#even if i get past that stage i have to explain that the main goal of the game is to romance the 7 deadly sins and biblical people

[xylofondue]

It's so awkward talking about Obey me! Shall we date because my family will be like "Oh, what's that game that you've been into lately?" And I have to say some normal crap like Pokemon Masters EX or the Arcana because if I go 'It's called Obey me' they think I'm doing something really weird / illegal

[watatsumiis]

(A soft, fluffy continuation to this post about Xiao's reading and writing skills (or lack thereof)

Teaching Xiao how to read and write would be a tedious and difficult endeavour for everybody involved. He may not catch on to what you're doing at first, but once he does he'll do everything in his power to try and avoid it. He's super embarrassed at how far behind he is, and he doesn't want to be perceived as weak in any way, shape or form, especially not by you, someone he's sworn to protect.

It may seem like he's pushing you away at first, and eventually an intervention needs to be staged - whether you bring in Zhongli and some of the other adepti to help explain it all, or confront Xiao on your own, he'll respond better once you've been open and direct with him about what you're doing and why.

Though he is genuinely trying his best, Xiao simply isn't accustomed to sitting still and trying to learn. He's hard-wired for vigilance and combat, so it's nigh on impossible to get him to stay in his seat. He's up and about, wandering the area and trying to keep an eye out for any possible danger, no matter how much you assure him that there's none to be found. You can only get him to sit down for five or ten minutes at a time before he needs a break, or else he starts to get destructive.

Once he's settled a bit and started to write, it comes out stiff and awkward - he always holds his brush like a weapon, no matter how much you try to teach him otherwise. You can say it as often as you like, but Xiao simply cannot pull himself out of combat mode. To him, this is a battle like any other, he's just conquering worksheets instead of demons.

He always makes an utter mess of the inks and chews on the writing tools when you take your eyes off of him - he likes the texture of the wood splintering between his teeth.

His embarrassment and shyness also mean that he finds it really difficult to speak up when he's having trouble with something, no matter how much you reassure him that it's okay to ask for help. He also does well when you're working alongside him, even if it's on something else.

Teaching Xiao these skills is an arduous task, but he retains the information well, even after long gaps between lessons. You may find that occasionally rewarding him with little treats may also boost his productivity somewhat. Not necessarily food, but small trinkets, head scritches and hair brushing tend to be great bribes to coax Xiao into working towards a goal.

He'd never tell you, but one of the main reasons he said yes to your teaching proposition is because he wants to be able to read and enjoy your favourite books alongside you. He even ends up spending some extra time around others so that he can ask them for the definition of words he's not sure about as he slowly but surely progresses through the book during quiet restful periods of time.

One day, you'll find that he's speaking in an awkward, stilted sort of way, perhaps saying things that don't exactly fit into the context of the situation. How quickly you realise depends on what your memory for quotes is like, but you come to the conclusion in the end anyways - he's quoting your favourite books to you, trying to tell you that he read them without outright saying it.

He's secretly really proud of himself for being able to make it through an entire book. Though he may not fully understand certain parts of it, and the deeper meanings still elude him, he's just delighted that he was finally able to share something so special and meaningful with you.

You may even start to receive mysterious, unsigned letters on important dates and holidays - rolled up in pretty, loose ribbons and covered in blocky, awkward handwriting. Unsigned, but filled with love nonetheless.

Please don't repost, steal, copy or otherwise plagiarise my writing! I do not consent for my works to be translated and posted elsewhere, or copy - pasted into bot or AI technology

[distortedmoondisc]

Do you ever think about the parallels between Rinne and Aira

Not only they have a shared interest in protecting Hiiro and ensuring his well-being/growth as a person, (and it's extra interesting given how Aira sort of dislikes Rinne for how he dealt with Hiiro in general—by leaving him alone at their hometown and disowning him in the summer of the MDM—, so even though they have the same interests and goals regarding Hiiro, they aren't exactly friends nor like each other — though this is mostly from Aira's part, because Rinne does like Aira and even acknowledges him as someone important to Hiiro that he must keep in his life), but Aira kinda is what Rinne used to be, before his dreams of becoming an idol we're crushed by the new rules of ES.

!! Main Story, Episode 171, "Revolution"

I've seen many people talk about how Rinne and Aira would get along because they're both idol otakus, but I believe that's a common misunderstanding of Rinne's character, because Rinne isn't an idol otaku (at least not anymore). He doesn't like the current idol system and the way Ensemble Square is running the industry. That's why he tried to change it by force in the !! Main Story by acting out. This is different from Aira, who loves the idols born from this system, and is a participant in the ES system that is going to hurt the industry in the long run (because ES is mass producing idols like a factory, stripping them from their own individuality and what makes idols especial in the first place — which is why Aira likes idols to begin with! Because they're different from ordinary people!)

!! Main Story, episode 220, "Despair"

Aira is aware that the idol industry isn't perfect, in episode 171 he even acknowledges that the mass production of idols similar to items of consumption made in a factory is wrong and it strips idols from their beauty and value, but he doesn't have the insight and first hand experience with heartbreak as Rinne had, so he doesn't have the motivation to protest or change the way ES is running the industry. They both love idols and dreamed of becoming one, but Rinne isn't an idol otaku, because he can't be a fan of idols mass produced by the current system.

What Rinne does instead, is support underground idols that would otherwise be trampled or forced to disappear by ES because they don't fit their sets of standards (and because ES has monopoly in the idol industry, they can easily do this without much repercussions or public outcry) and gives them his protection. This is explained throughout the course of the story of Night Club.

Nigh Club, Epilogue 2

Aira tries to impersonate an ideal idol persona, as the ones he watched when he was younger. He wants to embody a model idol and inspire others as idols inspired him in the past. Rinne used to be similar, but ES arbitrarily destroyed his solo career making him lose that dream, and that's why he embodies the wild and rebellious persona he portrays on stage, which is a complete opposite to how a traditional idol should act (and this is a constant point of conflict between him and other idols, such as Himeru; Himeru tends to scold Rinne for being so wild and doing whatever he wants because it goes against what is expected of an idol, but in Night Club he comes to understand that this is Rinne's soft way to protest against ES, despite having lost to them in the first part of the !! Main Story).

(Sometimes, I wonder if Rinne is happy being the wild and playful self he is with Crazy:B, or if he would prefer to be on stage as an ideal idol like he used to do years ago....)

However, despite their differences and the dislike/intimidation Aira might feel towards Rinne, he admits he understands his feelings and where he comes from, and that he can't help but to relate to him due to the fact that they both love idols. Aira scolds Rinne in episode 220 "Despair" to make him stop his pity party, but later in episode 224 "Flutter" he comforts and encourages him instead—telling him that he should not give up being an idol, because he recognizes that Rinne loves idols as much as he does, and that he still has a reason to live because he has fans of himself and of Crazy:B waiting for him among the crowd, meaning that he is still loved and accepted by someone, despite all the wreckage he had caused.

(And if I'm allowed to get personal for a moment, I just need to make emphasis in how important Aira is to the development of the Amagi brothers in the last arc of the !! main story, and this scene is a perfect example of that. Aira is the one who encourages Rinne to join the others on stage and sing, and after that it is Hiiro that pushes Rinne to give that step which finally leads them to perform on stage together 🥹)

So as we can see, Rinne and Aira have a lot of similarities, but they act in completely different ways due to their circumstances. They have similar backgrounds as idol lovers but they have different views and feelings about the industry and the profession, (however, they seem to share the same ideals as to what an idol should be, and love the same type of ideal idol inside their hearts). Adding to that their shared most beloved person, Hiiro, and how the two of them want what's best for him but they have a point of contention due to Rinne's bad actions in the !! Main Story, and their relationship becomes x10 more interesting, and I wish we talked about it more!

And we know Happyele hasn't forgotten about them, because Aira appeared in Rinne's recent relationship chart, just below Hiiro.

(also, a little unrelated, bu i think it's funny that despite having a heart to heart at the ending of the main story, their relationship is still "want to tease him" and "he's a little scary" ahdks Aira, who scolded Rinne in front of hundreds of people in the MDM, regressed to feeling intimidated and troubled by him. A couple of friends commented that it was probably because Aira had a burst of courage in the MDM because of the severity of the situation, so he had the determination to call out Rinne, a senior that he particularly feels intimidated by, publicly without second thought. It is canon that after the fact, Aira admitted that looking back on the MDM he felt embarrassed for doing such a bold thing. Idk, it's just something i find very interesting and fun about their dynamic www)

So this leads me to believe that they haven't forgotten about the history these two had in the main story, and all I can do is just wait for them to expand on their relationship and dynamic more eventually in some future event.

[bogleech]

Dearest Bog,

First off, thank you! You've been my main source of biology and horror articles for years, along with having a super unique art style and aesthetic sense that I really like :)

Gushing-aside, I've noticed a trend these last few years of less emphasis on the whole months-long halloween thing. Not that you don't have enough contributions under your belt already, but i was just curious how you prioritize this stuff, how much you value the planning stages before jumping into new projects, if at all, and the direction you might want to take your site in the future, if you're able to answer that.

Apologies if this has already been explained in detail, been a follower of yours for years, but not exactly the most consistent one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Maybe it's the ADHD, but basically my mind is a non-stop hurricane of things I'd like to do or create, all the time, to the point that there's not enough time in even a whole human lifespan to give all of them the attention I'd want. Sharing the silly things that inspire me is really fun and I have a constant urge to do it, but my usual level of Halloween updating is as much work as a full time job; even a short little article on some goofy things I saw in a store can take me hours and I can't even rightfully justify why. Maybe I write them too carefully, worrying about the perfect flawless cadence and making it as interesting as possible for such a niche and frivolous topic? So to make those things I end up actually sacrificing as much time as a job without even the benefits of a job, and it kind of pains me to think about what else I might have accomplished if, over the years, I'd instead managed to put even 1/3 that time towards other stuff. Mortasheen is pretty big, and I actually am spending more time on it this Halloween season than on my website, though it's still slow going and with it being October 26 right now, I've already failed my goal of a Halloween release :/ ...a Halloween II release, though, is looking incredibly likely, because the amount of work left to do on it is significantly less than the amount of work I did in just the past month and a half. But @revretch got me Godot and a bunch of resources for learning game making, so I'm going to start on that soon. I'm also getting the hang of making videos more comfortably, and streaming, and other things that engage people more directly. When I've gotten more done with the Mortasheen book I'll be able to devote more to my webcomic, too, which I still care about as much as ever. I guess unfortunately my answer to how I prioritize things is just "some sort of way, I think, maybe???"

[inbetweenknacksandnooks]

Uh, I got Jane Doe in about 23 pulls...

Whoops.

Now you might be wondering, "Nackersin, how is this a 'whoopsie' moment? I want Jane Doe! And lost my 50/50 🤬🤬🤬"

Let me explain!

Note: This is a long, silly-stupid rant. Just scroll past if you wanna vote for my dilemma.

First off, it has to do with how I lost Zhu Yuan. Lost the 50/50 for Von Lycaon at 50-or-so, and got to pull 68 before the banner ended.

At the very least, I'm happy I was able to get Nicole to Max Cinema!

Then about 5 pulls later, on the next banner, I got Qingyi.

Now, I do like Jane, I squee everytime I see her teaser and trailer, I think she's pretty dang cool, and amazing!

