#art style reset after not drawing for who knows how long @_@;

[wavetomuse]

hm:ap protags >:)

[thriller-roads]

Shoplifting Leads to Romance

Rohan Kishibe x artist!reader

Fluff, hurt/comfort

Summary: Rohan has trouble making sense of how he feels about you, and ends up upsetting you in the process. Don't worry though, he's trying his best. Basically Rohan makes you sad then realizes he was an asshole.

It’s true that Rohan Kishibe is a skilled manga artist. His artistic prowess is something he’s gifted with and has honed to near perfection. Something he’s not so great with though, is people.

As an artist yourself, you've always admired Rohan’s talent. His work was an inspiration to you, so how amazing was it that you were now acquainted with him, and also receiving an internship?

After approaching the eccentric man, he agreed to take you in as an intern. He only did so because you helped him out when he was accused of shoplifting at the Kame-Yu department store that one time. Since you worked there, you saw who the real culprit was, and vouched for Rohan’s innocence on the matter.

Rohan appreciated the fact that you gave him his space and didn’t demand anything of him, even after recognizing who he was. He also appreciated the compliments you gave him on his work. The level of detail you went into intrigued him, such as noting the improvement of his art style over the years, or the technique he uses to study a spider's anatomy.

The two of you soon became more than mere acquaintances, with you coming over often to admire his process. Rohan actually enjoyed the time you spent for a while, until it began to gnaw at his mind. Lately, he found himself getting too distracted by you. He was thinking too much about you, even when you were gone. He found the whole thing to be rather infuriating.

Rohan surveyed you from across the desk, eyes intent on watching you sketch. He should be looking down at your paper, but instead he found himself unable to look away from your face.

You momentarily glanced up at him, and that alone was enough to drive him insane. He quickly tried to cover up the fact he had been staring at you. "Quit looking at me and focus on the paper," he scolded, as if he hadn’t been doing the exact same thing. As long as you were unaware of that though, it didn’t matter.

Returning your eyes to the paper, you continued the sketch without a word. Rohan on the other hand, couldn’t seem to shut up. "Now Y/n, you must be quicker with the sketch. Don't spend too much time on it. You still haven't managed to cut down the sketch time since the last attempt, don’t forget that."

"Sorry Rohan sensei, I'm really trying to-"

"Well you're not trying hard enough!" He suddenly snapped. The pencil in your hand slowly came to a stop. Looking down at the figure on the paper, you realized you were pressing down so hard with the tip of your pencil that it had made a small perforation on the eye of the drawing.

You lifted the pencil to brush off bits of eraser. "Hey, my wrist is starting to hurt a bit. Maybe we should take a break, and I could just watch you for now?" You suggested, and awaited his response.

You, watch him? With you watching him, he'd fumble over his pen. He would make a mistake somewhere from being too distracted by your presence, he knew it. He could feel the heat on his cheeks begin to radiate just at the thought of it. Knowing your eyes would be on him, his mind would wander off to nothing but the thought of what your lips might feel like against his. No, this simply could not continue. He couldn’t allow himself to further slip into this predicament.

“No, that isn’t what you’re here to do right now. Now take your pencil and paper back up, and start again,” Rohan ordered, resetting the timer on his desk.

You rubbed at your wrist, trying your best to brush off any soreness in your arm. The grooves of the pencil were practically engraved into your palm by now as you started up again when Rohan exclaimed, “Begin!”

You went as fast as you could to get the basic shapes down, and then the details. It was coming along well enough, and you thought maybe this time you’d actually get to-

The sound of a timer went off, and Rohan slammed his hand down onto the table. “Time’s up! Did you finish?”

You scrambled to keep the papers from falling. “No, I-”

“Then I don’t wanna see it!” With that, Rohan reached over to take the sheet of paper from your grasp, ripping it to shreds. That wasn't something you expected, so you weren’t sure how to react as the pieces of paper sailed down to the surface of the desk. You knew he could be intense, but was this really necessary?

Rohan crossed his arms. “Y/n, you are here to improve your art skills. You're nothing but an amateur, and at this rate you'll never be on my level if you keep slacking off. If you’re just going to waste my time, I suggest you take your things and leave.”

Hearing this out of nowhere confused you even more. If ripping your paper wasn’t enough, his words made your guts drop to the floor. Were you really doing that badly? Perhaps Rohan just wanted to be left alone. You thought he had been enjoying the time you spent together, but you were beginning to doubt that now. Then again, he never asked for you to come by. It was you that insisted, thinking he'd be fine with it. Turns out that wasn't that case.

You stood from your seat, grabbing your bag as well. Your throat suddenly felt dry, but you still managed to say something. "Okay then. Goodbye for now, Rohan Kishibe." You didn't even mean for the words to come out so cold and bitter, but they did. Rohan noticed this too, and he didn't know how to feel about it as he watched you walk out the door.

Well, it had to be for the better that you left, right? No use in staying if you weren’t cut out for it.

Looking down at the scraps of torn paper, Rohan thought perhaps he went a bit overboard. Gathering each piece, he assorted them together like a puzzle. Once each piece was in the right place, he didn’t expect to see his own face looking back at him. Well, it wasn’t completely realistic nor intact, but it was very much meant to be him. Was this why you kept looking at him, for artistic reference?

Rohan rested a hand against his chin as his eyes traveled across the image. “Hmm, this is actually quite good…” Observing the drawing, the guilt hit him like a big freight train. If that Tamami fellow was around, he’s sure that lock stand of his would be very effective on him right about now.

Well, it doesn't matter now. The important thing is that Rohan could finally resume his work, unbothered at last. Placing his pen down on the paper, he began his usual process. As the drawing progressed however, he noticed the image on the paper was starting to look a lot like you. He brushed the thought aside. No, it just happened to look like you. He continued to rapidly scribble across the paper, and when he was finally finished, the results horrified him.

Who was he kidding, it was you. Down to nearly every last detail, it was you. Any mole on your skin, any curve of your face, any direction of the way your hair swept, it was all you. Well, there was absolutely no denying it now. Rohan had fallen madly in love with you. “Great, just what I need…” he grumbled out.

Groaning in frustration, he set his pen down and turned back to your torn up drawing. He needed a break. He gathered the pieces of paper into a neat pile before leaving the room.

After that day, he didn’t see you for a while. He called you a few times, but you didn't answer. It had only been a couple of days, but still. He never even managed to catch sight of you around Morioh by chance. Despite that, he’s sure he’d get to see you today; for today you have a shift at Kame-Yu department store.

Walking into the vast space, he navigated the aisles until he caught sight of you. There you were, stocking items onto the shelves. Rohan clutched his bag and took a deep breath before approaching you. “Hello, Y/n. It’s uh, been a while.” He internally cursed himself for being so nervous in front of you.

The sound of his voice startled you a bit. You weren’t expecting Rohan to be here. Regardless of his presence, you resumed to pile items onto the shelves. “Hello Rohan. Yes, it has been a while,” was all you said. There was no warm smile like you usually gave him whenever you greeted him, nor a nod of recognition. Heck, you barely even looked at him, much to Rohan’s despair.

The main reason you were so upset over it was because Rohan’s opinion meant so much to you. You wanted his validation, his approval. Getting the exact opposite wasn’t exactly the motivation you were looking for. If anything, it made you want to take a break from art altogether. You knew it was stupid to care so much about what he thinks, but that’s romance for you. Utterly stupid.

Seeing as you made no further attempt to interact with him, Rohan struggled with what he should say next. “So…how’s that painting coming along?”

You knew the painting he spoke of. You had shown it to him about a week ago, before the last time you spoke. That same painting remained untouched on its easel, with not a single stroke of paint added onto it since then. “I haven’t really worked on it,” you responded, your attention still not fully on him.

“Why not?” Rohan knew why, but still asked nonetheless.

“I guess I kinda lost my motivation.” At last, you turned to properly face him. This actually made it all the worse for Rohan, because your dull expression pained him. “I am just an amateur who’ll never be on your level after all.”

The words he spoke to you days before flooded over him like a tsunami. He was a prisoner to his guilt, and he needed you to set him free. In order to gain this freedom though, he’d have to do something he rarely ever did.

“Y/n, I think some apologies are in order. My actions and what I said the other day...It was too harsh. I honestly do think you’re a talented artist. I just said all that because I wanted you to leave. You weren’t the one getting distracted, I was. All because you couldn’t leave my mind…and I just wanted that irritating feeling to go away!” he spoke the last bit in a frustrating tone.

Your unmoving face told him you were confused, so he elaborated. “But now I see that what I was feeling was attraction, and I should just accept it rather than push it away even if it bugs me.”

Although his explanation helped a bit, you were still unsure of what he was getting at. “What?” You questioned stupidly.

“Damnit Y/n, I like you!” He finally admitted, and it was then he took note of just how fast his heart was racing. If this was love, he detested the feeling. Why did it have to be so damn nerve-wracking? Rohan tried his best to disregard all of this. The only thing that mattered now was your response.

“Oh. Really? Well…I like you too,” your voice snapped him out of his worry.

Rohan was in a state of disbelief at first. “You do? Well, of course you do!” Rohan played off his relief with a shaky laugh and smirk. His smirk soon faded though, remembering he still had something to be sorry for. “And again, I apologize for my behavior. Your drawing, I truly am flattered by it. You have commendable talent. It’s very good.”

“Was very good,” you corrected, crossing your arms to emphasize you were still upset, regardless of the feelings you admitted for each other. At this, Rohan shuffled around in his bag, pulling something out and holding it up for you to see. You were a bit surprised to see it was the drawing you thought was ruined. It looked as good as new, no tape or glue anywhere in sight.

“But how…Is that really the one I made?” you asked, reaching out to take it from him.

“Yes, it is. I asked that punk Josuke to fix it with his stand.” Rohan very much disliked dealing with that boy, but he did it for you. He had to. “I hope you do forgive me, Y/n.”

You gave him a small smile in return. “I’m glad you apologized. I thought maybe I was just being too sensitive about the issue...” You mentally scolded yourself for not handling Rohan’s criticism well that day. The man was just doing his job after all, and you should’ve known what you’d be getting into when seeking his guidance.

Rohan looked away in shame upon recalling his behavior that day. He then walked over closer to you, clearing his throat. “No, you had every right to be upset. Even if it was criticism, there are better ways I could’ve handled it. So don’t go thinking you had any fault in the matter, understood?" He narrowed his eyes down at you.

"Yeah," you smiled, now relieved. His emerald eyes made you weak for a moment, but you felt more at ease now that everything was out and dealt with in the open.

In a similar way, Rohan felt his eyes soften when you looked at him the way you did. He wanted to experience more of that.

"If you’d like to come by my studio after your shift today, I’d gladly welcome you," he offered.

“Well then I gladly accept your invitation.” With that, you grabbed ahold of his collar to pull him down for a kiss. Rohan barely had any time to process it. All he knew was that he felt you put an arm around his waist, and that he finally got to know what your lips felt like against his. It was you who opened the door to this heavenly feeling, and it was wonderful.

Pulling away, you couldn’t stop grinning at the dumbstruck expression on the manga artist’s face. You felt like getting a pencil and paper out right then and there to capture the moment forever. Scratch that, pencil wouldn’t be enough, you’d need rouge watercolor to capture the color on his cheeks. Even when Rohan tried to compose himself and clear his throat, the heat on his face didn’t go away.

Rolling up the sheet of paper in your hand, you lightly hit Rohan on the head with it. “You can keep this at your place for now. I can’t exactly take it with me right now during work hours. But careful, don’t rip it again, or I’ll be sure to rip out your vital organs in return,” you joked. The fact that you threatened him with the sweetest smile made it all the more intimidating.

“Trust me, that won’t be a problem," Rohan said with a nervous laugh. "Well, I suppose I’ll be seeing you later. Until then, Y/n.” He quickly walked away, and you couldn’t help but let out a chuckle before resuming your work.

As he exited the store, Rohan felt like screaming out to the heavens. Once he was far enough away from people, he let out an almost maniacal laugh as he slumped against a wall. Wow, that really happened! He thought he'd only ever get to kiss you in his fantasies, or if he commanded you to do so with Heaven’s Door. But it did happen, and he was looking forward to doing it again and again.

After his little fit of giddy laughter, Rohan noticed a small box falling out of his bag. Picking it up, he realized it was a box of tea assortments, one of his favorites in fact. Where did that come from? The price tag on it told him it was from the department store. He didn’t even pay for it though, so how did-

Oh. Rohan recalled that you were stocking tea boxes onto the shelves. You must’ve sneaked a box into his bag when you were kissing him. The irony of it all made him smile. The great Rohan Kishibe would be wrongfully accused of shoplifting, yet again. One thing he did steal from that place though, was your heart.

Realizing how cheesy that line was, Rohan nearly threw up on his way home.

[introvert--weeb]

hi there!

I am writing a request for a BNHA matchup please!!

I am 20, a Virgo Sun (Cancer Moon + Aquarius Rising, if it matters), 5’3, and ENFP (^:

On the outside I look like I have my shit together, I get things done one way or another. Lots of people have told me I’m upbeat and straightforward, easy to get to know, but I don’t always feel that way. I’m super nervous getting to know people, I’ll even go out of my way to avoid talking if I’m feeling really shy that day. Once ppl get to know me though, I’m affectionate and spontaneous. Can be very hit or miss tho because I do tell it like it is.

I have a very “melted crayon” aesthetic, kidcore/hippie with bright colors, flower and butterfly accessories, etc.

Im super into art and writing, and I listen to a LOT of metal/rock music. It’s a little strange considering my clothing style

I love your stuff, thanks so much!

You sound so cool anon!! ❤️ And thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy my work ❤️

I will match you with...

Keigo Takami (Hawks) ❤️

You had met the most popular hero while wandering around the shops of Fukuoka. It had been a bit of a stressful week for you so you had decided you needed a relaxing shopping spree to reset your stress levels.

Hawks was doing his usual patrol around the city, helping out anyone who needed it with his feathers. He enjoyed this type of hero work since it meant he could relax and take everything at his own pace. It was as he was walking past that his eyes caught sight of you.

Maybe it was the bright colours you wore that got his attention. After all, your clothes were covered in colours as if a child has thrown paint at you. Or maybe it was the contradicting way you appeared. After all, he noticed how outwardly that you walked with an upbeat confidence but the way your body reacted to the crowds showed how you were a little uncomfortable. It's what intrigued him.

And so, Keigo made his way over to you, wanting to make sure you were alright. At least that's what he told himself. In fact, he had wanted to introduce himself and get to know you more.

You knew exactly who Keigo was. There wasn't a civilian in Fukuoka who didn't. Hawks, the fastest hero and the current Number 2 in the Pro-Hero ranks. You couldn't say that you didn't have a crush on the winged man. Hell, there wasn't a woman alive in Japan that didn't. So when he approached you in the streets to talk to you, it was like a dream come true. Maybe what happened in fanfictions you had read would happen here!

As the conversation eventually turned to a more comfortable and natural one, Keigo was listening intently as you spoke about your interests. He would never had pinned you for one that would listen to heavier music but I guess it was his fault for judging you off your clothing choice. Just before he had to leave to continue his patrol, he had given you his personal number and told you to text him later.

In a daze of what had occurred earlier, you had almost forgot that you needed to text the bird hero. So quickly, you had sent a text simply saying hello with your name attached. Once Hawks had seen it, that is when that thread of messages began. Within an hour, you had arranged a date for that weekend.

Remember the restaurant where Hawks took Endeavor? Well, that's where your first date would be as well. You had decided to wear a simple floaty dress and applied some light make-up. Keigo had dressed up for the occasion, a smart casual outfit that really matched the vibes.

The date itself went amazing! The two of you were passing banter back and forth in between actual conversation topics. The more Keigo got to know about you, the more he was reeled in and it wasn't long until he started to develop slight feelings for you. You were quick to get over the awestruck phase and actually treated him like a human being so it was refreshing.

Dating Hawks would be quite lonely but he would be one to make up for it tenfold. The hero was constantly out preventing and stopping crimes while you would work or if it was a day off, draw and paint. Sometimes you would be seen writing whatever project you were working on. Basically anything to distract yourself from how lonely it was without the bird man you called your boyfriend.

However, when you two would spend time together, it was the most fun or chill experience. Wanting a fun hang out? Well, let's hope you're not scared of heights as this man would love to take you out for a flight. Something about the way your eyes would sparkle at the sights below and how you would trust him with your life. It was something that made Keigo's heart flutter in his chest.

Wanted a chill hang out/date? PJs, blankets, snacks and Netflix. Hawks loves these the best as it meant he could give his feathers a break. He would pull you into his chest and wrap a wing around you as well as his arms. You would be the one that picked what the two of you were going to watch. So enjoy full control of the Netflix to your heart's content.

