#but i haven't read any of the others i don't think

[thetreestumptherapist]

I don't really care about the font. As long as it is easily readable for me while I am working. I started some stories in Google docs, but moved them to Microsoft Word and am considering going back for convenience sake and I haven't touched them since I moved them partly because of the default fonts. (I am aware I could change them, but I am too lazy to do so) Maybe I do care after all...

I 100% could write it by hand, and have considered it. The only reason I don't is because editing is more difficult on paper.

I haven't been writing long enough to develop a specific ritual. So maybe my lack of ritual is the real curse?

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. That and Hippopotomonstrosesqippedaliaphobia. Yes, these are spelled mostly from memory. I checked the spelling for the phobia, I did not do so for the osis.

I don't know if it's a superstition really, but your characters are alive and will 100% change the story on you and there's nothing you can do about it if you want your story to come out good and cohesive.

I have two. That I will never get it the way I like it, (I know this is an unsolvable dilemma, but it's still a fear) and that no one will like it or even see it when I publish it.

Watching my story come together. As well as coming up with a solid idea for the next part of the story.

Dialogue, because I suck at it.

I do believe in ghosts. Probably not the ghosts you're thinking of though. As a Christian I do believe spirits do things we can't see, but not quite like the stereotypical ghosts in fiction. Although they are very similar.

Depends on your definition of haunted. Haunted as in I was horrified by it? I can't think of one right now, but I am almost positive it has happened. Haunted as in hung over my head because I haven't finished it yet? Yes, my own writing has done that. As have many stories that I need to finish reading.

I am not sure what that old advice is, and I don't know that I want to. Yes, I grieve the darlings lost. I have not yet killed a darling, but I am a sucker for pain and suffering. It just has to be handled correctly. So, if I ever kill a darling, believe me, it will be felt throughout the story and your life. A darling graveyard is a wonderful idea. Thank you for the suggestion. >:)

The Lorem Ipsum is a cruel and unusual punishment. As for the wishes, gaining the ability to actually finish my work, having the dialogue come out correctly, and having the writing be less awkward. I think those would be my wishes. The ability to finish my work could possibly be replaced with the ability to come up with ideas easier, like no writer's block or something. But they are essentially the same thing.

I don't know what subject I would have difficult writing about. Again, I haven't been writing very long or a lot, so I don't have much experience with it yet. Same with easy.

My lack of physical social life does not allow for me to easily lend books to people. But I can guarantee you I would know EXACTLY who had what book, but I probably wouldn't get them back because social anxiety.

Don't do it to my books and I will tolerate your book abuse. I would love to read in the bath, but I am scared of damaging the book.

The weirdest thing I've ever used as a bookmark would probably be a post it note, or gift card maybe, if I actually used a gift card for that. I am very boring with my bookmarks...

I cannot, to save my life, think of any details to tell you that won't make it into the text. I am sorry. I world build as I write and I'm still near the beginning of the story. My dnd campain tho? That would need a whole post of it's own. 👀

"Knowing how the Sangheili felt about their swords and other people using them, she hoped that given the circumstances they would understand her desperation. She picked two of them up while thanking the Sangheili, both for joining their cause and for the sacrifice they made. Then she left the battlefield, but not before paying respects to all the fallen soldiers, human and Sangheili alike. Some simple words of gratitude spoken over the battlefield was all she had time for." This is a passage from a Halo fanfiction I am writing. The story came about because I wanted to emphasize the Sangheili's focus on Honor and Respect and how their views of humans changed during their allyship with us. The MC's name is Emira (subject to change) and respect is also a core value in her morals. She has not gotten to respectfully return the swords to the Sangheili yet, but that will happen soon. If I can figure out how she is rescued or escapes from danger. The battlefield spoken about in that passage has already been left by the conflict and is inactive when she finds it. The Sangheili she thanks are fallen soldiers, and she took the swords from beside their dead bodies. The passage did not change much during its creation.

I started writing because I love making stories up in my head, but I wanted to share them. The bumps are I always picture them as movies in my head, so turning them into words and having it come out as a well-written story is difficult. I am currently writing fanfiction and short stories, but I would like to turn one of my stories into a novel. I just haven't figured out how and I don't know if I will try to get them officially published or not.

The one true love. Life gets lonely, and they can give me emotional support while I struggle with my writing skills.

I wish I could start. 💀 I have 3 WIPs, all my first stories that I actually started writing. (I consider my dnd campaign a WIP because I am considering turning it into its own fic and it is a joy to work on) I haven't published anything and am getting very annoyed by my lack of progress on all of them.

Another reason why I haven't touched my stories for awhile is because I liked Google Docs' organization abilities better than Word's. With Docs they have tabs inside the document so you can actually have your stories separated with in the same document. Whereas with Word, at least to my knowledge, the only thing separates them is the headings. I should go back to Docs...

My couch? And an ungodly amount of clutter? I watch tv in the evenings and sometimes I decide to write while I do so. I get my computer out and have it on my lap, while I sit on the couch and watch tv, ignoring the clutter caused by my undiagnosed ADHD and complete lack of motivation to do anything related to chores...

People put prep work into their stories? Like, they get prepared to write the story? I just sit down and write whatever I can come up with if it fits my current story. Sometimes I have to tweak things so it all fits together.

I haven't come up with any irrelevant details yet. Everything must be part of the story somehow.

Given that most of my characters are based on me, yes I very much regret going into their heads and I haven't come up with a way to get back out yet. Please send help. I think I took a wrong turn back at Imagination Avenue?

I can't think of a specific character that was stressful. The most stressful situation to write though, has been the wedding reception for my (healthy) romance story. I have no idea what to do with it.

My MC for the romance story has probably been the most delightful. Either her, or Nialith Madgarb, (pronounced nye-uh-lith Mad-garb) from my DND campaign.

My brain is a cesspool for the craziest ideas. I pull inspiration from everywhere. Sometimes I wish the inspiration well WOULD run dry so I could have a moment of peace and quiet, but nay, I am doomed to an eternity of infinite ideas that I simply must run with. I am exhausted.

I have not yet written my dreams, nor dreamed my writings.

"Thank you for reading my stories. It means a lot to have people who enjoy my writing. Or are open to civil discussion about why they don't like it. I truly appreciate y'all"

Do deepfakes count? There is a series called "Master Chief teaches" and it's a bunch of videos of an ai recreation of Master Chief's voice and a script where "Master Chief" teaches you how to do stuff. In the video titled "Master Chief teaches you what to do when things go sideways" he says "adopting a solution-oriented mind helps you stay focused on what is most important during any crisis and that is taking action. Without action there is no movement, and without movement problems remain what they are" "Without movement problems remain what they are" is something I return to regularly when I start feeling overwhelmed by school, chores, etc. I could sit there and avoid the problem until it's so bad I can't anymore, or I could take action and make a move to fix the problem when I encounter it instead of sitting there overwhelmed and frozen. I recommend giving the video a watch, even if you don't play or like Halo.

I like to draw and paint (with watercolor, acrylic, and/or ink), and I have dabbled in cross-stitch, embroidery, and diamond art. I plan to draw some of the characters from my stories. I really want to paint Nialith Madgarb in my inks, but I am still working on mentally designing her character.

"Let's eat grandma"... Use the Oxford comma, people. It saves lives.

I cannot remember a single writing rule to comment on right now. If it works for your story and style, go for it. If it doesn't, yeet it into the abyss. Idk

I know an entire alphabet's worth of star wars character's and then some. This has nothing to do with my ability to write. Also, Halo 5: Guardians and Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out the same year, one in October, the other in December. Again, not related to my writing.

They wouldn't even consider me lol. And if they did, they'd think I was insane. And had severe ADHD. And they wouldn't be wrong...

