#and then they give me a DIFFERENT VERSION of the ad!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Excuse me, if it's not too much trouble, I was wondering if you could give me some tips or teach me how to introduce myself as an author? I have a serious doubt about how to start this since I'm new to this.

Writing Notes: Author Profile

Professional Bio - (short for professional biography) is a summary of your background, including details like work experience and education.

Serves to introduce you to the reader, usually to establish your credibility and forge a personal connection, like a mini-cover letter.

You can use a professional bio across many mediums, from social media profiles to resumes to blog footers.

They can range from a few sentences to a few paragraphs in length.

How to Write a Professional Bio

Whether you’re applying for new jobs or making a website for your small business, you don’t have to follow a template to write a compelling professional bio. Here is a quick guide to help you in the crafting process:

Determine the purpose. To write a stellar bio, you’ll need to know the exact reason you’re writing it. Identify your target audience and desired outcome. Knowing your bio’s purpose will help you determine its length, necessary components to feature, the ideal point of view (e.g., first person or third person), and tone.

Tailor it to your needs. You can include a short, memorable bio in your portfolio materials, along with any credentials that show recruiters you are a great employee. When crafting a bio for work purposes, writing in the third-person perspective is optimal to help you stand out to hiring managers. You can also include a brief bio on your personal website’s “about page,” which can tell your story and show that you’re capable of serving your customers. This type of bio can help you form a confident, personal connection with your potential clients and is often written in a first-person perspective to sound more personable.

Begin with the most important information. Identify the most important information and include it in the first sentence of your bio. Usually, the first sentence of a professional bio will consist of your full name, your current position, and length of service in the role. Try to keep this sentence clear and concise so that it serves as a clear hook—a long, wordy, opening sentence can run the risk of confusing or losing your readers’ attention.

Add in previous professional experience. Once you state the most important information, add a few more details about your professional background—for instance, previous work experience, job titles, professional accomplishments, schooling, or technical credentials. Keep this section focused and specific (for example, limit yourself to two or three bullet points of personal achievements), or it may seem too braggadocious. If you don’t have a lot of previous experience yet, mention a specific detail or two that shows your capabilities within the field.

Include personal details about your life. Your bio can include information outside of your personal work history. Some people list hobbies, personal interests, fun facts, or pets in their bios to show their personality.

Tips for Writing a Professional Bio

When writing your bio, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Focus on vital information. The best bios include essential and interesting information. A biography weighed down by extraneous details can become dull or bury critical details. Your bio’s optimal length will depend on its purpose, so consider that before you begin the writing process.

Consider adding links or handles. In situations where you want readers to find you online or contact you, consider adding links for your website or professional social media pages at the bottom of your bio. Linking is especially common in biographies that accompany a writer’s byline on an online blog post.

Maintain a few different bios. Maintain a few different versions of your bio ensures that you’re ready for any situation that requires one. A three-sentence professional bio, a casual or humorous bio, and a more extended bio are all good options to have on-hand.

Profile - a written portrait of a person.

Often, a profile is published as a narrative non-fiction article in a newspaper, magazine, or website.

The story is based on facts discovered through research as well as interviews with the subject and their friends, family, or professional associates.

A profile piece is meant to be informative. It is a portrait of the person through a combination of stories, quotes, and photographs.

Tips for Writing a Profile of a Person

Capturing the essence of a person through words takes good observation and writing skills. Follow these 10 tips to learn how to write a profile:

Read other profiles. To know how to write a profile essay, read how other writers do it. Find feature profiles in the New Yorker. You can also find personality profiles throughout The New York Times, particularly in the Sunday edition of the paper. Look for what information the writer presents about their subject. At the end of the piece, see if you have any lingering questions about the person to make sure you fill those gaps in your own story.

Do your prep work. When you know who the subject of your piece is, start doing some prep work. Research the person. If they’re well-known, it will be easy to find information online. It’s important to use reputable websites in order to find accurate information—this will also save you effort when you or an editor fact-check the article before it’s published. The second part of your prep work will be writing out the questions you want to ask your subject. After doing your research and have read other articles, ask questions other writers haven’t asked yet.

Create an outline. Before you get started, create an outline for your story. Use bullet points to highlight the main points you want to make in your article. You should also figure out the angle of your story. When a journalist writes a story, they have some kind of news angle to their piece—a focus that pulls the article together. This will help you determine what information you need to find out from your subject.

Interview your subject. When you write a profile, you’ll meet with your subject and interview them at least once but usually several times for a big feature story. Be prepared with your questions but also be ready to follow the natural flow of the conversation. Ask questions during your meeting that you think readers will want to know. Pose questions that will encourage your subject to tell a story. Ask them to share anecdotes. Avoid yes or no questions. You want them to open up. Make sure to record and transcribe the entire interview. As you review their answers on paper or on your computer, highlight the best quotes.

Observe your subject in their environment. When you’re writing a profile of somebody, you need to spend time with them on their turf. Your profile piece should capture them in their environment and allow readers to see their world. If you’re writing about a musician, you might meet them at home but also go to the studio with them to watch how they compose a song. Make several trips to become acquainted with your subject—it might take a lot of time for them to let their guard down and be themselves around you.

Start with a strong lede. As you gather your information and write your profile, you must start strong. Your opening line and paragraph, otherwise known as your lede, needs to capture the reader’s attention. You’re setting the scene for your article and creating a first impression of this person, so make sure you hook your readers from the start.

Incorporate direct quotes. While you’re crafting this piece with your own words, you need to show your subject’s point of view. Quote them extensively in this piece. As a general rule of thumb, try to use a few quotes for every topic you cover in the profile. It can be a good idea to let your subject have the last word and end with a quote. On top of the subject’s quotes, you’ll be interviewing others who know this person, like friends, family, and associates. Their stories can contribute interesting information to your piece.

Tell a story. Like any other piece you write, good profiles have a beginning, middle, and end. Use a narrative writing style. Use descriptive language. Your subject is your main character, so develop them for your reader. Include any interesting tidbits and background information about their life, like obstacles they’ve overcome. This will help illustrate what motivates them.

Reveal new information. Write a unique, great profile that gives the reader fascinating takeaways about the person. If you’re writing about someone famous, they’ve most likely been interviewed before. Find additional information that hasn’t been published that makes them more compelling to your readers and gives your story a unique approach. If you’ve crafted great questions, you’ll be able to uncover fascinating information about your subject’s life.

Show, don’t tell. Many profile articles will include the writer’s experience of meeting their subject and conducting the interview. In that case, you’ll write the story in first person, including yourself in the narrative. Describe the experience using sensory details of the person and their environment. Capture what the person is like in real life to let readers feel like they know this person.

Examples of a Professional Bio

Here are a few short professional bio examples that work to establish the writer’s credentials and paint a picture of their professional identity:

Marketing bio: Sylvia Johnson has served as the director of marketing at Hardy & Jones International for four years. Previously, she ran the communications department at Marketing Incorporated and coordinated a team of copywriters at The ABC-Scribe Organization. She has a master’s degree in business administration from Great University and still cheers on its basketball team. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and photography.

Arts and entertainment bio: Adam O’Hare has a bachelor’s degree in art history from Great University. During his studies, he completed a one-year internship at the Museum of Art, where he led guided tours and spent time designing an all-new organization system for the archives. When he’s not enjoying works of art, you can find him at home spending time with his two dogs, Rembrandt and Picasso. Adam can be reached at ______________.com.

Entrepreneur bio: My name is Rachel Smith, and when I was four years old, my mother found me sneaking Brie cheese out of the fridge—it’s safe to say that I’ve always been passionate about good food. I went on to work as a sous chef in several Houston-area restaurants before getting my master’s degree in food science. After many years of cooking and eating in the city, I became frustrated that there wasn’t a reliable place to shop for high-quality ingredients near my home. That’s why I founded Rachel’s Food Company, an organization dedicated to helping you find the top-shelf ingredients you need in the kitchen.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Hi, this is perfectly fine! Here are some tips and notes from a couple of sources I found. So it depends on where you're posting/using your author introduction to help you determine how formal you want to be, what types of information you'll include etc. Definitely look at examples of your favourite writers' own author profiles as well to give you more ideas. All the best with creating your intro!

