#but it was for the best because i found more resources in the meantime

[anistarrose]

"I intend to, but forget:" Put yourself in situations where you'll see image descriptions more often. Also, it's never too late to edit IDs into your old posts!

"Don't know how:" This guide and this guide are a good place to start. Also, here is a quick and easy guide for screenshotted tags/"peer review" specifically, and here is a compilation of templates for describing various memes.

The Cooper-Hewitt Museum also has guidelines for describing art — some of these examples get just slightly longer than I'd recommend for Tumblr posts, and it's also geared towards describing art by someone else — but I consider it a good read nonetheless if you want something in-depth.

Overall, though, I really suggest just looking at other image descriptions and see how people do them!

"Afraid of doing it wrong:" I completely understand, but any description, as long as you don't purposefully misrepresent anything, is better than no description. I promise.

"Can't because I don't have time/energy, or my own disability makes it harder, or I'm not a native speaker:" Consider checking out the People's Accessibility discord server, where you can request crowdsourced descriptions!

(If big servers stress you out, lots of fandoms or topics also have fan-run accessible blogs that describe on request, so look around and you might be able to find something of that form too. This post has a couple examples, mostly non-fandom, and this post has even more, with fandom blogs included — I can't promise they'll all be active blogs, but at the very least, even inactive blogs are still a goldmine of references for how to describe things!)

"Alt text is glitchy for me:" Just put the description in plain text in the post, directly under the image! Alt text wasn't designed for longer or more detailed image descriptions anyway, so lots of times, fanart descriptions or images with a lot of text are best done in-post anyway.

"Don't know of anyone who needs image descriptions who's following me:" Honestly, I fell into this fallacy for a long time too, but this is exactly how we get the cycle of inaccessibility. If internet & fandom spaces aren't accessible to disabled people, they simply won't participate, which is retroactively used to justify a lack of consideration for them — and that's ableism in a nutshell.

We can do better than this, and we need to do better than this, and break this cycle. Let me know if any of these links break, and of course, please feel free to add on resources.

please answer honestly — this is not a post intended to shame, I'm not gonna look at the results here and write a series of personalized callout posts or something, this is just me curious because I feel like understanding the reasons behind inaccessibility is the first step towards changing it

I assure you I have no illusions of being able to get a scientifically sound representative sample here, but reblogs would help out regardless!

[lauranthalasah]

Carol from The Walking Dead has, in the first season, one scene that is the best example of “show no tell” that I've ever seen. Especially because this case of “show no tell” is opening a window to the intricacies of one of the most complex fictional characters I know.

I'm talking about the grenade scene at the end of the last episode of the first season. At that point the entire group is trapped in the CDC building, they are trying to get out but no one can break the reinforced windows, all the men try something different, nothing works, and then, this woman, who barely has open her mouth for the last 4 episodes (she is introduced in the 3rd episode), steps up to Rick and gives him a motherfucking grenade that she stole from him (without him noticing), and they are set free.

This scene could be important only in the fact that it saves the group that one time, or that it marks the first, but not last, time Carol will save the collective asses of the group, but if you stop to analyze it it shows so much more, SO MUCH MORE PEOPLE!

1- She has an incredible capacity for adaptability, mental flexibility, and personal reinvention. (Her entire worldview reality has changed, and in a month or so, this woman is already stealing grenades!)

2- She can be sneaky/cunning. (She washed Rick’s clothes, found a grenade on them, and KEPT IT!. This sets a huge precedent for the character)

3- She is secretive. (She took that grenade and told no one! One of her more criticized facets, and it is right there from the beginning!)

4- She has a mind for strategy/thinking ahead/seeing the big picture. (The stealing of the grenade, and she has it for 4 episodes, in the meantime part of the group goes to the city, the camp gets overrunned by walkers, they face walkers going into the CDC, but she says nothing about what she has, she is waiting for the moment it will be absolutely indispensable to be used)

5- She can make hard decisions. (Tied to point 4. That grenade could possibly have helped here and there, potentially saving people, but she makes the decision of not saying anything because she thinks those moments are not worth the resources she has)

6- She is willing to live with the consequences. (Hard decisions came with consequences. The others could have blamed her from some deaths that the grenade could have prevented).

7- She tries to always have an ace in her hand. (She will do this many many times, including having guns and knives hidden in her clothes, information, and/or people. Anything can be an ace if well applied)

8- She thinks outside of the box. (grenades are usually used to kill things. She could have decided to use it for that purpose multiple times, and the use she chose is to break a window to their freedom)

9- She does NOT TRUST completely, not even the group (she is shown as meek, as a follower, and yet, she had this piece of equipment and she is the one who decides when, where, and how to use it simply by keeping it a secret)

10- She loves fiercely. (All of these, all the things she does at this point in the story, she does them for Sophia).

11- She can be dangerous (did you forget she stole a GRENADE?!)

These characteristics (some may come from the marital abuse written into the character) create an interesting balance between selfishness and selflessness. Selfishness because she keeps secrets that could help sometimes on other occasions besides the ones she deems worthy of it. Selflessness because mostly she will use or keep those secrets to help the group at large and will live with their judgment.

These characteristics are what make her a real dark character when she takes the selfish route.

Her heart is what will always bring her back when going darkside, and what will keep her in check any other time.

From these points, you can extrapolate pretty much everything Carol does in the future seasons.

For example, points 1 and 10 are the reasons she runs or tries to run away so many times. She loves fiercely, but she also has a capacity to reinvent herself that allows her to keep going beyond her losses, and she HATES IT, she hates that she can keep on living while her heart is bleeding.

She kills Karen and David because she can see the big picture, loves fiercely (killing costs Carol), takes the hard decision, and keeps secrets, but also lives with the consequences as she immediately says “Yes” when Rick asks her directly if she killed them, there’s zero hesitation while answering, and she accepts his judgment of exile and respects it.

Every single one of these is in full deployment when she presents a persona to Alexandria instead of the real Carol.

Everything with Alpha encapsulates these characteristics in their most negative incarnation so far, and in one of the most fascinating as well, even the breaking of the deal with Negan.

Carol went off the deep end after Henry’s death, and for a moment, she didn’t care about the consequences at all. She only cared about one objective, killing Alpha. All her actions at the time are deeply disturbing and dangerous for herself and others, but she has a goal, a plan, and she will carry it to its intended conclusion, consequences be damned. She uses everything in her in the most devastating ways, her adaptability, her cunning, her secrets, her strategic mind, her capability to make the decision and live with the consequences/judgment, her thinking outside the box, an ace in the hand, her NOT TRUSTING ANYONE AT ALL, all because she loved Henry so much, and she is hurting, and she wants the thing that hurt her son GONE.

Negan is a tool in Carol’s hand, he is well aware, but later on he will understand the full scope of what Carol did and how, right after she breaks the deal with him. Not because she betrays him, but because she turns her back to him.

She turns her back to the most vicious adversary the group has confronted and walks away. You see, when Carol does that, she leaves the end of it all in Negan’s hands, and anyways that end could play out, she is damn okay with it:

- Negan attacks her and wins, Carol dies, she is okay with dying.

- Negan attacks her, and Carol wins, Negan dies. She is better than okay with this one.

- Negan attacks, but they don’t kill each other. Another day to live for both of them.

- Negan does not attack. Both have to live with the consequences of all their actions (present and past).

However it ends, she is okay with that end. I think Negan sees that. He has been played, masterfully. Now the ball is in his court, and he takes the hard path to move forward, for himself and for Carol.

The way Carol puts on play her plan to kill Alpha is the reason Negan described her as a mage in season 11. She was showing a hand to Alpha very aggressively with the direct attacks atracting the enemy's attention to herself, all the while keeping the other hand (Negan) hidden and unassuming, cunningly completing the magic trick of killing Alpha. Have you all forgotten? This woman is dangerous!

In conclusion, the grenade scene is a fantastic example of showing a character's complexities and possibilities. It has also been masterfully developed over the years. Most, if not everyone, of Carol's actions can find its precedent in this one little scene in season 1.

