#and if you combine versions into one listing it treats it at a new listing too

[mildmayfoxe]

❤️‍🔥 BESTSELLERS ❤️‍🔥 top eighteen just for fun!

[anniebeemine]

taking matters into our own hands- s.r x fem!reader

Summary: It's impossible to plan a wedding when you work at the BAU. Good thing you have a little connection to Sin City.

Warnings: Wedding planning, stress, etc.

Wedding planning with Spencer had proven to be a challenge, not because of any lack of enthusiasm on either of your parts, but because of the demanding nature of your work. Endless cases and the unpredictable schedule of the BAU meant that finding time to plan even the smallest details was a struggle. Setting a date had become a near-impossible task. Every time you thought you had a weekend free, a new case would come in, pulling you both away from your plans. Showings for potential venues had been rescheduled more times than you could count, and cake tastings, which should have been a fun and delicious part of the process, felt like an unattainable luxury.

One Friday morning, Spencer surprised you, and everyone else, by bringing a large sample plate of twenty different cake flavors and combinations to work. He had taken a detour on his way to the office to pick it up from a bakery that you two visited often. The sheer variety was overwhelming: chocolate ganache, lemon raspberry, vanilla bean, red velvet, salted caramel, and so many more. As soon as he walked into the office with the plate, the delicious aroma of freshly baked cakes filled the air, attracting the attention of your colleagues.

“Wow, what’s this?” Morgan asked, his eyes lighting up as he spotted the array of cakes.

“It’s a sample plate for our wedding cake,” Spencer explained, a hint of pride in his voice. He opened the box, reaching for a stack of napkins and plastic forks from a drawer in a nearby desk. 

Garcia clapped her hands in delight. “Oh my gosh, this is amazing! You two are the cutest.” 

Emily gazed over the samples. “Can we help taste?”

You nodded, smiling at the eager expressions around you. “Of course. We could use the help deciding.”

You and Spencer had gotten a smaller version of samples, unable to make a list shorter than six flavors. The team gathered around in the break room, each taking a small bite of a different flavor. There was laughter and playful banter as everyone shared their opinions. Hotch suggested a classic vanilla bean with white frosting. Sugar crystals gave the slice a subtle shimmer. Rossi leaned towards the rich chocolate ganache, while JJ and Garcia argued over the merits of lemon raspberry versus red velvet.

“This bakery is really the only detail we have planned so far,” you admitted with a chuckle, taking a bite of a delicious salted caramel slice. “Everything else has been so hard to schedule.”

Emily, savoring a piece of vanilla bean, gave you a sympathetic smile. “It’s understandable with our workload. But hey, at least you’ve got the most important part almost figured out—the cake.”

As the morning went on, the team continued to sample the different flavors, offering their insights and preferences. One by one, they began to feel full, each tapping out with satisfied smiles. Morgan, in particular, leaned back in his chair with a contented sigh. "I think I've had my fill," he declared, a hint of regret in his voice. He pulled a seltzer tablet from his drawer. 

With the break room finally quiet, Spencer motioned for you to follow him into the hallway. With a conspiratorial grin, he pulled out a small box from the bakery bag. "I got something just for you," he said softly, opening the box to reveal your favorite treat—a decadent chocolate croissant, perfectly flaky and filled with rich, gooey chocolate.

Your eyes lit up with delight as you took the box from him. "You remembered," you said, your heart swelling with affection.

"Of course I did," Spencer replied, his voice warm. "I know how much you love these."

You took a bite, savoring the treat and the secret moment shared between you. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to you, a reminder of the thoughtful and caring man you were about to marry.

However, the stress and chaos of wedding planning seemed to rear its ugly head again. It had been a particularly challenging afternoon, the kind where everything seemed to go wrong. You and Spencer had finally managed to set a date for your wedding, the first concrete step in what felt like an endless maze of decisions. But that joy was short-lived.

You had scheduled a call with a venue in a nearby area, one that both of you had fallen in love with during your search. The large acreage behind the property had the perfect backdrop of DC that would make an appearance in photos. At the time you had to call, you’d been in California with the team. Amidst the chaos of the day, you had completely forgotten about the time difference. By the time you remembered and tried to call, the venue office was closed. With the rest of the case left to solve and travel time back to DC, you couldn’t find a spare moment to call again until four days later, only to find out that the venue had been booked for your chosen date. You asked and they were booked for the next seven or so months. Now, as you sat in your shared apartment, the weight of disappointment pressed down on you. You had a trip scheduled to Vegas to visit Spencer’s mother, and you desperately wanted to give her a set wedding date so she could arrange her travel. The stress and frustration of it all had finally caught up to you, and you found yourself sitting on the couch, tears streaming down your face.

Spencer walked in, immediately noticing your distress. He crossed the room quickly, kneeling in front of you and taking your hands in his. “Y/N, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

You tried to speak, but the words caught in your throat. Taking a deep breath, you finally managed to explain. “I forgot about the time difference and missed the chance to confirm the venue. By the time I called, it was already booked. Today was the day we were supposed to get married the first time and-”

Spencer squeezed your hands gently, his thumb brushing away your tears. “Hey, it’s okay,” he said softly. “We’ll find another venue, and we’ll set a new date, even if it is the tenth one. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be ours.”

You shook your head, frustration bubbling up again. “But it feels like we’re never going to get this right. Every time we make progress, something goes wrong. I just want to give your mom a set date. She’s excited about this, and I don’t want to let her down.”

Spencer moved to sit beside you on the couch, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “You’re not letting anyone down, least of all my mom. She understands how hectic our lives are. She just wants us to be happy, and she’ll support us no matter what. We’ll figure this out together, okay?”

Leaning into his embrace, you felt some of the tension begin to ease. “I know,” you whispered. “It’s just hard sometimes. I want everything to be perfect for us.”

Spencer pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “Perfection is overrated. What matters is that we’re doing this together. We’ll find another venue, set a new date, and make sure it’s everything we’ve ever wanted. And if it takes a little longer, that’s okay. The important thing is that we’ll get there in the end.”

-

A weekend trip to Vegas had finally arrived, and you both hoped it would bring some much-needed respite from the wedding planning stress. It had been six months since the proposal, two since the first wedding date. Visiting Spencer’s mom, Diana, always brought a mix of emotions, but today, you felt a sense of anticipation. You were eager to share your updated plans and just enjoy some time together.

You and Spencer found Diana in her favorite spot in the care facility’s garden, enjoying the warmth of the sun. She looked up with a bright smile as you approached.

"Mom, it’s so good to see you," Spencer said, bending down to hug her.

"Hi, Diana," you greeted warmly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"It's wonderful to see both of you," Diana replied, her eyes twinkling with happiness. After a little bit of catching up, she asked the dreaded question. "So, how are the wedding plans coming along?"

Spencer sighed, glancing at you. "It's been... challenging. We thought we had a date and venue, but it fell through. And then again. We're back to square one."

Diana's expression softened with understanding. "I see."

You nodded. "It is. We just want to set a date and make sure you can be there, but it feels like everything is working against us."

Diana smiled knowingly. "You realize what city this is, right?"

You and Spencer exchanged puzzled looks. "Vegas?" he said, still not catching on.

"Yes, Las Vegas," Diana said with a hint of amusement. "The city where people come to gamble and..."

It finally clicked. Spencer's eyes widened, and a slow smile spread across his face. "You mean... we could elope? Here? Now?"

"Why not?" Diana said with a shrug. "I know you wanted a big wedding, but sometimes simplicity is best. You could be married today, with me here to witness it."

Your heart skipped a beat as the idea took root. "Elope... in Vegas?" you repeated, turning the thought over in your mind. The more you thought about it, the more it made sense. "Spencer, what do you think?" 

He looked at you, his expression one of relief and excitement. "I think it's perfect. No more stress, no more delays. Just us, getting married."

A wave of happiness washed over you. "Let's do it."

Spencer hugged his mother tightly. "Thank you, Mom. This means the world to us."

With the setting sun casting a golden glow over the city, you and Spencer stood before an officiant in a quaint little chapel. The warmth of the setting sun bathed the room in a golden light, giving everything a soft, ethereal glow. Diana sat in the front row, her smile radiant as she watched her son and his beloved prepare to exchange vows.

The ceremony was simple and heartfelt, yet it felt somewhat empty as it was rushed through. The officiant, an older gentleman who seemed preoccupied and less enthusiastic than you had hoped, read the vows in a monotone voice. The lack of excitement in his delivery was a stark contrast to the love and anticipation that filled your heart. You stood there in your plain clothes, the casual attire a reminder of how spontaneous and impromptu this moment truly was, having come straight from Diana's facility.

Despite the officiant's lackluster performance, the excitement and love you shared with Spencer made the ceremony perfect. As you looked into his eyes, all the stress and chaos of wedding planning faded away. The hurried nature of the ceremony didn't matter; what mattered was the person standing before you, the man you loved more than anything.

Spencer squeezed your hands gently, his eyes filled with unwavering love and devotion. "I, Spencer, take you, Y/N, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to love you, honor you, and cherish you, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as we both shall live."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you repeated your vows, your voice trembling with emotion. "I, Y/N, take you, Spencer, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to love you, honor you, and cherish you, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as we both shall live."

As you exchanged rings, the weight of the moment settled over you. The plain gold bands, simple yet meaningful, were a symbol of your commitment to each other. When the officiant finally pronounced you husband and wife, his words felt rushed, almost an afterthought.

But when Spencer kissed you, sealing your commitment to each other, all the imperfections of the ceremony melted away. His kiss was tender and full of promise, a reminder of the love and dedication that had brought you to this moment. In that instant, the rushed nature of the ceremony and the disinterested officiant no longer mattered. 

Diana clapped softly, her eyes glistening with tears of joy. You turned to her, feeling a surge of gratitude for her presence and support. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, having her there made the moment even more special.

As you and Spencer walked out of the chapel, hand in hand, you felt a sense of peace and fulfillment wash over you. The ceremony may not have been the grand, meticulously planned event you had once envisioned, but it was perfect in its own way. The love and excitement you shared with Spencer made it a day you would cherish forever.

"Thank you for this," Spencer whispered, his voice filled with gratitude. "I know it wasn't what we planned, but it was perfect because it was with you."

You smiled, squeezing his hand. "It was perfect because we're together, and that's all that matters."

After the ceremony, you celebrated with Diana, sharing stories and laughter late into the night. The simplicity of the day had brought a profound sense of contentment. You knew that, while your wedding might not have been the grand event you initially envisioned, it was perfect in its own way.

As you lay in bed that night, Spencer’s arms wrapped around you, you whispered, “This is exactly how it was meant to be.”

