#bit of a melting pot of different fandoms tbh

[szynkaaa]

WAAAAAAAH I love this so much 😭😭😭The last one encaptures their dynamic so well and I love that you gave him the yaksha armor too ITS SUCH A GOOD ARMOR

thank you so much, I love seeing my child in your style

@szynkaaa and their oc Oz!!! Pls check them their stuff is so freaking good

@jeminiikrystal @blackknight-kai

[elvisabutler]

⭐️⭐️

Politely asking for the director’s cut of Happy We’ll Be Beyond the Sea - what struck you to use a selkie instead of another more popular supernatural being, like a vampire or werewolf? Was there a specific piece of selkie myth or media that inspired you, or did a picture of Elvis spark the idea? And really any commentary you’d want to give, the whole fic was just really well put together and you could tell the research was there.

director's commentary post.

so. full disclosure the main reason i didn't do vampire or werewolf is that vampire elvis was supposed to be done at the end of october ( which...we see how that shook out ) and someone else in the fandom was supposed to be doing werewolf elvis. and i didn't want to step on any toes so i decided i was going to do a different creature au. and then i remembered that this god i think it was an interview about his death or his last days maybe? or something- i don't remember the exact thing but it basically had this weird running theme of hawaiʻi being almost a special place for elvis.

add in the fact that my theme with the vampire elvis fic (shout out to battie for the headcanons that inspired it always) really revolved around the international being a trap/prison then i thought about selkies and how if you take their skin you've trapped them. and we all know if given the opportunity that there's a definite possibility that the colonel would have done it. then i was searching for "wet elvis" and came across the pictures that i used in the moodboard. though i think i had before but didn't make a connection. the pic above though that was new from this search. but i really just mashed every selkie bit and bob i knew into one sort of melting pot and was like elvis is a selkie and everyone can fight me. and like- full disclosure, much like everyone else pink scarf did something to my brain and that's- part of where the scarf thing came from? like i always wanted to have them match jumpsuit to dress. but the scarf was sort of an addition i didn't plan on originally and one i still enjoy to be perfectly honest.

you have no idea how flattering it is to hear someone compliment it as much as you are, because i truly thought no one would enjoy it and as @blurredcolour will tell you i just enjoyed getting to call elvis a himbo because bless him in this fic he really is. it was also my longest one shot so realizing i hit 10k with it mildly startled me at the time. add that with the fact that truthfully? selkie aus and soulmate au's are honestly the aus that really i will read in any fandom. i love them to absolute pieces so to have brought selkie to this one and people like it as much as y'all do? never in my wildest dreams would i think that'd happen.

as for a tiny bit of extra commentary? so i'm really having to think about what i'm doing with the sequel because it's gonna be something simple and tiny, i think? that is the idea. but in- light of things- like a few other fics i'm having to debate if i'm reworking certain elements. but i've got something stewing tbh.

[aerisleis-fics]

saw this tweet [here] and like immediately it resonated with me and I retweeted it. After I went in the kitchen and started dinner, I found myself puzzling on this tweet and turning it over in my mind over and over and I actually went back and added onto it in a QRT but I wanted to bring it here to talk about more in depth just because it's still sitting on my mind.

At risk of upsetting certain subsets of fandom... though this post isn't JUST about fandom, it's about life in general, tbh.

Not only is discomfort not inherently harm, it can actually be really, really important. It's important to learn to experience discomfort and to manage it. It's also sometimes really important to sit with it and find out WHY it makes you uncomfortable.

Yes, even for children. I'm not advocating for necessarily deliberately inflicting discomfort on people or whatever (in fandom verse that's literally why tagging exists! so people can decide if they want to read it or not!), but experiencing and tolerating a little bit of discomfort is actually really important. For growth. For learning about ourselves and the world around us. For learning to interact well with other people and how to navigate the ever changing world of media and technology and the veritable melting pot of culture that we're exposed to every single day in the modern era, etc. If you are never uncomfortable, you will not grow.

