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genderqueerdykes · 5 months ago

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Is it true that T gel is not as effective as shots are and that you cannot truly transition if you get the gel? Asking as a transmasc whos deathly afraid of needles

hello there!

fortunately, nope, that's not true! that's misinformation that gets spread around like crazy. every single person on this earth will respond differently to medications- just because one person did not receive the benefits they wanted from topical hormone gels (estrogen or testosterone) does not mean everyone else will have the same reaction!

there are folks who will get nothing out of it at all due to certain health conditions, genetics, or other factors, but that does not make the medication wholesale ineffective. there are also people who do not respond well to or process injectable testosterone- every person reacts to medications differently. it's best to take it on a case-by-case basis, as some won't get anything, but some will see the full spectrum of effects. it just depends on your body chemistry and how you personally react to medications

there are many trans people who transition with T gel only! you can absolutely fully medically transition with T gel. you are able to adjust your dose as needed, so you can tailor it to your needs just like injectable T. i took topical T for a few years and it still gave me all the benefits of injectable! including stopping my periods

i think some people struggle with T gel because they do not follow the instructions properly. i've actually met a few transmascs who shower their T gel off RIGHT after they've put it on, thinking the medication absorbs immediately. it is recommended to not shower or swim for several hours (usually around the 4 - 5 hour mark) to make sure all of the medication absorbs. if you do this and are not showing results from your gel, this is why. please don't immediately shower your T gel off! a lot of people also apply their gel to the wrong areas of the body: if you start topical T, your specific formulation will come with a guide showing you where to apply it. applying it in other areas may not work as well

it's a completely viable option, especially for people with shaky hands, needle trauma, or are squeamish. i hope that helps! topical T is not "weaker" than injectable- your skin is actually one of the areas of your body that has the some of the highest bioavailability when it comes to medications, meaning that your skin is excellent at absorbing topical medications and getting as much as possible out of them. as long as you do not have a condition that makes it difficult for your skin to absorb medications, its should affect you just as much as injectable would.

this is not a guarantee, as everyone is affected by medications differently. you may not have a condition that prevents you from absorbing medication through the skin and still struggle. everyone reacts differently- genetics, body chemistry, there are a lot of factors that can change how a person will react. it will depend greatly on who you are as a person.

usually there's not really a way to tell if it will work for someone until they try, so your mileage will vary, but the topical T is not on the whole weaker, or ineffective. it's important to talk about how it doesn't affect some people, but it's also important to talk about how it works great for many. like any medication, experiences with it will vary greatly from person to person and that's not a reflection that the medication is bad or ineffective, that's just normal for medication.

hope that helps!

#asks #answers #testosterone #hrt #hormones #hormone replacement therapy #medical transition #topical testosterone #topical t

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wheelsgoroundincircles · 7 months ago

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1972 Chevrolet Corvette

The 1972 Chevrolet Corvette occupies a unique space in Corvette history. Representing a transitional year, it embodied the classic Corvette design enthusiasts know and love, while adapting to the emerging environmental regulations of the era.

Performance with Refinement:

While earlier Corvettes were renowned for their unbridled horsepower, the 1972 model reflected a shift towards a more balanced approach. A new SAE net rating system, implemented due to stricter emission controls, replaced the previous SAE gross horsepower ratings. The base engine, a 350 cubic inch V8, produced 255 horsepower (SAE net). For drivers seeking a sportier experience, the optional LT-1 offered the same engine displacement but with a focus on higher performance, also rated at 255 horsepower (SAE net). A 4-speed manual transmission remained standard, with a smooth Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic available for those who preferred a more comfortable driving experience.

**A Farewell to Chrome:**

The 1972 Corvette marked the final year for the car's iconic chrome bumpers. Subsequent models would adopt integrated bumpers to comply with evolving safety standards. This detail adds a touch of historical significance to the 1972 model for collectors who appreciate the car's place in Corvette's design lineage.

**Enduring Style:**

Despite the horsepower adjustments, the 1972 Corvette retained the classic Corvette silhouette that has captivated generations. Offered with a retractable fiberglass hardtop or a removable convertible top, the car continued to deliver the open-air exhilaration Corvette enthusiasts crave. Customization options like a tilt and telescopic steering wheel further enhanced the driving experience.

**A Collectible for the Discerning:**

The 1972 Corvette, particularly the LT-1 variant, holds a special place in the hearts of collectors. While horsepower figures may not match those of earlier models, the car represents a significant chapter in Corvette's evolution and offers a unique blend of classic design and historical significance. The value of a 1972 Corvette can vary depending on factors like condition, mileage, and options.

#chevrolet corvette #sports car #chevrolet #car #cars #muscle car #american muscle #corvette

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seat-safety-switch · 6 months ago

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So much of our day is spent on time-wasting activities. You know it, and I know it. If I could have back all the time that I have used up, trying to find the tool that I just had in my hand, I would probably be able to have finished another couple of crappy cars by now. There's a whole cottage industry of variously-good-willed folks trying to tell you how to get this time back, but not a single one of them has a solution for the biggest waste of time of all: sitting in traffic.

That's right, traffic. We all hate it. Even fancy-dan city folks with functioning public transit still have to wait behind some dipshit clogging the escalator, or for the next train. It seems like we're always trying to get somewhere at the same time as everyone else, even if we've opted out of the rat race through a series of elaborate financial scams whose profits are funnelled through a Cayman Islands corporation.