He kissed your forehead, pulling you closer. “I couldn’t agree more. Here’s to our beautiful life together.”

-

Returning to your home after the whirlwind of a weekend in Vegas, you and Spencer were looking forward to some quiet time together. However, as you opened the door, the sound of hushed whispers and bustling activity greeted you. The unmistakable voices of your BAU family echoed from the kitchen. You exchanged a puzzled glance with Spencer as you walked toward the noise. Entering the kitchen, you found JJ, Garcia, Morgan, and Emily busy with various tasks. JJ looked up and offered an apologetic smile.

“Sorry for breaking in, but we have an important task at hand,” JJ said, looking slightly sheepish.

Before you could respond, Rossi appeared from the double French doors leading to the backyard. He gave a nod of approval. “Everything is ready.”

Garcia and Emily swooped in, each taking one of your arms and steering you toward the stairs. “Come on, you two, we have preparations to make,” Garcia said excitedly.

“Wait, what’s going on?” you asked, glancing back at Spencer, who looked just as confused. Derek was leading him to the office. 

“You’ll see!” Emily said with a wink as she led you upstairs.

In the guest room, you found a beautiful white dress laid out on the bed.

“This is your changing room. We were tired of seeing our friends stressed and decided to take matters into our own hands.”

The first bridal shop you visited had an array of beautiful gowns. The dress was tea-length, falling gracefully to just below your knees, allowing for a blend of classic and modern aesthetics. Its simplicity was its charm, crafted from a soft, flowing fabric that moved with you effortlessly.

The bodice was fitted, hugging your curves gently before flaring out into a subtly full skirt that swayed with every step you took. The dress featured a delicate lace overlay, adding a touch of romance and sophistication. The intricate lace patterns were carefully chosen to enhance the design without overwhelming its simplicity. Tiny floral motifs danced across the fabric, creating a beautiful, textured effect.

The neckline was a modest bateau, highlighting your collarbones and framing your face beautifully. The lace overlay continued onto the sleeves, which were three-quarter length, adding to the dress’s vintage-inspired charm. The back of the dress was adorned with a row of small, covered buttons, a subtle yet elegant detail that completed the look.

Complementing the dress was a short veil, which fell softly to just above your shoulders. Made from the same delicate lace as your dress, it added an ethereal quality to your appearance. The veil was attached to a simple comb, which nestled easily into your hair, ensuring it stayed in place throughout the ceremony.

As you stood in front of the mirror, taking in your reflection, you felt a wave of emotion. The dress was everything you had hoped for—elegant, simple, and perfectly suited to your body. The girls lost it when you came out of the dressing room. JJ helped you pick the shoes to go with it. You tried on a few more but in the end, you took the dress home and left it with Emily to send to her seamstress for alterations. 

You laughed, touched by their thoughtfulness. “You can stop this at any time if you’re not ready,” Emily added quickly. “I know you were excited about planning.”

“It’s fine,” you said, feeling a rush of gratitude. “I’m happy and grateful that you’d all do this for us.”

Morgan entered the room, holding some papers. “Got the marriage license right here. Hotch called in a few favors to get it on a Saturday.” Emily’s qualified to officiate, so it’ll all be official and legal.

You smiled at the thoughtfulness of your team. “Has anyone told Spencer?”

“Hotch is filling him in right now,” Garcia assured you. She had been hard at work with your hair, pinning it away from your face and touching up what she needed to. JJ did the buttons on the back of your dress and snapped your necklace into place. 

You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. “Can I have a private first look with Spencer before we start?”

Emily nodded. “Of course. We’ll give you some privacy.”

"Are you ready?"

You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. "As ready as I'll ever be," you replied with a smile. 

Emily gave you a supportive squeeze before slipping out of the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts for a moment. You glanced at yourself in the mirror, taking in the sight of the simple, elegant dress that now felt like a part of you.

Downstairs, Spencer was waiting, equally nervous and flustered. Hotch had just told him about the surprise wedding the team had planned. As he stood by the window, his hands fidgeting with his tie, his mind raced with thoughts of you and the life you were about to start together.

Morgan, who had been Spencer's unofficial best man, walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. "Relax, pretty boy. She's going to look amazing, and you're about to marry the love of your life."

Spencer took a deep breath and nodded. "I know. I just... I can't believe you’re doing all of this for us." The gesture is single handedly the kindest thing anyone has ever done for him, and all for him and his partner. He began to tear up, laughing as Morgan pulled him into a tight hug. 

"That's what family is for," Morgan said with a grin.

With a final nod, Spencer made his way to the living room, where the team sat around the room. As he stood there, waiting for you, his heart pounded in his chest. The door to the guest room opened, and Penelope came out. She smiled and waved her camera as she descended the stairs. 

“Go on in, Wonder Boy,” she grinned. 

Spencer cleared his throat and climbed the stairs. He turned, his eyes widening as he saw you for the first time. Both of you froze, taking in the sight of each other, flustered and overwhelmed by the moment.

"Y/N," Spencer breathed, his voice filled with awe. "You look... incredible."

You felt a blush creep up your cheeks. "Thank you, Spence. You look pretty amazing yourself."

He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving yours. "I can't believe they did all of this. It's perfect."

You nodded, tears of happiness welling up in your eyes. "I know. I can't believe it either."

For a moment, you both stood there, flustered and nervous, unsure of what to say or do next. As you stood there, wrapped in Spencer's arms, you realized that this was exactly how you had always pictured your pre-wedding moment. The Vegas wedding had been perfect in its spontaneity and simplicity, but it wasn't the dream you had envisioned. Standing here now, in the home you shared, surrounded by the people closest to you, you felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Your friends cared enough to create this moment for you and Spencer, to give you the wedding experience you had always wanted. Their love and effort made this day even more special, and you knew that this was a memory you would cherish forever.Then Spencer reached out and took your hands, his touch grounding you. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice soft and reassuring.

You smiled, feeling the last of your nerves melt away. "Yes, I'm ready."

Spencer chuckled, pulling you into a warm embrace. “Should we tell them that we’re already married?”

You laughed, resting your head against his chest. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

For a moment, you simply held each other, soaking in the joy and love that surrounded you. Finally, you pulled back slightly, looking up at him with a mischievous grin. “What do you think? Should we let them in on our secret?”

Spencer’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “I think they’ll get a kick out of it.”

Hand in hand, you walked back downstairs, ready to share your secret with the team and celebrate your love in the best way possible—together with your chosen family.

As you descended the stairs, you noticed the subtle touches your team had added to make the day special. There were flowers everywhere, a mix of your favorite blooms that you had once mentioned to Penelope in passing. The dining table was adorned with a beautifully arranged bouquet, and you realized that Penelope must have remembered your ideas.

Emily met you at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Okay, quick question: which flavor did you guys decide on for the cake?”

“We loved the lemon and raspberry combo.”

Emily grinned. “Perfect. Just wanted to make sure everything was spot on.” You saw JJ hand Penelope a few bills. 

In the living room, you found the rest of the team waiting, their faces lighting up as they saw you. Hotch stood next to Spencer, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. “Ready?” he asked.

Spencer nodded, and you could see the gratitude in his eyes. “More than ready.”

Just then, Rossi stepped forward, holding a small velvet box. “I believe these belong to you,” he said, opening it to reveal two simple yet elegant wedding bands. The rings glimmered softly in the light, their beauty lying in their understated design. Upon closer inspection, you saw that your initials had been etched into the surface, and inside each band was engraved “The Reids.”

Tears welled up in your eyes as you looked at Spencer, who was equally moved. “Rossi, these are perfect,” Spencer said, his voice thick with emotion.

Rossi smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling with pride and affection. “I thought you might like them. Consider it a little something from the team to commemorate this special day.”

You took one of the rings from the box and held it up, feeling the smooth metal against your fingers. “It’s beautiful,” you whispered, your voice trembling with gratitude.

Spencer took the other ring, his eyes meeting yours with a depth of love and commitment that took your breath away. “Thank you, Rossi. This means so much to us.”

David nodded, stepping back to give you and Spencer the space to exchange the rings. Emily stepped forward, a tearful but joyful smile on her face. “And now, if you’re ready, it’s time to make it official.”

You laughed softly, the sound mingling with the collective joy of your friends around you. As you slid the ring onto Spencer’s finger, you felt the weight of the moment, the significance of this symbol of your love and partnership.

Spencer gently took your hand, sliding your ring onto your finger with the same reverence and care. “With this ring, I promise to love you always,” he said, his voice steady and full of promise.

You smiled through your tears, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness and fulfillment. “And with this ring, I promise to love you forever.”

Emily wiped a tear from her cheek, her voice choked with emotion. “By the power vested in me by the state of Virginia and our incredible team, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Spencer leaned in, his lips meeting yours in a kiss that was both tender and passionate, sealing your vows with a promise of a lifetime of love and happiness. The room erupted in cheers and applause, the sound filling your heart with warmth.

Your eyes met Spencer’s, and you both laughed softly, the joy of the moment enveloping you. As you pulled away, still holding each other close, you couldn’t help but laugh. “Should we tell them now?”

Spencer grinned. “I think we should.”

You turned to face your friends, a wide smile on your face. “So, there’s one more thing.” 

You broke away from Spencer to dig through your bag. Penelope’s jaw dropped. “A baby?” 

Spencer’s eyes met yours for a split second. You pulled your Las Vegas marriage certificate up. “The official copy will come later, but surprise!” 

There was a moment of stunned silence, followed by a chorus of laughter and playful groans. “Of course you did!” Morgan exclaimed, shaking his head in amusement.

Hotch just smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Rossi raised a glass. “To Y/N and Spencer, married twice in one weekend. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness!”

As you looked around at the faces of your chosen family, you felt a surge of gratitude and love. This was your real wedding, surrounded by the people who mattered most. And as you stood there, holding Spencer’s hand, you knew that your life together was going to be filled with joy, laughter, and endless adventures. With the formalities over, the rest of the evening was spent celebrating in true BAU fashion. Music played softly in the background as everyone mingled, sharing stories and laughter. 

At one point, Penelope came over to you with a knowing smile. "I knew you guys would end up married in Vegas. I just knew it."

You laughed, hugging her tightly. "You know us too well, Penelope."

She pulled back, her eyes twinkling. "Now, let’s get you some cake. After all, you did say the lemon and raspberry was your favorite."

As the night wore on, you and Spencer found a quiet moment alone. You stepped out onto the back porch, the cool evening air a welcome change from the warmth inside. Spencer wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close.

"Today was perfect," you whispered, leaning into him.

"It really was," he agreed, kissing the top of your head. "I’m so glad we have them in our lives."

