#I can generally put one a video or a podcast on while I work

[ferronickel]

Hail, flatter! This one, who is a layperson of the arts and comixcraft, has a query for you:

So like, what is flatting?

I've seen your flats in Wifwulf, and I've read about the flats in Looking Glasses, and generally get that it results in an image with similarly coloured areas sharing the same false-colour.

But like, how is it then used? The final images seem to contain more colours and shading, so why not just go straight to this? Why do false colours get used instead of the real ones? How do you pick the colours and how many get used?

How come this is a thing that a whole other person can do separately? I guess that's because it's time consuming - so it saves time somehow?

Thank you! I come in the spirit of humility wishing to relieve my ignorance of your noble craft!

OHOHOHO!!! You've activated my trap card and now I get to ramble about comics craft! And in my area of professional expertise, too! Be prepared for a long post

I'm going to start with the last part of your question:

How come this is a thing that a whole other person can do separately? I guess that's because it's time consuming - so it saves time somehow?

So the thing about comics is that it is one of the most intensely time consuming mediums to create. One person can make comics on their own fairly easily, but it takes forever to produce. Consider that I've been working on Looking Glasses for 18-19 months and have drawn about 87 pages. Now, the western comics industry expects issues to be produced monthly, generally 24 pages in length. It's very difficult for a single person to work at this rate, so the labor of producing comics has been divided. Generally these jobs become:

Writer (writes the script)

Editor (edits the script)

Artist (draws the lineart)

Colorist (colors and renders the art)

Letterer (adds balloons, dialog, and sfx)

Flatter (sometimes 'color assistant' they take the art and prepare it for coloring)

This isn't comprehensive though, there are a bunch of other jobs, like designers and layout artists. Occasionally the artist job gets broken into Pencilers (who sketch the art) and Inkers (who ink the sketch). Basically, by splitting the work amongst a number of people you can produce comics much faster. Not all of these jobs are required, and creator-owed books might have artists do their own coloring and lettering, while big work-for-hire books might have twice as many people working so they can pump out a spider-man book every other week.

Okay, so why Flatters?

Flatting at it's most basic level is just coloring inside the lines. You take a black and white page of art, and you have to fill in every part of the page that will eventually be colored. It's a pretty time consuming task depending on how involved your lineart is.

Flatting a page of Looking Glasses doesn't take me all that long, usually less than a half hour, which is pretty quick. Looking Glasses pages tend to be... optimized for flatting though. There are only ever a few characters and there aren't a ton of background details.

You mentioned Wifwulf (created by my longtime friend and collaborator Dailen Ogden), here's one of it's pages:

Basically everything that's a different base color, (every tree, plant, bit of moss, character, etc.) needed to be picked out separately. Each page of Wifwulf took me a few hours to flat. If Dailen had been doing that themself, those hours would have really added up, but instead they could spend that time drawing and coloring. Now, that said, these pages have a lot of texture, so it's hard to see exactly what I did.

Here's an example from a comic I worked on early in my career. (Lineart by Patrick Custodio)

The writer for this comic loved to put in these incredibly complex crowd scenes, which is something the artist excelled at drawing. I was coloring and flatting at this point on the book, and before I could even start coloring properly, I would need to flat for like eight hours. (I have a much more efficient method these days) It was frustrating because I just wanted to work on the actually creative part, but the majority of my time was spent on something monotonous. As soon as I got the writer to hire a flatter for me, coloring a page would take me only one or two hours, not nine or ten.

So that's why flatters exist, mainly to ease the workload on colorists.

But like, how is it then used? The final images seem to contain more colours and shading, so why not just go straight to this?

Flatting serves a couple of purposes. It's main function, like I said above, is just coloring in the lines. After finishing your lineart it has to get colored in, so in a layer below the lines, you add colors.

The secondary function is preservation. I like to work in a way that is non-destructive, basically, at any point in the process I can restore an earlier version of the drawing if I make a mistake or don't like something. Flats are integral to this.

In digital art, there's this thing called anti-aliasing, where the edges of a line or shape have a drop off of pixel color or opacity. It makes the edges look smoother or blurrier. The three dots on the left are Anti-Aliased, while the one on the right is Aliased, there's no drop off, just hard pixels.

Anti-aliasing is fine until you need to change the color using the paint bucket, or select using the magic wand...

See how the anti-aliased art doesn't play well with these tools, but the aliased art does? So with something like Wifwulf, the final art is going to be full of texture that makes it impossible to select anything again once it's painted. By having a dedicated aliased flats layer under the rest of the artwork, you can always re-select any part of the image you want.

I always leave my flats layer alone, and do any detail work in layers above. For example when I was painting this, it really helped to be able to select just the titan so I could work on those paints without worrying about brushstrokes overlapping the rest of the characters.

One of the other things you can do with flats is quickly selecting certain elements. On most pages, I flat my panels, figures, and background elements separately. Later, with a single button press, I can select just the characters in the scene, or entire panels at a time, which makes things like shading a whole lot easier.

Why do false colours get used instead of the real ones?

If you're flatting for other people you often don't know what the final colors are going to be, so you just pick random ones. Garish colors can be helpful because it makes it obvious that they're not the final colors. Why don't I use the correct colors on my own pages when I'm flatting? Habit, mostly. It's also faster to grab random colors than to track down the correct ones. Sometimes two different things will have the same final color but I like to flat them with different colors so I can select them individually if I need to.

You can see the process a bit here. In my flats, Lancer's spade (eye? eyes? thing) is a different color from his tongue, even if they end up being the same white in the final image. This would help if I ever needed to select just his eyes for some reason. You can also see how I select his body fur color and then add details on top, like his colored fingers and the grey on his arm. Those elements have blurry anti-aliased edges, and it would be impossible to re-select them without flats.

How do you pick the colours and how many get used?

I use the default "additional color set" palette in clip studio and just work my way through it. I pick row and work my way down (for a change of pace I vary which row I start with). How many is mostly dependent on the artwork. You just keep going until you run out of individual objects to color. I have worked on pages where I've run out of colors on this palette and had to start making up more. Typically a page of Looking Glasses only needs around 20-30, though.

So! That's flatting! It's a little known job, and it's how I got started with my comics career, so I have a lot of thoughts on it. I was trying to be concise (lol), so I hope this all makes sense, but I'd be happy to clarify or answer any other questions about this process. I know I didn't really go into how I flat my work, so I can make that post if anyone is interested.

[fushitoru]

ranking types of hugs he'd be comfortable with another guy giving his gf! a nanami kento fic / drabble

cw: nanami kento x reader, a little suggestive maybe, established relationship, fluff, nanami is a green flag but he's just a man, light jealousy / posessiveness, crack, based off this (instagram link). gojo ver here

general masterlist

"Ranking types of hugs I'd be comfortable with another guy giving my girlfriend." 