I've tried a lot of solutions. Buying a four-by-four truck and just driving over curbs and through red lights when they oppose me. Buying a used firetruck, and cranking up the siren when I am getting bored of being in gridlock. Buying a little kei truck from Japan and sneaking into the gaps between lanes like Bangkok pizza deliveryfolx. Hell, I've probably even tried other ideas that don't involve a truck at all; that's how desperate things are getting around here.

For now, though, I'm learning to live with it. I realized, when I saw everyone else waiting at the stop light on their smartphones, that I could be using this time more productively. Don't take me for one of those one-eyed-touch-rectangle-fondlers, though. What I do is much simpler. My '79 Monte Carlo has a real big backseat, easily big enough for a baby bathtub or two. I pulled that seat right out, welded in a couple chunks of rebar, and I now have an engine stand ready whenever I want it. Will this light ever turn green? Don't care, because I can simply turn around in my bench seat and spend the time adjusting valves on this super-high-mileage propane Slant Six that I pulled out of the junkyard.

My cars have never been in better shape, and there's a bonus, too. Although it seriously irritates law enforcement to admit it, I am technically still "operating an automobile with my full attention" and cannot be considered to be driving distracted. Now if only I could stop dropping the inch-pound torque wrench when I'm merging onto the highway. This must be why all those fancy Japanese bullet trains have glass in their windows.

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autumnslance · 10 months ago

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Benchmark Tech Notes

Running the Benchmark

If your Benchmark isn't opening, it's an issue with the executable file, and something not completing properly on either download, or extracting the Zip file. The Benchmark is designed to run and give you scores for your potato computer, I promise.

I actually saved my Benchmark to my external drive, and it still pulls and saves data and runs as it should. Make sure you allowed the download to complete before extracting the zip.

Resolution

Check your Settings; in Display, it may be defaulting your monitor Resolution to something than you might otherwise use if you aren't on standard 1920x1080.

To check your monitor Resolution, minimize everything on your screen and right click anywhere on your Desktop. Go to Display Settings and scroll down to find Resolution and what it's set at.

You can set the Graphic Settings 1 tab to Maximum, or to Import your game settings. Display Settings tab is where you set it to be Windowed, Bordered, or Full Screen, as well as select Resolution to match your monitor in the dropdown (or customize it if needed). I speak on Resolution as some folks in my FC noted it changed how their characters looked.

The Other tab in Settings is where you can change the text output, or even check a box to disable the logo and score; I do this on subsequent plays, once I have my scores at various settings, to get the clean screenshots.

@calico-heart has a post about fixing graphics settings, with screenshots of the settings tab. Basically, change graphics upscaling from AMD to NVIDIA, and/or uncheck Enable Dynamic Resolution. Also check the Framerate Threshold dropdown.

Screenshots

The benchmark auto-saves 5 screens each playthrough. In the Benchmark folder there is a Screenshots folder to find the auto-images taken of your characters.

Character Appearance

If you want to get your current in game appearance, including non-standard hairstyles, make sure to load up the live game, right click and "Save Character Settings."

Then go to Documents/My Games/Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (this is the default in Windows 10 so mileage varies). The file will have the date you last updated their settings and be named FFXIV_CHARA_01.dat (or however many saves you have/made).

Grab those newly updated DAT files for your character(s) and copy them, then in the same base folder, go to Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Benchmark).

Paste the copied DAT files in there, and rename to FFXIV_CHARA_BENCH01.dat (the number doesn't matter, and you may have more).

When running Benchmark Character Creation, use the dropdown menu.

If you do Create a Custom Character and Load Appearance Data, it will give you default hairstyles again. Meteor's Dawntrail hairstyle is a new default.

In Char Gen I am finding that a very pale hrothgal reflects the green scenery around her, giving her white skin/fur a green tinge. The other zones do not have this problem, or at least not to the same degree.

They added a Midday vs Evening setting in outdoor areas as well to test lighting. The lighting in the Gridanian innroom is better; not as bright as outdoors, to be expected, but not completely useless.

New voice type icons to clarifying the sounds you make.

Remember we're getting a free fantasia with the expansion, so some tweaking may be needed; Iyna I felt like I needed to adjust her jaw. Other colors--skin, hair, eyes, tattoos, etc--are showing differently in the various kinds of lighting.

Uncertain if the limit on hairstyles for the Hrothgals so far is just a Benchmark thing; they do have set styles for different head options. Everyone gets Meteor's hair though, so it may be a temporary/Benchmark limit. But which clan and face you choose drastically alters what hair and facial feature options you have access to.

Check your settings, tweak them a bit, play around with chargen, and remember this is still a Benchmark; they always strike me as a little less polished than the finished game, but so far I'm actually pretty pleased with having defined fingers and toes, the irises in the eyes, scars looking cut into the skin, and other improvements.

#final fantasy xiv #Benchmark #Dawntrail #Settings #Graphics #Options #Characters

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hollowtones · 1 year ago

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hi holly. What is your go-to low functioning meal? As someone whos trying to adjust to a rough job ive been needing to keep things easy.

