#We may not make it out in one piece but the fandom is owed

[viridianvisions]

Absolutely, I had the same thoughts! I have long been convinced that his design team snuck in every conceivably handsome feature they could; besides the not-so-subtle choice of his perfect hair, you cannot tell me that beautiful jawline, those gorgeous eyes, the silver-flecked scruff, his gleaming smile, his shirt collar buttoned down enough to reveal those prominent collar bones and the long slope of his neck, and yes, his hands, weren't highly deliberate decisions. And then they bothered attempting to "dull it down" by passing him as an insomnia-riddled fifty year old with familial trauma, lest he's all we blubbered about for the rest of the movie? Little did they know, that's exactly what we did anyway. Despite their posturing, we completely fell for him, most of all when these little moments of extreme capability and sacrificial strength showed through.

We may never really get over him. 😩✋

Bruno: “You might wanna hang on.” Encanto ( 2021 )

I haven’t seen this little part made into a gif yet and I thought that was an absolute tragedy.

[boltonbritreads]

🗣️Eddie Munson Fic Recs

This is gonna have a sappy start before I get into the fic rec portion: but I just wanted to say that at the end of May 2022, I was finishing up my first year of law school. It was rough, challenging, lonely, and basically everything you’d expect and I was in a bad place and the fandom I’d been in was slowing down just naturally. I truly wish I could remember how I even became aware of Eddie Munson because stranger things wasn’t really on my radar anymore and whoever I followed at the time that started to veer off into Eddie-mania, thank you. In the two years since then, I’ve graduated and become the worlds babiest lawyer and I genuinely owe a lot to this fandom and community on here for giving me a fun, usually safe, creative place to escape to when it got rough.

I’m just hoping to maybe remind people that there are already an incredible, incredible amount of existing stories to read and talk about that deserve your attention and love if you’re looking to read some Eddie stories. Some of these will be fics I’ve recommended before but I’m going to try my best to pull together writers and fics that I love and think everyone should read in the hopes that someone like me who still scrolls through eddie tags looking for my nightly bedtime story can find something new to them to read! ✨

Previous Fic Rec list here!! some overlap but there’s no such thing as too much hype for these writers

@munson-blurbs I hope it’s ok but I’m linking Bug’s full masterlist here because I have genuinely loved everything she has written. There are blurbs, series, and special events which are all incredible and worth a read! Bug is currently still writing the “Living after Midnight” series which is my current obsession and features rockstar!eddie x motelheiress!reader and it’s angst and lust galore

@corroded-hellfire also sharing the Eddie Masterlist here because there’s so many fics to read!! As You Wish, Big Brown Eyes, Where the Heart Is are all incredible but truly there’s so much here to enjoy

@upsidedownwithsteve SIMMER!! jk I’m actually linking the Eddie Masterlist here too because I love them all but “I Want You To Want Me” and “Simmer” are out of this world

@pinkrelish The Yes Policy I love it, you love it, we all love it and if you haven’t caught up yet oh my god I wish I was you and could read these chapters for the first time again

@ghost-proofbaby I’ve previously told people to go read 24 Hours, and you should, that’s an order; but Maroon is ongoing! and it’s actually infiltrating my every thought so go on over and get caught up bc I think it’s safe to say things are getting amped up

@trashmouth-richie I have also previously recommended Honey, I’m Home because it’s a work of art but Ziggy has a new mini series “Crash + Fall” that I’m completely obsessed with the concept for and I’ve loved every piece so far!

@tiannasfanfic I just reblogged Conviction again but I genuinely am not exaggerating when I say I think about this story and these two monthly and try and find this story all the time to re-read it endlessly. It’s a really lovely story of unplanned pregnancy and two characters not realizing they’ve been smitten for each other the whole time and I love it

@carolmunson I’m sharing another Eddie Masterlist here because I’d be making this post far too long but Carol’s stories are all incredible, complex, and honest. “Let’s go, don’t wait” just got updated and I had to read it like 3 times last night because it was too good to just read one and done

@rebelfell I just discovered Sarah’s blog after reading the most recent “Frenemy” fic and idk what I was doing wrong to not already follow her and not have already read her whole Masterlist but I’m linking the whole thing bc she’s so good!!

@the-au-thor I also only just discovered Elle’s blog and that’s criminal but thank god I found Babysitting Mun because I am a sucker for rockstar!eddie and this series has me on the edge of my seat rn

@storiesbyrhi I’m sharing the Masterlist folks because I have genuinely loved every single story and series and I have read them all now (some several times). So many of Rhi’s stories have a wonderful warm witchy vibe that I crave and I’ve read Siouxsie and the Soulmates, The Cabin in the Woods, Our Patron Saint of the Arts, Vintage Reeboks, and Burning Yarrow (insert screaming fan gif) multiple times now

@heart-eyed-love this fic is the epitome of a soft, cozy, domestic night with Eddie and if you need a hug read this 🥹

@eddieandbird I JUST got caught up on Eddie/Tour Manager series and I’m fully obsessed and desperate to know how they’re gonna navigate this - for folks new to the story, Eddie and his tour manager accidentally drunkenly get married- what could go wrong??

@eiightysixbaby the scream I scrumped when I finished reading Princess Leia, and Other Wishes - look bffs to lovers is already my absolute weakness on this earth but then you had to make it witty and funny and FLUFFY I just can do nothing but re-read and pine

@superblysubpar I’m still obsessed with this addition to The Boy is Mine writing challenge and oh god it’s so good 😩

…and while we’re talking about it - here’s the entire The Boy is Mine masterlist with an INSANE amount of incredible stories to read

@the-unforgivenn !!! tumblr hates me and deleted this bullet (so if you already saw this post, no you didn’t) but And I Need You to Know is a proper novel! I can’t imagine how much time, love, effort, planning, and work went into creating this insane and absolutely incredible world but everyone needs to read this!! and then follow up with She’s So Cold bc I love it and I am so reader

~~ this is not the end nor an exhaustive list! I just wanted to put something out there now that I plan to build on because I know I’m always scrolling and searching for new things to read or old things to revisit ♥️ ~~

[bunnakit]

coming outta left field and talking about something that has nothing to do with me bc i don't have anything better to do with my time right now.

that whole fandom discourse was whack and i'm sorry @lurkingshan and @waitmyturtles had to deal with that. there's def been plenty of posts i haven't liked or haven't agreed with in fandom and you shrimply just have to scroll! there's no need to make a response unless you're coming from a genuine place and can have a respectful discussion. if you're coming from an emotional place you just have to say "people like different things" and move on.

i personally am not mutuals with shan because we have a lot of different opinions about things - this is not a dig at shan, she doesn't follow me either prob for the same reason! i think she articulates her posts incredibly well and comes from a very genuine place. i don't know turtles that well bc i haven't been in the space much these days but based on what i've seen she seems much the same.

media analysis is and should be vast and varied, that's what makes it fun, and not everyone is going to share your opinion and people will always interpret things differently based on past experiences, differences in knowledge, etc. they aren't evil for that.

