#It's literally at its hardest at the low levels.

[itsjustanamebro]

LISTEN. I ain't even going in tags for this y'all gonna hear me yap today. It's true that the only way to get good at fishing is to get good at it, it's like a fucking Dark Souls boss for some of these fish, but there is a way to make your training period easier and it is literally the training rod. It makes the fishing bar larger at the cost of not being able to catch high value fish. Just use that to get the ropes, stop at fishing level 3 or 4, and then switch back to the normal rods because the bar is now going to be basically the same size.

Literally the trick is just practice.

But if you fish enough to unlock the fiberglass rod, which lets you use bait, then you can slot in deluxe bait! And there's tons of ways to get a lot of that (especially in summer) and that also increases your fishing bar! And Willy sells a cheap, minor, fishing buff to make your life Even Easier! Y'all don't need to be treating this like a soul level 1 run in Dark Souls the game has options to help y'all!

unfortunately the best advice i can give to everyone bad at fishing in stardew valley is that you just need to get good at fishing in stardew valley

[reasonsforhope]

"Across the country, thousands of public schools face closures due to low enrollment. 

But Detroit, Michigan-based nonprofit Life Remodeled is welcoming vacant schools into a new era.

The organization, which has invested $51 million in revitalizing Detroit neighborhoods, primarily works to purchase vacant properties and work with dozens of area organizations to provide life-changing resources to community members.

Its first remodel — the Durfee Innovation Society — opened in 2023. A former elementary and middle school, the building is now what the organization calls “an opportunity hub,” providing resources like after-school programs, career preparedness, and support in accessing healthcare, financial literacy, and more.

“The Durfee Innovation Society is an Opportunity Hub,” Brandy Haggins, the director of the project, told CBS News. “We call it that because we’ve taken an old school building that probably would have set back vacant, and we housed it with the best and brightest nonprofits in Detroit.”

She continued: “An Opportunity Hub is a place where individuals can come and get opportunities that they deserve, that they probably otherwise would not have access to.”

The building is home to over 35 organizations, including Nursing Detroit, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Starfish Family Services.

Since it opened, the Durfee Innovation Society has provided 3,400 Detroit students with after-school programming, 5,600 with job opportunities, and 13,400 children and families with resources and support. 

Ultimately, the organization says, 22,000 Detroiters take part in Durfee’s programs every year.

These numbers represent exciting milestones, but they are also in competition with what Life Remodeled is up against.

According to the organization, 88% of third graders in Detroit read below grade level. 30% of Detroiters can’t access the healthcare they need. And Detroit residents’ median household income is 50% less than suburban residents.

School closures impact low-income communities hardest, with low enrollment rates causing school districts to consolidate resources — and infrastructure.

In 2017, Durfee Elementary School merged with a local high school, and Life Remodeled swooped in to save the space.

“It’s not just community history; It’s personal history for a lot of people,���  Haggins told CBS News in 2024. “What better way to work with the community than to reopen their school building into something that still belongs to them?”

The services available at the hub are free to anyone in the community. Nonprofits housed there pay for their space “at cost,” meaning they only pay what it takes to keep the building up and running.

It’s a model that seems to be working.

“The best part about being involved is seeing the actual change be made,” Charles Spears, the youth alliance president for Durfee Innovation Society, told CBS News. “You know, a lot of people talk about it. But when you get to see first hand, you actually see what is happening. It’s just like, wow, there is literally opportunity for all.”

Now, Life Remodeled is onto their next project: another “opportunity hub” on the east side of Detroit. The new property, formerly Winans Performing Arts Academy, is a 90,000-square-foot space that plans to open in December of 2025.

It’s called Anchor Detroit, and it’s located in the Denby community — an area in which residents “face significant poverty and lack access to opportunities related to educational attainment, job opportunities, and health and wellness resources,” according to a press release from Life Remodeled. 

More than 50,000 square feet of the space will be leased by nonprofit partners, who will bring more after-school youth programs, workforce development initiatives, and health resources to the area...

Anchor Detroit is currently being renovated to prepare for its reopening and will reportedly include a “significant presence” for arts and culture programs. 

Once it opens, Life Remodeled estimates the new space will support 18,000 community members per year.

“This should be a nationwide model for other schools that have closed across the country,” Haggins told CBS News. “I think taking a school building, or any historical building that means something to a community, and repurposing it into something that’s for the community — that’s huge and necessary.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, February 5, 2025

[agirlwithglam]

Hi!! I hope I'm not disturbing you but I wanted to ask how do I work hard. Because when I was younger I got really good marks without trying and now the subjects are hard and social media is distracting but I can't seem to delete it. This is also why my grades are even low then before and I'm really afraid to disappoint my parents (being the eldest daughter doesn't help). So can you please just give me some pointers on how can I actually study and not just cry because I don't know how to. Have a great day!! <3

literally omg. is this past me asking me a question?? like actually u have no idea how much i relate and understand this. the "gifted child" who always got good grades without needing to study now finds things more difficult. i know many people have said this, but i actually have been through this not too long ago. i hope these tips help <3

how to work hard + actually study (realistic)

forget hard work. at least do the work! (its so funny because i literally had a post about this all ready in my drafts about to get posted, so i'll keep this short and link the post.) stop focussing on doing hard work like studying 24/7. just put in the basic necessities you need to get a better grade. hard work post link

use the disappointment and embarrassment as fuel. (basically find a very strong why) (mini story-ish thing coming up, skip to the blue text for the actual advice) i still remember the day i got such a bad score on my math and science test, i was FURIOUS at myself and i cried about it! telling it to my parents was one of the hardest things i had to do and feeling their disappointment was even worse. but that became my turning point. i was so ashamed of myself and i resented me so much that i basically just told myself "i dont freaking care what you feel *with distaste*. you brought this on yourself you failure" (a bit very harsh, yes i know) but the way i studied that week- i studied more than i every had before! also doing this doesnt really lower my self esteem a whole lot, but if it does with you, please be gentle with yourself. : so what i'm trying to say it; use that feeling of shame and disapointment as a fuel, a motivation. The big “why”.

ALTER EGOOOSSSS. this helps SOOOO MUCH its so underrated. embody the energy of your fav people who are the academic inspiration you wanna be! example: rory gilmore, paris geller, elle woods, blair waldorf, etc etc! not only is this so helpful but it also makes it so much more fun and easier!!

parent yourself. i used to tell myself to do stuff like "go study now!" or "get up lazy-butt" but in my mind. but what if you tried to say those stuff out loud to yourself? it just creates a whole new level of real. So start telling yourself to do stuff out loud.

honestly just start. stop letting yourself think about how "uncomfortable" and how "annoying" it will be. All you need to know is that you need to get it done. Right? Ok. So now what’s the next smallest step you can take to getting to do the unwanted task? It may be taking out your material, opening your book, etc.

( !! tough love, but very important rant coming up)

You privileged brat. Your parents gave up EVERYTHING so you could have the education that you are having. They worked so so hard for YOU. So YOU can have the life you want. And all for what? Just for you to throw it all away and say “oh im lazy”. HELL NAH.

And also, do you realise how fortunate you are to be even living in such a time/ era where you have access to basically EVERYTHING? You’re stuck on something? You could easily search it up!! And whats more is that you can further learn. You can search up and find out more about the thing that you’re studying, become the smartest person in your class, get so ahead in life. I hope you realise that if you do use all the resources and materials and help that’s been given to you, just imagine how far you could go! Further than Albert Einstine, Elon Musk, etc. you may be like “what! No that’s gonna be too hard!” But did they have the tools that you have right at your hand? No! They made it all the way with just simple stuff and having to work super hard. But you live in a time where you can do TWICE as much without working as hard!!

And one more thing, QUIT WHINING. “Oh school is so hard!” “Oh school is so boring!” Like whattt???? You are so FORTUNATE and LUCKY to be even getting access to such education! MILLIONS of kids out there would kill to be able to learn what you are so easily dismissing right now. So TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT YOU HAVE. Put your ALL, your very BEST into studying and getting good grades because THAT is whats gonna take you so SO far in life.

