#Gotta use my experiences and detailed knowledge for something

[sapphic-biohazard]

scientist Catra and test subject Adora

Adora is the second successful test subject in an human experiment concerned with using mutagenic agents to produce genetically enhanced soldiers. Catra is science prodigy eager to prove her worth and intelligent to spite her mother.

After she spends a lot of time with Adora, she starts to care for her and refuses to see her get exploited like this. Adora, believing 100% in the research and its vision, refuses to escape. So Catra, seeing no other option, rebel against the lab and blackmail them with her own data unless they let Adora go. They don’t. Catra has to flee with her life and Adora follows her to protect her (because she may not value her own life higher than the lab but she definitely does so to Catra’s) and so cue to runaway shenanigans, exploring ethics in research, and of course the sciences (especially pharmacology and genetics)

[charbies]

linktober 31 - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I thought for the last day I'd write a little retrospective on what this whole thing was like and what I learned. I'm too tired to draw literally anything else I'm due for a break lol

So this was my second time ever attempting a linktober/october drawing challenge, but my first time managing to complete all the days and prompts. I feel super proud of myself and accomplished for pulling it off.

There were a number of things that were surprising and that were challenging for me that I wasn't expecting this month. If anything, I think this challenge really highlighted my flaws and mental blindspots with how I approach making art.

For one thing, I came away from this not liking everything I made. I think I only like about 9 or 10 of the 30 pieces I put out there. When I don't like my art, I tend to get stuck in this mental stalemate of refusing to finish a piece until I like it, but also refusing to retrace my steps and erase/rework what I have so far for fear of losing progress or not being able to replicate the line/angle/color/etc that I liked.

It was surprisingly hard to accept when I didn't like a piece but had to move on for the sake of time and post it anyway. But once I did it a few times, it got easier. I realized prioritizing my standards over my available energy is not gonna promote progress. If I kept sinking myself into one piece and not moving on until it was optimal, I never would have finished anything-- that was the pitfall that ultimately made me bail out 10 days in last year.

I also realized my sunk cost fallacy/"what if I erase this and can never redraw it good again" stems from some real lack of confidence in my knowledge and techniques with art. I'm self-taught, and I think I tend to believe that everything I make is a dumb happy accident, even though I have mental rules when I draw, use tons of references, and have a process lol. There are a few pieces I started over 2-3 times before I got them right, and that's starting to feel liberating instead of like failing to me now, which I never expected to come out of this experience so that's cool.

Another place I had to learn to let go of control in this was with allowing for style variation. I really wanted each and every piece to be coherent and painterly, like they all came from the same book or something. But then I couldn't decide whether I wanted to do all/no lineart, all/no detailed background, all/no heavy rendering, etc. At the end I settled on just keeping the same canvas dimensions and just prioritizing filling up the space. Glad I ended up doing this, because I really would benefit from continuing to chill out and scale back how much I default to making dramatic, high-render pieces. I gotta break out of my comfort zone and make more sketchy little guys!

Sometimes my attachment to the prompts fluctuated; some prompts I thought I would love and then just wanted to get them over with. Some prompts I thought I would hate and subsequently half-ass, then I ended up redoing them and putting more effort & time into and loved the end result!

It was funny to also see how some pieces that I loved straight up did not get a whole lot of notes or attention. Some pieces I was "meh" about did crazy numbers lol. I'm used to posting maybe 5-6 times a year on here, so I'm usually indifferent to getting notes (by which I mean, I'm super grateful for likes & reblogs and the super sweet & funny messages in y'alls tags, but I'm not butthurt when I don't get notes because whatever happens, happens). Churning out 30 pieces in 30 days made me sometimes get bewildered by what did and didn't get notes, but frankly in the end I think it helps reaffirm that I should continue putting whatever I want out there because it! is! not! graded!!!

So would I do Linktober again? Probably not, sorry! it was a lot of time & effort and took me away from fall festivities more than I would have liked. I kinda only managed to pull this off because I was transitioning between jobs this month and had a week off to just draw. But I also completely see the value in taking on a challenge like this and finishing what I started, I'm super glad I did this, I think my art improved from it. I would definitely do future drawing challenges/prompt things that are quicker or have less prompts!

My advice to prospective future linktoberers: pace yourself and be gentle; this is a great chance to do something exciting and new with your art, but above all it's about you having fun. There are no prizes at the end except for what you've learned and how you feel about it, and that's for the best!!

One thing's for sure, I am zelda'd out lmao so I'll be branching out towards some little projects I have lined up for personal art and other fandoms I'm into right now

So anyway thanks to all of you who read this or who gassed me up this whole month, I appreciate you!!!!!!!! ヾ(＾∇＾)

[malleleothreesome]

August 30th is my birthday!

🤍 Platinum Jacket Erica 🤍

When summoned: "We're going to some fancy museum? Wow! So cool! Bring out the free champagne and hors d'oeuvres! ...they don't do that here? Damn..."

Summon line: "I'm just glad for the opportunity to wear something truly beautiful. I used to love to dress up in my home world. Thank The Seven Crowley didn't 'accidentally' leave me on campus this time."

Groooovy!!: "When I was a kid, I was never one of those girls who wanted to grow up to be a Princess, because I thought all they did was sit around and do nothing. Here in Twisted Wonderland, I've come to realize there's a lot more to being royalty than I initially thought. Unless you're Leona."

Home: "100 year anniversary? *Squints eyes* Does that mean... Twisted Wonderland experiences a similar passage of time to my home world?"

Home Idle 1: "If Grim does something to mess up one of these paintings, or if he knocks something over, I don't think I'll ever live it down..."

Home Idle 2: "I love just following Riddle around... he's so knowledgeable about everything, it's like having my own personal tour guide!"

Home Idle 3: "Every time I see a painting of Maleficent I have to stop myself from saying, 'Mommy? Sorry. Mommy? Sorry.' Would that get me smited on the spot? Or do you think she'd take me in as her daughter like in the live action movie? ...what live action movie? Oh, nevermind..."

Home Idle - Login: "So this is The Land of Dawning. I'm always so excited to visit new locations outside of Sage Island! I hope I can travel this entire world before I have to go back to my home world."

Home Idle - Groovy: "Where's Malleus? I think he'd really like this painting! Don't tell me... oh, no... he's trying to get some champagne and hors d'oeuvres..."

Home Tap 1: "I'm trying not to let this fancy outfit get to my head, but damn, I look good... this must be how Vil feels on the red carpet!"

Home Tap 2: "The Queen of Hearts is really scar– I mean, cool. Really cool. Utmost respect. I'm bowing down. Please, don't take my head."

Home Tap 3: "Tweedledee and Tweedledum, I mean Ace and Deuce, are actually being pretty respectful in here. For once."

Home Tap 4: "If The King of Beasts could earn respect in Twisted Wonderland, I hope that means that Leona can, too. I want him to realize he has what it takes to make a difference in this world."

Home Tap 5: "Whoever painted these is really talented. I love looking at the fine details. It's amazing what people can accomplish with only their hands. It makes me feel a bit better about being magicless."

Home Tap - Groovy: "Since this is a museum, they gotta have a gift shop, right? I love looking at the gift shop! Can we go, please?"

Duo: [ERICA]: A battle?! Aaaa, I'm so unprepared for this! *Fists in the air even though she has no idea how to fight* Let's fuck shit up! [LEONA]: Grrr... Quit your whining and just get behind me already! You're doin' more harm than good, Sweetheart.

For the paintings, I wanted to showcase two of my favorite locations in my home world ;) When I think of what Disney represents to me, these are the two places I think of!

Yuusona art is from @hhyeart, template is from @thoselethalarts here.

[oreramar]

Florist Talk for Fiction

I'm pretty sure the whole Flower Shop AU thing's day has long since passed but heck it, I've been doing the actual Flower Shop thing in real life for a few years now and I've got a handful of thoughts to throw out into the void, just in case anyone out there is still into or writing for that particular trope or theme or what have you.

First, a minor disclaimer: my experience is at one particular mom & pop shop in a small town in the US. Some details may differ for larger florists in bigger cities or other countries, but if your writing is set in some vaguely defined little town in vaguely defined culturally-American-location, then there could be overlap enough for you. Research and tweak as needed otherwise.

Second, I'm probably going to break stuff up by topic or something and post it gradually, tagging it all as Florist Talk, because initially I started writing a rambling mass of bullet points then realized it was way too much, and there were way too many dumb little details to include on some of those points. So call it a series I suppose. Feel free to send Asks if you have a curiosity about anything in particular. I may or may not have knowledge for you.

Third, a few general points for writing your Florist Blorbo with convincing verisimilitude:

Day to Day and Week to Week, weekdays are busier than weekends, usually. I've seen small town florist schedules where Sundays are Closed and Saturdays are only open for a few hours, like nine to noon or something. I am jealous of these, for the shop I work for is also a gift shop and one of the husband-wife duo of owners believes very much that Closing Early = Losing Potential Sales, and so I must often languish in agonizing boredom for four to five hours on a Saturday afternoon in order to be present for the one (1) person who maybe possibly walks in at 4:40 pm to look around or something.

Summers are the Slowest Season, the Saturday Afternoons of the Florist Year.

A flower shop lives or dies on the strength of its Valentine's Day and Mother's Day sales, basically. Oh, there's other holiday things, and day to day stuff, but nothing that can be counted on like those Big Ones.

Speaking of day to day, morbid though it may be, Funeral flowers tend to be the biggest contributors to flower shop sustainability outside of the holidays.

No seriously your FloraBlorb will know the Funeral Directors in town by name. Use these positions to convincingly place and namedrop minor characters. It's so easy.

Your FloraBlorb may have a Dedicated Delivery Driver (a secondary character perhaps?) OR they may have to do deliveries themselves. If they don't have a second person to run the shop while they do this then they'll have to close the shop and take calls on a cell phone as they come. Use this as needed for character or plot stuff I suppose.