this is what i think is one of the most important things from shan's post -

You don't owe anyone your presence here, and you don't have to express opinions on everything or respond to tags or asks if you don't have anything to say. Sometimes you might just want to take a break from posting, some things in the discourse might just flow right on by you, sometimes you will not have a firm opinion on a debate. You can post as much or as little as you want. You can suddenly decide you don't want to talk about a show anymore. You can not log into your tumblr for days or weeks at a time. Do you, boo!

to add to this, and i know this won't be a very well received statement, if you're finding yourself having these big emotional responses just because someone didn't like your fav it may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your priorities in fandom. as someone that took a break from fandom and dramas in general i highly recommend taking a second and finding your peace again. humans are emotional by design, it's what makes us great, but if you're getting violently wound up about someone else's opinion of a fictional piece of media created for entertainment purposes i think it's time to take a deep breath.

fictional media is art and people can and should always have different opinions about art. yes, even art featuring your favs.

i left the fandom for a long time because Last Twilight deeply hurt my feelings as a disabled person with an incurable disease - but that's on me. i'm sure many people found the message an uplifting one of hope (as i believe it was intended to be.) my personal experiences caused me to have a different take on it - but again that is because of my personal experiences and does not make my opinion of it right or wrong, it simply is.

tldr: i think it's important to remember that there are no correct opinions in fandom; if there were they wouldn't be opinions but irrefutable facts. you need to get used to seeing opinions and reads that differ from your own and embrace the art of filtering unless you feel capable of having a calm and respectful discussion.

i wanted to share my thoughts as someone completely unassociated with shan and turtles from a place of complete neutrality. if you're going to have a discussion have a discussion, if you're just gonna rag on someone because they didn't mindlessly jerk off your fav keep it to your group chat or something, don't be a tar pit.

this being said, get used to seeing things even if you try to filter! it's not perfect, i've filtered out spare me your mercy bc i haven't seen it yet and want to form my own opinions but things have absolutely come across my radar (either in my own tags, clicking links, etc.) it happens, don't be weird about it.

[twopoppies]

Speaking of social media, is it true that harry defended Ow from the hate she was getting online and specifically mentioned larries on tw? I wasn’t around when that happened. How did the fandom react and what do you think about it?

Hi, love. No. That's not what happened at all. But that's how some harries and antis twisted it. What he said was:

Styles is not the most online person — he uses Instagram to look at plants and architecture posts, has never had the TikTok app, and calls Twitter “a shitstorm of people trying to be awful to people” — but he’s still aware of how those small, toxic corners of the internet are treating the people closest to him. “That obviously doesn’t make me feel good,” he says, carefully. It’s a tightrope he’s treading in discussing this. He wants to — and does! — see the good in his fans, but there’s no denying that like every large online community, this one has a faction that runs on hate and anonymity. 

[...] “Can you imagine,” he says, “going on a second date with someone and being like, ‘OK, there’s this corner of the thing, and they’re going to say this, and it’s going to be really crazy, and they’re going to be really mean, and it’s not real.… But anyway, what do you want to eat?’ ”

While Styles takes comfort in knowing his whole fandom is not like that, he still wonders about how to respond when the noise gets too loud. “It’s obviously a difficult feeling to feel like being close to me means you’re at the ransom of a corner of Twitter or something,” he says. “I just wanted to sing. I didn’t want to get into it if I was going to hurt people like that.”

It's particularly the middle paragraph people glommed on to and made about larries (particularly the "it's not real" part). But also the author uses the phrase "small, toxic corners of the internet." This is just idiotic to me. Yes, of course he could mean larries. But he literally could mean any group of fans. I can think of a LOT of toxic corners of the internet where people are disgusting to others. And it doesn't mean he's speaking about Olivia, either. That reads like a hypothetical situation IMO.

This is a man who isn't going to discuss or confirm his relationships or his sexuality. But he's going to be incessantly asked about both. So he's going to give vague or hypothetical answers. For example, he says earlier in the piece:

Styles, without prompting, points out how silly he finds some of the arguments about how he may identify to be: “Sometimes people say, ‘You’ve only publicly been with women,’ and I don’t think I’ve publicly been with anyone. If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re choosing to have a public relationship or something.”

Obviously, Harry is a master at swerving a question he doesn't want to answer. And this answer is a lot of semantics. But he has a right to answer that way.

So, if you look at Holivia from a bigger picture stance and take in everything we know about it, then look at this interview (which was specifically arranged to promote DWD), you can decide for yourself if he's defending her. Personally, I don't think he was considering her in his answer at all because I think Holivia was 100% a PR relationship. But he a good person who wouldn't want anyone to be hurt, even if they weren't actually his girlfriend? Yeah.

Full article here

[angie-long-legs]

hellaverse artwork!

hello! I am a hobby artist looking to raise some funds as I am once again in a tricky financial situation. here is a little explanation, but feel free to skip - includes discussion of pet illness/death, disability, and financial hardship.

vet bills and a reduction to my monthly benefits have left me without money until the 16th, as well as owing £90 to my partner just to be able to pay my rent. the pet in question unfortunately passed away this morning, so I am not in great shape emotionally, and the cut to my benefits is due to my partner getting a new job, which is wonderful but unfortunately means we are entitled to less. I am currently unable to work due to disabling mental health conditions, and although I am very keen to get a part-time job again, and without going into detail, a myriad of circumstances have made it impossible for me to make this a priority at this time. any money earned from art commissions would go towards paying back my girlfriend, buying food for myself, my partner, and our pets; paying for my therapy and the travel costs and upcoming bills.

to avoid this post becoming ridiculously long, my info, rules and prices are under the cut.

prices

$25 - half body sketch, no colour

$30 - full body sketch, no colour

$35 - half body line drawing, no colour

$40 - full body line drawing, no colour

$50 - half body line drawing with colour

$60 - full body line drawing with colour

$60 - a set of 5 roleplay icons fully lined and coloured with expressions entirely of your choosing (see: the three molly icons included in my examples)

these prices are regarding a drawing of one character, but I will do multiple characters in any of these specifications for an additional $5 without colour, or $10 with colour.

I can also take requests not within these specifications, and we can work out a price! especially if you would like to commission something under $25 - I would be more than happy to figure out a way to accommodate this.

rules and information

I draw primarily hellaverse characters (clearly angel is the one I have the most practice with!), but I would be happy to consider characters from other fandoms.

all ships are welcome as long as they don't involve kids or inc*st.

ocs are also welcome, but be prepared for me to ask for a lot of supporting information and references in order to do your character justice, as well as potentially taking a longer time to complete the project.

regarding nsfw content, I won't draw genitals or sex scenes. suggestive content (ie. the sketch of angel in bdsm gear included in my examples) is fine if you are over 18.

please allow me a few weeks to complete your commission, possibly longer for fully lined and coloured pieces. I work slowly! if you would like to see progress during this time, just give me a message, and I will be happy to show you where I'm at.

payment will be via paypal, and I ask for a $10 deposit upfront just to weed out any chancers. the rest of the payment will only be due once I have delivered your completed commission. if, for any reason, I am unable to complete your commission, your deposit will be refunded.

I will also require an email to send the finished pieces to.

I am within my rights to refuse any request for any reason.

I retain the copyright to the art you purchase. what this means is that you are buying is the digital product, which you may display with or without credit (though credit is always appreciated), but not the right to reproduce or distribute that product.

please feel free to dm me if you have any questions!

