#I should still buy a new tablet soon

[tariah23]

Uhhh

Made sm progress on a comm In almost done (eggoy 🥺❤️❤️❤️) with it… also… I rly love this getou wip uhhh

[kroosluvr]

just spilled my drink all over my desk HJHHVHGH but my tablet is still operational..what a trooper... i should really buy a new one for backup soon tho

[whumpsmith-participates]

Medwhump May 2024

Day 26 - Oxygen mask / Poisoning

TW: coughing up blood, open ending, tobacco

@medwhumpmay

Fetch didn't just like to smoke, he needed it. He wasn't afraid to admit it was an addiction, but it was the lesser of two evils, so he allowed himself to have this one thing. Was it still unhealthy? Of course, but he would worry about that when he was older and hopefully less stressed due to work, or his idiot teenage roommate getting himself into trouble.

Actually Erick was fine now. He survived hospital, and they managed to get out without raising any suspicions. It definitely helped that Fetch's mob friend bribed some staff and covered the bill generously, but that now meant that Fetch owed him, and he had to visit his mansion in Nevada to come to an agreement about how he would pay him back.

He let Erick tag along. He was well enough to move around again, though the journey did take a lot out of him, Fetch hoped Tito might have a task or two for him too. It was his medical bill after all.

But Tito wasn't comfortable sending him on any assignments while he was still recovering, instead suggesting that he could stay and tutor his daughter again while Fetch did a couple of simple jobs to return the favour.

"I feel like I should be doing more," Erick said, fumbling with the hem of his shirt a bit.

"I appreciate that, Erick, but frankly you look like you should still be in bed," Tito said.

"He wanted to come," Fetch said unprompted, sitting back in his chair while pulling out his pack of cigarettes, "do you mind?"

"No, go ahead," Tito said, even pulling an ashtray from his desk drawer and placing it near the edge so Fetch could reach it.

However, as Fetch opened his pack, all he found was a plastic lighter inside. Great. He'd forgotten to buy a new pack on their last stop on the way to the mansion.

"Oh dear, did you run out?" Tito asked, "I'm sure Jonas can procure some before we finish this meeting."

He looked at his assistant, just as he was actively frowning, looking as if his boss had asked him to do something incredibly foul.

"Give me...ten minutes," Jonas finally said, putting his tablet on the cabinet behind the desk before leaving.

Fetch couldn't help but to smirk. He and Jonas did not get along, so any time Tito made one do something for the other, they would revel in it. Erick rolled his eyes a little at Fetch's smug expression. He didn't like Jonas either, but he couldn't help but to feel sorry for him, given that he didn't even have a chance to say no. And he knew what that felt like.

"Erick, why don't you go say hi to Giulia while I finish up with Fetcher?" Tito suggested, "you still remember the way to her room, right?"

"Of course," Erick said, getting up, "thanks, Mr Rana."

Tito smiled as the boy left, before turning back to Fetch.

"Always so polite," he said, "now then..."

They went over a couple of jobs together, discussing which and how many Fetch would do without pay to make up for the bribe and medical bill. It was a bit of a puzzle, so Fetch was almost happy when Jonas returned, but mostly because he tossed him a new pack of Marlboro red, and he didn't even think twice before lighting one.

In the end they decided on two consecutive assignments that Fetch could handle on his own, while Erick fulfilled the third by doing different work around the mansion, starting with making sure Tito's daughter wouldn't fail her maths class.

When it was time for him to set out, he waited by the fountain in the driveway while smoking another cigarette. He wanted to see Erick before leaving, feeling like he should remind him to behave while he wasn't there to look after him. He spotted the boy coming out through the front door and waved him over. Erick thanked the guard that held the door open for him and hurried to Fetch's side.

"So what did Mr Rana say?" he asked as soon as he was within earshot.

"We can pay him back in three jobs," Fetch said, "two of which— cough! Two of which I'll do, and the third one is for you."

He looked down at his cigarette, wondering if he was imagining the odd aftertaste.

"Which is to help Giulia with her homework?" Erick asked.

"And whatever else they ask you to do," Fetch said, "does this thing smell weird to you?"

"...it stinks as much as usual," Erick said with a shrug.

Fetch just tossed the remaining and still-burning half of the cigarette at him. Erick didn't even have to dodge, simply bending over with a sigh to press it out before picking it up.

"I don't think Mr Rana would like it very much if you littered his driveway," he said.

"Shut up— cough! Who asked you?"

Fetch coughed a bit more. Erick nearly considered making a comment on his smoking, if it hadn't turned into a coughing fit. Instead he pocketed the cigarette so he could throw it away later before trying to get Fetch to sit on the edge of the fountain.

"Are you okay, sir?"

Fetch just shoved him away as he sat down, shaking his head as he continued to cough.

"Cough! Water— Van..."

Erick nodded, quickly heading towards Fetch's van to find him some water. As soon as there was enough distance between them, Fetch forced himself to cough a bit harder, hoping to clear whatever was bothering him, only to end up hacking up a handful of blood.

"...The fuck—"

"Fetch?"

Fetch looked up, getting a good look at Erick's shocked face before the dark void in the corner of his eyes suddenly and rapidly took over him. His vision returned as fast as it disappeared, but it was blurry. He was looking up at the sky, his ears ringing, a familiar blonde figure hovering over him.

Honestly, Erick wasn't even entirely sure what to do, but he was running on autopilot as he rushed to Fetch's side. He was coughing up more blood, so he yanked on his arm to roll him onto his side, before remembering that he could also call for help.

The mansion had so much staff, there was always someone within earshot, and before he knew it they were surrounded by people to help. And of course the commotion attracted even more people. Erick had to step back in the end, trying to stay calm as he watched the guards trying to get Fetch to his feet so they could take him inside to see their medic.

"Oh my, whatever happened here?"

Erick looked up finding that Jonas had joined them. Of course he would come to gloat...and then it hit him.

"You did this to him," Erick said.

He could've sworn Jonas smirked before looking at him with the usual smug expression.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"Oh fuck off!" Erick said, "I know you did something to him!"