Anyways, Jane's banner has a higher chance to get Seth and Anby. Seth is whatever, he's neat, and I like his too-lawful-good-for-this-awful-world ness. He's silly, but he's not a character I connect with real well, and, while his fighting style is creative, it's not very fun and/or useful to me.

But you know the S-ranker I do wanna get?

ANBY!!!!

I have her at Cinema 2, and would really love to max her out! She's wonderful, and she and Nicole are always together on my teams and is always the first (along with Nicole, since I got her C6) I give special care and treatment to.

I've been absolutely WAITING for Jane's banner to get my 'lil fingies around her C6! I only have 4 more of her to go!

It's a 25% chance to get an A-rank character on banners, but you're guaranteed to get one for every (10???) Signal Searches you do.

There is a very slim chance you'll get an A-rank not seen on the banner.

So, the stage is set to get Anby!

1st search was normal, I got Seth.

For the next one I got Corin... okay...

Then...

Oh no... I got an S-rank with my searching.

If I got Jane Doe, I'd have to end the search for Anby early!

I got Seth for the A-rank, and I hoped I'd lost my 50/50 to rationalize rolling on Jane's banner more, but...

I'd just won my 50/50, and I could no longer go searching. I hadn't even gotten 1 Anby!

So. Here's my dilemma.

Should I keep rolling until I get Another Jane Doe (and hopefully get Anby C6)

Note:

Getting Anby to C6 is my main goal, but my brain hates thinking about missed opportunities, so if I got C6 before getting an S-Rank, I'd be thinking about how close I must be to getting an S-rank, and I wouldn't want to miss it! Hence, why I talked about getting another Jane Doe.

If this option in the poll is taken, I would not be rolling past getting another Jane Doe, so as to not 'push my luck'.

Or should I just stop right now and wait until another Anby-involved banner pops up? I don't have any S-ranks I care to save for as of now.

I have around 10,624 polychromes, which is enough for 88 tapes, almost guaranteeing that I'll get another S-rank if I have the average luck of S-rank per 60 searches.

[sharkfinx]

<  @uchihacollector | cont’d >  stages of a break up

What a wonderful night! When the sunrays kiss his blue skin from the gaps of the curtain, Kisame lazily turns on the bed. Yawning, a stretch that moved the sheets from the bed. The morning's cold, the softness of the bed that calls for just another 5 minutes of sleep that almost makes him feel guilty for some reason. What’s wrong with a bit of comfort? He wishes for a little more as he nuzzles the pillow and finally opens his eyes.

He doesn’t pay attention to his surroundings as he gets up and brushes his teeth. His partner always had many secondary tasks whenever they stopped by any village. Just like Kakuzu with his bounties and Sasori with his art, as long as it didn't interfere with their main goal it was harmless. By the end of the day that same annoying dubious smile would show up as if nothing happened, rambling compliments to appease to his good side. Shrimp flavored rice crackers matched with bats of eyelashes are the key to him not get questioned.

"Writing is too bothersome as I thought… Something simpler shall do, Nee." 

His mind was too entertained with that simple date to give a second look on what happened in that place. He has always been a simple minded person, or just innocently excited with planning a simple celebration. 

“One whole year...” He whispers to himself as someone that tried to make a script.

Something simple. I nee something simple.

Kisame is back at their room, a tray filled with food (mostly from the complimentary breakfast.) is by his side on the bed as he sat there with crossed legs. There's three slices of bread, homemade mayonnaise, three boiled eggs and an Omurice.The shinobi picks one of the boiled eggs, peeling the shell; His own fault for doing it once, forgetting Orochimaru's tendencies of being spoiled and now having to do it every single time. Unless he wanted an annoyed gaze for the rest of the day as if had insulted him deeply.

That makes him chuckle as he takes another egg in his hands.

"Kekekekeke. He's such a weird person, my partner, neee. ~ " A joyful smile fills his face in a manner he only remembers from the past. Peeling scales of fishes that his mother caught during a long day of summer. At the last egg, the shining of the ring finally cut the denseness of Kisame's mind. A note? That should explain where he went this time.

"............" 

The glittering curtain that covered his days for the past one year finally drops.

5:00 pm

It 's evening now.

Denial. 

How long has he been staring at the same spot on the wall? Hand still holding on the same note as his face had stuck in the same expressionless gaze as the moment he got tired from rereading it over and over. He's drowned by feelings he doesn't understand and cannot comprehend. Stuck, frozen in place. He wants to puke his own guts; something hurts inside. He is unaware what. For a moment he wondered if he was poisoned or in a genjutsu. 

He finally moves, eyes staring at the breakfast tray. It especially stares at the Omurice which has a simple snake and shark drawn on it with ketchup. 

"What a bummer." His throat is dry as he forces a grin. 

He slowly lays down on the bed, his eyes are tired like his body for some reason. 

Maybe he was really poisoned.

Anger.

The next day his work truly starts; checking every bit of that room for a single clue. His missing note, the scratches on the floor, the clothes missing from his bag.

How could he not see it? It's almost like a yellow scroll in the middle of a green jungle.

Impossible to miss. 

What's wrong with a little comfort? That's his answer right there. He has to pay for the fine for staying longer than he’s supposed to be. 

Bargaining.

A week from that day is where he stands alone in their meeting, he's the only one by himself as the other pairs explained their gains from their last missions. Curious eyes waited for Kisame's turn like vultures. 

" He deserted. Orochimaru fled while I was asleep." There's silence, rude jokes that he doesn't listen well. There's demands and questioning that he also takes a while to process. What more he can explain? He  He got comfortable. It’s his fault.

" It was my fault, but If you wish for I—" Orochimaru wasn't a priority in their plans. Hunting him would only delay their next move, especially someone as Kisame. He can't really say anything about it, can he? 

He loves the comfort of following orders. The way he doesn't need to think or plan his own desires and seek them. 

Doesn't he? He agrees with Pain and quietly accepts his next mission.

Depression.

He's doing little jobs now as others get bigger missions for the time being. 

Eating is bothersome—he doesn't really need to eat everyday. That was a habit developed to be more human. He can go well for weeks with only one big meal. 

He catches himself cutting around the tenderloins again. Suddenly his appetite stops and he leaves the rest of the deer to the animals in the forest.

Kisame just keeps completing missions non stop—sleeping only when his body collapses, usually in a body of water where he stays at the floor until he regains consciousness again. Samehada complains daily in little grumbles of the quality of Kisame's chakra. It's too much but without any taste–But Kisame can't do much about it. He can't get bigger missions without a partner, and being paired with another pair made him want to pull his guts away. 

He tries to reassure Samehada, changing its bandages as an apology.

Acceptance.

"......There's no missions...right now." Zetsu exclaims, having to repeat it a second time. 

That's the first smile Kisame has in a month, with Samehada on his shoulder. " Then I shall spread my wings a little, could you warn the others?" 

As Zetsu nods and disappears, Kisame looks at the horizon. Bearing his fangs as he used to before.

It's time for the hunt to start.

That past year he learned a lot too. Kisame's dislike for long plans and alike wasn't a lack of intelligence but rather because it was boring. Talking, negotiating, bargaining; all of them were qualities the sannin had. He was always beside him, listening and watching. Subconsciously learning too.

He can't solely count with his own hunting skills—maybe if he started three days after he vanished or had any clues perhaps. From zero it would be a little harder.

He shows the note for the first ink's seller he finds.  “Excuse me, where I can buy this Premium Black starline Ink? Nee ~”

—----

Six times, it was six times where he was close to his goal. 4 entire months. Did he had any sleep at all? The excitement and adrenaline pumped his body every single time that scent turned stronger. Even his tactical plans had become better, no more useless fighting with minor pets. Let them drown between the crumbling walls and their bases. Only then he would then enter inside to check the gains—as long as anything precious would go back to Akatsuki's funds it was an excuse to continue his hunt. 

It's just too exciting to stop now. He feels truly more a beast than a human—driven only by that desire to find and end Orochimaru's life. Is that what desire tastes like? It's a powerful thing. Another thing he learned. He will be sure to thank him when he bites his head off.

Lighting country. 

The sky is clear, there’s no sign of rain soon. There's a distant tremor and a loud crash that scared the birds from the top of the mountains. Cracks on the wall that start slowly to leak water. Light rain starts to fall followed by a strong torrent from the top of the mountains that suddenly seems as if someone broke down a barricade. 

Another louder tremor.

Finally.

A thing jumps from the top, failing down right by the border of the platform. Samehada breaks the floor upon landing. The bigger figure has his face down, the shinobi doesn't need two hands now to do signs. The mist invades their stage and only his shadow can be seen. 

"Found you, neeee. My Cinderella.... Kekekekekekeke. ~" 

He knows better than anyone to sub underestimate one of the sannins; the shadow grows in size as Samehada's silhouette disappears. The monster is five sizes his own figure, on his fours it seems even larger.  Gray skin, claws that tap over the ceramic's floor. Dorsal fin is what can be seen the most in between the thick mist. 

This form had not been used before in that whole year, it was rather something he rarely needed to. However for this execution, everything needed to be special. To clean his mistakes—to end that headache of wrong choices. It's just like in the sea, the Monster of Kirigakure circles and circles. Until he attacks, he pins down the male figure down to the floor.

He lost weight.

His fangs are closer to their cheek, he breathes closer as he drools out of anticipation.

He changed his shampoo. 

Its time. 

Because killing his comrades is his special mission. What a terrible life.

and, The monster drags his tongue over Orochimaru's cheek. 

[demonslayedher]

What are some blood demon art concepts you find interesting but they weren’t explored in the canon?

This was one of the Asks that made me go, "uuuuuuhhhhh..."

The reason for this is that I find myself most creative in response to a problem. For example, in this fic I came up with the Mirror Demon because I wanted a demon that might be fought with the final form of Flower Breath. That's why in a lot of hypotheticals or potential AUs I'm asked about, my first response is to set the perimeters and figure out how to work within those constraints, such as asking what would be in-character. Constraints drive creativity, like how well you can write a haiku within a given set of rules.

What I'm less good at is divergent creativity: coming up with something out of nothing, no limits.

That brings me to how I'd like to answer this Ask: with a breakdown of my brainstorming methods!

A common phenomenon is that children are better at divergent thinking--imagining all the possibilities--than adults, who have had that ability beaten out of them by the emphasis on "rightness" and that some ideas are "stupid." It takes exercising this part of the brain to be able to think in more original ways instead of just "the best" ways. This page breaks it down pretty simply and explains it with the paperclip test/game, and here's more ideas for other exercises and different kinds of goals you could potentially have for creative thinking.

When I am doing a group brainstorming exercise, be it in a classroom or office setting, what I find works best is a leader/moderator at the board who can catch things and write fast and potentially legibly (within reason for how fast they're writing), and the method should be agreed upon in advance--for example, mind-mapping, which uses branches from a main idea to show relationships between ideas. Typically, this means starting with a main idea in the center and branching out into different categories as more ideas come to you. Another methods is writing things in a list format, thinking of as many things as you can in a given category. These are basics found in any cheesy corporate "how to increase creativity" guide, but they are helpful in easing people into how to brainstorm.