Kento’s not the type to aimlessly scroll on his phone --- he prefers to be in the present, not deplete “his reserves of dopamine” too quickly, but right now he’s bored. You’ve yet to come from work---you’d texted him you were running late, buying some groceries---so Kento’s laid on the couch looking at his phone. Even though he hates using social media and the rabbit holes that result from said use, he answers your reels and TikToks religiously. After all, he values everything you have to say, even though they are a bit silly.

But just before he could respond to the baby fever videos you sent him----he does have to admit, it’s a bit cute---his screen auto scrolls onto the next piece of 30-second content, and with that, he’s hooked, observing the slots of rankings the filter auto generates for the guy on his screen.

For a bit, he multitasks on looking at the video and reading the comments, then frowns at how possessive they seem. 

catcher hug is 1000 bodies 😭😭

No one is hugging my girl

PUT EVERYTHING AT 11 CUH

a/n lmaoo these are real comments on the link above honestly i love when men are pathetic

Surely, it can’t be that bad … right?

Kento prides himself on being an emotionally mature and secure man. It’s not to say he doesn’t have his own flaws, but while it seems the rest of his gender has fallen to the gym bro gurus and alpha male podcast bros, he’s involved himself in constant communication with you and makes sure to educate himself. 

And yet. He doesn’t know he’s going to almost be on the brink of tears as he opens the filter to try it out by himself.

The filter shuffles, presenting the first option: A back hug.

Kento exhales sharply through his nose, eyes narrowing slightly. He doesn’t immediately react, but there’s a flicker of something in his gaze. He ranks it a nine.

Then, the next: A slow dance hug.

His jaw tightens. The thought of you in someone else’s arms, swaying under dim lights, your cheek resting against another man’s chest—it’s enough to make something unpleasant curl in his stomach. Ten.

The filter shuffles again. One-armed hug. He sighs through his nose, rubbing his temple. Three. Acceptable. Barely.

e waits, trying to keep his thoughts level, but when the next option rolls in, his grip on his phone tightens. A slow catcher hug.

His face is blank. He blinks once. Twice.

Then, a deep, audible sigh fills the room as he drags a hand down his face, thumb and forefinger pressing against the bridge of his nose.

The image is unwelcome, vivid—someone else catching you, your legs wrapping around their waist, the ease, the familiarity.

His phone clatters onto his chest, and he stares at the ceiling. The muscles in his jaw are taut, his lips pressed in a firm line. A moment passes. Then another.

And that’s how you find him—lying on the couch, stiff as a board, staring blankly upwards like he’s contemplating the meaning of life itself.

“Sweetheart?” you call, stepping closer. You set down your groceries, taking in his unusually tense form. He doesn’t immediately acknowledge you, just continues his thousand-yard stare.

“What’s wrong?” you press, now more concerned. “Are you feeling sick?”

His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, still staring at the ceiling. Then, in a voice that’s a little too measured, he finally speaks.

“If another man so much as thinks about catching you in his arms, I’ll break both of them.”

You freeze. Blink.

“… What?”

Finally, he turns his head to look at you, eyes dark and serious, but there’s something almost resigned in his expression—like he knows he’s being ridiculous but can’t bring himself to care. You’re surprised at the turn of events to---it’s unlike him to be so…possessive and droopy. It’s actually really cute---he reminds you uncharacteristically of a wet, droopy dog.

“I don’t like that filter.” His voice is calm, but his fingers twitch slightly where they rest on his stomach. “I don’t like thinking about other men touching you.”

It’s so unlike him—so openly possessive—that you’re momentarily stunned into silence. Then, amusement bubbles up in your chest.

“Did you just get jealous over a TikTok filter?” you tease, stepping closer.

He exhales, slow and long, closing his eyes briefly before muttering, “I was curious. I regret it.”

You bite back a smile, reaching down to brush your fingers against his jaw. He leans into the touch, almost instinctively, before sighing again.

“You’re the only one I want to touch me, Kento.” you reassure, and his lips finally quirk at the edges—barely, but it’s there.

“I know,” he says, voice softer now. “But if I ever see a man standing with his arms open around you…” He exhales one final time, shaking his head before murmuring, “… I can fight.”

You giggle, pressing a kiss to his cheek before moving to put away the groceries, leaving him lying there, still brooding.

As you walk away, you hear him mutter under his breath, just loud enough to catch:

“Slow catcher hug… ridiculous.”

general masterlist

a/n first time writing for nanami kinda nervous :') i have def areas to improve upon but for the meantime pls accept this <3 thank you for the req cutie !! @girlyuuta choso ver is going to come too :3

[kairologia]

How to start your day according to your rising sign.

Your ascendant/first house represents the sign that was rising above the eastern horizon on the moment of your birth. However, within a broader cosmological framework, where houses each represent a different time of the day according to where the sun is, the First House represents the time of the day where the sun had just risen above the horizon. After a bit of experimenting, I have come to the conclusion that the best way to start your day is to align your early morning activities with those associated with your rising sign’s ruling planet. Here I explain how.

· Aries rising: start your day with a stimulating activity, something that gets you fired up and ready to engage with the day ahead. A workout session, a morning run, some stretching, or something as simple as a walk under the sun. Either way, you’d better get moving as soon as you get out of bed. Avoid getting your most challenging tasks of the day done as early as you wake up — rather, start with the simplest tasks and work your way up as a form of motivation.

· Taurus rising: take as much time as you need to get up. You have your entire day ahead of you, so make sure your morning remains a leisurely time — though I advise you to write a list of tasks down to make sure you have a roadmap of your day planned ahead. No matter how busy things get, make sure you at least start your day with a generous breakfast while enjoying your surroundings by eating in a balcony or somewhere you feel cozied up and relaxed. Investing in a morning skin care routine that works for you can only prove to be beneficial.

· Gemini rising: immediately engage in some mental stimulation. read a few chapters of a book, listen to a podcast, read some news, watch a video. Hell, even scrolling through social media wouldn’t hurt. Give your brain some much needed dopamine shots to get it going. If you’re learning a new language, try to memorize a couple words every morning. If you’re a student, try to study a bit right after waking up. If you have some manual tasks planned, get them done first thing in the morning.

· Cancer rising: schedule your morning routine around moon phases & transits. There are certain lunar transits (cardinal signs) or phases (new moon) where I would recommend starting your day with a workout and energy demanding activities, whereas on other transits (fixed signs) or phases (full moon), I would recommend taking things one step at a time, waking up gently, having a warm cup of your favourite drink, taking a bath, cooking, doing some gardening, and enjoying a relaxing morning before starting your day.

· Leo rising: Make sure that each morning is «you» time and let nothing get in the way of that. Soak up some sun light, start your day with positive affirmations, do 10 minutes of dancing, listen to music, meditate, draw a bit. Get yourself in the mood where you feel most confident and yourself, as there’s one watching you — you’re performing for no one but yourself. Self-care can mean many things and you need to find the form that works best for you. If you enjoy doing make up, do a creative look. If you like reading, read. You can even adapt your morning routine according to the sun’s transits.