Low-ish energy: pan on medium, olive oil. Rinse a can of chick peas & throw it in. Salt & spices. Any herbs i got. Crush a clove of garlic & throw it in (i don't usually bother to chop it, but you can if you have the energy). Move it around a bit to get the spices distributed nicely, then let 'er sit for ten-fifteen minutes to get the chickpeas golden & a little crispy (you'll still want to move 'em around every now and then to make sure stuff isn't burning, & you might also want or need to take the garlic out early to avoid burning it also). You can add other things to it or pretty it up as you please but I try to at minimum eat it with some greens for the sake of getting vegetables in me on exhaustion days.

Even lower energy: just fuckin put a potato in the microwave. Cut it open or pierce it with a fork first so it doesn't explode. Add salt when it's done at minimum. I usually like adding butter and cheese also. You will want to try & make sure you eat other things with it for the sake of Getting Yer Vitamins et al, but potato's filling and nourishing, & sometimes all you've got the energy for is putting a thing in the microwave and waiting.

Here's a vid I like from a YouTube food guy I enjoy; your mileage / things you have in your fridge or pantry / things you can easily buy may vary, but it's got some other ideas for low-energy low-effort cooking you might find useful:

youtube

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obd2gate-com · 1 year ago

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How to Change Ford Mileage via OBD2 Using OBDSTAR X300M

OBDSTAR X300M odometer adjustment tool can adjust mileage for Ford vehicles. This blog will guide locksmiths through the process.

Follow these steps：

Launch OBDSTAR X300M tool>> choose “vehicles”>>choose “mileage adjustment”>>”Ford”

Operation success

Choose “mileage adjustment”>>reading mileage…

Input the name of file to save

Current mileage: 70104 KM

Enter your targeted mileage, such as 93520KM

The job is easily done here!

OBDSTAR X300M mileage correction on Ford vehicles tested successful:

Ford Chrysler ok

Ford EcoSport 2015 type 1 ok

Ford Focus 2012 ok

Ford Fiesta 2016 obd ok

Ford Fiesta 2012 obd ok

Ford Ranger 2016 work ok

Ford Expedition 2011 year ok

Ford Focus 2015 mileage ok

Ford Focus All done ok

Ford Ecosport 2014 by obd ok

2008 Ford Fiesta via obd ok

OBDSTAR X300M OBD Odometer Reset Ford Car List (June 2017):

FORD

Ford

Crown Victoria

2005-

C-MAX

2012

E250

2008–2009

E350

2008–2009

E450

2008–2009

Ecosport

Type 1

Type 2

Edge

2015-

Small color meter

Big color meter

Escape

2008–2012

Expedition

2007–2010

2011

Explorer

2007–2010

2004

F150

2006–2007

F250

2006–2007

F350

2006–2007

F450

2006–2007

F500

2006–2007

F550

2006–2008

Fiesta

2013-

Type 1

Type 2

-2012

Five Hundred(500)

Flex

2008–2012

Focus

2013-

2009-(Multifunctional screen)

//-2008(Smaller screens)

2005–2008

Freestar

2006-

Freestyle

2005-

Kuga

2010

2012

2012-

Color meter

Monochrome meter

Merc Mariner

2008-

Mondeo

2011–2013

Monochrome screen meter

2 pointer color meter

2007–2010

Monochrome screen meter

4 pointer color meter

Navigator

2007–2010

2011

New Mondeo

Small color meter

Big color meter

Monochrome screen meter

S-MAX

2007–2010

Monochrome screen meter

4 pointer color meter

Town car

2005-

Taurus

2015-(Big color meter)

2008–2009

2004

Lincoln

MKZ

2015-(Big color meter)

#Obdstar X300m #Ford Mileage #Odometer Adjustment #Obd2

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mudzdale · 2 months ago

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for anyone who may be interested in creating a Habitdoll of their very own... here is, to the best of my ability, the organized pattern that @nottodaylogic has so kindly requested & patiently awaited (':

notes & instructional thoughts below the cut! (read: this is a freaking essay. good gog. i am so sorry)

each of these images is meant to be 1 printer page each. i included a line on the 2 habit parts so they could be cut out & matched to each other at that line, to achieve his full size. obviously you, the dollmaker, are welcome to resize & readjust as you see fit (:

i included 2 versions of his upper body - one with the smaller head size i used, and one with the larger head i wish i had used. please choose whichever you prefer at your own discretion. the smaller head certainly isn't bad - that's why i still have my first draft doll! but to my eye the larger head is preferable.

i included my clothing patterns which i adapted from Chelly Wood, legendary creator & distributor of free patterns for doll clothes. they are not perfect translations to the Habitdoll's cartoonish body plan, of course, but imo they serve the intended purpose decently enough. if you wish to use these patterns i've adjusted, please see Miss Chelly's video tutorials for the pants and the coat (that said, please take the coat pattern in particular with a grain of salt - obviously we are not adding a hood, piping, etc., but it should help with the overall construction of the garment).

i also did not add a lining to his clothing, or any other part of this plush, because i worked exclusively with NO-PILL FLEECE - i found it too thick to be worth adding any kind of lining to, but of course your mileage may vary if you use a different fabric, etc (: follow your heart!

his shoes are of course just his foot pattern, only a little larger - be sure to hem the tops! they are falling off all the time, however; if you do not plan on changing his clothes very often, you may consider tacking them onto his ankles with a couple of stitches. i did not want to mess around with buttonholes, so his coat is just closed with some velcro.

the trim on his coat & pants... i added them by sewing folded rectangles onto the inner hem of each piece. this is probably cheating, but i don't care. please double-check the length of your navy parts before adding the blue, to make sure the lining adds the appropriate amount of length - trim (as in cut) the navy as needed before you hem!

of course, if you wish to skip this mess entirely and cut out simple, 2D clothing patterns, chuck jones' grinch style...

that is also perfectly valid! definitely way easier to do. good gog, the challenges i faced with this clothing.

as i noted in my first Habitdoll post, making habit's face pieces with felt is the wiser thing to do. however, i haven't had any issues with the raw edges on his fleece coming apart yet... select your fabric at your own discretion, but i definitely recommend felt.

his eyes are created by cutting out the eyeline+eyelashes in black, then layering the orange eye on top of that, and then layering the black pupil on top of that!

