#also when i buy a few things they very often add a little gift for me :) like christmas

[bowenoke]

got my new bottle of my regular cologne today and since the gift giving season is rapidly upon us I am going to share my favorite perfumer with you all in case you've got young adult book nerds or dnd players who already have a library card and too many dice but who haven't quite figured out what they wanna smell like on your list: wylde ivy

They've got collections (w/ sampler sets, if you're looking for gifts) based on:

Edgar Allen Poe (smell like coffee and leather. It's not labeled unisex, but ymmv; i have a midnight dreary + this castle by the sea which have notes of leather/coffee/smoke + stone/salt/wood/sage. The other scents in the collection lean floral, sweet and fruity. Kind of a gender maximalist collection. For your coolest friend.)

the Concept of Adventure (my favorite, both for myself + for giving gifts to people who like games and stories with sprawling maps- wayfarer. unisex collection)

Ren faires (unisex, and also one of them has notes of corn?? apparently??? so)

3 different types of ocean/sea sets, not counting Wayfinder which has some sea-adjacent scents

Halloween AND Jack's Woods (spooky!) (stone cairn my beloved) (some are unisex, some are not)

Omens (some are unisex, some are not, but more importantly you can smell like the number 13)

Flowers :) (least unisex of the ones I'm featuring but tbh I'm guessing most of you aren't shopping for exclusively transgender + nonbinary people)

Tbh most perfumes/colognes dont make great gifts for my friends, because a lot of them are still figuring out their shit, the perfume scents aren't well explained, or the obviously gendered scent isn't gonna work. Instead i can get either a full bottle of Fun Space perfume or a sampler of 5 bottles of Rock Themed Perfumes. You can make your own sampler of their entire stock or a premade themed set. It's fun to walk out the door going "i smell like an old map :)" and they've so far been a hit as gifts. Also you can choose to smell like smoke and corn. And I think you should choose to smell like smoke and corn, if given the option

[midnightorchids]

Hey babe- I wanted to know how you felt about booknerd!reader x Jason. Because it's been rotting my brain forever now and I need to know what someone as genius as yourself thinks about it. So like- We know Jason is a book girl. He's got huge floor to ceiling shelves in his apartment filled with non-fiction, historical fiction, classics, and maybe a few Si-Fi titles. I feel like he would love Toni Morison, Maya Angelou, Henrik Isben, Margret Atwood, and maybe even Harukai Murakami. He has this beautiful collection of leather bond additions of the Iliad Bruce gave him when he was 16. And when he finally invites you over, he cannot contain his excited smile as you start gushing over his home library. He makes you guys coffee and you spend hours talking about your fav genres, authors, online author drama - and after he's walking back to his apartment after dropping you off, he's smiling down at his phone at the message you sent. 'I had so much fun today! Ur library is so so so cool, was wondering if you would be ok going with me to Chapters next week? Wanted to pick up the new Skyward book' He's kicking his feet and hiding his face in his pillow. So deeply overjoyed that his crush shares in his immense love of literature. After you guys officially get together, he buys you so many fucking books. He fallows your goodreads wishlist religiously and surprises you almost every month with a new addition to your growing collection. He usually collects used paper backs, but for you, he splurges on the hardcover special additions. Of course it's because he loves you but it's also so that, maybe, you'll be more incentivised to move into a different apartment. One with floor-to-ceiling book shelves and a shared bed... just saying.. He branches out into more genres and authors he wouldn't usually read from just so he could talk about your favourite books with you. You do the same - your book collections getting mixed together in the process. Library dates, bookstore dates, used-bookstore dates. Your first couple of dates and realisations of love happened in and around books. You would always leave little messages inside the first page of the books you give him. So that if your every away or he's on a mission and he takes a book with him, he'll have one of your small messages of love as a reminder of something to return home to.

Hi hon!! I’m so sorry for the late response, I’ve been dying with uni and just life in general recently, but I’m back and ready to write again!! But I agree with pretty much everything that you said, like you’ve written it out so well and it’s just so cute! I was literally giggling and kicking my feet at the last one omg. I shall try to add more stuff!!

Jason’s go to present for his loved ones is annotated copies of his favourite books. He only does this when he feels comfortable with a person because sharing his thoughts feels raw and vulnerable sometimes.

Having a significant other who loves to read and appreciates these types of gifts would make him feel happy and very emotional. It’s not often he gets to share this side of himself with people.

When he gifts his copies to his friends or his partner, he feels like he’s leaving a piece of him with the person, so he only does this when he trusts you.

He leaves detailed little messages on the margins of his books. He draws little smiley faces on the cute parts and angry faces on the parts that made him upset.

In the books for his significant other, Jason leaves little notes around the quotes that remind him of you. He highlights them in a different colour and makes sure his notes look extra tidy.

He sucks at wrapping things, so sometimes you’ll get a very poorly wrapped, tape covered novel. You’ll look at the wrapping and laugh, you’d pinch his cheeks teasingly and tell him he did a good job. He’d turn his face away in embarrassment, which leads to you placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Then, there would be times where he doesn’t have the energy to deal with the horrible wrapping paper. So, you’ll be gifted a plain paper back with a sticky note on the front cover that reads ‘for you,’ in squiggly lines.

It’s honestly sweet and he gets very shy about it.

Also, Jason’s taste in books is very diverse, he reads anything from the classics to romance to gothic horror. He reads anything and everything and because of that, I think that it would be very easy for you to share your thoughts and recommendations with him.

Even if Jason hasn’t read the book, he listens intently with a huge smile on his face. He loves listening to you talk. If he doesn’t know the author or the book, he will try to familiarize himself with what you’re reading and branch into different genres.

There would be lots of reading and bookstore dates. You’d browse through the different aisles with his hand in yours, only letting go when a particular book catches your attention. He watches you in awe as you gush about the different series.

(Side note, my friends and I always go to bookstores and just point out the worst books we’ve read and I think Jason would do that too.)

As you search through the shelves to find your next read, he’ll come to you all excited, rambling about the book in his hand. From the looks of it, it seems like he loves the book. His hands are moving around, he’s smiling and giggling, but if you pay attention, he’s actually just cussing out the author.

This becomes a tradition in your relationship. You both bring up books that you hate instead of the ones that you really enjoy. You’d spend the next hour of your bookstore visit just giggling at the random passages that the author thought were good enough to share with the world.

I think this would also lead to a book club of reading awful books sometimes just for shits and giggles. There would be weeks where you would read amazing, well written stories together, but then there would be times when you guys would pick up something bad just to make fun of it.

Overall, Jason would love having a book nerd significant other because he finally has someone who he can geek out with.

[momoyukirin]

Momo's "An Idol's Daily Life" Rabbitchat Part 4

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

A parent's treasure

Momo: Maneko-chan, help me!* \"(о°Д°о)/"

Tsumugi: Thank you for your hard work, Momo-san!

Tsumugi: Is something wrong!?

Momo: Well, I'm looking for a restaurant to have healthy but tasty lunch, you wouldn't have any recommendations, would you?

Tsumugi: In that case, there are a lot to choose from!

Momo: 。*:◦ ☆\(*'∀'*)/☆◦ :。*。

Momo: That's our* Maneko-chan! I knew I could rely on you! \"(*゜∀゜*)ノ

Tsumugi:

Tsumugi: For reference, can I ask what kind of atmosphere you're looking for?

Momo: Something that girls would like I guess? My sis and I planned to go buy a present for our parents' wedding anniversary, so we've been talking about getting lunch while we're at it!

Momo: She's been conscious of calories since her wedding's coming up and all, so she's looking for a healthy place to eat (; •`～ • ΄ )

Tsumugi: I see! Then, I shall gather a few restaurant recommendations where you won't risk getting recognised and send them to you!

Momo: Thanks! \(* ΄ ∀ `)/\( ΄ ∀ ` *)ノ

Option 1:

Tsumugi: What gift do you plan to get for your parents?

Momo: Our parents are very close and like using matching things, so a couple outfit would be nice!( 。•_•。)人( 。•_•。) My sis and I have a few options in mind, but we mostly circle back to 'well, they already have that', so it's really difficult.

Option 2:

Tsumugi: Do you often go out with your sister?

Momo: It's been a while since the last time! Our schedules don't really match (;∀;) Though it doesn't feel like it, since we rabbitchat a lot! Yuki often tells me how nice it is that we're so close \(•΄ε`•)ノ

Option 3:

Tsumugi: Do you celebrate your parents' anniversary every year?

Momo: Momo-chan's the type who cherishes anniversaries after all ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o...:*☆ It'd be hard to get the whole family together without opportunities like these!

Momo: We have to give it our all since it's such an important day (。+•`ω•΄)stern✩

Tsumugi: I hope your parents like the present!

Tsumugi:

Momo: I'm also thinking of writing a letter this year, for the first time in a long while.

Tsumugi: Wow! That's nice!

Tsumugi: I remember that a long time ago, when I gave my father a "Thank you for everything" letter on Father's day, he was also really happy!

Momo: Parents will really treasure anything you give them when you're little, you know?

Momo:

Tsumugi: However, it seems that when he gets drunk at drinking parties, he talks about the letter even to this day, to the point where Banri-san can recite the contents by heart.. ＞＜

Momo: That's so embarrassing www

Tsumugi:

Momo: But it made Otoharu-san so happy, he can't help bragging about it (*΄艸`)

Momo: Our parents have kept the drawings and origami we gave them when we were little too!

Momo: Even though they were just messy crayon drawings at the back of some leaflet and the colors are all mixed up too ww

Tsumugi: Despite being embarrassing, it's nice knowing that they treasure them so much.

Momo: Right? (P∀`q*)sparkle

Momo says this in English (ヘルプミー!）which doesn't change much but I just thought it's adorable lol

Momo uses "sasuga"(as expected"). The "our" bit adds extra nuance, but all else sounded too stiff so i decided to go with it and just explain it here

Momo uses キリッ and テル next to the emoticons to describe the way they look/feel.

[the-s1lly-corner]

I'm back on my silly goofy haha bullshit once more. [This time with itward]

Itward with a reader who likes to make bread and tend to plants, maybe they make flower crowns and gifts for itward like bread and plant related things! [A basket made out of dead grass or handmade paper/books! Paper can be made from a bunch of weeds and just plants in general mixed with baking soda and boiled!]

Make sure to take time to rest, get water and eat something, such as a snack! :D

Itward x reader who bakes and does plant stuff !

LETS GO ITWARD FANS WE EATING TONIGHT!!!!!

God I'm so so sad that fran bow and little misfortune is.. not that popular <\3 or at least doesnt have a huge active fanbase

Which sucks because it deserves the attention! The game is amazing and did a lot for me growing up (comfort media am I right?) And you can tell the creators put so so so much passion into the games

Also itward pretty

Honestly until we are confirmed otherwise, I like to think that everyone returned to ithersta after the end of the game... and until more content comes out (iirc they are working on a DLC bonus chapter! Dont quote me on that !!) And disproves that, I am going to believe that itward raises fran in ithrsta

Anyways

Whether the reader is human or from a different reality, they're here in ithersta, too! Plus I think that's the most fitting place given the prompt :0

You and itward love baking together, often exchanging recipes and sharing tips on how to get the best product!

Imagine you two start a garden in order to be more self sufficient! Berries and veggies (get creative with the bread flavors!!!!) and the like are grown in your garden as well as some herbs and such! As well as other general plants that may be needed for whatever; potions, ointments, ect!

Plus itward just seems to be the type to be as self sufficient as possible, doesn't tend to buy things unless it's something he truly cant produce on his own..

Very friendly but asides from Fran, mr midnight, palontras, ziar, and the great wizard, and even cogwing, I dont think itward speaks to many people, given his introverted nature... at least according to the character sheet KMGs posted a few months ago!