The challenge is to set a time frame--short enough that you are forced to think fast, long enough that it gets painful. The time frame is up to you, whether it's setting a timer for one minute or however long it takes for you to write while eating melting gelato. Okay, maybe in a formal setting you'll set a timer to keep everyone on the same page.

While you might have a different ultimate goal in the purpose of your brainstorming, what you're going for here is not quality, but quantity--as many ideas as possible--and that means not throwing any stupid ideas out. If anything, the stupid ideas are where magic starts to happen. It's the shift from "basic stuff anyone could think of off the top of their head" to "oh, I never would had thought of this otherwise." You have to force yourself to think past the initial, obvious-feeling, correct-feeling ideas to access what's more unusual, and that usually means some stupid ideas first. It's like dusting out the cobwebs of this part of your brain you aren't usually accessing. I've also heard this process described as tossing out your first ten ideas, at least in a creative script-writing approach.

Refining your ideas, convergent thinking, comes later. But only after you've gotten some ideas to work with!

The reason a legible mind-map or list works well in a group setting is because this means everyone can observe the ideas after the initial "hurry, hurry, think, think" stage. Everyone can discuss them and decide which ones to throw out, and even draw lines showing more connections and circling whatever ideas you want to come back to.

But do I look like a corporate board room to you? No. I ate gelato today while writing this:

When it's just me using it, I don't care about legibility, and I use a mix of mind-mapping arrows and lists and flow of consciousness. While playing with story ideas I might whole pages of doodles that look like this with fragments of character lines. This gave me a way to observe my own thoughts about Demon Blood Techniques and their unlimited potential, and I found that I kept myself thinking quickly by asking questions and then answering myself.

Also, I got lines like "Skunk demon" and "so now we're the Magic School Bus."

Some of the themes I found interesting were the repeated effects of sound waves (Kyogai, Nakime, Flute Demon), and infinity (the fortress, the ability to regenerate, the ability to replicate, etc.). One of the themes I thought deeper on was how much I love Kyogai's abilities, and not just Kyogai himself. For as much as other Blood Techniques are based on things we've seen in other media (being trapped in good dreams, alternate dimensional spaces, spider threads, body duplicates, illusions, etc)., Kyogai's abilities were very unexpected, but also had a rationale to them. However, instead of the sound waves only changing the orientation and spatial locations of the rooms, he also had big air claws, which otherwise would seem like they have nothing to do with the orientation of a room. In the first place, air claws and redecorating seem they have nothing to do with drums. It's the combination of these factors that make Kyogai's Blood Technique so impressive and refreshing.

Once I made that observation, I made a couple of lists of potential means that a demon might use and ways that a Demon Slayer or prey might be overcome, and then I connected them semi-randomly. I got connections like "temperature" and "memories," like how a demon might raise the temperature of a room little by little and call to a demon slayer's mind memories of their childhood, until they are completely overwhelmed with that last summer they spent in childhood innocence as they are in reality boiling alive, and "color" with "invading body," like if a chameleon-like demon can match the color of a Nichirin blade then it can gain control over the swordsman's hands and forearms, whatever grip created that color.

My favorite, though, was "fingernails" and "suffocation," because it gave me a very vivid mental image of a demon sweeping its hand like it's going to grab a swordsman's face, but draws away just shy of touching them. However, with its long fingernails, it's grabbed the Breath just about to enter a swordsman, and pulls it right out of them.

Horrific, am I right!?!?

So anyway. That's what I got from my divergent thinking experiment today. It's the kind of thing I tell myself I need to do more of when trying to write my own original fiction, but kind of like physical exercise, I think about it more than I actually do it. ^^;

[acceptedguy]

Blog Post 14: Pushing Boundaries, Phase 3 Finalization 

This final blog post comes with a content warning for readers who experience arachnophobia, as the project and this blog contain details involving spiders. In this post, I’ll cover the complete process of creating the final project, explaining design choices, aesthetics, and the final lighting setup that brought it all together. 

It's truly remarkable how much a project can evolve throughout its development. Each element—from the project scope to color schemes, asset placement, and even post-processing choices—contributes to a dynamic process of creation. This particular project required us to develop a sample based on any prompt from a recognized competition, with the goal not just to participate, but to stand out. As it developed, my ambitious idea shaped into a refined project that, though not flawless, effectively showcases the original concept. 

Having reflected on last week’s challenges, I started this project with a solid foundation that kept the main purpose of the assignment in focus. The goal was to employ all my skills to create a piece capable of competing against industry experts. I’ve always been drawn to environments that invoke tension and dread, so I chose to channel these elements into a scene that combined both custom and pre-made assets. I envisioned a desolate, abandoned medieval castle, now occupied by a Spider Queen and her brood, setting the stage for a brave knight’s journey to defeat her and reclaim the castle. 

While much of the original concept stayed intact, I adjusted the scope to two rooms: one containing the warrior, and the other, a dimly lit chamber inhabited by the Spider Queen. The knight character became a “warrior-for-hire” with a nod to The Witcher by equipping two swords. I also chose to simplify the spider animations, setting aside the idea of using Unreal’s Niagara System for realistic scurrying spiders, which would have been too time-consuming in a static environment. 

With the revised concept, I set to work modeling the two castle rooms. The narrow corridor housing the warrior is brighter, illuminated by torches and adorned with cobwebs. The larger, central chamber, reserved for the Spider Queen, is bathed in shadow with only a touch of moonlight shining through an upper window. I purposefully kept the Spider Queen in low light to build a sense of dread, leaving viewers to wonder what might lurk just beyond their line of sight. 

Lighting was essential here to set the contrasting moods of the two rooms. In the corridor, I used warm tones like orange, red, and yellow to create a fiery, intense atmosphere. In the chamber, the palette shifted to cool tones—blue, green, and white—to evoke a sense of cold and danger. Post-processing adjustments, including tweaks to contrast and bloom, helped lower the overall brightness while keeping the light sources vivid. I also applied subtle backlighting behind the spider’s legs to hint at its massive form looming over the warrior, further enhancing the scene’s tension. 

A significant amount of time was also spent on modeling and designing the environment itself with a special attention to the cobwebs that adorned the entire environment. While not difficult to create, the cobwebs were albeit a challenge to learn and something I enjoyed doing. The fires in the scene as well as the fog in the central chambers are both part of asset packs that were bought from Unreal Marketplace and were tweaked and modified in order to best suit the scene. Finally, after adjusting the camera to get the best viewing angle, the scene was rendered in cinematic viewing angle in order to best capture the essence of the project itself.  

Looking back, this project feels like a milestone. Not only did I explore new skills, such as character rigging, visual effects, and post-processing, but I also managed to finish everything within three days. This experience highlights my progress over the past month, and I’m excited to see just how much I can accomplish in the next five. 

RESOURCES USED: 

CG Boost (2023). Blender Hard-Surface Modeling Fundamentals #b3d #tutorial. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsTjnQ067sw [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]. 

‌ hbitproject (2024). Let’s model a column in Blender - a step-by-step tutorial on non destructive workflows (pt.1). [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68oRQvV6GhY [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]]. 

EasyFog (2024). Fab. [online] Fab.com. Available at: https://www.fab.com/listings/0a1c0c21-ff23-4fb7-9dc5-7beb6e16ce64 [Accessed 4 Nov. 2024].

Elemental Spider (2020). [online] Sketchfab. Available at: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/pbr-jumping-spider-monster-92e54bef46114d4bb7f09dc078612075 [Accessed 4 Nov. 2024].

Candles (2022). [online] Sketchfab. Available at: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/candles-asset-pack-56a68205dae649a388c6e3ba04145a9e [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]

Chandelier (2021). [online] Sketchfab. Available at: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/candle-chandelier-f826ae63f3814dca9237675358b2de4d [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]

Torch - Download Free 3D model by DJMaesen (@bumstrum). [online] Available at: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/torch-238cd6056e2940debb4f67fc24c6df35.

Floor Tile (2024). Fab. [online] Fab.com. Available at: https://www.fab.com/listings/8b053af5-588a-468a-8a5c-6833f39a0508 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024].

Castle Wall (2024). Fab. [online] Fab.com. Available at: https://www.fab.com/listings/30d30121-d6ca-4dcb-a269-9e09f005b81f [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024].

Castle Wall (2024). Fab. [online] Fab.com. Available at: https://www.fab.com/listings/e3ac0eb3-bd86-45dc-85c8-7accc8954d50[Accessed 7 Nov. 2024].

Castle Floor (2024). Fab. [online] Fab.com. Available at: https://www.fab.com/listings/6f6dcaf7-3614-48e1-96e4-df115277c8ad[Accessed 7 Nov. 2024].

Castle Floor (2024). Fab. [online] Fab.com. Available at: https://www.fab.com/listings/ff573016-4cff-426b-a2e1-4ca162dcb2da[Accessed 7 Nov. 2024].

Free assets Fab (2024). Fab. [online] Fab.com. Available at: https://www.fab.com [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]

‌

SKILLS AQUIRED 

Effective Lighting

Scene Design

Concept-Practical Translation

Post Processing

Camera Utilization

SKILLS TO LEARN 

Modelling (Hard)

Texturing

Better Post Processing

Photoshop

[jdscanvas]

SO It's 2025 now. Happy New Year, by the way. I can honestly say, years later, that most of these thoughts that I had at the time of writing I don't really commit too. Because I never was able to get past the things about that show that came off as "cringe" or contradictory to this show that i heard all these enthusiasts say was so "unique" for a girls cartoon.....I cannot say in good conscience that a fair chunk of my criticisms here hold a lot of water.

Most of this involved hyper-fixating on, admittedly beloved within the fandom, secondary characters who were never meant to be substantial to the main cast beyond expanding the show's world. It doesn't matter to the quality of Friendship is Magic that Pharynx never appeared in another episode, or that Shining Armor never became an alicorn, or that Cadence was never very well fleshed out. Sure some of these were missed opportunities, but this was a show about first and foremost the Mane Six and the supporting characters of their town obviously came first. It is what the show was about, so it was only natural everything about the main setting would take center stage. Hearing creators I deeply respect like @ponett gush about the show and what it meant to her helped me understand some nuance to the show I couldn't quite see for myself at the time. And also realize that MLP G5 doesn't seem to be interested in creating anything with nearly as much passion as G4 had (honestly even after Faust left there were still people who cared).

Izzzyzz on Youtube also had a great video talking about all the brony controversies of the show's history. Including those pertaining to the show itself. There was a time where the fandom wholeheartedly rejected Shining Armor and Cadence entirely as a soulless topical reference (marriage of Prince William in England) and proof the show had jumped the shark. Generally I agreed with her about why Twilight being an alicorn wasn't a great idea, or destroying her beloved home and giving her a crystal castle that just does not fit her character at all, or that Flurry Heart only existed for the sake of toys and not for any creative reason. Generally the fanbase warmed up to most of this stuff, but it always felt "off". And also the implications of the ending that Twilight becomes exactly like Celestia to the point she's probably a immortal/live for thousands and thousands of years demi-god was somewhat unsettling. Everything fans feared about Season 3's conclusion sort of came true. Almost. Also Spike's future design was weird. I also understand that claiming to be a "fan", while admitting to never sitting down for an entire episode, only clips here and there, is a ludicrous proposition. As I have explained, while I really gravitated towards certain concepts or characters, I clearly was not meeting the show half-way with what it set out to do. Normally, when I experience media, i have zero issue with doing that. If a creator has a story they want to tell, I won't look for missed opportunities, I'll focus on what the author is trying to accomplish. I'll criticize what an author DOES do, not what they DON'T do. Some of my criticisms were either weird hyper-fixation (neurodivergence does that to the best of us), or I was straight up projecting.