Sometimes someone communicates differently than you do, and that makes you uncomfortable. That doesn't mean their way is wrong. Sometimes discomfort is internalized racism, or transphobia, or homophobia, etc. Sometimes it's wanting something you (think you) can't have. Sometimes it's telling you that in your gut you know you did something wrong, that you've hurt someone, or whatever. Discomfort is sometimes telling you to look in the mirror.

And not always. Sometimes it IS something to be avoided - but thinking about why is important. Learning to experience discomfort, to consider it, and make an informed decision based on what you learn from the process is important.

This extends into the context of the reality that sometimes art in any form - written, visual, audio, animation - any form at all - Isn't MEANT to be comfortable. Sometimes it's really not. Sometimes it's meant to hold up a mirror to the darkest parts of us. Sometimes it's meant to expose the rotten underbelly of society, the dregs of humanity, and show that yes, even these things are still human. It's important to remember that these things are still human, because when you go "only a monster can do that" fascism and genocides can happen, can flourish, even, because we've forgotten that it is indeed our fellow men that do these terrible things.

But even barring that sometimes you're going to be uncomfortable. Sometimes the story/art/whatever isn't for you. And this feeds into the post that goes around sometimes about conflicting needs in safe spaces and that post hammers it out better than I can so I won't get into that in depth, I'll just say - the internet isn't (and fandom isn't), and cannot be, a safe space as a whole. People are too different, we need too many different things.

It's important to know where the discomfort is coming from. And it's also important to learn how to react when you are made uncomfortable by something. Because you will be. The world doesn't always come with trigger warnings. Things will happen. People will be different than you. People WILL make you uncomfortable. Sometimes they're doing something wrong, but sometimes they really aren't.

Learning how to remove yourself from the situation, how to filter the content if that's what you need to do, etcetc. These are incredibly important skills, you'll only gain them by exposure to discomfort. By learning to manage yourself when confronted with something that makes you uncomfortable. Learning how to handle your reaction so it doesn't ruin your entire day is important actually.

To circle this back to media, and fandom just a little, I was given pretty much free reign as a kid. My mom trusted me to come to her with questions I had, and taught me how to handle it if I was uncomfortable with something I ran across. I read some pretty terrible things, I also learned how to let them go, and how to parse my own reaction enough to understand if I needed to close the tab rather than continuing to read.

I think it's a shame that more people clearly haven't gotten that lesson and learned those tools. Learning them is drawing boundaries for yourself, and can help to carve out a safe space. But first, you have to learn that just because you have been made uncomfortable doesn't mean the person who did it is harming you.

Discomfort is good, actually. It's how you grow.

[the-cryptographer]

tagged by @mai-valentine

RULES: Always post the rules. Answer the questions asked, then write 11 new ones. Tag 11 people to answer your questions, as well as the person who tagged you.

1. Who is the first person you think about when you wakeup?

Do I think of anyone when I wake up? I think, ‘I have to feed the dogs!!’ and ‘Is my grandma okay?!‘ but that’s after checking emails. The way I check my emails and this site is actually kind of obsessive and kind of compulsive. I need to stop.

2. if you had unlimited amount of money, how would you decorate your room?

Sliding bookshelves. Wall to wall. With one of those sliding ladders too~

3. what is your definition of love?

It’s like, you care a lot about somebody? You’ll know it when you see it... maybe? Obviously I have ppl I love, but it means different things in different circumstances so it’s hard for me to define, lol. And there are borderline cases too. What is love? idk, but I do feel like people have to define it for themselves on a case-by-case circumstance. I also feel like it’s wrong to try and dictate what is or isn’t love for other people.

