#feel free to do so! it'll be greatly appreciated

[masquerade-v]

Late night doodle wip of Spatium

I got inspired by some body horror content and I wanted to try a slightly different spin on their alt design. I'll be doing the same with Materia and Tempus. I also want to do horror designs for the yeehaw trio based on these designs correlating to their respective delegators as well!

[yxngbxkkie]

girl dad 🎀 (b.c)

i had seen a tik tok with chan and the twins, and how he's a girl dad 🥹 so, i had come up with this idea 🫢 i hope you guys like it 🩷

feedback is greatly appreciated 🥰

~

You've been sitting in your car for twenty minutes, trying to get yourself to stop crying. One hand covers your mouth, quieting your sobs while the other gently rubs your tiny baby bump. You're fourteen weeks pregnant, and you just found out what you and Chan are having.

Your phone vibrates in your vehicle's cup holder, seeing Chan's name on the screen. You wipe your tears and take a deep breath before answering his call.

“Hey, baby,” you greet him, smiling to yourself.

“Hi, my baby,” Chan's voice makes your heart flutter. “Have you made it to the studio yet? How did the appointment go? I'm sorry I couldn't go with you.”

You giggle and lean back against the seat, turning your head to look out the window. “It's okay, baby. I forgot you had a schedule this morning. It went well. I have another sonogram photo to show you,” you inform him on how it went, leaving out the part where you learned whether your baby’s a girl or a boy.

“That's good. I can't wait to see our bean,” he giggles into the receiver, making you giggle as well. “We're just about to start filming, so I wanted to let you know that you're free to come in. I gave your name to security.”

You turn your vehicle off, feeling yourself calmer after talking to your boyfriend. “Okay, baby. I just pulled in, so I'll be there in a few. I love you,” you smooch.

“I love you so much. As soon as I have a free moment, I'm kissing you,” he mentions, having missed his morning kisses due to both of you being busy.

You're walking towards the building, and you shake your head. “I'm not going to complain,” you laugh, bidding him goodbye.

You slip your phone into your back pocket, giving the guard your name. He lets you in without any trouble, thankfully, and you make your way towards the room they're recording in.

When you finally reach the place Chan and Felix are in, you notice that they've already started recording. You look through the window of the door, seeing your boyfriend sitting cross-legged on the floor with the twins in his lap.

Tears pool in your eyes as you gently rub your belly, thinking of how it'll be when she's born. “Is this what parent life will look like?” You ask no one in particular, taking a quick glance down at your barely noticeable bump.

You chew on your lip as you walk into the room, the squeals of the girls reaching your ears. Chan's eyes meet yours, and he smiles at you fondly.

You wave at him before crossing your arms over your chest. Felix and Chan's manager grabs a chair for you to sit in, knowing that you're pregnant. You thank Skijigi quietly and take a seat.

The recording didn't last much longer, the two boys having a snack with the twins before they headed out. You stay in your seat when Chan walks over to you, greeting you with a kiss.

“Have you been crying?” He asks, noticing the redness around your eyes. His fingertips gently stroke your skin, a frown etching onto his lips.

“I can't get anything past you, can I?” You chuckle, shaking your head. Chan shakes his head as well, looking around to see the staff slowly filtering out. “It's nothing bad, I promise.”

Your hand grabs his, intertwining your fingers together before squeezing his hand. “The baby's okay?” He asks, stroking the back of your hand.

“Yes, absolutely,” you tell him, standing up from your chair. You bring your conjoined hands to your stomach, letting him feel your bump. “She is doing fantastic.”

His head snaps up, a gasp leaving his plump lips. “She? We're having a girl?” Chan whispers, his hands moving to your waist. “Are we really having a baby girl?”

Tears pool in both of your eyes, and you nod your head, confirming. “We're gonna have a little girl,” you cry out, laughing as you do. “You're going to be such a wonderful girl dad.”

Your fingers stroke his cheek, smiling up at him as you wipe his tears. Chan's lip quivers, bringing you into his chest. “I can't believe we're gonna have a girl,” he sniffles, gliding his hands on your lower back. “I hope she looks just like you.”

You pull back enough to look at him, smiling softly. “I hope she has your smile and dimples,” you giggle, leaning on your toes to kiss his lips.

“I can't wait to tell the kids,” he laughs, pressing chaste kisses on your lips. “They were so convinced that we'll have a boy.”

You burst out laughing, combing your fingers through his hair. “Let's go prove them wrong,” you wink, pulling away from him completely. Chan swiftly grabs your hand as the two of you walk out of the room together.

“After we tell them you want to get dinner?” He asks, kissing the back of your conjoined hands.

Your heart flutters in your chest, nodding your head, yes. “I'd love to, baby,” you grin, leaning your head on his arm. “I love you.”

Chan kisses your head and squeezes your hand. “I love you, baby.”

~

tagging: @strawboorybunny @reddesert-healourblues @spacegirlstuff @moon0fthenight @foxinnie8 @like-a-diamondinthesky @prettymiye0n

[bowelfly]

OH BOY YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS

my shitty old car is really truly dying and rent is eating up most of my paycheck so buying another vehicle is gonna kick my ass. if you wanna grab something from my print store or buy me a coffee i'd greatly appreciate it.

things are even dire enough that i got off my ass and made some crude commission info sheets:

these prices are estimates and actual amounts are gonna vary depending on the specifics of the commission. i charge more for things outside my usual subject range since they take more research and fussing to get right, while subjects that i'm always drawing for fun (bugs, teeth) are liable to cheaper.

i do all of my sketches digitally MSPaint style and all of my rendered drawings with real ink and watercolors, usually with some digital tweaking or compositing afterwards. traditional art pieces can be mailed to you for the cost of shipping and packaging.

feel free to DM me with both what you'd like drawn and in what style--digital sketch, b&w linework, b&w heavy crosshatching, monochrome inkwash, watercolors, etc, or best of all just link me to a previous drawing of mine in the style closest to what you want. i can take money through paypal or ko-fi, payable after i complete the art and before i send you the full resolution copy.

if there's a queue i'll try to give you an estimate of how long it'll take me to get to your commission. please be patient with me; i have a full time job and a bad case of ADHD. i reserve the right to refuse or rescind a commission for any reason including and especially if the client acts pushy or gives me weird vibes.

whoops sorry that was a long post. thanks for reading.

[aurekiwi]

Your love life within the next 6th months?

𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐳𝐞 | follow me | support me (ko-fi)

Pile 1 ; Pile 2 ; Pile 3

Be aware that this pick-a-card(picture) reading consists of only three piles, meaning that it won't resonate for everyone. Some of you may not have a relationship within the next six months. This PAC reading was for a very specific audience. Open it only if you feel drawn to opening this reading. Please let your intuition guide you when deciding which pile to choose!

Any form of feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Pile 1

Hello Pile 1! Within the next six months, you may feel pretty overwhelmed due to your work and personal responsibilities that you might not really a strong pull towards having a romantic relationship with anyone. It can also be that your life is a bit turbulent and you don't really have the time or energy to meet with someone. I do see that you might fall in love with someone or have a big crush on someone, but it feels more like a situationship or an interaction that'll leave you feeling upset and disappointed in the end. Whatever romantic interaction you have with this future person may drag out for a bit of time but unfortunately end on a not-so-desired note- you'll have to move on from this bond. You may meet this person through your workplace or your school, or in a particular setting where you need to work with someone on a mutual goal or a project. You may establish a bond with this person initially through mutual interests and compatible personalities that is discovered through interacting with this person while working together.

