#How To Increase My Height After 30

[csuitebitches]

On Becoming Better

A sign of positive change as you religiously follow your routine is this: your body automatically does the “habit” required in your routine.

it becomes a habit to clean up, instead of putting it off for later. it becomes a habit to pick up your book as you get into bed at night. it becomes a habit to eat a fruit in the mornings, and to do a simple 30 minute exercise.

you won’t feel like an “IT girl” at any point in the beginning. In fact, you might feel demotivated, lethargic, you might find yourself making excuses to not accomplish your daily goals. But the feeling of being put together, of feeling like you’re finally Her, comes as you consistently and diligently look after yourself. This will take time.

even if you’re practicing just being more social / feminine, that’ll take time. An example - I have these beautiful Jimmy Choo heels that are honestly, hell to walk in. I barely ever wore them and whenever I did, I felt like a chunky Godzilla monkey clanking down the stairs - I just didn’t feel ladylike. then one day, I came across this video of a lady showing exactly how one walks in heels. And boy, was that a game changer. I actually wrote her advice down and began practicing walking in heels every night, starting with a shorter heel height. in time, those heels have become one of the comfiest heels I own. I absolutely love them, and I get endless compliments. I began wearing kitten heels at work because somehow, they made me feel confident, yet feminine - and I felt a lot more put together than wearing flats.

Another example is using my Orai speaking app. It helps me so much with impromptu speaking! I love doing their little public speaking exercises. After two weeks of using it, I noticed a confidence boost in my presentation and talking skills, especially at work. I combined that with learning new words and I feel like my communication has improved significantly.

One last example is my Sweat app. I hate working out for more than 40 mins, I just can’t do it. I hate using crazy heavy weights too. With Sweat, I can workout for about 30 mins, select a fantastic low impact workout, feel amazing after, not be ridiculously sore the next day - and I’ve been seeing increased muscle definition. I was at a party the other day and whilst I was in the bathroom I suddenly noticed how toned my arms had gotten.

what this example shows is that taking little steps towards any goal you have - big or small - and practicing religiously helps a lot. And selecting the method that works for you. Lifting heavy weights works for some girls, not for me. My boyfriend keeps trying to “build” my workouts and I’ve flat out told him no, I’m doing it my way because it’s just what works for me.

do what works for you but do it consistently.

[sunkissedlouis]

Hi! I don't know if you already have a tutorial but would you mind sharing your gif making process? Thank you!

hiiii anon!

thank you for sending this in :) it's my first time getting a tutorial request hehe i tried to explain each step i do as best as i can.

i'll put the gif making process and tutorial under the cut bc it's image + text heavy

before starting, i'd just like to share what i use in creating gifs:

i'm on mac (i used to do them on windows... the ps steps are the same if you're using one)

i'm currently using photoshop 2022

i use 9xbuddy or video downloadhelper extension on firefox mainly for downloading videos

best quality to download for hq gifs is ideally 1080p and above. (although you can get away with 720p for smaller gif sizes)

i use mplayer-osx extended to get the screencaps/frames for my gifs (if i'm not doing the import option in photoshop)

for this tutorial, i'm using the latam highlights video from louis' ig reels to make today's gif. on to the tutorial / process!

please click the screenshots i've included below and zoom in on the texts on them to see them clearly (apologies for the quality!)

IMPORT YOUR FRAMES. once you've downloaded your video, open photoshop and click FILE > IMPORT > VIDEO FRAMES TO LAYERS

SELECT THE PART YOU WANT TO GIF. the shorter, the better because you want to keep it crisp and keep the file under 10mb when you save it after all the layers. here are the settings i use:

toggle the smaller arrows under the bar to select the parts you want to gif. once you have your frames loaded, it should show you a timeline table at the bottom and their corresponding layers on the right side. (if you can't see the timeline, go to WINDOW > click TIMELINE)

3. DELETE EXTRA LAYERS, CROP PARTS YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON, AND RESIZE.

after cropping the parts of the gifs, resize them according to the tumblr sizing to prevent your gifs from looking blurry once you upload them. you can use this size guide for your reference :) the gif's height can be any size as far as i know. go to IMAGE > IMAGE SIZE > INPUT THE SIZE. for this gif, we'll do 540 x 540

4. CHANGE GIF SPEED and CONVERT TO SMART OBJECT

once you've selected all frames

set the delay to 0.07. this is usually the natural, normal speed for gifs on here. it depends on the number of frames you have but i usually do .07 or .05 (sometimes .08 haha)

with all your timeline frames still selected, then select all the layers on the right side. go to SELECT > ALL LAYERS

then convert them to smart object so we can edit all the layers all at once. go to LAYER > SMART OBJECTS > CONVERT TO SMART OBJECT

5. SHARPEN (one of my fave parts!)

this is the basic one that most users use:

STEP 1: go to FILTER > SHARPEN > SMART SHARPEN

radius usually goes from 0.3-0.4

STEP 2: Repeat STEP 1, but this time change the settings to:

you can stop here but i like my gifs crispier and to have more texture! i use the sharpening settings from this tutorial or these sharpening action packs from user brainwasheds. i highly recommend these! i mix and match the settings when i'm not happy with how they look on my gifs. but for this gif we'll use the sharpening settings from this tutorial.

in addition to the settings from that tutorial, i also added FILTER > OTHER > HIGH PASS at 3.4 radius, then set the opacity to 60-80

then lastly add FILTER > ADD NOISE > NOISE at gaussian setting with 1.5 amount, then set opacity to 20-30

6. BRIGHTENING, COLORING, BALANCING, ADDING TEXTURE

now for the fun part!

STEP 1: BRIGHTEN UP THE GIF this is my go-to way to increase the brightness. go to LAYER > NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER > BRIGHTNESS / CONTRAST then change its blending mode from NORMAL to SCREEN

you now have a very bright, highly saturated gif but we'll fix that lol

STEP 2: ADD CONTRAST BY FIXING THE BLACKS AND WHITES add a new adjustment layer > LEVELS

i usually play around with these. middle and black arrows add shadows and contrast while the white arrows add highlights/brightness to the gifs.

these are my settings! these are not definite bc it varies depending on what you're working on, so adjust them accordingly. next, add another adjustment layer > CURVES

i usually zoom in to locate the darkest / black area using the black dropper. then once that's done, do the same and locate the brightest/white area. this adds further contrast to your gif that wasn't done in the previous step.

STEP 3: COLORING (my fave part!!!) add a new adjustment layer > SELECTIVE COLOR this is the part where i like to neutralize the skin color when it gets too yellow or red, make the colors pop, and sometimes change them too. louis' skin was looking too red heavy, so i wanted to reduce that! i start with balancing out the skin color with REDS & YELLOWS.

these are my settings for this gif! adjust them and observe the changes it makes on the person's skin. if you know color theory, it's helpful to see how it affects the colors on your gifs. putting the arrows more on the left side, adds more 'cool' tones, whilst putting the arrows to the right side, adds more 'warm' tones.

i like to deepen the blacks on my gifs further so, go to selective color's BLACKS and on the black scale, add more to the right! for this one, i added +10

add a new SELECTIVE COLOR adjustment layer. for this one, we'll make the surrounding colors pop more!

for these settings, i made the leaves more vivid while the teal(?) wall, i adjusted them made it more blue.

next, add a new adjustment layer > COLOR BALANCE this is where you can make further adjustments on the overall colors of your gif. you can also change the color tone of your gifs here if you want to make it more 'cool' tone or 'warm' tone looking.

earlier's color theory applies here as well!

6.5. OPTIONAL STEP: ADD TEXTURE/OVERLAYS after the last step, you can save your gif as is but again, i like adding textures to my gifs so we'll add one. i use the textures/overlays that i got from here :)

i like to use film, grainy textures! add the texture you want on top of all the layers.

then change the blending mode to LIGHTEN or SCREEN. adjust the opacity to 20-40%. for this gif i used screen with 40%.

7. EXPORT AND SAVE YOUR GIF time to save your gif! click FILE > EXPORT > SAVE FOR WEB

this is my default setting for my gifs. i also tick the interlaced option sometimes.

here's the finished gif:

there you go anon! :) if you have any more questions, just lmk or you can directly dm me off-anon if you want.

i also get inspo, guides, and other tutorials over at @usergif

[rannadylin]

So...who wants to knit some gloves? :-D

I started working on writing up a more user-friendly pattern for the Gloves of the Reunited Kingdom (and look how pretty it is!...desktop publishing my beloved; it's possible the real reason I wanted to publish the pattern was just to play around with designing the pages now that I'm done designing the gloves XD)

Then I thought I'd better try to figure out the math for sizing it up, so I went looking through other glove patterns in my library, only to find...most of them just have one size anyway? And most of them are women's S/M, 7-7.5" hand circumference, right about the same size as these gloves. So. Well. I guess I might not need to do that math after all? You could, I suppose, still knit them in a larger size by using a heavier yarn (sport-weight or DK instead of fingering) and larger needles; and I, with my rather short fingers, did add instructions to the pattern for how to use your own hand measurements to knit the fingers to fit you, however long your fingers may be, so that would work with the scaling-up-yarn-and-needles process too. :-D

That said, if anyone wants to test knit some double knit gloves, email me at rannaknits@gmail.com and I'll send you the pattern draft as soon as it's ready. If you're on Ravelry, I have a project tester code you can use when adding your project there.

Pattern details behind the cut:

The pattern includes written instructions for the cuff, fingers, and general procedure for the hand, but the double knitting colorwork on the hand is included only as a chart.

Size Women’s S/M: 7-7.5" around the hand, height 9.25" from cuff to tallest fingertip

The pattern is written for a 7-7.5" hand circumference, to fit a women's size small/medium. Larger gloves may be knit by working in a heavier yarn, e.g. sport or DK weight, on larger needles. While the hand size is determined by the double knitting chart, written instructions for the fingers include how to adjust the length for a custom fit.

Gauge The gauge is measured over the double knitted fabric on the palm/hand.