[weewooelectricboogaloo]

I just saw the full, dreaded fleshy cowboy hat ad on YouTube while loading up the game

Tubi marketing department when I get you Tubi marketing department

[ariiiiih]

About <辜(Gu/Guilty)> (a TGCF AD song)

The last two versions of 辜 are really great, so I wanna share some thoughts and provide some supplementary materials.

The first one in episode 17 is a ballad version. As Xintong (新桐, TGCF AD’s music monitor) said in her webio, “[it’s] to unfold and highlight He Xuan’s mood from his perspective.”

This version is sorrowful but soft, and the lalala childish humming at the end, which sounds like a nursery rhyme, gives this song a sense of purity and innocence. In the blackwater arc, which consists of horror, anger, hatred, and despair, this feeling never appeared. Then, why use this song, this feeling to express HX?

The song was like out of the story, just like the feelings that HX never directly expressed. Actually, the warmest and touching scene in this story, from the RoEW to the end of revenge, was told in the first extra of TGCF----HX’s family, who gave XL a bowl of Yuanxiao and wished he would reunite with his family:

“Do you not have the money?” the owner asked. Still stricken, Xie Lian couldn’t reply, but the owner simply said, “Forget it. I’ll give it to you for free, considering how tragic you look. I'll be packing up once you’re done, so hurry home. Today is Yuanxiao, the day for family reunions!” …

The little girl was biting on her spoon with her head tilted. “When is gege coming home? I wanna wait until he’s back before digging in.” “He’s so late,” the owner chimed in. “Coming home so late on Yuanxiao; how outrageous!” “He’s working hard. He’Il be home soon,” the old woman chided. “Don’t scold him when he comes back. Miao-er! Miao-er, stop working. I feel awful always needing you to help out. Come here, and let’s eat together.” “Not at all!” the young woman replied. She cleaned the last table before sitting down with them to share yuanxiao. They seemed to be waiting for another member of the family to join them, and the four of them chatted and laughed all the while.

And the tragedy of this family in TGCF AD, when HX’s sister said “Gege, let's be brother and sister in the next life” and when his father told him “Son, father’s going with your mother,” was heartbreaking.

So, this ballad version of 辜, from He Xuan’s perspective, was like He Xuan remembering his family, his life, and all the happiness and suffers in it; it was like He Xuan looking back to the path that he had walked so far over hundreds of years and the three lifetimes of man, god, and ghost; and lamenting the people who had been involved in this fate-switching incident, the lives of those who had died innocently and tragically. Humming is a primitive expression of feelings, compassionate and pure like a god, while the mourning for those low-level, insignificant mortals shows the idea that gods should not love only abstract humans, but real people.

As an avenger, it's easy to think of HX's anger and hatred. But when they are stripped away, we can find that deep in his heart, the feeling and reason of his revenge that we easily overlook, is the pure love between him and his family, the warmest and the most joyful past. This love may seem ordinary, less splendor than other ghost kings’ beliefs or the relationship with Shi brothers, but it is this love that supported him to resolutely carry out an extremely long and lonely revenge that no one has ever done. Even though he would never rest and would suffer forever and he knew it, some people were worth doing that for.

That’s why I like this version. It reminded me of “true voyage is return”. The character of He Xuan is very complex but easily flattened and stereotyped because his inner self and his inward exploration are hidden, and this song shows the neglected side of He Xuan, a more human and even divine side.

The last version in episode 18 is an omniscient perspective (I haven’t seen the translation yet, so I tried to do it by myself, sorry if it sounds weird in English).

运数又何为 命中误

What fate has done,

A mistake in life.

似这般无妄劫 怎可渡

Like this undeserved trial,

How can it be passed?

一个是琳琅材 一个是凡间骨

One is a precious jade,

The other an ordinary bone.

偏谁得奇缘 放醉入仙府

Yet, who is destined

To stumble into the immortal realm.

做仙的眼无珠 做鬼的有恨难诉

The god has eyes but blind,

The ghost harbors hatred but hard to tell.

骨肉终消散 尝尽悲与苦

Flesh and blood dissipated,

Sorrow and Pain tasted.

这欠命的已还命 赎命的却无人赎

The one who owed a life has paid,

The one who atoned remains unredeemed.

问去去来来谁赢输

Ask who wins and who loses.

叹尘归尘来土归土

Sign, as ashes return to ashes,

And dust to dust.

This song has the style of Dream of the Red Chamber (the greatest classical novel in Chinese literature). Here are the songs in this novel, where you could find some similarities.

Vain Longing: One is an immortal flower of fairyland, The other fair flawless jade, And were it not predestined, Why should they meet again in this existence? Yet, if predestined, Why does their love come to nothing? One sighs to no purpose, The other yearns in vain, One is the moon reflected in the water, The other but a flower in the mirror. How many tears can well from her eyes? Can they flow on from autumn till winter, From spring till summer?

The Birds into the Wood have Flown: The office jack’s career is blighted, The rich man’s fortune now all vanished, The kind with life have been requited, The cruel exemplarily punished; The one who owed a life is dead, The tears one owed have all been shed. Wrongs suffered have the wrongs done expiated; The couplings and the sundering were fated. Untimely death sin in some past life shows, But only luck a blest old age bestows. The disillusioned to their convents fly, The still deluded miserably die. Like birds who, having fed, to the woods repair, They leave the landscape desolate and bare.

Also, in the Bloody Fire Social of AD, the first time we heard Scholar He (*in ancient China we called a scholar ‘Sheng’, that’s where He Sheng came, not He Xuan’s another name), the verse that artist sang also shared a similarity with a song from Dream of the Red Chamber.

(Bloody Fire Social):

世人皆说贺生好

All men long to be He Sheng

功名利禄少不了

With riches and rank that all aspire;

如今贺家在何方？

The kind family of He, where are they now?

荒冢一堆草没了

Their graves are a mass of briars.

All Good Things Must End (first part): All men long to be immortals Yet to riches and rank each aspires; The great ones of old, where are they now? Their graves are a mass of briars.

An interesting coincidence is that “All Good Things Must End” is the opening verse of Dream of the Red Chamber, while “The Birds into the Wood have Flown” is the closing verse of Dream of the Red Chamber. And the two similar songs in the blackwater arc are told from He Sheng's life to the end of He Xuan's revenge, which I personally like as a literary homage.

[brunhielda]

I am currently watching through The Lord of the Rings again (as you do).

I love these movies. I will show them to my children (or nieces/nephews) and grand children and great grand children. There are quotes from these films that see me through dark days.

(Reason I can accept the flawed Hobbit films is that they too have quotes that stick around)

That said, as I watch with my parents and thier even older friend, I am listening to them react to Boromir the same way I did the first time I watched it. Knowing what I do now about the back ground of canonical Boromir, it hurts a little bit.

If you are a fan who has read the books, or even is involved with the online fandom- you know. Boromir is a good man- the best of men. He is supposed to be a shining example of the best of us, and his fall to the Ring is meant to show that it could happen to ANYONE. It is meant to be a message to us all that you are not your worst moment, or your worst fault.

And yet because of all the foreshadowing and arguing over choices to make during the quest, we the audience of the movie see him as someone just one step away from betraying everyone. His attempt to take the Ring is not a surprise, or even a tragedy, but a confirmation. The surprise is his redemption in death.

I think there is a version of “The Fellowship of the Rings” that I would have liked to see.

Indulge me:

Part of the problem is that Aragorn is falling into the spot Boromir could be filling. He’s just too epic to allow any other man next to him to look impressive. 🤴🏼

This not only does a disservice to Boromir, but to Aragorn himself, who could be having a much richer personal growth.