Pile 2

Hello Pile 2! I think some of you may already be in a relationship and some may have someone in mind at the moment and have thoughts to establish a romantic relationship with a person of interest. This person of interest seems to be surrounded by lots of Pentacles energy. For some of you, I'm feeling boss, a leader of some organization/company, some kind of authority figure. For some of you, I'm feeling a coworker/peer/classmate. You may feel that the two of you are compatible and ignore earlier signs of turbulence. It feels unbalanced. The relationship feels like there's a focus on infatuation rather than something more grounded and secure. You may put in way too much time and energy that isn't reciprocated, leaving you feeling emotionally burnt out, upset, and unheard. Some of you may have the relationship consumed of sexual relations with a lack of communication. Some may turn to substances or some unhealthy addictions to cope. Some may struggle with co-dependence or excessive trauma-bonding. I also sense knowing how to hurt the other person and saying something that'll hurt the other person on purpose to establish power within the relationship. Overall, I think the relationship will be short-lived and end within the next six months. After the relationship, you'll find that you feel really free, like you can do anything you want and roam free, a breath of fresh air almost. You're asked to reestablish balance in your life after the separation, to start anew as the kind of person you truly are rather than matching someone's likes/type. You are much more than just XYZ's lover. Stay away from substances or any other unhealthy addictions. Go out with friends, with loved ones that make you happy. Have a great time with those who truly care about you and your well-being.

Pile 3

Hello Pile 3! Within the next six months, you may find yourself struggling with lots of overthinking, internal conflicts, or arguments with those who're around you. I looked into what it might be about, and it seems like it'll be arguments about how you're going forward in terms of life decisions, it can also be able something related to career such as a promotion gone wrong, rejection from a program that you thought you'd be getting into, etc. Lots of turbulence and unfortunately just a chaotic time where it feels like the ground beneath you just opened up and you're completely taken aback by everything that is happening. Within this dark and stressful time, however, you'll be uniting with someone who brings you balance, strength, hope, and motivation. A new relationship, a new lover, or the return of a lover who has been your lover for lifetimes. This person will help you through a very hard time. They will be very patient with you and show their support for you so that you don't feel alone. They'll be there to listen to you when you feel frustrated about your current circumstances, kind of help you start moving again. They'll show you the power and control that you have over your own life, that you can do anything and become anything that you want to be. I think they'll help you recover your relationship with your inner voice, your conscience, the "you" that you ignored for a long time due to the people that surrounded you at the time who made you feel you had no control over your own life. I think this will be a very healing relationship and one that is very nurturing and balanced. This sounds like a beautiful bond!

[stormz369]

☕💖 Can I Get Your Number? ☕💖 Ch 18

Jason Todd x (f)Chubby!Reader

written with a female reader in mind, first person pov, no use of Y/N, will probably get NSFW later, let me know if there's anything else I should tag this with!

warnings/labels: use of mommy/mama as a pet name (non-sexual), vague talk about troubled childhoods, sort of a found-family thing?, brief encounter with a grocery store Karen wc: 2.7k Disclaimer: I am very white, everything I write about Damian's cultural background is coming from 1) internet research on Damian 1.5) pestering my comic reader friend about Damian/Talia/Ra's al Ghoul (but so far he's basically said that DC really does stand for Disregard Canon, so I can reasonably do whatever works for my narrative and it'll be canon friendly somewhere) and 2) internet research on Arabic cultural practices/foods/etc.

I always endeavor to write about others' cultures with respect or not at all, and to put in an appropriate amount of research to get details as right as possible. That being said, I am human, and don't always know what to look for to get the information I need. If you know that something I've included is culturally incorrect please do feel free to tell me (if you have the emotional bandwidth)! I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to me that I write about Damian's Arabic heritage correctly and with respect, and any rewriting/research guidance offered will always be greatly appreciated and credit given where due! If you wish to provide feedback anonymously, feel free to send them as asks, but please do include an emoji or something I can use to credit you for your emotional labor in the applicable chapters! And thank you in advance! This is where I got the info about ma'amoul cookies, if anyone is interested!

Chapter Selection

I woke sandwiched between the boys; Jason's arms were wrapped around my waist, and Damian's back was pressed into my chest. I smiled softly, gently stroking his hair. He groaned softly and flipped around, cuddling into me.

Jason shifted, stroking my side. “Mh … morning~”

“Morning~” I whispered, smiling softly.

He sat up, stretching a bit. “... He looks downright peaceful with you…”

“Like he feels safe?”

“… Yeah. … I'm glad you can give him that. … He's been through alot.”

I nodded, stroking his hair more. “I can tell. … I like letting him be a kid.”

Jason nodded, leaning over to kiss my temple. “I think he likes it too. … I'll make breakfast~”

I nodded, holding Damian close. He sighed softly, snuggling in more. Eventually, the smells of breakfast cooking wafted into the room, and Damian's eyes slowly fluttered open. The instant he realized how close we were he darted back, almost falling off the edge of the bed. After a moment he looked away awkwardly, clearing his throat.

“... Um … th- thank you, for … everything.”

 I nodded, sitting up. “Of course. Anything you want to do today?”

He frowned a bit. “... Is Todd working tonight?”

“I think so. You wanna do something fun when he goes?”

“... If you don't mind?”

“I don't mind.” I smiled softly. He flushed a bit, smiling into his chest.

“Ok … Thanks.”

I nodded, stretching. “Jay's making breakfast.”

He nodded, getting up and grabbing his clothes. I checked my phone, frowning a bit when I saw that Bruce had texted.

Bruce: Is Damian alright? 9:05am Me: Yes, he's ok 10:45am Bruce: Jason said one of his teachers said something about him? He said you were very upset about it. 10:48am Me: Yes, the math teacher. It was inexcusable, and I made sure she knew it. Jason got him switched into a new math class, so it shouldn't be a problem anymore 10:49am Bruce: Very good. … Jason also mentioned that Damian seemed to think he had to let them talk about him like that? 10:53am Me: He thought calling them out qualified as misbehaving 10:55am Bruce: … I'll speak to him when he gets home. Obviously I don't want him to put up with that. 10:57am Me: … Maybe not so obviously. I think he was worried about disappointing you. He seemed more concerned with how dealing with it would affect you publicly than with how it was affecting him to hear it 11:00am Bruce: … I'll fix this. 11:02am

I sighed softly. Somehow I doubted Bruce could fix it just like that. I changed into some casual clothes and joined the boys in the kitchen. Jason slid a few pancakes onto a plate for me and kissed my cheek.

“Thanks, pumpkin~”

Damian snorted softly, smirking at Jason. “... ‘Pumpkin’?”

I smirked back, leaning forward; “careful, kiddo. I can think of plenty of fun nicknames for you too, my little jellybean~”

He grimaced. “Ugh..”

“No? You don't like that? How about cutie patootie? Angel pie? Honey-bunch?”

Damian groaned, shaking his head. “Nooo! Gross!”

Jason chuckled, rolling his eyes. “Ok, mama, he's had enough.”

Damian froze, frowning. His walls shot right back up, and his voice was sharp; “... She is not my mother.”

“And thank God for that.” Jason rolled his eyes. “Your mother's a real piece of work. Trade up while the trading's good.”

Damian frowned more, staring into his plate. “... Mother is a … complicated woman. But she's my mother.”

My heart ached at how carefully he said it. Complicated was the nicest thing he could think to say about her? “... I'm sure she loves you, kiddo.”

Damian's jaw clenched as he nodded. “Yes, she does.”

Jason frowned a bit. “... In her way.”