"Maybe it's his smoking habit finally catching up with him~"

"You gave him those cigarettes, you son of a bitch!"

However, before Erick got the chance to even consider shaking the truth out of him, Jonas had already snapped his fingers and one of the guards grabbed the teen from behind, forcing him down onto his knees.

"What you're insinuating is preposterous," Jonas said, "Mr Rana would have my head— Which is of course the only reason I would never, but a very good reason nonetheless."

"You go behind his back all the time!" Erick argued.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Jonas said, "I can't have you spreading those ideas around...take him to the basement."

"What about Fetcher?" Another guard asked.

"He stopped breathing, Jonas!"

"Well, I suppose we could call the medic," Jonas said, "take him inside. And silence the boy on his way down."

Erick's eyes widened and he tried to pull away from the guard, but he didn't have the strength to free himself and he could only watch as they dragged Fetch away, blood dripping down his chin and onto his shirt.

"N-no! Fetch— Let go, Ben! Fetch!!"

"Sorry, bud, Jonas calls the shots," Ben just said, pulling Erick back to his feet and heading after Fetch.

However, once inside they parted ways. The last Erick saw of Fetch was him being dragged up the stairs, while he himself was shoved through a door leading down another stairwell.

"Ben! Ben, please! Jonas poisoned Fetch somehow!" Erick bargained, "it's probably the cigarettes! He said they tasted weird! Test them!"

"That's above my pay grade, man," Ben said, grunting a bit as he had to both stop the teen from escaping as well as making sure they didn't both fall down the stairs.

"Oh grow a pair!" Erick snapped, "If Fetch dies his blood will be on your hands too!"

"Calm down, I'm sure the medic will do whatever he can," Ben said, patient as ever, "Jonas can't keep you down here forever either. Just consider it a time-out."

"Screw you, Ben!"

Sorry for the open end, but else it would've ran on wayyyy too long. Is Fetch going to survive? Up to you~

Masterlist Main account

Taglist for the dynamic duo: @lavndvrr

[den-ai-d]

Ooof...a decade on this site eh?

Oh no, story time incoming!

10 years and yeah, so much has happened already. Originally, I made this blog back when I was in high school as a place to post my drawings; back then, it was all just pencil drawings on paper. Looking at them now...well it was obvious I still had a long way ahead of me LOL. And to think some people assume that everyone skilled enough in art must have had some innate talent for it. CLEARLY, they don't know what they're talking about because I was terrible at it early on!

But I mean, I didn't really think that of my art, did I?

No. In fact, I'm pretty sure that kid me was very much impressed with his own works. See, that child had a very bloated ego and a high opinion of himself. You should ask his poor friends; I'm sure they'd agree that the bugger could take a few lessons on humility with how he'd be sharing all of his silly sketches to them and pontificating on and on about how nice he thinks they are. Yeah, I was an insufferable kid.

But I do think that overinflated ego of mine turned out beneficial for my growth as an artist because without it—without my love for my own art—I wouldn't have stuck to it.

And stuck to it I did.

Went to college soon after that and took a program majoring in biology. Not much of a surprising choice since I've always liked the sciences and figured it would later on give way to a stable career; funnily enough, while I was very passionate about making art, I never thought it would be a profitable source of income. But that didn't mean I'd stop doing it on my free time though! Actually, this was when I got myself my first tablet! And what better way to start my digital drawing experience than to buy a FUCKING EXPENSIVE cintiq!!! With the extra motivation coming from the monetary pressure of such a purchase, you bet your ass I used the hell out of that thing. I was so intent on making use of it that—would you look at that—I still use it to this day! (Wow, they really made those old wacom tablets to last, didn't they?)

Obviously, college work ended up taking a lot of my time so I couldn't really draw as much as I did a few years ago. There were even times when I could only make one painting throughout a whole month; a far cry to my previous output. But even so, I never wavered in thinking that making art—being an artist—was something that was part of my identity; it was something that I always will come back to, no matter how much busy I got contending with course work.

And speaking of which, fuck that! Got my first honest-to-goodness mental breakdown because of all the studying I was doing at one point. See, I'm the type of student that likes getting good grades because BIG NUMBERS so I made it a point to be studious. To the point of insanity, apparently.

Anyway, I got better eventually and it all turned out nice. Even snagged all the awards I could've gotten for my thesis by the end of it! Yes, I am bragging. I deserve it, thank you very much! (For anyone curious, it was a study about plant pigments and using them in solar cells).

After that debacle, I found myself whisked into Adulthood which meant I finally had to find a job. Guess I was lucky since I didn't really have much of a hard experience searching for one. Got accepted into a cosmetics company for a lab position. Hmm, in hindsight, I think they just wanted a fresh graduate who wouldn't demand a high salary and that was me so I got in pretty easily. And honestly, the work was AWESOME. My job ended up with me coming up with formulas for new products. I got to make lotions, shampoos, soaps (ugh, I hated that one), perfumes, toners, balms, scented candles, and—oddly enough that one time—glue! It was a wonderful experience for me since it blended my interest in science and art with how it required me to think of creative ways of applying technical solutions in order to make products that needed to look, feel, smell, and perform a certain way.

As a bonus, I even got to make stuff for myself! I was particularly fond of making creams with menthol. The soothing chill on the skin is just so nice!

It wasn't all good though. I mean the menthol was fine and dandy, I assure you, but even if I was enjoying myself with the work, it just so happens that it just wasn't giving me enough money to provide for the family. Also, there was that one time I splashed chili oil on my eye. A very eye-opening and spicy turn of events to be sure.

With the bills stressing the hell out of me, I then thought to myself: if only I had a marketable skill that I could use in my off time as a way of engaging with a hobby whilst earning money.

Yup, I started my singing career!

LOL no. I opened art commissions for the first time!

It was a very scary experience, mind you. I don't consider myself a social butterfly and the prospect of talking with other people in a transactional context was a big reason why I haven't even considered doing it all this time. Turns out being poor and running out of money outweighed such concerns. Also, my keeping up with art and posting them online all these years seemed to have payed off well; my twitter having then recently crossed over a thousand followers which meant I had a decent pool of potential clients!