Habitdoll's hair construction was VERY TRICKY. i am so sorry i cannot provide detailed guidance here. as you can see on the pattern, i extended what would be the curve of the head pattern so i could drape my first piece over his head, and pin down the darts i found from there. then i just sewed down the darts, trimmed the excess fabric away to follow the curve of his head, and then did the same with the 2nd hair piece.

after making sure the 2 pieces matched each other, i sewed them together partially, then sewed them to his head. i recommend really stuffing his "hairline" so it stands tall and gives you the space you'll need to attach the bangs.

and speaking of his bangs, my final sin... i did not provide a pattern for the ones i actually went up going with because they were a combination of freehand & experimental luck (you are welcome to try something with the one i Did include in the pattern, if inspiration strikes you).

to recreate what i Actually did for the left ones, i believe i traced a quarter for the smaller circle, and then something else - maybe a bottlecap? - for the larger circle. cut 2 of each of these, sew together, & invert. stuff them both, close them up, then stitch a spiral into each - see me with questions if needed 😅 attach to his hairline with a ladder stitch.

his right bang was a total crapshoot. i don't know if i can explain how to recreate it - hideously embarrassing, my apologies ): i just took a cut of scrap fabric, then folded it in half and stitched it shut... curled up the large end, stitched that so it stayed curled, and then ladder-stitched it onto the hairline. obviously you may headcanon his hairstyle completely different from me, so my hope is you can find a different way to give him that hair if needed. again: i am so flipping sorry. i am happy to help problem-solve if needed (':

these patterns do NOT include any kind of seam allowance. please add at your own discretion - i prefer to just eyeball them as i cut the fabric, myself. i alternated using whip stitches and running stitches as needed throughout the project; i trust the user of this pattern has enough experience to judge which is best. however, if you have questions or feel you need guidance on any parts, you are welcome to send me an ask or DM, and i will do my best to assist! (:

thanks for your patience!

#i feel like a moron trying to explain all of this. it's always sunny red string diagram dot jpeg.#i hope it is at least a little bit coherent. AGAIN i welcome questions; i am happy to (at least try to) clarify anything i can! godspeed.#golly gabs #habitdoll #sfm #smile for me #dr habit #boris habit #long post #gollydraws

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docholligay · 1 month ago

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so i have never had a good stew with a flavor beyond tomato and meat, which begs the question: whats your favorite stew recipe?

Recipe is not a word I would associate with stew! I learned how to make stew at my mother's knee and it would never occur to me to measure a good goddamn thing to make one ahaha.

But! I do have tips to round out the flavor of stew, make it richer, meatier, deeply, more interesting broadly, which, it sounds like, is more of what you're asking?

I have actually never had a stew with a prominent tomato flavor. I"m going to assume you're east of the Mississippi where tomato in stew is more common, owing to a larger historical Italian population and higher availability of fresh tomatoes pre-WW2. Americans move a lot, now, so maybe not, but that's the historical "tomato stew' divide*.

ANYWAY. YOU DIDN'T ASK THAT.

Here's not, a recipe, but how I go about constructing a stew:

Grab my meat: Usually elk or deer for us, but beef is fine. DO NOT BUY A FANCY PIECE OF MEAT FOR THIS. Chuck or shoulder is best, buy whatever's cheap. Something that has to be, you know, stewed, for a long time. Cube your own meat, don't pay the premium for stew meat.

To that point, make sure before you start anything that you have a lot of time to let it stew. This is what makes the flavors mingle deliciously. If I REALLY want to blow someone's tits off I actually make it the day before and reheat it. Tastes better the next day.

I take the meat and I toss it flour and some Alpine Touch, which is a Montana ~spice blend~ but when it comes down to it is mostly, salt, Pepper, MSG, garlic and onion.

Throw a pat of butter in the bottom of the pan and let it melt. Toss in your meat. Make sure you give it a chance to brown before stirring it at all. While it's browning, cut up onions, carrots, and celery, all in pretty big chunks if you're me and are lazy. Remember, they will get very soft, so small stuff will just disintegrate. If you want to do this because you live with children who can't see veggies, be my guest I suppose.

stir the meat in the pot and let it brown some more. You're not trying to cook the meat through, jsut brown it. When it's done, bring it out, toss in another pat of butter if you need it, and throw in your vegetables with salt and pepper at the least, but also now's a good time for some garlic. Let it saute until the onions are clearish, kinda.

Now deglaze! For this I use a big thick stout beer. I think it contributes a lot of richness. You can also use broth, but it doesn't add as much. Red wine also works, but you have to be more careful with the seasoning. Stout beer is honestly the best choice. I usually make a big pot of stew so I use the whole can, but your mileage may vary. Make sure you scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan, that's flavor!

