#grammarly wants me to capitalize everything

[mirwx]

the title was a typo -

anyways here's what i did instead of reviewing for my physics assement

bonus me trying to tune them "them" as in Eleanor Forte Lite and anri lite

totally didn't just steal the melody of halcyon memories ahem you saw nothing

[rivernyx1]

social media sucks rant (that no one's going to see most likely) pt.1

Disclaimer: these are just my opinions if you don't agree or have stuff to add then feel free to comment, respectfully ofc, what your thoughts are. also ik this might be a bit long but I have faith that u can hang in there :))

social media sucks. and I'm tired of pretending like it doesn't. specifically short form content, like??

first of all, I'm losing my ability to SPEAK. how is that even possible?!

before I could easily express what I wanted to say with no problems. now I stutter through my sentences like an idiot and I have to pause while speaking bcs my mouth gets filled with saliva rly quickly. and I can't even remember simple words. what is happening to me?!

also, i dont even LIKE scrolling on Instagram ( my parents didn't let me download tiktok, at first I was pissed but now I'm genuinely so grateful) I just do it as a habit. cheap dopamine feels so awful once you get over the excitement of seeing ppl in situations relatable to yours long enough

another thing, all of these trends serve no benefit to us at all. i cant lie and say I haven't participated in some of them (not online and mostly slang) but still. i think I really started noticing it when crumbl cookies started getting really popular. most of the people that do vids abt the cookies usually eat all six (or four? i cant remember how many cookies come in a box) of them when the alotted amt is a QUARTER of ONE cookie!! i mean you do you but at some point ppl have to admit that its just gluttony. also the "I'm just girl thing" (which I have said as well) sometimes gets used so wrong. like no, u can't just "I'm just a girl" yourself out of everything.

a trend that popped up really recently too, the whole "demure" thing. I'm usually not bothered by words becoming really popular really fast especially in light of gen z's relationship with slang but for reason this time it really irked me. idk why but everytime I see something mentioning demure I just scroll. i think it might be bcs this is the first time I was fully aware of what was happening and I wasn't just subliminally being fed to me like I feel the word "rizz" was.

one last thing, have you noticed something throughout all of the stuff that I just wrote? like like like like like like like. every time I try to phrase a sentence without using the word it just feels so off and incorrect and I feel as if what I'm saying will come off as "rude" or "passive-aggressive" without all these filler words. did u notice the other thing? common letters common letters common letters + shortened/ abbreviated words. even when there should be capitals. any capitals u do see are courtesy of my good ole (annoying) friend Grammarly. i specifically remember the time in my life (during covid ofc) when I forced my self to write like this while I was msging a (ex) friend of mine bcs she texted like this and I (whether I admitted it to myself or not) wanted to fit in and be like her (she was and still is a terrible influence btw).

i'll have to do a part 2 to get all my thoughts out but thx for sticking around (if you did:))

[easwan]

Tirade about Capitalization in Star Wars

Sooo… proper nouns, eh? They’re a thing. An important thing. Star Wars has many—especially when it comes to the Jedi religion and philosophy. Let’s start off easy Jedi and Sith We’ve also got the other ranks Initiate Padawan Knight Master All proper nouns. The word youngling isn’t capitalized ‘cause it’s not actually a real rank; younglings are Initiates. “Youngling” can be used for non-Jedi and are, therefore, non-proper nouns. Makes sense. But then we get into this lil' thing that isn’t a big deal but annoys me… Grand Master Sage Master Warrior Master Battlemaster (no space?) ಠ_ಠ

They say, “Master Kenobi,” (specific Jedi with the rank of Master) “Jedi Master,” (a Jedi with the rank of Master) and “Master Jedi.” (Master here is being used as an honorific, not a rank but is still capitalized as it should be) “your master,” “my master,” “the masters,” “some masters,” “rank of Master” ^ this is fine. I understand this. Completely normal, but—

We have other super important words connected to the Jedi faith, such as:

Order Code Way Temple Trials And, of course, Force

Now, it’s Force and Force Adept but Force-sensitive, Force-wielder, and Force-user Bit weird but not too irritating. But hang on, hang on—here it is, folks, the reeeeeally annoying one: light and dark Why is Way a proper noun, but the light of the Force—the most important concept within their religion beyond the Force itself—is not???

The old words for light, dark, and balance are capitalized as proper nouns: Ashla Bogan Bendu But light and dark in Basic are not capitalized—except they are in the High Republic slogan: “For Light and Life.” They should just be capitalized always. light and dark should be treated as proper nouns because they’re religious concepts and distinct from the common use of those words!! (I will die on this hill) “Reach for the Light.” = magical, poetic, sage. “Reach for the light.” = turn on lamp pls. Y’know?

It’s the light side and dark side, but Light-Sider and Dark-Sider (but not consistently? ‘Cause sometimes they write dark sider or dark-sider, and it’s annoying af) It would be the most consistent if it were Light and Dark —> Light Sider and Dark Sider Yeah?

Then we have: clone trooper (space) stormtrooper (no space) paratrooper (no space) snowtrooper (no space, and Grammarly wants a space btw) scout trooper (space) shock trooper (space but not capitalized) Purge Trooper (space + capitalized—why is this capitalized when shock trooper isn’t?) Is it ‘cause The Purge is capitalized?

It’s fiiiiiiine.

Okay, next is an example of actually good consistency! (I'm being really whiny, so let's have some positivity real quick) creatures/species/cultures. Gungan, Wookiee, Ewok, but gundark, bantha, and tooka. ^ This is good. I like this. Sentient species are capitalized as one would capitalize a nationality or ethnicity such as Canadian, Indigenous, or Maori. But non-sapient animals are lowercase, like cat, crow, and axolotl, yeah? Okay, so humans. In Star Wars, human is lowercase despite being a species. This seems inconsistent, but I actually like it. The galaxy is Humanocentrist, as in humans are treated as the norm despite being a ruling minority. Everything is described in comparison to humans

for example: humanoid near-human non-human

Human isn’t capitalized because there is no inherent shared experience among humans as there is among, say, Twi’leks. In our world, “white” is generally only capitalized by white supremacists. This is why we don’t capitalize white but do capitalize Black. We say Zabrak for the species but also say Iridonian or Dathomiri to specify the homeworld. Zabraks could also be called Corellian, Coruscanti, etc, depending on the planet they’re from. In this way, we can specify both species/race and nationality/planetary demonym. Specific distinctions are made among humans in this way, such as Chandrillan, Kenari, and Chalactans. Just as we have nationalities and cultures among white folk, such as Ukrainian, Danish, and Irish.

Lil’ tangent real quick: Naboolians/the Naboo are humans who colonized the Gungan homeworld. The planet was named Nabu by humans after their diety and later became Naboo. The colonizers named themselves accordingly. This is very realistic to the behaviour of colonizers in our world. Similar to Naboo, we also have Mon Cala. Mon Calamari are actually not the only sentient species indigenous to their planet, yet they, and most of the galaxy, call their homeworld “Mon Cala.” The planet is actually called Dac, but the Mon Calamari rule the planet in the form of a monarchy (yup, divine bloodline shit), and the Quarren are second-class citizens. (But almost every Quarren we meet in canon is a baddie?? Bit weird. Bit sus.) The complicated politics of Dac is why there’s the QFD (they built the Dreadnaught starships for the Confederacy of Independent Systems) QFD. As in, Quarren Free Dac. The Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps.

Putting my Separatist sympathies aside again (mostly), I’m working on an extensive three-part fanfiction story and approaching it with the same seriousness as I do original work, and these silly lil’ capitalization nitpicks are driving me up the wall.

In fiction, creating your own proper noun has one main rule—CONSISTENCY.

So here I am with a dilemma. Do we, as fanfic writers, stick to the silly pre-established inconsistent capitalization rules, or should we just do what feels right and write Light? I think I kinda wanna just write Light.

If you read through all of this, here’s a prize! Qiang Fan Gali. Jedi Knight. Very devoted to the Code and the Light. (Don’t call Dac Mon Cala around them; they will not be amused.)

Please tell me if this light and dark thing bugs you too?? Maybe I'm just overthinking my hyper-fixation, as I do

[creweemmaeec11]

If you make spelling or grammar mistakes in your writing do you want people to let you know or would it make you upset?