[youhideastar]

WujiWatch: CQL Rewatch Episode 25

Something that I’d suspected on previous rewatches really became inescapable on this one: when Wei Wuxian leaves Baifeng Mountain, even before he meets Wen Qing, he has already made the decision to leave Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

He’s been staying for three reasons—for his brother, for his sister, and for the sect—and in this episode, each leg of the tripod is knocked out. “Staying for Jiang Cheng” was already tenuous from the previous episode: Wei Wuxian knows that he’s a constant disappointment to Jiang Cheng and doing a shit job as Jiang Cheng’s second-in-command. But Wei Wuxian goes into this episode believing that, by virtue of his power/skill, he’s still a huge asset to the sect, and that, as a brother, he has to stay for Jiang Yanli. By the end of the episode, he will come to believe the opposite: that both the sect and his sister are better off without him.

When it comes to Yunmeng Jiang Sect, Wei Wuxian learns in this episode (from Jin Zixuan) that people are saying the Yin Tiger Seal somehow harmed the cultivators who were there when he used it at Nightless City and so Wei Wuxian (and thus Yunmeng Jiang) owe them compensation. Wei Wuxian’s greatest strength is thus instantly transformed into a liability for his sect. The same thing happens, symbolically, at the crowd hunt, where Wei Wuxian uses his incredible power to draw 30% of the prey into Yunmeng Jiang’s nets—and instead of being impressed by Yunmeng Jiang’s strength, people say it’s cheating and reflects poorly on the sect, ultimately forcing Jiang Yanli to apologize on Wei Wuxian’s behalf, which Wei Wuxian clearly finds almost unendurable.

Speaking of which, when it comes to Jiang Yanli, as a fandom we tend to focus on her absolute ethering of Jin Zixun and how badass it is—which is fair! But that’s clearly not Wei Wuxian’s takeaway from that interaction. He looks extremely upset the whole time she’s defending him—I think in part because he hates the idea that she has to defend him. As far as he’s concerned, it’s his job to defend her, and this confrontation means he’s failed.

Then, when the dust has mostly settled on the Jin Zixun thing, two last straws: first, Jin Zixuan confesses his feelings for Jiang Yanli, meaning that she is now pretty much certain to marry him; and second, Jin-furen tells Jiang Yanli that she shouldn’t be alone with Wei Wuxian anymore because it will spark rumors that the two of them are sexually involved. The first honestly might have been enough on its own to make Wei Wuxian believe that he’s just dragging Jiang Yanli down – he tried over and over to protect her from Jin Zixuan, and now it’s clear all that effort was futile at best, and actively detrimental to her hopes at worst. (He could have figured this out a while ago, obviously! Jiang Cheng did! But here we are.)

But that second piece is really the nail in the coffin. Wei Wuxian may not like Jin-furen, but he has to recognize that she genuinely cares for Jiang Yanli and has her best interests at heart. When she says to Jiang Yanli, “Stay away from Wei Wuxian or your reputation will be ruined”—especially in a feudal setting where a woman’s reputation for sexual purity is everything—he has to take that seriously. And he does. Not instantly; he still grabs Jiang Yanli’s wrist and tries to pull her away again. But when she resists, he stops in his tracks. And that’s when it’s over.

That’s when he bows to Jin-furen and says, “Then I have to ask you to take care of Jiang Yanli for me”—confiding his sister to her care going forward. That’s when he tells Jiang Cheng, with a strange gentleness, “I might not be able to be there with you”—supposedly about the Flower Banquet, but it’s clear he’s not talking about just that. That’s when he gives Lan Wangji a “Farewell, Lan Zhan” that sounds way too final for someone who’s just heading out to walk around town. I don’t think Wei Wuxian necessarily has a plan for what he’s going to do next, as he walks off of Baifeng Mountain and through the Lanling streets. But I think he’s already made up his mind that he won’t be going back to Lotus Pier.

[chobbemoe-art]

Okay so about what you said, is your proposed solution to fixing the fandom situation to contribute to it more with healthy content instead of boycotting the fandom?

Which would make it morally correct and needed to contribute to it as much as you want and can?

I didn't know the fandom was being boycotted but if it is, it shows rn lmao. I feel that we as a fandom need to do something about the problems plaguing it and the material running rampant rather than abandoning it, we need to do various measures, some range from easily doable to more complex, but for what I know there are a lot to tackle, which have been affecting fandom culture for decades.

These I think are the main ones

1. Problematic materials

2. Harassment

3. Low media literacy and young audiences

4. Inattentive or enabling creators

5. Algorithm-rotted behaviors

☆Mind you these problems have been around in all types of fandoms before, and while I think compared to how those problems looked in other big fandoms that came before it we have evolved a lot, mouthwashing has become the prime example as to how a fandom can ruin a piece of media and its message. I don't fully blame the creators, since it's clear it's their first time handling such a big following, but I do think they have become complicit in some of the detrimental activities that occur even in their own server.☆

I will try giving out some solutions, but my main outlook is the following, problematic creators and fans will always exist, whether we like it or not, the only way to avoid them poisoning the content they interact with is by being more resilient than them.

1. Problematic materials:

I think it's important to state that handling and talking about taboo subjects shouldn't be problematic in itself, Mouthwashing is special because the game addressed hard topics like rape, misogyny, toxic relationships, violence, cannibalism and more, with its owed respect. Letting fans try to tackle those themes in their fan creations with respect is important because it opens dialogue and an exchange of perspectives.

It's possible people accidently glorify or mishandle subjects like that, and that shouldn't be a reason to allow harassment to run rampant, understanding that people have different visions that may go against your preconceived notions is important, and the first thing should be an open respectful dialogue with the creator if they did mishandle the subject. However, and I want to make this really clear, once that discourse is had and the person is still maliciously depicting those subjects with disrespect, then actions should be taken and the benefit of doubt given prior should be revoked.

What actions? This is when we have to be smart, harassing them will only give problematic creators an alley to make themselves the victim, which allows them to usually garner sympathy and get away with what they have done. Simple, we I.B.R depending on the degree of their actions in the platforms that allow it:

Ignore: usually reserved to minor behaviour but that you personally may find distasteful, for example to me the ship Daisuke×Swansea makes me gag, that's why I ignore creators that show it, because even if I don't like it, I do more by ignoring it when it appears and creating my own content than by spending the same time harassing the people that do create that.

For content that isn't explicitly problematic but it isn't clean either.

Block: this is for creators you don't want to see at all, people think blocking is extreme but genuinely, the peace of mind it grants is impressive. I usually use it for people that uwufy Jimmy, because although it isn't explicitly harmful to like Jimmy as a character, his fans tend to erase and even glorify his actions, and I find that really distasteful, so avoiding interaction is best. If enough people block problematic creators, their engagement drop and less people see them, it's a silent but app compliant way to ensure you don't accidentally participate in the spread of that content.

For purposeful mishandling heavy subjects and characters, glorifying terrible actions.

Report: it should encompass everything before it, and it should be used when real criminal behavior is being shown. If enough people do it when necessary, I bet a lit of the noncon material that sadly is available in this fandom, would dwindle.