[agalychnisspranneusroseus]

I hear the Marcy angst is very heavy in RiA so i'm gonna list some nice things that happen to her in this AU

Meeting her girls! Anne became her first friend when she visited Newtopia for the first time around age 6 and they've been penpals ever since! Marcy isn't allowed to leave Newtopia but Anne manages to visit every two or three years. She has to keep it all secret from her father, which causes her some pretty nerve wrecking anxiety because she's not allowed to keep secrets, but Lady Olivia always helps her deliver her letters in secret.

Meeting Sasha was a bit more chaotic but perhaps even more romantic. It happened shortly after the beginning of the war, though Marcy had no idea there was a war at all. All she knew was that she had a terrible fight with her father, and then she saw two beautiful, giant herons perched on the towers of the palace. The heavy rain and thunder, and the darkness of night, masked their presence. They were tame - she could tell from the saddles they sported, so in a moment of desperation, she climbed onto one, and when their owner showed up and took the other, she guided them away from Newtopia, into the stormy night. Sasha had traveled all the way there from Frog Valley to release some important toad prisoners, not realizing she was accidentally taking one of her own. She could barely see in the rain and darkness, only realizing she wasn't alone when she reached Toad Tower and a small human girl, probably her age, fell from the other heron's saddle and nearly crashed into the ground - if it weren't for Sasha to catch her. This was bad. Really really bad. She didn't have the forces or resources to resist a direct attack from Newtopia, which would surely be coming when they realized the princess was missing. As much as she'd love to take this oportunity to use her as a hostage, they were in terrible conditions to play that card. She tells her she'll return her as soon as the rain subsides, and in the meantime she plays nice - if she princess didn't know they were at war, well, there was no reason to scare her. She easily earns her trust and tries to get information from her, but she seems too distracted by the fact that Sasha is, well, like her. She calls it "having the same condition". Sasha thinks it's best not to confuse her by telling her their species is called "human". Interrogating her is hard - the princess seems to be the one asking all the questions, and... okay, Sasha had to admit she was adorable. She almost misses her when she's gone.

Getting Joe Sparrow! A gift from Sasha - he arrived to her balcony one night with a note attached to his saddle, telling her to keep him secret from her father. It felt bad to keep secrets, but her late night flights away from Newtopia made her forget everything else.

Exploring the palace's secret corridors with Lady Olivia! Much like her, Olivia grew up in the palace and knew all the little corners to hide and secret rooms to explore. She really likes Lady Olivia. She never feels anxious with her.

Playing flipwart with her dad! It wasn't all bad. Her childhood had happy days too. She had a lot of happy memories with her father. He was nice most of the times.

He put her in that chair when she slept and plugged her to the machine. She has a strange cable port in the back of her neck. He read through her journal. He told her a father's love was the greatest thing there was , and that no one would love her as much as he did. Years later, she thinks he was right. She doesn't think anyone but him could experience love in that way.

The first time Anne saw her with short hair. She'd cut it all a few days back and she was still feeling self-conscious of it, but Anne's face lit up when she saw her, and she tangled her fingers in her black strands and ruffled them and found them so soft and adorable that she couldn't keep her hands off of them. Anne's eyes on her always made her feel special. Her hands, too. Marcy loved to be touched, especially by Anne. She hoped her love of touch never came across as weird, but the feeling of warm, dry skin against hers sends sparks of happiness all through her body.

She disappeared one day without warning. She took with her the box. She knew she'd fought with her family the day before, but she'd thought... she'd thought she'd come to her and Sasha before leaving all of a sudden. She thought she'd talk to them if something bothered her. But she left. Gone without a trace

Sasha teaching her to fight! She preferred crossbows over swords, and Sasha could work with that. She helped her position her body the right way to shoot, sending shivers down her spine. She decided that day that she loved Sasha's touch too. Anne and Sasha's touch had a special effect on her. It was always comfortable. While her father's touch always made her feel uneasy, like she was hugging a stranger, her girls' hands on her arms, shoulders, her chest... they always made her feel so grounded and warm and safe.

She's sure Sasha will never again feel safe under Marcy's touch after what she did to her. Her hands will forever he stained with her blood now, and no amount of "it wasn't you" or "you didn't want to do it" takes the horror away.

Learning Anne and Sasha were in love. After so many years of... well, trying to kill each other, Marcy was always terrified of having to choose between them, but almost as if by miracle, she came together to save her, and seemed to have bonded quite a bit in the process.

It was Anne who brought up the idea. She was worried Marcy would be intimidated by it, as polygamy tends to have unfortunate implications, but she and Sasha hated pretending they didn't love each other in front of Marcy, hated keeping it a secret, hated that Marcy thought she was the only one in their hearts. It felt like betrayal. So... they shyly told her, and to their relief, she was... so, so happy. She hugged them both super tight, and when Anne suggested that they gave the relationship a try, they happily accepted. No more secrets. No more shame, or fear, or distrust, just the three of them and their unconditional love.

Her wedding wad one of the happiest days of her life. She was sixteen, and so were her brides. It was certainly an unusual marriage, but as queen, she could take two consorts if she pleased. Anne's family was there, as well as Sasha's adoptive parents, Percy and Braddock. Lady Olivia was there too. She never thought the day would come. She never thought she'd be allowed to marry, and never in her wildest dreams did she dare to hope she'd get to have both of her loves. Yet here they were, in front of her, about to bond their lives to hers forever. 'Til death do them apart.

[moonlight-tmd]

Hey, I heard your a fan of Blitzbee. Are you by any chance also a fan of Angst? The kind that might have Bee switching sides if the Autobots aren't careful ;3

Actually i wrote something like that a while back! Took a bit to find it but here.

Basically the reason Bee switched sides in this one is because his friends treated him badly- they never noticed him hurting or ignored when he wanted to say or suggest something. They even scolded him when he did something bad or a mistake happened. He never got any praise for doing good on missions. They made him feel unwanted and alone even when they said they were his friends and acted like it most of the time.

Then he met Blitzwing and they fell in love. Bee told him over time how the others were treating him, Blitzwing told him how the Autobots Council were a reason for the war- they were selfish and bad and didn't care about the citizen.

Bee kept meeting with Blitzwing until Megatron got revived. After that he was always looking out at the skies in search to find the Warlord to know more. One time he found him and confronted him, to Meg's surprise the little bot seemed adamant to the idea of switching sides. They set up few other private meetings like this and soon enough Bee was free to join up.

In the meantime he started questioning his teammates morale and reasons to act- from what he knew Optimus was very obedient to the autobot cause, Ratchet was more on a neutral territory with this cuz medics couldn't really side with anyone in war, Bulkhead and Prowl didn't really care or knew about the whole situation other than the Autobot propaganda that the 'Cons are bad. Sari didn't count for she was just a kid but very much fooled by the lies of the Council told by Optimus. While they all were friends to him they were blind to the obvious and hurt him, he realized that he wasn't as close with them as he believed he was. That made him pick up arguments with them more often. After one certain fight that left a bitter aftertaste he decided that enough was enough.

He packed up and left the same night. He didn't bother leaving any note for the others, they needed to deal with the consequences of their actions. He camped out at his hideout for a while before sending the signal to Megatron to come pick him up to get to the other base.

All this time Bee was planning he never told Blitzwing any of it, he felt like if he did then Blitz would be against it or something- as much as he loved him he didn't want anyone but himself influencing his decision. Which is why when Megatron called a team meeting to introduce the newest asset in their team Blitz just stood there shocked. Only after Bee was left to settle into his new quarters Blitz approached him, Bee was feeling guilty about not telling him but now he could spend all the time he wanted with his beloved, Blitz came to terms that he'd be working with Bee rather quickly- in fact he was also happy he can openly interact with him without the threat of being sentenced a traitor.

