#How am I supposed to limit myself to 10 Favorites

[theearlgreymage]

Ten Favorite Shows

Rules: Post Gifs from your 10 Favorite Shows without naming them. Then Tag 10 people

Thanks @shrekgogurt @hushed-chorus and @stardustasincocaine for the Tags 😘Ya'll are a bunch of cutie pies

Have I made this show my entire personality? Probably. Am I going to stop? Nope.

2. My childhood. Rewatch at least twice a year.

3. A new one but oh my god has it gripped my heart. Everyone should watch this ASAP

4. A fucking MASTERPIECE I tell you A GODDAMN FUCKING MASTERPIECE

5. Look. I have a thing for Vampires. Leave me alone.

6. Just. Look at them. They're figure skaters and they're gay and I will die protecting them

7. Do I even need to say it? I would pay my entire lifes networth to have Henry Caville all grimed up and whispering fuck in my ear.

8. We never truly escape our pasts. Even the dark parts. When I binged this ENTIRE series in under three months. I was a different person then, but cannot gloss over it's impact on my brain

9. This is arguably the cutest comedy I have ever watched. And yes, I identify with Jessica Day a bit too much.

10. The FUNNIEST fucking show I have ever seen. Fight me.

And now to Tag 10 Lovely Individuals @ic3-que3n @artsyunderstudy @theimpossibledemon @cutestkilla @buffy @upuntil6am @thewholelemon @monbons @ackerslut @madebydun

Honorable Mentions because 10 is not a long enough list below the cut 😎

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Rose's Day of Asks

Gorgeous gif central. Past and present. Favourite cuties to gif?

Have a great Day💜

My favorite Rose, hello 🌹 What a beautiful day this Rose's Day of Asks is 😊

I love your ask for me, that had me slightly on the edge of madness because how am I supposed to decide on this? But there is no limit to how many cuties I can choose *insert evil laughter*.

Based on the number of sets I have created for each show, KinnPorsche should be in first place, but I wouldn't consider them "cuties". And as much as I loved giffing this show, they are not in my list of favorites anymore. There are cuties I made just one or two sets for, which are way higher in my list of favorites, like Sing My Crush - Baram x Hantae. I just loved catching their cute moments in my gifs.

Rose's Day of Asks: Past and Present. Favorite Cuties to gif.

Past

The shows may be from the past, but are still present in my heart. And to clarify, the past is everything from 2023 and before. I had to draw a line somewhere😅

Kawi x Pisaeng from Be my Favorite

Those two had me in a chokehold. Kawi's story of becoming the best version he could possible be was so good, emotional, inspiring and relatable. And Pisaeng's journey to love himself and be true to his feelings was so beautiful. I loved all of this show. And those two are just so CUTE!!!! I mean look at them:

Guess it is time for a rewatch...

Dongwook x Dohyun from A Breeze of Love

They have the cutes smiles and yes, the story might not be the most original, but it was one of my favorite shows from 2023. I loved their story and their love and just them. Dongwook was finally ready to be true to himself and his feelings for Dohyun and the latter understood what happend in the past, but that there was a chance for both of them in the present and future And they went for it and finally became happy together and them together is the cutes shit out there! And I loved giffing their moments. It felt like being a part of their journey, even though I made just a few gifs. They are in my heart forever!

Ai Di x Chen Yi from Kiseki

Those are the two biggest and deadliest puppies out there. The fact that they needed this fucking long to finally get together and as soon as they become a couple they are this whole cheesy lovebirds is just the ultimate cuteness. I mean Chen Yi allows Ai Di to die first and then won't be able to live without him for one teeny tiny second. And who wouldn't want to pinch Ai Di's cheeks?

Vice Versa

It is not so much the couple I loved to gif, but the show itself. I was totally amazed by the color concept for each episode and was obsessed with finding the perfect scenes. Talay and Puen were cute, but the show itself was kind of a mess and a little bit lost on its way to the final, and I love JimmySea way more in Last Twilight, but for the whole giffing part, this show was so much fun to work with.

Present (2024 and ongoing series)

I have to admit, I am in a little giffing-slumb for a few weeks now. Nothing serious, but I need to find my rhythm again after my long sickness and the overfilled fridays. On fridays I have a short work day and more time for my hobbies, but since today I am working part-time and hopefully I get more time for myself and my hobbies again. But I digress 😅

Starting this with the same pairing we left the past with:

JimmySea aka Mhok x Day from Last Twilight

I was so in love with this series and them until they fucked up the ending (imo). I am still not very fond of the ending. But I am still very fond of them until episode 9/10. I still love Mhok and think he is the biggest and cutest green flag out there. I loved to gif their journey of how they found each other. I cried with them and I laughed with them, and in the end I cried for them...

Myungha x Yeowoon from Love for Love's Sake

Just them! Them! Them! Them! Them! Them! Them! I love them. They were perfect. This show was perfect. And especially Yeowoon's facial expressions were pure perfection. It was a cuteness overload. Myungha still owns my whole heart and he was cute in his own way. This was, without a doubt, my favorite korean bl ever and one of my most beloved couples ever. My love for them is still as strong as it was when this series aired. I am still kind of obsessed.

I mean... look at them!

Qian x Yuan from Unknown

Okay, perhaps these aren't really cuties on the first look, but let's be honest: The first few episodes Yuan is such a cute puppy, orbiting around Qian. And Kurt is such a handsome young man. And don't get me started on Chris' smile - addicting. Yeah, I am kinda obsessed with them and their story. And this story is everything but cute right now, but for me these two are the cutest and I will gif the shit out of them! And I guess from epsiode 8 on, we will all lose our shit when their relationship change into something really... "cute".

Okay, these are a few of my beloved cuties I enjoyed giffing. There are way more and I could make this list go on forever, but I have to go to bed now 😅

This was such a fun ask! Thank you so very much! 🌹 And I hope you have a great day yourself! 🤍

[achaotichuman]

Hope your cafe is cozy!

So many questions to ask but I shall limit myself to five

7, 13 (it’s a ten I just want you to brag about yourself no humility needed), 21, 29, 30

It issss I love my little cafe. I love all of these questions so much, thank youu!!!

Your favourite ao3 tag.

Ooooh the combination of heavy angst, hurt/comfort and angst with a happy ending. If I see those tags I go insane, those are some of my favorite fics. I also love including those tags in my fics, they are the best combo!

Rate your worldbuilding skills from 1 to 10.

I'm so happy you like my worldbuilding!!! It has gotten so much better over the last few years, it used to be something I really struggled with so I am working hard to perfect it!! I'd say it's at an eight now, I want to work on it more, but I am really loving where I am going with my skills!!

Can you accurately predict how long your fics are going to be? If you can, what's your secret?

Oh god no, I highly respect the people that can, but drafting and outlining is something I really struggle with. I can make a moderate range on how long a fic might be, but that's really also putting a time limit on myself so I am more motivated to actually finish writing. Generally it ends up taking either longer or shorter than I thought it would.

What's the hardest thing about writing?

Drafting, outlining, all of that. I love doing research, but I am still trying really hard to work on getting my ideas down and making some kind of guide before I start. I really do need the guide because if I don't have it I will skew way off from what I was supposed to be writing and will get lost. But it's really annoying to make.

Describe a fic that almost happened, but then it didn't.

The first fic I ever started writing for the ACOTAR fandom!! It was a fic based around Elain, Tamlin and Lucien. Elain is a maladaptive daydreamer who is now having visions about something being very odd in Spring she goes down a rabbit hole finding out about Tamlin's mother and meeting her in visions.

The destruction of Spring was mostly as a mask. As Tamlin was rebuilding he built a ward of magic around Spring that gave it the appearence of still being in destruction. Lucien finds out. Tamlin has connections to Koschei, and Koschei is a different person than originally thought.

I wrote the first chapter, hated it, scraped it, did something different. Wrote A Court of Song and Desolation and forgot about it. It was titled Something's Brewing In The Spring Court.

Thank you so much for the questions!! I loved answering them!!

[languagestudymaterials]

How to learn new words in your target language

Read about my personal experience here

Vocabulary, or linguistically speaking: lexis, is relatively easy to learn. You get a list, you memorize it, and you feel like you’re good to go.

But after a while, you realize that you can’t communicate. You blame your poor vocabulary for it, so you study more, and then again, you can’t communicate… and that’s how you start vicious circles. How come tho? You memorized so many words, so many swipes on Memirse, Quizlet, and Anki and you still can’t handle a conversation.

Let me show you where the problem is.

What does it mean to be conversational?