Thank you very much, *mic drop*. (i still ly pookie)

dealing with social media:

put the screen time widget on your phone home screen. i did this, and i became so embarrassed by the amount of screen time i had in one day (*cough* 12 hours *cough*) that i made certain to stop using it as much.

screen time limits. this may or may not help you, bc i know that when i knew the screen time password, it didn't do a lot of help but when someone else did (like parents or someone you trust), then it definitely worked. this is probably only best if you're a child around under 14 ish bc thats around the age when most parents put screen time limits + after that age you're gonna be a lot more independent.

more *extremely* helpful resourses:

tips to decrease your phone screen time by @imbusystudying

how to reduce your screen time in the digital age? (an article)

studying tips from a straight-A student by @universalitgirlsblog2

how to study like paris geller by @4theitgirls

more blogs i recomend:

@elonomhblog @mindfulstudyquest @study-diaries @thatbitchery

xoxo, vanilla

[lieutenantfloyd]

When Duty Calls Part 1 | Cyclone x Reader

Word count: 1.9k

Summary: Your return home brings you inner turmoil, prolonged typing bubbles, and what may turn out to be a chance to mend what you broke.

Warnings: mentions of anxiety, a lot of internal thoughts/monologue, implied non-platonic feelings (if you squint).

a/n: This took a bit longer to get out than I’d hoped, but I’m so excited to have gotten the ball rolling!

Read on AO3

In your experience, one of the hardest parts of being back stateside is the noise. Both the quiet and the loud.

Your former home — An aircraft carrier somewhere in the middle of the Pacific — was by no means quiet, but each sound, each movement, each person, had its purpose. the low hum of radio chatter or the sound of planes taking off overhead had become a strange comfort to you. You were one of the lucky ones who quickly found where you belonged amongst that noise. Now after years spent painstakingly carving your name into the Naval history books, you were far from just another officer. And yet, in some twisted way, that glorious reputation of yours is exactly what brought you back here in the first place.

Exactly 23 hours ago you were still stationed on that aforementioned aircraft carrier, completely unaware that you would soon be summoned and informed — albeit with more eloquent verbiage — that you were to pack your things and head back to TOPGUN. A thousand different questions brewed inside you, but you were well aware that the Navy has never been the place to voice them. Instead, you honored each following set of instructions with nothing more than a simple "Yes sir, no ma'am".

The subsequent hours were filled with personal chaos and three different modes of transportation. Luckily, not much could phase you at this point. At least not enough for anyone to pick up on your external cues of panic. Contrary to the aviator stereotype, you liked to think of yourself as level-headed with a strong preference for flying under the radar, both in a literal and figurative sense. You'd weathered through everything the last 24 hours had thrown at you without so much as a snide remark. You kept your calm when the airline briefly lost your single piece of checked luggage. You even brushed off each lingering stare and every all too frequent ask of "So, Is your husband/brother/father/next-door neighbor in the service?". Yet, approximately three and a half minutes ago, something in you started to crack. Logic told you that this was just your nervous system coming to terms with what the next several weeks would entail, but an increasingly large part of your mind knew that that was only half the story. But seeing as you currently found yourself frozen in the back of your Uber, gripping the door handle as if your life depended on it, these facts were neither here nor there. As the latest wave of anxiety runs its course you suppress a shudder and call on your now-sapped willpower. Logic once again tells you that fresh air helps in these situations, so you force your pointer finger out and roll the window down. You hold the button until the window is right above halfway down. Just far enough to let the bright San Diego sunshine in while still allowing you to lean your head against the cool glass. After a few deep breaths, you run your tongue along the outside of your lips. The air is laced with the familiar taste of sea salt. If your memory served you right, you were just under a mile from the ocean and no more than three from base. The thought had barely crossed your mind before the pang of countless different emotions hit you. You silently curse your faultless sense of direction. In sudden need of a distraction, your free hand reaches into your bag and pulls out your phone. You blink away the dryness in your eyes before shifting your attention to the small screen which only takes a halfhearted tap to flash to life. You swipe through your notifications before tapping on the message that's been lingering in the back of your mind since the early hours of the morning.

I'm assuming you've been made aware of your latest assignment. received 7:13 am. — followed by — We hope your trip back goes well. received 7:26 am.

I landed about an hour ago, you text back. Headed home now.

It didn't surprise you that Warlock would be the first to reach out. Given his rank and location, he probably knew all about the mission. Plus, if you knew anything about the man, it was that he's always been the diplomatic type. From the stories you heard of their younger years, a part of you has always wondered if this is why his friendship with Cyclone worked so well.

Speaking of Cyclone, you click the back button and select his contact. Your last conversation with him — dated just one day before your deployment — quickly appears. God, had it really been almost five months since you last spoke? At this revelation, you sit staring at the screen for a few beats. You knew him and his personality far too well to expect him to welcome you back with open arms, but that didn't make the radio silence hurt any less. You want nothing more than to reach out, but with a shaky breath, you remind yourself that he's a horribly busy man with fewer personal relationships than you can count on one hand. However, this doesn't stop a flash of sadness from coursing through your body.

Exiting the text thread, you click on the only other new message. It's from an unsaved number and its contents inform you that everyone who's been called back is meeting up tonight at the Hard Deck. Just as you are about to send back a quick "thank you. Who is this?", something else pops into your mind and grabs your interest entirely. You quickly back out and tap on Warlock's contact. You read his second message again, Then at least five more times after that.

We hope your trip back goes well.

We?

You weren't one to get into the semantics of things, but the ambiguity of his word choice hung heavy over you. There was a possibility that he was innocently referring to himself and his wife. Yet there was an equal, and far more electrifying, chance that he was talking about himself and Cyclone. It was no secret to Warlock that the pair of you were, at least at one time, immensely close. That familiar itch returned to your fingertips, though this time you feared it would be here to stay. Over the last five months, You've been down this path countless times before. Yet each time it got harder and harder not to simply dial his number and ask about his day as if no time had passed at all. Reminding yourself that the chances of him picking up were firmly in the negative, you looked from your phone entirely and instead redirected your sights to the world outside. As you look up, The car rounds one last corner and the familiarity of your surroundings kicks into overdrive. The lump in your throat grows as both the ocean and your house come into view. Your heart swells as you realize your neighborhood hasn't changed a bit. You were fully prepared for your homecoming to be emotionally taxing, but what you hadn't prepared for was just how right it would all feel.

You come to a stop at the curb directly across from your house. You thank the driver as you exit, and a moment later your feet hit the concrete. Your hands are surprisingly steady against your luggage. The car slowly pulls away. You are left standing in your yard, phone in hand, staring up at your long-established home. The walk up the driveway is one you've made at least a thousand times. And something in you knows that it's the bittersweet familiarity of it all that finally allowed your one inescapable urge to take hold.

The rational side of your brain — the one you should be more inclined to listen to in this situation — told you that he's probably terribly busy doing all those terribly important Vice Admiral things he spent far too many hours a day doing. But the emotional side — the one that above all else, won't let you forget your history together — told you that all you really wanted was to hear his voice again. Or at very least get a few words of blunt (and often trenchant) encouragement. Your suitcase rolls over polished hardwood as you close the door behind you. The only thing you're greeted by is a stale silence. Your friends in the area had been kind enough to stop by while you were gone to ensure remained in working order, but that didn't make the stillness any easier to swallow.

Surely there's no harm in simply reaching out, right?

It was in that moment, standing with your back against the front door, that you hoisted up your white flag of defeat. Almost instantly your fingers were fast at work typing out your message before your conscience could reckon with how bad this idea was. Your words of choice were innocuous enough, yet you feel nothing but anguish the moment after you hit send.

Hey there. I know it's been… a while. You probably know I'm back in town on orders. If you have the time, I'd love to catch up. Sent >1min ago.

You kick your shoes off with a frustrated huff and immediately head for your bedroom. For what you lacked in the typical aviator ego, you made up for tenfold with split-second impulsiveness. On the bright side, you at least had the sense to leave the "I miss you so bad please respond" part unsaid. It's a short walk, and you toss your phone onto your bed once you're there with the full intention of taking a quick shower. Only, your phone lands face up. Leaving you watching in horror as your still unlocked screen proudly displays the typing bubbles on his end slowly appearing and disappearing.

Somewhere between bolting back out of the room and spending 45 minutes under the ice cold water coming out of your shower head, you pulled together a crude course of action. For the duration of your time here, you will do nothing but keep your head down, execute the mission, and be the Navy's perfect little flying angel. Somewhere between the lines of the damp post-it note you jotted this down on are the words "and no more attempts at reconnecting with the people you left in the past.". though even you know that even your best attempt at following that step will wind up unavailing at best. Post shower and with a slight semblance of a plan in place, you were already starting to feel like yourself again. Like every other mission, your ability to execute the plan would make or break you, and If the secrecy surrounding why exactly you were called back to Top Gun was anything to go off of you would have to be entirely focused and at your most cutthroat.

Exiting your room, you made your way to the front door where you quickly pulled on your boots and grabbed your keys from the dish in the entryway. The route from your house to the Hard Deck is one that's permanently etched into your mind. This wasn't the time nor the place to be making friends and in all honesty you wanted nothing more than to stay in and order takeout. However, you knew that you needed to scope out your competition as soon as possible.