Florist Flowers are Expensive compared to grocery store flowers, but this doesn't mean that the Florists themselves are making that much money. Flowers tend to be very perishable and there's a lot of overhead in transporting and storing them and stuff. Wallyworld might be making a technical loss, maybe just breaking even with their racks of cheap bouquets in the produce section, but they aren't hurt by that because they make so much more money selling everything else as well. A Flower Shop doesn't have that going for them, so they gotta charge more.

Maybe this is why I so often see Flower Shops paired with something else out there. Flower and Gift Shops. Flower Shops that sell Homemade Fudge on the side. Flower Shops and Boutiques. Flower Shops and Bakeries. Basically, feel free to write this AU and wedge the obvious interests of two Blorbos together into one store. As long as you can find a way to convince us all that their Flower Shop / Cabinetry business can thrive in the same space then why the heck not.

[convexicalcrow]

Oh? How normal are we about Pharaoh Cub?

Okay look. You gotta understand. I've been interested in ancient Egpyt since I was a kid. It's my longest-running special interest/hyperfixation, so much so that I've been practicing ancient Egyptian religion for over twenty years. It's something that's very, very precious to me, bc it's so personal to me, and bc I'm who I am, my knowledge of this stuff is arguably higher than the average person. This makes any kind of media about ancient Egypt actually not that interesting to me bc my brain will Not shut up about inaccuracies, so I tend to avoid them bc of that.

(I could go on about my issues with ancient Egyptian themed media, but I won't, that's a whole 'nuther essay frfr.)

(Also I hope you like infodumping, anon, bc that's what I'm about to do :D)

That said, I've actually written a whole lot of Egyptian myth rewrites, as well as ancient Egyptian stories exploring all kinds of various topics. I have some published on an old blog of mine, but some I never finished for various reasons. It's a whole thing. It's been a whole thing for me for a very, very long time.

So, you're me, someone with a more than average knowledge of and interest in ancient Egypt, and you've just become a Cub fan in s8 bc that was my first Hermitcraft season. I had heard about the pyramid, and Pharaoh Cub, and I was both SO INTERESTED but also actually quite hesitant to watch Cub's s7, bc I didn't want to be disappointed if he messed it up or did something wrong that caused my brain to Disagree. Again, very irrational bc my brain do be like that, but also based on previous experiences of seeing ppl just taking the aesthetics and doing whatever with it, and screw historical accuracy.

(Honestly, this is, like, my One (1) critism with the lore TrixyBlox built into the USW map. Can we Not have evil pharaohs plz just for once. ;_;)

I wanted to trust Cub, bc I'd seen the research that went into the canyon build. He's a smart dude. He cares about getting those kinda details right. And I did genuinely want to see how he approached the pyramid build and how he was going to use it as a base. But again, SO HESITANT. bc what if my blorbo messes it up and ruins the whole thing for me bc m brain is Stupid about this sort of thing. ;_;

But I'm so glad I trusted Cub when I did get around to watching s7, bc I fell in love with the pyramid. The fact that he cared about making it as life-size as possible, but also that he took an approach of taking what works, but also making it his own, and making it fit into the minecraft world. Like, using Standard Galactic for hieroglyphs! I loved that small little detail! It makes so much sense to use it that way.

Like, my very-not-srs gripes about the Pharaoh skin and its weird sleeves aside, his approach was very much how a lot of Egyptian pagans approach things today. Take what works, or what makes sense, and adapt it to where we currently are in the world and what we have access to. And I could tell from how he talked about it throughout the season that he really had done his research. And just- The Morning and The Evening Sun/Star epithet he gave himself like!!!!

Like, it's the little things, like the lapis roof, the stars - including Sirius!, the most important one bc its rising heralds the flood of the Nile and the new year - on the ceiling in the bedroom, the statue room and the way he built those five statues to represent aspects of himself (I cannot stress enough how much I adored those statues), allll the little tunnels and sekrit passageways, and the cartouche on the wall with his name in SGA and using SGA in the museum room, the treasure room with its traps, and the tomb of the Pharaoh himself. Like. It was such a perfect blend of Cub and Egyptian stuff. 10/10. I can find no faults. Although I do want to go back and finish the oasis room at some point. Make it a healing pool room with a shrine or two in it. Something like that.

Like, I had my doubts, but I trusted Cub and his process, and I was right to do so. It cemented Cub as my favourite Hermit at that point, bc he took my special interest and did it justice. And that's why I'm Very Normal about Pharaoh Cub.

But there are also other aspects too! Pyramids were designed to be tombs, and that's where the Pharaoh was left to rest at the end of s7. Which seems very appropriate, given where Hermitcraft went after that.

The reason I fixate so much on this is that there's this Egyptian underworld book called the Book of Caverns, that describes the King's journey through the underworld. It's not as well-known as the Book of the Dead, but the reason I keep coming back to it is because of Cub's canyon in s8. Where he built everything in little caverns in the canyon itself. And with the change of skin to young Cub, my brain just cannot let go of the idea of s8 being Pharaoh Cub's journey through the underworld, culminating with the final battle against the serpent we do not name so we do not give it power (a/p/o/p/h/i/s) that is here manifested in s8 as Moon Big. It's not a perfect metaphor, and I won't pretend it is. Especially bc while Cub escapes, the world is destroyed, and that's not necessarily accurate. But! He still escapes! He uses all his knowledge and resources that he's gained through his journey through the underworld to escape. To rise again in s9 as the new sun.

AND AND AND the fact that in s9 PHARAOH CUB DID ACTUALLY RETURN. Only now, we have the Pharaoh as a distinct entity. A divine akh/ancestor, a master magician, one who is clever and wiley like Thoth and who loves playing games and playing pranks. (Thoth is a trickster, and a very smart one.) And to have the distinction between Pharaoh Cub, who is a god, and mortal Cub, who is just Cub, like.

(Cub and his possession kink is also a whole 'nuther essay frfr)

That distinction makes sense in an Egyptian theological framework. Once the Pharaoh dies, they become divine akhu/ancestors. Very few were Actually Deified in a way we would recognise, but Cub is still not wrong when he calls the Pharaoh a god. The Pharaoh was a conduit between the people and the gods. He acted as the only high priest of the religion. He became King by hosting the Kingly Ka, the divine soul of Horus that legitimises their rule. This Ka/soul, has been with every king before it, and all the kings are attached/accessed through it. Kings live forever, after all. My own personal religious work has involved various Kings and Queens and working with them. (Not the most famous ones, tho, it's mostly the Sobek ones bc I worship Sobek first and foremost.)(Sobek being a crocodile god, a strong protector, and a god who was incorporated in Horus at one stage and gained Kingship attributes from that.)

And so it makes so much sense for the Pharaoh to be a separate entity now. The old man died, bc Cub is mortal, and ba/eternal soul of Cub was reborn into a new, younger body, with a whole new ka. Everyone has a ka, it is the soul that belongs to a particular lifetime and is the one that goes through judgement after death. The ba is eternal, and can have many kau/souls throughout its existence.

And bc the Pharaoh has died and become an akh, he can be contacted and manifest in the world again through the mortal Cub. The fact that Cub never actually changed the Pharaoh skin to reflect his younger self? It still has the old man's face? Like. This helps the distinction work. They're two different souls. This is theologically sound. And honestly I never imagined the Pharaoh lore would get to that point. But here we are, in s9, and we have the Pharaoh and mortal Cub, and I am Just So Normal about this bc I thought I'd missed my chance at Pharaoh Cub bc I only started watching in s8. BUT NO. s9 came along and is like, would you like some more Pharaoh Cub? and it's eating my brain like. oh my gods.

And also like, the Vex Magic Grimoire I've been working on? Canonically (to me), it's being written by Pharaoh Cub. Once the ConVex and ConCorp shenanigans settled down, and Cub had space to really focus on his magic, that's when he starts working on the grimoire. bc almost all Pharaohs were also master magicians. They had to be! It was part of their work as high priest and conduit for the gods. So Cub has Pharaoh magic on top of Vex magic, and in working through his new powers, decides to start recording down all he knows about Vex magic. Scar does some as well, but it is intended to be mostly Cub.

(I have an ask I STILL have not got around to about the Pharaoh's magic, and I will save a longer discussion for that there. I will get to it, I promise, anon! It's just taken a while to get my thoughts in order. <3)

It's like, in Pharaoh Cub, I can combine my love of writing about Egyptian things with my current hyperfixation on Cub, and it's so much fun omg. Cub doesn't do deep lore the way someone like Sausage does (again, whole 'nuther essay lol), but there's enough there to make a really good story, and build up these aspects of his character and make a really coherent story out of it.

And with Pharaoh Cub, I can explore all kinds of things that maybe don't work with other characters. Like death! In a way that doesn't really happen in minecraft bc players just respawn. Permanent death is something I've really only encountered on Empires, not Hermitcraft. But with the Pharaoh dying and being laid to rest in his pyramid? Like. That's something to work with. There's lore there to explore. Old Man Cub coming to terms with dying and what happens afterwards. and bc like. idk if anyone has actually ever written Old Man Cub as an actual Old Man. But as someone who's approaching 40, and has their own chronic pain stuff to deal with, like? Maybe I see it differently. Maybe I want to approach Old Man Cub as an old man. And maybe the Old Man dying as Pharaoh, and being reborn into a younger body is one way to do that.

Sure, it may not be the most popular fics for ppl. Maybe ppl are more interested in my other works. But I don't care. It's all my special interests in one place and I'm having the time of my life. :D

Even if I STILL don't know what to do with the journey through the afterlife!s8 caverns idea. Maybe one day I will find the right spark to do that idea justice. <3

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Ruggie, Rook: How Tongues Twist

I was late for Vil’s birthday but on time for Ruggie’s ✨ By chance, the third chapter of the Episode of Savanaclaw manga dropped (in Japanese) today. It’s like the TWST fans also got a birthday present!

It sure must suck for Ruggie to be stuck with Rook as an interviewer 😂 (At least his bouquet isn't all yellow like the weirdness of Trey's/Sebek’s all green bouquets-) Ruggie’s Groovy though 🤡 You see where his feet are???? How the pitch of the heel is riding on the broom handle… Dude’s livin’ life on the edge there, I worry he’ll topple off!!

