#birin rambles

[birinboom]

I really, really, really want to see Jing Yuan meet Peppy. We already know that he prefers small animals (the big-ass lion was a happy accident) and I want him to go goo-goo-eyed over the space pomeranian. I mean look at the adorable little goober with his rocket backpack!

Could you imagine Jing Yuan sitting on the walkway, one coat tail hanging off the edge, his back up against the vending machine and just GIGGLING to himself while Peppy tries to lick his face?

Or Asta/Arlan bringing Peppy onto to the train while Jing Yuan happens to be there and him just going so soft for cute pupper.

I WANT IT!! 😫 give me crossovers PLEASE!

[birinboom]

It is honestly so important to curate a little haven on here.

I obviously don't know the exact issue, but nobody should be starting unwanted competitions between friends. Writer friends inspire each other. We share ideas. We encourage each other. We often like the same tropes and characters. And honestly, does it matter if one fic is similar to another as long as it's not outright copying anything?

Each author has a different way of writing, they add a different flavor. I will happily read 100 childhood to lovers fics which -on paper- might seem only marginally different, 'cause it's those little differences that makes each fic special!

Anon, if you read this: I think it might be time to block the people who start discord on your blog. Or at least point out that you don't enjoy the comparisons they make. Make your blog a safe and happy space for yourself 💖

hi merms, i hope you’re doing great. i’m sorry if this is different from your usual asks but i wanted to ask you, since you are literally blog goals, but how can i be more like you and enjoy my own blog? i love how you’re so free in your own space and express yourself, and you’re just full of happiness and all the bright, good things. going to your blog always makes me smile. its like you spread joy and warmth so easily. is it weird i feel more at home with your blog 😭 i wish i could enjoy my blog too, but sometimes drama makes the experience un-fun, like mean anons, or worse, your own readers constantly putting you in weird competition with your own writer friends over things you and your friends never even noticed before. i know the easy answer is to just ignore the haters and enjoy writing, and i really love writing, but its hard sometimes. i wish i could make my blog feel as homey as yours. visiting your page is like comin home to fresh hot chocolate after a long day of work 💐 thats all luv, sending you lots of love always 🌸

oh anon. i’m sorry. 🥺 i am sitting with you and we will piece this out together though, okay? 🧩 it’s hard! i’ve actually been feeling kind of dejected, lately, like with tumblr in general and my usage of it—because i haven’t been using it like i used to! so i guess that’s the first thing: to figure out what you want out of it, and then figure out what it takes to make it happen. for me i enjoy this place most when i’m treating it like a scrapbook: quotes or pictures that inspire me, asks, things i doodle. the pros of that: you fill your space with stuff you love, or that means something to you! the cons: it can be a little isolating if the stuff you love, or the things that mean something to you, aren’t like… current writing or posting trends, lmao. but it all just depends on what you value! 🥺 i’m not a fast writer, and tend to favour long-term projects, so while it sometimes makes me sad when i fall out of the loop of things, ultimately i just accept (or try to) that that’s how i work in this space. 🥹 as mama cass said, sometimes you just gotta make your own kinda music.

drama makes everything boring! and tbh i think my biggest cheat with that is that i only follow a relatively small amount of x reader blogs. 🥹 that’s not intentional; i curate a pretty strict feed based on my other interests, though, so there ends up being a lot of competition for my attention. 🥺 the pros of this is that i tend to miss most discourse that happens (lmao). the con is that i tend to miss everything else, too, though. 🥹 you basically have to choose whichever bothers you less lmfaooo. and even then—drama or meanness or plain old weirdness will still find it’s way to you. 🥺 i think that’s just the unforch reality of being on social media. especially in a niche that’s so… driven by something as personal as literally self-inserting, and dependant on the validation of others. 🥺 i’m sorry people have made you feel like you’re in competition with your friends! it sucks, because i think we as writers like… live in our own heads, lmao. we know so much about the worlds and characters we’re trying to write. but people outside of our heads don’t—think the same way! 🥺 they will draw comparisons where maybe we don’t want them to. 🥺 i think that’s a natural response, tbh; especially if they love something, and see work with like, a similar theme or tropes, but despite it being a compliment it doesn’t always feel great. 🥹 i guess the only advice (and reminder, for myself) i can offer is that you and your friends aren’t in competition—but rather thrown into the same maze together. 🥺 the only way out is to hold hands to make sure none of you get lost, and walk through. 🥹

anon!!! 🥺 i hope you find a way to make your blog feel more homely. you’re always welcome here—the door’s always open for the sunlight and the bees—but i want you to feel like the important part of the neighbourhood you are! 🥺 and safe enough that you can leave your door open, too. 🪟🎐🌾

[emeraldskulblaka]

Wish me luck with my homework, I want to gif Yarik's and Maxim's Istina later

[birinboom]

I've been binging The Apothecary's Diaries lately and I've become absolutely obsessed (I haven't caught up yet though so please no spoilers!)

For those who don't know it, the story is about Maomao, an apothecary apprentice who is kidnapped and sold to the imperial court as a worker, specifically to work for the emperor's concubines.