Well, it’s easy; you want to be able to strike up a conversation with a native or a non-native speaker and carry it for a longer period, utter meaningful sentences, and survive, right?

The first thing that comes to your mind is “To do that, I need to know more words” (that’s where our vicious circle starts). You go to Memirse, Quizlet, or Anki and you start memorizing your super long word lists.

Tip#1 To be conversational, decide what topic you want to talk about in the first place. About games? Fashion? Daily activities? Search useful language related to the topics you want to learn to talk about.

Tip#2 Set mini goals, for example, “By the end of this week I want to be able to talk about my favorite game!” and focus solely on that.  

Pockets of fluency

Have you heard of that? An extremely useful term. When you study a language, at some point you’re becoming well-versed in certain topics. You know lots of words related to those topics, and they create your pockets of fluency. I’m well-versed in teaching methodologies and anime because I studied the first one (I’m a language learner myself too) and I’m obsessed with the other one (my master’s thesis is on anime). In this case, my pockets of fluency are extremely full.

Pockets of fluency = topics you want to be able to talk about → becoming conversational.

English for work or other professional purposes

Sit down, then, and think about your duties at work. What phrases, words, and sentences do you use daily? Make a list of them and start searching for translations. Don’t limit yourself to words only; look for whole sentences too. Are you a sewer? Then look for articles related to sewing, extract useful language, and adapt it to your needs.

Tip #3 Useful language in teaching means words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. Not just words! To become conversational, you need to learn as much useful language as possible.

Tip #4 Don’t look for lists of words only. They are a good jumping-off point, but you need more. Articles, people’s comments, videos will help you sound more natural.

Avoid these!

Learning words that you don’t really need. Let me tell you, during my college years, I learned a shit ton of words that I haven’t even used since then (not even once). I’ve seen, maybe, 10 in novels and NY Times articles. But hey, that’s what you get when you major in languages.

Off-topic!

Whenever your brain sees new words, it immediately starts making connections with the words it already knows. That’s why you remember some words faster and some not. When you learn a completely new word, your brain is kind of lost, it sort of asks:

What am I supposed to do with that word?

So, your brain puts it in a random place and just waits… for you to use it again in a context. When you use words in context, your brain easily associates the new words with the old words, it says:

Hey! I remember that! We spoke about it last time, and we used these words… ok I’m going to put it here, in this pocket of fluency, seems useful!

Conclusion? If you don’t use words, your brain forgets them.

Passive learning is another thing to avoid

Study actively. Anki, Memrise, and Quizlet are good for revisions, but real learning starts when you use the words you’ve learned in real-life situations. If you can’t put yourself in such situations then create them yourself, in your head, on paper, with other language learners.

An example from my classroom

The instruction says: What words do you already know? Check your knowledge first. Don't look for words without verifying what you already know. The blue box is for words you know. The pink one is for words you don't know. To expand your vocabulary, you can create a mind map, like the one below the boxes. You can start with vague words, for example: activities you associate with housework, and then look for more detailed vocabulary related to each specific word.

[dontmindme2600]

Hi again......If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

OH MY GOD I’D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE MY BAD BECAUSE I LEFT THIS SITTING IN MY DRAFTS AND TOTALLY FORGOT TO ANSWER THIS!! Anyways, top 7, in no particular order:

Hunter x Hunter: I’m not as into this as I was in middle school but it’s never left my mind. Definitely my favorite shonen, Togashi’s originality with the series is really refreshing. (I also love Yu Yu Hakusho by him!!) As weird as it gets the characters and story are always a blast to follow. The villains also go hard. I finished the 2011 anime and I have up to volume 13 of the manga! I’d love to catch up fully since it’s being updated again, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. It’s something that I’ve always been inspired by even if I don’t want to make something that’s gonna be EXACTLY like it anymore lol.

Cowboy Bebop: I tried to limit myself to one (1) Shinichiro Watanabe anime for this list, but his other stuff fucks as well. I love Spike. (bet you never would’ve guessed!!) It’s hard to put into words in a way that doesn’t sound incredibly dumb. But. Every character introduced has their own unique worldview, backstory, flaws, etc. It sounds so fucking stupid because yeah, that’s what a character is supposed to have?? But this anime does that REALLY well?? I think what I’m trying to say is that the show does a great job of presenting different lifestyles and perspectives without worrying about making the audience uncomfortable. The anime is all about human connections and how they impact the characters and I LOVE that. It was also pretty moving to me, lots of great emotional moments. The episode where they find Faye’s old cassette recording and the one with Gren’s death will always stay with me. (Also the Andy one, but only because I think it’s funny as hell.) Watanabe is my favorite anime director ever and if you love Bebop I recommend checking out some of his other stuff as well! (Also props to an anime director that isn’t afraid of diversity in his character designs)

Witch Hat Atelier: I’m not nearly as caught up with this as I would like to be but!!! I love the writing, worldbuilding, and characters. I wish more manga were like this. Not like, aesthetically, but like quality wise. Everything is done really well and the art and paneling is GORGEOUS omfg. Also Kamome Shirahama is a very cool and progressive person and it’s just nice to read a manga by someone like her. I’m hyped as hell for the anime and can’t wait to see WHA reach a larger audience!! (Even with all the bad stuff it may bring, lmao)

Invader Zim: This one is probably the most different from the rest of the list lol. I’ll rewatch a few episodes of this every once in a while. It’s one of the only shows I watch that actually makes me laugh out loud. I also don’t think I’ve really seen anything else like it??? Sure there’s stuff that’s it’s pretty similar to but you cant really say, “wow, this is exactly like ____!” which is super cool. There’s not a major character in the show that I can say I hate or even just am neutral on, I love them all. I’m not usually a fan of stuff the gross-out humor it does, especially in the first season, but just about everything else about it just lives in my brain rent free. I think it’s a really unique and funny show and I just vibe with it stylistically as well. Seriously, I love the art style and just overall,,, edgy vibe. I absolutely do not care that it’s a kid’s show and I unironically think it’s super cool lmao. I know should probably check out some of Jhonen’s other stuff but I haven’t done that yet…

The Ace Attorney Trilogy: This one is more so just Shu Takumi in general. It’s a hard choice because I love Apollo Justice as well, and I also considered Ghost Trick (also by Takumi) but Agh!! The trilogy is the most iconic to me so I’m going with that. I just love seeing and interacting with all the unique characters the series has to offer. I’ve always liked how Takumi isn’t afraid to stray away from the generic skinny anime designs for his characters, it makes his characters feel very unique and memorable. He seems to be against having most of his characters be one dimensional, giving them their own struggles and aspirations, regardless of if they’re a “silly” character or not. I love it! It makes them more memorable and enjoyable than many other visual novel characters to me. (Please remember that I also love Ghost Trick holy fuck it’s so good)

Yakuza 0: I’m going to be 100% for real and admit that I discovered this series because of a bunch of stupid clips I saw of it on YouTube. It wasn’t the dame da ne memes, this was before that. But like, clips of all the silly stuff you can do in game like dance, receive a chicken as a gift for winning at bowling, assign said chicken a position at your real estate business, etc. So I bought it on a whim looking for a laugh. And. Holy FUCK. I did not expect the actual real serious story of this game to hit me as hard as it did. Just a good, moving story. I was THOROUGHLY emotionally invested in both Majima and Kiryu’s storylines by like, chapter 2 for both of them. I think it made me cry?? The fact that you can experience both that and the stupid shit, on top of the fun combat, makes it an S tier game for me. I plan to continue with the rest of the series (so far I’ve gotten through Kiwami 1 and 2 and loved them) but 0 has so far been my absolute favorite.

Pokemon: It’s not a perfect series but I always find myself getting back into it for a while every year. I’ve been a fan since I was just old enough to read, what can else can I say? I don’t have a super deep reason for this it’s just something that’s always been comfortable and fun!! The worldbuilding, story, music, and characters, really shine through in some of my favorite games in the series. And regardless of story, the gameplay is always fun.

It’s hard for me to determine my favorite anything but for this I tried to go by:

-How often I ended up going back to these

-How much each work made an emotional impact on me (not just the deep stuff, can also include things like making me laugh)

-How much each of these inspired me (like as in inspired my art or made me think “I want to make something like that!!!”) I think I’ve thought to that at least once for everything in here! It’s actually kind of scary because they’re all so different-

I’m probably missing something here but this should give you an idea!! If I spend any longer on this I’m just gonna keep changing it lolllll

[luimagines]

*Runs in like I have a lynel on my heels, hands you a basket filled with warm drinks and sweet snacks with a note, promptly passes out without elaborating* Greetings, first of all, how have you been doing? Also, Happy Late Tears of The Kingdom release date. Second of all, finally an excuse to ramble about your works as much as the Tumblr word account limit will allow me in an extensive way like a greek orator holding assembly like Plato talking about Atlantis. Or well at least some, cause if I were to ramble about everything you've posted so far we'd be here all day (SPECIALLY if I were to gush about Time and Twilight), so I'll limit myself to an arguable top six for today.