Still, it was difficult to hide it around other 'cons. It didn't take long for Megatron to catch Bee and Blitz being all lovey dover with each other when he was looking for the scout to make more plans- "What you do in your private life is none of my concerns- as long as you stay loyal to the cause." Megs told him after he tried to bring up and explain the awkward situation from a moment ago. So them dating each other is not a problem. While Blitz is send to investigate or fight, Bee is kept in base where he helps make plans to gather resources and prepare the final strike at the Autobots thanks to his knowledge of the area from the time on their side. (and let's be honest, Megatron, unlike Optimus, realizes that Bee is not made for combat and is best left to help out inside.

In the meantime, Team Prime has assumed Bee was pulling another tantrum when they noticed he disappeared the next day. They kept telling themselves Bee will come back sooner or later... but the days passed and there was no sign of him. There was no signal on the radar nor the humans knew of his whereabouts. Before they knew it was 2 months of his disappearance, they did start to get worried and did hope he would come back, but he never did. In fact, the Decepticons were more confusing than ever, they must've figured out they were missing a piece and made the best of it... which ended in their downfall at last.

Team Prime went to fight a fleet of Decepticons, in the meantime Megatron and others stole the Allspark from the saferoom and prepared an ambush in the Autobots' own base. Autobots were captured and it didn't take long for Elite Guard to also be captured.

Bee requested that they leave his name out of the plans, he deemed it best to stay anonymous and just disappear for the Autobots' knowledge.

After that Bee kept helping out with strategies, he was surprisingly helpful when it came to 'distraction and advantage' kind of plans. While Megatron and other fleets of 'cons went to fight on Cybertron, Bee kept quiet and helping out behind the cuirtains. He did get to learn Longarm was a Decepticon and he didn't hold it agains him, Bee learned to not feel guilty for everything and Wasp was an awful bot and deserved it. Longarm/Shockwave was the only one he truly could call a friend now.

When everything was done, Bee got to take his life back on track- he got an upgrade to his frame which allowed bigger altmodes like a proper car instead of a compact- he chose a Lamborghini. His colors inverted to be mainly black with yellow details, one thing he learned from Prowl about stealth. Blitz was enamored with him, he was a tad bigger in height but still tiny and adorable- well, now the cuteness kinda got replaced with sexyness but still. Love it.

When Megatron got a stable rule over Cybertron he made Bee part of his court to help him unfuck what the previous Council has fucked. Finally everyone started to respect him and treat him good. It was tought trying to be all responsible and adult but with Blitz around it all was easier. Shockwave also helped him out with understanding the words and things being said.

Shortly after the War ended, Bee made an effort to ask Blitz to be his Conjunx- the final piece to make everything perfect. They had a beautiful private ceremony, the only ones invited were the ones Bee got acquainted well with over the time he was working on winning the war. They got an apartment in the best part of the city with the best view.

Then Bee got to direct and monitor the building of the new orphanage and needed to leave for a while, hence why they made sure to call each other at the end of every cycle to talk. Then to Bee's surprise, his old team got assinged the contract to build the space bridge to allow the facility to be accesible galaxy-wide.

After Team Prime has been captured, Bee persuaded Megatron to let them be repair bots. They might have hurt him but he didn't want them to die. So instead they got to do what they were supposed to do from the start- build and fix space bridges. Sari was with them of course, after being upgraded she didn't want to leave her friends all alone. She told her decision to her father when they met at the con base before the cons let him out and said her goodbye.

It wasn't the best reunion, Bee made sure all the conversation he had with them was about business.

As i said in the linked post above all this, they got to learn the story of how this all happened. Hearing all the praise and kind words about Bee and his actions and how much better the situation was after Megs took over made them finally realize that they were in the wrong. All that fighting was for the worse than for the better- they did hear rumors about how incompetent Ultra Magnus was with his rule that he ordered some low ranking clean-up bots or something to guard the Allspark. No names were dropped tho, an effect of Bee sweeping any info that might incriminate them under the rug.

They knew they hurt him and tried their best to get back in Bee's favor. At the end of this project their relation with Bee got a little better. Some time after that they got another contract to help out with another project under Bee's watch, then another. With each one they seemed to get on the good side again until Bee unexpectedly send them invites to a gala for the high ranking and important bots. From Bee's behalf they got their spa treatment to look good. It's then that Bee and them finally get to have a talk about everything. Team Prime acknowledged their mistakes and apologised and Bee accepted, it's been long enough for the scars to finally heal and let it be in the past. Bee regularly calls them to check in when they're out doing the job.

There, a dose of angst with a happy ending for everything. I really like the idea of Bee doing this for the bigger picture despite it hurting his friends.

I know, that's a really big text wall. Oh well, you asked for it. X3

[crow-crafting]

Hello! I have so many questions. Okay. 1) I want to make a bunch of cotton kitchen towels both for practice and also because I need kitchen towels. This feels like a reasonable beginner project, is that correct? 2) I keep reading that you can do multiple towels on one warp but I’m not seeing how you’re supposed to separate the towels. Is it just cut the thread, roll more, start a new towel? But then how do you start the new towel? 3) when wet finishing something off the loom, the order is definitely sew the ends and then wash right? I don’t see how you could wash before seaming the ends…

Thank you so much for your time! And if you have links to beginner resources I’d really appreciate them!

I am so excited for your weaving journey!

I feel like towels are a great beginner's project. With a rigid heddle, it is mostly sticking with plain weave (also called tabby weave), so you can play a lot with colors and textures with the yarns themself.

I am currently warping up 6 yards to make 5 towels in one warp. The best way that I have found to make multiple projects in one warp is to...

Leave a gap between the projects!

Once you have gotten to the end of your first towel, hem stitch the edge to finish it off. Then, leave a couple inch gap on your warp and start weaving again!

If you like, you can use a waste yarn here to give you a solid edge to beat against.

Screenshot taken from the video Suzie Liles' Fastest Hem Stitch from the channel Eugene Textile Center.

It shows a good idea on the spacing to leave, as well as a good hemstitch to keep the edges all in place before you are done.

The video is below:

For towels especially, I like starting and finishing the last inch or so with a thinner weft (if you have one that coordinates), so you can sew the edges.

Also, it's a good idea to know how long your project it, so you know when to stop! This is doubly true if you are looking to make projects of the same size. Some people use a flexible tape measure and sewing clips, but I use a method with a ribbon and sewing pins. Try a few different ways and see what you like best!

This is an example of my measuring ribbon! I got a few spools from my local big box store (Michael's in this case) for a couple dollars, and they have been a great way to ensure I have consistent items. Any color works, the person I learned this from uses white ribbon. I just have red here because it makes it easy for me to find when it gets buried in my art room.

You are very right in needing to finish your edges before wet finishing.

Most towels, be they commercial or handmade, are hemmed. It gives them a little most structure and longevity. I would consider sewing the raw edge (not the selvage, your woven edge) if you have a way to do so. Even if you don't have a good way to do so, fringes are very cute on towels!

If you do choose to hem, I usually go for .5" hem size. The picture above shows how I usually fold it, so the raw edge is tucked away and less prone to wearing.

With wet finishing for weaving, I am usually a bit mean to my pieces. I use HOT water, dish soap, and agitate the heck out of it. I do my wet finishing in a five gallon bucket, then spin the excess water out with a salad spinner, then hang it over a clothes drying rack.

I am going to work on pulling together a good list of resources I have been using and probably reblog onto this with it.

In the meantime! A good tip for you, that I didn't learn until I was at least 8 projects in, is to use some kind of layer between your yarns in your warp. It helps so much with tension and keeps your yarns from wanting to snarl up with the layer beneath it.

Screenshot taken from the video Rigid Heddle Part 3 - Threading holes and Tying on the Warp from the channel Margery Erickson.

Like this! The weaver here is using cardboard, and gives a very good demonstration on winding on in the video below. The actual winding starts around the 10:30 mark.

I will be back with more information...