Materials Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss Fingering (70% Merino Wool, 30% Silk): 1 skein (220 yd/50 g for dyed yarns, 440 yd/100 g for Bare) each of Harvest (MC), Bare (CC1), and Cranberry (CC2); or other fingering weight yarn: about 35g/155yd of MC; 35g/155yd of CC1; and 15g/66yd of CC2. Any sturdy fingering-weight sock yarn should produce durable gloves; those with some nylon fiber will add to the durability. Consider also the comfort of the fiber content next to your skin; e.g. use a non-wool yarn if you are allergic or find it itchy.

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers, measuring tape, cable needle or spare DPN for rearranging stitches, waste yarn for a stitch holder

Difficulty level

Advanced. Skills required: Knitting in the round (DPNs, magic loop, etc.) for small circumferences; corrugated ribbing; Latvian braid; double knitting including increases and decreases

[shslbunnylover]

★★★𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 (𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙩𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙮 30: 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙙)★★★

Character: Alcina Dimitrescu

Taglist: @inlovewithgreta @lilfartbox1 @marvels--slut

Trigger warnings (DL, DI): Weed, Oral sex, clitoral stimulation, boss/employee dynamics (Top Alcina/Bottom reader)

Genre: Smut

A/n: I've never smoked so forgive me for any mishaps! (Also this gif is so hot- Throw me mommy-)

Word count: 2.0k

...

...

Her voice was seductive, alluring, and just beautiful as it hummed along to a jazz song that was playing on the radio on her desk.

The way her lips wrapped around her joint made you wish that her lips were pressed against yours.

Just a simple gaze at the woman made all of your worries disappear, every single trouble you had endured throughout the week seemingly fading away.

You couldn't help the way your eyes were drawn to her and her beauty, it was just too fascinating to look away.

You felt horrible for falling for her, but she was too beautiful and alluring not to do so.

"You're staring," Alcina stated, her golden eyes not even thinking to meet your gaze as she looked at herself in the mirror, watching the smoke from her joint leave her lips with focus.

Your eyes quickly widened, a sweat droplet forming on your forehead as you looked down to avoid her.

"I'm... I'm very sorry my lady, I didn't mean to do that," You apologized, trying to avoid any possible punishment she may give you, despite you being one of her favorites.

The golden-eyed woman simply hummed in reply, sighing in contentment as she felt the weed finally taking its effect on her body, leaving her limbs buzzing like they usually did whenever she smoked.

"What did you need, Y/n?" She finally asked, breaking the silence while the smoke around her made her look all that more enchanting.

"I saw smoke and I admit I was frightened, I wasn't aware you were smoking," You replied, your voice trembling, the sounds of the glasses on your tray clinking slightly from how anxious you had been.

Alcina raised an eyebrow, looking over at you as she licked her lips as her lipstick had transferred over onto the roll of paper in a pink-tinted circle.

"Hm..." She thought for a moment before a slight smirk began to form, making you even more nervous and flustered all at once.

"I'm sorry my lady, I didn't mean to interrupt you, I apologize sincerely," You stuttered, the anxiety from the previous week making you even more of a mess than you were already after entering her room.

You tried to quickly leave, before you saw one of her long claws keeping the door shut, making you freeze up and stumble backward.

"Little mouse, you-" Alcina tried to say, slight worry and amusement swirling around in her tone, the confidence she usually carried increasing to new heights thanks to the drug taking its effect on her.

"I'm sorry, please just, I got scared and I..." You trailed off, your speech stopping as you felt her golden eyes piercing through your body.

"Little mouse, be a good girl and be quiet for a moment, alright?" She asked, the smirk forming on her lips increasing as she looked at your endearing nature.

You took a deep breath, nodding as you took a step closer to the taller woman, looking at her with expectance.

"Good. Now, why are you so nervous? You know I would never hurt you. You're too good to me for me to do such a thing," Alcina questioned you, taking another puff of her joint as she released the smoke off to the side to still see you well.

You paused for a moment, your eyes looking off to the side before you finally spoke up once again.

"It's just been a stressful week. I haven't had a break from family matters and personal chaos," You admitted, sighing slightly as you once again looked down at your feet.

The golden-eyed woman nodded, looking at you with a soft smile mixed perfectly with that seductive smirk she always carried around you to get you flustered.

"I see. What if I gave you a way to relax? You seem like you need it," Alcina suggested, rolling up another joint as she rubbed the paper between her fingers while looking at you.

You nod.

"I'll take anything at this point," You sighed, your eyes widening as the taller woman handed you the fresh joint she had just rolled up.

"Don't worry, I won't fire you~" Alcina teased you with a chuckle, licking her lips once again before placing them back on the paper, taking a huff of the smoke before exhaling it into the air.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" You asked, knowing you weren't too experienced when it came to weed, as you were mainly too focused on your other duties as Alcina's head maid.

"Here, let me teach you," The older woman chuckled, sitting you down for you to straddle her leg, raising an eyebrow when she felt a slightly damp spot on your underwear.

You blushed furiously, trying not to squeeze your legs together out of embarrassment and crush on the aristocrat.

"Okay..." You stuttered, eyes widening even more as you felt the paper being placed inside of your lips.

Alcina carefully lit the joint, helping you puff out the smoke as the buzz from the weed filled your body, your brain going fuzzy as the two of you sat in silence.

The silence was embarrassing to you, and the knowledge that Alcina could most likely feel how wet you were becoming on her leg certainly didn't help.

The room around you both was quiet, only to be interrupted by your breathing and the occasional cough.

That was until the older woman broke the silence.

"You look adorable straddling my lap like this, draga mea~" She smirked, chuckling as she heard you squeak in response to her teasing.

Her voice sent shivers down your back as her hand caressed your cheek, her other hand holding her joint off to the side as she watched you get flustered.

"Thank you... My lady," You replied, pausing your actions as you looked up at the golden-eyed woman with pure adoration.

And there it was.

That silence.

But, it was different.

It felt...tense...

Much more tense than it had been only a couple of moments prior.

"Șoarece mic?" Alcina asked, knocking you out of your staring and thoughts for the umpteenth time that night.

"Yes, my lady?" You replied almost immediately.

"Why are you always staring at me?" She asked, the smirk on her face allowing for you to recognize that she was not mad at you at all.

Had you not been under the influence, you probably would have immediately denied everything. But that wasn't the case.

"Because you're a goddess..." You confessed with a massive blush present on your cheeks, moving slightly forward, whining a bit as your wet core rubbed up against her thigh. "I've loved you since you allowed me into your home,"

Alcina smirked, quickly putting her joint on the ashtray along with yours as she pulled you in for a deep and passionate kiss.

"Mmm...!" You whimpered, your eyes closing while your hands fondled each other's body, tearing off each of your clothes as if your lives depended on it.

It all seemed to be happening so fast as your bodies pressed up against each other, Alcina pushing you down on her large bed as she left bite marks and hickeys across your collarbone, so desperate to fuck you before her confidence weakened.

She looked all the more attractive like this, gripping at you as if she was a lion destroying her prey, and it only made your pussy leak more of its arousal onto the sheets below.

Finally tearing your underwear off you, leaving you as naked putty on her bed, Alcina leaned over the top of you, nibbling on your ear before speaking.

"Say 'opal' if you want me to stop, alright draga mea~?" She teased, her husky breath leaving your skin littered with bumps.

You nod eagerly, your heartbeat thumping at levels you didn't know it could beat at thanks to how fast you both had moved from smoking together to fucking on her bed.

Lowering her head between your legs, Alcina chuckled deviously at the sight of your glistening pussy, wasting no time as she quickly swirled your tongue in and out of your tight center, her thumb rubbing viciously at your clit. She relished in your taste, lapping up all of your cum as her large tongue worked magic on your aching sex.

Your body quivered under her touch, loud moans echoing off the walls of her bedroom and filling the larger woman's ears, your cries of pleasure only encouraging her to keep going.

"Please~!! My lady!" You mewled, your legs shaking even more as her strong hands flipped you over to fuck you in a doggy-style position, still rubbing your clit quickly as her tongue continued to push itself in and out of your glistening folds.

"Mistress," Alcina corrected you, watching as your back arched the closer you got to your climax, now speeding up the pace of her tongue to a speed you couldn't help but come undone.

"Please Mistress~!! I need you~! I- God damn it~!" You begged her, feeling your whole body tighten up and quiver as your orgasm began to wash over you.

As she praised you in Romanian, Alcina continued to rub at your clit, dedicating her tongue to swallowing all of your releases as your back stopped arching, your body collapsing into a blissed-out and wet mess on her bed.

After she finished licking you dry, the golden-eyed woman emerged from your thighs, massaging your legs to help them stop shaking.

"Fuck...You tasted so good Șoarece Mic ~" She smirked, pulling you close to her body as the fatigue caused by the drug began to overtake each of your bodies, leaving you both cuddled up against each other's naked bodies.

"Thank you, mistress," You smiled, kissing her on the lips once again as your fingers intertwined. "I must ask...have you always liked me like this?" You chuckled nervously.

Alcina nodded.

"Why wouldn't I? You're perfect Draga mea~" She smirked, her large hand falling to your ass before pulling you closer against her breasts, leaving you even more of a blushing mess.

[thedecadenceofwar]

Elle Argent as Jesus Christ: Heartstopper art analysis.

Yesterday, I made this post where I wordlessly compared Elle's art piece for the Lambert School to the painting that draws her attention at the Louvre, Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus, a depiction of Jesus breaking bread for his disciples after his crucifixion and subsequent rising.

Elle's perspective on the painting / a full view of the painting (source)

The first thing I noticed that helped me draw the connection between these two paintings was their composition, the basic triangular lines that guide the eye in each painting; from Jesus and Elle in the center to the innkeeper and Tao at the top.

Heartstopper also clearly wanted us to make some connection between Elle and this Caravaggio: they focus on her face before they show us the painting, so we wonder what exactly it is she's seeing, which increases its narrative importance. I assumed she recognized herself in a painting; she did, but not in the way I expected.

The National Gallery (see above source) has this to say about the Caravaggio:

On the third day after the Crucifixion two of Jesus’s disciples were walking to Emmaus when they met the resurrected Christ. They failed to recognise him, but that evening at supper he ‘... took bread, and blessed it, and brake and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight’ (Luke 24: 30–31). Painted at the height of Caravaggio’s fame, this is among his most impressive domestic religious pictures. He brilliantly captures the dramatic climax of the story, the moment when the disciples suddenly see what has been in front of them all along. Their actions convey their astonishment: one is about to leap out of his chair while the other throws out his arms in a gesture of disbelief. The stark lighting underlines the dramatic intensity of the scene. Typically for Caravaggio, he has shown the disciples as ordinary working men, with bearded, lined faces and ragged clothes, in contrast to the youthful beardless Christ, who seems to have come from a different world.