You check the entryway mirror one last time before turning the knob and passing the threshold. You square your shoulders as you make the short walk to your car while also doing your best to ignore the growing feeling that the first of many wrenches is about to be thrown at your freshly made strategy.

Taglist: @luckyladycreator2, @katesmadness, @natasharomanoffisbaebby, @nobody7102, @idiomaticpunk, @thebeckyjolene, @paintballkid711, @simpledyiing, @barbiewritesstuff, @bbooks-and-teas, @starshipfantasy, @saramaple, @marchingicenotes7, @bayisdying, @princessofglitterland, @katesmadness, @shakira-sasha, @xoxabs88xox, @nyx2021, @qardasngan, @fanboyluvr, @mrsjaderogers, @bellamy1998, @alexxavicry, @madamemelancholysstuff, @autumnleaves1991-reads, @dozcan123, @nani-kenobi, @noxytopy, @accio-boys, @the-winter-marvel33, @justameresimp, @abaker74, @starlightmoon2020, @comfortzonequeen, @flrboyd, @heyitskay-21, @kmc1989, @kkrenae (let me know if you'd like to be added!)

[samijey]

disjointed mega rant about how im very into the Bloodline vs Everyone developments from last night

im rarely that positive about main roster wwe but the more i think about the opener + main event from last night the more i like it. i was legit so into the drama of seth and sami that when drews ass hit the claymore i was like WHO IS THAT like a fucking idiot because i was so focused on that killer line from seth of "i love your heart but you need to start using your head" and sami's facial reaction to it because its such a perfect line that conveys right and wrong on multiple levels

YES seth completely has a point, he was sassy about it but he DID somewhat repent for his role in roman's descent into villain status by being cody's (literal) shield at mania and getting the poison that was the title off of roman.... but did he not also prey on roman's trauma (WHICH HE CAUSED) to bait him into hitting that chair shot?

i can see both arguments and it's fair to think seth really believes everything he says right now... but is he going about it the right way? recycling the "you're not family" shot against sami when we JUST established that yes - he IS family was low and even the crowd immediately called him out by chanting 'sami uso' to the point where he had to pivot and acted flustered by adding that he loves 'sami uso' (so then what's the point youre trying to make, man?) but he still IS right in questioning sami's decision to ally back with the bloodline

because seth's correct on one thing - roman hasnt apologized - he hasnt shown real regret for his actions the past couple of years... but he also told jey they were all proud of him, he saved sami from a solo spike, he nodded a silent thank you to sami when he first did the same for him the week prior, he asked the crowd to acknowledge jimmy and offered solo a hug at wargames, before hugging all the others as if he truly loves them... so theres an argument to be made on how he might be incapable of using his words to apologize at the moment and is instead slowly trying to do it with his actions? then again, hasnt he accepted the very people he hurt and pushed away in the first place back because he needed their help? or isn't - as cliché as it sounds - that what family should be? to help you if you hit rock bottom (hehe) and forgive and forget past mistakes as long as you show repentance in either words or actions?

idk once again theres multiple positive/negative arguments you can make for roman too so which is the babyface and which is the heel which of them is right? if you listen to crowd reactions, they both are! even though they are hardcore dunking on each other from a distance while mutually avoiding the other in a way i can narratively dig into for hours but funnily conjures the image of doctor frankenstein being able to turn the monster back into a regular human after 10yrs and now things are super weird between them because yeah you fixed me but you're also the one who fucked me up in the first place so uhh i kinda hate you still; while the doctor is like yea i fucked up but it felt right at the time so idk how sorry i really am about it and also you did do some messed up stuff so uhh AND THEY'RE BOTH AS RIGHT AS THEY ARE WRONG

meanwhile sami is clearly still ridding the buzz of being accepted back into the bloodline and into the family once again - in front of a super supportive crowd and by the man whose acceptance he had to work the hardest to get. it was a perfect echo of the moment jey stepped up to defend him at the tribal court - raw 30 vs post-crown jewel '24 - so OF COURSE hes protective of jey. they have built such a meaningful bond that they got pops for months for simply greeting each other for 10secs backstage for no reason other than to show theyre still in touch... HOWEVER, for someone meant to be an understanding, emotionally mature babyface, brandishing a chair while threatening a fellow babyface SCREAMING at him to admit he attacked jey.... was pretty wild - objectively speaking that wasnt very babyface of him and YET it was understandable and justifiable to the point where the crowd gasped and cheered when he got the chair instead of booing, so yeah he had (not many) reasons to think seth might be responsible but should've taken his own usual advice and thought things through before acting (all heart, like seth said) so there's another whole debate to happen here.

i know the brand split doesnt mean much these days, but even what little of it we get bums me out because having cody and kevin more directly into this mix would elevate it even more because at the moment, kevin and seth have very similar opinions on the roman issue - from a heel and babyface perspective ofc (...for now???) and seth's silence on cody teaming with roman at bad blood has been DEAFENING but thats a whole other topic and im trying to be positive.

i havent even mentioned drew coming back (who has done nothing wrong ever except for all the atrocities <3 and also has common ground with seth and KO rn) and cm punk who's in the wings being a menace and dangling that heyman favour over the narrative's head but yea yea that opener and main event were good stuff - it will probably go to shit eventually because it's wwe main roster but last night had moments of greatness and i will cling to and overanalyse those until my eyeballs start peeling off thank you

[mediumtires]

I'm still not over this. How in the world Christian is sharing this and expect us to be okay ? HOW??

I'm also living for Fed to be there as their chaperon 😂 he cannot let these menaces free or chaos will prevail.

It got me thinking now, is Fred going to tease the hell out of Toto at each TP meetings now?

i would like to formally apologise i don’t understand how no one else is losing their mind about this? i am so about to lose my mind?

you’re telling me christian horner and toto wolff shared a flight to melbourne (loooooong flight from the uk) and christian just causally drops that bomb on us like it’s something they do all the time?

i swear the most compelling thing about them is that THEY LIKE EACH OTHER. all the yelling and the one upping and the creating fake scenarios for netflix, the comments, the quotes they feed the press, the mind games, "i don't have to kiss his arse" etc etc etc but at the end of the day they’ve been around the paddock together for over a decade. in 2014/15/16/17/18 they hung around each other ALL THE TIME.

and then 2021 happened and gLoVeS wErE oFf but even after that— may i remind everyone of preseason testing 2022?

this was literally only A FEW WEEKS after that commission meeting where masi got fired relocated. weeks after toto wore a black turtleneck like he’d just buried the w12. and they were acting like giggling schoolgirls twirling their hair and having a laff? are you joking? are you telling me these two whiny conceited big headed team bosses can just forgive and forget?

YES AND ITS BECAUSE THEY LIKE EACH OTHER. toto probably acknowledged what happened in ad wasn’t christian’s fault and christian’s crush on toto is big enough that he could move past merc protesting max's win and getting his bestie michael fired relocated.

and now you’re telling me they’re sharing flights. sure sure. probably because they’re really environmentally conscious. maybe even an accidental booking on a commercial flight. two personal assistants going “whoopsie didn’t check the passenger list sorry”. three if you count in fred but he and toto probably booked that flight together. surely they weren’t plane pooling a private chartered flight. cough cough surely not. these three old rich men (billionaire toto wolff) would totally sit first class on a commercial flight, 17 hours among commoners, before one of the hardest races of the season, one of them with a broken back, one of them blind, and one of them with a tummy ache. these three very rich men would totally suck it up and bite the bullet to make sure their carbon footprints stay as low as possible.

HELL no i don’t believe it for a second. they plane pooled. BECAUSE THEYRE FRIENDS.

christian is the longest serving tp along with franz tost but toto has been around since 2011ish when he first started at williams. they've known each other for A LONG TIME. no other team principals have been around as consistently and continuously as these two. sure some of the current tps have been around the paddock in other roles. and yet with the exception of toto and fred, none of them are "friends".

i am convinced they started hanging out. they must have because they were the two youngest tps around and everyone else was boring (except for maurizio my beloved). they build a rapport. some kind of undefinable bond, not friends, not colleagues, rivals maybe, but there's respect. even if christian won't ever admit to it ever. maybe they don't go to dinner together but I'm convinced they text occasionally, anything between "happy birthday" and "fuck you for buying out my engineer i actually needed that one". also. christian is ceo of a top level performing technology business (lmao) and if there's one thing toto knows it's management and finance. like I cannot imagine they have never had conversations about that. they're both passionate about racing. sure they probably have like hugeeee differences in opinions about certain things but it's because they're both willing to do whatever it takes for their team to win. they must respect that in the other. (their opinions are probably not even that different if we think about it. probably scarily similar actually. this is the problem, they are very much two sides of the same coin. they want their team to win and they’re willing to do pretty much anything to get there. they look at each other and don’t like what they see because they’re literally mirror images.) (THEYRE TOO SIMILAR)

IN CONCLUSION. they like each other. they may not be friends by common definition but THEY ARE SOMETHING. they share flights I rest my case.

