#I think I might just keep this kind of style

[shnowyfox]

honses

and some of the wip screenies teehee

BUT WAIT! THERES MORE!

soundwave and his herd of idiot sons. T-cogs are.. lets just say.. silly. in this. No transformations so no keeping them in his chest fucked up kangaroo style, he carries them around in a wagon (which i will give a better design to later) laserbeak and buzzsaw's build is based off of a griffin and the cybertronian form they have in g1 and wfc/foc. ravage gets to have a jaguar body based on his g1 form and his upperhalf is largely based off of his beast wars design (i will nver read ravage's voice without the accent btw like ik he gets a voice in g1 but no bw ravage has infected my bones) I also need to do blaster since he and soundwave are main characters but im silly and lazy and i havent rlly gotten to much of him in idw yet

im kind of obsessed with b i almost didnt include him because where the fuck do i put him?? i found a very good and very funny place for him. the first comic deadass might be about him because it seems to be a good introduction to the world and lore to follow him? trying to do better at writing bee and elita, together and apart. almost killing him is like a one time thing. probably.

I'll start tagging the au when the first comic drops i think. if i get that far. idk im feeling confident in this one!

again shouting out Energ00n's tfone apprentice au for being part of the inspiration for this whole thing :)

[robo-milky]

[Page 2]

It’s the ClochEpel horror AU! I realized that I have copious amounts of AUs for RookLoche but never any for ClochEpel, so here it is. I’ve had the sketch sitting for a month, and decided to finally finish it.

Premise: Set in a world “without” magic, Cloche had always been intrigued with the occult. From animal sacrifices to ghostly games, she was interested in them all. On the other hand, Epel wasn’t so keen on the subject. He found it weird and creepy, maybe even a little childish, but that didn’t scare him away from her. After learning that Cloche felt bored of the relationship because she’s always doing what Epel wanted, he wanted to prove his devotion to her by joining Cloche in one of her attempts at a ritual. Too bad this will be her last one.

[valenfield-inspo]

Chris Redfield & Jill Valentine - BSAA Era Moodboard

[pineapplefulfillseveryneed]

Sparks Fuji Rock Festival '13 Interview translated from Japanese to English using google translate

Sparks, a band formed by brothers Ron and Russell Mael, have released over 20 albums in the 40 years since their debut in 1971. During their long career, they have built a unique identity with pop music as their foundation and a unique musicality that constantly reinvents its own style, and have received tremendous support from musicians such as Morrissey, Bjork, Jim O'Rourke and Franz Ferdinand. In recent years, they are such Japanophiles that they visit Japan at least once a year in addition to touring. Following their Two Hands, One Mouth tour in January this year, the two returned to Japan in July to perform at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL '13, and we interviewed them!

--This is your second time performing at Fuji Rock. In April of this year, you also performed at Coachella, a music festival in California, which is your hometown. Is there anything different in what you keep in mind when performing at a festival compared to a regular performance?

Russell Mael: At festivals, unlike the audience that comes to see our regular performances, many people don't know our music. In that sense, it's unknown territory, but we don't change our show for that reason. We perform at festivals with the same staging as we do at regular performances. That's because we want to express what we do in the purest form possible. It doesn't matter if the number of audience members changes. And we're not performing live with the aim of having everyone jump and scream (laughs). We're just particular about how we can express ourselves as a band called Sparks at a live performance.

Ron Mael: Of course, at festivals, due to time constraints, the show will be shorter than a normal show. Our set at Coachella was short, but today's show is not that different in length from a normal show. This is because SMASH, the organizer, understood that and made the necessary adjustments. I'm grateful for that. It was a good experience for us to play at Coachella. There were only two types of bands: indie guitar bands and dance acts, and the audience that came to see us was hypnotized (laughs). But we felt that it was a good response. Of course, people who know the music and come to see us get excited, but we also attracted people who don't know anything about it.

--If Sparks were to curate a festival, what kind of lineup would they have?

Ron: All the artists I'd choose are dead now (laughs)! Miles Davis…

Russell: After Miles Davis, the Beatles.

Ron: And Glenn Gould. Russell: A festival with only 3 artists!

--This is truly the best festival!

Ron: But there'll probably be a fight over who gets to headline.

Russell: Yeah, there are three acts and only one day (laughs).

--I first heard of Sparks about 10 years ago, when I was really impressed by the song "The Number One Song In Heaven" that the members of Franz Ferdinand played as a DJ. What do you think about the fact that there are more and more young audiences who admire Sparks, including young musicians?