[yakuzacanons]

I know this is gonna sound pretty random but since I started playing Yakuza 6 (dw I won't spoil anything!!) I've been wondering how the boys would react to finding a baby and how they would take care of it while they find out what happened/take the baby back to their parents/etc. Feel free to use your imagination as how they found the baby (ex.: the classic "left it at your front door inside a straw basket lmaoo)

If possible do hc for all the boys pls 🙏🙏🙏

sksksk this is so funny to me, yes it's babey time. My apologies for such a late reply, been taking my time coming up with these. Love you guys, mwah. Headcanons below da cut, it's a long one. So many boys...

Kazuma Kiryu

His first thought: what the heck is a baby doing by itself out here. His second thought: if I don't care for this baby, who will? Pretty well practiced with kids so the most difficult thing is actually figuring out who the baby is and what happened to them. Type of guy to tell a baby to stop crying and have the baby actually listen magically.

Majima Goro

Similar reaction to Kiryu except louder and much faster. Baby is now number one priority. Protecting baby is now the most important thing. Will literally walk on water to figure out who the baby is, what happened to them, and most importantly, how to help them. Zero clue how to care for kids though so he mostly calls Kiryu for help.

Akiyama Shun

Clueless as hell and not afraid to admit it. Kind of just bullshitting his way through the whole taking care of a baby thing but he does think the baby is awful cute. Hana lends him a hand whenever Akiyama goes out to figure out more info on the baby. Pretty good at playing peek-a-boo with the baby though.

Saejima Taiga

Mostly confused by the fact that the baby doesn't instantly burst into tears upon seeing him as Saejima is kind of used to most people being freaked out by his appearance. Finding info about the baby is easy, it's the care itself that's hard. Treats the baby oh so very delicately. They take naps together a lot, typically with the baby in its crib, which Saejima most likely built himself, while Saejima naps on the floor next to it with his hand lazily draped over the edge of the crib.

Tanimura Masayoshi

Shockingly a natural with kids. Secretly dedicates a lot of his time on the job digging into the baby's past. Typically when he's working, he leaves the baby at Homeland. For some reason, he's really good at comforting babies when they cry. Fights tooth and nail to find out who this baby is as he feels some part of himself relating to the baby.

Ryuji Goda

This baby is an Omi Alliance issue now. Ryuji kind of relates personally to the baby as he himself felt so disconnected from his own childhood. Puts his Omi resources into not just learning info about the baby but also having the best care in the meantime. The baby's gonna have a nice crib with nice pajamas and a nice bottle and the baby's gonna have all that now, today, immediately, because Ryuji said so.

Nishikiyama Akira

Do not give him a baby, he doesn't know what the heck to do. Just as scared as the baby honestly. Similar to Saejima in that solving the mystery of who this baby is is actually quite easy, especially with Tojo resources. Nishiki does not understand babies. Type of dude to just ask the baby what they want as if the baby can answer. Poor guy, he's just trying his best.

Daigo Dojima

Mostly just wondering who the heck leaves a baby on the steps of the Tojo Clan Headquarters. Kind of just resigns himself to being a temporary dad until the situation gets sorted. Assigns some men to dig up info on the baby but handles the baby's care himself. Secretly thinks babies are adorable and is one of the most doting of the boys, almost on a similar level to Kiryu.

Mine Yoshitaka

Just as clueless as Nishiki but will not show his frustration because he, as silly as it sounds, refuses to be bested by a baby of all things. Kind of guy to kick himself down the line for getting himself so attached to said baby without realizing it. Similar to Daigo, he delegates the info gathering to some of the men below him. His job is more office related like Daigo's so he cares for the baby personally, but mostly out of efficiency, at least at the start of things.

Tatsuo Shinada

Caring for a lost baby is easy, but when it comes to figuring out who this baby is, he's kind of at a loss. Might honestly call up Daigo to ask for assitance, to which Daigo will probably say something like "What the heck do I know about finding information on babies?". Shinada's natural talent is playing with babies. Probably buys more toys than he can afford or that the baby would ever need.

Ichiban Kasuga

Ever the optimist, Ichiban isn't really phased by a lost baby. He and his friends will figure out who the baby is and care for the baby together, like a big happy family. The baby loves playing with his hair, which he resents at first but eventually thinks it's super cute. Calls the baby all kinds of silly pet names.

Tianyou Zhao

Honestly, he would just call up Ichiban and ask him to look after the baby while he goes out to figure out who this baby is and what to do with them. Zhao eventually learns that he does in fact think babies are cute and that he's really good at rocking them to sleep. Babies really like hearing him sing for some reason too. The baby can't stop trying to grab his glasses though, much to Zhao's annoyance and Ichiban's entertainment.

Joon-Gi Han

If he found a baby, he'd just go straight to Seonhee and ask her what they should do. Seonhee would honestly be the one gathering intel, especially with all the surveillance the Geomijul has, which means Joon-Gi still gets stuck babysitting. Treats babies super gently given his abusive childhood and he'd absolutely kick himself if physical harm ever came to the baby. Would give Seonhee a full break down of what the baby did that day even if she didn't ask. Also good at remembering what the baby likes, especially things like food.

[thecurioustale]

Art Begets Art and the Law Should Respect This

I believe in the tradition of folk art, which is to say: Borrow liberally and lovingly.

It's a practice we've been mostly sterilized from embracing in our modern corporatist society, where all of the big-name, commonly-recognizable "IPs" are imprisoned behind layer after layer of obnoxious lawyers with nothing better to do than torment the innocent. It's a terrible thing, a deprivation of our cultural oxygen—a crime against art and ethics.

As an artist myself, I often have to thread the needle of building upon the inspiring works of others while still remaining within the letter of our outrageous IP laws. It's something I think about a lot.

In Galaxy Federal, for instance, I mentioned last time that the name "Galaxy Federal" was inspired, among other things, by the mention of the "Galaxy Federal Police" title screen of the original Metroid game. When I was settling on this title for my series, I also found that Galaxy Federal is the trademarked name of a bank. I spent considerable time and mental resources, years ago, to determine to my satisfaction that it is permissible under the law for me to use this title.

I have to do way too much of this bullshit, and I know it'll still be for naught: If I ever do become an even remotely successful author, I'm sure I'll be sued anyway, probably for something I never even realized was an "infringement" despite all my vigilance. Because, at the end of the day, for big corporations and for IP trolls, our IP laws are just a racketeering scheme—a side hustle. I mean, Best Western trademarked the word "seniority." If someone wants to sue you, they're gonna find a way.

I am not really a "from scratch" writer. I don't sit down at a blank page and just come up with prose from first principles. My art is almost always inspired by things that I experience in my life, or by the ideas that result from those experiences. Sometimes—frequently, even—my inspirations come from things that are copyrighted or trademarked. I have written in the past about the influence of the video game The Secret of Mana on me as a kid. Among many other inspirations, that game has a neat sandship in it, and that's why the desert easts of Relance are prevalent with sandships.

Over the years I've become a pro at reinterpreting IP-blocked inspirations into usable, original ones—both in terms of the legal research I've done and the skills I've developed at transforming an IP-blocked inspiration into something usable. I've also become more knowledgeable about what I can get away with quoting directly: Certain things cannot be copyrighted, and trademarks have a finite zone of applicability.

It's all a very needless and skill-intensive ballet to achieve something that should be directly accessible. Obviously, there do need to be limits. As an artist myself, I am keenly aware that I wouldn't want to have no special claim to my own work. But if I were to rewrite our outrageous IP laws—and over the years I have amassed considerable material for a book on this—I would make it vastly easier for artists and the public in general to "borrow liberally and lovingly" from the sources that inspire them. Our current IP laws are like a crime-ridden police state: The security is in all the wrong places and just doesn't work. We could relax the laws considerably without hurting artists, and potentially even tighten them in other respects to better combat trolls and thieves.

But in the meantime, here's my advice: Don't let it daunt you. Dance the friggin' ballet. Get good at transformation. Liberate intellectual property from its prison in spirit if not in substance. And, when you're fearless and/or sufficiently obscure, just straight-up pirate. I think society has a duty to reject unjust laws through word and deed.