We spent the weekend in a domestic bubble; we cooked together, watched movies, played games, and after Jason went to work Damian and I played with his craft kits. Watching him relax into the little family unit we established for ourselves almost made me wonder if he really was starting to view me as a maternal figure. I didn't mind if he was, but I wasn't sure how much I should lean into it. As with most things with Damian, I decided it was best to let him set the pace.

The next Friday night, Damian came over again. Jason sighed, rolling his eyes affectionately when he saw Damian at the kitchen table. “Do you have my girl playing mommy again?”

Damian blushed bright red, glaring at him. I raised an eyebrow, staring at Jason. “I told him he could come over, Jason.”

I set a plate of cookies on the table and a glass of milk. “You just finish your homework, kiddo. And don't burn yourself on the cookies, they're still hot.”

Damian nodded, taking one. Jason leaned over to grab one as well, but before he could I gently smacked his hand and grabbed his shirt, leading him into my room. “Not yet.”

He frowned, following along. “What? What'd I do?”

I shut the door, turning to face him. “Jay, my love, when you say things like that you make it harder for him to relax. You said yourself, he's been through alot; if he wants a taste of the nuclear family life, I'm happy to baby him all he wants. If he wants to come over every weekend I'll make cookies and ‘play mommy’, as you put it. And I don't want you making him feel weird about it. Ok?”

He shifted a bit, looking down at his feet. “Right, … sorry baby. It was just a joke…”

“I know, but he's still getting used to the idea that this is ok. Sometimes I think he expects to be punished for asking for things. I had to convince him to tell me what kinds of cookies he likes best. And he looked so surprised when I said we'd go to the store tomorrow for the ingredients I don't have. Like he thought it was a hypothetical question.”

Jason sighed, nodding. “He probably did…”

I nodded, gently cupping his cheek. “Just be gentle with him, ok? … Remember, if I'm playing mommy for him, I'm also playing house-wife for you~”

He blushed a bit and chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist. “That sounds nice~ … you gonna wear a cute little apron and serve breakfast in bed?”

“Only if I manage to get up before you. Sometimes I think you don't sleep at all.” I chuckled, kissing him softly. He kissed back gently and smiled softly, nodding. 

“Mh~ ok, mama, I'll play nice~”

I chuckled softly, kissing him again. “Good boy~”

The flash of red across his face made me giggle, and I led him back out of the bedroom. “Now you may have a cookie. And I'm making stir-fry for dinner.”

Damian looked up at me as I passed; “is it…”

I nodded; “vegetarian. And I think I finally figured out how to get that nice crispy layer on the tofu too!”

His lips curled up ever so slightly, he nodded once, and returned to his homework. Jason sat next to him, taking a cookie, and looked over his shoulder at his homework. “... New math teacher treating you ok?”

“It’s only been a week, but … Yeah, he seems like a nice guy so far. And word of the ‘crazy art show lady' has spread throughout the faculty.” I smirked a bit at that. I could be ‘crazy art show lady' if it made them think twice about disrespecting him.

Jason nodded. “Good.”

When I brought out dinner, Damian practically inhaled his first few bites. I blinked a bit, chuckling softly. “Don't choke, kiddo.”

He nodded, slowing down a bit. Periodically, I'd catch him staring at his backpack. “... You need something outta there?”

He flushed, shaking his head. “No, just … Jon is waiting for me to finish dinner.”

“Oh, I don't have a ‘no phones at the table' rule, kiddo. You can text your friend.”

He blinked repeatedly. “... I can?”

“Yeah, I don't mind. It would be pretty hypocritical if I did; I never go anywhere without my phone.”

Damian smiled a little and got his phone, texting Jon quickly. His guarded expression slowly melted away, and I had to remind myself not to stare before he caught me.

“... Do you want to invite him over some time?”

Damian looked up, frowning a bit. “Invite Jon over … here?”

“Yeah, you two could have a sleepover in the living room.”

“... Could we go to the arcade at the mall?”

“Sure! As long as his parents are ok with it. And give them my phone number in case they want to talk to me first, or need to check in.”

Damian grinned, nodding, and texted Jon quickly. “... Next weekend?”

“Sounds like a plan!”

Damian stared disdainfully at the wall of flour, scouring it for the kind needed for his cookies. Eventually, he grabbed a small bag, bringing it back to me.

“That's the one?”

He nodded slowly, frowning. “... I'm not used to looking for it in English, but this should be right.”

I nodded, gesturing for him to put it in the cart. “Ok, is that gonna be enough?” He nodded, releasing it. “What’s next?”

“Ghee.” He grabbed the corner of the cart and led me down the aisle, finding what he needed. He tsked softly at the container, but tossed it into the cart as well before leading the way to the spices. He selected several extracts, rose water, and a few spices I was low on.

“Alright, what else?”

“Dates, figs, pistachios, and walnuts.”

We scanned the aisles, eventually finding what we needed, and headed for the check-out counter. The way Damian watched the cashier and me had me wondering if he had ever been to an American grocery store before. I bagged the groceries, chatting with the cashier a bit.

The lady behind us in line glowered at Damian. He frowned, eyeing her for a moment, before continuing to watch the check out process. She huffed, rolling her eyes; “aren't you going to help, young man?”

I frowned, turning toward her. “Hey, leave him alone.”

I held a hand out for him, gesturing for him to come close. He frowned, taking a couple steps toward me.

She frowned more, looking more and more like she bit into a lemon. “I'm just saying, good boys don't just stare while others do the work.”

“No one asked you, lady. Back off.” I let my hand hover over his shoulder for a moment, not touching him but clearly indicating that he was under my protection. He glanced at my hand before looking up at me. “Should I do something?”

“No, kiddo, you're fine. We're just about done, and I would ask if I wanted help.”

He smirked slightly, watching me put my wallet away and grab the bags. He pulled the cart to the cart return and we headed out, strolling back to our bus stop. After a moment, he reached over and took the bag from one of my hands.

I smiled softly, letting him have it. “Don't let people like her bother you, ok? They're just grumpy that my generation doesn't expect kids to read our minds.”

He frowned a bit, staring at the sidewalk in front of him. “... That was common, in older generations?”

“Mh, yeah, I think so. My grandparents always had something to say about how my parents ‘coddled’ us. And my parents sure have a lot to say about how new parents are ‘babying’ their kids with the newest theories and parenting practices.” I chuckled; “as if there's something wrong with babying a literal baby?”

“... Back home, I was expected to behave just like the rest of the household. No matter my age.”

I nodded slowly. “Different cultures approach parenting differently, I suppose.”

“... I think in my case it's more of … my mother's approach to parenting.”

“Ah…”

He stared at a spot in front of him, frowning deeply; “... She loves me, she just … she had a … complicated life. … She did the best she could for me.”

I nodded. “... Parents are people. And people are flawed. Loving them doesn't mean we have to pretend they haven't hurt us, or that we have to forgive them for the bad parts of our childhood. … It's very mature of you to keep her experiences in mind like that. But you're also allowed to be upset.”

“... Upset?”

“It sounds like a classic example of ‘I had it bad, but my parents had it worse'. But you're still entitled to your feelings about your childhood. The good and the bad. … Children are supposed to be protected and cared for, but some kids … just don't get to have that. You're allowed to mourn the childhood you should have had. And you're allowed to seek out those experiences now.”

“... Like the craft kits?”

“Exactly. I bet it’s freeing, being able to just play, right?”

He nodded slowly. “... It is. … It's nice, not worrying about what people will think, or do. … You … you don't make a big thing about it.”

“Because it doesn't have to be a big thing if you don't want it to be. You get to decide what matters in this, and who's involved.”

He nodded slowly. “... Mother would be furious, if she knew Todd has been joking the way he has.”