Ron: Oh, I see. We get along well. You mentioned festivals, but playing at venues like that is a good opportunity to promote our music to a younger audience. Of course, our fans who have been with us for many years are important, but deep down we care about the younger audience too. It's embarrassing, but of course we're happy that the music we make is loved by an audience half our age. We don't want to be treated as legends at all, but if you compare us to the image of a young band around 18 years old, we might come across as bigwigs (laughs).

--Could you tell us a bit about your current Two Hands, One Mouth tour?

Russell: It's a live show that's just Ron's two hands and my voice. We wanted to express ourselves in a way that we've never done before. We've never toured just the two of us, and Sparks has worked with various musicians in the past, but Ron and I are the core members. We wanted to show that musically in a live show. That said, we didn't want to make it a soft one like an acoustic night with a delicate singer-songwriter (laughs), so it was important to have the power and "immediacy" of Sparks. We spent a lot of time arranging the songs to make it possible for just the two of us. Especially Ron's parts. But the response from critics and fans has been good. We were worried that if we did a completely different live show than usual, even our own fans would dislike it. But we've toured most of Europe and the United States, and we're going to tour Europe and the United States again in October for the second leg. The tour title is "The Revenge of Two Hands, One Mouth," and we're going to add songs that we didn't play on this tour to the set list.

--When arranging the songs for this tour, was there anything that you found particularly difficult? For example, a dance track like "The Number One Song In Heaven"... that song is half instrumental.

Russell: Yes. On the album, the drums and kick drums add a dance-like element, but we had to take all that out. But it sounds good in a different way.

Ron: There are a lot of songs that we wanted to play but couldn't arrange well for this concept. So the setlist is about half songs we wanted to play and half songs that fit the concept. In many cases, we had to take a completely opposite approach to the original songs to play them together. That's why almost all the songs are not faithful to the originals.

--As you mentioned earlier, it seems that bands that have been active for many years often become afraid of change and fall into a rut. What is the driving force behind your spirit of challenge and your constant desire to change, even after being active for over 40 years?

Russell: Maybe it's because it's become a part of the Sparks band. We want to try out the balance of lyrics and music, songwriting, singing, personality, and other parts that are the essence of Sparks, while keeping them in various environments. It's also because we have a long career. If we don't constantly reconstruct that as a band, it will be boring for us and for our fans. So we are eager to pave a new path, just like Sparks.

--You recently performed a musical called "The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman" and released an album for it. Where do the concepts for each work come from or where do you get the inspiration?

Russell: The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman may seem like a completely different, more ambitious album than a normal one, but it's still a Sparks album in the end. Even if it's a story-driven musical, that's something Sparks would do, and we don't think of it as separate from making three-minute pop songs. People often ask me, "When is the next 'real' Sparks album coming out?" But it's a Sparks album! Fans who have loved us since the early days and understand the band know that. Even if you compare this tour and The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, they're completely different, but for us, we feel that it's a consistent way of expression in the sense that we're doing something different every time.

Ron: Yes. It has a lot to do with doing something we've never tried before. There's a bit of anxiety, though. It would be easy to just make a 10-song album. The quality of the work is up to the listener to decide, but we've done that format so many times already, so we wanted to do something completely different within the realm of pop music. We're both sensitive to the feeling of just doing it, and we don't want to fall into that vicious circle, whether it's recording or performing live. With this live performance, it feels like we're walking a tightrope without a safety net, but that's why we felt like, "Let's give it a try!"

--During your 40 years of activity, you must have experienced many changes in the music industry. How have those changes had a beneficial impact on the band?

Russell: As technology has advanced, digital recording has had a big impact. It has become easier, cheaper, and more personal to record. Sparks' recent albums - I forget how many there are, but they were all recorded in my studio. But they're still as good as recordings made in professional studios. But that's just a superficial fact, and the act of making music hasn't changed. It's just that the fact that so many things have become so accessible has simplified the process. Ultimately, the most important process in making music hasn't changed.

--What do you think about the fact that the distance between the band and the fans has been shortened through social media? I get the impression that Sparks really cares about their fans.

Russell: We're not particularly good at using the internet, but being able to connect with our fans...I think other bands feel the same way, but I feel that it's especially beneficial for Sparks. For example, Facebook is great because you can see the immediate response. If you post "Today we're performing at Fuji Rock!", you'll get responses not only from people at the venue, but also from overseas. It's like a kind of community, which didn't exist in the past.

--Also, Sparks often posts photos of the places he visits on tour on his Facebook page. The ones he takes in Japan are especially interesting.

Ron: (laughs) Yes, especially in Japan. Japan really brings out the best in us!

--It was about two years ago, I particularly like the photo of Ron and EXILE (laughs).

Russell: Hahaha. It's old but it's a great photo. Classic!

--Finally, how do you two view the current music scene?

Ron: I hope it's a time of transition.