Now fill up your pot with broth or water, or water with better than bouillon. Obviously broth is better, and homemade stock is best, but like, life is imperfect and we all go into death alone so just make the goddamn stew best you can.

Add potatoes! I am the laziest motherfucker on earth, so I buy the tiny creamer potatoes and cut the bigger ones in half. Then add some mushrooms, quartered or halved. This will ALSO contribute to the meatiness of the recipe--sometimes I add dried mushroom powder also, as a cheat. A little bit of smoked paprika can also be good, but be careful with it as the smoke can quickly overpower.

For seasoning, it depends on what I've got, honestly. You can make a fresh herb bundle from stuff at your grocery store: Parsley, thyme, oregano, all good. Rosemary and sage CAN be good but require a more deft and careful hand than "Tie it in a bundle and toss it into the soup" and again, LAZY. You can also use chopped dried herbs, I often add those at the beginning of my simmer so I can adjust later. Add salt! Add pepper!

The real secret here is letting it simmer for hours, covered. Come back every hour or so and taste it. Add salt or pepper or whatever as you need.

Then at the very end, thicken with cornstarch. You'll have to add too much flour, usually, and it'll impart an off flavor. You can also use other thickeners, but they have a higher level of difficulty and I wouldn't use them unless my family was weirdly allergic to corn or something, in which case I'm sure you're familiar with alternatives.

You have stew!

*I THINK I read this in Food of A Younger Land, but I read so many food history books I might be misattributing.

#Holligay Loves Food #Eight Days 2024 #Sorry I've never reciped a stew in my life ahaha

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divaatrait · 4 months ago

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If you've been feeling burnt out or are just overall not enjoying the look and feel of your game, this guide is meant for you! Coming from someone who started out with The Sims 3, I've had to do a lot of adjusting to find what I like to do in The Sims 4 and I think I've finally figured it out. In this guide, I'll go over Graphics, Essential Mods, and Gameplay Ideas to help you make your experience more enjoyable!

Graphics✨

The Sims 4's biggest asset over previous iterations is its graphics/aesthetic and more importantly, its versatility in this regard. You can make this game look more realistic or more cartoony depending on what you prefer thanks to ReShade and GShade. While there is controversy with the latter, I think having these kinds of tools added to your game will really help with making the game better to look at. I personally recommend these presets:

@bojanastarcevic's Boho (left) and Light (right) presets

@neecxle's Boho Dreams

@pixelglam's Pearl

As you can see, using these enhancements can add a lot of great atmosphere to your game but knowing how to tweak these to your liking will make all the difference. When installing and using presets, ensure that 1) you have edge smoothing in game turned off 2) you have SMAA or FXAA turned on through ReShade or GShade and 3) you've adjusted ADOF [qUINT_dof.fx] to suit your gameplay.

These are my settings (apologies if it's hard to see) but what gives my screenshots more of a cinematic quality is having the "bokeh" settings adjusted like so. I also have the ADOF hotkey set to "tab" so that it automatically turns on and adjusts the depth-of-field when I want to take a screenshot.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! While all of these shader presets are extremely important to the look and feel of your game, there's an extra couple of steps you can take.

@plantyl-m's GraphicsRules.sgr makes those in-game shadows nice and crisp! It's a relatively small tweak, but I feel like it makes such a huge difference to the quality.

@softerhaze's Sunblind Lighting Overhaul. The pictures speak for themselves!

@northernsiberiawinds's Better In-Game Lighting is another great option for lighting tweaks (there's also lighting adjustments for CAS that I love to use)

And that pretty much wraps up my segment on graphics! Now, don't feel compelled to use all of these if your computer can't handle it. While these tweaks are nice, they don't make or break the game. Use what works and don't mind what doesn't!

Essential Mods🔧

I'll be the first to admit that without mods this game can be a bit- or a lot- dry. Depending on what kind of gameplay style you prefer, you may not need or want certain mods but I think there are some core mods that EVERY simmer can make use of.

@deaderpoolmc's MCCommand Center is a must-have. I personally use it most often to add relationships between sims for storybuilding, changing how long certain actions like doing homework takes, and changing my Game Time Speed to make my days last longer (more on this later)

Weerbesu's UI Cheats for quick adjustments to household funds, motives, and more.

@twistedmexi's EVERYTHING, but if I had to narrow it down T.O.O.L Mod, Better Build Buy, and All Cheats are the ones I get the most mileage out of.

TurboDriver's Wonderful Whims. In addition to all the features you might be familiar with, you can also use it for posing and animations. It has a positioner as well that makes placing sims so easy!

@bienchien's Whim Overhaul to make what your sims want to do more sensible based on their personality, aspiration, and environment.

For mods that add more gameplay, try out these: Basemental Drugs to add effects from consuming substances @utopya-cc's Passionate Gifts for more romantic interactions @zerbu's Turbo Careers to make more active careers Lot-51's Collection of Mods for various tweaks and features including functional hotels, internet service, and rentable movies.

There's plenty more mods, too many to list in this post but at the end of the day, enjoying your gameplay involves you!

Gameplay Ideas 💭

I love longer gameplay, that was my favorite thing about The Sims 3. But I often felt like managing a longer gameplay in The Sims 4 didn't feel as rewarding. It can be easy to feel like your save has become stagnant, especially if you're only playing with one sim in a household. And I realized why this happens. The Sims 4 has a lot of features, more than I thought, and they're overly available. Right off the bat, I can take my sim anywhere, to any world and do almost anything. And somehow, that makes it feel less impactful. I don't like following structured challenges or scenarios, so this is what I do to make get myself more invested in my sims and their lives.