(also yes obviously fred makes fun of them all the time it’s how he’s coded)

[vieraslaji]

Hello fellow Finnish learners!

I've been meaning to put this post together for weeks and I kept thinking it wasn't ready, but now I've decided to just keep updating it after I post so here it is, in its unfinished form:

While I do enjoy Käärijä's music and I think it's a great way to learn vocabulary, I have difficulty with auditory processing and sometimes I can't understand rap even in my native language. Also, as someone living very far away from Finland, listening and speaking are the hardest things for me to practice.

So! Here's some random assorted Finnish media that I think are nice listening practice and also (most importantly) not Peppa Pig. I cannot professionally vouch for any of these as a learning tool; all I can say is that I've watched/listened to/read them and I feel like maybe I learned something.

MUSIC

Katri Ylander (check out Pandat, Älä kysy miks, Sano mulle jotain kaunista, Kyselen) - she has a pretty low vocal range, which is great for understanding, and she has a lot of repetitive choruses

Ollie (check out Ainakin mä rakastin, Aavikolla, Älä riko mua enää) - we've got kind of a downtempo sadboy thing going on here, which is excellent for our learning purposes

Mikko Harju (check out Meidän puolella, Oon nähnyt unta, Mä olen tässä, Sinä riittää) - there tend to be clear breaks between words in his songs and he uses less puhekieli than a lot of artists

Younghearted (check out Kuljetaan, Tässä ja nyt, Sun numero) - literally I just like them idk

Antti Tuisku - Koti - I wouldn't put Antti Tuisku as an artist in general on this list, but Koti basically feels like an Ollie song

YOUTUBE

KatChats - great educational content for all learner levels, speaks very slowly and uses very little puhekieli. I also think she has a facebook and/or discord community?

Nedde - mostly a Sims and Sims-esque gaming channel, which is great for vocab building and comprehension because she narrates what she's doing onscreen

T I N K E - lots of life vlogs and sims videos; I think she speaks really clearly and understandably

Herbalisti - he speaks a lot faster and more colloquially, but his minecraft and random-pelit videos are good for the same reasons as Sims videos. also he has a really cute cat

Aleksi Rantamaa - specifically his TLDR LIVE videos are easiest to understand because he's talking to chat so he repeats himself a lot and takes a lot of pauses between his sentences

PODCASTS

Opi Suomea! - hasn't been updated in a long time but it's great listening and vocab practice about everyday topics

Soturikissat Kastepilven kanssa - I am about to make another post about this whole phenomenon but just trust me on this one

Miksei kukaan kertonut? - the host speaks very understandably and, way more importantly, her guests always have decent microphones

NETFLIX (it's what I have sorry)

Julie and the Phantoms - it's honestly very well done for a teen drama and the music is stupidly catchy

Zero Chill - another netflix teen drama; I liked it less than julie and the phantoms but it's fine

Heartstopper - don't lie to me, you're on tumblr. you've heard of heartstopper.

Carmen Sandiego - genuinely super engaging as far as kid's shows go; it reminds me of the educational cartoons I watched as a kid

The Dragon Prince - literally by the creators of ATLA, you don't need my elevator pitch for it

[gumnut-logic]

🤗 What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

🤗 What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

::rolls up sleeves and brainstorms all over the keyboard::

If you want to do it, do it. Don't hide. Everyone had to start somewhere (wanna see my first ever fic? I was 18 and the internet did not exist, also, it was really badly written; you can find my second ever written fic here - its TOS Trek). We've all been there and we are all learning. Don't be scared, Thunderfam at least is here to support. For you fanartists out there, check out How I learnt Portraiture and then check out this post to prove that I can paint, honestly, really I can :D

If you do encounter negativity - block/ban. In fandom, if you can't say something nice, shut up and go away. Don't like, don't read, and mind your own business. I'm all for self curating your online experience. The only time constructive criticism is polite is when you know the person and they've asked. Like I have several members of Thunderfam I come screaming to while writing with the question, does this suck? These are my sanity checkers - Gavii, unfortunately you have taken on this mantle and suffer on a fairly regular basis. Nutty by name and nature.

Works in Progress - anyone who has known me here at all knows I leave a wake of WiPs behind me. Some I get back to, some, not so much (I promise to pull Alex out from under that building, I do!). WiPs are part of the way an artist works (I have so many in so many media, omigod). Because fanfic is published close to the leading edge of creation, its gonna happen. Fanfic is written for fun, after all. The key is to not let them beat you up in the head. Yes, there is unfinished stuff, but it doesn't mean you can't write something else in the meantime. Don't let it stop your muse. I am notorious for unfinished stuff and the real world hates it. But this isn't the real world, THIS IS FOR FUN. I know the marketing theories and the regularity of posting and popularity and what is at stake if either not enough is published regularly or if too much unfinished stuff disappoints the reader. But again, if you let the WiPs hang around your neck too much and badger you, they will drown you. It will become a job, a burden, something you hate. So don't pressure yourself. Work with your muse and see what you can wrangle out of it...at your own pace. You might be surprised what works.

The Terry Pratchett method - I don't know if it is true or not, but there is a post flying around Tumblr somewhere that claims Terry Pratchett, famous author, only aimed to write 400 words a day. This is something I have found extremely useful. If you want to write something, don't set the bar too high so you fail. Set it at a reachable level, even 200 words or 100 words. Honestly the hardest part is actually sitting down and starting. Before you know it you will have passed your low goal and blown it out of the water 3000 words later (my highest number of words in one day was 7000 - I tend to edit as I go, so it slows me down). Rarely do we have an entire day we can write, cos life keeps getting in the way. So do it in little bits. I'm doing this method with my crochet at the moment. Lots of little bits make big bits. This is how I've written many of my longer fics. Heh, I used to have fifteen minutes in the car before work, so I'd pull up on the side of the road and write as much as I could in that time. Sometimes having a limited time helps with that as well.

But the biggest thing you can do to improve your writing is to get to know yourself very well. I'm on the autism spectrum and likely have some forms of ADHD or Executive Dysfunction (I literally cried the day I found out it had a name as to why I couldn't finish things). It's taken me years to work out how to get work out of myself. How to avoid fighting myself (a fight I never win). To learn what works best for me and how I can herd the cats in my brain into them doing what I need them to do. Find out what makes you tick. Find out what sparks your muse, what way best enables you to write. Try different times of the day, different places, bribe yourself, time limit yourself, lock the family out of the room, go to the beach, write on paper, go mobile, write on your phone, scribble notes, anything that can get your brain doing what you want it to do. Sometimes reading fic can do it, showers and manual work are great for idea sparking - let the brain idle and it comes up with all sorts of interesting things. Very late night writing can be a doozy of a trip :D Find what works then do it - until it changes and you have to find it again because yes, my brain does that too, drat it.

And that is probably enough babbling from me :D I need to go find Virgil and a pick up with his name on it...or Gordon's...it's still gelling in my brain :D

I hope this helps someone, even just a tiny bit. Writing is hard work, don't let it drown you. Also, we all have up and down days, just because something sucks today, doesn't mean it will feel the same tomorrow. Never give up, never surrender, and if you do give up on one thing....ooh, look there's another one to play with.

Thank you for asking ::squishy hugs you lots::

Nutty

(who despite this will still have days where the writing will not work...in which case, I'm gonna do something else for a bit until brain decides it wants to play....stupid brain, do it on demand, you pile of goop)

[shinyflareon]

How to easily capture The Loyal Three in Pokemon SV's The Teal Mask DLC

The Loyal Three, the new legendary pokemon in The Teal Mask, are finally a return to form of proper legendaries that are difficult to catch instead of just jumping in the ball at the first opportunity because catching them is required by the plot. However, there's a few factors that make them more difficult than your average legendary - primarily, their ability, Toxic Chain, which can inflict your pokemon with the Toxic Poison status condition every time they deal damage, putting you and your balls on even more of a timer as you race to capture them and withstand their attacks. Lucky, there are some easy solutions that you can use to ensure that your pokemon is able to sit out on the field while you try to capture them.

You will need 3 pokemon total, and only 2 at a time. (Under a cut because wow this got long!).

