#but when i go on those blogs and things are tagged wrong i short circuit

[bluupxels]

running a cc finds blog that’s the scale of maxismatchccworld or lana’s is probably a lot of work but i think i would have so much fun like having all those categories and finding the cc and giving it the right tags... it would be so satisfying 😩

[streetkid-named-desire]

The thing that gets to me is like...I haven't done any of the shit the actual awful toxic people in this fandom have done. I'm annoying on my blog and people don't tell me when I do or say something that upsets them. So I can get removed from spaces while other people are buddy buddy with the actual toxic bullies and abusers in fandom. Make it make sense. Like I'm trying very very hard to stop judging people based on guilt by association but it's hard in this fandom! Especially because of how small and insular and prone to cliques and power vacuums it is.

I mean the only sense making is just that people are cowards who won't talk their shit out with others and that I'm just a dummy that approaches every social interaction with the intent of making friends and not like surface level networking or whatever. God forbid I'm a real person that wants to make real friends in fandom and shit.

I'm 34 years old and getting socially ostracized because other people are too cowardly to actually talk to me about any behavior and give me a chance to correct it like why am I feeling like I'm 13 again seriously.

All I need to really cap off the nostalgia is to be crying in my mom's lap talking about "my friends banned me from their discord because I was making people uncomfortable just by being myself" so she goes "well, they're not your friend then if they never told you before it got to that point"

But here's the thing like it's just gonna happen again and again over and over and over because that's like just the nature of trying to make friends when you're autistic *especially* online. I don't mask as much online because I'm doing it for 40 hours every week, it's exhausting. I just wanna be myself and myself is boisterous and open and passionate and loud. I'm just everything little girls and mature adult women aren't supposed to be and that makes people just short circuit. I'm an anomaly. I'm an abrasive, insane anomaly.

I'm just annoyed now because the remaining fandom spaces I'm in, besides the one I actually admin, has people I don't like and that I know don't like me and so it's just actually more anxiety inducing trying to talk in those.

I guess I just have to become a prolific modder like all the people that don't like me so I can have some power in this public modder cult of personality power struggle I guess. I promise I'll try not to let all the clout go to my head <3

I think it's just putting my childhood experiences into perspective. I didn't know I was autistic and so I internalized heavily that all of those qualities were bad and I should feel bad about them. When really there's nothing fuckin wrong with me. There's nothing wrong with my personality. Like other people get annoyed but if you don't tell me what's annoying you then I'm not able to do anything about it. I won't turn my personality off but I'll know how to be more mindful, how to calibrate myself to be palatable for a space while still not masking.

The whole point is I don't want to mask and I have the ability to calibrate my personality to be acceptable and appealing for a space or to certain people without making it feel like masking. I have a good handle on a lot of that already just as a baseline. But I can always improve.

If you don't like the kinds of tags I'm leaving on your post then say something, my asks and messages are open! If you need me to be more mindful in conversations because I'm talking too much then tell me! Just tell me what you need me to change and I can do it! I want to do it! I want to be better!

I don't know if non-autistic people understand this. We are aliens by default because we don't exist in even the same social universe as you. It's all an effort. Every day. Every time. Because social skills are something we have to actively remember and work on. I am quite literal when I say if you don't tell me then I likely won't know. It doesn't cross my mind because it's not something I, as an autistic person, ever considered as a factor. And I need to be reminded of that! I don't share your experiences as non-autistic people in social situations and you have to tell me what you need from me, what you need me to do, how I'm supposed to be acting.

You have GOT to talk to people about shit. You cannot let it just wait and wait and wait until it blows up and you end up hurting other people because you can't deal with the mild confrontation of "hey when you say this it sometimes makes people uncomfortable" "oh! Okay I won't say that anymore, thank you for telling me!"

"you make some really super close friends in fandom like closer than you've ever made before" and that's true but also jesus fucking christ you meet some lousy as fuck people too apparently. It's just a like idk sickness in your own social and moral character. Have some backbone and just hash shit out one on one. I promise you the anxiety and shit will go away and it's worth the peace of mind.

[piastri]

Tumblr Tag Game

Been waiting to do this one so thank you for tagging me Anna! @gp2engine 💛

1. Why did you choose your url?

I had it saved since Yuki’s F3 days and was waiting for the day he got into F1 and that day came so 🎉

2. Any side blogs?

This is a sideblog, @dailycillianmurphy is another one and i have a few others mostly to save things on. 