Create Your Sims Intentionally What does this mean? Create your sims with room to grow the longer you play! Maybe you want a sim to become a famous actor, but they're socially awkward. Now not only do they need to gain fame, but now they're also working to overcome their awkwardness and develop more charisma. Give your sims room to grow, to adjust. Let them have negative traits or dislike things that they might be naturally better at so they have to work harder at what they do like. Another tip: when making your sim in CAS, choose their aspiration based on what bonus trait you'd like them to have then change their aspiration in game. This way, you get an extra trait that may add more to your sim's character.

Give Your Sims a Context to Exist In Because they didn't just fall out of a coconut tree, give your sims other sims to bounce off of. Maybe they have a strained relationship with their parents so they avoid them all the time. Or they had a falling out with an old friend so when they run into each other, it gets super awkward and makes them tense or uncomfortable. Using MCCC or other cheats to give your sims a little more of a backstory when you start playing makes them feel more real as you go forward.

Lengthen Your Game Time Speed When I realized I could do this, it changed everything! Sims take a long time to do pretty much everything. So days and days pass and it feels like you aren't really getting much done. Using MCCC, I changed my Game Time Speed to "30" and that lets me actually stop and think about what I want to get done throughout the day instead of solely focusing on filling their needs. For example, my sims can actually have a full morning routine like going for a walk, making breakfast, and showering before going to work. Having more time in the day lets you focus on all the smaller details and lets you notice that there's actually a lot you can do.

Make or Place Multi-Use Lots and Use T.O.O.L. Mod If you own a decent amount of packs, having multi-use lots is a must to get a lot of bang for your buck. For example, country clubs, movie theaters, restaurants, etc. are going to add to what your sim is able to do. Look at CC made by Cepzid for more functional objects to add variety to what you can do. Also, if you use T.O.O.L. you can place any object in the world to add more activities and make your surroundings feel less like set dressing.

Limit the Worlds You Play In If your sim can go anywhere, at any time, then what is the point of going anywhere at all? I like to limit the worlds that I can visit by using "travel" to around 3 or 4 depending on region. That way, when my sims go to worlds outside of the region, it's more exciting because I'm not constantly seeing it. For example, my current family The Fords live in Brindleton Bay. I'm American so I think of Brindleton Bay as being The Hamptons, which is North East Coast. So I think, what other worlds would be reasonably close and easy to visit? I assign regions like this: - North East: Brindleton Bay, San Myshuno, Newcrest, Britechester - The South: Willow Creek, Magnolia Promenade, Forgotten Hollow - Northwest: Evergreen Harbor, Copperdale, San Sequoia - Southwest: Del Sol Valley, Oasis Springs, Strangerville -Europe: Tartosa, Windenburg, Henford-on-Bagley - Central America: Selvadorada, Ciudad Enamorada - Pacific Islands & Asia: Sulani, Mount Komorebi, Tomarang Playing with these regions in mind, it adds a challenge to my gameplay. If there's a world I want to visit, I need to set aside time in my sims schedule to actually visit it (such as requesting vacation time). Also this allows me to have long-distance relationships which can add to slow burn dynamics! Case in point, Darcy and Lopez or Caleb and Natty.

6. Let Your Sims Have Their Autonomy Back Okay, I'm guilty of micromanaging. But sometimes, it's okay to sit back and let your sims try different things. Obviously, the autonomy isn't always super logical so definitely nudge your sims in the right direction but a lot of the enjoyment of the game for me, especially when playing with families, is to leave them to their own devices. With The Fords, I primarily focus on Natty which leads to a lot of hilarious moments that wouldn't have happened if I was stressing over everyone acting perfect. For example, when Caleb came to the Ford house I had Natty make them iced tea to drink on the porch and while she was inside, Alan (her dad) came out on his own and started talking to Caleb which didn't go that well. Let your sims do what they want sometimes!

7. Most importantly, find what YOU like to do! Comparison is the thief of joy, that's totally true. What one simmer likes to do, you might hate. For me, decorating is like pulling teeth. I'll do it every once in a while, but I mostly find builds from other amazing builders. I also don't really care much for challenges and like to create stories with my sims. The point is, we all have our thing. But it's important to experiment and find what your thing is. I happen to really like the actor career, which a lot of people don't find enjoyable. So don't let others opinions impact what you have fun with. Of course, if my advice works for you then I'm happy but if not, there's no love lost. Do what makes you happy!

Well, that's all I've got. I can definitely make some follow-up posts if my tips change or I discover something new. But for now, I hope this post helps or gives you some ideas!

#sims 4 simblr #sims 4 #the sims 4 #simblr #sims #sims4 #the sims #the sims community #the sims tips #gameplay tips #sims 4 maxis match #reshade #gshade #sims 4 graphics

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panlight · 4 months ago

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my take on the whole clumsy bella / amazing at vampire thing was that i thought she wasn't exactly *meant* to be a human and all of her clumsiness was alluding to this

I think this might have been what SM was going for, too, at least in retrospect. I don't know that she planned it necessarily -- your mileage may vary on that! -- but that's sort of the only way I can make the Bella the Best Vampire stuff work in my head.

