#Facial Aesthetics Market

[soumyafwr]

https://homment.com/mOAJahENoY7Bh812tZ1k

Facial Aesthetics Market Size, Analysis and Forecast 2031

[yashmedica]

The Booming Aesthetics Market: Trends and Technologies Shaping Healthcare

The Aesthetics Market: A Booming Trend in Healthcare The aesthetics market is experiencing tremendous growth, driven by a confluence of factors. One trending segment of this market is anti-aging treatments, with a rising demand for minimally invasive procedures that address wrinkles, fine lines, and loss of volume. According to a recent report, the global aesthetics market is expected to reach…

[thefusioncelestial]

Mix 7: A Father's Gift

Mr. Jacobs was proud of his son. He was everything he wanted, if only his son, Derek would realize this.

But with the gift he was about to obtain, perhaps he would realize this.

Mr. Jacobs heard about a mysterious shop that was able to fix certain issues; of the bodily kind. Before he knew it, he was standing before its doors.

He scanned the surroundings before going in. It was wet and lightly raining, two tall walls of red brick, a reminder of the post WW2 era, flanking the doors on both sides. The door was wooden with no sign of paint or finish on them, and there was no sign save a strange symbol etched at the top of the door. Small enough to miss if you didn't notice. He couldn't make out the of the building, it seemed to never settle on a shape, style, or material. Mr. Jacobs soon put that out of his mind and walked through the door.

The room inside was darkly lit, but it had grayish carpet, dark green wall paper, and two Japanese style doors in the back. In front of them was a receptionist area that blocked access to them.

There was a man sitting behind it looking at him. His hair was concealed by a white turban, but his facial hair; medium sized eye brows & a carefully shaped mustache, revealed that his hair was jack black. He had striking green eyes. He was wearing a black shirt that had a galactic print on them. He could swear that he could see the stars twinkle & the galaxy itself slowly turn.

"Hello sir, I take you are here to take on a new look? You can be anything, or are you looking to heal some hurts that modern medicine has failed to heal so far," the receptionist asked in an confident tone.

"Not for me, but my son," Mr. Jacobs replied.

"How does this work? What do you charge?"

"What I charge depends on the reasons for the change, typically for men like you looking to change their sons, often for vanity reasons, I do not come cheap. I can't tell you how many "wimps" I changed into world class athletes," the receptionist replied.

He continued: "As for how, you go through the door to my left, pick the traits you want, and then get back to me & I'll handle the rest. Now give me your right palm, Mr. Jacobs." He came out of the receptionist desk & brought two chairs for both to sit.

He sat & so did the father.

He stretched out his hand.

As if instantly, Mr. Jacobs did as he was asked.

"How did you know my family name," he pondered.

"Oh forgive me, my name is Corsair, as for how, I would not make it as far as I did in my line of work if I didn't know who may prospective customers are," Corsair retorted.

Must be because my information is available online due to social media he thought.

Corsair had Mr. Jacobs's hand grasped in an embrace of both of his hands. He then moved his forehead to touch this embrace and closed his eyes. His secret revealed, he could read minds!

He saw the real reason for the visit. He did in-fact come to help his son. It was not to make him a star or make him more palpable to the marriage market or for some desire to use him for social gain. His son had confidence issues.

He dug deeper. Ah, there he is:

I see, from their conversations, the son feels mixed matched. He worked on himself hard both academically & physically and achieved a great result. One more year at university, and quite the healthy body with the aesthetics to show it. But he hates his face. Nothing he has done has ever worked. He considering plastic surgery. Mr. Jacobs supports his son, but wants a more natural way than the scalpel. My way is...magical if not natural. He just needs a little bump to bring out his features.

Corsair moved his head back up to face Mr. Jacobs & unclasped his hands and rest his on his lap.

"He doesn't need much. One measure. $1000," he said in a deadpan manner.

"Deal," Mr. Jacobs said quickly.

Corsair smiled, "Through this door."

He handed Mr. Jacobs a cup.

"Pick one to fill in that cup. The turn knob & valve is located under the giant cylinders. Keep walking forwards after you are done,' he said.

"Just like that," Mr. Jacobs replied.

"Just like that," Corsair replied with a big smile.

He opened the receptionist area to let Mr. Jacobs in, and he went through the door. It closed behind him.

The area was pitch black, but soon a green light, no a series of green lights sprang up. They were next to each other with some distance, but orderly. They were lined up on both sides of the room, forming a hallway.

He walked up to the first pair. They were giant green clear glass canisters. There was a glowing green liquid inside and to his shock; unconscious men with their eyes closed floating inside of them.

They seemed to be sleeping. They had a calm expression about them. Each canister had a distinct person in each. No matter the size, face, ect, they were all good looking & fit. It was a hallway of models.

Pick me. No me. No over here!

The men inside were mentally communicating with Mr. Jacobs.

"Wait you can speak without moving your mouths? Wait, are you being held against your will," he asked out loud.

In unison: NO!

Do not worry for us, for a part of us gets to live on in others. We get to live through others in more lives than what has been recorded in history. Choose.

Telepathy he realized. Fine, he would choose.

"I don't need much, I just want my son to be more confident himself. Realize his potential," Mr. Jacobs said loudly.

Far off in the back a canister glowed very brightly while the others dimmed.

After 10 minutes he approached the canister. For some reason he put his hand on it, and then a flash of the memories of the person on the canister flooded him.

A young soldier, living life. He was always positive no matter the situation. On track to a long distinguished career. About to go home. And then a large explosion occurred. A terrorist attack, killed his most of his platoon, and he layed on the ground suffering about to meet his maker.

Corsair appeared. He healed the soldier's body, but the soul was too detached to keep him going.

He was given an offer:" work through him to help others in need of help. You would live on by merging yourself with others to change their life trajectory in positive ways. You would still be considered dead to the public."

The solider, named Caleb agreed without hesitation, not caring for the life in the canister.

On the bright side, the canister men were given a new purpose & would join their new mental powers thanks to the green liquid that also anchored their souls to their bodies & gave them eternal youth. They created a gesalt mind palace where they could get to know of each other & live new lives in their perfect worlds.

Mr. Jacobs chose him. After he wiped a tear from his eyes, he looked down and found a water jug like hatch, the kind you find in barrel shaped drink dispensers, and pressed the release valve down. Green liquid filled the cup & he was done.

"Thank you for your service," said Mr. Jacobs. He bowed.

The serene body cocked a smile.

Mr. Jacobs wanted to take him home, but he knew he would die outside that canister and promptly left. He kept walking forward, not backwards as instructed, and came across a door.

He walked through it. He came out to the same receptionist area he used to come in. He turned and saw it was the first door he used to get into the hall way of perfect, to him, men.

Space time shenanigans.

He walked past the receptionist desk, turned towards Corsair.

"I take it you will keep the secret," he wondered.

"If this works, my life is yours," the father replied.

"The money has already been deducted, hand me the cup. The final step is near," Corsair said & then took the cup from the father.

He could not see what he was doing, but he heard shaking & swirling noises. They stopped. He pulled out a bag & In the bag was a green pill.