***Note: I use the Japanese term "madol" for TWST's currency; it is the same as "thaumark" (EN). I also use "Magical Shift"; it is the same as "Spelldrive" (EN).***

A Boy in Bloom, and his Flowering Future.

"How do you spend your spare time, Monsieur Dent-de-Lion?"

Ruggie stiffened, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "... This isn't some kinda trick question, is it? Knowing the weird stuff you do for fun, you already know the answer."

In spite of the pointed accusation, Rook's grin persisted. "Non! All that I am aware of is your enduring loyalty to Leona-kun. I've witnessed you many a time headed to the cafeteria or to the Mystery Shop to fetch his desired goods.

"Why, just yesterday, you obtained a deluxe menchi-katsu sandwich at 12:43 pm, only to spend 2 minutes and 31 seconds picking out the lettuce shreddings from it--on account of Roi du Leon's aversion to vegetables. On the way to deliver the meal, you happened upon a 1000 madol bill and so giddily swept it up, humming a merry tune on the rest of the walk."

"Dude, talk about a crazy amount of unnecessary detail!!"

"Fufu. I can see that you like to keep yourself busy. There doesn't appear to be much spare time to speak of in your daily life."

Ruggie sighed, but he didn't press the matter further. Protesting never did him any good with the huntsman. "I guess you could say that. Between my part-time gigs and Magical Shift practice, that doesn't leave me a lot of wiggle room for myself. I do manage to squeeze some in though, 'specially if there's free stuff involved. Gotta take what I can get, nishishishishi!"

"Oh la la~ What dedication to your work. Your tenacity is truly something to behold. It's as though you were a single red rose blooming in a barren desert in defiance of Mother Nature's harshness."

The birthday boy shot Rook a confused stink eye.

"Anyway," Ruggie continued, "I have to beef up my resume if I wanna land a good job after graduation. Extracurriculars and work experience will definitely help with that."

Rook gave a brief laugh. "No doubt that your linguistic abilities will also be a great boon to you. You already possess proficiency in a number of animal languages, as well as knowledge of common phrases in some human tongues from the jobs you've taken up at resorts and hotels over school breaks."

Ruggie's eyes bulged. "... And how exactly do you know that?"

The huntsman's lids lowered, his irises concealed half-moons. His smile, too, turned just as mysterious, even if his tone was still bright as day.

"Call it a lucky guess!"

"There's nothing 'lucky' about that!" Ruggie cried out in exasperation. Sheesh, this guy's nothin' to sneeze at.

He took a breath, settling his frazzled fur and wrangling his nerves. Calm collected, Ruggie threw an impish response at his interviewer.

"You're not too shabby with animal languages yourself. Not surprising, seein' as you spend so much time around animals. You know the language of the City of Flowers too--I heard it when you were talkin' to some of the street vendors on our outing." He brought a curled hand to his mouth. "So you have a connection to that part of Pyroxene or what? Go on, I'm all ears."

Again, Rook gave a laugh. This time, it was accompanied by the slight furrowing of his brows.

"Oh, it's just something I picked up," he said dismissively, then pivoted. "Language can open up new avenues of exploration and communication. In learning such skills, you're thinking of the future, not solely your immediate needs."

"Obviously. Cuz if I get a fish, then I'll eat for a day--but if I learn how to fish, then I'll never go hungry." A corner of Ruggie's mouth went crooked. "Back home, we had to get by day-by-day, but here at Night Raven College, I've got the chance to prove my mettle and make something of myself. If I work hard, then Granny and the neighborhood kids can..."

He didn't finish the statement, but his face shone like a star, as bright as the yellow of dandelion petals.

"Ah, Monsieur Dent-de-Lion!!" Rook gushed, clasping his hands together. "Your heart is as big as your appetite!!"

"Hah?! N-No way, lay off with that!!" Ruggie frantically waved his broom at him, as if sweeping the suggestion under a rug. "The financial security's just nice! I don't wanna worry about where my next meal comes from ever again!!"

"Fufufu, d'accord. I hope that you are able to recognize that dream of yours, remembering your roots and all."

Ruggie rested the handle of his broom on his shoulders. He leaned into Rook, cocking a brow, teeth bared in challenge.

“I got this in the bag.”

Rook's eyes glittered with wonder. "Come then! Show me the unconventional flying technique you've gleaned from your hometown. I wish to engrave your skyward visage into my mind!!"

“Do you really have to make everything sound so dramatic? No matter how many languages I learn to speak, I dunno if I’ll ever fully understand you.”

There was a soft chuckle. “Perhaps that is next on your list of languages to acquire!”

“Not from you for sure though.”

Ruggie shrugged and dropped his broom. It landed with a clatter on the stone staircase, red and purple and yellow petals flittering into the air.

He grinded his heels on the handle, determination welling in his chest. Ruggie gave Rook a look full of cheek.

“Whatever! If it’s a show you want, it’s a show you’ll get. Check this out… a new move I’ve been workin’ on!!”

The birthday boy threw his arms out to his left and to his right. On cue, his broom ascended in a sea of warm, golden sparks.

Rook’s hair flew in his face from the kickback of the takeoff. Clutching onto his feathered hat, he raced after Ruggue. Bewildered, bewitched.

Joyful howling filled the huntsman’s ears. Ruggie teetered only slightly on his ride, arms still splayed wide as he expertly balanced atop of it.

Colorful petals rained down on him like pieces of confetti. Fur and fabric swaying in the wind, Ruggie was like a dandelion seed, the fluff of it dancing in the breeze.

Living life, loving it, and wondering where the wind might carry him.

A hyena surfing throughly the sky, spotlighted and celebrated by sunshine—imagine that, Rook mused.

His tongue, tied at the very sight of it.

[the-light-of-stars]

ok but now I need to know your thoughts on the taylor swift lyrics. what songs did you analyze and what were your thoughts on them????

Alright so first of all for context:

this was a lecture about the literary era of romanticism, so for most of that lecture we had been talking about the literary and philosophical concepts and ideas present in that era.

And then the professor went "ok so I am not a swiftie - I haven't even listened to her newest album yet - but I believe Swift's music greatly encapsulates a - simplified , pop-cultural - continuation of the ideas of romanticism in the modern day....so let's analyse some of her song lyrics-"

So he had us quickly look at a few song lyrics from different songs of hers, but the ones he stayed on longest - and the ones he had us do proper academic analysis of - were these from "My tears ricochet" from her Folklore album:

I have to note that these aren't my personal thoughts, I'm just recounting what happened in the lecture, and I'm putting this under a cut so that it isn't super long :

So multiple students (it was a very tightly filled classroom, had to be at least 100-150 students there) had participated in analysing these lyrics and I gotta be honest I don't remember most of the exact details of their analysis because I had a lot of classes today and had been awake since 6am but I'll try to summarize as best I can.

Essentially the main point was the comparison of these lyrics with philosophical concepts by Schelling and especially a comparison in context of this aphorism by german romanticist poet Novalis:

"Wir suchen überall das Unbedingte und finden immer nur Dinge"

["Everywhere we look for the Absolute yet we can only ever find things." (in the original german it is a wordplay)]

So one angle of analysis was that these two verses of Swift's lyrics follow this philosophical concept as posited by Hardenberg/Novalis - such as "home" here, as the only defined location, representing the Absolute , the object of Longing as it is conceptualised in romanticism, this that is desired innately but cannot be reached in ways humanly possible, as humans can only ever find "Things": abstractions, objects and concepts limited in their scope and at most a reflection of the Absolute, something that can at best be asymptotically approximated but not be directly perceived or grasped physically or intellectually. Thus here the idea that the lyrical "I" can go "anywhere" and , following that, observe anything, and yet will always be unable to reach the defined and Absolute of "home."

Home then, as defined by other students in the lecture, would be the innate idea of some sort of absolute security in the self, a place of comfort and belonging and a place of certainty. Home, thus, as not just a location but as a concept: a kind of pre-conscious knowledge of being ('Being' here possibly in the hegelian sense), an experience of pure existence. Suppose an analysis also referencing Spinoza's concept of the Substance, the natura naturans, which singular modi are necessarily extensions of and ultimately 'return' to ( 'return' here used simplifying, as modi constituate extensions or aspects of the indivisible infinite Substance under the attributes of Thought and Extension, which thus cannot really be divided and, following, cannot 'return' to it since they were never truly separated.)

Of course, romanticism and general philosophy of the era being concerned with theological questions as well, one student pointed out another angle to view Swift's lyrics under in regards to romanticist theoreticism, that being the theological one: "Home" as the Absolute and the Absolute as God or a christian-mysticist interpretation of it either way, "Anywhere" as the world of human perception and "Home" as the world of god that life springs from, in relation to an article the professor had mentioned about a Times (iirc) journalist visiting a Taylor Swift concert and calling it a "religious experience" to sing specifically the quoted line with and within a crowd of tens of thousands of people.

In regards to this last point the professor also specified that "religious experience" here is not necessarily limited to the scope of (protestant) christianity but rather is to be seen as some sort of pre- or post-religious understanding of a form of ontological transcendence that escapes the boundaries of rational describability.

Following that we also analysed the album title and its cover art:

The romanticist connection in the title being fairly obvious as "Folklore" as a literary category is something romanticist authors in their nature-mysticism and attempt at distinction from Enlightenment era concepts of pure reason loved to discuss, recreate and include in their works.

Furthermore then the connection of the cover art , which students compared to works of famous romanticist painter Caspar David Friedrich (here the painting "Easter Morning"):

The composition of a lone human figure among the trees during a foggy morning or evening is a very popular motif in (german) romanticism as the fog represents the Unknown and - as mentioned above - the always out of reach and never truly perceptible (by human means) Absolute as well as the everlasting Longing towards it. The trees and forests as well a popular romanticist theme as part of its nature-mysticism and above mentioned contrast to the Enlightenment rationalism as practiced in the cities and structured human society.

Apparently on either this or the Evermore album (I don't know on which as I don't listen to Swift's songs and can't remember which song exactly the professor quoted there) there is a lyric saying "we are the new romanticists" as well.