--Are you saying things are heading in a good direction...or the opposite?

Ron: Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but I don't feel any ambition from people making music right now. So I hope that more ambitious artists will come along. You mentioned Franz Ferdinand at the beginning of the interview, and I feel that what they're doing is solid. But I don't think they've expanded the boundaries of pop music and explored its potential. That's an important factor when we criticize pop music. I get the impression that there are very few bands that are exploring that part.

--My impression is that everything is derivative, and that it lacks the vitality and energy that was present when new movements like punk or hip hop were emerging.

Ron: Yes, there's almost no genre, everything's all one in the same, like pop music with hip hop elements.

--How about Russell?

Russell: Like Ron, I feel like a lot of artists are satisfied with the status quo. There's nothing that we hear that makes us go, "Wow! What's this? I've never heard anything like this before!" in a good way. The music right now is all "Oh, I've heard this before." That's kind of sad. There's no one doing anything that's surprising us.

--And it's not just music; the amount of information has increased enormously, and the amount we process each day has increased, so it feels like this is changing the way we interact with music.

Ron: Besides pop music, we are bombarded with various "things" every day. As a result, we can no longer concentrate enough to listen to one album. More and more people don't even buy one song on iTunes, let alone an album, and instead download it illegally. If that's the case, I wonder how much value there is in popular music today. I don't want to complain about how things used to be like this or that...

--It could also be taken as, "Things were better in the old days."

Ron: Yes, those were the days when synthesizers were pulled by horse-drawn carts (laughs).

[unriding]

hi hi evie !!! i hope youre doing swell today !!! remember to take breaks from your booth !! heres a refresher 🤲

hey … nick? hi nick! hope you’re doing great!! im picking myself off the floor right now JSNDNKC so actually this is my 5th attempt at typing a proper response (in total i have probably written about a full scientific report’s amount of info about this and decided it still did not do your ask any justice..)

gif A is me clutching onto this ask sobbing, gif B is me still clutching onto his ask sobbing, gif C is me after my tears flood my house (the ask is safe inside my pocket of course…)

[cakemoney]

i don't want to put my uninformed foot in my mouth or get involved with the Discourse but i've been seeing the two extremes of reactions to the korean low birth rates issue (on tumblr and twitter both) and i'm just kind of like. look. i feel like "low birth rates (in many countries but especially japan and korea as part of this conversation) are more broadly the result of capitalism/a culture of overwhelming overwork that makes social relationships and having families incredibly inaccessible to young people" and "low birth rates are very much a part of the current conversation about misogyny and social expectations for women in korea especially in the context of reproduction as 'unpaid labor' for women" are statements that can both be true

[brittlebutch]

actually, having a kind of revelatory moment here of if HRT was something i have been considering for this long, but has remained inaccessible to me, then that means i Do actually have opinions about my appearance/presentation, so just because i can't take That Particular step doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of other avenues i could be pursuing (ie, clothing/accessories/etc.) that i just haven't let myself up until this point. like i don't have to shove it All aside just because there's one thing i can't get -- I'd probably still wind up a lot happier if I took those other steps I've spent all these years ignoring

[maliro-t]

some game design thinky thoughts.

[johndonneswife]

still thinking abt this pani puri we had three days ago

[discoreptile]

Wee ha

[pyrriax]

one day i will stop being afraid of getting hounded for writing something that is less pretty and more just. raw.

[honey-tongued-devil]

[Arcane preference] reacting to someone flirting with their s/o + jealousness

I'll be honest, I had like four headcanons on jealousy (and five on pregnancy, curse on you and your baby fever), so making this headcanon became a priority. Plus, I tried to make it a bit longer. As usual, under the "read more" line, you'll find both my other project for Arcane (a series of vintage-style posters) and my other socials in case you want to follow me because you love me too much.

socials: | INPRNT | | Tip Jar | | X | | BlueSky |

poster: | Jayce poster | | Silco poster 1| | Silco poster 2| |Silco poster 3| | Steb poster |

Jayce:

- He’s not the type to cause a scene, nor is he the aggressive kind.  

- When someone flirts with you in front of him for the first time, he’s confused for a few seconds.  

- The problem begins when the thought starts settling, stagnating, thickening like sediment at the bottom of a bottle. Was the person really hitting on you, or is he just being paranoid?  

- Did they not realize you were together? Or did they do it on purpose?  

- It doesn’t take long for him to start ignoring you, not even on purpose—he suddenly forgets he’s a scientist, a successful adult man, and spirals into a crisis.  

- What if he’s not enough? What if that person realized before him that he wasn’t suited for you?  

- You notice something’s off, but he doesn’t say a word. If it happens again, his fists clench, he feels like the world is collapsing on him, and if it persists, he leaves without even thinking.  