3. How long have you been on tumblr?

I’ve had my main since 2014... i was a lonely year 7 and for better or worse turned to tumblr for interaction. 

4. Do you have a queue tag?

Yeah ‘q’ coz i’m really creative like that <3

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place?

I had a Daniel insta fanpage in 2017/18 and this was a good source for like Dan updates, so i’d occasionally reblog pictures of him. I didn’t interact with anyone or speak in the tags so it was pretty much just a place to save pics. I started being active on here in April 2019 coz I got tired of f1 reddit dudebros but still wanted to speak to people about it. 

6. Why did you choose your icon/pfp?

Coz that’s my baby, that’s my love 💘 My header + url are both F1 so I wanted something feeder series to reflect my blog and it’s a really nice pic of Liam who is my fave feeder series driver :)

7. Why did you choose your header?

I made a bunch of Daniel/Lewis headers last year and i thought they looked pretty so i just meshed them both together so I could have both my faves there :D

8. What’s your post with the most notes?

For once my tagging system comes in handy, it’s close between Uncle Daniel and my ‘prove them wrong’ set, they both have 1.5k notes. 

9. How many mutuals do you have?

I don’t really know who i’m mutuals with it’s hard to tell with sideblogs. 

10. How many followers do you have?

2.6k 

11. How many people do you follow?

312, 174 of which are motorsport blogs (yes i just counted and i didn’t realise i follow that many wow) 

12. Have you ever made a shit post?

Yeah but i don’t do it that often, i’ll leave it to the actually funny people

13. How often do you use tumblr a day?

Depends, during the work week i delete the app off my phone which decreases it a lot so probs 1-2 hours in the evening, during the weekends.... when am i not on here. 

14. Did you ever have a fight/argument with another blog?

*cricket noises* it was a while ago now, and just lead to mutual unfollowing. nowadays i just don’t respond, if u wanna argue under my posts go ahead just don’t drag me into it. 

15. How do you feel about the ‘you need to reblog’ posts?

‘I guess it depends? Like those posts about a topic that says stuff like you need to reblog otherwise you don't care I'm always like "well now i won't do it".’ < yap agreed, or like the ‘reblog or u’ll have good/bad luck’ posts gtfo. In terms of supporting content creators, i feel like it’s beating a dead horse at this point but yeah pleaseee reblog it means a lot and motivates us to make more content so i feel like it’s a win-win situation. 

16. Do you like tag games?

I really like being tagged!! I don’t talk to that many people on here so it’s nice to be acknowledged from time to time. I’ll admit i’m not the best at doing them sometimes like my brain just short circuits and for the love of god there’s only so many times i can expose my shitty music taste 😂😩

17. Do you like ask games?

I don’t do them often coz i’m scared i won’t get any asks lol, but it’s nice when people do send them and I like reading other people’s. 

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

Cassy @dams-racing is tumblr famous as she should be :)

19. Do you have a crush on a mutual?

I’m straight but some of my moots are very lengg, I wanna send asks gushing over them but then i’m like are we that close, are u gonna think i’m creepy? so i just send marriage propsals on anon lol 

20. Tags!

Tagging: @dennishaugers (i forgot that u changed ur url djskd), @maxielstan @iguessfutball @querencva @justdrivee @brighterrdays if you haven’t already and anyone else who wants to say that i tagged you :)

[hugsfromdad]

I've been mia on here, but not mia in the disaster bisexual front. So lemme fill you in

Okay, so idk if I've talked on here over the past few months about a cute cashier, but I can't seem to find it on my blog, so imma assume I haven't.

Back in mid August, I got my kitten. I got him 2 weeks earlier than expected, so the day before I picked him up, I had to run out and get his supplies. My friend was coming over that day, so we decided to hang out (outside) at my house, go get ice cream, and then go to the pet store for my stuff. after we got all that I needed, we went into Market Basket to buy some snacks so we could sit out in the parking lot and talk for a few hours. Well, that's where this story starts.