There's more I could bring up, but ultimately I'm just hear to say that MLP: FiM wasn't something I could really get into, and I spent years in denial thinking that I could. So if i ever criticized the show for something that wasn't important to its goals or that was a minor element at best, I do apologize to the fans for that. Sadly this show is on the list of "hyper-fixations I obsessed over to the point my anxiety took over and I was scared to experience them as they were". Stuff like Lion King or (to a lesser extent) the Stitch franchise. (To some extent Beastars counts, but only because it actively angered me in the final arc after I read the entire manga. So i'm probably never watching the anime because of that, but that's a long story.)

I still appreciate aspects of Friendship is Magic, and I'd like to believe it influenced me in a positive way. There were some fantastic artists both in fandom and the IDW comics I still like. And some fan fictions were interesting. I'm glad it exists, and i hope the people who worked on it, especially Lauren Faust, continue to find avenues to create.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic----It Doesn’t Deserve It’s Fanbase

I feel like based on the amount of traction that one post I made years ago about how I felt about the Changelings post-Season 6, I should finally clarify how I actually feel about the show, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It’s been almost three years since the show concluded, and in that time I came to a realization…

It doesn’t deserve the community that was built around it, and I honestly feel like the fandom and even the IDW comics (of what little I know of them) took far better advantage of the world and characters.

Now I am heading into this argument on somewhat shaky legs, because I have never actually sat down and watched an entire episode of the show.

Why didn’t I? Well to tell the truth it was fear. Whenever I thought of doing it, I would start suffering serious nervousness and second-hand embarrasment. I could never figure out why. After seeing how the series finale was handled, and then seeing where Hasbro was going with G5, I have my answer: I wouldn’t be caught dead watching this Care Bears level cringe.

Most folks who love the show might say it was better than anyone expected a show attached to this toy line to be good since it was primarily targeted towards girls and yet it ended up having mass appeal. I wholeheartedly believe that Lauren Faust had a clear passionate vision for the series, but even in the beginning information came out that the final show did not always turn out how she wanted. Luna and Celestia should have been the only alicorns, Celestia was supposed to be a queen, etc. Faust claimed she wanted to create a show that challenged the perception that shows for girls tend to be low quality. One quote I remember being sourced from her was that in these shows characters could defeat villains by crying/smiling/something along these lines. The show’s solution to this? Anti-climatic friendship kamehamehas. Like almost every villain was defeated this way, even in the Seasons that Faust was directly involved in. Sometimes the journey to get to the kamehamehas was different, but literally nothing else ever worked.

Even when the Elements of Harmony aren’t directly involved, a friendship kamehameha ended up being the answer. Or, going directly against Faust’s desire for her show, beating them via emotional speeches, LIKE STARLIGHT GLIMMER. And honestly, Starlight I was always on-and-off about. On one hand she felt like a replacement for Twilight for fans who absolutely despised her alicorn princess fate, and on the other she felt like a Filmore (the disney show) style character—a former foe/deliquent who is recruited by the good guys and that which leads to their redemption. Literally all the writers had to do was have Starlight initally punished/imprisoned for the nasty stuff she did in Season 5, and then have Twilight take pity on her and take her under her wing (literally). And I would’ve had no problems with that; the concept of a character like that is really cool to me. You could’ve also taken out two birds with one stone and use Starlight as an example for kids that anyone can change as long as they want to. To some extent though, Discord technically already fulfilled that role in Seasons 3 and 4 so I guess the writers’ hands were tied here?

Twilight being an alicorn, in hindsight, was a huge mistep that I don’t believe Faust would’ve ever been OK with if she was still there to do anything about it. Twilight was a nerd, a bookworm, an aspiring master wizard. Some skeptics would argue the only reason she became an alicorn princess was because it was a show for girls and girls wanna be pretty princesses. I argue it was mostly a case of main character syndrome, and how the “nowhere-to-go-but-up” mentality can ultimately screw up a character. Like…Goku is super-powerful, to an almost ridiculous degree, but Toriyama didn’t make him the new King Kai, or the new freaking Omni-King? Luffy may eventually become the Pirate King, but he’s not going to become King of the whole damn world! Naruto always wanted to become Hokage of his village, and he did, but that doesn’t mean it would’ve made sense to make him like Grand Master of all Ninja Villages of the World??? Consequently, why in the hell did Twilight need to be turned into Chad Celestia (or Celestia 2.0)? Yeah sure she had leadership qualities but that doesn’t qualify her to be a monarch of an entire country/kingdom. Even with the exsistence of the Council of Friendship, it was so obvious at the end that she was Celestia and Luna’s replacement because hurr durr she main character. Was it because of other characters that became leaders of their “tribes” (Thorax, Ember, etc.)? Keep in mind, by the end of the series she had her own castle and school ON TOP OF CELESTIA’S CASTLE AND SCHOOL. Guys, this isn’t an Elder Scrolls game where you can just keep piling on important titles onto your protagonist. From a narrative standpoint, I guess the writers just had no other places to take Twilight. They had her achieve basically all of her dreams at once (except the Master Wizard thing, because I don’t think she was ever considered the next Starswirl, just a super powerful ball of magic), so what “shocking” developments could they have given her next? Ruling all of Equestria. Even taking into account that Faust apparently always intended Twilight to succeed Celestia in some fashion, I seriously doubt she intended to mutate her into Neo Celestia. You put her side by side by her friends, and she doesn’t even look like one of them anymore, she sticks out like a sore thumb (doubly so in the future episode).

I do believe effort was placed in some of the humor and especially some of the non main characters, but almost all the characters post….Season 2 never got enough screentime to truly take advantage of the story potential. How many fans of Shining Armor like me were praying that he at least had an episode focusing on how he felt being the only non-alicorn royalty? Wouldn’t anyone have loved an episode where Armor and Cadence got to meet the new changelings and really get to know Thorax and Pharynx and what not (or did Thorax’s debut episode count as checking that box?)? Why did the Cutie Mark Crusaders (again the mere words “cutie mark” really make it near impossible to see anything in this world as genuinely dramatic) need to have nearly identical cuite marks? Even taking into account their “destines” to help other kids find their talents, you didn’t have to make them homogenous from a design standpoint to do so. Meh, but they got more than others did. Cadence I loved more as a potential cool character, but they never developed her enough even when she had so much more screentime in later seasons. Her infant daughter who couldn’t even talk got more development. Flurry being born an alicorn felt like a kick in the gonads to fans that wanted an alicorn Shining Armor. Like wow his daughter gets to be born one, but he doesn’t even get the honor of proving himself worthy? Spike getting wings doesn’t count because he’s a dragon and that was an obvious leap in intuition. Speaking of Spike, he’s one of the more developed non-main characters (although to some he’s the Butters of this show, the unofficial extra main character) but even he got done a little dirty. I say a little because his crush on Rarity never went anywhere, it was just one-note comic relief, and they only ever talk about what it was like to grow up with Shining Armor and Twilight in the final season. That little moment where he wins the Sibling Supreme crown and they tell him he’s the little brother they’ve always had? Awesome, yes, more of that please. Also his future self looks like a freaking Chad. Like why did they give him a buff body type that wasn’t too far removed from how he fantasized about himself? I’ve heard some theories as to why but I don’t really agree with them.

Celestia is a strange case to me because I was glad to see more of her personality show in the later seasons, but you could also argue that she was made to be more like Twilight (and maybe they did that to try and convince fans that it was totally a natural evolution for Twilight to become like Celestia because they’re so alike yo!). I know Faust always intended her to be somewhat mysterious and now I can’t help but feel like the writers went against that idea. Luna was always a favorite of mine, and they handled her very well when they did focus on her, I don’t have too many complaints there. Honestly, the characters that weren’t given much development could’ve gotten plenty, because they managed to do exactly that with Sunburst in Season 6. One two part episode, and he automatically became one of the more interesting side characters. Heck, I’d even argue Maude from Season 4 gets this honor even if parts of her are the generic “stoic misfit”. Pharynx I think was handled pretty well in Season 7 as well, for someone who only ever mattered in one episode (again they could’ve done so much more with him).

I remember thinking that the movie that came out in 2017 could’ve been like The Lego Movie of little girl’s cartoons if they played their cards right, but even just based on interviews the creators clearly were not concerned about doing anything interesting.

Equestria Girls should’ve never been a thing, and kind of went against the whole point of the franchise not being so stereotypically girly girly. I mean jeez the main series still had the balls to lampoon the whole “we totally aren’t like those girly girl generic shows” on occasion (like in Rainbow Dash’s nightmare) but like….you have a concept called “cutie marks”, hearts decorate almost every piece of architecture, the main character was made a princess for no real reason, the highest authorities are princesses and not queens “because queens are evil bad guys”, your theme song is like something out of a generic Disney TV special, and your heroes never get to actually directly fight and win against the villians.

Powerpuff Girls literally did the whole “girly show that’s actually bad ass and funny” thing years before you (of which Mrs. Faust was a writer, and it’s being revived with original creator on the helm so yay!)….

I can’t help but think that the show being inherently connected to a franchise called My Little Pony, and therefore being the first part of the title, the first thing people think of when they think of this show, ruined a lot of it’s chances of being taken more seriously. You hear that title and you cannot distance it from literally the most generic girly girl stuff you can ever think of. You remember that’s the franchise this is connected to, and you think of all the attempts FiM made to be like one of the “good shows” with “actual stories worth telling” just not meshing well. Was the show Dead on Arrival? Clearly not if so many folks of all walks of life saw something in it worth salvaging.

All the other shows of FiM’s generation, even the PG ones that kids of the same age group shouldn’t techincally be watching unsupervised but many many kids did, Regular Show, Adventure Time, freaking Gumball, Steven Universe. These shows had far more intricate characters and lore, had more interesting styles, and told far more interesting stories that went beyond generic Aesops. Again, even taking into account the PG rating of most of these, GUMBALL, a show that while on occasion dabbles into the juvenile, was also still able to tell interesting stories with decent lessons behind them AND they also had more thought out humor. Even companies as conservative as Disney are willing to let Gravity Falls and Star vs the Forces of Evil get through. HELL, HASBRO THEMSELVES let at least 90% of the Transformers television shows, with their interesting stories and characters, be released.

I always believed that Friendship is Magic could’ve been a Transformers level franchise, but for mostly young girls. It could’ve had more developed characters, better action, and genuinely bad-ass moments. It could’ve been Powerpuff Girls with more story, or simply Samurai Jack for a new generation. Unfortuantely, I guess it wasn’t meant to be.

It still hurts when I think of something that was born from one person’s passion become what it became and how it could’ve truly landed among the stars. I still don’t know, almost three years after the Finale, if i’m better off completely ignoring it, or simply indulging in the fan content that continues to come out to this day.

I do know, however, that G5 will not be a true successor to FiM like the fandom deserves. Literally in the very first story, the main character became an alicorn. Wait 8 more years, and they’ll make her ruler of the entire world. That’s how little faith I have in the people attached to this franchise. Hasbro even killed FiM in the IDW comics to completely focus on G5.