For explicit noncon, abusive shipping (Anya and Jimmy) (Jimmy and Curly) (Just Jimmy with any of his victims).

2. Harassment

*Shudders remembering Voltron fandom* We have evolved, there aren't as many cases of big doxxing and harassment as old fandoms sadly had, but it doesn't mean it hasn't happened (Looks at the Joestatic situations).

Some people that are conscious of the game having septic tank levels of horrible in the fanbase, seem to try to overcompensate with overcorrective measures to the slightest misdemeanor (like with ocshipping for example), having that well deserved panic misdirected towards things that are frankly not that important, and usually shifting the attention away from truly problematic behaviour. (I have seen more people having backlash about Curlya [which isn't great yeah I know] than when some freak does ship art of Jimmy and Anya)

Again, we need to remember that being in the fandom should also mean having fun, and people being stressed to post their ocs kissing idk Daisuke in case they get backlash is detrimental to the health of the fandom. We need more people to be cringe, to create and learn from their mistakes if need be, because if we overpolice every aspect of the fandom, that just creates a sterile wasteland were nothing creative comes out because people fear harassment.

I will once more refer to the I.B rules, since curating your own fandom is crucial to make the experience your own, the important factor is allowing people that may be weird but not problematic to create, to nerd out and coexist. Always using dialogue first if need be, and respect first and foremost.

3. Low media literacy and young audiences

Here is where we might be in a pickle, fanbases have and always will have people of all ages interacting with the material, even if unintentionally. From MLP acquiring a big adult fandom to FNAF getting a lot of young children in the fandom (me included), if people like it, they will interact with it, even more if it becomes famous.

What does take me aback is that Mouthwashing, being a mature and even explicit game with mature subjects, has such a low bar of age interaction in the server (13+) I know minors won't stop interacting with mw content, but that doesn't mean we should ease access to them either.

I always believed that fandoms should have some divisions, because sometimes having it all so mix takes away from the experience and quality of discourse. I think creating adult only spaces that aren't NSFW is important, so talking about the subjects tackled, showing fanart and more without overcensoring for minor audiences is possible. I find it tiring that in a server for a game talking about sexual assault and violence I have to tiptoe about the same subjects because the unintended audience is there.

If Wrong organ doesn't want to keep all the minors out (even if I think it would be best), at least making it 16+ would be nice, nobody younger than that has any business seeing gore and other graphic topics.

Some division ideas:

- Mixed chatroom (all ages, just like it is now I guess)

- 16 and up chatroom (it can handle harsher topics but nothing explicit)

-Adult only chatroom (SFW) (all the topics can be handled without the need to oversee if it's adequate for minor audiences)

And because freaks will always exist, I know it you know it, we know it. (I'm not better, I love me a shirtless Swansea from time to time)

-Adult only chatroom (NSFW) **highly regulated plss I beg**

Now with the media literacy, part of it being low is kids not knowing what that is and running around like headless chickens with the first misinterpreting action they see instead of analysing the content. I think book recommendations, video analysis and genuine dialogue is the cure (God knows that helped me understand Curly’s character grayness so much better than on my first viewing of the game). Not much else can be done in that department.

4. Inattentive or enabling creators

Wrong organ, ily so much but please, yall are letting so much worrying content pass in the showoff chat that sometimes I don't even want to bother enter it. I know the devs and mods cannot control every fan, but at least a verbal denounce of proship (as in problematic) content would be nice. Or trying to hold accountable problematic creators that run around your server, at least enough as to not spit on the games message that enabling is just as bad as letting things rot in the name of the bigger picture.

Also I hope I don't need to clarify this but please don't harass the devs, let's be normal guys, this is constructive criticism not a brawl.

So yeah, let's start holding people accountable to their responsibilities just like the cautionary tale of the Tulpar warned us about!

5. Algorithm-rotted behaviours

Last but not least, imma curse out short form content based algorithms for making fandom lifespan shorten severely. Material that in times prior to tiktok could feed a fanbase for years now rot in a few months, and that is genuinely infuriating.

Creators cannot take time to curate long projects anymore in fear that leaving the algorithm alone for some time to do so will leave them out of the hype train, and I can't blame them, but that creation model is truly exhausting. Expecting people to create polished masterpieces everyday isn't only detrimental to the big creators but the the lil guys starting out too, since if from day 1 you don't post 500 post a week the algorithm can leave you talking to the void, and that as an artist sucks balls.

Let's go back to having patience for projects to come out, let's be fans of fans and their fan projects, if it takes time we fanart and theorise and talk until that voice dub does come, until that writer does post and until that singer does sing. Because being fans of fans feeds us past the original works and makes the bonds of the fandom stronger.

Give that smaller artist a like, redraw a silly post, engage in the comments of that post, we need to make the most of the social media outlet and make it last longer than a couple months.

☆In conclusion, let's create more, talk more, learn more (and block more), to make the fandom grow healthy☆

[packedlunchmeat]

COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

HOWDY Y’ALL!!!!

I’m deciding to open commissions once more! And finally making them public rather than just offering to friends.

This took a TON of deliberation, as I fear as an artist being taken advantage of for my time. And so, before we get into pricing and my boundaries as an artist, lets talk ground rules! Just so you, as a potential customer, understand my expectations as the artist.

(Also please be patient with me as I work 12 hour shifts at a hospital, so it may take a few weeks to get to yours if it’s behind a lot of others in the queue)

RULES & EXPECTATIONS

First come, first serve

This is mainly because I like to prioritize those who come to me first. With this being said though, if you express interest in a commission from me, but do not state what you are wanting, as well as a price range you are going for, I will prioritize a person who has already given me a commission request. Basically! I put you in the queue the moment we have a request worked out! :-)

No revisions after a finalized sketch

This is mainly to protect myself as the artist, and you as the customer from being in a perpetual revision cycle, after already finalizing the sketch. If you aren’t happy with something, please let me know before I begin the line art process! Once I begin to do line art or color, I enter a zone where doing any sort of serious revision could cause the quality to diminish!

Make sure it’s my art you are wanting!

I do do a plethora of art style mocks like persona 5 eye cut ins, as well as other sorts of persona art style stuff. But I don’t wish to copy another artists style thats already offering commissions. If you’re wanting a certain style that isn’t adjacent to mine, you’re better off saving up for the artist you truly wish you could commission :-). I like to feed into fandom wants and needs, but I don’t want to take away from other freelance artist’s business.

I will not send the art until paid

 Since I manage to work rather fast, I don’t mind making pieces that don’t get paid for, as any piece I do is good practice!! That being said, I won’t send my art until I have proof of payment for the time I spent on it. I will always be super clear on which part of the process I am in, but to protect myself from being scammed, I cannot send the piece until payment is proven.

DETAILS

Now lets get into the fun stuff!! To start, I do not charge my commissions based on how complex the art is, rather, how long it took me to make it. Which is the reason I can’t ask for up front payments. I charge, instead, by the hour. And my pricing is based on my state’s minimum wage. The software I use to make my art (Procreate) tracks the elapsed time I’ve spent drawing, and so I calculate the owed amount based upon that. So, to start:

I CHARGE $15 AN HOUR (USD)

METHOD OF PAYMENT IS THROUGH PAYPAL.

