvert, and Nejire is a fellow extrovert, so your friend group usually revolves around helping Tamaki talk to other people. He’s also another fellow Gryffindor! He’s helpful to others just like you. He’s just a little more enthusiastic and not necessarily the politest going about it. (like he’s still polite but is a lot to handle)

Puzzle and video game dates! Movie dates! Mirio is the king of picking out the perfect movie and generating the ideal atmosphere for said movie. His favorite game is technically Jenga or something that doesn’t require a lot of brain power, but he likes puzzles too!

Mirio doesn’t have a lot of money, seeing as he’s still a hero in training, but what he does have, he likes to spend on things the two of you can do together. So things like going to festivals or maybe a little shopping spree. But one thing he’ll let you do for hours (and attempt to help with) is organizing! So you help him keep track of things by helping him keep his dorm room clean and his school work tidy.

Demon Slayer Matchup: I pair you with… Uzui Tengen!

This flashy man is definitely an ambivert like you! Although, while flamboyant and over-the-top, he was raised as a shinobi, so that does require a little bit of a loner lifestyle. So I HC him as an ambivert. He’s incredibly intelligent as well. He thinks your RBF is a little funny, but only because he has a bit of it too. He’s intimidating with his enormous size and massive swords. I also see Uzui as a Slytherin!

In the modern day, Uzui is amazing at puzzle games but not so much video games. He gets frustrated easily with electronics and would much rather be listening to music or creating art. Your friend group also grows exponentially when you begin dating Uzui. You befriend all the Hashira and become terrific friends with Kanroji and Rengoku!

Shopping sprees! Uzui loves to spoil you by taking you out shopping and also surprises you with sweaters that he sees while out. Just be warned, some of them are rather tacky because Uzui has gaudy tastes. Cat cafe dates! You two go to cat cafes all the time with Uzui’s wives! And who knows? You five might adopt a few cats together :)

[tumble4rpdr]

I am out (and slightly inebriated) so i'm going to be slightly lazy. Tell me about something that gives you joy. A situation that makes you happy, your favorite clothing item, how were you kind to yourself this week however small, whichever you prefer.

I always look forward to your Sunday asks and love this question since it’s one of the few times I knew the answer right away and didn’t have to over think things🙈😁

Something that gives me joy is definitely watching indie movies. I’ve always been drawn to anything that’s a little weird and different so I’ve been loving them for years now but lately I’ve realized just how happy they make me and how much I look forward to seeing them

I’m pretty much obsessed with any movie A24 makes and make an effort to see nearly any new movie they put out. At the beginning of March I saw After Yang which was so soft and poignant and heartbreaking and beautiful and helped me discover an amazing author and even more incredible stories. Then a few weeks ago I saw X which incorporated another movie genre I love (horror) and did such a great job at being playful yet violent and working in allusions to other iconic movies and having tender moments amidst the chaos all while knowing exactly what type of movie it was. And just yesterday I saw Everything Everywhere All at Once and while it wasn’t necessarily as good as I was expecting, there were definitely some thought provoking moments and some moments that made me tear up and ultimately it was a wonderful, creative distraction from a very trying week that I desperately needed and reminded me once again of why I love seeing these types of movies so much

[thesleepyskipper]

Hey Valentine!

Happy unspecified day of the week! (I won't write the day, so you aren't called out if you don't get to respond right away. 😁)

I've also been enjoying watching the Olympics obsessively! 🇨🇦

I'm getting excited for reveals and to share your gift with you. It's been all ready to go for a couple of days, so the waiting is torture!

My musical taste does lean to the indie/folk/alternative rock side, and I have a deep love for Canadian music. You mentioned that you listen to a lot of Noah. What's your favorite song of his? Do you prefer one album over the other? How excited are you for a new album to come out?!!

No judgment on your Coke Zero addiction. I also have one - bonus points when I can find cherry! I don't drink alcohol all that much, I find being Canadian that there are drinks and treats we're able to enjoy that I prefer. 😉 When I do drink, I like something sweet like a Bellini, and I'll also have a Ceasar occasionally. I do love the idea of having a drink together one day. I've yet to meet any SC friends in real life, but would love to!