- He doesn’t want to witness that scene; he’s terrified that you might accept the flirtation, that you’ll realize he’s not good enough for you.  

- And if you’re going to leave him, he doesn’t want to see it with his own eyes.  

- Eventually, he’ll be the one to bring up the subject, just to tell you that if you’re tired of him, he won’t hold it against you and that he understands.  

- It’s not true, but he wants to seem mature. He wants to be a good partner until the end and almost breaks down when you reassure him that you don’t want to leave him, that he is enough.

 Viktor:

- Pre-"Arcane s1-tamed" Viktor would snap at the person flirting with you or insult them under his breath.  

- In the wrong moment, with enough alcohol in his system, his reaction could even turn violent.  

- Viktor gets jealous with anger—a mix of fear of being mocked, the lack of control over the situation, and his sense of replaceability set him off.  

- But he’s also an adult. He’ll try to make peace with himself before talking to you about it.  

- Post-"Arcane-tamed" Viktor observes you, tries to read your signals. He’s irritated but keeps calm and even interrupts the situation, pointing out that the two of you have things to do.  

- He doesn’t wait long to bring it up and is straightforward: “Do you like him?”  

- His jealousy is laced with sadness. The thought of losing your warmth, intimacy, and everything he has with you makes him feel empty.  

- He knows he’s often absent because of his research, that it’s hard to be with someone with “special needs” because it can be limiting at times. He’s aware of his unique personality and his background. His anger quickly shifts to resignation, becoming a quiet sorrow.  

- When you try to reassure him, his response is even sadder: “I know I’m hard to love. I don’t blame you.”  

- When someone hits on you, as soon as you’re alone, he holds you closer. During cuddles, he breathes in your scent deeply, as if trying to memorize you in case he will ever have to remember you.

 Ekko:

- At the Tree, it’s pretty normal. They share everything, and everyone is just very friendly. If someone flirts with you at the Firelight hideout, he laughs, jokes, and stays calm.  

- The problem arises outside of that safe space.  

- When someone from outside flirts with you, he’s stunned for a moment, but if it continues, he leaves before you can even respond.  

- He knows that if he stayed, things might escalate.  

- “I didn’t like how that guy was talking to you,” he blurts out when you try to talk to him, but it’s obvious the issue cuts deeper than that. His tone and downcast eyes reveal that it’s more significant than it seems.  

- Living at the Tree has taken your relationship to a deeper level. You take care of the kids together, share everything, and live as part of a big interconnected family.  

- The idea of someone threatening the peace of his home, his family, makes him feel like those things he takes for granted could suddenly change. 

- That tomorrow, you might no longer be his “married” partner but two strangers.

 Vander:

- Vander is too old to be jealous, and has been in enough strange and ambiguous situations not to overreact.  

- If someone flirts with you, maybe at the bar in front of him, he chuckles to himself, commenting only after the person leaves that you’re so attractive no one can resist you.  

- He doesn’t like it, but it often makes him smile to see others recognize what he sees in you.  

- On the night when someone is particularly persistent or you seem to laugh more than usual, he taps his finger on the bar, contemplating what to do. When he catches your eye, he simply mouths, “If you want to go, don’t worry—I’ll close the bar.”  

- It’s not about being open to a polyamorous relationship, don’t misunderstand. He believes that a relationship should be based on the fact that you actively choose to be with him, not on obligation. That’s why he gives you the freedom to back out if you want.  

- When you shake your head, refuse the other person, and stay with him—maybe touching his hand at the bar when he has a moment of peace—he looks at you with an indescribable tenderness.  

- “I’m glad you’re here with me,” he whispers when you’re finally alone, holding you tightly in his arms.  

Silco:

- On one hand, he’s too old to make a scene, but when he sees someone flirting with you right in front of him, something inside him falters.  

- Being able, after so many years, to form such a deep bond with someone put him in a state of comfort he hadn’t realized might one day be taken away.  

- Suddenly, that possibility becomes real, vivid. Outwardly, he shows no emotion and doesn’t lose his composure for even a moment—because if he did, he might lose control. But inside, he feels like he’s dying.  

- If you laugh a little too much or don’t explicitly reject the person, the turmoil inside him intensifies rapidly.  

- He’s been through too much, and his mind is wired to “strike before being struck,” which is why he immediately becomes colder, seeking emotional distance to avoid being vulnerable.  

- He’s not the king of good communication. If you try to ask him what’s wrong, he’ll dodge the question. It’ll take a lot of effort on your part to understand what triggered his behavior, to talk to him and reassure him gently, never too directly.  

- You’ll need to show him, through actions, that you haven’t left and don’t plan to before he starts acting normal again—becoming more physically affectionate when you’re alone.  