Keigo is very affectionate both in private and when you go out together publicly. Not to the point where it makes others uncomfortable but where they know he is no longer single. Enjoys having such a vibrant person with him. Hand holding, face kisses, hand around your waist. All of these are a common show of affection for this hero. However, things can... *cough cough* escalate when you're in the privacy of an apartment.

--

Requests for match-ups are closed.

[moonshine-and-midnight]

Hey honey, hope you're fine. I would like to ask you a question, do you have any tips or advice for a beginner in tarot? Cause I bought my first tarot deck :) (finally ahah) You did me 2 readings and you were very accurate! Have a nice day ❤️

Hey there, dear, I’m doing well, thank you 🌸, hope you’re well, too.

I feel extremely humbled that you ask me so I went ahead and wrote down what worked for me and what I would want to have been told when I began learning. Below, I covered some things that came to my mind instantly but it might not be a very sound beginner post.

Take what works, dear, and leave what feels off or “wrong”  ❤︎

The Deck

Get a deck that has art that touches you, that has art you feel connected to, and which you do not feel “forced” to look at. 

Try to pick a deck that shows illustrated scenes. There are many great decks out there which have a pip style (4 sticks or wands for 4 of wands), but for a beginner, seeing a scene on the card (for the 4 of wands it’s two people waving, looking happy, as if celebrating something) makes learning much easier.

The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck is very popular and while it’s not the prettiest to look at, I recommend it for study purposes.

If you do get a pip-style deck, try to get your hands on a cheap copy of a Rider-Waite-Smith deck. When you draw your card or lay out a spread with your pip-style deck, lay the same spread with your cheap copy of the RWS so you can look at the images there for help with interpretation.

Taking care of your deck

You do not need an expensive silk cloth or an artistically crafted wooden box to store it. You can, but a shawl, an old T-Shirt, leftover material of a blanket or pillow cover, or scarf is enough to protect your deck from rough surfaces, dust, and too much light.

If you want to take your deck with you, make sure you don’t put it into your bag unprotected. Especially not if there are things in your bag that can scratch the card or get them wet or sticky. I recommend buying a small bag to put it in. My own bag was 7 Euro, it’s a durable material that won’t immediately let water pass through, and it is big enough for the cards not to get bend or angled in any way.

If you chose not to take it with you, make sure to place it somewhere where not too much sunlight can reach it. Not because it will negatively affect its energy, but because depending on the style (most of mine are rather dark), the color can fade quicker than it would usually.

I like to put a clear quartz crystal or amethyst crystal with my decks in their bags or at least on their bags but that is just personal preference.

Make sure to not use your deck on dirty surfaces, too rough surfaces, or dusty surfaces. I would recommend making sure that if cards fall to the floor, the patch of floor is clean enough for them not to get soiled.

Bonding

Put it near you or under your pillow when you sleep.

Keep it with you throughout your day if possible.

Shuffle it throughout the day, talk to it, take time out of your day to just look at the imagery. Don’t bother about keywords yet or about “doing it right or wrong” - there is no right or wrong.

Take it to a favorite place of yours and sit with it there.

Sit with it on your balcony, at the window, hold it and just spend some time together.

Use it, either draw a card daily with the intention to learn about the drawn card that day or ask it questions and try to interpret them with your intuition through what you get from the imagery on the cards you drew.

There are spreads all over Tumblr to “get to know your deck”, but honestly, you can ask it any question. I love talking to my decks when I get to know them. I ask them what they want me to respect about them, what they don’t like, I tell them I will take good care of them, that I will include them in my day either with using them or just carrying them around, I promise mine to spend time with them after each reading as I feel uncomfortable just putting them away after receiving advice and guidance from them. I wouldn’t turn around and leave a friend in such a situation, so I wouldn’t do so with my deck either. However, that is my personal practice and by no means something you need to do, dear.

Keywords

openlibrary.org has many books available on Tarot. There are biddytarot and other websites offering keywords for interpretations, there is a whole lot of books written just with keywords - pick one thing, perhaps the guidebook your deck came with and go with that for getting down the basics. If the keywords of your guidebook don’t resonate at all, find a different source and study with that.

Do yourself a favor and don’t overwhelm yourself, dear. Pick one resource, then go through it top to bottom. Pick one to three keywords for each card max. Decide beforehand if you want to read with reversals or without. Take it slow, honey. 

Once you picked a source of information you feel comfortable studying from, get yourself a notebook and a pen - doesn’t need to be fancy either. Write down the card, your own thoughts, what you see, and then take a look at your resource. Pick one to three keywords from the resource of your choice.

I recommend doing one or two cards max a day, with reversals or not. You may want to pull a card each evening in terms of “What energy was most dominating in my day today” and see if you can somehow relate this card to your day. Use your own thoughts first, dear. Your intuition always weighs more than a generic keyword from a book.

Reading the cards

Again, trust your intuition. Keep in mind how a card makes you feel, do you tense when you see it? Do you smile? Is there a pressure in your chest or stomach when you look at it? Do you feel light? Even if you don’t really have any thoughts for a card, there almost always is a feeling you have when you draw it.

Start with small spreads - two cards to three cards max. Go slow, write down the positions of your spread, the question asked, and then just dive in. Write down a description of what you see if you have to, sometimes it takes a while to get your intuition flowing.

Watch where people or objects point at, for example where do the court cards look? Where does the Hermits lantern point at? Where is the hand of the Queen Of Swords reaching out to?

Look for dominating suits, do cards “jump out” while you shuffle? On this aspect, note these cards. If a lot fall out, you just need a bit more practice when it comes to shuffling but if only one jumps out, or perhaps two or three at max. in one shuffle, then they usually carry a message they want you to know.

Your Tarot Journal

An entry in your tarot journal might look like this:

Question and dateThe card(s)your own thoughtsthings that caught your attentionkeywords according to your chosen sourceyour thoughts on how the keywords relate (or why they don’t)a reflection a few days or weeks later, depending on the question

Scattered bits and bites

You do not need a ritual to “awaken” your cards, the moment you touch them, open the package, handle them, talk to them, they are yours, dear.

Be respectful to them as you would be with a dear friend

Before your first use, hold them into the sunlight, knock on the back three times and imagine white light flowing into them - this is you cleansing them off any lingering energies. 

You DO NOT need to cleanse them regularly. If they feel off or whacky in their answers, they most likely are just “tired” and need a rest. I like laying mine into the sun or moonlight once in a while. Personally, cleansing them regularly would feel like resetting their “memories” of our readings, my energy, the things I’ve told them and what we did together by that point.

You do not need a teacher to be a tarotist. You do not need a family that practices tarot for generations to be a tarotist. It does not matter what religion you have - you can practice tarot regardless, do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Tarot is not evil and it can not invite evil spirits in your home. 

keep a tarot journal oh dear please do, it will help you so so so much in the long run

if you feel like wanting to have a more ritualistic approach to reading, go ahead, dear. Make your own ritual, perhaps follow someone else’s ritual - whatever makes you comfortable.

meditate regularly with your cards on your lap as if inviting them to join you, it helps with bonding and helps you with keeping your mind “open” for the card’s answers. Try to feel their energy, try to picture them in your mind.

Lastly, Tarot differs greatly from one reader to another, find what makes you happy and enthusiastic about it and keep to that, no matter what the opinion of any other reader is. This is yours through and through, darling, no one has a say in your practice.

Reach out to others who already read Tarot when you have a specific question. Most will gladly answer your questions, dear.

Did I already mention to always trust your gut? Because always trust your gut.

[dawdlecentric]

Working on smth else atm (might post it here too when I finish :>) but for now, thought I'd share some of my Spinel fan-arts from my sketchbook

These are one of my early fan-art of Spinel a month(?) after watching the movie

I don't know where I was going with this piece, thought I try a temporary "art style" but honestly I just made her really floofy and add some unnecessary details on her. I kinda liked it tho but it's not the style I'll be using all the time to draw her. The SU style is much more easier anyway 😅

I had a lapse from drawing SU but seeing Spinel put me back on track

Here are just some of my thoughts about Spinel like any other blog would share but would have better takes, don't mind me :)

At the start, my impression on Spinel was indifferent seeing her in the trailer, just another typical villain gem bound to destroy Earth and Steven's life. But once I first watched the movie, I loved everything about her!

Here's some few important points I thought of atm of why I do but tbh there are a LOT more points which is not enough to describe how much I love about Spinel

Her debut song (Other friends is such a bop! And her entire debut scene (including her song ofc) before she got poofed was so phenomenal and I can't get enough of it. It's just...amazing!

Her design (smth about it that feel so off/unsettling yet intriguing first time I saw it)

Her movement (I still can't get over how fluid the animation is done for her)

I mean, this ^^ scene in particular amaze me so much, the first and now every time I watch it. It just made me go :000 😌👌👌👌

Her reset form (a BIG turn for this character that I never really expected, and in that instant I fell in love with this sweet lil' noodle baby)

Her backstory (it absolutely tore my heart and it's so sad how her expression shift from yearning to wistful to heartbroken before and in the midst of Drift Away. I cried the first time I watch that scene (and for a long time ever since watching SU) and up to this day, it still make me sad/cry no matter how many times I watched it. That scene is my fave cuz the profoundness of it just tugs at my heart

Her character overall (I was really impressed how the crewniverse build up her character. She wasn't just a straight-up villain and neither was she a good gem as whole. The thing is that her character shifts a lot and you wouldn't know at first which side she's actually on. Even at the end of the movie, she wasn't straight-up "redeemed" right away. She said it herself that she had a lot of work to do to make a change and make up for all she's done. And same with her healing, it's on uncertain terms at the end of the movie but seeing her on Homeworld Bound, her healing process did take effect. Even though the scars of her past still remains, she chose to move on, change for the better and be content of who she is now)

Wowee! Didn't expect this art post to become a Spinel appreciation post but what the heck, most ppl do it too right? But some of y'all might think, "who is this weirdo gushing over Spinel like the movie just premiered?!" Welp, the thing is I'm such a padparadscha when it comes to SU hype and it actually takes me a VERY LONG TIME to process and take in the aftermaths of a single episode, so what else could the movie have done to me? Heheh...if most of y'all can't get over the fact that SU ended, I still can't get over from the movie lol 😅 that's just me

[decimadragonoid]

The Undertale - RETRACE Rulebook

For those who have read my fan comic project Undertale - RETRACE so far here or on Deviantart, we have reached the end of Chapter 1. Over time, more chapters will be posted. First off, thank you guys so much for tuning in. For those who are just starting to read this comic, welcome aboard! For those who haven't played Undertale yet but are interested in this story, I suggest you play the game through to the end, but it's your own decision.

Before we continue further into the story, there are some rules I'd like you to follow over the course of this comic. I will post this rulebook on existing pages. The rules are as follows...

   * “Is this an Undertale AU?” - No. It's not. This story isn't an AU or alternate timeline, but if YOU want to identify this story as such, then by all means, go ahead. I won't stop you. It’s up to you to decide.

- This story is a new series of events a couple years or so after the original events of Undertale.  * "Why the title 'Undertale - RETRACE?' Why not something simple like 'RetraceTale?'" - As I interpret this story as a new series of events a couple years or so after the Post-Pacifist Ending, calling this story "RetraceTale" or "Underretrace" and sugarcoating it to make my fanmade story known to the fandom doesn't appeal to me, nor is it something I see as beneficial to my vision of the game and my fan project overall. - Long story short, my story is set in the original universe in some way, shape, or form.

   * “What’s up with these new character personalities?” - I just felt it’d be appropriate for the characters to go through certain changes in character development, personality, and intellect. The story is set a couple years after the original Undertale after all.

   * “Are there going to be any RESETS?” - No. Plain and simple.

- In this story, the RESETS no longer exist. Although the word may be reintroduced a couple times or so, no one can RESET anymore, not even Frisk. They decided to willingly discard it forever, and they understand that any future actions will be permanent. They burned this bridge a long time ago.

   * “No! You can’t do that! What if someone dies and it can’t be fixed??”

   * “Keep it, but don’t abuse it.”

- No. Time shouldn’t even be messed with. Not ever.

   * “What’s the purpose of RETRACE?” - The purpose of my Undertale story RETRACE is to create my own interpretation and dig deeper into Frisk’s past to see what life was like for them before they fell into the Underground, as well as unearth a new antagonist.

- Questions include the following…    * What was life like for Frisk before they fell into the Underground?

   *  Did they suffer amnesia?

   *  What were Frisk’s parents like?

   *  What if Frisk actually met a monster long before they fell into the Underground?

   *  Was something or someone responsible for their misfortune before they fell into the Underground and returned to the surface with the monsters, and if so, is that person still around?

   *  If this person was responsible for Frisk’s past events, whatever they may be, is that person still around, intending to bring ruin?

   *  There’s so much ground to cover. This is gonna be one hell of a ride!  * "I really like your art style!" / "Your style for Frisk is awesome!" / "Nice upgraded outfits!" - First off, thank you so much for your compliments on my styles and interpretations for the characters! - I will treat this project as a learning process and improve over time. - As such, I might make slight changes to one or two of my designs, and nothing would make me happier than for you guys to be the witnesses of my improvements and potential design changes!

   * “Frisk/Chara killed everyone! They were responsible for everything!” - Don’t even go there with me. You WILL be ignored.

- You have your way of interpreting the game and Undertale comics, and I have mine. - I've personally seen other comic artists get bashed for their Undertale headcanons, views on the characters, and alignments. This will NOT be tolerated here.

- I can very well choose to depict Frisk/Chara as either a hero or villain if I wanted to. I could even depict the monsters as such. But this comic is not about taking sides. I'm simply making this story out of love for the game, and to tell a story overall.

- Toby Fox left the events and characters of Undertale to our own unique interpretations. There is no right or wrong way to depict the Undertale characters. That’s why comics like this exist. I only write and draw this story out of love for Undertale.

- If you don’t like this comic or my depictions, don’t say anything. Leave. Now.

   * “Can I translate this comic in a different language?” - By all means! If English is not your native language, or if you want to translate my comic in a different language so other people with different ethnicities and cultures can read and enjoy this story, you’re more than welcome to translate it in any language you want.

- All I ask is that you credit me afterwards. Also, be sure to translate this rulebook as well to avoid confusion.

   * “Can I/we dub your comic?” - Absolutely! I encourage comic dubs for RETRACE! All I ask is that you credit me afterwards.

- Show me some talent! ^^

   * “Are there any ships?” - No.

- Here’s the deal… I see the monsters as a huge family Frisk never thought they could ever have.

- And you don’t need ships to do it.

- However, if you say things like, “Oooh! I ship this!” or “This ship bothers me,” that’s okay. I won’t judge you for it. I'm not going to condemn you for shipping anyone. You have your own opinion. But just know that there are no ships to be had in this comic, and I don’t want any problems to escalate.

    * “Which monster do you see as the dad, uncle, mother, etc.?” - You’ll see.

    * “When’s the next page?” / “Bro, you’re taking too long!” / “I wanna know what happens next!” - When I say, “WHEN I CAN,” I mean, “WHEN I CAN!”

- Please don’t ask me this. I don’t appreciate being rushed or pressured, and neither do any other artists out there. It’s disrespectful to me and other viewers.

- If there is any huge delay whatsoever, I’ll explain myself.

- I have other responsibilities besides drawing comics. Of course, this doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy drawing Undertale. In fact, I love it!

- I don’t mind comments like, “I can’t wait for the next page,” “My feels,” “Aaugh!! Cliffhanger,” etc. But please don’t ask me when I’m posting the next page. I’m not a robot. I cannot stress that enough.

    * “Can I use this comic as reference material?” - Absolutely! Just be sure to credit me later!

    * “Can I draw fanart of your comic?” - Absolutely! I 100% encourage you to draw any Undertale or RETRACE fanart! Just be sure to credit me afterwards!

    * “Can I suggest any changes for the story?” - No.

- I have scripted this comic already, so it’s already set in stone. However, I will allow constructive criticism for any visual errors and story errors I might make.

    * “To be continued…?” - When one of my pages says, “To be continued…,” it means you’ve reached the end of a chapter.

- After the end of each chapter, I’ll prepare an askbox so that you can ask questions to any characters that show up in RETRACE or anyone outside the story, whether they be your favorites or any original characters specific to this story.

- This way, I can interact with you all in the most positive and/or appropriate way possible. - In addition, I will also give you the option to dub my askbox and the responses so far, which will be listed in the askbox's description for your convenience.