If you have a love for FiM despite it’s failures, I’m glad and I would never try to take that from you even if I can’t see it. I personally would love to create a show with a similar style, even though I’ve got a long way to go in the field I’m trying to get into now. The things that I appreciated about FiM, as few as they turned out to be, continue to inspire me like the many other stories I’ve come across over the years. I hope someone inspired by FiM can come along and succeed where it failed. Ultimately though, we have no choice but to wait and find out.

[perpetual-stories]

Story Structures for your Next WIP

hello, hello. this post will be mostly for my notes. this is something I need in to be reminded of for my business, but it can also be very useful and beneficial for you guys as well.

everything in life has structure and storytelling is no different, so let’s dive right in :)

First off let’s just review what a story structure is :

a story is the backbone of the story, the skeleton if you will. It hold the entire story together.

the structure in which you choose your story will effectively determine how you create drama and depending on the structure you choose it should help you align your story and sequence it with the conflict, climax, and resolution.

1. Freytag's Pyramid

this first story structure i will be talking about was named after 19th century German novelist and playwright.

it is a five point structure that is based off classical Greek tragedies such as Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripedes.

Freytag's Pyramid structure consists of:

Introduction: the status quo has been established and an inciting incident occurs.

Rise or rising action: the protagonist will search and try to achieve their goal, heightening the stakes,

Climax: the protagonist can no longer go back, the point of no return if you will.

Return or fall: after the climax of the story, tension builds and the story inevitably heads towards...

Catastrophe: the main character has reached their lowest point and their greatest fears have come into fruition.

this structure is used less and less nowadays in modern storytelling mainly due to readers lack of appetite for tragic narratives.

2. The Hero's Journey

the hero's journey is a very well known and popular form of storytelling.

it is very popular in modern stories such as Star Wars, and movies in the MCU.

although the hero's journey was inspired by Joseph Campbell's concept, a Disney executive Christopher Vogler has created a simplified version:

The Ordinary World: The hero's everyday routine and life is established.

The Call of Adventure: the inciting incident.

Refusal of the Call: the hero / protagonist is hesitant or reluctant to take on the challenges.

Meeting the Mentor: the hero meets someone who will help them and prepare them for the dangers ahead.

Crossing the First Threshold: first steps out of the comfort zone are taken.

Tests, Allie, Enemies: new challenges occur, and maybe new friends or enemies.

Approach to the Inmost Cave: hero approaches goal.

The Ordeal: the hero faces their biggest challenge.

Reward (Seizing the Sword): the hero manages to get ahold of what they were after.

The Road Back: they realize that their goal was not the final hurdle, but may have actually caused a bigger problem than before.

Resurrection: a final challenge, testing them on everything they've learned.

Return with the Elixir: after succeeding they return to their old life.

the hero's journey can be applied to any genre of fiction.

3. Three Act Structure:

this structure splits the story into the 'beginning, middle and end' but with in-depth components for each act.

Act 1: Setup:

exposition: the status quo or the ordinary life is established.

inciting incident: an event sets the whole story into motion.

plot point one: the main character decided to take on the challenge head on and she crosses the threshold and the story is now progressing forward.

Act 2: Confrontation:

rising action: the stakes are clearer and the hero has started to become familiar with the new world and begins to encounter enemies, allies and tests.

midpoint: an event that derails the protagonists mission.

plot point two: the hero is tested and fails, and begins to doubt themselves.

Act 3: Resolution:

pre-climax: the hero must chose between acting or failing.

climax: they fights against the antagonist or danger one last time, but will they succeed?

Denouement: loose ends are tied up and the reader discovers the consequences of the climax, and return to ordinary life.

4. Dan Harmon's Story Circle

it surprised me to know the creator of Rick and Morty had their own variation of Campbell's hero's journey.

the benefit of Harmon's approach is that is focuses on the main character's arc.

it makes sense that he has such a successful structure, after all the show has multiple seasons, five or six seasons? i don't know not a fan of the show.

the character is in their comfort zone: also known as the status quo or ordinary life.

they want something: this is a longing and it can be brought forth by an inciting incident.

the character enters and unfamiliar situation: they must take action and do something new to pursue what they want.

adapt to it: of course there are challenges, there is struggle and begin to succeed.

they get what they want: often a false victory.

a heavy price is paid: a realization of what they wanted isn't what they needed.

back to the good old ways: they return to their familiar situation yet with a new truth.

having changed: was it for the better or worse?

i might actually make a operate post going more in depth about dan harmon's story circle.

5. Fichtean Curve:

the fichtean curve places the main character in a series of obstacles in order to achieve their goal.

this structure encourages writers to write a story packed with tension and mini-crises to keep the reader engaged.

The Rising Action

the story must start with an inciting indecent.

then a series of crisis arise.

there are often four crises.

2. The Climax:

3. Falling Action

this type of story telling structure goes very well with flash-back structured story as well as in theatre.

6. Save the Cat Beat Sheet:

this is another variation of a three act structure created by screenwriter Blake Snyder, and is praised widely by champion storytellers.

Structure for Save the Cat is as follows: (the numbers in the brackets are for the number of pages required, assuming you're writing a 110 page screenplay)

Opening Image [1]: The first shot of the film. If you’re starting a novel, this would be an opening paragraph or scene that sucks readers into the world of your story.

Set-up [1-10]. Establishing the ‘ordinary world’ of your protagonist. What does he want? What is he missing out on?

Theme Stated [5]. During the setup, hint at what your story is really about — the truth that your protagonist will discover by the end.

Catalyst [12]. The inciting incident!

Debate [12-25]. The hero refuses the call to adventure. He tries to avoid the conflict before they are forced into action.

Break into Two [25]. The protagonist makes an active choice and the journey begins in earnest.

B Story [30]. A subplot kicks in. Often romantic in nature, the protagonist’s subplot should serve to highlight the theme.

The Promise of the Premise [30-55]. Often called the ‘fun and games’ stage, this is usually a highly entertaining section where the writer delivers the goods. If you promised an exciting detective story, we’d see the detective in action. If you promised a goofy story of people falling in love, let’s go on some charmingly awkward dates.

Midpoint [55]. A plot twist occurs that ups the stakes and makes the hero’s goal harder to achieve — or makes them focus on a new, more important goal.

Bad Guys Close In [55-75]. The tension ratchets up. The hero’s obstacles become greater, his plan falls apart, and he is on the back foot.

All is Lost [75]. The hero hits rock bottom. He loses everything he’s gained so far, and things are looking bleak. The hero is overpowered by the villain; a mentor dies; our lovebirds have an argument and break up.

Dark Night of the Soul [75-85-ish]. Having just lost everything, the hero shambles around the city in a minor-key musical montage before discovering some “new information” that reveals exactly what he needs to do if he wants to take another crack at success. (This new information is often delivered through the B-Story)

Break into Three [85]. Armed with this new information, our protagonist decides to try once more!

Finale [85-110]. The hero confronts the antagonist or whatever the source of the primary conflict is. The truth that eluded him at the start of the story (established in step three and accentuated by the B Story) is now clear, allowing him to resolve their story.

Final Image [110]. A final moment or scene that crystallizes how the character has changed. It’s a reflection, in some way, of the opening image.

(all information regarding the save the cat beat sheet was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)

7. Seven Point Story Structure:

this structure encourages writers to start with the at the end, with the resolution, and work their way back to the starting point.

this structure is about dramatic changes from beginning to end

The Hook. Draw readers in by explaining the protagonist’s current situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should be in direct contrast to what it will be at the end of the novel.

Plot Point 1. Whether it’s a person, an idea, an inciting incident, or something else — there should be a "Call to Adventure" of sorts that sets the narrative and character development in motion.

Pinch Point 1. Things can’t be all sunshine and roses for your protagonist. Something should go wrong here that applies pressure to the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.

Midpoint. A “Turning Point” wherein the main character changes from a passive force to an active force in the story. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist decides to start meeting it head-on.

Pinch Point 2. The second pinch point involves another blow to the protagonist — things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. This might involve the passing of a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.

Plot Point 2. After the calamity of Pinch Point 2, the protagonist learns that they’ve actually had the key to solving the conflict the whole time.

Resolution. The story’s primary conflict is resolved — and the character goes through the final bit of development necessary to transform them from who they were at the start of the novel.

(all information regarding the seven point story structure was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)

i decided to fit all of them in one post instead of making it a two part post.

i hope you all enjoy this post and feel free to comment or reblog which structure you use the most, or if you have your own you prefer to use! please share with me!

if you find this useful feel free to reblog on instagram and tag me at perpetualstories

Follow my tumblr and instagram for more writing and grammar tips and more!

[mbti-notes]

Anon wrote: I need help getting out of what I think might be Ni-Ti loop.

[Background: I have a rather atypical life. It could partially be because of where I am and partially for my loop. I started really well, was a good student and my teachers thought I was going to have a bright future.

During late teen years I found out the name of what I was dealing with, which had to do with being LGBT. I became depressed and reserved, but couldn't tell anyone about it, not even my family. So I kept it to myself and planned to immigrate one day.

I kind of ended up studying the 2nd thing my family wanted for me, but I resented it. My family told me to graduate and then do what I want. I was in my mid-20s when I graduated, and I was unemployed and lost. I studied hard and got accepted to a reputable grad school. I wanted to use that opportunity to build my CV.

A family member had promised (several times) to pay for my housing in case I got accepted to a good uni, but right when I told them about my acceptance, they pulled the rug under me and got what they had said back without any reason. So I ended up not going due to money issues.]

The main part : I'm now in my late 20s, and I feel even more lost. I compare myself with people my age from around the world and even my own past, and I feel behind in life.

I'm stuck in this Ni-Ti (or Ti-Si?) loop. I still haven't "moved out" to a more liberal part of the world, haven't begun my "process", and the depression caused by it, the pressure to keep all of it inside, and my inability to find my way out are killing me. It's like everytime I try to fix my situation, I fail and get back to stage one

I guess the logical thing is to have a fresh start, study something reasonable in my own town, get a BSc degree in it and try for an internship position while studying, in order to gain work experience, build my CV and then leave.

But I just don't have the energy to do it. I'm already stuck in my Ni-Ti loop. It's paradoxical, like a negative cycle or a dead-end. I know I have to let go of my internal state and work hard, in order to reach my goal, but I lack the energy, hope and internal strength to do it. And besides, what if I fail?

Everyday, I mourn for my lost youth, and I think it's already too late for me now, let alone after 4-5 years or more. I would be in my early to mid 30s by then, and even thinking about it makes me hopeless, anxious and suicidal. If the things in my past hadn't happened, I would be where I wanted to be right now, and I keep thinking about that (Ni loop of tunnel vision?).

I'm really tired of being repressed and closeted, not being able to explain my pain, appear like myself, choose my outfit, etc. And my future is ambiguous, which makes things even harder for me to deal with. I can't really talk about my "condition" with anyone in my life, and I feel too shy to trust and confess that to a therapist or ask for help in real life.

My question: How can I get out of this Ni-Ti loop/cycle and have a healthy life? I read a lot of self help books, but they don't seem to work. How can I stop feeling behind in life compared to people my age or even younger?