· Virgo rising: it goes without saying that starting off your day with some journaling, list making, intention setting, tidying your place up and task planning can prove to be globally beneficial for everyone, but even more so for Virgo risings. You need as much mental stimulation as Gemini risings, if only with some added structure to it. Put yourself in the right mood where you can be productive instantly, get your tasks done starting with the most difficult ones so you'll have the rest of entire day for yourself, and remember to take breaks. It’s still early in the morning, after all!

· Libra rising: your mornings set the tone for the rest of your day — so make sure your day starts off on a harmonious note. Create a classical music playlist & play it every morning, have a nice breakfast – a nice drink and your favourite treat, do some pilates, read a couple page of a book you love, set your intentions for the day, do some bird watching, take a walk in a nearby green space or riverside and enjoy the aesthetics of nature & the scenery, choose an elegant outfit and pair it up with some jewelry & a nice perfume. Harmony is a balanced act that can easily be disturbed so make sure you keep your mornings free of external disturbances.

· Scorpio rising: you will benefit from starting your day gradually, & at a very measured pace. Try to weed out the eventuality that unexpected disruptions may arise (as that might disturb your inner balance & emotional state) by establishing firm boundaries and prioritizing activities that bring you joy & contentment. Any activities that promote focus, introspection, and empowerment would be great — namely journaling, meditation, deep breathing exercises to center yourself, or a 30 minutes workout session. If you enjoy writing, write down your feelings in the form of prose or poetry. Lists will also help you stay structured throughout the day & ensure you won’t spend it entirely inside your head.

· Sagittarius rising: start your day by doing some manifestation. Pick a method you prefer, and make sure you spend at least 5 minutes manifesting and setting intentions for the day ahead, as well as some long-term goal you’re working on. If you’re into philosophy, read a few pages of a philosophical book of your choice first thing in the morning. If you enjoy language learning, spend ~30 minutes learning new notions teaching yourself a full lesson. Drawing or making a moodboard can also help you manifest for the day. A morning walk where you take in your surroundings will also help you get into the right mood.

· Capricorn rising: buy a planner, and start your mornings by writing down your to-do list. Make sure you also have a couple pages dedicated to short term projects, and long term projects — try and check out a case from either every so often, every morning. Doing so will fill your mornings with intention as you will feel like you did something great for yourself (and you did indeed). And as is the case with every other cardinal signs — include a physical activity into your mornings. A 15 minutes run, a 30 minutes walk — whatever you deem best.

· Aquarius rising: write down your dreams & ideas fresh out of bed. Your mind comes up with the best scenarios & concepts early in the morning, so write them down — you never know, maybe one day you’ll find the resources, energy or will to expand on one of them. I have noticed that Aquarius risings come in two fixed archetypes, the type that enjoys socializing fresh out of bed and the type that needs 3 business hours before being able to utter a single word to others – so my advice is simple: if you’re the former: start your day with some socialization, text your friends, post on social media, and if you’re the latter: put your headphones on, read something (anything) and block out any and all external noise.

· Pisces rising: the transition from the realm of dreams to the waking world is a tougher challenge to you than most, so try to start your day slowly and gently. No abrupt and aggressive tasks, no strong drinks, no heavy food. Pressure is of 0 benefit to you so do not put yourself in your “awake” mode until you’re about to go outside. If you’re working on an art piece, draw some of it right now. If you’re writing a book, write down a couple lines as soon as you leave bed as your dreams might provide some extra insights & creativity you wouldn't be able to conjure up while awake. If you have plants, water them. If you have a balcony or garden, spend some time there just sitting & doing absolutely nothing.

If you’d like a reading, more details can be found here!

Have a nice day!

[dessarchive]

now introducing the future of music and entertainment, endless options of sound (eos)

eos is an app that i script into most of my drs. i got inspired to create it after coming across a video on youtube of someone re-designing spotifys UI. i’ve used spotify, apple music, amazon music, youtube music, and many more music streaming services and none of them ever lived up to my expectations, so i thought why not create what i’ve always wanted? i took a long hard look at all of the features i wish the current apps had and put them all into one. i posted about it before on my previous account but didn’t go into the actual details much. it started as a music streaming app when it was launched but became much more than that. it’s one of my favorite parts of my drs because i’m an avid music listener and the features are to die for. eos is the only music streaming app in my drs. i also have a ceo dr where i’m the ceo of it because this app has basically become my child!!! anyways here’s what i have after working on it for months!

eos was launched on october 31, 2001 by robyn fenty (she’s older LMAO) and aliyah haughton. the app immediately gained popularity as the first and only music streaming service. it was created as a space where everyone could enjoy music. years later it implemented audiobooks, podcasts, music videos, interviews, merch, and concert tickets. it stands out with its flawless performance that never crashes or has bugs, its exceptional algorithm for fresh experiences each playtime, and its features like eosoulmates that connects users through shared music tastes.

lyrics and subtitles are always available in any language desired by the user and the platform includes organization like no other. exclusive presale codes are able for top listeners of specific artists because the app has its own ticketing system. eos is free for all users as the founders wanted to make a space to unify people during life’s challenge. to maintain this while making sure artists are fairly paid, revenue is generated through a share of concert ticket and merchandise sales, in-app donations directly supporting artists, non-intrusive sponsorships and partnerships, and grants from philanthropic organizations. this guarantees that eos stays true to making music accessible while supporting creators and users globally.

to expand on existing sounds of music and entertainment, the service implemented dolby atmos to its highest quality with no extra price to artists for using it.

eos also features eos karaoke: sing it your way. within this are lyrics that are displayed in perfect sync with customizable highlighting options, while users can adjust the original vocals (mute, reduce, or add harmonies) for a personalized performance. advanced pitch tracking gives real-time feedback, along with timing guides and a practice mode for perfecting songs. voice effects like reverb, autotune, and fun filters are available to take things to a higher level or have fun with friends and family. dual-screen mode connects to tvs for party setups and users can enjoy duets with friends or group singing for up to 10 people. karaoke playlists are curated based on mood, listening habits, or vocal range. sessions can be recorded and shared with friends or on social media. a scoring system with feedback helps users improve their singing while earning fun badges. eos karaoke also offers live virtual karaoke rooms, offline mode for downloaded tracks, and customizable themes for lyric screens and backgrounds. a special kid-friendly mode ensures the fun for all age groups.

eos allows music and entertainment to be accessible, fun, and, immersive to everyone.

[ambernotember]

snippet saturday

school concert au

“I swear, it’s even on his collar. I love animals with human names. Imagine making a vet appointment for Steve.”

Buck chuckled. “So if you had a pet you’d name them what, Alfred? Violetta?”