 Jinx:

- Jinx is possessive and jealous, living in constant fear of being both not enough and too much at the same time—of losing everything she has and being abandoned by anyone who can still leave her.  

- It’s in those rare moments when the buzzing behind her eyes quiets, when she’s at rest, that for a single second, just one fleeting instant, she allows herself to forget that fear.  

- And then, when you’re together, and someone pays you a compliment that makes you laugh, something snaps in her head.  

- Do you know them? Why are they so friendly? Why don’t you say something? Why did you stop walking? Walk, dammit, walk. Why are they touching your shoulder? Why don’t you stop them? Why don’t you stop them? WHY DON’T YOU STOP THEM.  

- The likelihood that the person who flirted with you ends up found the next day with a broken limb in a dumpster is extremely high.  

- But even that doesn’t calm her. When you get home, she isolates herself, spiraling into thoughts that maybe, if you could, you’d have gone with that person or followed them.  

- She’ll need lots of affirmation and both verbal and physical reassurance before she calms down.  

Vi:

- Her jealousy exists, it’s there, but she expresses it in a very straightforward way.  

- Having been forced to grow up too quickly and unable to throw tantrums because she was responsible for her siblings, her emotions have always been carefully bottled up and dealt with through questionable coping mechanisms.  

- Sure, having someone by her side now means she can’t go brawling in the streets, especially when the reason feels so trivial.  

- Usually, she doesn’t even pay much attention to it, but this time, exhaustion, stress, or a moment of vulnerability probably made the situation unbearable.  

- And as always, if you have questions no one can answer, the solution is probably at the bottom of a glass.  

- She doesn’t want to burden you with how she feels; it’s not even your fault, and she knows it’s stupid to feel this way. But when she’s forced to confront the idea that you may not a constant in her life, that maybe you want something better, something more—at that moment, she needs to get out, to scream, to punch something, with enough alcohol in her system to pass out in an alleyway.  

- She struggles to talk about it, hates making you responsible for her emotions, and hates that she has to make you worry when it’s not your fault.  

- When you bring it up and try to approach her with an attitude that makes her feel reassured, she has moments of being emotionally fragile, more vulnerable than usual.  

 Caitlyn:

- This woman is a lady killer—it’s sadly very normal for people to get jealous of her.  

- At work, during conferences, or noble meetings, she’s used to people flirting with her. That’s why, when she sees someone flirting with you, her first thought is that they might be making you uncomfortable.  

- If she sees you’re actually uncomfortable, she’ll personally step in to ensure the other person leaves.  

- If she doesn’t see you uncomfortable, she’ll observe you for a few minutes, becoming distracted and absent from her own conversations, lost in analyzing what she’s seeing. -However, she dislikes waiting to address issues, so expect her to ask if something is wrong between the two of you as soon as you’re home.  

- Caitlyn’s issue is that her thoughts ferment. If she doesn’t address the matter immediately, each day will make her mood worse, leading to unnecessary tension.  

- She might not shake off that strange feeling immediately and could remain distant until the next day, but it’s not punitive. Her emotions catch her off guard and make her colder unintentionally.  

- She’ll make up for it completely the following day.  

- She’ll also ensure she gets matching rings for both of you, so they can serve as a signal to others.  

 Mel:

- For Mel, jealousy is just bitterness.  

- She doesn’t show it. Her training in always appearing reliable and cordial means she’s adept at masking her feelings. So, when she sees someone flirting with you at a gala, her gaze lingers for just a few moments before she returns to smiling at her conversation partner.  

- A little passive-aggressive, with comments like “I saw you had fun” or “So, tell me about…”—but not meant to provoke you.  

- She’s the first to acknowledge that at meetings and galas, one must be adaptable, charming, smiley, and captivating. She knows that flirting is often part of the façade or just a small piece of a larger strategy, so what may sound like provocation is usually her way of asking what was on your mind.  

- Her bitter jealousy becomes stronger and more genuine when there’s no strategy, no deeper game, but the person continues attending events and spends all their time trying to flirt with you. In these cases, she won’t hesitate to interrupt with a firm, “Excuse us,” and lead you to the balcony.  

- No scene, no lecture—just a curt and slightly sad, “I only ask that you don’t make a fool of me.”  

- When reassured that there was never even the intention of doing so, she becomes almost an accomplice. Have fun (within limits), gather amusing or trivial information, and tell her all about it later when you’re alone under the sheets.  

 Sevika:

- Sorry to disappoint, but she’s the least jealous character here.  

- Her most stable relationships have all been at the brothel. If someone flirts with you, she’ll wait until the person leaves to comment on how slimy they were or how you seem to attract everyone without exception.  