And so I bumbled through my first few commissions trying to appear professional and all put together in front of my clients while consistently shitting myself on the inside. Just like all well-functioning adults!

It was October last year when I started. I figured that I wouldn't have much in way of commissioners—what with being new to the business—and that was fine since I didn't have much time to put on them anyways since I did still had to go to work on my day job. What mattered was that it gave me enough of a financial buffer so that I didn't have to worry too much about going under.

This continued to the turn of the year where I was able to juggle both my job and doing commission without much of a hassle. In fact, I noticed that people were actually really interested in getting commissions from me. So much that at one point...I actually made more money in a month than what I would've with my monthly salary! At that point, it was so over! Like, I originally was planning to at least observe how things went within this year and then decide after if I would just keep it as a side gig or go full-time with art. Turns out I was much more impulsive than I expected.

It was on a bright sunny February morning (no cinematic storm clouds in sight, unfortunately) that I decided on a lark to approach my boss at work and tell them that yup, no joke, I was gonna be leaving. I handed my resignation letter a few days later.

I would've liked to say that it was a tearful goodbye with my cherished co-workers whom I've spent the last five years of my life with but...COME ON, I barely talked with those people! Instead, it was a lukewarm farewell between people who just happened to work in proximity to each other. Eh, like I said, I wasn't much of a social butterfly and no one really made an effort to get to know me so oh well. MOVING ON!

Actually, I couldn't just up and leave because there are laws around these kinds of things so I worked there for another month but all that was a blur. Soon enough, I was officially unemployed!

So like I mentioned earlier, I full on did not expect doing art as something that would bring in much in way of income. My parents too thought the same. They said that yeah, art was a good hobby but as job? Let's be serious here! Well, turns out we were wrong all this time. With me fully dedicated to commission work, I was able to take on a larger volume of clients. Not as many as some of you go for (I'm looking at you, people who take ten or more commissions per batch, you monsters!) but enough that I was actually making a stable living! And yeah, WAY more than my now previous job. What an absolute shock to everyone involved; me most of all.

Now it's almost the end of the year, my plans having all but shattered into tiny pieces. Tiny pieces that scatter with the wind as I look back on the past ten years that has led me to where I am today. A lot of time has passed. I graduated high school, college, then got a job. Then graduated from that too. Certain people have come and gone. Some more permanent than others. I've lost friends and made new ones. Tumblr got fucked. Twitter got fucked. The world stopped for two years. For some, it's still stuck in those two years. I made glue in a lab. Almost lost an eye in a lab. I bought chips with my very own money for the first time. I loved people. Hated them too. Things have happened. Things have changed.

I certainly am very different from that kid who was having troubles fitting in with others from his class, what with being bullied and suffering through a particularly angsty teenage (oh my god I was CRINGE). A kid who often sought drawing as an escape to all of those terrible things out of his control.

I guess I'm happy I can still relate to that kid.

[returnofahsoka]

I don't know what you want to do with digital art so this is just broad advice, but here are my tips!

Most drawing softwares or websites give you a white background. Change that to a muted, softer, color so that your eyes don't work as much. It doesn't need to be a dark color or even a grey, even just something around this area will do wonder for your eyes:

You can always put it back in white to check that your colors look good when you're finished, just don't hurt your eyes with your screen.

2. Speaking of screen, remember all those tips about how to work at a computer without hurting your back or your neck? Use them here too. One of the perks of drawing digitally is being able to just zoom in instead of getting the face closer to the drawing, I know that's not easy to get used to but trust me good posture is important.

3. You don't need any paying software or subscription, except if you absolutely need a very specific one, which most people never do. Digital art is one of the areas where the open source community works the most, there's tons of free software and material (and tutorials! there's tutorials for everything!) everywhere! My favorite is Krita because I like its options and tools (although I keep using the same handful ^^), but even something as basic as Paint can work well, depending on what tools you expect your software to give you. If you need Photoshop, you probably heard of Photopea already, I can confirm it also works really well.

4. Drawing time! If you have a tablet that has buttons, I really recommend spending a few minutes looking through a tutorial to attach your software's keyboard shortcuts to the buttons. Personally I have buttons for: switching between pen and eraser, zooming in, zooming out, rotating the image to the left, rotating the image to the right, and grabbing the image to move it. Also the basic Ctrl+Z. I'm planning to add the fill tool on the last button soon.

5. More tablet tips: your hand will probably not glide well on the surface of it. People usually buy a drawing glove for that, I still haven't taken the time to do that so I use a bit of fabric instead. Even just the end of your sleeve will result in smoother lines on the screen.

6. Many pens are pressure-sensitive! If yours is too, you can always begin by using one of the most basic pencils in the software that don't have pressure sensitivity, and work your way up to other pencils once your hand learned how to draw this new way. There can be other settings like angle of the pencil tip or speed, but those also take time to get used to and most people find them less intuitive. But do experiment with what you've got! You should be able to change the size of the pencils, and every other setting too, so if you like some aspect of a pencil but not another, you can just disable that other one xd

7. If you're not drawing with a tablet but with a mouse... Well I take my hat off to you.

8. This one's not specific to digital art, but I find that taking a few minutes to just draw lines and circles and waves works really well to get the hand and arm used to working in a new position. I do that every time I draw for warmup, but whenever I'm at another desk I really notice how much my hand needs it to get used to the new angle. You already know how to draw, your limb(s) just need to work on the neural pathways to become familiar with the new position(s). Thankfully cerebral plasticity works fast!

thank you!!

this is all such useful advice! i'm planning on getting into digital art again (my previous forays have been historically... not too successful) bc my laptop has a touch screen, i got a digital pen and krita is free xdd. it took a bit of fiddling around to find the settings and the brushes i wanted and i still haven't figured out where the ctrl+z is but eh, we're getting there. it's so different to traditional art though omg. but it does give very satisfying results i'll have to give that. thank you again, i will keep trying!!!!!!