Corsair handed Mr. Jacobs the bag.

"Have him swallow it over night, right before he goes to bed," he said.

"Thank you so much, how do you take payment," Mr. Jacobs pondered.

"Payment is automatically deducted as I said before," Corsair replied.

They both wished them a great day & Mr. Jacobs went home.

His son was home the weekend before spring break, determined to do nothing. Maybe some extra studying.

His father gave him a bag with a green pill in it. Told him to take it before bed. Maybe an anti-anxiety pill? Some supplements?

He pondered. His dad has never given him anything bad. He did as he was told. He went to sleep.

His body began to float. He wanted to wake up and see what was going on, but he couldn't open his eyes, move his limbs, or get out of his dream. Did the pill he took induce sleep paralysis?

He had a mouth, but he could not scream.

He was floating about 3 feet above the bed, and then the bed sheets slid off, exposing him to the air from all sides.

Above him was a specter or ghost. It was Caleb. He was floating even higher than Derek was. Situated above Derek in the same resting position, he started to descend. Derek didn't move, couldn't move. Soon Caleb was occupying the same space as Derek.

Swoosh. A burst of wind flowed out from Derek's body.

Caleb faded away into Derek, and Derek soon glowed green.

In Derek's dream space, he met Caleb. Derek was scared at first, but he was able to be calmed down. He explained the situation. Derek was mad at his dad at first, but understood his good intentions.

"How much of me will change," Derek asked.

"I don't know, but you will still be driving the wheel of whatever it is we turn into," Caleb said.

Derek let out a sigh. It was probably too late to go back. He swallowed the pill after all.

"You will ride passenger seat no matter what," Derek said in confidence. Some of Caleb's mental aspects where seeping in.

Caleb smiled. Both of the men turned into tornadoes that then merged into one twister. It settled into a new person.

The green glow went away.

For Caleb's physical body, it began to change. During the mind meld, Caleb's DNA transfused into every part of Derek's body.

He grew more hair, eyebrows got thinner, his lips a more flush with blood getting pinker. His eyes reshaped themselves, while his ears changed angle a little to move towards the skull.

His chin and cheek bones thickening gave him a much stronger jawline. His skeletal changes generated new sensations, like the feeling of pops and pressures. From this moment forward, Caleb grunted. Not in defiance, but in acceptance of the new changes. You could hear "mmm" come from him.

With a suddenness & popping sound, his neck, shoulder, chest, arms, & legs exploded with new muscle at the same time as if he was hulking out. His fingers changing to meet the new proportions. His legs lengthened.

He let out an sharp "ahh" at the sudden changes. His body from his waist jerking up to make a weak triangle before settling flat.

His abs changed as well. He began to groan. He had a cross between his own and Caleb's. He could feel his abdominal muscles merge into one. The skin then constricted and reshaped them, giving form to each of his stones.

His nether regions were a 1 to 1 copy of Caleb's. Bigger & longer. Harrier too. As the changes came in, he could be heard breathing hard through his nose.

The changes were done. His transformation complete. He slept the rest of the night.

He got up before his father & went to the local gym: he needed space & a different environment from his father's home. No one saw him as a different person to his shock. He went to the locker room to get a full look of his changes:

He was bewildered. He was like a new man. Did he have to change this much? He loved the muscles, the power,....the confidence? He remember that Caleb was inside him now. Caleb was a soldier. A flood of memories hit Derek. Caleb's training & missions as a soldier, his buddies in the air force.

He returned home. His father was also shocked by his son's changes. They talked and found a happy medium. He wanted to know where this clinic was located, but his father forgot. No third chances.

He decided to go travel for this spring break. A visit to Caleb's platoon. The ones who survived. To the graves of the ones who didn't. They all deserved respect.

[theblackfemininesociety]

The Realities of Leading a Soft Girl Lifestyle.

(no luxury materials, riches, or social status needed)

The concept of leading a "soft life" has gained immense popularity on social media. From the emergence of the "soft life" to the adoption of "soft girl era," individuals are striving to embrace and protray this lifestyle.

The merging of the "Soft Life" and "Black Women in Luxury" trends promotes an indulgent and opulent way of living. However, the problem arises when the boundaries between these two trends become blurred, as the Soft Life has become inundated with extravagant and unattainable daily routines and lifestyles, especially during times of economic decline and the widespread influence of social media.

A Life of Ease 🌹

The term "soft life" originated from Nigerian influencers, and it means rejecting the idea of constantly working hard and instead choosing to live without struggle and stress. This concept has gained popularity among individuals who believe in prioritizing self-care, relaxation, and enjoying the pleasures of life. Embracing the soft life means acknowledging that life is not solely about hustling and grinding, but also about finding balance and taking time to recharge.

In a society that often glorifies busyness and equates success with non-stop productivity, the soft life offers a refreshing perspective. It encourages individuals to slow down and appreciate the little joys in life, such as spending quality time with loved ones, indulging in hobbies, or simply taking a leisurely walk in nature. It emphasizes the importance of self-care practices, such as getting enough sleep, engaging in regular exercise, and nourishing oneself with healthy, delicious meals.

Living the soft life does not mean completely shirking responsibilities or neglecting one's ambitions. It is about finding a healthy equilibrium between work and leisure, and recognizing that constant stress and burnout are not sustainable in the long run. By prioritizing self-care and setting boundaries, individuals can maintain their well-being and find fulfillment in both their personal and professional lives.

The Marketing Scheme 📈

Due to the widespread fascination with living a comfortable and luxurious lifestyle, as well as the growing trend of promoting businesses highlighting affluent Black women, companies have cleverly targeted their audience and capitalized on this interest.

Their approach has transformed the concept of a relaxed and efficient lifestyle into a profitable strategy, enticing consumers to indulge in products endorsed by their beloved social media influencers or ones that are beyond the reach of the average individual's income.

📌 What We Want You To Focus On:

Strive for a balanced and stress-free lifestyle that fits your budget! We want to make it clear that you don't have to give up on things like a $300 facial or $100 yoga pants. We encourage everyone to pursue the life they want. What we're saying is, don't feel pressured or inferior if you choose to do an at-home manicure, light your favorite Target candles, and enjoy a glass of wine in your bathtub at home. The true essence of a fulfilling life is finding a balance between increasing your savings and reducing stress throughout the day. It doesn't require a specific price tag on the items used to do so.

Yes, Two Things Can Be True At Once.

Indeed, the well-known concept of "black women in luxury" is a way of leading a comfortable life, but the context of this aesthetic is solely dependent on financial means.

However, Living a stress-free life is primarily determined by an individual's behaviors and mindset rather than their financial status.

Life Tip: Having the right mindset leads to a luxurious lifestyle, but a luxurious lifestyle without a well-balanced mindset can lead to destruction.

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Follow us on INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK 🫶🏽

[cripplecharacters]

hey, that ask about vitligo reminded me - i used to date someone with vitiligo (who struggled with it) and they'd see representation AS fetishisation, since in their mind the recent "widespread acceptance" of vitiligo (eg. in ads) was just some people's "sad attempt to convince others they're more tolerant than they really are". What do you think about that?