All this to say that after probably twenty minutes of analysing Taylor Swift lyrics in an academic framework of literary theory and ontological philosophy- as well as repeated promises by the professor that he "is not a swiftie" - the prof stated that "Taylor Swift probably didn't put nearly as much thought into this as we did just now but she is an international phenomenon and does - wether intentional or not - make use of concepts and ideas used in romanticist writing and philosophy so analysing her lyrics seemed apt."

[thorne1435]

I have been on feminizing HRT for one year.

I mean, as I write this, the anniversary is about 5 days away, but I'm queuing it for the exact day, so you will be reading this on my anniversary at the earliest.

I feel the need to say something either to inspire other trans women to go get HRT (seriously go to Planned Parenthood they'll just give you hormones, no referrals. it's great. the informed consent model really saved my life), or to document my changes for pseudo-scientific purposes (this isn't a valid scientific source or anything, I just like to be open about it for information's sake). Either way, uh, let's talk about it!

This post isn't going to be strictly not-safe-for-work or anything, but because anatomical topics are often seen as NSFW, I would read this as if it's a smutfic, if I were you.

Obviously the first big change that everyone thinks of is breast development. I'm not gonna lie to you here, it's not like I got D cups, but I started at the age of 19 so it's not going to be phenomenal for me either way. With that knowledge in mind, I'd say I made out pretty well. I don't know exact sizing or anything, but it's noticeable to the point where I actually have to go out of my way to hide them when I am trying to present as a man around people I can't be out to. I can tell you that I was wearing a padded bra to pass better at work when they hadn't grown yet, and I'm at the point now where they are naturally the size that the (relatively dismal) padding had made them. So that's gotta mean something. I still don't have a lot of the vocabulary that a cis woman would have to describe these things yet, so uh...that's all I can do for you, as a description.

The first change that I noticed, though, was actually within the first week or so, which almost makes me think I hallucinated it, but I remember distinctly being shocked that my skin was already way softer and clearer, which is bizarre! I don't actually remember what it felt like before, but obviously I did at the time, and it was rougher, I remember that much. Not the case anymore! It's such a small detail that it can very quickly fade from your memory entirely, and that's kind of inspiring to me, even though I know it won't work that way for everything else, it's just nice that some parts of my boyhood are just gone forever (as long as i stay on the hormones).

The big change that might discourage some women from getting hormones is genital shrinking. And as I understand it there aren't many ways to avoid that, because suppressing testosterone just has that effect on the male body, but based on my early experiences with the reduced sex drive that is also present when you suppress testosterone, ask for Progesterone when you get started, because it helps a lot, especially with some of the more socially-inconvenient aspects of your hormonal change. There are also some T-blockers that supposedly don't have this issue, like for example Bicalutamide, but if you're going to get Bicalutamide, you're going to be on the standard, "years of referral and bureaucracy" tract, so...y'know, don't hold your breath on that one, it'll take you a long time. I'm fine now though. About a month after I added progesterone to my treatment plan I was back to normal sex drive and everything was fine. Of course, what I mean to say is that the shrinkage has stopped because of the return of my sex drive. It doesn't work that way for everybody, and I thought for sure it wouldn't work that way for me, but if you end up being like me, you could probably minimize the collateral by just asking for prog outright instead of waiting like I did.

Smaller change that makes me infinitely less suicidal and demoralized: my body hair has changed colors! That should be enough of a reason for every transfem to go out and get HRT right now, I mean it! It's so relieving. I remember when I was, like, "Officially Trans" (at least at work) but not on HRT, I used to get distracted by how my arms looked, especially when I was sitting in the sunlight and it was obvious, because the darkness of the hair felt so disgustingly masculine to me that it made me think I had no hope of ever passing as feminine to anyone. And obviously that was wrong: I was able to pass as feminine without hiding my arms at least once or twice before HRT (though to be fair I did not try often). But regardless of that, the fact that I don't spiral into anxiety and self-loathing every time I'm in the sunlight without a coat on anymore is probably the best change so far, all things considered. And I grew tits! So that's saying something, I think.

This body-hair change doesn't apply to my beard in quite the same way. I always had a really good beard as a man and a lot of people liked it and thought it looked great (I did not shave often enough I looked terrible, but I did kinda make it work I guess), it was a deep orange-red color which has now brightened out to that vague off-white blonde, pseudo-translucent color that your smaller peach fuzz hairs have. There are a lot of upsides to that, but there are some limitations to the effects. For example, even though I don't have to worry about stubble as much, when I don't shave it's still fairly noticeable if you're looking. The texture also hasn't changed, it's still very coarse. And this is a source of some dysphoria for me personally, because I don't like that I have a beard at all. Nothing to be done about that, of course, and I sort of think that's a "for good" thing? Even if I had the money for hair removal procedures a lot of them only work if you are pale-skinned and dark-haired, just for physical reasons. At least, last I checked. And while I am very pale-skinned I am not dark-haired. And, well...that's fine, it's whatever. It's fine...I'll just shave forever i guess its cool...its...its whatever... no its fine really im fine. its okay. im fine.

its fine.

Another good contender for "best change so far" is the mental and emotional change. I feel feelings now. I haven't done that in a long time. And it's kind of a rough transition to make, actually, because now I'm reacting very emotionally to things and I really haven't figured out how to cope yet. It's like I'm doing everything that I was doing before but now it's not a performance, it's just an actual innate response and honestly, it's really hard to control. I guess I'll have to work that one out over time. But I would take "Emotional" over "Dead inside" any day. I wish I'd done this sooner, for that reason alone.

Fat redistribution is a bit hard to measure because I've never really had much fat in the first place, but my coworkers told me that I was developing a more feminine silhouette, and that was about a month ago, maybe two? So, I guess what I'm saying here is that you should probably get a friend to look you over every month or so if you're really worried about this change, so they can tell you that you've developed child-bearing hips or whatever else you're looking for. This fat redistribution is supposed to apply to your face as well, and that's something that makes you look more feminine when you've been on HRT for a long time, supposedly. I find it really hard to notice, personally, because I always had a really thin face. And since I wore a thick full beard throughout all of my adolescence, I don't actually know what my old facial structure was, that well. I do think it's gotten thinner. But for me personally, I think that's made me look a little worse. Ya win some, ya lose some. Bitches be ugly sometimes, that's fine. beauty is subjective. It probably won't work that way for most anyone else, it's just I always had femboy-face. Too bad about my beard really, I could've tapped into a market there if I weren't so fucking hairy...anyway what were we talking about?

On the subject of hair, something has been happening to me that is not supposed to be happening according to a lot of the research I did before I sought HRT out. I'm noticing that small patches of my beard aren't growing at all, especially on the sides. I've also noticed similar effects on my leg-hair. That is, 100%, not supposed to happen. As I understand it, based on all the information I could find, HRT cannot undo changes. It can cause changes that haven't happened yet, but once something grows in, no matter what it is, it usually can't go away naturally. I'm not complaining. And, transgender HRT is a very sparsely-researched field as of yet, so maybe this is just something we don't know about, or something about my body chemistry in particular, IDK. I'm not a doctor.

Anyway, that's it. That's my little HRT anniversary journal. If I'm still on tumblr on 7/22/24, I guess I'll do this again. But I have no idea where I'll be in a year.

I hope this is insightful for someone. And I hope that when I look back on this, I either cringe or I cry. Because that means I'm growing up still. (see, that line? that's the one i'll cringe at.)

[uselessidiotsquad]

Community Interact Prompt (GW2)

There is loud feedback over the Black Citadel emergency communication system

"GOOD EVENING SLUTS!"

A voice says, booming over the speakers.

"Life's about the tough questions innit? I'm not talkin' about weak shit like the meaning of life, who let you in here, what are you doing with that wrench - no! I'm talkin' about the real stuff here! Personal connection!"

There's audible laughter in the background of someone else.

"The job is simple! All you gotta do is hand in your personal ad to the beautiful, stunning, jaw-dropping, eye-opening, perfect-in-every-way Charr currently camped at the 20th Iron Maniple and the rest will be in her capable claws. Hi Gal! Love you, Diamond."

There's commotion in the background, something like a saw going and glass breaking. A gruff voice yells SIGILIS in a furious manner. It sounded like a certain Blood Legion Tribune.

"Hah! Seems like some people 'round here ain't got that loving spirit. That's all from me, unless someone wants to pay bail again. Live fast, eat a-"

The broadcast ends abruptly.

To encourage more group engagement - let's set up characters and have fun with it! Rules and details under the cut!

Rules are simple:

Reblog and let whichever OC wants to speak speak, as though they were placing a personal ad. Looking for a friend? Someone to engage in murder with? Romantic partner? FWB? Fishing buddy? Someone to help with their multilevel marketing scheme? You name it! If you have a match with someone, tag them, and reblog their post and mention it! If you feel like it can be a reply in character, or just in the tags as 'hey i think my oc would work for that!'. No serious RP or anything needed, none at all so no stress. It's just a way to use that as an icebreaker to talk to the person behind the OC if you want to collab, since I know many of us are shy ITS ME IM SHY but still want to have our blorbos interact! Otherwise, if it's not a match, you're welcome to add onto the main post with your personal ad! (I'll give an example of one but it doesn't have to count as the 'first' ad just so people have an example!)

Baking Buddy Required -Sylvari, 5'0, Thirdborn, seeking taste tester for series of cooking experiments for baking project. Some cooking knowledge preferred but empty stomach is a must. Food allergies can be accommodated, just please mention it before rather than after!

[angelonasher]

i have an au (another one)

How do people talk about au's they have?

Usually they do it with little art things but art and me aren't cooperating very well- and im also not very good at visualizing details so making visual designs for stuff is kind of very hard for me ;-;

So yeah au its actually the most details for an au ive ever thought of in a short amount of time- i dont know what to name it so giving the general plot and hoping ya'll have some ideas?