You smiled, looking up at the stars. "Me too. I wouldn’t want it any other way."

[danikamariewrites]

Could I possibly request a Modern! Rhys x reader decorating for the holidays with their daughter and doing little holiday traditions like building gingerbread houses, making cookies for Santa, or going to see Christmas lights? Their daughter coming downstairs cause she heard “Santa” and she sees “Santa” kissing her mommy🤭

In my head, whether it’s a modern au or the canon universe, Rhys absolutely LOVES the winter holidays and will gladly go all out for those.

Holiday Preparations

Modern!Rhys x reader

A/n: I also think Rhys loves the winter holidays (especially since Feyre’s bday is solstice) and loves to make them special

Warnings: none

December 1st Rhys is pulling the decorations out of the attic and playing Christmas music

He’s always the one to get the family in the holiday spirit

While you and Rhys handle the bigger decorations you guys let Isla put out the smaller ones

Isla loves hanging the stockings herself, it’s so cute how proud of herself she is. Rhys lifts her so she can reach the hooks on the mantle and when he puts her down she stands back with her little hands on her hips smiling, “wow, good job everyone.”

Tree shopping is the last big thing to do

Rhys always gives Isla a piggyback ride as you look at trees

When you find your perfect tree Isla gets so excited. Rhys makes sure he picks her up so she can inspect every inch of it putting her on his shoulders last to make sure the top is perfect for the star

When it’s to to decorate You put the lights on while Rhys opens up the ornament boxes. Isla has more ornaments than the two of you combined

You and Rhys happily hand them over to your baby girl who loves each and every one of them

When it’s time for the Star Rhys puts Isla on his shoulders and you hand it to her

Sometimes you send Rhys and Isla out for new decor and baking stuff or for small gifts for friends and family throughout the month

Rhys bought a santa hat for him and an elf hat for her for running errands

She always giggles when Rhys puts the hat on her head and says, “let’s go little elf! Mrs. Clause needs stuff to make Christmas happen.”

Making gingerbread houses is the second most important tradition after decorating the tree

Isla loves sticking any and all candy she can on hers while you and Rhys compete to see who can make the better house

Decorating sugar cookies for Santa is another family favorite

“Not too much frosting, Santa doesn’t like them too sweet.” You roll your eyes at him since he’s doing this for his own good

You like baking and keeping the house smelling Christmasy all month. You love making sure there’s a Christmas treat for your family everyday

On the weekends you take Isla to do different holiday activities like looking at the lights, ice skating, and her favorite, the Christmas village and seeing Santa

You and Rhys help her write her letter and list (mainly so you guys know what she wants without having to decipher her handwriting)

You and Rhys wrap gifts while Isla is asleep and enjoy a few glasses of wine

The few glasses of wine lead to you two making out under mistletoe that Rhys holds above your head

Movie night on Christmas Eve is always a must. And you guys have matching Christmas PJs. You each pick one movie and you have to watch it. This year Rhys picked the newer version of the Grinch, you picked Home Alone, and Isla picked Beauty and the Beast the Enchanted Christmas (top tier movie go watch it)

When you two tell Isla it’s time for bed she insists on staying up to catch Santa, “No! I need to see him and ask him what he wants for Christmas!” “That’s very nice of you sweetie, but santa has so many houses to get to. Maybe when you’re older.”

She begrudgingly lets you and Rhys tuck her in

The next morning when she comes down stairs the look on her face is priceless! Rhys hugs you at the sight of your daughters excitement

“Merry Christmas, darling.” He whispers as Isla starts picking out gifts to open. “Merry Christmas my love.”

[fearecia]

Putting this in a pinned post to make it easy to find/share. We all know how Tumblr is about things (and to be fair, I'm terrible and inconsistent as hell with tags).

Link to the "shoulder release" document:

Notes about this guide:

This is a WIP, and still very much in the rough draft phase. Please forgive typos/errors. I literally haven't done a single edit yet.

The document focuses on releasing shoulders as a way to treat neck tension and migraines. Seriously, just trust me. It helps.

Carpal tunnel? Tennis elbow? Golfer's elbow? AC (acromioclavicular) joint injury? Rotator cuff problems? Tight upper back? Sporadic numbness in your arm? Seriously, just try the muscles already listed. You'll likely find at least some relief. Like, if it involves the upper body, release your shoulders.

I've done my best to make this able to be understood by people without massage training. So if it seems like it's covering really "obvious" info, that's intentional. Just skip the section if you already know things.

A lot of massage therapists may balk at me telling you to dig around in your own armpit. We're taught in school to avoid the area. Why? Because there's a crap ton of nerves and blood vessels there. *Which is precisely why releasing this area is so powerful.* There's also a ton of muscle (on yes, basically everybody) here that will protect all those structures. It's honestly really safe so long as you stick to "In pain, refrain!" And read the other rules too.

90% of the time, the culprit is one of the four muscles listed (or any combination of them). If you are someone who exercises a lot/does yoga/is otherwise pretty physically active, you are more likely to fall into the 10% of people who will have their issue somewhere else/it will just be really hard to find. So bear that in mind.

Sadly, this sort of thing will probably never be a "one and done" type of deal. Most of the things we do every day steadily build up to cause problems, and you have to constantly work to undo that entropy. So save these notes for future you.

And just in case you want to know what the hell qualifies me to make this sort of document, here are my "quals."

My first career attempt was nursing. While this did not go well (doctors don't really appreciate autistic students willing to question their authority) I learned a shit ton about the body. I became a student teacher for the anatomy and physiology class because I was so good at it (and that professor used to teach the pre-med students). A&P is now literally one of my special interests.

8 years as a licensed massage therapist focused exclusively on injury therapy. I studied Rolfing techniques, and primarily used trigger point therapy, structural integration, and myofascial release as my tools. Clients liked to joke that going to see me was like seeing the physical therapist (they weren't wrong).

Some of the stuff I share is literally self taught through "following the tension" in clients bodies. Like, I developed some of my protocols. And then practiced and refined them over 100s of bodies. The goal was always the most efficient and least painful way to achieve lasting release.

I eventually destroyed my shoulder doing massage (which was injured long before this career due to an AC joint sprain gotten when I was 20). Bonus, this means I'm *very* practiced at releasing my own shoulders.

I'm now a mechanical engineer, which just means I now have the engineering knowledge to understand to the force transferrence patterns I saw in clients all the time. Kinesiology is the same thing as statics and dynamics.

Hopefully that helps put perspective into things. I'll update this post as new versions of the document come out. I have a ton on my plate right now (who am I joking; I always have a ton on my plate), so please be patient waiting for updates.

[batsplat]

hi batsplat! i would like to say that you are an absolute pillar of the motogp community on here, like you are truly so so appreciated. both for your knowledge and also for the way you write about things (i think you could write 3000 words on a grocery store trip valentino took in 2003 and still make it super interesting reading)

i was reading your post about your favourite rivalries that didnt include one of the aliens, who would you personally include as part of that list? (versus who is really good but not quite alien status) id also really like to know if (and who) youd count as aliens from the pre-motogp era, and if theres been a difference over time about how often we are seeing aliens or if theyre easier/harder to spot as technical developments have sped up

hope you have a great day!

that's so sweet... thank you that's such an incredible compliment dsdkhfkhfd

about the aliens, the way I use the term is entirely as a historical descriptor, not as a qualitative assessment of any riders. it's a useful shorthand for a specific riders in a specific era, but to me it has limited relevance outside of that era. so to be clear we're talking valentino, casey, dani, jorge and marc - and according to common wisdom this usage originated from colin edwards' 2009 comment:

“But as I’ve said before, I’ve got to be pleased to be finishing next best behind those four guys, or should I say aliens. “They are riding out of this world and to be right behind them means I’m doing the best job I can and that’s about as good as I can hope for at the moment.”

(jorge discusses valentino as an alien in 2007, see here. which might be complete coincidence, but has always made me kind of curious whether the word was floating around in the paddock in some capacity before edwards 'coined' the term)

the thing is, right, it made sense to treat those four (and later -casey +marc) as distinct from the field, because they were winning almost everything. one reason for this was that they were very good, very skilled riders. another was that from 2007-15, only four to six bikes were capable of regularly challenging for wins at any one time. it was a massive field disparity that quite frankly was partly enforced through machinery. that's why it makes sense to include marc in that term: it's not just the fact that he was very good, it's the fact that he was riding a repsol honda that was the best or second best bike by a long way for his first three years in the premier class. in 2016, motogp returned to michelins and introduced new technical regulations - and for all intents and purposes, the alien era ended. it ended when eight different riders won in eight races that season. yes, marc, valentino and jorge were still the top three in the championship... but it's the difference of whether you go into a weekend convinced you know the winner will come from a list of four riders, or if you very much do not know that. between 2008 to 2015, apart from the aliens, a grand total of two riders claimed wins - dovi on a repsol honda in 2009 and ben spies on a factory yamaha in 2011. both of those were wet races (which of course are generally more open than dry ones). so just to reiterate: a greater number of riders won in 2016 alone (9) than in 2008-15 combined (7). (in 2007, a further two different riders won races - capirossi on the championship-winning factory ducati and vermeulen on the suzuki.) yes, obviously the aliens were very good riders, nobody is going to argue with you over that... but those numbers? they're only possible in a specific version of motogp - one that only existed for a few years

honestly, I don't even really use the term 'alien' to describe valentino pre-2006 or marc post-2016. it's just not that useful to me... aliens to me is a 'pack hunter' thing, where even if some of them are injured or are having a bad day or whatever, at least one of them will basically always be there to pick up the pieces. marc and valentino might have dominated the sport as a whole - but not all of their championship seasons were completely dominant, and there's only so much any one athlete can dominate in the sport... you're not going into every single weekend thinking 'oh yeah they're definitely going to win' (yes, yes, there were two times per year where you did very much do that with marc). which is different when you compare it to the aliens as a pack, where you could be confident that ONE of them would end the weekend on the top step of the podium

which is why I just don't apply the alien term to anyone pre-valentino - it's not because I think they were less good or less talented or less anything, it's because for me it's a term that's more about an era than it is about individual riders. you have to treat each era on its own, and I'm not really a big fan of inter-era comparisons. it's just kind of impossible to say whether a rider in the 1970s is more talented than one in the 2020s, whether ago's numbers are more or less impressive than marc's and so on... the sport has just changed in so many ways over the years. of course, in sports you do generally have this upward momentum where each generation is 'better' than the last. sports has gotten more professionalised, there's been massive advances in terms of pedagogy and sports medicine and exercise science and all of those things - all of which already affects how athletes train from childhood onwards. the young aren't more 'talented' in the sense that they were born with an innate superior ability to compete at the sport, but they are more 'talented' in that their ultimate ceiling will be higher as a result of all these gradual changes over time. these things can change quite quickly even (and if other sports is anything to go by, I wouldn't be surprised if the nineties/early noughties brought some big changes in that regard) - so already between, for instance, valentino and marc there'd probably been a real shift in how young talent is being nurtured