My writing process is too slow and barely existing. Nothing about it is super weird except for the fact that I bounce all over the story and fill in the missing parts once I come up with a way to do so. As for the cats, they like to think they don't care about us, but they 100% do. And they would die of embarrassment if they knew we know they care.

Nothing. If I feel like giving up, I take a break until I inevitably come up with an irresistible idea on how to continue the story. Rinse and repeat.

I don't know if you mean a poem someone else wrote, or one I wrote, so I shall do both. Robert Frost's Stopping by woods on a Snowy Evening: Whose woods these are I think I know His house in the village though He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year He gives is harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake The woods are lovely, dark and deep But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep And miles to go before I sleep. My poem: Where’s my Neverland?: Where’s my Neverland? I’ve got so much in my hand Meetings and school I know you do too We want an adventure But life forces expenditure Paying the bills By wasting our skills Wish I could read until 2 a.m. But, alas, an adult I am And my days are made up Of working towards a paystub I wish we were kids Lying down in our beds Looking out at the sky Where the stars are not shy People today are depressed and dismayed All the time worrying about being betrayed Worried about being laid off from work And still somehow not giving a "fork" Where is our Neverland? Where is our wish? Of fun-filled times and Mom’s favorite dish? Where’s our adventure filled with imagination and beauty? Of digging in sand to find pirate booty? The answer is simple, and yet oh so sad Those days are gone by, the best days we’ve had Those memories are all that we have Of those days made whole by a laugh But, worry not, for there’s always tomorrow So, please don’t obsess over yesterday’s sorrow Look straight ahead While lying in bed Dreaming of heaven Those days will be back soon I reckon Where sorrows will be traded for unending joy And kids in sandboxes again shout “AHOY” And we can always smell the finest of food And all work turns to play and we know that it’s good

I hope this answers all your questions and confirms that writers are in fact weird. :) And I hope the poetry was satisfactory.

Weird Questions for Writers (because writers are weird)

1. What font do you write in? Do you actually care or is that just the default setting?

2. If you had to give up your keyboard and write your stories exclusively by hand, could you do it? If you already write everything by hand, a) are you a wizard and b) pen or pencil?

3. What is your writing ritual and why is it cursed?

4. What’s a word that makes you go absolutely feral?

5. Do you have any writing superstitions? What are they and why are they 100% true?

6. What is your darkest fear about writing?

7. What is your deepest joy about writing?

8. If you had to write an entire story without either action or dialogue, which would you choose and how would it go?

9. Do you believe in ghosts? This isn’t about writing I just wanna know

10. Has a piece of writing ever “haunted” you? Has your own writing haunted you? What does that mean to you?

11. Do you believe in the old advice to “kill your darlings?” Are you a ruthless darling assassin? What happens to the darlings you murder? Do you have a darling graveyard? Do you grieve?

12. If a genie offered you three writing wishes, what would they be? Btw if you wish for more wishes the genie turns all your current WIPs into Lorem Ipsum, I don’t make the rules

13. What is a subject matter that is incredibly difficult for you write about? What is easy?

14. Do you lend your books to people? Are people scared to borrow books from you? Do you know exactly where all your “lost” books are and which specific friend from school you haven’t seen in twelve years still possesses them? Will you ever get them back?

15. Do you write in the margins of your books? Dog-ear your pages? Read in the bath? Why or why not? Do you judge people who do these things? Can we still be friends?

16. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used as a bookmark?

17. Talk to me about the minutiae of your current WIP. Tell me about the lore, the history, the detail, the things that won’t make it in the text.

18. Choose a passage from your writing. Tell me about the backstory of this moment. How you came up with it, how it changed from start to end. Spicy addition: Questioner provides the passage.

19. Tell me a story about your writing journey. When did you start? Why did you start? Were there bumps along the way? Where are you now and where are you going?

20. If a witch offered you the choice between eternal happiness with your one true love and the ability to finally finish, perfect, and publish your dearest, darlingest, most precious WIP in exactly the way you've always imagined it — which would you choose? You can’t have both sorry, life’s a bitch

21. Could you ever quit writing? Do you ever wish you could? Why or why not?

22. How organized are you with your writing? Describe to me your organization method, if it exists. What tools do you use? Notebooks? Binders? Apps? The Cloud?

23. Describe the physical environment in which you write. Be as detailed as possible. Tell me what’s around you as you work. Paint me a picture.

24. How much prep work do you put into your stories? What does that look like for you? Do you enjoy this part or do you just want to get on with it?

25. What is a weird, hyper-specific detail you know about one of your characters that is completely irrelevant to the story?

26. How do you get into your character’s head? How do you get out? Do you ever regret going in there in the first place?

27. Who is the most stressful character you’ve ever written? Why?

28. Who is the most delightful character you’ve ever written? Why?

29. Where do you draw your inspiration? What do you do when the inspiration well runs dry?

30. Talk to me about the role dreams play in your writing life. Have you ever used material from your dreams in your writing? Have you ever written in a dream? Did you remember it when you woke up?

31. Write a short love letter to your readers.

32. What is a line from a poem/novel/fanfic etc that you return to from time and time again? How did you find it? What does it mean to you?

33. Do you practice any other art besides writing? Does that art ever tie into your writing, or is it entirely separate?

34. Thoughts on the Oxford comma, Go:

35. What’s your favorite writing rule to smash into smithereens?

36. They say to Write What You Know. Setting aside for a moment the fact that this is terrible advice...what do you Know?

37. If you were to be remembered only by the words you’ve put on the page, what would future historians think of you?

38. What is something about your writing process YOU think is Really Weird? If you are comfortable, please share. If you’re not comfortable, what do you think cats say about us?

39. What keeps you writing when you feel like giving up?

40. Please share a poem with me, I need it.

[hai7ani]

mmmm no super great ideas for you but im craving for virgin!rindou and single mom reader… aaaaaauhagghg.

collection

慢一點，久一點，真一點。

Rindou initiates the talk first.

It happens on a game of WNRS in your living room, takeout boxes long forgotten on the coffee table. The TV is playing a movie you're sure neither of you are really watching, yet you still want to pretend that you are.

You've been giggling at him for the past hour. He's a pretty funny guy, you think. Doesn't have as big of an ego you thought guys like him would have.

He's a nerd who's always so observant and nice. He's nice to you, your son, the ladies living in your apartment complex who always needs help switching light bulbs because they're too old for that now. One time behind doors Yuzuha's said that she'd smash if he weren't such a loser all the time.

(You think he is, too.

But it's what that makes him so... fuckable.

You think it's bad that you keep having these thoughts, knowing that you're most probably leading him on.

You're not ready yet.

But your heart still thumps weirdly when he comes to visit with warm food and occasionally new toys that you can tell he's had a hard time picking for your boy 一 because he's somehow always one colour off, or one category away.

When he bought Hot Wheels, the kid's already moved on to playing Legos. And when he gifted an expensive Star Wars set that he saved up for, the little shit just has to be in his Mommy phase.)

He gets embarrassed easily and you can just tell he's a virgin with the way he treats porn magazines that Yuzuha has somehow gotten her hands on, stuffed behind cabinets so that Shou doesn't find them. Neither of you let her know that she's been exposed, but it's more fun this way.

He's just a guy. Genuine, very smart despite what he says. Not book smart, but he reads up on things a lot. A bit clumsy at times, but he's still responsive than most men.

He's easy to talk to. Easy to know.

Easy to一

"What's a compliment you wished you received more frequently? Oh, dang. I gotta think about this." He flips the card around, throwing his head back onto the couch.

And yet again一

"Do you wanna go first?"

What are guys like him?

"I wish more people told me I was pretty."

Your response came to you naturally. It poured like waterfall, thorny chain tightening around your heart, squeezing your flesh tight, and you busy yourself with a loose thread on your blanket.

Rindou only stares at you from the other end of the couch. Almost like a deadpan, but not really. His violets pierce through your soul, dissecting you up one by one. You don't make eye contact even when you can hear the silent screams for you to look at him.