Jesus, in the story, opens the eyes of his disciples in more ways than one (I pulled my Bible out for this!). First, in the scene depicted in the painting, the disciples do not know that this man is Jesus until he blesses the bread and breaks it for them, revealing himself as Christ. Second is the context in which Jesus comes to share dinner with his disciples: they meet him on the road during the day before, and he interprets the Old Testament for them: (stay with me I promise we'll leave the Biblical stuff and get back to the gay stuff soon)

Luke 24:13-16 Now on that same day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. Luke 24:25-27 Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

If Safe Space is an exact analogue to Supper at Emmaus, then Elle takes the position of Jesus, and she draws from the story of Christ's crucifixion and rising a trans metaphor.

Death does not always mean death. For example, in the world of tarot, the card of Death does not signify literal Death, but a transformation: that the idea of death is a catalyst for change. If you're trans or non-binary, you understand the idea of the person you were being dead; that's why they call it a deadname. For me, the girl I was is dead. The person I am now, a living, breathing, non-binary person, is alive.

Jesus died and lived again; the boy Elle was died and the girl Elle is lived. Elle takes the spot of Jesus. Elle is risen.

There's another half to this metaphor: of the disciples that don't recognize Jesus. See where I'm going with this? At first, after Jesus had undergone his transformation, the disciples do not recognize him; literally "Their eyes were kept from recognizing him." The fault is not on them – it is another stronger force that maintains their blindness. But Jesus stays with them, despite the fact that they don't know who he is, and he talks to them about the scriptures.

We don't know much about Elle, pre-transition. But we know that Elle, Tao, and Charlie, at least, were friends before Elle's transition, and she had to come out to them at some point. So, in essence, she is Jesus on the road to Emmaus; unrecognized, a stranger, until she reveals herself for who she is.

She takes the moment Jesus tells his disciples who he is and shows what happens when Elle stays. We don't all have the luxury of being the Son of God, who can just pop away at a moment's notice after coming back from the dead (which is what he does, in the story: once the disciples have their eyes opened, he leaves). But this is Elle, out, resurrected, staying.

"So. There've been a lot of changes in my life over the last couple years. But with this piece I guess I wanted to capture a place that holds a lot of happy memories. Even in the darker times. Somewhere I always felt safe."

Safe Space comes after the moment of realization, after Elle comes out, after her friends' eyes are opened. But implied in its source and its inspiration is the moment of truth, the moment of coming out. There's been a lot of that, this season, coming out. There's people that want to and are scared, and people that refuse to and walk away. We never had to go on that journey with Elle. But she's telling us about it, now. She's telling us that it was glorious, that it was godly, that it was religious, that she died and was resurrected.

Before I leave, I want to touch on Tao's importance in this piece. The disciples in Supper are the two men that are seated; the man standing is the innkeeper, who is not quite a part of Jesus' world. Interesting, that Charlie and Isaac, the two people of Elle's group who are part of the queer community, take the place of the two disciples, and Tao, the token straight friend, is standing in the place of the innkeeper; not a follower of Jesus but a witness to the miracle of his resurrection anyway. They are all different people in this painting; different identities, different lives, different loves. But they were all there to witness Elle revealing herself in her resurrection. Tao, afraid of being left alone, is brought into this inner sanctum of Elle's world. Into her safe space.

[splatsvilles-fashionista]

Splatoon 3 Version 8.0 patch notes breakdown

A bit late with this one, as I didn't have the time to write it last night, but nevertheless, here's a quick rundown of the patch notes for version 8.0, which should release in a couple of hours as of time of writing.

First of all, the Sizzle Season 2024 content is being added, but will not be available for another 24-ish hours. That includes:

A new Catalog

The new stage Lemuria Hub

Two new main weapons, two variants of those main weapons, and six alternate sets for preexisting main weapons.

14 Tableturf cards

Two new songs by SashiMori

The renovated Hammerhead Bridge and Barnacle & Dime, which will be taken out of stage rotations when the update becomes available.

Wandercrust Journey 6.

Additionally, this patch also adds data for the new Triumvirate King Salmonid fight and a new Grizzco Weapon, as well as the new Splatfest features, both of which will not become available until a later date.

With Sizzle Season 2024 stuff out of the way, let's move onto the changes that will be available right away, starting with Stage Changes, which there are a lot of.

In addition the Hammerhead Bridge and Barnacle & Dime changes, Museum d'Alfonsino, Um'ami Ruins, Brinewater Springs, and Scorch Gorge are all getting layout changes, with Museum getting some extra changes in Splat Zones and Rainmaker specifically. Eeltail Alley, Hagglefish Market, Flounder Heights, Marlin Airport and Manta Maria are all getting "slight" changes, while Crableg Capital and Bluefin Depot are getting slight changes in Turf War and Splat Zones, and Clam Blitz, respectively.

I'll be entirely honest, until we see these changes for ourselves it's impossible to gauge just what these changes will be like, but I am willing to be optimistic given just how much improvement we've seen in the Stage design over the last year or so. I think they'll be slight improvements at worst.

With that said, let's move onto Main Weapon changes, starting with a bunch of weapons getting the exact same change.

Sploosh, Jr, Aerospray, Luna, Clash, Carbon, Splat Roller, Inkbrush, Octobrush, and Dapples will all now deal 10% more damage to Splash Walls. I'm not sure why this was listed on each weapon individually and not just all collected as a Splash Wall change, but I digress. The intent here seems to be to make short-range weapons specifically, better at dealing with Splash Wall, the users of which they'll generally be outranged by to begin with. It's a small and specific change, but it's not one I think any of these weapons will complain about.

N-ZAP will now be able to fire for longer before its hits max bullet spread. In case you didn't know, all shooters that have bullet spread have a property where that spread gradually increases the longer you hold ZR, which slowly goes back to normal if you stop firing, and now that'll take longer on N-ZAP specifically.

N-Zap didn't really need this buff, but it's also not something that moves the needle much to begin with. It's pretty rare outside of low-level turf wars that someone fires for long enough to the spread to be a major factor, so it's fine. It's just a very strange change.

Moving onto more deserved buffs, L-3 has its damage increased by 2, taking a full three-hit burst from 87 to 93 damage. This is not a significant change, but 30 is a pretty important damage threshold to hit, as it combos with a lot of things, and it does mean that getting even lightly chipped by almost anything at all puts you in one-shot range, so watch out!

Rapid Blaster now starts recovering ink after firing about 3 frames faster. It's another nice little buff, though like N-ZAP it is kind of strange this weapon is being buffed at all when it's in a pretty good spot right now.

Now here's something interesting, Tri-Stringer will now paint the ground better, and will now paint lines more consistently. Turfing has always been one of Tri-Stringer's biggest weaknesses, so this is a very nice buff!

Last but not least is my favourite change in the entire patch. REEF-LUX now charges at full speed while in the air, similar to how Squiffer works. This is just a fantastically cool buff if you ask me, it's one of those things that seem insignificant on paper but can really change up how a weapon plays in a major way. It wasn't until after Squiffer got this change in Splatoon 2 that the weapon really came into its own, after all.

With Main Weapon changes down, let's move onto Points for Special changes, of which there are four (technically three):

Big Swig Express and Painbrush are ten points cheaper, and both variants of E-Liter are ten points more expensive. Not a lot to discuss here, so let's move onto Special Weapons:

The rails that indicate the Reefslider's path will now ink the floor as they extend forward, potentially allowing you paint over an enemy's feet before running them over. The rail will now also follow moving terrain, which is a change I'll admit I am not sure what it does? We'll just have to see when the patch goes live.

Big Bubbler now paints the ground inside of the shield. A nice quality of life change that could potentially be used to do some silly things in Splat Zones, if you're so inclined.

Ink Vac will now paint the ground behind you while it's active. Nintendo specifies later on in the patch notes that this is because they want you to be more reliably able to use it while retreating, and yeah, that's what this change will do.

For our final Special change, Splattercolor Screen now deals more damage to Beakons, Sprinkler, Splash Wall, sponges, and the Rainmaker's shield. Like with the Ink Vac changes, Nintendo specifies what the purpose of this buff is in the patch notes, and in this case it's to reward people more for using the Screen well.

And that's all the balance changes for this patch, but there is actually one more Main Weapon change that is not listed with the rest, because it's a bit different:

These changes are very wordy, but the TL;DR is that Squeezer now has a hard cap on how fast it can fire, which is the same as its regular fire speed. That might sound like a completely pointless change, and I thought so initially as well, but it seems the intent here is to not have the weapon be improved by turbo controllers, as they can let you mash ZR at much, much faster paces than intended.

With all that said, let's round things out with some miscellaneous changes:

If you roll or dash into the Rainmaker shield you'll now slide off it, as opposed to the game continuously attempting to place you where the shield is at and dealing a bunch of contact damage to you, splatting you almost instantly.

You'll now start the next season in S+0 if you were top 1000 in the previous season's X rank.

Squid Beakons are now accounted for when awarding the Super Jump Spot medal, which I am frankly surprised wasn't the case already?

I lied, there is one more Main Weapon change. Grizzco Dualies now deal 5 more damage with their actual bullets. That means they three-shot Chum now!

Reflected Drizzler torpedoes will now collide with terrain less, reducing the situations where you shoot one back only to have it immediately crash into a ledge it just barely touches.

Finally, purchasing the Expansion Pass will now net you 10 free Sheldon Licenses. If you've already bought the Expansion Pass then you'll be given the Licenses after downloading the update. Just in time for ten new weapons to be added as part of the Sizzle Season!

[chaoticbreadcrumbs]

HOW OLD WOULD MK1 SHANG TSUNG BE IN HUMAN YEARS?