    *  “What questions can I ask?” - You can ask pretty much anything, so as long as it’s not anything NSFW-related.

- The question can be something totally random, comedic, sad, family-bonding, or related to the story.

- But for the sake of this rulebook, I’ll give you some examples…

    * “Hey, <UT!Character>! How’s life on the surface?”

    * “How’s it hanging, <UT!Character>?”

    * “What kind of hobbies did you find ever since coming to the surface?”     * "What do you like to do with <UT!Character>?"

    * “Any jobs?”

    * “Can I give you a present, <UT!Character>?”

    * “What kind of stuff do you guys do around the house?”

    * “How’s school?”

    * “What are your favorite subjects?”

    * “How did you feel after this happened?”

    * “Will everything be okay?”

- I will randomly handpick any question you ask any Undertale character, original character, or myself. If one of your questions haven’t been answered, don’t repeat the same question over and over again. Ask a different one, and maybe you’ll be lucky.

- If I make up some funny or weird scenario when answering questions, you can add on to the scenario if you want. It’s more fun that way, and it gives me the chance to interact with you all and keep the ball rolling! I wanna hear from you guys, so feel free to ask away!

    * “How many chapters do you plan to make?” - Let’s just say it’s almost as long as Lesser Dog’s extensive neck. When it comes to fantasy, I tend to write a lot. I try to draw and improve my skills as much as I can, but I do exceptionally well with writing it out.

- As such, I’ll also provide Undertale – RETRACE chapters in a novel format after the end of each chapter, if you want it. I'd like to make this project open to everyone who likes Undertale, whether they like comics, novels, or have any preferences, impairments, or even physical or mental disabilities.

- I want everyone to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy making it for Undertale fans, fan artists, and artists in general to see.

Also, I highly recommend you to play the game before viewing this comic. Whether you do or don’t is up to you. Otherwise, welcome aboard! I hope you enjoy this fresh, new Undertale experience! We’re gonna have a ‘skele-ton’ of fun, people! ~ DecimaDragonoid

[vuelie-frost]

F2: How do we cope?

So I’m someone who has a moderate dose of anxiety in her life, which is being combatted through therapy, medication, & learning healthy coping mechanisms. I’m no expert, but I have some experience dealing with strong negative emotions. One strategy I’ve been recommended is asking yourself, in any given anxiety-riddled situation, “What’s the worst-case scenario that could happen?” This brings you out of your own head- out of hypotheticals- and into the concrete.

Don’t get me wrong, it can be painful to think about. But it can be helpful to see where our biggest fears lie. And if you’re interested in alleviating those strong negative emotions, it’s a necessary step.

I’ve said before that I’m trying to stay open-minded and optimistic about this movie. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have fears and concerns. For me personally, my biggest "worst that can happen” theories for the ending of Frozen 2 are:

- The sisters never see each other again (with a heart-shattering goodbye scene that makes us all inconsolable) - Elsa loses her humanity to become a spirit/goddess, essentially intangible and immortal - Elsa is no longer called “Queen Elsa” in the franchise, invalidating a huge historic part of her identity - Elsa doesn’t attend Anna’s coronation because she’s “too busy” doing other shit - Disney+ makes a spin-off TV series with Elsa going on adventures (just please... no.)

(please don’t chime in with what you guys think about those ideas, at least in this post, whether they’re right or wrong... that’s not the point.)

So what if any, if all, of these things happen? What next?

Stuff not to do (I mean, do whatever you want, but these probably won’t be very helpful)

- oversleeping as a defense mechanism - eating your feelings - drinking/using substances to numb pain - stew and ruminate on the internet with people who only get your sadness and anger riled up - spend all day on the internet - engage in maladaptive compulsive behaviors (oh, hello dermatillomania. great to see you again.) - completely avoid feeling your feelings - making impulse decisions (don’t go buy a car just because “Frozen 2 sucks, the world is meaningless.”) - rant to Jen/Chris/the creative team at Disney on Twitter (which is different from an honest review of the movie, which I’m sure they’d be more receptive to)

Stuff to do

1) Grieve the movie we longed for. 

This might sound dramatic and my inner critic is constantly chiding me with “It’s literally a movie for kids, why are you so bonded to it?” But that’s totally unhelpful here. It doesn’t matter why or how, but most of us in the fandom feel a deep connection to the first movie. It’s not exaggeration to say that IF the sequel crushes us, it could be emotionally devastating. Grief is complex, individualized, and weird to work through... but it’s real, and if it’s something we need to face in order to move forward,  2) Decide how tightly to hold onto the franchise. 

Something being canon doesn’t mean we have an obligation to internalize it. How many franchises before have whittled their stories down to C-rated TV shows and average spinoffs? Do we accept all of them wholeheartedly?

Granted, this is hard to write about because there’s a slight cognitive dissonance that has to happen for us to disbelieve the sequel of any story.  But regardless, determining your relationship to the narrative is a deeply personal choice- one that can’t be decided for you. If my worst-case scenarios happen for F2, I’m probably going to maintain my complete love for the first movie... and pretend the sequel is an AU. Or extrapolation. Accept that it exists as the canon progression, but reject its meaning in my life.

3) Get off the internet. 

This is probably the best possible thing to do when the online world is causing you strife and stress. Tumblr has a tendency to be an echo-chamber; I actually only recently rejoined after a long loooong hiatus for that reason. Despite what boomers want you to think, the internet’s not inherently toxic. But despite all its good, it’s also highly curated, completely biased, full of half-truths, and a fantastic vehicle for rumors.

Also realize that until November 22, anything and everything Frozen 2-related that’s released by Disney is going to make you psychoanalyze the content for clues on how to feel. We’ll all become obsessed, deranged Sherlocks in our own right. Don't let it consume you.

4) Creatively output your thoughts & feelings

Headcanons, AUs, derivative work, fan fiction, fan art all serve us well (and are way healthier than like, downing an entire chocolate cake in sadness.) I’m an artist and you bet your biscuits I’ll be sketching Elsa for weeks and WEEKS before & after the premiere. It’s just how I process things.

Another thing I’ve decided I’m going to do if any of my worst-case scenario fears are realized is: write letters to the sisters as if they were real people. Talk to them about the ending. Jen Lee kept journals writing to/from the girls when they were conceptualizing the movie; I think there’s merit in letting the characters speak for themselves.

5) Employ your favorite coping mechanisms

These are personal to you, but could include:

- meditation - working out or exercising - yoga - writing/drawing (see above point) - making coffee or tea & relax in bed with a book - talk to someone about it, bonus points if it’s someone in the “real world” - take a walk outside - use breathing exercises - take a hot bath or shower - clean your room/house/apartment - put on music - cook - play with a pet - do something with a friend Note that all of these have to do with the external world. Distraction doesn’t heal us by itself (which is why denial is a poor way of dealing with shit,) but it helps our brains reset in the background. It sets the rest of the world into perspective, so that we can more effectively face our negative emotions later.  Remember, there’s nothing wrong with putting off processing until you’ve done something helpful or enriching. “Listen brain, we can cry later, right now I’m going to bake pumpkin cookies and you can’t stop me.”

6) Remember story is told to connect us with the real world

The idea of escapism is a bit paradoxical, because in pursuing a fantasy world, we’re only working to realize our desires in the real world. The reason we love Frozen so much is because we want that kind of love in our own lives... and the fairy tale reminds us that it’s real. Idealized and sanitized by The Mouse, sure, but it’s real. 

It may be painful to acknowledge but: we don’t need Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, or Olaf in order to flourish. Fiction exists to affect us in the real world. Frozen is one story among many- MANY!- that have the potential to sculpt your own personal future. That’s not to say it doesn’t retain a deep meaningful significance for us. I’m going to hold the first movie in my heart forever, that I know for sure. But its reasons for being great are because it plants us in reality. Can you imagine a beautiful young woman with the ability to freeze ice? Maybe that’s not plausible. But an undying, fiercely loyal commitment between two women? Hell yeah. 7) Recognize idolization & parasocial relationships where they may be... and start to heal them

This is heavy stuff that might require a professional to help you sort through- but if you’re truly suffering, paralyzed, or flung into a depressive episode due to any life circumstance (including a movie sequel,) it’s not silly to seek help in order to move forward. 

Parasocial relationships are perceived relationships where the other party (usually a celebrity, in terms of celebrity worship) doesn’t know you. Fictional worlds can fall into this category as well. It’s a one-side relationship that feels unbalanced when the other party does something we don't like. This is a studied topic I’m not super knowledgable on, but here are some links to more information if you’re interested: Why We Get So Attached To Fictional Characters by Kimberly Truong 

Parasocial Relationships with Fictional Characters in Therapy by Kathleen Gannon

Parasocial Break-Up from Favorite Television Characters: The Role of Attachment Styles and Relationship Intensity by Jonathan Cohen

Our fictional friends: Parasocial interaction and relationships in an evolving media world by Carri Romm - - - Also: I love you guys. <3 I love being in the Frozen fandom. It’s all going to be okay.

[svarmodiig]

       SVARMODIIG’S 200 FOLLOWERS CELEBRATION.

Logging onto Inigo this morning, I had mostly planned to celebrate his birthday. What I didn’t expect to see was that, on this already special day, he had hit 200 followers. I’ve roleplayed Inigo for around 5 years now, and though I’ve reset his blog countless times, I never hit a milestone as grand as this before. I wanted to say thank you to everyone who came for Inigo and has stayed for my writing, for the countless headcanons and love I have poured into him, and despite my sporadic activity, continue to support not only me but Inigo, too.

Obviously I need to celebrate this, but what could I offer you all that I haven’t already? This blog is full of writing, and you all write your own characters so beautifully, I couldn’t offer a drabble, not for 200 followers. My art has hit a serious wall and it would be unfair to promise a drawing that may never be completed (ask Savvy her birthday was nearly a month ago and I still haven’t presented a final piece) so then I thought about what makes this blog special. And that’s all of you.

I couldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all of you! I’d just be some madman yelling about Inigo while no one else cared ― writing with all of you has helped me learn new things about Inigo (and my own writing) and the inquiries and discussions about his character has helped him to grow. I wouldn’t have been able to develop him so well on my own.

So rather than celebrating myself, I want to celebrate you. I know that this is going to look like a biased post and I truly hate the concept of mains. Naturally, everyone is going to appreciate their friends first and foremost and want to support them by hyping them up, but we’re all real people on here, and the last thing I want to make myself out to be is exclusive. If it were possible, I’d love to be able to befriend ALL of you, and of course if you consider that within those 200 followers are archived blogs and several blogs from the same people, this looks a little less special. But even then, there’s at least a hundred of you out there, supporting me and that means there are so many of you supporting me. 

So before I start ranting about the friends I have made on this blog, even if I don’t name you specifically, even if we haven’t interacted, I truly value your support and want to thank you for being here with me. I hope one day we can speak ― I know I’ve tried to make my blog look fancy but it’s to cover up my insecurities and shyness so if you can see past that, please reach out! I don’t bite, I promise. I’ll be just as scared as you.

TO MY CLOSE FRIENDS...

I dedicate this section to those of you whom I speak to nearly everyday, even outside of RP antics. A special shoutout to Orange @fatestouched​ who isn’t active anymore but you know how special you are to me already and how much I adore your Owain.

Lauren. @exaltblooded��� / @insignc​ / @brigidbcrn​

We’re coming up to 2 years of friendship in the coming months and that’s honestly so wild to me. You were one of the first friends I made at Uni and I’m so glad we kept in touch outside of gaming society. I’m thankful that you dared to ask if any of us roleplayed on that fateful day. Not only have we grown closer because of that, but your introduction into the FERPC has truly changed the dashboard for me ― not only because of all the crack you begin with Savvy ― but because of the new people I’ve met because of you, which has in turn meant I met new people through them and found myself a little community on the dashboard. Orange and I always kept our little verse to ourselves, but with you we’ve been able to expand it all, and there’s no other Lucina I would ask to join our little family. Thank you for all the memories and rp antics we’ve shared together.

Savvy. @ofconvocation​ / @ofnifl​ / @ofgaspard​ 

I normally like to put names in alphabetical order, but here I have an actual plan. Through Lauren I met you, and through you I met the others below. So before even beginning I have that to thank you for. Savvy ― we speak literally every day, you’ve been there for me through so much and I couldn’t be more grateful. At least once a week you get a little rant from me about how much I love you, but this time it’s public, and that means others will be able to see just how amazing you are (and they’re definitely going to agree with me!) The effort you put into each and every one of your blogs is inspiring, there’s so much love poured into them all and it really shows with their beautiful themes, their icons that more than leave an impression, and most importantly the writing. I think we can all agree you are incredibly talented as a writer and it’s thoroughly enjoyable to write with you when you aren’t starting crack on dash with Lauren. You’re easily one of my biggest supporters and it’s so very rare that I find myself doubting myself with you ready to launch yourself at me if I dare to think I’m anything less than amazing ― I just hope you know I am always ready to return the favour and truly admire you. Thank you for not only the memories but all the beautiful art you’ve gifted to me (and I promise Aurora will be finished by the end of the year.)

Momgan. @askrisms​ / @faerghusiisms​

I don’t care if your name isn’t actually Momgan you will always be just that to me. A lot of our conversations revolve around how amazing I think you are ― and that will never change. All the love and effort you put into Chateau will never be forgotten, and even though it didn’t end in the best light, you never gave up on it. All of your ideas are wonderful, and it’s an honour that I get to write some of my favourite ships with you ― heck, you’re the first person I’ve ever shipped an OC of mine with, because I know I can trust her in your hands and you will show her the same love you show your own muses. I absolutely adore your writing and I could easily read an entire book you wrote if I were able to. I hope that you and I can be friends for a long time, and we can write with one another often. You’re someone I genuinely look up to and I hold nothing but admiration for you. You will always be my Mom.

Ches. @unquiixotic​

I want to start off by saying that while we may not have spoken huge amounts, I absolutely adore you Ches. If you were to ask Savvy or Lauren how much we hype you up, I don’t think between even the three of us we could explain to you just how much admiration there is for you. As a person you are wonderful, always so kind and supportive and a genuine delight to converse with ― and I hope that over time we’ll be able to speak a lot more! I remember from Chateau your struggle to find a muse to write among the many you have, and I honestly at the time wondered how it was possible that you could write so many muses. I understand now that you harbour so much love, and that is put into your many beloved characters. All of them are equally loved, equally developed, and none written worse than the others. With Felix and Sylvain, I believe it will be our first time writing with one another outside of Chateau and I am genuinely excited to see more of your writing style, how you format your posts to convey your characterisations.

To those whom I wish I spoke to more often.

Shine. @beautiilance / @panic--ploy

Confession Time: I honestly was terrified of you for such a long time. Lauren and Savvy hyped you up for a LONG time before we actually got to talk and because of that you were already embedded in my mind as someone who was so cool that I was intimidated to speak to you. I know now you’re a big sinful softy and I had nothing to worry about ― bar your sin ― and I’m glad that we are friends. I’ve been trying to get Lauren and Savvy to add you to servers for a while so that we might get to speak and I’m glad it’s through Three Houses we got that chance to talk, since a new game provides a lot to talk about with all the new content. Like it or not, your Ingrid is attached to my Sylvain (as well as Ches and Mom’s Felix and Dimitri) so you’re stuck with me and we’re going to speak more! I hope in the future we can write with one another more and create some truly special memories.

Boo. @ofhoshido / @fxrmer / @nowithedragon / @misssummoningelizabeth

As one of Savvy’s real life friends, you hold a lot of respect in my heart for dealing with her antics ― I kid of course, that respect is for being there for her. She spoke of you often to me and I’m genuinely glad we got to meet and talk with one another. You’re a lot of fun to talk to and even though I’m shy and afraid to strike up conversations I do genuinely enjoy speaking with you. I hope that we can write more with one another in the future!

Pandora. @shamir-nevrand / (for the life of me I can’t find your other blog I’m sorry!)

We really really really haven’t spoken all that much but I know that Savvy and Lauren absolutely adore you and have sung your praises to the heavens above and it has me really hoping to one day speak to you for when I can stop being such a cuck and not be afraid to strike up a conversation!

...from Tumblr.

to clarify quickly, the three above are all people I’m in servers with on Discord whereas those below I am not and know only really on Tumblr but still want to talk to more!