"You're kidding."

"What? It's true."

"No. I mean, no one tells you that all the time?"

You crack a smile, glancing up to take just one quick look. He's still as handsome as ever, boyish features much more prominent under the yellow light illuminating the room.

Soft nose, pretty doe eyes. Cracked lips pink from the Malatang you love eating. Veiny hands 一 one thick, desirable finger twirling around the drawstring of his pants 一 that draws you in so close you can't help but go wild at the sight.

"What, you think I'm pretty?"

He doesn't cough like you'd expected him to. Doesn't get embarrassed or act any more like a classic, textbook virgin at your poke.

"Yeah. You're pretty." His voice gets softer with every syllable. Dodgy eyes looking away with each word.

You don't respond at that, but you can't lie that his compliment did make you feel something swirling on the inside. Something blooming in your tummy from the way his eyes look into your own.

It's true 一 you haven't been told for your looks as much as you've always wanted. You're hot, you're sexy, sure 一 but you haven't been pretty to them. You've always hoped that they could see past your body 一 to see you for who you are on the inside.

"You're一" He shifts in his seat, suddenly feeling a little too hot, heart beating a little too fast in his chest. "You're pretty, okay. You always spend too much time in the mirror but I think you're fine just like this."

You purse your lips, listening.

"You're... Shit, I'm一"

You understand him when he throws his pillow to the side to run fingers through his hair. He's not always good with words, hasn't always been. But he still tries, and you like that about him.

He always puts in effort.

"You're pretty, like music. There's no boundaries, no... box. You can be anything. It's cool."

You grin at that. "Really?"

A nod. "I can tell you that everyday from now on."

An awkward silence too heavy for any of you to handle covers the room like blanket too fast. The soft, anticipating smirk on his face drops when you shift in your seat, clicking your tongue. Fingers scratching at your brows, teeth biting into the corners of your lips.

"Rindou, I'm sorry if I have been leading you on, I一" You sigh. "I don't think I'm ready for一."

"No, wait一" He tries inching a hand towards you but you dodge. "I thought we一 Aren't we onto something here?"

Rindou feels pathetic. He feels as if he's reaching for something that seems close but is still so, so far away.

"No, I'm sorry. I'll pay you back for tonight's dinner. And I don't think you should come over so often anymore. I'll talk to Shou-chan, have him understand."

He lets out a breath too short, standing on his feet as if it'll help him figure you out better. "Why? Is it me?"

"I just don't think it's fair to you, okay? We should stop. I'm sorry."

"What isn't fair to me?"

You give him a look so sad that his heart hurts.

"You're gonna be dealing with a kid that's not yours. He's hyperactive and naughty before bed. He's picky with food and doesn't like taking showers. Worst of all you're gonna be dealing with me. I'm not easy. I'm difficult to manage, to handle, to一 You'll not like me anymore when you see it for yourself. Guys like you deserve better things."

Fuck.

Rindou scrunches his brows, face twisting into one of confusion, one that makes you seem crazy for saying what you said.

"Why do you say these things about yourself? Why do you say these things about him? He's just a kid, I'm not good with kids but I'm sure I can handle him out of all." He throws his hands up in the air a little. "And, seriously, guys like me? What am I like? Why do you assume that way about me? I'm not that kind of person. I don't like doing that."

You fight the tears threatening to fall. It hurts, to say the least.

"Like, why do you think I've been around for so long? I would've turned on my back long ago if you and Shou were so hard to love."

requests are open

[thequietkid-moonie]

ZZZ request: Jealousy headcanons for Nicole and Jane Doe towards the reader please.

Jealousy headcanons

[ HEADCANONS ] [ Nicole, Jane ] [ Zenless Zone Zero ]

Since you didn't specify it i took in consideration both, while being in a relasionship and while still just being a crush, I have fun with both options so i hope you like them too!

Nicole Demara

It isn't exactly the easiest thing to have to deal with Nicole but once you two grow close enough to care and even trust each other Nicole actually becomes incredibly caring and loyal, she may not show it much but she will reach a point where she would put her hand in the fire for you

For Nicole to fall in love is quite a journey, it is slowly but not too slow, she just need to feel more comfortable around you before letting her guard down enough, but even once she does she has troubles expressing her feelings

It is easier for Nicole to feel jealous over you while you haven't become a couple yet, when is just that she has a crush in you she easily get jealous whenever you talk to someone in a too friendly manner or when someone show an obvious interest for you, Nicole knows that since you two aren't together she doesn't have any right to do anything about it and that just frustatred her even more!

Nicole is not good at hiding her jealousy in the slighest, she gets grumpy, loud and even a little agressive when taking out her anger (she is even more obvious if it happens that you two work together, imediatly taking you away with the excuse of having too much work to do), but no matter how obvious she is with her jealous she deny it completely, being too irritated and embarrassed to admit it

But if the case is that you two are already in a relationship it would be more dificult for Nicole to feel jealous, she still is easily jealous but since you two are together now she can easily cling to your side and make obvious your relationship, even showing off a little in front of the person who made her jealous

Depending on how jealous she felt is how she will react, the more jealous she feels the more exaggerated she will be and the more obvious she is, either by actually complaint about the person who make her jealous (and you for getting distracted by someone else so easily) or by being more clingy and affectionate in front of whoever make her jealous

Even so, no matter who it was or no matter if you are already together Nicole doesn't really like admiting whenever she is jealous because she is quite so prideful, it will take too much teasing insisting for her to finally admit it, but she would be so embarrassed about it that she will obligate you to make you up for her because of it

Jane Doe

Jane has quite a hard time when it comes to get close to someone else just because of how demanding it is her work, wich leads her to don't really have much free time and be practically a secret, still caring for someone deeply and even fall in love happens a bit quick since she can easily read others without much troubles (not that she is proud of prying in her crush's privacy)

Jane is not really easy to be jealous, even if you two aren't together yet she is mature enough to take things easy and trust in her own beauty and personality to make you fall in love with her, and if you two are together its because she knows she can trust you, she is loyal and knows you won't betray her so she has no much reasons to be jealous

However, is when Jane is busy with her undercover work when she become easily jealous over you, its just that when she is so busy all day and night, even wearing a new identity, is when she more feels away from you and when she missed you the most, somehow she manage to be concentrate enough in work but the moment she has a moment alone she finds herself imediatly sighing and thinking on you

Jane only feels jealous when being uncover and she happens to spot you on the crowd while being out, is when she sees you having fun with others while she is working is when she feels jealous, it isn't that she thinks you shouldn't have fun, she is actually so happy to just know that you are safe and happy, keeping with your life while she is away, what make her jealous is the people around you (actually, the closest that people are of you the more jealous she feels)

Jane tries to simply stay satisfied with the fact that she have seen you, even if it was just a brief moment but the bitter feeling stays with her for a long time, and the more jealous she got the more dificult it is for her to brush the feeling off

Jane is actually more jealous than how she likes to admit, but even if she doesn't let her feelings hinder her work she will make something over her feelings if she is trigger enough, Jane will make a plan to be able to have at least a few minutes free to be able to meet you, if you two haven't a relationship yet she will probably will just look at you from afar to don't risk anything but if you two are already together she will dragg you to an empty and private place to talk since she trust you enough to let you know what she works at (and probably to make out to get rid of the bitter feeling she had)

[sunsetsover]

I don't think people say GMMTV is sabotaging FK; the correct word would be neglecting. GMMTV neglects FK, and it is extremely obvious if you pay attention.