I don't usually don my pirate's hat, but I do sometimes. When I published the Prelude in 2015, for a limited time I also published a free companion soundtrack consisting entirely of, gasp, copyrighted music. Nowhere is the horror of our modern IP laws more evident than in the realm of music. What I did was basically create a curated playlist, to help set the mood of the story. I don't know if anyone even availed themselves of that soundtrack, yet for me to license all of those pieces to make my limited-time links lawful would have cost me thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars! All for something that it's possible nobody other than me even listened to. That's a crime against art. And it's a crime against artists. Our draconian IP laws hurt small artists the most. If I had had thousands of fans, I'd have been able to pay to play—and I would have done so, or perhaps I would have spent the equivalent money to hire composers to write an original soundtrack. But, as a nobody-artist and a poor person, whose own Curious Score musical compositions are long in the making, the lawful avenues are all unassailably closed off to me. This too is an injustice, of another sort.

Doing the companion soundtrack was the right thing to do in the tradition of folk art. None of those other artists (or, let's be real, the corporate goliaths that hoard most of this "content" in their treasure-vaults) was deprived of a single penny; in fact that's one of the great lies of the IP lawyers and their corporate masters: Cultural interchange usually improves income for people whose work is quoted by others. Borrow liberally and lovingly—and give credit where credit is due.

That's the way it should be.

And, one day, that's how it will be again.

[b-blushes]

please clap i am facing the horrors of evolving disability and am researching if i can do anything more in my daily life instead of burying my head in the ground 👍

here's some leaflets that disabled/chronically ill pals might appreciate, i found them on the papworth hospital website (prestigious cardiology hospital in the uk) This one's about energy conservation (focussing on fatigue and breathlessness, 2 of my enemies) - using your energy wisely in order to improve quality of life https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/application/files/3215/8590/5483/PI_179_Energy_Conservation_A4_v2.pdf Here's a leaflet about general exercises "for people who are weak and/or breathless" (obligatory disclaimer that i'm not your doctor or a doctor at all) https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/application/files/9917/0049/6038/PI-48-General-exercise-programme-vs5.pdf Here's a leaflet about 'good posture' (it was written for people with cystic fibrosis originally) https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/application/files/6515/5844/9672/PI_154_Improving_your_posture_vs2.pdf some may say that this does not need to be a blog post BUT it is very lonely being ill. and it can be really hard to find resources. number one lifesaving thing for me since becoming disabled i think (apart from the times that i can get good medical care) is community (knowing people who understand and support each other). unfortunately i already do pretty much all of the suggestions in the energy conservation leaflet (the main thing that's causing me issues right now) but it is helpful to know that it's real. it just sucks that i keep looking for suggestions to make changes to improve and there aren't any more, suggesting that this is the 'best' i can get. perhaps because like. this is my condition. I find it really hard to know when to believe there's more you can do and when there just isn't and you're as 'good' as you're gonna get! I don't know who to ask about this, or if it's something/ a 'decision' (realisation?) that has to come from me.

In the meantime I'll continue to try to gently look up things when I feel like I can face it, and do my best to continue putting everything into place the rest of the time.

[thewormsarchive]

PSA: Scam "Donation" Warning:

Kathleen "Finch" Ladd AKA "Galahawk" AKA "Shining-Latios" (& other alts) has, for the past several months, appealed to many people for an accident fix via GoFundMe. In previous years, they also operated another GFM account aimed towards their student loan debts. *edits below*

They have shown that coasting off the hard work of others and indulging in simple pleasures is what they care for most. To hell with improving their own situation, KFL would rather be co-dependent on many other people with their own problems in life.

2023 was a very busy travel year in private for KFL; multiple trips all around several cities/states in the USA. A new residence is being setup along with their partner later in 2024. Appealing to others for financial help in the meantime. Choosing pleasure over being responsible yet scolding others for not helping enough so many times... not like KFL has actually truly thanked anyone outside of canned pre-written messages, mind you. Going so far as to trash gifts given to them because it was not to their personal liking is such a terribly selfish action. Indeed, it has been shown that KFL will trash those that have DIRECTLY DONATED MONEY to their various online accounts. Willingly tossing people under the bus, but KFL expects everyone to bend the knee to them.

Oh, well, there was the anon that dropped 4000 USD (!) on the second GFM. I suppose there was a very brief response to that...? It's a funny thing though: As those around KFL suffer, KFL ends up taking resources that could've gone to their "friends". It's okay to take from those lesser, apparently... as long as KFL is comfortable, no one else matters.

X X X X X

KFL is truly not living down the self-centered WASP allegations.

--

I advocated in the past for people to donate to their GFM, thinking that it would somehow lead this person to a more positive giving mindset after their car accident. Expecting those who already do not give towards others to suddenly do-so is also foolish, isn't it? Sadly, KFL has chosen to only give to themselves & take greatly from others. I can only apologize and offer this warning as a way to make up for such a terrible error of judgement.

In good conscience, I cannot recommend anyone else to give this person any money as of this post. They have declined not only to work their way thru life via online commissions, but also turned down an actual paid graphic position their military father found for them. Part-time at the grocery store was far more viable to them, yet they claim struggle. The art degree that was obtained with that large amount of debt is also rotting away. I'd imagine there are so many teachers out there so eager to have that document - eager to improve the lives of children currently growing up in worsening conditions.

If KFL is not choosing to improve their own life, why should others contribute their own livelihoods for someone that does not care? So many chances to find a way to thrive outside their current environment ... Hell, KFL insists on using their govt name for mail, not even having the strength to use their wanted name. Being an abusive lazy narcissistic thief isn't really a great look to have no matter how many lies they hide behind. The lies will be interesting, I'm sure, given how much someone like myself likes quiet/privacy after my own child abuse survival stories. It was easy for them to get away with it for so long; taking advantage of people who have private lives thinking they wouldn't say a thing.

--

Karma comes for everyone, so keep laughing while you can. It will come to each and every person involved with such selfishness - and there's a lot it seems! Each of them may keep hiding behind 'activism' (irony of that) and nonchalance all they'd like. While karma will not be swift, it will be brutal; best prepare for it.

--

E:::

Zero growth. Absolutely no remorse in their actions; almost sociopathic. "We're not a good fit" is all they've said to stealing from others; from stealing from those in far worse situations than they've ever experienced. ... Don't think they actually realize there are more people involved in the issue, too. Indeed, there were quite a few people to offer help - those are the people I speak of with this. ... If I were to actually count up the offensives & the WASP rudeness from KFL, there would be a lot. Not wanting to center myself though, because, well, there's such a thing as a ripple effect. Many other people feel down and awful because of this one completely toxic self-centered person.

The things KFL complains of is 100% the problems they face about themselves. They are their own worst enemy. Such a terrible pity to see so much waste as KFL has created. A total crybully created from a military couple from the USA - from the start they lie and ruin themselves immensely.

I suppose though, when those in charge create such a system for its people, what can be expected from such fruit they've bore?

(Ko-Fi mirror)

[squibbymun]

SPECIMEN INFODUMP (BECAUSE THEY ARE MY MAGNUM OPUS)

Back around 70-80 years ago, a scientist named Kimiyo Tanaka started a millitary project: M.I.M.I.C

The goal of the project was to create an Octarian with features reminiscing those of an Inkling via genetic engineering like a connected eyemask, sharp ears, Inkling teeth, so on. The reason was so they could train this ''Faux Inkling'' to blend into Inkling society and overtime break them down from the inside, weaken them until they are overruled by the Octarians and take back the land they rightfully own.

Basically start a second Great Turf War.

There's been 34 generations of this ''faux inkling'' but only 3 have survived, each varying in appearance and ''quality'' of blending into Inkling society.

Fortunately, for one reason or another, none of them are being used for their original purpose anymore.

The specimens being:

Specimen 32: Nanami ''Bubble'' Tanaka: (Female, he/him)

The oldest of all the specimens and the first generation to successfully live more than a few months. Due to an overabundance of ''undesireable features'', he was discarded from the project and placed in an orphanage.

