#We're at a 3 or 4 instead of a solid 8

[vryptidart]

Morag Locke is a dockworker. She goes to work, goes to the pub, goes home, and does it all over again the next day. It's honest, solid work, in the remnants of Wayhaven's industrial heart. But times are changing. And Morag will be damned if she lets the next to useless Wayhaven PD be the only ones investigating the murder shaking this sleepy little town.

> scumverse (wayhaven dockworker) MASTERPOST

What if the events of The Wayhaven Chronicles played out- but your player character would never be a cop? What if, instead, she was a cranky bastard of a dockworker, colleague (and technically friend) of Lance Huttle?

What if you wrote like over 130K about a huge bitch that doesn't deserve Nat's love and affection and then realised it's really hard to convince anyone to hop on board, because that's also 18 posted works (as of April 2025)?

Yes it's all in a series, and the most determined can just read through in that order, which is more or less published order, but definitely not chronological or even recommended order. But I want to Self Advertise a bit So Anyway, here's a guide. Essentials first, and then the remainder. Check each story for its content warnings, this list is going to be Long Enough.

Recommended Essential Reading Order:

1. simple twist of fate. 59,055 words, 17 chapters. Complete.

A full book one rewrite, following Morag Locke, busybody dockworker, as she deals with discovering and investigating the death of Janet Greenland, and the arrival of Ava, Nat, Felix and Mason into her life. Morag/Nat slowishburn Commences.

2. rituals. 1,154 words, one chapter. Complete.

A moment aside, after the plot of simple twist, exploring a little of Ada Grey's homelife. Featuring a lot of my homebrew Gargoyle lore from before we got Any information about them in the setting.

3. flotsam. 1,808 words, one chapter. Complete.

A boring day at work is made more exciting for Morag, when a selkie seeks her assistance. Who said being a liaison would be hard and unrewarding work?

4. tangled up in blue. 23,573 words, seven chapters. Complete.

Thought there'd be no protagonist detective, huh? Before the events of book two, Unit Bravo is assigned to observe a city detective, Salt Wax, who appears to have the same blood mutation as Morag. Detective Wax, meanwhile, finds her life on the line when she investigates a series of disappearances linked to a local strip club... And I get to add the Detective/Ava tag to the series.

5. the times they are a-changin'. 19,640 words, six chapters. Complete.

We're not at Book Two and my beloved Falk yet. First we need to see Detective Salt Wax move to Wayhaven, and how Morag handles an incident or two, involving new supernaturals that move through the town- some to stay, and others planning on drifting on... Unit Bravo don't get tagged but they do pop up right at the end there.

6. playing cards. 1,430 words, one chapter. Complete.

Set midway through Chapter 3 of the last fic here, we get an additional scene of the tarot cards being pulled and discussed. Happens right before Niko's Bad Nap.

7. lethe. 1,237 words, one chapter. Complete.

A glimpse both backwards and ahead. An early appearance of Sanja- when she met Salt as a child, before she met the Maa-alused.

8. shelter from the storm. 34,502 words (so far), 8 chapters. In Progress.

The most current entry as of writing- the Book Two Rewrite begins. Or began like a year ago and now I'm back to it with chapter 3 oops. ANYWAY. Unit Bravo returned at the very end of times, but they hadn't finished settling in. Rebecca returns to her position as handler, and tries to take back control. Salt fights multiple walking headaches. And the Maa-alused are driven from their home...

That's It That's The Essentials

We're excluding the Art ones for now, but only because my energy to fix my image hosting is depleted. But now I've cherrypicked through the list, here's the more optional ones, rearranged in reading order…

transitions. 1,199 words, one chapter. Complete.

After simple twist, scenes of Wayhaven as spring rolls in.

crazing. EXPLICIT 6,233 words, one chapter. Complete.

Between tangled up in blue and shelter from the storm, Ada borrows Mason for what should be a quick sidemission- and ends up being a sexpollen fanfic.

The next lot have the ambiguous chronology of being established relationship for their featured pairings, possibly post-TWC-full-series, or maybe slot in among them- their positioning might change.

raw. 880 words, one chapter. Complete.

Actually the first thing I published of Morag and Nat. Written during the early writing days of simple twist, but set likely well after. Morag gets in a barfight.

ecdysis. 1,716 words, one chapter. Complete.

Salt is cursed in the course of a mission, and Ava must follow the wisdom of fairytales to free her.

goliath. 1,379 words, one chapter. Complete.

Ava and Salt get a cat.

it leads you here, despite your destination / under the Milky Way tonight. 824 words, one chapter. Complete.

Dinner with friends domesticity, with Morag trying to start a fight over music with Salt.

like real people do. 2,277 words, one chapter. Complete.

Evil offscreen nobodies try to get Nat to eat Morag. Luckily Morag drugs her! Then they make out. I promise it's kinda sweet and maybe hot but DO check the content warnings for this one.

And then... the beginning of the end.

Sometimes you know how the story will end. For Morag, I started writing it already, years ago. There's still plenty in between here and then, I don't plan on finishing any time soon and I'm having fun scuttling in Sera's shadows and rewriting the main series, but here is the start of the sequence.

One More Cup of Coffee for the Road.

katabasis. 3,774 words, one chapter. Complete.

Morag Locke is now fifty-seven years old. Natalie Sewell is now three hundred and fifty-two years old. Average human female life expectancy in ██████ is eighty-six years.

[secret-third-thing]

17! tell me everything 👀

God fears me for my process is fucking biblical.

Also link to post if people want to play <3

Please note this is for fanfic. My original fiction process has EVEN MORE STEPS AHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA.

Step 1: Be absolutely overwhelmed with an idea. I know an idea is worth writing when it pesters me enough that it intrudes when I'm doing other things or writing other stories. If it doesn't, I send it to the plot bunny graveyard. Get fucked.

Step 2: Let it cook. That's right. Every idea has to cook a little bit. It decides when it's time for plotting. Sometimes it's an immediate plotting situation, sometimes it cooks for a year or two.

Step 3: Write down some key points. What do I wanna have happen? This is to help me figure out scope. I am much better at looking at an idea and sussing out how long it's gonna be. I categorize it into one of the following categories

Baby (under 3k)

Big Baby (3-5k)

Solid Oneshot (5-10k)

We're pretending this is a one shot (10-17k)

Normal Mult-chap (17k-50k)

Danger zone (50-80k)

Chonky Monster (80k+)

Absolute Unit (150k+)*

Someone help me I've fallen (200+)*

*my pet peeve is fics that go on forever when they should have just ended. YOU NEED TO PLOT BETTER. jk it's fanfic do whatever you want.

This step is done partially for fun and partially because it helps me figure out how many beats and scenes I need.

Step 4: I decide on a target word count (I'm good at guessing. I'm usually within 15% of my est wc when I finish) and then I fill out my math sheet that I made while I was bored and unemployed last year. It basically estimates how many scenes I need assuming scenes average at 1200-1500. And then it divides those scenes into acts and then it tells me how many scenes per point in the save the cat outline. 😂 If people want it they have to slide into my dms and ask me nicely + compliment eris and/or beron. Ideally both.

Step 5: Time to fill out the main beats of the outline! Yay! This takes X days, which is to say it takes the time it needs.

Step 5b: If I have multi povs, I do this process for every pov

Step 5c: Then I weave the povs together - which beats can be shared? etc

Step 6: Write out every scene I plan on writing 🫡 I know exactly what's happening and the intended outcome. Yay!

Step 7: Work on something else. This story needs to cook a bit.

Step 8: Come back and see how I feel about the story. Then I do this scene analysis thing where I ensure that my scenes are covering different elements of craft so we are as efficient as possible. If a scene does not accomplish a goal, I yeet it. This is KEY. I'm not gonna type it all out here partially because it's long/complicated and partially cause the mentor who taught me it, asked me to keep it vague since she's worked hard to cultivate her mentorship guidance and process.

Step 9: I make scene tweaks. If my outline has gaps, I cry about it and then radically accept it'll come to me later.

Step 9b: Sometimes I shop the outline around and make revisions based on feedback.

Step 10: Draft. But only when I want to. I don't brute force shit anymore. (I've been writing the full fic first before posting this time around) But yes. Write the full damn first draft. This takes however long it takes.

Step 11: Set it aside and do anything else, ideally not writing related. Watch movies, play games, go to an art museum.

Step 12: Revision time!!! YAY! Read through the entire fic. Write down allllll my horrible little thoughts about it. teehee.

Step 13: Re-outline. Really see what the story actually is. Decide if I need to rewrite anything.

Step 13b: do any necessary rewrites. cry about it1!!

Step 14: Revise POV/ Voice

Step 15: Revise Character

Step 16: Revise Plot again if needed

Step 17: Scene level edits (world building, descriptions, dialogue, details whatever)

Step 18: Now it's time for beta!!! Please cry clap. Depending on the posting situation (event week vs whenever) I may just do one chapter instead of the full fic.

Step 19: NOW do the edits! Again!

Step 19b: Send to betas again for feedback. Edit again. Repeat indefinitely.

Step 20: Grammar pass!!!

Step 21: Beta pass 2 (usually just a sign off that im not insane)

Step 22: Dark Night of the Soul. I grieve. I wonder if this is any good. And then by the end of brooding, I'm feeling a little evil.

Step 23: Post and give very little shits about kudos etc because they mean nothing and I know I'm fucking awesome. (you are too btw.)

Step 24: Kill God.*

Step 25: Become God.*

*Sorry these last two steps are for me only.

Hope this helps!