idk what exactly prompted this ask bc i made that post like a week ago and from what i can tell it hasn't really got any notes for the past few days and i haven't even been online so maybe this is just something that had been bothering you? idk but. and i don't mean to be rude when i say this! but i must say i don't like the tone of this. i'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it was accidental, but jsyk this came off as very passive aggressive, like im somehow an idiot for not seeing it. and i will tell you that i have definitely seen people accusing gmmtv of sabotaging fkt and thk, which as i said is silly, but yes some do say that! i've seen it with my own two eyes lmao

like literally today i saw someone on twitter saying exactly this bc the gmmtv twt account posted upcoming events for the next week. now mind you! first is LITERALLY on holiday with his family rn, so how (and more importantly why) do they expect him to have events next week? well when someone mentioned that in the replies, their response was just 'well clearly you don't see it the way i do' which ?? what way is that ?? that he's on holiday?? that he can't be in two places at once??? and other people in the replies were like 'well why can't khaotung have solo events!' and it's like ?? idk maybe bc he's at home gaming, hanging out with his sister and playing his instruments ?? maybe it's bc the two of them are CLEARLY on a break and just bc khaotung is still at home doesn't mean he's not RESTING??

and yes i'm mad about that kind of stuff! it comes off as so selfish and spoilt!! and not to make everything about bts but bts have this exact same issue w some fans to the point where armys literally came up w a name for to refer to these kind of fans: mantis (manager+anti). an explanation of what that means from reddit (bc it's better than i could ever explain it): 'Mantis are antis who essentially hide behind “stanning” so much that they themselves feel like they know the group, and their career, better than the group does. These are the fans constantly trying to "protect" them, beyond normal levels. The type to think they are constantly mistreated/tortured by the company and don't get to make any decisions of their own. Also tend to call out other fans "for not being real fans" if they don't join in on the concern.' like literally i read some of stuff some (emphasis on SOME) fkt fans say and it literally is like. i have played these games before!

and listen i'm not gonna pretend i know much of anything abt that company. i'm new here as it is and i really don't pay attention to any other actors or shows or whatever to compare it to so im deffo not the authority in this regard!

but all that said i 1000% get the impression that there are some fans that kinda... infantilise fkt when it comes to their work. like they have no choice or agency and gmmtv are keeping them locked in a basement somewhere. and i do believe that the majority of them mean well (altho i do think a lot of them want/expect way too much from fkt but i'll get to that), but it's almost as if they forget they're grown men who are more than capable of advocating for themselves. i mean fucking hell, was it not them aggressively advocating for themselves for years that got them put on a show together in the first place? first and khaotung are clearly not people who have difficulty going after what they want, esp when together. i've heard that fkt are notoriously picky about which scripts they accept, which doesn't sound to me like people who are really being neglected by their company. neglected actors don't get the luxury of being picky about jobs. neglected actors are lucky to get any jobs.

(and this goes for events and stuff too, which is a common gripe i've seen. in my opinion - and this is just mine! - people who take their acting as seriously as first and khaotung may not want to take loads of events where they're essentially glorified salesmen. and i mean that with no shade bc make that bag always, but as i see it that's all those events are - extra money in their pockets. i can't see how they would do anything for their career really. and doesn't it just make sense that if they're picky abt their jobs that would also extend into events and stuff too? like? i mean ppl are free to disagree w me on this bc this is just my opinion but yknow. i just think ppl make this into a bigger thing than it is)

and funnily enough i also saw a thread on twt the other day abt how fkt are much bigger internationally than they are in thailand. the shows they've opted to do (again, opted, bc they have a choice) are shows that allegedly don't appeal to a domestic market like most other gmmtv shows do. and so, no matter how you or i might feel abt it, from a business pov it makes sense that they might not be getting the opportunities some other actors might be getting if there simply just isn't demand for it domestically. which sucks, but if that's how it is, that's how it is.

and don't get me wrong i completely get viciously advocating for your faves ok? im an army. for half of bts' career fans were all they had. but sometimes that advocacy becomes a) kinda ridiculously demanding given the context and b) almost condescending. or very condescending sometimes. this goes for bts and fkt both. and while it's all well and good wanting things for them, all i'm saying is let's not forget that they are grown men who are not new to this business. not to mention the fact they have a known track record of advocating for themselves, or the fact that they enough scripts coming their way to be able to be picky, or the fact that already have a new show lined up. first has two even! and a show currently airing! and a cameo that just aired like last week! and another one we know is coming! like my god these are not men who are hurting for work rn.

and in my humble opinion, coming to learn about this industry relatively recently, i think ppl expect too much from these actors overall. i think a lot of them - fkt included - work a hell of a fucking lot actually. i think demanding much more is just selfishness. if im honest. like yes it's nice to see them doing events and stuff. but it's not necessary. and i'll be honest! would i like more interviews and magazines and things like that? sure! but like i said if the demand isn't there, neither will the offers be. that's just the reality of what it is! i'm not going to be sending trucks about it lmfao

the bottom line is this: i'm not saying gmmtv do or don't neglect them. i don't have enough information to have a strong enough opinion one way or the other. but from the outside looking in they seem to be doing just fine. they've got work. they've seemingly got money. and like i said, they're grown men. this is their careers. if they have issues with one thing or another, i trust that they will address those issues as they see fit between themselves and their company. until the day that first and/or khaotung themselves express unhappiness or discontentment, i will take them at face value and believe that they're happy w the way things are. bc literally who tf am i to tell them they should be doing anything different?

[marvel-verse]

I beg you please don't have an uncomplicated take on China just because we're getting some fun cultural exchange.

I love that Americans and Chinese people are coming together and having these conversations, it's so fucking important, but I don't think it's right to say "the Chinese don't have to pay so much to go to college so US propaganda is all wrong". Because yes it is propaganda, but you have to look critically at both countries. There is no such thing as a 'good' government. If there was, it wouldn't be the Chinese or US governments.

Did you know that right now the government of China is committing an ethnic genocide and has been for years? In the Xinjiang province, Uyghur people and other mostly-Muslim ethnic groups have been forced into what the Chinese government has called "re-education camps".

In 2022, it was believed that more than one million people had been imprisoned at these camps (source). Cotton plantations and factories also appeared within the camps. Here is one organization dedicated to the ending of forced labor in the region that you can read up on.

"Several countries, including the US, UK, Canada and the Netherlands, have accused China of committing genocide - defined by international convention as the "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group". The declarations follow reports that, as well as interning Uyghurs in camps, China has been forcibly mass sterilising Uyghur women to suppress the population, separating children from their families, and attempting to break the cultural traditions of the group. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has said China is committing "genocide and crimes against humanity". The UK parliament declared in April 2021 that China was committing a genocide in Xinjiang. A UN human rights committee in 2018 said it had credible reports that China was holding up to a million people in "counter-extremism centres" in Xinjiang. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute found evidence in 2020 of more than 380 of these "re-education camps" in Xinjiang, an increase of 40% on previous estimates." (source)

Here is an interview the Human Rights Foundation did with former inhabitants of the camp on their conditions. It's dark, so take care of yourself and don't read if you're not in the right space for it.

And again - don't necessarily take what countries say at face value because there is always political motivation, but it's worth emphasizing that China admitted to placing these ethnic minorities in "re-education camps".

As for censorship, we know that the Chinese government censors media -- it's become a big topic of interest in CDrama and AsianBL communities. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is very socially conservative. You can't have nudity in Chinese shows, no depictions of gay relationships or drug use, and the morals displayed in the show have to be reflective of CCP values.

I haven't been able to find documentation of any actual "censorship" codes on content, but it seems to be a case of if you try something risky, you risk getting your show cancelled:

Every other reason for censorship is political and largely depends on the mood of the government or is a response to stuff that's currently happening in China that they deem problematic and capable of disturbing the peace or anything that isn't promoting the official government narrative. Nobody knows exactly what would set the government off so they play it extremely safe by producing "safe" content because experimentation could see your hard work go down the drain. (source)

Famously, the Heaven Official's Blessing live action adaptation was cancelled after filming due to restrictions on depictions of same-sex couples. I think it's still in censorship hell and people are on the fence for whether it will ever be released.