(the most blunt illustration of this is that young valentino's lifestyle was completely different from that of young riders today, in terms of how much time he spent training in the gym, sleeping habits, nutrition etc etc. athletes now can't get away with that much deviation any more, and indeed valentino had to massively change his approach in the 2010s to remain competitive - but of course it's different if you haven't been doing this stuff since you were a kid. I think we can safely assume valentino's 2003 supermarket trips looked rather different from marc's 2017 ones)

being good in pro sports may in some ways be harder now than it was in, say, the eighties, and the level of competition you're facing might be higher now - but of course, it would also by extension be unfair to judge those athletes by the standards of today. also, different eras are going to lend themselves to different profiles of rider depending on competitive trends, type of machinery and so on - even very basic stuff like how tall you are might have helped you in a certain era and hindered you in another... so what does that mean for talent? if we're discussing 'talent' at all, how can we possibly treat it as anything other than relative to the era we're discussing? to me, it just makes these comparisons between different generations pretty pointless... or well, I like talking about some of this stuff in a more holistic 'isn't this interesting' kind of way, not a 'this is why xyz is better than xyz' approach... this kind of thing is also why I finds goat debate such a uniquely boring way to spend your time, incidentally

this is a very long way of saying, I don't have a metric by which I judge athletes pre-2000 as 'alien' or 'not alien'! I think you have similarly dominant athletes, though again it is so tough to decide how much of that is down to talent and how much of it is down to bike advantage. if you take doohan's title winning seasons for instance:

yeah, look, sure, you can call him an alien as far as I'm concerned - if I'm watching these races live I will be expecting doohan to win in any given weekend. I'm still kind of missing the pack hunter feel in some of these seasons, so I won't know for certain the winner is going to come from a very short list. like take 1998:

not really one group vs the field, is it? and yeah, even if I consider doohan an 'alien' in some of those seasons, I'm still not going to call him that - because the term was essentially coined in 2009 for a specific group of guys that one other guy was later added onto. the competitive landscape and demands of doohan's era were so different that it feels off to try and go back and label him or any other past riders aliens... they were phenomenally talented, yes, they were great champions, yes, they can be called as good as the aliens, sure - but why wrench the term out of its historical context? is it still an analytically useful concept if you do so, except as a way to generically refer to a rider as 'very talented'?

which is also why I personally don't describe anyone since then as an alien. this doesn't mean I don't think fabio or now pedro aren't as good as those guys were, I just don't think they've been given the opportunity to have that kind of hold over the sport. fabio won five out of eighteen races in 2021 - and he did so on a yamaha that basically only he was able to consistently get a high level of performance out of. which is deeply impressive - but unlike say casey in 2007, he didn't have those other riders to dominate all the other races. eight riders won a race that season! it's just a fundamentally different competitive landscape. personally, I'd be perfectly content if we don't get another alien era. of course 2007-15 isn't all bad, but for good reason most fans' most fondly remembered eras are either 2001-06 or 2017-19... yes, at times one rider was too dominant, but it still felt like more riders had a shot at victory - and most importantly the quality of the racing was generally very high. this kind of domination by a few mega talents on the best machinery can get drab pretty quickly (though of course a lot of the blame for decreased race quality needs to be assigned to the 800cc era 2007-11, not to any of the aliens themselves)

I'd be quite happy to retire the term alien going forwards... except as a useful shorthand for a specific group of guys who have mostly retired. it shouldn't be used as a way to bash the young stars, as if they just can't measure up to the legends of the past. which would be dumb! again, plenty of ways in which motogp is harder now than it ever has been, though the most important thing is that it's just... different. not better, not worse, just different. sure, maybe we'll get another equivalent to the alien era, even though I personally think it's quite unlikely. if it happens, yeah, let's discuss cranking the term out again (and, yes, if you look at the current season and ignore sprints... if this current trend continues then we can have the debate at the end of the season. pecco and jorge despite all their apparent inconsistencies are currently building a pretty solid case for themselves) (now I've said that they're both gonna crash out of assen huh)

that being said! I don't exactly neatly follow this principle myself, because sometimes I do use something like the term 'alien-like talent' to refer to fabio or pedro... obviously, you can argue this is basically the same as calling them aliens in everything but semantics. so what's the criteria there? when do I use this term? I think to me it's just... instant, 'in your face' talent. they arrive to the premier class and they shine basically immediately. valentino got a relatively sedate start to the premier class by alien standards - which is fitting, because he's not really about that blistering raw pace. still, he wasn't far from being a rookie champion, got ten podiums, two wins... not too bad. casey was on a satellite team, but he got pole in his second ever race and came painfully close to winning his third. dani got a podium on debut and fought for the championship for almost the entire season. jorge got pole in his first three races and won his third. marc won the second time out and of course secured the title in his rookie season. compare that to fabio - pole in his fourth ever race on satellite machinery, fighting for wins in his first season. pedro got a podium in his second ever race and is handily outperforming everyone else on that bike

so it's about how quickly these guys pick this stuff up, how quickly they make that step from one level to another - though again, it's important to stress you can't just neatly compare these achievements! valentino's first two seasons were on 500cc bikes, which were notorious for being kind of evil. some of these riders started on satellite bikes (we're not counting valentino here), and there's also plenty of talk about how the bikes have become more complicated to ride now, making pedro's rapid adjustment even more impressive. but in every case, there is just this ability to 'be fast immediately', whatever the circumstances... and it's worth pointing out that even though pecco had a mediocre rookie season, he was incredibly quick in 2019 pre-season testing. jorge martin secured his first pole position and podium at his second race in motogp

speaking of, those two were already a touch older when they joined the premier class. there does generally seem to be something to the idea that in motorcycle racing, if you are not already very fast at a certain age, you will have a quite definitive ceiling... and from valentino onwards, the age by which you need to already have reached that standard of 'very good' seems to have gone down. when we're talking about talent and throwing around the term alien, this feels like another important change to mention - doohan was not winning his titles as a 22 year old! neither was rainey! or schwantz! or lawson! or... actually spencer was very young, yeah. but I think you get the point. I cannot tell you definitively why this changed, but it clearly has changed. in the 21st century, only two riders have won titles when they were older than 26: valentino (29-30) and jorge (28). valentino and marc were both 27 when their dominance over the sport ended (even if valentino secured titles after that point and marc will very probably do so as well). casey was 27 when he retired. (fun fact: pecco bagnaia is currently 27 years old.) so overall it's pretty rare in grand prix motorcycle racing to operate at the top of the premier class for more than a certain number of years - but the precise age window in which you are likely to be at your best does seem to have shifted pretty radically this century. which should demonstrate how hard these things are to compare... like I said, talent is often assessed by how quickly you are good at something - but if we called mick doohan a late bloomer, it would be wildly ahistorical

and yeah, look, this idea of 'you have to be good young or you will have a certain ceiling' is hardly unique to motogp, lots of sports are like that... another measure of this precocity that's perhaps more useful than just 'age' is looking how long it took them to win a title from when they joined the premier class (if they did so at all, of course). it's generally very fast! marc year one, valentino, casey and joan year two, jorge and fabio year three... and, well, pecco and hayden year four. of course, there's exceptions to this 'be fast immediately' rule - athletes who ended up being very good and title contenders who had slightly different paths getting there. the sete's and dovi's of this world - and to a lesser extent hayden too, who unlike those two was only even really a title contender in a single season... but generally speaking, those riders seem more heavily reliant on circumstances playing out just right to have a shot at a title

or perhaps! perhaps it's going to change! especially if you look at repeat champions, pecco does become a bit of an outlier in how he got there this century, doesn't he? compare the numbers he was posting in his rookie season vs valentino, casey, jorge and marc. and in some ways, you can extend this even further and say he's a massive historical outlier in terms of any premier class champions. there was an article about this in late 2022:

and some more about how historically unusual he is:

isn't that great? you don't become premier class champion with that kind of a rookie season, but pecco did! hey, aleix was a serious title threat in that season, which is a far more remarkable story still! and the thing is, right, if you're studying the current era and are labelling some riders aliens but leaving out pecco... then no offence but what's the point? look, who knows, maybe marc and pedro and david alonso are going to dominate the next twenty titles and pecco will have been a weird blip. but isn't there something fun about believing that a bunch of different riders could eventually develop into title threats? wouldn't it be kind of cool if you don't have to just write someone off age 22 any more? I don't know, I think it's a neat development! I hope it sticks around! there'll be plenty of alien-level talents in the future, but personally I wouldn't mind at all if there were no more aliens

[a-strange-server]

Strange Tales Of Halloween 2023

Hi everyone! In honor of the spookiest, weirdest, and dare we say, strangest month, we have created a prompt list for Doctor Stephen Strange for every day in October! Last year saw a hord of spooky, ghostly works created for the occasion. We are hoping this year will be as much fun!

This list is open to all forms of creativity. Fill as few or as many prompts as you would like in October and tag it with #strangehalloween2023 so we can reblog! You can also submit your work in the Strange Tales Of Halloween 2023 ao3 collection.

Full written list and the FAQ under the cut.

Strange Tales of Halloween 2023 Prompt List

1. “What was that? Is somebody there?” | Scales

2. “Wait, kids can trick o'treat here?” | Trapped

3. “Sometimes the world tries to end.” | Spirit

4. “Dormammu, I've come to bargain—“ | Alone

5. “There aren't many of us left.” | Cauldron

6. “I thought you were dead!” | Witch

7. “So what do you do for Halloween?” | Cursed

8. “Is that supposed to be a costume, or what?” | Cat

9. “Well, that's strange...” | Moon

10. “They’re not the traitor. I am.” | Mythological creature

11. “No, don’t tell me that.” | Dimensional breach

12. “Something’s happened to you.” | Shroud

13. “Stay with me.” | Nightmare

14. “Huh… that’s new.” | Future

15. “You what?!” | Celebration

16. “Crap. Imps!” “Imps? Crap.” | Ancient

17. “I know everything. That’s my curse.” | Fire & Ice

18. “I have seen a horror movie before.” | Tradition

19. “I know you!” | Cave

20. “Is that a bloody butterfly?” | Fever dream

21. “Strange... what have you done?!” | Scars

22. “The Cauldron of Cosmos is not a bowl for Halloween treats!” | Supernatural entities

23. “You’re a bad demon.” | Candy

24. “Oh, a meeting with the devil? Just when I thought I have a free afternoon... Fine.” | Baking

25. “No. Tell them to get Ghostbusters, or something.” | Pumpkin carving

26. “There was no other way.” | Horror movies

27. “You messed up the ritual.” | Trick or treat

28. “Nightmare has him.” | Will-o’-the-wisp

29. “Don’t be so superstitious.” | Bog

30. “Are you really afraid of a little black cat?” | Crown of thorns

31. “Donna... Is that really you?” | Tam Lin

◇◇◇◇◇

FAQ:

What must be included in the content of a filled prompt? Stephen Strange (any version of him: film, TV, or comics) must be either the main or co-main character. Otherwise, anything goes!