“Did I adopt an old butler?” Tommy took in Buck’s confused expression. “Batman? Alfred, his butler?”

“Oh, I don’t really watch a lot of superhero movies. Or well, movies in general.”

“Seriously?” If Buck was showing his class a photo of Tommy’s expression for a writing activity, he’d definitely file it under ‘baffled’.

“I’ve never been a really big movie person,” Buck shrugged.

“I should write you a list,” Tommy said, half to himself.

“Of movies?” Buck was amused. He’d watched a lot of Disney and Pixar with Chris when he was younger, and now with Jee, but he usually had too many things to catch up on when he was by himself, and would put on a podcast or an audiobook to listen to while he did laundry or cooked or did whatever other chores he’d forgotten about.

“Yeah. Like, top 52 you should know. One a week for a year.”

Buck laughed. “I pretty much only turn on the tv for the news or to play video games with Chris.”

“I’m definitely making you a list,” Tommy decided.

“I can add it to the list of things I definitely say I’ll watch and then never do.”

“I think I’d be disappointed if you ignored my hard work,” Tommy said. “I’ll have it to you by the end of the week. Would you find it easier to watch them if I made you write a report on them? Score out of ten and your reason why?”

The tone was teasing but Buck found himself thinking about it a little too hard.

Albert bounded back to the table, interrupting them. “Maddie and Karen want the wireless mics so they can get started.”

Tommy checked that they were both on and working before handing them over, while Buck pulled out his phone and texted Eddie to come back to the gym. He slid it back into his pocked and rubbed his hands on his jeans, trying to get the sudden excess sweat off of them.

Tommy seemed focused on the audio equipment, and either hadn’t noticed Buck’s odd silence or wasn’t acknowledging it.

tag list @chimneyz @morgangilloryy @swagmaster9k @geekwarrior107 @racerchix21 @fan-of-a-lot @desert--moonchild @bybobbysbeard

[ark-fork]

💌Love letters; 👨‍🌾content farm

Recently, a situation happened to my blogger friend that really pissed me off. It took me some time to put my thoughts in order and think about what I wanted to convey in this "podcast".

(Yes, this column is back because you, beloved and dear anons and not only, are constantly doing something crazy)

To begin with, let's start with something less complicated and scary but just unpleasant.

🔴Declarations of love to bloggers \ flirting with them.

Okay, I think this already sounds crazy, for the simple reason that you confess your love to a media personality in their inbox.

To begin with, this is not just strange - but also rude to some extent because a blogger does not always want such attention to themself. Many of them already have their soulmate in life, which is why most declarations of love or flirting are considered ignorance and an unpleasant event.

But still, the prevailing part of them may simply not be looking for a relationship here. Therefore, the best solution would be NOT to TRY to impose your feelings on them and not talk about it.

(Considering that some of you actually write something like: "Haha, I'm obviously going to regret this decision later, but I'll do it anyway because I want to").

If you like this blogger and personality, keep your flirting and declarations of love to yourself. You will spoil your relationship with them in this way. It's stupid and embarrassing for both of you if you still admit your feelings to him. Damn it, there may be a hundred, a hundred, or more of you who want to confess to them!

Ahem, I hope the general point can be grasped because I'm not so good at talking about anything and simply expressing my feelings about the situation as a whole and, for the most part, being hot on the head.

🟠Accusing someone of making low-grade content.

This particular situation infuriated me the most.

Now, I want to talk about what "content farm" is and what they are eaten with.

To begin with, the content farms are YouTube channels that strive for more views on this site and get to the recommendation pages for your kids. These are common unflattering animated videos with questionable context contained in them.

Their distinctive feature is repeated stock images of characters, stolen pictures, and designs, interweaving characters from completely unrelated works with the one based on which they make their videos.

Well, I hope this brief description of what content farms are is enough.

I don't understand people who see the obvious, admiration for the author of any show and create their content with care and soul, investing ideas and efforts, and accuse them of being one of these pathetic bastards from YouTube who absolutely don't give a fuck what they release on the platform, caring only about views and clickbait.

Before you write insults to the author in the anonymous mode in their inbox, think a little, damn it. Just think how much you insult a person who is burning with their art and ideas by saying such words to them while under the guise of anonymity, a fucking coward.

[copperbadge]

Well, Still Salty.

I was cranky yesterday and I thought a good night's sleep would provide some adjustment in perspective, but unfortunately "spending yesterday not on tumblr" also offered perspective and got there first.

Up front: feel free to comment or reblog on this post (replies may be heavily delayed) but if you feel the urge to Like, I'm going to ask you to take one more step and go to https://www.tumblr.com/support, select "feedback" as the category, and enter a line or two about the new dash. It can be as simple as "Your new dash design is difficult to use and is driving people off the site". I'm not asking everyone to do it, but if you're going to Like this post, that would be a helpful action in addition. You can delete any response they send; no reason to expose yourself to the unique combination of incompetence and condescension with which they handle feedback generally.

Also up front: yeah, if I find somewhere else to go and go there, I will certainly let you guys know beforehand, I'm not going to just evaporate. I'll be broadcasting about Tumblr's replacement on Tumblr very heavily. But I can't deny that it is now an active goal of mine to find a viable replacement for this site. (More on this in a moment.) You will always be able to find me on AO3 as copperbadge, or via copperbadge@gmail.com. (More on this in a moment also.)

This kind of thing is why I refuse to fuck with staff now or ever; I don't trust them and I never will. Watching @wip respond to almost every complaint or suggestion with "but that would be really hard" is telling. Whoever is pushing blocks around at Tumblr wants a lucrative site that's easy to code, but lucrative is hostile to community and code is difficult by nature, and when the architecture of the meeting hall is hostile and cheap, people don't stick around.

I've been watching the site as every change made it incrementally worse, from a buggy post window that doesn't allow ease of editing to the new dash (which is the reason I'm writing this in a text window off Tumblr). I genuinely do not think I can use desktop Tumblr like this unless I can install something that will put it back the way it was, and roughly 40% of the content you guys get HAS to come through desktop. It's impossible to do on a phone or so time-consuming it's not worth it. I cannot code Radio Free Monday on a phone; it's a struggle to code it on a single-monitor laptop (I usually write it on my work computer, where I have two monitors). Even writing image IDs on the phone is difficult and something I rarely do. Tumblr is becoming an actively difficult place for me to make content, introducing friction left and right.

But where does one go? I've tried other platforms and they're either worse to use or they don't have the constituency. The problem with a lot of discourse around internet addiction is that it often points out how glued people are to their phones without asking what it is they're doing on those phones. I'm not addicted to social media; I don't doomscroll, I don't care what celebrities have to say, I don't find 140 characters useful or interesting, I don’t find most “funny” videos very interesting. I create a lot of original content for public consumption, significantly more than many social media users, and if that becomes difficult, then the site suffers more than I do. But it's undeniable that social media, and this social media in specific, is where my people are, and yeah, I like seeing you all every day. It makes it difficult to leave even when Tumblr is the best of a bad set of options.