So, imagine this.

Strider leans more into his “Ranger in the Corner” persona. He is quiet, terse, filthy, mysterious, and comes across more like your traditional rogue than anything approaching Kingly.

Legolas is the only one to call him Aragorn, he does it exactly once when defending him to Boromir, and never again. Legolas himself is a little different- a few more sarcastic quips, more friendly and forward, the sunshine to Strider’s gloom. When they get to Lothlorian, the elves there acknowledge “Strider the Ranger” as someone known to them, but Legolas of the Woodland Realm does the negotiating. The vibe is “ah, yes… that human Elrond adopted. I suppose we should bid him welcome…” 🫤 (Obvious exception of Galadriel. She knows all. It just makes her seem more out there).

There are a couple less references to his lineage, and every time they do, the feeling from the audience should be- “Really? THAT guy?”

Arwen is clearly in a rebellious stage and looking for a bad boy. Him telling her to go very much has that angsty teen feel of “you could do better” and “I am poison to you.”

Elrond is clearly trying to get through to him, but do we think it is going to take? He remains quiet and moody. Was he the first to volunteer to go? Yes. But it was less a declaration and more of an ernest whisper meant for Frodo. Legolas’s immediate follow up is less “I am inspired” and more “My pet introvert will not survive without me, but I am so proud of you for asserting yourself.” 😂

Meanwhile- we have Boromir. Now, I love me some Sean Bean, but I need him at his most joyful. Most jovial. Give him a big old beard. Pad him out with thicker armor to give him a broader chest.

Boromir is supportive. Boromir is playful. Boromir is everyone’s big bro, ESPECIALLY the younger hobbits. I basically want every scene he has with Merry and Pippin expanded to everyone.

I want the sword drop to feel less like a stranger being disrespectful, and more like a himbo being clumsy.

I want him to talk about the path to Mordor of all the concern of the older sibling who has seen and been, and his dismissal of Aragorn to feel justified. “Yeah… sure, put that guy on the throne. Uh huh. I think we dodged an arrow there.” And I want the end of it to be a bit of a laugh and a clap on the back, and “no offense meant, Strider Ol’ chap, but you don’t seem the type!”

I want every disagreement with Gandalf or Gimli about which way to take to feel like him advocating for everyone’s safety.

I want him to slide into the role that Aragorn currently has, protecting everyone, especially Frodo, and to have Strider fall back into a quieter rear guard position, only to really speak up to sharply tell someone “don’t disturb the water” “Hide!” “get them up.”

Strider will speak on historical landmarks or lands we are entering, which always makes Legolas smile in support. “See, he knows cool things. I am telling you, you wanna be friends with my guy.”

Instead of Strider or Gandalf sending Gimli or Legolas chastising looks, we see Boromir, the peace keeper, laughing at both of them. “Come now master dwarf, the Elf will love trees as much as you love Rock, it is to be expected! I myself would be weary of being out in the open so often, and also loathe to spend as much time under ground as your kin, yet I have been known to be grateful for either tree or rock in a rough spot or two (chuckle) As I’m sure you would find the open forest or the dwellings of men far too open for your liking, but would not begrudge shelter in either when when the rain sets in. To each their own way, as my brother would say! You would like him (directed at Legolas) he speaks your poetry much better than I in any rate! (Aside to Gimli) I am more for the drinking songs myself. Speaking of, have you heard the hobbits tell you about their little place? Master Pippin- tell us, how do Hobbits live?” He just keeps cutting off rudeness with rambles about something his brother said or how the hobbits or men are like both of them, and really, do these fights between dwarves and elves matter when they have Sauron to face? Come! We are brothers in arms! There are moments they bask in it, and moments they are bonded by the annoyance of it. Either way he wins.

(In Lothlorien, they are bonded in grief, in appreciation of Galadriel, and in the strangeness of Boromir being too caught up in his own musings to try to fix them)

I want Galadriel’s speech to both Strider and Boromir to feel like a deepening of characters we are already starting to like, not confirmation of things we suspect. I want her to tell Frodo- “You know of who I speak” and have the audience to go “What?! WHO??? Who is this crazy woman talking about? Oh, she has those seer powers- what does she know?!”

I want every reference to Boromir starting to fall to the Ring to be less obvious foreshadowing, and more a sympathetic look behind the jovial curtain.

“What ails you Boromir?” “Oh- never mind me. My mind has gone back to my brother. I was meant to lead the armies you know.” Strained smile. “Now it falls on him. It is a heavy burden, but he is equal to the task. Probably better at it than me!” Laugh. “It will be well. When I see him again I will have to congratulate him on defending our people so well. And he will chastise me for being away so long to leave him to pick up the slack!”

Far away look. Any of the company gives him a questioning look. “We are not far from the borders of Gondor- she is just over that mountain.” Strained smile. “Forgive me, I have not before been so long from home. I did not realize I would yearn for it so. Perhaps that is why I keep trying to turn us that way- feet always point home, do they not?” (This would be poinant with Sam, Legolas, Gimli, or Strider)

At any of these moments, he glances at the ring. A glance. That is it.

If there are obvious moments of temptation, I want one for every single member of the Fellowship (the movie is long enough, there is room). Gimli admires its make, for all that it is wrought with evil. Dwarves know a thing or two about jewelry, you know. Very good craftsmen. Legolas speaks of the rings of the elves, How they never passed to his line- he isn’t surprised. Surprising bitter moment of saying his Father is one of the weakest of Elves. Gandalf interrupts his musing by talking about his ring. (Could be a moment of bonding with Gimli too) Strider tells Frodo he should preserve his strength- can he not put the Ring in a pocket or pass it to another hobbit? (He does not ask to take it, but music implies the question). Merry and Pippin keep talking about “I know it’s evil, but you have to admit, it has a nice shine to it, doesn’t it?” It is playful and flippant, but there none the less. Boromir might ONCE mention it’s use as a weapon, speaking of what Sauron was able to do with it “They say it was the Ring that allowed him to grow in size and strength- he could kill 8 warriors with one blow!” Only to back track when Strider or Gandalf give him a chastising look. “Forgive me,” he says with a laugh, “I am at heart a warrior, and see everything as a possible tactical advantage. Of course it would only do damage should anyone try to use it.” Gandalf turns away, mollified, Boromir whispers conspiratorially to Merry and Pippin “But imagine! Eight feet tall!” (Chuckles all around- foreshadowing to the two growing to be the tallest hobbits) The whole thing should be told around the fire at night like a good story- again, even in his weakness, we see him as an excellent big bro figure.

The point is, I want to get to Galadriel saying someone will take the Ring and the audience is suspicious of EVERYONE.

Then we arrive at the moment. We all have our suspicions. Strider has gone off to find Frodo. There are implications of everyone being out looking. We saw exactly one glance of Boromir’s shield. Out of everyone? The money is on the creepy mysterious Ranger who might have a heart under there but only seems to snap at people.

Then Boromir tries to take the Ring.

From this point on, EVERYTHING Is EXACTLY the AS THE ORIGINAL.

The context is wildly different.

The shock of Boromir taking the Ring has the gasp effect of Hans’ betrayal in Frozen.

Strider turning down the Ring has us all feeling guilty and weepy, because he’s just quiet and concerned damn it! He has always meant well!

Boromir suddenly realizing what he has done has us sobbing “He didn’t mean it! He didn’t mean it! It was the Ring!” And then he immediately turns to defend Merry and Pippin. There are no dry eyes.

We have seen Strider fight- he has precision and skill. But this fight suddenly feels like he is proving something. Like he is standing up for this man who cannot. That is Boromir, Prince of Gondor you struck down, and he is NOT undefended! Something has shifted. Strider is rising, and it shows in this fight against the leader of the Uruki.