“Joking?”

“... About you playing mommy.”

“Ah. I can make him stop if it makes you uncomfortable… But I also don't mind it if you don't.”

“... I will think on it.” 

When the bus arrived we hopped on, finding a seat. Damian stared out the window, clutching his bag. At our stop I had to gently tug on the bag handles to pull him out of his thoughts, and we headed up to my apartment.

“Ok, remind me what the cookies we're making are called?”

“Ma’amoul. Mother made them for holidays…”

I smiled softly and nodded. “Well, I hope they'll live up to your memories then.”

We worked together to make the cookies, Damian staying practically underfoot to make sure they came out just right. The molding and filling process took quite a while, but we plowed through, slowly working out a rhythm. He hovered, watching them in the oven, until they were finally ready.

I carefully transferred them to a cooling rack and he immediately took one, breaking it in half. He looked it over, sniffing it a bit, and finally took a bite, chewing slowly. I watched, biting the inside of my lower lip a bit. “... What do you think, kiddo?”

He stared at the half of a cookie in his hand, his expression unreadable. Finally, he mumbled; “... Well, they're very ugly. … But they taste like home.”

I smiled softly, holding my arms behind my back to stop myself from pulling him into a hug. “I'm glad. And I'm sure the next batch will be prettier. Practice makes perfect, right?”

“The next batch?” He looked up at me curiously.

“Of course. You said they're your favorites.”

He flushed a bit and stared at the cookie in his hands again, nodding. “Yes, they are.”

“Then I'm gonna get good at this so you can have them more often.”

After a moment, he reached over to grip my elbow, gently squeezing before dropping his hand again. It was over as quick as it began, but I felt his warmth linger on my arm. I smiled softly, holding an arm out for him. He considered for a second before leaning in, letting me give him a quick shoulder squeeze.

“I'm glad you're happy with them, sweetheart. Why don't you go sit, and I'll bring you a plate and a glass of milk? And when the rest are cool we'll put them in a tupperware for you to take home.”

He nodded, nibbling on the rest of his cookie while I made up a plate for him. We sat on the couch, letting some dumb action movie fill the silence while we enjoyed the fruits of our labor.

Next ->

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

Taglist (open): @jawdropforkpop @krys0210 @snowy-violet @superthoughts @wordsfromshona @mystic60 @iwannabealocalcryptid @morstuavitamea-a @frosty--giants @arisa191 @prized-jules @phoenix666stuff @dinonuggysandhuggus @anuttellaa @whore-of-many-hot-men

[seelestia]

「 # REVERIES IN CUPS! 」

ANNOUNCING the arrival of a new section on the bakery's menu: drinks! gone are the days where you leave through our front door without something to soothe your parched throat. feel free to stop by and take a look at our new additions! { sfw alphabet event }

[ 📫 . . . orders closed! ] from May 14 (GMT+8) till May 20 (GMT+8). The end date may be subject to change depending on circumstances.

⟡ ─ ・・“TELL US MORE!” (info)

Welcome to Reveries In Cups! — a SFW alphabet event where you pick an alphabet letter and pair it with a character! But to play along with the theme, there are tiny changes. . .

Each alphabet letter has its own assigned drink in the event menu and one letter = 1 drink. For the characters, one character = 1 pastry and you can choose from either: genshin or hsr.

There is a limit for how many drinks and seats you can order! So, I've prepared three packages you can choose: [ 1 or 2 drinks with 1 pastry ], [ 2 drinks with 2 pastries ] and [ 1 drink with 3 pastries ]. These are the only packages applicable.

Completed orders will be posted after the bakery's mailbox has been closed (or in other words, after the end date passes). There might be exceptions if the baker changes their mind!

⟡ ─ ・・“HOW TO ORDER?” (order etiquette)

Before proceeding, please check whether we’re still receiving orders! Orders that are sent after the closing date will be ignored.

To place an order: state the package you desire out of the three mentioned earlier, the names of your drinks, and the characters you bought pastries for.

It doesn't have to be in order as long as your ask is complete with the details. If it helps, an example would be: “can i get 1 drink with 1 pastry? i'd like a cup of lost twilight and one pastry for neuvillette, please. thank you!”

( EXTRA: If you can include a thank you in your order, it will make my day! )

You may find the event menu here and a full list of characters I write for here if you're unsure. With that said, I'm looking forward to your orders!

⟡ ─ ・・“ANYTHING ELSE?” (reminders)

Only orders placed through my askbox will be accepted. If you place an order through a reblog or a comment, it is considered invalid.

Separate the characters accordingly based on what fandom they're from! I prefer keeping my fandoms in separate posts, so only one fandom per order, thank you.

Please use an applicable package. Other types of packages like [ 3 drinks with 2 pastries ] or [ 2 drinks with 3 pastries ] will not be accepted. This is to prevent me from getting writing burnout, so I hope you understand.

Do not rush or pressure me. Be mindful that your order’s size works in tandem with the time it'll take for me to write it. For example, an order with the [ 1 with 3 ] package might take longer than a [ 1 with 1 ].

Do not submit more than one order per person. I cannot dictate this so this is solely dependent on your moral compass - but I'd like to give everyone a fair chance at requesting.

Lastly, if you're familiar with how I like to do my events . . . please include the keyword: macaron in your ask somewhere. This helps me differentiate between those who've read this far and those who haven't! Orders without this keyword will be promptly declined.

— thank you for reading! all matters related to this event will be tagged as [ #reveriesincups ]. boosts will be greatly appreciated! ‹3

[deepfivetraveller]

What i would gift the characters from MTP

part 2

William James Moriarty:

*Hagoromo chalk. Basically its a chalk mathematicians use to write on black boards.

*This chalk is no ordinary chalk. It glides suuuper smoothly on boards, is dust free, and writing feels as if the chalk is melting from your hand (Not my words)

*It’s so good people believe that it is impossible to write a false theorem with this

*Mathematicians have always had this attachment to black boards for various reasons so even though this is a simple gift I feel he’d deeply appreciate it.

*Also if possible, I would write a 100 reasons why he shouldn’t K himself, fold them into paper stars and put them in a glass jar and give it to him (Poor boy deserves some love).

Louis James Moriarty:

*A really fancy tea set (If I had the money to).

*Ik it sounds pretty cliche but get this, Victorian nobles had tea sets for EVERY form of tea and for every occasion

*I don’t think the Moriarty family were ever tight on budget before the final problem (at least in the manga i think) but seeing the fact that William never spent too much money on clothes, I’m pretty sure they were modest with their spendings and an extra tea pot or cutlery set would help them very much :D

Albert James Moriarty:

*Wine. What else can I buy this man? he’s loaded.

*Now, I’m no Wine expert and nor do I have the money to buy any expensive ones but I think if I buy him something decent he’d greatly appreciate it.

*Also handmade gifts. ANY handmade gift would do it. Cards, knitted or crocheted items, all of it. He’d love them more if they WEREN’T perfect. Ik he has this OCD thing but think about it. 

*My theory is he creates these ugly sweaters for his brothers in order to get over his OCD. So something imperfect but etched with a ton of love would be adored by him.

James Bonde/ Irene Adler:

*Now this is a tricky one. If I met them when they were Irene Adler, something like a good perfume is what I would give. I know it isn't much but I feel like that their the type of person to like a good scent.

*But now that he is James Bonde I would give him a modern binder.

*it'll help him save a lot of time since he wouldn't have to use cloth bandages and I think it would also hurt less.

Should I do a part 2 for others?

[clowndotgay]

I'm figuring out blender using your models! It's been a super fun experience. This is the first render that I've made using a full body + head!