What must be included in the tags of Tumblr and Twitter posts? Please use the hashtag #strangehalloween2023 and the # of the prompt you're filling (i.e. #no6 and/or #witch). On Tumblr, please include additional tags for NSFW and common triggers (see AO3 for examples).

When can I post my prompt fill? In the spirit of the theme, these should be posted in October! We'd prefer if you post prompts the day of or after the day has passed. For example, prompt 10 fills can be posted on or after Oct 10, and preferably not before.

What medium can I use? Anything! Written prose, poetry, gifsets, mood boards, artwork, all is acceptable as a prompt fill. It's all about Stephen Strange in any form he comes in.

Can I combine Strange Tales of Halloween prompts into one submission (i.e. #1 "What was that? Is somebody there?" and #6 witch)? Sure! If you post it on social media, you can use both prompt tags to help us identify it as such.

There are two prompts per day. Do I have to do both? You can use the sentence prompts, the words prompt, or do a mix of them!

Can I use this prompt list with other prompt lists/bingo cards? Absolutely! Combine it with any other event you'd like to use it with.

Are there any limits to how many prompts I can use/have to use? Nope! Participate with one piece or 31 pieces! Do as much as you'd like--we'll love to see it!

Any other questions? Send an ask to @a-strange-server and we'll get back to you soon. We can't wait to start seeing what you come up with come October!

[stormyoceans]

Do you have any other wishes for GMMTV part 2 aside from the mandatory slow burn?

[TAKES OUT HER WISHLIST] ANON HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE

all jokes aside, i honestly do have way too many wishes when it comes to what i want to see from GMMTV and most of them are very hyperspecific, so instead of giving you just an endless list of whatever random ideas or pairings i’d like to get (which is maybe more appropriate for a bingo card or something like that), i kinda condensed it all into some more general categories (sort of. a couple fo these are still pretty specific ;;;;;;;;)

anyway, here we go!!!!

1. WOMEN. literally my top wish after anything jimmysea related is MORE. WOMEN. like srsly give me viewjune as the main pairing in a GL!!!!!!!! give me sizzy in any combination!!!!!!!! give me women centring shows where the women actually get treated as the main characters!!!!!!!! give me the GL version of series like only friends and we are where the women get to be silly and nasty!!!!!!!!! give me jamie kissing women as a treat to me specifically!!!!!!!!! GIVE. ME. WOMEN.

2. historical QL. after the success of i feel you linger in the air and with both idolfactory and domundi working on releasing historical QLs in the near future, i think it’s about time GMMTV also gives us a proper one. possibly with no time travel or reincarnation involved, for once

3. plot driven QL. this is kinda tied to my wish for an actual slow burn and partly to the following point as well, but i do desperately wish we could get a QL series where the romance is obviously still there, but it’s not the main focus of the show, or at least not the only one. something like manner of death or triage, where the romance just happens along the way as the story unfolds. i think the closest GMMTV got to it was with not me, but it would be nice to get more, even if i know this is not everyone’s cup of tea

4. some variety please for the love of god. look, i know we’re never gonna get rid of school settings and office romances, so it’s pointless to wish to have none of those, but i do desperately need a bit more diversity. of the fifteen series announced in part 1, seven of them are set in school. SEVEN. that’s basically half of the offer they’re giving. and okay, if we consider only the QL shows then the ratio is better (3 out of 9), but still. give me thriller shows, give me horror shows, give me fantasy shows, give me sci-fi shows, give me jobs that aren’t just office workers or chefs, give me mystery, give me crime, give me cashiers and doctors and detectives and firefighters and taxi drivers and teachers and librarians and waiters and bartenders and mechanics and lawyers and flight attendants and therapists and farmers and hairdressers and reporters, JUST!!!!!!!!! explore something new!!!!!!!! take some risks!!!!!!!! i know GMMTV as a company is not as big as we think it is and that it focuses on teens and new generation audiences, but i don’t think younger people want to see students and office workers exclusively……

5. QL exploring other sexualities and gender identities. just give me ace main characters, trans main characters, non-binary main characters, ALL THE DIFFERENT QUEER MAIN CHARACTERS!!!!!!!

6. pepper/papang/guy/podd in any combination as a main pairing in a QL. love and light to all the rookies but if GMMTV doesn’t give these men some main roles im gonna start committing grand scale larceny to cope

[leonbastralle]

GAMES I PLAYED IN 2023 - SECOND HALF-ISH

here's part 2 of my little review of my 2023 games! somehow this is even more indie than the first half and honestly a lot of games w nonexistent fandoms on tumblr so be the change u want to see in the world i guess!

old man's journey: this is a rly short indie game with an interesting, though very repetitive puzzle mechanic that follows an old man as he goes on an important journey - literally but also figuratively by coming to terms with his past, and at some point the two end up being the same thing. the art style is truly lovely and unique, it gives me big children's book vibes, and the soundtrack is beautiful and touching and so is the story and the ending itself. as i said, the mechanic and actual gameplay could be expanded on, but i knew this going in and played it mostly for the vibes and in that it did not disappoint.

the last campfire: when i talked my wife into playing this i told her it's basically the pacifist puzzle version of dark souls and it truly is. you play as a little ember on their final journey to the last campfire, where all embers go when their light begins to fade. the path is challenging and a lot of embers give up. they become forlorn. it's your desire to help them, if they let you. this game is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, such a gentle and touching story with a cast of diverse, likeable characters. the puzzles are all in all pretty doable, though they can get pretty intense at times, but there is a story only mode to remedy that! this one definitely is going on my all time favorites list.

lemon cake: who were you before you wandered into this bakery? doesn't matter, because the ghostified previous owner is now holding you hostage as her successor. this is a little sim/time management game w a super cute style where you upgrade your bakery, cafe and garden to keep making new delicious looking treats and serving your customers in the best way possible until you are worthy of your predecessor's famous lemon cake recipe. this game, as games of this variety tend to do, gets a bit stressful if you want to serve all of your customers before they get angry and leave while also needing to keep an eye on your ingredients and ovens and displays. i really liked all the upgrade options that make your life easier, and i loved combining all the cute pastries into new menus every other day or so to keep customers happy. a bit expensive for the amount of gameplay you get out of it but definitely worth it on a sale!

the gardens between: this game follows a pair of childhood friends through their memories together as they prepare for the move that one of them is about to go through and the inevitable goodbye that will precede it. super touching game with a really cool and unique puzzle mechanic in which you manipulate time and objects at different times throughout the puzzles to get to the solution. can make you kind of dizzy because the levels are built like spirals so the camera does a lot of spinning, but i'm sensitive to this and was fine when i went slow and took breaks.

book of travels: hoooo boy this is a big one. this game is marketed as a tmorpg (because the servers are TINY) and it definitely makes it work. most of this game is just exploring around, doing little tasks and finding your way since the game doesn't tell you at all what to do, it's all up to how you play it. do you want to do some combat? figure out what the fuck happened in kasa, the closed capital? become a fisherman? just trade and collect cool looking things? the braided shore is your oyster and it is a beautiful one with the painterly art style and great music and ambiance. still in early access and therefore quite buggy sometimes, but definitely one of my faves w a lot of potential.

capybara spa: made by the same person as lemon cake, you can really see the similarities in terms of the cutesy style, but i think it's a lovely thing to look at. this is just a little clicker where you run a spa for capybaras and their little critter friends and keep levelling up to add more and more spa options and extras to give them the special treatment they deserve! i assume this game could get a bit overwhelming since there's a lot to keep an eye on at all times, but there are no time constraints and no punishment so you can take your time and get sucked in for hours, which this game is very good at doing.

tiny echo: in this point and click game you play as a funky little guy w an eye for a head who delivers letters to their spirit inhabitants with a minimal amount of puzzling involved. i mainly played it because i wanted to check out more games by the book of travels devs, and it was a nice experience, though it also doesn't really stand out for me. very short game, maybe a bit short for the price, but i played it from a shared library so skdjfhksdjf

cosmic wheel sisterhood: i got nothing bad to say about this one. you play as an exiled fortune telling witch who breaks after years of solitude and forms a forbidden pact. the cast of witches (and other creatures) is diverse, i liked both the characterizations and the interactions between characters (also a lot of them are very hot so that helps). the big mechanic of this game is that you use elemental energy to craft your own tarot cards from a selection of card backgrounds and elements and then you use these to tell people's fortunes, which in turn gives you more energy. depending on your selections, the cards will have unique names and different meanings, and i enjoyed seeing all the cards i or others could come up with. the story is intense and emotional, but to me, definitely in a good way. though there are several outcomes and so far i've only tried one. definitely replay value there. just be wary because despite including trigger warnings, they forgot one for cancer so be informed and do not be like me ADJHKAJSDHA

planet zoo: i tried this after i saw my wife play it because growing up i was crazy about zoo empire and zoo tycoon. i don't have much to say about this one because though you have a whooooole bunch of freedom in designing your zoo, the enclosures and even every single building, that freedom was a bit overwhelming for me so i never ended up rly getting into it. also not a huge fan of big capitalism expansion packs system, but hey. it definitely is a pretty, very neat game.

cats & dogs organized neatly: it's like static tetris. but with animals. you click on them and they bark and meow and you can SPIN THEM MANY TIMES as jazzy music plays in the bg. as you go you unlock more funky little boys n girls and they all have funny little bios and names. i broke my brain on some levels but didn't mind looking up some solutions in favor of the vibe! i enjoyed both of these and will definitely play the birds sequel that's set to come out this year! another german dev shoutout these were great games. they're very small and quite cheap but you can also get these on sale for like 2 euros KSJFHAKSFA

toem: truly the year of photography games for me, but i think vibe wise this one was my favorite. just a funky lil guy in a black and white world going on their first photography pilgrimage to toem, the famed natural phenomenon of their world. i loved all the little quests, the different worlds and the endless filter options and the soundtrack was great too. honestly greatly recommend, i don't own this game but i plan to buy it to replay!