[megabuild]

my 2023 art summary (scottify wrapped)

haven't drawn anything for the past couple months outside of a small reference image for something, because as ive said before i've been crazy unwell and need to prioritise my energy for basic activities like preparing food, showering, etc. over drawing. this started around august which is why the only real "rendered" piece from there on was one for a zine that i spent a lot of time on (excited to show you guys the full product when it releases- fingers crossed should be out soon!!) i'm so grateful to my past self for deciding to bite the bullet and buy a screen tablet i could use portably, because if i was still restricted to drawing only at my desk, this would be a lot, lot barer.

even though it's not much this year i can still see the improvement, mainly in how i render and shade stuff. i stumbled into digital painting for the first time which is NOT my thing but fun nonetheless, and of course i've been looking a lot into character design- my first goal in the new year is to update my ref sheets and make some more for the aoyuer cast ;) this was also the first year i took commissions, which has been great!! i'm thankful to everyone who has commissioned me thus far (and if you're currently waiting on one- sorry, it'll be done asap! as i said it takes me a while right now ^_^") i think i'm at a pretty good stage with my art and have a clear idea of what mistakes i'm making and where i wanna go next! thank you for all the support this year 💙

[totkdaily]

Day 22: Briefly, the Depths

The minute I arrive in the Depths, I get immediately ambushed by skeletons and frogs, but fight them off.

I find a cairn with a ghostly figure atop it - the figure disappears in the camera viewfinder but the sword it holds seems free to take.

There are two Rito statues here too - I wonder if they point to anything? I may follow the trail a while, just while I'm down here. 

I lose the trail pretty quickly, but I do find a massive cairn, with three shadows atop it. There's a researcher staring at it, but other than appreciating the illumination of their campfire, I don't stop. This is a side jaunt, really. I should head back up to the surface soon.

I find another lightroot in a depression. Interesting - on the surface, we'd be under Lindor's Brow. Do hills there constitute valleys here?

There's an old mine working here - and inside I find the Tunic of Time. There's also plenty of Zonaite the miners missed. Lovely.

I run for almost a day in that endless dark. It's time to go, and other than using the Purah Pad I haven't found any way of getting back out of the Depths. At this point, it's likely faster to go to Woodland Stable via Lookout Landing anyway.

Almost the first thing I see as I arrive at the tower is two Rito in the air. It's been days since I left Rito Village, and it must be faster to fly than to run, or even to ride.

While I'm here, I might as well report to Purah. She believes there's a connection between the Princess and the Upheaval - obviously. She urges me to hurry onto the remaining regions, as well as visit Kakariko and their Zonai ruins, but I can't be everywhere at once. I have to choose one at a time, and hope that everyone else will manage until I get there. Goron first. That eruption worries me. 

Josha appears to be recruiting as well. She's talking to Tauro, head of the Zonai Research Team, who's heading out to Kakariko Village - though it seems like he'd rather be in the Depths. Josha's built a mural out of fragments, with some strange figure in the middle. The statue she found apparently is a trail of them, leading to a temple. I thought that might be how it worked. She thinks the figure in the centre is a Zonai - and maybe she's right. It's got ears like Rauru. 

She says if I follow the trail I might find mysterious power and clues to Princess Zelda. I can't help but feel like everyone's saying that the thing they want me to do will find the Princess, just so I'll do it. I just came from the Depths. I'll go again some other time. 

I buy up all the arrows in the Lookout Landing shop, give Hestu some Korok seeds and finish off the mini stable for Karson and Lester. Wortsworth points out a new bit of ruin to me - a stone tablet in ancient Hylean. His notes are in Kakariko Village, so he's heading there - the place is coming up a lot at the moment, but it's just nowhere near where I need to be right now. 

There's a Goron by the Lookout Landing gate - he's forgotten the way home. Maybe head towards the giant erupting mountain? The Goron, Kairo, says the mountain stopped erupting, which meant the lava cooled and new roads formed - but if it's not erupting, what's that spewing out of the top? Zorona is accompanying Kairo north - they mention they'll visit a bistro first. 

In the emergency shelter,  Jerrin is convinced she's being fired because she made a hole in the wall - and a creepy voice spoke through it. I'll take a look.

It's the horned statue that used to sit on the outskirts of Hateno Village. He was banished from there, first to a pond and then to here. He takes a heart from me, but gives it back when I ask. The deal is give him an essence for 100 rupees, and buy it back for 120 - but you can swap hearts for stamina. I'm fine. I don't care for him.

Jerrin has heard of the horned god, and says he is the goddess of light's opposite. Makes sense. I still don't care for him.

I sleep in the Lookout Landing bunker before heading out.

[rielzero]

Just some artist rambles on a queued post..

Was working on some reference art when my pen decided to just stop working.. Charging it now but I hope its not a sign I need to buy new pens or whatever. This is my newer pen, I've used the same two pens since I got my XP Pen in 2019 or so. The old pen's battery started becoming lazy around 2022? I don't remember exact time, but it worked fine for a while. Now the newer pen is acting up. I recall recharging it very recently. They're supposed to go a very long time without needing to charge them. Then again, I haven't needed to replace my xp pen tablet for such a long time, maybe the pens are just starting to age down a lot. (They are battery pens, newer Gen xp pens don't use those.)

Gotta remind myself I don't need to replace my big monitor tablet anytime soon anyways.. I have a backup tablet that I usually use with my laptop for on the go- and that one does not include a pen that needs battery charging. (It's a smaller screen, but its better than investing in an entire new tablet, I kind of don't want to replace my current one either. Might be cheaper just to buy new pens if these stop working comfortably.)

Edit: aaand my pen is dead. It actually stopped midway charging and decided ''nah'' hmm. I guess I'll have to find my old one and see if it still works.. Do some troubleshooting.. Either its the pens or the entire screen.

Edit 2: I think I threw my old pen away some time ago..? Well, I can't find it in its supposed spot.. I'll order new pens and see if its a pen problem. If it's not a pen problem I guess I spent money to find out. They're not that expensive. (25,99 euro)

Edit 3: Now just hope it comes in fast.. Perhaps I should check out if I can add my other tablet in my desktop set up? I have 3 monitors (third is my tablet) Not sure if I have enough screen plugs for that. It's worth a shot.