I hope you're week ends well and that you have a wonderful weekend. I'll talk to you soon!

scsv ❤️

Hiya Valentine!

Glad to hear I'm not the only one! Go Canada!!!

OOOOH that is super exciting and I absolutely cannot wait! I bet it's going to be fabulous! I feel you though, I have finished my work for my own SCSV and I am also eager to reveal it!

Sounds like we have A LOT in common!!! That's generally where my tastes lie as well, though I also listen and enjoy lots of other genres as well. I actually prefer SFABC to Gemini myself. What about you? My favourite songs are Apollo and Villain, though I feel like sometimes that changes depending on my mood. I absolutely adore all of his work though and I listen to all of it frequently, especially in the background while I'm working. I am VERY VERY VERY (probably not enough verys in the world) excited for his new album!!!

Yes!! Cherry Coke Zero is amazing and we also grab some when we can find it.

I've been lucky enough to meet quite a few SC friends when things were a bit calmer last year in the summer and fall but I'm looking forward to meeting even more this year too! 🤞 And by the sounds of it, we'd certainly get along! Bellinis on me!!! 🥂 (I don't like Caesars haha)

Hope you also have a great weekend!

[thatgirlrobyn97]

Hey, guys!

So, my friends make films, and they work SOOO hard.

The link below is to their website 😁 If you are interested in wild storylines and all kinds of feelings, check it out!

Their films are even available on Amazon Prime Video! Just here to support some great friends and amazing artists! 💛💛💛

[truths33k3r4]

Dontcrydontcrydontcrydontcry-

Here’s the finale guys.. This is it.. 🥹

Indie - I am SO PROUD of you with how well you made this comic. Once again, you did an excellent job keeping the characters to their series selves, while also adding onto the story in a natural way. I loved every moment with Master Splinter- you brought such a kind comfort to him in this comic that the series never really has. And I will truly miss seeing the gorgeous models you made the brothers. 😁

Amazing work, my friend. :)

~ Melissa

Episode 4 of A Cure to a Curse! And that’s it guys! Thank you so much for following this comic to the end! I know it was kinda short but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! I had a lot of fun making it and am excited for the next project!! ON TO INDIE TMNT!!

Previous: (5) Episode 3

See All…

Read Next Comic…

To support me in my coming projects, go to indiey.locals.com and become a supporter!

[truths33k3r4]

PART 4 IS UP!!!!

Oh my gosh the faces in this one 🤣 Every Saturday I’m so excited to get up so I can read the next part. :) @indieyuugure great work as always!!

Something that I’m always so impressed by is how much research Indie really does for her work. Like the change of mass in the turtle- er- human bros really messing with their ninja skills. ( Also absolutely loved the fact that to show this she had Leo nearly flinging himself off a roof cause of his loss of balance. Reminds me of the scene in 2012 when he catastrophically fails to be quiet and Raph just goes “ That wasn’t very silent Leo!” 😁)

Amazing. Can’t wait for the next part. :)

~ Melissa

Episode 4 of A Mysterious Chemical! Well now that their clothing debacle is solved, it’s time for some fun ^v^

Previous: Episode 3

Next: Episode 5 -Get the next part a week early on Locals at indiey.locals.com

See all...

[truths33k3r4]

Mutation Situation Part 2 is UP!!!

Oh man this is so surreal.. I’ve been so excited to see Indies amazing idea come to life- AND NOW ITS HAPPENING!! 😁 This looks so good- @indieyuugure , you captured the style of 2012 PERFECTLY. And you aced the foot ninjas too!!!

Can’t wait for the next part, and great work with this one! 😁

~ Melissa

Part 2 of A Mysterious Chemical! THEY’RE HUMANS!!

Previous: Episode 1

Next: Episode 3- Get the next part a week early on Locals at indiey.locals.com

See all...