The first pokemon you will need is one that is fast, capable of inflicting paralysis, and that knows the move False Swipe. I used a Persian, as it can also learn Screech to lower their defense and can learn Thunder Wave via TM.

Nature, IVs, and EVs don't matter - just feed it candies until either you can outspeed them or you hit level 100. You'll be bringing this Persian (or other 'mon of your choice) to each of the 3 encounters, but your second pokemon will vary depending on what you choose to bring, so let's go in order of difficulty.

First, Munkidori

Munkidori is a Poison/Psychic type that will know the moves Nasty Plot, Future Sight, Psychic, and Sludge Wave.

First, we're going to send out Persian and immediately use Thunder Wave. This accomplishes 2 things: it inflicts a status on Munkidori, making it easier to catch, but it's not a damaging status like burn and also not one that you'll need to periodically re-apply like sleep, and full paralysis will occasionally make Munkidori unable to attack, preserving its PP and giving you more chances to throw balls at it before it uses Struggle. Once it's paralyzed, use Screech and False Swipe as necessary to get it down to 1 hp before Persian faints (and Persian will faint - it's fine). Once it does, we'll be sending out our second pokemon, and the one that will be sitting on the field while we try and capture the monkey: Kingambit

You may have noticed that all of Munkidori's moves are either Psychic or Poison type - both types that Kingambit is completely immune to thanks to its Dark/Steel typing. This means that Munkidori literally can not damage Kingambit at all, as the Steel typing also prevents Toxic Chain from activating. Additionally, Kingambit can also learn False Swipe if Persian has fainted before it's able to get Munkidori low enough. Leave him out on the field while you keep throwing balls, and eventually the monkey will be caught.

Next up is Fezandipiti

It's a Poison/Fairy type - not flying! - that will know Swagger, Flatter, Roost, and Beat Up.

Honestly, this thing's moves are kind of pitiful. Beat Up is its only damage dealing move, and it's only useful if the user is part of a team. Otherwise it's just a pathetically weak move, and Fezandipiti doesn't even get STAB from it! The only thing that makes Fezandipiti slightly harder than Munkidori is that Swagger and Flatter both cause confusion, so some unlucky rolls can cause you to take yourself out, and the fact that it knows a healing move in Roost. However, Roost has been heavily nerfed in this generation, now only having 5 pp.

You'll be using pretty much exactly the same strategy as with Munkdori: send out Persian to paralyze it and use False Swipe, then send out Kingambit. It's not immune to Beat Up, but you'll probably do more damage to yourself when it uses Roost and you have to use False Swipe again and hit yourself in confusion. It shouldn't be too difficult, especially once you stall out Roost's PP. Once again, it can just sit out on the field and eat attacks while you throw balls.

Now, on to the hardest of the trio: Okidogi

This is one bad doggo. It's a Poison/Fighting type that will know Poison Jab, Crunch, Brutal Swing, and Superpower.

You might notice an immediate problem in that Kingambit will get absolutely bodied by Superpower. Okidogi also has a base 128 attack stat, so even after Superpower's self-inflicted attack drops its attacks will still hurt quite a bit. Its Dark type moves not only have much higher base power than Beat Up but will be hitting a lot harder as well off that high base attack. This is where we're going to be sending out our 3rd pokemon: Gliscor with the ability Poison Heal.

Gliscor is unfortunately exclusive to Scarlet Version and has Poison Heal as a hidden ability, but it's significantly higher bulk and resistance to Poison rather than a weakness make it vastly preferable to the other, more easily available pokemon with Poison Heal, Breloom. Violet players can still get this pokemon via trade or Terra Raids, and the 6* raids will always have the hidden ability. It even also learns False Swipe for when your paralyzer inevitably gets slammed into the ground (reminder that the Focus Sash item will be consumed if it's used outside of a link or WiFi battle!).

And there you have it! Pokemon that can sit on the field against all of the Loyal Three and not be bothered by their attacks, giving you the maximum possible opportunities to catch them. Good luck, and happy hunting!

[bring-us-back-light]

Some people have called you out already in the notes which is great, but here's my addition. First and foremost: STOP SPREADING MISINFORMATION. hooooly shit. burning my bridge with you. verify your shit before you say shit. You mentioned 'your' instructor, so sounds like you're certified? But you're woefully misinformed (not in a way that will get you hurt, but definitely in a way that can/will fearmonger). Please please please stop spreading misinformation.

I'm just begging everyone on this website to stop talking about things they don't know about as if they're scary!!! Ok, actual response/information

"basically when you want to get your advanced scuba certification (allowing you to go more than 60 feet deep) you have to undergo a very specific test: your instructor takes you down past the 60+ foot threshold, and she brings a little underwater white board with her." That's cool your instructor did the math exercise with you! Mine didn't. Because fun fact: it's not a test and it's not required. Its a fairly common technique instructors use to demonstrate the effects of nitrogen narcosis.

The way it's generally done, is they have a few simple math problems they time you solving at the surface, then they take you down to depth and time you redoing the math. Then you compare the times and results.

They do this because many people don't realize they are under the effects of narcosis until significantly after they have noticeable impact on your executive function. To the point many people don't think they get narc'd until after 120 feet.

"if you can solve it, you're good. that is the hardest part of the test." Ridiculous to call any part of (most org's) recreational scuba test 'the hardest part' scuba tests are written and practical. And while someone might struggle personally with a certain skill, or the knowledge, it's not like a physical fitness test with an identifiable 'hardest part'. By the time you're certified, you should be able to comfortably do all skills. If you can't, you aren't ready. Especially going above open water certification (the base level).

My parenthetical about most org's, is because the GUE test absolutely is hard to pass. And I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone that wouldn't find their buoyancy and trim expectations the hardest part.

"because here's what happens: there is a subset of people, and we have no real idea why this happens only to them, who lose their minds at depth. they're not dying, they're not running out of oxygen, they just completely lose their sense of identity when deep in the sea." Subset of people: wrong. Everyone get's narc'd. People get narc'd at diffrent depths, and it changes day to day there are a lot of factors that go into it.

No real idea why this happens to them: I mean... we don't super know why nitrogen is narcotic. But we know why divers get narcosis.

lose their minds at depth: it's literally just intoxication. it's like being buzzed (and then more and more drunk the deeper you go). And yes in the most extreme cases, people can hallucinate and do things that results in their death. But it's very misleading to say nitrogen narcosis makes people lose their minds. The extreme cases, by the way, are at hundres (multiple) feet of depth. No one NO ONE is getting narc'd at 60 feet. Peoiple start getting narced around 70-100 feet. It starts becoming actually dangerous around 150 feet. And after that point, properly trained divers use trimix to offset the nitrogen because helium doesn't have a narcotic effect.

About the story... Talk to anyone who's been diving for a while, and they'll have a story about themselves or someone the were diving with that got narc'd and did something silly. I have no problems with your story and fully believe it happened. However I'd like to point out that the likely more impactful reason that the lady was so low on air, is because when you're at 99 feet, you're breathing air 4 times as fast as you do at the surface. (This is because every 33 feet of depth, you're at another atmosphere of pressure. So at the surface you're at 1, at 33 feet you're at 2 total atmospheres meaning air is compressed to half it's size in volume.)

This point is actually one of the major points of the deep dive training. You have to watch your air a lot better. The other major point is higher emphasis on decompression limits.