Now that that’s out of the way, here’s what I CAN and CAN’T draw!!

THINGS I ABSOLUTELY WILL DRAW:

Character references! (TTRPG CHARAS, OCS, ETC.)

Armor (I can do mecha, but because of the complexity it may bump up the price just because of how long it takes)

Main stream art style replication (Persona 2D Sprites, Ace Attorney, Steven Universe, The Owl House, and a few others as well)

People

Portraits

Couples (hugging, kissing, holding hands, cute stuff :3)

Inklings & Octolings (anything splatoon related pretty much)

THINGS I CAN DRAW (BUT WILL PREFACE WITH THE FACT THAT I AM LESS SKILLED IN THESE AREAS)

Furries

Animals/pets

Scenery

Pixel art

Vehicles

Weapons (this ones tricky because I can draw swords pretty quick, guns take quite a bit of effort to get right though)

THINGS I WILL NOT DRAW

NSFW/suggestive content

Gore

With the parameters out of the way, I’d like to talk about pricing now! Since I charge by the hour, I’d like to make it clear that I am 100% willing to work with money difficulties! I draw pretty fast, but as there are certain things that cause my pieces to take longer, it’s only fair I let you all know what those are, so that you can know what to avoid if you’re wanting some art from me!

THINGS THAT WILL CAUSE MY ART TO TAKE MORE TIME!

Lineless

Complex mecha/outfits

Complex props (e.g. instruments)

Anything in my CAN DRAW list

Complex backgrounds

And lastly…

EXAMPLES OF QUALITY OF WORK

(With time spent and how much they’d be priced)

ROUGH FULL BODY

Time spent: 30m

Calculated price: $7.50

STYLIZED TAROT

Time spent: 2h 16m

Calculated price: $34.00

SIDE ORDER LINELESS

Time spent: 3h 44m

Calculated price: $56.00

FYNN 1920S ‘IT’ GIRL PIERROT

Time spent: 5h 24m

Calculated price: $81.00

Anywho!! If anyone is interested, please DM me! I’ll hand over my discord so you can send me pictures easy :-)! Reblogs are greatly appreciated!!!!

[husbandograveyard]

Proudly I present to you, a mini-event: Awkward pillow talk.

As I dive into slightly more adult content on this blog without writing full on smut I found these prompts which seemed to be right up my alley. They are from @creativepromptsforwriting, check them out! They have SO MANY great writing prompts and tips!

Here's the rules for this event:

All my normal rules apply

Since sex is implied: all characters involved have to be 18+ and all askers have to be too. That also means NO ANON requests for this round.

Since I won't be writing smut itself, I will keep the readers genderneutral for this event too. If bodyparts are referred to, they will be ambiguous and tagged up top. I want everyone to be able to enjoy these writings.

Event is open for limited fandoms (ANIME ONLY) ➺ Bleach (old anime only) ➺ One Piece closed ➺ Demon Slayer ➺ Jujutsu Kaisen (new! all anime & movie charas are fine, I will be fully caught up soon) ➺ Hero Academia ➺ Black Clover

I may close a fandom as requests proceed, with the exception of JJK, since that is on my mind now, and I would like to get into writing it proper!

If you want to request but stay anonymous, you can just DM me and you won't be named in publishing the request.

these will be written and published after Spooktober! They will be shorter(ish) writings.

How to formulate a request:

Send me a character and 3 prompts, I want to be able to be a little picky and see who fits what prompt best. I am also going to be picky with characters this round, and only do the ones I have inspiration for! -> I will update the list with what's been taken regularly.

Prompts under the cut!

“Wanna watch a movie?” “Yeah, sure.” ->

“Should I…? I can just… leave.” -> Usopp | One Piece

“Well, thank you for that. It was fun.” -> Hawks | BNHA

“Sorry for the cuddling. I’m usually not that clingy.” -> Nanami | Jujutsu Kaisen

“Wow. I never thought that was something I would like.” -> Sukuna | Jujutsu Kaisen

“So… that was…” “It was good.” “Yeah, it was great.” -> Drake | One Piece

“Do you… want to stay? We could order food.” -> Gojo | Jujutsu Kaisen

“Have you seen my socks? I think I’ve lost at least one of them somewhere.” -> Nanami | Jujutsu Kaisen

“Well, that happened.” “Yep.” ->

“I’m awful at pillow talk, so… can I interest you in some food?” -> Sanji | One Piece

“It’s only awkward if we make it awkward.” “Agreed.” “That sounded awkward.” “I know.” -> Shuhei | Bleach

“Sorry for laughing, but your hair…” “Oh no, those knots will be hard to get out. You owe me dinner.” -> Geto | Jujutsu Kaisen

“I’m so embarrassed I didn’t ask before, but what’s your name?” -> Kid | One Piece

“Does it also feel awkward for you now?” “A little bit.” -> Ieiri Shoko | Jujutsu Kaisen

“That was great. We should totally do that again.” “Totally.” -> Miruko | BNHA

“Well, it was really nice getting to know you.” -> Hawks | BNHA

“I’m still wearing half of my clothes, is it weird if I remove them now?” -> Bartolomeo | One Piece

[abnomi]

HI IM WYATT!! 🫧🧼🐡

im like if a fish was a guy and it and yeah

I'm nonbinary and a fan of soap. My personality develops at a normal human rate as well as my human mind. I'm a normal human age with a normal human life.

i like drawing! ✏️ check out #my art! 🎨 in the tags to see

i won't post explicit NSFW (anything graphically sexual in nature or anything with extreme gore), but beyond that one rule, i do not limit what kinds of topics i post about on here. i will trigger tag the generally sensitive ones, however!

i do not engage in discourse and i go out of my way to avoid it. this also goes for any mean-spirited kind of content! let's be nice to each other.

i don't recommend following me for one specific thing because i post whatever i want whenever i want to. im not an art account or fandom account im sorry!!! feel free to follow me for those anyway but dongt get mad at meeeee

i have heavy general anxiety, so please be patient with me! i tend to respond slowly and get overwhelmed extremely easily; not to say anyone owes me constant coddling or anything ofc!! i just think it's worth mentioning in case i start acting erratic or something HAHA. the more you know! 🪱 brain problems galore

feel free to talk to me either thru my askbox or messages! i love meeting new people and talking to my friends despite how anxiety may influence my behavior to indicate otherwise! i just need time. a lot and a lot of time.

my grammar sometimes is Bad because my brains is Goo Sorry... i struggle with wording things coherently :---( if i say something that comes off the wrong way, i apologize in advance! i am still learning

im a rampant lifelong selfshipper. been in the loving game for quite some time now. if you are an off-putting fictional character, youd best hope you dont cross paths with me.

OC x canon is one of my primary interests; i will probably post about it more often than not on here! if you have a common interest with a character i like, I'm more than okay with sharing! love for everyone Yay !! 🌞🌞🌈

I'm working on a fansite for character shrines but ummm its taking a while

"What does this silly fuck even do?"

Dont fucking talk to me like that. I draw sometimes and try very hard to make art! Unfortunately, the brain I'm using is kind of stupid and broken and it doesn't do what I tell it to do. Working on getting a new one, but it's just not going according to plan.