We all know that in most games Shang Tsung is 1,000 years old but keeps his youthful appearance by absorbing souls. As a result, he appears much younger than he actually is. In the new timeline, his age is unknown. All we know is that Liu Kang forged his destiny to be that of a common Outworlder and he most likely doesn't know how to use souls to make himself younger. ①

But how old do you think MK1 Shang would be if his life span were the same as that of a normal human from Earthrealm? Let’s analyze it.

EARLY MK GAMES:

Shang Tsung first appeared as an elderly man in his mid-eighties (Mortal Kombat 1992). Then he became a younger man in his late-twenties to early-thirties (Mortal Kombat II 1993). According to GamePro magazine in 1993(4), the Mortal Kombat II version of Shang Tsung was 19 years old. In Deadly Alliance, he is roughly 45. ②

MK1 2023:

Depending on the timeline, Shang Tsung resides from the Outworld or Earthrealm, making him either an Outworlder or a Titan, but his age remains consistent across both. He doesn't have a birthdate. ③

->

To determine his human age in MK1, we can either rely on our own speculations or seek assistance from AI. Please consider that Shang Tsung is a fictional character from a video game, and determining his precise age is going to be hard. Let's start by making an estimate. If I were to guess based on his physical and facial appearance, I would say he appears to be in his mid to late 30s. Despite his vitality, there are subtle hints of age lines and wrinkles. Analyzing how his wrinkles have developed, it would be fair to suggest an age range of 35-38.

He has a mature countenance, characterized by prominent facial features and a weathered complexion.

->

Now let’s have a look at what the AI has to offer. For that, I will be using the websites howolddoyoulook.com and age.toolpie.com to confirm if the two sites match the age analysis. Remember that things as light or different emotions can be detected by AI and decrease or increase the age.

Both AIs detect him to be in his early to mid-30s.

->

In addition, I asked ChatGPT:

ChatGPT agreed with my estimate and said Shang Tsung appears to be in his mid to late thirties.

->

I also tried to ask Redditors what they think:

WELL, I SAID I TRIED. After waiting 9 days that is the only coherent answer I got:

->

In conclusion, even though his exact age remains a subject of speculation and interpretation, a compelling case can be made for Shang Tsung being in his 30s in the events of Mortal Kombat 1 (2023), my opinion being that he is in his mid to late thirties.

And how old is Shang Tsung in your opinion?

Sources:

①-

https://www.reddit.com/r/MortalKombat/comments/1abh8g7/comment/kjndx27/?context=3

②-

https://mortalkombat.fandom.com/wiki/Shang_Tsung#cite_note-19

https://www.mortalkombatonline.com/t/mkx/getting-to-the-heart-soul-of-whether-shang-tsung-could-be-in-mkx/85p8VTL2YW7V

https://www.mksecrets.net/mk2/eng/mk2-bios.php

③-

https://www.thegamer.com/mortal-kombat-1-every-characters-age-height-birthday/#sektor

[notknickers]

könig's new haircut

this is for you, @kathy-ifnt ! (i feel like preemptively apologising for draggin gyou into this, but... it's done.) it's not a silly mini-comic, but sometimes i can put one word after the other in an order that almost means something. almost.

synopsis: in a comment section on tumblr, two unhinged individuals plot to make könig's life into a joke.

warnings: none apply

audiences: teen and up

word count: 1140

a/n: lots of silliness in this one. (don't get used to it, we'll be back with smuttier, slightly darker stuff soon.)

the lights blinded könig for a few seconds before his sight returned, annoying squiggles of static still dancing behind his eyelids as he quickly blinked.

the view in front of him caused such visceral dismay he had not known equal in his years as military contractor, during which he witnessed atrocities that sometimes plagued his dreams to this day.

nothing could have prepared the austrian soldier for this. not in a thousand years.

he instinctively tried to back away – perhaps it was not too late to leave – but he could not. he just could not.

knickers and kathy, his two civilian best friends who had insisted on a visit on his part as soon as he was back from deployment, were standing right behind him.

«do you know how many favours i had to call in to even get you on jean paul’s waiting list?», kathy scoffed, reminding könig that their sacrifices were not being met as a grateful friend would.

a quick glance in knicker’s direction and he knew he had lost this fight: no one in his corner against the afternoon of pampering the two had organised for the soldier.

«chop chop, darling! we don’t want to be late!», knickers hurried him with the same condescension one who’s never been around children would use on a five-year-old.

(and that, pretty much described knickers to a t.)

könig made a mental note never to accept an invitation at the friends’, unless they promised not to ambush him like that. there was nothing wrong with the way his hair looked and he should not have had to be here.

the red-headed giant reluctantly walked past the threshold, all eyes on him for a long moment of discomfort, until jean henri appeared.

«kathy! knickers! you’ve made it!»

«jean louis! mwah! mwah! of course!», the two intoned in unison as if they’d rehearsed, gesturing as if to kiss the empty hair in the iconic hair stylist’s direction, while he mirrored their contactless greeting.

könig observed the interaction, slightly aside. grateful to have been left to his own for a moment as he reflected on how mundane life and its trappings remained inscrutable to him, especially when he spent most of his existence training and not knowing whether he would come back in one piece – or at all – for the better part of the year.

reprieve did not endure. the allegedly famous hair dresser, a short, slight man with tan skin and white stripes of hair at his temples, turned to him with a staged expression of surprise and wonder.

«and this must be my lucky 15:30 appointment!», he clapped his hands in front of his chest, eyes contoured in black beaming in his direction, as he pretended to be incapable of fully seeing könig’s face, at more than 2m of height..

«that’s him!», kathy replied jovially, before turning towards könig, who wished he weren’t so large and noticeable, so he could sneak away in the commotion, «awwww, pookie! don’t worry, you’re in great hands!»

«yes, luv. now stop wasting the nice man’s time and do as he says, yes?», knickers remarked, before something else caught their attention and spared them from könig’s frozen glare.

«right this way!»

the miraculous jean jacques showed him to the shampoo station and könig, defeated, followed with heavy step and heavy heart.

bottomless champaign flutes appeared in the two harpies mutuals’ hands as they conspired giggled and chatted, in a worrisomely increasing state of inebriation, on a satin-lined faux vintage love seat the colour of their ruddy cheeks.

they kept refilling and refilling, to the point that when könig returned, face hidden under his mask and long, silky hair sprouting from the neck hole on top of his head, they almost didn’t notice.

«well, what do we think?», jean justin’s voice trilled.

the seated duo lifted their heads, training their gaze on the central european god in the corner like marksmen training the scope on their rifles on their target.

«is… is that the same hairdo as daenerys targaryen, down to the platinum blond hair?», kathy whispered in utter confusion towards knickers, who was, for once, speechless.

«well…»

kathy pinched the bridge of their nose as they suppressed a hiccup, suddenly feeling sober: «jean pierre, i’m sure someone like you can do batter than this…?»

«oh, you’re right! back we go…», the coiffeur took a könig with the incipience of the worst headache of his life back to the mirror.

«i mean», knickers, finally out of their shocked silence, interjected, «i would have happily been his cal drogo…»

kathy raised an eyebrow sarcastically and rebutted: «… or his horse!»

the two drunken and rumbunctuous mutuals began laughing loudly enough that the hanging crystal on the chandelier at the centre of the of the ceiling started vibrating.

there könig was, back to strut – well, more like sadly drag himself – back to show his new hairdo.

this time, he hadn’t even reached his friends, that knickers, prey of such furor fuelled by both alcohol on an empty stomach and outrage, had already hopped up from the love seat, animaniacs-style, to land in front of the hair stylist.

they grabbed the charlatan by the neck of their salmon shirt: «now listen here, old man! do you think that someone with a mullet – a. fucking. mullet – could ever be the personification of my every erotic dream, jean… jean… jean geneviève?»

kathy pulled knickers back, who still scowled in warning as the two men reluctantly returned to the station.

«i mean… i would still…», knickers gesticulated rather eloquently.

«oh, yeah, no. me, too!», kathy agreed.

the two burst out in laughter for a second time and, this once, it was not just the crystals of the chandelier that shook, but its wiring too…

when könig returned, hopefully for the last time, no more hair peeped through his mask.

Wary, the two mutuals started circling the pleasant-looking mountain of flesh they thought of as dearest friend (with benefits), masterful cunnilinguist, pain slut and obedient little pup, carefully inspecting: all they found, was a buzz cut.

«I… he… ran out of hair to work on…», the coiffeur wrung one hand in the other, intimidated by the unforgiving fury in both of the mutuals’ eyes.

The silky strands of titian red they both had delighted in running their fingers through, tangling, pulling, stroking, weaving in a plait to use as leash… gone.

The next step was nothing if not obvious.

And so it came to kathy holding the traitorous charlatan still, while knickers fed him handfuls of lovely, auburn silky flakes, collected off the floor and forced through the hair stylist’s mouth by the fistful.

König ignored the scene altogether, brushing a large palm across his fresh-shaven scalp in satisfaction: it would soon be time to be deployed again, anyway.