I know people on tumblr looove stories of underwater cave diving, but I haven't seen anyone talk about nitrogen narcosis aka "raptures of the deep"

basically when you want to get your advanced scuba certification (allowing you to go more than 60 feet deep) you have to undergo a very specific test: your instructor takes you down past the 60+ foot threshold, and she brings a little underwater white board with her.

she writes a very basic math problem on that board. 6 + 15. she shows it to you, and you have to solve it.

if you can solve it, you're good. that is the hardest part of the test.

because here's what happens: there is a subset of people, and we have no real idea why this happens only to them, who lose their minds at depth. they're not dying, they're not running out of oxygen, they just completely lose their sense of identity when deep in the sea.

a woman on a dive my instructor led once vanished during the course of the excursion. they were diving near this dropoff point, beyond which the depth exceeded 60 feet and he'd told them not to go down that way. the instructor made his way over to look for her and found a guy sitting at the edge of the dropoff (an underwater cliff situation) just staring down into the dark. the guy is okay, but he's at the threshold, spacing out, and mentally difficult to reach. they try to communicate, and finally the guy just points down into the dark, knowing he can't go down there, but he saw the woman go.

instructor is deep water certified and he goes down. he shines his light into the dark, down onto the seafloor which is at 90 feet below the surface. he sees the woman, her arms locked to her sides, moving like a fish, swimming furiously in circles in the pitch black.

she is hard to catch but he stops her and checks her remaining oxygen: she is almost out, on account of swimming a marathon for absolutely no reason. he is able to drag her back up, get her to a stable depth to decompress, and bring her to the surface safely.

when their masks are off and he finally asks her what happened, and why was she swimming like that, she says she fully, 100% believed she was a mermaid, had always been a mermaid, and something was hunting her in the dark 👍

[castlebyersafterdark]

I don't think it would matter if your mike pov writing sounded the same as your will, because you would be writing from a third person narrator pov.

if you typically wrote in first person for will, then decided to write another piece for mike also in first person, and they ended up sounding like the same person's diary, then... maybe this wouldnt work. but seeing as writing in first person seems to be considered blasphemy in fandom (even though it can be SO intimate and transporting in real novels), i doubt you would choose first person.

so writing them in third and finding the writing style stayed the same would be fine... great actually. because it would be YOUR style, you the author, if that makes sense? sort of like how will in the show AND mike in the show are distinct, but they are both written with the duffers' authorial voice. their individual character actions and thoughts are what change and make each pov seem believable.

let's use in memoriam as an example (hi again! its me!). alice winn does something really unique, in that she switches between the two main characters' povs throughout the book, from chapter to chapter. this is very unusual (and kind of breaks some writing rules), but she makes it work. its also what gives the book a sort of... wait for it... fanfiction edge, ha!

i noticed as soon as i started reading, and i looked her up, and lo and behold, she started in fanfiction. and i have noticed that in fanfiction, it's very popular to switch between character povs - not only from chapter to chapter, but from paragraph to paragraph, or even sentence to sentence! its actually a bit of a pet peeve of mine that i had to get used to, but i soon realised it wasnt fair to expect professional standards in fanfiction, which often has a different intention to published novels.

but in professional fiction writing, switching povs like this is considered amateurish, mainly because it shows the author's lack of control. it can even be seen as a form of cheating! attention is being drawn away from the story and towards the narrator, because instead of being a silent conveyer of a single character's thoughts and actions, they have now become omniscient: they can now somehow magically understand multiple characters' thoughts and feelings. this is known as the omniscient narrator and is seen as the hardest kind of narrator to write well without making the reader give major side-eye, and wonder just HOW the narrator earned so much impossible knowledge. an omniscient narrator is above everything, they are god, they know all and are untouchable, and therefore the stakes can feel very low. this is why most published novels you will find (or films!) do not use this pov. those that do often employ magical realism or ironic comedy, with a character who is literally god, for example.

ofc you can see how this narrator functions differently in fanfic, where the reader goes into it expecting a level of prior knowledge both from themselves and the author. i can totally see how tempting it is to cosy right up to your fav character and comment on every tidbit about the characters' psyche, even though it often reveals more about the fanfic author than it does the character. i definitely had to get used to that when i first started reading fanfic!

and definitely not to say that fanfic is bad fanfic if it disobeys these narrator rules. but when i spy a fic that manages to convey who [mike] is even though it's ONLY [will's] pov? WOW. and likewise, a mike fic where we don't get inside will's head but we KNOW who he is from how he acts, and what he says, and how he interacts with mike? WOW WOW WOW WOW.

so yes... please do write mike! you've been great at capturing him so far, and unless i'm mistaken I think you have done a little of his pov before, in the DnD fic? maybe that wasn't intentional, not sure. but as long as you capture mike's individual journey and thought - and you seem very understanding of him from what i've seen on this blog so far - i'm sure you'll knock it out of the park (to use a sporting term both our boys would roll their eyes at lol)

I really appreciate reading this - this is definitely something I kind of agonize over and worry about with my writing? Because I will fully admit - I don't know that I'm fully planning and getting it in regards to POV voice when I'm writing two characters. I think I might find myself jumping from brains sometimes, even if I'm focusing on one "lead" character. Because I find myself wanting to give insight to each mindset, or leaving out an internal insight in other moments - but I guess that's weaker writing. It's something I need to work on and learn more about. It's hard!! It's very hard. Because I do sometimes want to say what I want to say. But things... need to flow right and sound engaging and not confuse. I get it. I think writers can and should break the rules, too but my problem is as I've started taking it seriously the last almost year (as seriously as fanfic can be taken - and it should be, honestly! Craft of any caliber deserves passion!) is that I have to keep remembering that to break rules I need to learn and consider the rules. Yes.

Not a fan of first person in fanfiction but I do write in it a lot in my more poetic ventures? My short form free-flow journaling writing. So maybe that leeches in when I write fiction prose. Anyway, I get what you're saying in regards to authorial voice. That makes more sense.

Definitely good advice to consider. It's tricky!!! A lot to learn. Because I'm not totally sure how deeply now I'm doing this omniscient narration thing and it worries me, but maybe it's not the worst error? I have to admit - I'm really proud of it and I adore that it's out there, but the length and amount of push it took to write the Renn Faire fic? I have not read it back after my final read through the day I posted it. I'm afraid of what I'll find and I know that I must have done some narrative POV jumping big time in that one since it was Will AND Mike featured and I'm not sure I was considering the finesse with that one. Because I guess with fic, especially fic centered around a couple - I don't always focus on one being the "lead" when it's centering on a couple in a story. I don't know. This is very complicated! I want to learn all about it. Angling for one day being a WOW WOW understander - that's the goal!! Just means a lot of practice. Love that, the work is the fun part, the journey is fun. Even whilst admitting vulnerabilities in where I feel I struggle in my writing - it's still fun. Because it's all about trying stuff, learning and honing your craft. I'm really happy to have fic to do all this - because the stakes are honestly low. Yes, I mostly write spicy sexy romance scenes and stories but I take it seriously! Because I care about this 😁😊

[frost-eyed-autumn]

gladiolus : describe a moment from your muse’s life that they will never forget .

❥     𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒    [   𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙿𝚃𝚂    ].

One of the biggest moments would definitely be Chuuya's first year within the Port Mafia, right when the King of Assassins incident came to light.

Or rather, the moment right before it.

Although Chuuya had sworn himself into Mori's service, his trust in the organization and its people was still rather... low. His trust in people in general was shaky at best. After all, it had only been a year ago that he had been betrayed by the Sheep, and even moreso, the person in the Sheep he trusted and relied upon the most had been the one to personally stab him in the back, literally, with a poisoned blade meant to kill him.

And then, although the choice had ultimately been his (even if extortion had been involved in that choice), he'd been thrown into the mafia -- an organization that he formerly considered his enemy -- knowing not a single person except for two. The Boss, and Dazai, whom set the stage for the Sheep's betrayal and Chuuya utterly hated.

So here he is, a fifteen year old, who's been betrayed by the only family he's known, who still fully believes he's not completely human and tries his very hardest to be perceived as one anyway, thrown straight into the deep end of what to him is basically a pit full of sharks he doesn't know and a lot of whom have just as sharp of teeth as he does. He's no longer the biggest baddest fish in the pond like he was in Suribachi. And not only is he expected to swim, he's expected to perform to the level of becoming one of Mori's Executives, with steep competition all around him of other young, ambitious Ability users who all want the same position as he does.

Except for the fact that there's something he needs that they don't, that he can only get if he out-competes all the other Flags -- access to the restricted Arahabaki records.

And every step of the way, he's being compared to shitty DAZAI, who Mori has hinted would probably read the records and then destroy them so he can lord them over Chuuya the rest of his life if he becomes an Executive first, who always seems to be just a few steps ahead of Chuuya no matter how hard he struggles to impress.

And he's having to deal with all of this while also never having experienced having unconditional friends who didn't only had his back so long as he took on the brunt of responsibility protecting them from outside threats.

He's never been the one protected first or given unconditional friendship at this point, and it shows in how he conducts himself among the Flags in the beginning of Stormbringer. Even though the Flags are his friends, there's a clear undertone of fear and hostility with how Chuuya behaves around them, a certain level of aloofness and temperamental discomfort.

But when the Flags go out of their way to try and help him find answers to his origins? Even going so far as to go behind Mori's back to help Chuuya find answers to whether or not he's actually human after all, well ahead of Chuuya gaining access to Rimbaud's leftover notes about Arahabaki?

That's definitely a turning point for him. Its the first time he's had other people -- his seniors no less -- genuinely look out for him without expecting him to pay it back with his power. Without being people who only stick around him and view him so highly because he's their shield. The Flags are different. They don't need him to protect them just to be their friend like the Sheep did.