Things did not turn out too well for our little Bubble here, though, also being known as Test Subject 10,007. Despite surviving the Metro and finding a few friends in the meantime, he's still not doing so hot. He's the only one to still want to follow Kimiyo's ideals as he still wants to help his bretheren. That's what he was created for, afterall.

Let's hope everything turns out better overtime for him...

Specimen 33: Brett Antoine Francine Leslie( Non-Binary, They/Them)

The first specimen with enough ''desireable features'' to be used for their initial mission! Extensively taught everything the Octarians knew about the surface and Inklings and received only the toughest trainning in combat and stealth.

It didn't take them much more than a year of being on the surface before they ran away from Inkopolis to Splatsville and they never looked back. Generally has a ''Fuck you I do whatever I want'' attitude, but they're a very caring person regardless! Even if they're willing to do some illegal maneuvers from time to time.Cconsidering that they've been told what to do all their life, freedom is the thing that matters to them most.

They're also the New Agent 3 alongside Jacques (Their Smallfry, he/it) who they dubbed Agent Chaos.

Though even with the life they lead, they still can't help but have respect for the Inkadian Octarians and feel a guilt over abandoning them. I hope that doesn't bite them later...

Specimen 34: Mia Isabella Leslie (Female, she/her) (She was made by @dawn0ftheday!!) (i dont have any art of her on hand so uh) (Take this sfm model i made for her)

The latest specimen and also the youngest, being only around 6 years old and in humanoid form! She was made right after Brett dissapeared and M.I.M.I.C. used their DNA as a base to create Mia. But since they were running out of money and resources, they messed around with her DNA to make her reach maturity faster.

That lead to SEVERAL different medical complications, including but not limited to her melting! A lot! She wears compression gear a lot to help with it but it's still not good. She was spent to Splatsville as a ''test mission'' to help her prepare for her actual mission in Inkadia.

Unfortunately for M.I.M.I.C., Brett found her at some point and took her in after finding out she was also a specimen. Brett is a proud parent to two kids (little buddy included) now which is mildly terrifying for them but they're doing their best!

Basically Mia and Brett are vibing and Bubble has. Issues.

And thats the specimens if u read all of that thank u i WILL cry /vpos

[laufire]

WTSA APPRECIATION WEEK (VII) – free choice.

Because WHEN THE STARS ALIGHT is just the beginning, I thought I'd recommend a few other stories by the author. WTSA is a great introduction, but once you've read it, you'll want to know more about the world of THE ESSENCE OF THE EQUINOX! Caution: one of this ("We Will Devour the Night") spoils WTSA!

-IN PURSUIT OF PERFECTION. Amira has always demanded perfection—of herself and those around her. Her quest for absolute control takes her on a journey to the hot deserts of Seraj where rumours permeate that humans may have rediscovered the ancient phoenix. Should its power be harnessed, the fire witches will be unmatched. Amira thinks it time they re-learn who the true supreme being on earth is. This short story, which can be found in the 2022 edition of "Fall into Fantasy", serves as a prequel tale to WTSA. It features Amira, the mother of WTSA's protagonist, and a toxic sapphic relationship that is very fitting for such a fascinating character. -THE SANGUINE SORCERESS. Centuries before the events of When The Stars Alight, Serafina Stilia prepares herself to be sold off into marriage. Descended from an immortal race of demons, their might is plentiful, but their lack of fertility proves to be a crippling weakness against other races in a cursed land of scarce resources. With territorial wars ongoing, the constant demand for fresh warriors weighs a heavy burden when failed births or excruciating death is an almost guaranteed certainty for childbearing. Unwilling to play the role of sacrificial pawn in her society’s imperial regime, Serafina continually strikes out against her violent father’s attempts to control her destiny and turns a lucrative suitor away at the door. However, the suitor is not so easily dissuaded, and her refusal only serves to embolden his determination to possess her. After her reputation is left in tatters by his unwanted advances, Serafina must carve a path to liberation from the fury of her honour-driven father, or die trying. A grimdark novella about one of the best characters in tEotE. Perfect story of rage, revenge, and corruption. -WE WILL DEVOUR THE NIGHT. Twenty years after the events of the first novel, Laila has been slowly prepping for her campaign to become the next Impératrice of Soleterea. Unfortunately, she must also contend with competitors who are attempting to wrangle the throne from her dynasty by capitalising on the negative repercussions caused by that fateful voyage to the north. In the meantime, Darius has settled into his new position as the Rex of Mortos, but his rule has not been without conflict and conspiracy.  When Amira suggests that Laila help herself politically by lending a hand to Darius, she finds herself once more crossing paths with her old lover and confronting the whirlwind of emotions that twenty years apart had done little to settle. Determined to put her feelings to one side, Laila throws herself headfirst into the pit of vipers that is Mortesian court politics in the interest of charming them under her influence. However, Darius continues to have an allure of his own - one that is not quite so simple to resist.  The author is currently posting the chapters in her ko-fi and substack accounts, as an early-release version you can access with a subscription. I recommend checking out her ko-fi, where you can find some additional scenes and short stories set in the same world. "Wasp Stings and Bee Pollen" is a favourite of mine.

[steviesbicrisis]

"if we don't like it, we make it gay" that isn't the point, though. so many other people have said this more eloquently than i can, but you can't claim "death to the author" when the author is alive and actively lobbying for the genocide of trans people in the uk and influencing (and funding, iirc) republican politicians in the states to do the same thing. if you say "fuck terfs" but then continue to engage with the franchise and ignore the multitudes of jewish and lgbt+ people telling you the reasons why you shouldn't, the reasons why this franchise is literally killing us, your trans and jewish friends/followers are going to be cautious of you. *i'm* cautious of you, now. you're not only supporting a terf by giving her engagement, but jkr is a fascist. i can't assume your response to this, and this isn't sent out of malice, but i hope you can ask yourself if a book series and nostalgia are more important than the real people being affected by the political career of its creator.

I'm going to answer this as best as possible, but please be mindful that English isn't my first language, so I might not be as eloquent or exhaustive as I could've been in my native language.

Leaving this premise aside, I say this with no malice nor desire to sound bitter/defensive: please take a step back and stop assuming stuff about me.

I don't even know where half of the things you said come from, I genuinely thought you sent this ask to the wrong person until I read the "fuck terfs" part.

"continue to engage with the franchise" how am I doing this? I have 1 word associated with it, that's it. Do you see me promoting the books or the movies? do I reblog stuff about the franchise? Do I go around showing anything related to this? I've stopped giving money to that author the moment I found out what she stands for. I have one post related to the franchise before I knew how big of a deal it was to make fan-related content (I thought it was okay to still go on with stuff she doesn't get money from), which I decided to not continue writing it the moment I understood it might've been hurtful to someone.

You also assume I don't listen to fellow friends/followers. The thing is, you don't know me, this is Tumblr, I do not show everything about me in my blog. I have lgbtq sources I go to inform myself on how to approach topics that interest the community but not me personally because I wanna be supportive. You also have to understand that I get my information mainly from Italian resources and the approach on the topic might be different. This is not me speaking for the Italian trans community, obviously, but they seem to not really care if you engage with fanmade content, while I see in the "internet world" trans creators who don't accept fanmade as well and some do. I simply don't know where I stand but in the meantime, I'm not engaging even with fanmade stuff just to be safe.

All of this to say, I have no problem admitting that I don't know what I should do about fan-made related content because I tried to understand but with the mixed up opinions I simply don't know. Me not knowing translates to me engaging with any content until I understand better.

I'm trying really hard to not see malice in your words to be honest, since you've been assuming so much stuff about me. Everything else you touched upon it doesn't apply to me (like having nostalgia about the books, I never once said anything like that).

All of this being said, I am sorry to know that people are cautious about me. I hope you can understand that this blog is supposed to be a happy place to talk about Stranger Things and have a nice break from chaotic everyday life and I'm really saddened to know that it isn't as lighthearted as I thought.