Boromir’s final words to Strider, he calls him Aragorn. He calls him brother. He calls him king. It feels less like a shift in view to culminate a redemption, and more like placing a mantle, more like giving final support. Boromir would have been next to lead the people of Gondor- he is giving it to his friend. Vibes of : “You tried to hide, but I saw you. The elf was right. You will be a great King.” Even at the end, he is the Big Brother we all want.

The last moments of the movie when Legolas sees the hobbits across the river is a shift. “Aragorn!” He calls “they have reached the other side…. You mean not to follow them.” We suddenly realize that Legolas was never leading his quiet anxious introvert around, he was always (more subtly) following his lead. Aragorn (as he is called for the rest of the films) is standing tall, and assertive, and making a decision for the group. And they follow.

People rewatch the Fellowship 3 times its first week in theaters, just to catch the moments that warn us that Boromir will fall, and the moments that hint that Aragorn might rise. There are cries of “No spoilers! Let your friends and family find out for themselves!” People break scenes apart to analyze this dynamic for years to come.

Going forward:

Because of this shift in context in Fellowship, the rest of the Trilogy feels more like watching Aragorn come out of his shell and taking on bigger and bigger rolls.

Meeting the Rohiren is suddenly the first time Aragorn speaks for the group. He does so because these are men, and because his friends are being idiots. 😂

The rebuff of Eowyn’s affections feels like more of the same from his relationship with Arwen- he does not feel he deserves it, even now. She is a leader of her people, and he is not yet sure he can say the same. By the time he can, it is clear Arwen’s heart is with him and his with her. It also feels as if he is leaving Eowyn room to pursue her own destiny, to be a leader in her own right. Arwen is supportive, where Eowyn takes charge- perfect for a fully supportive Faramir. 👍

His approach to Theoden feels less like shrinking away, and more like feeling out when he should lead and when he should step back.

Disrespect from any character feels less like a fault of theirs and more like “I mean, I get it, he’s a bit grimy, but he knows what he’s talking about! You don’t know him! He could be a king!” Theoden’s refusal to listen to him feels more like a tragedy, because how else could it have gone?

The entire Two Towers plot becomes a discussion of leadership. Gandalf swoops in and out, and expects people to listen to him. Eomer is direct and aggressive, but only leads warriors, not a kingdom. Theoden has many under his protection, he must weigh risks and lean on older wisdoms. And then there is Aragorn, still figuring himself out, helping Eowyn to do the same. (With every step he takes, we wonder how Boromir would have fit into this discussion- would Eomer have recognized him? Would Theoden have listened more or less to the leader of Gondor’s armies? Would Boromir have stepped back as often? Would he have insisted, in his still jovial way, and would it have caused conflict? Would he inspire men in the same way? Would it have worked as well? We have no idea how he would have handled Eowyn, besides stepping in as a brother since her’s is out fighting. Suddenly this thought of Boromir is on Aragorn’s face with every decision) What Aragorn figures out is that he himself is honest, ernest, and relies on the support and help of others. The conclusion of The Two Towers is the understanding that Aragorn does not need to be a King to be a Leader. That has always been in him. Has he not lead his group this far? Does he not make friends everywhere he goes? Does he not inspire men and elves alike? (Gimli is but one dwarf, and we do not get further examples 😂) He is not Boromir, or Eomer, or Gandalf, or Theoden, but still, he leads.

The Return of the King is an obvious end to his journey, but it feels more fulfilling, since we have seen Aragorn come farther. The moment he claims his birthright with the ghosts under the mountain is a moment that elicits cheers. His speech at the Black Gate brings tears, not just because of his words, but because of how far he has come.

When he is crowned, his reunion with and acceptance of Arwen’s love means more. His moment of humility in front of the Hobbits make us all see how he HAD to be a Ranger to be the Great King he has become. Pride swells.

And we give credit to Aragorn’s growth to the leadership of Boromir in the first film.

We are also struck to the heart when Faramir announces himself as Boromir’s brother. THIS is the brother he spoke so highly of? Did Boromir that bias towards his own flesh and blood, to think THIS man, who captures hobbits and tortures Smeagle, is someone to be proud of? But by the end of Two Towers we are proud too.

At the end of Two Towers, Faramir has seen Frodo nearly fall to the Ring. Did he believe them when they said it drove Boromir mad? Of course not. We didn’t believe it. And we only had one movie with the guy. No one who knew him would buy that. But then there is Frodo, with a sword to Sam’s throat- “Don’t you recognize your Sam?” And there is a horrified recognition on Faramir’s face. Is it what he knows his Father may someday do with or without the Ring? Is it the recognition of how, even in the best of him, his brother could be like his Father? Is it a vision of himself in that position, his brother over him, because he came back with the Ring as their father asked? And does he admire Samwise that much more, because he handled the aftermath of that so much better than Faramir would in his place? (“Something worth fighting for” indeed- Boromir gave the speeches, not him. He must have LOVED this sunshiny little gardener)

When Sam tells him he is of the finest quality- it means more. They are passing on a message after all.

There may be another line from Frodo- “He spoke of you. He knew you would be a good commander. He was anxious to be home and congratulate you. I am sorry it is me here instead of him. He would be so proud.”

Maybe it is Pippin who mentions it. Maybe we get a flashback to another scene between the two of them. “You remind me of my brother- curious, adventurous, but educated, mannered. Much better mannered than I, as it has often been said!” Loud laughter. “The two of you would make for good friends, should you ever meet.”

“Don’t worry for him too much Merry. I have known one as curious as he. He just wanted to understand the world, as does your cousin. It has served him well- he out grew the recklessness of it, and there is no one I trust more.” “Your brother?” Laugh “How did you guess?”

I want us to love Faramir not only because he is good, but because Boromir loved him, and he loved Boromir. I want us to think of Boromir and what he would say to his brother every time he is on screen. I want us to see the love of Boromir direct all his actions.

The parallels of Eowyn and Faramir hint at thier future relationship more clearly in this version, because the connection between Boromir and Aragorn as different leaders of Gondor continues to shine through. Boromir’s brother could not defy his father’s wishes because he loved him and almost died for it. Aragorn’s student (she feels like a sister when he puts her to the side) does defy her father figure, again because she loves him, and is victorious in battle. Both thier fathers die in the battle. When we spot them together in the houses of healing it is not as much of a surprise. It feels right. They have much in common. Also… as Eowyn is seen to grown into a leader as Aragorn does, she also gets her supportive soft romantic partner.

I want Big Bro Boromir to be there in all but flesh throughout the entire thing. I want Boromir’s bracers on Aragorn’s arms to not only be the first thing we notice in Two Towers, but something to feel so right as to be obvious. I want “Then I shall die as one of them!” to feel like a chastisement to Legolas- “Boromir was human too, and he would want us here.” I want “Gondor will answer” to feel like a certainty, because Boromir would. I want Pippin’s rescue of Faramir to feel like a keeping of a promise to love Boromir’s brother as much as a rescue of a new friend. I want us to see the bracer on Aragorn’s arm as much as the sword in his hand when he says “I am Isildur’s Heir.” I want Theoden’s ride to Gondor to tie back not just to Aragorn, but further back to Boromir- a promise has been kept, and inspiration has come to bloom. I want us to see the white tree flags on the battle field of Mordor and feel like Boromir walked in after all. I want us to cry that Boromir is not there to greet Frodo as he wakes, as much as we cry for everyone else’s happy ending.

It’s just an image I had tonight. A beautiful image. Big Bro Jovial Boromir. Laughing down warmly at everyone from heaven. Making us proud to be of the race of men before Aragorn could.

Like I said- I love these movies. But ah, what could have been.

[gracychelse]

This is a really interesting post, and I'm going to respond coming from a slightly mirrored position, in that I saw the UK first, and I like it a little better, but I've enjoyed both. Also I haven't watched the YouTube video the OP is referencing.

I actually really dislike the idea that you shouldn't have character development in a sitcom.