It wouldn't make me upset at all!

However I must warn you that, most of the time, I know theres mistakes, especially with my older stuff. I write a lot of stuff on my phone(prone to mistakes) and I'm also just pretty bad at spelling and grammar to begin with. I usually try to run everything I post through grammarly first, but sometimes it's more of a throwaway snippet I'll just throw up. I'm far from a professional and if I held myself to the standard of no mistakes, it would be a lot more stressful for me you know? The more I write, the more I improve to begin with, so I usually just let things slide.

Like for instance, I dont think posting a snippet with "cant instead of "can't" because I was typing it quick on my phone and forgot to fix it, is really going to ruin anyone's reading experience. Same for using "then" instead of "than", or missing a capital letter.

On my main project over on AO3 however, I hold that to a much higher standard, and invest more time into polishing each chapter and it shows. That, however, just isn't what I use tumblr for generally, you know? As I just don't have the energy to put that into every snippet.

However, if theres a word or something I'm constantly misspelling or have mispelt multiple times in the same snippet, then you can absolutely let me know, so I can practice spelling it right and update it!

But as far as "you used you're instead of your there" or other more nit-picky sort of stuff, while theres no way I'd get upset, I just usually don't care enough about the small imperfections :)

[alisheaburgess]

The Death of 'Me': A Travel Memoir Part 2 of "yes"

April 4, 2022 (Still on the way to Vegas) (Full Journey Map)

So...

My flight had a layover in Dallas. My experience there was not the best. The Dallas airport is kinda poopy. The people working at the restaurants in there were mean, not just like normal bad day kinda stuff, like MEAN! (I've worked fast food, and they were just poopy). And it was at all the places I checked out too.

Without going to into it, I can't eat gluten and they gave me the wrong items knowing that. I couldn't fix it... so I ate french fries that whole day... (Grammarly wants me to capitalize that 'french' so bad XD)

I need food to function, as most people do!

At this point I'm still so nervous because I've never done this before so it's all kinda whorly at the moment. And then...

I get to my terminal and there is a huge commotion. Huge crowd, and lots of yelling from one or two people. It sounded like a fight at first. People were huddled around the terminal and video. I couldn't see anything and it wasn't in me to ask (much like food wasn't in me...).

It was here that I was getting a bit scared about being on my own. Everything felt horrible (I was just hungry and nervous). I also had to call the hotel and tell them I'd be checking in late. Don't ask how I knew to do that. I don't know. In my over-planning and freak-out researching...somehow, I learned that.

I hate phone calls XD

You may have already guessed this, but I did, in fact, survive the phone call. I know, I was shocked myself. I'm also pleased to announce that it only hurt a little, and not enough for crying. Now I didn't cry, but I easily could have. Which is why I said "pleased to announce" and not "whelp" XD

This flight was a bit delayed I think... because of spooky airport things (I have no idea, we were just sitting there. I'm sure they told us but I really wasn't well 😅)

WOW... hold up! The sunset right now as I'm writing is the color yellow that looks red in the bottle. Like food coloring yellow... I didn't know they made the sky in that color... neat! -April 7, 2023... I just remembered that it's Amber... the color is amber

It was here that I decided I was never gonna fly again because being in an airplane was the reason I was feeling like a dehydrated potato. It wasn't but that was a hint... The noise was a lot because I was sitting on the wing for the first flight, as you can see in the photos in the first post. I think I was a bit in front of them this time... It was still loud, but the headache wasn't from the plane anyway XD

And oh yeah, Las Vegas is a desert!

Note: I arrived somewhere between 12am-1am. Which means we are on a separate day from the one dated at the top. I am of course used to this as I use the day I woke up in and not the date of the present when journaling. I usually wrote at like 3 am... Cause when else are you supposed to write how the day made you feel? After it leaves is the only option! Going forward just know that it is the 5th of April.

The airport was huge and had so many baggage claims. My airport has 2...small ones. And I've only seen them use one...

I arrange a pickup, get my luggage, and head to the 'place to wait.' Not the official name, but it sounds right. The cool part is that there are signs FOR EVERYTHING!!!

Now as soon as I stepped foot outside, my mouth went so dry... The darn desert stole my spit. It was so fast it was scary. Never experienced that. Never want to again. I decided that if I was gonna die though, it was my final mission to make it to the hotel. (I wasn't feeling well! I'm the drama, I get it XD)

This is my first time EVER riding with a stranger alone... so I was really worried about this part. Not safety-wise, but rather my anxiety... I also have really bad road anxiety (or whatever you call it...).

But I survived! And even though I was near unconscious at this point with a full migraine, I had a fun convo with the driver. I don't remember it because I was out of it... But I remember that it was fun!

Up until this point in my life, I thought I was shy... (spoiler: not) At this point in the trip though I thought I was just scooting by. I figured as soon as I ate and drank some water I would clam up again. I thought it was nerves. Oh, honey.

I get to the hotel and holy crap, there was a huge line to check in at 1am!!! But I didn't die yet so...

Next life mission: check into the hotel. I've never done this and was super nervous...

I think it took me an hour or more to get checked in. I was so miserable at the point that the couple behind me kept talking to me and I can only assume they were checking on me. I'm super neuro spicy and so whenever I'm uncomfy, or just existing, I move around a lot... They were super sweet and even as much as I couldn't interact, it was a pleasant distraction from the wait.

When I got to the desk, the guy who helped me was so nice!!! I stayed at The Link and the staff the entire time I was there was so nice. I asked him where I could get water. Cause I knew I wasn't in a state to find it on my own... He loaded me up with 4-6 waters to take with me. I thought he was gonna point me to a vending machine XD He was so sweet! I was worried after the Dallas airport 😥

So I didn't die! I didn't have any food yet though so I just drank water and went to bed. Don't recommend that but hey...

That was 2 life missions in just a couple hours. That's quite a night if you ask me. And that was the first day of my 7-day trip to Las Vegas. The majority of it was spent being nervous about it actually happening XD

This trip was already such a big step for me. I have never been anywhere by myself. Never went anywhere just for me. And this was for an entire week!!! And I did it all by myself. Something I was convinced I couldn't do. So if you are thinking about traveling, even if you need to go solo, you can do it! You can take safety precautions just as well as the person you are told you had to take with you. I was 27 years when I got to take this trip. It took a lot to get to this point, but once you get there, it's only a couple of life missions until you are in your hotel bed and safe again... XD You got this!

I don't have any photos or diary entries for this leg because of all the near-death experiences and life missions to fulfill. But the rest of the posts will have more! But these are from the earlier flight... I also looked at a cloud on the first flight and said, "I'd jump into that..." I then decided that I meant sky diving (I had to search for the word, I almost put 'sky jumping' XD help) So fluffy!!!!

P.S. at this point in the trip I'm still listening to Shakira...

[digitalentry]

why am i always so fucking angry!!!!!

[obviouslygenuinely]

Free Resources For Writers & Creators

This is a quick post of free resources that may help fandom creators (or creators in general). I’m sure many of these have been shared before. However, it doesn’t hurt to spread the word. A few quick points:

As a professional writer, I think this post will cater mostly towards writers.

I’m also a freelance photographer, so digital photography/editing/art sources are included, too.

I chose not to use any affiliate links in my post. I don’t want to profit from this, and I’m not sure that’s allowed on Tumblr anyways. 

If I’ve listed a resource I haven’t used myself, I’ve made sure to state it. 

Masterlists and/or huge resource compilations are marked with asterisks.

Alright, here we go! I hope you all find this post helpful. Happy writing/creating! 

Research

All of these are free resources for research. I use most of them for my writing jobs because they are extremely credible. These are great for making accurate references in your fics/creations. 

1. ***Research Resources For Writers***

Writer’s Write has an enormous database of research resources for writers. They are divided into 20+ categories such as:

careers

historical research

crimes and forensics

religion

Each category contains 10+ resources like websites, articles, tips, databases, and so much more. It’s the most comprehensive and organized free research tool I use.

2. PubMed

My go-to source for citing medical studies. You’ll find 30 million citations related to numerous physical and mental health issues. 

3. BioMed Central

I don’t use this website as often, but I keep it in my bookmarks. It’s similar to PubMed - great for discovering current and former medical research. 