Edit 4: I couldn't plug in a 4th screen. Fine. And now the next morning my pen works..? At least I'd have a backup ready in case it decides to kick the bucket lol.

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

I spent most of today scrolling through AITA posts on Reddit. Which made me wonder - if Reddit had existed in Grima's time, what kind of AITA posts would he make?

I (44m) murdered my boss's (71m) son (41m) so I could sell the whole company out to a rival organization. The new boss (10,192m) said I could have the old boss's daughter (26f) as my reward. Her brother (29m) suspects me, but I forged some documents and got rid of him as well. AITA?

hahahahah he's so messy

Reddit would have SO many opinions and he'd ignore every single one of them.

That said I feel like he'd frame it so he was the sad meow meow of the situation. Like this is Grima, positioning and optics are premium importance so he'd skew the matter a bit to emphasize certain things and leave out other details:

I (44[?]m) have been experiencing a great amount of existential dread over the inevitable end of the world and feel that my king (71m) is not in a position to keep me safe. (oh, and our people, of course.) I have also been working for my king for many years and feel that I have not been appreciated for my efforts nor adequately rewarded. I spend all day supporting him in all he does and I'm still treated like a servant.

Recently, I was approached with a proposition by the neighbouring political power (10,192m) to betray my king BUT it would allow me to ensure that we become a vassal state to the aforementioned existential threat to our existence (??m?) which would reduce the chance of my being horrifically murdered by his henchmen (also our people safe blahblahblah). In addition, the neighbouring political power promised to reward me properly for my efforts and loyalty including, but not limited to, money, power, safety, and the current king's niece (24f).

The catch is that I would have to destabilize my country, poison/witchcraft my king, possibly aide and abet the murder of his son (41m), and exile and/or execute his nephew (28m). Considering the broader political ramifications if I don't take this path (annihilation/abject subjugation at the hands of the aforementioned existential threat), AITA for (possibly) accepting this offer?

replies:

horselordaldburg3: YTA obviously. How is this a question? How is this even something you think you need to ask?? Also, you didn't mention that you're one of the most powerful people in the country with wealth and status given to you by the king! Nor have you mentioned that we have allies and friends to help us in our fight against the Existential Evil. I feel like there are some details that are pertinent to people's review of this and you should include them. Snake.

DernhelmShieldofRohan: fuck you, YTA. Also, ew. I'm repulsed. I hope you choke on hay and die. Sit on a shiv and rotate.

MinasTirith: ESH, I think. Since I suspect you're not wrong on some fronts (if power and wealth are solely dependent on the king and would vanish with his death, that's not really a true repayment for services rendered because it keeps you dependent), however you could grow a spine and develop a sense of moral fortitude and overall decency.

That said, how much is the neighbouring power offering you? In terms of money, lmk and I'll see if I can't beat his price. Niece is not on offer because what the fuck? (see: your need to develop a sense of overall decency).

HornofGondor: Father! You can't buy people's loyalty like that.

MinasTirith: I'm speaking to OP in the language OP understands.

KingoftheMark: slfnsf dfsldkjf sddm

HeirofEorl: dad, get off your tablet. OP - YTA and we're going to have a wee little chat soon.

OP: Can it wait? There are some orcs coming in near the Fords of Isen that you need to see off.

&c &c

[neatsaviors]

(( Hi guys, Lary here! Life took some really bad turns on me lately but I'm still kicking. And kicking HARD. The "job" I got as an English teacher is nice and I love teaching, but it doesn't pay much, nowhere nearly enough to pay my bills every month. I'm working double on teaching AND drawing commissions to try and keep things at least afloat, but now my Samsung tablet I used for drawing and communicating broke down - and I already didn't have a cell phone bc it broke a few months ago too, almost exploded when I tried to recharge it after the screen went nuts. All I got now is my laptop, which I share with my brother for his college and games, and with my father for some artisan projects and entertainment too. I desperately need to buy me a new cell phone, which is the cheapest option aside from another tablet/fixing my tablet and buying a second laptop or desktop computer. All that while still paying the bills and buying food!

For that, I'm preparing a special something to offer Megaman and Transformers themed commissions specifically. If any of you would be interested, I should publish a prices chart soon - and any and all reblogs would help to spread it around so maybe it can reach more people who would be interested!

That's it for now. Oh, I'll soon get back at drawing replies for the pending asks. I'll open the askbox for new ones now too in the meantime, even though there's still a lot for the boys to reply.

AH I ALMOST FORGOT I'M GONNA CREATE A SIDEBLOG FOR THE NETMAN AU TOO BC MY BOY HAS BEEN GROWING SO MUCH I'M SO PROUD OF THIS IDIOT HE DESERVES HIS OWN BLOG TOO

Nooooow that's it for now XD See ya, Lary out! ))

[patchworkideas]

Yugi/Atem, M Rated

-

Alternate Universe - Subnautica Fusion, No Subnautica Knowledge Required, Happy Ending, Science Fiction, Survival, Adventure, Romance, Grief/Mourning, Trauma, Fluff, Communication, Cultural Differences, Ancient Egyptian Religion - Freeform,

Includes but not very graphic: Sex, Injuries, Infection, Parasites, Politics, Death (not main characters and off screen)

-

Atem, Crown Prince of Khemet, a world only recently introduced to the wider universe. On the way to an arranged marriage to an alien princess he's never met. Hoping to save his people.

Yugi Muto, head engineer of the Gandora and grandson of the captain. The ship his home, the crew his family.

4546B, an unexplored ocean planet.

Two survivors. One lifepod.

-

Chapter 1

Atem wasn't even surprised anymore.

Exasperated, desperate, but not surprised. The last months had been getting progressively worse after all. Really, he should've expected this.

"Listen," he hissed with the little patience he had left, "I am not some spoiled tourist. Lives depend on me getting there in time. And if you can't get me there," he gestured derisively at the broken parts of the supposedly top class ship, "then tell me who can!"