Some problems I'm facing so far are:

I don't know how to color his hands.

I can't get his neck piece to stay with the rest of his head!

Replacing the texture of the suit is HARD.

If you could help me out with those things (and also help me out with any other problems you see with this render) that would be greatly appreciated! Feel free to not do that, though.

oh, this rocks! really long post below!

as for question 1: enter the "shading" tab at the top of blender,

and click on the hands. at the bottom of your screen will be this whole jumble of nodes. click on the "Attribute" one to highlight it, and then delete it.

After you've deleted it, you need to click on the gray next to the letter "A". Click on "Hex" in the menu that pops up, and put in the hex code of the colour of the hands you want. For Flint, that'll be (around) F14E18.

Yay! your hands have colours now!!!

as for question 2:

so, when you append a cog head model to the body model file, it'll kind of just be sitting there. what you need to do to attach this head to the body is to first enter Pose Mode while you have the head's armature (bunch'a bones) selected. then, select their bottommost bone (typically named "root"). for Flint, it's this one right here.

once you've selected the root, click on the blue bone with the thingie around it in the Properties menu in the bottom right.

Click Add Bone Constraint, then click "Child Of" (rectangled in red below)

this constraint is going to make this bone follow the bone of another armature. for this, we want the armature it follows to be the body, so click on the empty field labelled "target" and type "suitA" into the box (or suitB, suitC, etc. dependent on the body). then, click on the empty field labelled "bone" and type in "head" (NOT joint_head!! just head!!). this will make the whole head snap to the neck!

your constraint will look like this:

and flint will look like this:

and... the little thingie around his neck didn't snap up! this is an issue that happens with flint's head, and to my recollection, only flint's head. not to worry, we can fix this by putting the exact same constraint but in the "Constraints" tab of the armature this time.

okay, that fixes him.

as for question 3:

go into the "UV Editing" tab of blender, navigate to the suit texture on the left, click "Image" and then click "Unpack".

it'll prompt you again after you click unpack, just click "Remove Pack". after you do that, click "Image" again, but this time click "Replace". this will open up a file choosing menu. navigate to wherever you stored the blender ports, and there should be a folder of suit textures. open that and double click on firestarters suit texture.

and... there we go! firestarter! in the.. metal!

as for anything else:

the only thing i notice about this render is that some things could be hidden, like the bowtie, other size of tie, and the health insignia. in the top right of blender, there's a listing of everything in the scene. everything has a little eye icon and a camera icon to the right of it. if you click the eye icon you won't be able to see it anymore in the viewport, and if you click the camera you won't see it in the render.

knowing this, you can just make some stuff (like the white health insignia and the bowtie) go away by doing this!

also. if you want to have the health insignia become a certain colour like it does in game, all you need to do is the same thing you did to the hands. go to shader tab, click on the health insignia (and the glow), remove Attribute, add colour, bam!

one last thing that may help if you are unaware: you can make a render transparent by just clicking this in the "Render" tab of "Properties". navigating menus is for nerds, though, so you can just type "transparent" into the search bar and it'll show you where you can see that. turn "Filter Size" down to 0.00 px if you want no antialiasing, also.

closing notes (because i like having excessively long posts)

sorry for making this an excessively long post! i hope that it helps you in some fashion! i worry about putting too many images in 1 post sometimes but i hope that they help! also i am glad you are having fun with blender :o) playing with ttcc models like they are dolls is how i learned literally anything that i know about blender! so it makes me happy seeing other people learn blender for ttcc stuff.

send another ask my way if you have any other questions or i didn't make something clear! i find model stuff to be fun to talk about, and i spent enough time fumbling through trial and error that i'd much rather tell help someone do something rather than have them do the same trial and error

[ishimondoevents]

And with that, that's a wrap on Ishimondo Week 2024!

Of course, late/bonus entries are acceptable at any time, and I'll be happy to share them as I see them.

I would like to thank everyone again very much for making this possible! From making content for this week to providing support by sharing each other's work; a ship week can't run without everyone's help. I know the community is very supportive normally, but it was good to see everyone sharing and commenting on each other's works this week.

For those who have any feedback about how this week went, positive or negative: please feel free to leave it here (this is a google form link). Whether you participated directly or mostly just enjoyed the event from the sidelines, I would like to hear what you think. It'll be greatly appreciated for figuring out details that may need to be fixed in future events. I'll leave it open for a while, so don't feel as though you need to rush to do this.

Speaking of future events: the plan is to have Secret Santa signups in September! I'll use any feedback from this form to help determine if any guidelines need to be adjusted and if any other concerns would need to be addressed by then.

The timeline would be to have partners assigned and finalized during October; which will ideally give you enough time to be able to get assignments done by the end of December. I hope some of you will be looking forward to it!

[ceasarslegion]

My advice regarding tattoos or any kind of body mods:

-don't shirk the expense. It's a labour intensive job, so what you're paying for is the effort and time and attention to detail. It's going to be on your body forever, so you want to make sure you have the best you can get.

-if your pain tolerance is very low, reconsider any tattoos that are super big or in bony places. I'm not trying to yuck your yum, but I am saying that if you can't handle the pain of it for multiple hours over multiple settings then you should reconsider redesigning it to something you can handle. You can build up your pain tolerance over time, but never push yourself past your limit for it or you run the risk of associating a permanent mark on your body with physical trauma.

-don't get tattoos from your kinda sketchy friend who bought a tattoo gun and says they want to practice on you for free. They aren't a licensed artist and they don't know proper sanitation and health and safety procedures. That is an infection waiting to happen, not to mention it's probably gonna look like shit

-tip the artist. Budget a few hundred for them, they do an extremely hard job where one fuck up is permanently embedded into people. A good tip will be greatly appreciated and they'll be more than happy to welcome you back for any future work and put even more effort into you if you show yourself to be a good client who treats them well. A good rapport makes for better art.

-its gonna be uncomfortable. It just is, that can't be avoided. Think of it on the same level of pain as a cat scratch but spread out for a really long time, so it won't like, kill you or make you regret being born, but it will hurt. If you get it all done at once, it'll be easier but you'll be pushing your body more than if you take breaks and come back. Talk to your artist about how you want it done and let them know what your plans are. That way if you like, wanna take a break to get coffee and lunch across the street and come back they both know you didn't like, dine and dash and they'll know what to tell you to do to take care not to damage it during your breaks. If you're getting a multi session tattoo, expect it to be spread out over a long time, so it's not gonna look great the first few times. But letting it heal and recover a few times will be essential for the final product. Make sure you're willing to go through that before you decide on like, a giant dragon with spread wings across your entire back.

-just... don't get face tattoos man. You're not Post Malone who has famous public figure status, you're some guy who has to be able to get and hold down a job. Every other part of your body can be covered in professional settings and piercings can be taken out, but unless you wear a face covering of some kind, your face is always on display. This isn't a moral or a judgemental statement, it's just the reality of the world we live in. Face tattoos make your life a lot harder than it has to be and you just dont have to go through that. Before anyone pisses on the poor about this one, I am obviously not talking about cultural face tattoos like the ones the moari people have

-do not get tattoos on an impulse, especially not tattoos of media properties. I'm not telling you NOT to altogether, I actually plan on getting tattoos of the truman show and back to the future at some point because those films really shaped me as a person in ways others haven't. That's what you have to think about though: do you just really like it right now, or has this media shaped you in some way regardless of your current enjoyment of it? Because the last thing you want to do to yourself is permanently draw something into your body that in a few months you just don't care about or even dislike anymore.