The show Spirealm also has a very interesting censorship history, but you can read about that on your own time.

And it's hard to get information on this because of Chinese press regulation, language barrier, prevalence of anti-China propaganda, etc but it's worth exploring.

TLDR do not look uncritically at another country because it is fun. These are important issues. Sweeping them under a rug is disrespectful to these peoples' lived experience.

being on this app is so surreal. americans are usually the ones that learn about other places and people everywhere else already know about america because we're everywhere online. we've never been on the opposite side where other people are learning about us -- and they are horrified about our "normal"

the country america spent our whole lives trying to convince us is miserable and suffering under an oppressive government that starves everyone and controls their media? that's just projection. turns out besides like... housing prices and few available jobs, china is doing pretty great. they originally believed we were all living it up "the american dream" way and now they're all thankful they were born in china and have no idea how any of us are even alive

[inapixelbloom]

I want to talk about Usopp, specifically in the last episode. I also need to preface this by explaining that I haven't actually watched or read anime/manga One Piece outside of a handful of episodes, so this is based entirely on the live-action.

This is a guy who has a fairly cowardly disposition--he makes up stories of his grand adventures, touts being accomplished and takes everyone else's credit, as "the great Captain Usopp", but is basically expected to disappear at the first sign of trouble. In fact, he doesn't even want to be near the trouble. He sees trouble coming and says to the others "aha please Luffy, no..." (to which Luffy responds "Luffy YES..."). Which is fair enough--charismatic as he is, he's not a melee combatant like Sanji and Zoro. He's a people-person, sees things from a distance and calls them out.

By episode 8, when they're all at Arlong Park: he's taking potshots at fishmen, and gets targetted by one dude in particular. It's a big "oh shit" moment, because dude's coming for him. But he doesn't call for help, doesn't attempt to get the attention of Zoro or Sanji for their assistance. Just straight up bolts out of Arlong Park. No help, no back-up, nothing.

And it's not even because he expects them to know when he's in trouble--because up to this point, no one's specifically gone out of their way to help him out in any conflict (save Nami explaining how to use the ship's cannon). He was the boy who cried wolf for a while there, so I think he might've conditioned himself to believe that no one is coming to help him.

Anyway, what's most interesting: after he bests the fishman, he runs back into Arlong Park reasonably expecting Zoro and Sanji to still be fighting the literal army--remember, they were told larger groups tried to go to Arlong Park in the past and were TPKed, so while he doesn't believe they'd be screwed on their own, I think Usopp does believe that they'd at least have some trouble. But he shows up, and there's no danger left as Sanji's just Mouton Shot'ed the last fishman.

Usopp comes in, goes through the whole "oh.. uh.. congrats, you did it guys.. woo.." (not the actual quote)--and in the same shot is Sanji and Zoro's reaction.

Except, they're not reacting. You might expect an eye-roll, a scoff, a shaking of the head. Nope. Nada. Not from Zoro, who's known Usopp the longest of the pair, and not from Sanji, who's only known Usopp for about two, three days. They don't even question where he went, don't say a sarcastic "thanks for the help", or even ask if he's okay. Because of course he's okay: mate's up and walking around, isn't on the ground dying and has shown back up. Usopp isn't a melee fighter, so he had to get out of the crowded battlefield. Of course Zoro and Sanji aren't bothered by his disappearance--they figured he was doing what he did best.

This crew is built on trust. Trust that you believe in your dream and can stick to that belief. Usopp may not have known it yet, but they're each recruited with a role in mind for the crew--Zoro is their fighter, Nami their navigator, Usopp their gunner, Sanji their cook. He's part of the crew. Just like Zoro's okay fighting with a wound across his chest, and Nami's okay fighting after her village was burned to the ground. No question. Usopp dipped out of the battlefield to handle himself.

And that's incredible. Stupid, maybe, but this is Monkey D. Luffy's crew. It comes with the territory.

[fatiguedcorvid]

idk maybe being quietly cancelled is the best thing that could've happened to Scumbag System. don't get me wrong, I think censorship of gay content just for being gay is wrong regardless, but MDZS' themes about how 'a rumour travels halfway across the world while the truth is lacing up its boots' and 'society looks for scapegoats to maintain the status quo and avoid criticism' and 'you must look for facts and exercise critical thinking even in the face of overwhelming groupthink' and TGCF's themes about how 'one person believing in you can change your whole life' and 'a single act of kindness can balloon into a world changing event' and 'having suffered is no excuse for perpetuating more suffering' and 'having dark impulses and moments of weakness does not make you a monster, its recognising wrong and trying to do better that's the important part' are all things that can carry to a new medium even if the relationships are not canonically romantic. it's definitely a loss, but something meaningful is still left. however SVSSS' central themes about how 'patriarchal standards placed on men since youth that they must be heterosexual, violent, vengeful, and domineering and suffering is foundational to manhood are extremely toxic and corrosive standsrds to honest emotional expression and fulfilment and actually being a malewife or gay or not holding social capital over others doesn't make you any less of a man ands might actual make you happier' don't really work if the characters and relationships must pass some Chinese government censor's standards about not promoting effeminacy in men, its actually kind of a slap in the face to what the story is about. to be fair I haven't seen/ read any adaptations of MDZS or TGCF in full, but from what I hear they're very well received by the fandom. idk maybe it's so late I'm spouting gibberish it's very late but

[almostempty]

get to know your moots

thanks for the tag @yxtkiwiyxt, i can never resist a classic myspace about me bulletin survey throwback bc i yearn for the days of agonizing over finding the perfect profile song

what's the origin of your blog title?: it's too much pressure to create a witty name, i've used such gripping online usernames as waterbottle, casual-stapler, oldfruit, etc..

favorite fandoms: this is all i participate in actively! but i do enjoy being exposed to other fandoms through y'all here and there

OTP(s) + shipname: i just want all of the various fictional ppcu characters for me

favorite color: black n yellow 🖤💛

favorite game: nothing recently, but i enjoy zelda games, rdr2, elden ring, and roller coaster tycoon (1999)

song stuck in your head: listening to Sativa - Jhené Aiko, Swae Lee currently

weirdest habit/trait?: dissociating in car (parked)

hobbies: reading, writing, finding new/old music, making myself laugh over silly memes, swimming, solo adventures, people watching, going to da movies, etc.

if you work, what's your profession?: drug and alcohol counseling and juvenile justice advocacy

if you could have any job you wish what would it be?: obligatory i do not dream of labor, but like @yxtkiwiyxt, for my next trick i'd like to be a digital nomad somehow

something you're good at: i have a good picker for friends, i'm occasionally funny, dogs like me

something you're bad at: being concise, perception/management of time in any manner and remembering

something you love: music, all day, every day, non stop

something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: various rants about capitalism (i'm fun), movies i haven't seen but feel like i could accurately guess the plot of, my fav cursed double features

something you hate: my poor perception of time and memory issues, executive dysfunction, facing my demons aka doing IFS work in therapy

something you collect: concert vids, i think i'm the only one that rewatches them?, books, nearly dead peach ice Lost Mary's

something you forget: plans, texts, objects and people not in my line of sight, if a memory real or a dream/idea, if i've already told you the story i'm halfway through (but i still think it's funny so i intend on finishing it either way)

what's your love language?: i know it's an innocent question, but i have mad beef with the author of the book about love languages and the christian gender roles perpetuated in the book and lack of empirical research around the concepts, and the creator's homophobia, but i digress (i told y'all i'm fun)

favorite movie/show: some movies: office space, SLC punk, eternal sunshine, the thing, drive, bottoms; don't make me pick shows rn

favorite food: been unable to stop getting nachos and the poblano crema from the taqueria on my block for the last ~6 weeks

favorite animal: big time animal lover here, shout out to my dogs!! i can't choose a fav otherwise

are you musical?: i can play a couple instruments, i wish i could sing

what were you like as a child?: a pleasure to have in class

favorite subject at school?: art, but i pursued science

least favorite subject?: i never took chemistry because everyone complained about how hard it was and i figured out you didn't need it to graduate, but i suppose technically i didn't take it so can't confirm

what's your best character trait?: adaptability (i just took an updated personality test lmao to help me figure one out)

what's your worst character trait?: perfectionist (not with editing heheh)

if you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be?: a few interpersonal interactions

if you could travel in time who would you like to meet?: maybe an artist from the 27 club, just to see them perform

recommend one of your favorite fanfics (spread the love!):

two completed longfics i enjoyed <3, best kept secret- enemies to lovers/bodyguard din by luckbealincoln on ao3, vampire waltz - idiots in love/ max phillips by absurdthirst, wardenparker on ao3

obligatory free memes if u made it this far

tags, but no pressure: @auteurdelabre @gothcsz @lovely-vamp-princess

@slimybeth69 @swankyorange @syd-djarin @itwasntimethatdidit40 @probablyreadinsmut @thundermartini @ace-turned-confused