I looked hella fucking gay that day. (Striped button up UNbuttoned like halfway, my huge choker chain, and then my white washed levi's with a white 'Sisters' belt, and white converses. I can post a pic later if y'all want) so anyways, I was expecting to get some looks and stared. I did. Whatever. Well, were checking out at the speed aisle, and I notice eyes on me. I normally glace around when I'm checking out to see who is working, but I was met this time by the gaze of a cashier two rows back. I glanced down cause I didn't want to be rude, but when I check again, she was still looking at me. So I intentionally held her gaze for a few moments as I took note of what she looked like. Then I finished checking out and left with my friend.

While I'm a disaster bi and will focus and freak out over the smallest interraction with a cute person, I have become aware that most people (my friends) don't read into moments like that and will make fun of me if I do. That being said, I told myself it was probably just in my head and not that significant; that she was just checking out my outfit and clocking me as either a gay guy out with his girlfriend, (which was pretty much the case) or a couple getting some things.

WELL, so right as I was trying to not make anything out of it, my friend turns to me and goes. "Did you see that cashier staring at you? Like, she kept looking at you." And I was like "OKAY SO IT WASNT JUST ME" and she was like "no, she was really looking at you. She's really cute, too." And thus it began.

She's got a great style (also gorgeous even with a mask on, but I was more intrigued and attracted to her style). I told her that I liked her style a couple months ago and she repeated it back to me. She wears multiple necklaces, rings, and somehow makes her store uniform look cool. When I first really took note of her, my immediate thought was "she gives me west coast vibes." My best friend agreed with me when we were in the store together and she was there. And she might not be from the west coast, but if she told me she was from san Fransisco, I would believe it in a heartbeat. She got like a modern Marissa from the OC style. (I didn't watch the show, only those couple gay scenes with her character in it, so don't come for me)

So anyways, for the first 3-4ish months, my brain would short circuit as soon as we would lock eyes. Like, I can't describe it besides just a fog or a mental lockdown. I could like make eye contact, but I would just be in constant panic. I also couldn't imagine what to do next. Thus, I would panic and choose to go in a different aisle than hers for the first while. I didn't know what to do with a gorgeous woman who had eyes on me. (ALSO; I would like to state that her vibes and style are so immaculate, that I almost expect her to be gay. I thought she was clocking me as another gay person at first, but then I realized that we gays don't stare at someone of the opposite gender THIS much. So she could be gay. Idk. I'm good either way.)

Back to the panic: so it took me awhile to actually get the nerve up to choose her aisle when I could. Then we finally like interacted. I finally got her name, and I like asked her how she was. This happened like twice, and then there was a time I came in right after seeing my nephews(socially distanced). It was a slower day, so I didn't feel hurried in moving along. I asked her how her day was, and she answered and asked how mine was. I mentioner being happy cause I finally got to see my nephews after months of not. She then asked how old they were. We talked for a moment before I knew I have to go. It was as I was picking up my bag that I paused and looked at her and said "I've been meaning to say, I like your style." She like paused and said thanks, and that she liked mine as well. I then said something like "see you next time" and left.

From then, I'd see her when I went in, but almost every time she was in the wrong lane. We'd lock eyes as I walked in, and as I checked out and left, but we didn't get to like talk. That is, until I was tagging along shopping with my mum the day after fucking election night.

I don't think I need to say that I was more anxious and distracted than I had ever been when going in, and glued to my phone; refreshing google and watching the numbers come in. I don't think I even looked up when I walked in. I was in another place. I should also mention that I had noticed that the cute cashier (that's literally my nickname for her) usually worked on the weekends. This was a wednesday. So I was NOT paying sttention. I just followed my mum around the store while watching my phone and trying to do the math to see if there was a possibility that biden could win. Well, my mother eventually stuck us in line to check out, and asks me to get off my phone and help her unload, thats when I lift me head, and I'm staring directly into her eyes.

She was bagging for our aisle, so she was just standing there in my direct line of sight. And she has been watching me, waiting for me to fucking finally look up.

I'm sure I looked beyond stunned. Because I was. I honestly was so braindead from the day, that it took me a moment of staring back at to her process as to what was happening. I got it together quickly tho and bantered and talked with her a bit as she bagged and I helped load. She definitely was doing more than most, if that makes sense. I challenged her to fitting all of the groceries onto one cart cause she said she could. It was fun, and I think I again said "see you around* or something like that as we left.

And once again, once we got outside, my mother now goes "oh that bagger was cute." And I told her that that was the cute one I had mentioned before. THEN SHE GOES "oh yeah I picked up on that vibe of y'all." And I WANTED to ask her what that MEANT, but I didn't want to push it and then have my mother know/be able to make things awakrd.