I agree that the US Ghosts has a lot more on paper developments for the Ghosts, lots of relationships develop move and change, lots of power reveals, lots of lore elements (possession), lots of different types of Ghosts (car ghosts, attached to a human ghosts, neighbor ghosts), bodies are found and a lot more new characters show up (80s prom teenager who sleeps in the attic, British ghosts in the shed, Carol). We also have a lot of character development. We find out that Trevor wasn't as selfish as he appeared, Isacc comes out and enters a relationship, Hetty opens up more, Thor accepts that his son married a Danish person and Flower accepts being in a couple not a throuple just to name a few.

However, for me at least, a lot of this development looses it's punch because there is so much of it. Part of what makes change really moving is when it's hard won. At the end of the UK Ghosts when Julian comes and doesn't apologise to Alison, but says he's glad that she came into their lives, that feels like real heart wrenching development. He has grown to a point where he can speak from the heart, not just do political bluster, and because it's been so gradual and hard won, it feels a lot more moving to me. Where as Trevor's development is more rushed, and to me, feels more like convenience/retconning. He very quickly is shown to have more to him than the sleazy wall street side, so when we find out that he gave his pants up for the kid being hazed it's nice, but it doesn't feel like as big a moment. We've seen him being moral/sentimental multiple times, so it doesn't massively humanise him.

There was a tumblr post I saw earlier this year, talking about stakes vs tension in a book, and I think this taps into it. In the UK Ghosts (for me) it can give us high tension with very minimal stakes. There's an episode where the steaks are 'Mike bought a zorb ball and doesn't want to show Alison right away, and she's having a back and forth with the neighbor' and the show manages to keep the tension and humor as he creeps around trying to free himself. Where as in the US show, to make it more tense they up the steaks. The neighbor is causing issues on the building project so Sam tried to entertain the neighbor's wife, but she ended up with the wife kicking the neighbor out, and then he stayed at the b&b, and they spoke to the ghosts at his house and worked out that he forgot an anniversary so they set up a romantic meal and the neighbors reconcile and also it was their orgy-versary because they're swinger's.

The writers want to make it more tense so they make the steaks higher (the neighbors might get divorced!) to try to increase the tension. If they had more of the skill of upping tension without upping stakes it would make the show feel a lot more grounded.

My next example is with Flower/Mary. Mary got 'Sucked off' and the ghosts tried to keep going, expressed their grief in different ways, had a memorial, and then she was gone. It was a sad and touching episode and she never came back. Kitty mentions things she learnt from it in forward episodes. In the US version, they saw that somone was 'sucked off' and went looking to see who it was (adding steaks to up the tension, who could it be!?) they worked out that Flower was the only person they couldn't find, so they did a memorial. Then Thor found an owl that the decided was her reincarnated, so they had to keep the owl in the house. He moved through it and decided to let her go (sad, but nicely done) and then half a season later it turned out she didn't go, she was stuck in a well. It takes a lot of the emotion out. She's not gone, and Thor didn't need to let go or learn/grow at all. They upped the streaks to try and increase the tension, but then they backpedaled and lost the oomph.

Another example it with an Isaac/Captain parallel. They both struggle with their sexuality at the start. Then Isaac comes out (Yay!), accepts himself (Yay!), starts dating a British officer (cute!) they get engaged (cool!), they have bachelor parties with some mixed wires about lap dances (a little done, but sure), Isaac gets cold feet and calls off the wedding (what?). Because the show kept upping the steaks when they wanted more tension, they got to the point where I wasn't as emotionally invested in the relationship because they burned through it so quickly. Where as the tension and poignancy of the Captain celebrating the two women getting married on the property was incredible!

I feel the US Ghosts has a lot more crammed in, and by upping the steaks short term, in my opinion it lessens the power of these twists and reveals. I really like when it subverts tropes (which it does far more than the UK one), but I feel like they could have made those subversions hit stronger if they had the time to stick before another thing was thrown on top.

I don't know if this is a side effect of longer seasons with more episodes to fill, or of different approaches to humor, but while I enjoy both shows I find the UK one has more emotional punch because it's a slower burn.

Tldr I think the US Ghosts uses upping the steaks to raise the tension in such a way that it looses its long term punch.

I don't really want to add to us vs uk ghosts discourse but I do wanna comment on something I noticed after reading comments on a video comparing the two shows

Disclaimer I do like both shows. I'm more of a fan of the us version because 1. I'm American 2. I watched it first and 3. I was insanely depressed when I first watched it so I'm attached

So in the video comparing the 2 (I didn't watch the video I just read the comments), the comments, which basically just served to shit on the us version, seemed to express that the character development between the shows is a major point of contention.

The consensus I saw is that people like the uk ghosts because they don't develop that much. They do develop but they stay themselves generally. Fanny will always be fanny, the captain won't come out, kitty will stay perpetually bubbly and obvlious, Julian will stay pretty awful etc.

I think the idea of not wanting characters to fully develop into better people and stay flawed is why so many uk fans are so critical of us show. Character development is major in the US version. Hetty becomes more open and accepting (barely but she's getting there), isaac is open about his sexuality (which the way people criticize that story makes me so mad it's a separate post), flower has more sober coherent moments and depth, and Trevor is shown to be a better person that he is perceived to be. I just used more direct parallels for comparison sake but all the characters have moments like that.

I can see why people like the subtleness of the uk development but some claim that is more intriguing to have flawed characters, which is fine but the us characters also aren't polished, they still have a long way to go. Many people who haven't watched the us show or watched more than 2 episodes think the characters are purely caricatures and the uk ghosts feel more human but both shows feel very human. Though the us ghosts are more distinct in their eras, they feel very human because they face regular human feelings and often subvert the tropes they represent.

But also the fact that are around for decades or centuries, they are bound to evolve at some point. Especially as they interact with other more modern ghosts and observe and communicate with livings.

Tldr many uk ghosts fans criticize the us show for too blatant character development but imo the us ghosts still feel very real and it makes sense for them to change over time

[inmontana]

madison clark 🤝 beth dutton having venomous fuck you's

[goldentigerfestival]

i will never not find it hilarious that they completely forgot to animate patty at the very end of the final cutscene in the last three frames of the whole group

and the dub didn't even give her voiced lines when everyone was shouting they so the localization forgot about her too

[dykeofmisfortune]

got drunk today and started comparing the bbc version of hamlet with david tennant (jumpscare) and the 1996 hamlet movie, both of which we watched in AP Lit, and began listing off things i liked or disliked about each version in way too intense detail

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

That Yukari video...... It’s either P5X related or maybe we’re getting a P3 remake (or some other high end spinoff)... or god hates me and it’s a fake. I really hope it’s real to some capacity esp a remake (but I’m lowering my expectations right now TT0TT I don’t want to get hurt), they could add so much stuff to P3 (it has a lot of blank space if you play it a certain way, and esp on NG+). 

Maybe make Climax Theater a staple in all the games? TT0TT

I hope they remake all the games and add cool new things in each game. (Phone material games in P1/2/3, more climax theater in P2 at least, more Vision quest in P3, an Izanami SL/Ending and challenge mode stuff in P4, and so on). Best thing is if they could make certain stuff optional, so if people want to just experience P1/2/3/4 with upgraded graphics and new combat they can. 

[saiibeo]

// I forgot that due to writing their Obey Me verse with my best friend Bee, Corvus canonically doesn't get along with Lucifer at first the same way other MCs usually do. They're literally apart of the Lucifer Hate Club. They make it their sole purpose during their time there the first time around to be an absolute nuisance, but post Belphegor content(saying that to avoid spoilers for people just in case) they actually start being a lot nicer and more respectful towards him.

tldr: Corvus acts like a terrible younger sibling to Lucifer as if that poor bastard doesn't have enough of those.