4. Drugs.com

If you need to name a medication and/or refer to medication side effects, Drugs.com is a straightforward resource. It’s easy to navigate and understand. 

It also has a tool that lists potential medication interactions. This is really useful for accurate descriptions of med combinations. 

5. Merck Manuals Consumer Version

Merck Manuals started out in 1899 as a medical reference guide for professionals. This consumer version is really comprehensive and updated regularly. It includes definitions, studies, and more. 

6. FindLaw

If you’re writing about legal topics, FindLaw is useful for learning about laws/procedures in reader-friendly language. Categories include:

accidents/injuries

criminal law

family law (divorce, custody, etc.)

Keep in mind that laws vary based on location! You’ll often find additional links to state-related laws within articles. I do recommend double-checking state/location-based legal resources for accuracy. 

7. APA Dictionary of Psychology

This psychology dictionary is provided by the American Psychological Association. It covers 90+ areas of psychology and 25,000+ terms/definitions. 

You’ll also find links to additional psychology databases, resources, and so on. The website is updated frequently to provide updated information.

8. U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics

If you’re writing about a character’s job/career in the United States, this is a great source for accuracy. For any job sector, you’ll find details about

education requirements

positions in the sector

average salary for positions

what the positions entail 

I imagine there are alternatives for other countries, too! 

9. Investopedia Financial Term Dictionary

My area of expertise is personal finance; all of my writing published under my name is in this niche. I still refer to Investopedia’s dictionary for help. It’s excellent for understanding/explaining financial terms in a way that your reader can understand. 

10. MedTerms Medical Dictionary

This is the medical version of Investopedia’s dictionary. I use this source less frequently, but I find that it’s accurate and helpful. There are many similar references online if you search for “medical glossaries” or “medical dictionaries”. 

11. Domain Authority Checker

I’m not sure if this one is too helpful for fic writers, but it’s one of my most used tools. Domain authority “a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank on search engine result pages (SERPs)”.

The Wikipedia page for domain authority (DA) explains it clearly and simply. To sum it up, websites with good DA scores are considered reliable and accurate. If I cite sources in my work. I always link to sources with good DA scores. 

Writing/Editing

This section is the most thorough one. All of these are completely free tools for writing and editing any type of content. I currently use or have used all of these at some point in my career. 

1. ***List Of Free And Open-Source Software Packages***

This Wikipedia page applies to multiple categories in my post. It’s a masterpost of free and open-source software for anything and everything. Software is divided up into categories and sub-categories. Some relevant examples include:

media

networking/Internet

image editing

file management

There are hundreds of free software links on the page, so you’ll need to do a bit of browsing. Start with the categories above to find software geared towards writers/creators. 

2. OpenOffice

This is a free alternative to Microsoft Office. I’ve used it for nine years and love it. OpenOffice software includes free applications for:

text documents

spreadsheets

presentations

drawing

templates

There are many more tools with OpenOffice that I haven’t used. If you write offline, I cannot recommend it enough. Tutorials are readily available online, and the software is pretty user-friendly. 

3. Evernote

I briefly used Evernote and found that it’s very user-friendly and helpful. Most of my colleagues use Evernote and recommend it for taking notes/staying organized.

(I’m personally not a fan of note-taking software or apps. My method is messy text documents with bullet point lists.)

4. Google Drive

This might seem like an obvious one, but Google Drive/Docs is my writing haven. It has the tools included with Microsoft Office and OpenOffice and then some. It’s great for collaborative writing/sharing documents, too. 

5. Grammarly

I use the Premium (paid) version of Grammarly, but I also used the free version for years. It’s helpful for detecting simple spelling, style, and grammatical errors. 

There are numerous ways to use it - desktop, copy/paste documents, and so on. I’m not a huge fan of how well it works with Google Docs, but they’re improving it/it’s moved out of beta mode. 

If you’re interested in the paid version - which I highly recommend -  wait to buy until a holiday pops up. They offer a major discount on the software for almost every holiday/special occasion. 

6. Plagiarism Detector

This website is handy for scanning for plagiarism. You can scan your own work to ensure uniqueness, too. My clients are big fans of this tool. 

(I no longer use this resource; I use a paid tool called Copyscape Premium. The low cost has a big return on investment for me.) 

7. TitleCase

The name says it all. It’s free and simple! I’ll be honest - I’m terrible with proper title case. You’d think after a decade of writing I’d nail it. However, I use this tool pretty often. 

8. Hemingway Editor

Hemingway Editor is an online and desktop editor. It’s excellent for scanning your writing to check for:

readability (a grade-level score is listed)

adverb usage

passive voice usage

complex phrase usage

estimated reading time

This tool is color-coded to make editing easy. For example, adverbs are highlighted in blue. I don’t use this as often as I used to, but it was essential for my early writing career. 

9. Polish My Writing

This tool is very straightforward. You paste your writing into the text box. Spelling errors, grammar suggestions, and style suggestions are highlighted in red, blue, and green. 

It’s great for double-checking your work alongside Grammarly or Hemingway. When using free editors, I recommend using at least two for higher accuracy. 

10. OneLook Reverse Dictionary And Thesaurus 

I’m going to use the definition directly from the website:

“This tool lets you describe a concept and get back a list of words and phrases related to that concept. Your description can be anything at all: a single word, a few words, or even a whole sentence. Type in your description and hit Enter (or select a word that shows up in the autocomplete preview) to see the related words.” 

To put it simply, you can use the reverse dictionary/thesaurus to find those words/thoughts that are on the tip of your tongue. Use the tool to:

find a word based on the word’s definition (i.e. search for “inability to feel pain”)

find synonyms and related concepts 

generate a list of category-specific words (i.e. search for “cat breeds”)

answer basic questions (i.e. search for “what is the capital of France?”)

The results can be hit or miss, but I usually find the information I’m looking for. It’s a solid resource any writer regardless of genre. 

11. Word Frequency Counter +  Phrase Frequency Counter

I cannot emphasize how much I love these tools. Repetition is the bane of a writer’s existence; it’s simply inevitable at times. 

These two tools count the number of times you use a single word or phrase in a text document. Just copy/paste your document, hit submit, and you’re all set! 

For the phrase frequency counter, you can scan for two-word to ten-word phrases. 

12. Thesaurus.com

This is another tool that might seem painfully obvious. Combined with the word frequency counter, it’s such an essential resource for me. 

It’s especially useful if you’re writing about the same topic multiple times (i.e. love, getting drunk, sex, etc.). I always use this combo of tools to ensure uniqueness. 

13. Lists Of Colors

Are you stumped when trying to come up with unique shades of blue? Is describing your character’s hair or skin color difficult? This Wikipedia page has you covered. It contains:

lists of colors (alphabetically)

lists of colors by shade

lists of Crayola crayon colors

lists of color palettes

I typically use this resource for product descriptions, but I also used it for creative writing many times. It’s a lifesaver for all things color-related.

Free Photos/Images

Tons of creators need free photos/images for numerous reasons. All of these sources provide 100% free photos, illustrations, etc. that have a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. This means there’s no copyright whatsoever on them. 

You can edit the images however you’d like, too. All of the images in my post are from the first source listed below. I made them black and white and added text.

(A lot of these sites have donate buttons for contributors. Donating a dollar here and there goes a long way!)

1. Unsplash

Unsplash is my personal favorite for high-resolution photos. It’s easy to navigate and has over 2,000,000 free images. Downloading an image is a one-click process, and you don’t need to create an account. 

2. Pixabay

Pixabay is my go-to site for illustrations and vector graphics (they have photos, too). There are 1.9 million free images to choose from. You don’t need an account to download images, but I recommend creating one. It’s free and with an account:

you don’t have to complete a CAPTCHA every time you download an image

you can access higher-quality/larger/etc. versions of images

I often use graphics from Pixabay to create overlays and masks for mixed media art pieces.

3. PxHere

I’ve never used PxHere, but one of my writing clients recommends it. It seems very similar to Pixabay, and the interface is user-friendly.

4. Pexels

In my limited experience, Pexels seems to focus on “artsy” stock images/content. I found great high-quality images the few times I’ve used it. 