Ofc my brain suddenly doesn't know how to explain things okay here you go:

worldbuilding:

So in the general ~world~ there are two "types" of technology, dark tech and clean tech. Dark tech has been banned by the government(s) for various reasons (oh its bad and people can make nukes oh oh evil ai oH the unethical experiments with it that totally weren't done by us oOh DaRk its clearly evil), and while clean tech has a more pristine futuristic vibe, dark tech in much more advanced

Redstone is considered a branch of dark tech, and whether or not its banned/what regulations it has varies from place to place

(The visual vibe of dark tech im not sure how to describe, but this entire au was inspired by the thumbnail of doc's robot battle video so uhm i guess kind of the vibe of the butterfly. It's like. A weird mix of cyberpunk and steampunk, if that makes any sense.)

Some people weren't too happy about the ban, considering many were: sentient/sapient androids and ai's; cyborgs; bionic people with cybernetics that either were essential to their life, would kill them upon removal, or greatly improved their quality of life; organic cyborgs (the term for hybrids such as golems, blazes, etc), or had their entire career on science/tech

So they ran way and made their own city. which, don't get me wrong, is a giant city. lots of connections with other dark-tech places. it definitely has a name. for sure. yeep.

It's made in this mountain where there was a giant crack inside, with houses underground, above ground, in the walls of the crack/cliff-face, above the mountain, and in the sky/towers way above the mountain

The government isn't too happy about this city's existence but because of *ahem* certain people who live there, they leave the place alone.

very summarized plot thing:

Every ten to thirty (haven't decided exactly when) years the [dark-tech city] hosts a competition of skill in technology. robotics, computers, cybernetics, weaponry, the works.

The exact details of the competition differ every time, the details of previous competitions kept vague. but everyone knows you gotta be good with tech to win, and you have to impress the judges with your inventions just to have a chance at competing.

The prize?

No one really knows. but it’s- something. something great. Resources and knowledge and equipment and something that’ll let the winner(s) achieve whatever dreams they may have in that little noggin of their's.

And its coming up soon.

Get creating :)

characters :D :

aka the people who i have a vague idea of their role/personality in this au for. 

“Name they go by” (real name/ what their friends call them) [no paranthesis if they don’t have a fake name]

Grian (unknown): 

An infamous name in the undergrounds, known for his skill in robotics. Never seen in person; appearance and species unknown. He’s rumored to have won the [technology competition] once before, but is entering again.

Npg: 

A little guy who works around Grian’s shop. He’s a sentient android made by his name-sake. His movements are a bit wonky, and he tends to have a goal-driven one-track robotic mindset, but his voice is pretty emotive and he even has synthetic skin!

RG (Robot Grian): 

The latest of Grian’s sentient creations, he has transparent casing to show off his components! His voice is- lacking, but he makes up for it with his realistic movements, “brain,” and expressions. He runs Grian’s shop and tends to be a replacement for the guy whenever he’s wanted/needed in person. He’s a bit more- sarcastic, then Npg.

TV (Impulse):

A prototype cyborg who has a penchant for dark tech. Having a sentient AI living in his head makes him a bit strange, but he’s just a nice guy! His eyes being yellow lets you know he’s the one in control. He’s entering the competition with the hope of being able to build a separate robot body for Skizz.

Skizz:

The sentient AI living in Impulse’s head, technically a cyborg. Look, he didn’t want to be here either. Or sapient. But he is, so he might as well be Impulse’s friend while following his programmed objective of keeping the guy alive. He can communicate through either his screen (that usually displays their left eye), Impulse’s voice, or the speaker on the side of their head. Blue eyes means he’s the one in control.

Tek (Tango):

Little gremlin tech man doing little gremlin tech man things. He’s a cats-folk*, of the that-cat-is-a-spawn-of-hell type. (And he’s proud of it.) He’s best friends with Impulse, Skizz, and Zedaph and is competing as a team with them for the same goal. He’s technically better at robotics than Impulse, but he’d never admit it.

*cats-folk are a strange hybrid mix of feline and some aquatic fish creature. They sometimes contain organic-cyborg features.

Zedaph:

Science man doing sciencey things. Skilled in robotics, redstone, and even code, Zedaph is a close friend of Impulse, Skizz, and Tango. He’s not officially in the competition, but he is helping out when he can. [I wish I had a longer description for him but he’s not that developed yet. Btw this is your sign to go watch Zedaph he’s criminally underrated and his style of videos is unique.]

K. Jumbo (Mumbo):

A newer name in the dark tech business, a mustache man building robots. He’s somehow nailed down making the sentient AI part and mass weapons of destruction, but he’s not that great at actually building the body, and tends to buy parts and instructions from Grian’s shop. He originally joined the competition as a chance to make a name for himself, but has since then teamed up with Scar.

Scar:

Strange man with his strange cat. A bionic human with a penchant for strangely wholesome violence. He’s mastered using and making mechanical crossbows and guns. He doesn’t know a lick of redstone but is pretty skilled at robotics. He joined the competition in hope to find more options for replacing his cyberntic parts, and has since then teamed up with Jumbo. No one knows if Scar is his real name.

Grumbot:

The first sentient AI Mumbo ever (accidentally) made, he lives inside of a communicator. Originally supposed to be a randomized option picker, he enjoys roleplaying, which is something Mumbo still has no idea how it got into his programing. He’s basically Mumbo’s son.

Jrumbot:

The second sentient AI Mumbo ever (accidentally) made. He needs to stop doing that. Also his son.

Sparrow (Owen):

An un-finished prototype cyborg unwillingly a cyborg, skilled in robotics. He has a bit of amnesia, so he can’t actually remember how he became half-robot, but he knows it sucks, given the control the programming has over what he does vs what he actually wants to do. He joined the competition in hope of finding some way to fix himself. (It seems the program is becoming somewhat sapient. That’s bad, right?)

Smajor (Scott):

Owen’s roommate and best (only lol) friend, he has a basic knowledge in robotics/cybernetics. [I haven’t decided what he is but I know he’s not human. Sorry Scott I don’t have more to say about you yet 😞]

Docm77 (Doc):

Creeper-goat-cyborg man. Also part butterfly but that’s (almost) all robotics baybe B) He’s another famous name in the tech space, even more so than Grian. He specializes less in sentient creations and more in world-breaking and physic-denying inventions. He’s intimidating in reputation and appearance but actually a really chill guy who enjoys gardening. Joined the competition because why not, he already has all the supplies he needs. (He may or may not be one of the reasons the government leaves them alone. He is on several watchlists.)

RK (Ren):

Ren-diggity-dog, it’s your local bionic hybrid. He’s part canine but also has a bit of sniffer origin in him. He’s also the owner of the only sniffers in [dark-tech city]. Extinct six-legged creatures are hard to get your hands on, y’know? He’s in the competition on Doc’s team, and although it's somtimes hard to believe, he does have a decent knowledge in robots, specifically cybernetics.

Slabs (Etho):

A famous name in the tech space, the bionic zombie-hybrid that’s actually pretty chill. He’s skilled in robotics, making weapons, and using them. He’s not officially on Doc’s team, but he does help out. He has won before. (He’s not running away from the responsibility of fatherhood if he’s technically their adoptive uncle, stop lying.)

Bdubs:

Loud short teen who sometimes hangs out with the cool redstoner guys. He’s Etho’s sister’s son, not Etho’s. Not at all. It’s just his personality that makes him call him Etho dad. His past-times include sleeping at a very specific time every night, becoming a spawn of hell if his sleep schedule is disturbed, bother watch people doing tech stuff, and brag about his older brother Scar, his mom Cleo,* and his mom’s friends.

*If it's unclear; Cleo and Etho are siblings. Cleo adopted Scar and Bdubs from the streets, who are siblings, and since Etho was living with Cleo at the time, he kind of became their dad, even though he’s technically their uncle. Etho left to live with the cool tech guys in their cool tech tower, and Scar (being an adult) left on his own but often visits Cleo and Bdubs. Bdubs lives with Cleo, but he sometimes hangs out with the cool tech guys in their cool tech tower too.

Martyn:

Funky little dude Ren found hiding in a box somewhere. Not sure how he got up the insanely tall tower, but Ren decided to adopt the guy into the found family jazz they got going on. He’s a bit traumatized, but that’s nothing some good ol’ friendship can’t fix. He’s some sort of bug thing. Cool wings, though.

Cleo:

With zombie genes much more present than her brother’s, Cleo has a name for herself as an amazing seamstress and armor-stand artist. (Armor-stand is a type of robotics art that I just made up.) She somehow deals with her two chaotic sons and her younger brother who still comes to her whenever he needs help. (So much for him being independent.)

Gemini (Gem):

Gem, also known as GeminiSlay, is a bit famous for her fighting skills. Oops. An anterled folk and Cleo’s and Lizzie’s roommate, Gem enjoys picking on Cleo’s brother and consistently beating him in the fighting realm to make sure his ego doesn’t grow too big. Unfortunately, her good heart has her taking pity on the poor souls that are Joel and Jimmy whenever Lizzie is unavailable. (Absolute beggars, those two.)

Shadow Lady (Lizzie):

A curious cats-folk that rooms with Gem and Cleo, Lizzie has the unfortunate fate of knowing Joel and Jimmy. Seeing as she’s one of the very few people that knows them in good relations and Gem only tolerates them half the time, Lizzie usually keeps them from killing themselves, and helps with the inevitable backlash of them doing the stupid thing she told them not to do.

Joel:

Better at what he does than his over-confidence would seem, Joel likes guns. He likes shooting them even more, so he does that. He gets in trouble for stealing and/or destroying stuff, gets Jimmy in trouble because he dragged him into it, and then goes begging to Lizzie for help. It’s a relentless cycle, but he does it, because he’s good at it. And he also gets paid for it. He somehow keeps on meeting tech-people.

Jimmy:

Helps Joel with his heists because Joel claims they’re related somehow and therefore he has to. He can be a bit un-confident or over-confident at times but has a geniunely good aim with guns and mechanical-crossbows. And bombs. Joel’s not allowed to use bombs anymore so he makes Jimmy do it, and then throws a bunch himself. He somehow keeps on meeting the tech people Joel meets.

and uhm i think thats it?