------------------------

As explained in the study guides, getting out of Ni-Ti loop requires healthy dominant Ni functioning and developing healthy auxiliary Fe functioning.

Your Ni difficulties involve not having a good direction. This began with you not making the best decision with regard to your schooling and career; this likely continues because your idea of what your career should look like is too rigid or naive. Job and career aren't the same thing. It is possible to be happy without a career and career is only as important as you make it to be. Nowadays, it is quite common for people to explore many different career paths throughout life. Yet, you beat yourself up for it and, gradually, fear of failure infects your entire mindset, which is counterproductive and a waste of energy. As long as you devote energy to the negativity of guilt or regret, that energy isn't going to be available for positive efforts. Life isn't and shouldn't be a straight line and the sooner you understand and accept this reality, the more energy you will free up for positive growth.

Your Fe difficulties involve not having enough social support. You cannot avoid suffering in life, but good social support can help ease it. There is reason for you to keep this secret of yours, but remember that secrets eat you up inside. It is a self-destructive choice. Staying in the closet is harmful to mental health for a variety of reasons.

It isn't either/or; there is a healthy middle ground between complete silence and loudly proclaiming your identity in the streets. Of course, depending on where one lives, one has to exercise enough care and caution in exposing oneself. Remember that it doesn't matter where you live, every place has its fair share of good and bad people, and sexual minorities exist and have always existed among the majority population. There are always kindred spirits and sympathetic allies around, even if they can only be found online at first. Communicating with people online is sometimes the safer way and better than having no social support at all. An important part of being a healthy N is opening the mind to possibility.

If you care about your mental health and well-being, you should put out the effort to find some kind of social support. Bearing such suffering alone isn't a sustainable strategy, and it's especially unhealthy when it interferes with type development and keeps you trapped in harmful tertiary loop patterns.

Your Fe development issues are very understandable because of lack of social support, but they go far deeper than that in the way you rely on social comparison to measure yourself. This is an immature and maladaptive thought pattern that needs to be changed. Do you understand that every person is an individual and has their own path in life? Do you understand that your social comparisons are wrongheaded because you're comparing yourself against what you merely superficially see of others? Are you a mindreader? You don't know what other people are really thinking, feeling, or going through behind closed doors. And how they live is irrelevant to you and how you should live your life, that is, if you ever hope to become a truly independent adult.

You want social validation/acceptance, which is legitimate, but contorting yourself into a false image isn't the healthy way to achieve it. In fact, the start of the career problem came when you didn't decide according to your own needs but to meet the expectations of your family. Until you learn to put your own needs in perspective and prioritize them properly, you won't find your direction, and this will make it difficult to have healthy Ni.

[sparklee-gem]

I hope you don’t mind my thoughts cuz it is a really interesting thing I’ve seen!

I do 100% agree that Yami and Atem are the same, and it’s a matter of growth and regaining more and more of himself that connects the two identities of the same person. I’ve really only seen people seperate them in ways like fanart, for example things like monarch or mobiumshipping, or to have comics or drawings of Atem and Yami meeting at the different stages in their life and how that goes (like meeting a past version of yourself)

I think in these cases the separation is interesting because to Atem his “completed self” is his main goal of the entire series. He questions who he was. He questions his roles in the story. He wonders if he was the same or if his personality was entirely different. And like.

There’s times Yugi is called a vessel, but funny enough Atem is a vessel for everyone else’s images of him, and he just has to carry those throughout the story.

To Yugi he’s the version of Yugi that’s able to be everything he wants to be. To Anzu he’s the handsome reliable hero who will always come in to save the day. To Kaiba he’s the ideal rival, one who he assigns all his goals and frustrations onto. To the Ishtars he’s this personification of the prophecies and fate they have endured, both good and bad, despite him not even being alive for that they endured. To Yami Bakura he’s the personification of the royal court, and thus has all their sins assigned to him. Everyone has an idea of what he should be, despite the fact Atem doesn’t even know who he’s supposed to be, so he just has to shoulder all these roles he’s assigned by other people.

All this to say, the “yami” imagery is fitting because he really is like the shadow cast from Atem: Atem is the original source, the original body, while Yami is the shadow cast from the image of that… doesn’t become a different person or anything, but doesn’t reveal the whole picture, doesn’t reveal all that’s there, we only have the silhouette. So I think people separate them more to contrast the stages in their identity that they’re at, rather than really believing they’re two different people. It’s more to reflect on how he’s changed and how he had the images of other people (hell he was borrowing an appearance wasn’t his for a lot of it) and how it compares to the one that is completely his own. I’ve seen some great character analysis fics through this sort of lens, that focus on the point they are the same person, despite being so different.

(Tho I like to joke that season 0/ early manga yami Yugi *is* completely different because he actually was written to be just an alter ego of Yugi, but dark and powerful, and he truly did believe himself to be Yugi before Takahashi changed the plot while writing it, so it’s funny to contrast this sadistic twisted version of his identity to him at the end and them both being like “who the heck is this guy”)

I think it’s a cool way to explore his character, so like you said, everyone’s interpretations and opinions are valid, but obviously to recognize the canon that this is the same guy who is just going through his own growth and transformation as a person.

I will explain the merch thing tho. The complaints I always see from other people who get upset over “all this Yami but no Atem!” are upset that Atem’s real physical form, the one the whole story goes to the length to discover and find and establish as his own identity, is not being sold nearly as often, and we have to wonder why the character with brown skin is not allowed to have the same attention the one with pale skin is. These are complains **I** also have because I’m one of those people who gets upset at the lack of “Atem” merch, its not because I think they’re different characters and I prefer one more, but because it’s a simple fact that brown characters tend to get ignored or whitewashed in merch. It’s a known thing that there are issues of colorism and whitewashing within merchandise of black and brown characters. Which when we see yet another figure of Yami in a similar pose in the same outfit in a similar style, yeah we wonder where the variety is.

You’re right, they are the same character! So why does his version where he is in his past life so omitted from everything. Going off of figures alone (so not even character goods) Atem has about 5 figures while Yami has about 40 (going off of figure databases) you have to admit, it feels a bit unfair haha. Why does he *have* to mainly be shown in an appearance that isn’t even his, it’s Yugi’s. Obviously it’s what we see for most of the series, but we would just like to see more of his real appearance is all. We know he’s Egyptian, so why don’t we get to see it.

I feel the same about Dark Magician girl and Mana. Plenty of figures and merch for DMG, but nothing for Mana at all other than one time she got some pins.

Priest Set only just recently getting one figure and his skin was pale for it, I don’t need to mention how much Kaiba gets, etc etc etc.

So any frustration is more at that than any actual annoyance or dislike of the actual character of Yami. (tho if anyone does hate Yami Yugi and loves Atem I would be confused because. They’re the same guy lol) I also get mad at the lack of Yugi Mutou merch rather than Yami Yugi, so Yami is just the unfortunate target of my annoyance lol

I hope that clears up why some people might feel the way they do or portray the characters a certain way. Atem’s identity is such a major part of the story that it would make sense why so many different ways of exploring or interpreting it come out.

Sorry for the rambling, but thank you for sharing your thoughts on it! I always love seeing different perspectives and opinions on the characters and series as a whole, so I wanted to give my thoughts as well. ✨

When I see people talking about Yami Yugi and Atem like they're not the same person I imagine in my head the 'if you didn't like me at my worst, then you don't deserve me at my best' type of meme, or the 'I can be your angle... or yuor devil' too.

Has anyone made those memes yet?

[akookminsupporter]

am i the only one who feels like the tannies care less about the grammys now? which, to me at least, is a good thing... but also a frustrating and bad thing too. :/ i was catching up on a lot of older content since i haven't seen them yet, and they always talked about performing at the grammys. not win one. and they got to perform, not once, not twice, but three times! which is HUGE for an asian group since we know how the grammys (& kind of north america) treats/treated them in the past. and they were so happy and honored to be able to perform at the stage and they pulled off such an amazing performance!

to be honest, i knew they were not going to win a grammy, but i was still rooting for them until the end. i had that one little hope that maybe, MAYBE they could get it. when bang pd showed up before the red carpet, i honestly thought for a second that this is it. they are getting one. they did it. we did it. but then i had to remember what i was watching... and it was really disappointing. it was horrible watching yoongi's reaction when they announced the winners and it was even more horrible watching any grammy-related content afterwards. 1/2

so while it would have been amazing for them to get a grammy, i am happy knowing that (at least it seems to me) they care less about winning one. and please don't misunderstand, i'm not trying to say that winning was the only thing they cared about! i just feel like they learnt that the grammys are still very racist and xenophobic and that is one of the main (if not The main) reasons why they couldn't get it. i know winning one if the only thing they haven't done, and getting a grammy means that you as an artist is critically acclaimed, and that's why i still hope, that one day... one day they might be able to win one. and i would hope to be there, with them, to witness that.

2/2 but it passed. and since we all know how the grammys treated them, we were all like "yes, we are proud of them, fck the grammys for pulling this on them". because i feel like deep down we all knew that even if america is slowly adjusting, the grammys are still voted by old, white men who won't give them a chance. and i so desperately wanted them to understand that it is not their fault. it's not their fault that they didn't get a grammy. it's not because they didn't work hard enough. it's not because people didn't love or support them enough. it's out of their hands. and the way they talked about the grammys much later, especially during the proof promotion i think? i felt like they acknowledged and accepted 'why' they didn't get the grammy. and i feel like they moved past the need of getting one/wanting one. they wanted to perform. that's all they wanted to do for years, and they got to do that.

Hello anon, how are you? Okay, I'm going to organise the ask first because I think anon got it wrong. The second part that I'm quoting above is actually the second paragraph or that part is what starts the second part or the 2/2 message that anon sent, the paragraph that starts with "so while it would have been amazing…" is the last paragraph of the ask. The end of the ask. I hope I explained it well.

Now anon to comment a little bit on what you said. In general, I agree with you, bts is a band that first of all likes singing/rapping, the stage is really what matters to them and performing on a big stage in the west was one more goal they wanted to accomplish. I don't think anyone can deny, not even themselves, that they wanted to win that award but I don't think they needed to or thought they should. Winning a grammy would be the end of their adventure in the west so to speak, one more way of saying that they conquered the west but obviously it was not the only way.

I remember that when I saw the video reaction of them seeing that they were nominated for the second time I noticed that it was very different from the first one. More measured, more normal. They were grateful, there's no doubt about that, but I think at that point they understood much more about how things were. After the Grammys, they said it themselves that they didn't really mind not winning, that they wanted to do an amazing performance and they did and I know they were happy with that. No one likes to lose and BTS even less hahaha but I don't think they lost sleep over it. Few artists understand that what gives an artist validity is the number of people who listen to their music and go to their concerts, I think BTS knows that very well.

As for them knowing how things work in the industry in the west… I think Namjoon's Vlive in April confirmed it. They know. They definitely know.

Hopefully, bts in the future will win one of those awards, not because they need the validation of having one but because it's one of those awards that they don't have and they deserve to have it. Hopefully, the western industry, especially in the USA, will stop being afraid of songs in languages other than English, that's the first step.

[ariesjupiter]

Mitski Birth Chart Reading

This is just my interpretation based on Mitski’s birth chart and what I know of her music. Let me know if you have any suggestions of someone I should make a post on next! If you’re interested, I offer natal chart readings, just check my pinned post!