5. Burst by Shopify

I haven’t used Burst, but it’s another free image site that a writing client recommended to me. It seems a little limited compared to the other sites, but it never hurts to add it to your toolbox!

Digital Art/Photo Editing/Etc.

This section seems brief, but the tools listed are pretty comprehensive and diverse. They are geared towards many creative needs/projects like:

Creating manips of people/etc.

Adding text to images.

Creating collages.

Digital illustration.

Advanced photo editing. 

There’s something for everyone. In my experience, finding your favorites among these will take some trial and error. 

1. Pixlr X and Pixlr E (app available)

Pixlr X and Pixlr E are both versatile free editing tools. Pixlr X is ideal for less experienced creators. Pixlr E is comparable to Adobe PhotoShop. 

I’ve used both software formats for personal and professional art projects.

The Pixlr app is handy for making collages, adding filters/overlays, adding text, and so on. I’ve used it for creating fanfiction collages and similar projects. It’s super easy to use. 

2. Remove Background by Pixlr

This is one of the easiest/fastest tools I’ve found for removing backgrounds from images. It’s perfect for creators who make manips using photos of people. 

It takes literal seconds to use. The tool automatically removes the background. If you spot any mistakes, you can refine the results with brush/erase tools. Then you download the cutout and you’re all set! 

Unfortunately, this feature isn’t available on the Pixlr app. There are a lot of smartphone apps for removing photo backgrounds.

3. GIMP

If you need a full-fledged Photoshop alternative, GIMP is excellent software.  It’s not an online tool like most I’ve suggested; you’ll need to download it to your computer. 

There’s quite a learning curve for it, unless you’re familiar with Photoshop already. Fortunately, the free video/text GIMP tutorials online are endless. I no longer use/need GIMP, but it’s a personal favorite of mine.

4. Paint.NET

Admittedly, I haven’t used Paint.NET, but my art/photography colleagues commonly mention it. It’s comparable to Photoshop and GIMP. It’s a web-based tool, and a quick Google search returns several tutorials for it. 

5. Photopea

This is more or less a Photoshop clone, but it’s free and web-based. If you watch Photoshop tutorials, you can usually follow the same steps in PhotoPea. 

I’ve only used it a few times; I have Photoshop so I don’t need it. Still, it’s very impressive - especially for a free tool.

6. PicsArt (app available)

PicsArt is a photo editing website and app; the app is much easier to use in my opinion. It’s a “fun” editing tool for photo manips, collages, and fan art in general. A lot of users post their art in the app, and I’ve noticed tons of cool fandom edits. 

Some of the features are Premium (AKA cost money), but I don’t think they’re worth the extra cost. PicsArt also has a digital drawing app. I haven’t personally used it but it may be worth checking out! 

7. Adobe Photoshop Express (app available)

(I’ll preface this by saying I have an Adobe subscription, so I have access to the “locked” features. I’ve used the free versions, but my memory of it is a bit hazy.)

Photoshop Express is a free web-based tool and smartphone app. The app is very user-friendly and can be used for detailed editing, adding filters, adding text, and so on. 

I’m less familiar with the browser version; I only use it for the cutout tool when I’m feeling lazy. It seems to be a good fit for quick edits - filters, cropping, and so on. 

8. Make PNG Transparent by Online PNG Tools

This tool is awesome for removing solid colored backgrounds. I use it to create graphics for mixed media art pieces. Here’s how it works:

upload an image

type the color your want to remove (name or hex code)

type the percentage of similar color tones you want to match (for example, 25% will remove your chosen color plus similar warm/cool tones)

the removed color is replaced with transparent pixels

If you want to make a JPG transparent, start with the website’s JPG to PNG Converter. There are a ton of useful free tools offered, but I haven’t tried out most of the others. 

Wrap Up

That’s all I’ve got for now! If I think of additional free tools, I’ll add them to this post. Feel free to reblog with your own recommendations or message me if you’d like me to add anything.

I hope my fellow creatives find these too

[officialinvisibleanon]

Welcome to Starlo's tips and tricks for "Getting Gud" at writing!

((Hey guys! It's me, Starlo. I've often been told that I write extremely well and realistically. So I decided to make a post to help others write as well. This could be a series or a one-off. But I'm not that great of a teacher, so it'll probably be a one-off.))

Lesson 1: GRAMMAR, GRAMMAR, GRAMMAR!

((In my opinion, proper, or at least, decent grammar is crucial to have a believable story. I personally think that a character speaking with the correct spelling of words is the most important part of the story. This is because they are SAYING it with their MOUTHS. So if a word is misspelled or a punctuation mark is misplaced, then the way they are saying what they are saying is changed. Often, it seems like they misspoke, but if it happens often enough, then they seem to have some speech impediment. This, of course, is often unintended.))

((However, narration having proper grammar is also important, if only to make it so other people can easily understand what's going on.))

((Now that I've laid out the importance of correct grammar, here are some actual tips for HAVING correct grammar.))

((They're, there, and their mean VERY different things. "They're" is a contraction meaning "They Are". "There" refers to the location of an object. "Their" refers to something that belongs to someone and is used like "Hers" or "His". I.e. "Oh, you're looking for the file on Dr. Jeffery? Well, their file is right over there."))

((Obviously, you should capitalize nouns and the beginnings of sentences, but capitalization can be used for other things, as well. Say, what if you wanted to discreetly define some Important Words? Or maybe you wanted a character to emphasize PART of a sentence or word, but not the WHOLE sentence or word? You can do a lot with capitalization.))

Lesson 2: It's The End Of The Word As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

((What if Tumblr removed all text customization tomorrow? Could you tell your characters apart? Could other viewers? You always want to differentiate the speaking styles of your characters to match their respective personalities.))

((For example, Inviz speakers in an often blocky and chill tone, and he uses basic slang, like "chill" and "s'cool" often, but uses more, for lack of a better term, "slang-y" slang, like "Thicc" and "Cringe", extremely rarely. Orange almost never uses any slang, but is still really emotive. My point is, make sure your characters speak in a way that suits THEM, and not a way that suits you. This actually brings me to my next point...))

Lesson 3: You are not the one in control.

((Or at least, you shouldn't be. The plot is everything, right? NO! NO. Shut up. No. You couldn't be more wrong. I'm sorry for being blunt but it's true.))

((So what is most important? CHARACTER INTERACTION. Never ever EVER force a character to do something that clashes against their personality or morals. You could accidentally change the context of the entire story. Why would they do that when they logically would never? Are they hiding something? Are they hiding something BAD? You would never know because such an event would never happen again.))

((So how do you avoid such an event? Never let anything happen without a reason. If you can't answer when someone asks "why?", then do NOT let that character perform that action. Obviously, you can steer your character's in the "right" direction, but be mindful of how they do things.))

((If you have trouble figuring out exactly what a given character would do, just go with your gut. But do not stray from the gut. If you aren't sure, do not try to steer towards the plot, as you may accidentally make the character do something that shouldn't fit them. I know I'm basically reiterating the same thing over and over again, but- it's really important.))

Lesson 4: The End?

((And that's it! Tell me if you have any questions, get Grammarly, and goodbye!))

[43sparrows]

Hiya! I'm a huge fan of your works! (to the point I keep your blog and ao3 everyday lmaooo) I'm an aspiring writer myself and I'm still learning. If i may ask, do you have any tips on writing stories and story titles? Do you make titles before or after writing stuff? Where do you usually get ideas? Thanks! °♡°)_/

there’s nothing I love more than giving advice. that said, I feel like in writing, more than anywhere else in life, what works for one person doesn’t always work for another. so above all: you do you.

1. ideas

- do research: first read a bunch of things already posted in the tag you like. you want to know what’s out there. what tropes to people like? what’s common fanon? what’s been done to death so you should avoid? what holes are there?

- dialogue: usually after doing that, I’ll have a snippet of dialogue get in my head. I then start writing that conversation and see where it goes. I like to start every story with dialogue and fill in the other bits later. it’s really important to get down characters’ chemistry and when people don’t talk like they do in real life, it’s distracting. the best way to do that is just write out the whole conversation and then read it to see if it sounds the way people talk.