Ahem. *Clears throat* Anyway if I have to pick any works that are my favorite of yours, my very first pick would likely be the Fear Room.

Wind and his intense trauma about losing Aryll? His desperation as an elder brother who was supposed to protect her and thought he failed again? Wild and all of the ghosts of his kingdom that haunts his steps because he died way back when because he failed and the feeling of survivor's guilt being in full display? That if he could he'd trade his life for theirs so he wouldn't need to live with the most intense feeling of failure out of all the Links and to look at Hyrule and Zelda and everything like the pages of an old faded book? To say goodbyes to people he doesn't know anymore? Sky and his feelings over never being enough? Of always being just a second too late while the people he cares for are in danger and out of his reach, further made worse by the fact Demise's Curse took hold because of his actions/inaction in Skyward Sword and that feeling further exacerbated by Impa through the game? Hyrule not wanting all that he went through to be for naught and not wanting to be all alone again, specially given that without Zelda he wouldn't be able to keep Ganon at bay alone? Twilight's pure anguish and desperation of seeing bad things happen to his loved ones and losing them again and again and being unable to do anything about it? Time being so afraid of losing control over the Fierce Deity and being so, so, so tired. Tired of being strong, tired of being thrust into adventure after adventure and having his agency denied again and again on wether or not he wants to continue on or not? That he has been strong for so long that he not only just cracks, but BREAKS. Warriors pulling his punches because even if it looks like his shield brothers betrayed him and he's tired of traitors he doesn't want to believe it and doesn't want to hurt them? Four failing to save Dot, his childhood friend and in turn likely losing not only Ezlo but the colors and Shadow, literally pieces of himself after he jigsaw puzzled them back together and likely can't see himself living without them? LEGEND WITH THE KOHOLINT TRAUMA? Not to mention all of the other people he lost over the years, his parents, his uncle, technically Sir Raven of we go by the manga who was basically like a brother to him (also know as an incredibly gorgeous man I am itching to write for after the Fairy Tale series is done), Marin, technically Ravio and Hilda if Ravio doesn't go to live in his house after LBTW's, and finally Reader's reaction and lingering trepidation after it's all said and done, it's really well written horror and the horror enthusiast in me delights in it even if it's pure pain and my dog will never not be startled when I giddily cackle over it, 1000/10, would absolutely read again. Plus it inspired stuff for certain parts of the Fairy Tale au.

Tending Temptations, First and Reader are "Just Friends", calling them by their name and Prince Twilight- *takes a deep breath* What it I just die? Those are also a one shot and drabble that will need their own post, but let's just say that the frequency I reach when I read any of them and makes me way too soft and should probably only be heard by small mice, because I adore the way you portray Time and Twilight and First specially given there's maybe only one other author who writes them as well (shout out to Dreaming of Lu and their impeccable Time and First takes) and I love the way you write Twilight with all my heart, I don't think there's anyone who's come as close to delighting me when writing him so really, thank you so much for all your work in the fandom!

And finally, if predictably, the Fairy Tale and Dragon au, Dragon au will have to be it's own thing but I feel like the Fairy Tale au is probably a bit self explanatory since I'm writing a series based on it xD, but also I really like seeing the Links throw into a sudden situation and how they'll adapt and react to it and a great way to do that is to throw them into Fairy Tales we know or even in myths (*cough cough* Just saying, Twilight would kill it as Tam Lin and Time would make an amazing Odysseus) and you have some really unique ideas, so definitely a must read and what inspired me into trying to expand on it in greater detail (when life isn't kicking me in the ribs that is).

Overall, you're a great writer, and reading your stuff after bad days is an almost sure fire way to brighten my day and to make anyone's day, so thank you for all your work in the fandom! Hope you're doing well!

-Just an Anon on a Stroll 🐚/WintertimeStoryteller.

Dreaming of Lu is truly a master of their craft.

I'm glad you enjoyed the Fear Room so much! I don't write horror! Hardly ever! XD I thought I would have botched it.

And I'm sure you'll be happy to know that an expansion of Legend's segment for Fairytale au is queued up for later this year and that Dragon au is also getting a full sized fic expansion beginning in August. (Warrior centric, but I digress. XD)

I'm glad you enjoy the way I write Twilight though! He's one of my favorite so I'm happy to do him justice. :D

[nyelung]

Fic author interview! Let's see what that sets rolling in my head. Maybe even some words for fic? Thank you @lynne-monstr <3

No-pressure tagging: @narina-vhey @dragonpyre @theloneliestshipper

How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently 26 after I went on a bit of an orphaning (and deletion) spree last year.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

397,281. Also a victim of last year, I guess, but I'm getting back there. I kinda hope to find the time to raise that to 500k and feel good with what I've written but we'll see.

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Hence begins the journey (part 4 of the vampire Percy series I'm writing) - 598

The Ferryman (potc) - 474

Negotiator's Garden (star wars OS) - 414

Of New Beginnings (part 1 of the vampire Percy series I'm writing) - 344

Far Dawn (part 3 of the vampire Percy... well, you can guess it) - 307

Well, I'm seeing a pattern here is all I'm saying. I'm also wistfully staring at the Ferryman because, well, that's no longer my baby because it's too old for that but that fic has been with me for a while and looking at it now I really want to get around to officially finishing it someday. It's also hilarious to see that Star Wars oneshot up there but I guess vaguely fae Obi-Wan is a fun premise. Fond memories writing that one.

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do. There are a few comments in my inbox that are a bit of a pile of shame right now but generally I respond to comments because I love talking about the fic I share. Like that one post so eloquently put it: I write for myself, I share for a feeling of community. Or something like that.

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

Ooof, that's a tough question because I don't like angsty endings with a few rare exceptions. I think the closest I got online can aspire to vaguely ominous (as in hinting at Order 66) but that's not much, is it?

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

Another tough question because I don't go darker than bittersweet for endings I write so, in a way, they're all more or less happy endings? Hmm, I would say maybe No Doubt In Us (TKA canon divergence) bc a) it's actually finished and b) the characters worked hard for their ending and got it.

7. Do you write crossovers?

Not as often as I'd like to and somehow I never get around to finishing them.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

One or two unhappy comments when I wrote Obi-Wan as bisexual (I mean, come on, look at the guy. He's supposed to be straight?) because how dare I write him like that but that's about it.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Rarely and somehow usually as a gift for one person or another. Curious.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not apart from those mass-stealing incidents where lots of fic got copied to other sites and all that. At least not that I know of.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I think ten years ago or so someone wanted to translate one of my fics into russian but I honestly can't remember what came of that.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, actually, with the wonderful @theloneliestshipper and with @narina-vhey but overall I prefer to write on my own because I got my own approach, time limitations and all in all it just became too stressful.

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

I don't have one. On further thought, I don't think I'd be happy having an all-time favourite. I prefer that to stay in constant flux.

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

Oh, that's difficult. Stuff from the pile of shame, probably, so i'll pass on this answer^^

15. What are your writing strengths?

I am told that I manage to keep the characters in character but I think my favourite thing that one person pointed out was that I am good at building connections between canon tidbits to make up new canon divergences and headcanons.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Since my favourite topic is canon divergence, most of my plotbunnies have a tendency to turn into longfic which, as we all know, is not that easy to finish.

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

I could read this question in two ways but I think it means writing dialogue in a different language than the general narration and, no, just no. I don't automatically pass on a fic for that if it's using phrases from a conlang in moderation but usually it's just far more confusing than enriching the experience for me.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Oh, hmm. I'm not sure. The first fandom stuff I did online was for Yu-Gi-Oh and Detective Conan, I think. First fanfic was probably some OC for some high fantasy novel or other.

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

Polymachina (I'm getting there) and zjl/xby/szp for King's Avatar.

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written

I can't choose but the whole vampire Percy series has some of my favourite moments I've written, so I'll go with that one.

[purplesurveys]

1814

1. Who was the last person you forgave? How long did it take you to forgive them? I haven't had to forgive someone in a while; I don't get in much conflict anymore.

2. Is going mushroom hunting in the woods something that would interest you? No. Don't mushrooms like, run the risk of being super deadly? I don't have nearly enough knowledge about them to identify which ones would be safe to touch and such.