As for what kind art I tend to make, I'm very experimental with my work! Expecting consistency from me is a bad idea. I get bored of the same ideas quickly and bounce around a ton. I LOOOVE character design and character writing in particular!! i have so many stories and concepts, you have no idea. Anything character/story-oriented is a major favorite subject of mine.

I'm hoping to get around to game development, web design, animation, music production, 3d stuff, and more! Just need to kind of kick myself to the finish line u know

"Wow what concepts do you have in mind"

too many and theyre all unfinished, but I'm planning on making a webcomic! I ambitiously wanted (and still do want) to take on several massive projects that I'm not able to accomplish in my current state, so I thought a comic i can create on my own time would be much easier and a good way to start the road to self discipline... we will see how that goes.

I'd go in depth explaining all of my stories and characters but it sounds like a bad idea to put those here. I'll make a website compiling all of the information about them eventually i promiiiisee

"What do you like"

My interests fluctuate so often that i generally can't fully pin one down as if it's consistently present.

There's hardly any pattern in what I gravitate towards, other than the single qualifier of whether the piece of work contains a token character for me to latch onto who is outwardly antagonistic and/or bitter towards everyone in the cast. Everything else is mostly irrelevant in quantifying how much i will enjoy a thing. this isn't an end all be all, though!! its less of a rule and more of a pattern.

"Did you hear about how they're sending frozen ants to mars just to see what will happen? Just letting them defrost there and crawl around, an isolated ant society. I don't know who's behind this. I heard it from a friend, but I don't think I believe them, because who would do that and why?"

It was me. I was the one sending them. Watch your back. Don't ask this again

"My head hurts."

My head heuts too

"also can i kill you and your family"

Sure

[frannyzooey]

If you had any advice for someone new to posting fics, what would it be?

I am absolutely jaw dropped, crying on the floor in love with your writing, and it’s inspired me to start writing again. I’m sure you hear that all the time, lol.

But I’m so anxious about putting work out there, and the idea that it may not be liked, or even seen. Which, like, is hard because I know no one owes me anything! and there are so many incredible writers out there! I guess what I’m trying to say is - what is the best way to become a part of the community, and not the creeper breathing breath on the glass window looking into the party?

You’re genuinely so kind to all of your followers and readers, I would just love to pick your brain a little!

Thank you for everything you give to us. 🫶🏻

FIRST - get over here and tuck yourself under my arm ❤ feel the squeeze I am giving you, in both welcome and reassurance! ❤

This ask couldn't be better timed because I was literally just having a conversation with @astroboots today about how I feel like tumblr is a safe space for sharing my writing, but I am absolutely petrified about sharing it any other place. The thought of even talking about my writing out loud makes me want to curl up and hide my face, and even on this platform, I still get anxious sometimes. The Dinner, recently, was a good example of that - I was beyond nervous to post that one.

All this to say: you are not alone ❤

This fandom can be utterly terrifying because of the 1) sheer amount of talent but more so, 2) the sheer amount of content. It's being constantly created, even more with Pedro becoming bigger these days and it's so fucking intimidating even thinking about tossing your fic into the literal OCEAN that exists.

On one hand, an argument could be made that it's actually easier to post because of those reasons, but it's also legit anxiety producing in many, many ways.

The thing that I always say about writing is: find your people. Reach out to people you admire through reblogs, send them asks, pop into their DMs. Share and spread their work, their art, their gifs. Find one or two or ten that seem like they would vibe with you and connect! Because once you have your people in your corner, cheering you on, it becomes fun to post thinking about them reading it.

Instead of thinking of this place like the ocean, think of your curated corner like a little tide pool and your mutuals like little cheerleading starfishes. It's so much easier to share things when you know they will be accepted and supported by people, so start there! You're right in that no one owes you anything, but I am a HUGE supporter of not only writing for yourself, but writing for the seven (7) targeted people you love the most. The ones you know are going to scream in your DMs about it, the ones who helped you brainstorm, the ones who beta read and held you on their shoulders for a lap of victory after you hit post. THOSE people are who you post for (in addition to yourself.)

I (frequently) get pretty freaked out about the size of this fandom and get anxiety when it comes to the rapid upload of content - if you've ever seen me put on my "Out of Office", that's usually why...but thinking of this place as a condensed little bubble can really help ❤

That's exactly how I did it, and how I continue to do it! When I posted my first piece of writing EVER three years ago, I had 8 followers and one serious friend on here. ONE. But that ONE person gave me all the hype I needed to share, and even though my hands were shaking when I hit post, I was.....okay, because I knew they were there with open arms, ready to receive it. ❤

Second, we are ALL the creeper breathing on the glass, looking into the party - every single one of us. I can go on and on (and on and on, seriously, I have so many thoughts on this) about how this is a social media site and how that affects you psychologically for hours, but I don't want to bore you, lol. The best part about there being so many of us though is that...there are so many of us! You are bound to find your people. ❤

If you are scared, DM me. I would love nothing more than to cheer you on. This place has been such a safe haven for me, the only way I can even begin to pay that back is to pass it on.

OH - and EXCUSE YOU, I do not have people telling me that all the time! Holy shit?? I wish you could have been the soft ass look on my face when I got this ask, because that's just about the nicest thing someone has ever said to me, literally. I could kiss you on the mouth. Me? Inspiring you? I am BLUSHING.

Squeezing you EVEN TIGHTER AS I TALKED - do you feel the love, nonnie? 😍❤🥰 Congrats on beginning writing again - I am so FUCKING proud of you and WELCOME!!

[beauty-and-passion]

Just wanted to say that I've been a long-time fan of yours, since before PoF, and your analyses were some of the most well-thought out, nuanced and well-researched pieces on the site (my favorites are the playlist analyses they're like my comfort ones lmao). Even tho I've drifted away from the fandom, I still check back in here every now and again to see what's going on. Whilst I love ur series, I do think it's sad you've had to give urself that closure, which is one of my biggest hang-ups with this series. This painful, slow decline where SaSi drags on and on, losing all its momentum & fans and ending with a quiet sizzle rather than a bang as it should, is the worst way to end a series that touched so many people, including me. Tbh, if Thomas is going to use his ever-patient SaSi fans to milk views and money for his other series, he owes it to them to at least finish it properly. He owes his fans a lot of things, and a S2 finale is the main one, you can't milk SaSi for views and not create an episode for 2 years, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Don't want to do it anymore? Cut it, end it, so people can finally move on. The decline of SaSi has been one of the saddest things to witness, but I'm glad you're branching out into other things (tbh kudos for making it this long) and I'll stick around anyway even if ur analyses aren't SaSi because I don't read them for the content, but for the captivating way you write :)

Oh no, compliments! My only weakness!

But seriously, it's beautiful to feel so appreciated and I thank you a lot for that. I am glad you enjoy my analyses so much and it makes me very happy to know they have a good use. If they can help someone feel better, then I will keep writing them until the end of time - no, you can't take back your words now, they will come and be stupidly long because I love to ramble about stuff I like :P

Your words about SaSi are perfectly understandable and I agree with everything you say. It's really a shame that this series is slowly declining and it probably won’t end up like a bang, as it deserved.