[fanghur]

thinking about the maximum ride series by James Patterson again and, like, I still love the concept and story, just really, really hate the writer and how he treated it. Almost nothing is consistent save for character's races (but hair and eye colour are free game!), there's plot points that go nowhere that I'm still mad about, and can't because the last book I read ended (Spoilers for uhh, Nevermore I think?) with fucking Meteors Coming the Fuck outta Nowhere and hitting the Earth and fucking killing basically everyone outside the people we care about, so never mind the ominous tunnel under the normal school from book two, it never came up again and everything destroyed! Which leads to my third major issue, 'plot twists' that come from nowhere and/or a different plot twist feels like it's coming but Nope! See, previously mentioned Meteor of Fuck Y'All

Like, you want another example of the series lost potential? Okay, cool, buckle up because it's gonna be a doozy, not even getting into all the rest of my ranting after.

So in case you aren't familiar with the series and wanna know wtf am I talking about, here's the first book. Max Ride is a mutant bird kid that leads a Flock of other bird kids and makes sure they aren't found by the scientists, White Coats, that created, abused by, experimented on, abused by, and did I mention abuse? They got out 4 years prior because Jeb, a white coat, got them out, so he's Good! but he disappeared, so boo. Anyways, one day they're all chillaxin at their home that Jeb was able to acquire for them years ago without The School that the White Coats work at knowing about, and Boom, evil wolf-human hybrids called Erasers show up, and kidnap Angel, the youngest at 6, and also a telepath, and the others chase after them. Got it? Good.

They get Angel back, awesome, now they're on the run, less awesome. Then Max get's a grenade-grade migraine that almost makes her a Splat because it was at cruising altitude, and Ta-Da, Max! You're now the proud owner of a Voice in your head, but don't worry, you're not developing a mental illness, because it can interact with computers and stuff! A couple books later, Jeb, who's alive! But, ~gasp~ EVIL??! reveals that HE is the Voice! Aaannnd that's all the reveals I remember regarding that plot point.

Sooo, with the background knowledge, you probably noticed something, if only because of the details I chose. That's right, no one suspects Angel the telepath of being the source or carrier/relay point of the telepathic Voice, because she's Baby, nevermind that she telepathically forced someone to ram into a wall repeatedly, she's Baby. Like, as cool as I thought Max was, I wanted to shake her even back then because Angel was Literally in the Hands of the White Coats Maximum use your fucking brain-

And that could have been a cool plot twist that Angel was evil and subtly guiding everyone along. Hell, she askes/demands to be made leader of the Flock and Max just, says no and waves it to the side? Like, girl she could make you! Ask yourself Why? But nope, Jeb's gotta be able to talk in the Voice's, well, voice, meanwhile the company that owns The School is run by someone with turtle DNA that's over, like, 100? How? Or the Head of the FBI is a director of The School, or just wtf was up with the Uber-Director from uhh, the Final Warning I think? The one where it just leans HARD into climate crises and Global Warming, and cool, good message, but what happened to the whole Bird Kids Hiding so they don't get Experimented on Again angle? When they're literally putting on aerial shows to raise awareness?

But you wanna know the one thing I HATED on a more personal level? What a surprise from someone who's ace, because it's the motherfuckin Love Story that got shoved in here! Oh no my friends, not just a love Story, it's a Love Triangle

Basically, Book 2 Fang kisses rando and Max gets jealous but is confused because romance? In my survival? Get that shit outta here. Then, a few books later but especially in MAX the Novel (cause that ain't confusing at allll for book 5) Fang peruses Max romantically. Which, uh, a) ace like I said, I was a fan of Max's prioritizing survival because romance did not make sense to prioritize more, and b) Max constantly tells the reader she sees it as a sibling relationship, not romantic. Sure, he's her "right-wing man" but still a brother, so, not a fan of incest either, icked me out that it became a focus, to the point he wears her down and they try dating and just fuck that.

Don't get me wrong, I can like romance, but it's a put-off if it doesn't make sense for the characters, and guess what? It made no sense for Max.

Then, I guess Patterson realised the incest angle was bad so enter Dylan, a new bird kid that was cloned from some dead rando kid that was created, literally, to be Max's Perfect Match, a mad scientist SoulMate if you will, and then they date after Fang fucks off into the sunset.

WHAT

Realise that, outside Fang 'romancing' Max until she caved, Max is definitely the type to, and had continuously, rebel against the machinations of evil scientists, so, wtf?

Meanwhile, if Max had realised that, that scene in book 2 still canon, that she was jealous of Fang kissing red-headed rando girl, well, then we could have gotten a) no incest ick b) rebelliousness in a non-conventional relationship (attempt) c) a major Fuck You to the Evil Scientists and their 'owo perfect bird kids kids' eugenics program (btw Max was still 15 when Dylan's introduced) and d) representation of LGBT+. Boom, mic drop. Plus, from inter-fandom shipping perspective, that's a lot of potential for fanart and even I like fluffy shipping art once in a while. (btw if this inspires people to ship Max and redhead girls from other fandoms I would appreciate links because it is a hill I will die on)

There's more, but that's my biggest gripes

TL;DR Fuck James Patterson for all the wasted potential of this series, and also I headcanon Max Ride to be a lesbian who doesn't realise and has a thing for red-heads.

[missguomeiyun]

AYCE dimsum

1st of its species in Edm .. AYCE dimsum @ Top One.

Located on Whyte Ave, this restaurant used to be a Korean/Japanese fusion place.

I came to this place for lunch on a Tues in mid-February. To be exact, I came on Feb. 13. From my knowledge, a lot has changed since my visit. Therefore, I will only be sharing my experience here (maybe at the end I'll share what I heard from my coworker's experience, which was 2 weeks after mine).

Okay, 1st off. I got this picture menu. I think this was suitable & useful.

The 2nd piece of paper. Also laminated, this is the ordering sheet. It has the table number as well as the check-out time. When they 1st opened, it was 2hr limit. When I went, that became 90mins; however, the lady said bcos it wasn't busy, they gave extra 20mins, which was 110 haha still not the full 120min but. .. that's the most you could get :P

Their system was actually very efficient. When I heard AYCE dimsum, I had assumed it was the traditional 'pick up whatever you want' from a communal area with steamed dishes. That was NOT it, at all.

So what did happen was. .. we filled out round 1 on the sheet. The staff lady would take the sheet into the kitchen & prep the stuff (& bring out the items as they're prepared). Once the order is complete, they will bring back an empty order sheet.

Of note, there were some minor ordering details. ..

I'm sure you see the wastage fee in the upper right corner. Keep that in mind.

& also, the lady told us that during busy times, tables of diners can only max 5 items per person per round of ordering. For instance, if you have a party of 2, during busy hrs, the 2 of you can order max 10 unique items (doesn't matter the quantity of each one; they only care about unique items). The reason for this was to ensure every table gets something, & the kitchen isn't just prepping your order.

Waiting for our round 1~ It's really unlike a dimsum restaurant haha

Took some time to see the back. The interior is same as before when it was the Korean/Japanese place. (I've been here once)

I don't know much about their hot pot but it's by weight & only available during dinner service. The AYCE dimsum service, at the time of my visit, is available all day (till they close). Of course, you can't order both kinds of service at your table. Everyone has to only do dimsum OR hotpot.

The standard: shrimp dumplings & the siu mai.

The siu mai was good; decent size, flavour was good. Freshly steamed. The shrimp dumplings - not so good even though also freshly steamed.. The dough/wrap portion was kind of stiff. The filling was alright though.

Ribs: good. Looks sad but you can always order more. I didn't eat chicken feet.

Xiao long bao was mediocre. I think you gotta be reasonable for certain things. For AYCE where I expected to just grab from a table, these were freshly steamed when the order sheet comes in so I felt it was decent. Also, the lady said they order from a supplier for most things so . .. I mean, it's not really the restaurant, it's the supplier. I think the xiao long bao is better than the store-bought frozen ones but lacking compared to other places. The beef ball, I didn't have bcos it contains the dried mandarin peel stuff, which I dislike in meat balls.

Pan-fried rice rolls. Okay, this was good as is but misleading in terms of what the name suggested. Pan-fried rice rolls should have a bit of the umm. .. well, evidence of pan-fried-ness lol these were pan-fried but VERY slightly. They lacked the crispy edges. But, like I said, flavour was good (just simple soy sauce) & the rice rolls were soft, so I don't particularly have anything to complain about. Just. .. didn't match what I expected.

Now this one is the steamed plain rice roll. This was legit like the Cantonese stuff that I've had in the motherland, which was pleasantly surprising. This kind of plain rice roll is essentially a large sheet & it steamed/scrunched up like this. Unlike the typical steamed rice rolls you see in dimsum restaurants in Edm (the ones that contain some sort of filling, whether it's BBQ pork or beef or shrimp). I REALLY liked this! It had no flavour on its own but it comes with peanut sauce. Each table also has chili sauce & soy sauce so you can customerize your 'flavour'. I chose the ribs juice from above & soy sauce.

Deep fried shrimp wontons: 10/10!

The curry squid. .. okay, they brought out a 'cold' one in error. They were really nice about it when I told them that it was cold.

The hot "ready" one; I give .. 8.5/10. Honestly, I think it was actually good to realize they do steam things fresh. Like that 1st dish of curry squid was literally... not ready.

Round 2!

Pan-fried shrimp cake & chiu chow dumpling. I don't like this kind of dumpling so I didn't commit to any lol the shrimp cake was not bad. It had a lot of shrimp but also a lot of vegetables. I've never had shrimp cake like this before.

Pork + century egg congee. This was delicious!!

Wonton in chili oil. We ordered 2 just for trying purposes but got 5. We would've kept it if we liked it but ended up sending 3 back into the kitchen (didn't want to pay wastage fee when we didn't even order that many). The wonton was good but the sauce was not. I had imagined it was like. .. a diff chili oil. This was chili oil mixed with red vinegar - it's a northen Chinese thing, I later found it. Had that Szechuan numbing spice in there. I just wasn't a fan but. .. maybe you will be!