3. What is your favorite junk food? How about your favorite health food? Mozzarella sticks, arancini, pork isaw, French fries. Favorite health food...uhhhhh idk do salad wraps count? Haha they're my favorite thing to get these days! Saladstop has this Caesar wrap that I have probably at least once a week at this point.

4. Are you listening to anything right now? Do you normally listen to music while you take surveys? No, I prefer it to be quiet now. Sometimes I do but most of the time I find it really distracting and I end up taking like, double, triple the time I'd otherwise normally take doing surveys.

5. What were you doing the last time you hung out with a friend? It was well over a month ago but I saw my closest friends for a Christmas gift exchanging + dinner. We were supposed to head to a café after to continue talking, but while walking we saw this vapery(?) - idk what to call it, but it's a coffee shop that also sells vapes and allows you to do so inside - and went there instead and chatted it up with the owners since we were the only customers there.

Reena had to leave after an hour and the vapery was closing soon too, so Angela, Hans, and I went to Anj's house so we could TALK SOME MORE. Hahaha. We only see each other, like, quarterly now, so we're usually stuffed to the brim with stories when we have the time to see each other.

6. Is there anything about you that might cause others to dislike you? I tend to choose who I want to talk to, so those I might not approach may find me aloof and uninterested. It's because I am tbh, lol.

7. Is there anything you’re really particular or specific about, anything that has to be done a certain way every time? I'm very particular at work. I like things presented or explained a certain way; and I have the tendency to either overhaul a Powerpoint if I think it's lacking in how it's been made, or chime in for someone if I think they explain something in a way that I think is poorly.

8. Are there any chores you need to get done today? Just get rid of the mug and glass that's been sitting in my room and wash them.

9. Where was the last place you went shopping and what did you buy? I went to Landmark to buy a pastel gown + heels for the 18th birthday party of a family friend that I'm going to later this evening.

10. What was the last big change you made to your physical appearance? Dyeing my hair back to purple a couple of months ago.

11. Are you more likely to shut people out of your life or try to fix things no matter what? I will cut people off.

12. Where was the last place you went out to eat? Is going out something you enjoy or would you rather cook at home? To Red Keep last weekend just for some little me time. I had a spamsilog and a white mocha, which I had while filling in my journal and reading my book.

I like eating out because I can't cook, but I limit it because doing that everyday for every meal is super unsustainable. Plus with me resigning and not having an immediate job replacement, I'm gonna be a bit of a hardass on myself not to spend much until I can find a new source of income.

13. If you have any pets, do they seem to notice when you’re sick or sad? Not really, but it's okay with me. Kimi though is a different story; he liked keeping to himself but he would walk towards me if he can sense that I'm stressed or close to tears.

15. Is anything you’ve done lately going to matter in a year?  Yeah, absolutely.

16. What was the subject of your last phone call? It was a guy dropping off something at the office and needing to be guided STEP BY FUCKING STEP to get there. I don't have problems helping out people with directions, but I've also just never dealt with someone who needed to be told every turn, every stop, every move... and especially over the phone where I wouldn't be able to see where he was standing haha.

17. Are your hobbies something you’d rather do alone or with others? On my own. I don't like going to museums with someone else just cos it makes me super self conscious? Like I can stay 3-4 hours in one museum alone and I'm also not a big talker when I'm immersed, so I might just end up boring a companion to death.

18. Is there anything about yourself that you’re trying to improve? Trying to be gentler towards my teammates as I know everyone is overwhelmed and tired as it is.

19. What are you doing today? I went to the dentist and had a horrible experience because they were 1 hour late to our appointment; got a big order of flavored fries and corndogs to cheer myself up after the grueling wait; took a nap; and now I'm just killing time before I'd need to get up and prep for the debut I'm attending tonight.

20. What did you dream about last night? I can't remember. But in my nap an hour ago I dreamt that we went to Japan, but it was an overnight stay LOL so I spent more time at the airport than I did in the country.

21. When was the last time you visited relatives? Do you see extended family often? It was during the whole Christmas/New Year timeline when we drove out to see different sides of extended family. I'd say these things happen pretty much only during the holidays, but occasionally in the middle of the year when things end up being planned we'd also visit family then.

22. What was the last relaxing thing you did? Last weekend was a major Chef's Kiss weekend. I'm amazed at how peaceful it felt and the calming effect it had on me. Saturday I went to Red Keep where I dined al fresco, wrote in my journal, and read my book until the sun set and I couldn't read anymore. Sunday I spent the afternoon in UP where I sat under a tree and alternated between people-watching and finishing my book as the afternoon rolled on.

23. Will this weekend be better than last weekend? Nothing will top the past weekend, I'm afraid.

24. When was the last time you were there for a friend? Just the last couple of weeks. Angela's morale has been down what with the pressure of studying for the architecture boards, and I've been there to listen but also give advice if she needs it.

25. Do you have any jewelry you almost never take off? At one point it was the necklace Reena gave me, but it started to itch so I've removed it for now.

26. What are some of your favorite words? Poignant, eloquent, vivacious...and indicted and viscount just because I'm fascinated with how they're both pronounced nothing like they're spelled lol.

27. Do you have any journals from when you were younger? If so, do you ever go back and read them? No I think I got rid of them years ago because they were all pretty embarrassing to me and it's not really something I'd want to keep.

28. Are there any holidays you used to celebrate, but no longer do? I no longer observe Christmas for the Christian reason. I'm just here for the food.

29. What was the last occasion for which you dressed up? A family friend's daughter's 18th birthday party, from which I just came home actually.

30. Is there anything you wish you could say to anyone? I wish you could trust me more because today was very telling of how much you don't, and that kind of stung.

[tobyfoxbutreal]

EVERYONE FAVORITE NUMBER AND COLOR!

Toriel: Well, my child, I’d have to say… well, 80 is nice… and so is purple!

sans undertale: ehh, 1’s nice and short. y’know, like me. and, uhhh… vermillion. ‘s what my bro wears.

THE GREAT PAPYRUS: NYEH HEH! YOU WISH TO KNOW MY FAVORITES? WELL, MY FAVORITES ARE 20 AND VERMILLION! IT’S THE COLOR OF MY SCARF AND BOOTS!

yup. color 20.

NO, THEY’RE VERMILLION!!!!

Undyne: You wanna know MINE?? Well, I like 50. Y’know, right midway. And I, uh.. like yellow. If ya know what I mean. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Alphys: U-Undyne!! Ehehehe.

A-anywho, I like 50, and am torn between blue and red =^-^=

[my best approximation of] Mettaton: My favorites, darling? Well, if you insist.

255’s an oldie but a goodie, at least according to most computers. And, well…

If you don’t know I like pink, have you even seen my brand, darling?

Asgore: My favorite number and color, eh? Hmm…

Well, 80’s nice, and… vermillion’s calming, like a warm fire in Snowdin.

G: 666 AND BLACK. NOW GO.

12th Month: Heh! ‘Course Goopster’s mad.

HEY.

Anywho, I like 3 and green.

Specifically the green of light tricklin’ through green leaves.

Flowey: YOU of all people? Heh. Well, after being a flower for so long, you begin to not like anything.

But, if ya wanted Azzy’s…

Flowey, mimicking Asriel: Do’h boy! I sure do just love yellow and infinity!

Flowey: Happy?

Frisk: I am naught but a vessel for the player’s actions. I doth not have any opinions other than the ones of those who control me’s.

The First Fallen Human: …

…Brown and 6. Now leave me alone.

That One Talking Rock From The Ruins (AKA Speedrunner’s Bane): Well, I’m partial to purple. ‘S the color of where I spent a lotta my life. Ya don’t just forget that.

And, well… I suppose 20’s nice.

Snowman From Snowdin Forest: White’s really nice. Y’know, color of snow. And, uhh…

3’s nice too.

Jerry: Leave me the hell alone, freak. *crowd boos*

Shopkeeper Bunny (QC): Well, darlin’, if ya ask me, orange’s the best ‘round here. So’s 22, ‘cause it’s the amount my homemade Cinna Bunnies heal!

Politics Bear: Well, I quite like blue. Reminds me both of Snowdin’s ice and Waterfall’s walls.

And hey. 16’s pretty good. I’d say “thaaaaat’s politics”, but it wouldn’t make sense to.

Gerson: Wahaha! You goin’ around askin’ everyone, huh?

Well, a dark blue or indigo’s always nice. 18’s pretty good, too.

T3mMie: hOI hOOmaN! Yoo wANt tO kN0 teM’s FavRIt cOluR N nUBmEr?