ANYWAYS, 3 chapters in, lemme get to last months. I fucking got in anxiety meds. AND MY WORLD CHANGED. my mental block and fog was GONE. I could finally see a pathway through to like actually talking talking to her. SO, I pulled out a receipt, wrote down my number, and stuck it in my wallet for the next time I saw her.

Welp, the next time that was, she was in the wrong lane and teaching a new cashier what to do, so there was no way I was gonna try and insert myself into that situation. BUT, as I was walking both in and out, we locked eyes as usual, but this time as I was leaving, I did like a quick smile which caused me to squint my eyes for a half second. It almost looks like when a cat does their slow blink at you. I saw her respond to that and like smile back at me as I left. It was the first time I had ever done anything that was direct and nonverbally flirty.

So, I had to go again last night. And my parents were putting us in strict lockdown for the next 10 days, so we had to stock up. Before we left, I rewrote my note. And I told my best friends what was happening, and no matter what was the situation, I was gonna give her the note.

Well, she wasnt there. I was extremely disappointed.

Annnnd that leaves us here. It's gonna be a good 10-14 days before I'm allowed to go out, but youd better fucking believe it when I say that imma be giving her my number the moment I see her next. So wish me luck.

And also in case anyone asks; I don't want to try any dating apps cause I hate them. Also I'm half asleep now she don't have the energy to go back and edit this. Hopefully it's coherent.

So I guess I'll update y'all when I eventually get to leave the house and see her again

[ylizam]

Answer these questions then tag ? blogs you’d like to know better

tagged by @walkthegale and @farmerdamsel​. 

Nicknames: JC, j., [my irl lastname]

Zodiac: Leo. that’s the only bit I know. 

Height: 5′1.5″

Time: 22:34

Favourite band/artist: um. my brain short-circuited at the idea of a single favorite, but I love Leonard Cohen and the Indigo Girls and Beyoncé and Fleetwood Mac and the original Broadway cast of Ragtime and Sarah Connolly and Kelly Clarkson and Fiona Apple and Cher, off the top of my head of course.

Song stuck in my head: All I Want for Christmas is You, which, yes, is in part because it’s ubiquitous, but is mostly because of my Berena advent title convention (I am determined to catch up and finish Berena advent, but I got sick, and the Yuletide deadline is suddenly omg!soon, so look forward to a bunch of drabbles at the last second).

Last movie I saw: Coco

Last thing I Googled: I was checking to see if Sarah & Duck is available on US-region DVD (it is not) because it is of course my nephew’s favorite show and they pulled it from US Netflix. 

Other blogs: mazily on dreamwidth! I’m going to try to start updating there again (in addition to tumblr, which I’m not leaving until the last lights go out, etc.)!

Do I get asks: sometimes! I am terrible at responding in a timely manner and then let it overwhelm me, but also I am still working on those prompt responses (see above re: Yuletide deadline and add Secret Santa, etc.).

Why did I choose this username: it’s my LJ name backwards. I got that from a poem. 

Following: 97

Average amount of sleep: my alarm goes off at 5am on weekdays so never, ever, enough.

What I’m wearing: the cheerleading hoodie I stole from my sister when we drove from New Jersey to California in, oh gosh, 2002? ish?, grey sweatpants, and unicorn slipper socks. 

Dream job: for a bit I dreamed of being a nun, and then there was a period during which I dreamed of playing one of Erica Kane’s children on All My Children, and then of course I was going to perform in musicals, and then I thought maybe writing movies, or showrunning the next big sci fi TV show, and then maybe writing novels, or somehow getting paid to travel. my real dream job is being some sort of witch who lives in the woods but also near the sea and close enough for a day trips to a city that has good pizza and theatre and who writes queer romance and maybe something with a touch of religious-tinged horror. 

Dream trip: I have so many dream trips, honestly: Iran, a long slow ramble through the UK, taking my mother to Ireland (her dream trip; we’d do Dublin and wherever my grandmother’s cousins, etc. are), Egypt, visiting all the fandom Australians I have known, visiting all the fandom Kiwis I have ever known, Cambodia, New Orleans (always, forever, no matter how many times I go), the south of France, etc. etc. also Disney World and other Disney properties. 