- outline & fill in: after that, i tend to outline what I want to happen in my story. the beginning and the end goal and any big mile marker posts in between. I then fill it in with the parts I’m most excited to write, and once I feel like my idea’s solid, I’ll start the first chapter.

2. titles

- sometimes the title comes first and I build an idea from a title I like. most of the time when I do that, I end up having to change the title later (a la office limits)

- usually i get halfway through writing a piece and then realize there’s at theme or motif or something that’d make a good title. that’s usually where I get it my titles from and then make sure to really bring it out more as I write the rest (a la every chapter in d e s i r e d)

3. writing

- grammar, spelling, and capitalization elevates all writing. Proof read or run what you want to say through grammarly. please please please.

- people will disagree with me on this one, but: it’s super important to keep characters in character. for example, it doesn’t really make sense to write Five as fluffy and sweet. yes this is fanfiction so you can do whatever you want, but people tend to react best when the characters you write are in line with the ones they came to love from the source material

- enjoy what you write. if you read it over a week after you post it, and you like it and it makes you smile or excited. it was good. that’s it. 

4. series

- start with one shots.

- i don’t follow this rule but wish i did. try to avoid posting a new story until you have at least two chapters written. this limits breaks between chapters because you have some queued up while you work on writing the new ones, and it also helps to make sure you have the right title before going and posting and then having to change anything.

5. notes

- don’t be discouraged if you get a few notes at first. when I first posted w a n t e d (from the d e s i r e d) series, I had 4 or 5 notes for about a month or two. It made me slow posting the second chapter, but then once I did, everything exploded. Tumblr is unpredictable. 

\(also thank you so much for not only loving my works but continuously checking. I’m hoping life will calm down soon so I can post another chapter)

[teaaavis]

Why I now hate Grammarly

For those who don’t use Grammarly, I’ll explain. Here’s some facts to take in as well.

Straight to the point. I don’t use Grammarly Premium because I just don’t want to pay for it.

Since I don’t have Grammarly Premium, the Grammarly I have now only corrects certain mistakes, such as capitalization, missing ending punctuation, misplaced and some important, missing commas,  (and what I mean by that is they don’t tell you to put commas in the really long sentences I write) and so on and so forth.

So when you make a mistake that you have to buy Grammarly Premium for you to fix, it just comes up as a problem that is shown in a golden circle that has a number in it. That number lessens and grows depending on if you fix that problem or you have another of that problem. If you have two different problems, it’s just the same thing, but there’s going to be another circle with a number. Then the largest circle shows the total number of mistakes that can be fixed with Premium. 

The more errors you get, the harder it is to understand your writing; and your overall score of your writing decreases.

And if you want to fix it, you either buy Premium or you erase part of what you’re writing and see if the error goes away. Then, in that segment, (if you found the mistake) you narrow it down by repeating that process until you find it.

Now, we can get to the real stuff.  Okay, so I’m writing a fanfiction about Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye, (because I love them like they’re my children :3) and it’s not my first time writing a fanfiction with Grammarly. It’s my longest fanfiction, with currently (I don’t know, maybe this is shocking to you) almost 8,000 words, that’s taken almost 1/ 2 of a year so far. I have encountered many errors that I’ve had to fix. And just saying, I like to have all my stats at its best and the overall score 100. It just makes me feel bad when it’s not 100. 

And let’s take in a short story that explains it all. Okay, so one day, I go onto Grammarly, everything just fine. I open up my latest fanfiction that I feel like working on today. I scroll to the end, which takes a dying 5 to 10 seconds, and during that time, the Grammarly system is running through my story to check for mistakes. And at that time, my score was 100, no mistakes, delivery of the story is perfect, along with the engagement and the clarity. Everything is fine. Everything was fine, until... I see 8 mistakes pop up in front of my eyes. I almost scream- And then I think, Okay, eight mistakes isn’t that bad. So, irritated and a bit disappointed, I fix the fanfiction, which actually takes a really long time, (over the course of a day or two, because I’m fixing a story with almost 8,000 words) and I decide, that’s enough writing. And a few days after. I head back to the Grammarly Hompage, in high spirits, ready to work on my story. I open up the document. I scroll to the end. Grammarly and its checking process.  Then.  I see... 28 mistakes flash in front of my eyes. And I think, suddenly, how could this happen to me (sorry, I couldn’t resist :p)? At that moment, I feel... so drained because I don’t want to fix 28 mistakes in a 8,000 word fanfiction! 8 has already taken enough time- but 28?!?! And I know, you’re thinking, “it’s only 20 more,” or “shouldn’t take thaaaat long to fix,” but, NO! Me, searching through a long fanfiction, erasing words, pasting them, paragraph by paragraph, searching word for word... it’s a tiring process.  I mean... I did fix some of them and still have 22 more to find... And for you Royai Fanfiction readers, no, I am most, most, most, most, definitely not posting my fanfictions on fanfiction.net on AO3 until I am satisfied with one of my fanfics! (hehe) I haven’t touched the fanfiction I’m working on in... I think... half a month? In the end, I think I’m just lazy. 

[beanzybrandon]

High School! PRETTYMUCH — Austin Porter

A/N: this isn’t even important i’m just overly amused by the fact that you can see my writing slowly devolve as this goes on

like, proper capitalization and punctuation who?? we don’t know her

literally, if it wasn’t for grammarly there wouldn’t even be apostrophes pFFT

• LOOK • I'm not saying Austin Dale Porter is the biggest nerd to walk this planet but that is exactly what I'm saying • Everyone and their grandmother knows that he watches more anime than any healthy individual should, but his interests delve far beyond the realm of Japanese animation • He's also extremely fond of all sorts of games • Computer gaming? Yes • Console gaming? All the better • RPG fantasy games? Ohmanohman, now we're getting excited!! • Magic and monster intensive card games that bring on more anxiety and competition than they should? Say no more!! He's right there screaming with the best of them • Given his penchant for these types of activities, he's actually one of the founders for the schools’ gaming club which includes, but is not limited to, various types of electronic gaming, card games such as Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon, and tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons • The thing that makes him the happiest is knowing that he's able to share his interests with like-minded individuals with whom he can share educated discussions and formulate genuine relationships • It's actually kind of interesting to see how much effort he places in the club. He cares so much about everyone who has joined and does his best to make sure that he listens to all the ideas and concerns that are presented to him. He does his best to ensure that each meeting is enjoyable and that special gatherings are well-planned and running smoothly • The club is lowkey like his baby and he's very proud of how wonderful things have turned out • Though a great deal of his time is spent focused on these types of activities that is not to say that they are his only priority • He's actually an active member of several other clubs, including robotics and the book club (mayhaps he made it a point to try and coax the president into incorporating manga into some of their group readings. it didn't exactly go the way he wanted it to, but it was a valiant effort indeed) • It's in the latter of these that Austin meets you • It's not uncommon for the group to get walk-ins throughout the semester, curious students wanting to sit in on a meeting to see how things flow or to pose whatever questions they may have • More often than not, those who wander past the doors of the senior-English teacher's classroom don't make a second appearance, but you and a few of your friends had proven to be part of the exception • The initial excitement he felt upon hearing that four students had come to join them melted into mild astonishment when his gaze came to rest upon you for the first time • If love at first sight is a thing, he was certain cupid had hit him with more than one expertly aimed arrow • If it were possible for it to do so, he was sure that his heart was about to beat out of his chest • He's a bit shy so he doesn't talk to you right away • If we're being completely honest, even doing so much as sparing a glance in your direction has his face flushing a shade of red he didn't even know existed • His friends have noticed what's going on by this point (in fact, the entirety of the club seems to have put two and two together...the exceptions being you, of course) and after some not too gentle coaxing, he's shuffling over to you and your friends, hands buried in the front pocket of his paint-stained hoodie • Seeing as though the giggle your friends let out upon seeing him was something you didn't quite understand, you chose to ignore it