TEm Lik BLU adn YELLO, yAyA! BLU andn YELLO coLuR oF TEm Sh0p! T3m aLSo liKE Th0rtY 3!

You better not tell anyone though, capiche?

bOI!

Mushroom:

Mushroom dance, Mushroom dance,

Whatever could it mean?

It means light blue and 66.

Hotdog Harpy *rock guitar plays*: Red and 30!

Red’s the color of hotdogs, and 30’s the headstack limit!

H… Hots Fireguy?: THE NAME’S HEATS FLAMESMAN!

Heats Flamesman: Anywho, yellow and 40. Remember that, ok?

Catty: OMG! I absolutely ADORE purple and 300.

Bratty: OMG, like, I like the same number! I prefer green though.

Kris: …

Susie: Well, if you insist I guess?

Blonde and 14.

Ralsei: I like green, and… well, I don’t have a favorite number, so I suppose it’s whatever you like, haha!

Noelle: W-well, uhm, I like 3, and uh…

…Purple…?

Berdly: Well, I like 10 and blue!

Jockington: Well, since you asked, bro.

My faves are 99 and turquoise!

*rock guitar plays Jockington out*

Catti: …

…6.6 repeating.

And black.

Eg: …

Egg(s): …

King: Leave me to myself. I have no reason to speak with you lightners. *crowd boos*

Queen: I Like 11111111 (In Binary Lol) And The Color Blue

Or Whatever The Cyber City’s Color Is Lmao

Lancer: Well, my delicious little worm, I enjoy both 100 AND navy blue!

How’re you gonna counter that, my sweet apple?

JEVIL, JEVIL!!: UEE HEE HEE! CHAOS, CHAOS! THOSE ARE MY FAVORITES!

[Spangtong]: I [Enjoyable] THE NUMBER [π] AND COLOR [Gray]

Heats Flamesman: Well? Did you remember?

❤️Yes No

HOW COULD I BE SO EASILY DEFEATED??????????

[sakumasmut]

this ask will probably very long and pathetic so im sorry ahead of myself </3 YOU DIDNT JUST CHANGE THE POST TEXT TO TALK ABOUT THE GIFT AGAIN,, well obviously i wouldnt say no, and natsume,,, im always open to more natsume content because he is my everything (* >ω<) but you know, as you said in another rb's tags theres seriously so little content of my other favorites that id just feel bad to waste the gift opportunity when i can uhh, magically bring forth more nsfw wataru and leo content because. seriously. theres so little of it!! how!! i went thru their nsfw tags like, these days, and well. ashamed to say the very few there are of wataru, some are from me and even some that contain him and are related to the oddballs are still asks from me!!! no one wants this guy besides me.. ugly sobbing. but also was shocked at how little nsfw content there is of leo? surely hed be more popular so its like.. where is it.. wheres the content!! i did think about you wanting to give me a gift, and i can imagine why youd want to give it (and thinking on par that its not just a late birthday gift </3 but still thanks regardless!!), i was thinking something something with leo and ritsu but.. im not sure what! again if its anything you can just dm me about it or something i suppose </3 or if you do want to keep it as a secret little gift thatd pop up one day i dont mind either! but yeah i realized lately just how sick i am over leo and ritsu. yeah. yyeah. ive been rereading all your content w ritsu and especially the catboy ones.. uwehehe... (´_ゝ`) i kept thinking of scenarios of ritsu inviting leo over in his room with the reader also being there and erm,, wheres mika? i dont know! he can be anywhere he wants to just not here! (i am sorry mika fans. do not make me talk about him or we will reach the forbidden eroguro content. still so sorry for the one anon that didnt know what eroguro is and googled it?? then ended up asking you (ﾟωﾟ) i didnt expect to catastrophically ruin someones life like that... supposedly. my bad) but back to the main thing just uuuuw ive been missing your hcs things that were talking about two characters pursuing the same reader imagine it with leo and ritsu! oh the drama! how jealous filled creatures they both are! incredible! and absolutely phenomenal! but also them both having to share you? think of all the side-eyeing and purposefully paying attention to who you seem to give more attention towards.. they'd be so cute. i have worms in my brain(･ω･｀*). imagine if they were both catboys and so needingly desiring your affection. at once! im going to stop before i explode. i just need them both all over me right now i think. ue. i dont have much to say on behalf of wataru. at this point id just take anything with him because itd be such a rare legendary thing to witness.. ohh the holy grail of ultra rare wataru nsfw (no one wants this clown except me and exactly two other people on your blog) as you said yourself once hed be pretty much open to anything!! the opportunities are endless!! why limit them!! but also ouhhhh i have missed the wataru breeding hcs post.. id almost forgotten hes in puffy bunny even. whenever i think about fucking like rabbits phrase my mind just auto fills it in to nazuna. but ah. applied to wataru. ah. yeah. dont really have anything else to add there but amazing post 10/10 hit me like a rock when i saw it for the first time and may the person who requested that have my forever blessings. i will now sign off before i blow up right in this moment —darlingnon

mmm yeah I suppose you’re right, natsume is quite popular (I even have something for him for next month) but like you said there’s not a lot of writing for wataru or leo, so I’d wanna give you some content for them too! I definitely wouldn’t mind adding ritsu to a leo thing though, more the merrier!

honestly I might just surprise you one day? since I don’t wanna promise a deadline and not make it 🙇 but also very flattering you check my older writing fjehsbdn

[cumulohimbus]

Cumulohimbus's 2023 Digital Painting/Drawing Program Ranking

*Note: this is purely my opinion, and only includes programs I have personally used.*

Digital Painting/Drawing Programs from best to worst

Paint Tool SAI

Krita

Clip Studio Paint

Adobe Photoshop

GIMP

Medibang Paint (Mobile)

Breakdowns under the cut

Paint Tool SAI - Pros: lightweight/fast/responsive, one-time purchase, easy to navigate. Cons: not as many bells and whistles or editing capabilities as other programs, there is a monetary cost associated with it (it is allegedly easily piratable, but I would recommend paying the ~$45 USD to purchase it bc I think it's worth supporting the creator). Probably still my favorite program to use, Paint Tool SAI just runs really well. It's quite beginner friendly, but doesn't have all of the editing capabilities of other programs. That said, it's specifically for digital painting and drawing, and it does a phenomenal job when used for those purposes. 9/10.

Krita - Pros: free, has almost all of the same things you would find in commercial products including basic animation capabilities (I believe they're working on expanding and improving these as well). Cons: runs a bit slow at times, layers & layer modes are kinda complicated to figure out. I got Krita not too terribly long ago, and after exploring it a bit, I think it's perfectly viable up alongside commercial programs. It can lag a little at times, and it has a bit of a learning curve, even for those familiar with digital painting/drawing programs, particularly in how to set up layers and layer modes (I have a document set up to remind of certain steps in Krita, like how to make clipping masks). Other than that though, I'm excited to see the improvements it gets going forward. 8/10.

Clip Studio Paint - Pros: an all around solid program with lots of unique tools and access to a user community where you can acquire additional assets, highly customizable. Cons: paid license subscriptions 🤮, can run slow and lag at times, limited brush options at the start. I tested out CSP fully for the first time yesterday and I was pretty impressed by its capabilities. I especially enjoyed the ability to pull up a bunch of reference images in a sub view window, and a seemingly infinite color history which was super helpful in painting. I wish there had been more brush preset from the get-go so didn't have to teach myself how to get/make more, but the ones that are there are decent enough, and I'll probably use CSP some more before my free 2-year license of it expires. That said, I am disgusted by the paid subscription cost, and if you're a low-income artist, Krita can do a majority of what CSP can, for no cost. 7.5/10.

Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator - Pros: I mean, they can do what you want them to do I guess. Cons: paid license subscriptions 🤮 (by Adobe 🤮🤮). Joking and hatred of big corporations aside, I think both Photoshop and Illustrator would be better if they had more tools for painting/drawing, but you'll still be able to accomplish everything you hope to with them. They're two really well-known programs; Photoshop especially is frequently used for digital painting/drawing, but it's not really built for that. It's got a lot more photo editing capabilities (as it's name implies) than tools for digital painting/drawing/ illustration, though it can do those things just fine. Adobe Fresco is the program that's supposed to be more painterly, but I haven't tried that one out. Not going to give Adobe my money if I can avoid it though. There are cheaper, even free programs, that can do everything Adobe products can do and then some. 7/10.