Hi, I do get the sentiment, but I don't fully agree with it. [Disclosure, I have a facial difference but not vitiligo specifically].

The recent "boom" in vitiligo representation is largely shallow marketing and often a poor attempt at being inclusive of people with disabilities and facial differences. The media just found the one facial difference that able-bodied people are "fascinated" by and exoticized it to death in order to make them look better. It's not for us. It's a way to seem accepting while cherry-picking the most acceptable representation, because god forbid there was also someone that read as more "obviously disabled/deformed" in their make-up ad or whatever. The way that vitiligo is usually presented is often obviously objectifying; it's like models who have it ARE their vitiligo and don't have anything else to offer, media will often just result to calling them "model with vitiligo does xyz" rather than, IDK, by their own name. They're not treating the people as actual human beings, so the whole basis of "being inclusive" falls comically flat.

TLDR; vitiligo representation is just the marketing's world hilariously exclusive attempt at checking off the disability inclusion box while still making sure it's the abled audience that's comfortable and aesthetically pleased (because god forbid they weren't). Like, sure, I am glad that they're showing vitiligo as something that shouldn't be hidden, but they're also sending the opposite message to all the other visibly disabled people whose disabilities aren't as "fascinating" to the mainstream, despite the fact that we are all in a similar position and form a community together. It's all about them and none about us.

There's a reason you're not seeing people with neurofibromatosis or severe burns in these mainstream "body positivity! show yourself!" campaigns. They're too much, and the able-bodied audience doesn't like that. People who boast about how "inclusive and accepting they are" don't extend that to everyone, it's only for those that they deem attractive and exotic, as close to an able-bodied, conventionally beautiful person as possible but with something "new" so that they feel good and inspired. It's othering on the very basis of it, and it's a sentiment hardly unique to disability acceptance.

With that said, I don't agree that all representation is fetishization. Huge chunk of it is, sure, I just wrote a mini essay on that. But I think that saying that as a general statement is doing a disservice to both models who are trying to pave the way for other disabled models in the industry and spreading awareness, as well as creators with vitiligo who just want to see themselves in their own work.

Those are my thoughts on this, I'm very much not an expert. Just what I observed in my own life and what I have previously read from FD community members who do have vitiligo

mod Sasza

[lalalian]

dragon riding equipment | aethergarde academy dr

date: november 23, 2024

it's been a sec since i've done a longer post (like a little over a week or smth.. right?)

I was busy with my finals... I still am, but like... I miss posting 😭😭

Equipment will be outlined in aethergarde's student handbook too!

ANYWAY-- enjoy this incredibly long post! I'm sorry if there are any typos, I don't feel like looking over everything (T-T)

how to get your equipment (kinda)

It's pretty easy to find shops that sell dragon riding equipment in cities-- but in rural towns and villages, this kind of equipment can be almost impossible to find near you.

If you are not starting off as a noble like me, buy your equipment within the first week of school-- actually, no, get it ASAP. You should, ideally, start looking for equipment after you retrieve your egg (you need to get your egg as soon as you get to campus).

What if you don't have the equipment by the time you need to start using it? You'll be left out of lessons, standing off to the side while your peers fight or fly, which will absolutely tank your grades.

You should have your equipment before the first month of school ends.

If I have a month to get said equipment, why not wait?

There are lots of dragon riding equipment shops, but not all of them are of good quality. Rough half of the students attending Aethergarde will not be nobles, on top of that, nobles will commission the best shops-- especially luxury brand shops-- to custom make their armory, saddles, etc.

This makes the dragon equipment market rather busy around this time of year.

BUT

I'll help ya'll out, though, I can't promise you'll be the only commissioning things from these places.

school supplies list

let's start with the obvious, you'll need either an enchanted fountain pen, a regular fountain pen + ink, or some quills and ink. Quills and ink are cheaper, they're the equivalent to like, wooden pencils. Fountain pens have the same reputation as mechanical pencils. Enchanted fountain pens are really trendy! Definitely also get a set of gum wax, aka waxers (erasers); kids like to call them gummies (fruit gummy resembling snacks are called jellies here!)

You should get basic stuff like loose parchment (loose leaf paper), an academy bag (a backpack, highly recommend a messenger type bag), and writing books (notebooks to take notes in)

dragon mounting gear: includes such things like a saddle and reins, very similar to horse gear

wind-breaking charm OR riding goggles OR a riding visor: Wind-breaking charms are pretty hard to find-- I mean it's not impossible, but it's just not cheap. Riding goggles are an old rider thing, they aren't used much anymore. Riding goggles look like your typical steampunk-esque goggles. If you want a physical facial wind breaker, get a riding visor. Riding visors look similar to ski visors, but the glass lookin part tends to be tinted orange due to a strong sunglasses effect.

kinda like this ^^^^ but w/o the gas mask; if anyone's got a better idea for this btw, plz let me know!

I'm still in the works with this aspect.. mostly bc I feel like the visors don't fit the fantastical aesthetic-- but I didn't want to immediately default to using magic and charms because I want the rider uniforms to be more unique than the typical 'fighting leathers', yk? Idk, maybe the décolletage cover is unique enough.

Other sight wind-breaking options:

wind-protectant eyedrops: these are rather new (has been released to the market a year before you shift here) the liquid is runny like normal eyedrops when you put them in your eyes, but the substance begins to form a film over your eyes. The film feels exactly like contacts, so it's easy to forget the substance is still on your eye. The film only lasts for a few hours (the film will eventually dissolve), and does not do any damage to the eye. To manually remove it, use the 'antidote' eye drops (wind protectant eyedrops and antidote eyedrops are sold in a set) to lubricate your eyes, then after blinking a few times, remove the film by softly pinching it out of the eye (NOT WITH UR NAILS, USE THE PADS OF YOUR FINGERTIPS!!!). The downside to these eyedrops is that they do not protect against the sun; though, sun-resistance eyedrops are starting to come to the market. You must make sure the sun eyedrops are wind-protectant friendly, or the sun eyedrops won't stick to the film, causing the sun eyedrops to leave your eyes too quickly. These eyedrops are also pretty expensive, but it's still less expensive than rider grade wind-breaker charms.

rider grade sun-resistance charm: A lot of people carry these around just in general, especially during summer, but the one's you should buy should be rider grade. Rider sun charms are stronger and are made to be used when you're flying in the sky for long periods of time. Sun charms need to be replaced every few months; all sun-resistance charms have to (legally) have a label that gradually changes to black-- the darker it is, the less it works. It typically starts to darken after two months of use.

moving on--

fighting attire: Unfortunately, it's not ideal to fight in aethergarde's uniform-- But, it's not like it's impossible if you take the outer coat off. Speaking of uniforms, Aethergarde provides a fighting garment set that comes with the formal uniform (the pretty one). You're required to wear it for fighting lessons, including outside missions; in your third, fourth, and fifth years, you can start replacing elements of your uniform with better material. Why not simply allow students to get their own fighting garments from the start? Students need to know how to fight wearing armor made for higher ranking riders-- the material is different from lower ranking riders' uniform.

you'd be wearing smth like this but w/o all the stringy bits! consists of a lot of wild dragon hide.