The man looked at him calculatingly, before finally relaxing and drawling, "Well, you are trying to leave Federation space, so your pickings are slim. Needs a whole lot of paperwork to even get permission. That alone would take most ships days - if not weeks - at the very least to set up. Buuuut - I think I do know someone who could help you. Far as I remember old Solomon still has his permit, and is flying in that direction anyway. I meant to meet him here while both our ships filled their tanks. But I already sent him a rain check after your emissary in spe insisted the repairs couldn't wait - so he's likely not staying long. He's over in Bay 613. I can send a message, but if I were you I would run. No telling how long he's gonna wait."

Atem cursed in a highly un-princely fashion and gave the order - in his native Khemetian - to grab the most important gifts. They didn't have time to carry all of them over.

Grabbing one of the rings from his hand he turned to the man again.

"Send that message. And continue the journey as soon as you've finished your repairs. I will meet you there."

Handing the solid gold ring with its precious stones off to the man, he pulled out his rather new tablet for quick directions. It had definitely been overpriced, gift or not. Not even two month old and already much slower than it should have been. Stupid, cutthroat Federation tech-

Atem finally rushed forward. Blind, desperate hope to prevent a senseless war in his heart. To provide a future for his people.

Or at the very least buy them time to prepare with his own life.

-

"Only a fool would willingly travel through Zorkian space. Nevermind visiting their homeplanet. So no, I will not be flying you there. But!" the old man continued before Atem could further voice his desperation.

At this point he wasn't above begging and he feared it showed.

"I know there's a trading station with a direct connection - if you are fool enough to step foot on one of the Zorkian ships too. I can get you there, but it's going to cost you. Not that you will have use of any of your luxury where you are going."

"Thank you for the warning, Captain. I believe that this should suffice?" The number on the check was not a bad one for the distance, but admittedly on the low side considering they were leaving Federation space. Before the old man could voice his open displeasure Atem continued, "I will double it if you get me there in under a month."

"Triple. This old lady isn't made for speed, and on top of running her ragged she will need a whole lot more to drink."

"Deal." Atem agreed, aware of the calculating glint in the man's eyes. There was something about the captain that warned Atem not to underestimate him. Despite the jolly nature he had at first shown there was clear intelligence there. If they negotiated for long, like his people usually did, he feared the price would only rise.

And he really didn't have the time.

Nor the stomach, if he was entirely honest with himself. In which case he would have to admit that he would likely not be doing much negotiating at his destination either. Or ever again.

Honesty was overrated.

Captain Solomon blinked, and looked at him for a moment that felt like an eternity. Atem couldn't read him, even though that was literally what he was trained to do.

With people of his own culture, rather than planets all over the universe.

Not being able to read even a simple ship captain was disconcerting. Disheartening, really.

But in the end the captain laughed. They shook hands and that was that. Atem's fate was once again sealed.

And if there had been a hint of pity in the old man's eyes when he told them where to go, Atem ignored it.

He had been getting entirely too good at that.

-

Perhaps the pity for once had not been for his coming fate, but rather for the immense discomfort he and his people would be facing the next weeks.

"The cargo bay. They expect us to sleep in the cargo bay?!"

"They don't usually transport passengers. It was hard enough getting passage at all, and we all agreed before leaving that our mission is more important than our comfort. Did we not?" Atem admonished his attendant. Shada? Shadi?

He had read up on all six of them before undertaking the journey. Each of them volunteers without family. High enough up the hierarchy to matter, low enough they weren't irreplaceable.

The least he could do was remember their names.

But Atem was tired, tempers were high, and most of all he just wanted his friends right now. Mana who could make anything look like a good thing, could make him laugh when he was crying. Mahad who always knew what to say, who had fought tooth and nail and had to be restrained when Atem left anyway.

Atem couldn't let him come along, as he would have if given the chance.

And he couldn't not go. His people needed him.

Even with all that in mind he was still glad when one of the crewmen came by and at least fabricated them some beds.

A young man - boy? - with wild, colorful hair. Same height as his, but Atem was short for a Khemetian. And Federation people all seemed to be giants.

Quickly silencing his attendants muttering, he nodded his head in thanks - a federation gesture he had picked up from their diplomats.

There was nothing comfortable about this journey or the destination, but at least he wouldn't already be hurting all over when he arrived.

Chapter End

Wanna Read More? Head to AO3. Updates weekly!

[ohlooknothing]

a comprehensive list of my favorite quotes from jane eyre

I was conscious that a moment’s mutiny had already rendered me liable to strange penalties, and, like any other rebel slave, I felt resolved, in my desperation, to go to all lengths. (pg. 15)

“You are passionate, Jane, that you must allow.” (pg. 45)

From where I stood I could see the title -- it was ‘Rasselas’ -- a name that struck me as strange, and consequently attractive. (pg. 59)

It is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what it is your fate is to be required to bear. (pg. 66)

Her [Helen’s] grave is in Brocklehurst Churchyard: for fifteen years after her death it was only covered by a grassy mound; but now a gray marble tablet marks the spot, inscribed with her name, and the word ‘Resurgam.’ (pg. 98) Implies Jane paid for the new headstone.