To the people who were disappointed/had hard feelings after reading my bio, I am sorry. I mean it, I would never write something anywhere with the intention of hurting everyone.

To anyone who reads this, I hope you don't see me in a bad light after what this anon wrote and my response, I'm trying to handle this situation the best I can and be mindful of everyone's feelings. I am far from perfect but I am trying.

(I'm leaving the bio as it is if people wanna check it out after reading this but I'm going to change it after a little while.)

[apolloendymion]

Keep this amazing binder company in business 🙏

before my surgery, my flavnt binder was the best I'd ever had. everyone i know who's tried one is shocked by how comfortable they are and how much they compress. i wore mine almost every day, even in the pool! I'd be devastated if such an incredible resource disappeared from our community. here's the text from their gofundme:

Hi, this is Courtney and Chris Rhodes - owners of Flavnt Streetwear. We founded FLAVNT in 2014, but in 2015, we introduced the world to our concept of a chest binder that came in a range of nude colors, something that made the binder market more inclusive and diverse than it ever was previously. For the past 8 years, we’ve sold our Bareskin Binders and provided a chest binding solution to the queer community that is made by and for trans people.

This year, we decided to reinvest in our product and change manufacturers. We’ve used the same manufacturing team here in Austin for the last 4 years, and while we love and appreciate the work they did, they were unable to scale or meet our deadlines or quality needs. We found another local company - a reputable and inclusive brand in the activewear space and went all-in.

This summer, we went into production, placed an order for a full run of all of our sizes and colors. We paid upwards of $15,000 upfront and were promised binders in stock by October. As of late September, that company stopped responding to our communications. They have completely ghosted us, taking our money, fabric, patterns, and, frankly, leaving us without means to make ends meet along with not having a much-needed product available for this community. We’ve gone by their location and there are eviction notices on the doors, so our chances of getting our money back or product are not looking good. We don’t have the means to get into a drawn-out legal battle - we don’t even have the means to pay our rent for November after these circumstances. So we are asking for your help to pay back the funds we are out including credit card interest and help us pay our rent in the meantime.

Here's even more backstory about FLAVNT over the years:

We started Flavnt with $500 of our own money, oftentimes helping carry the business by paying out of our own pocket, all while donating back into the community. (We've donated over $50,000 to trans individuals for gender-affirming surgeries and to nonprofits.)

For the past 3 years, we haven’t paid ourselves at all because there hasn’t been enough money to cover rising costs and keep our commercial space. We are asking the community to stand behind us and help to carry us through this tough time following a horrendous year.

Last year, we were thrilled to be a part of the Target Pride campaign. We were banking on a huge successful quarter of sales from that, but after a year of designing and working on a collection exclusively for them, Target pulling Pride products from the shelves resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in product never being sold and us not seeing any sales. Following that, we literally had several thousands of dollars stolen from us by two separate accountants. Now this. All we want is to be able to keep making proud apparel and to keep providing representation and aid to our community.

Our Venmo is @flavnt if you'd rather directly donate there. You can also purchase from our site (www.flavnt.com) at any time. We want to keep making things for our community and doing what we love, but we desperately need help. And if you have any resources for dependable manufacturers in Texas or otherwise, please reach out. We are trying to remain positive and find a way to persist, but things have never seemed this bleak. Thank you for your support as always.

[qnewsau]

How a social media ban will harm LGBTQIA+ teenagers like me

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/how-a-social-media-ban-will-harm-lgbtqia-teenagers-like-me/

How a social media ban will harm LGBTQIA+ teenagers like me

15-year-old Maggie Perry from 6 News Australia writes about the harm a social media ban would have on LGBTQIA+ young people. 

Hi – I’m Maggie Perry, a 15-year-old trans girl who lives in Central Queensland, and I work for 6NewsAU, a news channel run entirely by teenagers like me. 

I’m an election reporter who’s followed by politicians, I’ve been featured on podcasts and had the chance to write for multiple news outlets.

Every election, I go live with my friend (and boss) Leonardo Puglisi, who’s just 16, to cover election results as they come in.

In the meantime, I write digestible threads that analyse the results of past and future elections, and I absolutely love it!

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by 6 News Australia (@6newsau)

But, despite this, Anthony Albanese’s blanket social media ban would likely see me barred from social media, deemed too immature and youthful to face its downsides.

The ban meant to protect me would ironically see me losing my only source of income, my social life, and, at least temporarily, thrash my hopes of becoming a politician.

You might wonder why I felt the need to mention that I lived in Central Queensland, but it’s a genuinely important part of my case against this ban. 

Social media is a lifeline

In Biloela, we only have one public high school, and I’ve long since left it, partly out of fear for what would happen to me if the kids in this conservative mining town found out I was transgender. 

My social life in my town is non-existent, explicitly because the only place for kids my age to socialise is through our underfunded and intensely lacking school, and no way am I going back there. 

Because of these problems, social media has become the one place I can talk to my friends, the one place I see hope for my future. It sounds cliché, but it’s the one place I can be me.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are some serious downsides to social media, but is a basic “solution” the right approach to an issue as undeniably complex as this one?

Is stripping away the lifeline of so many queer kids who’ll never be able to be themselves the best approach? 

Just too many of my friends have had to hide their sexuality for years from their parents out of fear of being abused at home, or even kicked out. 

So why would cutting off the lifeline of thousands upon thousands of queer kids be the best way to approach the ever-growing depression epidemic among the youth? One answer stands out to me, and it’s that it’s not. 

Long term impacts

It’s a grossly out-of-touch idea from people who’ve clearly not tried to understand the people who’ll be affected by this ban.

But this ban doesn’t negatively affect a small percentage of kids. Whether you like it or not, social media has become one of the most quintessential aspects of everyone’s lives today. 

Whether it’s our news, our culture, our friends or our jobs, everything has so quickly become intertwined with the online realm. 

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that no matter how hard humanity may try, we’re not going back.

Ultimately, the consequences of this social media ban will rage for many years.

Education impacts

Barring my generation from YouTube (a resource essential to modern education), Discord, Twitter, Instagram, and many more, is stripping the quintessential knowledge and culture of the internet from kids while they’re still developing, which will undoubtedly harm us for many years on. 

These kids, those of my generation, will be outcasts in an online world, one where they simply will not be able to compete with those who have had a decade’s head start.

So, why strip the unequivocal knowledge of the internet from our youngest, the people who’ll have to grow up in a world even more incomprehensibly dominated by the internet than the world we live in today? 

The digital revolution of the 21st century won’t stop, so why leave us behind?

My last thought about this proposed blanket ban is that there clearly has not been adequate consultation with the young people who will be affected by this ban.

I can’t imagine that a policy this preposterous could have possibly considered the ramifications on young people, on our future. 

Hopefully, the Labor government will proceed with an alternative, more forward-thinking response to social media’s downsides – One that considers the young people of today, and of tomorrow.

You can follow Maggie Perry @Maggie_Perry6 on X/Twitter. 

Read next:

The groundbreaking way this Qld uni supports queer students

Minus18 calls out bigots targeting their Queer Formal

LGBTI+ organisations call for inclusion of trans and intersex people in Census

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[vertexline]

Pin! (finally)

Sup'? I'm Lin, somewhere in my mid 20's, any pronouns but I'll smooch you if you use they or he :> Artist and maker of many things. Possibly just four cats in a trench coat.

I'm mostly an OC artist with way too many children between which I frequently switch faves depending on who gives me the best brainworms. Occasionally I draw fanart for whatever hyperfixation has my brain in a chokehold at that time, which currently is BG3 and more specifically my main Tav, Aether!

My art is usually SFW but does sometimes delve into gore, blood, nudity, smut, and kink. I'll try tagging everything appropriately but ye be warned, I am but a mere flawed mortal.

Some useful links:

VertexLine - My main SFW Twitter. Lots of rambling

SmutBubble - Spicy Twitter for uncropped stuff

Patreon - It's free to join and more of an archive and centralized place for my art (NSFW)

Ko-fi - Tip jar and where I share my resources/brushes/files etc.