a weapon: you'll need to have chosen a weapon before the end of the second month!

optional riding supplies

décolletage cover: Main purpose is to provide warmth for the face and neck area without compromising movement. It's highly recommended-- plus, you'll look cool. Many décolletage covers are charmed to always be warm and protect against harmful gases.

often looks like this but less kinky looking and the bottom part is fitted to the chest-- also not all of them have this same design, but they all do cover the same areas.

it'd fit like this ^^^^ to the body!

riding gloves: helps you have a better grip with weapons or to your saddle. If you're planning to sleep on your dragon while it flies, there's a little belt mechanism that you can loop through the front of the dragon saddle that attaches your hands to the saddle. This helps keep your body from sliding off the dragon during flight. If the front of your saddle isn't comfortable, you can loop the belt through any belt buckle on the dragon; the most common place is around the bottom of the dragon's neck (pictured in the 2nd pic). It's best to get black gloves, but brown can also work.

the highlighted yellow area is, relatively, where the most popular glove attachment is (for napping). There'd be more belts and stuff around the dragon btw, I just didn't feel like doing all that shit.

belt vial holder: you can place travel sized containers of potion bottles in the best + you can attach charms to the belt too

flight bag(s): This bag can be easily attached to your dragon's saddle, most saddles can hold up to 2-4 bags. Bags in general can be tailored to become flight bags, but it's best if the bag has some sort of tight buckle-- you don't want your bag to fall open when you're flying around!

these kinds of bags are common riding bag designs! if you have a smaller satchel you like bringing around, you can put it inside of one of these bags

how to get your equipment (actually) pt.2

Like I mentioned earlier, it's better to buy rider equipment in cities rather than villages and small towns. During rider season, it won't be uncommon to see a bunch of stalls along the streets selling rider stuff.

Getting stuff like academy bags, belt vial holders, and travel bottles from stalls isn't a bad idea, but it's always best to get your most important equipment from an expert with a good reputation.

Unless you know the crafter is great at making everything-- extremely durable saddles, reins, weapons, and fighting attire, you should go to shops that specialize in each part.

recommended shops:

Since common street shops will be busy this time of year, I'm going to recommend you some underground shops.

I cannot guarantee that these places will be completely empty, as they're all well-known in their own right, but they all will be able to cater to you before all of your deadlines.

Make sure you bring the actual school supplies list with you!

middle steed

Name: Aadam El-Hussein

Specialization: dragon saddles, belts, and flight bags

Summary: After his father's arthritis in the hands started becoming worse, Aadam took over Middle Stead. His dad still helps around at the tannery though! As with all the shopkeepers, Aadam and his father are extremely passionate about their jobs. Don't be afraid to ask for any innovative features; like if you think you'd sleep a lot on dragonback, you can ask Aadam to make the saddle more comfortable for you to lay in a certain position. If you're extremely worried about safety, you can always ask to have other safety features implemented in the design.

To get here:

Find the Dragonmead Brewery in Itresal (the city Aethergarde Academy is located in) the alehouse is located on Millmount Street.

There should be a space between that brewery and the bakery next to it-- go down that alleyway and pass two wooden doors. When you get to that third door, knock; either an old man (Aadam's dad) or Aadam himself will open the door

From there, you can order a saddle and all the appropriate equipment you need

Some tips:

Get another saddle commissioned by him every two years; dragons grow relatively fast, so simple tailoring won't always suffice

You can put off getting saddles until your dragon near rider flight age

Instead of bringing your dragon to Middle Stead, bring him into Aethergarde. He'll need measurements to make a proper saddle

Any metal (like in the buckles) should be plated with a matte coat or cold black iron

storm forage

Name: Reynard Ulysses

Specialization: Dragon rider armor and rider fighting attire

Summary: Reynard was born into a rural farmer family, but after his older brother ended up being a rider, Reynard moved to Itresal with his brother. Since Reynard was often tasked with preparing hide, he decided to work at a local butcher shop to help his brother financially. Oftentimes, his brother would come home and complain that he needed to replace his fighting garments. The two of them couldn't afford to keep buying cheap fighting attire, so Reynard started learning how to make it himself. Eventually, he started selling his products to other people-- over the years, he's honed his skills, and became known in underground spaces for having great fighting attire.

To get here:

Located in the southern part of Itresal in Ranger's Way

Go down the alleyway between Steel Whim (blacksmith) and the Loving Fowl Inn

Walk straight until you reach a fork; walk through the rightmost path, then go left at the end of the path

There should be a wooden sign that says Storm Forage on a door; knock on that door, you can order from there

Some tips:

You may see Callisto here

Everything you wear has to be matte; tell Reynard to plate any metal on your fighting attire with cold black iron

waning moon burrows (face wear)

Name: Yessuf Yohannes Tarik

Specialization: rider goggles, rider visors, cloaks, aerodynamic magitech

Summary: Yessuf is the only one out of all the merchants so far who was born of noble status; however, he left home to escape from the classic noble lifestyle in his early 20s. He no longer wants to be a noble, and simply identifies as a commoner. Yessuf was particularly driven to escape his luxurious life to pursue his passions and sell his products at a more reasonable price. Ever since he was young, he had a strong affinity for engineering, but when magitech came around, he took his passion to a whole different level. Though is not a dragon rider, he was always fascinated by dragons, this spurred him on to make technology that would aid riders. Yessuf is an innovative prodigy; Yessuf's shop is most likely to be busier than the all of the ones I've mentioned so far.

To get here:

Located in the central part of Itresal in Quarry Avenue

Find The Pioneer Brewery and ask for a "vermond tea served with a stick of sweetbark"

The bartender will ask you to come to the back to see the new selection of sweetbark; follow the bartender, they will take you to Waning Moon

Some tips:

Literally every single product this guy sells is amazing. Not a single one is bad, he puts in a lot of effort to make everything he sells as good as he can make it

Only sells wind-resistance charms on the weekend, but sells wind an sun-resistance eyedrops Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

His wind-sun resistance eyedrops and his wind-resistance charms sell really quick

if there's something you want that he doesn't actively sell, like, perhaps... a flying ship.. you can commission him to make one, but you will prob need to provide him with a lot of the materials

You should get wind-sun resistance charms here; they're cheaper because Yessuf does not base the price on existing market value

the dew drop: potion's shop

Name: Katherine Dowenstein (Blonde lady), Lorelai Dowenstein (Brown hair)

Specialization: Potions, tonics, elixirs, balms, herbs

Summary: Katherine Dowenstein grew up in an orphanage. Despite that, her life was rather peaceful growing up. Since she loved going outdoors, cooking, and baking, her caregivers often remarked that she'd be a great apocathary when she's older. Determined to meet their expectations, she began learning all about different plants and potions through both books and experience. When she was older, she decided to work in a potions' shop, but hated the restrictions placed on her. Kathie grew to hate her job, and her love for potions waned, but it wasn't until she healed a child who was thought to have an incurable disease secretly by giving the child tonics Kathie believed had a chance at helping her through her illness. That child was Lorelai; after she recovered, Lorelai begged to become Kathie's apprentice. By Kathie's request, Lorelai lied and told her parents and everyone else that her body simply fought the virus on its own. Kathie didn't want a lot of people knowing about her skills, as she didn't want to be confined by strict regulations any longer. Kathie started her own potion's shop; Lorelai helps her out.