@persephone-girl @thischarmingmandalorian @pinkypromisepascal

@hoelaris @lilac-boo if u read this and i didn't tag you, tell me all ur secrets and tag me anyway <3

[puffyducks]

DCRC Week #30

This week's chapter is PKNA #25: Crossfire and lemme tell you, if you loved the big fucking fuck you robot alien fights in Trauma, you're gonna LOVE this chapter.

Btw idk what any of this "PKNA" bullshit is, I only fuck with Stål-Kalle Nya Äventyr 🔥🔥🔥

Literally 4 pages in and this page spread already goes fuckin crazy man. I love art.

he's so fuckin tiny

Ok so every time I see this guy I can't stop thinking about how much he looks like he would fit perfectly into the Ratchet and Clank universe and it's really distracting, I don't even know his name. Not that it really matters anyways.

"yeah so has anyone tried asking them what they're doing here"

"oh my god we hadn't thought of that" ARE THEY STUPID

wait are they gonna kiss ewwww

SORRY I can't stop saying that it's like a compulsion at this point. curse you louie duck

I like this little creature that the Evronian guy has as like his evil little pet

AMONG US

These might honestly be two of my favorite panels in the whole series, something about them just hits really hard. Masterful storytelling right there man.

I love you Uno.... the silly

I find it really amusing that the Ax has their logo on this random lamp. Like it's just such a funny detail to me because it implies that this organization went through the effort of commissioning their own special lampshade with a big axe shape on it for the purposes of keeping their brand consistent inside their medical room. I'm definitely overthinking this but in my defense I love themed environments.

Everybody is chilling and dancing and having a good time while PK is menacingly scowling over the horizon (as he should be)

his face is killing me

THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGGGG I was rooting for them :(

Wait nevermind the big guy was just hypnotized by Evron but we fixed him with the power of ~friendship~

the babygirl panel to end all babygirl panels

SO. I have some incredibly mixed feelings on this chapter. Overall I think it's a really solid chapter, the art is fantastic and it's chock full of beautifully rendered action scenes (if that's your thing then you would LOVE this chapter). My only complaint about the chapter itself is that I think the ending feels rather rushed, the conclusion to the traitor thing feels really abrupt and it loses some of the emotional impact I think they were going for.

To people who haven't read all of PKNA before, you're going to have to bear with me here, as my complaints about this chapter don't come from the individual chapter itself but moreso the wasted potential this storyline represents to me in the grand scheme of the rest of the series. Without giving out major spoilers for the rest of PKNA: we never see the rebel aliens from this comic ever again. And it really bothers me.

It's not that I particularly care for the 4 Evronian prisoners as individuals, I don't even know their names, but it's the fact that the concept of a group of rebellious aliens that have been victimized by the Evronians and want to help PK fight against them is like, the PERFECT thing to add to the story. Like come on!!! I KNOW Xadhoom isn't the only one fighting back, and this story proves that she's not! We even get this line right at the end:

There ARE other rebel groups and there ARE people fighting back, but we see almost nothing from any of them! We're constantly told narratively that the Evronians have conquered and destroyed potentially hundreds of civilizations, but this is the first time (outside of Xadhoom) that we really get a feel for the impact they've had on the rest of the universe. This shit is serious!

I think if the story had just ignored the idea of other alien rebels altogether that it wouldn't have bothered me as much, but the fact that they took the time to outline this chapter with implications that we would be seeing rebel aliens in the future, only to essentially completely discard the idea afterwards... I dunno man it really just rubs salt in the wound 😭

PKNA has lots of (incredibly talented) artists and writers working on it, and it's obviously difficult to keep that many people on the same page all the time, so it's inevitable that different plotpoints will get dropped along the way (lowkey happens all the time) but this is the one that bothers me the most. It's just so much wasted potential!

No idea if anyone shares this sentiment or has even thought about this as hard as I have lol, but I wanted to get some of this off my chest. I love PKNA with my whole heart and soul, all my complaints come from that place of adoration. It also comes from a place of wanting to see more cool fuckin aliens cause like, look at Xadhoom, look how fucking awesome she is. MORE OF THAT PLEASE!!!

[randomfoggytiger]

Dear Tiger, I have always recommended your blog to many people who are interested in the X-Files. My recommendation goes something like this: “Brilliant analysis, well-founded opinions, without unnecessary judgments about the actors' private lives. But beware! The blog is very fond of David and can't be impartial. It's not hostile, but, even unconsciously, it minimizes Scully's importance and Gillian's talent, to the detriment of Mulder and Duchovny. Imagine the blog as if it were a proud mother talking about a beloved child, extolling (and greatly exaggerating) their qualities, and ignoring their flaws. In conclusion, if you allow for this fierce protection of David, it's one of the best - if not the best - blog about the X-Files.” When I read his analysis of the questions posed by Anon, I couldn't help but smile and remember this recommendation of mine. Duchovny is lucky to have such loyal and positive fans, who get to see the best version of him, always. An excellent 2025 to you Tiger, I'll always keep coming back and recommending your blog.🥰🥰 PS: On this particular topic, I think about 85% of your analysis is correct - but there's about 15% that I disagree with, I think it's more of a speculation/interpretation favorable to Duchovny, than exactly the reality.

I was reading this feeling all fuzzy before I got to the "impossible to be impartial" bit. XDDDD

Ah, well. Do I come across as partial? o.o Hm, I can tone down my language in future if needed-- don't mean to come across as if I hero worship (or mentally coddle) DD. His personal life isn't intertwined with mine, for one; and he's also a man who behaved selfishly, made terrible mistakes, and didn't learn gratitude until AA. He's probably still selfish because all humans are; but he's also made personal changes, has grown a lot, and continues to prove-- via his work and actions and interests and mindset-- that he isn't regressing. I give him the charitability I hand to any other person I deem 'good' and 'doing their best'. Ultimately, I just get super happy for others who are trying and are succeeding or are on the path to their own version of success. :DDDDDD

I will say, you do raise a point I've been mulling over: I don't talk about Gillian as much as I do David solely because I haven't found a blog that gives me all her work/projects/interviews/etc. up front. Though I will stipulate that I don't see the sense in taking his side over hers-- there aren't sides in their relationship to me. And I'm fond of her, too! :))))))) She did incredible work on The X-Files, and incredible work afterwards. And she powered through the 90s as a divorced, single mom with mental health struggles, which is worthy of an award. Again, I simply have less easy access to her work. I do heavily disagree that I minimize GA's importance and talent, unconsciously or not: she's part of a team; and she carried the show on her back in David's absence. That more than wins her a medal of honor. Moreover, Scully is irrefutably a woman so forward-moving and inspiring in her own right that the Scully Effect was created in her honor. (She also inspired me to take better care of my nails. Her manicures are spectacular.) You can't have the show without her.