She was ~destined for Edward specifically with her alluring scent and silent mind, but she was destined for vampirism more generally, never fitting in with the human world, always out of step, clumsy, awkward, etc. She can smell blood (although it makes her sick), she's good with weird, blah blah blah. I can see how it works there. Interesting contrast with the "Bella's an everygirl and purposefully somewhat vague in the original book so people cant step into her shoes" thing, though.

I just will always find it weird that we spent so much time, especially in the middle two books, worrying about how sad and miserable and lonely it is to be a vampire, how her very soul was at risk, only to have Bella become one and love it and be great at it. It just doesn't jibe with the Cullens' whole deal. Which is fine, I guess, but I kind of preferred the idea of these people making the best of a situation none of them asked for and finding a family, love despite what half of them see as a terrible curse. Bella being like "Actually being a vampire is easy and amazing!" tarnished the vibes for me. I wanted to see her learn, grow, adjust, understand why they had warned her against it. She could still succeed! She could still be happy! But just skipping the adjustment period and having Bella's thirst be a complete non-issue after like her second day as a vampire made me sort of go . . . why is she even writing about vampires at all?

But at the end of the day it's not really a "vampire story" so much as a YA romance with some light vampiring, and that's okay. It is what it is. I just happened to read it during a marathon read of vampire books, so I personally was reading it as a vampire story and there were lots of elements I really enjoyed from the 'vampire story' angle but then Breaking Dawn just ruined the stuff I liked because it got the Happily Ever After a romance calls for rather than the bittersweet ending I thought the vampire story needed.

#asks

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genderqueerdykes · 15 days ago

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Hi, love your work

I'm a trans girl, and I have something I'd like your help with.

I don't have any of the common sense that I would get from the life experience of being raised as a girl

I'm worried that I'll end up in a dangerous situation because I was oblivious to the risks.

thank you! thanks for stopping by, that's actually a really great thing to ask about! you definitely want to know what you're possibly getting into when it comes to other people treating you. you want to know what to expect and that's good! women have it hard and people can be very invasive

i was raised/socialized as a girl/woman before i transitioned so i can give a bit of insight, since i've been there too. these are just a few tips, it's not a comprehensive list, nor is it in any particular order. just some things to keep in mind!

Safety & General Advice Tips for Trans Women:

First and foremost, try to not let too much of this stress get to you at once. At the end of the day, womanhood can be an extremely varied experience, so your mileage will vary with a lot of these. Try not to get too wrapped up in feeling paranoid of strangers if possible, while there are strangers who can potentially want to hurt you, there are also those who are minding their own business or even support you. It's definitely okay to have your guard up, but it may affect your mental health greatly if you are starting to feel endangered by most people around you.

It's good to be informed, alert and aware, but if it starts getting to a point where the way you feel about strangers is making your quality of life worse, it may be a good idea to take the time to focus on yourself and those who love you to remind you that womanhood isn't always miserable, even though it can feel like it at times. There will still be good moments, whether you're by yourself or with friends, that you can cherish to help alleviate some of the pain that cisheteronormative patriarchy can cause.

You may notice after you come out to others that they start talking down to you, condescending to you, doubting your emotions and experiences, downplaying your struggles, or even being rude and mean about things they weren't that way about before. People have a lot of internalized misogyny and tend to compulsively begin treating a woman or someone they perceive to be a woman like they're incapable of thinking for themselves. This is really common, so if this starts happening to you, try not to let it get to you. You're not too dumb to think for yourself.

People may start to doubt your capability at your job, if you are employed. You may notice a huge shift in respect and how your customers and clients treat you, especially if you work in a male dominated field. People may ask to talk to your cis man/cis man passing coworkers instead of you and it's okay to get angry about this. You may get paid less than your cishet man/cishet man passing coworkers as well and it's okay to be angry about this, too.

Come out slowly so you can adjust and gauge how the people in your life will treat you. When coming out at first, stick to very close friends and family members you have a good relationship with. You can take this as slow or as quickly as you want. But when you're first coming out and unsure of yourself, you don't have to overwhelm yourself by telling the entire world right out of the gates if you don't want to. You can take it at your own pace.

It's up to you whether or not you want to pass as a woman, either in your personal or public life. If you don't want to pass or just don't want to try, that's okay. If passing is vital to your mental health and how you want to be seen, that's also okay. You're allowed to decide how you present and appear. Keeping your safety in mind is also super important, so if you feel the stress of trying to pass as a woman would be too much or even dangerous for you to do so, it's okay to not try to pass. You're also allowed to "look trans," too.

Makeup can and does change how peoples' faces look drastically, so you may find that makeup can help you pass for safety or personal reasons. Even something as simple as eyeliner and mascara can change the way one's face looks. Highlighter & contour used on the cheeks, nose and brow can very much transform one's appearance, and if you have very visible stubble, you can utilize foundation and other products to help mask it when in public or around other people you need to pass for safety or personal reasons.

Most strangers in public generally think that long hair = woman. There are men and other people regardless of gender who wear their hair long, but for passing, safety, or personal reasons, long hair can drastically change how strangers see you.

Layers, flowy and loose fitting clothing help mask certain traits of the body, so if you feel insecure about how strangers perceive certain parts of your body, you may be able to obscure it from strangers' view by wearing a few layers or loose fitting clothes.

You may want to avoid taking long walks in dark places at night alone if possible. It is very much true that it can be unsafe to be out late at night- this can be regardless of your gender- but as a feminine person or woman, there is a genuine risk of being out late at night without someone else around, or being inside of a car. This is a little stereotypical to say, but it is a genuine danger.