[thewholesircus]

sorry, i've been a bit inactive also. i agree, it's always such a rush around christmas! i can't believe this year has gone so quickly ugh

-🦋

also, what are your favourite ships?

there's loads to do and very little time to relax around the holidays! kinda dreaming of a laid back holiday for a change.

it seemed like 2024 was so slow in the first idk 6/7 months?? and now it's ending idk how it happened

sooo that's kinda a tricky question for me! bc I either like a ship for the dynamic it has, or the general vibe or I really like one of the characters in it. but mostly I love thinking about the dynamics between characters AND I wanna stress this if something is written convincingly enough, I will read it and ship that ship (in that fic at least!)

i also don't mind shipping a character in different ships if it makes sense? like for example, romione has grown on me lately, but i will still look at a dramione's plot (or drawing) and go oh that's interesting! (but I still think hermione should have been by herself at least for a while, why wizardkind marry young!! tho ok they went thru a war it makes sense to want to hang onto the relationships you have )

this won't be a list bc I share my vision bc not all ships are a given. fair warning i like v much angst, pining, etc idk if a ship deserves tws but in case I can add them ❤️

from here under the cut🌌

ok this is harder than i thought!! so i'll think about some characters and what ships i like.

ofc I started this (side)blog bc of prongsfoot so it goes without saying I find them very compelling, it's def my fave i think, there's much to explore and i hope to dive into that soonish (both by reading and writing! I miss writing 🥲)

then sirius: other than james, i like his dynamic with bellatrix (very focused people who believe in somebody they care for and will do anything for them, both same product of the same environment yet they end on opposite fields, both very proud and headstrong. ofc this would be toxic as hell, no way for an happy ending but the angst is delicious)

i like wolfstar too but not as much as prongsfoot and I see it happening post PoA, if i think about their school years i cant imagine them falling for e/o easily with james there (james like harry is the core of his friend group!!)

speaking about remus, i kinda like remadora too, I've read some cute (read angsty) fics about them, im not immune to the heartbreak of the cycle repeating itself with teddy 💔

i very attached to andromeda and teddy and i have bookmarked a fic that looked promising!

(this sums for the marauders gen)

now harry as the main character is v shippable with various characters, we can go from wholesome ginnyxharry (both carrying the trauma of war and dealing with voldemort but still there's much room for angst) to prongsfoot parallel harryxron (i think the wizarding world is very much conservative aka homophobic and ron wouldn't deal very well with the realization of possible feelings + his sis got feelings for the same guy + f&g wouldn't let him live it down, meanwhile i think harry at first wouldn't even think about it much bc boy busy surviving in both worlds and he would want a family and fit in with society I think, he's tired of standing out)

but my fave harry ship is tomarry (esp those fics where they are of the same age roughly) enemies to lovers is my guilty pleasure ngl

also so many talented artists!!

i also love the vibe of luna X harry tbh very cute, i could see them working esp far away from the wizarding world (at least the British one) and harry would have a kinda cool but strange father-figure!! theyre both marked by tragedy, nothing can make ppl bond like that!!

now im ending the post with one last ship BC it's already quite long I fear! this is the one that made me fall back into this fandom and it is *drumrolls* lilyxhermione!! esp them in the specific setting i envision them in (time travel) bc I love the idea of two muggleborn witches bonding over shared experiences

(I love that there are so many characters, it's like being 5 again and I can play with my dolls, lovely!)

what about you? 💗 also if you or anybody are curious about specific characters, I can try and yap some more ❤️🤟🏻

[littlestpersimmon]

Hi guys. Am sick rn, but had wanted to post this before I go and sleep.

Some of you may already know that patreon sent out an update that charges anyone using ios to subscribe to artist's patreons 30% more.

I immediately feel this impact mere hours later, and now, days later. I'm hemorrhaging patrons & have less income. It would mean the while world to me if you guys could please reblog this.

If you use the desktop version or the android app? you will not have to pay 30% more. Needless to say this decision of apple has completely fucked me over months and months to come, unless I somehow make up for my loss by other means.

My patreon is only a dollar a month!

I have around 400 exclusive artwork on it :)

I am working on uploading more art there, and more comics once I am done with my current contract as a comic artist.

I am currently partially homeless- so being alive in general is hard ;y; I wanted to focus more of my work on patreon, until this update- I only have one tier.

I am working as hard as I can, every month ♡ I am also the caretaker of three disabled people- as my dad, who used to do all the housework, is now too sick with a swollen liver that could possibly be connected to his heart problems, and my mama who has limited movement- she "died" of sepsis many years ago after giving birth to my sister, and was revived with nerve damage. I don't know the medical terms, but she was brain dead for however long, and was successfully brought back in a different hospital. She was comatose for months; this event has lead to my family losing everything in hospital bills, our car, our house (literally we became homeless) ah. But long story short, I am the only person in my family who works- as my sister is a teenager, and she is autistic with a very, very low frustration threshold, as she is also a picky eater and still going to school! I'm sorry, many of my followers already know this story by now, I have already doxxed myself multiple times trying to avert crisis after crisis, ahaha. But yes. Patreon added to my cart of Sorrows, and would love to have more folks who aren't using apple, or are using android and the web to come on over and maybe enjoy some of my private art up there. I post around 3-6 art a month, if I am lucky 7. I want to keep making art, and my patreon was what was giving me a semblance of stability until that silly update. Sorry for the long post, and I appreciate everyone helping, reblogging, saying kind words to me, praying for me. G-d bless you all, and stay safe

My patreon:

Direct tipping jar:

My print shop!

[h00f]

T4TM (Theseus4TheMinotaur)

lost wax cast bronze, patina & paste wax

2023

(process photos & info under cut <3)

my minotaur boy!! pls click on the photos for higher res! my thesis is focusing on trans men and creatures (how original ik) and this was last semester's final. i spent a lot of time looking at sculptures of the theseus/minotaur story, and yknow? a LOT of them are erotic! i'm pretty sure i saw some of them on tumblr a decade ago, and that's led to this now!

as you'll notice, the minotaur has a big t-dick! i wanted to give him breasts and an enlarged clitoris to present a very masculine trans figure. the boy on the bottom is also trans because i say so . the piece is about looking up to older, bigger, hairier trans men and seeing something awe-inspiring and beautiful. the minotaur was locked up by a cruel father for being different, and i think modern adaptations tend towards a sympathetic asterion (his name in one version)

making this piece was. so much effort. it took me about 3 months to get it all together - from clay model (plasticine) to 3D print to silicone mold to wax cast, and finally bronze pour into the shell mold. and then a TON of filing, sanding, dremel-ing, and various other metalworking techniques that probably took years off my life.

i started with sketches and made theeeeeee ugliest model ever:

then used a 3D scanner to get it digital, then spent a goooood month or two making him pretty in blender! then i spent an agonizing few weeks trying to get it print-ready, and fiiiiiinally did

^^^ an early resin printed draft of the model - you can see in the final that i added lots to theseus after some feedback, but sadly the nosering broke off every time i cast it so i just. let that be <3

then came the moldmaking, and then the wax dipping!! the yellow stuff is shell mold (ground up ceramic bits and algae soup, sticks to the wax, then silica sand in varying sizes on top) which gets the wax melted out, and bronze poured in!

then it's all metalworking, cutting stuff off, and working with hot metal. they don't tell you about all the bronze dust and how annoying it gets wearing a respirator AND goggles. but it is for me health, me boy. here's him all cleaned up before the patina:

and then i spray him down with various chemicals to make it "patina" (aka rust) in pretty colors. wait a few days, then apply paste wax to seal it and give it that shine!

then we get what you see above!!! the blue was actually unintentional, and i'm still not super sure why it looks that way.. but it's pretty so idc <3

thanks for reading!! if you ever have any bronze/casting questions, don't hesitate to message me! <3

[kykyonthemoon]

His Mini Version

His reaction when he saw the little doll version of himself that you possessed.

── .✦ Character x Female Reader (MC)

Included parts in order: Rafayel, Xavier, Zayne, Sylus, Caleb.