Fave food: the m&m pancakes we only ate down the shore growing up, specifically the way they tasted to my childhood palate, with the smell of saltwater everywhere and sand stuck to my feet and a day alternating between ocean and bay ahead of me. also freshly baked bread and various spicy noodle dishes. 

Play any instruments: I quit both piano and clarinet as a child.

Hair colour: brown (although I’ve got some grey coming in I’m quite fond of).

Languages you speak: only English, really, although I can stumble along in terrible French after a day or two adjusting (it’s not pretty, but it gets the job done).

Most iconic song: Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Random fact: I trained myself to say drawer with an -r sound at the end because I kept getting gently mocked for saying it draw and it still feels wrong in my mouth (it's such a comfort to slip back into draw draw draw, get the silverware from the draw when I visit my family). 

Describe yourself as aesthetic things: cats, striped blankets, coffee, punching down bread dough, whiskey, messy stacks of books, ink stains from writing longhand, peeling nail polish, smudged glasses, Doc Martens, water, a black suit and tie, spontaneous singing, clutter. 

Tagging: you and you and you you and you. honestly.

[chaser-not-a-seeker]

I have been tagged by @nerdydancingravenclaw

Nicknames: Um, my contact name in my girlfriends phone is “Nick from Tinder” because we met through tinder. Everyone else just calls me typical bogan things to get my attention like “Oi, shithead” or something along those lines. Apart from “Nick from Tinder” i dont really have any nicknames!

Gender: Male

Star sign: Sagittarius boiii

Height: 5′7 (im short for a guy i knowww)

Sexuality: Straight 

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor   

Favorite Animal(s): Umm, if we’re including mythological animals im going to say the Phoenix, but if not, definitely an Owl or a bird of some sort!

Average Hours of Sleep: *cough* um.. well.. i mean i get like 8-9 hours of sleep, just at the complete and utter wrong time, like.. im kinda nocturnal at the moment and its so bad

Where I’m From: 'STRAYA M8

Dream Trip: WELL, ive got three! One is to go from the most northern part of Japan to the most southern point, but stopping off at Ebisu circuit to drift for 3 days straight at one of  the drifting festivals they have, wont go in to too much detail about the car thing, but i really wanna go to Japan. Trip number two is Germany, im very slowly learning German for when i go. Trip number three is the entirety of Great Britain and then also go over to Ireland, i want to see it all! @nerdydancingravenclaw has me hyped up about all the castles i could see!

When I Made This Account: February 2018!

Why I Made This Account: I’d started following people on my other blog and i just loved seeing everyone RP and the sense of community that was there, even as a lurker i noticed it. So i said “meh, screw it” and made this blog, i’d grown up with the Harry Potter series and it felt so good to have somewhere i can throw caution to the wind and let my obsession take full flight, im so happy i have because oh my god have i made some amazing friends! (I love you all so much aaa)

Followers: 211 at the moment!

Imma tag: @askmischiefmanaged, and @castleonthehell.

[hotgirlinahotcar]

* headcanon free-for-all

tagged by: several of you for other things (that are started but still in my drafts...). And with all of y’all already tagged in those too... instead of re-tagging the same people for the same stuff... new thing... tagging: @conviictus / @melioriisms​ | @cunninglinguistx​ | @governingmouse | @governinglion | @nicophaught | and everybody else who wants to | non-rp-blogs: just replace ‘your muse’ with one of your fav chars to write about notes: the following answers are heavily influenced by headcanons {d’oh} and whatnots and are subject to change if we ever actually find out more about Gidge...

♥ is there an article of clothing that means the most to your muse? Yep, several. Nope, not her jackets. All the special shirts and other garments that weren’t initially hers but somehow ended up in her possession for some reason or other... (except for stuff that was just discarded or forgotten at her place that ends up in her closet without having any special meaning to her).

❀ what does your muse’s daily routine look like? Most days Gidge gets up at the asscrack of dawn to go surfing - unless the weather won’t permit it (in which case she either goes back to sleep, wakes up her woman for a different kind of workout or catches up on chores and whatnot instead). After a quick shower she then shows up for work barely on time and spends her day there being her glorious sapphic psychologisty self... then after work there really isn’t much of a routine anymore, it’s more of a day to day thing... either back to the beach, or when stuff is piling up, it’s time for chores/errands/paperwork etc and she does the adulting thing. The nights that are all about her girl and spending time together doing whatever they feel like really are her favs though (especially when those also happen to include beachy-surfy and/or lesbionic stuffs). If she’s single though, she might turn her axe-effect up to 11 and hit some lezzie nests for starters... Just hanging out with friends in general is never a bad idea either. And of course the more or less sporadic lazy and quiet nights in are good for the soul too. Naturally, with a lifestyle like that, there also are the days when she’s just beyond exhausted because all that lack of sleep for various reasons caught up with her and she just goes to bed early to recharge properly.