-do not get tattoos to make you feel better when you're sad. See above, but with an added dollop of regret. Get them in a completely sober and level-headed state of mind so you can be objective about them and if they will bring you joy for the rest of your life, not in the moment as a response to something negative.

-LISTEN TO YOUR ARTIST WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOUR RECOVERY WILL LOOK LIKE!!! If you throw out everything else on this list but one thing make this the one thing you keep. If they say you can't put it in water, don't put it in water, they'll tell you how to bathe. If they tell you it can't be exposed to sunlight, do not expose it to sunlight. If they tell you you have to apply a certain skin disinfectant or something to it every day, I don't care if it stings, you have to apply it. If they tell you not to scratch it, suck it up if it gets itchy. You have a massive open wound on your skin that is a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses and dirt and filth and is incredibly sensitive to everything. You can do everything from ruin your tattoo to contracting flesh-eating bacteria from shirking your recovery process, the latter of which is not that uncommon, but almost always happens to people who don't listen. Do not fucking do that.

[darlingkirstein]

can I ask how you go about developing your stories/plot? I think coming up with an idea is (semi) easy because ✨vibes✨ but how to you actually turn that into a story? there's so much (character, backstory, plot, arcs, etc.)

I'm anxious to know how it is your going about developing home beckons the wanderer. Are you using any sort of method? I can't see you using a "point a to point b" method. It feels more complicated.

I know what I want to write but developing that is daunting. (In general and time wise)

Are you at all getting impatient with the development of your stories? Sometimes I forget a story can't just instantly be entirely plotted within the span of a week.

I apologize if this was too invasive, feel free not to answer, but if you do, I greatly appreciate it <3 take care love

it's not invasive at all!!!! these are all super great questions — and i hope my answers can be helpful and ease some fears!! and ofc, always feel free to ask more questions if you have them! :) i'll include some screenshots from my planning documents because i am a visual person so maybe you are too and that'll help :)

every story is different for me, and some are far more demanding and complicated than others. but, generally, it's outline, outline, outline. i have never been able to just write without having an outline backing up, unless it was for a one-shot or something more simple. another tool i have found extremely helpful and honestly essential for me is discussing my barebones ideas with others and watching them grow with the combined brain power behind it. if you have people in your corner supporting your ideas, let them help you!

so, for developing a story, start with your major idea. then, just start coming up with little ideas, anything, doesn't need to be in order. discuss with your friends, whatever helps! write those ideas down somewhere. i personally use a combination of my notes app, google docs, and the app notion to organize my thoughts.

notion tends to be where i start — i'll jot down little ideas i have, basic stuff needed to kickstart the rest. here's an example for the cult au:

google docs tends to be where i flesh whatever i did in notion out and have it more accessible. here's an example from thespian's coquetry:

for me personally, i have recently started spending a lot of energy into the development of the story/background before writing it. that also tends to be why i take forever to update/publish. let me get into the four things you specifically mentioned! characters, plot, backstory, arcs.

characters: stories depend on characters, and they need to feel real and have the capability to connect with the reader! i myself sometimes struggle with feeling like i don't do a well enough job with this. the main thing here is motivation — what drives this character, what is their goal/purpose, what makes them do whatever they are doing for the story? this goes hand in hand with their personality and their actions, so deciding what motivates them is important! this also ties into their backstory, so yeah it's important! their motivation will progress the story and explain their every action, so start there!

i can reference hbtw here actually, because it may be the story of mine where the character motivations are clearest — eren is motivated to go home to his family again, while mikasa is motivated to sustain herself financially by taking eren on their little quest. these motivations kickstart the plot and are essential to how it'll progress.

tldr; start with motivation, build from there, go to personality, hobbies, interests, quirks, etc.

backstory: this can be two things! either it's the actual world-building itself or its individual character backstories. since you're particularly interested in hbtw, I'll reference its development!

this story has been an absolute beast in terms of backstory/world-building development. this is why i say my process is dependent on the story, because this one is very involved and time-consuming. this is the place where you'll need to be the most patient if you're writing anything with a complicated world to develop. i am attempting to make hbtw as original as possible, so that involves a lot of building from scratch. right now, with the help of @strscrossed, i am working on the development of the eight regions in eldevane — this involves geography, economics, people, religion, history, and more. for example, i developed a history of eldevane's rulers and major historical events because, even though the story takes place decades later, i wanted to lay down a strong foundation to make the world feel real. this story is kinda stuck in world-building hell right now because i want most of that finished before proceeding because of how much eremika will be directly interacting with the world and its little intricacies. this is a daunting process, and its time-consuming! more on the frustration later.

basically, overall, my method for backstory development is to take it one step at a time and go slowly. there are also a lot of great resources for developing the world! http://arcadia.net/Cruinne/DnD/Articles/worldbuilding.html#language — this is an extremely (maybe overkill) detailed list of world-building things to consider in fantasy/sci-fi/etc. settings. the details matter, basically! also, consider your favorite medias and look at all the details there that feel small and inconsequential but develop the world and make it what it is. same with characters. what do you find interesting about this character's backstory? it is no danger to study fiction that you consider to be great? if you love it, you can learn from it :))

arcs: gonna do this first because it leads into the next bullet point. when you're starting to develop the plot, what helps me personally is putting a little shape to the plot, dividing it into crucial sections that are encompassed by one major plot point/resolution. if you divide your story into chunks, it may make development easier. for thespian's coquetry, i divided the story into three 'acts' and an epilogue to divide the plot more evenly in my head and make it less overwhelming.

this way, i'm able to break things down — when i think of a new plot point, i sift it between the three parts; where does it fit most? this makes placement of things less overwhelming, because it'll at least be confined to act i, ii, or iii. so decide these major headings and i find it'll help you compartmentalize things more accessibly.

plot: this is where its tricky for me. i have the exact same problem with every single multi-chapter story that i write; i know the beginning, and i know the ending, but it's everything in between that is muddled and less clear.

so, if you're me, you imagine the start, then (or oftentimes first) you imagine the ending — now, what has to happen between those two points for the ending to feel earned? what plot points will draw the characters closer to this pre-destined conclusion? most important in this is conflict. what conflicts happen to drive the plot? there will more than likely be multiple answers. there will be the overarching conflict/challenge (the dangerous journey of taking eren back home in hbtw is the overarching challenge) — but there will also be mini-challenges that serve the big one overhead. this can be inter-character conflict, quarrels, fights, disagreements, etc., but it can also be more external — challenges in their journey, little roadblocks that must be overcome to progress the story and maintain interest. there is only so long that a story can sustain itself without some degree of conflict; if things are smooth sailing forever, what's the point? if eren and mikasa's journey to eren's family happened without bumps along the way, sure it might be cute and wholesome, but it's not interesting, and the beautiful thing about stories is how they can interest and ensnare the reader's attention.

so, create little conflicts, big ones and important ones, and smaller ones more readily resolved. conflict drives the story. i think if there's one thing to take away from this total yap session of mine, it's that. seek conflict, and you'll find a plot.

please let me know if you have any questions or want me to clarify anything about everything i just said!!! i know it's a lot!! but i wanna be super helpful for your story!

now, you're absolutely right about hbtw being a very non-linear process. most, if not all, of my stories are developed like that. you develop as the inspiration takes you — i have been jumping between developing backstory/world-building which has bled into plot point development. it's one big system that works together — figuring out one thing often leads to another eureka moment in another aspect. me and stella developed the religious ceremony for eren's home region and that bled right into the story.