It seems like a lot of the internet, lately, is the best of a bad set of options.

All that said, Tumblr forced a sudden, unwanted, and unchangeable reskin on me a day after I listened to a two-hour podcast about addiction while working on building a newsletter system for my author site. I spent the evening before this happened in contemplation of my relationship to social media and to my readership and how I might alter it to my benefit regardless of whether that's also to Tumblr's detriment. Their poor timing, I suppose. A lot of the theories advanced on the podcast were, to put it kindly, bunk, but one of the suggestions for people questioning their relationship to an activity was a dopamine fast -- removing something in your life that gives you quick but unsustained dopamine hits, so that you can take some time to level out and examine your behaviors. On the one hand, that's not at all how dopamine works; from the jump it's a bad theory. But on the other, pulling back from something you think may be causing you difficulty is generally speaking a good tactic.

Removing myself from Tumblr yesterday was an active process: because I have ADHD and often will forget something exists if I don't systematize my engagement with it, Tumblr is normally pinned to my browser, with the app on my phone's top screen. Removing the app and closing the window meant that while I occasionally reached for Tumblr, it was less frequently than I expected, and the lack of access reminded me why I wasn't there. I missed you guys, but I didn't miss getting distracted from work by my dash, or the pressure to respond to the volume of communication I receive through the site daily. I don't think my use of tumblr as my sole social media has been unhealthy, per se, but certainly yesterday felt both quieter and calmer after I walked away.

But that's a temporary relief, because you are my community, and not only do I not want to leave my community, it's a resource for me. One of the reasons I do things like Radio Free Monday and the weekly Hug on Saturdays is that I try to make sure that resource is reciprocal. Leadership involves service. Leaving would be easy in the short term, but in the long term, leaving my community without having another place to meet it, or another community to go to, would be harmful to both of us. I'm already someone who isolates, and while I have a strong brickspace circle of friends, they fulfill sometimes different needs.

Though I do appreciate the wild vote of confidence from the comments to my last post telling me people would come with me where I went. That means a lot to me. I will attempt to make it either unnecessary or as painless as possible. Just know, I see your faith and friendship and I appreciate it.

Sometimes at my old job I'd be in very tumultuous meetings where a lot was discussed and not much agreed on, and the most useful thing to me was always to say, "What are our next steps? What would you like me to do because of this meeting?" So what are next steps, all this being the case?

First, I'm going to be off Tumblr, mostly, for another couple of days, because clearly I need the break and a few days won't matter too much. Again, I will be back either to continue on the site or to let you guys know, at length and volume, where I'm headed. The former is much more likely.

Second, I'm going to be actively looking for both a widget I can install to reset the dash (recommendations welcome, I currently don't even use xkit) and a wholly new platform that's a realistically viable alternative. Even if the dash gets reset, the shitty post editor is here for good. Attempts to source alternative platforms in the past have taught me that it needs to have a mobile-friendly site or an app, a similar structure to tumblr, and a reasonable chance of actually attracting users. That's a heavy venn diagram unlikely to be fulfilled anytime soon, but I'm now invested in finding it, instead of just passively waiting for it to happen to me (as Tumblr did when it pulled me off LJ).

Third, I do have an email newsletter in the works! I'm just wrestling currently with setting up how people sign up for it. This wasn't meant to be "my main broadcast platform"; it's meant to be a once-monthly email to share book news, targeted at people who aren't on socials or who just really love content from me, I guess. :D The plan was for me to assure Tumblr users that it was not extra content, just select content repackaged into a digest. But it will be one way to ensure that if I'm moving around outside of Tumblr, you'll know about it. I hope to have a link to a signup page soon. (I'm....dealing with some code issues.)

Fourth, I'm going to be combing through the last ten years I've spent here and pulling anything I think is of value into an archive. For now everything will remain here as well, and I'll let you guys know if I think that's going to change, but it's clear that this space is moving only one direction, towards a place I can't exist, and when/if it crumbles I want to have already evacuated what's important.

So there you go. I'll possibly be posting sporadically (the Saturday Hugs are queued six months in advance so that'll happen) but if nothing else and if not sooner, I'll be back full-time next week starting with Radio Free Monday. I appreciate your patience and your kindness in the meantime!

[single-malt-scotch]

Mindcrack had many moments of interacting w fandom in a way people basically don't see at all anymore that it's understandable people are surprised and put off that doc "suddenly" said he wanted to read fan fic or whatever.

I mean for one, if you're not watching doc already you should know that tbh hes like on of THE most fandom involved hermits by far imo. Seriously. He's been a huge supporter of fan art no matter (well ya know to an extent) what it is. He commissions fan artists and asks permission for unpaid fan art to be thumbnails in his videos and always credits them in the intro. He's actively taken up 'headcanons' to his skin (goat horns, butterfly wings) or other things ppl draw him in (maid dress). He has talked many times about ships with him and seems generally unbothered and jokes about it.

So in mindcrack days it was not at all uncommon for them to pick up a fan fic to read (at a podcast or something)- which iirc they asked and got permission for (at least some I know of, it has been a while). But they also (mostly) knew about shipping too and talking about it esp in context to when they'd read fics (because yes they did read some ship fics). They had their "that's weird" moments for sure but that was kinda it. And well, back then many of us on our lil Tumblr space did think it was cool because we were excited they interacted with us at all lol...

This isn't to say you can't be uncomfortable!! Of course. Idk if doc has read anything on stream yet but I wouldn't be too worried as I'd also expect him to ask permission (and as fans maybe take openings to remind him to do so).

I think we all know rule number one as a fan is "don't show the cc stuff unless they ask for it". But rule number two in regards to them is "if the cc goes looking it's their fault and their responsibility for what they find". You might still worry about cc reaction despite that and to that I say stop giving a shit. Let go of shame and fear. Anyone can see your public posts. A cc might be looking right and now you'd only get uncomfy if you knew it, but you don't. You'd can't control people and if the cc are an ass about it despite looking for it? Feel free to say something but otherwise shrug it off because it's not your fault. (And if they're enough of an ass stop engaging with them lol). Mcyt (and other similar) are real people fandoms and you gotta remember that. You cannot control this and that's alright that's just how this kind of fandom has to work. So stop worrying about it

[alicearmageddon]

USEFUL ANARCHIST AND LEFTIST SITES ON THE WEB

1: The Anarchist Faq: this attempts to answer any questions one might have about anarchism. (the anarchist library, which this faq is on, is also an absolutley excellent rescource and maybe the biggest collection of anarchist theory on the web)

2: the tv tropes page for anarchism (yes, im serious). this manages to be a suprisingly well done and easy to read explanation of what anarchism is, what its about, and the different types of anarchists idealogies.