There's one episode early on (like ep. 3 or 4) where - with as few spoilers as possible - the emperor's least favorite concubine is gifted to a newly appointed general. This turns out to be a ploy between the concubine and the general who are childhood friends

But... what if it hadn't been a ploy

I've been turning this plotline over and over in my head, an Apothecary's Diaries AU with Jing Yuan as the general, a brilliant strategist and childhood friend of the emperor. He's never taken a wife (I don't think I could make this reader truly gn) for whatever reason, the emperor is growing concerned and gets the brilliant idea about throwing his least favorite concubine (ie. Reader who, I'unno, sneezed in the emperor's presence and was instantly demoted to least favorite) at Jing Yuan.

And of course Jing Yuan falls head over heels in love instantly.

Not sure if I'd ever get around to writing this, writing hasn't been at all easy lately, but... it's a nice idea.

[birinboom]

Me in my head every time a hyperfixation resurfaces:

🎶Mamma Mia, here I go again My, my, how can I resist you? Mamma Mia, does it show again My, my, just how much I've missed you?

Yes, I've been brokenhearted Blue since the day we parted Why, why did I ever let you go? Mamma Mia, now I really know My, my, I could never let you go🎶

[birinboom]

I've been thinking about making a side blog for a while... one with pictures of my garden, nature post reblogs, art, poetry, original stories. Would anybody be interested in that?

[birinboom]

Not even done yet 'cause now I got the brilliant idea of updating my fic banners too! Go hard or go home, am I right? (No. I'm not. I want to go home. My shoulders hurt and I'm hungry)

But I wanted to show off my blog banners since I think they're so cute!

The last one is this watercolor picrew I did and am using as a side banner on my desktop theme

[birinboom]

In an attempt to procrastinate I decided to give my blog a much needed (NOT!) makeover.

I've been seeing a lot of diary themed blogs lately and it looks so cute I decided to give it a try, so I've been fiddling around in canva all afternoon. What do we think? I'm still not entirely settled on the color scheme 🤔

Jing Yuan because he's at the top of the upload list.

Profile pic nonsense below

I originally wanted to make everything pink because why not so I remade my frog pfp. I closed the eyes before removing the pupils and...

She looks as tired as I feel!! Maybe I should actually go with it.

Also, I kinda missed my old pfp so I remade that with my new haircut. No good options for textured hair but whatever, still looks cute!

[birinboom]

the scream I scrum'd. Never thought I'd get to see him on the Express, I thought he'd always be too busy.

I would've liked a little more fanfare than him just appearing, like a side quest like the other characters get. BUT I'LL TAKE IT!!

You coulda called or something... I'd have cleaned up-- well Pom Pom does that, but I coulda helped! Wanna see my room? Just ignore the dust. I'm being very normal rn😳

Anything for you darling. I mean General! *cough*

*cue the Mulan 'would you like to stay for dinner? would you like to stay forever' quote*

... oh

uh, you should probably ask the conductor or Himeko about that. I'm new here...

Can I call you darling instead?

A bother? You?? Never, you're welcome any time! Just call first so I can vacuum. And bring your cat next time!

[birinboom]

Not me having an idea whilst in the shower this morning about a continuation to my Bakugou post-apocalyptic AU. I blame @willowser

He finds out that we've been hired to go on a mission to a dangerous place, one he's familiar with. and now he's hellbent on coming too

Bakugou has joined your party (whether you want him to or not)

[birinboom]

I need a break. Writing isn't fun anymore.

I hate doing this so soon after I got back to 100 followers, and I know that I'll most likely lose a lot of them but... I just can't keep trying. I feel like I'm pulling water from an empty well.

I'll try my best to finish the two requests I have, but after this I need to just rest. I'll still be here, I'll still be reading and reblogging things. But I can't keep forcing myself to produce. It's become a chore that I try my best to procrastinate my way out of. I just can't. I'm sorry

I'm so tired.

[birinboom]

Transformation complete!

Come sit for a while and let me weave you a tale While bubbles the bog-brew tea Of meadow and farmland, of mountain and dale Of forests as vast as the sea

And now as we sit, while I talk and I tell I do hope you’ll lend me your ear For tales which I weave, the stories I spell Of characters whom we hold dear

Am frog now. Quack

[birinboom]

I was so ready. The weather yesterday was so balmy we had thunderstorms. And. Now. This!

I had plans for today! We were supposed to go out to dinner, but now it might not happen because of the snow.

I was so ready 😭

[birinboom]

so. it happened. I got back to 100 followers today. not entirely sure why since I rarely post anything but reblogs anymore but 🤷

SO! do you guys want to do anything to celebrate it? I'm open to ideas

And thank you for sticking by me 💖

[birinboom]

I've taken up the old-person hobby of intently watching the birds outside (if the shoe fits ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) and it really helps me through the winter where everything just seems... dead.

We've put up about 6 bird feeders which are all pretty well visited by the local birds. And I'm getting obsessed with it. I once caught a flock of about 20 goldfinches spread out between the feeders. If my SO shouts from downstairs that there's a cardinal outside, I am throwing myself out of my chair to go stalk the windows to the point where I'm almost tripping on my blanket.

I saw a new bird today. And I'm not kidding when I say that I SCREECHED 😱 We now have purple finches. Well, one. A female. Which isn't purple. But I'm waiting with bated breath, they're so cute.

On another note, we also saw what I think is a vole today. Sadly, I think we'll have to exterminate it since it's made a burrow by our blueberry bushes and it'll most likely destroy them 🥺

[birinboom]

huh, I'm actually close to reaching 100 followers again... should I do something once I get there? Anything you guys would like to see?