To get here:

There's two different ways

One way is to find Lorelai; she frequents a bread shop called Crumb Hours at 8AM-10AM to read a book and eat before she goes to work (Mon-Fri)

Ask her if she's reading Time of Barbury by Guinevere Roth; she'll say yes, and she'll ask you to join her on her walk back to The Dew Drop at 10AM

Another way is to find the way to the shop yourself

To do this, go to the same bakery that Lorelai likes to go to, Crumb Hours, and go down the alleyway located between the bakery and Utred's Lenses

Go straight down until you reach the area where the path deviates; go left, continue down the path until you come across a fork

Go down the middle path; then knock on a door labelled The Dew Drop

Notice that the area is not the shop is not selling any potions-- only herbs

Lorelai will answer; tell her if she's selling the book Time of Barbury

She'll nod, and she'll take you down a trapdoor, which you lead you to the actual store

Once you see Kathie, you know you're in the right place

Some tips:

Katherine prefers to go by Kathie!

Ok so do note that the regulations placed on potions and tonics are there to (obviously) make sure that potions and stuff are safe to consume, but since it's so strict, it's hard to be innovative, and use different kinds of ingredients and recipes to make potions

"but what about weapons?"

You'll need to go to a shop that specifically caters to your weapon type; if the store sells weapons that aren't closely related to each other (like swords, bows, and scythes), it's unlikely that to shop is of the best quality. if a shop sells only daggers and swords, that means that the people making the equipment are actually specialized in making those weapons. Since there are so many weapon types, I don't think I can make shopkeepers for each!

[mickeyeyesarts]

My Wish-Nimona Conspiracy Theory

*This is completely speculative and I'm sure can be proven wrong by some research but I'm not going to do that*

My theory is Disney tried to kill 2 birds with one stone when they shut down Blue Sky 1. To cancel Nimona 2. To use the assets/ideas from Nimona

Saying something like this is pretty controversial I get it but here's my evidence: 1. Both the movies are the only ones who use the same new type of artstyle, that being 3D blended with Watercolor. Nimona's style was literally achieved by repainting everything to give it that storybook-esque aesthetic.

2. Ballister and King Magnifico look way too similar. To that I say Ballister's design has been in the works since at least 2016.

Obviously Ballister is far more well executed and superior than Magnifico, but that's not the point of this post.

But Ballister is designed to look like a generic villain, down to the facial hair, the scar, ...the queer-coding, but if Magnifico's design is not copied then he just looks and acts like a generic sexy villain. So its either copied or its lazy, you decide which is worse.

3. This the point that made me want to write this post, that is in the concept art of Wish, the Wishing star was a shapeshifting boy.

Now its entirely possible that Disney was just Lazy and chose to go with a marketable plush than a well flushed character as it save time and brings money. But it is not completely absurd to think that Disney chose to copy this idea from Nimona, and that they had to do damage control when they realised Nimona is getting released, that too before their own movie and hence this was done to avoid being accused of plagiarism. If you want to get technical and if this was Disney's intention, to get rid of the studio and the movie to use its assets, it is theft. Again all of this is speculation.

And if they had gone with Star boy, that would have been far too many coincidences to not raise any eyebrows. So now its upto you to decide: Was it Disney's intention to copy Nimona from the beginning, or is it just a coincidence? But that's just a theory...

[soumyafwr]

Facial Aesthetics Market Size, Analysis and Forecast 2031

[monsterlets]

pokemon team ideas:

the best pokemon to make lookalike furniture out of (e.g., the easy one of "snorlax beanbag chair")

the best pokemon to throw off your opponent; "but they're so cute!" [team murders opponents' pokemon]

a pokemon team for a gym in a decommissioned nuclear power plant

pokemon team of JUST "that is a man" pokemon that you don't immediately hate because of uncanny valley (challenge rating: near impossible)

a team of pokemon whose colors/designs are just Slightly Wrong but if improved would be great

a team of pokemon where the shinies are infinitely better than the regular forms. caveat: at least 3 pokemon Cannot just be your favorites. lol

a team of pokemon where their designs make no evolutionary or biological sense given their referents and environments.

a team of GIANT pokemon that would not hurt you (or not you, just opponents, whichever)

a team of teeny tiny pokemon that would KILL you (or not you, just opponents, whichever)

a team for a gym in a bustling street market

a team for an elite four/champions road member with the aesthetic and narrative of a union organizer (throughout the game they create some kind of union among trainers to overthrow the villains or something; broad possibilities for aesthetic available here, but that's their journey and vibe)

the best pokemon to make lookalike furniture out of (e.g., the easy one of "snorlax beanbag chair"):

it's just four bean bag chairs a coat rack and a table

the best pokemon to throw off your opponent; "but they're so cute!" [team murders opponents' pokemon]

here come the murder babies

a pokemon team for a gym in a decommissioned nuclear power plant

had to get my favorite nido in there and I think at this point I'm contractually obligated to put toxapex in every poison type team I make

pokemon team of JUST "that is a man" pokemon that you don't immediately hate because of uncanny valley (challenge rating: near impossible)

bruh.

this is the best I can do

a team of pokemon whose colors/designs are just Slightly Wrong but if improved would be great

folks these are all personal opinion but I am very opinionated. and I will explain myself. let's go

flaaffy: I understand that the line is meant to represent a sheep being sheared but it makes me uncomfortable that it stands up at the same moment it loses its pants. please either put it back on the ground or start shearing it from a different place. thank u

umbreon: three things- 1) get rid of the pupils. it's the only eeveelution with black pupils and I like them much better without 2) the yellow circles look so unnatural to me. the rings around the tail and ears are fine tho. get rid of the ones on the legs, fill in the one on the forehead to make it a spot (it even evokes the moon more that way) 3) for me this is too many colors for such a simple litte guy. either make the eyes yellow to match the markings, or make the markings red to match the eyes (I think the yellow could be regular and the red could be the shiny. blood moon. sick)

skitty: it's very cute, it reminds me of a neopet and I like that. but the facial features just don't look real to me. make em look a little less drawn on and I'd like it

female jellicent: pretty much the same issue, the eyelashes look painted on. why are they 2 dimensional

east sea gastrodon: for context for everyone else we were just talking about this last night. I just don't think the color scheme works as well as the west sea gastrodon. make the green a bit darker and cooler, make the blue quite a bit lighter, and then make the yellow accents a cool color so it's more cohesive (I think purple would be cool). I still like him tho it's still gastrodon at the end of the day. but I would never ever choose it over the west sea gastrodon

gorebyss: the clamshell bra. get rid of it

aaaaaand I've hit image limit I'll have to continue in a reblog

[ronqueesha]

the basics –––

NAME: Aunlin Boltwrench

AGE: 24

BIRTHDAY: Nobody knows. She was adopted in late summer, so that’s when she celebrates.