[rjalker]

[ID: A photo of a hot pink and leaf green, net-style crochet bag. The circular bottom of the bag is in hot pink, solid double crochets. The sides and handles of the bag are made in leaf green, with one row of double crochets meeting the pink base, then an open net pattern made of double crochets separated by a chain, then a row of double crochets and half-double crochets along the top, with the handles made from double crochet. End ID.]

Pattern:

Start: Chain 3 and slip stitch to form a little loop. (Or do a magic circle if you prefer that).

Row 1: Double crochet into this loop 12 times OR however many times you want. The exact number literally does not matter in the grand scheme of things when making a bag. The more double crochets you make into this first loop, the less total number of rows you'll need to make the base as wide as you want. The fewer you make, the more rows you will need.

Each row ends with a slip stitch, and chaining 2 to start the next row. Always make a double crochet in the same space where you start the row, otherwise you'll accidentally make each following row smaller. If you look closely at the picture above, you can see the line where each new row began and ended.

Row 2: Two double crochets in each stitch around (VVV)

From now on, each row will have one more "one double crochet in each stitch" than the row before it did, in between the "two double crochets in a single stitch". This is to increase the width of the circle as you go, and the "two double crochet in each stitch" (which are also called "increases") are to keep the circle lying flat or mostly flat, instead of curling upwards, which is how you make the sides of the bag later.

Row 3: Two double crochets in the first stitch, one in the second, two in the third, one in the 4th, repeating (VIV)

Row 4: Two double-crochets in the first stitch, one in the second and third, two in the 4th, repeating (VIIV)

Row 5: Two double crochets in the first stitch, one in the second, third, and fourth, repeating (V I I I V)

Row 6: Two double crochets in the first stitch, one in the second, third, fourth, and fifth, repeating. (V | | | | V)

Row 7: Two double crochets in the first stitch, one in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, repeating. (V | | | | | V)

Row 8: (You can change colors if you want a bicolor bag). One row of regular double crochet, one in each stitch.

Since we're now removing the "increases" (when you put two stitches in a single space), this means that instead of continuing to get wider, the circle will now curl at a 90 degree angle, which becomes more obvious the more rows of regular stitches you add. We are now making the "sides" of the bag, which is also how you makes the sides of a hat, or sock, or glove, or amigurumi.

From here until your bag is as tall as you want it:

Double crochet, chain 1, skip one stitch, make another double crochet, chain 1, skip a stitch, repeating, all the way around.

Depending on how stretchy the yarn you are making your bag with is, you can make your bag taller or shorter.

Acrylic yarn is usually very stretchy, so make a shorter bag, otherwise if you put heavy stuff in it it might stretch so much it touches the ground, if the person carrying it is short.

If the yarn is not very stretchy, you can make a taller bag to fit more.

I did six rows of acrylic, presumably worsted weight yarn, since it's pretty stretchy, and I plan to use this for groceries, including gallons of milk and other heavy stuff like that.

Then make one row of regular double crochet at the top.

For the handles, you can make them in single or double crochet. I used double crochet for this one.

Make 5 double crochets like you're starting a new row, but then chain 2, flip the work, and go back across those five double crochets. Chain 2 when you get to the end again, flip, and repeat, until the handles are as long as you want.

Attach the end of the handle to the bag with slip stitches or single crochets or whatever you want. Fold the bag in half to figure out where you want the next handle to start, and make a row of half-double crochets over to that spot, and make the 5 double crochets for the next handle.

Repeat the way you made the first handle, and then when you attach it, go back around to the first one with half double crochets, and fasten off.

[bones-of-a-rabbit]

status of babbit's life yeehaw

tl,dr: busy moving and a couple of other big life things that just complicate things, but well on the way to being back to normal! new fic chapters and better quality art coming soon.

tl,wr (too long, will read):

Helloooo what's up its me, Babbit. or Rabbit. or Bones. or Idiot Moron Menace Child, idk im not picky lol

i know a lot of you guys have been wondering wtf is up with my upload schedule lately and the extreme lack of even basic content and also i am extremely aware that i have not updated my fics in a few millennia and for that i am very, very sorry. this post is to answer a few questions you might have, if anyone was curious about the 'reason' instead of just the 'when.'

my family and i have had a hell of a year, y'all. like, jesus christ, i really hope things level out and calm down for a while once we're moved in to our new apartment bc god damn we are so tired. the list goes: 1. we got kicked out of the house we were renting-to-own bc we wouldn't be able to afford the new rate, so they gave us two months to find a new place to live (not long enough, it turns out) and then foreclosed to get us out. 75% of our belongings were still in the house when we had to leave. that includes all of our christmas ornaments- including the ones kept for decades, and the ones made by me and my siblings, and the fancy ones made from blown glass. 2. the first night out of the house, one of our dogs, freaked out by the strangeness of the situation, panicked and slipped her harness and ran off. that was over a year ago. we haven't seen her since. 3. my cat got very ill and became unable to eat. she passed away almost exactly a year ago. she had been 14-15, and had been my baby since i was maybe 8. 4. one of the tires on my dads car blew out. during the night, while it was parked on the curb so he could put the spare on in the morning, one of the in-tact tires was fucking stolen LMAO 5. we applied to rent at so many places and got rejected so, so many times. it costs money to apply, btw. we're talking like $200+. no, u don't get that money back. 6. i lost my job bc knowing i would have to work 8 hours at a job that stresses me out to the point of exhaustion (at a place where no one takes me seriously and would actively laugh at me when i try to express my need to step away for a minute) sometimes paralyzed me and made me sick to my stomach and made me feel unable to leave the house, and i called out one too many times. a day after my birthday, too! 7. just recently, like within the last week, my dad's car got fuckin totalled!!!!!

THE GOOD NEWS IS WE OFFICIALLY, FINALLY, AFTER A SOLID YEAR, HAVE AN APARTMENT!!!!! I'LL HAVE MY OWN ROOM AGAIN!!! THERE'S AN ENTIRE KITCHEN!!!!!!!

the 'oh god' news is we still have to move in, and replace a lot of the stuff that we just couldn't take with us when we moved out (mostly stuff like bookshelves, dining table, dressers, etc) AND get the few things we could cram into a storage center out and moved into the new place, which isn't a lot but at the same time is more than we can realistically handle on our own. and then, we have to get my mums cats (a pair of kitty sisters that we had to temporarily house with my aunt, who got tired of looking after them and let them outside to be outdoor cats a few months ago. yes, this was an extremely shitty thing to do, and we've been working hard to get them back safely) AND my gecko (who my cousin has been looking after, even tho feeding him worms freaks him out LMAO yes i plan on compensating him) moved in, as well... basically oh my god there is so much to worry about but at the same time it's nice to have to worry about it bc it means we're making progress sdkfhsjdkfhdsjfh

basically i am just so tired but so busy and also thinkin abt so much im so sorry for lack of stuff but i am so looking forward to being able to bounce back, pls stick with me, it'll be sorted out soon i think and then i'll hit y'all with some good stuff i promise!!!!!!!

anyway thank u guys i love u and appreciate u all for sticking around

[thewatchmakersnerd]

I found an incorrect quote generator and had to put all of their names in aksjdka

These are the best ones I got :))

-

Lincoln: This is Thom, they’re… not my assistant, some other word.

Thom: I’m their carer.

Lincoln: Yeah, my carer. They care so I don’t have to.

-

Lon: Advice of the day kids, if you ever meet someone who calls Gatorade flavors the actual name of the flavor instead of just the color then they are a certified nerd.

Mel: Yeah but you have to specify, frost glacier or cool blue? You can’t just say blue because there’s more than one blue.

Lon: Blue and light blue, nice try nerd.

-

Thom : To everyone who has treated me poorly; I am sexier than you.

-

Peter: I want to wake up with you every day for the rest of our lives

Thom: I wake up at 4:30 AM

Peter: I want to see you at some point every day for the rest of our lives

-

Thom: It’s dark in here

Peter: Don’t worry dude I got this

Peter: *Stomps their feet*

Peter: *Skechers light up*

-

Police: You’re under arrest for trying to carry three people on a single motorcycle. 
Amelia, with Ron and Lon behind them: Wait, what do you mean THREE?! 
Police: Yes…three. 
Amelia : Oh, my God— What the fuck!? 
Police: Wha- 
Amelia : Mel FUCKING FELL OFF!

(I laughed at this for a solid 5 minutes I don’t know why)

-

Thom: *casually taking four stairs at a time*

Peter, falling behind, taking two stairs at a time: Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fu-

-

Lon: The waiter at Olive Garden has been grating my cheese for 6 hours now, waiting for me to say when. Customers are screaming. Three people have died.

Lon: I will not yield.

-

Peter : .. .----. -- / … --- .-. .-. -.-- (translation: I'M SORRY)

Thom : What's that?

Peter : Remorse code.

Thom : I'm even angrier now.

-

Peter , working at McDonald's: Sorry sir, we don't serve a McFuck here, so either you throw that one slice of pickle out or we're gonna have a McProblem.

-

Mel: All the sudden I got a random burst of energy, and I think it's my body's last hurrah before it completely shuts down.

-

Lincoln : WHOEVER CAUSED THIS MESS IS GOING TO-

Mel: It was me...

Lincoln : ...Is going to be forgiven because everyone deserves a second chance.

(Mel could do no wrong in Lincoln’s eyes <3 what’s that? He forgot to fill out a chain of custody card? Well who distracted him? He didn’t nothing wrong)

-

Thom : I’m not like other girls. I’m way, way worse.