4. do you believe in soul mates

No. Like, actually I’m pretty strongly against the idea but I try to be lowkey about it, lol. Having had people die on me, and having seen people who are really in love go through horribly difficult circumstances that makes it hard for them to be around each other, and having seen people be really wholly in love with people they can’t stop hurting... no. I think there are lots of people that could be right for one another given hard work and cooperation and the right time and circumstances. And sometimes things don’t work out with someone, but that person was still there for you for a while when you needed them, and I don’t think them not being able to live up to some myth of a forever perfect person makes the time they were there worth any less.

5. do you believe in SOULS in general

Yes, I do. I don’t really have any logical backdrop for it. But I’ve had a couple funny personal experiences and believe nonetheless.

6. where do we go after we die?

Unknown ;)

7. if you discovered that when you die you simply cease to exist and nothing more or less, would you live your life any differently, would you continue to live at all?

Si. I would continue to live. Not any differently either. I do believe there is something eternal about the soul, but I’m not convinced 100%. and, tbh, transience is terribly underrated. Sometimes things are beautiful because they do not last. Anyhow, I try to live my life so that I can be proud of what I’ve done in the context of this world. Obvs I’m not proud of everything, and I struggle a lot and make mistakes, but I’m already just trying to do the best I can for this life and for no other reasons. I’ll worry about the next life if and when I get there.

8. you have 1 day left to live and the power to see one person before you die. who do you see

Like, do I only get to see one person before I die, or do I see everyone I’d usually see on my daily schedule? Am I gonna be reunited with people in death? This question is too hard. I’d want to see my mom, or grandpa, or best friend, or my old coach, depending on the circumstances.

9. your closest friend is dying but you can trade your life to save them. do you do it

I... don’t know. I’m scared of the answer, tbh. I might just go ahead with it bc the chance of the guilt inadvertently killing me if I don’t seems rather high.

10. a dog and a baby are crossing the street and abt to get hit by a car bbut u can only save one. what do u do

Realistically, I’d probably freeze under the pressure and melt into an anxiety puddle and both would die, lol.

I like dogs more than babies. I don’t really like children until they reach about 3 or 4 years of age. But I’d save the baby. I think human life and emotion take precedence over dogs. And I don’t want devastated parents grieving their baby. Like, having your dog die is also traumatic, but it’s something everyone has to deal with anyhow given short dog lifespans. Otoh, it’s realistic to at least hope that parents will never have to deal with burying their kids.

11. do you think people who dont take christmas lights down are annoying?

No. I find Christmas lights cheerful all year round. I mean, I take mine down. But seeing other people leave them up makes me smile :)

My 11 questions:

1. Favourite Pokemon?

2. Have you ever been on a boat?

3. Would you rather live on an island off the coast, or in the mountains?

4. Do you have an idea what your dream job would be?

5. How did you get into fandom life?

6. Favourite thing to eat for breakfast?

7. Do you have any pets?

8. Do you grow any plants? Got a potted cactus anywhere :p

9. Do you have a ship you’re really into at this moment and a specific scenario you’re considering for them? Share.

10 + 11. Choose two of Mai-Valentine’s questions and answer them. I like them but they are angsty. This way you can choose the difficulty and angst level on what you answer :)

Do I know 11 ppl *checks list* I GUESS I DO?!?! I’m actually going to tag more of you. Some of you I’ve talked to quite a bit, and others I haven’t really talked to at all. But we’re all mutuals and if you’re just shy it can be like a ~get to know you~ kind of thing if you’re into that bc I am curious and like hearing about ppl. (I also like hearing about non-mutuals, if you want to do it and tag me.) So... Sorry if this seems invasive or rude or strange. You only have to answer if you’d like to- Please don’t feel obligated on my behalf. @a-gay-elephant-called-jonathan @alectoperdita @aquaburst07 @baratheas @battymarionette @cherishtheadolesence @emblematik @improfem @kiwi-jien @ljmjn @napkintr @nenya85 @oneeyefish @silent-kea @rainstormcolors @trion-revolutionary

:’)