Keeps every single piece of paper you've made for him. Compiling them all into multiple books! Keeps all his books in a little shelf he built in his ship... they're all kept neat, tidy, and dusted!

Ooouuugh he looooves when you make him flower crowns, loves slipping them around his hat and letting them rest on the brim of it

Dries out the crowns so he can preserve them for as long as possible... adds them to the main area of his flying ship, where the little shadow theatre thing is!

No thoughts only you two in the garden and he tucks a flower behind your ear.. looks at you with so so much love

You think his eyes can get all huge? Like cat eyes? Because I think so... his eyes get all round when he looks at you

Full of love

Okay back to the baking portion of this because I'm kind of neglecting it a bit, I feel

Theres nothing sweeter than baking something with your loved one, and enjoying your team work and company

I think you guys would have music softly playing in the background while you both work together

Maybe I want to rewatch fried green tomatoes, but you guys end up having a lighthearted food fight

Completely out of character for itward, but I think you can spark this silliness in him

Plus despite what the suit may imply, I think itward doesnt mind getting dirty... I mean he literally is an engineer! Bro probably gets greasy sometimes! Please help him clean the crevices between his bones

... that's another idea I absolutely adore and have talked about ^^^

Hold his hand and help him clean between his bones, please please he'd be so still and patient

[toxicsquad]

Christmas special: Some gift ideas

Hello, Athe here!

I've been thinking a lot about some small gifts that I think would be perfect for the characters. Sort of like Christmas ideas for small budgets. I've tried to find some visual references and give some context for those who don't know the characters that well. It would be interesting to see what you guys would come up with, especially, for your own OCs… I'm going to leave a blank template below for anyone who wants to add some more or create their own OC version. We will reblog all your suggestions, you can also leave them in our ask which is always open. Happy holidays!

Arael

Protective console case or gaming case: You can't go wrong with anything related to video games, especially if it's something with a cute aesthetic. Arael can't resist that kind of thing.

Ice cream maker: No more endless queues in the canteen. Arael will be able to make his own personalised ice cream with one of these machines.

Kigurumi: A warm pyjama to spend their hours in front of the computer playing or in your company.

Zihel

Fire extinguisher: It goes without saying why it's a good idea for Zihel to have a fire extinguisher on hand.

Some new clothes: The truth is that his clothes are outdated and quite torn. You would do him a favour by buying him something even if he won't thank you directly. Besides, he will accept any style you want to put on him without putting up too much of a fuss.

Survival kit: Zihel has always been interested in everything related to hunting and survival. He'll surely appreciate a kit with everything he needs for an adventurous weekend (or another kind of weekend…).

Kyeran

Original teapot or tea set: Kyeran really enjoys drinking hot tea, so he would love a tea set. If you take the opportunity to give it a personalised touch in keeping with his style of decoration, you will make him very happy.

Portable hammock: You never know when you'll want to rest during a desert trek. A portable hammock can be ideal for him, but also for you to share a romantic moment.

Emotional support dolls: Anything you've made by hand will be highly valued, but these cute little dolls with motivational phrases will lift anyone's spirits.

Joe

Portable charger: Don't ever catch Joe without a charge on one of her many devices. Without them Joe could go crazy and you will probably be her target.

Pyjamas or satin pillowcase: Inexpensive options to recreate a luxurious experience. Either is a good choice. Joe loves to feel pampered.

Massage oil: It's likely that with this you can both participate.

Opal

Handmade candles: Since Opal discovered that he has a good sense of smell, he has also found that the smells of scented candles relax him a lot. It is easy for him to get stressed or irritable, but candles help him to calm his nerves.

Watchmaking tools: Opal has started a new trade and is comfortable repairing and making wind-up watches. But he often loses his tools or they break. A new kit is always welcome.

Work apron: Another thing he has recently discovered is that he enjoys working with the soil and could do with a work apron to keep all his gardening tools in.

Ariel

Poker cards with famous musicians: He likes to play card games, especially if gambling is involved. If you buy him some personalised cards like these, you can be sure he'll always have them with him.

Special edition vinyls: Any music fan would love something like this. You can't go wrong with an original edition of one of your favourite bands.

Skull-shaped ice bucket or whiskey set: There are quite a few objects in this shape in Ariel's house. We thought he might like something to do with alcohol.

Akane

Pizza oven: Akane is a ramen and pizza fanatic. This time, we thought it might be nice to have a mini oven so that her pizzas are always perfect.

Car bin: Everyone knows that Akane loves driving, but not so much tidiness and cleanliness. Help her to keep it all tidy with this mini-trash bin for the car.

Exercise dice: She loves sport. We suggest you give her something more original than a pair of trainers or a bottle of water with a dice to help him choose her daily exercises.

Hasiel

Ultrasonic cleaner: Anyone who owns glasses will understand Hasi's problems with keeping his glasses clean. You'd be doing him a big favour by buying him a little machine like this.

Writers' Socks: Although he wouldn't usually wear colourful, flashy clothes, socks are perfect for letting his imagination run wild. Especially if they are about a subject that interests you as much as books do.

Diorama bookmarks: Another Christmas classic are bookmarks, but I have found some that recreate mythical scenes from classic books. They are available for many works and can be a perfect complement to special editions of books.

Pin

Pencil holder: I couldn't resist making this little inside joke. A little reminder won't hurt either.

Snack advent calendar: Why ask for one gift when you can have 24? He would love any advent calendar, but a snack calendar seems appropriate for him.

Projector: With a small projector he can watch films and series in his sorority room or invite you to join him.

Maske

Fingerprint padlock: A secure padlock for a person who hides a lot of secrets. Maske loves tech gadgets and keeping their privacy safe.

Cup warmer: For someone who drinks a lot of coffee and has insomnia, this cup warmer will keep your cups at the perfect temperature.

Spice collection: It's no secret that Maske likes to cook, so they have a lot of utensils, so the smartest thing I could think of is to give them some kind of exotic spice kit so they can innovate in their kitchen and get out of their comfort zone a bit.

Aracne

Gothic picnic basket: A perfect basket for two to have a romantic meal in the forest with Opal.

Couples' keepsake wheel: Important dates and memories can be engraved on it. A romantic and personalised gift.

Sewing scissors: A nice pair of scissors is a must in the sewing basket of a seamstress.

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🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧

¡Hola, aquí Athe!

He estado pensando mucho en algunos pequeños regalos que creo que serían perfectos para los personajes. Algo así como ideas de navidad para presupuestos pequeños. He intentado buscar algunas referencias visuales y darle algo de contexto para aquellos que no conozcan tan bien a los personajes. Sería interesante ver qué es lo que se os ocurriría a vosotros, especialmente, sobre vuestros propios OCs... Voy a dejar abajo una plantilla en blanco para aquel que le apetezca añadir alguno más o crear su versión OC. Rebloguearemos todas vuestras propuestas, también podéis dejarlas en nuestro ask que siempre está abierto. ¡Felices fiestas!

Arael

Carcasa protectora para consola o funda para juegos: No se puede fallar con cualquier cosa relacionada con videojuegos, especialmente, si es algo con una estética cuqui. Arael no se puede resistir a esa clase de cosas.

Heladera: Se acabaron las colas interminables en el comedor. Arael podrá hacer sus propios helados personalizados con una máquina de éstas.

Kigurumi: Un pijama calentito para pasar sus horas delante del ordenador jugando o en tu compañía.

Zihel

Extintor: Sobra decir por qué es buena idea que Zihel tenga un extintor a mano.

Algo de ropa nueva: Lo cierto es que su ropa está anticuada y bastante rota. Le harías un favor comprándole algo aunque no vaya agradecértelo directamente. Además, aceptará cualquier estilo que quieras ponerle sin poner demasiadas pegas.

Kit de supervivencia: A Zihel siempre le ha llamado la atención todo lo relacionado con la caza y la supervivencia. Seguro agradecerá un kit con todo lo necesario para un finde de aventuras (o un finde otro tipo...).

Kyeran

Tetera o juego de té original: Kyeran disfruta mucho de tomar un té calentito, así que un juego de té le encantaría. Si aprovechas para que tenga algún toque personalizado a su estilo de decoración le harás muy feliz.

Hamaca portable: Nunca se sabe cuando vas a querer descansar durante una ruta por el desierto. Una hamaca portátil puede ser ideal para él, pero también para que compartáis un momento romántico.

Muñecos de soporte emocional: Cualquier cosa que hayas hecho a mano la valorará muchísimo, pero estos tiernos muñequitos con frases motivacionales levantan el ánimo a cualquiera.

Joe

Cargador portátil: Que nunca le pille a Joe sin carga en alguno de sus muchos dispositivos. Sin ellos Joe podría volverse loca y, seguramente, su diana seas tú.

Pijama o funda de almohada de satén: Opciones económicas para recrear una experiencia lujosa. Cualquiera de las dos es una buena opción. A Joe le encanta sentirse consentida.

Aceite para masajes: Es probable que con esto podáis participar los dos.

Opal

Velas hechas a mano: Desde que Opal descubrió que tiene buen olfato, también se ha dado cuenta que los olores de las velas aromáticas le relajan mucho. Es fácil que se estrese o esté irritado pero las velas le ayudan a calmar sus nervios.

Herramientas de relojería: Opal ha comenzado un nuevo oficio y se siente cómodo reparando y fabricando relojes de cuerda. Pero a menudo pierde sus herramientas o se rompen. Un nuevo kit siempre será bienvenido.

Delantal de trabajo: Otra cosa que ha descubierto recientemente, es que le agrada mucho trabajar con la tierra y no le vendría mal un delantal de trabajo donde guardar todas sus herramientas de jardinería.

Ariel

Cartas de póker con músicos famosos: Le gusta jugar a juegos de cartas, sobre todo, si hay apuestas de por medio. Si le compras unas cartas personalizadas como éstas, te aseguramos que siempre las llevará encima.

Vinilos de edición especial: Cualquier fanático de la música le gustaría algo así. No se puede fallar con una edición original de una de sus bandas favoritas.

Cubitera o set de whiskey en forma de calavera: No son pocos los objetos con esta forma en su casa. Hemos pensado que le podría agradar algo relacionado con el alcohol.

Akane

Horno de pizza: Akane es una fanática del ramen y las pizzas. Esta vez, se nos ha ocurrido que podría estar bien un mini horno para que sus pizzas queden siempre perfectas.

Basura para el coche: Todo el mundo sabe que Akane ama conducir, pero no tanto el orden, ni la limpieza. Ayúdala a que lo mantenga todo recogido con esta mini-papelera para el coche.

Dado de ejercicio: Le encanta el deporte. Te proponemos darle algo más original que unas zapatillas o una botella de agua con un dado que le ayude a elegir sus ejercicios diarios.

Hasiel

Limpiador ultrasónico: Todos los que tienen gafas comprenderán bien los problemas de Hasi para mantener sus gafas limpias. Le harías un gran favor comprándole una pequeña máquina como estas.

Calcetines de Escritores: Aunque por lo general no usaría prendas coloridas, ni muy llamativas, los calcetines son perfectos para dejarse llevar por la imaginación. Sobre todo, si son de un tema que le interesa tanto como lo son los libros.

Marcapáginas en forma de diorama: Otro clásico navideño son los marcapáginas, pero he encontrado unos que recrean escenas míticas de libros clásicos. Los hay de muchas obras y pueden ser un complemento perfecto para ediciones especiales de libros.

Pin

Portalápices: No me he podido resistir a hacer esta pequeña broma interna. Un pequeño recordatorio tampoco le vendrá mal.

Calendario de adviento de snacks: Para que pedir un regalo cuando puedes tener 24... Cualquier calendario de adviento le gustaría, pero uno de snaks parece apropiado para él.

Proyector: Con un pequeño proyector podrá ver películas y series en su cuarto de la hermandad o invitarte a acompañarle.