♡︎. Tags: fluff, domestic fluff, soft and sweet, plush dolls, established relationship, jealousy (Xavier's part), long distance relationship (Caleb's part)

♡︎. Word count: ~2k4

♡︎. Requested by Yue AuV.

── .✦ Masterlist ♡ Request a fic - closed for the time being.

Rafayel

“Huh?”

Rafayel picked up the plush doll on the table, examined it for a moment, then turned to you and asked, "Is this how you think of me?"

You blinked. "Lovely, right?"

Rafayel frowned. He raised the doll to your eye level and said:

“Hear me out, Miss Bodyguard. I do look handsome and stylish, my physique is toned, with a model-like form. Yet, why... Why is this doll that you believe to resemble me so... chubby?"

"Rafayel!" You shrieked and swiftly grabbed both hands to cover the doll's ears. "How can you say that in front of Little Fish?! He'll feel terrible for himself!"

Rafayel gazed at you, then at the plush doll you had just given a name. His body was spherical, with small arms and legs coming out of it. His face was likewise round and fully linked to his body, resembling a huge cotton ball with purple hair patches on top.

"I've gained a little weight lately," Rafayel said, pouting while rubbing his belly. “But I'm definitely not that round!”

“I made him exactly like you for a purpose. Criticizing him means you are criticizing yourself.”

Rafayel did not give up. He took up Little Fish and brought it near to your face so you could compare. 

“Don't you think he's muuuuuuuuch less attractive than me? His body is not as beautiful as mine. He is not as cute or talented as me. Can he paint? Can he make you laugh? What makes you think he can ever replace me?!”

You tried not to laugh when Rafayel puffed up his cheeks, looking like a pufferfish, even identical to that plump plush doll. You replied:

“Well, you don't know that Little Fish also has a very special feature that is different from other dolls!” 

"What's so amazing about it? Tell me."

You extended your hands to accept the doll from Rafayel. When you gently squeezed the center of his chest, Little Fish made a sound mimicking Rafayel's voice:

“Hello Miss Bodyguard! Hello Miss Bodyguard!”

Rafayel stared at him with wide eyes. His demeanor changed from astonished to slightly suspicious.

"I recorded your voice," you added. "Simply hit the button, and he will talk. I can make a new recording if you want. What do you think? He's good, huh?"

You enthusiastically hugged Little Fish and approached him. Rafayel simply scratched his head. “Humans certainly have many strange toys,” he commented. But in the end, seeing you having so much fun with the plush doll, he patted your head and said: "Even though it's a bit ugly and weird compared to my standards, I'm still happy that Miss Bodyguard likes me so much that she even owns a plush doll designed after me!"

Xavier

Since joining Lumiere's fanclub, which was founded by your colleague Nero, you frequently brought home merchandise related to him. There were badges, cards, decorations, and even cotton goods. Among the dozens of Lumiere products that take up room in your residence on a daily basis, you absolutely adored the plush doll named Lumi.

Lumi had two bunny ears and was only a little larger than your hand, making him easy to carry anywhere and at any time. When you worked, he would stand on the desk to encourage you. When you trained, he would slip into your coat pocket and patiently wait for you on the bench. Every time you went out, you carefully put him in your bag. When you arrived home, he was usually on the couch next to you, or cuddled in your arms while you watched TV together. Even when you slept, you would bring him into bed, place him next to your pillow and cover him with a blanket.

Needless to say, this made Xavier quite uneasy. He had not liked Lumi one bit since he appeared in your arms for the first time. The plush doll occupied all your attention. He accompanied you everywhere, all the time. Your phone was full of pictures of him. Even when you slept, the doll was allowed to sleep with you while Xavier was left out. He sat on the edge of the bed, crossing his arms and glancing at Lumi.

“That's it, kiddo.”

Lumi opened his large blue eyes to stare at Xavier.

“You must leave.”

A rabbit ear on Lumi's head drooped down. 

“Give her back to me. Besides, the place where you sleep used to be mine."

The plush doll continued to stare at him with such innocence. Just as Xavier was about to pick him up, you walked into the room. You had changed your clothing, and of course, your pajamas included Lumiere's chibi pattern on them.

“What are you talking about with little Lumi?” You asked.

“Ah, nothing. I'm just telling him to go away.”

"Huh? Why? He's so little, he won't take up too much room on the bed, right?"

Xavier gave him a glance before turning to you, and his eyes quickly returned to their round, watery condition.

“He's been following you all day. Why does he even take my place at night? Do you really like him more than me?”

Xavier knew too well that you easily got softened when he acted like that. If Lumi's cuteness captured your heart, he would reclaim it by the same method.

“It's not like that,” you replied. One of your hands caressed Xavier's cheek. “Lumi is the one who will protect me in my dreams on the long nights while you're not here.”

Xavier rubbed his face into your palm. He said, “But now that I'm here, Lumi can go elsewhere.”

You thought what he said was right. So you compromised and placed the doll on the opposite side of your pillow, rather than between you and Xavier as previously. You snuggled into Xavier's arms. He remained silent, as if he had a lot on his mind. Then, after you had fallen asleep, he covertly grabbed Lumi and threw him to the ground, then hugged you even tighter.

Zayne 

You set a lunch box on Zayne's desk, then placed something else on top. 

It was a little plush doll measuring about ten centimeters. He had black hair, green bean eyes with a little brownish-yellow tint, he also donned a white blouse just like a certain doctor. 

“What do you have there? A mini version of me, it seems?” Zayne asked while putting away the files on his desk to prepare for lunch with you.

“Hehe,” you happily took the doll. He nestled into the palm of your hand. “Doctor Zayne, look how small you are! I can hold you with just one hand.”

Zayne gave you a little grin. Then he grabbed your other hand, pulling you closer to him.

"Of course." But if you use both hands, you'll be able to handle more than one Doctor Zayne.

You grasped both big and small Zayne with care.

Lunch that day went really well. Before departing, you slipped the little plush doll inside your coat pocket on the left side of your chest, patted it a few times, and told Zayne:

“This is where tiny Zayne will stay every day.  I will take him everywhere, including work, amusement parks, and even home. He will always be by my side!”

Zayne smiled and responded, "It turns out that I can cure not only your heart disease, but also your love sickness?"

You blushed. The Zayne standing in front of you suddenly leaned down, as if talking to the little doll in your pocket: "Miss Hunter and this plush doll's entire day would be so hectic. Would you mind asking her whether she still has time to join me for dinner tonight?"

You laughed when you noticed Zayne's childishness. You replied: “Of course I do. But after all, little Zayne is still an intern here. What are Doctor Zayne's thoughts about being his mentor?"

Zayne stood up straight, tenderly touching the doll's cheek with his finger. "All right. I'll be spending time with Intern Zayne. But when I do that, the lady who takes care of Intern Zayne should come along as well.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zayne's fingers rose to push on your face. You puffed up your cheeks and nodded firmly in accord. From that day on, all your dates with Zayne were accompanied by little Intern Zayne, and he even made arrangements for the doll to have a separate seat by the windshield of his car.

Sylus

Sylus made frequent late-night visits to your place. That night was no exception. But he was astonished to see you open the door with a worn out expression, dragging a big plush doll on the ground.

"Why does it look so familiar?" Sylus spoke after studying the doll. He was around sixty centimeters tall, with white hair, red eyes like two rubies, and a signature smirk that looked so much like Sylus's.

"Huh? Oh, Baby Crow is a mini version of you!” You replied. After closing the door, you strolled back to the living room, holding the doll. You and him fell onto the sofa. Feeling tired after a long day, you had decided to hug the doll to bed before Sylus arrived.

He looked at you and that Baby Crow doll on the sofa and clicked his tongue. “It's a little huge compared to the definition of mini. And what the heck are you putting on me?”

Sylus snatched him out of your grasp. The doll - his little version - was dressed in pink Hello Kitty patterned pajamas,  identical to the ones you were wearing. He frowned.