They're not afraid of him either. They're perfectly willing to show him as much, that they don't need to stoop to cheap betrayal tactics to stand up to him if he's out of line, but they're still genuinely there for him even to the point they're willing to commit insubordination for his sake.

Not only that, they provided him this support while all of them were in direct competition for the Executive seat. Direct competition with him for the Executive seat.

And Chuuya really needed that to truly break out of his shell and not just go through the motions of expectation, while secretly being scared as fuck by all the people around him in the organization and believing before that that there's no one who truly has his back if things are going badly. Before the Flags, he genuinely believes that the only person he can count on for his own safety and interests is himself. Mori is someone he looks up to and respects and strives to learn from but they're not quite to a point where Chuuya views him and the Port Mafia as family yet.

Especially not when he was still carrying around the wounds left behind by the Sheep. And by Shirase in particular.

He needed that to show him that there are people who don't only want him around for his Ability (a comfort that, unfortunately, Mori isn't really able to provide him at the time given his priority is gathering lots of powerful Ability users to build the organization up first, and its incredibly likely at the time that there are other Flags he would choose ahead of Chuuya, Dazai being at the top of that list), but just value him as and see him as another human being more or less equal to them.

Of course, their death's at the hands of Verlaine, targeted for assassination specifically because they were his friends, and his failure to protect them, was another hard lesson he's never forgotten. But that's a topic for another post : )

[dangerousalpacas]

how to remove semi permanent hair dye (no borax no glue)

HELLO TUMBLR I am on a new ADHD med that makes me focus on things that are not my homework apparently so I perfected my method of removing semi permanent hair color most effectively with the least amount of damage. My qualifications are that I've been dying my hair for like 7 years and have been every color ever, and used like every hair dye brand and most color removing techniques.

caveats:

1. THIS DOES INVOLVE THE USE OF DEVELOPER, AND SOME BLEACH. Keep in mind, just because something uses bleach or developer, does not mean there will be inherent significant damage. They are tools, just use them correctly.

2. THIS WORKS BEST ON PREVIOUSLY LIGHTENED HAIR WITH AN (at least somewhat) EVEN BASE. This most likely will NOT work on virgin hair with semi permanent dye over it. For most people, virgin hair isn't super porous to begin with, so just using head and shoulders or mane n tail might be enough to get rid of color in virgin hair. This works best with hair that was a level 8+ blonde before dye, but can be used with darker bases. The lighter the base was, the better.

3. THIS MAY NOT WORK FOR EVERY BRAND OF DYE. I usually use manic panic, and for every color I've tried, it works great. It most likely will not work as well on really dark semi permanent colors, like blacks, but it's definitely worth a shot. In my experience, manic panic and ion are the easiest to remove, and most other brands I've tried are really hit or miss. Arctic fox does tend to be the hardest to remove imo. (if you have translylvania by arctic fox in your hair rn you may be cooked, I fear)

ANYWAY

What you'll need:

Color remover (Your color remover MUST have a bleach base. DO NOT GET THE SALLYS BRAND THAT SHIT DRIES YOUR HAIR SO BAD. GET MATRIX COLOR ERASER OR THE PUNKY COLOR REMOVER THEY ARE AMAZING. I've also heard very good things about the danger jones color remover if you can get ahold of it). If you can't get a color remover, you can use a bleach, I recommend cream bleach. It just might not be as effective.

Shampoo (Clarifying shampoo or head and shoulders can add some extra oomph, but can make your hair more dry. I use olaplex shampoo to prevent damage, but that is really expensive. But in general, it's your choice of shampoo.)

5-10 vol developer (you do not need more than a 10 vol, and if you only have higher strength you can water it down!!!! You can use a 5 vol if you have a medium-light color dye, and/or you're confident it'll come out easily.)

All your other hair dye stuff (you do not need foils, but I recommend gloves and a brush to mix/do roots if needed.)

STEPS:

Mix the color remover and the developer at the recommended ratios. Pre measure out developer if you're watering it down. I'm not gonna include how to water down developer, but it's a google search and very easy.

IF YOU HAVE ROOTS DO THEM NOW. Even if your hair is dark, typically low vol bleach will still lighten them a good amount because of the heat on your head. If needed, wait 15-20 min (or until you notice your roots lightening) before proceeding. I have lvl 7-8 blonde roots, and I do my roots first then literally as soon as I'm done I'm able to keep going.

Add a few dollops of shampoo, I usually use like 2-3 tbsps, but I don't have a lot of hair. the consistency should be kinda foamy/sticky, like it should feel almost like normal shampoo.

Slather that shit in your hair. Go fast; ideally saturate everything in 5 minutes or less. It isn't too much unless its dripping off your head.

(MOST IMPORTANT STEP) literally watch it in the mirror. It will lighten as you watch it. Sit in your bathroom and stare at your hair the whole time. Do not put a bag on your head.

AS SOON AS YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU'RE HAPPY OR IT'S COMPLETELY GONE, RINSE. NO NEED TO OVERCOOK. This is how you avoid dryness and damage. For me, it will typically sit in my hair for less than 10 minutes. I just took out purple haze by manic panic and I watched a strand of color literally disappear in under 3 minutes. I like to prep my shower/rinsing stuff beforehand so as soon as I'm done, I just jump in the shower.

YOU"RE DONE WEEEE!!!! IF THE COLOR IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANTED AFTER THE TREATMENT, GIVE IT A WEEK OR TWO TO FADE, THEN GO IN FOR ANOTHER ROUND. This also gives your hair time to recover, even though this is very low damage, it can still hurt your hair (especially if it was fragile to begin with). For instance, lot of reds will go pink, but in my experience the pink is gone in like a week. It's very uncommon for me to do a color remover and not be able to get back to blonde, even with semi permanent blacks.

[jjournalingg]

Healthy Habits

There are many things that I've done in order to make myself feel better in terms of my lifestyle and here are some things I recommend trying and how they have effected me! Of course though different things work for different people, don't feel pressured to replicate anything I do.

Eating less junk food : Of course the occasional treat it perfectly fine, if not great because you shouldn't be restricting as that can cause very unhealthy cycles. You can try to eat more wholer foods, for me this has helped with my acne and my energy levels as well. Processed foods are okay but try to look for minimally processed or unprocessed foods for about 80% of your diet.

Low Impact Exercise : Go for a walk, bike, or etc, especially while the sun is out. It helps you get movement which helps with your digestion and keeping yourself active. Not just that sun exposure can help with your mental health and how you feel. I feel less exhausted as I started adding more steps into my day and the activity makes me feel more productive.

Journaling : I love love love journaling it helps express your emotions. Outside of starting this blog I write in a notebook and it is so relieving because it helps me understand how I feel.

Drink more water : I feel like everyone talks about this but water helps with so much, being dehydrated comes with many issues that personally made me feel awfullll. I personally got a refillable water bottle. It doesn't have to be a fancy $40 stanley it can just be a cup that you like and just having a water bottle or cup of water around you will help remind yourself to drink more water. Hydrating myself has helped me with headaches and digestion.

Sleep enough: Oh my god I don't know why people think its so funny and quirky to get no sleep. Please out of all of these things that I'm suggesting this is one of the more important things. Sleeping for at least 7 hours (preferably 8 or more) a day helps with your cognition (literally the only thing I remember from AP psych). But not getting enough sleep, aside from just exhaustion can lead to actual issues in the future. Sleep helps with healing your body, get more rest.

I understand that the hardest part of these habits is maintaining them and that's perfectly normal. Just do what you can, it can be a very slow process or quick everyone is different! Remember to treat yourself

[tearfest]

ㅤㅤgeun had their sopping wet cunts quite literally in his palms, and yet he still couldn't quite believe that this was happening. that this was real. usually empty, often vapid, brain was consumed in its entirety by them. by the wetness that drenched his fingers, that plagued his thoughts. it would be so easy to slip inside, to take it in turns to stretch them both with the thick girth of his cock. but they would taste so good, too. so sweet and juicy... knowing what to do with them had been the hardest decision since he'd decided to indulge.

ㅤㅤeverything about them was heavenly. unquestionably pornographic with how their sumptuous asses spilt from torn lycra; eyes trying to swear the sight to memory as his heart raced, and his cock throbbed. words were as effective as actions, with cheeks reddening at shayla's words — smug and yet shy all the same. especially when they showered him with so much admiration, so much worship... admiring their faces brought him just as much arousal as their bodies, well and truly captivated by what he could only describe as goddess-like beauty — the kind of women that men would start war's for. which he would probably end up doing, what with their long since forgotten husbands and all.