Libra sun: In terms of basic personality and ego, Mitski is focused on creating balanced, harmonic relationships. Intimate, one-on-one relationships are a major part of her identity. Libra is ruled by venus which represents love and beauty. After all, she is known for her lyrics relating to her romantic relationships. The lyric “I love everybody because I love you” is so profoundly Libra to me. She is friendly and charming. She sees herself reflected and other people and people see themselves reflected in her (for better or worse). Venus also rules the arts and Mitski is a natural artist in every sense of the word. Her music sonically is very unique, inventive, and creative as she experiments with mixing different genres. This is influenced by her sun in the 11th house. Sun in the 11th house also indicates an emphasis on friendships and memberships of certain groups and communities. It also indicates an importance of her hopes and dreams. Her sun in 3° explains why she is such a talented writer, communicator, and lyricist. Peak libra sun culture: “Young adult romance is the shit” (a real quote from the queen herself). And let’s not forget her iconic quote from 2016: “I’m a libra so my sexuality is essentially “you can really be any gender as long as you treat me like a princes.” Truer words have never been spoken.

Capricorn moon: Despite how personal her music is, Mitski is a rather private and reserved person, particularly when it comes to expressing her emotions. Also, Capricorn is associated with the father and she has been known to be especially private regarding her dad’s career. She is serious and intense with emotions but can sometimes get detached. The emphasis is on having control over her feelings. She is ambitious and a practical person. Her emotions are connected to her career. Those who do not know her well may see her as cold. In temperament she tends to be melancholic. Emotionally mature and wise beyond her years. Straightforward and honest with her expression. She is dependable, loyal, hard working, & realistic. Emotional fulfillment is often tied to achievement and success. Her moon in the 2nd house and 2° suggests material comforts make her feel safe. With the 2nd house being associated with venus, she is able to express her emotions in an artistic way. Could be protective over material objects. Sentimental. Music has a big impact on her emotions and mood. Peak capricorn moon culture: “I didn’t really feel anything. I’ve stopped feeling things for a long time” - Mitski, The Fader Interview, 2017. In all seriousness, I hope my capricorn moons are doing good.

Virgo mercury: Mitski is practical and detail oriented when it comes to communication and matters of learning. She takes the time to choose the right words to convey her thoughts. She is clear and concise. Mercury is in its sign of rulership here. Her mercury in the 10th house suggests that she will be known for her communication style. Has a lot of thoughts but is also organized. Analytical. Mitski likes making lists. Loves to give advice. Mercury is in 16° (cancer degree) and she has a soft spoken voice. Talks about the past and her roots (cancerian themes).

Virgo venus: In love, Mitski will assume a caretaking role and will gladly help her partner finish mundane tasks and chores. A devoted and faithful lover. Love is about the mundane and routine details of life. Love is about service. Acts of service tend to be virgo venus’ main love language. She wants to help improve her partner’s life. She is patient and observant. Values love that is simple and authentic. Appreciates a partner with whom she can have intellectual conversations. May have a tendency to be too critical on herself when it comes to love. Venus rules aesthetics & style and she tends to have a modest fashion sense. Mitski has voiced her interest in astrology and how she has asked people she’s interested for their birth times lmao. Her venus is in the 11th house, she treats a lover like she would treat a friend. In fact, romantic love probably equates to platonic love in her book. She has her venus in 24° which is a pisces degree, which explains this natural interest in astrology.

Gemini mars: Could be impatient because she moves quickly. Efficient. Has a lot of goals and likes to keep busy. She thrives when she talks to others and exchanged ideas. Likes to multitask. Very versatile. Probably has a flirty, bubbly energy when she’s attracted to someone. Attracted to intellect. Desire to see things from multiple perspectives. Gemini rules the hands so she’s skilled with playing instruments and writing. Likes to try new things. Witty and humorous. Could have nervous energy or fidget often.

Leo jupiter: The planet of luck and expansion in Leo is a big indicator of fame. Her jupiter is also in the 9th house and in 7°. Jupiter in the 9th indicates being born in a different country from where you reside now. Mitski is biracial and has lived in multiple countries growing up. She loves to learn, particularly about other cultures and ways of life. She is open minded, philosophical and values freedom and being independent. She attracts good fortune when she travels (touring!) and also when she focuses on partnerships/intimate relationships (7°). Combining this energy, Mitski attracts luck when she acts dramatically, demonstrates/teaches her knowledge, expresses herself artistically, shows her warm hearted and sometimes stubborn side, & takes chances, shows her bravery, and takes the lead. Be the Cowboy is big leo energy 🤠

Capricorn saturn: Mitski is responsible, practical, goal-oriented, and cautious. With saturn in the 3rd house, she probably had to grow up quickly and become mature at a young age. Capricorn saturn people tend to be very successful people. Strong willed. Tendency to be quiet and is a good listener. Could also be outspoken. With saturn in 18° (virgo degree), she���s very hard working but she may need to learn how to take a break and let herself rest and recharge.

Capricorn uranus: This placement also indicates that she goes after her goals and is efficient and practical in achieving them. Uranus being in the 2nd house shows that she could make money from being unique and groundbreaking. 2nd house also rules the voice! Her values are unique and she could be resistant to change them. Her self esteem could be in a constant state of flux and be tied to money. Her income could rapidly change, like maybe she did not get paid much but then suddenly she starts making a lot of money. Uranus is in 5° which is a fame degree. She’s famous for being authentically herself and very much an individual in the industry that can’t be compared.

Capricorn neptune: Capricorn neptunes are most likely realists. She is skilled at going after her dreams. Her dreams are practical and connected to themes of wealth, power, and control. Neptune in 3rd house shows a dreamy, poetic way of communicating. A very creative placement. Dreamy vibes. Could be elusive in communication, open for interpretation. Neptune is in 11° so this gives aquarian energy. Idealistic with friends and always searching for ways to achieve her dreams.

Scorpio pluto: Her power lies in her ability to analayze human interactions and be introspective with herself since it’s in the 1st house. She is very self aware. Mitski understands that life is about going through changes and she welcomes the ability to grow and rebuild. She has intense, deep emotions but has control over them and how she expresses them. Pluto in 16° adds a cancerian energy. Her strength lies in her ability to nurture and be empathetic.

Scorpio rising: First impressions of Mitski can be that she’s mysterious and secretive. A powerful and intimidating presence. This explains to me why she loves dressing in black. She probably has a strong dislike for anything superficial. She likes to get to know people on a deeper level and connect with them. She likes honesty and is probably very perceptive and intuitive. Privacy is so important to her! She has a lot of layers and wants people to unpack them, but it may take her a while to open up. She is powerful and has endurance. Her presence leaves an impact on people. Loyalty and intimacy is important. She’s not afraid to talk about taboo topics or scary, heavier emotions. Passionate and even a tendency to get fixed on or obsessed with something or someone. Her rising is in 15° (gemini degree) so she’s clever, curious, and thinks quickly. a little more flexible than a regular Scorpio rising would be.

Leo midheaven: People might see her as dramatic or arrogant. In the public eye, she was meant to be a performer. At her concerts she’s known for putting on a good show & includes interpretive dance and choreography. She becomes herself more when she’s on stage. The stage is where she shines. Has a lot of pride connected to her career. Reputation for creatively expressing herself and being brave and taking risks. Wants to be admired, especially regarding her career. Her purpose is to become a leader. Mc in 22° (capricorn degree) shows that she is a very hard worker when it comes to her career. She won’t let anyone stop her when it comes to achievement and success in her field. Another indicator of being at the top of her career and being publicly recognized for it!

TLDR: Mitski is a natural born singer, performer and artist. She is unique, talented, and an introspective writer. Being earth and water dominant, she balances practicality & stability with sentimentality & raw emotion. With all of her Capricorn placements, she is grounded and doesn’t let fame get to her head. Her chart ruler is Scorpio pluto in the 1st which means that major transformations will be a big theme in her life, especially regarding herself & her identity. She is always reflecting and looking at herself on a deep level.

[imagines-mha]

⭒ haikyuu x exam season ⭒

Daichi- when i say he is the MOODIEST person when studying. It’s all fun and games until you interrupt him one too many times and he fucking explodes. Needs 2 chill

Suga- his goal in life is to be an aesthetic studyblr like this man will go and get iced coffee, order the prettiest stationary and then spend 20 minutes organising it for his instagram. As for ACTUALLY studying? He’s amazing at it. Literally the person we all aspire to be

Asahi- anxiety crams before tests. He does more than like 70% of his classmates but is always convinced he’s fallen behind on everything. Cries a LOT when he doesnt understand smth

Noya- another one who cries only he does it SO easily. Personally victimised by anything past question 1. Gets literally everyone to do his work for him

Tanaka- tries so hard he really really does. His handwriting is a mess and his notes look like something a 7 year old would do. Gets everything wrong but doesnt let it stop him

Ennoshita- did someone say pretentious straight A student??? Offers to help his friends just so he can flex his pretty notes and intelligence. Seems like he has everything under control but really? He cries like once a night in the lead up to exams

Kageyama- he doesnt have any room for anything in his head that isnt volleyball. Hes hopeless

Hinata- LACKS COMMON SENSE SO BAD. He’ll finally understand EVERYTHING but write the answer in the wrong place or leave out a decimal place in the exam. Stupidest mistakes

Tsukishima- he sticks to a study schedule like what? Who tf sticks to a schedule? Doesnt like to flaunt his grades around anyone who isnt hinata and kageyama, but akiteru and his mom are 100% the type to post his grades all over facebook like “so proud of my son !!!!!!”

Yamaguchi- the king of saying he hasn’t done much for exams, but then stays up every night til 2am studying. He HATES people having any expectations of him so keeps all his preparation secret lmao.

Kuroo- hes smart and he flaunts it so bad. 100% a teacher's pet, especially for science. Around exam season he lives in the library. Motivates kenma to study with him too tho hes so supportive

Kenma- hes naturally smart, which is like 70% of the reason his grades are good bc he does NOT study. Leaves it all to the night before/ when hes with his friends in the library but other than that nope he doesnt have energy

Lev- doesn't fully register he’s taking a test until he’s 3 questions in and hasn’t written a single word. Then he starts panicking.

Bokuto- he goes through the 5 stages of grief every single time he has to study. Gets frustrated as hell when he cant understand something, gets distracted by everything, a mess. Always leads to him slamming his textbook shut and sulking for an hour

Akaashi- the only one in fukurodani who actually spreads his studying out over the year so he doesnt have to cram. He has pretty notes and diagrams but still gets so stressed smh

Konoha- “yeah ill study in ten minutes” *cue him 6 hours later only starting* studies mostly at night and doesnt care about grades , yet still manages to score really good on every test

Oikawa- if this man is anything he’s dedicated. Actually finds balance between volleyball and studying when exam season’s in full swing, but that doesnt mean he still doesnt overwork himself. Surviving on 40 minutes of sleep and coffee lmao

Mattsun- doesn’t take school seriously at all. Hes like “who cares im gonna die one day” “if i dont know it now ill never know it”. So fucking chill

Makki- tries to be like issei so bad but it fails every time. He’s like “yeah who cares about biology anyway lmao”. He is a liar. He cried for 2 hours over biology last night smh. Biology is actually his number one care.