Maske

Candado con huella dactilar: Un candado seguro, para una persona que oculta muchos secretos. A Maske le encantan los gadget tecnológicos y tener su intimidad a buen recaudo.

Portavasos calentador: Para alguien que toma mucho café y tiene insomnio este calentador mantendrá sus tazas a la temperatura perfecta.

Colección de especias: No es ningún secreto que a Maske le gusta cocinar, por eso tiene gran cantidad de utensilios, por eso, lo más inteligente que se me ha ocurrido es regalarle algún tipo de kit de especias exóticas para que innove en su cocina y salga un poco de su zona de confort.

Aracne

Cesta de picnic gótica: Una cesta perfecta para dos, con la que poder tener una comida romántica en el bosque acompañada de Opal.

Rueda de recuerdos para parejas: Se pueden grabar fechas importantes y recuerdos en ella. Un regalo romántico y personalizado.

Tijeras de costura: Unas bonitas tijeras nunca sobran en el cesto de arreglos de una costurera.

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[six-of-ravens]

im procrastinating dishes so time to make a cheeseballs self improvement post:

in September I made progress on unfucking my sleeping schedule, started doing hobbies more regularly including writing, and developed a basic skincare routine that's actually working. excellent progress!

goals for October/the rest of winter are to continue with those and also add some new things (not sure if I'll stick with all of them, but I want to see how much I can do and some of them are as simple as "don't buy that thing" so):

start waking up at 7:15 instead of 7:30 on office days (goal is eventually to wake up at 7, which will give me plenty of extra time during the winter when traffic is shitty) and 8 instead of as close to 9 as I can get on WFH days. don't need to get out of bed at 8, just be awake, bc stumbling to the computer bleary-eyed is a horrible way to start the day, shockingly. also start going to bed by 12 on WFH/weekend nights.

go on an Unnecessary/Impulse Spending Ban, with a few caveats: i can spend money on ✨ experiences✨ like tickets to a show or park or whatever, i can buy ✨fancy✨ food from the farmers market or cocktail supplies as long as I have a recipe planned for it, I can treat myself to lunch/coffee on Fridays (that's my motivation to go for a walk lol) and my Thursday Final Office Day PSL Treat, I can buy gifts/make donations, annnnd I can buy up to 3 "hobby items" per month, ie. a book, DVD, puzzle/miniature kit, wool, etc. but ONLY 3 items, not 3 trips to the store *glares at my inner child*. If I REALLY REALLY want an Unnecessary Item I need to come up with a good, real reason why I need it, and none of them can be "because I want it" or "I'm sad and need a pick-me-up." or "I need to kill time so I'll go into the bookstore whoops now I have an armful of new releases!"

start meal planning for once in my life. I've never really done it, aside from that time a couple years ago when I was making 1 recipe a week to replace my takeout habit lol. I need to reduce my grocery bill and food waste though so if I have a list of staples I always keep in stock and then plan what recipes I want to make on what days it'll be easier to only buy what I need. currently I just like, write "veg x3" on my grocery list and then buy 5 random vegetables bc I have no plan and think I need more, and eat maybe half of them.....

in addition to that: make a list of recipes I want to make this fall/winter (both old favourites and new ones) and plan to make one special cooking and one baking thing per week, in addition to a simpler recipe Tuesday night so I can eat leftovers Weds/Thurs and something I can freeze for lunches. currently trying to map out a schedule for this since sadly I think I am a Schedule Girlie and if I don't have one I simply Won't do the thing. Also while my freezer is not very big, I think I can make/freeze 2-3 weeks of lunches (about 9 tupperwares) so I might start doing what my aunt does and batch-cooking those instead of scrambling to make lunch every week

annnnd also to reduce my grocery bill, stop buying random vitamin water/iced tea/sparkling water/whatever. the silly little drink culture in this household is getting out of control and the cost is adding up even if I do buy sale stuff. Instead I'm gonna try and make more coffee/hot chocolate/tea....and drink more water. I am badly dehydrated. The one caveat is alcohol, since I don't buy a whole lot of it and it's a weekend treat rather than a daily indulgence. Also my Princess Bride cookbook has a bunch of cocktail recipes I want to try so I'm going to make some of those for fun.

another food based one, but I want to also stop buying so much junk food, particularly chips, and try making my own snacks/desserts more often. Basically my Silly Little Treats recently have been junk food-based and it's starting to just become a habit and not a treat I'm actually excited about, so it's time to try something new (and healthier bc hooo boy between the all the butter pasta, sweet drinks, and chips, I'm going to die of heart disease at 35)

on that note: try and develop an exercise habit. much like my writing one, my goal is 5 days a week, and I can take up to 2 days off but not in a row. any exercise is good (walk, exercise bike, yoga, whatever) right now, but I'm hoping to refine my goals in the future when I find what makes me feel the best. I would like to start forcing myself to go for a walk on at least one office day as long as the weather is good. maybe I'll do that Thursday at lunch and then I can buy my Reward PSL.....

actually *finish* a craft before starting a new one, especially when it comes to knitting. visiting my grandma reminded me that knitting and crochet can be super basic and still rewarding! she's knitted a whole garbage bag of baby hats/blankets/swaddlers, toques, and scarves to donate to charity (baby stuff to the hospital and the rest to a shelter) and like. yeah it's all basic with no fancy patterns or colorwork or whatever but it's *done*. i need to step back with that hobby and just focus on finishing things while learning the basics instead of lusting after everyone's gorgeous sweaters lol.

not really a goal but a change: going to try alternating 1 new book/series with 1 reread going forward, so I stop feeling FOMO for whatever I'm not reading at the moment lol

Lock the amount of time I'm allowed to use my social apps/news app at 3 hours (which I think I can do with the StayFree app). that should be plenty of time to keep up with things and prevent me from doing what I'm doing now which is spending almost a full hour blathering.

Anyway, yeah. Trying to use the delicious fall season as a springboard into better eating habits, spend less specifically on impulse buys I'm making bc I'm bored/depressed/anxious, and continue to do more hobbies and Self Care better.

[saucymincks]

GIFT-GIVING TIPS AND REMINDERS NO ONE ASKED FOR

Hello, my name is Caro and I fuckin' love giving people gifts. This year, we're all doing the "shit shit money is tight oh no" thing, a lot of us have to buy things for people we don't know super well, etc. so here are a few ways to make cheap/generic/last-minute gifts a little more special!

WRAP THE GIFT I know this might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised. Get some cheap wrapping paper and scotch tape and wrap it up! Or, if you're like me and hate wrapping gifts, grab a gift bag AND TISSUE PAPER. Don't just throw the thing in the bag and call it a day, a little puff of tissue paper makes it look like you gave a shit. Plus, the gift wrap is a great way to add a personal touch - you can use someone's favorite color, it can be cute or pretty or funny, whatever you want it to be. There are all sorts of creative ways to wrap gifts, too - I've seen part of the gift itself used as the wrapper, like when I received a book wrapped in a scarf and tied with a hair wrap!

REMOVE THE PRICE TAG Either cut the price tag off or, if it's printed directly onto the gift in any way, scratch it out with a pen or sharpie. It's not entirely about hiding what something costs (though there are reasons to do that) so much as it's about making it seem like you put any effort whatsoever into this. I've received $5 bargain bin gifts that were thoughtful and wonderful! But when you receive a $5 bargain bin gift that has the big red sticker on it and is unwrapped, it kinda feels like a "fuck you". I've also received expensive gifts and felt guilty/inadequate when I saw the price tag. That's not the energy you want when you're giving a gift. PERSONALIZE IT Even if you're giving something generic, you can personalize it at least a little most of the time. I'll use bath stuff as an example - we often think of that as a general "buy this for whoever" kind of thing, and it totally can be, but it's also easy to make bath stuff thoughtful! If I'm buying for my mom vs. my best friend, the vibes will be very different. My mom is more of a sunshiney organicy type, so she'd get light floral/herbal/citrus scents in colors like pink, light green, cream, etc. My best friend is basically if Morticia Addams and Tia Dalma had a baby, so she's getting things in purple, black, gold, forest green, with heavier scents like you'd associate with incense and the woods. They're both getting a candle, a bar of soap, and a sheet mask, but those items are personalized to their tastes and vibes.

IT'S OKAY TO ASK If you honestly don't know what to get someone, you can ask! And you don't have to phrase it like "what do you want me to buy for you" because that might make them feel weird! A more tactful way to ask what someone might want as a gift that doesn't make them feel as pressured to have the "right" answer is to ask them "is there anything you've had your eye on that you haven't been able to justify getting for yourself", or "is there anything I can help you replenish that you might need", or "what sort of things are you trying to keep on hand these days", or something along those lines. Ask them what they're watching or listening to these days, ask them what they're enjoying as hobbies, ask them where they like eating, etc. All of these questions can spark a ton of ideas!

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU Some people really struggle when the person they're shopping for just wants practical or "boring" stuff, but remember: giving a gift is about giving a gift, not about receiving points. If someone says all they want is socks and a grocery store gift card, give them those things. If someone is overloaded with stuff, consider gifting them an experience or a subscription (I'm giving both my parents the gift of "pick a night, pick a theme, I'm your personal chef, you get to hang out and watch movies while I continue to hand you food until you say stop" this year). Don't buy loud stuff for little kids unless the parents are okay with it. Consider the person you're shopping for rather than how the gift will make you appear. If you're really hung up on the whole "paying your electricity bill for a month isn't a gift", "cleaning supplies aren't a gift", "underwear isn't a gift" thing, get them something indulgent in addition to the thing they're asking for.

GO ONE STEP FURTHER I have a friend who is BIG into Pokemon. I don't know a dingdang thing about Pokemon. I could very easily give him a Pikachu plushie and call it a day, and he'd be delighted by it, but you know what's a little more creative and fun? Doing some research and finding something a little more out of the box and unexpected. Which is how I stumbled across a bunch of Pokemon-themed cocktail recipes, and how I stumbled across the idea of making little cocktail kits in small mason jars with dried fruit and sugar cubes and stuff like that and pairing them with airplane bottles of liquor, which is how I gave that friend a gift that made him go "BITCH THIS IS SO CUTE, I'M GONNA MAKE THESE JIGGLYPUFF JELLO SHOTS TONIGHT" at the top of his lungs one year. Plus, he still has and still uses those jars after about a decade! It didn't cost me a ton of money, I was able to DIY most of it, and it was cute and personal. There are a lot of ways to do something a little unexpected and create a gift that's not going to set you back a ton but that has a ton of heart and love put into it.

CONSIDER A BUNCH OF TINY THINGS I...love tiny things. I love knickknacks. I love stuff and tchotchkes. I love opening a box or a bag and finding SO MANY LITTLE THINGS IN THERE. If you know someone like that, oh my god, shop for them like that, trust me, it's so much fun. Sometimes it's hard to come up with one big concrete item to give someone, so maybe...don't! One of the nicest gifts I ever got was literally a box of a bunch of little things that reflected me as a person. There was a mini bottle of a bourbon, a couple of jars of spices, a pair of fingerless gloves, some stickers, a box of shabbos candles (I am forever forgetting to replenish my supply and having to light random candles on Fridays), all sorts of random but personal stuff. Each item on its own was inexpensive and simple, but when it was all put together, it added up to an incredibly thoughtful mixture of practical, indulgent, and just plain fun!

YOU CAN REGIFT BUT YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL ABOUT IT, BUDDY Look...it happens. We receive a thing we can't use/don't like/already own. Someone else might like it. We give it away. But please, please, please be strategic about regifting. I've regifted things plenty of times, but the trick is to keep it outside the circle so the person who originally gave it to you doesn't see you blatantly passing it along. There's honestly nothing inherently bad or wrong about regifting, in my opinion, but there can be hurt feelings attached to it for many people, so it's a good idea to try and avoid that. Also, if the item is personalized in any way...most of the time, regifting is not gonna work. Use your head here!