RACE: Troll

GENDER: Female

SEXUALITY: Still figuring that out. Having been raised around goblins, she never found any of them, or anyone shorter than her, appealing. But anyone TALLER than her, regardless of gender or species, makes her head spin.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single.

SERVER: WrA-US

FACTION: As a troll, she is technically Horde. But politics mean very little to this up-and-coming small business owner. She will do business with anyone regardless of faction.

FACIAL REFERENCE/LIKENESS: N/A

physical appearance –––

HAIR: You might sometimes see the naturally dark blue of her hair when the roots show. But she routinely dyes it bright pink to be more like her adoptive goblin mom's.

EYES: Brown

HEIGHT: 7′3″, or 2.2m

DISTINGUISHING MARKS:

Bright pink hair done up in a goblin style.

She does not speak with a typical troll accent, but instead has the fast-talking goblin accent of the family that adopted her. She has no connection to any troll culture or heritage. 

Despite that, she’s aware that her tusks are quite short for a troll of her age and build.

COMMON ACCESSORIES:

Bright pink and white clothes. Despite her affiliation with fel magic and the domination of demons, Aunlin prides herself in her bubblegum pink aesthetic.

A notebook where she constantly writes down new business ideas.

Eyeglasses that she is loathe to wear. A troll growing up in a goblin city meant she had to strain her eyes to read many of the tiny books that provided her education, which damaged her vision.

personal –––

PROFESSION: She's not a warlock, she's a small business owner! Aunlin has delved into the art of demonology not to gain power or cause harm to the world, but to exploit them as a labor source.

HOBBIES: Following market trends, reading the newspaper for any potential moneymaking schemes, and delving deeper into the control of demons to expand her business.

LANGUAGES: Common, Goblin, Orcish. She does not know a word of Zandali, and gets annoyed if asked.

RESIDENCE: Formerly Bilgewater Harbor. Currently rents a place in Gadgetzan.

BIRTHPLACE: Stranglethorn Vale

relationships –––

SPOUSE/PARTNER: Single. Never married.

CHILDREN: None.

PARENTS: A biological mother and father, who were found dead by the goblins that adopted her. Max and Valerie Boltwrench took the infant they found in the jungle and raised her as their own. Both still alive.

SIBLINGS: As with her deceased biological parents, she had several siblings who were also dead by the time Aunlin was found. Her goblin family never had any more children.

OTHER RELATIVES: Various aunts, uncles, and extended members of the Boltwrench family. She is unaware of any blood relations to other trolls.

traits –––

extroverted / introverted / in between.

disorganized / organized / in between.

close minded / open-minded / in between.

calm / anxious / in between.

disagreeable / agreeable / in between.

cautious / RECKLESS / in between.

patient / impatient / in between.

outspoken / reserved / in between.

leader / follower / in between.

empathetic / unemphatic / in between.

optimistic / pessimistic / in between.

traditional / modern / in between.

hard-working / lazy / in between.

cultured / un-cultured / in between.

loyal / disloyal / unknown / in between.

faithful / unfaithful / unknown / in between.

additional information –––

SMOKING HABIT: never / tried but didn’t stick / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

DRUGS: never / tried but didn’t stick / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

RP hooks –––

Demonic labor for sale! It’s not slavery if they don’t have a soul! And Aunlin charges insanely low rates to hire out the services of her enslaved stable. Need something immortal to carry your heavy building equipment? Need imps to clean out a rat infestation? Need a felhound to scare some pesky neighborhood kids off your lawn? Give Boltwrench a call!

No troll here. Aunlin was raised by Goblins in Bilgewater port, despite the many difficulties that erupted from growing to be many times larger than the average citizen. (think Will Ferrel in “Elf”) She has many connections among the Goblin businesses and crime families, and zero connections to any trolls who approach her. In fact, she is visibly uncomfortable around fellow trolls.

The eternal saleswoman. Aunlin wants to make her parents proud by starting her own business and becoming fabulously wealthy, a trade princess all her own. The goblin dream. Of course, she’s only just starting down this road, so money is a little tight…

Not a warlock... sorta! Aunlin's skills at commanding and enslaving demons are entirely self taught. Her goblin relatives are very well connected with various organized crime rings who were happy to take Aunlin's coin in exchange for silently "taking care of" people suspected to be warlocks across Azeroth. Aunlin would then poke around their now-empty houses/lairs to find tomes of knowledge and demonic lore, teaching herself everything she needs to build her business.

Contact Information  ––– –

I’m here on tumblr quite a lot, and also in-game as Aunlin.

[hockeygossipdaily]

https://www.tumblr.com/hockeygossipdaily/767991353931087872/maya-has-a-brother-jonah-who-studied-at-mit-he

So apparently her brother doesn’t like Matt. He claims her when he needs a new aesthetic IG post. She doesn’t go to games. His NYC friend group was formed around her connections. She doesn’t have him at her birthday party. He will unfollow her but like all of her closets friends posts. They both are on and off consistently blocking each other.

These two seem to have a relationship rooted in insecure attachment styles. They seem to like the idea of being together, and the aesthetic of being a couple, but ultimately are lacking in compatibility. Their relationship is like watching a Pinterest couple goals board come to life. Every pin you add to the board looks ideal, fun, exciting, yet it’s still only an idea of what you want from a relationship based off the aesthetic appeal but void of substance.

She also seems to not like associating with wag culture or centering her life, personality, instagram around the player she’s dating. Not to say she doesn’t enjoy the extra insta followers she can get from being associated with Matt, however even that benefits her directly seeing as she’s works in marketing and is essentially a low tier NYC It girl. No matter how fashionable Matt is and intricate he seems compared to the average NHL player persona, he’s still apart of hockey culture…the dog, baby, and marriage by 28, a wag at every home game, a wag counting down the days until she wears a playoff jacket, a wag posting every goal to her IG story, having her entire social life attached to other wags and team related wag activities, having her insta basically be a relationship update account- all those things that are apart of the standard wag playbook are likely something Matt wants and Maya clearly does not want to provide.

Maya as a person doesn’t seem problematic as the other wags that circulate the blogs tend to be. She hasn’t been caught on blogs starting drama out of obsession, she’s not racist, Zionist, homophobic, or maga associated. Based off the photoshop and obvious cosmetic transformations it’s possible she has an issue with facial and body image but that’s her own affliction. Personally I just don’t think they are a compatible couple, and also I don’t think Matt is an angel in terms of the relationship dynamic but that’s my outside take.

This was an on point read

[storygirl000]

okay genuinely what is with some of the complaints for mh g3 because at this point it just sounds like y’all hate it for existing and nothing else.

"ewwww the outfits are so ugly!!" gee, it’s almost like popular fashion trends have changed over the years. there’s a difference between "this outfit is ugly" and "i greatly dislike this outfit"; i personally think a lot of the outfits look pretty cool, but i’m not gonna default to calling the ones i don’t like "ugly" just because i don’t like the style.

"everyone’s personality has changed for the worse!!" because it’s a reboot of the franchise; of course they’re gonna change things to keep things "fresh". besides, i honestly think the personality changes got me more invested in certain characters compared to g1 – frankie and lagoona in particular are characters i didn’t care all that much about in g1, but i’ve loved their g3 characterizations so far.