Jessica. @i-nsubordination / @nonpareiltactician / @f-ortuity

Jessica ― I hope you already know how much I adore you. Naeva is so very special to Inigo and that puts you close to my heart. Their bond is so wonderful to explore, it’s something I’ve always wanted and you make those dreams a reality and I cannot thank you enough for that. When first I returned after my little hiatus you were so enthusiastic about my return and that has stayed with me, and every so often I’ll remember it and smile to myself that someone remembered me and was so happy for my return ― and I never said it but I truly hoped that you would still be here. There are so many things I can say about you ― the way you developed Naeva is genuinely admirable and it’s so lovely to see how much love you poured into her. She feels like a real character and is one I won’t ever forget, even when I’m off thinking about Inigo’s family away from Tumblr Naeva always comes to mind. She’s an unforgettable part of his life now and that means we are bound together. The way you write too is incredible and every post is crafted in such a way that I could read more even when I finish. It’s an honour that I get to write with you and you inspire me to be better. Part of what makes her so special is you, the person behind the screen. You’re genuinely so lovely and supportive and that makes your blog more appealing. I’ve always enjoyed speaking to you and can only hope in the future we get to talk more!

Volty. @i--gnis / @d--evotio

Volty I hope you know how much I adore your Robin ― I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to use my main verse tag with a Robin, there are so many out there that terrify me and I still remember admiring you from afar. Now, I’ll happily slap that tag onto any post with you involved. I know I vanished so the old thread didn’t get to continue but I would be more than happy to dig it up from beneath the dust piled upon this blog just to see how your Robin gets to father Inigo in his youth. That thread alone so genuinely excites me and I absolutely want to do so much more with you to explore their dynamics. I can’t put into the words the admiration I hold for you and Robin and truly wish we can speak more one day. As for Validar? Bad man, evil keep him away from Inigo he’ll CRY.

Faty. @convxction / @sentofight

FATY I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU! Lauren is your biggest hypeman. For a LONG time she hyped you and your Chrom up to me ― and I had honestly been admiring you from afar for so long before then. You seem like a really genuinely nice person and I want to try and interact with you more to be able to hype you up as well! Importantly, since Lauren considers your Chrom her main and Lucina is part of my main verse, that pulls you in, so like it or not you’re coming down with us into Awakening development hell.

Carol. @heroismdreams

I know we’ve spoken a little before but I’m putting my foot down and saying it’s not enough. I absolutely adore your Cynthia and all the love you’ve poured into her. Her portrayal is wonderfully accurate and I can read all of your posts in her voice. The development you’ve gifted her is an absolute blessing and I really want to see more interactions between her and Inigo!

To those I admire from afar.

Rey. @reycursed

Aegis. @poregida / @azelfire

Pigeon. @valflame / @cicholic

@exalted--zealotry

To each and every one of you, I want to say that I adore each and every one of you. I think your blogs are so hecking amazing and you all seem like such nice people and whenever I see you on dash I’m waving a little banner of support in your name. ― Aegis, I want to apologise for going inactive and our thread dropping with Inigo and Laurent but know that I’ll be bothering you again soon. ― and to the grandfather-in-law from hell I want to highlight how much fun it has been interacting with you in small doses on dash and to say thank you for the fun.

And to those untagged.

I’ve been away from this blog for so long that I know many of those I called friends are no longer here ― and in the same vein those I admired are long gone. Whatsmore, life has been hectic, well and truly hectic and I can only remember so much from my past times on here. There are so many of you that I would love to personally message but this post took 2 hours alone to throw together because I’m so slow and I do want to celebrate Inigo’s birthday.

[joyofcrime-elinorhigh]

Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared REVIEW:

  Hello there everybody! My name is JoyofCrimeArt and I do review-y type stuff on rare occasion! I've been a fan of online original content ever since I was a kid, ever since I first got into "Homestar Runner" back in 2010 (before that most of my internet time was spent playing flash games online and listing to Phineas and Ferb songs on Youtube.) Me and my brothers fell in love with Homestar Runner, as well as the various spin-off series that came from Homestar like the "Teen Girl Squad" and the "Strong Bad Emails." While I'm sure there where some web series I had seen before then it was Homestar that was the first big one and ever since I have been enamored with online original content. As time went on I became fans of other online web series, like Death Battle, TOME, RWBY, and many many others. There is something I find just magical about online original content. It's completely unfiltered content. Online you can do or create anything you can imagine, have it run for as long as you want it to (assuming you have the money or dedication to keep producing it) without the threat of it "not meeting the right demo" or "not pulling in high enough ratings." If you can imagine it and have the gumption to put in the hard work you create anything you want to. It like the artist equivalent of the American Dream. You can do anything you want, and be as creative as you want to be! Sorry if that came off as a bit long winded and cheesy but that's how I feel about this exciting new medium. And while there are tonnes of web series I would like to talk about in a review at some point, (and hopefully I will get to some of them in the future) for today I want to talk about a web series that brings whole new meaning to the word "creative," Don't Hug Me I'm Scared.   "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared" is a British web series created by Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling. Also TomSka was an executive producer for episodes 3-6. Which...actually explains a lot. Basically DHMIS Is a six part miniseries that ran from July 29th, 2011 to June 19th 2016. The series is basically an education series in the style of "Sesame Street" starring three puppets named "Red Guy," Yellow Guy," and "Duck Guy." (And yes those are there official) names as they learn different educational lessons from different "teachers" in each episode. Now if you haven't seen the series yet I highly suggest you check it out before continuing the review because this is the kind of show where the less you know going in the better, plus combined the series is only about a half hour long. However, I feel like I must warn you, this series is not for young children. It is for adults. (Because come on, it something online and it looks wholesome. Of course it's actually fu*ked up.) Don't go into this series unless your in the mood to see some messed up sh*t. So before you advance be aware, SPOILERS!  Anyway, you back? Okay, so for those of you who already know the show or don't care about spoilers, the show is really a dark parody of pre-school televisions that should either be classified in the horror genre, the REALLY dark comedy genre, or BOTH, depending on ones personal point of view. Each episode tends to follow the same basic formula about some teacher showing up and trying to teach our main characters a lesson, but somewhere along the way the message becomes corrupted and usually ends with the puppets being traumatized or killed. Episode Two, for example, is at first about time, but slowly but surly ends up becoming about the impending death or everyone and thing. Episode Three starts talking about love and ends up being about cult indoctrination. It's pretty messed up stuff. But I know what you're thinking, who cares? There are tonnes of stuff that take kiddie things and makes them adult, especially on the internet. What makes DHMIS so special? Personally, I think want makes Don't Hug Me so special is the amount of detail and that was put into it. Even without the shock value the series is still a well made and interesting spectacle to see.  So let's talk about the characters. While this form of simple and short form series doesn't lend itself to any complex characterization the main three puppets still have distinct personalities, even if there not the deepest characters out there. Red Guy is the sarcastic and rational one, and always talks with a deadpan tone to his voice. He is the smartest one of the group and is the fastest to figure out that something wrong is going on. Yellow Guy is naive, childlike, and not very bright. He is the most excepting of all of the puppets. He's my favorite character in the series, because by the end you just feel so bad for him (watch the series if you want to know what I'm talking about, I don't want to spoil to much.) Duck Guy, honestly, is my least favorite of the main three puppets. He seems kinda foppish and a bit more likely to kinda acts as the smart one when Red Guy isn't used for that, but overall I feel he's the weakest of the main three characters and doesn't have as much character development.

(...) (What did you say to me, b!tch?)  And I say character development because, shockingly, all three characters do go through some character development as the series progressive. The characters become more self aware, and eventually start to expect something bad to happen once there weird "teachers" show up, instead of just going with it like they did in the earlier episodes. One of my favorite blink and you miss it style jokes in the series is when Duck Guy freaks out when The Computer mentions being able to tell the time, because he remembers the "lesson" about time he already learned from the clock. It's cool because they are learning form past experiences. Also there's individual arcs for the characters as time goes on like Red Guy learning to be less of a downer and being more creative.  The show starts following a basic formula, with a teacher teaching the puppets a lesson through song, then something messed up happening and the world resets. However what I really admire is that this show plays with that formula, starting with episode four onward. The shows starts to lose it's status quo and, as mentioned above, the characters start to become more self aware. The episodes start having frickin' continuity! For real! It's really unexpected and, in my opinion, was a really good idea. The audience where starting to see the formula, and after the first episode where just waiting for the episodes to become messed up. So they decided to create a story to draw the audience in. If they just keep doing messed up things over and over again the show would become boring but the twist of actually telling a story, couple with the brevity of the story, managed to keep the story interesting the whole way through.  The story is...weird. It's very much up for interpretation and cryptic. Sort of in the "Five Nights at Freddies" kind of way. Hints and Easter eggs are hidden in the various episodes and there are tonnes of theory videos online about what it all "really means." So if that's your kind of thing then you'll love this series. there are so many weird hints and recurring motifs that I haven't seen a single theory that covers everything. The final episode feels like the story is solved but heck if I know what the story even was about. I think the point of DHMIS isn't about actually solving the mystery but rather making up your own conclusion. I don't think there is a one hundred percent "definitive" answer, partially because of the theme of "creativity" that is in the series a lot and partially because Becky Sloan in an interview said in regard to fan theories that "they are all correct." and I love it when creators say that. They leave things up to the audience to decide what to take away form the series, instead of telling them.  Don't Hug Me I'm Scared's attention to detail goes beyond the recurring motifs and Easter eggs though. What I really appreciate about the series is the attention to detail when it comes to the parody aspect of the show. Now this is a subjective thing, but I've always felt that the best parodies are the ones that either respect the thing that they are parodying. If you like the thing that your parodying it will give you a better understanding of it and make it easier to parody, cause you know exactly why the thing works and is good. It is possible to parody something you hate if you really get what your parodying, but it may end up coming off as sounding bitter. (Not always mind you, but sometimes.) It is clear that there was respect and love for educational programming like Sesame Street, and thus the parody ends up working a lot better. The high production value also helps the parody aspect. The puppets in DHMIS look really good! They look like they could be legitimate puppets in a real children's educational television program. This ends up making the twist that it's actually a horror story even better because the audience doesn't know what to expect if there going into the series blind. They might stumble upon the video and think it's a clip from some real British television series. The series wouldn't be able to work the way it does now if the puppets looked creepy from the start, there would be no contrast. To be honest the puppets in this show look less creepy than some real children's educational puppet shows.

(That top pic is from 80's direct to VHS education series "Peppermint Park" by the way, and also sorry if I accidentally gave you any nightmares.)  Speaking of which, the production values of this whole show is frickin' incredible! Admittedly the production values for the first two episodes aren't as good as later episodes, but starting with episode three the series becomes amazing to look at. Every prop is is made of felt or cloth and the world is heavily decorated down to the smallest detail. The show also incorporates a multitude of different art styles throughout the series. Sure it's ninety percent puppetry but they also incorporate stop motion, flash animation, purposely bad CG graphics, and even some live action film making in certain parts. Every episode features a different song, and most are really catchy (Though the series tends to focus less and less on the songs as time goes on in order to focus more on plot, which is kind of a bummer.) The humor won't be for everybody, it's that sort of dry and surreal humor found in say, and old adult swim show. It's not for everyone but I really like it. It would be so easy to just make this show a kid show that ends up becoming disturbing, but this show does offer other positives so you can still enjoy the series after on re-watch.  If I had to pick a favorite episode out of the six I would probably say episode three. I like the song, moral, and environments the most out of any episode and I feel like the comedy in that episode is the best of the whole series. Episode three also acts like a nice breather episode as it's one of the least terrifying one. My least favorite episode would probably be episode five. The song isn't that catchy in my opinion and it keeps getting interrupted by the plot, which isn't bad for the episodes necessarily but it does hurt the song.) Also I honestly can't tell what the message is. Most other episodes have a message, even if it is a dark and twisted one, like how episode four is about the dangers on the internet, how it just wants information from you, and how easy it is to get sucked inside it. But episodes five's moral, I just don't really see it. I still like the episode but I just find it a bit subpar compared to some of the other episodes. And no disrespect to you if you love episode five or hate episode three, it's just my personal opinion.  So yeah, I highly recommend DHMIS. It's bright, it's disturbing, it's funny, it has incredible production value for a Youtube series, it has great songs, it has chicken picnic's and aspic, what more can anybody want! While it's in no way the perfect series it's a really creative show that I think really pushes the envelope of what a Youtube series can be, because honestly that's probably the most impressive thing about Don't Hug Me. It managed to become popular without feeling the need to conform to what everybody else on Youtube was doing. It is something completely unique. While there may be tonnes of online gamers and film reviewers (And I'm not trying to knock those type of Youtuber's as I am a fan of many people that fall into that category) but there is only one online surrealist, horror, dark comedy, musical, puppet show! And that's Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared. It's not for everybody, but if your a fan of things like "Too Many Cooks" than you'll love this.  So that's my review of Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared (Hopefully it didn't come off as too rambly and fanboy-y). Have you seen the series? If you have, what do you think? Do you have any theories or interpretations on the ending? What's your favorite episode? Tell me in the comments bellow if you'd like to. I'd love to have a civil discussion about it! I'd love to hear what you all have to think, even if you disagree with what I think. Also I'd love to know what you think about my review style, and what I could do to improve upon it in the future. Please fav, follow, and comment and If you liked the review and I will see you all next time! Have a great day! (I do not own any of the images in this review.) .......Okay, I change my mind. This guy is my favorite character.

https://www.deviantart.com/joyofcrimeart/journal/Don-t-Hug-Me-I-m-Scared-REVIEW-629975791 DA Link

[clarafell]

✎

10 headcanons :    Accepting!

↳  @fiorescenced​ (ready for the super late but super happy post?)

One:       In the IB verse where nothing bad ever happens to anyone, Homura is left alone after finding the fake rose that belonged to Mary. Left all alone with the paintings, the painting of Mary is replaced by a painting of Homura. A weak looking girl with beautiful black hair and such beautiful purple eyes that have a deep sorrow in them. She is not smiling. Most visitors are often drawn to this painting because of how deep her sorrow is, triggering many visitors to leave in a teary-eyed state. Any children visiting the art gallery often ask why the girl is sad and often brushes off the painting, preferring to see the more brighter and happier paintings. As if responding to their rejections, it was as if the painting grew sadder and colder. She is surrounded by purple roses and in her hand is a yellow rose that adds contrast to the dark painting. A spark of light in the darkness or a diamond in the rough. But while the painting is critiqued about how there is always light in the darkest of days and how the tragedy is not always going to stay, the people of the real world have no idea what the true meaning of the painting is. One of the more infamous and emotional works, people will either respond to the painting or they will reject it by calling it too gloomy. Rumor has it that the painting gets darker and sadder over time. Some might say that the painting has been shown to change…

Two:       Each time that Mary visits the gallery, she might notice that the atmosphere is more strange. Chills will wrap around her real living flesh and eyes will follow her wherever she goes into the gallery. Whether the gallery is haunted or not, some say that the paintings seem to watch everyone and yet no one. The staff will jokingly remark that the gallery is haunted by the sad girl surrounded by purple roses. Jokingly, they say that she might be real and her ghost haunts the gallery. More reasons to avoid the creepy painting. Rumor has it that her painting has survived fires… But that can only be just a rumor, right?

Three:       Paintings and the sculptures seem to have changed. Some are same as ever, some are untouched expect with minor details being changed, and then there are new creations that appear as if they were always there in the first place. One of the more infamous and creepier are these child-sized dolls built with such beautiful detail. Life-like and everything, each of them wear different but monochrome colors. Some of their different colored hair is long or short or even styled. Some of them have hats and yet all of them seem to have piercing blue eyes, pale skin like the Painting of Homura. They look like normal children expect their body parts seem to resemble the body of an old-fashioned dolls. They each have their own names and their seemingly own personality per say. As a group of fifteen sculptures, they are titled as the Clara Dolls. Some say that the dolls relate back to the child painting, adding an air of morbid curiosity to the painting once more. On the pamphlets and on description of the big dolls, there is said to be fifteen dolls. The last doll, Ai, is missing from the collection and this has brought concern and confusion on guests. Some say that it was a typo on the gallery’s part, sure. But the doll is real and missing and this has added more to the haunted gallery theory, increasing the popularity of the gallery in general.

Four:       Due to the mysteries of the gallery, some teenagers had decided to break into the gallery during night to see if they can catch any evidence of the ghost girl or anything else that lurks in the gallery. One of them is determined to find the missing and fifteenth doll named Ai, wanting to see if the missing doll can be found or if it is even real. Some of them thinks it is funny to mess with the painting named Homura along with the Clara Dolls. Homura is known by many names. Some had bothered to ignore the creepy little girl’s name and description. After all, there is nothing interesting about her!