[hongtonie]

hi! it's theo aka user worldoutlaw and for 500 followers i wanted to share my coloring/sharpening process ! i've been getting a few notes recently complimenting my coloring and sharpening lately (ty all so much they make me smile every time) and i thought some people might be curious in my process so here we are ! :3 this is just coloring and sharpening so if you're looking for a general gif tutorial i suggest you check out usergif! now without futher ado let's start (color coded for my fellow adhders/neurodivergents who find reading hard)

i do most of my process through actions; of which i have several for different gif dimensions ie 540 width (typically for fancams where i keep the width of the file the same but change the height), 540 height (which i use the most for gifs like the above), and 850 height which i use for my sets that have side by side gifs like my pinned

actions make the beginning of making a gif a lot faster and especially save time when you're rushing to make comeback gifs lmao

after i've converted to the video timeline and selected all of my frames and converted them to a smart object, i apply userdramas's camera raw filter action which can help gifs look higher quality and create the illusion of skin texture when there isn't any

after this i convert the layer into a smart object again and apply my sharpening as follows (partly from anyataylorjoy's action pack)

smart sharpen 1:

smart sharpen 2:

smart sharpen 3: (this one is optional)

smart sharpen 2 duplicated

gaussian blur:

and i click this button on the far right to change the opacity of the blur (usually i set it around 10-30)

it may look funky but noise at the end will always fix it :p

after i sharpen i start on coloring!

my coloring process starts with editing values with curves, brightness & contrast, and sometimes levels

this helps to achieve the high contrast look i really like on my gifs and below are my settings for this specific set

i find that the marker in the center of the curves graph can often help darken skin tones if the subject appears too light

after i have my values down i move on to the actual colors

i start with adding a selective color layer; adjusting the red values, followed by yellow, then black, white, and any other colors i would want prominent in the gif

for example, with this set i wanted the blues to look really nice so i increased the cyans and decreased the yellows to my liking

changing the black values adds to the dimension i like in my gifs; these are my settings

forgot magenta whoops

next i add a hue/sat layer where i mess with the red and yellow values which often adds extra help to skin tones (i also recently started using hue/sat on colors like the blues here)

now these gifs didn't need it thankfully, but if needed i will also do color balance and channel mixer layers

after all my coloring and sharpening is done and i'm satisfied with how a gif looks i will convert all layers to a smart object and add noise (typically 1.5-3)

then the gif is done and i save it! these are my save settings

and that's how i turn this

into this!

hope y'all enjoyed and found this helpful and thank you again for 500<3333

some tags for fun and also to thank my supportive lovely mutuals @solojihyo @twiceland @97chwe @jeonwonwoo @sanchelinz @applejongho @hwanswerland @kyubins @minchanz @seonghwasblr @get-lit @jjongho @userwoosan @strhwaberries @dqmeron (ty for looking over this for me 🫶)

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

I stumbled upon Fuegoleon slander today, so can I request comforting fluff with Fuelara, please?

We don't tolerate Fue slander in this house! So YES

I took my time, but this was very overly self-indulgent to write, and I just might make it be the most of a chapter of The Vows We Made once I get there. Anyways! I hope you enjoy! ^^

Pairing: Fuegoleon x Solara Fanfic type: Oneshot Genre: Fluff/romance Length: ~3.1k Contains: sleepy Fue, mentions of their twins, mentions of Salamander, maybe some possessive themes if you squint??? (The idea of "my family, I need to protect it", does that count??), just pure fluff, they're in love, and go to sleep There is a mention of "Ms. Rose", who is Briar Rose belonging to @/koneko-pi !

The long, quiet corridors of the castle that lead into an office, among a lot of things, which were lined by large windows that faced the courtyard. One could almost see the trees and the bushes, flowerbeds planted in there, but from this height, one would have needed to walk closer to the sheets of glass. And thus, it was only the faint light of the moon that could be seen coming from the outside. Just the sight of the dark blue autumn skies; the sunset had gone already.

Even the servants had gone home, or the bed, for the most parts already. Only the guards outside of the castle walls were awake to keep an eye; even though keeping an eye open was difficult both outside and inside of the castle walls.

Solara could swear that he steps must’ve wobbled ever so slightly as she made her way down the halls, lit by the light of the moon that cast shadows at her feet. The shadows she barely saw as she struggled to keep her eyes open from the state of fatigue she was feeling. The weight of it that she felt had increased exponentially over the last few years.

It’s only age, she told herself, though she was barely past 30, not yet closing in on 40, even if that decade in her life loomed somewhere in the horizon. Not that the number bothered her. It was more so just that she could feel herself getting tired more easily.

She couldn’t keep up with the kids, who wanted to stay up all night long. Or so they said, and still dozed off at 9 the latest. Which was good. They needed their rest.

It was only that the twins had been restless during the last couple of days. The last of the baby teeth would be coming out, which was the cause of the poorly slept nights lately. This night included.

But now they were finally asleep; in their rooms, safely tucked in with Salamander by their side. Or, Sal’s basket by them to be more precise.

The Great Spirit of Fire had assumed a smaller form while living in the castle, and preferred to sleep in his small little wicker basket nestled in a blanket. But the basket needed to be in the common room that joined the bedroom of the twins, so that it could be equally close to both of them.

Solara had reasoned to herself that it was partially a wish of Sal, and partially Fue’s wish amplified in the dragonic spirit. The wish to keep safe. To protect. Make sure that his family was being looked after. The sentiment of ‘my family’.

And it would allow Fue to stay up to date via Salamander, though their communication was what it was. Limited to kinds of hunches. Feelings. That was still the idea how Solara understood it. That it was a non-verbal connection, which didn’t allow for that complicated discussion as with some other spirits might. It was just the nature of Salamander. He was a non-verbal creature, and his methods of communication were limited.

But she didn’t mind. She didn’t think any of them minded. It was just how it was.

A way in which father could be with the family, while working; he could keep an eye on the kids, while having to perform his duty. Even if from behind a desk. And there was no reason to lock the kids, or the family, into a sitting room next to his office.

No... life was out there. It was in the blades of grass, in sunshine, the glimmering of stars, in the frost bites and sweet drinks and the smile of those you hold dear. Life was never meant to be confined within the walls of an office decorate with motifs of grandeur.

The things he says... she mused to herself with a slight shake of her head. And still he very much confines himself into that office... her eyes fell in a slow blink, as her gaze and attention were directed somewhere far, far away, but her steps knew the way nonetheless. It was inscribed into her bones by now; she didn’t need to think about it. All for the sake of the people, he says... she smiled to herself, even if the smile bore a veil of melancholy over it. While trying to make it into every little event, to be there during bed time, read to Leon and Cyra, even though he’ll need to go back to complete something more... always something more...

Her chin lifted as she thought about it. All those moments when he had emerged from the office, with eyes that seemed to bear the weight of the world. But as the kids would go running to him, the weight would subside, he’d pick them up, and tell them how much he missed them.

He doesn’t-, I know that he wouldn’t need to come to us while he’s still working. To take a break to do that. And most wouldn’t. They’d just... complete whatever is on their desk and come home when it’s time for it. And I know... I know that he tries *so hard*. To be everywhere. To come home for a while, chat to the kids, maybe play with them for a while during the busy work days, and then it’s “off to bed, I’ll read a story to you”, she smiled at the thought. The precious moments during the hardest days.

Because during the good days, those that he had off, as much as he can have them off, he’d spend more time with Cyra and Leon. Give them as much attention as he could. Be as good of a father as he could.

But... she couldn’t claim that it wouldn’t be hard for the two of them. Because between work and the kids, there was very little time for the two of them. Which... it just made things a bit difficult. Not that they could claim there to be a real problem, but sometimes they would have liked to just spend time with each other. Cuddle and kiss and... perform spousal activities... maybe sleep a little longer... all the things for which there didn’t seem to be time or energy.

All the things... well... maybe after some time... The first 2 years are the most difficult, or so they say. And then it’ll ease up on sleep at least.

She sighed to herself as she reached the door. The large wooden door which was decorated with some carvings and a golden handle. To signify that it wasn’t just any door. Or at least that it wasn’t a cleaning closet out of all the things. Not that she could imagine anyone mistaking it for one in the first place. Not in this part of the castle.

Her hand landed onto the cold metal surface, without a knock. After all these years, there was no knock.

She wasn’t sure how many times he had had to tell her that she was among the few people, who wouldn’t need to knock when it came to him. That she’d always be welcomed, no matter what.

And how many times had it taken that she hadn’t believed? That she had still knocked. Maybe not waited for a reply, but had still knocked.

During day time she still would.

A silly little thing. She deemed it with a smile.

Just a small thing that amused her. Perhaps amused him too. A kind of a game for them to play. As foolish as it might have sounded. Him having to tell her with a smirk that the door was open, and how it’d always be open for her. And how she’d argue back with a grin of her own, telling him that she couldn’t know what he was in the middle of. That it was courteous. A little game of cat and mouse. Or maybe just two cats play fighting.

Perhaps the latter would be more fitting.

Perhaps that was why when she opened the door, there was no sound. Quiet as a cat.

But when her eyes were granted an image of the room from behind the wooden surface of the door, she stopped.

Just stood there with her hand on the door handle, and looked at her husband. Sleeping over the desk. A single candle lighting the room on his desk.

His mana hand wasn’t manifested, but his left arm was under his head. His chest was rising and falling, and there was the sound of steady, heavy breathing flowing through the air. It wasn’t quite a snore, nor did it sound forced. Just a very... intent way of breathing. Maybe due to the position he was in.

A hum broke through the steady sound. It vibrated through the air, speaking of how it must’ve risen from his throat, as a faint frown appeared on his brows.

But it disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared.

A small smile tugged up the corners of Solara’s lips as she looked at him. Poor thing... he must be exhausted...  

She took a few steps forward, closer to the table, with feather light steps, careful not to wake him.

Bed would be more comfortable... and if he stays in that position he’ll have a sore neck tomorrow. He’s bound to, even though his exercise routine keeps him in good shape and his muscles open. For the most part at least, she chuckled under her breath. But... since he is tired enough to have fallen asleep there, maybe I shouldn’t wake him up... at least for a while... Let him rest for some time and then... then wake him...

Her eyes turned to the door of the sitting room that was next to the office. There’d be a closet where there were blankets and a few extra pillows. Which might have been unconventional for a sitting room, but... they had deemed it better to have them, in case of such situations. An afternoon nap.

Perhaps there lied a danger too. Because since they had blankets and pillows close by, a nap would be more tempting.

A terrible danger, really.

Another amusing thought.

She looked at her husband, still sleeping over the desk with a neutral expression.

Stay there, she thought, joked to herself, before making her way to the sitting room and to the closet from where she found a blanket. A part of her was thankful that they oiled all the hinges of the doors so well, and made sure that no floorboards were creaking.

Yes, of course, it made sense to make sure that it all was in the best condition, but... sometimes such little things could me missed. Especially if you’re only moving around during daytime, when small sounds such as those didn’t seem quite so apparent. While during night time, they were as if amplified. Which was why she was mindful to close the closet, and the door, as silently as possible, before tip-toeing to him.

Don’t nap for too long, she thought while opening the blanket in her hands. You’ll get a sore neck if you do...

She placed the blanket over him, around his shoulders with as little movement as possible, and leaned over him.

But as soon as she did, his eyes begun cracking open and a groggy hum left him.

“Mm... What time is it?” He asked, while trying to gather his senses. His tone was quiet, nearly distant, like he was trying to grab onto reality while still being partially asleep.