GIMP - Pros: free + open source, very good editing & selection tools, customizable, you get a lot for $0. Cons: can run pretty slow/lag, actual drawing/painting tools aren't that great, even with pressure sensitive tablets, bit of a learning curve but if you've used other similar programs before GIMP is pretty easy to explore and figure out. I used to use GIMP for making thumbnails for my YouTube videos, and I still really enjoy it's image editing capabilities, but I wouldn't say it's very good for digital drawing and painting. 6/10 since it's free and does some stuff better than commercial programs.

Medibang Paint (Mobile) - Pros: it's nice to have a painting/drawing app I can access on the go, free, has all the basics. Cons: probably better on a device larger than a smartphone lol, mobile UI is a little annoying as well. I haven't tried the freemium version of Medibang, or any other version not on my smartphone. I don't hate it, but I wish the mobile version had a slightly different layout. I'd say the painting/drawing capabilities of Medibang mobile are at least on par with GIMP's, maybe a little better. It's tough to use the editing tools on mobile as well. 6/10.

[wolfkid888-blog]

Short story ideas and plans

I have 4 different stories from the short stories options I wish to write but can only choose 2 so I am in a dilemma. 2. "A group of archeologists unearth an artifact that transports them to various points in history, challenging their understanding of the past." - This gives me Doctor Who vibes. I suppose I can maybe have the artifact be the Tardis or perhaps I can use the Extrapulator from the Arrowverse which I know it's only used for jumping between different Earths but maybe I can change it's settings to using it for time travel. 4. "A librarian stumbles upon a hidden section of the library that contains books about alternate realities – and one of the books seems to be writing itself" - this is something people who write fanfictions such as myself would think of on a daily. As fanfiction writers, we like to think of many "if's" situations and scenarios of what could have happen in the stories we about from our favorite shows, movies, comics, etc. What if a different decision was made? What if this character had a different personality? What if there was another character thrown into the fray? So many what-if's which then becomes stories of alternate universes. That's why certain fanfiction writers have their profile names as The Watcher, The Librarian, The Creator, etc. Mine is the Archivist. We like to watch and read how these stories would have turned out if it had been different and archive it once it reaches it end. I think this would one of the 2 short stories I would write since it suits my taste.

8. "An amateur detective with the ability to talk to shadows delves into a mystery that the shadows are desperate to keep hidden." - this I can imagine using references from the manhwa Solo Leveling as the main character Sung Jin-Woo is the Shadow Monarch and during the ending of the manhwa, he became a detective using his necromancy skill to bring back the dead victims as his shadows to find their killers and giving them the peace they deserve. Perhaps I can use his son as the amateur detective and he delves into the mystery and finds out that his ability was hereditary from his father. Hmmmm..... 10. "A pair of siblings inherit a mysterious old mansion that rearranges its rooms every night, revealing new secrets and histories" - this gives me quite the image indeed. Reminds me of a certain show about these mysterious keys that somehow could unlock and allow people to enter other people's minds and stuff and once those kids reaches adulthood, they would have no memory about these keys at all. I forgot the name of that show. It was creepy.

I am kind of leaning towards 4 and 8 as my chosen short stories. I would need to think more about what I should write in it. Seeing as there is no word limit I might end up going too far. Who knows. And perhaps once I'm done, maybe I can use these stories and publish it in my wattpad stories even if it might not be my style. At least it would give my readers something to take their mind off of while waiting for my new chapters to arrive on my 2 stories I'm currently writing. I had gotten a writers block on them, I'm not sure how to proceed for those 2. Eventually I'm going to have to suck it up and write. Sigh...

[eazy-group]

The Best Coolers for Camping 2023

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The Best Coolers for Camping 2023

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Updated Feb 24, 2023 9:06 AM

The best coolers for camping are supposed to improve your trips and make your experience more enjoyable. Yet, we’ve all opened the cooler only to find our food bobbing around like apples at the local fair. It’s the worst feeling knowing your trip will be cut short because your ice melted and your food spoiled.

Choosing the right cooler for camping is a crucial part of avoiding this disaster and relaxing in the woods. A good camping cooler must be sized right for your trip, be sturdy enough to hold up to what camp throws at it, and above all, hold ice for days on end.

The coolers I chose are designed to help make your time away from the chaos of everyday life more enjoyable no matter the style of camping you choose. Here are some of the best camping coolers.

How We Picked The Best Coolers for Camping

As an avid angler, I find myself traveling to remote places, setting up camp, and roughing it for days in search of the next fish of a lifetime. This means bringing food and water in tough-to-reach places far from civilization. I depend on my coolers to keep my ice frozen and my food fresh even on the hottest days of summer. When it came time to test the best coolers on the market, I knew what I was looking for. To find the best coolers for camping, I meticulously tested each cooler in the harshest conditions I come across to make sure they’d be up to the task of anyone out there.

I based my selections on the following criteria:

Durability: What materials go into the cooler and how well do they insulate them?

Weight: How heavy are they and how does this affect the design?

Size: How much ice does it hold and is it better for a weekend trip or multiple days?

Design: What key features are built into the cooler like pockets or bottle openers?

Accessories: Are there a decent number of accessories available like rod holders or tie downs?

Value: Does the price of the cooler match its performance?

The Best Coolers for Camping: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: OtterBox Venture 25

Best Overall

Why it Made the Cut: OtterBox’s Venture 25 is a well-constructed addition to any camping trip with versatile accessories to make your trip more enjoyable making it our choice for the best cooler for camping overall.

Key Features

Weight: 16.8 lbs

Dimensions: 26.00″ x 16.08″ x 18.76″

Volume: 25 quarts

Pros:

Lightweight for its size

Strong latch system for keeping food cold

Accessories that are perfect for camping trips

Cons:

Carry handles are slightly bulky

Small for extended trips

The OtterBox Venture 25 cooler is one of those unusual pieces of gear that excels at multitasking. As a cooler, I was immediately impressed with its ability to hold ice for up to 10 days. I’ve spent countless days with a UV index in the double digits chasing fish in Florida’s shallow water bays and never had an issue keeping my food and drinks ice cold. OtterBox makes this cooler in a 25 quart, 45 quart, and 65 quart size so you can find the perfect fit for any adventure.

What sets this cooler apart in the camping world are several well-thought-out accessories. Each size variation has slightly different features, and some are sold separately. On the OtterBox Venture 65, the side table is my favorite. Complete with three cup holders and a removable cutting board, this turns the cooler into a table. On a recent fishing trip in the backcountry of the Florida Everglades, this feature saved me the hassle of lugging around extra camp furniture on a small skiff with limited space. Having a table attached to a cooler keeps everything right in front of you. I can pull out an onion from my cooler dice it on the cutting board and throw it in the pan just us as easily as I can fillet a fish on the water.

Best Soft Cooler: Hydroflask 20L Day Escape Soft Cooler Pack

Best Soft-Sided

Why it Made the Cut: The lightweight and portable design make this ideal for backpacking and overnight camping trips.

Key Features:

Weight: 3 lbs

Dimensions: 17.70″ H x 13.00″ W x 7.80″ D

Volume: 20 L

Pros:

Comfortable for long hikes

Fully Waterproof

The waterproof zipper is easy to open

Cons:

Space is limited to shorter camping trips

Recently several soft cooler backpacks have flooded the market and the Hydroflask Day Escape Soft Cooler Pack stands out among them as the best soft cooler. It’s lightweight with plenty of space for short backpacking trips and will keep food cold and fresh. On a recent two-day trip with a friend, this cooler performed flawlessly and saved us from eating those dreaded freeze-dried meals. I carried the cooler backpack loaded with food, water, and some basic camping supplies in the accessory pocket while the other carried a pack with the remaining necessities. After several miles of hiking to a remote campsite I was surprised how comfortable this cooler was, it felt no different from a small day pack I’d usually carry. Another great feature is the waterproof design. With this pack weather is no worry, it is fully waterproof inside and out, so you can stuff your valuables inside in case a surprise storm pops up.

Best Small Cooler: Orca 40-Quart

Best Small

Why it Made the Cut: This American-made and rugged cooler is extremely versatile.

Key Features:

Weight: 27 lbs

Dimensions: 36” L x 19” W x 17” H

Volume: 40 quarts

Pros:

Wide and sturdy base

Mesh Pocket for extra storage

Made in the USA

Cons:

Rubber hatches take a little bit to break-in

Any cooler should be able to hold ice and keep things cold, but a multifaceted piece of gear like the Orca 40-Quart sets it apart from others. On a recent trip, I saw first-hand all the things you can do with it. With 40 quarts of storage, it has plenty of room for several days away from civilization. Unlike other coolers this size, it is shorter and wider which creates a low center of gravity, which makes it easy to stand on. I discovered this on a recent fishing trip when I used it as a casting platform to spot hard-to-see Redfish cruising the flats.