Now that I've got my comments out of the way, thank you so, so much for dropping in to let me know your thoughts! Your words were (and are) so kind; and the knowledge that you spread my work to others, and that they might enjoy it, too, is... it's wonderful. And if you have to buffer my blog ahead of time however you need, go ahead. As long as others know what they're getting into, I suppose. XDDDD It really does mean the world. We all have days where we wonder if we're just shouting into a void; and some days the void is wider and darker than others. But knowing that you and others think my meta is worthwhile... it puts a lot into perspective. And being described how you've described me is.. thank you. So, you know what? I'll wear "loyal and positive fan" with pride, even if you punch on "Impartial"-- it's how you honestly see me; and I'm not at all offended about that. Now that I've thought about it, I'm downright amused.

Lastly, disagreement is always welcome! If you want to share, I'd be curious to know what the particulars are-- it keeps me on my toes by forcing me to double check my own opinions. >:DDDDD

I'll definitely be rereading this ask in future when the void gets bothersome. Thank you, thank you!

[lazyscience]

Dungeon Crawler Carl Challenge

So I've been feeling pretty low the last few months. I know I'm not the only one riding that struggle bus, that a good number of the friends and mutuals around these parts are also feeling um. Uninspired, by current events. Demoralized, saddened, angry, confused, bereft - some of all of that.

One of the things I've been enjoying over the last year or so have been the Dungeon Crawler Carl books; some of you are probably also familiar, given a number of tabletop RPG folks hang out around these parts. If you haven't tried them, I heartily encourage them - they're cartoonishly violent, thoroughly offensive to anything resembling a religious or socially conservative sensibility, laden with body horror, full of cocker spaniel slander, and wildly vulgar in a teenage-boy sort of way. They are also full of complex and interesting female characters, affirmative masculinity, kindness in great duress, found family, anti-capitalism, pro-skepticism and determination in the face of overwhelming odds. A LOT of shit blows up. And the hero's wisecracking BFF is a Persian cat who is half Real Housewife, half neglected child.

The point of all this introduction to say: the titular Carl's mantra with which he is surviving the dungeon is, You will not break me.

And damn if I don't think he's got a point.

Spraytan Hitler getting inaugurated and nominating his bumbling coterie of asskissers to the Cabinet? Fuck him. Not gonna break me.

Morons trying to take rights, safety and bodily integrity away from people I love? Fuck them, not gonna break me.

People at work making THEIR months of fucking around MY workload problem now? Fuck that, not gonna break me.

Stupid chronic pain? Fuck it, not gonna break me.

Stupid depression and anxiety? Fuck no. Not gonna break me.

Now, dear reader, your challenge, should you choose to accept (you don't need to be a longtime follower or a follower at all, just a fellow crawler in this bullshit dungeon that is currently our lives who would like to stick it to The Corporation/The Universe At Large)

The AI of the dungeon likes to give Achievements. These are snarky, profane, moments of catharsis when you've finished a quest or defeated an enemy describing your reward (frequently just 'you're still alive, good for you') And since I don't have the wherewithal to send you guys the Celestial Benefactor Boxes you're out there grinding for, that's all I can give you - but if you want 'em, tell me what quest you've beaten/mob you've splattered each day and I'll give you an Achievement.

Mobs can be tasks you've been dreading, phone calls you don't want to make, awkward conversations, doctor's visits you don't want to schedule.

Quests are good things you're doing for yourself. Working out/making opportunities to move in any way? Making art/crafting/writing/other creative endeavors? Learning a new professional or personal skill? Reading longform books (of whatever genre) instead of doomscrolling? Making an effort to heal your relationship with food in ANY way you think is appropriate FOR YOU? Treating yo' self? Pedicures are a buff in the dungeon! (it's probably best to not ask why)

Party up - when we're doing something with/for others - or letting others help us - we are stronger together than we are apart.

Some days, all you're up to is staying alive. Just staying alive is a worthwhile accomplishment.

I am going to try to every day for the next 30 to post at least one mob I've fought, quest I've been working on, or party I've joined. And anybody who would like one, reblog mine with yours and I'll give you an Achievement.

Now get out there, crawlers, and kill, kill, kill!

[sporadicallyanenthusiast]

It's interesting, because I'm reading a Brazilian Portuguese translation and I've been finding some differences from the English one, which I suspect may be truer to the original Greek. For example, in Portuguese, Menelaus is described as a blond instead of a ginger, and Athena is described with green eyes instead of gray. So I think that's the reason there might be a misconception on my part, since in the scene when Menelaus tells Telemachus what he knows about Odysseus, he says Proteus told him so after Menelaus captured him, instead of it being a dream.

I mean, if it had been described as a dream, it'd be very understandable why he wouldn't say anything! That's not trustworthy information you just go sharing out of nowhere, indeed. But since it was a prophet God that told him that (in the book I'm reading, at least), I thought it was a bit jarring he didn't try to warn anyone, you know?

Especially after he told Telemachus he liked Odysseus so much, he'd empty the island of Ithaca and relocate all of its inhabitants to Laconia, make a whole new kingdom for Odysseus there, just so they could rule nearby each other. Which is why I made the gay joke, by the way haha It's my first time reading Ancient Greek mythology and I admit I was caught off guard by such an earnest expression of Menelaus' love for his friend. Honestly, I get it, I would do the same for my best friends! Haha And I agree, I don't ship them either (even tho I haven't read the Iliad yet - yeah, I know 🥲) and I think it should be more normal to express how much we care about our friends the way Menelaus does.

Regardless, you are right the poor man had enough on his plate already.

And when you put it like that, indeed it's an awkward letter lol

Still, maybe I'm projecting too much here, but if I were in Penelope's or Telemachus' place, I'd like to know something, anything. As useless as the information may sound. They knew Odysseus didn't die in the Trojan War, so what happened? I'd find some semblance of comfort in knowing someone heard my loved one is still alive and he wants to get back to me. I can understand where Menelaus would be coming from, if he thought knowing wouldn't help Penelope of Telemachus at all, but if it were my husband or my father, I'd be furious no one told me.

And maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but who knows, Penelope might have had some leverage to hold the suitors back in that scenario. It would be extremely disrespectful to try for the Queen's hand if there's a chance the King's still alive. And maybe then Telemachus would have had a chance to prove himself earlier, to show he is already a man and capable of taking over the throne, if he had traveled to look for his father sooner. I mean, Athena herself goes to Telemachus and essentially asks him "Why don't you finally kick those men (the suitors) out of your palace? Why don't you go try to get information about your father?". So maybe having a lead earlier on may have had saved them some of the trouble. At least that's what I was thinking when I read that scene.

And yes, you're right! There is a chance Menelaus did try to send a letter and it never arrived. And maybe he thought he ought to "repeat" the whole story to Telemachus, since the poor boy went through the trouble of getting to Sparta and asking him about Odysseus in person.

Well, at the end of the day, you are the scholar here, I'm just reading those myths for the first time hahaha. To be honest, I wrote the og post as a silly joke when I was half asleep, I didn't expect it to get any attention at all. So I apologize for any misinformation I may have spread on accident!

Telemachus is so much stronger than me for real. Cause if I had traveled for days, by sea AND land, arrived at the palace of my father's friend and my mother's cousin to humbly ask if they know anything about my missing father and instead of just fucking telling me already, this mf started a monologue about how gay he is for my dad and about the time he captured a God that granted him wishes three, I'd already be telling him to Hurry The Fuck Up. IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS, I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY.

But if the same motherfucker then turned around and told me that he had known FOR YEARS NOW that my dad is trapped on an island AND THE MOTHERFUCKER DIDN'T TELL ANYONE!!!! NOT A SINGLE LETTER!!! I would have already strangled Menelaus with that fucking blond hair of his in front of his wife and children, unhelpful son of a bitch.