-

Kind of NSFW but I feel like this is so them

Peter : We should get you to a doctor for a check up immediately. What if it happens again, and there isn’t anyone around to help you? What if it’s congenital? Oh my God! Was it me? Did I hurt you?

Thom : …You realize any other person that made their partner pass out on bed would simply feel really proud of themselves, right?

-

Peter : Don't go to the kitchen.

Thom : Why?

Peter : I saw a spider.

Thom : Well, did you kill it?

Peter : It has 8 arms and I only have 2, it's not fair...

-

Thom when he got shot:

Thom , bleeding out on the ground: Blood loss? No, I know exactly where it is.

That’s it for now but I can generate more if you want some :))

[manuelmakesartz]

Dubious Depths Present [US]: How I made a guitar tone for my fanmade Sonic track.

Hello there! This is my first ever post on this site.

Quick introduction: I am a hobbyist musician. Since 2022, I've been honing my skills in various areas, including mixing, producing and composing. I also have a good amount of music theory knowledge. My style is influenced by old cartoons and VGM.

Now that we're done with that, I'll get to what I initially wanted to talk about. On November 2023, I released a fanmade track, in the style of the American OST of Sonic CD. You can take a listen by yourself here. Since then, a few people have asked me how I made the guitar tone I used through Discord DMs. So, I decided to make a tutorial for it!

1. SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

Kontakt 7 Player or Kontakt 7 (as of writing this, Kontakt 8 has released already, so you'll see that one instead)

Session Guitarist - Electric Mint (it's usually 99 € but it goes on sale for 50 € every now and then, usually Easter and Christmas)

Any DAW

2. LOADING THE BASICS

Load Kontakt in a new instrument track in your DAW, and the "melody" version of Session Guitarist. You'll be greeted with the Paterns tab (if you feel lost, watch the official walkthrough). The default preset (1 Mint Pop) should be loaded:

Set the Plectrum/Finger switch to Plectrum and the Poly/Mono switch to Poly. You can adjust the vibrato however you like.

Next, open the Amps & FX tab and clear everything. Next, load the Distortion, VAN 51, SOLID COMP and IR REVERB effects.

Now, I'll cover the settings for each effect...

3. Distorion Settings

On the Main settings:

Distortion: 50%

Tone: 50%

Volume: 61.3%

On the EQ settings:

Bass: 25.5%

Mid: 59.8%

Treble: 0%

4. VAN 51 Settings

Set it to Rhythm and adjust as follows:

Gain: 34.3% (Hi Gain: OFF)

Bass: 0% (Bright: ON)

Mid: 48%

Treble: 0%

Resonance: 0%

Presence: 83%

Master: 28.4% (Crunch: ON)

5. IR REVERB Settings

Choose the preset 1 Short Spring and adjust as follows:

Pre-Delay: 16ms

Tone: 20k Hz LP

Mix: 60%

6. SOLID COMP Settings

Adjust as follows:

Threshold: -4.7 dB

Attack: 0.3 ms

Release: 1600 ms

Ratio: 3:1

Output: 3.2 dB

Mix: 100%

7. Guitar Settings

Our final step is to adjust a few things on the Guitar Settings tab. Head over there and do the following adjustments:

Pickup Selection: Bridge (Doubling: OFF)

Electric Signal (Tone): 48%

8. You're done!

Now you can use it however you like! I personally added some delay in the mixer channel later. Here are the results:

First, the guitar solo, isolated:

Second, the guitar solo, in the full mix:

That's everything! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! I will make more tutorials like these. Till my second post, have fun and go make some music!

[popculturebuffet]

Based on an ask where you ranked the Disney Afternoon pilots, how would you rank the pilots of each of the newer set of Disney cartoons?The cutoff I'll use is starting with the batch from when Disney moved all their cartoons to Disney Channel in 2018,I'll simplify it by not including the ones after Owl House to cut down on it being a mouthful,Pilots are Star Comes to Earth,Going the Extra Milo,Woo-oo,Baymax Returns,Welcome Home(Big City Greens), Anne or Beast,Tangled Before Ever, and TOH's pilot

Tangled is taken out as I haven't watched that one. And to compensate i'll add in The Curse from Ghost and Molly McGee (Since I haven't seen Hailey's on it or hamster and gretel yet and i've only seen a bit of kiff's first episode) and for my own amusement (and because this is my answer so I can do what I like), Moon Girl Landing.

I"ll also say before this ranking that most of these are awesome first episodes that sell what the series is at that point well. Disney is really good at pilots and first episodes.

9. The Lying Witch and the Warden: Case in point this is the only one on this list that.. isn't good. It has good moments, but as i've talked to at length with many fellow owl house fans, paticuarlly @jess-the-vampire the pilot is very ...

It beats you over the head with it's theme of "BE YOURSELF. BEING WEIRD IS OKAY", when the rest of the series does a much better job of expressing it's messages way better. It also hurt Camilla's character and reputation SO BAD that her next two episodes had to go out of their way to explain WHY she sent luz to what came off as a metaphor for conversion therapy in the pilot, show it wasn't that, show she came back right after to help, and have her accept luz as is. The character as she is now is amazing but how badly the pilot botched the assigment with her still left an impact on the series and it's the only one hwere where something in the first episode had to be course corrected this badly.

8. Baymax Returns: A solid tv movie and a neat way to bring back our squishy soft boy. I've only seen bits of this series but it's pretty good which given who made it isn't suprising.

7. Welcome Home: this is a weird one as Space Chicken was the first ep aired and produced, so my first impression of the series.. isn't this episode. Still as an INTENDED first episode it's pretty good, sets up Bill, Cricket and Tilly well. I just slightly prefer space chicken as, even with Tilly being slightly off, it showcases the entire core cast.

6. The Curse: A really good opener that sets up who molly is, why she needs brighton to be her forever home, and who scratch is and why he needs a friend. I also love the scene with mollys family finding out about scratch.. and after the shock wears off all taking it in stride to his massive annoyance.

5. Moon Girl Landing: The most recent pilot here and it's up so high for a reason. This show is fantastic and the opening does a really good job fleshing both Lunella and Devil out while also having a throughly memorable villian that gives it real personal stakes. Sure we know the family rink won't be gone in the first episode, they spent the money making that setting, but the power going down in LES and so many people's livelyhoods being in danger gives realistic stakes to "Genius 13 year old and giant red dinosaur fight elctro daughter".

4. Anne or Beast?: Another banger. Ugly Ugly Hero is still a tremendous line and it gets across our core 4 incredibly well. Also we have a slug instead of betsy for some reason who I love only because I love slugs and snails. Such shrively little guys.. or big guys in this case. Where did that snail go? Whose his agent? Am I now his agent? It's remakable how fleshed out everyone is from day one in almost all of these. I mean granted as we've seen these aren't the PILOTS but even so many series still take time to get a grasp of the cast. Amphibia and what we're about to see had it day one. 3. Star Comes to Earth: While Star Vs had a weak finish i'll probably never entirely let go it had one hell of a strong start. Star Comes to Earth tells us everything we need to know about who star and marco are. Granted Marco being the "Saftey kid" never comes up again, but it served it's point: to show Marco's a bit in his shell and cautious but wants badly to not be the responsible one, and Star provides a way out of that. Also once again we have a gag that's damn perfect with "I'm a magical princess from another dimension". It's remarkable how in just 11 minutes they set up pretty much everything for season 1 and a lot of things for the series: Star's reckleness and how she has a pretty loose grasp on her magic but a great one of combat, marco's martial arts and safteyness, his awesome parents, star's disapproving mom and ludo and co. It's a snappy 11 minutes that really sets the tone for season 1. I really shoudl revisit it with a proper review.

2. Going the Extra Milo: Speaking of things that need a proper review hot damn do I love this episode. Just thinking back to it, it does what a pilot should do and I know I keep repeating myself but that's because a good pilot is setup, showing you who these characters are (even if they can sometims be slightly off) and showing off the premise. In this case it keeps it simple: Milo meets Zack, who as a new kid serves as a perfect window into the weird shit that happens to milo.... while also showing us why he can be so chipper and happy despite the worst happening to him. The "How can you live like this scene" Is really what lands this so high, showing that milo rather than see his constant misfortune as a terrible thing.. sees it as having fun lifethreanting adventures every day. He gets to have an intresting life and Zack sees that being around milo is dangeorus.. but it's also a lot of fun. And that more importantly.. milo's one heck of a guy. Melissa also gets a lot of fleshing out as we both see her faith in milo via the side bet and her hustler nature. Had this show actually got proper promotion this would've been another hit on this pilot alone. Alas we got what we got.. and at least the two seasons we got keep this level of quality up.

1. Woo-ooo!: Look ya'll know I love ducktales, so you likely saw this coming.. but even loving me some ducks woo-ooo is just .. objectively the best on here. It does everything I said a pilot shoudl do while also having some really gorgeous shots like scrooge putting his money in the bin o rthe sweeing intro of duckburg. I'll grant it has more time than most pilots but really it does a LOT of it's character exposition in the first 5 minutes: within that we get who the boys and donald are and where scrooge is now, while the rest shows us who he was and will be again, introduces webby, beakley and launchpad and even sets up the series final villian. The second half adding in Glomgold is just gravy at this point. It's honestly weirdly LESS awkward than the rest of early season 1, where it seems they struggle more to find the shows identity while this.. shows they had the core of it from the start.

[countlessrealities]

throw my rp blogs' URLs at you and runs away

Send a URL and I'll answer the following || Accepting !