• "Mind if I sit with you guys?" He asked, motioning toward the vacant chair beside you • You'd merely nod in response, shifting your own seat to the right some to accommodate his frame as he slipped between the chairs and sat himself down. A relieved smile would break out across his lips the moment the seat of his jeans met the rough plastic of the chair • "I'm Austin," he'd continue, offering his hand to everyone in the rough circle that had been formed. He seemed nice enough, and it wasn't long before all of you were chatting like you had known each other for years. Conversation flowed easily amongst everyone, and you found that you quite liked the adorably-awkward young man on your left • Time passed rather quickly, and before you could present the argument you had as to why Jonathan Joestar was the best JoJo in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure universe (how ya'll ended up on the topic on anime is beyooooond me. It's totally not like it's some sort of mutual interest) the groups coordinator was standing, calling out that it was time for things to come to a close • "This discussion is far from over," you'd quip as you shoved your things back into your backpack, slinging it over your shoulder as it stood • "You're right," He'd answer, an amused lull clinging to his words. After a moment of two of silent deliberation, he'd hit you with a "You should give me your number. I've still gotta crush your argument and I don't think I can wait a week to do that." • And did you? • The only correct answer is yes • A cute boy with mutual interests and a great personality?? You'd be dumb not to

• The smile he offered you after tucking his phone back into the pocket was so sweet you could practically taste the honey on your tongue • You weren't really expecting him to reach out to you later that night, but he did, and sure enough, the argument the two of you had found yourselves in the midsts of earlier that afternoon kicked up, stronger than ever • The capabilities of fictional characters weren't the only thing you found yourselves discussing, though.   • As the night drew on, it became clear to see that you guys had more in common than you had anticipated • And goodness was he full of jokes • The better part of about five hours was spent wheezing into your pillow in a feeble attempt to keep from waking your family • You were insanely tired come the next morning, but that was okay with you • Because you made a new friend and couldn't remember the last time you had had so much fun just texting someone

• The progression of your relationship was a quick one. In a matter of months, the two of you had become the best of friends and were doing quite literally everything together. You were prettymuch (HAH) attached at the hip • By the time the year had come to a close, Austin was certain the feelings he held for you ran deeper than the fleeting crushes he had experienced thus far, and you were growing to realize that you liked him more than you let on • Had either of you mentioned this, though? • Of course not • Because high school is weird and what are emotions and literally how do you convey these things to other people without coming off weird or them looking at you like you ate their first born child • It's never really that intense, but that's what it fEELS LIKE and neither of you wanted to subject yourself to that type of humiliation • Or ruin the relationship that you had built

• the fact that your relationship had gone from being platonic to romantic at all was surprising • but not undesirable in the slightest • it had happened rather spontaneously. he had come over for your weekly movie-marathon, a bag of snacks in hand and a warm smile on his face • the night had followed the same pattern of those that had come before them, but the air that had fallen over the two of you as you huddled together on the couch was different • neither of you could quite describe what it felt like, just that it was odd and left you with a dry throat and a small knot in the pit of your stomach

• every so often, Austin would shift a bit closer, muttering something about being cold and you hogging all the blankets • which very well may have been true but?? You had laid claim to it first • After enough pestering, you'd let out an exasperated huff and throw your arm up, holding the blanket open • "Hurry up and get under it before I change my mind and let you freeze" • He wouldn't need to be told a second time

• honestly, he's not even watching the movie • he's pitching little glances in your direction every so often, gaze softening when it falls across your features • oh man • thisismorethanacrush.jpg • he's not exactly subtle about his staring, so it isn't long before you've caught him • uhoh.exe

• "why are you staring? is there something on my face?" • uHOH.EXE • ABORT MISSION • poor boy is broken though, he doesn't even know how to answer • "seriously, is there snot hanging out of my nose or something?" you'd ask, wiping fervently at your face with the sleeve of his your hoodie • nope, just beauty • but he doesn't say this • because his brain is BROKEN and all that's inside of his head right now is a pile of GOO • so what does he do instead? • the only thing any logical teenage boy would do, of course • he kisses you • and maybe it's his first kiss so it's rushed and unsure but it's a kiss all the same • and maybe, just maybe you kiss back • and then maybe dating doesn't seem like it would be so bad after all

• boyfriend Austin is honestly the softest thing in the world?? • like, being in love with someone is already a phenomenal feeling but sharing that type of relationship with your best friend is immensely better because you've already established a strong bond and you know each other better than anyone else • that doesn't mean he doesn't still love to learn more, though • if you thought he was interested in your hobbies before, you should see him now • he does his absolute best to learn about the things that intrigue you that way you're able to do more together •  has asked you to teach him how to do some of your favorite things on more than one occasion • it doesn't always turn out (you tried to show him how to bake a cake once and he had flour in his hair for at least three days afterward) great but he's making a genuine effort and the look that fills his eyes when he's working with you is easily the sweetest thing in the world • you being happy makes him happier than he knew possible • he loves showing you his favorite things, too!! • taught you how to skate, likes to paint and game with you whenever time allows

• 110% okay with you stealing his clothing • if we're being honest, he kind of encourages it?? his hoodies practically swallow you and he thinks it's the cutest thing in the world • he's also very fond of skinship • like, it doesn't matter what it is, he just wants to touch you. he loves how perfectly your hand fits in his, the warmth that rolls off of your body when you cuddle up to him, the way your lips feels against his

• spEAKING OF KISSES • they're this boys' biggest weakness?? • like, give him kisses and he will instantly become a pile of goo • he's especially fond of the sweet little kiss you press to the corner of his lips, or the ones he gets on his forehead and the tip of his nose when he has his head resting in your lap • he has no issue with pda whatsoever • he's not one of those dudes that try to shove his tongue down your throat in the middle of the hallway or anything like that, but he does like to show people that you're his • it's not even a possessive thing, he's just really happy to have you • his entire mentality is literally "lOOk aT mY pArtNer!" • "aRenT tHey So DOpE?!" • "iM DatIng LItErALLy The MosT aMaZInG PeRsOn In thE wOrlD!!" • kisses between classes • kisses after school • soft lil kisses just because • walks you to all your classes • carries your books despite you telling him it's cheesy and unnecessary • "it's cheesy but you love it" • you do love it, you can't even argue

• absolutely head over heels for you • and you for him • the likelihood of the relationship lasting until graduation is very high, and it's almost guaranteed you'll be together well into your young adult years • in short, you're the sweetest of high school sweethearts

[quneqlude]

reasons for my username

There are so many editorial decisions that a writer constantly makes, and if the writer is a perfectionist, then they can never get a single long sentence out in the open, because they would lack the energy to do so. Thinking about the myriad ways a sentence can go without even writing it is a mental exercise in itself. Within my mind, I have written a thousand essays of varying lengths. Within my mind, I have probably published my biography at least 10 times. But all the mental work just within me. It has obviously shaped my thinking and my writing style, but I have no tangible proof to show for all the growth that I seem to be experiencing or at least want to.

Hence, This. God fucken damn me if i do not post anything and everything that comes to my mind in whatever shape it wants to, in its immediacy and rawness; for i do not fucken want to think about how to even edit This or anything but just put all the thoughts on the page.

There are so many editorial decisions that I took even without hitting backspace many times: 1.This was going to be titled “reasons for my username” with a side note saying why “reasons why” seems/is wrong; 2. then i titled it “reasons behind my username”; 3. then I backspaced the whole notion of something being behind something; this is not a doggy-style sex that is going on, This is pure, unadulterated writing. 

(the audacity of Grammarly suggesting me that unadulterated was spelled wrong,)

See here, ex-employers. See here, future employers thinking to take me in full-time or part-time. Especially experimental or new-age publications, SEE HERE. I can write. I have written about many things, all tangentially connected, while still not having revealed the reasons for my username. 

(Here is where I would say that yes, obviously after I free-write This, I will look for typos. I will format This. I will italicize this in itself. And I will read This.)

 ______________________________________________________

I started off with the username ‘qonqlude’ to say that This will be the conclusion of all of my within-mind writing. That I will put words to the page. Having Qs didn’t seem quite catchy though, plus my mind was leaning toward a something like ‘qonqludd’. I did not understand why the inclination. Until minutes ago. It was because of ‘quaalude’, a word with double As, and in my mind, I wanted to have that. I wanted to feel relief, after all. I am just awed at the direction my mind has taken. 

I decided upon ‘quaaqlude’, but as soon as I wrote it, it disgusted? repulsed me.  Seeing that adding an N would make it ‘qu-aan-qlude’, I saw that I could add the word ‘one’, to mean that this would be my one and only place to dump all of my writing, to help me form my writing habit. (Hitting the shift button capitalize, especially for ‘I’s, is irritating. 