pupperazzi: yet another photography game! this one's all about dogs, and it's delightful and wonky and just a good casual time with less story elements than the other mentioned photography games. not groundbreaking but great fun.

luna the shadow dust: this game follows a young apprentice mage back up the tower that he's grown up and studied in to face the consequences of his past mistakes. lovely art style, music, and puzzle mechanics, especially the use of light and shadow. i've wanted to play this one for a while and i'm really glad i did, i liked the story a lot even though it got quite sad.

alba: WAIT this one too is a photography game that i honestly might like even more because its story is so touching. you play as alba who is visiting her grandparents for the summer. the natural reserve on their island is about to be sold to be turned into a hotel, so her and her friend decide to start a petition to save it and help clean up the island and rescue animals in need as well as documenting the wildlife to change people's minds! truly one of the most heartwarming games i played in my life, 10/10 i cried at the sad part sdjkhksd

röki: this one's...a lot. the main character of this game, tove, lives in a little cabin with her dad and her very whimsical little brother who she's basically taking care of on her own because her dad has been incredibly depressed since his wife passed away. when a mythical creature attacks their house and abducts her little brother, tove has to enter a magical mirror world. there she has to help all the other mythical creatures in hopes of reawakening the forest spirits, who have been plagued by nightmare parasites, and finding a way to get her brother back. lovely puzzles and wintery vibes, but a truly heartbreaking story that gets more and more messed up every time she faces a nightmare parasite and with it, more of her past and the events that lead to her mother's death. despite the heavy undertones this is still a good game if you're ok with some tragedy and slight horror elements askjfhakjsfas

stardew valley: i forgot to add this one in the previous post bc i actually played it in early 2023. not my first time and will not be my last time either. still a queen among farming sim peasants and i'm looking forward to restarting our little farm w my wife after the next big update!

[clarktooncrossing]

DUDELZ of the Damned | La Doncella de El Río

HEY THERE PEOPLE OF TODAY AND ROBOTS OF TOMORROW! IT'S ME, CLARK!

A chill is in the air. You can feel it can't you? Perhaps you even recognize it. That same chill arrives every year right on the dot. With it comes a frightful howl in the moonlight, the only other sound to be heard. Otherwise there is a strange calmness settling around you, like the point of ease before the storm. By now the howling has stopped. It has been replaced by a different sound. Footsteps. Big, heavy, dragging, as if the figure didn't quite know how to use their legs. Perhaps it's a random passerby. Perhaps it's a rotting, frightful feature freshly risen from the grave. Perhaps it's some other, unspeakable horror waiting to pounce! Whatever it is, you're not waiting around to find out! Yet no matter how far you run, it can't be escaped. The chill in the air, the howling of the wind, the heavy footsteps, it all leads back to one thing: October is here! And with it comes the return of the DUDELZ of the Damned!

Yes weirdos, like last year, my approximation of Sketchtober has returned. I call it an proxy because there was no list of prompts. Nah, that'd be too limiting. This is yet another case where I compiled my own list of ideas, sketched them out, then used one color per picture. With all that said, let's see what spoopy scribblings await us today!

Recall the tale of Crocenstein, a reptilian monstrosity made in the laboratory of Doctor Clarkenstein. His story continues deep within the jungles of South America circa 1500 BC. It's also the beginning of Princess Alberta’s story, second heir to the queen of the Amazons. Much to the dismay of her majesty. As far as the malicious monarch, the eldest of the two always had to make up for the youngest. Princess Nara wasn’t as cold-hearted as her mother. Her biggest concern was her sister’s safety. Not that Alberta ever noticed. Being wrapped up in her mom’s mind games meant she was always used as a pawn. Such was the case when the Queen ordered her daughter to find the Necroscroll, a lost piece of parchment fabled for raising the dead. Years passed and it seemed her majesty’s plight to quietly exile her daughter had worked. Until she walked up the temple with the scroll in hand. Never had Alberta felt prouder. It was the last thing she felt before a blade was buried into her heart. A horrified Nara watched as her mother slaughtered her sister for the sake of using her blood to activate the Necroscoll. Only problem? Even with her daughter’s blood inking the paper, she couldn’t understand a word of it. Less so when Nara chopped off her head. Mother’s mind games had taken her sister. When all was over, all the princess could do was bury the scroll, mummify her sister, and pray that the next life would treat her more kindly. Undoubtedly what happened next wasn’t exactly what she had in mind…

What comes next can wait for tomorrow. For now, let me explain how this came to be. Like many pieces this year, this one acts as a sequel:

My original plan for Crocenstein was inevitably to draw his bride. Sadly every attempt I made to draw Alberta in the role came out looking lackluster. Not terrible, mind you. Just not what I had envisioned in my head. Eventually I was forced to scrap the idea altogether. Turns out this was a blessing in disguise. During the last year I had canned my 3K characters, meaning the Clarktooniverse was in need of a new mummy. Luckier still, South America was known for mummies older than those in Egypt. With this in mind I combined The Bride and the Mummy to craft this version of Alberta you see before you. She even comes complete with a white streak as my own little tribute. Here's hoping you all enjoyed this pic as much as I enjoyed making it. And remember; every country has mummies, so you're not safe anywhere!

BONUS QUESTION: Are mummies your favorite monster?

MAY THE GLASSES BE WITH YOU!

[digi-log-conversation]

do you have any thoughts on wallsocket deluxe (as an addition to wallsocket, as a full album, as a standalone set of 4 tracks etc)

warning for possibly incoherent rambling:

firstly, i do personally like to treat it as a standalone set of 4 tracks, but one that exists as supplemental material to wallsocket, like the ARG did previously.

i was already familiar with My guy and Northwest zombie girl from the ARG (if you look up the away games utrecht show i'm sure you can hear me screaming along to nwzg) and to me they really did always feel like earlier versions of concepts that are explored better in the actual album. i think old money bitch's arc is executed flawlessly in the album, as much as i love nwzg.

i'm very happy i got to scan the wallsocket pizza qr code to get my guy legitimately, the pizza was pretty good too. my guy's energy is immaculate and it paints an interesting picture of the town which is fun, supplementally, but not critical to the story. cops and robbers sets everything up plenty well. i mean it!! also the fortnite sound effect was kinda better. shame it had to be swapped out.

Stupid (can't run from the urge) is in my opinion the perfect credits song for the wallsocket arc, tour celebration anthem, and just generally a fucking banger. very curious to see where the story goes from there on.

CCTV... Like everyone else, I was not remotely expecting this song. Themes from Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (my fav track on Wsk), You don't even know who I am, and Uncanny long arms all combined into one NEW haunting 8 minute track that's frankly undoubtedly canon and enjoyment of which is heightened by knowing about Secretariat through the ARG prior... It really triples down on the fact that Wallsocket as a whole is a horror story. The opening verses instantly brought back visions of the hometown tour skits, the rest of it is so vivid in my mind too. God, I wish I could scream like that. And for someone who isn't and has never been religious at all, the plea with God in this track as well as Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hits me really hard every time. Just last night I listened to CCTV 4 times over while sobbing hysterically and singing along the whole time. If I ever get to see this song live I might pass out from lack of oxygen quite honestly. CCTV is on my pipe dream cover list for sure. Northwest zombie girl, well... Since you've read this far, I guess I'll let you in on a little secret. I finished a full "cover" of the song early this year, long before the track was actually released on Wsk DC. You can catch it in my Funny Rave set, whenever that happens ^^

[tigermike]

SERIOUS Custom:

1951 Studebaker Woodie - Never Slow Down - StreetRodder

Body

Gray Baskerville accurately described Dennis Varni as "a hot rodder's hot rodder." Since buying a '31 Model A as a teenager in the late '50s, Dennis doesn't seem to have slowed down ever. He has amassed a phenomenal stable of collector cars, trucks, vintage race cars, and motorcycles of practically every type, including the '29 Model A roadster built by Boyd Coddington that was named America's Most Beautiful Roadster in 1992. He has participated in motorsports all over the world, including numerous trips to Mexico to race in the famous La Carrera Panamericana, to South Africa for the South African Rally Championship, and to the Bonneville Salt Flats, right here in the U.S., where he drove his Falconer L6-powered "Speed Nymph" streamliner just shy of 350 mph.

Dennis has more checks on his hot rodding bucket list than just about anybody we know. So did you really expect his latest street rod to be something ordinary?

Body Bottom

Any 1951 Studebaker woodie custom could be considered out of the ordinary (how many can you think of?), but Dennis, builder Curt Hill, and the people who had previously helped create this custom woodie, have taken the '51 to an extraordinary level.

This car was under construction when Dennis made the winning bid for it at the auction of the late Joe MacPherson's prized collection. The unfinished project had been started by Doug Carr of Woodn' Carr. It had already been transformed from a sedan to a fastback (based on Thom Taylor's design sketches) and was already a woodie. The top was chopped 2-1/2 inches, and the rear fenders were stretched 18 inches and treated to custom taillight lenses and bezels. The '37 Ford headlights were installed by Steve Davis, who had done some of the early fabrication on the car.

Such an unusual car deserved an equally unique engine. For a while, Dennis considered dropping in a Cadillac engine to create his own version of the Studillac, the Cadillac-powered Stude coupes custom-built in the mid '50s. Then he remembered the one-of-a-kind induction system he'd found at a swap meet decades ago. The mechanical fuel injection system, with wild-looking air bodies, was a prototype created by Propulsion Development Laboratories in the '50s. Everybody had seen it on the cover of Hot Rod magazine in 1959 and nobody had seen it since. The setup is finally in service, feeding a Ford 427 FE engine. Dan Brewer in Torrance, California, did the assembly on the engine and converted the PDL mechanical injection to work with a Hilborn electronic system hidden under the manifold. Edelbrock cylinder heads are topped with Edsel valve covers to replicate the look engine on Hot Rod's cover. The new combination produced 410 hp on the dyno. An adapter fits the Ford to a GM 700-R4 transmission. This is one of the rarest, most unusual engines you'll find in a hot rod, but Dennis is almost nonchalant about it. "Nobody puts Edsels in Studebakers," is what he said.

The interior was entrusted to Sid Chavers in Santa Clara, California. Chavers built custom bucket seats and covered them in tan leather with gray-toned fur inserts. No need to replace the '51 Studebaker dash, so Redline Gauge Works restored the appearance of the factory gauges and updated the internals. A reproduction '54 Stude steering wheel came from Shrock Brothers, which specializes in repro Studebaker parts. Lucky 7 Customs gave the wheel and column their wood grain paint. The perfect accessory to the interior is the set of vintage alligator-grain luggage in the rear deck area, which Dennis found in an antique store in Washington.