In camp, the size is perfect to fit in just about any vehicle you plan to bring and light enough to carry it around by yourself. It also has a unique feature among coolers with a built-in accessory pouch on the back of the cooler. Little things I use frequently like a camp knife, fire starter, or bug spray stay secure and close by at all times.

Best Cooler for the Money: RTIC 52-QT Ultra-Light Cooler

Best for the Money

Why it Made the Cut: An amazing volume-to-weight ratio with a price tag affordable for all.

Key Features:

Weight: 21 lbs

Dimensions: 27” L x 18” W x 18” H

Volume: 52 quarts

Pros:

The lightest hard cooler I tested

Includes a divider and basket

A great budget-friendly option

Cons:

The ultra-light model is only available in the 52 qt size

RTIC coolers are known for making the best cooler for the money and the RTIC 52-QT Ultra-Light Cooler is no exception. Coming in at just 21 pounds it was the lightest hard cooler I tested which says something since it is considerably larger than other models of similar weight. This is my go-to if I know I’ll be in the woods for a while and plan to go solo. Even loaded full of ice and food it is light enough that I can carry it by myself. The lightweight construction allows me to pack more stuff than I typically would while still being manageable. In my day-to-day life, I find myself using this cooler a lot as it holds ice well and is easy enough to throw in the bed of my truck for when I need it most.

Best Cooler for Ice Retention: Yeti Tundra 65

Best for Ice Retention

Why it Made the Cut: A bear-proof cooler built for the toughest conditions you can throw at it.

Key Features:

Weight: 29 lbs

Dimensions: 30 5/8” L x 17 1/4” W x 16” H

Volume: 65 quarts

Pros:

Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) approved

Plenty of accessory options

Available in a wide variety of colors including signature seasonal colors

Cons:

Yeti burst on the cooler scene fifteen years ago with the original roto-molded coolers and has been producing an amazing product ever since. The Yeti Tundra 65 is the perfect size cooler to go anywhere and do anything making it the best cooler for ice retention. When it comes to camping it’s a bulletproof option that holds ice for days on end. I put this cooler through the wringer on a recent fishing expedition. There is no shortage of nature in the Everglades but there is a shortage of ice. Once you pass a certain point, civilization can be hours away and I knew I needed my food and catch to stay cold for the days ahead. The Tundra performed flawlessly, keeping ice for the entire week-long trip, and is built tough to withstand the abuse a camping fisherman will throw at it.

Rated to withstand Alaska’s toughest Grizzly Bears, I had no worries being around countless raccoons and curious black bears that are too plentiful in Florida. What many don’t realize about Yeti coolers is their versatility. As a camp cooler, it works great, but it also shines for anyone trying to keep things warm. It is built on the principle of insulation and that means keeping things hot or cold. This comes in handy when smoking a brisket or other cuts of meat. I simply place the finished product in the empty cooler and slowly bring it down to a resting temperature while sealing in moisture for the perfect barbecue.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Camping Cooler

Many people are apprehensive when it comes to buying a quality camping cooler and rightfully so, it’s a lot of money to spend especially if you’re not quite sure what you want. What style of camping do you enjoy? Is weight a major concern? How long do you plan to be out there? A good camping cooler should fit all these criteria and more. Figuring out these simple things can put you on the right path to make a good investment in the best coolers for camping that are worthy of every penny you spend.

Size

When it comes time to buy a cooler think about how big you need it to be. The larger 65-quart coolers might be appealing, but what if you drive a small sedan? A cooler this size will take up all your space leaving you little room to pack the rest of your gear. For others, size might not be an issue, but you still have to consider size and weight. If you’re a weekend warrior, smaller coolers like a 40 quart might be perfect while a week-long trip needs to be a larger model. Matching the cooler size to your needs is a crucial first step in finding the right cooler.

Camping Style

Take into account the type of camping trip you plan to embark on. For most, a standard hard cooler will be great for a family retreat into the woods. They are excellent at keeping ice and can serve multiple purposes in camp. However, some prefer to truly get out and explore which can require hiking miles into the woods away from crowds. A soft backpack cooler is a great alternative, allowing you to hike into the backcountry while avoiding those dreaded freeze-dried meals. If you plan on doing more than just camping, certain coolers may be better than others. A small cooler can be great for keeping food and drinks around camp and can double as a casting platform or seat on a boat. Look for a cooler that fits your preferred method of camping to get the most out of your purchase.

Durability

Not all coolers are created equal. A durable cooler should have rubber latches or a heavy-duty alternative. Look for coolers that are roto-molded or injection molded with thick material. These may be heavier but when it comes down to it, they outlast any cheaply made models. If you find yourself camping in bear country there are also several coolers approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) to withstand a hungry Grizzly. While these options come with an added price tag, it’s certainly worth the investment when you don’t have to keep buying new coolers every few years.

Ice Time

This one should go without saying but can easily be overlooked if you aren’t careful. Not all coolers use the same technology to keep ice and that results in some coolers performing better than others. The amount of insulation in a cooler is a big factor influencing how long they keep ice for. Thicker walled coolers are better insulated and tend to hold ice longer than thin-walled counterparts. With this, an important lesson for any cooler owner is to learn how to properly prepare your cooler for a trip. Coolers aren’t necessarily designed to keep things cold; they are designed to insulate. If you keep your cooler in a hot garage and throw in a few bags of ice before you go it will all melt as the heat stored in the cooler transfers to the ice. Bringing the cooler inside the house the night before or sacrificing a bag of ice to prechill your cooler will help keep ice for days on end.

Read Next: How to Choose the Best YETI Cooler for You

FAQs

Q: How big of a cooler do you need for 3 days of camping?

Anywhere from a 40-quart to a 65-quart cooler is good for a 3-day camping trip. With that said, there are several other factors that go into sizing your cooler correctly. Think about how many people are going on the trip, how much food or drink you may need, and then size correctly. Camping in the heat of summer requires extra water and you need extra space. It never hurts to slightly oversize in case you need more space for whatever your trip throws at you.

Q: How much does a cooler cost?

A good camping cooler should cost between $200 and $400 but there are countless great options available at any price point. In this range, you will get a cooler that will hold ice for days and is built to withstand whatever you throw at it. This may seem steep for something that holds ice but it’s a worthy investment if you plan on camping a lot. You’ll be surprised how often a good cooler comes in handy.

Q: Which cooler should I buy for camping?

Finding the best coolers for camping can be tricky but take into account your preferred style of camping. This will help you decide on what cooler is best for you. Think about size, weight, and how it fits into your budget and you’ll find the perfect match. While it’s always nice to buy the most popular brand cooler it might not always be the best fit for you. There are countless options on the market so do some research and you’ll be happy with the choice you make.

Final Thoughts on the Best Coolers for Camping

Finding the best coolers for camping can make the difference between an enjoyable trip or a short-lived one when your ice runs out. The perfect cooler holds ice for multiple days, is rugged and reliable, and doubles as more than just a cooler. My top picks cover a wide variety of camping coolers from hard-sided to soft backpack styles. There is something for just about any situation you’ll find yourself in. Do some research and look for a cooler that will serve you best and you’ll be happy with the investment.

[wintersnowqueen]

Tender

Tender- it’s the word I best like to use when describing how I feel when I have a hangover that hasn’t made me violently ill, but in theory could if I am not cautious. It’s the kind of hangover which is best cured by minimal sound, a three beverage lineup of water, diet coke and chocolate milk and very limited mobility for the day.

It’s also how I would describe myself now. Somehow on the constant verge of tears even though my period is not looming close enough in the distance to be the culprit.

In the past three years I have become more and more tender. In some ways, I suppose, it is like slipping into an old coat. There was a time in life where tears were a daily occurrence and I was unsure of who or how to be. Since moving two months prior to a global pandemic, I have had three different jobs (now currently none), two different homes, made three friends- maybe more- I no longer know how to define friendship, have discovered fanfiction, realized my parents are just humans and I have become tender once again.

I don’t really want this feeling, but every day I put on comfortable clothing and take long walks around a manmade lake in the middle of the desert listening to the same sad songs on repeat while I invent stories for the people I see day after day on a similar loop to myself around the lake.

There is the man on the blue bench which has the highest vantage point. I have gone to stand by it at times when he isn’t there, but I never take a seat. He sits with one ankle propped on his opposite knee and his arms stretched wide along the back of the bench. He comes most afternoons to spend his lunch break (I assume) decompressing from whatever job he must return to afterward. I wonder if this is the only time each day that he feels he can truly breath. He never brings food or a drink. He doesn’t look at his cell phone or a book. He simply stares out at the lake and I wonder what he sees. I wonder if when he ends his days at the office he returns home to a family he loves, but also feels obligated to. A place he once thought would make him happy, but where he now finds it hard to breath.