3: Anarchopedia. like wikipedia, but specifically for anarchism

more resources below the cut! and feel free to add more in reblogs.

4: the iww. the iww isnt anarchist, but im putting it here as its a member-led, grassroots union for all workers of the world.

iww.org

5: Zoe Baker has a PHD in anarchist history and is one of the few well researched and well read left politcs channels on youtube

youtube.com/@anarchopac

6: Organize magazine is a good source of anarchist news in the UK

organisemagazine.org.uk

7: Freedom News is another great source of anarchist news in the UK

freedomnews.org.uk

8: Mutual Aid Hub (afaik this is US only)

mutualaidhub.org

9:Black Rose Federation (also US only)

blackrosefed.org

10: symbiosis revolution (US only)

symbiosis-revolution.org

11: Marxists Internet Archive. while this site isnt really anarchist, it is leftist and has some anarchist texts. i also think marxism is worth learning about even as an anarchist whos views do not align with Marx.

Marxists.org

12: Neighborhood Anarchists. Neighborhood Anarchists is a direct action anarchist group based in Springfield and Eugene Oregon.

neighborhoodanarchists.org

13: Anarchist News. This is a site that provides news that is relevant to or about anarchism

Anarchistnews.org

14: A-Infos. This is a multi-lingual news service by, for, and about anarchists.

https://www.ainfos.ca/en/

15: CrimeThInk. This is an international network of aspiring revolutionaries all over the world.

crimethinc.com

16: It's Going Down. This is a digital community center for anarchist, anti-fascist, autonomous anti-capitalist and anti-colonial movements across so-called North America.

itsgoingdown.org

17: Libcom. This is is a resource for everyone fighting to improve their lives, communities and working conditions.

libcom.org

18: Unicorn Riot. This is a decentralized, educational non-profit media organization.

unicornriot.ninja

19: Submedia. Submedia is an anarchist digital media collective that produces videos and podcasts

sub.media

20: Zine Library. This is a compilation of anarchist zines and booklets, imposed for easy printing, as well as a few posters. (zines can be downloaded by pressing code > download zip)

github.com/rechelon/zine_library

[void-of-unparalleled-chaos]

Okay so now that the semester is over, here is a list of actual things my paleontology professor said/did during lecture and discussion:

“I've watched this like 20 times now” (Prehistoric Planet 2 trailer)

“Hi yes I am me, an exemplar of our species. A prime specimen.”

*visible confusion while reading the Colossal website*

“Turkeys can be terrifying. Birds are terrifying in general”

“That’s David Attenbourough not a bird.”

“Thank you for clarifying.”

“You’re welcome! It’s what I’m here for! This is why I have a Ph.d!”

“You need to have a healthy bullshit meter to read any paleontology paper.”

“As I keep telling you, life hates us.”

“Look at the size of the head compared to the body. This is just stupid.”

“Look at the butt of that thing!”

*measures with hands on screen*

“This is a stupid looking animal.” (Cotylorhynchus romeri)

"for example comparing femur robustness is ... what does that even mean?"

“You can laugh…this is a stupid looking creature!”

“Then of course you have your penis worms.”

“Holding fossils from the Burgess Shale is a religious experience.”

“It would be a very mossy world, which I am not opposed to. I like moss :)”

“Taxonomy is a clusterfuck.”

“This is probably one of the most ridiculous animals to have ever evolved.” (Whales)

“It looks like a strange monster from the black lagoon.” (Maiacetus)

“It’s a magical Liopleurodon!”

*does push ups on a table to show us how a fish would have walked*

*showing us a video of a crocodile taken by someone in the water*

“Do NOT do this. Don’t jump into the water with a crocodile. It will end very badly :(“

“This was like one of the weirdest papers I’ve seen. Alright so Ken Carpenter is a very legitimate paleontologist in Colorado. He normally worked with dinosaurs but he also decided to try and figure out how mosasaurs swim. So you look at the skeleton but then you also put two undergrads in a pool, one grabbing the other one's legs to see how that double-limb locomotion would work. It's like the kookiest thing I’ve ever seen published… but yeah I'm not even sure how he got the approval for this… I don’t think this was grant funded… “I would like some undergrad volunteers to jump in a pool, one holding the other ones legs to see if they will drown.””

*rants about the size of the mosasaur in Jurassic World and debates with a student whether or not an actual size mosasaur could pull a T. Rex into the water*

“I like owls. They look like they are wearing trousers :)”

"The Ice Age movie was a missed opportunity. There were so many cool animals they could have used and they didn't use ANY of them! There were giant ground sloths that were so big you can stand in their fossilized burrows! Yeah sure we have that one guy...what's his name...Sid? Yeah sure we have Sid but Sid is NOT a giant ground sloth. That's not even mentioning all of the horses and bison and bears and lions! Its disappointing!"

...

"I was on a podcast about this :D"

[tieflingkisser]

What Newsroom Nepo-Babies Don't Get About the UHC Scandal

The media never seemed quite so out-of-touch as they do with the general public's feelings about Luigi Mangione and American healthcare.

Writers in newsrooms from The Atlantic, to The New York Times keep putting out dimwitted op-eds reducing Mangione’s violence to meaningless barbarism, failing to engage with the horrifying realities of healthcare in America. We are a sick country, and one with businesses that profit from us staying sick and dying. Couple that with the fact that healthcare is largely still tied to employment, and we have millions of people too sick to work, but somehow working, just so they can get the medical care they need, and it doesn’t take a damn rocket scientist to see why people aren’t falling over themselves sad about the killing. It’s no wonder desperate people seek out snake oil salesmen like RFK Jr. for alternatives to medicine they can’t afford to access. I’m not saying it’s right (obviously), I’m just saying I get it. When you facilitate an environment of desperation, people will take the cheaper “solution” every time. And that might be listening to podcasts from people who are not intelligent selling an alternative to the doctor’s office. But I digress… What you won’t see in any of these bloviating scribbles is a description of withholding care as violence. I don’t purport to love Luigi Mangione’s Goodreads ratings, but I certainly understand what would push a rich and privileged someone in chronic pain, whose mother writhed in pain nightly—to violence. The Times says he walked away from his affluence and became radicalized, but more likely, his affluence convinced him there’d be someone to save him if there was ever a problem, and what he found was that even with loads of resources, adequate healthcare is overpriced and hard to come by.

[...]

People have had enough. People are tired of feeling like our lives don’t matter. We watch in 4K video as the ultra elite eat on the hard work of generations of people they never have to meet, while we struggle to make ends meet on our end. Most Americans are one emergency away from being homeless. If you have $600 in savings and you get hit by a car, your life might be over even if you survive the crash. That’s how real it is for most people in the richest country in the world. When the workers don’t share in those profits, the empathy gap widens. Piece after piece has compared our current state to the Gilded Age, but we are also in something completely new. In the Gilded Age, the poor could generally ignore the wealth disparity. The quality of life differences were there, but they weren’t broadcast constantly in the faces of those starving in the streets. Now we have an internet that throws it in our faces minute-by-minute. And in this instance, it wasn’t a wealth gap that was illuminated, though United Healthcare is a huge enterprise worth nearly half a trillion dollars. That’s money that sick people have paid into it and not gotten reciprocal value. I’m not saying people should be murdered, but I am saying a lot of people have died waiting for people at that company to help them and it rarely makes a headline.

[klonnieshippersclub]

Loved the Mikaelson ball dress and I saw that podcast video where Kat said she was styled differently than everyone else. Can you show examples of her bad style? How would you change it?

I love any excuse to use Pinterest, so thanks for this question. The fashion of tvd is really bad in general. Some of that is being a product of the late 2000s and early 2010s. However, the issues with Bonnie's costuming are unique to her. When you look at Elena and Caroline's clothes, they are meant to fit their bodies. Bonnie spends most of the show drowning in fabric and she is the only one dressed like a Disney Channel which is crazy because Bonnie is very petite and curvy unlike the others. They get to dress sexy and hot while putting Bonnie in sweatpants and colors where she can fade in with the background.

Bonnie’s fashion isn’t unique to her as a character. Elena gives simple, Caroline is preppy but Bonnie doesn’t have that. Bonnie’s dressed in layers and multiple patterns. Nothing that signifies who she is as a person. This is a problem. Bonnie is just as desirable as the other women. She deserves complimentary clothing that hugs her figure.

At the very least, the first season or so attempts to give Bonnie an earthy vibe. They fail to do so in a way that actually looks good. Flowy fabrics aren't supposed to suffocate bodies. I would dress Bonnie more like the collage pictures above. The "modest" fashion of Bonnie just pushes the narrative that Bonnie is asexual. She doesn't get to be sexy or have a healthy sex life. She gets to lose her virginity to her cheating boyfriend in season FIVE, while being passed through. Why doesn't Bonnie get to be sexy? Why doesn't she get to enjoy sex? Her fashion is connected to the show's poor storytelling.

Season 6 Bonnie started to wear more fitting clothes. It wasn’t on par with the 90s closely. But the inspiration was there. I can see Bonnie during her college years wearing more midriffs, fitted jeans, things that build her confidence up and gives her body some flare after a year in isolation. In the prison world she would’ve had more time to decide what works for her and what doesn’t. No more baggy t-shirts, and sweatpants all day remaining unseen. Bonnie isn't seen as an equal with her costuming in tvd but these changes would fix that.

[rouge-fauna]

I rewatched some old vods and I don't think their friendship was fake. theres enough evidence to show that tommy looked up to dream and wasnt doing all it for clout though I'm referring to 2020-2021. In 2022, people said that tommy wanted to meet dream but based on tweets I've noticed ,it seems like he only wanted to meet him for the sake of content and once he wasnt doing vlogs anymore, he suddenly didnt want to meet dream anymore. Theres also a ton of moments where tommy defends dream in 2022-2023, but its really hard to tell if its genuine and from his own thoughts or if he is making fun of dream stans who say it. I noticed he put dream on a very high pedastal and he complimented dreams youtube videos a lot and compliments dreams advice to him but he rarely ever compliments dream as a person which contrasts how he spoke about his other friends. I think their dynamic was very complicated since like every person tommy liked would always get into problems with dream like bitzel, harry, jack, and tommy had a problem with people leaving him on read and dream struggled with responding to people which complicated things further I'm guessing.

Though I go by what Dream said. They were close in 2020-2021 until Tommy made that grooming joke about him then Dream distanced from him. They were friends on a content creator level after that like dream a while back hinted at how no one turned on him and that everyone he was close with a year ago (2022) he is close with now and mentions creator friendships. And then 2023 they were on good terms for the start of it. If tommy genuinely saw dream as a friend, he must have no idea how that works because from what I've noticed, he prioritized content creation and fan praise over friendship which is horrible. Tommy in his podcast referred to him and dream in the past as close while simultaneously insulting him and viewing everything he did as negative, that was weird to me.

People can be very good at lying… I mean I’m not saying Tommy was but it also wouldn’t surprise me. Sure it looked real in 2020-2021 but that don’t really mean it was… I mean Tommy was kind erotic at that time sometimes treating even Tubbo like shit so it’s hard to say. Not that I’m trying to say your observation skills are bad, but that if we are assuming the absolute worst of Tommy and assuming he’s a manipulator who maybe even lacks much empathy then, it could be fair to say he’s a good actor and liar.

As far as 2022-2023 goes I think the reasoning Dream is currently thinking about is that he was staying loyal for the sake of the USMP. I didn’t think about his friends having issues with Dream that is an interesting point… Dream leaving people unread? Oof how adhd of him XD lol, too relatable. But also all my friends do the same to me sooo I can considerate with the other side, it is frustrating (what I get for having like majority of friends with adhd lol)… yeah I have noticed that Dream will compliment Tommy as a person and say he’s funny and stuff but Tommy doesn’t really do that for Dream, course I just figured that was a personality and he didn’t do it in general but hearing that he does for his other friends is definitely interesting…

I didn’t get pick up that the grooming joke in 2020-2021 was the start of Dream distancing himself. I thought they were using it as an example of an instance where Dream sense too long of text message that came across as aggressive and upsetting for Tommy? And that because Tommy made jokes like it even before the allegations it made it okay or at least made sense why he’d continue to do so or something. Maybe I’m wrong. The finale was in what? November so they were friends up until the end of 2023, maybe not as close because they weren’t streaming together all the time anymore but still friends at least from Dream’s perspective…

“If tommy genuinely saw dream as a friend, he must have no idea how that works because from what I've noticed, he prioritized content creation and fan praise over friendship which is horrible. Tommy in his podcast referred to him and dream in the past as close while simultaneously insulting him and viewing everything he did as negative, that was weird to me.” I think you are on the money here, it’s my thoughts exactly. If Tommy and Dream were really friends this is a not how you treat him and it is weird to talk about how close you were but also claiming he manipulated and abused you or whatever. Like which is it? Were you close friends? Or did he manipulate you and hurt you from the start? Which is it’s all the times you’ve talked positively over the years about Dream or recently shit talking him? I mean yea as Tubbo says you can change your mind about someone but this is different because Tommy isn’t saying he’s stopped being Dream’s friend because of a recent thing he’s done but if past things which doesn’t make sense. As someone said recently - how can Dream manipulate and abuse you and stuff when you’ve never met in person. Just hang up the phone and stop talking to him. If he was so horrible and you continued to be his friend that’s because you were using him…

[goodluckclove]

True ScAry Story: "The Goobus"

This is real and I don't have much time left. You must listen carefully if you don't want to meet my name fate.