SO, here we here. quneqlude, noun, the only place that contains all of one’s writing and that concludes their sense of having no ‘proper’ place, until they form a writing habit, and until they form as a ‘good’ writer.

[ironhusband]

let's pretend that i am not late responding. 🙂

don't apologize for info dumping! in fact, if you ever get an ask from me you can take it as a free invite to just go on for entire pages if you want. that said, there's nothing i can really say to make getting uninvited by party better, and definitely nothing can make covid better by any stretch of the imagination, so just know you and your mother have my utmost support. trust. ♥️

as for that night, i'm pretty sure i didn't get black out drunk, actually. i'm a surprisingly lucid drunk--my co-workers actually tested me on this as a fun game, turns out i can build an entire table while drunk. the trick to doing anything accurately while really drunk is to go extremely slow--but that level of drunkenness easily makes me completely useless. pretty sure the memory loss came from the brain damage. or the brain damage with the combination of alcohol.

and yeah, i've been being safe about drinking. those drinks i had on the fourth were actually the first ones i had since the whole vomit incident. i did try to start back drinking before that but every time i did my mama would 🥺 at me and i...i just couldn't.

ao3 though, i actually really like it? the thought of uploading the rest of my stuff still really spikes my anxiety but it's so nice knowing that someone out there actually likes my writing? but most importantly that someone in the world is happy because of me? it's the best feeling in the word, and really it's the center reason i became a mixologist. but uploading, god there are so many fics that still need to be uploaded. i've counted fifteen so far but that's just the first page. there are three pages in all, and i know for a fact that all of these fics are samrhodeytony. (the folder is labeled as such.)

((why don't they make an application that can just automatically format something. just automatically correct capitalization and grammar and make everything look pretty. this would make everything go so much faster for me.))

compared to the other folders i guess this would make samrhodeytony my otp? that's hilarious...who’s main otp is an ot3? seriously who. who. i am an embarrassment. ~🍜

Omg, I'm so sorry it took me so long to answer, I read your ask and then I got distracted and... yeah. I forget haha.

My mom and me are all good now btw! My mom is healed and I just got tested again yesterday and turned out negative so nothing to worry about.

The brain damage with the combination of alcohol makes a lot of sense actually. That's... concerning. Are you forgetting a lot of things now? I'm glad you cut back on the alcohol though.

I'm glad you're enjoying posting so much! I'd love to read more on AO3 if you decide to upload! Btw, you can use grammarly if you need help formatting! It's what I use.

Lol, it's okay that you like samrhodeytony, you're not an embarrassment! We need all the samrhodeytony shippers we can get! You are a hero in this fandom.

[backfencemagazine]

How Tech Can Help With Grammar

I know many people will say that technology is ruining grammar, and that can absolutely be true. Really I blame T9 texting. When it took 4 key presses to get to a capital T, proper punctuation and grammar kinda flew out the window. It’s also possible that tech can help with grammar.

These days we are blessed with full keyboards on our smartphones, so there is no longer the excuse to have poor grammar and zero punctuation. However, to help you out, if you weren’t paying attention in English class, there are a few tech tools out there that can help you improve your grammar.

Grammarly

The best tool out there is Grammarly. You can install an app on your computer or use the Grammarly extension for Chrome. It will automatically start checking anything you type for Grammar mistakes. Typing an update in Facebook, Grammarly will check. Are you writing an email in your Gmail account? It will check it. Writing a blog post? Grammarly has saved me MANY times.

The Chrome extension even works inside Google Docs now too. Really when it’s automatically checking everything you write, there really is no excuse for poor Grammar. If you don’t have the extension or application, you can always paste what you are trying to write in their online checker.

Grammarly can even help on your smartphone as well! The app you install on your phone is actually a keyboard replacement. You use Grammarly’s keyboard as your typing application and it will help you correct your grammar as you type, no matter where you are typing.

Hemingway Editor

If you are wanting to take your writing to another level, the Hemingway Editor can give you a lot of insight into your writing and Grammar. This one won’t just check for the most basic grammar, it will check for difficulty reading or the use of a passive voice. If you are trying to reach a specific audience or just want to make sure your writing is easy to understand, this is a great option for you.

Use an app to brush up on your grammar skills

There are quite a few apps that can help test your knowledge of English grammar rules. My favorite is called Learn English Grammar. The app has quizzes, exercises, and lessons to help you keep your grammar skills sharp. You might even learn some new rules that you didn’t know before! It will also help you correct some of the mistakes you have been making your entire life.

Stay updated

While most grammar rules don’t change, things do happen with the English language that can change meanings. Staying updated with the latest grammar tips can be incredibly helpful when you are writing. I love listening to the Grammar Girl podcast. Not only is she entertaining, but she has really quick episodes that promise to help improve your writing.

If you aren’t a fan of her style though, there are plenty of grammar blogs and podcasts that you might find you enjoy. Do a Google search for either. If you prefer podcasts, look for Grammar podcasts, and if you like to read instead, search for Grammar blogs. I’m sure you will be able to find one that fits your style.

Make it a conscious decision to use proper grammar and spelling

While I know sometimes it can be faster to type u instead of you, don’t do it! As you make an effort to use proper grammar in your everyday texts and communications, it will continue to get easier when you need to have good grammar. Don’t take the easy way out. Then when you do have a professional letter or email to write, good grammar will just come naturally.

Don’t be the person that created this sign… just, please…

Wow. This sign just keeps on giving. #badgrammar pic.twitter.com/BHvsSrAkao

— Elisha Dacey (@elishadacey) December 16, 2016

Family Tech

[forwritingsake]

Maybe

I’ve never been able to put it in exact words to why I have such an issue with religion. More specifically my past religion: Christianity. Maybe it’s the way that they assume they are right in everything they say, they don’t stop to consider the other point of view, others beliefs. I grew up thinking that anything such as Buddhist or Hindu was such a taboo. Just these past 2 years I’ve really realized how normal other religions are, they're not wrong, they’re just different. Of course, my view of Christianity is definitely bias and stereotyping so many people but I don’t care. Every fact about me (other than my race) is stereotyped. I’m a female, I’m atheist, I’m not straight, I grew out my hair so I wouldn't be a living stereotype. So I think that I deserve to be the one stereotyping for once.

I didn't get a choice growing up, I didn't get to chose if I wanted to be apart of the church or if I wanted to go to a religious school. I was memorizing bible verses for class when I didn't even know if I believed in this holy book they held so high. I was taught to capitalize certain words that grammarly shouldn't be. I was taught that global warming and evolution was some punchline to a joke, because religion over education, right? I asked my mom once why she raised me to be Christian, why she didn't teach me about all religions and let me pick one if any. She replied, “Why wouldn't I share what I believe with my whole heart?” I tried my hardest to explain it to her, eventually, I realized she’d never get it. She still claims Jesus will reveal himself to me, no matter how many times I claim I don’t want that.

If I was raised without religion, I wouldn't have had an upsetting pain deep in my stomach every Monday morning in chapel feeling like there was something wrong with me. I wouldn't have to blow off all my friends in 7th grade so I could “be a better Christian” because I thought they were the reason I couldn't “hear god.”

MAYBE. Maybe if I had the choice of religion I would have chosen it by myself, or I wouldn't feel weirded out when someone with a Jesus bumper sticker pulls up beside me like they’re judging every. Single. Move. Maybe I wouldn't have some weird obsession with religious pop songs that really mean you don't need to be religious. Maybe I wouldn't obsess over gay movies, books, tv shows and not because I'm loud and proud but simply because I want to know the brains of others who accept those things. MAYBE I wouldn't have a weird obsession with god, and convincing myself that I can believe in them without believing in them. I wouldn't have such a fucked up view of Christians, even my friends who are liberal/ gay as fuck that are religious give this invisible wall between me and them.

Maybe I would be normal.