Twitch - I stream once in a blue moon but just in case ya know?

Toyhouse - My blorbo collection. Look at all those idiots (affectionally)

My asks are open so if ya wanna know something about me, my art/process or any of my characters, go ahead :>

____________________________________________________________

And here is the current resident brainworm themselves, Aether. Please aks about my son :>>

-SOME FAQ STUFF UNDER THE CUT-

Q: What tablet/program are you using?

My current tablet is a Cintiq 16 Pro. It' predecessor was an Intous Pro L, highly reccomend as a more entry level tablet

For 2D stuff I only use Clip Studio Pro, primarily with these 3 brushes

For 3D it's ZBrush 2023, Maya, Blender, Substance Painter 2024, CSP and Marmoset TB3

Q: Do you do commissions?

I do, though they're open sporaticly and I limit how many I take on at a time because I can get overwhelmed pretty quick. My prices and ToS can be found here. Feel free to aks about comms even if they're closed and I'll put you on a ping/waitlist :> Otherwise I'll make designated posts when/if they're open.

Q: Can I draw your OC/them interacting with mine?

YES PLEASE AND LET ME SEE PLEASE I'LL FIGHT THE GODS FOR YOU AND SACRIFICE MY FIRST BORN IN YOUR HONOR! Anything SFW or slightly suggestive is always a-ok. For NSFW stuff please talk to me first ty <3

Q: Do you take requests?

Depends. For fandoms I'm not invloved in, no. For fandoms I am activly interested in and my OCs, yes but there is no guarantee I'll actually draw your request. The art goods are fickle beings and do not always bestow inspiration on me.

I'll add more later. In the meantime, feel free to send all the asks ;>

[alyjojo]

Advice to Work on Yourself 🪁 in June 2023: Leo

Page of Wands - 7 Pentacles - The Tower & Ace of Pentacles

Regarding: 4 Swords

Immediately I started hearing Taylor Swift’s “You Need To Calm Down”. I actually do really like some of her songs, but Spirit never picks those. Then I’m singing this one for the rest of the day 😆

This all relates to a job or something you cannot wait to leave, but haven’t yet found your replacement, so calm down. But also take care of yourself, this whole row is the point of this all, self care. We’ve got a woman with a mask on her face, another in a bubble bath, you’ve got journaling here…it’s looking like it’s time for a spa day. Or month. Hanged Man & Hermit includes feeding your spirit, your inner self, taking good care of your health - mental, emotional, and physical. Maybe taking a vacation altogether, but one with a lot of alone time, I’m not seeing social stuff. There is a message here directly regarding mental health, possible anger issues, or an emotional imbalance of some kind, maybe one that makes it hard for you to “calm down”. Mental health should no longer be a stigma, I think most of us can agree we’ve all got some traumatic history or just difficulties keeping it all together, that could be helped right? It doesn’t hurt, it helps 🙏

When Page of Wands came out initially, I thought they were a child. With horse and the connecting cards, they could be a particularly wild or “angry” child. Possibly Sagittarian. Mental health may relate to them in some way. Be very careful how you approach that, if so. This could also be relating to postpartum for someone. If that’s the case, then the issue is money, and this is something that needs to be actively saved up for, it’s another bill on the priority list, like electricity. In the meantime, lots of self care routines ❤️ There are also thousands of resources online for free, to help with the habits & negative self talk part of things. A lot of patience is required, and to consciously not act out impulsively in destructive ways. Give your hair some extra conditioning, paint/trim your nails or give yourself a new funky hair/facial hair style, listen to meditation music, feed your faith, vent in a journal, explore new areas, whatever the thing. All of them. Self care 💯 Don’t force the message, only take what resonates and if it don’t, it don’t.

For the job, that’s the main energy here, you want to impulsively walk up to people in this place with your middle finger up, telling them where they can shove it. But you still have a bit of time to wait before something else comes along, and you’re being told to not screw yourself over like this, because your money situation could be a disaster if you did. Saving money is something you need to actively do, doesn’t matter which story fits. Don’t quit. Don’t pop off. Don’t act on impulse. I’m getting the vibe that something will definitely take more time, maybe more than you even thought initially, and I see no outcome this month. Waiting and waiting. But in the meantime, there’s something very positive to be had via meditations, getting in touch with spirit guides or your ancestors, watching for signs, shadow work on some level, calming & revitalizing your spirit, as best as you can. Make sure you’re getting the rest that you need. Try to apply better anger/trigger responses and removing yourself from frustrating situations and people - back to a place of zen & peace.

It’s also possible a job has let you go, putting you in financial chaos, and you’re wanting to take aggressive action against them, because you put a lot of hard work into this and you’ve been betrayed, hurt. In that case, the advice is to calm down, try to see things from another perspective. I’m getting something is a waste of money, time, or both, and you’re too close to the situation to be able to see it. I don’t actually see anything legal, but in the case there is, I don’t see a good outcome. If none of this applies, the most basic interpretation is to stop worrying about others and focus on healing yourself, along with any long lasting pain, anger, and grudges. Journaling may be key to your healing. A lot of possible options with this reading, but I’m seeing many different levels with many perspectives and have to cover them all.

Animal Oracle: Condor 🦅

“You’re too enmeshed in this situation, so step back and see the bigger picture before making any decisions or taking action.”

You’ve lost perspective here because you either believe there’s something you absolutely need to have happen or else you’re simply being too stubborn to let go, step back, and take a fresh look at your circumstances. It’s the forest vs the trees dilemma. You’re too close to clearly discern the reality of what’s actually taking place. So make practice of detachment. Most people think of this as a cold, sterile way of responding, but nothing is further from the truth. It’s worse to remain so utterly involved and entangled that you lose perspective - and sometimes even yourself. This familiar pattern stems from the guilty feeling that somehow you’re not doing enough unless you’re completely immersed in a person or situation, continually trying to fix the problem, person or situation or rescue people. While this gives a temporary sense of satisfaction, it also creates unhealthy dependencies.

True detachment is objective compassion, where you still care very much but are distanced enough so you’re not under the illusion you can control the situation or person through your intervention or participation. 1st, be present and attentive. 2nd, speak your truth or remain silent. 3rd, keep the focus on what really matters. Lastly, let go of any attachment to an outcome. This is how you keep perspective. You can state your preference without insisting you get your own way. Express yourself, while honoring & respecting others, and see what happens.

Artist Oracle: ORLAN

- Don’t fear pain. Art is an anaesthetic.

- Do you like who you see in your petri dish?

- Become your paradigm.

Advice:

- Start Journaling

Charms:

Leo ♌️ on Condor just confirms you’re having a hard time staying emotionally detached from an outcome or situation, staying logical, and seeing things from another perspective, which is what The Hanged Man is forcing you to do. Search yourself with The Hermit, what in you applies here? The Hanged Man is everyone else. What in them applies here? Inner work is taking priority for you even though you are fired up and impatient for whatever you want.

Moon & Star 🌙⭐️ on The Hermit again is self care, healing, love. You could be working through old traumas, fears, things you haven’t really paid close enough attention to because they weren’t conscious to you in the first place, and still aren’t. The Moon is hidden, but The Star heals.

Horse 🐎 on Page of Wands is like a wild stallion, I get Knight of Wands energy from this. If not your own energy, there’s heavy Sag here, that could be a child, a person, a placement, or this is just childish energy that comes out in destructive ways. Or wants to. Like a wild horse, it needs to be “broken” or rather…disciplined, controlled. I don’t like any of those words to describe it tbh but you get it 🤦‍♀️

Owl 🦉 on The Tower is seeing all sides to a situation before acting recklessly, that’s part of your advice. Because you’re so close to whatever this is, a break is necessary, there’s something you can’t see with The Moon charm that needs healing. This refers to inner wisdom, intelligence, it’s similar to The Hanged Man in the way of multiple perspectives to one situation, but you’re just seeing what you see, or perceive, or know, but that’s not everything.