◎ does your muse plan for the long-term or short-term? Both. Realistic goals and all that. Of course she’s only human though, so while she may have the sapphic psychologist skills professional knowledge beneficial to maintaining a healthy balance in general, advice is always easier given than taken. In consideration of that, in most matters, she not only encourages clients and friends alike but also tries to live by it herself. On the flip side of that, nothing wrong with indulging in occasional crazyass notions either. Even the wildest dreams come true for some people after all... In advice-mode she’d also insist on cautioning against actually expecting the more unrealistic stuff to happen though. Cause that kind of thinking has the potential of providing the ideal environment to the birth of delusions.

◆ what is one secret your muse has? Her girlfriend Franky is probably the biggest one... and the canon one... other than that, in verses where she did the pro-surfing circuit thing, it’s not so much of a secret as a part of her life that she just doesn’t share with people at work... with the long lost kid trope, there’d be that... then I have plenty of ideas about the reasons why she got into psychology in the first place... like being forced to go to a mental institution/straight camp when she was a teenager... as in shit was done to her there by the people who were supposed to help her and it becomes her calling to provide therapy done the right way and save people from suffering the likes of what she had to endure... lotsa stuff along those lines. And then there’s the ever classic infinite roulette game of insanity: ‘paid for college (or whatever) by being/got rich by being/gets off on being/leads a double life as/is undercover as/used to be/is mistaken for/pretends to be/wants to be/is forced to be/is being lured into becoming/is basically the same person {cause you’re playing the same muse - a stripper/porn star/lingerie & nude model/hooker/high class escort/assassin for hire/notorious thief/criminal in general/heir to a famous crime family/rockstar/other type of celebrity/is married to/divorced from/related to (somebody rich and famous)/vampire/mermaid/witch/werewolf/alien/ghost/superhero/immortal/time traveler/pirate/ninja/dinosaur/rocket ship/shark toast/swirly whirly junglepants/several or all of the above/is basically the same person {cause you’re playing the same muse - and somebody knows/finds out/stumbles over the intel/gets dragged into it/starts investigating by looking into something unrelated/gets an (anonymous) tip/comes from that world too (and is either keeping the same secret or the complete opposite, is well known for it/comes from another but equal/similar/conflicting/antagonistic situation/is basically the same person {cause you’re playing the same muse}’ {you get the point, these could all go on forever and range from slightly canon-divergent to the crackyassest bloody shit you could ever imagine... Now, I’m not saying I could imagine Gidge in any and all kinds of scenarios, but I’m never not up for at least spitballing, no matter how cracky and insane it might seem.} {Back to the serious side though, I love the whole secret thing so much, so there’s gazillions of headcanons/ideas that I have, but not too many that I’d just ascribe to Gidget in general, so it really depends on the thread.}

ϟ who means the most to your muse? why? Her girl. She’s the love of her life and the world wouldn’t make sense without her in it. And while Bridget had a life before her, since she met Franky/Lorraine/*insert your muse’s name if you wish*, she can’t imagine ever going back to that because she doesn’t even remember what she was living for before she experienced the love they have for each other. 

☛ what is your muse’s biggest regret? {I’m gonna leave this basically open for now because I think that would heavily depend on plot and thread and whatnot.} For example, if she did have a kid that she lost somehow, obvi it’d be that... but ‘kids are gross’ versions of her never even would’ve had said child and thus would have entirely different biggest regrets... ex pro-surfer Gidge might forever mourn the loss of that career and might not ever stop resenting whatever ended it... {so yeah, options, options, options... with variations... and alternatives... so just scroll back up to that roulette wheel and we’ll leave it at that until something specific comes along.}

❥ is your muse cool? She thinks she is anyway... XD Nah, she’s chill, but she def has that adorkable side too. Especially when she’s actively trying to be cool... like that ‘I’m not a screw’ scene... {Sorry babe, but your inner Elsa had her gloves on there...}