The end result is a genuinely unique custom that would probably hover around the top of most people's lists of great Studebakers, great woodies, and great customs.

[unhingedstepmom]

Episode 1: Perfect Combination

I met this man at a mutual friend's house to watch the game. We instatly hit it off talking about anime like others weren't watching a basketball game right next to us. It was a connection at first conversation, and I felt comfortable (not easy for a 24 year old with 1 solid friend). He didn't ask for my number, but something about him made me feel like I needed more. I don't use a lot of social media, but I downloaded all the bullshit and searched him up in many different ways. I finally found him through a different mutual friend (we'll get into this bitch later) and I was finally able to contact him. I immediately noticed that he had a son. My world was crushed. My thoughts went as follows: 1. Oh, this is why he didn't ask for my number. He is taken. 2. That's some of the most disappointing shit I've heard in a while, and im waiting for my ex of 6 years to move out of my house currently. 3. Fuck that bitch. I want him and she won't treat him the way I can. Once i made it to thought #3, i was ready to push forward.

📺TV TIME OUT📺

I bet you're wondering, why not ask the first mutual friend for his number... welp! We will get into that lady later as well. (See why I don't have friends? 🤣)

Anyways, I hit him up via FB and I say something along the lines of...

"Hey! You should watch Spy Family! It's a new anime. Pretty good!" (See how I avoided the real reason I was there)

Little did I know I was conversing with the male version of myself, so he responds in a way that forces me to have to actually be vulnerable because he wasn't about to be. 🙄🔫 Therefore, the convo ended like this:

Him: "Well, let me know if you need me or my number."

(🙄 Are you fr? You know why tf I am here. I want that damn number!!! Later down the road, he claims he did not know... Lies! 🤥)

*I ponder my next decision*

Me: "Well, what if I don't need it, but I want it?" (😉 ok, ok good job... that's a technical hypothetical.)

Him: ***-***-****

Me: Mentally freaking out cause I fucking did that shit.

We continued texting that day. All day. Straight up until our eyes couldn't stay open. I learned about him, his son, his aspirations, and much more. The more I learned about him, the more I learned about myself. The true me that I never shared with anyone. I realized that if we were not the perfect combination, then I'd never find one. You would think a connection so bright would dance gracefully onward. Well, we danced, but when you got a bunch of delusional bitches shuffling in and out, you can't seem to make things as cohesive as you want... to be continued

Find out in Episode 2: Jealous Much? about our first "date" and how mutual friend number 2 got onto bitch list territory.

[rjalker]

[ID: Two versions of the same pride flag. The first is square shaped, the second is wider and shaped like a rectangle.

The flag has six horizontal stripes of, in order from top to bottom: light grey, gold, orange, red, black, and dark wine purple.

End ID.]

November 19th 2022. Here's a PDF, slightly shorter version of this post and HD versions of the flags on the web archive. Here's the archived version of this post.

For everyone else who never experiences the supposedly-universal experience of “touch starvation”, I am coining two terms.

_____

First I am coining the term "solitaremit", to describe people who are touch averse and do not ever experience touch starvation.

Solitaremit is a combination of "solitary" and "hermit" because it's easy to remember and straight to the point, and doesn't exist anywhere else on the internet yet, so it can't be mixed up with anything else.

Solitary + hermit – the Y and H = Solitaremit

Soll-ih-tair-eh-mit (or met, it doesn't really matter)

_____

I am also coining the term "gregariable" to describe people who do experience touch starvation.

Gregariable is a combination of "gregarious" and "sociable" for people who do experience touch starvation, whether or not they're touch amiable or averse. This word also does not yet exist on the internet, so it can't be confused for anything else.

Gregarious + sociable - the ous and soci = gregariable

greh-gair-ee-uh-bull

_____

Solitaremit works as an adjective the same way as touch averse/touch repulsed do. IE: "It is solitaremit, it doesn't like being touched and doesn't get touch starved" “they are solitaremit”

Same with gregariable. "They are gregariable, they get touch starved." "I am touch averse and gregariable, I don't like being touched, but I still get touch starved"

_____

Solitaremity would be used to describe the thing...I can't think of the grammar word.

Example:

"Most of the stress 'caused by' solitaremity is caused by gregariable people refusing to respect solitaremit people's boundaries or existence." “I am researching solitaremity for a story I'm writing so I won't be ableist by mistake.”

I have edited tags related to solitaremity into all my posts about touch aversion, so you should, in theory, be able to search my blog for this word right now on the day I'm posting this and find stuff.

I have no doubt these terms will be shortened / streamlined as time goes on. That's perfectly fine, this is just something to give us a fucking foundation to at least stand on.

_____

List of the new terms:

Solitaremit / solitaremity / solitaremisia

Gregariable / gregariality

Solitaremit: Someone who does not enjoy being touched, and never gets touch starved. EX: “Murderbot is solitaremit, it never wants to be touched. Solitaremit representation in fiction is very rare, and it's even rarer for it to be handled respectfully.”

Solitaremity: “Solitaremity is treated as something to be ashamed of, because gregariable people are more common, are self-entitled, and have no fucking compassion for others.”

Solitaremisia: Ableism directed specifically against solitaremit people.

Bigotry against touch-averse people in general is called athiktomisia.

Gregariable: Someone who gets touch starved / desires touch, whether or not they are touch averse and would actually enjoy the touch.

Gregariality: “Gregariality is treated as the universal experience, unfortunately for those who are solitaremit, who are shamed for being solitaremit from the moment they start expressing discomfort with touch.”

_____

What do the flag colors mean?

I picked colors commonly seen on poisonous/venemous animals to ward off attacks. Monarch butterflies and other insects that eat milkweed for the yellow, orange, red, and black, poison dart frogs for the purple, and cottonmouths specifically for the light grey.

_____

Can I use this pride flag for art?

Yes. I'm the one who made it, and I say it's public domain because fuck capitalism. Use it for literally anything you fucking want. Credit is not even necessary, though I will ask that, whenever possible, you include an image description, as well as sharing HD images of the flags with those who don't have them.

_____

Some suggested tags to use or look through are:

solitaremit

actuallysolitaremit

actually solitaremit

solitaremitiy

canonically solitaremit characters

solitaremit characters

solitaremit positivity

_____

Who can identify with these terms?

Gregariable: Literally anyone who experiences touch starvation.

Solitaremit: Anyone who is touch averse //and never// experiences touch starvation.

_____

This term is //specifically designed// to be //exclusive// to people who do not ever get touch starved, and never have any desire to be touched whatsoever, //specifically// so that we can have tags and other things to search without being overwhelmed by people who are touch starved talking about how touch starved they are.

Other terms can be created for people who only very rarely experience touch starvation or anything like that as a spectrum, but these terms should not include as a whole or as a part any part of the word solitaremit, so that crosstagging will not occur, even by accident.

Please just create an entirely brand new word that is unique, just as solitaremit is unique. I made sure these words didn't exist yet for a reason.

The entire point of the coining of these terms is so that solitaremit people can find posts by others with the same apparently impossibly rare experiences. Who fucking knows, maybe there's more of us than anyone things.

I am EXPLICITY requesting that people further down the line NOT to create a term like “solitaremitspec” or use “solitaremit spectrum” or anything like that using the word solitaremit for anything other than to describe someone who is touch averse and literally never experiences or has ever experienced touch starvation.

Touch aversion and touch repulsion are already spectrum. If you must coin a new term to describe a spectrum of touch averse experiences, do not include the word solitaremit in it. Please. That's literally all I ask.

I am not trying to be mean, I am trying to make sure the voices of people like me are not drowned out in the future as they are right now, when everyone, /including other touch averse people,/ whether intentionally or not, still push the idea that it is a completely universal fact that every single person ever born craves physical touch from other people, and is going to suffer if they don't get it.

If you experience touch starvation, then speak for yourself, and make sure you aren't drowning out the voices of those who don't.

Also, to reiterate from another post - the only requirement for being touch averse is not enjoying being touched. You do not need to be autistic, you do not need to be traumatized, there are no requirements for being touch averse except not enjoying being touched.

I will be tagging this post as "actually autistic" because a lot of autistic people are touch averse, but it is literally not a requirement for being touch averse.

Also, for the record, being touch averse is 100% a disability. There are so many things touch averse people can't do or can't do without suffering that other people do not even think twice about.

TLDR:

Solitaremit describes people who are touch averse and have never experienced touch starvation.

Gregariable describes people who do experience touch starvation.

(Everyone is welcome to reblog this post.)

[zydrateacademy]

Review: Baldur's Gate 3

I had an early access review and as you may expect, some information was outdated.

I played 52 hours on EA and have but 127 after, and I haven't beaten Act 2 yet on my main.

So what kind of game do we have here? Any veterans of Larian may be familiar with Divinity: Original Sin 2 and this game plays a lot like that one, except your action orbs are replaced by the Dungeons and Dragons system. So you only get one action (an attack or spell) and a bonus action (usually a utility like pushing or dashing), and there's things you can do to manipulate both. This takes some getting used to as you play combat encounters and attack once, thinking "huh? That's it? That's all I can do?" But consider you're controlling four total characters at once.

There's a lot to get used to just on a mechanical basis, as the game does in fact do a poor job of tutorializing. The crashing ship in the beginning is basically your only tutorial and that amounts to two fights with some imps. So you get two relatively easy combat encounters (with a couple of twists if you hang around long enough) but not enough time to figure out which buttons do what. After that, once you leave the beach all bets are off and you're left to figure everything else out on your own. I've had to google how to 'use' the torch I had.

This is easily a 9.5/10 game but the game does have some niggling issues like that. It performs mostly well but longer game sessions can lead to some instabilities, areas won't load, so on. After 3-4 hours of playing it I usually need to save and close to give it a 15 minute break for my computer to 'cool down'. But even on a fresh session in the morning, there can be some hiccups but otherwise it's been a fairly smooth experience. If you're running a potato, then beware.

The reason I have 127 hours is that there is an insane amount of character and class combinations that result in slightly different interactions throughout the entire game. If you play a Drow, there's a certain area where some human knights will put up arms because they just suffered some Drow and goblin raiders burning down their township. Play a Dragonborn and some of the Gith will respect your heritage (being dragonriders themselves). Now double all that for the various class-specific dialog you can get. This list goes on, it's insane.