{ for both @hvbris & @imprvdente }

Do I Follow Them? Chloé and I go waaaay back! Damn, how long has it been now? 3 years? Longer? Many seasons in any case x'D We've written a lot together, in several fandoms and verses and every single one has been a delight.

Why Did I Follow Them? If I'm not mistaken, she approached me from Fish blog for...uh, I can't even remember which muse of mine we used first and foremost. I don't think it was Will nor Abigail because I added them later 🤔 Well, in any case, I was presented with this amazingly solid character, written by someone who is so very talented in both writing and arting. I would have been a fool to turn her down! Fish is lovable in all her iterations, even the ones where she's anything but a good person, and she's incredibly versatile, which makes writing with her with basically all the possible characters really easy! Imagine my delight when I found out about the multimuse 😎

Do We Role Play? Do most human beings perceive the sky as blue? xD Duh. I don't dare to count how many threads we have (and yes, Chloé, I know that they aren0t many for your standards, but I travel at a whole different wavelength xD). We use basically all my main muses with plenty of theirs! We've built and discussed a lot of dynamics and each of them has a special place in my heart 🖤

Do I Want To Role Play With Them: Abso-fucking-lutely YEAH! Chloé is one of my mains and a dear friend by now, so I hope that we'll write together for as long as possible. Plus, there are a few interactions we are planning that I'm very eager to explore, so I'm looking forward to when my slow ass will find the time to get them started!

An AU Idea For Our Muses: Oh damn, we're already doing a couple of AUs and I'm kind of drawing a blank on more ideas. Off the top of my head? An AU where my Smith trio has supernatural adventures instead of sci-fi adventures (very much Ghostbuster like, as a vibe, but not limited to ghost) and they have to deal with Salomé in her demon verse or with Vampire Fish?

A Song For Our Muses: "Ticking Bombs" by Eyes Set to Kill for Rick & Fish, "Bring me to Life" by Evanescence for Summer & Salomé :3

Do I Ship Our Muses? YES, and that goes for all our ships, and we have a lot xD On this blog we have Salomé & Summer's high school romance, Bill & Salomé's arranged marriage, Rick & Fish's ex-spouse / current fuck buddies, Morty & Teen FIsh's embarrassing crushes on each other. And then there's a lot of platonic relationships (Bill & Noah, Evil Morty & AISHA, Morty & Fish, Summer & Fish, Mabel & Eve). And there's definitely more to come (special mention for Ivy & Harley 😎). But in any case, Y E S.

What I Think About The Mun: What good things can I not say about Chloé? I've praised her and her skills plenty of times. She's an amazing write, a wonderful mutual, a super talented artist and a great friend. I'm so, so, so glad to have crossed paths with her. Her friendship means a lot to me and she's been there for me when I needed it. Not to mention that they are one of my favourite writing partners, and I love every interaction we have, no matter how small!!🖤🖤

Overall Opinion: I could say a lot, but I'll sum it up like this: if you're not writing with Chloé, you're missing out one of the best RP partners you'll ever find on this hellsit.

Blog Rate: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+

[tropylium]

One math-related thing I still want to have a solid intuition for is, why does the series of docecahedron / icosahedron and 120-cell / 600-cell not continue in higher dimensions

the unique existence of the 24-cell in 4D I get, that follows naturally from the fact that the "belt" of an octahedron is a square — from which we can build a hypercube — while in higher dimensions e.g. the "belt" of a 16-cell is instead an octahedron and the "belt" of a 5-crosspolytope is the 16-cell, which do not already create some smaller polytope 2 dimensions lower; and in 3D, since the "belt" of a square is now a diagonal, wider than regular edges, what we get is then the rhombic docecahedron which is not face-regular.

Apparently for 5-fold symmetry though, this has nothing to do with bare combinatorics and there is instead some kind of a convexity problem where, three pentagons make a normal vertex in 3D and four dodecahedra do as well in 4D, but five 120-cells don't, and would create a hyperbolic tessellation instead of an elliptic one. OK but why tho? N-angles get exponentially sharper in higher dimensions in a way, we need 4 straight-angle vertices apiece for a square tessellation but 8 for a cubic one and 16 for a tesseractic one. So figures a mere 3 > 4 > 5 increase in how many pentagonal polytopes we're combining should not result in much less convexity?

[zkzm500a2]

feel like answering them but nobody ever asks so i'm going to pull a major funny and just answer them all here

1. yeah for the most part

2. my girlfriend

3. who doesn't

4. yes, not cripplingly so but definitely notably so

5. taken, i have a girlfriend who i love

6. gunshot to the head. 9x19mm or .45 caliber preferably

7. slice o pizza from my work

8. no, but when i was in high school i signed up for my school's CS:GO comp league and then never participated

9. not compulsively, but i do usually bite them off instead of clip them off

10. good question, probably back in elementary school. 4th or 5th grade

11. as in, do i have a crush on someone? or just a general positive opinion of someone? elementary school ass question. anyway i have a crush on my girlfriend whom i love

12. i've gone over 24, but never hit 48 (and don't plan to)

13. public figures yeah, but nobody i know personally

14. who doesn't

15. two cats :)

16. pretty neutral, not stoked about going back to work but definitely not bad

17. not yet, but i can see it happening

18. i mean i'm not arachnophobic but i think i have a normal human level of fear of spiders. i respect them and their space and go out of my way to avoid killing them

19. yes but only to shoot my past self in the head. oh and to see the Crab Nebula in person :)

20. my girlfriend's bedroom

21. work son!!! today's saturday and i have work tomorrow too

22. i've long said it depends on who i end up with

23. no i do not, i wouldn't be opposed to getting my ears pierced though

24. history and other social studies. i'm not a r/history guy but i've always liked it

25. isn't this also question 14?

26. some fuckin... gotdamn uhh... not much really

27. yeah

28. not that i'm aware of

29. yeah

30. my shoes!!! my work shoes fucking suck i'm getting new ones asap

31. yes. go ahead and guess who it is

32. yellow orange

33. nothing too extreme i don't think

34. hell if i know, i rarely remember my dreams. last one i remember involved a former coworker flirting with me and i was like "woah hey i have a girlfriend"

35. hard to remember. my mom, probably

36. i mean i give them out but only when reasonable to me. also i don't have such shitty friends that i need to give second chances

37. forget!!! i don't remember a goddamn thing

38. i mean statistically yeah but we're only six days in. 2023 was pretty solid for me though

39. Twenny

40. not completely naked but i have been in my backyard naked from the waist down before

51 (it jumps from 40 to 51 lmao). idk man i can't pick favorites. americans do be eating cheesed burger though

52. yeah but that reason isn't spiritual

53. drew a fake website named "i love you dot com" in ms paint and sent it to my girlfriend

54. i want to say no but my parents got together through cheating on their previous partners and they've been together the whole time. so like, in 99% of cases no

55. no i'm niceys :) i used to be a dick online but i've always actively tried to be nice in person

56. one guy, but at least twice

57. i mean i guess it depends on your definition of "true," but generally yeah

58. overcast and chilly is a go-to but i also love the sunny and chilly that comes after a storm in the winter or early spring

59. conceptually yes, but i would never want to drive in it

60. yeah

61. depends on the context of course but generally i'm into it

62. bideo games give me pleasure, but hanging out with my friends or my girlfriend makes me actually happy

63. i mean i'd prefer to keep my current name but in the event i had to, i have one in mind that i like

64. absolutely not, it's easy as hell

65. i'd be like "sorry i have a girlfriend. and you know this. she's all i talk about"

66. yeah

67. my girlfriend

68. how deep are we talking? probably my girlfriend though no matter how you define it

69. in a spiritual sense no, but it's still a helpful term

70. man i'd die for 20 bucks. but yeah there are several people i'd die for

70 horrible questions ... Fuck it

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? 02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? 03: Do you regret anything? 04: Are you insecure? 05: What is your relationship status? 06: How do you want to die? 07: What did you last eat? 08: Played any sports? 09: Do you bite your nails? 10: When was your last physical fight? 11: Do you like someone? 12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? 13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? 14: Do you miss someone? 15: Have any pets? 16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? 17: Ever made out in the bathroom? 18: Are you scared of spiders? 19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? 20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? 21: What are your plans for this weekend? 22: Do you want to have kids? How many? 23: Do you have piercings? How many? 24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? 25: Do you miss anyone from your past? 26: What are you craving right now? 27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? 28: Have you ever been cheated on? 29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? 30: What’s irritating you right now? 31: Does somebody love you? 32: What is your favourite color? 33: Do you have trust issues? 34: Who/what was your last dream about? 35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? 36: Do you give out second chances too easily? 37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? 38: Is this year the best year of your life? 39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? 40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? 51: Favourite food? 52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? 53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? 54: Is cheating ever okay? 55: Are you mean? 56: How many people have you fist fought? 57: Do you believe in true love? 58: Favourite weather? 59: Do you like the snow? 60: Do you wanna get married? 61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? 62: What makes you happy? 63: Would you change your name? 64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? 65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? 66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? 67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? 68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? 69: Do you believe in soulmates? 70: Is there anyone you would die for?

[mashitandsmashit]

AGT Season 19: Auditions 4

Welp, we're back from our two-week hiatus...Back to the blogs!

12: Emotional Brainwaves. Obviously, much of the dullness of watching this was thanks to the editors for playing no music as he shakily controlled the drone. Pretty cool technology...But this is a talent competition, not a tech convention...