This is all I can think of at the moment but if y'all have other advice please feel free to add. Gifts don't have to be a "feed the capitalist machine" thing - they can be (and should be) an opportunity to give a loved one a tangible reminder that they are cared for, a chance to give someone a little treat to make their day and by extension their life better and happier. Gifts also should not be something that causes you stress and shame and frustration! Gifts should be JOYFUL for everyone involved. Now go out there and don't forget to buy tissue paper.

[spiremire]

its that time of year again

To all the new undergrads out there, here are the best ways I found to save money without completely sucking all the joy out of life, from a current grad student :) (a lot of this advice is usamerican-centric for students that live on/very close to campus because that was my undergrad experience)

Advice under the cut because I wrote too much:

School stuff:

Don't buy the textbooks from the bookstore. Especially don't buy them new. Rent them from Chegg or Amazon, or straight up pirate them from the internet. (I am a huge advocate for textbook piracy)

You can also see if your school has a textbook swap. You can try to start a textbook swap, or coordinate with friends about swapping books if you take the same classes at different times. Maybe talk to your RA about organizing one for your dorm floor/building.

Apple, HP, and Dell all have educational discount programs, if you need a computer with a little more oomph than a Chromebook or a ThinkPad. (I also highly recommend getting anything BUT a chromebook, but I know that's not always in the cards). DON'T get an Apple computer if you are a STEM major. It will cause more headaches than it's worth.

Take advantage of the bus pass your college tuition comes with. Go places. It's not as fast as an uber but it's a hell of a lot cheaper and you've already paid for it. Consider using this service instead of keeping a car on campus, too! Parking passes are also usually pricey.

Some regions have services like ZipCar where you can rent a car by the hour. Universities where this is available often have a deal to make it more accessible to students. (Use this when the bus isn't an option! It's usually also way cheaper than an Uber, and you can get different sized cars for different needs!)

If you get sick/hurt (of the non-emergent variety) badly enough to warrant a doctor visit: try visiting your campus health center first! Students usually get a free visit or two per semester/quarter.

Your student health center will often have free safe sex supplies. Sometimes they have the good stuff. They really don't care how often you come in and dig through the condom bowl. My campus had a monthly delivery service you could sign up for (for free). I've managed to get free condoms, lube, dental dams, and gloves this way. (This is a very cheap way to figure out what lube and condoms you like and hate, btw)

Don't say no to ANY of the free stuff. Take all the t-shirts, stickers, pens, mugs, markers, discount codes, reusable shopping bags, temporary tattoos, snacks, and cheap sunglasses they're willing to give you. Even if you won't use it yourself, it all makes excellent branded merchandise for the people in your life supporting you. You can even save on gifts during holidays by passing some of this stuff off to people who will use it. (I was given a free pair of sunglasses in my freshman year that I still use—7 years later—in situations where I don't want to lose/damage my better ones).

Smaller businesses close to campus will probably have a student discount. Ask. It'll probably be less than 20% but take what you can get, because it adds up.

Often your college will have some amount of free software for you to use while you're a student. Typically Microsoft Office, but sometimes others. I've gotten access to Photoshop, ArcGIS, MATLAB, JMP Pro, and a few others this way. (Piracy is an option here, but it's more challenging because these things are more closely guarded.)

Sometimes at the end of the year, people moving out will just leave the furniture they don't want anymore outside. I don't recommend doing this, because someone has to clean it up but take advantage of it when it happens if you see something you want.

Steal food from the dining hall (if it's the buffet kind). Some places you have to be more sneaky about it, but some places you don't. My bestie used to straight up bring in two half-gallon jugs and fill one from the dining hall milk dispenser and the other with lemonade once a week or so and nobody ever stopped her or said anything. Generally dining halls are staffed by students that don't get paid enough to care that it's your fourth stop by the pizza station and you can't possibly have eaten that much pizza in the last thirty minutes. (Bring tupperware in your backpack. If they don't allow backpacks, napkins in a sweatshirt front pocket also work (transfer to tupperware once you get your bag back)

IF YOU QUALIFY FOR WORK STUDY: do it! The WS jobs generally pay better because half the wage comes from the government and half comes from the person who hired you (makes it easier to pay you more because they don't even have to budget for a minimum wage employee).

Activities:

Go to the activities put on by the dorms and various student groups. I promise you'll have more fun than you think, and they're usually free to very inexpensive. Get a free succulent. Make friendship bracelets and cute soap. Watch a free movie. Go on that kayak tour. See a sports game for a team you don't care about. This is an excellent way to supplement your work-life balance and you might make a friend.

Share streaming service passwords/costs with friends or roommates. If everyone in the friend group comes in with one, you can have the whole shebang for a fraction of the cost. Alternatively, split the cost of one or two that you rotate between every few months (in my experience, this works best seasonally: Autumn is Netflix and Hulu, Winter is HBO and Disney+ etc) Piracy is also an option here as well.

Try to make most of your fun beverages on your own at home. Limit the starbucks coffee or boba to once or twice a week. Take the $15-30/week you saved by not buying starbucks everyday and go to the movies or something. Save up for a camping trip with friends. Idk. I spend $12/every six weeks-ish on the costco-sized container of the coffee I like and that's roughly the same price as two medium lattes. I like having that money for other stuff.

If you have metered internet: do all your big downloads on the free campus network.

Support your on campus artists by going to shows, showings, exhibits, and galleries. They're often a very inexpensive way to see art.

Like reading for fun? Check out your local library. They have the books, but also movies and games. Some libraries have a Library of Things where you can borrow like. Baking pans or a lawn mower. The city library is guaranteed to be quieter than the university libraries, if that's your thing. You also probably won't have to trip a basketball player to beat them to the last available table during finals week.

If you're going on hikes that are less than 10 miles round trip, I'd argue that you really don't need much in the way of specialized equipment* (especially if you have cell service the whole time (for maps/GPS)), which makes it very inexpensive if you already have a couple water bottles, snacks, comfortable shoes, and a backpack. *See the great outdoors section for more recommendations

Live somewhere like Alaska? Like outside? Find someone who knows what they're doing and go foraging. It's very important you bring an expert the first few times ESPECIALLY if you live in an area where you could be ingesting poisonous mushrooms or berries. My roommate and I love going on berry picking hikes.

Like hiking but don't like hiking alone? Join an on-campus club OR a meet-up group. This is an excellent way to make friends (and find a few hiking buddies)

Regal movie theatre is the most expensive. If you have a different one in your area your tickets will likely be a few bucks cheaper. (we only have regal where I am and I am angry)

General shopping:

My personal philosophy is if I don't need it immediately, I don't buy it unless it's on sale.

Get a credit card or two with decent cashback rewards. DO NOT SPEND ANY MONEY YOU CANNOT IMMEDIATELY PAY OFF (this will avoid interest charges AND build your credit score, which will be important later on for things like renting an apartment, buying a car from a dealership, or buying a house). Use the card(s) for all your expenses. Cashback will add up pretty slowly, but it will add up. Discover It is pretty good for students and comes with a quarterly rotation of different things that get higher cash back. Apple Card has good cashback ONLY if you're using actual Apple Pay instead of the physical card (which is harder in less urban areas where cardreaders haven't been recently updated).

Make a throwaway email and sign up for stamp cards, loyalty programs, and rewards programs everywhere you shop (new email is so you don't have to be spammed with all the junk they send you but you can still access the coupons when you want them). Don't sign up for the ones with the credit cards unless they have good cashback (> 1-2%) for places that aren't their store. The Fred Meyer program slaps because it gives you gas discounts. I am currently paying less than $3.00/gallon (current cost in my area is ~$4.30/gallon). Fred Meyer is a Kroger brand, so if you don't have Freds but do have a different Kroger thing, see what they've got.

Check thrift/consignment stores and yard/garage/estate sales for things that you don't necessarily need to be in the nicest condition. Suitcases, dishes for that camping trip, a mat for outside your front door. Be really careful with soft furniture (it could be hosting bugs; if it's from a yard sale, ask the owner where it was stored before the sale. Items in the garage or a storage unit or outside should be extra scrutinized) and give everything you can a good wash/scrub down before letting it live in your house.

Estate sales are fantastic for furnishing an apartment. Usually an estate sale is done when (old) people die and the family wants help getting rid of the stuff they don't want for themselves. Currently, old people generally have very well made, solid wood furniture. It will go for much cheaper than it's actually worth if you buy it at an estate sale (rather than at an antique store). A lot of the time the furniture even matches. They'll also have things like vacuums, kitchen stuff, and maybe garage stuff.

TJ Maxx, Ross, and Homegoods (et cetra) are good for finding inexpensive clothes or home items.

Back to school sales are great for just about everything. Lots of big stuff like good furniture and electronics go on sale for things like labor/memorial day.

Don't buy a mattress just because it's the cheapest one. Buy one you actually like. Buy sheets and pillows you actually like. Having a good night's rest in a bed you are comfortable in is invaluable. It will make the rest of college way less bad I promise.

See if you can repair something before buying a new one. At best, you fix it. At worst, it continues to not work. I was gifted a pair of bose noise cancelling headphones that I use often enough that I've had to replace the foam over-ear pads 3 times and the aux cable once. This has cost me about $40 over 7 years instead of the ~$300 getting a new pair would cost. Replacement parts and patch kits are where it's at.

Some insurance companies give discounts for good grades. Take advantage of that.

Check Buy Nothing groups. I've never done this but I've heard good things.

Some car companies give a small discount to recent graduates who are buying a new car. (I did this, it was only $500.)

IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO!!!! Buy something that is going to last over something that is cheap. You will save money in the long run if you can pay the upfront cost.

IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO!!!! (and the space for storage of the larger package) Buy in bulk. Unit price is always cheaper and one large package is generally wrapped in less packaging than the same amount in many smaller packages (save the earth!)

Keep track of warranties and register products for them if necessary. If something breaks and it's still covered under the warranty, the company may be obligated to replace it (depends on how it broke). Shoot your shot! If you're really lucky, the warranty period will start over with the arrival of the replacement, and if the replacement breaks within the warranty period, it will also be eligible for replacement. (I've managed to take advantage of this on multiple occasions and have saved probably $600 this way.)

The Great Outdoors:

Need to buy seasonal equipment (like snow gear or swimsuits)? Wait until the end of the current season. Prices will drop as stores attempt to clear inventory for the upcoming season's stuff. Buy your kayak and bikini in October or November and your heavy winter jacket and ski goggles in March. Keep an eye out for the sales beginning in the weeks prior if you are a common size, as those will sell out first).

I really recommend getting an REI membership. It's a one-time cost ($30??) that opens up the used website, the garage sale, and extra bonuses like random coupons, member only sale prices, discounts on gear rental and classes, a wider window for returns/exchanges, and free US shipping (I live in Alaska and the free shipping makes this one of the best deals I can get). It will pay for itself probably within your first purchase.

Consider buying open box, but make sure all the parts are there.

Keep an eye on warranties and register products for them when necessary. Trust me, given how expensive outdoor stuff is, it's entirely worth it. Keep receipts, packing slips, and tags if you can as proof of purchase.

On campus clubs for your activity of choice. Make friends, get to go cool(er) places possibly for free/cheap.

Trying a new activity? Rent/borrow some gear to do it a few times before committing to purchasing your own. This will ensure you don't spend hundreds of dollars just to find you hate backpacking. REI has a good gear rental program and a plethora of classes, and your campus may have an outdoor equipment rental option. They may also have lessons or classes you can take about your new activity so you can learn to do it safely. I learned how to ice climb this way in March, and am going to take advantage of my current university's free gear rental and free ice climbing tower until I feel comfortable enough to go out into the wild and do it on my own.