If you're out in public and ever feel like someone is stalking or following you and you're alone, pull out your cell phone if you have one and pretend to take a phone call. Talk into your phone like you're speaking to another person, and if necessary, actually call someone else. Generally speaking, someone who wants to cause harm will not want there to be witnesses, especially not someone who can hear what's happening directly and can come over to the scene or call for emergency assistance. Put your best friends, family members and other emergency contacts on speed dial or favorite contacts if your phone has that kind of feature to make it even quicker and easier.

When meeting someone from a dating app, social media or other place online for the first time, do so in a public setting like a restaurant or other busy area where there are a lot of other people nearby to prevent potentially dangerous behaviors. Try to avoid meeting up with someone for the first time at your home when and where possible. Try to avoid giving out your exact location or address before you have interacted with someone in person.

Being in groups in public can drastically increase your safety levels, especially if those people are willing to stand up for you. It's also hard for people to get a close read on you if you are with a lot of other people. The more there are of you, the better.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to carry self defense tools just in case. That won't make you a violent person, looking out for your safety is crucial. It's okay to prepare for this kind of thing.

You may find that people suddenly start being needlessly sexual toward you, or sexualize your womanhood without you telling them you enjoy that kind of thing first. People may shift their view on how they feel about you and become aggressively sexual. You are not obligated to accept that if it makes you uncomfortable.

You may find that people start to doubt your physical strength and capability for no real reason.

Trans chasers do exist, though they're not every person who's attracted to trans women. Chasers will usually focus very hard on the things that make you "non passing" to them, to the point where it makes you feel very uncomfortable because you no longer feel as though you are being viewed as a person, but rather, a sexual object that fascinates them. They may also use hurtful slurs and humiliating language toward you without your consent.

I know people say this a lot but it's true, public bathrooms can be dangerous, so it's best to stay cautious when entering one. Wear a face mask if possible inside to help people mind their own business. Avoid conversation if possible. Looking nervous may draw some attention, so keeping a cool head and focusing on the task at hand can help in some situations.

You do not have to feel ashamed of your voice, but if you're noticing people getting caught up on your voice, you can do some vocal training, or choose to speak in shorter, more concise sentences and utilize body language around those people, or both. You don't have to completely silence yourself as you deserve to speak up for yourself, but using more body language may help you have an easier time with strangers who are or may become caught up on how your voice sounds. There are all kinds if women with deep voices, but some people do focus on this.

Women's support groups and spaces can potentially be very welcoming, or very hostile depending on the people involved. There are women's spaces who accept trans women, but there are also those who do not. Try not to feel too bad on yourself if you find these spaces do not accept you, because it says nothing about you and everything about that space.

It's good to have friends, lovers and family who are also women, but cis women in particular are not always inherently safe to be around and can harm you. If you feel like the cis women around you are hurting you, you're allowed to say that they are. Cis women can be great allies and friends, but they are not inherently safer to be around than any other gender. You do not have to tell yourself they are not hurting you because women can't hurt each other. You do not have to convince yourself the pain isn't real because women are incapable of harming others. If you feel as though the cis women in your life are treating you badly, it's okay to talk about it and validate yourself in that you can genuinely be harmed by cis women and you do not have to downplay any of that pain whatsoever.

If you notice a lot of these things happening to you, It's more than okay to be angry at the shitty behaviors people may start showing you as a trans woman. It's okay to feel anger towards those actions and how people look down on women. It's okay to express your pain. It's okay to express worry and concern. It's okay to be scared. It's okay to not know what to do at first or in certain situations. It's okay to take a while to adjust to how people are treating you if it changes. As long as one doesn't direct that anger at people who haven't hurt them, there is nothing wrong with any of this.

now you may have a totally different experience depending on the people around you. there's no way to know exactly how people will treat you after coming out, so take things step by step, day by day. for your own mental health, try not to let yourself get too caught up in these things. it's great that you want to look out for potential danger! it's a very real issue, but your mental health is also super important and if you find that all you can think about is being in danger, you definitely deserve to find ways to alleviate that stress. take care of yourself when and where possible to make the experience more enjoyable.

tailor your experience in your home and personal life as much as you can to your liking. being out in public can be dangerous and scary, but you do deserve to be out somewhere, even if it's when it's just you alone in your room, talking to your friends. women, especially trans women, can be in a lot of potential danger at all times, but don't let yourself get consumed by fear all the time, as you deserve quality of life and you deserve to feel proud and euphoric about being a trans girl. you deserve validation and kindness. you deserve to feel good about yourself as a trans girl at some point, you don't have to go without that because cishet patriarchal society can be dangerous and hard.

i hope you find this even remotely helpful, i may not have been as informative as i'd like to be, but take care of yourself, okay? it's very good to want to learn the risks of what can potentially happen in society and being a woman in public. others are more than welcome to pitch in as well, please do so if you have tips & suggestions for this anon! take care for now, be good to yourself and remember that there's nothing wrong with being a woman, especially a trans woman. the people who don't like you don't define you: you do. you don't have to listen to them. they don't know who you really are.

#asks #answers #transfemme #transfeminine #trans woman #trans women #safety #transfem safety #transfeminine safety #queer safety #trans safety

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wheelsgoroundincircles · 8 months ago

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