to answer your last question, ABSOLUTELY. i'm a very impatient person in all aspect of life, but i find it so frustrating when the ideas in my head cannot be immediately translated onto page. i was at first trying to rush through hbtw world-building before i was starting to burn myself out and realized that doing that was counterproductive and a total inspiration killer. this has been a very big challenge for me with all my stories. i'm rather meticulous, and i need to know the details and everything before starting, but sometimes i just want to be done with the planning and plotting so i can start. it's a perfectly normal feeling (or, i hope it is LOL)! you're eager to get your story somewhere, and you feel like there's an invisible wall that you keep banging your head against. i know that feeling well! writing can be an exhausting process, but it's the end result, finishing a story/chapter and sharing it with the world that feels very rewarding.

my overall tips for story development:

be patient and go slow — stories deserve nourishment, not ham-fisted neglect! your story deserves the time it needs to flourish!

jot down every idea you have. every single one. even if you're not sure you'll use it — better to have and not need then to need and not have. you really never know!

it's okay to go out of order! don't force yourself into a linear path if that doesn't feel right — it's never felt right to me! develop in whatever order you need to develop.

lean on your friends if they're willing! i probably would've given up on a lot of my stories already if not for my friends. (special shoutout to @random-millennial, @likesunsetorange, @strscrossed, @sinigangsta-ao3, @karizard-ao3, and others for always being willing to help me/listen.)

use online writing resources! there's so many articles and reddit posts (feels shameful to recommend reddit) and such with experienced writers happy to share their experiences and provide advice!

model after media you enjoy — can be books, movies, shows, manga, whatever!! figure out what you think the creators/authors/screenwriters did well and consider emulating it. you obviously like it for a reason! everyone gets inspired by someone else. don't feel like you're not a 'real writer/artist' because you reached out for resources or inspiration. you are real, and you're doing it!

HAVE FUN!!!! i'm a hypocrite because i often take all this way too seriously and get easily frustrated but promise, it's more fulfilling when you're really having fun doing it :))

i hope some of this was helpful!!!! apologies for the total yap session, i know this might be sorta overwhelming??? hope not! like i said, feel free to reach out with more questions, and i'd love to help you out individually if you'd be interested! all love and best wishes on the development of your story — manifesting nothing but success your way, and thank you for trusting me to help!

[suzukiblu]

Hello all, I am honestly not even sure how long it's been since I've really talked to anyone online and I'm very sorry for just straight-up ghosting so many of you, but I'm trying to work on resuming my life and reconnecting with people a bit and especially trying to start picking up all of the commitments I've let myself drop in the past year or two.

Full disclosure, I've been having a bad time mentally for quite a while and just haven't been available to anyone in my life, online or off. I'm really sorry to have stressed people out with that because I know I did worry a few of you. I'm just not all here, to be honest, and I haven't handled it well. I'm having some personal struggles and just not doing my best taking care of the resulting issues--it's not anything trauma-based/triggered, it's more along the lines of problems with in-built psychological issues stemming from chemical imbalances that I just don't always manage as effectively as I could. But I'm not physically ill and haven't been in an accident or anything like that, and I'm trying to re-engage with life now. Catching up with people I owe communication/commissions/explanations to is on my list, but I just haven't managed to make it very far into said list yet. I am, however, physically healthy and in stable housing, and if anything emergency-adjacent happens I do have local friends and non-local family members I could get help from, so I'm not in an "immediate crisis" situation.

I'm just also unemployed, out of money, and scraping by on food stamps and state-issued healthcare that doesn't cover my previous psychiatrist, and I haven't been able to find a new one in-network who's taking patients and actually, like . . . calls me back when I leave a message or email them in interest of making an appointment. I'm signed up with a program that can help me get a job, hopefully, but the process is taking a little while and I'm not sure how long it'll take in the end, so the future is very nebulous at the moment.

And like . . . VERY full disclosure, I'm just very depressed and stuck being off my meds for the forseeable future. My room is a mess I can't bring myself to clean up, I feel like I can't engage meaningfully with a lot of things, I don't feel hopeful or optimistic at all, my emotional responses are all heavily muted, my coping mechanisms are avoiding breakdowns but are not long-term helpful or productive, and I'm neglecting a lot of people and things in my life and my own best interests because I just . . . don't care.

I know my situation and my feelings are largely just because I'm going through a major depressive phase unmedicated and with limited personal resources, it's not an end of the world scenario or anything. It's just been difficult and upsetting trying to find ways and motivation to fix my life and get out of that phase when I'm already feeling sunk in a quagmire and like I did all this to myself with my own mistakes, and I'm just trying to take things one step at a time and build back up from where I'm at.

So long story short: I'm not doing great right now but I'm stable, and I greatly appreciate the concern and grace I've been given while being just entirely off radar and am going to be doing my best to make right or make up for the neglect. If anyone wants or needs to check in on anything I owe them, please feel free to message me and ask; I'll be trying to contact everyone I owe anything to but given the brain-fog I've been dealing with I don't trust myself not to miss anybody in there, so believe me, if you feel the need I will in no way be offended and you'd probably be doing me a favor anyway.

Thank you all, you've all been so good to me over the years. I'll hopefully be in touch soon. ❤

[undergoing-mitosis]

so i started playing genshin a few days ago. here are my first thoughts. i am purely comparing this to botw

wow the gameplay is very similar to botw huh. not that im complaining i literally love just running around and doing shit all in botw and now i can do that in genshin too it's great

i freaking love the dungeons. or temples or whatever they're so fun

kaeya is my favourite boy best twink i love him he's the best

THE CITIES???? MONDSTADT IS SO BIG IM USED TO LIKE, LIL VILLAGES. the amount of times i have gotten lost in that place is unholy

i love all the elemental powers and weapons, the way the game encourages character switching frequently is so cool.

also on that note THE ARROWS FLY PERFECTLY STRAIGHT? it's so easy to get crits in weak spots now im sobbing i love this

please can someone explain artifacts in an easy to understand way that mechanic overwhelms me there are so many factors to think about. why do they have individual stats, and stats for two and four of a set and why do i have to read all these words. tips for what to prioritise and such would be greatly appreciated 👍

im assuming the adventurer level is meant to be very slow to level up, so the game encourages you to do side quests. i really like that mechanic, and i love how long the side quests take they properly feel like quests rather than some random quick task.

i also love how talking to npcs is generally rewarding, that's cool.

THE GRAPHICS ARE SO PRETTY RAAAAAAAAAAA

in conclusion, i am loving this game so far. for a basically free game the quality is absolutely incredible. but ofc they still make a lot of money from the gacha system.

slightly worried about trying to go f2p and the sheer amount of grinding i have heard is involved with that but eh we ball

planning on playing both botw and genshin at the same time which is probably a terrible idea cause im using one controller for both and all the buttons are different so that'll be an interesting trip but eh it'll be funny if i try to attack with Y and end up using my special or try to enter the wheel menu with RB and end up pulling out whatever rune i have activated. it's silly it's fine

[maythray]

you make me wanna play animal jam again.............where do i sign up brother........

YAYYY!!!

Okay everything I'm gonna tell you is for aj classic, download link is here -> https://classic.animaljam.com/en

Once u get the app you can make an an account (button is at the bottom of the main menu). It'll send you though a little tutorial (not too terrible! Would suggest going through it at least once if you've never played) but then you can get right into the game afterwards!

(extra info under the cut)

Few things you'll wanna do after you make a new account:

Set up an email tied to the account

this can be done through either the settings menu, or the little gift icon by the bottom of the screen.

this can allow you to change your chat settings from the regular safe chat option (preset list of possible words) to safe chat plus (any words that fit the filters)

2. Enter me for the invite a friend system :)

There's a system in game where you're able to get rewards for referring a friend, and I recently just started doing this and would love if you helped..