Iwa- naturally smart and follows a routine. The only healthy studier in seijoh tbh. Motivates his friends so much though hes the only reason mattsun and makki pass smh

Ushijima- sounds pretentious but he doesnt mean it. The worst person to study with because hes so naturally smart and makes everyone feel stupid. Hes like “how do you not understand this? Its easy?”

Tendou- hes so average when it comes to studying i cant even explain it. He goes home and studies, has dinner, watches some anime and studies a little more, then just goes to bed? Never overly concerned about it but hes the best for calming nerves. Makes you really believe things will be okay

Goshiki- CHRONIC WORRIER OH MY GOD. definitely gets the shakes before an exam and almost has a fuckin panic attack every single time, never feels prepared but he really is. Needs tendou for emotional support

Atsumu- too confident in his abilities lmao. He’s like “yeah ive got this i totally know it” then acts shocked and appalled when he fails. Thinks he’s the main character, therefore he HAS to pass. He’s not. And he never learns.

Osamu- the slightly smarter twin yet still not exceptional in any way. Doesnt really care about grades, he knows there’s more to life but still studies enough to pass

Kita- hello mr “whats a failing grade”. Never stresses and never fails. Actually the top of his class in basically everything. Manages to study and still find time for hobbies.

Aone- i am convinced a hug from him would get me through exam season every single year. Another person who just? Doesnt stress? Follows a routine and doesnt mind if he doesnt know something in the test. wow

Futakuchi- “i dont care about exams at all fuck them” *gets 53% and cries*. He doesnt have the patience to study and feels betrayed when all his friends actually do the work

Koganegawa- hes like hinata only he actually passes most of the time. Works SO hard and gets so happy when it pays off!! Always treats himself to mcdonalds after an exam thats self love babie

Terushima- you need to be cautious around this man. He’ll spend every night of exam season partying and ignoring any responsibility, yet still come out with 100% in everything. Where does he find the time? How does that work? What the fuck?

[be-gay-do-heists]

hello yall :) the holy month of elul started last night, which is typically a time for contemplation, so since it is impossible for me to stop thinking about leverage, i decided to write an essay. hope anyone interested in reading it enjoys, and that it makes at least a little sense!! spoilers for leverage redemption

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Leverage, Judaism, and “Doing the Work”: An Essay for Elul

When it comes to Elul and the approaching High Holidays, Leverage might seem like an odd topic to meditate on.

The TNT crime drama that ran from 2008-2012, and which released a new season this summer following its renewal, centers on a group of found-family thieves who help the victims of corporations and oligarchs (sometimes based on real-world examples), using wacky heists and cons to bring down the rich and powerful. In one episode, the team’s clients want to reclaim their father’s prized Glimt piece that had been stolen in the Shoah and never returned, but aside from this and the throwaway lines and jokes standard for most mainstream television, there’s not a ton textually Jewish about Leverage. However, despite this, I have found that the show has strong resonance among Jewish fans, and lots of potential for analysis along Jewish themes. This tends to focus on one character in particular: the group’s brilliant, pop culture-savvy, and personable hacker, Alec Hardison, played by the phenomenally talented Aldis Hodge.

I can’t remember when or where I first encountered a reading of Hardison as Jewish, but not only is this a somewhat popular interpretation, it doesn’t feel like that much of a leap. In the show itself, Hardison has a couple of the aforementioned throwaway lines that potentially point to him being Jewish, even if they’re only in service of that moment’s grift. It’s hard to point to what exactly makes reading Hardison as Jewish feel so natural. My first guess is the easy way Hardison fits into the traditional paradigms of Jewish masculinity explored by scholars such as Daniel Boyarin (2). Most of the time, the hacker is not portrayed as athletic or physical; he is usually the foil to the team’s more physically-adept characters like fighter Eliot, or thief Parker. Indeed, Hardison’s strength is mental, expressed not only through his computer wizardry but his passions for science, technology, music, popular media, as well as his studious research into whatever scenario the group might come up against. In spite of his self-identification as a “geek,” Hardison is nevertheless confident, emotionally sensitive, and secure in his masculinity. I would argue he is representative of the traditional Jewish masculine ideal, originating in the rabbinic period and solidified in medieval Europe, of the dedicated and thoughtful scholar (3). Another reason for popular readings of Hardison as Jewish may be the desire for more representation of Jews of color. Although mainstream American Jewish institutions are beginning to recognize the incredible diversity of Jews in the United States (4), and popular figures such as Tiffany Haddish are amplifying the experiences of non-white Jews, it is still difficult to find Jews of color represented in popular media. For those eager to see this kind of representation, then, interpreting Hardison, a black man who places himself tangential to Jewishness, in this way is a tempting avenue.

Regardless, all of the above remains fan interpretation, and there was little in the text of the show that seriously tied Judaism into Hardison’s identity. At least, until we got this beautiful speech from Hardison in the very first episode of the renewed show, directed at the character of Harry Wilson, a former corporate lawyer looking to atone for the injustice he was partner to throughout his career:

“In the Jewish faith, repentance, redemption, is a process. You can’t make restitution and then promise to change. You have to change first. Do the work, Harry. Then and only then can you begin to ask for forgiveness. [...] So this… this isn’t the win. It’s the start, Harry.”

I was floored to hear this speech, and thrilled that it explained the reboot’s title, Leverage: Redemption. Although not mentioned by its Hebrew name, teshuvah forms the whole basis for the new season. Teshuvah is the concept of repentance or atonement for the sins one has committed. Stemming from the root shuv/shuva, it carries the literal sense of “return.” In a spiritual context, this usually means a return to G-d, of finding one’s way back to holiness and by extension good favor in the eyes of the Divine. But equally important is restoring one’s relationships with fellow humans by repairing any hurt one has caused over the past year. This is of special significance in the holy month of Elul, leading into Rosh haShanah, the Yamim Noraim, and Yom Kippur, but one can undertake a journey of redemption at any point in time. That teshuvah is a journey is a vital message for Harry to hear; one job, one reparative act isn’t enough to overturn years of being on the wrong side of justice, to his chagrin. As the season progresses, we get to watch his path of teshuvah unfold, with all its frustrations and consequences. Harry grows into his role as a fixer, not only someone who can find jobs and marks for the team, but fixes what he has broken or harmed.

So why was Hardison the one to make this speech?

I do maintain that it does provide a stronger textual basis for reading Hardison as Jewish by implication (though the brief on-screen explanation for why he knows about teshuvah, that his foster-parent Nana raised a multi-faith household, is important in its own merit, and meshes well with his character traits of empathy and understanding for diverse experiences). However, beyond this, Hardison isn’t exactly an archetypical model for teshuvah. In the original series, he was the youngest character of the main ensemble, a hacking prodigy in the start of his adult career, with few mistakes or slights against others under his belt. In one flashback we see that his possibly first crime was stealing from the Bank of Iceland to pay off his Nana’s medical bills, and that his other early hacking exploits were in the service of fulfilling personal desires, with only those who could afford to pay the bill as targets. Indeed, in the middle of his speech, Hardison points to Eliot, the character with the most violent and gritty past who views his work with the Leverage team as atonement, for a prime example of ongoing teshuvah. So while no one is perfect and everyone has a reason for doing teshuvah, this question of why Hardison is the one to give this series-defining speech inspired me to look at his character choices and behavior, and see how they resonate with a different but interrelated Jewish principle, that of tikkun olam. 

Tikkun olam is literally translated as “repairing the world,” and can take many different forms, such as protecting the rights of vulnerable people in society, or giving tzedakah (5). In modern times, tikkun olam is often the rallying cry for Jewish social activists, particularly among environmentalists for whom literally restoring the health of the natural world is the key goal. Teshuvah and tikkun olam are intertwined (the former is the latter performed at an interpersonal level) and both hold a sense of fixing or repairing, but tikkun olam really revolves around a person feeling called to address an injustice that they may have not had a personal hand in creating. Hardison’s sense of a universal scale of justice which he has the power to help right on a global level and his newfound drive to do humanitarian work, picked up sometime after the end of the original series, make tikkun olam a central value for his character. This is why we get this nice bit of dialogue from Eliot to Hardison in the second episode of the reboot, when the latter’s outside efforts to organize international aid start distracting him from his work with the team: “Is [humanitarian work] a side gig? In our line of work, you’re one of the best. But in that line of work… you’re the only one, man.” The character who most exemplifies teshuvah reminds Hardison of his amazing ability to effect change for the better on a huge stage, to do some effective tikkun olam. It’s this acknowledgement of where Hardison can do the most good that prompts the character’s absence for the remainder of the episodes released thus far, turning his side gig into his main gig.

With this in mind, it will be interesting to see where Hardison’s arc for this season goes. Separated from the rest of the team, the hacker still has remarkable power to change the world, because it is, after all, the “age of the geek.” However, he is still one person. For all that both teshuvah and tikkun olam are individual responsibilities and require individual decision-making and effort, the latter especially relies on collective work to actually make things happen. Hardison leaving is better than trying to do humanitarian work and Leverage at the same time, but there’s only so long he can be the “only one” in the field before burning out. I’m reminded of one of the most famous (for good reason) maxims in Judaism:

It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to neglect it. (6)

Elul is traditionally a time for introspection and heeding the calls to repentance. After a year where it’s never been easier to feel powerless and drained by everything going on around us, I think it’s worth taking the time to examine what kind of work we are capable of in our own lives. Maybe it’s fixing the very recent and tangible hurts we’ve left behind, like Harry. Maybe it’s the little changes for the better that we make every day, motivated by our sense of responsibility, like Eliot. And maybe it’s the grueling challenge of major social change, like Hardison. And if any of this work gets too much, who can we fall back on for support and healing? Determining what needs repair, working on our own scale and where our efforts are most helpful, and thereby contributing to justice in realistic ways means that we can start the new year fresh, having contemplated in holiday fashion how we can be better agents in the world.

Shana tovah u’metukah and ketivah tovah to all (7), and may the work we do in the coming year be for good!

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(1) Disclaimer: everybody’s fandom experiences are different, and this is just what I’ve picked up on in my short time watching and enjoying this show with others.

(2) See, for example, the introduction and first chapter of Boyarin’s book Unheroic Conduct: The Rise of Heterosexuality and the Invention of the Jewish Man (I especially recommend at least this portion if you are interested in queer theory and Judaic studies). There he explores the development of Jewish masculinity in direct opposition to Christian masculine standards.

(3) I might even go so far as to place Hardison well within the Jewish masculine ideal of Edelkayt, gentle and studious nobility (although I would hesitate to call him timid, another trait associated with Edelkayt). Boyarin explains that this scholarly, non-athletic model of man did not carry negative associations in the historical Jewish mindset, but was rather the height of attractiveness (Boyarin, 2, 51).

(4) Jews of color make up 20% of American Jews, according to statistics from Be’chol Lashon, and this number is projected to increase as American demographics continue to change: https://globaljews.org/about/mission/. 

(5) Tzedakah is commonly known as righteous charity. According to traditional authority Maimonides, it should be given anonymously and without embarrassment to the person in need, generous, and designed to help the recipient become self-sufficient.

(6) Rabbi Tarfon, Pirkei Avot, 2:16

(7) “A good and sweet year” and “a good inscription [in the Book of Life]”