ㅤㅤpink tongue poked out to swipe at his lips, dampening them as his eyes remained glued on the girls and their every movement. a low, muffled groan resonates in depths of his throat, eyes nearly bulging when shayla's ample breasts came bouncing out of their confines, fulfilling his deepest fantasies — his wildest dreams. " fuck, " cuss is exhaled, hands emptying to rub at the back of his neck — both arms flexed as he stared down, admiring their glistening folds before they pressed shamelessly back against his strained cock. " just like that... " head leaned back into folded palms as they rutted against him, smearing his shorts so much so that his cock grew to be soaked; some of his tension being alleviated by the newfound friction whilst his own clothing presented one last barrier.

ㅤㅤlarge palms lowered to spank at rippling cheeks, admiration in darkened gaze as he indulged in the rhythmical clapping and smacking of skin. so much ass, he almost didn't know what to do with it. he'd been lost in thought, carelessly groping at ample flesh, when words had his cock twitching in response. a god. he wanted to be a god. their god. " and how would you treat a god like me? " anxiety had slowly, but surely, dissipated by now; timidness replaced with arrogant arousal as he got into character. geun, the god. but before he could let them tell, or show, him, he was looming over them — bending until he was eye-level with puffy, wet folds. " you're both fucking perfect... " he was in complete and utter awe of both of them — nose burying between shayla's bouncing cheeks first before lapping greedily at her juicy cunt, groaning against wet muscles whilst sucking feverishly at her clit, palm squeezing at her ass to rock her against his tongue.

ㅤㅤhe was quick but diligent, lips smacking crudely when he pulled away with glistening cheeks. other hand still firm with its hold on kiarah's ass, taking the time to explore her own glistening cunt between torn spandex with skilful tongue; hand slipping around to tug her bra down with enough force to rip. his licks were loud and messy, and he's lucky that they'd met at his home and not the gym, otherwise they would only get caught. fuck, he could do this all day. tongue was buried between kiarah's folds, rubbing at her bundle of nerves as a large hand struck harsh against her rippling ass; only pulling away when his tongue was coated in equal parts shayla and equal parts kiarah. " you taste so fucking good... " he groaned, straightening up before fingers hooked into the waistbands of spandex, simultaneously tearing the fabric down their plump thighs to expose their asses completely — taking a teasing step back as hands folded behind his head, head nodding cockily towards soaked bulge. " show me. show me how you'd worship a god. "

⸻     any    temptations    naturally    could’ve    been    held    off    for    so    long.    their    only    goal,    to    see    a    side    of    him    that    they    never    knew    even    existed    in    the    first    place.    troublesome    pair    relishing    in    the    undeniable    feeling    of    his    desire.    nike    pro    spandex    drenched    and    bunched    up    between    damp    cunts,    practically    waiting    and    pleading    to    be    aroused.    god    knows    they’d    take    it    from    him    in    any    from    that    he’d    deliver    it    in,    though    the    manner    in    which    it    came    was    ungodly    unexpected.    either    girl    gnawed    at    their    peachy    bottom    lip    at    the    feeling    of    empowering    palm    draping    across    a    supple    asscheek.    more    than    sufficient    for    one    man,    even    a    man    of    his    size    to    share.    for    as    large    as    his    palms    were,    they    couldn't    contain    extra    weight    which    spilled    out    from    either    side    of    his    palm.

their    joint    shrieks    spiked,    and    then    subsequently    echoed    through    gym    walls    at    the    spank    delivered    to    the    two    of    them.    ❝    we’re    just—    so    glad    that    you    noticed,    can’t    miss    gym    day    when    we    have    somebody    to    show    off    for…    can    we  ?    ❞    kiarah    nearly    slurred    her    words,    warmth    pooled    between    her    thighs    had    simply    become    uncomfortable.    pushed    her    to    become    a    near    quivering    mess,    waiting    and    pleading    for    any    stimulation    that    he’d    deliver    past    such.

ass    rippled    effortlessly    in    the    mirror,    ear    piercing    rip    of    the    lycra    allowed    wet    cunts    some    exposure    finally.    could’ve    squirted    on    near    command    from    girthy    fingers    taking    a    well    received    swipe,    either    girls    back    arched    cruelly.    never    had    they    been    more    grateful    for    their    flexibility    which    allowed    innocent    lashes    to    bat    up    towards    the    bulky    personal    trainer.    ❝    come    on    kie,    lets    touch    our    toes    for    geun…    ❞    girlish    laughter    embellished    slutty    features,    pedicured    nails    grasped    at    the    top    of    straining    nike    pro    top.    peeling    the    bra    band    downwards    until    her    rounded    breast    break    free.    

girls    come    together    adjacent    with    one    another,    plump    thighs    mush    against    the    other    and    expand    further    as    they    lean    forwards.    wet    cunts    extending    behind    them,    no    longer    needing    to    hide    their    desire    to    be    absolutely    ravaged    and    devoured.    this    time,    their    backs    arch    enough    to    press    wet    cunts    against    either    side    of    throbbing    cock.    so    fucking    wet,    that    they’d    left    his    bulge    sopping    wet.    grinding    backwards    into    him    without    effort,    fat    ass    cheeks    wobbling    and    colliding    against    him    firmly.    musical,    rythmic    clamping    the    direct    bi    product    of    their    efforts.    ❝    you’re    like    a    god    geun…    you    really    should    just    let    us    treat    you    like    one.    ❞    and    if    he    was    such,    they    were    his    subjects.    wobbling    asses    accentuated    by    raven    eyelashes    batted  �� at    geun,    needy    desire    run    rampant    and    out    of    control.

[egophiliac]

This may seem a bit dumb question for someone who's main in en server. But I need to prepare myself before chap 6 is coming. Anyway, is chap/book Ignihyde gonna be THAT hard?? I've seen a lot people kept saying they're not ready for chap 6 or good luck for 'that' battle. Is it that difficult?

some preparation would be a good idea, actually! if you just want advice with absolutely no potential spoilers (even vague ones), then I'll say this:

the best thing you can do for yourself is -- for the later part of episode 6 -- try to have at least one SR or SSR card no lower than level 40 for as many characters as possible (specific ones at the bottom 👇👇👇). I've seen 40 as the minimum recommended level but honestly, go as high as you reasonably can, especially with your SSRs.

I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum, hopefully it'll still make sense :')

SO! most of the frustration revolves around chapters 6-66 and 6-67, which are both split into subroutes with multiple subchapters/battles that follow three different groups of characters. you have to finish all three routes to get to the next chapter, and they force certain requirements that can make it a lot more difficult if you aren't careful:

you build your teams at the start of the chapter, and can't change them without resetting your progress. (if I remember right, you do get a chance to rebuild for 6-67.)

teams are built by character, instead of by card like they normally are, and each one has 2-3 required characters locked into that team. you can use any cards of that character, but you can't use multiple of the same character, or use them in a different team. also, no guest/friend cards.

they tell you what the element of the bosses are, but the other battles are just...whatever. if you can manage more than one 40+ card for a character, having good type coverage will help out a lot (why yes, I did get stuck for an embarrassing amount of time on a low-level rando because I got unlucky with type matchups, what about it).

there's a couple of points where you have to wait several real-time hours before continuing. this doesn't have anything to do with the team building, it was just annoying. c'mon. >:(

to be fair, I think some of the general frustration comes from how out of nowhere it was, so it's sure to be much easier if you go in with some idea of what it'll be like. (on my first attempt I tried to be cute and put everybody with their friends. it...did not go well.) I also had a particularly hard time of it because 1) F2P = less SSRs to carry me, and 2) I hadn't really focused on any cards outside of my special little garden of favorites, so not being able to use multiples of the same character for everything kinda left me boned. I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel great when I finally got through it though!

more specific info:

in 6-66, the bosses are a 5-turn survival battle; in 6-67, they're infinite battles (reduce their HP to 0 to win) and, subsequently, much harder to get past. personally speaking, the Wood one was the hardest for me because it heals itself between turns (and also I had literally no good Rook cards at the time). your mileage may vary!

Team 1 - required characters are Vil, Epel and Rook, boss element is Wood

Team 2 - required characters are Leona and Jamil, boss element is Water

Team 3 - required characters are Riddle and Azul, boss element is Fire

teams are 5 characters as per the usual, so make sure you have good cards of the required boys and at least six to complement them, plus a few more if you want to be careful. this is ONLY for those two chapters, which are pretty late in the episode (for JP it came out as part of the final episode 6 update) so you've got time to prep!

there's the obligatory overblot battle later on that is technically harder (stronger + more HP and all that), but it felt SO much easier in comparison just because it was back to normal Twst rules. really hoping that episode 7 doesn't pull its own shenanigans 💀