You can do this through the buddy menu (icon in the top left of a tiger and monkey), and then clicking the green "how did you hear?" button. Enter my username (rem4eva) and that's it baybe!

3. Do the journey book!

This can technically be done whenever, but I personally think its a good way to familiarize yourself with the areas in the game. This is a scavenger hunt of sets of animals/plants in the background of each land. Plus it gives you some neat items to start off with.

The book icon won't be on your UI at the start, you have to find and click on one thing to activate it. Easiest are the termites in Sarepia Forest (to the left of the spawn on the tree, right next to the butterflies).

Other info:

It'll take a few days for your username to be approved! Don't worry if you're "New Jammer" for a while!

UNFORTUNATELY most of animal jam is locked behind a paid membership. Its not required to get one (most of the years I've played without one!), but it definitely opens up the game significantly. Just wanted to warn about this ahead of time! If you find you like the game enough you can always get a membership for yourself :)

The AJ wikis are EXTREMELY helpful. This is an old game and has a LOT within it. If you're ever looking for extra info on something, feel free to look around the wikis!

Classic Wiki -> https://animaljam.fandom.com/wiki/Animal_Jam_Classic_Wiki

Thisll be for your general game info!

Item Worth Wiki -> https://aj-item-worth.fandom.com/wiki/Animal_Jam_Item_Worth_Wiki

This will be to check the worth of items! Much of AJ is trading and buying, being able to know what can get you what is very helpful and essentially needed at this point.

Have fun and be yourself :)

If you have any other questions that come up while playing, feel free to ask!! Id love to help :)

(Additionally if any other players see this and have anything to add, I'd greatly appreciate it! I'm not so caught up with what its like to start out new since I've had the same account for YEARS!!)

[copperbadge]

Hi Sam!

My mom wants to start a nonprofit as a second career, focusing on providing free menstrual products to schools, colleges, universities, homeless & domestic violence shelters, and prisons in our local area (feel free to dm me for specific location info!).

I was wondering if you had any insight on grants and funding ect. at the start of a new nonprofit since you've been working at one for so long? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Somewhat unfortunately in this case, I've always worked for very established nonprofits -- even at the much, much smaller nonprofit I work for now we have a multimillion-dollar yearly revenue, and we've been around for something like 20 years. FWIW my current nonprofit did start in a garage, so startup nonprofits can be successful! And I do have some advice but I'm not sure how helpful it will be.

If she hasn't worked for/with nonprofits before, she should find something adjacent to her interests -- probably a food pantry or shelter, since they deal in similar "procurement" work, getting needed products into the hands of people who need them -- and volunteer (or even apply for paid work there). It'll give her an idea of how they work, how much work is involved, and even to an extent the landscape of nonprofits in her region. Possibly (usually very likely) there's already a nonprofit doing the work she'd like to do, in which case if she doesn't work with/for them, she should at least know a great deal about what they do and how. Starting up a nonprofit is pretty similar, laborwise, to starting up a for-profit company; it can be both complicated and labor-intensive, so if she isn't knowledgeable about nonprofit work, that's where I'd recommend starting.

If she is familiar with nonprofit work, and just needs insight on funding, I do have a bit more to offer there. First, she should be sure she's aware of any similar nonprofits and have a pitch ready about how hers differs. As with a for-profit businesses, she should have a plan for how funding will be deployed -- how many units can be bought for what price, how they'll be distributed, how she can track the work she does so she can provide statistics to potential donors. If she's capable of beginning the work before landing any big donors (ie -- if she has an existing grant or some independent wealth to put towards it) she should use that "startup" time to figure out how this will work and at what level before she brings donors onboard. Regardless of anything else, I recommend starting small, so that she can scale up rather than trying to manage a large org all at once.

Data is the name of the game these days -- she should track everything possible and keep extremely good records, because that's the kind of thing large donors and grantors want to see. The amount of information you usually have to provide to a granting foundation is significant. We have very poor records from our earliest days as a nonprofit and that's also difficult at times, because we can say we EXISTED in 2010 but we don't have a great idea of who we were interacting with, and a lot of institutional knowledge lives in the heads of longtime employees. She's going to want to have some form of good book-keeping, and start building a database as soon as possible not just of donors and mailing-list recipients but of foundations, grantors, and beneficiaries.

Charity Navigator will be a good friend because you can find registered nonprofits by region; I would also recommend a Guidestar.org account (they're free) because Guidestar will help find local family foundations, who are more likely to support poverty alleviation/aid nonprofits -- these are basically legal entities that hold the money a family wants to use for philanthropy, and the family directs where the money goes. You can see where they've given if you look in their 990 records (available on Guidestar) so if you can find say, a wealthy local family who gives regularly to food pantries, they're a good candidate for solicitation.

A friend of mine works for Resilia.com, which is aimed specifically at providing digital solutions to nonprofits; they have some really nice free offerings, especially for people looking for help incorporating or finding funders. Can recommend as a good place to start if she's not sure where to start. :D

Readers, feel free to chime in with advice! Remember to reblog or comment, as I don't post asks sent in response to other asks.

[maiji]

Me elsewhere

I've been reducing my tumblr activity for a while, and the recent goings-on do not inspire me to reverse course.

For now I'm still around and keeping an eye on things, but for obvious reasons I have been extremely unmotivated to post any of my work here. I'm definitely very actively making stuff though! If you're interested in my art, comics, writing, poetry etc. you can find me at:

🌼 humangray.com: my own site! It will have links to where I am active. At present two of my most active online presences are Pillowfort and Mastodon.

🛌 Pillowfort: I've been here for a few years, and it's my favourite social media site to post stuff on right now. It's quiet and cozy, so don't expect the environment of a roaring corporate algorithm/monetize-the-users-and-interaction-driven platform, which is probably exactly why I like it so much. (People often compare it to ye old LiveJournal experience, and while it is its own thing in a different day and age, I do feel and get the comparison.) It's one of the few places where I find it relatively seamless to post individual images, comics, and long walls of text. I also greatly appreciate their mission, values and policies a lot. The more I live the more I want to be, and am trying to be, more mindful about the kind of world I want to support with my time and energy, so that is a big deal to me. (If you're interested in checking Pillowfort out and need an invite link, feel free to drop a message into my askbox! If I've got any invites at the time I'll send you one!)

🐘 Mastodon: I went to Mastodon when Twitter started going (majorly) sideways, mainly looking for a place to follow science and healthcare news in a digestible bits-and-bites kind of experience. I appreciate the concept of the decentralized approach and how proactive the administration can be on some instances to create a safe space for their users. Again, there's a coziness to it that I appreciate. I ended up really liking like the instance I'm on, and also really enjoying the interactions I've been able to have. Lots of interesting people and lots of interesting things cross my feed every day, and I've already fallen into the habit of spamming friends with links of things I see there. Which is like the grand tradition of social media!

Meanwhile, with regards to stuff on tumblr, I'm scratching my head a little on what to do with North Bound.

The way things are shaping up, I'm not likely to post new parts on tumblr at present, but if I post them elsewhere, I may still link to them from the masterpost.

What I'm not sure about is the linking back to tumblr posts for the older parts. While the existing art, comics, stories, are already available elsewhere, so much of the original commentary only exists here. They're not really essential to the work, I suppose, but I still get a laugh out of reading my notes sometimes.

Anyways, North Bound is still very much an active project at present, and if you're interested in it, follow me on Pillowfort (or Mastodon, but it'll probably be on PF first) for updates! And/or keep an eye on the non-tumblr links in the masterpost, mainly AO3 and Pixiv, where bulk updates will be collected.