Sure, Thomas explained a lot of things and it's now a bit clearer why this happened. However, this doesn't take away from the fact that the organization is pitiful and the lack of communication shouldn't have happened at all, not in a competent team. There are definitely issues and I hope Thomas will work on them as soon as possible, because they can affect his future projects too.

I felt we were going in this direction and I was growing frustrated. So, I did what I do every time there is something I don't like: I try to fix it, even if just for myself. And that's what I did with FSS3. I wanted to see these threads close in a satisfying way, I wanted to see the themes I care about being developed as they deserve. I wanted to give these characters a mature development, because I deeply love them and I deeply love the concept and the possibilities of Sanders Sides.

So, I put my ideas down - with the help of all the people who contributed to the survey. And now, I feel much more satisfied. I know FSS3 isn’t canon, but it’s as close to canon as possible - and, hopefully, will keep being like that for some time too. It’s something I wanted and needed and I’m glad people appreciated it and felt it was good for them too.

And now, I will gladly branch into other stuff. I need to do a bit of a makeover on the blog and expand the “not SaSi” section, first. Then I already have three series I want to talk about and one will be very long, so it might take a lot of time. And then Eurovision will come in May and the Book of Bill will come out in June and maybe I will also talk about the books I love in the future? Or about other series I follow and enjoy? I still don’t know, but be sure I won’t run out of things to talk about. I just wish my ramblings will be worthy of your time and I will keep deserving your appreciation, no matter what I’ll talk about <3

[amywritesthings]

good morning, friends! i just wanted to pop on here really fast to clear up some confusion from my inbox/some replies i've received. i hope this does not come off as rude or upsets anyone who may have asked, but i just need this off of my chest.

i am not abandoning silver underground. the outline is written, the ending is finalized, and we have about 10 chapters to go. i finally posted my first piece of writing in nearly 2 months and it was something new, so i can see why people are confused.

that being said, please be respectful that i am enjoying my hobby and exploring new ideas! i do not get paid to write 70K words in under 6 months. all of my work comes from my own free time.

i write all of this out of love and excitement and fixation. i do recognize just how crappy it can be to be waiting for an update and not get it when an author returns -- believe me, i have GAD and the fear of disappointing strangers is constantly on my mind lol. between the last couple of chapters of SU not performing as great a la comments/reblogs in comparison to the earlier chapters, a lot of life events and obligations irl squashing my creativity, and my own mental health, i struggled plenty with knocking out 5-8k chapters a week or biweekly.

i am so proud that i wrote a novels' worth of free story between march and september. i've written ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND WORDS this year alone! and i have managed to keep a social life, career, romantic relationship, etc. it's such a mind-boggling achievement, and i'm damn impressed with myself for doing so.

but please be respectful when you ask about my other works. i know most of you started out only caring about my mando content. that's fine! then it was eddie munson, then the last of us. then it was attack on titan -- and maybe baldur's gate 3 isn't your thing! i've been known to jump fandoms as my fixations wane and grow, and i do not mind updating people about if i'm working on something or not, but all i ask is to not harass or shame me for not updating a certain work in a timely fashion because...

well, because i don't owe anyone anything. this is my hobby. i am compensated through reblogs, comments, inbox messages, and engagement -- and then i get up in the morning to work my normal job, lol. i'll write what strikes me and return to works when the inspiration hits.

thank you to EVERYONE who has contributed to engaging with my work in some form. you are the best. the reblogs seriously make me emotional. the inbox messages and comments on ao3 make me WANT to write. i am so grateful for every soul that clicks on my content and touches it in some way or another.

if you read all of this -- go do some stretches and drink some water lol

xo amy

[ikamigami]

With yesterday's therapy session with Earth that confirmed that Solar is indeed their cousin, with Solar and Earth confirming it so, do you think that one person, starts with a T and ends with an S, will apologize for the false information they spread about: "Solar is not their cousin, he's a family friend" ? The same false information that anon-shippers used to harass multiple artists. Because I doubt it. That person has always been so pretentious about their interpretations and always believed their interpretations are right, and talking dumb to other people or straight up shutting them down because they have the mentally of "Only my interpretation is right!" They owe those artists an apology because it's their loud false information that started the harassments

It was obvious that Solar sees himself as a part of a family.. so I'm not surprised that they would confirmed it sooner or later..

Honestly, I doubt that they'll apologize because they never apologized to me for something worse so sadly I don't think they'll apologize..

I'm aware that I'm also loud about my interpretations and I definitely come off as being pretentious.. but I try to remember to write that "I think this or that", "in my opinion this or that" etc. I'm sure that I don't always remember about it..

Nonetheless, you're right, dear anon that shippers you mentioned were most definitely spreading misinterpretations because larger blogs approve them. But the worst part is that because they follow those bigger blogs they feel "confident" (which is not so hard when you're sending asks as anon) to harass others who don't agree with them. This is the sad reality of many fandoms actually.

And sadly, you're right that the person you're talking about is talking dumb to anyone who disagree with them.. I tasted the sample of this attitude on Discord which is one of the reasons to why I left...

I'll use my answer to you, dear anon, to share my piece of mind on something. I think that sending asks as anon isn't a bad thing because I totally understand the feeling of dread and nervousness that accompanies you when you want to ask about something you're not 100% sure of or that you're scared that others will start harassing you for your opinion.

But it's definitely easy to hide yourself behind anonymous mask to spread misinformation and hate and harass others. But here's the thing - everyone can hide behind this mask. Even the bigger blog in question. Why am I saying this? I'm trying to tell you, dear anon and everyone else that those who spread the hate are in minority. This minority is loud so it may seem as majority. I think that's important to remember because some people like to stir drama. So we need to remind ourselves that the person who spreads hate and harass others is just a really petty individual. Whoever that is. They just always try to make others feel alone and isolated. I'm definitely not pointing my finger at anyone. Because I don't like accusing others of anything. But let's not be afraid to report said anons to Tumblr. It doesn't matter how big this person may be in certain circles. We definitely shouldn't be afraid to speak up about such things.

No one should harass others. Shippers or not. It works for everyone. But remember one thing (I'm talking in general) pointing out someone's wrongdoings that we have a proof of IS NOT HARASSMENT. People are allowed and should talk about those things because such behaviour shouldn't be allowed. But I respectfully ask everyone to not harass those mentioned here and please don't use my response to harass anyone.

Thank you ^^

Have a nice day or night, dear anon 💗

[talkingwoman]

Disbelief, disappointment, resignation...

Just a few moments ago, I re-posted the text I wrote the day Elizabeth and Armie jointly and quite amicably announced the ending of their marriage. I posited that for better or worse, we would discover whether the belief in the Armie/Timmy ship was, like the profoundly wished for sequel to CMBYN, in fact a mirage, a chimera born of heated imagination, fan fictions, and yearning for romantic beauty. As often happens when I post something contrary to the prevailing beliefs in the fandom, the response was crickets. Turns out I may have been prescient, but this is not about a "Toldja so!!" moment. Rather, this post is like my stages of grief, as yet incomplete.