- Zaun is precarious; her job is precarious; even staying alive is extremely precarious. She doesn’t have time for jealousy. To her, it wouldn’t make sense to get angry or even cause a scene just because someone flirts with you when she can’t be around much or offer you stability herself.  

- She knows perfectly well that her mechanical arm, her boss, her boss’s daughter, the drug use, and the dangerous work she does make her someone it’s hard to stay close to. But this doesn’t make her insecure—rather, it makes her grateful.  

- It’s your choice to stay by her side, and if you ever want to leave, she believes you should feel free to do so without fearing any outburst from her.  

- When you reassure her that you’d never betray, replace, or leave her, she pulls you close with one arm, kisses your forehead, and gives the faintest smile.  

- That said, if someone flirts too much and you complain about their persistence, Sevika will handle it diplomatically—by picking them up and slamming them against the wall in front of you, making sure the point sinks in effectively.  

[the-joy-of-knowledge]

25 Laws of power for women

Conceal your goals especially the ones that are appealing. Losing weight, reinventing yourself, marrying wealthy. Instead talk about your altruistic goals - to help children, invest in education, this will chase insecure people with vile intentions.

Do not give anyone your source of power: Was is a book that changed your life? a mentor? a movie? Never give up your secret to success. If forced to do say allude to God, the universe, the a random phenomenon

Use the patriarchy to your favor; we live in a world that is, only associate with men who have power, use that power for good.

Never appear too perfect but be selectively vulnerable when needed. Only share something that you will be comfortable saying. You might say “I forget my keys all the time,” “I don’t know how to perfectly park a car “. But never disclose something you are not comfortable with just because you are afraid of being perfect.

Maintain distance in relationships. Friends are the best and you need them. But if you feel that they are becoming too dependent, see them at your own will. But also the reverse could be the case. Your friend may keep a distance, and that is the way of life. You have got to move on from it.

Develop your own style that makes you unique, beautiful, and elegant. Avoid trying to fit in the crowd of people who claim to care less about their style yet have too many opinions about other women’s style

Avoid male friends at all cost, you will have male colleagues, male bosses, male acquaintances, business partners. Keep it that way. You do not want a Truman Capote divulging your secrets to the world. Do not keep a man who does not fit your standard.

You do not have to win at every game. Pick and choose what is best for you and leave room for others. And step down if you have attained that level of success, do not let the society do it for you.

Trust people but remember that we are all humans. So trust with discretion!

Confuse people with kindness; people are not always comfortable with beautiful and intelligent women. That power is too intimidating so confuse them by being genuinely generous, curious, kind, and passionate.

Keep your strong opinions to yourself.. if you support a movement, a way of life, do so silently.

We all have dirty laundry, wash them privately, don’t expose yourself. Remain silent when people try to attack you or shame you. Whatever is not confirmed is not true. You are the only one who knows all the truth about you.

Don’t attract pity or praise: People who pity you do not help you, in fact they might think that you are weak and could mock you at their annual gossipping meeting. And if you are doing things for the sake of praise you are wasting your time.

Choose yourself all the time; never put any one’s feelings above yours.

Trust your own intuition if you feel someone is being malicious towards you, giving you back handed compliments then you should let them go

Never speak bad of another woman. Do not lazy around gossipping. Keep your hands clean and your conscience clear.

Avoid women with low self esteem they will bring you down. For some reason they do not like seeing other women who are doing better than them

Be careful who you seek validation from. Not everyone needs to be pleased. If they are in no way capable of contributing to your life in the ways you prefer, then don’t ask them for their opinions or please them.

Do not compete with other women, if you do you are only putting them on a pedestal. You are making the the standard by which you measure your progress. If you do compete, begin digging your grave.

Do not give unsolicited advice, do not share the inner workings of your mind, If your mouth is very charitable you better start journaling.

Be well-rounded and interesting. It attracts people. It also keeps you busy because you are continually improving and learning. An idle mind is an easily subdued one.

Avoid women who want to live vicariously through you; they want to know who you know, shop where you shop, befriend who you befriend, wear what you wear.

Pay attention to the source of your discomfort; get rid of them. You tell them your dreams and they remind you of all your hindrances. They ask why are you dressed so fancy as though fancy isn’t subjective. They undermine you interests and goals. They will also be quick to bring you down because they are afraid of your potential.

Do not fear power or please power. When we see powerful people we try to hard to befriend them, to be close to them but you need to be comfortable without them. Don’t push yourself in the name of friendship, do not try too hard to be in their inner circle. Your independence of mind is the most important. Instead become a powerful woman, aloof to the presence of power but aware of its importance. Be an ingenious and intelligent and use your creativity to uplift yourself. When you do so it will be hard to ignore you. Even the powerful will become an ally.