There's a lot of breadcrumbs to pick up, several interactions in Act 1 will come back by Act 2 and 3. How you save or destroy the druid grove will change some major interactions in the next, and is one of the only games in recent years where your choices do in fact, matter. This is not an A or B ending kind of game. If you fail some persuasion rolls, you can enter combat and wipe out an entire inn of friendlies and you either reload or move on and deal with the fact that you just burned down four potential quests. That's just something you can do here. (And there's an entire Dark Urge custom origin character you can play to lean into that very thing).

A complaint I had in EA is that your choice of companions seemed to be fairly limited. That complaint has morphed into a different version. Before, if you played the harder difficulties you pretty much had to keep both Lae'zel and Shadowheart in your party as the damage dealer and healer. So you had to deal with their opposing approval. On release however, there's an respec NPC that allows you to change any party member's class. The story treats them the same, but you can actually hang around with team members that best reflect your character's morals. Now my new complaint is that only having four teammates is a different kind of restrictive; one that omits at least one role from the party. I don't often play with a cleric (or Shadowheart) except on tactician. I try to go for two melee, one rogue(ish), and one caster as a backline. But depending on my main character that can be more difficult to arrange than you might think, and I always end up losing out on a caster or cleric. Just one extra teammate would fix this issue, but the game isn't balanced for having a party of 5 or 6, so I imagine many fights would become much easier.

I cannot fully articulate the fun I've been having. Some reviews like to get anecdotal which I won't bother with here, the internet and reddit are already filled with tons of stories. I find myself doing the same thing I did on DoS2. I play a character for several hours only to find some really nice magical item... for a class I don't play. So I'd go roll a new character as that class so I can soon take advantage of that really nice item.

Well, I'll do one anecdote: I was having trouble getting past a door for a major treasure haul because of some patrolling neutrals. So my bard set up, started playing her violin and drew characters to her. So the -barbarian- of my party, of all people, could actually sneak into the door and Take All the treasure before the crowd got bored. Peak bard gameplay and I was super proud of that moment. I did the same thing to draw out an enemy so my team was better positioned to deal with him.

Anyway the game is excellent and highly recommended. If you're the kind of player that doesn't fully enjoy the hassle of the combat or mechanics, there is an easy mode here where you can blow through it and just experience the various story and choice combinations. There's a lot of game here, and it welcomes you.

[simplydelegated]

The Best Seller Cakes That Are Worth the Hype

In the world of cakes, there are countless varieties to explore, but some cakes have become so popular that they’ve earned a spot on the best-seller cakes list. These cakes are not just delicious; they are beloved for their unique flavors, textures, and the way they capture the essence of indulgence. Here’s a look at some of the best-seller cakes that truly live up to their hype.

1. Classic Chocolate Cake

Why It’s a Bestseller: Chocolate cake is a timeless favorite for a reason. Its rich, moist crumb and decadent chocolate flavor make it a go-to for celebrations and casual treats alike. Often topped with a glossy chocolate ganache or a swirl of chocolate buttercream, this cake never fails to impress.

Popular Variations:

German Chocolate Cake: Featuring a coconut-pecan frosting that adds a chewy, nutty texture.

Death by Chocolate Cake: A triple chocolate experience with layers of chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache.

2. Red Velvet Cake

Why It’s a Bestseller: Red velvet cake stands out with its striking red color and velvety texture. Its mild cocoa flavor combined with a tangy cream cheese frosting makes it a unique choice that’s both visually stunning and deliciously indulgent.

Popular Variations:

Classic Red Velvet: The traditional version with cream cheese frosting.

Red Velvet Cheesecake: Combining the best of both worlds with a rich cheesecake layer.

3. Cheesecake

Why It’s a Bestseller: Cheesecake is the epitome of creamy, indulgent desserts. With a smooth, creamy filling on a graham cracker crust, it’s versatile and can be flavored with a variety of ingredients. From fruity to chocolatey, there’s a cheesecake for every palate.

Popular Variations:

New York Cheesecake: Rich and dense, often served plain or with a berry compote.

Lemon Cheesecake: Adding a citrusy zing that balances the creaminess with a refreshing twist.

4. Carrot Cake

Why It’s a Bestseller: Carrot cake is celebrated for its moist texture and spiced flavor, often complemented by the crunch of walnuts or pecans. The cream cheese frosting adds a tangy sweetness that pairs perfectly with the spiced cake.

Popular Variations:

Classic Carrot Cake: With walnuts and a generous layer of cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Cake with Pineapple: Adding a bit of tropical sweetness and extra moisture.

5. Tiramisu

Why It’s a Bestseller: Tiramisu offers a sophisticated flavor profile with its layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese. The balance of coffee and cream makes it a popular choice for those who enjoy a dessert with a bit of elegance.

Popular Variations:

Classic Tiramisu: The traditional version with espresso and cocoa powder.

Berry Tiramisu: Incorporating fruit flavors for a fresh twist on the classic.

6. Lemon Drizzle Cake

Why It’s a Bestseller: Lemon drizzle cake is cherished for its light, zesty flavor. The tangy lemon glaze adds an extra layer of citrusy goodness that keeps this cake moist and flavorful.

Popular Variations:

Classic Lemon Drizzle: Featuring a simple yet tangy lemon glaze.

Lemon and Blueberry Cake: Combining zesty lemon with the sweet burst of blueberries.

7. Black Forest Cake

Why It’s a Bestseller: Black Forest cake combines layers of rich chocolate cake with whipped cream and cherries. The interplay of flavors and textures—chocolate, cream, and fruit—creates a dessert that's both indulgent and refreshing.

Popular Variations:

Traditional Black Forest Cake: With cherries and a chocolate ganache.

White Forest Cake: A variation using white chocolate and berries.

Conclusion

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in a sweet treat, these best-seller cakes are sure to impress. Each one has earned its place in the spotlight due to its irresistible flavors and timeless appeal. Next time you’re in the mood for a cake, consider one of these classics—you won’t be disappointed!

[lazzarella]

It's now been six months since I started my journey into Asian BL series*, and there's nothing I like more than making lists and procrastinating (with a dash of navel gazing), so I'm here to ramble a bit haha (okay this got really long 😅)

*I did realise later that I had watched the movie cut of Wish You some time back, but I'm not counting it :P

I posted an overall top 10 when I hit 40, I think, but here's my updated version:

1. My Personal Weatherman and Moonlight Chicken tied for first place :P

2. KinnPorsche

3. Cherry Magic (Thailand)

4. Wandee Goodday

5. Boys Be Brave!

6. Old Fashion Cupcake

7. A Tale Of Thousand Stars

8. Cherry Magic (Japan)

9. We Are

10. Only Friends and Jack O' Frost tied for 10th place because I can't decide

Now for the navel gazing:

So, I had heard of some of these shows for a while, but I was dumb and couldn't figure out how to watch them XD then, someone on Reddit asked for recs for gay period dramas, and another person recommended I Feel You Linger in the Air to them (I still haven't finished this) and that sent me down a rabbit hole, which eventually led to me watching Moonlight Chicken at the end of January. I was super anxious and depressed at the time (compared to my usual levels of depression and anxiety) and it was exactly the balm I needed! And then I proceeded to watch 49 more shows in the following six months lmao

Also, as much as I sometimes love a sad love story, I was getting frustrated that so many queer romance movies were ending with the main couple apart—maybe everyone wants to make their own version of Weekend, I don’t know haha (Sidenote: I swear there were more HEA in 90s/00s queer films but maybe that was selection bias) Like, don't get me wrong, they're basically all made by queer creators, and I don't want to police what they make (I have a whole rant about this, but I'll save it for another day...or my drafts lol) But as a rom-com lover I was getting bored of watching the same 10 movies/shows over and over for my HEA lmao so, delving into Asian BL series where the majority seem to have happy endings??? Omg, it's been HEAVEN!

As far as adjusting, there wasn't really much to do. I only note this, because a few people I've chatted to elsewhere seemed to treat it like I was delving into completely new territory or something??

Anything that isn't just your standard rom-com or romance trope, I was probably familiar with due to many years in transformative fandom. And the things I wasn't familiar with were mostly cultural things (which I'm still learning about) or different stylistic choices (like the sound effects, which I love). The fandom culture, though, has been a little more of an adjustment, especially the fan service and fixed couples (I think this is a super cute idea, tbh—it feels like watching the gay Fred and Ginger or Myrna Loy and William Powell et al, you know? By the by, Loy and Powell made 13 films together!)

I think overall I'm more drawn to Thai series, but the Japanese ones, when they hit emotionally, they hit like nothing else. Like nothing I've ever watched really. I think it's the way they do longing and yearning combined with feelings of low self worth that's just sooooooo good and delicious to me. But, yeah, there's something about the Thai series that I'm really drawn to! I've started watching more Thai movies in general and listening to Thai music and, I don't know, I enjoy it all. I still need to delve into Taiwan and other countries, though

I've had so much fun with the series I've watched and learning little bits of different cultures and I'm excited to keep going and make my way through my intimidatingly long watchlist lol It's been hard not to let other people's opinions get me down, though—I've felt less embarrassed about enjoying rom coms on Letterboxd than I have since poking my head into BL spaces, but... I don't think I'll dwell on that XD

Anyway, here are all of the series I've watched ranked by country under the cut(an idea I borrowed from @/dramalets)

Thailand (average rating: 8.4)

1. Moonlight Chicken

2. KinnPorsche

3. Cherry Magic

4. Wandee Goodday

5. A Tale of Thousand Stars

6. Only Friends

7. We Are

8. Cupid's Last Wish

9. Manner of Death

10. Laws of Attraction

11. Vice Versa

12. Last Twilight

13. Enchanté

14. A Boss and a Babe

15. Lovely Writer

16. The Sign

17. Hidden Agenda

18. Bad Buddy

19. Not Me

20. Theory of Love

21. To Be Continued

22. Sky In Your Heart

Japan (average rating: 8.2)

(Using the English titles)

1. My Personal Weatherman

2. Old Fashion Cupcake

3. What Did You Eat Yesterday?

4. Jack O' Frost

5. Cherry Magic etc

6. My Beautiful Man

7. Love is Better the Second Time Around

8. Ossan's Love

9. Perfect Propose

10. My Love Mix-Up

11. Candy Color Paradox

12. I Cannot Reach You

13. Mr Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kiss

South Korea (average rating: 7.6)

1. Boys Be Brave

2. Blueming

3. Semantic Error

4. Love for Love's Sake

5. Choco Milk Shake

6. The New Employee

7. Love Tractor

8. Our Dating Sim

9. Bon Appetit

10. Roommates of Poongduck 304

11. The Director Who Buys Me Dinner

12. Love Class

13. Cherry Blossoms After Winter

14. Kissable Lips

And I'm currently watching:

Love Sea; Meet You at the Blossom; Only Boo!; The Trainee; This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans