#and that applies just as hard to Western activism

[cometconmain]

Please note there are articles from sites I was specifically told to look at as well because they're more reliable for Palestinian news due to not being connected to Hamas propaganda. I mean this as genuine information sharing from areas I'm hoping are reliable so I can support Palestinians properly as well without falling for antisemitic dogwhistles. I'm genuinely trying and I do mean all this in good faith. When I'm sharing things/talking about things criticising the government and the military and anyone else as individuals committing awful acts against Palestinians or supporting these things in other ways because of their own suffering, I do genuinely intend to just criticise that, not Israel even existing as a whole or Zionism's existence as though it is a monolith when it isn't, etc etc.

Israeli people are going through horrors right now too at the hands of the terrorist group Hamas and this is fucked up and needs to end, antisemitism is a huge problem that is only getting worse and impacting Jewish people around the world, way too many people in the pro-Palestine movement in Western countries are falling for antisemitic dogwhistles and then radicalising worse and worse against Jewish people as a whole while telling themselves and others it's about Palestine even while actively causing issue for things that would help Palestinians because their Jew-hatred has become more important and many of them likely never actually cared about bringing freedom to Palestinians, Zionism isn't inherently bad there are just extremist sections of it like there are with any ideology in the world that people then bad faith point to in an attempt to paint the entire thing as all the same thing going for the same goals when it isn't, antisemitic people then use Zionist interchangeably with 'Jew' to hide what they're actually calling for, Jewish people are native to the Levant and Israel as a country full of millions of people should not be destroyed with all those millions displaced nor should anyone aim to destroy it as part of seeking an end to the oppression that is going on (we don't even get calls for that in countries where settlers aren't historically native in any sense of the word so I don't see why challenging and fighting the radicalisation happening in Israel is expected to include that now as an end result; that's just radicalisation on the Western side of things which also needs to be challenged and fought. We cannot reach justice for Palestinians by enacting injustice on Jewish people any more than justice can be reached for Israeli people by enacting injustice on Palestinians.

With the wording of the article being what it is, I think/hope it's talking only about areas that are Palestinian land that have been taken over and held with cruelty and support from the soldiers, not Israel itself as a country, which is why I'm sharing it as well as the other sources that have been cleared as reliable rather than propaganda.

It also talks about Israeli social justice groups I'm hoping are the helpful ones because I don't remember seeing them on the shitlist and they're calling this out too.

I'm sharing these because we need reliable news reporting on this that isn't just propaganda kicked around by bad faith actors so Palestinians can be taken seriously in their fight for freedom from genuinely oppressive systems they're facing, rather than what too many people use to intentionally whip up antisemitism in people who couldn't care less what's actually happening because outrage is enough for them and Jews are the easy bogeyman to unleash that rage onto regardless of what's specifically happening to Palestinians by specific groups and how that system is upheld according to Israeli activists and even IDF members themselves.

But it does need to be talked about. So here are articles from the ABC but also Times of Israel and +972 Magazine. Please read my notes after as well.

I will finish by again saying PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you are a non-Jewish pro-Palestine activist reading this PLEASE understand this is the result of not just Hamas' horrific actions against Israeli civillians being utilised by the government and military to fuel the pain and rage of Israeli civillians against Palestine, but also OUR ACTIONS AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE AS A WHOLE.

Do not take this post and turn it into another weapon against Jewish people. If you seriously need to be reminded this isn't a monolith situation, there are multiple mentions of Israeli groups standing against what is happening, and the only reason we have some of these articles at all is because of ex members of the IDF speaking out, including people at the commanding level!! Not to mention +972 itself is run by Israeli people. Israel as a whole is not the problem; the rampant radicalisation of people there is the problem.

BUT

If we are going to genuinely talk about that in actual good faith, we CANNOT be going around ignoring our part in that radicalisation. Jewish people around the world are TERRIFIED right now and understandably so. We are allowing antisemitism to sweep through the movement in huge waves that are only getting worse, even to the point of abandoning the people we profess to be fighting for in favour of just attacking Jewish people harder.

(On a positive note, the vaccinations have begun and Palestinians will be less at risk of facing a polio outbreak on top of everything else:)

This is not a simple situation in any sense of the word. There are atrocities happening all over and then bad faith actors are using those acts to push for annihilation of whichever group they want to point the angry mob at. If you want to criticise Israel on this topic, make sure you don't lounge complacently on criticising radicalisation in our own movement, among Westerners in general, in our schools and places of worship and workplaces and especially protests, or we are doing exactly the radicalisation we supposedly are criticising Israel for doing.

Every time we pull shit like what I've linked from my blog above, we push more Jewish people into the radicalisation we insist we're trying to stop. You have to understand that if we want the things in the above articles to end, we cannot be giving Jewish people more reason to believe we just want them dead. There are definitely way too many people who clearly do, who gleefully use actual points about radicalised behaviour among Jewish people to shut down Jewish callouts of antisemitism in our movement and beyond while also continuing to enact that antisemitism even harder, and it makes it nigh impossible to discuss occupation of and radicalisation against Palestinians as a result because many Jewish people are now so used to flinching away from the cudgel they've understandably come to expect from any form of criticism of Israel or attitude toward Palestinians from Westerners, because it's impossible for them to know if we're actually trying to address the actual issues or just picking up the same antisemitic club pretending to be activism again.

We have to move forward trying to incorporate all of this and remove the antisemitic behaviour in our movenent rather than constantly deny it if we are going to actually reach peace, healing, safety and freedom for everyone in Palestine and Israel.

"At the end of the day, this idea that we will be able to achieve stability and security and peace for Israelis while continuing the occupation and stepping on the throats of millions of Palestinians is just not going to work. There is always going to be another generation, there is always going to be another people who will not accept this. Occupation has never worked before in history and it's not going to work now. The only way we're going to have peace, stability and security is if both sides walk out of the room with rights and dignity."

- Yehuda Shaul, former Israeli Military Commander

(I think this is the best I can do for wording all this right now so I hope I handled it somewhat ok.

Again, I am not anti-Israel. I do not believe in destroying Israel and displacing the millions of people who have now lived there for generations any more than I can ignore the building information about areas of Palestinian land that are occupied and the atrocities that are being inflicted on Palestinians and the extremists existing who wish they could wipe them all out. They don't deserve the horrors being inflicted on them by members of the IDF and I also don't believe any Israeli deserves the horrors being inflicted on them by Hamas.

I'm genuinely meaning all this in good faith and trying to help everyone here and I never ever intend to pull more bigotry while fighting it elsewhere. I'm trying to learn information on all this and how to handle it delicately and effectively without causing more islamophobia or antisemitism.

This is an absolute minefield to navigate no matter how well meaning one is because there are so many facets and historical atrocities on both sides involved and that's before including the part the West played in all this to begin with and continues to play while acting like this is only Israel's or Palestine's problem and we somehow had nothing to do with it when we have like at least 70% to do with it because of our rampant antisemitism.

I'm still learning and figuring out how to effectively and with as minimal harm as possible communicate my learnings and thoughts as I go. Please be patient with me if you have any patience left to spare.)

[drinkyourvillainjuice]

Response to the Form! Part 1

Hello, my lesbian twinks, my twink lesbians, and everyone else like deranged bisexuals, gunslinging heteros, and fire blasting asexuals.

Today, I will go through the form, and see what people say about where they are from and stuff like that. I will not share the personal testimonies from that section, however!

We had 59 replies in total, by the way!

As expected, the majority of people are from North America. I say 'as expected' because I'm just assuming that's the largest CoG demographics? Also the story takes place in a nefarious place in the United States, so I feel USAmericans might be more interested in that than like... someone from Australia. That being said, here are the percentages:

60.3% (or 35 answers) are from North America.

12.1% (or 7 seven answers) are from Western Europe.

8.6% (or 5 answers) are from South East Asian/Oceania.

6.9% (or 4 answers) are from South America.

5.2% (or 3 answers) are from Eastern Europe.

5.2% (or 3 answers) are from Central America.

1.7% (or 1 answer) is from South Asia.

Quickly, I had assumed the numbers to be around that. While there may be to some degree fewer non-white people within the CoG community, I don't believe this to be entirely true. But I feel there may be an unspoken social contract that if a character's race will always have the basic race (white) and I think to some degree that doesn't foster a space for people who are not white to have the ability to go 'hey, I am represented in this work, I want to be involved more within the community involving this work.' Something about the default being white, I'm assuming? I've noticed it's more apparent for Black people.

Products are made with white people (the assumed default in mind at least here) and to some degree, a video video is a product despite being an artistic project. Anyways, this is just a segway to roll games made by non-white people through our asks and I'll publish them with a link.

yea

yea x2

The politicized nature of indigenity and Indigenous struggle by default restricts who can possibly be Indigenous from a state pov (further reading: Paper Genocides (two links)). Also, well, there is an ongoing genocide in Canada that is largely unspoken (and in America, and in various places in the world) on Indigenous places.

This is the segway that the donation for next month will go to the following group:

Many reserves literally don't have access to running water. If you have ever been on reserves, the state actively lets its Indigenous population become sick from drinking tainted water or forced to buy bottled water amid food deserts. At the same time, the nearby stream is being used for large-scale production. The passivity from our government to just wash their hands and look around as if nothing can be done is part of the ongoing attacks on several communities in Canada.

this was 90% at some point lol

Compare and match: the same amount of Yes and No responses for the white/racialized question. That being said, that was one of the sections in the follow-up in the bottom section that we received a lot of inquiries about, like how many works don't have characters with disabilities, and that's something we are eyeing.

For the record, the next three questions will all be paired together. It's hard for us at this stage of development to like include the groups mentioned, but that's something to keep in mind with future works or sequels or prequels.

First and foremost, despite the current lack of representation from these three groups in our IF, we still want to cater to an environment where people part of these communities are welcome to talk about how they feel about the IF itself, and possibly the lack of representation and how they may feel they are portrayed by characters who fit these themes. (This applies to the other categories!) The IF is being written by an immigrant, so that's an issue that is personal to xer. For the refugee and intersex categories within the IF, while neither of us is part of these communities, though being an ally (especially during the current world events) is rather important to us.

So essentially if you got anything to say about these three groups because you feel a character might have a theme that is similar to one that someone from one of these communities might experience, you are 100% allowed to talk about it, criticize it, and feel however you want about it, and if you tell us, we will give it a big eyeful.

anyways! that's just part one ;)

let us see who got stickers tomorrow MWAH

[alovelyburn]

Is griffguts popular? Does Miura knew about the shippers? Was he shocked? You always have sources

It's kind of hard to gage what is and is not popular, especially when you're talking about a community of people that mostly stay away from the main body of Berserk fandom, but here's my general experience and understanding of things.

-In the Western fandom, the vast majority of active fans have what I'd call the western standard perspective: Griffith is a sociopath who may or may not have cared about Guts but if so he still didn't care about anyone else, Guts and Casca are soulmates and he lives for her and hates Griffith, the end.

Now I say active fans because my personal experience with running into people who like Berserk in the wild has been that many of them were fans of Griffith/Guts but unwilling to engage with the fandom at all because, well, of what I just described up there. But of course this is going to vary depending on where you go. In media fandom circles, like artists and writers and such, it's more popular than with say random people on a general anime discussion board.

In more recent years, since the OVAs I guess, there has been more movement around the relationship vs. say when I was in the fandom the first time when there were active efforts to drive fans of the relationship (or even just of Griffith as a character) out of the fandom entirely.

-In the Japanese fandom, there's a much wider variety of views on Berserk in general, and I notice a lot of I guess casual acceptance of Griffith and Guts as potentially a romantic connection. Even just in random threads on 2chan or whatever or replies to news posts you'll see references to it. And if you say go to pixiv or something, or look at doujinshi or whatever, the G/G fans are by far the most active of any pairing fandom, in any case.

And when I talk about things like the casual acceptance even by people who aren't really like pairing fans as such, I'm including things like... how the OVA scriptwriter directly referred to them as having romantic feelings for each other (among other feelings). The writer probably wasn't there pumping his fist and rooting for them to get together, but it was just a thing he knew and understood about the characters. This is kind of unsurprising because Guts and Griffith do have a particular kind of relationship dynamic, and honestly particular kinds of visual design, that are often used in manga or anime to evoke homoerotic relationships. And manga and anime in general has a lot more like subtle or casual homoeroticism than say random western stories anyway.

All of that said, the main takeaway I get from Japanese fandom is that they don't talk about romance nearly as much as English fandom does, and that applies to Griffith and Guts or Guts and Casca or anyone else. Couldn't tell you why.

As for Miura, that's an interesting question. That one 30 page article from the shojo studies book that was the source of the quotes that recently hit the fandom had been partially pseudo-translated before by a fan who said Miura had said he didn't like that interpretation, but they also said they had a hard time with that line, so I've never been sure whether that's actually what he said. At the time that I was told this I was surprised (for reasons I'm about to get into), but also not surprised (for reasons I will also get into).

But the matter became more muddled when Kojion@twitter began posting translations of the same article because there was nothing in there about not liking them to be interpreted romantically... but there was one line that seemed to correlate to what the fan had said that Miura said about Griiffith and Guts (that he didn't like it and liked relationships like rivals), but like, he was talking about his taste in movies at the time? Because he said he liked movies about men's relationships, and then clarified that he meant rivalries and such. So I kind of wondered if they misunderstood the context since they were having a hard time with the line anyway. Can't be sure though, since I don't have the book itself yet.

And now, the reason I was surprised when I first heard that:

-there's literally a line in an interview about how Griffith was designed after people he knew who can't love women and focus on men (romantically or platonically) instead.

-there's also this line where he refers to Griffith as not being one to "fall in personal relationships" with Guts being the exception which like, I understand that he's not saying anything directly, but you've gotta understand the word he used for "fall" is 落っこちる, which is commonly used to mean "fall in love" (actually it is the second dictionary definition, and the first means physically fall off a roof or fail an exam, so you know).

-he spoke openly many times about his interest in gender and sexuality, stated that he felt like androgynous characters should have both male and female love interests, that most androgynous characters in manga fall in love with men, and that he felt like he had to be ready to commit to that if he was going to write an androgynous character (he was discussing the lead of Duranki to be clear. But it's interesting, if you... look at Griffith at all).

-he also listed many lgbtq stories as major influences in his creation of Berserk, including Devilman (one of his biggest influences which is extremely obvious), Guin Saga (which helped create the BL genre and which he has stated was his single biggest influence), Rose of Versailles and Kaze to Ki No Uta (which is literally a classic boylove manga).

-but mostly just because he... wrote the manga. Which I'm bringing up because there are moments that are very difficult to read nonromantically, including a panel where the BoD heavily implies that Guts is in love with Griffith.

The reason I wasn't surprised:

Because it was a 20+ year old interview and he seemed a lot less comfortable with the topic than he eventually became.

One thing I noticed during my time tracking this manga and also obsessing over Miura interviews is that the early interviews are more conservative with his influences and intentions whereas as time went on he started saying yes Berserk is a shojo and then yes, I was influenced by "Go Nagai's style" and then "yes, I was influenced by Devilman specifically."

Basically by 2019 he was out there talking about reading BL manga and such. So even if he had said it, which I'm not sure he did because of the movie thing, I would probably attribute it to not having become comfortable with the topic yet.

Anyway, did he know about it, I'm sure he did.

Was he shocked, probably not given all of the above. He's the one who chose of his own free will to modify the meaning of 渇望 (thirsting/craving) with furigana that says こがれ (crave because you're in love with) in that BoD scene.

No one told him to do it. He knew what the words meant.

[damnfandomproblems]

Fandom Problem #4022

i suppose its not really a problem but it frustrates me to no end when people apply western views on masculine and feminine to eastern characters ____ the problem is above but it gets long down here what a lot of people don't realize is that Asians see masculinity and femininity differently and what constitutes as masculine or feminine are different. this is often about gender ambiguous characters but im talking more about men that are pretty. any male character that looks pretty but is distinctly male are often seen and drawn in a very western view of feminine without pictures its hard to explain this but its just so frustrating this isnt about "well what if this character is x gender" none of that "what if" stuff matters, and im not talking about headcannons

its just so frustrating to see that men cant be viewed as pretty or have any femininity without also being viewed as a woman, or worse as a joke/gag/"gay" (I'm not saying homosexuality is bad) character. because westerners don't understand eastern views on feminine and masculine. I'm glad people are having fun and all but its so obvious how narrow minded a lot of people are in fandoms, and this isn't just between eastern and western . it could be between anywhere in the world, but given that I'm most active in eastern fandoms and consume more eastern content, that's where i see it the most. because goodness forbid anyone learn about the culture of anyone else, and not just cherry pick what is apart of the culture I wouldn't be so upset if not for the fact that its mostly internal xenophobia, racism, prejudice, and overall narrowmindedness in western fans that is the reason a lot of characters are mischaracterized like this I know a lot of people just enjoy characters differently, but you cant deny that a lot of the time the reason people view a character the way they do is because of subconscious/internalized bullshit. and a general unwillingness to learn. idk ig i just had to get that off my chest after seeing one of my favs portrayed very femininely and motherly by westerners again. something i assure you he is not given I am of the same race as he is meant to be and have lived with that same culture.

[anarchywoofwoof]

hey!

i genuinely just had one question to ask, ignore it if you're not comfortable with answering it.

The whole Palestine-Israel conflict has been harbouring a lot of takes and I don't support the hamas nor the IDF, I support the civilians of both Palestine and Israel. But people keep asking me if i expect that revolution is non violent or how else are you supposed to fight your oppressors, i try to answer but they never let me say what i want to and i don't know confidently how to answer that either, Can you pls help me answer that?? If you can tell me at least where to learn more about the Palestinians and their actual history and not the hamas group, which media should i even listen to??

i've had a few days to think about what's going on in the middle east and i think this is a good ask to revisit the topic.

i do believe that armed revolution is an acceptable form of resistance against an oppressor such as Israel. i do believe in Palestinian independence. i do believe that the Palestinians have endured unspeakable acts of violence and terrorism at the hands of Israel for far, far too long. i do believe that Bibi Netanyahu oversees a terrorist state and Israel is actively carrying out genocide against the Palestinian people. i do believe that Hamas only exists as a result of Israel's colonial-settlerism in the Middle East, largely propped up by Western Governments as a defacto "outpost" to commandeer influence in the region.

all of that being said, let me be 100% clear: i am an anarchist. i don't like titles, but that is one i feel wholly comfortable applying to myself. therefore, i reject the concept of a governing state. i reject the existence of groups such as Hamas altogether. even putting aside the terroristic origins and nature of their existence, i reject the existence of Israel. i believe borders cause more harm than they do good and there is nothing to gain from nationalism.

the fact of the matter is: no, i do not expect that revolution should be non-violent. i quite disagree with that assessment actually. however, i also believe that civilians are not a valid target in wartime. military casualties? fine. targeted airstrikes or raids on military targets within Israel? sure. the IDF? absolutely, valid targets. but indiscriminately slaughtering civilians, women, children, etc. is not acceptable. it's not acceptable when Israel does it. it's not acceptable when Hamas does it.

but Israel is not the IDF and Palestine is not Hamas. and i will, and always will, support the people of Palestine and their freedom. Palestine is the quintessential example of imperialist settler colonization and while no, i do not "support" what Hamas did or what Israel is currently doing to Palestine, my support and heart is still with the everyday average human being living in these areas who had the unfortunate fate of being born into living hell.

now, to answer your question about the Palestinians, their history and what media to listen to:

The Palestinian People: A History by Kimmerling & Migdal

A Quiet Revolution: The First Palestinian Intifada and Nonviolent Resistance by Mary Elizabeth King

Palestine Inside Out by Saree Makdisi

The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi

The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World by Avi Shlaim

Noam Chomsky also has a number of works surrounding Palestine as well; On Palestine, Interventions, Fateful Triangle to name a few.

as far as mass media goes, there's not really much that i can offer; Al Jazeera is a pretty good source, but most western media is going to be hard slanted against the Palestinians.

this blog is still very much and always will be Free Palestine. but i also am not going to act like there aren't innocent people who are also suffering from this conflict in Israel. to do so would be wrong and just flat out denying the truth.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Peach! I have a couple of questions around brands and BTS.

BTS has stood as the underdog and has stood for things that are important, that most stars don’t really speak about. Why then were they not more conscious about partnering with certain brands? For eg PUMA, The LV group? These brands actively support Israel and its actions on Palestinians.

Secondly, is the group not supposed to promote brands together? I’ve seen that JK and Taehyung are not in the Samsung campaigns and both own/use iPhones. If they can support different brands, does that not speak of individual activity contracts that they have with Hybe?

***

I’ve talked about this before but it’s possible you’re a newer follower so I’ll repeat it: I’m generally wary of ascribing the role of activists or crusaders for political or social causes to musicians who are neither. This is a view I have of musicians across the board and I’ve said so for Western and Korean artists. I know it’s an unpopular opinion in a world where people increasingly express their political views/affiliations through the brands they patronize, a world that’s become more tribal, but I think the reason this is happening more is due to a misdirection of responsibility borne out of political stagnation/dysfunction. When people feel unable to hold their actual political representatives responsible, they apply pressure where they can and that extends to expecting musicians they spend money on to become more politically aligned with their views and involved.

BTS have expressed personal stances on various topics and also acted as representatives for their country on other issues, but these are actions they’ve fulfilled in a contractual capacity. You’re free to view them as flagbearers for various causes, just don’t be surprised if they don’t live up to your ideal of those causes.

With that out of the way, I don’t know why BigHit isn’t more conscious/careful about the brand deals they get for BTS. On one hand it’s worth pointing out that BTS’s contracts with LV precede this latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are kinda standard across the board (other outspoken artists and idols are linked to LVMH and most groups are involved with them), and all members are literally enlisted. Perhaps the contracts are difficult to break and the members being enlisted complicates the issue. But on the other hand, if they really wanted to break those contracts I’m sure they could. It’s not really an excuse lol. So it’s possible that neither BTS nor BigHit actually cares if a subsidiary they are partnered with is owned by a parent company that supports Israel. Perhaps it’s not even something the company recognizes is a problem or priority. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the biggest geopolitical crisis in modern times, but the reality is that for most people it has no direct impact and so it’s virtually invisible. Much of the world is still going on business as usual and this is the case especially in Korea.

But like I said, it’s not really an excuse and it’s perfectly fine if this is a hard limit for you that impacts the support you give to BTS.

And yeah, given the members have different brand deals it’s fair to assume it’s linked to their individual contracts. BTS promote brands as a group and as individuals. But in both cases, HYBE’s contract with BTS is exclusive, meaning HYBE runs both the individual and group contracts for BTS members. Hope that answered your question.

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

Not sure if you still do writing advice. If so I have a question:

Other than the true but vague quote “read,read, write, write.” as a response to how to get better as a writer do you have any specific tips on how to learn craft? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hmm... I mean, it's hard to give advice that is more specific when I don't know you/your writing process, so my instinct is really that "vague" write write write idea. I have a playlist of writing advice that gets pretty niche at times if you haven't seen all these vids (there are 38 of them HERE, lots of specific techniques). Otherwise, it's difficult to tell someone how to learn craft without knowing you personally because craft isn't something that can really just be taught in a blanket way. Get involved with other writers if you can, participate in a workshop with others if that's something you can do (there are lots of online writing groups on discord for example where workshopping is a part of it), take a look at the writing you really genuinely love and emulate parts of it (NOT copying, this is an exercise in understanding what techniques create what results).

In general I'm not under the belief that any one kind of advice can help someone learn craft because the writing process is so extremely tailored, so with that in mind, I think my suggestions are more broad as a means for you to discover your own process: find your literary godmothers & study them, write things that make you genuinely excited (and see if you can tell why they excite you), practice self-compassion as you draft and learn, find your comfort zone and then see what you can comfortably do to expand it (even in tiny ways), take a look at work you've written and enjoyed and analyze those moments for technique... Not sure I can get more specific than that though and even these things might not help everyone.

I mean, I could say "focus on specificity in nouns & verbs, be aware of rhythm, and don't shy away from exposition" for a prose level, but this kind of advice is so specific it almost becomes vague in itself because it doesn't always apply. I'm hesitant to give advice like that because it suggests there are certain techniques used to create "good" writing but writing isn't about techniques compiled together, it's a sort of culminative practice that develops over time and is extremely personal. This is why I think my inclination is that "vague" advice because really learning to persevere in your process and learn/relearn over and over again is just kind of what writing is. IMO! I also don't really view writing advice as advice anymore really, but more writing theory that you may or may not want to follow.

There's not one single specific piece of writing advice that's ever helped me learn craft, though I know why writers gravitate toward that when looking to improve (because same!). I also struggle with this idea of specific advice because I didn't really actively look to improve my craft, that just sort of came with time because I started so young, so I perhaps don't have the correct perspective, so if others do, feel free to weigh in!

The most specific things I did to improve my own craft if this helps: find writing I am genuinely excited about & use those techniques where applicable, become a poet & read a lot of poetry, see how to utilize all the techniques they tell you not to use, focus on impact of vocabulary rather than the vocabulary itself, learn how to write sex scenes/and their narrative purposes, push through sticky moments in drafting instead of dwelling, be guided through a story while holding an overarching intent, dismantle internal westernized views of "writing craft," write a LOT. Specific to me, but some ideas.

[maxellminidisc]

I think some white trans people have a hard time coming to terms with the whole asian fetishization as a form of gender expression thing because I guess sometimes it's a source of idk "comfort" in a very confusing time but like it's not remotely a good excuse let alone a source of much empathy from me. Cause like as a poc who enjoys anime and frankly a lot of east asian media, I get how being presented with the idea that different gender expression than what we're used to in American culture can be very eye opening for a young trans person or even someone well into adulthood who's just coming to terms with their identity as a trans person, but I'm also conscious and try to remain conscious that that gender presentation, the perceived room to play with gender in a different way than what we know is different for people across cultures and even though I grew up in the US I've been made to feel very hyper conscious and conflicted about my own gender, both assigned and not, because of the way my ethnic culture's ideas of gender are perceived by white people.

Like take comfort from the idea that the option to express your gender in ways outside our own cultural pressures and presets exists, sure, but again, be conscious that the PEOPLE (and frankly, characters) you're seeing are rooted in a completely different set of cultural influences, rules, and standards within those societies that effect their gender presentation. Many times it may look gnc to you but to someone else who's actively living this sort of gender presentation or ease of playing with it, it may not be gnc at all and you reducing it to how you feel as someone outside that culture may end up being emasculating or forcing masculinity on someone who sees themselves as completely masculine or as feminine in a context outside of your western standards of either identity. Unless someone or even the material you're viewing within these respective cultures personally or actually notes that what they're doing is gender non conforming or experimentally challenging gender norms within their own cultural norm, then like yeah respecting that and acknowledging that is fine, but like don't be weird about it!!

And like same applies to characters, which I find ludicrous that y'all try to divorce so staunchly from their respective cultural origins. Like anime for example is like 90% of the time based in Japan or worlds very obviously based on Japan, or in Japanese stories/folklore/history, but the excuse is always "I think equating real people with anime characters is ridiculous cause Japanese people dont actually look like that". Like nobody is saying they do but they clearly are writing and creating things thoroughly through their respective Japanese lense and thus so much of it feels so inheritly Japanese. Only time I see white people acknowledge the Japanese root of something is if the damn anime or manga is a fucking period piece in like the Edo period or something, which is ridiculous.

Then to take it further and base your own sexual desirability of this western gaze of thinking all things Asian are inherently gnc is even weirder and yes, more racist. You're basing your sexual desirability on a fetishized and eroticized form of racism, more specifically a lense that always tries to frame Asian bodies as something purely for the sexual and submissive and not wholly human. Asian media isn't trying to like purposefully sell Asian fetishization to you, it's simply operating through it's own lense, even the sexual shit it is producing isn't like selling Asian fetishization, it's just selling the sexual through the lense of its respected culture (like what is popular in the sexual fantasy there for example); the racism on your part comes from viewing it as someone not Asian and thinking that just because its Asian it's either inherently sexual or if it is something sexual in nature, feeling entitled to Asian bodies; both in their purpose to you as sexual objects and as fetishizing them as something desirable for you to look like for the way you shittly perceive these bodies as inheritly feminine or androgynous.

White people as a whole have a massive problem with fetishizing Asian people but it is like alarming as a trans poc to see white trans people as a whole kind of turn that on its head as a form of gender goals or to make themselves feel sexy or whatever and the fact that y'all dont see anything wrong with that is even wilder. There is absolutely a huge difference in acknowledging and even appreciating a different perspective on what masculinity and feminity can look like in a different cultural context and thinking that anything that isn't what YOU'RE used to being inheritly gnc as a result.

I do think it's important to note that framing this problem as a trans femme mainly issue IS shitty and undoubtedly transmisogynist in nature, especially given that I've seen PLENTY of white trans masces doing the exact same shit with very little pushback. Like the amount of trans men I've seen basing their androgyny on idols or anime characters they label as "f*mb*ys" or even calling any remotely twinky asian guy (or hell not even, I've seen yall misgender Asian men of all shapes and sizes) a f*mb*y or labeling him with usually unwarranted or derogatory labels for feminine men (ie fruity, queen, diva) is fucking vile. White trans people as a whole need to be holding each other and themselves accountable for this shit.

[halliescomut]

Sky x Prapai thoughts

I've decided that I'm just going to make this post about my random thoughts about Sky and Prapai, and just update it whenever I have a new one. So here's the first one:

I've seen commentary from American viewers of LITA that are uncomfortable with how 'touchy' Prapai is with Sky. How he tends to invade his personal space, touch him or at least try too, and how that's hard to watch knowing Sky's history and seeing him actively be uncomfortable about it. Now...I fully understand why they feel that way, but I think they're also stuck in a western lens.

In America, generally you don't touch people, especially anyone who's not a close friend or family member, regularly. I'm not a HUGE touch person, but I was raised in a physically affectionate home, and so I tend to be very comfortable with physical closeness and touching with my family. I have 2 best friends, and they are probably the only people I hug that aren't family, but we hug, hold hands, sit really close, have shared beds before, all of these things. While watching BL shows with my friend (who is Japanese American and raised in Japan) we kind of talked about how fan service and the like are kind of weird to me, and I kind of see it as odd from my perspective, because these are coworkers technically, and many of them have statements in their contracts to do these things. What she brought up to me is that from her experience platonic touching is far more common in Japan and East Asia in general. She explained skinship and how that's something that most people just do. It's a show of affection and people don't see it as anything more than platonic unless there's a knowledge of romantic feelings between people.

So with Sky and Prapai, I think there's a cultural context to consider when it comes to judging Prapai's tendency to touch/want to touch Sky. I think we also need to consider that Prapai is an older sibling, while Sky is an only child. Even if both had regularly absent parents, Prapai still his siblings around him, and they even comment that Prapai is the one who raised them. We see Prapai being comfortably physically affectionate with his siblings, it makes sense for him to be so with Sky, or want to be so with Sky.

So anyway, that's my thoughts. I know for some it may be obvious to apply cultural context, and I do try to watch foreign media with that context in mind, but I also know that no one knows everything.

*Any future edits will be dated, to apply context and changing opinions, but I thought this might be the easiest way to continually share thoughts. without flooding the timeline.

[sleprandomizer]

Was it wrong Timerra not in the top 25 FE engage popularity poll in Nintendo dream?

First at all I don't like Timerra. I don't hate her but I don't love her too. For me she is between exist and not exist. As a royal her presence not so impactful in story. As a unit very mediocre and she relied on sandstrom which was funny skill but strategically bad to rely on it just like Alcryst luna crit.

Now, did I expect her to be so low in term of popularity? No! I expected her to be higher but then I remember this poll was in Japan not global. In global I believe she would be quite popular. Especially since Westerner (this is how people in my country called American and Europian) reception was pretty good on Timerra and Fogado before the game launched. Was japanese who participated in this poll racist? IMO probably there was racism but if I excluded that as one of the factor, Timerra not so popular in this poll actually quite logical.

1. Many participant probably not finished their game yet. There was tendency for late recruit less popular in the poll.

2. Support conversation in engage 1.0 hard to be unlocked. Engage support points only gained in player phase and units must be adjacent to each other. Not many somniel activities for the sake increasing support points in 1.0.

3.As relatively late recruit many player probably didn't have chance to unlock Timerra support conversation. She was not in priority since many prefered to see support conversation from earlier units that already formed attachment.

4. Not impactful in the story. This applied to Fogado. Once passing chapter 13 the story return to Elusian and hounds again. I don't even remember she existed in cutscene after chapter 14.

5. Simply not appealing personality. I am not Japanese but at least as fellow Asian. Characters like Timerra, Goldmary, Hortensia, and Rosado are not well liked in my country. Their personality were annoying. Also sorry but Timerra bad singing was big turn off for me. I can't stand it. Not endearing at all.

6. Not appealing character design. Timerra design reminded me with pokemen gym leader than FE. Also the beauty standard of Asian people were fair/light/white skin not dark skin like Timerra. Whittening lotion so popular in Asia not without reason. Simply just because how culture shaped the mindset. Was it racist? maybe but again it was not easy to change people mindset.

Oh by the way Alfred in top 3 was surprising but then I rememebered his voice quite hot in the JP voice unlike the ENG voice. He was definitely quite relevant in the story. He kinda like childhood friend for Alear which probably quite well liked archtype in Japan.

I still dislike him tho. Even the writter pull out sob back story for him I would not give pity point for him. In fact because of that sob back stroy I disliked him more than him simply just obsessed muscle boy.

[sunfish-exotics]

General rambles (both about reptiles & life & art)

Hey guys! I apologize for not being super active / responsive lately, I’ve been really busy getting prepped for brumating snakes / next season, moving lots of cages and animals around, and OH yeah this show this weekend lol

Yeah! I’ll be there with western hognoses, leopard geckos, art, and a couple gently used AP cages. That’s pretty much it for the reptiles portion of today’s ramblings with sunfish so I’m gonna put the rest below a cut

In life news I’ve really been doing some serious thinking about what I want and how to achieve those goals. I was bouncing around the idea of going back to school (FOR ART!) Which is something I’ve never attempted at a higher-education level. Long story short I don’t think full time university would be a good option for me for both financial and time commitment reasons. I would have to do TWO full years of general art classes before I could even apply for a BFA program and that’s really just not realistic for me. Instead I’m going to be taking some enrichment classes at one of the local community colleges, some online courses, and developing my own curriculum to really COMMIT to being a full-time artist. I’d be able to keep a part time job during this in addition to my reptile stuff so finances wouldn’t be too bad and I could continue my house down-payment savings.

Some things to look forward from me if you’re into my artwork!

-> Starting a youtube channel to document my growth and experiences as someone not pursuing an art degree / trying to make self-driven schooling work, and share just generalized art content

->Creating an instagram account just for art (reels! posts! curated content!)

->Really working hard to bring new products to my Etsy, redbubble, etc

->Expanding into other online art marketplaces

-> MAYBE look into streaming? I’ve tried and I don’t think my existing internet / computer setup has enough POWER to handle really dedicated streaming but it may be something to look into investing in if there’s enough interest.

-> EVENTUALLY a patreon with a sticker of the month club, maybe enamel pin club, that kind of thing. I have PLANS!

I’m not going to like... spam my channel / instagram or anything on this tumblr. I’ll probably make an announcement when they’re up and running but after that just try to create something from scratch!

If any of yall are making it work as full time artists (or even part time artists!) I’d love to chat about your experiences and if you have any advice, please don’t hesitate to send me a dm! I’m really nice lmao I know I can come off as intimidating to people who don’t know me well ;-;

That’s all for now!

[edge-oftheworld]

i'm absolutely one to advocate for not assuming capability/it being an affordable psychological cost for celebrities, or anyone really, to do anything. and if you know me i'll hold back on saying 'this mentally ill neurodivergent person with a big following should speak about x' longer than most people. because i know activism and i know what brains and disability can be like and i know i'd rather have someone not push themselves to do what they're not capable of sustaining than be another one who ends up dead.

but the thing is, this is only part of it. it's not enough alone. accepting ourselves with our limitations and the fact that some of us are disabled in so many diverse ways doesn't mean things get fixed without anything being done. and that's where I think we need to ask, how can we accommodate to problem solve the reasons it's hard to do something good? and as fans obviously we can't fix the world but we do have power to put in place some of these things. surely if we learned nothing else from a band who thanks their fans at every opportunity it's that they wouldn't get anywhere without us listening to them. it's a parasocial relationship but a relationship nonetheless and with that comes power. to act in ways with meaningful consequences and may they be good. power of negotiation. to communicate and uplift. to accommodate where necessary.

so how could this look? the first thing i suggest might be counterintuitive but i challenge us to rethink our relationship with celebrity. to learn about life outside the western world and think about art and why we enjoy it together. what draws us to song. think about if we were a village and we came together to sing these songs. if we got to become a village, finding solace with those we go to our concerts with, but imagine the artist in question lives in said village. and we have to contend with the real them maybe not being exactly as their persona suggests and having things they're hurt by, and as a village we need to acknowledge those because they're here to heal. we love them; they know. let's act like that by listening to them. we admire them, but they'd rather us treat them like a normal person. so we do that. we put ourselves in their shoes

how, then, does this relate to activism? imagine we're in the village. as a village we want to make a stand, maybe to negotiate with the neighbouring village or some developer who wants to flatten our home and build a carpark there instead. we bring our points to the table. we acknowledge all of them. and some people's facts are plain wrong! yes that happens!! but then we talk about language. we've gotta unravel the propaganda rampant in today's society. someone thinks arguing for the liberation of one group of people oppresses another? we discuss ways in which we can have both. someone thinks talking about how one group suffers negates the way another group suffers? let's trace it back to a common cause of their suffering even if one is more than the other. one harmed another? acknowledge people do that because they are hurt too but it does mean it's also bad. then, there, we've talked about it. if anyone is unhappy, continue to voice your concerns. we have time for all of them.

and this especially applies to Village Celebrity we've mentioned before; they're gonna be the face of this campaign, in some ways that makes them a lot more vulnerable than the rest of us whose identities are somewhat in obscurity. people don't understand straight away and every threat to the status quo breeds insecurity; they might be in a greater danger. not just physically, but relationally, of losing loved ones before either has a chance to explain their perspective. so when something like this happens for someone you carry it with them. and they don't come perfect. maybe they're a bit cynical and more easily swayed by conspiracy theories than someone with a university education or a kinder childhood might be. maybe they're a bit too cautious about what people think and you don't understand why they get so anxious about it. maybe they're restless and want to do good but every avenue to get there seems stifling and their brain gets overwhelmed by all the bad in the world and it impacts their ability to think straight. maybe they have enough insecurities about themselves that the prospect of attempting to help fix anything bigger seems daunting and hopeless.

you still take them as they are. you think of your own skillset and what you can offer them if you have a perspective that can be grounding and helpful. that's how you sustain an activist.

and i know our current relationship with celebrities offers us no room to be able to do these things. they're stuck behind a metaphorical glass wall often for their own safety. but also, deliberately by those who want to uphold the status quo. we're gonna have to work harder and care for each other better to break through it in order for activism to be accessible to more. because i think we've seen enough examples of good people who get driven to selfishness by the very fact that they're traumatised by seas of people they don't know and forget how to be fearless in the face of potential harm to their name if it's permeated in and gotten bad before. that is an injustice against them that we don't know how to look after them. that they didn't have the right support system. and support systems challenge the status quo.

don't get me wrong there's a time and place for calling out lacking or bad activism. and a lot of the time they've done the work, they know how to take it. but we also have this assumed level of ableism born out of desperation for something to happen. and anyone who's ever come across the challenge of a household of people for whom it prevents every member from doing enough chores to get by knows that simply fighting harder doesn't work. we need radical acceptance too and from there we can problem solve. because there's always a solution we haven't thought of yet.

[arjaysingh]

Achieve Your Dreams: Study MBBS in India at RPS College of Veterinary Sciences

MBBS in India is a dream for many aspiring doctors. The journey to becoming a medical professional starts with choosing the right college. One such esteemed institution is the RPS College of Veterinary Sciences. Located in a serene environment, RPS College offers excellent education and state-of-the-art facilities that pave the way for a successful career in medicine.

Why Choose MBBS in India?

India is home to some of the world's best medical colleges. Pursuing MBBS in India offers numerous benefits:

High-Quality Education: Indian medical colleges follow rigorous academic standards, ensuring students receive top-notch education.

Affordable Fees: Compared to many Western countries, the cost of studying MBBS in India is significantly lower, making it accessible to a broader range of students.

Diverse Clinical Exposure: India’s diverse population provides students with exposure to a wide variety of medical conditions, enhancing their learning experience.

Global Recognition: Degrees from Indian medical colleges are recognized worldwide, allowing graduates to practise in many countries.

Why RPS College of Veterinary Sciences?

The RPS College of Veterinary Sciences stands out among other medical colleges in India for several reasons:

Experienced Faculty: The college boasts a team of highly qualified and experienced faculty members dedicated to nurturing future medical professionals.

Modern Infrastructure: RPS College is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including well-equipped laboratories, libraries, and clinical practice areas.

Comprehensive Curriculum: The curriculum at RPS College is designed to cover all aspects of veterinary science, ensuring students are well-prepared for their careers.

Hands-On Training: Students at RPS College receive extensive practical training, which is crucial for developing the skills needed in the medical field.

Admission Process

Getting into RPS College of Veterinary Sciences requires dedication and hard work. Here’s a brief overview of the admission process:

Eligibility: Students must have completed their 12th grade with a strong background in science subjects, particularly Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

Entrance Exam: Aspiring students need to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which is a mandatory entrance exam for medical courses in India.

Application: After clearing NEET, students can apply to RPS College through the college’s official website.

Counselling: Shortlisted candidates will be called for counselling sessions, where they will be guided through the final admission process.

Life at RPS College

Life at RPS College of Veterinary Sciences is not just about academics. The college ensures a holistic development of its students through various extracurricular activities:

Clubs and Societies: The college has numerous clubs and societies catering to different interests, such as sports, arts, and cultural activities.

Workshops and Seminars: Regular workshops and seminars are conducted to keep students updated with the latest developments in veterinary science.

Community Outreach: RPS College encourages students to participate in community service programs, fostering a sense of responsibility and empathy towards society.

Sports and Recreation: The college offers excellent sports facilities, encouraging students to maintain a healthy balance between studies and physical activities.

Career Opportunities

Graduating from RPS College of Veterinary Sciences opens up a world of opportunities. Here are some career paths students can pursue:

Veterinary Practice: Many graduates go on to work as veterinarians, either in private practice or in government-run animal hospitals.

Research and Development: There are numerous opportunities in research, where graduates can contribute to advancements in veterinary science and medicine.

Public Health: Graduates can also work in the public health sector, focusing on the prevention and control of animal diseases.

Academia: Some graduates choose to stay in academia, teaching the next generation of veterinary students and conducting research.

Conclusion

Pursuing MBBS in India at RPS College of Veterinary Sciences is a rewarding journey that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to excel in the medical field. The college’s commitment to excellence in education, combined with its modern facilities and experienced faculty, makes it an ideal choice for aspiring medical professionals. If you dream of a fulfilling career in veterinary science, RPS College is the place to be. Start your journey today and take the first step towards making your dream a reality.

[equipro-surfaces-uk]

HOW CAN ARENA SURFACES AFFECT YOUR HORSE’S PERFORMANCE

Horses are remarkable athletes, capable of grace, power, and incredible athletic feats. But just like human athletes, the surface they perform on significantly impacts their comfort, safety, and ultimately, their ability to perform at their best.  An arena surface that isn’t well-maintained or chosen with your horse’s discipline in mind can be like asking them to dance in high heels – it’s simply not ideal.

This article delves into the fascinating world of arena footing, exploring how different surfaces interact with your horse’s biomechanics and ultimately impact their performance. We’ll also equip you with the knowledge to choose the right arena surface for your specific riding discipline and ensure it’s properly maintained for optimal performance.

The Importance of Good Footing

A good arena surface provides the ideal balance of three key elements:

Support: Imagine the arena surface as a supportive mattress. It should be firm enough to comfortably hold your horse’s weight without feeling like rock-solid concrete.

Cushioning: Think of tiny shock absorbers built into the surface. This cushioning helps dissipate the force of each hoofbeat, protecting your horse’s joints and muscles from excessive stress and strain.

Grip: Just like good shoes with proper tread, the arena surface must have enough grip to prevent your horse from slipping and sliding. This is especially crucial for activities like jumping or making sharp turns.

When these elements come together in the right balance, your horse can move freely and efficiently, minimising the risk of injuries, fatigue, and performance issues.

On the other hand, an improper arena surface can lead to several problems:

Injuries: Improper footing can put undue stress on your horse’s joints, ligaments, tendons, and hooves, increasing the risk of injuries like sprains, strains, and even arthritis.

Fatigue: Surfaces that are too soft or uneven can make it difficult for your horse to move efficiently. Imagine wading through deep sand – it’s tiring, right? The same applies to your horse. This extra effort can lead to premature fatigue, limiting training sessions and potentially impacting performance.

Performance Issues: A slippery or unstable surface can make it challenging for your horse to maintain balance and execute manoeuvres effectively. This can be frustrating for both horse and rider, hindering progress and enjoyment in your chosen discipline.

How Your Horse Interacts with the Arena Surface

The way a horse interacts with the arena surface can be broken down into three key aspects:

Firmness: This refers to how hard or soft the surface feels. An ideal surface should be firm enough to provide support for your horse’s weight, especially during landings from jumps or vigorous stops. However, it shouldn’t be so hard that it transmits all the shock from each stride up the legs, potentially causing joint pain and damage.

Cushion: A good arena surface should offer some give or cushioning to help dissipate the shock from landings and propel your horse forward during takeoff. Imagine a trampoline – it provides a bouncy surface that absorbs the impact of a jump and launches you back up. Similarly, a good arena surface should help your horse absorb the impact of each stride and propel itself forward efficiently.

Grip: The surface needs to have enough grip to allow your horse to push off effectively without slipping. This is especially important for activities like jumping, where a powerful takeoff is crucial, or for disciplines like Western riding, which require quick stops, spins, and turns. However, too much grip can also hinder your horse’s movement, making it difficult to slide or adjust its stride length smoothly.

The Importance of Balance:  Finding the right balance between these three elements is key. It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears – the surface shouldn’t be too hard, too soft, or have too much or too little grip. It needs to be just right for your horse’s specific needs and riding discipline.

[frontlawnfood]

People Don't Speak Up, Because You're Not Listening Anyway.

What you're doing now is what you would have done then?

Also applies to the white western left's tendency to purity-test itself into uselessness, y'all. People don't talk about the hard shit because nobody has the spoons to weather the feeding frenzy every time someone new gets their smalls in a wad from actively choosing the worst possible interpretation of a post or comment in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

Be prepared to wrangle your knee-jerk responses, or don't set people you love & who love you up to fail. You're not helping anyone in Gaza by poisoning your personal relationships.

I'm not mad. I can't be, I get it. It's easier to yell at someone you know loves you too much to cuss you for a damn fool when you're already hurting, than to seek support for that overwhelming sense of helpless frustration by... wild thought, but stick with me here... TALKING ABOUT THAT.

Cuz, yanno, same hat. If you've got any sense of human empathy at all, you're getting metaphorically gutted every time you manage to suck it up & check the news. And if you're far enough away from the violence to safely run your mouth about it on the internet. it can feel like there isn't a lot you can actually *do*.

I know where I stand and what I'm doing about it IRL. It's pretty simple, actually. - Genocide = Bad - Terrorism = Bad - Local regular everyday people = not responsible for the actions of aforementioned warmongering genocidal assholes - Put money where mouth is whenever possible. (Speaking of, עומדים ביחד نقف معًا or "Standing Together", is an excellent local grassroots org to support.)

And if that's not enough, well... I guess that sucks for whoever doesn't like it, but I'm done. There will be no more textwalls or precision-crafted marvels of brevity or anything in between on the subject from me. Literally every single time I have said something for three full months (heeyyyyy it's day 91, I checked), someone different has willfully misunderstood me, and frankly nobody in my circle is so new as for that nonsense to be excusable. I'm even doing this here as opposed to on my usual main platform because I just do not have the capacity to carry that much misdirected rage no matter how much I love my friends. If I keep trying I'm gonna have to start blocking people just so I can get up tomorrow and exist in the world, so... yeah. Done.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled unicorns & rainbows & fluffy bunnies. Enjoy. 😃

[cupopencils]

I enjoyed your answers to the random questions about your OCs, thank you. I had no idea what to expect, your blog just told me to ask about them, so I figured I'd give you the excuse to talk :D

More questions, I'm invested now: are elves vegan/vegetarian in your universe (or potentially just Nima)? Or is there some other reason Nima is actively into fruit but not much else? Do they use swords and bows, or is this a guns kinda universe? Magic? Is Nima a drow/dark elf, or do elves in your universe just come in various skin colours instead of stereotypical pale? What's the deal with Isaac's hands? And since soda doesn't exist, what's their favourite drinks in the vein of red wine, beer, mead, etc?

Also, both look of them so cool<3

Hey thank you!! I appreciate it :] (Though I am suspicious, who are you what do you want mystery person - -)

As for the questions:

Elves definitely don't have a huge access to meat in the region they're from, but I wouldn't say they're like, vegan. The entire world is technically in a huge resource drought, so everyone is just sort of on a diet of "whatever comes my way"

Nima just likes fruit lol

I'd say there is some amount of tech in this world but everything is sort of. old timey mid-western. There's enough advancement for audio recording but not video recording. And there are guns, just not anything modern

Elves are a huge mindfuck of a topic I'll be honest. Here they're a lot less like their own species and more of just. Human+ if that makes sense. I don't really want to spill their lore but do note that the usual elf sub-categories in DND and stuff don't apply here

Isaac. is. also tough to explain LMAO. He has a good deal of darkening all over him including the tips of his fingers, toes, teeth and mouth. His insides are completely black. The reason WHY is a bit complicated, just know he's a magic little man

For drinks there's like, juice. With the resource scarcity I'm assuming they're whipping up alcohol from whatever they have on hand lol. The usual drinks like wine, beer and stuff do exist, but the quality stuff is expensive and hard to get.