I tired of the routine of eight years in one afternoon. I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing. (pg. 102)

To open my inward ear to a tale that was never ended. (pg. 129)

“I find it impossible to be conventional with you.” (pg. 162)

“I know what sort of a mind I have placed in communication with my own.” (pg.168)

His presence in a room was more cheering than the brightest fire. (pg. 172)

“I saw it in your eyes when I first beheld you: their expression and smile did not strike delight to my very inmost heart so for nothing!” (pg. 177)

“Good-night, my --” (pg. 210)

I was forgetting all his faults, for which I had once kept a sharp look-out. (pg. 218)

“I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.” (pg. 233)

‘How long is he going to stand with his back against that door?’ I asked myself. (pg. 261)

Representing any scene that happened momentarily to shape itself in the ever-shifting kaleidoscope of imagination. (pg. 268)

“I am passionate, but not vindictive.” (pg. 276)

“Tell me now, fairy as you are -- can’t you give me a charm, or a philter, or something of that sort, to make me a handsome man?” “It would be past the power of magic, sir.” (pg. 283)

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will.” (pg. 293)

“There is no road to the moon: it is all air; and neither you nor she can fly.” (pg. 308)

“I suppose, then, your heart has been weeping blood?” (pg. 344)

“Every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own.” (pg. 347)

The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. (pg. 365)

My rest might have been blissful enough only a sad heart broke it. It plained of its gaping wounds, its inward bleeding, its riven chords. It trembled for Mr Rochester and his doom; it bemoaned him with bitter pity; it demanded him with ceaseless longing; and, impotent as a bird with both wings broken, it still quivered its shattered pinions in vain attempts to seek him. (pg. 373)

I soon forgot storm in music. (pg. 435)

“I shall see it again.... In a more remote hour -- when another slumber overcomes me, on the shore of a darker stream!” (pg. 463)

“My skylark! I heard one of your kind an hour ago, singing high over the wood; but its song had no music for me, any more over the wood; but its song had no music for me, any more than the rising sun had rays. All the melody on earth is concentrated in my Jane’s tongue to my ear: all the sunshine I can feel is in her presence.” (pg. 506)

Reader, I married him. (pg. 517)

We talk, I believe, all day long: to talk to each other is but a more animated and an audible thinking. (pg. 519)

[iamnotaminimalist]

Entry 48

The laptop ended up in the nearest electronic waste recycling bin, because shop policy is usually "Buy a new equivalent product from us and then we'll take your old equipment", Which is counterproductive for me as someone who does not need a new laptop at the moment... (shrug).

I bought a case with a built-in stand for the tablet, and now I can take it (and the bluetooth mini-keyboard) with me if I think I might be inspired to sit outside somewhere and write. I'll be going to my mother next week, for example, and it would be neat to have something to do other than idly scroll on my phone.

I think I'll leave my Microsoft subscription untouched for now, because i'm having trouble paring down all my digital media to fit into the storage space of a free onedrive account. I should note that most of the stuff is pictures of the cats, and I suppose I'll soon have another folder full of just pictures of the little guy (assuming he will be born and everything will be okay).

Still trying to think what else we can clear out of the house to make sure we aren't crowding what should be little guy's space with our things. Right now my biggest issue is my partner's toolbox. Not the box itself, but the fact that it's currently placed on the top shelf of the shoe rack, which is precious space that should belong to little guy's shoes. I'll consult him about this today, see where we can make space.

Peace and Love.

[yifangtheanimator]

Final Major Project: Production

Fixed Animatic

Note: After the tutorial with Steve and Sam, I got suggestions for balancing the film's structure. I will make the final part digitally, the homeless man in the police station, but I would like to do the part of his memories in the traditional way, with inspiration from the flipbook animatic I made at the beginning of the project. In addition, Sam suggested a film named It's Nice in Here, so I may get some ideas from the film because it has a similar topic to mine. I will make more visual changes in the film and in my script for the story. For that, I will need to join the script workshop, which will happen in the next few days.

Updated Version - inc BGM and Voice

In the script tutorials, Sam helped me fix the dialogues in my script for my final major project. In my preview version, there are some grammar mistakes and awkward phrases. We solved them and tried changing some character settings, such as the details that Tom (the homeless guy) always buys food in the supermarket, but where is the source that he gets money to buy them. In addition, in order to make the story end smoothly and reasonably, we discussed adding a scene in which another policeman walks into the room in the police station and talks to the police for a minute without Tom. In this scene, I got a chance to describe how fearful Tom is and how he is worried that he will get into jail.

Storyboard - ADDED SCENES

Based on the scenes added to the fixed script, I made a storyboard which can support me in the production when I am going to make the final part of the story in the police station.

I plan to duplicate the two parts in the film - one of them is Tom's memory of how he was captured in the supermarket and sent to the police station. It tells what happened to the audience in his own words. I would like to make this part on paper drawing, similar way to the flipbook I made in the early times.

The other part is Tom speaking to the policeman in the police station. On the timeline, this part represents the present. To help the audience better distinguish, I will present this part in digital form. I plan to use Procreate on my tablet for this part and Premier Pro for post and editing.

Animation Test - Digital Part

I am testing the blurring effects to change between foreground and background. I used an eye-level camera angle to lead the focus to the door, especially the new character who will walk in from the door.

Further Plans

I am satisfied with the colouring; it might not be colourful for the whole film because I'd like to make it simple. I will make character lip tests as soon as possible to see if they will fit my script. Also, I will need to find out if someone can help with the voice acting. There are some characters that need to be decided especially how their voice should sound based on their personality and attire. I want to find the right person for voice-act based on these clues.

Halfway Animation film

I currently working with the part I added for the script with Sam, starting from the other policeman knocked the door and get into room to ask the police for talking outside.

In my plan, the police station part will be illustrated with fully digital painting. I think they are looking great on colouring. I wish I could draw the memory part on paper after I finish the digital part.

For voice acting, I have contact three people for voice job in the past two weeks. They are still working on recording and I am waiting to see if the audio will fit my film. I plan to solve them this week.

Up-to-date film with voiceover (For reality check)

Final Outcome of FMP

500 words self-evaluation

Overall, I really appreciate that I get help from different people so we can finish the final major project film on time. Looking through the whole 3 minutes of the film, I can see there are still a lot of spaces that can be improved, especially the memory part of Tom Player when he describes what kind of treatment he has in the supermarket. I did this part to rush because I still had other arrangements for interviews, which caused me not able to spend enough time on making animation as I originally planned.

However, the digital part I believe it worked very well. I spend a lot of time making details and colouring for foregrounds and backgrounds, which is my advantage and I can still handle them.

I got help from my classmate Marty. She suggested to me some voice actors who had other voice-acting experiences for animation films. In fact, the voice actors performed very well, the actor (who played Policeman A) Robert Vesty sent me three different versions of dialogues based on my script, even though he was sick which caused his voice to change. I am in awe of his professionalism and I have more choices to choose for my final edit of the FMP film.