Decided you like your new activity? Check these places (none of this is sponsored lmao I just like outside and have personal experience with all these sites):

Geartrade: Discounted new* and used gear in a variety of conditions. Definitely read all the fine print here. *Geartrade sells things sometimes that are brand new but had some packaging defect; these things are usually half off.

REI ReSupply: Used gear in a variety of conditions. Defects are detailed in product descriptions. Even things in excellent condition are usually at least half off the original price.

Sierra(dot)com: brand new stuff from well-known brands at a fraction of the price. It's usually past-season overstock, but it's all perfectly serviceable and the differences between this season and last season's gear is usually negligible. They have sales and clearance as well. Get what you want/need even cheaper if you have time to wait for it to be further discounted.

Costco sometimes has pretty good outdoor gear. I personally know that the bear spray here is NOT a good deal (it's a two-pack, but the can volume/spray-time is smaller than the two-pack at REI and they go for the same price) but their trekking poles are good and I really like their men's merino wool socks. I've heard from reputable sources that the costco snow-shoes suck. Definitely read reviews before committing here.

Facebook marketplace/craigslist: Both can be hit or miss. You'll usually have better luck for equipment that is used for activities that can be done locally (ie. you will probably not find an abundance of skis in desert Arizona) but that's not a hard rule. DEFINITELY read the fine print here, and ask to inspect the item before you hand over any money (people usually aren't weird about this and if they are you might be being scammed). I got a new dog last year and got everything for him for under $100 (two beds, two crates, bowls, harnesses, dog sized sleeping bag for camping, lick mats, the whole shebang)

I'm sure that other people have better advice regarding things like electronics, traveling, and activities that don't fall into the category of Wandering Into The Woods, but this is what I know!

[cephalomon]

after playing pkm violet twice and then replaying pkm platinum and heart gold , i noticed some things about pkm violet that i hope dont become trends for the rest of the series.

of course, this is all my personal opinion so dont take everything super heavily. i loved playing through pokemon violet, enough to play it a second time IMMEDIATELY after i finished it. but that doesnt mean i dont have complaints.

also apologies if my thoughts are a bit scattered

the actual region of paldea feels... incredibly empty. i understand the concept of the game, i understand that the world is supposed to be open and full of exploration! but ... what all exactly is there to explore?

there are a couple of scenic locations, but overall, i never felt like i was really exploring anything or seeing anything worthwhile. and i felt very ... lonely most of the time. there are no homes between cities, no man made structures or facilities, theres just nothing. each city in paldea feels like a small remain of civilization in an otherwise bare landscape, which is a complete contrast to previous games, where routes had homes or other buildings on them for you to interact with. even the caves and what not in paldea didnt really feel worthwhile to explore (especially since a lot of them felt less like cool caves to explore and more like hallways).

i think something that magnifies this problem is the over abundance of items and TMs in the overworld. theres a shiny something or other on the floor all the time, which i think really undercut the desire to explore every corner of paldea.

in older games, exploring a route or cave thoroughly usually meant great training opportunities and some sort of reward, like a few items along the way and MAYBE a TM. but paldea is LITTERED with random items EVERYWHERE, and TMs are not difficult to come by. theres no reason to really explore caves or routes, because they're small and theres nothing there you cant find everywhere else. and you will exhaust yourself trying to pick up Every Single Item you see.

Items in general are a bit overabundant in paldea. although it was convenient, i dont like that we can just buy so many battle items during the main storyline. i really enjoyed looking for these items, finding them by chance, or talking to NPCs to be gifted them. and as far as i can tell? the NPCs in paldea do ... very little. it adds an extra layer of loneliness to the world when all the NPCs are there to do is give the impression of a lived in world.

its always been a joke in the community, but i really miss being able to explore at least some of the houses in each town. but the homes in paldea are just there to, again, give the impression of a lived in world. there is Nothing to explore, No One to talk to, no incentives to be interested in these towns or these people!

the fact that the free roam pokemon game, the one that shouldve been full of exploration opportunities and life, feels so dull so often is really ironic to me. i do think this is definitely partially because of the time constraints the games were made on, but that doesnt make the issue ignore-able. the region is overabundant in all the wrong ways, and then completely lifeless in others.

i think pokemon has the potential to tell extremely rich stories, and the pokemon world is so interesting. theres really no excuse for paldea to feel so dull. most of the other regions feel genuinely lived in, even in those long stretches of forest or desert there is something significant to be seen or explored.

if the future of free roam pokemon is sparse towns with miles of dull, lifeless land in between them... well i think thats really unfortunate.

it was a problem in swsh too; the wild "free-roam" areas were so dull to me. there has to be a way to improve these problems. adding more structures that arent just ruins, making little towns in the middle or on the outskirts of long routes... something, anything. and i think that reeling in the amount of items in the overworld, and making some items scarce again, would really bring back some of the exploration aspects that were lost in Scarlet/Violet.

i also think that adding some smaller stories to the world, side quests and what not, would be really good. the big storylines in scarlet and violet were good (i think), but having some side quests in each town or in some of the routes wouldve been really cool!

and also if theyre gonna do food minigames can they make them like. function properly. because that sandwich minigame is a nightmare.

I think thats all i have to say. Again, i know that time constraints probably limited the team a lot. and i think that it's REALLY obvious that the development team had bigger plans for this game that they just couldnt flesh out; the difference between a game made by people who cared about it and a game made by people who didnt is Palpable.

i hope that generation 10 (WHEW. TEN.) or whatever comes next for the series fixes some of these problems. im excited to see whats in store for the DLC!

if youve read this far, lmk if you have any thoughts about any of this or if theres some stuff i missed in the game that i should go back and check out! i love talking about pokemon, id be happy to discuss anything pokemon related with other fans

[darklovecat]

March favorites?

Tretinoin and a 2% BHA serum.

These 2 are a very powerful combo. I only use BHAs once a week, there are people who use it every single day and it is true that is a lot more gentle compared to other chemical exfoliators but I do not want to overexfoliate my skin or disrupt my skin barrier again like last year (when I would use the highest percentages of Vitamin C, AHA, Retinoids every day) so I make sure I only use it when I really need it. I use Tretinoin for anti-aging purposes only, it does not require a prescription where I live so I can get it at any pharmacy. 0.1% is the highest concentration available on the market and some people purge like crazy but I have been using it for on and off 4 years so my skin is used to it. My skin is far from perfect and sometimes I break out due to hormones, stress or lack of sleep and I need products to improve my skin texture. One of my favorite things is applying my 0.1% Tretinoin on Friday night and on Monday my skin begins flaking, I take my BHA Serum massaging it into my skin and it gets rid of all my dead skin cells and I love how my skin looks smooth and glowy the next days.

Garnier Hyaluronic Aloe Replumping Superserum.

I would never really purchase something from Garnier. However, my aunt was recently diagnosed with preoral dermatitis (it's terrible) and her dermatologist told her to stop using any makeup or skincare so she gave me most of her cosmetics that I have been trying out the past few weeks. This is one of my favorites. Whenever I use a hydrating ingredient I always spritz my face with water first to maximize its benefits and this serum makes my skin feel so much more hydrated and fresh, it has a very calming & pleasant smell, and I sometimes add another layer depending on my skin's needs. It gives me the perfect base before I move on to applying my skin makeup. What makes this serum amazing is that it includes so many different hydrating ingredients - Aloe, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin... My skin loves this superserum so I use this one quite often.

Missha A'pieu BB Maker SPF 30/PA++

This is another product that proves to me that Korean makeup products are amazing. The BB creams I've tried from Western brands have been lackluster at best, they never match my skin tone, they look off on me but I bought this in 212 Natural Beige and it is so perfect. It's called 'BB cream' but this product is so high coverage that I would almost call it a foundation. When my order first arrived, I was shocked at how small the product was, I thought I'm gonna finish it in two weeks tops but the thing is you put 1/2 a pea size on the back of your hand and realize you could easily cover your whole face with it. I don't know how that's possible but you really need soooo little, only a teeny tiny amount and it's something I still need to learn, I put a 3/4 pea just to be safe and it always turns out to be way too much. I know someone who works for Missha so I got this product at a heavy discount, I ordered 2 and she sent 4, what a darling and what an amazing excuse to buy more products!

Apple AirPods (3rd Generation).

These were a gift from my mom, my Huawei Freebuds stopped working and I've been complaining about it nonstop so she surprised me with a pair of Airpods 3, she was torn between the 2 and 3 so she gave me the receipt to let me decide. I went in the next day and got them exchanged, and I love them. I can do calls, binge my shows, participate in virtual meetings, listen to podcasts on my way to uni, listen to music for hours on end with no issues and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a pair of good headphones, the battery lasts a long time as well. The headphones may feel weird at the beginning, like they could fall out any second which is why I was hesitant in the beginning but I got used to it, it does not bother me anymore. I also got a cute little case, it's silver stoned and I am not really a bling person but I did not want to get silicone because they stain and rip, I wanted to try something different, so I just went ahead and bought this one, I love how it sparkles and it is pretty much impossible to damage.

A White Long Sleeved Leotard.

I am obsessed with this long sleeved leotard, it is a game changer and I think this is the best purchases I have made this year. It literally solves 90% of all my cloth-related problems. When I go to the dance studio, I throw this on with my black leggings as a base layer, I just have to take off my skirt and I am good to go within seconds. The material is stretchy but very fitted and I love how the fabric feels on my skin, I also how it looks on me and how it emphasizes my slim arms and my small waist. The fabric is very thin but it is not see through so I can wear my cropped wrap tops and all my see through tops over it without looking frumpy. I love a fitted look so I can wear it on its own with a pleated dark navy skirt or a black pencil skirt (my favorite) as well. It is a 10/10 and I have already purchased many more in various colors and this is the type of thing I never knew I needed.

Love, Cat.

[gluevah]

(Long text post but there are photos at the end!)

So, I've been interested in reborn dolls/reborn babies for years. Since I first learned about them I thought it was amazing how real they look, and how much work the artists put into these dolls to make them look as real as possible. I had often thought about how much I'd like to have one, but I dismissed that idea because I assumed I'd never be able to afford it, and I told myself I wasn't into dolls anyway.

Recently, I decided to look on one of the few legit websites that artists and collectors alike can sell their reborn dolls, and I was surprised to see several dolls that I thought were very cute, and also listed at a price I could afford. I made an account, added a few to favorites, and just generally enjoyed "window shopping" until I saw a little reborn baby that I just fell in love with. She was just so pretty, and I decided that I'd talk to Jeremy about buying her. Not because I need his permission, but because he is afraid of dolls.

He tolerates my American Girl dolls, but finds them a little unsettling, but baby dolls creep him out something fierce so I didn't want to bring one into the house without at least talking to him about it. He agreed as long as I promised to keep whatever doll I got in my plush room/keep it away from him so he doesn't have to see it. Which is fair, if he collected like...centipedes or whatever I'd want them to be kept away from me too lmao.

So, I bought her. And, what luck, she arrived safely the day I went to visit my sister! So I got to unbox her and see her before I left.

Her name is Amelia Lorraine, Mia for short 🥰 Her artist included a lot of generous gifts with her, lots of cute outfits! She is weighted in her body, head, arms, and legs, so that she feels like a real baby when held. She weighs 6 pounds, is 19 inches long, and has lovely rooted mohair.

I don't role-play with her, really (nothing wrong with doing so, it's just not my thing), but I love holding her and dressing her up 🥰

I know reborns are a bit of a divisive subject; people either really like them, or find them extremely creepy. There doesn't seem to be much in-between! So, I will be diligent in tagging reborn doll posts. If you don't like reborn dolls, please be sure to block the following tags: #reborn dolls #reborn babies

I may add other tags once I'm more familiar with how reborns are tagged on tumblr, but I'll always use those. If you follow me (or otherwise come across this post) and you do like reborn dolls, I'd love to see yours if you have one!

[creations-by-chaosfay]

I'll have a pair of coasters and two pairs of placemats listed in my shop this weekend. After I finish sewing those this week, I'll focus on thr commissions. One is a mug rug and will take just a couple hours. Another is a FPP 18x18 inch crow miniquilt, and there will be a possible third with coasters. I'll be working on this in the morning, from about 6AM to 11AM.

Afternoons will be spent handquilting. I'll be getting that work done in the living room with the a/c blasting off. Tank top, shorts, and under several layers of batting and fabric because it'll be folded and rolled as I work.

Tomorrow, a trip to the fabric and quilt shop for batting in Star Story as well as fabric for the crow miniquilt. Hopefully these can be found at the fabric store. Less expensive, and my budget is very small. If I sell anything from my shop overnight, going to the quilt shop will be an option.

I find a lotta good stuff at the fabric store, such as one of fav designers (Tim Holtz), solids (Kona Solids) and most of my rainbow prints. Quilt shops have a better precut and extra wide backing selection though. I insist on extra wide backing because I loath pieced backing. Buy 4-6 yards, cut it up to make it wide rather than long? That's awkward and sometimes very expensive. Extra wide? 108 inches (3 yards) wide, no cutting up fabric to make it fit, just iron it smooth, tape it to the floor, and add the layers for basting. I end up cutting the backing a little shorter and save that excess for later.

Extra wide is usually around $22-$25/yard, and two to three yards is usually all I ever need. Standard width is $7-$15/yard.

If anyone fancies sending me fabric or gift cards for fabric, Joann Fabrics is ideal. Batting, fabric, sewing needles, books, sewing pins, and various other supplies. I use quilt shops for very high quality fabric and precuts, patterns, and extremely high quality thread. The thread is often waaaaaay outta by budget, but it's absolutely worth the cost.

Seeing as so many of you voted I spend the summer making low budget items and use jeweltones and rainbows. There will also be some finished quilt tops, and those will have the addon option of me turning these into completed quilts. Kinda like a commission. I'm hoping all these sell successfully, and before October. Get me closer to completing my ko-fi goal.

Speaking of which, I'm giving away two quilt tops if the goal is met by the end of June. Otherwise it's a single quilt if met by Halloween. I need my year to end on a high note with fewer debts, and fewer quilts left as well. Meeting the goal is my focus. When it's met, I'll be able to enjoy nice things, like gifting my husband an XBox Series X (he turns 50 in August), a tabletop quilting frame that will make it possible to machine quilt with a standard sewing machine, business cards for myself, a second pair of shoes (I have a single pair and they're white walking sneakers), paint the dining room and hutch (currently in our storage room), some nice watercolors, and possibly some new clothing for myself (my wardrobe gives me about ten days before I have to wash my clothes).

In the meantime, I'm seeing and taking necessary breaks. At some point, I may take a couple classes to learn how to make my own clothes. I can't self-teach this, videos and books aren't enough, so a class or two will be absolutely necessary. Maybe someone in the quilt guild can teach me? I'll find out in a few days! For now, finishing commissions and stocking the shop.

[katherinejblackwell]

Katherine's Tea Party 3 - Reading Resolutions

Also read on my website!

Photo by Dzenina Lukac

Now that we're settling into 2024 and coming out of both the chaos and coma of the holiday season, it feels appropriate to add my own list of resolutions to the ever-present pile that exists on the internet. My resolutions in recent years have been a little more vague, usually just one or two goals that cover a broad idea I want to embody, but this year I have a more focused list of things I want to accomplish and, conveniently, many of them are book-related and perfect to share here in my little corner.

1 - Read Consistently

I was originally going to say "read more" but that's not quite what I'm going for. I think making an effort to read consistently will end up lending itself to me reading more overall, but when I think specifically "read more," I think burning through two or more novels a month (or scrambling to read a bunch of short books to hit my Goodreads goal), which isn't realistic for me. What is realistic, and what I would like to make a habit, is reading consistently. Even if it's just a page (or less) each day, I want to read that one page. I've noticed that I always feel more fulfilled, productive, clear-headed, and overall just better when I'm reading consistently. I think there are two reasons behind this. One, simply that reading is something I'm passionate about, so consistently interacting with books makes me feel happier. Two, staring at my phone for hours always makes me feel a little foggy. Sometimes it's nice, or even necessary, to just shut my brain off and scroll in bed, but when I have the energy for it, I often feel much better after an hour of reading than I do after an hour of scrolling. So, my main resolution for the year is to read more consistently. Ideally, I'd like to carve out decent blocks of time for my reading every day, but I again know that's not quite realistic, so really I'd just love to read for at least ten minutes a few times a week.

2 - Collect Better Bookmarks

My bookmark collection is outdated to say the least. The few good ones I currently own are gifts I've received recently and the rest are either older bookmarks that I've outgrown or random bits of ephemera that aren't really bookmarks but that do the job. I'd like to update my collection with some bookmarks that really spark joy and that I look forward to using. To me, it feels similar to how you want your bedroom or your workspace to be well-decorated and inviting. It makes you want to use the space and makes your use of it more enjoyable. I want to make my mental reading space even more pleasant and cozy by having a pretty bookmark to use instead of some slip of paper I've been hanging on to since the seventh grade. I think both my books and I deserve it. :P

3 - Make More Use of the Library

I've already started on this since it's easy to place holds and pick them up while I'm at work, but, until very recently, I rarely used the library to check out books. In fact, I've only had a library card for the past year or so, despite being an avid reader for many years. I've spent a lot of money on books and, while I love my personal library and owning my own books, being able to borrow books is amazing and makes accessing a wide variety of materials so much easier. From here on out, I'd especially like to make a habit of checking out books I haven't read yet from the library instead of buying them. Instead, I'll save my book money for acquiring books that I know I truly love and will get lots of use out of -- and, of course, buying about a dozen special editions of the same favorites because they're all so pretty.

4 - Weed Out My Collection

I started doing this over the summer but circumstances led me to never quite finish and now there are piles of books that I keep tripping over on my floor. I've accumulated a LOT of books over the years,  and many of them I acquired when I was younger and had much different interests than I do now. It's difficult to part with them, especially when they've been small constants in my life for so many years, but the books deserve to go somewhere they'll be read, and I deserve to not have what has essentially become clutter blocking the way for new favorites to enter my shelves. Also not tripping every time I enter my room would be pretty cool. 

5 - Collect More Picture Books

All that about using the library and thinning out my collection being said, I'd really like to grow my personal collection of picture books this year. Working at the library, I encounter all sorts of beautiful, wholesome, and simply adorable picture books. Even before, picture books always had a certain draw. I love the illustrations and some of the simple, sweet stories are enough to make me misty-eyed. There's something so special about them. I have a small handful of picture books in my collection already, all but one of which are from my childhood, but I'd really like to dedicate some of my time, thought, and energy this year to finding some picture books that bring me joy and finding a special home for them on my shelf. 

6 - Feel Less Pressure With Reading

Especially in an age where trends and aesthetics are so easy to rapidly consume, and can so easily take over one's feed, it's easy to feel like there are books I "should" read. But really, the books I (and everyone)  "should" read are the ones that make me feel the most excited and intrigued. I have tried with all my might several times to read The Secret History. I just can't do it. Not yet, at least. While I do still have plans to read it, and think that it's a wonderfully well-written story from the portion I have read, I often feel some level of pressure to not only finish the book, but also to think and feel a certain way about the text when I pick it up. I don't want to feel pressure where reading is concerned. It should be something that's 100% relaxing and enjoyable. In the new year, I want to let go of any pressure I associate with reading and pick the books I truly feel like reading and allow myself to feel the way I feel about them.

7 - Write a Novella

I'm not sure this is quite a reading goal, but it's almost a reading goal and will certainly require me to do lots of reading for research, so close enough. I was recently rereading a short novella I had written as a gift a few years ago and I think writing a new one, maybe for publication or at least sharing, would be a great goal to give myself for the new year. Recently, I've been really struggling with what to write next. I'm not writing as ravenously as I was a few years ago, churning out short stories all the time, and acting on the novel idea I've had feels incredibly daunting. However, I do feel ready to write something longer. My short stories could still use a lot of work, of course, but I want to see what I can do with a higher word count to play around with. I also feel it will be good practice to write and polish something a little shorter before I finally start in on my novel idea. Writing something shorter gives me a closer goal to hit and will (hopefully) give me a boost of confidence and a feeling of satisfaction that I can springboard into a longer writing project with. 

Book Rec and Drink of the Month

Photo by Işıl

For once, I will not be recommending a Hunger Games book, but only because I have already recommended every Hunger Games book that exists. I don't think I will stop thinking about this series for the rest of forever, though, so you certainly haven't heard the last of it.

Picking my recommendation this month was kind of hard because I haven't read much besides Hunger Games books since November, so I had to do a little delve back into my Goodreads to pick something I've read before. What I landed upon was one of my favorite series, The Magisterium. It's cowritten by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, which should be a green flag for people who had very similar interests to me in middle and high school. I do, however, recommend this series with the caveat that the last two books somewhat ruin it for me. I read them, returned them to the library, then vowed to pretend they didn't exist. I can't remember too many specifics, but certain plot points get rather muddled and, despite it being a fantasy series, begin to feel almost outlandish. If I reread the series, I'm sure I could write an entire blog post just about the issues I have with the way the series ended (and I might in fact do that at some point because it sounds very tempting), but I do still feel like the first three books are very solid and worth the read. I found the magic system and the idea of counterweights super interesting and I loved reading about the relationships between Cal and his friends. 

As for my drink recommendation, I will be somewhat piggybacking off of last month's recommendation of peppermint hot chocolate to present you with lavender hot chocolate. I started making this in the fall by mixing about 2-3 teaspoons of lavender syrup into a regular mug of hot chocolate and as an avid lavender lover, I think this will be a perfect cozy and comforting drink as we delve deeper into the Winter months. (One day I will actually recommend a tea on the blog called Katherine's Tea Party, but today is not that day.)

To anyone who may be reading, I'd love to hear what your personal goals or resolutions for the new year are and I hope your New Year's Eve was safe and happy! Hopefully 2024 will treat us all kindly and be a year full of growth, joy, love, and books. I'll be back again in February!

[dearsnow]

First off, I’m sorry people are being asshats about Dylan’s sexuality! You deserve better and I’m sorry they are being mean! You’re wonderful with everything you write!!

Second, YOURE DOING GENSHIN CUZ I LOOOOVE THAT! Could I request boyfriend headcanons for kaeya and tartaglia (childe) as well! I really liked the Diluc headcanons you made I would love to see what you write for keaya and Childe! If not that’s totally fine! Also feel free to add a little spice 🌶 if you wanna!!

KAEYA & CHILDE BOYFRIEND HEADCANONS

- how they are as significant others (kaeya and childe separately x gn!reader, ⚠️ the last headcanon for each gets 16+, requests are open!!)

a/n - sbsj thank you 🫶 people are gross sometimes but that’s okay. n e ways i hope you enjoy these headcanons <3

KAEYA

- when Kaeya kisses you, all you can taste is a twist of alcohol and a hint of something fruity

- he loves showing you off, slinging his arm around your shoulder and making sure every person within a 10 mile radius knows you’re his one and only significant other

- he makes it his goal to fluster you. You could be the most stoic person in existence and he would still find a way to make you blush. It’s basically his thing at this point

- he may have a flirty personality, but as soon as he starts to like you he will stop being suggestive with other people. He won’t change his whole personality of course, but deep down he wants you to be absolutely secure in this relationship

- he enjoys fancy dates and will take you to the swankiest restaurant in Mondstadt, which ends up being his brother’s bar. Don’t fret, though, he always asks for a secluded table with “the pretty tablecloth I know that bastard keeps behind the counter”

- his love language is words of affirmation, and he always takes time out of his day to let you know how much he adores you. It may be through subtle teasing or lengthy letters or even hiring a bard to sing a love tale about you

CHILDE

- childe smells like seawater and boozey cologne, which you get a wonderful whiff of whenever he hugs you

- he often just flops on top of you when he’s tired. He’s a big boy though, meaning he always knocks the wind out of you. Sometimes it’s endearing, but sometimes you’re tired and getting squished is the last thing you could ever want

- he’s such a menace- he literally bites you. Often.

- he likes to collect art and photos of you; he buys elegant portraits to keep in special places along with off-guard kamera pics and pocket-sized sketches to carry with him during his journeys. He’s always very careful with these pieces, never allowing them to rip or fall into the wrong hands

- his love languages are acts of service and giving gifts, so he’s always cooking your favorite meals, buying a few extra boxes of that expensive Sumerian tea you like, and even giving the guy who stared you down in the street a “stern talking-to”

- he enjoys taking you out on carriage rides around Liyue. He’ll just stare at you the whole time too. He likes the view, but he loves you even more

Reblogs are greatly appreciated!!

[thatoneidiotdts]

Sleeping (+morning routine) headcanons for some genshin boys

A/n: hello ladies and gentlemen I'm happy to announce that I may be back now that my life has decided to stop throwing endless shit at me. Now I also write for genshin so feel free to send asks in my inbox!!

Warnings: nightmares for xiao, favoritism in diluc's part, purposeful misspelling and slander in C*ilde's part,overall tooth rotting fluff

Zhong li

Sleeps like a rock (pun intended)

This man will not wake up unless there is an emergency

No matter how much noise you make or whatever is going on around him he'll stay there laying in bed completely silent

His breathing is so quiet you think he's dead half the time if not for his endless sleep talking

And you can actually have full on conversations with him while he's asleep

Also he sleeps in a solider position which leaves you to cling on him like a koala on a big ass tree

Sleeps in really soft bamboo pyjamas that you bought for him

Zhong li will only wake up at exactly 7:30 am no matter if it's a week day or a weekend/ his day off

He also doesn't stay in bed for more than 10 minutes unless as stated before its his day off and you aren't awake yet

The man will stay there taking in the sunshine rays from the window as he's looking at your peaceful face

After an hour or two hell rub your back and gently wake you up with forehead kisses while softly calling your name

When you finally wake up you usually start with the morning hygiene and whatnot

Also he will ask you if you want to take a morning bath together but absolutely respects you decision if you won't and you don't need to even give him a reason you declined in the first place but will make sure you know he loves you no matter what

After that he will sit down with you and drink tea and have breakfast with you for the next two hours

It's the only reason he wakes up so early

T̵̻̦̥͌͝e̸̟̗̮̮͌a̷̙͕͉̿̍͝

After that he goes to do his usual shift at the wangsheng funeral parlor

Venti

Menace to society

He either sleeps sprawled out in a starfish position with his arm and leg over your body or in a fetal position with his face buried in your breasts/chest

He usually sleeps in your clothes or in his everyday clothes

His little snores are super cute tho

Venti's snoring isn't super loud, it's actually really quiet but still there

Since he's a bard he stays at the Angel's share until it closes which is usually very late into the night so he sleeps until like 2pm

He isn't a heavy sleeper so you usually accidentally wake him up if you have some errands to run early in the morning

Venti will cling to you and pretend that he's asleep so that you can stay in bed with him

After like 20 minutes of this he finally let's you go and makes you promise him that you'll be back quickly

When you returned to your shared house from doing commissions you found him still sleeping in the bed so you quietly took a shower and snuggled in with him for another hour or two

After he finally wakes up for real this time he has breakfast lunch with you and goes off to Angel's share but not before giving you a thousand kisses

Kaeya

He's sleep schedule is ON POINT

He always gets back from Angel's share at exactly 1:00am, showers, eats and does his skin care routine and gets in bed around 1:30am

He also wakes up at exactly 9am but stays in bed until ten

He trashes through the night, he also talks in his sleep but it really weird and it's mostly things that are in English but you can't understand them at all

Kaeya is also a blanket snatcher and will snatch your blanket if you aren't holding it tightly

I feel like he also sleeps with socks on but has a few special pairs of socks that have some cute patterns that he would rather be caught working with the fatui by his own brother than wear them outside once

Also sleeps in silk pyjamas, doesn't care if the cotton ones are easier to breathe through, he likes the feeling of silk on his skin

Kaeya loves his personal space and he doesn't like to be touched while he sleeps but makes up for it when he's awake but still in bed

The only exception is when it's cold outside, I headcannon he's naturally cold and he doesn't like it at all

His morning routine is 90% of him taking care of his face and showering

His skincare routine is also more expensive than some people's houses so don't touch his products plz

Kaeya will gladly teach you the basics of skin care and will buy you your own products that thinks will suit your skin better

He's also almost late to work every day so every day you see him put on his shoes calmly, take in a deep breath and then he kisses you goodbye and runs off like a mad man in order to get to the headquarters on time

Diluc

He has so much unprocessed trauma I would be surprised is sleep schedule is anything but a mess

Diluc doesn't sleep a lot, he would have a normal sleep schedule but since he has a lot of stuff to do all the time it stops him from sleeping property

Not only does he work as a bartender at Angel's share when Charles can't he also works as the Mondstat's one and only Dark Night Hero

He usually comes home around 4 or 5 am and will only sleep until like 8 and you will have to force him to have a nap in the afternoon

Also he sleeps in his everyday clothing and he's sometimes too tired to even take his coat off

Diluc sleeps on his stomach which causes him to have back and neck problems but it's the only way he can actually fall asleep

He's a really light sleeper which also adds up to his sleeping problem

Also he snores loudly, like really loudly, and he only snores at night for some weird reason

You discovered that because one day you accidentally woke up at like 6 am and you couldn't fall back asleep because of his loud snoring but you didn't dare to move since you knew how little rest he gets

He's not a morning person at all, if he didn't hate alcohol, he would be the person that chugs half a bottle of vodka in the morning just to keep him awake

Diluc usually starts his morning off with some personal hygiene and then starts doing the endless paperwork without even having breakfast or anything to drink

So out will have to force him to eat and drink so that he doesn't pass out from work

On the rare days he doesn't have any work to do he usually sleeps them off to make up for the time he didn't sleep

Albedo

Chalk boy over here also has a terrible sleep schedule

He's not really forcing himself to stay up but rather doesn't realize how late it is

You will have to pull him out of his work in order for him to go to sleep

Albedo has a special pair of pyjamas that he wears when he's sleeping and he only wears them because for his last birthday Klee has given him a pair of pyjamas that were originally grey but she hand painted them herself with the help of Jean and Lisa and he's been sleeping in them ever since

And when i say every day I mean every day

But don't worry he hand washes them every two days and takes special care of them in order to not wash of the fabric paint

His snores are also really quiet and quite cute, I recommend commenting on that if you wanna see him blush ^-^

Albedo usually sleeps on his stomach but unlike Diluc he is small enough to not crush you under his weight so he usually sleeps with his head on your stomach or buried in your neck

Pease touch his hair he melts when you do

Albedo can sleep for a looonng time if you don't wake him up so he relies on you to wake him up or else he'll spend the next 16 hours in bed sleeping without a care in the wold

When he wake up he does his usual morning routine, which is usually a quick shower, breakfast, brushing his teeth and his hair out, and then goes off to work

He will absolutely make you have a nap with him in the afternoon or whenever he feels tired

Xiao

He doesn't sleep much, hell I don't this man sleeps at all sometimes

Adepti don't really require sleep or food like normal humans do

It took a lot of time for him to trust you enough to sleep besides him

Xiao doesn't feel safe while sleeping at all, he also fears that his karmic dept might take affect on you so he keeps his distance for quite some time

For the first month or two he would wear his normal every day clothes but then you gift him a cute plain green onesie and at first he straight up refused to put 'that thing' on but he gave in and hasn't sleep in anything else since

At first he would be the big spoon so that he can protect you from any harm but when you spooned him for the first time he felt so safe and warm he never wanted to let go of that feeling ever again

After that he would ask you under his breath if you could spoon him more often, you barely understood what he was saying but perfectly understood what he wanted and needed.

He also regularly has nightmares which causes him to trash around and maybe whack you in the face once or twice but you're quick to calm him down

Xiao never really realized that he was hurting you until he gently hugged you and you winced because he accidentally touched the small mark he left the previous night after having another nightmare

Doesn't touch you or sleep with you for a week after that, he already hurt you enough but you don't really care so you coaxed him into sleeping with you again very easily since he missed your warmth a lot

He doesn't really have a morning routine but he does wake up every morning before you so that he can teleport to the Huaguang Stone Forest to pick some Qingxin flowers for you

He's also gets back into your arms right before you wake up so that it seems like he never left in the first place

But you always notice the new fresh bouquet of the beautiful white flower on your desk and thank him for it

T*rtaglia

Listen here ok I'mma be real with y'all

Turbulence sleeps exactly one hour less than normal people but makes it seem like he gets like 2 hours of sleep per night

"Ugh I didn't sleep last night at all😩😏" Like bro stfu

He also makes jokes about sleeping so little because he was with you last night or that he was training so hard or doing a mountain of paper work

While you know damn well he was with you entire night sleeping like a baby right by your side

He sleeps naked solely so that one day when a hypothetical intruder gets into your home he can scare them off by yelling at them while being completely naked 💀

But he will put a pair of pyjamas on if you're uncomfortable

He mostly sleeps on his side because he needs to hold something while he's sleeping, if you aren't with him that night he will hug your pillow and sleep like that

Tagliatelle also doesn't like to sleep when in a cold room so he will have one of those water bottles that people use for back pain and will put one in the pillow he's holding and two in the blanket itself

He's totally a morning person and has no problem with getting out of the bed in less than like 10 minutes unless you ask him not to

If he has a day off he won't sleep in that much but he will curl up beside you and 'accidentally' place his head on your boobs/chest

Y'all saying Terrorism is the caring older brother? WRONG he's the forgotten middle child. we ofc know about Tonia, Anthon and Teucer but he also has two older brothers and at least one older sister

I feel like he's the middle child that had to take all the responsibilities when the older three/four moved out

So yeah he can make a damn fine breakfast for you without skipping a beat

But don't let me even start on his personal hygiene

Like shower are fine ok and he baths once a week only because he can but like

I know damn well his back teeth are ROTTING

He only uses mouthwash and brushes the front and bottom part of the teeth so that they look presentable meanwhile his back teeth got their souls sucked out

Moving on from that Tellurium can't really spend the whole morning with you so he will have to leave you late in the morning.

Coffee? :>

[ayuki-ikuya]

Dorms and Archons

Twisted Wonderland x Genshin Impact

Part 2 of 2

Part 1

Dendro Archon

The Recluse Scholar

𝓚𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓶 𝓐𝓵-𝓐𝓼𝓲𝓶

Kalim was excited to have a new friend! Oh the parties they'd have! The fun! The food!

When he met you, you were... distant. Did he do something wrong? Did he upset you?

He really did try to find out what he did wrong, and often sent you invitations (Malleus eyeing the invitations) you some of the parties he makes, but you don't show up nor reply, making him sadden.

Jamil low key face palming

During a normal sunny day at school, he and Jamil headed to the library to grab some books, and during the process, he found you, tucked in a corner with mountains, upon mountains of books around you, and you? You were reading.

"Ah? S/o??"

"HEEEEK!!!!"

he startled you so badly that plants from outside grew. which of course caused a commotion.

Kalim apologised for startling you, but he asked a question about your attendance, your reply was to fiddle with your sleeves before answering with a small voice that you were afraid of people despite being a deity.

Kalim immedietly thought of Idia, but he crossed the line of no return, but Kalim smiled warmly, held your hand, making you choke, and said a more softer voice that he'd throw a smaller party, just the three of them. (Don't tell me you forgot Jamil, HE MAKES THE DANG FOOD)

You accepted.

Several parties later, you two were unsurprisingly in love with each other that the students of NRC were rolling their eyes at the moments the two shared. COULD YOU TWO DATE ALREADY!?!?

When you two started dating, Kalim made a celebration, but kept you in a more secluded section, that way you could be apart of it, but not near a large crowd of people. And you were thankful for it.

As a couple, Kalim practically adores you. And he's super affectionate too! Jalim is glad to have someone more tameable and it also makes it easier to locate Kalim if he ever goes off by himself.

𝓙𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵 𝓥𝓲𝓹𝓮𝓻

He thought nothing of you at first.

Until you had full scores on everything.

He had requested you to help with Scarabia's studying, in offer of full meals, which you complied with due to living in a run down dorm and doesn't have a lot of money to support themselves with.

However, the study group went wrong due to the amount of people.

Jamil then figured that you didn't work too well with large numbers of people, and he found that you were slightly dependent on him when it comes to speaking.

He ended up planning smaller groups, working on those who had the worst grades then up.

And thanks to you, their dorm gradually got better.

Jamil spent time with you whenever he was free from following Kalim, and he was fairly fond of you.

You were soft, very soft, but highly reliable in terms of knowledge. So he'd often vent to you which is surprising.

But your presence and advice helped him grow better.

Jamil fell for you when he found you smiling at a Scarabia student showing you their improved grade, you looked like a warm hearted maternal parent, and his heart skipped at the sight.

When you two began dating, it was a bit rocky due to Jamil's family duty to serve the Al-Asim family. But Kalim was very kind to allow Jamil more free time, in exchange that he brings you over for more study parties!

You figured since Kalim wasn't fond of studying and more for partying, that you'd make a study party which improved Kalim's grade by ten folds. Jalim practically wept tears that the seven sent him this angel.

Geo Archon

The Consultant

𝓐𝔃𝓾𝓵 𝓐𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸

Azul was greedy for the power you possibly possess. and your money.

Azul underestimated you since he witnessed your lack of brains in terms of money. You forget about having your wallet on you, and whenever someone offers to pay for you, you attempt to buy everything without a single thought.

This was going to be an easy contract, Azul thought. They're an idiot, Azul thought. They can't complete this contract, Azul thought.

"I've completed my end of the contract. Now you must do yours."

"Huh? Nani?"

Azul was stupefied by this, he whipped his head towards the Leech twins, both begrudgingly nodding their heads in confirmation at the archon completing their conditions of the contract.

Azul had tried to change the details of the contract, you of course allowed it the first time.

But when you returned with the conditions once again completed, Azul tried to add more.

However, you weren't having it.

You stood up and leaned down to Azul, towering over him. A sudden pressure weighed the three mercreatures, it was heavy and foreboding. Your eyes glowed a gold with the amber ombre in your hair glowing gold as well.

"I was lenient to allow you the first time. Either fulfill your end of the deal or break the contract. But if you break the contract, you will suffer the wrath of the rock."

Azul was terrified.

When Azul fell for you, he questioned himself. How in the seven did he fall for a person like YOU!? He will never remember how, but all he knows is that he's in waaay to deep.

When you two became a couple, you were far more charasmatic and charming than before, it was like it was turned up a notch. Or two. or more...

The contract loving couple have been making more money than ever thanks to the Geo Archon, the avatar of contracts. It's either fill the conditions or suffer the wrath of the rock. Or just, don't make a contract. Simple.

But then we got the one brain cell trio doing their dumb sh**.

𝓙𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓛𝓮𝓮𝓬𝓱

Oya?

What an intriguing being.

Jade was the first to be interested in you. But he couldn't exactly find you that well since you practically mixed with the crowd a little too well than he'd like. [Bro, Zhongli and Venti has statues of themselves around Liyue and Mondstaft, AND NO ONE MANAGES TO THINK "hmmm.. You know, he looks like one that statue there.. Wait a minute-" LIKE, SRSLY!!! Venti is more obvious, I can understand Zhongli since he wears more funeral consultant clothing, but he still somehow blends in with the crowd. Unlike a Lil wind spirit.]

But when the moment came where you made a contract, Jade was more than happy to hinder you, only for you to complete the conditions before he could figure out your plan.

"... What?"

["OSMANTHUS WI-"]

After that fiasco with you giving a very large heavy warning, Jade was by your side whenever he wasn't with Floyd, questioning your knowledge, in which you were more than happy enough to comply.

Jade fell for you when you showed how competent you were unlike the other miserable guppies in school. Sure you had a few problems, but nothing with a little Jade there and everything is perfect. He also favored your knowledge, specially about fungi.

When you two became a couple, it was.. Strange to say, a air headed but scary consultant with a sadistically calm eelman? That's ringing bells for everyone.

𝓕𝓵𝓸𝔂𝓭𝓮 𝓛𝓮𝓮𝓬𝓱

Floyd had zero, zip, non, 100% no interest in you. Why? You looks, sound and seem boring. And he stand corrected.

it was later when you completed the conditions, which, not gonna lie, spooked Floyd.

"Hah?"

Later, he began to go after you like he did with Goldfish (Riddle), and when he tried to squeeze you, he found himself squeezing a shield instead.

He found himself utterly thrilled and had did several attempts at you, which failed.

His interest in you and your abilities heightened.

Then your relationship bloomed.

It was hard to say if it was romantic or platonic, but either way, Floyd was perfectly happy. Happy to have a partner who continues to show things or tell him things about their world.

As long as Floyd kept out of trouble and/or content, Jade and Azul didn't say question their relationship.

Pyro Archon

The Warlord

𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓪 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓻

Who are you? What are you? Why are you here? What are you doing? Get out.

Leona didn't care for you, not one single bit. Until you messed with his sleep schedule due to your chaoticness.

Whenever your around, you just bring trouble with you. And he doesn't like it one bit.

And when you bring trouble, you bring noise.

Which officially ruins his nap times.

However, Leona praises and respects your prowess in battle. You always gave it your all, which he liked. You weren't holding back, which allowed him to gauge how powerful you were as a deity with or without your element.

As it turns out, you're stronger than what you make yourself out to be, but what catches Leona's attention the most, was how calculating you were. It was as if you were analyzing him

To be honest, he felt violated.

At most times, you're energetic, but when your quiet or serious, it's either pack your sh** and leave or get out of their way.

Because when your either if those, you will either send someone to the nurse with severe casualties or some of the schools property will be destroyed. And of course, there is a justified reason for this.

Other than to make Crowley very upset of course.

Leona fell for you with your strength. He loves a woman who can lead and he could just relax. Unless it comes to some other type of leadership, like in the bedroom, then that will change. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

These two are dangerous as a couple when Leona's awake and active. And when Leona's on the move, expect a gremlin to be tailing after him, and be sure to clear out of their way. Mercy didn't in their vocabulary.

𝓡𝓾𝓰𝓰𝓲𝓮 𝓑𝓾𝓬𝓬𝓱𝓲

Huh? Do I know you? No? Goodbye.

Ruggie, quite literally, didn't give a rats ass about you.

To him, you were like any other beast man, rowdy and rough, other than your form that is.

But thankfully, you knew how to take care of yourself. Less work for Ruggie. I guess.

Not only that you knew how to cook. That was a god sent gift to Ruggie. Sadly though, you only know how to make mostly meat dishes. If it contains vegetables, expect the veggies to be over seasoned.

Leona was scared when he saw you in the kitchen, only to calm down seeing you being calm and not rowdy.

Ruggie fell for your cooking. He is literally the term "To get to a mans heart, you go through their stomach". although you should work on cooking vegetables better for a more healthier lifestyle.

𝓙𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓗𝓸𝔀𝓵

Strong? Strong.

You two are 100% besties.

You two are glued to the hip whenever you guys are free or share classes.

You both like to exercise and spar, so you two mostly go for each other.

To say the least, Jack mostly saw you as a sibling. Sorry, no romance.

Jack often scolds you for not eating more vegetables.

Which makes you pout and huff.

Cute lil tyke - Leona

Hydro Archon

The Judge

𝓡𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓵𝓮 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓼

Nice, another rule setter like me. We're gonna be great friends.

"Explain why two cubes of sugar should be in a lemon tea? It's blasphemy."

I see you have chosen violence 😌

Riddle at first liked you, until you learned about the rules of the Queen of Hearts, did he start to hate you.

"BE QUIET OR IT'S OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!"

He loathed you.

He thought that since your a judge, you'd understand the rules, much like him. But no, you judged the rules as well, evaluating if they are fair or not.

Whenever you call out on the rules that appeared ridiculously stupid to have (like the two sugar cubes in lemon tea. That's bs to you.)

After the overblot, you were more nicer when he changed.

He stand corrected.

But he didn't mind it, he low key enjoyed arguing with you, without him screaming at you of course.

You two as a couple sends fear in everyone. A judge and a tyrant? That's a deadly combo.

𝓣𝓻𝓮𝔂 𝓒𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻

Trey had taken a liking to you, seeing how similar you are to Riddle.

He enjoyed answering your questions about rules, but if there were rules he can't remember, he'd look at them with you to not only answer your question, but to commit them to memory in case.

What he's scared of is when you give trials regarding about incidents. Riddle would present his case then the 'innocent' or innocent would present theirs.

If the person is guilty, you ensure punishment, because like Riddle, you detest rule breakers unless in reason. You didn't mind them bending the rules as long as it doesn't break.

Trey is envious of your abilities, but you reassure him the his Doodle Suit is superior if you can use it against others magic.

You often praised him as well.

You admitted to thinking about a scenario of if Trey was born in Tevyat, he'd receive a hydro vision.

He flushed in response, secretly happy to have caught your attention.

You two as a couple puts everyone, minus Riddle because it's you, at ease.

𝓒𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓭

#ohmyseveniminlove #calltheambulance #loveatfirstsight #goddescendingfromheaven #pinchme #PLSNOTICEMEANDLOVEME #foryoupage

He practically fell for you.

To him, you were perfect.

"You have flaws? I only see perfection!"

He's a smooth talker, albeit feminine due to having a lot of sisters, but smooth nonetheless.

He's a simp for you, willing to use his unique magic to do anything and everything for you.

Literally fell at first sight of you.

As a couple, Cater often takes couple photos with you, at first you were content with the pictures, but at this point they kinda peeved her when he takes pictures on every occasion.

"Smiiiile~"

"Cater, I love you, but please, stop."

"If you give me a kiss I might~"

𝓓𝓮𝓾𝓬𝓮 𝓢𝓹𝓪𝓭𝓮

You're his role model.

Literally the Geno to your Saitama.

He carries a notebook with him to take notes on you since he strives to be like you. A model being.

Even if he looks smart, he still has a split braincell between Ace and Grim.

Don't hold it against him if he's trying to know almost EVERYTHING about you.

More platonic than romantic.

𝓐𝓬𝓮 𝓣𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓵𝓪

Complete opposites.

And completely disliked each other.

You rubbed him the wrong way, maybe it was because you were more justified than him, better at things than he was.

He didn't know what, it was just you being better than him. He understands he's not smart, because he foes dumb sh** with the other two.

But whenever you have to deal with their messes on their own, he feels irritated.

He often tries to get after you as well.

"Oh wow, such a god you are. Pathetic."

*cue angry archon noises with an 8 feet tall wave behind them, ready to flood Ace's ass.*

Yeah, your relationship is very... Rocky and slightly concerning.

Here's part 2! I'm happy that you read this! I will have a link to the first part after connecting the links to certain parts. Feel free to request or refer to the main master list pinned on my blog if you wish to see other choices to make! Happy reading!