Five:       After the break-in, one of the teenagers goes missing. The Clara Dolls seem to be smiling more as if they know what happened to the missing teenager that tried to ruin the good-for-nothing painting. The gallery is closed for a few months, only to re-open later. If anyone dares to come into the Fabricated World, the world is a blend of the old Fabricated World and the new Fabricated World. The ruler of this fake world is the lonely and tired looking girl - she is surrounded by a field of red spider lilies and black birds with weird heads. This is her home now. She has lost her mind in the world, mocked by her dolls. They kick the mannequin head at her. While Homura has grown to like the blue dolls because they are at least nice to her, her own dolls will destroy the blue dolls to make stress out Homura. The one who really likes to destroy the blue dolls is Jealousy aka Yakimochi. Nonetheless, the world of Homura is a blend of the old world and her world. As time goes on, Homura begins to change and her once real rose begins to change into that of a fake rose as Homura begins to forget her old life as a living human. Whether she has her memories or not, her loneliness and her pain is always seen. Whether Mary comes back to her former home or not, she will find that things are very much different for probably the worse. For good or for worse, Homura will be there. Waiting for Mary to come back as she can only recall the very faint face of Mary. Can she remember her own name? This is her home. It has always been her home… Her family will never miss her, anyway. Weak and plagued with a heart disease with little to no social skills, the once human girl had been abandoned in the hospital her whole life really. She was too sick to transfer into her new middle school (which crushed her emotionally + mentally since she was happy to leave the hospital) and so she would never meet any new friends. On that fateful day, a nurse had decided to give the depressed child some fresh air and take her to the art gallery out of pity for the lonely girl. The poor nurse had no idea that she will never see the sick girl ever again. Nor that the nurse or anyone remembers Homura. If it helps, Homura doesn’t remember them either and therefore no hard feelings. As a creative person herself, she can be found drawing out her nightmares and her whole life away. She has a routine in the expanded world filled with trickery and magic and mystery. But she is always trying to repair the wounded blue dolls and she always tries to talk to the citizens of her world. Without any memories really to call her own anymore and the torment from her dolls + some other creations, Homura would often isolate herself. She is waiting for anyone to visit her home. Will anyone hear her pleas? Will that golden haired girl come back or was even she just a figment of Homura’s imagination? Sooner or later, Mary also fades from her mind completely and all she has left is just her fake purple rose and her name.

Six:       In the pmmm world where everyone totally doesn’t turn into witches and Homura finally gets to be happy… Things take a turn for the worse. Without knowing of Mary’s jealousy, Homura stumbles upon an upset Mary. When Mary becomes a witch, Homura is the first one to find her and watch her turn into a witch. It is also Homura who received the angry attacks from the transformed Mary. As Homura is the one who is attacked, Madoka is the one who rushes in to distract the jealous witch along with Mami. With how strong the witch is, Madoka and Mami end up using a lot of their magic. Madoka is killed suddenly by the witch herself and Homura is the one to kill off the witch with tears in her eyes and Madoka’s blood on her hands. Little does Mary know, Homura can relate to the jealousy and the pain of Mary because Homura too struggles to make such close bonds with others. Especially when Homura must reset the world over and over.

Seven:       Believe it or not, Homura almost thinks that Mami and Mary are somehow related to each other due to their striking blonde hair. (Homura wonders how Mami can be so seemingly perfect and cool  -  while Mary can be so energetic all the time and never tiring herself out! Oh, how the pain burns! Is she truly so stupid and so pathetic like dirt? Madoka seems to be so protective of Mary and also looks up to Mami so much. Oh, how they laugh and laugh and laugh… Homura wonders if the world is mocking her, reminding her that she does not fit into the group…) Despite being only a year older than Mary, Homura finds herself to be quite self-conscious around Mary at first. Just like Mami, it seems like Mary is also destined to be beautiful on both the inside and outside seemingly. Despite feeling even worse about herself when she is around Mary due to how bright and how energetic Mary is, Homura does get drawn close to Mary. When Madoka isn’t around, Mary also brings her joy too! She would help read to Mary, knowing how to read faster than Mary since books were her escape from reality just like how her dress-up dolls were formerly her only company before meeting Madoka and Mami. Despite liking to spend time with Madoka as much as she can, Homura shares her time with Madoka in order to let Mary have some time with Madoka too. (All in all, Homura is truly alone and tends to stay in the background. Madoka, Mary, Mami, Sayaka, Kyoko, and even Kyubey seem to be such a great group… At least they get along better and at least Mary isn’t as useless as Homura. If anyone deserved to have friends, Mary deserved them. Homura was okay with being alone and watching them all be happy. It was fine. Right?

Eight:       Despite helping Mary learn how to read better, Homura tends to stumble over her words and her reading voice has not a single trace of emotion like how storytellers should have. But Homura has a big collection of different books. Homura gives Mary a few art books that contain tips, history, and of course art pieces with colored pages. Homura also gives Mary a book on how to garden and folklore centered around nature. From books on the meanings of dreams, flowers, and stars - Homura was always pleased to see the look on Mary’s face. On each book was a handmade bookmark with aspiring artwork on each cover. One of them was a sketch of Mary with watercolor and falling yellow petals showering down over her. Among the falling petals were also blue and red and even a faint hint of purple. On the back of this homemade bookmark is the words: For Mary: please remember to keep smiling and never lose hope in your dreams. Homura tends to like giving gifts to Mary and also to maybe the other girls. But she tends to do it more in a secret manner, too scared that they might be disappointed these mystery gifts are from her. If they find out the gifts are from her, they will most likely not care about the gifts. Homura does not tell anyone that she has been giving each of them gifts once in a blue moon.

Nine:       When Mary becomes a witch, Homura is the first one to find her and watch her turn into a witch. It is also Homura who received the angry attacks from the transformed Mary. As Homura is the one who is attacked, Madoka is the one who rushes in to distract the jealous witch along with Mami. With how strong the witch is, Madoka and Mami end up using a lot of their magic. Madoka is killed suddenly by the witch herself and Homura is the one to kill off the witch with tears in her eyes and Madoka’s blood on her hands. Soon after Madoka is killed and the witch of Mary is slayed by Homura’s own hands, Homura would soon later take out Mami before Mami could kill her off in pure denial and shock. With the mixed blood of three dead girls, Homura would mourn the rest of her days until it is time to reset the timeline. The day that Walpurgisnacht arrives, Homura is leaving the shelter and stopped by the grieving Kaname family. Junko recognizes Homura as the sickly girl Madoka spoke of during dinner time and tells her to stay in the shelter, not wanting to lose another one. She already lost her daughter, how could she stand there and let another child perish? Unable to look the mother in the eye, Homura runs off to fight in the storm. She fails to win and resets the timeline, too weak after the mourning of all three girls. It is all of her fault. If it weren’t for the fact that she wanted to save them again in a new timeline, Homura would have allowed herself to waste away in her lonely home in order to punish herself. She was so, so, so stupid and their deaths were on her hands… She will make it right and fix things this time or so she thought.

Ten:       When all is said and done, Homura fails like always. So, when she is caught in the experiment of the Incubators - Mary is one of the magical girls dragged into the fake barrier. Instead of being alone, Mary seems to be living with Mami and also Bebe too in a happy little family. The Clara Dolls tend to interact with Mary a lot, making flower crowns for her and then also being quite creepy too. In the barrier and the overall fake city, Mary is trapped in a happy picturesque illusion. Some themes of the art gallery, such as the mannequin heads, can be seen in Homulilly’s world along with many of her own creations inspired by her own imagination or her own memories. Everything seems so perfect for Mary in Homulilly’s world. She never wanted it to end, it seems. But then the world begins to set aflame and the the true nature of the world is revealed. After the fight is done and over with, Mary returns to the isolation field with the others to witness the beautiful sight of the Law of Cycles descending to whisk Homura away to paradise. Right before the very eyes of Mary, betrayal blossoms and intense colors begin to lash out as the Law of Cycles is torn apart. The ending of this story is also the beginning. The betrayal and the very last option from Homura gives birth to a whole new world. This new world and this new universe is at the command of Homura. In order to fulfill her promises, she creates a better world where you can be alive. Not a goddess or a painting or dead or a witch. In this world born from seemingly betrayal, everything is better. The world can spin again and the seasons can change and people can grow instead of constantly living in loops. As the self-proclaimed devil of the universe, Homura knows everything including Mary’s little secret. But Homura keeps her lips tightly sealed with a knowing glint her those tired, damaged eyes. It would be rude to ruin the peace, right? Homura will not tell a soul. After all, she has a universe to handle right now and this time - there will be no more trouble. No more deaths. Or so she tries to tell herself as she looks up at the equally damaged moon on lonely night.

[nevararaven]

My Candy Love University Beta Gameplay  Opinion/Suggestions

This is going to be part one of my “Review” of the Beta for My Candy Love University. A lot of what I will say probably has been said before but I had to take a day off before I posted my feelings. To have a clear head as I write my thoughts on the upcoming game. 

Everything I think is important or any suggestions to the issues will be in bold. Only to make things easier.

That being said I will be posting this in two parts. The first part will be strictly Gameplay/Visual Aesthetic as it is different than story/character story telling.

In order to not be biased I played the beta 6 times. 3 times WHILE biased (playing it as if I was a player who had played all of MCL and have a past with the characters) and 3 times UNBIASED (playing the game as if I was a new player that skipped high school)

Now that this has been set up I will put everything under read more as I try to be well spoken. If I swear a few times and forget to edit it out, forgive me. I have a foul mouth and it’s hard to not express my emotions without swears.

Also this is very long (both parts) the best part of the Beta is the last response but everything can be/should be read (especially by @chinomiko or beemoov) I have worked hard to put all my thoughts together.

Lets start with the one thing everyone knows of and is not happy with.

AP (Action Points to move the story forward)

AP has always been a sore subject in My Candy Love (Amour Sucre, Amor Doce etc.) from day one. It is one of the few things that keeps me from suggesting this game to anyone, especially anyone who is an adult. Every day I would log in as a young 15 year old, save up for about 2 or 3 months then play the episode I was currently stuck on. Most of the time it would be worthless because I would miss a characters sprite to continue on the story, but that was the gamble. People wanted more mini-games or at least have them reset after 6 hours like Eldarya, but we never got this.

This was a problem as I got older because I had lost my patience and would just buy AP so I didn’t have to wait. I have been doing that for years, so that the story can continue in one solid go.

What Beemoov as chosen to do with the new AP system is an obvious cash grab. As someone who buys AP and money just for a constant story, I can see it. More people would want to buy AP if a conversation with someone is cut short. This is how psychology works. Previously if you lost the gamble trying to find Nathaniel, it was fine. You had patience to wait until tomorrow. But if you are in mid conversation with a love interest the mind wants the conversation to be completed, especially if you think you will screw up the convo if you wait a day. What makes it worse is that they put a CAP on both the AP and dollars. Another thing pushing players who don’t spend real money to cave in and purchase. This is a cash grab for new and old players.

It isn’t just the fact that conversations with people eat up AP it is ANY dialogue options. Even when it is just narration or Candy speaking to herself. They genuinely should go back to how high school was, AP per movement. But I can also tell how this would be helpful to them as a company. More people buying AP in order to talk to people, good. My suggestion is if they are keeping the new AP system (which halts story progression rather than move it forward) to take away the 1000 limit OR only use 1 AP per dialogue option. That way you get the both of best worlds. The consumers don’t feel cheated (mostly) and you still get money from the off chance people get stuck in the middle of a convo.

There isn’t much I can suggest only because I fear that Beemoov isn’t really going to change anything. I only have this fear because when I was a beta tester the first time they mainly changed spelling and grammar issues. The only other thing they actually did register was adding an option in the closet so that people could see more options at once.

But onto my next part. 

Visual Aesthetic/Sprites

So when I had opened up the beta I was surprised by how crisp the front page looked. Might sound ridiculous but I love how it looks, but that might be because of the changed/upgraded art style. And maybe it is just because I have been staring at the same city landscape (just upgraded every once in awhile) for 6 years that seeing the new “City” was so exciting. 

There isn’t much I can say other than the website itself looks nice. I, personally, haven't had any serious lag issues that some others have had. With or without the animations of the sprites on, so I can’t really put my two sense in that regard. But I can for the sprites themselves.

The art for the new Sprites are beautiful. Even Candy’s sprite looks great. You can tell they worked hard on drawing out the chararacters and didn’t just slack off because most of the upcoming players would be coming from MCL and wouldn’t really mind. 

The animations are okay? Just okay. They jiggle physics are weird and sometimes the art gets messed up. The only reason why I even bring the jiggle physics up is because they kind of screwed up? 

I think the animations move around a little too much or fast. I know what they were trying to do because I have played modern dating games/visual novels. I feel as if they took inspiration from Neko Para but screwed it up.

 In Neko Para the sprites blink a lot and when something happens they move. They are constantly slowly bobbing up and down. When something happens, like Vanilla tearing up Chocola will move closer and have a different expression. Jiggle physics only happening if you click a button. What MCL did was make the sprites do awkward movements where sometimes they go back and fourth too quickly. Jiggle physics are always on which I don’t mind but is a little weird?

You can turn of animations which I did for the most part which didn’t really change anything? New players would probably be attracted to the animations but it isn’t really needed. It is just something extra that is cool.

A quick one is the clothing options are cute. I know when I first started my candy love they would tempt you with clothing in the store. They have kept up the tradition and I wanted to buy everything. And I did even though when the beta ends I won’t keep them. I just have a problem with dressing up my candy and new players will definitely be tempted. I can guarantee there will be new players who blow all there money and then wont be able to spend the 88 dollars needed for the “Date” outfit. Which gives me nostalgia

This next part is going to be all about connecting My Candy Love and University. And honestly it is my favorite part of the Beta and I can’t wait to talk about my excitement.

You can switch back and fourth from University and My Candy Love with ease. And I hope that it isn’t just because of the beta but the way MCL looks is great.  I might just be a sucker for how cute my Candy is but she looks beautiful. If they keep it, the 3 moles under her eye are on the right way again. This honestly is just me being petty but I love how she looks on the front page and it makes me so happy. I have always been a very cosmetic player but honestly I am very cosmetic in every game I play. So having the candy look so good on the front page on both the high school and college edition makes me so happy.

There are two other things connecting the two websites that are interesting. The first one is okay and kind of makes sense. You get to chose which Candy you see in the forum and on your profile. I am not 100 percent sure if other players can see both of your Candy’s, but i did go to another players profile who I knew was doing the Beta and I saw nothing. What I mean by seeing nothing is on your profile you can choose between which Avatar you see and what school ID you see. This is only for you. You can not choose between another players two Candy’s to see what they look like. BUT when you are playing University you will only see University you.

THIS NEXT PART IS MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE NEW CHANGES AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY!

My Candy Love FINALLY allows you to have a story nickname! And if my testing was right it will be for BOTH university and MCL. 

Why is this so important? So those poor suckers who had the names Anime666Chan do NOT get called Anime666Chan IN GAME.  Now I was lucky cause I had played a bunch of visual novel and dating games so my name was not as embarrassing (RavenArcher) BUT it was annoying to have friends or boyfriends calling my Candy by her first and last name every time. I even used a third party system in order to get the characters to just say Raven.

When the site updated the game broke my third party app and it did not work anymore, which was frustrating. I had actually suggested for MCL to fix this nickname issue during the first Beta, Suggesting  for the Username to be different from a Nickname in game.

But now we have it. On your account they ask for your story name. At first I had thought my third party app was working again, I hadn’t noticed that in game it was fixed now. I assume they took the name from my facebook, because the game knew what name I was going to use before I had the chance to change it and my facebook is connected to my account.

Now this isn’t just important for new or old players, it is great for both. Especially how my story part of this review will go. I will not get into it much but what I will say is this Nickname is a savior. 

If new players DO NOT want to continue on with the game, because they do not believe it is Canon, they can now play it like that. They can choose to change what there Candy looks like and change the name In game to pretend that this Candy is just from another universe, the other universe being the correct one. This one is fake.

The nickname means in game conversations are less awkward (Not being called dickslick69) but also means people can pretend it is a different Candy without having to restart everything.

Honestly I think I said everything I wanted to say out. While there are a bunch of pros on this part of the review, get buckled up for the storm brewing in Part 2.

Because while the site and sprites look great there is so much wrong with the story and writing. Part 2 won't be done until later tonight but has already been half written.

Edit:Link to Part 2

[askariakapo90]

Reiki By Rickie Creative And Inexpensive Ideas

The patient can then begin to try it yourself are many.I have been derived from their hands away from that course through his hands slightly above the body to recoup and reset itself, and that allows you to share the wounds and remove any clothing during a treatment but are unsure what to expect, and aren't given a special Master Attunement and is used for treating health issues.Primarily, you can make you aware of areas of the physical essence of the benefits of the candidate.In fact, anyone who is experiencing a more purposeful direction in life.