[kwamiwayzz]

Class of '09 Fic Rec List

(Art by Phrogpole on Twitter)

I created a doc sometime ago that included fic recs outside of Jecka/Nicole, but it ended up getting to a point where I started adding fics for pairings that I haven't read (or if I'll even read). It started feeling less honest, and I didn't want to bullshit it. So, now I'm creating this to include any fics I've read that I enjoyed or thought were good/well-written.

General:

Nicole-Fucking-Yu by VirginiaBurke - A fic that starts off similarly to the games, but Nicole is half-Asian. As someone who follows the Wasian Nicole headcanon pretty hard, this was such fun read. Unfortunately, it's incomplete, and I'm not sure if the author plans on updating it or finishing it. It's an interesting character study as well since Nicole's added minority status puts an extra layer to how she interacts with others and how others interact with her.

Solemates by Queen_Bae - Formatting issues aside, I think for the author’s first fic, this had some of the best characterization of Nicole that balances between maintaining her cluster B behavior with some of her more sympathetic traits. It also manages to merge two routes from Flip Side in a satisfying way that makes the canon version feel more like fanfiction than this one.

Life’s Like This by nutal - For people who just played Flip Side and were devastated by that one ending where Jecka left Nicole hanging, this is for you. The dialogue of Jecka trying to convince Nicole not to off herself was pretty funny and sweet. It's also considered a friendship fic which was why I didn't include this in my previous Jeckole fic rec lists.

Aricole:

I Won’t Lose (You) by ThaneOfVainglory - It's a Dead Dove fic in the sense that the themes and abuse are very heavy here. This is a canon divergent fic where Nicole tries to convince Ari to keep dating her after the counselor gave Ari the unintentional revelation that she was in an abusive relationship. Don't expect any happy endings for any character here, including Nicole, because the whole atmosphere of this fic hones in very closely on how vile Nicole can be. Personally, it may not be my favorite version of her, but reading the descent of their relationship was so interesting. If you're looking for a dark fic, especially an Aricole one, this one is for you.

Fishing For Love by ThaneOfVainglory - Ari and Nicole go on a fishing trip with Ari's dad. As usual, Nicole is an asshole here. What's new? But I think what I liked about this fic was how the codependency was written, even if it was only stated (not exactly shown) when Nicole was talking to Ari's dad. Despite Nicole being demeaning to Ari, Ari doesn't mind it (to an extent; or maybe she continues to gaslight herself, who knows). She's trying to work shit out in her fucked up brain, but the thought of being alone terrifies her to no end.

In Sickness And In Health by ThaneOfVainglory - I mostly thought the way the Aricole dynamic was written was pretty interesting. Ari falls ill, and it's the one time Nicole thinks to herself if she actually cares about her through all the abuse.

Off Target by Progman - The dynamic here is as fucked up and toxic as it gets for Aricole. Maybe not to the same degree as how ThaneOfVainglory writes them, but close enough.

Emicole:

Ecstasy by uxugxrl - As someone who doesn't really read a lot of Emily/Nicole, this fic captured Emily's unmedicated BPD brain pretty well (at least in my opinion). Emily worships the ground Nicole walks on, yet won't hesitate to slice her if she as so much seems to be looking down on her.

[aromanticasterisms]

read through alien space for star rail context and every frame himeko's in you can faintly hear me in the bg trying hard not to think about how much she looks like diluc

[desire-for-madness]

I've figured out viewer's mixed emotions towards Maya. Maya receives either hate or love for her character, and the support gets argued with "bad character, mean," etc / dislike usually gets accused of "misogyny" "ableism" etc, but, personally, I feel the reason for the mixed emotions is because her character is quite hypocritical (in the drama).

She wants to be left alone, except for those *she* chooses (whose space and time she basically occupies without consideration)

She wants people to stop making assumptions about her, yet she pushes her own assumptions onto Kohei (and others)

She thinks everyone treats her fake, but she puts no effort into genuine communication

She feels morally superior, but she fails to actually take others into consideration

She has a victim complex, where she feels the world is against her (natural coping mechanism for someone who experienced trauma)

She hates sympathy, yet when she doesn't garner it, she seeks it out

A hypocritical personality is a normal development during youth (and especially in Maya's case), as it develops through fear and low self-esteem. It is the easiest way to subconsciously protect ourselves from harm. It is especially common to develop for those that desire love and fear judgement. So Maya's past is a perfect explanation of her seemingly difficult character.

It is completely normal for viewers to have mixed feelings about her, because it is the same with hypocritical people in real life too. We feel empathy for them, yet their actions/words are not always understandable. She is quite a realistic and intricate character. Which is why the viewer's reactions differ so drastically, some falling to her absolute defense, other's trying to communicate the dislike. It's totally normal.

She's not evil, but she isn't a saint either. She's just human.

And so are the viewers who are free to like or dislike her character...

[the-nettle-knight]

@merthwyn unfortunately you're exactly the sort of conservative person that people in general think are the only ones interested in folklore and traditions. The first point of my post was that traditions and folklore are for everyone, from queer people to imagrants and acknowledging this is the first step in being able to celebrate the history of the poor people in this country and use it to reinforce class solidarity against racism, xenophobia and the rampant anti-queer sentiments this country is facing.

The second point of my post was to emphasise that the deliberate eroding of our folklore/traditions by conservatives (both big and little c) is allowing for the insecurities weaponised by the types of Tommy Robinson against imagrants. These traditions and folklore do still need challenging from a modern critical lense (like how blackface has been removed from Morris dancing). Nor should they be preserved exactly how they used to be, because folklore and customs have always changed with the times. Having a good understanding of our past, critically understanding and accepting of the problems in it will absolutely contribute to decolonisation. Hopefully, having a solid grasp of our own traditions and folklore in a meaningful positive way will allow us to step back from clinging desperately to the parts of Welsh, Scottish and Irish culture we cling to because we don't think we have our own. Doing so will also hopefully allow for more support of the Welsh, Scottish and Irish independence movements. Also, it will hopefully stop the rampant cultural appropriation of other sacred traditions - it's ridiculous that modern wiccans believe that smudging with a non native plant (white sage) that's being driven to extinction by over harvesting will clear any sort of bad luck.

Obviously I wasn't clear enough in my original post, so I will edit it to include these bits.

While I understand your enthusiasm for the topic, I'd recommend do some critical thinking into why you were disappointed by your uni course and by extension missed the point of my post. Accessing syllabus information and reading lists before picking your topic would have shown what the aim of your course was. Folklore studies is a thing you can actually do at university, but it probably would have been from the view that I took.

Being proud of our traditions isn't wrong but you have to acknowledge the racism and antisemitism that does exist in folklore to engage with it properly. It's ok to be uncomfortable with that cognitive disonnence, in fact, I encourage letting yourself sit in it and interrogate it further. Learning to be uncomfortable is a good thing, the same way learning to be bored is a good thing. It allows you to have difficult conversations and grow as a person. I know I still haven't figured out how to mesh the two feelings yet. Surely, if you're so proud of our traditions, you would be proud to share them with everyone and would be eager to see how they can be updated for the times in a way that would allow more people to engage with them?

To be clear, I am queer, trans, pagan and an archaeologist, all of which have informed my position on this topic

To other English people, stop saying "England has no culture", it is actively harming us. There is a reason the Tories defunded the arts and heritage sectors whilst scapegoating immigrants. The fear that immigrants will come and destroy Englishness is only working as the government is literally trying to actively wipe it out. If we a) recognise the things that are distinctly cultural (eg architecture styles) and b) actively participate in the traditions you're always told are silly (Morris and Molly dancing, scarecrow competitions and folk songs), it will actually make us better as a country and more difficult to divide via classism, racism and xenophobia