11: Venom Trick Shots. Not what I expected from the new “Venom” movie...Very impressive...But not a stage show...

10: CPA Girona. And THIS is the rejection that pissed me off! I suppose they might not be quite at the level of whatever insane skating acts Howie's watching online, and it DID kinda fizzle out by the end...But there were still some pretty awesome tricks in there, and we don't get enough skating acts on this show as it is, especially of THIS caliber...In my opinion, they were better than about HALF the acts they've said yes to so far, and they deserved another chance to polish the act...Or at least NOT get placed in the same segment right before the chicken...

9: L6. Losing the track didn't really do ANYTHING for me...They were still just a nice little singing group with some nice vocals and harmonies...Maybe I'm just being hard on them because they were sandwiched between some pretty awesome acts, but these ballad-y choirs tend to bore me, and the Simon Switch only tried my patience further!

8: Daniel Simu and His Dancing Robot. SOMEONE was desperate for a dance partner...Seriously, it's interesting technology, and makes for a cute little novelty act, but I'm not gonna spend precious money just to watch a guy swinging a headless robot around...But I DO like his geyser-y topknot!

7: Curry the Chicken. From robot, to chicken...(Cue Seth Green...) Putting aside my annoyance at this act coming right after they say no to the skating group, I will say this was pretty decent as far as mentalist acts go...Giving Howie the egg obviously involved some good sleight-of-hand, and I don't know how they got that message inside of it, particularly within the span of the performance...I guess this is ONE way you can make an interesting act with poultry...

6: Stephanie Rainey. Very nice voice, very solid lyrics, she has a LOT of promise...But HOO BOY, do I need some Prozac after listening to that...

5: Hypers Kids Africa. Okay, here's something a little more upbeat...These kids had some solid moves beyond their years...Probably won't get too far in the competition, but I still think they deserve a spot in the lives...

4: DaksDominoes. Yeah, everyone go home! We had another six hours of auditions coming up, but these guys insist that we all leave IMMEDIATELY, so they could put up their big, crazy contraption! Obviously, they must have been scheduled as the last act of that night so that they could set up to be the first of the next day...Domino “acts” obviously are gonna have a hard time on this show, especially since you can't exactly do something like this on a stage for an hour-and-a-half...But I gotta give these guys credit for their skills and craftsmanship...Honestly, I've probably seen plenty of videos from them on Youtube in the past, and if that's anything to go by, this little setup is only the tip of the iceberg...

3: Flewnt and Inkabee. Kid's got some mad flow...and cool hair...and a cool name...Daddy ain't half bad either! Very catchy, throwback-y song that schools most MODERN rappers...I suppose I had trouble hearing much of their lyrics through their accents, but I can still tell...Dey dat good!

2: Maya Neelakantan. Between her height and her mad guitar skills, I bet the other kids on the playground think twice before messing with HER! Regardless, she rivals even seasoned players like John Wines, and even manages to engage with the audience here and there instead of focusing on the guitar the whole time...Who knew we'd get two badass female guitarists in one season, let alone from countries that are better known for sitars and sanxians...

1: Brent Street. Howie Mandel: Still the king of Golden Buzzer delivery! And what an act he picked! This was pretty much everything Chibi Unity wanted to be last season, further complimented by that BANGER of a track! So far, this is my favorite act of the season...Will they win? Probably not...But they're looking pretty worthy of that Third Place spot that has gone to so many excellent acts that came before...

Once again, only one GB this week...But hopefully, we'll get the rest covered within the next two or three weeks...I know Howie, Heidi and Sophia each get one more, and MAYBE they'll let Terry take another one...And then of course, there's the Group Golden Buzzer, Audience Golden Buzzer, Simon's Aunt Gertrude's Golden Buzzer, and whatever other extras they're throwing in this year...It's getting to the point that the GB is meaning less and less every year...

Oh well...We'll just see what next week brings...

[catsandcomplexityaddiction]

d6ClanCats System Playtesting P3 - Summer

This is part of my d6CatClans pen&paper solo system.

So, onto the next season of the playtest of my clan cats civ/sim system. In my revised version of the system, I've made a handful of adjustments since last time, some of which I'll note before getting started. I'll be going a little bit quicker this time, with less explaining as I go - much of that was done in the spring installment.

Changes

In Setup, modified fur colors and pattern tables. Made fully black and white cats possible, moved blue to share with grey, and adjusted tabby patterns to be more likely than solid.

Added a Legend point use suggestion for one queen to take over care of another's kits, with up to four kits per queen. (Allows for a mother to return to warrior duties and non-dependent status).

General Seasonal Event Table: Changed "An ordinary moon" to "An ordinary season". Adjusted results to make that neutral outcome more likely.

Order of Play: Added timings for general situation events and situation timer ticks to Step 2.

Queens: Modified triggers and checks for expecting queens to be significantly less likely to cause wild population explosions. Even if such would be realistic.

Queens: Added table for fathers determination, with significant chance of an ambiguous sire (genetically outsider).

Adjusted the hunting and border boon tables to not require double rolls for skill-ups.

With those out of the way, onward we go.

Starting Out

For reference, these are the steps we will be following for this posting:

2. Begin Season. Roll General Seasonal Table. Attend any general situations that have season impacts. Tick down situation timers.

3. Assess meters in order, rolling their tables as you go if necessary. 

4. Update ages. Attend ceremonies. Check for new expecting queens. 

5. Assign patrols for season (or moon, if desired). Resolve expected litters.

6. Proceed with patrol checks and tables for all patrols.

7. Update any lingering patients from this moon. Improve those within limit, deteriorate those outside of it. Check for any spreading sickness from latter.

8. Repeat 4-7 for next two moons of season (skip 6 if you prefer to simplify).

Season Start

Let's take care of #2 there real quick.

On the seasonal event table, I roll a 5, which gives me one reroll on a meter table this season if I want it. It's called an omen, so if it comes up, it's flavored as aid from ancestors.

I still have that unique starting situation where new cats may show up, so looking for odds on an odds/evens... even, so no new cat again. I tick down situation timers and move onto #3.

Meters.

Acaciapaw is no longer a dependent, so I have 8 population and 2 dependents (queen and kit). Due to my biome situation, this is my harder Scarcity season instead of winter, to represent the savanna dry season. Scarcity comes out to 4, making our Scarcity Limit 2 - just barely covering our dependents. No Scarcity Table rolls to make.

Triage comes out to 2 again, keeping our Triage Limit at 3. No Triage Table rolls.

Trespass and Discontent both remain at 1, but that still means we have to roll on each table once. Both come up with no incidents. We're done settling meters for the season.

Summer 1, Moon 1

#4

Ages are updated. There are no new ceremonies to mind. There are no new expecting queens.

#5

I put Liontail on border patrol, and Mudwhisker and Acaciapaw on hunting patrol. Since we're in relatively good shape, I'm going to do something risky and put Duskstar and Rainheart on exploration patrol to scout a nearby territory unit. Termitestep stays on medicine patrol in case he's needed. I also forgot last season that he has a medicine cat ability to grant a Legend point each season, so he's going to give one to Duskstar.

There's no new litters this season.

#6

Border Patrol. Liontail is neutrally successful and nothing noteworthy happens.

Hunting Patrol. The two are neutrally successful and nothing noteworthy happens. Acaciapaw gains his second and final seasonal training skill point.

Exploration Patrol. Between the two of them, Duskstar and Rainheart (hint: it wasn't Duskstar) pass the hunting check. Next rolls determine they roll on the exploration boon table, but the outcome only impacts an apprentice. With none present, it's a neutral impact. The pair travel to the unknown territory to the west.

#7

There are no patients to worry about this moon.

Summer 1, Moon 2

#4

Ages are updated. There are no new ceremonies. Because why-not, I'm going to check for new expecting queens on the off chance that our explorers make friends out yonder. It's a low chance, and indeed the roll fails.

#5

I'll keep the same patrols for now. No new litters.

#6

Border Patrol. Liontail finally fails us. She encounters a hostile outsider. If she fails her next skill check, she takes an injury. She succeeds. I decide to roll an evens/odds to see if the outsider might be a lingering situation or not. Evens. I use some of the new cat tables to bestow some info on them.

It's a blue tabby tom with F5 fighting skill and an Unshakeable attitude. I'll make it a low 1-2 chance on a d6, but is this a former clanmate/survivor? Dice say yes. I name him Galeclaw. After Liontail kicks his butt, he's startled to realize he recognizes her. I do an evens/odds to see if he's happy to find the clan and he isn't.

I make a number of rolls to determine some things: He's young Rainheart's father. He's missing an ear. He does not want to rejoin the clan. He's alone. He feels abandoned by his ancestors. He specifically doesn't want to join because he disapproves of Duskstar as a leader, considering her to have been young and foolish and therefore their ancestors foolish for tapping her. Liontail decides it's better to not tell him that Duskstar and Rainheart are away from the clan at the moment, but he guesses she's hiding something. He decides he's going to challenge Duskstar for leadership and says as much, to Liontail's uncertainty - she's seen Duskstar struggle to keep up with her duties, after all. Liontail's loyalty wins out and she tells him that if he means to behave like a rogue, then she will drive him away like one. The event concludes, but this is definitely an ongoing situation now.

I create a new Trespass Situation:

(T) Galeclaw Disillusioned - Hostile Outsider - A survivor and former clanmate disapproves of Duskstar's appointment after moons of struggle alone. Usurper. Seasons Remaining: 4

Well then.

One last roll on that determines that Liontail does tell her clanmates about the encounter.

Onto the hunting patrol!