“You and the doll even have matching pajamas. Where are mine then?”

Slowly opened your eyes on the sofa, you giggled: "Seeing that you like it so much, I will make you a set tomorrow. There are also Kuromi ones."

Sylus leaned down and kissed your hair, whispering: "Sleeping on the sofa will hurt your body." Then he helped you get up. You wrapped all of your limbs around Sylus's torso, as he held you with one hand and carried Baby Crow inside the room with the other.

Another night, when Sylus arrived home late, he caught you cuddling Baby Crow and sleeping soundly on the bed. Both of you were wearing the purple Kuromi pajamas you had mentioned before. He grinned as he softly punched Baby Crow. 

“Hey, you're taking up my space,” he told him.

The plush doll's challenging smile appeared to be taunting him. Sylus removed him from your arms and placed him at the end of the bed. Because there was nothing left to hug, you rolled over slightly, your fingers constantly searching for warmth until you found him.

Sylus took the doll's place, held you, and allowed you to immerse yourself in his arms. He said quietly: "You don't need a plush version of me anymore when you have the real one here, right?"

The next morning, still drowsy, you cuddled him and told him that your Baby Crow had grown into a genuine person.

Caleb

Caleb sent you a surprise package. Curious, you opened it and discovered a plush doll the size of a pillow inside. What was worth noting was that the doll resembled him, with purple eyes and an apple on his head. You phoned to show off to Caleb, who was still on duty at Skyhaven.

“Oh, you got him? I mean, Baby Cal?”

“You even have a name for him?” You grabbed the doll and placed him in your lap so Caleb could see him through the video call screen.

"Of course. I purposefully ordered him specifically for you. He's a present.” Caleb smiled brightly. He was free at the time, but his mission had yet to end so he could not come home to you right away.

You gazed down at the doll on your lap. He was so warm, and his adorable chubby face reminded you so much of Caleb. You inquired:

“But why did you send him to me?”

"To keep you company when I'm away on missions, of course," was his reply. "He will remind you to eat and go to bed on time, or hug you when you're weary."

You touched Cal's head. It was true; he was so soft that you simply wanted to squeeze him.

"Is this your compensation for not coming home for a month?"

Caleb laughed. He seemed a little sad. Then he instantly returned to his regular fresh appearance.

“Do you like him?”

"Of course. I can even release my rage on him every time I'm angry at you. Look!”

Having said that, you squeezed the doll's cheeks really hard. Caleb laughed from the other side of the screen. "Poor, little Cal. It looks like he'll have to take my position as your punching bag for a while now."

You kneaded the doll's cheeks again. He even donned a military uniform similar to Caleb's. The doll would not be able to replace him, you know; yet his existence would sooth your longing for the real person.

You leaned your head against Cal and asked Caleb:

“I have Cal here. What about you?”

“Oh, wait a minute.”

Caleb disappeared from the screen. You heard a rustling noise. A few minutes later, he emerged with another plush doll dressed in a Hunter suit. You immediately recognized it as a plush replica of yourself.

“This is little Hunter,” said Caleb. “She and little Cal are a couple. Every time I look at her, I will always think of you. For example, when I enter the room, she will appear and say: 'Why haven't you bought a ticket to Linkon yet?!' or 'You still dare to stay up late playing games?!'..."

You burst into laughter. "I didn't say it in that awful voice. But how old are you to even buy these things?..."

“I've been teased a lot by colleagues these past few days since I got little Hunter,” Caleb told you. “But since I think you also like plushies, I wanted to make something for you.”

"Thank you." You smiled, lovingly rubbing the doll he sent. “I like little Cal, but he's going to miss little Hunter very much. You mentioned that they were a couple. It means they should not be apart for too long, right?”

[notthestarwar]

so best i can figure the reason that the formatting on my long posts keeps getting messed up is that tumblr will either show the formatting as you wrote it, on desktop OR on the app but not both

and then to make things even more complicated, depending on how you are visiting the post (dash/tags/individual post/directly on a blog with theme/just the post but on the actual blog with its theme) also makes a difference???

[fleuraliasave]

❤ Version 8.0 Fleuralia Save File ❤

Download link down below (please read entire post before installing)

This save file uses all EP’s, GP’s, SP’s and most of the kits (Except Sweet Slumber Party, Cozy Kitsch, Urban Homage, Goth Galore, Grunge Revival, Carnaval Streetwear and Modern Menswear kits).

What’s new in this update?:

Ciudad Enamorada and Ravenwood have been completely redone, added multiple new lots, updated other lots and provided make-overs for the households.

Added new households (when living in world; with jobs, friends, preferences etc).

Current Status of Worlds:

Finished worlds: Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Newcrest, Magnolia Promenade, Windenburg, San Myshuno, Forgotten Hollow, Brindleton Bay, Del Sol Valley, StrangerVille, Glimmerbrook, Sulani, Britechester , Evergreen Harbor, Mt. Komorebi, Henford-on-Bagley, Tartosa, Moonwood Mill, Copperdale, San Sequoia, Chestnut Ridge, Tomarang, Ciudad Enamorada (NEW!) and Ravenwood (NEW!).

Finished vacation worlds: Granite Falls and Selvadorada.

Finihed other lots: Hospital, Science Lab and the Police Station.

To be updated: the Magic Realm and Grimm's office, will either be included in a future update or on the gallery (OriginID: fleuralia)

What do you get with this save?:

For my save file all lots are either completely new builds (almost all) or renovations, ofcourse created by me. Exception: I have added the official build for the release of the Paranormal SP by Dr Ashley to this save. This build is therefore not my own creation, credits are given in the description to Dr Ashley. The lots in newer worlds are largely created by GameChangers. The ratio is around 50/50 with my builds versus renovations (done by me but with the original as the base).

All the townies had make-overs plus I added new families to spice it up a bit. Some of the townies are made by other creators, who are given credits in the description of the household. All the townies in the different worlds have a story, some include sentiments and adjusted relationships to the story.

Added plenty of community lots to give your Sims something to do (YAY!). Almost every world has one restaurant, but it also includes festivals that represent the four seasons (park lots) and a fully functional shopping street in Magnolia Promenade (toy store, bridal store and more).

I have added rental lots so you can go on vacation in more worlds. For example in Sulani, Willow Creek and Windenburg.

Other details:

As mentioned at the beginning, this save uses almost all packs (except some kits). This means that if you download it without owning or installing most of the packs a lot of objects will disappear from the save, but if you are not bothered by this you can still download and play in it.  

I disabled the neigborhood action plan voting/environmental changes, you enable them again in the pack settings menu. I also disabled the neigborhood stories, you can enable them again in the household menu.

I would love to add some households in this save created by all of you! Add your household under the hashtag #fleuraliatownies in The Sims 4 Gallery, you can add a storyline and world in the description but thats not obligatory. If I respond on your creation it means that I have incorporated it in the save for the next update.

Sadly every game update comes with a lot of bugs. I suggest before reporting problems in the save to me, to check on forums if its related to a general bug/glitch or to mods (if you use them).

Questions and supportive feedback are always welcome, you can reach me here via a comment on this post, an ask or through a DM 😁

As said in my previous post I will be slowly starting on moving the builds and sims to a fresh save to help with bugs and incorporate fixes from the Sims team that only work in fresh saves (like Grimm not being able to woohoo). But this will take me some time, when its nearly done I will update on here as always.

How to make it work in your game:

Download the save file from the link below.

Drag it in your saves folder under: PC/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves.

Change the numbers if you already have a save with the same name.

It should now show up in your game as: Fleuralia Save V 8.0.

DOWNLOAD (SFS) / Alternate (GD)

!!Don’t re-upload or claim as your own!!

Future updates will follow after each pack release (if it includes a world). The time the update will be uploaded after each release depends on how much I have to change and on my work schedule around that time.

Last but not least, enjoy and till next time! XX

Fleuralia

Feel free to support me ❤️: Ko-fi account