Love, anonymously (I’m sure I’ll eventually come up with a good anon name like in love, simon. lol) 

[passingexams101-blog]

10 Tips for High School Students

High school seems like a drag most of the time. Going to school, doing work that you don’t like, seeing people you don’t like, and maybe even eating food that you don’t like. However, it is something that we all have to do (unless you’re homeschooled, of course). The main goal in high school is really to pass your exams and graduate alive, but, we’re all dead inside so I should say, graduate mostly alive. Wouldn’t it be great if we were all gifted and smart? However, that’s not how life is; you have to work for everything. As a result, I have put together 10 tips that will help any high school student successfully pass their exams.

1.      Exam Calendar

Refusing to acknowledge the proximity of an exam won’t make it go away. In fact, it causes it to approach faster because without a calendar, the exam will be able to sneak up on you. Sneaky exams are exactly what we try to get away from, therefore, CREATE AN EXAM CALENDAR. Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout, but this is something I cannot stress enough, that’s why it’s number one. For CXC students, your timetables are available on the CXC website from maybe in September to the year prior to your exam (eg, if your exam is in 2018, the timetable is available in September 2017) therefore, you have no excuse as to why you didn’t already make a calendar. Ensure that you place your calendar in a spot where you will always see it especially when doing homework or studying. I recommend placing it on the wall above your desk or work space, this way, you always notice it. You don’t need to create any kind of huge, dramatic calendar (unless you want to of course). It can be plain and simple. Just ensure that you have the exam dates and times and what exams are happening on that day.

 2.      Study timetable

What is something that teachers constantly nag us about? That’s right, a study timetable. Hey! I know that you’re rolling your eyes! Honestly, I used to lowkey roll my eyes and sigh whenever my homeroom teacher even mentioned a study timetable too. However, I am a changed person. Take it from me, someone who hated study timetables. It is your key to passing exams because it ensures that you’re not wasting time procrastinating. What you need to do is look at your exam calendar and plan your timetable around it as to give yourself enough time to study and prepare for each exam. You can create two timetables; one for during the year away from exams, and one for during exams. Once again, put them in places where they will be noticeable to you like on the wall above your desk or work space.

 3.      Make Notes Ahead of Class

Well, well, well, this point is definitely something that we all know we should be doing, but is it being done? Of course not. Making notes ahead of class seems like torture, doesn’t it? We all want our teachers to open our heads and just shove the information right in. I mean, how cool and efficient would that be, right?  Unfortunately, that’s not how it’s done. Making notes ahead of class is actually pretty simple. First, you open the textbook and read a paragraph. Then, you summarize what you just read and write it in a notebook in point form. Difficult? *Inserts ‘nope,didn’t think so’ meme*. I recommend using a notebook that you will dedicate to this subject specifically as to prevent mixing up other subjects with this one. Also, you should use colored pens, pencils, or highlighters for the headings so when you’re looking for something, it’s easy to find. Let me give you some reasons as to why you should make notes AHEAD of class.

·         You’ll be prepared in case the teacher starts the class by asking questions about the topic, trust me when I say that it’s embarrassing not knowing anything.

·         You can ask any prior questions you had about the topic as the teacher teaches.

·         You can go to class with extra information (if you decided to do some research) and create a discussion in class. Teachers love discussions.

·         You can add examples and extra notes that the teacher gives.

·         Bonus: you can leave the heavy textbook at home and walk with your notebook instead since you already have the notes.

  4.      Use Technology

As the generation that lives within the age of technological advancement, there is so much resources to assist you online. For example,

YouTube. We’ve all heard of YouTube. I mean c’mon, if you haven’t, do you even live in 2018? Even though YouTube is mostly popular for music, beauty and DIYs, it is also useful for studying. Channels like Crash Course are great for revision or further understanding of topics. Another channel, Mr. Parr, uses the element of music to educate his watchers/listeners. He makes parodies of popular songs using science topics in order to teach.

BBC Bitesize offers a wide range of subjects and topics for a variety of educational levels. They have simple revision breakdowns of each topic, along with examples and revision questions. The website is very easy to use and navigate as it was created with youths in mind. Khan Academy is another great site. Whilst Bitesize focuses on typed explanations, Khan Academy offers video explanations, like YouTube.

If you write a lot of essays, then Grammarly is the site for you. It’s basically a grammar-checker. It checks for things like spelling, subject-verb agreement, capitalization, punctuation and a lot more. Sometimes Microsoft Word doesn’t get every single error because whenever it says that the document is fine and I put it through Grammarly, I get like 20+ new errors that Microsoft Word did not pick up.

 5.      Create Relationships with Teachers

Woah, woah, woah. I’m not telling you to date your 45-year-old math teacher. Gross. I’m talking about getting to know your teachers and having them know you. Showing interest in a subject really drives a teacher to wanting to helping you. After class, stop and talk to them; ask them about their day, if they’re ill, ask how they feel. Simple things. Always remember that teachers are people too. If you have problems or don’t understand something, ask them. Never be afraid of a teacher even if they seem scary, their best interest is in helping you. One thing that I found that really helped me improve was submitting extra work as practice. After a while of giving up extra work, my teachers realized that I was interested in the subject and paid more attention to me.  This really helps you out in the long run when you need recommendations for university or jobs. These teachers will be more than willing to help you out.

 6.      Ask for Help

Never be afraid to ask for help. Whether it be from a teacher or peer, if you need help, ask for it. Asking for help will not only help you to understand better, but it will also strengthen your bonds with others. Also, your class should create a group chat on social media sites like WhatsApp or Facebook. This will serve as your main communication center. Work can be sent in the chat and questions can be asked and answered. In addition, study groups are great for getting in knowledge if you work better in small groups rather than by yourself. Just get a few of your peers, who you now will study and not mess around, and start studying. It can happen after school in the library or even an empty class.

 7.      Past Papers.

Okay, I don’t know if past papers are available for exams outside of CXC, therefore I can only give my experience for CXC here. Past papers are available on the CXC website or at any bookstore. However, the best way to obtain past papers, is to have it handed down to you from someone who already did the exam. This way, it’s free! You can also find PDFs online. Past papers are great because they give you an idea of questions that can possibly be part of the exam. Sometimes, the same exact questions in the past paper, is what will be repeated. Therefore, you’re even more prepared because you already did that question. However, let me warn you, don’t memorize answers just to pass. Study to learn the general concept of the topic. This way, you will be able to do any question. Another awesome thing that CXC does is subject reports. These are reports of the answers for the exams each year. Most times, the answers for the questions are presented here and it’s best to study with the past paper and subject report side by side.

 8.      E-books/PDFs

Let me tell you, especially literature students, eBooks/PDFs will save your wallets. These are mostly available for novels but there will be eBooks for other topics too. Since they are free, you save tons of money. On the other hand, be careful when downloading these books as some may come with viruses or missing information. That is definitely the problem with PDFs, errors. Sometimes they may have spelling or grammatical errors. However, if you have an understanding of what you’re reading, the errors should not be a problem.

Literature students usually have to do things like analyzing information and other pretty difficult things. An easy way to get a general understanding of books is by reading summaries and analyses online. There are sites that offer these services like:

·         SparkNotes

·         Shmoop

·         CliffNotes

·         Enotes

 9.      Interact with People

So, you’re learning a language, what do your teachers preach? Get a pen pal. Well, in this day and age, pen pals aren’t really popular anymore. However, you can still talk to native speakers who want to learn your language. The app Amino is great for this. It’s basically like a little community on your phone. You just have to sign up and choose which Amino community you want to use. You can join as much communities as you’d like. It allows you to join group chats or even private chat with people. You can ask or help, take quizzes, participate in polls, make blog posts and so much more. It’s also a great way to make new friends.

 10.  Take a Break.

This is definitely what we all love to hear, right? Yes, of course. Taking a break. It’s great to take a break in order to just relax. Overworking yourself won’t do anything besides stress you out. The best things to do when taking a break are:

·         Take a walk somewhere. Walk around your house and maybe chat with your family a bit. Don’t study to the point where you completely lock off your family. Go outside and get some fresh air, you may even see something that can inspire you if you have writer’s block.

·         Stretch. Sitting in one position for too long can cause your body to become tense and this isn’t good for the muscles. Therefore, maybe do a bit of yoga. Looking up stretches for studying on Pinterest will be beneficial to you.

·         Eat. When you’re studying, it’s very easy to forget to do daily activities like eating and even showering. Therefore, I suggest when you take a break, eat some food or fruit, definitely not junk food.