Wings were kinda dry but pretty good; flavour was 'original' haha ie: salt. Spring rolls = no good. They were the grocery store frozen kinds & contained mushy vegetable inside.

Soy sauce chow mein. GOOD! Freshly made & you can smell the wok-smokiness.

Eggtarts . .. 8/10. Others have high standards for egg tarts but for me, my biggest thing is the filling. Not the amount, not the ratio with the crust . . just the flavour & texture itself. I dislike egg-y ones & ones that are too sweet. This was not bad but the texture was not as smooth as I would have liked it to be. May have been over-baked. But otherwise, the crust was okay. I also dislike flaky crust lol & this one wasn't very flaky.

Coconut jelly. It was alright. Refreshing, that's for sure.

Osmanthus jelly & mango pudding. The jelly was really not my thing. The texture was weird! & I generally don't like floral-y things. The mango pudding though. .. 10/10!

Alright, so what my coworkers experienced. .. they also went on a weekday for lunch, when it wasn't busy but they were given a strict 90mins. It was enough for them so they didn't mind. Plus, they didn't like the food so they were looking forward to leaving :( they had a smaller menu (like maybe 33% smaller than mine) that was presented on an iPad with some items being unavailable, which made the list even shorter! They also said they paid more than $23.88/person. Altogether, more expensive with fewer food options & strict time limit . .. & 'bad' food. Now I feel terrible for recommending. But hey! When I went, it wasn't like that =(

[mwolf0epsilon]

I posted 6,763 times in 2022

That's 638 more posts than 2021!

875 posts created (13%)

5,888 posts reblogged (87%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@british-hero

@gaeasun

@lost-on-kamino

@laz-laz-ace-pilot

I tagged 6,295 of my posts in 2022

Only 7% of my posts had no tags

#star wars - 4,023 posts

#the clone wars - 3,057 posts

#captain rex - 514 posts

#funny - 460 posts

#humor - 460 posts

#rex - 455 posts

#clone ocs - 433 posts

#commander cody - 412 posts

#the bad batch - 397 posts

#arc trooper fives - 391 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#but end up causing a massive problem instead because they didn't consider the fact clones name themselves after either animals or concepts?

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I've seen a lot of people headcanon that Echo would have his iconic handprint tattooed on his chest after joining the Bad Batch, but I personally think if he got a tattoo that's not gonna be visible, it wouldn't be his one link to the 501st. If anything he'd want to display the handprint proudly like he had in the past.

After thinking hard about it, I finally decided on a tattoo that felt in line with Echo's personality specifically. Something personal that mostly stays hidden away but that he knows is there and is comforting to him.

Fives's Rishi Eel design is thusly tattooed on his back, and painted over his spinal cybernetic implants. That way he can, in a way, always have his closest brother watching his back. Even from beyond the grave.

350 notes - Posted April 9, 2022

#4

Saudade: A deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for something or someone that one cares for and/or loves. Moreover, it often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never be had again.

As much as the Coruscant Guard may have become Dogma's found family, a part of him will always long for his 501st brothers. Especially a certain clone with a teardrop tattoo...

Tulpa may not be Tup, but he sure reminds Dogma a lot of his lost twin... The renegade rookie will make sure his ad'ika grows up to be happy and free.

353 notes - Posted February 22, 2022

#3

The other day I was looking at some screenshots from the Umbara Arc because I was trying to get a lay of the land, so to speak, as I wanted to write about Lich's experiences prior to finding his way back to a now fallen Republic and rising Empire... And three specific frames caught my attention due to very small details.

The first one is when Krell threatens Fives with his lightsaber.

Lightsabers are plasma conduits. They can slice and cauterise at the same time. Using them to threaten someone into compliance like this is a promise to use them rather than a bluff.

Even with his armour on, Fives can likely feel the heat of the blade against his neck and shoulder. This is more than enough reason to go from mild apprehension around Krell to full on distrusting him, because the clones know the Jedi only use their lightsabers when they need to. And only against what they perceive as hostiles that are unwilling to negotiate surrender.

Krell using his lightsaber to threaten someone was an immediate red flag, and Fives knew it.

The second screenshot that caught my attention was when Rex was holding Krell at gunpoint to execute him.

See the full post

548 notes - Posted May 14, 2022

#2

Commander Fox on his way to get some caf!

A discussion on discord ended with this lovely image that I had to materialise into the digital plane. Sometimes you just gotta shred it on a board while wearing an animal onesie and severely sleep deprived.

729 notes - Posted July 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Sometimes I think about how Kix had a near mental breakdown in Umbara due to the stress of trying to keep his brothers alive, only to realise he can't do anything to save them.

I also think about how we saw Rex collapse in near tears after he realises Krell tricked the clones into killing each other, just because he could. How, after Umbara, his next destination was Kadavo...

I think about how Dogma went against his own beliefs due to betrayal, and subsequently went into a state of shock because of the weight of the situation he suddenly found himself in. How Rex nodding at him in approval and respect was likely the last kindness anyone ever extended to him.

I think of Slick acting out violently against both Jedi and clones alike, working into the hands of the Separatists because he didn't feel like there was any other escape against the chains he suddenly saw around his neck and wrists.

I think about how Fives struggled uselessly against circumstances well outside his control when it came to protecting his brothers from certain doom, knowing fully well that he had very likely never gotten over the loss of Echo, and that he'd taken it upon himself to be a protector at the expense of his own relatively short life.

I think of Jesse in the aftermath of Maul's invasive mind probing, of how weak and vulnerable he sounded when talking to Rex because he felt like a failure in that very moment. How he was struggling against the chip when Rex was practically begging him to spare Ahsoka and that maybe, just maybe, had he not been captured by Maul his mental shields would have been strong enough to resist like his captain had...

I think of how Echo who was blown up, tortured, abused, left to look like a shell of his former self that he barely recognises, and who's struggling but pushing forward despite having lost almost everything and everyone he once knew and loved. How it's very likely that he'll eventually die never coming to terms with what happened to himself, and that he'll always feel like less than a man because it's how others treat him.

I think of Wolffe, years after Order 66, struggling with intense fear, guilt, and paranoia, trying to keep his only remaining family safe and accidentally hurting them and others in the process, because he's stuck living in a past that's yet to be explored but that we can assume is crushing him. Wolffe who is, without a doubt, a shadow of the former commander that had served proudly besides his Jedi. Who had always been and always will be a survivor of terrible things.

I think of Gregor who's suffered head injuries at least thrice, got blown up and been left with mental health issues, and who was still very willing to extend his aid and kindness to those around him because he took what he got and accepted it with a smile and a defiant spark to the very end...

I think about all these and more. And it makes me wish the clones had had better than what they ended up with...

1,029 notes - Posted January 23, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

Would you mind describing the process of applying for an MFA program or what you did to qualify? Also, when you say you’re going to grad school after, is that a PhD or a Masters in English Literature or something similar?

Let me just put both your anons here so I can get em both at once :) sorry for the confusion! I do not have an MFA, I am graduating from Boston University with my bachelors in creative writing. BU has a very old and prestigious MFA program that they don't shut the fuck up about and they writing pilled me so hard. Any writing workshop you take within the department is taught by someone currently getting an MFA or part of running the program. When I said MFA professor in that ask earlier, I was referring to my professor herself, who is an MFA grad and that's why she was there. She's not a teacher by trade, she teaches because she's there for the program. Does that make sense? I shouldn't have phrased it that way and I am so sorry for the confusion. There is such thing an an English PHD, I've only talked to three people who've ever gone higher than an MFA, and all were successful novelists while doing so. We cannot all be Leslie Epstein, and let us not aspire to be.

That being said, I hope I can still help, because I am applying to MFA programs in two years and started applying this year before eventually deciding to give it some time. Every workshop you take they literary pill you and they spend a whole class answering MFA questions and walking you through the process as well. I've never felt more knowledgable about a subject I have no authority on in my life, so let me try to answer your questions and I hope it helps! I apologize for how long as fuck it's going to be.

So qualifying for an MFA is easy; be good at writing. Like, really good. They really don't give a shit about anything else you have to turn in. If it's been a while since you've been in school, you'll be delighted to learn that no MFAs take GRE scores anymore, and every single one that asks for a 3.0gpa also includes a caveat where they're like "with exceptions." It's because if your writing is that good they legit do not care what else you bring to the table.

Bad news bears though, that means you gotta be really good. Not to be like, discouraging, but the general acceptance rate is about 3-5% for all programs across the board. I only know minute details about fully funded MFAs (my google spreadsheet could end lives) because I am of the mindset that paying extra education in this economy instead of being paid for extra education is insanity of the highest degree. That being said, if you expand to non fully funded program, I think your chances get a percentage higher? If you have the means and you want to, go for it, but I highly suggest the fully funded route. Every MFA grad I've every talked to has always said that they don't suggest getting one ever unless it's fully funded. That being said, I have a lovely mutual on here who got hers and it was not fully funded, and she loved her experience. I can definitely direct you to her as well.

More specifically on writing though, MFA's are incredibly literary writing places. If your style is more eclectic then an MFA program could be quite stifling. If you are more into genre fiction, romance, speculative fiction, sci-fi; most MFA programs are not for you. There are a few new highly competitive ones that specialize in genre fiction, but again, highly competitive.

Another super important point; writing in a workshop environment, especially an MFA, requires very thick skin. Creating a story for a workshop is like birthing a child, and then giving it to a classroom of 10-15 people to beat to death in front of you while they tell you how ugly it is and how you could've done better. But then you get to do it to them too it's literally my favorite thing in the world. I called someone's story gimicky last week, that's like a writing slur. But if that sounds like no fun at all, that's what the entirety of an MFA program will be. The crotchety 84 year old man who runs BU's MFA program (it's Leslie again), while a delight and a legend, referred to one of my pieces as having a "surprisingly homoerotic moment" and then the entire class informed him it was actually, very clear the entire time. I should include a list of meanest comments I've ever gotten after this, that's so fun.

Also also; each MFA program varies wildly, but most from what I can tell from my research require you to teach a class during your time there, and your final thesis is basically a completed manuscript of a novel.