“Almost two..” she whispered back before leaning closer and pressing a tender kiss onto his temple. One that was warm and comforting; that held a promise of a soft, warm bed where he might rest with a smile on his face. And the knowledge that he wasn’t alone in the world. That he had someone with whom he could share his smiles and his sorrows just the same.

“Mmm...” he hummed again before taking a deep breath and leaning back in his seat. “Maybe I should call it a night...”

“Maybe,” she half teased, half smiled before placing another kiss on top of his head.

“Did the kids fall asleep?” He asked as he pushed back his chair and stood up, making a dragging sound, wood scraping against would, break through the otherwise silent room.

“After a while,” she replied with a hushed tone, almost as if she was still trying to be careful not to wake him. “I have the monitor with me, just in case too.”

“The monitor?” He frowned while looking at her. “Oh yes, yes,” he continued before pinching the bridge of his nose. “The device Ms. Rose of the Research Department gave us...”

“Yes,” she gave a small nod, during which her eyelids fell in a slow blink. “She is a good friend.”

He hummed in agreement while pushing his chair under the desk.

His expression was neutral, as if there were no thoughts running through it. Which was probably true from his state of fatigue.

“Ready for bed?” She suggested, half asked, while reaching for his hand.

“Yes,” he uttered, while taking her hand into his, and giving it a squeeze. “I’ll take a quick shower first.”

She gave him a nod, while taking a step back to lead him towards the door.

“I’ll keep the bed warm meanwhile,” she assured him while squeezing his hand.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he smiled to himself as his steps followed hers, easy and natural, like the flow of a river.

Like this was the only course he should take. As if this, squeezing her hand and following her to rest, was just like drawing breath.

As if the way back to their room was no journey at all, despite the winding, twisting and turning corridors of the castle where one could get lost in. Plenty of people did. And even him, admittedly, sometimes needed to think what might be the quickest route from one place to another. Still, after all these years of living there, he still needed to think from time to time.

But these steps, over which the silvery moonlight cascaded; the way it reflected from her hair, and embraced her form, as if she was some divine being brought to him in sleep rather than a mortal just like him... It felt like no time passed, as he followed her.

Time didn’t exist.

It was just the two of them.

It was just him, trusting that she’d lead him to the sanctity of their bedroom, where it was soft, warm and safe.

As if he wouldn’t have known the way.

But perhaps he would have stumbled in his drowsy state.

Perhaps, perhaps not. None could tell. For it was left in the sea of possibilities.

The sea that wasn’t important; that lost all meaning as they reached their room, as if in a dream.

The door was closed behind them, and he stopped, but didn’t let go of her hand as she tried to continue further into the room. But the stop created a tug, and the tug made her turn around with raised brows and hum out a question. A simple: “Hm?”

It was only then that he took a step closer, as if to step into her embrace, and pressed a kiss onto her forehead.

“Go to sleep, my love,” he whispered against her skin, letting the words glide over her like a river of warmth and tender affection. Like something so soft and gentle he couldn’t name, even if given a millenium to describe it. “I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he promised.

He always promised, and he always kept that promise.

“I can’t promise to stay awake for ten minutes,” she partly teased, partly joked, but mostly she told the truth.

“I’m not expecting it,” he hummed with an amused smile while pressing his head against hers. “You should sleep, if you’re tired,” he told her. “I’ll find my way to you.”

She smiled to him with closed eyes, not making a move to make her way to the bed.

“I always will,” he promised again. Yet another promised he intended to keep. Another promise he had always intended to keep. One that felt like it was a promise that he had made so many times before that he couldn’t count.

But would he need to? Count them? He didn’t deem it necessary.

“Go on, my love, I’ll be there soon,” he nudged her head with his, before slipping into the bathroom. And she slipped into bed in the meantime.

The covers were soft. A bit cold, but they’d warm soon enough.

She rolled onto her side, towards his pillow, and resisted the urge to pull the pillow closer so that she might bury her nose into it and breathe in his scent. Just like she resisted the urge to shift onto his side of the bed. Just like she resisted the urge to gather his side of the covers into her arms, so that she might feel him close to herself again.

All the things she resisted. And yet she could feel her consciousness slipping away.

Little by little, she was drifting into a sea of dreams.

But then again, she hadn’t promised to wait for him to get to bed. She trusted that he’d some soon.

Within ten minutes.

Even if those minutes felt like an eternity.

Or maybe one fifth of it.

A fraction.

The bed shifted next to her.

She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt heavy. Too heavy to open fully, but still her hand reached closer.

There was another kiss on her temple.

“Thank you for warming up the bed,” he whispered. But she could hear him loud and clear; his voice vibrated to her through her heartstrings, or perhaps the golden threads of fate that had spun into ropes. “I loved you,” he whispered again.

She smiled, must’ve smiled. Her hand took a hold if his. Fingers intwined together with his into a secure hold.

“[I love you],” he professed again, sounding a little more drowsy than a moment before.

“[And I love you,]” she replied with a hushed tone. “With all the days I have left,” she continued, not sure if he was still on the brink of the twilight zone, or already within a dream. “And even beyond it...”

She wasn’t sure if he’d hear, but she was sure that he knew. He knew, but still she needed to tell.

She’d always need to tell him. To remind him.

That she loved him too.

She’d always need to tell...

And through the darkness, her drowsy state, she could feel him squeeze her hand back.

[millalya]

Ok I’m back once again with a questionable Furby accessory crochet pattern. This time it’s the carrier.

It took way longer than I expected because I got bored doing the repetitive strap and became addicted to some roguelike dungeon crawler.

The project started from replicating this:

But I soon realized that I’m a very tight crocheter and if I simply follow this pattern the final product will be too small. Also, I don’t really like the weird protrusion as shown in the original creator’s final product…

So a tweaked version below the cut… A quick disclaimer I’m not sure how well will this replicate, I’m someone who tries to create a blanket out of granny squares and end up with 9 that each has a different measure.

I guess just don’t be afraid to redo rows or modify things, and politely ask your beloved Furb to try it on every now and then.

Tools of the trade:

A 7.0 mm hook (There are places where I personally used a 4.0 mm hook, which will be specified. In a hindsight, it’s probably better to use the 7mm hook throughout this project)

Good old 3mm yarn that’s 35g/59m (1.23oz/64.52yd) (Yeah blame me for relying on Daiso as my sole source of crochet gears, I dare you) Roughly as dense as worsted/4 yarn

Jargon:

ch - chain stitch dc - double crochet hdc - half double crochet ss - slip stitch

What I did (with a lot of unnecessary ranting):

R1: Start with slip knot, ch 2, dc 6 in second stitch from hook (used 4mm hook, because I kinda suck at starting a circle)

And from here on I switched to the 7mm hook as

Otherwise I have trouble keeping the circle flat

A bigger hook makes each stitch and the final product larger

R2: dc 2 in each of the previous stitches (12 stitches)

R3: [dc 1 in the first stitch, dc 2 in the second stitch]*6 (18 stitches)

R4: [dc 1 in the first stitch and second stitch each, dc 2 in the third stitch]*6 (24 stitches)

R5: [dc 3, 2 dc’s in the fourth stitch]*6 (30 stitches)

R6: [dc 4, 2 dc’s in the fifth stitch]*6 (36 stitches)

Experienced reader will realize that it’s just inc 6 for each round, until you have 36 stitches in one round.

One thing to notice is that after you finish R5, the circle should be roughly same size as your furb’s bottom.

R7: dc 3, ch 3, dc into 4th stitch from hook, dc 2, ch 3, dc into 4th stitch from hook, dc 12, ch 6, dc into 7th stitch from hook, dc 5 (used 4mm hook, 36 stitches)

This gives you the two peet holes and one tail hole. Yes a quick calculation should show that this is not symmetric but somehow it fits, so remember to use your own Furb as measure and adjust if necessary.

From here on I switched to hdc to control for the height increase and *ahem* save yarn.

I tried to continue with 4mm hook but the opening contracts significantly, so just stick to the 7mm hook throughout.

This is also where the pattern starts. If you want a single colored one, just replace all the following rows with hdc 36:

R8: [hdc 5 using the color you started the project with (color A hereafter), hdc 1 using a different color (color B hereafter)]*6 (36 stitches)

R9: [hdc 4 using color A, hdc 2 using color B]*6 (36 stitches)

R10: [hdc 3 using color A, hdc 3 using color B]*6 (36 stitches)

R11: [hdc 2 using color A, hdc 4 using color B]*6 (36 stitches)

R12: [hdc 1 using color A, hdc 5 using color B]*6 (36 stitches)

For alternating between two colors I yarn over with color A, and pull through color B. For other stitches I brings along the inactive color by tucking it in between the three loops and the active yarn when you are supposed to pull through (see below for two poor quality photo as reference):

R13: Edging for the body. hdc 5, ss 11, hdc 5, ss 15 and then sc 1 in the same stitch as last ss using color B (37 stitches)

The two hdc 5 clusters will serve as base for the strap.

Then you just baby blanket it, I dc'ed all the way until the end of the first cluster and ch 2 for turning, repeat until desired length. Also did two dc's in the first and last stitch of the 5 hdc base to add extra width to the strap (So each row has 7 dc).

I also reverted back to 4mm hook (finally) for a neater look.

For this part simply do however many rows as you will find fitting. I did 90 rows of 7 dc.

When the strap is finished, connect it together with a technique similar to this on the inside. I used slip stitch instead of single crochet to give the seam a more even look.

Honorable mentions: This and that for reference on specific technical details and pattern writing, and Lime helping me with the fit.

[elenorasweet]

Stormtrooper Dolls

I should make a post with instructions, but this is actually a hodgepodge of patterns. Let's start with the Rogelia doll:

I used this basic shape for Cody and co, and added details and accessories from Toygurumi's Stormtrooper pattern:

I also got inspired by this Deadpool doll, though I didn't actually use the pattern, as I wanted to try and figure it out for myself, and I had a pretty good mental image:

I started with the Rogelia shape, but added the black lines from Toygurumi, and guessed at a placement for the markings and the waist bit. When that got particularly hard to keep straight, I switched to embroidery, because MY GOD straight lines in colour blocking!

Once I reached the neck, I put in a very thickly folded pipecleaner base and crocheted up in a peg. Aimed for slightly less rows than the head height.