My name is Josh and all of this started when I was at a yard sale looking for retro video game.s I was so excited when I found a real, working cartridge of my favorite N64 game, Gotta Eat Paste!, which is no longer sold in America after the liberals won. I asked the woman how much it would be, and she said it was free.

"all you have to do is take this framed photo with you," she said, looking creepily at me with her photo-realistic eyes.

It was weird but I really wanted the cartridge so I took it without looking at what it was and just went home. But when I put in the cartridge and started what looked like a perfectly normal game of Gotta Eat Paste!, something happened.

I played the game. It was really fun and cool. I ate so much paste. Classic game, really holds up. I wish the developer didn't bomb that embassy.

Anyways before I went to bed I decided to look at the framed.photo. it was a weird monster but I figured maybe it was ai-generated or whatever. At the bottom someone scratched a message into the film.

THE GOOBUS IS COMING FOR YOU IF YOU SEE THIS, it said. YOURE GONNA GET GOOBED INTO BONES SORRY.

I thought that was weird but maybe it was Gen Alpha skibedy slang. But then scary things started happening. The podcast I listen to while I go to sleep started having a new conversation, even though it was an old episode I'd heard before. They were talking about The Goobus!

They said how the Goobus is really scary and dangerous, like at least two The Devils. He shows up to anyone who sees his face, even in picture, and he goobs your bones out - which hurts and sucks. They were about to say how to keep him from Goobing, but before they could my Zune got a Blue Screen of Death! But it was RED like BLOOD.

What they didn't say though is that the Goobing gets to your brain and makes you want to get OTHER people goobed. And I feel it happening. I'm fighting it off the best I can, but it sucks. I have to show you the Goobus, he demands it like Slenderman. But I must fight it off and keep other innocent people from having a shit time and then dying. The best I could do is hide the image in THIS VERY POST in a way NO ONE will find and be REAL CURSED by..

don't go looking for it that's dumb.

Ah dang I'm bones now.

[xdreamie]

socialblade doesn't lie, and while george has lost some followers across all his accounts, it's really not that many in the grand scheme of things. punz lost more, proportionally speaking, even hannah had a day where she dropped like 1.5k followers on twitch this week. those losses will hurt those two a LOT more than george's # drop since he still has millions more than them. the other ccs and companies dropping him would no doubt come running back if he makes content and still pulls numbers in the future - they can say this is about supporting victims, but $$ is ultimately what they all care about most. unfortunately i think the business side of this backlash is a side effect of the lack of regular content over the past year(s)... these agencies and other ccs (minus his actual friends) will not stick their neck out for a creator who isn't generating income for them, it sucks and is one of the more shitty an unethical aspects of this whole situation but i do think that's part of why gnf is getting dropped from things. it's much easier to drop a semi inactive cc than one who is regularly putting out content/collaborating with others/etc. but the good news there is that it means it's all very reversible, and across yt and twitch we've all seen other ccs come back from much worse. i hope george takes a good long break from everything (esp twitter, bc everyone is being very normal about all this literally everywhere else) for his mental health, and not the kind of break where he's just procrastinating work, but the kind where he disconnects entirely. and maybe spends some time with family (+ dream) and really takes some time to heal before having a jschlatt like comeback... maybe a controversial statement, but love him or hate him, he DID come back from being canceled and widely hated online, plus nearly having a mental breakdown/quitting being a cc entirely, to now having a successful podcast with his best friend and regularly showing up in videos with some of the biggest creators on youtube. i'd love that so much for george

^ yeah this. i do hope if he doesn’t choose to take a break that he starts grinding out content which hopefully dreams project will help with that! i honestly didn’t know schlatt ever left i thought he just stayed popular so like 😭

[tseecka]

Tagged by @joyful-soul-collector

What's the origin of your blog title? In elementary school I wrote a story about a girl with magical shapeshifting powers who was prophesized as the saviour of her people, or something. Anyways--her name was Tseecka Akeunah, and when I first started to venture onto the Internet, that was the pseudonym I used. The name is intrinsic to me, now, I can't imagine being on the interwebs as anything else.

OTP(s) + Shipname: I have so many omg. JayVik is obviously the biggest one right now. Trephacard, AkuRoku, Hannigram, WangXian, ShaKadolin, Sheith, Thorki, McShep, Spirk, Merthur, HMS Intoxication (aka Jack/Daniel from SG1), Jack/Sam, VMin, Cherik, the list goes on and on.

Oh. And Desper, the ship name for my wife's horrible con artist of a Cleric in D&D and his war profiteering noble boyfriend who is going to kill the gods for killing his boo.

Favorite color: Blue or purple

Favorite game: My Father's Work is I think still the reigning champion, though Silver is quickly gaining.

Song stuck in your head: A Dream Within a Dream - Nevermore Original Cast Recording

Weirdest habit/trait? I'm trying to think of what other people find weird (affectionate) about me...oh! I prefer stale marshmallows and will put them into the freezer to stale them out intentionally as a snack. And I eat raw frozen tortellini by the handful if I allow myself to have it in the house.

Hobbies: TOO MANY. Knitting, cross-stitch, harp/piano/handbells, writing, reading, video games, soon-to-be bookbinding and weaving, board games, ttrpgs, the list goes on...

If you work, what's your profession? Canadian public servant

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? Honestly, I think I'm good with this. Maybe if there was something with language...?

Something you're good at: I'm told I'm good at writing, and I'm working my way back to believing it. I'm good at Excel.

Something you're bad at: Staying on top of life. Things constantly escape my awareness and it causes me and my family no end of frustrations. Hoping for the ADHD consult sometime soon...

Something you love: I'm gonna copy joyful-soul-collector's answer: I love stories. I love reading and watching TV and movies and playing games, anything that tells a story with moving parts and interwoven fabric, that lets me escape for a little while.

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: My strong opinions about the Dragon Age franchise and the rise and fall of BioWare in general.

Something you hate: I'm gonna go with the less serious version of "hate" and ignore all the big, obvious, real world stuff for a moment: I hate Critical Role. (Add my "strong opinions about the relative merits of various actual play podcasts/shows" to the question above, actually.)

Something you collect: Yarn, books, board games, MTG cards

Something you forget: Everything. Constantly.

What's your love language? Acts of service and words of affirmation

Favorite movie/show: Lord of the Rings

Favorite food: Too hard, sorry

Favorite animal: Giraffes

What were you like as a child? Precocious, teacher's pet, bullyable

Favorite subject at school? Language Arts/English

Least favorite subject: Math

What's your best character trait? I am devoted to the people I care for.

What's your worst character trait? I can be petty and jealous.

If you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be? Let's have a cure for Behcet's, please.

If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet? Tolkien, I think.

Tag as as many mutuals as you want!!

@barnespls @snefrue @valorcorrupt @kieren-fucking-walker @vanilla-of-esk aaaaaand idk, anyone else who wants to!