Enjoy moments of solitude. Use that time to develop yourself, improve your body, learn new skills, create with your mind, read widely, become more elegant, then launch yourself.

Remember the most powerful women are the most intelligent. Inspired by Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power. Use at your discretion.

[nonasuch]

Miss Universe National Costume 2024, Part 2!

Splitting this off into a new post so I'm not clogging up everyone's dash quite as much.

Miss Malta is some sort of environmental protection Sailor Scout. I think the giant bow would look better on the back of the skirt but otherwise this is solid.

It has just come to my attention that I skipped over Miss Albania and several other A/B countries, back at the beginning. I sincerely apologize! She went to all this trouble putting together a Fifth Element cruise ship passenger costume, and I nearly missed it.

Miss Armenia, in what even I have to admit would be a legit Princess Leia fit.

Miss Bahrain, adding some green to her Gold And Vaguely Historical look, along with what is either a comically large prop chalice or an upside-down lamp.

Miss Bangladesh appears to believe that adding two plush tigers from the toy store around the corner from the pageant venue will conceal the fact that she is just wearing a tiger-print evening dress. Miss Bangladesh is incorrect.

Miss Belgium. Girl. No.

Miss Belize let the seventh-grade art class do her whole costume, which was a bold choice.

Okay, I think that's everyone I missed! Back to alphabetical order. And I should have to rely less on shitty screenshots, now. Some countries were benefiting from the low resolution, tbh.

Kind of feel like Miss Maldives had a luggage mishap and she's just wearing the outfit she packed for a slightly dressy dinner.

Miss Martinique's costume would honestly have looked better in the shitty screencap version. The construction is... bad. It's bad.

Feel like we're in a little bit of slump here. Miss Mauritius did not stick enough butterfly appliqués to her gown to conceal that it is, in fact, just a regular evening gown.

Slump officially over! We are so back. Everyone say thank you, Miss Mexico.

I would like this better if it had just committed to the giant skirt and not felt the need to make it a Sexy Miniskirt look. Sorry, Miss Moldova.

Miss Mongolia wanted to stand out from all the other gold armor on stage, so she decided to a) wear cooler armor and b) bring a bow and arrow instead of a sword. Great work, Miss Mongolia.

Starting to feel like I'm picking on the smaller countries that probably don't have a huge pageant culture or the budget for really elaborate costumes, but on the other hand Miss Montenegro's costume is super low-effort AND the fabrics look cheap, so what am I supposed to do?

Okay, this looks like a pretty standard Miss Universe Sexy Bird, yes? Well, THIS is how Miss Myanmar entered the stage:

She had to fight her way out of that thing! God only knows what the visibility was like in there.

I think the hat is doing most of the heavy lifting to keep Miss Namibia's costume from being Just An Evening Dress, sadly.

Oh, yikes. It's more obvious in motion but Miss Nepal's bodice looks like it's made of craft foam and it fits real weird. The rest of it looks a little like she got together with Miss Cyprus and a pile of tablecloths for a sewing bee last night, I'm sorry to say.

Miss Netherlands has chosen a Tribute to Delft. I think if I were in charge of this costume I would do a much fuller skirt that falls from the waist, instead of the weird trumpet-skirt-with-hoop we've got here. And, obviously, I would make the windmill on the bodice actually spin.

It looks like she's having some issues keeping the wings and peplum in place, but I really like Miss New Zealand's costume from a design perspective. It at least slightly resembles the bird it's supposed to be (New Zealand fantail) and I think the feather pattern is meant to be in a Maori art style.

Miss Nicaragua is a Sexy Cathedral, which I think might be a Miss Universe first and is definitely a big old step closer to drag.

Okay, pausing here to get the next batch ready.

[hersfable]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝.

first level

start with the basics. eat healthier, exercise daily (this can be a 10 minute walk or an hour work out, doesn't matter; just do something) sleep 7-9 hours, shower every day, and clean your space.

second level

journal daily. start simple with talking about your day or writing about your favourite things.

listen to subliminals at night. spotify has a lot of playlists.

meditate with affirmations daily. i listen to thewizardliz's affirmation video while focusing on my breathing and relaxing my body.

speak kind to yourself and others. don't talk down on yourself, try not to judge, remind yourself that it's okay to make mistakes...

read books instead of doomscrolling. replace your social media screentime with reading a book.

make time for the people and things you love. even though you might be really busy with school or work, don't forget to be present. plan trips with your friends, eat dinner with your family, play that instrument that you liked so much, participate in team sports, be creative, etc.