Hunting Patrol. A neutral success - nothing noteworthy occurs.

Exploration patrol. They fail the hunting check, so no travel step will be made this moon. They still get to roll on an exploration table. It turns out to be the bane table (rough moon). The result is an argument between Duskstar and Rainheart - her former apprentice, of note. After some rolls to check between my ideas, I determine Rainheart's frustrated because Duskstar is hoping to find survivors, when the clan needs both of them. Rainheart gently probes the idea that Duskstar is hiding from the clan and her own underperformance, but Duskstar denies it.

#7

No patients this season.

Summer 1, Moon 3

#4

Ages are updated. Acaciapaw is technically ready to be a warrior, but Duskstar hasn't come back yet due to the failed patrol check last moon. Poor apprentice. But I think he'll stiff upper lip it for now. No other applicable ceremonies. I check again for new expecting queens - no again.

#5

Liontail goes border patrolling with Termitestep this time, because the medicine cat is interested in potentially meeting Galeclaw, though it's unlikely. Mudwhisker and Acaciapaw for hunting again. Duskstar and Rainheart are still explorers. No medicine patrol this moon, but we should be fine, probably.

#6

Border patrol. Neutral success, with a result that they do meet an outsider on the border after all, and an evens/odds confirms it is indeed Galeclaw. He's in a testy mood. He's a hostile situation, so I don't think Termitestep can spend his Legend point to bring him in just like that. Termitestep isn't a diplomatic personality either. I decide to let Termitestep roll a non-specialized check to try to, if not talk down Galeclaw, reorient his sights to remember his daughter is still alive, and (from a certain point of view) she and Duskstar have been looking for him and the rest now that the clan could manage it. I spend the Legend point and make the roll. A roll of 2 is just barely a success for a non-specialist roll by Termitestep.

I think that will talk Galeclaw around to wavering, at least. I reduce his situation timer by 1, and I think he pokes at the allusion that Duskstar and Rainheart are away right now. Significantly, that the clan is less defended. Liontail puffs up a bit at that - it's defended enough -and Termitestep suggests that Galeclaw isn't being much better.

I roll an evens/odds, looking for evens. Evens, so Galeclaw doesn't quite acknowledge his hypocrisy, but it nips him in the tail. Another roll; he decides to slink off for now.

Hunting Patrol. Neutral success, and Acaciapaw brings home a snake. His eyes are bright and hopeful on return, but Duskstar is still gone. Sadness. Apprentice for some time yet. I check if he's particularly curious about Galeclaw, and he isn't yet at least.

Exploration patrol. Oh boy. These two fail their hunting check *again*, meaning they're still delayed in traveling back. They roll on the neutral table this time, making some observations about the Abundant prey in the area. That they're struggling to catch.

You had one job guys.

It is an abstraction, though. As likely it means navigation issues or general delays.

#7

No patients this moon.

Closing

So, my leader's stranded and my exploration patrol is struggling to get back. But I did kind of do this on purpose. They're not the ideal pair for exploration patrols. Working as intended.

Observations.

Right now, medicine cats don't have a lot to do. It might be worth visiting the idea of making medicine patrol tables, but that's probably overkill. Maybe as an option? I dunno. Maybe I revise the Quality Herb Stores situation they can aspire after, and make it so that they have some various situations they can try to build towards in general? I'll think on it. No sure answers just yet.

On the topic of medicine cats, there's no real way to mark possible apprentices. I think leaving that open ended is better though.

Exploration patrols can experience potent delays if underprepared. Working as intended, as they're meant to be high risk and high reward.

I think that's it for now. No major adjustments going into next season. Next will be autumn. Until then!

[travelnestcarrental]

Long-Term Car Rental Hacks for Extended Stays in Santa Ana

Planning an extended stay in Santa Ana? Whether you're relocating for work, taking a long vacation, or just need a temporary set of wheels, long-term car rental can be a lifesaver. But it can also get pricey if you don't play your cards right. Forget about relying solely on rideshare rentals like Uber rentals or Lyft rentals. Instead, score a sweet deal on a long-term rental and explore Santa Ana and beyond with freedom and flexibility.

Here are some savvy hacks to help you save some serious dough on your extended car rental:

1. Shop Around and Compare Prices: Don't just jump on the first deal you see. Compare rates from different rental companies, both big names and local agencies. Websites like Kayak, Expedia, and Priceline can help you compare prices and find the best deals.

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3. Look for Discounts and Promotions: Many rental companies offer discounts for AAA members, seniors, military personnel, and students. Some even have special promotions for long-term rentals. Always ask about available discounts or check their websites for deals.

4. Negotiate a Better Rate: Don't be afraid to haggle a bit, especially for long-term rentals. Rental companies are often willing to negotiate, especially during slower seasons or if you're renting for multiple months.

5. Choose a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle: Gas costs can really add up over an extended period. Opting for a fuel-efficient car, like a hybrid or compact, can save you a significant amount on fuel expenses.

6. Check for Mileage Limits: Some rental agreements include mileage limits, and exceeding those limits can result in hefty fees. If you plan on doing a lot of driving, look for a rental with unlimited mileage or a high mileage allowance.

7. Consider Insurance Options: Evaluate your existing car insurance coverage and determine if it adequately covers a rental car. You might be able to decline the rental company's insurance if you have sufficient coverage through your own policy.

8. Return the Car with a Full Tank: Most rental companies require you to return the car with a full tank of gas. Fill it up yourself before returning the car to avoid paying inflated prices at the rental agency's gas station.

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Can I use my Travelnest rental for rideshare rentals like Uber rentals or Lyft rentals during my extended stay?

While some of our vehicles may be eligible for ridesharing, it's important to check with us first. We can help you choose a suitable rental car for Uber or Lyft rentals and ensure you have the necessary insurance coverage.

What if my plans change and I need to return the car earlier than expected?

We understand that plans can change. While there might be a small fee for early returns, we'll work with you to make the process as smooth as possible.

Can I take my long-term rental car out of state?

In most cases, yes, but it's important to inform us of your travel plans beforehand. There might be some restrictions or additional fees depending on your destination.

Do you offer any maintenance or servicing for long-term rentals?

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Contact Travelnest Car Rental:

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Make your extended stay in Santa Ana comfortable and affordable with a long-term car rental from Travelnest. Book your ride today and enjoy the freedom to explore at your own pace!

[bookwormscififan]

Reflected Refractions, Chapter 12

Interlocking Souls

Read on AO3!

Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

A/N: Some lore/canon is dropped here, but mostly we're making MadMare official in this AU!

Warnings: Smut.

The archives were dark and dusty, and there was the faint scent of damp lingering in the stale air. Mare wrinkled his nose as he moved through the aisles, flashlight flickering in his hand signalling he was getting closer to where the demons hid.

“Well, here he is.” Jackie’s voice was cold and quiet, coming up behind Mare before tapping him on the shoulder. “Madsy was afraid you wouldn’t catch the hint. He’s two aisles down, near the area with all the microfiche junk.” With that, he disappeared back into the shadows, taking whatever power was left in Mare’s flashlight with him.

Taking a deep breath, Mare made his way blindly through the aisle, pausing when he felt a presence in front of him and letting out a soft breath when something blew cool air against his neck. His hands moved naturally to hold Mad’s hips, closing his eyes to feel Mad’s lips against his own before the demon made himself a solid form.

“I thought you weren’t going to show,” Mad mumbled against Mare’s mouth, pressing short kisses to his lips as his hands explored his waist and chest. “Tell me if you want me to stop.” With that, his fingers slipped under Mare’s shirt to feel the skin, pushing the fabric up as he went.

Mare’s breath hitched when Mad pulled his shirt over his head, lips and hands returning to his neck and chest before he heard the shirt hit the floor. Licking his suddenly dry lips, he moved one hand to cup the back of Mad’s head while the other bunched the fabric of the demon’s shirt before he tilted his head back. “O-Only if you do the same,” he whispered.

Mad’s response was a short growl before pushing Mare against the shelves, lips meeting his own in a searing kiss as he pressed against the human, leaving no space for Mare to say where their bodies separated. A chill filled the air, but Mad was tugging at Mare’s belt before the scientist could question the shift.

“Still alright?” Mad asked against Mare’s ear, lips brushing his lobe and making him shudder. Mare answered with a nod, pausing to clear his throat before trying to answer again.

“Y-Yes,” he croaked, hands snapping to Mad’s hips as the demon slipped a hand into his boxers. “T-Trust me, I’ll say when to stop.” His grip tightened on Mad’s hips as he nodded again, leaning forward to kiss Mad quickly before knocking his head back against the shelves as Mad started to stroke him.

And then everything froze when Mad purred. A soft rumble against Mare’s neck that went down to his bones, paired with a twist of his wrist that had the scientist clutching at his shoulders to halt him. Pulling back, Mad panted against Mare’s skin before looking into his eyes with his own dark pink tinted eyes, the colour seeming to glow in the darkness.

“D-Did you just purr?” Mare gasped, cupping Mad’s jaw as he watched tints of light orange weave through the pink.

“I-I just—it comes out, and I-I can’t control it,” Mad stammered, trying to hide his face in Mare’s chest only to be pulled into a kiss. “I-Is that okay?”

“Is that normal for demons?” Mare asked, swearing Mad could hear his heart pounding.