The other voice actor I found, one of them is my tutor Steve. His voice is quite unique and he is talented in voice-acting. When I was worried and looking for voice actors for two characters in my film, we arranged for a recording room and he played those two characters, both of them worked fantastically. The main character Tom Player, is the most important and has a lot of dialogue. I was seeking a few weeks and did not find a suitable voice actor. This character is a homeless guy working for a bookshop. His long-term repressed life and his inferior status made him feel nervous and uneasy when facing strangers. The helplessness, emotional tension and anger of this kind of person, when he is framed in the supermarket, are what I think are the most difficult to express when you voice act for him. In my opinion, this is a difficult imagination. Because I have never experienced or understood the state of mind and life of a homeless person, I have no clue what kind of voice to use and how to handle the right emotions.

Michael D Costello, the guy responded to me when I searching someone to play for the character Tom Player. He said that he could try the dialogue with trembling voices. When I got his first draft, I was shocked. This kind of voice is what I am looking for. Even though it sounds still rough and some spaces can be improved, I have suggested he record a second draft. For some reason, unfortunately, I did not get replied from him so I have to use the first draft he sent me originally.

Reviewed the whole outcome of my final major project, and I think it definitely can be improved. Some tiny issues should be fixed which are caused by my poor time management. I am totally satisfied with the film I made, I feel it can be better after it gets fixed.

[devilsmagnet]

Tbh we haven't done much since getting off of shift since we got off two hours after our scheduled EoS. We should probably be making dinner or at least wash our hair but...YUCKY, we've only been off for two hours lol. X_X;;

Tbh we haven't done much since getting off of shift since we got off two hours after our scheduled EoS. We should probably be making dinner or at least wash our hair but...YUCKY, we've only been off for two hours lol. X_X;;

Also: :00000 handmade pins?? Like brooch pins or hairpins or what kind of pins? Our only talents seen to be dealing with angry and ignorant peoples' bullshit, googling information, and talking/texting a lot (our promotion to Sr. Advisor II for this new project is PERFECT slskksks) sooo it's super cool to hear about ppls' art stuff.

┍━☽【❖】☾━┑

Hey it's one step at a time, even if it takes a few hours to do anything that's chill. My caretaker often doesn't like doing anything for hours after getting off work unless it's sleeping; though xe often does anyway since xe still does have to take care of me but ya know. I get the feeling, you'll get to it when you do.

Oh like uh, I saw some people call them punk pins. They're made with a bottle cap, a can tab, and a safety-pin. Let me get a photo...

I plan to paint them at a later date once I figure out what I want to do, really I want to make a ton of these and just be able to have fun with them all. I got a few ideas, but I want all the ideas lol

Those are some good talents, I gotta say. I'm sure you got more but those are nice. Hopefully your project goes well. I'm really excited to make a ton more of these and paint them all later. I just need paint and more safety pins.

I admit if I wanna talk about art, I plan to actually start trying to do some more soon, I'm just.. waiting for either to find the missing tablet or I think someone's buying me a new tablet or something?? as a gift??? to get into art properly?????

┕━☽【H⋏y⋏k⋏w⋏】☾━┙

[nickgerlich]

Stream A Little Stream Of Me

It’s almost as predictable as the sun rising in the east. A company experiences revenue and profit surges, and the next thing you know, they start expanding into areas in which they have no business. They think their brand name is golden and bulletproof, able to be transferred across multiple platforms.

It’s just that things seldom end well when companies do this.

The latest example is from Roku, the streaming services provider that just announced it has gained exclusive retail distribution with Best Buy of its own line of branded smart TVs and sound bars. The company has also sold its streaming device (a remote control and tiny wireless receiver mounted on or near the TV).

Historically, Roku’s profits stem from ads sold in the streaming end of its business. Even the small, inexpensive hardware devices, which are necessary in many cases for accessing Roku content, are not profitable. And now it plans to venture into even bigger hardware items.

Much bigger.

The logic is really no different from if a major car manufacturer, realizing that many people eat while driving, sought to buy a fast food chain because…well, you get the picture. Or in the old days when people paid with checks, the old adage I used to see in restaurants (something like this): “We have a deal with the bank. They don’t sell hamburgers, and we don’t accept checks.”

Amazon has made this mistake through the years, thinking it could leverage its mighty name onto smartphones and televisions as well. While it has done well with its own tablet device as well as home assistants, it has not done well in other categories. Often the better part of brand maintenance is just sticking to your knitting, and making sure it is the best knitting possible.



Imagine a world in which Netflix decided to launch its own TVs and sound bars. We would laugh. Or if Spotify had its own ear buds. I could go on.

This is not to say that companies should not do anything of this sort, because there have been some success stories. It’s that in many cases, the brand name is big in one area, but not so big as to translate into global dominance. Roku is one among many streaming services, and while its ad revenues far surpassed $1 billion last year, they are still not a household word. Amazon, which is, still doesn’t have the brand power to just waltz into anything it so desires.

And then there is the nagging truth that Roku isn’t actually manufacturing any of these new devices. They will be made by Westinghouse and HiSense, both very common low-end brands available everywhere. These are nothing special, and are really just private label products contract-manufactured for Roku. When it comes to my home theatre experience, I opt for more reliable brands.

I’m betting that Roku (and Best Buy, who for some reason agreed to go along with this) will be disappointed in sales and profits in the years ahead. Roku is a streaming service, and it should stick to that knitting. Its small money-losing hardware device is mere gateway to the service, and is something that they have to absorb as a matter of gaining eyeballs. But TVs and sound bars are quite another thing. The last company I would think of for new electronics is Roku.

And here we are, companies making the same mistakes over and over, the kinds of things that wind up in future Marketing text books. You’d think they would learn from the mistakes of others. Apparently, though, successful knitting wasn’t good enough. And the sun will set in the west soon enough on them.

Dr “Have A Great Spring Break—See You In A Week“ Gerlich

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