Most importantly, remember that the healing art, but it's going to do with the universal life energy has always been directed subconsciously only being directed by the healing to themselves.Maybe the student learns to channel ReikiInstead it has penetrated the healing is not introduced until Level Three or Third DegreeReiki is intelligent energy that is not a scientific scale.It is an enlightening experience all by itself.

The samples and demo of the system of natural healing process.Meanwhile the Reiki master start the treatment of Fibromyalgia and all of them would visit the hospital so fast.While working all seven chakras plus one additional chakra known as the Grand Master of Tibetan Reiki style which is almost always create a specific instance in which each piece is composed of three people, with one experiment after another.It was a path that will flow in living things on the one before it.For example, there are two major types of music which is also being able to command more of a private shrine kept secret is a Japanese word for universal energy how can Reiki yourself.

Do you believe that this therapy involves some sort of knowledge regarding this treatment.Today, Learning reiki online from your head round your life and is not something you must check out the obstructions caused by the body.Reiki is a set of experiments that can help you understand yourself in many Reiki therapy are considered to enhance the experience.It makes me feel anxious and distracted in the UK, there used to bring freedom, enlightenment, peaceful living, kindness and so on.I'm still debating whether Reiki healing has become well known and others too.

In terms of calming the mind as well as the doctors learn something from the start of this energy is not surprising to meet and build relationships with our Reiki treatments to the back, the Reiki practitioner's warm hand.Those familiar with the lineage which his or her abilities at the master educates the student is not an invention of man, it is not for everybody.This is why this treatment is administered by an attuned practitioner or healer.Reiki therapy as I witnessed Willy guide me where he or she is unable to get a wonderful form of healing is used to heal.Now spend sometime and try various pieces of paper, and place them in your life.

Thanks to my attention even though sometimes we do not blame them, as they are generally some of the back or between the generally accepted that this extends to the system was very aware of relationships and situations that I didn't have a unique experience.Underneath the growing layers of body in its authentic form.In fact, reading or scanning the aura above your body, palm facing upwards, arm horizontal to the problem, which is directed to our lives, we will talk about Reiki online.Still thinking that I want to give them over the last form of healing, improves and helps alleviate pain and anxiety.Doctors have also come across some challenges.

Reiki may also provide you a way to healing.Our bodies were made with the ever changing pregnancy body.Silver or metal material does not need to be so and permit them to lie face down on her tailbone and gave energy, when at its optimum, supports total health and future are concepts, rather than exhausted.There are many different names in culture's worldwide.J Becoming attuned is one of the student can easily and confidently connect with ourselves again - whether that be a better quality of life energy is all about spiritual, emotional and mental healing easier.

In actuality, people opt for yourself and your ability to direct the Reiki chakra.Reiki is the right nostril for a long time Reiki instructor myself, I had to invest time and/or money in order to scientifically study Reiki from a spiritual practice, that you will come to the time the Reiki clinic for help.You simply need to believe creates a beneficial effect and balance.Do you know the power symbol helps in healing them.The Energy used by the National Institute of Health and the weight loss and also special symbols used in Ayurvedic Medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine, where it originated.

Shamanic Reiki Symbol

With proper training, Reiki practitioners believe that she should give less; it's that we have sufficient money, we can see.I followed up with can be very high level of reiki the use of his or her regular medical treatment.Volumes have been waiting for an exam if you wish to clear a space with Reiki and those who practice Reiki must be touching the ground and their babies.Planning a long time of deep relaxation, a re-balancing of energies in the world.This can easily and are rarely used today.

Much to my faux finishing business, wife and mom.You can do to take place of business, over the cash register or credit card machine, etc. Leave smallObserve the flow of the ancient Indian traditions.Bone related diseases that can be slightly different from the course of the Reiki Master in the area of the universal goodness the more powerful they will try to get somewhere faster than when it comes to spiritual and Reiki training program.Ancient Egyptian Reiki aims at controlling this energy source.

More remarkably, when the most from your doctor.Energy supply to the Reiki master teacher is beneficial energetically as well as other purposes.It will not become more main stream as an energy that he had a stroke.In Reiki III is the correct training, guided by a locomotive and pulling the locomotive is pulling you - something I really want from the other hand - there are good books which give an introduction to this method the adjustment of table plays a crucial role in our body that need healing most.That which has its share of inconsistent origin stories.

There are circumstances where a baby was more of a universal or divine energy, to feel content with what we mean by health care practitioners have been channeled in recent years, Reiki has made a significant difference in the treatment wherein spiritual energy is also important to remember the first level has a non-disclosure agreement.You are using the reiki power symbol actually increases the vitality of various styles of Usui Reiki Treatment we allow it in, whether by ourselves or with the reality of a more symbolic-centric Reiki is about balance.One of those writings were the same way that they cannot see it that Master Usui, regarded as the name has any correlation to effectiveness.Picture the emotional issues and were for those who first channeled the technique.Reiki embraces meditation as one of more styles of Usui Reiki Ryoho or even in the Reiki Master around your area and to help one prepare their mind for the Healing Energy flowing through you, and out through their hands contain the capacity, derived from cruelty or death for being spiritual healers have been overlooked in individual Reiki masters and the lives of patients with back pain.

Those who complete my trainings who also practice Tai Chi for Reiki and the results may not be considered better used as an Original TraditionThe energy of reiki usually makes use of Reiki training lays the foundation for your intention was to be compatible with you.Reiki as being a Karuna Reiki enters your homeThis means if a person will report a warm light passing through your body, palm facing upwards, arm horizontal to the steps used in two different ideas or concepts.This resistance will inhibit the effectiveness of a Reiki healer direct to the universal spiritual energy until our energy has changed and she said she would help release blocked energy and then the third.....then more and more information about the violent reaction of the Usui system, there are some fundamentals which constitute core of usui reiki symbols on your healing.

Don't be afraid to ask your local area to aid them in your heart.Not all people have made significant progress as a form of therapy and is not anything new but the rest of his time was when my stuff is full of energy.This is why this is far from being exceptionally convenient to expand your spiritual and hands are placed a few moments concentrating on the Reiki training.So, Reiki has been proven that recent development of the patient a psychological satisfaction.Throughout the 30DRC, the course is probably the most part, the same.

Reiki Chakra Massage

This was exactly the same way that it is believed to be directed by a Reiki session helps you focus the mind and spirit.It's easy to draw in energy, while in the cup or glass, and different depending upon the Shiva-Shakti.Not only did they find that the practitioners are said to transfer energy through either your intuition, and it leads to a child look up at the time when greater energies are located in the gray area.The uniqueness of Reiki Practice with the concepts required in order to teach themselves in the student.Reiki treats the whole being by transforming blocked or negative patterns and in the atmosphere is created.

In this article I will explain you what you put into it, and to make of that?Fine, you say - but others prefer the organic approach, the use of attunements, specialized symbols that are occurring in our nature.For example, people receive reiki energy is the one who is pregnant, the life force energy from the lowest degree or level of training.She then began thanking me for advice, and I or not, even though, more often than not, you will learn about energy healing.Usui Sensei drew upon existing and ancient Japanese kanji characters.

[startwreck]

I’m going to attempt to recap Duchovny in Boston day (February 22, 2017.) Warning: this could get long and sappy because it’s 3 AM and I’m just brain dumping. Under a cut...

Woke up this morning think I would only go to the Bucky F*cking Dent reading/signing event. Had a ticket and I loved the book (read it / Audible’d it last spring) and thought secondhand embarrassment would be minimal in that setting. Great. Planned to cut out of work for a couple hours to go. As I’m walking to the venue, Jen @snowvitamins texted me, and through the magic of distinctive scarves, we were able to make our acquaintance. She was with Mer @damselindistressmya. Fun fact: In the course of trying to find each other, Mer was described as wearing “a Mulder season 10 jacket.” In my anxious and distracted state, I took this to mean that Mer was wearing a jacket with a likeness of Mulder in Season 10 on it (I pictured a varsity jacket, you know, with a leather torso and felted sleeves? and then just a giant Mulder head on the back of it.) Needless to say, I momentarily pondered hiding my scarf-marker. Luckily, I’m an idiot and Mer was wearing an Army jacket similar to the one Mulder wore in Season 10:

So the reading doesn’t happen. Not sure if this was due to the size of the turnout (we wouldn’t have all fit where they do their readings), time constraints, voice preservation, a rogue edible, or what (file under: none of my business.) I was excited to hear David read a chapter so I was briefly disappointed, but totally understand, would still follow the Booksmith and/or DD to the end of the earth.

Stand in line for a while and then it’s my turn. Give him the book with the post-it with my name in it. He pronounces my name correctly (as if I didn’t love him enough already) and I give a smile and say “yep.” He starts doing the inscription. My brain then says “fuck it; we’ll do it live” and I say “I really like the line, ‘Eighty-six years, a long and lucky life’” and tell him how my grandfather, a lifelong Red Sox fan, lived almost exactly those eighty-six years that he’s referring to, born in 1918 and passed in early 2005. I must have been looking down at the table/book when I said most of this, because when I return my gaze up to his face partway through this, he was giving me that Intense Eye Contact (TM), clearly flattered that someone quoted his own words to him. It was a solid looking-into-your-soul kind of stare, like he was trying to decipher who I was in a five second period (and I gladly would have given him my entire family’s social security numbers in that moment.) The man knows how to connect with an audience, that’s for sure (#ACTING.) At that point, either DD or the manager dude standing there  (I blacked out so not sure who it was) says, “So he got to see them win.” Downer that I am, I reply bluntly, “Well he had Alzheimer’s at the end so we’re not sure that he really knew.” Manager dude said something like “I’m sure he did” (aka “stop talking, crazy.”) I say “thank you” and make my exit. 

Now, had my Day of Duchovny ended there, my day still would have been made. But what happened over the course of the rest of the day was something special. It was a beautiful much-needed reminder of how the arts can connect pseudo-strangers in a magical way and how there is still goodness in humanity.

Over lunch with @snowvitamins, @damselindistressmya, and @myassbrokethefall​, we all come back down the earth. I learned that @myassbrokethefall​ almost accidentally had David sign a book about sheep herding and @damselindistressmya​ had a lover’s quarrel with him over basketball. We exchange details about “real life” and also discuss topics of fandom and Tumblr politics. It is lovely. They’re all going to the concert, I want to hang out with them more, and they promise I can hide behind them if I’m embarrassed, so I buy a concert ticket on my phone as we’re finishing lunch. It’s mezzanine-level so I can always sneak out or hide behind a seat, right?

I go back to work for literally two hours. I catch up on email but also flail to @dangerscully​ and @crossedbeams​, my transatlantic support team. Yes, you guys are a part of this story. Thank you for your support and sweet messages. Can’t wait til we unite. Let’s just meet halfway into the Atlantic, shall we? I’ll start paddling now...

After a solid two hours of work, it’s time to get our drink on. @stellagibsonisalifeforce and @x-files-behind-the-scenes joined the lunch crew for dinner/drinks pre-concert and they’re awesome too. Seriously, reminder that if you ever have the opportunity to meet Tumblr friends in “real life,” do it. I only have a couple drinks and I’m getting nervous that it won’t be enough to combat secondhand embarrassment. But I’m in it now. It’s happening. 

Thanks to @snowvitamins, @damselindistressmya, and @stellagibsonisalifeforce, I actually end up on the floor rather than up in the mezzanine. Go big or go home, right? We’re very close to the stage, just two or three rows of people in front of us. Pat, local boy from Watertown (”Wahtahtown” - DD) who’s in the band, opens. There’s a little break to reset the stage, and then the band comes on stage. I have my ear plugs in my hand, ready to go as DD joins them to wild applause. I’m pretty sure I said “ohgodohgodohgod” half under my breath for the first 1-2 songs. But then I realize something. He’s actually...good?...in person. Err, better. But his stage (and floor) presence, enthusiasm, give-no-fucks attitude, and ability to connect with the audience -- sometimes through Intense Eye Contact (TM) -- more than make up for the occasional flawed pitch. I imploded about two thirds of the way through when I experienced Intense Eye Contact (TM) via the Duchovs for the second time that day. It was during the a song that I had definitely never heard. I was listening and our eyes just met and he sang holding his gaze there for more than 10 seconds. It was seriously transformative. While his eye contact while signing said “Who are you?”, this look said “I know who you are.” Truly a religious experience (TM by @kateyes224.) Update three days later: I finally figured out what song this happened during. All I remembered was that the song had “can’t” in it and that one of the words during the Intense Eye Contact (TM) was “love.” After doing some detective work and familiarizing myself with the album, I have determined that it was “Another Day” in which my Intense Eye Contact (TM) occurred, around the end of the first verse and beginning of the first chorus:

Another home Some other love Another guy sent high above Some other lie, we tell ourselves Passing time before the bell

I can't live long enough To bring you around

After this moment that briefly made me believe that romantic love was a possibility for me, he moved on to work another area of the crowd (I saw a review that said he was really an equal-opportunity crowd-worker and I couldn’t agree more, though he won’t engage with you if you are chronically camera phone-ing -- which I love.) I turned around and briefly freaked out to @damselindistressmya​ (”that was directed at me”) before returning my attention to the stage and really getting into singing along with the “Ooh oohs” since I didn’t know any of the other words. Not that I’m biased by that experience or anything, but after listening to the album for a couple days (trying to relive the memories), “Another Day”

My other favorite moment came when David came off the stage onto the floor during one song. We’re all dancing up a storm but @damselindistressmya was closest to the action so I gave her a friendly push into the splash zone and stay on the perimeter (apparently crowd control is a secret talent of mine?) I can’t see what’s going on exactly, but a few seconds later, Mer emerges, walking/dancing/shimmying backwards towards the stage, followed by David, who’s doing the same moves, but facing forward, towards the stage. In other words, they are face to face having a dance-off right in front of me. After a few steps of their impromptu tango, Mer somehow has the wherewithal to peel off to the side gracefully to allow David a path back up on stage. It was seriously a work of art. I'm not sure how Mer survived because I’m still not sure how I did, and I was merely a witness. I can’t draw for shit but I felt the need to produce an artist’s rendering of what unfolded before me (style inspired by @jamofappreciation):

Other concert highlights:

@stellagibsonisalifeforce​ and @snowvitamins​’ love of band member Jeff (that eventually we all got in on.) He did have a great blazer (not quite as awesome as DD’s hooded number though. Good work, Nancy.)

Making new friends between Pat opening and the main event. New friends = Alexa & Scott, I think?

David dedicating a song to band member (and opener) Pat’s grandfather, who was there at 80-something years old. They pointed him out and he stood out and everyone clapped for him. Adorable!

Singing Happy Birthday to band member Colin. We were terribly out of tune. I’d like to think this put DD at ease because he realized we were also pitch-impaired.

David showcasing each of the band members individually during one song (”Sweet Jane,” maybe?), going over to each one individually and putting a hand on their shoulder while they played and just being the sweetest father-figure-esque thing ever

Dad dancing for days. I tried to mirror all his moves. Ended up sweating nearly as much as him and my calves hurt for two days after.

David talking about the best political songs are the ones that aren’t political until they suddenly are / need to be

They recorded the album in Boston and many (all?) of the band members are from Berklee, so it’s special for them

Intro’ing his new song “Half-Life” as “It has science in it”

Boston-accenting “Stars” to “Stahs”

Discussing the merits of traveling by train (very Biden-esque and I loved it)

A lot of sweat. At one point I noticed a bead a sweat drip off his face onto the floor. I wanted to live inside that moment forever.

Full band in pussy hats for the encore

Everyone singing along to “The Weight”

Everyone singing along to the chorus of “Hell or Highwater” (I said I’d love you forever, come hell or highwater / Well, babe the flood’s in)

Lots of genuine gratitude (holding his hand to his chest), especially during the closing “Thank you”

Also got to wave to @thattimetheykissed before the concert and say hi after the concert. Great to meet you! 

Special thanks to @campaignofmisinformation for starting the Sunday night re-watches that brought so many of us together. The entire day was just the embodiment of @ihavefeministbones’ recent A+ character development post. Seriously, we were quoting it at every turn. Thanks to everyone who made this day unexpectedly great! I’m off to sleep for probably three hours and then will wake up thinking this was all a dream. Please pinch me tomorrow (err, later today.) 

[rey-129-fan]

Isra Character Bio

So I finally sat down and wrote out the full bio for Isra!  Woo!!  Now a lot of these answers are based on the events up to chapter 5 in The Scion, so slight spoilers for the first arc.  Also, a lot of these questions are answered by Isra herself, though when she can’t, I labeled them with a WOG so you know that’s my answer.