"it’s racist because they toned down clawdeen’s blackness!!" i am admittedly as white as can be so i don’t know how well i can comment on this, but i feel like people who use this argument have a tendency to sound more bigoted than they claim mattel is. i have both g1 and g3 clawdeen dolls; they have pretty much the exact same skin tone, so that complaint only really applies to the live-action movie. the arguments about her personality being "less black" sound like they’re turning into "clawdeen is less of a sassy black woman stereotype and i hate that". and all the complaints about her being mixed race (and thus "less black") now just sound bigoted against actual afro-latina people. and that’s without getting into how this old argument keeps being used while they ignore that there’s a wider degree of racial diversity in the line, that clawdeen actually has a black va now (light-skinned black, sure, but still an improvement over having a white va do a "black" voice), and that some of y’all made fun of the new venus for looking different when they gave her implicitly black facial features.

and on that note, "you’re just sucking mattel’s dick and ignoring everything bad because there’s more diversity now!!" so people aren’t allowed to be happy that they’re being properly represented in their favorite doll line now? so plus-sized people aren’t allowed to be happy about plus-sized catty? so south asian people can’t be happy that abbey is now properly south asian-coded instead of weirdly russian? so i can’t be happy that one of the characters is explicitly autistic? sure, a story should have more than good diversity if it wants to be truly good, but every time i see this complaint get brought up it’s phrased like we shouldn’t be happy about the increased diversity at all.

"this is just as bad as g2!! why don’t you hate it like g2?!" because it’s not like g2 at all. g2 suffered from a combination of budget cuts that led to cheaper doll designs and marketing unsure of whether or not it was connected to the original g1 continuity; g3, while not perfect, definitely has a better budget and marketers who’ve learned from their mistakes and made it more clear that this is a full reboot.

and all of these complaints seem to carry an undercurrent of "g3 is the only option available and it’s bad" which...just isn’t true. g1 fans still have stuff like the boo-riginal creeproductions, the reel drama dolls, and so many special dolls that hearken back to g1 aesthetics and designs. mattel’s still paying attention to them.

tl;dr stop using increasingly flimsy arguments to justify complaining about people liking something.

[the-martyrfication-of-the-matron]

i wish to know more about the culture in Pheonix Drop, the central place for a lot of stuff in mcd :3

Ofc!!

Cut bc it’s a long post:

When it comes to Phoenix Drop, there’s not a lot of very evident ‘aesthetic’ culture. In the sense that clothes are often bland or bought from other villages and towns, as the people of Phoenix Drop cannot afford the time to spend to making clothes. Buildings are basic and run-down, patched together with any available techniques and materials as opposed to committing to a style. Hair is often thrown up into a hairdo and covered with a kind of veil instead of being intricately woven as there’s just not enough hours in the day to commit to it.

Clothes can vary. A lot. Most of PD’s inhabitants are not PD natives, they come from other places and brought with them shreds of their own culture. Some people can be seen wearing bright fabrics and patterns, but it is especially rare, as most will sell their nice clothes to any merchants or travellers who happen upon the village in order to have the money to eat - no one who lives in Phoenix Drop tends towards the wealthy side, excluding one individual in particular.

As there is not a large amount of food or resources, most jobs are centred on getting the bare minimum of everything they need, instead of getting the best, as they simply cannot afford it. Most clothes made in Phoenix Drop are plain, often varying shades of Beige (sometimes dyed or stained, if the buyer has the money to spare, most don’t) and shapeless. It’s focused more on keeping people cool and covered, as Phoenix Drop is set in the warm north-east. At most, people tend to accessorise with leather straps and wooden beads. They just don’t have the excess time or money to waste metal on jewellery instead of weapons.

Those with a little bit extra might be able to travel out of the village momentarily, or to afford the prices of clothing merchants who arrive in the village, and will buy some clothes of higher quality. This can include corsets/stays/support pieces, which are often low quality at the prices they can afford and not particularly pretty, or clothes that are slightly brighter in colour.

All clothes will eventually tear and wear holes, and get patches and stains, so having a clothing item which looks entirely new is pretty sought after. They will sometimes trim the edges of their skirts/trousers/sleeves in order to get rid of torn/fraying/stained edges, which can eventually shorten them quite considerably. Eventually, having long clothes also became a bit of a status thing. Even though that meant they were then more easily stained, and torn… which meant they’d have to be cut… and it’s a cycle.

Hair covering is a bit of an older tradition and isn’t followed by everyone, but it’s one of the aspects of PD’s culture that is a remnant of its former actual culture. The veils are usually quite small, and don’t cover all of the hair, but it does depend on the individual, and the material can really be anything, the weight in the tradition lies in the symbolism of wearing it, less in the covering of the hair, so things like lace and more sheer fabrics are acceptable. Of course, no one in PD is rocking a lace veil, no one is that fancy.

Even those that don’t cover their hair tend to style their hair in a particularly dull way. There is nothing unique, it is usually just a bun or other kind of knotted hair. It is based off of former PD cultural hair styles that no one had the time to do anymore, after the village grew far too poor to focus on anything but work, and just kind of got lost.

Having your hair tied up is definitely expected if your hair is long enough to tie up, even for men (this rule also goes for facial hair). Those who don’t are often people who are seen to… lack any kind of dignity, and this isn’t always seen as a negative. It’s a good way for prostitutes to be able to subtly market themselves during the day, whilst also being able to be covered from the sun. And anyone can have their hair down, it’s just something that can lead to confusion if someone is new in town and doesn’t know that you aren’t offering those services.

For music, it’s not easy to get your hands on, and then maintain, instruments. A lot of music is made through vocal means, or instruments that are more durable and/or easier to fix/make. Drums, for example. People cannot dedicate their entire lives to figuring out how to make music sound good in PD, so it tends to just be a little bit unskilled, but that’s the charm of it. Usually music comes in the form of drunken chanting and banging their fists on tables/stomping, so it takes on a very rhythmic beat. Totally not because it sounds like a heart beat and I’m shoving heart symbolism everywhere… totally…

Anyways, it’s very common for people to hum and sing as they work. As they’re working all day, it helps break up the monotony. They have some songs about the tales of Irene and such, but most are just bullshit they’ve come up with when drunk or delirious. Brendan is responsible for half of them, if because he’s been half-asleep mumbling to himself, or he’s accidentally hit someone over the head whilst he was working.

There’s a lot of jumbled language. Like Phoenix Drop has people from a bunch of backgrounds, and so after a while they’ve just kind of mushed together words and phrases from different places for things. Kind of like how, irl, we get things like Spanglish when someone mixes Spanish and English words and phrases.

They have some very bizarre phrases and sayings because they originate in other languages but they just started saying it in common and it became A Thing.

And there’s more but this post is LONG.

I could go into the work culture, social norms, all that. I’m insane.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Death of skin peeling patient raises concerns about aesthetic procedures in Brazil

There are thousands of Brazilians seeking aesthetic treatments to correct what they consider flaws in their appearance. Brazil counts the second-highest number of plastic surgeries in the world behind the United States, according to data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).