For the head, I started by covering the neck peg entirely, and then did a sharp turn out at the point I wanted the head to start. (For a sharp turn, I increased from 12 to 24 SC before continuing on to 30, 36, etc.)

Looked kinda like a nipple, which entertains me because I am secretly 11 inside.

At that point I made the head the same way I would have for any other doll, and closed it over the top. Note that I kept the head on the neck peg to stuff it, and stuffed lightly so that it wouldn't squish the neck hole too tight.

I also went down into the top of the neck hole and back out the top of the head a few times, just to make sure it stays centered.

I did add pipecleaners to the arms and legs for posability, and little circles of cardboard at the bottom of the feet for stability.

For the details, I mostly did the belt, armour and helmet bits from the Toygurumi pattern. Hair was worked in the round at first, then pinned to the head and I kept going in the same direction, except skipping over the face/ears/etc. After I had a rough shape, I did a SC all around the edges to smooth it out.

Scars were embroidered, and Wolffe's eye was covered in silver nail polish and a topcoat before being installed.

[edgeanescence]

So originally this post was going to be part of a larger, more detailed post going into detail about Brassius’s pokemon and their relation to him through dex entries. Think something like my Cyrus analysis. However, Sudowoodo is incredibly in depth past just that, and it felt like a disservice to not include everything about it here. So I’ve decided to give Sudowoodo a separate post, especially because it comes off as the pokemon that is Brassius. What do I mean by that? Well..

Generally speaking, final pokemon are the trainer’s aces. They are the highest level and typically strongest members of their teams. Sudowoodo is definitely Brassius’s ace, especially seeing as it is on both of his teams. Sometimes ace pokemon will have their traits manifest into their trainer’s design, usually in an obvious visual sense. Brassius and Sudowoodo don’t share much visually, but especially conceptually, they are a pair.

While Brassius’s own smile is a far cry from the goofy one Sudowoodo typically displays, especially with how it's less constant, it's still a symbol of personal growth. Brassius nowadays can afford to smile, to be quirky and wild, to be true to himself and authentic, much like how Sudowoodo affords to smile because it no longer needs to cry after having evolved from a Bonsly.

Brassius also seems to take from Sudowoodo’s design in the sense of the spots on its body. There are five yellow marks going down the body toward the legs, staggering in an alternating pattern, with one irregularly shaped one off to the side.

Sudowoodo is the only pokemon of Brassius’s to know the move he hands out, Trailblaze. As such, he has special dialogue for using such a move. Said dialogue varies on when you fight him, but it is either "At times, art becomes a race against the clock! Let us increase the pace!" or "My dear grass… grow, I say! Heed my wishes and grow!".

The first line is the first one you hear in game, directly referencing the speed boost Sudowoodo gets from using it. If you were to play the game as intended, Sudowoodo has the potential to outspeed; Brassius’s ‘artwork’ is literally increasing the pace and racing against time. The second one sounds more encouraging, regarding Sudowoodo as a grass type now that it has terastallized into one. It could also be perceived as relating to how Brassius wishes for Sudowoodo to grow metaphorically. To spread life and wellness, to grow as a person, to blossom into something new instead of remaining in the past, to follow dreams.

The second line is further supplemented by what he says before sending out Sudowoodo; "This work’s concept is the deep-rooting nature of plants! A briar’s thorns are not easily removed!". Sudowoodo is once again acknowledged as a plant, a briar in particular. Brassius himself is rather thorny in design, especially in his vine-like hair. Metaphorically, Brassius has also had the thorns of hardship stuck in him, and it was a struggle to remove them and change his outlook in life. But now Brassius’s thorns are largely related to his battling, how he holds himself up in defense instead of how he tears himself down. He reflects himself onto his pokemon, his artwork, because he sees some element of relation to it.

The description for Trailblaze reads like so: The user attacks suddenly as if leaping out from tall grass. The user's nimble footwork boosts its Speed stat. Brassius sure does have nimble footwork if he’s able to take a fall from the height of that windmill with ease. Ironically, despite an actual low speed stat of 30, Sudowoodo is also extremely fast to run away from you when spotted. The actual definition of the word trailblaze is all about being the first to pave the way for something, to show that it is possible for others to do the same. In Japanese specifically, the move is referred to as Trailblazer, a noun form, which is far more fitting when describing what Brassius is. He gives an entire speech in Art 4 about being true to yourself and doing as your heart desires instead of making yourself out to be something you aren’t. He’s setting an example for the students in Hassel’s class, trailblazing the way to being a better person should they follow the moral. 

Brassius’s Sudowoodo is very offensive moveset wise, having only physical moves. Its attack stat is a nice 100, making full potential of the moves power. Brassius might not be a physical fighter himself, like how his Sudowoodo is, but if he is using his art as a statement against the world, sculpting is far from a job that doesn’t require much physical labor.

Trailblaze is on both team movesets, boosted by the Tera typing, a constant reminder of his personal beliefs in modern times. In the first battle, Sudowoodo has Rock Throw as the secondary move. Being a rock type, Rock Throw gains boosted damage even if it's a weaker move selected to go easier on the weaker trainers Brassius typically faces. In the second battle, Sudowoodo has Fire and Ice Punch, along with Stone Edge. Stone Edge is also subject to a type based damage boost, and has a high critical hit ratio. Ice Punch has a 10% chance to freeze, likewise with burn for Fire Punch.

Both rock type moves are an acknowledgement of what Sudowoodo ‘used to’ be; a pure rock type. While they carry their own weight in type damage boosting and supereffectiveness against most of grass’s weaknesses, it's obvious that Trailblaze is the true highlight move instead. Likewise, Brassius acknowledges just how bad he used to be in the past, even if he moved on from that period in his life. The punches are quite literally weaponizing grass type weaknesses, as the type is frail to fire and ice respectively, and both types are super effective against two of grass’s other weaknesses. Instead of letting his own moment of weakness fully consume him and tear him down, Brassius embraced it, his passions, his artistry, and used it as a strength.

Every move in Sudowoodo’s second battle moveset also has a secondary effect of some kind, matching with the seriousness Brassius has in the moment of facing you. His pokemon is stronger, and both Brassius and Sudowoodo are going to give it their all when going against you.

Sudowoodo is based more on defensive capabilities, having a high stat of 115 defense and 65 special defense. Its ability, Sturdy, is all about survival, effectively keeping Sudowoodo alive even when hit with a move that should’ve killed in one hit. Brassius survived his illness, despite hanging on by a thread, and he survived his lowest point mentally, reapproaching art with a new mindset.

Sudowoodo are often known in Johto for standing still and blocking paths while pretending to be a tree. Brassius has blocked his own path in the past, halting his progress as an artist because he was more focused with money than doing something he loved.

Sudowoodo is also one of the two pokemon that Brassius owns that is male.

Sudowoodo’s pokedex entries can also corroborate a chunk of the information deduced from above, further strengthening the connection between the pokemon and trainer (entries are displayed in bolded text):

Although it always pretends to be a tree, its composition appears more similar to rock than to vegetation. 

If a tree branch shakes when there is no wind, it's a Sudowoodo, not a tree. It hides from the rain. 

Sudowoodo is the only not grass type pokemon on Brassius’s team. Instead, it relies on terastallization to become a grass type and fit in. In fact, Sudowoodo is actually a rock type, a type weak to grass and water. Its tera type gives it resistances to both, effectively allowing Sudowoodo to go out into the water it despises so much. It also effectively weaponizes this weakness, given the boost to Trailblaze. Brassius has dialogue explicitly regarding the tera type, referring to Sudowoodo as ‘Truleewoodo’ upon crystallization twice. He treats it like an artwork for terastallizing, yet also recognizes the inner desire of Sudowoodo to be a plant. He’s allowing it to follow its dream, supporting it much like how Hassel supported Brassius. 

It's so popular with the elderly that there's a magazine devoted to this Pokémon. Fans obsess over the particular length and angle of its arms. 

Apparently, the larger the green parts of this Pokémon, the more collectors value it. It's a particular favorite among elderly people. 

Sudowoodo is valued by many as some sort of art piece, given certain parts of its body. Brassius certainly thinks of his pokemon as artworks, especially Sudowoodo given the lines directly about it. Brassius takes deep interest in its form as a result of that. It might not be a typical muse of his, considering it is not truly a grass type, but Brassius treats it indiscriminately. After all, to him it really is a grass type.

Sudowoodo camouflages itself as a tree to avoid being attacked by enemies. However, because the forelegs remain green throughout the year, the Pokémon is easily identified as a fake during the winter. 

Though it pretends to be a tree, it fails to fool even children. To the touch, its body feels more like rock than tree bark. Sudowoodo's extreme aversion to water merits special note. 

Sudowoodo is extremely meek, always hiding itself and camouflaging amongst trees even though it doesn’t quite fit in. It also runs from problems, like in cases it’s found out to be fake. This fits with how Brassius likely was in the past, because he wasn’t embracing his own boldness and lacked confidence in his work. His low confidence was terrifyingly noticeable, especially to Hassel. His mindset was rough and rocky, creating uninspired works to camouflage among artists deemed more profitable than himself.

The result of its holding the same pose all the time is arms that have become supple yet strong. 

Brassius has a renewed vitality in his body after recovering from the illness, both physically and mentally. He’s flexible and strong, perhaps not like a bodybuilder, but enough to have a windmill jump not phase him or be down in the dumps about his artwork. In fact, he even recognizes that art is both ‘creation and destruction’ during the first battle with him. His persistence has given him nothing but strength to carry on in the end. It’s honestly sort of scary just how much Sudowoodo ties into Brassius compared to his other pokemon, especially the ones that are more highly associated with him like Arboliva or Sunflora. But its fascinating seeing just how much these two tie into each other, even if its not that obvious on first glance.