✯ which three traits define your muse? {Actually... lemme change this one a bit... you can do either version, whatever you prefer.} to be answered at some point in the not so distant future {So I just realized this is just gonna make this post a lot longer and doesn’t even quite fit in with the headcanon thing anymore anyway and can easily be a whole other tag thing by itself...}

♕ would your muse hug a monster? *smiles at @governinglion​ with wide open arms* {PS: Dude, we really should start talking about starting something... I even have a couple of ideas I’ve been meaning to shoot at ya but haven’t yet cause my ADD is playing fucking pinball with me atm...}

❣ is your muse a fighter or a lover? What’s with the ‘or’? It’s entirely possible to be both at the same time... Just sayin... So yeah, definitely both. Particularly so when the lover brings out the fighter. (That goes for kinkyass passion-motivated activities as well as the ‘my love for you will make me fight to the death and I ain’t letting nothing and no one get in my way’ thing.) 

✎ what does life mean to your muse? Biologically, she’s pro-choice. Philosophically... okay, yeah, nope... not gonna go there. To answer in some profound yet vague and still revealing way I’d have to write a fucking epos. So I’ll pass. Your call whether you wanna ponder the meaning of life or disregard this one too.

Disclaimer: Actually this was a meme before I misappropriated it for this. So all credit for the questions goes to whoever wrote them originally. @vhsmeme I think... I hope you don’t mind that I turned it into a tag thing instead. By the time I realized I should’ve fucking asked you first, I had already written most of the replies... so...

But yeah, not cool to just assume it’d be okay, and I acknowledge that. Sorry!-ish. In my defense tho... there’s a hugeass ‘free-for-all’ right there in the title... I just realized that... XD

[twistedrope-twine]

Ill Communication: Going “viral” and the impact on brands

Loose Ends for Monday, July 9, 2018

By Patrick Connelly Project Manager, Twisted Rope

In the social media age, the last thing any brand wants is to “go viral” for the wrong reasons.

Yet, like in what we saw recently when IHOP announced a new campaign or when Best Buy unveiled a change to its longtime logo, it’s seemingly easy to be thrown to the wolves as brand changes are negatively received or immediate feedback isn’t quite as favorable as even the best marketing minds may anticipate.

Does the adage that “any publicity is good publicity” still hold true for brands or are these “Twitter Moments” of ridicule detrimental to a business beyond the few days where they are thrusted into the spotlight and become punchlines on the late-night comedy circuit or Twittersphere?

“The concept of viral marketing is by no means new,” Vishal Patel, a digital marketer, wrote as he delved into its origination and long-term impact. “Word-of-mouth marketing, viral’s forefather, has been around for ages. The principle behind word-of-mouth marketing is simple: use influencers to generate peer-to-peer product recommendations or buzz.”

“I don’t think viral is anything a brand should aspire to,” Ann Handley, an author and chief content officer at MarketingProfs, told Forbes. “If it happens, it’s a happy accident. But it’s never anything that a company should actively pursue because I don’t think it’s a worthwhile endeavor.”

A campaign gone viral does bring short-lived brand awareness like in what we saw when IHOP mysteriously announced it would be changing its famous moniker that had been short for "International House of Pancakes" to “IHOb.” The internet went wild, pondering just what the ‘b’ would be short for. Later, IHOP announced the change was temporary as the company was looking to promote its “burgers” and the fact unknown to many that IHOP, indeed, has menu options beyond breakfast.

"We are definitely going to be IHOP but we want to convey that we are taking our burgers as seriously as our pancakes," the company’s president, Darren Rebelsz, relayed to CNN Money.

As part of the campaign, IHOP updated its Twitter handle to @IHOb and Rebelsz even went as far as updating his position on his LinkedIn profile to “Chief Burger Officer.” After the announcement, he fielded interviews to ensure patrons that the change was merely a gimmick and that IHOP would permanently remain by its original name once the campaign concludes.

"There was a reluctance at first from the [IHOP] franchisees because the brand has made a couple different runs at promoting [non-breakfast]-type offers in the past and they've typically fallen flat," Rebelez told AdAge. "We knew we were going to have to do something different."

The wake of the IHOB campaign was “exactly” what the company was looking for, Rebelsz said -- though he did admit the company did not expect the “magnitude” of how much of an impact it would have in the mainstream media.