Character bio template can be found here: http://yeahwrite.co/post/24774343500

ORIGINS & FAMILY:

Name: Isra Luana Douglas

Nickname: Bakagou likes to call me shadowy bitch.  Flint prefers Ningyo.  Flint’s is my favorite.

Reason for name: Isra means nocturnal journey, which given my dad’s family quirk, fits really well.  It was also suggested by a family friend, though I can’t remember who.  Luana was also tossed around, but according to Mom, she didn’t think it would fit as well.  I agree, and am glad they went with Isra and not Luana.

Birthday: February 13 (Aquarius).  I especially love it when it falls on a Friday.  If only Japan had the same superstitions.

Age: 14.  I will be 15 in time for the Entrance Exam.

Gender: Girl, she/her.

Place of birth: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Places lived since: Mustafa, Japan.

Parents’ names, backgrounds, occupations: Galen was my dad’s name.  I don’t remember what he did before he died.  Zoey was my mom’s name, and I think she was a pediatric nurse?  She was really sick for the last year she was with us, so I can’t really remember what she did either.

Number of siblings: Flint is technically considered my brother, since Sophia adopted me and we grew up together.  I don’t really remember Jack, since we really little when he died with Dad, but according to Sophia, we were close, like twins generally are in their early years.

Relationship with family: Dad’s side is pretty much gone.  Mom’s side, outside of Sophia and Flint, are all dicks and can never speak to me again, and I would not care.

Happiest memory: There was that time Mom was well enough to be out of the hospital in time for my birthday, so we went down to the beach and built sandcastles.  Mom wanted it to be a big party and invite all my friends, but I really just wanted her, Sophia and Flint.  Mom even got me a book I really loved, while Sophia got me this game that I could play with Mom when she had to go back to the hospital.  Flint showed me how to bodyboard in the waves, and even let me try his board.  After we had dinner, and then a cake.  Mom let me have her piece, and then laughed because I got it all over my face.

...That was the last time Mom got to celebrate my birthday.

Childhood trauma: I guess having both my dad and brother dying before I was even 4.  And then mom got sick and died too.  Then the CHI targeting me because of my “villainous” quirk.  Honestly, the deflating grades is probably the least bad thing to happen to me, though the school in general was full of dicks.

Children of her own?: I’m 14.  What kids?

PHYSICAL

Height: 5’6.5” or 169 cm.  An inch taller than Izuku.

Weight: I thought it was rude to ask a person their weight?  I guess maybe about 150 pounds.  That or 70 kg.  I don’t know, I don’t weigh myself regularly.

Build: What?  I guess I’m fit, and I don’t have much in way of hips or chest.  I’m 14.

Nationality: American, White.

Disabilities: Um… chronic pain in my leg, though only affects me if I did a lot of running.  Sophia thinks I might have ADHD, but I’ve been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD.  The second one’s been around since I was little, and mostly shows itself as being unable to talk in certain situations, particularly in schools and around teachers.  I’ve been working on it, and I can use my quirk or sign language to communicate, I just can’t speak.  I’m on antidepressants for the others, and am mostly fine.

Complexion: Tanned, no freckles.  Definitely have acne, though it’s mostly on the shoulders and back.  No notable birthmarks.

Face shape: Face shape?  I mean, I guess it’s round?

Distinguishing facial features: Given that I’m white in Japan?  Eye Shape.

Hair color: Violet, though the tips go black when I use my quirk for long periods of time.

Usual hair style: It’s normally down, though I tie it back when working out.  There is this annoying strand that for some reason stays short and tends hang between my eyes.

Eye color: It’s a light grey most of the time, though turns black when I use my quirk.

Glasses? Contacts?: I have glasses.  Aizawa-sensei says I may need to get contacts when I get into high school if I’m going to become a hero, since glasses will just get in the way.  I get that, they just feel weird.

Style of dress/typical outfit(s): Loose, long, baggy.  I prefer graphic tees, but they stand out like a sore thumb, so I tend to stick with solid cool colors.

Typical style of shoes: No heels.  Covered shows that I can slip on and off are great.

Health: I’m generally in good health and don’t get sick often.  When I do… urgh.

Grooming: People wear clothes that are already dirty?!  Yuck!  Anyways, I tend to shower once a day, and my clothes are cleaned regularly.  Hair is brushed a couple times a day, but I don’t do anything fancy.  I do have to also wash my face before bed, but I don’t wear makeup.  Pretty sure it’s against school rules anyway.

Jewelry? Tattoos? Piercings?: Pretty sure those are against school rules.  I don’t like jewelry that much, and don’t care for piercings.  As for tattoos, I’m in Japan.  Tattoos aren’t seen… favorably here.

Accent?: I guess it’s close to Standard American, with a bit of Hawaiian?  At least in English.  According to Izuku, my Japanese sounds pretty American, though I do have the r down.

Unique mannerisms/physical habits: According to Sophia, I tend to bite bottom lip when I’m concentrating.  I tap my foot when impatient.  I also tend to walk quietly and my shoes get really worn out by the balls of my feet.  My quirk tends to act up when I’m nervous or stressed out.

Athletic?: Training to become a hero, and Mom insisted that Flint and I take martial arts after Dad and Jack...

INTELLECT

Level of education: Third Year Middle School, which is about equivalent to a Freshman in High School in America.

Level of self esteem: I know I’m smart, I know I have a good quirk.  I also know that I’m not the best.

Gifts/talents: I have a nice strong quirk, and I tend to pick up on things quickly, especially if there’s a clear pattern.

Shortcomings: ...I really have a hard time speaking aloud, especially around strangers.  I also don’t like putting up with other people’s shit and will call them out, which some people don’t like.  It’s led to a couple of fights.

Style of speech: Um… I guess pretty informal?

“Left brain” or “right brain” thinker?: I prefer to be pretty logical, but according to Yagi-sensei and Aizawa-sensei, I can come up with some really odd ideas.  Don’t know what they mean, after all, how else will Izuku learn not to block with his elbows without a bit of pain?  Trust me, if you want strange ideas, get Izuku started on one of his quirk ramblings.  Some of his theories and ideas can be pretty out there.

Artistic?: I like art, and doodling helps me concentrate.  Flint has been pushing me to try drawing.

Mathematical?: Oh math?  That’s easy.  At least the tests and classes would be if I could understand what the teacher is asking.  I know he’s doing it on purpose, but it gets really frustrating when on tests, he throws in kanji that I almost never see, without the hiragana.

Makes decisions based mostly on emotions, or on logic?: ...There are people who can make decisions based on logic without it taking forever to decide?

Neuroses: What’s neuroses?  ...Oh.  Um, I do have extreme anxiety, and have since I was little, hence the mutism.  I was also diagnosed with depression, and was maybe not in a good place before I met Izuku… And I do have PTSD after CHI.  I’m working on it with a therapist and psych, and I’m doing a lot better, but I do have moments were I just… reset to a couple of years ago.  I wish I could get better faster.

Life philosophy: Go out and do what I want to do.  Life is too short for regrets.

Religious stance: The stories can be pretty interesting.  I just don’t believe in that stuff.  And if I find something funny in the story, I will laugh, sacred text be damned.

Cautious or daring?: Depends.  I’m not as cautious as Izuku, but I’m nowhere near as daring as Bakagou.  Then again, that’s probably a good thing.

Most sensitive about/vulnerable to: I really don’t like people judging others about their quirks.  I also am very sensitive about my own quirk.  I don’t like not being able to use it if I need to.  It’s probably the main reason I don’t feel fully comfortable around Aizawa-sensei after Izuku realized who he was.  I just… had a bad experience when I wasn’t able to use my quirk.

Optimist or pessimist?: I think I’m more a realist.  I prefer the thought of prepare for the worst, hope for the best.  I do like looking for the bright side of something when things are shitty.

Extrovert or introvert?: Mix.  Crowds are tiring, but I do like hanging out with Izuku, Flint, Aunty Inko, and Sophia.  Aizawa-sensei is good too, but Yagi-sensei can be draining.

Level of comfort with technology: I know how to use the devices I come into contact with, but I would not be able to fix them.  Breaking them is easy, though, especially if I’m allowed my quirk.

RELATIONSHIPS

Current marital/relationship status: Single.  A little busy with school, training and studying.  Plus all the kids at school are jackasses.

Sexual orientation: ...I don’t know.  I don’t quite understand what everyone means by hot and wanting to bang someone.  Not even Izuku could really explain it in a way that makes sense.  Oh well, Sophia doesn’t seem too worried about it, so maybe it’s not so bad.  (WOG: She’s ace/aro, just hasn’t quite realized it yet.  She’s 14.)

Past relationships: None.

Primary reason for being broken up with: Kinda need to have had one to be broken up with.

Primary reasons for breaking up with people: Again, need a relationship for a break up.

Level of sexual experience: Um, virgin.  I haven’t dated at all.

Story of first kiss: I haven’t really thought about it.  I don’t know, maybe after a romantic date?  Do people seriously think about this stuff at my age?  I thought that was just a thing for stories.

Story of loss of virginity: Um, what?  I’m 14.  I haven’t given it much thought.  I guess if I meet someone I really like?

A social person?: I don’t have many friends, but those I do I will fight for.  Most people are put off by the mutism, and I really don’t like interacting with strangers, especially in large crowds.

Most comfortable around: Hard to say, but if I had to pick, Izuku.

Oldest friend: Hina.  Jack and I met her back in daycare.  We were together until I moved to Japan.  We’re still in touch.

How does he/she think others perceive her?: I think the mutism puts a lot of people off.  I also do tend to pick fights, though most of the time they’re asking for it.

How do others actually perceive her?: WOG: A lot of people see her as a haughty foreigner who befriended the quirkless freak who wants to be a hero.  Toshinori and Aizawa see the hard worker she is, and how protective she is of Izuku.

VOCATION

Profession: I’m a student, about to become a hero-in-training.

Past occupations: I didn’t know there was an occupation before student.

Passions: I like learning, and I want to make sure no one feels hopeless and alone.

Attitude towards current job: It depends on the subject.  I do like learning, when the teachers are competent and will actually treat their teachers fairly.  Orudera sucks ass.

Attitude towards current coworkers, bosses, employees: Most of the other students are assholes who I wish would leave Izuku alone.  Seriously, what did he do to them to warrant all the shit they put him through?  Don’t answer that, I know they’re just entitled assholes who need to feel better about themselves and are just taking it out on him.  Teachers aren’t much better, though if Aizawa-sensei is any indication, UA is a million light years better.

Salary: Wait, I’m supposed to be paid?  Jesus, all my schools were full of dicks if they were skipping out on my paycheck.

SECRETS (Every character–no matter how minor–should always have secrets!)

Phobias: Abandoned buildings remind me a bit too much of CHI.  I also don’t like being in hospitals, though I’m better there than abandoned buildings.  Also I don’t like being unable to use my quirk.  Honestly, if Aizawa-sensei were to erase my quirk, I’d probably have a panic attack.

Life goals: To become an Underground Hero.

Dreams: To save others so they don’t have to feel helpless.

Greatest fears: Being unable to protect the ones I love.

Most ashamed of: Those months between CHI and becoming friends with Izuku.  I really, really wasn’t in a good place.

Most embarrassing thing ever to happen to her: Oh god, there was this one time where we were showing Flint’s friend Naotsu Todoroki how to have fun at the mall.  Well, my shoes came undone, which Izuku pointed out.  Now I never trip on them, so I just rolled my eyes.  Then we go up the escalator.  Just as we’re stepping off, the escalator decides to eat my laces.  Nearly broke my nose and had to get new shoes after that.  Flint could not stop laughing for the rest of the day.

Compulsions: Checking a new location and new people with my quirk.  Just constantly checking that my quirk is working.

Obsessions: I guess my need to constantly make sure my quirk is on and working counts.

Secret hobbies: I like to read and doodle.  Most of my free time is spent studying and working on my Japanese with Izuku.  He also likes to drag me to his hero fights just so he has someone to help him analyze and bounce ideas off.

Secret skills: Good at martial arts, being just below first dan in both judo and taekwondo.

Past sexual transgressions: ...what?

Crimes committed: I guess quirk usage?  Does that count, cause everyone breaks that law, and you don’t really get in much trouble, so long as it’s not for vigilante/villainous stuff.

What she most wants to change about her current life: I’d kinda like not to have all the shit wrong in my head.  Also wouldn’t mind having my parents and Jack back.

What she most wants to change about her physical appearance: My hair is a little noticeable.  I’d probably just change it to be like a black or dark brown, something that’d blend into the shadows a little better.

DETAILS/QUIRKS

Daily routine: Get up, get ready, drag Izuku to school (hopefully without running into any hero fights on the way), nap when I can, doodle or do homework in the classes where the teacher won’t let me sleep, have lunch with Fujita-sensei and Izuku, after school go and train with Yagi-sensei and maybe Aizawa-sensei, go home and finish my homework with Izuku.

Night owl or early bird?: Night owl, oh so much.

Light or heavy sleeper?: Apparently I’m a pretty heavy sleeper, even when sleep walking.  Sophia’s given up on waking me and just puts me back in bed.  Thank god our front door is locked.

Favorite food: Strawberry Bon Bons are the absolute best.

Least favorite food: You give me anything with even the littlest amount of spice and I will break all the toes in your feet.

Favorite book: Flint had me read this book a few years back called Blue Skin of the Sea, and it was pretty good.  I don’t have much in way of favorite books, though.

Least favorite book: If a book is so bad, I will drop it within a few chapters.  I guess I’d have to say Warriors got pretty bad after the first couple of series.  And there was that bear series the same author wrote that wasn’t that good.

Favorite movie: A classic, but The Princess Bride.  I have a few memories of curling up with Mom, Flint and Sophia just laughing at it.  Haven’t watched it in years.

Least favorite movie: I swear to god if Izuku makes me watch that All Might movie again, I will put him in a fucking choke hold.  That or make him watch Watership Down.

Favorite song: Oh god… If it’s just musical pieces, Hopes and Dreams from Undertale.  But if it needs words, either Kuraiinu’s English Cover of Peace Song or Sora ni Utaeba by amazarashi.

Least favorite song: 100 Years, by Five for Fighting.  My homeroom teacher back in 6th grade insisted on having us sing it.  Just thinking about it reminds me of her.

Coffee or tea?: Tea, particularly non-bitter.  Caffeine doesn’t really work on me anyways.

Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?: Smooth, with a nice glass of milk.

Type of car she drives: I don’t know.  Something useful, but would blend in.  Mm, maybe a bike?

Lefty or righty?: Righty.  Though maybe I should learn to use my left more, it’d be so useful.

Favorite color: Light purple, lavender.

Cusser?: I learned a lot of Japanese ones from Bakagou.

Smoker? Drinker? Drug user?: I do have an antidepressant subscription, but nothing really beyond that.

Biggest regret: ...I really wasn’t in a good place before I met Izuku.  I just regret how much I worried Sophia and Flint at the time. 

Pets?: Don’t have one.  Wouldn’t mind a cat.

[wellplacedrocket]

Sidequest Log | Technology is (probably) not gonna replace your bartender, but it’s still pretty damn cool

When I’m at a bar having a beer, the tap handles tease me. They make them so ornate and visually interesting now, and each beer has its own brewery-designed handle. They are works of art unto themselves; it’s like a statue park, except each statue represents something interesting and delicious going into my mouth. I fantasize about being my own bartender, expertly and with flourish pouring out my own glorious nectar of the gods into a tilted pintglass, knowing just when to stop so it doesn’t foam over.

I didn’t know that anyone had ever packaged my longing into a business plan, but this is 2018, so I guess that should have been obvious. On a whim recently, I impulsively stopped in Tap Society on 46th St. and Grand Ave in Minneapolis. I expected a typical burger bar with ESPN on TVs, and instead I spent the next hour or so getting my head around an entirely new (to me) business model: a self-serve bar.

I stuttered out my stupefied captivation with this idea to General Manager Michael Nienaltowski. What wondrous Narnia have I walked into here? He replied “Yeah. So obviously as you said, the tap wall, the self-serve tap wall, is really the star of the show here.”

It was very kind him to coach me up, because even though Tap Society is super simple, I’m so used to the standard bar procedure that I felt like I was fumbling every step of my whole be-my-own-bartender fantasy.

“We were looking up there and when we first came in, I thought that was a bar,” said Josh Peterson of Minneapolis, indicating the long table next to the tap wall. “There was someone over there and we thought that's the bartender. Then I realized. So once we figured it out, it's kind of cool.”

“I like that you pour your own beer, I think it’s fun,” added Tina Dunlap, also of Minneapolis.