At least 1.5 million plastic surgeries are made annually in Brazil, with 57% being aesthetic and 43% reconstructive, according to the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP). The Brazilian market is so active that hundreds of foreigners come to the country only for plastic surgeries: at least 7% of annual procedures (more than 100,000) are made on foreigners.

Regarding non-surgical aesthetic treatments, the growth is even higher: 56% between 2020 and 2022, which also makes Brazil the second country in the world ranking of non-invasive treatments. Among the most sought-after procedures, according to ISAPS, are botox, hyaluronic acid-based facial fillers, laser hair removal, collagen bio-stimulators, and fat reduction treatments through the freezing of adipose tissue cells. 

But with so much demand, the risks to patients are also increasing.

The death of a young man following an aesthetic procedure earlier this month in São Paulo reignited discussions about booking treatments with unqualified professionals, often without medical training, or in clinics that lack the structure to handle emergency situations.

Continue reading.

[centrally-unplanned]

I played silly 90's eroge game VR-DATE Simulator May-Club, which some lunatics made a browser port of, as I saw people mentioning it on the dash. First off, these old eroges occasionally get remasters, and I just don't understand why they toss out the aesthetic of these things when they do:

You got rid of all the bold pixelation highlights! My dithering! You got rid of the framing box UI!? Look at how they massacred my boy -_-

Seriously those UIs are one of the greatest legacies of the PC-98 era, I am curious as to why they were so common (probably due to limitations on resolution flexibility, so they wanted to keep the main screen defined in scale, but I am just guessing). All ports should preserve them, but I do think there is a development limitations there; modern VN engines aren't quite built for it.

I found the game charming because it is a very comedic game - the main dude wants to bone before starting his corporate wagecuck conglomerate job, and finds a VR world where people date anonymously. So hijinks ensue and you spend tickets to go spin some plates, but half the time you meet up with girls you talk about gender discrimination in the corporate workplace? The difficulties of work-life balance? Handy tips on how to double-tap your company expense accounts for some light financial fraud at hostess bars? And those things are also played for laughs, it just isn't what I expected to find given the tone.

Early dating sim games are often funny this way because they were incredibly expensive - I don't have a price source for this one specifically, but they could approach ~$100 USD and that is in 1990's dollars. Which meant that their market was mainly just working adults, this wasn't primarily teens slipping lunch money over the counter. So the work is full otaku, but a niche of otaku such that you get a certain kind of blend of silly tropes and more adult jabs.

By the way, the game was actually localized to the US, in the 90's? I don't have a rock-solid source but apparently the explicit scenes for two of the routes were removed due to the designs of the characters in question. Which uh:

Yeah, not shocked at that choice.

I found it weird that this "VR world" just looks like the regular world?

Explicitly so, our main dude comments on it. Which you would think, okay, its a budget thing right? This way you get to portray the real world and the VR world with the same assets as you walk through both. But you pretty-much never do that; 99% of the game is in the VR world. So why have that plot detail at all? It made me notice it, and now I am questioning why they went with something so un-VR-like for the setting.

It really doesn't do much with the VR setting alas, though I didn't do all the routes. I love 90's era "the future will be virtual" stuff, but this one didn't deliver on much of any vision for what that would be.

I also can't check out all the routes quickly as I could not find any cohesive Let's Plays of the game. Normally that is how you experience all of these games these days, given their propensity for padding and difficulties in emulating. Maybe I should solve that problem myself lol. Since I did have to play it, shoutouts to Ben Woodhouse from 2003 for your GameFAQs guide and beautiful ASCII calendar of appearance times for helping me get through it

Anyway Akiho is best girl fuck your sexist bosses and get 👏that 👏bread👏; she absolutely has the best collection of facial expressions and her ending has a real touch of heart to it, respect.

[nananarc]

EXCUSE ME WHILE I RANT FOR A BIT

So anyway I finally started with the graduation project and, lemme tell ya, it was annoying. I mean I expected this, but it's still annoying.

The school and the mentor wants things to be of a certain aesthetic and standard so it can fit with the general public's taste and eventually it can be picked up by a publisher. it has to be commercial and easy to digest, for a lack of better words. Which is like, the opposite of essentially what i am as a person and as an artist.

So anyway I'll be doing Truyện Kiều again, illustrating the full book with better art this time. Here are some sketches I did:

Below is the mentor's very quick sketch for demo:

Which is. Ok cool, it's very traditional, Vietnamese fine art design and aesthetic. The thing that you see everywhere in books and media. The thing that is taught in fine art school. And it's also very HIM because he's a very prominent artist since a long time ago. I'm not talking about the difference in the era clothing tho because he demoed in Nguyễn dynasty while mine is of the Trần dynasty.

My style was criticized (politely) that the face doesn't look pretty, the nose is too prominent and big, the lineart is too scratchy and loose, and that I have to restrict the freedom in my lineart more.

Which is. Like. Pretty much all the things that i like about my art the most. I don't really like drawing "pretty" people, I wanna draw distinct and unique people. I like the fact that the nose is prominent because that's a very Vietnamese facial feature. Our nose is big, flat and flared. And I like it. AND I DIDNT EVEN DRAW IT THAT BIG. it's already stylized and stuff. The lineart is scratchy and spontaneous because that's how my ADHD brain works! And I like the freedom, the raw unfinished feel to it. And my way of scrawing is kinda similar to sculpting in a way that I like to put in a block of line or shape (yang) and then erase it and putting in more nothing space (yin). And I like Maximalism and Kitsch and Neo-traditionalism so I love to do things a bit crazy and new and filled with emotions.

My mentor comes from a very different generation, and a different field than me. He's very commercial, leaning more into minimalism, fine-art conservative and traditional aesthetic. WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF ME. Sadly we don't get to choose mentor cos there's only one lmao.

And also I don't understand why I have to aim for publishing in Vietnam too, because that's not where my target customer is. I'm a niche artist with limited customer base and they are international clients (who mostly pay better, treat you better, and appreciate your art more than the general public in VN do). Luckily I have a bachelor in business admin so I know how to do brand and marketing myself, othewise id just keep on trying to please everyone (flexing a little bit, but i was graduating with excellence and on the top 10 of my intake lmeo). Not to mention the fact that why do I even have to publish in the first place, because this is a school, it is a place to experiment, make mistakes, and learn. It's not a place to conform to the industry to make a living. If I wanna do that I would not be here and start working for a company already!

I understand it when they said that it would be a huge advantage if you can get published, but then again, that route is not for everyone, and it's not the only way to be an illustrator like they said. I have my own path to walk on, and I don't think they are aware that we even have those paths, because they are from a different generation. I mean, that's why I was struggling so much before to find a footing, because virtually no one here knows there are other paths! I had to dig things up myself through sweat, blood and tear.

Anyway I rant but i will keep trying to fight and do it on my own terms. They can't make me anyway. There's gonna be sticks and stones, but I mean, I can't physically make myself do something I do not wanna do. There's another option which is to drop it because I don't need the certificate anyway, but I wanna finish a big project of my own too.