There is the younger man with a dangling cross earring in his left lobe. He is in perpetual motion walking the path around the lake. Each time I see him he has a new paperback he is reading while he walks. The pages he has already read are turned fully back and the spine is inevitably cracked. I think he is the kind of person that would be a lot of fun to go to a club with, but I imagine he isn’t always having fun.

There are my two favorite people, an elderly couple that drive over in a van from a house in the nearby neighborhood and walk their laps every afternoon. They each have one walking stick they rarely rely on which looks like ski pole- likely meant for hiking and not cement sidewalks. Sometimes they are side by side, other times 10 or more paces apart, but I like it best when they are holding hands and talking quietly to one another. I wonder how long they have been together. I would guess at least 30 years, but probably longer. I wonder about all the things they have endured- how they supported each other when things were tender.

[jtl-fics]

Thank you for tagging meeeee!!!!!!!!!

ANSWERS BELOW THE CUT

1. What is your favourite character in the Foxes?

It's Neil

2. And favorite in the series aside from this one?

I know this may shock people but it is Andrew.

3. Drop your beloved head-canons about both!

I think Andrew and Neil could 100% become 'that couple' like could become like Dan and Matt but like in a feral way. Like Neil has permission to just go after people who bother Andrew and Andrew got Neil relatively unobtrusive anklet that TRACKS his location because it makes both of them feel better.

4. Fic(s) you are always happy to recommend or fic tropes you will always read.

The Destination Was Always Forever - By TheseSmallDelights I credit this fic and it's author with me getting into the FANDOM. Like I was reading / enjoying AFTG but I wasn't engaging in the Fandom at all until I started talking to them. As for tropes IT IS TIME SHENANIGANS.

5. Which of the books is your Favourite

The King's Men. I just....I love the TENSION. Like Neil always knew he had a timer on his life but now there's........ A TIMER. There's something about him learning to like be a real living human person with human connections and feelings but only when he thinks he has limited time.

6. Opinions on AFTG Audiobook release?

Never listened so I have no opinion.

7. If you write/draw/create AFTG stuff, what is your favourite work of yours?

Ok look I love Fluent Freshman and I really love how much fun has with Smith and the friend's I have gained from writing that but the fic I am currently most proud of is: It's Just You and Me, Just Us, and Y(our) Friend Kevin It has one of my favorite jokes I have literally ever written in it and I made myself cry writing it. Yes this is shameless self-promo but like it's the thing I'm most proud of.

8. Favourite event/plot point in the books.

Andrew and Neil After Baltimore. CALL ME A SIMPLE IDIOT BUT LIKE THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN ANDREW BEING SO OBVIOUSLY RUINED BY NEIL. HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO CARE. IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE A PROBLEM IF THE DEAL WAS IN EFFECT. YET THERE ARE MARKS ON KEVIN'S NECK, HE'S DRAGGING WYMACK LIKE A SACK, AND HE'S READY TO KILL ANYONE WHO GETS TOO CLOSE TO NEIL. I just. I love it. I love it SO much.

9. Least favourite part of canon (can include Extra content)

Kevin gets married to Thea. (Squicks me)

10. If you could have sent Nora an ask and get an answer, what would you ask about?

When the fuck is Jean Moreau's birthday also what birthday is on Neil's driver's license. ANSWER ME.

11. If you could make an idea of your choice canon to AFTG, what would it be?

Andrew, once he gets used to Neil being in his bed / sleeping in the same bed as Neil is 100% a clinger in his sleep. Like Andrew is like a Neil seeking missile when he is asleep. If he falls asleep somewhere and Neil is nearby the man will roll like a chef boyardee can to his man.

12. Feel free to share some random hot takes if you like.

I'm good currently <3

I'm taggin @thesesmalldelights, @emry-stars-art, @snazzy-jas-z-is-a-fan-of, @angry-kid-with-no-money, and @ittyybittybaker

AFTG Fandom ask game !

by Cavan bc I need to interrogate my friends feel free to reply in replies or reblog! feel free to reply even if I haven't tagged you probably unsure if I can call you a friend but I'll be happy to read your replies!

What is your favourite character in the Foxes?

And favourite in the series aside form this one?

Drop your beloved head-canons about both!

Fic(s) you are always happy to recommend or fic tropes you will always read.

Which of the books is your favourite

Opinions on AFTG audiobook release?

If you write/draw/create aftg stuff, what is your favourite work of yours?

Favourite event/plot point in the books

Least favourite part of canon (can include Extra content)

If you could sent Nora an ask and get answer, what would you ask about?

If you could make an idea of your choice canon to aftg, what would it be?

Feel free to share some random hot takes if you like @noomyart @jtl-fics @dogintheboiler @thefoxesraven @poze-laceen @leedee013 @dianblch @yes-i-exist-shutup also shout out to ppl who have different names on all their socials so in consequence I think you are 3 different people!

[vendetta-if]

1K Followers Celebration Q&A, Part 3 🎉

Last part for the Characters' Q&A asks and answers!

『To Ash: What would you consider your most character defining moment in life?』

Ash: “Hmm… I would say the day I became friends with MC. Well, I was still very young and might not remember much from before that, but I remember feeling so protective of someone for the first time ever…” They trail off in reminiscence, before snapping out of it and scowling at the interviewer. "Don't you dare open your mouth about this to MC, you hear me?"

『To Rin: What’s one secret that only you know but wish that everyone else also knew?』

Rin: "Is my father's crush on MC's father one?" They sigh. "I guess not since I bet other people must've known it as well, seeing how 'subtle' he is." They stay silent for a while, thinking on what to answer. "I suppose I wish everyone just know that I'm not as perfect as they think I am and that I am still human in the end..."

『To Santana: If the entire world was paying attention to you for one moment, what message would you want to deliver?』

Santana: "Don't idolize the superheroes too much. They are far from perfect." They sigh as they shake their head. "I think that's it that I can think of right now."

『To Skylar: What’s one question you don’t want to know the answer to?』

Skylar: “Why do I save people?” Their voice is hoarse and all trace of its usual cheerfulness is gone. “I try not to think too much about it.” They chuckle nervously.

『To Viktor: Which do you believe in more — fate or free will?』

Viktor: "I want to say free will, but the way things turn out now... It seems fate wins in the end, isn't it? The vicious cycle just keeps continuing..."

『To Luka: What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned?』

Luka: "Patience. For real, not only from managing the family branch here, but from raising two brats by myself." He smiles fondly as he seems to recall some memories.

『To Cara: What is favorite memory from your life?』

Cara: "Ooh! I have a lot of those! All of them involve Ash, Viktor, adorable little MC, and Luka! I really can't choose one... But if I have to say, it's either the summer beach vacation we all went to together or the annual cozy Christmas celebrations..."

『To Grandpa: What advice would you give to your younger self?』

Grandpa: "Stop being so hard on yourself and your family. Listen and spend more quality time with your sons."

『To Grandma: What would have made your life perfect?』

Grandma: “It might be too much to wish that Viktor hadn’t run away from home. But if only Pasha and him had made amends way earlier… maybe he would come back home and let us be more involved in our grandchild’s life… That would be perfect.”

『To Takashi: What’s something that you can do (or have done) that most people can’t (or won’t)?』

Takashi: "I would have readily left behind my role as the heir of the Aikawa Family if it meant I can be with Viktor... Of course, it didn't happen and I don't think he'd ever ask that of me, but I don't think a lot of people would readily throw that away even for someone they love..."

『To Jackal: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?』

Jackal: “Either I’d still be an independent hitman-for-hire or… I’d still be a hitman but one that is loyal to the Morozov..." He seems to contemplate something before sighing. "Who am I kidding? The truth is, I would love to stay by Luka’s side for the rest of my life if he would have me… Don’t tell him I say that, though, or you will find me waiting for you in your house in the future…”

『To Yvette: Do you think it’s better to have loved and lost or to have never loved at all?』

Yvette: “I… don’t know… Sometimes, there were times that I thought my life would have been easier if I’ve never fallen in love with Viktor in the first place… But in the end, I don’t think I’ll ever regret falling in love with him…”

『Question for Rin! Have you ever tried to glimpse into your future with MC to see what will happen?』

Rin: "No. Trying to look into the far future with such limited information is just asking for a severe headache and with no definite or clear outcomes as well. It's useless."