third level

invest in a good skincare & oral care routine. this does not have to be expensive at all. i use the cerave cleanser and moisurizer and exfoliate 2 times a week. if you need to, use more but be careful it aligns with your skintype! brush your teeth two to three times a day, use a tongue scraper, chew gum, go to the dentist/orthodontist, whiten your teeths.

experiment with personal style. this includes hair, fashion, makeup, accessorizing, music, etc... don't follow trends if it's not what you actually like. have fun with it (for example, go shopping with your friends and try on stuff you would never glance at!)

shave your body. i personally use an epilator on my legs and a shaver under my arms. my mama advices me to not shave my arms or on my tummy, but honestly do what you think is best here.

pluck your eyebrows. i only pluck hairs that is going "outside" the shape of my eyebrows and just keep them looking mantained.

keep your nails clean. don't bite and don't get dirt underneath them. you can also polish them but you obviously don't have to.

these things are usually more expensive

get your nails done. in my experience it is around the €40-€80 to get them done in a salon. at home it's way less expensive because you only have to buy the equipment once and can use it for more than one time. i prefer doing them at home!

get an eyelash lift. i have gotten an lift for €35 but i've also seen people paint and lift them for more. it basically just lifts up your eyelashes and makes it look like your wearing mascara 24/7.

fake tan your body. i honestly have never done this, but after research, i found out it isn't damaging to your skin at all. you can buy self tanner at your local drugstore and at tanning salons.

[jiangshiu]

cho hyun-ju x reader — braiding her hair ˎˊ˗ ⋆.˚

slightly edited as of 1/7

her hair is tangled, nowhere near as styled as it was upon her arrival.

your fingers gently thread through the brown mess — the texture is not as brittle as you'd expected, pleasant to the touch just enough that you want to keep your hands buried in it for just a while longer.

so, for a few more minutes, you allow yourself to slack off, to enjoy the feeling of hyun-ju's surprisingly soft locks. she doesn't utter a word as you play with and twirl her hair, not even when you accidentally tug at the ends a bit too roughly.

it's only when you pull away, about to start working on your masterpiece (or in other words, the braid) that she finally speaks up, her voice quiet, timid, “...i've never had anyone do this for me before. thank you again.”

her confession makes you pause. for a moment, your brain struggles to pick an appropriate reaction. you want to express pity, console her, ask her more, but you'd rather not open any old wounds.

instead, you settle for the simple truth; “in that case i'm honored to be the first one to do this.”

with that said, you finally get to work. you divide hyun-ju's hair into three neat sections, interlacing the strands together. you take your time, treating each piece of the braid like it might break if you as much as twist it the wrong way. every piece falls into place perfectly like a puzzle as you intertwine the dark locks, your pace intentionally slow, leisurely.

a shaky breath slips through hyun-ju's lips, her shoulders slinking back a bit as she lets herself succumb to the gentle motion of your hands. despite not being able to see her face, you're certain her eyes are closed, drowning in the sensation.

“if...” you start, nearing the split ends of her hair, “when we get out of here, i think we should try out more hairstyles. and get ourselves some cute hair accessories. oh, actually, we should go to the mall and buy some pretty clothes as well! what do you think?”

it's like you can hear her lips curl into a small, appreciative smile, “i'd like that,” she admits.

as you secure hyun-ju's locks with a hair tie, a smile blooms on your face as well, “i'm counting on it then.”

“there,” your fingertips follow the length of the braid — truthfully, it's far from perfect, a few stray strands sticking out here and there, but little do you know she won't really mind.

hyun-ju turns around to face you. her black eyes carry a hint of uncertainty, like she's unsure of herself, “thank you,” she repeats, “it means a lot.”

the reluctance in her voice is loud and clear. she doesn't want to lose this precious moment of serenity just yet. because neither of you know when you'll have the opportunity to do something like this again, or if there even is a chance to escape this death filled land.

“actually, hold on, i'm not done yet.”

for the final touch, you tuck out two strands at the front. curling each strand in between your index fingers to give them a temporary wave, you catch hyun-ju's eyes slowly trailing down your face. she seems to be absolutely entranced by you — from the way your lips are pursed in concentration, to the kindness in your gaze that nobody else here has bothered to show her.

“you're watching me like a hawk,” you tease her with a toothy smile, tugging on one of the strands lightly.

that seems to pull her out of her trance-like state. she blinks a few times and looks down at her lap in shame, nervously wringing her hands, “sorry...”

“don't apologize,” you shake your head. you fluff up her bangs a bit as you continue, “i don't mind it if it's you looking at me.”

hyun-ju clears her throat. a faint blush dusts her cheeks as her fingers brush against her new hairstyle, careful not to dishevel it, “how do i look?”

your smile brightens.

“as beautiful as ever.”