I can tell you that I think there is absolutely nothing wrong at all with applying for an MFA program in your late twenties. In fact, they prefer it. I ending up holding off based on feedback I got from people I asked for rec letters and advise, all who told me applying right out of school is hard because they take you much less seriously. They like it when you've gone out, gotten real world experience, and proved you're committed. I know older people in the MFA program who were published authors and screenwriters, and people who got in right out of school and only published afterwards. Again, it's really all down to how good you are, everything else they don't care about as long as you are good enough to make anything else not important.

As for old writing connections; don't worry about that. MFAs require 2-3 rec letters. My professor advised that if it's been a while, you email to ask and you send along what classes you took with the professor, what year it was, and a current writing sample. It makes it as easy as possible on your rec. She argued about it a bit with another MFA grad who she brought to class; he said if they don't remember you they won't be a good rec. I don't really have a huge stance, thought I'd give both viewpoints they gave. It's hard to decide, I have a rec that would swing a lot of weight in the literary world but also I had a little beef with the professor so I'm on the fence about if his would be good or not. It's such a dumb problem but now I'm just venting every MFA related thought at you.

Finally; I will tell you what my current plans are for the two years before I apply to, idk, Rocky training montage myself for MFA applications. Basically my goals are to finish one of my books (generous goal that one is FLEXIBLE), get a few short stories published, and hopefully make a website. Every serious writer has a website and they all hate it. But, it's good to have things to actually put in your blurbs when you submit for publishing.

I am happy to give advice on the publishing process as well if that would help you, anon, or anyone else. I currently am a reader for a lit journal and I have worked for a WIDE variety of publishing companies, from lil baby indie ones to bigger editing companies. There is a market for everything if you know how to market yourself and where to look, and you do not need an MFA to do that. Stephanie Meyer would sooner have turned into a vampire herself than have been accepted into an MFA, but her ass is widely successful. Get ur bag.

[darckcarnival]

Get To Know The Mun!

> BASICS! ♡

NAME: Spoop, Splat, D, Darck (peeps usually call my my main muses names except Spoop, I am the spoopiest.)

PRONOUNS: Any! I merely exist.

ZODIAC SIGN: Sagittarius/Capricorn

TAKEN OR SINGLE: Single but married to food.

> THREE FACTS! ♡

Have been writing since the 90's when I was a wee child. Did silly little roleplaying on mIRC, on some forums, and deviant art back in the day there after. Then became a fanfic writer for a while, followed by poems which I was quite good at back in the day. Then began making lyrics- figured nah, not for me. And flipped full circle back into roleplaying once more with some drabbles and maybe a one shot fic here and there. Have been writing ever since! So I have a LOT of history under my belt. And many of my muses have the same type of dedication and time behind them. Gotta put as much love into your character and writing, as if they were your own family. Make them feel alive.

Most art I do is either writing, 3D model modification items, or just with a mouse and keyboard art. I have been practicing more with a gifted tablet and pen, which has allowed me to do more detailed and serious mod work, such as mods for RE4 classic! But I am much better at texture, 3D, or coloring and shading. But heres the fun fact: i learned all my 3D and texture work skills through Second Life before anything else. And it's actually, funny enough, helped me bring muses to life as well as follow up on how to mod other games and go hog wild.

Been struck by lightning twice, fell down two different cliffs, hit by a semi truck, shot with a carbon arrow in the chest, stabbed, shot by bullet, and so on- and yet here I stand. Most of these events were completely accidental as well, and I walked away from. Honestly? I'm just a walking glitch in the matrix of the world, considering I also glitch every single god damn game I touch. THIS IS NOT A JOKE, NO MATTER HOW NEW IT IS, I BREAK IT.

> EXPERIENCE! ♡

PLATFORMS USED: AIM, Yahoo Messenger, DA chat, so many FORUM's back in the day. Skype, Discord, Tumblr.

PLOTTING / WINGING IT / MEMES: Geez, I can roll with just about anything. Plotting? Hell yeah count me in! Plots may not always follow the idea one hundred percent, but it absolutely makes for longer events and threads easily. Winging it? I do that all the damn time and can create so many unexpected events, as well as sudden character development. Twists and turns that just wing a rough idea into something wild. As for Memes and asks? Oh those can still form some really good interactions, character developments or knowledge acquiring moments. Sometimes these are one offs or long drabbles- but they can form into something longer and more serious. However, while I am down for all of the above-- I also have bad ADHD and writing can be hard, so it could take a while.

> MUSE PREFERENCE! ♡

GENDER: I can write just about any gender character, manage things in between or none. However I am more comfortable with female centric style muses. And yet, you put large men in my hands, and watch them go hog fucking wild. And don't even get be started on Robots or Monsters.

MULTI OR SINGLE: I have done both, but usually prefer single muse blogs. And yet I absolutely love my megaman multimuse to death! All my robot children and heathens there, so much work in my own verse there. So many thoughts. But multimuse blogs can still be difficult to keep organized with so much going on in the braincell, and with life being as it is, need to take breaks from it.

LEAST FAVOURITE FACECLAIM(S): Not sure what this means for least favorite here, does it mean people, or genre? I really don't mind one way or another. Especially when it comes to OC's, it's hard to find anyone who fits just right for people. And honestly I do not mind one way or another for people. If it fits someones muse, that's fine by me.

> FLUFF / ANGST / SMUT! ♡

FLUFF: THE GOOD SHIT HELL YEAH. I'm down for fluff so long as it isn't like... Hollow and forced. Fluff can be used as a great comfort option,. be it platonic, familial, friendly, or even romantic. Fluff can be used in so very many ways, and it's always an option withy me. But this can also turn into angst easily with my cursed hands, you have been warned. As well as comedic timing, since Darck needs to make a laugh to make herself comfortable. Darck has... problems.

ANGST: My bread and butter this one, much to the dismay of many of my friends who write with me. The muse on this blog is made of angst and pain and terrible events that have formed her into who she is. Angst can become violence, woe, heavy conversation, as well as venting- it's such a key part of development. There is a saying I quite enjoy: Muses are like geodes. Shiny, pretty, and in order to see what they are really made of, you must break them. I do admit however that I have a limit of how far I can go to a degree, with real life being a thing, but honestly? It takes a whole fucking lot to get there. And also maybe write angst too much and tragedy. Give this muse some better days.

SMUT: As much as I have enjoyed smut in the past, I haven't written such in a very long time, and am very careful of whom I write such with. Turns out I really good at smut according to others. And hey fun fact: People used to straight up pay me to write them smut of their characters and others of their choice. Haven't had that going in years but, it was a thing. However these days, writing smut with my muses needs to be more than just the event. It can be an opening for vulnerability, letting someone get close enough and trust them enough, that no one else really gets. Quiet and heavy conversations, the emotions involved. But if I ever do write it again, both my self and my partner need to be comfortable with writing such a thing. However if I ever did smut in a private drabble or fanfic, then all bets are off, because that's different. But far more rare.

Tagged by: @valour-bound

Tagging: You see this? IM TAGGING YOU. Do it.

[convexicalcrow]

In which we tackle the topic of Vex magic in the grimoire for the first and definitely not the last time.

Transcript below. Bc my handwriting for this one is kinda appalling ngl. As usual, this will be linked at the Liber Vex archive. Which I will update tomorrow bc it's 1am and I gotta shreep.

Vex Magic

It seems off to only begin addressing Vex magic now, but it won't be the last time either. It's experience is almost impossible to put into words. It is everything. Everything you know, and so may you haven't even heard of. It feels hot, cold, sharp, soft, it tastes sweet; it makes you smell florals or candy on the breeze; it's all these things and so many others.

But of course, describing what it feels like is only part of it. What can it do? Also everything. You might think I'm joking but I'm not. There's nothign vex magic can't do; it's why the Vex are so powerful! Which also feels like a cop out, right? I've told you what it feels like, and what it can do, but neither of these things would require the kind of explanation and detail if this was simple. But both Scar and I have come to know and acquire other types of magic as well, and let me tell you, there re very real differences.

For example, the Pharaoh's magic. It burns hot, it produces light that makes me glow. There's this persistent smell of frankincense - as Ra told me it was. It's earthy and woody and a little sharp like pine but not pine, you know? It also works very differently to cast spells - heka - with the Pharaoh's magic, it requires voice, spoken words, gestures and hymns and tools I don't need to cast Vex magic. It's highly ceremonial, highly formal, and things have to be done a certain way.

To cast with Vex magic is very different. It's partly wordless, in that if you desire to create illusions to trick others, you can just think of it, and it will do the work for you. Want to shift into another form? Just think it.

Much fo this is instinctual to Vexes - this isn't something that needs to be taught. Vexes just know what to do. Scar and I had some of that knowledge when we became Vexes, but it was more basic stuff, and there was a lot we needed to be taught.

There's a lot that I don't really remember from those early days. The pranks were done under possession and amnesia, so there's a lot that's just lost to time. So if you asked me how I learned all this stuff, I couldn't tell you. I don't remember. I just know it's become instinctual. I know what I want, and I channel that Vex magic into my body, and it comes into being.

And yet. There are formal ways to use Vex magic. These are the techniques used by Evokers. As creatures who are not Vex, the way Vex magic works for them is very different to how I use it. It's almost Pharaonic in a way, in the ritual and structure of it all.

I've learned that style too, of course. I find it's more effective when I'm not in Vex form. There are spoken words, gestures, potions to know, it's complicated, but also not. It's just straight forward, follow the spell's steps and it'll work.

Vex magic feels different there too, like it's… like it's something outside of me. The Vex lending me Their power like Ra does when I cast heka. It's an external force, one that works through me.

Which isn't to say that Vex magic doesn't do the same to us as Vexes, because it does. But it feels different. As a collective, as a hivemind, it's our energy, our power, that I'm using. It's never just one Vex casting magic, but all of us. Vex magic is an expression of the collective Will, and that's why it's the most powerful magic in the world. What's one magician against an infinite number of Vexes? Nothing. No one can best us.