[xx-4d4msf4m1ly-xx]

Here's my profile!😝🤘

Since it's polite to properly introduce myself, this is me. I am the current Lieutenant after my bestie, Lute, took Adam's place as Commander. Here are some additional basics to know about me that aren't explained in my profile: How Adam gave me this name: I've been given an infamous nickname during my Exterminations and that is because I tend to swiftly kill several sinners all at once in the sky, creating a gorenado. My former commander was impressed and therefore, gave me the name "Tempyst." He thought spelling with a y increases the coolness factor. Ha! What a dork (affectionate). Nicknames: Shadow (bronies -_-), Gorenado (by sinners), Lute (by accident sometimes), Exorcistnado, & Sparkledog Ninja (shhhh...) Gender: Demi-female (she/they) Age: 7,710 (physically appears late 20s-early 30s) *when I made this blog Height: 5'10.5 Physique: Tall & athletic Skills: - Long-range accuracy - Prolly the fastest flyer of my army (tho few rival my speed) - Spying/Stealth - Various flight tricks - Close-range martial arts (trying to master it rn) - Deception - Charisma - Leadership experience - Immense strength - High stamina (pain tolerance hovers around 9/10) - Combat/Political strategizing - Relatively street-smart (*Scourge here ISN'T!!!) - Sewing/Cosplay - High af heat tolerance (unusual for Exorcists...) Likes: - Early 2000s scene aesthetic - Sparkledogs - Cosplays - Adam's music (WHO DOESN'T!?) - Goth/Punk/Metal/Rock/Grunge/Screamo music (will listen to most genres tho) - Lute's competence & leadership (well...yes & no...) - Clubs/Raves - Bright colors & gloomy aesthetics (especially when mixed) - Individuals who are intelligent & reasonable - Anyone who has earned Adam & Lute's respect - Sinners who have a morally decent side - Sparring & training sessions (What? I can't help myself lol) - Surge - MONSTER ENERGY DRINK RAWR XD - Colorful spiked/studded/bracelet accessories - Dark humor Dislikes: - Vaggie's betrayal (am I...feeling sorry for her...huh???) - Lute's outbursts - Adam's sloppiness - Reckless & incompetent behavior - Sinners with absolutely NO virtue in them whatsoever - CARMILLA (honestly Idfk anymore) - My morality/existential crisis - Bloodbat (I wish she was NEVER born) - Anything hindering my tasks or motives - Making foolish mistakes - Hell - The sheer stupidity of some Exorcists... - Anyone who dares to hurt my loved ones Personality (the basics): - Stoic - Level-headed - Overly competent - Follows a firm moral code - Patient - Sadistic AF - Extremely cruel to most sinners - Intimidating - 2-faced - Cold & cunning - Calculating - Witty - Snarky - Capable of a softer side - Noble - Ambitious - More outgoing, empathetic, reassuring, goofy, & loose (when disguised to infiltrate hell) - Flirtatious - Goth/scene Text Color

[bopinion]

2024 / 14

Aperçu of the Week:

"If everyone wanted to help each other, everyone would be helped."

(Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Austrian poet and psychologist in the 19th century)

Bad News of the Week:

The whole world fears for the well-being of the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza. Except Israel. The whole world is worried about the local conflict escalating into a full scale Middle East war. Except Israel. Lately, when someone asks me if I've heard "that" from Israel, I have to answer "what do you mean?". Because, as sarcastic as it sounds, there is something to tear your hair out about almost every day.

Take the example of the civilian population in Gaza. The circumstances that led to the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen employees clearly show that the Israeli military deliberately makes no distinction as to who or what it bombs. According to the motto: anyone who is not with us is against us. The fact that there are, of course, many more differentiated positions does not matter.

Take the example of the Middle East conflict. There is open talk of military operations across the country's northern border, i.e. on Lebanese territory. Regardless of the fact that Hezbollah can do whatever it wants in this failed state, Lebanon is a sovereign state. Incidentally, it currently has the highest proportion of refugees in the total population of any country in the world. But so was Syria when Israel effectively annexed the Golan Heights in the "Six-Day War" in 1967 (!). This is still the status quo after almost 60 years. The fact that this is almost universally not recognized by the international community does not matter.

As a German, I'm asked more and more often how Germany justifies being Israel's largest arms supplier after the USA, when these weapons are obviously not only used for defense (which Israel of course sees differently). The justification is simple: historical guilt. And this apparently prevents us from seeing what we don't want to see. Yes, the world would be easier to understand if we could divide it into black and white. That might still be possible with Israel and Iran. But not with Israel and Palestine.

PS: Next week I'll complain about something else - I promise!

Good News of the Week:

Following the successful agreement between the unions and our national train company Deutsche Bahn, there has now been arbitration achieved at the airports and our national air carrier Lufthansa. It should be noted that both will cost a lot of money. Both the generous wage increases and the compensation for reduced working hours through additional staff are expensive. And they will not be covered by coffee money, but by hefty price increases for the customers who (have to) use these means of transportation - in other words, all of us. At least I don't know anyone outside the vacation season who travels for fun but has to get between A and B somehow. Beam me up, Scotty!

Nevertheless, it is good to see that there is now a reasonably solid planning security again. And I'm not just talking about the usual commuters to work, of which I am one. But the logistics themselves. Of people and goods. After all, what I've seen in my environment alone in terms of missed meetings and broken supply chains is also a cost factor. If projects cannot be continued and production comes to a standstill, that costs money. Money from all of us. And very few of us have been asked if we agree. Not to be misunderstood: I don't want to question the great good of the right to strike. However, I am of the opinion that the proportionality of the means must not be lost sight of.

Personal happy moment of the week:

It was a summer weekend at the weekend - with temperatures of almost 30 degrees Celsius in southern Germany. We took advantage of this to kick off the cycling season. Of course, we started with a harmless route that we already knew, and of course to a nice country inn that we also already knew. And we were not disappointed. That will comfort us when the temperatures now drop back down to 2 degrees and it rains. Just a normal April. Good too. And nature is happy.

As I write this...

...I am delighted that we may soon have a fiber connection at home. It makes perfect sense for a household with adults working from the home office and teenagers on the internet. Especially if we usually stream music during the day and a series or movie in the evening. I find this astonishing because we live in a village with a maximum of 200 inhabitants. I hardly think that's profitable. It's more likely to be categorized as an infrastructural measure that a municipality implements for its population. It's nice that in this country we don't always just look at the money.

Post Scriptum

Employers' President Rainer Dulger is stunned by the German government's planned "Pension Package II", because it "now wants to massively increase pension spending once again, even though we are facing the biggest ageing spurt ever seen in Germany". Sounds logical. Especially because the pension system has long been financed not only by the contributions of the working population, but increasingly by subsidies from the tax pot. If fewer and fewer people are working and paying tax, while society is (over)ageing at the same time, this creates a gap. Who should pay for this? Especially when the burden of taxes and contributions is already so high - and not just by international standards?

On the other hand, many pensioners are already living at the limits of what is feasible in view of the constantly rising cost of living. In many cases, it is no longer possible to speak of "living", but rather of "existing". That is sad. Unfortunately, it is no bad joke that some people buy dog food without being able to afford a dog. It must be the task of every society to care for its weak, young and old when they can not do so themselves. Especially if they have done the best they can. But a woman, for example, who has raised several children and then cared for her sick parents is not taken into account by the system. After all, she has never paid into the system - at least not in monetary terms. Old-age poverty is an ugly word. But it is increasingly becoming the bitter reality.

[dylanndr]

TL;DR:

Trans Izzy headcanon is not universally accepted by all trans men and can be traumatizing to some of us (even us Izzy stans!), so don't assume that any given trans man is into it. Figure out where someone is before tagging them in to Trans Izzy stuff.

The long version:

[CN for frank discussion of gender dysphoria]

I understand that Trans Izzy is a popular headcanon, and I understand that a lot of trans guys feel affirmed and validated by that headcanon. This post is not about bursting that bubble. If it's working for you, fine. Do your thing.

I want to make clear, though, that it is NOT a universal headcanon that all trans guys are on board with. I keep getting tagged into Trans Izzy stuff by well-meaning people who assume I must be all about it, when what it actually does is trigger a massive dysphoria spiral that can flatten me for hours or days after.

I was sincerely hoping I could desensitize myself, but it turns out "have you simply tried not having dysphoria" isn't working any better this time than it did when that first therapist I ever went to offered that as a solution when I told him I thought I was trans.

So: Trans Izzy headcanon stuff is a SEVERE dysphoria trigger for me and I can't engage with it at all. I can't look at the art, I can't read the fics or meta. I don't click on Izzy tags or join Izzy groups because of it.

If you've read this blog at all, you know I love Izzy and I have spent a lot of time thinking about him. I have never encountered one single thing about him that gives me trans validation feels (no, not even his height relative to the other characters). I have encountered several things about him that are the polar opposite of my experience as a trans person. Obviously a lot of other trans guys are having a very different experience of the character, but for me, for my own experience there is N O T H I N G relatable about him from a trans perspective, and a number of things that feel actively wrong to me when put into a trans frame. It's like having my gender experience anti-validated.

In addition to the dysphoria, I'm just generally grossed out by the idea of a cis* actor playing a trans character. There's no excuse for that in our current era. [*AFAIK Con is cis, given that he self-labels as an ally when posting pro-trans content. He's clearly pretty chill about the HC. But either way he is not a trans man and should not be playing one on TV.]

So: I am asking people please do not tag me in any Trans Izzy stuff, and please don't make a blanket assumption that all trans guys are into Trans Izzy HC.

Final word: from the stuff I have seen, not a single one of you has the faintest clue how trans men on HRT experience menopause. That's not really your fault, since our culture barely acknowledges menopause in cis women as it is. Finding accurate info on trans man menopause is nigh impossible. So here are some basics:

If you've had a hysto before you would have hit menopause, you will not go through menopause. There's nothing to wind down.

If you haven't had a hysto but are on masculinizing levels of T, you are unlikely to experience any menopause symptoms at all. The T suppresses them. If you've been on HRT for a long time, your body will stop absorbing it as well as you get older, and you could experience some lessened symptoms if your levels drop low enough. But all you have to do is increase your dose and you're back to T overriding menopause symptoms. My doctor specializes in trans medicine, has been in practice for over 30 years, and has had almost none of her trans man patients complain of menopause symptoms in all that time.

As far as sex-in-the-front goes, T dries you out to some extent, menopause dries you out even more. You're almost certainly not going to be making puddles, and you're going to be running through a lot of lube. Get a few barrels of it and use them as ballast if you're going to be at sea for awhile.