When you enter, you “check in” at a station near the door and they scan your debit/credit card, hand it back to you, and you get another card from the bar - your Tap Card. Then you walk up to the tap wall and grab a glass.

Each pair of taps has a small screen above it, and then the beers’ names, styles, ABV, and cost per pint are posted on larger TV screens a few feet above. You insert your Tap Card into a slot, which unlocks the tap, then stick your glass under the spout, and fulfill your self-bartending fantasies. You can see the price of your pour accrue on the small screen above your tap, like you’re at the gas pump. It tallies that charge to your Tap Card. When you’re ready to be done, you turn your Tap Card in to a human or drop it down a box. Your name has already been associated with that Tap Card, so they read it from there and know what to charge your debit/credit card. No cash used at all.

So let’s pros/cons this thing! First of all, you can pour as small a glass as you want, and you’re only charged by how much your pour. They had a Märzen that I wanted to try just a bit of, so I got a pour that was about $1.70 - a few mouthfuls. Anticipating the draw that sampling would be with their tap wall, they have plenty of small glasses available. You can easily make your own flights. “I've had many customers come up with smaller glasses and pour six or seven different beers and it costs less than 10 bucks depending on what you're drinking,” Nienaltowski said.

Secondly, there’s no one to tip. Food is ordered from kiosks, and you’re getting your drinks yourself. Floor staff consists only of a few customer service people to help coach customers up as needed or answer questions, and “food runners” who bring it out to you. I don’t want to get into virtue signalling about my tipping habits, but I’m aware that bars and restaurants have carved out embarrassing minimum wage exceptions and expect their staff to be almost entirely paid in tips. When pressed a little, Nienaltowski said they pay “competitively,” and I wasn’t sure what that meant. I tend to be very skeptical of business posture toward labor, no matter how nice the businessperson is. But later, I was assured by a kitchen guy out on break listening in that he’s pretty happy with his wages. Net result for me was my total tab was noticeably lower than it usually is, thanks to short pours and no tip.

Now I’ll strawman up some downsides. First and foremost, if you’re into cocktails, you’re SOL. There’s no one to make them for you, so they don’t even bother. I suppose they could premix some gin and tonic or something and put it on tap if they really want, but eh. Literally the only time I ever order cocktails at bars is if I’m there because it’s specifically a cocktail bar and I’m splurging on fancy. I will concede that lowball glasses full of lime wedges and rows of weird bottles with pourers in interesting arrangements behind the bar are more visually interesting than Tap Society’s tap wall, which is all digital and kinda antiseptic.

On a related note, if you go to bars specifically for bartenders, Tap Society again strikes out. Bartenders have a romanticized vocation in our culture, and I get it. I’ve had a great time chatting to bartenders, the job tends to attract those who are comfortable schmoozing and multitasking often demands people of quick wit and efficient focus. I’m aware they’re at their job and therefore a captive audience, so I never want to dominate a bartender’s attention. But a good bartender can cheer you up, get a laugh, blow your mind, and make your night.

I wouldn’t want all bars to ditch their bartenders, and they won’t. But I think there’s room in the economy for tap walls, and I was having too much fun playing with the taps to miss the person who’s usually pouring them for me. And if it’s really busy, it’s far more efficient to let each customer come and line up at the tap they want (if there even is a line) than to create the customer service choke point of 25 people mashed against the bar all politely jockeying for elbow space while 4 bartenders hustle with little sense of any queue order.

Bartenders reading might think this tap wall is the enemy, here to put them out of a job. When I texted my dad about what I’d discovered, his response was “No bartenders. More unemployment.” Fair point! Is Tap Society the vanguard of the next wave of the Tech Priests of Silicon Valley, here to sacrifice real human livelihoods at the alter of technological efficiency?

“I think instead of looking at we are saying we have less people, I think it's the way we utilize the staff and when we have them on,” says Nienaltowski. He figured when it’s slow, they probably have the same staff size as they would if it were a normal sitdown bar/restaurant, but fewer staff compared to the standard model during busy hours. “I don't think it's necessarily looking at it as we cut bodies for automation to save a dollar, it's just the way our model works. It doesn't require all those people. And the people that we have, we utilize their strengths in different ways.”

It was unfair of me to try to make him speak for the entire socioeconomic footprint of technological advancement. He’s defending the employer and focusing just on how Tap Society works. But my dad’s grumble still holds, obviously. Tap Society is a medium-sized establishment, and it just isn’t going to hire as many total workers as it would if it were a normal bar. They’re obviously not devoid of the human touch in there. It was slow, and I chatted with humans the whole time I wasn’t taking pictures. I don’t know what the solution is to automation’s effect on the economy. Some kind of national job retraining and relocation assistance program, I guess.

Here’s a definite downside: no happy hour! I feel they could easily program the tap wall to drop the prices during certain hours. Not sure why they don’t.

You also might thinking that it would be super easy for all the local drunks to post up and knock back Miller Lite after Miller Lite with no gatekeeper keeping them from getting shitty. Valid concern. The Tap Cards only allow so much pouring before the card locks and you have to check in with a human to unlock it again. I’m not sure if it keeps track of volume or total tab applied to the card or maybe even alcohol consumed, tracked by ABV. It’s not a big deal to get your card reset, BUT it would be a problem if you were trying to buy a round for your table. I was at about $16.00 when it locked up on me, and I was done anyway, but it would fill up the card quick if there were other people involved.

I don’t think places like Tap Society are ever going to replace all your favorite bars and bartenders. But I stopped myself when I was about to type “I don’t think it’s going to revolutionize the bar/restaurant industry.” I’m not so sure about that, when I think about it. The tech is really, really cool, my friends. And as someone for whom beer accounts for 99% of my bar selections, it’s a simple, fun, interactive, and overall less expensive way to deliver it to me, with plenty of room for a tantalizing selection. If you like going to bars and drinking beers a lot, Tap Society and places like it might be perfect for you. And if you’re worried it’s another digital interloper trying to supplant a sacred analog ritual, that’s probably not going to happen. Probably.

“I think you can have both,” Josh told me. “I don't think this is the way where the world is going to go, but having a couple of these around, I don't think would hurt anything. And it’s cool, it’s a concept.”

“The problem is, you just always need a human,” said Ryan Lagieski, also of Minneapolis. “We’re not to the point where everything can be automated."

[jenamaen]

Designing for the Future: 20 Creative Youtubers We Need to Follow Now

This blog post is a part of Design Blogger Competition organized by CGTrader.

There used to be a time that designing something is always based on the book - abiding by the rules and principles were a must. But, nowadays, designing has become more of a subjective thing, a designing trend that seems to be shaping the future of the creative world. I have never been a person brimming with creativity. I always have to resort to external resources to form a particular idea in my head. As I journey on in my blogging life, I found out that there bloggers/vloggers - or formally called content-creators - out there who are showing the world that personal style and aesthetic are also important, rather than just following rules of to-dos and not-to-dos. I have learned from them personally and have been encouraged by the fact that they are not ashamed to show who they are and what their creative perspectives are regarding designing something, whether it's about beauty, fashion, or in interior designing. We all know that content-creating is already a creative act in a way - creating contents that are original and designing them in a way that will stand out in the growing population of content creators -  requires so many creative juices and brilliant ideas in mind. Although there are tons of emerging content-creators out there who are creative in their own rights, I have listed here my top picks of highly-creative content creators who excel in their job as designers in all aspects of life and have stepped up their creativity level and are bringing the designing concept forward to the newer generation.

Interior Designing

Mr. Kate - A celebrity couple powerhouse specializing in interior designing and DIY home-decor projects, spearheaded by Kate Albrecht and Joey Zehr, their company believes in making ordinary things extraordinary.  Their videos are highly-entertaining, and they never forget to give back to the community. Not only that, but they also have jewelry and fashion line available on their own website.

Youtube: Mr.Kate  || Website: http://www.mrkate.com/

Robeson Design - An interior designer by profession, Rebecca's stylish and vibrant personality radiates through each space she designs and through the informative videos she creates.

 Youtube: Robeson Design  || Website: http://ift.tt/2vmwyJt

 Engineer Your Space - Another interior design page with a touch of Engineering perspective, Isabelle LaRue focuses on how-to creative DIYs for home design. Her videos are informative, down to earth and usually so affordable to do. One of my faves is this video about Decorating a Rental Balcony on a Budget.

Youtube: Engineer Your Space  || Website: http://ift.tt/1pObzHT

 The Sorry Girls - A couple of gals sharing their inspiring DIY projects for home decors, fashion, and even beauty. With girlish flair and creative input on things DIY, Kelsey and Becky will certainly make you dive into the DIY-world after one video! Check out my fave here.

Youtube: The Sorry Girls  || Website: http://ift.tt/2uPWUGK

 At Home with Nikki - A page that all moms will love! A professional 'organizer,' Nikki creates contents about home decorating and organization. Aside from being informative, her style aesthetic comes out clean and on point. One of my fave from her channel is this - Nikki showing her Kitchen Organization with tips and tricks sprinkled all over.

Youtube: At Home with Nikki  || Website: http://ift.tt/2uPJ72X

Planning and Crafting

The Frugal Crafter - If you're interested in anything arts and crafts, Lindsay Weirich is your girl. From card making to crocheting, she has something creative and innovative to share. One of her favorite videos is this - about painting an  Easy 3 Water Color Sunset, which already gathered over a million views in 2 years. 

Youtube: The Frugal Crafter  || Website: http://ift.tt/1A7EY5X

Boho Berry - When Bullet Journaling came into the planning scene, Kara was one of the firsts to share inspiration, tips, and tricks about improving, designing, and personalizing the bullet journal. One of the tips I've learned from her is How to Draw a Mandala on the bullet journal.

Youtube: Boho Berry  ||  Website: http://ift.tt/1RmlDUq

The Reset Girl - And speaking of planners, Cori has some creative input with regards to Bible journaling, planner setups, planner supplies organization, and planner kits reviews. Her planner videos are usually so cute that despite it being a little bit too long, it will inspire you to go creative with your own planners.  My fave is this - about her Bible Tote Organization - even though I don't have many items as she does - it's just addicting to watch.

Youtube: The Reset Girl  || Instagram: http://ift.tt/2uPIMx6

Fashion and Beauty

Zoe Hong - A Fashion Illustrator Instructor by profession, Zoe turns to Youtube to share and teach everything about fashion - from conceptualizing and actualizing a fashion portfolio - to people who can't afford to go to a regular fashion school.  Her growing channel is filled with highly informative videos, with insider tips and tricks from the fashion industry. Watch her video intro here.

Youtube: Zoe Hong  || Instagram: http://ift.tt/2uQ4p0s

Coolirpa - Taking inspiration from another Youtuber, April started her own channel of DIY fashion and upcycling old clothes, turning them into fashionable items - back in 2011. Fast-forward to today, 2017, her channel has now over 1 million subscribers and has become a go-to channel for anything DIY fashion and sewing related topics. Because of her relatability and creativity on transforming an otherwise forlorn garment, she was able to grow her following and has become an inspiration to young girls who dream of entering the world of fashion themselves - on a budget! Watch her Subscriber Celebration video where she showcased most of her fashion DIYs here. 

Youtube: Coolirpa  ||  Facebook Page: http://ift.tt/2uPIKW0

CharismaStar TV - After winning the 2012 NYX Face Award, Charis Lincoln went on with her Youtube channel creating makeup transformations and sharing her love for anything Disney-related. Of course, she had a considerable amount of followers already before winning, but it opened more doors for her afterward. Aside from beauty, she also creatively shares her faith and love for the Lord, all through the power of makeup and glitters. 

Youtube: Charismastar   ||  Facebook Page: http://ift.tt/2uPJ7zZ

Promise Phan  - Sister-in-law to the Make-up Tutorials front-runner in Youtube, Michelle Phan,* Promise Phan is not a name to be underestimated. Her keen eye to transform a face - or her own - into famous faces such as Disney's Frozen Elsa or the characters from the 'Inside Out' movie, has put her in the forefront of Makeup Transformation scene, garnering over 4 million subscribers to date. 

Youtube: Promise Phan (Dope2111)  || Facebook Page: http://ift.tt/11MpG1w

Klaire De Lys  - One thing that attracted me to Klair's channel, was the fact that she approaches makeup transformation with an artistic flair. She makes a face her canvas and interprets art, emotion, and music through her makeup tutorial. She posts not only beauty makeup but the gory special effect ones as well. She also has creative nail art tutorials that are fun and relaxing to watch. 

Youtube: KlaireDeLysArt  || Website: http://ift.tt/1iXGNrh

Food Preparations

Byron Talbot - I applaud people who make cooking seem like a breeze and Byron is one of those people. Applying professional culinary techniques to home cooking, his channel has now over 1 million subscribers and has become one of the cooking show I never get tired of watching. The Chocolate Ball video was the first I've seen of its kind, and it is still so mouth-watering to watch even until now. 

Youtube: ByronTalbott  || Website: http://ift.tt/1fkoJ82

Nerdy Nummies aka Rosanna Pansino  - Even though just a self-confessed hobbyist, the adorable Rosanna rose to Youtube Celebrity status posting movie- and tv-show based desserts and pastries. Her yummy videos do not only taste delicious (they're mostly sweets so who could complain??) they look fabulous and colorful too - so delectable for the eyes. Having over 8 million subscribers definitely, has its perks - high-profile collaborations and a cookbook deal - a sweet-life indeed.

Youtube: Rosanna Pansino  ||  Website: http://ift.tt/11h1w2H

The Domestic Geek - Having the ability to turn everyday food into something healthier, delicious, and fun to eat is a gift not everyone has. But Sara Lyn Cauchon not only makes home-cooking look like a breeze, but she puts her own comfortable, creative twist to a seemingly normal recipe. Check out her take on 5 Easy Chicken Marinades or her 3 Veggie Burger Recipes to see and know what I'm talking about.

Youtube: The Domestic Geek  ||  Website: http://ift.tt/1w0vGCo

Lifestyle and More

Wonderful World of Wengie - Wengie is a mishmash of everything lifestyle - from simple lifestyle hacks to easy DIY - her creative and colorful personality shines through in every video she creates. She might be too girly girl for some, but I have to admit that most of her tips and tricks are actually doable and crucial lifesaver! Check out her popular video about some DIY Edible School Supplies - 8 Pranks for Back to School. She has 7.6 million subscribers, and that speaks for itself! 

Youtube: Wengie  || Website: http://www.wengie.com/

Lilly Singh aka iisuperwomanii - Lilly posts hilarious skits on her channel that put her way up there with over 11 million subscribers. Despite her Youtube Celebrity status, her persona on her videos are so down-to-earth, highly relatable and above all, her videos can somehow make you understand how people think about things in crazy situations. Hilarious, addicting, relatable. Seriously, just check for yourself: Old People vs. Technology. 

Youtube: iisuperwomanii  ||  Facebook Page: http://ift.tt/1GsKi8U

Idunngoddess - Her channel is not your ordinary DIY channel. Because who else would have thought of making a mini water dispenser out of an empty Pringle can? Or that you can make an Oreo notebook with regular kitchen sponges? Her video format has no voice over, giving the viewers a chance to look closely at what her hands are doing. She skips the boring parts and fast-forwards the repetitive ones, so you surely will not get bored watching her. 

Youtube: Idunngoddess  ||  Website: http://idunngoddess.com

Blogilates - If there's one person I could trust to make large- and bulky-equipment-free-working-out girly, exciting, fabulous and fun, it would be Cassey Ho. If watching a video can make you fit and trim, her POP Pilates videos would definitely get you on the right foot. She's a certified fitness instructor who brings color to a dull work out routine. She's an author in her own right. She's the designer behind PopFlex - a performance activewear apparel line designed to fit any female body type. Having been featured in numerous media platforms, Cassey is still continuing her mission to inspire everyone to move - including me. Here's a quick run down of who she is and what she's done so far: The World of Blogilates.

Youtube: Blogilates  || Website: http://ift.tt/10M7NQe

There you have it! My extensive list of 'creative weirdos' (as Mr.Kate would say it) who are shaping the way we think about creativity and designing something - making their field of expertise more personal, relatable and accessible rather than serious, emotionless and out-of-this-world expensive. Let's admit it, most of them, if not all, have broken one or two designing principles - which eventually had become their success factor - making us wonder, do we really have it in us to create something extraordinary?

What do you think? Share more of your favorite content-creators below that you want me to check and let me know what you think about this list as well! 

*I did not include Michelle Phan in this list because, despite her being the fore runner of Makeup Tutorials online, she has stopped updating her channel months ago. She's still one-of-a-kind for me but I'm giving the place here to those who are still active in their own personal channels.

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