“I-I wouldn’t know,” Mad avoided Mare’s eyes, instead watching the way his fingers danced over his collarbones. “I’ve never been close enough to another demon to hear it.” His eyes dimmed to blue before flaring bright orange again as he realised his hand was still down Mare’s pants. “Oh, shoot! I-I should—”

“You’re adorable,” Mare interrupted, stopping Mad from pulling away with a hand on his wrist. “Come back here.” Tugging on Mad’s wrist, Mare caught him in a kiss, nudging him to lead them to the opposite shelf before hoisting the demon onto it, using the shorter height to his advantage and nuzzling into his neck.

“C-Can I touch you?” Mad whispered, pinching at Mare’s shirt to keep from fidgeting. “Can I see? I want… to see all of you.” His last words were almost inaudible, accompanied by the red-orange gradient of his eyes, but Mare nodded nonetheless, stepping back to set his glasses aside and pull his shirt over his head.

“Wait,” Mare gasped when Mad reached for his jeans again, hands resting on his hips and tucking his thumbs under the demon’s shirt. “L-Let me see you, too.” In the gloom and without his glasses, it was difficult for Mare to make proper eye contact with Mad, but he managed anyway, giving a comforting nod before moving his hands away as Mad moved to remove his own shirt.

Mare froze as he took in Mad’s form, mouth dry and eyes wide. Beneath the shirt was a lean yet toned torso of pale skin scattered with freckles, drawing out constellations that Mare wanted to sear into his memory. But it wasn’t the freckles that caught his eye, it was the scars: silver lines crossing his chest and side breaking up the otherwise pristine skin, signs of past attempts to kill him.

“You’re gorgeous…” the scientist breathed before Mad could speak, tracing the lines of the scars with his fingers before following them with his lips, kissing the heated skin like a starving person finding food.

Mad’s sounds were soft and hesitant as Mare kissed his skin, and he let out a soft purr before tangling his fingers in Mare’s hair to pull him back and connect their lips, reaching his free hand down in a silent plea for the human to remove his pants. His answer was a muffled chuckle as Mare struggled to push his jeans down his legs while still being kissed by Mad, pecking his lips in a final attempt to pull away enough to toss the pants aside.

“How far do you want to go?” Mare asked quietly, voice barely above a whisper as his fingers traced the lines of Mad’s face, committing the shape to memory while he waited for the demon’s reply.

“As far as you’ll give me,” Mad answered in a rasp, hands clutching the edge of the shelf as he pulled his knees into his chest. “I want all of you, Mare. I want to mould my form to accommodate your form forever, meet you at midnights with heated touches and searing kisses. I’ll take whatever you’ll give me, but you need to know I’ll always want everything.”

Mare swallowed thickly, listening to Mad’s words with a pounding heart. Taking a steadying breath, he reached out to help the demon out of his own pants and boxers, brushing his fingers over the bare skin of his hips. “I want to give you everything,” he breathed, barely catching his breath before Mad was pulling him into a kiss again, pushing his tongue past his lips to explore his mouth.

Somewhere behind them a candle burst to life, casting a warm glow to the area and allowing Mare to see more clearly what he was doing as he guided Mad to lay back and spread his legs. Holding his thighs apart, Mare pressed kisses to the juncture of his hips before glancing up his body to see the demon watching him with eyes the colour of ripe raspberries.

“D-Do you have, um, anything to…” Mare trailed off as his cheeks flushed, motioning to Mad’s body before hiding his face in his thigh. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he mumbled, freezing when he felt Mad shift before a set of fingers threaded their way into his hair, gently lifting his head up.

“Tell me what you need,” Mad purred, combing his fingers through Mare’s hair with a smile, “And I’ll make it work. Start with what you know.” His smile broadened as he repeated Mare’s own words to him, guiding the human’s head back down to his thigh.

Mare hesitated, struggling to get his brain back in order, then pursed his lips before pressing them to Mad’s thigh. Start with what you know. What Mare knew was he wanted to make Mad feel good, so he moved his mouth closer to the centre and trailed kisses along Mad’s cock, eyes closed as he focused on mapping out the length and shape.

This wasn’t as daunting as he’d thought, working his lips over Mad’s cock before suckling the tip as his hands mapped out his thighs and hips, moving to prod his fingers at the demon’s hole. He answered Mad’s gasp with a hum, pulling away to lower his head and circle his tongue around his finger to provide a glide as he slowly pressed in.

“M-Mare, wait,” Mad panted, closing his thighs to hold Mare’s head in place, waiting for his heart to stop pounding before relaxing so the scientist could pull back. “I-I don’t know—what do I do?”

Mare smiled, leaning down again to kiss the inside of Mad’s knee, tracing the line of his thigh muscle with one hand while the other reached up to cup his cheek. “Relax,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the tip of Mad’s cock. “Deep breaths. Let me make you feel good.”

Demon anatomy, as it turned out, wasn’t too different from the human body. Mare hummed as he worked his tongue around Mad’s hole, noting that the skin there was significantly warmer than anywhere else, but otherwise the demon responded the same way Mare’s past partners had. He pushed away the spike of… something that stabbed his chest at the thought of his previous relationships, focusing on how Mad’s grip tightened in his hair before he was pulled away again.

“I-I want to feel m-more of you,” he explained quietly, cheeks blazing red as he reached his free hand down to palm at Mare’s cock before letting out a shuddering breath. “M-More… y-you’re so big…” He pressed kisses to Mare’s chest as his hand worked his cock, seeming to be mapping out every detail before leaning back and opening his legs once more. “P-Please, Mare.”

Looking down, Mare’s eyes widened as he watched Mad’s hole spasm and stretch, shadows manipulating the flesh before the skin was slick and wet, and as if on instinct, Mare’s mouth watered. He’d need to remember that for his notes later, concentrating on pressing two fingers inside the demon to confirm what he’d seen was real.

“How…” he breathed, removing his fingers and shuddering when Mad whined at the loss.

“W-We design our bodies ourselves,” Mad panted, squirming as high-pitched keens sounded in his throat. “C-Can fit you h-however you need me t-to—fuck, Mare, please!” he begged, spreading his legs wider and looking at Mare with helpless eyes, reaching for his hands, his shoulders, anything, tossing his head back as Mare pressed their hips together, rutting against Mad’s ass to coat his cock before lining up.

“If you need me to stop at any time,” he grunted, stilling before starting a slow pace of thrusting, “Just say ‘Mangle’.”

--------------------------------------------

@iamvegorott @brokentimewatch @rattyboyisemo @dungeon-dragons-dragons

[speedbooster]

Journey Through Archie Sonic - Part 2

The Rest of the Original Mini-Series

Making this a bit later than I intended, but life gets in the way sometimes-

Anyways, like I said a few days ago, I'm going to try to make this a weekly thing. If you wanna read the previous part just click the 2nd tag and you'll find it pretty easily.

This is going to be a bit disjointed until I can figure out a better way to do this, but that's enough stalling I think. So without further ado, let's jump right back in!

Sonic the Hedgehog Mini-Series #1 - Mar. 1993

This is honestly a pretty sick cover. I've never really been a fan of the western designs they used back then, especially with the stupid mohawk they gave Sonic which just looks wrong to me, but the way Robotnik is drawn here is... kinda awesome. He's very imposing, his hands reaching out to grab him while Sonic speeds off with Sally in his arms, not looking the least bit worried while the Princess is clearly not as certain they'll be making it out.

Solid cover. 8/10

Similar to the last issue, this is broken into a four issues in two parts. The first dealing with Sally trying to get herself roboticized so they can figure out how it works, and the second dealing with... fish.

Not going to summarize too much, but I do wanna go over a few things;

1: Apparently Robotnik is... actually a robot here??

Obviously, that doesn't stay the case since... well, that becomes an entirely separate character, but it's still really confusing to me because... he doesn't look like one?

Maybe they just mean he's a cyborg? Cause that would actually make sense given his design.

Idk, it's weird

2: Sonic, what the hell does that mean??

I mean, it's probably a reference to "Sonic Twosday," the promotional event they did in America for the release of Sonic 2, but it feels kinda forced-

3: WELL MAYBE IF YOU HAD EXPLAINED YOUR PLAN TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM INSTEAD OF WORDING YOUR PROCLAMATION LIKE YOU WERE A COMPLETE IDIOT THINGS WOULD'VE WORKED OUT DIFFERENTLY

Like unless I missed something, there is literally no reason she couldn't have told them. They weren't being watched by Robotnik, and she left a note telling them she was planning to meet with him to discuss Robotnik returning the kingdom to her, so she could've just told them her plan, and asked them to retrieve her boots afterwards so they could've figured out how to undo it, but NOOOOOO

I get that this is during the gag era days and I shouldn't take this that seriously, but this genuinely irks me... so much.

#4: Sonic can not only swim but breathe underwater

Not going to give them too much flack for this, since this was still very early days... but it still feels wrong.

He also later on starts running out of air during a fight, and continues to talk which hurts my brain, but he does get it back by swallowing an air bubble, which is neat.

5: If this actually comes up in the main series, I will be very impressed

This could earn them at least 10 brownie points.

But that's it for Issue #1. Still a decent read despite my frustrations with the first story, though I think #0 was way funnier. Like no Swat Bots dancing in the fire this time, not as many dumb sign gags. You can really tell they were still trying to figure this out.

Anyways, time to move on to-

Sonic the Hedgehog Mini-Series #2 - Apr. 1993

This cover's alright. Doesn't really tie into anything going on in the story (At least the last issue had Sonic saving Sally, even if she didn't want to be saved), and the background is a little bland. But it's eye-catching and definitely has some charm to it.

I'll give it a C-

The story here is probably my favorite out of the whole mini, as this time we've got a story that spans all four parts of the issue, and has some nice attention to continuity which I did NOT expect.