When Armie embarked on his parade of liaisons with young, yet publicly active and recognizable women, I questioned the move, but could never have imagined the shitstorm that descended as women complained vociferously about his sexual and emotional treatment of them. What happened next was swift and merciless. Crisis management researchers may use Armie's experience as a case study someday, but the finstas, DMS, and other messages central to the events are probably too raunchy for academic texts. Certainly his flat denial of any wrongdoing strategy failed dismally. Throughout the cascading losses of agents, film, tv, and stage contracts, I kept waiting for someone, ultimately anyone, to speak in defense of Armie. Most particularly I was stunned by the silence from Timmy, Luca, and others I had foolishly believed would publicly support a colleague, let alone friend or lover, who was enduring such attacks. Well, forget that. I literally could not believe no one came forward, but having stumbled down the Charmie trail, I couldn't understand why even a very simple line like, "Talented actor and scene partner. Loved working with him. I don't comment on anyone's private life." was not forthcoming. Mostly, I couldn't believe Timmy would display such public indifference. Saddening. Hurtful, whether intentional or not (see? I'm still making excuses for Timmy,)

In the ensuing years, Timmy gave three interviews to major media outlets. To say that I was disappointed that he dismissed the question posed by Time, as "worthy of a larger discussion" and said nada, zilch, nothing remotely supportive of the guy he once called his brother, role model, etc. is a massive understatement. In his second "Woodstock" interview with GQ he not only took pains to address rumors that his relationship with a woman he loved (his words), LRD, was a PR sham, but also failed once again to affirm his onetime friend and mentor, Armie, was a part of the "making and re-making of Timmy" that the article focused on. Well, he didn't credit Luca G. or James I. either, but they were not twisting in the wind like a bashed in dollar store pinata. Loyalty counts, even in the often cynical world of entertainment, right? Not so much, maybe.

Between the second and third GQ interviews, the AirMail interview Armie collaborated on appeared, and while that piece was gravely flawed and quickly vanished, it was another missed opportunity for Timmy or anyone else to speak consoling, compassionate words for a guy embarking on his addiction recovery journey. Not gonna happen. The most recent installment of the GQ articles should not have surprised me, but it's surely clear by now that for all my bluster I am not free of my gullible Charmie predilections. Timmy had every opportunity to say something kind, even in a dismissive mode, like, "aw, dude, ancient history. total mess for anyone to endure." about the scandal. Surely he and his team had prepared for this. What came out in the article was enigmatic in the extreme. "I don't know...it was..disorienting is a good word." Is that it? It's Timmy's world and Armie is exiled forever?

OK, I give. You, Timmy, owe me, your fans, and Armie nothing by way of explanation. Whatever you think or believe is your business. Having reluctantly accepted your continued behavior as personal agency in this matter, it is my problem and mine alone that I perceive it as a bitter betrayal of that gorgeous man who instead of showing resentment that he was not also Oscar nominated, gave you that momentous, loving push toward the snapping cameras and said "now, go shine, shine, shine". How long ago and far away that seems today.

And yet, it was there before my own eyes in this GQ article. Indisputable, maybe inadvertent revelation about the state of the Timmy/Armie ship came with the discussion of the fishy coincidence of the Bones and All announcement less than two weeks after the cannibalism stories erupted. What were the chances, Timmy questioned? What is immediately clear is that neither he nor Luca was in touch with Armie at all. When there is even a casual friendship between actors they talk about projects they are pursuing, engaged, and don't forget, co-producing. If there was any contact Armie would already have known. But check Timmy's reaction. Did he say, "I needed to let my friend know there was no evil intent in our announcement." Instead, he felt he HAD to do the project b/c it came from a book rather than someone's social media nightmare. Still, the cannibalism/Armie/Bones and All discussions endured and some would argue were exploited through to the premiere and even into awards season, with Dakota Johnson's snarky joke at Armie's expense when introducing Luca at a banquet. That's what friends are for, yeah?

The mirage seemed real. Sometimes I still flail, but time and circumstance continue to pile on evidence to the contrary. That does not make me happy AT ALL.

#heartsandparts

[yallcantread]

I am not going to delete this blog because I believe in maintaining accessibility to sources. In the future, I might use it to discuss situations involving other artists or actors, but that’s uncertain for now. If people come across this blog and I seem to attain a following, I’d use it to correct common misinformation. There’s nothing else I can contribute to towards this app.

I want to emphasize that celebrities don’t owe us anything. They don’t owe us their political views, their time, or personal details of their lives. They create art, and it’s our choice to consume it. Similarly, it’s their choice to create art. Both parties benefit in some way, whether it’s success for the artist or enjoyment for the fans and consumers.

Being a fan by listening to the music is enough. There’s no need to engage in fan wars with other fandoms or obsessively follow every aspect of a celebrity’s life. Unless they’re involved in illegal or harmful activities, it’s not our business to know who they’re dating or why. We often spend too much time invested in other people’s lives.

With this blog, I aim to promote genuine care and fact-checking. I encourage you not to blindly trust TikTok users seeking attention through likes and views or Twitter users parroting others’ opinions. Have a mind of your own, even if it means facing potential backlash from the online world. The internet may seem important, but it ultimately doesn’t define our lives.

Sadly, it seems like genuine care is lacking on the internet. So, I hope I’ve inspired or encouraged you to fact-check and be mindful. My intention was never to dissuade anyone but to provide factual information. However, I urge you to stop wasting your life on trivial matters. Many of us, myself included, are in our late teens or early twenties, and we witness people wasting time arguing with strangers from different fandoms across the globe, people we’ll likely never meet, all because they criticized our favorite artist’s singing abilities.

Instead, focus on meaningful activities. Write a book, go hiking, learn a new hobby, reach out to your friends or family and express your love for them just because. Get that tattoo you’ve been contemplating, text that person you’ve been thinking about, or head to the park and play fetch with your dog. Engage in activities that bring you joy and are centered around you. Making music may seem insignificant compared to other pursuits, but it’s the one thing that brings me joy and motivates me to get up each day. It makes me proud of myself to even know I created a piece of art. The only reason why I’m proud of myself. I cringe when someone asks to hear my music, and I struggle to share it, even though I want to be known for my art. It’s a peculiar situation.

Life is undeniably short, and at times it feels like we’re living in a dystopian movie, experiencing one tragedy after another. It can be overwhelming and exhausting. However, I believe we should strive to make our time on Earth meaningful. We should try something, take risks, and contribute positively to the world. Aging is a privilege, and how we spend our lives matters. It’s a reminder to live authentically, focusing on ourselves and people like us. How do you want to contribute?

As corny as this may sound (and trust me, I’m quite nihilistic and tend to avoid these types of things because they make me cringe), I still believe it needs to be said: You don’t need a lover to live. You have yourself, and the love you have to give can be directed towards the person who deserves it most: you. It’s essential to prioritize self-love and self-care because, at the end of the day, you are the most important person in your life. Remember, a celebrity isn’t the center of your world; you are. You are more than your love for an artist.

Anyways, that’s enough of that for today. Thank you all for reading and sharing the blog. And if someone tries to engage you in endless arguments about this situation, simply send them the thread to this post and leave it at that. No need for back-and-forth exchanges. They can choose to read it or not.