Well that was a crazy week. pic.twitter.com/5XvIErpSoH

— IHOb (@IHOb) June 15, 2018

TONGUE IN CHEEK: In the viral social media flood that followed IHOP's announcement of a name change, the company kept a cool head and played right along with all the jokes and jabs.

While IHOP may have been eager to play to the masses with the marketing ploy, some feedback like what Best Buy saw with its logo change can come as unexpected, particular at times that should be exciting for a brand.

“The proliferation of marketing and advertising, coupled with the onslaught of millions of media channels in today’s world, has given cause for consumers to tune out and effectively avoid a great deal of traditional supplier driven messaging,” Patel wrote.

Patel described viral marketing today as more of a “long con” as brands use it to “seed” ideas in the minds of consumers who may not be converted to customers right then and there, but perhaps in the future.

“Viral marketing, like all marketing, is hit or miss,” Patel added. “However, viral marketing by nature is often more risky or controversial than traditional marketing. If done improperly viral marketing can backfire and create negative buzz.”

Graphic design blogs and the rarely-benevolent folks of Twitter were quick to point out Best Buy’s new logo that shook up the placement of the traditional “yellow tag” in favor of simple block typeface looked a lot like that of Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light (which itself had created a viral craze with the recent “Dilly Dilly” campaign).

The new Best Buy logo is “more modern and easier to read, especially in today’s digital world,” the company had said in a news release on its blog when it was unveiled. The new placement of the yellow tag provides a “graphic punctuation and a visual connection to our history,” Best Buy added.

“The updated logo is true to our heritage, but it’s really cleaned up,” said Whit Alexander, Best Buy’s chief marketing officer. “It’s an evolution toward the future and we’re really excited about that.”

Along with the new logo, Best Buy is rebranding its voice and showcasing its employees as a means of “telling the story of our people,” Alexander said. “Our people are our insurmountable advantage.”

CHANGING THE MESSAGE: Along with its logo change, Best Buy is showcasing its helpful employees which it believes gives the company a heads up over competitors and online shopping.

In what seems like stark refute to the feedback the new logo received, Best Buy’s new advertising campaign has turned heads and received praise from media and blogs for showcasing the customer experience in an age trending toward fully-digital shopping.

There are many advantages to viral marketing. Marketers are quick to point out advantages like the mainstream media exposure a campaign that’s gone viral can have and the low or non-existent advertising costs, like the free publicity IHOP garnered with the Rebelsz interviews where he explained the company’s motive and rationale and countless media outlets and radio stations covering the story. IHOP, for better or worse, has entered the national conversation when it had been just another place to grab a bite to eat.

“We believe that viral advertising is a cost-effective way to reach a large-scale audience,” wrote Alan G. House, an analyst at Value Line, a publisher that offers research to investors. “Most of the major advertisers have a social marketing department, so we believe that it represents another avenue for growth, as well as a means of diversification. We think that viral advertising is here to stay and that companies must realize both the positive and negative implications of this market approach.”

When poorly received, House suggests brands counteract the viral campaign with something more sensible. Dealing with adverse feedback “is difficult,” he wrote. “The best solution could be to launch a new viral campaign that is more socially acceptable or to address the controversial [item] in a responsible manner.”

The sustained impact that poorly-received viral marketing can have remains a new frontier for marketers. While “shareability” can certainly be measured through analytics, what lasting effects resonate with consumers a decade down the road following a viral campaign remains to be seen and financial numbers haven’t yet been examined perhaps as they should.

The focus, according to Handley, should be avoiding the potential of going viral, weighing possible outcomes before the launch of a campaign and aiming to create “great moments” with customers rather than viral ones.

“Marketing is art plus intent,” Handley said. “Creativity … is a big piece. The other piece is intent: what are you trying to drive, what do you want them to do? If you can address those two buckets, you’ll create some great marketing.”

LEARN MORE

Explore these links to learn more about viral marketing.

CIO takes a look at its 10 worst marketing campaigns

Gumas, an advertising agency, examines ways to measure success (or lack thereof) of a viral campaign

SocialNewsDaily examines more campaigns by big brands that have gone “bad”

USA Today puts a spotlight on how one-on-one communication with consumers posting negative reviews can harm a business and, sometimes, be beneficial

Patrick Connelly is a project manager at Twisted Rope. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @thatswhatPCsaid.