The premise here is that Sally is about to be crowned Queen (kinda), hoping to use the magic of the emeralds atop her father's crown to keep them safe and maybe help defeat Robotnik.

Interesting that we're introducing yet another set of powerful gems here. I'm really curious to see if these come back later on.

Anyways, this is probably the only major issue I have with this story-

Whomst the shock are all these guys??? Since when does Antoine have anyone under his command?? Isn't like... the entire joke about him at this point that he's really full of himself but can't do anything right??? And literally every other issue in this mini has it be JUST Sonic's group in Knothole, so where did they even come from???

Anyways, the pig turns out to be a spy from Robotnik, who stole the Freedom Emeralds to scatter them around so they can't use them.

Also... apparently revealing you're a robot turns you purple??

(Insert William Afton joke here)

After this, the pig tries to blow them all up, but Sonic saves them with that bit of continuity I mentioned before.

They're actually referencing one of those joke pages from Issue #0, and they continue to do so throughout the rest of the mini. I really like this! It turns a one-off gag into actual lore, making it serve the purpose it was meant to by showing off his different levels of speed.

So now, Sonic has to team up with the other Freedom Fighters in each part to get the emeralds back. He technically worked with Sally in the first part, and now he's forced to work with Antoine here, Tails in part three, and technically Rotor in part four (though really he just repairs the crown after Sonic gets all the gems back). Still, it's a great set up, and it leads to two jokes that got small a chuckle out of me.

The first one being-

... like I wanna hate it, but I just can't. Especially with how Antoine is completely unaware of it for the rest of this issue. He genuinely was so lost in his own head that he never thinks twice about it.

And the second is during a revisit to that underwater cave from last issue (Meaning that either this is a different Chopper or they're never going to follow up on his report... which is sad)

Like I'd normally be questioning how they drew all that with only a green marker (when there's not even green on Sonic yet), but the "I should've noticed they only had four fingers" line just gets me.

... yeah, if you can't tell I'm not the target audience for this. I think way too hard about this stuff, so books that are just trying to have fun rarely work for me. But this is what won the poll-

Still I am enjoying these more than I thought I would. Even when the jokes don't land, they're usually so charming in the way they're told that I don't care.

There are a few more bits from part IV I wanna bring up that I liked.

Namely, RETURN OF THE STUPID SIGN GAGS

I missed you so much

Also, very cursed Sonic on the right there. Somehow they only miscolored one of his arms, and I hate it. But that's old comics for you-

AND THEY SOMEHOW DO IT AGAIN

And yet, I don't care because the swag on this Swat Bot as he deploys the trap is so funny to me. He even rhymes with Sonic's quip as he turns around to mock him! I love this guy!

I'm going to headcanon this is the same guy who was dancing in the fires of Uncle Chuck's chili dog stand in Issue #0. I shall dub him... Steve. Swat Bot Steve. My new favorite character.

Finally to end the issue we have this page which is just-

I mean do I even have to say anything? It's perfect.

He even popped in from underneath the usual THE END! thing on the last page so he could go on this rant. I love it

Finally, the last issue of the mini-

Sonic the Hedgehog Mini-Series #3 - May. 1993

This cover is... charming, I guess. Very Looney Tunes-esk, but still kinda... eh-

It gets ⭐⭐

This issue is also just kinda weird. The first two parts are extremely confusing-

Sonic gets cornered by Robotnik, falls off a cliff, and then has what I can only assume is a bizarre dream caused by a concussion because... I mean-

We start off with this, Robotnik curses him and his Uncle which then causes-

... I am so shocking lost rn. This doesn't even make any sense with the context from the rest of the issue

Chuck adopts Ivo after he loses his parents, and we get... this cursed thing.

I hate him. I hate looking at him. Please make him go away-

He steals some parts from Chuck's tractor, which causes him to nearly get run over by it, which he decides to blame Chuck for, even after his robots rat him out.

... I feel like Robotnik just invented a new form of cursing.

So he decides to make a mech out of every appliance in the house, Sonic beats him, and makes me even more confused as to how Chuck was responsible for any of this when the only thing he did was adopt him.

... I'm just gonna blame it on the concussion and move on.

The second story features Sonic pretending to be roboticized by wearing a bear trap on his face so he can trick Robotnik to do... something. I actually don't know what the plan was-

Something made even worse by the fact that both Sonic and Sally decide to trick Tails into thinking it's real, which he then decides to spread the word by making his own newspaper.

This feels completely unnecessary, and as it turns out-

IT ABSOLUTELY WAS

I can appreciate that Robotnik gave Sonic the job the Buzz Bomber wanted, and Sonic's little line here but like... WHY TRICK TAILS INTO SPREADING THE WORD IF YOU WERE JUST GONNA WALK RIGHT UP TO HIS FRONT DOOR SONIC!?!?

Like... poor little buddy did nothing wrong, and he gets to believe his hero turned on them for literally no reason.

Robotnik decides to test Sonic's loyalty by having him check out an alert at one of his factories, where we see a "Robot Chuck" being forced to make Crabmeats.

Now I was going to complain about this, especially since we later see Muttski who is DEFINITELY a robot-

But again, this is another way of showing continuity between issues. This is how Chuck looked in Issue #0, so this is how he looks here. And since I know this does get fixed in the actual series itself, I can give it a pass. It's at least staying consistent with its... inconsistency.

Anyways, Sonic runs back to Robotnik and tricks him into blowing up a Buzz Bomber Factory by telling him it was the coords for Knothole village, we get this little one liner as Buzz Bomber morns the loss of his entire family and Sonic leaves a bear trap on Egghead's rear, and that's the end of the mini series.

[FINIS]

Overall, this was a fun read even if it was kind of a mixed bag. Issue #1 kinda sucked, this issue was all over the place, but Issues $0 and #2 were a really good time, and gives me hope that this might not be as much of a slog as I was expecting

Next week, I start on the actual series. Hoping to tackle at least four issues, but we'll see how that goes. Thanks for sticking with me through this very long post.

Catch you on the flip side!

[steamishot]

T-22 days

8/18: plans changed -> hung out with just SC at her place

8/19: WFH together with LG at a cafe (my first time ever WFH at a cafe)

8/20: watch didi with matt

8/21: carbone lunch with matt

8/22: rubirosa and comedy cellar with matt

8/25: othership with T

8/26: switzerland

9/6: last dinner with T

9/7: last brunch with S&I

9/8: last hot pot dinner with LG

S & i decided to take a rain check on sunday. the initial plan was to go to A's place to visit her and her baby. however, because the commute is an hour long (includes train, bus, walking), i didn't want to risk being in a storm on the way home. there was 50% chance of rain during the day and the heavy storm was scheduled to start in the evening/night.

instead, we hung out at her apartment. got to use the pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. i'm feeling lighter about the move, so it was really nice to have girl time. i hope we have more opportunities for 1:1 time in the future, instead of only with our SOs.

LG cooked me a fantastic italian dinner on friday. it was probably the most "romantic" gesture someone has ever done for me in the kitchen LOL. she had just returned from italy and made zucchini pasta with freshly grated cheese, and two types of crostinis. i was surprised by the amount of effort she put in, given that we've only really seen each other <10x. however, she seems overall like a high effort type of person. i was impressed by how well she maintained her apartment despite only being in NYC half the time. and at age 40, she started ceramics, signed up for swimming lessons at the YMCA, and just told me she's also doing a local spanish language learning class. i have admiration for her and definitely think "i wanna be like her when i'm 40".

i'm now feeling like a visitor on an extended vacation. i'm grateful to share these special moments with new(-ish) friends. a lot of the times while i was here, i really yearned for the comfort of old friends/family. however, now that i'm leaving, i know i will sort-of miss being uncomfortable LOL. i think i'll definitely incorporate some of my NYC lifestyle into my new LA lifestyle (i.e. putting myself out there more instead of staying in my comfort zone). i'm happy to have made 3 solid friendships (S, T, K) during my time here, and hopefully LG and i continue to keep in touch.

matt's work: he just completed his last day (night) at work last night! he's been in a much happier mood recently. things have been less chaotic and calmer since the job search ended. he'll have the next 1.5 months off before starting his new gig. i don't love that we'll most likely be together 24/7 from now until moving back, like literally <10 ft apart. but it is the last hurrah of surviving in a studio together for 4 years!

my work: work hasn't been overly busy, but has been constant. i may be PMSing but i fear that i've been coming off mean/condescending to A who i am still training. i'm trying my best to not let my frustration spill out in my emails and to continue giving her grace. sometimes i question if i'm expecting too much from someone new. this gave me a taste of what being in management may look like.

ceramics: i considered making more bowls and asking the studio or LG to ship it to me in LA if they aren't fired in time. i tried throwing on saturday and my mojo is gone. i decided i won't make any more things, but can go in and practice (maybe). i plan on buying one ceramics piece made by someone else in the studio as a souvenir.

fridge cleaning: we're keeping the contents in the fridge to a minimum and cleaning out the freezer. yesterday, i made an oxtail beef noodle soup. today, i'm making fish congee with the leftover frozen rice.

grocery stores: i used to always go to TJ, but have recently transitioned away from it. there would always be so many people (3 lines) and the process just became completely over stimulating to me. my fav grocery stores now are mr. beet and whole foods. i really like mr. beet for no frills produce. it's about a 20 min walk so it's an excuse to get steps in. i'm a fan of whole foods now for seafood and certain fruits/cheeses!